Geochemical and geophysical surveys were carried out in the Cagno valley (Sila massif, central-northern Calabria, Italy) to investigate the gas bearing properties of a seismogenic fault (Lakes Fault, ...LF), discovered by paleoseismological analysis. Soil gas measurements (N2, O2, Rn, CO2, CH4 and light hydrocarbons) and exposure to γ radiations were performed along two detailed profiles (about 150m long), trending almost parallel to a trench crossing the LF. The highest values of Rn, γ radiation, CO2, CH4 and light hydrocarbons were detected in the area around the LF and 100m far away. In the central part of the profiles, where a hanging valley is present, geo-gas distribution is likely controlled by both lithology (colluvial deposits and peaty silt deposits, characterized by medium to low permeability) and the presence of a local cold aquifer. In particular, water table influences the circulation of the gas species in the sub-surface environment, as well as their distribution at the surface by playing a sort of sealing effect for the gas migration. In the area located about 100m westward of the fault, characterized by soils originated from altered granodiorites, the occurrence of a previously unknown blind fault is supposed. The multidisciplinary approach of this work allows to better understand the relationship between geochemical and geophysical analyses linked to migration processes of deep fluid through preferential leakage pathways providing some hints on the spatial influence of active tectonic.
Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a worldwide health problem. No vaccine is available against this pathogen and therapeutic treatments currently in use are of limited efficacy. In the present study, the ...immunogenicity of the therapeutic vaccine candidate CIGB‐230, based on the mixture of pIDKE2, a plasmid expressing HCV structural antigens, with a recombinant HCV core protein, Co.120, was evaluated. CIGB‐230 was administered by intramuscular injection on weeks 0, 4, 8, 12, 16 and 20 to 15 HCV‐chronically infected individuals, non‐responders to previous treatment with interferon (IFN) plus ribavirin. Interestingly, following the final immunization, neutralizing antibody responses against heterologous viral pseudoparticles were modified in eight individuals, including six de novo responders. In addition, 73% of vaccinees exhibited specific T cell proliferative response and T cell IFN‐gamma secretory response 24 weeks after primary immunization with CIGB‐230. Furthermore, 33.3% of individuals developed de novo cellular immune response against HCV core and the number of patients (46.7% at the end of treatment) with cellular immune response against more than one HCV structural antigen increased during vaccination (P = 0.046). In addition, despite persistent detection of HCV RNA, more than 40% percent of vaccinated individuals improved or stabilized liver histology, particularly reducing fibrosis, which correlated with cellular immune response against more than one HCV antigen (P = 0.0053). In conclusion, CIGB‐230 is a promising candidate for effective therapeutic interventions based on its ability for enhancing the immune response in HCV chronically infected individuals.
Construction and demolition waste (CDW) constitutes an increasingly significant problem in society due to the volume generated, rendering sustainable management and disposal problematic. The aim of ...this study is to identify a possible reuse option in the concrete manufacturing for recycled aggregates with a significant ceramic content: mixed recycled aggregates (MixRA) and ceramic recycled aggregates (CerRA). In order to do so, several tests are conducted in accordance with the Spanish Code on Structural Concrete (EHE-08) to determine the composition in weight and physic-mechanical characteristics (particle size distributions, fine content, sand equivalent, density, water absorption, flakiness index, and resistance to fragmentation) of the samples for the partial inclusion of the recycled aggregates in concrete mixes. The results of these tests clearly support the hypothesis that this type of material may be suitable for such partial replacements if simple pretreatment is carried out. Furthermore, this measure of reuse is in line with European, national, and regional policies on sustainable development, and presents a solution to the environmental problem caused by the generation of CDW.
This study evaluated the efficacy of the combined application of chitosan (CHI) and Cymbopogon citratus (Dc. Ex Nees) (lemongrass) essential oil (CCEO) to control Rhizopus stolonifer in fresh tomato ...(Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.) fruit at room temperature (25°C) storage. The effects of the treatment (CHI and CCEO) on some quality characteristics of the fruit, namely weight loss, firmness, soluble solids, titratable acidity, pH, ascorbic acid, color, and sensory acceptability were also assessed. The minimum inhibitory concentrations of CHI and CCEO against R. stolonifer were 8 mg/mL and 5 µL/mL, respectively. Subinhibitory concentrations of CHI and CCEO (CHI 4 mg/mL, CCEO 1.25 µL/mL), alone and in combination, inhibited fungal spore germination and damaged spore membrane integrity. The CHI-CCEO coating decreased the severity of Rhizopus soft rot in tomato fruit; however, the coating more strongly delayed the infection when the fruit were artificially contaminated after coating application. The application of the coating preserved the general quality of tomato fruit as measured using a variety of physicochemical and sensory attributes. These results indicate that coatings composed of CHI and CCEO could represent promising postharvest treatments to inhibit Rhizopus soft rot in tomato fruit.
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The availability of a quantitative method to measure anti-infliximab (IFX) antibodies (ATI) would facilitate the implementation of therapeutic drug monitoring in clinical ...decision-making. Our aim was to standardize the homogeneous mobility shift assay (HMSA) used in the measure of ATI levels.
In this prospective longitudinal multicenter study, 50 IFX-treated Crohn’s disease (CD) patients were followed up for 54weeks. During this period 360 human serum samples were analysed. Monomeric ATI levels were measured by a quantitative HMSA-method using an anti-IFX calibrator. IFX trough levels measured by ELISA were correlated with ATI levels.
