How vegetation in flows modifies the turbulent mixing and spreading of jets

While studies on vegetated channel flows have been developed in many research centers, studies on jets interacting with vegetation are still rare. This study presents and analyzes turbulent jets issued into an obstructed cross-flow, with emergent vegetation simulated with a regular array of cylinders. The paper presents estimates of the turbulence diffusion coefficients and the main turbulence variables of jets issued into a vegetated channel flow. The experimental results are compared with jets issued into unobstructed cross-flow. In the presence of the cylinder array, the turbulence length-scales in the streamwise and transverse directions were reduced, relative to the unobstructed crossflow. This contributed to a reduction in streamwise turbulent diffusion, relative to the unobstructed conditions. In contrast, the transverse turbulent diffusion was enhanced, despite the reduction in length-scale, due to enhanced turbulent intensity and the transverse deflection of flow around individual cylinders. Importantly, in the obstructed condition, the streamwise and transverse turbulent diffusion coefficients are of the same order of magnitude

coastline evolution based on statistical analysis and modeling

Abstract. Wind, waves, tides, sediment supply, changes in relative sea level and human activities strongly affect shorelines, which constantly move in response to these processes, over a variety of timescales. Thus, the implementation of sound coastal zone management strategies needs reliable information on erosion and/or deposition processes. To suggest a feasible way to provide this information is the main reason for this work. A chain approach is proposed here, tested on a vulnerable coastal site located along southern Italy, and based on the joint analysis of field data, statistical tools and numerical modeling. Firstly, the coastline morphology has been examined through interannual field data, such as aerial photographs, plane-bathymetric surveys and seabed characterization. After this, rates of shoreline changes have been quantified with a specific GIS tool. The correlations among the historical positions of the shoreline have been detected by statistical analysis and have been satisfactorily confirmed by numerical modeling, in terms of recurrent erosion–accretion area and beach rotation trends. Finally, based on field topographic, sediment, wave and wind data, the response of the beach through numerical simulation has been investigated in a forecasting perspective. The purpose of this study is to provide a feasible, general and replicable chain approach, which could help to thoroughly understand the dynamics of a coastal system, identify typical and recurrent erosion–accretion processes, and predict possible future trends, useful for planning of coastal activities

Machine learning methods to predict outcomes of pharmacological treatment in psychosis

In recent years, machine learning (ML) has been a promising approach in the research of treatment outcome prediction in psychosis. In this study, we reviewed ML studies using different neuroimaging, neurophysiological, genetic, and clinical features to predict antipsychotic treatment outcomes in patients at different stages of schizophrenia. Literature available on PubMed until March 2022 was reviewed. Overall, 28 studies were included, among them 23 using a single-modality approach and 5 combining data from multiple modalities. The majority of included studies considered structural and functional neuroimaging biomarkers as predictive features used in ML models. Specifically, functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) features contributed to antipsychotic treatment response prediction of psychosis with good accuracies. Additionally, several studies found that ML models based on clinical features might present adequate predictive ability. Importantly, by examining the additive effects of combining features, the predictive value might be improved by applying multimodal ML approaches. However, most of the included studies presented several limitations, such as small sample sizes and a lack of replication tests. Moreover, considerable clinical and analytical heterogeneity among included studies posed a challenge in synthesizing findings and generating robust overall conclusions. Despite the complexity and heterogeneity of methodology, prognostic features, clinical presentation, and treatment approaches, studies included in this review suggest that ML tools may have the potential to predict treatment outcomes of psychosis accurately. Future studies need to focus on refining feature characterization, validating prediction models, and evaluate their translation in real-world clinical practice

Spatial Olfactory Memory and Spatial Olfactory Navigation, Assessed with a Variant of Corsi Test, Is Modulated by Gender and Sporty Activity

