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A combination of ultrahigh-speed optical imaging (5 × 106 frames/s), B-mode ultrasound and passive cavitation detection was used to study the vaporization process and determine both the acoustic droplet vaporization (ADV) and inertial cavitation (IC) thresholds of phospholipid-coated perfluorobutane nanodroplets (PFB NDs, diameter = 237 ± 16 nm). PFB NDs have not previously been studied with ultrahigh-speed imaging and were observed to form individual microbubbles (1–10 μm) within two to three cycles and subsequently larger bubble clusters (10–50 μm). The ADV and IC thresholds did not statistically significantly differ and decreased with increasing pulse length (20–20,000 cycles), pulse repetition frequency (1–100 Hz), concentration (108–1010 NDs/mL), temperature (20°C–45°C) and decreasing frequency (1.5–0.5 MHz). Overall, the results indicate that at frequencies of 0.5, 1.0 and 1.5 MHz, PFB NDs can be vaporized at moderate peak negative pressures (

Highlights • Increasing the volumetric concentration of PFP led to an increase in the size of lipid-coated PFP NDs. • Increasing sonication intensity and time led to a decrease in ND size. • The ND coating layer can be labelled with lipophilic fluorophores without affecting the overall ND size. • NDs were stable at 4 °C for one week, and at 37 °C for 110 min. • Ultrasound (0.5 MHz, 2–4 MPa) caused vaporisation of NDs within a tissue-mimicking phantom., Liquid perfluorocarbon nanodroplets (NDs) are an attractive alternative to microbubbles (MBs) for ultrasound-mediated therapeutic and diagnostic applications. ND size and size distribution have a strong influence on their behaviour in vivo, including extravasation efficiency, circulation time, and response to ultrasound stimulation. Thus, it is desirable to identify ways to tailor the ND size and size distribution during manufacturing. In this study phospholipid-coated NDs, comprising a perfluoro-n-pentane (PFP) core stabilised by a DSPC/PEG40s (1,2-distearoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine and polyoxyethylene(40)stearate, 9:1 molar ratio) shell, were produced in phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) by sonication. The effect of the following production-related parameters on ND size was investigated: PFP concentration, power and duration of sonication, and incorporation of a lipophilic fluorescent dye. ND stability was also assessed at both 4 °C and 37 °C. When a sonication pulse of 6 s and 15% duty cycle was employed, increasing the volumetric concentration of PFP from 5% to 15% v/v in PBS resulted in an increase in ND diameter from 215.8 ± 16.8 nm to 408.9 ± 171.2 nm. An increase in the intensity of sonication from 48 to 72 W (with 10% PFP v/v in PBS) led to a decrease in ND size from 354.6 ± 127.2 nm to 315.0 ± 100.5 nm. Increasing the sonication time from 20 s to 40 s (using a pulsed sonication with 30% duty cycle) did not result in a significant change in ND size (in the range 278–314 nm); however, when it was increased to 60 s, the average ND diameter reduced to 249.7 ± 9.7 nm, which also presented a significantly lower standard deviation compared to the other experimental conditions investigated (i.e., 9.7 nm vs. > 49.4 nm). The addition of the fluorescent dye DiI at different molar ratios did not affect the ND size distribution. NDs were stable at 4 °C for up to 6 days and at 37 °C for up to 110 min; however, some evidence of ND-to-MB phase transition was observed after 40 min at 37 °C. Finally, phase transition of NDs into MBs was demonstrated using a tissue-mimicking flow phantom under therapeutic ultrasound exposure conditions (ultrasound frequency: 0.5 MHz, acoustic pressure: 2–4 MPa, and pulse repetition frequency: 100 Hz).

