Ridefinizione biostratigrafica e geocronologica delle unità formazionali neogeniche della Sardegna centrale (Italia)

Recent, detailed geological and stratigraphic surveys of a large area of the Marmilla region (central Sardinia) have made it possible to reconsider the lithobiostratigraphic characteristics of the formal and informal units in the literature on the Cenozoic (Late Oligocene – Neogene) which have been in use up to now. Extension of the research to adjoining lands, including Alta Marmilla, Alto Oristanese, Sinis–Planargia, Barigadu, Baronie and Sarcidano, has also made it possible to perform an overall analysis of the entire Cenozoic basin of central Sardinia and, finally, to make significant comparisons with the coeval successions outcropping in southern and northern Sardinia. In this preliminary note we then report on new data concerning the biostratigraphic aspects of the successions considered, while eco-biostratigraphic data and the depositional and synthemic arrangement, now at an advanced stage of definition, will be discussed in a later, more complete work. Some units in the literature are once again proposed, albeit with amendments, as suggested by the new regulations governing the establishment of new formal depositional units and conservation of units in the literature, and with new geochronostratigraphic delimitations (e. g. the Gesturi Formation). Other units change their hierarchical rank (e. g. the Marmilla Group), while for others it was not deemed useful to keep them (e. g. Marne di Ales), since they might cause confusion. Most of the Formations, all of the Members and Groups are proposed in this work for the first time. The formation units outcropping in central Sardinia’s Cenozioc basin are represented for the most part by a sedimentary and volcano-sedimentary succession several hundreds of metres thick, the age of which is included within the Chattian-Aquitanian passage and the Plio-Quaternary. These are sediments from silicoclastics to mixed carbonatic-silicoclastics, in some cases richly fossiliferous, in which are inserted volcanic products from acid to intermediate-basic with a calcalkaline composition, the latter almost exclusively present starting from the Aquitanian up to the Late Burdigalian, with the strongest concentration in deposits of Burdigalian age. As is the case in northern and southern Sardinia, central Sardinia’s Miocene formations can be referred to three main sedimentary cycles recognized on the basis of heir litho-biostratigraphy and the analysis of associations of benthic macrofauna, which will be discussed in a specific article to be published shortly. The first Miocene sedimentary cycle evolved between the Chattian/Aquitanian limit and the Late Burdigalian (N6 Zone); the second cycle began in the Uppermost Burdigalian, in correspondence to the upper part of the Globigerinoides trilobus Zone (N7 Zone) and closes in the Late Serravallian (G. siakensis Zone, G. siakensis-G. obliqua obliqua Subzone); finally, after a clear regression phase, in the Tortonian (or perhaps already in the Uppermost Serravillian) the third cycle began and ended in the Early Messinian, in correspondence to the upper part of biostratigraphic N17a Zone. On the basis of a comparative analysis of autochthonous benthic associations, especially those with molluscs, and of the textural characteristics of the sediments, the prevalent depositional environment for the three cycles mentioned previously is that of a platform and secondly of a slope, but in some cases fluvio-lacustrine and deltaic. At the end of the third cycle there is a hiatus and/or erosion, or local continental sedimentation (Nuraghe Baboe Cabitza A n. Formation). A further marine sedimentary cycle locally (Sinis, Orosei) began and ends in the Lower Pliocene (Nuraghe Baboe Cabitza B n. Formation). In an overall biostratigraphic and geochronological frame, the comparison between the most important sedimentary, tectonic and volcanic occurrences in central Sardinia from the Oligocene to the Pliocene and those which occurred in the north and south of the island are pointed out. From the paleogeographic standpoint, the deposits of the first Miocene sedimentary cycle are part of the autochthonous cover of the southern European continental margin; those of the second and third cycles are instead connected with the aperture of the Balearic basin and the northern Tyrrhenian Sea; finally, the Early Pliocene marine succession is referred to the open of the southern Tyrrhenian basin, as well as the widespread volcanic activity of prevalently basaltic alkaline nature (the «Plio-Pleistocene volcanic cycle») towards the end of the Messinian and in the Pliocene

La imprescriptibilidad de los crímenes de guerra y lesa humanidad: incorporación de sus efectos jurídicos como propuesta normativa al derecho penal peruano

