New potentialities of the Liège intranuclear cascade (INCL) model for reactions induced by nucleons and light charged particles

The new version (INCL4.6) of the Li`ege intranuclear cascade (INC) model for the description of spallation reactions is presented in detail. Compared to the standard version (INCL4.2), it incorporates several new features, the most important of which are: (i) the inclusion of cluster production through a dynamical phase space coalescence model, (ii) the Coulomb deflection for entering and outgoing charged particles, (iii) the improvement of the treatment of Pauli blocking and of soft collisions, (iv) the introduction of experimental threshold values for the emission of particles, (v) the improvement of pion dynamics, (vi) a detailed procedure for the treatment of light-cluster induced reactions taking care of the effects of binding energy of the nucleons inside the incident cluster and of the possible fusion reaction at low energy. Performances of the new model concerning nucleon-induced reactions are illustrated. Whenever necessary, the INCL4.6 model is coupled to the ABLA07 deexcitation model and the respective merits of the two models are then tentatively disentangled. Good agreement is generally obtained in the 200 MeV-2 GeV range. Below 200 MeV and down to a few tens of MeV, the total reaction cross section is well reproduced and differential cross sections are reasonably well described. The model is also tested for light-ion induced reactions at low energy, below 100 MeV incident energy per nucleon. Beyond presenting the update of the INCL4.2 model, attention has been paid to applications of the new model to three topics for which some particular aspects are discussed for the first time: production of clusters heavier than alpha particles, longitudinal residue recoil velocity and its fluctuations, total reaction cross section and the residue production cross sections for low energy incident light ions.Comment: 29 pages, 26 figure

Heart Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme and Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme 2 Gene Expression Associated With Male Sex and Salt-Sensitive Hypertension in the Dahl Rat

Angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE 2) in the heart including its sex dependency in the hypertensive heart, has not been much studied compared to ACE. In the present study, we used the Dahl salt-sensitive rat exposed to fructose and salt to model a hypertensive phenotype in males, females, and ovariectomized females. Blood pressure was measured by the tale-cuff technique in the conscious state. Expression of RAS-related genes ACE, ACE2, angiotensin II receptor type 1, Mas1, and CMA1 in the heart were quantified. The results revealed small but significant differences between male and female groups. The main results indicate the presence of a male preponderance for an increase in ACE and ACE2 gene expression. The results are in accordance with the role of androgens or male chromosomal complement in controlling the expression of the two ACE genes

Incidence of thyroid disorders in systemic sclerosis: results from a longitudinal follow-up

Context: Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is a connective tissue disease of unknown etiology, and several studies reported its association with thyroid autoimmune disorders. No study has evaluated longitudinally the incidence of new cases of thyroid autoimmunity and dysfunction in patients with SSc. Objective: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the incidence of new cases of clinical and subclinical thyroid dysfunction in a wide group of women with SSc vs an age- and sex-matched control group from the same geographic area. Design and Patients or Other Participants: After exclusion of sclerodermic patients with thyroid dysfunction (n = 55) at the initial evaluation, the appearance of new cases of thyroid disorders was evaluated in 179 patients and 179 matched control subjects, with similar iodine intake (median follow-up 73 months in patients with SSc vs 94 months in control subjects). Results: A high incidence (P < .05) of new cases of hypothyroidism, thyroid dysfunction, anti-thyroperoxidase antibody positivity, and appearance of a hypoechoic thyroid pattern in sclerodermic patients (15.5, 21, 11, and 14.6 of 1000 patients per year; respectively) vs that in control subjects was shown. A logistic regression analysis showed that in patients with SSc, the appearance of hypothyroidism was related to a borderline high initial TSH level, anti-thyroperoxidase antibody positivity, and a hypoechoic and small thyroid. Conclusions: Our study shows a high incidence of new cases of hypothyroidism and thyroid dysfunction in female sclerodermic patients. Female sclerodermic patients, who are at high risk (a borderline high [even if in the normal range] TSH value, anti-thyroperoxidase antibody positivity, and a hypoechoic and small thyroid) should have periodic thyroid function follow-up

