ULTRASONOGRAFIA TRANSRETAL PARA DETERMINAÇÃO DE GESTAÇÃO PRECOCE EM BORREGAS DA RAÇA SARDA

Serial transrectal ultrasound examinations were performed to determine the earliest day at which pregnancy could be detected after mating, as well as to determine the practicability of the method at normal flock management conditions without previous fasting and water restriction. Transrectal ultrasound was carried out daily from day 12th to 25th and once on day 35th after breeding in Sarda breed yearling ewe lambs. The feasibility of the method was evaluated in terms of necessity or not to remove rectal feces during examinations, adequacy to perform examination due to rectal conditions (gases, edema, etc.), adequacy to visualize uterine and ovarian structures and to make accurate pregnancy diagnosis based on uterine findings. The experiment showed that transrectal ultrasound examinations can be suitably used for early pregnancy diagnosis in yearling ewe lambs, without the necessity of previous fasting, lifting the abdomen up and restraining the animals in recumbent position. The transrectal ultrasound method showed to be practicable during daily management of the flock, in terms of animal feeding, watering and staff availability.Exames ultrasonográficos transretais em série foram realizados para determinar o primeiro dia no qual a gestação poderia ser diagnosticada após acasalamento e para determinar a praticidade do uso do método, em condições normais de manejo dos animais sem prévio jejum e restrição de água. A ultrasonografia transretal foi feita diariamente desde o 12º até o 25º dias e uma vez no 35º dia após acasalamento, em borregas de um ano de idade da raça sarda. Os parâmetros utilizados para verificar a praticidade do método foram a necessidade ou não de remover as fezes do reto durante os exames, a possibilidade de fazer o exame devido às condições retais (gases, edema, etc.), a possibilidade de visualizar estruturas uterinas e ovarianas, e a possibilidade de fazer acurado diagnóstico de gestação com base em achados uterinos. O experimento mostrou que  o exame ultrasonográfico transretal  pode ser usado com sucesso no diagnóstico precoce da gestação em borregas de 1 ano de idade, sem a necessidade de prévio jejum alimentar, sem  elevação do abdômen durante o exame e sem a necessidade de manter as borregas em decúbito dorsal. Verificou-se que o método é prático e pode ser utilizado  durante o manejo diário do rebanho, em termos de alimentação e de disponibilidade de pessoal auxiliar

Reconnection nanojets in the solar corona

P.A. acknowledges STFC support from grant numbers ST/R004285/2 and ST/T000384/1 and support from the International Space Science Institute, Bern, Switzerland to the International Teams on ‘Implications for coronal heating and magnetic fields from coronal rain observations and modeling’ and ‘Observed Multi-Scale Variability of Coronal Loops as a Probe of Coronal Heating’. This project has received funding from the European Research Council (ERC) under the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme (grant agreement no. 647214). P.T. was also supported by contracts 8100002705 and SP02H1701R from Lockheed-Martin to the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory (SAO), and NASA contract NNM07AB07C to the SAO.The solar corona is shaped and mysteriously heated to millions of degrees by the Sun’s magnetic field. It has long been hypothesized that the heating results from a myriad of tiny magnetic energy outbursts called nanoflares, driven by the fundamental process of magnetic reconnection. Misaligned magnetic field lines can break and reconnect, producing nanoflares in avalanche-like processes. However, no direct and unique observations of such nanoflares exist to date, and the lack of a smoking gun has cast doubt on the possibility of solving the coronal heating problem. From coordinated multi-band high-resolution observations, we report on the discovery of very fast and bursty nanojets, the telltale signature of reconnection-based nanoflares resulting in coronal heating. Using state-of-the-art numerical simulations, we demonstrate that the nanojet is a consequence of the slingshot effect from the magnetically tensed, curved magnetic field lines reconnecting at small angles. Nanojets are therefore the key signature of reconnection-based coronal heating in action.PostprintPeer reviewe

Pathogenic contribution of the Macrophage migration inhibitory factor family to major depressive disorder and emerging tailored therapeutic approaches.

