A theoretically-based novel protocol for the analytic treatment of the glass failure stresses associated with coaxial double ring test method

With the aim of validating a new standardized Coaxial Double Ring testing procedure, without overpressure and with fixed geometry, an ad hoc theoretical approach has been proposed here to rearrange the laboratory outcomes accounting for the effects of the geometric non-linearities associated with such a testing configuration. By borrowing this idea, once the experimental values of the failure load have been determined, it has been possible to obtain an expression in closed form (fully defined by only two coefficients) of the maximum tensile stress (σ_max) in the core of the specimen. Following this, in order to make the laboratory outcomes comparable and homogeneous, the σ_max-values have been then re-scaled to a common reference condition (equibiaxial stress on a reference area, σ_eqbx), by means of the use of a correction coefficient (K) able to determine, under a condition of equal probability of failure, the effective area (A_eff) of the tested specimens. After being corrected to account for the effects of the stress corrosion cracking (static fatigue effect), all re-scaled data have been finally interpreted using a Weibull-type statistical distribution to determine the main fractile values of the glass strength. Doing so, despite some unavoidable approximations, this procedure furnished a highly effective means of determining the bending strength of float glass. Unlike the pure numerical approach proposed in codes and literature, which requires to correct the experimental data via FEM simulation, the rationale behind the proposed approach is in fact to elaborate the experimental data through an analytic treatment of the problem, which would greatly facilitate the interpretation of the data as well as the standardization of the testing procedure.     

A State of the Art of Antioxidant Properties of Curcuminoids in Neurodegenerative Diseases

Neurodegenerative diseases represent a set of pathologies characterized by an irreversible and progressive, and a loss of neuronal cells in specific areas of the brain. Oxidative phosphorylation is a source of energy production by which many cells, such as the neuronal cells, meet their energy needs. Dysregulations of oxidative phosphorylation induce oxidative stress, which plays a key role in the onset of neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease (AD), Parkinson’s disease (PD), and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). To date, for most neurodegenerative diseases, there are no resolute treatments, but only interventions capable of alleviating the symptoms or slowing the course of the disease. Therefore, effective neuroprotection strategies are needed. In recent years, natural products, such as curcuminoids, have been intensively explored and studied for their therapeutic potentials in several neurodegenerative diseases. Curcuminoids are, nutraceutical compouns, that owen several therapeutic properties such as anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective effects. In this context, the aim of this review was to provide an overview of preclinical and clinical evidence aimed to illustrate the antioxidant effects of curcuminoids in neurodegenerative diseases. Promising results from preclinical studies encourage the use of curcuminoids for neurodegeneration prevention and treatment.     

The Genetic Basis of Primary Myelofibrosis and Its Clinical Relevance

Among classical BCR-ABL-negative myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPN), primary myelofibrosis (PMF) is the most aggressive subtype from a clinical standpoint, posing a great challenge to clinicians. Whilst the biological consequences of the three MPN driver gene mutations (JAK2, CALR, and MPL) have been well described, recent data has shed light on the complex and dynamic structure of PMF, that involves competing disease subclones, sequentially acquired genomic events, mostly in genes that are recurrently mutated in several myeloid neoplasms and in clonal hematopoiesis, and biological interactions between clonal hematopoietic stem cells and abnormal bone marrow niches. These observations may contribute to explain the wide heterogeneity in patients’ clinical presentation and prognosis, and support the recent effort to include molecular information in prognostic scoring systems used for therapeutic decision-making, leading to promising clinical translation. In this review, we aim to address the topic of PMF molecular genetics, focusing on four questions: (1) what is the role of mutations on disease pathogenesis? (2) what is their impact on patients’ clinical phenotype? (3) how do we integrate gene mutations in the risk stratification process? (4) how do we take advantage of molecular genetics when it comes to treatment decisions?     

Development of an Expert Model to Assess Falls from Height Hazards in Construction Sites

This paper reports on the current state of an ongoing research project which is aimed at implementing intelligent models for hardly predictable hazard scenarios identification in construction sites. As any programmatic actions cannot deal with the unpredictable nature of many risk dynamics, an attempt to improve the current approach for safety management in the construction industry will be presented in this paper. To this aim, the features offered by Bayesian networks have been exploited. The present research has led to the definition of a probabilistic model using elicitation techniques from subjective knowledge. This model, which might be meant as a reliable knowledge map about accident dynamics, showed that a relevant part of occurrences fall in the ＂hardly predictable hazards＂ category, which cannot be warded off by programmatic safety measures. Hence, more effort turned out to be needed in order to manage those hardly predictable hazardous scenarios. Consequently, further developments of this research project will focus on a real time monitoring system for the identification of unpredictable hazardous events in construction.     

Glass and Jamming Rheology in Soft Particles Made of PNIPAM and Polyacrylic Acid

The phase behaviour of soft colloids has attracted great attention due to the large variety of new phenomenologies emerging from their ability to pack at very high volume fractions. Here we report rheological measurements on interpenetrated polymer network microgels composed of poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAM) and polyacrylic acid (PAAc) at fixed PAAc content as a function of weight concentration. We found three different rheological regimes characteristic of three different states: a Newtonian shear-thinning fluid, an attractive glass characterized by a yield stress, and a jamming state. We discuss the possible molecular mechanisms driving the formation of these states.     

