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The divertor tokamak test (DTT) facility is designed to study the power exhaust methods in scenarios similar to those expected in future fusion plants like DEMO. The project foresees 45 MW of external additional heating power to the plasma, provided by electron cyclotron heating (ECH), ion cyclotron heating, and neutral beam injector. This article focuses on the present status of the design of the transmission lines (TLs) and antennas for the ECH system. In the first operational phase, the system shall include 16 gyrotrons (1 MW/170 GHz/100 s), grouped into two clusters of eight sources each. In a later stage, the total installed power shall be doubled for a total of four clusters. Quasi-optical TLs connect the EC sources, located in a dedicated building, to the tokamak, via mirrors transmitting the microwave beams inside vacuum pipes to reduce losses and risks of arcing in air. Each TL consists of three main sections: two single-beam (SB) sections with small mirrors dedicated to a single beam at the beginning and the end of the line and a midsection of multibeam (MB) mirrors for the transmission of all the eight beams of the cluster. The beams at the output of the TL match the antennas installed in the equatorial and upper ports of the same vacuum vessel sector, through corrugated circular waveguides (WGs). The WGs are needed to reduce the vacuum conductance between the DTT vessel and TLs environments, being the connection with the vacuum vessel managed by all-metal gate valves without diamond windows. The two antennas consist of independent launching modules for each beam composed by two mirrors, one fixed and one steerable. All the components of the system are actively water-cooled to limit deformations of the mirrors surface to ensure the required quality of the beams and to reduce the transmission losses.

Characterizing habitat associations is useful to aid in understanding the habitat requirements of native fishes, particularly those of conservation concern. Our study objective was to characterize mesoscale habitat associations of the only remaining wild population of the Rio Grande Silvery Minnow Hybognathus amarus(a federally endangered desert river fish), and provide comparisons with mesohabitat availability in the middle Rio Grande, New Mexico, from 1994 to 1996. We collected fish monthly at two sites (separated by 160 km) near the northern and southern limits of the species' current range, and we recorded depth, velocity, substrate, and mesohabitat type for each habitat surveyed. Mesohabitat availability was recorded across 10 equally spaced and fixed transect lines at both study sites. Rio Grande Silvery Minnow most frequently occupied mesohabitats characterized by relatively shallow depths (≤25 cm) and low to near‐zero water velocities (≤15 cm/s). Statistical analyses indicated that mesohabitats occupied by the species were not the most frequently available at the study sites, suggesting a preference for shallow, low‐velocity habitats. Relatively high abundance of Rio Grande Silvery Minnow (n= 10,971), especially compared with post‐2009 abundance, facilitated robust characterization of species‐specific habitat associations. Comparison of our results with other studies of pelagic broadcast‐spawning leuciscids (pelagophils) endemic to the Great Plains and desert rivers of North America suggested broad overlap in mesohabitat associations among members of this reproductive guild. Our work contributes to a growing body of research aimed at conserving this declining reproductive ecotype of freshwater fishes and suggests that increasing hydraulic diversity through innovative management approaches (e.g., habitat creation, restoration of fluvial processes, and preservation of natural streamflow characteristics) will be crucial for their long‐term recovery and conservation. Impact statementShallow, low‐velocity habitats are frequently used by native fishes, including threatened and endangered species, yet the availability of these hydraulic conditions is often diminished in large, intensively managed rivers. Shallow, low‐velocity habitats are frequently used by native fishes, including threatened and endangered species, yet the availability of these hydraulic conditions is often diminished in large, intensively managed rivers.

In this article, we delve into the strategic decision-making process (SDMP) within the context of new product development (NPD), exploring the nuanced interplay between intuition and rationality as key drivers in product innovation. It investigates how top and middle managers in multinational corporations' subsidiaries in The Netherlands navigate the tension between intuitive and rational decision making to enhance the effectiveness of NPD initiatives. Through 15 semistructured interviews, the research identifies six key influencing factors: personality characteristics, cognitive styles, experience, environmental forces, organizational resource constraints, and the strategic importance of decisions. It reveals two distinct integration patterns, intuition–rationality and rationality–intuition, and three latent dimensions influencing decision making: feeling affirmation, experience-based judgment, and holistic information processing. The findings underscore the critical role of integrating intuition and rationality in improving decision-making quality within NPD, particularly in terms of time efficiency, creativity, and persuasion power. This article significantly contributes to the SDMP literature by demonstrating the complex conditions under which intuition and rationality can be seamlessly integrated to achieve superior outcomes in product development, promoting a holistic approach to decision making that is pivotal for innovation and strategic competitiveness in new product initiatives.

The aim of this article is to study the impact of social media engagement and public attention on Pfizer during the COVID-19 pandemic. Our study focuses on Twitter to investigate Pfizer's social media activity and engagement during the pandemic. We analyze different social media engagement metrics, such as conversation rates, speed of information diffusion, and public approval ratings. In addition, we use Google Trends to track changes in public attention toward pandemic-related keywords like “COVID-19” and “COVID-19 booster shot” and examine their relationship with Pfizer's stock returns. Our findings suggest that social media engagement during the pandemic had a significant positive impact on Pfizer's returns. Furthermore, we show that, while high levels of public attention toward COVID-19 and COVID-19 booster shot negatively impact Pfizer's returns, social media engagement has a positive incremental effect on the company's returns during periods of heightened public attention.

Crowdfunding campaigns have emerged as a vital financing alternative for sourcing financial resources for new projects in recent years. However, risks in the postcampaign phase remain largely hidden and warrant concern. This article aims to illuminate the reasons and extent of potential delays in the fulfilment phase of reward-based crowdfunding campaigns, which may encompass activities such as procuring products, receiving shipments, and organizing orders. We gathered data on 1567 novel technology projects successfully funded between 2009 and 2017 and employed web scraping and text mining techniques to analyze and extract valuable insights. Subsequently, we investigated the effects of linear, interaction, and quadratic functions. Our results reveal that project and operational complexities significantly contribute to reward delivery delays, with an inverted U-shaped relationship existing between the number of updates and manufacturing operational complexities. This article augments the crowdfunding literature by shedding light on the potential challenges in the fulfilment phase of reward-based crowdfunding campaigns and exploring the impact of project and operational complexities on the crowdfunding campaigns of new technologies. Furthermore, the article's novelty lies in the unique methodological approach and database construction.

