Design and Analysis of the Cis-Lunar Navigation for the ArgoMoon CubeSat Mission

In the framework of the Artemis-1 mission, 10 CubeSats will be released, including the 6U CubeSat ArgoMoon, built by the Italian company Argotec and coordinated by the Italian Space Agency. The primary goal of ArgoMoon is to capture images of the Interim Cryogenic Propulsion Stage. Then, ArgoMoon will be placed into a highly elliptical orbit around the Earth with several encounters with the Moon. In this phase, the navigation process will require a precise Orbit Determination (OD) and a Flight Path Control (FPC) to satisfy the navigation requirements. The OD will estimate the spacecraft trajectory using ground-based radiometric observables. The FPC is based on an optimal control strategy designed to reduce the dispersion with respect to the reference trajectory and minimize the total ΔV. A linear approach was used to determine the optimal targets and the number and location of the orbital maneuvers. A covariance analysis was performed to assess the expected OD performance and its robustness. The analysis results show that the reference translunar trajectory can be successfully flown and the navigation performance is strongly dependent on the uncertainties of the ArgoMoon’s Propulsion Subsystem and of the orbit injection

Outcome following a short period of adalimumab dose escalation as rescue therapy in psoriatic patients

Background: Advances in biologic treatments have led to a new therapeutic frontier for moderate-to-severe psoriasis. Nevertheless, the efficacy of anti-TNFα decreases with time, requiring adjustments to maintain valuable Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) and Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI) responses. Objectives: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of adalimumab dose escalation (40 mg, subcutaneous, once a week for 24 weeks) in psoriatic adult patients with secondary loss of response (PASI ≥50 to ≤75 or PASI≥75 and DLQI ≥5). Materials and Methods: A multicentre, observational study involving different Italian third-level referral centres for psoriasis enrolled a total of 64 adult patients with moderate-to-severe psoriasis who were treated with adalimumab and experienced a secondary loss of response. Primary end-points were PASI< 75 or PASI ≥50 to ≤ 75 with DLQI ≤ 5, and the secondary end-point was the ability to maintain a therapeutic response, resuming adalimumab every other week. Results: At Week 16 and Week 24, 29/64 (45.3%) and 35/64 (54.6%) responded based on PASI, and mean DLQI was 4.9 and 4.09, respectively. At Week 36 and Week 48, 45.3% and 28.1% patients achieved the second end-point, respectively. No adverse events were recorded except for one patient with recurrent tonsillitis. Conclusion: Adalimumab escalation could be considered in cases with loss of response before switching to alternative biologic therapy

DNA damage in lens epithelial cells exposed to occupationally-relevant X-ray doses and role in cataract formation

The current framework of radiological protection of occupational exposed medical workers reduced the eye-lens equivalent dose limit from 150 to 20 mSv per year requiring an accurate dosimetric evaluation and an increase understanding of radiation induced effects on Lens cells considering the typical scenario of occupational exposed medical operators. Indeed, it is widely accepted that genomic damage of Lens epithelial cells (LEC) is a key mechanism of cataractogenesis. However, the relationship between apoptosis and cataractogenesis is still controversial. In this study biological and physical data are combined to improve the understanding of radiation induced effects on LEC. To characterize the occupational exposure of medical workers during angiographic procedures an INNOVA 4100 (General Electric Healthcare) equipment was used (scenario A). Additional experiments were conducted using a research tube (scenario B). For both scenarios, the frequencies of binucleated cells, micronuclei, p21-positive cells were assessed with different doses and dose rates. A Monte-Carlo study was conducted using a model for the photon generation with the X-ray tubes and with the Petri dishes considering the two different scenarios (A and B) to reproduce the experimental conditions and validate the irradiation setups to the cells. The simulation results have been tallied using the Monte Carlo code MCNP6. The spectral characteristics of the different X-ray beams have been estimated. All irradiated samples showed frequencies of micronuclei and p21-positive cells higher than the unirradiated controls. Differences in frequencies increased with the delivered dose measured with Gafchromic films XR-RV3. The spectrum incident on eye lens and Petri, as estimated with MCNP6, was in good agreement in the scenario A (confirming the experimental setup), while the mean energy spectrum was higher in the scenario B. Nevertheless, the response of LEC seemed mainly related to the measured absorbed dose. No effects on viability were detected. Our results support the hypothesis that apoptosis is not responsible for cataract induced by low doses of X-ray (i.e. 25 mGy) while the induction of transient p21 may interfere with the disassembly of the nuclear envelop in differentiating LEC, leading to cataract formation. Further studies are needed to better clarify the relationship we suggested between DNA damage, transient p21 induction and the inability of LEC enucleation

