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Hydraulic models include many uncertainties related to model parameters. Uncertainty Quantification (UQ) and Global Sensitivity Analysis (GSA) allow to quantify these uncertainties and identify the most influent parameters. To use traditional methods of UQ and GSA, the inputs must be independent. Therefore, this research aims to show that the dependence between inputs should not be neglected in uncertainty studies. To illustrate this, we used a simple hydraulic model built with TELEMAC-2D, representing a hypothetical linear river protected by a dyke that can break. The methodology is completed following these steps: the uncertain inputs and the outputs of interest are identified. Then, the inputs margins are defined through a statistical analysis using real dataset. The dependence structure between inputs is figured using copulas. Kriging metamodels are used to increase the number of experiences in a short time period. Finally, UQ and GSA are achieved. Regarding the UQ results, the outputs distribution is different if the inputs are considered dependent or not, whereas regarding the GSA, some parameters, usually considered non-influent in the hypothesis of independent inputs, have a real impact on the outputs. These results suggest that it could be interesting to consider the dependencies between inputs for “real” applications.

Different mechanical properties characterise the materials of 3D printed components, depending on the specific additive manufacturing (AM) process, its parameters, and the post-treatment adopted. Specifically, stereolithography (SLA) uses a photopolymerisation technique that creates solid components through selective solidification. In this study, 72 specimens were 3D printed using 12 commercial-grade methacrylate resins and tested under uniaxial tensile loads. The resin specimens were evaluated before and after curing. The recommended cure temperature and time were followed for all materials. The stress-strain curves measured during the testing campaign were evaluated in terms of maximum tensile strength, Young’s modulus, ductility, resilience, and toughness. The results reveal that the curing process increases the material stiffness and resistance to tensile loads. However, it was found that the curing process generally reduces the plasticity of the resins, causing a more or less marked brittle behaviour. This represents a potential limitation to the use of SLA 3D printing for structural elements which require some plasticity to avoid dangerous sudden failures.

Russia has always had problems with the uneven development of regions. This is due to the country's large size, different socio-cultural factors, and the taxation system, which forces the regions to send most of the collected taxes to Moscow. This causes social tension, accelerates the widening of the economic gap between regions, and reduces the opportunities for regions in economic cooperation. This paper presents an assessment of the possibilities of correcting the current situation by creating special economic zones in the regions that can stimulate the development of the regional economy and infrastructure. The scientific novelty of the study is the development of a methodology for assessing the impact of SEZs on the regional economy by determining the share of SEZs in the economic indicators of the region, comparing them with those of other SEZs, and correlating the relationship between the volume of private investments of SEZs and various socio-economic indicators. The study's practical significance is to develop practical recommendations for developing and improving industrial-production-type SEZs to increase the rate of development of the Lipetsk region's economy.

Abstract Background Asymptomatic malaria infections largely remain undetected and act as a reservoir for continuous transmission. The study assessed the prevalence of submicroscopic asymptomatic malaria infections and anaemia in two rural low (300 m above sea level) and highland (700 m asl) settings of Korogwe District north-eastern Tanzania. Methods A cross-sectional malariometric survey involving individuals aged 0–19 years was conducted in June 2018 in the two rural villages. Venous blood was collected from eligible study participants for estimation of haemoglobin level, detection of malaria by rapid diagnostic test (RDT), quantification of malaria parasitaemia by microscopy, as well as dried blood spot (DBS) for determining submicroscopic infections by PCR targeting the small subunit of the ribosomal ribonucleic acid (ssrRNA) of human Plasmodium. Results Out of 565 individuals tested, 211 (37.3%) were malaria positive based on RDT, whereas only 81 (14.3%) were positive by microscopy. There was no significant difference in the prevalence between the highland and the lowland village, p = 0.19 and p = 0.78 microscopy and RDT, respectively. Three out of 206 (1.5%) RDT/microscopy negative samples were P. falciparum positive by PCR. Of the 211 RDT and 81 microscopy positive, 130 (61.6%) and 33 (40.7%), respectively, were defined as being asymptomatic. Of the 565 individuals, 135 (23.9%) were anaemic (haemoglobin

Spread of antibiotic resistance is a significant challenge for our modern health care system, and even more so in developing countries with higher prevalence of both infections and resistant bacteria. Faulty usage of antibiotics has been pinpointed as a driving factor in spread of resistant bacteria through selective pressure. However, horizontal gene transfer mediated through bacteriophages may also play an important role in this spread. In a cohort of Tanzanian patients suffering from bacterial infections, we demonstrate significant differences in the oral microbial diversity between infected and non-infected individuals, as well as before and after oral antibiotics treatment. Further, the resistome carried both by bacteria and bacteriophages vary significantly, with blaCTX-M1 resistance genes being mobilized and enriched within phage populations. This may impact how we consider spread of resistance in a biological context, as well in terms of treatment regimes.

Background: Gangliocytic Paraganglioma is rarely reported in the paediatric age. We describe a case of a 4-month-old infant presenting with an intestinal obstruction from ileocolic intussusception led by Meckel's diverticulum. Case presentation: A 4-month-old male infant with intestinal obstruction underwent explorative laparotomy. An intussusception of a small mass in the diverticulum wall was found at surgery, which revealed to be a Gangliocytic Paraganglioma. Conclusions: The occurrence of this type of tumour is peculiar in children and has never been reported in infants and in association with Meckel's diverticulum and intestinal intussusception.

