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Resumo Este artigo apresenta resultados parciais de uma pesquisa que teve por objetivo analisar vidas submetidas à internação compulsória por meio de determinação judicial. Trata-se de uma abordagem qualitativa, que utilizou entrevista despadronizada com sete jovens residentes numa comunidade terapêutica de uma cidade do interior do Espírito Santo. Observou-se, pelos relatos, que as estratégias de regulamentação da vida, seja pela judicialização, seja pela medicalização, expressam o registro biopolítico sobre corpos de sujeitos que fogem da padronização dominante. Tais práticas revelam a expressão da captura dos modos de subjetivação e das formas de subjetividade, determinando-lhes um lugar no qual a vida se mantenha reificada na perspectiva da lógica capitalística.

Construir colaborativamente propostas que visem integrar diferentes saberes propicia aos discentes e aos docentes experiências significativas, as quais permitem a problematização de suas realidades. Nesse sentido, o escopo de nosso trabalho é trazer à tona uma experiência interdisciplinar entre os componentes de Biologia e Lí­ngua Portuguesa realizada com estudantes do ensino médio técnico integrado dos cursos de Administração e Cooperativismo, no Instituto Federal do Paraná, que ocorreu durante o perí­odo de ensino remoto emergencial ocasionado pela pandemia da Covid-19 e teve por base teórica os pressupostos de Raynaut (2011; 2014) quanto à interdisciplinaridade e freirianos no relativo à formação crí­tica do estudante. A atividade proposta demonstrou quão proveitoso pode ser um trabalho interdisciplinar planejado e executado conjuntamente, de modo que compreendemos que não existe área do conhecimento superior í s demais e que todo conhecimento é incompleto, permitindo que haja a ampliação desse e, por consequência, o diálogo entre os saberes.

Abstract The main objective of this phase I trial was to assess the feasibility and safety of microtransplanting human neural stem cell (hNSC) lines into the spinal cord of patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Eighteen patients with a definite diagnosis of ALS received microinjections of hNSCs into the gray matter tracts of the lumbar or cervical spinal cord. Patients were monitored before and after transplantation by clinical, psychological, neuroradiological, and neurophysiological assessment. For up to 60 months after surgery, none of the patients manifested severe adverse effects or increased disease progression because of the treatment. Eleven patients died, and two underwent tracheotomy as a result of the natural history of the disease. We detected a transitory decrease in progression of ALS Functional Rating Scale Revised, starting within the first month after surgery and up to 4 months after transplantation. Our results show that transplantation of hNSC is a safe procedure that causes no major deleterious effects over the short or long term. This study is the first example of medical transplantation of a highly standardized cell drug product, which can be reproducibly and stably expanded ex vivo, comprising hNSC that are not immortalized, and are derived from the forebrain of the same two donors throughout this entire study as well as across future trials. Our experimental design provides benefits in terms of enhancing both intra‐ and interstudy reproducibility and homogeneity. Given the potential therapeutic effects of the hNSCs, our observations support undertaking future phase II clinical studies in which increased cell dosages are studied in larger cohorts of patients. Stem Cells Translational Medicine 2019;8:887&897

Abstract Background The etiology of traumatic ulcerative granulomas with stromal eosinophilia (TUGSE) is not clear, traumatic irritation having advocated as the most likely cause. TUGSEs are typically self-limiting slow-healing lesions of the oral mucosa with unclear pathogenesis, commonly manifesting as a rapidly developing, long-lasting ulcer. Case presentation Here we report a controversial case of a self-healing lesion of the tongue in a 57 year-old woman. A clonal T-cell proliferation and CD30 negative immunohistochemical (IHC) profile could be documented. Discussion and conclusion In view of the very peculiar clinical and histological features, a retrospective diagnosis of a TUGSE with scarce eosinophilic infiltrate (possibly in regression), displaying CD30- T-clonal proliferation was eventually rendered. The patient did not report signs of recurrence after a 3-year follow-up period.

