On air temperature fluctuations immediately above a glacier surface

Developing remote sensing techniques for measuring meteorological parameters in surface layers of snow field

Nitrogen fertilization decouples roots and microbes in temperate forests: impacts on soil carbon and nitrogen cycling

Since the start of the industrial revolution the burning of fossil fuels has resulted in enhanced nitrogen (N) inputs into temperate forests through atmospheric deposition. As N is the limiting nutrient for tree growth across most forests, these inputs have generally enhanced above-ground biomass accumulation. However, the impacts of added N on soil carbon storage (C) are less straightforward. While the mean N response across studies is an enhancement of soil C, these results are variable with some studies reporting net C losses. The classic paradigm posits that N enhances soil C through negative effects on fungal decomposers. However, some studies report declines in decomposition without changes in fungal communities suggesting an alternate mechanism that enhances soil C. Recent research provides evidence that trees reduce C allocation belowground when N limitation is reduced and that subsequent declines in the strength of root-microbial interactions may lead to reductions in soil C cycling. In this dissertation I examine the extent to which root-microbial interactions mediate the effects of enhanced N on soil C and nutrient turnover by leveraging the long-term watershed level N fertilization experiment at the Fernow Experimental Forest, WV. Next, I examine the extent to which differences in the strength of root microbial interactions between trees that associate with ectomycorrhizal (ECM) vs arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi result in divergent soil C and nutrient cycling responses to N at the Bear Brook Watershed N fertilization experiment, ME. Finally, continuing the study at Bear Brook, I examine how root-microbial interactions in AM and ECM dominated soils recover after N fertilization ceases and the subsequent impact on soil C and nutrient turnover. First, I show that under long-term N fertilization, trees reduced belowground C allocation and that these declines were correlated with shifts in bacterial (but not fungal) community composition and declines in extracellular enzyme activities. Next, I find that microbial responses to N fertilization varied between AM and ECM soils wherein bacterial communities shifted in AM soils and fungal communities shifted in ECM soils. This change in microbial communities resulted in an enhancement of C relative to N mining enzyme activity in AM bulk soils and ECM rhizosphere soils. Finally, I show that N fertilization drove ECM trees from N mining toward N foraging by reducing root biomass and mycorrhizal colonization, and altering root morphology, and drove AM trees from mycorrhizal N foraging toward root N foraging by reducing mycorrhizal colonization while maintaining root biomass. After N fertilization ceased, ECM roots recovered, but mycorrhizal colonization remained lower in both mycorrhizal types which suggests a new root-driven nutrient acquisition steady state during initial N recovery. Overall, these results provide evidence that N fertilization can reduce soil C and nutrient cycling by driving reductions in belowground C allocation by trees that ultimately decouple root-microbial interactions. During initial recovery, ECM trees appear to reverse this by enhancing belowground C allocation to acquire N which may stimulate priming and destabilize the forest soil C sink that decades of N deposition have enhanced. The incorporation of these mechanisms into earth system models will likely reduce the uncertainty of climate predictions as N deposition patterns fluctuate in the temperate forest region

Practical implementation of robotic technologies for the inspection of ships

The ROBINS project aims at filling the technology and regulatory gaps that today still represent a barrier to the adoption of Robotics and Autonomous Systems (RAS) in activities related to inspection of ships, starting from understanding end user\u2019s actual needs and expectations and analyzing how existing or near-future technology can meet them. -Robotics technology: Improve the ability of RAS in sensing and probing; Improve capabilities in navigation and localization in confined spaces, access to and mobility within the environment; Improve safety and dependability of RAS in hazardous, harsh and dirty environments; Provide new tools for image and data processing (3D models, VR/AR environments); Provide the same level of information as obtained by direct human observation for the assessment of inspected structures. -Rules and Regulations: Provide a framework for the assessment of equivalence between the outcomes of RAS-assisted inspections and traditional inspection procedures; Define criteria, testing procedures and metrics for the evaluation of RAS performance; Design, implement and assess a testing environment where repeatable tests and measurements of RAS performance can be carried out; Improve confidence in technology capabilities by means of test campaigns to be performed both in the testing facilities and onboard. The expected impact can be summarized as follows: Wide scale adoption of RAS technology in marine industry Improved safety in ship surveys Economic advantages new supply chain and new potential markets particularly beneficial for SMEs; new services and products for data processing and knowledge management; reduction of costs related to inspection activities; improvement in the quality and variety of inspection services; new certification schemes for equipment, operators and procedures

Vasari e Ammannati nel cantiere della villa medicea di Castello: due disegni del Metropolitan Museum of Art di New York

