Experimental determination of the frequency and field dependence of Specific Loss Power in Magnetic Fluid Hyperthermia

Magnetic nanoparticles are promising systems for biomedical applications and in particular for Magnetic Fluid Hyperthermia, a promising therapy that utilizes the heat released by such systems to damage tumor cells. We present an experimental study of the physical properties that influences the capability of heat release, i.e. the Specific Loss Power, SLP, of three biocompatible ferrofluid samples having a magnetic core of maghemite with different core diameter d= 10.2, 14.6 and 19.7 nm. The SLP was measured as a function of frequency f and intensity of the applied alternating magnetic field H, and it turned out to depend on the core diameter, as expected. The results allowed us to highlight experimentally that the physical mechanism responsible for the heating is size-dependent and to establish, at applied constant frequency, the phenomenological functional relationship SLP=cH^x, with 2<x<3 for all samples. The x-value depends on sample size and field frequency/ intensity, here chosen in the typical range of operating magnetic hyperthermia devices. For the smallest sample, the effective relaxation time Teff=19.5 ns obtained from SLP data is in agreement with the value estimated from magnetization data, thus confirming the validity of the Linear Response Theory model for this system at properly chosen field intensity and frequency

Predictability of intense rain storms in the Central Mediterraneanbasin: sensitivity to upper-level forcing

International audienceThis study investigates the sensitivity of a moderate-intense storm that occurred over Calabria, southern Italy, to upper-tropospheric forcing from a Potential Vorticity (PV) perspective. A prominent mid-troposheric trough can be identified for this event, which occurred between 22?24 May 2002, and serves as the precursor agent for the moderate-intense precipitation recorded. The working hypothesis is that the uncertainty in the representation of the upper-level disturbance has a major impact on the precipitation forecast and we test the hypothesis in a two-step approach. First, we examine the degree of uncertainty by comparing five different scenarios in a Limited area model Ensemble Prediction System (LEPS) framework which utilizes the height of the dynamical tropopause as the discriminating variable. Pseudo water vapour images of different scenarios are compared to the corresponding METEOSAT 7 water vapour image at a specific time, antecedent to the rain occurrence over Calabria, in order to evaluate the reliability of the different precipitation scenarios simulated by the LEPS. Second, we examine the impact of upper tropospheric PV variations on precipitation by comparing model simulations with slightly different initial PV fields. Initial velocity and mass fields in each case are balanced with the chosen PV perturbation using a PV inversion technique. The results of this study support the working hypothesis

Detection of pollutant sources in the atmosphere with Lidar/Dial techniques: Results of an experimental campaign in the south of Italy

In the last years, surveying large regions of the atmosphere in an automatic way, for early detection of pollutant sources in urban and industrial areas, has become a strategic objective of various public health organizations. The Lidar/Dial technique has become a well-established laser remote sensing method for atmosphere monitoring. It is often used to probe almost any level of the atmosphere and to acquire information necessary to validate theoretical models about different topics of atmospheric physics. It can also be deployed for environment surveying by monitoring particles, aerosols and molecules. For these reasons, an experimental campaign for evaluating the performances of a Lidar/Dial system in detecting pollutants (particulate and/or chemical compounds) has been carried out in an industrial area in the south of Italy. In this work, a homemade Lidar/Dial system (developed and built by the authors) and the results of the experimental campaign will be presented and discussed. © 2014 AEIT

Paraneoplastic necrotizing myopathy associated with adenocarcinoma of the lung - a rare entity with atypical onset: a case report.

Introduction. Inflammatory myopathies (such as dermatomyositis and polymyositis) are well-recognized paraneoplastic syndromes. However, paraneoplastic necrotizing myopathy is a more recently defined clinical entity, characterized by rapidly progressive, symmetrical, predominantly proximal muscle weakness with severe disability, and associated with a marked increase in serum muscle enzyme levels. Paraneoplastic necrotizing myopathy requires muscle biopsy for diagnosis, which typically shows massive necrosis of muscle fibers with limited or absent inflammatory infiltrates. Case presentation. We report the case of an 82-year-old Italian-born Caucasian man who was admitted to hospital because of heart failure and two drop attacks. Over the following days, he developed progressive severe weakness, dysphagia, and dysphonia. Testing showed increasing serum muscle enzyme levels. Electromyography showed irritative myopathy of the proximal muscles and sensorimotor polyneuropathy. Muscle biopsy (left vastus lateralis) showed massive necrosis of muscle fibers with negligible inflammatory infiltrates, complement membrane attack complex deposition on endomysial capillaries, and moderate upregulation of major histocompatibility complex-I. Computed tomography of the thorax showed a nodular mass in the apex of the right lung. The patient was diagnosed with paraneoplastic necrotizing myopathy. In spite of high-dose corticoid therapy, he died 1 month later because of his aggressive cancer. Subsequent electron microscopic examination of a muscle biopsy specimen showed thickened walls and typical pipestem changes of the endomysial capillaries, with swollen endothelial cells. Poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma of the lung was confirmed on post-mortem histological examination. Conclusions: Paraneoplastic necrotizing myopathy is a rare syndrome with outcomes ranging from fast progression to complete recovery. Treatment with corticosteroids is often ineffective, and prognosis depends mainly on the characteristics of the underlying cancer. This case shows that paraneoplastic necrotizing myopathy may have an atypical appearance, and should be considered in elderly patients with neoplastic disease. In this case, the diagnosis was delayed by the unusual clinical picture that suggested heart disease rather than muscle disease

