Production of metal nanoparticles by agro-industrial wastes. A green opportunity for nanotechnology

The feasibility of producing silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) using phenolic extracts from agro-industrial wastes as reducing agents was investigated. Phenolic extracts were obtained from bilberry wastes (BW) and spent coffee grounds (SCG) with aqueous ethanol as extraction solvent. Experiments were carried out in batch at 25 °C by adding appropriate amounts of phenolic extracts to a silver nitrate aqueous solution. The formation of Ag NPs was monitored spectrophotometrically by measuring the intensity of the surface plasmon resonance (SPR) band of silver at 415-435 nm. Depending on the process conditions, the synthesis of Ag NPs was completed in 3 to 5 hours. Characterization of the resulting reaction products by XRD, SEM and DLS showed that nanoparticles were formed with a spherical shape and an average size of 10-20 nm. Overall, the results obtained suggest that BW and SCG could be used as a source of reducing agents for the production of metal NPs and that agro-industrial wastes may represent a valid alternative to the use of microorganisms, whole plants or plant parts for the biogenic synthesis of NPs

Cambiamento climatico e green criminology

Il presente contributo propone una lettura socio-criminologica del cambiamento climatico. In una prima parte, questofenomeno viene intepretato all’interno del campo della green criminology, una prospettiva criminologica che studia i criminie i danni ambientali, assieme alle varie forme di (in)giustizia riguardanti la relazione tra l’uomo e l’ecosistema. Nella secondaparte del lavoro, viene evidenziata la rilevanza delle prospettive culturali e la nozione di “state-corporate crime”; vengonoinoltre discusse alcune questioni epistemologiche che ruotano attorno all’idea di “general accident”. Infine, viene esploratal’ambivalenza della relazione complessa che intercorre tra uomo e natura, al fine di promuovere nuove forme di responsabilitàcapaci di tener conto delle conseguenze dannose – presenti e future – del cambiamento climatico e dei fenomeni a essoconnessi

Field testing of tube-dip-in water precipitation collectors used in isotope hydrology

The oxygen and hydrogen stable isotope composition in precipitation serves as a benchmark in most isotope atmospheric, (eco-)hydrological, and paleoclimatological applications. Several rain collectors have been designed for collecting monthly, daily or event-based precipitations aiming to prevent evaporation and associated isotope fractionation. Oil collectors have been the most widely used for many years and only recently they are being progressively replaced by free- oil Tube-dip-in water collectors, especially after their formal publication by Gröning et al. (2012) and the production of a commercial version (Palmex Ltd). Although the reliability of this precipitation collector has been proven, many doubts remain when dealing with small precipitation amounts (Michelsen et al., 2018). Field testing of precipitation collectors is therefore encouraged, which should be carried out under the same environmental conditions of areas where researchers want to undertake their studies. In this work, we tested the field performance of different precipitation collectors in preventing evaporation and isotope fractionation. Two main objectives were behind this study: i) to evaluate the reliability of tube-dip-in water collectors for very low precipitation amounts; ii) to test a homemade Tube-dip-in water collector for different water amounts. The experiment consisted of simulating the collection of small monthly precipitation samples in spring and summer when atmospheric conditions are more likely to promote evaporation. The experiment was carried out on the rooftop of the Earth Science Department of the University of Pisa from March 2022 to July 2022. Four different collector designs were tested simultaneously over four different periods (each lasting approximately one month): a Control collector with no anti-evaporative system; an Oil collector; a Palmex Tube-dip-in water collector; a homemade Tube-dip-in water collector. They were filled to 1.4% of their total volume (10 L) with water of known isotope composition. Since the diameter of 13.5 cm of most common funnels, this percentage corresponds to ~10 mm. Other two homemade Tube-dip-in water collectors were filled to 5% and 10%, corresponding to ~35 mm and ~70 mm. All the collectors were placed outside at the start of each period. Evaporative mass losses were determined gravimetrically and samples for isotope analyses were collected at the end of each period. On average, the Oil collector showed the smallest mass losses, and the isotope shifts were much lower than analytical errors. The Palmex collector failed, with even larger mass losses and isotope shifts (Δδ18O = 0.42‰ and Δδ2H = 1.6‰) than the Control collector. The home-made Tube-dip-in water collectors performed well and better than Palmex. Mass losses and isotope shifts tended to increase with increasing temperature and decreasing relative humidity

The application of digital pulse amplitude tonometry to the diagnostic investigation of endothelial dysfunction in men with erectile dysfunction

