The implication of neuroactive steroids in Tourette syndrome pathogenesis: a role for 5α-reductase?

This is the peer reviewed version of the following article: Bortolato, M., Frau, R., Godar, S. C., Mosher, L. J., Paba, S., Marrosu, F. and Devoto, P. (2013), The Implication of Neuroactive Steroids in Tourette's Syndrome Pathogenesis: A Role for 5α-Reductase?. J Neuroendocrinol, 25: 1196–1208. doi:10.1111/jne.12066, which has been published in final form at http://doi.org/10.1111/jne.12066. This article may be used for non-commercial purposes in accordance with Wiley Terms and Conditions for Self-Archiving.Tourette syndrome (TS) is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by recurring motor and phonic tics. The pathogenesis of TS is thought to reflect dysregulations in the signaling of dopamine (DA) and other neurotransmitters, which lead to excitation/inhibition imbalances in cortico-striato-thalamocortical circuits. The causes of these deficits may reflect complex gene × environment × sex (G×E×S) interactions; indeed, the disorder is markedly predominant in males, with a male-to-female prevalence ratio of ~4:1. Converging lines of evidence point to neuroactive steroids as likely molecular candidates to account for GxExS interactions in TS. Building on these premises, our group has begun examining the possibility that alterations in the steroid biosynthetic process may be directly implicated in TS pathophysiology; in particular, our research has focused on 5α-reductase (5αR), the enzyme catalyzing the key rate-limiting step in the synthesis of pregnane and androstane neurosteroids. In clinical and preclinical studies, we found that 5αR inhibitors exerted marked anti-DAergic and tic-suppressing properties, suggesting a central role for this enzyme in TS pathogenesis. Based on these data, we hypothesize that enhancements in 5αR activity in early developmental stages may lead to an inappropriate activation of the “backdoor” pathway for androgen synthesis from adrenarche until the end of puberty. We predict that the ensuing imbalances in steroid homeostasis may impair the signaling of DA and other neurotransmitters, ultimately resulting in the facilitation of tics and other behavioral abnormalities in TS

More than gold - an interdisciplinary, complementary study of gilding materials and techniques in Baroque altarpieces from Portugal

The paper deals with an interdisciplinary and multi-technique study of gilding materials and techniques in several Portuguese altarpieces during the Baroque period, developed within a research project funded by the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (PTDC/EAT-EAT/116700/2010). Different microscopic techniques together with X-ray diffraction, X-ray micro-CT, micro-FTIR and micro-Raman spectroscopy were used to characterize the stratigraphic structure and gilding techniques of 49 samples taken from 7 altarpieces in the Lisbon/Cascais and Santarém areas. The research is also a comparative study between the gilding materials and techniques used in altarpieces from the same historical period but in two different geographical areas.El artículo presenta un estudio interdisciplinar y multi-técnico de los materiales y de las técnicas de dorado en varios retablos portugueses del periodo Barroco, desarrollado durante un proyecto de investigación financiado por la Fundação para Ciência e Tecnologia en Portugal (PTDC/EAT-EAT/116700/2010). Técnicas microscópicas junto con la difracción de rayos X, tomografia microcomputerizada, espectroscopias de micro-FTIR y micro-Raman fueron empleadas para caracterizar la estrutura estratigráfica de 49 muestras procedentes de 7 retablos de las áreas de Lisboa/Cascais y Santàrem. La investigación pretende también constituir un estudio comparativo entre materiales y técnicas de dorado utilizadas en retablos del mismo periodo histórico aunque de áreas geográficas diferentes.O artigo apresenta um estudo interdisciplinar e multi-técnica dos materiais e das técnicas de douramento em vários retábulos Portugueses da época Barroca, desenvolvido durante um projecto de investigação financiado pela Fundação para Ciência e Tecnologia em Portugal (PTDC/EAT-EAT/116700/2010). Foram usadas técnicas microscópicas, em conjunto com difracção de raios X, microtomografia computadorizada de raios X, espectroscopias de microFTIR e microRaman para caracterizar a estrutura estratigráfica de 49 amostras provenientes de 7 retábulos das áreas de Lisboa/Cascais e de Santarém. A investigação pretende ser também um estudo comparativo entre materiais e técnicas de douramento utilizados em retábulos do mesmo período histórico, mas provenientes de duas áreas geográficas diferentes

Planeamiento estratégico de la empresa grupo alimenticio Alba del Fonce S.A.S.

