Randomized controlled trial on the influence of dietary intervention on epigenetic mechanisms in children with cow's milk allergy: the EPICMA study

Epigenetic mechanisms could drive the disease course of cow's milk allergy (CMA) and formula choice could modulate these pathways. We compared the effect of two different dietary approaches on epigenetic mechanisms in CMA children. Randomized controlled trial on IgE-mediated CMA children receiving a 12-month treatment with extensively hydrolyzed casein formula containing the probiotic L.rhamnosus GG (EHCF + LGG) or with soy formula (SF). At the baseline, after 6 and 12 months of treatment FoxP3 methylation rate and its expression in CD4+ T cells were assessed. At same study points IL-4, IL-5, IL-10, and IFN-γ methylation rate, expression and serum concentration, miRNAs expression were also investigated. 20 children (10/group) were evaluated. Baseline demographic, clinical and epigenetic features were similar in the two study groups. At 6 and 12 months, EHCF + LGG group showed a significant increase in FoxP3 demethylation rate compared to SF group. At the same study points, EHCF + LGG group presented a higher increase in IL-4 and IL-5 and a higher reduction in IL-10 and IFN-γ DNA methylation rate compared to SF group. A different modulation of miR-155, -146a, -128 and -193a expression was observed in EHCF + LGG vs. SF. Dietary intervention could exert a different epigenetic modulation on the immune system in CMA children

Buried volcanic structures in the Gulf of Naples (Southern Tyrrhenian Sea, Italy) resulting from high resolution magnetic survey and seismic profiling

In this paper we present a correlation between volcanic structures and magnetic anomalies in the Gulf of Naples (Southern Tyrrhenian Sea) based on high resolution magnetic profiling. A densely spaced grid of magnetic profiles coupled with multichannel seismics (seismic source Watergun 15 cubic inch) was recorded in the Gulf of Naples, representing an active volcanic area during the Late Quaternary (volcanic centers of Somma-Vesuvius, Phlegraean Fields and Ischia and Procida islands). The dataset was collected during the oceanographic cruise GMS00-05 which took place during October-November 2000 in the South Tyrrhenian Sea onboard of the R/V Urania (National Research Council, Italy). Shallow volcanic structures in the subsurface of the gulf were recognized by seismo-stratigraphic analysis of high resolution profiles; the volcanic nature of some of these structures was inferred identifying the magnetic anomalies on a high resolution magnetic anomaly map of the gulf. Even if qualitative, the correlations between seismic and magnetic profiles allow us to better assess the geological structure of the Gulf of Naples

Verifying Real-Time Systems using Explicit-time Description Methods

Timed model checking has been extensively researched in recent years. Many new formalisms with time extensions and tools based on them have been presented. On the other hand, Explicit-Time Description Methods aim to verify real-time systems with general untimed model checkers. Lamport presented an explicit-time description method using a clock-ticking process (Tick) to simulate the passage of time together with a group of global variables for time requirements. This paper proposes a new explicit-time description method with no reliance on global variables. Instead, it uses rendezvous synchronization steps between the Tick process and each system process to simulate time. This new method achieves better modularity and facilitates usage of more complex timing constraints. The two explicit-time description methods are implemented in DIVINE, a well-known distributed-memory model checker. Preliminary experiment results show that our new method, with better modularity, is comparable to Lamport's method with respect to time and memory efficiency