Galaxies in group and field environments: a comparison of optical-NIR luminosities and colors

We compare properties of galaxies in loose groups with those in field environment by analyzing the Nearby Optical Galaxy (NOG) catalog of galaxy systems. We consider as group galaxies, objects belonging to systems with at least five members identified by means of the "friends of friends method", and, as field galaxies, all galaxies with no companions. We analyze both a magnitude--limited sample of 959 and 2035 galaxies (groups vs. field galaxies, respectively, B<14 mag, and 2000<cz<6000 km/s) and a volume-limited sample (M_B <-19.01 mag, 2000<cz<4000 km/s 369 group and 548 field galaxies). For all these galaxies, blue corrected magnitudes and morphological types are available. The cross-correlation of NOG with the 2MASS second release allow us to assign K magnitudes and obtain B-K colors for about half of the galaxies in our samples. We analyze luminosity and color segregation-effects in relation with the morphological segregation. For both B and K bands, we find that group galaxies are, on average, more luminous than field galaxies and this effect is not entirely a consequence of the morphological segregation. After taking into account the morphological segregation, the luminosity difference between group and field galaxies is about 10%. When considering only very early-type galaxies (T<-2) the difference is larger than 30%. We also find that group galaxies are redder than field galaxies, Delta(B-K) about 0.4 mag. However, after taking into account the morphological segregation, we find a smaller B-K difference, poorly significant (only at the c.l. of about 80%).Comment: 11 pages, 10 eps figures, A&A in pres

Snake and spider toxins induce a rapid recovery of function of botulinum neurotoxin paralysed neuromuscular junction

Botulinum neurotoxins (BoNTs) and some animal neurotoxins (-Bungarotoxin, -Btx, from elapid snakes and -Latrotoxin, -Ltx, from black widow spiders) are pre-synaptic neurotoxins that paralyse motor axon terminals with similar clinical outcomes in patients. However, their mechanism of action is different, leading to a largely-different duration of neuromuscular junction (NMJ) blockade. BoNTs induce a long-lasting paralysis without nerve terminal degeneration acting via proteolytic cleavage of SNARE proteins, whereas animal neurotoxins cause an acute and complete degeneration of motor axon terminals, followed by a rapid recovery. In this study, the injection of animal neurotoxins in mice muscles previously paralyzed by BoNT/A or /B accelerates the recovery of neurotransmission, as assessed by electrophysiology and morphological analysis. This result provides a proof of principle that, by causing the complete degeneration, reabsorption, and regeneration of a paralysed nerve terminal, one could favour the recovery of function of a biochemically- or genetically-altered motor axon terminal. These observations might be relevant to dying-back neuropathies, where pathological changes first occur at the neuromuscular junction and then progress proximally toward the cell body

The strategic choice of payment method in takeovers: The role of environmental, social and governance performance

Payment method choice in takeovers is mainly driven by both asymmetric information between the acquirer and the target and the acquirer's financial capability. In this paper, we examine whether increased transparency and better access to finance induced by environmental, social and governance (ESG) performance are associated with the strategic choice of payment method in takeovers. More specifically, we investigate how the acquirer's and the target's ESG coverage and different levels of ESG performance affect the probability of cash offers in a sample of 836 US takeovers from 1992 to 2014. In examining the target, our results suggest that ESG coverage is positively associated with the probability of cash offers, whereas we find a negative relationship for ESG concerns and no effect for ESG strengths. Upon examining the acquirer, ESG coverage and ESG concerns both increase the probability of cash offers; however, we do not find results supporting our prediction regarding the acquirer's ESG strengths. We infer that ESG coverage and level affect strategic considerations in the choice of the payment method in takeovers because they not only reduce information asymmetry, but also enhance financing capability

Hydrogen peroxide is a neuronal alarmin that triggers specific RNAs, local translation of Annexin A2, and cytoskeletal remodeling in Schwann cells

Schwann cells are key players in neuro-regeneration: They sense "alarm" signals released by degenerating nerve terminals and differentiate toward a proregenerative phenotype, with phagocytosis of nerve debris and nerve guidance. At the murine neuromuscular junction, hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) is a key signal of Schwann cells' activation in response to a variety of nerve injuries. Here we report that Schwann cells exposed to low doses of H2O2 rewire the expression of several RNAs at both transcriptional and translational levels. Among the genes positively regulated at both levels, we identified an enriched cluster involved in cytoskeleton remodeling and cell migration, with the Annexin (Anxa) proteins being the most represented family. We show that both Annexin A2 (Anxa2) transcript and protein accumulate at the tips of long pseudopods that Schwann cells extend upon H2O2 exposure. Interestingly, Schwann cells reply to this signal and to nerve injury by locally translating Anxa2 in pseudopods, and undergo an extensive cytoskeleton remodeling. Our results show that, similarly to neurons, Schwann cells take advantage of local protein synthesis to change shape and move toward damaged axonal terminals to facilitate axonal regeneration

