High resolution infrared spectroscopy of the old open cluster NGC6791

We report abundance analysis for 6 M giant members of the old open cluster NGC6791, based on infrared spectroscopy (1.5-1.8 micron) at R=25,000, using the NIRSPEC spectrograph at the Keck II telescope. We find the iron abundance = +0.35 +/- 0.02$, confirming the super solar metallicity of this cluster derived from optical medium-high resolution spectroscopy. We also measure C, O and other alpha element abundances, finding roughly solar [alpha/Fe] and = -0.35. Our approach constrains [O/Fe] especially well, based on the measurement of a number of OH lines near 1.6micron; we find [O/Fe]=-0.07 +/-0.03. The Solar alpha enhancement is in contrast to the composition of similar stars in the Galactic bulge. We also find low 12C/13C~10, confirming the presence of extra-mixing processes during the red giant phase of evolution, up to super solar metallicities.Comment: 14 pages, 3 figures, accepted for publication on Ap

L'adempimento del terzo e le figure di confine

L’istituto dell’adempimento del terzo rappresenta un tema classico di indagine sotto molteplici punti di vista. Esso, infatti: a) costituisce una vicenda dello sviluppo del rapporto obbligatorio idonea a soddisfare l’interesse del creditore e a realizzare, in questa maniera, il diritto di credito; b) dà luogo ad una forma di attribuzione di natura controversa, giacché in dottrina si discute vivamente se essa abbia la struttura di atto negoziale o di atto giuridico in senso stretto; c) si presenta come una figura assai prossima ad altri istituti che con esso condividono il fatto di discostarsi dallo schema generale tipico del rapporto obbligatorio, secondo il quale la prestazione deve essere eseguita dal debitore nelle mani del creditore, come il pagamento al terzo legittimato (o adiectus solutionis causa) di cui all’art. 1188 c.c. e la delegatio solvendi, di cui all’art. 1269 c.c. Tali fattispecie risultano caratterizzate dalla presenza di un terzo, che si affianca al creditore e al debitore, anche se la sua “terzietà” di manifesta di volta in volta in modo differente. Proprio con riguardo alla questione sub c), e prendendo come punto di riferimento il soggetto che materialmente esegue il pagamento, occorre osservare che, nel caso dell’art. 1180 c.c., il solvens è “terzo” rispetto al rapporto obbligatorio nel quale interviene ed alle rispettive parti di esso, ed adempie l’obbligo altrui anche nell’ipotesi in cui dovesse esservi tenuto in base ad un suo distinto rapporto che lo leghi al debitore, purché privo di rilevanza giuridica esterna. Nel caso dell’art. 1188 c.c., il solvens–indicato è, invece, soggetto passivo del rapporto obbligatorio, che adempie pagando al “terzo” indicatario e, per questa via, attua direttamente, in veste di debitore, l’obbligo che lo lega al proprio creditore–indicante, controparte e soggetto attivo del rapporto, il quale, a sua volta, può assumere la veste di debitore nell’ambito di un altro rapporto obbligatorio che lo leghi all’indicatario. Infine, nel caso della delegatio solvendi, il solvens–delegato assume, rispetto al delegatario, il ruolo di “terzo” per mezzo del quale il debitore–delegante esegue indirettamente la prestazione dovuta al proprio creditore–delegatario, costituente l’oggetto del rapporto di valuta (c.d. delegazione passiva); così come l’accipiens–delegatario assume, rispetto al delegato, il ruolo di terzo per mezzo del quale il creditore–delegante riceve, in via altrettanto indiretta, la prestazione dovutagli dal proprio debitore–delegato, costituente l’oggetto del rapporto di provvista (c.d. delegazione attiva). All’esame delle affinità e delle divergenze tra la fattispecie dell’adempimento “del terzo” (art. 1180 c.c.) e le fattispecie “confinanti” dell’indicazione di pagamento (art. 1188 c.c.) e della delegatio solvendi (art. 1269 c.c.) – per le quali possono essere utilizzate le espressioni atecniche di “pagamento al terzo” e di “pagamento per mezzo del terzo” – sarà dedicato il presente lavoro

The use of fractal dimension methods in clinical epidemiology: an application for postural assessment

