Spring diet of the pine marten in Sardinia, Italy

Alimentación primaveral de la marta en Cerdeña, ItaliaEl conocimiento del comportamiento de alimentación de un carnívoro es esencial para entender su ecología. La marta Martes martes se define comúnmente como un depredador generalista oportunista, porque su dieta en Europa incluye mamíferos, frutas, aves y invertebrados. A partir del análisis de las heces, hemos descrito los hábitos alimenticios en primavera y la amplitud del nicho trófico de la marta en ambiente mediterráneo en Cerdeña (Italia central). Los pequeños mamíferos (sobre todo Apodemus sylvaticus, Mus musculus y Eliomys quercinus) representan la fuente más importante de alimentación de la marta, ya que constituyen aproximadamente el 52% del volumen medio. Otra fuente importante de alimentos secundarios la constituyen los invertebrados (especialmente escarabajos y larvas de insectos) y las aves (paseriformes casi exclusivamente), mientras que los grandes mamíferos, los lagomorfos, los reptiles y las frutas están poco representados en la dieta. La composición de la dieta y el valor del índice de Levins indican que la marta en Cerdeña es un depredador especialista facultativo, con una especialización en la depredación de los micromamíferos.Knowledge of a carnivore’s foraging behaviour is essential to understand its ecology. The pine marten Martes martes is commonly defined as an opportunistic generalist predator since its diet in Europe includes mammals, fruits, birds and invertebrates. Based on faecal analyses, we evaluated spring feeding habits and trophic niche breadth of the pine marten in a Mediterranean landscape on the island of Sardinia (Central Italy). The most important source of food for the pine marten was small mammals (mainly Apodemus sylvaticus, Mus musculus and Eliomys quercinus), accounting for 52% of the percent mean volume. Important secondary foods were invertebrates (mainly beetles and insect larvae) and birds (almost exclusively passerines), whereas large mammals, lagomorphs, reptiles and fruits made little contribution to the diet. The diet composition and the Levins’ index value suggest that the pine marten in Sardinia behaves as a facultative specialist predator, with a specialization towards small mammals.Alimentación primaveral de la marta en Cerdeña, ItaliaEl conocimiento del comportamiento de alimentación de un carnívoro es esencial para entender su ecología. La marta Martes martes se define comúnmente como un depredador generalista oportunista, porque su dieta en Europa incluye mamíferos, frutas, aves y invertebrados. A partir del análisis de las heces, hemos descrito los hábitos alimenticios en primavera y la amplitud del nicho trófico de la marta en ambiente mediterráneo en Cerdeña (Italia central). Los pequeños mamíferos (sobre todo Apodemus sylvaticus, Mus musculus y Eliomys quercinus) representan la fuente más importante de alimentación de la marta, ya que constituyen aproximadamente el 52% del volumen medio. Otra fuente importante de alimentos secundarios la constituyen los invertebrados (especialmente escarabajos y larvas de insectos) y las aves (paseriformes casi exclusivamente), mientras que los grandes mamíferos, los lagomorfos, los reptiles y las frutas están poco representados en la dieta. La composición de la dieta y el valor del índice de Levins indican que la marta en Cerdeña es un depredador especialista facultativo, con una especialización en la depredación de los micromamíferos

Bronchoscopic techniques in the management of patients with tuberculosis

Tuberculosis (TB) is one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Early diagnosis and treatment are key to prevent Mycobacterium tuberculosis transmission. Bronchoscopy can play a primary role in pulmonary TB diagnosis, particularly for suspected patients with scarce sputum or sputum smear negativity, and with endobronchial disease. Bronchoscopic needle aspiration techniques are accurate and safe means adopted to investigate hilar and mediastinal lymph nodes in cases of suspected TB lymphadenopathy. Tracheobronchial stenosis represents the worst complication of endobronchial tuberculosis. Bronchoscopic procedures are less invasive therapeutic strategies than conventional surgery to be adopted in the management of TB-related stenosis. We conducted a non-systematic review aimed at describing the scientific literature on the role of bronchoscopic techniques in the diagnosis and therapy of patients with TB. We focused on three main areas of interventions: bronchoscopic diagnosis of smear negative/sputum scarce TB patients, endobronchial TB diagnosis and treatment and needle aspiration techniques for intrathoracic TB lymphadenopathy. We described experiences on bronchoalveolar lavage, bronchial washing, and biopsy techniques for the diagnosis of patients with tracheobronchial and pulmonary TB; furthermore, we described the role played by conventional and ultrasound-guided transbronchial needle aspiration in the diagnosis of suspected hilar and mediastinal TB adenopathy. Finally, we assessed the role of the bronchoscopic therapy in the treatment of endobronchial TB and its complications, focusing on dilation techniques (such as balloon dilation and airway stenting) and ablative procedures (both heat and cold therapies)

Modulation of Fatty Acids and Interleukin-6 in Glioma Cells by South American Tea Extracts and their Phenolic Compounds

