bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Temperature-Aware Routing Using Secondary Sink in Wireless Body Area Sensor Network
Authors: Jain Sweta , Singh Anurag
Published: February 2020

Wireless Body Area Sensor Network (WBASN) is a developing application of Wireless Sensor Network (WSN) which is very useful in diagnosis of human health remotely. Tiny and smart sensors are placed inside or outside of human body which collects useful data time to time from various parts of body and send it to the corresponding medical staff or doctor. In the future, WBASN will surely make a huge change in traditional health monitoring system and will be helpful for elderly people and patients who suffer from difficult physical mobility. WBASN have many challenges while its design and one of main challenge is controlling temperature rise of sensor node during routing when placed inside human body because temperature rise beyond certain limit will be harmful for human body. The study of controlling temperature rise of sensor nodes during data routing comes under the category of Temperature Aware Routing Protocols. In this article the authors have raised a problem called “Energy Hole Problem” under Temperature Aware Routing Protocols which affects the performance of a network.
Certain Investigation on Secured Data Transmission in Wireless Sensor Networks
Authors: Padmaja P. , Marutheswar G.V.
Published: February 2020

Wireless Sensor Network (WSN) need to be more secure while transmitting data as well as should be deployed properly to reduce redundancy and energy consumption. WSNs suffer from many constraints, including low computation capability, small memory, limited energy resources, susceptibility to physical capture and the use of insecure wireless communication channels. These constraints make security in WSNs a challenge. In this paper, a survey of security issues in WSNs is presented and a new algorithm TESDA is proposed, which is an optimized energy efficient secured data aggregation technic. The cluster head is rotated based on residual energy after each round of aggregation so that network lifetime increases. Based on deviation factor calculated, the trust weight is assigned, if more deviation, then the trust value is less. Simulation results observed by using NS-2. From network animator and x-graphs the result are analyzed. Among all protocols tesda is an energy efficient secured data aggregation method.
Application of Computational Intelligence Techniques in Wireless Sensor Networks the State of the Art
Authors: Pani Subhendu Kumar
Published: February 2020

A wireless sensor network may contain hundreds or even tens of thousands of inexpensive sensor devices that can communicate with their neighbors within a limited radio range. By relaying information on each other, they transmit signals to a command post anywhere within the network. Worldwide market for wireless sensor networks is rapidly growing due to a huge variety of applications it offers. In this chapter, we discuss application of computational intelligence techniques in wireless sensor networks on the coverage problem in general and area coverage in particular. After providing different types of coverage encountered in WSN, we present a possible classification of coverage algorithms. Then we dwell on area coverage which is widely studied due to its importance. We provide a survey of literature on area coverage and give an account of its state-of-the art and research directions.
Causes, Effects, and Consequences of Priority Inversion in Transaction Processing
Authors: Pandey Sarvesh , Shanker Udai
Published: February 2020

The problem of priority inversion occurs when a high priority task is required to wait for completion of some other task with low priority as a result of conflict in accessing the shared system resource(s). This problem is discussed by many researchers covering a wide range of research areas. Some of the key research areas are real-time operating systems, real-time systems, real-time databases, and distributed real-time databases. Irrespective of the application area, however, the problem lies with the fact that priority inversion can only be controlled with no method available to eliminate it entirely. In this chapter, the priority inversion-related scheduling issues and research efforts in this direction are discussed. Different approaches and their effectiveness to resolve this problem are analytically compared. Finally, major research accomplishments to date have been summarized and several unanswered research questions have also been listed.
Scheduling of Aperiodic Tasks on Multicore Systems
Authors: Jadon Shruti , Yadav Rama Shankar
Published: February 2020

For a hard real-time multicore system, the two important issues that are required to be addressed are feasibility of a task set and balancing of load amongst the cores of the multicore systems. Most of the previous work done considers the scheduling of periodic tasks on a multicore system. This chapter deals with scheduling of aperiodic tasks on a multicore system in a hard real-time environment. In this regard, a multicore total bandwidth server (MTBS) is proposed which schedules the aperiodic tasks with already guaranteed periodic tasks amongst the cores of the multicore processor. The proposed MTBS algorithm works by computing a virtual deadline for every aperiodic task that is arriving to the system. Apart from schedulability of aperiodic tasks, the MTBS approach also focuses on reducing the response time of aperiodic tasks. The simulation studies of MTBS were carried out to find the effectiveness of the proposed approach, and it is also compared with the existing strategies.
Paradigms of Machine Learning and Data Analytics
Authors: Chaurasia Pawan Kumar
Published: February 2020

This chapter conducts a critical review on ML and deep learning tools and techniques in the field of heart disease related to heart disease complexity, prediction, and diagnosis. Only specific papers are selected for the study to extract useful information, which stimulated a new hypothesis to understand further investigation of the heart disease patient.
Self-Managed System for Distributed Wireless Sensor Networks
Authors: Garg Sneh , Patel Ram Bahadur
Published: February 2020