Background: Despite their lethality and ensuing clinical and therapeutic relevance, circulating tumor cells (CTCs) from colorectal carcinoma (CRC) remain elusive, poorly characterized biological entities. Methods and findings: We perfected a cell system of stable, primary lines from human CRC showing that they possess the full complement of ex- and in-vivo, in xenogeneic models, characteristics of CRC stem cells (CCSCs). Here we show how tumor-initiating, CCSCs cells can establish faithful orthotopic phenocopies of the original disease, which contain cells that spread into the circulatory system. While in the vascular bed, these cells retain stemness, thus qualifying as circulating CCSCs (cCCSCs). This is followed by the establishment of lesions in distant organs, which also contain resident metastatic CCSCs (mCCSCs). Interpretation: Our results support the concept that throughout all the stages of CRC, stemness is retained as a continuous property by some of their tumor cells. Importantly, we describe a useful standardized model that can enable isolation and stable perpetuation of human CRC's CCSCs, cCCSCs and mCCSCs, providing a useful platform for studies of CRC initiation and progression that is suitable for the discovery of reliable stage-specific biomarkers and the refinement of new patient-tailored therapies. Fund: This work was financially supported by grants from “Ministero della Salute Italiano”(GR-2011-02351534, RC1703IC36 and RC1803IC35) to Elena Binda and from “Associazione Italiana Cancro” (IG-14368) Angelo L. Vescovi. None of the above funders have any role in study design, data collection, data analysis, interpretation, writing the project. Keywords: Human colorectal carcinoma (CRC), Stemness, CRC stem cells, CRC circulating stem cells, CRC metastatic stem cells, CRC biology and biomarkers, Anti-CRC SCs strategies

Abstract Due to the rise of communication technologies and economic globalization, modern large cities are becoming more and more interconnected and this phenomenon leads to an increasing synchronization in activities and communication patterns. In our work, we explore the communication synchronization between 76 Italian cities of different sizes by using mobile phone data. Our results show that both the spatial distance and the size of the city influence the synchronization: larger cities are more similar to larger cities in communication rhythms than medium cities are to medium cities, and medium cities are more similar to medium cities than smaller cities are to smaller cities. Furthermore, for all the cities’ sizes we observe a drift in similarity due to spatial distance. Interestingly, the drift due to distance over similarity is less strong in large cities, that act as gateway nodes for the Italian economical system, hence having an emerging strongly connected and synchronized network, than for medium and small cities, that are more bounded to local industries. Finally, our results also show that highly synchronized cities are richer and more attractive for foreign-born population.

Carbon-Fiber Reinforced Polymer (CFRP) parts are joined mainly using adhesive bonding because, differently from fastening, additional parts (hence weight saving) and through holes (that are always detrimental for the strength due to the possibility of developing damage into the composite) are not necessary. Additionally, it allows for large connection areas, thus distributing stresses better than fastened connections. However, since CFRP can be joined by co-curing, the choice of bonding has to be evaluated as an alternative by a trade-off in terms of strength and durability, compared to cost and manufacturing time and complexity. In this work, a comparison between co-cured and co-bonded CFRP is done with respect to tensile strength and mode I and mode II fracture toughness, in order to understand whether cobonding guarantees the same performance of a co-cured composite part

Abstract In this paper we study the expectation value of deformations of the circular Wilson loop in N = 4 $$ \mathcal{N}=4 $$ super Yang-Mills theory. The leading order deformation, known as the Bremsstrahlung function, can be obtained exactly from supersymmetric localization, so our focus is on deformations at higher orders. We find simple expressions for the expectation values for generic deformations at the quartic order at one-loop at weak coupling and at leading order at strong coupling. We also present a very simple algorithm (not requiring integration) to evaluate the two-loop result. We find that an exact symmetry of the strong coupling sigma-model, known as the spectral-parameter independence, is an approximate symmetry at weak coupling, modifying the expectation value starting only at the sextic order in the deformation. Furthermore, we find very simple patterns for how the spectral parameter can appear in the weak coupling calculation, suggesting all-order structures.

The purpose of this study was to compare model estimates of linear sprint mechanical characteristics using timing gates with and without time correction. High-level female soccer players (n = 116) were evaluated on a 35-m linear sprint with splits at 5, 10, 20, 30, and 35 m. A mono-exponential function was used to model sprint mechanical metrics in three ways: without a time correction, with a fixed (+0.3 s) time correction, and with an estimated time correction. Separate repeated-measures ANOVAs compared the sprint parameter estimates between models and also the residuals between models. Differences were identified between all modeled sprint mechanical metrics; however, comparable estimates to the literature occurred when either time correction was used. Bias for both time-corrected models was reduced across all sprint distances compared to the uncorrected model. This study confirms that a time correction is warranted when using timing gates at the start line to model sprint mechanical metrics. However, determining whether fixed or estimated time corrections provide greater accuracy requires further investigation.

