Constraints on Ωm\Omega_\mathrm{m} and σ8\sigma_8 from the potential-based cluster temperature function

The abundance of galaxy clusters is in principle a powerful tool to constrain cosmological parameters, especially $\Omega_\mathrm{m}$ and $\sigma_8$, due to the exponential dependence in the high-mass regime. While the best observables are the X-ray temperature and luminosity, the abundance of galaxy clusters, however, is conventionally predicted as a function of mass. Hence, the intrinsic scatter and the uncertainties in the scaling relations between mass and either temperature or luminosity lower the reliability of galaxy clusters to constrain cosmological parameters. In this article, we further refine the X-ray temperature function for galaxy clusters by Angrick et al., which is based on the statistics of perturbations in the cosmic gravitational potential and proposed to replace the classical mass-based temperature function, by including a refined analytic merger model and compare the theoretical prediction to results from a cosmological hydrodynamical simulation. Although we find already a good agreement if we compare with a cluster temperature function based on the mass-weighted temperature, including a redshift-dependent scaling between mass-based and spectroscopic temperature yields even better agreement between theoretical model and numerical results. As a proof of concept, incorporating this additional scaling in our model, we constrain the cosmological parameters $\Omega_\mathrm{m}$ and $\sigma_8$ from an X-ray sample of galaxy clusters and tentatively find agreement with the recent cosmic microwave background based results from the Planck mission at 1$\sigma$-level.Comment: 10 pages, 5 figures, 2 tables; accepted by MNRAS; some typos correcte

Treatment decision-making capacity in children and adolescents hospitalized for an acute mental disorder: The role of cognitive functioning and psychiatric symptoms

OBJECTIVE: This study was conducted to assess treatment decision-making capacity (TDMC) in a child and adolescent psychiatric sample and to verify possible associations between TDMC, psychiatric symptom severity, and cognitive functioning. METHODS: Twenty-two consecutively recruited patients hospitalized for an acute mental disorder, aged 11-18 years, underwent measurement of TDMC by the MacArthur Competence Assessment Tool for Treatment (MacCAT-T). The MacCAT-T interview focused on patients' current treatment, which comprised second-generation antipsychotics (45.5%), first-generation antipsychotics (13.6%), antiepileptic drugs used as mood stabilizers or lithium carbonate (45.5%), selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (32%), and benzodiazepines (18%). We moreover measured cognitive functioning (Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children III) and psychiatric symptom severity (Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale v 4.0). RESULTS: Patients' TDMC varied within the sample, but MacCAT-T scores were good in the sample overall, suggesting that children and adolescents with severe mental disorders could be competent to consent to treatment. The TDMC proved independent of psychiatric diagnosis while being positively associated with cognitive functioning and negatively with excitement. CONCLUSION: The MacCAT-T proved feasible for measuring TDMC in a child and adolescent psychiatric sample. TDMC in minors with severe mental disorders was not necessarily impaired. These results deserve reconsidering the interplay between minors and surrogate decision-makers as concerning treatment decisions

Trinucleon Electromagnetic Form Factors and the Light-Front Hamiltonian Dynamics

This contribution briefly illustrates preliminary calculations of the electromagnetic form factors of $^3$He and $^3$H, obtained within the Light-front Relativistic Hamiltonian Dynamics, adopting i) a Poincar\'e covariant current operator, without dynamical two-body currents, and ii) realistic nuclear bound states with $S$, $P$ and $D$ waves. The kinematical region of few $(GeV/c)^2$, relevant for forthcoming TJLAB experiments, has been investigated, obtaining possible signatures of relativistic effects for $Q^2>2.5 ~(GeV/c)^2$.Comment: 8 Pages, 7 figures, aipproc.cls included. Proceedings of VIth Intl. Conf. on "Perspectives in Hadronic Physics", Trieste, May 2008. AIP serie

A non-invasive approach to monitor chronic lymphocytic leukemia engraftment in a xenograft mouse model using ultra-small superparamagnetic iron oxide-magnetic resonance imaging (USPIO-MRI).

This work was supported by: Associazione Italiana Ricerca sul Cancro (AIRC) [Grant 5 x mille n.9980, (to M.F., F.M. and A. N.)]; AIRC I.G. [n. 14,326 (to M.F.)], [n.10136 and 16,722 (A.N.)], [n.15426 (to F.F.)]. AIRC and Fondazione CaRiCal co-financed Multi Unit Regional Grant 2014 [n.16695 (to F.M.)]. Italian Ministry of Health 5 × 1000 funds (to F.F). A.G R. was supported by Associazione Italiana contro le Leucemie-Linfomi-Mielomi (AIL) Cosenza - Fondazione Amelia Scorza (FAS). S.M. C.M., F.V., L. E., S. B., were supported by AIRC.Peer reviewedPostprin

Three-month vs. one-year detraining effects after multicomponent exercise program in hypertensive older women

