204 research outputs found
Recensione ad: Anonimo, Phylon, a cura di D. Prunotto, Firenze 2011 (in «Mediaeval Sophia» 11, gennaio-giugno 2012)
No full textRecensione all'ediz. critica, con trad. ital. e commento, del «Phylon» (o «Comedia Phylonis»), commedia umanistica latina del sec. XV, che contamina, al suo interno, spunti terenziani e suggestioni boccacciane. L'ediz. è stata curata da Daniela Prunotto ed è apparsa, nel 2011, nella collana «Teatro Umanistico» diretta da Stefano Pittaluga e Paolo Viti per la SISMEL-Edizioni del Galluzzo di Firenze
Structure based modeling of small molecules binding to the TLR7 by atomistic level simulations
No full textToll-Like Receptors (TLR) are a large family of proteins involved in the immune system response. Both the activation and the inhibition of these receptors can have positive effects on several diseases, including viral pathologies and cancer, therefore prompting the development of new compounds. In order to provide new indications for the design of Toll-Like Receptor 7 (TLR7)-targeting drugs, the mechanism of interaction between the TLR7 and two important classes of agonists (imidazoquinoline and adenine derivatives) was investigated through docking and Molecular Dynamics simulations. To perform the computational analysis, a new model for the dimeric form of the receptors was necessary and therefore created. Qualitative and quantitative differences between agonists and inactive compounds were determined. The in silico results were compared with previous experimental observations and employed to define the ligand binding mechanism of TLR7
Energy Demand and Supply Simultaneous Optimization to Design a Nearly Zero-Energy House
No full textThe effective design of nearly zero-energy buildings depends on a large set of interdependent variables, which affect both energy demand and supply. Considering them simultaneously is fundamental when searching for optimal design of nearly zero-energy buildings, as encouraged by the EU in the second recast of the Energy Performance of Building Directive (EPBD). This paper presents the application of the new energy demand and supply simultaneous optimization (EDeSSOpt) methodology to optimize the design of a single-family house in the Italian context. Both primary energy optimization and financial optimization are carried out in the context of European regulations. Robustness of the resulting optimal solution is studied through analysis of optimum neighborhoods. The resulting cost-optimized solution relies on a moderately insulated envelope, a highly efficient system, and 34% of coverage from renewables. The energy-optimized solution requires a higher level of insulation and a higher coverage from renewables, demonstrating that there is still a gap between energy and cost optimums. Beyond the results, integrated optimization by means of EDeSSOpt is demonstrated to better minimize cost functions while improving the robustness of results
Met signaling mutants as tools for developmental studies
No full textThe Met receptor is widely expressed in embryonic and adult epithelial tissues; its ligand (hepatocyte growth factor/scatter factor, HGF/SF) is expressed in the mesenchymal component of various organs. The generation of hgf and met null mice has revealed an essential role for this ligand-receptor pair in the development of the placenta, liver, and limb muscles. However the early lethality of the null mutants has precluded analysis of Met function in late development. To extend the possible observation period, we generated mutant metalleles of different severity. This was done by impairing the ability of the receptor to transduce the HGF/SF signal, via mutation of consensus sequences in the multifunctional docking site present in the C-terminal tail of the receptor. Mice expressing a Met mutant still active as a kinase, but unable to recruit its effectors, died in mid-gestation with the same phenotype as the metknockout, proving the importance of phosphotyrosine-SH2 interactions in vivo. Mice expressing a Met receptor with partial loss of signaling function survived until birth and revealed novel aspects of HGF/SF-Met function during muscle development
Integrated Risk Management through dynamic capabilities within project-based organizations: the Company Dynamic Response Map
No full textEDeSSOpt – Energy Demand and Supply Simultaneous Optimization for cost-optimized design: Application to a multi-family building
