VUV-Vis optical characterization of Tetraphenyl-butadiene films on glass and specular reflector substrates from room to liquid Argon temperature

The use of efficient wavelength-shifters from the vacuum-ultraviolet to the photosensor's range of sensitivity is a key feature in detectors for Dark Matter search and neutrino physics based on liquid argon scintillation detection. Thin film of Tetraphenyl-butadiene (TPB) deposited onto the surface delimiting the active volume of the detector and/or onto the photosensor optical window is the most common solution in current and planned experiments. Detector design and response can be evaluated and correctly simulated only when the properties of the optical system in use (TPB film + substrate) are fully understood. Characterization of the optical system requires specific, sometimes sophisticated optical methodologies. In this paper the main features of TPB coatings on different, commonly used substrates is reported, as a result of two independent campaigns of measurements at the specialized optical metrology labs of ENEA and University of Tor Vergata. Measured features include TPB emission spectra with lineshape and relative intensity variation recorded as a function of the film thickness and for the first time down to LAr temperature, as well as optical reflectance and transmittance spectra of the TPB coated substrates in the wavelength range of the TPB emission

Calibrating accelerometer tags with oxygen consumption rate of rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) and their use in aquaculture facility: A case study

SIMPLE SUMMARY: Measuring metabolic rates in free-swimming fish would provide valuable insights about the energetic costs of different life activities this is challenging to implement in the field due to the difficulty of performing such measurements. Thus, the calibration of acoustic transmitters with the oxygen consumption rate (MO(2)) could be promising to counter the limitations observed in the field. In this study, calibrations were performed in rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss), and a subsample of fish was implanted with such a transmitter and then followed under aquaculture conditions. The use of acoustic transmitters calibrated with MO(2) appeared to be a promising tool to estimate energetic costs in free-swimming rainbow trout, and for welfare assessment in the aquaculture industry. ABSTRACT: Metabolic rates are linked to the energetic costs of different activities of an animal’s life. However, measuring the metabolic rate in free-swimming fish remains challenging due to the lack of possibilities to perform these direct measurements in the field. Thus, the calibration of acoustic transmitters with the oxygen consumption rate (MO(2)) could be promising to counter these limitations. In this study, rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss Walbaum, 1792; n = 40) were challenged in a critical swimming test (U(crit)) to (1) obtain insights about the aerobic and anaerobic metabolism throughout electromyograms; and (2) calibrate acoustic transmitters’ signal with the MO(2) to be later used as a proxy of energetic costs. After this calibration, the fish (n = 12) were implanted with the transmitter and were followed during ~50 days in an aquaculture facility, as a case study, to evaluate the potential of such calibration. Accelerometer data gathered from tags over a long time period were converted to estimate the MO(2). The MO(2) values indicated that all fish were reared under conditions that did not impact their health and welfare. In addition, a diurnal pattern with higher MO(2) was observed for the majority of implanted trout. In conclusion, this study provides (1) biological information about the muscular activation pattern of both red and white muscle; and (2) useful tools to estimate the energetic costs in free-ranging rainbow trout. The use of acoustic transmitters calibrated with MO(2), as a proxy of energy expenditure, could be promising for welfare assessment in the aquaculture industry

Safety profile of recommended vaccinations in adolescents: Data from surveillance of adverse events following immunization in puglia (Italy), 2016–2020

Adolescence is a critical period for immunization, in which the adhesion rate to recommended vaccinations is often lower than desired. Since the safety of new vaccines is one of the most important factors determining vaccination hesitancy, post-marketing surveillance of adverse events following immunization (AEFIs) is recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO) to better understand the safety of these drugs. This report describes AEFIs notified in Puglia (Italy) after recommended vaccinations in adolescents aged 12 to 18 years in 2016–2020 to determine the safety profile of these products in a real-life scenario. This is a retrospective observational study. Data were gathered from the list of AEFIs notified in subjects between 12 and 18 years of age following administration of recommended vaccines in Puglia in 2016–2020. AEFIs were classified according to the WHO’s decisional algorithm, and causality assessment was carried out for serious AEFIs. From 2016 to 2020, 323,627 doses of vaccine were administered to adolescents in Puglia and 50 AEFIs were reported (reporting rate: 15.4 × 100,000 doses). Of these, 17 (34.0%) were classified as serious, and causality assessment identified 13 of them (76.5%) as vaccine related. The most common symptoms were local reactions, fever and neurological symptoms. No deaths were notified. The benefits of immunization in adolescents appear to be greater than the risk of AEFIs for all studied vaccines; in fact, AEFIs occur in less than 0.1‰ of patients and are generally mild and self-limiting

