Análisis de la visibilidad en 3D como herramienta para validar las reconstrucciones de los teatros antiguos: el caso del gran teatro romano de Gortina

[EN] With the diffusion of Virtual Archaeology, many projects in the field of Cultural Heritage attempt to virtually reconstruct historical buildings of different types. Unfortunately, some of these 3D reconstructions still have as principal aim to impress the external users, while the correct interpretation of the buildings modeled is much more important in the domain of archaeological research. Still more critical is the situation when we have to encounter a reconstruction of a monument which is not visible anymore, or which consists only of few architectural remains. The main purpose of this paper is to introduce an innovative methodology to verify hypothetical scenarios of 3D architectural reconstructions, specifically for ancient theatres. In very recent time 3D visibility analysis applied to archaeological context using ArcGIS has been developed, in particular about social-urban studies. In this paper, visibility analysis in 3D contexts is used as an additional instrument to correctly reconstruct architectural elements of the large Roman theatre of Gortyn, in Crete. The results indicate that the level of visibility of the stage, and consequently of the presumed actors, from some of the more representative sectors of the cavea, is of crucial importance for leading to a right reconstruction model of the theatre.[ES] Con la difusión de la arqueología virtual, muchos proyectos en el campo del patrimonio cultural intentan reconstruir edificios históricos de varios tipos. Desafortunadamente, algunas de estas reconstrucciones 3D tienen todavíacomo principal objetivoimpresionar al/a la usuario/a, cuando la correcta interpretaciónde los monumentos modelados es mucho más importante en el campo de la arqueología. La situación es aún más crucial cuando tenemos que reconstruir algo que ya no es visible, o de lo que hay solo unos pocos restos. Por esta razón, el principal propósito de este artículo es presentar una metodología innovadora para verificar escenarios hipotéticos de reconstruccionesarquitectónicasen 3D, específicamente deteatros antiguos. Recientemente, el análisis de la visibilidad en 3D utilizando ArcGis ha sido aplicado al contexto arqueológico, en particular a estudios socio-urbanos. En este artículo, elanálisis de la visibilidad en contextos 3D se usa como un instrumento adicional que reconstruyecorrectamente elementos arquitectónicos del gran teatro Romano de Gortina, en Creta. Los resultados muestranqueel nivel de visibilidad de la plataforma, y consiguientemente de los supuestos actores, desde algunos de los sectores más representativos de la cavea,es de crucial importancia para conseguir la reconstrucción del modelo más correcto del teatro.This research was supported by the Greek State Scholarship Foundation (I.K.Y.) under the grant for post graduated study of foreign students in Greece. The presentation of this paper has been possible thanks to the funding of the Institute for Mediterranean Studies in Rethymno, Crete. I would like to thank Dr. Apostolos Sarris for his helpful suggestions both during my research and about this paper.Manzetti, MC. (2016). 3D visibility analysis as a tool to validate ancient theatre reconstructions: the case of the large Roman theatre of Gortyn. Virtual Archaeology Review. 7(15):36-43. https://doi.org/10.4995/var.2016.5922SWORD3643715Benedikt, M. L. (1979). To take hold of space: isovists and isovist fields. Environment and Planning B: Planning and Design, 6(1), 47-65. doi:10.1068/b060047Beschi, L. (1999). Onorio Belli a Creta: un manoscritto inedito della scuola archeologica italiana di Atene (1587). Scuola Archeologica Italiana di Atene.Di Vita, A., La Rosa, V., &Rizzo, M.A. (1985). Creta antica. Cento anni di archeologia italiana (1884-1984). Roma: De Luca Editore.López-Menchero Bendicho, V. M., & Grande, A. (2011). Hacia una Carta Internacional de Arqueología Virtual. El Borrador SEAV. Virtual Archaeology Review, 2(4), 71. doi:10.4995/var.2011.4558Manzetti, M. C., Parthenios, P., & Sarris, A. (2015). Integrating traditional methods with new technologies. 2015 Digital Heritage. doi:10.1109/digitalheritage.2015.7419480Paliou, E., Wheatley, D., & Earl, G. (2011). Three-dimensional visibility analysis of architectural spaces: iconography and visibility of the wall paintings of Xeste 3 (Late Bronze Age Akrotiri). Journal of Archaeological Science, 38(2), 375-386. doi:10.1016/j.jas.2010.09.016Paliou, E. (2013). Reconsidering the concept of visualscape: recent advances in three-dimensional visibility analysis. In A. Bevanand M. Lake(Eds.), Computational Approaches to Archaeological Spaces (pp. 1–19). Walnut Creek: Left Coast Press.Pletinckx, D. (2011). Virtual Archaeology as an Integrated Preservation Method. Virtual Archaeology Review, 2(4), 33. doi:10.4995/var.2011.4545Sarris, A., Papadopoulos, N. (2009). Techniki ekthesi tis geofisikis ereunas & chartografisis tou chorou tou archaiou theatrou tis Gortinas. Herakleion.Sear, F. (2006). Roman theatres. An architectural study. New York: Oxford University Press.Sanders, I. (1982). Roman Crete. An archaeological survey and Gazetteer of late Hellenistic, Roman and early Byzantine Crete. Oxford: Warminster Wilts, Aris & Philips.Spratt, T.A.B. (1865). Travels and researches in Crete, 2. London: John Van Voorst.Taramelli, A. (1902). Cretan Expedition: XXI Gortyna. American Journal of Archaeology, 6(2), 101. doi:10.2307/496604Turner, A., Doxa, M., O’Sullivan, D., & Penn, A. (2001). From Isovists to Visibility Graphs: A Methodology for the Analysis of Architectural Space. Environment and Planning B: Planning and Design, 28(1), 103-121. doi:10.1068/b268

