Arsenic in mining environments: evidences from Sardinia (Italy)

In Sardinia, the dispersion of arsenic in the environment appears strictly linked with mineralised bodies and mining activities. Currently, the areas of main concern are the active gold mine at Furtei, and the abandoned Pb- As mine at Baccu Locci. At Furtei, the main sources of arsenic are enargite, and arsenian pyrite; an ongoing monitoring program of water quality in the area around the mine documented so far no major changes with respect to pre-mine conditions, except for the formation of extremely acid, As-rich pit lakes. At Baccu Locci, the main primary source is arsenopyrite; arsenic dispersion is essentially due to the past unwise practice of discarding mine tailings into the nearby creek. Arsenic is slowly released from residual arsenopyrite and temporary secondary mineral traps such as Fe-oxyhydroxides, causing contamination of soils and waters as far as 10 km downstream of the mine

Design and Characterization of Modified Comb Patch Antennas

This work deals with the proposal of a novel type of microstrip antenna, called MCPA the modified comb patch antenna. The proposed antennas is composed of n parallel conductors, fed by a common microstrip. A dedicated mathematical framework, based on the multiconductors transmission line formalism, is proposed for antenna analysis and design. The analytical model is numerically validated with full-wave simulations, resulting in a 5% error in the predicted resonant patch length. A numerical study of antenna matching, size, radiation performance is carried out. The matching increases as the number of conductors increases, whilst gain of comb antennas made of n conductors are about half dB higher than the equivalent full patch counterpart. Then, an eighty conductors was realized and measured to assess the frequency response of the antenna, as well as its radiation performances. An error of 1% between the predicted and measured value resonance frequency was observed. A difference of about 0.67 dB was found for the measured maximum antenna gain, with respect to the simulated one. The proposed antenna design is appealing for printed electronics and wearable, on-textile applications

Deficiency in interferon type 1 receptor improves definitive erythropoiesis in Klf1 null mice

A key regulatory gene in definitive erythropoiesis is the transcription factor Krüppel-like factor 1 (Klf1). Klf1 null mice die in utero by day 15.5 (E15.5) due to impaired definitive erythropoiesis and severe anemia. Definitive erythropoiesis takes place in erythroblastic islands in mammals. Erythroblastic islands are formed by a central macrophage (Central Macrophage of Erythroblastic Island, CMEI) surrounded by maturating erythroblasts. Interferon-β (IFN-β) is activated in the fetal liver’s CMEI of Klf1 null mice. The inhibitory effect of IFN-β on erythropoiesis is known and, therefore, we speculated that IFN-β could have contributed to the impairment of definitive erythropoiesis in Klf1 knockout (KO) mice fetal liver. To validate this hypothesis, in this work we determined whether the inactivation of type I interferon receptor (Ifnar1) would ameliorate the phenotype of Klf1 KO mice by improving the lethal anemia. Our results show a prolonged survival of Klf1/Ifnar1 double KO embryos, with an improvement of the definitive erythropoiesis and erythroblast enucleation, together with a longer lifespan of CMEI in the fetal liver and also a restoration of the apoptotic program. Our data indicate that the cytotoxic effect of IFN-β activation in CMEI contribute to the impairment of definitive erythropoiesis associated with Klf1 deprivation

Nurses’ behavior regarding pain treatment in an emergency department: A single-center observational study

Purpose: The aim of this prospective study was to assess the behavior of emergency department (ED) nurses with regard to pain and their role in pain management in a real-life clinical setting. Methods: A total of 509 consecutive patients were enrolled during a 6-week period. A case-report form was used to collect data on nurses’ approaches to pain, time to analgesia provision, and patient-perceived quality of analgesia. Results: Triage nurses actively inquired about pain in almost every case, but they did not estimate pain intensity in a third of patients. In the majority of cases, triage nurses did not report pain-related findings to the physician, who was the only professional that could prescribe analgesia to patients. The assignment of the color-coding of triage by nurses appears to be related to the perceived severity of the clinical case and a more comprehensive evaluation of pain. More than half of patients were at least fairly satisfied with analgesia. Conclusion: Pain is increasingly screened during triage, but its comprehensive assessment and management still lack systematic application. We believe that further education and implementation of analgesia protocols may empower nurses to manage ED patients’ pain more effectively and in a more timely manner

Introduction: diverging or converging dynamics? EU and US policies in North Africa - an introduction

According to a number of scholars of international relations, the transatlantic relationship is going through a very significant and possibly irreversible crisis. It is claimed that the different reactions of the United States and the European Union to both September 11th and the war in Iraq were the catalyst for a rift that had been deepening for some time, leading to competition between the two actors. The literature on the foreign policy of the US and the EU in the Middle East and North Africa also points to this rift in order to explain the seemingly contradictory policies that the two actors implement in the region, with the US being more forceful in its attempts to export democracy and in supporting Israel while the EU adopts a less confrontational attitude and is perceived to be more friendly to the Palestinians. This article, which introduces a special issue on the nature of US and EU foreign policies in North Africa, argues on the contrary that the transatlantic rift does not really exist. While there are certainly differences in discourse and policies, both the EU and the US share the same concerns and have similar strategic objectives in the region, leading the two actors towards cooperation and division of labour rather than confrontation

Delta-Globin Gene Expression Is Enhanced in vivo by Interferon Type I

Beta hemoglobinopathies are widely spread monogenic lethal diseases. Delta-globin gene activation has been proposed as a possible approach for curing these pathologies. The therapeutic potential of delta-globin, the non-alpha component of Hemoglobin A2 (α2δ2; HbA2), has been demonstrated in a mouse model of beta thalassemia, while its anti-sickling effect, comparable to that of gamma globin, was established some time ago. Here we show that the delta-globin mRNA level is considerably increased in a Deoxyribonuclease II-alpha knockout mouse model in which type 1 interferon (interferon beta, IFNb) is activated. IFNb activation in the fetal liver improves the delta-globin mRNA level, while the beta-globin mRNA level is significantly reduced. In addition, we show that HbA2 is significantly increased in patients with multiple sclerosis under type 1 interferon treatment. Our results represent a proof of principle that delta-globin expression can be enhanced through the use of molecules. This observation is potentially interesting in view of a pharmacological approach able to increase the HbA2 level

Social and Behavioral Rhythms is Related to the Perception of Quality of Life in Old Adults

Introduction: The purpose is to verify in old adults if social and behavioral rhythms (SBRs) are correlated with a positive perception of the quality of life (QoL). Social and behavioral rhythms and related circadian biorhythms are known as central points in the pathophysiology of bipolar disorders. A secondary aim is to see if a similar relationship can be found in Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) in old adults. Sample: 141 people aged ≥65 years (58.9% Female). Methods: Each subject was evaluated using the Social and Behavioral Rhythms Scale (in which higher scores show more dysfunctional SRBs); SF-12 for QoL and a screening tool for depressive symptoms. They underwent a medical evaluation and blood level assays including cholesterol and triglycerides. The medical diagnoses including MDD were taken into account. Results: The Social and Behavioral Rhythms Scale score correlated inversely with SF-12 score (p<0.001) and positively with PHQ9 (p<0.0001). People with MDD had a higher score on social rhythms than controls without (p<0.01). The study highlighted, for the first time, that social and behavioral rhythms have a role in old adults living in the community. Conclusion: Further longitudinal studies with a sufficient number of individuals will be required to confirm these data and clarify causal links of the association