Procedures of sensors deployment methodology on physical supports/platforms

The aim of task 2.3 is to define specific platform characteristics and identify deployment difficulties in order to determine the adequacy of sensors within specific platforms. In order to obtain the necessary information, two online questionnaires were realized. One questionnaire was created for sensor developers and one for those partners that will test the sensors at sea. The seven developers in COMMON SENSE have provided information on seven sensors: two for underwater noise – CEFAS and IOPAN; two for microplastics – IDRONAUT and LEITAT; one for an innovative piro and piezo resistive polymeric temperature and pressure – CSIC; one for heavy metal – CSIC; one for eutrophication sensor – DCU. Outside the scope of the questionnaire, FTM has proposed three sensors of which two for oil spill and one for heavy metals, realized in the framework of a previous EU project but that can be improved and tested with several platforms. This information is anyway incomplete because in most cases for the novel sensors which will be developed over the course of COMMON SENSE, the sensors cannot be clearly designed yet as the project only started a few months ago - and, consequently, technical characteristics cannot actually be perfectly defined. This produces some lag in the acquired information that will be solved in the near future. In the other questionnaire, partners-testers have provided information on eleven platforms. Outside the questionnaire, IOPAN has described two more platforms, one of which is a motorboat not previously listed in the DoW, and they have informed us that the oceanographic buoy in Gdansk Bay is not actually available. This is valid also for platforms from other partners where there were only preliminary contacts like for example for Aqualog and OBSEA Underwater observatory. In the following months, new information will be provided and questionnaires information updated. Then important characteristics have to be considered such as maintenance, energy autonomy, data transfer/storage and dimension of the sensors that are actually missing. Further updates of this report are therefore necessary in order to individuate the most suitable platforms to test each kind of sensor and then used at the end of 2014 when WP9 (Testing activities) will start. Objectives and rationale The objective of deliverable 2.2 is the definition of the characteristics and procedures of sensors deployment methodology on physical supports/platforms, possible needs and characteristics of the available platform. This is preparatory for the activities in other WPs and tasks: - for task 2.2 (New generation technologies), that will provide cost-effective sensors for large scale production through Deliverable 2.1 [month 10]; - for task 2.5 (Monitoring strategy) where sensitivity and stress tests of new sensors will be designed in order to establish confidence limits under different situations and certify the performance of the new instruments [Deliverable 2.5 at month 16]. - for WP9 (Field testing) starting at month 12 (October 2014) when the deployment of new sensors will be drawn and then realized

Measurement of the cross-section and charge asymmetry of WW bosons produced in proton-proton collisions at s=8\sqrt{s}=8 TeV with the ATLAS detector

This paper presents measurements of the $W^+ \rightarrow \mu^+\nu$ and $W^- \rightarrow \mu^-\nu$ cross-sections and the associated charge asymmetry as a function of the absolute pseudorapidity of the decay muon. The data were collected in proton--proton collisions at a centre-of-mass energy of 8 TeV with the ATLAS experiment at the LHC and correspond to a total integrated luminosity of 20.2~\mbox{fb^{-1}}. The precision of the cross-section measurements varies between 0.8% to 1.5% as a function of the pseudorapidity, excluding the 1.9% uncertainty on the integrated luminosity. The charge asymmetry is measured with an uncertainty between 0.002 and 0.003. The results are compared with predictions based on next-to-next-to-leading-order calculations with various parton distribution functions and have the sensitivity to discriminate between them.Comment: 38 pages in total, author list starting page 22, 5 figures, 4 tables, submitted to EPJC. All figures including auxiliary figures are available at https://atlas.web.cern.ch/Atlas/GROUPS/PHYSICS/PAPERS/STDM-2017-13

Targeted knock-down of miR21 primary transcripts using snoMEN vectors induces apoptosis in human cancer cell lines

