Paragenesis and mineral chemistry of alabandite (MnS) from the Ag-rich Santo Toribio epithermal deposit

The Miocene, epithermal, Ag-rich polymetallic Santo Toribio deposit is hosted by the volcanics of the Quiruvilva-Pierina subbelt, Northern Peru, which also comprises the world-class, high sulphidation Pierina deposit. The Ag-rich, alabandite-bearing veins of the Santo Toribio deposit formed during two major stages. The early stage is characterized by deposition of arsenopyrite, pyrite, quartz, Mnsphalerite, stannite, alabandite and minor miargyrite. Sphalerite associated with this stage is exceptionally enriched in Mn (up to 14.5 wt.%) and alabandite is optically and mineralogically zoned. Its brown zones have greater Fe+Sb and smaller Mn contents than the green zones and Fe+Sb replaces Mn in its structure. During this early stage, f S 2 must have been high to allow the stabilization of alabandite relative to rhodochrosite. In the second stage, the physicochemical conditions changed and the CO 2 /S ratio increased, causing dissolution of alabandite and the deposition of abundant rhodochrosite and a second generation of arsenopyrite, pyrite and quartz, sphalerite with chalcopyrite inclusions, mirargyrite, ramdohrite, and finally stibnite. This polymetallic ore probably formed due to an abrupt decrease in H + and/or Cl À concentration caused by boiling or dilution of the high-salinity hydrothermal fluids and constitutes an example of ''intermediate sulfidation-state'' epithermal deposits

Laboratory implementation of edge illumination X-ray phase-contrast imaging with energy-resolved detectors

Edge illumination (EI) X-ray phase-contrast imaging (XPCI) has potential for applications in different fields of research, including materials science, non-destructive industrial testing, small-animal imaging, and medical imaging. One of its main advantages is the compatibility with laboratory equipment, in particular with conventional non-microfocal sources, which makes its exploitation in normal research laboratories possible. In this work, we demonstrate that the signal in laboratory implementations of EI can be correctly described with the use of the simplified geometrical optics. Besides enabling the derivation of simple expressions for the sensitivity and spatial resolution of a given EI setup, this model also highlights the EI’s achromaticity. With the aim of improving image quality, as well as to take advantage of the fact that all energies in the spectrum contribute to the image contrast, we carried out EI acquisitions using a photon-counting energy-resolved detector. The obtained results demonstrate that this approach has great potential for future laboratory implementations of EI. © (2015) COPYRIGHT Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers (SPIE). Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only

Methotrexate and Cyclosporine Treatments Modify the Activities of Dipeptidyl Peptidase IV and Prolyl Oligopeptidase in Murine Macrophages

Analysis of the effects of cyclosporine A (25–28 mgkg−1) and/or methotrexate (0.1 mgkg−1) treatments on dipeptidyl peptidase IV (DPPIV) and prolyl oligopeptidase (POP) activities and on algesic response in two distinct status of murine macrophages (Mφs) was undertaken. In resident Mφs, DPPIV and POP were affected by neither individual nor combined treatments. In thioglycolate-elicited Mφs, methotrexate increased DPPIV (99–110%) and POP (60%), while cyclosporine inhibited POP (21%). Combined treatment with both drugs promoted a rise (51–84%) of both enzyme activities. Only cyclosporine decreased (42%) the tolerance to algesic stimulus. Methotrexate was revealed to exert prevalent action over that of cyclosporine on proinflammatory Mφ POP. The opposite effects of methotrexate and cyclosporine on POP activity might influence the availability of the nociceptive mediators bradykinin and substance P in proinflammatory Mφs. The exacerbated response to thermally induced algesia observed in cyclosporine-treated animals could be related to upregulation of those mediators

Real-time evaluation of the on-board comfort of standing passenger in bus transit services

Bus on-board comfort may be intended as a multidimensional concept declined according to several attributes (e.g., vibrations, the load factor, the driving style, etc.) and represents a key factor of service quality. Thus, its measurement is crucial for public transport companies as it can support for the monitoring, evaluation and implementation of specific actions to improve their services. The objective of this paper is to build a numerical scale for real-time measurement of bus on-board comfort. This is pursued integrating subjective measurements of the driving style provided by the passengers with objective ones of longitudinal and transversal accelerations data collected by Intelligent Transportation System tools. The results are very useful because they represent a contribution to establish a comfort scale in a real operational environment, as a tool to regulate the driver's behavior: each driver is in the position of real-time monitoring the quality of a bus ride regarding on-board comfort level

Rapidly evolving Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease in COVID-19: from early status epilepticus to fatal outcome

