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Leone, E.; Francone, A.; Paglialunga, A.; Ciardulli, F.; Aloisi, A., and Tomasicchio, G.R., 2024. Overtopping assessment of a rubble mound breakwater with innovative armor units: a physical and numerical study. In: Phillips, M.R.; Al-Naemi, S., and Duarte, C.M. (eds.), Coastlines under Global Change: Proceedings from the International Coastal Symposium (ICS) 2024 (Doha, Qatar). Journal of Coastal Research, Special Issue No. 113, pp. 804-808. Charlotte (North Carolina), ISSN 0749-0208. Rubble-mound breakwaters are essential for coastal defense, protecting ports and mitigating erosion. During storms, water overflow can cause circulating currents in protected zones. Integrating innovative armor units that efficiently dissipate energy is key in reducing wave overtopping. An experimental investigation has been conducted on a scaled model of a rubble-mound breakwater with innovative armor units at the EUMER (EUropean Maritime Environmental Research) laboratory, University of Salento, Italy. The model replicated a defense structure in the Arabian Gulf, protecting an artificial island. A critical section prone to overtopping has been built at a 1:15 model scale. The investigation analyzed the performance of the armor units in terms of wave overtopping under operational and extreme conditions, considering the Gulf's wave characteristics. To enhance reliability, the physical model investigation has been complemented by a numerical study. Numerical simulations have been performed using the OpenFoam C++ libraries and the IHFOAM multiphase flow solver. The VARANS equations solved the two-phase flow within the breakwater's porous media. To close the system of equations describing the turbulent flow, the k-ω SST turbulence model has been selected, due to the good trade-off between cost and accuracy. The VOF method has been applied to track the free surface elevation over time. The numerical simulations showed strong agreement with experimental observations, demonstrating IHFOAM as a reliable tool to predict wave overtopping phenomena.

Rubble-mound breakwaters are essential for coastal defense, protecting ports and mitigating erosion. During storms, water overflow can cause circulating currents in protected zones. Integrating innovative armor units that efficiently dissipate energy is key in reducing wave overtopping. An experimental investigation has been conducted on a scaled model of a rubble-mound breakwater with innovative armor units at the EUMER (EUropean Maritime Environmental Research) laboratory, University of Salento, Italy. The model replicated a defense structure in the Arabian Gulf, protecting an artificial island. A critical section prone to overtopping has been built at a 1:15 model scale. The investigation analyzed the performance of the armor units in terms of wave overtopping under operational and extreme conditions, considering the Gulf's wave characteristics. To enhance reliability, the physical model investigation has been complemented by a numerical study. Numerical simulations have been performed using the OpenFoam C++ libraries and the IHFOAM multiphase flow solver. The VARANS equations solved the two-phase flow within the breakwater's porous media. To close the system of equations describing the turbulent flow, the k-ω SST turbulence model has been selected, due to the good trade-off between cost and accuracy. The VOF method has been applied to track the free surface elevation over time. The numerical simulations showed strong agreement with experimental observations, demonstrating IHFOAM as a reliable tool to predict wave overtopping phenomena.

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of triiodothyronine (T3) on tendon specific markers and cytokines expression of stem cells extracted from human tendons. Indeed, thyroid hormones have been reported to be protective factors, maintaining tendons’ homeostasis, whereas tendinopathy is believed to be related to a failed healing response. Healthy and tendinopathic human tendons were harvested to isolate tendon stem/progenitor cells (TSPCs). TSPCs obtained from pathological samples showed gene expression and morphological modifications at baseline in comparison with cells harvested from healthy tissues. When cells were maintained in a medium supplemented with T3 (10−6 M), only pathological populations showed a significant upregulation of tenogenic markers (DCN, TNC, COL1A1, COL3A1). Immunostaining revealed that healthy cells constantly released type I collagen, typical of tendon matrix, whereas pathological ones overexpressed and secreted type III collagen, typical of scarred and impaired tissue. Pathological cells also overexpressed pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines, suggesting an impaired balance in the presence of T3, without STAT3 activation. Moreover, DKK-1 was significantly high in the culture medium of pathological cell cultures and was reversed by T3. This study opens perspectives on the complex biochemical alteration of cells from pathological tendons, which may lead to the chronic disease context with an impaired extracellular matrix.

Plastics have changed human lives, finding a broad range of applications from packaging to medical devices. However, plastics can degrade into microscopic forms known as micro- and nanoplastics, which have raised concerns about their accumulation in the environment but mainly about the potential risk to human health. Recently, biodegradable plastic materials have been introduced on the market. These polymers are biodegradable but also bioresorbable and, indeed, are fundamental tools for drug formulations, thanks to their transient ability to pass through biological barriers and concentrate in specific tissues. However, this “other side” of bioplastics raises concerns about their toxic potential, in the form of micro- and nanoparticles, due to easier and faster tissue accumulation, with unknown long-term biological effects. This review aims to provide an update on bioplastic-based particles by analyzing the advantages and drawbacks of their potential use as components of innovative formulations for brain diseases. However, a critical analysis of the literature indicates the need for further studies to assess the safety of bioplastic micro- and nanoparticles despite they appear as promising tools for several nanomedicine applications.

The wine spoilage yeast Dekkera bruxellensis was evaluated for the production of 4-ethylphenol under low concentrations (0.02–20 g L 1) of glucose and fructose in synthetic media. Measurable amounts of 4-ethylphenol were produced over 0.2 g L 1 of each sugar. The yeast growth rate and amount of biomass formed increased from 0.2 to 20 g L 1 of glucose or fructose, being accompanied by increasing production of 4-ethylphenol. In red wines, the production of 4-ethylphenol was only observed in the presence of growing populations of indigenous or inoculated strains of D. bruxellensis. The production rate of 4-ethylphenol varied between 22 and 93 mg day 1 either with inoculated strains or wild populations in bottled wines. The production rate of 4-ethylphenol as a function of the increase in the number of cells varied from 349 to 1882 mg L 1 per one log CFUmL 1. The effect of temperature on cellular viability and 4-ethylphenol production was tested in red wines with indigenous or inoculated strains of D. bruxellensis. Incubation temperatures of 15, 20 and 25 1C allowed cellular growth and volatile phenol production. Increasing incubation temperatures to 36 1C induced full viability loss of 10 strains of D. bruxellensis within <12 h.

The wine spoilage yeast Dekkera bruxellensis was evaluated for the production of 4-ethylphenol under low concentrations (0.02–20 g L 1) of glucose and fructose in synthetic media. Measurable amounts of 4-ethylphenol were produced over 0.2 g L 1 of each sugar. The yeast growth rate and amount of biomass formed increased from 0.2 to 20 g L 1 of glucose or fructose, being accompanied by increasing production of 4-ethylphenol. In red wines, the production of 4-ethylphenol was only observed in the presence of growing populations of indigenous or inoculated strains of D. bruxellensis. The production rate of 4-ethylphenol varied between 22 and 93 mg day 1 either with inoculated strains or wild populations in bottled wines. The production rate of 4-ethylphenol as a function of the increase in the number of cells varied from 349 to 1882 mg L 1 per one log CFUmL 1. The effect of temperature on cellular viability and 4-ethylphenol production was tested in red wines with indigenous or inoculated strains of D. bruxellensis. Incubation temperatures of 15, 20 and 25 1C allowed cellular growth and volatile phenol production. Increasing incubation temperatures to 36 1C induced full viability loss of 10 strains of D. bruxellensis within <12 h.