Palatal rugae assessment using plaster model and dental scan: a cross-sectional comparative analysis.

Objective: Due to their consistent and individualistic patterns, palatal rugae (PR) are used in forensic dentistry as an ancillary method for personal identification. This study aimed to compare the impression of the PR obtained with the classic alginate impression and casting of the plaster model with the impression of the palate made with an intraoral scanner. Both impressions were compared with each other and with the photograph of the palatal rugae.

Epipelagic community as prominent biosensor for sub-micron and nanoparticles uptake: Insights from field and laboratory experiments.

Nowadays, ENMs/NPLs particles have not yet been extensively measured in the environment, but there is increased concern that this size fraction may be more widely distributed and hazardous than larger-sized particles. This study aimed to examine the bioaccumulation potential of engineered nanomaterials and nanoplastics (ENMs/NPLs) across marine food webs, focusing on plankton communities and commercial fish species (Engraulis encrasicolus and Scomber colias) from the Gulf of Naples. Laboratory experiments on plankton assemblages exposed to fluorescent polystyrene nanoplastics (PS-NPs, 100 nm) for 24h at concentrations ranging from 0.

Essentials of genomics in nursing undergraduate education: A discussion paper.

Aim: To map the 2021 American Association of Colleges of Nursing Essentials to the American Nurses Association Essentials of Genomic Nursing for all nurses and provide resources for nursing faculty to support the seamless integration of genomics into existing undergraduate curricula.

Background: Since the completion of the Human Genome Project in 2003, rapid advancements in genomic science leading to practical applications of genomics have revolutionized all areas of healthcare. Nursing is built on foundational life sciences, including genomics.

Primary Psychosis, Geriatric Depression and Cognitive Reserve: Protective Factor and Therapeutic Trajectors.

Cognitive reserve (CR) is essential in reducing natural cognitive decline. Identified in neurodegenerative pathologies, it also increasingly plays a role in the development of the symptomatic processes of numerous psychiatric pathologies. CR could help identify subgroups of elderly patients affected by primary psychosis and mood disorders and evaluate their correlation with diagnostic and therapeutic trajectories.

Automatic Assessment of the 2-Minute Walk Distance for Remote Monitoring of People with Multiple Sclerosis.

The aim of this study was to investigate the feasibility of automatically assessing the 2-Minute Walk Distance (2MWD) for monitoring people with multiple sclerosis (pwMS). For 154 pwMS, MS-related clinical outcomes as well as the 2MWDs as evaluated by clinicians and derived from accelerometer data were collected from a total of 323 periodic clinical visits. Accelerometer data from a wearable device during 100 home-based 2MWD assessments were also acquired.

Biomaterial Inks from Peptide-Functionalized Silk Fibers for 3D Printing of Futuristic Wound-Healing and Sensing Materials.

This study illustrates the sensing and wound healing properties of silk fibroin in combination with peptide patterns, with an emphasis on the printability of multilayered grids, and envisions possible applications of these next-generation silk-based materials. Functionalized silk fibers covalently linked to an arginine-glycine-aspartic acid (RGD) peptide create a platform for preparing a biomaterial ink for 3D printing of grid-like piezoresistors with wound-healing and sensing properties. The culture medium obtained from 3D-printed silk fibroin enriched with RGD peptide improves cell adhesion, accelerating skin repair.

Harmful algae and pressure-impact relationship: Noxious blooms and toxic microalgae occurrence from coastal waters of the Apulia region (Adriatic and Ionian Seas, Mediterranean).

The spatial distribution of harmful microalgal taxa along the coasts of the Apulia region (Mediterranean Sea) based on results of eight years (2012-2019) of routine monitoring program and a series of sporadic observations is presented. A total number of 69 potentially harmful taxa were found during the study period. Occurrence, abundance and richness of harmful taxa (toxic, potentially toxic and high biomass producers) varied along the Apulian coasts.