El Grupo Alimenticio Alba del Fonce es una compañía colombiana dedicada al procesamiento del cacao, café y cereales desde 1986. Actualmente, ocupa el quinto lugar del ranking de empresas productoras de chocolate de mesa a nivel nacional; sus principales competidores son Compañía Nacional de Chocolates, Casa Luker, Girones e Industrias Alimenticias Valenpa. El principal producto de la compañía es el chocolate de mesa que corresponde al 74,4% de sus ingresos, el cual es símbolo de la cultura colombiana y se consume diariamente en los hogares. Este plan busca diseñar las estrategias que llevarán a la compañía al cumplimiento de su visión al 2024. Esto se realizó mediante el análisis interno y externo de la compañía identificando las fortalezas, debilidades, oportunidades y amenazas. Asimismo, se diseñaron cinco objetivos a largo plazo para incrementar la utilidad neta, los ingresos, la producción, potenciar la exportación al mercado americano e iniciar las ventas en el mercado español; esto permitirá posicionar la empresa en el cuarto lugar del ranking de la industria. Para lograr sus objetivos, la empresa deberá aplicar estrategias de desarrollo de mercados, diversificación de productos, ampliación de la capacidad productiva, integración vertical con proveedores y generación de alianzas estratégicas. La empresa tiene un reto importante en el desarrollo de sus estrategias para generar un valor agregado en el mercado y contribuir al fomento de la sostenibilidad ambiental, social y económica.Grupo Alimenticio Alba del Fonce is a Colombian company dedicated to process cocoa, coffee and cereals since 1986. Currently, it occupies the fifth place nationally in the ranking of companies producing chocolate tablets; whose main competitors are Compañía Nacional de Chocolates, Casa Luker, Girones and Industrias Alimenticias Valenpa. The primary product of the company is chocolate tablets, which corresponds to 74.4% of its income and is a symbol of Colombian culture that is consumed daily in homes. This plan seeks to design strategies that will lead the company to fulfill its vision by 2024. This was done through internal and external analysis of the company, identifying strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. In addition, this plan also design five longterm objectives to increase net income, production, boost exports to the American market and initiate sales in the Spanish market. This new situation will allow the company to be on a better position in the industry maket: the fourth place. In orderto achieve these objectives, the company must apply market development strategies, product diversification, expansion of productive capacity, vertical integration with suppliers and generate strategic alliances. The company has a significant challenge in the development of its strategies in order to generate added value in the market and contribute to the promotion of environmental, social and economic sustainability.Tesi

Robot, ICT e globalizzazione: gli effetti sui mercati del lavoro locali in Italia. (Robots, ICT and globalization: effects on local labour markets in Italy)

Italy, like other advanced economies, is in the midst of a profound transformation of the production system. At the heart of these processes are two long-term shocks: exposure to competition from emerging and newly industrialized countries and exposure to new digital technologies (ICT and robots). Starting from the works of Acemoglu and Restrepo (2017) for the United States and Dauth, Findeisen, Südekum and Woessner (2017) for Germany, an empirical analysis of the impact of digitalization and globalization on the employment dynamics of the Italian local labour markets (SLL) is proposed. To this end, a database has been built that unifies the structural data on ISTAT SLLs for the period 1991-2011 with data on robots from IFR (International Federation of Robotics). The database integrated the data on investments in ITC technologies, provided by EU-KLEMS, the data relating to the trade flows of WITS (World Integrated Trade Solution, World Bank) and, lastly, COMTRADE (UN) data. The analysis highlights two results. The first result is that, in the recent history of Italian economic development, the fall in manufacturing employment is due to a much greater extent to competition from emerging and newly industrialized countries compared to the digitization process. The second result is that both in relation to digitization and in relation to globalization the effects on the whole country are far from homogeneous. The effects are spread across the territory according to the different exposure and the different characteristics of the local productive system that suffer the two shocks. In this sense, SLLs are the necessary tool to understand who wins and who loses

