19 research outputs found
The marine activities performed within the TOMO-ETNA experiment
The TOMO-ETNA experiment was planned in order to obtain a detailed geological and structural model of the continental and oceanic crust beneath Mt. Etna volcano and northeastern Sicily up to the Aeolian Islands (southern Italy), by integrating data from active and passive refraction and reflection seismic methodologies, magnetic and gravity surveys. This paper focuses on the marine activities performed within the experiment, which have been carried out in the Ionian and Tyrrhenian Seas, during three multidisciplinary oceanographic cruises, involving three research vessels (\u201cSarmiento de Gamboa\u201d, \u201cGalatea\u201d and \u201cAegaeo\u201d) belonging to different countries and institutions. During the offshore surveys about 9700 air-gun shots were produced to achieve a high-resolution seismic tomography through the wide-angle seismic refraction method, covering a total of nearly 2650 km of shooting tracks. To register ground motion, 27 ocean bottom seismometers were deployed, extending the inland seismic permanent network of the Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia (INGV) and a temporary network installed for the experiment. A total of 1410 km of multi-channel seismic reflection profiles were acquired to image the subsurface of the area and to achieve a 2D velocity model for each profile. Multibeam sonar and sub bottom profiler data were also collected. Moreover, a total of 2020 km of magnetic and 680 km of gravity track lines were acquired to compile magnetic and gravity anomaly maps offshore Mt. Etna volcano. Here, high-resolution images of the seafloor, as well as sediment and rock samples, were also collected using a remotely operated vehicle
Octoport (single multiport device) use in pediatric age: first experience in Italy
Authors describe advantages in use of laparoscopic device (octoport) in pediatric miniinvasi surger
Utilizzo di fascia lata da banca per la ricostruzione di grandi difetti fasciali
Gli Autori descrivono un caso di prematurit\ue0 seguita da enterocolite necrotizzante. Durante il post-operatorio si \ue8 sviluppato un ampio difetto della parete addominale che \ue8 stato chiuso mediante apposizione di Fascia lata da banc
Enterobius vermicularis nel lume appendicolare: un reperto occasionale?
Gli Autori descrivono la casistica relativa ad appendiciti acute in et\ue0 pediatrica determinate da infestazione appendicolare da enterobius vermiculari
Response of Mount Etna to dynamic stresses from distant earthquakes
Influences of distant earthquakes on volcanic systems by dynamic stress transfer are well documented. We analyzed seismic signals and volcanic activity at Mount Etna during two periods, January 2006 and May 2008, that clearly showed variations coincident with distant earthquakes. In the first period, characterized by mild volcano activity, the effect of the dynamic stress transfer, caused by an earthquake in Greece (M = 6.8), was twofold: (1) banded tremor activity changed its features and almost disappeared; (2) a swarm of volcano-tectonic (VT) earthquakes took place. The changes of the banded tremor were likely due to variations in rock permeability, caused by fluid flows driven by dynamic strain. The VT earthquake swarm probably developed as a secondary process, promoted by the dynamically triggered activation of magmatic fluids. The second period, May 2008, showed an intense explosive activity. During this interval, the dynamic stress transfer, associated with the arrival of the seismic waves of the Sichuan earthquake (M = 7.9), affected the character of the seismo?volcanic signals and on the following day triggered an eruption. In particular, we observed changes in volcanic tremor and increases of both occurrence rate and energy of long period events. In this case, we suggest that dynamic stress transfer caused nucleation of new bubbles in volatile-rich magma bodies with consequent buildup of pressure, highlighted by the increase of long period activity, followed by the occurrence of an eruption. We conclude that stresses from distant earthquakes are capable of modifying the state of the volcano
Chordee latero-dorsale associata a torsione peniena: correzione chirurgica step by step.
Gli Autori descrivono le varie fasi della correzione della curvatura e deviazione penien
Long-term follow-up of nailfold videocapillaroscopic microvascular parameters in mixed connective tissue disease versus systemic sclerosis patients: a retrospective cohort study.
Objective. To retrospectively study
nailfold videocapillaroscopy (NVC)
changes in mixed connective tissue disease
(MCTD) patients and to compare
the capillary morphological abnormalities
between patients affected by MCTD
and systemic sclerosis (SSc) over time.
Methods. Ten MCTD patients on whom
NVC had been performed, with a follow-
up of three years, were selected.
