Earthquake Characteristics and Structural Properties of the Southern Tyrrhenian Basin from Full Seismic Wave Simulations

Modelling the response of seismic wavefields to sharp lateral variations in crustal discontinuities is essential for seismic tomography application and path effects correction in earthquake source characterization. This is particularly relevant when wavefields cross back-arc oceanic basins, i.e. mixed continental-oceanic settings. High-frequency (> 0.05 Hz) seismic waves resonate and get absorbed across these settings due to a shallow Moho, crustal heterogeneities, and energy leakage. Here, we provide the first high-frequency wave-equation model of full seismograms propagating through realistic 3D back-arc basins. Inversion by parameters trial based on correlation analyses identifies P-, S-and coda-wave as attributes able to estimate jointly 3D Moho variations, sediment thickness, and earthquake source characteristics using data from a single regional earthquake. We use as data waveforms produced by the Accumoli earthquake (Central Italy, 2016), propagating across the Southern Tyrrhenian basin and recorded across Southern Italy. The best model comprises a deep Moho ( similar to 18 km) in the middle of the basin and a crustal pinch with the continental crust in Sicily. The deep Moho corresponds to the Issel Bridge, a portion of continental crust trapped between the Vavilov and Marsili volcanic centres. The Accumoli earthquake is optimally described at a depth of 7.3 km using a boxcar with rise time of 6 s. Our results show that the early S-wave coda comprises trapped and reverberating phases sensitive to crustal interfaces. Forward modelling these waves is computationally expensive; however, adding these attributes to tomographic procedures allows modelling both source and structural parameters across oceanic basins

Helichrysum araxinum Takht. ex Kirp. grown in Italy: Volatiloma composition and in vitro antimicrobial activity

In the present work the composition of biogenic volatile organic compounds (BVOCs) and the essential oil (EO) of Helichrysum araxinum Takht. ex Kirp. aerial parts, together with the antimicrobial activity, were investigated. The results showed the prevalence of sesquiterpene hydrocarbons in both spontaneous emissions as well as in the EO. The main compounds of BVOCs were γ-curcumene (10.7%), γ-muurolene (9.2%), and β-selinene (8.5%). This latter constituent also showed a similar amount in the EO and represented the most abundant compounds together with α-selinene (8.0%). It is Interesting to note the same percentage of monoterpene hydrocarbons (MHs) in both the aroma profile and the EO (18.0%) with the same most abundant compounds: β-pinene (6.3% in BVOCs vs. 5.1% in EO, respectively) and limonene (4.5% in VOCs vs. 4.9% in EO, respectively). With regard to the antimycotic activity, the EO showed to be inactive against the tested strains, while a moderate antibacterial activity was shown against Staphylococcus isolates

Volatilome analyses and in vitro antimicrobial activity of the essential oils from five south african helichrysum species

Helichrysum genus was used in folk South African medicine to treat various human disorders. As a part of our on-going research addressing the exploitation of South African plants belonging to this genus, five species were investigated for their volatile and antimicrobial activities. The volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and the essential oils (EOs) were analysed by gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Microdilution was the method used for assessing both antimycotic and antibacterial activities, which was also tested by Kirby-Bauer agar disc diffusion. Total monoterpenes (TMs) dominated the VOCs of four species (H. trilineatum (70.6%), H. edwardsii (79.3%), H. cooperi (84.5%), and H. pandurifolium (57.0%)). H. cooperi and H. edwardsii EOs showed the predominance of TMs (68.2% and 84.5%, respectively), while H. pandurifolium and H. trilineatum EOs were characterized by the prevalence of TSs (86.5% and 43.6%, respectively). H. odoratissimum EO evidenced a similar amount of both TMs (49.5%) and TSs (46.4%). Microsporum canis was more sensitive to these EOs. The lowest minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) was observed with H. pandurifolium and H. edwardsii EOs (0.25%). H. pandurifolium and H. trilineatum had a good effect on Staphylococcus aureus (MIC 5%). These findings open new perspectives for the exploitation of these natural compounds for application in cosmetics and pharmaceutics

A deterministic approach for shape and topology optimisation under material uncertainty in additive manufacturing

The present work aims at handling uncertain materials in shape and topology optimisation applied to additive manufacturing. More specifically, we minimise an objective function combining the mean values of standard cost functions and assume that the uncertainties are small and generated by two random variables. These two variables representing the amplitude of the Young's modulus correspond to the zone of porosity inclusion and surface roughness defects. A deterministic approach that relies on a secondorder Taylor expansion of the cost function has been proposed by Allaire & Dapogny [2]. The present work proposes a general framework to handle uncertainties of the Young's modulus in which its amplitude is divided into N zones and then applied onto two zones corresponding to the porosity inclusion and surface roughness defects. We demonstrate the effectiveness of the approach in the context of the level-set-based topology optimisation for the robust compliance minimisation of three-dimensional cantilever test cases

Antimicrobial activity and composition of five rosmarinus (Now salvia spp. and varieties) essential oils

