A methodological approach to assess the effect of organic, biodynamic, and conventional production processes on the intrinsic and perceived quality of a typical wine: The case study of chianti docg

The aim of this study was to propose a methodological approach to evaluate the impact of the organic, biodynamic, and conventional production processes on the intrinsic and perceived quality of a typical wine. For this purpose, fourteen commercial Chianti DOCG wines from the 2016 harvest were selected based on the type of production management. A survey was set up to get winemaking information from the estate’s producer of the wines to estimate the carbon dioxide production under the three types of management. The eligibility, identity, and style properties (the intrinsic quality) of the wines were defined. A group of 45 experts evaluated the differences between wines by the Napping test and rated their typicality (perceived quality). The organic and biodynamic management showed a lower level of estimated values of carbon dioxide production. The overall statistical elaboration of the chemical and sensory data highlighted that the registered differences of the intrinsic, perceived quality, and typicality level of the respective wines, did not depend on the type of management. The comparison of the three kinds of wine by SIMCA modeling, put in evidence that the conventional ones showed a greater homogeneity regarding chemical composition, sensory characteristics, and typicality

Nasoseptal flap with extended pedicle dissection based on the maxillary artery: Clinical series of 55 cases

Key points: Nasoseptal flap with extended pedicle dissection is a low morbidity and high success rate flap. It is a flap that can be applied to reconstruct a wide range of ipsilateral skull base defects

Emissão de metano por decomposição de resíduo florestal inundado.

A construção de represas pode aumentar a emissão de gases do efeito estufa (GEE), principalmente metano (CH4) pela decomposição anaeróbica dos resíduos florestais, como galhos, ramos, folhas e miscelânea inundados. Objetivou-se, neste estudo, avaliar a emissão de CH4 após a inundação do solo coberto com resíduos florestais. Unidades experimentais foram construídas com tubos de PVC contendo solo e diferentes combinações de dose (0; 21,2; 42,3 e 64,1 Mg ha-1) e tipo de resíduos (folhas, ramos e miscelânea, galhos e composição original) e água de rio. O delineamento experimental foi inteiramente casualizado com arranjo fatorial e três repetições. As taxas de emissão de CH4 foram monitoradas em 19 eventos durante um ano (Fevereiro/2012 a Março/2013). Cerca de 75 dias após a incubação do solo com resíduos florestais verificou-se aumento das emissões de CH4, ocorrendo dois picos de emissão, aos 111 e aos 249 dias. A emissão acumulada de CH4 no primeiro ano de alagamento foi de 200 g C m-2 na dose zero, passando a valores próximos a 400 g C m-2 nas doses de 21,2 Mg ha-1 e maiores, não havendo efeito do tipo de resíduo, apenas da dose, como fator isolado

Prognostic significance of germline BRCA mutations in patients with HER2-POSITIVE breast cancer.

Background: HER2-positive breast cancers are rare amongst BRCA mutation carriers. No data exist regarding clinicopathological characteristics and prognosis of this subgroup of patients. Materials and methods: Using a retrospective matched cohort design, we collected data from 700 women who were diagnosed with operable invasive breast cancer from January 2006 to December 2016 and were screened for germline BRCA mutations. Clinicopathological features and survival rates were analyzed by BRCA and HER2 status. Results: One hundred and fifteen HER2-positive/BRCA mutated cases were evaluated in comparison to the three control groups: HER2-positive/BRCA wild type (n = 129), HER2-negative/BRCA mutated (n = 222), HER2-negative/BRCA wild type (n = 234). HER2-positive breast cancers were more likely to have high histologic grade and high proliferation rate than HER2-negative neoplasms, regardless of BRCA mutation status. An interaction between BRCA mutations and HER2-positive status was found to correlate with worse survival after adjusting for prognostic variables (HR = 3.4; 95% CI: 1.3-16.7). Conclusions: Co-occurrence of BRCA mutations and HER2-positive status is a poor prognostic factor in patients with early or locally advanced breast cancer. This finding may be a proof of concept that a combined pharmacological intervention directed to these targets could be synergistic

Ergodicity and digital texts

Na passagem do texto físico para o texto digital ocorre uma quebra da linearidade da página impressa, que afecta a forma como a recepção se alia à produção através da performatividade característica das novas narrativas. A ruptura do limite material do texto, permitida pela hipertextualidade, obriga a uma construção de sentidos diferente, que assenta na exploração de um texto maior. A introdução do hipermedia vem depois ampliar e complexificar a ideia de hipertextualidade, ao fazer convergir linguagens diversas, num processo interactivo que se assemelha ao processo da própria criação. A partir de estímulos e aberturas do trabalho digital, os textos ergódicos constroem a imaterialidade da significação em espaços singularizados de materialidade algorítmica. Perante um texto destituído de corpo próprio ou único, pretende-se discutir a forma como a textualidade electrónica assiste a esta desmaterialização e a conduz, e como o discurso hipermedia se desloca entre linguagens e suportes multimédia diferentes.ABSTRACT: Whilst breaking the linearity of the printed page, the passage from the physical text to a digital one has blurred the limits between reception and production and has shaped different narrative performances. Hypertextuality has shattered the limits of the text and has simultaneously required the construction of meaning by exploring a major text. Eventually, hypermedia has amplified and complexified that hypertextuality by being able to converge diverse languages, in an interactive process that resembles the actual creation activity. In response to the nodes and stimuli of the digital work, ergodic texts coexist within a customized space of algorithmic materiality and signification immateriality. In this paper we want to discuss how the bodiless but crowded electronic textuality leads this dematerialization as the hypermedia discourse flickers among different languages and multimedia devices.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Al2(SO4)3 alters the antioxidant mitochondrial metabolism of Botritys cinerea and optimizes the production of cellulose and oxidative degrading enzymes.

