Il teatro di Ludovico Ariosto e l'innovazione elisabettiana

La tesi vuole indagare le relazioni tra teatro classico, teatro ariosteo del primo Cinquecento e teatro elisabettiano, arrivando ad affermare che le opere teatrali di Ariosto, ed in particolare I Suppositi, furono fondamentali nell'innovazione del teatro prima elisabettiano e poi shakespeariano

Predictivity of clinical, laboratory and imaging findings in diagnostic definition of palpable thyroid nodules. A multicenter prospective study

Abstract PURPOSE: To assess the role of clinical, biochemical, and morphological parameters, as added to cytology, for improving pre-surgical diagnosis of palpable thyroid nodules. METHODS: Patients with a palpable thyroid nodule were eligible if surgical intervention was indicated after a positive or suspicious for malignancy FNAC (TIR 4-5 according to the 2007 Italian SIAPEC-IAP classification), or two inconclusive FNAC at a 653 months interval, or a negative FNAC associated with one or more risk factor. Reference standard was histological malignancy diagnosis. Likelihood ratios of malignancy, sensitivity, specificity, negative (NPV), and positive predictive value (PPV) were described. Multiple correspondence analysis (MCA) and logistic regression were applied. RESULTS: Cancer was found in 433/902 (48%) patients. Considering TIR4-5 only as positive cytology, specificity, and PPV were high (94 and 91%) but sensitivity and NPV were low (61 and 72%); conversely, including TIR3 among positive, sensitivity and NPV were higher (88 and 82%) while specificity and PPV decreased (52 and 63%). Ultrasonographic size 653\u2009cm was independently associated with benignity among TIR2 cases (OR of malignancy 0.37, 95% CI 0.18-0.78). In TIR3 cases the hard consistency of small nodules was associated with malignity (OR: 3.51, 95% CI 1.84-6.70, p\u2009<\u20090.001), while size alone, irrespective of consistency, was not diagnostically informative. No other significant association was found in TIR2 and TIR3. CONCLUSIONS: The combination of cytology with clinical and ultrasonographic parameters may improve diagnostic definition of palpable thyroid nodules. However, the need for innovative diagnostic tools is still high

RARE POMC MUTATION IN A PATIENT WITH MYOTONIC DYSTROPHY TYPE 1 AND ADRENOCORTICOTROPIN HYPERRESPONSE TO CORTICOTROPIN-RELEASING HORMONE

Objective: Myotonic dystrophy (DM) is a monogenic disorder. It is caused by expansion of a cytosine-thymineguanine triplet in the DMPK gene which encodes for myotonic dystrophy protein kinase (DMPK). Methods: A 24-year-old man with DM and the DMPK mutation presented with elevated adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) levels twice (152 and 185 pg/mL; normal value is 10 to 52 pg/mL) with normal cortisol levels (134.6 and 113.0 ng/mL, or 371.3 and 311.7 nmol/L; normal values are 67 to 226 ng/mL or 184.8 to 623.5 nmol/L). ACTH, corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) and insulin tolerance test (ITT) demonstrated normal cortisol response to ACTH and partial response to CRH and ITT tests, and ACTH hyperresponse to CRH and ITT. We suspected ACTH and/or ACTH receptor (ACTHR) mutations and evaluated the genetic profile for pro-opiomelanocortin (POMC), melanocortin 2 receptor (MC2R) and follicle-stimulating hormone receptor (FSHR) genes. Results: No mutations were found in either the MC2R or FSHR genes. The patient was heterozygous for the c.614A&gt;G mutation corresponding to a p.53D&gt;G substitution with a glycine instead of an aspartate in position 53 in POMC gene. This mutation was outside the sequence for ACTH (which spans amino acids 138 to 176) but was included in the part originating the N-terminal peptide of pro-opiomelanocortin (also called pro-γ-melanocyte stimulating hormone) which spans amino acids 27 to 102 and is involved in the regulation of adrenal steroidogenesis. Conclusion: The pathologic expansion of the cytosine-thymine-guanine triplet repeat in the 3' noncoding region of DMPK could explain the hyperresponse of ACTH typical of DM. The mutation of pro-γ-melanocyte-stimulating hormone could be associated with the abnormal response of cortisol, compatible with a partial adrenal insufficiency. Other studies are necessary to demonstrate this hypothesis

