Writing Motivation of Students with Specific Language Impairments

This study was designed to compare the writing motivation of students with specific language impairments with their non-disabled peers. Due to the cognitive and linguistic demands of the writing process, students with language impairments face unique difficulties during the writing process. It was hypothesized that students with specific language impairments will be more likely to report lower levels of perceived writing competence and be less autonomously motivated to write. Students in grades 3-5 in 11 schools (33 with specific language impairments, 242 non-disabled peers) completed self-report measures, designed from a Self-Determination Theory perspective, which measured the degree that students are intrinsically motivated to write as well as their perceived writing competence. Statistical analyses showed that (1) students with specific language impairments reported lower levels of perceived writing competence and autonomous writing motivation; (2) SLI status was a significant predictor of perceived writing competence after spelling, grade, and gender were controlled; and (3) when spelling, grade, and gender were controlled, perceived writing competence was a significant predictor of autonomous writing motivation, but SLI status was not. The results of this study are expected to inform the current understanding of the relationship between language ability and writing motivation in students with specific language impairments, as well as the design of future writing interventions.

Studies on the Helminth Fauna of Alaska. XLI. Observations on Cestodes of the Genus Diplogonoporus Lönnberg, 1892 (Diphyllobothriidae)

The study of a collection of cestodes assigned to the genus Diplogonoporus Lönnberg, 1892 disclosed but two species, D. balaenopterae Lönnberg, 1892, and D. tetrapterus (von Siebold, 1848) (provis.). These cestodes occur characteristically in marine mammals but occasionally are found in terrestrial hosts; D. balaenopterae is recorded for the first time from the domestic dog, and it is concluded that D. grandis (Blanchard, 1894), from man, is conspecific with D. balaenopterae. The latter species is recorded for the first time from the humpback whale, Megaptera novaeangliae (Borowski). The relatively small D. tetrapterus, a common parasite of the Steller sea lion, Eumetopias jubata (Schreber), is reported for the first time from the sea otter, Enhydra lutris Linnaeus, and from the domestic mink, Mustela vison Schreber. Descriptions of representative specimens are presented, and the taxonomic status of other species assigned to Diplogonoporus is discussed. Although the diplogonadic organization of these cestodes is somewhat variable, it is nevertheless constant and serves to characterize the genus Diplogonoporus. The process of asexual reproduction by means of transverse subdivision of primary segments is described. This ability and the diplogonadic structure of these cestodes are considered to be adaptations that increase the production of eggs and thereby the probability of reproductive success in the marine habitat.

Desempenho de pré-escolares com queixa de Distúrbios da Comunicação no Preschool Language Assessment Instrument (Plai-2)

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Parental reports of the oral health-related quality of life of children with cerebral palsy

Background: The severity of physical and mental impairments and oral problems, as well as socioeconomic factors, may have an impact on quality of life of children with cerebral palsy (CP). The aim of this research was to assess the impact of impairments and oral health conditions, adjusted by socioeconomic factors, on the Oral Health-Related Quality of Life (OHRQoL) of children with CP using their parents as proxies. Methods: Sixty children, between 6-14 years of age were selected. Their parents answered a children's OHRQoL instrument (5 domains) which combines the Parental-Caregivers Perception Questionnaire (P-CPQ) and Family Impact Scale (FIS). The severity of dental caries, type of CP, communication ability, gross motor function, seizures and socioeconomic conditions were assessed. Results: Considering the total score of the OHRQoL instrument, only the reduction of communication ability and dental caries severity had a negative impact on the OHRQoL (p < 0.05). Considering each domain of the instrument, the severity of the type of CP and its reduction of communication ability showed a negative impact on oral symptoms and functional limitations domains (p < 0.05). Seizures have a negative impact on oral symptoms domain (p = 0.006). The multivariate fitted model showed that the severity of dental caries, communication ability and low family income were negatively associated with the impact on OHRQoL (p = 0.001). Conclusions: The severity of dental caries, communication ability, and family income are conditions strongly associated with a negative impact on OHRQoL of children with CP.

