Neutron Star Radius-to-mass Ratio from Partial Accretion Disc Occultation as Measured through Fe Kα\alpha Line Profiles

We present a new method to measure the radius-to-mass ratio (R/M) of weakly magnetic, disc-accreting neutron stars by exploiting the occultation of parts of the inner disc by the star itself. This occultation imprints characteristic features on the X-ray line profile that are unique and are expected to be present in low mass X-ray binary systems seen under inclinations higher than ~65 degrees. We analyse a NuSTAR observation of a good candidate system, 4U 1636-53, and find that X-ray spectra from current instrumentation are unlikely to single out the occultation features owing to insufficient signal-to-noise. Based on an extensive set of simulations we show that large-area X-ray detectors of the future generation could measure R/M to ~2{\div}3% precision over a range of inclinations. Such is the precision in radius determination required to derive tight constraints on the equation of state of ultradense matter and it represents the goal that other methods too aim to achieve in the future.Comment: 17 pages, 8 figures; this is a pre-print edition of an article that has been accepted for publication in the Astrophysical Journa

Per una formazione sostenibile: l’educazione trasformativa dell’uomo complexus tra narrazioni, intelligenze multiple e creatività

What happens to education in the current social fabric? What are the learningstories generated in the current "data society"? In answering these questions,the present work aims to propose a reflection on the ability ofpedagogy to generate sustainable and transformative training processes.These processes are capable of giving voice to the complex fabric of experiences,“intelligences”, and narratives that define the human being. In thisperspective, the promotion of personalized education that takes care of theperson in his/her complexity is crucial. In addition, the "didactic care" maypay attention to the varieties of individual expressions. In this sense, thispaper wants to promote an education open to change, listening, understandingand enhancing creativity.Cosa ne è dell’educazione nel tempo presente? Quali storie di apprendimentosono generate nell’attuale società dei dati? Il contributo intende proporreuna riflessione sulla capacità della pedagogia di generare percorsi diformazione sostenibili, trasformativi, in grado di dare voce a quel tessutocomplexus di esperienze, intelligenze, narrazioni che definiscono l’essereumano. Cruciale, in questa prospettiva, la promozione di una educazione euna didattica personalizzate, attente alla persona nella sua ricchezza e complessità,varietà di espressione e potenziale da coltivare e liberare per esserepienamente; una educazione aperta cambiamento, all’ascolto, alla comprensionecosì come la valorizzazione della creatività

Plan de Seguridad y Salud en el Trabajo y los Accidentes Laborales, Una revisión literaria

The objective of this study is to analyze the relationship that the articles have with respect to the OSH plan and occupational accidents. It begins with an introduction to the occupational health safety plan and accidents at work. A total of 44 articles were collected, and based on the variables, 10 articles were selected to be analyzed according to their results and discussions that are presented. The articles of the OSH plan and occupational accidents are concluded, which come to directly influence the execution of the activities carried out by the collaborators and their physical and mental health.El objetivo de este estudio es analizar la relación que tienen los artículos con respecto al plan de SST y los accidentes laborales. Comienza con una introducción sobre el plan de seguridad de salud en el trabajo y los accidentes laborales. Se recolectó un total de 44 artículos, y en función a las variables, se seleccionaron 10 artículos a ser analizados según sus resultados y discusiones que presentan. Se concluye de los artículos de plan de SST y accidentes laborales, que llegan a influir directamente en la ejecución de las actividades realizadas por los colaboradores y su salud física y mental

Estado de flujo de efectivo y su relación con las finanzas en las MYPES del Distrito de Los Olivos, Año 2021

