Search

X-ray polarimetry, based on Gas Pixel Detectors (GPDs), have reached a high level of maturity with the Imaging X-ray Polarimeter Explorer (IXPE) leading to the first ever spatially resolved polarimetric measures. However, being this a new technique, a few unexpected effect have emerged during in flight operations. In particular it was almost immediately found that on-board unpolarized calibration sources were showing radially polarized halos. The origin of this features was recognized in a correlation between the error in reconstructing the absorption point of the X-ray photon and the direction of its electric field vector. Here we present and discuss in detail this effect, showing that it is possible to provide a simple and robust mathematical formalism to handle it. We further show its role and relevance for the recent IXPE measures, and for the use of GPD-based techniques in general, and illustrate how to model it in the study of extended sources., 19 pages, 10 figures, to be published in A&A

This paper reports on the structural design of a large-scale roof to be located in the Misano World Circuit “Marco Simoncelli”, to partially cover the kart track of the circuit. According to first architectural design, the roof was chosen as an hypar surface. The structure is morphologically similar to well-known wide-span sport-hall examples, but with different static conceptual behaviour. Instead of using a bidirectional cable net, the roof surface has been discretized in transversal rigid steel arches and a set of pre-stressed cables along longitudinal direction. In this configuration, cables are designed to prevent arches buckling. Structural elements are anchored to a steel caisson edge ring, supported by concrete columns. A preliminary analysis addressed the study of how the structural behavior changes according to roof shape variations, with the objective to optimize the structural performances. The structure has been analysed varying the roof shape in order to find an “optimal” form. This work has been carried out by meansof both simplified analytical models and Finite Element models. The reliability of the models has been validated by comparing the results: this resulted in a solid framework of knowledge of thebehaviour of the designed structure. Different geometrical models have been parametrically generated in Grasshopper. Then the structural elements have been sized and their resistance has been assessed.

This critical writing questions the current state-of-the-art and knowledge levels with regards to nonengineered construction techniques in general, and rubble stone masonry in particular. In-depth reviews show that the available information in the national codes, technical regulations and practical manuals is largely outdated, contains many contradictions, and has become ambiguous. This raises questions about the completeness and correctness, as well as about the reliability and actual value of the knowledge in this field. The term “non-engineered” in construction refers to building as “those which are spontaneously and informally constructed in various countries in the traditional manner, without any or little intervention by qualified architects and engineers in their design”. Such techniques generally do not behave well in earthquakes, and the most devastating levels of damage and loss generally occur in developing countries, such as the recent disasters in Kashmir (2005), Haiti (2010) and Nepal (2015). Fact is that millions of people will continue to live in stone houses in India, Nepal, Pakistan, Bhutan, Afghanistan, China, and likely in regions in Central Asia, the Middle East and Northern Africa as well. So how can we accurately predict and significantly strengthen the seismic performance of these techniques, yet with basic engineering principles? How can we improve the quality of local construction practices with simple skills, and effectively implement national standards in affordable ways? These key questions have not been adequately addressed to date. Vernacular building types include numerous variables that are highly dependent on site-specific parameters for local construction quality, materials and workmanship. From an engineering perspective, these variables are not integrated in current calculations and models, and a methodology that includes such parameters is currently non-existent. The authors of this paper clearly acknowledge the need for renewed insights and a drastic change of attitude, which requires full-time dedication and a structured, systematic and scientifically based long-term approach, in order to significantly improve the seismic behavior of non-engineered techniques. To achieve this, renewed philosophies and technological strategies are necessary, as the time has come for “Non-Engineered 2.0”. Several recommendations and solutions are proposed under the name SMARTnet, which stands for “Seismic Methodologies for Applied Research and Testing of non-engineered techniques”. It is realized that the challenge is huge and the scope of work enormous, for which help is needed. The strategy of SMARTnet envisions a joint approach of global collaboration, in order to cope with the massive number of material variables and to generate cross-checked data that can be used for calculations and computer modeling of non-engineered techniques. SMARTnet therefore places an international call for collaboration and invites experts, professionals, academics as well as final-year students in these fields to exchange their knowledge and to support the project with their time and expertise.