Valoración nutricional del paciente con obesidad mórbida

El obeso mórbido no es un paciente bien nutrido. Aunque tiene depósitos excesivos de energía en forma de grasa, puede tener carencias nutritivas clínicas o subclínicas por seguir dietas desequilibradas o demasiado restrictivas durante períodos prolongados de tiempo. Este es un estudio descriptivo transversal no experimental, de carácter multicéntrico. Se estudió a 158 pacientes con diagnóstico clínico de Obesidad Mórbida de la provincia de Mendoza, Buenos Aires y Salta. Se realizó una valoración nutricional mediante una encuesta de hábitos alimentarios, determinaciones antropométricas y bioquímicas de vitaminas. El 83% de los pacientes presentó algún tipo de deficiencia. El 40% tenían déficit de vitamina B1, el 1,9% de B12 y el 3,2% de ácido fólico. La deficiencia más marcada fue la de vitamina D, que fue del 82,2 %. Se relacionó este último déficit con diferentes variables. Se observó una leve relación inversa entre las variables IMC y vitamina D, lo que señala que a medida que el IMC aumenta, las concentraciones de vitamina D disminuyen. Además, se puede afirmar que existe una leve relación inversa entre las variables “diámetro sagital” y “diámetro de cintura” con las concentraciones séricas de vitamina D. A medida que el diámetro sagital y de la cintura aumenta, las concentraciones de vitamina D disminuyen. Con respecto a los minerales, se hallaron concentraciones bajas de calcio iónico en el 25,4% de los pacientes, de magnesio en el 6,1%, de fósforo en el 2,8% y de zinc solo en el 0,7%. La absorción, distribución, metabolismo y/o excreción de nutrientes podrían estar alterados en la obesidad, tanto como su biodisponibilidad. Es necesario medir micronutrientes en toda evaluación clínico-nutricional del paciente con obesidad mórbida. Se necesitan estudios locales para determinar prevalencia, mecanismos, consecuencias y cómo prevenir las deficiencias en la población obes

Search for squarks and gluinos in events with isolated leptons, jets and missing transverse momentum at s√=8 TeV with the ATLAS detector

The results of a search for supersymmetry in final states containing at least one isolated lepton (electron or muon), jets and large missing transverse momentum with the ATLAS detector at the Large Hadron Collider are reported. The search is based on proton-proton collision data at a centre-of-mass energy s√=8 TeV collected in 2012, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 20 fb−1. No significant excess above the Standard Model expectation is observed. Limits are set on supersymmetric particle masses for various supersymmetric models. Depending on the model, the search excludes gluino masses up to 1.32 TeV and squark masses up to 840 GeV. Limits are also set on the parameters of a minimal universal extra dimension model, excluding a compactification radius of 1/R c = 950 GeV for a cut-off scale times radius (ΛR c) of approximately 30

Evidence for the Higgs-boson Yukawa coupling to tau leptons with the ATLAS detector

Results of a search for H → τ τ decays are presented, based on the full set of proton-proton collision data recorded by the ATLAS experiment at the LHC during 2011 and 2012. The data correspond to integrated luminosities of 4.5 fb−1 and 20.3 fb−1 at centre-of-mass energies of √s = 7 TeV and √s = 8 TeV respectively. All combinations of leptonic (τ → `νν¯ with ` = e, µ) and hadronic (τ → hadrons ν) tau decays are considered. An excess of events over the expected background from other Standard Model processes is found with an observed (expected) significance of 4.5 (3.4) standard deviations. This excess provides evidence for the direct coupling of the recently discovered Higgs boson to fermions. The measured signal strength, normalised to the Standard Model expectation, of µ = 1.43 +0.43 −0.37 is consistent with the predicted Yukawa coupling strength in the Standard Model

Measurement of the top pair production cross section in 8 TeV proton-proton collisions using kinematic information in the lepton plus jets final state with ATLAS

