Wet and dry accelerated aging tests in a spray chamber to understand the effects of acid rain frequencies on bronze corrosion

We have conducted controlled laboratory experiments using a series of bronze alloys exposed to frequent, repeated wet and dry cycles, to simulate frequent acid rain exposure and study the resultant corrosion processes in bronze artifacts exposed to an outdoor urban environment. To simulate rainwater and condensation, a spray chamber for the corrosion tests was assembled, which delivered homogeneous vapor diffusion and drop deposition. Three bi-component bronzes, with 3%, 7% and 20% tin content, were subjected to seven days of controlled wet and dry cycles, and analyzed at precise intervals. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and spectrocolorimetry results were combined to show the different phases of corrosion. The patinas on all three samples at the end of the exposure period were studied with scanning electron microscopy to show the morphology of corrosion products; they were also analyzed by X-ray diffraction. The sample containing 7% tin produces a patina that is unstable and frequently dissolved. Partial patina dissolution also occurs during exposure for the 3% tin sample, but the effects are less pronounced. Because it reacts the least with the environment, the 20% tin sample demonstrates intermediate behavior (between the 7% and the 3% tin samples). However, the patina is less protective than the 3% tin sample patina

Quantitation of regional ejection fractions using gated tomographic imaging with Tc-99m-sestamibi

BACKGROUND: A new oro-dispersible film (ODF) formulation of sildenafil has been developed for the treatment of erectile dysfunction (ED) to overcome the drawbacks that some patients experience when taking the conventional film-coated tablet (FCT). AIM: To assess the effectiveness and safety of sildenafil ODF formulation in patients with ED who were using the conventional FCT. METHODS: From May 2017 through July 2017, 139 patients with ED were enrolled. Data from penile color-duplex ultrasound, medical history, hormonal evaluation, and patient self-administered questionnaires were collected. All patients were administered sildenafil 100-mg FCT for 4 weeks. Thereafter, they underwent a 2-week washout period and subsequently took sildenafil 75-mg ODF for 4 weeks. OUTCOMES: The International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF-15), Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), Patient Global Impressions of Improvement (PGI-I), and Clinician Global Impressions of Improvement (CGI-I) questionnaires were administered and severity of ED was classified as severe (IIEF-15 score ≤ 10), moderate (IIEF-15 score 11-16), or mild (IIEF-15 score = 17-25). RESULTS: All patients completed the final protocol. Differences in mean IIEF scores for erectile function, orgasmic function, sexual desire, and intercourse satisfaction were significantly in favor of sildenafil 100-mg FCT, whereas the mean score for overall satisfaction was in favor of sildenafil 75-mg ODF. A significant difference in changes in HADS score was found from washout to final follow-up (mean difference = -0.19; P < .01). For the ODF formulation, the median CGI-I score was 3.5 (interquartile range [IQR] = 2.5-4.5) and the median PGI-I score was 3.0 (IQR = 2.0-4.0). The median action time was 20.0 minutes (IQR = 15.0-30.0) and the median mouth time was 60.0 seconds (IQR = 30.0-120.0). CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: The ODF formulation of a widely known drug, with the same safety and effectiveness of the FCT, was better appreciated by patients in overall satisfaction. STRENGTHS AND LIMITATIONS: This is the first clinical trial to assess the efficacy of a new formulation of sildenafil in patients with ED. The limitations of the study are related to the methodology used: it was not a case-control study and the patients were not drug-naïve for ED treatment. Therefore, only the "additional" side effects of the ODF formulation compared with FCT are reported. CONCLUSION: The new ODF formulation is as efficient and safe as the FCT formulation and offers a new choice of treatment to specialists for more precisely tailored therapy. Cocci A, Capece M, Cito G, et al. Effectiveness and Safety of Oro-Dispersible Sildenafil in a New Film Formulation for the Treatment of Erectile Dysfunction: Comparison Between Sildenafil 100-mg Film-Coated Tablet and 75-mg Oro-Dispersible Film. J Sex Med 2017;X:XXX-XXX

Improving whole tomato transformation for prostate health: benign prostate hypertrophy as an exploratory model

