IBA analyses and lead concentration measurements of AMS-C dated bones from two medieval sites in Italy

AMS (accelerator mass spectrometry) radiocarbon dated human bone samples recovered in the deserted medieval village of Quattro Macine, Lecce, in Southern Italy, were analyzed by PIXE (particle induced X-ray emission) and PIGE (particle induced gamma ray emission). The optimization of the PIXE-PIGE experimental set-up in term of beam energy and detection geometry resulted in the possibility to obtain information about major, minor and trace elements of the samples. Unexpectedly, all the analyzed samples showed a Pb concentration higher than 50 ppm. Two possible explanations of the measured high Pb concentration are discussed in the paper: the pre-mortem intake associated with the use of Pb-rich glazed pottery and the post-mortem intake from soil as the result of diagenetic processes.     

Chiral Mechanical Metamaterials for Tunable Optical Transmittance

Flexible metamaterials have been increasingly harnessed to create functionality through their tunable and unconventional response. Herein, chiral unit cells based on Archimedean spirals are employed to transform a linear displacement into twisting. First, the effect of geometry on such extension-twisting coupling is investigated. This unravels a wide range of highly nonlinear behaviors that can be programmed. Additionally, it is demonstrated that by combining the spirals with polarizing films one can create mechanical pixels capable of modulating the transmission of light through deformation. Guided by experiments and numerical analyses, pixels are arranged in 2D arrays to realize black and white and color displays, which reveal distinct images at different states of deformation. As such, the study puts forward a methodology for the design of an emerging class of flexible devices that can convert nonlinear elastic deformation to tunable optical transmittance.     

An Overview and Future Perspectives of Aluminum Batteries

A critical overview of the latest developments in the aluminum battery technologies is reported. The substitution of lithium with alternative metal anodes characterized by lower cost and higher abundance is nowadays one of the most widely explored paths to reduce the cost of electrochemical storage systems and enable long‐term sustainability. Aluminum based secondary batteries could be a viable alternative to the present Li‐ion technology because of their high volumetric capacity (8040 mAh cm^?3 for Al vs 2046 mAh cm^?3 for Li). Additionally, the low cost aluminum makes these batteries appealing for large‐scale electrical energy storage. Here, we describe the evolution of the various aluminum systems, starting from those based on aqueous electrolytes to, in more details, those based on non‐aqueous electrolytes. Particular attention has been dedicated to the latest development of electrolytic media characterized by low reactivity towards other cell components. The attention is then focused on electrode materials enabling the reversible aluminum intercalation‐deintercalation process. Finally, we touch on the topic of high‐capacity aluminum‐sulfur batteries, attempting to forecast their chances to reach the status of practical energy storage systems.     

Influence of grain refinement on hot tearing in B206 and A319 aluminum alloys

Aluminum-copper (Al-Cu) and aluminum-silicon-copper (Al-Si-Cu) alloys are among the most common aluminum casting alloys. Aluminum alloy B206 is a relatively new Al-Cu alloy with high strength and ductility at room and elevated temperatures, while A319 is an Al-Si-Cu alloy with good strength and excellent wear resistance. However, despite their advantages, when these alloys are cast via the permanent mold casting (PMC) process, they show a high susceptibility to hot tearing. Grain refinement has shown promise as a means to reducing hot tears in aluminum alloys. In this study, Ti-B grain refiner was used to investigate the effect of grain refinement on hot tearing in B206 and A319 aluminum alloys during permanent mold casting. The results suggest that Ti-B additions significantly reduced hot tearing in B206 and A319. Grain sizes were also seen to reduce significantly in both alloys with addition of Ti-B grain refiner. However, Ti-B grain refiner had a diverse effect on alloy grain morphology, as a dendritic morphology in B206 was transformed to a more globular one, while in A319, the grain structure remained dendritic.     

Improving the Corrosion Protection of Poly(phenylene methylene) Coatings by Side Chain Engineering: The Case of Methoxy-Substituted Copolymers

This work aims to improve the corrosion protection features of poly(phenylene methylene) (PPM) by sidechain engineering inserting methoxy units along the polymer backbone. The influence of side methoxy groups at different concentrations (4.6% mol/mol and 9% mol/mol) on the final polymer properties was investigated by structural and thermal characterization of the resulting copolymers: co-PPM 4.6% and co-PPM 9%, respectively. Then, coatings were processed by hot pressing the polymers powder on aluminum alloy AA2024 and corrosion protection properties were evaluated exposing samples to a 3.5% w/v NaCl aqueous solution. Anodic polarization tests evidenced the enhanced corrosion protection ability (i.e., lower current density) by increasing the percentage of the co-monomer. Coatings made with co-PPM 9% showed the best protection performance with respect to both PPM blend and PPM co-polymers reported so far. Electrochemical response of aluminum alloy coated with co-PPM 9% was monitored over time under two “artificially-aged” conditions, that are: (i) a pristine coating subjected to potentiostatic anodic polarization cycles, and (ii) an artificially damaged coating at resting condition. The first scenario points to accelerating the corrosion process, the second one models damage of the coating potentially occurring either due to natural deterioration or due to any accidental scratching of the polymer layer. In both cases, an intrinsic self-healing phenomenon was indirectly argued by the time evolution of the impedance and of the current density of the coated systems. The degree of restoring to the “factory conditions” by co-polymer coatings after self-healing events is eventually discussed.     

