Material Analysis and a Visual Guide of Degradation Phenomena in Historical Synthetic Polymers as Tools to Follow Ageing Processes in Industrial Heritage Collections

Identifying the most vulnerable plastics and monitoring their deterioration is one of the main problems within heritage collections with historical synthetic polymers. Gathering and interpreting data about material and degradation phenomena in a collection reveals its conservation needs. A systematic survey of the collection can help towards this purpose. Surveys aiming at inspecting and documenting damages rely on several tools in order to fulfill their purpose. Firstly, objective descriptions of the damages that may appear, and secondly, the means of acquiring and interpreting material information. To address these needs, this article presents (a) a visual damage catalogue of degradation phenomena in plastic and rubber materials, and (b) the implementation of Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and pyrolysis–gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (py-GCMS) for the identification of analytically challenging rubber materials and of blooming phenomena. The damage catalogue is based solely on visual and olfactory signs, so that the assessment is independent of possible causes of damages and underlying processes, with the purpose of allowing objectivity to prime over interpretation. The limitations of the use of FTIR in the identification of heavily compounded rubbers in museum surveys is highlighted, and examples are presented. The use of py-GCMS on these cases conveniently allowed the identification of the constituting monomers of several rubber materials where FTIR could not provide a univocal classification of the material present. The study of several cases of blooming allowed the identification of diverse compositions and origins, showing that the description of a degradation phenomenon is only the first step towards its understanding. Unveiling the nature of a particular case of blooming is particularly critical when conservation treatments, such as the removal of a (potentially protecting) layer, are planned. For this purpose, attenuated total reflection-FTIR (ATR-FTIR) as a surface technique was particularly useful.

Evaluation of Three New Citrus Rootstocks under Boron Toxicity Conditions

Boron (B) toxicity is a common limiting factor both in arid and semiarid regions, such as the Mediterranean Basin. Citrus trees are sensitive to B-toxicity, which generates a negative impact in citrus orchards. In this work, two promising citrus rootstocks (UFR-6 and 2247 x 6070-02-2) have been assessed against B-toxicity and compared with Carrizo citrange, a common commercial citrus rootstock in Mediterranean Basin. Three B concentration treatments (Control, 1 and 2.5 mM H3BO3) were established, irrigating the plants three times per week for 21 days under greenhouse conditions. During the assay, above-ground symptoms, and chlorophyll index (SPAD) were recorded. At the end of the experiment, stomatal conductance, relative water content, and B concentration in leaves and roots were determined. The increasing B concentration in plants generates visual damage in leaves for all citrus rootstocks assayed. Carrizo citrange displayed the greatest visual symptoms, decreased its chlorophyll index (SPAD), and stomatal conductance throughout the B-treatment. However, UFR-6 and 2247 x 6070-02-2 displayed less symptoms than Carrizo citrange and only reduced its parameters under the 2.5 mM H3BO3 treatment. These results can aid citrus grower rootstock planting decisions with under B-toxicity conditions.

Does ganciclovir exert retinal toxicity after multiple continuous intravitreal injections?

Background The objective of this study is to report a case of acute retinal necrosis in which abnormalities in visual function did not correspond to retinal anatomical outcomes. Case presentation A 39-year-old female diagnosed with acute retinal necrosis underwent repeated (nine rounds) intravitreal ganciclovir injection (3 mg/0.1 ml) into the left eye, one injection every 2 weeks. During the therapy, the patient noticed her visual acuity declining gradually. The best corrected visual acuity in the left eye was 20/33. The visual field showed massive visual damage. There was no posterior necrotizing involvement, no macular edema or exudation, and only slight abnormity of the interdigitation zone in the fovea area was visible on OCT. Angio-OCT revealed normal capillary density of three retinal capillary and choriocapillaris layers. The visually evoked potential was normal. The photopic single-flash response showed a declined amplitude of a-wave and b-wave. The amplitudes of photopic 30 Hz flicker were decreased. Multifocal electroretinography revealed macular dysfunction. Conclusion Ganciclovir-associated photoreceptor damage may induce abnormalities in retinal function in response to multiple continuous intravitreal ganciclovir injections at a relatively high dosage (3 mg/0.1 ml).

Supracerebellar transtentorial approach for left parahippocampal cavernous malformation

Background: Lesions in the temporomesial region can be reached by various approaches: subtemporal, transsylvian, transcortical, interhemispheric parieto-occipital, or supracerebellar transtentorial (SCTT). The choice varies according to the characteristics of the lesion and neighboring structures. Case Description: In this clinical case, it is presented a 56-year-old man with long-term evolution of drug-resistant epilepsy secondary to a cavernoma in the left parahippocampal gyrus. After assessing the lesion, it was decided a SCTT approach for its resection in a semi-sitting position, to avoid language disorders or visual damage. The surgery was uneventful and the patient did not present epileptic seizures during 6-month follow-up. Conclusion: Performing a SCTT is safe and feasible option for resection of lesions located in the basal temporomesial region without causing damage to neighboring structures, especially those located in the middle and posterior two-thirds of temporal region.