No full textIn the context of European efforts to reduce energy consumption and CO2 emissions in the building sector, the second recast of the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive promotes the acceleration of the energy renovation of European building stock. To do this, a cost optimization is necessary to find the best combination of energy efficiency measures which minimize the global cost during the entire life-cycle of the building, as suggested in the first recast of the same Directive. Since a great number of combinations must be analyzed, an automated procedure is necessary to reduce the calculation time. In this work, an iterative input-output process is set, thanks to the coupling of a dynamic energy simulation software (TRNSYS) and a generic optimization software (GenOpt). The cost optimization is applied to a new social housing construction – a multi-family building located in Northern Italy. The methodology that was adopted allows the simultaneous optimization of both the building energy demand (building envelope) and the building energy supply (technical systems and renewable sources). Results are compared with those obtained using a more widespread sequential approach whose purpose is firstly the optimization of one of these two factors, and subsequently the optimization of the other one. This study has demonstrated that an integrated approach allows a larger number of possible combinations of energy efficiency measures to be explored with respect to the sequential approach
Impact of viral infections in children with community-acquired pneumonia : results of a study of 17 respiratory viruses
No full textBackground. Little is known about the prevalence of viral infections in children with community-acquired pneumonia (CAP). Objectives. To describe the clinical and virological data collected from children with radiographically confirmed CAP in whom 17 respiratory viruses were sought in respiratory secretion samples during the acute phase of the disease. Patients and methods. The study involved 592 children with radiographically confirmed CAP whose respiratory secretion samples were tested using the Luminex xTAG Respiratory Virus Panel Fast assay, which simultaneously detects influenza A virus, influenza B virus, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV)-A and -B, parainfluenzavirus-1, -2, -3, and -4, adenovirus, human metapneumovirus, coronaviruses 229E, NL63, OC43, and HKU1, enterovirus/rhinovirus, and bocavirus. A real-time PCR assay was used to identify the rhinovirus in the enterovirus/rhinovirus-positive samples. Results. A total of 435 children (73.5%) were positive for at least one virus: the most frequently detected was RSV, which was found in 188 (31.7%), followed by rhinovirus (n = 144, 24.3%), bocavirus (n = 60, 10.1%), influenza viruses (n = 57, 9.6), and hMPV (n = 49, 8.2%). Viral co-infections were found in 117 children (19.7% of the enrolled children; 26.9% of those with viral infections). Marginal differences were found between the infections owing to a single virus. Co-infections showed radiographic evidence of alveolar pneumonia significantly more frequently than single infections (OR 1.72, 95% CI 1.052.81). Conclusions. The findings of this study highlight the importance of respiratory viruses (mainly RSV and rhinovirus) in children with CAP and show the characteristics of both the single infections and co-infections associated with the disease
Carbon-coated stents implanted in porcine iliac and renal arteries: Histologic and histomorphometric study
No full textPURPOSE: To test in a pig model the biocompatibility and effectiveness of carbon-coated renal and iliac artery stent systems during implantation procedures and at different follow-up periods. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty-two miniature pigs received carbon-coated balloon-expandable stainless-steel stents in their renal and iliac arteries. Animals were killed at 7, 30, or 180 days for evaluation of acute, subacute, and chronic biologic response to the implanted devices. Histologic, histomorphometric, and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analyses were performed to assess inflammatory reaction, endothelialization process, and neointimal growth. RESULTS: Forty-four iliac stents and 42 renal stents were successfully implanted. Mural thrombi were not observed by angiography or histologic examinations. Histologically, no significant inflammatory reaction was detected: the stents appeared covered by a thin monolayer of endothelial cells even at 7-day follow-up. The neointima showed homogeneous growth and moderate thickness at 30-day and 180-day explantations (0.09 mm +/- 0.06 and 0.15 mm +/- 0.13, respectively, for renal arteries; 0.12 mm +/- 0.04 and 0.21 mm +/- 0.12, respectively, for iliac arteries). Internal and external elastic laminae were intact in 82 of 86 cases (95%) of stent-implanted arteries. Histologic validations were obtained with SEM observations for each follow-up group. CONCLUSIONS: This study showed good technical results of deployment of carbon-coated renal and iliac stents and very satisfactory biologic behavior in terms of tissue and hematologic compatibility. The devices do not induce thrombus formation
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