Numana and its ancient territory: new data and research perspectives

Numana is one of the most important centers for the Picenian civilization and prospered in the Marche and Abruzzo regions during the Iron Age. Almost all of the archaeological evidence found until now refers to the necropoleis spread over a broad territory, while data concerning inhabited areas are quite scarce. Although findings are plenty, the study of Ancient Numana is quite incomplete. As a matter of fact, all the published materials are related to single burials or finds and there are no overall studies on its territory. A recent research project involving a wider sector of the largest Numana necropolis (Quagliotti-Davanzali), has not been published yet but offers a detailed description since the excavation documentation is available. The project sets out to consider burials as organized systems, offering information on cultural transformations and on the social organization of the ancient community. The systematic analysis of the data from the burial and the single funerary sets - to be organized in a specific GIS - will be accompanied by an investigation of the ancient landscape in its many components - necropolis and inhabited area - in its diachronic development, thanks to the results of other recent analyses carried out in the Numana territory (geomorphology, GIS of the archaeological map, new surveys of the territory). The scope of the project is therefore to analyze times, ways of arrangements, shapes of the Ancient Numana, in its definition of a territorial, inhabited, rural space, by using methods and techniques to record and read new data, to build knowledge in a scenario which can be integrated with results coming from future research

Fast atom diffraction inside a molecular beam epitaxy chamber, a rich combination

Two aspects of the contribution of grazing incidence fast atom diffraction (GIFAD) to molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) are reviewed here: the ability of GIFAD to provide \emph{in-situ} a precise description of the atomic-scale surface topology, and its ability to follow larger-scale changes in surface roughness during layer-by-layer growth. Recent experimental and theoretical results obtained for the He atom beam incident along the highly corrugated $[ 1\bar{1}0 ]$ direction of the $\beta_{2}$(2$\times$4) reconstructed GaAs(001) surface are summarized and complemented by the measurements and calculations for the beam incidence along the weakly corrugated [010] direction where a periodicity twice smaller as expected is observed. The combination of the experiment, quantum scattering matrix calculations, and semiclassical analysis allows in this case to reveal structural characteristics of the surface. For the in situ measurements of GIFAD during molecular beam epitaxy of GaAs on GaAs surface we analyse the change in elastic and inelastic contributions in the scattered beam, and the variation of the diffraction pattern in polar angle scattering. This analysis outlines the robustness, the simplicity and the richness of the GIFAD as a technique to monitor the layer-by-layer epitaxial growth

An anomalous alloy: Y_x Si_{1-x}

We study via density functional-based molecular dynamics the structural and dynamical properties of the rare earth silicon amorphous alloy Y_xSi_{1-x} for x=0.093 and x=0.156. The Si network forms cavities in which a Y^{3+} cation is entrapped. Its electrons are transferred to the Si network and are located in the dangling bonds of the Si atoms that line the Y cavities. This leads to the presence of low coordinated Si atoms that can be described as monovalent or divalent anions. For x=0.156, the cavities touch each other and share Si atoms that have two dangling bonds. The vibrational spectrum is similar to that of amorphous Si. However, doping induces a shoulder at 70 cm^{-1} and a pronounced peak at 180 cm^{-1} due to low coordinated Si.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figure

gp91phox-dependent expression of platelet CD40 ligand

Background-CD40 ligand (CD40L) expression on platelets is mediated by agonists, but the underlying mechanism is still unclear. Methods and Results-CD40L expression was measured in platelets from healthy subjects both with and without the addition of antioxidants or a phospholipase A2 (PLA2) inhibitor and in platelets from 2 patients with an inherited deficiency of gp91phox. Immunoprecipitation analysis was also performed to determine whether normal platelets showed gp91phox expression. Unlike catalase and mannitol, superoxide dismutase inhibited agonist-induced platelet CD40L expression in healthy subjects. Immunoprecipitation analysis also showed that platelets from healthy subjects expressed gp91phox. In 2 male patients with inherited gp91phox deficiency, collagen-, thrombin-, and arachidonic acid-stimulated platelets showed an almost complete absence of superoxide anion (O2-) and CD40L expression. Incubation of platelets from healthy subjects with a PLA2 inhibitor almost completely prevented agonist-induced O2- and CD40L expression. Conclusions-These data provide the first evidence that platelet CD40L expression occurs via arachidonic acid-mediated gp91phox activation

Shock-Wave Heating Model for Chondrule Formation: Prevention of Isotopic Fractionation

