Remote sensing techniques to assess badlands dynamics: insights from a systematic review

Badlands are typical landforms that develop on unconsolidated sediments or poorly consolidated bedrock, with bare or sparse vegetation, generally characterized by high rates of erosion. These landscapes are vulnerable to dynamic changes driven by natural processes such as rainfall and tectonic processes, as well as anthropogenic factors including deforestation and land reclamation. The evolution of their interaction significantly influences resource management, particularly soil and water, and informs sustainable land-use planning strategies. Monitoring and analyzing badlands dynamics is crucial for understanding their downstream effects and mitigating natural and environmental hazards such as landslides, debris flows, piping and sediment delivery to rivers. Remote sensing (RS) technologies, from ground- to satellite-based, have emerged as valuable tools for assessing these processes due to their ability to provide data at high spatial and/or temporal resolutions over complex terrains. This article provides a systematic overview of recent advancements in RS techniques applied to badlands, highlighting their respective contributions across various environmental contexts. Starting from 516 papers retrieved from Web of Science and Scopus databases, the review synthesizes the main findings of 96 peer-reviewed studies selected by the use of Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) process. The majority of these studies (59%) were conducted in Europe, with significant contributions from Italy, Spain and France. Ground-based methods like Terrestrial Laser Scanning (TLS) remain invaluable for site-specific studies that focus on fine-scale processes such as rill formation and micro-landslides, while airborne laser scanning and aerial photography and photogrammetry, offer broader spatial coverage, facilitating the creation of geomorphological maps and the analysis of large-scale erosional features. Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), emerging since 2011, have bridged the gap between ground precision field studies and aerial scalability, becoming essential for 3D mapping and erosion monitoring in inaccessible terrain. Satellite imagery is a leading tool due to its extensive spatial and temporal coverage, enhancing land-use change monitoring and erosion modeling capabilities. The study also emphasizes the importance of well-known tools such as Geographic Information Systems (GIS) to support the analysis of data and the creation of thematic maps (e.g. erosion susceptibility, land use/land cover, geotourism), while also recognizing the increasing role of Machine Learning (ML) in handling large and complex datasets, identifying hidden patterns, and supporting predictive analyses in environmental research. By providing a structured comparison of RS approaches in relation to their spatial scale, resolution, and applicability, this study contributes to a better understanding of their potential and limitations in badlands research, and offers a useful reference for designing future monitoring strategies

Enzymatic Deglycosylation and Lipophilization of Soy Glycosides into Value-Added Compounds for Food and Cosmetic Applications

Soybean is one of the most important crops worldwide, being placed ninth on the chart of the most cultivated species. Its high level of production correlates with a huge amount of waste produced. These residues could be of great interest due to the presence of high-value-added molecules, including some glycosides (i.e., daidzin, genistin, glycitin) widely studied for their potent antioxidant properties. Due to their low bioavailability and limited solubility in lipidic media, lipophilization strategies have recently gained momentum to improve daidzin, genistin, and glycitin applications as multifunctional additives in the food, pharmaceutical, and cosmetic sectors. In this context, starting from soybean glycosides, we followed two parallel approaches, i.e., hydrolysis to obtain the corresponding aglycones possessing a better pharmacokinetic profile and esterification of the sugar primary alcohol with short-chain fatty acids. First, homemade extremophilic glycosidase (HOR) from Halothermothrix orenii has been employed for the preparation of aglycones (molar conversion 96-99%) in both water and biphasic media (water/2,2,5,5-tetramethyloxolane 1:1). Subsequently, lipophilization reactions with butanoic, hexanoic, and octanoic acids have been carried out using commercially available immobilized lipase B from Candida antarctica (CaLB) under flow conditions to produce modified glycosides with better physicochemical properties to be implemented in cosmetic preparations. Noteworthily, compared to the batch methodology, compound 1 (6-O-octanoildaidzin) was obtained with a drastic reduction in reaction time (30 min vs 18 h) and a consequent 9-fold increase in specific reaction rates (0.15 vs 0.017 mu mol/(ming))

