Long and short term changes in abundance and distribution of butterflies: hints from the Lazio database

The DB on the occurrence data of the butterflies (Papilionoidea) of Lazio, at 14th February 2022 consisted of 36244 records including 154 species istributed throughout a total of 6719 sites. The data set included geoeferenced and chrono-referenced data collected from the literature, specialist-validated occurrences from websites (Forum Natura Mediterraneo, iNaturalist, Ornitho), as well as an important amount of original observations included in the database of the Lazio Biodiversity Observatory. All observations were used to create distribution maps. In order to evaluate any change in observations over time for the various species, all records were divided into three different periods: before 1980 (4425 records), 1980-2000 (6498 records) and post 2000 (25321 records). A finer subdivision was then examined within the post-2000 period: 2001-2007 (11888 records), 2008-2014 (4977 records), 2014-2021 (8456 records). Further analyses were carried out to highlight differences in the distribution of species as a function of altitude and / or changes in land use that have occurred in the last decades. The results show that qualitatively the species present in the region before 1980 are all still present today, however the abundance of related observations in several cases has changed considerably. Observations of an important portion of the species have significantly decreased in recent years. This trend is observed in the majority of mountain species and various habitat-specialist butterflies regardless of altitude. In some other species, often the most common or habitat-generalist butterflies, an increase was observed. The causes of these trends can be identified in the human land use and climate change, without excluding, however, the differences in data recording over time that could favor the most common species

Magnetron High Power System Design

This paper describes the design of an X-Band Magnetron to Linear Accelerator (LINAC) High Power Transfer System consisting in an 8 resonant cavities Magnetron connected to a dedicated vacuum Dielectric Window (DW). A main analytical design of devices is shown with compact formulas and is followed by numerical optimization. Electromagnetic and Thermomechanical coupling between these devices is described, particular attention has been given to the Magnetron power coupling and DW matching. A Multiphysics modeling is proposed to consider thermal-structural effects due to the cathode heating for the Magnetron and the Joule effect for the DW. Thermal induced degradation of the device performances are estimated and proper materials and shapes are chosen in order to ensure the desired behavior of the system in operative conditions. The proposed study provided the evaluation of the Magnetron Working Points and DW Scattering parameters in Thermo-mechanical operative conditions. Technological strategies for device coupling are shown

To be or not to be a germ cell: The extragonadal germ cell tumor paradigm

In the human embryo, the genetic program that orchestrates germ cell specification in-volves the activation of epigenetic and transcriptional mechanisms that make the germline a unique cell population continuously poised between germness and pluripotency. Germ cell tumors, neo-plasias originating from fetal or neonatal germ cells, maintain such dichotomy and can adopt either pluripotent features (embryonal carcinomas) or germness features (seminomas) with a wide range of phenotypes in between these histotypes. Here, we review the basic concepts of cell specification, migration and gonadal colonization of human primordial germ cells (hPGCs) highlighting the analogies of transcriptional/epigenetic programs between these two cell types

Status of the Cylindical-GEM project for the KLOE-2 Inner Tracker

The status of the R&D on the Cylindrical-GEM (CGEM) detector foreseen as Inner Tracker for KLOE-2, the upgrade of the KLOE experiment at the DAFNE phi-factory, will be presented. The R&D includes several activities: i) the construction and complete characterization of the full-size CGEM prototype, equipped with 650 microns pitch 1-D longitudinal strips; ii) the study of the 2-D readout with XV patterned strips and operation in magnetic field (up to 1.5T), performed with small planar prototypes in a dedicated test at the H4-SPS beam facility; iii) the characterization of the single-mask GEM technology for the realization of large-area GEM foils.Comment: 4 pages, 10 figures, Presented at Vienna Conference on Instrumentation (Feb 15-20, 2010, Vienna, Austria). Submitted to the Proceeding

Rapid optimization of stationary tokamak plasmas in RAPTOR: demonstration for the ITER hybrid scenario with neural network surrogate transport model QLKNN

