On the mechanisms governing gas penetration into a tokamak plasma during a massive gas injection

A new 1D radial fluid code, IMAGINE, is used to simulate the penetration of gas into a tokamak plasma during a massive gas injection (MGI). The main result is that the gas is in general strongly braked as it reaches the plasma, due to mechanisms related to charge exchange and (to a smaller extent) recombination. As a result, only a fraction of the gas penetrates into the plasma. Also, a shock wave is created in the gas which propagates away from the plasma, braking and compressing the incoming gas. Simulation results are quantitatively consistent, at least in terms of orders of magnitude, with experimental data for a D 2 MGI into a JET Ohmic plasma. Simulations of MGI into the background plasma surrounding a runaway electron beam show that if the background electron density is too high, the gas may not penetrate, suggesting a possible explanation for the recent results of Reux et al in JET (2015 Nucl. Fusion 55 093013)

The trispecific DARPin ensovibep inhibits diverse SARS-CoV-2 variants

The emergence of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) variants with potential resistance to existing drugs emphasizes the need for new therapeutic modalities with broad variant activity. Here we show that ensovibep, a trispecific DARPin (designed ankyrin repeat protein) clinical candidate, can engage the three units of the spike protein trimer of SARS-CoV-2 and inhibit ACE2 binding with high potency, as revealed by cryo-electron microscopy analysis. The cooperative binding together with the complementarity of the three DARPin modules enable ensovibep to inhibit frequent SARS-CoV-2 variants, including Omicron sublineages BA.1 and BA.2. In Roborovski dwarf hamsters infected with SARS-CoV-2, ensovibep reduced fatality similarly to a standard-of-care monoclonal antibody (mAb) cocktail. When used as a single agent in viral passaging experiments in vitro, ensovibep reduced the emergence of escape mutations in a similar fashion to the same mAb cocktail. These results support further clinical evaluation of ensovibep as a broad variant alternative to existing targeted therapies for Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19)

Visceral adiposity and arterial stiffness: Echocardiographic epicardial fat thickness reflects, better than waist circumference, carotid arterial stiffness in a large population of hypertensives

Aims Relationship between obesity and cardiovascular (CV) disease depends not only on the amount of body fat, but also on its distribution. For example, individuals with increased fat accumulation in the abdominal region have atherogenic lipid profiles and are at increased CV risk. The loss of elasticity in medium and large arteries is an early manifestation of atherosclerosis. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether echocardiographic epicardial adipose tissue, an index of cardiac adiposity, is related to carotid stiffness and carotid intima-media thickness (IMT), indexes of subclinical atherosclerosis, better than waist circumference in hypertensive patients.Methods and results We studied 459 patients with Grade I and II essential hypertension who were referred to our outpatient clinic over a period from May 2007 to March 2008. The population was first sorted by waist circumference and then by epicardial fat ≤7 or >7 mm. We measured epicardial fat thickness, waist circumference, carotid artery stiffness, and carotid IMT in all patients. Patients divided according to waist circumference showed no statistical differences in carotid artery stiffness between the two groups. Subjects with epicardial fat >7 mm were older, had higher systolic, diastolic, and pulse pressure, increased left ventricular mass index, carotid IMT, diastolic parameters, and stiffness parameters compared with those with epicardial fat ≤7 mm (P < 0.001). A positive correlation was found between epicardial fat and age, pulse pressure, stiffness parameters, carotid IMT, systolic blood pressure, and duration of hypertension, and a negative correlation was found with diastolic parameters. Age, carotid IMT, and stiffness parameters were independently related to epicardial fat.Conclusion Our findings indicate that epicardial fat reflects carotid artery stiffness in hypertension-induced organ damage. © The Author 2009

When chewing gum is more than just a bad habit

In November, 2008 a 13-year-old boy (weight 45 kg, height 160 cm) was taken by his parents to the emergency department. His parents reported that after school the boy had been agitated and aggressive, in contrast with his normal mood. He denied feeling stressed or having used drugs or stimulants. He complained of abdominal discomfort, increased diuresis, dysuria, and prickling sensations in his legs. On examination, he was restless, with sinus tachycardia (147 beats per min [bpm] on electrocardiogram [ECG]), tachypnoea (25 breaths per min), and raised blood pressure (145/90 mm Hg). Chest radiography and laboratory blood test results were normal. Toxicological screen was negative for cocaine, heroin, and amphetamine. Psychiatric consultation was unremarkable. Our patient’s condition improved overnight without any treatment and he was discharged the following morning. At discharge he was noted to have sinus bradycardia (40 bpm)

Oltre il soffitto di cristallo. Il difficile cammino delle donne.

Il libro rappresenta l’occasione per riflettere sul difficile percorso delle donne verso una effettiva parità di opportunità rispetto agli uomini, nel riconoscimento della differenza. Si divide in due parti. Nella prima la testimonianza di tre donne che sono andate oltre il soffitto di cristallo: Susanna Camusso, prima donna ad occupare la carica di segretario generale della CGIL; Silvana Arbia, unica donna dei tre principals della Corte penale internazionale all’Aja con ruolo di registral; Rosa Oliva, per merito di un suo ricorso il 13 maggio 1960 la Corte Costituzionale concede alle donne l’accesso alle carriere prefettizie e diplomatiche con una sentenza che aprirà la strada, tre anni dopo, anche della magistratura . Queste ultime due presentate rispettivamente da due giuriste: Carola Ricci e Silvia Illari. Nella seconda parte una riflessione più generale sulle ragioni che costringono ancora le donne in una situazione di subalternità e discriminazione. In tal senso Maria Antonietta Confalonieri traccia la storia degli organismi di parità e Agnese Canevari affronta il tema della democrazia paritaria, entrambe nel contesto del quadro italiano, europeo ed internazione. Barbarà Airò sposta lo sguardo alle donne protagoniste della primavera araba, sottolineando come l’apertura democratica conseguente a tali avvenimenti ha legittimato quei partiti di ispirazione islamici che stanno mettendo seriamente in discussione le conquiste ottenute dalle donne nel corso di questi ultimi decenni, se pure nel contesto di regimi autoritari. Infine Anna Rita Calabrò si chiede se e in che misura le donne siano in grado di produrre processi di cambiamento nel momento in cui cominciano ad occupare in numero significativo territori della vita pubblica fino a questo momento loro preclusi

Radiation therapy for nodal disease in malignant melanoma

Radiation therapy has been widely used for palliative management of inoperable metastatic malignant melanoma. For patients with nodal disease, response rates of approximately 70% have been reported. There are limited data concerning the role of adjuvant irradiation following therapeutic lymph node dissection. In this review, 57 patients with isolated resectable and nonresectable nodal disease have been treated with radiation. The overall response rate is 84% for bulky disease. Large fractions are beneficial. The median disease-free survivals were 11 months after adjuvant treatment and 7 months for those with inoperable disease. The median overall survivals were 20 months and 18 months, respectively. Local control in long-term survivors was excellent. Sixty-five percent of patients developed distant metastases. There is a need for additional studies with the use of adjuvant radiation therapy following lymph node dissection