In questo articolo si descrivono e discutono le caratteristiche principali della lingua quechua relative alla distinzione tra ‘maschio’ e ‘femmina’. La prima parte del testo indica il modo in cui il quechua codifica questa distinzione attraverso il lessico, ponendo l’attenzione sui termini di parentela; la seconda parte mostra i sostantivi, aggettivi e verbi indicanti persone, comportamenti e abitudini considerati come tipicamente femminili o maschili. Sia la prima parte che la seconda sono vòlte a evidenziare alcuni fattori di tipo socio-culturale associati alla distinzione linguistica tra genere femminile e maschile.

This study investigates consumer behavior and interest in “welfare-friendly” forms of pork production, considering the growing presence of animal welfare-focused breeding practices. The aim is to outline the typical profile of pork consumers and identify the key attributes influencing their purchasing decisions. A survey was conducted on a sample of 286 individuals after excluding those who only consumed beef and/or poultry or identified as vegetarians/vegans. Regression coefficients (b), 95% Confidence Intervals (95% C.I.), and p-values were reported for univariate and multivariate models. Statistical significance was determined at p < 0.05 (indicated in bold). The findings indicate that younger participants show greater sensitivity towards consuming meat raised using welfare-friendly methods, raising considerations about the age composition of the sample. The research’s originality lies in evaluating consumer interest in pork raised with animal welfare-respecting techniques. The use of appropriate statistical tools, such as multivariate and multilayer models, allows effective solutions for multidimensional hypothesis testing problems in non-parametric permutation inference.

The term smart city is defined, and based on India's National Smart City Mission, it is explained what an emerging country can do to start making its cities smarter. Thereby the goals and the program's implementation are analysed, how it works, and how cities can participate. Moreover, Bhubaneswar and Pune are investigated regarding their smart city plans, goals, and first outcomes. Furthermore, challenges the program faced until now are mentioned and learnings for other emerging market cities on what went well in India and on what does not yet work out that well in the program.

Abstract Background The partial or complete cranial cruciate ligament rupture is a common skeletal disease affecting the stifle joint in dogs. The tibial plateau levelling osteotomy, performed with several synthesis systems, changed the approach to its treatment in dogs. The aim of this study was to compare two types of fixation implants, locking compression system and locking system, evaluating radiographically the progression of osteoarthritis of the stifle joint in dogs with complete cranial cruciate ligament deficiency treated surgically with tibial plateau levelling osteotomy. Moreover, we evaluated bone healing and lameness scores to show biomechanical effects by the implant used. Twenty-eight dogs, who met the inclusion criteria, were divided into two groups. Group A: 14 dogs treated using locking compression plates; Group B: 14 dogs treated using locking plates. Radiographic osteoarthritis scores were evaluated up to 1 year following tibial plateau levelling osteotomy. At each visit, animals were clinically and radiographically assessed. Each dog was evaluated before (T0) and after two (T2) and twelve (T12) months after the surgery. At T2 the stage of bone healing was evaluated. The clinical follow up was performed before the surgery and at 10, 15 and 20 days after the surgery, grading the lameness at walk and trot. Results An increase in osteoarthritis score at T12 versus T0 in both groups was detected. A decrease of the lameness score was observed in Group A versus Group B. The healing score system at T2 showed a lower score in Group A versus Group B. Conclusions The osteoarthritis score following tibial plateau levelling osteotomy did not differ when comparing the two different fixation systems. The locking compression system allowed a more rapid functional recovery of the limb and a quicker bone healing than the locking system. Locking compression system should be carefully considered for dogs subjected to tibial plateau levelling osteotomy surgery, because it may reduce the recovery time.

Penelitian ini merupakan pembuatan aplikasi pengukuran berat dan tinggi badan anak balita menggunakan metode realtime active database management system (RADBMS) berbasis python. Yang mana tujuan dari penelitian ini adalah merancang dan membuat aplikasi pengukuran berat dan tinggi bada anak balita yang dapat menyimpan database-nya dengan aman menggunakan metode realtime active dattabase management system. Perancangan dan pembuatan aplikasi pengukuran berat dan tinggi balita ini dibuat dengan python sebagai bahasa pemrograman untuk membuat aplikasi-nya dan MySQL sebagai database-nya. Dengan menggunakan metode realtime active database management system, pengguna aplikasi ini dapat menggunakan database yang tersimpan untuk digunakan kembali menampilkan grafik pertumbuhan balita. Dan database yang tersimpan dalam bentuk softcopy dalam bentuk database bisa dicetak menjadi hardcopy dengan mengkonversi menjadi file berekstensi .xlsx dan diprint setelahnya. Setelah dilakukan pengujian aplikasi yang dapat digunakan dengan baik mulai dari keamanan login interfacenya, biodata yang disimpan saat melakukan input data pada input data interface, dan saat melakukan pengukuran pada measurement interface.

Musculoskeletal injuries often occur when performing motocross; almost half of the overall ligamentous injuries (42%) are knee ligaments injuries. Lesions can be greatly reduced with knee braces. Commercial knee braces are expected to oppose and limit unwanted and potentially harmful movements such as hyperextension and excessive rotation of the knee joint. However, this aspect has not been fully investigated from a biomechanical point of view. This would require proper Finite Element Modelling (FEM) and Analysis (FEA). However, to perform FEA and evaluate the efficacy of the brace simulating sportive conditions, numerical models need to be built. It requires a dedicated setup and several preprocessing steps, for which no industrial standard or widely accepted better practise is available as of today. Firstly, the brace and the lower limb are scanned using a 3D scanner. The geometry is reconstructed using reverse engineering techniques. These allow us to obtain a smooth, reliable 3D model starting from the points cloud acquired during scanning. A lower limb model was created using a mixed approach, combining MRI data and 3D scanning. Finally, a simulation of the impact condition after a jump using the developed model was carried out.

