Problem of the Integration of the Tools of Environmental Politics, VAS (Ex Directive 2001/42/CE), EMAS (Rule 761/2001/CE), and New Model of Industrial Sustainable Area

The study deepens the problem list in the application of the VAS and the new procedures relative EMAS II° to industrial areas e/o territorial organizations, and it analyzes some cases of study. The cases of study analyzed are those of the district of Solofra and the area ASI in Trapani in south Italy, and Prato in centre Italy, The objective principals of the project are integral part of the project LIFE-SIAM 2005: to define to analyze the degree of vertical integration (from the directive UEs to the local actions) and horizontal (from the partenariato for the governance to the forums of AG21L) of the principles of the sustainability and the governance in the territory beginning from the location and management of the industrial areas; the analysis of the methods experimented of shared territorial planning of the development, based on an approach multidisciplinary, comprendente partenariato, planning, evaluation and monitoring; the analysis of the levels of know managerial how and necessary planning development of a collaborative climate and of effective relationships among the Local Authorities, the citizens, the productive system, the experts and the scientific world; the analysis of the necessary professional dimensions and applications with the purpose to form new subject responsible and figures professional able to plan and to manage the governance and the sustainable development beginning from the industrial areas. The project as defined a new Model of Industrial Sustainable Area. These objectives of analysis will be pursued through the verification on the field of the state of application, the adaptation and the integration of different community tools of environmental politics, what the Evaluation Environmental Strategy (VAS), ex Directive 2001/42/CE and the EMAS, ex Rule 761/2001/CE, in the procedures of governance effected on the territory. The study intends to give a contribution to show the difficulties attuative in to integrate different voluntary community tools inside models as the governance, or of policy as the sustainable development, and to allow one innovative approach of theirs, how much more possible inserted in the planning and territorial management. The study as experimented the application of the Model in the case study.

Visualising emergent phenomena at oxide interfaces

Knowledge of atomic-level details of structure, chemistry, and electronic states is paramount for a comprehensive understanding of emergent properties at oxide interfaces. We utilise a novel methodology based on atomic-scale electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS) to spatially map the electronic states tied to the formation of a two-dimensional electron gas (2DEG) at the prototypical non-polar/polar $TiO_2$/$LaAlO_3$ interface. Combined with differential phase contrast analysis we directly visualise the microscopic locations of ions and charge and find that 2DEG states and $Ti^{3+}$ defect states exhibit different spatial distributions. Supported by density functional theory (DFT) and inelastic scattering simulations we examine the role of oxygen vacancies in 2DEG formation. Our work presents a general pathway to directly image emergent phenomena at interfaces using this unique combination of arising microscopy techniques with machine learning assisted data analysis procedures.Comment: 17 pages, 10 figure

Direct-ARPES and STM investigation of FeSe thin film growth by Nd:YAG laser

Funding: D.M. acknowledges the receipt of a fellowship from the ICTP Programme for Training and Research in Italian Laboratories, Trieste, Italy. R.A. and A.B. acknowledges the support by the Austrian Science Fund (FWF) through Projects No. P26830, No. P31423 and H2020 NFFA-Europe 654360.Research on ultrathin quantum materials requires full control of the growth and surface quality of the specimens in order to perform experiments on their atomic structure and electron states leading to ultimate analysis of their intrinsic properties. We report results on epitaxial FeSe thin films grown by pulsed laser deposition (PLD) on CaF2 (001) substrates as obtained by exploiting the advantages of an all-in-situ ultra-high vacuum (UHV) laboratory allowing for direct high-resolution surface analysis by scanning tunnelling microscopy (STM), synchrotron radiation X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy (ARPES) on fresh surfaces. FeSe PLD growth protocols were fine-tuned by optimizing target-to-substrate distance d and ablation frequency, atomically flat terraces with unit-cell step heights are obtained, overcoming the spiral morphology often observed by others. In-situ ARPES with linearly polarized horizontal and vertical radiation shows hole-like and electron-like pockets at the Γ and M points of the Fermi surface, consistent with previous observations on cleaved single crystal surfaces. The control achieved in growing quantum materials with volatile elements such as Se by in-situ PLD makes it possible to address the fine analysis of the surfaces by in-situ ARPES and XPS. The study opens wide avenues for the PLD based heterostructures as work-bench for the understanding of proximity-driven effects and for the development of prospective devices based on combinations of quantum materials.Publisher PDFPeer reviewe