SEIMSIC CONDITION ASSESSMENT OF TEMPLE A CASE STUDY ON SHIVA-PARBATI TEMPLE

Shiva Parvati temple is an uncommon shrine built on a four-step brick platform. It stands out particularly due to its three golden pinnacles. It was Bahadur Shah Idea to construct a hybrid temple that incorporated Newar and Rajput style on top of the pavilion built by King Laxmi Narasimha Malla who ruled in the seventeenth century. The temple has been renovated in 1998AD. The golden pinnacle of this temple is quite artistic and one of the best in the Durbar Square. It consists of three tapering spires alternating with four floral stalks on a small platform. It is unique because it departs from the traditional Newar appearance and adopts the Rajput/Mughal style. Shiva-Parvati Temple which is adorned with images of Shiva and his consort Parvati. With its “Shiva-Parvati Temple” historical importance as Monument underlying the UNESCO World Heritage Sites and One which is affected by the Gorkha Earthquake (2015). The main objective of the study is to carry out seismic condition assessment of the temple based on detail damage assessment. A set of Architectural and Structural Drawings has been prepared along with the NonDestructive Tests and Finite Element Modeling by using the Structural Analysis and Design software SAP. The temple is built with the traditional newer construction technology with load bearing walls in surkhi mortar cladding on outer face by Dachi Appa and floor and roof with timber members. This paper focuses on the visual damage assessment and detail study of the cracks in different locations of the temple. The flexible diaphragm, lack of bands and insufficient chukuls (Spikes) leads to the damage on the Temple.

Genome-Wide Association Mapping of Freezing Tolerance Loci in Canola (Brassica napus L.)

Winter canola generally produces greater yields than spring canola. However, its range is limited due to its inability to withstand the harsh winter conditions that occur in many northern regions of the U.S.A. To identify loci associated with freezing tolerance in canola, we conducted a genome-wide association study (GWAS) using a genotyped diversity panel containing 399 accessions consisting primarily of winter canola. One-month-old greenhouse grown plants were subsequently cold-acclimated for two months in an environmental growth chamber prior to phenotyping for freezing survival using a visual damage scale and chlorophyll fluorescence (Fv/Fo). There was reasonable correlation observed between visual damage and chlorophyll fluorescence ratings among the top associated loci; the results indicated that some loci contributed to both freezing damage/tolerance and photosynthetic efficiency. The resulting numerical values for phenotypes were used for association analyses with the identified SNPs. Thirteen significant markers were identified on nine chromosomes for the phenotypes scored, with several showing significance for multiple phenotypes. Twenty-five candidate genes were identified as previously associated with freezing tolerance, photosynthesis, or cold-responsive in canola or Arabidopsis.

Serpiginous choroiditis presenting after SARS-CoV-2 infection: A new immunological trigger?

Introduction: To report the first case of a serpiginous choroiditis presenting after SARS-CoV-2 infection in a previously healthy young woman. Case description: A 41-year-old woman reported blurry vision OS 1 month after a mild SARS-CoV-2 infection. Left eye fundus examination revealed multiple peripapillary atrophic lesions, adjacent to a larger diffuse, ill-defined, yellow-whitish deep amoeboid-like patch, involving the peripapillary region and extending temporally to the fovea. Multimodal imaging including fluorescein angiography, indocyanine-green angiography, fundus autofluorescence and optical coherence tomography was consistent with serpiginous choroiditis. A complete systemic work-up was performed to exclude potential infectious or inflammatory etiologies. The active choroidal lesions responded to high dose corticosteroids, with functional improvement. Immunomodulatory therapy with methotrexate was initiated for long-term management. Conclusion: Serpiginous choroiditis is a rare but important sight-threatening condition that has been previously associated to viral infections, which seem to have a role in the induction and/or perpetuation of choroidal inflammation. SARS-CoV-2 infection appears to have played a role as a possible trigger for intraocular inflammation in this case. Therefore, COVID-19 patients reporting visual symptoms should be carefully evaluated in order to obtain adequate ophthalmological management to avoid irreversible visual damage.

Vita käppen – redskapet som hjälper och stjälper

The White Cane – A tool that both helps and hinders Bodies, shame, normality and the agency of objects Maria Bäckman The article discusses the attempts of visually impaired individuals tosometimes pass as seeing. The background is the resistance that many blind or visually impaired people testify they feel, during their ongoingrehabilitation, about a white cane. Often, on these occasions they provid descriptions of dramatic narratives in which the user explains what it was like when they first realized that it was now really time to start using a cane (for example: When I fell in the water from the quay, or stepped out in front of a bus, etc.). However, many also relate the way a cane, even in more mundane contexts, makes the individual’s visual inability obvious to others and thereby makes the person particularly vulnerable. The tool that connects the visually impaired with the outside world is thus also a material expression which makes both the visual damage and the cane usersmore noticeable as less than a fully functional individual.By holding on to the materiality of the cane and its nature of being a physical object, our understanding can be increased of the ambivalent relationship that many visually impaired people develop with a white cane. On the basis of social materiality studies and the concept of ableism, taken from critical handicap research, the article shows how the use of a white cane takes place in a public space; a space where the user variously inhabits an “imaginary” full-sighted body and another, existing body, which on the contrary is characterized by its weakened vision. However, it is important to realize that the persistent rejection mechanism that many visually impaired people have for a cane is intimately linked to ableism and existing norms of bodily functions. A desire to repel an object that reduces one to something else, and consequently to a somewhat lower standing, is a perfectly reasonable reaction to a deeply rooted social conflict. For many people with visual impairment, the resistance to a white cane must therefore be understood as a refusal to embody a functional normative failure.