CONVENTIONAL THERAPIES FOR PSORIASIS

Conventional treatments of psoriasis include topical and systemic drugs. For sake of brevity, the presentation will deal only with systemic therapy. Three drugs are presently available in Italy: methotrexate, acitretin and cyclosporin A. Their efficacy is almost identical, all of them achieving PASI 75 in about 60% of cases in 12 weeks The indications (which, in Italy, do not include psoriasis for methotrexate), the contraindications, the interactions, the adverse effects and the precautions in their use will be discussed. Methotrexate side effects account for more than 10% of cases and include nausea and vomiting and chiefly increase of blood levels of liver enzymes. Acitretin side effects are numerous and varied, the most severe being increase of liver enzymes and blood lipids, renal impairment, and teratogenicity. Cyclosporin side effects are chiefly hypertension and renal failure. The Author concludes that cylosporin is the drug with the best efficacy/side effect ratio, though it should be used in selected cases. Key words: Psoriasis, methotrexate, cyclosporine A, acitreti

Consequences of interactions in quantum Hall edge channels

The topic of electron quantum optics has recently assumed a prominent role in the condensed matter agenda. It aims at generating, manipulating and detecting individual electronic wave-packets ballistically propagating in mesoscopic devices to realize quantum-optical like experiments and set-ups in solid state devices. One of the main open problems in this field is the real time detection of the signal, which is a challenge for nowadays electronics. For this reason, techniques based on finite frequency current noise have been developed in order to reconstruct the time behavior of the signals. In this direction, a deep knowledge of quantum noise is needed in order to properly understand and control the time evolution of wave-packets. Moreover, one of the main differences between conventional quantum optics and electron quantum optics is represented by the fact that electrons are charged interacting particles. This leads to many-body effects which strongly affect the dynamics of excitations and play a major role in various experimental situations. The main purpose of this Thesis is to understand what are the consequences of unavoidable electronic interactions in edge channels of the quantum Hall effect, both in the integer and fractional regimes, on current-current fluctuations (i.e. noise). In particular, we have investigated: - the Hong-Ou-Mandel interferometry in a quantum Hall system at filling factor two, namely the physics of colliding identical excitations. Here, we have shown that the injected electronic wave-packets fractionalize before partitioning at a quantum point contact due to interactions. In addition, we have proposed a measurement protocol to determine the strength of interactions; - the peculiar quantum properties of the microwave radiation emitted by a quantum Hall device at filling factor two in presence of interactions. We have connected the squeezing of the emitted radiation to the current fluctuations comparing two different periodic drives. We have observed that a periodic train of Lorentzian pulses is characterized by a robust squeezing effect even in presence of interaction; - the noise associated to the current flowing between two different fractional quantum Hall edge states, with filling factors belonging to the Laughlin sequence, coupled through a quantum point contact and connected to two reservoirs placed at different temperatures. This noise contribution, known in literature as delta-T noise, is currently subject of an intense research from both the theoretical and the experimental point of view

The structure of convective rain cells at mid-latitudes

International audienceRain cells are structures which represent an important component of convective precipitation and a study of their properties represents a necessary step both towards improved stochastic models of small-scale precipitation and for the verification of deterministic high resolution local-area models. The case of intense convective precipitation in the tropics has been analysed in a recent study (von Hardenberg et al., 2003). Here we extend the analysis to mid-latitudes and we present results on the structure of convective rain cells observed by radar measurements in Italy. In particular we consider the average shape of precipitation cells and its dependence on radar resolution and the distributions of ellipticities

La posición argentina frente a la ALALC en 1980

Fil: Giménez Rebora, José. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Derecho. Cátedra de Política Económica Argentina. Buenos Aires, Argentin

Transverse Circular Holes in Cylindrical Tubes Loaded in Traction and in Flexion: A New Analytical Approximation of the Stress Concentration Factor

This paper presents an analytic formula for the theoretical stress concentration factor kt for cylindrical tubes with transverse circular holes, loaded in traction or in flexion. The study is based on modern finite element (FEM) techniques, which allow for appreciating with great accuracy the phenomenon of stress concentration. A comparison between the FEM results of this paper and those that were obtained by the existing analytic formulas shows the need of an update, as some discrepancies may be noticed. Our results are the fruit of a wide campaign of numerical FEM simulations that have been conducted analyzing numerous geometric configurations of the tube. Moreover, these configurations are defined in a wider two-dimensional (2-D) domain than the one valid for previous analytic formulas published in literature. Finally, these FEM results have been approximated with great accuracy by means of a fourth degree double polynomial regression that led to the new analytic formula that is proposed in this paper

