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(1) Background: Dry eye disease (DED) is a multifactorial ocular surface disease characterized by an imbalance in ocular surface homeostasis, and tear substitutes constitute the first line of treatment. The present study aimed to evaluate the changes in the signs and symptoms of patients with DED treated with a novel tear substitute containing the GlicoPro® complex. (2) Methods: Patients with DED not successfully responding to other tear substitutes were enrolled and treated with a novel ophthalmic solution (two drops four times daily). Patients were examined before starting the study treatment (T0) and after 30 (T1) and 60 (T2) days of treatment by means of Keratograph for the evaluation of the following: (i) tear meniscus height (TMH); (ii) noninvasive Keratograph break-up time (NIKBUT); (iii) bulbar redness; and (iv) infrared meibography. The SANDE questionnaire was administered to assess ocular discomfort symptoms. Analysis of the tear content of proenkephalin and Met/Leu-enkephalin was also performed. (3) Results: At T2, a significant improvement in NIKBUT first, average, and class, TMH, and SANDE score was found. The tear content of proenkephalins was significantly higher at T1, whereas processed active Met/Leu-enkephalins increased at both T1 and T2. (4) Conclusions: Our novel tear substitute based on GlicoPro® resulted in a significant improvement in ocular discomfort symptoms, tear volume, and stability in the patients treated. The increase in active peptides processed in tears may represent the pathophysiological substrate underlying this finding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Brittle deformation on Ganymede surface is represented by grooves tectonic linear landforms. These are regional scale structures that show well-defined morphology from straight to curvilinear. High density of grooves occupies most of the light terrain of the satellite, the grooved terrain. We map grooves on the USGS Voyager and Galileo Mosaic of Ganymede in order to unravel their spatial distribution and tectonic setting. A total of 14,707 grooves were identified, digitized and statistically analysed. A quantitative structural geology approach was used to classify grooves, by considering their azimuth and regional rotation. This procedure allowed to recognize a total of four groove families, named the NE, WNW, NW, and N-S super-systems. The presented structural map represents a tool to study the stress conditions associated with the groove formation and evolution. This map also aims to contribute to the scientific preparation of the upcoming missions and future exploration of Ganymede. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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The Rennick Geodynamic Belt (RGB) is a regionally sized (length > 100 km) deformation corridor separating the geotectonic provinces of East Antarctica, to the W and North Victoria Land, to the E. This corridor is characterized by the envelope of the deformation zones of a fault network, nearly N-S oriented, lying on the southward, on-land prosecution of the Tasman Fracture Zone (TFZ). The oceanic-to-continental connection between transforms and intraplate strike-slip faults is poorly known. In this contribution we explore the link between the RGB and the TFZ by a multi-scalar approach that includes the evidences of remote sensing tectonic deformations (i.e. lineament domains) and field structural data (i.e. intensity of brittle deformation).During the 2018-2019 austral summer a geological field campaign was performed in the framework of the G-IDEA project (Geo-Ice Dynamics of East Antarctica) of PNRA (Programma Nazionale di Ricerche in Antartide, Italian National Antarctic Research Program). The campaign was dedicated to the collection of field structural data along transects nearly orthogonal to the RGB both in its western (Usarp Mts) and eastern (Bowers Mts) sides. Specifically, the intensity of brittle deformation related to the tectonic stresses was quantified by the a-dimensional, scale-invariant, H/S parameter. This is the ratio between the fracture dimension (H) and its spacing (S) with the adjacent fracture belonging to the same azimuthal family. In this way it is possible to analyze the spatial variation of the intensity of brittle deformation at various distances from the main shear zone.Preliminary results from the analysis of the collected data confirm the main strike-slip behavior of the fault network associated to the RGB and suggest that its eastern sector (Bowers Mts province) is characterized by a higher intensity of brittle deformation (mean H/S > 5) with respect to the western sector (Usarp Mts province, mean H/S < 2). Moreover, the northern parts of both the Bowers and Usarp provinces show the highest intensity of brittle deformation (H/S value of 7.9 in the northern Bowers province and 4.8 in the northern Usarp province). This feature may be related to the southward, onland prosecution of the TFZ. Results from field campaign are in line with the remote sensing deformation evidences. Two main lineament domains characterize the western and the eastern side of the RGB. A main N-S to NNE-SSW trending lineament domain develops to the W, toward the Wilkes Basin. On the other hand, a NW-SE main lineament domain spans the entire North Victoria Land, to the E of RGB.Results from this multi-scalar approach confirm the existence of two geotectonic provinces, namely the Bowers and Usarp provinces, separated by the RGB and characterized by different intensity of brittle deformation and different lineament domains. The analysis of the spatial distribution of the intensity of brittle deformation also suggests that the RGB represents the on-land, southward prosecution of the TFZ. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Saturnian icy satellite Enceladus represents one of the most geologically active moons of the Solar System. In particular, the South Pole is long known to be tectonically active and is characterized by a rectangular complex pattern of sinuous chains of ridges and troughs that surround four main structures. These are referred as Tiger Stripes fractures (TSF), and represent equidistant, NW-SE oriented, linear depressions. The TSF are locations of gas and water ice particles eruptions in jets and plumes. This reveals the intense internal activity whose origin is still under debate. For this reason, the TSF and plumes of Enceladus are object of scientific interests and play a key role in the understanding of the tectonic and geodynamic processes of the satellite. An effective way to understand the internal processes and possible places of uprising of the below liquid layer is to unravel the crustal dynamics that deforms the region of the South Pole. Many hypotheses on extensional and compressional faulting have been proposed for the tectonic activity of the region, yet the mechanism responsible for the observed brittle deformation is still not clear. In this contribution we propose a tectonic model of the TSF and the surrounding region based on the multidisciplinary approach of structural geology, structural glaciology, mapping, quantitative analyses and processing of remote sensed images of the satellite surface in the South Pole region. We detect lineament domains and quantitatively analyse the properties of the tectonic structures (i.e. the TSF and the boundary ridges) that belong to the identified systems. These are characterized by the ratio (L/S) between the Length of structures of the same system and their Spacing measured at adjacent structures. This allows to unravel the fracturing history of the systems, the crustal rheology variations and the relative lithospheric thickness. Image processing and filtering is used to better characterize the textures and the periodicity of the morphology in the studied region.Results allow to propose the kinematic tectonic model of Enceladus South Pole. The structures of the region are formed by the presence of significant horizontal stresses that produce strike-slip motion following a limited block rotation model. Strike-slip regime involves the region of the South Pole with external right-lateral kinematics of the ridge chains that induce internal left-lateral displacement along the TSF. The rotation of the blocks is accommodated by symmetrical transtensional and transpressional zones both at the vertex areas of the surrounding chain and within the TSF. Results of this work suggest the significance of strike-slip displacements on the tectonic history of the icy satellites and provide implications on future programmed missions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study is to report the clinical outcomes of oral supplementation with curcumin-phospholipid in addition to hyaluronic acid-based tear substitute for the management of dry eye disease (DED). Patients with a diagnosis of DED confirmed by pathological values of both NIKBUT <10 s. and OSDI Questionnaire score > 12 were included. Patients were randomized to receive 2 different treatments: 0.25% hyaluronic acid-based tear substitute 3 time daily (Group 1) or as above plus curcumin-phosphatidylcholine complex tablets once a day (Group 2). Patients were evaluated at baseline (T0) and after 90 days of treatment (T1) by means of Keratograph for the measurement of NIKBUT, TMH, meibomian gland dropout and bulbar redness. Overall, data from 90 eyes of 45 patients were included. Group 1 consisted of 48 eyes of 24 patients, while group 2 included 42 eyes of 21 patients. When comparing median values of both groups at T0, no statistically significant differences were found for all parameters; instead for T1, statistically significant differences were found for redness and OSDI compared to Group 1. In group 1, a statistically significant reduction after the treatment was detected for Nikbut average and OSDI questionnaire; while in group 2, a statistically significant reduction after treatment was recorded for Nikbut average, bulbar redness and OSDI questionnaire. The addition of an oral supplement containing curcumin-phospholipid may help in a greater improvement of bulbar redness and subjective ocular symptoms compared to the treatment with tear substitutes alone for the management of DED., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2023 Borselli, Ferrari, Bianchi, Rossi, Scalzo, Mangialavori, Scorcia and Giannaccare.)

Introduction: The Stroke and Cognition consortium (STROKOG) aims to facilitate a better understanding of the determinants of vascular contributions to cognitive disorders and help improve the diagnosis and treatment of vascular cognitive disorders (VCD)., Methods: Longitudinal studies with ≥75 participants who had suffered or were at risk of stroke or TIA and which evaluated cognitive function were invited to join STROKOG. The consortium will facilitate projects investigating rates and patterns of cognitive decline, risk factors for VCD, and biomarkers of vascular dementia., Results: Currently, STROKOG includes 25 (21 published) studies, with 12,092 participants from five continents. The duration of follow-up ranges from 3 months to 21 years., Discussion: Although data harmonization will be a key challenge, STROKOG is in a unique position to reuse and combine international cohort data and fully explore patient level characteristics and outcomes. STROKOG could potentially transform our understanding of VCD and have a worldwide impact on promoting better vascular cognitive outcomes.