The High-energy Particle Detector (HEPD) on board the China Seismo-Electromagnetic Satellite (CSES-01)-launched on 2018 February 2-is a light and compact payload suitable for measuring electrons ...(3-100 MeV), protons (30-250 MeV), and light nuclei (up to a few hundreds of MeV). The Sun-synchronous orbit and large acceptance allow HEPD to measure cosmic-ray particles near the 65° latitude limit for a fair amount of time per day. In this work, three semiannual galactic hydrogen energy spectra between ∼40 and 250 MeV are presented, including a comparison with theoretical spectra from HelMod, a 2D Monte Carlo model developed to simulate the solar modulation of cosmic rays throughout the heliosphere. To our knowledge, these are the first hydrogen energy spectra below 250 MeV measured at 1 au between 2018 and 2020.
Antibiotics that suppress
are the standard treatment for acne but are becoming less effective, due to the appearance of antibiotic-resistant strains. Many plants are known to have innate ...antimicrobial action and can be used as alternatives to antibiotics; thus, it is necessary to prove their effectiveness in vivo. This study aimed to evaluate the anti-acne efficacy of a new cream based on three natural extracts, comparing it to erythromycin cream and placebo.
Sixty patients with mild to moderate acne vulgaris were randomly divided into three groups: treated with cream containing 20% propolis, 3% "tea tree oil", and 10% "
" (PTAC) (n=20); or with 3 % erythromycin cream (ERC) (n=20); or with placebo (n=20). At baseline, after 15 and 30 days, investigators evaluated response to treatment by counting acne lesions through noninvasive measurements and macrophotography.
All the clinical and instrumental values studied were statistically different from placebo except for sebometry, pHmetry, and erythema index values, measured on healthy skin. Unlike in the placebo group, papular and scar lesions showed high erythema reduction after 15 and 30 days of PTAC and ERC application.
The PTAC formulation was better than ERC in reducing erythema scars, acne severity index, and total lesion count.
A Forbush decrease (FD) is a sudden drop of cosmic-ray intensity arising as an effect of coronal mass ejection (CME) propagation in interplanetary space. The different physical properties of each CME ...cause variability in the FDs observed by scientific instruments. A comprehensive study of both phenomena is required to properly understand the processes involved in FDs. Most of the current studies in this field use experimental data obtained by ground-based apparatus that measure the flux of cosmic rays via their interaction with Earth’s atmosphere. Direct measurements in space of FDs are rather rare. In this work, we present the results obtained by the spacecraft-borne experiment
Payload for Antimatter Matter Exploration and Light-nuclei Astrophysics
(PAMELA). The experiment took data from 15 June 2006 until January 2016. A series of FDs during the period 2006 – 2013 were studied. Only significant events with amplitude ≥ 10% for the proton flux
R
=
1.1
– 2.9 GV were taken into account. The dependencies of the recovery times on the particle rigidity were obtained for FD events generated by halo-type CMEs.
•We show that typical absence seizures (AS) and hyperventilation-induced high amplitude rhythmic slowing (HIHARS) or HIHARS with Altered Awareness (HIHARSAA) can coexist in the same patient, but ...never at the same time.•We found that alkalosis and dysfunction of the same neural network are involved in both AS and HIHARS.•AS and HIHARS should be better recognized to avoid misdiagnosis and overtreatment.•AS and HIHARS can coexist in the same patient, but never at the same time.
Typical absence seizures (AS) are epileptic phenomena typically appearing in children 4–15 years of age and can be elicited by hyperventilation (HV). Hyperventilation-induced high-amplitude rhythmic slowing (HIHARS) represents a paraphysiological response during HV and may manifest with alteration of awareness (HIHARSAA). To date, HIHARSAA has mostly been described in patients without epilepsy.
To describe five patients with treatment-responsive typical AS who, after becoming seizure free, presented with HIHARSAA.
By using video-electroencephalographic recording (Video-EEG), we describe differential clinical characteristics and ictal electrophysiological patterns of both typical AS and HIHARSAA.
We demonstrate that when HIHARSAA occurs in patients with typical AS there is a temporal window between the two phenomena. This suggests that the presence of typical AS precludes the appearance of HIHARSAA.
We hypothesize that alkalosis and dysfunction of the same neural network are involved in both typical AS and HIHARSAA and that their distinct electroclinic manifestations are due to the involvement of different ion channels.
A better understanding of the characteristics of typical AS and HIHARSAA and of the role of alkalosis in both, can help avoiding misdiagnosis and identifying more suitable therapies for typical AS.