The article aims to show how two drawings of the Metropolitan Museum in New York, recently published and attributed to Giorgio Vasari, should be dated instead to the mid-sixties of the sixteenth century and should be interpreted as preparatory sketches for the fountain of the Apennine in the Villa Medicea di Castello, made by the painter and architect from Arezzo with the collaboration of Bartolomeo Ammannati, between 1563 and 1565. The essay also analyzes the important changes made by Vasari in the Giunti edition of The Lives to one of the introductory chapters (How Rustic Fountains are made with Stalactites and Incrustations from Water, and how Cockle Shells and Conglomerations of vitrified Stone are built into the Stucco), precisely as a result of the role played by the artist in the arrangement of the Medici gardens

EUS-guided rendezvous technique for difficult cannulation of an intradiverticular papilla

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Early discontinuation of antibiotics for febrile neutropenia versus continuation until neutropenia resolution

Abstract Background: People with cancer with febrile neutropenia are at risk of severe infections and mortality and are thus treated empirically with broad-spectrum antibiotic therapy. However, the recommended duration of antibiotic therapy differs across guidelines. Objectives: To assess the safety of protocol-guided discontinuation of antibiotics regardless of neutrophil count, compared to continuation of antibiotics until neutropenia resolution in people with cancer with fever and neutropenia, in terms of mortality and morbidity. To assess the emergence of resistant bacteria in people with cancer treated with short courses of antibiotic therapy compared with people with cancer treated until resolution of neutropenia. Search methods: We searched the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL; 2018, Issue 10) in the Cochrane Library, MEDLINE, Embase, and LILACS up to 1 October 2018. We searched the metaRegister of Controlled Trials and the US National Institutes of Health Ongoing Trials Register ClinicalTrials.gov for ongoing and unpublished trials. We reviewed the references of all identified studies for additional trials and handsearched conference proceedings of international infectious diseases and oncology and haematology conferences. Selection criteria: We included randomised controlled trials (RCTs) that compared a short antibiotic therapy course in which discontinuation of antibiotics was guided by protocols regardless of the neutrophil count to a long course in which antibiotics were continued until neutropenia resolution in people with cancer with febrile neutropenia. The primary outcome was 30-day or end of follow-up all-cause mortality. Data collection and analysis: Two review authors independently reviewed all studies for eligibility, extracted data, and assessed risk of bias for all included trials. We calculated risk ratios (RRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) whenever possible. For dichotomous outcomes with zero events in both arms of the trials, we conducted meta-analysis of risk differences (RDs) as well. For continuous outcomes, we extracted means with standard deviations (SD) from the studies and computed mean difference (MD) and 95% CI. If no substantial clinical heterogeneity was found, trials were pooled using the Mantel-Haenszel fixed-effect model. Main results: We included eight RCTs comprising a total of 662 distinct febrile neutropenia episodes. The studies included adults and children, and had variable design and criteria for discontinuation of antibiotics in both study arms. All included studies but two were performed before the year 2000. All studies included people with cancer with fever of unknown origin and excluded people with microbiological documented infections.We found no significant difference between the short-antibiotic therapy arm and the long-antibiotic therapy arm for all-cause mortality (RR 1.38, 95% CI 0.73 to 2.62; RD 0.02, 95% CI -0.02 to 0.05; low-certainty evidence). We downgraded the certainty of the evidence to low due to imprecision and high risk of selection bias. The number of fever days was significantly lower for people in the short-antibiotic treatment arm compared to the long-antibiotic treatment arm (mean difference -0.64, 95% CI -0.96 to -0.32; I² = 30%). In all studies, total antibiotic days were fewer in the intervention arm by three to seven days compared to the long antibiotic therapy. We found no significant differences in the rates of clinical failure (RR 1.23, 95% CI 0.85 to 1.77; very low-certainty evidence). We downgraded the certainty of the evidence for clinical failure due to variable and inconsistent definitions of clinical failure across studies, possible selection bias, and wide confidence intervals. There was no significant difference in the incidence of bacteraemia occurring after randomisation (RR 1.56, 95% CI 0.91 to 2.66; very low-certainty evidence), while the incidence of any documented infections was significantly higher in the short-antibiotic therapy arm (RR 1.67, 95% CI 1.08 to 2.57). There was no significant difference in the incidence of invasive fungal infections (RR 0.86, 95% CI 0.32 to 2.31) and development of antibiotic resistance (RR 1.49, 95% CI 0.62 to 3.61). The data on hospital stay were too sparse to permit any meaningful conclusions. Authors' conclusions: We could make no strong conclusions on the safety of antibiotic discontinuation before neutropenia resolution among people with cancer with febrile neutropenia based on the existing evidence and its low certainty. Results of microbiological outcomes favouring long antibiotic therapy may be misleading due to lower culture positivity rates under antibiotic therapy and not true differences in infection rates. Well-designed, adequately powered RCTs are required that address this issue in the era of rising antibiotic resistance

