Impaired Conscious Recognition of Negative Facial Expressions in Patients with Locked-in Syndrome

The involvement of facial mimicry in different aspects of human emotional processing is widely debated. However, little is known about relationships between voluntary activation of facial musculature and conscious recognition of facial expressions. To address this issue, we assessed severely motor-disabled patients with complete paralysis of voluntary facial movements due to lesions of the ventral pons [locked-in syndrome (LIS)]. Patients were required to recognize others’ facial expressions and to rate their own emotional responses to presentation of affective scenes.LISpatientswere selectivelyimpairedin recognition of negativefacial expressions,thusdemonstratingthatthe voluntary activation of mimicry represents a high-level simulation mechanism crucially involved in explicit attribution of emotions

Non-degeneracy for the critical Lane–Emden system

We prove the non-degeneracy for the critical Lane–Emden system −ΔU = V^p, −ΔV = U^q, U,V >0 in R^N for all N ≥ 3 and p, q > 0 such that 1/(p+1) + 1/(q+1) = (N−2)/N. We show that all solutions to the linearized system around a ground state must arise from the symmetries of the critical Lane–Emden system provided that they belong to the corresponding energy space or they tend to zero at infinity

Sorghum used to fodder production in dry farming

In Italy water deficient increase forward to cultivate resistant crops for forage production. In the present research it has been studied the opportunity of using 2 varieties of sorghum: the "Sweet Creek", used as green forage and for silage and the "True", with thinner stalks, used as hay. The fodder production and the dhurrin content during the vegetative phase of the 2 varieties were recorded. Production and chemical characteristics of green and preserved fodders (hay and silage) were determined; moreover the nutritive value and the in vitro digestibility of DM were measured. Results confirm the good adaptation of the sorghum to the water limited conditions as those ones in which the test has been carried out; green and preserved fodders yield were high, however during the hay harvest problems due to the different drying dynamics of leaves and stalks were found. The dhurrin content of these two varieties, even in the young phase, allows the use for grazing of the regrown, which have good bunching

Human γδ T-Cells: from surface receptors to the therapy of high-risk leukemias

γδ T lymphocytes are potent effector cells, capable of efficiently killing tumor and leukemia cells. Their activation is mediated by γδ T-cell receptor (TCR) and by activating receptors shared with NK cells (e.g., NKG2D and DNAM-1). γδ T-cell triggering occurs upon interaction with specific ligands, including phosphoantigens (for Vγ9Vδ2 TCR), MICA-B and UL16 binding protein (for NKG2D), and PVR and Nectin-2 (for DNAM-1). They also respond to cytokines undergoing proliferation and release of cytokines/chemokines. Although at the genomic level γδ T-cells have the potential of an extraordinary TCR diversification, in tissues they display a restricted repertoire. Recent studies have identified various γδ TCR rearrangements following either hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) or cytomegalovirus infection, accounting for their "adaptive" potential. In humans, peripheral blood γδ T-cells are primarily composed of Vγ9Vδ2 chains, while a minor proportion express Vδ1. They do not recognize antigens in the context of MHC molecules, thus bypassing tumor escape based on MHC class I downregulation. In view of their potent antileukemia activity and absence of any relevant graft-versus-host disease-inducing effect, γδ T-cells may play an important role in the successful clinical outcome of patients undergoing HLA-haploidentical HSCT depleted of TCR αβ T/CD19+ B lymphocytes to cure high-risk acute leukemias. In this setting, high numbers of both γδ T-cells (Vδ1 and Vδ2) and NK cells are infused together with CD34+ HSC and may contribute to rapid control of infections and leukemia relapse. Notably, zoledronic acid potentiates the cytolytic activity of γδ T-cells in vitro and its infusion in patients strongly promotes γδ T-cell differentiation and cytolytic activity; thus, treatment with this agent may contribute to further improve the patient clinical outcome after HLA-haploidentical HSCT depleted of TCR αβ T/CD19+ B lymphocytes

Sign-changing tower of bubbles for a sinh-Poisson equation with asymmetric exponents

Motivated by the statistical mechanics description of stationary 2D-turbulence, for a sinh-Poisson type equation with asymmetric nonlinearity, we construct a concentrating solution sequence in the form of a tower of singular Liouville bubbles, each of which has a different degeneracy exponent. The asymmetry parameter $\gamma\in(0,1]$ corresponds to the ratio between the intensity of the negatively rotating vortices and the intensity of the positively rotating vortices. Our solutions correspond to a superposition of highly concentrated vortex configurations of alternating orientation; they extend in a nontrivial way some known results for $\gamma=1$. Thus, by analyzing the case $\gamma\neq1$ we emphasize specific properties of the physically relevant parameter $\gamma$ in the vortex concentration phenomena