Periodic assessments of population status and trends to detect natural influences and human effects on coastal dolphin are often limited by lack of baseline information. Here, we investigated for the first time the site-fidelity patterns and estimated the population size of bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) at the Tiber River estuary (central Mediterranean, Tyrrhenian Sea, Rome, Italy) between 2017 and 2020. We used photo-identification data and site-fidelity metrics to study the tendency of dolphins to remain in, or return to, the study area, and capture–recapture models to estimate the population abundance. In all, 347 unique individuals were identified. The hierarchical cluster analysis highlighted 3 clusters, labeled resident (individuals encountered at least five times, in three different months, over three distinct years, n = 42), part-time (individuals encountered at least on two occasions in a month, in at least two different years, n = 73), and transient (individuals encountered on more than one occasion, in more than 1 month, none of them in more than 1 year, n = 232), each characterized by site-fidelity metrics. Open POPAN modeling estimated a population size of 529 individuals (95% CI: 456–614), showing that the Capitoline (Roman) coastal area and nearby regions surrounding the Tiber River estuary represent an important, suitable habitat for bottlenose dolphins, despite their proximity to one of the major urban centers in the world (the city of Rome). Given the high number of individuals in the area and the presence of resident individuals with strong site fidelity, we suggest that conservation plans should not be focused only close to the Tiber River mouths but extended to cover a broader scale of area.

The optic nerve is a white matter tract that conveys visual information to the brain. The sclera comprises the white, protective outer layer of the eye. A characterization of the proteome of normal human retrobulbar optic nerve and sclera may facilitate studies of the eye. We conducted a proteomic analysis of optic nerve and sclera from five adults. Proteins were fractionated using SDS-PAGE. After in-gel digestion, peptides were analyzed using LC-MS/MS on an Orbitrap Elite mass spectrometer. We identified 2711 non-redundant proteins in retrobulbar optic nerve and 1945 non-redundant proteins in sclera. Optic nerve proteins included proteins expressed by oligodendrocytes (laminin, proteolipid protein, fibronectin), myelin proteins (myelin basic protein, myelin-associated glycoprotein), and paranodal structural proteins (ankyrin β, spectrin). Sclera included 18 collagen protein chains, small leucine-rich proteoglycans (decorin, biglycan, lumican, keratocan, prolargin, fibromodulin, mimecan), non-collagenous glycoproteins (fibronectin, vitronectin, laminin), extracellular matrix proteins (thrombospondins 1-4, dystroglycan, transgelins 1-3), and integrins alpha-V, alpha-1 and 2, beta-1, -2, and -5. Twenty-one unambiguous alternative splicing protein isoforms were identified in optic nerve and ten unambiguous alternative splicing protein isoforms were identified in sclera. The mass spectrometry proteomics data have been deposited to the ProteomeXchange Consortium via the PRIDE partner repository with the dataset identifier PXD001581.

The iris is a fine structure that controls the amount of light that enters the eye. The ciliary body controls the shape of the lens and produces aqueous humor. The retinal pigment epithelium and choroid (RPE/choroid) are essential in supporting the retina and absorbing light energy that enters the eye. Proteins were extracted from iris, ciliary body, and RPE/choroid tissues of eyes from five individuals and fractionated using SDS-PAGE. After in-gel digestion, peptides were analyzed using LC-MS/MS on an Orbitrap Elite mass spectrometer. In iris, ciliary body, and RPE/choroid, we identified 2,959, 2,867, and 2,755 non-redundant proteins with peptide and protein false positive rates of

The retina is a delicate tissue that detects light, converts photochemical energy into neural signals, and transmits the signals to the visual cortex of the brain. A detailed protein inventory of the proteome of the normal human eye may provide a foundation for new investigations into both the physiology of the retina and the pathophysiology of retinal diseases. To provide an inventory, proteins were extracted from five retinas of normal eyes and fractionated using SDS-PAGE. After in-gel digestion, peptides were analyzed in duplicate using LC-MS/MS on an Orbitrap Elite mass spectrometer. A total of 3,436 non-redundant proteins were identified in the human retina, including 20 unambiguous protein isoforms, of which 8 have not previously been demonstrated to exist at the protein level. The proteins identified in the retina included most of the enzymes involved in the visual cycle and retinoid metabolism. One hundred and fifty-eight proteins that have been associated with age-related macular degeneration were identified in the retina. The MS proteome database of the human retina may serve as a valuable resource for future investigations of retinal biology and disease. The mass spectrometry proteomics data have been deposited to the ProteomeXchange Consortium via the PRIDE partner repository with the dataset identifier PXD001242.

