Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Impact of Glucocorticoids and Immunosuppressive Therapies on Symptomatic SARS-CoV-2 Infection in a Large Cohort of Patients with Chronic Inflammatory Arthritis

Background: Prevalence and outcomes of Coronavirus Disease (COVID)-19 in relation to immunomodulatory medications are still unknown. The aim of the study is to investigate the impact of glucocorticoids and immunosuppressive agents on COVID-19 in a large cohort of patients with chronic immune-mediated inflammatory arthritis. Methods: The study was conducted in the arthritis outpatient clinic at two large Academic Hospitals in the COVID-19 most endemic area of Northern Italy (Lombardy). We circulated a cross-sectional survey exploring the prevalence of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome-Coronavirus-2 nasopharyngeal swab positivity and the occurrence of acute respiratory illness (fever and/or cough and/or dyspnea), administered face-to-face or by phone to consecutive patients from 25th February to 20th April 2020. COVID-19 cases were defined as confirmed or highly suspicious according to the World Health Organization criteria. The impact of medications on COVID-19 incidence was evaluated. Findings: The study population included 2050 adults with chronic inflammatory arthritis receiving glucocorticoids, conventional-synthetic (cs), or targeted-synthetic/biological (ts/b) disease-modifying drugs (DMARDs). Laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 and highly suspicious infection were recorded in 1.1% and 1.4% of the population, respectively. Treatment with glucocorticoids was independently associated with increased risk of COVID-19 (adjusted OR [95% CI] ranging from 1.23 [1.04-1.44] to 3.20 [1.97-5.18] depending on the definition used). Conversely, patients treated with ts/bDMARDs were at reduced risk (adjusted OR ranging from 0.46 [0.18-1.21] to 0.47 [0.46-0.48]). No independent effects of csDMARDs were observed. Interpretation: During the COVID-19 outbreak, treatment with immunomodulatory medications appears safe. Conversely, glucocorticoids, even at low-dose, may confer increased risk of infection. Funding: None. Declaration of Interests: Authors declare no competing interest. Ethics Approval Statement: The current analysis was approved by the Ethics Committees of the Gaetano Pini Institute and Policlinico San Matteo as part of a project to collect observational data from rheumatological patients followed at the two involved rheumatology units. All included patients have signed an informed consent to participate in the data collection. The possibility of including this survey within the abovementioned data collection project has been waived by the same ethics committee.
A narrative review of risk factors and interventions for cancer-related cognitive impairment

Cancer-related cognitive impairment (CRCI) refers to a series of cognitive impairment symptoms associated with alternations in brain structure and function, caused by a non-central nervous system malignant tumor and its related treatment. CRCI may present as memory loss, impaired concentration, difficulty in multitasking and word retrieval, and reduced comprehension speed. CRCI has become one of the prevalent factors that compromise the quality of life for cancer survivors. Different treatments, including surgery, chemotherapy, radiotherapy, endocrine therapy, and targeted drugs, may contribute to CRCI. Meanwhile, patients’ factors, including emotional challenges and genetic makeup, also contribute to the development of CRCI. The condition can be treated with using stimulants methylphenidate and modafinil, metabolites of nicotine: cotinine, antidepressants of fluoxetine and fluvoxamine, dementia drug of donepezil, and antioxidants ZnSO4, n-acetyl cysteine, propofol, and Chinese herbal of silver leaf medicine. Psychotherapies, including meditation and relaxation, cognitive rehabilitation training, along with physical therapies, including aerobic exercise, resistance training, balance training, yoga, qigong, tai chi electroencephalogram biofeedback, and acupuncture, are also beneficial in alleviating cancer-related cognitive impairment symptoms. In recent years, researchers have focused on factors related to the condition and on the available interventions. However, most research was conducted independently, and no review has yet summarized the latest findings. This review details and discusses the status of related factors and potential treatments for CRCI. We also supply specific recommendations to facilitate future research and integration in this field.
MgO nanofluids: higher thermal conductivity and lower viscosity among ethylene glycol-based nanofluids containing oxide nanoparticles