This work presents a fast and robust method for optimizing the stationary radial distribution of temperature, density and parallel current density in a tokamak plasma and its application to first-principle-based modeling of the ITER hybrid scenario. A new solver is implemented in the RAPTOR transport code, enabling direct evaluation of the stationary solution to which the radial plasma profiles evolve. Coupled to a neural network emulation of the quasi-linear gyrokinetic QuaLiKiz transport model (QLKNN-hyper-10D), a first-principle-based estimate of the stationary state of the core plasma can be found at unprecedented computational speed (typically a few seconds on standard hardware). The stationary state solver is then embedded in a numerical optimization scheme, allowing the optimization of tokamak plasma scenarios in only a few minutes. The proposed method is applied to investigate the performance of ITER hybrid scenarios at different values of total plasma current, plasma density and pedestal height and for different power contributions in a heating mix consisting of electron cyclotron and neutral beam heating. Optimizing the radial distribution of electron cyclotron current drive (ECCD) deposition, the q profile is tailored to maximize the fusion gain Q, by maximizing the energy confinement predicted through the first-principles-based transport model, while satisfying q &gt; 1, avoiding sawtooth oscillations. It is found that optimal use of ECCD in ITER hybrid scenarios is to deposit power as close to the core as possible, while maintaining sufficient off-axis current drive to keep q above 1. Upper limits for the fusion gain Q are shown to be constrained either by minimum power requirements for the separatrix power flow to maintain H-mode or by minimum current drive requirements for q profile tailoring. Finally, it is shown that the ITER hybrid scenario operating window is significantly extended by an upgrade of the electron cyclotron power to 40 MW.</p

Human adipose-derived stromal cells transplantation prolongs reproductive lifespan on mouse models of mild and severe premature ovarian insufficiency

Background Although recent studies have investigated the ability of Mesenchymal Stromal Cells (MSCs) to alleviate short-term ovarian damage in animal models of chemotherapy-induced Premature Ovarian Insufficiency (POI), no data are available on reproductive lifespan recovery, especially in a severe POI condition. For this reason, we investigated the potential of MSCs isolated from human adipose tissue (hASCs), since they are easy to harvest and abundant, in ameliorating the length and performance of reproductive life in both mild and severe chemotherapy-induced murine POI models. Methods Mild and severe POI models were established by intraperitoneally administering a light (12 mg/kg busulfan + 120 mg/kg cyclophosphamide) or heavy (30 mg/kg busulfan + 120 mg/kg cyclophosphamide) dose of chemotherapy, respectively, in CD1 mice. In both cases, a week later, 1 × 106 hASCs were transplanted systemically through the tail vein. After four additional weeks, some females were sacrificed to collect ovaries for morphological evaluation. H&amp;E staining was performed to assess stroma alteration and to count follicle numbers; immunofluorescence staining for αSMA was used to analyse vascularization. Of the remaining females, some were mated after superovulation to collect 2-cell embryos in order to evaluate their pre-implantation developmental capacity in vitro, while others were naturally mated to monitor litters and reproductive lifespan length. F1 litters’ weight, ovaries and reproductive lifespan were also analysed. Results hASC transplantation alleviated ovarian weight loss and size decrease and reduced alterations on ovarian stroma and vasculature, concurrently preventing the progressive follicle stockpile depletion caused by chemotherapy. These effects were associated with the preservation of the oocyte competence to develop into blastocyst in vitro and, more interestingly, with a significant decrease of chemotherapy-induced POI features, like shortness of reproductive lifespan, reduced number of litters and longer time to plug (the latter only presented in the severe POI model). Conclusion Human ASC transplantation was able to significantly reduce all the alterations induced by the chemotherapeutic treatment, while improving oocyte quality and prolonging reproductive functions, thus counteracting infertility. These results, strengthened by the use of an outbred model, support the potential applications of hASCs in women with POI, nowadays mainly induced by anticancer therapies

A model to explain angular distributions of J/ψJ/\psi and ψ(2S)\psi(2S) decays into ΛΛ‾\Lambda\overline{\Lambda} and Σ0Σ‾0\Sigma^0\overline{\Sigma}^0

BESIII data show a particular angular distribution for the decay of the $J/\psi$ and $\psi(2S)$ mesons into the hyperons $\Lambda\overline{\Lambda}$ and $\Sigma^0\overline{\Sigma}^0$. More in details the angular distribution of the decay $\psi(2S) \to \Sigma^0\overline{\Sigma}^0$ exhibits an opposite trend with respect to that of the other three channels: $J/\psi \to \Lambda\overline{\Lambda}$, $J/\psi \to \Sigma^0\overline{\Sigma}^0$ and $\psi(2S) \to \Lambda\overline{\Lambda}$. We define a model to explain the origin of this phenomenon.Comment: 6 pages, 7 figures, to be published in Chinese Physics