Study results from different geographical areas provide some circumstantial evidence that, when compared with the general population, people who later in life develop multiple sclerosis (MS) have a ...pattern of birth excess numbers in spring and late summer, which may disclose an association with MS-predisposing environmental agents. To identify the presence of season-related cluster of MS birth in Sardinia we have designed a case-control study in the province of Sassari, Northern Sardinia, insular Italy, an area at very-high and increasing risk for MS. Mean birth incidence rate of people with MS (810 cases) on a three-and six-months basis were compared with that of two control populations: the MS unaffected siblings (1069), sharing genetic material with patients, and a representative number of births (247,612) of the general population of the study area. We found that the birth in months peaking in spring significantly represents one risk factor for future MS development. This seasonal deviation of MS births reveals an intriguing epidemiological overlap with common environmental agents, which may open a new scenario of hypothetical explanations for environmental factors perhaps affecting the CNS at the crucial time of myelination or shaping the newborn immune system.
On 12 May 2021 the interplanetary doppelgänger of the 9 May 2021 coronal mass ejection impacted the Earth's magnetosphere, giving rise to a strong geomagnetic storm. This paper discusses the ...evolution of the various events linking the solar activity to the Earth's ionosphere with special focus on the effects observed in the circumterrestrial environment. We investigate the propagation of the interplanetary coronal mass ejection and its interaction with the magnetosphere—ionosphere system in terms of both magnetospheric current systems and particle redistribution, by jointly analyzing data from interplanetary, magnetospheric, and low Earth orbiting satellites. The principal magnetospheric current system activated during the different phases of the geomagnetic storm was correctly identified through the direct comparison between geosynchronous orbit observations and model predictions. From the particle point of view, we have found that the primary impact of the storm development is a net and rapid loss of relativistic electrons from the entire outer radiation belt. Our analysis shows no evidence for any short‐term recovery to pre‐storm levels during the days following the main phase. Storm effects also included a small Forbush decrease driven by the interplay between the interplanetary shock and subsequent magnetic cloud arrival.
Plain Language Summary
On 12 May 2021 a coronal mass ejection (CME) emitted from the Sun on 9 May 2021 impacted the Earth, giving rise to a strong geomagnetic storm. This paper present a global view of the CME effects observed in the circumterrestrial environment focusing on its propagation and on its interaction with the magnetosphere—ionosphere system in terms of both magnetospheric current systems and particle redistribution, by jointly analyzing data from interplanetary, magnetospheric, and low Earth orbiting satellites. The principal magnetospheric current system activated during the different phases of the geomagnetic storm was correctly identified through the direct comparison between geosynchronous orbit observations and model predictions. From the particle point of view, we have found that the primary impact of the storm development is a sudden loss of relativistic electrons from the entire outer radiation belt. Such kind of a global analysis is still the straightforward way available to understand the complex dynamics of the processes occurring in the circumterrestrial environment from a space weather point of view.
Key Points
Global analysis of the 12 May 2021 geomagnetic storm
Interplanetary coronal mass ejections propagation in the interplanetary space
Magnetospheric‐ionospheric coupling analysis from both particle and field point of view
•Patients with drug-resistant epilepsy showed global hypoperfusion at brain SPECT.•After trigeminal nerve stimulation perfusion increased in the temporal and limbic lobes.•TNS effects may reflect ...activity changes in cortical areas associated to epilepsy.
To explore the cortical areas targeted by acute transcutaneous trigeminal nerve stimulation (TNS) in patients with drug-resistant epilepsy (DRE) using single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT).
Ten patients with DRE underwent brain SPECT at baseline and immediately after a 20-minute TNS (0.25 ms; 120 Hz; 30 s ON and 30 s OFF) applied bilaterally to the infraorbital nerve. The French Color Standard International Scale was used for qualitative analyses and z-scores were used to calculate the Odds Ratio (OR).
At baseline global hypoperfusion (mainly in temporo-mesial, temporo-parietal and fronto-temporal and temporo-occipital areas) was detected in all patients. Following TNS, a global increase in cortical tracer uptake and a significant decrease in median hypoperfusion score were observed. A significant effect favoring a general TNS-induced increase in cortical perfusion (OR = 4.96; p = 0.0005) was detected in 70% of cases, with significant effects in the limbic (p = 0.003) and temporal (p = 0.003) lobes. Quantitative analyses of z-scores confirmed significant TNS-induced increases in perfusion in the temporal (+0.59 SDs; p = 0.001), and limbic (+0.43 SDs; p = 0.03) lobes.