Medication adherence in frail elderly outpatients with dementia

Since drug therapy in the elderly is complex and longterm and aged people commonly present some level of impairment and disability, medication adherence tend to decrease with age. Cognitive function is a key factor associated with medication adherence and professional or caregiver assistance may be necessary to maintain correct drug use. This study aims to analyze frail elderly outpatients aged 80 years or over diagnosed with dementia. The study is cross-sectional and is being conducted at the Ambulatory of Frailty of the University Hospital of the University of São Paulo (AF-UH). It is being based on information collected through an interview conducted with the patient or its caregiver. Medication adherence is assessed by the proportion of the prescribed drugs used in concordance with the prescription. Here it is presented the results of a pilot study. Thirty patients were included in the pilot study of which 23 (76.7%) were female and 7 (23.3%) males. The mean(SD) age, number of dwelling relatives, living children and prescribed drugs was, respectively, 86(5) years, 3(2), 3(2) and 6(3). The AF-UH consultation is the only regular physician encounter for 60.7% of the patients. Out of 30 patients, 5 (16.7%) live alone. Medication is a caregiver responsibility in 22 (73.4%) patients; the others (26.6%) self-administer their medicines. 13 (43.3%) of patients regularly use at least one drug not prescribed. Dementia was present in 8 patients all of which have a caregiver responsible for the management and,or the administration of the medicines; on the other hand, only 4 of the 22 nondemented patients (18.2%) have assistance of a caregiver (p<.001). The mean(SD) number of prescribed drugs was higher in nondemented patients [6.5(2.4)] than in those with dementia[3.5(2.3)] (p=.004). Educational level was similar between caregivers and patients (p=.503) as well as between caregivers of demented and non demented patients (p=.582). Among patients without dementia, those with caregiver assistance pre-presented the same mean(SD) medication adherence [0.93(0.14)] than those without it [0.78(0.28)] (p=.305). When compared to nondemented patients without caregivers, demented patients showed higher medication adherence [1.00(0.00)] (p=.013) since all of them used their drugs as recommended. The lower number of prescribed drugs and caregiver assistance seem to play an important role in the adherence of pharmacotherapy of demented patients in the studied population.

Structure of the PilZ-FimXEAL-c-di-GMP complex responsible for the regulation of bacterial type IV pilus biogenesis

Signal transduction pathways mediated by cyclic-bis(3'→5')-dimeric GMP (c-di-GMP) control many important and complex behaviors in bacteria. C-di-GMP is synthesized through the action of GGDEF domains that possess diguanylate cyclase activity and is degraded by EAL or HD-GYP domains with phosphodiesterase activity. There is mounting evidence that some important c-di-GMP-mediated pathways require protein-protein interactions between members of the GGDEF, EAL, HD-GYP and PilZ protein domain families. For example, interactions have been observed between PilZ and the EAL domain from FimX of Xanthomonas citri (Xac). FimX and PilZ are involved in the regulation of type IV pilus biogenesis via interactions of the latter with the hexameric PilB ATPase associated with the bacterial inner membrane. Here, we present the crystal structure of the ternary complex made up of PilZ, the FimX EAL domain (FimXEAL) and c-di-GMP. PilZ interacts principally with the lobe region and the N-terminal linker helix of the FimXEAL. These interactions involve a hydrophobic surface made up of amino acids conserved in a non-canonical family of PilZ domains that lack intrinsic c-di-GMP binding ability and strand complementation that joins β-sheets from both proteins. Interestingly, the c-di-GMP binds to isolated FimXEAL and to the PilZ-FimXEAL complex in a novel conformation encountered in c-di-GMP-protein complexes in which one of the two glycosidic bonds is in a rare syn conformation while the other adopts the more common anti conformation. The structure points to a means by which c-di-GMP and PilZ binding could be coupled to FimX and PilB conformational states

Zinco, invecchiamento e sistema immunitario: effetti sull'apoptosi e sulla proliferazione dei linfociti

