Maps with Vanishing Denominator and Their Applications

We survey the theoretical findings and a set of applications in several different fields concerning two-dimensional maps characterized by a vanishing denominator. This family of maps, and the related dynamic properties, were originally brought to the attention of the researchers through their appearance in an economic application. Nowadays such maps have also been used in other research areas such as ecology or biology confirming a broader application of the theoretical results about plane maps with vanishing denominator to various research areas

Improvement of Analytical Methods for the Determination of Polyphenolic Bioactive Compounds in Berry Fruits

Berry fruits contain high levels of different phytochemicals, most of which are phenolic molecules. Fruits of the same cultivar from different locations and different harvest years have different chemical compositions, particularly related to polyphenols. The difference may be due to specific climatic conditions, the type of soil in which the plants grow, and the stresses to which the plants were subjected because these phytochemicals are produced as a defense mechanism through a secondary metabolic process. For this reason, it is important to establish simple and reliable procedure to determine polyphenolic compounds in berry fruits considering the increasing attention on these compounds for different potential uses. In order to choose and to improve the most adequate analytical procedure for the determination of the polyphenolic substances in berry fruits, different methods were applied and compared on samples of elderberry and blackberry

Transition drivers and crisis signaling in stock markets

The present paper introduces an up-to-date methodology to detect Early Warning Signals of critical transitions, that manifest when distress stages in financial markets are about to take place. As a first step, we demonstrate that a high-dimensional dynamical system can be formulated in a simpler form but in an abstract phase space. Then we detect its approaching towards a critical transition by means of a set of observable variables that exhibit some particular statistical features. We name these variables the Leading Temporal Module. The impactful change in the properties of this group reflects the transition of the system from a normal to a distress state. Starting from these observations we develop an early warning indicator for determining the proximity of a financial crisis. The proposed measure is model free and the application to three different stock markets, together with the comparison with alternative systemic risk measures, highlights the usefulness in signaling upcoming distress phases. Computational results establish that the methodology we propose is effective and it may constitute a relevant decision support mechanism for macro prudential policies

Synchronization of non-chaotic dynamical systems

A synchronization mechanism driven by annealed noise is studied for two replicas of a coupled-map lattice which exhibits stable chaos (SC), i.e. irregular behavior despite a negative Lyapunov spectrum. We show that the observed synchronization transition, on changing the strength of the stochastic coupling between replicas, belongs to the directed percolation universality class. This result is consistent with the behavior of chaotic deterministic cellular automata (DCA), supporting the equivalence Ansatz between SC models and DCA. The coupling threshold above which the two system replicas synchronize is strictly related to the propagation velocity of perturbations in the system.Comment: 16 pages + 12 figures, new and extended versio

A diastrophic dysplasia sulfate transporter (SLC26A2) mutant mouse: morphological and biochemical characterization of the resulting chondrodysplasia phenotype

Mutations in the diastrophic dysplasia sulfate transporter (DTDST or SLC26A2) cause a family of recessively inherited chondrodysplasias including, in order of decreasing severity, achondrogenesis 1B, atelosteogenesis 2, diastrophic dysplasia (DTD) and recessive multiple epiphyseal dysplasia. The gene encodes a widely distributed sulfate/chloride antiporter of the cell membrane whose function is crucial for the uptake of inorganic sulfate, which is needed for proteoglycan sulfation. To provide new insights in the pathogenetic mechanisms leading to skeletal and connective tissue dysplasia and to obtain an in vivo model for therapeutic approaches to DTD, we generated a Dtdst knock-in mouse with a partial loss of function of the sulfate transporter. In addition, the intronic neomycine cassette in the mutant allele contributed to the hypomorphic phenotype by inducing abnormal splicing. Homozygous mutant mice were characterized by growth retardation, skeletal dysplasia and joint contractures, thereby recapitulating essential aspects of the DTD phenotype in man. The skeletal phenotype included reduced toluidine blue staining of cartilage, chondrocytes of irregular size, delay in the formation of the secondary ossification center and osteoporosis of long bones. Impaired sulfate uptake was demonstrated in chondrocytes, osteoblasts and fibroblasts. In spite of the generalized nature of the sulfate uptake defect, significant proteoglycan undersulfation was detected only in cartilage. Chondrocyte proliferation and apoptosis studies suggested that reduced proliferation and/or lack of terminal chondrocyte differentiation might contribute to reduced bone growth. The similarity with human DTD makes this mouse strain a useful model to explore pathogenetic and therapeutic aspects of DTDST-related disorder

