325,187 research outputs found
On the Theory of generalized FC-Groups
No full textWe extend to FC, the class of generalized FC-groups introduced in [F. de Giovanni, A. Russo, G. Vincenzi, Groups with restricted conjugacy classes, Serdica Math. J. 28 (2002) 241–254], some results known for FC-groups. The main theorem involves the extended residually finite property (ERF), i.e., all subgroups are closed in the profinite topology. The ERF-groups belonging to several large classes of groups have been determined, for example nilpotent groups [M. Menth, Nilpotent groups with every quotient residually finite, J. Group Theory 5 (2002) 199–217] and FC-groups [D.J.S. Robinson, A. Russo, G. Vincenzi, On groups whose subgroups are closed in the profinite topology, J. Pure Appl. Algebra 213 (2009) 421–429]. Here we generalize these results by classifying completely the ERF-groups belonging to FC.
Keywords: Generalized FC-group; Profinite topolog
On the theory of generalized FC-groups
No full textWe extend to FC *, the class of generalized FC-groups introduced in [F. de Giovanni, A. Russo, G. Vincenzi, Groups with restricted conjugacy classes, Serdica Math. J. 28 (2002) 241-254], some results known for FC-groups. The main theorem involves the extended residually finite property (ERF), i.e., all subgroups are closed in the profinite topology. The ERF-groups belonging to several large classes of groups have been determined, for example nilpotent groups [M. Menth, Nilpotent groups with every quotient residually finite, J. Group Theory 5 (2002) 199-217] and FC-groups [D.J.S. Robinson, A. Russo, G. Vincenzi, On groups whose subgroups are closed in the profinite topology, J. Pure Appl. Algebra 213 (2009) 421-429]. Here we generalize these results by classifying completely the ERF-groups belonging to FC *
ALTERED EXPRESSION AND FUNCTIONALITY OF A2A ADENOSINE RECEPTORS IN HUNTINGTON’S DISEASE AND OTHER POLYGLUTAMINE DISORDERS
No full textSeveral studies have suggested the possible involvement of A2A adenosine receptors in the
pathogenesis of neuronal disorders, including Huntington’s disease. Huntington’s disease is an
inherited neurodegenerative disease clinically characterized by motor, cognitive and behavioural
impairments. The genetic cause of the disease is the expanded CAG triplet in a gene coding for
huntingtin, a protein involved in several physiological processes. Huntington’s disease affects
primarly GABAergic neurons in the basal ganglia that express adenosine A2A and dopamine D2
receptors. The present study describes a functional alteration of A2A adenosine receptor in striatal
cells engineerized to express full length or truncated, wild type or mutant huntingtin. The data
obtained demonstrate that the presence of mutant huntingtin induce an amplification of the
transduction signal mediated by adenylyl cyclase and an aberrant coupling of A2A receptor to this
transduction pathway. The expression and functionality of A2A adenosine receptor were
subsequently evaluated in transgenic mice R6/2, an animal model of Huntington’s disease that
express exon 1 of the human huntingtin gene. Saturation binding experiments revealed an increase
of A2A receptor levels in striatum of R6/2 mice until 14 post natal days. In addition, also the potency
of a typical A2A agonist was increased in striatal membranes of R6/2 mice when compared to wild
type mice. The subsequent study aimed the evaluation of the presence and functionality of A2A
adenosine receptors in peripheral blood cells from patients affected by Huntington’s disease
compared with control subjects. The results revealed a statistically significant increase of the A2A
receptor density in platelets, lymphocytes and neutrophils of Huntington’s disease patients and presymptomatic
carriers of the mutation when compared to control subjects. In order to verify the
specificity of A2A receptor alteration in polyglutamine disease, the same study was conducted in
blood cells from patients affected by Spinocerebellar ataxia, characterized by an expanded CAG
triplet in the ataxin gene and in patients affected by Friedreich’s ataxia, characterized by an
expansion of the GAA triplet. Saturation binding experiments in peripheral blood cells from
Spinocerebellar ataxia showed altered A2A binding parameters similar to those obtained in
Huntington’s disease patients. In addition, data obtained in Friedreich’s ataxia patients showed
affinity and density values for A2A receptors similar to those obtained from control subjects,
demonstrating the involvement of the CAG but not of the GAA triplet. Overall these data
demonstrate that an aberrant A2A receptor phenotype is present in polyglutamine disorders and this
seems to be related with the expanded CAG triplet. The amplification of the signal transduction
system of A2A receptors suggests that the use of selective A2A antagonists could be beneficial in the
treatment of Huntington’s disease as well as in other related polyglutamine diseases. In addition, the
alteration of A2A receptors in peripheral blood cells of patients with polyglutamine diseases
suggests that this receptor could be an easily accessible biomarker for the evaluation of the efficacy
of potential new therapies
Temperature of a shallow lagoon (solar and tidal cycle interaction)
No full textIn this paper a shallow lagoon exchanging water with the sea and thermally interacting with its bottom is considered. The tidal motion has been assumed to be sinusoidal and the sea water has been assumed to be at the constant temperature T*. Finally, assuming no horizontal thermal gradient (i.e. the water is always well mixed) and using simple assumptions about the fluxes at the interfaces, the analytical solution of the system of equations is found (i.e. the temperature T(t) of the water and the temperature T-s(z, t) of the sediment). The model reproduces the qualitative thermal behaviour of a shallow lagoon such as that of Venice, where many experimental readings are available. In particular, it explains the main effect of the tide during winter, and the minor and perturbative effect (series of double peaks in the temperature trend) of the tide in the summer time
The interplay of eustasy, climate and human activity in the late Quaternary depositional evolution and sedimentary architecture of the Po Delta system