In this article, we investigate the role of artificial intelligence (AI) as a strategic catalyst for sustainable entrepreneurship, focusing on the twin transition to sustainable and digital economies. By analyzing AI patents and identifying key thematic clusters around sustainability issues, the research illustrates the AIs potential as both a technological and strategic asset in advancing sustainable development goals. The findings offer a novel perspective on how AI facilitates sustainable business practices and innovation, emphasizing its critical role in bridging technology and sustainability. This comprehensive analysis contributes to the theoretical landscape and offers practical insights for scholars, practitioners, and policymakers, highlighting AIs transformative impact on achieving global sustainability goals through entrepreneurial initiatives.

ABSTRACTThere is a limited amount of research to investigate emotional transition (i.e. love to hate) among consumers. Moreover, can value-expressiveness motivate consumers to not to share negative word of mouth (NWOM) despite hating a brand? This study aims at addressing these important research questions. Survey-based data is collected from 413 Indian luxury fashion consumers and analyzed via structural equation modelling technique, using AMOS 27.0. Findings reveal that brand jealousy mediates the relationship between brand love and brand hate. Furthermore, when value expressiveness is low, the relationship between brand hate and negative word of mouth is stronger. Brand marketers should strengthen symbolic brand identity to sustain positive consumer-brand emotions. Moreover, some relationship dyads can be used to establish the brand image in a family-oriented, collectivist culture. The mediation of brand jealousy and the moderation of NWOM are unique contributions of this study in an Indian context.

The instability resulting from major changes in recent decades has fostered a climate of uncertainty and risk that has had repercussions in terms of unemployment, social inequality, and precariousness. To cope with this phenomenon, especially in the context of career transitions, individuals have had to activate multiple psychological resources. In particular, these resources are required in the transition from academic life to the world of work and in the propensity and courage to make certain choices. In our study, we examined two main hypotheses: the mediating effect of courage and proactive personality in the relationship between career adaptability and university satisfaction in a sample of 657 (336 Italian and 321 Spanish) psychology students attending their final year of studies; through a multigroup analysis, the comparison of the two different subsamples, coming from different cultural contexts: Italian and Spanish. The results suggest important differences between these two groups.

Current drugs for Alzheimer’s Disease (AD), such as cholinesterase inhibitors (ChEIs), exert only symptomatic activity. Different psychometric tools are needed to assess cognitive and non-cognitive dimensions during pharmacological treatment. In this pilot study, we monitored 33 mild-AD patients treated with ChEIs. Specifically, we evaluated the effects of 6 months (Group 1 = 17 patients) and 9 months (Group 2 = 16 patients) of ChEIs administration on cognition with the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA), and the Frontal Assessment Battery (FAB), while depressive symptoms were measured with the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS). After 6 months (Group 1), a significant decrease in MoCA performance was detected. After 9 months (Group 2), a significant decrease in MMSE, MoCA, and FAB performance was observed. ChEIs did not modify depressive symptoms. Overall, our data suggest MoCA is a potentially useful tool for evaluating the effectiveness of ChEIs.

Paraneoplastic syndromes occur in about 0.1% of patients affected by neoplastic diseases. In some types of tumors, such as Small Cell Lung Cancer (SCLC), Thymoma, and particular forms of Plasmacytoma, the association with Paraneoplastic Neurological Syndromes (PNS) is much more frequent. It seems that these syndromes are triggered by tumor production of factors normally expressed only by the individual's nervous system. The immune system stimulates an autoimmune response against these factors that induce neurological symptoms. Also, in light of the latest updates on the relationship between immunotherapy and PNS as well as of the introduction of first-line immunotherapy in SCLC, it seems that the use of immunotherapy in SCLC is associated with concomitant increase in autoimmune neurological syndromes.In this article, we report our experience at Istituto Nazionale Tumori of Milan with three patients affected by SCLC and PNS. Our experience seems to confirm that the oncological treatment scarcely impacts the paraneoplastic neurological deficits. Further research is needed to improve the treatment and recovery of patients affected by PNS.

The use of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) offers new possibilities in modern treatment of many types of cancers. Few data regarding safety and efficacy of ICIs are available, and are mainly from retrospective studies and case reports rather than from clinical trials, in the context of preexisting autoimmune disease, mainly due to the risk of severe toxicity. We present an unexpected life-threatening reactivation of systemic lupus erythematosus after one dose of chemo-immunotherapy with pembrolizumab for oligometastatic non-small-cell lung cancer. We analyze data coming from the published literature in this setting and discuss the risk–benefit balance of immunotherapy in patients with preexisting severe autoimmune disease.

Introduction: Approximately 25%–30% of patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) develop central nervous system (CNS) metastases during the course of the disease; this percentage is higher in patients with epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutations. Leptomeningeal metastases, infrequent in the advanced setting, have a particularly dismal prognosis. Osimertinib, a third-generation EGFR inhibitor, can provide effective and durable response in this setting.Case Description: We present a 62-year-old man with progressive vomiting, headache, short-term memory impairment, and left lower limb hyposthenia. Computed tomography (CT) showed bilateral lung nodules, multiple lymphadenopathies, liver and bone metastases, and CNS and leptomeningeal dissemination, including multiple parenchymal nodules located at supra- and infratentorial brain. Bone needle biopsy documented TTF1+ lung adenocarcinoma. Whole brain radiotherapy (WBRT) and symptomatic treatments were started. Next-generation sequencing reported deletion of exon 19 of EGFRand mutation 8 of TP53. Osimertinib 80 mg was promptly started and WBRT interrupted. Some days after the patient experienced repetitive seizures and neurologic worsening, antiepileptic drugs and dexamethasone were implemented, with gradual improvement. Radiologic evaluation, including brain MRI and thorax–abdominal CT, showed partial response on CNS as well as extracranial sites, which was sustained.Conclusions: First-line treatment with osimertinib can be safe and effective in EGFR-mutated NSCLC even in presence of multiple negative predictive factors (poor Performance Status, diffuse leptomeningeal involvement, TP53comutation), suggesting that deferring local treatments can be feasible in this setting, allowing the patient to maintain a good quality of life.

