Upper limits to surface force disturbances on LISA proof masses and the possibility of observing galactic binaries

We report on the measurement of parasitic surface force noise on a hollow replica of a LISA (Laser Interferometer Space Antenna for the observation of gravitational waves) proof mass surrounded by a faithful representation of its in flight surroundings, namely the capacitive sensor used to detect proof-mass motion. Parasitic forces are detected through the corresponding torque exerted on the proof mass and measured with a torsion pendulum in the frequency range 0.1 30 mHz. The sensor electrodes, electrode housing and associated readout electronics have the same nominal design as for the flight hardware, including 4 mm gaps around the proof mass along the sensitive laser interferometry axis. We show that the measured upper limit for surface forces would allow detection of a number of galactic binaries signals with signal to noise ratio up to approximately 40 for 1 year integration. We also discuss how the flight test under development, LISA Pathfinder, will substantially improve this limit, approaching the performance required for LISA.Comment: 3 Figures. Submitted to Physical Review Letter

Creatività ed esaurimento professionale nelle organizzazioni. Un’indagine esplorativa interculturale

Negli ultimi decenni, l’attenzione delle organizzazioni verso la creatività ha subito un notevole incremento. Questo accade perché l’organizzazione, per poter sopravvivere, deve continuamente adeguarsi alle richieste della realtà esterna, una realtà in continuo cambiamento. Il cambiamento obbliga le organizzazioni a rivedere la propria identità in modo dinamico e a costruire nuovi modelli basati su flessibilità e creatività

\u3ci\u3eFuitina\u3c/i\u3e: Love, Sex, and Rape in Modern Italy, 1945–Present

The term fuitina in Sicilian dialect is a word used to describe a form of abduction, and is a variation of the more formal Italian term fuga, meaning a flight or escape. Fuitina, was essentially a sanctioned bride theft. Often, after the abduction of a woman, the abductor would seek a reparatory or rehabilitating marriage that would restore the woman’s “honor” and absolve the man of bride theft. Until 1981, the Italian legal system supported the practice of fuitina and rarely prosecuted men who kidnapped and raped women under the guise of this tradition. The practice of fuitina and the laws that enabled it, seem antiquated and brutal by today’s standards, but an investigation into the practice reveals a very nuanced custom. This dissertation explores the interplay between two types of fuitina, nonconsensual and consensual. Furthermore, the custom of fuitina creates a framework through which to analyze the history, law, and cultural evolution of women’s rights and emancipation in Italy. By examining the various manifestations of fuitina, this work positions the tradition as an evolving practice situated at the intersection of gender violence and sexual autonomy. Fuitina is a lens to examine the evolution of sex, gender, and female bodily rights in the post-fascist era, 1945 to the present, by examining a complicated process of national transformation that impacted the law, popular morality, and everyday attitudes regarding sex and gender norms. After the Second World War, life in Italy underwent massive transformation. This dissertation uses the island of Sicily as a case study to explore fuitina and considers its complexities and evolution in both perception and practice. This study tracks how the practice changed over time to accommodate new laws, cultural norms, economic structures, and the rise of a new feminist consciousness in the 1970s. Ultimately, this dissertation argues that fuitina is more than just an expression of patriarchal authority; it can also be utilized by individuals as a form of resistance against traditional social norms and hierarchies. This project demonstrates that there is no single definition of fuitina and complicates popular representations of the practice as an archaic and oppressive tradition often associated with southern Italy, in particular the island of Sicily. Overall this dissertation demonstrates that though on the one hand, fuitina is a manifestation of a violent and oppressive patriarchal system, it can also be used by individuals for claiming sexual autonomy. In some cases, it gives individuals agency over their own private lives and has contributed to the democratization of marriage and sexual relations in Italy in the post-fascist era

Seroprevalence of and risk factors for Leishmania seropositivity in a sample population of Western Sicily (Italy)