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is an incurable neurodegenerative condition with phenotypic and genetic heterogeneity. It is characterized by the selective vulnerability and the progressive loss of the neural population. Here, an induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) line was generated from dermal fibroblasts of an individual carrying the p.G376D mutation in the TDP-43 protein. Fibroblasts were reprogrammed using non-integrating episomal plasmids. There were no karyotype abnormalities, and iPSCs successfully differentiated into all three germ layers. This cell line may prove useful in the study of the pathogenic mechanisms that underpin ALS syndrome.

Female soccer players are exposed to specific physical demands during matches, which vary according to the standard of play. Existing studies have largely focused on quantifying the distances covered for professional and international level players. This approach is limited in scope regarding the broader aspects around physical demands and is detached from development pathway models. An understanding of the demands across all standards will provide valuable insights about appropriate player development and help ensure physical readiness for the demands of the sport. The aim of this perspective paper is to describe the physical demands experienced during women's soccer matches across the developmental spectrum. A combination of evidence from the literature and data from the author's research (JDV) is presented. Specifically highlighted are the trends for locomotor distances, acceleration and deceleration frequency, and metabolic power metrics for youth (≤U17), college (NCAA/U20), professional (domestic) and international standards of women's soccer. In addition, the changes in match demands between levels of play are used to help illustrate gaps that must be overcome in order to successfully achieve physical readiness to compete at higher levels. The evidence demonstrates the importance of training appropriate attributes to prepare female soccer players who are striving to play at progressively higher standards.

Among presolar grains, oxide ones are made of oxygen, aluminum, and a small fraction of magnesium, produced by the 26Al decay. The largest part of presolar oxide grains belong to the so-called group 1 and 2, which have been suggested to form in Red Giant Branch (RGB) and Asymptotic Giant Branch (AGB) stars, respectively. However, standard stellar nucleosynthesis models cannot account for the 17O/16O, 18O/16O, and 26Al/27Al values recorded in those grains. Hence, for more than 20 years, the occurrence of mixing phenomena coupled with stellar nucleosynthesis have been suggested to account for this peculiar isotopic mix. Nowadays, models of massive AGB stars experiencing Hot Bottom Burning or low mass AGB stars where Cool Bottom Process, or another kind of extra-mixing, is at play, nicely fit the oxygen isotopic mix of group 2 oxide grains. The largest values of the 26Al/27Al ratio seem somewhat more difficult to account for.

Abstract Objectives The role of tumor‐associated neutrophils (TANs) in the nodal spread of cancer cells remains unexplored. The present study evaluates the occurrence and clinical significance of human nodal TANs. Methods The relevance, derivation, phenotype and interactions of nodal TANs were explored via a large immunohistochemical analysis of carcinoma‐draining lymph nodes, and their clinical significance was evaluated on a retrospective cohort of oral squamous cell carcinomas (OSCC). The tumor‐promoting function of nodal TAN was probed in the OSCC TCGA dataset combining TAN and epithelial‐to‐mesenchymal transition (EMT) signatures. Results The pan‐carcinoma screening identified a consistent infiltration (59%) of CD66b+ TANs in tumor‐draining lymph nodes (TDLNs). Microscopic findings, including the occurrence of intra‐lymphatic conjugates of TANs and cancer cells, indicate that TANs migrate through lymphatic vessels. In vitro experiments revealed that OSCC cell lines sustain neutrophil viability and activation via release of GM‐CSF. Moreover, by retrospective analysis, a high CD66b+ TAN density in M‐TDLNs of OSCC (n = 182 patients) predicted a worse prognosis. The analysis of the OSCC‐TCGA dataset unveiled that the expression of a set of neutrophil‐specific genes in the primary tumor (PT) is highly associated with an EMT signature, which predicts nodal spread. Accordingly, in the PT of OSCC cases, CD66b+TANs co‐localised with PDPN+S100A9− EMT‐switched tumor cells in areas of lymphangiogenesis. The pro‐EMT signature is lacking in peripheral blood neutrophils from OSCC patients, suggesting tissue skewing of TANs. Conclusion Our findings are consistent with a novel pro‐tumoral TAN compartment that may promote nodal spread via EMT, through the lymphatics.

