SHOOTING DOWN THE PRICE: EVIDENCE FROM MAFIA HOMICIDES AND HOUSING MARKET VOLATILITY

In this work, we assess the role of a specific type of organized crime in influencing choices on where living within the city territory, and consequently, volatility in house prices. More specifically, we test how organized crime killing may influence house pricing behaviors. Firstly, we show evidences about how organized crime is associated with higher inequality of housing prices for Italian cities in 2011. Then, by collecting and geo referencing data on the city of Naples for the period 2002-2016, we test for the direct influence of homicides on the relevant territory, as on the neighboring districts. Results show a negative and significant impact of killing on the house prices either for sales or for rents and a positive effect in neighboring district, driving increases in within-city inequality

Source and dynamics of a volcanic caldera unrest : Campi Flegrei, 1983–84

Acknowledgements We thank Tiziana Vanorio, Antonella Amoruso, Luca Crescentini, Nicholas Rawlinson, Yasuko Takei, and David Cornwell for the valuable suggestions regarding the methodology and interpretation. Reviews from Tim Greenfield and two anonymous reviewers helped improving both clarity of the manuscript and interpretation. The Royal Society of Edinburgh - Accademia dei Lincei Bilateral Agreement, the Santander Mobility Award of the College of Physical Sciences, University of Aberdeen, and the TIDES EU COST action granted L.D.S. travel grants for the realisation of this study. E.D.P. has been supported by the EPHESTO and KNOWAVES projects, funded by the Spanish Ministry of Education and Science.Peer reviewedPublisher PD

Field trip to the Ischia resurgent caldera, a journey across an active volcano in the Gulf of Naples

Ischia is one of the most impressive examples of post-caldera resurgence in the world, with its almost 1,000 m of uplift in less than 30 ka. This three-days field trip will lead the participants through the geological and volcanological history of the island, illustrating the volcanic and related hazardous phenomena threatening about 50,000 inhabitants. Effusive and explosive eruptions, catastrophic earthquakes and huge debris-avalanches struck the island that, since Neolithic times, experienced a complex history of alternating human colonization and natural disasters. The field trip consists of three routes: 1) the circumnavigation of the island, aimed to outline its main volcanological, geomorphological and tectonic features and to observe the oldest volcanic rocks exposed, stimulating discussions about coastal evolution and the relationships between volcanism, volcano-tectonism and slope instability; 2) an onland excursion on peculiar aspects of the products related to Ischia more recent period of volcanic activity; 3) a route focusing on the Mt. Epomeo Green Tuff caldera forming eruptions (55-60 ka), encouraging a discussion on the dynamics of the intracalderic resurgence and the geomorphological evolution of the Mt. Epomeo slopes, with ongoing Mass Rock Creep (MRC) processes culminating in rockavalanche, debris-avalanche and lahar deposits

Serafino Zappacosta: An Enlightened Mentor and Educator.

With this article, the authors aim to honor the memory of Serafino Zappacosta, who had been their mentor during the early years of their career in science. The authors discuss how the combination of Serafino Zappacosta's extraordinary commitment to teaching and passion for science created a fostering educational environment that led to the creation of the "Ruggero Ceppellini Advanced School of Immunology." The review also illustrates how the research on the MHC and the inspirational scientific context in the Zappacosta's laboratory influenced the authors' early scientific interests, and subsequent professional work as immunologists

AAV-mediated transcription factor EB (TFEB) gene delivery ameliorates muscle pathology and function in the murine model of Pompe Disease

Pompe disease (PD) is a metabolic myopathy due to acid alpha-glucosidase deficiency and characterized by extensive glycogen storage and impaired autophagy. We previously showed that modulation of autophagy and lysosomal exocytosis by overexpression of the transcription factor EB (TFEB) gene was effective in improving muscle pathology in PD mice injected intramuscularly with an AAV-TFEB vector. Here we have evaluated the effects of TFEB systemic delivery on muscle pathology and on functional performance, a primary measure of efficacy in a disorder like PD. We treated 1-month-old PD mice with an AAV2.9-MCK-TFEB vector. An animal cohort was analyzed at 3 months for muscle and heart pathology. A second cohort was followed at different timepoints for functional analysis. In muscles from TFEB-treated mice we observed reduced PAS staining and improved ultrastructure, with reduced number and increased translucency of lysosomes, while total glycogen content remained unchanged. We also observed statistically significant improvements in rotarod performance in treated animals compared to AAV2.9-MCK-eGFP-treated mice at 5 and 8 months. Cardiac echography showed significant reduction in left-ventricular diameters. These results show that TFEB overexpression and modulation of autophagy result in improvements of muscle pathology and of functional performance in the PD murine model, with delayed disease progression