More than gold - an interdisciplinary, complementary study of gilding materials and techniques in Baroque altarpieces from Portugal

The paper deals with an interdisciplinary and multi-technique study of gilding materials and techniques in several Portuguese altarpieces during the Baroque period, developed within a research project funded by the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (PTDC/EAT-EAT/116700/2010). Different microscopic techniques together with X-ray diffraction, X-ray micro-CT, micro-FTIR and micro-Raman spectroscopy were used to characterize the stratigraphic structure and gilding techniques of 49 samples taken from 7 altarpieces in the Lisbon/Cascais and Santarém areas. The research is also a comparative study between the gilding materials and techniques used in altarpieces from the same historical period but in two different geographical areas.El artículo presenta un estudio interdisciplinar y multi-técnico de los materiales y de las técnicas de dorado en varios retablos portugueses del periodo Barroco, desarrollado durante un proyecto de investigación financiado por la Fundação para Ciência e Tecnologia en Portugal (PTDC/EAT-EAT/116700/2010). Técnicas microscópicas junto con la difracción de rayos X, tomografia microcomputerizada, espectroscopias de micro-FTIR y micro-Raman fueron empleadas para caracterizar la estrutura estratigráfica de 49 muestras procedentes de 7 retablos de las áreas de Lisboa/Cascais y Santàrem. La investigación pretende también constituir un estudio comparativo entre materiales y técnicas de dorado utilizadas en retablos del mismo periodo histórico aunque de áreas geográficas diferentes.O artigo apresenta um estudo interdisciplinar e multi-técnica dos materiais e das técnicas de douramento em vários retábulos Portugueses da época Barroca, desenvolvido durante um projecto de investigação financiado pela Fundação para Ciência e Tecnologia em Portugal (PTDC/EAT-EAT/116700/2010). Foram usadas técnicas microscópicas, em conjunto com difracção de raios X, microtomografia computadorizada de raios X, espectroscopias de microFTIR e microRaman para caracterizar a estrutura estratigráfica de 49 amostras provenientes de 7 retábulos das áreas de Lisboa/Cascais e de Santarém. A investigação pretende ser também um estudo comparativo entre materiais e técnicas de douramento utilizados em retábulos do mesmo período histórico, mas provenientes de duas áreas geográficas diferentes

Hyperspectral sensor for gypsum detection on monumental buildings

A portable hyperspectral device (ASD-FieldSpec FR Pro) has been employed for the characterization of alterations affecting the marble facade of the Santa Maria Novella church (XIII cent.) in Florence (Italy). The ASD-FieldSpec FR Pro collects the reflectance spectra of a selected target area (about 1.5 cm2). The spectra of calcite, gypsum and other mineral phases commonly occurring on outdoor surfaces exposed to the urban atmosphere were collected and presented. The spectral features of alteration minerals (depth of reflectance minima) appear to be affected by grain size, phase abundance in addition to lightness (L*) of the target area. Notwithstanding these limitations, the spectra may be used for a qualitative screening of the alteration and, under reasonable assumptions, the reflectance band depth may be used also for quantitative estimation of phase abundance. The monitoring of the conservation state of outdoor surfaces is considered of fundamental importance to plan conservative interventions on historical buildings. Our results point out that portable hyperspectral instruments may be considered as powerful tools for characterizing historical surfaces in a nondestructive and noninvasive way