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The bathymetry is the most superficial layer of the Earth’s crust on which it is possible to perform direct measurements. However, it is also well known that water covers more than 70% of the Earth’s surface, so an enormous expenditure of acquisition campaigns should be performed to produce a high-resolution map of this layer. Currently exploiting mainly commercial navigation routes, the sea floor coverage with shipborne sounding is only at 11%, and the remaining part is currently modeled by classical interpolation techniques or satellite-based gravity inversion methods. In the present work, a new method to refine bathymetry modeling based on the exploitation of global gravity field models is presented. In the proposed solution, once modeled and removed from the observed gravity field, the gravitational signals related to the deepest structures, a 3D Bayesian inversion algorithm is used to improve the actual knowledge of bathymetry. The proposed inversion method also enables limiting the solution to shipborne sounding measurements in such a way as to improve the seafloor grid where no local, high-quality information is available. Two test cases are discussed in the Mediterranean Sea region. Promising results are presented, opening the possibility of applying an analogous method to refine the bathymetry modeling at larger scales up to the global one.

The Earth’s crust is exceptionally important to understand the geological evolution of our planet and to access natural resources as minerals, critical raw materials, geothermal energy, water, hydrocarbons, etc.. However, in many regions of the world it is still poorly modelled and understood. Here we present the latest advance on three-dimensional modelling of the Mediterranean Sea crust based on freely available global gravity and magnetic field models. The proposed model, based on the inversion of gravity and magnetic field anomalies constrained by available a-priori information (such as interpreted seismic profiles, previous studies, etc.), provides, with an unprecedented spatial resolution of 15 km, the depths of the main modelled geological horizons (Plio-Quaternary, Messinian and Pre-Messinian sediments, crystalline crust and upper mantle), coherent with the known available constraints, together with the three-dimensional distribution of density and magnetic susceptibility. The inversion is carried out by means of a Bayesian algorithm, which allows to modify at the same time the geometries and the three dimensional distributions of density and magnetic susceptibility, always respecting the constraints introduced by the initial information. In addition to unveil the structure of the crust beneath the Mediterranean Sea, the present study also shows the informative content of freely available global gravity and magnetic models, thus putting the base for the development of future high resolution models of the Earth crust at global level.

The exploitation of gravity fields in order to retrieve information about subsurface geological structures is sometimes considered a second rank method, in favour of other geophysical methods, such as seismic, able to provide a high resolution detailed picture of the main geological horizons. Within the current work we prove, through a realistic synthetic case study, that the gravity field, thanks to the availability of freely of charge high resolution global models and to the improvements in the gravity inversion methods, can represent a valid and cheap tool to complete and enhance geophysical modelling of the Earth’s crust. Three tests were carried out: In the first one a simple two-layer problem was considered, while in tests two and three we considered two more realistic scenarios in which the availability on the study area of constraints derived from 3D or 2D seismic surveys were simulated. In all the considered test cases, in which we try to simulate real-life scenarios, the gravity field, inverted by means of an advanced Bayesian technique, was able to obtain a final solution closer to the (simulated) real model than the assumed a priori information, typically halving the uncertainties in the geometries of the main geological horizons with respect to the initial model.

Potential fields methods, based on the exploitation of gravity and magnetic fields, are among the most important methods to recover fundamental information on the Earth crust structure at global, regional and local scales. The bottleneck for this kind of geophysical methods is often represented by the development of ad-hoc techniques to fully exploit the available data. In fact, each different technique can observe the effect of a single property of the subsurface and when we want to estimate this property from the observed field (the so-called inverse problem), several problems such as non-uniqueness and instability arise. A possible solution to these problems consists in jointly inverting, in a consistent way, different observed fields, possibly also incorporating all the available geological constraints. In the current work, we present an innovative Bayesian algorithm aimed at performing a full 3D joint inversion of gravity and magnetic fields constrained by geological a-priori qualitative information. The algorithm is tested on a real-case scenario, namely, a local study to estimate a complete 3D model of the Oka carbonatite complex. This complex is a composite pluton in Quebec (Canada), important for mining operations related to critical raw material such as Niobium and other rare earth. This example shows the reliability of the developed inversion algorithm and gives hints on the fundamental role that potential fields can play in mining activities.

Background Angioedema is a condition marked by sudden, intense swelling of the subcutaneous and submucosal tissues, typically associated with hypersensitivity reactions, genetic mutations, or reactions to medications. It can also result from contact with allergens such as nickel, leading to dermatitis. Case presentation : A 12-year-old girl presented at our Pediatric Immunology and Allergology service with recurrent labial angioedema for over a year, linked to the consumption of legumes and tomatoes, and following the use of a metal flute. Despite a nickel-positive patch test and subsequent avoidance of nickel, her symptoms persisted. Further investigations to rule out other causes of angioedema were unproductive. It was later discovered that she had been wearing a nickel-containing orthodontic device applied a year earlier. The removal of this orthodontic device led to a cessation of the angioedema episodes, highlighting nickel as the likely trigger. Conclusions This case underscores the importance of considering prolonged nickel exposure from dental devices as a potential cause of angioedema. For patients predisposed to nickel hypersensitivity, using nickel-free alternatives such as ceramic for orthodontic appliances is crucial. Additionally, comprehensive allergen screening, including latex testing, should be conducted before the placement of such devices to prevent similar adverse reactions.