An 88-year-old man presented with acute onset of severe neck pain, meningismus, headache, and fever (up to 38°C). Blood tests showed raised inflammatory markers, but CSF analysis was not suggestive of CNS infection (Table). Autoimmune antibodies were negative. Cervical spine CT showed calcifications of the transverse ligament of the atlantoaxial joint with inflammatory changes revealed by cervical spine MRI (Figure). Clinical presentation and biochemical and radiologic findings were all consistent with crowned dens syndrome.1,2Symptoms and inflammatory markers promptly decreased after a brief course of anti-inflammatory treatment. Recognition of this syndrome is important to differentiate it from other infectious or autoimmune diseases and avoid unnecessary treatment.

Introduction: Patients with cancer have higher risk of thrombosis compared to the general population and particularly lung adenocarcinoma is considered at high risk for venous thromboembolism. Some targetable oncogenic drivers are supposed to further increase this risk.Case description: A 35-year-old man who had developed a recurrent venous thromboembolism and pulmonary embolism (PE) was diagnosed with ROS1rearranged non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). While molecular examinations were ongoing, he developed progressive respiratory failure. For PE and thrombosis worsening with detection of right heart thrombus, he underwent therapy with unfractionated heparin. Despite initial good radiologic results, only with the start of crizotinib did the patient’s clinical condition significantly improve to configure a Lazarus response.Conclusions: Cancer diagnosis should always be considered in patients with unprovoked thrombosis and, if NSCLC is diagnosed, genetic alterations should be always sought after. A possible relation between venous thromboembolism and oncogenic drivers, particularly for ALKtranslocations, has been hypothesized. Similarly to ALK-positive NSCLC, ROS1rearranged disease has been associated with an increased thromboembolic risk. Further studies are needed to better evaluate this relation and to evaluate the potential benefit of a prophylactic anticoagulating treatment in this subset of patients.

AbstractHealth research remains a vital activity of Indigenous health workforces. This paper reports on the main findings of yarning interviews with 14 Indigenous researchers, that was central to a project analysing the role of research training infrastructures in strengthening the Indigenous health research workforce in Australia. The findings highlighted Indigenous researcher peers as core sources of inspiration, moral support and sustenance in academia and in life. Peer generative power arising from peer groups provide a unique enriching to the educational and research experience. Indigenous researcher peers have a strong shared aspiration to champion change to health research and higher education as a key pathway to widespread positive impacting on health and well-being. We suggest the (revived) development at a collective level of a strategic and planned approach to capitalising on the positive outcomes of peer generated leadership and support.

Differences in spawning ecology and early life history may influence the recruitment success of three sympatric catostomids in the Colorado River basin: the Bluehead Sucker Catostomus discobolus, Flannelmouth Sucker C. latipinnis, and federally endangered Razorback Sucker Xyrauchen texanus. In the San Juan River, all three species annually produce larvae, but only Bluehead and Flannelmouth suckers regularly recruit to the juvenile phase and older. Otolith microstructure analysis can determine age, growth rates, and spawning periodicity and may elucidate possible reasons for differences in recruitment among species. Larval suckers were collected from low‐velocity habitats in the San Juan River in 2011; fish were measured, and ontogenetic phase and fish age were determined from otolith increment counts. Otolith age was used to determine hatch dates and spawning periodicity, calculate daily growth rates, and develop three candidate growth functions relating fish age and body length. Relative to Bluehead and Flannelmouth suckers, Razorback Suckers had a shorter spawning period, lower growth rate, and a higher proportion of the least developed ontogenetic phase. The small size of Razorback Suckers relative to other suckers may result in higher predation and lower prey acquisition, thus restricting their transition to more developed phases and limiting recruitment to the juvenile phase. Model ranking based on Akaike's information criterion (corrected for small sample size) was nearly identical for all growth functions. The early life history information we provide may guide flow releases in this regulated system to provide suitable backwater habitat and warmer water temperatures compatible with reproduction, growth, and survival of native catostomids, including the endangered Razorback Sucker. However, due to the limited temporal and geographic extent of samples used in this study, data presented herein are not inclusive of all conditions under which suckers may be present in the San Juan River.

BACKGROUND: Recently eating habits, such as breakfast, snaking, and out-of-home meals, have been shown to influence metabolic health of general population.OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study is to explore the association between meal habits and metabolic status in Southern Italian adults.METHODS: Data from the Mediterranean healthy Eating, Aging and Lifestyle study was used, including a total of 1952 subjects.RESULTS: Individuals having type 2 diabetes, dyslipidemias, and hypertension were more likely to adhere to a diet characterized by skipping breakfast, having unhealthy snacks and having out-of-home meals. Having breakfast was associated with higher odds of having dyslipidemias (OR?=?2.71, 95% CI: 1.74, 4.23); having snacks was associated with higher odds of being obese (OR?=?2.09, 95% CI: 1.42, 3.09); and having out-of-home meals was associated with higher odds of having dyslipidemias (OR?=?1.55, 95% CI: 1.03, 2.32) and hypertension (OR?=?1.61, 95% CI: 1.18, 2.21).CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study indicate that eating habits may be associated with metabolic status in adults living in the Mediterranean area.

Diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) is a serious complication in children with diabetes mellitus type 1 (DM1). In rare and severe cases DKA may be complicated by cerebral edema, central brain herniation and cerebral infarctions. We present the magnetic resonance imaging findings in a child with DKA and central nervous system involvement; diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) and functional MRI (fMRI) were performed to assess the white matter integrity of sensory pathways and cortical sensory processing. Conventional imaging showed bilateral uncal herniation, effacement of the perimesencephalic cisterns, wide ischemic lesions in the posterior cerebral artery (PCA) territories, sagging brainstem and Duret’s hemorrhage consistent with signs of central brain herniation and intracranial hypertension. Advanced MRI showed a possible left-sided cortical reorganization for sensory function, with underlying left cortico-talamic and cortico-spinal pathways less severely impaired. Knowledge of the full framework in these conditions is of vital importance for timely patient management; advanced neuroimaging techniques may be considered as prognostic indicators in those cases with extensive involvement of eloquent brain areas.

Abstract

In the San Juan River, the recruitment of early ontogenetic stages of federally endangered Razorback Sucker Xyrauchen texanusto subadult or adult stages is rare. Opercular deformities have been detected in larval and early juvenile Razorback Suckers in the San Juan River and were investigated as an impediment to recovery of the species. Larval and early juvenile (age‐0) native San Juan River catostomids taken from 1998 to 2012 were examined for presence of opercular deformities. The frequency and severity of opercular deformities in Razorback Suckers were compared with opercular deformities in Bluehead Sucker Catostomus discobolusand Flannelmouth Sucker Catostomus latipinnisand with hatchery‐produced Razorback Suckers. Deformities were primarily observed in larval stages and occurred both unilaterally and bilaterally. Opercular deformities were relatively consistent among years for all three species. The frequency of opercular deformities in Razorback Suckers was more than three times higher than in Bluehead Suckers and more than five times higher than in Flannelmouth Suckers. Opercular deformities in all species were high when compared with Razorback Sucker brood stock and with wild fish in other river basins. This high rate of deformity in larvae and early juvenile San Juan River Razorback Suckers likely increases mortality and inhibits recruitment to later life stages.

ABSTRACTOver the last decade, there has been a steady increase in the number of Indigenous graduate research students in Australia, yet research and pedagogy has not kept pace with changes underway in the sector. From an extensive search of literature published between 2000 and 2017, 15 papers (representing 10 research projects conducted by seven teams or authors) were identified that addressed Indigenous graduate research student experience. Overall, the literature tends to focus on identifying barriers to completion, noting in particular the impact of financial difficulties, social isolation and racism. A research degree is a key site for the assertion and legitimation of Indigenous knowledges, and it is here that Indigenous students are navigating tensions between legitimated disciplinary practices of the centre and the peripheral status of Indigenous knowledges. We, therefore, adopt Herbert's ‘centre–periphery’ model to interpret the research, arguing that this framework explains the focus on barriers, the neglect of pedagogy centred on academic excellence and student strengths, and research relationships between students and Indigenous communities. Our review identifies the need for a systematic research agenda specifically focused on Indigenous student success at the graduate research level, and looking internationally in order to assess the performance and strategies of Australian higher education providers in comparison to international institutions meeting the aims of First Nations research communities. This approach, we suggest, should move beyond an analysis of the nature of enablers and barriers to focus on Indigenous Higher Degree by Research success.

This study provides the first comprehensive evaluation of age and age–length relationships from an extant population of the federally endangered Rio Grande Silvery Minnow Hybognathus amarus. The surveyed population was from three fragmented reaches within about 290 km of the middle Rio Grande in New Mexico, the last protected population in the historical range of the species. A total of 158 Rio Grande Silvery Minnows were collected in autumn 2009 (n = 83) and spring 2010 (n = 75), with sampling designed to fill six 10-mm size-class bins that represent the size range characteristic of the juvenile and adult population. Age was then determined directly for each specimen independently by two investigators, each using otoliths and scales; growth rates were estimated via back-calculation of length at age from otoliths. The results confirm that individuals in the contemporary population are short-lived, with very few surviving to their second or third summers. For historical comparison, the ages of a small collection of Rio Grande Silvery Minnows taken in August 1874 were evaluated using scales. The specimens in this historical collection ranged from age 0 to age 2, similar to the age range for the autumn 2009 collection and incongruent with a previously published report of five age-classes (ages 1–5) for 13 of these specimens. Our results corroborate the age-structure derived from temporal tracking of length frequency histograms generated under the Rio Grande Silvery Minnow Population Monitoring Project and validate current management of the species as short-lived. Our age range and age–length relationships are also similar to those of other well-studied Hybognathusspp.,and the results from our study may aid management of these closely related, short-lived pelagophil minnows. While additional research is needed to clarify the areas of age–length overlap, the crucial findings of this study should facilitate implementation of an appropriate management policy for this short-lived, federally endangered cyprinid.

Nell'ambito del Progetto MO.NA.CO è stata valutata l'efficacia ambientale dello Standard BCCA di condizionalità 2.1 “Gestione delle stoppie e dei residui colturali”, e la valutazione economica del differenziale di competitività a carico delle aziende agricole nel caso in cui aderiscano o meno al regime di condizionalità. Il monitoraggio è stato eseguito in otto aziende sperimentali con differenti caratteristiche pedoclimatiche. Sono stati valutati indicatori: a) di tipo produttivo con riferimento a resa e contenuto proteico di frumento e mais, b) legati alla fertilità del suolo e in particolare alla dotazione di carbonio organico. In ogni azienda di monitoraggio sono state realizzate due parcelle sperimentali: fattuale con interramento dei residui colturali (previa trinciatura) e controfattuale con bruciatura o asportazione delle stoppie. Il monitoraggio non ha prodotto risultati univoci per i differenti parametri valutati, quindi l'efficacia dello Standard 2.1 può essere definita “contrastante” (classe di merito B).

Nell'ambito del Progetto MO.NA.CO. è stata valutata l'efficacia ambientale dello Standard BCCA di condizionalità 2.1 “Gestione delle stoppie e dei residui colturali”, e la valutazione economica del differen-ziale di competitività a carico delle aziende agricole nel caso in cui ade-riscano o meno al regime di condizionalità. Il monitoraggio è stato ese-guito in otto aziende sperimentali con differenti caratteristiche pedo-climatiche. Sono stati valutati indicatori: i) di tipo produttivo con rife-rimento a resa e contenuto proteico di frumento e mais; ii) legati alla fertilità del suolo e in particolare alla dotazione di carbonio organico. In ogni azienda di monitoraggio sono state realizzate due parcelle spe-rimentali: fattuale con interramento dei residui colturali (previa trin-ciatura) e controfattuale con bruciatura o asportazione delle stoppie.

