A selective ratiometric fluorescent probe for no‐wash detection of PVC microplastic

Microplastics (MP) are micrometric plastic particles present in drinking water, food and the environment that constitute an emerging pollutant and pose a menace to human health. Novel methods for the fast detection of these new contaminants are needed. Fluorescence‐based detection exploits the use of specific probes to label the MP particles. This method can be environmentally friendly, low‐cost, easily scalable but also very sensitive and specific. Here, we present the synthesis and application of a new probe based on perylene‐diimide (PDI), which can be prepared in a few minutes by a one‐pot reaction using a conventional microwave oven and can be used for the direct detection of MP in water without any further treatment of the sample. The green fluorescence is strongly quenched in water at neutral pH because of the formation dimers. The ability of the probe to label MP was tested for polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polyethylene (PE), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polypropylene (PP), polystyrene (PS), poly methyl methacrylate (PMMA) and polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE). The probe showed considerable selectivity to PVC MP, which presented an intense red emission after staining. Interestingly, the fluorescence of the MP after labeling could be detected, under excitation with a blue diode, with a conventional CMOS color camera. Good selectivity was achieved analyzing the red to green fluorescence intensity ratio. UV– Vis absorption, steady‐state and time‐resolved fluorescence spectroscopy, fluorescence anisotropy, fluorescence wide‐field and confocal laser scanning microscopy allowed elucidating the mechanism of the staining in detail

Conservation state of two paintings in the Santa Margherita cliff cave: role of the environment and of the microbial community

The conservation of ancient paintings sited in humid environments is an actual challenge for restorers, because it needs the knowledge of the materials the paintings are made up and of their interaction with a peculiar surrounding environment; thus, tailored procedures and strategies aimed at restoring and preserving paintings are necessary. Santa Margherita’s cave in Castellammare del Golfo (Trapani, Italy) is a natural cave, containing the remains of paintings, in a poor state of conservation, belonging to an ancient church dated back to the Middle Age. The present manuscript reports the monitoring of environmental conditions (i.e., temperature and humidity) in a full year, as well as a study on the materials constituting the stone support and the paintings together with a survey of the microbial community. The findings allow us to define the causes that mainly involve the degradation of the paintings. In detail, the degradation of the east and the west walls occurred differently because of the exposure to the sea aerosol, which influenced the salt composition, also contributing to diversifying the bacterial community. Some specific actions to plan the conservation and restoration of paintings and to preserve the site are suggested

A new methodological approach to correlate protective and microscopic properties by soft x-ray microscopy and solid state nmr spectroscopy: The case of cusa’s stone

Hydrophobic treatment is one of the most important interventions usually carried out for the conservation of stone artefacts and monuments. The study here reported aims to answer a general question about how two polymers confer different protective performance. Two fluorinated-based polymer formulates applied on samples of Cusa’s stone confer a different level of water repellence and water vapour permeability. The observed protection action is here explained on the basis of chemico-physical interactions. The distribution of the polymer in the pore network was investigated using scanning electron microscopy and X-ray microscopy. The interactions between the stone substrate and the protective agents were investigated by means of solid state NMR spectroscopy. The ss-NMR findings reveal no significant changes in the chemical neighbourhood of the observed nuclei of each protective agent when applied onto the stone surface and provide information on the changes in the organization and dynamics of the studied systems, as well as on the mobility of polymer chains. This allowed us to explain the different macroscopic behaviours provided by each protective agent to the stone substrate

Sicilian byzantine icons through the use of non-invasive imaging techniques and optical spectroscopy: The case of the madonna dell’elemosina

The iconographic heritage is one of the treasures of Byzantine art that have enriched the south of Italy, and Sicily in particular, since the early 16th century. In this work, the investigations of a Sicilian Icon of Greek-Byzantine origin, the Madonna dell’Elemosina, is reported for the first time. The study was carried out using mainly non-invasive imaging techniques (photography in reflectance and grazing visible light, UV fluorescence, infrared reflectography, radiography, and computed tomography) and spectroscopic techniques (X-ray fluorescence and infrared spectroscopy). The identification of the constituent materials provides a decisive contribution to the correct historical and artistic placement of the Icon, a treasure of the Eastern European historical community in Sicily. Some hidden details have also been highlighted. Most importantly, the information obtained enables us to define its conservation state, the presence of foreign materials, and to direct its protection and restoration