The work at hand presents an experimental study of the dynamic and earthquake response of a groin vault carried out atthe EQUALS shaking table, University of Bristol, under the auspices of SERA/H2020 project. The vault considers dry joints between the voussoirs (like many monumental structures in South Mediterranean) and was built in an innovative way to allow study of its dynamic behaviour and repetition of tests carried out until collapse. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, no investigations of this kind have been carried out in the past. The physical model was generated by the intersection of two circular barrel vaults, without ribs but with especially shaped blocks along the groins. Each block was manufactured with a 3D printed skin and filled with mortar to supply mass. The skin was made with a plastic material to provide the blocks with sufficient stiffness and strength to sustain impact without damageand allow for a quick and reliable re-assembly. The vault was tested on the 3m x 3m, 6-dof shaking table at the University of Bristol, U.K.. Harmonic and transient earthquake motions were imposed in one horizontal direction with increasing amplitude, up to collapse. Preliminary results showed that low frequencies (around 2Hz and 5 Hz at model scale) are critical. It was noticed that the barrel vault perpendicular to the motion deflected significantly around the key-stone line, eventually leading to collapse.

This paper illustrates the preliminary results of a series of shaking-table tests on a full-scale flat-bottom manufactured steel silo filled with a granular material. The experimental campaign was developed at the EUCENTRE lab in Pavia (Italy) in February/March 2019 within the European project “SEismic Response of Actual steel SILOS (SERA-SILOS)” (https://sera-ta.eucentre.it/index.php/serata-project-18/). A flat-bottom cylindrical silo was tested in fixed-based and seismically isolated configurations. It is the smallest actual silo manufactured by the AGI-FRAME company (Italy). The height is H = 5.5 m and the radius is R = 1.82 m. The silo wall is realized by 5 stripes of horizontal corrugated sheets (ferrules) with thickness equal to 1 mm. The silo wall is supported by 8 vertical stiffeners characterized by an hat-shaped thin open cross-section which changes in thickness along the height. The stiffeners are connected to the silo wall by M10 7cm-spaced bolts. The silo is filled with soft wheat up to a 3.3 m height, in order to reproduce a “squat” aspect ratio H/2R roughly equal to 1. The weight of the steel silo itself is around 12 kN, the amount of grain is around 285 kN, the 4.8mx4.8mx0.4m r.c. plate is 230 kN weigh. The isolators placed between the table and the r.c. plate are Curved Surface Sliders friction pendulum devices expressly manufactured by the MAURER company (Germany – Switzerland) to obtain a 3 s period of vibration (radius = 2.2364 m, max allowable displacement = 20 cm). Mono-axial shaking-table tests were performed using random signals, low-frequency sinusoidal inputs and earthquake records (both artificial and real). The following sensors were utilized: uniaxial and triaxial accelerometers placed at different heights of the silo, vertical strain gauges on the external surfaces of the stiffeners, four load cells placed at two heights of the silo, LVDTs between the isolated system and the table, and HD video-cameras to monitor the spatial displacements of the main structural elements. The main objectives of the shaking-table tests were: (i) to identify the basic dynamic properties (period of vibration, damping ratio, amplification) of the grain-silo system, (ii) to experimentally assess the static pressure during the filling phase and the dynamic over-pressures during the shaking-table tests, and (iii) to evaluate the benefits obtained introducing an isolation system at the base of the silo.