Los crímenes internacionales más repudiados y considerados por toda la Comunidad Internacional, son atentatorios para los bienes jurídicos fundamentales de la persona humana, motivo por el cual no deben ser la excepción dentro de nuestro Estado Peruano cuando se trata de su regulación a través de la normatividad interna, es así que con esta investigación buscaremos implantar criterios necesarios para una propuesta de regulación en crímenes que se encuentran regulados por el Derecho Internacional dentro del Estatuto de Roma, y de esta manera pueda verse regulado en nuestra normativa interna las características más relevantes de estos crímenes, como es la imprescriptibilidad de la acción penal y el despliegue de sus efectos jurídicos, a través de las funciones de investigación, persecución y ejecución por parte del Estado Peruano de aquellos responsables, sin atentar los derecho fundamentales de las familias de las víctimas a conocer las verdad, así como el principio de nullum crimen sine lege de los criminales

Quality of colonoscopy in an organised colorectal cancer screening programme with immunochemical faecal occult blood test. The EQuIPE study (Evaluating Quality Indicators of the Performance of Endoscopy)

OBJECTIVES: To assess variation in the main colonoscopy quality indicators in organised colorectal cancer (CRC) screening programmes based on faecal immunochemical test (FIT). DESIGN: Data from a case-series of colonoscopies of FIT-positive subjects were provided by 44 Italian CRC screening programmes. Data on screening history, endoscopic procedure and histology results, and additional information on the endoscopy centre and the endoscopists were collected. The adenoma detection rate (ADR) and caecal intubation rate (CIR) were assessed for the whole population and the individual endoscopists. To explore variation in the quality indicators, multilevel analyses were performed according to patient/centre/endoscopist characteristics. RESULTS: We analysed 75 569 (mean age: 61.3 years; men: 57%) colonoscopies for positive FIT performed by 479 endoscopists in 79 centres. ADR ranged from 13.5% to 75% among endoscopists (mean: 44.8%). ADR was associated with gastroenterology specialty (OR: 0.87 for others, 95% CI 0.76 to 0.96) and, at the endoscopy centre level, with the routine use of sedation (OR: 0.80 if occasional (600 colonoscopies; 95% CI 1.11 to 2.04) and, at the endoscopy centre level, screening-dedicated sessions (OR: 2.18; 95% CI 1.24 to 3.83) and higher rates of sedation (OR: 0.47 if occasional; 95% CI 0.24 to 0.92). CONCLUSIONS: The quality of colonoscopy was affected by patient-related, endoscopist-related and centre-related characteristics. Policies addressing organisational issues should improve the quality of colonoscopy in our programme and similar programmes. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions

Prática de leitura de clássicos no ensino fundamental no entendimento de alunos e professores

A dificuldade de formar leitores permeia o universo de grande parte dos professores e a dificuldade de ler e compreender faz parte do relato de muitos educandos. Portanto, o objetivo da pesquisa apresentada neste texto é compreender como a prática da leitura ocorre no 9º ano do Ensino Fundamental II e como os professores e alunos se relacionam com essa prática. Apoios teóricos de Freire (1979), Larrosa (2002), Calvino (2007), Klebis (2008); Senna e Dessen (2012) e Mafra (2013), defensores das palavras e da leitura compondo a expressão do pensamento, expondo a realidade e ampliando o mundo do leitor, estruturaram a pesquisa ora apresentada. Trata-se de uma pesquisa, de cunho qualitativo com observação de aulas de literatura em escola da rede estadual e particular, e entrevistas com professores e alunos. Independente da prática aplicada nas aulas, houve evidências de que a leitura despertou nos alunos elementos como criticidade, interesse e identificação com o conteúdo do texto. O ato de ler foi além da sala de aula e abrangeu a leitura de mundo que cada aluno trazia consigo antes da leitura da palavra escrita no papel, além da necessidade de se sentirem parte ativa do processo de leitura

FLASH radiotherapy with electrons: issues related to the production, monitoring, and dosimetric characterization of the beam

