MAORY for ELT: preliminary design overview

MAORY is one of the approved instruments for the European Extremely Large Telescope. It is an adaptive optics module, enabling high-angular resolution observations in the near infrared by real-time compensation of the wavefront distortions due to atmospheric turbulence and other disturbances such as wind action on the telescope. An overview of the instrument design is given in this paper

MAORY: adaptive optics module for the E-ELT

MAORY is one of the four instruments for the E-ELT approved for construction. It is an adaptive optics module offering two compensation modes: multi-conjugate and single-conjugate adaptive optics. The project has recently entered its phase B. A system-level overview of the current status of the project is given in this paper

An isolate alpha-fetoprotein producing gastric cancer liver metastasis emerged in a patient previously affected by radiation induced liver disease

We report a case of an isolated hepatic neoplasia which originated in a site of the liver previously affected by radiation induced liver disease (RILD) in a patient resected for gastric cancer and referred to us for high serum alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) levels. This case challenged us in distiguishing, even histologically, between primary liver cancer and AFP producing gastric cancer metastasis. Only a panel of immunohistochemical markers allowed the definitive diagnosis of liver metastasis of endodermal stem cell-derived and AFP producing gastric cancer. We discuss the criteria for a differential diagnosis, as well as the possible link between RILD and emergence of liver neoplasia

Percorsi modulari e applicazioni multimediali nella didattica delle lingue straniere

La glottodidattica si avvale di strumenti tecnologici sempre più avanzati, che vengono quotidianamente sperimentati con varie modalità e risultati, in ampi settori della ricerca. Scienza e cultura si alternano e spesso si integrano tra loro per migliorare la qualità della proposta didattica in generale, estendendo i loro interessi nella sfera più avanzata della tecnologia dei media interattivi (personal computer, reti informatiche, telefonici multimediali, ecc.) e della comunicazione interattiva dei media di massa (tv satellitare, radio digitale, ecc.). L’Introduzione ricalca analiticamente le fasi più significative degli interventi di ciascun autore, evidenziandone l’originalità e l’attualità della ricerca applicata al delicato settore della didattica delle lingue straniere

Calibration of the AWAKE electron spectrometer with electrons derived from a partially stripped ion beam

The electron spectrometer for the Advanced Wakefield (AWAKE) experiment at CERN has been tested using an electron beam derived from partially-stripped ions accelerated in the Super Proton Synchrotron (SPS). The remaining electrons are stripped by passage of the beam through a thin screen upstream from the spectrometer, and using knowledge of the ion beam charge and energy, models of the spectrometer response could be verified

Perturbed BMP signaling and denervation promote muscle wasting in cancer cachexia

Most patients with advanced solid cancers exhibit features of cachexia, a debilitating syndrome characterized by progressive loss of skeletal muscle mass and strength. Because the underlying mechanisms of this multifactorial syndrome are incompletely defined, effective therapeutics have yet to be developed. Here, we show that diminished bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) signaling is observed early in the onset of skeletal muscle wasting associated with cancer cachexia in mouse models and in patients with cancer. Cancer-mediated factors including Activin A and IL-6 trigger the expression of the BMP inhibitor Noggin in muscle, which blocks the actions of BMPs on muscle fibers and motor nerves, subsequently causing disruption of the neuromuscular junction (NMJ), denervation, and muscle wasting. Increasing BMP signaling in the muscles of tumor-bearing mice by gene delivery or pharmacological means can prevent muscle wasting and preserve measures of NMJ function. The data identify perturbed BMP signaling and denervation of muscle fibers as important pathogenic mechanisms of muscle wasting associated with tumor growth. Collectively, these findings present interventions that promote BMP-mediated signaling as an attractive strategy to counteract the loss of functional musculature in patients with cancer

The risks associated with percutaneous native kidney biopsies: a prospective study

The known risks and benefits of native kidney biopsies are mainly based on the findings of retrospective studies. The aim of this multicentre prospective study was to evaluate the safety of percutaneous renal biopsies and quantify biopsy-related complication rates in Italy

Measurement of the optical parameters of the Virgo interferometer

The Virgo interferometer, aimed at detecting gravitational waves, is now in a commissioning phase. Measurements of its optical properties are needed for the understanding of the instrument. We present the techniques developed for the measurement of the optical parameters of Virgo. These parameters are compared with the Virgo specifications. (C) 2007 Optical Society of America

The Future Landscape of High-Redshift Galaxy Cluster Science

The Decadal Survey on Astronomy and Astrophysics (Astro2020) of the US National Academies of ScienceWe describe the opportunities for galaxy cluster science in the high- redshift regime where massive, virialized halos first formed and where star formation and AGN activity peaked. New observing facilities from radio to X-ray wavelengths, combining high spatial/spectral resolution with large collecting areas, are poised to uncover this population