Evidence of a 2D Electron Gas in a Single-Unit-Cell of Anatase TiO2 (001)

The formation and the evolution of electronic metallic states localized at the surface, commonly termed 2D electron gas (2DEG), represents a peculiar phenomenon occurring at the surface and interface of many transition metal oxides (TMO). Among TMO, titanium dioxide (TiO2), particularly in its anatase polymorph, stands as a prototypical system for the development of novel applications related to renewable energy, devices and sensors, where understanding the carrier dynamics is of utmost importance. In this study, angle-resolved photo-electron spectroscopy (ARPES) and X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) are used, supported by density functional theory (DFT), to follow the formation and the evolution of the 2DEG in TiO2 thin films. Unlike other TMO systems, it is revealed that, once the anatase fingerprint is present, the 2DEG in TiO2 is robust and stable down to a single-unit-cell, and that the electron filling of the 2DEG increases with thickness and eventually saturates. These results prove that no critical thickness triggers the occurrence of the 2DEG in anatase TiO2 and give insight in formation mechanism of electronic states at the surface of TMO

Alterações eletrofisiológicas na doença de Oguchi

Descrever as alterações eletrofuncionais em um caso raríssimo da Doença de Oguchi. Paciente do sexo feminino, italiana de 17 anos de idade se queixava de cegueira noturna. A resposta escotópica de bastonetes, do ERG era não registrável. A resposta escotópica ao estímulo branco forte demonstrava uma diminuição de amplitude da onda B. As respostas ao flicker de 30Hz e ao EOG eram dentro dos limites da normalidade. Era presente o fenômeno de Mizuo-Nakamura. Os exames eletrofuncionais são muito importantes no diagnóstico de certeza da doença de Oguchi. É nítida, no presente caso, a discordância entre EOG e ERG. Considerando a função dos bastonetes, as respostas normais do EOG contrastam com a ausência de respostas dos bastonetes em condições escotópicas no ERG. Mais estudos são necessários para entender o complexo mecanismo eletrofuncional dessa doença e melhor definir a origem dos componentes sensíveis à luz do EOG

Complexity in hospital internal medicine departments: What are we talking about?

Internal medicine (IM) patients are mostly elderly, with multiple complex co-morbidities, usually chronic. The complexity of these patients involves the intricate entanglement of two or more systems (e.g. body and disease, family-socio-economic and environmental status, coordination of care and therapies) and this requires comprehensive, multi-dimensional assessment (MDA). Despite attempts to improve management of chronic conditions, and the availability of several MDA tools, defining the complex patient is still problematic. The complex profile of our patients can only be described through the best assessment tools designed to identify their characteristics. In order to do this, the Federation of Associations of Hospital Doctors on Internal Medicine FADOI has created its own vision of IM. This involves understanding the different needs of the patient, and analyzing diseases clusters and the possible relationships between them. By exploring the real complexity of our patients and selecting their real needs, we can exercise holistic, anthropological and appropriate choices for their treatment and care. A simpler assessment approach must be adopted for our complex patients, and alternative tools should be used to improve clinical evaluation and prognostic stratification in a hierarchical selection of priorities. Further investigation of complex patients admitted to IM wards is needed

Plant growth-promoting bacteria isolated from sugarcane improve the survival of micropropagated plants during acclimatisation

The plant microbiome plays an important role in nutrient acquisition and buffering plant hosts against abiotic and biotic stress. During in vitro propagation of sugarcane, pathogenic microorganisms are eliminated and most of the beneficial endophytic microorganisms. The objective of this study was to isolate and characterise potential plant growth-promoting bacteria (PGPB) from sugarcane and to analyse their ability to improve the survival of micropropagated sugarcane plantlets during the acclimatisation stage. First, bacterial isolates from sugarcane were identified by partial 16S rDNA sequencing and tested for plant growth-promoting (PGP) features, such as inorganic and organic phosphate solubilisation nitrogen fixation, siderophore synthesis, indole-3-acetic acid production, tolerance to abiotic stress and antibiotics production. Then three bacterial strains with multiple PGP traits were independently applied to micropropagated seedlings of the sugarcane variety TUC 03-12 when the plants were transferred to a nursery for ex vitro acclimatisation. The effect of selected PGPB on survival rates of micropropagated plantlets was evaluated in three independent assays, using different batches of seedlings. Thirty days after inoculation, 182-Bacillus and 336-Pseudomonas isolates significantly improved the transferred plants survival rate. High variability in plant survival among independent experiments was observed, but treatments with the 336-Pseudomonas strain showed a low mortality rate (20%) in all assays. This procedure constitutes a biological tool to improve the survival of micropropagated plants during greenhouse acclimatisation. Furthermore, it provides an initial tool for selecting bacteria with possible PGP effects in the field. Highlights - A total of 162 isolates obtained from the rhizosphere, rhizoplane, roots, and stems of sugarcane were characterised for plant growthpromoting features and identified by partial 16S rDNA sequencing. - Two PGPBs strains isolated from sugarcane (182-Bacillus and 336-Pseudomonas) significantly improved survival rates of micropropagated seedlings during the acclimatisation stage. - Under different stress conditions, the 336-Pseudomonas strain improved the survival of micropropagated plants during the acclimatisation stage