Immunosenescence is characterized by a complex remodelling of the immune system, mainly driven by lifelong antigenic burden. Cells of the immune system are constantly exposed to a variety of stressors capable of inducing apoptosis, including antigens and reactive oxygen species continuously produced during immune response and metabolic pathways. The overall homeostasis of the immune system is based on the balance between antigenic load, oxidative stress, and apoptotic processes on one side, and the regenerative potential and renewal of the immune system on the other. Zinc is an essential trace element playing a central role on the immune function, being involved in many cellular processes, such as cell death and proliferation, as cofactor of enzymes, nuclear factors and hormones. In this context, the age associated changes in the immune system may be in part due to zinc deficiency, often observed in aged subjects and able to induce impairment of several immune functions. Thus, the aim of this work was to investigate the role of zinc in two essential events for immunity during aging, i.e. apoptosis and cell proliferation. Spontaneous and oxidative stress-induced apoptosis were evaluated by flow cytometry in presence of a physiological concentration of zinc in vitro on peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) obtained from healthy subjects of different age: a group of young subjects, a group of old subjects and a group of nonagenarians. In addition, cell cycle phases were analyzed by flow cytometry in PBMCs, obtained from the subjects of the same groups in presence of different concentration of zinc. We also analyzed the influence of zinc in these processes in relation to p53 codon 72 polymorphism, known to affect apoptosis and cell cycle in age-dependent manner. Zinc significantly reduces spontaneous apoptosis in all age-groups; while it significantly increases oxidative stress-induced late apoptosis/necrosis in old and nonagenarians subjects. Some factors involved in the apoptotic pathway were studied and a zinc effect on mitochondrial membrane depolarization, cytochrome C release, caspase-3 activation, PARP cleavage and Bcl-2 expression was found. In conclusion, zinc inhibits spontaneous apoptosis in PBMCs contrasting the harmful effects due to the cellular culture conditions. On the other hand, zinc is able to increase toxicity and induce cell death in PBMCs from aged subjects when cells are exposed to stressing agents that compromise antioxidant cellular systems. Concerning the relationship between the susceptibility to apoptosis and p53 codon 72 genotype, zinc seems to affect apoptosis only in PBMCs from Pro- people suggesting a role of this ion in strengthening the mechanism responsible of the higher propensity of Pro- towards apoptosis. Regarding cell cycle, high doses of zinc could have a role in the progression of cells from G1 to S phase and from S to G2/M phase. These effect seems depend on the age of the donor but seems to be unrelated to p53 codon 72 genotype. In order to investigate the effect of an in vivo zinc supplementation on apoptosis and cell cycle, PBMCs from a group of aged subjects were studied before and after six weeks of oral zinc supplementation. Zinc supplementation reduces spontaneous apoptosis and it strongly reduces oxidative stress-induced apoptosis. On the contrary, no effect of zinc was observed on cell cycle. Therefore, it’s clear that in vitro and in vivo zinc supplementation have different effects on apoptosis and cell cycle in PBMCs from aged subjects. Further experiments and clinical trials are necessary to clarify the real effect of an in vivo zinc supplementation because this preliminary data could encourage the of this element in all that disease with oxidative stress pathogenesis. Moreover, the expression of metallothioneins (MTs), proteins well known for their zinc-binding ability and involved in many cellular processes, i.e. apoptosis, metal ions detoxification, oxidative stress, differentiation, was evaluated in total lymphocytes, in CD4+ and in CD8+ T lymphocytes from young and old healthy subjects in presence of different concentration of zinc in vitro. Literature data reported that during ageing the levels of these proteins increase and concomitantly they lose the ability to release zinc. This fact induce a down-regulation of many biological functions related to zinc, such as metabolism, gene expression and signal transduction. Therefore, these proteins may turn from protective in young-adult age to harmful agents for the immune function in ageing following the concept that several genes/proteins that increase fitness early in life may have negative effects later in life: named “Antagonistic Pleyotropy Theory of Ageing”. Data obtained in this work indicate an higher and faster expression of MTs with lower doses of zinc in total lymphocytes, in CD4+ and in CD8+ T lymphocytes from old subjects supporting the antagonistic pleiotropic role of these proteins.

Donne migranti a Modena: il lavoro di "badante" tra vincolo e risorsa

This study enters the world of migrants women daily involved in the work of caregiving to elderly people in Modena. The multidimensional analysis that characterizes this work brings together elements which are examined, simultaneously, as bounds and/or opportunities within the migratory experience of these women. The interviews collected will be analyzed in parallel and linked to the international debates on contemporary migrations: the meaning of transnational migrations, the role of the networks in guiding integration, the limits and strengths of multiculturalist theories, the concept of ‘superdiversity’, the link among entitlement, rights and access to citizenship. The present study place at the centre of its observation the “daily practices” that allow every migrant to negotiate its ‘power’, its ‘freedom’ and its ‘rights’, so as to recognize agency to these women in the creation of their strategies and social boundaries. Moreover, the study focuses on the ability and power of the State, and its institutions, to create categorizations among migrants based on their social and economic ‘usefulness’, which produce effects in the daily lives of these workers.