Arterial hypertension in aortic valve stenosis: A critical update

Aortic stenosis (AS) is a very common valve disease and is associated with high mortality once it becomes symptomatic. Arterial hypertension (HT) has a high prevalence among patients with AS leading to worse left ventricle remodeling and faster degeneration of the valve. HT also interferes with the assessment of the severity of AS, leading to an underestimation of the real degree of stenosis. Treatment of HT in AS has not historically been pursued due to the fear of excess reduction in afterload without a possibility of increasing stroke volume due to the fixed aortic valve, but most recent evidence shows that several drugs are safe and effective in reducing BP in patients with HT and AS. RAAS inhibitors and beta‐blockers provide benefit in selected populations based on their profile of pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics. Different drugs, on the other hand, have proved to be unsafe, such as calcium channel blockers, or simply not easy enough to handle to be recommended in clinical practice, such as PDE5i, MRA or sodium nitroprusside. The present review highlights all available studies on HT and AS to guide antihypertensive treatment

New capabilities of the INCL4.6 model implemented into high-energy transport codes

Peer reviewe

Diet and Plastic Ingestion in the Blackmouth Catshark Galeus melastomus, Rafinesque 1810, in Italian Waters

Simple Summary The blackmouth catshark has a habitat range that spans from the Norwegian seas to Senegal and throughout the Mediterranean Sea, and it is one of the most common sharks in Italian waters. The aim of this work is to investigate, through the analyses of the stomach contents of five populations from the Tyrrhenian and Ionian Seas, the diet of blackmouth catsharks. The analyses showed that the most frequent items were Osteichthyes of the family Myctophidae, except for one population, in which the most common items were Cephalopods and Crustacean of the Decapods order. Plastic debris was also found in all populations analysed and classified by colour and shape. This study ought to increase the knowledge of the feeding ecology of the blackmouth catshark, thus improving the meagre literature about Tyrrhenian and Ionian waters. Galeus melastomus is the most common Pentanchidae in the Mediterranean Sea. A scavenger and opportunistic feeder, and despite the wide distribution, little is known about its feeding habits in Italian waters. The main purpose of this study was to investigate the diet of the blackmouth catshark by analysing the stomach contents. The specimens analysed were obtained from five populations of the Tyrrhenian and of the Ionian Seas, collected from a depth between 40 and 700 m. A total of 259 stomachs were analysed. The stomach contents were grouped into macro-categories and identified to the lowest taxonomic level possible. Crustaceans such as Parapenaeus longirostris, the Cephalopods Heteroteuthis dispar and Onychoteuthis banksii, and Osteichthyes, mostly Myctophidae, were identified. Plastic debris was also found among the stomach contents and classified according to its colour and shape. Osteichthyes represent the most abundant item (44%), above all the Myctophidae family, except for the catshark population from Tuscany, in which the most frequent species were Cephalopods, such as Abralia veranyi and Heteroteuthis dispar. Differences in the plastic debris contents were also observed between the Tuscany population and other populations. These could be explained as a probable consequence of the different depths at which the blackmouth catshark populations were sampled

Preliminary assessment of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) in tissues of Risso's dolphin (Grampus griseus) specimens stranded along the Italian coasts

Ecotoxicological and pathological research on Grampus griseus (Cuvier, 1812) (Risso's dolphins) is scarce both globally and in the Mediterranean Sea. This species has been classified as "Vulnerable" by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) in the Mediterranean Sea.To evaluate the presence of "persistent organic pollutants" (POPs), especially organochlorine compounds (OCs), in the animals, chemical analyses were performed on tissues and organs of Risso's dolphin stranded along the Italian coasts between 1998 and 2021. Toxic contaminants such as hexachlorobenzene (HCB), poly-chlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane and its metabolites (DDTs) were examined in the blubber, liver, muscle, and brain of 20 animals, and data was correlated with sex, age, and stranding locations