We have previously reported an antisense technology, 'snoMEN vectors', for targeted knock-down of protein coding mRNAs using human snoRNAs manipulated to contain short regions of sequence complementarity with the mRNA target. Here we characterise the use of snoMEN vectors to target the knock-down of micro RNA primary transcripts. We document the specific knock-down of miR21 in HeLa cells using plasmid vectors expressing miR21-targeted snoMEN RNAs and show this induces apoptosis. Knock-down is dependent on the presence of complementary sequences in the snoMEN vector and the induction of apoptosis can be suppressed by over-expression of miR21. Furthermore, we have also developed lentiviral vectors for delivery of snoMEN RNAs and show this increases the efficiency of vector transduction in many human cell lines that are difficult to transfect with plasmid vectors. Transduction of lentiviral vectors expressing snoMEN targeted to pri-miR21 induces apoptosis in human lung adenocarcinoma cells, which express high levels of miR21, but not in human primary cells. We show that snoMEN-mediated suppression of miRNA expression is prevented by siRNA knock-down of Ago2, but not by knock-down of Ago1 or Upf1. snoMEN RNAs colocalise with Ago2 in cell nuclei and nucleoli and can be co-immunoprecipitated from nuclear extracts by antibodies specific for Ago2

Review of existing and operable observing systems and sensors

Deliverable 1.4 is aimed at identification of existing and operable observing systems and sensors which are relevant to COMMON SENSE objectives. Report aggregates information on existing observing initiatives, programmes, systems, platforms and sensors. The Report includes: • inventory of previous and current EU funded projects. Some of the them, even if started before 2007, were aimed at activities which are relevant or in line with those stemming from MSFD in 2008. The ‘granulation’ of the contents and objectives of the projects varies from sensors development through observation methodologies to monitoring strategies, • inventory of research infrastructure in Europe. It starts from an attempt to define of Marine Research Infrastructure, as there is not a single definition of Research Infrastructure (RI) or of Marine Research Infrastructure (MRI), and there are different ways to categorise them. The chapter gives the categorization of the MRI, together with detailed description and examples of MRI – research platforms, marine data systems, research sites and laboratories with respect of four MSFD descriptors relevant to COMMON SENSE project, • two chapters on Research Programs and Infrastructure Networks; the pan-European initiatives aimed at cooperation and efficient use of infrastructural resources for marine observation and monitoring and data exchange are analysed. The detailed description of observing sensors and system are presented as well as frameworks for cooperation, • information on platforms (research vessels) available to the Project for testing developed sensors and systems. Platforms are available and operating in all three regions of interest to the project (Mediterranean, North Sea, Baltic), • annexed detailed description of two world-wide observation networks and systems. These systems are excellent examples of added value offered by integrated systems of ocean observation (from data to knowledge) and how they work in practice. Report concludes that it is seen a shortage of new classes of sensors to fulfil the emerging monitoring needs. Sensors proposed to be developed by COMMON SENSE project shall answer to the needs stemmed from introduction of MSFD and GES descriptors

Search for squarks and gluinos with the ATLAS detector in final states with jets and missing transverse momentum using √s=8 TeV proton-proton collision data

A search for squarks and gluinos in final states containing high-p T jets, missing transverse momentum and no electrons or muons is presented. The data were recorded in 2012 by the ATLAS experiment in s√=8 TeV proton-proton collisions at the Large Hadron Collider, with a total integrated luminosity of 20.3 fb−1. Results are interpreted in a variety of simplified and specific supersymmetry-breaking models assuming that R-parity is conserved and that the lightest neutralino is the lightest supersymmetric particle. An exclusion limit at the 95% confidence level on the mass of the gluino is set at 1330 GeV for a simplified model incorporating only a gluino and the lightest neutralino. For a simplified model involving the strong production of first- and second-generation squarks, squark masses below 850 GeV (440 GeV) are excluded for a massless lightest neutralino, assuming mass degenerate (single light-flavour) squarks. In mSUGRA/CMSSM models with tan β = 30, A 0 = −2m 0 and μ > 0, squarks and gluinos of equal mass are excluded for masses below 1700 GeV. Additional limits are set for non-universal Higgs mass models with gaugino mediation and for simplified models involving the pair production of gluinos, each decaying to a top squark and a top quark, with the top squark decaying to a charm quark and a neutralino. These limits extend the region of supersymmetric parameter space excluded by previous searches with the ATLAS detector

Measurement of the production of a W boson in association with a charm quark in pp collisions at √s = 7 TeV with the ATLAS detector

The production of a W boson in association with a single charm quark is studied using 4.6 fb−1 of pp collision data at s√ = 7 TeV collected with the ATLAS detector at the Large Hadron Collider. In events in which a W boson decays to an electron or muon, the charm quark is tagged either by its semileptonic decay to a muon or by the presence of a charmed meson. The integrated and differential cross sections as a function of the pseudorapidity of the lepton from the W-boson decay are measured. Results are compared to the predictions of next-to-leading-order QCD calculations obtained from various parton distribution function parameterisations. The ratio of the strange-to-down sea-quark distributions is determined to be 0.96+0.26−0.30 at Q 2 = 1.9 GeV2, which supports the hypothesis of an SU(3)-symmetric composition of the light-quark sea. Additionally, the cross-section ratio σ(W + +c¯¯)/σ(W − + c) is compared to the predictions obtained using parton distribution function parameterisations with different assumptions about the s−s¯¯¯ quark asymmetry