Enzimi, acidi organici ed altri metaboliti coinvolti nella patogenesi di Penicillium spp

Blue mould caused by Penicillium expansum Link is one of the most destructive rot of pome fruit in all growing areas (Snowdon, 1990; Jones and Aldwinckle, 1991; Tonini,1996) In the past, Penicillium rot has been controlled by fungicide postharvest treatment mainly by thiabendazole (TBZ) and benomyl (Hardenburg and Spalding, 1972), but their intense use produced the appearance of resistant strains with a great reduction of their activity The aims of the present study were to characterize the isolates of Pencillium sp causing blue mold on pear in Italy by physiological and biochemical parameters. In particular differencing also the behavior of isolates to relationship with sensitivity or resistance to TBZ treatments. We have examined the early stage of infection in relation to enzyme activity, local modulation of pH, production of organic acids, and to secondary metabolism of pathogen. The results described here confirm that the majority of P. expansum isolates from pears packing houses are resistant to TBZ, Among the TBZ-resistant isolates scored in this work, different isolates (RR) showed higher percentage of conidial germination on TBZ-amended medium compared to non amended medium. This may indicate a stimulatory effect of TBZ on conidial germination. Therefore TBZ treatments are not only ineffective for controlling P. expansum, but they may also increase the severity of blue mould on fruits. In the absence of fungicide, isolates showed a significant difference for infection severity, R and RR isolates are characterized by higher pathogenic fitness on fruits, producing larger lesions than S isolates. These data are supported by the study with laboratory-induced resistant isolates, which shows the lack of correlation between TBZ resistance and osmotic sensitivity, and highlights the association between TBZ resistance and infection severity (Baraldi et al 2003). Enzymatic screening gave a positive reaction to esterase, urease, pectinase activity, in addition, the pathogen is able to synthesize a complex enzyme act to degrade the main components of the cell wall especially pectin and cellulose. Isolated sensitive and resistant are characterized by a good activity of pectinase, especially from poligactoronase, which, as already reported by several studies (D'hallewin et al, 2004; Prusky et al, 2004), are the basis of degradative process of cell wall. Also, although the measure was minor also highlighted some activities of cellulase, but even note in the production of this kind of cellulase and hemicellulase P. Expansum were not targeted, studies have found no other source of information in this regard. Twenty isolates of Penicillium expansum, were tested in vitro ad in vivo for acid production ability and pH drop. We have found that modulation of pH and the organic acids extrusion were influence to various parameter:  Initial pH: in general, the greatest reduction of pH was observed in isolates grown at pH 7, except for four isolates that maintained the pH of the medium close to 7, the others significantly decreased the pH, ranging from 5.5 to 4.1.. In extreme acid condition (pH 3,0) growth and modulation of pH is most lower respect optimal condition (pH 5,0). Also isolates R and RR have showed a greater adaptation to environmental condition more than isolates S.  Time: although the acidification continues for some days, PH modulation is strongest in early hours (48-72 hours)of inoculation process. Time also affects the quality of organic acids, for example in vitro results showed an initial abundant production of succinc acid, followed to important production of galacturoinc acid.  Substrates: there are many differences for the type of acids produced in vitro and in vivo. Results showed in vivo an abundant production of galacturonic, malic, and citric acids and some unknown organic acids in smaller concentrations. Secondary metabolite analysis revealed intra-specific differences, and patulin was found in all isolates, but most significant reduction was observed between in vitro and in vivo samples. There was no correlation between the concentration of patulin, and the percentage of infected fruits, but sample with a lower infection severity of rotten area than the others, showed a significantly lower mycotoxin concentration than samples with a higher lesion diameter of rotten area. Beyond of patulin was detected the presence of another secondary metabolite, penitrem A.

Aldo Rossi, autobiografia scientifica: scrittura come progetto. Indagine critica tra scrittura e progetto di architettura

