Theoretical model for cascading effects analyses

Abstract In case of exceptional events of natural or anthropogenic type, the elements at risk (people, buildings, infrastructures, economy, etc.) are often hit by sequences of 'cascading events', function of time and space, caused by the triggering event (earthquake, landslide, volcanic eruption, fire, electric failure, etc.). Generally, sequences of events can involve the same element at risk, and the combined effects of cascading phenomena can strongly amplify the impact caused by single events in terms of extension of the affected area and damage level. The final impact on the territory can be significant and require to be carefully assessed in terms of emergency planning and management. This paper discusses from a theoretical point of view the modelling needs and the main issues to be taken into account in the development of simulation tools aiming to include cascading effects analyses to effectively support decision-makers in their preparedness and disaster mitigation strategies in the framework of emergency planning at local, national and international level. The model aims at developing cascading effects scenarios at different level of detail, depending on the availability of inventory/exposure data for the different categories of elements at risk and hazard/impact models for the various hazard sources. It has been developed within EU-FP7 SNOWBALL project (Lower the impact of aggravating factors in crisis situations thanks to adaptive foresight and decision-support tools, 2015–2017)

Quasi linear parabolic equations with degenerate coercivity having a quadratic gradient term

We study existence and regularity of distributional solutions for possibly degenerate quasi-linear parabolic problems having non linear lower order terms which depends on the solution and on its gradient

Psychological factors in functional hypothalamic amenorrhea: A systematic review and meta-analysis

BackgroundPsychological factors have been found to be associated with functional hypothalamic amenorrhea (FHA); however, their role in the onset or persistence of FHA is still understudied. The study aims to assess the associations of psychological factors with the presence vs the absence of FHA.MethodsA systematic literature search has been conducted across the major databases (PubMed, PsycINFO, Scopus, and Embase) to explore the psychological factors associated with FHA. The search was limited to English-written articles published from 2000 onwards. Articles were selected based on stringent inclusion/exclusion criteria. After data extraction, meta-analysis and meta-synthesis were conducted.ResultsOf 349 retrieved articles, eight studies were included. Findings indicate that the main psychological factors associated to FHA seem to be depression and eating attitudes, especially drive for thinness. FHA women present higher levels of anxiety, sleep disorders, dysfunctional attitudes, and alexithymia. The meta-analysis on drive for thinness revealed that the pooled MD across the studies was statistically significant both in the fixed 0.63 (95% CI: 0.31–0.95) and random model 0.70 (95% CI: 0.13–1.26). Likewise, as for depression, the pooled MD across the studies was statistically significant both in the fixed 0.60 (95% CI: 0.36–0.84) and random model 0.61 (95% CI: 0.20–1.01).DiscussionFindings showed the association of psychological factors and FHA and recognized their involvement in the persistence of the disorder. A multidisciplinary approach should involve a collaborative process between gynecologists, clinical psychologists, and psychiatrists, from diagnosis to treatment. Longitudinal studies should be implemented with a comparison/control group or by including clinical psychologists in the psychological assessment and study design

Novel Splicing Mutation in MTM1 Leading to Two Abnormal Transcripts Causes Severe Myotubular Myopathy

Myotubular myopathy; Novel mutation; SplicingMiopatía miotubular; Nueva mutación; EmpalmeMiopatia miotubular; Nova mutació; EmpalmamentX-linked myotubular myopathy (XLMTM) is a severe form of centronuclear myopathy, characterized by generalized weakness and respiratory insufficiency, associated with pathogenic variants in the MTM1 gene. NGS targeted sequencing on the DNA of a three-month-old child affected by XLMTM identified the novel hemizygous MTM1 c.1261-5T>G intronic variant, which interferes with the normal splicing process, generating two different abnormal transcripts simultaneously expressed in the patient’s muscular cells. The first aberrant transcript, induced by the activation of a cryptic splice site in intron 11, includes four intronic nucleotides upstream of exon 12, resulting in a shift in the transcript reading frame and introducing a new premature stop codon in the catalytic domain of the protein (p.Arg421SerfsTer7). The second aberrant MTM1 transcript, due to the lack of recognition of the 3′ acceptor splice site of intron 11 from the spliceosome complex, leads to the complete skipping of exon 12. We expanded the genotypic spectrum of XLMTM underlying the importance of intron–exons boundaries sequencing in male patients affected by XLMTM

Benzo[b]tiophen-3-ol derivatives as effective inhibitors of human monoamine oxidase: design, synthesis, and biological activity

A series of benzo[b]thiophen-3-ols were synthesised and investigated as potential human monoamine oxidase (hMAO) inhibitors in vitro as well as ex vivo in rat cortex synaptosomes by means of evaluation of 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid/dopamine (DOPAC/DA) ratio and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) activity. Most of these compounds possessed high selectivity for the MAO-B isoform and a discrete antioxidant and chelating potential. Molecular docking studies of all the compounds underscored potential binding site interactions suitable for MAO inhibition activity, and suggested structural requirements to further improve the activity of this scaffold by chemical modification of the aryl substituents. Starting from this heterocyclic nucleus, novel lead compounds for the treatment of neurodegenerative disease could be developed

CAESAR II Tool: Complementary Analyses for Emergency Planning Based on Seismic Risks Impact Evaluations

