Geological map of Tuscany (Italy)

The main map covers the territory of the Tuscany Region, in Central Italy and shows the main stratigraphic and tectonic features of the internal part of the Northern Apennines. This is characterized by nappe superposition well exposed in the Apennine chain (in the eastern part of the map), as well the effects of post-nappe extensional tectonics, originating in Miocene-Pliocene and younger basins bordered by metamorphic core complexes, covering most of the central and southern part of the Region. The map is at 1:300,000 scale and is based on 1:10,000 field mapping

Antineutrinos from Earth: A reference model and its uncertainties

We predict geoneutrino fluxes in a reference model based on a detailed description of Earth's crust and mantle and using the best available information on the abundances of uranium, thorium, and potassium inside Earth's layers. We estimate the uncertainties of fluxes corresponding to the uncertainties of the element abundances. In addition to distance integrated fluxes, we also provide the differential fluxes as a function of distance from several sites of experimental interest. Event yields at several locations are estimated and their dependence on the neutrino oscillation parameters is discussed. At Kamioka we predict N(U+Th)=35 +- 6 events for 10^{32} proton yr and 100% efficiency assuming sin^2(2theta)=0.863 and delta m^2 = 7.3 X 10^{-5} eV^2. The maximal prediction is 55 events, obtained in a model with fully radiogenic production of the terrestrial heat flow.Comment: 24 pages, ReVTeX4, plus 7 postscript figures; minor formal changes to match version to be published in PR

Diagnosis of prostate cancer with magnetic resonance imaging in men treated with 5-alpha-reductase inhibitors

Purpose The primary aim of this study was to evaluate if exposure to 5-alpha-reductase inhibitors (5-ARIs) modifies the effect of MRI for the diagnosis of clinically significant Prostate Cancer (csPCa) (ISUP Gleason grade >= 2).Methods This study is a multicenter cohort study including patients undergoing prostate biopsy and MRI at 24 institutions between 2013 and 2022. Multivariable analysis predicting csPCa with an interaction term between 5-ARIs and PIRADS score was performed. Sensitivity, specificity, and negative (NPV) and positive (PPV) predictive values of MRI were compared in treated and untreated patients.Results 705 patients (9%) were treated with 5-ARIs [median age 69 years, Interquartile range (IQR): 65, 73; median PSA 6.3 ng/ml, IQR 4.0, 9.0; median prostate volume 53 ml, IQR 40, 72] and 6913 were 5-ARIs naive (age 66 years, IQR 60, 71; PSA 6.5 ng/ml, IQR 4.8, 9.0; prostate volume 50 ml, IQR 37, 65). MRI showed PIRADS 1-2, 3, 4, and 5 lesions in 141 (20%), 158 (22%), 258 (37%), and 148 (21%) patients treated with 5-ARIs, and 878 (13%), 1764 (25%), 2948 (43%), and 1323 (19%) of untreated patients (p < 0.0001). No difference was found in csPCa detection rates, but diagnosis of high-grade PCa (ISUP GG >= 3) was higher in treated patients (23% vs 19%, p = 0.013). We did not find any evidence of interaction between PIRADS score and 5-ARIs exposure in predicting csPCa. Sensitivity, specificity, PPV, and NPV of PIRADS >= 3 were 94%, 29%, 46%, and 88% in treated patients and 96%, 18%, 43%, and 88% in untreated patients, respectively.Conclusions Exposure to 5-ARIs does not affect the association of PIRADS score with csPCa. Higher rates of high-grade PCa were detected in treated patients, but most were clearly visible on MRI as PIRADS 4 and 5 lesions.Trial registration The present study was registered at ClinicalTrials.gov number: NCT05078359

Il Radgyro: un autogiro dedicato ad acquisizioni airborne multiparametriche

This study summarizes the main characteristic of the Radgyro, an auotgyro dedicated to multiparametric airborne acquisitions. This aircraft was imagined, designed and realized to host two cameras, an infrared camera, a thermographic camera, five gamma-ray spectrometers as well as a GPS antenna network, a inertial navigation system, a radar altimeter and the electronic system necessary to the automatic, simultaneous and independent use of the entire instrumentation. Thanks to a carrying capacity of 130 kg, 4 hours of flight autonomy and a low overhead, the Radgyro is the ideal vehicle for multiparametric surveys of wide areas, where the use of drones is limited by the carrying capacity and by the flight autonomy. Finally the results of preliminary photogrammetric surveys and the possible future applications of the aircraft are presented