Digital native students using nutritional apps: are they more adherent to a mediterranean diet model? Results from the good APPetite survey

Reading and understanding food labels are crucial steps in healthy dietary choices. Nutritionrelated applications (n-apps) have increased in the recent years and the aim of this study was to assess the use and the perception of n-apps among a population of university students, also investigating the attitude and relationship with reading food labels and adherence to the Mediterranean diet (Medi-Lite score). In 2023, 316 students, mainly attending the courses of Medicine, Pharmacy and Dietetics at the University of Brescia, Italy, completed an anonymous and specifically designed survey. 33.9% of the students stated that they use or have used n-apps. The most used apps were Yuka, MyFitnessPal, Fat Secret and Yazio, especially for the ease of use, speed, nutritional values estimation and barcode reading. 53.2% and 53.5% of the students declared to be food information and nutrition label readers respectively and the Medi-Lite mean value was 9.98 ± 2.46. N-app-users were significantly more attentive to food information and nutrition label than app not-users (both p < 0.0001) and recorded a Medi-Lite score significantly higher (p = 0.0131). The present study found for the first time an extensive correlation between the use of n-apps, the food labels awareness and healthy eating habits in a digitally native population

Corticosteroids for pneumonia

BackgroundPneumonia is a common and potentially serious illness. Corticosteroids have been suggested for the treatment of different types of infection, however their role in the treatment of pneumonia remains unclear. This is an update of a review published in 2011.ObjectivesTo assess the efficacy and safety of corticosteroids in the treatment of pneumonia.Search methodsWe searched the Cochrane Acute Respiratory Infections Group's Specialised Register, CENTRAL, MEDLINE, Embase, and LILACS on 3March 2017, together with relevant conference proceedings and references of identified trials. We also searched three trials registers for ongoing and unpublished trials.Selection criteriaWe included randomised controlled trials (RCTs) that assessed systemic corticosteroid therapy, given as adjunct to antibiotic treatment, versus placebo or no corticosteroids for adults and children with pneumonia.Data collection and analysisWe used standard methodological procedures expected by Cochrane. Two review authors independently assessed risk of bias and extracted data. We contacted study authors for additional information. We estimated risk ratios (RR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) and pooled data using the Mantel-Haenszel fixed-effect model when possible.Main resultsWe included 17 RCTs comprising a total of 2264 participants; 13 RCTs included 1954 adult participants, and four RCTs included 310 children. This update included 12 new studies, excluded one previously included study, and excluded five new trials. One trial awaits classification.All trials limited inclusion to inpatients with community-acquired pneumonia (CAP), with or without healthcare-associated pneumonia (HCAP). We assessed the risk of selection bias and attrition bias as low or unclear overall. We assessed performance bias risk as low for nine trials, unclear for one trial, and high for seven trials. We assessed reporting bias risk as low for three trials and high for the remaining 14 trials.Corticosteroids significantly reduced mortality in adults with severe pneumonia (RR 0.58, 95% CI 0.40 to 0.84; moderate-quality evidence), but not in adults with non-severe pneumonia (RR 0.95, 95% CI 0.45 to 2.00). Early clinical failure rates (defined as death from any cause, radiographic progression, or clinical instability at day 5 to 8) were significantly reduced with corticosteroids in people with severe and non-severe pneumonia (RR 0.32, 95% CI 0.15 to 0.7; and RR 0.68, 95% CI 0.56 to 0.83, respectively; high-quality evidence). Corstocosteroids reduced time to clinical cure, length of hospital and intensive care unit stays, development of respiratory failure or shock not present at pneumonia onset, and rates of pneumonia complications.Among children with bacterial pneumonia, corticosteroids reduced early clinical failure rates (defined as for adults, RR 0.41, 95% CI 0.24 to 0.70; high-quality evidence) based on two small, clinically heterogeneous trials, and reduced time to clinical cure.Hyperglycaemia was significantly more common in adults treated with corticosteroids (RR 1.72, 95% CI 1.38 to 2.14). There were no significant differences between corticosteroid-treated people and controls for other adverse events or secondary infections (RR 1.19, 95% CI 0.73 to 1.93).Authors' conclusionsCorticosteroid therapy reduced mortality and morbidity in adults with severe CAP; the number needed to treat for an additional beneficial outcome was 18 patients (95% CI 12 to 49) to prevent one death. Corticosteroid therapy reduced morbidity, but not mortality, for adults and children with non-severe CAP. Corticosteroid therapy was associated with more adverse events, especially hyperglycaemia, but the harms did not seem to outweigh the benefits