Background: Leishmania is a vector-borne parasite responsible for significant morbidity and mortality worldwide. The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence of and risk factors for Leishmania infantum seropositivity in a sample of Sicilian population.Methods: A total of 260 subjects were interviewed using a standardized questionnaire and requested for an venous blood sample.Results: Overall, 36 subjects (13.8%) were seropositive against L. infantum with a statistically significant higher prevalence of positivity in older subjects (p=0.04). After adjustment for age, a higher risk for Leishmania seropositivity was found in subjects who had pets living outdoors and untreated with anti-pests, and in those who were current smokers (adj-OR = 2.95 and adj-OR = 3.11, respectively; p < 0.05).Conclusions: Our data confirm that Leishmania infections among Sicilian citizens can be considered relatively frequent, suggesting that a percentage of Leishmania seropositivity can be probably attributed to exposure to both old and new risk factors

STILBENE ST18 AND TERFENYL TR4: IN VITRO ACTIVITY AGAINST TRYPANOSOMA CRUZI

Chagas disease is caused by the parasite Trypanosoma cruzi, which is transmitted to animals and people by insect vectors that are found only in the Americas. Chagas disease and Leishmaniasis are life-threatening illnesses caused by the protozoan parasites Leishmania spp. and Trypanosoma cruzi, respectively. They are known as “neglected diseases” due to the lack of effective drug treatments and the scarcity of research work devoted to them. Therefore, the development of novel and effective drugs is an important and urgent need. Natural products are an important source of bioactive molecules for the development of new drugs. Recently, studies showed an interesting cytotoxic action of Stilbene ST18 and the Terphenyl TR4 compounds in Leishmania. In this study, we evaluated the in vitro trypanocidal activity of ST18 and TR4 and Nifurtimox, drug used for the treatment of Chagas disease. In addition, we evaluated the compounds action in infected macrophages with Trypanosoma cruzi. Results showed that three compounds exhibited significant activity against Trypanosoma compared to Nifurtimox. ST18 and TR4 compounds inhibited Trypanosoma growth with IC50 values of 4.5 and 32 μM, respectively. The treatment of infected macrophages with trypanosomes with the IC90 compounds showed a reduction of infection compared to control: ST18 reduced the infected cells to 52 %, TR4 reduced the infected cells to 63%. In conclusion, these news compounds could be considered as promising lead drugs for the development of new therapies for the treatment of Chagas disease

Un destino di marginalizzazione. Il ruolo delle politiche urbane nell’abbandono del centro storico di Leonforte