El presente trabajo de investigación: Estado de flujo de efectivo y su relación con las finanzas en las MYPES del distrito de los Olivos, año 2021 se ha tomado como variables estado de flujo de efectivo y finanzas lo cual tiene como objetivo determinar de qué manera el estado de flujo de efectivo se relaciona con las Finanzas en las MYPES del Distrito de los Olivos, Año 2021. El tipo de investigación es no experimental – aplicada, el diseño de investigación es transversal o transaccional, con una población de 60 personas del distrito de los Olivos, por lo que para la toma de datos se ha recurrido a las técnicas de encuesta y el instrumento de recolección de datos, el cuestionario fue aplicado a los trabajadores del área contable de las MYPES del distrito de Los Olivos. Para la validez del instrumento se utilizó el criterio de juicios de expertos y además está respaldado por el uso del Alfa de Cronbach, la comprobación de la hipótesis se realizó con la prueba de Rho de Spearman. En la presente investigación se llegó a la conclusión que el estado de flujo de efectivo se relaciona con las finanzas de las MYPES del distrito de Los Olivos, año-2021

Competitiveness during Dual-Species Biofilm Formation of Fusarium oxysporum and Candida albicans and a Novel Treatment Strategy

During an infection, a single or multispecies biofilm can develop. Infections caused by non-dermatophyte molds, such as Fusarium spp. and yeasts, such as Candida spp., are particularly difficult to treat due to the formation of a mixed biofilm of the two species. Fusarium oxysporum is responsible for approximately 20% of human fusariosis, while Candida albicans is responsible for superficial mucosal and dermal infections and for disseminated bloodstream infections with a mortality rate above 40%. This study aims to investigate the interactions between C. albicans and F. oxysporum dual-species biofilm, considering variable formation conditions. Further, the ability of the WMR peptide, a modified version of myxinidin, to eradicate the mixed biofilm when used alone or in combination with fluconazole (FLC) was tested, and the efficacy of the combination of WMR and FLC at low doses was assessed, as well as its effect on the expression of some biofilm-related adhesin and hyphal regulatory genes. Finally, in order to confirm our findings in vivo and explore the synergistic effect of the two drugs, we utilized the Galleria mellonella infection model. We concluded that C. albicans negatively affects F. oxysporum growth in mixed biofilms. Combinatorial treatment by WMR and FLC significantly reduced the biomass and viability of both species in mature mixed biofilms, and these effects coincided with the reduced expression of biofilm-related genes in both fungi. Our results were confirmed in vivo since the synergistic antifungal activity of WMR and FLC increased the survival of infected larvae and reduced tissue invasion. These findings highlight the importance of drug combinations as an alternative treatment for C. albicans and F. oxysporum mixed biofilms

Synthesis and Evaluation of Cytostatic and Antiviral Activities of 3′ and 4′-Avarone Derivatives

A series of 3′ and 4′-substituted avarone derivatives were synthesized and tested in culture systems as antitumour and antiviral agents in comparison to avarol and avarone. 3′-alkylamino derivatives showed potent cytostatic activities against murine L1210 and human B (Raji) and T (C8166, H9) lymphoblast cells (ID50 range 1.7–3.7 μm). Avarol and avarone were six times less active. While none of the derivatives showed anti-human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) activity superior to that of the parent compounds, most of them, avarol and avarone included, were potent and selective inhibitors of poliovirus multiplication

Recombinant adeno associated viral (AAV) vector type 9 delivery of Ex1-Q138-mutant huntingtin in the rat striatum as a short-time model for in vivo studies in drug discovery

Huntington's disease (HD) is an inherited neurodegenerative disorder characterized by dyskinesia, cognitive impairment and emotional disturbances, presenting progressive neurodegeneration in the striatum and intracellular mutant Huntingtin (mHTT) aggregates in various areas of the brain. Recombinant Adeno Associated Viral (rAAV) vectors have been successfully used to transfer foreign genes to the brain of adult animals. In the present study we report a novel in vivo rat HD model obtained by stereotaxic injection of rAAV serotype2/9 containing Exon1-Q138 mHTT (Q138) and Exon1-Q17 wild type HTT (Q17; control), respectively in the right and in the left striatum, and expressed as C-terminal GFP fusions to facilitate detection of infected cells and aggregate production. Immunohistochemical analysis of brain slices from animals sacrificed twenty-one days after viral infection showed that Q138 injection resulted in robust formation of GFP-positive aggregates in the striatum, increased GFAP and microglial activation and neurodegeneration, with little evidence of any of these events in contralateral tissue infected with wild type (Q17) expressing construct. Differences in the relative metabolite concentrations (N-Acetyl Aspartate/Creatine and Myo-Inositol/Creatine) were observed by H1 MR Spectroscopy. By quantitative RT-PCR we also demonstrated that mHTT induced changes in the expression of genes previously shown to be altered in other rodent HD models. Importantly, administration of reference compounds previously shown to ameliorate the aggregation and neurodegeneration phenotypes in preclinical HD models was demonstrated to revert the mutant HTT-dependent effects in our model. In conclusion, the AAV2/9-Q138/Q17 exon 1 HTT stereotaxic injection represents a useful first-line in vivo preclinical model for studying the biology of mutant HTT exon 1 in the striatum and to provide early evidence of efficacy of therapeutic approaches

