Showing papers by "University of Patras published in 2021"

Early treatment of COVID-19 with anakinra guided by soluble urokinase plasminogen receptor plasma levels: a double-blind, randomized controlled phase 3 trial.

Abstract: Early increase of soluble urokinase plasminogen activator receptor (suPAR) serum levels is indicative of increased risk of progression of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) to respiratory failure. The SAVE-MORE double-blind, randomized controlled trial evaluated the efficacy and safety of anakinra, an IL-1α/β inhibitor, in 594 patients with COVID-19 at risk of progressing to respiratory failure as identified by plasma suPAR ≥6 ng ml−1, 85.9% (n = 510) of whom were receiving dexamethasone. At day 28, the adjusted proportional odds of having a worse clinical status (assessed by the 11-point World Health Organization Clinical Progression Scale (WHO-CPS)) with anakinra, as compared to placebo, was 0.36 (95% confidence interval 0.26–0.50). The median WHO-CPS decrease on day 28 from baseline in the placebo and anakinra groups was 3 and 4 points, respectively (odds ratio (OR) = 0.40, P < 0.0001); the respective median decrease of Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) score on day 7 from baseline was 0 and 1 points (OR = 0.63, P = 0.004). Twenty-eight-day mortality decreased (hazard ratio = 0.45, P = 0.045), and hospital stay was shorter. The SAVE-MORE phase 3 study demonstrates the efficacy of anakinra, an IL-1α/β inhibitor, in patients with COVID-19 and high serum levels of soluble plasminogen activator receptor.

Chronic kidney disease is a key risk factor for severe COVID-19: a call to action by the ERA-EDTA.

Abstract: Diabetes, hypertension and cardiovascular disease have been listed as risk factors for severe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) since the first report of the disease in January 2020. However, this report did not mention chronic kidney disease (CKD) nor did it provide information on the relevance of estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) or albuminuria. As the disease spread across the globe, information on larger populations with greater granularity on risk factors emerged. The recently published OpenSAFELY project analysed factors associated with COVID-19 death in 17 million patients. The picture that arose differs significantly from initial reports. For example, hypertension is not an independent risk factor for COVID-19 death [adjusted hazard ratio (aHR) 0.89], but renal disease very much is. Dialysis (aHR 3.69), organ transplantation (aHR 3.53) and CKD (aHR 2.52 for patients with eGFR <30 mL/min/1.73 m 2) represent three of the four comorbidities associated with the highest mortality risk from COVID-19. The risk associated with CKD Stages 4 and 5 is higher than the risk associated with diabetes mellitus (aHR range 1.31–1.95, depending upon glycaemic control) or chronic heart disease (aHR 1.17). In another recent publication, the Global Burden of Disease collaboration identified that worldwide, CKD is the most prevalent risk factor for severe COVID-19. Moreover, the distribution of risk factors for COVID-19 mortality appears to be different in patients with CKD when compared with the general population. The high prevalence of CKD in combination with the elevated risk of mortality from COVID-19 in CKD necessitates urgent action for this group of patients. This article defines essential action points (summarized in Box 1), among which is advocating the inclusion of CKD patients in clinical trials testing the efficacy of drugs and vaccines to prevent severe COVID-19.

A guide to the composition and functions of the extracellular matrix.

Abstract: Extracellular matrix (ECM) is a dynamic 3-dimensional network of macromolecules that provides structural support for the cells and tissues. Accumulated knowledge clearly demonstrated over the last decade that ECM plays key regulatory roles since it orchestrates cell signaling, functions, properties and morphology. Extracellularly secreted as well as cell-bound factors are among the major members of the ECM family. Proteins/glycoproteins, such as collagens, elastin, laminins and tenascins, proteoglycans and glycosaminoglycans, hyaluronan, and their cell receptors such as CD44 and integrins, responsible for cell adhesion, comprise a well-organized functional network with significant roles in health and disease. On the other hand, enzymes such as matrix metalloproteinases and specific glycosidases including heparanase and hyaluronidases contribute to matrix remodeling and affect human health. Several cell processes and functions, among them cell proliferation and survival, migration, differentiation, autophagy, angiogenesis, and immunity regulation are affected by certain matrix components. Structural alterations have been also well associated with disease progression. This guide on the composition and functions of the ECM gives a broad overview of the matrisome, the major ECM macromolecules, and their interaction networks within the ECM and with the cell surface, summarizes their main structural features and their roles in tissue organization and cell functions, and emphasizes the importance of specific ECM constituents in disease development and progression as well as the advances in molecular targeting of ECM to design new therapeutic strategies.

