Search

The addition of natural or synthetic zeolites induces changes in a soil’s chemical, physical, and biological characteristics. Zeolites possess intricate internal frameworks that allow them to modify soil structure and texture, thereby impacting soil hydrological properties. This potential offers opportunities to control soil and groundwater pollution as well as optimize irrigation management practices. In this study, three sandy-loam soils and a silty-loam soil were collected and mixed with different amounts of synthetic zeolite derived from coal fly ash. Repacked soil samples were combined with four levels of zeolite ranging from 1% to 10% by weight and were then hydraulically characterized. This included measuring soil water retention curves (SWRCs) of soil-zeolite mixtures. The data revealed, in accordance with recent research findings, that zeolite influences the hydraulic behavior of soils. In general, we observed that, as the percentage of zeolite increases in the soil, the SWRCs are shifted upwards. This effect is fundamental for explaining the observed changes in the whole set of investigated soil hydraulic properties. The observed changes are also fundamental to evaluate selected soil physical quality (SPQ) indices of agronomic interest, which are investigated in depth in the present research. A specific focus was on the impact of zeolite on modifying the soil’s capacity to retain water, hence on the energy required by plants to acquire a unit mass of soil water (referred to as integral energy, EI). Finally, the ANOVA test, linear regression, and multivariate analysis were performed on the entire dataset to support, from a statistical standpoint, the observed correlations between SPQ indices and zeolite amounts. These findings underscored the significance of soil texture in selecting the appropriate soil type for zeolite amendment, confirming that coarse-textured soils are more suitable for zeolite treatment compared to fine-textured soils.

This research aims at studying the intrinsic vulnerability of groundwater to diffuse environmental pollutants in the Muravera coastal agricultural area of Sardinia, Italy. The area faces contamination risks arising from agricultural practices, especially the use of fertilizers, pesticides, and various chemicals that can seep into the groundwater. The study examined the interplay among hydrological elements, including soil characteristics, groundwater depth, climate conditions, land use, and aquifer properties. To do that, the outcomes of FLOWS 1D physically-based agrohydrological model were analyzed in parallel with those of the overlay-and-index model SINTACS, in a sort of reciprocal benchmarking. By using FLOWS, water movement and solute transport in the unsaturated zone were simulated by, respectively, solving the Richard Equation (RE) and the Advection-Dispersion equation (ADE). As such, this model allowed to account for the role of soil hydraulic and hydro-dispersive properties variability in determining the travel times of a conservative solute through the soil profile to the groundwater. For FLOWS simulations, a complete dataset was used as input, including soil horizons, soil physical and hydraulic properties of 36 soil profiles, average annual depth to groundwater table at each soil profile (ranging from 1 to 50 meters), and climatic temporal series data on rainfall and evapotranspiration. Detailed analyses of travel times for the movement of 25, 50, 75, and 100% of the solute mass to reach groundwater were conducted, revealing that the depth to groundwater predominantly influences vulnerability. This result was coherent with SINTACS vulnerability map due to the large impact of the depth to groundwater on SINTACS analysis.

Study region: Marchfeld region (Austria) Study focus: A multi-method and multi-scale assessment of the intrinsic groundwater vulnerability to generic pollutants was carried out. At the regional scale, a parametric method, to assess the intrinsic groundwater vulnerability, and a transfer function model, to assess the travel time of a generic and non-reactive pollutant through the unsaturated zone, were applied. At the site-specific scale, the travel time of the peak concentration was evaluated by using a physically-based hydrological model. The comparison of results of different approaches allowed mutual validation and advanced the knowledge about the assessment of groundwater vulnerability. New hydrogeological insights for the region: To assess the groundwater vulnerability, a detailed hydrogeological map of the study area was reconstructed. A large variability of hydrogeological, morphological and anthropic conditions was recognized. Alluvial aquifers formed by high-permeability deposits hosting shallow groundwater circulation are characterized by the highest groundwater vulnerability. Contrarily, lower groundwater vulnerability was recognized for aquifers formed by low-permeability deposits, favoring a reduction of infiltration processes and a major attenuation of pollutants’ potential effects. The presented multi-method approach revealed how comparing the results of a DRASTIC-like method and two process-based models can deliver hints regarding their suitability, different spatial densities and quality of required inputs, and effectiveness. Finally, the potential strong impact of some agricultural practices was confirmed.

Biomass gasification is a thermochemical process that produces a gaseous end product known as syngas, the main components of which are CO, CO2, and H2. Starting from syngas it is possible to upgrade this mixture into Synthetic Natural Gas (SNG) through a catalytic methanation process. In this work, a thermodynamic study was conducted to see how operative parameters such as the temperature of the methanation reactor, the quality of the syngas (related to different gasification technologies), and the presence of a conditioning stage based on water gas shift reaction, can influence the output variables as the conversion degree of the reactants, the mass yield and the low heating value of the final products.

