Reconfigurable photoinduced metamaterials in the microwave regime

We investigate optically reconfigurable dielectric metamaterials at gigahertz frequencies. More precisely, we study the microwave response of a subwavelength grating optically imprinted into a semiconductor slab. In the homogenized regime, we analytically evaluate the ordinary and extraordinary component of the effective permittivity tensor by taking into account the photo-carrier dynamics described by the ambipolar diffusion equation. We analyze the impact of semiconductor parameters on the gigahertz metamaterial response which turns out to be highly reconfigurable by varying the photogenerated grating and which can show a marked anisotropic behavior.Comment: 6 figures, 7 page

\u3ci\u3eCheilosia corydon\u3c/i\u3e (Diptera: Syrphidae)., a Candidate for the Biological Control of Musk Thistle in North America

In Italy, larvae of the syrphid fly, Cheilosia corydon (Harris) (=grossa Fallen), infest the flower buds, stems, and roots of Carduus nutans L. and C. pycnocephalus L. (Compositae), both serious weeds in the United States. The fly was studied as a candidate biological control agent of musk and Italian thistle in North America. The host range of C. corydon is narrow, restricted to plants of the tribe Cardueae. Cirsium crassicaule (Green) Jeps., a threatened U.S. species, was marginally suitable as a host in laboratory trials. In open-field oviposition tests, using replicated and randomized plantings, no oviposition was observed on any U.S. Cirsium species tested, including C. crassicaule. Our data indicate that C. corydon is sufficiently host specific to introduce into the U.S. for the biological control of musk and Italian thistle

The Bank Lending Process: Accounting Information Role in Constructing Realities or Illusions

In the last decades the Bank and finance literature have paid a growing attention to the bank lending process. Considering the different kinds of information, such as hard and soft information, involved in the risk evaluation, contributions to the bank lending literature have highlighted that small banks are better able to collect and act on soft information than large banks. In the bank lending process the risk can be assessed differently among actors, so the communication plays an important role in creating the firm rating evaluation. This paper aims to understand how the accounting information, as a language, could facilitate a successful functioning reality construction or an illusionary one. Drawing on the pragmatic constructivist perspective, which assumes the reality construction as the integration between facts, values, possibilities and communication, we try to understand how the actors integrate their different calculative cultures (calculative idealism and calculative pragmatism) in the bank lending process. In doing so, we carry out two case studies at two small banks operating in the South of Italy. The empirical evidences show how the presence of multiple calculative cultures has entailed disagreement, slowing down the lending process. The integration of the two calculative cultures has been showed underlining their complementarities. This paper contributes to highlight the useful role of the pragmatic constructivist approach to study the problem of the co-presence of different cultures within an organization, explaining how an integration can occur

Relationship between the night shift work and thyroid disorders: A systematic review and meta-analysis

AbstractObjectives. The night shift workers were reported to have health consequences, ranging from mild, as cluster headache, to severe, as heart attacks and hormonal irregularities. This study is aimed to perform a systematic review and meta-analyze of the association between the night shift work and the thyroid disorders.Methods. We comprehensively searched eight databases, including PubMed and Google Scholar for the relevant articles. This systematic review and meta-analysis were conducted according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analysis (PRISMA) statement.Results. We finally included six papers involving 4074 participants. Four papers were eligible for meta-analysis involving 1864 night shift workers and 2017 day shift workers. We against found that thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) is significantly higher in the night shift group compared to the day shift group.Conclusions. The higher TSH among the night shift workers is attributed to disruption of the circadian rhythm and sleep/wake cycle, with subsequent eating disorders. We proposed that more attention should be paid to the working pattern and the related health consequences

Membranous Nephropathy Associated with Eosinophilic Gastroenteritis: First Report

Membranous nephropathy represents the most common cause of nephrotic syndrome in adult patients. In 85% of cases the disease is classified as idiopathic membranous nephropathy, and in the remainder 15 % as secondary membranous nephropathy (systemic lupus erythematosus, infections, drugs, tumors, inorganics salts). Treatment of secondary membranous nephropathy is guided by therapy of the original disease, or by elimination of the responsible cause. Eosinophilic gastroenteritis is a rare uncommon disease of unknown origin affecting the gastrointestinal apparatus and is characterized by diffuse eosinophilic infiltration of the gastro-enteric wall. Any segment of gastrointestinal tract can be interested, but the stomach results to be the most commonly affected organ, followed by the small intestine and the colon. The diagnosis is based on the presence of gastrointestinal symptoms, documented eosinophilic gut infiltration and the exclusion of intestinal parasites or extraintestinal disease. To date there are no randomized prospective therapeutic trials. The mainstay of treatment is represented by use of corticosteroids (with 90% of remission rate in some reports). We describe for the first time the case of a 43-year-old man affected by eosinophilic gastroenteritis who developed a nephrotic syndrome due to membranous nephropathy after he voluntarily stopped the steroidal oral therapy. Reintroduction of corticosteroid treatment led to the complete remission of the nephrotic syndrome within 6 months treatment