Within the Project MO.NA.CO. the Environmental effectiveness of GAEC cross-compliance standard 2.2 ‘Maintaining the level of soil organic matter through management of stubble and crop residues' and economic evaluation of the competitiveness gap for farmers were evaluated. The monitoring was performed in eight experimental farms of the Council for agricultural research and economics (CREA), distributed throughout Italy and with different soil and climatic conditions. Yield parameters and several components of soil organic matter were evaluated in two contrasting treatments applied to one-year rotation of winter durum wheat and maize: i) incorporation into the soil of crop residues (Factual treatment) and ii) burning or removal of crop residues (Counterfactual treatment).

Nell’ambito del Progetto MO.NA.CO è stata valutata l’efficacia ambientale dello standard BCCA di condizionalità 2.2 “Mantenimento del livello di sostanza organica nel terreno mediante l'avvicendamento delle colture” oltre la valutazione economica del differenziale di competitività a carico delle aziende agricole che aderiscono o meno al regime di condizionalità. Il monitoraggio è stato eseguito in nove aziende sperimentali del Consiglio per la ricerca in agricoltura e l’analisi dell’economia agraria (CRA) distribuite sul territorio nazionale e con caratteristiche pedoclimatiche differenti e dove è stato valutato il livello di sostanza organica del suolo, oltre che alcuni parametri produttivi, in caso di monosuccessione di cereale (trattamento controfattuale) ed un avvicendamento biennale cereale-leguminosa o foraggero (trattamento fattuale).

Nell’ambito del Progetto MO.NA.CO è stata valutata l’efficacia ambientale dello Standard BCCA di condizionalità 2.2 “Mantenimento del livello di sostanza organica nel terreno mediante l’avvicendamento delle colture” oltre la valutazione economica del differenziale di competitività a carico delle aziende agricole che aderiscono o meno al regime di condizionalità. Il monitoraggio è stato eseguito in nove aziende sperimentali del Consiglio per la ricerca in agricoltura e l’analisi dell’economia agraria (CREA) distribuite sul territorio nazionale e con caratteristiche pedoclimatiche differenti e dove è stato valutato il livello di sostanza organica del suolo, oltre che ad alcuni parametri produttivi, in caso di monosuccessione di cereale (trattamento controfattuale) ed un avvicendamento biennale cereale-leguminosa o foraggera (trattamento fattuale).

Within the Project MO.NA.CO was evaluated the Environmental effectiveness of GAEC cross-compliance standard 2.2 ‘Maintaining the level of soil organic matter through crop rotation' and economic evaluation of the competitiveness gap for farmers who support or not the cross-compliance regime. The monitoring was performed in nine experimental farms of the Council for Agricultural Research and Economics (CREA) distributed throughout Italy and with different soil and climatic conditions. Were also evaluated the soil organic matter and some yield parameters, in a cereal monocropping (treatment counterfactual) and a two-year rotation cereal-legume or forage (treatment factual). The two-years application of the standard ‘crop rotations' has produced contrasting results with regards to the storage of soil organic matter through crop rotation and these were not sufficient to demonstrate a statistically significant effect of treatment in any of the farms considered in monitoring, only in those farms subjected to more years of monitoring was recorded only a slight effect of the standard as a trend. The variations of organic matter in soils in response to changes in the culture technique or in the management of the soil may have long lag times and two years of time are not sufficient to demonstrate the dynamics of SOM associated with the treatment, also in consideration of the large inter annual variability recorded in different monitored sites.

Background: Glaucoma is a progressive optic neuropathy characterized by retinal ganglion cell death and alterations of visual field. Elevated intraocular pressure (IOP) is considered the main risk factor of glaucoma, even though other factors cannot be ruled out, such as epigenetic mechanisms. Objective: An overview of the ultimate promising experimental drugs to manage glaucoma has been provided. Results: In particular, we have focused on purinergic ligands, KATP channel activators, gases (nitric oxide, carbon monoxide and hydrogen sulfide), non-glucocorticoid steroidal compounds, neurotrophic factors, PI3K/Akt activators, citicoline, histone deacetylase inhibitors, cannabinoids, dopamine and serotonin receptors ligands, small interference RNA, and Rho kinase inhibitors. Conclusions: The review has been also endowed of a brief chapter on last reports about potential neuroprotective benefits of anti-glaucoma drugs already present in the market.

Background: Glaucoma is a progressive optic neuropathy characterized by retinal ganglion cell death and alterations of visual field. Elevated intraocular pressure (IOP) is considered the main risk factor of glaucoma, even though other factors cannot be ruled out, such as epigenetic mechanisms. Objective: An overview of the ultimate promising experimental drugs to manage glaucoma has been provided. Results: In particular, we have focused on purinergic ligands, KATP channel activators, gases (nitric oxide, carbon monoxide and hydrogen sulfide), non-glucocorticoid steroidal compounds, neurotrophic factors, PI3K/Akt activators, citicoline, histone deacetylase inhibitors, cannabinoids, dopamine and serotonin receptors ligands, small interference RNA, and Rho kinase inhibitors. Conclusions: The review has been also endowed of a brief chapter on last reports about potential neuroprotective benefits of anti-glaucoma drugs already present in the market.

