Recent Novelties Research Articles

Extending the concepts of response spectrum analysis to nonlinear static analysis: Does it make sense?

The study presented in this paper aims to assess the recent novelties proposed by new generation building codes about the extension of some concepts at the base of linear analyses to the procedures of nonlinear static analysis. The nonlinear static analysis (pushover) is an extensively adopted approach by engineers and practitioners for purpose of assessing the seismic performance of new and existing buildings, although several drawbacks characterize this methodology, as evidenced by the existing scientific literature. In order to overcome the well-known limitations characterizing nonlinear static analysis, and to offer an alternative to nonlinear dynamic analysis, the recent upgrades of some building codes, such as the Italian one, provide different rules to employ in nonlinear static procedures. Among these new provisions, one regards the possibility to use a horizontal load profile proportional to the storey forces derived from a response spectrum analysis in all cases (i.e., also for irregular buildings). The main goal of this study is to demonstrate the reliability of this new load profile when strong irregularities arise. To this scope, the seismic behaviour of a sample of archetype buildings characterized by increasing in-height irregularity was investigated. The sample of buildings was subdivided in two subsets characterized by different design levels, one conceived by considering the prescriptions of the new Italian building code and one designed according to the oldest Italian building code (i.e., without considering anti-seismic details). The sample of buildings, simulating new and existing cases, was firstly modelled and after investigated through nonlinear static analyses by employing both traditional (i.e., inverse triangular- and uniform-like) and new (i.e., derived from response spectrum analysis) load profiles. After, nonlinear dynamic analyses were run, in order to assess the capacity of both traditional and new load profiles to capture the dynamic behaviour of the investigated archetype buildings. The performed analysis campaign demonstrated the efficiency of the new load profile proposed by the code, and the output of the work provided an answer to the main question posed by the authors: does it make sense to extend the concepts of response spectrum analysis to nonlinear static analysis?

Recent Novelties About Appeal Term in Controversies Concerning Public Tenders in Italian Legal Environment

The aim of this paper is to outline overview of amendments present in the Italian legal environment regarding appeal in public tender controversies. The content analysis will be conducted based on the Court of Justice of the European Union rulings, then referring to Italian administrative case law and finally focused on the Italian new legislative regulation concerning public tenders.

The Rassegna di Arti Figurative di Roma e del Lazio: the purchases by the City of Rome and the Capitoline cultural policy in the 1960s

Despite numerous and continuous criticism for the overabundance of exhibited works and the lack of curatorial logic, six editions of the Rassegna di Arti Figurative di Roma e del Lazio were organised between 1958 and 1968 at the Palazzo delle Esposizioni in Rome. There are many areas that should be investigated, such as the process of selecting artists and the reasons why some of them withdrew, the reconstruction of the various set-ups and, also, the conflicting coexistence of experimental spaces in the city and outdated institutional exhibitions. This article aims to analyze, for the time being, what the City of Rome purchased during the Rassegna: if, in its first years, the Capitoline collections were populated by works of art still firmly rooted in the concept of figuration, on the other hand the purchases for its latest editions seem to consider the intentions of curators Nello Ponente and Enrico Crispolti, who were sensitive to the most recent novelties in the Roman cultural context.

Unraveling the Link between Interferon-α and Systemic Lupus Erythematosus: From the Molecular Mechanisms to Target Therapies.

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a chronic, systemic autoimmune disease with a wide range of clinical expressions. The kidney is often affected, usually within 5 years of the onset of SLE, and lupus nephropathy (LN) carries a high risk for increased morbidity. The clinical heterogeneity of the disease is accompanied by complex disturbances affecting the immune system with inflammation and tissue damage due to loss of tolerance to nuclear antigens and the deposition of immune complexes in tissues. Several studies have reported that in human SLE, there is an important role of the Type-I-interferons (INF) system suggested by the upregulation of INF-inducible genes observed in serial gene expression microarray studies. This review aims to describe the transduction pathways of Type-I-interferons, in particular INFα, and its immune-regulatory function in the pathogenesis of SLE and, in particular, in LN. In addition, recent novelties concerning biologic therapy in LN will be discussed.

