Numerical and Workbench Design of 2.35 T Double-Tuned (¹H/²³Na) Nested RF Birdcage Coils Suitable for Animal Size MRI.

The birdcage Radio Frequency (RF) coil is one of the most used configurations in Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) scanners for the detection of the proton (H) signal over a large homogeneous volume. More recently, birdcage RF coils have been successfully used also in the field of X-nuclei MRI, where the signal of a second nucleus (e.g.

Age-dependent regulation of ERF-VII transcription factor activity in Arabidopsis thaliana.

The Group VII Ethylene Responsive Factors (ERFs-VII) RAP2.2 and RAP2.12 have been mainly characterized with regard to their contribution as activators of fermentation in plants.

RsmA and AmrZ orchestrate the assembly of all three type VI secretion systems in .

The type VI secretion system (T6SS) is a weapon of bacterial warfare and host cell subversion. The Gram-negative pathogen has three T6SSs involved in colonization, competition, and full virulence. H1-T6SS is a molecular gun firing seven toxins, Tse1-Tse7, challenging survival of other bacteria and helping to prevail in specific niches.

Prevalence of acute respiratory symptoms in breath-hold divers.

Introduction: After repetitive deep dives, breath-hold divers are often affected by a syndrome characterized by typical symptoms such as cough, sensation of chest constriction, blood-striated expectorate (hemoptysis) and, rarely, an overt acute pulmonary edema syndrome, often together with various degrees of dyspnea. The aim of this work is an epidemiological investigation to evaluate the prevalence of acute respiratory symptoms (ARS) in breath-hold divers (BHDs) in practicing breath-hold diving.

Materials And Methods: A retrospective investigation has been performed using specific questionnaires completed by a selected sample of free-divers (212 breath-hold diving instructors--194 male, 18 female; mean age 34 +/- 6.

Mortality rates for respiratory disorders in Italy (1979-1990).

Trends in mortality rates for respiratory disorders were investigated in Italy from 1979 to 1990, using data from the Italian Central Statistical Institute (ISTAT). Mortality from lung cancer increased in all age groups, except for those aged 45-64 yrs after 1985. Respiratory diseases showed a consistent reduction; in particular, mortality from emphysema decreased slowly, and mortality from chronic bronchitis showed a significant reduction in all age groups.

Evaluation of DNA damage in leukocytes of ex-smokers by single cell gel electrophoresis.

Single cell gel electrophoresis (SCGE), or comet assay, appears to be a promising tool to estimate DNA damage at the single cell level and it provides information on the presence of damage among individual cells. A follow-up study of 90 smokers who ceased smoking was undertaken to determine the possible decrease of DNA damage in their leukocytes. Before beginning the trial, volunteers smoked on average 26.

Importance of baseline cotinine plasma values in smoking cessation: results from a double-blind study with nicotine patch.

Nicotine replacement by transdermal patches is more effective than placebo in smoking cessation, but has a low success rate after one year (9-18%). We tested whether this was attributed to insufficient nicotine replacement. We conducted a randomized trial to investigate the effect on outcome of different doses of transdermal nicotine replacement after stratification according to baseline plasma cotinine values.

Prevalence rates of diagnosis of asthma in general population samples of northern and central Italy.

In order to assess the distribution of asthma in Italy in the 1980s, we have compared the findings of three general population surveys carried out in the North and the Centre of the country. Two cross-sectional investigations were performed in the Po Delta area (North Italy), 6 yrs apart: 1) 3,285 subjects, aged 8-64 yrs, in 1980-1982 (PD1); and 2) 2,841 subjects, aged 8-73 yrs, in 1988-1991 (PD2). One cross-sectional survey was carried out in Pisa (Central Italy): 3,866 subjects, aged 5-90 yrs, in 1985-1988 (PI1).