Impaired fracture healing is a major financial burden for healthcare services; 5%–10% of bone fractures result in non-unions, and there is no clinically approved systemic therapy. This study characterises acoustically stimulated microbubbles (MBs) and nanodroplets (NDs) as non-invasive ultrasound responsive vehicles for the targeted delivery of osteogenic compounds. A microscope-compatible water-tank incorporating a passive cavitation detector was developed to study the acoustic behaviour of MBs and NDs within physical models of bone fractures (gap: 3.5–5.5 mm, angles: 0 deg and 90 deg). The device was designed using COMSOL Multiphysics (Burlington, MA) and tested in-vitro. The bone was simulated using a material with comparable acoustic impedance (Sawbones, WA). Numerical simulations showed that the developed experimental set-up generated a relatively uniform acoustic field at a target plane. It could be operated at either 1 or 2 MHz US frequency, at an acoustic pressure in the range 0–1 MPa. The inclusion of a fracture model caused perturbations to the acoustic field, which were dependent on the architecture of the fracture (i.e., relative to the incident US field). Ongoing studies are investigating how these perturbations affect ND/MB response in-vitro. Further studies will investigate the relationship between MB/ND acoustic response and the release of biologically active compounds.Impaired fracture healing is a major financial burden for healthcare services; 5%–10% of bone fractures result in non-unions, and there is no clinically approved systemic therapy. This study characterises acoustically stimulated microbubbles (MBs) and nanodroplets (NDs) as non-invasive ultrasound responsive vehicles for the targeted delivery of osteogenic compounds. A microscope-compatible water-tank incorporating a passive cavitation detector was developed to study the acoustic behaviour of MBs and NDs within physical models of bone fractures (gap: 3.5–5.5 mm, angles: 0 deg and 90 deg). The device was designed using COMSOL Multiphysics (Burlington, MA) and tested in-vitro. The bone was simulated using a material with comparable acoustic impedance (Sawbones, WA). Numerical simulations showed that the developed experimental set-up generated a relatively uniform acoustic field at a target plane. It could be operated at either 1 or 2 MHz US frequency, at an acoustic pressure in the range 0–1 MPa. The inclusi...

Peters anomaly is a rare dramatic finding at birth and can be associated with other systemic malformations. We performed a literature review of multiple case reports and case series to better define the common characteristics and unusual findings associated with Peters anomaly.A representative case is discussed followed by a literature review of multiple case reports and case series. The literature search was conducted for the years 1969 to 2009. Cases and case series were included in the review of published English ophthalmic literature. Cases were excluded if no information was reported on ocular and systemic malformations or if no information was reported on surgical interventions or outcomes. In addition, if cases did not report laterality of the lesion, they were excluded from the review. Fifty-eight cases were found that fit the above criteria, and the relevant cases were reviewed to better characterize the systemic malformations, interventions, and outcomes associated with Peters anomaly reported in the literature.Fifty-eight cases of Peters anomaly were reviewed. Of those cases reporting sex, 56% were men and 44% of cases were women. In terms of laterality, 67.2% of cases were bilateral versus 32.8% of cases that were unilateral. Moreover, bilateral cases of Peters anomaly were associated with a higher rate of systemic malformations (71.8%) versus unilateral Peters anomaly (36.8%). This difference was significant (P0.03 by Fischer exact test). In the 15 eyes where results of penetrating keratoplasty were reported, the overall success rate was 53%. However, the success rate was significantly higher in patients with Peters anomaly type I (87.5%), as opposed to those patients with Peters anomaly type II (14.2%) (P0.02 by Fischer exact test).The clinical features, epidemiology, genetics, complications, and treatments of Peters anomaly are presented. Cornea specialists who care for pediatric patients should be aware of the common and uncommon associations with Peters anomaly. Although bilateral Peters anomaly is much more commonly associated with systemic malformations, we believe that all patients with Peters anomaly should be screened for systemic malformations by both pediatricians and geneticists and undergo chromosomal analysis and molecular genetic testing.

