A Transportable Reflectarray Antenna for Satellite Ku-band Emergency Communications

The design of a Ku-band reconfigurable reflectarray antenna for emergency satellite communications is presented. Bidirectional high data rate satellite links are needed in emergency conditions where other telecommunication infrastructures are not available. In order to operate in this type of scenario, an antenna should be deployable, transportable, and easily repointable. The need of an automatic and fast satellite location and pointing system leads to a completely electronic reconfigurable antenna. The operative bandwidth is from 10.7 to 12.5 GHz for reception and from 14 up to 14.5 GHz for transmission (30% of relative bandwidth). The selected antenna architecture is based on a dual reflectarray system comprising a passive subreflectarray and an active main reflectarray made of reconfigurable 1-bit elementary cells based on PIN diodes

Pile-Ups Formation in AFM-Based Nanolithography: Morpho-Mechanical Characterization and Removal Strategies

In recent decades, great efforts have been made to develop innovative, effective, and accurate nanofabrication techniques stimulated by the growing demand for nanostructures. Nowadays, mechanical tip-based emerged as the most promising nanolithography technique, allowing the pattern of nanostructures with a sub-nanometer resolution, high reproducibility, and accuracy. Unfortunately, these nanostructures result in contoured pile-ups that could limit their use and future integration into high-tech devices. The removal of pile-ups is still an open challenge. In this perspective, two different AFM-based approaches, i.e., Force Modulation Mode imaging and force-distance curve analysis, were used to characterize the structure of pile-ups at the edges of nanogrooves patterned on PMMA substrate by means of Pulse-Atomic Force Lithography. Our experimental results showed that the material in pile-ups was less stiff than the pristine polymer. Based on this evidence, we have developed an effective strategy to easily remove pile-ups, preserving the shape and the morphology of nanostructures

Effects of equine chorionic gonadotrophin on follicular, luteal and conceptus development of non-lactating Bos indicus beef cows subjected to a progesterone plus estradiol-based timed artificial insemination protocol

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of equine chorionic gonadotropin (eCG) on ovarian follicular responses, corpus luteum (CL) development and conceptus length on day 16 after timed artificial insemination (TAI). A total of 124 cows at day 0 (D0) received 2 mg of estradiol benzoate (EB) and the insertion of a progesterone (P4) intravaginal device. Eight days later, the device was removed, and cows received 0.15 mg of prostaglandin and 0.5 mg of estradiol cypionate (EC), and were randomly assigned to 1 of 2 treatments: eCG (n=60), in which cows received 300 U of eCG; and control (n=64). Cows were TAI 48 h after P4 device removal. The diameter of the largest follicle (LF) present on D8 and D10 and of CL on D15 and D26 were measured. Conceptus recovered rate, conceptus length, CL diameter and weight were determined at slaughter on D26. Plasma P4 concentration was determined on D15 and D26. Follicular growth from D8 to D10 (P=0.03), the diameter of CL at D15 (P=0.03) and D26 (P=0.003) and the CL weight at day 26 (P=0.04) were greater in the eCG group than the control. However, there was no effect of eCG treatment on oestrus occurrence, conceptus recovery rate and length, or P4 concentrations on either D15 or D26. In conclusion, although eCG increases follicular responses and the diameter of the CL, this gonadotropin treatment does not influence the length of the conceptus or the P4 concentration on the subsequent oestrus cycle

Metabolomic Approaches for Detection and Identification of Biomarkers and Altered Pathways in Bladder Cancer

Metabolomic analysis has proven to be a useful tool in biomarker discovery and the molecular classification of cancers. In order to find new biomarkers, and to better understand its pathological behavior, bladder cancer also has been studied using a metabolomics approach. In this article, we review the literature on metabolomic studies of bladder cancer, focusing on the different available samples (urine, blood, tissue samples) used to perform the studies and their relative findings. Moreover, the multi-omic approach in bladder cancer research has found novel insights into its metabolic behavior, providing excellent start-points for new diagnostic and therapeutic strategies. Metabolomics data analysis can lead to the discovery of a “signature pathway” associated with the progression of bladder cancer; this aspect could be potentially valuable in predictions of clinical outcomes and the introduction of new treatments. However, further studies are needed to give stronger evidence and to make these tools feasible for use in clinical practice

Renal Cell Carcinoma as a Metabolic Disease: An Update on Main Pathways, Potential Biomarkers, and Therapeutic Targets

: Clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) is the most frequent histological kidney cancer subtype. Over the last decade, significant progress has been made in identifying the genetic and metabolic alterations driving ccRCC development. In particular, an integrated approach using transcriptomics, metabolomics, and lipidomics has led to a better understanding of ccRCC as a metabolic disease. The metabolic profiling of this cancer could help define and predict its behavior in terms of aggressiveness, prognosis, and therapeutic responsiveness, and would be an innovative strategy for choosing the optimal therapy for a specific patient. This review article describes the current state-of-the-art in research on ccRCC metabolic pathways and potential therapeutic applications. In addition, the clinical implication of pharmacometabolomic intervention is analyzed, which represents a new field for novel stage-related and patient-tailored strategies according to the specific susceptibility to new classes of drugs

Novel Insights into Autophagy and Prostate Cancer: A Comprehensive Review

Autophagy is a complex process involved in several cell activities, including tissue growth, differentiation, metabolic modulation, and cancer development. In prostate cancer, autophagy has a pivotal role in the regulation of apoptosis and disease progression. Several molecular pathways are involved, including PI3K/AKT/mTOR. However, depending on the cellular context, autophagy may play either a detrimental or a protective role in prostate cancer. For this purpose, current evidence has investigated how autophagy interacts within these complex interactions. In this article, we discuss novel findings about autophagic machinery in order to better understand the therapeutic response and the chemotherapy resistance of prostate cancer. Autophagic-modulation drugs have been employed in clinical trials to regulate autophagy, aiming to improve the response to chemotherapy or to anti-cancer treatments. Furthermore, the genetic signature of autophagy has been found to have a potential means to stratify prostate cancer aggressiveness. Unfortunately, stronger evidence is needed to better understand this field, and the application of these findings in clinical practice still remains poorly feasible

A challenging surgical approach to locally advanced primary urethral carcinoma: A case report and literature review

Primary urethral carcinoma (PUC) is a rare and aggressive cancer, often underdetected and consequently unsatisfactorily treated. We report a case of advanced PUC, surgically treated with combined approaches. A 47-year-old man underwent transurethral resection of a urethral lesion with histological evidence of a poorly differentiated squamous cancer of the bulbomembranous urethra. Computed tomography (CT) and bone scans excluded metastatic spread of the disease but showed involvement of both corpora cavernosa (cT3N0M0). A radical surgical approach was advised, but the patient refused this and opted for chemotherapy. After 17 months the patient was referred to our department due to the evidence of a fistula in the scrotal area. CT scan showed bilateral metastatic disease in the inguinal, external iliac, and obturator lymph nodes as well as the involvement of both corpora cavernosa. Additionally, a fistula originating from the right corpus cavernosum extended to the scrotal skin. At this stage, the patient accepted the surgical treatment, consisting of different phases. Phase I: Radical extraperitoneal cystoprostatectomy with iliac-obturator lymph nodes dissection. Phase II: Creation of a urinary diversion through a Bricker ileal conduit. Phase III: Repositioning of the patient in lithotomic position for an overturned Y skin incision, total penectomy, fistula excision, and "en bloc" removal of surgical specimens including the bladder, through the perineal breach. Phase IV: Right inguinal lymphadenectomy. The procedure lasted 9-and-a-half hours, was complication-free, and intraoperative blood loss was 600 mL. The patient was discharged 8 days after surgery. Pathological examination documented a T4N2M0 tumor. The clinical situation was stable during the first 3 months postoperatively but then metastatic spread occurred, not responsive to adjuvant chemotherapy, which led to the patient's death 6 months after surgery. Patients with advanced stage tumors of the bulbomembranous urethra should be managed with radical surgery including the corporas up to the ischiatic tuberosity attachment, and membranous urethra in continuity with the prostate and bladder. Neo-adjuvant treatment may be advisable with the aim of improving the poor prognosis, even if the efficacy is not certain while it can delay the radical treatment of the disease

Carriers of ADAMTS13 Rare Variants Are at High Risk of Life-Threatening COVID-19

Thrombosis of small and large vessels is reported as a key player in COVID-19 severity. However, host genetic determinants of this susceptibility are still unclear. Congenital Thrombotic Thrombocytopenic Purpura is a severe autosomal recessive disorder characterized by uncleaved ultra-large vWF and thrombotic microangiopathy, frequently triggered by infections. Carriers are reported to be asymptomatic. Exome analysis of about 3000 SARS-CoV-2 infected subjects of different severities, belonging to the GEN-COVID cohort, revealed the specific role of vWF cleaving enzyme ADAMTS13 (A disintegrin-like and metalloprotease with thrombospondin type 1 motif, 13). We report here that ultra-rare variants in a heterozygous state lead to a rare form of COVID-19 characterized by hyper-inflammation signs, which segregates in families as an autosomal dominant disorder conditioned by SARS-CoV-2 infection, sex, and age. This has clinical relevance due to the availability of drugs such as Caplacizumab, which inhibits vWF-platelet interaction, and Crizanlizumab, which, by inhibiting P-selectin binding to its ligands, prevents leukocyte recruitment and platelet aggregation at the site of vascular damage