Protection and Diagnostic Systems for High Intensity Beams

This paper presents a summary of the facilities for beam interlocks and diagnostics to protect the CERN SPS machine. An overview of the existing systems is given, which are based on beam loss and beam current monitors and large beam position excursion in the horizontal plane. The later system mainly protects the system against a failure of the transverse damping system. The design for a new large excursion interlock for both transverse planes is also presented in some detail. For this system a digital approach is being taken to allow post-mortem analysis of the behaviour of the beam prior to the activation of the interlock

What drives the valuation of entrepreneurial ventures? A map to navigate the literature and research directions

The drivers of the valuations of entrepreneurial ventures are an important issue in entrepreneurial finance, but related research is fragmented. The theoretical perspectives and the drivers highlighted by previous studies differ based on the financial milestones during a venture's lifecycle in which the valuation is performed (e.g., venture capital investments, initial public offerings, acquisitions). The introduction of new digital financing channels (e.g., crowdfunding, initial coin offerings) that allow retail investors to directly invest in entrepreneurial ventures challenge our understanding of the drivers of valuation. This change has also increased the diversity in the sequence of financial milestones that ventures go through, with important implications for valuation. We conduct a systematic literature review and develop a map highlighting how and why the drivers of venture valuations and their underlying theoretical lenses vary across the different milestones that ventures go through. The map allows us to outline new promising avenues for future research.Plain English Summary In this paper, we conduct a systematic literature review on entrepreneurial ventures' valuation drivers and their underlying theoretical lenses, highlighting how and why they vary along firms' life cycle. The valuation of entrepreneurial ventures is a challenging task for practitioners and a relevant issue that attracts the attention of scholars in entrepreneurship, finance, management, and economics. The literature on the topic is highly fragmented. Indeed, the context in which venture valuations are observed (e.g., in private deals or public offerings) differs across different financial milestones. The introduction of new digital financing channels (e.g., crowdfunding, initial coin offerings) and the increased diversity in the sequence of financial milestones that ventures go through further challenge our understanding of valuation drivers. This study is primarily aimed at scholars, offering them a map to create order in what we know about the drivers of entrepreneurial venture valuations and indicating promising avenues for future research

Suspended Multifunctional Nanocellulose as Additive for Mortars

Cellulose derivatives have found significant applications in composite materials, mainly because of the increased mechanical performance they ensure. When added to cement-based materials, either in the form of nanocrystals, nanofibrils or micro/nanofibers, cellulose acts on the mixture with fresh and hardened properties, affecting rheology, shrinkage, hydration, and the resulting mechanical properties, microstructure, and durability. Commercial cotton wool was selected as starting material to produce multifunctional nanocelluloses to test as additives for mortars. Cotton wool was oxidized to oxidized nanocellulose (ONC), a charged nanocellulose capable of electrostatic interaction, merging cellulose and nanoparticles properties. Oxidized nanocellulose (ONC) was further functionalized by a radical-based mechanism with glycidyl methacrylate (GMA) and with a mixture of GMA and the crosslinking agent ethylene glycol dimethacrylate (EGDMA) affording ONC-GMA and ONC-GMA-EGDMA, both multifunctional-charged nanocellulose merging cellulose and bound acrylates properties. In this work, only ONC was found to be properly suitable for suspension and addition to a commercial mortar to assess the variation in mechanical properties and water-mortar interactions as a consequence of the modified microstructure obtained. The addition of oxidized nanocellulose caused an alteration of mortar porosity, with a decreased percentage of porosity and pore size distribution shifted towards smaller pores, with a consequent increase in compressive resistance, decrease in water absorption coefficient, and increased percentage of micropores present in the material, indicating a potential improvement in mortar durability

Conjugated polymers mediate intracellular Ca2+ signals in circulating endothelial colony forming cells through the reactive oxygen species-dependent activation of Transient Receptor Potential Vanilloid 1 (TRPV1)