Terrestrial Very-Long-Baseline Atom Interferometry:Workshop Summary

This document presents a summary of the 2023 Terrestrial Very-Long-Baseline Atom Interferometry Workshop hosted by CERN. The workshop brought together experts from around the world to discuss the exciting developments in large-scale atom interferometer (AI) prototypes and their potential for detecting ultralight dark matter and gravitational waves. The primary objective of the workshop was to lay the groundwork for an international TVLBAI proto-collaboration. This collaboration aims to unite researchers from different institutions to strategize and secure funding for terrestrial large-scale AI projects. The ultimate goal is to create a roadmap detailing the design and technology choices for one or more km-scale detectors, which will be operational in the mid-2030s. The key sections of this report present the physics case and technical challenges, together with a comprehensive overview of the discussions at the workshop together with the main conclusions

Search for eccentric black hole coalescences during the third observing run of LIGO and Virgo

Despite the growing number of confident binary black hole coalescences observed through gravitational waves so far, the astrophysical origin of these binaries remains uncertain. Orbital eccentricity is one of the clearest tracers of binary formation channels. Identifying binary eccentricity, however, remains challenging due to the limited availability of gravitational waveforms that include effects of eccentricity. Here, we present observational results for a waveform-independent search sensitive to eccentric black hole coalescences, covering the third observing run (O3) of the LIGO and Virgo detectors. We identified no new high-significance candidates beyond those that were already identified with searches focusing on quasi-circular binaries. We determine the sensitivity of our search to high-mass (total mass M&gt;70 M⊙) binaries covering eccentricities up to 0.3 at 15 Hz orbital frequency, and use this to compare model predictions to search results. Assuming all detections are indeed quasi-circular, for our fiducial population model, we place an upper limit for the merger rate density of high-mass binaries with eccentricities 0&lt;e≤0.3 at 0.33 Gpc−3 yr−1 at 90\% confidence level

Ultralight vector dark matter search using data from the KAGRA O3GK run

Among the various candidates for dark matter (DM), ultralight vector DM can be probed by laser interferometric gravitational wave detectors through the measurement of oscillating length changes in the arm cavities. In this context, KAGRA has a unique feature due to differing compositions of its mirrors, enhancing the signal of vector DM in the length change in the auxiliary channels. Here we present the result of a search for U(1)B−L gauge boson DM using the KAGRA data from auxiliary length channels during the first joint observation run together with GEO600. By applying our search pipeline, which takes into account the stochastic nature of ultralight DM, upper bounds on the coupling strength between the U(1)B−L gauge boson and ordinary matter are obtained for a range of DM masses. While our constraints are less stringent than those derived from previous experiments, this study demonstrates the applicability of our method to the lower-mass vector DM search, which is made difficult in this measurement by the short observation time compared to the auto-correlation time scale of DM

Search for gravitational-lensing signatures in the full third observing run of the LIGO-Virgo network

Gravitational lensing by massive objects along the line of sight to the source causes distortions of gravitational wave-signals; such distortions may reveal information about fundamental physics, cosmology and astrophysics. In this work, we have extended the search for lensing signatures to all binary black hole events from the third observing run of the LIGO--Virgo network. We search for repeated signals from strong lensing by 1) performing targeted searches for subthreshold signals, 2) calculating the degree of overlap amongst the intrinsic parameters and sky location of pairs of signals, 3) comparing the similarities of the spectrograms amongst pairs of signals, and 4) performing dual-signal Bayesian analysis that takes into account selection effects and astrophysical knowledge. We also search for distortions to the gravitational waveform caused by 1) frequency-independent phase shifts in strongly lensed images, and 2) frequency-dependent modulation of the amplitude and phase due to point masses. None of these searches yields significant evidence for lensing. Finally, we use the non-detection of gravitational-wave lensing to constrain the lensing rate based on the latest merger-rate estimates and the fraction of dark matter composed of compact objects