Background: this study considers the analysis of postural sway by comparing the use of a fractal dimension outcome (DBOX) with the usual sway ellipse area (SEA), calculated by the least squares method. Both the response variables come from centre of pressure (COP) dynamics detected by means of a force platform. Methods: recent literature regarding postural stability assessment in subjects with muscularskeletal disorders, or neuromuscular diseases affecting their motor skills, has suggested, both for practical and theoretical reasons, the use of some fractal dimension as a good outcome measurement for overall postural status. A sample group of 24 male subjects was recruited. The postural stabilogram was recorded both with eyes open (EO) and eyes closed (EC) while standing upright. A matched-pair comparison of the sway ellipse area with the COP dynamics box counting dimension was performed. A ROC analysis of the outcome variables was performed. Then, a ROC comparison of the tests, using the area under the curve (AUC) index, was conducted. Results: the comparison of paired groups showed a statistically significant difference between EO and EC status, according to the sway ellipse area and the fractal dimension (p<0.05). The ROC analysis, describing the test performance in terms of AUC difference, was statistically significant (p<0.05). The comparison of the AUCs showed an overall superior performance of the DBOX with respect to SEA (p<0.05). Conclusions: this study showed a statistically significant better overall performance of DBOX with respect to SEA, suggesting possible improvements of clinical practice, as well as theoretical insights into the response patterns

Involvement of bovine lactoferrin metal saturation, sialic acid and protein fragments in the inhibition of rotavirus infection

Although the antiviral activity of lactoferrin is one of the major biological functions of this iron binding protein, the mechanism of action is still under debate. We have investigated the role of metal binding, of sialic acid and of tryptic fragments of bovine lactoferrin (bLf) in the activity towards rotavirus (intestinal pathogen naked virus) infecting enterocyte-like cells. The antiviral activity of bLf fully saturated with manganese or zinc was slightly decreased compared to that observed for apo- or iron-saturated bLf. The antiviral activity of differently metal-saturated bLf towards rotavirus was exerted during and after the virus attachment step. The removal of sialic acid enhanced the anti-rotavirus activity of bLf. Among all the peptidic fragments obtained by tryptic digestion of bLf and characterised by advanced mass spectrometric methodologies, a large fragment (86-258) and a small peptide (324-329: YLTTLK) were able to inhibit rotavirus even if at lower extent than undigested bLf. © 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved

Stem-Skilled Parents and Autism Spectrum Disorder in Offspring: A Case-Control Study

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopment disorder characterised by a range of deficits in two specific domains: social communication and social interaction and repetitive patterns of behaviour. Several studies have explored the link between ASD and STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics, or other mathematics-grounded disciplines), but results are still uncertain. Objective of the study was to estimate the potential role of systemising abilities in parents as a risk factor for ASD in the offspring, using the achievement of a degree in STEM disciplines as a proxy characteristic of the exposure. There were 1,316 participants overall. There were 658 incident consecutive cases of definite ASD, diagnosed in a Reference Centre for ASD in Italy, from 2001 to 2020. The main exposure variable was parental education level. The risk of ASD in the offspring associated with the main exposure variable and the exposure covariates (e.g. use of neurotropic drugs during the first trimester of the mother’s pregnancy, perinatal outcomes of participants and/or preterm birth) was studied by using conditional logistic regression analysis. In addition, we carried out a mediation analysis to investigate whether and the extent to which covariates significantly associated with ASD risk mediate the relationship between parental education level and ASD in offspring. A STEM degree in parents was significantly associated with risk of ASD in offspring (OR 1.43, 95% CI 1.03-2.54). Familiarity was weakly associated with the risk of ASD (OR 1.33, 95% CI 1.00-1.66) and is the stronger mediator (PME 28%). Sensitivity analysis did not show deviations related to gender or ASD level. Our study moves in the direction of confirming the risk of occurrence of ASD in the offspring of parents with elevated systemising abilities

Mental health in L'Aquila after the earthquake

INTRODUCTION: In the present work we describe the mental health condition of L'Aquila population in the aftermath of the earthquake in terms of structural, process and outcome perspectives. METHOD: Literature revision of the published reports on the L'Aquila earthquake has been performed. RESULTS: Although important psychological distress has been reported by the population, capacity of resilience can be observed. However if resilient mechanisms intervened in immediate aftermath of the earthquake, important dangers are conceivable in the current medium-long-term perspective due to the long-lasting alterations of day-to-day life and the disruption of social networks that can be well associated with mental health problems. CONCLUSIONS: In a condition such as an earthquake, the immediate physical, medical, and emergency rescue needs must be addressed initially. However training first responders to identify psychological distress symptoms would be important for mental health triage in the field