Discovering the coating structure of historic bowed string instruments: an analytical campaign by SR-FTIR microspectroscopy

In many cases, the possibility to analyze a micro sample from an ancient bowed string instrument allows researchers to collect a wealth of information concerning materials used by the great Masters of violin-making and their construction procedures. In fact, the stratigraphic investigation may provide important information about (i) the treatments of the wood, normally involving proteinaceous materials and inorganic fillers such as carbonates, silicates, sulphates, (ii) composition of the different superimposed layers of varnish, and (iii) organic or inorganic pigments dispersed in the binders of the different superimposed layers of varnish [1]. In the present work, a set of four micro-samples - collected from well-preserved violins made by Antonio Stradivari, Francesco Ruggeri and Lorenzo Storioni - have been mounted in cross section and investigated throughout. The analytical approach has been developed on the embedded samples by means of Synchrotron Radiation (SR) FTIR microspectroscopy in reflection mode using a 15X objective, at the Chemical and Life Sciences branch of SISSI beamline (Elettra - Sincrotrone Trieste) [2]. Data have been collected in the MIR range in correspondence of each single layer of the stratigraphy, setting the lateral resolution in order to match the layer thickness (from few microns to tens of microns). A classification model has been constructed and validated to discriminate classes of materials according to the spectral information [3]. Preliminary results obtained from measurements performed by the micro-invasive SR-FTIR approach are elaborated and discussed, together with the analytical procedures, in order to characterize the features of the different samples

Incidental Findings Suggestive of COVID-19 in Asymptomatic Patients Undergoing Nuclear Medicine Procedures in a High-Prevalence Region

n/

Dynamics of the Energy Transfer Process in Eu(III) Complexes Containing Polydentate Ligands Based on Pyridine, Quinoline, and Isoquinoline as Chromophoric Antennae

In this work, we investigated from a theoretical point of view the dynamics of the energy transfer process from the ligand to Eu(III) ion for 12 isomeric species originating from six different complexes differing by nature of the ligand and the total charge. The cationic complexes present the general formula [Eu(L)(H2O)2]+ (where L = bpcd2- = N,N'-bis(2-pyridylmethyl)-trans-1,2-diaminocyclohexane N,N'-diacetate; bQcd2- = N,N'-bis(2-quinolinmethyl)-trans-1,2-diaminocyclohexane N,N'-diacetate; and bisoQcd2- = N,N'-bis(2-isoquinolinmethyl)-trans-1,2-diaminocyclohexane N,N'-diacetate), while the neutral complexes present the Eu(L)(H2O)2 formula (where L = PyC3A3- = N-picolyl-N,N',N'-trans-1,2-cyclohexylenediaminetriacetate; QC3A3- = N-quinolyl-N,N',N'-trans-1,2-cyclohexylenediaminetriacetate; and isoQC3A3- = N-isoquinolyl-N,N',N'-trans-1,2-cyclohexylenediaminetriacetate). Time-dependent density functional theory (TD-DFT) calculations provided the energy of the ligand excited donor states, distances between donor and acceptor orbitals involved in the energy transfer mechanism (RL), spin-orbit coupling matrix elements, and excited-state reorganization energies. The intramolecular energy transfer (IET) rates for both singlet-triplet intersystem crossing and ligand-to-metal (and vice versa) involving a multitude of ligand and Eu(III) levels and the theoretical overall quantum yields (ϕovl) were calculated (the latter for the first time without the introduction of experimental parameters). This was achieved using a blend of DFT, Judd-Ofelt theory, IET theory, and rate equation modeling. Thanks to this study, for each isomeric species, the most efficient IET process feeding the Eu(III) excited state, its related physical mechanism (exchange interaction), and the reasons for a better or worse overall energy transfer efficiency (ηsens) in the different complexes were determined. The spectroscopically measured ϕovl values are in good agreement with the ones obtained theoretically in this work

