A phase-separation perspective on dynamic heterogeneities in glass-forming liquids

We study dynamic heterogeneities in a model glass-former whose overlap with a reference configuration is constrained to a fixed value. The system phase-separates into regions of small and large overlap, so that dynamical correlations remain strong even for asymptotic times. We calculate an appropriate thermodynamic potential and find evidence of a Maxwell's construction consistent with a spinodal decomposition of two phases. Our results suggest that dynamic heterogeneities are the expression of an ephemeral phase-separating regime ruled by a finite surface tension

Alpha Lipoic Acid (ALA) effects on subchorionic hematoma. Preliminary clinical results

OBJECTIVE: The clinic use of alpha Lipoic Acid (ALA) is linked to its capability to exert antioxidant effects and, more interestingly, to counteract the pathologic changes of complex networks of cytokines, chemokines and growth factors, restoring their physiological state. The aim of this randomized controlled clinical trial was to test the contribution of oral supplementation of ALA to the standard treatment with Progesterone vaginal suppositories, in healing subchorionic hematomas in patients with threatened miscarriage. Controls were administered only Progesterone suppositories. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Nineteen pregnant women in the first trimester of gestation, with threatened miscarriage and ultrasound evidence of subchorionic hematoma, were included in the trial and randomly divided in two groups: controls, treated with 400 mg Progesterone (200 mg 2 times per day), given by vaginal suppositories, and case study treated with the same Progesterone dosage, plus ALA, given orally at the dose of 600 mg (300 mg 2 times per day, DAV®, Lo.Li. Pharma srl, Italy). Sixteen patients completed the trial. Treatment was performed until complete resolution of the clinical picture. RESULTS: In both groups, the subjects improved significantly but, in general, a better and faster evolution in the major signs of threatened miscarriage was observed in the subjects treated with ALA and Progesterone. In these patients, the speed of resorption of subchorionic hematoma was significantly (p ≤ 0.05) superior compared to controls. The ALA and Progesterone group showed a faster decrease or disappearance of all symptoms than that observed in the control group, however the difference was not significant. CONCLUSIONS: These preliminary results suggest that ALA supplementation significantly contributes to speed up the process of restoration of physiological conditions in threatened miscarriage and ameliorates the medical conditions of both the mothers and the foetus, probably modulating the networks of cytokines, growth factors and other molecules

Mechanisms producing fissionlike binary fragments in heavy collisions

The mixing of the quasifission component to the fissionlike cross section causes ambiguity in the quantitative estimation of the complete fusion cross section from the observed angular and mass distributions of the binary products. We show that the partial cross section of quasifission component of binary fragments covers the whole range of the angular momentum values leading to capture. The calculated angular momentum distributions for the compound nucleus and dinuclear system going to quasifission may overlap: competition between complete fusion and quasifission takes place at all values of initial orbital angular momentum. Quasifission components formed at large angular momentum of the dinuclear system can show isotropic angular distribution and their mass distribution can be in mass symmetric region similar to the characteristics of fusion-fission components. As result the unintentional inclusion of the quasifission contribution into the fusion-fission fragment yields can lead to overestimation of the probability of the compound nucleus formation.Comment: 15 pages, 6 figures, International Conference on Nuclear Reactions on Nucleons and Nuclei, Messina, Italy, October 5-9, 200

Quasifission and difference in formation of evaporation residues in the 16^{16}O+184^{184}W and 19^{19}F+181^{181}Ta reactions

The excitation functions of capture, complete fusion, and evaporation residue formation in the $^{16}$O+$^{184}$W and $^{19}$F+$^{181}$Ta reactions leading to the same $^{200}$Pb compound nucleus has been studied theoretically to explain the experimental data showing more intense yield of evaporation residue in the former reaction in comparison with that in the latter reaction. The observed difference is explained by large capture cross section in the former and by increase of the quasifission contribution to the yield of fission-like fragments in the $^{19}$F+$^{181}$Ta reaction at large excitation energies. The probability of compound nucleus formation in the $^{16}$O+$^{184}$W reaction is larger but compound nuclei formed in both reactions have similar angular momentum ranges at the same excitation energy. The observed decrease of evaporation residue cross section normalized to the fusion cross section in the $^{19}$F+$^{181}$Ta reaction in comparison with the one in the $^{16}$O+$^{184}$W reaction at high excitation energies is explained by the increase of hindrance in the formation of compound nucleus connected with more quick increase of the quasifission contribution in the $^{19}$F induced reaction. The spin distributions of the evaporation residue cross sections for the two reactions are also presented.Comment: 11 pages, 5 figure

A new subfamily of fungal subtilases: structural and functional analysis of a Pleurotus ostreatus member

Pleurotus ostreatus produces several extracellular proteases which are believed to be involved in the regulation of the ligninolytic activities of this fungus. Recently, purification and characterization of the most abundant P. ostreatus extracellular protease (PoSl) have been reported. The sequence of the posl gene and of the corresponding cDNA has been determined, allowing the identification of its pre- and pro-sequences. A mature protein sequence has been verified by mass spectrometry mapping, the N-glycosylation sites have been identified and the glycosidic moieties characterized. Mature PoSl shows a cleaved peptide bond in the C-terminal region, which remains associated with the catalytic domain in a non-covalent complex. Reported results indicate that this enzyme is involved in the activation of other P. ostreatus secreted proteases, thus suggesting its leading role in cascade activation mechanisms. Analyses of the PoSl sequence by homology search resulted in the identification of a DNA sequence encoding a new protease, homologous to PoSl, in the Phanerochaete chrysosporium genome. A new subgroup of subtilisin-like proteases, belonging to the pyrolysin family, has been defined, which includes proteases from ascomycete and basidiomycete fungi