With the advancements in technology, wireless sensor networks (WSNs) are used almost in all applications. These sensor network systems are sometimes used to monitor hostile environments where human intervention is not possible. When sensing is required to be done in areas that are hostile, there is need for autonomous/self-managing systems as it is very difficult for the human to intervene within such hostile environmental conditions. Therefore, in such systems, each node is required to do all functionalities and act like autonomous decision taking node that performs both data forwarding and network control. Therefore, introducing a self-management for large-scale distributed wireless system is a highly tedious task due to resource constrained nature of these nodes. It is very difficult to achieve required quality of service by large systems as a huge amount of energy is dissipated by systems in radio communication. Owing to resource constraint as well as vulnerable nature, developing a self-managing system for distributed WSN is a very challenging and demanding task.
Vehicular Ad Hoc Networks (VANETs)
Authors: Pandey Pavan Kumar , Kansal Vineet , Swaroop Abhishek
Published: February 2020

Over the past few years, there has been significant research interest in field of vehicular ad hoc networks (VANETs). Wireless communication over VANETs supports vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V), vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2I) communication. Such innovation in wireless communication has improved our daily lives through road safety, comfort driving, traffic efficiency. As special version of MANETs, VANETs bring several new challenges including routing and security challenges in data communication due to characteristics of high mobility, dynamic topology. Therefore, academia and the auto mobile industry are taking interest in several ongoing research projects to establish VANETs. The work presented here focuses on communication in VANETs with their routing and security challenges along with major application of VANETs in several areas.
Ten Lessons for the Age of Disinformation
Authors: Froehlich Thomas Joseph
Published: February 2020

This chapter outlines the structure and content of a course devoted to developing strategies to cope with the massive assault of disinformation on American democracy. Ten lessons for the age of disinformation will provide pedagogical techniques to teach high school, college students, or adult learners how to cope with our current environment, which the author calls the “Age of Disinformation.” It provides a multifaceted approach in which each facet reinforces the others. The 10 lessons are (1) characteristics of the age of disinformation; (2) the varieties of false information; (3) knowledge, opinion, and second-hand knowledge; (4) deception and self-deception; (5) psychological factors; (6) cognitive authorities; (7) social media, intellectual freedom, and libraries; (8) logical fallacies; (9) ethical principles; and (10) information, media, and digital literacies and personal, political, and professional commitments. Each lesson outlines the key ideas for each lesson and provides exercises that reinforce the key ideas of each lesson.
‘Fake News' in the Context of Information Literacy
Authors: Delellis Nicole S. , Rubin Victoria L.
Published: February 2020

This chapter describes a study that interviewed 18 participants (8 professors, 6 librarians, and 4 department chairs) about their perceptions of ‘fake news' in the context of their educational roles in information literacy (IL) within a large Canadian university. Qualitative analysis of the interviews reveals a substantial overlap in these educators' perceptions of skills associated with IL and ‘fake news' detection. Librarians' IL role seems to be undervalued. Better communication among integral IL educator groups is recommended. Most study participants emphasized the need for incorporating segments dedicated to detecting ‘fake news' in IL curricula. Pro-active IL campaigns to prevent, detect, and deter the spread of various ‘fakes' in digital media and specialized mis-/disinformation awareness courses are among best practices that support critical thinking and information evaluation within the societal context. Two other interventions, complementary to IL as per Rubin's Disinformation and Misinformation Triangle, are suggested – detection automation technology and media regulation.
Political Advertising Effects on Perceived Bias, Value, and Credibility in Online News
Authors: Ayad Salma Mariam , Dunn Robert Andrew , Marshall Stephen William
Published: February 2020

This study represents an investigation of the effect of political advertising on readers' perceptions of bias, value, and credibility in an online news article. Participants read an unbiased news article placed alongside three advertisements. Participants randomly entered one of three conditions—right-leaning advertisements, left-leaning advertisements, or neutral advertisements. They then answered questions about the perceived bias and credibility of the article. The researchers predicted biased political ads would prime perceptions of bias for the news article, despite its neutrality. Though the findings trended in the hypothesized direction, a lack of significance suggests political advertising may not serve as a prime for news readers in making decisions about the political bias, credibility, and news value of an article or news source. However, participants who had a higher prior knowledge of politics did place a higher news value on the article than those with low prior knowledge. Also, men were more likely to see a liberal bias and to rate a news story higher on news value.
Populism, Fake News, and the Flight From Democracy
Authors: Nielsen Greg
Published: February 2020

