Palmitoylethanolamide is a disease-modifying agent in peripheral neuropathy : pain relief and neuroprotection share a PPAR-alpha-mediated mechanism

Peer reviewedPublisher PD

An overview of the EXTraS project: Exploring the X-ray Transient and Variable Sky

The EXTraS project (Exploring the X-ray Transient and variable Sky) will harvest the hitherto unexplored temporal domain information buried in the serendipitous data collected by the European Photon Imaging Camera (EPIC) instrument onboard the ESA XMM-Newton X-ray observatory since its launch. This will include a search for fast transients, as well as a search and characterization of variability (both periodic and aperiodic) in hundreds of thousands of sources spanning more than nine orders of magnitude in time scale and six orders of magnitude in flux. X-ray results will be complemented by multiwavelength characterization of new discoveries. Phenomenological classification of variable sources will also be performed. All our results will be made available to the community. A didactic program in selected High Schools in Italy, Germany and the UK will also be implemented. The EXTraS project (2014-2016), funded within the EU/FP7 framework, is carried out by a collaboration including INAF (Italy), IUSS (Italy), CNR/IMATI (Italy), University of Leicester (UK), MPE (Germany) and ECAP (Germany).Comment: 6 pages, 1 figure. Proceedings of "Swift: 10 years of Discovery", to appear in Po

Experimental Signals of Phase Transition

The connection between the thermodynamics of charged finite nuclear systems and the asymptotically measured partitions is presented. Some open questions, concerning in particular equilibrium partitions are discussed. We show a detailed comparison of the decay patterns in Au+ C,Cu,Au central collisions and in Au quasi-projectile events. Observation of abnormally large fluctuations in carefully selected samples of data is reported as an indication of a first order phase transition (negative heat capacity) in the nuclear equation of state.Comment: 8 pages, 8th International Conference on Nucleus-Nucleus Collisions, Moscow 200

A review on biopolymer-based treatments for consolidation and surface protection of cultural heritage materials

Nowadays, the scientific community emphasizes the use of reversible and non-toxic materials in the field of cultural heritage. Biopolymers are one of the alternative materials to synthetic polymers and solvents that are dangerous for human health and for the environment, applied in consolidation and coating treatment. Natural biopolymers may be divided into polysaccharide, protein, and polyester: All of them are low cost, eco-friendly, and biocompatible, besides many physicochemical characteristics such as being transparent, soluble in water, hydrogel, and film-forming, and can be easily functionalized. The addition of nanoclay, essential oil, and active molecules improves the physicochemical properties of biopolymers and proposes smart response abilities to the new composite material. This work is intended to provide an overview of the development of biopolymers by considering the most general aspects and scanning the diverse substrates of application for the conservation and protection of cultural heritage. Graphical abstract: [Figure not available: see fulltext.

Negative heat capacity in the critical region of nuclear fragmentation: an experimental evidence of the liquid-gas phase transition

An experimental indication of negative heat capacity in excited nuclear systems is inferred from the event by event study of energy fluctuations in $Au$ quasi-projectile sources formed in $Au+Au$ collisions at 35 A.MeV. The excited source configuration is reconstructed through a calorimetric analysis of its de-excitation products. Fragment partitions show signs of a critical behavior at about 5 A.MeV excitation energy. In the same energy range the heat capacity shows a negative branch providing a direct evidence of a first order liquid gas phase transition.Comment: 4 Postscript figures, submitted to Phys. Rev. Lett. on 14-apr-199

Impact of a nursing information system in clinical practice: a longitudinal study project

Background: The implementation of adequate clinical information systems helps to deal with the immense flow of health data to ensure the continuity of care and access to a safe and high-quality healthcare system. Currently there is an increasing awareness of the importance of evaluating and measuring the impact of such systems in clinical practice. Implementations often fail, due to inadequate interaction between technology and human elements. Methods: This article describes a research project aimed at evaluating the impact of a clinical nursing information system (CNIS), called Professional Assessment Instrument (PAI), in clinical practice. The study will evaluate PAI Quality, Nurses Satisfaction, PAI Use, Nurses and Environment Characteristics, Net Benefits and Nurses’ Experiences related to the PAI use. A theoretical model developed for this research will guide the study. A quali-quantitative longitudinal design will be performed involving two hospitals over a 9-month period. To measure different dimensions that affect the success/failure of CNIS we will use different tools/ methods of data collection (questionnaires, psychometric tools, surveys and focus groups). Expected Results: This study will evaluate the impact of a CNIS in hospitals providing an overview of the factors which can help and hinder the implementation of an information system. Conclusions: The results of the study will support interventions to improve and implement clinical information systems designed to computerize nursing data, with positive effects on public health and research in general, providing further evidence for health policy

Size and asymmetry of the reaction entrance channel: influence on the probability of neck production

The results of experiments performed to investigate the Ni+Al, Ni+Ni, Ni+Ag reactions at 30 MeV/nucleon are presented. From the study of dissipative midperipheral collisions, it has been possible to detect events in which Intermediate Mass Fragments (IMF) production takes place. The decay of a quasi-projectile has been identified; its excitation energy leads to a multifragmentation totally described in terms of a statistical disassembly of a thermalized system (T$\simeq$4 MeV, E$^*\simeq$4 MeV/nucleon). Moreover, for the systems Ni+Ni, Ni+Ag, in the same nuclear reaction, a source with velocity intermediate between that of the quasi-projectile and that of the quasi-target, emitting IMF, is observed. The fragments produced by this source are more neutron rich than the average matter of the overall system, and have a charge distribution different, with respect to those statistically emitted from the quasi-projectile. The above features can be considered as a signature of the dynamical origin of the midvelocity emission. The results of this analysis show that IMF can be produced via different mechanisms simultaneously present within the same collision. Moreover, once fixed the characteristics of the quasi-projectile in the three considered reactions (in size, excitation energy and temperature), one observes that the probability of a partner IMF production via dynamical mechanism has a threshold (not present in the Ni+Al case) and increases with the size of the target nucleus.Comment: 16 pages, 7 figures, accepted for publication on Nuclear Physics

Histamine plasma levels and elimination diet in chronic idiopathic urticaria

Abstract: Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of an oligoantigenic and histamine-free diet on patients affected with chronic idiopathic urticaria (CIU). Design: Ten patients with chronic idiopathic urticaria were prescribed an oligoantigenic and histamine-free diet for 21 days, followed by serial and controlled reintroduction of foods during a further 70 days. Modification in clinical illness as well as histamine plasma levels, post-heparin plasma diamine oxidase (DAO) and intestinal permeability were evaluated. Results: The oligoantigenic and histamine-free diet induced a significant improvement of symptoms (P < 0.05). Moreover, CIU patients on free diet showed higher histamine plasma levels (P < 0.05 vs post-diet and vs controls) that fell to control levels during the oligoantigenic and histamine-free diet. Post-heparin plasma diamine oxidase values were slightly reduced and were unchanged during the diet as well as intestinal permeability, which was always normal in all patients. Conclusions: These data suggest that histamine plays a major role in chronic idiopathic urticaria. The finding of normal intestinal permeability suggests that a morphological damage of intestinal mucosa should be excluded in these patients. However, the presence of low levels of post-heparin plasma diamine oxidase may indicate a subclinical impairment of small bowel enterocyte function that could induce a higher sensitivity to histamine-rich or histamine-producing food

An Efficient Approach to Extrapolate the Data Falling in the Zone not Covered by Measurements in a Near-Field Spherical Facility

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