Biomimetic hydroxyapatite nanocrystals are an active carrier for Salmonella bacteriophages

open access articlePurpose: The use of bacteriophages represents a valid alternative to conventional antimicrobial treatments, overcoming the widespread bacterial antibiotic resistance phenomenon. In this work, we evaluated whether biomimetic hydroxyapatite (HA) nanocrystals are able to enhance some properties of bacteriophages. The final goal of this study was to demonstrate that biomimetic HA nanocrystals can be used for bacteriophage delivery in the context of bacterial infections, and contribute – at the same time – to enhance some of the biological properties of the same bacteriophages such as stability, preservation, antimicrobial activity, and so on. Materials and methods: Phage isolation and characterization were carried out by using Mitomycin C and following double-layer agar technique. The biomimetic HA water suspension was synthesized in order to obtain nanocrystals with plate-like morphology and nanometric dimensions. The interaction of phages with the HA was investigated by dynamic light scattering and Zeta potential analyses. The cytotoxicity and intracellular killing activities of the phage–HA complex were evaluated in human hepatocellular carcinoma HepG2 cells. The bacterial inhibition capacity of the complex was assessed on chicken minced meat samples infected with Salmonella Rissen. Results: Our data highlighted that the biomimetic HA nanocrystal–bacteriophage complex was more stable and more effective than phages alone in all tested experimental conditions. Conclusion: Our results evidenced the important contribution of biomimetic HA nanocrystals: they act as an excellent carrier for bacteriophage delivery and enhance its biological characteristics. This study confirmed the significant role of the mineral HA when it is complexed with biological entities like bacteriophages, as it has been shown for molecules such as lactoferrin

Etna International Training School of Geochemistry. Science meets Practice

Also this year, the “Etna International Training School of Geochemistry. Science meets practice” took place at Mt. Etna, now in its fourth edition. The school was hosted in the historical Volcanological Observatory “Pizzi Deneri”, one of the most important sites of the INGV - Osservatorio Etneo for geochemical and geophysical monitoring. Mount Etna, located in eastern Sicily, is the largest active volcano in Europe and one of the most intensely degassing volcanoes of the world [Allard et al., 1991; Gerlach, 1991]. Mt Etna emits about 1.6 % of global H2O fluxes from arc volcanism [Aiuppa et al., 2008] and 10 % of global average volcanic emission of CO2 and SO2 [D’Alessandro et al., 1997; Caltabiano et al., 2004; Aiuppa et al., 2008; Carn et al., 2017]. Furthermore, Gauthier and Le Cloarec, [1998] underscored that Mt. Etna is an important source of volcanic particles, having a mass flux of particle passively released from the volcano during non-eruptive period estimated between 7 to 23 tons/day [Martin et al., 2008; Calabrese et al., 2011]. In general, Etna is considered to be still under evolution and rather ‘friendly’, which, along with the above, makes it a favorable natural laboratory to study volcanic geochemistry. The Observatory Pizzi Deneri was sponsored by Haroun Tazieff, and it was built in 1978 by the CNR - International Institute of Volcanology under the direction of Prof. Letterio Villari. It is located at the base of the North-East crater (2,850 m a.s.l.), near the Valle del Leone and it was built on the rim of the Ellittico caldera. A picturesque building, consisting of two characteristics domes in front of the breath-taking panorama of the summit craters. Even though it is quite spartan as an accommodation facility, the dormitories, kitchen, seminar room and laboratory are well equipped. In other words, the Pizzi Deneri observatory is a unique place close to the top of the most active volcano of Europe. The observatory lies in a strategic location making it one of the most important sites for monitoring, research and dissemination of the scientific culture. After six field multidisciplinary campaigns (2010-2015) organized by a group of researchers of several institutions (INGV of Palermo, Catania, Naples, Bologna; Universities of Palermo, Florence, Mainz, Heidelberg), the idea of sharing and passing on the experience to the new generation of students has materialized, and the “Etna International Training School of Geochemistry. Science meets practice” was born in 2016. The four editions of the school were partially funded by INGV of Palermo and Catania, European Geoscience Union (EGU), Società Geochimica Italiana (SoGeI) and Associazione Naturalistica Geode. The conceptual idea of the school is to share scientific knowledge and experiences in the geochemical community, using local resources with a low-cost organization in order to allow as many students as possible access to the school. The “Etna International Training School of Geochemistry. Science meets practice” is addressed to senior graduate students, postdoctoral researchers, fellows, and newly appointed assistant professors, aiming to bring together the next generation of researchers active in studies concerning the geochemistry and the budget of volcanic gases. Introduce the participants with innovative direct sampling and remote sensing techniques. Furthermore, it gives young scientists an opportunity to experiment and evaluate new protocols and techniques to be used on volcanic fluid emissions covering a broad variety of methods. The teaching approach includes theoretical sessions (lectures), practical demonstrations and field applications, conducted by international recognized geochemists. We thank all the teachers who helped to make the school possible, among these: Tobias Fischer (University of New Mexico Albuquerque), Jens Fiebig (Institut für Geowissenschaften Goethe-Universität Frankfurt am Main), Andri Stefansson (University of Iceland, Institute of Earth Sciences), Mike Burton (University of Manchester), Nicole Bobrowski (Universität Heidelberg Institute of Environmental Physics and Max Planck Institute for Chemistry), Alessandro Aiuppa (Università di Palermo), Franco Tassi (Università di Firenze), Walter D’Alessandro (INGV of Palermo), Fatima Viveiros (University of the Azores). Direct sampling of high-to-low temperature fumaroles, plume measurement techniques (using CO2/SO2 sensors such as Multi-GAS instruments, MAX-DOAS instruments and UV SO2 cameras, alkaline traps and particle filters), measurement of diffuse soil gas fluxes of endogenous gases (CO2, Hg0, CH4 and light hydrocarbons), sampling of mud volcanoes, groundwaters and bubbling gases. Sampling sites include the active summit craters, eruptive fractures and peripheral areas. The students have shown an active participation both to the lessons and the fieldworks. Most of them describe the school as formative and useful experience for their future researches. Their enthusiasm is the real engine of this school