The town of Leonforte was founded in the XVII century, when the Branciforti family obtained a licentia pupulandi for Tavi’s feudal territory. An ambitious urban plan based on a regular layout was developed along the tableland surrounding the north-western side of the Mount Cernigliere. Due to the narrowness of the plateau, the town progressively grew along in the opposite direction to its original centre, condemning the old district to an inexorable destine of peripheral condition.Following modern living standards and in response to the citizens’ new requirements, starting from the Seventies, the historical centre experienced an ever-increasing process of abandonment. In the past, the building density and the street pattern favoured the development of retailing, housing and street activities. Currently, the older area lacks even the basic public services and it is almost depopulated. The decline of the historic core of the town has already resulted in a progressive disuse and disrepair of buildings and public space, thus threatening the whole urban heritage.Nowadays Leonforte displays the antithetical phenomena of the abandonment of a significant part of the historical centre and the increasing urban sprawl in the suburban periphery. It is an interesting case-study in order to understand the role of urban policies and the responsibility of local authorities for tackling the effects of population decline and urban decay of a town’s historic core. Un destino di marginalizzazione. Il ruolo delle politiche urbane nell’abbandono del centro storico di LeonforteLeonforte fu fondata nel XVII secolo, quando la famiglia Branciforti ottenne una licentia pupulandi per il feudo di Tavi. Un ambizioso piano urbanistico basato su una maglia ortogonale venne sviluppato lungo l'altopiano che circonda il lato nord-occidentale del Monte Cernigliere. A causa delle ristrette dimensioni dell'altopiano, la città si è sviluppata nella direzione opposta al centro originario, condannando la zona storica a un inesorabile destino di periferizzazione.In accordo con i moderni standard di vita e in risposta alle nuove esigenze dei cittadini, a partire dagli anni 70, il centro storico ha sperimentato un crescente processo di abbandono. In passato, la densità dell'edificato e l’assetto stradale favorivano lo sviluppo della vendita al dettaglio, della residenza e delle attività di strada. Attualmente, la zona più antica è priva dei servizi pubblici di base ed è quasi completamente spopolata. Il declino del nucleo storico della città ha già portato al progressivo deterioramento di molti edifici e spazi pubblici, mettendo a rischio l'intero patrimonio urbano.Oggi Leonforte presenta i fenomeni antitetici dell'abbandono di una parte significativa del centro storico e della crescente dispersione urbana nelle zone periferiche e rappresenta un caso studio interessante per comprendere il ruolo delle politiche urbane e la responsabilità delle autorità locali nell’affrontare gli effetti della flessione demografica e il grave declino del centro storico di una città. Leonforte fu fondata nel XVII secolo, quando la famiglia Branciforti ottenne una licentia pupulandi per il feudo di Tavi. Un ambizioso piano urbanistico basato su una maglia ortogonale venne sviluppato lungo l'altopiano che circonda il lato nord-occidentale del Monte Cernigliere. A causa delle ristrette dimensioni dell'altopiano, la città si è sviluppata nella direzione opposta al centro originario, condannando la zona storica a un inesorabile destino di periferizzazione.In accordo con i moderni standard di vita e in risposta alle nuove esigenze dei cittadini, a partire dagli anni Settanta, il centro storico ha sperimentato un crescente processo di abbandono. In passato, la densità dell'edificato e l’assetto stradale favorivano lo sviluppo della vendita al dettaglio, della residenza e delle attività di strada. Attualmente, la zona più antica è priva dei servizi pubblici di base ed è quasi completamente spopolata. Il declino del nucleo storico della città ha già portato al progressivo deterioramento di molti edifici e spazi pubblici, mettendo a rischio l'intero patrimonio urbano.Oggi Leonforte presenta i fenomeni antitetici dell'abbandono di una parte significativa del centro storico e della crescente dispersione urbana nelle zone periferiche e rappresenta un caso studio interessante per comprendere il ruolo delle politiche urbane e la responsabilità delle autorità locali nell’affrontare gli effetti della flessione demografica e il grave declino del centro storico di una città. Destiny of Marginalization. The Role of Urban Policies in the Abandonment of the Historical Centre of LeonforteThe town of Leonforte was founded in the XVII century, when the Branciforti family obtained a licentia pupulandi for Tavi’s feudal territory. An ambitious urban plan based on a regular layout was developed along the tableland surrounding the north-western side of the Mount Cernigliere. Due to the narrowness of the plateau, the town progressively grew along in the opposite direction to its original centre, condemning the old district to an inexorable destine of peripheral condition.Following modern living standards and in response to the citizens’ new requirements, starting from the Seventies, the historical centre experienced an ever-increasing process of abandonment. In the past, the building density and the street pattern favoured the development of retailing, housing and street activities. Currently, the older area lacks even the basic public services and it is almost depopulated. The decline of the historic core of the town has already resulted in a progressive disuse and disrepair of buildings and public space, thus threatening the whole urban heritage.Nowadays Leonforte displays the antithetical phenomena of the abandonment of a significant part of the historical centre and the increasing urban sprawl in the suburban periphery. It is an interesting case-study in order to understand the role of urban policies and the responsibility of local authorities for tackling the effects of population decline and urban decay of a town’s historic core

EVALUATION OF RPMI-PY MEDIUM FOR TRYPANOSOMA CRUZI AND DIFFERENT LEISHMANIA SPECIES

Trypanosoma spp. and Leishmania spp. are causal agents of a number of parasitic diseases. Culture media can be divided into 3 main categories: semisolid, biphasic, and liquid. While biphasic and semisolid culture media need blood, an important factor for the reproduction of parasites, most liquid media require fetal calf serum or erythrocyte lysate. A culture media RPMI-PY demonstrated a good performance in terms of time and parasitic load of L. infantum compared to other culture media. The aim of the work was to evaluate the performance of RPMI-PY medium in different Leishmania species and also to evaluate in T. cruzi culture. RPMI-PY is likely to be valuable additions to laboratory practice in light of the relatively simple recipes, general availability of the components, and in terms of suitability because rabbit breeding is not necessary and the costs are lowered and can be used for all Leishmania species and to cultivate T. cruzi