Noccaea klimesii (Coluteocarpeae; Brassicaceae), a new species from Ladakh, India

Noccaea Moench (1802: 89) is a large genus the vast majority of its species were originally described in Thlaspi Linnaeus (1753: 645). Meyer (1973) divided the latter genus into 12 segregates, including Noccaea, to which he placed 67 Eurasian and NW African species in four sections (Meyer: 2006). Experts on the Brassicaceae differ in the delimitation of Noccaea and some (e.g., Al-Shehbaz: 2014; Firat et al.: 2014; Güzel et al.: 2018; Özgişi et al.: 2018a, 2018b; Özüdoğru: 2018; Özüdoğru et al.: 2019; Özgişi: 2020a, 2020b) broadly delimit the genus to include most of Meyer’s dozen segregates and accept some 136 species, including the more recent novelties and nomenclatural adjustments by Bartolucii, Galasso & Peruzzi in Peruzzi et al. (2015), German (2016: 2017, 2018), Güzel et al. (2018), Özgişi et al. (2018b), and Özüdoğru et al. (2019). By contrast, a narrower generic concept for Noccaea was recognized in BrassiBase (https://brassibase.cos.uni-heidelberg.de/), Ali et al. (2016), and Karaismailoğlu & Erol (2018). As currently delimited, all except six species of Noccaea are Eurasian. Two species are endemic to the United States and one each in Algeria, Mexico, Patagonian South America, and Arctic Canada and Alaska (Al-Shehbaz: 2014).

A Bottom-Up Review of Image Analysis Methods for Suspicious Region Detection in Mammograms.

Breast cancer is one of the most common death causes amongst women all over the world. Early detection of breast cancer plays a critical role in increasing the survival rate. Various imaging modalities, such as mammography, breast MRI, ultrasound and thermography, are used to detect breast cancer. Though there is a considerable success with mammography in biomedical imaging, detecting suspicious areas remains a challenge because, due to the manual examination and variations in shape, size, other mass morphological features, mammography accuracy changes with the density of the breast. Furthermore, going through the analysis of many mammograms per day can be a tedious task for radiologists and practitioners. One of the main objectives of biomedical imaging is to provide radiologists and practitioners with tools to help them identify all suspicious regions in a given image. Computer-aided mass detection in mammograms can serve as a second opinion tool to help radiologists avoid running into oversight errors. The scientific community has made much progress in this topic, and several approaches have been proposed along the way. Following a bottom-up narrative, this paper surveys different scientific methodologies and techniques to detect suspicious regions in mammograms spanning from methods based on low-level image features to the most recent novelties in AI-based approaches. Both theoretical and practical grounds are provided across the paper sections to highlight the pros and cons of different methodologies. The paper’s main scope is to let readers embark on a journey through a fully comprehensive description of techniques, strategies and datasets on the topic.

Progress in Biodegradable Flame Retardant Nano-Biocomposites.

This paper summarizes the results obtained in the course of the development of a specific group of biocomposites with high functionality of flame retardancy, which are environmentally acceptable at the same time. Conventional biocomposites have to be altered through different modifications, to be able to respond to the stringent standards and environmental requests of the circular economy. The most commonly produced types of biocomposites are those composed of a biodegradable PLA matrix and plant bast fibres. Despite of numerous positive properties of natural fibres, flammability of plant fibres is one of the most pronounced drawbacks for their wider usage in biocomposites production. Most recent novelties regarding the flame retardancy of nanocomposites are presented, with the accent on the agents of nanosize (nanofillers), which have been chosen as they have low or non-toxic environmental impact, but still offer enhanced flame retardant (FR) properties. The importance of a nanofiller’s geometry and shape (e.g., nanodispersion of nanoclay) and increase in polymer viscosity, on flame retardancy has been stressed. Although metal oxydes are considered the most commonly used nanofillers there are numerous other possibilities presented within the paper. Combinations of clay based nanofillers with other nanosized or microsized FR agents can significantly improve the thermal stability and FR properties of nanocomposite materials. Further research is still needed on optimizing the parameters of FR compounds to meet numerous requirements, from the improvement of thermal and mechanical properties to the biodegradability of the composite products. Presented research initiatives provide genuine new opportunities for manufacturers, consumers and society as a whole to create a new class of bionanocomposite materials with added benefits of environmental improvement.

