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Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a complex endocrine disorder affecting 5–10 % of women of reproductive age. It generally manifests with oligo/anovulatory cycles, hirsutism and polycystic ovaries, together with a considerable prevalence of insulin resistance. Although the aetiology of the syndrome is not completely understood yet, PCOS is considered a multifactorial disorder with various genetic, endocrine and environmental abnormalities. Moreover, PCOS patients have a higher risk of metabolic and cardiovascular diseases and their related morbidity, if compared to the general population.

LiteBIRD, the Lite (Light) satellite for the study of B-mode polarization and Inflation from cosmic background Radiation Detection, is a space mission for primordial cosmology and fundamental physics. The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) selected LiteBIRD in May 2019 as a strategic large-class (L-class) mission, with an expected launch in the late 2020s using JAXA’s H3 rocket. LiteBIRD is planned to orbit the Sun–Earth Lagrangian point L2, where it will map the cosmic microwave background polarization over the entire sky for three years, with three telescopes in 15 frequency bands between 34 and 448 GHz, to achieve an unprecedented total sensitivity of $2.2\\, \\mu$K-arcmin, with a typical angular resolution of 0.5○ at 100 GHz. The primary scientific objective of LiteBIRD is to search for the signal from cosmic inflation, either making a discovery or ruling out well-motivated inflationary models. The measurements of LiteBIRD will also provide us with insight into the quantum nature of gravity and other new physics beyond the standard models of particle physics and cosmology. We provide an overview of the LiteBIRD project, including scientific objectives, mission and system requirements, operation concept, spacecraft and payload module design, expected scientific outcomes, potential design extensions, and synergies with other projects.

Background The presence of submucous fibroids strongly impacts on IVF results, therefore, these patients should be considered for surgical or medical treatment. The aim of this study was to assess the role of Ulipristal acetate (UPA), a selective progesterone receptor modulator, in restoring uterine cavity deformation due to submucous fibroids, in infertile patients attempting an IVF treatment. The secondary study outcome was to evaluate the impact of preconception UPA treatment on rate of biochemical pregnancy, ongoing pregnancy, and live birth compared to a control group without fibroids. Methods Infertile patients with submucosal fibroid (Type 1 and Type 2 according to FIGO classification) were enrolled in the study as fibroids group and received 1 to 3 treatment cycles of UPA, according to their response, as reflected by fibroid volume reduction and restoration of normal uterine cavity. Patients in control group were randomly selected from a general IVF cohort by a ratio of 2:1 with fibroids group, matched by age, BMI, type and cause of infertility and antral follicle count. The impact of UPA on fibroids volume reduction was evaluated. IVF outcome was compared between groups. Results Twenty-six patients underwent UPA treatment revealed a mean volume reduction of their fibroids of 41%. A total of 15 (57.6%) biochemical pregnancy were obtained, resulting in 13 (50%) ongoing pregnancy and 9 (34.6%) healthy babies were already delivered. Similar results were obtained in control group. Conclusion Restoration of normal uterine cavity by UPA treatment prior to IVF treatment avoids surgery and establishes a pregnancy rate comparable to a control group without fibroids.

Recent developments of transition-edge sensors (TESs), based on extensive experience in ground-based experiments, have been making the sensor techniques mature enough for their application on future satellite cosmic microwave background (CMB) polarization experiments. LiteBIRD is in the most advanced phase among such future satellites, targeting its launch in Japanese Fiscal Year 2027 (2027FY) with JAXA’s H3 rocket. It will accommodate more than 4000 TESs in focal planes of reflective low-frequency and refractive medium-and-high-frequency telescopes in order to detect a signature imprinted on the CMB by the primordial gravitational waves predicted in cosmic inflation. The total wide frequency coverage between 34 and 448 GHz enables us to extract such weak spiral polarization patterns through the precise subtraction of our Galaxy’s foreground emission by using spectral differences among CMB and foreground signals. Telescopes are cooled down to 5 K for suppressing thermal noise and contain polarization modulators with transmissive half-wave plates at individual apertures for separating sky polarization signals from artificial polarization and for mitigating from instrumental 1/ f noise. Passive cooling by using V-grooves supports active cooling with mechanical coolers as well as adiabatic demagnetization refrigerators. Sky observations from the second Sun–Earth Lagrangian point, L2, are planned for 3 years. An international collaboration between Japan, the USA, Canada, and Europe is sharing various roles. In May 2019, the Institute of Space and Astronautical Science, JAXA, selected LiteBIRD as the strategic large mission No. 2.