Daratumumab plus pomalidomide and dexamethasone versus pomalidomide and dexamethasone alone in previously treated multiple myeloma (APOLLO): an open-label, randomised, phase 3 trial

Abstract: Summary Background In a phase 1b study, intravenous daratumumab plus pomalidomide and dexamethasone induced a very good partial response or better rate of 42% and was well tolerated in patients with heavily pretreated multiple myeloma We aimed to evaluate whether daratumumab plus pomalidomide and dexamethasone would improve progression-free survival versus pomalidomide and dexamethasone alone in patients with previously treated multiple myeloma Methods In this ongoing, open-label, randomised, phase 3 trial (APOLLO) done at 48 academic centres and hospitals across 12 European countries, eligible patients were aged 18 years or older, had relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma with measurable disease, had an Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status of 0–2, had at least one previous line of therapy, including lenalidomide and a proteasome inhibitor, had a partial response or better to one or more previous lines of antimyeloma therapy, and were refractory to lenalidomide if only one previous line of therapy was received Patients were randomly assigned (1:1) by an interactive web-response system in a random block size of two or four to receive pomalidomide and dexamethasone alone or daratumumab plus pomalidomide and dexamethasone Randomisation was stratified by number of previous lines of therapy and International Staging System disease stage All patients received oral pomalidomide (4 mg, once daily on days 1–21) and oral dexamethasone (40 mg once daily on days 1, 8, 15, and 22; 20 mg for those aged 75 years or older) at each 28-day cycle The daratumumab plus pomalidomide and dexamethasone group received daratumumab (1800 mg subcutaneously or 16 mg/kg intravenously) weekly during cycles 1 and 2, every 2 weeks during cycles 3–6, and every 4 weeks thereafter until disease progression or unacceptable toxicity The primary endpoint was progression-free survival in the intention-to-treat population Safety was analysed in all patients who received at least one dose of study medication This trial is registered with ClinicalTrialsgov , NCT03180736 Findings Between June 22, 2017, and June 13, 2019, 304 patients (median age 67 years [IQR 60–72]; 161 [53%] men and 143 [47%] women) were randomly assigned to the daratumumab plus pomalidomide and dexamethasone group (n=151) or the pomalidomide and dexamethasone group (n=153) At a median follow-up of 16·9 months (IQR 14·4–20·6), the daratumumab plus pomalidomide and dexamethasone group showed improved progression-free survival compared with the pomalidomide and dexamethasone group (median 12·4 months [95% CI 8·3–19·3] vs 6·9 months [5·5–9·3]; hazard ratio 0·63 [95% CI 0·47–0·85], two-sided p=0·0018) The most common grade 3 or 4 adverse events were neutropenia (101 [68%] of 149 patients in the daratumumab plus pomalidomide and dexamethasone group vs 76 [51%] of 150 patients in the pomalidomide and dexamethasone group), anaemia (25 [17%] vs 32 [21%]), and thrombocytopenia (26 [17%] vs 27 [18%]) Serious adverse events occurred in 75 (50%) of 149 patients in the daratumumab plus pomalidomide and dexamethasone group versus 59 (39%) of 150 patients in the pomalidomide and dexamethasone group; pneumonia (23 [15%] vs 12 [8%] patients) and lower respiratory tract infection (18 [12%] vs 14 [9%]) were most common Treatment-emergent deaths were reported in 11 (7%) patients in the daratumumab plus pomalidomide and dexamethasone group versus 11 (7%) patients in the pomalidomide and dexamethasone group Interpretation Among patients with relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma, daratumumab plus pomalidomide and dexamethasone reduced the risk of disease progression or death versus pomalidomide and dexamethasone alone and could be considered a new treatment option in this setting Funding European Myeloma Network and Janssen Research and Development

