A Free-Form Lensing Grid Solution for A1689 with New Mutiple Images

Hubble Space Telescope imaging of the galaxy cluster Abell 1689 has revealed an exceptional number of strongly lensed multiply-imaged galaxies, including high-redshift candidates. Previous studies have used this data to obtain the most detailed dark matter reconstructions of any galaxy cluster to date, resolving substructures ~25 kpc across. We examine Abell 1689 (hereafter, A1689) non-parametrically, combining strongly lensed images and weak distortions from wider field Subaru imaging, and we incorporate member galaxies to improve the lens solution. Strongly lensed galaxies are often locally affected by member galaxies, however, these perturbations cannot be recovered in grid based reconstructions because the lensing information is too sparse to resolve member galaxies. By adding luminosity-scaled member galaxy deflections to our smooth grid we can derive meaningful solutions with sufficient accuracy to permit the identification of our own strongly lensed images, so our model becomes self consistent. We identify 11 new multiply lensed system candidates and clarify previously ambiguous cases, in the deepest optical and NIR data to date from Hubble and Subaru. Our improved spatial resolution brings up new features not seen when the weak and strong lensing effects are used separately, including clumps and filamentary dark matter around the main halo. Our treatment means we can obtain an objective mass ratio between the cluster and galaxy components, for examining the extent of tidal stripping of the luminous member galaxies. We find a typical mass-to-light ratios of M/L_B = 21 inside the r<1 arcminute region that drops to M/L_B = 17 inside the r<40 arcsecond region. Our model independence means we can objectively evaluate the competitiveness of stacking cluster lenses for defining the geometric lensing-distance-redshift relation in a model independent way.Comment: 23 pages with 25 figures Replced with MNRAS submitted version. Some figures have been corrected and minor text edit

The Nutraceutical Properties of “Pizza Napoletana Marinara TSG” a Traditional Food Rich in Bioaccessible Antioxidants

: Italian gastronomy experiences have ever-enhancing fame around the world. It is due to the linkage between taste and salubriousness commonly related to Mediterranean foods. The market proposes many types of pizza to suit all palates. The antioxidant potential of the “Pizza Napoletana marinara” included in the register of traditional specialties guaranteed (TSG) was determined in this work. ABTS (2,2’-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) method evaluated the antioxidant activity of the pizza homogenized. In vitro digestion models estimated the intestinal and gastric bioaccessibility of the main antioxidant compounds (lycopene and phenolics). To our knowledge, this is the first study to provide the content, antioxidant potential, and bioaccessibility of the antioxidants (polyphenols and lycopene) contained in the traditional pizza “marinara TSG”. Our results showed that the “Pizza Napoletana marinara” had polyphenols concentration, lycopene level, antioxidant activity, and bioaccessibility of phenolic compounds and lycopene better than other similar pizzas. They confirmed the nutritional importance of traditional preparations and established the nutraceutical potential of “pizza marinara TSG” as a food rich in bio-accessible antioxidants

Disability and inclusion: swimming to overcome social barriers

Nowadays all people can and must practice physical activity and engage themselves in various sports specialties. Among the various sports, swimming is ideal in all situations where the weight of the body is a problem, such as in cases of lower limbs disability (amputations, paralysis, etc.). The objective of this study is to investigate if disabled and not-disabled athletes can derive performance benefits and if it is possible to reduce the gap between the competition times between athletes, through a single, performance and training activity. The sample is made up of 12 athletes, including 6 disabled, belonging to the S2 category, and 6 not-disabled athletes skilled in the back. After an anamnesis and a careful initial valuation, it was proposed to all the athletes to do the HIIT method (for 4 weeks), Tabata method (for 4 weeks), and Pilates one (for 8 weeks). Moreover, to the disabled athletes were given physiotherapy sessions to increase joint ROM for 8 weeks. The aim is to promote social inclusion for disabled athletes, often marginalized by the group, to break down those who are the pillars of difference

M22: A [Fe/H] Abundance Range Revealed

Intermediate resolution spectra at the Ca II triplet have been obtained for 55 candidate red giants in the field of the globular cluster M22 with the VLT/FORS instrument. Spectra were also obtained for a number of red giants in standard globular clusters to provide a calibration of the observed line strengths with overall abundance [Fe/H]. For the 41 M22 member stars that lie within the V-V_HB bounds of the calibration, we find an abundance distribution that is substantially broader than that expected from the observed errors alone. We argue that this broad distribution cannot be the result of differential reddening. Instead we conclude that, as has long been suspected, M22 is similar to omega Cen in having an intrinsic dispersion in heavy element abundance. The observed M22 abundance distribution rises sharply to a peak at [Fe/H] = -1.9 with a broad tail to higher abundances: the highest abundance star in our sample has [Fe/H] = -1.45 dex. If the unusual properties of omega Cen have their origin in a scenario in which the cluster is the remnant nucleus of a disrupted dwarf galaxy, then such a scenario likely applies also to M22.Comment: 29 pages, 9 figures, accepted for publication in the Astrophysical Journa

