Transient infiltration tests in pyroclastic soils with double porosity

Fallout volcanic deposits of SommaVesuvius(Campania,southern Italy),characterized by the presence of layers with contrasting textural and hydraulic properties,are frequently affected by shallow landslides during rainwater infiltration.The soils of the stratigraphic sequence present intraparticle pores,originated by the gases escaped during magma decompression in the volcanic conduit,thus are characterized by double porosity(i.e.,intraparticle and interparticle pores),which is expected to affect their hydraulic behaviour,and to play a key role in rainwater infiltration through layered deposits.To understand the effect of double porosity on the hydraulic behaviour of the involved soils,controlled experiments have been carried out in an infiltration column.The experimental apparatus is provided with newly designed non-invasive Time Domain Reflectometry(TDR)probes,not buried in the investigated soil layers so as to minimize disturbance to the flow,allowing water content measurement during vertical flow processes.Specifically,transient flow experiments are carried out through reconstituted specimens of black scoriae and grey pumices,both loose pyroclastic granular soils from fallout deposits of Somma-Vesuvius,featuring double porosity with different pore size distributions,that were estimated by X-ray tomography and Mercury Intrusion Porosimetry.The experimental results highlight the effects of the double porosity and clearly indicate the different behaviour of the two soils during wetting and drying processes,mainly related to the different dimensions of intraparticle pores.

A novel rat model of seminal vesiculitis

We aimed to establish a novel rat model of seminal vesiculitis that would provide an effective approach to investigate the pathogenesis of this disease in the future. Eight male rats received the same operation, during which the root of one of the two seminal vesicles was partly ligatured with sutures and the other vesicle was left in tact. The samples of seminal vesicles were harvested on the 8th day followi ng the operation. Hematoxylin and eosi n and Mass on's trichrome stains were used to observe the histopathology and the presenee of fibrous tissue in seminal vesicles, respectively. Immunoblotting and immunohistochemistry were applied to determine the tumor n ecrosis factor-alpha and cyclooxygenase-2 levels in semi nal vesicle tissues. Real-time fluoresce nee qua ntitative polymerase chain reaction was performed to measure the gene expression levels of proinflammatory cytokines. H2O2 levels in the seminal plasma from the seminal vesicle were also measured. Hematoxylin and eosin staining suggested that there was inflammatory cell in filtration into the semi nal vesicles treated by partial root ligati on. The tumor n ecrosis factor-alpha and cyclooxygenase-2 proteins were significantly upregulated in the treated seminal vesicles. The tumor necrosis factor-alpha, cyclooxygenase, interleukin 6, and inducible nitric oxide synthase mRNA expression levels were also upregulated in the treated seminal vesicles. The H2O2 levels in the seminal plasma from seminal vesicles with partial root ligation were significantly elevated compared with those from vesicle left intact. In conclusion, partially ligating the root of the seminal vesicle via sutures in rats is an effective method to establish a seminal vesiculitis rat model.