Optical variability of the BL Lacertae object GC 0109+224. Multiband behaviour and time scales from a 7-years monitoring campaign

We present the most continuous data base of optical $BVR_{c}I_{c}$ observations ever published on the BL Lacertae object GC 0109+224, collected mainly by the robotic telescope of the Perugia University Observatory in the period November 1994-February 2002. These observations have been complemented by data from the Torino Observatory, collected in the period July 1995-January 1999, and Mt. Maidanak Observatory (December 2000). GC 0109+224 showed rapid optical variations and six major outbursts were observed at the beginning and end of 1996, in fall 1998, at the beginning and at the end of 2000, and at the beginning of 2002. Fast and large-amplitude drops characterized its flux behaviour. The $R_c$ magnitude ranged from 13.3 (16.16 mJy) to 16.46 (0.8 mJy), with a mean value of 14.9 (3.38 mJy). In the periods where we collected multi-filter observations, we analyzed colour and spectral indexes, and the variability patterns during some flares. The long-term behaviour seems approximatively achromatic, but during some isolated outbursts we found evidence of the typical loop-like hysteresis behaviour, suggesting that rapid optical variability is dominated by non-thermal cooling of a single emitting particle population. We performed also a statistical analysis of the data, through the discrete correlation function (DCF), the structure function (SF), and the Lomb-Scargle periodogram, to identify characteristic times scales, from days to months, in the light curves, and to quantify the mode of variability. We also include the reconstruction of the historical light curve and a photometric calibration of comparison stars, to favour further extensive optical monitoring of this interesting blazar.Comment: 13 pages, 11 PS figures, 1 EPS figure, 3 tables, accepted by Astronomy and Astrophysics. Uses A&A documentclass aa.cls, and the package graphicx.st

Three-dimensional evaluation of rapid maxillary expansion anchored to primary molars: Direct effects on maxillary arch and spontaneous mandibular response

Aim The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of rapid maxillary expansion (RME) on maxillary and mandibular arch in the mixed dentition. Methods Forty-four consecutive patients with transverse maxillary deficiency were recruited. Test group: 21 patients (10 male, 11 female; 7.4 \ub1 1.2 years) who underwent RME (Haas type) therapy banded on the primary second molars. Control group: 17 patients (10 male, 7 female; 7.3 \ub1 1.1 years old) who did not receive any orthodontic treatment. Dental casts obtained pre-treatment and after appliance removal (11 months) were processed by means of a three-dimensional scanner (3Shape D250 laser, DK). Digital landmarks were traced using the VAM software (Canfield Scientific Inc., Fairfield-NJ, USA). Arch Length, interdental width and torque differences were measured before and after the removal of the appliance. The t-test (P < 0.05) for paired data was applied to evaluate the measurements values before and after treatment. The linear regression model was employed to assess the correlations between treatment effects. Results The efficacy of the RME was confirmed both on maxillary and mandibular arch. Mandibular intermolar width (+2.02 mm) together with primary intermolar (+1.39 mm), intercanine width (+0.95mm) and torque variations significantly increased. The untreated control group showed no significant statistical differences between T0 and T1. The linear regression between maxillary and mandibular data showed correlations between the torque of the teeth 16/46 and 65/85 (P < 0.05). Conclusions RME anchored on primary molars is an effective treatment option to correct tranverse maxillary deficiencies. All the measurements increased significantly confirming the indirect effect of RME on the mandibular arch

a rare case of thecoma in a dog

Ovarian tumours represent a rare neoplastic condition in dogs and is generally observed in older subjects; they are classified based on the tissue involved; epithelial, stromal and germinal [1]

Aspects criminologiques de l’oeuvre de F. J. Gall

O autor aborda neste artigo a frenologia e, particularmente,as suas concepções criminologicas: prevençâo, instruçâo do processo, julgamento e escolha de sançâo, determinisrno dos comportamentos.Cauteur expose la phrénologie et particulièrement ses conceptions criminologiques: prevention, instruction, jugement et choix de la peine, determinisme des comportements.The author explains in this article the conceptual body of phrenology and above al1 its criminological points of view: prevention, instruction, judgement and penal sanction, behaviour determinism

Fenomenologia e crítica dos fundamentos da psiquiatria

Inexistent

A postprocessing technique for a discontinuous Galerkin discretization of time-dependent Maxwell's equations

We present a novel postprocessing technique for a discontinuous Galerkin (DG) discretization of time-dependent Maxwell's equations that we couple with an explicit Runge-Kutta time-marching scheme. The postprocessed electromagnetic field converges one order faster than the unprocessed solution in the H(curl)-norm. The proposed approach is local, in the sense that the enhanced solution is computed independently in each cell of the computational mesh, and at each time step of interest. As a result, it is inexpensive to compute, especially if the region of interest is localized, either in time or space. The key ideas behind this postprocessing technique stem from hybridizable discontinuous Galerkin (HDG) methods, which are equivalent to the analyzed DG scheme for specific choices of penalization parameters. We present several numerical experiments that highlight the superconvergence properties of the postprocessed electromagnetic field approximation

Bone and Energy Metabolism Parameters in Professional Cyclists during the Giro d’Italia 3-Weeks Stage Race

Cycling is a not weight-bearing activity and is known to induce bone resorption. Stage races are really strenuous endurance performances affecting the energy homeostasis. The recently highlighted link, in the co-regulation of bone and energy metabolism, demonstrates a central role for the equilibrium between carboxylated and undercarboxylated forms of osteocalcin. Aim of this study was to understand the acute physiological responses to a cycling stage race in terms of bone turnover and energy metabolism and the possible co-regulative mechanisms underlying their relationship. We studied nine professional cyclists engaged in 2011 Giro d'Italia stage race. Pre-analytical and analytical phases tightly followed academic and anti-doping authority's recommendations. Bone and energy metabolism markers (bone alkaline phosphatase, tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase 5b, total and undercarboxylated osteocalcin, leptin and adiponectin) and related hormones (cortisol and testosterone) were measured, by Sandwich Enzyme Immunoassays, at days -1 (pre-race), 12 and 22 during the race. The power output and the energy expenditure (mean and accumulated) were derived and correlated with the biochemical indexes. During the race, bone metabolism showed that an unbalance in behalf of resorption, which is enhanced, occurred along with a relative increase in the concentration of the undercarboxylated form of osteocalcin that was indirectly related to the enhanced energy expenditure, through adipokines modifications, with leptin decrease (high energy consumption) and adiponectin increase (optimization of energy expenditure). The exertion due to heavy effort induced a decrease of cortisol, while testosterone levels resulted unchanged. In conclusion, during a 3-weeks stage race, bone metabolism is pushed towards resorption. A possible relationship between the bone and the energy metabolisms is suggested by the relative correlations among absolute and relative concentrations trends of undercarboxylated OC, adipokines concentrations, BMI, fat mass (%), power output and the derived energy expenditure