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The “Carbonaceous Aerosol in Rome and Environs” (CARE) experiment took place at a Mediterranean urban background site in Rome (Italy) deploying a variety of instrumentation to assess aerosol physical-chemical and optical properties with high-time resolution (from 1 min to 2 h). In this study, aerosol optical properties, chemical composition, and size distribution data were examined with a focus on the analysis of several intensive optical properties obtained from multi-wavelength measurements of aerosol scattering and absorption coefficients. The spectral behaviour of several quantities related to both aerosol composition and size was explored, analysing their high-time resolved temporal patterns and combining them in order to extract the maximum information from all the available data. A methodology to separate aerosol types using optical data only is here proposed and applied to an urban area characterised by a complex mixture of particles. A key is given to correctly disentangle cases that could not be distinguished observing only one or few parameters, but that can be clearly separated using a suitable ensemble of optical properties. The SSCAAE, i.e. the wavelength dependence of the Single Scattering co-albedo 1-SSA (where SSA is the Single Scattering Albedo) - that efficiently responds to both aerosol size and chemical composition – resulted to be the best optical intensive parameter to look at for the discrimination between episodes characterised by specific aerosol types (e.g. sea salt, Saharan dust) and more mixed conditions dominated by local emissions. However, this study also highlighted that it is necessary to combine temporal patterns of different optical parameters to robustly associate SSCAAE features to specific aerosol types. In addition, the complete chemical speciation and the high-time resolved size distribution were used to confirm the aerosol types identified via a combination of aerosol optical properties. Look-up tables with most suitable ranges of values for optical variables were produced; therefore, these pieces of information can be used at the same site or at locations with similar features to quickly identify the occurrence of aerosol episodes. Graphical frameworks (both from the literature and newly designed) are also proposed; for each scheme features, advantages, and limitations are discussed.

In the framework of the 2017 ?carbonaceous aerosol in Rome and Environs ? (CARE) experiment, particle number size distributions have been continuously measured on February 2017 in downtown Rome. These data have been used to estimate, through MPPD model, size and time resolved particle mass, surface area and number doses deposited into the respiratory system. Dosimetry estimates are presented for PM10 , PM2.5 , PM1 and Ultrafine Particles (UFPs), in relation to the aerosol sources peculiar to the Mediterranean basin and to the atmospheric conditions. Particular emphasis is focused on UFPs and their fraction deposited on the olfactory bulb, in view of their possible translocation to the brain. The site of PM10 deposition within the respiratory system considerably changes, depending on the aerosol sources and then on its different size distributions. On making associations between health endpoints and aerosol mass concentrations, the relevant coarse and fine fractions would be more properly adopted, because they have different sources, different capability of pene- trating deep into the respiratory system and different toxicological implications. The separation between them should be set at 1 mu m, rather than at 2.5 mu m, because the fine fraction is considerably less affected by the contribution of the natural sources. Mass dose is a suitable metric to describe coarse aerosol events but gives a poor representation of combustion aerosol. This fraction of particles, made of UFPs and of accumulation mode particles (mainly with size below 0.2 mu m), is of high health relevance. It elicited the highest oxidative activity in the CARE experiment and is properly described by the particle surface area and by the number metrics. Such metrics are even more relevant for the UFP doses deposited on the olfactory bulb, in consideration of the role recognized to oxidative stress in the progression of neurodegenerative diseases. Such metrics would be more appropriate, rather than PM x mass concentrations, to correlate neurodegenerative pathologies with aerosol pollution.