A rare case of complicated pure posterior sternoclavicular dislocation in a young athlete

Sternoclavicular joint dislocation (SCJD) is a rare injury, generally classified in anterior and pos-terior. The posterior SCJD is very infrequent yet potentially associated with life-threatening complications. In patients with unfused medial clavicle physis, SCJD can be associated with fracture-dislocation (Salter type I or II). We hereby present the case of a 12-year-old basketball player with severe pain in sternoclavicular region and arising dysphagia after a fall and tackle by another player. A SCJ injury was hypothesised and the CT scan detected the presence of a true posterior SCJD with no associated fracture, which was also confirmed during open reduction. As the patient complained dysphagia, it was also necessary to study other possible mediastinal compressions by a contrast medium CT scan of the great vessels. The CT scanned brachiocephalic vein compression without additional clinical evidence or signs. Twenty hours after the trauma the patient underwent an unsuccessful closed reduction; for this reason, surgical treatment with open reduction and fixation was mandatory. After 12 weeks of therapy she returned to her previous sport activity. (www.actabiomedica)

Apple Pomace valorization: bacterial cellulose-immobilized β-Glycosidase allows efficient production of phloretin

Food industries produce around 4 million metric tons every year of apple pomace, a mixture of residues and byproducts from apple processing. A high abundance of valuable phenolic compounds is still present in apple residues, though representing a cheap natural source of bioactive molecules for many industrial applications. Among these compounds, phloretin (PHL) is drawing particular attention for its biological properties. However, due to its small amount present in the biomass with respect to its glycoside, phloridzin (PHZ), the latter is used as starting material of choice. Our group used apple waste to grow Komagataeibacter xylinus DSM2325, an acetic acid bacterium, able to produce high quantity of bacterial cellulose (BC). By simple chemical modifications, we turned it into a promising support for enzymatic immobilization of extremophilic β-glycosidase AHeGH1. Using imm-AHeGH1 in a biphasic systems (HEPES buffer:TMO 50:50, 20 mg/mL imm-AHeGH1, 2 mg/gmatrix enzyme loading, 5 g/L PHZ) complete de-glycosylation is observed after 7 h of reaction. While the enzyme immobilization onto BC cellulose pellicles allowed for high catalyst stabilization and reuse (>7 cycles), the employment of the unconventional green solvent TMO dramatically facilitated the isolation of the desired product (i.e., 95% of yield), leaving the sugar moieties in the water phase for their potential reutilization

Valorization of Apple Pomace: bacterial cellulose-immobilized β-Glycosidase allows efficient production of phloretin

Food industries produce around 4 million metric tons every year of apple pomace, a mixture of residues and byproducts from apple processing. A high abundance of valuable phenolic compounds is still present in apple residues, though representing a cheap natural source of bioactive molecules for many industrial applications. Among these compounds, phloretin (PHL) is drawing particular attention for its biological properties. However, due to its small amount present in the biomass with respect to its glycoside, phloridzin (PHZ), the latter is used as starting material of choice. Our group used apple waste to grow Komagataeibacter xylinus DSM2325, an acetic acid bacteria, able to produce high quantity of bacterial cellulose (BC). By simple chemical modifications, we turned it into a promising support for enzymatic immobilization of extremophilic β-glycosidase AheGH174. Using imm-AHeGH1 in a biphasic systems (HEPES buffer:TMO 50:50, 20 mg/mL imm-AHeGH1, 2 mg/gmatrix enzyme loading, 5 g/L phloridzin) complete de-glycosylation is observed after 7 h of reaction. While the enzyme immobilization onto BC cellulose pellicles allowed for high catalyst stabilization and reuse (>7 cycles), the employment of the unconventional green solvent TMO dramatically facilitated the isolation of the desired product (i.e., 95% of yield), leaving the sugar moieties in the water phase for their potential reutilization

Vascular risk and genetics of sporadic late-onset Alzheimer's disease.

