Cinco tensores de curvatura. Una aproximación a la topología espacio-temporal contemporánea

Contemporary culture is identified with its own forms of production and reproduction of space. An absolutely visual project of imaginary dimension. What is mean to be expose is the emergence of a new temporal space topology, through the analysis of certain project strategies whose organizational forms and structures are logically and tactically redefined to understand the complex dynamics of the contemporary world.Through five concrete project strategies, “Five contemporary curvature tensors”, a transversal reading that introduces models and discourses from the field of sociology and architecture will be drawn. The curvature tensors named by the sociologist Luis Castro Nogueira in the book “Laughter of space” (1997), refer to material practices whose visual codes fold and tense the first modern space moment as it is known.This whole process of spatial gradation concludes in the virtual space. A synthetic and simulated typicity by electronic devices in which subject, object and medium become a progressive immaterial condition. Far from establishing absolute models, these topological displacements seek to establish a critical attitude necessary to project into future scenarios.La cultura contemporánea se identifica con sus propias formas de producción y reproducción del espacio.  Un proyecto absolutamente visual de dimensión imaginaria. Lo que aquí se busca exponer es la emergencia de una nueva topología espacio temporal a través del análisis de ciertas estrategias proyectuales cuyas formas y estructuras organizativas se redefinen lógica y tácticamente para comprender las dinámicas complejas del mundo contemporáneo.A través de cinco estrategias proyectuales concretas, “Cinco Tensores de Curvatura Contemporáneos”, se irá trazando una lectura transversal que introduce modelos y discursos provenientes del campo de la sociología y la arquitectura. Los tensores de curvatura denominados así por el sociólogo Luis Castro Nogueira en el libro “La risa del espacio” (1997), hacen referencia a prácticas materiales cuyos códigos visuales pliegan y tensan lo que fue el primer momento espacial moderno. Todo este proceso de gradación espacial concluye en el espacio virtual. Una tipicidad sintética y simulada por dispositivos electrónicos en la que sujeto, objeto y medio devienen en una progresiva condición inmaterial. Lejos de establecer modelos absolutos estos desplazamientos topológicos buscan instaurar una actitud crítica necesaria para proyectarse hacia futuros escenarios

Cinco tensores de curvatura. Una aproximación a la topología espacio-temporal contemporánea

Contemporary culture is identified with its own forms of production and reproduction of space. An absolutely visual project of imaginary dimension. What is mean to be expose is the emergence of a new temporal space topology, through the analysis of certain project strategies whose organizational forms and structures are logically and tactically redefined to understand the complex dynamics of the contemporary world.Through five concrete project strategies, “Five contemporary curvature tensors”, a transversal reading that introduces models and discourses from the field of sociology and architecture will be drawn. The curvature tensors named by the sociologist Luis Castro Nogueira in the book “Laughter of space” (1997), refer to material practices whose visual codes fold and tense the first modern space moment as it is known.This whole process of spatial gradation concludes in the virtual space. A synthetic and simulated typicity by electronic devices in which subject, object and medium become a progressive immaterial condition. Far from establishing absolute models, these topological displacements seek to establish a critical attitude necessary to project into future scenarios.La cultura contemporánea se identifica con sus propias formas de producción y reproducción del espacio.  Un proyecto absolutamente visual de dimensión imaginaria. Lo que aquí se busca exponer es la emergencia de una nueva topología espacio temporal a través del análisis de ciertas estrategias proyectuales cuyas formas y estructuras organizativas se redefinen lógica y tácticamente para comprender las dinámicas complejas del mundo contemporáneo.A través de cinco estrategias proyectuales concretas, “Cinco Tensores de Curvatura Contemporáneos”, se irá trazando una lectura transversal que introduce modelos y discursos provenientes del campo de la sociología y la arquitectura. Los tensores de curvatura denominados así por el sociólogo Luis Castro Nogueira en el libro “La risa del espacio” (1997), hacen referencia a prácticas materiales cuyos códigos visuales pliegan y tensan lo que fue el primer momento espacial moderno. Todo este proceso de gradación espacial concluye en el espacio virtual. Una tipicidad sintética y simulada por dispositivos electrónicos en la que sujeto, objeto y medio devienen en una progresiva condición inmaterial. Lejos de establecer modelos absolutos estos desplazamientos topológicos buscan instaurar una actitud crítica necesaria para proyectarse hacia futuros escenarios

Searchable Encryption with randomized ciphertext and randomized keyword search

The notion of public key encryption with keyword search (PEKS) was introduced to efficiently search over encrypted data. In this paper, we propose a PEKS scheme in which both the encrypted keyword and the trapdoor are randomized, so that the cloud server is not able to recognize identical queries. Our scheme is CI-secure in the single-user setting and TI-secure in the multi-user setting with multi-trapdoor

Light scattering observations of spin reversal excitations in the fractional quantum Hall regime