It is well-established that the beneficial properties of single phytonutrients can be better attained when they are taken with the complex of the molecules present in their natural milieu. Tomato, the fruit providing the most comprehensive complex of prostate-health-preserving micronutrients, has been shown to be superior to its single-nutrient counterparts in decreasing the incidence of age-related prostate diseases. Herein, we describe a novel tomato food supplement enriched with olive polyphenols, containing cis-lycopene concentrations far exceeding those present in industry-produced tomato commodities. The supplement, endowed with antioxidant activity comparable to that of N-acetylcysteine, significantly reduced, in experimental animals, the blood levels of prostate-cancer-promoting cytokines. In prospective, randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled studies performed on patients affected by benign prostatic hyperplasia, its uptake significantly improved urinary symptoms and quality of life. Therefore, this supplement can complement and, in some cases, be an alternative to current benign prostatic hyperplasia management. Furthermore, the product suppressed carcinogenesis in the TRAMP mouse model of human prostate cancer and interfered with prostate cancer molecular signaling. Thus, it may offer a step forward in exploring the potential of tomato consumption to delay or prevent the onset of age-related prostate diseases in high-risk individuals

A step forward in enhancing the health-promoting properties of whole tomato as a functional food to lower the impact of non-communicable diseases

Nutritional interventions facilitating the consumption of natural, affordable, and environment-compatible health-promoting functional foods are a promising strategy for controlling non-communicable diseases. Given that the complex of tomato micronutrients produces healthier outcomes than lycopene, its major antioxidant component, new strategies to improve the health-supporting properties of the berry are ongoing. In this context, a whole tomato food supplement (WTFS), enriched by 2% olive wastewater containing a complex of healthy nutrients with converging biologic activities, has recently been developed, which is superior to those present in tomato commodities or obtained with whole tomato conventional processing methods. WTFS equals the antioxidant activity of N-acetyl-cysteine and interferes with multiple inflammation and cellular transformation-sustaining metabolic pathways. In interventional studies, WTFS inhibits prostate experimental tumors and improves benign prostate hypertrophy-associated symptoms with no associated side-effects. Although WTFS may be susceptible to further improvements and clinical scrutiny, its composition embodies the features of advanced functional foods to ease adherence to dietary patterns, that is, the Mediterranean diet, aimed at contrasting and mitigating the low-grade inflammation, thus being interceptive or preventive of non-communicable diseases

A Kernel of Truth: Determining Rumor Veracity on Twitter by Diffusion Pattern Alone

Recent work in the domain of misinformation detection has leveraged rich signals in the text and user identities associated with content on social media. But text can be strategically manipulated and accounts reopened under different aliases, suggesting that these approaches are inherently brittle. In this work, we investigate an alternative modality that is naturally robust: the pattern in which information propagates. Can the veracity of an unverified rumor spreading online be discerned solely on the basis of its pattern of diffusion through the social network? Using graph kernels to extract complex topological information from Twitter cascade structures, we train accurate predictive models that are blind to language, user identities, and time, demonstrating for the first time that such "sanitized" diffusion patterns are highly informative of veracity. Our results indicate that, with proper aggregation, the collective sharing pattern of the crowd may reveal powerful signals of rumor truth or falsehood, even in the early stages of propagation.Comment: Published at The Web Conference (WWW) 202

Sobre la distinción y disponibilidad de los nuevos taxones propuestos por Agnolin et al. 2019