«In altri termini mi sfuggiva e ancora oggi mi sfugge gran parte del significato dell’evoluzione del tempo; come se il tempo fosse una materia che osservo dall’esterno. Questa mancanza di evoluzione è fonte di alcune mie sventure ma anche mi appartiene con gioia.» Aldo Rossi, Autobiografia scientifica. The temporal dimension underpinning the draft of Autobiografia scientifica by Aldo Rossi may be referred to what Lucien Lévy-Bruhl, the well-known French anthropologist, defines as “primitive mentality” and “prelogical” conscience : the book of life has lost its page numbers, even punctuation. For Lévy-Bruhl, but certainly for Rossi, life or its summing up becomes a continuous account of ellipses, gaps, repetitions that may be read from left to right or viceversa, from head to foot or viceversa without distinction. Rossi’s autobiographical writing seems to accept and support the confusion with which memories have been collected, recording them after the order memory gives them in the mental distillation or simply according to the chronological order in which they have happened. For Rossi, the confusion reflects the melting of memory elements into a composite image which is the result of a fusion. He is aware that the same sap pervades all memories he is going to put in order: each of them has got a common denominator. Differences have diminished, almost faded; the quick glance is prevalent over the distinction of each episode. Rossi’s writing is beyond the categories dependent on time: past and present, before and now. For Rossi, the only repetition – the repetition the text will make possible for an indefinite number of times – gives peculiarity to the event. As Gilles Deleuze knows, “things” may only last as “singleness”: more frequent the repetition is, more singular is the memory phenomenon that recurs, because only what is singular magnifies itself and happens endlessly forever. Rossi understands that “to raise the first time to nth forever”, repetition becomes glorification . It may be an autobiography that, celebrating the originality, enhances the memory event in the repetition; in fact it greatly differs from the biographical reproduction, in which each repetition is but a weaker echo, a duller copy, provided with a smaller an smaller power in comparison with the original. Paradoxically, for Deleuze the repetition asserts the originality and singularity of what is repeated. Rossi seems to share the thought expressed by Kierkegaard in the essay Repetition: «The hope is a graceful maiden slipping through your fingers; the memory of an elderly woman, indeed pretty, but never satisfactory if necessary; the repetition is a loved friend you are never tired of, as it is only the new to make you bored. The old never bores you and its presence makes you happy [...] life is but a repetition [...] here is the beauty of life» . Rossi knows well that repetition hints at the lasting stability of cosmic time. Kierkegaard goes on: «The world exists, and it exists as a repetition» . Rossi devotes himself, on purpose and in all conscience, to collect, to inventory and «to review life», his own life, according to a recovery not from the past but of the past: a search work, the «recherche du temps perdu», as Proust entitled his masterpiece on memory. If you want the past time to be not wasted, you must give it presence. «Memoria e specifico come caratteristiche per riconoscere se stesso e ciò che è estraneo mi sembravano le più chiare condizioni e spiegazioni della realtà. Non esiste uno specifico senza memoria, e una memoria che non provenga da un momento specifico; e solo questa unione permette la conoscenza della propria individualità e del contrario (self e non-self)» . Rossi wants to understand himself, his own character; it is really his own character that requires to be understood, to increase its own introspective ability and intelligence. «Può sembrare strano che Planck e Dante associno la loro ricerca scientifica e autobiografica con la morte; una morte che è in qualche modo continuazione di energia. In realtà, in ogni artista o tecnico, il principio della continuazione dell’energia si mescola con la ricerca della felicità e della morte» . The eschatological incipit of Rossi’s autobiography refers to Freud’s thought in the exact circularity of Dante’s framework and in as much exact circularity of the statement of the principle of the conservation of energy: in fact it was Freud to connect repetition to death. For Freud, the desire of repetition is an instinct rooted in biology. The primary aim of such an instinct would be to restore a previous condition, so that the repeated history represents a part of the past (even if concealed) and, relieving the removal, reduces anguish and tension. So, Freud ask himself, what is the most remote state to which the instinct, through the repetition, wants to go back? It is a pre-vital condition, inorganic of the pure entropy, a not-to-be condition in which doesn’t exist any tension; in other words, Death. Rossi, with the theme of death, introduces the theme of circularity which further on refers to the sense of continuity in transformation or, in the opposite way, the transformation in continuity. «[...] la descrizione e il rilievo delle forme antiche permettevano una continuità altrimenti irripetibile, permettevano anche una trasformazione, una volta che la vita fosse fermata in forme precise» . Rossi’s attitude seems to hint at the reflection on time and – in a broad sense – at the thought on life and things expressed by T.S. Eliot in Four Quartets: «Time present and time past / Are both perhaps present in time future, / And time future is contained in time past. / I all time is eternally present / All time is unredeemable. / What might have been is an abstraction / Remaining perpetual possibility / Only in a word of speculation. / What might have been and what has been / Point to one end, which is always present. [...]» . Aldo Rossi’s autobiographical story coincides with the description of “things” and the description of himself through the things in the exact parallel with craft or art. He seems to get all things made by man to coincide with the personal or artistic story, with the consequent immediate necessity of formulating a new interpretation: the flow of things has never met a total stop; all that exists nowadays is but a repetition or a variant of something existing some time ago and so on, without any interruption until the early dawnings of human life. Nevertheless, Rossi must operate specific subdivisions inside the continuous connection in time – of his time – even if limited by a present beginning and end of his own existence. This artist, as an “historian” of himself and his own life – as an auto-biographer – enjoys the privilege to be able to decide if and how to operate the cutting in a certain point rather than in another one, without being compelled to justify his choice. In this sense, his story is a matter very ductile and flexible: a good story-teller can choose any moment to start a certain sequence of events. Yet, Rossi is aware that, beyond the mere narration, there is the problem to identify in history - his own personal story – those flakings where a clean cut enables the separation of events of different nature. In order to do it, he has to make not only an inventory of his own “things”, but also to appeal to authority of the Divina Commedia started by Dante when he was 30. «A trent’anni si deve compiere o iniziare qualcosa di definitivo e fare i conti con la propria formazione» . For Rossi, the poet performs his authority not only in the text, but also in his will of setting out on a mystical journey and handing it down through an exact descriptive will. Rossi turns not only to the authority of poetry, but also evokes the authority of science with Max Plank and his Scientific Autobiography, published, in Italian translation, by Einaudi, 1956. Concerning Planck, Rossi resumes an element seemingly secondary in hit account where the German physicist «[...] risale alle scoperte della fisica moderna ritrovando l’impressione che gli fece l’enunciazione del principio di conservazione dell’energia; [...]» . It is again the act of describing that links Rossi to Planck, it is the description of a circularity, the one of conservation of energy, which endorses Rossi’s autobiographical speech looking for both happiness and death. Rossi seems to agree perfectly to the thought of Planck at the opening of his own autobiography: «The decision to devote myself to science was a direct consequence of a discovery which was never ceased to arouse my enthusiasm since my early youth: the laws of human thought coincide with the ones governing the sequences of the impressions we receive from the world surrounding us, so that the mere logic can enable us to penetrate into the latter one’s mechanism. It is essential that the outer world is something independent of man, something absolute. The search of the laws dealing with this absolute seems to me the highest scientific aim in life» . For Rossi the survey of his own life represents a way to change the events into experiences, to concentrate the emotion and group them in meaningful plots: «It seems, as one becomes older. / That the past has another pattern, and ceases to be a mere sequence [...]» Eliot wrote in Four Quartet, which are a meditation on time, old age and memory . And he goes on: «We had the experience but missed the meaning, / And approach to the meaning restores the experience / In a different form, beyond any meaning [...]» . Rossi restores in his autobiography – but not only in it – the most ancient sense of memory, aware that for at least 15 centuries the Latin word memoria was used to show the activity of bringing back images to mind: the psychology of memory, which starts with Aristotele (De Anima), used to consider such a faculty totally essential to mind. Keith Basso writes: «The thought materializes in the form of “images”» . Rossi knows well – as Aristotele said – that if you do not have a collection of mental images to remember – imagination – there is no thought at all. According to this psychological tradition, what today we conventionally call “memory” is but a way of imagining created by time. Rossi, entering consciously this stream of thought, passing through the Renaissance ars memoriae to reach us gives a great importance to the word and assumes it as a real place, much more than a recollection, even more than a production and an emotional elaboration of images.