Fake news and populist movements that appear to hold the fate of democracy hostage are urgent concerns around the world.  The flight from liberal democracy toward oligarchy has spread out from the unexpected results of the 2016 American presidential elections bringing in a wave of reactionary populism and the beginning of a left populist counter movement. The phenomenon of fake news is often explained in terms of opposition public relations strategies and geopolitics that shift audiences toward a regime of post-truth where emotion is said to triumphs over reason, computational propaganda over common sense, or sheer power over knowledge. In this chapter, the authors propose something different in order to theorize the imaginary audience(s) and conditions of reception for fake news treated as both a symptom (often of injury) and a cause (at times a danger to democracy). This leads them to evaluate the role it plays in defining what the fields of journalism, politics, and social science are becoming and what it means for democracy to come.
Cognitive Authority, Accountability, and the Anatomy of Lies
Authors: Moura Maria Aparecida , Tavares de Paula Lorena
Published: February 2020

This chapter proposes an environment for the discovery of fake news and the orientation of information users in digital environments that correlates the cognitive authorities and the digital structures left as a trace. Such traces can promote the construction of a symbolic index that materializes the anatomy of lies. The model reached in this methodological process may function as a support for informational literacy in the post truth scene, as a space for fostering the informational culture in a network.
Design and Restoration
Authors: Anzani Anna , Caramel Claudia
Published: February 2020

This study uses a design-based approach that is focused on the human dimension in all its complexity to give value not only to a functional or rational use of spaces, but also to an experiential one, gaining further significant inspiration from the memory layered in complex historical spaces. Interestingly, psychological studies highlight the collective base characterizing a number of disorders and suggest that changing the outside world can be just as therapeutic as changing the subject's feelings, indicating that psychology merges with ecology. From an interdisciplinary approach, emphasizing a cultural inclination more than a technical attitude, opportunities seem to develop to promote beauty, identity, and memory as essential dimensions for collective and individual wellbeing. Design-oriented processes could bring out the potential of the built environment, promoting multiple functions and reuse methods, inspired by quality and capable of creating hospitable and welcoming physical and relational spaces.
Notes on the Spatiality of Colour
Authors: Dernie David J.
Published: February 2020

This chapter explores colour phenomena through the lens of an architect. It proposes that colour experience is best understood as only partially a visual experience that has three interrelated components: the visual, how colours describe the spaces around us; environments, how colours change with their social, historical, and cultural contexts; and non-visible, what colours represent. What role does the chromatic imagination play in contemporary interiors space? The chapter proposes that spatial experience of any singular colour has a multiplicity of possible readings and dimensions, that there is no absolute value to colours. Our chromatic experience is mobile and fleeting, as the three components of colour experience shift and overlap.
Art Staging the Civic
Authors: Caeiro Mário , Folgado Madalena
Published: February 2020

The chapter presents a conceptual and pragmatic mindset, concerning activities such as curating artistic projects in public space, programming cultural events, and designing habitats. Different experiments in art are fueling the emergence of a new sensibility, showing how ‘parts of the city' can become possibilities, thus spaces with a great potential for change. In a peculiar rhetorical balance—an ethos of attention, a logos of ongoing urban-based research, and finally a pathos of witty sharing of information, knowledge, and experience—some artistic installations and urban projects are a valid laboratory for creative citizenship. Art is presented as a tekne sensitive to discrete elements of the city, leading these to become the building blocks of urban life. In the epilogue, the authors switch from analysis to a phenomenological approach in order to give to see the very moment wherein the work of art's resoundingness brings awareness to urban space as theatre of apparitions.
Interactive Spaces
Authors: Crippa Davide
Published: February 2020

The chapter focuses on the contemporary project, interpreted using the paradigm of interactivity as privileged reading key. Indeed, the changes (both social and technological) brought by the IT revolution and the information society force design to face new challenges, calling upon it to rethink the traditional categories of space and time. Today we are witnessing a more integrated fusion between physical products and digital images; the traditional boundaries between different environments are now dynamic and interactive communication interfaces; spaces become “perceivable” and the standard design of finished shapes seems to be replaced by the planning of reversible strategies. The project itself is what triggers different actions and is responsive towards its interlocutor, also thanks to a technological evolution now allowing a new osmosis between man, media, and space. The result of it is a sensory amplification defining immersive environments and setting new boundaries for the discipline that finds in exhibits its own privileged field of expression and research.
New Narrative Spaces
Authors: Migliore Ico
Published: February 2020

In exhibition design, and in the museum field in particular, the challenge of the designer consists of facing the complexity of reality by interweaving contents that they must reshape, giving them a narrative pace. The result of this recasting is a narrative museum. This is a concept that the author has developed through in-depth research and has implemented in actual museum projects in recent years. Conceived as a reaction against and opposition to the type of design used in the cases of the nail-in-the-wall museum and the funfair museum, the narrative museum makes the user the active protagonist of an interactive multimedia diorama. Presenting his perspective on this issue, the author argues the possibility of a polyphonic project, in which spaces are defined beyond forms with the aim of activating new usage patterns, placing an emphasis on the narrative quality of the place in directing the project.
(more)SoftAssertions
Authors: Di Sabatino Peter A.
Published: February 2020