Diet and Proteinuria: State of Art

Proteinuria is a broad term used to describe the pathological presence of proteins, including albumin, globulin, Bence-Jones protein, and mucoprotein in the urine. When persistent, proteinuria is a marker of kidney damage and represents a reliable predictor of the risk of progression of renal failure. Medical nutrition therapy is imperative for patients with proteinuria because it may slow the progression of renal disease. The aim of this review is to explore different nutritional approaches in the management of proteinuria and their influence on pathophysiological processes. As such, protein restriction is the main dietary intervention. Indeed, other management approaches are frequently used to reduce it regarding micro and macronutrients, but also the dietary style. Among these, the nutritional approach represents one of the most used and controversial interventions and the studies rarely take the form of randomized and controlled trials. With this work we aspire to analyze current clinical knowledge of how nutrition could influence proteinuria, potentially representing a useful tool in the management of proteinuric nephropathy.     

Quantitative Plasma Proteomics to Identify Candidate Biomarkers of Relapse in Pediatric/Adolescent Hodgkin Lymphoma

Classical pediatric Hodgkin Lymphoma (HL) is a rare malignancy. Therapeutic regimens for its management may be optimized by establishing treatment response early on. The aim of this study was to identify plasma protein biomarkers enabling the prediction of relapse in pediatric/adolescent HL patients treated under the pediatric EuroNet-PHL-C2 trial. We used untargeted liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS)-based proteomics at the time of diagnosis—before any therapy—as semiquantitative method to profile plasma proteins specifically associated with relapse in 42 children with nodular sclerosing HL. In both the exploratory and the validation cohorts, six proteins (apolipoprotein E, C4b-binding protein α chain, clusterin, fibrinogen γ chain, prothrombin, and vitronectin) were more abundant in the plasma of patients whose HL relapsed (|fold change| ≥ 1.2, p < 0.05, Student’s t-test). Predicting protein function with the Gene Ontology classification model, the proteins were included in four biological processes (p < 0.01). Using immunoblotting and Luminex assays, we validated two of these candidate biomarkers—C4b-binding protein α chain and clusterin—linked to innate immune response function (GO:0045087). This study identified C4b-binding protein α chain and clusterin as candidate early plasma biomarkers of HL relapse, and important for the purpose of shedding light on the molecular scenario associated with immune response in patients treated under the EuroNet-PHL-C2 trial.     

The use of glutamine in the treatment of gastrointestinal disorders in man

The human gastrointestinal tract (GIT) is a major site of glutamine utilisation accounting for more than half of the net splanchnic utilisation (approximately 15 g/day) of glutamine obtained from the systemic circulation. Dietary glutamine (approximately 5 g/day) is less important than circulating glutamine, especially in disease conditions associated with substantial reduction in food intake. Glutamine has multiple effects on the structure and function of the GIT, and effects in improving morbidity and mortality in animal models of GIT damage has led to a series of studies in man, which have produced variable results. Glutamine administration to treat mucositis of the upper GIT (mouth, oesophagus) due to cytotoxic drug therapy, has produced no evidence of benefit. Early studies suggested improved healing, as do recent studies of small intestinal mucositis resulting from chemotherapy. Investigations in colitis are lacking although in experimental rat models of colitis no benefit has been reported. Multiple explanations can be put forward to explain the overall results, including the GIT distribution of enzymes involved in glutamine metabolism. Apart from the lower stomach in man (upper stomach in the rat) there is very little weak activity of glutamine synthetase, suggesting that the gut derives glutamine formed in other tissues and from the diet. The activity of glutaminase, which is key flux generating enzyme involved in glutaminolysis is very weak in mucosa with stratified squamous epithelium (oesophagus), where intermediate in the same intestine, and highest in the small intestinal mucosa which accounts for about 80% of the total glutaminase in the entire human GIT mucosa.     

Solution properties of poly(thiocarbonates)

Poly(thiocarbonates) with alkyl side chains have been prepared, and the solution properties of these polymers were studied in different solvents. Comparison with other poly(thiocarbonate) analogues and poly(carbonates) shows that the conformational parameter (K_θ) and rigidity factor increase as the volume of the side chain increases. The effect of the side-chain structure on the solution properties is analyzed.