Ganglion cell complex analysis in glaucoma patients: what can it tell us?

Glaucoma is a group of optic neuropathies characterized by a progressive degeneration of retina ganglion cells (RGCs) and their axons that precedes functional changes detected on the visual field. The macular ganglion cell complex (GCC), available in commercial Fourier-domain optical coherence tomography, allows the quantification of the innermost retinal layers that are potentially involved in the glaucomatous damage, including the retinal nerve fiber (RNFL), ganglion cell and inner plexiform layers. The average GCC thickness and its related parameters represent a reliable biomarker in detecting preperimetric glaucomatous damage. The most accurate GCC parameters are represented by average and inferior GCC thicknesses, and they can be associated with progressive visual field loss. Although the diagnostic accuracy increases with more severe glaucomatous damage and higher signal strength values, it is not affected by increasing axial length, resulting in a more accurate discrimination of glaucomatous damage in myopic eyes with respect to the traditional RNFL thickness. The analysis of the structure-function relationship revealed a good agreement between the loss in retinal sensitivity and GCC thickness. The use of a 10-2° visual field grid, adjusted for the anatomical RGCs displacement, describes more accurately the relationship between RGCs thickness and visual field sensitivity loss

Two FEM-BEM methods for the numerical solution of 2D transient elastodynamics problems in unbounded domains

We consider wave propagation problems in 2D unbounded isotropic homogeneous elastic media, with rigid boundary conditions. For their solution, we propose and compare two alternative numerical approaches, both obtained by coupling the differential equation with the associated space-time boundary integral equation. The latter is defined on an artificial boundary, chosen to surround the (bounded) exterior computational domain of interest. The integral equation defines a boundary condition which is non-reflecting for incoming and also for outgoing waves. In both approaches, the differential equations are discretized by applying a finite element method combined with the Crank Nicolson time marching scheme, while the discretization of the integral equation is obtained by coupling a time convolution quadrature with a space collocation boundary element method. The construction of the two approaches is described and discussed. Some numerical tests are also presented

C ion-implanted TiO2 thin film for photocatalytic applications

Third-generation TiO2 photocatalysts were prepared by implantation of C+ ions into 110 nm thick TiO2 films. An accurate structural investigation was performed by Rutherford backscattering spectrometry, secondary ion mass spectrometry, X-ray diffraction, Raman-luminescence spectroscopy, and UV/VIS optical characterization. The C doping locally modified the TiO2 pure films, lowering the band-gap energy from 3.3 eV to a value of 1.8 eV, making the material sensitive to visible light. The synthesized materials are photocatalytically active in the degradation of organic compounds in water under both UV and visible light irradiation, without the help of any additional thermal treatment. These results increase the understanding of the C-doped titanium dioxide, helpful for future environmental applications. (C) 2015 AIP Publishing LLC

Last tesserae of a fading mosaic: floristic census and forest vegetation survey at Parche di Bilello (south-western Sicily, Italy), a site needing urgent protection measures.

This paper illustrates the botanic heritage of Parche di Bilello, a site located in the municipality of Castelvetrano. The study area hosts several woodland fragments dominated by Olea europaea var. sylvestris, Quercus suber and Quercus ilex, respectively. According to historical data, these nuclei represent the last remnants of an open forestland which covered a much wider coastal area between Mazara del Vallo and Sciacca until the end of Middle Age. Phytosociological relevés were focused on these forest nuclei, probably the most representative of south-western Sicily, which correspond to three habitats included in the 92/43 EEC Directive (9320, 9330 and 9340, respectively) and represent the final stage of three different edaphic series. Wild olive forests probably dominated on sandy calcareous soils, holm oaks prevailed on steep calcareous and N-exposed slopes. In contrast, cork oaks mostly occurred on sandy subacid soils issuing from pedogenetic processes on palaeodunes. Moreover, field surveys allowed to list 331 vascular plant taxa. Among them, Linaria multicaulis subsp. humilis, Orobanche balsensis and Serapias orientalis subsp. siciliensis are new to Trapani Province. Detailed information on the current distribution and the synecology of several plant taxa of high biogeographic and conservation interest is also provided. The study site also hosts one habitat of priority interest (6220, i.e. xerophilous Mediterranean perennial grasslands and annual swards) and two species protected by international laws, i.e. the orchid Ophrys lunulata and the lichen Teloschistes chrysophthalmus. Considering the high value of its natural heritage, this territory deserves the adoption of more effective protection measures. For this reason the authors recommend its inclusion as a new Site of Community Interest within the Sicilian Natura 2000 network