This chapter examines the shifting landscape of disciplines and professions, with particular focus towards “Spatial and Experience Design.” In spite of trends and increasing examples of the erosion and overlapping of disciplinary and professional boundaries, there is a need for some sort of disciplinary and professional definition. There needs to be a body of knowledge and skills defined and practiced and routes to circumvent them. This is especially relevant in a world of inter-, multi-, and trans-disciplinary work and comprehensive creative practices. The chapter examines core aspects of spatial/interior design and how this may intersect with other related disciplines and practices. An articulated interior urbanism creates clear areas of contribution from “interior” designers within the city. The chapter explores these cross-fertilizations through the curricular use of intensive design workshops (often of one-week duration) with a singular focus of the student's attention; selected student works from two such workshops at Politecnico di Milano are included.
Dwelling in the Leftovers
Authors: Invernizzi Fiamma Colette
Published: February 2020

In a world studded with forgotten leftovers and abandoned buildings, there is a need to consider rethinking the traditional approach to design and architecture by imagining, instead of great new works, myriad precise interventions that bring all those spaces back to life appear forgotten and without value. Working on dismissed buildings is about multiple stories, forgotten beauties, and human absence. It's about fighting over-production and over-consumption in a world in which it's totally normal to buy and throw away things even if they are still new. Society needs to use what it's already built because it's enough. Society needs to use what it's already built by thinking of it in a new, more flexible, sustainable, and ethical way. Cross-disciplinary approach, short-time interventions, and low-cost interventions are the clue solution to make those abandoned architectural leftovers live again. This chapter proposes ethically, flexibly, and sustainably considering the variety and complexity of these spaces as a starting point and value and an effective opportunity to study contemporary urban dynamics.
Knee joint alignment in the indigenous people of Sri Lanka
Authors: Amaratunga H. A. , Adikari S. B. , Ileperuma M. R. , Chandrasekara G. H. M. D. N. , Chandrasekara M. S. , Suraweera H. J.
Published: February 2020

Objective: The objective of this study was to measure the knee joint alignment of the indigenous people of Dambana using the goniometer and compare with a control group of Sinhalese individuals. Materials and Methods: Hundred adult volunteers, from the population of “veddas” living in Dambana and 100 adult Sinhalese volunteers above the age of 25 were recruited for the study. Weight and height of the subjects were measured and the BMI calculated using the Quetelets index. The knee joint alignment was measured using the goniometer according to the method described by Kraus et al. (2005). Results: Indigenous people included 46 females and 54 males with an age range of 26 to 75 years. The control sample consisted of 50 females and 50 males with an age range of 25 to 65 years. The BMI of indigenous people was 21.19 and that of the control population was 22.5. Indigenous people had a mean knee alignment angle of 182.4° and the control sample had a mean of 180.9°. None of the over 50 years population had clinical evidence of osteoarthritis (OA) in the indigenous group while in the control group, all females above 50 years had mild knee pain and 2 had clinically detectable OA. Conclusions: Knee joint alignment in the indigenous population is closer to the normal range than in the control sample. Clinically detectable OA appears to be absent among the indigenous people.
Men as victims of intimate partner violence - a case report
Authors: Rathnaweera R. H. A. I.
Published: February 2020

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is an important worldwide problem. Several studies on IPV found equivalent rates of assault perpetrated by men and women. The victim was a 30 years old three wheel driver, married with two children. He was assaulted by his wife with a club over the head and was admitted to the Teaching Hospital Karapitiya. A CT scan of the brain revealed a left parieto-occipital large extra dural haemorrhage (EDH), left parietal skull fracture with midline shift of 2cm and cerebral oedema. Left tempero-parietal craniotomy and evacuation of EDH was done. On examination, apart from the surgical incision, he had a sutured laceration 8cm in length over the left side of the head. Left sided 3rd cranial nerve palsy was also present. The idea of women being violent is a hard thing for many people to believe as it goes against the stereotype of the passive and helpless female. This, in spite of the fact that women are known to be more likely than men to commit child abuse and child murder. Findings of this case suggest that women use IPV against their male partners. Given the potentially serious physical and mental health consequences this can have, particularly for victims, research in this area needs to move beyond the argument over who perpetrates more IPV and who suffers more as a consequence of IPV.
Biobanking and biomolecular resource research infrastructure: The Italian node
Authors: Parodi Barbara
Published: February 2020

BBMRI-ERIC is a European research infrastructure for biobanking, bringing together all the main players from the biobanking field – researchers, biobankers, industry, and patients – to boost biomedical research. To that end, it offers quality management services, support with ethical, legal and societal issues, and a number of online tools and software solutions. Ultimately, the goal of BBMRI-ERIC and its National Nodes is to make new treatments possible.
Hydrogel-based platforms to mimic in vivo drug diffusion: A multicenter research
Authors: Petrini Paola , Pacheco Daniela , Briatico Vangosa Francesco , Butnarasu Cosmin S. , Visai Livia , Monticelli Orietta , Pastorino Laura , Visentin Sonja
Published: February 2020