The organogenetic competence of roots and Agrobacterium rhizogenes-induced hairy roots of twelve Lycopersicon genotypes was investigated. Both roots and hairy roots of L. peruvianum, L. chilense, L. hirsutum and two L. peruvianum-derived genotypes regenerated shoots after 2-4 weeks of incubation on zeatin-contained medium. Anatomical analysis showed that shoot regeneration in roots could be direct or indirect, depending on the genotype considered. Hairy roots showed considerable differences in their morphogenetic responses, when compared to the corresponding non-transgenic roots. The differences observed may reflect the influence of the introduced rol genes on hormonal metabolism/sensitivity. Hairy root-derived T0 plants had shortened internodes, wrinkled leaves and abundant root initiation, and most produced flowers and fruits with viable seeds. The hairy root syndrome was detected early in germinating T1 seedlings as a strong reduction in the hypocotyl length. Our data point to the possibility of the use of A. rhizogenes, combined with regenerating Lycopersicon genotypes, in a very simple protocol, based on genetic capacity instead of special procedures for regeneration, to produce transgenic tomato plants expressing rol genes, as well as, genes present in binary vectors. Furthermore, the regeneration differences observed in each Lycopersicon genotype and in transgenic materials expressing rol genes open the possibility for their use in the analysis of both the biochemical and the genetic background of organogenetic competence.

The large-scale polarization explorer (LSPE) is a cosmology program for the measurement of large-scale curl-like features (B-modes) in the polarization of the cosmic microwave background. Its goal is to constrain the background of inflationary gravity waves traveling through the universe at the time of matter-radiation decoupling. The two instruments of LSPE are meant to synergically operate by covering a large portion of the northern microwave sky. LSPE/STRIP is a coherent array of receivers planned to be operated from the Teide Observatory in Tenerife, for the control and characterization of the low-frequency polarized signals of galactic origin; LSPE/SWIPE is a balloon-borne bolometric polarimeter based on 330 large throughput multi-moded detectors, designed to measure the CMB polarization at 150 GHz and to monitor the polarized emission by galactic dust above 200 GHz. The combined performance and the expected level of systematics mitigation will allow LSPE to constrain primordial B-modes down to a tensor/scalar ratio of 10 - 2 . We here report the status of the STRIP pre-commissioning phase and the progress in the characterization of the key subsystems of the SWIPE payload (namely the cryogenic polarization modulation unit and the multi-moded TES pixels) prior to receiver integration.

Bone mineral density (BMD) measured by densitometry is the elective parameter for the diagnosis of osteopenia and osteoporosis. Biochemical markers have been proposed as sensitive indicators of high bone turnover and for monitoring response to antiresorptive treatment. We conducted a retrospective study to investigate the values of biochemical markers of bone metabolism with a view to early diagnosis of osteoporosis and monitoring of hormone replacement and calcitonin therapy. The subjects were 415 women, mean age 51+/-8 years (43-62 years) in peri- and postmenopause, recruited at the Menopause Center of Obstetrics and Gynecology Department of Siena University and divided in five groups. Bone densitometry was performed in all subjects and blood samples were taken for assayed biochemical markers, that is, [osteocalcin (OC), parathyroid hormone (PTH), type 1 procollagen (PICP), and calcitonin (CT)]. Three groups of women were divided into two subgroups: those with normal and those with low BMD (<1 SD). Basal concentrations of PCP1, OC, PTH, and CT were compared in the various groups. Two groups of postmenopausal women with BMD below the normal were treated with estrogen replacement therapy and unmodified eel calcitonin. We evaluated whether some of these biochemical markers of bone turnover could help identify women with low BMD and whether they could be useful for monitoring the results of antiresorptive therapies. Markers of bone formation (PICP and OC) make it possible to distinguish women with high turnover who are at risk for osteoporosis from women with low turnover in menopause. A good correlation was also found between changes in levels of these markers and changes in BMD during treatments, which suggests that the PICP and OC would be useful for monitoring response to antiresorptive therapy.