Neurociencias: de la teoría a la práctica. Experiencia piloto en una pyme rosarina

En el presente trabajo, se exponen los resultados del tercer año de investigación en torno a la aplicación de los conceptos y técnicas provistos por las Neurociencias a la gestión del capital humano en PyMEs de la ciudad de Rosario. En este caso, se trabajó con un enfoque cualitativo, para complementar el relevamiento realizado el año anterior, completando de esta forma un diagnóstico acabado del clima organizacional y la situación actual de la empresa en estudio, previo a la aplicación de Neuroincentivos: desafío para el cuarto año del proyectoFil: Albano, Sergio. Facultad de Ciencias Económicas y Estadística - Universidad Nacional de Rosario. ArgentinaFil: Oviedo, Raúl Ricardo. Facultad de Ciencias Económicas y Estadística - Universidad Nacional de Rosario. ArgentinaFil: Santero, Mariel Sonia. Facultad de Ciencias Económicas y Estadística - Universidad Nacional de Rosario. ArgentinaFil: Sassone, Mirna lorena. Facultad de Ciencias Económicas y Estadística - Universidad Nacional de Rosario. ArgentinaFil: Martín, Silvia Noemí. Facultad de Ciencias Económicas y Estadística - Universidad Nacional de Rosario. Argentin

Processing tomato: biodiversity and ecological infra-structures

In this study, we address the theory behind the ecological functions provided by biodiversity and ecological infra-structures, as well as their role in enhancing the performance of natural enemies, in agrarian ecosystems. This study focuses on the processing tomato agrarian ecosystem. In this crop, the key pest is the tomato fruitworm, which is followed by a complex of natural enemies, essentially parasitoids. This parasitoid complex has been monitored from 2002 to 2004 under the scope of the project AGRO 189 – “Integrated pest management in processing tomato”; it has been observed that this community is present in the field every year and may strongly influence the populations of the tomato fruitworm. Some field observations that arose during field studies are addressed and interpreted bearing in mind the availability of ecologi-cal infra-structures present in the fields surveyed, namely aspects related to population dynamics of both the key pest and its natural enemies, and to the biodiversity of the parasitoid complex. Assuming that natural enemies and pests benefit differentially from ecological infrastructures, the possibility of habitat manipulation of agrarian ecosystems in order to favour antagonists is discussed

Clostridioides difficile Infection in an Italian Tertiary Care University Hospital: A Retrospective Analysis

Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI) is a significant cause of morbidity and mortality, mostly in frail patients. Notification is not mandatory in Italy, and data on incidence, risk of death, and recurrence are lacking. The purpose of this study was to determine CDI incidence and risk factors for mortality and recurrence. The "ICD-9 00845" code in hospital-standardized discharged forms (H-SDF) and microbiology datasets were used to retrieve CDI cases at Policlinico Hospital, Palermo between 2013 and 2022. Incidence, ward distribution, recurrence rate, mortality, and coding rate were considered. The risk of death and recurrence was predicted through multivariable analysis. There were 275 CDIs, 75% hospital-acquired, the median time between admission and diagnosis was 13 days, and the median stay was 21 days. Incidence increased from 0.3 to 5.6% (an 18.7-fold increase) throughout the decade. Only 48.1% of cases were coded in H-SDF. The rate of severe/severe-complicated cases increased 1.9 times. Fidaxomicin was used in 17.1% and 24.7% of cases overall and since 2019. Overall and attributable mortalities were 11.3% and 4.7%, respectively. Median time between diagnosis and death was 11 days, and recurrence rate was 4%. Bezlotoxumab was administered in 64% of recurrences. Multivariable analysis revealed that only hemodialysis was associated with mortality. No statistically significant association in predicting recurrence risk emerged. We advocate for CDI notification to become mandatory and recommend coding CDI diagnosis in H-SDF to aid in infection rate monitoring. Maximum attention should be paid to preventing people on hemodialysis from getting CDI