Influence of the catalyst support on the steam reforming performance of toluene as tar model compound

The large amount of tar produced along with the syngas during biomass gasification is one of the major obstacle for the diffusion of gasifiers at industrial scale. Catalytic cracking and reforming are the most suitable processes for the transformation of tar into lighter gases. The selection of suitable catalysts is a critical step. The catalysts must own high activity and high resistance to deactivation for coke deposition. In this work the effect of two different supports, mayenite and aluminium oxide, on the activity of the nickel was investigated in the steam reforming of toluene that was used as tar model compound. In particular, the performed experimentations aimed to test the mayenite in terms of improvement of resistance to carbon deposition in conditions similar to those of gasification reactors. The obtained results indicate that Ni /mayenite catalyst needs higher temperature to activate and leads to lower value of toluene conversion with respect to Ni / alumina. However, mayenite, which is known from literature to have higher resistance to coke deposition due to the presence of free oxygens in the lattice which oxidize the coke deposited on the catalyst surface showed higher resistance to deactivation especially for low steam to carbon ratios

Real-time virtual sonography in gynecology & obstetrics. literature's analysis and case series

Fusion Imaging is a latest generation diagnostic technique, designed to combine ultrasonography with a second-tier technique such as magnetic resonance imaging and computer tomography. It has been mainly used until now in urology and hepatology. Concerning gynecology and obstetrics, the studies mostly focus on the diagnosis of prenatal disease, benign pathology and cervical cancer. We provided a systematic review of the literature with the latest publications regarding the role of Fusion technology in gynecological and obstetrics fields and we also described a case series of six emblematic patients enrolled from Gynecology Department of Sant ‘Andrea Hospital, “la Sapienza”, Rome, evaluated with Esaote Virtual Navigator equipment. We consider that Fusion Imaging could add values at the diagnosis of various gynecological and obstetrics conditions, but further studies are needed to better define and improve the role of this fascinating diagnostic tool

Otolaryngologic symptoms in multiple sclerosis: a review

Many symptoms of multiple sclerosis may affect the ear, nose and throat. The most common otolaryngologic symptoms of multiple sclerosis are speech disorders, followed by sleep disorders, vertigo and disequilibrium, dysphagia, smell alterations, and hearing loss. Less common symptoms include sialorrhea, facial palsy, taste alterations, trigeminal neuralgia and tinnitus. The origin of otolaryngologic symptoms in multiple sclerosis is mainly central, although increasing evidence also suggests a peripheral involvement. Otolaryngologic symptoms in multiple sclerosis may have different clinical presentations; they can appear in different stages of the pathology, in some cases they can be the presenting symptoms and their worsening may be correlated with reactivation of the disease. Many of these symptoms significantly affect the quality of life or patients and lead to increased morbidity and mortality. Otolaryngologic symptoms are common in multiple sclerosis; however, they are often overlooked. In many cases, they follow the relapsing-remitting phases of the disease, and may spontaneously disappear, leading to a delay in multiple sclerosis diagnosis. Clinicians should be aware of otolaryngologic symptoms of multiple sclerosis, especially when they are associated to neurologic symptoms, as they may be early signs of a still undiagnosed multiple sclerosis or could help monitor disease progression in already diagnosed patients

Inflammation as a Link between Obesity and Metabolic Syndrome

The metabolic syndrome is a complex of clinical features leading to an increased risk for cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes mellitus in both sexes. Visceral obesity and insulin resistance are considered the main features determining the negative cardiovascular profile in metabolic syndrome. The aim of this paper is to highlight the central role of obesity in the development of a chronic low-grade inflammatory state that leads to insulin resistance, endothelial and microvascular dysfunctions. It is thought that the starting signal of this inflammation is overfeeding and the pathway origins in all the metabolic cells; the subsequent increase in cytokine production recruits immune cells in the extracellular environment inducing an overall systemic inflammation. This paper focuses on the molecular and cellular inflammatory mechanisms studied until now

Work-related noise exposure in a cohort of patients with chronic tinnitus: analysis of demographic and audiological characteristics

