Ft-Ir spectroscopy and microspectroscopy of ancient egyptian embalmed heads from the Museum of Anthropology and Ethnography of the University of Turin

Fourier Transform Infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy and microspectroscopy were used to gain insight into the state of preservation of the skin of two Egyptian dynastic embalmed heads (VI-XI Dynasty) and one Predynastic mummy. The mummies came from the necropoles of Asiut and Gebelein (Upper Egypt), and are curated at the Museum of Anthropology and Ethnography of the University of Turin. The state of preservation was inferred from the biochemical composition of the skin, in particular from the secondary structure of the proteins. The secondary structure of the skin protein was investigated by studying the position and shape of the Amide I band, analyzed by means of self-deconvolution techniques. The increase in the b-sheet relative amount in the protein conformation of the mummified tissues with respect to the modern skin, was correlated with aging processes of collagen and keratins, the most abundant proteins in the skin. The steps of the degradation processes are hypothesized and described, and the differences in the recorded state of degradation were ascribed to the diverse mummification procedures undergone by the studied human remains. Other non-skin-derived features in the IR micro spectra of the embalmed specimens were detected and identified either as embalming materials or microbial attack traces

Treatment With Recombinant Tumor Necrosis Factor–Related Apoptosis-Inducing Ligand Alleviates the Severity of Streptozotocin-Induced Diabetes

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the potential therapeutic effect of recombinant human tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) treatment in a model of type 1 diabetes. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: Recombinant TRAIL was added in vitro to primary human and mouse peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) and isolated human islets to evaluate the expression of the immunoregulatory gene SOCS1. Diabetes was induced by five consecutive daily injections of low-concentration (50 mg/kg) streptozotocin (STZ) in C57 black mice (n = 24). A group of these mice (n = 12) was co-injected with recombinant TRAIL (20 microg/day) for 5 days, and the diabetic status (glycemia and body weight) was followed over time. After 6 weeks, circulating levels of insulin, TNF-alpha, and osteoprotegerin (OPG) were measured, and animals were killed to perform the histological analysis of the pancreas. RESULTS: The in vitro exposure of both PBMCs and human islets to recombinant TRAIL significantly upregulated the expression of SOCS1. With respect to STZ-treated animals, mice co-injected with STZ+TRAIL were characterized by 1) lower levels of hyperglycemia, 2) higher levels of body weight and insulinemia, 3) a partial preservation of pancreatic islets with normal morphology, and 4) a lower expression of both systemic (TNF-alpha and OPG) and pancreatic (vascular cell adhesion molecule [VCAM]-1) inflammatory markers. CONCLUSIONS: Overall, these data demonstrate that the administration of recombinant TRAIL ameliorates the severity of STZ-induced type 1 diabetes, and this effect was accompanied by the upregulation of SOCS1 expressio

Landslide mapping and monitoring by using radar and optical remote sensing: examples from the EC-FP7 project SAFER

This paper focuses on the Landslide Thematic services of the EU-funded FP7-SPACE project SAFER (Services and Applications For Emergency Response) for inventory mapping, monitoring and rapid mapping by using Earth Observation (EO). We exploited satellite Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (InSAR) and Object-Based Image Analysis (OBIA), and discuss example applications in South Tyrol and Abruzzo (Italy), Lower Austria (Austria), Lubietova (Slovakia) and the Kaohsiung County (Taiwan). These case studies showcase the significance of radar and optical EO data, InSAR and OBIA methods for landslide mapping and monitoring in different geological environments and during all phases of emergency management: mitigation, preparedness, crisis and recovery

Endothelial Cells Obtained from Patients Affected by Chronic Venous Disease Exhibit a Pro-Inflammatory Phenotype

The inflammatory properties of vein endothelium in relation to chronic venous disease (CVD) have been poorly investigated. Therefore, new insights on the characteristics of large vein endothelium would increase our knowledge of large vessel physiopathology. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Surgical specimens of veins were obtained from the tertiary venous network (R3) and/or saphenous vein (SF) of patients affected by CVD and from control individuals. Highly purified venous endothelial cell (VEC) cultures obtained from CVD patients were characterized for morphological, phenotypic and functional properties compared to control VEC. An increase of CD31/PECAM-1, CD146 and ICAM-1 surface levels was documented at flow cytometry in pathological VEC with respect to normal controls. Of note, the strongest expression of these pro-inflammatory markers was observed in VEC obtained from patients with more advanced disease. Similarly, spontaneous cell proliferation and resistance to starvation was higher in pathological than in normal VEC, while the migratory response of VEC showed an opposite trend, being significantly lower in VEC obtained from pathological specimens. In addition, in keeping with a higher baseline transcriptional activity of NF-kB, the release of the pro-inflammatory cytokines osteoprotegerin (OPG) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) was higher in pathological VEC cultures with respect to control VEC. Interestingly, there was a systemic correlation to these in vitro data, as demonstrated by higher serum OPG and VEGF levels in CVD patients with respect to normal healthy controls. CONCLUSION/SIGNIFICANCE: Taken together, these data indicate that large vein endothelial cells obtained from CVD patients exhibit a pro-inflammatory phenotype, which might significantly contribute to systemic inflammation in CVD patients