Using the FITradeoff Decision Support System to Support a Brazilian Compliance Organization Program.

The technology can support multi-criteria decision-making processes, allowing managers to identify efficient solutions to complex problems in a structured and rational way. Specially, in time of crises, the use of Decision Support System (DSS) is useful since these situations demand greater accuracy in the decision-making process. Therefore, this study shows the usefulness of the Decision Support System constructed for the FITradeoff method in a practical context involving a decision-making in time of crisis.

Energy-Efficient Harmonic Transponder Based on On-Off Keying Modulation for Both Identification and Sensing.

This paper presents a novel passive Schottky-diode frequency doubler equipped with an on-off keying (OOK) modulation port to be used in harmonic transponders for both identification and sensing applications. The amplitude modulation of the second-harmonic output signal is achieved by driving a low-frequency MOSFET, which modifies the dc impedance termination of the doubler. Since the modulation signal is applied to the gate port of the transistor, no static current is drained.

Colorimetric Detection of Chromium(VI) Ions in Water Using Unfolded-Fullerene Carbon Nanoparticles.

Water pollution caused by hexavalent chromium (Cr(VI)) ions represents a serious hazard for human health due to the high systemic toxicity and carcinogenic nature of this metal species. The optical sensing of Cr(VI) through specifically engineered nanomaterials has recently emerged as a versatile strategy for the application to easy-to-use and cheap monitoring devices. In this study, a one-pot oxidative method was developed for the cage opening of C fullerene and the synthesis of stable suspensions of N-doped carbon dots in water-THF solutions (N-CDs-W-THF).

Nose sinus manometry in evaluating functional outcomes of anterior and posterior endoscopic dacryocystorhinostomy.

Objective: The aim of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of anterior and posterior dacryorhinocystostomy (En-Dcr) by assessing the surgical outcome with a new objective technique, nose sinus manometry.

Materials And Methods: Thirty adult patients presenting nasolacrimal duct obstruction were enrolled in this study and randomly divided in two groups. In group A patients underwent anterior endonasal dacryorhinocystostomy, group B underwent the posterior approach.

Do consumers understand health claims on extra-virgin olive oil?

Health claims have been introduced in food labelling to support consumers' awareness of healthy food choices and to enhance a healthy diet. Even though many countries around the world have developed legislation and guidelines to regulate the introduction of health claims on food labels, there is the evidence that many consumers do not understand the meaning of these claims. This study analyses whether Italian consumers really understand authorized health claims on extra-virgin olive oil and what are the drivers of such understanding.

Decision Model for Allocation of Intensive Care Unit Beds for Suspected COVID-19 Patients under Scarce Resources.

This paper puts forward a decision model for allocation of intensive care unit (ICU) beds under scarce resources in healthcare systems during the COVID-19 pandemic. The model is built upon a portfolio selection approach under the concepts of the Utility Theory. A binary integer optimization model is developed in order to find the best allocation for ICU beds, considering candidate patients with suspected/confirmed COVID-19.

Shape matters: the relationship between cell geometry and diversity in phytoplankton.

Size and shape profoundly influence an organism's ecophysiological performance and evolutionary fitness, suggesting a link between morphology and diversity. However, not much is known about how body shape is related to taxonomic richness, especially in microbes. Here we analyse global datasets of unicellular marine phytoplankton, a major group of primary producers with an exceptional diversity of cell sizes and shapes and, additionally, heterotrophic protists.

Utility-Based Multicriteria Model for Screening Patients under the COVID-19 Pandemic.

In this paper, a utility-based multicriteria model is proposed to support the physicians to deal with an important medical decision-the screening decision problem-given the squeeze put on resources due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Since the COVID-19 emerged, the number of patients with an acute respiratory failure has increased in the health units. This chaotic situation has led to a deficiency in health resources.

Consumer Misuse of Country-of-Origin Label: Insights from the Italian Extra-Virgin Olive Oil Market.

