Multi-Conjugate Adaptive Optics Simulator for the Thirty Meter Telescope: Design, Implementation, and Results

We present a multi-conjugate adaptive optics (MCAO) system simulator bench, HeNOS (Herzberg NFIRAOS Optical Simulator). HeNOS is developed to validate the performance of the MCAO system for the Thirty Meter Telescope, as well as to demonstrate techniques critical for future AO developments. In this paper, we focus on describing the derivations of parameters that scale the 30-m telescope AO system down to a bench experiment and explain how these parameters are practically implemented on an optical bench. While referring other papers for details of AO technique developments using HeNOS, we introduce the functionality of HeNOS, in particular, three different single-conjugate AO modes that HeNOS currently offers: a laser guide star AO with a Shack-Hartmann wavefront sensor, a natural guide star AO with a pyramid wavefront sensor, and a laser guide star AO with a sodium spot elongation on the Shack-Hartmann corrected by a truth wavefront sensing on a natural guide star. Laser tomography AO and ultimate MCAO are being prepared to be implemented in the near future

Metallization of Recycled Glass Fiber-Reinforced Polymers Processed by UV-Assisted 3D Printing

An ever-growing amount of composite waste will be generated in the upcoming years. New circular strategies based on 3D printing technologies are emerging as potential solutions although 3D-printed products made of recycled composites may require post-processing. Metallization represents a viable way to foster their exploitation for new applications. This paper shows the use of physical vapor deposition sputtering for the metallization of recycled glass fiber-reinforced polymers processed by UV-assisted 3D printing. Different batches of 3D-printed samples were produced, post-processed, and coated with a chromium metallization layer to compare the results before and after the metallization process and to evaluate the quality of the finishing from a qualitative and quantitative point of view. The analysis was conducted by measuring the surface gloss and roughness, analyzing the coating morphology and thickness through the Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) micrographs of the cross-sections, and assessing its adhesion with cross-cut tests. The metallization was successfully performed on the different 3D-printed samples, achieving a good homogeneity of the coating surface. Despite the influence of the staircase effect, these results may foster the investigation of new fields of application, as well as the use of different polymer-based composites from end-of-life products, i.e., carbon fiber-reinforced polymers

Palatovaginal (pharyngeal) artery: clinical implication and surgical experience

The palatovaginal or pharyngeal artery is a small branch of the internal maxillary artery supplying the nasopharynx. Bleeding from this artery is exceptional and only one case of traumatic epistaxis from this artery has been reported previously. We report a case of a 66-year-old male presenting with right recurrent posterior epistaxis. Endoscopic dissection of the pterygopalatine fossa and direct visualization of the palatosphenoidal canal permitted to identify the origin of bleeding, and coagulation of the pharyngeal artery solved the epistaxis. Although rare, intractable posterior epistaxis may arise from the pharyngeal artery. The anatomical knowledge of this artery and of the palatosphenoidal canal is of outmost importance in endoscopic transpterygoid and nasopharyngeal procedures, to identify the vidian canal, evaluate nasopharyngeal cancer spread in the pterygopalatine fossa, reduce bleeding during surgery of the nasopharynx, and harvest adequately the pedicle of the nasoseptal flap

A 3-dimensional transnasal endoscopic journey through the paranasal sinuses and adjacent skull base: a practical and surgery-oriented perspective

An endoscopic approach through the transnasal corridor is currently the treatment of choice in the management of benign sinonasal tumors, cerebrospinal fluid leaks, and pituitary lesions. Moreover, this approach can be considered a valid option in the management of selected sinonasal malignancies extending to the skull base, midline meningiomas, parasellar lesions such as craniopharyngioma and Rathke cleft cyst, and clival lesions such as chordoma and ecchordosis. Over the past decade, strict cooperation between otorhinolaryngologists and neurosurgeons and acquired surgical skills, together with high-definition cameras, dedicated instrumentation, and navigation systems, have made it possible to broaden the indications of endoscopic surgery. Despite these improvements, depth perception, as provided by the use of a microscope, was still lacking with this technology. The aim of the present project is to reveal new perspectives in the endoscopic perception of the sinonasal complex and skull base thanks to 3-dimensional endoscopes, which are well suited to access and explore the endonasal corridor. In the anatomic dissection herein, this innovative device came across with sophisticated and long-established fresh cadaver preparation provided by one of the most prestigious universities of Europe. The final product is a 3-dimensional journey starting from the nasal cavity, reaching the anterior, middle, and posterior cranial fossae, passing through the ethmoidal complex, paranasal sinuses, and skull base. Anatomic landmarks, critical areas, and tips and tricks to safely dissect delicate anatomic structures are addressed through audio comments, figures, and their captions

