Beyond internet as tool: A mixed-methods study of online drug discussion

This thesis describes how internet use has shaped drug practices among Australians who engage in the recreational use of psychostimulants and hallucinogens (‘party drugs’) and participate in public internet forums. This thesis uniquely contributes to drugs research by applying theoretical frameworks from internet studies, finding that internet forums enable the consumption and production of drug information, facilitate the production of alternative online places, and are increasingly converged with offline social worlds

A compact light readout system for longitudinally segmented shashlik calorimeters

The longitudinal segmentation of shashlik calorimeters is challenged by dead zones and non-uniformities introduced by the light collection and readout system. This limitation can be overcome by direct fiber-photosensor coupling, avoiding routing and bundling of the wavelength shifter fibers and embedding ultra-compact photosensors (SiPMs) in the bulk of the calorimeter. We present the first experimental test of this readout scheme performed at the CERN PS-T9 beamline in 2015 with negative particles in the 1-5~GeV energy range. In this paper, we demonstrate that the scheme does not compromise the energy resolution and linearity compared with standard light collection and readout systems. In addition, we study the performance of the calorimeter for partially contained charged hadrons to assess the $e/\pi$ separation capability and the response of the photosensors to direct ionization.Comment: To appear in Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research,

Generic Modal Cut Elimination Applied to Conditional Logics

We develop a general criterion for cut elimination in sequent calculi for propositional modal logics, which rests on absorption of cut, contraction, weakening and inversion by the purely modal part of the rule system. Our criterion applies also to a wide variety of logics outside the realm of normal modal logic. We give extensive example instantiations of our framework to various conditional logics. For these, we obtain fully internalised calculi which are substantially simpler than those known in the literature, along with leaner proofs of cut elimination and complexity. In one case, conditional logic with modus ponens and conditional excluded middle, cut elimination and complexity were explicitly stated as open in the literature

Removal of radioisotopes in solution and bactericidal/bacteriostatic sterilising power in activated carbon and metal silver filters

Activated carbon filters play an important role in water filtration and purification from contaminants of different origin. Their limit consists in bacterial proliferation, which may occur only during prolonged periods of non-use and in their ability to remove radioactive contaminants present in waste water from Industry or Nuclear Medicine departments. In this work we tested a commercially available activated carbon filter for water purification enriched with silver plated parts incubating in static condition at room temperature different micro organisms (Enterococcus faecalis, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Salmonella enteritidis, Staphylococcus aureus, Aspergillum niger), up to 78 days. The microbial growth was in general more inhibited in the presence of metal silver into the activated carbon in respect to filters with the activated carbon alone: >4 log inhibition of bacterial proliferation after 78 days of incubation the presence of silver vs. 2 log without silver. When the filters were incubated empty of carbon, the sterilizing power of silver was confirmed further. The activated carbon filters proved also their ability in removing fromwater the principal radioisotopes used for residues liquid medical and research purposes (131I, 99mTc, 201Tl, 67Ga). These results contribute useful data for the use of the silver-enriched carbon filters in water filtration both for daily use at home, and professional use in a Nuclear Medicine laboratory

Hepatitis C virus and non-Hodgkin's lymphomas: Meta-analysis of epidemiology data and therapy options.

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a global health problem affecting a large fraction of the world\u2019s population: This virus is able to determine both hepatic and extrahepatic diseases. Mixed cryoglobulinemia, a B-cell \u201cbenign\u201d lymphoproliferative disorders, represents the most closely related as well as the most investigated HCV-related extrahepatic disorder. Since this virus is able to determine extrahepatic [non-Hodgkin\u2019s lymphoma (NHL)] as well as hepatic malignancies (hepatocellular carcinoma), HCV has been included among human cancer viruses. The most common histological types of HCV-associated NHL are the marginal zone, the lymphoplasmacytic and diffuse large cell lymphomas. The role of the HCV in the pathogenesis of the B-cell lymphoproliferative disorders is confirmed also by the responsiveness of the NHL to antiviral therapy. The purpose of this review is to provide an overview of the recent literature and a meta analysis of the epidemiology data, to explain the role of HCV in the development of NHL\u2019s lymphoma. Furthermore, the possibility to treat these HCV-related NHL with the antiviral therapy or with other therapeutic options, like chemotherapy, is also discussed

Pharmacological modulation of mitochondrial calcium uniporter controls lung inflammation in cystic fibrosis