Cancer associated thrombosis (CAT) is the second leading cause of death in oncologic patients and includes both venous thromboembolism (VTE) and arterial thrombotic events (ATE). In addition, cancer patients have an increased risk of developing atrial fibrillation (AF), which represents an additional risk factor for systemic thromboembolism in these patients. Both CAT and AF may be the first presentation of the oncologic disease or develop because of chemotherapy or radiotherapy. The management of the anticoagulation in cancer patients with CAT or AF is challenging, and data on these patients are lacking in specific settings/situations. Low molecular weight heparins (LMWHs) and direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) represent the preferred treatment strategies in CAT, and DOACs in cancer patients with AF. However, the possible drug-drug interactions of DOACs and the bleeding risks in thrombocytopenic patients should be considered. The use of vitamin K antagonists (VKAs) in cancer patients with CAT or AF is challenging because of the unpredictable therapeutic response and high bleeding risk in patients with active disease who are undergoing chemotherapy and who may experience thrombocytopenia and/or changes in renal or hepatic function and, according to the recent guidelines, it is limited to specific situations (i.e. severe renal insufficiency, AF associated with prosthetic mechanical valves and severe mitral stenosis). A careful evaluation of the antithrombotic strategy with the best efficacy/safety ratio (in terms of doses or drugs) is always needed in cancer patients and anticoagulation for CAT and AF should be tailored individually. An ongoing consultation of oncologists/hematologists with cardiologists and coagulation experts in a multidisciplinary approach, with a periodic re-assessment of the benefit/risk ratio of anticoagulation with changes in cancer status/advancement and treatment plans is needed.

Background: Human papillomavirus (HPV) infection is linked to several cancers, including anal and oral cancers. The incidence of anal cancer is particularly high among HIV-positive men who have sex with men (MSM). DNA methylation markers have shown promise as biomarkers for identifying precancerous lesions and cancer in HPV-infected individuals. The aim of this study was to investigate the correlation of DNA methylation with HPV infection in oral samples and the correlation of DNA methylation with lesion degree in the anal samples of HIV-positive MSM. Methods: This study investigated DNA methylation in oral and anal samples from HIV-positive MSM at the National Institute for Infectious Diseases (INMI) in Rome, Italy. Exfoliated oral epithelial cells and anal samples were collected and analyzed for 28 HPV genotypes using the Allplex 28 HPV assay. DNA methylation was assessed with the PrecursorM+ kit for oral samples and the AnoGyn kit for anal samples, focusing on the promoter regions of specific genes. Results: The study included 63 participants, with a median age of 49 and a median CD4+ count of 705 cells/µL. The oral samples showed HPV16 as the most common type, with 22% testing positive for DNA methylation. The anal samples exhibited HPV-related methylation changes linked to cytological lesions, with a 30% increase in the observed ddCt ratio. Significant differences were found in both ASCL1 and ZNF582 genes, particularly for HSILvsNILM and HSILvsLSIL lesions. Of the samples with an increased ddCt ratio, 80% were from patients over 35 years old, and multiple HPV infections were common. Conclusions: DNA methylation markers could be valuable in identifying high-risk HPV infections in oral samples and detecting potential precancerous lesions in anal samples. These markers may enhance the early detection and prevention strategies for HPV-related cancers in high-risk populations, with follow-up data indicating potential for monitoring lesion progression.

Fermentation biomasses can be defined as a complex mixture of different natural components and microbes, having biodegradable and organic waste as the primary source. Its correct characterization is crucial to have proper processing in fermentative units. Firstly, proximate analysis is done to retrieve the content of specific compounds in the mixture, such as fat, proteins, and carbohydrates. However, this is often not enough to achieve the sufficient precision, since some low-concentration species are not easily found through this methodology (i.e., sulfate compounds, ethanol, caproic acid). Consequently, ultimate analysis is performed to evaluate the exact amount of every element in the mixture. For biomass-based compounds, atoms content can be synthesized in carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, and sulfur. The total content of these elements is also known as CHONS. From this, it is possible to derive the exact amount of the relative species in the biomass. However, the experimental procedure for its determination is rather time and budget-consuming. On the other hand, the amount of data collected in the literature, from both experimental and industrial analysis, can be exploited to build a numerical model, based on the multivariate statistical analysis and machine learning principles that predict the CHONS content for every type of biomass. In this work, a data-driven model has been developed to achieve this aim, having as input a set of relevant variables. Consequently, a dataset has been built to gather all these data. The multivariate statistical technique of Canonical Correlation Analysis (CCA) is used to find 'hidden' correlations and predict CHON content for 27 different biomass types. In future research, machine learning techniques will be applied to compare the results obtained.

