The HEPD particle detector of the CSES satellite mission for investigating seismo-associated perturbations of the Van Allen belts

CSES(China Seismo-Electromagnetic Satellite) is a mission developed by CNSA(Chinese National Space Administration) and ASI(Italian Space Agency), to investigate the near-Earth electromagnetic, plasma and particle environment, for studying the seismo-associated disturbances in the ionosphere-magnetosphere transition zone. The anthropogenic and electromagnetic noise,as well as the natural non-seismic electromagnetic emissions is mainly due to tropospheric activity. In particular, the mission aims to confirming the existence of possible temporal correlations between the occurrence of earthquakes for medium and strong magnitude and the observation in space of electromagnetic perturbations, plasma variations and precipitation of bursts with highenergy charged particles from the inner Van Allen belt. In this framework, the high energy particle detector(HEPD) of the CSES mission has been developed by the Italian LIMADOU Collaboration. HEPD is an advanced detector based on a tower of scintillators and a silicon tracker that provides good energy and angular resolution and a wide angular acceptance, for electrons of 3–100 Me V, protons of 30–200 Me V and light nuclei up to the oxygen. CSES satellite has been launched on February 2~(nd), 2018 from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center(China).     

Prevalence of sensitization to Cupressus sempervirens: a 4-year retrospective study

In the last few years Cupressus sempervirens has been identified as the cause of an increasing number of cases of late winter-early spring pollinosis in Mediterranean countries. We conducted a 4-year retrospective study of a large group of subjects with documented allergic respiratory disease in order to determine the prevalence, clinical significance and annual rate of sensitization to C. sempervirens pollen. Anamnestic data and skin prick tests (SPT) with common aeroallergens and C. sempervirens extract were collected from 1397 subjects (712 male and 685 female) resident in Latium, a region in central Italy, with complaints related to upper- or lower-respiratory-tract disorders or conjunctival disease. Two hundred and forty-three subjects (17.4%) showed positive results to C. sempervirens extract; 47 (19.3%) of them were monosensitized. The annual sensitization rate of SPT positivity to C. sempervirens varied from 7.2% in 1995 to 22% in 1998. All the subjects monosensitized to cypress pollen had symptoms from January through April. Our study suggests that sensitivity to C. sempervirens is responsible for respiratory symptoms in an increasing percentage of subjects. Further studies are needed to determine its frequency at the national level.     

Large-scale production of high-quality multi-walled carbon nanotubes: Role of precursor gas and of Fe-catalyst support

The crucial role of precursor gas (PG) and of catalyst support (CS) in the growth of multi-walled C nanotubes (MWCNTs) by iron-catalysed chemical vapour deposition (CVD) is evidenced. This is accomplished by comparing structural and morphological properties of MWCNTs synthesised by the use of different PGs (ethane and isobutane) and CSs (silica and alumina). The results of analyses, carried out on catalysts and C deposits by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), Raman spectroscopy (RS), thermo-gravimetry (TG) and X-ray diffraction (XRD), demonstrate that Al₂O₃-supported catalysts are more efficient than SiO₂-supported ones in decomposing hydrocarbons. The use of i-C₄H₁₀ as PG allows reducing Fe-encapsulation and improving yield (Y_C) and selectivity, so as the large-scale production (Y_C > 900 wt.%) of high-quality nanotubes can be operated even at moderate reaction temperature (600 °C) after proper calibration of Fe-load (29 wt.%) and catalyst reduction temperature (500 °C).     

'History-friendly' models of industry evolution: the computer industry

The model presented in this paper is the first of a new generationof evolutionary economic models: 'history-friendly' models.History-friendly models are formal models that aim to capture,in stylized form, qualitative and 'appreciative' theories aboutthe mechanisms and factors affecting industry evolution, technologicaladvance and institutional change put forth by empirical scholarsof industrial economics, technological change, business organizationand strategy, and other social scientists. In this paper wehave analyzed the long-term evolution of the computer industry.In particular we have examined the emergence of a dominant firmin mainframes, the introduction of a major innovation (microprocessor),the opening up of a new market segment (personal computers),ad the competition there between newcomers and diversified oldestablished firms. We have taken a body of verbal appreciativetheorizing, developed a formal representation of that theory,and found that the formal version of that theory is consistentand capable of generating the stylized facts the appreciativetheory purports to explain. Going through this analytic exercisehas significantly sharpened our theoretical understanding ofthe key factors behind salient aspects of the evolution of thecomputer industry.     