Valorisation of typical products through characterising and promoting actions: morpho-biometric traits, sensory analysis and flavonol content in Cipolla di Giarratana

The performances of 9 accessions of Cipolla di Giarratana landrace were evaluated at 5 different sites located 2 in the area where this landrace is traditionally grown (South-Eastern Sicily, 550 m asl), 2 in the neighbor areas with similar average altitude, and one on the South East coast of Sicily (sea level). Biometric and morphological traits, flavonol content and sensory profile were all considered in the valorisation of a typical product of a marginal area of Sicily. Data on the actual yield and crop management at farm scale were also obtained involving more than half of the growers actually cultivating Cipolla di Giarratana , and measuring yield, plant density, and bulb weight directly on the farms. The Cipolla di Giarratana landrace is characterised by a large and heavy bulb (535 g), strongly flattened at the poles, with the maximum diameter at the central section, and white in colour. Significant differences in bulb weight and diameter were found among accessions and locations, but there were no interactions between them and one accession reported the highest bulb weight value in all of the locations studied. With regards to bulb weight, farm scale data confirm the results we obtained at the experimental locations. Fifty percent of registered yield at farm scale ranged between 86 and 152 t ha –1 with a median of 119 t ha –1 , and measured plant density revealed that 50% of the farmers planted 20-27 plants per square meter. Analysis of the UV-vis and mass spectra showed the presence of 10 different flavonols with Quercetin as the most represented flavonol. The sensory profile of Cipolla di Giarratana onion showed that this landrace is characterised by a high intensity of sweet, typical fresh flavour and texture perception

Bortezomib modulates CHIT1 and YKL40 in monocyte-derived osteoclast and in myeloma cells

Osteolytic bone disease is a common manifestation of multiple myeloma (MM) that leads to progressive skeleton destruction and is the most severe cause of morbidity in MM patients.It results from increased osteolytic activity and decrease osteoblastic function. Activation of mammalian chitinases CHIT1 and YKL40 is associated with osteoclast (OCs) differentiation and bone digestion. In the current study, we investigated the effect of two Bortezomib’s concentration (BO) (2.5 nM and 5nM) on osteoclastogenesis by analyzing regulation of chitinase expression. OCs exposition to BO was able to inhibit the expression of different OCs markers such as RANK, CTSK, TRAP and MMP9. In addition BO-treatment reduced CHIT1 enzymatic activity and both CHIT1 and YKL40 mRNA expression levels and cytoplasmatic and secreted protein. Moreover, immunofluorescence evaluation of mature OCs showed that BO was able to translocate YKL40 into the nucleus, while CHIT1 remained into the cytoplasm. Since MM cell lines such as U266, SKM-M1 and MM1 showed high levels of CHIT1 activity, we analyzed bone resorption ability of U266 using dentin disc assay resorption pits. Silencing chitinase proteins in U266 cell line with specific siRNAs, resulted in pits number reduction on dentine discs. In conclusion, we showed that BO decreases osteoclastogenesis and reduces bone resorption in OCs and U266 cell line by modulating the chitinases CHIT1 and YKL40. These results indicate that chitinases may be a therapeutic target for bone disease in MM patients