The apparent current explosion of interest and commercial activity in the area of herbal products should be followed by accurate quality control. In this work, the authors carried out the specific quality assays of all the aromatic drugs reported in European Pharmacopoeia. For each drug, several samples of different brands were bought in pharmacies, herbalist's shops, or supermarkets. The worst results were obtained in the assay for the essential oil content and this is very negative as the medicinal activities of these drugs are ascribed to their essential oil content. The samples of different brands yielded very different results from a qualitative point of view. In most cases, the analyzed samples were very far from the acceptable qualitative standards that they definitely lacked any health benefits.

The essential oil, isolated by hydrodistillation from flowering tops of Artemisia coerulescens L. subsp. cretacea (Fiori) Br.-Catt. et Gubell., was investigated by GC/MS. The analyses were carried out on oils obtained from plants collected in Romagna and in Tuscany (Central Italy) in three different stages of growing cycle. The oil yield was higher from plants collected in Romagna than in those collected in Tuscany. The main components of the Romagna and Tuscan oils were α-thujone (59.6–71.0% and 32.9–39.7%), β-thujone (17.8–18.7% and 10.0–10.8%) and camphor (4.2–6.2% and 35.6–45.3%), respectively.

Objective To compare clinical outcomes, including patterns of failure, using the Ex-PRESS glaucoma shunt, in black and white patients with open-angle glaucoma. Design Retrospective comparative study. Participants Sixty-three eyes of 50 black patients and 44 eyes of 34 white patients with open-angle glaucoma. Methods The Ex-PRESS shunt procedure was performed for uncontrolled glaucoma in a series of white and black patients with glaucoma. Success was defined as an intraocular pressure (IOP) between 5 and 18 mm Hg, 20% reduction from baseline, with or without suture lysis or adjuvant medication, but no additional glaucoma surgery. Results Mean length of follow-up was 29 months (range 12–81 months) for black patients and 25 months (range 12–66 months) for white patients. Mean preoperative IOP was 27 ± 7.2 and 30 ± 7.7 mm Hg for black and white patients, respectively. Mean postoperative IOP was 13 ± 3.6 and 12 ± 3.3 mm Hg for black and white patients, respectively. Using Kaplan–Meier survival curves, the success rates were 77.6% and 95% at 12 months for black and white patients, respectively. The log-rank test for comparison of survival curves indicated a significant difference between the 2 groups at 12 months ( p = 0 .015) but revealed no difference at 2 years ( p = 0.462). Conclusions This study shows that patterns of failure between black and white patients treated with the Ex-PRESS glaucoma shunt change significantly with the passage of time. Black patients experience failure early, whereas white patients experience failure later at a greater pace resulting in a similar survival rate at 2 years.

The essential oil, isolated by hydrodistillation from fresh flowers of Spartium junceum L., was investigated by GC and GC/MS. The 24 main constituents of the samples were identified; the main components of the oil were kairomonal compounds, tricosane (22.9%), tetracosane (8.9%) and pentacosane (16.1%), constituting altogether almost 48% of total composition. These hydrocarbons constitute an important aspect governing the sensitivity of the insects in plant host selection.

This paper describes how “Computer supported cooperative work”, coped with security technologies and advanced knowledge management techniques, can support the penal judicial activities, in particular national and trans-national investigations phases when different judicial system have to cooperate together. Increase of illegal immigration, trafficking of drugs, weapons and human beings, and the advent of terrorism, made necessary a stronger judicial collaboration between States. J-WeB project (http://www.jweb-net.com/), financially supported by the European Union under the FP6 – Information Society Technologies Programme, is designing and developing an innovative judicial cooperation environment capable to enable an effective judicial cooperation during cross-border criminal investigations carried out between EU and Countries of enlarging Europe, having the Italian and Montenegrin Ministries of Justice as partners. In order to reach a higher security level, an additional biometric identification system is integrated in the security environment.