Given growing competition in the business space launch market, more researchers are evaluating the merit of methane as a potential propellant. In this study, a rocket combustion chamber with a single coaxial shear injector is tested. Gaseous oxygen and gaseous methane are employed in the hot firing tests at 2 MPa and a mass ratio of oxidizer to fuel of 2.65. Along the chamber axis, the wall temperatures are recorded; an inverse heat conduction approach forms the basis of the wall heat flux calculations. By applying the solver ANSYS Fluent, numerical simulations offer a superior analysis of the results. To describe the turbulence-chemistry interactions, the eddy dissipation concept model is employed. Mesh independency has been verified with the objective of comparing the experimental data with the heat fluxes calculated from simulations, followed by additional analysis. To gain a more thorough understanding of the experimentally determined heat flux profile, the hot gas temperature distribution is also examined. As the comparison proves, this study’s simulation approach predicts, with sufficient precision, wall heat fluxes in a rocket combustor.

Key Points The presence of butyrogenic bacteria after the onset of acute GVHD associates with subsequent steroid-refractory GVHD or chronic GVHD. Butyrate inhibits human colonic stem cells from forming an intact epithelial monolayer.

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma is one of the leading causes of cancer-related deaths and, currently, surgery is the only curative treatment. Patients with borderline resectable pancreatic cancer (BRPC) can benefit from a multidisciplinary approach and R0 resection, and can achieve the same outcome as resectable patients treated with upfront surgery. However, the definition of BRPC changes according to different classifications with a heterogeneous distribution of patients, and it is thus difficult to compare clinical evidence. We performed a literature review to assess the most suitable classification of BRPC. Our review was conducted using the PubMed database. Only articles containing more than ten patients classified according to NCCN, MDACC or AHPBA/SSAT/SSO classifications were selected. A total of 16 studies were included in our analysis, and were grouped according to one of these three classifications. The total resection rate was 61.4%, with considerable differences between the groups (68.4% for NCCN, 54.9% for MDACC and 53.2% for AHPBA/SSO/SSAT). The total R0 resection rate was 90.1% (89.1% for NCCN, 92.5% for MDACC and 84% for AHPBA/SSO/SSAT). Of the three classifications, NCCN limits the use of confusing terms and uses restrictive criteria to define the most appropriate treatment for each subgroup. However, several reports have suggested that, even in the case of a limited disease, biological and clinical factors should be considered in order to classify patients as resectable. NCCN classification appears to be the classification that allows the highest percentage of patients with BRPC to achieve resection without reducing the R0 resection rate. The choice of therapy should not only be based on imaging results, but also on a wider clinical multidisciplinary evaluation.

