1,676 research outputs found
Morphometry and debris-flow susceptibility map in mountain drainage basins of the Vallo di Diano, southern Italy
In watershed mountain basins, affected in the last decades by strong rainfall events, the role of debris-flow and debris flood processes was investigated. Morphometric parameters have proven to be useful first-approximation indicators in discriminating those processes, especially in large areas of investigation. Computation of morphometric parameters in 19 watershed mountain basins of the western side valley of the Vallo di Diano intermontane basin (southern Italy) was carried out. This procedure was integrated by a semi-automatic elaboration of the potential susceptibility to debris flows, using Flow-R modelling. This software, providing an empirical model of the preliminary susceptibility assessment at a regional scale, was applied in many countries of the world. The implementation of Flow-R modelling requires a GIS application and some thematic base maps extracted using DEMs analysis. A 5-meter-resolution DEM has been used in order to produce the susceptibility maps of the whole study area, and the results are compared and discussed with the real debris flow/flood events that occurred in 1993, 2005, 2010, and 2017 in the studied area. The results have provided a good reliability of Flow-R modelling within small catchment mountain basins
NEMO regulates a cell death switch in TNF signaling by inhibiting recruitment of RIPK3 to the cell death-inducing complex II
Incontinentia Pigmenti (IP) is a rare X-linked disease characterized by early male lethality and multiple abnormalities in heterozygous females. IP is caused by NF-ÎșB essential modulator (NEMO) mutations. The current mechanistic model suggests that NEMO functions as a crucial component mediating the recruitment of the IÎșB-kinase (IKK) complex to tumor necrosis factor receptor 1 (TNF-R1), thus allowing activation of the pro-survival NF-ÎșB response. However, recent studies have suggested that gene activation and cell death inhibition are two independent activities of NEMO. Here we describe that cells expressing the IP-associated NEMO-A323P mutant had completely abrogated TNF-induced NF-ÎșB activation, but retained partial antiapoptotic activity and exhibited high sensitivity to death by necroptosis. We found that robust caspase activation in NEMO-deficient cells is concomitant with RIPK3 recruitment to the apoptosis-mediating complex. In contrast, cells expressing the ubiquitin-binding mutant NEMO-A323P did not recruit RIPK3 to complex II, an event that prevented caspase activation. Hence NEMO, independently from NF-ÎșB activation, represents per se a key component in the structural and functional dynamics of the different TNF-R1-induced complexes. Alteration of this process may result in differing cellular outcomes and, consequently, also pathological effects in IP patients with different NEMO mutations
A simple asthma prediction tool for preschool children with wheeze or cough
BACKGROUND
Many preschool children have wheeze or cough, but only some have asthma later. Existing prediction tools are difficult to apply in clinical practice or exhibit methodological weaknesses.
OBJECTIVE
We sought to develop a simple and robust tool for predicting asthma at school age in preschool children with wheeze or cough.
METHODS
From a population-based cohort in Leicestershire, United Kingdom, we included 1- to 3-year-old subjects seeing a doctor for wheeze or cough and assessed the prevalence of asthma 5 years later. We considered only noninvasive predictors that are easy to assess in primary care: demographic and perinatal data, eczema, upper and lower respiratory tract symptoms, and family history of atopy. We developed a model using logistic regression, avoided overfitting with the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator penalty, and then simplified it to a practical tool. We performed internal validation and assessed its predictive performance using the scaled Brier score and the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve.
RESULTS
Of 1226 symptomatic children with follow-up information, 345 (28%) had asthma 5 years later. The tool consists of 10 predictors yielding a total score between 0 and 15: sex, age, wheeze without colds, wheeze frequency, activity disturbance, shortness of breath, exercise-related and aeroallergen-related wheeze/cough, eczema, and parental history of asthma/bronchitis. The scaled Brier scores for the internally validated model and tool were 0.20 and 0.16, and the areas under the receiver operating characteristic curves were 0.76 and 0.74, respectively.