In this source apportionment study, an original approach based on receptor modelling was tested to relate primary and secondary organic aerosol (OA) contributions - estimated from ACSM (Aerosol Chemical Speciation Monitor) measurements - to their emission sources. Moreover, thanks to the coupling of optical and chemical variables as input to the receptor model, information such as the impact of mineral dust to the aerosol absorption in the atmosphere and estimates for the absorption Ångström exponent (α) of the sources were retrieved. An advanced source apportionment study using the Multilinear Engine (ME-2) was performed on data collected during February 2017 in Rome (Italy), in the frame of the CARE (Carbonaceous Aerosol in Rome and Environs) experiment. A complete chemical characterisation (elements, non-refractory components, and carbonaceous components) was carried out, and the aerosol absorption coefficients b(λ) at 7 wavelengths (370, 470, 520, 590, 660, 880, and 950 nm) were retrieved by an Aethalometer AE33; all these variables (chemical + optical) were used as input to the receptor model. The final constrained solution consisted of nine factors which were assigned to major sources impacting on the investigated site (hereafter sources are referred to as: biomass burning, nitrate and aged aerosol, traffic exhaust, sulphate, mineral dust, marine aerosol, traffic non-exhaust, local source, and polluted marine aerosol), comprising both local urban sources and contributions from long-range transport. The bootstrap analysis supported the goodness of the solution. Total OA concentration from ACSM was apportioned by our receptor model and afterwards compared with HOA (hydrocarbon-like organic aerosol), BBOA (biomass burning-like organic aerosol), and OOA (oxygenated organic aerosol) concentrations obtained as results from an independent source apportionment study previously performed. As an original result of this work, insights on OA contributions were thus retrieved: (1) the contribution of organic aerosol assigned by ME-2 to the traffic exhaust source was fully comparable to HOA assessed by ACSM data analysis; (2) our source apportionment results gave the relevant indication that the OOA apportionment made on ACSM data likely includes a secondary OA contribution due to biomass burning. Other relevant results came from b apportionment obtained by our multi-variable source apportionment approach: traffic exhaust was the main contributor to aerosol absorption in the atmosphere, but mineral dust contribution was also notable when a not negligible mineral dust transport episode was registered at the measurement site. In addition, source dependent optical absorption parameters (i.e. the absorption Ångström exponent - α - and the mass absorption cross section at different wavelengths) were retrieved without any a-priori assumption. In perspective, our modelling approach paves the way to more powerful source apportionment approaches which have the potential of providing much more insights on aerosol properties and sources., The CARE experiment was realised under the patronage of the Councilor for environmental sustainability of Roma Capitale. The authors are grateful to all members of the research groups who participated to the CARE experiment.

The causal link between ambient PM2.5 and adverse health effects is still not clear enough, nor it is clear what factors (physical and/or chemical) contribute to PM2.5 toxicity and by what mechanism(s). With a view on this, we launched the CARE experiment, during which we performed a comprehensive characterisation of the physicochemical properties of fine and ultrafine particles under exposure levels dominated by the urban combustion aerosol, and their toxicological assessment through in-vitro tests (lung epithelia cells cultured at the ALI) directly under ambient conditions, oxidative potential (determined through 2′,7′-dichlorouorescin, OPDCFH), and human biomonitoring. We already reported about aerosol characterisation, and in-vitro model results during CARE. Building upon these, in this work we assess the combustion aerosol oxidative response through the analysis of consistency between the three independent aerosol oxidative responses obtained, and the exploration of any causality link with the combustion aerosol. This is the first time to our knowledge that combustion related PM2.5 physicochemical properties and its OPDCFH are compared to the cellular-oxidative response (C-OR) obtained through the PM in-vitro test carried out (for the first time) directly under atmospheric ambient conditions, and to certain biomarkers of oxidative damage to DNA/RNA (8-oxo-7,8-dihydroguanine, 8-oxo-7,8-dihydro-2′-deoxyguanosine and 8-oxo-7,8 - dihydroguanosine). Our results provide a first evidence of a combustion-dependent association between the in vitro C-OR, the PM2.5 OPDCFH, and the urinary excretion of the 8-Oxo-7,8-dihydroguanosine. Yet this is not a substantial basis for drawing any cause-effect relationship. However, our findings support previous literature suggesting a link between combustion and oxidative response of PM2.5. Moreover, we add a consistency across completely independent oxidative response measurements with a possible dependence on the combustion traffic-related aerosol. This is a piece of information that may have important implications in the understanding of how combustion sources contribute to oxidative response related diseases.