Mitochondria physically associate with the endoplasmic reticulum to coordinate interorganelle calcium transfer and regulate fundamental cellular processes, including inflammation. Deregulated endoplasmic reticulum–mitochondria cross-talk can occur in cystic fibrosis, contributing to hyperinflammation and disease progression. We demonstrate that Pseudomonasaeruginosainfection increases endoplasmic reticulum–mitochondria associations in cystic fibrosis bronchial cells by stabilizing VAPB-PTPIP51 (vesicle-associated membrane protein–associated protein B–protein tyrosine phosphatase interacting protein 51) tethers, affecting autophagy. Impaired autophagy induced mitochondrial unfolding protein response and NLRP3 inflammasome activation, contributing to hyperinflammation. The mechanism by which VAPB-PTPIP51 tethers regulate autophagy in cystic fibrosis involves calcium transfer via mitochondrial calcium uniporter. Mitochondrial calcium uniporter inhibition rectified autophagy and alleviated the inflammatory response in vitro and in vivo, resulting in a valid therapeutic strategy for cystic fibrosis pulmonary disease

Long-term effects of the new direct antiviral agents (DAAs) therapy for HCV-related mixed cryoglobulinaemia without renal involvement: a multicentre open-label study

Objective. To investigate the long-term effects and safety of new direct antiviral agents (DAAs) in patients with hepatitis C virus (HCV)-related mixed cryoglobulinaemia (MC) without renal involvement.Methods. The study enrolled 22 consecutive patients, 19 received sofosbuvir-based regimen and three patients received other DAAs, individually tailored according to latest guidelines. As of December 2016, the median length of follow-up was 17 months (range 13-21).Results. Extra-hepatic manifestations at enrollment were: purpura and arthralgia (12 cases), peripheral neuropathy (10 cases) and marginal zone Blymphomas (2 cases). After a four-week DAA therapy, all patients became HCV-negative. Moreover, after 48 weeks since the beginning of DAA treatment, sustained regression of purpura and arthralgias was observed respectively in eight and in nine cases; peripheral neuropathy improved in seven cases, and cryocrit median values decreased from three (1-20) at baseline to two (1-12) after 48 weeks. Two cases with indolent marginal zone lymphomas did not show any haematological response: size and number of the involved nodes remained unchanged. In addition, the monoclonal B-cell population found in the peripheral blood in four cases did not disappear after recovery from HCV-RNA. Mild side effects occurred in nine patients, but six patients developed ribavirin-related anaemia requiring reduction of ribavirin dose.Conclusion. DAA therapy is safe and effective to eradicate HCV in MC, but seems associated with satisfactory clinical response in mild or moderate cryoglobulinaemic vasculitis and no response in B-NHL

A narrow band neutrino beam with high precision flux measurements

The ENUBET facility is a proposed narrow band neutrino beam where lepton production is monitored at single particle level in the instrumented decay tunnel. This facility addresses simultaneously the two most important challenges for the next generation of cross section experiments: a superior control of the flux and flavor composition at source and a high level of tunability and precision in the selection of the energy of the outcoming neutrinos. We report here the latest results in the development and test of the instrumentation for the decay tunnel. Special emphasis is given to irradiation tests of the photo-sensors performed at INFN-LNL and CERN in 2017 and to the first application of polysiloxane-based scintillators in high energy physics.Comment: Poster presented at NuPhys2017 (London, 20-22 December 2017). 5 pages, 2 figure

Efficacy of coupled plasma filtration adsorption (CPFA) in patients with septic shock: A multicenter randomised controlled clinical trial

Objectives: Coupled plasma filtration adsorption (CPFA, Bellco, Italy), to remove inflammatory mediators from blood, has been proposed as a novel treatment for septic shock. This multicenter, randomised, nonblinded trial compared CPFA with standard care in the treatment of critically ill patients with septic shock. Design: Prospective, multicenter, randomised, openlabel, two parallel group and superiority clinical trial. Setting: 18 Italian adult, general, intensive care units (ICUs). Participants: Of the planned 330 adult patients with septic shock, 192 were randomised to either have CPFA added to the standard care, or not. The external monitoring committee excluded eight ineligible patients who were erroneously included. Interventions: CPFA was to be performed daily for 5 days, lasting at least 10 h/day. Primary and secondary outcome measures: The primary endpoint was mortality at discharge from the hospital at which the patient last stayed. Secondary endpoints were: 90-day mortality, new organ failures and ICU-free days within 30 days. Results: There was no statistical difference in hospital mortality (47.3% controls, 45.1% CPFA; p=0.76), nor in secondary endpoints, namely the occurrence of new organ failures (55.9% vs 56.0%; p=0.99) or free-ICU days during the first 30 days (6.8 vs 7.5; p=0.35). The study was terminated on the grounds of futility. Several patients randomised to CPFA were subsequently found to be undertreated. An a priori planned subgroup analysis showed those receiving a CPFA dose >0.18 L/kg/day had a lower mortality compared with controls (OR 0.36, 95% CI 0.13 to 0.99). Conclusions: CPFA did not reduce mortality in patients with septic shock, nor did it positively affect other important clinical outcomes. A subgroup analysis suggested that CPFA could reduce mortality, when a high volume of plasma is treated. Owing to the inherent potential biases of such a subgroup analysis, this result can only be viewed as a hypothesis generator and should be confirmed in future studies