YAP regulates porcine skin-derived stem cells self-renewal partly by repressing Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway

Skin-derived stem cells (SDSCs) are a class of adult stem cells (ASCs) that have the ability to self-renew and differentiate. The regulation mechanisms involved in the differentiation of SDSCs are a hot topic. In this paper, we explore the link between the transcriptional regulator yes-associated protein (YAP) and the fate of porcine SDSCs (pSDSCs). We found that lysophosphatidylcholine (LPC) activates YAP, promotes pSDSCs pluripotency, and counteracts transdifferentiation of pSDSCs into porcine primordial germ cell-like cells (pPGCLCs). YAP promotes the pluripotent state of pSDSCs by maintaining the high expression of the pluripotency genes Oct4 and Sox2. The overexpression of YAP prevented the differentiation of pSDSCs, and the depletion of YAP by small interfering RNA (siRNAs) suppressed the self-renewal of pSDSCs. In addition, we found that YAP regulates the fate of pSDSCs through a mechanism related to the Wnt/beta-catenin signaling pathway. When an activator of the Wnt/beta-catenin signaling pathway, CHIR99021, was added to pSDSCs overexpressing YAP, the ability of pSDSCs to differentiate was partially restored. Conversely, when XAV939, an inhibitor of the Wnt/beta-catenin signaling pathway, was added to YAP knockdown pSDSCs a higher self-renewal ability resulted. Taken together, our results suggested that YAP and the Wnt/beta-catenin signaling pathway interact to regulate the fate of pSDSCs

Analysis of Secreted Proteins from Prepubertal Ovarian Tissues Exposed In Vitro to Cisplatin and LH

It is well known that secreted and exosomal proteins are associated with a broad range of physiological processes involving tissue homeostasis and differentiation. In the present paper, our purpose was to characterize the proteome of the culture medium in which the oocytes within the primordial/primary follicles underwent apoptosis induced by cisplatin (CIS) or were, for the most part, protected by LH against the drug. To this aim, prepubertal ovarian tissues were cultured under control and in the presence of CIS, LH, and CIS + LH. The culture media were harvested after 2, 12, and 24 h from chemotherapeutic drug treatment and analyzed by liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry (LC-MS). We found that apoptotic conditions generated by CIS in the cultured ovarian tissues and/or oocytes are reflected in distinct changes in the extracellular microenvironment in which they were cultured. These changes became evident mainly from 12 h onwards and were characterized by the inhibition or decreased release of a variety of compounds, such as the proteases Htra1 and Prss23, the antioxidants Prdx2 and Hbat1, the metabolic regulators Ldha and Pkm, and regulators of apoptotic pathways such as Tmsb4x. Altogether, these results confirm the biological relevance of the LH action on prepuberal ovaries and provide novel information about the proteins released by the ovarian tissues exposed to CIS and LH in the surrounding microenvironment. These data might represent a valuable resource for future studies aimed to clarify the effects and identify biomarkers of these compounds’ action on the developing ovary

A Cylindrical GEM Inner Tracker for the BESIII experiment at IHEP

The Beijing Electron Spectrometer III (BESIII) is a multipurpose detector that collects data provided by the collision in the Beijing Electron Positron Collider II (BEPCII), hosted at the Institute of High Energy Physics of Beijing. Since the beginning of its operation, BESIII has collected the world largest sample of J/{\psi} and {\psi}(2s). Due to the increase of the luminosity up to its nominal value of 10^33 cm-2 s-1 and aging effect, the MDC decreases its efficiency in the first layers up to 35% with respect to the value in 2014. Since BESIII has to take data up to 2022 with the chance to continue up to 2027, the Italian collaboration proposed to replace the inner part of the MDC with three independent layers of Cylindrical triple-GEM (CGEM). The CGEM-IT project will deploy several new features and innovation with respect the other current GEM based detector: the {\mu}TPC and analog readout, with time and charge measurements will allow to reach the 130 {\mu}m spatial resolution in 1 T magnetic field requested by the BESIII collaboration. In this proceeding, an update of the status of the project will be presented, with a particular focus on the results with planar and cylindrical prototypes with test beams data. These results are beyond the state of the art for GEM technology in magnetic field