Prognostic value of the ABCD2 score beyond short-term follow-up after transient ischemic attack (TIA) - a cohort study

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Transient ischemic attack (TIA) patients are at a high vascular risk. Recently the ABCD²score was validated for evaluating short-term stroke risk after TIA. We assessed the value of this score to predict the vascular outcome after TIA during medium- to long-term follow-up.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>The ABCD²score of 176 TIA patients consecutively admitted to the Stroke Unit was retrospectively calculated and stratified into three categories. TIA was defined as an acute transient focal neurological deficit caused by vascular disease and being completely reversible within 24 hours. All patients had to undergo cerebral MRI within 5 days after onset of symptoms as well as extracranial and transcranial Doppler and duplex ultrasonography. At a median follow-up of 27 months, new vascular events were recorded. Multivariate Cox regression adjusted for EDC findings and heart failure was performed for the combined endpoint of cerebral ischemic events, cardiac ischemic events and death of vascular or unknown cause.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Fifty-five patients (32.0%) had an ABCD²score ≤ 3, 80 patients (46.5%) had an ABCD2 score of 4-5 points and 37 patients (21.5%) had an ABCD²score of 6-7 points. Follow-up data were available in 173 (98.3%) patients. Twenty-two patients (13.8%) experienced an ischemic stroke or TIA; 5 (3.0%) a myocardial infarction or acute coronary syndrome; 10 (5.7%) died of vascular or unknown cause; and 5 (3.0%) patients underwent arterial revascularization. An ABCD²score > 3 was significantly associated with the combined endpoint of cerebral or cardiovascular ischemic events, and death of vascular or unknown cause (hazard ratio (HR) 4.01, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.21 to 13.27). After adjustment for extracranial ultrasonographic findings and heart failure, there was still a strong trend (HR 3.13, 95% CI 0.94 to 10.49). Whereas new cardiovascular ischemic events occurred in 9 (8.3%) patients with an ABCD²score > 3, this happened in none of the 53 patients with a score ≤ 3.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>An ABCD²score > 3 is associated with an increased general risk for vascular events in the medium- to long-term follow-up after TIA.</p

Resting State fMRI Functional Connectivity Analysis Using Dynamic Time Warping

Traditional resting-state network concept is based on calculating linear dependence of spontaneous low frequency fluctuations of the BOLD signals of different brain areas, which assumes temporally stable zero-lag synchrony across regions. However, growing amount of experimental findings suggest that functional connectivity exhibits dynamic changes and a complex time-lag structure, which cannot be captured by the static zero-lag correlation analysis. Here we propose a new approach applying Dynamic Time Warping (DTW) distance to evaluate functional connectivity strength that accounts for non-stationarity and phase-lags between the observed signals. Using simulated fMRI data we found that DTW captures dynamic interactions and it is less sensitive to linearly combined global noise in the data as compared to traditional correlation analysis. We tested our method using resting-state fMRI data from repeated measurements of an individual subject and showed that DTW analysis results in more stable connectivity patterns by reducing the within-subject variability and increasing robustness for preprocessing strategies. Classification results on a public dataset revealed a superior sensitivity of the DTW analysis to group differences by showing that DTW based classifiers outperform the zero-lag correlation and maximal lag cross-correlation based classifiers significantly. Our findings suggest that analysing resting-state functional connectivity using DTW provides an efficient new way for characterizing functional networks