SEM-EDX and SEM-CL to Characterize Lapis Lazuli from Different Provenances

Extended abstract of a paper presented at Microscopy and Microanalysis 2011 in Nashville, Tennessee, USA, August 7–August 11, 2011

Pattern of Hard Seed Breakdown in Some Annual Self-Reseeding Legumes under Mediterranean Field Conditions

In the last decade a new generation of annual pasture legumes was released and introduced in the seed market for the Australian ley systems. In Sardinia (Italy), despite good agronomic performances in the first year, several of these new varieties showed low autumn re-establishment, reducing their competitiveness against native species and depressing any attempt for a long term pasture improvement (Porqueddu et al. 2010). Hardseedness may influence legume persistence. A study on the pattern of hard seed breakdown on some self-reseeding annual pasture legumes was carried out

\u3cem\u3ePiptatherum miliaceum (L.)\u3c/em\u3e Coss: A Mediterranean Native Perennial Grass with Potential Use for Bioenergy

In Mediterranean regions, the development of a bioenergy sector is restricted by the scarce availability of species and varieties suitable to cultivation in rainfed environments, where summer drought affects plant survival (Scordia et al., 2014). Native perennial grasses that survive summer drought in a dormant or semi-dormant state may represent potential bioenergy crops. Nevertheless, the native germplasm of Mediterranean perennial grasses is unexplored for bioenergy production, except for giant reed, and little investigated also for other uses, as forage production. Smilo grass (Piptatherum miliaceum (L.) Coss) is a native species growing in marginal environments and it is palatable up to flowering stage. Its high aboveground biomass production suggests the alternative use as bioenergy plant when its palatability decreases. The aim of this study was to evaluate the degree of variability in dry matter yield, biomass partitioning among organs and feedstock quality for bioenergy uses in Sardinian native smilo grass populations

Acute effects of coffee on endothelial function in healthy subjects

Background/Objectives: Coffee is the most widely consumed beverage in the world, but its effect on the cardiovascular system has not been fully understood. Coffee contains caffeine and antioxidants, which may influence endothelial function, both of which have not yet been investigated. The objective of this study was to investigate the acute effects of coffee on endothelial function measured by brachial artery flow-mediated dilation (FMD). Subjects/Methods: A total of 20 (10 males and 10 females) healthy non-obese subjects underwent a double-blind, crossover study. Subjects ingested one cup of caffeinated (CC) and one cup of decaffeinated (DC) Italian espresso coffee in random order at 5- to 7-day intervals. Results: Following CC ingestion, FMD decreased progressively and significantly (mean±s.e.m.: 0min, 7.7±0.6; 30min, 6.3±0.7; 60 min, 6.0±0.8%; ANOVA (analysis of variance), Po0.05), but it did not significantly increase after DC ingestion (0min, 6.9±0.6; 30min, 8.1±0.9; 60min, 8.5±0.9%; P1⁄40.115). Similarly, CC significantly increased both systolic and diastolic blood pressure; this effect was not observed after DC ingestion. Blood glucose concentrations remained unchanged after ingestion of both CC and DC, but insulin (0min, 15.8±0.9; 60min, 15.0±0.8mU/ml; Po0.05) and C-peptide (0min, 1.25±0.09; 60 min, 1.18±0.09 ng/ml; Po0.01) blood concentrations decreased significantly only after CC ingestion. Conclusions: CC acutely induced unfavorable cardiovascular effects, especially on endothelial function. In the fasting state, insulin secretion is also likely reduced after CC ingestion. Future studies will determine whether CC has detrimental clinically relevant effects, especially in unhealthy subjects

Intrarenal hemodynamics and carotid intima-media thickness in the metabolic syndrome

Aims: Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is associated with increased cardiovascular risk. We hypothesize that early vascular changes are already present at the time of diagnosis of MetS. The relationship of different measures of early vascular impairment with body fat distribution and the natural progression of MetS was examined in newly diagnosed subjects non-pharmacologically treated. Methods: 246 consecutively enrolled subjects were categorized according to the presence of MetS and type 2 diabetes (T2D). Intra-renal Doppler flow was used to ascertain resistive (RI) and pulsatility (PI) indices as markers of vascular resistance. Carotid intima-media thick- ness (IMT), cutis-rectis (CR) and rectis-aorta (RA) thicknesses were measured by ultrasono- graphy; RA/CR ratio was used as measure of body fat distribution. Pro-inflammatory cytokines, C-reactive protein, oxidative markers insulin and adiponectin blood concentra- tions were also measured. Results: Baseline characteristics demonstrated increasing trends in biochemical, inflam- matory, and oxidative parameters from MetS??, MetS+, to MetS+/T2D (p<0.001). After adjusting for age, the same increasing trends across the groups were observed in both sexes in IMT (p < 0.001), RI (p < 0.001) and PI (p < 0.001). IMT correlated with RI (r = 0.25; p < 0.001), PI (r = 0.26; p < 0.001), and RA/CR ratio (r = 0.43; p < 0.001). Conclusions: Carotid IMT and intra-renal resistances are elevated at an early stage in MetS and are associated with a dysregulated production of fat-derived hormones and cytokines

CEOs from Orthopaedic Centers Worldwide Meet to Discuss Common Challenges: 2010 Annual Meeting of the International Society of Orthopaedic Centers

