Accurate energies of hydrogen bonded nucleic acid base pairs and triplets in tRNA tertiary interactions

Tertiary interactions are crucial in maintaining the tRNA structure and functionality. We used a combined sequence analysis and quantum mechanics approach to calculate accurate energies of the most frequent tRNA tertiary base pairing interactions. Our analysis indicates that six out of the nine classical tertiary interactions are held in place mainly by H-bonds between the bases. In the remaining three cases other effects have to be considered. Tertiary base pairing interaction energies range from −8 to −38 kcal/mol in yeast tRNA(Phe) and are estimated to contribute roughly 25% of the overall tRNA base pairing interaction energy. Six analyzed posttranslational chemical modifications were shown to have minor effect on the geometry of the tertiary interactions. Modifications that introduce a positive charge strongly stabilize the corresponding tertiary interactions. Non-additive effects contribute to the stability of base triplets

REST Web Services in Collaborative Work Environments

This paper presents a case study for the development of an integration framework in the area of collaborative work environments. This framework is based on REST Web services, and has been designed and implemented as part of the Laboranova European project.Peer ReviewedPreprin

WikiMindMap: non solo online

no abstractUtilizzando WikiMindMap, uno strumento che nasce per fare ricerche su wiki online (Wikipedia) e visualizzarne i contenuti sotto forma di mappa mentale, ci siamo posti una domanda: "E\u27 possibile usarlo localmente, offline, su wiki personali?" Un\u27analisi attenta ci ha permesso di dare una risposta affermativa. Se dal punto di vista didattico tale possibilit? accresce le potenzialit? di questo strumento, dal punto di vista tecnico la necessit? di saper mettere le mani "nel" software pu? essere un ostacolo, per molti insormontabile. Queste considerazioni sono state lo spunto per la realizzazione di una guida alla procedura d\u27installazione (oggetto di questo contributo) che desideriamo condividere, in linea con la filosofia del sapere condiviso che ? alla base del software libero

Critical concepts, practice recommendations, and research perspectives of pixantrone therapy in non-Hodgkin lymphoma: a SIE, SIES, and GITMO consensus paper

Objectives: In this paper, we present a review of critical concepts and research perspectives and produce recommendations on the optimal use of pixantrone in non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) by group discussion from an expert panel appointed by the Italian Society of Hematology and the affiliate societies, Societa Italiana di Ematologia Sperimentale and Gruppo Italiano Trapianto di Midollo Osseo. Methods: Recommendations were produced using the Delphi process. Scientific evidence on pixantrone efficacy was analyzed using Grades of Recommendation, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) methodology in the areas where at least one randomized trial was published. The following key issues were addressed for practical recommendations: pixantrone monotherapy in aggressive relapsed or refractory non-Hodgkin B-cell lymphomas and toxicity risk management in patients candidates to pixantrone. Results and conclusions: After a balanced and value-oriented discussion, the panel agreed that the benefit/risk profile was in favor of pixantrone in the treatment of adult patients with multiply relapsed or refractory aggressive NHL B-cell lymphomas. Pixantrone was deemed to be contraindicated in patients with uncontrolled cardiovascular disease. Despite a low rate of cardiotoxicity of pixantrone reported in clinical trials, the panel recommended that all patients receiving pixantrone should undergo periodical cardiac monitoring

Urban architecture as <i>connective</i>-<i>collective</i> intelligence: which spaces of interaction?

During the twentieth century, with the advent of industrial society and globalization, the language of planning changed according to the shifts in construction and use of physical space. By borrowing terms and spatial forms from biology and cybernetics, industrial society and globalization increased the original semantic connotations. Moving from cognitive sciences, this paper outlines the definition of architecture as connective-collective intelligence and presents its implication in urban design. Spontaneous and commercial initiatives are redefining the communication form of urban life, affecting the procedures of the transmission of traditional knowledge. This approach to building environment is moving towards a complex multichannel interaction, involving both the individual and the collective experiences of space and technology. In describing some signs of that process, the authors outline new features that are changing the concept of sustainability in urban design