Connectivity in the Deep: Phylogeography of the Velvet Belly Lanternshark

PublishedThe velvet belly lanternshark, Etmopterus spinax, is a deep-sea bioluminescent squaloid shark, found predominantly in the northeast Atlantic and Mediterranean Sea. It has been exposed to relatively high levels of mortality associated with by-catch in some regions. Its late maturity and low fecundity potentially renders it vulnerable to over-exploitation, although little remains known about processes of connectivity between key habitats/regions. This study utilised DNA sequencing of partial regions of the mitochondrial control region and nuclear ribosomal internal transcribed spacer 2 to investigate population structure and phylogeography of this species across the northeast Atlantic and Mediterranean Basin. Despite the inclusion of samples from the range edges or remote locations, no evidence of significant population structure was detected. An important exception was identified using the control region sequence, with much greater (and statistically significant) levels of genetic differentiation between the Mediterranean and Atlantic. This suggests that the Strait of Gibraltar may represent an important bathymetric barrier, separating regions with very low levels of female dispersal. Bayesian estimation of divergence time also places the separation between the Mediterranean and Atlantic lineages within the last 100,000 years, presumably connected with perturbations during the last Glacial Period. These results demonstrate population subdivision at a much smaller geographic distance than has generally been identified in previous work on deep-sea sharks. This highlights a very significant role for shallow bathymetry in promoting genetic differentiation in deepwater taxa. It acts as an important exception to a general paradigm of marine species being connected by high levels of gene-flow, representing single stocks over large scales. It may also have significant implications for the fisheries management of this species.We would like to thank Trude Thangstad, Merete Kvalsund (Institute of Marine Research, Norway), Cecilia Pinto, Eleonora de Sabata and the scientists and crew of the RV Celtic Explorer for assistance in the collection of samples. Funding for this project was provided by the University of Salford and the University of Bristol. We are grateful to all those who helped with sample collection, including the MEDITS survey programme, the Department of Fisheries and Marine Research (DFMR) of Cyprus, the Annual Demersal and Deep Water Fish Monitoring Surveys financed by the Azores Government and the CONDOR project (supported by a grant from Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway through the EEA Financial Mechanism (PT0040/2008)

Effects of Dipeptidyl Peptidase-4 Inhibitor Linagliptin on Left Ventricular Dysfunction in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes and Concentric Left Ventricular Geometry (the DYDA 2TM Trial). Rationale, Design, and Baseline Characteristics of the Study Population

Purpose: A multicentre, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group study aimed to define the potential positive effect of dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibition on left ventricular systolic function (LVSF) beyond glycemic control in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) (DYDA 2TM trial). Methods: Individuals with fairly controlled T2DM and asymptomatic impaired LVSF were randomized in a 1:1 ratio to receive for 48 weeks either linagliptin 5 mg daily or placebo, in addition to their stable diabetes therapy. Eligibility criteria were age ≥ 40 years, history of T2DM with a duration of at least 6 months, HbA1c ≤ 8.0% (≤ 64 mmol/mol), no history or clinical signs/symptoms of cardiac disease, evidence at baseline echocardiography of concentric LV geometry (relative wall thickness ≥ 0.42), and impaired LVSF defined as midwall fractional shortening (MFS) ≤ 15%. The primary end-point was the modification from baseline to 48 weeks of MFS. As an exploratory analysis, significant changes in LV global longitudinal strain and global circumferential strain, measured by speckle tracking echocardiography, were also considered. Secondary objectives were changes in diastolic and/or in systolic longitudinal function as measured by tissue Doppler. Results: A total of 188 patients were enrolled. They were predominantly males, mildly obese, with typical insulin-resistance co-morbidities such as hypertension and dyslipidemia. Mean relative wall thickness was 0.51 ± 0.09 and mean MFS 13.3% ± 2.5. Conclusions: DYDA 2 is the first randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial to explore the effect of a dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitor on LVSF in T2DM patients in primary prevention regardless of glycemic control. The main characteristics of the enrolled population are reported

Screening of hypercortisolism among patients with hypertension: an Italian nationwide survey

Purpose Screening of Cushing Syndrome (CS) and Mild Autonomous Cortisol Secretion (MACS) in hypertensive patients is crucial for proper treatment. The aim of the study was to investigate screening and management of hypercortisolism among patients with hypertension in Italy.Methods A 10 item-questionnaire was delivered to referral centres of European and Italian Society of Hypertension (ESH and SIIA) in a nationwide survey. Data were analyzed according to type of centre (excellence vs non-excellence), geographical area, and medical specialty.Results Within 14 Italian regions, 82 centres (30% excellence, 78.790 patients during the last year, average 600 patients/year) participated to the survey. Internal medicine (44%) and cardiology (31%) were the most prevalent medical specialty. CS and MACS were diagnosed in 313 and 490 patients during the previous 5 years. The highest number of diagnoses was reported by internal medicine and excellence centres. Screening for hypercortisolism was reported by 77% in the presence of specific features of CS, 61% in resistant hypertension, and 38% in patients with adrenal mass. Among screening tests, the 24 h urinary free cortisol was the most used (66%), followed by morning cortisol and ACTH (54%), 1 mg-dexamethasone suppression test (49%), adrenal CT or MRI scans (12%), and late night salivary cortisol (11%). Awareness of referral centres with expertise in management of CS was reported by 67% of the participants, which reduced to 44% among non-excellence centres.Conclusions Current screening of hypercortisolism among hypertensive patients is unsatisfactory. Strategies tailored to different medical specialties and type of centres should be conceived