A parameterisation of single and multiple muons in the deep water or ice

A new parameterisation of atmospheric muons deep underwater (or ice) is presented. It takes into account the simultaneous arrival of muons in bundle giving the multiplicity of the events and the muon energy spectrum as a function of their lateral distribution in a shower.Comment: 3 pages, 2 figures, talk given at TAUP 2005, Zaragoza (Spain) (to appear in the proceedings of TAUP 2005

Planning through a GIS the potential recovery of rural buildings for the development of new forms of tourism hospitality

The results of the territorial analysis on an agricultural area located in the Province of Matera (Southern Italy) with significant historical and natural interest, (i.e., the “San Giuliano” protected area) are here reported. The study has been focused on the census of farm buildings and related rural infrastructures in this area, even though most of them are currently in a state of abandonment. Indeed, through their potential static and functional recovery - which appears technically feasible, given their intrinsic architectural and structural attributes – they would be re-considered, even owing to the progressively growing tourist vocation of this area, leaded by the attractive role that the City of Matera is currently playing. This analysis has been conducted through the implementation of a Geographical Information System (GIS), associated with detailed survey techniques and dendrochronology analysis of the existing wooden construction elements. Thus, it has been possible to conclude how an adequately supported process of analysis and planning of territory can reveal as a valid tool to be used in decision-making dynamics. This recovery and reuse process would be especially valuable, if conceived in a perspective of new fruition purposes, such as those leading to the achievement of an increased diffused tourist hospitality

New Variant of the Treatment of Acromion-Clavicular Dislocation With TightRope ® System in a Mini - Open Approach: A Preliminary Clinical Study

Background: Many different surgical techniques have been described to stabilize the acromion-clavicular (AC) dislocations. So far many of these procedures are performed only in arthroscopy. Objectives: In this study, we describe a new technique that utilizes the tightrope with a mini-invasive open approach for the acute stabilization of the acromion-clavicular joint (ACJ) dislocation. Patients and Methods: We set an prospective study aimed to verify the efficacy of this new surgical technique. We treated 28 patients with acute ACJ dislocation with ACJ TightRope ® System with dual mini access. We retrospectively reviewed the data of 34 patients treated with arthroscopic technique. They were considered as the control group. Results: At 6 month’s follow-up, all the 28 patients showed a stable joint during clinical examination and obtained an average Constant score of 98.62/100, with a complete recovery of ROM and strength in abduction. The mean operation time was of 33.7 minutes. The mean recovery duration was 102.8 days. No significant difference was found between the experimental and control groups (P > 0.05). Conclusions: Results of this trial suggest the effectiveness of this new mini-invasive surgical technique in producing clinical and functional recovery in patients with ACJ dislocations

Pharmacology-informed prediction of the risk posed to fish by mixtures of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) in the environment

© 2020 The Authors. The presence of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) in the aquatic environment has raised concern that chronic exposure to these compounds may cause adverse effects in wild fish populations. This potential scenario has led some stakeholders to advocate a stricter regulation of NSAIDs, especially diclofenac. Considering their global clinical importance for the management of pain and inflammation, any regulation that may affect patient access to NSAIDs will have considerable implications for public health. The current environmental risk assessment of NSAIDs is driven by the results of a limited number of standard toxicity tests and does not take into account mechanistic and pharmacological considerations. Here we present a pharmacology-informed framework that enables the prediction of the risk posed to fish by 25 different NSAIDs and their dynamic mixtures. Using network pharmacology approaches, we demonstrated that these 25 NSAIDs display a significant mechanistic promiscuity that could enhance the risk of target-mediated mixture effects near environmentally relevant concentrations. Integrating NSAIDs pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic features, we provide highly specific predictions of the adverse phenotypes associated with exposure to NSAIDs, and we developed a visual multi-scale model to guide the interpretation of the toxicological relevance of any given set of NSAIDs exposure data. Our analysis demonstrated a non-negligible risk posed to fish by NSAID mixtures in situations of high drug use and low dilution of waste-water treatment plant effluents. We anticipate that this predictive framework will support the future regulatory environmental risk assessment of NSAIDs and increase the effectiveness of ecopharmacovigilance strategies. Moreover, it can facilitate the prediction of the toxicological risk posed by mixtures via the implementation of mechanistic considerations and could be readily extended to other classes of chemicals.Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) Research Grant (BB/P505018/1); AstraZeneca Global Safety, Health and Environment research programme