Stellar photometry with Multi Conjugate Adaptive Optics

We overview the current status of photometric analyses of images collected with Multi Conjugate Adaptive Optics (MCAO) at 8-10m class telescopes that operated, or are operating, on sky. Particular attention will be payed to resolved stellar population studies. Stars in crowded stellar systems, such as globular clusters or in nearby galaxies, are ideal test particles to test AO performance. We will focus the discussion on photometric precision and accuracy reached nowadays. We briefly describe our project on stellar photometry and astrometry of Galactic globular clusters using images taken with GeMS at the Gemini South telescope. We also present the photometry performed with DAOPHOT suite of programs into the crowded regions of these globulars reaching very faint limiting magnitudes Ks ~21.5 mag on moderately large fields of view (~1.5 arcmin squared). We highlight the need for new algorithms to improve the modeling of the complex variation of the Point Spread Function across the field of view. Finally, we outline the role that large samples of stellar standards plays in providing a detailed description of the MCAO performance and in precise and accurate colour{magnitude diagrams.Comment: 17 pages, 12 figures, SPIE 201

Sinonasal mucosal melanoma: Molecular profile and therapeutic implications from a series of 32 cases

BACKGROUND: Primary sinonasal mucosal melanomas are aggressive tumors with a poor clinical control by current treatments, raising the urgent need of novel strategies. METHODS: By fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH), direct sequencing, and immunohistochemistry, we investigate the spectrum of molecular abnormalities in a cohort of 32 cases of primary sinonasal mucosal melanomas. RESULTS: We found that all primary sinonasal mucosal melanomas lack BRAF V600E mutation; in addition, they are characterized by somatic mutations of NRAS (22%) and KIT (12.5%), together with amplification of RREB1 (100%) and loss of MYB (76%). The large majority of cases showed KIT protein expression (96.9%). Among tumor suppressor genes, primary sinonasal mucosal melanomas showed loss of PTEN (48.1%) and p16/INK4a (55.2%). All tested cases showed expression of pAkt and pErk, suggesting a combined activation of PI3K/Akt and RAS-mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathways. CONCLUSIONS: This molecular fingerprint strongly argues against the clinical efficacy of BRAF-inhibitors, but could candidate primary sinonasal mucosal melanomas to therapeutic strategies targeting RAS and KIT mutations or inhibiting PI3K-Akt-mTOR pathway

I Lepidotteri della "Palude del Busatello" (Verona, Mantova)

Con il presente lavoro vengono riportati i risultati di 5 anni di ricerche (2011-2015) sui Lepidotteri della zona umida "Palude del Busatello" (comuni di Gazzo Veronese ed Ostiglia, province di Verona e Mantova). Complessivamente, sommando i dati storici di una precedente campagna (1981-1983), sono state censite 429 specie delle quali 2 nuove per la fauna italiana: Acleris lorquiniana (Duponchel, 1835) e Rhyparioides metelkana (Lederer, 1861). Altre due specie, Monochroa suffusella (Douglas, 1850) e M. divisella (Douglas, 1850) sono state solo recentemente segnalate come nuove per l'Italia in alcune aree umide del Friuli Venezia Giulia. Tutte le specie sono elencate in una tabella e per ognuna vengono riportati distribuzione, corologia, regime alimentare, fenologia, modalità di raccolta ed ecotipo. Le specie strettamente legate all'ambiente palustre sono state commentate, assieme alle più caratteristiche dell'area circumpalustre. L'importanza dell'area è sottolineata dalla presenza di Lycaena dispar (Haworth, 1803), una specie protetta inclusa nella Direttiva Comunitaria Habitat (Dir. 92/43 CEE). Una comparazione con il precedente studio ha evidenziato un aumento del numero di specie caratteristiche della fascia arborea (dal 22 al 40%), dovuto principalmente alla riforestazione effettuata in alcuni settori del biotopo. Ulteriori comparazioni sono state effettuate con alcuni biotopi umidi friulani recentemente censiti e studiati. Sono inoltre discussi in dettaglio gli aspetti gestionali dell'area

