Essential and inessential elements of a standard basis

In this paper we introduce the concept of inessential element of a standard basis of I, where I is any homogeneous ideal of a polynomial ring. An inessential element is, roughly speaking, a form of the basis whose omission produces an ideal having the same saturation of I; it becomes useless in any dehomogenization of I with respect to a linear form. We study the properties of the basis linked to the presence of inessential elements and give some examples.Comment: 15 page

Epidermal growth factor receptor gene copy number in 101 advanced colorectal cancer patients treated with chemotherapy plus cetuximab

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Responsiveness to Cetuximab alone can be mediated by an increase of Epidermal Growth factor Receptor (EGFR) Gene Copy Number (GCN). Aim of this study was to assess the role of EGFR-GCN in advanced colorectal cancer (CRC) patients receiving chemotherapy plus Cetuximab.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>One hundred and one advanced CRC patients (43 untreated- and 58 pre-treated) were retrospectively studied by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) to assess EGFR-GCN and by immunohistochemistry (IHC) to determine EGFR expression. Sixty-one out of 101 patients were evaluated also for k-ras status by direct sequencing. Clinical end-points were response rate (RR), progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS).</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Increased EGFR-GCN was found in 60/101 (59%) tumor samples. There was no correlation between intensity of EGFR-IHC and EGFR-GCN (p = 0.43). Patients receiving chemotherapy plus Cetuximab as first line treatment had a RR of 70% (30/43) while it was 18% (10/56) in the group with previous lines of therapy (p < 0.0001). RR was observed in 29/60 (48%) of patients with increased EGFR-GCN and in 6/28 (21%) in those without (p = 0.02). At multivariate analyses, number of chemotherapy lines and increased EGFR-GCN were predictive of response; EGFR-IHC score, increased EGFR-GCN and number of chemotherapy lines were significantly associated with a significant better PFS. Response to therapy was the only prognostic predictive factor for OS. In the 60 patients analyzed for k-ras mutations, number of chemotherapy lines, increased EGFR-GCN and k-ras wild type status predicted a better PFS.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>In metastatic CRC patients treated with chemotherapy plus Cetuximab number of chemotherapy lines and increased EGFR-GCN were significantly associated with a better clinical outcome, independent of k-ras status.</p

La promotion de la langue et de la culture italiennes auprès des enfants d'immigrés italiens en Belgique. Un historique des politiques italiennes et belges soutenant cette forme d'intégration scolaire

Le Ministère italien des Affaires Étrangères promeut depuis longtemps des cours de langue et culture italiennes dans le monde. Ces cours sont inscrits dans un plan de sauvegarde de l’identité culturelle des enfants des Italiens à l’étranger et des citoyens d’origine italienne.On trouvera dans cette thèse l’exposé de la réalité du système des cours et des écoles italiennes en Belgique, depuis le début du XXe siècle. L’attention a été portée sur les activités développées pour promouvoir la langue et la culture italiennes auprès des enfants italiens dans le Royaume, en réalisant un historique, le plus complet possible, des politiques italiennes et belges qui ont soutenu, et qui soutiennent, cette forme d’intégration scolaire. La période particulièrement exploré va de 1971 à 2012, dates entre lesquelles l’Italie et la Belgique ont établi les normes législatives les plus importantes pour réglementer ces cours. Cependant, afin d’offrir un tableau suffisamment clair et complet des politiques et des pratiques italiennes et belges, tant d’intégration des enfants d’immigrés italiens, que de mise en valeur et diffusion de la langue et de la culture italiennes dans le Royaume, j’ai également analysé ce qui s’est passé auparavant, à partir de la fin du XIXe siècle. De même, j’ai projeté mon regard jusqu’ aux activités de l’année scolaire 2015-2016 et sur les perspectives d’avenir. Enfin, pour donner une vue d’ensemble de la diffusion de la langue italienne et de l’amour que lui portent des Belges adultes, on trouvera un chapitre consacré aux organismes qui promeuvent la culture et la langue italiennes en Belgique, depuis le début de XXe siècle également, mais en dehors du système scolaire.Doctorat en Histoire, histoire de l'art et archéologieinfo:eu-repo/semantics/nonPublishe

Comparison between FSW and bonded lap joints - A preliminary investigation

Difficult to weld aluminium alloys can be effectively joined by different alternative processes. Friction Stir Welding (FSW), among the solid-state processes and adhesive bonding represent two very attractive techniques. They allow the production of highly resistant joints avoiding the formation of the typical fusion weld defects. The aim of this work is to identify, analyse and compare the mechanical properties of AA6016 aluminium alloy joints made out of 1 mm thick sheets. FSW lap joints were and epoxy bonded joints were produced. Using the FSW results as benchmark, the overlap required in the bonded joint was identified to ensure the same static strength. Once the geometric configurations of the joints are known, the static and dynamic resistance of welds and bonding have been compared

Urinary epidermal growth factor, monocyte chemotactic protein-1, and β2-microglobulin in children with ureteropelvic junction obstruction