La presente memoria illustra i risultati principali di una campagna sperimentale finalizzata alla caratterizzazione della risposta strutturale di telai in acciaio equipaggiati con un innovativo dispositivo dissipativo isteretico, noto in letteratura come Crescent Shaped Brace (CSB). Il dispositivo è costituito da un elemento metallico dalla forma a boomerang che può essere utilizzato per collegare elementi strutturali del medesimo impalcato (link dissipativo) oppure inserito all’interno delle specchiature di telaio e fungere pertanto da controvento dissipativo. La particolare configurazione geometrica a “boomerang” fa sì che il dispositivo sia costituito da un legame forza-spostamento nonlineare di tipo elasto-plastico incrudente a trazione ed elasto-plastico rammollente a compressione. Tale comportamento è governato dai parametri geometrici del dispositivo stesso che possono essere, pertanto, adattati alle specifiche esigenze progettuali. Quando utilizzato come controvento dissipativo in strutture a telaio di tipo “nota-moment-resisting” il dispositivo può essere dimensionato in modo che la struttura soddisfi in maniera ottimizzata una molteplicità di obiettivi prestazionali sismici nell’ottica di una progettazione di tipo PBSD. Tale possibilità è legata al peculiare comportamento del dispositivo che consente di disaccoppiare la rigidezza laterale della struttura dalla resistenza allo snervamento. L’obiettivo principale del lavoro è presentare i primi risultati di test sperimentali condotti su di un prototipo di telaio a due piani in scala 1:2 presso il laboratorio CIRI Edilizia & Costruzioni dell’Università di Bologna. La sperimentazione è stata condotta nell’ambito del progetto di ricerca TiRiSiCo (programma di ricerca Regionale POR-FESR 2014-2020 dell’Emila Romagna) finalizzato allo sviluppo di innovative tecnologie per l’adeguamento sismico di strutture esistenti. Più nel dettaglio, la memoria presenta dapprima una descrizione dettagliata del set-up sperimentale e della progettazione delle diverse configurazioni di prova, per poi fornire risultati preliminari delle prove sperimentali condotte. The present work provides the main results of an experimental campaign aimed at assessing the structural response of steel frame structures braced with so-called Crescent Shaped Braces (CSB) hysteretic devices. The CSB is a steel dissipative device having a kind of “boomerang” shape that connect two points of a structure (either two elements of the same floor, in a link-type configuration, or two different stories, in a brace-type configuration) The particular geometrical shape of the device is responsible of a specific non-linear behavior characterized by an elasto-plastic range followed by a final hardening, when subjected to traction, or by an elasto-plastic range followed by a slight softening, when subjected to compression. The insertion of ad-hoc designed CSB devices in not-moment resisting frames as diagonal braces allows to obtain an enhanced lateral resting system characterized by an optimized global force-displacement behavior capable of satisfying multiple seismic performance objectives. Such capabilities are due to the uncoupling between the lateral stiffness and yielding strength. The objective of the paper is to provide the preliminary experimental results of a series of tests conducted at the laboratory CIRI Buildings & Construction of the University of Bologna on a half scaled two-storey steel frame prototype structure incorporating diagonal CSB devises. The experimental tests are part of the research project TiRiSiCo (funded within the POR-FESR 2014-2020 program of Emilia Romagna Region) devoted to new technologies for the seismic upgrade of existing structures. More in detail the paper provides a description of the test set-up and the design of the different test configurations, as well as a brief presentation of the main experimental results.

Over the last century, livestock systems have undergone a progressive intensification process, which brought to light many environmental and agronomical issues, mainly related to manure management. An agroecological approach has also been advocated to develop more sustainable systems and ensure a balanced relationship between environmental, social and economic goals. The circular economy (CE) concept was placed next to that of agroecology, and its application to manure management was finalized to reduce the input and use of natural resources, increase sharing of energy and natural resources and reduce pollution. This review comprehensively reports the more interesting opportunities for European Cattle breeding, considering that its waste management plays an important role from the agroecological point of view. Many technologies based on biological and/or thermochemical processes are currently available and different studies on how to improve their efficiency are under way. The biorefinery concept concerns the lignocellulosic fraction exploitation for biofuels, by-products and biochar/hydrochar production. The enhancement of farm nutrient utilization could restore the balance between input and output. The knowledge of the fertilizing/amendment properties of the manure and its by-products could create a synergistic development at landscape scale considering other agricultural production (crops, orchards, vineyards, etc.). Some ecological services such as soil fertility, biological regulations, soil erosion and biological diversity provided by animal farming could be a product of the transition towards circular economy. By adopting an agroecological approach, the enhancement of the energetic, agronomic and biochemical exploitation of manure will be sustainable.

Water use efficiencies (WUEs) between 20% and 60% are commonly reported for single rice paddies. When larger spatial domains are considered, higher WUE than minimum values observed for individual fields are expected due to water reuse. This study investigates scale-effects on water balances and WUEs of four adjacent rice fields located in Northern Italy and characterized by different elevations (A ≅ B + C > D). Water balance terms for the paddies were quantified during the agricultural season 2015 through the integrated use of observational data and modelling procedures. Following a Darcy-based approach, percolation was distinguished from net seepage. Results showed net irrigation of about 2,700 and 2,050 mm for fields A and B, and around 640 and nearly 0 mm for C and D. WUE of A, B, C and D amounted, respectively, to 21, 28, 66 and >100%. Values for C and D were due to less permeable soils, to seepage fluxes providing extra water inputs and to the shallow groundwater level. When the group of paddies ACD was considered (B was not included since it was separated by a deep channel), net irrigation and WUE were found to reach 1,550 mm and 39%, confirming the important role of water reuses in paddy agro-ecosystems.