Precision measurements of Linear Scattering Density using Muon Tomography

We demonstrate that muon tomography can be used to precisely measure the properties of various materials. The materials which have been considered have been extracted from an experimental blast furnace, including carbon (coke) and iron oxides, for which measurements of the linear scattering density relative to the mass density have been performed with an absolute precision of 10%. We report the procedures that are used in order to obtain such precision, and a discussion is presented to address the expected performance of the technique when applied to heavier materials. The results we obtain do not depend on the specific type of material considered and therefore they can be extended to any application.Comment: 16 pages, 4 figure

AEROBIC TRAINING WITH LIMBS INTERMITTENT ISCHEMIA IMPROVES MYOCARDIAL FUNCTION AND WALL STRETCH IN PATIENTS WITH CLAUDICATION

Background: peripheral arterial disease (PAD) is a chronic disease determining functional impairment and increased risk of cardiovascular events. Physical training improves cardiac performance and reduces NTproBNP concentration, marker of risk of cardiovascular events, in cardiac patients. Aim: we aimed to examine the effects training conducted till ischemic pain at the leg of PAD patients on myocardial function and peripheral flux.Methods: we enrolled 22 patients affected by peripheral arterial disease without cardiac disease. All patients undergone a physical training of 15 days, with treadmill test at the begin and at the end of training. Results: at the end of training patients increased walking distance (450\ub1180 m vs 250\ub1108 m; p<0.05). We documented at rest, at the end of physical training, an increase in flow volume of common femoral artery of the symptomatic leg (2,55\ub12,13 L/min vs 1,86\ub11,30 L/min; p<0.05); NTproBNP concentration at rest was lower al the end of training (210\ub1130 pg/mL vs 188\ub1108 pg/mL; p<0.005), an increase of NTproBNP concentration after maximal exercise on treadmill before treatment, with a reduced increase at the end of training period (24\ub121 vs 12\ub110 pg/mL; p<0.0005); a reduction of end-diastolic diameter of left ventricle at rest (48\ub14 mm vs 50\ub15 mm; p<0.05). The ejection fraction did not changed, while heart rate reduced after training (66\ub19 bpm vs 71\ub112 bpm; p<0.05). Conclusions: this study documented an improvement of hemodynamic and cardiac performance in response of physical training in peripheral arterial disease patients not affected by cardiac disease. Further trials will be necessary to evaluate the use of NTproBNP as a marker of good response to physical training in these patients

Analogical transfer of experience and the misuse of diversification

Centro per la Ricerca Scientifica e Tecnologica, Trent

Delivery with Uavs: A Simulated Dataset Via Ats

We consider a delivery food service operated by Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs). Due to the absence of a dataset on UAVs deliveries in the literature, and since it is not possible to perform real tests, we create a dataset using an open-Air Traffic Simulator (ATS). Precisely, we converted a set of food deliveries operated by wheeled vehicles, proposed in the literature [1], into a set of simulated UAVs deliveries. For each delivery, we ran a UAV flight from the source to the destination. The results showed that, as expected, the UAV\u27s course is shorter than the vehicle trajectory on the ground because the UAV follows a Euclidean path. Following that path, UAVs can be 5 to 8 times faster than wheeled vehicle, in absence of wind. Highly important, the ATS simulator allows to take care of the wind impact in a realistic way. Tailwind increases UAVs speed which becomes up to 10 times faster than the wheeled vehicles, whereas the headwind and crosswind slowdown the UAVs as the traffic slowdown the wheeled vehicles. Our work proves that air traffic simulators pave the way for realistic simulations of UAVs systems

Mast cell targeting hampers prostate adenocarcinoma development but promotes the occurrence of highly malignant neuroendocrine cancers

Mast cells (MC) are c-Kit-expressing cells, best known for their primary involvement in allergic reactions, but recently reappraised as important players in either cancer promotion or inhibition. Here, we assessed the role of MCs in prostate tumor development. In prostate tumors from both tumor-prone transgenic adenocarcinoma of the mouse prostate (TRAMP) mice and human patients, MCs are specifically enriched and degranulated in areas of well-differentiated (WD) adenocarcinoma but not around poorly differentiated (PD) foci that coexist in the same tumors. We derived novel TRAMP tumor cell lines, representative of WD and PD variants, and through pharmacologic stabilization or genetic ablation of MCs in recipients mice, we showed that MCs promote WD adenocarcinoma growth but are dispensable for PD tumors. WD tumors rely on MCs for matrix metalloprotease 9 (MMP-9) provision, as reconstitution of MC-deficient mice with wild-type but not MMP-9 -/- MCs was sufficient to promote their growth. In contrast, PD tumors are MMP-9 self-competent, consistently with epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition. Such a dual source of MMP-9 was confirmed in human tumors, suggesting that MCs could be a good target for early-stage prostate cancer. Interestingly, in testing whether MC targeting could block or delay tumorigenesis in tumor-prone TRAMP mice, we observed a high incidence of early and aggressive tumors, characterized by a neuroendocrine (NE) signature and c-Kit expression. Taken together, these data underscore the contribution of MCs in tumor progression and uncover a new, opposite role of MCs in protecting against the occurrence of aggressive NE variants in prostate cancer. ©2011 AACR