A measurement is presented of the $t\bar{t}$ inclusive production cross-section in $pp$ collisions at a center-of-mass energy of $\sqrt{s}=8$ TeV using data collected by the ATLAS detector at the CERN Large Hadron Collider. The measurement was performed in the lepton+jets final state using a data set corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 20.3 fb$^{-1}$. The cross-section was obtained using a likelihood discriminant fit and $b$-jet identification was used to improve the signal-to-background ratio. The inclusive $t\bar{t}$ production cross-section was measured to be $260\pm 1{\textrm{(stat.)}} ^{+22}_{-23} {\textrm{(syst.)}}\pm 8{\textrm{(lumi.)}}\pm 4{\mathrm{(beam)}}$ pb assuming a top-quark mass of 172.5 GeV, in good agreement with the theoretical prediction of $253^{+13}_{-15}$ pb. The $t\bar{t}\to (e,\mu)+{\mathrm{jets}}$ production cross-section in the fiducial region determined by the detector acceptance is also reported.Comment: Published version, 19 pages plus author list (35 pages total), 3 figures, 2 tables, all figures including auxiliary figures are available at http://atlas.web.cern.ch/Atlas/GROUPS/PHYSICS/PAPERS/TOPQ-2013-06

Measurement of the cross-section and charge asymmetry of WW bosons produced in proton-proton collisions at s=8\sqrt{s}=8 TeV with the ATLAS detector

This paper presents measurements of the $W^+ \rightarrow \mu^+\nu$ and $W^- \rightarrow \mu^-\nu$ cross-sections and the associated charge asymmetry as a function of the absolute pseudorapidity of the decay muon. The data were collected in proton--proton collisions at a centre-of-mass energy of 8 TeV with the ATLAS experiment at the LHC and correspond to a total integrated luminosity of 20.2~\mbox{fb^{-1}}. The precision of the cross-section measurements varies between 0.8% to 1.5% as a function of the pseudorapidity, excluding the 1.9% uncertainty on the integrated luminosity. The charge asymmetry is measured with an uncertainty between 0.002 and 0.003. The results are compared with predictions based on next-to-next-to-leading-order calculations with various parton distribution functions and have the sensitivity to discriminate between them.Comment: 38 pages in total, author list starting page 22, 5 figures, 4 tables, submitted to EPJC. All figures including auxiliary figures are available at https://atlas.web.cern.ch/Atlas/GROUPS/PHYSICS/PAPERS/STDM-2017-13

Search for chargino-neutralino production with mass splittings near the electroweak scale in three-lepton final states in √s=13 TeV pp collisions with the ATLAS detector

A search for supersymmetry through the pair production of electroweakinos with mass splittings near the electroweak scale and decaying via on-shell W and Z bosons is presented for a three-lepton final state. The analyzed proton-proton collision data taken at a center-of-mass energy of √s=13  TeV were collected between 2015 and 2018 by the ATLAS experiment at the Large Hadron Collider, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 139  fb−1. A search, emulating the recursive jigsaw reconstruction technique with easily reproducible laboratory-frame variables, is performed. The two excesses observed in the 2015–2016 data recursive jigsaw analysis in the low-mass three-lepton phase space are reproduced. Results with the full data set are in agreement with the Standard Model expectations. They are interpreted to set exclusion limits at the 95% confidence level on simplified models of chargino-neutralino pair production for masses up to 345 GeV

An IP-10 (CXCL10)-derived peptide inhibits angiogenesis

Angiogenesis plays a critical role in processes such as organ development, wound healing, and tumor growth. It requires well-orchestrated integration of soluble and matrix factors and timely recognition of such signals to regulate this process. Previous work has shown that newly forming vessels express the chemokine receptor CXC receptor 3 (CXCR3) and, activation by its ligand IP-10 (CXCL10), both inhibits development of new vasculature and causes regression of newly formed vessels. To identify and develop new therapeutic agents to limit or reverse pathological angiogenesis, we identified a 21 amino acid fragment of IP-10, spanning the α-helical domain residues 77-98, that mimic the actions of the whole IP-10 molecule on endothelial cells. Treatment of the endothelial cells with the 22 amino acid fragment referred to as IP-10p significantly inhibited VEGF-induced endothelial motility and tube formation in vitro, properties critical for angiogenesis. Using a Matrigel plug assay in vivo, we demonstrate that IP-10p both prevented vessel formation and induced involution of nascent vessels. CXCR3 neutralizing antibody was able to block the inhibitory effects of the IP-10p, demonstrating specificity of the peptide. Inhibition of endothelial function by IP-10p was similar to that described for IP-10, secondary to CXCR3-mediated increase in cAMP production, activation of PKA inhibiting cell migration, and inhibition of VEGF-mediated m-calpain activation. IP-10p provides a novel therapeutic agent that inhibits endothelial cell function thus, allowing for the modulation of angiogenesis. © 2012 Yates-Binder et al