Il fattore tempo in chirurgia laparoscopica

La chirurgia laparoscopica ha numerose applicazioni in chirurgia umana grazie alla riduzione del dolore post-operatorio, alla minor incidenza di infezioni e quindi ai minori tempi di ospedalizzazione oltre ad un miglior risultato estetico. Tale tecnica trova applicazione anche in alcuni interventi eseguiti in medicina veterinaria con gli stessi vantaggi riportati in umana. I principali fattori limitanti l’attuazione di questo tipo di tecnica chirurgica in medicina veterinaria sono individuabili nei costi della strumentazione necessaria, nella lunghezza della curva di apprendimento di tali tecniche e non da ultimo nel notevole allungamento dei tempi chirurgici rispetto ai corrispettivi interventi laparotomici. Lo scopo di questo lavoro è valutare la tempistica peri ed intra-operatoria al fine di individuarne i punti critici con l’obiettivo di valutare quelli sui quali poter intervenire con una riduzione dei tempi totali di intervento e quindi dei rischi ad essi collegat

Tear ferning test and pathological effects on ocular surface before and after topical cyclosporine in vernal keratoconjunctivitis patients

Background: Vernal keratoconjunctivitis (VKC) is a rare ocular surface inflammatory disease that affects mainly boys in the first decade of life. Clinical observations show that it generally regresses spontaneously with the onset of puberty, but therapeutic measures must be taken before then to control the course of the disease. Purpose: To evaluate the role of the lacrimal mucous component in VKC patients and compare tear ferning test (TFT) modifications, MUC5AC levels in tears, and density of conjunctival goblet cells to clinical characteristics before and after treatment with cyclosporine A (CY) in eye drops. Methods: Forty-seven patients affected by VKC and 30 healthy subjects aged between 3 and 16 years of life were enrolled. All individuals were submitted to complete eye examination and skin prick test (SPT) for the most common allergens. Then, they were subjected to collection of the tears and to impression cytology to evaluate TFT, MUC5AC levels, and conjunctival goblet cell density, before and after treatment with CY in eye drops. Results: Comparing the VKC group vs. the control group at baseline, a significant alteration in the degree of the ferns was found, indicating a pathological condition of the lacrimal mucous layer. In addition, an increased number of goblet cells were observed in the patients. The concentration of lacrimal secretory mucins (MUC5AC) did not show significant differences between the 2 groups. Patients treated with CY have reported improvements of some signs and symptoms of disease activity, including TFT, and a tendency of conjunctival goblet cell density to normalise. Conclusions: The results obtained demonstrated for the first time a significant alteration of the lacrimal mucin component evaluated in the VKC group, and an improvement of the latter after CY therapy

Mitochondria-induced immune response as a trigger for neurodegeneration : A pathogen from within

Funding: This work was supported by a Juan de la Cierva grant (IJC2018-036938-I). A.Q. received funds from the European Research Council (Starting grant NEUROMITO, ERC-2014-StG-638106), MINECO Proyectos I + D de Excelencia (SAF2014-57981P; SAF2017-88108-R), AGAUR (2017SGR- 323), and "la Caixa" Foundation (ID 100010434), under the agreement LCF/PR/HR20/52400018.This work was supported by a Juan de la Cierva grant (IJC2018?036938?I). A.Q. received funds from the European Research Council (Starting grant NEUROMITO, ERC?2014?StG?638106), MINECO Proyectos I + D de Excelencia (SAF2014?57981P; SAF2017?88108?R), AGAUR (2017SGR? 323), and ?la Caixa? Foundation (ID 100010434), under the agreement LCF/PR/HR20/52400018.Altres ajuts: NEUROMITOAltres ajuts: "la Caixa" FoundationSymbiosis between the mitochondrion and the ancestor of the eukaryotic cell allowed cellular complexity and supported life. Mitochondria have specialized in many key functions ensuring cell homeostasis and survival. Thus, proper communication between mitochondria and cell nucleus is paramount for cellular health. However, due to their archaebacterial origin, mitochondria possess a high immunogenic potential. Indeed, mitochondria have been identified as an intracellular source of molecules that can elicit cellular responses to pathogens. Compromised mitochondrial integrity leads to release of mitochondrial content into the cytosol, which triggers an unwanted cellular immune response. Mitochondrial nucleic acids (mtDNA and mtRNA) can interact with the same cytoplasmic sensors that are specialized in recognizing genetic material from pathogens. High-energy demanding cells, such as neurons, are highly affected by deficits in mitochondrial function. Notably, mitochondrial dysfunction, neurodegeneration, and chronic inflammation are concurrent events in many severe debilitating disorders. Interestingly in this context of pathology, increasing number of studies have detected immune-activating mtDNA and mtRNA that induce an aberrant production of pro-inflammatory cytokines and interferon effectors. Thus, this review provides new insights on mitochondria-driven inflammation as a potential therapeutic target for neurodegenerative and primary mitochondrial diseases