In recent years, it is becoming apparent that genes may play an important role in the development of late-onset Alzheimer’s disease (LOAD), and genetic studies could unravel new clues. Based on a growing vascular hypothesis for the pathogenesis of LOAD and other dementias, there is increasing interest for environmental and genetic vascular factors. Polymorphisms in different susceptibility genes already implicated in vascular disease risk are now also being suggested as possible genetic markers for increased risk of developing LOAD; however, many of these studies have shown conflicting results. Thus far, the apolipoprotein E (APOE) gene seems to be the only vascular susceptibility factor that is agreed to play a role in the multifactorial pathogenesis of AD although emerging genetic and biological evidence is now strengthening the case for additional inclusion of angiotensin I-converting enzyme 1 (ACE1) into this category. This review will focus on the current knowledge on genetic and nongenetic vascular factors likely to be involved in LOAD, with special emphasis placed on the APOE and ACE1 genes

Apolipoprotein E (APOE) polymorphism influences serum APOE levels in Alzheimer's disease patients and centenarians.

Vascular factors may play a role in the etiology of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and increased serum apolipoprotein E (APOE) levels in AD could be of interest, as APOE concentration is associated with vascular disease. Aims of this study were to evaluate the inluence of APOE genotype on serum APOE levels, and, secondly, to study serum APOE concentrations in relation to age and AD. APOE genotypes, serum total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, total cholesterol/HDL cholesterol ratio, triglycerides, and serum APOE were performed on 52 healthy centenarians, 49 AD patients, 45 age-matched controls, and 72 young healthy adults. In all study population a significant trend in reduction of serum APOE levels from APOE E2- to E4 carriers was observed.The diffeerence in serumAPOE levels amonga ge groups signi¢cantly decreased in E4 carriers only, includingH DL cholesterol; no significant differences between AD patients and age-matched controls were found. In these highly selected populations, APOE genotype distribution strongly influences serum APOE concentration, not suggesting, at present, a possible role as a biochemical marker for AD, but only as a putative longevity factor

Chronic-Relapsing cutaneous leukocytoclastic vasculitis in a young patient with reduced EBV-specific T cell response using enzyme-linked immunospot (ELISPOT) assay successfully treated with Valaciclovir

Among different pathogens, opportunistic viral infection caused by EBV is particularly relevant. This gammaherpesvirus, belonging to the Herpesviridae family, may complicate the disease course in different clinical settings by inducing pathological EBV pictures in patients with a defective immunologic response. Our report evaluated EBV-specific T cell responses by IFN- γ ELISPOT assay, which revealed defective EBV specific immunological response

The AFHSC-Division of GEIS Operations Predictive Surveillance Program: a multidisciplinary approach for the early detection and response to disease outbreaks

The Armed Forces Health Surveillance Center, Division of Global Emerging Infections Surveillance and Response System Operations (AFHSC-GEIS) initiated a coordinated, multidisciplinary program to link data sets and information derived from eco-climatic remote sensing activities, ecologic niche modeling, arthropod vector, animal disease-host/reservoir, and human disease surveillance for febrile illnesses, into a predictive surveillance program that generates advisories and alerts on emerging infectious disease outbreaks. The program’s ultimate goal is pro-active public health practice through pre-event preparedness, prevention and control, and response decision-making and prioritization. This multidisciplinary program is rooted in over 10 years experience in predictive surveillance for Rift Valley fever outbreaks in Eastern Africa. The AFHSC-GEIS Rift Valley fever project is based on the identification and use of disease-emergence critical detection points as reliable signals for increased outbreak risk. The AFHSC-GEIS predictive surveillance program has formalized the Rift Valley fever project into a structured template for extending predictive surveillance capability to other Department of Defense (DoD)-priority vector- and water-borne, and zoonotic diseases and geographic areas. These include leishmaniasis, malaria, and Crimea-Congo and other viral hemorrhagic fevers in Central Asia and Africa, dengue fever in Asia and the Americas, Japanese encephalitis (JE) and chikungunya fever in Asia, and rickettsial and other tick-borne infections in the U.S., Africa and Asia