Highly selective and stable nickel catalysts supported on ceria promoted with Sm2O3, Pr2O3 and MgO for the CO2 methanation reaction

Abstract: GIS is grateful for financial support by Greece and ESF through the Operational Programme «Human Resources Development, Education and Lifelong Learning» in the context of the project “Strengthening Human Resources Research Potential via Doctorate Research” (MIS-5000432), implemented by the State Scholarships Foundation (IKY). NDC is grateful to the Research Committee of UOWM for financial support through grant no. 80304. IVY and MAG are grateful for financial support from the European Union and Greek national funds through the operational program Competitiveness, Entrepreneurship and Innovation, under the call Research-Create-Innovate (Project code: T1EDK-00782). SAK, AAK and KP acknowledge the financial support from the Abu Dhabi Department of Education and Knowledge (ADEK) under the AARE 2019-233 grant and support by the Khalifa University of Science and Technology under Award No. RC2-2018-024.

Passivation and process engineering approaches of halide perovskite films for high efficiency and stability perovskite solar cells

Abstract: The surface, interfaces and grain boundaries of a halide perovskite film carry critical tasks in achieving as well as maintaining high solar cell performance due to the inherently defective nature across their regime. Passivating materials and felicitous process engineering approaches have significant ramifications in the resultant perovskite film, and the solar cell's overall macroscale properties as they dictate structural and optoelectronic properties. Herein, we exploit a vast number of defect engineering approaches aiming to increase the performance and the stability of perovskite solar cells, especially against humidity, continuous illumination, and heat. This review begins with the perovskite materials' fundamental structural properties followed by the advances made to induce higher stabilization in perovskite solar cells by fine-tuning materials chemistry design parameters. We continue by summarizing defect passivation strategies based on molecular entities' application, including suitable functional groups that enable sufficient surface, bulk and grain boundary passivation, morphology, and crystallinity control. We also present methods to control the density of defects through the variation of processing conditions, solvent annealing and solvent engineering approaches, gas-assisted deposition methods, and use of self-assembled monolayers, as well as colloidal engineering and coordination surface chemistry. Finally, we give our perspective on how a combined understanding of materials chemistry aspects and passivation mechanisms will further develop high-efficiency and stability perovskite solar cells.

An open label trial of anakinra to prevent respiratory failure in COVID-19.

Abstract: People infected with the SARS-CoV-2 virus, which causes COVID-19, can develop severe respiratory failure and require a ventilator to keep breathing, but this does not happen to every infected individual. Measuring a blood protein called suPAR (soluble urokinase plasminogen activator receptor) may help identify patients at the greatest risk of developing severe respiratory failure and requiring a ventilator. Previous investigations have suggested that measuring suPAR can identify pneumonia patients at highest risk for developing respiratory failure. The protein can be measured by taking a blood sample, and its levels provide a snapshot of how the body’s immune system is reacting to infection, and of how it may respond to treatment. Anakinra is a drug that forms part of a class of medications called interleukin antagonists. It is commonly prescribed alone or in combination with other medications to reduce pain and swelling associated with rheumatoid arthritis. Kyriazopoulou et al. investigated whether treating COVID-19 patients who had developed pneumonia with anakinra could prevent the use of a ventilator and lower the risk of death. The findings show that treating COVID-19 patients with an injection of 100 milligrams of anakinra for ten days may be an effective approach because the drug combats inflammation. Kyriazopoulou et al. examined various markers of the immune response and discovered that anakinra was able to improve immune function, protecting a significant number of patients from going on a ventilator. The drug was also found to be safe and cause no significant adverse side effects. Administering anakinra decreased of the risk of progression into severe respiratory failure by 70%, and reduced death rates significantly. These results suggest that it may be beneficial to use suPAR as an early biomarker for identifying those individuals at highest risk for severe respiratory failure, and then treat them with anakinra. While the findings are promising, they must be validated in larger studies.