Background: Recently, pro-gastrin-releasing peptide (pro-GRP) became available as an alternative sensitive, specific and reliable tumor marker for patients with small cell lung cancer (SCLC), both in limited (LD) and diffuse disease (DD).Methods: We retrospectively analyzed pro-GRP, neuron-specific enolase (NSE) and CEA in patients with SCLC and non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Serum pro-GRP level was measured with electrochemiluminescence at our laboratory (cutoff 77.8 pg/mL). Continuous variables were analyzed with the Mann-Whitney test, contingency data with Fisher’s exact test. Receiver operator characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was performed to identify threshold values to set the highest sensitivity (Sn) and specificity (Sp) values.Results: A total of 65 patients were studied (49 men, median age 67 years, range 27-79). Thirty-seven patients had SCLC (29 DD, 8 LD) and 28 advanced NSCLC. Median pro-GRP level was 919 pg/mL (range 22-147,350) in SCLC and 32 pg/mL (range 10-119.2) in NSCLC (p<0.0001). NSE was 4.38-fold higher in SCLC patients (p = 0.0005); CEA did not reveal significant differences between groups. Pro-GRP Sn and Sp were 86.4% and 96.4%, respectively. With ROC curve analysis, a cutoff value of 329.3 pg/mL showed a Sn of 75.8% and Sp of 87.5% in discriminating DD from LD. Pro-GRP was not influenced by either liver metastases or renal impairment.Conclusions: Pro-GRP is sensitive for SCLC diagnosis. Since high marker levels are related to high disease burden, pro-GRP may have a negative prognostic significance. Follow-up studies are required to define its role in clinical practice in monitoring responses to treatment and early relapses.

Introduction NUT midline carcinoma (NMC) is a rare and aggressive epithelial cancer arising from median organs. It is driven by chromosomal translocation t(15;19) involving the rearrangement of NUT (nuclear protein in testis) and BRD4 (bromodomain 4) genes leading to fusion oncoprotein BRD4-NUT.Case presentation We report the case of a woman who was previously treated with induction chemotherapy, surgery, radiotherapy and adjuvant trastuzumab for HER-2 positive invasive ductal carcinoma of the breast. After 6 months of follow-up a lung nodule appeared. A biopsy showed an adenocarcinoma fetal type/lung blastoma, so a left inferior lobectomy was performed: NMC harboring BRD4-NUT rearrangement was diagnosed. After 9 months of follow-up, bone and soft tissue metastases occurred, so the patient was given radiotherapy. Next-generation sequencing technology identified somatic mutations in deleted in colorectal cancer (DCC), mixed lineage leukemia protein 3 (MLL3), and splicing factor 3B subunit 1 (SF3B1) genes in NMC cells from both primitive cancer and metastases. The patient was treated with the experimental BRD4 inhibitor for 10 months, until the disease progressed to the lung and bone. After spinal cord compression, the patient was offered palliative radiotherapy to bone and eventually died aged 39 years.Conclusions To the best of our knowledge, our case is the first DCC, MLL3, and SF3B1 mutated NUT midline carcinoma reported in the literature. If these mutations were confirmed to play a role in this neoplasm, clinical trials analyzing targeted therapies should be considered, eg. colorectal cancer-like chemotherapies for DCC mutations, hypomethylating agents for MLL3 mutations or SF3B1 inhibitors in case of specific somatic mutations.

Central obesity is a risk factor for metabolic syndrome, but taking waist circumference measurements can be uncomfortable for psychiatric inpatient clinicians and consumers, and if often avoided. The objective of this study was to assess whether metabolic syndrome in people with mental illness can be diagnosed without using waist circumference measurements. This study involved a retrospective file audit of metabolic monitoring forms stored in consumers’ electronic health records of community-based and inpatient mental health consumers at a mental health service located in regional Queensland, Australia. Of the 721 consumer files audited, 261 included a metabolic monitoring form. Of these 261 forms, 74 contained data on all five criteria for metabolic syndrome and the population-specific criteria for waist circumference was met in 54 (73%) of cases. Metabolic syndrome was detected in 39 consumers and waist circumference was necessary for this diagnosis in 12 (31%) cases. Measurement of waist circumference is, therefore, necessary for the detection of metabolic syndrome for a substantial proportion of consumers. The common practice of avoiding waist circumference measurements clearly needs to change if the physical health needs of consumers are to be adequately addressed.

Dysregulation of the NF-κB transcription factor occurs in many cancer types. Krüppel-like family of transcription factors (KLFs) regulate the expression of genes involved in cell proliferation, differentiation and survival. Here, we report a new mechanism of NF-κB activation in glioblastoma through depletion of the KLF6 tumor suppressor. We show that KLF6 transactivates multiple genes negatively controlling the NF-κB pathway and consequently reduces NF-κB nuclear localization and downregulates NF-κB targets. Reconstitution of KLF6 attenuates their malignant phenotype and induces neural-like differentiation and senescence, consistent with NF-κB pathway inhibition. KLF6 is heterozygously deleted in 74.5% of the analyzed glioblastomas and predicts unfavorable patient prognosis suggesting that haploinsufficiency is a clinically relevant means of evading KLF6-dependent regulation of NF-κB. Together, our study identifies a new mechanism by which KLF6 regulates NF-κB signaling, and how this mechanism is circumvented in glioblastoma through KLF6 loss.

Small cell lung cancer is a highly aggressive, difficult to treat neoplasm. Among all lung tumors, small cell lung cancers account for about 20%. Patients typically include heavy smokers in 70s age group, presenting with symptoms such as intrathoracic tumors growth, distant spread or paraneoplastic syndromes at the time of diagnosis. A useful and functional classification divides small cell lung cancers into limited disease and extensive disease. Concurrent chemo-radiotherapy is the standard treatment for limited disease, with improved survival when combined with prophylactic cranial irradiation. Platinum compounds (cisplatin/carboplatin) plus etoposide remain the cornerstone for extensive disease. Nevertheless, despite high chemo- and radio-sensitivity of this cancer, nearly all patients relapse within the first two years and the prognosis is extremely poor. A deeper understanding about small cell lung cancer carcinogenesis led to develop and test a considerable number of new and targeted agents but the results are currently weak or insufficient. To date, small cell lung cancer is still a challenge for researchers. In this review, key aspects of small cell lung cancer management and controversial points of standard and new treatments will be discussed.