π\piNN coupling and two-pion photoproduction on the nucleon

Effects of non-resonant photoproductions arising from two different $\pi NN$ couplings are investigated in the $\gamma N\to\pi\pi N$ reaction. We find that the pseudoscalar (PS) $\pi NN$ coupling is generally preferable to the pseudovector (PV) $\pi NN$ coupling and particularly the total cross sections are successfully described by the model with the PS $\pi NN$ coupling. In order to see the difference between the two couplings, we also show the results of invariant mass spectra and helicity-dependent cross sections in various isospin channels calculated with the PS and PV couplings.Comment: 35 pages, 11 figures, minor changes and version to be published in Phys.Rev.

Type Iγ phosphatidylinositol phosphate kinase modulates adherens junction and E-cadherin trafficking via a direct interaction with μ1B adaptin

Assembly of E-cadherin–based adherens junctions (AJ) is obligatory for establishment of polarized epithelia and plays a key role in repressing the invasiveness of many carcinomas. Here we show that type Iγ phosphatidylinositol phosphate kinase (PIPKIγ) directly binds to E-cadherin and modulates E-cadherin trafficking. PIPKIγ also interacts with the μ subunits of clathrin adaptor protein (AP) complexes and acts as a signalling scaffold that links AP complexes to E-cadherin. Depletion of PIPKIγ or disruption of PIPKIγ binding to either E-cadherin or AP complexes results in defects in E-cadherin transport and blocks AJ assembly. An E-cadherin germline mutation that loses PIPKIγ binding and shows disrupted basolateral membrane targeting no longer forms AJs and leads to hereditary gastric cancers. These combined results reveal a novel mechanism where PIPKIγ serves as both a scaffold, which links E-cadherin to AP complexes and the trafficking machinery, and a regulator of trafficking events via the spatial generation of phosphatidylinositol-4,5-bisphosphate

WARP: a WIMP double phase Argon detector

The WARP programme for dark matter search with a double phase argon detector is presented. In such a detector both excitation and ionization produced by an impinging particle are evaluated by the contemporary measurement of primary scintillation and secondary (proportional) light signal, this latter being produced by extracting and accelerating ionization electrons in the gas phase. The proposed technique, verified on a 2.3 liters prototype, could be used to efficiently discriminate nuclear recoils, induced by WIMP's interactions, and measure their energy spectrum. An overview of the 2.3 liters results and of the proposed 100 liters detector is shown.Comment: Proceeding for IDM200

Investigation of Radiation-Induced Toxicity in Head and Neck Cancer Patients through Radiomics and Machine Learning: A Systematic Review

Background. Radiation-induced toxicity represents a crucial concern in oncological treatments of patients affected by head and neck neoplasms, due to its impact on survivors' quality of life. Published reports suggested the potential of radiomics combined with machine learning methods in the prediction and assessment of radiation-induced toxicities, supporting a tailored radiation treatment management. In this paper, we present an update of the current knowledge concerning these modern approaches. Materials and Methods. A systematic review according to PICO-PRISMA methodology was conducted in MEDLINE/PubMed and EMBASE databases until June 2019. Studies assessing the use of radiomics combined with machine learning in predicting radiation-induced toxicity in head and neck cancer patients were specifically included. Four authors (two independently and two in concordance) assessed the methodological quality of the included studies using the Radiomic Quality Score (RQS). The overall score for each analyzed study was obtained by the sum of the single RQS items; the average and standard deviation values of the authors' RQS were calculated and reported. Results. Eight included papers, presenting data on parotid glands, cochlea, masticatory muscles, and white brain matter, were specifically analyzed in this review. Only one study had an average RQS was ≤ 30% (50%), while 3 studies obtained a RQS almost ≤ 25%. Potential variability in the interpretations of specific RQS items could have influenced the inter-rater agreement in specific cases. Conclusions. Published radiomic studies provide encouraging but still limited and preliminary data that require further validation to improve the decision-making processes in preventing and managing radiation-induced toxicities

