Active deformation and relief evolution in the western Lurestan region of the Zagros mountain belt: new insights from tectonic geomorphology analysis and finite element modeling

none7noopenBasilici, M.; Ascione, A.; Megna, A.; Santini, S.; Tavani, S.; Valente, E.; Mazzoli, S.Basilici, M.; Ascione, A.; Megna, A.; Santini, S.; Tavani, S.; Valente, E.; Mazzoli, S

Time evolution of storms producing terrestrial gamma-ray flashes using era5 reanalysis data, gps, lightning and geo-stationary satellite observations

In this article, we report the first investigation over time of the atmospheric conditions around terrestrial gamma-ray flash (TGF) occurrences, using GPS sensors in combination with geostationary satellite observations and ERA5 reanalysis data. The goal is to understand which characteristics are favorable to the development of these events and to investigate if any precursor signals can be expected. A total of 9 TGFs, occurring at a distance lower than 45 km from a GPS sensor, were analyzed and two of them are shown here as an example analysis. Moreover, the lightning activity, collected by the World Wide Lightning Location Network (WWLLN), was used in order to identify any links and correlations with TGF occurrence and precipitable water vapor (PWV) trends. The combined use of GPS and the stroke rate trends identified, for all cases, a recurring pattern in which an increase in PWV is observed on a timescale of about two hours before the TGF occurrence that can be placed within the lightning peak. The temporal relation between the PWV trend and TGF occurrence is strictly related to the position of GPS sensors in relation to TGF coordinates. The life cycle of these storms observed by geostationary sensors described TGF-producing clouds as intense with a wide range of extensions and, in all cases, the TGF is located at the edge of the convective cell. Furthermore, the satellite data provide an added value in associating the GPS water vapor trend to the convective cell generating the TGF. The investigation with ERA5 reanalysis data showed that TGFs mainly occur in convective environments with unexceptional values with respect to the monthly average value of parameters measured at the same location. Moreover, the analysis showed the strong potential of the use of GPS data for the troposphere characterization in areas with complex territorial morphologies. This study provides indications on the dynamics of con-vective systems linked to TGFs and will certainly help refine our understanding of their production, as well as highlighting a potential approach through the use of GPS data to explore the lightning activity trend and TGF occurrences.publishedVersio

The role of coffee consumption in breast and ovarian cancer risk: updated meta-analyses

Background: Coffee consumption in relation to female hormone-related cancers has been investigated but metaanalyses regarding breast and ovarian cancer include studies published up to 2012 with inconsistent results for ovarian cancer. Methods: We conducted two updated meta-analyses of studies published up to June 2016 to quantify the association of coffee intake with breast and ovarian cancer risk with random effects models. We used the dataset developed by the International Agency for Research on Cancer Working Group for Monograph 116 meeting (May 2016). We additionally performed a PubMed search in June 2016. Results: Summary relative risks (RRs) (95% confidence intervals (CI)) for the study-specific highest vs. lowest coffee consumption were for breast and ovarian cancer respectively: 0.97 (0.93–1.00, Ι2 5.5%, 40 studies, 76,728 cases) and 1.03 (0.93–1.14, Ι 2 31.9%, 31 studies, 13,111 cases). For decaffeinated coffee the corresponding RRs were: 1.00 (0.93-1.08, I2 32.2%, 13 studies) and 0.83 (0.71-0.96, I2 about 0%, 9 studies). The association of coffee with ovarian cancer risk was higher among publications before (RR=1.37, 1.12–1.69) compared to after 2000 (RR=0.96, 0.86-1.06). Conclusion: Our meta-analyses provide strong, quantitative evidence that coffee consumption is not related to breast cancer risk and appears to be unrelated to ovarian cancer risk

Adherence to the Traditional Mediterranean Diet and Human Milk Composition: Rationale, Design, and Subject Characteristics of the MEDIDIET Study

