The complexity of coverability in ν-Petri nets

We show that the coverability problem in ν-Petri nets is complete for ‘double Ackermann’ time, thus closing an open complexity gap between an Ackermann lower bound and a hyper-Ackermann upper bound. The coverability problem captures the verification of safety properties in this nominal extension of Petri nets with name management and fresh name creation. Our completeness result establishes ν-Petri nets as a model of intermediate power among the formalisms of nets enriched with data, and relies on new algorithmic insights brought by the use of well-quasi-order ideals

Molecular Biology of Atherosclerotic Ischemic Strokes

Among the causes of global death and disability, ischemic stroke (also known as cerebral ischemia) plays a pivotal role, by determining the highest number of worldwide mortality, behind cardiomyopathies, affecting 30 million people. The etiopathogenetic burden of a cerebrovascular accident could be brain ischemia (~80%) or intracranial hemorrhage (~20%). The most common site when ischemia occurs is the one is perfused by middle cerebral arteries. Worse prognosis and disablement consequent to brain damage occur in elderly patients or affected by neurological impairment, hypertension, dyslipidemia, and diabetes. Since, in the coming years, estimates predict an exponential increase of people who have diabetes, the disease mentioned above constitutes together with stroke a severe social and economic burden. In diabetic patients after an ischemic stroke, an exorbitant activation of inflammatory molecular pathways and ongoing inflammation is responsible for more severe brain injury and impairment, promoting the advancement of ischemic stroke and diabetes. Considering that the ominous prognosis of ischemic brain damage could by partially clarified by way of already known risk factors the auspice would be modifying poor outcome in the post-stroke phase detecting novel biomolecules associated with poor prognosis and targeting them for revolutionary therapeutic strategies

Diaphragm and Lung Transplantation

Mutual interactions between the diaphragm and lung transplantation (LTx) are known to exist. Before LTx, many factors can exert notable impact on the diaphragmatic function, such as the underlying respiratory disease, the comorbidities, and the chronic treatments of the patient. In the post-LTx setting, even the surgical procedure itself can cause a stressful trauma to the diaphragm, potentially leading to morphological and functional alterations. Conversely, the diaphragm can significantly influence various aspects of the LTx process, ranging from graft-to-chest cavity size matching to the long-term postoperative respiratory performance of the recipient. Despite this, there are still no standard criteria for evaluating, defining, and managing diaphragmatic dysfunction in the context of LTx to date. This deficiency hampers the accurate assessment of those factors which affect the diaphragm and its reciprocal influence on LTx outcomes. The objective of this narrative review is to delve into the complex role the diaphragm plays in the different stages of LTx and into the modifications of this muscle following surgery

Monitoring activity of hip injury patients (MoHIP): a sub-study of the world hip trauma evaluation observational cohort study

Purpose: The aim of this study is to assess the feasibility of using wearable activity monitors to better understand recovery of mobility during the hospital-to-home transition of hip fracture patients, where ongoing care is provided in the community. Methods: This is an observational cohort study of adults admitted to a single centre with hip fracture from May 2018. Participants of the World Hip Trauma Evaluation (WHiTE) cohort study without cognitive impairment were eligible. Participants were recruited during their hospital stay and were asked to wear a CE-marked 3-axis logging accelerometer (Axivity AX3) for 4 months. After discharge, participants received monthly home visits from a primary care research nurse throughout their study participation. Results: A total 427 patients were screened for eligibility between May 2018 and August 2019. Of these 139 were eligible and 28 (20.1%) recruited. The most common reason for non-eligibility was cognitive impairment (n = 192, 66.7%). Of the eligible patients; 57 (41.0%) declined to participate in the study, mostly due to not wanting to wear a monitor on a lanyard (n = 27, 47.4%). Mean age of recruited participants was 75.8 (SD 8.7), with 18 (54.3%) female. At baseline, participant mobility status was as follows: 22 (78.6%) were freely mobile without aids, 4 (14.1%) mobilised outdoors with one aid, 1 (3.6%) mobilised outdoors with 2 aids or a frame and 1 (3.6%) was unable to mobilise outdoors unassisted. Of the 12 participants that have completed the 4-month follow-up period; 8 (66.7%) recovered full mobility and 4 (33.3%) did not. Activity levels captured by activity monitors were significantly different between these groups at 4 months. Conclusion(s): Our research indicates that activity monitors have the capability to capture recovery of activity in patients following a hip fracture and activity levels correlate with patient self-report of mobility. However, future monitoring strategies should be suitable for cognitively impaired patients and use non-intrusive devices. Impact: This knowledge may inform future community-based rehabilitation interventions and personalise care