Five kinds of oxides, including MgO, TiO2, ZnO, Al2O3 and SiO2 nanoparticles were selected as additives and ethylene glycol (EG) was used as base fluid to prepare stable nanofluids. Thermal transport property investigation demonstrated substantial increments in the thermal conductivity and viscosity of all these nanofluids with oxide nanoparticle addition in EG. Among all the studied nanofluids, MgO–EG nanofluid was found to have superior features, with the highest thermal conductivity and lowest viscosity. The thermal conductivity enhancement ratio of MgO–EG nanofluid increases nonlinearly with the volume fraction of nanoparticles. In the experimental temperature range of 10–60°C, thermal conductivity enhancement ratio of MgO–EG nanofluids appears to have a weak dependence on the temperature. Viscosity measurements showed that MgO–EG nanofluids demonstrated Newtonian rheological behaviour, and the viscosity significantly decreases with the temperature. The thermal conductivity and viscosity increments of the nanofluids are much higher than the corresponding values predicted by the existing classical models for the solid–liquid mixture.
A Long‐Lasting Auroral Spiral Rotating Around Saturn's Pole

The main ultraviolet auroral emission at Saturn consists of multiple structures forming a discontinuous ring of emission around the poles, occasionally organized in a global spiral. We present continuous observation of an auroral spiral rotating at ∼85% of rigid corotation during several hours. Simultaneously, energetic neutral atom (ENA) emissions revealed a hot magnetospheric plasma population located in the same local time sector as the ends of the rotating spiral. Following plasma theory, we propose that pressure gradients induced by the energized plasma distorted the magnetospheric current system, resulting in the spiral morphology of the aurora. The rotating hot plasma was several times reenergized in the dusk sector during at least 2 days, generating a long‐lasting auroral spiral. The ultraviolet spiral, the ENA emissions, and the ions revealed by this multi‐instrument data set are three signatures of a magnetosphere‐ionosphere coupling current system and of the associated hot plasma population rotating around Saturn.
Unravelling the Structural Modification (Meso-Nano-) of Cu/ZnO-Al2O3 Catalysts for Methanol Synthesis by the Residual NaNO3 in Hydroxycarbonate Precursors

The effects of residual NaNO3 on the modification of Cu/ZnO-Al2O3 catalysts have been extensively documented, but the modification mechanism is so far unclear. This work studies in detail the influence of the residual sodium nitrate present in the hydroxycarbonate precursors on their decomposition during calcination and how it affects to the formation and configuration of the final active sites of the Cu/ZnO-Al2O3 catalysts. Different samples with varying sodium content after washing (from 0.01 to 7.3 wt%) were prepared and studied in detail after calcination and reduction steps. The results of this work demonstrated that NaNO3 affects the decomposition mechanism of the hydroxycarbonate precursors during calcination and produces its decarbonation at low temperature. The enhancement of the decarbonation by NaNO3 leads to segregation and crystallization of CuO and ZnO with loss of mesostructure and surface area in the calcined catalysts. The loss of mesostructure in calcined catalysts affects the subsequent reduction step, decreasing the reducibility and damaging the nanostructure of the reduced catalysts forming large Cu particles in poor contact with ZnOx that results in a significant decrease in the intrinsic activity of the copper active sites for methanol synthesis.
Characterization of the emulsifying activity of biosurfactants produced by lactic acid bacteria isolated from the Argentinian Patagonia

Abstract This study aimed to characterize the emulsifying activity of biosurfactants extracted from lactic acid bacteria (LAB) originals of the Argentinian Patagonia. Nine LABs were isolated from sheep cheese and fishes. All the strains produced cell-bound biosurfactants. Four selected strains produced biosurfactants able to decrease the air/water surface tension within the range of 28.1 mN/m–19.0 mN/m and exhibited an emulsification index after 24 h storage between 82 and 98%. An evaluation of the droplet size of emulsions revealed that the use of cell-free supernatant (CFS) obtained from Lactobacillus pentosus Tw226, Lactococcus lactis ssp lactis Tw12 and Lactococcus paraplantarum LbTw7 promoted the highest reduction in the Sauter and the De Broucker diameter demonstrating that the CFSs contained biosurfactants useful to form and stabilize oil in water emulsions. Moreover, a production of 0.26 ± 0.04 g of crude biosurfactant per gram of dry Lactobacillus pentosus Tw226 biomass was obtained. This yield was the highest registered among evaluated strains. Finally, thanks to its promising features it was selected for a preliminary characterization showing a critical micelle concentration of 0.11 g/L and a glycopolypeptide structure. This study demonstrated the potential uses of this biosurfactant as emulsifying agent in food products. Graphical Abstract
Assessment of Prescription Medications for Indoor Patients and Effect of Interventions in a Medical College Hospital.

