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Can Nb-enriched arc basalts result from mixing of boninite and ocean island basalt magmas? A case study from Jurassic gabbroic rocks of western Iran (Sanandaj-Sirjan Zone)
No full textThe origin of Nb-rich basalts—specifically high-Nb basalts (HNB) and Nb-enriched basalts (NEB)—is a key issue in subduction-related igneous petrology. The gabbroic rocks from the Alvand Plutonic Complex (ALPC) in the Neo-Tethyan Sanandaj-Sirjan Zone of Iran, with zircon U–Pb crystallization ages of 165 ± 2 Ma, provide a valuable natural setting for investigating these magmas. The trace element chemistry of gabbroic clinopyroxene and amphibole indicates crystallization from a parental melt with similarities with both HNB and OIB-type alkaline magmas. Major and trace element data show that the clinopyroxene compositions lie between those of OIB-like melts and highly depleted ultramafic boninitic rocks (HDUR) found in the same plutonic belt. Similarly, bulk-rock gabbros that are the intrusive equivalent of basalts span a compositional range from HNB to NEB and are transitional between OIB and HDUR end-members.
We propose that the ALPC gabbros formed by mixing between an OIB-type magma, sourced from upwelling asthenosphere through a slab window, and a highly depleted boninitic melt sourced from partial melting of a depleted mantle wedge. This mixing model contrasts with the widely accepted adakitic model, which involves melting of a mantle wedge previously metasomatized by slab-derived melts. Our findings highlight the overlooked role of boninitic magmas in generating Nb-rich basalts and suggest that variable proportions of OIB and boninitic components can produce the compositional spectrum observed in HNB and NEB worldwide
SmartWT: An open IoT sensor, datalogger and GPRS data transmission device for monitoring water levels in rice fields, with application to AWD irrigation
No full textWater management is a time-consuming aspect of rice cultivation, particularly when the Alternate Wetting and Drying (AWD) irrigation technique is adopted. This technique requires the ponding water level to be monitored daily to determine the optimal time for flooding the paddy. This study proposes SmartWT, a remote monitoring system for continuously monitoring ponding water levels in flooded rice fields. Based on open-source architecture, the system uses an Arduino Nano in conjunction with a General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) board to acquire and transmit data for remote communication purposes. Distance is measured by an ultrasonic sensor installed on a Water Tube (WT) inserted into the soil, perforated below the soil surface. The entire system has been optimised for this operating environment and features a waterproof sensor and container. The device has been designed to operate using minimal power; it runs on batteries alone, with an approximate lifespan of three months when transmitting every two hours. Several laboratory and field tests have been carried out to verify the sensor's accuracy and investigate the influence of pipe diameter and environmental temperature. Field tests have demonstrated that the sensor can withstand the extremely challenging conditions found in rice paddies, conditions that are too difficult for most instruments to handle. The accuracy error is typically less than 1 cm, which is a reasonable tolerance for ponding water level management. If accurate readings are needed, an accuracy error of a few millimetres can be achieved by adding a temperature sensor to the device
Observation of W+ W− γ production in pp collision at √s = 13 TeV with the ATLAS detector and constraints on anomalous quartic gauge-boson couplings
No full textThis Letter reports the observation of W+ W− γ triboson production in 140 fb−1 of data collected by the ATLAS detector from proton–proton collisions at a centre-of-mass energy of √s = 13 TeV t the LHC. Events with an opposite-charge eμ pair, a high transverse-momentum photon, and significant missing transverse momentum are considered. The observed (expected) significance of the signal is 5.9 (6.0) standard deviations. The measured fiducial cross-section, defined for the W+ W− γ → e± μ∓ νν̄ γ final state is 6.2 ± 0.8 (stat.) ± 0.6 (sys.) fb, in good agreement with the Standard Model prediction of 6.1 +1·0−0ִ7 fb. Constraints on the Wilson coefficients of 13 dimension-8 operators describing physics beyond the Standard Model through anomalous quartic gauge-boson couplings are derived using the effective field theory framework
Heated tobacco product aerosol emission compared to cigarette smoke: A scoping review
No full textHeated tobacco products (HTPs) are promoted as reduced-risk alternatives to combustible tobacco cigarettes (TCs), yet toxicant exposure reduction and associated health benefits remain uncertain. We evaluated preclinical and interventional clinical studies comparing HTPs with TCs, focusing on aerosol composition, toxicological exposure, and harm biomarkers. A systematic PubMed search identified 1,105 peer-reviewed articles published between January 2017 and October 2024. Studies were screened using validated MeSH terms and commercial brand names. Forty-three articles met inclusion criteria, reporting standardized aerosol characterization, in vivo or in vitro toxicology, or biomarker assessments. Data were extracted by independent reviewers. Clinical studies were categorized by exposure duration (acute, short, medium, or long-term).
