Detection of seasonal inundations by satellite data at Shkoder Urban Area, North Albania for sustainable management

The European Space Agency satellites Sentinel-1 radar and Sentinel-2 optical data are widely used in water surface mapping and management. In this work, we exploit the potentials of both radar and optical images for satellite-based quick detection and extent mapping of inundations/water raising events over Shkodër area, which occurred in the two last years (2017–2018). For instance, in March 2018 the Shkodër district (North Albania) was affected twice by the overflow of the Drin and Buna (Bojana) Rivers and by the Shkodër lake plain inundation. Sentinel-1 radar data allowed a rapid mapping of seasonal fluctuations and provided flood extent maps by discriminating water surfaces (permanent water and flood areas) from land/non-flood areas over all the informal zones of Shkodër city. By means of Sentinel-2 data, two color composites maps were produced and the Normalized Difference Water Index was estimated, in order to further distinguish water/moisturized soil surfaces from built-up and vegetated areas. The obtained remote sensing-based maps were combined and discussed with the urban planning framework in order to support a sustainable urban and environmental management. The provided multi-temporal analysis could be easily exploited by the local authorities for flood prevention and management purposes in the inherited territorial context. The proposed approach outputs were validated by comparing them with official Copernicus EMS (Emergency Management Service) maps available for one of the chosen events. The comparison shows good accordance results. As for a further enhancement in the future perspective, it is worth to highlight that a more accurate result could be obtained by performing a post-processing edit to further refine the flooded areas, such as water mask application and supervised classification to filter out isolated flood elements, to remove possible water-lookalikes and weed out false positives

Analytic philosophy for biomedical research: the imperative of applying yesterday's timeless messages to today's impasses

The mantra that "the best way to predict the future is to invent it" (attributed to the computer scientist Alan Kay) exemplifies some of the expectations from the technical and innovative sides of biomedical research at present. However, for technical advancements to make real impacts both on patient health and genuine scientific understanding, quite a number of lingering challenges facing the entire spectrum from protein biology all the way to randomized controlled trials should start to be overcome. The proposal in this chapter is that philosophy is essential in this process. By reviewing select examples from the history of science and philosophy, disciplines which were indistinguishable until the mid-nineteenth century, I argue that progress toward the many impasses in biomedicine can be achieved by emphasizing theoretical work (in the true sense of the word 'theory') as a vital foundation for experimental biology. Furthermore, a philosophical biology program that could provide a framework for theoretical investigations is outlined

Crop changes from the XVI century to the present in a hill/mountain area of eastern Liguria (Italy)

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Chronological information on the composition and structure of agrocenoses and detailed features of land cover referring to specific areas are uncommon in ethnobotanical studies, especially for periods before the XIX century. The aim of this study was to analyse the type of crop or the characteristics of soil cover from the XVI century to the present.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>This diachronic analysis was accomplished through archival research on the inventories of the Parish of St. Mary and those of the Municipality of Pignone and from recent surveys conducted in an area of eastern Liguria (Italy).</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Archival data revealed that in study area the primary means of subsistence during the last five centuries, until the first half of the XX century, was chestnuts. In the XVIII and XIX centuries, crop diversification strongly increased in comparison with previous and subsequent periods. In more recent times, the abandonment of agricultural practices has favoured the re-colonisation of mixed woodland or cluster-pine woodland.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Ancient documents in the ecclesiastic or municipal inventories can be a very useful tool for enhancing the knowledge of agricultural practice, as well as of subsistence methods favoured by local populations during a particular time and for reconstructing land use change over time.</p

Cell death during sepsis: integration of disintegration in the inflammatory response to overwhelming infection

Sepsis is a major health problem and a leading cause of death worldwide. In recent years, a crescendo of attention has been directed to the mechanisms of cell death that develop during this disease, since these are viewed as important contributors to the proinflammatory and anti-inflammatory responses associated with poor outcome. Here we discuss mechanisms of cell death evident severe bacterial infection and sepsis including necrosis, apoptosis, pyroptosis, and extracellular trap-associated neutrophil death, with a particular emphasis on lymphocyte apoptosis and its contribution to the immunosuppressed phenotype of late sepsis. Individual bacterial pathogens express virulence factors that modulate cell death pathways and influence the sepsis phenotype. A greater knowledge of cell death pathways in sepsis informs the potential for future therapies designed to ameliorate immune dysfunction in this syndrome

Analisi delle ricadute ambientali della Solvay sul territorio della Val di Cecina