We demonstrated down-regulation of epidermal growth factor (EGF) and up-regulation of monocyte chemotactic protein-1 (MCP-1) in the renal parenchyma in children who underwent pyeloplasty for ureteropelvic junction obstruction (UPJO). These findings were paralleled by urinary levels of EGF and MCP-1 before and after surgery. The aim of this study is to evaluate the urinary excretion of these cytokines and β2-microglobulin (β2M) in children with urine flow impairment at the ureteropelvic junction or who underwent pyeloplasty

NH-sulfoximine: a novel pharmacological inhibitor of the mitochondrial F 1 F o -ATPase, which suppresses viability of cancerous cells

Background and Purpose The mitochondrial F1 Fo -ATPsynthase is pivotal for cellular homeostasis. When respiration is perturbed, its mode of action everts becoming an F1 Fo -ATPase and therefore consuming rather producing ATP. Such a reversion is an obvious target for pharmacological intervention to counteract pathologies. Despite this, tools to selectively inhibit the phases of ATP hydrolysis without affecting the production of ATP remain scarce. Here, we report on a newly synthesised chemical, the NH-sulfoximine (NHS), which achieves such a selectivity. Experimental Approach The chemical structure of the F1 Fo -ATPase inhibitor BTB-06584 was used as a template to synthesise NHS. We assessed its pharmacology in human neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y cells in which we profiled ATP levels, redox signalling, autophagy pathways and cellular viability. NHS was given alone or in combination with either the glucose analogue 2-deoxyglucose (2-DG) or the chemotherapeutic agent etoposide. Key Results NHS selectively blocks the consumption of ATP by mitochondria leading a subtle cytotoxicity associated via the concomitant engagement of autophagy which impairs cell viability. NHS achieves such a function independently of the F1 Fo -ATPase inhibitory factor 1 (IF1). Conclusion and Implications The novel sulfoximine analogue of BTB-06584, NHS, acts as a selective pharmacological inhibitor of the mitochondrial F1 Fo -ATPase. NHS, by blocking the hydrolysis of ATP perturbs the bioenergetic homoeostasis of cancer cells, leading to a non#x02010;apoptotic type of cell death

NH‐sulfoximine: A novel pharmacological inhibitor of the mitochondrial F 1

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: The mitochondrial F(1)F(o)‐ATPsynthase is pivotal for cellular homeostasis. When respiration is perturbed, its mode of action everts becoming an F(1)F(o)‐ATPase and therefore consuming rather producing ATP. Such a reversion is an obvious target for pharmacological intervention to counteract pathologies. Despite this, tools to selectively inhibit the phases of ATP hydrolysis without affecting the production of ATP remain scarce. Here, we report on a newly synthesised chemical, the NH‐sulfoximine (NHS), which achieves such a selectivity. EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH: The chemical structure of the F(1)F(o)‐ATPase inhibitor BTB‐06584 was used as a template to synthesise NHS. We assessed its pharmacology in human neuroblastoma SH‐SY5Y cells in which we profiled ATP levels, redox signalling, autophagy pathways and cellular viability. NHS was given alone or in combination with either the glucose analogue 2‐deoxyglucose (2‐DG) or the chemotherapeutic agent etoposide. KEY RESULTS: NHS selectively blocks the consumption of ATP by mitochondria leading a subtle cytotoxicity associated via the concomitant engagement of autophagy which impairs cell viability. NHS achieves such a function independently of the F(1)F(o)‐ATPase inhibitory factor 1 (IF1). CONCLUSION AND IMPLICATIONS: The novel sulfoximine analogue of BTB‐06584, NHS, acts as a selective pharmacological inhibitor of the mitochondrial F(1)F(o)‐ATPase. NHS, by blocking the hydrolysis of ATP perturbs the bioenergetic homoeostasis of cancer cells, leading to a non‐apoptotic type of cell death

Antimicrobial Effect of <i>Thymus</i> <i>capitatus</i> and <i>Citrus</i> <i>limon</i> var. <i>pompia</i> as Raw Extracts and Nanovesicles

In view of the increasing interest in natural antimicrobial molecules, this study screened the ability of Thymus capitatus (TC) essential oil and Citrus limon var. pompia (CLP) extract as raw extracts or incorporated in vesicular nanocarriers against Streptococcus mutans and Candida albicans. After fingerprint, TC or CLP were mixed with lecithin and water to produce liposomes, or different ratios of water/glycerol or water/propylene glycol (PG) to produce glycerosomes and penetration enhancer vesicles (PEVs), respectively. Neither the raw extracts nor the nanovesicles showed cytotoxicity against human gingival fibroblasts at all the concentrations tested (1, 10, 100 &#956;g/mL). The disc diffusion method, MIC-MBC/MFC, time-kill assay, and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) demonstrated the highest antimicrobial potential of TC against S. mutans and C. albicans. The very high presence of the phenol, carvacrol, in TC (90.1%) could explain the lethal effect against the yeast, killing up to 70% of Candida and not just arresting its growth. CLP, rich in polyphenols, acted in a similar way to TC in reducing S. mutans, while the data showed a fungistatic rather than a fungicidal activity. The phospholipid vesicles behaved similarly, suggesting that the transported extract was not the only factor to be considered in the outcomes, but also their components had an important role. Even if other investigations are necessary, TC and CLP incorporated in nanocarriers could be a promising and safe antimicrobial in caries prevention