A class of cubic Rauzy Fractals

In this paper, we study arithmetical and topological properties for a class of Rauzy fractals ${\mathcal R}_a$ given by the polynomial $x^3- ax^2+x-1$ where $a \geq 2$ is an integer. In particular, we prove the number of neighbors of ${\mathcal R}_a$ in the periodic tiling is equal to $8$. We also give explicitly an automaton that generates the boundary of ${\mathcal R}_a$. As a consequence, we prove that ${\mathcal R}_2$ is homeomorphic to a topological disk

Complex bounds for multimodal maps: bounded combinatorics

We proved the so called complex bounds for multimodal, infinitely renormalizable analytic maps with bounded combinatorics: deep renormalizations have polynomial-like extensions with definite modulus. The complex bounds is the first step to extend the renormalization theory of unimodal maps to multimodal maps.Comment: 20 pages, 3 figure

Linear response formula for piecewise expanding unimodal maps

The average R(t) of a smooth function with respect to the SRB measure of a smooth one-parameter family f_t of piecewise expanding interval maps is not always Lipschitz. We prove that if f_t is tangent to the topological class of f_0, then R(t) is differentiable at zero, and the derivative coincides with the resummation previously proposed by the first named author of the (a priori divergent) series given by Ruelle's conjecture.Comment: We added Theorem 7.1 which shows that the horizontality condition is necessary. The paper "Smooth deformations..." containing Thm 2.8 is now available on the arxiv; see also Corrigendum arXiv:1205.5468 (to appear Nonlinearity 2012

AN INTEGRATED APPROACH TO PREVENT THE EROSION OF SALT MARSHES IN THE LAGOON OF VENICE

The loss of coastal habitats is a widespread problem in Europe. To protect the intertidal salt marshes of the lagoon of Venice from the erosion due to natural and human causes which is diffusely and intensely impacting them, the European Commission has funded the demonstrative project LIFE VIMINE. LIFE VIMINE aims to protect the most interior, hard-to-access salt marshes in the northern lagoon of Venice through an integrated approach, whose core is the prevention of erosion through numerous, small but spatially-diffuse soil-bioengineering protections works, mainly placed through semi-manual labour and with low impact on the environment and the landscape. The effectiveness of protection works in the long term is ensured through routine, temporally-continuous and spatially-diffuse actions of monitoring and maintenance. This method contrasts the common approach to managing hydraulic risk and erosion in Italy which is based on large, one-off and irreversible protection actions. The sustainability of the LIFE VIMINE approach is ensured by the participatory involvement of stakeholders and the recognition that protecting salt marshes means defending the benefits they provide to society through their ecological functions, as well as protecting the jobs linked to the existence or conservation of this habitat

Evolution and adaptation in pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilms driven by mismatch repair system-deficient mutators

Pseudomonas aeruginosa is an important opportunistic pathogen causing chronic airway infections, especially in cystic fibrosis (CF) patients. The majority of the CF patients acquire P. aeruginosa during early childhood, and most of them develop chronic infections resulting in severe lung disease, which are rarely eradicated despite intensive antibiotic therapy. Current knowledge indicates that three major adaptive strategies, biofilm development, phenotypic diversification, and mutator phenotypes [driven by a defective mismatch repair system (MRS)], play important roles in P. aeruginosa chronic infections, but the relationship between these strategies is still poorly understood. We have used the flow-cell biofilm model system to investigate the impact of the mutS associated mutator phenotype on development, dynamics, diversification and adaptation of P. aeruginosa biofilms. Through competition experiments we demonstrate for the first time that P. aeruginosa MRS-deficient mutators had enhanced adaptability over wild-type strains when grown in structured biofilms but not as planktonic cells. This advantage was associated with enhanced micro-colony development and increased rates of phenotypic diversification, evidenced by biofilm architecture features and by a wider range and proportion of morphotypic colony variants, respectively. Additionally, morphotypic variants generated in mutator biofilms showed increased competitiveness, providing further evidence for mutator-driven adaptive evolution in the biofilm mode of growth. This work helps to understand the basis for the specific high proportion and role of mutators in chronic infections, where P. aeruginosa develops in biofilm communities.Fil: Lujan, Adela Maria. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Centro de Investigaciones en Química Biológica de Córdoba. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Químicas. Centro de Investigaciones en Química Biológica de Córdoba; Argentina. Universidad Católica de Córdoba. Instituto de Investigaciones en Recursos Naturales y Sustentabilidad José Sanchez Labrador S. J. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Instituto de Investigaciones en Recursos Naturales y Sustentabilidad José Sanchez Labrador S. J.; ArgentinaFil: Maciá, María D.. Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Illes Balears; EspañaFil: Yang, Liang. Technical University of Denmark; DinamarcaFil: Molin, Søren. Technical University of Denmark; DinamarcaFil: Oliver, Antonio. Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Illes Balears; EspañaFil: Smania, Andrea. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Centro de Investigaciones en Química Biológica de Córdoba. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Químicas. Centro de Investigaciones en Química Biológica de Córdoba; Argentin

On the susceptibility function of piecewise expanding interval maps

We study the susceptibility function Psi(z) associated to the perturbation f_t=f+tX of a piecewise expanding interval map f. The analysis is based on a spectral description of transfer operators. It gives in particular sufficient conditions which guarantee that Psi(z) is holomorphic in a disc of larger than one. Although Psi(1) is the formal derivative of the SRB measure of f_t with respect to t, we present examples satisfying our conditions so that the SRB measure is not Lipschitz.*We propose a new version of Ruelle's conjectures.* In v2, we corrected a few minor mistakes and added Conjectures A-B and Remark 4.5. In v3, we corrected the perturbation (X(f(x)) instead of X(x)), in particular in the examples from Section 6. As a consequence, Psi(z) has a pole at z=1 for these examples.Comment: To appear Comm. Math. Phy