Introduction Bharati Vidyapeeth University Medical College Hospital and Research Centre in Pune, India has been a pioneer institute with 831 beds, with learned faculty, residents, and trained nursing and supportive staff. Top management decided to further improve quality and safety in patient care and accordingly felt the need to acquire accreditation under the banner of National Accreditation Board for Hospitals and Healthcare Providers (NABH). As a first step toward this, a quality assurance department was established and entrusted with the task to identify areas needing improvement. "Prescription profile of medications" was identified as one of the core areas needing improvement as medication errors are mostly due to faulty prescriptions. The aim of this study was to measure the compliance of indoor patient prescriptions towards standard guidelines. Methods Top management of the hospital envisaged that preparing for NABH accreditations would be one of the tools for improving patient safety and quality. Hence, in addition to a quality assurance department, a separate department of clinical pharmacy and pharmacovigilance was also established, specifically to take care of medication safety, including prescription profile. Interventions were designed based on observations in the preintervention phase. Interventions included regular monitoring of prescriptions, medication safety, and repeated training sessions for physicians by the department of clinical pharmacy and quality assurance. Results Compliance by physicians regarding most of the components of prescriptions showed improvement. There has been a substantial reduction in medication errors (in patient days). Conclusion The improvement in compliance of components of prescriptions and reduction in medication errors was attributable to applied interventions.
The vertical distribution of atmospheric DMS in the high Arctic summer

The vertical structure of gas-phase dimethyl sulphide [DMS(g)] in the high Arctic atmosphere is investigated during a summer season. The model results show that the near-surface DMS(g) concentration over open ocean is very variable both in time and space, depending on the local atmospheric conditions. Profiles over ocean have typically highest concentration near the surface and decrease exponentially with height. Over the pack-ice, the concentrations are typically lower and the vertical structure changes as the air is advected northward. Modelled DMS(g) maxima above the local boundary layer were present in about 3% of the profiles found over the pack-ice. These maxima were found in association to frontal zones. Our results also show that DMS(g) can be mixed downward by turbulence into the local boundary layer and act as a local near-surface DMS(g) source over the pack-ice and may hence influence the growth of cloud condensation nuclei and cloud formation in the boundary layer. Profile observations are presented in support to the model results. They show that significant DMS(g) concentrations exist in the Arctic atmosphere at altitudes not to be expected when only considering vertical mixing in the boundary layer
Studying the reaction of peroxynitrite with myoglobin in meat extract samples using cobalt phthalocyanine-modified screen printed carbon electrodes and a flow injection analysis system

Reactive oxygen/nitrogen species (ROS/RNS) have a great impact on cellular response to stress, cell proliferation, cell death, cancer, aging, or male infertility. Additionally, in the food industry and for consumers as well, it is very important to monitor quality and freshness of raw meat. Different factors are a sign of meat alteration (e.g., discoloration, rancidity, alteration of flavor). One pathway of alteration is the scavenging activity of myoglobin towards RNS (such as peroxynitrite, PON). This paper presents the development of an electrochemical PON sensor using cobalt phthalocyanine (CoPc) as a simple, cost effective, highly thermally stable, biomimetic catalyst, and the application of this electrochemical screen-printed carbon electrode (SPCE)-based sensor to meat extract samples, using flow injection analysis (FIA). The reduction of peroxynitrite, mediated by CoPc, occurs at a very low potential (around 0.1 V vs. Ag/AgCl pseudoreference); as for higher potentials, the mechanism of mediation changes, and the electro-oxidation of PON is observed. The surface of the modified electrode was characterized using SEM, FTIR and Cyclic Voltametry. The interaction of PON with myoglobin was studied using both UV-Vis and chronoamperometry (at 0.1 V, using the FIA system). The calibration of the electrode was performed: Ired (nA) = 6.313·CPON (µM) + 17.469; (R² = 0.9938). The calculated LOD was equal to 2.37 µM and the linear range was 3–180 µM. The performance of the electrode can be further improved using a pre-treatment (electro-reduction of the CoPc deposited film, at −0.3 V, during 60s). This could help us monitor and quantify how much PON was decomposed and when meat extracts are spiked with different PON concentrations, in a highly selective, sensitive, and reproducible way.
Aerodynamic Study of the NASA’s X-43A Hypersonic Aircraft