Santonin, a sesquiterpene lactone characteristic of many species of the genus Artemisia, has hitherto been quantitatively determined by long and complicated gravimetric procedures. A new, rapid, simple and accurate extraction and analytical procedure has been established. This high-performance liquid chromatographic method employs a Licrospher 100-RP column and a mobile phase consisting of acetonitrile:water in a gradient programme. Copyright © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

A 25-year-old woman presented with a painless inferomedial subconjunctival mass in the right eye. The growth had been present since birth and had been increasing in size for over 1 year. Incisional biopsy with debulking proved the lesion to be a dermolipoma extending behind the globe that contained ectopic lacrimal gland tissue. The authors describe a very rare case of a complex dermolipoma arising in an atypical location and containing ectopic lacrimal gland.

A new high performance thin layer chromatographic method has been developed for the quantitative analysis of the active principles (picrocrocin and crocetin) of saffron (Crocus sativusL.). The method is easily applied, shows good reproducibility and is rapid and sensitive. The technique overcomes the problems usually found with other analytical approaches to saffron determination which generally are not repeatable and deal with identification of adulterations more than with the analysis of constituents.

The production of hyoscyamine and scopolamine in Datura stramonium has been investigated in the different plant parts, at different stages of their life cycle. Maximum contents were found in the stems and leaves of young plants, hyoscyamine being always the predominant component.

We present the results of an investigation of the traditional ethnobotany and ethnomedicine of West Azerbaijan (Iran). In this region medicinal plants are often the only easily accessible health care alternative for most of the population in rural areas and in fact folk herbal medicine is the most used remedy to cure common diseases. In this paper we present the most frequently used native species and the most common preparations made from them, in order to preserve the plant popular knowledge, which has traditionally been only an oral one.

Riassunto Vengono riferiti i risultati di una indagine sull'uso attuale e passato delle piante medicinali nel territorio di Cetona e Sarteano (Siena). All'elenco delle piante, con i singoli riferimenti fitoterapici, fra i quali emerge un singolare uso veterinario della corteccia di frassino, seguono alcune considerazioni di carattere generale.

The presence of single grains and polygranular aggregates has been noticed in the leaf starch of Smilax aspera . The electron microscope shows that the polygranular aggregates present both compound grains by juxtaposition and complex grains by “twinning”. The presence of complex grains by “twinning” and subsequent enveloping overgrowth, however, cannot be excluded. Several morphogenetic schemes due to such factors as exocorrosion, growth by apposition, growth by “twinning,” polycentric crystallization, and spatial disposition of the preexisting chloroplast structures are postulated. The formation of polygranular aggregates is probably caused by the fact that not all the leaf starch of a full-grown plant of Smilax aspera is strictly “transitory” starch. On the fracture surface of the grains, the fracture ridges have preferential directions very likely correlated with the spatial arrangement of the macromolecules. Smilax leaf starch has a marked degree of crystallinity, which is evidenced by birefraction properties. The diffractogram of Smilax leaf starch is of the B-starch type. Smilax leaf starch is compared with storage starch from the underground stems of the same plant.

Karyological and chemical variations in Allium sativum L. — Results about a research on the karyotypes of three Italian strains of Allium sativum are reported. The lack of sexual reproduction in Allium sativum favours the formation of strains regarded as clones; each of them represents an isolated genetic system. The anatomy and the chemical composition of the essence was studied to improve the understanding of the variations in the different strains comprised in this species. Two of the clones examined (Tuscan and Sicilian) belong to U type and one (Piedmontese) to the H type, according to Hrubý and Konvicka's classification based on the morpho-physiological characters. In this study evidence shows that: a) The three clones do not present anatomical differences. b) The morpho-physiological characters are strictly correlated with the chemical composition of the essence; in fact the gas-chromatographic study of the two U type clone essences shows the same qualitative composition, each chemical com...

Allium sativum , clone Piemonte possesses bulbilliferous inflorescences of a few early degenerating flowers. In the clone, the pollen formation has been found impaired by sudden and fast abortion of the free, still uninucleate spores. At this time, they exhibited a fully developed sexine, a monolayered 150- to 200-nm thick nexine, and an intine averaging 30 nm in thickness. Their profile was like that of an orange segment with one side incised by a deep furrow. The locule showed an abundant polysaccharide content. The tapetum was a monolayered tissue of uninucleate cells which became very rich in cytoplasm and organelles, starting from the tetrad period. At spore abortion, they were endowed with cytoplasmic bodies mostly composed of lipids. Starch was never detected in any anther cells.

