20 research outputs found

    Reduction and unfolding: the Kepler problem

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    In this paper we show, in a systematic way, how to relate the Kepler problem to the isotropic harmonic oscillator. Unlike previous approaches, our constructions are carried over in the Lagrangian formalism dealing with second order vector fields. We therefore provide a tangent bundle version of the Kustaahneimo-Stiefel map.Comment: latex2e, 28 pages; misprints correcte

    On Charge-3 Cyclic Monopoles

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    We determine the spectral curve of charge 3 BPS su(2) monopoles with C_3 cyclic symmetry. The symmetry means that the genus 4 spectral curve covers a (Toda) spectral curve of genus 2. A well adapted homology basis is presented enabling the theta functions and monopole data of the genus 4 curve to be given in terms of genus 2 data. The Richelot correspondence, a generalization of the arithmetic mean, is used to solve for this genus 2 curve. Results of other approaches are compared.Comment: 34 pages, 16 figures. Revision: Abstract added and a few small change

    On charge 3 cyclic monopoles

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    Monopoles are solutions of an SU(2) gauge theory in R3 satisfying a lower bound for energy and certain asymptotic conditions, which translate as topological properties encoded in their charge. Using methods from integrable systems, monopoles can be described in algebraic-geometric terms via their spectral curve, i.e. an algebraic curve, given as a polynomial P in two complex variables, satisfying certain constraints. In this thesis we focus on the Ercolani-Sinha formulation, where the coefficients of P have to satisfy the Ercolani-Sinha constraints, given as relations amongst periods. In this thesis a particular class of such monopoles is studied, namely charge 3 monopoles with a symmetry by C3, the cyclic group of order 3. This class of cyclic 3-monopoles is described by the genus 4 spectral curve X , subject to the Ercolani-Sinha constraints: the aim of the present work is to establish the existence of such monopoles, which translates into solving the Ercolani-Sinha constraints for X . Exploiting the symmetry of the system,we manage to recast the problem entirely in terms of a genus 2 hyperelliptic curve X, the (unbranched) quotient of X by C3 . A crucial step to this aim involves finding a basis forH1( X; Z), with particular symmetry properties according to a theorem of Fay. This gives a simple formfor the period matrix of X ; moreover, results by Fay and Accola are used to reduce the Ercolani-Sinha constraints to hyperelliptic ones on X. We solve these constraints onX numerically, by iteration using the tetrahedral monopole solution as starting point in the moduli space. We use the Arithmetic-GeometricMean method to find the periods onX: this method iswell understood for a genus 2 curve with real branchpoints; in this work we propose an extension to the situation where the branchpoints appear in complex conjugate pairs, which is the case for X. We are hence able to establish the existence of a curve of solutions corresponding to cyclic 3-monopoles.EThOS - Electronic Theses Online ServiceGBUnited Kingdo

    Epicardial adipose tissue and signs of metabolic syndrome in children

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    The aim of this study was to investigate the possible correlation between epicardial adipose tissue (EAT) thickness and predictive parameters for metabolic syndrome (MS) in overweight/obese prepubertal children

    Immunogenicity of polyethylene glycol based nanomedicines: mechanisms, clinical implications and systematic approach

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    PEGylation technique is currently considered the gold standard approach to provide a long and safe circulation of drugs. Although this is the accepted dogma, various clinical reports and animal studies show the occurrence of immunogenic responses against polyethylene glycol (PEG) after systemic injection. These side effects, associated with complement activation and/or anti-PEG antibody production, result in hypersensitivity reactions and lack of therapeutic efficacy of the drug during clinical protocols. Furthermore, different healthy patients show the presence of anti-PEG antibodies in their blood stream, even though they have not received PEGylated drugs. The aim of this review is to discuss the main mechanisms based on PEG immunogenicity and its clinical implications and report the most promising approaches to reduce these unexpected side effects

    Improved anti-breast cancer activity by doxorubicin-loaded super stealth liposomes†

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    <jats:p>PEGylated dendron phospholipids increase the anchoring effect of PEG to Dox-loaded liposomes, thus improving the pharmacokinetic profile and anti-cancer effect in breast cancer lung metastasis tumor-bearing mice.</jats:p&gt

    New Roles of NCX in Glial Cells: Activation of Microglia in Ischemia and Differentiation of Oligodendrocytes.

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    The initiation of microglial responses to the ischemic injury involves modifications of calcium homeostasis. Changes in [Ca2+]i levels have also been shown to influence the developmental processes that accompany the transition of human oligodendrocyte precursor cells (OPCs) into mature myelinating oligodendrocytes and are required for the initiation of myelination and remyelination processes. We investigated the regional and temporal changes of NCX1 protein in microglial cells of the peri-infarct and core regions after permanent middle cerebral artery occlusion (pMCAO). Interestingly, 3 and 7 days after pMCAO, NCX1 signal strongly increased in the round-shaped microglia invading the infarct core. Cultured microglial cells from the core displayed increased NCX1 expression as compared with contralateral cells and showed enhanced NCX activity in the reverse mode of operation. Similarly, NCX activity and NCX1 protein expression were significantly enhanced in BV2 microglia exposed to oxygen and glucose deprivation, whereas NCX2 and NCX3 were downregulated. Interestingly, in NCX1-silenced cells, [Ca2+]i increase induced by hypoxia was completely prevented. The upregulation of NCX1 expression and activity observed in microglia after pMCAO suggests a relevant role of NCX1 in modulating microglia functions in the postischemic brain. Next, we explored whether calcium signals mediated by NCX1, NCX2, or NCX3 play a role in oligodendrocyte maturation. Functional studies, as well as mRNA and protein expression analyses, revealed that NCX1 and NCX3, but not NCX2, were divergently modulated during OPC differentiation into oligodendrocyte. In fact, while NCX1 was downregulated, NCX3 was strongly upregulated during the oligodendrocyte development. Whereas the knocking down of the NCX3 isoform in OPCs prevented the upregulation of the myelin protein markers CNPase and MBP, its overexpression induced their upregulation. Furthermore, NCX3 knockout mice exhibited not only a reduced size of spinal cord but also a marked hypomyelination, as revealed by the decrease in MBP expression and by the accompanying increase in OPCs number. Our findings indicate that calcium signaling mediated by NCX3 plays a crucial role in oligodendrocyte maturation and myelin formation

    Thermoresponsive M1 macrophage-derived hybrid nanovesicles for improved in vivo tumor targeting

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    : Despite the efforts and advances done in the last few decades, cancer still remains one of the main leading causes of death worldwide. Nanomedicine and in particular extracellular vesicles are one of the most potent tools to improve the effectiveness of anticancer therapies. In these attempts, the aim of this work is to realize a hybrid nanosystem through the fusion between the M1 macrophages-derived extracellular vesicles (EVs-M1) and thermoresponsive liposomes, in order to obtain a drug delivery system able to exploit the intrinsic tumor targeting capability of immune cells reflected on EVs and thermoresponsiveness of synthetic nanovesicles. The obtained nanocarrier has been physicochemically characterized, and the hybridization process has been validated by cytofluorimetric analysis, while the thermoresponsiveness was in vitro confirmed through the use of a fluorescent probe. Tumor targeting features of hybrid nanovesicles were in vivo investigated on melanoma-induced mice model monitoring the accumulation in tumor site through live imaging and confirmed by cytofluorimetric analysis, showing higher targeting properties of hybrid nanosystem compared to both liposomes and native EVs. These promising results confirmed the ability of this nanosystem to combine the advantages of both nanotechnologies, also highlighting their potential use as effective and safe personalized anticancer nanomedicine
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