An airway mucus model is proposed thus serving as an in vitro screening tool with the aim to reduce the number of noneffective drugs reaching the preclinical trials. The engineered mucus model is an easy-to-use and easy-to-produce tool that can be easily coupled to state-of-art diffusion models and it is compatible with high throughput analysis. This platform will serve as the basis to implement the complexity of the model in terms of components, also including the effect of bacteria
Organoid culture systems: Products supporting one of the biggest revolutions in biological research
Authors: Conder Ryan , Chew Leon H. , Elstone Fisal , Lankhorst Marianne , Añonuevo Adam , Simmini Salvatore , Chang Wing , Eaves Allen C. , Thomas Terry E. , Louis Sharon A.
Published: February 2020

Organoids are stem cell-derived structures that are generated in three-dimensional tissue culture. They are unique since they exhibit a high degree of self-organization and differentiation, and thus recapitulate many of the features of the tissues from which they were derived. Because of this, organoids are now firmly established as an essential tool in medical research, and have the potential to drastically reduce the number of animals required for experimentation.
Real-time cellular impedance monitoring and imaging in a dual-flow bioreactor
Authors: Cacopardo Ludovica , Costa Joana , Guazzelli Nicole , Giusti Serena , Meucci Sandro , Corti Alessandro , Mattei Giorgio , Ahluwalia Arti
Published: February 2020

The generation of physiologically relevant in vitro models of biological barriers can play a key role in understanding human diseases and in the development of more predictive methods for assessing toxicity and drug or nutrient absorption. Here, we present an advanced cell culture system able to mimic the dynamic environment of biological barriers, while monitoring cell behaviour through real-time impedance measurements and imaging. Caco-2 cells were cultured in the Trans Epithelial Electric Impedance (TEEI) bioreactor under both flow and static conditions. The cells in dynamic conditions developed higher impedance values at low frequencies and showed a typical RC behaviour, while the controls showed minimal capacitive behaviour. These results highlighted the differences between flow and static conditions and the ability of the TEEI measurements to provide a more precise indication of monolayer formation.
Quantification of the foreign body reaction by means of a miniaturized imaging window for intravital nonlinear microscopy
Authors: Conci Claudio , Jacchetti Emanuela , Zandrini Tommaso , Sironi Laura , Collini Maddalena , Chirico Giuseppe , Cerullo Giulio , Osellame Roberto , Raimondi Manuela Teresa
Published: February 2020

Brand new biomaterials, intended to be used on humans, must undergo in vivo quantification standardized, expensive and unethical procedures mainly based on histopathological analysis, from dissections, as defined by the ISO 10993 normative set. The aim is to prove the biomaterials biocompatibility. There exist no methods based on intravital microscopy able to satisfy the normative quantification requirements both reducing the number of employed animals and related costs. We developed a miniaturized imaging window, the Microatlas, which allows subcutaneous repeated observations in vivo of the foreign body reactions, for example to the implantation of a biomaterial. Confocal and twophoton microscopy inspections at Microatlas implantation sites demonstrated growth of the recipient tissue inside the microgrids both with micro vascularization formation and collagen generation. In conclusion, the Microatlas guided in vivo a quantifiable localized reaction inside its microscaffold, both in terms of cell repopulation, collagen and capillary formation as a probable foreign body reaction.
Use of an in vitro model of hepatic steatosis for studying the anti-oxidant and antisteatotic effects of fucoidan polysaccharides
Authors: El Rashed Zeinab , Khalife Hala , Voci Adriana , Grasselli Elena , Canesi Laura , Demori Ilaria
Published: February 2020

Non Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD) is characterised by fat accumulation in hepatocytes in the form of triacyglycerols (TAGs) within cytosolic lipid droplets. Fucoidans (FUs) are biologically active polysaccharides usually isolated from brown marine algae, but recently identified also in terrestrial plants. In this study, we aimed to investigate the anti-oxidant and anti-steatotic effects of FUs purified from C. compressa, F. hermonis, and E. globulus. To this aim, we used a validated NAFLD in vitro model consisting of rat hepatoma FaO cells exposed to an oleate/palmitate mixture. Such a model is suitable for rapid investigation of direct effects of natural and artificial compounds, together with satisfying the strategy of 3Rs for laboratory use of animals. Our results indicated that all FUs display anti-oxidant and anti-steatotic activities. Steatotic FaO cells may be employed to further study the biological effects of FUs.
Effects of occupational exposure to glyphosate in winegrowers
Authors: Ferrian Melissa , Annicchiarico Antonella , Oliveri Mario , Colosio Claudio , Corsini Emanuela , Barassi Alessandra , Mastrangelo Giuseppe , Fadda Emanuela , Peruzzi Manuela , Porru Stefano
Published: February 2020