Turismo cultural y rutas históricas. El Camino de San Pedro de Jerusalén a Roma

This paper focuses on cultural itineraries as a new category of heritage, a specific product for the promotion of cultural tourism in inland regions and a tool for defending small settlements from depopulation. The study describes the main characteristics of cultural itineraries, considering the factors that influence their creation and the strategies to adopt in order for them to realistically have a future and generate sustainable tourism in the regions through which the routes pass. In order for a cultural itinerary to be successful it is clearly indispensable to highlight the meaning of the ancient road but it is also necessary to identify the importance that it has today and can have in the future. Following the path taken by St Peter the Apostle towards Rome, this paper reconstructs stretches of that ancient itinerary, which has been historically and geographically documented. It proposes to highlight the value of a journey that undoubtedly appeals to those who are full of intellectual enthusiasm but appears to have little relevance for the faithful. Indeed, the latter have always been primarily interested in the journey's final destination, i.e. the great devotional route inside the Eternal City. Conferring importance on the Way of St Peter from Jerusalem to Rome would certainly help promote the inland areas of southern Italy that conserve traces of the saint's presence. However, it would also perhaps succeed in restoring pride and confidence in this important ancient cultural presence to the Mare Nostrum and in recognising the Way's key role in initiating intercultural dialogue and cooperation between Europe and the Mediterranean countries

Bacterial model membranes under the harsh subsurface conditions of Mars

Biomembranes are a key component of all living systems. Most research on membranes is restricted to ambient physiological conditions. However, the influence of extreme conditions, such as the deep subsurface on Earth or extraterrestrial environments, is less well understood. The deep subsurface of Mars is thought to harbour high concentrations of chaotropic salts in brines, yet we know little about how these conditions would influence the habitability of such environments. Here, we investigated the combined effects of high concentrations of Mars-relevant salts, including sodium and magnesium perchlorate and sulphate, and high hydrostatic pressure on the stability, structure, and function of a bacterial model membrane. To this end, several biophysical techniques have been employed, including calorimetry, fluorescence and CD spectroscopy, confocal microscopy, and small-angle X-ray scattering. We demonstrate that sulphate and perchlorate salts affect the properties of the membrane differently, depending on the counterion present (Na+vs. Mg2+). We found that the perchlorates, which are believed to be abundant salts in the Martian environment, induce a more hydrated and less ordered membrane, strongly favouring the physiologically relevant fluid-like phase of the membrane even under high-pressure stress. Moreover, we show that the activity of the phospholipase A2 is strongly modulated by both high pressure and salt. Compellingly, in the presence of the chaotropic perchlorate, the enzymatic reaction proceeded at a reasonable rate even in the presence of condensing Mg2+ and at high pressure, suggesting that bacterial membranes could still persist when challenged to function in such a highly stressed Martian environment

La competitività e lo sviluppo dell'industria ferrotranviaria europea. Il ruolo della domanda pubblica

Nei principali paesi europei, anche in coerenza con le indicazioni e raccomandazioni della Commissione Europea (si veda il Libro Bianco, marzo 2011) sono programmati nel lungo periodo significativi investimenti in progetti di sviluppo dei sistemi ferroviari nazionali, regionali e urbani. Il Cesit ha monitorato e stimato tali progetti

An IoT-oriented fast prototyping platform for BLE-based star topology networks

The Internet of Things (IoT) is characterized by many technologies, standards, tools and devices for a wide range of application fields and often, for the end-users (makers and developers), is hard to orientate in an equally wide range of offers from various manufacturers. In recent years, the Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) communication protocol is achieving a large portion of the market, thanks to its low-power and low-cost orientation and its pervasiveness in mobile devices, like smartphones. For these reasons, BLE is increasingly used in IoT-oriented Wireless Personal Area Networks (WPAN), where a small set of devices arranged in star topology network and connected to a smartphone and a Wi-Fi gateway, can cover a large number of monitoring and controlling use case scenarios. This work presents the ST’s STM32 Open Development Environment (ODE), a complete suite of hardware and software tools representing a reference point for end-users willing to create BLE-based star topology networks for a wide range of applications. Through a simple use case in a smart home context, it is shown how all provided tools can be used to fast prototype applications addressing all user requirements