Numerical simulation of stochastic two-phase flows with a DEM Method coupled to uncertainty quantification scheme

A new scheme for the numerical approximation of a five-equations model taking into account uncertainty quantification (UQ) is presented. In particular, the Discrete Equation Method (DEM) for the discretization of the five-equations model is modified for including a formulation based on the adaptive Semi-intrusive (aSI) scheme, thus yielding a new intrusive scheme (aSDEM) for simulating stochastic two-phase flows. Some reference test-cases are performed in order to demonstrate the convergence properties and the efficiency of the overall scheme. The propagation of initial uncertainties is evaluated in terms of mean and variance of several thermodynamic properties of the two phases

Oestradiol enhances in vitro the histamine release induced by embryonic histamine-releasing factor (EHRF) from uterine mast cells

The relationship between maternal hormones and factors secreted by the implanting embryo is still controversial. We have analysed the in-vitro effect of oestradiol and human embryo-derived histamine-releasing factor (EHRF) on histamine release from rat uterine mast cells. Rat uterine mast cells which were preincubated with oestradiol and then challenged with human EHRF gave histamine release values two- to threefold higher than those without preincubation. The enhancement observed was time- and temperature-dependent. A similar enhancement was obtained with human sensitized basophils but not with rat peritoneal mast cells. Oestradiol, used as a direct challenge, did not induce any histamine release from either rat uterine or peritoneal mast cells, or from human sensitized basophils. Oestradiol preincubation also enhanced the histamine release induced by anti-IgE but did not enhance the histamine release induced by substance P or compound 48/80, two secretagogues that are not mediated by IgE. Moreover, uterine fragments derived from rats at various oestrus phases, with different amounts of endogenous oestrogen, were challenged in vitro with EHRF. The release of histamine by mast cells was higher at the proestrus and preimplantation phases than at dioestrus. All these findings suggest that the interaction of oestradiol with rat uterine mast cells was capable of enhancing in vitro the histamine releasing effect of EHR

Relationship Between Short-Term Blood Pressure Variability and Subclinical Renal Damage in Essential Hypertensive Patients

The authors aimed to analyze the relationship between subclinical renal damage, defined as the presence of microalbuminuria or an estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) between 30 mL/min/1.73 m(2) and 60 mL/min/1.73 m(2) and short-term blood pressure (BP) variability, assessed as average real variability (ARV), weighted standard deviation (SD) of 24-hour BP, and SD of daytime and nighttime BP. A total of 328 hypertensive patients underwent 24-hour ambulatory BP monitoring, 24-hour albumin excretion rate determination, and eGFR calculation using the Chronic Kidney Disease Epidemiology Collaboration equation. ARV of 24-hour systolic BP (SBP) was significantly higher in patients with subclinical renal damage (P=.001). This association held (P=.04) after adjustment for potential confounders. In patients with microalbuminuria, ARV of 24-hour SBP, weighted SD of 24-hour SBP, and SD of daytime SBP were also independently and inversely related to eGFR. These results seem to suggest that in essential hypertension, short-term BP variability is independently associated with early renal abnormalities

Psychological dimensions associated with youth engagement in climate change issues: a person-centered approach

Climate change is one of the greatest global threats that has ecological, economic, social, and psychological consequences. Nowadays, young people are the target of political agenda since they represent potential future policymakers. Consequently, it is crucial to identify the psychological features that contribute to engagement of young people in climate change issue. This study aimed at identifying and describing different configurations of youth perceiving and experiencing climate change. A sample of 224 participants (61% females; Mage = 21.04, SD = 1.65) were involved in study. From a cluster analysis emerged three distinct profiles, Eco-Disengaged, Eco-Engaged/Oriented and Eco-Engaged/Disoriented, which differ in levels of climate change awareness, worry and anxiety. Findings suggest that institutions might develop green education programs based on young people’s individual difference

Associazione Nazionale Medici Cardiologi Ospedalieri (ANMCO) scientific statement on the simplification of the drug regimen for secondary cardiovascular prevention

: The issue of suboptimal drug regimen adherence in secondary cardiovascular prevention presents a significant barrier to improving patient outcomes. To address this, the utilization of drug combinations, specifically single pill combinations (SPCs) and polypills, was proposed as a strategy to simplify treatment regimens. This approach aims to enhance treatment accessibility, affordability, and adherence, thereby reducing healthcare costs and improving patient health. The document is an Associazione Nazionale Medici Cardiologi Ospedalieri (ANMCO) scientific statement on simplifying drug regimens for secondary cardiovascular prevention. It discusses the underuse of treatments despite available, effective, and accessible options, highlighting a significant gap in secondary prevention across different socio-economic statuses and countries. The statement explores barriers to implementing evidence-based treatments, including patient, healthcare provider, and system-related challenges. The paper also reviews international guidelines, the role of SPCs and polypills in clinical practice, and their economic impact, advocating for their use in secondary prevention to improve patient outcomes and adherence

Diatom-derived oxylipins induce cell death in sea urchin embryos activating caspase-8 and caspase 3/7

