The tilted-coil concept for advanced tokamak devices

The implications of the adoption of a tokamak’s toroidal field coil characterized by tilting in the azimuthal direction are investigated. The major advantage introduced by tilted coils is that of a drastic reduction over most of the coil section of the electromagnetic forces. As a beneficial side-effect, the tilted coils generate a poloidal field, in addition to the toroidal field. The former advantage allows for a notable simplification of the machine layout, while the poloidal flux generated during the current rise, when used in conjunction with the conventional central solenoid, allows for discharges of much longer duration with respect to those obtainable in tokamaks with conventional (non-tilted legs) coils

The Global Warming Potential of Building Materials: An Application of Life Cycle Analysis in Nepal

open6siThis paper analyzes the global-warming potential of materials used to construct the walls of 3 building types—traditional, semimodern, and modern—in Sagarmatha National Park and Buffer Zone in Nepal, using the life-cycle assessment approach. Traditional buildings use local materials, mainly wood and stone, while semimodern and modern buildings use different amounts of commercial materials, such as cement and glass wool. A comparison of the greenhouse gas emissions associated with the 3 building types, using as the functional unit 1 m2 of wall, found that traditional buildings release about one-fourth of the greenhouse gas emissions released by semimodern buildings and less than one-fifth of the emissions of modern buildings. However, the use of thermal insulation in the modern building walls helps to reduce the energy consumption for space heating and consequently to reduce the global warming potential. In 25 years, the total global warming potential of a traditional building will be 20% higher than that of a modern building. If local materials, such as wood, are used in building construction, the emissions from production and transportation could be dramatically reduced.openBhochhibhoya, Silu; Zanetti, Michela; Pierobon, Francesca; Gatto, Paola; Maskey, R. K.; Cavalli, RaffaeleBhochhibhoya, Silu; Zanetti, Michela; Pierobon, Francesca; Gatto, Paola; Maskey, R. K.; Cavalli, Raffael

AAV-mediated transcription factor EB (TFEB) gene delivery ameliorates muscle pathology and function in the murine model of Pompe Disease

Pompe disease (PD) is a metabolic myopathy due to acid alpha-glucosidase deficiency and characterized by extensive glycogen storage and impaired autophagy. We previously showed that modulation of autophagy and lysosomal exocytosis by overexpression of the transcription factor EB (TFEB) gene was effective in improving muscle pathology in PD mice injected intramuscularly with an AAV-TFEB vector. Here we have evaluated the effects of TFEB systemic delivery on muscle pathology and on functional performance, a primary measure of efficacy in a disorder like PD. We treated 1-month-old PD mice with an AAV2.9-MCK-TFEB vector. An animal cohort was analyzed at 3 months for muscle and heart pathology. A second cohort was followed at different timepoints for functional analysis. In muscles from TFEB-treated mice we observed reduced PAS staining and improved ultrastructure, with reduced number and increased translucency of lysosomes, while total glycogen content remained unchanged. We also observed statistically significant improvements in rotarod performance in treated animals compared to AAV2.9-MCK-eGFP-treated mice at 5 and 8 months. Cardiac echography showed significant reduction in left-ventricular diameters. These results show that TFEB overexpression and modulation of autophagy result in improvements of muscle pathology and of functional performance in the PD murine model, with delayed disease progression

Corpo-identità-soggetto. Un seminario

Nel 2016 con un gruppo di dottorandi di Spettacolo dell’Università la Sapienza di Roma, abbiamo tenuto un seminario che si proponeva di riflettere sulla relazione tra corpo, identità e soggetto nelle pratiche teatrali contemporanee. Le tre categorie sono state infatti ambito di riflessione tanto in campo filosofico quanto in quello teatrale. Il seminario nasce da un’interrogazione intorno al termine ʻcorpoʼ, sopravvenuta a partire dalle questioni che la tesi di Dalila D’amico, Le aporie del corpo eccentrico, sollevavano. Che cosa si intende per corpo, di che cosa si parla quando si parla di corpo? Perché si parla di corpo e non di soggetto? Quali funzioni esplica il corpo-identità-soggetto in scena nel repertorio di spettacoli, ambito delle nostre indagini? Quali autori, studiosi, testi ci sono stati d’aiuto per elaborare le nostre analisi e trovare le risposte ai nostri interrogativi

Building the European Alien Species Information Network (EASIN): a novel approach for the exploration of distributed alien species data