CONCLUSION
This tool represents a simple, low-cost, and noninvasive method to predict the risk of later asthma in symptomatic preschool children, which is ready to be tested in other populations
Synthesis and Pharmacology of Halogenated ÎŽ-Opiod Selective [\u3csub\u3eD\u3c/sub\u3eAla\u3csup\u3e2\u3c/sup\u3e] Deltorphin II Peptide Analogs
Deltorphins are naturally occurring peptides produced by the skin of the giant monkey frog (Phyllomedusa bicolor). They are ÎŽ-opioid receptor-selective agonists. Herein, we report the design and synthesis of a peptide, Tyr-d-Ala-(pI)Phe-Glu-Ile-Ile-Gly-NH2 3 (GATE3-8), based on the [d-Ala2]deltorphin II template, which is ÎŽ-selective in in vitro radioligand binding assays over the ÎŒ- and Îș-opioid receptors. It is a full agonist in [35S]GTPÎłS functional assays and analgesic when administered supraspinally to mice. Analgesia of 3 (GATE3-8) is blocked by the selective ÎŽ receptor antagonist naltrindole, indicating that the analgesic action of 3 is mediated by the ÎŽ-opioid receptor. We have established a radioligand in which 125I is incorporated into 3 (GATE3-8). The radioligand has a KD of 0.1 nM in Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells expressing the ÎŽ receptor. Additionally, a series of peptides based on 3 (GATE3-8) was synthesized by incorporating various halogens in the para position on the aromatic ring of Phe3. The peptides were characterized for binding affinity at the ÎŒ-, ÎŽ-, and Îș-opioid receptors, which showed a linear correlation between binding affinity and the size of the halogen substituent. These peptides may be interesting tools for probing ÎŽ-opioid receptor pharmacology
A Geological Itinerary Through the Southern Apennine Thrust-Belt (BasilicataâSouthern Italy)
Open access via Springer Compact AgreementPeer reviewedPublisher PD
Ammonia Emissions from Twelve U.S. Broiler Chicken Houses
Twelve commercial broiler houses in the U.S. were each monitored for at least thirteen 48 h periods over the course of one year to obtain ammonia emission data. Paired repetition of houses on four farms represents current construction with variety in litter management (built-up or new litter each flock) and climate conditions (cold or mixed-humid). Ammonia concentration was determined using portable electrochemical sensors incorporating a fresh air purge cycle. Ventilation rate was determined via in-situ measurement of fan capacity, fan on-off times, and house static pressure difference. There were seasonal trends in exhaust ammonia concentration (highest in cold weather) and ventilation rates (highest in warm weather) but not for emission rate. Flocks with at least three monitoring periods (13 of 22 flocks) demonstrated similar emission rates at a given bird age among the four study farms and across the seasons. An analysis of emissions from all houses on the three farms using built-up litter resulted in predicted regression slopes of 0.028, 0.034, and 0.038 g NH3 bird-1 d-1 per day of age; the fourth farm, managed with new litter, had the lowest emission rate at 0.024 g NH3 bird-1 d-1. The intercept of these composite relationships was influenced by litter conditions, with flocks on new litter having essentially no emissions for about six days while built-up litter flocks had emissions starting at flock placement. Data from all four farms and all flocks provided a regression slope of 0.031(±0.001 std error) g NH3 bird-1 d-1 per day of age. Emission rate per animal unit for built-up litter flocks indicated very high emissions for the youngest birds (under 14 days of age), after which time the emissions decreased exponentially and were then relatively steady for the balance of the flock cycle
Serological markers for prediction of response to anti-tumor necrosis factor treatment in Crohn's disease
peer reviewedOBJECTIVES: The use of monoclonal anti-tumor necrosis factor (TNF) antibodies (infliximab, Remicade) is a new therapeutic approach for severe refractory luminal or fistulizing, Crohn's disease (CD). However, up to 30% of patients do not respond to this treatment. So far, no parameters predictive of response to anti-TNT have been identified. Our aim was to determine whether serological markers ASCA (anti-Saccharomyces cerevisiae antibodies) or pANCA (perinuclear antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies) could identify Crohn's patients likely to benefit from anti-TNF therapy. METHODS: Serum samples of 279 CID patients were analyzed for ASCA and pANCA before anti-TNF therapy. A blinded physician determined clinical response at week 4 (refractory luminal CD) or week 10 (fistulizing CD) after the first infusion of infliximab (5 mg/kg). RESULTS: Overall, there was no relationship between ASCA or pANCA and response to therapy. However, lower response rates were observed for patients with refractory intestinal disease carrying the pANCA+/ASCA- combination, although this lacked significance (p = 0.067). CONCLUSIONS: In this cohort of infliximab-treated patients, neither ASCA nor pANCA could predict response to treatment. However, the combination pANCA+/ASCA- might warrant further investigation for its value in predicting nonresponse in patients with refractory luminal disease
