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In this work, triazines were chosen as the organic micropollutants model, to develop a useful method for the removal of triazine products, using a reduced derivative of graphene oxide as adsorbent material. The pristine graphene oxide and its thermally reduced derivatives under mild conditions were tested, optimizing the GO reduction conditions by means of DOE coupled with the response surface methodology. For the reduction it was decided to choose the mildest and simplest conditions possible, using an air heat treatment in a common laboratory oven. The optimal reduction conditions deduced from the response surface were calculated at a reduction temperature of 110 °C maintained for 24 hours and rGO sample was employed in the adsorption of the triazines. All the adsorbent materials have been characterized before use, by Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and Brunauer-Emmett- Teller (BET) surface area analysis. Triazine analyses were performed by HPLC. The data obtained from the adsorption isotherms have been fitted with the Langmuir and Freundlich models, and the Freundlich model was the best one, especially for the Atraton and the Prometryn. The maximum adsorption capacity obtained was 4.4 mg/g for Atrazine, 19.4 mg/g for Atraton and 18.4 mg/g for Prometryn, at room temperature.

Impairments of inhibitory circuits are at the basis of most, if not all, cognitive deficits. The impact of OPHN1, a gene associate with intellectual disability (ID), on inhibitory neurons remains elusive.We addressed this issue by analyzing the postnatal migration of inhibitory interneurons derived from the subventricular zone in a validated mouse model of ID (OPHN1-/y mice). We found that the speed and directionality of migrating neuroblasts were deeply perturbed in OPHN1-/y mice. The significant reduction in speed was due to altered chloride (Cl-) homeostasis, while the overactivation of the OPHN1 downstream signaling pathway, RhoA kinase (ROCK), caused abnormalities in the directionality of the neuroblast progression in mutants. Blocking the cation-Cl- cotransporter KCC2 almost completely rescued the migration speed while proper directionality was restored upon ROCK inhibition. Our data unveil a strong impact of OPHN1 on GABAergic inhibitory interneurons and identify putative targets for successful therapeutic approaches.

Adenosine deaminase 2 deficiency (DADA2) is a rare inherited disorder that is caused by autosomal recessive mutations in the ADA2 gene. Clinical manifestations include early-onset lacunar strokes, vasculitis/vasculopathy, systemic inflammation, immunodeficiency, and hematologic defects. Anti–tumor necrosis factor therapy reduces strokes and systemic inflammation. Allogeneic hematopoietic stem/progenitor cell (HSPC) transplantation can ameliorate most disease manifestations, but patients are at risk for complications. Autologous HSPC gene therapy may be an alternative curative option for patients with DADA2. We designed a lentiviral vector encoding ADA2 (LV-ADA2) to genetically correct HSPCs. Lentiviral transduction allowed efficient delivery of the functional ADA2 enzyme into HSPCs from healthy donors. Supranormal ADA2 expression in human and mouse HSPCs did not affect their multipotency and engraftment potential in vivo. The LV-ADA2 induced stable ADA2 expression and corrected the enzymatic defect in HSPCs derived from DADA2 patients. Patients’ HSPCs re-expressing ADA2 retained their potential to differentiate into erythroid and myeloid cells. Delivery of ADA2 enzymatic activity in patients’ macrophages led to a complete rescue of the exaggerated inflammatory cytokine production. Our data indicate that HSPCs ectopically expressing ADA2 retain their multipotent differentiation ability, leading to functional correction of macrophage defects. Altogether, these findings support the implementation of HSPC gene therapy for DADA2.

The most commonly used ink in antiquity was carbon-based, and the main element of carbonized papyrus is carbon, making conventional computed tomography (CT-scanning) of Herculaneum scrolls difficult. However, Roman and Greek inks containing metals have recently been identified in some papyri from Egypt, changing our understanding of ink technology in antiquity. This raises hope that some rolls can be virtually unrolled by CT-scanning. Here we present the results of a preliminary analysis, aimed at identifying scrolls whose ink contains metals., The research for this publication was funded by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG, German Research Foundation) under Germany's Excellence Strategy – EXC 2176 'Understanding Written Artefacts: Material, Interaction and Transmission in Manuscript Cultures', project no. 390893796. The research was conducted within the scope of the Centre for the Study of Manuscript Cultures (CSMC) at Universität Hamburg in collaboration with the Bundesanstalt für Materialforschung und -prüfung (BAM).

Bilancio dell'attività papirologica del Centro di Studi Papirologici e dell'autore in trenta anni di insegnamento a Lecce

Viene offerta una rilettura del fr. 24 Orazi del PHerc. 986, in cui viene individuata una possibile citazione di Epicuro sulla poesia comica, con un'allusione plausibile a Menandro. Sono presentate alcune ipotesi sul carattere di questo libro incerto, di paternità forse filodemea.

Many of the scrolls from the Villa dei Papiri were opened through the so-called scorzatura and are consequently divided into fragments which received different inventory numbers. Working on these scrolls requires close attention to the question of the original position of the scorze. In addition to the already established methods, further elements will be analysed, which can be especially useful in cases where the loss of material during or after the opening of the scorze hinders the immediate availability of the necessary data.