Composition and characteristics of ass's milk

Ass's milk yield and chemical composition were investigated in two lactations at d 28, 45, 60, 75, 90, 105, 135 and 150 after parturition. Milk yield per milking (averaging 740 mL) of 6 asses of Martina Franca (n = 3) and Ragusana (n = 3) breeds, which quickly adapted to the milking machine procedures, increased in the second (or third) milking per day but was unaffected by stage of lactation or breed. Year of lactation, stage of lactation, breed and milking time did not influence the gross composition of the milk, except for fat and protein contents. The overall average protein percentage (1.72 g$\cdot$100 g$^{-1}$ of milk), showing a significant negative trend throughout lactation, was characterised by low casein (47.3% of crude protein) and whey protein contents (36.9% of crude protein). A specific whey protein profile was also found, being the relative percentage on total whey protein 4.48%, 6.18%, 29.85%, 21.03% and 22.56% for respectively lactoferrin, serum albumin, $\beta$-lactoglobulin, lysozyme and $\alpha$-lactoalbumin. The low average fat content of ass's milk (0.38 g$\cdot$100 g$^{-1}$ of milk), showing a high individual variability, was significantly affected by the year of the study; the lipid fraction was also characterised by high levels of linoleic (average 8.15 g$\cdot$100 g$^{-1}$ of total fatty acids) and linolenic acid (average 6.32 g$\cdot$100 g$^{-1}$ of total fatty acids). The ash content of ass's milk (0.39 g$\cdot$100 g$^{-1}$ of milk) was constant throughout the experimental period and showed high levels of Ca and P, the ratio of which, ranging between 0.93 and 2.37, was on average 1.48.Composition et caractéristiques du lait d'ânesse. La production et la composition chimique du lait d'ânesse ont été évaluées sur deux lactations successives à 28, 45, 60, 75, 90, 105, 135 et 150 jours après la mise bas. Au total, 6 ânesses de race Martina Franca (n = 3) et de race Ragusana (n = 3), rapidement adaptées à la traite mécanique, ont été utilisées. La production laitière par traite et par jour (en moyenne 740 mL) a été supérieure lors de la seconde (ou troisième) traite. Elle n'a été affectée ni par le stade de lactation ni par la race. L'année de lactation, le stade de lactation, la race et l'heure de traite n'ont pas influencé la composition brute du lait sauf ses teneurs en lipides et en protéines. Le pourcentage de protéines (moyenne de 1,72 g$\cdot$100 g$^{-1}$ de lait) a eu tendance à diminuer significativement tout au long de la lactation, et a été caractérisé par une teneur réduite en caséine (47,3 % des matières azotées) et en protéines sériques (36,9 % des matières azotées). Un profil particulier des protéines sériques a été mis en évidence, avec un pourcentage relatif par rapport aux protéines sériques totales de 4,48, 6,18, 29,85, 21,03 et 22,56 %, respectivement, pour la lactoferrine, la sérum albumine, la $\beta$-lactoglobuline, le lysozyme et l'$\alpha$-lactalbumine. La faible teneur du lait en matières grasses (0,38 g$\cdot$100 g$^{-1}$) a été caractérisée par une variabilité individuelle élevée. La fraction lipidique a présenté des niveaux élevés d'acide linoléique (moyenne de 8,15 g$\cdot$100 g$^{-1}$ d'acides gras totaux) et linolénique (moyenne de 6,32 g$\cdot$100 g$^{-1}$ d'acides gras totaux). Le contenu en cendres (0,39 g$\cdot$100 g$^{-1}$ de lait) n'a pas varié au cours de la période expérimentale et a été caractérisé par des valeurs élevées de Ca et de P, avec un rapport Ca/P compris entre 0,93 et 2,37 et une valeur moyenne de 1,48