New insights about the electrochemical production of ozone

Ozone is a rather attractive oxidant, it is very efficient in the oxidation of pollutants and in the killing of pathogens and does not generate any hazardous waste during its use. Its generation has been constantly sought in an effective way, focusing on obtaining high concentrations of ozone at the lowest possible cost. Recently, electrochemical production of ozone show advantages over conventional corona discharge generation, since this technology do not need very high voltages, feeding oxygen or pure air or dissolving the ozone into wastewater to be treated. However, it is still at early development stage and there is still a long way to reach the high technology readiness levels needed to complete its value chain. Equipment considerations and operation conditions are the key points that need to be understood in order to increase efficiently. Recent novelties in the state of the art of research are summarized in this work.

A fresh look at whistleblower rewards

Research on whistleblowing has increased significantly in the last decades, and so has the number of laws governing whistleblowing. Whereas the EU recently enacted a Directive (Directive 2019/1937) protecting whistleblowers, the US has gone one step further long ago, not only protecting them but also offering substantial monetary rewards for their information. More countries are now adopting reward programs, while numerous recent instances of corporate wrongdoing suggest that the central promise of these programs: increasing detection and deterrence of wrongdoing, is highly needed not only in the US. These developments warrant a review on the optimal design of these programs, based on experience and available evidence, to obtain optimal deterrence and avoid policy mistakes. In this paper, we review the evidence for the effectiveness of the US whistleblower reward programs and consider some recent novelties. We also consider objections against these programs and local factors in the US that likely contribute to their success. Finally, we voice some concerns over the EU Directive’s ability to achieve its policy objective of enhancing enforcement of Union law. We find that the evidence for the effectiveness of reward programs is significant, and that common concerns about these programs have not materialized. Whereas much of the prior literature has focused on their viability and effectiveness, further research would do well in focusing on how to effectively design these programs, what has driven their success, and what local national characteristics could hamper their effectiveness outside the US.

A Fresh Look at Whistleblower Rewards

Recent years have seen a rapid increase in legislation governing, protecting, and rewarding whistleblowers. Whereas the EU recently enacted a Directive protecting whistleblowers, the US has gone one step further long ago, not only protecting them but also offering substantial monetary rewards for their information. In this paper. we review the evidence for the effectiveness of US whistleblower reward programs and consider some recent novelties. We also consider objections against these programs and local factors in the US that likely contribute to their success. Finally, we voice some concerns over the EU Directive´s ability to achieve its policy objective of enhancing enforcement of Union law.

International Conference Baltic Polymer Symposium 2018

PrefaceThe issue contains selected papers of XVIII international conference Baltic Polymer Symposium (BPS), which was held in Jurmala, Latvia, from 12th of September until 14th of September of 2018.The conference is annually organized by the technical universities of the three Baltic States. Since the first event in 2001, range of the topics, covered by the conference, has comprised all aspects of modern Polymer Science, including synthesis, processing, recycling, development and characterization of polymer composites as well as revealing the possibilities of nanotechnologies. During its eighteen years of course BPS has gained considerable popularity and at the moment it is an awaited event not only for the polymer scientists but also among the researchers working in the related fields of Materials Science and Nanotechnologies due to increasing multidisciplinary of the research area. Participation in BPS offers great possibilities of showing yourself, learning, getting new experience and ideas, as well as founding new contacts. Symposium is an excellent chance for young researchers to improve their ability to present the achievements of their research to the international community.Baltic Polymer Symposium 2018 in Jurmala was visited by participants not only from the three Baltic States, but also by participants from Sweden, Spain, Taiwan, Germany, Czech Republic, Poland, Ukraine, Belarus and Russia. During the conference 5 plenary lectures were given by world-recognized scientists as well as the representative of SKELOTON technologies, global leader in ultracapacitor technology. The audience was introduced with most recent novelties in the research field of polymer materials science during 28 oral and 71 poster presentations.

Taxonomic novelties from Cebu: a new species of Vaccinium (Ericaceae) and a new record of Phaius (Orchidaceae) for the Philippines

Vaccinium cebuense (Ericaceae) from Nug-as forest (Alcoy) and the Central Cebu Protected Landscape (Balamban), two of the last remaining forested areas of Cebu Island, Philippines, is here described as a new species. This species is unique among the known species of this genus in displaying a unique combination of characters: leaves with marginal glands that are spaced along the entire length of the leaf, anthers with distinct and recurved dorsal spurs, and petioles that are adaxially grooved. Our fieldwork in Nug-as also resulted in the discovery of Phaius reflexipetalus (Orchidaceae), a new record for the Philippines previously only known from Borneo. These and other recent taxonomic novelties emphasize the conservation importance of the few and small remaining forests of Cebu.