GBA Mutations Influence the Release and Pathological Effects of Small Extracellular Vesicles from Fibroblasts of Patients with Parkinson’s Disease

Heterozygous mutations in the GBA gene, encoding the lysosomal enzyme glucocerebrosidase (GCase), are the strongest known genetic risk factor for Parkinson’s disease (PD). The molecular mechanisms underlying the increased PD risk and the variable phenotypes observed in carriers of different GBA mutations are not yet fully elucidated. Extracellular vesicles (EVs) have gained increasing importance in neurodegenerative diseases since they can vehiculate pathological molecules potentially promoting disease propagation. Accumulating evidence showed that perturbations of the endosomal–lysosomal pathway can affect EV release and composition. Here, we investigate the impact of GCase deficiency on EV release and their effect in recipient cells. EVs were purified by ultracentrifugation from the supernatant of fibroblast cell lines derived from PD patients with or without GBA mutations and quantified by nanoparticle tracking analysis. SH-SY5Y cells over-expressing alpha-synuclein (α-syn) were used to assess the ability of patient-derived small EVs to affect α-syn expression. We observed that defective GCase activity promotes the release of EVs, independently of mutation severity. Moreover, small EVs released from PD fibroblasts carrying severe mutations increased the intra-cellular levels of phosphorylated α-syn. In summary, our work shows that the dysregulation of small EV trafficking and alpha-synuclein mishandling may play a role in GBA-associated PD.     

Multivariate Analysis of <Superscript>1</Superscript>H-NMR Spectra of Genetically Characterized Extra Virgin Olive Oils and Growth Soil Correlations

Mono-varietal extra virgin olive oils were micro-extracted from drupes that were selectively collected from 28 trees distributed in five different Southern Italian Apulian areas. Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) profiles of these oil samples were correlated to the genetic (young green material) and soil (samples collected within the foliage projection) data of the tree of origin. Genetic analysis, performed on the samples using SSRs (Simple Sequence Repeats) by 9 microsatellite loci, confirmed the specific cultivar assignment (among Cima di Mola, Coratina, Ogliarola, and Oliva Rossa cultivars). Chemometric methods applied to ¹H-NMR spectroscopic data were used for cultivar and geographical origin discrimination of the studied extra virgin olive oils. Linear Discriminant Analysis (LDA) afforded a high reliability degree for discriminating cultivars (almost 90% of prediction ability), and a good assigning ability for the geographical origin (Ogliarola and Coratina samples used as subsets). Soil analyses were performed for each tree. Regression analysis was applied to soil composition in order to correlate available nutrients and total metals with the content of fatty acids and minor components present in monovarietal extra virgin olive oils. In the case of oleic and linoleic fatty acids, and for some terpenes, B, Cr, Mn, Zn were found to give significant correlations. Zn and Mn were the most significant trace elements for all the correlations found (p < 0.01). The results obtained (genetic, spectroscopic and soil analyses) are discussed as a multidisciplinary approach for setting up a strategy for a cultivar and/or geographic origin certification committed database construction.     

The interactive effects of irrigation,nitrogen fertilisation rate,delayed harvest and storage on the polyphenol content in red grape (Vitis vinifera) berries: A factorial experimental design

Polyphenol concentrations, including anthocyanidins, flavonols, flavan-3-ols and stilbenes, were quantified by liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry in two cultivars of red grapes for daily consumption, which were subjected to different kinds of water supply and nitrogen fertilisation rates. Samples from the same vineyards were also analysed after a 6 week storage in a refrigerator and 6 week delayed harvesting. Berry skins and seeds were analysed separately.     

Flame acceleration due to turbulence produced by obstacles

This paper reports on an investigation of the influence of obstacles on the propagation of freely expanding cylindrical flames. The flame speed is found to depend critically on the obstacle configuration and flame speeds up to 130 m/sec in stoichiometric methane-air mixtures are readily achieved by placing appropriate turbulence producing obstacles in the flame path. This is ～ 24 times the flame speed observed with no obstacles. The dramatic influence of obstacles is interpreted in terms of the positive feedback coupling between the flame itself and the turbulence and flow field distortions produced by the obstacles. It is also shown that the flame is unable to maintain its large turbulent flame speed without repeated obstacles to provide flow field distortions and turbulence continuously.     

Comparative assessment of genotoxicity of mineral water packed in polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and glass bottles

The potential migration of genotoxic compounds into mineral water stored in polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottles was evaluated by an integrated chemical/biological approach using short-term toxicity/genotoxicity tests and chemical analysis. Six commercial brands of still and carbonated mineral water bottled in PET and in glass were stored at 40 °C for 10 days in a stove according to the standard EEC total migration test (82/711/EEC), or at room temperature in the dark. After treatment, the samples were analysed using gas-chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) to detect volatile and non-volatile compounds, the Microtox^® test to evaluate potential toxicity of the samples, and three mutagenicity tests - Tradescantia and Allium cepa micronucleus tests and the Comet assay on human leukocytes - to detect their genotoxic activity.GC/MS analysis did not detect phthalates or acetaldehyde in the water samples. The Microtox^® test found no toxic effects. Mutagenicity tests detected genotoxic properties of some samples in both PET and glass bottles. Statistical analyses showed a positive association between mineral content and mutagenicity (micronuclei in A. cepa and DNA damage in human leukocytes). No clear effect of treatment and PET bottle was found. These results suggest the absence of toxic compounds migrating from PET regardless of time and conditions of storage. In conclusion, bottle material and stove treatment were not associated with the genotoxic properties of the water; the genotoxic effects detected in bottled water may be related to the characteristics of the water (minerals and CO₂ content).