Studio dei ritmi circadiani in pazienti in stato vegetativo

Objective: To study circadian rhythms (sleep-wake, body core temperature and melatonin circadian rhythms) in patients in vegetative state (VS) in basal condition and after nocturnal blue light exposure. Methods: Eight patients in VS underwent two experimental sessions of 48 consecutive hours polysomnography with body core temperature (BCT) measurement separated by a 1-week interval. For a week between the two experimental sessions, patients underwent nocturnal blue light exposure (470 nm; 58 μW/cm2 for 4 hours from 11.30 p.m. to 3.30 a.m.). Brain MRI, Level of Cognitive Functioning Scale (LCF) and Disability Rating Scale (DRS) were assessed just before polysomnography. Results: In all patients LCF and DRS confirmed vegetative state. All patients showed a sleep-wake cycle. All patients showed spindle or spindle-like activities. REM sleep was detected in only 7 patients. Patients displayed a greater fragmentation of nocturnal sleep due to frequent awakenings. Mean nocturnal sleep efficiency was significantly reduced (40±22 vs. 74±17) in VS patients respect to controls. A significantly increasing of phase 1 and a significantly reduction of phase 2 and phase 3 were observed too. A modification of diurnal sleep total time and of diurnal duration of REM sleep were found after 1-week nocturnal blue light exposure. All patients displayed a normal BCT 24-h rhythm in basal condition and after nocturnal blue light exposure. A reduction of mean nocturnal melatonin levels in basal condition were observed in VS patients. Melatonin suppression after blue light exposure was observed in only 2 patients in VS. Conclusions: We found disorganized sleep-wake cycle and a normal BCT rhythm in our patients in VS. A reduction of mean nocturnal melatonin levels in basal condition were observed too.