Short-term TNS is followed a global increase in cortical perfusion, namely in the temporal and limbic lobes.
The TNS-induced perfusion increase may reflect neurons’ activity changes in cortical areas implicated in the epilepsy network.
Lymphedema is a condition occurring when the lymphatic system fails to efficiently transport the lymph, thus creating a fluid accumulation in the interstitial space. As of today, the rehabilitation ...treatment for lymphedema relies on the principles of Complete Decongestive Therapy (CDT), a series of treatments designed to favor the reabsorption of the lymph by the lymphatic system and to restore the functionality of the affected limb. From an osteopathic point of view, interesting results have been obtained through Lymphatic Pump Technique (LPT), a series of oscillatory techniques applied to different areas of the body such as chest, abdomen and feet. A few LPT studies on animals have shown a significant improvement not only in the lymphatic system efficiency (an increase of 271% in lymph flow) but also in the immune system.
Aim. From the scientific evidence derived from such studies, in this paper we propose a clinical trial aiming to demonstrate the benefits that this technique can bring to human beings in a specific rehabilitation process following a lower limb lymphoedema.
Material and methods. An indirect volumetric measurement of lymphedematous limbs according to the segmental technique was performed on six subjects having a history of CDT treatments with different clinical histories, age, gender, work and sport characteristics.The results of the study group treated with the LPT were compared to the results of the same subjects who previously underwent CDT treatment only. The LPT was applied in 8 sessions for two weeks, i.e. for the period of time scheduled for normal physiotherapy rehabilitation including CDT.
Results. The average volume before CDT was 9470.6 ml while after treatment was 8429 ml. The mean volume before CDT associated with LPT was 9608.5 ml, whereas after treatment the mean was 8267 ml with a significant reduction in lymphoedema.
Conclusions. Despite the small number of cases examined, the treatment described in this project has led to positive and statistically significant results, in terms of absorption of lymphedema, especially reducing the volume of the limb. LPT is safe as it is a non-invasive technique, performed with the application of light forces, and integrates perfectly with the CDT.
The aim of the research was to evaluate a heavy metal, Cadmium (Cd), which was used to produce alterations in human breast cancer cell line MCF-7. Moreover, we analyzed both immunohistochemical and ...ultrastructural alterations induced by the antineoplastic drug, 5-Fluorouracil (5-FU), after exposure to different concentrations of Cadmium. Also, we compared the effects of these compounds on actin and tubulin cytoskeleton proteins. Under ultramicroscopic observation, control cells looked polymorphous with filopodia. In cells already treated with small concentrations of Cd, after brief times of incubation, we observed an intense metabolic activity with larger, clearer, and elongated mitochondria characterized by thin and numerous dilated cristae. 5-FU-treated cells showed cytotoxicity signs with presence of pore-like alterations in the cell membrane and evident degeneration of cytoplasm and cell nuclei. The addition of 5-FU (1.5 μM) to the cells treated with Cd (5 μM-20 μM) did not induce significant ultrastructural changes in comparison with cells treated only with Cd. In Cd+5FU-treated cells mitochondria with globular aspect and regular cristae indicated the active metabolic state. In cells treated only with Cd we observed alterations in actin distribution, while tubulin branched out throughout the cytoplasm. With the association of Cd+5FU, we observed less morphological alterations in both tubulin and actin cytoskeleton proteins. Although the mechanism remains unknown at present, our findings suggest that Cd prevents the cytotoxic effect of 5-FU on breast cancer cells. These preliminary results could have an important clinical application in patients with breast cancer.
The HEPD apparatus for the CSES mission Panico, Beatrice; Osteria, G.; Perfetto, F. ...
Journal of physics. Conference series,
01/2020, Letnik:
1342, Številka:
1
Journal Article
Recenzirano
Odprti dostop
The High-Energy Particle Detector (HEPD) is one of the payloads of the CSES space mission. The HEPD is built by the Italian Limadou collaboration and has different goals. It will study the temporal ...stability of the inner Van Allen radiation belts, the precipitation of trapped particles in the atmosphere and the low energy component of the cosmic rays (5-100 MeV for electrons and 15 - 300 MeV for protons). It has been tested at the Beam Test Facility of the INFN National Laboratory of Frascati, for electrons, and at the Proton Cyclotron of Trento, for protons. Here is presented a study of the performance of the apparatus to separate electrons and protons and identify nuclei up to iron.
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