HTP aerosols contained up to 95% lower levels of regulated toxicants and exhibited substantially reduced mutagenic, toxic, genotoxic, carcinogenic, and proinflammatory activities (85–95% reduction) compared with TC smoke. Among 24 interventional clinical studies, 20 reported 40–97% reductions in toxicant biomarkers of exposure (BoE)—including tobacco-specific nitrosamines, carboxyhemoglobin, volatile organic compounds, and mutagenic metabolites—among smokers who switched completely to HTPs. These reductions were observed from minutes to 24 months and occurred largely independently of systemic nicotine concentrations. Four independent studies reported no significant improvement or detected adverse effects. International health authorities acknowledge that HTP aerosols contain carcinogenic and mutagenic constituents, albeit at substantially lower concentrations than TC smoke, suggesting a potential—though unconfirmed—risk reduction.
Overall, HTP users experience lower toxicant exposure than TC smokers; however, additional independent, long-term investigations are required to determine the actual health impact of sustained HTP use
Immune Escape Mechanisms in Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer: From Biological Complexity to Actionable Targets
No full textDespite significant progress in immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) and targeted therapies, non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) continues to be associated with high rates of primary and acquired resistance. Although PD-1/PD-L1 blockade has revolutionized treatment, its clinical development has largely followed a one-size-fits-all approach, relying on limited biomarkers such as PD-L1 expression or tumor mutational burden. It is now increasingly clear that immune escape in NSCLC is orchestrated by a multifaceted, multilayered network of both tumor-intrinsic alterations and TME (tumor microenvironment)–driven mechanisms. The challenge has been to understand and to therapeutically exploit these immune escape pathways and this knowledge is now needed so that rather than embark on empirical combinations we can advance to rational, immune-informed targeted therapies
Epimutation analysis reveals involvement of SLIT2/ROBO signaling pathway in painful diabetic neuropathy
No full textChanges in gene function or expression caused by epigenetic modifications may play a role in painful diabetic neuropathy. Two independent cohorts of patients deeply phenotyped for painful diabetic neuropathy underwent whole genome DNA methylation data analysis. Burden of rare site events at the global, chromosomal and gene level; epigenetic homogeneity for regions enriched in epivariants (epilesions) and functional analysis of the genes with stochastic phenomena was undertaken. This revealed significant involvement of the SLIT/ROBO signaling axis-engaged in peripheral nerve regeneration after injury, among several molecular pathways, making it an attractive therapeutic target in patients with diabetic painful neuropathy
Il corto circuito delle biografie dantesche. A proposito di Giuseppe Indizio «Vita di Dante»
No full textRecenti biografie di Dante Alighieri
Winding Challenges and Solutions in the INFN Falcon Dipole Project
No full textThe Falcon Dipole is a project led by the Italian Institute of Nuclear Physics (INFN), which aims to fabricate a 12 T short model of a Nb3Sn cos-theta accelerator dipole as part of the High Field Magnet (HFM) R&D program at CERN [1]. The status of the project is at the fabrication step of the first dummy coil in the industry and, in this paper, the results of the first campaign of winding tests conducted in the industry are presented. The winding process for the Falcon Dipole is challenging because the size of the Rutherford Cable used for the coils is comparable to the bore radius. This results in high bending and torsion stresses, making the cable structure unstable. To address these challenges, the previous 3D model has been modified to improve the winding feasibility. The setup has been prepared to monitor technical parameters that will help in modeling the coil geometry and identifying sources of critical issues. In this paper, the outcomes of the winding campaign are reported and the proposed changes to the coil end design to address the issues that arose are discussed
