Covalent functionalization enables good dispersion and anisotropic orientation of multi-walled carbon nanotubes in a poly(l-lactic acid) electrospun nanofibrous matrix boosting neuronal differentiation

A biocompatible porous scaffold obtained via electrospinning a nanocomposite solution of poly(l-lactic acid) and 4-methoxyphenyl functionalized multi-walled carbon nanotubes is presented here for the first time for the enhancement of neurite outgrowth. Optimization of blend preparation and deposition parameters paves the way to the obtainment of defect-free random networks of nanofibers with homogeneous diameters in the hundreds of nanometers length scale. The tailored covalent functionalization of nanotube surfaces allows a homogeneous dispersion of the nanofillers within the polymer matrix, diminishing their natural tendency to aggregate and form bundles. This results in a remarkable effect on the crystallization temperature, as evidenced through differential scanning calorimetry. Furthermore, transmission electron microscopy shows carbon nanotubes anisotropically aligned along the fiber axes, a feature believed to enhance neurite adhesion and growth. Indeed, microscopy images show neurites extension along the direction of nanofibers, highlighting the extreme relevance of scaffold morphology in engineering complex tissue environments. Furthermore, a remarkable effect on increasing the neurite outgrowth results when using the fibrous scaffold containing dispersed carbon nanotubes in comparison with an analogous one made of only polymer, providing further evidence of the key role played by carbon nanostructures in inducing neuronal differentiation

An interface capturing method for liquid-gas flows at low-Mach number

Multiphase, compressible and viscous flows are of crucial importance in a wide range of scientific and engineering problems. Despite the large effort paid in the last decades to develop accurate and efficient numerical techniques to address this kind of problems, current models need to be further improved to address realistic applications. In this context, we propose a numerical approach to the simulation of multiphase, viscous flows where a compressible and an incompressible phase interact in the low-Mach number regime. In this frame, acoustics is neglected but large density variations of the compressible phase can be accounted for as well as heat transfer, convection and diffusion processes. The problem is addressed in a fully Eulerian framework exploiting a low-Mach number asymptotic expansion of the Navier-Stokes equations. A Volume of Fluid approach (VOF) is used to capture the liquid-gas interface, built on top of a massive parallel solver, second order accurate both in time and space. The second-order-pressure term is treated implicitly and the resulting pressure equation is solved with the eigenexpansion method employing a robust and novel formulation. We provide a detailed and complete description of the theoretical approach together with information about the numerical technique and implementation details. Results of benchmarking tests are provided for five different test cases

Black soldier fly as dietary protein source for broiler quails: apparent digestibility, excreta microbial load, feed choice, performance, carcass and meat traits

In order to expand with validated scientific data the limited knowledge regarding the potential application of insects as innovative feed ingredients for poultry, the present study tested a partial substitution of soya bean meal and soya bean oil with defatted black soldier fly (Hermetia illucens) larvae meal (H) in the diet for growing broiler quails (Coturnix coturnix japonica) on growth performance, mortality, nutrients apparent digestibility, microbiological composition of excreta, feed choice, carcass and meat traits. With this purpose, a total of 450 10-day-old birds were allocated to 15 cages (30 birds/cage) and received three dietary treatments: a Control diet (C) and two diets (H1 and H2) corresponding to 10% and 15% H inclusion levels, respectively (H substituted 28.4% soya bean oil and 16.1% soya bean meal for H1, and 100% soya bean oil and 24.8% soya bean meal for H2, respectively). At 28 days of age, quails were slaughtered, carcasses were weighed, breast muscles were then excised from 50 quails/treatment, weighed, and ultimate pH (pHu) and L*, a*, b* colour values were measured. Breast muscles were then cooked to assess cooking loss and meat toughness. For the digestibility trial, a total of 15 28-day-old quails were assigned to the three feeding groups. The excreta samples were subjected to chemical and microbiological analysis. The same 15 quails were then simultaneously provided with C and H2 diets for a 10-day feed choice trial. Productive performance, mortality and carcass traits were in line with commercial standards and similar in all experimental groups. With the exception of ether extract digestibility, which was lower in H1 group compared with C and H2 (P=0.0001), apparent digestibility of dry matter, CP, starch and energy did not differ among treatments. Microbial composition of excreta was also comparable among the three groups. Feed choice trial showed that quails did not express a preference toward C or H2 diets. Breast meat weight and yield did not differ among C, H1 and H2 quails. Differently, the inclusion of H meal reduced meat pHu compared with C. In conclusion, this study demonstrated that H. illucens larvae meal can partially replace conventional soya bean meal and soya bean oil in the diet for growing broiler quails, thus confirming to be a promising insect protein source for the feed industry. Further research to assess the impact of H meal on intestinal morphology as well as on meat quality and sensory profile would be of utmost importance