We report the case of a 70-year-old man coming to our attention for new onset refractory status epilepticus (NORSE) in a rapidly evolving CJD during SARS-CoV-2 co-infection. Our case report describes a fulminant CJD evolution associated with SARS-CoV-2 infection, which led to patient death after 15 days from admission. First EEG presented continuous diffuse spikes, sharp waves and sharp-and-slow wave complexes, pattern consistent with a non-convulsive status epilepticus (NORSE). Our case supports how CJD with SARS-CoV-2 co-infection could be characterized by an accelerated evolution, as already hypothesize for others microorganism infections, and how the diagnosis might be more challenging due to its uncommon presentations, such as NORSE

Monochromatic Propagation-Based Phase-Contrast Microscale Computed-Tomography System with a Rotating-Anode Source

We present an experimental setup for monochromatic propagation-based x-ray phase-contrast imaging based on a conventional rotating-copper-anode source, capable of an integrated flux up to 108 photons/s at 8 keV. In our study, the system is characterized in terms of spatial coherence, resolution, contrast sensitivity, and stability. Its quantitativeness is demonstrated by comparing theoretical predictions with experimental data on simple wire phantoms both in planar and computerized-tomography-scan geometries. Application to two biological samples of medical interest shows the potential for bioimaging on the millimeter scale with spatial resolution of the order of 10 \u3bcm and contrast resolution below 1%. All the scans are performed within laboratory-compatible exposure times, from 10 min to a few hours, and trade-offs between scan time and image quality are discussed

A stroll through the loop-tree duality

The Loop-Tree Duality (LTD) theorem is an innovative technique to deal with multi-loop scattering amplitudes, leading to integrand-level representations over a Euclidean space. In this article, we review the last developments concerning this framework, focusing on the manifestly causal representation of multi-loop Feynman integrals and scattering amplitudes, and the definition of dual local counter-terms to cancel infrared singularities

Implementing a simple pharmacovigilance program to improve reporting of adverse events associated with biologic therapy in rheumatology: Preliminary results from the Calabria Biologics Pharmacovigilance Program (CBPP)

Introduction: Post-marketing surveillance activities (namely pharmacovigilance) are crucial to favor the early detection of unexpected adverse events (AEs) and/or serious adverse reactions (SAEs). Indeed, spontaneous reporting of AEs has been demonstrated to underestimate the number of events in different clinical settings. Aim of the present study is to report the preliminary data of a Regional (Calabria, Italy) Pharmacovigilance Program (CBPP) aimed at improving AEs' reporting associated with biologics use in rheumatology. Materials and methods: We developed a simple, cost-effective pharmacovigilance program based on regular training sessions for physicians (stimulated reporting), periodical phone calls by a clinical pharmacologist aimed at identifying new events and stimulating self-awareness and encouraging reporting to the physician during the subsequent follow-up visit for minor AEs. To test this approach, all consecutive patients undergoing treatment with one biologic agent at eight rheumatology centers during a two-years period were invited to participate. Collected AEs were compared to the number of AEs spontaneously reported for the same molecules in the same centers before starting the protocol. Results: During the study period, 399 patients (245 females; mean age: 58 \ub1 11 years) were started on treatment with biologics for active RA (n = 211, 52.9%), PsA (n = 119, 29.8%) or AS (n = 69, 17.3%) at eight rheumatology centers. A total of 125 AEs (31.3%) and 9 SAEs (2.3%) were reported during the two-years study period. In the control cohort (comprising 368 consecutive patients started on treatment with bDMARDs during a two-years period before CBPP study) only 42 (11.4%) AEs and no SAEs were reported (p < 0.0001). The most common AEs were injection site reactions and skin disorders. Conclusions: In conclusion, our study provides further evidence of a critical role of active pharmacovigilance in detection, reporting and analysis of AEs in rheumatology

redefining the pulvinar sign in fabry disease

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: The pulvinar sign refers to exclusive T1WI hyperintensity of the lateral pulvinar. Long considered a common sign of Fabry disease, the pulvinar sign has been reported in many pathologic conditions. The exact incidence of the pulvinar sign has never been tested in representative cohorts of patients with Fabry disease. The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence of the pulvinar sign in Fabry disease by analyzing T1WI in a large Fabry disease cohort, determining whether relaxometry changes could be detected in this region independent of the pulvinar sign positivity. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed brain MR imaging of 133 patients with Fabry disease recruited through specialized care clinics. A subgroup of 26 patients underwent a scan including 2 FLASH sequences for relaxometry that were compared with MRI scans of 34 healthy controls. RESULTS: The pulvinar sign was detected in 4 of 133 patients with Fabry disease (3.0%). These 4 subjects were all adult men (4 of 53, 7.5% of the entire male population) with renal failure and under enzyme replacement therapy. When we tested for discrepancies between Fabry disease and healthy controls in quantitative susceptibility mapping and relaxometry maps, no significant difference emerged for any of the tested variables. CONCLUSIONS: The pulvinar sign has a significantly lower incidence in Fabry disease than previously described. This finding, coupled with a lack of significant differences in quantitative MR imaging, allows hypothesizing that selective involvement of the pulvinar is a rare neuroradiologic sign of Fabry disease