In this work, the design, fabrication and characterization of micro-air-channel-based unit cells aimed at phase control exploitable in 5G-mmwave applications are reported. The basic unit cell consisted of rectangular dielectric blocks (RDB) placed onto a thin substrate, realized by means of a resin polymer. The RDB effective relative permittivity was changed by tuning specific design parameters and infill density percentage (ID%), that was engineered through the introduction of a number of uniformly distributed micro-air channels. The reflected phase variation was numerically quantified in terms of frequency range and ID%, thus proving that a controlled phase variation can be accomplished depending on air-channel number. The prototypes were fabricated by means of the micro-inverted Stereolithography (SLA). In order to assess the accuracy of the SLA technology on the dimensions imposed by the high aspect ratio of the structures, larger unit cells operating in the X band were first fabricated. The acquired technological know-how has been subsequently exploited to fabricate smaller unit cells operating at mmwave. Geometrical characterizations of the prototypes, performed via a visual system setup, put in evidence the technological challenges, especially faced to realize open micro-air channels. In particular, as smaller micro-channel were actually obtained for some samples, a consequent increase of the actual ID% and effective relative permittivity values was experienced by the related unit cells. Nonetheless, the experimental results performed on the fabricated prototypes in the X band and mmwave range were in good agreement with the numerical ones, confirming the phase variation vs. ID% trends of the simulated unit cell arrays.

In view of the important progress made in veterinary science and the increasing availability of new reproductive technologies in the 21st century, demand for canine artificial insemination (CAI) for medical and/or breeding management reasons is growing worldwide resulting in raising some legal and ethical concerns. Currently, imported chilled and frozen semen from European countries can be sold to the final consumer with no strings attached. To compound this problem, the importation in Europe has no bio-security procedures. Given the potential role of this canine semen’s movements in spreading of bacterial (i.e. leptospirosis), parasitic (i.e. leishmaniasis), viral (i.e. canine herpesvirus) or genetic (i.e. progressive retinal atrophy) diseases from one state to another, the authors propose the application of regulatory measures regarding importation and exportation of semen in order to secure animal welfare and health. They underline that the interests and welfare of puppies that will be born as well as the health and welfare of bitches and sperm donors should be respected. For these reasons, ethical implications related to the use of canine semen should be taken into account.Highlights Canine artificial insemination is growing worldwide together with interest in the international semen shipment. Canine semen’s movements could introduce disease agents or genetic diseases from one state to another. There are several different regulatory frameworks governing the use of artificial insemination in dogs. We suggest that the application of regulatory measures regarding importation and exportation of semen should be included in the EU legislation.

The present article is the result of a collective work by various authors and focuses attention to the consequences in training processes and educational relationships following the Covid 19 pandemic. All educational agencies, formal, non-formal and informal, starting with the family and the school, have been involved in a profound change involving the times, spaces and strategies of education. The various contributions, focusing on different aspects and problems, highlight the need for collaboration and the sharing of principles and objectives by all the training agencies in order to enable all citizens to exercise their citizenship in an active and constructive manner. In this regard, the importance of Community education pacts is stressed in order to create synergy, continuity and cooperation between schools and extra-school activities based on local needs. In this situation, pedagogical research can take on a guiding and orientation role in the community in order to facilitate and promote the construction of an integrated extended educational system.

È possibile educare alla cittadinanza? Sempre più spesso, negli ultimi tempi, ci si interroga sulla possibilità di costruire percorsi di educazione che mirino allo sviluppo del senso civico nel cittadino dell’oggi, ma anche nel soggetto che sarà protagonista della comunità del futuro. Nel tempo sospeso (Corsi, 2020), ad essere minate maggiormente sono le relazioni, con le loro strutture complesse e liquide; l’idea di poter essere attori di sé stessi, scivola nel pericoloso baratro del complottismo, dell’incapacità di discernere la realtà dei fatti, inneggiando a una democrazia malata. Il cittadino fatica nella ricerca di un benessere che non poggia su certezze ma è continuamente sotto esame, incapace di costruire percorsi di welfare di sostegno alla persona. Il presente contributo prova a rispondere a queste urgenze, proprie della pedagogia, richiamando l’importanza e l’imprescindibilità di una scuola che sia palestra di educazione alla cittadinanza.

Recently, there has been an increasing movement of germinal products of dogs (Canis lupus familiaris) and cats (Felis silvestris catus) between the Member States. Therefore, Europe laid down and harmonized rules on the marking of straws and other packages containing germinal products [Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020/686]. Given that germinal products' movement may increase the risk of infectious disease spread, requirements regarding animal health have been revised focusing on control of rabies and echinococcosis, although there are new emerging diseases that may require, even locally, specific requirements. For this reason, veterinarians, operators, and official veterinarians are involved in different phases of the process. Because non-veterinary operators can operate in all phases, they should have a limited role in collecting germinal products, especially for feline species. Veterinarians, instead, should have a main role in the health evaluation of donors, in collecting germ cells with medical techniques and in depositing sperm and embryos with endoscopic or surgical methods. The official veterinarians are the main ones responsible for the application of the rules. This paper aims to provide an overview of the European legislative framework regarding the newly delegated regulation on germinal products in small animals (dogs and cats), highlighting some of the benefits and critical aspects regarding its functioning.

