PURPOSE: To describe a case of progressive outer retinal necrosis syndrome, successfully treated with a new combination of antiviral drugs.

METHODS: The patient was treated with a combined therapy of antiviral drugs that includes: intravenous acyclovir 10 mg/kg, three intravitreal injections of foscarnet (1200 microg) and a ganciclovir implant in the right eye.

RESULTS: The progressive outer retinal necrosis appeared to response dramatically with the combination of antiviral agents used over a period of 2 weeks with a final visual acuity of 20/80 at 3 months of follow up.

CONCLUSIONS: Intravitreal foscarnet combined with i.v. acyclovir and ganciclovir implant may represent an effective alternative treatment for PORN.

PURPOSE: To retrospectively investigate the role of a contrast enhanced MRI (ceMRI) performed 24 h after a microwave ablation (MWA) of the lung, in predicting local tumour progression (LTP) and detecting complications compared to an unenhanced CT.

MATERIAL AND METHODS: Forty-nine patients who underwent MWA of 77 lung metastases between 2008 and 2015 were included. All patients received an unenhanced chest CT and a ceMRI (including T2 and ceT1) 24 h after MWA. The conspicuities of the peripheral rim and the ablated tumour were scored using 1-3 scales and compared between examinations. The safety margin was measured directly (both scores ≥2) and indirectly using a subtraction method. The ability of each imaging modality to predict LTP based on safety margin width was analysed using receiver operating characteristic curves. The MRI ability to detect a pneumothorax was compared to CT.

RESULTS: The peripheral rim was best visualised on T2 followed by T1 and CT. The tumour was best visualised on CT, followed by T1 and T2. Direct safety margin measurement was possible on CT, ceT1 and T2 in 68.8%, 64.9% and 27.3% of cases, respectively. Direct CT (AUC = 0.77) and ceT1 (AUC = 0.76) measurements had better diagnostic performance than indirect CT (AUC = 0.72), ceT1 (AUC = 0.70) and T2 (AUC = 0.69) measurements. The MRI sensitivity and specificity for pneumothorax were 60.8% and 87.0%, respectively. Only one pneumothorax >1 cm was missed.

CONCLUSIONS: A ceMRI performed 24 h after MWA of lung tumours has a similar ability to predict LTP and detect important complications as a CT has.

Abstract The aim of this study is to model potential changes in land use and evaluate their effects on sediment load in a Mediterranean watershed, the Carapelle, in Southern Italy. For this purpose, a set of Landsat Thematic Mapper (TM) images were processed to generate three different land use maps for 1987, 2002, and 2011. The images were corrected for geometric distortion and atmospheric interference before performing an unsupervised classification and decision expert system post classification. The land use maps for 1987 and 2002, derived from the Landsat \{TM\} processing, were analyzed using a Land Change Modeler (LCM) module to identify transitions from the first land cover type to the second. The transitions were modeled using a multi-layer perceptron (MLP) neural network to create transition potential maps, which provide the controls for subsequent dynamic land use change predictions. The model produced a predicted land use map for 2011 using Markov Chain analysis, which was validated with the actual 2011 land use map. Consequently, a land use scenario (S1) for 2035 and 2050 was predicted, taking into account the current constraints and management options. \{LCM\} was further used to define two additional scenarios (S2 and S3) both for 2035 and 2050 based on different land management options. Finally, the Annual Agricultural Non-Point Source Pollution Model (AnnAGNPS) was used to estimate the effect of the predicted land use changes on sediment load after model calibration, using a five-year dataset registered at the Ordona monitoring station. The land use change analysis revealed low transformations from 1987 to 2011. Equally, land use changes were low for the base scenario (S1) so moderate variations in sediment load were estimated. The changes in land use were more significant for the additional scenarios (S2 and S3) and consequently the model estimations underwent major variations, with a significant reduction of soil erosion. The associated utilization of land use change analysis and AnnAGNPS modeling demonstrates how land use management options can be adopted to reduce potential watershed sediment load.