Various in vivo experimental works carried out on different animals and organs have shown that it is possible to reduce the damage caused to healthy tissue still preserving the therapeutic efficacy on the tumor tissue, by drastically reducing the total time of dose delivery (<200 ms). This effect, called the FLASH effect, immediately attracted considerable attention within the radiotherapy community, due to the possibility of widening the therapeutic window and treating effectively tumors which appear radioresistant to conventional techniques. Despite the experimental evidence, the radiobiological mechanisms underlying the FLASH effect and the beam parameters contributing to its optimization are not yet known in details. In order to fully understand the FLASH effect, it might be worthy to investigate some alternatives which can further improve the tools adopted so far, in terms of both linac technology and dosimetric systems. This work investigates the problems and solutions concerning the realization of an electron accelerator dedicated to FLASH therapy and optimized for in vivo experiments. Moreover, the work discusses the saturation problems of the most common radiotherapy dosimeters when used in the very high dose-per-pulse FLASH conditions and provides some preliminary experimental data on their behavior

Morpho-Functional Evaluation of Full-Thickness Macular Holes by the Integration of Optical Coherence Tomography Angiography and Microperimetry

(1) Objective: To use optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) and microperimetry (MP) to evaluate the correlation between retinal structure and function in patients with idiopathic, full-thickness macular holes (FTMHs) (2) Methods: This prospective, observational study included 11 eyes of 10 patients with FTMHs evaluated before surgery using OCTA and MP. MP sensitivity maps were superimposed and registered on slabs corresponding to superficial capillary plexus (SCP) and deep capillary plexus (DCP) on OCTA, and on the outer plexiform layer (OPL) and the Henle fiber layer (HFL) complex in en face OCT. On these maps, mean retinal sensitivity was calculated at 2 degrees and 4 degrees, all centered on the FTMH. Cystic cavity extension was assessed on the slab corresponding to the OPL + HFL complex in en face OCT and DCP in OCTA using the Image J software (Version 1.49v; National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA); (3) Results: Absolute scotomas were observed corresponding to the FTMH. Additionally, rings of relative scotoma in the perilesional area were detected and correlated to the cystic spaces on en face OCT and OCTA. There was a significant correlation between reduced retinal sensitivity at 2 degrees and 4 degrees diameters around the FTMH and the extension of cystic areas (p < 0.01). There was a significant correlation between the extension of cystic cavities and BCVA (p < 0.01). (4) Conclusions: Morpho-functional analysis of FTMH using OCTA and MP, and the correlation between vascular abnormalities and impaired retinal sensitivity, may provide new, useful information. This integrated evaluation of FTMH may be useful to determine the function-structure correlation before and after vitreoretinal surgery, in order to gain a better understanding of the functional consequences induced by the morphological alterations, assessing outcomes in a more objective way, and potentially adding new surgical prognostic factors

Role of interferon lambda 4 and ALT levels in optimising treatment of HCV for patients with low-stage fibrosis

The use of new anti-HCV drugs is currently limited by high costs and dual therapy; pegylated interferon and ribavirin (peg-IFN+RBV) still represents the only affordable treatment in patients with low-stage fibrosis. We evaluated the role of Interferon lambda4 (IFNL4) polymorphisms and its combination with on-treatment alanine transaminase (ALT) modification in predicting sustained virological response (SVR) in HCV genotype 1 and 4 patients with low-stage fibrosis. We retrospectively analysed 124 patients with Metavir ≤F2, who received dual therapy at our centre. Genotyping for IFNL4 polymorphisms was assessed at baseline, as well as ALT levels (baseline and week 2, 4, 12 and 24 of therapy). Thirty patients (24%) were TT/TT, 74 (60%) TT/DG and 20 (16%) DG/DG. The SVR rate was significantly higher in TT/TT genotype compare to TT/DG and DG/DG (97% vs. 53% and 50%, respectively, p=0.001). Patients that achieved a 60% reduction of ALT baseline value after 4 weeks of therapy had a significantly higher SVR rate (94% vs. 52%, p<0.001). Factors significantly associated with SVR were TT/TT genotype (p=0.029), RVR (p=0.019) and 60% ALT reduction at 4 week of therapy (p=0.005). The absence of both TT/TT genotype and 60% ALT reduction were negative predictors of SVR (p<0.001). In conclusion, the combined use of IFNL4 polymorphisms and ALT reduction at 4 week of treatment is able to optimize candidates’ selection for peg-IFN+RBV, discriminating those that could still benefit from dual therapy from the ones that need the new regimen

Exploring the Role of Killer Cell Immunoglobulin-Like Receptors and Their HLA Class I Ligands in Autoimmune Hepatitis

