Inositols in Insulin Signaling and Glucose Metabolism

In the past decades, both the importance of inositol for human health and the complex interaction between glucose and inositol have been the subject of increasing consideration. Glucose has been shown to interfere with cellular transmembrane transport of inositol, inhibiting, among others, its intestinal absorption. Moreover, intracellular glucose is required for de novo biosynthesis of inositol through the inositol-3-phosphate synthase 1 pathway, while a few glucose-related metabolites, like sorbitol, reduce intracellular levels of inositol. Furthermore, inositol, via its major isomers myo-inositol and D-chiro-inositol, and probably some of its phosphate intermediate metabolites and correlated enzymes (like inositol hexakisphosphate kinase) participate in both insulin signaling and glucose metabolism by influencing distinct pathways. Indeed, clinical data support the beneficial effects exerted by inositol by reducing glycaemia levels and hyperinsulinemia and buffering negative effects of sustained insulin stimulation upon the adipose tissue and the endocrine system. Due to these multiple effects, myoIns has become a reliable treatment option, as opposed to hormonal stimulation, for insulin-resistant PCOS patients

Should {\Delta}{\Sigma} Modulators Used in AC Motor Drives be Adapted to the Mechanical Load of the Motor?

We consider the use of {\Delta}{\Sigma} modulators in ac motor drives, focusing on the many additional degrees of freedom that this option offers over Pulse Width Modulation (PWM). Following some recent results, we show that it is possible to fully adapt the {\Delta}{\Sigma} modulator Noise Transfer Function (NTF) to the rest of the drive chain and that the approach can be pushed even to a fine adaptation of the NTF to the specific motor loading condition. We investigate whether and to what extent the adaptation should be pursued. Using a representative test case and extensive simulation, we conclude that a mild adaptation can be beneficial, leading to Signal to Noise Ratio (SNR) improvements in the order a few dB, while the advantage pushing the adaptation to the load tracking is likely to be minimal.Comment: Sample code available at http://pydsm.googlecode.co

Harmonic analysis of oscillators through standard numerical continuation tools

In this paper, we describe a numerical continuation method that enables harmonic analysis of nonlinear periodic oscillators. This method is formulated as a boundary value problem that can be readily implemented by resorting to a standard continuation package - without modification - such as AUTO, which we used. Our technique works for any kind of oscillator, including electronic, mechanical and biochemical systems. We provide two case studies. The first study concerns itself with the autonomous electronic oscillator known as the Colpitts oscillator, and the second one with a nonlinear damped oscillator, a non-autonomous mechanical oscillator. As shown in the case studies, the proposed technique can aid both the analysis and the design of the oscillators, by following curves for which a certain constraint, related to harmonic analysis, is fulfilled.Comment: 20 pages, 4 figure

Output Filter Aware Optimization of the Noise Shaping Properties of {\Delta}{\Sigma} Modulators via Semi-Definite Programming

The Noise Transfer Function (NTF) of {\Delta}{\Sigma} modulators is typically designed after the features of the input signal. We suggest that in many applications, and notably those involving D/D and D/A conversion or actuation, the NTF should instead be shaped after the properties of the output/reconstruction filter. To this aim, we propose a framework for optimal design based on the Kalman-Yakubovich-Popov (KYP) lemma and semi-definite programming. Some examples illustrate how in practical cases the proposed strategy can outperform more standard approaches.Comment: 14 pages, 18 figures, journal. Code accompanying the paper is available at http://pydsm.googlecode.co

Noise Weighting in the Design of {\Delta}{\Sigma} Modulators (with a Psychoacoustic Coder as an Example)

A design flow for {\Delta}{\Sigma} modulators is illustrated, allowing quantization noise to be shaped according to an arbitrary weighting profile. Being based on FIR NTFs, possibly with high order, the flow is best suited for digital architectures. The work builds on a recent proposal where the modulator is matched to the reconstruction filter, showing that this type of optimization can benefit a wide range of applications where noise (including in-band noise) is known to have a different impact at different frequencies. The design of a multiband modulator, a modulator avoiding DC noise, and an audio modulator capable of distributing quantization artifacts according to a psychoacoustic model are discussed as examples. A software toolbox is provided as a general design aid and to replicate the proposed results.Comment: 5 pages, 18 figures, journal. Code accompanying the paper is available at http://pydsm.googlecode.co

La videocapsula e l'endoscopia digestiva nelle malattie infiammatorie croniche intestinali : il ruolo attuale nel versante diagnostico e terapeutico

Le Malattie Infiammatorie Croniche Intestinali conosciute con l’acronimo MICI (Malattie Infiamamtorie Croniche Intestinali) o IBD dall’inglese (Inflammatory Bowel Disease) sono un gruppo di patologie caratterizzate da una infiammazione del tratto gastrointestinale ad eziologia ancora non del tutto nota. L’endoscopia digestiva riveste a tutt’oggi un fondamentale ruolo nella diagnosi delle MICI e nella diagnosi differenziale delle patologie appartenenti al gruppo MICI. Sia nel MC che nella CI è fondamentale lo studio del tenue sia per una completa stadiazione della malattia sia per una corretta diagnosi in quanto talvolta può essere l’unica sede di localizzazione della malattia che può essere effettuato con l’ileoscopia con video capsula. Lo studio prende in considerazione 158 pazienti diagnosticati affetti da MICI nel periodo 2002-2008, di cui 16 con stenosi infiammatoria o cronica. In accordo con i dati della letteratura internazionale anche in questo studio l’endoscopia e la video capsula si sono dimostrati strumenti indispensabili nella diagnosi, stadiazione e nella valutazione alla risposta alla terapia medica fondamentali. L’endoscopia inoltre riveste un ruolo importante anche dal punto di vista terapeutico con le dilatazioni eprendoscopiche. Data la complessità delle MICI è indispensabile avere centri altamente specializzati con approccio multidisciplinare

Un problema de estética en el "Libro de Buen Amor" : la heterogeneidad lingüística

Los estudios tanto lingüísticos como literarios del Libro de \ud buen amor han resaltado la compleja variedad de registros lingüísticos que el \ud autor utiliza: lenguaje coloquial junto al erudito, refranes junto a sentencias, \ud mezcla de jergas y hasta versos en latín o árabe. En este arículo se intenta \ud estudiar este aspecto de la obra ruiciana desde el punto de vista de su funcionalidad estética. Así se puede observar que esos diversos registros no son \ud independientes de los diferentes tipos de piezas que incorpora Juan Ruiz a su \ud libro, pues el autor no sólo reproduce modelos literarios, sino también el tipo \ud de lengua que estos utilizan.So the linguistic studies as the literary also about the Libro de \ud buen amor have highlighted ther complex varyety of linguistic registers the \ud author uses : colloquial language next to erudite one, proverbs next to \ud maxims, a mixture of jargoons and even latin or arab verses. In the present article we intend to study this aspect of the book from the point of viwe of \ud his esthetic function. So it is possible to observe that those various registers \ud are not independent from the diverse kind of texts which the author incorpórate in his book, as the author reproduce not only hterary models, but also \ud the kind of language that those employ