Esperimento di rimozione degli ammassi mucillaginosi della microalga alloctona <i>Chrysophaeum taylorii</i> Lewis &amp; Bryan = Experiment of removal of the mucilaginous aggregates by the alien microalga <i>Chrysophaeum taylorii</i> Lewis &amp; Bryan

A manipulative experiment was carried out in a small bay of Tavolara Punta Coda Cavallo Marine Protected Area in order to investigate the triggers for formation and storage of the macroscopic mucilaginous aggregates of the benthic microalga Chrisophaeum taylorii Lewis &amp; Bryan (Pelagophyceae) and to test the efficacy of mucillage removal

Firm Opacity Lies in the Eye of the Beholder

We classify and test empirical measures of firm opacity and document theoretical and empirical inconsistencies across these proxies by testing the relative opacity of banks versus non-banks. We evaluate the effectiveness of these proxies by observing the effect of two cleanly identified shocks to firm-specific information: credit rating initiation and inclusion in the S&P 500 index. Using a difference-in-difference approach, we compare firms that are newly rated and firms that are included in the S&P 500 index with a propensity matched sample of “unchanged” firms. We find that only the number of analysts and Amihud's illiquidity ratio provide consistent patterns across different estimation specifications and different econometric settings. These two proxies show that banks are more opaque than non-banks. Based on our tests, we recommend that these proxies be used as the primary measures of firm opacity

An analysis of the most distant catalogued open clusters -- Re-assessing fundamental parameters with Gaia EDR3 and ASteCA\texttt{ASteCA}

Several studies have been presented in the last few years applying some kind of automatic processing of data to estimate the fundamental parameters of open clusters. These parameters are later on employed in larger scale analyses, for example the structure of the Galaxy's spiral arms. The distance is one of the more straightforward parameters to estimate, yet enormous differences can still be found among published data. This is particularly true for open clusters located more than a few kpc away. We cross-matched several published catalogues and selected the twenty-five most distant open clusters ($>$9000 pc). We then performed a detailed analysis of their fundamental parameters, with emphasis on their distances, to determine the agreement between catalogues and our estimates.} Photometric and astrometric data from the Gaia EDR3 survey was employed. The data was processed with our own membership analysis code (pyUPMASK), and our package for automatic fundamental cluster's parameters estimation ($\texttt{ASteCA}$). We find differences in the estimated distances of up to several kpc between our results and those catalogued, even for the catalogues that show the best matches with $\texttt{ASteCA}$ values. Large differences are also found for the age estimates. As a by-product of the analysis we find that vd Bergh-Hagen 176 could be the open cluster with the largest heliocentric distance catalogued to date. Caution is thus strongly recommended when using catalogued parameters of open clusters to infer large-scale properties of the Galaxy, particularly for those located more than a few kpc away.Comment: Accepted for publication in A&

Sphingosine-1-Phosphate in the Tumor Microenvironment: A Signaling Hub Regulating Cancer Hallmarks

As a key hub of malignant properties, the cancer microenvironment plays a crucial role intimately connected to tumor properties. Accumulating evidence supports that the lysophospholipid sphingosine-1-phosphate acts as a key signal in the cancer extracellular milieu. In this review, we have a particular focus on glioblastoma, representative of a highly aggressive and deleterious neoplasm in humans. First, we highlight recent advances and emerging concepts for how tumor cells and different recruited normal cells contribute to the sphingosine-1-phosphate enrichment in the cancer microenvironment. Then, we describe and discuss how sphingosine-1-phosphate signaling contributes to favor cancer hallmarks including enhancement of proliferation, stemness, invasion, death resistance, angiogenesis, immune evasion and, possibly, aberrant metabolism. We also discuss the potential of how sphingosine-1-phosphate control mechanisms are coordinated across distinct cancer microenvironments. Further progress in understanding the role of S1P signaling in cancer will depend crucially on increasing knowledge of its participation in the tumor microenvironment

Evolución del grado de desertificación y su relación con los aspectos socioeconómicos en la cuenca del río Santa María, Catamarca, Argentina

298-308Este trabajo revisa las características del proceso de desertificación en los Valles Áridos con especial énfasis en la cuenca del río Santa María. Hace referencia al avance de la desertificación ocurrida entre 1997 y 2012 a través de un índice que fue construido a partir de la combinación de indicadores biofísicos. Habida cuenta de que es necesario relacionar la desertificación con indicadores socioeconómicos, se realizaron encuestas en el área bajo estudio para indagar sobre aspectos socioeconómicos, lo que permitió construir indicadores. Los resultados obtenidos indican que la desertificación ha aumentado en todos los casos, excepto en el sitio donde se aplican prácticas sustentables. Al mismo tiempo los indicadores socioeconómicos indican que un mayor grado de desertificación se presenta asociado a las explotaciones menores a la unidad económica, formas de tenencia más precarias, mayor inequidad en la distribución del ingreso y mayor pobreza e indigencia, superando ampliamente los valores nacionales y provinciales. Es por ello que la evaluación del grado de desertificación y su relación con indicadores socioeconómicos resulta imprescindible a fin de monitorear y revertir este proceso

Evolución del grado de desertificación y su relación con los aspectos socioeconómicos en la cuenca del río Santa María, Catamarca, Argentina

298-308Este trabajo revisa las características del proceso de desertificación en los Valles Áridos con especial énfasis en la cuenca del río Santa María. Hace referencia al avance de la desertificación ocurrida entre 1997 y 2012 a través de un índice que fue construido a partir de la combinación de indicadores biofísicos. Habida cuenta de que es necesario relacionar la desertificación con indicadores socioeconómicos, se realizaron encuestas en el área bajo estudio para indagar sobre aspectos socioeconómicos, lo que permitió construir indicadores. Los resultados obtenidos indican que la desertificación ha aumentado en todos los casos, excepto en el sitio donde se aplican prácticas sustentables. Al mismo tiempo los indicadores socioeconómicos indican que un mayor grado de desertificación se presenta asociado a las explotaciones menores a la unidad económica, formas de tenencia más precarias, mayor inequidad en la distribución del ingreso y mayor pobreza e indigencia, superando ampliamente los valores nacionales y provinciales. Es por ello que la evaluación del grado de desertificación y su relación con indicadores socioeconómicos resulta imprescindible a fin de monitorear y revertir este proceso

Current perspectives on bone metastases in castrate-resistant prostate cancer

Prostate cancer is the most frequent noncutaneous cancer occurring in men. On average, men with localized prostate cancer have a high 10-year survival rate, and many can be cured. However, men with metastatic castrate-resistant prostate cancer have incurable disease with poor survival despite intensive therapy. This unmet need has led to recent advances in therapy aimed at treating bone metastases resulting from prostate cancer. The bone microenvironment lends itself to metastases in castrate-resistant prostate cancer, as a result of complex interactions between the microenvironment and tumor cells. The development of 223radium dichloride (Ra-223) to treat symptomatic bone metastases has improved survival in men with metastatic castrate-resistant prostate cancer. Moreover, Ra-223 may have effects on the tumor microenvironment that enhance its activity. Ra-223 treatment has been shown to prolong survival, and its effects on the immune system are under investigation. Because prostate cancer affects a sizable portion of the adult male population, understanding how it metastasizes to bone is an important step in advancing therapy. Clinical trials that are underway should yield new information on whether Ra-223 synergizes effectively with immunotherapy agents and whether Ra-223 has enhancing effects on the immune system in patients with prostate cancer