Genetic polymorphisms of glutathione S-transferases GSTM1, GSTT1, GSTP1 and GSTA1 as risk factors for schizophrenia

Oxidative damage is thought to play a role in the predisposition to schizophrenia. We determined if the polymorphisms of the GSTP1, GSTM1, GSTT1 and GSTA1 genes, which affect the activity of these enzymes against oxidative stress, have a role as susceptibility genes for schizophrenia, analyzing 138 schizophrenic patients and 133 healthy controls. We found that the combination of the absence of GSTM1 gene with the of the GSTM1 gene with the polymorphism GSTA1*B/*B, and the presence of the GSTT1 gene, represents a risk factor for schizophrenia, indicating that the combination of different GST polymorphisms has a role in the predisposition to schizophrenia, probably affecting the capacity of the cell to detoxify the oxidized metabolites of catecholamines

Power, cool and water production by innovative cycles fed by solar energy

Paper presented to the 3rd Southern African Solar Energy Conference, South Africa, 11-13 May, 2015.The paper analyses complex arrangements for engines that can be engineered using Car Engine Turbocharger Technology. Such engines can be fed by concentrated solar energy, and are capable of producing Mechanical Power, Cool Power and Water concurrently. Ideal cycle analysis demonstrate a high rate of Solar Energy utilization for both mechanical power and cool power, as well as water production. An ideal Power fraction of thermal power from the sun over 50% can be expected. The maximum overall (mechanical and cool power) utilization factor of solar thermal power entering the engine is expected to be about twice the level of previous fractions.dc201

An unprecedented case of cranial surgery in Longobard Italy (6th–8th century) using a cruciform incision

The Longobard necropolis of Castel Trosino dates from the 6th to the 8th century CE. Among the tombs excavated, the skull of an older female shows the first evidence of a cross-shaped bone modification on a living subject. Macroscopic, microscopic, and CT scan analyses revealed signs of at least two sets of scraping marks. Specifically, SEM analysis shows that perimortem bone-scraping traces are present on the skull. Both healed and non-healed defects suggest that the woman has received at least twice intentional bone modifications to address her condition. This is the first evidence of a cross-shaped therapeutic intervention on a living subject

Modelling of Multi-Agent Systems: Experiences with Membrane Computing and Future Challenges

Formal modelling of Multi-Agent Systems (MAS) is a challenging task due to high complexity, interaction, parallelism and continuous change of roles and organisation between agents. In this paper we record our research experience on formal modelling of MAS. We review our research throughout the last decade, by describing the problems we have encountered and the decisions we have made towards resolving them and providing solutions. Much of this work involved membrane computing and classes of P Systems, such as Tissue and Population P Systems, targeted to the modelling of MAS whose dynamic structure is a prominent characteristic. More particularly, social insects (such as colonies of ants, bees, etc.), biology inspired swarms and systems with emergent behaviour are indicative examples for which we developed formal MAS models. Here, we aim to review our work and disseminate our findings to fellow researchers who might face similar challenges and, furthermore, to discuss important issues for advancing research on the application of membrane computing in MAS modelling.Comment: In Proceedings AMCA-POP 2010, arXiv:1008.314

Dissecting accretion and outflows in accreting white dwarf binaries

This is a White Paper in support of the mission concept of the Large Observatory for X-ray Timing (LOFT), proposed as a medium-sized ESA mission. We discuss the potential of LOFT for the study of accreting white dwarfs. For a summary, we refer to the paper.Comment: White Paper in Support of the Mission Concept of the Large Observatory for X-ray Timin

ZNF804A risk allele is associated with relatively intact gray matter volume in patients with schizophrenia