Abstract The aim of this study is to model potential changes in land use and evaluate their effects on sediment load in a Mediterranean watershed, the Carapelle, in Southern Italy. For this purpose, a set of Landsat Thematic Mapper (TM) images were processed to generate three different land use maps for 1987, 2002, and 2011. The images were corrected for geometric distortion and atmospheric interference before performing an unsupervised classification and decision expert system post classification. The land use maps for 1987 and 2002, derived from the Landsat \{TM\} processing, were analyzed using a Land Change Modeler (LCM) module to identify transitions from the first land cover type to the second. The transitions were modeled using a multi-layer perceptron (MLP) neural network to create transition potential maps, which provide the controls for subsequent dynamic land use change predictions. The model produced a predicted land use map for 2011 using Markov Chain analysis, which was validated with the actual 2011 land use map. Consequently, a land use scenario (S1) for 2035 and 2050 was predicted, taking into account the current constraints and management options. \{LCM\} was further used to define two additional scenarios (S2 and S3) both for 2035 and 2050 based on different land management options. Finally, the Annual Agricultural Non-Point Source Pollution Model (AnnAGNPS) was used to estimate the effect of the predicted land use changes on sediment load after model calibration, using a five-year dataset registered at the Ordona monitoring station. The land use change analysis revealed low transformations from 1987 to 2011. Equally, land use changes were low for the base scenario (S1) so moderate variations in sediment load were estimated. The changes in land use were more significant for the additional scenarios (S2 and S3) and consequently the model estimations underwent major variations, with a significant reduction of soil erosion. The associated utilization of land use change analysis and AnnAGNPS modeling demonstrates how land use management options can be adopted to reduce potential watershed sediment load.

To meet the increased consumer demand for yogurt with reduced fat content, various efforts have been made to improve the quality of reduced-fat variants that still is regarded as having inferior quality. As an alternative, a yogurt was produced from buffalo skim milk with the addition of microbial transglutaminase (TG; 1 U.g-1 protein) and buttermilk powder (BMP; 1 and 2% "w/w"). For comparison, a fat-free variant without TG or BMP and a full-fat yogurt were studied. Monitoring the pH drop during incubation time revealed that TG did not interfere with the pH reduction, while BMP addition accelerated the decline in pH. TG treatment or BMP addition substantially improved the water holding capacity functionality of the yogurt gel. Electrophoretic analysis revealed that the addition of BMP enhanced the reactivity of TG as indicated by the appearance of high molecular weight protein polymer bands. These results were confirmed by scanning electron microscope analysis. The addition of TG and BMP, either individually or in combination, showed a marked impact on gel network, resulting in a more compact and dense gel structure accompanied by irregular agglomerated clusters of protein aggregates. Fat-free yogurts of individually BMP addition exhibited the most desirable organoleptic attributes as indicated by a sensory panel and were perceived as similar to the full-fat yogurt perception. Overall, the addition of TG or BMP appeared to have potential as a valuable alternative in fat-free yogurt production, and BMP can be used as a source of extra protein, which in turn offers promising option to develop innovative functional fat-free yogurt. © 2014 INRA and Springer-Verlag France.

To meet the increased consumer demand for yogurt with reduced fat content, various efforts have been made to improve the quality of reduced-fat variants that still is regarded as having inferior quality. As an alternative, a yogurt was produced from buffalo skim milk with the addition of microbial transglutaminase (TG; 1Ug-1protein) and buttermilk powder (BMP; 1% and 2% “w/w”). For comparison, a fat-free variant without TG or BMP, and a Full-fat yogurt was also studied. Monitoring the pH drop during incubation time revealed that TG did not interfere with the pH reduction, while BMP addition accelerated the decline in pH. TG treatment or BMP addition substantially improved the water holding capacity functionality of the yogurt gel. Electrophoretic analysis revealed that addition of BMP enhanced the reactivity of TG as indicated by appearance of high molecular weight protein polymer bands. These results were confirmed by scanning electron microscope analysis. Addition of TG and BMP, either individually or in combination, showed a marked impact on gel network, resulting in a more compact and dense gel structure accompanied by irregular agglomerated clusters of protein aggregates. Fat-free yogurts of individually BMP addition exhibited the most desirable organoleptic attributes as indicated by a sensory panel and were perceived as similar to the full-fat yogurt perception. Overall, addition of TG or BMP appeared to have potential as a valuable alternative in fat-free yogurt production, and BMP can be used as a source of extra protein, which in-turn offers promising option to develop innovative functional fat-free yogurt