CDW aluminium joints welding and optimisation with NDT/mechanical testing

This work investigates the possibility to apply the improved hybrid capacitor discharge welding (CDW) process, based on projection welding principles, to aluminium alloy Al 5754. The CDW process is an electrical resistance welding technology, realised with high-intensity current pulses discharged by large capacitors. The innovative aspect is the effective possibility to weld aluminium alloys with CDW process and improve the mechanical weld characteristics and the presence of defects as a function of the technological parameters; intrinsic CDW process characteristics need to be investigated on the basis of interaction between the technological and geometrical aspects and the related mechanical properties, in order to improve welding shape and reduce defect size. In order to optimise the process, visual and ultrasonic inspections of the most significant welded joints were performed, and residual stress values were checked; in addition, high-cycle fatigue tests after room temperature tensile tests were executed to optimise the weldments

Sequence and expression pattern of the Drosophila melanogaster mitochondrial porin gene: evidence of a conserved protein domain between fly and mouse

AbstractWe have recently cloned a cDNA encoding mitochondrial porin in Drosophila melanogaster and shown its chromosomal localization (Messina et al., FEBS Lett. (1996) 384, 9–13). Such cDNA was used as a probe for screening a genomic library. We thus cloned and sequenced a 4494-bp genomic region which contained the whole gene for the mitochondrial porin or VDAC. It was found that this D. melanogaster porin gene contains five exons, numbered IA (115 bp), IB (123 bp), II (320 bp), III (228 bp) and IV (752 bp). The exons II, III and IV contain the protein coding sequence and the 3′ untranslated sequence (3′-UTR). The first base in exon II precisely corresponds to the first base of the starting ATG codon. Exon IA corresponds to the 5′-UTR sequence reported in the published cDNA sequence. Exon IB corresponds to an alternative 5′-UTR sequence, demonstrated to be transcribed by 5′-RACE experiments. The exon-intron splicing borders and the length of the exon III perfectly match a homologous internal exon detected in the mouse genes. Such exon encodes a protein domain predicted by sequence transmembrane arrangement models to contain major hydrophilic loops and it is thus suspected to have a conserved distinct function. In situ hybridization experiments confirmed the localization of the genomic clone on the chromosome 2L at region 32B3-4. Together with genomic Southern blotting at various stringencies, the same experiment did not confirm the presence of a second genetic locus on D. melanogaster chromosomes. Northern blots demonstrated that the porin gene is a housekeeping one: three messages of approx. 1.2–1.6 kbp are transcribed in every fly developmental stage that was studied. They were shown to derive by an alternative usage of different promoters and polyadenylation sites

The role of music in promoting health and wellbeing: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Background: The higher disease burden and related costs due to an increasing aging population have placed tremendous pressure on the healthcare systems worldwide. Given that music, both listened and actively performed, promotes and maintains good health and wellbeing among the population, we sought to perform a systematic review that would assess its biopsychosocial effects on a population over 40 years of age. Methods: A comprehensive search of peer-reviewed articles up to April 2021 was conducted on six electronic databases (i.e. Cochrane, MEDLINE, PubMed, PsycINFO, Web of Science and Scopus). Our study population only included healthy adults of 40 years and older. A total of 11 randomized controlled trials (RCTs) matched the inclusion criteria and were therefore analyzed. Results: Despite the heterogeneity of the methodologies used in the selected studies, our findings suggest that active musical participation can lead to beneficial effects on both cognitive and psychosocial functioning, whereas the positive impact of listening to music seems to be predominantly restricted to the cognitive domain. Conclusions: Although our results are consistent with both active and passive music activities favouring health and wellbeing in individuals 40 years old and over, future prospective RCTs, employing more uniformed and sensitive measurements, should allow us to better gauge the role of music participation in healthy aging and longevity, especially in countries with a high population density of elderly people

Global export partner concentration since 1980: Trends in dependency and globalisation