High SPARC Expression Starting from Dysplasia,Associated with Breast Carcinoma,Is Predictive for Bone Metastasis without Enhancement of Plasma Levels

In order to become established in the skeleton, metastatic cells disseminating from the breast carcinoma need to acquire organ-specific traits. There are no effective predictors for who will develop bone metastasis to guide long-term predictive therapy. Our purpose was to individuate events critical for bone colonization to make a molecular classification of breast carcinoma useful for bone-metastasis outcome. In dysplasia adjacent to carcinoma and in pair-matched specimens of bone metastasis we examined SPARC expression and localization as well as Endothelin 1/ET_AR signals by immunohistochemistry, and the evaluation of plasma levels of SPARC by ELISA was also performed. In patients with breast carcinoma metastasizing to bone, SPARC and Endothelin 1/ET_AR axis were highly expressed from dysplasia until bone metastasis, but the SPARC plasma level was as low as that of normal women, in contrast to patients that never develop bone metastasis, suggesting that circulating SPARC was counter adhesive. Altogether, the early identification of SPARC/Endothelin 1/ET_AR in dysplastic lesions would be important to devise therapies preventing metastasis engraftment, since often carcinoma cells spread to distant organs at the time or even before patients present with cancer.     

Changes in actin and tubulin expression in osteogenic cells cultured on bioactive glass‐based surfaces

The present study evaluated whether the changes in the labeling pattern of cytoskeletal proteins in osteogenic cells cultured on bioactive glass‐based materials are due to altered mRNA and protein levels. Primary rat‐derived osteogenic cells were plated on Bioglass® 45S5, Biosilicate®, and borosilicate (bioinert control). The following parameters were assayed: (i) qualitative epifluorescence analysis of actin and tubulin; (ii) quantitative mRNA and protein expression for actin and tubulin by real‐time PCR and ELISA, respectively, and (iii) qualitative analysis of cell morphology by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). At days 3 and 7, the cells grown on borosilicate showed typical actin and tubulin labeling patterns, whereas those on the bioactive materials showed roundish areas devoid of fluorescence signals. The cultures grown on bioactive materials showed significant changes in actin and tubulin mRNA expression that were not reflected in the corresponding protein levels. A positive correlation between the mRNA and protein as well as an association between epifluorescence imaging and quantitative data were only detected for the borosilicate. SEM imaging of the cultures on the bioactive surfaces revealed cells partly or totally coated with material aggregates, whose characteristics resembled the substrate topography. The culturing of osteogenic cells on Bioglass® 45S5 and Biosilicate® affect actin and tubulin mRNA expression but not the corresponding protein levels. Changes in the labeling pattern of these proteins should then be attributed, at least in part, to the presence of a physical barrier on the cell surface as a result of the material surface reactions, thus limiting fluorescence signals. Microsc. Res. Tech. 78:1046–1053, 2015. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Air analysis in the assessment of fumonisin contamination risk in maize

BACKGROUND: In maize‐growing areas where fumonisin contamination is endemic, there is an urgent need for novel methods to assess the quality of grain lots before their delivery to common drying and storage collection centres. Aerobiological samples of fungal spores released during harvest were analysed to establish a relationship between fumonisin contamination and the abundance of pathogen propagules collected in the combine harvester using a cyclone and membrane filters. Filter‐captured propagules were analysed by direct plating, immunoenzymatic assay of specific Fusarium extracellular polysaccharides and real time polymerase chain reaction of the extracted DNA using fum1, a gene involved in the biosynthesis of fumonisin, as a target. RESULTS: The results showed that time of harvest and environmental conditions strongly influenced the efficiency and performance of the collection system. The data obtained were informative in comparing individual samples collected under similar conditions. The immunoenzymatic assay provided the most reliable data, which improved the ability of a neural network to predict the fumonisin content of lots, when added to agronomic, environmental and phytosanitary data. CONCLUSION: This is the first attempt to evaluate the Fusarium propagules dispersed during harvesting as a predictive means to assess maize quality. A method based on cyclone/filter capture and immunological detection has been shown to be feasible and to have the potential for the development of a continuous monitoring system, but the prediction capabilities in the present implementation were limited. Copyright © 2010 Society of Chemical Industry     

昨天/明天: 意大利城市保护与发展50年

本文记录了意大利城市保护的理论和文化信息，更重要的是，它展示了由城市和区域部门执行的具体保护案例，并展示了大学研究中心在保护技术和方法上的进步。主要分为4个部分：历史、城市议题、景观议题、培训和国际合作。从城市设计的理念和技术的角度，向世人解析意大利古罗马建筑如何在现代化城市进程中愈加焕发时尚气息的领先技术。中国现阶段正经历着经济快速发展所带来的种种迷惑，或许能从分享中找到答案。