FEA integration in the tolerance analysis using Skin Model Shapes

Many research works on tolerance analysis have been carried out in the last thirty years. In this paper, a new idea is proposed, aiming to investigate the effect of form error and mechanical behavior of parts on the stack-up result by combining the recent novelties on the tolerance analysis of rigid and flexible bodies. The real parts are simulated considering the non-nominal Skin Model Shape and the mechanical properties in order to simulate the assembly of a realistic case study. A manufacturing signature model to generate the features with geometric deviations and Finite Element Analysis (FEA) are used.

Novel Findings into AIRE Genetics and Functioning: Clinical Implications.

Autoimmune polyendocrinopathy candidiasis ectodermal dystrophy (APECED), formerly known as autoimmune polyendocrine syndrome type 1, is a paradigm of a monogenic autoimmune disease caused by mutations of a gene, named autoimmune regulator (AIRE). AIRE acts as a transcription regulator that promotes immunological central tolerance by inducing the ectopic thymic expression of many tissue-specific antigens. Although the syndrome is a monogenic disease, it is characterized by a wide variability of the clinical expression with no significant correlation between genotype and phenotype. Indeed, many aspects regarding the exact role of AIRE and APECED pathogenesis still remain unraveled. In the last decades, several studies in APECED and in its mouse experimental counterpart have revealed new insights on how immune system learns self-tolerance. Moreover, novel interesting findings have extended our understanding of AIRE’s function and regulation thus improving our knowledge on the pathogenesis of APECED. In this review, we will summarize recent novelties on molecular mechanisms underlying the development of APECED and their clinical implications.

A More In-depth Evaluation of Impedance-pH Could Assist in Distinguishing Reflux-related From Reflux-unrelated Heartburn.

TO THE EDITOR: We read with interest the study by Penagini et al,1 who investigated 50 refractory patients with a diagnosis of functional heartburn (FH) according to Rome III criteria in the first 24 hours of wireless pH monitoring. They described that 15/50 patients had a pathological acid exposure time (AET) after the first day of monitoring, which changed their diagnosis from FH to non-erosive reflux disease (NERD). The authors concluded that more prolonged pH-recording period was able to increase NERD diagnosis in patients wrongly classified as FH patients. We congratulate the authors with their study that underlined one of the main limitation of the 24-hour tests such as impedance pH monitoring, that is the day-to-day variability. However, we would like to stress that with the recent novelties regarding the potential application of 24-hours impedance-pH monitoring, this limitation could be overcome without the need of additional tests, but with a more in depth analysis of impedance tracings. Indeed, impedance-pH has different advantages compared to pH-metry only. First, impedance-pH can recognize patients in whom symptoms are related to non-acid reflux events.2,3 In keeping, providing data on all type of reflux and their association with symptoms, impedance-pH has shown the ability to rule out reflux as the main cause of esophageal symptoms and to refine the current definition of functional heartburn.3 Nevertheless, the limitation related to the day-to-day variability in AET and symptom perception still persists, although reduced, and so far the test may be inaccurate.4 To confirm, in 2 different studies a lack of correlation between the 24-hour monitoring and response to proton pump inhibitor therapy has been observed.5,6 However, recently, novel impedance parameters, manually calculated, evaluating esophageal chemical clearance, the post-re-flux swallow-induced peristaltic wave (PSPW) index, and mucosal integrity, the baseline impedance, have been proposed.7–9 The PSPW index is suitable for valuation off as well as on proton pump inhibitor therapy: lower values have been found in erosive than in NERD, in both significantly lower than in FH.7 Baseline impedance values were found strictly associated with epithelial structural abnormalities and are inversely correlated with AET.10 These impedance features provided promising results in distinguishing patients with reflux disease from those without and seem to be not affected by day-to-day variability and further limitations associated to AET or symptoms perception. In line with these findings, we suggest that a more in-depth evaluation of multichannel intraluminal impedance-pH could assist in distinguishing reflux-related from reflux-unrelated heart-burn. However, further outcome studies are mandatory to confirm their relevance in gastroesophageal reflux disease management.