Presolar grains are microscopic dust grains that formed in the stellar winds or explosions of ancient stars that died before the formation of the solar system. The majority (~90% in number) of presolar silicon carbide (SiC) grains, including types mainstream (MS), Y, and Z, came from low-mass C-rich asymptotic giant branch (AGB) stars, which is supported by the ubiquitous presence of SiC dust observed in the circumstellar envelope of AGB stars and the signatures of slow neutron-capture process preserved in these grains. Here, we review the status of isotope studies of presolar AGB SiC grains with an emphasis on heavy element isotopes and highlight the importance of presolar grain studies for nuclear astrophysics. We discuss the sensitives of different types of nuclei to varying AGB stellar parameters and how their abundances in presolar AGB SiC grains can be used to provide independent, detailed constraints on stellar parameters, including 13C formation, stellar temperature, and nuclear reaction rates.

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a fatal neurodegenerative disease characterized by the loss of the upper and lower motor neurons (MNs). About 10% of patients have a family history (familial, fALS); however, most patients seem to develop the sporadic form of the disease (sALS). SOD1 (Cu/Zn superoxide dismutase-1) is the first studied gene among the ones related to ALS. Mutant SOD1 can adopt multiple misfolded conformation, lose the correct coordination of metal binding, decrease structural stability, and form aggregates. For all these reasons, it is complicated to characterize the conformational alterations of the ALS-associated mutant SOD1, and how they relate to toxicity. In this work, we performed a multilayered study on fibroblasts derived from two ALS patients, namely SOD1L145F and SOD1S135N, carrying the p.L145F and the p.S135N missense variants, respectively. The patients showed diverse symptoms and disease progression in accordance with our bioinformatic analysis, which predicted the different effects of the two mutations in terms of protein structure. Interestingly, both mutations had an effect on the fibroblast energy metabolisms. However, while the SOD1L145F fibroblasts still relied more on oxidative phosphorylation, the SOD1S135N fibroblasts showed a metabolic shift toward glycolysis. Our study suggests that SOD1 mutations might lead to alterations in the energy metabolism.

Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is the most common primary malignant adult brain tumor and is associated with poor survival. Recently, stem-like cell populations have been identified in numerous malignancies including GBM. To identify genes whose expression is changed with differentiation, we compared transcript profiles from a GBM oncosphere line before and after differentiation. Bioinformatic analysis of the gene expression profiles identified podocalyxin-like protein (PODXL), a protein highly expressed in human embryonic stem cells, as a potential marker of undifferentiated GBM stem-like cells. The loss of PODXL expression upon differentiation of GBM stem-like cell lines was confirmed by quantitative real-time PCR and flow cytometry. Analytical flow cytometry of numerous GBM oncosphere lines demonstrated PODXL expression in all lines examined. Knockdown studies and flow cytometric cell sorting experiments demonstrated that PODXL is involved in GBM stem-like cell proliferation and oncosphere formation. Compared to PODXL-negative cells, PODXL-positive cells had increased expression of the progenitor/stem cell markers Musashi1, SOX2, and BMI1. Finally, PODXL expression directly correlated with increasing glioma grade and was a marker for poor outcome in patients with GBM. In summary, we have demonstrated that PODXL is expressed in GBM stem-like cells and is involved in cell proliferation and oncosphere formation. Moreover, high PODXL expression correlates with increasing glioma grade and decreased overall survival in patients with GBM.

A novel application for conical wire array Z-pinches to surface science is presented. The axial outflows emitted by a tungsten conical wire array in the form of both a dense plasma jet and energetic ions are used to produce morphological modification of substrate surfaces without using any kind of chemical treatment. In particular, surface modifications of (100) oriented Si substrates in the form of micropores and stripes-like formations after a single interaction of the Si to the axial outflows are obtained. It is found that the prevalence of each kind of formation, either micropores or stripes, on the treated substrate depends on the relative position of the target with respect to the wire array. The results indicate that at distances of 11 cm over the array there is still effect of the dense plasma jet outflow since both micropores and stripes are found. On the contrary, solely stripe-like patterns are found at greater distances where the effect of the dense plasma outflow is minimal or null, and only the ion outflow irradiates the surface. The description of the method and future perspectives of this novel application of surface treatment are shown and discussed.

Among the known causative genes of familial ALS, SOD1 mutation is one of the most common. It encodes for the ubiquitous detoxifying copper/zinc binding SOD1 enzyme, whose mutations selectively cause motor neuron death, although the mechanisms are not as yet clear. What is known is that mutant-mediated toxicity is not caused by loss of its detoxifying activity but by a gain-of-function. In order to better understand the pathogenic mechanisms of SOD1 mutation, a human induced pluripotent stem cell (hiPSC) line was generated from the somatic cells of a female patient carrying a missense variation in SOD1 (L145F).