Soil water content (θ), matric potential (h) and hydraulic conductivity (K) are key parameters for hydrological and environmental processes. Several sensors have been developed for measuring soil θ–h–K relationships. The cost of such commercially available sensors may vary over several orders of magnitude. In recent years, some sensors have been designed in the framework of Internet of Things (i.e., IoT) systems to make remote real-time soil data acquisition more straightforward, enabling low-cost field-scale monitoring at high spatio-temporal scales. In this paper, we introduce a new multi-parameter sensor designed for the simultaneous estimation of θ and h at different soil depths and, due to the sensor’s specific layout, the soil hydraulic conductivity function via the instantaneous profile method (IPM). Our findings indicate that a second-order polynomial function is the most suitable model (R2 = 0.99) for capturing the behavior of the capacitive-based sensor in estimating θ in the examined soil, which has a silty-loam texture. The effectiveness of low-cost capacitive sensors, coupled with the IPM method, was confirmed as a viable alternative to time domain reflectometry (TDR) probes. Notably, the layout of the sensor makes the IPM method less labor-intensive to implement. The proposed monitoring system consistently demonstrated robust performance throughout extended periods of data acquisition and is highly suitable for ongoing monitoring of soil water status.

The main purpose of this paper is to compare the actual transpiration rates from tomato crop, as measured at leaf scale and estimated by a macroscopic approach in an agro-hydrological model, named FLOWS-HAGES, under variable soil properties and water availability. To this aim, sixteen plots were cultivated with tomatoes in Metaponto, Southern Italy. Soil hydraulic properties (SHP) were obtained using a fast in-situ characterization method. Leaf-area index (LAI) was measured using a leaf-area meter. SHP and LAI were then used in the physically-based FLOWS-HAGES which allowed calculating the macroscopic transpiration rates, Ta,m. Single-leaf transpiration rates, Ta,l, and stomatal conductance, gs,l, were measured in situ. For comparing with Ta,m, gs,l was upscaled by Big-Leaf approach to canopy scale stomatal conductance, gs,c, which was applied to Penman-Monteith model to obtain the canopy-scale transpiration, Ta,c. Finally, multiple linear regression (MLR) was used to find the statistical relationship between Ta,m and Ta,c, and the SHP and gs,c. Results showed that the macroscopic approach smooths the spatial variability of transpiration rates. Ta,c increased with the saturated water content, θs, and the slope of the water retention curve, n, while Ta,m decreased with increasing θs and n. MLR improved significantly by introducing gs,c to predict Ta,m.

Abstract P‐Wave Dispersion (PWD) is an ECG parameter defined as the difference between the longest and the shortest P‐Wave duration. PWD has been associated with hypertension, a leading cause of age‐related cognitive decline. Moreover, hypertension is associated with vascular dementia and Alzheimer's Disease. Based on these considerations, we evaluated PWD and global cognitive function in frail hypertensive older adults with a previous diagnosis of cognitive decline. We evaluated consecutive frail hypertensive patients ≥65‐year‐old with a Mini‐Mental State Examination (MMSE) score

The use of zeolites in agriculture as a soil conditioner is becoming an important field of research in crop growth. To study the effect of synthetic zeolites and deficit irrigation on sweet pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) cultivation, an experiment was conducted in a controlled environment. In particular, sweet peppers were cultivated in a glasshouse using polypropylene pots filled with sandy loam soil, to which 2% zeolite was added. The zeolite employed in the experiments was obtained using coal fly ash as a raw material. The experiment consisted of two main treatments: (a) soil with a zeolite at 2% (Z) and (b) soil without a zeolite as a control (C). Three subplot treatments consisted of (1) full irrigation at 100% of the available water content (AWC) (100); (2) deficit irrigation at 70% of the AWC (70); and (3) deficit irrigation at 50% of the AWC (50). Sweet pepper cultivation started on 24 April 2023 and lasted until 23 June 2023; during the trial, the environmental data, such as the soil humidity, air temperature, and relative humidity, and some crop parameters, such as the plant height, leaf number, and the SPAD index, were monitored. At the end of the trial, the fresh and dry plant weights, the dry matter content, and the leaf water potential were measured. The results showed that, for the plant fresh weight and dry matter content, no significant differences were observed in the treatments and their interactions, whereas, for the other parameters, the statistical analysis showed significant differences. The study suggests that the soil’s structural benefits, resulting from zeolite application, are not followed by an equal positive effect in terms of sweet pepper growth under deficit irrigation conditions.