The International Society of Orthopaedic Centers was formed in 2006 as a think tank that would bring together thought leaders in orthopaedic surgery from major orthopaedic academic centers around the world. The Society’s mission is to share knowledge and strategies, improve patient care, and foster clinical, educational, and scientific collaboration. As the Society’s agendas developed, the members recognized that many of their aims intersected with those of hospital leadership. Thus, CEOs from member centers were invited to join their physician colleagues at the 2010 meeting in Bologna, Italy in order to explore solutions to administrative challenges related to patient care, volume growth, and costs. This paper describes the dialogue that took place at the meeting

A multipurpose X-ray fluorescence scanner developed for in situ analysis

Abstract: Over the time, instrument transportability has become more and more important, especially in Cultural Heritage, as often artworks cannot be moved from their site, either because of the size or due to problems with permission issues, or simply because moving them to a laboratory is physically impossible, as e.g. in the case of mural paintings. For this reason, the INFN-CHNet, the network for Cultural Heritage studies of the Italian National Institute of Nuclear Physics (INFN), has developed an XRF scanner for in situ analyses. The instrument is the result of a wide collaboration, where different units of the network have been developing the diverse parts, then merged in a single system. The XRF scanner has been designed to be a four-season and green instrument. The control/acquisition/analysis software has been fully developed by our group, using only open-source software. Other strong points of the system are easiness of use, high portability, good performances and ultra-low radiation dispersion, which allows us to use even when the public can be present. It can run both with mains or on batteries, in the latter case with a maximum runtime longer than 10 h. It has a very low cost, when compared to commercial systems with equivalent performances, and easily replaceable components, which makes it accessible for a much wider portion of the interested community. The system has been thought and designed as an open system, suitable for further development/improvements, that can result interesting for non-conventional XRF analysis. The CHNet XRF scanner has proved to be really very well suited for applications in the Cultural Heritage field, as testified by the many recent applications. This paper describes the present version of our instrument and reports on the tests performed to characterise its main features.Fil: Taccetti, F.. Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare; ItaliaFil: Castelli, L.. Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare; ItaliaFil: Czelusniak, C.. Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare; ItaliaFil: Gelli, N.. Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare; ItaliaFil: Mazzinghi, A.. Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare; ItaliaFil: Palla, L.. Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare; ItaliaFil: Ruberto, C.. Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare; ItaliaFil: Censori, C.. Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare; ItaliaFil: Lo Giudice, A.. Università di Torino; Italia. Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare; ItaliaFil: Re, A.. Università di Torino; Italia. Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare; ItaliaFil: Zafiropulos, D.. Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare; ItaliaFil: Arneodo, F.. New York University Abu Dhab; Emiratos Arabes UnidosFil: Conicella, V.. New York University Abu Dhab; Emiratos Arabes UnidosFil: Di Giovanni, A.. New York University Abu Dhab; Emiratos Arabes UnidosFil: Torres, R.. New York University Abu Dhab; Emiratos Arabes UnidosFil: Castella, F.. Universidad Nacional de San Martín. Instituto de Investigaciones sobre el Patrimonio Cultural; ArgentinaFil: Mastrangelo, Noemi Elisa. Universidad Nacional de San Martín. Instituto de Investigaciones sobre el Patrimonio Cultural; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Gallegos, D.. Universidad Nacional de San Martín. Instituto de Investigaciones sobre el Patrimonio Cultural; ArgentinaFil: Tascon, Marcos. Universidad Nacional de San Martín. Instituto de Investigaciones sobre el Patrimonio Cultural; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de San Martín. Instituto de Investigación e Ingeniería Ambiental. - Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. Instituto de Investigación e Ingeniería Ambiental; ArgentinaFil: Marte, F.. Universidad Nacional de San Martín. Instituto de Investigaciones sobre el Patrimonio Cultural; ArgentinaFil: Giuntini, L.. Università degli Studi di Firenze; Itali

Dissociable effects of 5-HT2C receptor antagonism and genetic inactivation on perseverance and learned non-reward in an egocentric spatial reversal task

Cognitive flexibility can be assessed in reversal learning tests, which are sensitive to modulation of 5-HT2C receptor (5-HT2CR) function. Successful performance in these tests depends on at least two dissociable cognitive mechanisms which may separately dissipate associations of previous positive and negative valence. The first is opposed by perseverance and the second by learned non-reward. The current experiments explored the effect of reducing function of the 5-HT2CR on the cognitive mechanisms underlying egocentric reversal learning in the mouse. Experiment 1 used the 5-HT2CR antagonist SB242084 (0.5 mg/kg) in a between-groups serial design and Experiment 2 used 5-HT2CR KO mice in a repeated measures design. Animals initially learned to discriminate between two egocentric turning directions, only one of which was food rewarded (denoted CS+, CS−), in a T- or Y-maze configuration. This was followed by three conditions; (1) Full reversal, where contingencies reversed; (2) Perseverance, where the previous CS+ became CS− and the previous CS− was replaced by a novel CS+; (3) Learned non-reward, where the previous CS− became CS+ and the previous CS+ was replaced by a novel CS-. SB242084 reduced perseverance, observed as a decrease in trials and incorrect responses to criterion, but increased learned non-reward, observed as an increase in trials to criterion. In contrast, 5-HT2CR KO mice showed increased perseverance. 5-HT2CR KO mice also showed retarded egocentric discrimination learning. Neither manipulation of 5-HT2CR function affected performance in the full reversal test. These results are unlikely to be accounted for by increased novelty attraction, as SB242084 failed to affect performance in an unrewarded novelty task. In conclusion, acute 5-HT2CR antagonism and constitutive loss of the 5-HT2CR have opposing effects on perseverance in egocentric reversal learning in mice. It is likely that this difference reflects the broader impact of 5HT2CR loss on the development and maintenance of cognitive function