Mapping the spatial variation of soil moisture at the large scale using GPR for pavement applications

The characterization of shallow soil moisture spatial variability at the large scale is a crucial issue in many research studies and fields of application ranging from agriculture and geology to civil and environmental engineering. In this framework, this work contributes to the research in the area of pavement engineering for preventing damages and planning effective management. High spatial variations of subsurface water content can lead to unexpected damage of the load-bearing layers; accordingly, both safety and operability of roads become lower, thereby affecting an increase in expected accidents. A pulsed ground-penetrating radar system with ground-coupled antennas, i.e., 600-MHz and 1600-MHz center frequencies of investigation, was used to collect data in a 16 m × 16 m study site in the Po Valley area in northern Italy. Two ground-penetrating radar techniques were employed to non-destructively retrieve the subsurface moisture spatial profile. The first technique is based on the evalu¬ation of the dielectric permittivity from the attenuation of signal amplitudes. Therefore, dielectrics were converted into moisture values using soil-specific coefficients from Topp’s relationship. Ground-penetrating-radar-derived values of soil moisture were then compared with measurements from eight capacitance probes. The second technique is based on the Rayleigh scattering of the signal from the Fresnel theory, wherein the shifts of the peaks of frequency spectra are assumed comprehensive indi¬cators for characterizing the spatial variability of moisture. Both ground-penetrating radar methods have shown great promise for mapping the spatial variability of soil moisture at the large scale

A non-invasive approach to monitor variability of soil water content with electromagnetic methods

An accurate and high-resolution description of the spatial variability of soil water content at the field scale and the distribution of water in the unsaturated zone requires a large number of measurements. Financial and time constraints limit the numbers of measurement locations; thus the standard approach for monitoring could lead to a large degree of uncertainty in spatial predictions. We test in a parcel of bare soil an alternative approach based on ground-based geophysical techniques, by comparing the monitoring of the soil water content obtained from the Electrical Resisitivity Imaging and the Ground Penetrating Radar with the variability maps estimated from the interpolation of soil water contents measured in different locations with capacitance probes. The agreement is good and the integration of the techniques is promising

Microkinetic modeling of the Water-Gas Shift reaction over cobalt catalysts supported on multi-walled carbon nanotubes

The development of microkinetic models allows gaining an understanding of fundamental catalyst surface phenomena in terms of elementary reaction steps without a priori defining a rate-determining step, yielding more meaningful and physically reliable reaction rates. This work aimed at developing such a microkinetic model that accurately describes the Water-Gas Shift (WGS) reaction, i.e., one of the major routes for hydrogen production, over cobalt (Co) catalysts supported on multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs). Co is known for its sulfur-tolerance and the functionalized MWCNT support has exceptional conductivity properties and defects that facilitate electron transfer on its surface. The model was formulated based on a well-known mechanism for the WGS reaction involving the highly reactive carboxyl (COOH*) intermediate. The kinetic parameters were computed by a combination of calculation via theoretical prediction models (such as the Collision and Transition-State theory) and via regression to the experimental data. The derived system of differential-algebraic equations was solved using the DDAPLUS package available in the Athena VISUAL Studio. The developed model was capable of simulating the experimental data (R² = 0.96), presenting statistically significant kinetic parameters. Furthermore, some of the catalyst descriptors in the model have been related to the catalyst properties as determined by characterization techniques, such as the specific surface area (SP = 22,000 m²/kgcat) and the density of active sites (σ = 0.012 molAct.Surf./kgcat). The modelling and characterization efforts allowed identifying the COOH* formation reaction (CO* + OH* → COOH* + *) as the surface reaction with the highest activation energy. Optimal catalyst performance, resulting in a CO conversion exceeding 85%, was simulated at elevated temperatures (350–450 °C) and space times (70–80 kg·s/mol), in agreement with the experimental observations

Fonti per la storia degli archivi degli antichi Stati italiani (Rome: Ministero dei beni e delle attività culturali e del turismo, 2016), vol. 49 of the ‘Fonti’ (Sources) series of the Pubblicazioni degli Archivi di Stato, edited with Andrea Guidi and Alessandro Silvestri