Crookesite, Cu7TlSe4, from Littleham Cove, Devon: the first mineral containing essential thallium from the British Isles

The rare thallium copper selenide crookesite occurs as dark grey metallic needles in at least two cavities in a nodule collected from cliffs at Littleham Cove, Budleigh Salterton, Devon. This is the first report of a thallium mineral from the British Isles. The small crystal size, confusion in the mineralogical literature and the need to preserve as much of the specimen as possible for future study, made the identification particularly challenging. Thallium minerals have a very limited worldwide distribution. They are almost entirely restricted to unusual low temperature epithermal deposits. The discovery of crookesite in nodules in a Permian red bed environment is, therefore of significant interest. Thallium minerals do not appear to have been reported in this geological setting before.The Russell Society have made this journal freely available to increase the worldwide accessibility and usage of the papers published in the Journal

Ubiquitin and Parkinson's disease through the looking glass of Genetics

Biochemical alterations found in the brains of Parkinson's disease (PD) patients indicate that cellular stress is a major driver of dopaminergic neuronal loss. Oxidative stress, mitochondrial dysfunction, and ER stress lead to impairment of the homeostatic regulation of protein quality control pathways with a consequent increase in protein misfolding and aggregation and failure of the protein degradation machinery. Ubiquitin signalling plays a central role in protein quality control; however, prior to genetic advances, the detailed mechanisms of how impairment in the ubiquitin system was linked to PD remained mysterious. The discovery of mutations in the α-synuclein gene, which encodes the main protein misfolded in PD aggregates, together with mutations in genes encoding ubiquitin regulatory molecules, including PTEN-induced kinase 1 (PINK1), Parkin, and FBX07, has provided an opportunity to dissect out the molecular basis of ubiquitin signalling disruption in PD, and this knowledge will be critical for developing novel therapeutic strategies in PD that target the ubiquitin system

Derivation and Validation of a Chronic Total Coronary Occlusion Intervention Procedural Success Score From the 20,000-Patient EuroCTO Registry: The EuroCTO (CASTLE) Score.

OBJECTIVES: The aim was to establish a contemporary scoring system to predict the outcome of chronic total occlusion coronary angioplasty. BACKGROUND: Interventional treatment of chronic total coronary occlusions (CTOs) is a developing subspecialty. Predictors of technical success or failure have been derived from datasets of modest size. A robust scoring tool could facilitate case selection and inform decision making. METHODS: The study analyzed data from the EuroCTO registry. This prospective database was set up in 2008 and includes >20,000 cases submitted by CTO expert operators (>50 cases/year). Derivation (n = 14,882) and validation (n = 5,745) datasets were created to develop a risk score for predicting technical failure. RESULTS: There were 14,882 patients in the derivation dataset (with 2,356 [15.5%] failures) and 5,745 in the validation dataset (with 703 [12.2%] failures). A total of 20.2% of cases were done retrogradely, and dissection re-entry was performed in 9.3% of cases. We identified 6 predictors of technical failure, collectively forming the CASTLE score (Coronary artery bypass graft history, Age (≥70 years), Stump anatomy [blunt or invisible], Tortuosity degree [severe or unseen], Length of occlusion [≥20 mm], and Extent of calcification [severe]). When each parameter was assigned a value of 1, technical failure was seen to increase from 8% with a CASTLE score of 0 to 1, to 35% with a score ≥4. The area under the curve (AUC) was similar in both the derivation (AUC: 0.66) and validation (AUC: 0.68) datasets. CONCLUSIONS: The EuroCTO (CASTLE) score is derived from the largest database of CTO cases to date and offers a useful tool for predicting procedural outcome