Harvest time effect on horticultural quality of topinambur (Helianthus tuberosus L.) kept in the soil or in cold storage

Existen muy pocos antecedentes sobre la conservación de tubérculos de topinambur, así como de las variaciones de calidad que sufre el producto. A través de este trabajo se buscó generar información sobre: a) los efectos de la fecha de cosecha y la variedad de topinambur sobre las variables de calidad; b) la respuesta a la evolución en cámara frigorífica de distintos tratamientos de conservación; y c) la incidencia de las condiciones (cámara frigorífica-campo) y tiempo de almacenamiento sobre la calidad de los tubérculos. Se utilizaron dos variedades de topinambur, la de tubérculos rojos y la de tubérculos blancos. Las variables de calidad medidas fueron: materia seca; sólidos solubles; firmeza; índice de color de peridermis y de pulpa; presencia de brotes; desarrollo de Penicillium sp. y evolución del peso fresco. Se detectó que para garantizar la calidad de los tubérculos y una adecuada evolución en cámara frigorífica durante todo el año, el período de cosecha no debería extenderse más allá de los 49 días desde la ocurrencia de la primera helada, para la zona de estudio (Luján de Cuyo, Mendoza, Latitud 33°00 30" S; Longitud 68°52 32" O). No se observaron diferencias significativas entre variedades. Los datos sugieren que, para consumo en fresco, es posible efectuar la cosecha hasta 98 días posteriores a la primera helada, aunque sobre estos tubérculos no se observó una correcta conservación en cámara frigorífica. Respecto de los efectos del método y tiempo de conservación sobre la calidad de los tubérculos, se observa que los tubérculos que se conservaron a campo más allá de la segunda fecha de medición (30 de agosto), pierden rápidamente su calidad comercial.There are few papers on Jerusalem artichoke postharvest storage and quality changes. This research aimed to achieve information about: a) the influence of harvest dates and varieties on tuber s quality; b) the evolution of each treatment in cold storage; and c) the conservation periods and places (cold storage-field) effects on tubers quality was studied. Two varieties of Jerusalem artichoke were used, red tubers and white tubers. Dry matter; soluble solids; firmness; peridermis and pulp colour; sprouting and Penicillium development and fresh weight evolution of tubers were measured. It was found that the harvest period, to mantain the tuber quality and good performance in cold storage during the year, should not extend more than 49 days since the first frost for the study area (Luján de Cuyo, Mendoza, Latitude 33°00 30" S; Longitude 68°52 32" W). Differences between varieties were not observed. The information suggest that, for fresh consumption, tubers must be harvested till 98 days after the first frost, but these tubers are not kept properly refrigerated. Regarding method and time storage effects on tubersˈ quality, it is observed again that tubers which are keep in field beyond the second measurement date (August 30), quickly lose their commercial quality.Fil: Ibarguren, Leandra. Universidad Nacional de Cuyo. Facultad de Ciencias AgrariasFil: Rebora, Cecilia. Universidad Nacional de Cuyo. Facultad de Ciencias AgrariasFil: Alberto, Marcelo. Universidad Nacional de Cuyo. Facultad de Ciencias Agraria

Quantitative Flood Forecasting on Small- and Medium-Sized Basins: A Probabilistic Approach for Operational Purposes

Abstract The forecast of rainfall-driven floods is one of the main themes of analysis in hydrometeorology and a critical issue for civil protection systems. This work describes a complete hydrometeorological forecast system for small- and medium-sized basins and has been designed for operational applications. In this case, because of the size of the target catchments and to properly account for uncertainty sources in the prediction chain, the authors apply a probabilistic framework. This approach allows for delivering a prediction of streamflow that is valuable for decision makers and that uses as input quantitative precipitation forecasts (QPF) issued by a regional center that is in charge of hydrometeorological predictions in the Liguria region of Italy. This kind of forecast is derived from different meteorological models and from the experience of meteorologists. Single-catchment and multicatchment approaches have been operationally implemented and studied. The hydrometeorological forecasting chain has been applied to a series of case studies with encouraging results. The implemented system makes effective use of the quantitative information content of rainfall forecasts issued by expert meteorologists for flood-alert purposes