Chondrules are considered to have much information on dust particles and processes in the solar nebula. It is naturally expected that protoplanetary disks observed in present star forming regions have similar dust particles and processes, so study of chondrule formation may provide us great information on the formation of the planetary systems. Evaporation during chondrule melting may have resulted in depletion of volatile elements in chondrules. However, no evidence for a large degree of heavy-isotope enrichment has been reported in chondrules. In order to meet this observed constraint, the rapid heating rate at temperatures below the silicate solidus is required to suppress the isotopic fractionation. We have developed a new shock-wave heating model taking into account the radiative transfer of the dust thermal continuum emission and the line emission of gas molecules and calculated the thermal history of chondrules. We have found that optically-thin shock waves for the thermal continuum emission from dust particles can meet the rapid heating constraint, because the dust thermal emission does not keep the dust particles high temperature for a long time in the pre-shock region and dust particles are abruptly heated by the gas drag heating in the post-shock region. We have also derived the upper limit of optical depth of the pre-shock region using the radiative diffusion approximation, above which the rapid heating constraint is not satisfied. It is about 1 - 10.Comment: 58 pages, including 5 tables and 15 figures, accepted for publication in The Astrophysical Journa

Consanguinity and polygenic diseases: a model for antibody deficiencies

Primary immunodeficiencies represent a heterogeneous group of disorders of the immune system, predisposing to various types of infections. Among them, common variable immunodeficiency is the most common symptomatic antibody deficiency. It includes several different forms characterized by defects in the terminal stage of B lymphocyte differentiation, leading to markedly reduced immunoglobulin serum levels and increased susceptibility to bacterial infections. The clinical phenotype is complex, including autoimmunity, granulomatous inflammation, lymphoproliferative disorders and malignancies. Rare autosomal recessive mutations in a number of single genes have recently been reported. However, the underlying genetic defects remain unknown in the majority of cases. In order to seek new genes responsible for the disease, we studied a consanguineous Italian family through exome sequencing combined with homozygosity mapping. Six missense homozygous variants passed our filtering selection and at least two of them were associated with some aspects of the pathological phenotype. Our data remark the complexity of immune system disorders and emphasize the difficulty to understand the significance of genetic results and their correlation with the disease phenotype

Atomic Diagnostics of X-ray Irradiated Protoplanetary Disks

We study atomic line diagnostics of the inner regions of protoplanetary disks with our model of X-ray irradiated disk atmospheres which was previously used to predict observable levels of the NeII and NeIII fine-structure transitions at 12.81 and 15.55mum. We extend the X-ray ionization theory to sulfur and calculate the fraction of sulfur in S, S+, S2+ and sulfur molecules. For the D'Alessio generic T Tauri star disk, we find that the SI fine-structure line at 25.55mum is below the detection level of the Spitzer Infrared Spectrometer (IRS), in large part due to X-ray ionization of atomic S at the top of the atmosphere and to its incorporation into molecules close to the mid-plane. We predict that observable fluxes of the SII 6718/6732AA forbidden transitions are produced in the upper atmosphere at somewhat shallower depths and smaller radii than the neon fine-structure lines. This and other forbidden line transitions, such as the OI 6300/6363AA and the CI 9826/9852AA lines, serve as complementary diagnostics of X-ray irradiated disk atmospheres. We have also analyzed the potential role of the low-excitation fine-structure lines of CI, CII, and OI, which should be observable by SOFIA and Herschel.Comment: Accepted by Ap

Inherited human gp91phox deficiency is associated with impaired isoprostane formation and platelet dysfunction

Platelet isoprostane 8-ISO-prostaglandin F2α (8-iso-PGF2α), a proaggregating molecule, is believed to derive from nonenzymatic oxidation of arachidonic acid. We hypothesized that NADPH is implicated in isoprostane formation and platelet activation

Noncanonical Fungal Autophagy Inhibits Inflammation in Response to IFN-γ via DAPK1

Defects in a form of noncanonical autophagy, known as LC3-associated phagocytosis (LAP), lead to increased inflammatory pathology during fungal infection. Although LAP contributes to fungal degradation, the molecular mechanisms underlying LAP-mediated modulation of inflammation are unknown. We describe a mechanism by which inflammation is regulated during LAP through the death-associated protein kinase 1 (DAPK1). The ATF6/C/EBP-β/DAPK1 axis activated by IFN-γ not only mediates LAP to Aspergillus fumigatus but also concomitantly inhibits Nod-like receptor protein 3 (NLRP3) activation and restrains pathogenic inflammation. In mouse models and patient samples of chronic granulomatous disease, which exhibit defective autophagy and increased inflammasome activity, IFN-γ restores reduced DAPK1 activity and dampens fungal growth. Additionally, in a cohort of hematopoietic stem cell-transplanted patients, a genetic DAPK1 deficiency is associated with increased inflammation and heightened aspergillosis susceptibility. Thus, DAPK1 is a potential drugable player in regulating the inflammatory response during fungal clearance initiated by IFN-γ