Providing information to consumers through the label is a means for food companies to inform consumers about product's attributes, including the country of origin (COO). In the EU, COO labeling has been made mandatory for several categories of food products, to enable consumers to make informed choices at the point of sale. In particular, Regulation (EU) No 29/2012 has introduced a mandatory country-of-origin labeling system for extra virgin olive oil (EVOO).

How does the land market capitalize environmental, historical and cultural components in rural areas? Evidences from Italy.

Farmland can supply a wide variety of ecosystem services, i.e. provision of food and fibre, as well as regulating, supporting, recreational, aesthetic and cultural services.

Adaptation of the Youth Connectedness to Provider scale to assess the relationship between health professionals and adolescent and young adult patients.

Objective: The aim was to adapt an instrument that evaluates the relationship between young individuals and health professionals to the Brazilian population, which will be called the Escala de Avaliação de Vínculo entre Jovens e Profissionais de Saúde (Youth Connectedness to Provider scale).

Method: The questionnaire known as the Youth Connectedness to Provider scale consists of seven Likert-like questions. The translation, back-translation, evaluation by ten specialists, and pre-test with 43 adolescents and young adults aged between 10 and 24 years were performed to assess the clarity and reliability of meanings.

Two - stages bloom of Margalefidinium cf. polykrikoides in a Mediterranean shallow bay (Ionian Sea, Italy).

The emergence of a red tide resulting in yellow-brownish discoloration of waters in Porto Cesareo bay (Italy) during July-August 2018 is reported. The species responsible for the bloom was the dinoflagellate Margalefidinium cf. polykrikoides.

Surgical treatment of otosclerosis leading to changes in postural control and quality of life.

Objective: Evaluating postural function in patients with otosclerosis by assessing otoneurological function and balance-related quality of life before and 6 weeks after surgical treatment. Correlations between and clinical features were investigated.

Methods: Thirty-three patients affected by otosclerosis underwent otoneurological examination, video Head Impulse Test (vHIT), and static posturography before and after stapedotomy.

Allometric scaling and morphological variation in sinking rate of phytoplankton.

Since the first decades of the last century, several hypotheses have been proposed on the role of phytoplankton morphology in maintaining a favorable position in the water column. Here, by an extensive review of literature on sinking rate and cell volume, we firstly attempted to explore the dependency of sinking rate on morphological traits using the allometric scaling approach. We found that sinking rate tends to increase with increasing cell volume showing the allometric scaling exponent of 0.

First bloom event of the small dinoflagellate Prorocentrum shikokuense in the Mediterranean Sea: cryptogenic or introduced?

A bloom of putatively non-indigenous species (NIS) Prorocentrum shikokuense was detected for the first time in the Mediterranean Sea at the Brindisi harbor (Southern Adriatic Sea) on September 2016, in the context of EU Marine Strategy Framework Directive monitoring in the ports. This species is usually observed in the East China Sea and Japanese and Korean waters. In the Brindisi harbor this dinoflagellate reached the concentration 10 cell/L and represented from 30 to 50% of the total phytoplankton population.

Consumers' willingness to buy innovative traditional food products: The case of extra-virgin olive oil extracted by ultrasound.

Innovation is fundamental for all agri-food companies to increase competitiveness, however the industrial process of extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) has changed very little over the last few decades. As it is a traditional food product (TFP), the main obstacle to innovation is precisely its traditional nature. According to the literature, any innovation regarding TFPs should be considered in terms of the specific product, and market success mainly depends upon the perceptions and traits of consumers.

Hydrological conditions and phytoplankton community in the Lesina lagoon (southern Adriatic Sea, Mediterranean).

The Lesina lagoon (southern Adriatic Sea, Mediterranean) is a coastal lagoon located in a highly intensified farming and tourist area. A monthly sampling was carried out in 1998 in five stations, representative of different hydrological features, in order to analyse phytoplankton composition and its relation to environmental parameters. Our results showed high spatial variability of abiotic variables.