Mechanisms of progressive fibrosis in connective tissue disease (CTD)-associated interstitial lung diseases (ILDs)

Abstract: Interstitial lung diseases (ILDs), which can arise from a broad spectrum of distinct aetiologies, can manifest as a pulmonary complication of an underlying autoimmune and connective tissue disease (CTD-ILD), such as rheumatoid arthritis-ILD and systemic sclerosis (SSc-ILD). Patients with clinically distinct ILDs, whether CTD-related or not, can exhibit a pattern of common clinical disease behaviour (declining lung function, worsening respiratory symptoms and higher mortality), attributable to progressive fibrosis in the lungs. In recent years, the tyrosine kinase inhibitor nintedanib has demonstrated efficacy and safety in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), SSc-ILD and a broad range of other fibrosing ILDs with a progressive phenotype, including those associated with CTDs. Data from phase II studies also suggest that pirfenidone, which has a different-yet largely unknown-mechanism of action, may also have activity in other fibrosing ILDs with a progressive phenotype, in addition to its known efficacy in IPF. Collectively, these studies add weight to the hypothesis that, irrespective of the original clinical diagnosis of ILD, a progressive fibrosing phenotype may arise from common, underlying pathophysiological mechanisms of fibrosis involving pathways associated with the targets of nintedanib and, potentially, pirfenidone. However, despite the early proof of concept provided by these clinical studies, very little is known about the mechanistic commonalities and differences between ILDs with a progressive phenotype. In this review, we explore the biological and genetic mechanisms that drive fibrosis, and identify the missing evidence needed to provide the rationale for further studies that use the progressive phenotype as a target population.

Immersive Virtual Reality in K-12 and Higher Education: A systematic review of the last decade scientific literature

Abstract: There has been an increasing interest in applying immersive virtual reality (VR) applications to support various instructional design methods and outcomes not only in K-12 (Primary and Secondary), but also in higher education (HE) settings. However, there is a scarcity of studies to provide the potentials and challenges of VR-supported instructional design strategies and/or techniques that can influence teaching and learning. This systematic review presents a variety of studies that provide qualitative and/or quantitative data to investigate the current practices with VR support focusing on students’ outcomes, performance, alongside with the benefits and challenges of this technology concerning the analysis of visual features and design elements with mobile and desktop computing devices in different learning subjects. During the selection and screening process, forty-six (n = 46) articles published from the middle of 2009 until the middle of 2020 were finally included for a detailed analysis and synthesis of which twenty-one and twenty-five in K-12 and HE, respectively. The majority of studies were focused on describing and evaluating the appropriateness or the effectiveness of the applied instructional design processes using various VR applications to disseminate their findings on user experience, usability issues, students’ outcomes, and/or learning performance. This study contributes by reviewing how instructional design strategies and techniques can potentially benefit students’ learning performance using a wide range of VR applications. It also proposes some recommendations to guide and lead effective instructional design settings in several teaching and learning contexts to outline a more accurate and up-to-date picture of the current state of literature.

Super ensemble learning for daily streamflow forecasting: large-scale demonstration and comparison with multiple machine learning algorithms

Abstract: Daily streamflow forecasting through data-driven approaches is traditionally performed using a single machine learning algorithm. Existing applications are mostly restricted to examination of few case studies, not allowing accurate assessment of the predictive performance of the algorithms involved. Here, we propose super learning (a type of ensemble learning) by combining 10 machine learning algorithms. We apply the proposed algorithm in one-step-ahead forecasting mode. For the application, we exploit a big dataset consisting of 10-year long time series of daily streamflow, precipitation and temperature from 511 basins. The super ensemble learner improves over the performance of the linear regression algorithm by 20.06%, outperforming the “hard to beat in practice” equal weight combiner. The latter improves over the performance of the linear regression algorithm by 19.21%. The best performing individual machine learning algorithm is neural networks, which improves over the performance of the linear regression algorithm by 16.73%, followed by extremely randomized trees (16.40%), XGBoost (15.92%), loess (15.36%), random forests (12.75%), polyMARS (12.36%), MARS (4.74%), lasso (0.11%) and support vector regression (− 0.45%). Furthermore, the super ensemble learner outperforms exponential smoothing and autoregressive integrated moving average (ARIMA). These latter two models improve over the performance of the linear regression algorithm by 13.89% and 8.77%, respectively. Based on the obtained large-scale results, we propose super ensemble learning for daily streamflow forecasting.

