Evaluation of Eco-compatible methodologies to clean stone surfaces polluted by oil spill

Accidental oil spill is a serious hazard for marine ecosystem and several protocols have been developed to guarantee eco-sustainable intervention concerning sea, marine fauna and shores [1]. Architectural surfaces of historical building close to the sea might also be polluted by oil spill, with further complication due to tidal excursion, but any general rules of interventions have been developed to safeguard them and the restorers’ health. The past practices based on the use of toxic solvent (e.g. toluene and other organic solvents) are not admissible anymore [1-3], but the effectiveness of more eco-compatible methods on architectural surfaces is not well known yet. This research deals with the set up of suitable methods for the removal of oil (Fuel Oil 120 cSt) from traditional bricks and Istria Stone, materials commonly found in the embankments and buildings of North Adriatic coastal cities. The use of organic solvents have been compared to methods having lower toxicity for restorers and the environment, and low dispersion (e.g. by using poulticing) [5]. Brick and Istria stone specimens were put in contact with fuel oil for different time laps; the pollution effects and the oil penetration profiles were assessed by SEM-EDX, FT-IR spectroscopy and colorimetric evaluations. Different media (cellulose-based media, bentonite), solvents (N,N-dimetylottanammide, toluene only as comparison solvent), solid adsorbents (absorbent from Sphagnum Peat Moss, Ecosorboil) and non ionic surfactants have been tested in removing the oil from the polluted specimens, both alone (by brushing the surfaces) and in combination (by poulticing). The results indicate that oil is not able to penetrate Istria stone, but it impregnates bricks for around 2 mm depth. Among the ones tested ,the most effective methodology implies brushing the absorbent from Sphagnum Peat Moss on the surface to eliminate oil excess, followed by application of N,Ndimetylottanammide mixed with a surfactant agent. The removal is not complete for bricks, but the reduction of the amount of oil and the breaking of long hydrocarbon chains accelerates the natural decomposition

Emergence of Exhausted B Cells in Asymptomatic HIV-1-Infected Patients Naïve for HAART is Related to Reduced Immune Surveillance

Alterations of B cell subpopulations have been described up to date as characterizing advanced stage of HIV-1 infection. However, whether such defects are relevant in subjects with a preserved number of CD4+ T cells (>350 cells/μL) is unclear. In a cross-sectional study, we investigated if signs of B cells exhaustion and impaired viral immune surveillance are present in a cohort of 43 asymptomatic HIV-1-infected patients with preserved CD4+ T cell counts (>350 cells/μL) and highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) untreated. A dramatic expansion of exhausted tissue-like memory B cells (CD10−CD21lowCD27−) was observed. B cells alteration was related to an increase in Torque teno virus (TTV) load, used as surrogate marker of immune function. Successfully HAART-treated patients showed normalization of B cell subpopulations frequency and TTV load. These results provide new insights on B cell in HIV-1 infection and show that development of B cell abnormalities precedes CD4+ T cell decline

The role of artificial intelligence in the management of trigeminal neuralgia

Trigeminal neuralgia (TN) is the most frequent facial pain. It is difficult to treat pharmacologically and a significant amount of patients can become drug-resistant requiring surgical intervention. From an etiologically point of view TN can be distinguished in a classic form, usually due to a neurovascular conflict, a secondary form (for example related to multiple sclerosis or a cerebello-pontine angle tumor) and an idiopathic form in which no anatomical cause is identifiable. Despite numerous efforts to treat TN, many patients experience recurrence after multiple operations. This fact reflects our incomplete understanding of TN pathogenesis. Artificial intelligence (AI) uses computer technology to develop systems for extension of human intelligence. In the last few years, it has been a widespread of AI in different areas of medicine to implement diagnostic accuracy, treatment selection and even drug production. The aim of this mini-review is to provide an up to date of the state-of-art of AI applications in TN diagnosis and management

EVALUATION OF ECO-COMPATIBLE METHODOLOGIES TO CLEAN STONE SURFACES POLLUTED BY OIL SPILL

This research concerns the structuring of a suitable method for the removal of oil (Fuel Oil 120 cSt) from traditional bricks and Istrian Stone, materials commonly found amongst embankments and buildings of North Adriatic coastal cities. A cleaning protocol, based upon non-toxic products, was developed in consideration of its compatibility with historical, architectural surfaces. The contamination effects of oil on Istrian stone and fired clay bricks was studied, followed by a range of cleaning treatments using bulk sorbents, surfactant solutions and N, N-dimethyl-octanamide. The application was executed using the products singularly, combined or in succession. The succession of sorbent, solvent and surfactant solution demonstrated good capability of removal and was then applied on macrosamples of brick masonry showing good results