AMPA receptors (AMPARs) are tetrameric ligand-gated channels made up of combinations of GluA1-4 subunits encoded by GRIA1-4 genes. GluA2 has an especially important role because, following post-transcriptional editing at the Q607 site, it renders heteromultimeric AMPARs Ca2+-impermeable, with a linear relationship between current and trans-membrane voltage. Here, we report heterozygous de novo GRIA2 mutations in 28 unrelated patients with intellectual disability (ID) and neurodevelopmental abnormalities including autism spectrum disorder (ASD), Rett syndrome-like features, and seizures or developmental epileptic encephalopathy (DEE). In functional expression studies, mutations lead to a decrease in agonist-evoked current mediated by mutant subunits compared to wild-type channels. When GluA2 subunits are co-expressed with GluA1, most GRIA2 mutations cause a decreased current amplitude and some also affect voltage rectification. Our results show that de-novo variants in GRIA2 can cause neurodevelopmental disorders, complementing evidence that other genetic causes of ID, ASD and DEE also disrupt glutamatergic synaptic transmission. © 2019, The Author(s).

The non-linear response of in-plan asymmetric systems has been exten-sively studied since the 1980s. Nevertheless, most of the research effort has been devoted to the study of specific asymmetric buildings and, even though relevant progresses have been achieved in the understanding of the complex translational-to-torsional coupled response of such systems, a full knowledge of the seismic be-havior of planar asymmetric buildings is still not satisfactory. To provide results of more general validity, the authors developed a wide parametric study to obtain trends of the main response parameters such as maximum displacement and rota-tions developed by linear and non-linear one-storey asymmetric structures under earthquake ground motion. Based on a key-parameter of the system (the so-called “alpha” parameter, identified in previous research works by the authors) and on the results of the parametric study, a simplified method for the evaluation of the maximum corner side displacement response of one storey planar asymmetric sys-tem has been proposed by the authors leading to semi-analytical predictions of peak corner displacements expressed through 3D magnification surfaces. In this paper, a real industrial building, which collapsed during the 2012 Emilia Earth-quake due to a strong torsional response caused by the presence of a stiff eccentric wall, is analysed. Different building models are developed including the bare frame structure and the structure with the perimeter stiff wall plus other fictitious structural configurations obtained changing the position of the wall.

Background and aimsHuman colonoid cultures maintained under low-calcium (0.25 mM) conditions undergo differentiation spontaneously and, concomitantly, express a high level of tight junction proteins, but not desmosomal proteins. When calcium is included to a final concentration of 1.5 – 3.0 mM (provided either as a single agent or as a combination of calcium and minerals), there is little change in tight junction proteins but a strong up-regulation of desmosomal proteins and an increase in desmosome formation. The aim of this study was to assess functional consequences of the differences in calcium-mediated barrier protein expression.MethodsHuman colonoid-derived epithelial monolayers were interrogated in transwell culture under low- or high-calcium conditions. Ion permeability and monolayer integrity were assessed by measuring trans-epithelial electrical resistance (TEER) across the confluent monolayer. Colonoid cohesiveness was assessed in parallel.ResultsTEER values were high in the low-calcium environment and increased only modestly in response to calcium. In contrast, colonoid cohesiveness increased substantially with calcium supplementation. In both assays, the response to Aquamin was greater than the response to calcium alone. However, differences between interventions were small and only compared to the 0.25 mM calcium were they statistically significant. Consistent with these findings, occludin expression (a measure of tight junctions) was high at 0.25 mM calcium and did not increase with supplementation. Cadherin-17 and desmoglein-2 were weakly-expressed under low calcium conditions but increased with intervention.ConclusionsThese findings indicate that low ambient calcium levels are sufficient to support formation of a permeability barrier in the colonic epithelium. Higher calcium levels are necessary to promote tissue cohesion and enhance barrier function. These findings may help explain how an adequate daily intake of calcium contributes to colonic health by improving barrier function, even though there is little change in colonic histological features over a wide range of calcium intake levels.