Glyphosate is a non-selective systemic herbicide used in agriculture. For almost half a century, the International Agency for Research on Cancer has run a Monographs program, the conclusion in March 2015 that glyphosate is “probably carcinogenic to humans” in addition to being genotoxic and carcinogenic in animals, while the regulatory European Food Safety Authority have asserted that glyphosate poses no public risk. The scientific debate is still lively. We collected detailed socio-demographic, occupational exposures and health surveillance information for 26 winegrowers as aim to investigate exposure to glyphosate and other pesticide. Exposure was assessed through biological monitoring (24-hour urine collection), immune function (IL-4, IL-5, IL-8, IL-12, IL- 17, IL-33, IFN- γ), transcriptional and post transcriptional alterations (miRNA) and genotoxic effects (Comet assay). The exposure conditions in our winegrowers, as referred to the parameters so far analyzed, did not reveal a significant glyphosate absorption nor significant health concerns.
Assessment of an in vitro physiological relevant model to check therapeutic strategies for glaucoma
Authors: Tirendi Sara , Vernazza Stefania , Saccà Sergio , Bassi Anna Maria
Published: February 2020

Glaucoma is a chronic, progressive and heterogeneous optic neuropathy which affects in the early stage the peripheral vision and then the central vision, leading to irreversible blindness. As known, in glaucoma the trabecular meshwork represent the main tissue which is impaired by chronic oxidative stress, aging and increase of intraocular pressure. Today, the lack of human-based models, with characteristics of high repeatability and reproducibility as well, called for an high-quality in vitro model with a good degree of resemblance for the tissue or organ of interest as a basis for new drug testing. Our team has been committed to this purpose by assessment of an in vitro 3D TM human-based model, closer to in vivo, using millifluidic technology, to better identify the key events underlying the pathogenesis of glaucoma and to evaluate new therapies targeted at disease treatment and prevention.
SG-2: A promising lipolytic and pro-autophagic hit-compound to treat Alzheimer’s disease
Authors: Runfola Massimiliano , Perni Michele , Sestito Simona , Chiellini Grazia , Vendruscolo Michele , Rapposelli Simona
Published: February 2020

The identification of efficient pharmacological tools for treatment of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) represents one of the main challenges of our century. Due to the complex etiopathology and the several biological processes resulting impaired in AD, the drug discovery process should focus on the development of new chemical entities able to target this multi-faceted impairment. We designed and synthetized a new analogue of 3-iodothyronamine, namely SG-2, which shares an interesting pleiotropic activity. Within this study, we explored SG-2 ability to promote beneficial effects in a C. Elegans model of AD, using a novel technique developed at Cambridge University, which exploits an automated system of high-resolution cameras to evaluate in parallel the motility of a huge number of nematodes (up to 5000 at time) in response to drug administration. Our results showed that SG-2 can promote lifespan and restores motility of worms back to the wildtype.
The Italian Centro 3R: Mission and early achievements presented during the Second Annual Meeting
Authors: Ahluwalia Arti
Published: February 2020

Not available.
Teaching and training in substitutive approaches to animal testing: Commitment of the University of Genoa
Authors: Bassi Anna Maria
Published: February 2020

The 21st century life science requires that scientists become aware of scientific and ethical issues of substitutive approaches to animal testing. For more than 20 years Dr Bassi Team at University of Genoa promotes several activities in Academia on the Replacement of Animal Testing: 2 days training course, lectures within teaching programs, work experience opportunities for graduated or graduating students, stages for Biology, Medicine and Surgery degrees and PhD courses on human in vitro model disease projects, This effort is now improved by Centro3R activities to increase the number of scientists aware of effective alternatives to classical in vivo approaches, and prevent needless suffering of animals.
Reconstituted epithelial corneal tissues for evaluation of drug delivery
Authors: Burgalassi Susi , Zucchetti Erica , Terreni Eleonora , Monti Daniela , Tampucci Silvia , Chetoni Patrizia
Published: February 2020

One possible approach to reduce the use of animals in the evaluation of the ocular drug delivery is that to use cell cultures as model of tissues. In this study are compared two different reconstituted epithelial corneal tissues, a homemade artificial corneal epithelium (Reconstituted Rabbit Corneal Epithelium) and a commercial human corneal epithelial model (COR-100 EpiCornealTM, MatTek), for permeation experiments of three drugs with different physical chemical properties: timolol maleate, cyclosporin A, and a newly synthesized compound, MAGL 17.b. The collected data show that corneal epithelial models are not sufficient to simulate the complexity of the corneal barrier and the presence of a layer simulating the stroma may be necessary to approach the structure of native cornea.
Computational molecular modelling as a platform for a deeper understanding of protein dynamics and rational drug design
Authors: Grasso Gianvito , Pallante Lorenzo , Tuszynski Jack A. , Morbiducci Umberto , Deriu Marco A.
Published: February 2020