Etna International Training School of Geochemistry. Science meets Practice

Also this year, the \u201cEtna International Training School of Geochemistry. Science meets practice\u201d took place at Mt. Etna, now in its fourth edition. The school was hosted in the historical Volcanological Observatory \u201cPizzi Deneri\u201d, one of the most important sites of the INGV - Osservatorio Etneo for geochemical and geophysical monitoring. Mount Etna, located in eastern Sicily, is the largest active volcano in Europe and one of the most intensely degassing volcanoes of the world [Allard et al., 1991; Gerlach, 1991]. Mt Etna emits about 1.6 % of global H2O fluxes from arc volcanism [Aiuppa et al., 2008] and 10 % of global average volcanic emission of CO2 and SO2 [D\u2019Alessandro et al., 1997; Caltabiano et al., 2004; Aiuppa et al., 2008; Carn et al., 2017]. Furthermore, Gauthier and Le Cloarec, [1998] underscored that Mt. Etna is an important source of volcanic particles, having a mass flux of particle passively released from the volcano during non-eruptive period estimated between 7 to 23 tons/day [Martin et al., 2008; Calabrese et al., 2011]. In general, Etna is considered to be still under evolution and rather \u2018friendly\u2019, which, along with the above, makes it a favorable natural laboratory to study volcanic geochemistry. The Observatory Pizzi Deneri was sponsored by Haroun Tazieff, and it was built in 1978 by the CNR - International Institute of Volcanology under the direction of Prof. Letterio Villari. It is located at the base of the North-East crater (2,850 m a.s.l.), near the Valle del Leone and it was built on the rim of the Ellittico caldera. A picturesque building, consisting of two characteristics domes in front of the breath-taking panorama of the summit craters. Even though it is quite spartan as an accommodation facility, the dormitories, kitchen, seminar room and laboratory are well equipped. In other words, the Pizzi Deneri observatory is a unique place close to the top of the most active volcano of Europe. The observatory lies in a strategic location making it one of the most important sites for monitoring, research and dissemination of the scientific culture. After six field multidisciplinary campaigns (2010-2015) organized by a group of researchers of several institutions (INGV of Palermo, Catania, Naples, Bologna; Universities of Palermo, Florence, Mainz, Heidelberg), the idea of sharing and passing on the experience to the new generation of students has materialized, and the \u201cEtna International Training School of Geochemistry. Science meets practice\u201d was born in 2016. The four editions of the school were partially funded by INGV of Palermo and Catania, European Geoscience Union (EGU), Societ\ue0 Geochimica Italiana (SoGeI) and Associazione Naturalistica Geode. The conceptual idea of the school is to share scientific knowledge and experiences in the geochemical community, using local resources with a low-cost organization in order to allow as many students as possible access to the school. The \u201cEtna International Training School of Geochemistry. Science meets practice\u201d is addressed to senior graduate students, postdoctoral researchers, fellows, and newly appointed assistant professors, aiming to bring together the next generation of researchers active in studies concerning the geochemistry and the budget of volcanic gases. Introduce the participants with innovative direct sampling and remote sensing techniques. Furthermore, it gives young scientists an opportunity to experiment and evaluate new protocols and techniques to be used on volcanic fluid emissions covering a broad variety of methods. The teaching approach includes theoretical sessions (lectures), practical demonstrations and field applications, conducted by international recognized geochemists. We thank all the teachers who helped to make the school possible, among these: Tobias Fischer (University of New Mexico Albuquerque), Jens Fiebig (Institut f\ufcr Geowissenschaften Goethe-Universit\ue4t Frankfurt am Main), Andri Stefansson (University of Iceland, Institute of Earth Sciences), Mike Burton (University of Manchester), Nicole Bobrowski (Universit\ue4t Heidelberg Institute of Environmental Physics and Max Planck Institute for Chemistry), Alessandro Aiuppa (Universit\ue0 di Palermo), Franco Tassi (Universit\ue0 di Firenze), Walter D\u2019Alessandro (INGV of Palermo), Fatima Viveiros (University of the Azores). Direct sampling of high-to-low temperature fumaroles, plume measurement techniques (using CO2/SO2 sensors such as Multi-GAS instruments, MAX-DOAS instruments and UV SO2 cameras, alkaline traps and particle filters), measurement of diffuse soil gas fluxes of endogenous gases (CO2, Hg0, CH4 and light hydrocarbons), sampling of mud volcanoes, groundwaters and bubbling gases. Sampling sites include the active summit craters, eruptive fractures and peripheral areas. The students have shown an active participation both to the lessons and the fieldworks. Most of them describe the school as formative and useful experience for their future researches. Their enthusiasm is the real engine of this school

