Pentaquark Search at HERMES

Evidence for a narrow baryon state at 1528 +- 2.6(stat) +- 2.1(syst) MeV is presented in quasi-real photoproduction on a deuterium target through the decay channel p,K0 to p,pi+,pi-. The statistical significance of the peak in the p,K0 invariant mass spectrum is 4 standard deviations and its extracted intrinsic width Gamma = 17 +- 9(stat) +- 3(syst) MeV. This state may be interpreted as the predicted S=+1 exotic Theta+ (uudd\bar{s}) pentaquark baryon.Comment: 9 pages, 6 figures, International Workshop PENTAQUARK04, SPring-8, Japan, July 200

Chemoresistance in Epithelial Ovarian Cancer: in vitro selection and characterization of platinum resistant cells

Epithelial Ovarian Cancer (EOC) is the fifth leading cause of cancer death in women worldwide. Its high mortality rate is mainly due to late diagnosis, when tumors are spread out into the abdominal cavity. The standard care for patients combines radical surgery with platinum-taxol chemotherapy. Despite a good initial response, development of a platinum resistant disease is a frequent event in advanced EOC patients and predicts poor prognosis. Thus, improving response to platinum represent an unmet goal in EOC treatment. We have recently contributed to this issue reporting the molecular and biological characterization of three out of the seven new isogenic models of platinum resistant (PT-res) EOC cell lines we have generated in the lab: MDAH-2774, TOV-112D and OVSAHO. Our characterization pointed out a higher ability of the three isogenic PT-res cells to resolve PT-induced DNA damage, compared to parental cells, suggesting that drug uptake, detoxification and excretion, along with the DNA repair pathway, play a central role in the instauration of a resistant phenotype. Moreover, all PT-res cells displayed an evident change in their morphology, accompanied by higher ability to grow on mesothelium. This included a reorganization of cytoskeleton, cell-cell junctions and adhesion abilities. We went deeper in the biological and molecular characterization of MDAH-2774 PT-res cells reporting the appearance of a novel mutation (S185G), that accompanied the already present R273H, in TP53 gene. This additional mutation, likely induced by platinum, was associated with higher p53 phosphorylation on Ser37 that might confer increased activity to an already mutated TP53. Its expression had functional consequences, since it significantly increased PT-resistance in SKOV3 (p53NULL) cells and was associated with the higher PT-resistant phenotype in MDAH cells. Mechanistically, we hypothesized that the more active p53S185G/R273H protein, in MDAH cells, was at least partially responsible for an altered progression through the M phase of the cell cycle, that eventually results in deregulated mitosis with the appearance of a subpopulation of enlarged multinucleated cells (MNGCs). Indeed, TP53MUT specifically regulates the transcription of mitotic-regulator genes, supporting the possibility that it confers a surviving advantage to aberrant mitotic cells. Future studies are necessary to properly clarify the molecular mechanisms underlying the formation of MNGCs and how p53S185G/R273H contributes to this resistant phenotype

TEORIA DEGLI EFFETTI DIRETTI E APPLICAZIONE DEL DIRITTO L’efficacia delle norme ce self-executing nell’interpretazione della Corte di giustizia e del giudice interno

The debate regarding the direct effect of untrasposed Community directives on relations between individuals has not been laid to rest by the judgement in faccini Dori. That judgement does not ruled out the possibility that the Court may reach a dirreeferent conclusion as regards directives published after the entry into force of the new version of article 91 of the EC Treaty or adopted on legal basis wich also permit the adoption of regulations. The solution of distinguishing between direct vertical effect ahd horizontal effects gives rise, in practice, to considerable problems wich can only partially be resolved by recours to the remedies regarded by the Court as alternative options, namely the obligations to interpret the national rules in conformity with the directive in question and the liability of the Member State for breanches of Community law. In conlcusion it will be examined the relationship between constitutional legal sistem and the european one througout the equality review

In Jordan, public archaeology is a solid reality

Non peer reviewe

Nuclear Transparency in Exclusive ρ0 Production at HERMES

Exclusive coherent and incoherent electroproduction of the ρ0 meson from 1H and 14N targets has been studied at the HERMES experiment as a function of coherence length (lc), corresponding to the lifetime of hadronic fluctuations of the virtual photon, and squared four‐momentum of the virtual photon (−Q2). The ratio of 14N to 1H cross sections per nucleon, called nuclear transparency, was found to increase (decrease) with increasing coherence length for coherent (incoherent) ρ0 electroproduction. For fixed coherence length, a rise of nuclear transparency with Q2 is observed for both coherent and incoherent ρ0 production, which is in agreement with theoretical calculations of color transparency. © 2004 American Institute of PhysicsPeer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/87590/2/119_1.pd

Remarks and hypothesis concerning the stereoscopic examination of mud and lime plasters in Minoan Architecture : case studies for Monastiraki and Knossos

Peer reviewe

Identificazione strutturale di ponti: sviluppo di un sistema integrato per il monitoraggio dinamico in tempo reale

Questa tesi si focalizza sull’identificazione strutturale dinamica di strutture esistenti per mezzo di metodi di Analisi Modale Operazionale (OMA). Inizialmente é stata sviluppata un’implementazione di un particolare metodo di OMA, che permette di estrarre il parametro di damping ratio, usando l’ambiente Matlab. Successivamente é stato sviluppato un programma con interfaccia grafica, che permette di svolgere operazioni di identificazione dinamica e monitoraggio dinamico automaticoope

Laser cleaning of Polychrome Alabaster

This research aims at analyzing the effect of laser cleaning on polychrome alabaster surfaces. As cleaning is an integral part in the conservation process, laser cleaning has been used with satisfying results in stone conservation to remove encrustation. Alongside to the aesthetically pleasing results, it is relevant to determine that laser cleaning does not have any adverse effects. Compared to the more traditional techniques, laser cleaning has many additional advantages: The diameter of the laser beam can be regulated so that areas of different dimensions can be treated. There is no physical contact between the object to be cleaned and the laser equipment. This aspect can be really relevant in treating fragile materials. Laser can be a selective tool: it can be regulated to remove dirt, without affecting the original material underneath. Lasers are effective in removing pollution encrustation from stone objects and have been used in conservation since the 1970s. Particularly the aim of this project is to determine whether laser cleaning is a suitable cleaning technique for materials like polychrome alabaster. For painted materials, laser cleaning can be an effective technique but it requires an in-depth study of the laser photochemical and photomechanical effects to avoid irreversible damage of the painted layers. If the outcome of this study is positive, laser cleaning can be added to the range of techniques used for cleaning polychrome artifacts, archaeological structures and historic buildings made of alabaster