Sobre la distinción y disponibilidad de los nuevos taxones propuestos por Agnolin et al. 2019. Recientemente, Agnolin et al. (2019) describieron 14 especies nuevas de mamíferos, incluyendo 12 roedores, un murciélago y un carnívoro, y una nueva subespecie de roedor. Además, estos autores propusieron varios otros actos nomenclatoriales: algunas formas nominales se eliminaron de las sinonimias y se hipotetizaron como especies distintas; se nombraron tres nuevos géneros, una subtribu y una tribu demamíferos. Revisamos todos los actos nomenclatoriales propuestos por Agnolin et al. (2019) y concluimos que las 14 nuevas especies y la nueva subespecie, así como las formas eliminadas de las sinonimias, deben tratarse como sinónimos de especies ya conocidas. Sugerimos lo mismo con respecto a los tres nuevos taxones supraespecí cos presentados por Agnolin et al. (2019), de los cuales dos no están disponibles ya que no cumplen con las disposiciones del Código Internacional de Nomenclatura Zoológica. Terminamos esta contribución criticando la forma en que Agnolin et al. (2019) realizaron su abordaje taxonómico.Recently, Agnolin et al. (2019) described 14 new species of mammals, including 12 rodents,one bat, and one carnivore, and one new subspecies of rodent. In addition, these authors proposed severalother nomenclatorial acts: some nominal forms were removed from synonymies and hypothesized as distinctspecies, at the time that three new genera, one subtribe, and one tribe of mammals were also named. Wereviewed the merits of all nomenclatorial acts proposed by Agnolin at al. (2019) and concluded that all 14new species and the new subspecies, as well as those forms removed from synonymies, should be treatedas synonyms of already known species. We suggest the same regarding the three new supraspecic taxapresented by Agnolin et al., two of which are not available as they fail to comply with the provisions of theInternational Code of Zoological Nomenclature. We end this contribution criticizing the way that mammaltaxonomy was approached by Agnolin et al. (2019).Fil: Teta, Pablo Vicente. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales "Bernardino Rivadavia"; ArgentinaFil: D'elía, Guillermo. Universidad Austral de Chile; ChileFil: Jayat, Jorge Pablo. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico - Tucumán. Unidad Ejecutora Lillo; ArgentinaFil: Gonçalves, Pablo Rodrigues. Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro; BrasilFil: Simoes Libardi, Gustavo. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Centro Nacional Patagónico. Instituto de Diversidad y Evolución Austral; Argentina. Universidade do Sao Paulo. Escola Superior de Agricultura Luiz de Queiroz; BrasilFil: Oliveira, João Alves de. Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro. Museu Nacional; BrasilFil: Moratelli, Ricardo. Fundación Oswaldo Cruz; BrasilFil: Reis Percequillo, Alexandre. Universidade do Sao Paulo. Escola Superior de Agricultura Luiz de Queiroz; BrasilFil: Prado, Joyce Rodrigues do. Universidade do Sao Paulo. Escola Superior de Agricultura Luiz de Queiroz; BrasilFil: Ortiz, Pablo Edmundo. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Tucumán. Instituto Superior de Correlación Geológica. Universidad Nacional de Tucumán. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales e Instituto Miguel Lillo. Departamento de Geología. Cátedra Geología Estructural. Instituto Superior de Correlación Geológica; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Tucumán. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales e Instituto Miguel Lillo. Instituto Miguel Lillo; ArgentinaFil: Hurtado, Natali. Universidad Nacional de San Agustin; PerúFil: Schiaffini, Mauro Ignacio. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Patagonia Norte. Centro de Investigación Esquel de Montaña y Estepa Patagónica. Universidad Nacional de la Patagonia "San Juan Bosco". Centro de Investigación Esquel de Montaña y Estepa Patagónica; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de la Patagonia "San Juan Bosco". Facultad de Ciencias Naturales - Sede Esquel. Laboratorio de Investigaciones en Evolución y Biodiversidad; ArgentinaFil: Abreu Jr., Edson Fiedler de. Universidade do Sao Paulo. Escola Superior de Agricultura Luiz de Queiroz; BrasilFil: Chiquito, Elisandra Almeida. Instituto Nacional da Mata Atlântica; BrasilFil: Giménez, Analía Laura. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Patagonia Norte. Centro de Investigación Esquel de Montaña y Estepa Patagónica. Universidad Nacional de la Patagonia "San Juan Bosco". Centro de Investigación Esquel de Montaña y Estepa Patagónica; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de la Patagonia "San Juan Bosco". Facultad de Ciencias Naturales - Sede Esquel. Laboratorio de Investigaciones en Evolución y Biodiversidad; ArgentinaFil: Torres, Julio. Instituto de Investigación Biológica del Paraguay; Paragua

Parâmetros histológicos cardíacos e renais de ratos espontaneamente hipertensos (SHR) submetidos ao treinamento em natação/ Cardiac and renal histological parameters of spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) submitted to swimming training

Objetivo: Verificar os efeitos de um programa de 6 semanas de treinamento em natação, frequência semanal de 5 dias, 60 minutos por dia, sobre os níveis pressóricos e as lesões histológicas cardíaca e renal de animais espontaneamente hipertensos (SHR). Resultados: O treinamento em natação reduziu os níveis de pressão arterial sistólica (PAS) em SHR (Exercitados: 151,4 ± 8,304 vs. Sedentários: 195,6 ± 6,347 mmHg; P &lt; 0,05). A histologia dos rins revelou um menor dano glomerular entre os animais SHR exercitados (EX), em relação aos SHR sedentários (Sed). Os ratos Wistar, controles normotensos, apresentaram um dano renal menor, em relação aos animais SHR e não diferentes estatisticamente entre si. A hipertrofia cardíaca, analisada por histologia, também mostrou uma diminuição nos animais SHR EX em comparação com SHR Sed, demonstrada pela diferença significativa entre a largura dos cardiomiócitos.Conclusão: O exercício aeróbico de baixa intensidade pode ser utilizado como uma terapia não farmacológica para o tratamento da hipertensão arterial. Essa prática teve um efeito protetor contra danos causados pela hipertensão arterial ao coração e aos rins