Synthesis of Statistical Indicators to Evaluate Quality of Life in the Italian Provinces

This work remarks the need to carefully evaluate the real importance of each variable used in a multivariate analysis context, with particular regard to cases when an overall performance ranking is the main final purpose. In particular, both a preliminary transformation of variables – aimed at reducing asymmetry and variability of their variation ranges – and the evaluation of their intrinsic explicative power – through redundancy analysis and weighting methods – are proposed. Theoretical and empirical considerations are developed in the frame of quality of life evaluation, carried out at the Italian provinces level on the basis of a yearly survey managed by the Italian economic newspaper "Il Sole24ore". A particular emphasis is given to some normalisation criteria and the case when original variables are grouped "a priori" into logical blocks. A final comparison between the actual ranking method and a series of alternatives is proposed as well.multivariate analysis, principal components analysis, ranking, redundant variable, weighing system.

The decay of massive closed superstrings with maximum angular momentum

We study the decay of a very massive closed superstring (i.e. \alpha' M^2>> 1) in the unique state of maximum angular momentum. This is done in flat ten-dimensional spacetime and in the regime of weak string coupling, where the dominant decay channel is into two states of masses M_1, M_2. We find that the lifetime surprisingly grows with the first power of the mass M: T =c \alpha' M. We also compute the decay rate for each values of M_1, M_2. We find that, for large M, the dynamics selects only special channels of decay: modulo processes which are exponentially suppressed, for every decay into a state of given mass M_1, the mass M_2 of the other state is uniquely determined.Comment: 22 pages, 4 figure

Chemical site-selective functionalization of proteins with boronic acids

Chemical conjugation of a biomolecule, such as a peptide or a nucleic acid, with a functional molecule, for example a drug or a fluorophore, yields a bioconjugate, a polyfunctional entity that combines the properties of its components to elicit a biological effect. This kind of assemblies have found many successful applications, allowing the precise imaging of biological processes and delivering innovative treatments to the clinic, especially in oncology. The success of this class of constructs is determined by their ability to deliver the payload of choice to specific targets inside a biológical environment thanks to the targeting ability of the biomolecule. In order to have a functional conjugate, the payload must be linked to the targeting unit without altering the structure and function of the latter, preserving its ability to interact with the biological target. As a consequence, bioconjugation reactions must be performed in aqueous environment at physiological pH, avoiding strong reagents that might compromise the integrity of the biomolecule. Moreover, this ligation needs to be stable in physiological conditions while allowing the release of the payload in response to a stimulus that characterizes the biological target (pH, oxidative stress, enzymes). Boronic acids are a class of biocompatible reagents with the ability to form reversible covalent ligations in water, leading to their successful application in the development of stimulus-responsive bioconjugates. In this thesis, the 3-hydroxy quinolinone (3HQ) scaffold was studied as potential ligand for boronic acids in bioconjugation conditions, with the objective of using it as a functional unit for the reversible ligation of boronic acids to proteins. This scaffold was optimized for the desired purpose, yielding a structure that was successfully applied for the construction of a non-internalizing fluorescent bioconjugate. The resulting conjugate was tested in vitro, confirming its ability to deliver a borylated fluorescent probe to HT-29 cancer cells by targeting the 67 Laminin receptor. Additionally, the 3HQ motif was explored as multivalent modulator of human phenylalanine hydroxylase (hPAH), a protein whose mutation is the cause of phenylketonuria (PKU). In this study, various assays were performed to assess the ability of 3 series of derivatives to stabilyze the structure of hPAH and to increase its catalytic activity. Finally, the best performing compounds from this study were docked onto the structure of hPAH to gain additional insight on their activity

Cross sections for production of closed superstrings at high energy colliders in brane world models

In brane world string models with large extra dimensions, there are processes where fermion and antifermion (or two gluons) can annihilate producing a light particle (e.g. gluon) carrying transverse momentum and a Kaluza-Klein graviton or an excited closed string that propagates in the extra dimensions. In high energy colliders, this process gives a missing momentum signature. We compute the total cross section for this process within the context of type II superstring theory in the presence of a D brane. This includes all missing energy sources for this string theory model up to s=8M_s^2, and it can be used to put new limits on the string scale M_s.Comment: 18 pages, 3 figures. Reference adde

