CT-based tumour response criteria compared after combined treatment for liver metastases of colorectal cancer

open6noPurpose: The aim of this analysis is to compare different tumour response criteria (TRC) after chemotherapy combined with bevacizumab in liver metastases from colorectal cancer (mCRC) to ascertain the best early prognostic indicator of response. Methods and Materials: 103 target liver metastases from 65 mCRC patients treated with chemoterapy plus bevacizumab were examined at the Istituto Oncologico Veneto IOV-IRCSS (March 2008-January 2013). All patients had baseline CT and at least one follow-up scan. Tumour response was retrospectively analyzed by two radiologists using RECIST1.1, modified Choi, and Chun morphologic criteria. Tumour response, classified as good (complete or partial response) or poor (stable or progressive disease), was compared with progression-free survival (PFS) at first follow-up (t1) and time of best response. Interobserver agreement and concordance between TRC were measured. Results: At t1, 32.31% showed a good response according to RECIST1.1 (median PFS 11.1), 84.62% according to Choi (median PFS 10.8). These percentages rose to 49.23% (median PFS 12.1) and 87.69% (median PFS 10.8), respectively, at the time of best response. According to Chun, 67.69% showed a good response at the time of best response (median PFS 10.8). The Choi criteria detected a higher proportion of good responders at t1, showing a better correlation with PFS; all methods correlated with PFS at the time of best response. Conclusion: The Choi criteria proved more consistent in the early detection of response in mCRC treated with chemotherapy plus bevacizumab, underscoring the importance of using these criteria in the early assessment of response to combined treatment.openopenVarotto, A.; Di Grazia, L.; Aliberti, C.; Bergamo, F.; Nardin, M.; Pomerri, F.Varotto, A.; Di Grazia, L.; Aliberti, C.; Bergamo, F.; Nardin, M.; Pomerri, Fabi

Early warning system for the prevention and control of unauthorized accesses to air navigation services infrastructures

Early warning systems are fundamental instruments for the management of critical situations since they are able to signal in advance any anomaly with respect to ordinary situations. The purpose of this paper is to present an early warning system, based on artificial neural networks, for the prevention and control of unauthorized accesses to the air navigation services infrastructure in Italy

Assessing radiative transfer models trained by numerical weather forecasts using sun-tracking radiometric measurements for satellite link characterization up to W band

Radio communications, and in particular Earth-to-satellite links, are worldwide used for delivering digital services. The bandwidth demand of such services is increasing accordingly to the advent of more advanced applications (e.g., multimedia services, deep-space explorations, etc.) thus pushing the scientific community toward the investigation of channel carriers at higher frequencies. When using carrier frequencies above X band, the main drawback is how to tackle the impact of tropospheric processes (i.e., rain, cloud, water vapor). This work assesses the joint use of weather forecast models, radiative transfer models and Sun-tracking radiometric measurements to explore their potential benefits in predicting path attenuation and sky noise temperature for slant paths at frequencies between K and W band, thus paving the way to the optimization of satellite link-budgets

Atomic Force Microscope nanolithography on chromosomes to genrate single-cell genetic probes

Abstract Background Chromosomal dissection provides a direct advance for isolating DNA from cytogenetically recognizable region to generate genetic probes for fluorescence in situ hybridization, a technique that became very common in cyto and molecular genetics research and diagnostics. Several reports describing microdissection methods (glass needle or a laser beam) to obtain specific probes from metaphase chromosomes are available. Several limitations are imposed by the traditional methods of dissection as the need for a large number of chromosomes for the production of a probe. In addition, the conventional methods are not suitable for single chromosome analysis, because of the relatively big size of the microneedles. Consequently new dissection techniques are essential for advanced research on chromosomes at the nanoscale level. Results We report the use of Atomic Force Microscope (AFM) as a tool for nanomanipulation of single chromosomes to generate individual cell specific genetic probes. Besides new methods towards a better nanodissection, this work is focused on the combination of molecular and nanomanipulation techniques which enable both nanodissection and amplification of chromosomal and chromatidic DNA. Cross-sectional analysis of the dissected chromosomes reveals 20 nm and 40 nm deep cuts. Isolated single chromosomal regions can be directly amplified and labeled by the Degenerate Oligonucleotide-Primed Polymerase Chain Reaction (DOP-PCR) and subsequently hybridized to chromosomes and interphasic nuclei. Conclusions Atomic force microscope can be easily used to visualize and to manipulate biological material with high resolution and accuracy. The fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) performed with the DOP-PCR products as test probes has been tested succesfully in avian microchromosomes and interphasic nuclei. Chromosome nanolithography, with a resolution beyond the resolution limit of light microscopy, could be useful to the construction of chromosome band libraries and to the molecular cytogenetic mapping related to the investigation of genetic diseases.</p