The application of digital pulse amplitude by fingertip peripheral arterial tonometry (PAT) device in patients with erectile dysfunction (ED) has never been performed. We investigated the diagnostic value of reactive hyperaemia (RH) and augmentation index (AI) as evaluated using PAT in men with ED of any origin. A total of 40 patients underwent diagnostic investigation for ED, including dynamic penile duplex ultrasound (PDU) and PAT device. Moreover, 30 patients without ED served as controls. According to PDU cutoff at 35 cm/sec, patients were divided into vascular (n = 30) and nonvascular (n = 10) ED aetiology. Moreover, controls with (n = 10) or without (n = 20) vascular risk factors (VRFs) were studied in a separate analysis. Average RH-PAT was not different in men with or without ED (P = 0.56) independently of VRFs. The AI was higher in men with ED compared with the controls (P < 0.0001) as well as when controlled for the presence or absence of VRFs (P < 0.0001). An inverse relationship between AI and PSV was also found (r2 = -0.72, P < 0.0001). In conclusion, an increased AI but not an impaired RH-PAT is present in men with vascular ED independently of VRFs and may represent an early detection of vascular impairment that may precede endothelial dysfunction in populations at low risk for developing vascular ED

Moisture sources and climatic effects controlling precipitation stable isotope composition in a western Mediterranean island (Pianosa, Italy)

The Mediterranean basin is indicated as a hot spot of climate change, which is an area whose climate is especially responsive to variations. The insular environment is one of the most threatened by the current climate change, especially in terms of drought events, with serious consequences for water scarcity and water stress. This issue is even enhanced in small islands, whose ecosystems are among more sensitive to climatic changes and water availability. The stable isotope composition of hydrogen (delta 2H) and oxygen (delta 18O) in precipitation is globally recognized as a powerful natural tracer in the water cycle and represents the starting point to investigate hydrological processes. The understanding of the prevailing factors that drive the isotopic variability of precipitation in the Mediterranean is therefore essential to unravel the hydrological processes and to ensure proper and sustainable management of potentially vulnerable resources to climate change. Here, we discuss the results of multi-year isotopic monitoring in the period 2014-2021 of monthly precipitation collected on Pianosa Island (Italy), a small island located in the northern Tyrrhenian (western Mediterranean). The lower slope and intercept of the Local Meteoric Water Line of the island compared to the Global Meteoric Water Line indicated warmer and drier climatic conditions, suggesting the existence of sub-cloud evaporation processes of raindrops during precipitation, especially in summer. The mean delta 18O of precipitation was lower with respect to other sites placed at higher elevation in this Mediterranean region, due to the lack of summer precipitation which were generally enriched in heavy isotopes. Temperature and amount effects may explain part of the delta 18O variability observed at the monthly and seasonal scale. An HYSPLIT-based moisture uptake analysis indicated the area between the western Mediterranean basin, Italy, and the Adriatic Sea as the region that supplied most of the humidity associated with monthly precipitation samples on Pianosa Island. Less moisture was picked from the northwestern areas of Europe, the North Atlantic Ocean, the proximal Atlantic Ocean, the Iberian Peninsula and North Africa. Consistently with the rainout effect, the higher the moisture fraction picked from the more proximal regions, the more positive the delta 18O of precipitation occurring on Pianosa Island; conversely, the higher the percentage of moisture sourced from more distal regions, the more negative the delta 18O. A multiple linear model was proposed to predict the delta 18O of monthly precipitation from temperature, precipitation amount and moisture origin data, which explained 45% of the delta 18O variability. The deuterium excess variability on the island was partly controlled by the local climatic variables, whose effect potentially modifies the original d-excess signature imprinted at the moisture source. No relationship was found between the precipitation deuterium excess and moisture sources, suggesting that more attention should be paid when using the deuterium excess as a tracer of moisture origin, especially in the Mediterranean