The deficiency of porin isoform 1 (HVDAC1) in human skeletal muscle has been associated with a pathological phenotype related to defects in the bioenergetic metabolism. In the best studied case, porin deficiency was not apparent in cultured fibroblasts: this observation raised the conclusion that no molecular defect was in the cDNA sequence coding for the protein. To get more insight in the pathogenetic mechanism that is involved in porin isoform 1 deficiency, we have determined the whole structure of the corresponding human gene. On the basis of the corresponding mouse gene structure and the human cDNA sequence, we designed long extension PCR amplifications using the whole genomic DNA as a template. Exonic/intronic regions were isolated and the exons and surrounding introns sequenced. The 5' and 3' extremities of the gene were determined by genome walking. The porin isoform 1 human gene is made up of 9 exons and spans about 33 kbp. A whole panel of PCR parameters was set and is now ready to be used for specific amplification upon patients' genomic DNA. The analysis of the putative promoter sequence was performed. It revealed the presence of a sterol Repressor element (SRE), an SRY, the testis-determining factor, and a nuclear respiratory factor 2 (NRF-2) binding site. These sites, according to results from literature, could be involved in the functional modulation of the gene expression. (C) 2000 Academic Press

Noninvasive peripheral vagal nerve stimulation prevents migraine aura: A case report

We describe a patient affected by migraine with visual and somatosensory aura, whose symptoms were consistently attenuated by noninvasive peripheral vagal nerve stimulation (nVNS) in multiple prospectively recorded attacks. When compared with the current standard of care, nVNS significantly reduced the duration of visual aura in all the attacks ( n = 5) and prevented the somatosensory aura in three of the five attacks. The overall duration of nVNS-treated auras was 19.0 ± 4.2 min, significantly shorter than the duration of aura in attacks treated with standard of care (103.8 ± 10.3 min). This single-case study requires confirmation in a larger sample size, but we believe that this first report is suggestive of likely efficacy given the relatively high number of treated attacks and the consistent effect of nVNS

Extramitochondrial porin: Facts and hypotheses

Mitochondrial porin, or VDAC, is a pore-forming protein abundant in the outer mitochondrial membrane. Several publications have reported extramitochondrial localizations as well, but the evidence was considered insufficient by many, and the presence of porin in nonmitochondrial cellular compartments has remained in doubt for a long time. We have now obtained new data indicating that the plasma membrane of hematopoietic cells contains porin, probably located mostly in caveolae or caveolae-like domains. Porin was purified from the plasma membrane of intact cells by a procedure utilizing the membrane-impermeable labeling reagent NH-SS-biotin and streptavidin affinity chromatography, and shown to have the same properties as mitochondrial porin. A channel with properties similar to that of isolated VDAC was observed by patch-clamping intact cells. This review discusses the evidence supporting extramitochondrial localization, the putative identification of the plasma membrane porin with the 'maxi' chloride channel, the hypothetical mechanisms of sorting porin to various cellular membrane structures, and its possible functions

Higher circulating levels of proneurotensin are associated with increased risk of incident NAFLD

BackgroundNeurotensin (NT), an intestinal peptide able to promote fat absorption, is implicated in the pathogenesis of obesity. Increased levels of proneurotensin (pro-NT), a stable NT precursor fragment, have been found in subjects with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD); however, whether higher pro-NT levels are associated with an increased NAFLD risk independently of other metabolic risk factors is unsettled. MethodsUltrasound-defined presence of NAFLD was assessed on 303 subjects stratified into tertiles according to fasting pro-NT levels. The longitudinal association between pro-NT levels and NAFLD was explored on the study participants without NAFLD at baseline reexamined after 5 years of follow-up (n = 124). ResultsIndividuals with higher pro-NT levels exhibited increased adiposity, a worse lipid profile, and insulin sensitivity as compared to the lowest tertile of pro-NT. Prevalence of NAFLD was progressively increased in the intermediate and highest pro-NT tertile as compared to the lowest tertile. In a logistic regression analysis adjusted for several confounders, individuals with higher pro-NT levels displayed a raised risk of having NAFLD (OR = 3.43, 95%CI = 1.48-7.97, p = 0.004) than those in the lowest pro-NT tertile. Within the study cohort without NAFLD at baseline, subjects with newly diagnosed NAFLD at follow-up exhibited higher baseline pro-NT levels than those without incident NAFLD. In a cox hazard regression analysis model adjusted for anthropometric and metabolic parameters collected at baseline and follow-up visit, higher baseline pro-NT levels were associated with an increased risk of incident NAFLD (HR = 1.52, 95%CI = 1.017-2.282, p = 0.04). ConclusionHigher pro-NT levels are a predictor of NAFLD independent of other metabolic risk factors