Involvement of large rearrangements in MSH6 and PMS2 genes in southern Italian patients with Lynch syndrome

Background and aim of the work: The Lynch Syndrome (LS) is associated with germline mutations in one of the MisMatch Repair (MMR) genes. Most of germline mutations are point variants, followed by large rearrangements that account to 15-55% of all pathogenic mutations. Many study reporting the frequency of large rearrangements in the MLH1 and MSH2 genes were performed, while, little is known about the contribution of large rearrangements in other MMR genes, as PMS2 and MSH6. Therefore, in this study we investigated the involvment of large rearrangements in MSH6 and PMS2 genes in a well-characterized series of 20 LS southern Italian patients. Methods: These large rearrangements are not usually detected by methods of mutation analysis, such as denaturing high-performance liquid chromatography (DHPLC) and direct DNA sequencing, but they are detectable by a known technique as the Multiplex Ligation-Probe Dependent Amplification (MLPA) assay. Results: No large rearrangements were identified in MSH6 gene; instead, a large rearrangement was identified in PMS2 gene. A large duplication including the exons 3 and 4 of the PMS2 gene was identified in a patient who developed a rectum carcinoma at 45 years of age, an endometrial carcinoma and a vaginal cancer at the 65 years of age. Conclusion: We can affirm that the detection of large rearrangements in the MSH6 and PMS2 genes should be included in the routine testing for Lynch syndrome, especially considering the simplicity of the MLPA assay

Identification and molecular characterization of a novel mutation in MSH2 gene in a lynch syndrome family

Background and aim of the work: The Lynch Syndrome (LS) is associated with germline mutations in one of the MisMatch Repair (MMR) genes, including MLH1, MSH2, MSH6, PMS2, MLH3 and MSH3. The molecular characterization of mutations in these MMR genes facilitates the pre-symptomatic diagnosis of subjects at risk to develop a colon cancer or a cancer LS-related. Methods: DHPLC and direct sequencing were performed for the mutation detection analysis. Results: In this study, we identified a novel frame shift mutation, the named is c.170delT in MSH2 gene that determined a premature stop codon and consequently, the formation of a truncated protein (p. Val56Glyfs*7). This is a novel mutation, as it has not been reported before in the international scientific literature. This mutation was found in two subjects (father and son) belonging to a LS family. However, they showed a different phenotype disease. Conclusion: In this study, we identified and characterized a novel MSH2 mutation; moreover, this study reaffirmed the importance of genetic testing in Lynch syndrome

Third language acquisition and its consequences for foreign language didactics: the case of Italian in Flanders

The present study examines crosslinguistic influence (CLI) from L1 and L2s in two groups of multilingual learners of L3 Italian. The two groups share their L1, which is Dutch, and an elementary proficiency in French and German, but they differ regarding other L2s: one group has high proficiency in English and Spanish, while the other group has low intermediate proficiency in English and no knowledge of Spanish. Earlier research has shown that typological proximity and proficiency level are the most important factors explaining the source of CLI, together with the L2 status factor. The results of our study confirm that learners with the same L1 can behave in a substantially divergent way, when learning an L3, if their linguistic background is different. This is especially true when typologically close L2s in which learners have a high proficiency level, such as Spanish in the present study, are involved. In this paper we will discuss the outcomes of our experiment and highlight didactic consequencesEen colloquium over universitair taalvaardigheidsonderwijs Universiteit Leiden, 2 december 2016, the complete issue can be found at http://hdl.handle.net/1887/57204Wetensch. publicati

Triple positive breast cancer. A distinct subtype?

Breast cancer is a heterogeneous disease, and within the HER-2 positive subtype this is highly exemplified by the presence of substantial phenotypical and clinical heterogeneity, mostly related to hormonal receptor (HR) expression. It is well known how HER-2 positivity is commonly associated with a more aggressive tumor phenotype and decreased overall survival and, moreover, with a reduced benefit from endocrine treatment. Preclinical studies corroborate the role played by functional crosstalks between HER-2 and estrogen receptor (ER) signaling in endocrine resistance and, more recently, the activation of ER signaling is emerging as a possible mechanism of resistance to HER-2 blocking agents. Indeed, HER-2 positive breast cancer heterogeneity has been suggested to underlie the variability of response not only to endocrine treatments, but also to HER-2 blocking agents. Among HER-2 positive tumors, HR status probably defines two distinct subtypes, with dissimilar clinical behavior and different sensitivity to anticancer agents. The triple positive subtype, namely, ER/PgR/Her-2 positive tumors, could be considered the subset which most closely resembles the HER-2 negative/HR positive tumors, with substantial differences in biology and clinical outcome. We argue on whether in this subgroup the "standard" treatment may be considered, in selected cases, i.e., small tumors, low tumor burden, high expression of both hormonal receptors, an overtreatment. This article review the existing literature on biologic and clinical data concerning the HER-2/ER/PgR positive tumors, in an attempt to better define the HER-2 subtypes and to optimize the use of HER-2 targeted agents, chemotherapy and endocrine treatments in the various subsets