In addition, ten patients affected by
SSc with similar age and disease duration
of MCTD patients were enrolled to
compare NVC abnormalities at baseline
(T0).
Results. Seven out of ten patients with
MCTD showed a \u201cscleroderma-like
pattern\u201d at first NVC. No statistically
significant variation of the detected
NVC parameters was observed during
the 3-year follow-up, and no statistically
significant correlation was observed between
capillary parameters and MCTD
clinical aspects at first visit and during
the follow-up. The scores of enlarged
capillaries, giant capillaries and microhaemorrhages
were significantly lower
(p<0.05) in MCTD versus SSc patients
at T0, moreover, the absolute number of
total capillaries and normal capillaries
was found significantly higher (p<0.05)
in MCTD versus SSc patients.
Conclusion. This study suggests that
nailfold microvascular damage does
not seem to be significantly progressive
in MCTD patients during a three-year
follow-up. MCTD patients show significantly
lower number of enlarged/giant
capillaries, but higher number of total
and normal capillaries than SSc patients
at first nailfold capillaroscopy. The
identification of a specific NVC pattern
in MCTD patients is not yet possible
A multiparameter approach to volcano monitoring based on 4D analyses of seismo-volcanic and acoustic signals: The 2008 Mt. Etna eruption
Volcanic tremor and low frequency events, together with infrasound signals, can represent important precursory phenomena of eruptive activity because of their strict relationship with eruptive mechanisms and with fluid flows through the volcano\u2019s feeding system. Important variations of these seismo-volcanic and infrasound signals, recorded at Mt. Etna volcano, occurred both in the medium- and shortterm before the eruption, that took place on 13 May 2008. The most significant changes were observed in the frequency content and location of LP events, as well as in volcanic tremor location, that allowed us to track the magma pathway feeding the 2008 eruptive activity. The infrasound showed three different families of events linked to the activity of the three active vents: North-East Crater, South-East crater and the eruptive fissure. The seismic and infrasonic variations reported, corroborated by ground deformations variations, help to develop a quantitative prediction and early-warning system for effusive and/or explosive eruptions
Tailored-BODIPY/Amphiphilic cycledextrin nanoassemblies with PDT effectiveness
Amphiphilic
cyclodextrins (aCDs) are an intriguing class of carrier
systems which, recently, have been proposed to deliver porphyrinoids
and anticancer drugs or combined dose of both for dual therapeutic
applications. The design of nanoassemblies based on aCD and photosensitizers
(PSs) aims to preserve the photodynamic therapy (PDT) efficacy of
PS, reducing the tendency of PS to self-aggregate, without affecting
the quantum yield of singlet oxygen (<sup>1</sup>O<sub>2</sub>) production,
and, not less importantly, minimizing dark toxicity and reducing photosensitization
effects. With this idea in mind, in this paper, we focus on nanoassemblies
between a non-ionic aCD (SC6OH) and halo-alkyl tailored iodinated
boron-dipyrromethenes (BODIPY) dye, a class of molecules which recently
have been successfully proposed as a stimulating alternative to porphyrinoids
for their high photodynamic efficacy. Nanoassemblies of BODIPY/aCD
(BL01I@SC6OH) were prepared in different aqueous media by evaporation
of mixed organic film of aCD and BODIPY, hydration, and sonication.
The nanostructures were characterized, measuring their hydrodynamic
diameter and Îľ-potential and also evaluating their time-stability
in biological relevant media. Taking advantage of emissive properties
of the not-iodinated BODIPY analogue (BL01), nanoassemblies based
on aCD and BL01 were investigated as model system to get insight on
entanglement of BODIPY in the amphiphile in aqueous dispersion, pointing
out that BODIPY is well-entrapped in monomeric form (τ ≅
6.5 ns) within the colloidal carriers. Also morphology and fluorescence
emission properties were elucidated after casting the solution on
glass. BL01@SC6OH is easily detectable in cytoplasm of HCT116 cell
lines, evidencing the remarkable intracellular penetration of this
nanoassembly similar to free BODIPY. On the same cell lines, the photodynamically
active assembly BL01I/aCD shows toxicity upon irradiation. Despite
the fact that free BL01I is more PDT active than its assembly, aCD
can modulate the cell uptake of BODIPY, pointing out the potential
of this system for in vivo PDT application