Unilateral enlarged vestibular aqueduct syndrome and bilateral endolymphatic hydrops

Enlarged vestibular aqueduct (EVA) syndrome is a common congenital inner ear malformation characterized by a vestibular aqueduct with a diameter larger than 1.5 mm, mixed or sensorineural hearing loss that ranges from mild to profound, and vestibular disorders that may be present with a range from mild imbalance to episodic objective vertigo. In our study, we present the case of a patient with unilateral enlarged vestibular aqueduct and bilateral endolymphatic hydrops (EH). EH was confirmed through anamnestic history and audiological exams; EVA was diagnosed using high-resolution CT scans and MRI images. Therapy included intratympanic infusion of corticosteroids with a significant hearing improvement, more evident in the ear contralateral to EVA. Although most probably unrelated, EVA and EH may present with similar symptoms and therefore the diagnostic workup should always include the proper steps to perform a correct diagnosis. Association between progression of hearing loss and head trauma in patients with a diagnosis of EVA syndrome is still uncertain; however, these individuals should be advised to avoid activities that increase intracranial pressure to prevent further hearing deterioration. Intratympanic treatment with steroids is a safe and well-tolerated procedure that has demonstrated its efficacy in hearing, tinnitus, and vertigo control in EH

Understanding cosmic rays and searching for dark matter with PAMELA

The instrument PAMELA, in orbit since June 15th, 2006 on board of the Russian satellite Resurs DK1, is delivering to ground 16 Gigabytes of data every day. The apparatus is designed to study charged particles in the cosmic radiation, with a particular focus on antimatter and signals of dark matter annihilation. A combination of a magnetic spectrometer and different detectors allows antiparticles to be reliably identified from a large background of other charged particles. After 4 years of operation in flight, PAMELA is now delivering coherent results about spectra and chemical composition of the charged cosmic radiation, allowing scenarios of production and propagation of cosmic rays to be fully established and understood

Protein crops: Food and feed for the future [Editorial]

Peer reviewedPeer Reviewe

Antimatter and dark-matter search in space

The study of cosmic rays in space has acquired a unique importance in recent years, due to the fact that they are a powerful tool for understanding the mechanisms of the origin of the Universe or the nature of dark matter. Experiments already flown or currently in orbit, conducted on balloons, satellites and ISS, allowed to make huge strides in understanding the mechanisms of production and acceleration of cosmic rays, and have posed new questions to which we hope to answer in the near future

Role of Individual Disulfide Bonds in the Structural Maturation of a Low Molecular Weight Glutenin Subunit

Gliadins and glutenins are the major storage proteins that accumulate in wheat endosperm cells during seed development. Although gliadins are mainly monomeric, glutenins consist of very large disulfide-linked polymers made up of high molecular weight and low molecular weight subunits. These polymers are among the largest protein molecules known in nature and are the most important determinants of the viscoelastic properties of gluten. As a first step toward the elucidation of the folding and assembly pathways that lead to glutenin polymer formation, we have exploited an in vitro system composed of wheat germ extract and bean microsomes to examine the role of disulfide bonds in the structural maturation of a low molecular weight glutenin subunit. When conditions allowing the formation of disulfide bonds were established, the in vitro synthesized low molecular weight glutenin subunit was recovered in monomeric form containing intrachain disulfide bonds. Conversely, synthesis under conditions that did not favor the formation of disulfide bonds led to the production of large aggregates from which the polypeptides could not be rescued by the post-translational generation of a more oxidizing environment. These results indicate that disulfide bond formation is essential for the conformational maturation of the low molecular weight glutenin subunit and suggest that early folding steps may play an important role in this process, allowing the timely pairing of critical cysteine residues. To determine which cysteines were important to maintain the protein in monomeric form, we prepared a set of mutants containing selected cysteine to serine substitutions. Our results show that two conserved cysteine residues form a critical disulfide bond that is essential in preventing the exposure of adhesive domains and the consequent formation of aberrant aggregates

Spectral Response of Indium Oxynitride Thin Films

In this work we study the electrical properties as spectral response, resistivity and quantum efficiency of nanostructured indium oxynitride deposited by reactive RF magnetron sputtering. This material shows multi-functionality in electrical and photonic applications. It shows transparency in visible range, wide band gap, high resistivity, low linkage current and response for light. The deposition processes were performed in a home build magnetron sputtering system, using a four-inch pure In (99.999 %) target, nitrogen and oxygen as process gases. The pressure was kept constant in 1.33 Pa and the RF power (13.56 MHz) was constant 250 W. The spectral response was estimated for samples deposited with 0 %, 10 %, 20 %, 50 %, 80 % and 85 % of oxygen concentration in the gas mixture. When you are citing the document, use the following link http://essuir.sumdu.edu.ua/handle/123456789/3508

Spectral Response of Indium Oxynitride Thin Films

In this work we study the electrical properties as spectral response, resistivity and quantum efficiency of nanostructured indium oxynitride deposited by reactive RF magnetron sputtering. This material shows multi-functionality in electrical and photonic applications. It shows transparency in visible range, wide band gap, high resistivity, low linkage current and response for light. The deposition processes were performed in a home build magnetron sputtering system, using a four-inch pure In (99.999 %) target, nitrogen and oxygen as process gases. The pressure was kept constant in 1.33 Pa and the RF power (13.56 MHz) was constant 250 W. The spectral response was estimated for samples deposited with 0 %, 10 %, 20 %, 50 %, 80 % and 85 % of oxygen concentration in the gas mixture. When you are citing the document, use the following link http://essuir.sumdu.edu.ua/handle/123456789/3508

Estudio sobre las implicaciones de la enseñanza en el aprendizaje significativo de la mecánica elemental en el nivel universitario

Tesis de MaestríaDirector: Mgter. Carlos Galles, Co-directora: Dra. Sonia ConcariFacultad Regional San Nicolás, Universidad Tecnológica Nacional. Fecha de Defensa: 11 de Noviembre de 2011<br /