Background: Chronic diseases are the leading causes of death and disability in older women. Physical exercise training programs promote beneficial effects for health and quality of life. However, exercise interruption periods may be detrimental for the hemodynamic and lipidic profiles of hypertensive older women with dyslipidemia. Methods: Nineteen hypertensive older women with dyslipidemia (exercise group: 67.5 ± 5.4 years, 1.53 ± 3.42 m, 71.84 ± 7.45 kg) performed a supervised multicomponent exercise training program (METP) during nine months, followed by a one-year detraining period (DT), while fourteen hypertensive older women (control group: 66.4 ± 5.2 years, 1.56 ± 3.10 m, 69.38 ± 5.24 kg) with dyslipidemia kept their continued daily routine without exercise. For both groups, hemodynamic and lipidic profiles and functional capacities (FCs) were assessed four times: before and after the METP and after 3 and 12 months of DT (no exercise was carried out). Results: The METP improved hemodynamic and lipidic profiles (p < 0.05), while three months of DT decreased all (p < 0.05) parameters, with the exception of diastolic blood pressure (DBP). One year of DT significantly (p < 0.01) decreased systolic blood pressure (7.85%), DBP (2.29%), resting heart rate (7.95%), blood glucose (19.14%), total cholesterol (10.27%), triglycerides (6.92%) and FC—agility (4.24%), lower- (−12.75%) and upper-body strength (−12.17%), cardiorespiratory capacity (−4.81%) and lower- (−16.16%) and upper-body flexibility (−11.11%). Conclusion: Nine months of the exercise program significantly improved the hemodynamic and lipid profiles as well as the functional capacities of hypertensive older women with dyslipidemia. Although a detraining period is detrimental to these benefits, it seems that the first three months are more prominent in these alterations.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

New insights to assess the consolidation of stone materials used in built heritage: the case study of ancient graffiti (Tituli Picti) in the archaeological site of Pompeii

Abstract Tituli Picti are an ancient form of urban graffiti very common in the archaeological site of Pompeii (Naples, South—Italy). They are generally made of red pigments applied on walls of Campanian ignimbrite. This paper deals with a scientific investigation aimed to their conservation. This is a challenging task since it requires a multidisciplinary approach that includes restorers, archaeologists and conservation scientists. The study has provided suggestions on the proper way to conserve Tituli Picti over time. In the present work, several specimens of Campanian ignimbrite were painted with red earth pigment; lime and Arabic gum have been used as binders as well. Such painted stones were treated with three consolidants: a suspension of reactive nanoparticles of silica, ethyl silicate and an acrylic microemulsion. Treated and untreated specimens were subjected to thermal aging, artificial solar radiation and induced crystallization decay. It has been assessed the colorimetric variations induced by treatments. Moreover, the micromorphologic features of the consolidated surfaces have been highlighted by means of electron microscope observations. The scotch tape test allowed to compare the superficial cohesion induced by the three used products. According to the results, ethyl silicate seems to represent the most successful product

Design of an afocal telescope for the ARIEL mission

ARIEL (Atmospheric Remote-sensing Infrared Exoplanet Large-survey) is one of the three candidates for the next ESA medium-class science mission (M4) expected to be launched in 2026. This mission will be devoted to observe spectroscopically in the infrared (IR) a large population of known transiting planets in our Galaxy. ARIEL is based on a 1-m class telescope ahead of two spectrometer channels covering the band 1.95 to 7.8 microns. In addition there are four photometric channels: two wide band, also used as fine guidance sensors, and two narrow band. During its 3.5 years operations from L2 orbit, ARIEL will continuously observe exoplanets transiting their host star. The ARIEL design is conceived as a fore-module common afocal telescope that will feed the spectrometer and photometric channels. The telescope optical design is an off-axis portion of a two-mirror classic telescope coupled to a tertiary off-axis paraboloidal mirror providing a collimating output beam. The telescope and optical bench operating temperatures, as well as those of some subsystems, will be monitored and fine tuned/stabilised mainly by means of a thermal control subsystem (TCU - Telescope Control Unit) working in closed-loop feedback and hosted by the main Payload electronics unit, i.e. the Instrument Control Unit (ICU). In this paper the telescope requirements will be given together with the foreseen design. The technical solution chosen to passively cool the telescope unit will be detailed discussed

The afocal telescope of the ESA ARIEL mission: analysis of the layout

ARIEL (Atmospheric Remote-sensing Infrared Exoplanet Large-survey) is one of the three present candidates as an M4 ESA mission to be launched in 2026. During its foreseen 3.5 years operation, it will observe spectroscopically in the infrared a large population of known transiting planets in the neighborhood of the Solar System. The aim is to enable a deep understanding of the physics and chemistry of these exoplanets. ARIEL is based on a 1-m class telescope ahead of a suite of instruments: two spectrometer channels covering the band 1.95 to 7.8 μm and four photometric channels (two wide and two narrow band) in the range 0.5 to 1.9 μm. The ARIEL optical design is conceived as a fore-module common afocal telescope that will feed the spectrometer and photometric channels. The telescope optical design is based on an eccentric pupil two-mirror classic Cassegrain configuration coupled to a tertiary paraboloidal mirror. The temperature of the primary mirror (M1) will be monitored and finely tuned by means of an active thermal control system based on thermistors and heaters. They will be switched on and off to maintain the M1 temperature within ±1 K thanks to a proportional-integral-derivative (PID) controller implemented within the Telescope Control Unit (TCU), a Payload electronics subsystem mainly in charge of the active thermal control of the two detectors owning to the spectrometer. TCU will collect the housekeeping data of the controlled subsystems and will forward them to the spacecraft (S/C) by means of the Instrument Control Unit (ICU), the main Payload's electronic Unit linked to the S/C On Board Computer (OBC)