Reperti lapidei di et\ue0 romana rinvenuti a Fornovo Taro: provenienza e circolazione

Nelle collezioni del Museo Archeologico Nazionale di Parma tra i reperti litici di et\ue0 romana figurano anche tre oggetti recuperati a Fornovo Taro o nelle sue adiacenze diversi per contesto di ritrovamento e destinazione d\u2019uso, di cui si \ue8 analizzata la pietra ai fini di determinarne la provenienza e le possibili rotte commerciali. In particolare sono stati presi in esame:- una epigrafe frammentaria (n.inv. L 49), databile al II secolo d.C., gi\ue0 murata in uno dei pilastri della Pieve ed entrata a far parte delle collezioni museali nel 18671; - una piccola scultura raffigurante Afrodite accovacciata secondo il modello dello scultore ellenistico Doidalsas (n.inv. MANPr 31963), recuperata negli anni Ottanta del secolo scorso al margine occidentale di Piazza IV Novembre, databile ai primi decenni sempre del II secolo d.C.2; - una base di colonna (mancante di n.inv. e abbreviata con la sigla BCG), recuperata nel 1980 a Roncolungo di Sivizzano tra i materiali accatastati ai margini della strada statale dal proprietario del terreno in attesa di disfarsene

Churg-Strauss syndrome: outcome and long-term follow-up of 38 patients from a single Italian centre

Objective: This study was aimed at verifying any potential correlation between anti-myeloperoxidase antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies (ANCA-MPO) and clinical features and outcome indices in Churg-Strauss Syndrome (CSS). Methods: Thirhty-eight Churg-Strauss syndrome patients were selected from the medical records of all vasculitis patients attending the Rheumatology and Immunology Unit at the Department of Internal Medicine of the University of Pisa in the decades between 1989 and 2008. Data were analysed retrospectively. Statistical analyses of the results were carried out using the Mann-Whitney test to determine the correlations between the clinical and serological parameters. Qualitative variables were compared using contingency table analysis and Fisher's exact test. Results: ANCA-MPO were detected in15/38 (39%) patients. Positive ANCA status was associated with peripheral neuropathy (p=0.0006), whereas negative ANCA status was associated with lung involvement (p=0.002). Relapses were strongly associated with positive ANCA status (p=0.01) and with an increase in- or a reappearence of ANCA-MPO levels (p=0.006). Finally, ANCA-MPO were significantly associated with neurological damage (p=0.003). Conclusions: The presence or absence of ANCA-MPO identify different clinical subsets in CSS. Overall, ANCA-MPO appears as a useful tool in the monitoring of CSS and in particular a good predictor of CSS relapse

Arachidonic acid-evoked Ca^{2+} signals promote nitric oxide release and proliferation in human endothelial colony forming cells

Arachidonic acid (AA) stimulates endothelial cell (EC) proliferation through an increase in intracellular Ca^{2+} concentration ([Ca^{2+}]_{i}), that, in turn, promotes nitric oxide (NO) release. AA-evoked Ca^{2+} signals are mainly mediated by Transient Receptor Potential Vanilloid 4 (TRPV4) channels. Circulating endothelial colony forming cells (ECFCs) represent the only established precursors of ECs. In the present study, we, therefore, sought to elucidate whether AA promotes human ECFC (hECFC) proliferation through an increase in [Ca^{2+}]_{i} and the following activation of the endothelial NO synthase (eNOS). AA induced a dose-dependent [Ca^{2+}]_{i} raise that was mimicked by its non-metabolizable analogue eicosatetraynoic acid. AA-evoked Ca^{2+} signals required both intracellular Ca^{2+} release and external Ca^{2+} inflow. AA-induced Ca^{2+} release was mediated by inositol-1,4,5-trisphosphate receptors from the endoplasmic reticulum and by two pore channel 1 from the acidic stores of the endolysosomal system. AA-evoked Ca^{2+} entry was, in turn, mediated by TRPV4, while it did not involve store-operated Ca^{2+} entry. Moreover, AA caused an increase in NO levels which was blocked by preventing the concomitant increase in [Ca^{2+}]_{i} and by inhibiting eNOS activity with NG-nitro-l-arginine methyl ester (l-NAME). Finally, AA per se did not stimulate hECFC growth, but potentiated growth factors-induced hECFC proliferation in a Ca^{2+} - and NO-dependent manner. Therefore, AA-evoked Ca^{2+} signals emerge as an additional target to prevent cancer vascularisation, which may be sustained by ECFC recruitment

U-PHOS Project: Development of a Large Diameter Pulsating Heat Pipe Experiment on board REXUS 22

