EEG topography-specific BOLD changes: a continuous EEG-fMRI study in a patient with focal epilepsy

Blood oxygenation level dependent (BOLD) response related to interictal activity was evaluated in a patient with post-traumatic focal epilepsy at repeated continuous electroencephalogram (EEG)-functional magnetic resonance imaging examinations. Lateralized interictal EEG activity induced a main cluster of activation co-localized with the anatomical lesion. Spreading of EEG interictal activity to both frontal lobes evoked bilateral clusters of activation indicating that topography of BOLD response might depend on the spatial distribution of epileptiform activity.     

AlCl3 + 2THF]: a new and efficient catalytic system for Diels-Alder cycloaddition of alpha,beta-unsaturated carbonyl compounds under solvent-free conditions

[AlCl(3) + 2THF] is a new catalytic system for the Diels-Alder cycloaddition under SFC and air atmosphere. By using equimolar amounts of reactants, this catalyst prevents the polymerization of the diene and allows the corresponding adducts to be isolated with high regio- and stereocontrol and in excellent yields. [reaction: see text]     

Math MOOC UniTo : an Italian project on MOOCs for mathematics teacher education,and the development of a new theoretical framework

This paper focuses on MOOCs (massive open online courses), a fairly recent paradigm in e-learning educational projects. Despite the high dropout rate, and     

Biocatalytically oligomerized epicatechin with potent and specific anti-proliferative activity for human breast cancer cells

Catechins, naturally occurring flavonoids derived from wine and green tea, are known to exhibit multiple health benefits. Epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) is one of the most widely investigated catechins, but its efficacy in cancer therapy is still inconsistent and limited. The poor stability of EGCG has contributed to the disparity in the reported anti-cancer activity and other beneficial properties. Here we report an innovative enzymatic strategy for the oligomerization of catechins (specifically epicatechin) that yields stable, water-soluble oligomerized epicatechins with enhanced and highly specific anti-proliferative activity for human breast cancer cells. This one-pot oxidative oligomerization is carried out in ambient conditions using Horseradish Peroxidase (HRP) as a catalyst yielding water-soluble oligo(epicatechins). The oligomerized epicatechins obtained exhibit excellent growth inhibitory effects against human breast cancer cells with greater specificity towards growth-inhibiting cancer cells as opposed to normal cells, achieving a high therapeutic differential. Our studies indicate that water-soluble oligomeric epicatechins surpass EGCG in stability, selectivity and efficacy at lower doses.     

A deforming-mesh finite-element approach applied to the large-translation and free-surface scenario of fused deposition modeling

A numerical study of the fused deposition modeling (FDM) process using a boundary-conforming free-surface finite element approach is performed. Due to the complexity of the FDM process, among all of its parts, we focus on the deposition and spreading of an individual filament. The polymer behavior, that is, the shear rate dependent and temperature-dependent viscosity, is included by the Cross-WLF viscosity model. The moving domain is addressed by the virtual region mesh update method, which, in the present article, is extended to free-surface problems. The particularity of dividing the mesh domain into an activated and a deactivated domain makes it possible to handle large translatory mesh deformation. In this work, we make use of the level of detail offered by a boundary-conforming approach regarding both topology accuracy and the imposition of boundary conditions in order to study the deposition of a single filament at a small scale. Parameters with a direct impact on the mechanical properties of the final object can be straightforwardly computed by a boundary-conforming approach, for instance, the cross-section, the contact area, the temperature distribution, and the heat fluxes over the surfaces. The presented approach is validated by a two-dimensional benchmark test case before the numerical results of the three-dimensional simulation of the filament deposition are shown.     

Synergistic Properties of Arabinogalactan (AG) and Hyaluronic Acid (HA) Sodium Salt Mixtures

The properties of mixtures of two polysaccharides, arabinogalactan (AG) and hyaluronic acid (HA), were investigated in solution by the measurement of diffusion coefficients D of water protons by DOSY (Diffusion Ordered SpectroscopY), by the determination of viscosity and by the investigation of the affinity of a small molecule molecular probe versus AG/HA mixtures in the presence of bovine submaxillary mucin (BSM) by ¹HNMR spectroscopy. Enhanced mucoadhesive properties, decreased mobility of water and decreased viscosity were observed at the increase of AG/HA ratio and of total concentration of AG. This unusual combination of properties can lead to more effective and long-lasting hydration of certain tissues (inflamed skin, dry eye corneal surface, etc.) and can be useful in the preparation of new formulations of cosmetics and of drug release systems, with the advantage of reducing the viscosity of the solutions.     

