Stochastic Volterra equations with time-changed L\'evy noise and maximum principles

We study an optimal control problem for Volterra type dynamics driven by time-changed L\'evy noises, which are in general not Markovian. To exploit the nature of the noise, we make use of different kind of information flows within a maximum principle approach. For this we work with backward stochastic differential equations (BSDE) with time-change and exploit the non-anticipating stochastic derivative as introduced in [7]. We prove both a stochastic sufficient and necessary maximum principle and we complete the work providing applications to optimal portfolio problems

Maximum principles for stochastic time-changed Volterra games

We study a stochastic differential game between two players, controlling a forward stochastic Volterra integral equation (FSVIE). Each player has his own performance functional to optimize and is associated to a backward stochastic Volterra integral equations (BSVIE). The dynamics considered are driven by time-changed L\'evy noises with absolutely continuous time-change process. We will then consider different information flows, techniques of control under partial information, and the non-anticipating stochastic derivative to prove both necessary and sufficient maximum principles to find Nash equilibria and the related optimal strategies. We present the zero-sum game as a particular case

Repeated 6-Hz Corneal Stimulation Progressively Increases FosB/\u394FosB Levels in the Lateral Amygdala and Induces Seizure Generalization to the Hippocampus

Exposure to repetitive seizures is known to promote convulsions which depend on specific patterns of network activity. We aimed at evaluating the changes in seizure phenotype and neuronal network activation caused by a modified 6-Hz corneal stimulation model of psychomotor seizures. Mice received up to 4 sessions of 6-Hz corneal stimulation with fixed current amplitude of 32 mA and inter-stimulation interval of 72 h. Video-electroencephalography showed that evoked seizures were characterized by a motor component and a non-motor component. Seizures always appeared in frontal cortex, but only at the fourth stimulation they involved the hippocampus, suggesting the establishment of an epileptogenic process. Duration of seizure non-motor component progressively decreased after the second session, whereas convulsive seizures remained unchanged. In addition, a more severe seizure phenotype, consisting of tonic-clonic generalized convulsions, was predominant after the second session. Immunohistochemistry and double immunofluorescence experiments revealed a significant increase in neuronal activity occurring in the lateral amygdala after the fourth session, most likely due to activity of principal cells. These findings indicate a predominant role of amygdala in promoting progressively more severe convulsions as well as the late recruitment of the hippocampus in the seizure spread. We propose that the repeated 6-Hz corneal stimulation model may be used to investigate some mechanisms of epileptogenesis and to test putative antiepileptogenic drugs

Embodied energy and operational energy evaluation in tall buildings according to different typologies of façade

Abstract Although recent studies demonstrate the importance of including the Embodied Energy (EE) in building analysis, only the Operational Energy (OE) is currently taken into account in building energy demand calculation method. In particular, the EE plays an important role in tall buildings evaluation, because the energy demand increases with building height. Aim of this study was to assess the Embodied Energy in evaluation of different types of tall building facade systems performances along with the Operational Energy, pointing out the importance of taking into account both these aspects. Within the research activity here presented, 8 glazed envelope typologies, in 5 different climate zones, have been evaluated

Concentration Dependence of the Antioxidant and Prooxidant Activity of Trolox in HeLa Cells: Involvement in the Induction of Apoptotic Volume Decrease

none3Trolox (6-hydroxy-2,5,7,8-tetramethylchroman-2-carboxylic acid), a hydrophilic analog of vitamin E, is known for its strong antioxidant activity, being a high radical scavenger of peroxyl and alkoxyl radicals. Under particular conditions, Trolox may also exhibit prooxidant properties. The present work aimed at studying the dual antioxidant/prooxidant behavior of Trolox over a wide range of concentrations (from 2.5 to 160 M) in HeLa cells. In particular, the study addressed the dose-dependent eects of Trolox on the oxidative cell status and vitality of HeLa cells, focusing on the potential role of the vitamin E analog in the induction of one of the first steps of the apoptotic process, Apoptotic Volume Decrease (AVD). In HeLa cells, Trolox showed significant antioxidant activity, expressed as the ability to reduce the endogenous ROS production detected by the ROS-sensitive probe 5-(and-6)-chloromethyl-20,70-dichlorodihydrofluorescein diacetate (CM-H2DCFDA), at low concentrations (range: 2.5–15 M), but exerted a dose-dependent prooxidant eect at higher concentrations after 24 h exposure. The prooxidant eect was paralleled by the reduction in cell viability due to the induction of the apoptotic process. The dual behavior, antioxidant at lower concentrations and prooxidant at higher concentrations, was evident also earlier after 2 h incubation, and it was paralleled by the isotonic shrinkage of the cells, ascribed to AVD. The use of SITS, known Cl channel blocker, was able to completely inhibit the Trolox-induced isotonic cell shrinkage, demonstrating the involvement of the vitamin E analog in the alteration of cell volume homeostasis and, in turn, in the AVD induction. In conclusion, the study shed light on the concentration dependence of the Trolox antioxidant/prooxidant activity in HeLa cells and revealed its role in the induction of one of the first events of apoptosis, AVD, at high concentrationsopenMaria Elena Giordano; Roberto Caricato; Maria Giulia LionettoGiordano, Maria Elena; Caricato, Roberto; Lionetto, Maria Giuli