Introduction: Knowledge about how a lactating woman's diet influences the composition of her breast milk is still very limited. In particular, no study has evaluated the role of adherence to the Mediterranean diet on human milk characteristics.Aim: We carried out an observational study to investigate the influence of mother adherence to a Mediterranean diet on her breast milk composition.Methods: Between 2012 and 2014, 300 healthy mothers, who exclusively breastfed their babies, were enrolled from five centers across Italy. During a visit to the hospital center 6 weeks after childbirth these women were asked to provide a sample of their freshly expressed breast milk and to answer a series of questions on personal characteristics and lifestyle factors. The application of a validated food frequency questionnaire allowed the collection of detailed dietary habits. Milk was collected and then stored until chemical analyses were performed. The study has been registered (Trial Registration: Dutch Trial register NTR3468). Descriptive analyses on baseline characteristics of mothers and babies were carried out on the participants, overall and stratified by center.Results: The participants had a mean age of 33 years (SD = 4.06), and a pre-pregnancy BMI of 22.3 Kg/m2 (SD = 3.22). Forty-seven percent gave birth to their first child, 40% to the second 13% to the third or subsequent child. Babies had a mean birth weight of 3,324 g (DS = 389), and a mean length of 51 cm (SD = 1.94). Fifty-three percent were males.Conclusion: The present work provides the general description and the characteristics of mothers and babies included in the MediDiet study

Mediterranean diet and colorectal cancer risk : A pooled analysis of three Italian case-control studies

Background: Adherence to the Mediterranean diet (MD) is associated with a reduced risk of several cancers. However, studies conducted in Mediterranean regions are scanty. Methods: To investigate the relation between MD and colorectal cancer risk in Italy, we pooled data from three case-control studies, including a total of 3745 colorectal cancer cases and 6804 hospital controls. Adherence to the MD was assessed using an a priori Mediterranean Diet Score (MDS), based on nine components. Results: Compared with the lowest adherence to the MD (0-2 MDS), the odds ratio (OR) was 0.52 (95% confidence interval (CI) 0.43-0.62) for the highest adherence (7-9 MDS), with a significant inverse trend in risk (P<0.0001). The OR for a 1-point increment in the MDS was 0.89 (95% CI 0.86-0.91). The inverse association was consistent across studies, cancer anatomical subsites and strata of selected covariates. Conclusions: This Italian study confirms a favourable role of MD on colorectal cancer risk

Is �Bad Luck' an Important Determinant of Cancer Incidence and Does This Concept Apply to Kidney Tumors?

A study recently published in Science demonstrates a strong correlation between the total number of stem cell divisions and the lifetime risk of cancer in various organs. The tumors considered are divided into two classes, that is, D (Deterministic) and R (Replicative). Stochastic factors presumably attributable to errors deriving from DNA replication are proposed to be at the basis of R-tumor frequency, leading to the conclusion that 'bad luck' is a primary determinant of certain types of cancer. The present Second Opinion highlights potential problems associated with the hypothesis of the study, as some of these also apply to kidney cancer. The aim is to point out that chance is not a major cause of cancer incidence because it is not substantiated by the data available through epidemiological evidence. In particular, we highlight that differences in tumor incidence associated with sex and geographic areas are not in line with the 'bad luck' hypothesis. Further aspects of tumor biology that do not entirely fit with the idea that stochastic events related to DNA replication of normal stem cells are the heterogeneity of the cancer cell phenotype and the heterogeneity of intra-organ localization, often observed in tumors originating from the same tissue. From a public health perspective, the points discussed here as well as the absence of data on prevalent tumors, like breast and prostate cancer, do not support the oversimplified message conveyed by the media that the majority of cancer cases cannot be prevented

ThE JOURNAL OF PHARMACOLOGY AND EXPERiMENTAL THERAPEUTICS Copyright Inhibition of Gastrointestinal Transit by Morphine in Rats Results Primarily from Direct Drug Action on Gut Opioid Sites1

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