The GESHAEM project is a scientific research initiative which aims at enhancing the knowledge of the administration of Ptolemaic Fayyum. Its goal is also to restore and study both the cartonnages and the papyri, in Demotic and in Greek, kept in the “Fonds Jouguet Fouilles”, stored at the Institut de Papyrologie of Sorbonne Université in Paris. In one cartonnage from Magdôla, a Greek petition to an official (hypomnêma) has been discovered and inventoried as Inv.Sorb. 2855, which bears a new name for a toparchês in the Fayyum: Philonautês.

P.Berol. 6926 A and B, two large fragments of a papyrus roll, contain parts of the famous Ninus Romance on the recto. They were published in 1893 by Wilcken and have since then been most extensively studied and several times republished. The verso instead has not come under any scrutiny since the times of Wilcken. The contribution presents first results of an attempt to decipher the pretty cursively written accounts contained on the verso sides and especially to find hints regarding chronology and provenance as well as other pieces of information which might contribute to potentially contextualizing the papyrus.

L'articolo esamina i principali momenti della storia dell'edizione dei papiri ercolanesi, concentrandosi sul sistema ecdotico di volta in volta a dottato, Esso mette in evidenza una significativa mancanza di uniformità che rischia di confondere il fruitore delle edizioni e propone di stabilire un sistema di segni uniforme ed organico.

In structures, high vibration levels can destroy components; therefore, the reduction of the vibration levels represents a fundamental target in the industrial field. The structural intensity (STI) field provides information about the energy flow that propagates within a structure. It shows the position of dampers in structures, thus, it can be used for solving structure-borne noise problems. The analysis of the energy distribution on a structure allows to understand where to implement locally concentrated modifications introducing damping patches in order to reduce structure-borne noise. The aim of this paper is to investigate the structural intensity in composite structures and to evaluate the influence of some modeling parameters, such as mesh density, structural damping, etc., on the accuracy of the results. In this paper, numerical investigations on the STI in a fiber composite plate are carried out. Two different numerical models are considered: the first one with solid elements, the second one with shell elements. The two-dimensional model does not allow to analyze and study the composite plate on micro level. The first law of thermodynamics allows to define the accuracy of the STI evaluations. The investigation on two-dimensional and three-dimensional composite structure modeling presents the limits and the advantages of the two different types of approach. The different characteristics of the STI fields provided by these models are analyzed in order to understand the difference between local and global approach.

ARPC1B is a key factor for the assembly and maintenance of the ARP2/3 complex that is involved in actin branching from an existing filament. Germline biallelic mutations in ARPC1B have been recently described in 6 patients with clinical features of combined immunodeficiency (CID), whose neutrophils and platelets but not T lymphocytes were studied. We hypothesized that ARPC1B deficiency may also lead to cytoskeleton and functional defects in T cells. We have identified biallelic mutations in ARPC1B in 6 unrelated patients with early onset disease characterized by severe infections, autoimmune manifestations, and thrombocytopenia. Immunological features included T-cell lymphopenia, low numbers of naïve T cells, and hyper–immunoglobulin E. Alteration in ARPC1B protein structure led to absent/low expression by flow cytometry and confocal microscopy. This molecular defect was associated with the inability of patient-derived T cells to extend an actin-rich lamellipodia upon T-cell receptor (TCR) stimulation and to assemble an immunological synapse. ARPC1B-deficient T cells additionally displayed impaired TCR-mediated proliferation and SDF1-α−directed migration. Gene transfer of ARPC1B in patients’ T cells using a lentiviral vector restored both ARPC1B expression and T-cell proliferation in vitro. In 2 of the patients, in vivo somatic reversion restored ARPC1B expression in a fraction of lymphocytes and was associated with a skewed TCR repertoire. In 1 revertant patient, memory CD8+ T cells expressing normal levels of ARPC1B displayed improved T-cell migration. Inherited ARPC1B deficiency therefore alters T-cell cytoskeletal dynamics and functions, contributing to the clinical features of CID.

L'articolo offre nuovi dati sulle relazioni tra due intellettuali della Roma tardomedievale, Giovanni Cavallini dei Cerroni e Giovanni Colonna di Gallicano, e discute un'ipotetica esplorazione di Giovanni Colonna nel monastero di Montecassino, volta a individuare nuovi manoscritti di antichi autori latini.

Rapporto di scavo relativo agli anni 2003-2009. Lo scavo archeologico è stato effettuato con metodo stratigrafico. L'area scavata si trova all'interno del temenos e riguarda il tempio prncipale dedicato a Soknopaios e Isis Nepherses. Descrizione della stratigrafia e interpretazione.

Primo volume di una serie che intende pubblicare i risultati del lavoro topografico e di scavo archeologico eseguiti a Dime, l'antica Soknopaiou Nesos nel Fayyum. In questo volume sono pubblicati il survey topografico dell'abitato, l'analisi dettagliata del dromos, il rapporto di scavo del tempio principale e cinque cataloghi di materiali rinvenuti. Nell'introduzione si ripercorre la storia delle esplorazioni fino ai giorni nostri.

