Breathing Machines, Patchwork Monsters and Mechanical Limbs: Steampunk and the Grotesque

Steampunk literature commonly focuses on improving, constructing, and reconstructing living bodies, through living machinery, vivisections, and other techno-fantastical experimentation. These bodies are grotesque forms. Focusing on various steampunk grotesque creations and creators, and exploring the audience relationship to the grotesque through an examination of the grotesque interval, this study aims to explore how steampunk authors use these grotesques to examine their own relationship with technology and scientific progress. “Breathing Machines, Patchwork Monsters, and Mechanical Limbs: Steampunk and the Grotesque,” concludes by applying its analysis of the steampunk grotesque to the steampunk subculture, especially as this applies to costuming, art, music, and technology

Effects of Forest Fires on Flood Frequency Curves in a Mediterranean Catchment/Effets d'incendies de for�t sur les courbes de fr�quence de crue dans un bassin versant M�diterran�en

The effect of land-use change on the flood frequency curve (FFC) in a natural catchment is analysed. To achieve this, a simple methodology for the derivation of FFCs in land-use change scenarios is proposed. The adopted methodology, using a stochastic model in Monte Carlo simulation of FFCs, was found to provide a useful framework for detecting changes in flood magnitudes in both pre- and post-fire conditions. In particular, the importance of the antecedent soil moisture condition in the determination of the flood frequency distribution was analysed. The analysis of FFCs for pre- and post-fire conditions shows an increase in the average value of Curve Number and a decrease in the catchment time lag. The derivation of FFCs shows a clear increase in flood quantiles. For the post-fire conditions, the FFC exhibits higher quantiles of the peak discharges showing a reduction in frequency of occurrence. This variation is more significant for low-return period quantiles than for high-return period quantiles. The results of the catchment studies reported here support the hypothesis that the hydrological response of the watershed changes as a result of fire, especially during the first years following a fire event

Electroproduction of phi(1020) mesons at 1.4 \u3c= Q(2) \u3c= 3.8 GeV2 measured with the CLAS spectrometer

Electroproduction of exclusive ϕ vector mesons has been studied with the CLAS detector in the kinematic range 1.

Editorial

Após o número duplo XIX-XX da Revista de Italianística, dedicado à literatura italiana, apresentamos agora o número XXI-XXII que, respeitando a tradicional alternância da revista, aborda temas ligados à língua italiana.Para essa edição que, como a anterior, sai apenas em formato digital, selecionamos artigos da esfera dos estudos linguísticos e do ensino/aprendizagem de línguas não maternas, que focam o italiano e suas relações com o Brasil. Contribuíram à realização desse número pesquisadores brasileiros e italianos que estabelecem um diálogo de perspectivas teóricas sobre a linguagem e o ensino e nos oferecem estímulos para a reflexão nessas áreas de estudo e atuação

The role of human papillomavirus in the pathogenesis of head & neck squamous cell carcinoma: an overview

Cancer statistics report an increased incidence of OSCC and OPSCC around the world. Though improvements in screening and early diagnosis have dramatically reduced the incidence of this neoplasm in recent years, the 5-year-disease-free survival, is still poor, specially for oropharyngeal cancer, despite the great scientific and financial efforts. Recently, several papers showed that HPV may be involved at least in the pathogenesis of a subgroup of oral and cervical SCC, leading to distinct molecular characteristics compared with HPV-negative ones. Nevertheless, OPSCCs associated with HPV infection seem to show a better prognosis and affect younger patients (< 40 yrs.), especially females. Therefore, there is the need to properly assess oropharyngeal SCC subgroups: 1) not HPV associated/classic oral SCC: less responsive to anticancer drugs: needs novel post-surgical treatment; 2) HPV associated/oral SCC: needs several management options and suitable "target" therapy against the virus, and/or immune-stimulating therapy. Further issues are: 1) the disclosure of putative targets for more efficient molecular therapy, which may work as cervical cancer post-surgical treatment, in anticipation of the effects of "global prevention" performed by WHO anti-HPV vaccination programs; 2) careful identification of precancerous lesions in both sites; dysplasia is currently treated by excisional or ablative procedures, which don't consider the concept of field carcinogenesis. In fact, it is probable that near or far from an excised precancerous lesion new foci of cell transformation may exist, which are not yet macroscopically evident, but, if detected, would put the patient into a high risk subgroup

Prevention of cardiovascular diseases and diabetes: importance of a screening program for the early detection of risk conditions in a target population

Introduction. Cardiovascular diseases and diabetes are one of the main causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide. In their genesis, an important role is played by some behavioral risk factors that may act inducing the onset of “intermediate risks factors” represented by hypertension, prediabetes, overweight and obesity. This study aimed to show the importance of the screening methodology to early detect these risk conditions in order to reduce the burden of cardiovascular diseases and diabetes complications. Methods. We carried out a screening program involving a cohort of people aged 45-60 in which risk factors for cardiovascular diseases and diabetes were evaluated. The subjects were then classified in four groups according to the risk conditions. Results. A high percentage (27.0%) of the sample resulted with some alteration in the detected anthropometric and/or clinical-laboratory parameters but unaware of this condition and, consequently, not under therapeutic treatment. Conclusions. The screening program allowed the early detection of hypertension and prediabetes or full-blown diabetes conditions in subjects that unknown their pathological condition, and consequently to proceed with adequate investigations and start healthy lifestyles/pharmacological therapies. Overall, the results highlight the need to anticipate these screening campaigns, especially in men, to increase the effectiveness of the prevention programs