A functional gene expression analysis in epithelial sinonasal cancer: Biology and clinical relevance behind three histological subtypes

Epithelial sinonasal cancers (SNCs) are rare diseases with overlapping morphological features and a dismal prognosis. We aimed to investigate the expression differences among the histological subtypes for discerning their molecular characteristics. We selected 47 SNCs: (i) 21 nonkeratinizing squamous cell carcinomas (NKSCCs), (ii) 13 sinonasal neuroendocrine cancers (SNECs), and (iii) 13 sinonasal undifferentiated cancers (SNUCs). Gene expression profiling was performed by DASL (cDNA-mediated annealing, selection, extension, and ligation) microarray analysis with internal validation by quantitative RT-PCR (RT-qPCR). Relevant molecular patterns were uncovered by sparse partial-least squares discriminant analysis (sPLS-DA), microenvironment cell type (xCell), CIBERSORT, and gene set enrichment (GSEA) analyses. The first two sPLS-DA components stratified samples by histological subtypes. xCell highlighted increased expression of immune components (CD8 + effector memory cells, in SNUC) and \u201cother cells\u201d: keratinocytes and neurons in NKSCC and SNEC, respectively. Pathway enrichment was observed in NKSCC (six gene sets, proliferation related), SNEC (one gene set, pancreatic \u3b2-cells), and SNUC (twenty gene sets, some of them immune-system related). Major neuroendocrine involvement was observed in all the SNEC samples. Our high-throughput analysis revealed a good diagnostic ability to differentiate NKSCC, SNEC, and SNUC, but indicated that the neuroendocrine pathway, typical and pathognomonic of SNEC is also present at lower expression levels in the other two histological subtypes. The different and specific profiles may be exploited for elucidating their biology and could help to identify prognostic and therapeutic opportunities

The Adaptive Optics System for the Gemini Infrared Multi-Object Spectrograph: Performance Modeling

The Gemini Infrared Multi-Object Spectrograph (GIRMOS) will be a near-infrared, multi-object, medium spectral resolution, integral field spectrograph (IFS) for Gemini North Telescope, designed to operate behind the future Gemini North Adaptive Optics system (GNAO). In addition to a first ground layer Adaptive Optics (AO) correction in closed loop carried out by GNAO, each of the four GIRMOS IFSs will independently perform additional multi-object AO correction in open loop, resulting in an improved image quality that is critical to achieve top level science requirements. We present the baseline parameters and simulated performance of GIRMOS obtained by modeling both the GNAO and GIRMOS AO systems. The image quality requirement for GIRMOS is that 57% of the energy of an unresolved point-spread function ensquared within a 0.1 x 0.1 arcsecond at 2.0 {\mu} m. It was established that GIRMOS will be an order 16 x 16 adaptive optics (AO) system after examining the tradeoffs between performance, risks and costs. The ensquared energy requirement will be met in median atmospheric conditions at Maunakea at 30{\deg} from zenith.Comment: 13 pages, 10 figures, Publications of the Astronomical Society of the Pacifi

Nasoseptal flap with extended pedicle dissection based on the maxillary artery: Clinical series of 55 cases

: Nasoseptal flap with extended pedicle dissection is a low morbidity and high success rate flap. It is a flap that can be applied to reconstruct a wide range of ipsilateral skull base defects