A segmentation procedure of the pervious area of the aorta artery from CT images without contrast medium

In this paper, we develop an algorithm for the segmentation of the pervious lumen of the aorta artery in computed tomography (CT) images without contrast medium, a challenging task due to the closeness gray levels of the different zones to segment. The novel approach of the proposed procedure mainly resides in enhancing the resolution of the image by the application of the algorithm deduced from the mathematical theory of sampling Kantorovich operators. After the application of suitable digital image processing techniques, the pervious zone of the artery can be distinguished from the occluded one. Numerical tests have been performed using 233 CT images, and suitable numerical errors have been computed and introduced ex novo to evaluate the performance of the proposed method. The above procedure is completely automatic in all its parts after the initial region of interest (ROI) selection. The main advantages of this approach relies in the potential possibility of performing diagnosis concerning vascular pathologies even for patients with severe kidney diseases or allergic problems, for which CT images with contrast medium cannot be achieved.     

An extension of Fujita’s non-extendability theorem for Grassmannians

In this paper we study smooth complex projective varieties X containing a Grassmannian of lines ${{\mathbb G}(1, r)}$ which appears as the zero locus of a section of a rank two nef vector bundle E. Among other things we prove that the bundle E cannot be ample.     

Symmetry in the geometry of metric contact pairs

We prove that the universal covering of a complete locally symmetric normal metric contact pair manifold with decomposable ? is a Calabi‐Eckmann manifold or the Riemannian product of a sphere and . We show that a complete, simply connected, normal metric contact pair manifold with decomposable ?, such that the foliation induced by the vertical subbundle is regular and reflections in the integral submanifolds of the vertical subbundle are isometries, is the product of globally ?‐symmetric spaces or the product of a globally ?‐symmetric space and . Moreover in the first case the manifold fibers over a locally symmetric space endowed with a symplectic pair.     

Investigation of spin transition in GdCoO3 by measuring the electric field gradient at Co sites

In the present work, the time differential perturbed angular correlation (PAC) technique was used to study the temperature dependence of electric field gradient (efg) in GdCoO₃ perovskite using ¹¹¹Cd and ¹⁸¹Ta nuclear probes. The radioactive parent nuclei ¹¹¹In and ¹⁸¹Hf were introduced in the oxide lattice through chemical process during sample preparation and were found to occupy only the Co sites in GdCoO₃. The efg's at ¹¹¹Cd and ¹⁸¹Ta show temperature dependence with two different fractions each that change with temperature. In the case of ¹¹¹Cd the quadrupole frequency slowly decreases, with corresponding increase of the temperature and shows a peak like structure at around 200 K and a discontinuity at 700 K. These changes have been interpreted as thermally activated spin-state transitions from low-spin ground state configuration to the intermediate-spin state and from intermediate-spin to high-spin state of Co³⁺${\mathrm{Co}}^{3+}$ ion similar to LaCoO₃ compound. Indication of a Jahn–Teller distortion, which stabilizes the intermediate-spin state with orbital ordering, is also pointed out.     

Fluorescent macrocyclic chemosensor for Zn(II) detection at alkaline pH values

ABSTRACT

The new macrocyclic ligand L (28,29-dimethoxy-27-oxa-8,11,14,17,25,26-hexaazatetracyclo[22.2.1.1(2,6).1(19,23)]nonacosa-2,4,6(28),19,21,23(29),24,26(1)-octaene) has been synthesised. It contains a tetramine chain and the 2,5-bis(2-methoxy-3-metyl-phenyl)-1,3,4-oxadiazole (PPD-OMe) chromophore, acting as coordinating and sensing units, respectively.

The fluorescent emission of L depends on the pH being highly fluorescent at pH = 2 and not emitting from pH >10. The studies highlighted that L is a PET mediated emitting chemosensor, being the PET effect regulated by the degree of the tetraamine protonation.

L coordinates metal ions (Cu(II), Zn(II) and Cd(II)) in water giving rise to an OFF-ON fluorescent response for the presence of Zn(II) ion thus signalling its presence in the medium. This response is particularly notable at pH = 9 allowing to extend the Zn(II) sensing also in the alkaline pH field.     

Screening and identification of major phytochemical compounds in seeds,sprouts and leaves of Tuscan black kale Brassica oleracea (L.) ssp acephala (DC) var. sabellica L.

We report the spectrophotometric determination of total polyphenols, flavonoids, glucosinolates and antioxidant activity in seeds, seedlings and leaves of Tuscan black kale. The highest content of phytochemicals was observed in 10 days sprouts and antioxidant activity was maximum in 2, 4 days seedlings. Identification and characterisation of phytochemicals were performed by mass spectrometry (MS), high resolution and tandem MS with electrospray ionisation mode. Low-molecular-weight metabolites were evidenced in seeds while metabolites at high m/z range were detected in cotyledons and leaves. MS spectra evidenced different phenolic compounds (flavonoid caffeoyl glucose, hydroxycinnamic acid sinapine) and glucosinolates (glucoerucin, glucobrassicin and glucoraphanin) in function of developmental stage; galactolipids ω3 and ω6 were observed in leaves. Identification of stages with the highest phytochemicals content encourages the consumption of black kale sprouts and young leaves. Our research can support food and pharmaceutical industries for production of health promoting products from black kale.