BackgroundPisa syndrome (PS) is a frequent postural complication of Parkinson's disease (PD). PS poorly responds to anti-parkinsonian drugs and the improvement achieved with neurorehabilitation tends to fade in 6 months or less. Transcranial direct current stimulation (t-DCS) is a non-invasive neuromodulation technique that showed promising results in improving specific symptoms in different movement disorders.ObjectivesThis study aimed to evaluate the role of bi-hemispheric t-DCS as an add-on to a standardized hospital rehabilitation program in the management of PS in PD.MethodsThis study included 28 patients with PD and PS (21 men, aged 72.9 ± 5.1 years) who underwent a 4-week intensive neurorehabilitation treatment and were randomized to receive: i) t-DCS (t-DCS group, n = 13) for 5 daily sessions (20 min−2 mA) with bi-hemispheric stimulation over the primary motor cortex (M1), or ii) sham stimulation (sham group, n = 15) with the same duration and cadence. At baseline (T0), end of rehabilitation (T1), and 6 months later (T2) patients were evaluated with both trunk kinematic analysis and clinical scales, including UPDRS-III, Functional Independence Measure (FIM), and Numerical Rating Scale for lumbar pain.ResultsWhen compared to the sham group, the t-DCS group achieved a more pronounced improvement in several variables: overall posture (p = 0.014), lateral trunk inclination (p = 0.013) during upright standing position, total range of motion of the trunk (p = 0.012), FIM score (p = 0.048), and lumbar pain intensity (p = 0.017).ConclusionsOur data support the use of neuromodulation with t-DCS as an add-on to neurorehabilitation for the treatment of patients affected by PS in PD.

Abstract Introduction This is the report of the first official survey from the Italian Society of Pediatric Surgery (ISPS) to appraise the distribution and organization of bedside surgery in the neonatal intensive care units (NICU) in Italy. Methods A questionnaire requesting general data, staff data and workload data of the centers was developed and sent by means of an online cloud-based software instrument to all Italian pediatric surgery Units. Results The survey was answered by 34 (65%) out of 52 centers. NICU bedside surgery is reported in 81.8% of the pediatric surgery centers. A lower prevalence of bedside surgical practice in the NICU was reported for Southern Italy and the islands than for Northern Italy and Central Italy (Southern

Since 2006, some Italian Regions introduced the active offer of measles, mumps, rubella, and varicella (MMRV) vaccine for all newborns during the second years of life. In 2011, Italian Drug Authority (AIFA) recommended the discontinuation of the MMRV use for an increased risk of febrile seizures following vaccination; furthermore, some Regions (such as Apulia, that introduced MMRV offer in 2009) chose to continue the use of MMRV and Ministry of Health recommended to guarantee supplemental monitoring of safety of the vaccine. In Italy, the surveillance of Adverse Events following immunization (AEFIs) is currently carried out by AIFA and Regional Health Authorities; this paper aims to summarize the results of MMRV-vaccine surveillance of AEFIs program carried out in Apulia. From the AIFA database, we selected MMRV AEFIs that occurred in Apulia (about 4,000,000 inhabitants) from 2009 to 2017. For serious AEFIs, we applied the WHO causality assessment algorithm, using for cases hospitalized information from individual medical records. In the 8 years of observation, 155 MMRV-AEFIs (reporting rate: 37.9×100,000 doses) occurred of which 26 were classified as serious (6.3×100,000 doses) and 22 led to hospitalization. Performing causality assessment, for 10 the classification was “consistent causal association to immunization” (reporting rate: 2.4×100000 doses), for 2 indeterminate, for 13 “inconsistent causal association to immunization” and for 1 not-classifiable. No case of febrile seizure resulted consistent to vaccination. All consistent serious AEFIs were completely resolved at subsequent follow-up.

In the last few decades, the media have continuously reported on the increased number of diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). This systematic review looks at the evolution of research on face perception, one of the characteristics of ASD, in the light of recently reported prevalence of alexythimia comorbidity, as well as improved statistical methods in cognitive research. We review the literature on behavioural face perception testing in autism, showing the importance of a prevalent comorbidity of alexythimia, as well as neural evidence showing the importance of differential eye gaze patterns in autism for data analysis. We suggest outstanding questions in the field in order to improve the integration of people with ASD and alexithymia into the educational and social contexts.

The last economic and financial crisis from 2008 to 2014 hit Slovenia harder than most other EU Member States. The aim of the paper was to find out in which state Slovenia emerged from the crisis and to determine the current situation with the help of secondary sources. We compared Slovenia with seven EU member states from Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) Eastern Europe, which were most similar to our former political and economic system and which joined the EU in the same year as Slovenia (Czech Republic Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia). We analysed the main socio-economic aspects of the development and on this basis we drew conclusions and guidelines for the future development of Slovenia. We paid special attention to innovation and technological development and examined them in more detail. We used indicators from the international statistical database and data from international surveys to make a comparison between Slovenia and comparable EU Member States from the EU-28 CEE and the EU-28 average. We found that despite accelerating economic growth over the last five years, Slovenia has not eliminated most of its structural deficits and macroeconomic imbalances. To sum up, given the above-average GDP growth, driven mainly by increased foreign demand, Slovenia has forgotten that economic expansion is a cyclical phenomenon and will therefore run out of time for structural changes that will contribute to sustainable and stable economic growth.

In the article, the authors discuss the knowledge and implementation of the concept of smart cities in Mauritius. Through a focus interview with selected investors in Mauritius, the authors verified the extent to which the concept of smart cities is present in their investments, and the extent to which investors are familiar with the concept. The research found that not all focus group participants attach much importance to smart solutions. They do not consider smart solutions in their investments, but at the same time, the most important thing for all investment participants is the return and not the impact of the investment on society and the environment. In their view, smart solutions are often associated with higher costs, and if these costs are not reimbursed appropriately and quickly enough, they are not accepted by investors.