BackgroundChronic nonbacterial osteomyelitis (CNO) is a rare autoinflammatory bone disorder. Little information exists on the use of imaging techniques in CNO.Materials and methodsWe retrospectively reviewed clinical and MRI findings in children diagnosed with CNO between 2012 and 2018. Criteria for CNO included unifocal or multifocal inflammatory bone lesions, symptom duration >6 weeks and exclusion of infections and malignancy. All children had an MRI (1.5 tesla) performed at the time of diagnosis; 68 of these examinations were whole-body MRIs including coronal short tau inversion recovery sequences, with additional sequences in equivocal cases.ResultsWe included 75 children (26 boys, or 34.7%), with mean age 10.5 years (range 0–17 years) at diagnosis. Median time from disease onset to diagnosis was 4 months (range 1.5–72.0 months). Fifty-nine of the 75 (78.7%) children presented with pain, with or without swelling or fever, and 17 (22.7%) presented with back pain alone. Inflammatory markers were raised in 46/75 (61.3%) children. Fifty-four of 75 (72%) had a bone biopsy. Whole-body MRI revealed a median number of 6 involved sites (range 1–27). Five children (6.7%) had unifocal disease. The most commonly affected bones were femur in 46 (61.3%) children, tibia in 48 (64.0%), pelvis in 29 (38.7%) and spine in 20 (26.7%). Except for involvement of the fibula and spine, no statistically significant differences were seen according to gender.ConclusionNearly one-fourth of the children presented with isolated back pain, particularly girls. The most common sites of disease were the femur, tibia and pelvic bones. Increased inflammatory markers seem to predict the number of MRI sites involved.

To solve the inverse gravimetric problem, i.e., to estimate the mass density distribution that generates a certain gravitational field, at local or regional scale, several parameters have to be defined such as the dimension of the 3D region to be considered for the inversion, its spatial resolution, the size of its border, etc. Determining the ideal setting for these parameters is in general difficult: theoretical solutions are usually not possible, while empirical ones strongly depend on the specific target of the inversion and on the experience of the user performing the computation. The aim of the present work is to discuss empirical strategies to set these parameters in such a way to avoid distortions and errors within the inversion. In particular, the discussion is focused on the choice of the volume of the model to be inverted, the size of its boundary, its spatial resolution, and the spatial resolution of the a-priori information to be used within the data reduction. The magnitude of the possible effects due to a wrong choice of the above parameters is also discussed by means of numerical examples.

Pediatric Autoimmune Neuropsychiatric Disorders Associated with Streptococcal Infections (PANDAS), unlike pediatric acute-onset neuropsychiatric syndrome (PANS), is triggered by infections. This study aimed to assess the differences in low-grade endotoxemia and oxidative stress between these conditions. A cross-sectional study compared serum levels of soluble NOX2-dp (sNOX-2-dp), isoprostanes, lipopolysaccharide (LPS), and zonulin in 30 PANDAS, 21 PANS, and 30 control (CT) children matched for age and gender. Zonulin was used to assess gut permeability. Patients with PANDAS showed significantly higher serum levels of sNOX2-dp, isoprostanes, LPS, and zonulin than PANS and controls, while no significant differences were found between PANS and controls. sNOX2-dp correlated with isoprostanes (Rs = 0.708; p < 0.001), LPS (Rs = 0.584; p < 0.001), and zonulin (Rs = 0.662; p < 0.001). Multiple regression identified isoprostanes (β = 0.599; p < 0.001) and zonulin (β = 0.295; p = 0.01) as independent predictors of sNOX2-dp (R2 = 81%). PANDAS and PANS showed distinct profiles of LPS, zonulin, NOX2, and isoprostanes. Future research should explore therapies targeting endotoxemia and oxidative stress for potential clinical benefits.

Background Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a disease caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection. Although many reports have detailed a range of neurological symptoms in SARS-CoV-2-infected patients, studies of neuro-ophthalmological manifestations are still scarce. Case presentation We report a 9-year-old girl with abducens nerve palsy after COVID-19 with no evidence of other neurological disease on neuroimaging. At 2-month follow-up clinical conditions were improved. Conclusions The palsy may have occurred due to a possible post-infectious immune-mediated mechanism underlying the neuropathy, as opposed to direct viral infiltration. Despite being rare, this complication must be taken into account.