72 research outputs found
Mauro Tebaldi, Il Presidente della Repubblica, Bologna, Il Mulino, 2005, pp. 343.
No full textThe author offers a review of the book by M. Tebaldi concerning the President of the Repubblic in the Italian constitutional system
Tick-Borne Encephalitis, Lombardy, Italy
No full textTick-borne encephalitis was limited to northeast portions of Italy. We report in Lombardy, a populous region in the northwest, a chamois displaying clinical signs of tickborne encephalitis virus that had multiple virus-positive ticks attached, as well as a symptomatic man. Further, we show serologic evidence of viral circulation in the are
Virus-Mediated Metalloproteinase 1 Induction Revealed by Transcriptome Profiling of Bovine Herpesvirus 4-Infected Bovine Endometrial Stromal Cells
No full textViral infections can cause genital tract disorders (including abortion) in cows, and bovine herpesvirus 4 (BoHV-4) is often present in endometritis-affected animals. A major problem with cattle uterine viral infections in general, and BoHV-4 in particular, is our limited understanding of the pathogenic role(s) that these infections play in the endometrium. A similar lack of knowledge holds for the molecular mechanisms utilized, and the host cell pathways affected, by BoHV-4. To begin to fill these gaps, we set up optimized conditions for BoHV-4 infection of a pure population of bovine endometrial stromal cells (BESCs) to be used as source material for RNA sequencing-based transcriptome profiling. Many genes were found to be upregulated (417) or downregulated (181) after BoHV-4 infection. As revealed by enrichment functional analysis on differentially expressed genes, BoHV-4 infection affects various pathways related to cell proliferation and cell surface integrity, at least three of which were centered on upregulation of matrix metalloproteinase 1 (MMP1) and interleukin 8 (IL8). This was confirmed by reverse transcription PCR, real-time PCR, Western-immunoblot analysis, and a luciferase assay with a bovine MMP1-specific promoter reporter construct. Further, it was found that MMP1 transcription was upregulated by the BoHV-4 transactivator IE2/RTA, leading to abnormally high metalloproteinase tissue levels, potentially leading to defective endometrium healing and unresolved inflammation. Based on these findings, we propose a new model for BoHV-4 action centered on IE2-mediated MMP1 upregulation and novel therapeutic interventions based on IFN gamma-mediated MMP1 downregulation
Ageing Behavior of Porous and Dense Asphalt Mixtures in the Field
No full textBitumen ageing is one of the principal factors causing the deterioration of asphalt pavements. As bitumen ages, the pavement loses its ability to relax stresses during loading/unloading and thermal cooling process, thus the risk of cracking increases. Oxidation and ultraviolet (UV) radiation are believed to be the main factors that can cause bitumen ageing during pavement service life. The aim of this study is to evaluate the mechanical behavior of porous and dense asphalt pavements during field ageing. Pavement test sections were constructed in 2014 and are being exposed to actual environmental conditions since then. To investigate the effect of UV radiation on ageing, UV reflective glass-plates were utilized to cover part of the pavement surface. To study the evolution of the pavements’ mechanical properties, asphalt cores were collected from the test sections periodically (at one-year intervals). The changes in the stiffness modulus of the mixtures were determined via cyclic indirect tensile tests. The results show that the effect of mineral aggregate packing, and hence of air-void distribution and connectivity, on the ageing sensitivity (both thermal and UV ageing sensitivity) of the pavements with time was found to be significant, as the changes of the stiffness of the porous mixtures were greater than that of dense mixtures.Green Open Access added to TU Delft Institutional Repository ‘You share, we take care!’ – Taverne project https://www.openaccess.nl/en/you-share-we-take-care Otherwise as indicated in the copyright section: the publisher is the copyright holder of this work and the author uses the Dutch legislation to make this work public.Pavement Engineerin
The Terrorist and the Girl Next Door: Love Jihad in French Femonationalist Nonfiction
No full textThis paper explores the theme of Love Jihad in “true sex crime” novels, French mass-market paperbacks where a journalist or author recounts the temoignage of women who suffered sexual violence at the hands of Muslim men. Semiotic analysis of visual and textual representations shows a melodramatic triangle of female victims, Muslim male perpetrators, and heroic readers. These stories reflect, dramatize, and sexualize broader social constructions of the monstrous Muslim; from Far-Right conspiracies of The Great Replacement to femonationalist debates about veils and republican values. In the final section, the paper explores how visual and verbal tropes from these popular discourses reappear in political speech and media from the National Rally
Emergence of Letermovir-resistant HCMV UL56 mutant during rescue treatment in a liver transplant recipient with ganciclovir-resistant infection HCMV: a case report
No full textAbstract Background Human Cytomegalovirus (HCMV) still represents a crucial concern in solid organ transplant recipients (SOTRs) and the use of antiviral therapy are limited by side effects and the selection of viral mutations conferring antiviral drug resistance. Case presentation Here we reported the case of an HCMV seronegative patient with common variable immunodeficiency (CVID), multiple hepatic adenomatosis, hepatopulmonary syndrome and portal hypertension who received a liver transplant from an HCMV seropositive donor. The patient was treated with Valganciclovir (vGCV) and then IV Ganciclovir (GCV) at 5 week post-transplant for uncontrolled HCMV DNAemia. However, since mutation A594V in UL97 gene conferring resistance to ganciclovir was reported, GCV therapy was interrupted. Due to the high toxicity of Foscarnet (FOS) and Cidofovir (CDV), Letermovir (LMV) monotherapy at the dosage of 480 mg per day was administered, with a gradual viral load reduction. However, a relapse of HCMV DNAemia revealed the presence of mutation C325Y in HCMV UL56 gene conferring resistance to LMV. Conclusions In conclusion, even if LMV is an effective and favorable safety molecule it might have a lower genetic barrier to resistance. A warning on the use of LMV monotherapy as rescue treatments for HCMV GCV-resistant infections in transplant recipients is warranted