Abstract Background Immunoinflammatory disorders are often accompanied by depression. Here, we review the available preclinical and clinical studies suggesting a role for the pro-inflammatory cytokine Macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) and the second member of the MIF family, D-dopachrome tautomerase (D-DT; DDT), in the pathogenesis of Major Depressive Disorders (MDD). Methods We prepared a narrative review from a search on PubMed of studies pertaining to MDD and MIF, as for October 2019. Both humans and animal studies haves been considered. Results Preclinical data show conflicting results on the role of endogenous MIF and DDT in depression. In contrast, several human studies show that circulating MIF levels tend to increase during the course of MDD. Higher levels of inflammatory biomarkers have also been associated with poorer responses to antidepressants and the levels of MIF significantly decrease after treatment, despite this may not be necessarily associated to an improvement in psychiatric symptoms. Limitations This is a narrative and not a systematic review of the literature on the involvement of MIF in MDD. We have highlighted studies performed in humans and in animal models, irrespective of population size and methodological approach. Conclusions This review highlights a role of MIF, and possibly DDT, in the pathogenesis of MDD. Whilst studies in animal models are discordant, the studies in patients with MDD convergently suggest that MIF plays a role in induction and maintenance of the disease. Additional studies are also needed on DDT that often displays synergistic function with MIF and their receptors

RN4CAST@IT-Ped: Nurse staffing and children's safety

Some authors argue that it is not longer ethically correct to expose hospitalized patients to death risks associated with understaffing (Nickitas, 2014). Also the Care Quality Commission (CQC, an independent regulator of all health and social care services in England) has included staffing levels as one of the auditing quality standards when inspecting hospitals and health centres. The Royal College of Nursing, in its document Mandatory Nurse Staffing Levels (RCN, 2012), clearly defined which nurse staffing levels should be adopted by policy makers to ensure the provision of safe care. However, even in the UK where such pressure exists there are no legally defined nurse staffing levels

Probing the physics of the solar atmosphere with the Multi-slit Solar Explorer (MUSE). I. Coronal heating

Funding: I.D.M. has received support from the UK Science and Technology Facilities Council (Consolidated grant ST/K000950/1), the European Union Horizon 2020 research and innovation program (grant agreement No. 647214), and the Research Council of Norway through its Centres of Excellence scheme, project number 262622.The Multi-slit Solar Explorer (MUSE) is a proposed mission composed of a multislit extreme ultraviolet (EUV) spectrograph (in three spectral bands around 171 Å, 284 Å, and 108 Å) and an EUV context imager (in two passbands around 195 Å and 304 Å). MUSE will provide unprecedented spectral and imaging diagnostics of the solar corona at high spatial (≤0.″5) and temporal resolution (down to ∼0.5 s for sit-and-stare observations), thanks to its innovative multislit design. By obtaining spectra in four bright EUV lines (Fe ix 171 Å, Fe xv 284 Å, Fe xix–Fe xxi 108 Å) covering a wide range of transition regions and coronal temperatures along 37 slits simultaneously, MUSE will, for the first time, “freeze” (at a cadence as short as 10 s) with a spectroscopic raster the evolution of the dynamic coronal plasma over a wide range of scales: from the spatial scales on which energy is released (≤0.″5) to the large-scale (∼170″ × 170″) atmospheric response. We use numerical modeling to showcase how MUSE will constrain the properties of the solar atmosphere on spatiotemporal scales (≤0.″5, ≤20 s) and the large field of view on which state-of-the-art models of the physical processes that drive coronal heating, flares, and coronal mass ejections (CMEs) make distinguishing and testable predictions. We describe the synergy between MUSE, the single-slit, high-resolution Solar-C EUVST spectrograph, and ground-based observatories (DKIST and others), and the critical role MUSE plays because of the multiscale nature of the physical processes involved. In this first paper, we focus on coronal heating mechanisms. An accompanying paper focuses on flares and CMEs.Publisher PDFPeer reviewe

Results of the first European Source Apportionment intercomparison for Receptor and Chemical Transport Models