Biowaste home composting: Experimental process monitoring and quality control

none5noBecause home composting is a prevention option in managing biowaste at local levels, the objective of the present study was to contribute to the knowledge of the process evolution and compost quality that can be expected and obtained, respectively, in this decentralized option. In this study, organized as the research portion of a provincial project on home composting in the territory of Pesaro-Urbino (Central Italy), four experimental composters were first initiated and temporally monitored. Second, two small sub-sets of selected provincial composters (directly operated by households involved in the project) underwent quality control on their compost products at two different temporal steps. The monitored experimental composters showed overall decreasing profiles versus composting time for moisture, organic carbon, and C/N, as well as overall increasing profiles for electrical conductivity and total nitrogen, which represented qualitative indications of progress in the process. Comparative evaluations of the monitored experimental composters also suggested some interactions in home composting, i.e., high C/N ratios limiting organic matter decomposition rates and final humification levels; high moisture contents restricting the internal temperature regime; nearly horizontal phosphorus and potassium evolutions contributing to limit the rates of increase in electrical conductivity; and prolonged biowaste additions contributing to limit the rate of decrease in moisture. The measures of parametric data variability in the two sub-sets of controlled provincial composters showed decreased variability in moisture, organic carbon, and C/N from the seventh to fifteenth month of home composting, as well as increased variability in electrical conductivity, total nitrogen, and humification rate, which could be considered compatible with the respective nature of decreasing and increasing parameters during composting. The modeled parametric kinetics in the monitored experimental composters, along with the evaluation of the parametric central tendencies in the sub-sets of controlled provincial composters, all indicate that 12–15 months is a suitable duration for the appropriate development of home composting in final and simultaneous compliance with typical reference limits.openFabio TATANO; Giacomo Pagliaro; Paolo Di Giovanni; Enrico Floriani; Filippo ManganiTatano, Fabio; Giacomo, Pagliaro; Paolo Di, Giovanni; Enrico, Floriani; Filippo, Mangan

Ferritin nanocages for protein delivery to tumor cells

The delivery of therapeutic proteins is one of the greatest challenges in the treatment of human diseases. In this frame, ferritins occupy a very special place. Thanks to their hollow spherical structure, they are used as modular nanocages for the delivery of anticancer drugs. More recently, the possibility of encapsulating even small proteins with enzymatic or cytotoxic activity is emerging. Among all ferritins, particular interest is paid to the Archaeoglobus fulgidus one, due to its peculiar ability to associate/dissociate in physiological conditions. This protein has also been engineered to allow recognition of human receptors and used in vitro for the delivery of cytotoxic proteins with extremely promising results

Evolution of Large Scale Curvature Fluctuations During the Perturbative Decay of the Inflaton

We study the evolution of cosmological fluctuations during and after inflation driven by a scalar field coupled to a perfect fluid through afriction term. During the slow-roll regime for the scalar field, the perfect fluid is also frozen and isocurvature perturbations are generated. After the end of inflation, during the decay of the inflaton, we find that a change in the observationally relevant large scale curvature fluctuations is possible.Comment: 9 pages, 2 figures; v2: version published in PR

The Eyjafjöll explosive volcanic eruption from a microwave weather radar perspective

Abstract. The sub-glacial Eyjafjöll explosive volcanic eruptions of April and May 2010 are analyzed and quantitatively interpreted by using ground-based weather radar data and the Volcanic Ash Radar Retrieval (VARR) technique. The Eyjafjöll eruptions have been continuously monitored by the Keflavík C-band weather radar, located at a distance of about 155 km from the volcano vent. Considering that the Eyjafjöll volcano is approximately 20 km from the Atlantic Ocean and that the northerly winds stretched the plume toward the mainland Europe, weather radars are the only means to provide an estimate of the total ejected tephra. The VARR methodology is summarized and applied to available radar time series to estimate the plume maximum height, ash particle category, ash volume, ash fallout and ash concentration every 5 min near the vent. Estimates of the discharge rate of eruption, based on the retrieved ash plume top height, are provided together with an evaluation of the total erupted mass and volume. Deposited ash at ground is also retrieved from radar data by empirically reconstructing the vertical profile of radar reflectivity and estimating the near-surface ash fallout. Radar-based retrieval results cannot be compared with ground measurements, due to the lack of the latter, but further demonstrate the unique contribution of these remote sensing products to the understating and modelling of explosive volcanic ash eruptions

Ethylchloroformate derivatization for GC-MS analysis of resveratrol isomers in red wine

Resveratrol (3,5,40-trihydroxystilbene) is a natural compound that can be found in high concentrations in red wine and in many typical foods found in human diet. Over the past decades, resveratrol has been widely investigated for its potential beneficial effects on human health. At the same time, numerous analytical methods have been developed for the quantitative determination of resveratrol isomers in oenological and food matrices. In the present work, we developed a very fast and sensitive GC-MS method for the determination of resveratrol in red wine based on ethylchloroformate derivatization. Since this reaction occurs directly in the water phase during the extraction process itself, it has the advantage of significantly reducing the overall processing time for the sample. This method presents low limits of quantification (LOQ) (25 ng/mL and 50 ng/mL for cis- and trans-resveratrol, respectively) and excellent accuracy and precision. Ethylchloroformate derivatization was successfully applied to the analysis of resveratrol isomers in a selection of 15 commercial Italian red wines, providing concentration values comparable to those reported in other studies. As this method can be easily extended to other classes of molecules present in red wine, it allows further development of new GC-MS methods for the molecular profiling of oenological matrices