Experimental Validation of the Dual-Oxidation Routes in Bituminous Binders
No full textOxidative ageing in bituminous materials is considered to be one of the most important factors for distress types in road applications. The increasing interest in oxidative ageing has highlighted the need for a thorough understanding of the oxidation mechanisms at molecular level. This paper offers some insight in the validity of the proposed hypotheses about the oxidation routes of bitumen, the fast- and the slow-rate route, reflecting on previous studies. Fourier-Transform Infrared (FTIR) and Electron Paramagnetic Resonance (EPR) spectroscopy were utilised for this verification. To elucidate the uncertain formation of sulfoxides, an additional surface investigation with Time-of-Flight Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry (TOF-SIMS) was performed. The findings of the aforementioned techniques reveal the existence of the oxidation products reported previously and contribute to the understanding of the oxidation mechanisms. Overall, this research strengthens experimentally the hypotheses of the dual-oxidation routes of bitumen.Green Open Access added to TU Delft Institutional Repository ‘You share, we take care!’ – Taverne project https://www.openaccess.nl/en/you-share-we-take-care Otherwise as indicated in the copyright section: the publisher is the copyright holder of this work and the author uses the Dutch legislation to make this work public.Pavement Engineerin
Allowances for evolving coastal flood risk under uncertain local sea-level rise
No full textEstimates of future flood hazards made under the assumption of stationary mean sea level are biased low due to sea-level rise (SLR). However, adjustments to flood return levels made assuming fixed increases of sea level are also inadequate when applied to sea level that is rising over time at an uncertain rate. SLR allowances—the height adjustment from historic flood levels that maintain under uncertainty the annual expected probability of flooding—are typically estimated independently of individual decision-makers’ prefer- ences, such as time horizon, risk tolerance, and confidence in SLR projections. We provide a framework of SLR allowances that employs complete probability distributions of local SLR and a range of user-defined flood risk management preferences. Given non-stationary and uncertain sea-level rise, these metrics provide estimates of flood protection heights and off- sets for different planning horizons in coastal areas. We illustrate the calculation of various allowance types for a set of long-duration tide gauges along U.S. coastlines
Mechanisms in Healing of Bitumen and the Impact of Normal Force
No full textDamage in pavements is known to reduce over time when the material is left to rest, this phenomenon is known as healing. It has been shown that healing is an important influence factor in pavement performance. However, an accepted method to assess the healing capability of a pavement is currently not available. Healing of cracks is assumed to be the sum of two processes, cracked surfaces coming into contact (wetting) and strength gain of surfaces in contact (intrinsic healing). The paper describes influencing parameters of these two processes. The healing potential of bitumen is assessed using a novel test method. In this method two pieces of bitumen are brought together and left to heal under controlled condi-tions. After healing the amount of healing is assessed by testing the specimens us-ing a direct tensile test. From the results it can be seen that normal force has a sig-nificant impact on the observed healing, indicating that the process of two surfaces coming into contact (wetting) has a significant impact on healing behavior of the bitumen.Pavement Engineerin
Past and future sea-level rise along the coast of North Carolina, USA
No full textWe evaluate relative sea level (RSL) trajectories for North Carolina, USA, in the context of tide-gauge measurements and geological sea-level proxy reconstructions spanning the last ∼11,000 years. RSL rise was fastest (∼7 mm/yr) during the early Holocene and slowed over time with the end of the deglaciation. During the pre-Industrial Common Era (i.e., 0–1800 CE), RSL rise (∼0.7 to 1.1 mm/yr) was driven primarily by glacio-isostatic adjustment, though dampened by tectonic uplift along the Cape Fear Arch. Ocean/atmosphere dynamics caused centennial variability of up to ∼0.6 mm/yr around the long-term rate. It is extremely likely (probability P = 0.95) that 20th century RSL rise at Sand Point, NC, (2.8 ± 0.5 mm/yr) was faster than during any other century in at least 2,900 years. Projections based on a fusion of process models, statistical models, expert elicitation, and expert assessment indicate that RSL at Wilmington, NC, is very likely (P = 0.90) to rise by 42–132 cm between 2000 and 2100 under the high-emissions RCP 8.5 pathway. Under all emission pathways, 21st century RSL rise is very likely (P > 0.90) to be faster than during the 20th century. Due to RSL rise, under RCP 8.5, the current ‘1-in-100 year’ flood is expected at Wilmington in ∼30 of the 50 years between 2050-2100.The final publication is available at Springer via http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10584-015-1451-xPeer reviewe
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