ABSTRACT Objective: To estimate the incidence of congenital syphilis and temporal trends of the reported cases of the disease in the state of Santa Catarina between 2007 and 2017. Methods: Observational study with retrospective cohort design, with secondary data from the Injury of Notification Information System (SINAN). Linear trend test and geoprocessing were performed to verify the behavior of the cases in the period. Results: There were 2,898 reported cases of congenital syphilis in the period, with an average of 2.9 per 1,000 live births in the period. There was an exponential increase of 0.9 percentage points per year, considered statistically significant (p

The neutron capture cross section of 154Gd was measured from 1 eV to 300 keV in the experimental area located 185 m from the CERN n_TOF neutron spallation source, using a metallic sample of gadolinium, enriched to 67% in 154Gd. The capture measurement, performed with four C6D6 scintillation detectors, has been complemented by a transmission measurement performed at the GELINA time-of-flight facility (JRC-Geel), thus minimising the uncertainty related to sample composition. An accurate Maxwellian averaged capture cross section (MACS) was deduced over the temperature range of interest for s process nucleosynthesis modelling. We report a value of 880(50) mb for the MACS at kT=30 keV, significantly lower compared to values available in literature. The new adopted 154Gd(n,γ) cross section reduces the discrepancy between observed and calculated solar s-only isotopic abundances predicted by s-process nucleosynthesis models. Keywords: s process, 154Gd, Neutron time of flight, n_TOF

Pochi autori hanno saputo rappresentare la povertà con la compassione e la sensibilità di Dickens, sorprende dunque che rari siano gli studi pubblicati sul rapporto tra Dickens e i poveri del suo tempo. Il presente articolo indaga l’evoluzione del concetto di povertà nelle opere di Dickens dal giovanile Oliver Twist al più maturo Bleak House. In un momento in cui la riflessione sulla povertà era dominata dall’agenda della Poor Law Commission, il pensiero che emerge dagli scritti dickensiani vede un’evoluzione da una spontanea empatia di matrice religiosa a una visione più sofisticata della povertà. La stessa poetica dei romanzi dickensiani consente col tempo di penetrare sempre più profondamente la complessità della condizione del povero, in aperto contrasto con la semplicistica nozione vittoriana secondo cui i problemi che conducono all’indigenza possono essere ricondotti a due o tre categorie e risolti di conseguenza.

It is believed that the approximate estimation of large sets and the exact quantification of small sets (subitizing) are supported by two different systems, the Approximate Number System (ANS) and Object Tracking System (OTS), respectively. It is a current matter of debate whether they are both impaired in developmental dyscalculia (DD), a specific learning disability in symbolic number processing and calculation. Here we tackled this question by asking 32 DD children and 32 controls to perform a series of tasks on visually presented sets, including exact enumeration of small sets as well as comparison of large, uncountable sets. In children with DD, we found poor sensitivity in processing large numerosities, but we failed to find impairments in the exact enumeration of sets within the subitizing range. We also observed deficits in visual short-term memory skills in children with dyscalculia that, however, did not account for their low ANS acuity. Taken together, these results point to a dissociation between quantification skills in dyscalculia, they highlight a link between DD and low ANS acuity and provide support for the notion that DD is a multifaceted disability that covers multiple cognitive skills.

In the present work we summarize the first achievements of the RockStar Group of the Department of Physics and Geology (at the University of Perugia, Italy), which is made of a strict collaboration between Physicists and Geologists on astrophysical and planetological studies. The RockStar Group acts on two research lines: (i) astrophysical modeling and (ii) mineralogical and geochemical studies of meteorites. In the first part of the article we review the recent results concerning the development of theoretical modeling of nucleosynthesis and mixing process in asymptotic giant branch. In the second part we report (1) the catalog of the Meteorite collection of University of Perugia and (2) major and trace elements mapping, performed through EPMA and LA-ICP-MS, of the Mineo pallasite, a unique sample hosted by the collection. The new data constrain the Mineo meteorite among the Main Group Pallasites and support the hypothesis of the “early giant impact” formation.