The identification of the most efficient biomass valorization paths is vital for reaching the target of Renewable Energy Sources consumption by 2030. In this context, within a National project named ‘Biofeedstock’, the applicability of multivariate statistical analysis, i.e. Canonical Correlation Analysis (CCA), is implemented for the definition of specific correlations describing quantitatively and qualitatively the fast pyrolysis process outputs. The database used for the CCA contains 59 observations and it has been built up using literature data specifically on fluidized bed fast pyrolysis without any catalyst, in the temperature range of 450-550°C. The results show that the CCA correctly describes the process analysed with a discrete degree of confidence. However, it shows two main drawbacks, firstly the dataset constitution, and secondly possibility to individuate only linear correlations between inputs and outputs.

In this work, bimetallic catalysts (Pt-Ni/CeO2-Al2O3) in the form of powder and structured samples were employed for the oxidative steam reforming of fuel grade bioethanol. The stability performance of the above samples was investigated in a stainless steel tubular reactor at 500°C and 1 atm by feeding a commercial fuel grade ethanol stream with a H2O/C2H5OH = 4 and O2/C2H5OH = 0.5. Preliminarily, the ceria loading (between 25 and 45 wt%) as well as the Pt content (between 2 and 5 wt%) were optimized with respect to the washcoat (wc) content for the powder sample. Stability tests were carried out for 24 hours at 500°C and WHSV (Weight Hourly Space Velocity) = 12 h-1. The highest endurance performance was recorded over the 3Pt-10Ni/35CeO2/wc, which assured an ethanol conversion of almost 98% at the end of the test with a corresponding hydrogen yield of 50%. When the most promising formulation was transferred on a Ni-Fe substrate (made of an open cell foam), a clear improvement in the catalyst performance was recorded. In particular, the structured catalyst, able to assure a very good heat management within the catalytic bed as well as an improved mass transport, displayed a more stable behaviour compared to the corresponding powder, even in the presence of the typical bioethanol impurities; moreover, no significant formation of unwanted by-products (coke precursors) was observed during 24 hours of time-on- stream (TOS).

The time domain reflectometry (TDR) technique is a geophysical method that allows, in a time-varying electric field, the determination of dielectric permittivity and electrical conductivity of a wide class of porous materials. Measurements of the volumetric water content (θw) in soils is the most frequent application of TDR in Soil Science and Soil Hydrology. In last four decades several studies have sought to explore potential applications of TDR. Such studies (except those conducted on θw estimation) mainly focused on monitoring soil solute transport. In more recent times, innovative TDR approaches have also been implemented to extend current TDR fields of application to the problem of monitoring non-aqueous phase liquids (NAPLs) in variable saturated soils. NAPLs are organic compounds with low solubility in water and are characterised by a high mobility in the vadose zone. Due to their high toxicity, NAPLs constitute a severe geo-environmental problem, thus making detection and observation of such substances in soils an increasingly important issue. The present paper deals with these studies and aims to provide an up-to-date review of the main NAPL-TDR studies. To date, the literature has focused on TDR applications in three main fields: (i) NAPL monitoring in homogeneous, variable saturated soils, (ii) NAPL monitoring in layered variable saturated soils, and (iii) NAPL monitoring during soil decontamination processes. For an exhaustive and complete overview of TDR research in this field, we also recall the basic principles of TDR signal propagation, the functioning of a typical TDR device, and the dielectric mixing models that are widely used to interpret the dielectric response of NAPL-contaminated soils.

Study region: The study region is represented by seven irrigation districts distributed under different climate and topography conditions in Italy. Study focus: This study explores the reliability and consistency of the global ERA5 single levels and ERA5-Land reanalysis datasets in predicting the main agrometeorological estimates commonly used for crop water requirements calculation. In particular, the reanalysis data was compared, variable-by-variable (e.g., solar radiation, Rs; air temperature, Tair; relative humidity, RH; wind speed, u10; reference evapotranspiration, ET0), with in situ agrometeorological observations obtained from 66 automatic weather stations (2008–2020). In addition, the presence of a climate-dependency on their accuracy was assessed at the different irrigation districts. New hydrological insights for the region: A general good agreement was obtained between observed and reanalysis agrometeorological variables at both daily and seasonal scales. The best performance was obtained for Tair, followed by RH, Rs, and u10 for both reanalysis datasets, especially under temperate climate conditions. These performances were translated into slightly higher accuracy of ET0 estimates by ERA5-Land product, confirming the potential of using reanalysis datasets as an alternative data source for retrieving the ET0 and overcoming the unavailability of observed agrometeorological data.

