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On the one hand, some recent research projects, inspired by the widespread availability of sensor-provided smartphones, have built harvesting experiments to collect large quantities of data in urban areas. These efforts produced new real-world datasets, typically focusing on different technological aspects (GPS and Bluetooth mobility traces, WiFi indicators, ...) and, more recently, also on user-related data, from low-level accelerometer samples to higher-level social networking data. On the other hand, Mobile Crowd Sensing (MCS) blossomed with a few very recent projects, with the goal to efficiently coordinate user participation not only to collect passive monitoring data but also to allow active collaboration in participatory tasks. This paper presents the large- scale experience of the ParticipAct Living Lab, an ongoing experiment at the University of Bologna initiated 15 months ago, which involves about 170 students in MCS campaigns. In particular, the paper has two original goals: first, the comparison of the ParticipAct dataset against some primary datasets in the literature, such as the Nokia Mobile Data Challenge one; second, the robust evaluation and assessment of the original aspects of ParticipAct in itself, such as task assignment heuristics and consequent user acceptance of assigned MCS tasks. The reported results lead to an in-depth lessons learned discussion about socio- technical management aspects of MCS, valuable for the MCS community to design new MCS campaigns and to refine the whole MCS process to the purpose of better efficiency and scalability.

To define the clinical significance of non-organ specific autoantibody positivity in patients in whom routine clinical and laboratory examinations did not detect any disease that might have caused the serological finding.Out of 1,120 patients consecutively admitted to an outpatient rheumatology clinic, 28 were referred for the evaluation of an autoantibody positivity unrelated to the clinical status. These patients and 28 sex- and age-matched controls underwent a specific work-up with the aim of detecting any underlying infection or autoimmune disease.Eight of the 28 patients (28.5%) were found to be affected by a previously undetected disease: 3 chronic hepatitis C, 3 Sjögren's syndrome, and 2 autoimmune thyroiditis. The remaining 20 did not show any autoimmune or hepatic disease, although 4 of them showed active infection by HBV (n = 1) or HGV (n = 3) and 15 had had a previous infection by hepatotropic viruses (HBV, CMV or EBV). After a follow-up lasting 6-54 months, none of the last 20 patients developed any autoimmune or chronic hepatic disease.A diagnostic work-up is necessary in patients presenting with unexpected autoantibody positivity in order to detect an underlying pre-clinical autoimmune disease and/or unexpected hepatic infection. Patients in whom such a work-up fails to point out any condition should be further followed in order to make an early diagnosis of autoimmune disease.

Carbon dioxide (CO2), nitrogen oxides (NOx) and soot emissions are primary concerns and the most investigated topics in the automotive sector. Indeed, recent governments directives push toward carbon–neutral mobility by 2050. In this framework, zero-carbon fuels, as hydrogen, or renewable low carbon alcohol fuels, play a fundamental role. To this aim, in this chapter, the main results on largely used alcohol fuels application in spark-ignition (SI) engines are discussed. Aspects inherent ethanol and methanol production processes, chemical-physical properties and their application in SI engines are presented. Different engine fuelling strategies, dual fuel and blend are analysed. Alcohols have higher enthalpies of vaporisation and research octane number (RON) values as well as excellent anti-knock ability compared to gasoline. This effect enhances in dual fuel mode. Ethanol and methanol have higher thermodynamic conversion efficiencies than gasoline combustion. Cycle to cycle variation is in line with gasoline values. In general, NOx decreases with alcohol fuels, and the best results are achieved in blend mode with a reduction of up to 30% with methanol compared to gasoline. Independently of the fuelling mode, significant benefits on particle number emissions are observed by using alcohol fuels. Carbon monoxide (CO) and hydrocarbons (HC) emission trends strongly depend on fuelling mode and engine operating conditions. Additionally, the lower carbon content of alcohol fuels reduces the CO2 emissions up to 10% compared to reference gasoline.

The increasing concern of global warming due to the ever-increasing amount of greenhouse gases (GHG) such as carbon dioxide (CO2) and pollutant emissions induces regulatory authorities to stricter emission legislation in the transportation sector. In this context, renewable fuels, such as methanol and ethanol, are considered a promising solution to mitigate the carbon footprint and reduce engine-out emissions. Based on the several studies published in the specific literature, this work aims to summarise and normalize the main outcomes, highlighting the pro and cons of exerting alcohol fuels in compression ignition engines through a critical literature review for helping the researchers, who start to work on these applications. Both dual-fuel and direct-injection fuelling concepts of diesel and alcohol (ethanol and methanol) in compression ignition engines are discussed. Analyses on the combustion, emissions and performance and CO2 are carried out. Depending on the fuel supply method and the engine type, the use of alcohol fuels performs differently in terms of emissions and engine performance. Dual Fuel combustion mode, port fuel injected alcohol, and direct-injected diesel emits higher HC and CO, while diesel-alcohol blends perform as diesel. Generally, the blends characterized by lower alcohol concentration than dual-fuel perform higher indicated thermal efficiencies. Significant benefits on NOx-soot trade-offs are observed, independently on the fuelling mode, NOx concentration, and engine type by using alcohols. The soot reduction reaches values up to 70%, and the lower carbon content of alcohols fuel reduces the CO2 up to 15%.