Safety and Efficacy of Donor T Cells Engineered with Herpes Simplex Virus Thymidine-Kinase Suicide Gene (TK Cells) Given after T-Cell Depleted (TCD) Haploidentical Hematopoietic Transplantation (Haplo-HSCT): Results of a 14-Year Follow-Up in 45 Patients

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An Infrared Sensor Tx/Rx Electronic Card for Aerospace Applications

An electronic sensor card for aerospace applications is presented. The device uses infrared technology to transmit measurements toward a central unit. It has been designed following a low power consumption strategy which allows the use of a mini photovoltaic panel supplier. The card could be efficiently used in structures which ensure the line of sight between the card and a central receiver unit as inflatable structures. The device has been realized and tested

Development of a Novel Process for the Preparation of the Anti-Inflammatory Drug Betamethasone Sodium Phosphate

In this paper, we report our efforts for the development of a novel and improved preparation of the anti-inflammatory steroidal active pharmaceutical ingredient, namely, betamethasone sodium phosphate. Starting from commercially available betamethasone, the synthetic strategy involved the mesylation of the hydroxyl group at C21 position, followed by the key phosphorylation reaction of the mesylate derivative with potassium di-tert-butyl phosphate, the hydrolysis of the di-tert-butyl ester intermediate under mild acidic conditions, and the final salification. The developed process allowed us to obtain the desired betamethasone sodium phosphate in 68% overall yield at multi-kg scale ≥ 99.9% HPLC purity. Cost-effectiveness of the process, impurity profiling, and material quality are also discussed

Cluster Synchronization in Multilayer Networks: A Fully Analog Experiment with LC Oscillators with Physically Dissimilar Coupling

We investigate cluster synchronization in experiments with a multilayer network of electronic Colpitts oscillators, specifically a network with two interaction layers. We observe and analytically characterize the appearance of several cluster states as we change coupling in the layers. In this study, we innovatively combine bifurcation analysis and the computation of transverse Lyapunov exponents. We observe four kinds of synchronized states, from fully synchronous to a clustered quasiperiodic state - the first experimental observation of the latter state. Our work is the first to study fundamentally dissimilar kinds of coupling within an experimental multilayer network

Il controllo inibitorio e l’effetto della rappresentazione simbolica sulle prestazioni di bambini prescolari in un compito di scelta intertemporale: uno studio longitudinale

In questo studio abbiamo esaminato come il controllo inibitorio (CI) si sviluppa durante il periodo prescolare e se la rappresentazione simbolica delle quantità migliora la prestazione in un compito di scelta intertemporale (SIT). 101 bambini prescolari (52 maschi e 49 femmine) sono stati testati a 3 e 4 anni di età in una batteria di prove di CI. 69 bambini sono stati testati nuovamente a 5 e 6 anni. Abbiamo somministrato prove di SIT, di ritardo e di conflitto per indagare la capacità dei bambini di inibire una risposta dominante e, in alcuni casi, di attivare una risposta sub-dominante. I risultati evidenziano un effetto significativo dell’età: i bambini più grandi mostrano prestazioni migliori dei bambini più piccoli. Al contrario, il genere non influisce sulle prestazioni. Nella prova di SIT, la preferenza per l’opzione maggiore e ritardata (considerata indicatore di un migliore CI) è maggiore nella condizione con stimoli alimentari che nella condizione simbolica. I risultati saranno discussi alla luce dello sviluppo del CI in età prescolare