Large bending behavior of creased paperboard. II. Structural analysis

The mechanics of a paradigmatic typical carton corner with five creases is analyzed theoretically, in closed form. A general kinematical analysis of the mechanism (in finite rotation) is presented, assuming the versor of the intermediate crease, s, as a 2-degree-of-freedom Lagrangian parameter. The rotation θ_c of the cth crease is derived, together with the existence domain and a discussion of the singular configurations.The actions, driving the carton during a prescribed quasi-static erection program, are derived in a very efficient manner using the Virtual Works Equation, taking into account a non-linear anholonomic bending constitutive law of the creased paperboard. In particular, the active and reactive components of the moment ?, driving s along its path, are identified. No resort to the tangent stiffness computation is required. Some numerical examples illustrate the rotation and the driving forces obtained for both monotone-loading and complex loading–unloading erection paths.The presented results, “exact” within the scope of the restrictive hypotheses assumed, may be used in a preliminary design approach as well as a benchmark for more realistic FEM or CAE simulators.     

Survey on the phase transitions and their effect on the ion-exchange and on the proton-conduction properties of a flexible and robust Zr phosphonate coordination polymer

The flexible zirconium tetraphosphonate coordination polymer with formula Zr(O(3)PCH(2))(2)N-C(6)H(10)-N(O(3)CH(2)P)(2)X(2-x)H(2+x)·nH(2)O (X = H, Li, Na, K, 0 < x < 1, 4 < n < 7.5) (1) possesses an open framework structure with 1D cavities decorated with polar and acids P═O and P-OH groups. 1 has been fully protonated by adding HCl and then subjected to several acid-base ion-exchange reactions with alkaline metals hydroxides. 1 is a very robust coordination polymer because it can be regenerated in H- form using strong acid solutions and ri-exchanged several times without hydrolysis and loss of crystallinity. The flexibility of 1 has been also studied by means of TDXD (temperature dependent X-ray diffraction) evidencing remarkable phase transformations that lead to a different disposition of the water molecules. These transformations also influence the accessibility of the cations on the P-OH groups placed inside the channels and thus the ion-exchange properties. The dependence of the proton conductivity properties on these phase transitions has been also investigated and discussed.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">T</Emphasis> = 0 phase diagram of the 1<Emphasis Type="Italic">D</Emphasis> Hubbard model with magnetic interactions in the narrow band limit

In this paper we study a generalization of the Hubbard model by considering spin-spin interactions described by the exchange constant J. An external magnetic field his also taken into account. In the narrowband limit and for the 1D case, we present the exact solution obtained in the framework of the Green’s function formalism, using the Composite Operator Method. We report the T = 0 phase diagram for both ferro (J > 0) and anti-ferro (J < 0) couplings. The competition of the different energy scales (U, J, and h; being U the local charge interaction) generates a variety of phases and different charge and spin orderings.     

Within the Ischemic Penumbra,Sub-Cellular Compartmentalization of Heat Shock Protein 70 Overlaps with Autophagy Proteins and Fails to Merge with Lysosomes

The brain area which surrounds the frankly ischemic region is named the area penumbra. In this area, most cells are spared although their oxidative metabolism is impaired. area penumbra is routinely detected by immunostaining of a molecule named Heat Shock Protein 70 (HSP70). Within the area penumbra, autophagy-related proteins also increase. Therefore, in the present study, the autophagy-related microtubule-associated protein I/II-Light Chain 3 (LC3) was investigated within the area penumbra along with HSP70. In C57 black mice, ischemia was induced by permanent occlusion of the distal part of the middle cerebral artery. Immunofluorescence and electron microscopy show that LC3 and HSP70 are overexpressed and co-localize within the area penumbra in the same cells and within similar subcellular compartments. In the area penumbra, marked loss of co-localization of HSP70 and LC3-positive autophagy vacuoles, with lysosomal-associated membrane protein 1 (LAMP1) or cathepsin-D-positive lysosome vacuoles occurs. This study indicates that, within the area penumbra, a failure of autophagolysosomes depends on defective compartmentalization of LC3, LAMP1 and cathepsin-D and a defect in merging between autophagosomes and lysosomes. Such a deleterious effect is likely to induce a depletion of autophagolysosomes and cell clearing systems, which needs to be rescued in the process of improving neuronal survival.