Supervised training improves endothelial function measured during induced ischemia in peripheral arterial disease.

Introduction: favorable effect of training on cardiovascular pathology is well documented in literature. Mechanisms evoked are the following: increased NO availability for reduction of oxidative stress, inflammation decrease, improvement of glucidic and lipidic metabolism, resetting of neuro-endocrine balance (1). These mechanism are also involved in the improvement of patients with peripheral arterial disease (PAD) treated with training. PAD is a model of inducible ischemia, in fact claudication is a condition in which ischemia/reperfusion phenomenon is present when walking is conducted till maximum pain (2). This phenomenon may produce a great amount of radical oxygen species with possible consequence on endothelium function. Xanthine oxidase is one of the most relevant enzyme involved in this process. Different types of training are proposed for PAD patients and there is not a consensus whether the ischemic pain should be reached during exercise. So we aimed to verify if maximal treadmill test (till pain) causes endothelial dysfunction, if oxidative stress is acutely aroused and if xanthine oxidase is involved. Therefore we aimed to verify if a training performed under the onset of ischemic pain can improve endothelial function ether at rest and after maximum tolerated exercise. Patients and methods: we enrolled 20 patients with PAD (16 males, 4 females, aged 65-77). Endothelium dependent dilation (EDD) was measured at humeral artery by ultrasound method, before and after maximal treadmill test (speed 3,2 km/h; slope 10%). We administered allopurinol 600 mg the day before and 600 mg 6 hours before a new treadmill test. Serum uric acid and lactate were determined throughout the study. Afterwards patients performed supervised training under pain onset for 20 days with physiotherapist overview. Every 7 days a new treadmill test was performed for updating training distance. At the end of the training period EDD was measured before and after a maximal treadmill test. Furthermore microcirculatory endothelium dependent dilation was measured at the skin of the forefoot by means of laser-Doppler (LD) after iontophoretic acetylcholine administration. Results: maximal treadmill test acutely reduced EDD (6,1\uf0b10,7 vs 9,2\uf0b10,9 %; p<0,05;). Allopurinol improved EDD (10,1\uf0b10,3 vs 9,4\uf0b10,6 %; p<0,05) with a reduced fall after maximal test (delta decrease -21,3\uf0b12,2 vs \u201333,2\uf0b11,2%; p<0,05). Training increased pain free walking distance (131\uf0b112 vs 66,6\uf0b121 m; p<0,05) and absolute walking distance (275\uf0b115 vs 125,8\uf0b140 m; p<0,05). EDD improved after training period (11,3\uf0b10,7 vs 9,2\uf0b10,9; p<0,05). The fall in EDD, observed during maximal treadmill test at the end of training period, was smaller than the one measured before training (delta decrease -15,5\uf0b12,4 vs \u201333,2\uf0b11,2%; p<0,005). Microcirculatory endothelium dependent dilation measured with LD increased after training (table). Table: microcirculatory flux with LD after iontophoretic acetylcholine. Acetylcholine 0,10 mA 10 s 20 s 40 s T 0 (% incr) 35\uf0b19 70\uf0b115 120\uf0b115 T 20 (%incr) 147\uf0b138* 182\uf0b122* 470\uf0b154* (*p<0.005 T20 vs T0) Conclusions: we demonstrate that walking through maximal pain causes impairment of EDD, this is caused by oxidative stress and can be reduced by inhibition of xanthine oxidase. Aerobic training improves EDD and microcirculatory endothelial function, furthermore training reduces the drop of EDD during maximal exercise and increased oxidative stress. As a consequence these results suggest the training should be performed under the maximal pain. References 1. Brendle DC, Joseph LJ, Corretti MC, Gardner AW, Katzel LI. Effects of exercise rehabilitation on endothelial reactivity in older patients with peripheral arterial disease. Am J Cardiol 2001;87:324-9. 2. Andreozzi GM, Leone A, Laudani R, Deinite G, Martini R. Acute impairment of the endothelial function by maximal treadmill exercise in patients with intermittent claudication, and its improvement after supervised physical training. Int Angiol. 2007; 26:12-7