Enhancement of radiosensitivity by the novel anticancer quinolone derivative vosaroxin in preclinical glioblastoma models

Purpose: Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is the most aggressive brain tumor. The activity of vosaroxin, a first-in-class anticancer quinolone derivative that intercalates DNA and inhibits topoisomerase II, was investigated in GBM preclinical models as a single agent and combined with radiotherapy (RT). Results: Vosaroxin showed antitumor activity in clonogenic survival assays, with IC50 of 10-100 nM, and demonstrated radiosensitization. Combined treatments exhibited significantly higher γH2Ax levels compared with controls. In xenograft models, vosaroxin reduced tumor growth and showed enhanced activity with RT; vosaroxin/RT combined was more effective than temozolomide/RT. Vosaroxin/ RT triggered rapid and massive cell death with characteristics of necrosis. A minor proportion of treated cells underwent caspase-dependent apoptosis, in agreement with in vitro results. Vosaroxin/RT inhibited RT-induced autophagy, increasing necrosis. This was associated with increased recruitment of granulocytes, monocytes, and undifferentiated bone marrow-derived lymphoid cells. Pharmacokinetic analyses revealed adequate blood-brain penetration of vosaroxin. Vosaroxin/RT increased disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) significantly compared with RT, vosaroxin alone, temozolomide, and temozolomide/RT in the U251-luciferase orthotopic model. Materials and Methods: Cellular, molecular, and antiproliferative effects of vosaroxin alone or combined with RT were evaluated in 13 GBM cell lines. Tumor growth delay was determined in U87MG, U251, and T98G xenograft mouse models. (DFS) and (OS) were assessed in orthotopic intrabrain models using luciferasetransfected U251 cells by bioluminescence and magnetic resonance imaging. Conclusions: Vosaroxin demonstrated significant activity in vitro and in vivo in GBM models, and showed additive/synergistic activity when combined with RT in O6- methylguanine methyltransferase-negative and -positive cell lines

The first-in-class alkylating deacetylase inhibitor molecule tinostamustine shows antitumor effects and is synergistic with radiotherapy in preclinical models of glioblastoma

Background: The use of alkylating agents such as temozolomide in association with radiotherapy (RT) is the therapeutic standard of glioblastoma (GBM). This regimen modestly prolongs overall survival, also if, in light of the still dismal prognosis, further improvements are desperately needed, especially in the patients with O6- methylguanine-DNA-methyltransferase (MGMT) unmethylated tumors, in which the benefit of standard treatment is less. Tinostamustine (EDO-S101) is a first-in-class alkylating deacetylase inhibitor (AK-DACi) molecule that fuses the DNA damaging effect of bendamustine with the fully functional pan-histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitor, vorinostat, in a completely new chemical entity. Methods: Tinostamustine has been tested in models of GBM by using 13 GBM cell lines and seven patient-derived GBM proliferating/stem cell lines in vitro. U87MG and U251MG (MGMT negative), as well as T98G (MGMT positive), were subcutaneously injected in nude mice, whereas luciferase positive U251MG cells and patient-derived GBM stem cell line (CSCs-5) were evaluated the orthotopic intra-brain in vivo experiments. Results: We demonstrated that tinostamustine possesses stronger antiproliferative and pro-apoptotic effects than those observed for vorinostat and bendamustine alone and similar to their combination and irrespective of MGMT expression. In addition, we observed a stronger radio-sensitization of single treatment and temozolomide used as control due to reduced expression and increased time of disappearance of γH2AX indicative of reduced signal and DNA repair. This was associated with higher caspase-3 activation and reduction of RT-mediated autophagy. In vivo, tinostamustine increased time-to-progression (TTP) and this was additive/synergistic to RT. Tinostamustine had significant therapeutic activity with suppression of tumor growth and prolongation of DFS (disease-free survival) and OS (overall survival) in orthotopic intra-brain models that was superior to bendamustine, RT and temozolomide and showing stronger radio sensitivity. Conclusions: Our data suggest that tinostamustine deserves further investigation in patients with glioblastoma

Identification of photovoltaic array model parameters by robust linear regression methods

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