Burnout is a syndrome caused by prolonged responses to chronic stressors derived from interpersonal relationships in the workplace. Burnout has been associated with important negative organisational outcomes: job dissatisfaction, absenteeism, neglect, intention to leave the job. Numerous studies have tested the inverse relationship between emotional intelligence and burnout. The aim of this study is to verify the mediation role of emotional intelligence in the relationship between burnout and some organisational outcomes (turnover intention, exit and neglect, performance and absenteeism). Research participants are 354 helping professions' workers aged between 29 and 66 years. The scales used are: link burnout questionnaire; self report emotional intelligence test; turnover intentions scale; exit and neglect scales; performance scale; absenteeism was detected through the number of days of absence in the last 12 months. The results have highlighted that emotional intelligence mediates the relationship between burnout and organisational outcomes, providing interesting suggestions for intervention in organisations.

A detailed knowledge of the Galactic radio continuum is of high interest for studies of the dynamics and structure of the Galaxy as well as for the problem of foreground removal in Cosmic Microwave Background measurements. In this work we present a full-sky study of the diffuse Galactic emission at frequencies of few GHz, where synchrotron radiation is by far the dominant component. We perform a detailed combined analysis of the extended surveys at 408, 1420 and 2326 MHz (by Haslam et al. 1982; Reich 1982; Reich & Reich 1986; Jonas et al. 1998, respectively). Using the technique applied by Schlegel et al. (1998) to the IRAS data, we produce destriped versions of the three maps. This allows us to construct a nearly-full-sky map of the spectral index and of the normalization factor with sub-degree angular resolution. The resulting distribution of the spectral indices has an average of $\bar\beta = 2.695$and dispersion $\sigma_{\beta} = 0.120$. This is representative for the Galactic diffuse synchrotron emission, with only minor effects from free-free emission and point sources. The maps produced in this work are available via ftp at cdsarc.u-strasbg.fr

Accurate measurements of the Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) anisotropy call for high precision and reliability of the in-flight calibration. For extended surveys the CMB dipole provides an excellent calibration source at frequencies lower than ~200 GHz; however poorly known foreground emissions, such as diffuse galactic components, complicate the signal and introduce a systematic error in the calibration. We show that introducing a weight function that takes into account the uncertainty in the a priori knowledge of the sky, allows us to substantially improve the calibration accuracy with respect to methods involving galactic latitude cuts. This new method is tested for Planck-lfiradiometers at 30 and 100 GHz. On short time scales (less than 1 day) the absolute calibration of each channel can be recovered with an overall 1–2% accuracy. We also consider the effect of CMB anisotropy itself on the calibration, and find that knowledge of the CMB pattern on large scales is needed to keep the short-time scale calibration accuracy within 1%.

Using density functional theory (DFT) and various cluster models for the simulation of the interaction between alizarin and silver nanoparticles, we calculated the SERS spectra of the AZ anion–Agn(n= 2, 4, 14) complexes and compared the results with experiment. The analysis of the calculated SERS spectra helped distinguishing the contribution of the chemical and electromagnetic mechanisms to the spectral enhancement, under the assumption that the excitation energies of the clusters are comparable with the local plasmon energies of nanoparticles. The results show a certain dependence of the relative Raman intensities and peak positions on the silver cluster size. Calculation of UV–vis transition energies and Raman spectra of the complexes have been performed under the assumption that the AZ anion is bounded to the silver clusters through the oxygen atoms of the CO groups in 1,9 positions, in a edge-on perpendicular orientation. The calculated SERS spectra show an acceptable similarity with the experimental SERS spectra carried out with excitation at 632 nm. The results of the calculation under preresonance condition with respect to chromophore located and cluster located excitations are compatible with mechanisms of enhancement acting on different parts of the AZ anion molecule. The calculations were performed using the B3LYP hybrid density functional. A 6-31g(d) basis set for H, C, O, and LANL2DZ basis set for Ag were used. Vertical excitation energies and the corresponding oscillator strengths were calculated by means of time dependent density functional theory (TDDFT).

The active involvement of consumers in the education of nurses and other health professionals has been acknowledged as essential if Australian mental health policy goals to enhance consumer participation in all aspects of mental health services are to be realised. However, consumer participation has not become embedded in nurse education. A qualitative exploratory study was undertaken to gain perspectives from mental health nurse academics and consumer educators and academics. Telephone interviews were conducted with 34 nurse academics and 12 consumer academics or educators. Data were analysed thematically. Two important themes to emerge from this work were: vision for the future; and building capacity. Most participants highly valued the contribution consumers made to the education process and had a desire to see this strengthen. A stronger vision was evident from consumer participants who sought expansion into all health professions and a more defined process for communication and collegiality between consumer academics and educators. Closely tied to vision, was the issue of capacity building, and the need to provide supports to consumers as these are currently not readily available. Closer collaboration between nurses and consumers is necessary to ensure consumer participation is genuine and effective and promotes the development and articulation of their expertise and contribution to education.

By collecting the information from 24 previously published lists and catalogs, we produce a comprehensive catalog (Master Catalog) of 1442 Galactic HII regions. For each object, we quote the original fluxes and diameters as well as the available information on radio line velocities, line widths and line temperatures and the errors on these quantitities. References to the original works are also reported. By exploiting all these data we produce a Synthetic Catalog of fluxes and diameters (with corresponding errors) at 2.7 GHz. This choice is motivated by the extensive, although not complete, information available at this frequency, widely spread among many different catalogs, and by its relevance for both detailed studies on Galactic HII regions and the extrapolation up to millimetric wavelengths. The catalog can be used for detailed studies of Galactic HII regions and, by extrapolation, for investigations of HII regions up to millimetric wavelengths. In particular, we discuss the study of the effects of microwave emission from HII regions on the new generation of Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) experiments. We present simulations of the detection of HII regions in the Planckhigh resolution CMB survey, and briefly analize some of the typical applications of our catalog to the evaluation of CMB anisotropy experiments such as calibration, beam reconstruction and straylight effects. The Master Catalog and the Synthetic Catalog are available via ftp at: cdsarc.u-strasbg.fr.This work is related to Planck-LFI activities.