Elucidating structural features of protein aggregation at molecular level may provide novel opportunities for overarching therapeutic approaches such as blocking common aggregation-induced cellular toxicity pathways. In this context molecular modelling stimulates further research on amyloid aggregation modulators and modelling platforms can be used to test the efficiency of potential aggregation inhibitors aimed at destabilizing/reducing the stability of the amyloidogenic proteins
Pisa Biobank and Tuscany Regional Biorepository
Authors: Nocchi Francesca , Urciuoli Patrizia , Ursino Silvia , Biagi Elisa , Lapi Simone
Published: February 2020

Departmental Section of Biobanks (SOD Biobanche) of the Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria Pisana, consists of a Tissue and Cell institute, the Heart Valve Bank, and a biorepository, the Regional Biologic Archive. A clean room consisting of three laboratories (1 class C and 2 class B) represents a core facility for some of the processes and projects of the biobank. The Regional Biological Archive is a biobank which currently carries out as an institutional task the storage of serum, plasma and non-viable cells of multiorgan, multi-tissue donors and donors of corneas, as well as solid organ transplant recipients of the Tuscany Region, providing the possibility of reviewing and re-evaluating even at a distance of years the donor/recipient pairs. The mission of SOD Biobanche is to act as a transversal service platform in the field of biobanking of biological material. In this broader perspective the structure is open to new projects concerning biobanking, some of which are already in the activation phase, such as a bank for urogenital tissues, a biobank of tumors of the musculoskeletal system and an advanced therapy protocol for the use of partially osteoinduced expanded mesenchymal stem cells.
Platelet rich plasma enhancement of skin regeneration in an ex vivo human experimental model
Authors: Nicoletti Giovanni , Saler Marco , Villani Laura , Rumolo Agnese , Tresoldi Marco Mario , Faga Angela
Published: February 2020

An original ex vivo wounded skin culture protocol using autologous Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) and enriched Dulbecco’s Modified Eagle’s Medium demonstrated a favourable modulation of the epithelial cells and fibroblasts proliferation, a relevant antiinflammatory action and a favourable modulation of the re-organization of collagen and elastic fibres. The step by step regenerative effects of PRP on human skin wound repair and regeneration process was observed over a period of 10 days.
Table of Contents Vol 53, No 1, 2, 3 & 4 (2019)
Authors: Office Editorial
Published: February 2020

No abstract available.
Removal of antibiotics from wastewater and its problematic effects on microbial communities by bioelectrochemical Technology: Current knowledge and future perspectives
Authors: Hassan Mahdi , Zhu Guangcan , LU Yong-ze , AL-Falahi Ali Hamoud , LU Yuan , Huang Shan , Wan Ziren
Published: February 2020

In this review, antibiotics are considered an emerging pollutant that has drawn worldwide attention in recent years. Therefore, the effective removal of antibiotic contaminants has become a hot issue in the field of environmental research. Most antibiotics applied to humans eventually enter municipal Wastewater Treatment Plants (WWTPs), because there are no appropriate commercially available pretreatment techniques. However, increasing anthropogenic activities, the high demand for animal-protein in developing countries as a nutritional alternative, and the extensive usage of antibiotics are mainly responsible for the persistence of antibiotic pollutants. One of the serious concerns regarding the presence of antibiotics in water and their potential role in exacerbating the emergence of antibiotics-resistance bacteria (ARB) and antibiotics-resistance genes (ARGs). In recent years, bioelectrochemical technologies are found promising for suppressing antibiotic contaminants through microbial metabolism and electrochemical redox reactions. Therefore, this review provides up-to-date insight research on bioelectrochemical systems (BESs), which improves the removal of the antibiotic in an efficient way. The focus of this review has been on the environmental sources of antibiotics, their health effects and possible degradation pathways, bacterial-antibiotics resistance mechanisms, and treatment of antibiotic-contained water using BES technology.
Het toezicht door de AFM
Authors: Wallage Philip , Brink-van der Meer Annelies , Gold Anna
Published: February 2020

De Autoriteit Financiële Markten (AFM) houdt sinds 2006 doorlopend toezicht op accountantsorganisaties op grond van de Wet Toezicht Accountantsorganisaties (Wta). De AFM heeft invulling gegeven aan haar toezicht op accountantsorganisaties door zowel onderzoek te doen naar de opzet en werking van het stelsel van kwaliteitsbeheersing van accountantsorganisaties als naar de kwaliteit van de controles aan de hand van de controledossiers. In 2019 is het toezicht van de AFM op accountantsorganisaties tot twee keer toe beoordeeld. Zowel het College van Beroep voor het bedrijfsleven (CBb) als de Commissie Toekomst Accountancysector (CTA) hebben de AFM daarbij bekritiseerd. In deze bijdrage gaan de auteurs nader in op de inrichting van dit toezicht op accountantsorganisaties en de kritiek daarop.
De eigen perceptie van accountants ten aanzien van fraude: (on)bewust (on)bekwaam?
Authors: Verwey Inez , Vlasman Yvonne
Published: February 2020