Many studies have focused on navigation, spatial skills, and the olfactory system in comparative models, including those concerning the relationship between them and physical activity. Although the results are often in contrast with each other, it is assumed that physical activity can affect cognition in different ways-both indirectly and through a certain influence on some brain structures. In contrast, there is little research that focuses on the relationship between spatial abilities and olfactory abilities in humans. This research aimed to evaluate and compare the performance in working memory tasks of athletes and non-athletes who require good visual-spatial navigation, olfactory-spatial navigation, and olfactory-semantic skills. The study involved 236 participants (83 athletes) between the ages of 18 and 40. All subjects were matched by age or sex. The standard Corsi Block Tapping Test (CBTT) was administrated to investigate the visual-spatial memory. Olfactory-spatial navigation and olfactory-semantic skills were assessed with two modified versions of CBTT: Olfactory CBTT (OCBTT) and Semantic-Olfactory CBTT (SOCBTT) respectively. The results show differences between the CORSI conditions in direction of a poor performance for athletes. A gender effect in favor of men was also found, particularly in the classic version of the CBTT. Both groups performed better in the classic version of the CBTT than OCBTT and SOCBTT. The mean of SOCBTT results is markedly lower, perhaps due to the different information processing systems needed to perform this kind of task. It is possible to explain how sports practice can affect tasks that require spatial skills and olfactory perception differently, thus supporting new hypotheses and opening new scientific horizons

Case Report: A case of IgD lambda/lambda Multiple Myeloma in patient with acute renal failure and without monoclonal spike in serum electrophoresis

Background: IgD Multiple Myeloma is a rare form of plasma cell dyscrasia and accounts for approximately 1-2% of all cases of Multiple Myeloma. It mainly affects young, male subjects; it is characterized by an aggressive course, a high production of Bence Jones protein, acute renal failure and an often unfortunate outcome compared to the other isotypes of MM. A distinctive feature is the lack of a monoclonal peak on serum protein electrophoresis (SPE). Case report: a 57-year-old man with pain in his left lower limb and weight loss goes to the Emergency Department (Emergency Department). Laboratory tests performed showed normocytic normochromic anemia (Hemoglobin 9.4 g/dL), acute renal failure (s-creatinine 2.85 mg/dL, e-GFR 23 mL/min/1.73 m². serum protein electrophoresis (SPE) detected only mild polyclonal in the gamma zone with no evidence of any monoclonal peak. Results: serum immunofixation (s-IFE) showed a monoclonal IgD l band and a monoclonal l band. The Free Light Chains (s-FLC) measurement showed a ratio of 0.04. The bone marrow biopsy confirmed an infiltration of> 20% of clonal plasma cells; renal biopsy diagnosed “cast nephropathy”. Conclusion: IgD l/l Multiple Myeloma is a rare form of this disease with a poor prognosis; an early and correct laboratory diagnosis is crucial for appropriate treatment and effective monitoring in order to improve patient outcom

Unraveling the Antimicrobial Effectiveness of Coridothymus capitatus Hydrolate against Listeria monocytogenes in Environmental Conditions Encountered in Foods: An In Vitro Study

The increased resistance of bacteria to antimicrobials, as well as the growing interest in innovative and sustainable alternatives to traditional food additives, are driving research towards the use of natural food preservatives. Among these, hydrolates (HYs) have gained attention as "mild" alternatives to conventional antimicrobial compounds. In this study, the response of L. monocytogenes ATCC 7644 exposed to increasing concentrations of Coridothymus capitatus HY (CHY) for 1 h at 37 °C was evaluated by means of Phenotype Microarray, modelling the kinetic data obtained by inoculating control and treated cells into GEN III microplates, after CHY removal. The results revealed differences concerning the growth dynamics in environmental conditions commonly encountered in food processing environments (different carbon sources, pH 6.0, pH 5.0, 1-8% NaCl). More specifically, for treated cells, the lag phase was extended, the growth rate was slowed down and, in most cases, the maximum concentration was diminished, suggesting the persistence of stress even after CHY removal. Confocal Laser Scanner Microscopy evidenced a diffuse aggregation and suffering of the treated cells, as a response to the stress encountered. In conclusion, the treatment with HY caused a stressing effect that persisted after its removal. The results suggest the potential of CHY application to control L. monocytogenes in food environments