In this study, the performance of the source apportionment model applications were evaluated by comparing the model results provided by 44 participants adopting a methodology based on performance indicators: z-scores and RMSEu, with pre-established acceptability criteria. Involving models based on completely different and independent input data, such as receptor models (RMs) and chemical transport models (CTMs), provided a unique opportunity to cross-validate them. In addition, comparing the modelled source chemical profiles, with those measured directly at the source contributed to corroborate the chemical profile of the tested model results. The most used RM was EPA- PMF5. RMs showed very good performance for the overall dataset (91% of z-scores accepted) and more difficulties are observed with SCE time series (72% of RMSEu accepted). Industry resulted the most problematic source for RMs due to the high variability among participants. Also the results obtained with CTMs were quite comparable to their ensemble reference using all models for the overall average (>92% of successful z-scores) while the comparability of the time series is more problematic (between 58% and 77% of the candidates’ RMSEu are accepted). In the CTM models a gap was observed between the sum of source contributions and the gravimetric PM10 mass likely due to PM underestimation in the base case. Interestingly, when only the tagged species CTM results were used in the reference, the differences between the two CTM approaches (brute force and tagged species) were evident. In this case the percentage of candidates passing the z-score and RMSEu tests were only 50% and 86%, respectively. CTMs showed good comparability with RMs for the overall dataset (83% of the z-scores accepted), more differences were observed when dealing with the time series of the single source categories. In this case the share of successful RMSEu was in the range 25% - 34%.JRC.C.5-Air and Climat

Magnetic resonance-guided focused ultrasound unilateral thalamotomy for medically refractory essential tremor: 3-year follow-up data

IntroductionMagnetic resonance–guided focused ultrasound (MRgFUS) thalamotomy of the ventralis intermediate (Vim) nucleus is an “incisionless” treatment for medically refractory essential tremor (ET). We present data on 49 consecutive cases of MRgFUS Vim thalamotomy followed-up for 3 years and review the literature on studies with longer follow-up data.MethodsA retrospective chart review of patients who underwent MRgFUS thalamotomy (January 2018–December 2020) at our institution was performed. Clinical Rating Scale for Tremor (CRST) and Quality of Life in Essential Tremor (QUEST) scores were obtained pre-operatively and at each follow-up with an assessment of side effects. Patients had post-operative magnetic resonance imaging within 24 h and at 1 month to figure out lesion location, size, and extent. The results of studies with follow-up ≥3 years were summarized through a literature review.ResultsThe CRST total (baseline: 58.6 ± 17.1, 3-year: 40.8 ± 18.0) and subscale scores (A + B, baseline: 23.5 ± 6.3, 3-year: 12.8 ± 7.9; C, baseline: 12.7 ± 4.3, 3-year: 5.8 ± 3.9) and the QUEST score (baseline: 38.0 ± 14.8, 3-year: 18.7 ± 13.3) showed significant improvement that was stable during the 3-year follow-up. Three patients reported tremor recurrence and two were satisfactorily retreated. Side effects were reported by 44% of patients (severe: 4%, mild and transient: 40%). The improvement in tremor and quality of life in our cohort was consistent with the literature.ConclusionWe confirmed the effectiveness and safety of MRgFUS Vim thalamotomy in medically refractory ET up to 3 years

HADES RV Programme with HARPS-N at TNG. XIII. A sub-Neptune around the M dwarf GJ 720 A

Context. The high number of super-Earth and Earth-like planets in the habitable zone detected around M-dwarf stars in recent years has revealed these stellar objects to be the key to planetary radial velocity (RV) searches. Aims: Using the HARPS-N spectrograph within The HArps-n red Dwarf Exoplanet Survey (HADES) we have reached the precision needed to detect small planets with a few Earth masses using the spectroscopic radial velocity technique. HADES is mainly focused on the M-dwarf population of the northern hemisphere. Methods: We obtained 138 HARPS-N RV measurements between 2013 May and 2020 September of GJ 720 A, classified as an M0.5 V star located at a distance of 15.56 pc. To characterize the stellar variability and to distinguish the periodic variation due to the Keplerian signals from those related to stellar activity, the HARPS-N spectroscopic activity indicators and the simultaneous photometric observations with the APACHE and EXORAP transit surveys were analyzed. We also took advantage of TESS, MEarth, and SuperWASP photometric surveys. The combined analysis of HARPS-N RVs and activity indicators let us address the nature of the periodic signals. The final model and the orbital planetary parameters were obtained by simultaneously fitting the stellar variability and the Keplerian signal using a Gaussian process regression and following a Bayesian criterion. Results: The HARPS-N RV periodic signals around 40 days and 100 days have counterparts at the same frequencies in HARPS-N activity indicators and photometric light curves. We thus attribute these periodicities to stellar activity; the first period is likely associated with the stellar rotation. GJ 720 A shows the most significant signal at 19.466 ± 0.005 days with no counterparts in any stellar activity indices. We hence ascribe this RV signal, having a semi-amplitude of 4.72 ± 0.27 m s−1, to the presence of a sub-Neptune mass planet. The planet GJ 720 Ab has a minimum mass of 13.64 ± 0.79 M⊕, it is in circular orbit at 0.119 ± 0.002 AU from its parent star, and lies inside the inner boundary of the habitable zone around its parent star. Based on observations collected at the Italian Telescopio Nazionale Galileo (TNG), operated on the island of La Palma by the Fundación Galileo Galilei of the INAF (Istituto Nazionale di Astrofisica) at the Spanish Observatorio del Roque de los Muchachos of the Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias, in the framework of the HArps-n red Dwarf Exoplanet Survey (HADES)