Crude bio-oil obtained from fast pyrolysis of biomass and wastes is typically characterised by the presence of high levels of oxygenated compounds, which are mainly responsible for its unfavourable characteristics (e.g., low heating value, high acidity, and poor storage stability). In order to overcome this drawback and favourably produce drop-in fuels, the fast pyrolysis of olive stone (OS), has been studied by giving particular attention to the exploration of operating conditions (i.e. pyrolysis temperature) and strategies (i.e. catalytic pyrolysis and co-pyrolysis) suitable to promote efficient de-oxygenation of bio-oils and improve the quality of the product streams. Steady state fast pyrolysis tests were performed in a bench scale fluidized bed reactor (gas residence time ~1s). Pyrolysis tests were carried out at 500 °C and 600 °C by using either inert sand or ?-alumina catalyst as bed material. Outcomes from the non-catalytic and the catalytic co-pyrolysis of low-density polyethylene (LDPE) and OS (plastic-to-biomass ratio of 20/80) at two different temperatures (500 and 600 °C) are also presented. Preliminary findings highlight that the co-processing of LDPE and OS under non-catalytic conditions stands out for the formation of long-chain aliphatic hydrocarbons in the form of both liquid paraffins and wax deposits, which are well-known to be the primary products evolved from the pyrolysis of polyolefins. The addition of ?-alumina catalyst significantly affects both the distribution and the quality of the pyrolytic products (char, bio-oils, and gas). Under catalytic co-pyrolysis conditions, a marked reduction in the yield of bio-liquid is observed, compensated by a remarkable improvement in its quality, particularly in terms of the formation of light mono-aromatics and a marked decrease in the total amount of the oxygenated compounds. On the downside, however, a significant increase in the production of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) is detected. Remarkable benefits are also detected by increasing the co-pyrolysis temperature to 600 °C, particularly in terms of content of oxygenated compounds in the bio-oils, as well as in terms of PAHs and water formation, which decreased considerably. Altogether, preliminary findings of this study suggest that further research efforts are required in order to improve the process performance, for example by optimizing the operating conditions as well as the physicochemical properties of catalysts.

In this retrospective study, a cohort of 67 subjects vaccinated with AZD1222 was retrospectively observed. Consistently with published findings, no serious adverse event was reported, and all adverse events reported (fever, muscle ache and/or pain in the site of injection) had resolved by day 8. Of note, some citizens were prescribed low-dose aspirin and even heparin for thrombosis prevention. We also found variations in laboratory test results (full blood count and chemistry) on day 1 compared with day 8. Physicians should be aware that no prevention therapy for thrombosis is currently recommended, given the very low incidence of this side effect. Additional studies are warranted to interpret our findings.

Recombinant porcine factor VIII (rpFVIII) is indicated for treating bleeding episodes in acquired haemophilia A, but there are few data regarding laboratory methods to adequately monitor treatment. This study involving three Italian laboratories aimed to evaluate the analytical performance of different assays for measuring rpFVIII. Five spiked rpFVIII samples (0.5–1.5 IU/mL) were analysed on three days, in triplicate, with eleven combinations of reagents (Werfen, Boston, MA, USA: SynthasIL and SynthaFax for one-stage assay, Chromogenix Coamatic FVIII for chromogenic assay), FVIII depleted plasmas (with or without von Willebrand factor—VWF) and calibrators (HemosIL human calibrator plasma, porcine calibrator diluted in FVIII deficient plasma with or without VWF). The assays were performed on ACL TOP analysers (Werfen, Boston, MA, USA). Intra- and inter-assay and inter-laboratory Coefficient of Variation (CV%) were calculated together with percentage of recovery (% recovery) on the expected value. The results showed that the reagent combinations reaching satisfactory analytical performance are: SynthasIL/human calibrator/deficient plasma+VWF (total recovery 99.4%, inter-laboratory CV 4.04%), SynthasIL/porcine calibrator/deficient plasma+VWF (total recovery 111%, inter-laboratory CV 2.75%) and Chromogenic/ porcine calibrator/deficient plasma+VWF (total recovery 96.6%, inter-laboratory CV 8.32%). This study highlights that the use of porcine standard (when available) and FVIII deficient plasma with VWF should be recommended.