We describe the preliminary on-sky results of the KIDs Interferometer Spectrum Survey (KISS), a spectral imager with a 1 deg field of view (FoV). The instrument operates in the range 120–180 GHz from the 2.25m Q-U-I JOint TEnerife telescope in Teide Observatory (Tenerife, Canary Islands), at 2 395m altitude above sea level. Spectra at low resolution, up to 1.45 GHz, are obtained using a fast (3.72 Hz mechanical frequency) Fourier transform spectrometer, coupled to a continuous dilution cryostat with a stabilized temperature of 170mK that hosts two 316-pixel arrays of lumped-element kinetic inductance detectors. KISS generates more than 3 000 spectra per second during observations and represents a pathfinder to demonstrate the potential for spectral mapping with large FoV.We give an overall description of the spectral mapping paradigm and we present recent results from observations, in this paper.

Asymptotic giant branch (AGB) stars are thought to be among the most important sources of fluorine in our Galaxy. While observations and theory agree at close-to-solar metallicity, stellar models overestimate fluorine production in comparison to heavy elements at lower metallicities. We present predictions for 19F abundance for a set of AGB models with various masses and metallicities, in which magnetic buoyancy induces the formation of the 13C neutron source (the so-called 13C pocket). In our new models, fluorine is mostly created as a consequence of secondary 14N nucleosynthesis during convective thermal pulses, with a minor contribution from the 14N existing in the 13C pocket zone. As a result, AGB stellar models with magnetic-buoyancyinduced mixing show low 19F surface abundances which agree with fluorine spectroscopic observations at both low and near-solar metallicity.

Most elements heavier than iron have been generated in the stellar media by means of neutron capture reactions, approximately half are produced by the slow neutron capture or s-process. Radiative neutron capture cross section measurements are of fundamental importance for the study of this mechanism. In this contribution we present a brief summary on the measurement and results for the 80Se(n,γ) cross-section. The experiment was carried out at CERN n_TOF EAR1 via the time of flight (ToF) technique, using four C6D6 scintillation detectors with very fast response. More than a hundred new resonances have been analyzed for the first time with a high accuracy. The MACS obtained at kT = 8 keV is 36% smaller than the recommended value in KADo-NiS. Some of the astrophysical implications of this result are elucidated in this contribution.

Spectroscopic observations of stars belonging to open clusters, with well-determined ages and distances, are a unique tool for constraining stellar evolution, nucleosynthesis, mixing processes, and, ultimately, Galactic chemical evolution. Abundances of slow (s) process neutron capture elements in stars that retain their initial surface composition open a window into the processes that generated them. In particular, they give us information on their main site of production, i.e., the low- and intermediate-mass Asymptotic Giant Branch (AGB) stars. In the present work, we review some observational results obtained during the last decade that contributed to a better understanding of the AGB phase: the growth of s-process abundances at recent epochs, i.e., in the youngest stellar populations; the different relations between age and [s/Fe] in distinct regions of the disc; and finally the use of s-process abundances combined with those of α elements, [s/α], to estimate stellar ages. We revise some implications that these observations had both on stellar and Galactic evolution, and on our ability to infer stellar ages.

Theoretical predictions as well as experiments performed at storage rings have shown that the lifetimes of β-radionuclides can change significantly as a function of the ionization state. In this paper we describe an innovative approach, based on the use of a compact plasma trap to emulate selected stellar-like conditions. It has been proposed within the PANDORA project (Plasmas for Astrophysics, Nuclear Decay Observation and Radiation for Archaeometry) with the aim to measure, for the first time in plasma, nuclear β-decay rates of radionuclides involved in nuclear-astrophysics processes. To achieve this task, a compact magnetic plasma trap has been designed to reach the needed plasma densities, temperatures, and charge-states distributions. A multi-diagnostic setup will monitor, on-line, the plasma parameters, which will be correlated with the decay rate of the radionuclides. The latter will be measured through the detection of the γ-rays emitted by the excited daughter nuclei following the β-decay. An array of 14 HPGe detectors placed around the trap will be used to detect the emitted γ-rays. For the first experimental campaign three isotopes, 176Lu, 134Cs, and 94Nb, were selected as possible physics cases. The newly designed plasma trap will also represent a tool of choice to measure the plasma opacities in a broad spectrum of plasma conditions, experimentally poorly known but that have a great impact on the energy transport and spectroscopic observations of many astrophysical objects. Status and perspectives of the project will be highlighted in the paper.