Salvia rosmarinus Spenn. and Salvia jordanii J.B.Walker are aromatic evergreen shrubs belonging to the Lamiaceae family. Their aerial parts have been used since ancient times as natural preservatives. The present study reported the investigation of the chemical profile and the extraction yield of the essential oils (EOs) obtained from the dried aerial parts of four cultivars of Salvia rosmarinus (‘Boule’; ‘Vicomte de Noailles’; ‘Gorizia’; ‘Joyce de Baggio’) and the species S. jordanii, together with their antibacterial and antifungal activities. The phytochemical investigation evidenced a predominance of oxygenated monoterpenes in all the samples (57.5–77.1%), except in ‘Boule’, in which the hydrocarbon form prevailed (50.2%). Principal Component Analysis (PCA) of the matrix taxa × compounds showed that nine compounds have a significant discriminating function between the samples. ‘Vicomte de Noailles’ was characterized by high amounts of camphor and 14-hydroxy-9-epi-(E)-caryophyllene, while ‘Gorizia’ and Jord differed in their predominance of camphene, borneol, bornyl acetate, and α-humulene. Lastly, ‘Boule’ and ‘Joyce de Baggio’ segregated separately and were characterized by high amounts of α-pinene, myrcene, and verbenone. The selected EOs presented a moderate antibacterial activity on the tested bacterial strains and resulted not active on the tested yeast species

Postmortem CT pulmonary findings in SARS-CoV-2-positive cases: correlation with lung histopathological findings and autopsy results

Introduction/purpose Postmortem computed tomography (PMCT) is a valuable tool for analyzing the death of patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection. The purpose of this study was to investigate the correlation between PMCT lung findings in autopsy cadavers positive for SARS-CoV-2 infection and the severity of COVID-19 lung disease by histopathological analysis.Materials and methods We reviewed chest PMCT findings, paying particular attention to the lung parenchyma, in 8 autopsy cases positive for SARS-CoV-2. Correlations between chest PMCT and histopathological findings were assessed. Clinical conditions and comorbidities were also recorded and discussed. The primary cause of death was finally considered.Results In 6/8 cases, pulmonary PMCT findings were massive consolidation (4/8) and bilateral diffuse mixed densities with a crazy-paving pattern (2/8). These cases showed severe pulmonary signs of COVID-19 at histopathological analysis. In the remaining 2/8 cases, pulmonary PMCT findings were scant antideclive ground-glass opacities in prevalent gradient densities attributed to hypostasis. In 4/8 cases with massive consolidations, important comorbidities were noted. In 6/8 cases with severe pulmonary histopathological signs of lung COVID-19, autopsy found that the cause of death was cardiorespiratory failure. In the remaining 2/8 cases, histopathological analysis revealed lung alterations due to edema and some signs of SARS-CoV-2 infection; the cause of death was not attributed to SARS-CoV-2 infection (Table 1).Discussion and conclusion Chest PMCT findings correlate with the severity of COVID-19 lung disease at histopathology examination. According to our results, there may also be a relationship between cause of death and PMCT findings in COVID-19, which must be critically analyzed considering clinical antemortem data

Postmortem CT pulmonary findings in SARS-CoV-2-positive cases: correlation with lung histopathological findings and autopsy results

Introduction/purpose: Postmortem computed tomography (PMCT) is a valuable tool for analyzing the death of patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection. The purpose of this study was to investigate the correlation between PMCT lung findings in autopsy cadavers positive for SARS-CoV-2 infection and the severity of COVID-19 lung disease by histopathological analysis. Materials and methods: We reviewed chest PMCT findings, paying particular attention to the lung parenchyma, in 8 autopsy cases positive for SARS-CoV-2. Correlations between chest PMCT and histopathological findings were assessed. Clinical conditions and comorbidities were also recorded and discussed. The primary cause of death was finally considered. Results: In 6/8 cases, pulmonary PMCT findings were massive consolidation (4/8) and bilateral diffuse mixed densities with a crazy-paving pattern (2/8). These cases showed severe pulmonary signs of COVID-19 at histopathological analysis. In the remaining 2/8 cases, pulmonary PMCT findings were scant antideclive ground-glass opacities in prevalent gradient densities attributed to hypostasis. In 4/8 cases with massive consolidations, important comorbidities were noted. In 6/8 cases with severe pulmonary histopathological signs of lung COVID-19, autopsy found that the cause of death was cardiorespiratory failure. In the remaining 2/8 cases, histopathological analysis revealed lung alterations due to edema and some signs of SARS-CoV-2 infection; the cause of death was not attributed to SARS-CoV-2 infection (Table 1). Discussion and conclusion: Chest PMCT findings correlate with the severity of COVID-19 lung disease at histopathology examination. According to our results, there may also be a relationship between cause of death and PMCT findings in COVID-19, which must be critically analyzed considering clinical antemortem data

Prevalence of Toxoplasma gondii infection in Myocastor coypus in a protected Italian wetland

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p><it>Toxoplasma gondii </it>is the causative agent for a major zoonosis with cosmopolitan distribution. Water has been implicated in outbreaks of toxoplasmosis in recent years. Coypus (<it>Myocastor coypus</it>), commonly nutria, are large semi-aquatic invasive rodents, naturalized throughout European countries, including most wetlands of Central Italy. The habitat of these animals is both terrestrial and aquatic, making them a species highly exposed to the parasite.</p> <p>Findings</p> <p>The occurrence of the infection was evaluated using a modified agglutination test (MAT) in 74 adult coypus from a naturalized population living in a wetland of Central Italy. Nested PCR (n-PCR) assay was carried out on some of them. Positive <it>T. gondii </it>MAT results were found in 44 animals (59·4%), 30 males (68·2%) and 14 females (31·8%). Antibody titers were ranging from 20 to 40960, while 12 out of 23 (52·2%), examined animals, 8 males (66·7%) and 4 females (33·3%), resulted positive to n-PCR. All n-PCR positive animals were seropositive, showing antibody titers ranging from 640 to 40960.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Our results indicate that examined animals are heavily parasitized with <it>Toxoplasma</it>. This suggests that coypus could be a reservoir of this parasite, because they can be eaten both by scavenger animals and by humans, and that these animals would play a role in maintaining the cycle of <it>T. gondii</it>.</p