Exceptional response to immunotherapy in association with radiotherapy in patient with breast metastasis from urothelial carcinoma: A case report

Most common sites of metastasis of urothelial carcinoma (UC) are lungs, liver, lymph nodes and bone. Pembrolizumab, a humanized monoclonal antibody directed against programmed cell death protein-1 (PD-1), represents an effective second-line therapy for advanced UC. Radiotherapy has been shown to induce a mechanism of immunogenic cell death (ICD) resulting in immune memory and advantageous systemic effects. We present the first case of breast metastasis (BM) from a UC described in literature who had an exceptional response to second-line therapy with pembrolizumab in association with radiotherapy, showing the efficacy of combining immunotherapy and radiotherapy even in patients with atypical metastatic sites

A golden perspective for catalysis

In the present paper we discuss the importance of gold nanoparticles in heterogeneous catalysis and show their different roles as active phases, electronic promoters and poisoning deactivators. In particular, some examples of our recent experience are presented: i) Gold nanoparticles as active sites: the LT-WGSR. In this example gold acts as the active phase, and catalytic performances are strongly related to gold nanosizes. ii) Gold nanoparticles as electronic promoters: the H2O2 direct synthesis. In this example gold nanoparticles are inactive for the reaction, while they are able to increase selectivity since they act as electronic promoters. iii) Gold nanoparticles as poisoning deactivators: the TPA purification. In this example gold nanoparticles are not active for the reaction but have an important role in delaying deactivation by sulphur poisoning

INCIDÊNCIA FÚNGICA EM GLOMÉRULOS E SÂMARAS DE Casuarina equisetifolia (CASUARINACEAE)

The casuarina (Casuarina equisetifolia) is an angiosperm belonging to the family Casuarinaceae and is widely used in the establishment of dunes on the seafront, as windbreaks in orchards and in the recovery of degraded areas. However, it has presented problems with seedling mortality in nursery. Samaras can carry microorganisms on their surface or internally, constituting one of the main means of dissemination of plant pathogens. The objective of this study was to identify and evaluate the incidence of fungi associated with glomeruli and casuarina samaras. For this, we collected glomeruli and chambers from parent trees in Santa Maria-RS. In the laboratory, the glomeruli underwent a disinfestation process and were submitted to the filter paper sanity test. The samaras were also submitted to the same test, but comparing with and without asepsis. The experimental design was completely randomized and each treatment consisted of four replicates of 25 (glomeruli/samaras). Fusarium spp., Rhizoctonia spp., Alternaria spp., Pestalotiopsis spp., Phoma spp. and Colletotrichum spp. were found in both glomeruli and samaras, possibly indicating transmission from one to another. These fungi are known worldwide for causing diseases in seeds, seedlings and seedlings in nurseries of many forest species.A casuarina (Casuarina equisetifolia) é uma angiosperma que pertence à família Casuarinaceae e é largamente utilizada na fixação de dunas na orla marítima, como quebra-ventos em pomares e na recuperação de áreas degradadas. Entretanto, tem apresentado problemas com mortalidade de plântulas em viveiro. As sâmaras podem carregar microrganismos na sua superfície ou internamente, constituindo-se um dos principais meios de disseminação de patógenos de plantas. O presente trabalho teve por objetivo identificar e avaliar a incidência de fungos associados aos glomérulos e sâmaras de casuarina. Para isso, foram coletados glomérulos e sâmaras de árvores matrizes em Santa Maria–RS. No laboratório, os glomérulos passaram por um processo de desinfestação e foram submetidos ao teste de sanidade em papel filtro. As sâmaras também foram submetidas ao mesmo teste, porém comparando-as com e sem assepsia. O delineamento experimental foi o inteiramente casualizado e cada tratamento foi composto de quatro repetições de 25 (glomérulo/sâmara). Fusarium spp., Rhizoctonia spp., Alternaria spp., Pestalotiopsis spp., Phoma spp. e Colletotrichum spp. foram encontrados tanto em glomérulos como em sâmaras, indicando, possivelmente, a transmissão de um para outro. Esses fungos são conhecidos mundialmente por causarem doenças em sementes, plântulas e mudas em viveiro de muitas espécies florestais

Mancha-foliar-marrom da Nogueirapecã: Identificação e Manejo da Doença nos Pomares do Sul do Brasil.