RIASSUNTO Vengono riferite le risultanze dello studio di Poggio S. Pio (342 m s.l.m.), che fa parte di Leccete, un'insieme di colline calcaree che si staccano dalla Montagnola Senese, ricoperte da bosco ceduo matricinato a Quercus ilex. Dopo aver esposte in breve le condizioni geografiche, climatiche e pedologiche, viene riportato l'elenco floristico comprendente 282 taxa, di cui circa il 48% e formato da componenti « mediterranei » in senso lato e il 30% da piante piu o meno « boreali ». Dallo spettro biologico (P 18,1%; Ch 10,6%; H 35,1%; G 14,9%; Th 21,3%) risulta la prevalenza di emicrittofite e la bassa percentuale di terofite: indici di uno scarso carattere mediterraneo. La vegetazione e eterogenea: mentre le pendici nord-orientali e sud-occidentale, fresche e riparate, sono rivestite da bosco misto, le altre ospitano una macchia a prevalenza di Quercus ilex o a prevalenza di Arbutus unedo, od ancora a Q. Ilex e Arbutus Unedo a frequenze equivalenti; detta macchia e interrotta da radure xerofitiche ...

ARTEMISIA CAERULESCENS L. var CRETACEA Fiori: its morphology, anatomy and santonin content. — Artemisia caerulescens L. var. cretacea Fiori, endemic of the loamy soils of Romagna and Tuscany, has been collected near Siena and specimens have been submitted to morphological, anatomical, systematic researchs. The names of previous botanists who have collected this plant in the surroundings of Siena have been listed. The big underground apparatus of Artemisia and the variable morphological characters of the species, expecially for the inflorescence, have been put in evidence. The most outstanding anatomical characters of var. cretacea are the following: 1) in the overground stem (that means in the inflorescence axis) glandular hairs and T hairs are present, persisting also when the cork tissue is formed; the collateral vascular bundles are surrounded by a sclerenchymatic cap, outside the phloem; the parenchyma cells of the protoxylem area in the primary and secondary structure are not lignified; some...

The embryological development of Erigeron speciosus DC. — The Author refers on the embryology of Erigeron speciosus DC. listing the most important characteristics of the development of this gametophyte a) a pluricellular archesporium is formed, with fertile and sterile cells. b) several mother cells develop inside a single nucellus leading to the formation more than one gametophyte; c) at the end of the meiotic process different conditions may be reached; that is: tetramegasporial apocitium; II) trimegasporial apocitium plus a megaspore; III) dimesporial apocitium plus two megaspores at the two ends of the apocitium; d) the gametophyte may vacuolate with different patterns. e) different types of development may occur in the gametophyte, that is: I) from tetrasporic cell of a 16-nucleate gametophyte with a monosporial oangium; II) from trisporic cell of a 12-nucleate gametophyte with a monosporial oangium; III) from disporic cell of a 8-nucleate gametophyte with a monosporial oangium. f) Erigeron ...

The two furanochromones khellin and visnagin react with DNA under irradiation by 365 nm light, forming photoadducts. Recently, the use of khellin as therapeutic agent for skin diseases has been proposed. It is well known that during the formation of photoadducts toxic active oxygen forms are produced. We studied therefore the behaviour of the two furanochromones as producers of 1 O − 2 , and O − 2 results indicate that visnagin is a strong generator of both Superoxide radicals and singlet oxygen, while khellin does not exhibit strong production of 00 − 2 which is promptly quenched by Superoxide dismutase.

The content of the furanochromones khellin and visnagin, in the organs of Ammi visnaga (L.) Lam. at different developmental stages, has been examined. Determinations have been performed by means of a high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) technique which allows both the separation and the quantitative determination of these chromones. Unripe fruits are the richest in both chromones, but the collection of ripe dry fruits--as it occurs in Egyptian folk-medicine--seems more reasonable because they might not undergo degradation processes during desiccation and storage.