A deletional frameshift mutation in spectrin beta-gene associated with hereditary elliptocytosis in spectrin Napoli

We studied a clinically manifest, dominantly transmitted elliptocytosis in an Italian family. We found a new spectrin variant, designated spectrin Napoli. Its beta-chain was truncated in its C-terminal region (apparent MW 216 kD). It displayed a low expression level (15%). There was a 8 nt deletion: CTTTTGAGAAGT-->CTGT (nt 6255-6262), starting after codon 2053. This deletion was followed by a 54 nt (18 amino acids) missense sequence and terminated by the TGA triplet which normally overlaps codons 2074 and 2075 (CTTGAG). The overall length of the mutated beta-chain was comparable to that found in spectrin Nice, spectrin Tokyo and spectrin Tandil, which are other variants with truncated beta-chains; however, a distinct nonsense codon was used in spectrin Napoli.     

Multi-robot collision-free navigation based on reciprocal orientation

In this paper, a new method for robot navigation in dynamic environments, called the reciprocal orientation algorithm, is introduced. This algorithm deals with the case in which each robot moves without direct communication with the other robots. The algorithm suggested in this paper uses the concept of reciprocal orientation which guarantees both smooth and collision-free robot trajectories. The algorithm is implemented in several simulation scenarios, some of them involving tens of robots. The deadlock problem, which occurs between two robots, has been solved by using an adequate deadlock resolution algorithm.     

Graph-based representations of point clouds

This paper introduces a skeletal representation, called Point Cloud Graph, that generalizes the definition of the Reeb graph to arbitrary point clouds sampled from m-dimensional manifolds embedded in the d-dimensional space. The proposed algorithm is easy to implement and the graph representation yields to an effective abstraction of the data. Finally, we present experimental results on point-sampled surfaces and volumetric data that show the robustness of the Point Cloud Graph to non-uniform point distributions and its usefulness for shape comparison.     

Anonymous smartphone data collection: factors influencing the users’ acceptance in mobile crowd sensing

Mobile crowd sensing (MCS) assumes a collaborative effort from mobile smartphone users to sense and share their data needed to fulfill a given MCS objective (e.g., modeling of urban traffic or wellness index of a community). In this paper, we investigate the user’s perception of anonymity in MCS and factors influencing it. We conducted a 4-week extensive smartphone user study to fulfill three main objectives. (1) Understand if users prefer to share data anonymously or not anonymously. (2) Investigate the possible factors influencing the difference between these two modalities, considering: (a) users’ sharing attitude, (b) shared data kind and (c) users’ intimacy when data are shared (we defined intimacy as the users’ perception of their context with respect to place, number and kind of people around them). (3) Identify further users’ personal factors influencing their perception of anonymity via multiple interviews along the user study. In the results, we show that data are shared significantly more when anonymously collected. We found that the shared data kind is the factor significantly contributing to this difference. Additionally, users have a common way to perceive anonymity and its effectiveness. To ensure the success of anonymization algorithms in the context of MCS systems, we highlight which issues the researchers developing these algorithms should carefully consider. Finally, we argue about new research paths to better investigate the user perception of anonymity and develop anonymous MCS systems that users are more likely to trust based on our findings.     

Smoothing of nanoscale roughness based on the Kelvin effect

A novel method of smoothing surfaces with nanoscale roughness is described, based on the Kelvin effect. The problem of vapor redistribution in cylindrical channels and over rough planar walls with nanoscale texture is posed and solved analytically. Vapor deposition (condensation) on the walls initially produces a deposit emulating the surface landscape. After a saturated state at the deposit surface is reached, the Kelvin effect should result in higher vapor pressure/ concentration near the convex sections of the wall and in lower vapor pressure/ concentration near the concave sections. As a result, local vapor fluxes should arise directed from the locally convex to the locally concave regions. Accordingly, the deposited layer at the wall should vaporize (or sublimate) at the convex sections due to depletion and vapor should condense at the concave sections, thus causing smoothing of physical surface unevenness. This mechanism of smoothing of nanoscale roughness has not been considered in detail or used before, even though the basic physics of the Kelvin effect is well known. In the present work, the smoothing kinetics is predicted and the characteristic timescales are calculated in the general case of axisymmetric and non-axisymmetric perturbations of the cylindrical channel walls, as well as for planar surfaces. In addition, experimental data are presented to show that the theoretically motivated approach is also practically realizable.     

Solid state field-assisted silver ion exchange in porcelain stoneware: A new route toward antimicrobial tiles?

The development of tiles possessing antimicrobial activity is of great technological and scientific interest to improve the functionality of a very widely used article. Also the current SARS-CoV-2 pandemic is drawing the attention towards materials or compounds able to inactivate the virus, silver being among all the most promising one.In the present work, field-assisted ion exchange process was used to functionalize porcelain stoneware by introducing silver into the material surface using a solid silver electrode. The application of a small direct electric current (10 mA cm^?2) at 380 °C allowed to fasten silver diffusion. The penetration of silver into stoneware appears homogeneous and primarily involves an exchange between silver and sodium ions under the effect of the external electric current. Penetration depths approaching 120 μm can be obtained in only 5 min. Preliminary characterization revealed that the Ag-exchanged stoneware possesses a strong biocidal action against Staphylococcus aureus.     

Inspecting the Mechanism of Fragment Hits Binding on SARS-CoV-2 Mpro by Using Supervised Molecular Dynamics (SuMD) Simulations

Computational approaches supporting the early characterization of fragment molecular recognition mechanism represent a valuable complement to more expansive and low-throughput experimental techniques. In this retrospective study, we have investigated the geometric accuracy with which high-throughput supervised molecular dynamics simulations (HT-SuMD) can anticipate the experimental bound state for a set of 23 fragments targeting the SARS-CoV-2 main protease. Despite the encouraging results herein reported, in line with those previously described for other MD-based posing approaches, a high number of incorrect binding modes still complicate HT-SuMD routine application. To overcome this limitation, fragment pose stability has been investigated and integrated as part of our in-silico pipeline, allowing us to prioritize only the more reliable predictions.     

Influence of the Polymer Architecture and Functionalization with Carboxylate Groups over the Release of Octenidine Hydrochloride from Poly(lactic acid)-Based Nanoparticles

Healthcare-associated infections affect every year more than four million people due to the increasing resistance of bacteria to traditional antibiotics. In turn, the systematic use of quaternary ammonium salts as antiseptics is hampered by their inherent toxicity and high hydrophilicity that leads to their rapid elimination from the body. Therefore, a carefully controlled release of these antiseptics is pivotal to achieve prolonged therapeutic efficacy reducing the side effects. In this work, high encapsulation efficiencies and good control over the release of octenidine hydrochloride from poly(lactic acid) (PLA)-based nanoparticles (NPs) is achieved by introducing functional carboxylate groups in the polymer. The influence of the polymer structure and functionalization over the drug release is systematically investigated. Star-like and brush-like polymers with tunable number of ionizable chain end-groups are synthesized via combination of ring-opening polymerization and reversible addition−fragmentation chain transfer polymerization. These polymers are formulated in NPs and loaded with octenidine through emulsion/solvent evaporation. Brush-like polymers demonstrate to be a versatile tool for the modulation of the initial burst and long term release of the antiseptic through the tuning of the electrostatic interactions between the negative groups on the polymer, whose number can be precisely controlled, and the positively charged drug.