Multiproxy investigation of the last 2,000 years BP marine paleoenvironmental record along the western Spitsbergen margin

A reconstruction of the last 2,000 years BP of environmental and oceanographic changes on the western margin of Spitsbergen was performed using a multidisciplinary approach including the fossil assemblages of diatoms, planktic and benthic foraminifera and calcareous nannofossils and the use of geochemistry (X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction). We identified two warm periods (2,000–1,600 years BP and 1,300–700 years BP) that were associated with the Roman Warm Period and the Medieval Warm Period that alternate with colder oceanic conditions and sea ice coverage occurred during the Dark Ages (1,600–1,300 years BP) and the beginning of the Little Ice Age. During the Medieval Warm Period the occurrence of ice-rafted debris and Aulocoseira spp., a specific diatom genus commonly associated with continental freshwater, suggests significant runoff of meltwaters from local glaciers

Prostate cancer biomarkers: a practical review based on different clinical scenarios

Traditionally, diagnosis and staging of prostate cancer (PCa) have been based on prostate-specific antigen (PSA) level, digital rectal examination (DRE), and transrectal ultrasound (TRUS) guided prostate biopsy. Biomarkers have been introduced into clinical practice to reduce the overdiagnosis and overtreatment of low-grade PCa and increase the success of personalized therapies for high-grade and high-stage PCa. The purpose of this review was to describe available PCa biomarkers and examine their use in clinical practice. A nonsystematic literature review was performed using PubMed and Scopus to retrieve papers related to PCa biomarkers. In addition, we manually searched websites of major urological associations for PCa guidelines to evaluate available evidence and recommendations on the role of biomarkers and their potential contribution to PCa decision-making. In addition to PSA and its derivates, thirteen blood, urine, and tissue biomarkers are mentioned in various PCa guidelines. Retrospective studies have shown their utility in three main clinical scenarios: (1) deciding whether to perform a biopsy, (2) distinguishing patients who require active treatment from those who can benefit from active surveillance, and (3) defining a subset of high-risk PCa patients who can benefit from additional therapies after RP. Several validated PCa biomarkers have become commercially available in recent years. Guidelines now recommend offering these tests in situations in which the assay result, when considered in combination with routine clinical factors, is likely to affect management. However, the lack of direct comparisons and the unproven benefits, in terms of long-term survival and cost-effectiveness, prevent these biomarkers from being integrated into routine clinical use

Coexistence of an imbalance of cytokines, chemokines and growth factors serum levels and symptoms of fatigue and pain in long-term breast cancer survivors.

Background: Fatigue, pain and depression are common problems among long-term cancer survivors (BCS) which in some patients may persist for many years after healing and the completion of treatment. Several studies have reported that increased serum levels of chemokines and growth factors are particularly significantly correlated with the coexistence of these disorders in cancer survivors. The aim of this study was to assess whether the altered imbalance of pro-inflammatory cytokines, growth factors and chemokine serum levels are associated to presence of fatigue and pain in long-term breast cancer survivors . Methods: Ninety-three BCS were enrolled in this study and blood samples taken from each. Serum levels of 25 analytes including cytokines, growth factors and chemokines were tested by enzyme immunoassay using the flexible Bio-Plex System. Participants also completed a questionnaire measuring demographic, clinical and behavioral variables. Results: Non-parametric discriminant analysis showed that fatigued BCS had significantly higher serum levels of FGF and lower IL-4 and IL-8 compared to the non-fatigued group, while BCS with pain had an increase in eotaxin serum levels and lower IL-4 and Il-7 compared to the group without pain. Univariate analysis showed a statistically significant difference in both mental and physical qol, with levels lower in the subgroup who presented pain than in those without: p = 0.0003 and p < 0.0001 respectively. A lower value of Rantes (p = 0.0131) in breast cancer survivors with pain compared to the group without pain, and a higher median value of TNF-α (p = 0.054) in the pain group than in those without pain was observed. The level of depression was higher than the score of 50 on the Zung scale in fatigued survivors compared to non-fatigued survivors (p = 0.0006). Conclusions: Our results suggest that an altered balance of chemokines, cytokines and growth factors serum levels may be associated to presence of symptoms such as fatigue and pain in breast cancer survivors at an average of 5 years after diagnosis