El parque agroambiental como nueva categoría de sistema de espacios libres

This article studies systems of open spaces and the contemporary urbanization of the municipality of Limeira, which belongs to the Campinas Administrative Region, in the state of São Paulo. We devote our attention to “regional contemporary parks”, which have also been called “agro-environmental parks”. While they do not represent a simple solution, they are a new possibility of thinking and acting. Through these types of parks, we can adjust our focus in the direction of local needs, and search for coherent mechanisms to act locally. Differently than other areas, also endowed with important natural assets, such as the São Paulo Metropolitan Region, this concept of park focuses on areas that are economically and socially uniform and which have been almost stripped of their flora and fauna due to intensive farming activity. The challenge we faced here is to promote a political discussion on regional contemporary parks as a way to meet social and environmental needs. This could include leisure, sports or other cultural activities that brings a regional focus, farming or forestry activities, or the conservation of ecosystems, which would define different levels of intervention and accessibility to the places as a whole. The concept of “agro-environmental park” is proposed as a tool for regional and environmental planning. El presente artículo tiene como tema el estudio de sistemas de espacios libres y la urbanización contemporánea en la región de Limeira, integrante de la Región Administrativa de Campinas- SP. Merece especial atención la configuración del territorio, como unidad de proyeto para un “parque regional contemporáneo”, o “parque agroambiental”, como se popuso llamarlo. El “parque agroambiental” no es una solución sencilla, sino una posibilidad de pensar y actuar. Se puede, por medio de él, ajustar el foco de la lectura de la realidad local, buscándose mecanismos más coherentes para en ella actuar. A diferencia de otras regiones de importantes recursos naturales, como la región metropolitana de São Paulo, el concepto de ese parque objetiva trabajar un área económica y socialmente uniforme, donde la flora y la fauna son casi inexistentes, ya que han sido sustituidas por la urbanización y por áreas destinadas a la producción agrícola para el mercado global. El reto que aquí se propone es volver al parque regional contemporáneo objeto de debate para políticas públicas de atención a las necesidades sociales y ambientales. Pueden ser prácticas de diversión, deportes y/o contemplativas, actividades culturales de identidad regional, de producción agrícola o forestal, de conservación de ecosistemas, por medio de las cuales se definen diferentes niveles y escalas de intervención y accesibilidad a los lugares. Se propone el concepto de “parque agroambiental” como instrumento de planificación regional y ambiental. O presente artigo tem como tema o estudo de sistemas de espaços livres e a urbanização contemporânea na região de Limeira, integrante da Região Administrativa de Campinas - SP. De especial atenção é a configuração do território, como unidade de projeto para um “parque regional contemporâneo” ou, como se propôs chamar, “parque agroambiental”. O “parque agroambiental” não é uma solução simples, mas uma possibilidade de pensar e agir. Pode-se, por meio dele, ajustar o foco de leitura da realidade local, buscando-se mecanismos mais coerentes para nela atuar. Diferentemente de outras regiões de importantes recursos naturais, como a região metropolitana de São Paulo, o conceito do parque objetiva trabalhar uma área econômica e socialmente uniforme, onde a fauna e a flora são quase inexistentes, visto terem sido substituídas pela urbanização e pelas áreas destinadas à produção agrícola para o mercado global. O desafio aqui proposto é tornar o parque regional contemporâneo objeto de debate para políticas públicas de atendimento às necessidades sociais e ambientais. Podem ser práticas de lazer, esportes e/ou contemplativas, atividades culturais de identidade regional, de produção agrícola ou florestal, de conservação de ecossistemas, por meio das quais se definem diferentes níveis e escalas de intervenção e de acessibilidade aos lugares. Propõe-se o conceito de “parque agroambiental” como instrumento de planejamento regional e ambiental

Culture-negative infective endocarditis (CNIE): impact on postoperative mortality

AbstractIntroductionPoor postoperative outcomes have been reported after surgery for infective endocarditis (IE). Whether the absence of positive cultures impacts the prognosis remains a matter of discussion. The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of negative cultures on the prognosis of surgically treated IE.MethodsThis was a single-center, retrospective study. From January 2000 to June 2019, all patients who underwent valvular surgery for IE were included in the study. The primary endpoint was early postoperative mortality. A covariate balancing propensity score was developed to minimize the differences between the culture-positive IE (CPIE) and culture-negative IE (CNIE) cohorts. Using the estimated propensity scores as weights, an inverse probability treatment weighting (IPTW) model was built to generate a weighted cohort. Then, to adjust for confounding related to CPIE and CNIE, a doubly robust method that combines regression model with IPTW by propensity score was adopted to estimate the causal effect of the exposure on the outcome.ResultsDuring the study period, 327 consecutive patients underwent valvular repair/replacement with the use of cardiopulmonary bypass and cardioplegic cardiac arrest for IE. Their mean age was 61.4 ± 15.4 years, and 246 were males (75.2%). Native valve IE and prosthetic valve IE accounted for 87.5% and 12.5% of cases, respectively. Aortic (182/327, 55.7%) and mitral valves (166/327, 50.8%) were mostly involved; 20.5% of isolated mitral valve diseases were repaired (22/107 patients). The tricuspid valve was involved in 10 patients (3.3%), and the pulmonary valve in 1 patient (<1%). Fifty-nine patients had multiple-valve disease (18.0%). Blood cultures were negative in 136/327 (41.6 %). A higher postoperative mortality was registered in CNIE than in CPIE patients (19% vs 9%, respectively, p = 0.01). The doubly robust analysis after IPTW by propensity score showed CNIE to be associated with early postoperative mortality (odds ratio 2.10; 95% CI, 1.04–4.26, p = 0.04).ConclusionsIn our cohort, CNIE was associated with a higher early postoperative mortality in surgically treated IE patients after dedicated adjustment for confounding. In this perspective, any effort to improve preoperative microbiological diagnosis, thus allowing targeted therapeutic initiatives, might lead to overall better postoperative outcomes in surgically treated IE