Resistência de genótipos de videira à ferrugem.

O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar a resistência à ferrugem causada pelo fungo Phakopsora euvitis, em genótipos de videira, e a efi ciência da infecção de acordo com a idade das folhas e concentração de inóculo. A avaliação foi feita em 15 genótipos, com base nos seguintes componentes de resistência: número de pústulas (urédios) por cm2; tamanho das pústulas; número de esporos produzidos por pústula; e período latente. Os componentes de resistência, com exceção do período latente, apresentaram grande variação quantitativa. A análise multivariada desses componentes diferenciou cinco grupos de genótipos. Os genótipos mais resistentes foram as cultivares porta-enxertos IAC313, IAC572 e IAC766, em que a efi ciência da infecção foi baixa, com pústulas menores e menor produção de urediniósporos, além de reação de hipersensibilidade no tecido em torno das pústulas. O grau de infecção aumenta com o aumento na concentração do inóculo. A ferrugem coloniza, indiscriminadamente, folhas jovens e folhas maduras de videira

Plaque imaging volume analysis: technique and application

The prevention and management of atherosclerosis poses a tough challenge to public health organizations worldwide. Together with myocardial infarction, stroke represents its main manifestation, with up to 25% of all ischemic strokes being caused by thromboembolism arising from the carotid arteries. Therefore, a vast number of publications have focused on the characterization of the culprit lesion, the atherosclerotic plaque. A paradigm shift appears to be taking place at the current state of research, as the attention is gradually moving from the classically defined degree of stenosis to the identification of features of plaque vulnerability, which appear to be more reliable predictors of recurrent cerebrovascular events. The present review will offer a perspective on the present state of research in the field of carotid atherosclerotic disease, focusing on the imaging modalities currently used in the study of the carotid plaque and the impact that such diagnostic means are having in the clinical setting

Database of the Italian disdrometer network

In 2021, a group of seven Italian institutions decided to bring together their know-how, experience, and instruments for measuring the drop size distribution (DSD) of atmospheric precipitation, giving birth to the Italian Group of Disdrometry (in Italian named Gruppo Italiano Disdrometria, GID, https://www.gid-net.it/, last access: 16 May 2023). GID has made freely available a database of 1 min records of DSD collected by the disdrometer network along the Italian peninsula. At the time of writing, the disdrometer network was composed of eight laser disdrometers belonging to six different Italian institutions (including research centres, universities, and environmental regional agencies). This work aims to document the technical aspects of the Italian DSD database consisting of 1 min sampling data from 2012 to 2021 in a uniform standard format defined within GID. Although not all the disdrometers have the same data record length, the DSD data collection effort is the first of its kind in Italy, and from here onwards, it opens up new opportunities in the surface characterization of microphysical properties of precipitation in the perspective of climate records and beyond. The Version 01 GID database can be downloaded at https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.6875801 (Adirosi et al., 2022), while Version 02 can be downloaded at https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.7708563 (Adirosi et al., 2023). The difference among the two versions is the diameter–fall velocity relation used for the DSD computation