Analyse von Middleware-Technologien bzgl. Performanz und ihrer Eignung für lose und eng gekoppelte verteilte Anwendungen

Die vorliegende Dissertation analysiert die Middleware- Technologien CORBA (Common Object Request Broker Architecture), COM/DCOM (Component Object Model/Distributed Component Object Model), J2EE (Java-2-Enterprise Edition) und Web Services (inklusive .NET) auf ihre Eignung bzgl. eng und lose gekoppelten verteilten Anwendungen. Zusätzlich werden primär für CORBA die dynamischen CORBA-Komponenten DII (Dynamic Invocation Interface), IFR (Interface Repository) und die generischen Datentypen Any und DynAny (dynamisches Any) im Detail untersucht. Ziel ist es, a. konkrete Aussagen über diese Komponenten zu erzielen, und festzustellen, in welchem Umfeld diese generischen Ansätze ihre Berechtigung finden. b. das zeitliche Verhalten der dynamischen Komponenten bzgl. der Informationsgewinnung über die unbekannten Objekte zu analysieren. c. das zeitliche Verhalten der dynamischen Komponenten bzgl. ihrer Kommunikation zu messen. d. das zeitliche Verhalten bzgl. der Erzeugung von generischen Datentypen und das Einstellen von Daten zu messen und zu analysieren. e. das zeitliche Verhalten bzgl. des Erstellens von unbekannten, d. h. nicht in IDL beschriebenen Datentypen zur Laufzeit zu messen und zu analysieren. f. die Vorzüge/Nachteile der dynamischen Komponenten aufzuzeigen, ihre Einsatzgebiete zu definieren und mit anderen Technologien wie COM/DCOM, J2EE und den Web Services bzgl. ihrer Möglichkeiten zu vergleichen. g. Aussagen bzgl. enger und loser Koppelung zu tätigen. CORBA wird als standardisierte und vollständige Verteilungsplattform ausgewählt, um die o. a. Problemstellungen zu untersuchen. Bzgl. seines dynamischen Verhaltens, das zum Zeitpunkt dieser Ausarbeitung noch nicht oder nur unzureichend untersucht wurde, sind CORBA und die Web Services richtungsweisend bzgl. a. Arbeiten mit unbekannten Objekten. Dies kann durchaus Implikationen bzgl. der Entwicklung intelligenter Softwareagenten haben. b. der Integration von Legacy-Applikationen. c. der Möglichkeiten im Zusammenhang mit B2B (Business-to-Business). Diese Problemstellungen beinhalten auch allgemeine Fragen zum Marshalling/Unmarshalling von Daten und welche Aufwände hierfür notwendig sind, ebenso wie allgemeine Aussagen bzgl. der Echtzeitfähigkeit von CORBA-basierten, verteilten Anwendungen. Die Ergebnisse werden anschließend auf andere Technologien wie COM/DCOM, J2EE und den Web Services, soweit es zulässig ist, übertragen. Die Vergleiche CORBA mit DCOM, CORBA mit J2EE und CORBA mit Web Services zeigen im Detail die Eignung dieser Technologien bzgl. loser und enger Koppelung. Desweiteren werden aus den erzielten Resultaten allgemeine Konzepte bzgl. der Architektur und der Optimierung der Kommunikation abgeleitet. Diese Empfehlungen gelten uneingeschränkt für alle untersuchten Technologien im Zusammenhang mit verteilter Verarbeitung.