The European Alien Species Information Network (EASIN; http://easin.jrc.ec.europa.eu) aims to facilitate the exploration of existing alien species information from distributed sources through a network of interoperable web services, and to assist the implementation of European policies on biological invasions. The network allows extraction of alien species information from online information systems for all species included in the EASIN catalogue. This catalogue was based on an inventory of reported alien species in Europe that was produced by reviewing and standardizing information from 43 online databases. It includes information on taxonomy, synonyms, common names, pathways of introduction, native range in Europe, and impact. EASIN catalogue entails the basic information needed to efficiently link to existing online databases and retrieve spatial information for alien species distribution in Europe. Using search functionality powered by a widget framework, it is possible to make a tailored selection of a subgroup of species based on various criteria (e.g., environment, taxonomy, pathways). Distribution maps of the selected species can be produced dynamically and downloaded by the user. The EASIN web tools and services follow internationally recognized standards and protocols, and can be utilized freely and independently by any website, while ownership of the data remains with its source, which is properly cited and linked.JRC.H.1-Water Resource

Innovative approach for the in vitro research on biomedical scaffolds designed and customized with CAD-CAM technology

Studies on biomaterials involve assays aimed to assess the interactions between the biomaterial and the cells seeded on its surface. However, the morphology of biomaterials is heterogeneous and it could be tricky to standardize the results among different biomaterials and the classic plastic plates. In this light, we decided to create, by means of computer-aided design (CAD) technology, a standardized sample model, with equal shape and sizes, able to fit into a classic shape of a 96-wells tissue culture plate (TCP)

Narrow band imaging in the intra-operative definition of resection margins in oral cavity and oropharyngeal cancer

Objectives: In oncological surgery, a three-dimensional resection 1.5\u20132 cm from the gross tumour edge is currently considered appropriate, and the status of resection margins is the most reliable indicator of radicality. Awareness of \u2018\u2018field cancerization\u2019\u2019 calls for a re-evaluation of the benchmarks of tumour resection; however, its identification is not simple because the dysplastic areas may be far from the main lesion and difficult to recognize macroscopically. New technologies such as narrow band imaging (NBI) could improve the detection of neoplastic and pre-neoplastic areas, ensuring more precise resections. The main purpose of this study was to investigate the value of NBI in detecting pre-cancerous areas and/or cancer around the tumour bulk intra-operatively, to achieve adequate resection of the tumour. Materials and Methods: The resection margins of 8 oral cavity and 8 oropharyngeal cancers were first drawn by macroscopic evaluation and then re-defined using NBI. Resections were performed following the NBI-drawing if extemporaneous histological examinations of the NBI-defined enlargements were positive for dysplasia or cancer. The number of clear margins was evaluated. Results: Resections margins were free of tumour or dysplasia at extemporaneous examination; on definitive histology, two patients had a margin positive for cancer and dysplasia, respectively. Among the NBI-defined enlargements, 25% were positive for dysplasia and 75% for cancer. The sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values were 100%, 88.9%, 100% and 87.5%, respectively. Conclusion: The method we propose could be useful for obtaining free surgical margins and reducing the potential development of tumour foci resulting from incomplete resection

Hydroxy-3-Phenylcoumarins as Multitarget Compounds for Skin Aging Diseases: Synthesis, Molecular Docking and Tyrosinase, Elastase, Collagenase and Hyaluronidase Inhibition, and Sun Protection Factor

Skin aging is a progressive biological process of the human body, and it is not only time-dependent. Differently substituted 3-phenylcoumarins proved to efficiently inhibit tyrosinase. In the current work, new substitution patterns have been explored, and the biological studies were extended to other important enzymes involved in the processes of skin aging, as elastase, collagenase and hyaluronidase. From the studied series, five compounds presented inhibitory activity against tyrosinase, one compound against elastase, eight compounds against collagenase and two compounds against hyaluronidase, being five compounds dual inhibitors. The 3-(4 '-Bromophenyl)-5,7-dihydroxycoumarin (1) and 3-(3 '-bromophenyl)-5,7-dihydroxycoumarin (2) presented the best profiles against tyrosinase (IC50 = 1.05 mu M and 7.03 mu M) and collagenase (IC50 = 123.4 mu M and 110.4 mu M); the 3-(4 '-bromophenyl)-6,7-dihydroxycoumarin (4) presented a good inhibition against tyrosinase and hyaluronidase; the 3-(3 '-bromophenyl)-6,7-dihydroxycoumarin (5) showed an effective tyrosinase and elastase inhibition; and 6,7-dihydroxy-3-(3 '-hydroxyphenyl)coumarin (11) presented a dual profile inhibition against collagenase and hyaluronidase. Furthermore, considering the overall activities tested, compounds 1 and 2 proved to be the most promising anti-aging compounds. These compounds also showed to have a photo-protective effect, without being cytotoxic to human skin keratinocyte cells. To predict the binding site with the target enzymes, computational studies were also carried out