Obesogenic High-Fat Diet and MYC Cooperate to Promote Lactate Accumulation and Tumor Microenvironment Remodeling in Prostate Cancer

Lactate accumulation driven by high-fat diet and MYC reprograms the tumor microenvironment and promotes prostate cancer progression, supporting the potential of lactate as a biomarker and therapeutic target in prostate cancer.Cancer cells exhibit metabolic plasticity to meet oncogene-driven dependencies while coping with nutrient availability. A better understanding of how systemic metabolism impacts the accumulation of metabolites that reprogram the tumor microenvironment (TME) and drive cancer could facilitate development of precision nutrition approaches. Using the Hi-MYC prostate cancer mouse model, we demonstrated that an obesogenic high-fat diet (HFD) rich in saturated fats accelerates the development of c-MYC-driven invasive prostate cancer through metabolic rewiring. Although c-MYC modulated key metabolic pathways, interaction with an obesogenic HFD was necessary to induce glycolysis and lactate accumulation in tumors. These metabolic changes were associated with augmented infiltration of CD206+ and PD-L1+ tumor-associated macrophages (TAM) and FOXP3+ regulatory T cells, as well as with the activation of transcriptional programs linked to disease progression and therapy resistance. Lactate itself also stimulated neoangiogenesis and prostate cancer cell migration, which were significantly reduced following treatment with the lactate dehydrogenase inhibitor FX11. In patients with prostate cancer, high saturated fat intake and increased body mass index were associated with tumor glycolytic features that promote the infiltration of M2-like TAMs. Finally, upregulation of lactate dehydrogenase, indicative of a lactagenic phenotype, was associated with a shorter time to biochemical recurrence in independent clinical cohorts. This work identifies cooperation between genetic drivers and systemic metabolism to hijack the TME and promote prostate cancer progression through oncometabolite accumulation. This sets the stage for the assessment of lactate as a prognostic biomarker and supports strategies of dietary intervention and direct lactagenesis blockade in treating advanced prostate cancer.Significance: Lactate accumulation driven by high-fat diet and MYC reprograms the tumor microenvironment and promotes prostate cancer progression, supporting the potential of lactate as a biomarker and therapeutic target in prostate cancer. See related commentary by Frigo, p. 1742Significance: Lactate accumulation driven by high-fat diet and MYC reprograms the tumor microenvironment and promotes prostate cancer progression, supporting the potential of lactate as a biomarker and therapeutic target in prostate cancer. See related commentary by Frigo, p. 1742

Cardioembolic Stroke in Atrial Fibrillation-Rationale for Preventive Closure of the Left Atrial Appendage

Atrial fibrillation is the most common cardiac arrhythmias, and a major cause of morbidity and mortality due to cardioembolic stroke. The left atrial appendage is the major site of thrombus formation in non-valvular atrial fibrillation. Loss of atrial systole in atrial fibrillation and increased relative risk of associated stroke point strongly toward a role for stasis of blood in left atrial thrombosis, although thrombus formation is multifactorial, and much more than blood flow irregularities are implicated. Oral anticoagulation with vitamin-K-antagonists is currently the most effective prophylaxis for stroke in atrial fibrillation. Unfortunately, this treatment is often contraindicated, particularly in the elderly, in whom risk of stroke is high. Moreover, given the risk of major bleeding, there is reason to be skeptical of the net benefit when warfarin is used in those patients. This work reviews the pathophysiology of cardioembolic stroke and critically spotlights the current status of preventive anticoagulation therapy. Various techniques to exclude the left atrial appendage from circulation were discussed as a considerable alternative for stroke prophylaxis