Using HMSA and a pure anti-idiotypic monoclonal antibody specific for IFX (anti-IFX calibrator), we measured the levels of monomeric ATI generated in Crohn’s disease patients treated with IFX. Anti-IFX calibrator allowed to quantify monomeric antibodies against IFX with a low limit of quantification (3nM). The threshold level of ATI in order to classify the immunogenicity of the patients was 10nM. We observed that 24% (12/50) of IFX-treated patients developed ATI (>10nM) during the observation period (54weeks). Serum concentration of ATI higher than 10nM dramatically increased the probability (OR=51.1; 95% CI: 20.4–128.0; p<0.0001) of presenting low levels of IFX (⩽1.5nM) in serum, as observed in some CD patients treated with standard doses of the drug.
The HMSA-method described here allows an accurate quantification of ATI concentration in international units (IU) and therefore it could be useful in the study of the relationship between ATI concentration, infliximab level and the clinical response to the drug.
A bioinspired locomotion system for a quadruped robot is presented. Locomotion is achieved by a spiking neural network (SNN) that acts as a Central Pattern Generator (CPG) producing different ...locomotion patterns represented by their raster plots. To generate these patterns, the SNN is configured with specific parameters (synaptic weights and topologies), which were estimated by a metaheuristic method based on Christiansen Grammar Evolution (CGE). The system has been implemented and validated on two robot platforms; firstly, we tested our system on a quadruped robot and, secondly, on a hexapod one. In this last one, we simulated the case where two legs of the hexapod were amputated and its locomotion mechanism has been changed. For the quadruped robot, the control is performed by the spiking neural network implemented on an Arduino board with 35% of resource usage. In the hexapod robot, we used Spartan 6 FPGA board with only 3% of resource usage. Numerical results show the effectiveness of the proposed system in both cases.
Background and Aims:
Despite having adopted preventive measures, tuberculosis (TB) may still occur in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) treated with anti-tumour necrosis factor ...(anti-TNF). Data on the causes and characteristics of TB cases in this scenario are lacking. Our aim was to describe the characteristics of TB in anti-TNF-treated IBD patients after the publication of the Spanish TB prevention guidelines in IBD patients and to evaluate the safety of restarting anti-TNF after a TB diagnosis.
Methods:
In this multicentre, retrospective, descriptive study, TB cases from Spanish hospitals were collected. Continuous variables were reported as mean and standard deviation or median and interquartile range. Categorical variables were described as absolute and relative frequencies and their confidence intervals when necessary.
Results:
We collected 50 TB cases in anti-TNF-treated IBD patients, 60% male, median age 37.3 years (interquartile range IQR 30.4–47). Median latency between anti-TNF initiation and first TB symptoms was 155.5 days (IQR 88–301); 34% of TB cases were disseminated and 26% extrapulmonary. In 30 patients (60%), TB cases developed despite compliance with recommended preventive measures; *not performing 2-step TST (tuberculin skin test) was the main failure in compliance with recommendations. In 17 patients (34%) anti-TNF was restarted after a median of 13 months (IQR 7.1–17.3) and there were no cases of TB reactivation.
Conclusions:
Tuberculosis could still occur in anti-TNF-treated IBD patients despite compliance with recommended preventive measures. A significant number of cases developed when these recommendations were not followed. Restarting anti-TNF treatment in these patients seems to be safe.
Patients with nonmelanoma skin cancer (NMSC)-ie, basal cell carcinoma (BCC) or squamous cell carcinoma (SCC)-have an increased risk of developing a second skin cancer. The aim of this study was to ...describe the frequency, incidence per 1000 person-years, and predictors of a second skin cancer in a cohort of patients with NMSC treated with Mohs micrographic surgery (MMS).
Prospective study of a national cohort of patients with NMSC who underwent MMS at 22 Spanish hospitals between July 2013 and February 2020; case data were recorded in the REGESMOHS registry. The study variables included demographic characteristics, frequency and incidence per 1000 person-years of second skin cancers diagnosed during the study period, and risk factors identified using mixed-effects logistic regression.
We analyzed data for 4768 patients who underwent MMS; 4397 (92%) had BCC and 371 (8%) had SCC. Mean follow-up was 2.4 years. Overall, 1201 patients (25%) developed a second skin cancer during follow-up; 1013 of the tumors were BCCs (21%), 154 were SCCs (3%), and 20 were melanomas (0.4%). The incidence was 107 per 1000 person-years (95% CI, 101-113) for any cancer, 90 per 1000 person-years (95% CI, 85-96) for BCC, 14 (95% CI, 12-16) per 1000 person-years for SCC, and 2 (95% CI, 1-3) per 1000 person-years for melanoma. More men than women developed a subsequent skin cancer (738 61% vs 463 39%). The main risk factors were a history of multiple tumors before diagnosis (relative risk RR, 4.6; 95% CI, 2.9-7.1), immunosuppression (RR, 2.1; 95% CI, 1.4-3.1), and male sex (RR, 1.6; 95% CI, 1.4-1.9).
Patients have an increased risk of developing a second tumor after MMS treatment of NMSC. Risk factors are a history of multiple tumors at diagnosis, immunosuppression, and male sex.
The Calabrian Arc is an area of high seismic hazard, in the past often affected by destructive earthquakes. The seismicity of the Calabrian region is monitored by the Italian National Seismic Network ...integrated by the Calabrian Regional one and, in the last three years, by the Pollino temporary array. We have applied the Seismic Network Evaluation through Simulation to assess the individual contribution of each network in locating earthquakes with epicentres in the Calabrian region and surrounding. We shows that the Calabrian Regional Seismic Network greatly improves the quality of the coverage in almost the Calabria territory except in the Crotone Basin, in the Serre and in the offshore areas. We show that the contribution of the Pollino temporary array is instead restricted to a very small area centred on the Pollino Chain. Due to the presence in the Serre of important seismogenic volumes, which in the past have generated destructive earthquakes, it would be opportune to add at least several seismic stations in this area and surrounding to improve the seismic monitoring.
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