Diatoms are an important class of unicellular algae that produce bioactive secondary metabolites withcytotoxic activity collectively termed oxylipins, including polyunsaturated aldehydes (PUAs), hydroxy-acids (HEPEs), oxo-acids and epoxyalcohols. Previous results showed that at higher concentrations, thePUA decadienal induced apoptosis on copepods and sea urchin embryos via caspase-3 activation; atlower concentrations decadienal affected the expression levels of the caspase-8 gene in embryos of thesea urchin Paracentrotus lividus. In the present work, we studied the effects of other common oxylip-ins produced by diatoms: two PUAs (heptadienal and octadienal) and four hydroxyacids (5-, 9- 11- and15-HEPE) on P. lividus cell death and caspase activities. Our results showed that (i) at higher concentra-tions PUAs and HEPEs induced apoptosis in sea urchin embryos, detected by microscopic observationand through the activation of caspase-3/7 and caspase-8 measured by luminescent assays; (ii) at lowconcentrations, PUAs and HEPEs affected the expression levels of caspase-8 and caspase-3/7 (isolated forthe first time here in P. lividus) genes, detected by Real Time qPCR. These findings have interesting impli-cations from the ecological point of view, given the importance of diatom blooms in nutrient-rich aquaticenvironments

Defensome against Toxic Diatom Aldehydes in the Sea Urchin Paracentrotus lividus

Many diatom species produce polyunsaturated aldehydes, such as decadienal, which compromise embryonic and larval development in benthic organisms. Here newly fertilized Paracentrotus lividus sea urchins were exposed to low concentration of decadienal and the expression levels of sixteen genes, implicated in a broad range of functional responses, were followed by Real Time qPCR in order to identify potential decadienal targets. We show that at low decadienal concentrations the sea urchin Paracentrotus lividus places in motion different classes of genes to defend itself against this toxic aldehyde, activating hsp60 and two proteases, hat and BP10, at the blastula stage and hsp56 and several other genes (14-3-3ε, p38 MAPK, MTase, and GS) at the prism stage. At this latter stage all genes involved in skeletogenesis (Nec, uni, SM50 and SM30) were also down-expressed, following developmental abnormalities that mainly affected skeleton morphogenesis. Moreover, sea urchin embryos treated with increasing concentrations of decadienal revealed a dose-dependent response of activated target genes. Finally, we suggest that this orchestrated defense system against decadienal represents part of the chemical defensome of P. lividus affording protection from environmental toxicants

Piano di Lavoro Nazionale Raccolta Dati Alieutici 2017-2019 Rapporto tecnico annuale

Campionamento biologico delle specie demersali e dei piccoli pelagici (GSA16

FATTORI ASSOCIATI ALLA DISCORDANZA TRA ALTERAZIONI DELLA PULSE WAVE VELOCITY AORTICA E AUMENTO DELLO SPESSORE MIO-INTIMALE CAROTIDEO IN SOGGETTI IPERTESI: DATI PRELIMINARI

Numerosi studi hanno dimostrato come lo spessore mio-intimale carotideo (IMTc), valutato mediante eco-color-Doppler, sia un importante marcatore di danno d’organo subclinico nonché espressione di alterazione vascolare sistemica. Recenti dati, d’altro canto, hanno evidenziato come anche la pulse wave velocity aortica (PWVa), nota misura di stiffness arteriosa, sia indice di precoce danno vasale. Pur dipendendo parzialmente da comuni fattori patogenetici, IMTc e PWVa non hanno un significato clinico del tutto sovrapponibile e risultano non raramente discordanti tra loro. Appare pertanto interessante identificare quali siano i fattori associati al divergente comportamento di tali parametri. Sono stati arruolati 263 soggetti con ipertensione arteriosa, di età compresa tra i 30 ed i 70 anni. Tutti sono stati sottoposti a misurazione della PWV (mediante Arteriograph) e ad eco-color-Doppler del distretto carotideo. L’intera popolazione studiata è stata suddivisa in 4 gruppi: (I) IMTc 0.9 mm e PWVa <10 m/s; (III) IMTc 10 m/s; (IV) IMTc >0.9 mm e PWVa >10 m/s. Le uniche variabili associate ai gruppi con andamento discordante di PWVa e IMTc sono risultate il peso (83.43 vs 73.21 kg; p=0.021) e latrigliceridemia (146.53 vs 99.94 mg/dl; p=0.028), che hanno mostrato valori più elevati nei soggetti del gruppo II rispetto ai soggetti discordanti del gruppo III. Dopo analisi mediante regressione logistica, entrambi le variabili peso (p=0.036; OR: 1.047; IC: 1.003-1.094) e trigliceridemia (p=0.013; OR: 1.020; IC: 1.004-1.037) hanno mantenuto la significatività statistica nonostante correzione per multipli fattori confondenti. I dati del nostro studio, peraltro ancora preliminari, sembrano indicare come valori elevati di peso e trigliceridemia possano facilitare l’identificazione di soggetti con aumento di IMTc e normale o bassa PWV e viceversa

Stochastic discrete equation method (sDEM) for two-phase flows

A new scheme for the numerical approximation of a five-equation model taking into account Uncertainty Quantification (UQ) is presented. In particular, the Discrete Equation Method (DEM) for the discretization of the five-equation model is modified for including a formulation based on the adaptive Semi-Intrusive (aSI) scheme, thus yielding a new intrusive scheme (sDEM) for simulating stochastic two-phase flows. Some reference test-cases are performed in order to demonstrate the convergence properties and the efficiency of the overall scheme. The propagation of initial conditions uncertainties is evaluated in terms of mean and variance of several thermodynamic properties of the two phases