Improved strategies to counter the COVID-19 pandemic: Lockdowns vs. Primary and Community Healthcare.

Abstract: COVID-19 pandemic mitigation strategies are mainly based on social distancing measures and healthcare system reinforcement. However, many countries in Europe and elsewhere implemented strict, horizontal lockdowns because of extensive viral spread in the community which challenges the capacity of the healthcare systems. However, strict lockdowns have various untintended adverse social, economic and health effects, which have yet to be fully elucidated, and have not been considered in models examining the effects of various mitigation measures. Unlike commonly suggested, the dilemma is not about health vs wealth because the economic devastation of long-lasting lockdowns will definitely have adverse health effects in the population. Furthermore, they cannot provide a lasting solution in pandemic containment, potentially resulting in a vicious cycle of consecutive lockdowns with in-between breaks. Hospital preparedness has been the main strategy used by governments. However, a major characteristic of the COVID-19 pandemic is the rapid viral transmission in populations with no immunity. Thus, even the best hospital system could not cope with the demand. Primary, community and home care are the only viable strategies that could achieve the goal of pandemic mitigation. We present the case example of Greece, a country which followed a strategy focused on hospital preparedness but failed to reinforce primary and community care. This, along with strategic mistakes in epidemiological surveillance, resulted in Greece implementing a second strict, horizontal lockdown and having one of the highest COVID-19 death rates in Europe during the second wave. We provide recommendations for measures that will reinstate primary and community care at the forefront in managing the current public health crisis by protecting hospitals from unnecessary admissions, providing primary and secondary prevention services in relation to COVID-19 and maintaining population health through treatment of non-COVID-19 conditions. This, together with more selective social distancing measures (instead of horizontal lockdowns), represents the only viable and realistic long-term strategy for COVID-19 pandemic mitigation.

Who is using e-scooters and how? Evidence from Paris

Abstract: Micromobility vehicles, and especially free-floating electric scooters (FFES), have been thriving over the past couple of years, Paris being the most important market worldwide In this paper, we first define micromobility Then, we present the design and results of an extensive face-to-face road survey among e-scooter (ES) users in Paris (N = 459, F(men) = 68%) Results indicate that ES users rarely own their proper microvehicle, are mostly men, aged 18–29, and have a high educational level They are not less motorized than the general population and use ES occasionally Their main motivation is travel time savings followed by playfulness and money savings However, users seeking money savings are not frequent riders They shifted mainly from walking and public transportation (72%) and few have increased their total mobility by making new trips (6%) Findings can be useful to researchers, policy makers, and FFES operators especially in the context of COVID pandemics

Cryptographic technologies and protocol standards for Internet of Things

Abstract: The Internet of Things (IoT) comprises physical/virtual networked objects that collect and exchange data with each other via the public Internet. As this exchange often takes place over public networks, many security attacks in an IoT environment are possible. First, we briefly review the security issues in the IoT environment. Next, we focus on recent cryptographic protocol standards that are in use or have been recommended for IoT devices to ensure secure communications. We also highlight the advantages and weaknesses of the several protocol standards for various IoT application scenarios including connected vehicles, health, smart home, and consumer appliances and devices. Finally, we discuss some challenges in the area of cryptographic protocol standards that still require to be addressed for IoT applications in the future.