Work-related noise exposure is one of the major factors contributing to the development of adult-onset hearing loss and tinnitus. The aim of this study was to analyze, in patients with chronic tinnitus and long-term occupational noise exposure, (A) characteristics of hearing loss, tinnitus, comorbidities, demographic characteristics and a history of work-related noise exposure and (B) differences among individuals employed in occupations with high and low risk of developing work-related noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL). One hundred thirty six patients with chronic tinnitus and at least a 10 year-long working history were divided into two groups based on the risk of their profession to induce NIHL. Individuals employed in jobs at high risk for NIHL were mostly males and exhibited a poorer hearing threshold, more evident in the left ear. Tinnitus was mostly bilateral; the next largest presentation was left-sided; patients described their tinnitus as buzzing or high-pitched. Correlation between age, length of tinnitus and worse hearing was found. Patients with a higher degree of hearing impairment were mostly males and were more likely to have a family history of hearing loss and at least one cardiovascular comorbidity. Our study shows some differences in individuals with tinnitus and a history of a profession associated with increased exposure to NIHL compared to those without such a history

Lung disease assessment in primary ciliary dyskinesia: a comparison between chest high-field magnetic resonance imaging and high-resolution computed tomography findings

Abstract Background Primary ciliary dyskinesia (PCD) is associated with pulmonary involvement that requires periodical assessment. Chest high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) has become the method of choice to evaluate chronic lung disease, but entails exposure to ionizing radiation. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has been proposed as a potential radiation-free technique in several chest disorders. Aim of our study is to evaluate whether high-field MRI is as effective as HRCT in identifying PCD pulmonary abnormalities. We also analyzed the relationships between the severity and extension of lung disease, and functional data. Methods Thirteen PCD patients (8 children/5 adults; median age, 15.2 yrs) underwent chest HRCT and high-field 3T MRI, spirometry, and deep throat or sputum culture. Images were scored using a modified version of the Helbich system. Results HRCT and MRI total scores were 12 (range, 6–20) and 12 (range, 5–17), respectively. Agreement between HRCT and MRI scores was good or excellent (r > 0.8). HRCT and MRI total scores were significantly related to forced vital capacity (r = -0.5, p = 0.05; and r = -0.7, p = 0.009, respectively) and forced expiratory volume at 1 second (r = -0.6, p = 0.03; and r = -0.7, p = 0.009, respectively). Conclusion Chest high-field 3T MRI appears to be as effective as HRCT in assessing the extent and severity of lung abnormalities in PCD. MRI scores might be used for longitudinal assessment and be an outcome surrogate in future studies.</p

Bacterioplankton diversity and distribution in relation to phytoplankton community structure in the Ross Sea surface waters