Abstract The enzymes produced by pathogenic fungi, especially Botritys cinerea, deserve specific attention due to the diversity of their applications, mainly in biofuel production, food processing, and the pharmaceutical industry. Thus, this work used Al2(SO4)3 as a stressor in order to evaluate if the stress levels caused by the concentrations of 100, 250, 500, and 1000 ppm were sufficient to increase the production of hydrolytic cellulolytic enzymes (FPase, CMCase, Avicelase, β- glucosidase, xylanase) and oxidative (laccase and manganese peroxidase). The study also evaluated the stress levels in previously treated mycelia of B. cinerea and whether they corresponded to the different states of mitochondrial respiration. Our study indicates that Al2(SO4)3 increased the production of cellulolytic and oxidative enzymes in all concentrations in a dose-dependent manner and that Al2(SO4)3 alters the mitochondrial respiratory rate, with lower ATP productions, indicating that less-coupled mitochondria were obtained and that this may be due to the increase of oxidative stress. Thus, it is plausible to suggest the use of Al2(SO4)3 in the production of cellulolytic enzymes, which could be used in the hydrolysis stage of second-generation ethanol production processes, as it reduces the time required for enzymatic expression applications in industrial processes. Resumo As enzimas produzidas por fungos patogênicos, especialmente Botritys cinerea, merecem atenção especial devido à diversidade de suas aplicações, principalmente na produção de biocombustíveis, processamento de alimentos e indústria farmacêutica. Assim, este trabalho utilizou o Al2(SO4)3 como estressor a fim de avaliar se os níveis de estresse causados pelas concentrações de 100, 250, 500 e 1000 ppm foram suficientes para aumentar a produção de enzimas celulolíticas hidrolíticas (FPase, CMCase, avicelase, β-glicosidase, xilanase) e oxidativo (lacase e manganês peroxidase). O estudo também avaliou os níveis de estresse em micélios de B. cinerea previamente tratados e se eles correspondiam aos diferentes estados da respiração mitocondrial. Nosso estudo indica que Al2(SO4)3 aumentou a produção de enzimas celulolíticas e oxidativas em todas as concentrações de forma dose-dependente e que Al2(SO4)3 altera a taxa respiratória mitocondrial, com menor produção de ATP, indicando que foram obtidas mitocôndrias menos acopladas e que isso pode ser devido ao aumento do estresse oxidativo. Assim, é plausível sugerir o uso de Al2(SO4)3 na produção de enzimas celulolíticas, poderia ser utilizado na etapa de hidrólise de processos de produção de etanol de segunda geração, pois reduz o tempo necessário para aplicações de expressão enzimática em processos industriais. Palavras-chave: Estresse oxidativo; Acoplamento mitocondrial; Catalase; Peroxidase; Botritys cinerea

Treatment of loco-regional recurrence of nasopharyngeal carcinoma in a non-endemic area: oncologic outcomes, morbidity, and proposal of a prognostic nomogram

Introduction: The study assessed outcomes and toxicities of different treatment modalities for local and/or regional recurrent nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) in a non-endemic area. Methods: Patients treated with curative intent for recurrent NPC with salvage surgery, photon-based radiotherapy, proton therapy (PT), with or without chemotherapy, at different Italian referral centers between 1998 and 2020 were included. Adverse events and complications were classified according to the Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events. Characteristics of the patients, tumors, treatments, and complications are presented along with uni- and multivariate analysis of prognostic factors. A survival predictive nomogram is also provided. Results: A total of 140 patients treated from 1998 to 2020 were retrospectively assessed. Cases with lower age, comorbidity rate, stage, and shorter disease-free interval (DFI) preferentially underwent endoscopic surgery. More advanced cases underwent re-irradiation, fairly distributed between photon-based radiotherapy and PT. Age and DFI were independent factors influencing overall survival. No independent prognostic effect of treatment modality was observed. No significant difference in the morbidity profile of treatments was observed, with 40% of patients experiencing at least one adverse event classified as G3 or higher. Conclusion: Recurrent NPC in a non-endemic area has dissimilar aspects compared to its endemic counterpart, suggesting the need for further studies that can guide the choice of the best treatment modality

In-flight thermal experiments for LISA pathfinder: simulating temperature noise at the inertial sensors

Thermal Diagnostics experiments to be carried out on board LISA Pathfinder (LPF) will yield a detailed characterisation of how temperature fluctuations affect the LTP (LISA Technology Package) instrument performance, a crucial information for future space based gravitational wave detectors as the proposed eLISA. Amongst them, the study of temperature gradient fluctuations around the test masses of the Inertial Sensors will provide as well information regarding the contribution of the Brownian noise, which is expected to limit the LTP sensitivity at frequencies close to 1 mHz during some LTP experiments. In this paper we report on how these kind of Thermal Diagnostics experiments were simulated in the last LPF Simulation Campaign (November, 2013) involving all the LPF Data Analysis team and using an end-to-end simulator of the whole spacecraft. Such simulation campaign was conducted under the framework of the preparation for LPF operations