In this paper we describe the application software (ASW) of the instrument control unit (ICU) of NISP, the Near-Infrared Spectro-Photometer of the Euclid mission. This software is based on a real-time operating system (RTEMS) and will interface with all the subunits of NISP, as well as the command and data management unit (CDMU) of the spacecraft for telecommand and housekeeping management.

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma is one of the leading causes of cancer-related deaths and, currently, surgery is the only curative treatment. Patients with borderline resectable pancreatic cancer (BRPC) can benefit from a multidisciplinary approach and R0 resection, and can achieve the same outcome as resectable patients treated with upfront surgery. However, the definition of BRPC changes according to different classifications with a heterogeneous distribution of patients, and it is thus difficult to compare clinical evidence. We performed a literature review to assess the most suitable classification of BRPC. Our review was conducted using the PubMed database. Only articles containing more than ten patients classified according to NCCN, MDACC or AHPBA/SSAT/SSO classifications were selected. A total of 16 studies were included in our analysis, and were grouped according to one of these three classifications. The total resection rate was 61.4%, with considerable differences between the groups (68.4% for NCCN, 54.9% for MDACC and 53.2% for AHPBA/SSO/SSAT). The total R0 resection rate was 90.1% (89.1% for NCCN, 92.5% for MDACC and 84% for AHPBA/SSO/SSAT). Of the three classifications, NCCN limits the use of confusing terms and uses restrictive criteria to define the most appropriate treatment for each subgroup. However, several reports have suggested that, even in the case of a limited disease, biological and clinical factors should be considered in order to classify patients as resectable. NCCN classification appears to be the classification that allows the highest percentage of patients with BRPC to achieve resection without reducing the R0 resection rate. The choice of therapy should not only be based on imaging results, but also on a wider clinical multidisciplinary evaluation.

Pancreatic metastases are rare

Background: Epithelial ovarian cancer has a poor prognosis, mostly due to its late diagnosis and the development of drug resistance after a first platinum-based regimen. The presence of a specific population of “cancer stem cells” could be responsible of the relapse of the tumor and the development of resistance to therapy. For this reason, it would be important to specifically target this subpopulation of tumor cells in order to increase the response to therapy. Method: We screened a chemical compound library assembled during the COST CM1106 action to search for compound classes active in targeting ovarian stem cells. We here report the results of the high-throughput screening assay in two ovarian cancer stem cells and the differentiated cells derived from them. Results and Conclusion: Interestingly, there were compounds active only on stem cells, only on differentiated cells, and compounds active on both cell populations. Even if these data need to be validated in ad hoc dose response cytotoxic experiments, the ongoing analysis of the compound structures will open up to mechanistic drug studies to select compounds able to improve the prognosis of ovarian cancer patients. © 2018 Bentham Science Publishers.

Undifferentiated embryonal sarcoma of the liver is a malignancy with poor prognosis observed more frequently in children between 6 and 10 years old and very rarely found in adults. We present a case of embryonal sarcoma of the liver in a 60-year-old woman without significant medical history who presented to our attention with constitutional symptoms. Preoperative assessments did not show alterations in blood chemistry or tumor markers. Imaging studies showed a huge mass lying in the right abdominal quadrants, strictly adherent to the liver. The tumor was partially cystic with a thickened wall, sporadic contrast enhancement, and solid component. The patient underwent excision of the mass with associated liver bisegmentectomy S5-S6. Postoperative course was uneventful. The definitive histological diagnosis revealed the presence of embryonal sarcoma of the liver. We describe the clinical, histopathological, and therapeutic options adopted in the multimodal treatment of this disease.