Normal CMR bi-atrial and biventricular reference values in sickle cell disease patients without heart damage

Abstract Funding Acknowledgements Type of funding sources: Private company. Main funding source(s): The MIOT project receives "no-profit support" from industrial sponsorships (Chiesi Farmaceutici S.p.A., ApoPharma Inc.). Background. Cardiac function indices in patients with hemoglobinopathies are different from those in healthy population, mainly due to chronic anemia. Normal reference values specific for SCD patients are not available by CMR. Aim. We aimed to define the normal cut-off value in SCD patients for bi-atrial and biventricular cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) parameters. Methods. We considered forty-eight adult SCD patients with no known risk factors or cardiac disease, normal electrocardiogram, no macroscopic myocardial fibrosis, and all cardiac segments with T2*≥20 ms, consecutively enrolled in the MIOT network (Myocardial iron overload in thalassemia). SCD patients were compared with ninety-six healthy controls and 96 thalassemia major (TM) patients without cardiac damage, both matched for age and gender. Nine pediatric SCD patients were also analysed in comparison with 9 TM patients and 9 healthy subjects matched for age and gender. Cine images were acquired to quantify biventricular function parameters: LV and RV end-diastolic volume (EDV), end-systolic volume (ESV) and stroke volume (SV) were normalized for body surface area (EDVI, ESVI, SVI), as well as biventricular mass and atrial areas. Myocardial iron overload was assessed by segmental T2* technique. Late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) images were acquired for evaluation of macroscopic myocardial fibrosis. Results. In all three groups males showed higher biventricular volumes and mass indexes than females. SCD male patients had significantly higher LVEDVI (p < 0.0001), LVESVI (p = 0.010), LVSVI (p = 0.003), cardiac index (p = 0.002), LV and RV mass index (p = 0.008 and p = 0.001, respectively) and left and right atrial areas (p < 0.001 and p = 0.011) than healthy subjects. No significant differences were found in RVEDVI, EVESVI and biventricular EF. Compared to healthy volunteers, females with SCD showed a larger LVEDVI (p = 0.020), LVSVI (p = 0.039), RV mass index (p = 0.002) and left atrial area (p = 0.008). SCD and TM patients showed comparable values of bi-atrial and biventricular volumes and function. When compared to TM, SCD patients showed a larger LV (p < 0.001) and RV mass index (p = 0.001) in male group and a larger RV mass index (p = 0.001) in female group. Table 1 shows the cut-offs for bi-atrial and biventricular MR parameters for adult SCD patients by gender. No significant differences in MR parameters were found among the pediatric groups. Conclusions. Normal reference ranges of bi-atrial and biventricular MR parameters for adult males and females SCD patients were established. The use of these reference values will prevent possible misdiagnosis of cardiomyopathy in patients with SCD

Caratteristiche qualitative del latte e del formaggio Caciocavallo nella razza bovina Podolica

Introduction: In recent years the Podolica cattle has increased the demand for dairy products: milk and Caciocavallo cheese are highly appreciated by consumers. In order to high quality product the Podolica breed is a growing interest, it has produces in southern Italian regions as Basilicata. Caciocavallo Silano DOP is one of the 400 cheese varieties produced in Italy, it's produced from "pasta filata". Aim: Aim of the study was analyzed chemical and technological aspects of Podolica milk, moreover fatty acid composition of Caciocavallo cheese was carried out. Materials and methods: The trial was conducted in three farms in province of Potenza, Italy, during two seasons. In winter season when animals were reared in stable and in spring-summer season when cows were reared in outdoor system. During two experimental period milk was sampled from cows in each farm. Samples were analyzed for chemical and technological aspects. The whole of the milk derived from the different farms, during two periods, were used for processing dairy to obtain Caciocavallo Silano DOP cheese in a local dairy. The variance analysis according t-Student test was used to assess statistical differences. Results and discussion: The grazing system during spring and summer improved total fat in milk sampled and increased cheese yield. No difference was observed for technological characteristics, results showed acceptable values in all farms for both farming systems. The fatty acid composition of cheese showed difference in saturated class, mainly for palmitic acid as evinced for stable group that received integration of concentrate. Monounsaturated fatty acid has highlighted significant differences between the experimental groups. Oleic acid C18:1c9 contributes most to the increase of the other also to the total of unsaturated fatty acids. Statistical difference was found for ALA (α-Linolenic acid) a member of the group of essential fatty acids that must be acquired through diet. Conclusion: Different rearing systems led to an improvement of the fat content in the milk and greater cheese yield processing. Pasture group showed a better dietary composition ad showed favorable content specially for ALA. There is some evidence ALA consumption might have a slight preventative effect against cardiovascular diseases. These aspects represented better nutritional quality aspect of Caciocavallo cheese and an economic advantage for breeders