Abstract EphB2 and EphA2 control stemness and differentiation in the intestinal mucosa, but the way they cooperate with the complex mechanisms underlying tumor heterogeneity and how they affect the therapeutic outcome in colorectal cancer (CRC) patients, remain unclear. MicroRNA (miRNA) expression profiling along with pathway analysis provide comprehensive information on the dysregulation of multiple crucial pathways in CRC. Through a network-based approach founded on the characterization of progressive miRNAomes centered on EphA2/EphB2 signaling during tumor development in the AOM/DSS murine model, we found a miRNA-dependent orchestration of EphB2-specific stem-like properties in earlier phases of colorectal tumorigenesis and the EphA2-specific control of tumor progression in the latest CRC phases. Furthermore, two transcriptional signatures that are specifically dependent on the EphA2/EphB2 signaling pathways were identified, namely EphA2, miR-423-5p, CREB1, ADAMTS14, and EphB2, miR-31-5p, mir-31-3p, CRK, CXCL12, ARPC5, SRC. EphA2- and EphB2-related signatures were validated for their expression and clinical value in 1663 CRC patients. In multivariate analysis, both signatures were predictive of survival and tumor progression. The early dysregulation of miRs-31, as observed in the murine samples, was also confirmed on 49 human tissue samples including preneoplastic lesions and tumors. In light of these findings, miRs-31 emerged as novel potential drivers of CRC initiation. Our study evidenced a miRNA-dependent orchestration of EphB2 stem-related networks at the onset and EphA2-related cancer-progression networks in advanced stages of CRC evolution, suggesting new predictive biomarkers and potential therapeutic targets.

Resumo Complicações relacionadas ao acesso venoso cervicotorácico, como os pseudoaneurismas (PAs), podem ser devastadoras. Neste artigo, apresentamos dois casos semelhantes em que o avanço tecnológico impactou no diagnóstico, tratamento e resultados. Ambos pacientes apresentaram volumoso PA após a tentativa de punção venosa profunda. O primeiro caso, em 1993, diagnosticado por duplex scan, revelou grande PA oriundo da artéria subclávia direita. A artéria foi abordada por esternotomia mediana com extensão supraclavicular. O PA originava-se do tronco tireocervical, tratado com simples ligadura. No segundo caso, em 2017, angiotomografia revelou um PA originário da artéria vertebral, que foi tratado com técnica endovascular, mantendo a perviedade do vaso. Ambos evoluíram satisfatoriamente, apesar de abordagens bastante diferentes. A lesão vascular cervicotorácica representa um desafio propedêutico e terapêutico, com alto risco de ruptura. Os avanços tecnológicos diminuem os riscos de lesões vasculares com acesso cirúrgico difícil e devem estar entre as opções do cirurgião vascular.

CHRNA7, encoding the neuronal alpha7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (a7nAChR), is highly expressed in the brain, particularly in the hippocampus. It is situated in the 15q13.3 chromosome region, frequently associated with a Copy Number Variation (CNV), which causes its duplication or deletion. The clinical significance of CHRNA7 duplications is unknown so far, but there are several research data suggesting that they may be pathogenic, with reduced penetrance. We have produced an iPS cell line from a single healthy donor's fibroblasts carrying a 15q13.3 CNV, including CHRNA7 in order to study the exact role of this CNV during the neurodevelopment.

Abstract Social capital has been studied in economics, sociology and political science as one of the key elements that promote the development of modern societies. It can be defined as the source of capital that facilitates cooperation through shared social norms. In this work, we investigate whether and to what extent synchronization aspects of mobile communication patterns are associated with social capital metrics. Interestingly, our results show that our synchronization-based approach well correlates with existing social capital metrics (i.e., Referendum turnout, Blood donations, and Association density), being also able to characterize the different role played by high synchronization within a close proximity-based community and high synchronization among different communities. Hence, the proposed approach can provide timely, effective analysis at a limited cost over a large territory.

Abstract In this paper we study the Bremsstrahlung functions for the 16BPS $$ \frac{1}{6}\mathrm{B}\mathrm{P}\mathrm{S} $$ and the 12BPS $$ \frac{1}{2}\mathrm{B}\mathrm{P}\mathrm{S} $$ Wilson lines in ABJM theory. First we use a superconformal defect approach to prove a conjectured relation between the Bremsstrahlung functions associated to the geometric (B 1/6 φ ) and R-symmetry (B 1/6 θ ) deformations of the 16BPS $$ \frac{1}{6}\mathrm{B}\mathrm{P}\mathrm{S} $$ Wilson line. This result, non-trivially following from a defect supersymmetric Ward identity, provides an exact expression for B 1/6 θ based on a known result for B 1/6 φ . Subsequently, we explore the consequences of this relation for the 12BPS $$ \frac{1}{2}\mathrm{B}\mathrm{P}\mathrm{S} $$ Wilson line and, using the localization result for the multiply wound Wilson loop, we provide an exact closed form for the corresponding Bremsstrahlung function. Interestingly, for the comparison with integrability, this expression appears particularly natural in terms of the conjectured interpolating function h(λ). During the derivation of these results we analyze the protected defect supermultiplets associated to the broken symmetries, including their two- and three-point correlators.