Overview of 2001–08 GPS monitoring at the Corvara landslide and perspectives from 2010–11 use of HR X-band SAR (Dolomites, Italy)

The Corvara landslide is a large active earthslide–earthflow in the Alta Badia Valley, Dolomites (South Tyrol, northern Italy). Over the last decades, the valley became renowned as a winter ski resort and an important area for summer tourism. Due to its slow but steady displacement, the landslide damages the national road 244, which connects the Alta Badia Valley to the Campolongo Pass, as well as lifelines, ski lifts and water pipes for snow production. The landslide is being investigated since 1996 and discontinuously monitored by means of GPS surveys from 2001, in order to assess geomorphic hazard and to establish possible mitigation measures. Recently, PS interferometry (based on 2010–11 high resolution X-band SAR data from the Cosmo SkyMed mission) has been tested using corner reflectors installed at GPS benchmarks points, allowing cross-validation and monitoring system integration. This paper provides an overview of GPS results for the period 2001–2008, discusses evidence on the seasonal behavior of different landslide sectors, presents recently obtained PS results, and highlights the positive perspectives opened by high-frequency SAR datasets in capturing slope processes more effectively than by means of periodic GPS only

Ft-Ir Spectroscopy and MicroSpectroscopy of Ancient Egyptian Embalmed Heads fron the Museum of Anthropology and Ethnography of the University of Turin

The preservation status of some Egyptian embalmed heads stored in the Museum of Anthropology and Ethnography of the University of Turin has been investigated by means of FT-IR absorption spectroscopy and microreflectance. Such non-destructive techniques are in fact suitable to study the biochemical composition and the degradation level of the remains. Minute fragments of skin from seven embalmed heads and from one naturally mummified (pre-Dynastic period) have been investigated by IR absorption measurements in the 250-4000 cm-1 wave number range. To measure the absorption spectra, pellets were prepared by mixing ~1.0-1.5 mg of sample with anhydrous KBr (100 mg). The IR spectra of the ancient skin specimens were compared with the spectrum of modern skin sample. The sample preservation status was evaluated on the base of position and shape of the characteristic protein bands (Amide A, B, I, II, and III) and lipids (CH, and CH, vibrational modes). Some samples were in a quite good preservation status whereas others displayed a rather high protein deterioration, as evidenced by the deformation of Amide 1 and II features: the preservation degree grows as the depth of the layers of the collected skin increases. One of them showed a very high degradation status testified by the presence of some adipocere characteristic absorption bands. The pre-Dynastic sample seemed to be the best preserved. The occurrence in the spectra of some features not related to the biological nature of the samples has been attributed to embalming chemicals and investigated by means of IR microscopy, with the aim to identify the biochemical components in each region of such heterogeneous samples

Long-term monitoring of a deep-seated, slow-moving landslide by mean of C-band and X-band advanced interferometric products: the Corvara in Badia case study (Dolomites, Italy)

The availability of data from various Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) operating in X-Band and C-Band acquired in the last decades enables to monitor slopes affected by landslides. The ASI-founded project ‘LAWINA’ (2010 – 2012) aimed at the improvement of SAR – based monitoring techniques as well as at the integration of SAR data with data stemming from other sensors. Test case area of LAWINA has been a slow-moving landslide located up-stream of Corvara in Badia village in the Dolomites, Italy. Within the scope of the project different time-series obtained through 35 Envisat2, 40 Radarsat-1 and 46 Cosmo-SkyMed covering this test area have been processed in order to explore the potentials to analyse historical and near real time landslide dynamics. The SAR data are characterized by various geometric and temporal resolutions having been acquired by 3 sensors operating at different bands in different periods between 2003 and 2011. TeleRilevamento Europa (TRE) exploited these data in order to retrive displacement timeseries applying its proprietary SqueeSAR algorithm. After re-projecting Envisat-2 and Radarsat datasets according to the CSK Line Of Sight a comparison of displacements recorded by each sensor has been possible. For this purpose, we have selected areas characterized by the presence of Persistent Scatterers or Diffused Scatterers from at least two datasets. This multi-sensor approach allowed determining the slope displacement tracking during 8 years. Even though the different time series are not formally integrated each other, the result is accurate enough to allow the evaluation of the landslide’s behaviour and trend over several years