De breed gedragen zorg dat accountants niet de verantwoordelijkheid ten aanzien van het ontdekken van fraude waar kunnen maken (zoals bijvoorbeeld verwoord in het eindrapport van de Commissie Toekomst Accountancysector (CTA 2020) en in de accountantsbrief van de Vereniging van Effectenbezitters (VEB 2019)) kan vanuit diverse perspectieven benaderd worden. In Verwey and Bosman (2019) is ingegaan op wetenschappelijk onderzoek naar de fraudedetectievaardigheid van de accountant. In dit artikel laten wij de accountant zelf spreken ten aanzien van deze discussie: wat is diens eigen perceptie ten aanzien van zijn fraudedetectievaardigheden. In dit artikel gaan we allereerst in op aspecten die maken dat de fraudedetectietaak afwijkend is van veel andere werkzaamheden tijdens de controle van een jaarrekening. De elementen ‘opzet’ en ‘misleiding’ zijn bij fraude onderscheidende en essentiële aspecten die ontbreken bij andere werkzaamheden ten aanzien van risico’s op fouten tijdens een controle. Het zijn juiste deze aspecten die maken dat fraude mogelijk niet ontdekt zal worden met het uitvoeren van standaardcontrolewerkzaamheden. Dit lichten we verder toe aan de hand van wetenschappelijk onderzoek naar biases en anticiperend denken. Daarnaast is het gebrek aan ervaring met fraude een belangrijk aspect dat ontbreekt tijdens de controle van de jaarrekening. De perceptie die de accountant zelf heeft van zijn fraudedetectievaardigheden beïnvloedt eveneens de effectiviteit van diens werkzaamheden. Die perceptie beschrijven wij aan de hand van de bevindingen van een tweetal door de NBA uitgevoerde onderzoeken naar de toepassing van het fraudeprotocol (NBA 2019a; NBA 2019b). Uit deze onderzoeken blijkt dat de accountant zichzelf zeer goed in staat acht fraude te detecteren, dit in tegenstelling tot wetenschappelijk onderzoek dat aantoont dat dat juist niet het geval is. Deze onjuiste perceptie heeft een negatieve invloed op de fraudedetectie en versterkt deze negatieve invloed zelfs mogelijk.

“A man should look for what is, and not for what he thinks should be.” – A. Einstein
Trends and spatial shifts in lightning fires and smoke concentrations in response to 21st century climate over the forests of the Western United States
Authors: Li Yang , Mickley Loretta J. , Liu Pengfei , Kaplan Jed O.
Published: February 2020

Abstract. Almost US$ 3bn per year is appropriated for wildfire management on public land in the United States. Recent studies have suggested that ongoing climate change will lead to warmer and drier conditions in the Western United States with a consequent increase in the number and size of wildfires, yet large uncertainty exists in these projections. To assess the influence of future changes in climate and land cover on lightning-caused wildfires in National Forests and Parks of the Western United States and the consequences of these fires on air quality, we link a dynamic vegetation model that includes a process-based representation of fire (LPJ-LMfire) to a global chemical transport model (GEOS-Chem). Under a scenario of moderate future climate change (RCP4.5), increasing lightning-caused wildfire enhances the burden of smoke fine particulate matter (PM), with mass concentration increases of ~ 53 % by the late-21st century during the fire season. In a high-emissions scenario (RCP8.5), smoke PM concentrations double by 2100. RCP8.5 also shows large, northward shifts in dry matter burned, leading to enhanced lightning-caused fire activity especially over forests in the northern states.
Role of black carbon in the formation of primary organic aerosols: Insights from molecular dynamics simulations
Authors: Zhou Xiaoqi , Zhou Yulu , Picaud Sylvain , Devel Michel , Carrete Jesús , Madsen Georg K. H. , Wang Zhao
Published: February 2020

Abstract. Many studies on the mixing state of suspended particulate matters (PM) have pointed to the role of carbon particles as nucleation seeds in the formation of atmospheric aerosols. However, the underlying physicochemical mechanisms remain unclear, particularly concerning the involvement of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) at the primary stage of clustering. Here we gain insights into those microscopic formation mechanisms through molecular dynamics simulations of the physisorption of gaseous organic molecules on the surface of a carbon nanoparticle (NP). Six different organic species are selected among the VOCs dominating the atmospheric pollutants of several megacities, to interact with an onion-shell NP that mimics the primary soot particle. We consider organic molecules at various densities on the surface of a NP, as well as the same molecules in a freestanding configuration without any NP. The molecular clusters formed on the NP are found to be energetically more stable than those formed in the gas phase for all the six organic compounds. This points to a catalytic role of black carbon in the primary formation of aerosols from VOCs. Morphology analysis reveals different manners of clustering of aromatic and aliphatic compounds, which lead to different values of the binding energy and thus different thermal stability. Simulation results also suggest a layer-by-layer formation process of aerosol PM, consistent with previous transmission electron microscopy observations. These results shed light on the microscopic mechanisms of the primary formation of aerosol particulate matters, and are correlated with a variety of experimental measurements.