Do s genes or deleterious recessives control late-acting self-incompatibility in Handroanthus heptaphyllus (Bignoniaceae)? A diallel study with four full sib progeny arrays

MBB thanks the Consejo de Investigaciones de la Universidad Nacional de Rosario (CIUNR) for financial support.Background and Aims Genetically controlled self-incompatibility (SI) mechanisms constrain selfing and thus have contributed to the evolutionary diversity of flowering plants. In homomorphic gametophytic SI (GSI) and homomorphic sporophytic SI (SSI), genetic control is usually by a single multi-allelic locus S. Both GSI and SSI prevent self pollen tubes reaching the ovary and so are pre-zygotic in action. In contrast, in taxa with late-acting self-incompatibility (LSI), rejection is often post-zygotic, since self-pollen tubes grow to the ovary where fertilization may occur prior to floral abscission. Alternatively, lack of self fruit set could be due to early-acting inbreeding depression (EID). The aim of our study was to investigate mechanisms underlying lack of selfed fruit set in Handroanthus heptaphyllus in order to assess the likelihood of LSI versus EID. Methods We employed four full sib diallels to study the genetic control of LSI in Handroanthus heptaphyllus using a precociously flowering variant. We also used fluorescence microscopy to study the incidence of ovule penetration by pollen tubes in pistils that abscised following pollination or initiated fruits. Key Results All diallels showed reciprocally cross-incompatible full-sibs (RCI), reciprocally cross compatible full-sibs (RCC), and non-reciprocally compatible full-sibs (NRC) in almost equal proportions. There was no significant difference between the incidence of ovule penetrations in abscised pistils following self- and cross-incompatible pollinations, but those in successful cross pollinations were around twofold greater. Conclusions A genetic model postulating a single S locus with four s alleles, one of which, in the maternal parent, is dominant to the other three, will produce RCI, RCC and NRC situations each at 33 %, consistent with our diallel results. We favour this simple genetic control over an early-acting inbreeding depression (EID) explanation since none of our pollinations, successful or unsuccessful, resulted in partial embryo development, as would be expected under a whole genome EID effect.PostprintPeer reviewe

Test chart for the adjustment Archimedean copulas using variables BIPIT : a study of simulation

Orientador: Veronica Andrea Gonzales-LopezDissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Instituto de Matematica, Estatistica e Computação CientificaResumo: A crescente utilização de cópulas para modelagem de dependência em dados multivariados leva ao estudo de metodologias para o ajuste de cópulas. Este estudo é recente, assim como a plena utilização da teoria de cópulas para modelagem padrão. Grande parte das metodologias existentes ainda encontra-se em fase de estudo e somente alguns métodos foram validados recentemente. Há a necessidade de mecanismos de fácil acesso a detecção de estruturas de dependência ainda escassos na literatura. Nesta dissertação, é apresentado um método gráfico para o ajuste de cópulas, adaptado do QQplot, denominado Kendall Plot. Este método torna-se mais completo que o QQplot ao se postular a adição de bandas de confiança ao gráfico Kendall Plot, que permitem tomar uma decisão em relação a uma estrutura de dependência fixa, expressa por uma cópula, a ser testada para a amostra disponível. A redução de dimensão dos dados a uma variável unidimensional denominada BIPIT, que carrega informação a respeito da estrutura de dependência dos dados, permite a utilização da adaptação do QQplot com o fim de se testar estruturas de dependênciaAbstract: The growing utilization of copulas to the dependency fitting of multi-variated data leads to the study of methodologies for copulas fitting. This study is recent, such as the complete utilization of the theory of copulas to standard fitting. Many of the existing methodologies are still in studies and only some have been recently validated. There is a need for easy-access mechanisms to detect dependency structures still missing in the statistical literature. It is presented in this dissertation a graphic method to the copulas fitting adapted from QQplot denominated Kendall Plot. This method is more complete than the QQplot due to the addition of confidence bands to the Kendall Plot graphic that allows the researcher to make a decision related to a fixed dependency structure, expressed by a copula, to be tested to the available sample. The reduction of the data dimension to a one-dimensional random variable, called BIPIT, which carries information about dependency data structure, allows the utilization of the QQplot adaptation for testing dependency structuresMestradoTeoria de CopulasMestre em Estatístic

