ABSTRACTThe hormone relaxin has been shown to cause coronary vasodilation and to prevent ischemia/reperfusion‐induced cardiac injury in rodents. This study provides evidence that relaxin, used as an ...adjunctive drug to coronary reperfusion, reduces the functional, biochemical, and histopathological signs of myocardial injury in an in vivo swine model of heart ischemia/reperfusion, currently used to test cardiotropic drugs for myocardial infarction. Human recombinant relaxin, given at reperfusion at doses of 1.25, 2.5, and 5 µg/kg b.wt. after a 30‐min ischemia, caused a dose‐related reduction of key markers of myocardial damage (serum myoglobin, CK‐MB, troponin T) and cardiomyocyte apoptosis (caspase 3, TUNEL assay), as well as of cardiomyocyte contractile dysfunction (myofibril hypercontraction). Compared with the controls, relaxin also increased the uptake of the viability tracer 201Thallium and improved ventricular performance (cardiac index). Relaxin likely acts by reducing oxygen free radical‐induced myocardial injury (malondialdehyde, tissue calcium overload) and inflammatory leukocyte recruitment (myeloperoxidase). The present findings show that human relaxin, given as a drug to counteract reperfusion‐induced cardiac injury, affords a clear‐cut protection to the heart of swine with induced myocardial infarction. The findings also provide background to future clinical trials with relaxin as adjunctive therapy to catheter‐based coronary angioplasty in patients with acute myocardial infarction.
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BFBNIB, FZAB, GIS, IJS, KILJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, SAZU, SBCE, SBMB, UL, UM, UPUK
The low-velocity impact behaviour of novel composite structures, made of a polymer matrix composite with a superficial 3D printed metallic layer, was studied. The metallic layer was produced through ...cold spray deposition which is a relatively new additive coating technique allowing for the deposition of metallic coatings on thermal-sensitive substrates, such as the polymeric materials. Micron-sized aluminium particles were used to metallise the surface of basalt-nylon 6 (PA6) laminates manufactured by the compression moulding technique. Three different energy levels (10 J, 20 J, 30 J) were set for the impact tests. The results obtained pointed out the beneficial contributions of the metallic coating on the energy absorbing modes of the polymeric substrates; the positive effects on the damage mechanisms as well as the crack propagation were detected by plastic deformation analyses and ultrasonic damage controls.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UILJ, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK, ZAGLJ, ZRSKP
Basalt-epoxy laminates are establishing gradually in engineering sectors due to increasing attention toward environmental matters. Some properties should be improved to extend their applications and ...the cold spray (CS) metallization provides a potential solution. Unfortunately, the fragile nature of thermosetting polymers makes it difficult the CS coating formation and grow-up. Therefore, this research work aims to study an innovative solution able to enhance the adhesion mechanisms between the cold sprayed metal particles and the thermosetting polymer-based substrates. For this purpose, an original manufacturing method that provides the surface PLA treatment for thermosetting samples was developed. AlSi10Mg particles were cold sprayed on the treated surface, and the low-velocity impact behaviour of the metallised hybrid structures was analysed in details. The outcomes prove the effectiveness of the method proposed on the deposition process and the beneficial effects of metallization on impact damage mechanisms.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UILJ, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK, ZAGLJ, ZRSKP
The isotope 222Rn is responsible for approximately half of the effective annual dose received by the world population. The decay products of 222Rn interacting with the cells of biological tissue of ...lungs have very high probability to induce cancer. The present survey was focused in the evaluation of activity concentration of 222Rn and other radioisotopes related to the building materials at workplaces at Curitiba – Paraná State. For this purpose, the instant radon detector AlphaGUARD (Saphymo GmbH) was used to measure the average concentrations of 222Rn in building materials, which were also submitted to gamma spectrometry analysis for qualitative and quantitative evaluation of the radionuclides present in samples of sand, mortar, blue crushed stone (Gneissic rock), red crushed stone (Granite), concrete and red bricks. The main radionuclides evaluated by gamma spectrometry in building material samples were 238U/226Ra, 232Th and 40K. These measurements were performed at the Laboratory of Applied Nuclear Physics of the Federal University of Technology – Paraná in collaboration with the Center of Nuclear Technology Development (CDTN – CNEN). The results of the survey present the concentration values of 222Rn related to construction materials in a range from 427±40.52Bq/m³ to 2053±90.06Bq/m³. The results of gamma spectroscopy analysis show that specific activity values for the mentioned isotopes are similar to the results indicated by the literature. Nevertheless, the present survey is showing the need of further studies and indicates that building materials can contribute significantly to indoor concentration of 222Rn.