Diffusion and persistence of multidrug resistant salmonella typhimurium strains phage type DT120 in Southern Italy

Sixty-two multidrug resistant Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium strains isolated from 255 clinical strains collected in Southern Italy in 2006–2008 were characterised for antimicrobial resistance genes, pulsotype, and phage type.Most strains (83.9%) were resistant to ampicillin, chloramphenicol, streptomycin, sulfamethoxazole, and tetracycline (resistance pattern ACSSuT) encoded in 88.5% by the PSE-1, floR, aadA2, sul1, and tet(G) gene cluster harboured by the Salmonella Genomic Island (SGI1). In 11.5% of strains, the resistance was encoded by the InH-like integron (OXA-30-aadA1) and the catA1, sul1, and tet(B) genes. STYMXB.0061 (75%) and DT120 (84.6%) were the prevalent pulsotype and phage type identified in these strains, respectively. Five other resistance patterns were also found either in single or in a low number of isolates with TEM, dfrA12, strAB, sul2, tet(A), and tet(B) encoding for the associated ampicillin, trimethoprim, streptomycin, sulfamethoxazole, and tetracycline resistances, respectively. The pandemic DT104 clone, resistance pattern ACSSuT encoded by SGI1, has largely been identified in Italy since 1992, while strains DT120, resistance pattern ACSSuT (encoded by SGI1), have never been previously reported in Italy. In Europe, clinical S. Typhimurium strains DT120 have mainly been reported from sporadic outbreaks linked to the consumption of pork products.However, none of these strains were STYMXB.0061 and the antimicrobial resistance was not linked to SGI1.Theprevalent identification and persistence ofDT120 isolates would suggest, in Southern Italy, a phage type shifting of the pandemic DT104 clone pulsotype STYMXB.0061.Additionally, these findings raise epidemiological concern about the potential diffusion of these emerging multidrug resistant (SGI linked) DT120 strains

Thyroid autoantibodies and breast cancer

Dear Editor We read with interest the recent article by Shi and colleagues (2014) reporting a meta-analysis on the relationship between thyroid hormones, thyroid autoantibodies and breast cancer (BC). In the paper, the authors analyzed eight different studies, including 4,189 participants, and concluded that serum levels of free-triiodothyronine, thyroperoxidase and thyroglobulin autoantibodies are higher in patients affected by BC, compared with the control group. These findings are in agreement with the meta-analysis reported by Hardefeldt and colleagues, showing an increased risk of BC in patients with autoimmune thyroid disease, and with a recent article by our group in which the prevalence of BC in 3,921 female patients affected by both benign and malignant thyroid diseases was evaluated (Hardefeldt et al., 2012; Prinzi et al., 2014). In the latter, we showed that the prevalence of BC in patients affected by thyroid disease, as a whole, was significantly higher, compared to the general population (OR 3.3). Moreover, the age-matched analysis showed that the risk of BC was higher in younger patients (0–44 yr, OR 15.2), to decline with the increasing age. In the same study, when patients were dichotomized based on the presence or the absence of thyroglobulin and/or thyroperoxidase autoantibodies, both groups showed a higher risk of BC, compared to the general female population. When the two groups were compared to each other, however, the risk of BC was significantly lower in autoantibody positive patients. Thus, as clearly stated in our article, among patients affected by thyroid diseases, the presence of thyroid autoantibodies may have a protective role against BC (Prinzi et al., 2014). As a consequence, the sentence reported by Shi and colleagues in the Discussion section of their article stating that their findings are in disagreement with our data is not correct and should be, if at all possible, amended