Cadmium Induces p53-Dependent Apoptosis in Human Prostate Epithelial Cells

Cadmium, a widespread toxic pollutant of occupational and environmental concern, is a known human carcinogen. The prostate is a potential target for cadmium carcinogenesis, although the underlying mechanisms are still unclear. Furthermore, cadmium may induce cell death by apoptosis in various cell types, and it has been hypothesized that a key factor in cadmium-induced malignant transformation is acquisition of apoptotic resistance. We investigated the in vitro effects produced by cadmium exposure in normal or tumor cells derived from human prostate epithelium, including RWPE-1 and its cadmium-transformed derivative CTPE, the primary adenocarcinoma 22Rv1 and CWR-R1 cells and LNCaP, PC-3 and DU145 metastatic cancer cell lines. Cells were treated for 24 hours with different concentrations of CdCl2 and apoptosis, cell cycle distribution and expression of tumor suppressor proteins were analyzed. Subsequently, cellular response to cadmium was evaluated after siRNA-mediated p53 silencing in wild type p53-expressing RWPE-1 and LNCaP cells, and after adenoviral p53 overexpression in p53-deficient DU145 and PC-3 cell lines. The cell lines exhibited different sensitivity to cadmium, and 24-hour exposure to different CdCl2 concentrations induced dose- and cell type-dependent apoptotic response and inhibition of cell proliferation that correlated with accumulation of functional p53 and overexpression of p21 in wild type p53-expressing cell lines. On the other hand, p53 silencing was able to suppress cadmium-induced apoptosis. Our results demonstrate that cadmium can induce p53-dependent apoptosis in human prostate epithelial cells and suggest p53 mutation as a possible contributing factor for the acquisition of apoptotic resistance in cadmium prostatic carcinogenesis

Measurement of the very rare K+→π+ννˉK^+ \to \pi^+ \nu \bar\nu decay

The decay K+→π+νν¯ , with a very precisely predicted branching ratio of less than 10−10 , is among the best processes to reveal indirect effects of new physics. The NA62 experiment at CERN SPS is designed to study the K+→π+νν¯ decay and to measure its branching ratio using a decay-in-flight technique. NA62 took data in 2016, 2017 and 2018, reaching the sensitivity of the Standard Model for the K+→π+νν¯ decay by the analysis of the 2016 and 2017 data, and providing the most precise measurement of the branching ratio to date by the analysis of the 2018 data. This measurement is also used to set limits on BR(K+→π+X ), where X is a scalar or pseudo-scalar particle. The final result of the BR(K+→π+νν¯ ) measurement and its interpretation in terms of the K+→π+X decay from the analysis of the full 2016-2018 data set is presented, and future plans and prospects are reviewed

Profili di crescita della circonferenza cranica nell'autismo infantile precoce

A partire dalla prima descrizione della patologia autistica ad opera di Leo Kanner nel 1943, numerosi altri studi hanno in seguito rilevato un’aumentata incidenza di macrocrania nei soggetti con Disturbo Pervasivo dello Sviluppo (terminologia introdotta dal DSM-IV, comprendente l’autismo tipico e la forma meno severa, o non altrimenti specificata), paragonati a controlli di pari età con sviluppo normale. Tale dato è stato associato da vari autori ad un incremento volumetrico cerebrale, alla base del quale sono stati ipotizzati fattori quali un’eccessiva produzione neuritica o una ridotta attività apoptotica. Lo studio di Courchesne et al. (2003), basato su misurazioni longitudinali della circonferenza cranica in bambini con diagnosi di Disturbo Pervasivo dello Sviluppo, paragonati a coetanei con sviluppo tipico, ha dimostrato che, rispetto ai controlli, i pazienti con Disturbo Pervasivo hanno una circonferenza cranica ridotta alla nascita, mentre mostrano un successivo incremento, eccessivamente rapido, tra i 6 e i 14 mesi di età. Tale dato ha portato gli autori a concludere che il rilievo di macrocrania in età precoce potesse essere considerato un indicatore del rischio di sviluppare un successivo autismo. Diversi studi recenti, oltre a confermare il dato di Courchesne, hanno riportato un’aumentata incidenza di macrocrania anche nei genitori dei bambini con Disturbo Pervasivo dello Sviluppo e alcuni di essi hanno correlato la macrocrania stessa con un generale fenotipo macrosomico. Alcuni lavori hanno anche cercato di identificare se esistessero delle correlazioni tra la macrocrania nei Disturbi Pervasivi dello Sviluppo e specifiche caratteristiche cliniche, quali la gravità della sintomatologia autistica ed il livello cognitivo e linguistico raggiunto dai pazienti. In questa direzione, il presente lavoro di tesi ha selezionato un campione di 50 bambini con diagnosi di Disturbo Pervasivo dello Sviluppo di tipo Autistico (20/50, 40%) o Non Altrimenti Specificato (30/50, 60%), 40 maschi (80%) e 10 femmine (20%), di età compresa tra 2 anni e 7 mesi e 11 anni e 4 mesi, scelti tra i pazienti afferiti all’Unità Operativa di Psichiatria del Dipartimento di Neuroscienze dello Sviluppo dell’Università di Pisa - IRCSS Stella Maris tra Novembre 2006 e Novembre 2008, escludendo soggetti nati pretermine o portatori di patologie mediche note. Lo scopo di questo lavoro è quello di valutare i profili di crescita della circonferenza cranica nell’autismo infantile precoce, paragonati a quelli dei bambini di sviluppo tipico, e di correlarli sia con quelli dei restanti parametri antropometrici (peso e altezza) del paziente che con le misurazioni della circonferenza cranica dei genitori, al fine di valutare la possibilità che genitori macrocefalici, apparentemente normali, possano essere portatori di qualche gene predisponente sia alla macrocrania che all’insorgenza di un Disturbo Pervasivo dello Sviluppo nella prole. La presente ricerca si pone infine l’obiettivo di appurare se nel campione di bambini in esame esista un rapporto tra profili di crescita della circonferenza cranica e gravità della sintomatologia autistica, esordio regressivo o meno della stessa, abilità cognitive e linguistiche raggiunte dal paziente