Quasi-geostrophic jet-like flow with obstructions

Jet-like flows are ubiquitous in the atmosphere and oceans, and thus a thorough investigation of their behaviour in rotating systems is fundamental. Nevertheless, how they are affected by vegetation or, generally speaking, by obstructions is a crucial aspect which has been poorly investigated up to now. The aim of the present paper is to propose an analytical model developed for jet-like flows in the presence of both obstructions and the Coriolis force. In this investigation the jet-like flow is assumed homogeneous, turbulent and quasi-geostrophic, and with the same density as the surrounding fluid. Laws of momentum deficit, length scales, velocity scales and jet centreline are analytically deduced. These analytical solutions are compared with some experimental data obtained using the Coriolis rotating platform at LEGI-Grenoble (France), showing a good agreemen

Intra- and Inter-Population Genetic Diversity of “Russello” and “Timilia” Landraces from Sicily: A Proxy towards the Identification of Favorable Alleles in Durum Wheat

Climate change and global population growth call for urgent recovery of genetic variation from underexploited or unexplored durum wheat (Triticum turgidum ssp. durum) landraces. Indeed, these untapped genetic resources can be a valuable source of favorable alleles for environmental adaptation and tolerance or resistance to (a)biotic stress. In southern Italy, in addition to the widespread modern and highly productive durum wheat cultivars, various landraces have been rediscovered and reused for their adaptation to sustainable and low-input cropping systems and for their peculiar qualitative characteristics. Sicily is a semiarid area rich in landraces, some of which are independently reproduced by many farmers. Among these, “Timilia” and “Russello” have been independently grown in various areas and are now cultivated, mostly under organic systems, for their hypothetical greater benefits and height, which give them a high level of competitiveness against weeds despite their low yield potential. So far, there is little information on the genetic variations of “Timilia” and “Russello” despite their putative origin from a common funder. This work aims to dissect the genetic variation patterns of two large germplasm collections of “Timilia” and “Russello” using SNP genotyping. The analysis of intra- and inter-population genetic variation and the identification of divergent loci between genetic groups showed that (i) there are two “Russello” genetic groups associated with different Sicilian geographical areas, which differ in important traits related to gluten quality and adaptation, and (ii) the individuals of “Timilia”, although presenting wide genetic variation, have undergone a conservative selection, likely associated with their distinctive traits. This work paves the way for a deeper exploration of the wide genetic diversity in Sicilian landraces, which could be conveniently exploited in future breeding programs, and points out that intra-population genetic diversity should be taken into account when ‘conservation varieties’ are to be registered in national registers of crop

In vitro diagnosis of sepsis: a review

Marcello Guido,1 Maria Rosaria Tumolo,2 Antonella De Donno,1 Tiziano Verri,3 Francesca Serio,1 Francesco Bagordo,1 Antonella Zizza2 1Laboratory of Hygiene, Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences and Technologies, Faculty of Sciences, University of Salento, Lecce, Italy; 2National Research Council, Institute of Clinical Physiology, 3Laboratory of Physiology, Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences and Technologies, Faculty of Sciences, University of Salento, Lecce, ItalyAbstract: Sepsis, severe sepsis and septic shock, systemic inflammatory response, and other related manifestations represent a relevant medical problem with high morbidity and mortality, despite the improvements in diagnosis, treatment, and preventive measures over the last few decades. The limited knowledge of the pathophysiology in association with the lack of in vitro diagnostic methods for the certain and quick determination of the causative microbiological agents and their antibiotic resistance means the condition is still critical and of high impact in health care. The current gold standard method to detect the sepsis-causing pathogens, which is based on blood culture, is still insufficiently sensitive and slow. The new culture-independent molecular biology-based techniques can lead to the identification of a broad range of microorganisms and resistance markers within a few hours and with high sensitivity and specificity; nevertheless, limitations of, for example, the polymerase chain reaction-based methods still hamper their application in the clinical routine. This review summarizes the in vitro diagnostic methods and their approach in the clinical diagnosis of the bloodstream infections, and explores their advantages and disadvantages at the current state of the art. A quick analysis of the future prospective in multiplex technologies for microbiological diagnosis of sepsis is also provided. Keywords: PCR, PCR/ESI-MS, microarray, MALDI-TOF, next-generation sequencing, FIS