Hyperemesis gravidarum is a relatively unknown disease, and is generally self-limiting. In some women the symptoms are so severe as to threaten the health of the mother and fetus. Therapies proposed for hyperemesis gravidarum are therefore rather empirical. Medical treatment includes parenteral fluid replacement and nutrition, electrolytes, antiemetics, vitamins, sedation and psychological counseling. Diazepam and benzodiazepines have been widely studied in pregnancy but the results are contradictory. The aim of the present study was to investigate the efficacy of parenteral fluids with vitamins, with or without diazepam sedation. Fifty women with hyperemesis gravidarum were enrolled in the study. They were treated with infusions of normal saline, glucose, vitamins and randomly with diazepam. The results show that the mean stay in the hospital was shorter in the diazepam group: 4.5 +/- 1.9 vs. 6 +/- 1.6 days (p < 0.05) and readmission to the hospital was 4% in the diazepam group versus 27% in other group (p < 0.05). There was a significant reduction in nausea in the diazepam group (p < 0.05). A significant reduction in vomiting was observed in both groups. No side effects or congenital neonatal malformations were found in the diazepam group. Intravenous administration of fluids and vitamins is the standard treatment for women hospitalized for hyperemesis gravidarum. The addition of diazepam to the treatment is effective in reducing nausea and does not have teratogenic effects.

We evaluated the administration of raloxifene and veralipride in postmenopausal women with high osteoporosis risk and hot flushes in whom hormone replacement therapy (HRT) was contraindicated. A groupof early postmenopausal women (n = 29) (mean age 51.8 ± 4.1), complaining of severe vasomotor symptoms and with a bone mineral density (BMD) T-score between −1.5 and −2.5 were evaluated. They were randomly assigned to two treatment groups: raloxifene (60 mg day) continuously in association with veralipride (100 mg day) on alternate days (n = 17); or on alternate months (n = 12). BMD, serum prolactin concentration and endometrial thickness were assessed at baseline and after 6 months of therapy. Kupperman Index and hot flushes were assessed before and after 3 and 6 months of therapy. BMD was significantly higher at the end of therapy with an increase of 1.1%. Kupperman Index was significantly reduced after 3 months and a further decrease at 6 months was observed with both protocols. Both treatments led to a significant reduction of hot flushes after 3 and 6 months. No significant changes of prolactin levels were observed in either protocol. We found that the combined raloxifene-veralipride treatment, both every other day and every other month, led to a significant improvement in bone density and was effective in hot flushes and other menopause-associated symptoms. These protocols could represent a new way to administer raloxifene in early postmenopausal women at high osteoporosis risk with HRT contraindication.

Recent studies have shown that statins might be potent inhibitors of bone resorption and osteoclast number, and there is evidence for their bone anabolic effects. Statin treatment seems to protect against non-pathological fractures in older women. However, contradictory findings have been obtained. In this retrospective study we found that postmenopausal women on statins and hormone replacement therapy (HRT) showed higher bone mineral density than women on HRT alone. This evidence provides further confirmation of the effect of statins on bone turnover and shows that the combination of HRT and statins reduces the risk of bone fracture by virtue of the antiresorptive effect of HRT and the anabolic and antiresorptive effects of statins.