A 2D aerodynamic study of the NASA’s X-43A hypersonic aircraft is developed using two different approaches. The first one is analytical and based on the resolution of the oblique shock wave and Prandtl–Meyer expansion wave theories supported by an in-house program and considering a simplified aircraft’s design. The second approach involves the use of a Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) package, OpenFOAM and the real shape of the aircraft. The aerodynamic characteristics defined as the lift and drag coefficients, the aerodynamic efficiency and the pitching moment coefficient are calculated for different angles of attack. Evaluations are made for an incident Mach number of 7 and an altitude of 30 km. For both methodologies, the required angles of attack to achieve a Vertical Force Balance (VFB) and a completely zero pitching moment conditions are considered. In addition, an analysis to optimise the nose configuration of the aircraft is performed. The mass flow rate throughout the scramjet as a function of the angle of attack is also presented in the CFD model in addition to the pressure, density, temperature and Mach fields. Before presenting the corresponding results, a comparison between the aerodynamic coefficients in terms of the angle of attack of both models is carried out in order to properly validate the CFD model. The paper clarifies the requirements needed to make sure that both oblique shock waves originating from the leading edge meet just at the scramjet inlet clarifying the advantages of fulfilling such condition.
Optimization of Job Shop Scheduling Problem

Timely and reliable delivery is becoming a more important factor for manufacturing companies since customer satisfaction becomes the paradigm of world class manufacturers. In some industries, keeping due dates is the bottom line for survival. But due to the NP-hard combinatory characters of the job shop scheduling problems, Hibret Manufacturing and Machine Building Industry (HMMBI) has faced the problem to determine the optimal schedules that minimizes the job completion time and thus failed to meet the promised delivery due date. Therefore, determining the optimal schedule that minimizes the makespan of the job using a shifting bottleneck heuristic was the aim of this study. Secondary data was collected from the production route sheets and Lekin® scheduling software is employed for comparing solution of different heuristics. The findings of the study showed that the shifting bottleneck (DASH) results in a total makespan of 23 hours with 6 hours (20.69%) improvement as compared to the current scheduling system that the HMMB uses.
Ablation of Enpp6 Results in Transient Bone Hypomineralization

Biomineralization is a fundamental process key to the development of the skeleton. The phosphatase orphan phosphatase 1 (PHOSPHO1), which likely functions within extracellular matrix vesicles, has emerged as a critical regulator of biomineralization. However, the biochemical pathways that generate intravesicular PHOSPHO1 substrates are currently unknown. We hypothesized that the enzyme ectonucleotide pyrophosphatase/phosphodiesterase 6 (ENPP6) is an upstream source of the PHOSPHO1 substrate. To test this, we characterized skeletal phenotypes of mice homozygous for a targeted deletion of Enpp6 (Enpp6−/−). Micro‐computed tomography of the trabecular compartment revealed transient hypomineralization in Enpp6−/− tibias (p < 0.05) that normalized by 12 weeks of age. Whole‐bone cortical analysis also revealed significantly hypomineralized proximal bone in 4‐ but not 12‐week‐old Enpp6−/− mice (p < 0.05) compared with WT animals. Back‐scattered SEM revealed a failure in 4‐week‐old trabecular bone of mineralization foci to propagate. Static histomorphometry revealed increased osteoid volume (p > 0.01) and osteoid surface (p < 0.05), which recovered by 12 weeks but was not accompanied by changes in osteoblast or osteoclast number. This study is the first to characterize the skeletal phenotype of Enpp6−/− mice, revealing transient hypomineralization in young animals compared with WT controls. These data suggest that ENPP6 is important for bone mineralization and may function upstream of PHOSPHO1 as a novel means of generating its substrates inside matrix vesicles. © 2020 The Authors. JBMR Plus published by Wiley Periodicals LLC. on behalf of American Society for Bone and Mineral Research.
The Role of Equatorial and Axial Ligands in Promoting the Activity of Non-Heme Oxidoiron(IV) Catalysts in Alkane Hydroxylation