U-PHOS Project aims to analyse and characterise the behaviour of a large diameter Pulsating Heat Pipe (PHP) on board REXUS 22 sounding rocket. A PHP is a passive thermal control device consisting of a serpentine capillary tube, evacuated, partially filled with a working fluid and finally sealed. In this configuration, the liquid and vapour phases are randomly distributed in the form of liquid slugs and vapour plugs. The heat is efficiently transported by means of the self-sustained oscillatory fluid motion driven by the phase change phenomena. On ground conditions, a small diameter is required in order to obtain a confined slug flow regime. In milli-gravity conditions, buoyancy forces become less intense and the PHP diameter may be increased still maintaining the slug/plug flow configuration typical of the PHP operation. Consequently, the PHP heat power capability may be increased too. U-PHOS aims at proving that a Large Diameter PHP effectively works in milli-g conditions by characterizing its thermal response during a sounding rocket flight. The actual PHP tube is made of aluminum (3 mm inner diameter, filled with FC-72), heated at the evaporator by a compact electrical resistance, cooled at the condenser by a Phase Change Material (PCM) embedded in a metallic foam. The tube wall temperatures are recorded by means of Fibre Bragg Grating (FBG) sensors; the local fluid pressure is acquired by means of a pressure transducer. The present work intends to report the actual status of the project, focusing in particular on the experiment improvements with respect to the previous campaign

Upgraded Pulsating Heat Pipe Only For Space (U-Phos): Results of the 22nd Rexus Sounding Rocket Campaign

A large tube may still behave, to a certain extent, as a capillary in a micro-gravity environment. This very basic concept is here applied to a two-phase passive heat transfer devices in order to obtain a new family of hybrid wickless heat pipes. Indeed, a Loop Thermosyphon, which usually consists of a large tube, closed end to end in a loop, evacuated and partially filled with a working fluid and intrinsically gravity assisted, may become a capillary tube in space condition and turn its thermo-fluidic behavior into a so called Pulsating Heat Pipe (PHP), or better, a Space Pulsating Heat Pipe (SPHP). Since the objective of the present work is to experimentally demonstrate the feasibility of such a hybrid device, a SPHP has been designed, built, instrumented and tested both on ground and microgravity conditions on the 22nd ESA REXUS Sounding Rocket Campaign. Ground tests demonstrate that the device effectively work as a gravity assisted loop thermosyphon, whether the sounding rocket data clearly reveal a change in the thermal hydraulic behavior very similar to the PHP. Since a microgravity period of approximately 120s is not sufficient to reach a pseudo steady state regime, further investigation on a longer term weightless condition is mandatory

Early childhood pedagogies: spaces for young children to flourish

This paper introduces the Special Issue of Early Child Development and Care focused on Early Childhood Pedagogy. It opens by considering past and present discourses concerning early childhood pedagogy, and focus is given to established philosophical underpinnings in the field and their translation to contemporary guidance, alongside research and policy. It is argued that early childhood pedagogy is a contested, complex and diverse space, yet these factors are entirely appropriate for supporting young children to flourish as valued individuals in different contexts. Building on this argument, it is posited that it may be more appropriate to discuss early childhood pedagogies rather than early childhood pedagogy. The paper goes on to critique a range of established early childhood pedagogies, before introducing 18 papers from across the world that make exciting new contributions to the discourse. It is intended that this collection will inspire new debates and fresh endeavours concerning early childhood pedagogies

Rassegna bibliografica infanzia e adolescenza

Pubblicazione trimestrale dedicata alla segnalazione commentata delle principali pubblicazioni italiane, siano esse articoli che monografie, relative ai temi dell'infanzia e dell'adolescenza. Nasce nel 2000 per volont\ue0 dell\u2019Istituto degli Innocenti dalla collaborazione tra il Centro nazionale di documentazione e il Centro di documentazione della Regione Toscana, ed \ue8 rivolta agli operatori dei servizi, agli amministratori locali e nazionali e agli esperti di settore. Oltre alle pubblicazioni italiane, presenta anche una circoscritta rassegna di alcune pubblicazioni europee. Le segnalazioni sono ordinate secondo uno specifico sistema di classificazione realizzato dall\u2019Istituto degli Innocenti ed indicizzate seguendo la Guida all\u2019indicizzazione per soggetto, realizzata dal GRIS (Gruppo di ricerca sull\u2019indicizzazione per soggetto) dell\u2019AIB (Associazione italiana biblioteche). La rivista \ue8 dotata di un indice per autore e di un indice dei soggetti, ordinato alfabeticamente per ogni termine che compare nella stringa di soggetto, che aiuta il lettore ad individuare le segnalazioni di proprio interesse. Oltre che in formato stampa, la rivista \ue8 scaricabile dal sito www.minori.it del Centro Nazionale di documentazione e analisi per l'infanzia e l'adolescenza

Bosentan and sildenafil: successful treatment in a sclerodermic patient with refractory ulcers

Systemic sclerosis is an inflammatory disease of the connective tissue characterized by vasculopathy and accumulation of collagen and other components of the connective matrix, affecting the skin and internal organs. The appearance of skin ulcers as a result of vascular damage is very common in the history of the disease. Skin ulcers, painful and slow healing due to atrophy and local ischemia, get worse the quality of life of patients. Often, the use of conventional therapies (such as calcium channel blockers and prostanoids) does not cause the complete healing of the lesions. We report the case of a patient in whom therapeutic association between endothelin antagonist (bosentan) and phosphodiesterase-V inhibitor (sildenafil) resulted in complete healing of old ulcers both to upper and lower limbs and allowed the interruption of intravenous therapies