Recently, it has been worth pointing out the relevance of alternative fuels in the improvement of air quality conditions and in the mitigation of global warming. In order to deal with these demands, in recent studies, it has been considered a great variety of alternative fuels. It goes without saying that the alternative fuels industry needs the best of the efficiency with a moderate layout. From this perspective, Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) could represent a valid option, although it is not a renewable fuel. In terms of polluting emissions, the LPG can reduce nitrous oxides and smoke concentrations in the air, a capability that has a relevant importance for the modern pollution legislation. LPG is well known as an alternative fuel for Spark Ignition (SI) engines and, more recently, LPG systems have also been introduced in the Compression Ignition (CI) engines in dual-fuel configuration. In this research, LPG-Diesel liquid-blend has been used to power a CI engine in mixed fuel configuration. For this purpose, accurate modifications have been made on the single cylinder test ring and on the standard rail fuel injection system. LPG has been blended with diesel on the basis of the ratio 20-35% w/w. During the study, they have been carried out three sets of measurements: one by only using Diesel fuel and the others by using blended fuels at different engine operating conditions. The thermodynamic process, the combustion performance, and the exhaust emissions have been analyzed thanks to a specific designed-test campaign, with particular attention to the control strategies of fuel injection. The results show that, at partial load operating condition, Diesel-LPG blends improve the combustion and emission performances. In particular, it has been noticed, at constant Nitrogen Oxide (NOx), a significant decrease of particulate emissions. This observation confirms the previous authors' results achieved on the optical engines.

PURPOSE OF INVESTIGATION: Aim of the study was to evaluate the possible involvement of zinc in the complex pathogenic process behind the onset and perpetuation of endometriotic lesions. To study the level of zinc serum between a group of patients affected by endometriosis and a group of healthy patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study included 86 women: 42 patients whose histodiagnosis had revealed pelvic endometriosis and 44 healthy patients. The authors measured the serum zinc concentration for all patients. RESULTS: The group of patients with endometriosis presented serum zinc concentration of 1010 +/- 59.24 microg/l. The observation group presented a serum zinc concentration of 1294 +/- 62.22 microg/l. CONCLUSION: The results showed that serum zinc levels in women with endometriosis are decreased and this seems to actually confirm that this microelement can possibly affect the multifactorial pathogenesis of the disease. As a matter of fact, zinc interferes with many biological processes, among which inflammation and immunity, which seem to be the base of the development of the lesions. Therefore, the authors believe that this hypothesis requires more attention and further investigation to determine its reasonableness. If the results are confirmed, this study opens up future prospects as for the treatment of endometriosis, taking into account also the role of zinc in the onset of male sterility and the development of testicles. Zinc could in fact be used as marker to detect women at high risk of endometriosis and for the elaboration of a new treatment for sterility, from which these women often suffer.

Summary A prospective study was designed to investigate the effects of recombinant human follicle-stimulating hormone (rhFSH) on seminal anti-Mullerian hormone (AMH) levels in men with idiopathic oligoasthenoteratozoospermia (iOAT), researching possible relationships between the seminal AMH behavior and the response to the treatment. Thirty-nine men who were candidates for intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) because of iOAT were enrolled. Patients were treated on alternately days with 150 IU of rhFSH for at least 3 months before assisted reproduction cycles. Main outcome measures were seminal AMH concentrations before and after rhFSH therapy. After treatment, 16 subjects (responders) showed an improvement in their sperm count compared to baseline (7.6 ± 2.9 vs. 19.3 ± 7.7, p

Aims To evaluate the effect of cultivation (anaerobiosis vs respiration) and Tween 80 supplementation on the production of metabolites and on the composition of membrane fatty acids (FAs) in Lactobacillus casei N87. Methods and Results Anaerobic and respiratory growth, with or without Tween 80 supplementation, was carried out in a chemically defined medium. Production of biomass, organic acids, volatile organic compounds (VOCs), consumption of amino acids and changes in membrane FAs were investigated. Respiration altered the central metabolism rerouting pyruvate away from lactate accumulation, while Tween 80 had a minor effect on metabolic pathways. VOCs were mainly affected by growth conditions and significant amounts of diacetyl were produced by respiratory cultures. Respiration increased desaturation of membrane lipids and Tween 80 improved the production of essential polyunsaturated FAs. Palmitic acid decreased in Tween-supplemented aerated cultures. Conclusions Combination of Tween 80 and respiratory growth promoted production of biomass and aroma compounds and affected the composition of membrane FAs in Lact. casei N87. Significance and Impact of the Study Respiration might be exploited in Lact. casei as a natural strategy for the enhanced production of aroma compounds.