Σεληνιάζομαι en Mateo 17,15. Anotaciones filológicas y propuesta de traducción

Maria V. Talamé - Leandro J. Velardo - Leandro A. Verdini - Pablo Vernol

Influencia de la fracción mixta y de hormigón en las prestaciones mecánicas de los hormigones reciclados

[ES] La utilización de áridos reciclados en el ámbito de la ingeniería civil ha incrementado en los últimos años, representando en 2014 un 8% de la producción total de áridos a nivel europeo. La actual Instrucción Española de Hormigón Estructural (EHE-08) permite la incorporación parcial (< 20% peso) de áridos reciclados gruesos de hormigón como sustitutos de los áridos convencionales. El presente trabajo de investigación persigue analizar el efecto de utilizar simultáneamente la incorporación parcial (50%) de arena reciclada (hormigón o mixta) con árido grueso reciclado de hormigón (50%) en las prestaciones finales de los hormigones reciclados con fines estructurales. Para alcanzar este ítem, se caracterizó primeramente los áridos empleados, para posteriormente proceder al diseño y fabricación de las mezclas objeto de estudio. A continuación, se llevó a cabo la caracterización física (densidad y consistencia) y mecánicas (compresión, tracción y flexión) de los nuevos hormigones. Resultado de este estudio se observa que la incorporación de la fracción fina y gruesa reciclada no afecta nocivamente en las prestaciones finales de los mismos pudiendo ser empleados en el sector de la construcción y contribuyendo al actual modelo de economía circular.Este estudio ha sido realizado gracias a la financiación de los proyectos de investigación BIA 2013-48876-C3-1-R, BIA 2013-48876-C3-2-R y BIA2016-76643-C3-1-R concedidos por el Ministerio de Ciencias e Innovación, así como por la ayuda GR-15064 concedida al grupo de investigación MATERIA por parte de la Junta de Extremadura y el Fondo Europeo de Desarrollo Regional – FEDER.Medina, C.; Plaza, P.; Velardo, P.; Matías, A.; Sánchez De Rojas, M.; Sáez Del Bosque, I. (2018). Influencia de la fracción mixta y de hormigón en las prestaciones mecánicas de los hormigones reciclados. En HAC 2018. V Congreso Iberoamericano de hormigón autocompactable y hormigones especiales. Editorial Universitat Politècnica de València. 691-700. https://doi.org/10.4995/HAC2018.2018.6447OCS69170

NGS-Based Genetic Analysis in a Cohort of Italian Patients with Suspected Inherited Myopathies and/or HyperCKemia

Introduction/Aims HyperCKemia is considered a hallmark of neuromuscular diseases. It can be either isolated or associated with cramps, myalgia, weakness, myoglobinuria, or rhabdomyolysis, suggesting a metabolic myopathy. The aim of this work was to investigate possible genetic causes in order to help diagnose patients with recurrent hyperCKemia or clinical suspicion of inherited metabolic myopathy. Methods A cohort of 139 patients (90 adults and 49 children) was analyzed using a custom panel containing 54 genes associated with hyperCKemia. Results A definite genetic diagnosis was obtained in 15.1% of cases, while candidate variants or variants of uncertain significance were found in a further 39.5%. Similar percentages were obtained in patients with infantile or adult onset, with some different causative genes. RYR1 was the gene most frequently identified, either with single or compound heterozygous variants, while ETFDH variants were the most common cause for recessive cases. In one patient, mRNA analysis allowed identifying a large LPIN1 deletion missed by DNA sequencing, leading to a certain diagnosis. Conclusion These data confirm the high genetic heterogeneity of hyperCKemia and metabolic myopathies. The reduced diagnostic yield suggests the existence of additional genes associated with this condition but also allows speculation that a significant number of cases presenting with hyperCKemia or muscle symptoms are due to extrinsic, not genetic, factors