Sviluppo di un servizio di mappatura e monitoraggio delle frane in Italia e Svizzera: integrazione di tecnologie satellitari ed analisi geologica

open15noColombo D; Brugioni M.; Deflorio A.M.; Farina P; Manunta P; Menduni G.; Metano F.; Montini G.; Moretti S.; Palazzo F.; Pagnini M.; Piscitelli E.; Risi A.; Sulli L; Terranova C.Colombo, D; Brugioni, M.; Deflorio, A. M.; Farina, P; Manunta, P; Menduni, Giovanni; Metano, F.; Montini, G.; Moretti, S.; Palazzo, F.; Pagnini, M.; Piscitelli, E.; Risi, A.; Sulli, L; Terranova, C

The Generalized Nuclear Contact and its Application to the Photoabsorption Cross-Section

Using the zero-range model, it was demonstrated recently that Levinger's quasi-deuteron model can be utilized to extract the nuclear neutron-proton contact. Going beyond the zero-range approximation and considering the full nuclear contact formalism, we rederive here the quasi-deuteron model for the nuclear photoabsorption cross-section and utilize it to establish relations and constrains for the general contact matrix. We also define and demonstrate the importance of the diagonalized nuclear contacts, which can be also relevant to further applications of the nuclear contacts

One-step growth and shaping by a dual plasma reactor of diamond nanocones arrays for the assembling of stable cold cathodes

Arrays of conical-shaped nanodiamond structures are formed on silicon substrate by a single-step CVD process from CH4/H-2 mixtures. The formation of these nanocones has been found to depend on interplay between growing and etching during the CVD process carried out in a dual-mode MW/RF plasma reactor. Morphology and structure of the conical-like systems can be controlled by varying the process parameters, and have been investigated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), reflection high energy electron diffraction (RHEED) and micro-Raman spectroscopy. The Field Emission (FE) properties of different diamond nanocones arrays have been investigated and compared with those of analogous systems in order to assess the feasibility of the present nano-materials as electron emitters for cold cathodes. The FE behavior is discussed taking into account the structure of the different diamond nanocones

Detection of stiff nanoparticles within cellular structures by contact resonance atomic force microscopy subsurface nanomechanical imaging

Detecting stiff nanoparticles buried in soft biological matrices by atomic force microscopy (AFM) based techniques represents a new frontier in the field of scanning probe microscopies, originally developed as surface characterization methods. Here we report the detection of stiff (magnetic) nanoparticles (NPs) internalized in cells by using contact resonance AFM (CR-AFM) employed as a potentially non-destructive subsurface characterization tool. Magnetite (Fe3O4) NPs were internalized in microglial cells from cerebral cortices of mouse embryos of 18 days by phagocytosis. Nanomechanical imaging of cells was performed by detecting the contact resonance frequencies (CRFs) of an AFM cantilever held in contact with the sample. Agglomerates of NPs internalized in cells were visualized on the basis of the local increase in the contact stiffness with respect to the surrounding biological matrix. A second AFM-based technique for nanomechanical imaging, i.e., HarmoniX™, as well as magnetic force microscopy and light microscopy were used to confirm the CR-AFM results. Thus, CR-AFM was emonstrated as a promising technique for subsurface imaging of nanomaterials in biological samples

NEISSERIA MENINGITIDIS SEROGROUP B CARRIAGE BY ADOLESCENTS AND YOUNG ADULTS LIVING IN MILAN, ITALY: GENETIC CHARACTERISTICS AND POTENTIAL CORRELATION WITH PRESENTLY AVAILABLE MENB VACCINE.