Clinical presentations leading to arrhythmogenic left ventricular cardiomyopathy

Objectives To describe a cohort of patients with arrhythmogenic left ventricular cardiomyopathy (ALVC), focusing on the spectrum of the clinical presentations. Methods Patients were retrospectively evaluated between January 2012 and June 2020. Diagnosis was based on (1) ≥3 contiguous segments with subepicardial/midwall late gadolinium enhancement in the left ventricle (LV) at cardiac magnetic resonance plus a likely pathogenic/pathogenic arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy (AC) associated genetic mutation and/or familial history of AC and/or red flags for ALVC (ie, negative T waves in V4-6/aVL, low voltages in limb leads, right bundle branch block like ventricular tachycardia) or (2) pathology examination of explanted hearts or autoptic cases suffering sudden cardiac death (SCD). Significant right ventricular involvement was an exclusion criterion. Results Fifty-two patients (63% males, age 45 years (31-53)) composed the study cohort. Twenty-one (41%) had normal echocardiogram, 13 (25%) a hypokinetic non-dilated cardiomyopathy (HNDC) and 17 (33%) a dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM). Of 47 tested patients, 29 (62%) were carriers of a pathogenic/likely pathogenic DNA variant. Clinical contexts leading to diagnosis were SCD in 3 (6%), ventricular arrhythmias in 15 (29%), chest pain in 8 (15%), heart failure in 6 (12%) and familial screening in 20 (38%). Thirty patients (57%) had previously received a diagnosis other than ALVC with a diagnostic delay of 6 years (IQR 1-7). Conclusions ALVC is hidden in different clinical scenarios with a phenotypic spectrum ranging from normal LV to HNDC and DCM. Ventricular arrhythmias, chest pain, heart failure and SCD are the main clinical presentations, being familial screening essential for the affected relatives' identification

Electrocardiogram analysis in Anderson-Fabry disease: a valuable tool for progressive phenotypic expression tracking

BackgroundElectrocardiogram (ECG) has proven to be useful for early detection of cardiac involvement in Anderson-Fabry disease (AFD); however, little evidence is available on the association between ECG alterations and the progression of the disease.Aim and MethodsTo perform a cross sectional comparison of ECG abnormalities throughout different left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) severity subgroups, providing ECG patterns specific of the progressive AFD stages. 189 AFD patients from a multicenter cohort underwent comprehensive ECG analysis, echocardiography, and clinical evaluation.ResultsThe study cohort (39% males, median age 47 years, 68% classical AFD) was divided into 4 groups according to different degree of left ventricular (LV) thickness: group A & LE; 9 mm (n = 52, 28%); group B 10-14 mm (n = 76, 40%); group C 15-19 mm (n = 46, 24%); group D & GE; 20 mm (n = 15, 8%). The most frequent conduction delay was right bundle branch block (RBBB), incomplete in groups B and C (20%,22%) and complete RBBB in group D (54%, p < 0.001); none of the patients had left bundle branch block (LBBB). Left anterior fascicular block, LVH criteria, negative T waves, ST depression were more common in the advanced stages of the disease (p < 0.001). Summarizing our results, we suggested ECG patterns representative of the different AFD stages as assessed by the increases in LV thickness over time (Central Figure). Patients from group A showed mostly a normal ECG (77%) or minor anomalies like LVH criteria (8%) and delta wave/slurred QR onset + borderline PR (8%). Differently, patients from groups B and C exhibited more heterogeneous ECG patterns: LVH (17%; 7% respectively); LVH + LV strain (9%; 17%); incomplete RBBB + repolarization abnormalities (8%; 9%), more frequently associated with LVH criteria in group C than B (8%; 15%). Finally, patients from group D showed very peculiar ECG patterns, represented by complete RBBB + LVH and repolarization abnormalities (40%), sometimes associated with QRS fragmentation (13%).ConclusionsECG is a sensitive tool for early identification and long-term monitoring of cardiac involvement in patients with AFD, providing "instantaneous pictures" along the natural history of AFD. Whether ECG changes may be associated with clinical events remains to be determined

Granulomatous hepatitis due to Bartonella henselae infection in an immunocompetent patient

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p><it>Bartonella henselae </it>(<it>B. henselae</it>) is considered a rare cause of granulomatous hepatitis. Due to the fastidious growth characteristics of the bacteria, the limited sensitivity of histopathological stains, and the non-specific histological findings on liver biopsy, the diagnosis of hepatic bartonellosis can be difficult to establish. Furthermore, the optimal treatment of established hepatic bartonellosis remains controversial.</p> <p>Case presentation</p> <p>We present a case of hepatic bartonellosis in an immunocompetent woman who presented with right upper quadrant pain and a five cm right hepatic lobe mass on CT scan. The patient underwent a right hepatic lobectomy. Surgical pathology revealed florid necrotizing granulomatous hepatitis, favoring an infectious etiology. Despite extensive histological and serological evaluation a definitive diagnosis was not established initially. Thirteen months after initial presentation, hepatic bartonellosis was diagnosed by PCR studies from surgically excised liver tissue. Interestingly, the hepatic granulomas persisted and <it>Bartonella henselae </it>was isolated from the patient's enriched blood culture after several courses of antibiotic therapy.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The diagnosis of hepatic bartonellosis is exceedingly difficult to establish and requires a high degree of clinical suspicion. Recently developed, PCR-based approaches may be required in select patients to make the diagnosis. The optimal antimicrobial therapy for hepatic bartonellosis has not been established, and close follow-up is needed to ensure successful eradication of the infection.</p

On regulated solutions of impulsive differential equations with variable times

In this paper we investigate the unified theory for solutions of differential equations without impulses and with impulses, even at variable times, allowing the presence of beating phenomena, in the space of regulated functions. One of the aim of the paper is to give sufficient conditions to ensure that a regulated solution of an impulsive problem is globally defined