Peripheral CT in the diagnosis of osteoporosis

This review shows that, compared to both DXA and axial QCT, pQCT is a more versatile technique, allowing for selective assessment of trabecular and cortical bone components, accurate assessment of bone geometry, assessment of muscle mass and muscle/bone relationships. Although pQCT has not been evaluated as thoroughly as DXA in clinical research, recent studies on representative populations in the USA and Italy have yielded normative data on trabecular and cortical bone volumetric BMD, and geometry parameters obtained by pQCT at multiple skeletal sites. These data can be used as reference values by physicians to detect patients with osteopenia, assess their bone strength, and to plan appropriate, patho-physiologically based treatmen

Primary mediastinal lymphoma: diagnosis and treatment options.

Primary mediastinal large B-cell lymphoma (PMBCL) is a unique B-cell lymphoma variant that arises from a putative thymic medulla B cell. It constitutes 2-4% of non-Hodgkin lymphomas and occurs most frequently in young females. PMBCL is characterized by a diffuse proliferation of medium-to-large B cells associated with sclerosis. Molecular analysis shows that PMBCL is a distinct entity compared to other types of diffuse large B-cell lymphomas. PMBCL is characterized by a locally invasive anterior mediastinal bulky mass. The combination of rituximab with CHOP/CHOP-like regimens followed by mediastinal radiation therapy (RT) is associated with a 5-year progression-free survival of 75-85%. However, the role of consolidation RT still remains uncertain. More intensive regimens, such as DA-EPOCH-R without mediastinal RT, have shown very promising results. The conclusive role of PET-CT scan requires prospective studies and there is hope that this may allow to de-escalate RT and accordingly yield reliable prognostic information

From soil remediation to biofuel. Process simulation of bioethanol production from Arundo donax

A range of energy crops can be grown on marginal land (i.e. land that is not suitable for food crop production or contaminated site) to provide feedstocks for bioenergy, non-food products and biofuels. The food versus fuel debate had a significant negative impact in Europe on first generation biofuels production from food crops (i.e. wheat, rapeseed, etc). A new approach involving the use of marginal land for the production of lignocellulosic species for the production of bioethanol is now pursued in Italy and in many other countries, where the demand for high quality water resources, arable land, food and fossil fuels is rapidly growing. With an emerging “feed versus fuel debate” there is a pressing need to find options for the use of marginal lands and wastewaters or saline ground waters to produce second generation biofuel or bio paper crops. Arundo donax was selected as a potential crop for use in these areas, since it produces more cellulosic biomass and sequesters more contaminants, using less land and pesticides than any other alternative crops reported in the literature. The objective of this paper is to evaluate economically a simplified process for the production of second generation bioethanol from A. donax. Process calculations and economic analyses are performed using the software SuperPro Designer®

RISK ASSESSMENT OF MALICIOUS ATTACKS AGAINST POWER SYSTEMS

The new scenarios of malicious attack prompt for their deeper consideration and mainly when critical systems are at stake. In this framework, infrastructural systems, including power systems, represent a possible target due to the huge impact they can have on society. Malicious attacks are different in their nature from other more traditional cause of threats to power system, since they embed a strategic interaction between the attacker and the defender (characteristics that cannot be found in natural events or systemic failures). This difference has not been systematically analyzed by the existent literature. In this respect, new approaches and tools are needed. This paper presents a mixed-strategy game-theory model able to capture the strategic interactions between malicious agents that may be willing to attack power systems and the system operators, with its related bodies, that are in charge of defending them. At the game equilibrium, the different strategies of the two players, in terms of attacking/protecting the critical elements of the systems, can be obtained. The information about the attack probability to various elements can be used to assess the risk associated with each of them, and the efficiency of defense resource allocation is evidenced in terms of the corresponding risk. Reference defense plans related to the online defense action and the defense action with a time delay can be obtained according to their respective various time constraints. Moreover, risk sensitivity to the defense/attack-resource variation is also analyzed. The model is applied to a standard IEEE RTS-96 test system for illustrative purpose and, on the basis of that system, some peculiar aspects of the malicious attacks are pointed ou