Recently, two vaccines against meningococcal serogroup B have been developed. They are prepared according to the reverse vaccinology approach and contain four and two cross-reactive surface proteins. These vaccines, manufactured by GSK and Pfizer, are Bexsero (4CMenB) and Trumenba (MenB-fHbp) respectively. In Italy Bexsero vaccine has been included in the official vaccination schedule and is recommended for infants, adolescents and adults, whereas Trumenba is recommended for adolescents. In order to collect information about the present carriage of Neisseria meningitidis serogroup B in Italian adolescents and to evaluate the potential protection offered by the presently available MenB vaccines, 2,560 otherwise healthy, high school students aged 14-21 years (907 males, 35.4%, median age 16.2 years) were enrolled in Milan, Italy. A swab to collect posterior pharynx secretions was collected from each subject and meningococcal identification, serogrouping, multilocus sequence typing analysis, sequence alignments and phylogenetic analysis were performed. A total of 135 (5.3%) adolescents were meningococcal carriers. Strains belonging to serogroup B were the most common (n = 58; 43%), followed by MenY (n = 32; 23.7%), MenC (n = 7; 5.2%), MenW135 (n = 6; 4.4%) and MenX (n = 5; 3.7%). The remaining bacteria were not capsulated. The identified MenB strains belonged to eleven clonal complexes (CCs): ST-162 CC (n = 12; 20.7%), ST-865 CC (n = 12; 20.7%), ST-41/44/Lin.3 CC (n = 11; 19.0%), ST-35 CC (n = 6; 10.3%), ST-32/ET-5 CC (n = 4; 6.9%), ST-269 CC (n = 3; 5.2%), ST-213 CC (n = 2; 3.4%), ST-198 CC (n = 1; 1.7%), ST-461 CC (n = 1; 1.7%), ST-549 CC (n = 1; 1.7%), and ST-750 CC (n = 1; 1.7%). The analysis of proteins included in two vaccines show that, regarding fHbp gene, all strains except 3 harbored fHbp alleles represented by a total of 31 sub-variants: 18 in variant 1 (v.1 n=25; 45.4%), 8 in variant 2 (v.2 n=25; 45.4%) and 5 in variant 3 (v.3, n=5; 9.1%). The data concerning the percentage of amino acid identity shows that for the detected fHbp sub-variants 1 the identity towards Bexsero varies from 90.9% to 99.2% (median: 96.1%) instead against Trumenba varies from 87.7% to 93.1% (median: 89.2%). The identity regarding detected sub-variant 3 towards the MenB fHbp varies from 93.7% to 100% (median 97.6%). The gene for NHBA protein was found in all strains except for 6 (10.3%) and 21 sub-variants were identified. The sub-variants had an amino acid identity towards the protein included in the Bexsero varying from 71.3% to 99.8% (median: 76%). PorA gene were identified in 53 out of the 58 (91.4%) studied MenB strains and 22 porA sub-types were identified. The amino acid identity between the studied porA proteins and those were included in the Bexsero vaccine was not less than 88.1% (median: 91.8%). The gene for NadA proteins was not detected in any of the 58 studied strains, as expected in carried strains. In conclusion, in adolescent living in Milan, Neisseria meningitidis serogroup B was the most commonly carried followed by serogroup Y. The MenB vaccines presently licensed induce the production of antibodies effective against the greatest part of the identified MenB strains. Monitoring carriage remains essential to evaluate MenB circulation and long-term studies will be useful to evaluate the effects on the carriage and the final efficacy of both new MenB vaccines

3D Porous Architecture of Stacks of β-TCP Granules Compared with That of Trabecular Bone: A microCT, Vector Analysis, and Compression Study

The 3D arrangement of porous granular biomaterials usable to fill bone defects has received little study. Granular biomaterials occupy 3D space when packed together in a manner that creates a porosity suitable for the invasion of vascular and bone cells. Granules of beta-tricalcium phosphate (β-TCP) were prepared with either 12.5 or 25 g of β-TCP powder in the same volume of slurry. When the granules were placed in a test tube, this produced 3D stacks with a high (HP) or low porosity (LP), respectively. Stacks of granules mimic the filling of a bone defect by a surgeon. The aim of this study was to compare the porosity of stacks of β-TCP granules with that of cores of trabecular bone. Biomechanical compression tests were done on the granules stacks. Bone cylinders were prepared from calf tibia plateau, constituted high-density (HD) blocks. Low-density (LD) blocks were harvested from aged cadaver tibias. Microcomputed tomography was used on the β-TCP granule stacks and the trabecular bone cores to determine porosity and specific surface. A vector-projection algorithm was used to image porosity employing a frontal plane image, which was constructed line by line from all images of a microCT stack. Stacks of HP granules had porosity (75.3 ± 0.4%) and fractal lacunarity (0.043 ± 0.007) intermediate between that of HD (respectively 69.1 ± 6.4%, p < 0.05 and 0.087 ± 0.045, p < 0.05) and LD bones (respectively 88.8 ± 1.57% and 0.037 ± 0.014), but exhibited a higher surface density (5.56 ± 0.11 mm(2)/mm(3) vs. 2.06 ± 0.26 for LD, p < 0.05). LP granular arrangements created large pores coexisting with dense areas of material. Frontal plane analysis evidenced a more regular arrangement of β-TCP granules than bone trabecule. Stacks of HP granules represent a scaffold that resembles trabecular bone in its porous microarchitecture