Quantum nanoconstrictions fabricated by cryo-etching in encapsulated graphene

More than a decade after the discovery of graphene, ballistic transport in nanostructures based on this intriguing material still represents a challenging field of research in two-dimensional electronics. The presence of rough edges in nanostructures based on this material prevents the appearance of truly ballistic electron transport as theo\-re\-tically predicted and, therefore, not well-developed plateaus of conductance have been revealed to date. In this work we report on a novel implementation of the cryo-etching method, which enabled us to fabricate graphene nanoconstrictions encapsulated between hexagonal boron nitride thin films with unprecedented control of the structure edges. High quality smooth nanometer-rough edges are characterized by atomic force microscopy and a clear correlation between low roughness and the existence of well-developed quantized conductance steps with the concomitant occurrence of ballistic transport is found at low temperature. In par\-ti\-cu\-lar, we come upon exact 2$e^{2}/h$ quantization steps of conductance at zero magnetic field due to size quantization, as it has been theoretically predicted for truly ballistic electron transport through graphene nanoconstrictions

Escolha do destino turístico do segmento LGBT+: relação entre as motivações psicológicas e a imagem do destino

Purpose: this study aimed to identify the relationship between psychological motivations and destination image of self-defined LGBT+ tourists’ destination choice. Design/ methodology/ approach: The study was operationalized through a survey with 239 respondents. Which 89 were self-defined as LGBT+. Statistical univariate and bivariate analyses were used for data analysis. Findings: (1) both targets value leisure as the primary psychological motivation for choosing the travel destination; (2) infrastructures and socio-economic environment and affective image are the most critical dimensions of destination image; (3) the psychological motivations increase the destination image of self-defined LGBT+ tourists'; (4) there was no significant difference between the choice of tourist destination between heterosexuals and the LGBT +. Originality/value: Previous studies have focused on analyzes of consumption of LGBT + tourist destinations, but not understanding the main psychological motivations and their association with the image of the destination, either check whether there are in fact differences between the LGBT + and heterosexual audiences. This study answered to this gap.Objetivo: o estudo se debruçou na identificação da relação entre as motivações psicológicas e da imagem do destino na escolha do destino turístico do segmento LGBT+.  Design/ Metodologia/ Abordagem: A pesquisa foi operacionalizada por meio de uma survey com um total de 239 respondentes. sendo destes. 89 autodefinidos LGBT+. Para a análise de dados foram utilizadas análises estatísticas univariadas e bivariadas. Resultados: (1) ambos os públicos valorizam o lazer como principal motivação psicológica para a escolha do destino turístico; (2) as infraestruturas e o ambiente socioeconômico e a imagem afetiva são as dimensões mais importantes da imagem do destino; (3) as motivações psicológicas aumentam a avaliação da imagem de destino de turistas autodefinidos LGBT +; (4) não houve diferença significativa entre a escolha do destino turístico entre heterossexuais e o público LGBT +. Originalidade: estudos anteriores focam em análises de consumo de destinos turísticos de LGBT+, mas não a compreensão das principais motivações psicológicas e sua associação com a imagem do destino, tampouco, verificam se de fato há diferenças entre o público LGBT+ e heterossexuais. Este estudo respondeu esta lacuna

Sars-cov-2 envelope and membrane proteins: structural differences linked to virus characteristics?

The Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a new viral infection caused by the severe acute respiratory coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Genomic analyses have revealed that SARS-CoV-2 is related to Pangolin and Bat coronaviruses. In this report, a structural comparison between the Sars-CoV-2 Envelope and Membrane proteins from different human isolates with homologous proteins from closely related viruses is described. The analyses here reported show the high structural similarity of Envelope and Membrane proteins to the counterparts from Pangolin and Bat coronavirus isolates. However, the comparisons have also highlighted structural differences specific of Sars-CoV-2 proteins which may be correlated to the cross-species transmission and/or to the properties of the virus. Structural modelling has been applied to map the variant sites onto the predicted three-dimensional structure of the Envelope and Membrane proteins

ABJM amplitudes and WL at finite N

We evaluate ABJM observables at two loops, for any value of the rank N of the gauge group. We compute the color subleading contributions to the four-point scattering amplitude in ABJM at two loops. Contrary to the four dimensional case, IR divergent N-subleading contributions are proportional to leading poles in the regularization parameter. We then exploit the non-planar calculation for the amplitude to derive an expression for the two-loop Sudakov form factor at any N. In the planar limit the result coincides with the one recently obtained in literature by using Feynman diagrams and unitarity. Finally, we analyze the subleading contributions to the light-like four-cusps Wilson loop and interpret the result in terms of the non-abelian exponentiation theorem. All these perturbative results satisfy the uniform transcendentality principle, hinting at its validity in ABJM beyond the planar limit.Fil: Bianchi, Marco. Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin; AlemaniaFil: Leoni, Marta. Universita Degli Studi Di Milano; Italia. Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare; ItaliaFil: Leoni Olivera, Matías. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Ciudad Universitaria. Instituto de Física de Buenos Aires. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Instituto de Física de Buenos Aires; ArgentinaFil: Mauri, Andrea. Universita Degli Studi Di Milano; Italia. Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare; ItaliaFil: Penati, Silvia. Universita Degli Studi Di Milano; Italia. Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare; ItaliaFil: Santambrogio, Alberto. Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare; Itali