Olive mill wastewater (OMW) is a compound originating from oil mills during oil extraction processes. In the Mediterranean area, more than 30 million m3 of OMW are produced each year, which represents 95-97% of the world production. Such volumes of untreated OMW are usually directly disposed of into drainage systems, water bodies (such as streams, lagoons and ponds) or are sprinkled on soils, causing potentially severe environmental problems to soils and groundwater. Consequently, there is a serious waste management problem related to the olive oil industry, because these practices no longer being acceptable. In the case of on-land OMW disposal, the characterization and the identification of this contaminant in soils is a fundamental task especially with a view to maintaining the integrity and quality of agroecosystems. In recent years, soils have been extensively studied to detect contaminants by using various geophysical methods. Among such techniques, time domain reflectometry (TDR) has shown, in different contexts, evident sensitivity and resolution capability for the characterization of contaminated soil sites. In order to further exploit the potential of the TDR technique, in this study we conducted a series of laboratory-controlled tests to explore how OMW influences the dielectric response of contaminated soils. This investigation led to the development of an empirical dielectric model to estimate the presence of OMW in variably saturated-contaminated soils with different textures and pedological features. In particular, the soils selected belong to two typical pedological units in southern Italy which account for approximately 90% of the Italian olive plantations and one of the highest concentrations of the olive oil industry in Italy. In these districts, as well as in other European and Mediterranean countries, there is the controversial habit to spread OMW on soils.

Zeolites can be extensively employed in agricultural activities because they improve soil properties such as infiltration rates, saturated hydraulic conductivity, water holding capacity, and cation exchange capacity. Natural and synthetic zeolites can efficiently hold water. Zeolites are also believed to have the ability to lose and gain water reversibly, without changing their crystal structure. In the present study, several laboratory tests were carried out using: (i) zeolite synthesized from coal fly ash (a waste product from burning coal in thermoelectric power plants), (ii) a silty loam soil, typically found in Southern Italy, and (iii) sunflower as a reference plant. The selected soil was amended with different percentages of zeolite (1, 2, 5, and 10%) and the effects of the synthetic mineral addition on the hydrophysical properties of the soil and plant growth were evaluated. The results indicated that soil–zeolite mixtures retained water more efficiently by pore radius modification. However, this causes a variation in the range of plant-available water towards higher soil humidity values, as the amount of added zeolite increases. These data confirm that zeolite addition modifies the selected hydrophysical properties of the soil with the effect of decreasing the soil drainage capacity, making the soil less habitable for plant growth.

This paper dealt with the calibration of an EMI sensor for monitoring the time dynamics of root zone salinity under irrigation with saline water. Calibration was based on an empirical multiple regression approach largely adopted in the past and still applied in practice for its relative simplicity. Compared to the more complex inversion approaches, it requires an independent dataset of local σb measured within discrete depth intervals, to be compared to horizontal and vertical electrical conductivity (ECaH and ECaV) readings for estimating the parameters of the empirical regression equations. In this paper, we used time domain reflectometry (TDR) readings to replace direct sampling for these local σb measurements. When using this approach, there is the important issue of taking into account the effect of the different sensor observation volumes, making the readings not immediately comparable for empirical calibration. Accordingly, a classical Fourier’s filtering technique was applied to remove the high frequency part (at small spatial scale) of the original data variability, which, due to the different observation volume, was the main source of dissimilarity between the two datasets. Thus, calibration focused only on the lower frequency information, that is, the information at a spatial scale larger than the observation volume of the sensors. By this analysis, we showed and quantified the degree to which the information of the set of TDR readings came from a combination of local and larger scale heterogeneities and how they have to be manipulated for use in EMI electromagnetic induction sensor calibration.

European Association of the Study of the Liver (EASL) guidelines specify HEV RNA, as well as anti-HEV IgG and IgM as positive markers for acute HEV infection. HEV RNA assay sensitivity limitations may lead to false negative test results in patients with low levels of viremia. Moreover, anti-HEV IgM positivity is not a reliable indicator for distinguishing between acute and resolved infections given the ability of this antibody to persist several months after a resolved infection. Our study aims were to assess HEV IgG avidity for diagnosing acute and resolved infections, regardless of the anti-HEV IgM serostatus, and examine assay reliability when evaluating different genotype 3 (GT3) HEV subtypes. Patient serum samples (n = 104) were tested for HEV IgG avidity by utilizing the DIA.PRO kit on a DSX automated instrument. Among patients identified with acute HEV infections, 32 were infected with GT3: GT3c (n = 5), GT3e (n = 8), 3f (n = 17) and GT3-unsubtyped (n = 2). Avidity sensitivity was 91.2% and specificity was 100%. For patients with long-lasting anti-HEV IgM persistence, an Avidity Index >70% was observed. Thus, the DIA.PRO avidity assay may be utilized to distinguish between recently acquired and resolved HEV GT3 infections. However, for equivocal results (Avidity Index > 40–70%), HEV RNA molecular testing will be required to confirm a recent infection.

