Photoluminescence transient study of surface defects in ZnO nanorods grown by chemical bath deposition

Two deep level defects (2.25 and 2.03 eV) associated with oxygen vacancies (V$_o$) were identified in ZnO nanorods (NRs) grown by low cost chemical bath deposition. A transient behaviour in the photoluminescence (PL) intensity of the two V$_o$ states was found to be sensitive to the ambient environment and to NR post-growth treatment. The largest transient was found in samples dried on a hot plate with a PL intensity decay time, in air only, of 23 and 80 s for the 2.25 and 2.03 eV peaks, respectively. Resistance measurements under UV exposure exhibited a transient behaviour in full agreement with the PL transient indicating a clear role of atmospheric O$_2$ on the surface defect states. A model for surface defect transient behaviour due to band bending with respect to the Fermi level is proposed. The results have implications for a variety of sensing and photovoltaic applications of ZnO NRs

An Atypical Case of Taravana Syndrome in a Breath-Hold Underwater Fishing Champion: A Case Report

Dysbaric accidents are usually referred to compressed air-supplied diving. Nonetheless, some cases of decompression illness are known to have occurred among breath-hold (BH) divers also, and they are reported in the medical literature. A male BH diver ((à years old), underwater *shing champion, presented neurological disorders as dizziness, sensory numbness, blurred vision, and le+ frontoparietal pain a+er many dives to a $à–$( meters sea water depth with short surface intervals. Symptoms spontaneously regressed and the patient came back home. )e following morning, pain and neurological impairment occurred again and the diver went by himself to the hospital where he had a generalized tonic-clonic seizure and lost consciousness. A magnetic resonance imaging of the brain disclofsed a cortical T -weighted hypointense area in the temporal region corresponding to infarction with partial hemorrhage. An early hyperbaric oxygen therapy led to prompt resolution of neurological *ndings. All clinical and imaging characteristics were referable to the Taravana diving syndrome, induced by repetitive prolonged deep BH dives. )e reappearance of neurological signs a+er an uncommon ! -hour symptom-free interval may suggest an atypical case of Taravana syndrome

Trend Analysis of Air Quality Index in Catania from 2010 to 2014

Abstract Information on air quality in urban areas represents an important objective to raise awareness and participation of citizens towards those measures aimed at containing and reducing vehicular traffic. For several years at the international level, evaluation procedures have been adopted by indices. One of the first synthetic indices, adopted by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (US-EPA), was the Pollution Standard Index (PSI). In 1999, the EPA replaced the PSI index with Air Quality Index (AQI), which includes two new sub-indices, the ozone at ground level and fine particulate. Despite the European Decisions 97/101/EC and 2001/752/EC, have established an exchange of information from networks and individual stations measuring ambient air pollution in Member States, the use of a single index has not yet been defined that allows you to compare different realities. This heterogeneity emerges in Italy as well, where only a few Environmental Protection Agencies disclose indexes to inform citizens. In this article, the Air Quality Index (AQI) currently used by the United States Environmental Protection Agency has been applied to the metropolitan city of Catania, in order to analyze the level of pollution daily from 2010 to 2014. Through the use of the AQI it was possible to synthesize in a single daily value, concentrations of major pollutants in urban areas (NO2, O3, CO, SO2, PM10) for the entire period. For the calculation procedure of the AQI, the data concentrations were provided by Municipal Ecology and Environment Office. The data relates to three monitoring stations, whose locations have not changed over the years. This also made it possible to evaluate the change in frequency of AQI agglomerations where the monitoring units have been positioned. The value obtained by the AQI for each station has been ranked in six levels of pollution; each level has been associated with a particular coloring allowing this information to be more intuitive. Lastly, it was possible to reach the air quality assessment in urban environment from the frequency variations of each level derived from the year 2010 until 2014

Environmental and economic assessment of sustainability in Mediterranean wheat production

ArticleThis study proposes the application of the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and economic evaluations conducted on different cereal production systems in semi-arid environments. Two different crop management systems of durum wheat were analysed by distinguishing Continuous Cropping (CC) and Crop Rotation (CR) with vetch, that are conducted through two different levels of crop intensification (in terms of tillage and fertilization strategies): Conventional (Conv) and Conservative (Cons). The resulting four scenarios were examined using LCA methodology to assess the environmental impacts, and the Production Cost (PC) analysis to estimate the economic results. Overall, the findings of this research provide an opportunity to identify sustainable crops management strategies