Abstract Background Standard spirometry cannot identify the predominant mechanism underlying airflow obstruction in COPD, namely emphysema or airway disease. We aimed at validating a previously developed methodology to detect emphysema by mathematical analysis of the maximal expiratory flow-volume (MEFV) curve in standard spirometry. Methods From the COPDGene population we selected those 5930 subjects with MEFV curve and inspiratory-expiratory CT obtained on the same day. The MEFV curve descending limb was fit real-time using forced vital capacity (FVC), peak expiratory flow, and forced expiratory flows at 25, 50 and 75% of FVC to derive an emphysema severity index (ESI), expressed as a continuous positive numeric parameter ranging from 0 to 10. According to inspiratory CT percent lung attenuation area below − 950 HU we defined three emphysema severity subgroups (%LAA-950insp

Abstract Background Malaria in pregnancy increases the risk of deleterious maternal and birth outcomes. The use of ≥ 3 doses of sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine (SP) for intermittent preventive treatment of malaria (IPTp-SP) is recommended for preventing the consequences of malaria during pregnancy. This study assessed the effect of IPTp-SP for prevention of malaria during pregnancy in low transmission settings. Methods A cross-sectional study that involved consecutively selected 1161 pregnant women was conducted at Mwananyamala regional referral hospital in Dar es Salaam. Assessment of the uptake of IPTp-SP was done by extracting information from antenatal clinic cards. Maternal venous blood, cord blood, placental blood and placental biopsy were collected for assessment of anaemia and malaria. High performance liquid chromatography with ultraviolet detection (HPLC-UV) was used to detect and quantify sulfadoxine (SDX). Dried blood spots (DBS) of placental blood were collected for determination of sub-microscopic malaria using polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Results In total, 397 (34.2%) pregnant women reported to have used sub-optimal doses (≤ 2) while 764 (65.8%) used optimal doses (≥ 3) of IPTp-SP at the time of delivery. The prevalence of placental malaria as determined by histology was 3.6%. Submicroscopic placental malaria was detected in 1.4% of the study participants. Women with peripheral malaria had six times risk of maternal anaemia than those who were malaria negative (aOR, 5.83; 95% CI 1.10–30.92; p = 0.04). The geometric mean plasma SDX concentration was 10.76 ± 2.51 μg/mL. Sub-optimal IPTp-SP dose was not associated with placental malaria, premature delivery and fetal anaemia. The use of ≤ 2 doses of IPTp-SP increased the risk of maternal anaemia by 1.36-fold compared to ≥ 3 doses (aOR, 1.36; 95% CI 1.04–1.79; p = 0.02). Conclusion The use of

Abstract Background Day 7 plasma lumefantrine concentration is suggested as a predictor for malaria treatment outcomes and a cut-off of ≥ 200 ng/ml is associated with day 28 cure rate in the general population. However, day 7 lumefantrine plasma concentration can be affected by age, the extent of fever, baseline parasitaemia, and bodyweight. Therefore, this study assessed the usefulness of day 7 lumefantrine plasma concentration as a predictor of malaria treatment outcome in under-fives children treated with generic or innovator drug-containing artemether-lumefantrine (ALu) in Tanzania. Methods This study was nested in an equivalence prospective study that aimed at determining the effectiveness of a generic ALu (Artefan®) in comparison with the innovator’s product (Coartem®). Children with uncomplicated malaria aged 6–59 months were recruited and randomized to receive either generic or innovator’s product. Children were treated with ALu as per World Health Organization recommendations. The clinical and parasitological outcomes were assessed after 28 days of follow up. PCR was performed to distinguish recrudescence and re-infections among children with recurrent malaria. Analysis of day 7 lumefantrine plasma concentration was carried out using a high-performance liquid chromatographic method with UV detection. Results The PCR corrected cure rates were 98.7% for children treated with generic and 98.6% for those treated with the innovator product (p = 1.00). The geometric mean (± SD) of day 7 plasma lumefantrine concentration was 159.3 (± 2.4) ng/ml for the generic and 164 (± 2.5) ng/ml for the innovator groups, p = 0.87. Geometric mean (± SD) day 7 lumefantrine plasma concentration between cured and recurrent malaria was not statistically different in both treatment arms [158.5 (± 2.4) vs 100.0 (± 1.5) ng/ml, (p = 0.28) for generic arm and 158.5 (± 2.3) vs 251.2 (± 4.2) ng/ml, (p = 0.24) for innovator arm]. Nutritional status was found to be a determinant of recurrent malaria (adjusted hazardous ratio (95% confidence interval) = 3(1.1–8.2), p = 0.029. Conclusion Using the recommended cut-off point of ≥ 200 ng/ml, day 7 plasma lumefantrine concentration failed to predict malaria treatment outcome in children treated with ALu in Tanzania. Further studies are recommended to establish the day 7 plasma lumefantrine concentration cut-off point to predict malaria treatment outcome in children.

In this work, the inverted micro-Stereolithography (SLA) is used to show the potential of such additive manufacturing (AM) technology at prototyping super-shaped dielectric resonator antennas (S-DRAs) rapidly and accurately. The S-DRAs, which exhibit 3D complex geometries, were designed to operate at 3.5 GHz, suitable for the assessment of 5G communications in the mid band. Initially, a cross-starred-shaped S-DRA was designed and manufactured via the inverted micro-SLA by means of a photopolymer resin as material. As no information about the used material was available from literature and supplier, the dielectric properties of the photopolymer resin were characterized. Moreover, in the view of challenging further the SLA capability, several prototypes, based on the cross star shaped geometry but exhibiting a twist of variable angles along the longitudinal axis, were fabricated and tested. In order to compare the antennas performance in relation to the material volume and sizes, rectangular and cylindrical DRAs were also realized using same material and technology. Scattering parameter S11, gain, bandwidth (BW), efficiency and co- and cross-polarization of all antennas were measured. The experimental results showed that twisted S-DRAs exhibit same performance of the basic cross-starred-shaped antenna, due to the invariance to symmetry of the basic Gielis geometry. The measured gain is about 2.5 dB over a range of 1 GHz in the frequency range of interest; the BW measured for all S-DRAs is about 10%, whereas the efficiency is about 80% at 3.5 GHz. Finally, better performance in terms of bandwidth is shown by the S-DRAs, considering their dramatic volume reduction (~85%) compared to classic rectangular and cylindrical DRAs and other DRA examples already reported in the state of the art.

Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) represent an important advance in the adjuvant treatment of patients with high-risk melanoma. Although the safety profile of anti-programmed cell death protein-1 (PD-1) is fairly acceptable, different immune-related adverse events (irAEs) are described. Herein we report for the first time a notably multidisciplinary combined approach on a malignant melanoma (MM) patient treated with anti-PD-1 antibody in adjuvant setting. In this novel approach, corticosteroid-refractory immune-mediated colitis (IMC) was effectively treated with Vedolizumab, a selective blockade of the α4β7 integrin and corticosteroids were successfully administered for autoimmune neutropenia. Notably, our patient also express HLA-B*35, a potential biomarker for predicting a genetic basis of autoimmune susceptibility. Our experience offers a possible future perspective about the use of Vedolizumab together with immunotherapy in a strategic early approach for high-risk patients genotyped for HLA.

Background Sub-Saharan Africa has the highest burden of malaria in the world. Artemisinin-based combination therapies (ACTs) have been the cornerstone in the efforts to reduce the global burden of malaria. In the effort to facilitate early detection of resistance for artemisinin derivatives and partner drugs, WHO recommends monitoring of ACT’s efficacy in the malaria endemic countries. The present systematic meta-analysis study summarises the evidence of therapeutic efficacy of the commonly used artemisinin-based combinations for the treatment of uncomplicated P. falciparum malaria in Sub-Saharan Africa after more than a decade since the introduction of the drugs. Methods Fifty two studies carried out from 2010 to 2020 on the efficacy of artemether-lumefantrine or dihydro-artemisinin piperaquine or artesunate amodiaquine in patients with uncomplicated P. falciparum malaria in Sub-Saharan Africa were searched for using the Google Scholar, Cochrane Central Register of controlled trials (CENTRAL), PubMed, Medline, LILACS, and EMBASE online data bases. Data was extracted by two independent reviewers. Random analysis effect was performed in STATA 13. Heterogeneity was established using I2 statistics. Results Based on per protocol analysis, unadjusted cure rates in malaria infected patients treated with artemether-lumefantrine (ALU), artesunate-amodiaquine (ASAQ) and dihydroartemisinin-piperaquine (DHP) were 89%, 94% and 91% respectively. However, the cure rates after PCR correction were 98% for ALU, 99% for ASAQ and 99% for DHP. Conclusion The present meta-analysis reports the overall high malaria treatment success for artemether-lumefantrine, artesunate-amodiaquine and dihydroartemisinin-piperaquine above the WHO threshold value in Sub-Saharan Africa.

In Africa, children aged 5 to 15 years (school age) comprises more than 50% (>339 million) of the under 19 years population, and are highly burdened by malaria and anaemia that impair cognitive development. For the prospects of improving health in African citizens, understanding malaria and its relation to anaemia in school-aged children, it is crucial to inform targeted interventions for malaria control and accelerate elimination efforts as part of improved school health policy. We conducted a study to determine the risk factors for asymptomatic malaria and their association to anaemia. We explored the prevalence of antimalarial drug resistance as well as the association of asymptomatic malaria infection and anaemia on cognitive and psychomotor functions in school-aged children living in high endemic areas. This study was a comprehensive baseline survey, within the scope of a randomised, controlled trial on the effectiveness and safety of antimalarial drugs in preventing malaria and its related morbidity in schoolchildren. We enrolled 1,587 schoolchildren from 7 primary schools located in Muheza, north-eastern Tanzania. Finger-pricked blood samples were collected for estimation of malaria parasitaemia using a microscope, haemoglobin concentration using a haemoglobinometer, and markers of drug resistance processed from dried blood spots (DBS). Psychomotor and Cognitive functions were assessed using a '20 metre Shuttle run' and a test of everyday attention for children (TEA-Ch), respectively. The prevalence of asymptomatic malaria parasitaemia, anaemia and stunting was 26.4%, 49.8%, and 21.0%, respectively with marked variation across schools. In multivariate models, asymptomatic malaria parasitaemia attributed to 61% of anaemia with a respective population attribution fraction of 16%. Stunting, not sleeping under a bednet and illiterate parent or guardian were other factors attributing to 7%, 9%, and 5% of anaemia in the study population, respectively. Factors such as age group (10-15 years), not sleeping under a bednet, low socioeconomic status, parents' or guardians' with a low level of education, children overcrowding in a household, and fewer rooms in a household were significantly attributed to higher malaria infection. There was no significant association between malaria infection or anaemia and performance on tests of cognitive function (sustained attention) or psychomotor function (VO2 max). However, a history of malaria in the past one month was significantly associated with decreased cognitive scores (aOR = -4.1, 95% CI -7.7-0.6, p = 0.02). Furthermore, stunted children had significantly lower VO2max scores (aOR = -1.9, 95% CI -3.0-0.8, p = 0.001). Regarding the antimalarial drug resistance markers, the most prevalent Pfmdr1 86-184-1034-1042-1246 haplotypes were the NFSND in 47% (n = 88) and the NYSND in 52% (n = 98). The wild type Pfcrt haplotypes (codons 72-76, CVMNK) were found in 99.1% (n = 219) of the samples. Malaria, stunting and parents' or guardians' illiteracy were the key attributable factors for anaemia in schoolchildren. Given malaria infection in schoolchildren is mostly asymptomatic; an addition of interventional programmes such as intermittent preventive treatment of malaria in schoolchildren (IPTsc) would probably act as a potential solution while calling for an improvement in the current tools such as bednet use, school food programme, and community-based (customised) health education with an emphasis on nutrition and malaria control.