•Whey protein isolate (WPI) and soluble soybean polysaccharides (SSPS) formed complexes.•Heat treatment modified the size, hydrophobicity and ζ-potential of complexes.•Heat treatment improved the size- and physical-stability of complexes.•Conditions of pH and WPI:SSPS mass ratio changed the impact of heat treatment.•Heat-treated WPI-SSPS complexes could be used as drug delivery system in acid foods.

Malignant pleural mesothelioma is a rare cancer with a cause-effect relationship to asbestos exposure. The prognosis is poor and chemotherapy seems the best treatment option. In the last two decades a deeper understanding of mesothelioma carcinogenesis and invasiveness mechanisms has prompted research efforts to test new agents in patients with malignant pleural mesothelioma, but the results have been modest. Attractive preclinical data disappointed in subsequent experimental phases. Other promising agents failed to improve patient outcomes due to high toxicity. Interesting suggestions have come from preliminary data on immunotherapy. Several trials are ongoing and the results are eagerly awaited. The aim of this review is to discuss the most recent news on systemic therapy for advanced malignant pleural mesothelioma.

The procedure for Organisation of European Cancer Institutes (OECI) accreditation identified the formation of MDTs for the diagnosis and scheduling of primary treatment with integration of supportive care as a key strength at Istituto Nazionale Tumori (INT). The opportunities for improvement highlighted by the OECI peer review inspired a study on the evaluation of psychological distress, with a view to integrating this evaluation into global patient management and to defining standardized criteria for the provision of psychological services. This article describes the OECI accreditation experience at INT and the study conducted between January and May 2015 on the evaluation of patients’ distress levels during cancer treatment, defining a score-based cutoff point that triggers the intervention of a psychologist. The Distress Thermometer was used as a tool for evaluating psychological distress, performed by nurses on admitting the patient. A total of 261 questionnaires were completed by patients admitted to the medical oncology and hematology departments, with an average distress value of 4.1, and 60% of patients experiencing clinically detectable emotional distress. Emotion-related problems had a significant association with a greater level of distress, while there were few reports of relationship issues as a cause of distress. As a result of the improvement initiative supported by the psychological distress evaluation study, we validated the screening questionnaire to be included at the initial patient evaluation stage with a cutoff point triggering the intervention by a psychologist at a score of ≥7.

Purpose To evaluate clinical results in elderly and frail patients with bladder cancer treated with curative conformal irradiation alone.Methods The records of ambulatory frail elderly patients, age >80 years, Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI) >5, with invasive bladder cancer, were retrospectively analyzed. The patients were irradiated with curative intent. Acute and late toxicities were evaluated.Results A total of 27 ambulatory patients were treated. Median age was 84.5 years and a median CCI of 6.5 was recorded. Median delivered radiation dose was 64 Gy. All patients completed the planned treatment. Grade 1-2 gastrointestinal (GI) and genitourinary (GU) toxicities were observed in 55.5% of patients (15/27). At the last follow-up, no late G3+ toxicities have been observed, with G1-2 toxicities reported in 11.1% of patients (3/27). Higher values of CCI were associated with higher acute GU/GI toxicities; there was a correlation between CCI and acute GU toxicity (r= 0.43, p = 0.027). The mean survival time was 23.5 months (95% confidence interval 20.9-26.1) and no median was reached. Locoregional disease-free events and metastasis-free survival showed a 2-year actuarial rate of 90% and 87%, respectively, with an actuarial 2-year overall survival of 84.5%.Conclusions Our results demonstrate safety and feasibility of curative radiation therapy in very elderly and frail patients with bladder cancer using 3D conformal radiation therapy.

Elevated eye pressure is the main risk factor for glaucoma; intraocular pressure rises when the ratio between aqueous humor formation (inflow) and its outflow is unbalanced. Currently, the main goal of medical treatment is the reduction of intraocular pressure. Five main classes of topical drugs are available; they include betablockers, carbonic anhydrase inhibitors, prostaglandin derivatives, sympathomimetics and miotics. Beta-blockers and carbonic anhydrase inhibitors slow the formation of aqueous humor and may be considered as “inflow” drugs; the other three classes reduce the resistance to the drainage of aqueous humor and may be considered as “outflow” drugs. Despite the variety of drugs accessible in the market, there is a real need for ophthalmologists to have more potent medications for this disease. This review focuses on medical treatment of glaucoma with particular attention to novel molecules in pre-clinical or clinical development.

Literature stressed that, although change is often essential for organizational success, employees usually find it rather difficult to change. Justice has been shown to be predictive of many organizational dynamics related to change and optimism can also be instrumental to help in dealing with different kinds of job stress, like organizational change. Moving ahead from that, the main aim of the present research was to explore the mediating role of optimism between global justice and continuance commitment to change. Data was collected using a questionnaire. The previously validated measures used included the Perceived Overall Justice Scale – POJ, the Life Orientation Test-Revised LOT-R and the Continuance Commitment to Change subscale. The sample includes 122 employees of Italian companies from different sectors. Data analyses showed high correlations among the considered variables (p <.001) and they confirmed the possibility to test the mediation. Results reveal that organizational justice effect decrease when the mediator was introduced. Namely, optimism have a mediation role between overall perceived justice and commitment to change. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.

In recent decades, research has increasingly focused on the factors that predispose people to work and on the importance of a positive climate within organisations. Next to the multi-dimensional construct climate, the concept of “work engagement” has recently emerged. This is understood as the ability of individuals to act in order to follow the interests of the organization while feeling committed and enthusiastic. The support of the two dimensions observed within the organisational context in question is interesting when you want to give indications of self and sense making renegotiation of the company. The study involved 62 police officers and 84 penitentiary health workers. The instruments used were the M_DOQ 10 (D’Amato, & Majer, 2005) and the UWES (Schaufeli, & Bakker, 2003; Bakker, & Demerouti, 2007). The results reveal two broad approaches: the organisational climate in relation to communication was central and positive for respondents, although this is primarily a communication directive. The mean scores related to work engagement are below the average, indicating a low commitment on the part of workers.