Detailed knowledge on the heat transfer mechanisms is crucial for the design of reliable and efficient rocket engines. Due to the high heat loads of the combustion chamber walls and the corrosive hot gases, film cooling is often applied supplementary or even as a primary cooling technique. Nevertheless, the dominating processes determining the film effectiveness under the conditions representative for rocket combustors are still not fully understood. In context of the national research program Transregio SFB/TRR-40, TEKAN and TARES, the Institute for Flight Propulsion (LFA) of the Technische Universitat Munchen (TUM) and Airbus Defence and Space carry out experimental and numerical investigations on heat transfer and film cooling techniques at application-relevant combustion pressures and temperatures. In this paper, results from film cooling experiments and numerical simulations with liquid and transcritical kerosene films in a water-cooled GOX/kerosene rocket combustion chamber are presented. The tests have been performed at two different combustion chamber pressures and with two different throat diameters to study the influence of Reynolds and Mach number. In the numerical investigations, a major issue has been the modeling of kerosene films in sub- and transcritical state. For the modeling Airbus Defence and Space’s in-house tool, Rocflam-II has been applied. The main goal of Rocflam-II is to provide a tool package for the simulation of a wide range of rocket combustion devices, validated against experimental data. This includes the modeling of propellant injection, atomization, mixing, combustion, wall heat transfer, film modeling as well as the conjugate heat transfer into the chamber wall and the cooling channels.

Endometrial carcinoma is the most common neoplasia of female genital tract. The prognosis of early stage disease (FIGO I and FIGO II) is excellent: recurrence after surgery is less than 15%, most of which are reported within 3 years after primary treatment. Herein we report a case of late rectal recurrence from FIGO Ib endometrial adenocarcinoma. Patient had also familiar and personal history of colonic adenocarcinoma and previous findings of microsatellite instability (MSI); molecular analysis evidenced heterozygotic somatic mutation in MLH1 gene. Twenty-eight years after hysterectomy and bilateral salpingoovariectomy, a rectal wall mass was detected during routine colonoscopy. Patients underwent CT scan, pelvic MRI, and rectal EUS with FNA: histopathological and immunohistochemical analysis revealed differentiated carcinoma cells of endometrial origin. No neoadjuvant treatment was planned and low rectal anterior resection with protective colostomy was performed; histology confirmed rectal lesion as metastasis from endometrial carcinoma. Recurrence of early stage endometrial carcinoma after a long period from primary surgery is possible. It is important to keep in mind this possibility in order to set a correct diagnostic and therapeutic algorithm, including preoperative immunohistochemical staining, and to plan a prolonged follow-up program.

An ideal direct imaging system entails a method to illuminate on command a single diffraction-limited region in a generally thick and turbid volume. The best approximation to this is the use of large-aperture lenses that focus light into a spot. This strategy fails for regions that are embedded deep into the sample, where diffraction and scattering prevail. Airy beams and Bessel beams are solutions of the Helmholtz Equation that are both non-diffracting and self-healing, features that make them naturally able to outdo the effects of distance into the volume but intrinsically do not allow resolution along the propagation axis. Here, we demonstrate diffraction-free self-healing three-dimensional monochromatic light spots able to penetrate deep into the volume of a sample, resist against deflection in turbid environments, and offer axial resolution comparable to that of Gaussian beams. The fields, formed from coherent mixtures of Bessel beams, manifest a more than ten-fold increase in their undistorted penetration, even in turbid milk solutions, compared to diffraction-limited beams. In a fluorescence imaging scheme, we find a ten-fold increase in image contrast compared to diffraction-limited illuminations, and a constant axial resolution even after four Rayleigh lengths. Results pave the way to new opportunities in three-dimensional microscopy.