•Radon activity in air related to building materials was measured.•The index of activity concentration of building materials was evaluated.•The radium equivalent activity of building materials was evaluated.•The external hazard index of building materials was evaluated.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK, ZRSKP
Beneficial microorganisms for corals (BMCs) ameliorate environmental stress, but whether they can prevent mortality and the underlying host response mechanisms remains elusive. Here, we conducted ...omics analyses on the coral
exposed to bleaching conditions in a long-term mesocosm experiment and inoculated with a selected BMC consortium or a saline solution placebo. All corals were affected by heat stress, but the observed "post-heat stress disorder" was mitigated by BMCs, signified by patterns of dimethylsulfoniopropionate degradation, lipid maintenance, and coral host transcriptional reprogramming of cellular restructuration, repair, stress protection, and immune genes, concomitant with a 40% survival rate increase and stable photosynthetic performance by the endosymbiotic algae. This study provides insights into the responses that underlie probiotic host manipulation. We demonstrate that BMCs trigger a dynamic microbiome restructuring process that instigates genetic and metabolic alterations in the coral host that eventually mitigate coral bleaching and mortality.
“LICIACube – the Light Italian Cubesat for Imaging of Asteroids” is managed by the Italian Space Agency (ASI) and will be part of the NASA DART mission, with the aim of i) documenting the DART ...impact’s effects on the secondary member of the (65803) Didymos binary asteroid system, ii) characterizing the shape of the target, and iii) performing dedicated scientific investigations on it. DART probe will be launched at the end of 2021 and LICIACube will be hosted as piggyback during the interplanetary cruise, then released 10 days before the impact, and autonomously guided along its fly-by trajectory. The LICIACube payload is composed by LEIA, a narrow FoV camera, and LUKE, a wide FoV imager with an RGB Bayer pattern filter, that will collect and transmit to Earth several unique images of the effects of the DART impact on the asteroid, such as the formation and the development of the plume potentially determined by the impact.
LICIACube will be the first deep space mission developed and autonomously managed by an Italian team: the design, integration and test of the CubeSat have been assigned by ASI to the aerospace company Argotec, while the LICIACube Ground Segment has a complex architecture based on the Argotec Mission Control Center, antennas of the NASA Deep Space Network and data archiving and processing, managed at the ASI Space Science Data Center. The LICIACube team includes a wide Italian scientific community, involved in the definition of all the aspects of the mission: trajectory design; mission definition (and real-time orbit determination during operations); impact, plume and imaging simulation and modelling, in preparation of a suitable framework for the analysis and interpretation of in-situ data. The major technological mission challenge, i.e. the autonomous targeting and imaging of such a small body during a fast fly-by, to be accomplished with the limited resources of a CubeSat, is affordable thanks to a strong synergy of all the mentioned teams in support of the engineering tasks.
-LICIACube is the first purely Italian spacecraft operating in deep space.-LICIACube is managed by the Italian Space Agency and will be part of the NASA DART mission.-It will analyze the output of the first kinetic impact test at a realistic scale.-The payload is composed by LEIA, a narrow FoV camera, and LUKE, a wide FoV imager with an RGB Bayer pattern filter.-Aims: documenting the DART impact on Dimorphos; characterizing the target shape; performing scientific investigations.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UILJ, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK, ZAGLJ, ZRSKP
Uncertainty exists regarding the prevalence and clinical features associated with the practice of polypharmacy in bipolar disorder (BD), warranting a systematic review on the matter.
Three authors ...independently searched major electronic databases from inception till September 2015. Articles were included that reported either qualitative or quantitative data about the prevalence and clinical features associated with polypharmacy in adult cases of BD.
The operative definitions of polypharmacy adopted across varying studies varied, with concomitant use of two or more psychotropic medications or use of four or more psychotropic medications at once being the most common and the most reliable, respectively. Regardless of type or current mood episode polarity of BD, prevalence rates up to 85% and 36% were found using the most permissive (two or more medications at once) and the most conservative (four or more) operative definitions for polypharmacy, respectively. Point prevalence prescription rates of one or more antidepressant or antipsychotic as part of a polypharmacy regimen occurred in up to 45% or 80% of the cases, respectively, according to the most permissive definition of polypharmacy. In contrast, lithium prescription rates ranged from 13% to 33% in BD patients receiving polypharmacy according to conservative and permissive definitions, possibly suggesting a reduced need for augmentation of combination strategies for those cases of BD with a favorable lifetime lithium response and/or long-lasting treatment as well as less likelihood of lithium response over the time most severe cases possibly exposed to a more complex polypharmacy overall.
"Apples and oranges" bias; publication bias for most recently introduced compounds.
Polypharmacy is common among people with BD across varying type and mood episode phases of illness. Special population, including BD patients at high risk of familial load for suicidal behavior, solicit further research as well as the plausible "protective" role of lithium toward polypharmacy in BD. The PROSPERO registration number is CRD42014015084.
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