Endothelial colony forming cells (ECFCs) represent the most suitable cellular substrate to induce revascularization of ischemic tissues. Recently, optical excitation of the light-sensitive conjugated polymer, regioregular Poly (3-hexyl-thiophene), rr-P3HT, was found to stimulate ECFC proliferation and tube formation by activating the non-selective cation channel, Transient Receptor Potential Vanilloid 1 (TRPV1). Herein, we adopted a multidisciplinary approach, ranging from intracellular Ca2+ imaging to pharmacological manipulation and genetic suppression of TRPV1 expression, to investigate the effects of photoexcitation on intracellular Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+](i)) in circulating ECFCs plated on rr-P3HT thin films. Polymer-mediated optical excitation induced a long-lasting increase in [Ca2+](i) that could display an oscillatory pattern at shorter light stimuli. Pharmacological and genetic manipulation revealed that the Ca2+ response to light was triggered by extracellular Ca2+ entry through TRPV1, whose activation required the production of reactive oxygen species at the interface between rr-P3HT and the cell membrane. Light-induced TRPV1-mediated Ca2+ entry was able to evoke intracellular Ca2+ release from the endoplasmic reticulum through inositol-1,4,5-trisphosphate receptors, followed by store-operated Ca2+ entry on the plasma membrane. These data show that TRPV1 may serve as a decoder at the interface between rr-P3HT thin films and ECFCs to translate optical excitation in pro-angiogenic Ca2+ signals

The role of adipose derived stem cells in the treatment of rotator cuff tears: From basic science to clinical application

Over the last decade, regenerative medicine has become increasingly popular throughout the scientific community. The poor healing capacity at the tendon-bone interface makes the rotator cuff an appealing target for biologic agents. Adipose derived stem cells are mesenchymalcells with the capacity for self-renewal and mul-tipotential differentiation. They have been recently proposed, both in isolation and as adjuvants to existing surgical therapies, for the treatment of rotator cuff tears. Several studies have been carried out in this research field, starting from the biological characteristics of adipose derived stem cells, their preparation and culture, up to the application in the experimental field on animal models and on humans. The purpose of this study was to provide a state of the art about the current basic science and clinical literature for the effectiveness of adipose derived stem cells in the treatment of rotator cuff tears

Arthroscopic treatment of an unusual distal clavicle ostheochondroma causing rotator cuff impingement: Case report and literature review

Chronic shoulder impingement is one of the most common causes of shoulder pain. Intrinsic, extrinsic and secondary factors play a role in this syndrome; however the etiology of the pathology is still under debate. In rare cases, it can be caused by tumors, such as an osteochondroma. In the present study, a 49-year-old patient presented with shoulder pain for 6 months. Initially he underwent conservative treatment, without relief of symptoms. X-rays and MRI were then performed and showed the presence of an exostotic formation on the undersurface of the lateral third of the clavicle. The formation was arthroscopically removed. Histologic examination confirmed the diagnosis of osteochondroma. After surgery, the patient resumed fully activities with no symptoms within 3 months. At 1 year follow up, there are still no clinical or radiological signs of recurrence. This is, to our knowledge, the first case where an arthroscopic approach was used to remove an ostochondroma of the distal third of the clavicle

UGIJAR AND CANJAYAR NEOGENE BASINS (SE SPAIN): AN EXAMPLE OF STRIKE-SLIP BASIN EVOLUTION IN TRANSPRESSIVE REGIME

The present study has been carried out in the eastern part of the Alpujarran corridor (Betic Chain), an E-W trending basin, 80 km long, of Neogene-Quaternary age. In particular, the Ugijar and Canjayar basins (respectively named Basin 1 and Basin 2), controlled by an E-W trending left stepping right lateral strike­slip system, associated with NE-SW trending thrust faults, have been investigated. The stratigraphic sequence of the forementioned two basins, which can be up to 2000 m thick, is mainly due to tectonic subsidence and is here interpreted in terms of Sequence Stratigraphy. The age of the whole sequence, dated by means of planktonic foraminifera, is Late Serravallian-Pliocene