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- Abelev, B., et al.
(author)
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Technical Design Report for the Upgrade of the ALICE Inner Tracking System
- 2014
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In: Journal of Physics G: Nuclear and Particle Physics. - : IOP Publishing. - 0954-3899 .- 1361-6471. ; 41:8
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- LICE (A Large Ion Collider Experiment) is studying the physics of strongly interacting matter, and in particular the properties of the Quark–Gluon Plasma (QGP), using proton–proton, proton–nucleus and nucleus–nucleus collisions at the CERN LHC (Large Hadron Collider). The ALICE Collaboration is preparing a major upgrade of the experimental apparatus, planned for installation in the second long LHC shutdown in the years 2018–2019. A key element of the ALICE upgrade is the construction of a new, ultra-light, high-resolution Inner Tracking System (ITS) based on monolithic CMOS pixel detectors. The primary focus of the ITS upgrade is on improving the performance for detection of heavy-flavour hadrons, and of thermal photons and low-mass di-electrons emitted by the QGP. With respect to the current detector, the new Inner Tracking System will significantly enhance the determination of the distance of closest approach to the primary vertex, the tracking efficiency at low transverse momenta, and the read-out rate capabilities. This will be obtained by seven concentric detector layers based on a 50 μm thick CMOS pixel sensor with a pixel pitch of about 30×30 μm2. This document, submitted to the LHCC (LHC experiments Committee) in September 2013, presents the design goals, a summary of the R&D activities, with focus on the technical implementation of the main detector components, and the projected detector and physics performance.
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- Block, Keith I., et al.
(author)
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Designing a broad-spectrum integrative approach for cancer prevention and treatment
- 2015
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In: Seminars in Cancer Biology. - : Academic Press. - 1044-579X .- 1096-3650. ; 35, s. S276-S304
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Research review (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Targeted therapies and the consequent adoption of "personalized" oncology have achieved notable successes in some cancers; however, significant problems remain with this approach. Many targeted therapies are highly toxic, costs are extremely high, and most patients experience relapse after a few disease-free months. Relapses arise from genetic heterogeneity in tumors, which harbor therapy-resistant immortalized cells that have adopted alternate and compensatory pathways (i.e., pathways that are not reliant upon the same mechanisms as those which have been targeted). To address these limitations, an international task force of 180 scientists was assembled to explore the concept of a low-toxicity "broadspectrum" therapeutic approach that could simultaneously target many key pathways and mechanisms. Using cancer hallmark phenotypes and the tumor microenvironment to account for the various aspects of relevant cancer biology, interdisciplinary teams reviewed each hallmark area and nominated a wide range of high-priority targets (74 in total) that could be modified to improve patient outcomes. For these targets, corresponding low-toxicity therapeutic approaches were then suggested, many of which were phytochemicals. Proposed actions on each target and all of the approaches were further reviewed for known effects on other hallmark areas and the tumor microenvironment Potential contrary or procarcinogenic effects were found for 3.9% of the relationships between targets and hallmarks, and mixed evidence of complementary and contrary relationships was found for 7.1%. Approximately 67% of the relationships revealed potentially complementary effects, and the remainder had no known relationship. Among the approaches, 1.1% had contrary, 2.8% had mixed and 62.1% had complementary relationships. These results suggest that a broad-spectrum approach should be feasible from a safety standpoint. This novel approach has potential to be relatively inexpensive, it should help us address stages and types of cancer that lack conventional treatment, and it may reduce relapse risks. A proposed agenda for future research is offered. (C) 2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.
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- Garcia Silva, Maria R., et al.