Relazione sui metodi e risultati di un survey topografico effettuato negli anni 2006-2010 a Dime, l'antica Soknopaiou Nesos nel Fayyum. Il sito è anche stato analizzato alla luce della documentazione precedente al fine di meglio comprendere l'attuale stato di conservazione e gli avvenimenti che portarono all'attuale degrado delle strutture. Interpretazione topografica e planimetrica.

BACKGROUND: Some reports have suggested that laparoscopic splenectomy (LS) can be successfully performed in adults. However, several aspects of this procedure remain as yet undefined; therefore, several attempts have been made to modify the standard technique to try to optimize the procedure. Herein we analyze our experience with 105 laparoscopic splenectomies. METHODS: From 1993 to 2000, 105 patients underwent LS at our hospital. Twelve of these patients also underwent a concomitant cholecystectomy. There were 66 women and 39 men whose ages ranged between 4 and 78 years (median, 27.7). All patients underwent an elective laparoscopic splenectomy. Seventy five patients had thrombocytopenia (ITP), 14 had hereditary spherocytosis, eight were affected by b-thalassemia, two had splenic cysts, two had lymphoma, (two had myeloid chronic leukemia, one patient presented with a splenic abscess and one had incurred an iatrogenic spleen lesion during adrenalectomy. The first patients in this series were positioned in dorsal decubitus; however, as the team's experience increased, the right lateral decubitus became the position of choice because it provides better exposure of the splenic hilum. This procedure requires the use of only four trocars. RESULTS: Mean operating time was 95 min (range, 35-320). Hospital stay ranged from 2 to 21 days (median, 4.5). There was only one conversion to open surgery. One patient died in the postoperative period due to the evolution of a preexisting malignant disease. We recorded nine complications-four subphrenic abscesses, two cases of pleuritis, two episodes of postoperative bleeding, and one intestinal infarction 16 days after surgery. Only two patients needed redo surgery. CONCLUSIONS: We believe that the laparoscopic approach is a valid alternative to open splenectomy, but mastery of some of the technical details of this procedure could greatly help avoid its complications. On the basis of our experience, it seems that the lateral approach should be considered the position of choice because it provides exposure and easier dissection of the splenic hilar structures. We also found that a 30 degrees scope and an ultrasonic dissector allowed for perfect vision and optimal hemostasis during the procedure. At the end of procedure, the spleen should be fragmented and then extracted using an extraction bag.

We describe the rapid isolation of single-domain recombinant antibodies in VHH format from a pre-immune llama library created in our laboratory. Such naive library has demonstrated to be a versatile tool and enabled the isolation of several different antibodies for any of the six proteins panned in parallel. The binders specific for human fibroblast growth factor receptor 1 (FGFR1) were successively analyzed in more detail and resulted suitable for both western blot and immunofluorescence analyses. Several milligrams per liter of antibodies were purified by affinity chromatography and used for kinetic and thermodynamic characterization. Their K(D) was in the nanomolar range and they apparently bound a FGF receptor 1 domain not overlapping the region recognized by its physiological ligand FGF. Altogether, the collected data indicate that the new library can enable the recovery of binders of high affinity, specificity and functionality in the conventional immunological tests, avoiding the necessity of further maturation steps. Such results confirmed recent reports of high affinity pre-immune IgNARs and supported the choice of using large single-domain recombinant antibody naive libraries as an alternative to the preparation of immune libraries for selecting monoclonal antibodies, at convenient cost and time conditions.

Gli atti sono pubblicati nella serie Papyrologica Lupiensia vol. 14

Gli Album del Centro di Studi Papirologici dell’Università degli Studi di Lecce 4

L'aumento della popolazione anziana sta rendendo sempre più significativa l'incidenza dell'osteoporosi, sia come patologia in sé, sia come fattore di rischio di fratture patologiche. La messa a punto di metodologie di mineralometria sui corpi vertebrali con TC, dà l'opportunità al neuroradiologo di confrontarsi con tale patologia, prima un po' negletta. Questo lavoro, attraverso la proposizione della personale esperienza, ha lo scopo di mettere a punto lo “stato dell'arte”, con particolare riguardo al confronto tra le varie tecniche di valutazione quantitativa e l'interpretazione nosologicamente e prognosticamente valida dei risultati.

In this paper the problem of lateral dynamics control of a railway car is addressed. A full dynamic model, including car, bogies and wheelsets dynamics is considered, leading to a 34-th order linear system. Two different sensor/actuator configurations are considered and corresponding performances are critically compared. The control strategy is based on a MIMO high order sliding manifold approach, which provides high robustness with respect to system uncertainties and exogenous disturbances. The design procedure yields a MIMO controller in terms of LMFD description. Simulations are used to show the effectiveness of the proposed approach and to carry out the comparisons among the two considered solutions.