No full textThe late Pleistocene and Holocene environmental evolution and sequence stratigraphic architecture of the Po Delta region, Northern Italy, are examined. The study units record the depositional evolution from lowstand continental accumulation to marine transgression and highstand progradation. Interpretation of the high-resolution, three-dimension geological mapping of the central Po Delta area was framed within the evolution of the whole of the delta region, stretching from Venice Lagoon to the South of Ravenna. The development of the delta lobes was correlated with the fluvial drainage history. A discussion on the different auto and allocyclic mechanisms controlling the depositional evolution and a quantitative estimation of the changing depositional rates are also provided. Outcrop study was based on field surveying and on the analysis of aerial photography, topographic micro-relief, historical cartography, archaeological and historiographic data. Subsurface analysis was based on stratigraphic coring and cone penetration testing. During the last glacial lowstand, the modern coastal region was the site of middle alluvial plain sedimentation. Deglaciation and early transgression were associated with an erosive disconformity development. In the modern coastal area, transgressive accumulation started between 10 and 9 000 yr BP. Back-stepping fluvial and brackish marsh deposits were followed by delta-estuarine sand bodies, influence by the last important eustatic rise pulses. Transgression climaxed at about 5 500 yr BP, during a warm climate phase. Early highstand saw the growth of large sand spits and barrier islands, progressively turning the previous bays into confined lagoons. At about 3 500 – 3 000 yr BP, a particularly active meteo-marine regime profoundly affected the depositional dynamics. Etruscan and Roman times were characterised by a warm climate and by riverine stability associated with the development of a large delta lobe. At around 1 500 yr BP, transition toward moister and cooler conditions and the abandoning of the Roman Empire hydraulic works coincided with important drainage network instability. The modern delta lobe was induced 400 years ago by an artificial fluvial mouth cut commissioned by the Republic of Venice. The early evolution of the lobe recorded very high accumulation rates. The modern fragile environmental situation is characterised by strong coastal erosion and difficult management
WATER-SEDIMENT THERMAL INTERACTION IN A LAGOON EXCHANGING WATER WITH THE SEA (WINTER CASE)
No full textIn this paper the thermal behaviour of both a shallow and well-mixed layer of water and its underlying sediment (e.g. a lagoon) is described. The water-sediment thermal interaction is analytically obtained by assuming a sinusoidal trend for the water depth. During the first half-period, the water leaves the lagoon at temperature T(t) and in the second half-period the water comes back but at a constant temperature T*. In this study theoretical results in a case without the solar flux will be shown (i.e. the case corresponds to a typical winter case)
Carta Geologico-Stratigrafica F. 187 Codigoro 1/50 000
No full textCarta Geologica del settore centrale del delta del P
ANNUAL SOIL-TEMPERATURE EVOLUTION
No full textA model to study the annual behaviour of the temperature of a homogeneous solid (considered like a semispace) will be presented in this paper. The model gives the temperature of the solid at any time and at any depth. It assumes the solar flux as the incoming flux, constant atmospheric effects and a simple expression for the outgoing flux. Finally solutions of the soil temperature, when a meteorological transient (box shape) is present, will be shown. The model gives a qualitative behaviour of the soil temperature on a yearly basis and it is like the many experimentally observed behaviours
S-Adenosylmethionine supplementation may reduce cancer-related fatigue. A prospective evaluation using the FACIT-F questionnaire in colon cancer patients undergoing oxaliplatin-based chemotherapy regimens
No full textBackground: Fatigue is a common distressing symptom for patients living with chronic or acute diseases, including liver disorders and cancer (Cancer-Related Fatigue, CRF). Its etiology is multifactorial, and some hypotheses regarding the pathogenesis are summarized, with possible shared mechanisms both in cancer and in chronic liver diseases. A deal of work has investigated the role of a multifunctional molecule in improving symptoms and outcomes in different liver dysfunctions and associated symptoms, including chronic fatigue: S-adenosylmethionine (SAM; AdoMet). The aim of this work is actually to consider its role also in oncologic settings. Patients and Methods: Between January 2006 and December 2009, at the University Campus Bio-Medico of Rome, 145 patients affected by colorectal cancer in adjuvant (n = 91) or metastatic (n = 54; n = 40 with liver metastases) setting and treated with oxaliplatin-based regimen (FOLFOX for adjuvant and bevacizumab + XELOX for metastatic ones), 76 of which with the supplementation of S-adenosylmethionine (AdoMet; 400 mg b.i.d.) (57% of adjuvant patients and 44% of metastatic ones) and 69 without AdoMet supplementation, were evaluated for fatigue prevalence using the Functional Assessment of Chronic Illnesses Therapy-Fatigue (FACIT-F) questionnaire, at 3 and 6 months after the beginning of oncologic treatment. Notably, the number of patients with liver metastases was well balanced between the group of patients treated with AdoMet and those who were not. Results: Among patients receiving oxaliplatin-based chemotherapy, both in adjuvant and in metastatic settings, after just 3 months from the beginning of chemotherapy, mean scores from questionnaire domains like FACIT-F subscale (7.9 vs. 3.1, p = 0.006), FACIT physical (6.25 vs. 3.32, p = 0.020), FACIT emotional (4.65 vs. 2.19, p = 0.045), and FACIT-F total score (16.5 vs. 8.27, p = 0.021) were higher in those receiving supplementation of AdoMet, resulting in reduced fatigue; a significant difference was maintained even after 6 months of treatment. Discussion and Conclusions: Mechanisms and strategies for managing CRF are not fully understood. This work aimed at investigating the possible role of S-adenosylmethionine supplementation in improving fatigue scores in a specific setting of cancer patients, using a FACIT-F questionnaire, a well-validated quality of life instrument widely used for the assessment of CRF in clinical trials
Robustness of empirical food webs with varying consumer’s sensitivities to loss of resources.
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