A collection of 330 documents on the history of Italian archives, 1200-1800. The collection is prefaced by a general introduction and the documents are divided into six thematic chapters: the politics of archives; the organisation and arrangement of archives; the material culture of archives; the social history of archivists; the uses of archives; and pre-modern scholarly research in archives. Each chapter is prefaced by an introduction and each document is edited, introduced and annotated with extensive references. The case studies include: the Republic of Venice, the Duchy of Milan, the Duchy of Ferrara-Modena, the Republic of Florence and the Duchy of Tuscany, the papacy, the Kingdom of Naples, the Kingdom of Sicily

ImprovingtheSwallowingin TotalGlossectomy With Laryngeal Preservation

n/

Development of Artificial Plasma Membranes Derived Nanovesicles Suitable for Drugs Encapsulation

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are considered as promising nanoparticles theranostic tools in many physiological and pathological contexts. The increasing clinical employment of therapeutic nanoparticles is contributing to the development of a new research area related to the design of artificial EVs. To this aim, different approaches have been described to develop mimetic biologically functional nanovescicles. In this paper, we suggest a simplified procedure to generate plasma membranes-derived nanovesicles with the possibility to efficiently encapsulate different drugs during their spontaneously assembly. After physical and molecular characterization by Tunable Resistive Pulse Sensing (TRPS) technology, transmission electron microscopy and flow cytometry, as a proof of principle, we have loaded into mimetic EVs the isoquinoline alkaloid Berberine chloride, the chemotherapy compounds Temozolomide or Givinostat. We demonstrated the fully functionality of these nanoparticles in drugs encapsulation and cell delivery, showing, in particular, similar cytotoxic effect of direct cell culture administration of the anticancer drugs. In conclusion, we have documented the possibility to easily generate scalable nanovesicles with specific therapeutic cargo modifications useful in different drugs delivery contexts

SATURN: A Technological Demonstration Mission for Distributed SAR Imaging

The OHB-Italia S.p.A-led consortium is in the midst of Phase B of SATURN (Synthetic AperTure radar cUbesat foRmation flyiNg), part of ALCOR, an Italian Space Agency (ASI) programme promoting the development of the next generation Italian CubeSats. SATURN is a demonstration mission that features Multiple-Input-Multiple-Output (MIMO) technology applied to a Swarm of CubeSats equipped with Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) for Earth Observation. MIMO is based on cooperative active sensors, where each one transmits signals and receives the illuminated common area backscatter related to the entire swarm, increasing measurement performances with a trend approximatively equal to the square of the number of sensors. The complete SATURN constellation features 16 mini-swarms, each of 3 CubeSats, spread over 4 SSOs equally spaced by 3 hours of local time. The constellation is designed to provide an average revisit time of 1.5 h and an interferometric revisit time of 1 day worldwide. The aim of this demonstration mission is to verify MIMO technology applied to SAR on a mini-swarm of 3 CubeSats in close formation on a Low Earth Down-Dusk Sun Synchronous Orbit. Using OHB-I’s M3Multi Mission Modular platform equipped with a miniaturized SAR Instrument, developed by ARESYS S.r.l. and Airbus Italia S.p.A., our mission is able to achieve a resolution of 5x5 m over a 30 km swath. Thus, SATURN enables low-cost, scalable SAR missions for affordable access to space for public and private entities, overcoming the single point of failure of one large and complex satellite. Subsequent swarms, deploying from 3 to 48 CubeSats, are expected to bring technological innovations and improve Italy’s competitiveness in the European and global Earth Observation scenario

Endocrine‐based treatments in clinically‐relevant subgroups of hormone receptor‐positive/HER2‐negative metastatic breast cancer: systematic review and meta‐analysis

A precise assessment of the efficacy of first‐/second‐line endocrine therapies (ET) ± target therapies (TT) in clinically‐relevant subgroups of hormone receptor‐positive (HR+)/HER2‐negative metastatic breast cancer (MBC) has not yet been conducted. To improve our current knowledge and support clinical decision‐making, we thus conducted a systematic literature search to identify all first‐/second‐line phase II/III randomized clinical trials (RCT) of currently approved or most promising ET ± TT. Then, we performed a meta‐analysis to assess progression‐free (PFS) and/or overall survival (OS) benefit in several clinically‐relevant prespecified subgroups. Thirty‐five RCT were included (17,595 patients). Pooled results show significant reductions in the risk of relapse or death of 26–41% and 12–27%, respectively, depending on the clinical subgroup. Combination strategies proved to be more effective than single‐agent ET (PFS hazard ratio (HR) range for combinations: 0.60–0.65 vs. HR range for single agent ET: 0.59–1.37; OS HR range for combinations: 0.74–0.87 vs. HR range for single agent ET: 0.68–0.98), with CDK4/6‐inhibitors(i) + ET being the most effective regimen. Single agent ET showed comparable efficacy with ET+TT combinations in nonvisceral (p = 0.63) and endocrine sensitive disease (p = 0.79), while mTORi‐based combinations proved to be a valid therapeutic option in endocrine‐resistant tumors, as well as PI3Ki + ET in PIK3CA‐mutant tumors. These results strengthen international treatment guidelines and can aid therapeutic decision‐making