Breastfeeding, lung volumes and alveolar size at school-age
Background: Previous studies found larger lung volumes at school-age in formerly breastfed children, with some studies suggesting an effect modification by maternal asthma. We wanted to explore this further in children who had undergone extensive lung function testing. The current study aimed to assess whether breastfeeding was associated with larger lung volumes and, if so, whether all compartments were affected. We also assessed association of breastfeeding with apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC), which measures freedom of gas diffusion in alveolar-acinar compartments and is a surrogate of alveolar dimensions. Additionally, we assessed whether these effects were modified by maternal asthma.Methods: We analysed data from 111 children and young adults aged 11â21â
years, who had participated in detailed lung function testing, including spirometry, plethysmography and measurement of ADC of 3Helium (3He) by MR. Information on breastfeeding came from questionnaires applied in early childhood (age 1â4â
years). We determined the association between breastfeeding and these measurements using linear regression, controlling for potential confounders.Results: We did not find significant evidence for an association between duration of breastfeeding and lung volumes or alveolar dimensions in the entire sample. In breastfed children of mothers with asthma, we observed larger lung volumes and larger average alveolar size than in non-breastfed children, but the differences did not reach significance levels.Conclusions: Confirmation of effects of breastfeeding on lung volumes would have important implications for public health. Further investigations with larger sample sizes are warranted
Tools for Semi-automated Landform Classification: A Comparison in the Basilicata Region (Southern Italy)
Recent advances in spatial methods of digital elevation model
(DEMs) analysis have addressed many research topics on the assessment of
morphometric parameters of the landscape. Development of computer algorithms for calculating the geomorphometric properties of the Earthâs surface has
allowed for expanding of some methods in the semi-automatic recognition and
classification of landscape features. In such a way, several papers have been
produced, documenting the applicability of the landform classification based on
map algebra. The Topographic Position Index (TPI) is one of the most widely
used parameters for semi-automated landform classification using GIS software.
The aim was to apply the TPI classes for landform classification in the Basilicata
Region (Southern Italy). The Basilicata Region is characterized by an extremely
heterogeneous landscape and geological features. The automated landform
extraction, starting from two different resolution DEMs at 20 and 5 m-grids, has
been carried out by using three different GIS software: Arcview, Arcmap, and
SAGA. Comparison of the landform maps resulting from each software at a
different scale has been realized, furnishing at the end the best landform map and
consequently a discussion over which is the best software implementation of the
TPI method
Model-independent search for CP violation in D0âKâK+ÏâÏ+ and D0âÏâÏ+Ï+Ïâ decays
A search for CP violation in the phase-space structures of D0 and View the MathML source decays to the final states KâK+ÏâÏ+ and ÏâÏ+Ï+Ïâ is presented. The search is carried out with a data set corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 1.0 fbâ1 collected in 2011 by the LHCb experiment in pp collisions at a centre-of-mass energy of 7 TeV. For the KâK+ÏâÏ+ final state, the four-body phase space is divided into 32 bins, each bin with approximately 1800 decays. The p-value under the hypothesis of no CP violation is 9.1%, and in no bin is a CP asymmetry greater than 6.5% observed. The phase space of the ÏâÏ+Ï+Ïâ final state is partitioned into 128 bins, each bin with approximately 2500 decays. The p-value under the hypothesis of no CP violation is 41%, and in no bin is a CP asymmetry greater than 5.5% observed. All results are consistent with the hypothesis of no CP violation at the current sensitivity
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