ZNF804A rs1344706 is the first genetic risk variant to achieve genome wide significance for psychosis. Following earlier evidence that patients carrying the ZNF804A risk allele had relatively spared memory function compared to patient non-carriers, we investigated whether ZNF804A was also associated with variation in brain volume. In a sample of 70 patients and 38 healthy participants we used voxel based morphometry to compare homozygous (AA) carriers of the ZNF804A risk allele to heterozygous and homozygous (AC/CC) non-carriers for both whole brain volume and specific regions implicated in earlier ZNF804A studies-the dorsolateral pre-frontal cortex, the hippocampus, and the amygdala. For patients, but not for controls, we found that homozygous 'AA' risk carriers had relatively larger gray matter volumes than heterozygous/homozygous non-carriers (AC/CC), particularly for hippocampal volumes. These data are consistent with our earlier behavioral data and suggest that ZNF804A is delineating a schizophrenia subtype characterized by relatively intact brain volume. Establishing if this represents a discrete molecular pathogenesis with consequences for nosology and treatment will be an important next step in understanding ZNF084A's role in illness risk

Lower airway inflammation before and after house dust mite nasal challenge: An age and allergen exposure-related phenomenon

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Acceptor binding energies in GaN and AlN

We employ effective mass theory for degenerate hole-bands to calculate the acceptor binding energies for Be, Mg, Zn, Ca, C and Si substitutional acceptors in GaN and AlN. The calculations are performed through the 6$\times$6 Rashba-Sheka-Pikus and the Luttinger-Kohn matrix Hamiltonians for wurtzite (WZ) and zincblende (ZB) crystal phases, respectively. An analytic representation for the acceptor pseudopotential is used to introduce the specific nature of the impurity atoms. The energy shift due to polaron effects is also considered in this approach. The ionization energy estimates are in very good agreement with those reported experimentally in WZ-GaN. The binding energies for ZB-GaN acceptors are all predicted to be shallower than the corresponding impurities in the WZ phase. The binding energy dependence upon the crystal field splitting in WZ-GaN is analyzed. Ionization levels in AlN are found to have similar `shallow' values to those in GaN, but with some important differences, which depend on the band structure parameterizations, especially the value of crystal field splitting used.Comment: REVTEX file - 1 figur

Ketogenic diet may improve sleep quality and daytime somnolence in patients affected by multiple sclerosis. Results of an exploratory study

Objective/background: Patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) frequently report sleep complaints. The ketogenic diet (KD) is safe and tolerable in MS patients. Our aim was: 1) to investigate the effects of KD on sleep complaints in patients affected by relapsing-remitting MS and 2) to verify if sleep changes can positively impact on psychological status and quality of life (QoL) in these patients. Patients/methods: From January 2020 to November 2022, we consecutively enrolled 21 non-disabled or minimally disabled MS patients. We collected information regarding: 1) anthropometric measures; 2) psychological status by the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale-21; 3) QoL by the Multiple Sclerosis Quality of Life-54 (MSQOL-54); 4) subjective sleep complaints, i.e. sleep quality, by the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), and excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS), by the Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS). Results: After 6 months of KD therapy, anthropometric measures considerably changed, psychological status significantly improved, and almost all the MSQOL-54 subscales ameliorated. Regarding sleep, we observed that the global PSQI (T0: 7.7 ± 3.1 versus T1: 4.4 ± 3.1, p = 0.002) and the ESS (T0: 7.5 ± 3.9 versus T1: 4.9 ± 3.2, p = 0.001) scores significantly decreased after KD therapy. At T1, only the global PSQI score was an independent predictor of anxiety, stress, and mental health. Conclusions: For the first time, we demonstrated that KD may improve sleep complaints in MS patients. In addition, KD seems to have a positive impact on psychological status and QoL of MS patients, mainly through improving sleep quality. Further controlled studies with larger sample sizes are needed to confirm these preliminary results

Spontaneous emission and lifetime modification caused by an intense electromagnetic field

We study the temporal evolution of a three-level system (such as an atom or a molecule), initially prepared in an excited state, bathed in a laser field tuned at the transition frequency of the other level. The features of the spontaneous emission are investigated and the lifetime of the initial state is evaluated: a Fermi "golden rule" still applies, but the on-shell matrix elements depend on the intensity of the laser field. In general, the lifetime is a decreasing function of the laser intensity. The phenomenon we discuss can be viewed as an "inverse" quantum Zeno effect and can be analyzed in terms of dressed states.Comment: 25 pages, 6 figure