The association between insight and depressive symptoms in schizophrenia: Undirected and Bayesian network analyses

Background. Greater levels of insight may be linked with depressive symptoms among patients with schizophrenia, however, it would be useful to characterize this association at symptom-level, in order to inform research on interventions. Methods. Data on depressive symptoms (Calgary Depression Scale for Schizophrenia) and insight (G12 item from the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale) were obtained from 921 community-dwelling, clinically-stable individuals with a DSM-IV diagnosis of schizophrenia, recruited in a nationwide multicenter study. Network analysis was used to explore the most relevant connections between insight and depressive symptoms, including potential confounders in the model (neurocognitive and social-cognitive functioning, positive, negative and disorganization symptoms, extrapyramidal symptoms, hostility, internalized stigma, and perceived discrimination). Bayesian network analysis was used to estimate a directed acyclic graph (DAG) while investigating the most likely direction of the putative causal association between insight and depression. Results. After adjusting for confounders, better levels of insight were associated with greater self-depreciation, pathological guilt, morning depression and suicidal ideation. No difference in global network structure was detected for socioeconomic status, service engagement or illness severity. The DAG confirmed the presence of an association between greater insight and self-depreciation, suggesting the more probable causal direction was from insight to depressive symptoms. Conclusions. In schizophrenia, better levels of insight may cause self-depreciation and, possibly, other depressive symptoms. Person-centered and narrative psychotherapeutic approaches may be particularly fit to improve patient insight without dampening self-esteem

HADES RV programme with HARPS-N at TNG. XIV. A candidate super-Earth orbiting the M-dwarf GJ 9689 with a period close to half the stellar rotation period

Context. It is now well-established that small, rocky planets are common around low-mass stars. However, the detection of such planets is challenged by the short-term activity of host stars. Aims: The HARPS-N red Dwarf Exoplanet Survey programme is a long-term project at the Telescopio Nazionale Galileo aimed at monitoring nearby, early-type, M dwarfs, using the HARPS-N spectrograph to search for small, rocky planets. Methods: A total of 174 HARPS-N spectroscopic observations of the M0.5V-type star GJ 9689 taken over the past seven years have been analysed. We combined these data with photometric measurements to disentangle signals related to the stellar activity of the star from possible Keplerian signals in the radial velocity data. We ran an MCMC analysis, applying Gaussian process regression techniques to model the signals present in the data. Results: We identify two periodic signals in the radial velocity time series, with periods of 18.27 and 39.31 d. The analysis of the activity indexes, photometric data, and wavelength dependency of the signals reveals that the 39.31 d signal corresponds to the stellar rotation period. On the other hand, the 18.27 d signal shows no relation to any activity proxy or the first harmonic of the rotation period. We, therefore, identify it as a genuine Keplerian signal. The best-fit model describing the newly found planet, GJ 9689 b, corresponds to an orbital period of Pb = 18.27 ± 0.01 d and a minimum mass of MP sini = 9.65 ± 1.41 M⊕. Table A.1 is only available in electronic form at the CDS via anonymous ftp to cdsarc.u-strasbg.fr (ftp://130.79.128.5) or via http://cdsarc.u-strasbg.fr/viz-bin/cat/J/A+A/651/A93 Based on observations made with the Italian Telescopio Nazionale Galileo (TNG) operated by the Fundación Galileo Galilei (FGG) of the Istituto Nazionale di Astrofisica (INAF) at the Observatorio del Roque de los Muchachos (La Palma, Canary Islands, Spain)