Relationships between optical aggregometry (type Born) and flow cytometry in evaluating ADP-induced platelet activation

Background: Platelet response to activating agents is used to monitor the efficacy of anti-aggregation therapies. The aim of our study has been to demonstrate the existence of relationships between early events of ADP-induced platelet activation, measured by flow cytometry and platelet-rich plasma aggregation,quantified by optical aggregometry. Methods: We evaluated peripheral blood of 12 donors. The following parameters were quantified by cytometry after stimulation with adenosine diphosphate (ADP) (0.5, 1, 2, 5, 10, 20 uM): CD62P (P-selectin) and PAC-1 expression, and cytosolic Ca2+ mobilization. Aggregation was measured by optical aggregometry. We also studied 13 patients, undergoing coronary stenting, treated with aspirin (before procedure) or with aspirin plus clopidogrel (after procedure). We evaluated CD62P and PAC-1 expression, aggregation,and vasodilator-stimulated phopshoprotein phosphorylation (platelet reactivity index, PRI). Results: Flow procedures were more sensitive than aggregometry, with a lowest interindividual variability. Linear relationships existed in donors between CD62P expression and Ca2+ mobilization (P<0.0001),and between aggregation and Ca2+ mobilization (P<0.0001). Linear relationships existed between aggregation and CD62P expression, as percentage (P<0.0001), or relative fluorescence intensity (RFI) (P<0.0001). Exponential equations related aggregation and PAC-1 expression, as percentage (P<0.0001), or RFI (P<0.0001). Linear relationships between aggregation and CD62P expression (as percentage) existed in the patients before (P=0.0022) and after procedure (P=0.0020. Exponential relationships between aggregation and PAC-1 expression (as percentage) existed before (P=0.0012) and after procedure (P=0.0024). Linear correlations related aggregation response predicted on CD62P expression, and measured aggregation inhibition after clopidogrel (P=0.0013) as well as predicted aggregation and PRI inhibition (P=0.0031). Conclusions: Tight relationships between aggregation and cytometric quantification of platelet markers in whole blood, in particular CD62P, allow to predict aggregation response to ADP from flow data in patients treated with aspirin alone or with aspirin plus clopidogrel

GPER agonist G-1 decreases adrenocortical carcinoma (ACC) cell growth in vitro and in vivo

We have previously demonstrated that estrogen receptor (ER) alpha (ESR1) increases proliferation of adrenocortical carcinoma (ACC) through both an estrogen-dependent and -independent (induced by IGF-II/IGF1R pathways) manner. Then, the use of tamoxifen, a selective estrogen receptor modulator (SERM), appears effective in reducing ACC growth in vitro and in vivo. However, tamoxifen not only exerts antiestrogenic activity, but also acts as full agonist on the G protein-coupled estrogen receptor (GPER). Aim of this study was to investigate the effect of a non-steroidal GPER agonist G-1 in modulating ACC cell growth. We found that G-1 is able to exert a growth inhibitory effect on H295R cells both in vitro and, as xenograft model, in vivo. Treatment of H295R cells with G-1 induced cell cycle arrest, DNA damage and cell death by the activation of the intrinsic apoptotic mechanism. These events required sustained extracellular regulated kinase (ERK) 1/2 activation. Silencing of GPER by a specific shRNA partially reversed G-1-mediated cell growth inhibition without affecting ERK activation. These data suggest the existence of G-1 activated but GPER-independent effects that remain to be clarified. In conclusion, this study provides a rational to further study G-1 mechanism of action in order to include this drug as a treatment option to the limited therapy of ACC

Percutaneous coronary intervention in an anomalously arising totally occluded circumflex coronary artery

AbstractCongenital coronary anomalies are present in approximately 1% of the patients referred to cardiac catheterization. The present case describes a successful percutaneous coronary intervention in totally occluded left circumflex coronary artery (LCx) with an anomalous origin from right sinus of Valsalva. To the best of our knowledge this is the first case presented of successful recanalization of a chronic total occlusion in an anomalously arising LCx. The case highlights the feasibility of such a challenging procedure on the basis of the knowledge of coronary anatomy and the selection of appropriate guiding catheters and coronary wires