COVID-19 teleassistance and teleconsultation: a matched case-control study (MIRATO project, Lombardy, Italy)

BackgroundDuring the COVID-19 pandemic, telemedicine has been recognised as a powerful modality to shorten the length of hospital stay and to free up beds for the sicker patients. Lombardy, and in particular the areas of Bergamo, Brescia, and Milan, was one of the regions in Europe most hit by the COVID-19 pandemic. The primary aim of the MIRATO project was to compare the incidence of severe events (hospital readmissions and mortality) in the first three months after discharge between COVID-19 patients followed by a Home-Based Teleassistance and Teleconsultation (HBTT group) program and those discharged home without Telemedicine support (non-HBTT group).MethodsThe study was designed as a matched case-control study. The non-HBTT patients were matched with the HBTT patients for sex, age, presence of COVID-19 pneumonia and number of comorbidities. After discharge, the HBTT group underwent a telecare nursing and specialist teleconsultation program at home for three months, including monitoring of vital signs and symptoms. Further, in this group we analysed clinical data, patients' satisfaction with the program, and quality of life.ResultsFour hundred twenty-two patients per group were identified for comparison. The median age in both groups was 70 ± 11 years (62% males). One or more comorbidities were present in 86% of the HBTT patients and 89% in the non-HBTT group (p = ns). The total number of severe events was 17 (14 hospitalizations and 3 deaths) in the HBTT group and 40 (26 hospitalizations and 16 deaths) in the non-HBTT group (p = 0.0007). The risk of hospital readmission or death after hospital discharge was significantly lower in HBTT patients (Log-rank Test p = 0.0002). In the HBTT group, during the 3-month follow-up, 5,355 teleassistance contacts (13 ± 4 per patient) were performed. The number of patients with one or more symptoms declined significantly: from 338 (78%) to 183 (45%) (p < 0.00001). Both the physical (ΔPCS12: 5.9 ± 11.4) component and the mental (ΔMCS12: 4.4 ± 12.7) component of SF-12 improved significantly (p < 0.0001). Patient satisfaction with the program was very high in all participants.ConclusionsCompared to usual care, an HBTT program can reduce severe events (hospital admissions/mortality) at 3-months from discharge and improve symptoms and quality of life.Clinical trial registrationwww.ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT04898179

Endocrine-Based Treatments in Clinically-Relevant Subgroups of Hormone Receptor-Positive/HER2-Negative Metastatic Breast Cancer: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

peer reviewedA precise assessment of the efficacy of first-/second-line endocrine therapies (ET) ± target therapies (TT) in clinically-relevant subgroups of hormone receptor-positive (HR+)/HER2-negative metastatic breast cancer (MBC) has not yet been conducted. To improve our current knowledge and support clinical decision-making, we thus conducted a systematic literature search to identify all first-/second-line phase II/III randomized clinical trials (RCT) of currently approved or most promising ET ± TT. Then, we performed a meta-analysis to assess progression-free (PFS) and/or overall survival (OS) benefit in several clinically-relevant prespecified subgroups. Thirty-five RCT were included (17,595 patients). Pooled results show significant reductions in the risk of relapse or death of 26-41% and 12-27%, respectively, depending on the clinical subgroup. Combination strategies proved to be more effective than single-agent ET (PFS hazard ratio (HR) range for combinations: 0.60-0.65 vs. HR range for single agent ET: 0.59-1.37; OS HR range for combinations: 0.74-0.87 vs. HR range for single agent ET: 0.68-0.98), with CDK4/6-inhibitors(i) + ET being the most effective regimen. Single agent ET showed comparable efficacy with ET+TT combinations in non-visceral (p = 0.63) and endocrine sensitive disease (p = 0.79), while mTORi-based combinations proved to be a valid therapeutic option in endocrine-resistant tumors, as well as PI3Ki + ET in PIK3CA-mutant tumors. These results strengthen international treatment guidelines and can aid therapeutic decision-making