Diagnostic nerve block in prediction of outcome of botulinum toxin treatment for spastic equinovarus foot after stroke: A retrospective observational study

Objective: To evaluate the role of diagnostic nerve block in predicting the outcome of subsequent botulinum toxin type A treatment for spastic equinovarus foot due to chronic stroke. Design: Retrospective observational study. Patients: Fifty chronic stroke patients with spastic equinovarus foot. Methods: Each patient was given diagnostic tibial nerve block (lidocaine 2% perineural injection) assessment followed by botulinum toxin type A inoculation into the same muscles as had been targeted by the nerve block. All patients were evaluated before diagnostic nerve block, after the nerve block, and 4 weeks after botulinum toxin injection. Outcomes were ankle dorsiflexion passive range of motion of the affected side, and calf muscle spasticity, measured with the modified Ashworth scale and the Tardieu Scale. Results: Significant improvements were measured after diagnostic nerve block and botulinum toxin injection compared with the baseline condition. Diagnostic nerve block led to significantly greater improvements in all outcomes than botulinum toxin injection. Conclusion: This study confirmed diagnostic nerve block as a valuable screening tool in deciding whether to treat spastic equinovarus with botulinum toxin. However, the results support the evidence that diagnostic nerve block results in a greater reduction in muscle overactivity than does botulinum toxin type A in patients with spastic equinovarus due to stroke

Evolution and Adaptation in Pseudomonas aeruginosa Biofilms Driven by Mismatch Repair System-Deficient Mutators

Pseudomonas aeruginosa is an important opportunistic pathogen causing chronic airway infections, especially in cystic fibrosis (CF) patients. The majority of the CF patients acquire P. aeruginosa during early childhood, and most of them develop chronic infections resulting in severe lung disease, which are rarely eradicated despite intensive antibiotic therapy. Current knowledge indicates that three major adaptive strategies, biofilm development, phenotypic diversification, and mutator phenotypes [driven by a defective mismatch repair system (MRS)], play important roles in P. aeruginosa chronic infections, but the relationship between these strategies is still poorly understood. We have used the flow-cell biofilm model system to investigate the impact of the mutS associated mutator phenotype on development, dynamics, diversification and adaptation of P. aeruginosa biofilms. Through competition experiments we demonstrate for the first time that P. aeruginosa MRS-deficient mutators had enhanced adaptability over wild-type strains when grown in structured biofilms but not as planktonic cells. This advantage was associated with enhanced micro-colony development and increased rates of phenotypic diversification, evidenced by biofilm architecture features and by a wider range and proportion of morphotypic colony variants, respectively. Additionally, morphotypic variants generated in mutator biofilms showed increased competitiveness, providing further evidence for mutator-driven adaptive evolution in the biofilm mode of growth. This work helps to understand the basis for the specific high proportion and role of mutators in chronic infections, where P. aeruginosa develops in biofilm communities

Health-related quality of life and psychological features in post-stroke patients with chronic pain: A cross-sectional study in the neuro-rehabilitation context of care

This study aims at exploring disability, health-related quality of life (HrQoL), psychological distress, and psychological features in post-stroke patients with chronic pain. An observational cross-sectional study involving 50 post-stroke patients (25 with chronic pain and 25 without pain) was conducted. The primary outcome was the self-reported level of disability and HrQoL which were both assessed through the Stroke Impact Scale 3.0. Both psychological distress and specific psychological features (i.e., self-efficacy, coping strategies, psychological flexibility, perceived social support) were examined. Post-stroke patients with chronic pain reported statistically significant higher levels of disability and worse HrQoL, higher psychological distress and inflexibility, as well as a lower level of self-efficacy and problem-oriented coping strategies than patients without pain (p < 0.001). Finally, correlation analysis in the group of stroke survivors with pain showed that higher levels of disability were significantly related to higher psychological distress. This study con-firms the negative influence of chronic pain on disability and HrQoL in post-stroke patients and presents preliminary insights on the association between chronic pain, disability, HrQoL, psychosocial distress, and the patient’s approach in dealing with personal difficulties and emotions. These findings carry further implications for multidisciplinary management of post-stroke patients with chronic pain

Temporal judgments of actions following unilateral brain damage

Sense of time is a complex construct, and its neural correlates remain to date in most part unknown. To complicate the frame, physical attributes of the stimulus, such as its intensity or movement, influence temporal perception. Although previous studies have shown that time perception can be compromised after a brain lesion, the evidence on the role of the left and right hemispheres are meager. In two experiments, the study explores the ability of temporal estimation of multi-second actions and non-biological movements in 33 patients suffering from unilateral brain lesion. Furthermore, the modulatory role of induced embodiment processes is investigated. The results reveal a joint contribution of the two hemispheres depending not only on different durations but also on the presence of actions. Indeed, the left hemisphere damaged patients find it difficult to estimate 4500 ms or longer durations, while the right hemisphere damaged patients fail in 3000 ms durations. Furthermore, the former fail when a biological action is shown, while the latter fail in non-biological movement. Embodiment processes have a modulatory effect only after right hemisphere lesions. Among neuropsychological variables, only spatial neglect influences estimation of non-biological movement