PROFILING OF THE DEVELOPING HUMAN AND MOUSE HUNTINGTON¿S DISEASE BRAIN AT SINGLE-CELL RESOLUTION
No full textHuntington’s disease (HD) is an autosomal dominant neurodegenerative disorder caused by a CAG
repeat expansion in the HTT gene. Although the mutant huntingtin protein is expressed from
conception, clinical symptoms typically emerge in mid-adulthood. Imaging and molecular studies
have raised the possibility that HD may include a neurodevelopmental aspect, but direct evidence at
the single-cell level in the human fetal brain has been lacking. Therefore, the aim of this thesis is to
investigate whether early, cell type–specific transcriptional vulnerabilities arise during
neurodevelopment and whether they persist into adult pathology and might be rescued. To address
this, we performed single-cell transcriptomic profiling of the lateral ganglionic eminence and cortex
from a rare, anatomically intact human HD fetal brain, alongside matched controls. These data were
complemented by an allelic series of HD mouse embryos and cross-compared with human post
mortem brains and brain organoid models datasets. Neural progenitors emerged as the most
consistently affected population in the human fetal brain, and were similarly impacted in the HD
mouse model, where additional cell types were also impaired. Notably, human HD progenitor
transcriptional signatures were enriched in the developing mouse LGE, possibly indicating a shared
developmental vulnerability. These progenitors displayed upregulation of synaptic pathways
alongside downregulation of genes involved in essential cellular machineries. Furthermore, aberrant
cell-cycle re-entry was observed in neuronal populations in both species. Cross-comparison with
public post-mortem HD datasets revealed that transcriptional alterations observed in fetal progenitors
persist in adult tissues, potentially priming mature populations for degeneration. Importantly, cellular
interactions can counteract these transcriptional defects, uncovering a fetal-to-adult rescuable
signature with profound implications for HD pathogenesis and potential therapeutic intervention.
Together, these data challenge the traditional view of HD as a purely late-onset neurodegenerative
disorder, demonstrating instead that early transcriptional alterations affect neural progenitors persist
in adulthood, and can be reversed by cellular interactions
Effect of varying driving pressure and respiratory rate on ventilator-induced lung injury in healthy and injured lungs: An experimental animal study
No full textVentilator-induced lung injury (VILI) is a major complication of mechanical ventilation. A combined index of driving pressure (DP) and respiratory rate (RR), expressed as 4DP+RR, has been proposed to predict VILI risk. We investigated whether different combinations of DP and RR, whilst keeping 4DP+RR constant, result in different degrees of VILI in healthy (Series 1) and hydrochloric acid-injured rat lungs (Series 2). Rats were ventilated for 4 h (Series 1) or 2 h (Series 2) using five combinations of DP and RR, targeting a constant 4DP+RR equal to 140. We assessed gas exchange, partitioned respiratory mechanics, lung micro-computed tomography (microCT), bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) and alveolar tissue histology. In Series 1, the highest DP with the lowest RR, led to impaired gas exchange, compliance reduction and increased inflammation, with evidence of a threshold effect in clinical parameters and a progressive increase in histological damage. In Series 2, the lung damage progressed linearly with increasing DP and decreasing RR. Despite a constant 4DP+RR, mechanical power (MP) paradoxically decreased as DP increased. In Series 1, inflammation occurred before detectable tissue damage. A threshold effect in clinical markers (oxygenation, compliance and microCT) alongside progressively increasing histological injury suggests that early lung injury may follow a two-phase progression. In Series 2, VILI progressed linearly with increasing DP and decreasing RR despite a constant 4DP+RR load. These findings support a complex interplay between DP, RR and the spatial distribution of energy dissipation as key determinants of VILI