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Characterizing HR3549B using SPHERE

Aims. In this work, we characterize the low mass companion of the A0 field star HR3549. Methods. We observed HR3549AB in imaging mode with the the NIR branch (IFS and IRDIS) of SPHERE@VLT, with IFS in YJ mode and IRDIS in the H band. We also acquired a medium resolution spectrum with the IRDIS long slit spectroscopy mode. The data were reduced using the dedicated SPHERE GTO pipeline, purposely designed for this instrument. We employed algorithms such as PCA and TLOCI to reduce the speckle noise. Results. The companion was clearly visible both with IRDIS and IFS.We obtained photometry in four different bands as well as the astrometric position for the companion. Based on our astrometry, we confirm that it is a bound object and put constraints on its orbit. Although several uncertainties are still present, we estimate an age of ~100-150 Myr for this system, yielding a most probable mass for the companion of 40-50MJup and T_eff ~300-2400 K. Comparing with template spectra points to a spectral type between M9 and L0 for the companion, commensurate with its position on the color-magnitude diagram.Comment: Accepted by A&A, 13 pages, 10 Figures (Figures 9 and 10 degraded to reduce the dimension

Multi-band high resolution spectroscopy rules out the hot Jupiter BD+20 1790b - First data from the GIARPS Commissioning

Context. Stellar activity is currently challenging the detection of young planets via the radial velocity (RV) technique. Aims. We attempt to definitively discriminate the nature of the RV variations for the young active K5 star BD+20 1790, for which visible (VIS) RV measurements show divergent results on the existence of a substellar companion. Methods. We compare VIS data with high precision RVs in the near infrared (NIR) range by using the GIANO - B and IGRINS spectrographs. In addition, we present for the first time simultaneous VIS-NIR observations obtained with GIARPS (GIANO - B and HARPS - N) at Telescopio Nazionale Galileo (TNG). Orbital RVs are achromatic, so the RV amplitude does not change at different wavelengths, while stellar activity induces wavelength-dependent RV variations, which are significantly reduced in the NIR range with respect to the VIS. Results. The NIR radial velocity measurements from GIANO - B and IGRINS show an average amplitude of about one quarter with respect to previously published VIS data, as expected when the RV jitter is due to stellar activity. Coeval multi-band photometry surprisingly shows larger amplitudes in the NIR range, explainable with a mixture of cool and hot spots in the same active region. Conclusions. In this work, the claimed massive planet around BD+20 1790 is ruled out by our data. We exploited the crucial role of multi- wavelength spectroscopy when observing young active stars: thanks to facilities like GIARPS that provide simultaneous observations, this method can reach its maximum potential.Comment: 12 pages, 7 figure

SOXS: a wide band spectrograph to follow up transients

SOXS (Son Of X-Shooter) will be a spectrograph for the ESO NTT telescope capable to cover the optical and NIR bands, based on the heritage of the X-Shooter at the ESO-VLT. SOXS will be built and run by an international consortium, carrying out rapid and longer term Target of Opportunity requests on a variety of astronomical objects. SOXS will observe all kind of transient and variable sources from different surveys. These will be a mixture of fast alerts (e.g. gamma-ray bursts, gravitational waves, neutrino events), mid-term alerts (e.g. supernovae, X-ray transients), fixed time events (e.g. close-by passage of minor bodies). While the focus is on transients and variables, still there is a wide range of other astrophysical targets and science topics that will benefit from SOXS. The design foresees a spectrograph with a Resolution-Slit product ~ 4500, capable of simultaneously observing over the entire band the complete spectral range from the U- to the H-band. The limiting magnitude of R~20 (1 hr at S/N~10) is suited to study transients identified from on-going imaging surveys. Light imaging capabilities in the optical band (grizy) are also envisaged to allow for multi-band photometry of the faintest transients. This paper outlines the status of the project, now in Final Design Phase.Comment: 12 pages, 14 figures, to be published in SPIE Proceedings 1070