Stroke and depression: A bidirectional link

A number of studies have assessed the influence of depression on the risk of cardiovascular disease. A growing literature indicates a link between depression and cerebrovascular events, although the direction of this association remains unclear. Numerous data have emerged suggesting an association between depressive symptoms and subsequent risk of stroke, thus leading to the hypothesis that a direct causality between depression and stroke exists. Notwithstanding, how depression may act as a risk factor for stroke is still unclear. Depression might be linked to stroke via neuroendocrine and inflammation effects, through correlation with major comorbidities such as hypertensionand diabetes or by intervention of lifestyle behavioral mediators. Finally, antidepressant medications have recently drawn attention for a possible association with increased risk of stroke, although such findings remain uncertain. Depression has been also established as an important consequence after stroke, exerting a significant adverse impact on the course of motor recovery, social functioning and, overall, on quality of life. Post stroke depression occurs in nearly one third of stroke cases, but the exact mechanism leading to depression after stroke is still incompletely understood. In this article, we will review contemporary epidemiologic studies, discuss potential mechanisms and specific aspects of the complex relation between depression and stroke.

Conservation of endangered animals: From biotechnologies to digital preservation

In the recent years, the number of endangered animals, both referred to livestock and wild species, has grown enormously. The “livestock” term refers to animals domesticated for producing commodities for man such as food, fiber and draught. Livestock biodiversity is integral to our culture, history, environment, and economy. Thousands of livestock breeds have evolved over time to suit particular environments and farming systems. Conservation and analyses of these genetic resources rely on demographic characterization and correct breeding schemes. In addition, molecular genetic studies allow to identify and monitor the genetic diversity within and across breeds and to reconstruct their evolution history. The conservation of livestock variability is also a crucial element in order to preserve and valorise specific nutritional and nutraceutical properties of animal products. Efficient ex situ and in situ conservation strategies, as well as the creation of bio-banks and specific biotechnological and bioinformatics tools for genetic analyses and digital preservation, are obligatory requirements in order to implement an appropriate action for the conservation of animal biodiversity. The main issues concerning different species are summarised, with particular reference to the livestock biodiversity still existing. Some examples of ex situ conservation strategies, which mainly refer to cryoconservation of semen, ova, embryos or tissues, developed in Italy, are presented, and the different actions in defense of Animal Genetic Resources (AnGR) developed within the European Community are illustrated. Interestingly, the same strategies for biological and digital analyses and preservation of livestock biodiversity can be exported to wild endangered animals in order to plan a correct conservation and repopulation of the species. Furthermore, the European Union has set up the guidelines to safeguard the biodiversity and to combat the extinction of animal species, and has made the protection of biodiversity and ecosystems one of the main objectives of the Sixth Environment Action Programme.

原位生成白炭黑对异戊橡胶补强性能与其制备方法和结构的相互关系

弹性体一般需要添加补强填料以提高其基本性能而得到商业应用。炭黑和白炭黑是应用最广的橡胶补强填料。一般说来,与炭黑填充胶料相比,白炭黑填充胶料的撕裂强度较大、耐磨性能和耐老化性能较好。此外,在轮胎工业中,当炭黑补强和白炭黑补强的两种轮胎耐磨性能和湿地抓着性能相同时，后者胎面胶的滚动阻力比前者更低。

Dam-break Modeling in Alpine Valleys

Dam-break analysis is of great importance in mountain environment,especially where reservoirs are located upstream of densely populated areas and hydraulic hazard should be assessed for land planning purposes.Accordingly,there is a need to identify suitable operative tools which may differ from the ones used in flat flood-prone areas.This paper shows the results provided by a 1D and a 2D model based on the Shallow Water Equations(SWE) for dam-break wave propagation in alpine regions.The 1D model takes advantage of a topographic toolkit that includes an algorithm for pre-processing the Digital Elevation Model(DEM) and of a novel criterion for the automatic cross-section space refinement.The 2D model is FLO-2D,a commercial software widely used for flood routing in mountain areas.In order to verify the predictive effectiveness of these numerical models,the test case of the Cancano dam-break has been recovered from the historical study of De Marchi(1945),which provides a unique laboratory data set concerning the consequences of the potential collapse of the former Cancano dam(Northern Italy).The measured discharge hydrograph at the dam also provides the data to test a simplified method recently proposed for the characterization of the hydrograph following a sudden dam-break.

Semisolid lead-antimony alloys for cars batteries

The application of semisolid process was investigated on Pb-Sb alloys that are normally used for metallic parts in car batteries, in order to increase their mechanical properties and corrosion resistance.The semisolid behaviour of a Pb-4%Sb alloy was analysed by means of rheological and calorimetry differential scanning experiments.The alloy was melted, treated by ultrasound to obtain the semisolid state and then poured into permanent moulds.Some of these samples were also heated in semisolid temperature range and injected in thixo-casting apparatus.Both poured and injected samples were characterized by metallographic analysis, mechanical test and electrochemical corrosion experiments.The results show an improvement of mechanical and corrosion resistance with respect to samples obtained by conventional casting technique.

Secondary prevention of ischaemic stroke

In spite of a documented reduction in incidence in highincome countries over the last decades, stroke is still a leading cause of death and disability worldwide. With the ageing of the population stroke-related economic burden is expected to increase, because of residual disability and its complications, such as cognitive impairment, high risk of falls and fractures, depression and epilepsy. Furthermore, because of the substantial rate of early and long-term vascular recurrences after the first event, secondary prevention after cerebral ischaemia is a crucial issue. This is even more important after minor stroke and transient ischaemic attack(TIA), in order to reduce the risk of potentially more severe and disabling events. To accomplish this aim, acute long-term medical and surgical treatments as well aslifestyle modifications are strongly recommended. However, apart from the well-established indications to thrombolysis, studies in acute phase after a first stroke or TIA are scarce and evidence is lacking. More trials are available for long-term secondary prevention with different classes of drugs, including antithrombotic medications for ischaemic events of arterial and cardiac origin, especially related to atrial fibrillation(antiplatelets and anticoagulants, respectively), lipid lowering agents(mainly statins), blood pressure lowering drugs, surgical and endovascular revascularization procedures.