A review on the radiological protection materiality in environmental sustainability reports

Materiality should be used as a strategic business tool, with implications beyond social, economic, and environmental responsibility in sustainability reporting. Organizations can benefit by incorporate materiality into their existing economic processes, creating a broader approach and ensuring strategies with significant social and environmental topics. This provides stakeholder engagement; prioritizes financial resources for sustainability; develops new business; identifies climate change issues; among others. In this context, aim this study was to present a review the materiality related to radiologic protection in organizational sustainability reports. The results show that radiologic protection is considered in several topics in the organizational sustainability reports evaluated, represented from issues occupational health and safety, environmental assessment suppliers, environmental compliance, local communities, and waste management. It was concluded that, in preparing the materiality matrix, it is necessary to have the methods defined advance to grant them to be reproduced and periodically reviewed. This will allow to demonstrate the sustainability evolution and its alignment with the organizations' strategies

Traditional farmers’ varieties: a valuable source of genetic variability for biofortification programs

Several studies underlined the superiority from a nutritional point of view of ancient varieties. In the last years the interest for landraces has been growing, for this reason preservation and valorisation of these genetic sources is very important. In particular these varieties are source of precious genetic variability interesting from a scientific point of view to preserve biodiversity but also for biofortification programs aimed to support small rural communities, where the particular maize germplasm has been developed. In this work we characterized from the nutritional point of view 13 ancient Italian varieties and one coming from Spain (Millo Corvo). In this pre-breeding work we demonstrate the nutritional superiority of ancient varieties if compared with modern hybrids. In particular Spinato di Gandino is the best variety for milling properties and for oil, protein, and total phosphorus content; Storo is the best variety for calorific value and for carotenoids and free phosphorus content. Using these varieties in the next future we will start a bio-fortification program aimed to obtain new populations with improved yields and high nutritional value

Environmental restoration by aquatic angiosperm transplants in transitional water systems: The Venice Lagoon as a case study

The paper reports the results obtained after 4 years of aquatic angiosperm transplants in areas of the Venice Lagoon (North Adriatic Sea, Mediterranean) where meadows almost disappeared due to eutrophication, pollution and overexploitation of clam resources. The project LIFE12 NAT/IT/000331-SeResto, funded by the European Union, allowed to recolonize the Habitat 1150* (coastal lagoons) in the northernmost part of the lagoon, by extensive manual transplants of small sods or single rhizomes of Zostera marina, Zostera noltei, Ruppia cirrhosa and, in some stations also of Cymodocea nodosa. Over the 4 years of the project more than 75,000 rhizomes were transplanted in 35 stations with the support of local stakeholders (fishermen, hunters and sport clubs). Plants took root in 32 stations forming extensive meadows on a surface of approx. 10 km2 even if some failures were recorded in areas affected by outflows of freshwater rich in nutrients and suspended particulate matter. The rapid recovery of the ecological status of the involved areas was the result of this meadow restoration, which was in compliance with Water Framework Directive (WFD 2000/60/EC) objectives. Moreover, the monitoring of environmental parameters in the water column and in surface sediments allowed to identify the best conditions for successful transplants. Small, widespread interventions and the participation of local stakeholders in the environmental recovery, make this action economically cheap and easily transposable in other similar environments

Memory box: uma tecnologia para o cuidado neonatal e pediátrico

Estudo descritivo exploratório, quantitativo, tipo survey transversal, que tem por objetivo analisar como a Memory Box pode ser utilizada, na perspectiva da equipe de enfermagem, como uma tecnologia para o cuidado pediátrico e neonatal. A população foi constituída por 143 profissionais de Enfermagem de um hospital pediátrico de Santa Catarina. A coleta de dados foi realizada no período de agosto a outubro de 2013, a partir da aplicação de um instrumento. Os dados obtidos foram analisados utilizando estatística simples, exploratória e o teste não paramétrico, adotando nível de significância de