Juvenile Onset Huntington's Disease (JOHD) is a rare variant of HD withage of onset ≤20 years, accounting for 3–10% of all HD patients. The rarity occurrence of JOHD cases, who severely progress towards mental and physical disability with atypical clinical manifestations compared to classical HD, are responsible of general lack of knowledge about this variant. We obtained a fully reprogrammed iPS cell line from fibroblasts of a JOHD patient carrying 65 CAG repeats and age at onset at age 15. At the biopsy time, the patient showed an advanced stage after 10 years of disease.

Huntington's disease (HD) is an incurable, autosomal dominant, hereditary neurodegenerative disorder that typically manifests itself in midlife. This pathology is linked to the deregulation of multiple, as yet unknown, cellular processes starting before HD onset. A human iPS cell line was generated from skin fibroblasts of a subject at the presymptomatic life stage, carrying a polyglutamine expansion in HTT gene codifying Huntingtin protein. The iPSC line contained the expected CAG expansion, expressed the expected pluripotency markers, displayed in vivo differentiation potential to the three germ layers and had a normal karyotype.

Smith-Magenis syndrome (SMS) is a complex genetic disorder characterized by developmental delay, behavioural problems and circadian rhythm dysregulation. About 90% of SMS cases are due to a 17p11.2 deletion containing retinoic acid induced1 (RAI1) gene, 10% are due to heterozygous mutations affecting RAI1 coding region. Little is known about RAI1 role.

Huntington Disease (HD) is an autosomal dominant disorder characterized by motor, cognitive and behavioral features caused by a CAG expansion in the HTT gene beyond 35 repeats. The juvenile form (JHD) may begin before the age of 20 years and is associated with expanded alleles as long as 60 or more CAG repeats. In this study, induced pluripotent stem cells were generated from skin fibroblasts of a 8-year-old child carrying a large size mutation of 84 CAG repeats in the HTT gene. HD appeared at age 3 with mixed psychiatric (i.e. autistic spectrum disorder) and motor (i.e. dystonia) manifestations.

Joubert Syndrome (JS) is a rare autosomal recessive or X-linked condition characterized by a peculiar cerebellar malformation, known as the molar tooth sign (MTS), associated with other neurological phenotypes and multiorgan involvement. JS is a ciliopathy, a spectrum of disorders whose causative genes encode proteins involved in the primary cilium apparatus. In order to elucidate ciliopathy-associated molecular mechanisms, human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) were derived from a patient affected by JS carrying a homozygous missense mutation in the AHI1 gene (p.H896R) that encodes a protein named Jouberin.

Jhumpa Lahiri, Dove mi trovo (Milano, Guanda Editore, 2018, 180 pp. ISBN 978-88-235-2347-0) di Alessandro Vescovi

In the last few years, the modeling of asymptotic giant branch (AGB) stars has been much investigated, both focusing on nucleosynthesis and stellar evolution aspects. Recent advances in the input physics required for stellar computations made it possible to construct more accurate evolutionary models, which are an essential tool to interpret the wealth of available observational and nucleosynthetic data. Motivated by such improvements, the FUNS stellar evolutionary code has been updated. Nonetheless, mixing processes occurring in AGB stars’ interiors are currently not well-understood. This is especially true for the physical mechanism leading to the formation of the 13C pocket, the major neutron source in low-mass AGB stars. In this regard, post-processing s-process models assuming that partial mixing of protons is induced by magneto-hydrodynamics processes were shown to reproduce many observations. Such mixing prescriptions have now been implemented in the FUNS code to compute stellar models with fully coupled nucleosynthesis. Here, we review the new generation of FRUITY models that include the effects of mixing triggered by magnetic fields by comparing theoretical findings with observational constraints available either from the isotopic analysis of trace-heavy elements in presolar grains or from carbon AGB stars and Galactic open clusters.