0000000000717837
AUTHOR
Pasta Salvatore
Three-dimensional parametric modeling of bicuspid aortopathy and comparison with computational flow predictions
Bicuspid aortic valve (BAV)-associated ascending aneurysmal aortopathy (namely âbicuspid aortopathyâ) is a heterogeneous disease making surgeon predictions particularly challenging. Computational flow analysis can be used to evaluate the BAV-related hemodynamic disturbances, which likely lead to aneurysm enlargement and progression. However, the anatomic reconstruction process is time consuming so that predicting hemodynamic and structural evolution by computational modeling is unfeasible in routine clinical practice. The aim of the study was to design and develop a parametric program for three-dimensional (3D) representations of aneurysmal aorta and different BAV phenotypes starting fr…
Efficacia degli strumenti pianificatori operanti in Sicilia per la tutela del paesaggio e della biodiversità: il caso studio di Lampedusa
I processi in atto nelle aree protette dovrebbero concorrere alla conservazione e/o al ripristino della biodiversità di questi territori. Tra tutti i vincoli che insistono su un’area protetta, determinati da diversi strumenti legislativi (es. piani paesistici, regolamenti della riserva/parco, vincoli idrogeologici) la preminenza, ove presenti, spetta a quelli derivanti dalle applicazioni delle norme di tutela dei siti natura 2000. Come diversi studi dimostrano, molte specie rare e/o minacciate della flora vascolare di Lampedusa sono legate agli ambienti agricoli, mentre i consorzi pre-forestali ospitano diverse specie (corbezzolo, fillirea, mirto) non rare a livello regionale ma delle quali…
The impact of Pinus halepensis mill. afforestation on mediterranean spontaneous vegetation: do soil treatment and canopy cover matter?
We investigated central Mediterranean Pinus halepensis plantations under semi-arid climate in order to evaluate the combined effect of soil treatment and afforestation practices on spontaneous plant species composition, richness and evenness, and on the trend and speed of vegetation dynamics. Phytosociological releves of three different plot typologies, i.e. (1) soil-treatment and plantation, (2) only soil-treatment, (3) no soil-treatment and no plantation, were compared by (a) multivariate analysis and (b) with reference to species richness and evenness. Moreover, in order to compare vegetation dynamics within the plantations with those ones ongoing in semi-natural garrigue communities, we…
IN-VITRO REGENERATION OF CALENDULA MARITIMA GUSS. (ASTERACEAE), A THREATENED PLANT ENDEMIC TO WESTERN SICILY
Calendula maritima is a critically endangered endemic plant of Western Sicily. Besides habitat destruction, the hybridization with the contiguous congener species C. fulgida is a major threat to its conservation. For this reason, seed-based propagation and seed storage are not appropriate for conservation purposes. In the present paper we describe a rapid and prolific in vitro plant regeneration method by direct organogenesis from leaves of C. maritima. Leaf explants were cultured on solid Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium in the presence of several plant growth regulator combinations. The best shoot multiplication rate (2.5 shoots/explant) was obtained on the medium containing 4.4 µM 6-benzy…
Europäische Wälder unter wärmeren Klimabedingungen: neue Erkenntnisse aus Paläoökologie und dynamischer Vegetationsmodellierung.
Die Paläoökologie liefert wertvolle Erkenntnisse zur Langzeitöko-logie von Arten. Die Datenreihen (z. B. Pollen aus Seeablagerungen) umfassen Jahrhunderte bis Jahrtausende und er-gänzen somit kürzere Zeitreihen aus Experimenten und Beobachtungen zur Untersuchung von Klimareaktionen. Sie können zudem dazu gebraucht wer-den, dynamische Vegetationsmodelle in vergangenen Zeitabschnitten mit hoher Varia bilität von Klima und Landnutzung zu überprüfen. Solche Modelle liefern überraschende und verlässliche Voraus-sagen künftiger Waldveränderungen, die allein aus der heutigen Verbreitung der Arten nicht ableitbar sind.
Shear stress alterations in the celiac trunk of patients with a continuous-flow left ventricular assist device as shown by in-silico and in-vitro flow analyses
Background The use of left ventricular assist devices (LVADs) to treat advanced cardiac heart failure is constantly increasing, although this device leads to high risk for gastrointestinal bleeding. Methods Using in-silico flow analysis, we quantified hemodynamic alterations due to continuous-flow LVAD (HeartWare, Inc., Framingham, MA) in the celiac trunk and major branches of the abdominal aorta, and then explored the relationship between wall shear stress (WSS) and celiac trunk orientation. To assess outflow from the aortic branch, a 3-dimensional-printed patient-specific model of the celiac trunk reconstructed from an LVAD-supported patient was used to estimate echocardiographic outflow …
Role of computational modeling in thoracic aortic pathology: A review
Thoracic aortic diseases are life-threatening conditions causing significant mortality and morbidity despite advances in diagnostic and surgical treatments. Computational methods combined with imaging techniques provide quantitative information of disease progression, which may improve clinical treatments and therapeutic strategies for clinical practice. Since hemodynamic and wall mechanics play important roles in the natural history and progression of aortic diseases, we reviewed the potential application of computational modeling of the thoracic aorta. We placed emphasis on the clinical relevance of these techniques for the assessment of aortic dissection, thoracic aortic aneurysm, and ao…
In-vitro regeneration of Calendula maritima Guss. (Asteraceae), a threatened plant endemic to Western Sicily
Calendula maritima is a critically endangered endemic plant of Western Sicily. Besides habitat destruction, the hybridization with the contiguous congener species C. fulgida is a major threat to its conservation. For this reason, seed-based propagation and seed storage are not appropriate for conservation purposes. In the present paper we describe a rapid and prolific In vitro plant regeneration method by direct organogenesis from leaves of C. maritima. Leaf explants were cultured on solid Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium in the presence of several plant growth regulator combinations. The best shoot multiplication rate (2.5 shoots/explant) was obtained on the medium containing 4.4 mu M 6-ben…
Particle image velocimetry study of the celiac trunk hemodynamic induced by continuous-flow left ventricular assist device
Abstract Whereas left ventricular assist device (LVAD) is the gold-standard therapy for patients with heart failure, gastrointestinal bleeding is one of the most common complications. LVAD implantation may remarkably impact aortic hemodynamics so that experimental and computational flow analyses can be used to study the disease mechanisms. Here we present an experimentally-calibrated computational model of the celiac trunk hemodynamic of a LVAD-supported patient who experienced bleeding after device implantation. Specifically, both particle image velocimetry (PIV) and echocardiography were used to measure and compare flow distributions in each branch of a phantom model of the patient abdomi…
The ecology of the cork-oark (Quercus suber L.) stands in NW Sicily
The uneven presence of the cork oak (Quercus suber L.) within its distribution range seems to be affected not only by its climatic requirements but also by rather specific edaphic needs. In fact, most of the known populations throughout the Mediterranean area thrive on acidic soils deriving from metamorphic or volcanic rock outcrops. However, some Italian populations of this species behave as if they were independent on the chemical and physical characteristics of the substrate, e.g. growing on calcareous soils, which are considered less suitable. This is the case of some populations in central Italy (Latium) and NW Sicily (Trapani Mts. and Palermo Mts.). A multidisciplinary investigation c…