Air pollution and particulate matter are recognised cause of increased disease incidence in exposed population. The toxicological processes underlying air pollution associated effects have been investigated by in vivo and/or in vitro experimentation. The latter is usually performed by exposing cells cultured under submerged condition to particulate matter concentration quite far from environmental exposure expected in humans. Here we report for the first time the feasibility of a direct exposure of air liquid interface cultured cells to environmental concentration of particulate matter. Inflammatory proteins release was analysed in cell medium while differential expression of selected genes was analysed in cells. Significant association of anti-oxidant genes was observed with secondary and aged aerosol, while cytochrome activation with primary and PAHs enriched ultrafine particles. The results obtained clearly show the opportunity to move from the lab bench to the field for properly understanding the toxicological effects also of ultrafine particles on selected in vitro models. © 2018 Elsevier Ltd

Some commonly available patient or disease characteristics may be associated with progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) in EGFR-mutant non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients receiving EGFR-TKIs (epidermal growth factor receptor - tyrosine kinase inhibitors). We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized control trials (RCTs) to explore differences in outcomes associated with EGFR-TKIs among subgroups of EGFR-mutant NSCLC patients. Pooled HRs for progression or death (PFS-HRs) and pooled HRs for death (OS-HRs) were compared among sub-groups defined according to baseline clinical and demographic variables as well as type of EGFR mutation. In the entire assessable population of 4465 EGFR-mutant NSCLC patients, significant interactions with PFS were found for gender (males vs. females; pooled ratio of the PFS-HRs = 1.2; 95% CI 1.12–1.56), smoking history (smokers vs. non-smokers; pooled ratio of the PFS-HRs = 1.26; 95% CI 1.05–1.51), and type of EGFR mutation (patients with exon 21 L858R mutation vs. exon 19 deletion; pooled ratio of the PFS-HRs = 1.39; 95% CI 1.18–1.63). Male patients, smokers and patients with EGFR exon 21 L858R mutation may derive less benefit from EGFR-TKIs compared to female patients, non-smokers and patients with EGFR exon 19 deletion.

The contribution deals with the origin of the particular place assigned in the Paraphrase of Theophilos to Obligations in relation to the Institutional System ‘personae-res-actiones’. The Author suggests that the displacement of Obligations from the field of the res to the field of the actiones and the representation of Obligations as “mothers of actions”, instead of deriving from an existing idea of Theophilos or from a general byzantine view, is influenced by some passages of the Justinian’s Institutions.

L'a. analizza un papiro recante un rescritto degli imperatori Diocleziano e Massimiano relativo probabilmente alla longi temporis praescriptio.

This study provides the full text of the P. Col. VII. 175 translated into Italian, concerning the transcript of a hearing conducted in front of Arsinoite’s σύνδικος in A.D. 339, and known in the field of doctrine as it cites a Constantine’s constitution regarding the longissimi temporis praescriptio. After reconstructing the trial and the early events preceding the lawsuit, defining the trial roles and detecting the nature of action and the reason why it was filed, the author has analysed the different juridical profiles of the text such as the evidence of the judicial function of the ἐπάρχος τῆς Αἰγύπτου; the judgemental function of the σύνδικος and the difficulty of identifying him as the defensor civitatis; the probable reference to calumnia actoris; the nature of the constitution; the awkward reconstruction of the text and its identification with the lex costantiniana mentioned in C.7.39.2 pr.

ISBN 3-540-28943-7; International audience; We report an experimental study that aims at investigating the influence of spatial layout on visual search efficiency and comfort. 4 layouts were used for displaying 120 scenes comprising 30 realistic colour photos each: random, elliptic, radial and matrix-like. Scenes (30 per structure) were presented to 5 participants who had to select a pre-viewed photo in each scene using the mouse. Eye-tracking data indicate that elliptic layouts provided better visual comfort than any of the other layouts (shortest scan paths), and proved to be more efficient than matrix layouts (shortest search times). These results are statistically significant (paired t-tests).

Salvatore. Incidental detection of a mediastinal mass in a asymptomatic patient poses a not easy diagnostic problem. For solid masses or cysts, histology or cytology is often necessary. Although substernal extension of a cervical goiter is common, totally intrathoracic primary thyroidal mass is unusual. We describe a rare case of heterotopic accessory mediastinal thyroid in a patient completely asymptomatic both for signs of thyroid dysfunction and mechanical compression. Radiological and hormonal 6 and 12 months follow-up is reported.