Installazione di un radiometro nell'area sommitale del vulcano Etna

Le tecniche di telerilevamento satellitare e da terra per la stima della temperatura di anomalie termiche delle superfici vulcaniche, della loro variazione nel tempo e per individuare attività parossistiche o l’inizio di una fase di colate di lava, sono ormai entrate a far parte della sorveglianza e del monitoraggio vulcanologico [es. Francis, 1979; Geraci et al., 1985; Lombardo et al., 2011; Spampinato et al., 2011]. I sensori in una banda spettrale dell’infrarosso quali radiometri e telecamere termiche, utilizzati in prossimità di bocche eruttive, hanno fornito cospicue quantità di dati di temperatura della superficie di corpi magmatici (colate laviche, laghi di lava, duomi lavici), plume vulcanici, fumarole, registrati a distanza di totale sicurezza [Spampinato et al., 2011]. In particolare, i radiometri, sia portatili che installati in stazioni permanenti, oltre che fornire dati da confrontare con misure geochimiche, permettono l’acquisizione di dati di temperatura ad elevata frequenza, tali da essere messi in relazione con le misure derivate da osservazioni geofisiche quali ad esempio il tremore sismico [es. Harris e Ripepe, 2007; Branan et al., 2008].In questo lavoro si descrivono i dettagli dell’installazione di una stazione radiometrica collocata nell’area sommitale dell’Etna in zona Belvedere, nel sito già utilizzato da una stazione multiparametrica (con sensori sismici e infrasonici) e denominato EBEL. Si descrivono anche la metodologia di trasmissione dati in continuo, il trattamento del dato convertito in temperatura apparente nel campo di vista del radiometro, la visualizzazione in tempo quasi reale del dato e la sua diffusione tramite WEB

Modified Atmosphere Packaging and low temperature storage extend marketability of cherimoya (Annona cherimola Mill.)

Cherimoya is a subtropical fruit characterized by a delicious, sweet flavor and beneficial health properties, which found suitable growing conditions in the South of Italy. However, the marketing of this product is halted by its high perishability, which limits the shelf-life of the fresh fruit to few days after harvest and does not allow for commercialization beyond local markets. Studies have shown that storage of this fruit in controlled atmosphere, using Modified Atmosphere Packaging technologies, extended the post-harvest life of Cherimoya, but little is still known about the evolution of its sensory, nutraceutical and microbiological characteristics during such storage period. In this paper, we studied the effect of a 4-days long active-MAP (30% CO2 – 10% O2 – 60% N2) storage period, associated with cold temperatures, on the physico-chemical, sensory, nutraceutical and microbiological quality traits of Italian-grown cherimoya fruits, compared with passive-MAP (Air composition, 21% O2 + 1% CO2 + 78% N2) and simple cold storage. Active-MAP proved effective in delaying the reaching of the optimal consumption point until 10 days from harvest, besides showing absence of microbial growth until after 7 days from harvest. Both active- and passive-MAP treatments maintained better nutraceutical values than control until the end of the trial period, and sensory analysis confirmed that active-MAP treated fruits were at the optimal commercial stage after 10 days from harvest

Sustainability in Aquaponics: Industrial Spirulina Waste as a Biofertilizer for Lactuca sativa L. Plants

Aquaponics represents an alternative to traditional soil cultivation. To solve the problem of nutrient depletion that occurs in this biotechnological system, the application of a spirulina-based biofertilizer was assessed. The microalgal waste used in this study came from industrial processing. Four different dilutions of the supernatant portion of this waste were sprayed on lettuce plants cultivated in an aquaponics system installed at the Botanical Gardens of the Tor Vergata University of Rome. The biofertilizer was characterized to evaluate its amount of macro- and micronutrients. The analysis conducted on the plants involved both morpho-biometric aspects and qualitative–quantitative measurements. The experiments showed that the spirulina extract had a positive effect on the growth and nutraceutical content of the lettuce plants; the obtained results highlighted that a dilution of 75% was the best for treatment. The use of the proposed organic and recycled fertilizer could increase the sustainability of crop cultivation and promote the functioning of aquaponics systems