Gut microbiota composition and frailty in elderly patients with Chronic Kidney Disease

Background Frailty is common in older patients affected by chronic kidney disease (CKD). Since gut microbiota (gMB) may contribute to frailty, we explored possible associations between gMB and frailty in CKD. Methods We studied 64 CKD patients (stage 3b-4), categorized as frail (F, 38) and not frail (NF, 26) according to Fried criteria, and 15 controls (C), all older than 65 years. In CKD we assessed serum C-reactive protein, blood neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio, Malnutrition-inflammation Score (MIS); gMB was studied by denaturing gel gradient electrophoresis (DGGE), high-throughput sequencing (16S r-RNA gene), and quantitative real-time PCR (RT-PCR). Results No differences in alpha diversity between CKD and C and between F and NF patients emerged, but high-throughput sequencing showed significantly higher abundance of potentially noxious bacteria (Citrobacter, Coprobacillus, etc) and lower abundance of saccharolytic and butyrate-producing bacteria (Prevotella spp., Faecalibacterium prausnitzii, Roseburia spp.), in CKD respect to C. Mogibacteriaceae family and Oscillospira genus abundance was positively related to inflammatory indices in the whole CKD cohort, while that of Akkermansia, Ruminococcus and Eubacterium genera was negatively related. Compared with NF, in F there was a higher abundance of some bacteria (Mogibacteriacee, Coriobacteriacee, Eggerthella, etc), many of which have been described as more abundant in other diseases. Conclusions These results suggest that inflammation and frailty could be associated to gMB modifications in CKD

HEAT SHOCK PROTEINS AND AUTOIMMUNE SYSTEM ACTIVATION IN IBD: ARTICULAR MANIFESTATIONS AND THE EPIDEMIOLOGICAL FREQUENCY IN ORTHPEDICS

clinical evidence suggest that arthritis is one of the complications of inflammatori bowel disease (IBD) of which the etiological causes are still not completely understood. Among the possible explanations the most probable theory is poor regulation of the intestinal immune system, which causes a cross-like immune reactivity against the resident micro flora. Arthritis is these subjects involves different joints and is asymmetric, with greater involvement of the large joints of the lower limbs. Joints may also be involved with the spinal forms of sacroileitis and ankilosing spondylitis. This clinical evidence explains the existence of Lesnioski-Crohn's disease, a variant of IBD in which patients have bone joint problems that may also be the primary manifestations of the disease

A case study on the application of the MSFD to Mediterranean coastal systems: the Po plume, as a transitional water system in the Northern Adriatic basin.

1 - In the frame of the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD) of the European Community, in order to assess the Good Environmental Status (GES) of the marine coastal and estuarine waters, the eutrophication descriptors include several aspects of the phytoplankton communities (such as composition, abundance and biomass). 2 - Two oceanographic campaigns were carried out in the area off the Po River plume, where a highly dynamic frontal zone separates an inshore and an offshore system. The coupling of size structure and diagnostic pigments of phytoplankton communities in relation to different environmental contexts are tested as an expedite and informative tool to assess water quality sensu MSFD. 3 - The Po plume creates a very dynamic frontal zone, resulting in strong trophic gradients within a relatively small area. 4 - The spatio-temporal variability of salinity in coastal waters and in transitional waters plays a pivotal role in structuring phytoplankton communities. 5 - The dynamics of forcing factors drive changes in cell-size structure, in the functional group composition as well as a shift in size within the same functional group. 6 - The combination of phytoplankton size-structure and chemotaxonomic compositions is proposed as an expedite tool for investigating, at the appropriate scales, the ecology of transitional water systems

A photosensitizing fusion protein with targeting capabilities

The photodynamic treatment for antimicrobial applications or anticancer therapy relies on reactive oxygen species generated by photosensitizing molecules after absorption of visible or near-infrared light. If the photosensitizing molecule is in close vicinity of the microorganism or the malignant cell, a photocytotoxic action is exerted. Therefore, the effectiveness of photosensitizing compounds strongly depends on their capability to target microbial or cancer-specific proteins. In this study, we report on the preparation and preliminary characterization of human recombinant myoglobin fused to the vasoactive intestinal peptide to target vasoactive intestinal peptide receptor (VPAC) receptors. Fe-protoporphyrin IX was replaced by the photosensitizing compound Zn-protoporphyrin IX. Taking advantage of the fluorescence emission by Zn-protoporphyrin IX, we show that the construct can bind prostate cancer cells where the VPAC receptors are expressed