The increase of capital investments and operation and maintenance (O&M) costs represents a current limitation to the diffusion of carbon capture systems for the clean combustion of fossil fuels. However, post-combustion systems, such as calcium looping (CaL), for CO2 capture from flue gas are the most attractive carbon capture systems since they can be installed at new plants and retrofitted into existing power plants. This work investigates the pros and cons of employing a calcium looping system for CO2 capture and also as a desulphurization unit. A preliminary techno-economic analysis was carried out comparing a base case consisting of a coal-based power plant of about 550MWe with a desulphurization unit (Case 1), the same plant but with a CaL system added for CO2 capture (Case 2), or the same plant but with a CaL system for simultaneous capture of CO2 and SO2 and the removal of the desulphurization unit (Case 3). Case 2 resulted in a 67% increase of capital investment with respect to the benchmark case, while the increase was lower (48%) in Case 3. In terms of O&M costs, the most important item was represented by the yearly maintenance cost of the desulphurization unit. In fact, in Case 3, a reduction of O&M costs of about 8% was observed with respect to Case 2.

[Article in Italian]

We measured adsorption and transport of cadmium (Cd) in the presence of Ca2+ and Na+ salts of varying ionic strengths and pH by using batch and miscible displacement experiments, carried out on undisturbed and homogenized soil columns. A fluvent-vertic soil was used in this study. In the column experiment a clear effect of ionic strength on breakthrough curves (BTCs) of Cd2+ was observed when the Na+ concentration was increased from 0.02 to 0.2 M. The effect of increasing the Ca2+ concentration on Cd2+ absorption and transport was relatively less pronounced than that recorded for the Na+ solution. At low pH values, H+ ions competed strongly with Cd2+ ions and, at a high pH, precipitation was the main process taking place for Cd2+ sorption. The reliability of the advection- dispersion equation (ADE) was tested. When implemented within the least-squares method, the model produced a sufficiently precise space-time distribution of Cd2+ ion concentrations. The results of this study demonstrated also, that laboratory leaching experiments, when performed on homogenized soil columns, can greatly underestimate Cd2+ ions transport in the field and that preferential flow can increase the mobility and velocity of cadmium movement to the groundwater.

Roberto Musso1, Rita Santoro2, Antonio Coppola3, Maura Marcucci4, Gianluca Sottilotta5, Roberto Targhetta6, Ezio Zanon7, Massimo Franchini81Centro Emofilia, Istituto di Ematologia Università degli Studi di Catania, Ospedale Ferrarotto, Catania, Italy; 2Haemophilia Centre, Hemostasis and Thrombosis Service, Department of Haematology and Oncology, Azienda Ospedaliera “Pugliese-Ciaccio”, Catanzaro, Italy; 3Regional Reference Centre for Coagulation Disorders, Federico II University, Naples, Italy; 4Internal and Vascular Medicine, University of Perugia, Perugia, Italy; 5Hemophilia Centre, Hemostasis and Thrombosis Service, Azienda Ospedaliera “Bianchi-Melacrino-Morelli”, Reggio Calabria, Italy; 6Centro Emofilia Struttura Semplice Patologie della Coagulazione, Ospedale Microcitemico, Cagliari, Italy; 7Centro Emofilia, Clinica Medica II, Azienda Ospedaliera di Padova, Padova, Italy; 8Immunohaematology and Transfusion Centre, Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University Hospital of Parma, Parma, ItalyBackground: Needlestick injuries, mostly due to unsafe needle devices, are a frequent adverse event among health care workers and patients on chronic treatment, such as hemophiliacs. To improve the safety of these procedures, a needleless reconstitution system, Bio-Set® has been implemented for the sucrose-formulated recombinant factor VIII (rFVIII-FS) Kogenate® Bayer (Bayer Healthcare, Berlin, Germany). The aim of this study was to collect patients’ satisfaction and safety data regarding the administration of rFVIII-FS with this new device.Methods: This was a multicenter, prospective, postmarketing surveillance study collecting data from seven Italian Haemophilia Centers within the framework of an international project involving patients from nine European countries. The patients were asked to fill out two preference questionnaires (one assessing the old method and one assessing the new method) directly after the training and two further preference questionnaries (assessing the new method) after a period of about 3 and 12 months.Results: A total of 44 male hemophilia A patients were included in the analysis. At the end of the 12-month observation period, physicians assessed the patients’ satisfaction with Kogenate® Bayer with Bio-Set® in 40.9% (n = 18) as “very satisfied” and in 45.5% (n = 20) as “satisfied”, whereas “not satisfied” ratings were given for 9.1% (n = 4) of patients (data missing from two patients, 4.5%). The compliance of the patients compared with the last method before switch to the Bio-Set® device was rated as “better”, “equal”, and “worse” in 72.7% (n = 32), 20.5% (n = 9), and 2.3% (n = 1) of patients, respectively. Three patients (6.8%) experienced adverse events, but only one event was related to rFVIII infusion (inhibitor development in a patient who had little prior exposure to rFVIII) itself and not to the new device per se.Conclusions: The great majority of Italian patients who switched from an older method of rFVIII reconstitution to rFVIII-FS with the new reconstitution method preferred the new method. The ease of use, perceived safety from needlesticks, and the speed of reconstitution were identified as main advantages by the majority of patients.Keywords: Kogenate® Bayer, Bio-Set®, hemophilia, therapy, safety