In articular joint implants, polymeric inserts are usually exploited for on-contact sliding surfaces to guarantee low friction and wear, a high load-bearing capacity, impact strength and stiffness, and biocompatibility. Surface micro-structuring can drastically reduce friction and wear by promoting hydrostatic friction due to synovial fluid. Ultra-High Molecular Weight Polyethylene (UHMWPE) is a suitable material for these applications due to its strong chemical resistance, excellent resistance to stress, cracking, abrasion, and wear, and self-lubricating property. However, surface micro-texturing of UHMWPE is hardly achievable with the currently available processes. The present study investigates UHMWPE’s micro-textured surface replication capability via injection molding, comparing the results with the more easily processable High-Density Polyethylene (HDPE). Four different micro-texture cavities were designed and fabricated on a steel mold by micro-EDM milling, and used for the experimental campaign. Complete samples were fabricated with both materials. Then, the mold and samples were geometrically characterized, considering the dimensions of the features and the texture layout. The replication analysis showed that HDPE samples present geometrical errors that span from 1% to 9% resulting in an average error of 4.3%. In comparison, the UHMWPE samples display a higher variability, although still acceptable, with percentage errors ranging from 2% to 31% and an average error of 11.4%.

In this contribution, new data concerning the distribution of vascular flora alien to Italy are presented. It includes new records, confirmations, exclusions, and status changes for Italy or for Italian administrative regions of taxa in the genera Bunias, Calocedrus, Calycanthus, Celosia, Clerodendrum, Convolvulus, Crassula, Cyclamen, Datura, Dicliptera, Eragrostis, Erigeron, Gamochaeta, Gazania, Impatiens, Kolkwitzia, Leucaena, Ludwigia, Medicago, Muscari, Nigella, Oenothera, Opuntia, Paulownia, Petroselinum, Phyllostachys, Physalis, Pseudosasa, Quercus, Reynoutria, Roldana, Saccharum, Sedum, Semiarundinaria, Senecio, Sisyrinchium, Solanum, Sporobolus, Tulipa, Vachellia, Verbena, and Youngia. Nomenclatural and distribution updates published elsewhere are provided as Suppl. material 1.

In this contribution, new data concerning the distribution of native vascular flora in Italy are presented. It includes new records, confirmations, exclusions, and status changes to the Italian administrative regions for taxa in the genera Ajuga, Chamaemelum, Clematis, Convolvulus, Cytisus, Deschampsia, Eleocharis, Epipactis, Euphorbia, Groenlandia, Hedera, Hieracium, Hydrocharis, Jacobaea, Juncus, Klasea, Lagurus, Leersia, Linum, Nerium, Onopordum, Persicaria, Phlomis, Polypogon, Potamogeton, Securigera, Sedum, Soleirolia, Stachys, Umbilicus, Valerianella, and Vinca. Nomenclatural and distribution updates, published elsewhere, and corrigenda are provided as Suppl. material 1.

Li–Fraumeni syndrome (LFS) is an inherited autosomal dominant disease characterized by a predisposition to many cancers. Germline pathogenic variants in TP53 are primarily responsible for LFS. By performing a targeted sequencing panel in a proband with liver carcinoma having a deceased son affected by osteosarcoma, we found the novel heterozygous frameshift variant c.645del (p.Ser215Argfs*32) in the TP53 gene. This variant co-segregated with typical LFS cancers in the family pedigree, consistent with the pathogenicity of this novel and previously undescribed TP53 variant.