MicroRNAs and cancer metabolism reprogramming : the paradigm of metformin

Increasing evidence witnesses that cancer metabolism alterations represent a critical hallmark for many types of human tumors. There is a strong need to understand and dissect the molecular mechanisms underlying cancer metabolism to envisage specific biomarkers and underpin critical molecular components that might represent novel therapeutic targets. One challenge, that is the focus of this review, is the reprogramming of the altered metabolism of a cancer cell toward that of un-transformed cell. The anti-hyperglicemic agent, metformin has proven to be effective in reprogramming the metabolism of cancer cells even from those subpopulations endowed with cancer stem like features and very high chemoresistenace to conventional anticancer treatments. A functional interplay involving selective modulation of microRNAs (miRNAs) takes place along the anticancer metabolic effects exerted by metformin. The implications of this interplay will be also discussed in this review

Characterization of Colletotrichum strains associated with olive anthracnose in Sicily

Anthracnose caused by Colletotrichum spp. is the most damaging olive fruit disease in many countries, including Italy. This disease has been sporadically detected in Sicily, but new agronomic practices can increase risk of olive anthracnose in this region. An etiological study of the disease focused on local olive cultivars growing at the International Olive Germplasm Collection (IOGC) in Villa Zagaria, Enna, Sicily has been undertaken. During 2018 and 2019, 137 Colletotrichum strains were isolated from olives. Colony morphology, conidium characteristics, and multilocus sequence analyses aided identification of three species: C. acutatum (affecting 70% of symptomatic olives), C. gloeosporioides, and C. cigarro. Three C. acutatum strains (B1316, P77, and P185), and one stram of each C. gloeosporioides (C2.1) and C. cigarro (Perg6B) were evaluated for pathogenicity on olive fruits from 11 Sicilian cultivars, known for their high-quality oil. Differences in virulence were detected among strains and their pathogenicity to the cultivars. The C. acutatum isolates were more virulent than those of C. gloeosporioides or C. cigarro. The Sicilian olive cultivars Cavaliera, Carolea, Calatina, and Nocellara del Belice were the most susceptible to the pathogen, while the cultivars Biancolilla and Nocellara Etnea were the most tolerant. Cultivar response under field conditions showed that anthracnose severity and fruit-rot incidence were positively correlated. This is the first report of C. acutatum and C. cigarro affecting olive trees in Sicily. Control measures for anthracnose depend on accurate characterization of the etiological agents and host cultivar resistance

A perioperative uncontrollable bleeding in an elderly patient with acquired hemophilia A: a case report

Acquired hemophilia A should be taken into account in the differential diagnosis of perioperative bleeding in patients without any apparent reason for activated partial thromboplastin time prolongation

The effect of sous vide packaging with rosemary essential oil on storage quality of fresh-cut potato

Selection of suitable raw materials and technologies are essential for the fresh-cut segment, since they represent key factors to be competitive in the modern markets. This study aimed at assessing the suitability of six early potato cultivars, grown in an experimental field, for minimal processing. In particular, the sous vide packaging method, in association with rosemary essential oil (REO), was evaluated as a strategy for the quality preservation of sliced potatoes. Physical, mechanical, chemical, microbiological and sensory characteristics were monitored in order to estimate qualitative changes of the product over refrigerated storage. Results demonstrated that the synergic use of REO and sous vide packaging had a positive effect on texture, and limited the growth of mesophilic bacteria and Enterobacteriaceae over the storage period; it also ensured a certain retention of ascorbic acid, total polyphenol content, and antioxidant activity. Hence, the proposed technological strategy could represent a valid solution for the preservation of sliced potatoes, contributing to limit, for the most suitable cultivars identified as Fontane and Marabel, the quality decrease until 11 days of cold storage

Design and Development of an Innovative E-Bike☆

Abstract A new model of power-assisted bicycle has been designed, set up and tested. The main innovative solutions for the pedelec prototype are described in the present paper: the electric motor position; the new mechanical transmission; the low cost measurement system of the driving torque; the special test rig. Differently from a common approach, in which the electric motor is located on one of the three hubs of the bicycle, the idea of the pedelec prototype consists of an electrical motor in the central position that, by means of a bevel gear, transmits the torque on the central hub. The other innovative solution is represented by the motion transmission from the motor to the pedal shaft, achieved by two different gearboxes: the first one is a planetary gearbox and the second one is a simple bevel gear. The pedelec prototype contains also a new low cost measurement system of the driving torque based on a strain gauge load cell located on one side of the rear wheel, between the hub and the frame. Moreover, a commercial cycling simulator has been suitably modified in order to properly install the different sensors for the measurement of the performance of the pedelec. The test rig is able to reproduce an aforethought route or paths acquired during road tests, to measure the performance of the e-bike in terms of instantaneous power and speed. The experimental test rig can simulate the resistant torque of a predetermined track and it aims to test and to optimize the control strategy available on the electronic control unit. The authors have also conducted an environmental analysis of the developed pedelec, in particular comparing the e-bike with a thermal moped, in terms of environmental impact