Non presente nel volum

New aryldithiolethione derivatives as potent histone deacetylase inhibitors

Histone deacetylases (HDACs) are a family of enzymes that regulate chromatin remodelling and gene transcription and there is a growing interest in inhibitors of HDAC as a promising class of anticancer agents. Recently we have found that 5-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-3H-1,2-dithiole-3-thione (ADTOH) and its valproic acid ester ACS 2 potently inhibited in vitro HDAC enzymatic activity as well as A549 cell proliferation with increased levels of hyperacetylated histone H4-acetylation [1]. On this ground and with the aim to explore further the anticancer potentialities of dithiolethiones, we designed and synthesized novel derivatives taking as a model the chemical structure of the well known and recently marketed HDAC inhibitor SAHA. In our new compounds the aryldithiolethione moiety is linked to an alkyl chain by mean of an ester or an ether linkage. All compounds exhibited in vitro HDAC inhibitory activity, sometimes comparable or higher than SAHA (IC50<0.1\u3bcM). A discussion on structure-activity relationships of the synthesized compounds will be performed. Data on inhibition of cellular proliferation and on histone hyperacetylation by the most active compounds will be also reporte

New sulfurated derivatives of valproic acid with enhanced histone deacetylase enhibitory activity

One dithiolthione and two new methanethiosulfonate derivatives of valproic acid (VPA) were synthesized and tested in vitro as histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitors. The new molecules, as well as their sulfurated moieties, exhibited a much stronger inhibition of HDAC enzymatic and antiproliferative activities and histone hyperacetylation than VPA. ACS 2 is the most interesting compound among the new VPA derivatives and its sulfurated moiety, 5-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-3H-1,2-dithiole-3-thione, also known to be a metabolite of anethole trithione, seems to contribute significantly to its activity. This is the first time that HDAC inhibitory activity is described for dithiolethiones and thiosulfonates.

Detection of seasonal inundations by satellite data at Shkoder Urban Area, North Albania for sustainable management

The European Space Agency satellites Sentinel-1 radar and Sentinel-2 optical data are widely used in water surface mapping and management. In this work, we exploit the potentials of both radar and optical images for satellite-based quick detection and extent mapping of inundations/water raising events over Shkodër area, which occurred in the two last years (2017–2018). For instance, in March 2018 the Shkodër district (North Albania) was affected twice by the overflow of the Drin and Buna (Bojana) Rivers and by the Shkodër lake plain inundation. Sentinel-1 radar data allowed a rapid mapping of seasonal fluctuations and provided flood extent maps by discriminating water surfaces (permanent water and flood areas) from land/non-flood areas over all the informal zones of Shkodër city. By means of Sentinel-2 data, two color composites maps were produced and the Normalized Difference Water Index was estimated, in order to further distinguish water/moisturized soil surfaces from built-up and vegetated areas. The obtained remote sensing-based maps were combined and discussed with the urban planning framework in order to support a sustainable urban and environmental management. The provided multi-temporal analysis could be easily exploited by the local authorities for flood prevention and management purposes in the inherited territorial context. The proposed approach outputs were validated by comparing them with official Copernicus EMS (Emergency Management Service) maps available for one of the chosen events. The comparison shows good accordance results. As for a further enhancement in the future perspective, it is worth to highlight that a more accurate result could be obtained by performing a post-processing edit to further refine the flooded areas, such as water mask application and supervised classification to filter out isolated flood elements, to remove possible water-lookalikes and weed out false positives

Pharmacological profile of a novel H2S-releasing aspirin

Prevention of aspirin toxicity represents still an unmet medical need. Already several years ago, nitric oxide was utilized as a tool to reduce gastric toxicity [1], by preparing NOreleasing aspirin (NO-aspirin) and many other NO-donating agents. NO-aspirin appears unequivocally to be better tolerated in animals and humans, although consistently higher doses were needed to obtain comparable prostaglandin suppression to aspirin in humans. It remains to be understood if this could be at least partially dependent on the tachyphylaxis responses observed for NO-aspirin. With this general approach in mind, we were intrigued to determine whether a chemically modified aspirin with the ability to release hydrogen sulfide (H2S) might prove of value as a novel stomach-sparing aspirin. The idea came from the evidence that this gaseous mediator possesses all of the positive effects of NO without the capacity to form peroxynitrite, the toxic metabolite, which has been thought to be involved in tachyphylaxis and related to redox imbalance disorders. The pharmacological profile of a new safe and effective hydrogen sulfide-releasing aspirin (ACS 14) will be described. We report the synthesis of this compound and of its metabolite(ACS21) and the preliminary pharmacokinetics and in vivo metabolism with the determination of the hydrogen sulphide (H2S) plasma levels after intravenous rat administration, using an improved validated HPLC analytical method. While it maintains the thromboxane suppressing activity owned by the parent compound, ACS14 appears to spare the gastric mucosa, by affecting redox imbalance processes via H2S/GSH increased formation and isoprostane suppression. In conclusion, the new H2S-donating aspirin appears to be an effective and safe compound, with significant advantages over the native aspiri

New aryldithiolethione derivatives as potent histone deacetylase inhibitors

A series of dithiolethione derivatives was synthesized and the in vitro HDAC inhibitory activity was tested. The most active compounds, 1 and 2, exhibited an IC(50) in nM range with a strong hyperacetylation of histone H4 in A549 cells. The HDAC inhibitory activity comparable to that of SAHA and the inhibition of A549 cell proliferation suggest that these compounds are worthy of further studies as potential anticancer agents