Photovoltaics from discotic liquid crystalline HBCs & poly(2,7-carbazole)s

In this study, the use of the discotic liquid crystalline HBCs and conjugated polymers based on 2,7-carbazole were investigated in detail as donor materials in organic bulk-heterojunction solar cells. It has been shown that they perform efficiently in photovoltaic devices in combination with suitable acceptors. The efficiency was found to depend strongly dependent on the morphology of the film. By investigation of a series of donor materials with similar molecular structures based on both discotic molecules and conjugated polymers, a structure-performance relation was established, which is not only instructive for these materials but also serves as a guideline for improved molecular design. For the series of HBCs used in this study, it is found that the device efficiency decreases with increasing length of the alkyl substituents in the HBC. Thus, the derivative with the smallest alkyl mantle, being more crystalline compared to the HBCs with longer alkyl chains, gave the highest EQE of 12%. A large interfacial separation was found in the blend of HBC-C6,2 and PDI, since the crystallization of the acceptor occurred in a solid matrix of HBC. This led to small dispersed organized domains and benefited the charge transport. In contrast, blends of HBC-C10,6/PDI or HBC-C14,10/PDI revealed a rather homogeneous film limiting the percolation pathways due to a mixed phase. For the first time, poly(2,7-carbazole) was incorporated as a donor material in solar cells using PDI as an electron acceptor. The good fit in orbital energy levels and absorption spectra led to high efficiency. This result indicates that conjugated polymers with high band-gap can also be applied as materials to build efficient solar cells if appropriate electron acceptors are chosen. In order to enhance the light absorption ability, new ladder-type polymers based on pentaphenylene and hexaphenylene with one and three nitrogen bridges per repeat unit have been synthesized and characterized. The polymer 2 with three nitrogen bridges showed more red-shifted absorbance and emission and better packing in the solid-state than the analogous polymer 3 with only one nitrogen bridge per monomer unit. An overall efficiency as high as 1.3% under solar light was obtained for the device based on 1 and PDI, compared with 0.7% for the PCz based device. Therefore, the device performance correlates to a large extent with the solar light absorption ability and the lateral distance between conjugated polymer chains. Since the lateral distance is determined by the length and number of attached alkyl side chains, it is possible to assume that these substituents insulate the charge carrier pathways and decrease the device performance. As an additional consequence, the active semiconductor is diluted in the insulating matrix leading to a lower light absorption. This work suggests ways to improve device performance by molecular design, viz. maintaining the HOMO level while bathochromically shifting the absorption by adopting a more rigid ladder-type structure. Also, a high ratio of nitrogen bridges with small alkyl substituents was a desirable feature both in terms of adjusting the absorption and maintaining a low lateral inter-chain separation, which was necessary for obtaining high current and efficiency values.

Sfide familiari e disabilita'. Il ruolo educativo dei padri

Il progetto si pone in sintonia con i nuovi scenari di ricerca – sia in ambito nazionale che internazionale - della Pedagogia Speciale per l’inclusione e la piena e attiva partecipazione all’interno della società delle persone con disabilità e delle loro famiglie (Convenzione Onu, 2006). La riflessione sul ruolo educativo del padre riguardo alla disabilità di un/una figlio/a è una questione complessa e controversa che necessita di una premessa che ponga al centro dell’attenzione pedagogica la funzione paterna in senso ampio. L’obiettivo principale del progetto è quello di indagare il ruolo educativo del padre – nelle situazioni di disabilità - con riflessioni più ampie riguardanti le funzioni parentali, i modelli di genitorialità e l’educare nella nostra società.I risultati attesi potranno gettare luce su alcune Linee Guida - riguardo alla presa in carico della famiglia e del sostegno alla genitorialità - utili ai professionisti impegnati in quest’area e agli educatori dei servizio socio-educativi e sanitari.

Epigenetic role of N-Myc in Neuroblastoma

Childhood neuroblastoma is the most common solid tumour of infancy and highly refractory to therapy. One of the most powerful prognostic indicators for this disease is the N-Myc gene amplification, which occurs in approximately 25% of all neuroblastomas. N-Myc is a member of transcription factors belonging to a subclass of the larger group of proteins sharing Basic-Region/Helix–Loop–Helix/Leucin-Zipper (BR/HLH/LZ) motif. N-Myc oncoproteins may determine activation or repression of several genes thanks to different protein-protein interactions that may modulate its transcriptional regulatory ability and therefore its potential for oncogenicity. Chromatin modifications, including histone methylation, have a crucial role in transcription de-regulation of many cancer-related genes. Here, it was investigated whether N-Myc can functionally and/or physically interact with two different factors involved in methyl histone modification: WDR5 (core member of the MLL/Set1 methyltransferase complex) and the de- methylase LSD1. Co-IP assays have demonstrated the presence of both N-Myc-WDR5 and N-Myc-LSD1 complexes in two neuroblastoma cell lines. Human N-Myc amplified cell lines were used as a model system to investigate on transcription activation and/or repression mechanisms carried out by N-Myc-LSD1 and N-Myc-WDR5 protein complexes. qRT-PCR and immunoblot assays underlined the ability of both complexes to positively (N-Myc-WDR5) and negatively (N-Myc-LSD1) influence transcriptional regulation of crititical neuroblastoma N-Myc-related genes, MDM2, p21 and Clusterin. Ch-IP experiments have revealed the binding of the N-Myc complexes above mentioned to the gene promoters analysed. Finally, pharmacological treatment pointed to abolish N-Myc and LSD1 activity were performed to test cellular alterations, such as cell viability and cell cycle progression. Overall, the results presented in this work suggest that N-Myc can interact with two distinct histone methyl modifiers to positively and negatively affect gene transcription in neuroblastoma.