© The Author(s), 2022. This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License. The definitive version was published in Cordone, A., D’Errico, G., Magliulo, M., Bolinesi, F., Selci, M., Basili, M., de Marco, R., Saggiomo, M., Rivaro, P., Giovannelli, D., & Mangoni, O. Bacterioplankton diversity and distribution in relation to phytoplankton community structure in the Ross Sea surface waters. Frontiers in Microbiology, 13, (2022): 722900, https://doi.org/10.3389/fmicb.2022.722900.Primary productivity in the Ross Sea region is characterized by intense phytoplankton blooms whose temporal and spatial distribution are driven by changes in environmental conditions as well as interactions with the bacterioplankton community. However, the number of studies reporting the simultaneous diversity of the phytoplankton and bacterioplankton in Antarctic waters are limited. Here, we report data on the bacterial diversity in relation to phytoplankton community structure in the surface waters of the Ross Sea during the Austral summer 2017. Our results show partially overlapping bacterioplankton communities between the stations located in the Terra Nova Bay (TNB) coastal waters and the Ross Sea Open Waters (RSOWs), with a dominance of members belonging to the bacterial phyla Bacteroidetes and Proteobacteria. In the TNB coastal area, microbial communities were characterized by a higher abundance of sequences related to heterotrophic bacterial genera such as Polaribacter spp., together with higher phytoplankton biomass and higher relative abundance of diatoms. On the contrary, the phytoplankton biomass in the RSOW were lower, with relatively higher contribution of haptophytes and a higher abundance of sequences related to oligotrophic and mixothrophic bacterial groups like the Oligotrophic Marine Gammaproteobacteria (OMG) group and SAR11. We show that the rate of diversity change between the two locations is influenced by both abiotic (salinity and the nitrogen to phosphorus ratio) and biotic (phytoplankton community structure) factors. Our data provide new insight into the coexistence of the bacterioplankton and phytoplankton in Antarctic waters, suggesting that specific rather than random interaction contribute to the organic matter cycling in the Southern Ocean.Samples were collected in the framework of Plankton biodiversity and functioning of the Ross Sea ecosystems in a changing Southern Ocean [P-ROSE – (PNRA16_00239)], and CDW Effects on glacial mElting and on Bulk of Fe in the Western Ross sea [CELEBeR – (PNRA16_00207)] projects – Italian National Antarctic Program – funded by the Ministry of Education, University and Research (MIUR), awarded to OM and PR, respectively. MM was supported by an Earth-Life Science Institute (Tokyo, Japan) visiting fellowship. This work was partially supported by the European Research Council (ERC) under the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme (grant agreement No. 948972) to DG

Repeated exposure to JWH-018 induces adaptive changes in the mesolimbic and mesocortical dopamine pathways, glial cells alteration and behavioural correlates

Spice/K2 herbal mixtures, containing synthetic cannabinoids such as JWH-018, have been marketed as marijuana surrogates since 2004. We demonstrated that JWH-018 has cannabinoid CB1 receptor-dependent reinforcing properties and acutely increases dopamine transmission selectively in the NAc shell. Here we tested the hypothesis that repeated administration of JWH-018 (i) modulates behaviour, (ii) affects dopamine transmission and its responsiveness to motivational stimuli, and (iii) is associated with a neuroinflammatory phenotype

The still under-investigated role of cognitive deficits in PML diagnosis

Background: Despite cognitive deficits frequently represent the first clinical manifestations of Progressive Multifocal Leukoencephalopathy (PML) in Natalizumab-treated MS patients, the importance of cognitive deficits in PML diagnosis is still under-investigated. The aim of the current study is to investigate the cognitive deficits at PML diagnosis in a group of Italian patients with PML. Methods: Thirty-four PML patients were included in the study. The demographic and clinical data, the lesion load and localization, and the longitudinal clinical course was compared between patients with (n = 13) and without (n = 15) cognitive deficit upon PML suspicion (the remaining six patients were asymptomatic). Clinical presentation of cognitive symptoms was described in detail. Result: After symptoms detection, the time to diagnosis resulted to be shorter for patients presenting with cognitive than for patients with non cognitive onset (p = 0.03). Within patients with cognitive onset, six patients were presenting with language and/or reading difficulties (46.15%); five patients with memory difficulties (38.4%); three patients with apraxia (23.1%); two patients with disorientation (15.3%); two patients with neglect (15.3%); one patients with object agnosia (7.7%), one patient with perseveration (7.7%) and one patient with dementia (7.7%). Frontal lesions were less frequent (p = 0.03), whereas temporal lesions were slightly more frequent (p = 0.06) in patients with cognitive deficits. The longitudinal PML course seemed to be more severe in cognitive than in non cognitive patients (F = 2.73, p = 0.03), but differences disappeared (F = 1.24, p = 0.29) when balancing for the incidence of immune reconstitution syndrome and for other treatments for PML (steroids, plasma exchange (PLEX) and other therapies (Mefloquine, Mirtazapine, Maraviroc). Conclusion: Cognitive deficits at PML onset manifest with symptoms which are absolutely rare in MS. Their appearance in MS patients should strongly suggest PML. Clinicians should be sensitive to the importance of formal neuropsychological evaluation, with particular focus on executive function, which are not easily detected without a formal assessment