A systematic mapping review of augmented reality applications to support STEM learning in higher education

Abstract: While there is an increasing interest in Augmented Reality (AR) technologies in Primary and Secondary (K-12) Education, its application in Higher Education (HE) is still an emerging trend. This study reports findings from a systematic mapping review, based on a total of forty-five (n = 45) articles published in international peer-reviewed journals from 2010 to 2020, after evaluating the use of AR applications that support Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) subjects’ learning in HE settings. This review’s results highlighted the lack of research across the STEM spectrum, especially in the Technology and Mathematics subfields, as well as the scarcity of location-based and markerless AR applications. Furthermore, three augmentation techniques, suitable for STEM learning, were identified and analysed: augmentation of laboratory specialised equipment, physical objects and course handbooks or sheets. The main contribution of this article is a taxonomy of instructional models and the discussion of applied instructional strategies and techniques in STEM fields focused on HE settings. In addition, we provide visualisations of the present state of the area, which aim at encouraging and scaffolding educators’ efforts based on specific classification criteria to develop AR experiences and conduct further research to enhance STEM learning.

European Stroke Organisation and European Society for Swallowing Disorders guideline for the diagnosis and treatment of post-stroke dysphagia

Abstract: Post-stroke dysphagia (PSD) is present in more than 50% of acute stroke patients, increases the risk of complications, in particular aspiration pneumonia, malnutrition and dehydration, and is linked to poor outcome and mortality. The aim of this guideline is to assist all members of the multidisciplinary team in their management of patients with PSD. These guidelines were developed based on the European Stroke Organisation (ESO) standard operating procedure and followed the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) approach. An interdisciplinary working group identified 20 relevant questions, performed systematic reviews and meta-analyses of the literature, assessed the quality of the available evidence and wrote evidence-based recommendations. Expert opinion was provided if not enough evidence was available to provide recommendations based on the GRADE approach. We found moderate quality of evidence to recommend dysphagia screening in all stroke patients to prevent post-stroke pneumonia and to early mortality and low quality of evidence to suggest dysphagia assessment in stroke patients having been identified at being at risk of PSD. We found low to moderate quality of evidence for a variety of treatment options to improve swallowing physiology and swallowing safety. These options include dietary interventions, behavioural swallowing treatment including acupuncture, nutritional interventions, oral health care, different pharmacological agents and different types of neurostimulation treatment. Some of the studied interventions also had an impact on other clinical endpoints such as feedings status or pneumonia. Overall, further randomized trials are needed to improve the quality of evidence for the treatment of PSD.

Monocyte Count as a Prognostic Biomarker in Patients with Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis

Abstract: Rationale: There is an urgent need for simple, cost-effective prognostic biomarkers for idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF); biomarkers that show potential include monocyte count. Objectives: We used pooled data from pirfenidone and IFNγ-1b trials to explore the association between monocyte count and prognosis in patients with IPF. Methods: This retrospective pooled analysis included patients (active and placebo arms) from the following four phase III, randomized, placebo-controlled trials: ASCEND (NCT01366209), CAPACITY (NCT00287729 and NCT00287716), and INSPIRE (NCT00075998). Outcomes included IPF progression (≥10% absolute decline in FVC% predicted, ≥50 m decline in 6-minute-walk distance, or death), all-cause hospitalization, and all-cause mortality over 1 year. The relationship between monocyte count (defined as time-dependent) and outcomes was assessed using bivariate and multivariable models. Measurements and Main Results: This analysis included 2,067 patients stratified by monocyte count (at baseline: <0.60 × 109 cells/L [n = 1,609], 0.60 to <0.95 × 109 cells/L [n = 408], and ≥0.95 × 109 cells/L [n = 50]). In adjusted analyses, a higher proportion of patients with monocyte counts of 0.60 to <0.95 × 109 cells/L or ≥0.95 × 109 cells/L versus <0.60 × 109 cells/L experienced IPF progression (P = 0.016 and P = 0.002, respectively), all-cause hospitalization (P = 0.030 and P = 0.003, respectively), and all-cause mortality (P = 0.005 and P < 0.001, respectively) over 1 year. Change in monocyte count from baseline was not associated with any of the outcomes over 1 year and did not appear to be affected by study treatment. Conclusions: In patients with IPF, elevated monocyte count was associated with increased risks of IPF progression, hospitalization, and mortality. Monocyte count may provide a simple and inexpensive prognostic biomarker in IPF.

