University of Udine

About: University of Udine is a education organization based out in Udine, Italy. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Large Hadron Collider. The organization has 6745 authors who have published 20530 publications receiving 669088 citations. The organization is also known as: Università degli Studi di Udine & Universita degli Studi di Udine.

Switched Tank Converters

Abstract: This paper presents a new class of switched tank converters (abbreviated as STCs) for high-efficiency high-density nonisolated dc–dc applications where large voltage step down (up) ratios are required Distinguished from switched capacitor converters, the STCs uniquely employ LC resonant tanks to partially replace the flying capacitors for energy transfer Full soft charging, soft switching, and minimal device voltage stresses are achieved under all operating conditions The STCs feature very high efficiency, power density, and robustness against component nonidealities over a wide range of operating conditions Furthermore, thanks to the full resonant operation, multiple STCs can operate in parallel with inherent droop current sharing, offering the best scalability and control simplicity These attributes make STC a disruptive and robust technology viable for industry's high volume adoption A novel equivalent DCX building block principle is introduced to simplify the analysis of STC A 989% efficiency STC product evaluation board (4-to-1, 650 W) has been developed and demonstrated for the next-generation of 48-V bus conversion for data center servers

Phospholipid Hydroperoxide Glutathione Peroxidase is a Seleno-Enzyme Distinct from the Classical Glutathione Peroxidase as Evident from Cdna and Amino Acid Sequencing

Abstract: The primary structure of phospholipid hydroperoxide glutathione peroxidase (PHGPx) was partially elucidated by sequencing peptides obtained by cyanogen bromide cleavage and tryptic digestion and by isolating and sequencing corresponding cDNA fragments covering about 75% of the total sequence. Based on these data PHGPx can be rated as a selenoprotein homologous, but poorly related to classical glutathione peroxidase (GPx). Peptide loops constituting the active site in GPx are, however, strongly conserved in PHGPx. This suggests that the mechanism of action involving an oxidation/reduction cycle of a selenocysteine residue is essentially identical in PHGPx and GPx.

BLyS upregulation in Sjögren’s syndrome associated with lymphoproliferative disorders, higher ESSDAI score and B-cell clonal expansion in the salivary glands

Abstract: OBJECTIVE Primary SS is characterized by an increased risk of lymphoma in patients with prelymphomatous manifestations (i.e. myoepithelial sialadenitis or mixed cryoglobulinaemia). Serum B-lymphocyte stimulator (s-BLyS) levels in SS-related B-cell lymphoproliferative disorders were studied by integrating the results with the disease activity score and with molecular analyses of B-cell expansion in the salivary glands. METHODS Seventy-six primary SS patients (with or without lymphoma or prelymphomatous manifestations), 56 HCV-related cryoglobulinaemic vasculitis patients and 55 controls were studied. s-BLyS and molecular analyses of B-cell expansion in the salivary gland tissues were performed. Patients with SS and persistent parotid swelling underwent parotid biopsy. RESULTS s-BLyS differed between SS subgroups, higher levels being documented in patients with lymphoma or prelymphomatous manifestations vs SS without [1.85 (0.45-4.12) ng/ml vs 1.12 (0.56-1.98) ng/ml; P < 0.0001]. s-BLyS levels significantly correlated with the European League Against Rheumatism (EULAR) SS disease activity index (r = 0.62, P < 0.0001, Spearman's test). Clonal B-cell expansion in the salivary glands, but not polyclonal B-cell expansion, was associated with higher s-BLyS levels [1.98 (0.45-4.12) ng/ml vs 1.15 (0.56-3.25) ng/ml; P = 0.013)]. CONCLUSION Higher s-BLyS levels and tissue clonal B-cell expansion characterize SS with B-cell lymphoproliferative disorders, even at prelymphomatous stages. This subgroup of SS patients showed the highest EULAR SS disease activity index scores. This represents a biologic rationale for targeting both clonal B-cell expansion and s-BLyS overproduction in SS.

Proteasomal degradation restricts the nuclear lifespan of AID

Abstract: Activation-induced cytidine deaminase (AID) initiates all postrearrangement processes that diversify the immunoglobulin repertoire by specific deamination of cytidines at the immunoglobulin (Ig) locus. As uncontrolled expression of AID is potentially mutagenic, different types of regulation, particularly nucleocytoplasmic shuttling, restrict the likelihood of AID-deoxyribonucleic acid encounters. We studied additional mechanisms of regulation affecting the stability of the AID protein. No modulation of protein accumulation according to the cell cycle was observed in a Burkitt's lymphoma cell line. In contrast, the half-life of AID was markedly reduced in the nucleus, and this destabilization was accompanied by a polyubiquitination that was revealed in the presence of proteasome inhibitors. The same compartment-specific degradation was observed in activated mouse B cells, and also in a non-B cell line. No specific lysine residues could be linked to this degradation, so it remains unclear whether polyubiquitination proceeds through several alternatives sites or through the protein N terminus. The nuclear-restricted form of AID displayed enhanced mutagenicity at both Ig and non-Ig loci, most notably at TP53, suggesting that modulation of nuclear AID content through proteasomal degradation may represent another level of control of AID activity.

Local Search Techniques for Constrained Portfolio SelectionProblems

Abstract: We consider the problem of selecting a portfolio of assets that provides the investor a suitable balance of expected return and risk. With respect to the seminal mean-variance model of Markowitz, we consider additional constraints on the cardinality of the portfolio and on the quantity of individual shares. Such constraints better capture the real-world trading system, but make the problem more difficult to be solved with exact methods. We explore the use of local search techniques, mainly tabu search, for the portfolio selection problem. We compare the combine previous work on portfolio selection that makes use of the local search approach and we propose new algorithms that combine different neighborhood relations. In addition, we show how the use of randomization and of a simple form of adaptiveness simplifies the setting of a large number of critical parameters. Finally, we show how our techniques perform on public benchmarks.