Resonant inelastic light scattering experiments access the low lying excitations of electron liquids in the fractional quantum Hall regime in the range $2/5 \geq \nu \geq 1/3$. Modes associated with changes in the charge and spin degrees of freedom are measured. Spectra of spin reversed excitations at filling factor $\nu \gtrsim 1/3$ and at $\nu \lesssim 2/5$ identify a structure of lowest spin-split Landau levels of composite fermions that is similar to that of electrons. Observations of spin wave excitations enable determinations of energies required to reverse spin. The spin reversal energies obtained from the spectra illustrate the significant residual interactions of composite fermions. At $\nu = 1/3$ energies of spin reversal modes are larger but relatively close to spin conserving excitations that are linked to activated transport. Predictions of composite fermion theory are in good quantitative agreement with experimental results.Comment: Submitted to special issue of Solid State Com

SARS-CoV-2 infection in beta thalassemia: Preliminary data from the Italian experience

Patients with pre\u2010existent chronic morbidities are likely to be more severely affected by SARS\u2010Cov2 infection, but no data are available regarding Thalassemic Syndromes (TS). Note, TS and hemoglobin variants represent, according to WHO, one of the most frequent causes of anemia, affecting more than 7% of the world population.1 Thalassemic Syndromes are classified in either transfusion\u2010dependent thalassemia (TDT) or non\u2010transfusion\u2010dependent thalassemia (NTDT). Infectious complications, mainly from bacteria, constitute a common cause of mortality and morbidity in TS. Stress erythropoiesis, iron overload, splenectomy and adrenal insufficiency among others may contribute to increase susceptibility to infection.2 To verify the impact of SARS\u2010CoV\u20102 infection on TS, we set\u2010up a specific survey by electronic Case Report Form (eCRF).3 Inclusion criteria require at least 15\u2009days of follow\u2010up from either the onset of symptoms or SARS\u2010CoV2 positivity. The survey was approved by Ethics Committee and eCRF was shared with the Centers of Italian Hemoglobinopathies Network. The \u201cSociet\ue0 Italiana Talassemie ed Emoglobinopatie\u201d (SITE), has estimated the presence in Italy of approximately 5000 TDT and 1900 NTDT patients.3 As of 10 April 2020, 11 cases of TS and COVID\u201019 have been collected (see supplementary information). All the reported patients are in Northern Italy, where the rate of infection is higher, reflecting the national epidemiology. The mean age is 44\u2009\ub1\u200911\u2009years (range 31\u201061\u2009years) and 55% (6/11) are females. Ten patients are TDT, and one is NTDT. All the patients have thalassemia associated comorbidities, eight are splenectomized, and one patient (#9 in the supplementary table) has pulmonary hypertension treated with sildenafil. The likely source of infection has been detected in 55% (6/11) of cases: two had contacts with COVID\u201019 positive subjects, and four had occupational exposure (three are nurses working in hospital or assisted living facilities). Three patients were asymptomatic. One patient (#3 in supplementary information) was admitted for high fever and bone marrow hypoplasia, lymphopenia, and agranulocytosis (on treatment with deferiprone) and tested positive at the third swab. Six out of 11 were hospitalized, but no one required mechanical ventilation. The patient with more severe symptoms who required more intensive ventilation support with continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) has a history of diffuse large B\u2010cell lymphoma, treated with chemotherapy in the previous year, currently in complete remission. Of the six people admitted to the hospital, only three received supposedly specific treatment for COVID\u201019: one hydroxychloroquine (HCQ), one HCQ plus ritonavir/darunavir, and one HCQ plus anakinra. Patient #3 did not receive HCQ due to concomitant therapy with amiodarone and an increased risk of life\u2010threatening arrhythmia. The clinical course ranged from 10 to 29\u2009days. Ten patients have clinically recovered and are on a daily remote phone call follow\u2010up. Splenectomy which was present in 8/11 patients did not seem to affect the clinical course. Of note, except for the patient with myelosuppression, no increase in blood requirement was observed. When luspatercept treatment was halted in the NTDT patient, hemoglobin fell from 110 to 82 g/L, a value similar to the pre\u2010luspatercept period. Neither death nor severe SARS or signs of cytokines storm were observed in these 11 subjects, which may be surprising, taking into account the mean age and the presence of severe comorbidities. Our data, although preliminary, do not indicate increased severity of COVID\u201019 in TS. A larger number of cases needs to be collected to define the impact of this new infection and its outcome in these fragile patients

Immunization against ROS1 by DNA Electroporation Impairs K-Ras-Driven Lung Adenocarcinomas

Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is still the leading cause of cancer death worldwide. Despite the introduction of tyrosine kinase inhibitors and immunotherapeutic approaches, there is still an urgent need for novel strategies to improve patient survival. ROS1, a tyrosine kinase receptor endowed with oncoantigen features, is activated by chromosomal rearrangement or overexpression in NSCLC and in several tumor histotypes. In this work, we have exploited transgenic mice harboring the activated K-Ras oncogene (K-RasG12D) that spontaneously develop metastatic NSCLC as a preclinical model to test the efficacy of ROS1 immune targeting. Indeed, qPCR and immunohistochemical analyses revealed ROS1 overexpression in the autochthonous primary tumors and extrathoracic metastases developed by K-RasG12D mice and in a derived transplantable cell line. As proof of concept, we have evaluated the effects of the intramuscular electroporation (electrovaccination) of plasmids coding for mouse- and human-ROS1 on the progression of these NSCLC models. A significant increase in survival was observed in ROS1-electrovaccinated mice challenged with the transplantable cell line. It is worth noting that tumors were completely rejected, and immune memory was achieved, albeit only in a few mice. Most importantly, ROS1 electrovaccination was also found to be effective in slowing the development of autochthonous NSCLC in K-RasG12D mice

The RNA-binding protein ESRP1 promotes human colorectal cancer progression

Epithelial splicing regulatory protein 1 (ESRP1) is an epithelial cell-specific RNA binding protein that controls several key cellular processes, like alternative splicing and translation. Previous studies have demonstrated a tumor suppressor role for this protein. Recently, however, a pro-metastatic function of ESRP1 has been reported. We thus aimed at clarifying the role of ESRP1 in Colorectal Cancer (CRC) by performing loss- and gain-of-function studies, and evaluating tumorigenesis and malignancy with in vitro and in vivo approaches. We found that ESRP1 plays a role in anchorage-independent growth of CRC cells. ESRP1-overexpressing cells grown in suspension showed enhanced fibroblast growth factor receptor (FGFR1/2) signalling, Akt activation, and Snail upregulation. Moreover, ESRP1 promoted the ability of CRC cells to generate macrometastases in mice livers. High ESRP1 expression may thus stimulate growth of cancer epithelial cells and promote colorectal cancer progression. Our findings provide mechanistic insights into a previously unreported, pro-oncogenic role for ESRP1 in CRC, and suggest that fine-tuning the level of this RNA-binding protein could be relevant in modulating tumor growth in a subset of CRC patients

Fasting-mimicking diet cycles reduce neuroinflammation to attenuate cognitive decline in Alzheimer's models

The effects of fasting-mimicking diet (FMD) cycles in reducing many aging and disease risk factors indicate it could affect Alzheimer's disease (AD). Here, we show that FMD cycles reduce cognitive decline and AD pathology in E4FAD and 3xTg AD mouse models, with effects superior to those caused by protein restriction cycles. In 3xTg mice, long-term FMD cycles reduce hippocampal Aβ load and hyperphosphorylated tau, enhance genesis of neural stem cells, decrease microglia number, and reduce expression of neuroinflammatory genes, including superoxide-generating NADPH oxidase (Nox2). 3xTg mice lacking Nox2 or mice treated with the NADPH oxidase inhibitor apocynin also display improved cognition and reduced microglia activation compared with controls. Clinical data indicate that FMD cycles are feasible and generally safe in a small group of AD patients. These results indicate that FMD cycles delay cognitive decline in AD models in part by reducing neuroinflammation and/or superoxide production in the brain

“An unnecessary cut?” multilevel health systems analysis of drivers of caesarean sections rates in Italy: A systematic review

From Springer Nature via Jisc Publications RouterBackground: Improvements in medical technologies have seen over-medicalization of childbirth. Caesarean section (CS) is a lifesaving procedure proven effective in reducing maternal and perinatal mortality across the globe. However, as with any medical procedure, the CS intrinsically carries some risk to its beneficiaries. In recent years, CS rates have risen alarmingly in high-income countries. Many exceeding the World Health Organisation (WHO) recommendation of a 10 to 15% annual CS rate. While this situation poses an increased risk to women and their children, it also represents an excess human and financial burden on health systems. Therefore, from a health system perspective this study systematically summarizes existing evidence relevant to the factors driving the phenomenon of increasing CS rates using Italy as a case study. Methods: Employing the WHO Health System Framework (WHOHSF), this systematic review used the PRISMA guidelines to report findings. PubMed, SCOPUS, MEDLINE, Cochrane Library and Google Scholar databases were searched up until April 1, 2020. Findings were organised through the six dimensions of the WHOHSF framework: service delivery, health workforce, health system information; medical products vaccine and technologies, financing; and leadership and governance. Results: CS rates in Italy are affected by complex interactions among several stakeholder groups and contextual factors such as the hyper-medicalisation of delivery, differences in policy and practice across units and the national context, issues pertaining to the legal and social environment, and women’s attitudes towards pregnancy and childbirth. Conclusion: Mitigating the high rates of CS will require a synergistic multi-stakeholder intervention. Specifically, with processes able to attract the official endorsement of policy makers, encourage concensus between regional authorities and local governments and guide the systematic compliance of delivery units with its clinical guidelines.20pubpu