The key electronic structural feature of the FeO2+ moiety, which determines its activity as an alkane hydroxylation catalyst, is the presence of low-lying acceptor orbitals, namely the 3σ* 3d–2pz antibonding orbital. Both the energetic position of this orbital and the spin state of the system (which in turn also affects the 3σ* energy) depend on the surrounding ligands. We present results of density functional theory (DFT) calculations performed on a series of gas-phase complexes of composition [FeO(H2O)n(L)5–n]2+ (n = 4, 1, 0) derived from the recently characterised aqueous [FeO(H2O)5]2+ by substitution of ligand water molecules with L = NH3, CH3CN, H2S and BF3. The calculations reveal that the high-spin (quintet) state is favoured by the weaker σ-donating equatorial ligands, which is consistent with the literature. The high-spin configuration is more reactive because of significant exchange stabilisation of the crucial 3σ* orbital. Once the quintet state is formed by a judicious choice of equatorial ligands, the reactivity can be fine-tuned by modulating the energy of the 3σ* orbital by varying the nature of the axial ligand. A linear relation between the σ-donor properties of the axial ligand (estimated from the magnitude of the orbital interaction between the σ lone pair and the 3σ* orbital) and the activation barrier for the abstraction reaction is observed, and is related to a “push effect” of the σ donors that destabilises the 3σ* orbital. We propose that species with enhanced activation properties for hydrogen abstraction relative to [FeO(H2O)5]2+ might be obtainable by either replacing the axial ligand with a σ donor weaker than H2O or by preventing ligands from coordinating to iron in an axial position. (© Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, 69451 Weinheim, Germany, 2007)
Ticagrelor versus Clopidogrel in high bleeding risk patients presenting with Acute Coronary Syndromes: insights from the multicenter START-ANTIPLATELET registry

Optimal dual antiplatelet therapy in high bleeding risk (HBR) patients with acute coronary syndromes (ACS) remains debated. Although current guidelines recommend the use of potent P2Y12 inhibitors in these patients (according to the labeled indications), clopidogrel is frequently used in clinical practice based on a perceived advantage in terms of safety in the HBR population. We sought to investigate the use of clopidogrel versus ticagrelor in consecutive HBR ACS patients and their impact on ischemic and bleeding events at 1 year. ACS patients enrolled in the START-ANTIPLATELET registry with at least 1 HBR criterion were included in the present analysis and stratified according to DAPT type (clopidogrel versus ticagrelor). The primary endpoint was net adverse clinical endpoint (NACE), defined as a composite of all-cause death, myocardial infarction, stroke, and major bleeding. The secondary endpoints were major adverse cardiac and cerebral events (MACE), defined as a composite of all-cause death, myocardial infarction and stroke, each individual component of NACE and MACE, and target vessel revascularization. Among a total of 1,209 patients with 1-year follow-up in the registry, 383 patients were considered at HBR, of whom 174 (45.4%) were on clopidogrel and 209 (54.6%) on ticagrelor. Clopidogrel was more likely to be administered in patients at increased ischemic and bleeding risk, while ticagrelor in those undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention. Mean DAPT duration was longer in the ticagrelor group than in the clopidogrel group (10.40±4.29 versus 9.35±5.4; p-value=0.03). At 1-year follow-up, the risk of NACE and MACE events was significantly higher in the clopidogrel than in the ticagrelor group (NACE: HR 1.82; 95% CI 1.07–3.09; p-value=0.02; MACE: HR 1.83; 95% CI 1.04–3.24; p-value=0.03) (Figure). After multivariate adjustment for clinical and procedural characteristics, no difference in NACEs nor MACEs was observed between patients on clopidogrel versus ticagrelor (NACE: adjusted HR 1.27; 95% CI 0.71–2.27; p-value=0.42; MACE: adjusted HR 1.19; 95% CI 0.63–2.24; p-value=0.59) (Figure). Age, number of HBR criteria, and mean DAPT duration were independent predictors of NACEs. In a real-world ACS registry, approximately 50% of patients are at HBR and frequently treated with clopidogrel. In HBR ACS patients, no difference was observed in ischemic and bleeding events between clopidogrel and ticagrelor after adjustment for potential confounders. Kaplan-Meier curves at 1-year follow-up. Type of funding source: None