Our results indicate that benzodiazepine (Bz) treatment time, greater than 2–3 months, induce a decrease of both specific and nonspecific responses. Mice treated for different times with diazepam or chlordemethyldiazepam showed decreased survival to experimental Salmonella typhimurium infections after three months of treatment. Adherence, expressed as the polymorphonuclear cells (PMN) capacity to attach to nylon wool, was impaired after 7 days of treatment. Longer treatments further increase this impairment. PMN from mice treated with Bz for 90 days also demonstrate on impaired chemotaxis and phagocytosis for Saccharomyces cerevisiae . Monocytes from mice treated for 7 days secreted more IL-1 α then controls; the antibody titer in mice given to prolonged treatment progressively diminished compared to controls. Con A or LPS stimulated lymphocytes showed an increase of H 3 -thymidine incorporation from mice treated for a short time and conversely a decreased incorporation when taken from mice that underwent longer treatments. Benzodiazepines were therefore found to affect PMN chemotaxis and phagocitosis, general immunity and survival of mice to infections.

Our study considered the possibility of modifying the functional response of human neutrophils, of mouse lymphocytes and macrophages treated with phospholipids having different polar groups, different isomerisms with saturated and unsaturated fatty acids from C12 to C20 carbon atoms. The results are as follows. a) Most of the phospholipids containing fatty acids from C12 to C20 cause inhibition of the blastogenic capacity of the polyclonal activators tested. b) The phospholipids tested cause a decrease in adherence of polymorphonuclear leukocytes with the exception of the phosphatidyl-choline containing saturated and unsaturated fatty acids. c) A decrease in polymorphonuclear leukocytes migrational capacity almost always occurs. d) The cells treated with L-phosphatidyl-ethanolamine having fatty acids from C14 to C17 show an increase in chemiluminescence; those treated with phosphatidyl-choline and L-phosphatidyl-glycerol show a decrease of the chemiluminescence; L-phosphatidic acid and L-phosphatidyl-ethanolamine having Microbial fatty acids (FAs) at C16 cause a decrease in the formation of phagolisosomes in the macrophages tested.

Adherence, metabolic burst and chemotaxis of polymorphonuclear neutrophils (PMNs) were examined in 15 children before and seven days after measles-mumps-rubella vaccine administration. In all children, PMN functions were significantly reduced on the seventh day. Adherence, metabolic burst and chemotaxis tested in three subjects one month after vaccination had returned to normal values. Only two children presented transient hyperpyrexia. We conclude that measles-mumps-rubella vaccine administration suppresses PMN functions without clinical consequences. This is probably because attenuated strains of vaccine viruses do not replicate in lymphoid tissues as extensively as do wild-type strains.

Our study was focused on the functional characteristics of neutrophil leukocytes (PMN) and the subgingival microflora in two different forms of periodontal disease: 1) adult periodontitis (AP); 2) rapidly progressive periodontitis (RPP). Our study dealt with the functional characteristics of neutrophil leukocytes in the gingival fluid and in the peripheral blood. These were found markedly reduced in the RPP group, while, in the AP group, they were comparable to those of a healthy control group. No difference between local and systemic values was detected. Moreover, some samples of subgingival plaque were taken from two groups of patients, affected by AP and RPP respectively. The above samples showed a predominance of Gram-negative flora over Gram-positive flora, and of anaerobic flora over the aerobic one, and the predominance of specific pathogens in each of the two forms of periodontal disease. The subgingival plaque samples taken at the end of the periodontal treatment from five out of ten patients affected by RPP showed inverse ratios, as well as the absence of the previously detected pathogens. The findings underline the relevance of tests of leukocytes functionality and that of microbiological analysis to allow correct diagnosis of dubious forms of periodontal disease and the checking of the posttreatment results.

The effect of SV-IV, one of the major proteins secreted from the rat seminal vesicle epithelium, on phagocytosis and chemotaxis of human polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNs) has been studied. Various cytological, biochemical, metabolic, and physical correlates of both biological activities have been found to be markedly reduced by the presence in the medium of micromolar concentrations of protein SV-IV. Moreover, the Scatchard analysis of the labeled SV-IV binding to PMN cell surface has demonstrated that such binding is specific. The binding sites contain only saturable components, completely displaceable by unlabeled SV-IV. The number of the specific sites has been calculated to be 87,000/cell, with a Kd of 1.72 x 10-7 M. The molecular mechanism of the inhibitory effect is discussed along with the possible biological and clinical implications of the experimental findings.

The adherence of polymorphonuclear neutrophils was examined in 16 children affected by enteritis, pneumonia, hepatitis and infectious mononucleosis. The results were compared with those obtained in 30 healthy adult volunteers and in 15 healthy children of the same age. Adhesiveness was significantly higher in adults than in healthy children, and significantly higher in healthy children than in children with viral infection. In 7 patients tested one month after regression of the disorder, PMN adhesiveness had returned to normal.

The effect of Salmonella typhimurium porins on human polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNs) was studied. Labeled porins were shown to bind to the PMNs, and could be completely displaced by unlabeled porins. The binding caused modifications of membrane integrity and of the physico-chemical characteristics of the PMN surface, e.g. decreased oxidative burst, decreased hydrophobicity and altered cell morphology. The porins acted as both chemotaxins and chemotaxinogens. When PMNs were preincubated with porins their migration in the presence of commonly used chemoattractants (serum activated by zymosan or N-formyl- l -methionyl- l -leucyl- l -phenylalanine) was inhibited.