Background Natural killer cells are involved in the complex mechanisms underlying autoimmune diseases but few studies have investigated their role in autoimmune hepatitis. Killer immunoglobulin-like receptors are key regulators of natural killer cell-mediated immune responses. Methods and Findings KIR gene frequencies, KIR haplotypes, KIR ligands and combinations of KIRs and their HLA Class I ligands were investigated in 114 patients diagnosed with type 1 autoimmune hepatitis and compared with a group of 221 healthy controls. HLA Class I and Class II antigen frequencies were compared to those of 551 healthy unrelated families representative of the Sardinian population. In our cohort, type 1 autoimmune hepatitis was strongly associated with the HLA-B18, Cw5, DR3 haplotype. The KIR2DS1 activating KIR gene and the high affinity HLA-C2 ligands were significantly higher in patients compared to controls. Patients also had a reduced frequency of HLA-Bw4 ligands for KIR3DL1 and HLA-C1 ligands for KIR2DL3. Age at onset was significantly associated with the KIR2DS1 activating gene but not with HLA-C1 or HLA-C2 ligand groups. Conclusions The activating KIR gene KIR2DS1 resulted to have an important predictive potential for early onset of type 1 autoimmune hepatitis. Additionally, the low frequency of the KIR-ligand combinations KIR3DL1/HLA-Bw4 and KIR2DL3/HLA-C1 coupled to the high frequency of the HLA-C2 high affinity ligands for KIR2DS1 could contribute to unwanted NK cell autoreactivity in AIH-1

Brentuximab vedotin in the treatment of cutaneous T-cell lymphomas: Data from the Spanish Primary Cutaneous Lymphoma Registry

[Background] Brentuximab vedotin (BV) has been approved for CD30-expressing cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (CTCL) after at least one previous systemic treatment. However, real clinical practice is still limited.[Objectives] To evaluate the response and tolerance of BV in a cohort of patients with CTCL.[Methods] We analysed CTCL patients treated with BV from the Spanish Primary Cutaneous Lymphoma Registry (RELCP).[Results] Sixty-seven patients were included. There were 26 females and the mean age at diagnosis was 59 years. Forty-eight were mycosis fungoides (MF), 7 Sézary syndrome (SS) and 12 CD30+ lymphoproliferative disorders (CD30 LPD). Mean follow-up was 18 months. Thirty patients (45%) showed at least 10% of CD30+ cells among the total lymphocytic infiltrate. The median number of BV infusions received was 7. The overall response rate (ORR) was 67% (63% in MF, 71% in SS and 84% in CD30 LPD). Ten of 14 patients with folliculotropic MF (FMF) achieved complete or partial response (ORR 71%). The median time to response was 2.8 months. During follow-up, 36 cases (54%) experienced cutaneous relapse or progression. The median progression free survival (PFS) was 10.3 months. The most frequent adverse event was peripheral neuropathy (PN) (57%), in most patients (85%), grades 1 or 2.[Conclusions] These results confirm the efficacy and safety of BV in patients with advanced-stage MF, and CD30 LPD. In addition, patients with FMF and SS also showed a favourable response. Our data suggest that BV retreatment is effective in a proportion of cases.The Spanish Primary Cutaneous Lymphoma Registry (RELCP) is promoted by the Fundación Piel Sana Academia Española de Dermatología y Venereología, which received an unrestricted grant support from Kyowa Kirin.Peer reviewe

Differential cross section measurements for the production of a W boson in association with jets in proton–proton collisions at √s = 7 TeV

Measurements are reported of differential cross sections for the production of a W boson, which decays into a muon and a neutrino, in association with jets, as a function of several variables, including the transverse momenta (pT) and pseudorapidities of the four leading jets, the scalar sum of jet transverse momenta (HT), and the difference in azimuthal angle between the directions of each jet and the muon. The data sample of pp collisions at a centre-of-mass energy of 7 TeV was collected with the CMS detector at the LHC and corresponds to an integrated luminosity of 5.0 fb[superscript −1]. The measured cross sections are compared to predictions from Monte Carlo generators, MadGraph + pythia and sherpa, and to next-to-leading-order calculations from BlackHat + sherpa. The differential cross sections are found to be in agreement with the predictions, apart from the pT distributions of the leading jets at high pT values, the distributions of the HT at high-HT and low jet multiplicity, and the distribution of the difference in azimuthal angle between the leading jet and the muon at low values.United States. Dept. of EnergyNational Science Foundation (U.S.)Alfred P. Sloan Foundatio