Insurance corporate governance

L’analisi affronta il tema delle regole di corporate governance relative al settore assicurativo avendo quale principale referente, anche per ragioni empirico-statistiche, il sistema di amministrazione e controllo tradizionale della società per azioni. Il lavoro illustra, in primo luogo, le peculiari funzioni svolte dalle istituzioni assicurative nell’ambito dell’economia reale e del sistema finanziario, per evidenziare come la specialità della disciplina normativa derivi proprio dall’importanza di tali funzioni e dalla struttura di cui l’ente deve dotarsi per espletarle. In seguito, è esaminata la disciplina applicabile in materia anche alla luce delle numerose intersezioni tra ordinamento nazionale, europeo e organismi internazionali. Scopo dello studio è, da un lato, quello di individuare le convergenze e le divergenze tra la disciplina comune dettata dal codice civile e la disciplina speciale; dall’altro, prospettare alcuni interrogativi circa la natura dello statuto normativo cui sono sottoposte le assicurazioni e l’ubi consistam del loro modello di governanceThe analysis deals with the corporate governance rules related to the insurance system having as a main reference the traditional system of governance applicable to s.p.a. The work illustrates, first, the functions of insurance institutions in the real economy and in the financial system, in order to underline that the special regime stem from the importance of these functions and, therefore, from the structure that the company must adopt. Aim of the research is, on the one hand, identifying convergences and divergences between the traditional discipline of companies and the special one of the insurance sector; on the other hand, raising questions with regard to the nature of the discipline overall considered

Model-Free Plant Tuning

Given a static plant described by a differentiable input-output function, which is completely unknown, but whose Jacobian takes values in a known polytope in the matrix space, this paper considers the problem of tuning (i.e., driving to a desired value) the output, by suitably choosing the input. It is shown that, if the polytope is robustly nonsingular (or has full rank, in the nonsquare case), then a suitable tuning scheme drives the output to the desired point. The proof exploits a Lyapunov-like function and applies a well-known game-theoretic result, concerning the existence of a saddle point for a min-max zero-sum game. When the plant output is represented in an implicit form, it is shown that the same result can be obtained, resorting to a different Lyapunov-like function. The case in which proper input or output constraints must be enforced during the transient is considered as well. Some application examples are proposed to show the effectiveness of the approach

The phenotypic expression of mitochondrial tRNA-mutations can be modulated by either mitochondrial leucyl-tRNA synthetase or the C-terminal domain thereof

Mutations in mitochondrial (mt) DNA determine important human diseases. The majority of the known pathogenic mutations are located in transfer RNA (tRNA) genes and are responsible for a wide range of currently untreatable disorders. Experimental evidence both in yeast and in human cells has shown that the detrimental effects of mt-tRNA point mutations can be attenuated by increasing the expression of the cognate mt-aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases (aaRSs). In addition, constitutive high levels of isoleucyl-tRNA syntethase have been shown to reduce the penetrance of a homoplasmic mutation in mt-tRNAIle in a small kindred. More recently, we showed that the isolated carboxy-terminal domain of human mt-leucyl tRNA synthetase (LeuRS-Cterm) localizes to mitochondria and ameliorates the energetic defect in transmitochondrial cybrids carrying mutations either in the cognate mt-tRNALeu(UUR) or in the non cognate mt-tRNAIle gene. Since the mt-LeuRS-Cterm does not possess catalytic activity, its rescuing ability is most likely mediated by a chaperon-like effect, consisting in the stabilization of the tRNA structure altered by the mutation. All together, these observations open potential therapeutic options for mt-tRNA mutations-associated diseas

Stabilization of negative capacitance in ferroelectric capacitors with and without a metal interlayer

The negative capacitance operation of a ferroelectric material is not only an intriguing material science topic, but also a property with important technological applications in nanoscale electron devices. Despite the growing interest for possible applications, the very existence of negative capacitance is still actively debated, even because experimental results for ferroelectric capacitors with or without a metal interlayer led to quite contradicting indications. Here we present a comprehensive analysis of the NC operation in ferroelectric capacitorsandprovidenewinsightsaboutthediscrepanciesobservedinexperiments. Our models duly account for the three-dimensional nature of the problem and show a good agreement with several aspects of recent experiments. Our results also demonstrate that traps at the ferroelectric-dielectric interface play an important role in the feasibility of a stable negative capacitance operation in ferroelectric capacitors

How does the human RUNX3 gene induce apoptosis in gastric cancer? Latest data, reflections and reactions.

RUNX3 is the oldest known gene in the RUNX family. Data have demonstrated its function to be thoroughly involved the neurogenesis of the dorsal root ganglia, T-cell differentiation and tumorigenesis of gastric epithelium. As a TGF-beta target, RUNX3 protein is believed to be involved in TGF-beta-mediated tumor suppressor pathway; however, little is known about its role in apoptosis. According to recent data reported by Yamamura et al., (J Biol Chem 2006; 281:5267-76), RUNX3 interacts with FoxO3a/FKHRL1 expressed in gastric cancer cells to activate Bim and induce apoptosis. The cooperation between RUNX3 and the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway component FoxO3a/FKHRL1 suggests the putative role of RUNX3 in the homoeostasis of gastric cells and in stomach cancer control. Here we discuss recent breakthroughs in our understanding of the mechanisms of RUNX3 in gastric malignancy and comment on possible future trends and perspectives