Italy is a country with high seismic hazard, however since the delay in the seismic classification of the national territory, most of the existing building heritage does not comply with the current technical standards for buildings. The seismic events that have hit different Italian regions in recent years have highlighted the complexity of the challenge for the public bodies both in the emergency management and post‐event reconstruction and in the planning of effective risk prevention and mitigation measures to be implemented in ‘peacetime’. These difficulties concern, in particular, the capacity to properly manage the financial and technical resources available and to identify the intervention priorities throughout the entire emergency cycle. For correct management, the priority is to quantify and localize, through simulations, the quantification of probable damages and to evaluate in terms of cost‐benefits the possible alternative strategies for mitigation, also taking into account the potential, in terms of cost‐effectiveness, of integrated measures for seismic and energy retrofitting. In this framework, the project CAESAR II (Complementary Analyses for Emergency planning based on Seismic Risks impact evaluations) has been developed as a Decision Support System for Public Authorities in charge of developing Disaster Risk Reduction plans, with the possibility of programming mid to long‐term investments for public and private properties, as well as defining custom financial support mechanisms and tax incentives

Transient ALT Activation Protects Human Primary Cells From Chromosome Instability Induced by Low Chronic Oxidative Stress

Cells are often subjected to the effect of reactive oxygen species (ROS) as a result of both intracellular metabolism and exposure to exogenous factors. ROS-dependent oxidative stress can induce 8-oxodG within the GGG triplet found in the G-rich human telomeric sequence (TTAGGG), making telomeres highly susceptible to ROS-induced oxidative damage. Telomeres are nucleoprotein complexes that protect the ends of linear chromosomes and their dysfunction is believed to affect a wide range of cellular and/or organismal processes. Acute oxidative stress was shown to affect telomere integrity, but how prolonged low level oxidative stress, which may be more physiologically relevant, affects telomeres is still poorly investigated. Here, we explored this issue by chronically exposing human primary fibroblasts to a low dose of hydrogen peroxide. We observed fluctuating changes in telomere length and fluctuations in the rates of chromosome instability phenotypes, such that when telomeres shortened, chromosome instability increased and when telomeres lengthened, chromosome instability decreased. We found that telomere length fluctuation is associated with transient activation of an alternative lengthening of telomere (ALT) pathway, but found no evidence of cell death, impaired proliferation, or cell cycle arrest, suggesting that ALT activation may prevent oxidative damage from reaching levels that threaten cell survival

Functionalized Hyaluronic Acid for “In Situ” Matrix Metalloproteinase Inhibition: A Bioactive Material to Treat the Dry Eye Sydrome

Hyaluronic acid (HA) is a naturally occurring polysaccharide with many molecular functions, including maintaining the structure and physiology of the tissues, tissue remodeling, and inflammation. HA is found naturally in physiological tear fluid, possesses excellent mucus-layer-adhesive properties, and is successfully employed in the treatment of dry eye syndrome (DES). However, HA has as major drawback: its rapid in vivo degradation by hyaluronidase. We report on a unique material, namely, HA-3, obtained by the functionalization of HA with the metalloproteinase inhibitor 3 (MMPI). This material is characterized by an increased resistance to hyaluronidase degradation, associated with MMP inhibition properties. The ability of HA-3 to prevent dehydration of human corneal epithelial cells in vitro and in vivo may accelerate the development of more efficient DES treatment and broaden the application of HA in human diseases

Innovative teaching methods. Effective solutions to complex contests

Innovative teaching methods can be thought of as a complex device, where cognitive, emotional and procedural elements are interconnected. Teaching is also defined as innovative when it is possible to find successful and effective solutions to complex contests in terms of mediation and sustainability. This abstract investigates three different teaching methods (Flipped Classroom, Cooperative Learning and Project Based Learning) and the complex system of Competency-based Learning they refer to. Furthermore, not only does it examine three experiences and highlight their strengths and weaknesses (according to the SWOT analysis), but also provides recommendations for limiting risks and making use of the exploiting opportunities. Didattica innovativa. Soluzioni efficaci per contesti complessiLa didattica innovativa può essere intesa come dispositivo complesso, in cui interagiscono elementi cognitivi, affettivi e procedurali. La didattica si definisce innovativa, inoltre, quando sa creare una dialettica tra complessità del contesto e soluzioni metodologiche efficaci, sia in termini di mediazione, sia di sostenibilità dei processi. L’articolo prende in esame tre strategie d’insegnamento (flipped classroom, cooperative learning, Project Based Learning) e il relativo sistema complesso della didattica per competenze e analizza tre esperienze d’insegnamento, evidenziandone gli elementi di forza e di debolezza e le relative raccomandazioni per limitare i rischi e sfruttare le opportunità

Innovative teaching methods. Effective solutions to complex contests = Didattica innovativa. Soluzioni efficaci per contesti complessi

La didattica innovativa pu\uf2 essere intesa come dispositivo complesso, in cui interagiscono elementi cognitivi, affettivi e procedurali. La didattica si definisce innovativa, inoltre, quando sa creare una dialettica tra complessit\ue0 del contesto e soluzioni metodologiche efficaci, sia in termini di mediazione, sia di sostenibilit\ue0 dei processi. L\u2019articolo prende in esame tre strategie d\u2019insegnamento (flipped classroom, cooperative learning, Project Based Learning) e il relativo sistema complesso della didattica per competenze e analizza tre esperienze d\u2019insegnamento, evidenziandone gli elementi di forza e di debolezza e le relative raccomandazioni per limitare i rischi e sfruttare le opportunit\ue0.Innovative teaching methods can be thought of as a complex device, where cognitive, emotional and procedural elements are interconnected. Teaching is also defined as innovative when it is possible to find successful and effective solutions to complex contests in terms of mediation and sustainability. This abstract investigates three different teaching methods (Flipped Classroom, Cooperative Learning and Project Based Learning) and the complex system of Competency-based Learning they refer to. Furthermore, not only does it examine three experiences and highlight their strengths and weaknesses (according to the SWOT analysis), but also provides recommendations for limiting risks and making use of the exploiting opportunitie