Influence of the static magnetic field on cell response in a miniaturized optically accessible bioreactor for 3D cell culture

Hydraulic sealing is a crucial condition for the maintenance of sterility during long term operation of microfluidic bioreactors. We developed a miniaturized optically accessible bioreactor (MOAB) allowing perfused culture of 3D cellularised constructs. In the MOAB, the culture chambers are sealed by magnets that generate a weak static magnetic field (SMF). Here, we predicted computationally the exact level of SMF to which cells are subjected during culture in the MOAB and we assessed its influence on the viability, metabolic activity and gene expression of neuroblastoma-derived cells cultured up to seven days. The predicted SMF ranged from 0.32 to 0.57 T using an axial-symmetric model of a single chamber, whereas it ranged from 0.35 to 0.62 T using a 3D model of the complete device. Cell function was evaluated in SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma cells at 2 and 7 days of culture in the MOAB, compared to 2D monolayer, 3D non-perfused constructs, and 3D perfused constructs cultured in a modified MOAB with magnet-free sealing. We measured the cell metabolic activity normalized by the DNA content and the expression levels of heat-shock protein 70 (Hsp-70), Bcl-2 and Bax. We found that the level of SMF applied to cells in the MOAB did not influence their metabolic activity and exerted a stressful effect in 2D monolayer, not confirmed in 3D conditions, neither static not perfused. Instead, the magnets provided a significantly greater hydraulic sealing in long-term culture, thus the MOAB might be potentially exploitable for the development of reliable in vitro models of neurodegeneration

The study of pitch via gas chromatography-mass spectrometry and Fourier-transformed infrared spectroscopy: The case of the Roman amphoras from Monte Poro, Calabria (Italy)

The analysis of the composition of organic residues present in ancient pottery are an important source of information for archaeologists. The chemical characterisation of these materials gives information on diets, habits, technologies and original use of the vessels. In this paper the resinous materials from the interior surfaces of Roman amphoras and the contents of two particular vessels (called Kadoi) coming from Monte Poro, in Calabria (Italy) were studied. The organic materials were identified by Fourier-transformed infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) and gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (GC–MS). The presence of monocarboxylic acids and terpenic species shows that the organic residues were of vegetable origin or mainly consist of vegetable-based resins. Moreover, the presence of characteristic diterpenic biomarkers permits to recognize the use of pine resin and pine pitch, while the presence of methyl dehydro-abietic acid is likely linked to the use of wood tar and not only to the pine pitch. It was not possible to identify with accuracy the species of Pine used to prepare the pitch since the profile of diterpenoid acids of an aged and thermal treated resin is very different from the one of fresh resin. Nevertheless, the hypothesis about the use of Pinus Laricius and Pinus Negrus to prepare the pitch is plausible as these two species were and are both very abundant in Monte Poro's area

Search for dark matter produced in association with bottom or top quarks in √s = 13 TeV pp collisions with the ATLAS detector

A search for weakly interacting massive particle dark matter produced in association with bottom or top quarks is presented. Final states containing third-generation quarks and miss- ing transverse momentum are considered. The analysis uses 36.1 fb−1 of proton–proton collision data recorded by the ATLAS experiment at √s = 13 TeV in 2015 and 2016. No significant excess of events above the estimated backgrounds is observed. The results are in- terpreted in the framework of simplified models of spin-0 dark-matter mediators. For colour- neutral spin-0 mediators produced in association with top quarks and decaying into a pair of dark-matter particles, mediator masses below 50 GeV are excluded assuming a dark-matter candidate mass of 1 GeV and unitary couplings. For scalar and pseudoscalar mediators produced in association with bottom quarks, the search sets limits on the production cross- section of 300 times the predicted rate for mediators with masses between 10 and 50 GeV and assuming a dark-matter mass of 1 GeV and unitary coupling. Constraints on colour- charged scalar simplified models are also presented. Assuming a dark-matter particle mass of 35 GeV, mediator particles with mass below 1.1 TeV are excluded for couplings yielding a dark-matter relic density consistent with measurements