Soils often exhibit a variety of small-scale heterogeneities such as cracks, inter-aggregate macropores and voids which partition flow into separate regions. In this paper an approach is discussed for characterizing the hydrological behavior of heterogeneous soils, in the presence of structural inter-aggregate macropores or even shrinkage cracks. Accordingly, special emphasis is given to the effect of micro-macro-heterogeneity and soil structure on water flow processes at local scale. The discussion is limited to a mechanistic approach, known to be based on physical concepts and laws. Theoretical discussion and experimental evidence of the structural effects on the hydrological behavior of soils are provided. Flexible retention relations in describing the retention data of aggregated soils are evaluated, with the principal aim of assessing their predictive capability for estimating the hydraulic conductivity function and for describing flow in a composite porosity framework. Their predictive capability is independently tested by using a set of water content observations at different depths. The results enable a detailed discussion on model parameterization and related parameter uncertainty to be made.

This study documents and compares the transport of a conservative solute in near saturated soil profiles under flood and sprinkler irrigation. The experiments were carried out on a clay Vertic-Usthortens soil located near Potenza (Italy). Two 2x2 m2 plots were clipped of their native grass vegetation. After spraying on the surface a Cl- pulse as KCl salt; water was applied in five increments over two months as flood irrigation on the first plot and as sprinkler irrigation on the second one. Chloride resident concentration Cr, was sampled by soil coring at four different days after chemical application. Cr(z,t) profiles were analyzed by spatial moment method. The recovered mass of Cl- and location of center of mass were comparable for the two types of irrigation. The spread around the center of mass, however, was higher for the flood-irrigated plot. In the flood-irrigated plot, more mass leached below the depth of 90 cm. The velocity of the center of mass was consistently 10-20% larger than the piston displacement velocity. To evaluate the nature of transport, the Cr(z,t) distributions were modelled using quasi-steady solution of convection-dispersion equation(CDE). At the scale of our experiments the profiles of Cl- resident concentration are well-simulated.

Acquired hemophilia A (AHA) is a very rare disease, caused by the development of autoantibodies, directed against circulating factor VIII of coagulation. Age distribution is bimodal, with a first peak occurring among young women in the postpartum period, and a second major peak of incidence among elderly patients in whom it is frequently associated with malignancy and drugs. This disease often represents a life-threatening bleeding condition, especially in the elderly, thus requiring a prompt therapeutic intervention, including control of acute bleeding and eradication of the inhibitor by immunosuppressive therapy. The diagnosis of AHA should be considered in any elderly patient who presents with bleeding and prolonged activated Partial Thromboplastin Time. Moreover, the coexistence of a series of underlying diseases associated with AHA should be always searched for. An early recognition and an adequate treatment of this coagulation disorder and of the possible associated diseases play a significant role for a favourable outcome, but concomitant morbidities in the elderly may limit aggressive therapy and may complicate the clinical scenario. We report 3 consecutive elderly patients successfully treated with recombinant activated factor VII and standard immunosuppressive regimens, with remission of the disease.

Background and Objectives Plasma-derived concentrates containing von Willebrand factor and factor VIII (VWF/FVIII concentrates) are the mainstay of treatment of patients with inherited von Willebrand’s disease (VWD) who are unresponsive or have a contraindication to desmopressin (DDAVP) therapy. Only a few clinical studies are available on the use of these VWF/FVIII concentrates in large numbers of cases and within the same country. The aim of our study was to collect retrospective data on the efficacy and safety of Haemate® P (CSL Behring, Marburg, Germany) in a large cohort of well-characterized VWD patients after the introduction of the guidelines for VWD management in Italy.Design and Methods A retrospective survey of data records was organized among ten Italian Hemophilia Centers in order to retrieve information on the clinical use of Haemate® P. Data on 100 VWD patients (44 males and 56 females, median age 41.5, range 2–87 years) were available relating to the period from January 2002 to December 2004. All patients were diagnosed according to the criteria proposed by the Italian guidelines for VWD management.Results Of the 100 VWD patients enrolled, 23 had type 1 VWD, 40 had type 2 (2A=7, 2B=11, 2M=9, 2M Vicenza=13) and 37 had type 3. Seventy-one percent were severely affected, as shown by VWF:RCo levels