(author)
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Cloning, characterization, and subcellular localization of a Trypanosoma cruzi argonaute protein defining a new subfamily distinctive of trypanosomatids
- 2010
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In: Gene. - : Elsevier BV. - 1879-0038 .- 0378-1119. ; 466:1-2, s. 26-35
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Over the last years an expanding family of small non-coding RNAs (sRNA) has been identified in eukaryotic genomes which behave as sequence-specific triggers for mRNA degradation, translation repression, heterochromatin formation and genome stability. To achieve their effectors functions, sRNAs associate with members of the Argonaute protein family. Argonaute proteins are segregated into three paralogous groups: the AGO-like subfamily, the PIWI-like subfamily, and the WAGO subfamily (for Worm specific AGO). Detailed phylogenetic analysis of the small RNA-related machinery components revealed that they can be traced back to the common ancestor of eukaryotes. However, this machinery seems to be lost or excessively simplified in some unicellular organisms such as Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Trypanosoma cruzi, Leishmania major and Plasmodium falciparum which are unable to utilize dsRNA to trigger degradation of target RNAs. We reported here a unique ORF encoding for an AGO/PIWI protein in T. cruzi which was expressed in all stages of its life cycle at the transcript as well as the protein level. Database search for remote homologues, revealed the presence of a divergent PAZ domain adjacent to the well supported PIWI domain. Our results strongly suggested that this unique AGO/PIWI protein from T. cruzi is a canonical Argonaute in terms of its domain architecture. We propose to reclassify all Argonaute members from trypanosomatids as a distinctive phylogenetic group representing a new subfamily of Argonaute proteins and propose the generic designation of AGO/PIWI-tryp to identify them. Inside the Trypanosomatid-specific node, AGO/PIWI-tryps were clearly segregated into two paralog groups designated as AGO-tryp and PIWI-tryp according to the presence or absence of a functional link with RNAi-related phenomena, respectively. (C) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
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| 6. |
- Hauser, Tobias, et al.
(author)
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Porosity in wire arc additive manufacturing of aluminium alloys
- 2021
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In: Additive Manufacturing. - : Elsevier. - 2214-8604 .- 2214-7810. ; 41
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Wire Arc Additive Manufacturing is a near-net-shape processing technology which allows cost-effective manufacturing of large and customized metal parts. Processing of aluminium in Wire Arc Additive Manufacturing is quite challenging, especially in terms of porosity. In the present work, pore behaviour in Wire Arc Additive Manufacturing of AW4043/AlSi5(wt%) was investigated and a post-process monitoring approach was developed. It has been observed that as the shielding gas flow rate increases, the porosity in aluminium parts also increases due to the rapid solidification of the melt pool by forced convection. The higher convection rate seems to limit the escape of gas inclusions. Furthermore, gas inclusions escaping from the melt pool leave cavities on the surface of each deposited layer. Process camera imaging is used to monitor these cavities to acquire information about the porosity in the part. The observations were supported by Computational Fluid Dynamics simulations which show that the gas flow rate correlates with the porosity in aluminium parts manufactured by Wire Arc Additive Manufacturing. Since a lower gas flow rate leads to reduced convective cooling, the melt pool remains liquid for a longer period allowing pores to escape for a longer period and thus reducing porosity. Based on these investigations, a monitoring approach is presented.
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- Spagnuolo, R., et al.
(author)
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Satisfaction with Social Roles and Physical Function in Immune-mediated Inflammatory Diseases: A Cross-Sectional Study
- 2022
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In: Reviews on Recent Clinical Trials. - : Bentham Science Publishers Ltd.. - 1574-8871. ; 17:3, s. 177-186
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Background: Although mood disorders have been well characterized by immune-mediated inflammatory diseases, physical function and satisfaction with social roles have not yet been defined as independent domains. Objective: The study aims to assess satisfaction with social roles and physical function alterations in a population with immune-mediated inflammatory diseases and identify associated characteristics. Methods: Physical function and social role satisfaction were evaluated through the Patient-reported Outcomes Measurement System. Besides comparison between groups, univariate and multivariable logistic regression analyses were performed to identify independent predictors. Results: Two hundred sixty-five patients with immune-mediated inflammatory diseases and 206 controls were recruited. Compared to controls, patients with inflammatory bowel diseases had impaired physical function (p<0.001), while patients with inflammatory arthritis reported impairment in both domains (p<0.001, each). In the univariate logistic regression, gender, high school educational level, physical activity, and occupation were positively associated with physical function and social role satisfaction (pp=0.001; pp=0.001 and pp=0.012; p=0.008; p=0.004, respectively). Active disease and steroids were inversely associated with physical function and social roles satisfaction (p=0.033; p=0.022 and p=0.002; p=0.038, respectively). Further associations were found between age and physical function (p=0.002) and biological treatment and ESR with social roles satisfaction (pp=0.043; respectively). In the multivariable regression, gender was found to be associated with physical function (p<0.001) and social roles satisfaction (p=0.003). Negatively associated factors were biological treatment for satisfaction with social roles (p<0.001) and steroids for physical function (p=0.021), and social roles satisfaction (p=0.018). Conclusion: Immune-mediated inflammatory diseases determine alterations in physical function and social life satisfaction. Gender and treatment are independently associated factors. Patient-reported outcomes should be considered in clinical management to define patients' real needs.
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