Cats are susceptible to coronavirus infections, including infection by human severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV). In human ABO system blood groups, alloantibodies can play a direct role in resistance to infectious diseases. Individuals with the AB blood type were over-represented in the SARS-CoV-2 infection group. Blood type AB individuals lack both anti-A and anti-B antibodies, and therefore lack the protective effect against SARS-CoV-2 infection given by these antibodies. Starting from this knowledge, this pilot preliminary study evaluated a possible association between feline blood phenotypes A, B, and AB and serostatus for SARS-CoV-2 antibodies in cats. We also investigated selected risk or protective factors associated with seropositivity for this coronavirus. A feline population of 215 cats was analysed for AB group system blood phenotypes and antibodies against the nucleocapsid (N-protein) SARS-CoV-2 antigen using a double antigen ELISA. SARS-CoV-2 seropositive samples were confirmed using a surrogate virus neutralization test (sVNT). Origin (stray colony/shelter/owned cat), breed (DSH/non DSH), gender (male/female), reproductive status (neutered/intact), age class (kitten/young adult/mature adult/senior), retroviruses status (seropositive/seronegative), and blood phenotype (A, B, and AB) were evaluated as protective or risk factors for SARS-CoV-2 seropositivity. Seropositivity for antibodies against the SARS-CoV-2 N-protein was recorded in eight cats, but only four of these tested positive with sVNT. Of these four SARS-CoV-2 seropositive cats, three were blood phenotype A and one was phenotype AB. Young adult age (1–6 years), FeLV seropositivity and blood type AB were significantly associated with SARS-CoV-2 seropositivity according to a univariate analysis, but only blood type AB (p = 0.0344, OR = 15.4, 95%CI: 1.22–194.39) and FeLV seropositivity (p = 0.0444, OR = 13.2, 95%CI: 1.06–163.63) were significant associated risk factors according to a logistic regression. Blood phenotype AB might be associated with seropositivity for SARS-CoV-2 antibodies. This could be due, as in people, to the protective effect of naturally occurring alloantibodies to blood type antigens which are lacking in type AB cats. The results of this pilot study should be considered very preliminary, and we suggest the need for further research to assess this potential relationship.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of intratesticular or intrafunicular lidocaine to reduce perioperative nociception and cytokine release in ponies undergoing field castration under total intravenous anaesthesia. Before castration, one group was injected with intrafunicular (FL) lidocaine and the other received intratesticular (TL) lidocaine. All ponies were premedicated with acepromazine (0.05 mg/kg) intramuscularly. Twenty minutes after the administration of acepromazine, xylazine (1 mg/kg) and butorphanol (0.02 mg/kg) were administered intravenously. Lidocaine 2% was given 1 mL/100 kg intrafunicularly in the FL groups or 2 mL/100 kg intratesticularly on each testicular side for TL. Surgery was performed by the same team of two experienced surgeons using Serra’s emasculator and an open technique was used for all ponies in order to promote postoperative drainage. In this study, we focused on the plasmatic levels of TNF-α and IL-6. The results from this study showed a significant difference in plasmatic concentrations of TNF-α and IL-6 between the two different locoregional anaesthetic protocols. Taken together, the results suggest that the intrafunicular lidocaine locoregional anaesthesia could be a useful technique in the anaesthesia protocol for field pony castration.

Water resource management and flood forecasting are crucial societal and financial stakes requiring reliable predictions of flow parameters (depth, velocity), the accuracy of which is often limited by uncertainties in hydrodynamic numerical models. In this study, we assess the effect of two uncertainty sources, namely breach characteristics induced by overtopping and the roughness coefficient, on water elevations and inundation extent. A two-dimensional (2D) hydraulic solver was applied in a Monte Carlo integration framework to a reach of the Loire river (France) including about 300 physical parameters. Inundation hazard maps for different flood scenarios allowed for the highlighting of the impact of the breach development chronology. Special attention was paid to proposing a relevant sensitivity analysis to examine the factors influencing the depth and extent of flooding. The spatial analysis of the vulnerability area induced by a levee breach width exhibits that, with increasing the flood discharge, the rise of the parameter influence is accompanied by a more localized spatial effect. This argues for a local analysis to allow a clear understanding of the flood hazard. The physical interpretation, highlighted by a global sensitivity analysis, showed the dependence of the flood simulation on the main factors studied, i.e., the roughness coefficients and the characteristics of the breaches.

Commission Directive 91/676/EC introduced water protection from nitrates from agricultural sources. The Puglia Region approved its ‘Nitrate Action Plan’ (NAP) in 2013, establishing nitrate-vulnerable zones (NVZs), with restrictions on agronomic management and administrative obligations based on territorial studies. However, those aims require appropriate feedback through monitoring activities to identify the real sources of nitrate contamination. The DEMETRA-DSS project arises from a synergy between ICT companies, research institutes and agricultural organizations. The project aims at supporting local institutions in territorial monitoring and management of contamination sources and introduces innovations capable of mitigating the agronomic impact on the territory.

Il rapporto che intercorre tra la pedagogia e le politiche sociali, richiama oggi l’attenzione verso una riflessione circa l’importanza della relazione tra la sfera educativa e la dimensione economica. Già Piero Bertolini, nel suo saggio “La responsabilità educativa. Studi di pedagogia sociale” aveva posto l’accento su quanto fosse necessaria e indispensabile la dimensione economica ma, al tempo stesso, di come la stessa dovesse inderogabilmente essere declinata con fattori gestiti prevalentemente in chiave pedagogica, per offrire soluzioni capaci di perdurare nel tempo. L’emergenza sanitaria degli ultimi mesi, dovuta alla diffusione del Coronavirus ha posto al centro della riflessione pedagogica la necessità di recuperare il senso della relazione educativa e, al tempo stesso, del fare pratica di solidarietà e di cittadinanza. Il presente contributo muove dalla riflessione pedagogica sulla dimensione economica nelle scienze dell’educazione, sul rapporto che intercorre tra l’economia e l’educazione, al fine di provare a ridefinire nuove politiche sociali, quindi un nuovo sistema di welfare sostenibile e orientato sul valore della persona per scardinare il fallimento di una dinamica di tipo esclusivamente assistenzialista.

MalariaGEN is a data-sharing network that enables groups around the world to work together on the genomic epidemiology of malaria. Here we describe a new release of curated genome variation data on 7,000 Plasmodium falciparum samples from MalariaGEN partner studies in 28 malaria-endemic countries. High-quality genotype calls on 3 million single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and short indels were produced using a standardised analysis pipeline. Copy number variants associated with drug resistance and structural variants that cause failure of rapid diagnostic tests were also analysed. Almost all samples showed genetic evidence of resistance to at least one antimalarial drug, and some samples from Southeast Asia carried markers of resistance to six commonly-used drugs. Genes expressed during the mosquito stage of the parasite life-cycle are prominent among loci that show strong geographic differentiation. By continuing to enlarge this open data resource we aim to facilitate research into the evolutionary processes affecting malaria control and to accelerate development of the surveillance toolkit required for malaria elimination.