Highly selective and stable Ni/La-M (M=Sm, Pr, and Mg)-CeO2 catalysts for CO2 methanation

Abstract: In the study presented herein, nickel catalysts supported on CeO2 and, for the first time in the literature, on La2O3-Sm2O3-CeO2, La2O3-Pr2O3-CeO2 and La2O3-MgO-CeO2 were prepared and evaluated for the reaction of CO2 methanation. The carriers were prepared through a sol-gel microwave assisted method and the catalysts were obtained following wet impregnation. The physicochemical properties of the catalysts prior to reaction were determined through H2-TPR, H2-TPD, Raman spectroscopy, XRD, CO2-TPD, N2 physisorption-desorption, XPS and TEM. The spent catalysts, after the time-on-stream experiments were further characterised using TEM and TGA. It was shown that the simultaneous incorporation of La3+, Pr3+ and La3+, Sm3+ into the crystal structure of cerium oxide created higher population of oxygen vacant sites. Moreover, the co-presence of La3+, Mg2+ and La3+, Pr3+ into the CeO2 increased the plethos of moderate basic sites. These physicochemical properties increased the rate of CO2 methanation reaction at relatively low temperatures. Furthermore, it is argued that the addition of La3+ stabilized the Ni active sites via the probable formation of a new compound (La-O-Ni) on the catalyst surface or synergetic catalytic centers at the interfacial area improving the catalytic properties (activity and stability). Finally, the catalytic performance tests revealed that the addition of La3+ mainly improved the conversion of CO2 and yield of CH4 for the Ni/La-Mg-Ce and Ni/La-Sm-Ce samples. The rCO2 and XCO2 values at 300 °C followed the order Ni/La-Sm-Ce >> Ni/La-Mg-Ce > Ni/La-Pr-Ce > Ni/Ce.

Prevalence, clinical characteristics and outcomes of Guillain-Barré syndrome spectrum associated with COVID-19: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Abstract: BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Mounting evidence supports an association between Guillain-Barre syndrome spectrum (GBSs) and severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection. However, GBSs in the setting of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) remains poorly characterized, whilst GBSs prevalence amongst COVID-19 patients has not been previously systematically evaluated using a meta-analytical approach. METHODS: A systematic review and meta-analysis of observational cohort and case series studies reporting on the occurrence, clinical characteristics and outcomes of patients with COVID-19-associated GBSs was performed. A random-effects model was used to calculate pooled estimates and odds ratios (ORs) with corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CIs), compared to non-COVID-19, contemporary or historical GBSs patients. RESULTS: Eighteen eligible studies (11 cohorts, seven case series) were identified including a total of 136,746 COVID-19 patients. Amongst COVID-19 patients, including hospitalized and non-hospitalized cases, the pooled GBSs prevalence was 0.15‰ (95% CI 0%-0.49‰; I2 = 96%). Compared with non-infected contemporary or historical controls, patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection had increased odds for demyelinating GBSs subtypes (OR 3.27, 95% CI 1.32%-8.09%; I2 = 0%). In SARS-CoV-2-infected patients, olfactory or concomitant cranial nerve involvement was noted in 41.4% (95% CI 3.5%-60.4%; I2 = 46%) and 42.8% (95% CI 32.8%-53%; I2 = 0%) of the patients, respectively. Clinical outcomes including in-hospital mortality were comparable between COVID-19 GBSs patients and non-infected contemporary or historical GBSs controls. CONCLUSION: GBSs prevalence was estimated at 15 cases per 100,000 SARS-CoV-2 infections. COVID-19 appears to be associated with an increased likelihood of GBSs and with demyelinating GBSs variants in particular.