[EN] Dietary phenolic compounds are plant metabolites with beneficial effects on the central nervous system. Thus, our aim was to identify anti-inflammatory compounds from South American plants on glia, which regulates neuro-immune response. The compounds were extracted from Lantana grisebachii (LG), Aspidosperma quebracho-blanco (AQB), and Ilex paraguariensis (IP) teas and identified by HPLC-DAD-MS. Extracts (0–200 mg/ml) were tested on human T98-G and rat C6 glioma lines. Cellular viability (by the resazurin assay), fatty acid profile (by gas chromatography) and proinflammatory interleukin-6 release (IL-6 by ELISA) were determined. Data were analyzed by partial least-square regression to discriminate bioactive compounds. Twenty-one compounds were determined in LG, mainly iridoids, which were linked to v-3 and v-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids, but not to IL-6 release. Thirty-one compounds were found in AQB, mostly hydroxybenzoic derivatives, which were positively related to IL-6 release. Twenty-three compounds were identified in IP, including caffeoylquinic derivatives and mainly chlorogenic acid. They increased the v-7 palmitoleic fatty acid, which was related to IL-6 decrease. These results enhances phytochemical knowledge of widely available plants, and suggest the lipid-related anti-inflammatory activity of IP phenolic compounds, which give nutritional relevance to the tea

Demonstration of a partially integrated silicon photonics ONU in a self-coherent reflective FDMA PON

We report about the final results of the FABULOUS European project, demonstrating the feasibility of real-time Ethernet transmission on a self-coherent reflective passive optical network, using an optical network unit (ONU) whose main optical functions are performed by a silicon-photonics device; 500 Mbps per user with a power budget of 24 dB in offline processing and 21 dB in real time is shown. We also report details about the packaging process and the special technique developed for the flip-chipping of a CMOS electrical driver, used for driving the ONU with low voltage, onto a silicon Mach-Zehnder modulator

Study of the chloridratic ticlopidina's effects on macular microcirculation in diabetic patientes

The Authors evaluated the effects of the Ticlopidina cloridrato on diabetic background retinopaty by Fluorescein Angiographic and the retinal blood flow by Bleu Fiel

Retinal blood flow in senile macular degeneration. A Blue Field study [STUDIO DEL MICROCIRCOLO RETINICO CON LA TECNICA DEL BLUE FIELD IN PAZIENTI AFFETTI DA DEGENERAZIONE MACULARE SENILE]

The technique of the "Blue Field" simulation is based on an endo-optic phenomenon obtained by means of gazing a dark-blue and uniform light, of a 430 nanometers wave lenght. This phenomenon is due to the presence, in the retinal capillaries of 7-10 micrometers diameter, of red blood cells with some leucocytes among them, while the red blood cells do not allow the light to reach the retinal photoreceptors, the leucocytes are crossed by it, so being perceived as shining bodies.In order to obtain that, the patient is request to compare and balance the number of the perceived leucocytes,their velocity and rythm, by means of simulating with the help of a computer the presence of the leucocytes in a video display. This procedure is repeated five times.The Authors report the results obtained by using this technique in a group of 10 patients suffering from senile macular degeneration in prediskiform stage.In this way we pointed out that the circulation in the macular retinal capillaries in this patients is changed, in relation to the alterations of the visus from near

El filósofo legislador. Inactualidad del "nosotros" nietzscheano en la Genealogía de la moral

This work lies within the post-nietzschean theme regarding the question of �community�. �We are unknown to ourselves, we men of knowledge �and with good reason. We have never sought ourselves.� In this excerpt from the beginning of On the Genealogy of Morals are ciphered the gnoseo-epistemic problem of knowledge and truth (the problem of �knowing�), as well as the ethico-political problem of the organization of the community (the problem of �we�), and the logico-linguistic problem of the nomination of phenomena (the problem of �searching�). The problem of knowing, of knowing ourselves and the unknown is inseparable from the problem of the actual modes adopted by the search, and from the power relations expressed in languages. Once this map is drawn, we will sustain that Nietzsche�s �polemical work� is not only a genealogy of morals, but also a genealogy of truth and a genealogy of the subject

Valutazione critica degli esami fluoroangiografici eseguiti in due anni.

Gli AA valutano retrospettivamente gli esami fluoroangiografici effettuati in un periodo di 2 anni, sono valutate le indicazioni alla base della richiesta dell' approfondimento diagnostico fluoroangiografico in relazione alle complicanze delle varie patologie oculari; inoltre sono descritti possibili effetti secondari.The authors report a critical evaluation of two years of fluorescein angiograms, underling situations of limitation and over-utilization of angiographic service. Key words: Fluorescein angiography, indications, ophthalmoscopy, macular diseases, diabetic retinopathy, retinal vascular diseases, choroidal tumors, optic disk diseases

A 5mW CMOS wideband mm-wave front-end featuring 17dB of conversion gain and 6.5 dB minimum NF

The low quality factor of passive components at mm-wave limits the impedance magnitude of resonators and leads to poor current to voltage conversion in amplifiers. To achieve significant LNA gain at mm-wave, multiple stages are required with the consequence of large power dissipation. Delaying the current to voltage conversion at intermediate frequency while processing the mm-wave signal in current domain is pursued in this work. LNA and mixer are merged in a single stage and show an overall front-end noise figure comparable to state of the art CMOS stand-alone LNAs. In view of integration of large phased arrays for wireless data transfers at Gbit/s, the solution offers the key advantage of an extremely low power consumption together with a very low occupied area. Test chips realized in 65nm CMOS, show the following performances: 48GHz to 62GHz input frequency range, conversion gain of 17dB and minimum noise figure of 6.5dB when translating the signal to an intermediate frequency of 18.5GHz. Power dissipation and die area are 5mW and 320 x 170 m2 only. Normalizing performances by means of the usually adopted figure of merit for LNAs, the proposed front-end outperforms all recently published CMOS LNAs while providing both amplification and frequency translation