Aechmea Ruiz & Pavón from the northern portion of the Atlantic Forest

Herein we present a taxonomic synopsis of Aechmea species from Alagoas, Pernambuco, Paraiba, Rio Grande do Norte and Ceara states. The lack of a taxonomic key for identification of species, the high rate of endemism and the recent novelties published within Aechmea from this region motivated this work. Samplings were conducted in areas of all states studied between 2010 and 2014. We identified 27 species in the study areas while two names were excluded from the species list compiled from the literature. The subgenus Aechmea was the most representative with 20 species. Of particular importance was the Gravisia complex, represented by ten of the 14 species that form this informal taxonomic group. Pernambuco and Alagoas were the most species-rich compared to the other states. For each species found in the study area, we present identification keys, comments on the taxonomic relationships, habitat information and geographical distribution.

Tracking the 2015 Gastrointestinal Cancers Symposium: bridging cancer biology to clinical gastrointestinal oncology.

The 2015 Gastrointestinal Cancers Symposium (San Francisco, CA, USA; January 15–17) is the world-class conference co-sponsored by the American Society of Clinical Oncology, the American Society for Radiation Oncology, the American Gastroenterological Association Institute, and the Society of Surgical Oncology, in which the most innovative research results in digestive tract oncology are presented and discussed. In its twelfth edition, the meeting has provided new insights focusing on the underpinning biology and clinical management of gastrointestinal malignancies. More than 3,400 health care professionals gathered from all over the world to share their experiences on how to bridge the recent novelties in cancer biology with everyday medical practice. In this article, the authors report on the most significant advances, didactically moving on three different anatomic tracks: gastroesophageal malignancies, pancreatic and biliary cancers, and colorectal adenocarcinomas.

Antibody–drug conjugates: targeted weapons against cancer

Antibody–drug conjugates: targeted weapons against cancer Luisa Iamele, Luca Vecchia, Claudia ScottiDepartment of Molecular Medicine, Unit of Immunology and General Pathology, University of Pavia, Pavia, PV, Italy  All authors contributed equally to this work Abstract: Antibody–drug conjugates (ADCs) are formed by a targeting antibody conjugated to a chemotherapeutic molecule through a linker. Recent data demonstrate that ADCs represent a valuable advancement for the clinics and, despite their recent appearance in medicine, they are already undergoing an innovation wave aimed at targeting all three ADC building blocks. Thus, new antibody formats are being engineered, site-specific linkers are being designed, and highly toxic molecules, like RNA polymerase inhibitors, are starting to be used for conjugation. These molecules were previously considered extremely toxic and could not be used as chemotherapeutic drugs. In this review, we will present an overview of current cancer treatments and their limitations, and the logic that has led to the generation of ADCs. Their mechanism of action will be outlined, and the most recent novelties in linker design and optimization will be discussed, along with present and near future discoveries in the current ADC research pipeline. Keywords: immunoconjugates, antibody–drug conjugates, antibody fragments, cancer, monoclonal antibodies

Fibroblastic tumors of intermediate malignancy in childhood

Pediatric fibroblastic-myofibroblastic tumors of intermediate prognosis are locally aggressive tumors that rarely metastasize. They are potentially curable, but managing them is often a challenge in terms of their correct diagnosis and appropriate treatment. This paper reviews the most recent biological findings and latest novelties in the multidisciplinary treatment of childhood desmoid-type fibromatoses, infantile fibrosarcoma and inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor.

The Central Role of Anti-IL-1 Blockade in the Treatment of Monogenic and Multi-Factorial Autoinflammatory Diseases

Inherited autoinflammatory diseases are secondary to mutations of proteins playing a pivotal role in the regulation of the innate immunity leading to seemingly unprovoked episodes of inflammation. The understanding of the molecular pathways involved in these disorders has shed new lights on the pattern of activation and maintenance of the inflammatory response and disclosed new molecular therapeutic targets. Cryopyrin-associated periodic syndrome (CAPS) represents the prototype of an autoinflammatory disease. The study of the pathophysiological consequence of mutations in the cryopyrin gene (NLRP3) allowed the identification of intracellular pathways responsible for the activation and secretion of the potent inflammatory cytokine interleukin-1β (IL-1β). It became clear that several multi-factorial inflammatory conditions display a number of pathogenic and clinical similarities with inherited autoinflammatory diseases. The dramatic effect of interleukin-1 (IL-1) blockade in CAPS opened new perspectives for the treatment of other inherited and multi-factorial autoinflammatory disorders. Several IL-1 blockers are now available on the market. In this review we outline the more recent novelties in the treatment with different IL-1 blockers in inherited and multi-factorial autoinflammatory diseases.