Digital Health Interventions for Cardiac Rehabilitation: Systematic Literature Review

Abstract: Background: Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death worldwide. Despite strong evidence supporting the benefits of cardiac rehabilitation (CR), over 80% of eligible patients do not participate in CR. Digital health technologies (ie, the delivery of care using the internet, wearable devices, and mobile apps) have the potential to address the challenges associated with traditional facility-based CR programs, but little is known about the comprehensiveness of these interventions to serve as digital approaches to CR. Overall, there is a lack of a systematic evaluation of the current literature on digital interventions for CR. Objective: The objective of this systematic literature review is to provide an in-depth analysis of the potential of digital health technologies to address the challenges associated with traditional CR. Through this review, we aim to summarize the current literature on digital interventions for CR, identify the key components of CR that have been successfully addressed through digital interventions, and describe the gaps in research that need to be addressed for sustainable and scalable digital CR interventions. Methods: Our strategy for identifying the primary literature pertaining to CR with digital solutions (defined as technology employed to deliver remote care beyond the use of the telephone) included a consultation with an expert in the field of digital CR and searches of the PubMed (MEDLINE), Embase, CINAHL, and Cochrane databases for original studies published from January 1990 to October 2018. Results: Our search returned 31 eligible studies, of which 22 were randomized controlled trials. The reviewed CR interventions primarily targeted physical activity counseling (31/31, 100%), baseline assessment (30/31, 97%), and exercise training (27/31, 87%). The most commonly used modalities were smartphones or mobile devices (20/31, 65%), web-based portals (18/31, 58%), and email-SMS (11/31, 35%). Approximately one-third of the studies addressed the CR core components of nutrition counseling, psychological management, and weight management. In contrast, less than a third of the studies addressed other CR core components, including the management of lipids, diabetes, smoking cessation, and blood pressure. Conclusions: Digital technologies have the potential to increase access and participation in CR by mitigating the challenges associated with traditional, facility-based CR. However, previously evaluated interventions primarily focused on physical activity counseling and exercise training. Thus, further research is required with more comprehensive CR interventions and long-term follow-up to understand the clinical impact of digital interventions.

Phase change materials in solar domestic hot water systems: A review

Abstract: In this work, technologies related to the storage of solar energy, utilizing the latent heat content of phase change materials for the production of domestic hot water are reviewed. Many researchers have been involved in this field in order to accomplish the targets of environmentally friendly solutions and higher efficiency. For domestic use, materials with melting temperature between 40 and 80 °C are commonly studied, with paraffins, fatty acids, salt hydrates and alcohols being the most popular. For harvesting the solar radiation, usually flat plate or evacuated tubes solar collectors are used, either commercial ones or modified. The storage unit may include only phase change material or it can have a hybrid form combined with water. The outcome of the most studies, is that the addition of phase change materials in comparison to systems without latent storage, increases the duration of heat release towards the domestic water at the end of the day and also increases the solar collector's efficiency because it does not experience large temperature fluctuations. However, difficulties emerge during the selection of the appropriate storage material as this must have a high melting temperature in order to provide hot enough domestic water, but not higher than the temperature that the solar collector can produce, in order to fully melt the material. Moreover, investigation is necessary for the selection of the optimum water flow rate that minimizes the charging duration and maximizes the system efficiency and hot water amount. Another challenge that researchers face is the low thermal conductivity of many phase change materials. For this purpose, methods for improving the performance of the systems have been examined and they are also reported.

Platinum-free photoelectrochromic devices working with copper-based electrolytes for ultrastable smart windows

Abstract: Photoelectrochromic systems are devices designed for large-scale manufacturing of smart windows, capable of changing their transmittance according to external environmental conditions. This communication proposes the replacement of the two most critical photoelectrochemical device components studied so far, namely the counter electrode and the redox mediator. Regarding the first, graphene nanoplatelets are used to replace platinum, maintaining both its optical and electrocatalytic properties, and at the same time reducing the device cost. Secondly, a copper-based redox pair was chosen to solve the corrosion problems typically encountered with the iodine-based mediator. The combination of the above components led to devices with high performance (coloration speeds in the order of seconds, with a maximum contrast ratio of 10.4 : 1), as well as the achievement of a long-term stability record (over 400 days) for these photoelectrochromic systems.

Perceived usability evaluation of educational technology using the System Usability Scale (SUS): A systematic review

Abstract: This article presents the findings of a systematic review of perceived usability of educational technology systems. The research was conducted after studying, organizing, and analyzing the results ...