Although addictive syndromes have been traditionally related to substance-use disorders, during the last few decades a novel addictive group, including the so-called “behavioral or no-drug addictions,” has been recognized and has attracted increasing attention for its relevant social impact. This group includes pathological gambling, compulsive shopping, TV/Internet/social network/videogame addictions, workaholism, sex and relationship addictions, orthorexia, and overtraining syndrome. Substance and behavioral addictions show similar phenomenological features, such as craving, dependence, tolerance, and abstinence, and perhaps they share a common possible pathophysiology. It is, however, controversial whether all or at least some of them should be considered real disorders or just normal, albeit extreme, behaviors. The aim of this article is to review current data on pharmacological treatment of behavioral addictions. As no specific and validated treatment algorithms are currently available, only an improved knowledge on their psychopathological, clinical, and neurobiological features may have relevant implications for more focused preventive and therapeutic strategies.

Background Steroid refractory acute graft- vs. -host-disease (GVHD) after hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) is highly morbid with limited treatment options. Murine studies show protection from GVHD with butyrate exposure but direct exposure of stem/progenitor cells to butyrate inhibits colonic stem cell proliferation. Methods Stool samples were collected weekly in a cohort of HCT recipients (n = 210) undergoing allogeneic transplant, and underwent 16S rRNA sequencing to determine the number and relative abundance of butyrogens. Dissociated primary human colonoid cell aggregates (200,000 per well) were plated onto collagen IV-coated transwells (0.4 µm pore size, 0.33 cm2, PET) in stem cell medium for 24 hours. From 24 hours onwards, the basal-lateral chamber was switched to differentiation medium; the apical chamber was Hanks Buffered Salt Solution (HBSS), HBSS with 10 mM butyrate sodium salt early (24 hours onwards) or late (72hours onwards). Trans-epithelial electrical resistance was measured daily. Results Retrospective chart review identified 27 recipients who developed acute GVHD of the gut, stratified to be either steroid refractory GVHD (failed to respond to 2 mg/kg of methylprednisolone) or responsive. The presence of butyrogens in the gut microbiome after the onset of severe acute GHVD of the gut associated with increased risk of steroid refractory GVHD (Figure 1; P < 0.05). Direct exposure of human colonic stem/progenitor cells to butyrate inhibits the development of trans-epithelial electrical resistance; exposure after differentiation had no inhibition of barrier formation (Figure 2; P < 0.05 by T-test). Conclusion Butyrogens may help prevent the development of acute GVHD of the gut, but once severe GVHD has developed may inhibit recovery due to the loss of crypt architecture exposing colonic stem cells to microbe-produced butyrate with impaired differentiation and cell replacement. Disclosures All Authors: No reported Disclosures.

Power transformers based on High Temperature Superconductors (HTS) technology are an appealing promise for several practical applications. The present designs still leave wide margins of possible improvement in terms of both layout optimisation and introduction of new technologies. In the framework of a technical-scientific cooperation among scientific and industrial subjects, a 10 kVA single-phase transformer was designed and manufactured, using copper for primary windings and BSCCO-2223 HTS tape for secondary windings. The layout has been optimized taking into account the particular characteristics of BSCCO tapes, in particular their AC losses, and the usual figures (stray flux, Joule and iron losses, weight and overall footprint) considered in transformers design. The prototype has then been realized and characterized, using general as well as specific tests. The performance of the device has been evaluated and compared with numerical calculation. In the paper, an overview of the device design and manufacturing will be presented, together with a critical comparison between computed and measured performance.

This paper describes an ongoing project, which, based on ancient archive material and scores, abounding in the music library of the Conservatorio di Musica di Napoli1, San Pietro a Majella, tries to bring to new life some interesting handwritten and printed musical material. The project aims at enhancing fruition of ancient scores, multiplying modalities and means to enjoy ancient music but, at the same time, it promotes some interesting musicological and even historical research. All these goals are performed by means of the use of multimedia tools, including web technology, mobiles, tablets, smart tags and similar. The project may offer tools and materials to be used in different directions, ranging from smart guides for music museums, to musical education and more general interactive music listening.