Natural History and Management of Familial Paraganglioma Syndrome Type 1: Long-Term Data from a Large Family

Head and neck paragangliomas are the most common clinical features of familial paraganglioma syndrome type 1 caused by succinate dehydrogenase complex subunit D (SDHD) mutation. The clinical management of this syndrome is still unclear. In this study we propose a diagnostic algorithm for SDHD mutation carriers based on our family case series and literature review. After genetic diagnosis, first evaluation should include biochemical examination and whole-body imaging. In case of lesion detection, nuclear medicine examination is required for staging and tumor characterization. The study summarizes the diagnostic accuracy of different functional imaging techniques in SDHD mutation carriers. 18F-3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine (18F-DOPA) positron emission tomography (PET)-computed tomography (CT) is considered the gold standard. If it is not available, 123I-Metaiodobenzylguanidine (MIBG) could be used also for predicting response to radiometabolic therapy. 18F-fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose (18F-FDG) PET-CT has a prognostic role since high uptake identifies more aggressive cases. Finally, 68Ga-peptides PET-CT is a promising diagnostic technique, demonstrating the best diagnostic accuracy in our and in other published case series, even if this finding still needs to be confirmed in larger studies. Periodic follow-up should consist of annual biochemical and ultrasonographic screening and biannual magnetic resonance examination to identify biochemical silent tumors early

Protamine-like proteins have bactericidal activity. The first evidence in Mytilus galloprovincialis.

The major acid-soluble protein components of the mussel Mytilus galloprovincialis sperm chromatin consist of the protamine-like proteins PL-II, PL-III and PL-IV, an intermediate group of sperm nuclear basic proteins between histones and protamines. The aim of this study was to investigate the bactericidal activity of these proteins since, to date, there are reports on bactericidal activity of protamines and histones, but not on protamine-like proteins. We tested the bactericidal activity of these proteins against Gram-positive bacteria: Enterococcus faecalis and two different strains of Staphylococcus aureus, as well as Gram-negative bacteria: Proteus mirabilis, Proteus vulgaris, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Salmonella typhmurium, Enterobacter aerogenes, Enterobacter cloacae, and Escherichia coli. Clinical isolates of the same bacterial species were also used to compare their sensitivity to these proteins. The results show that Mytilus galloprovincialis protamine-like proteins exhibited bactericidal activity against all bacterial strains tested with different minimum bactericidal concentration values, ranging from 15.7 to 250 µg/mL. Furthermore, these proteins were active against some bacterial strains tested that are resistant to conventional antibiotics. These proteins showed very low toxicity as judged by red blood cell lysis and viability MTT assays and seem to act both at the membrane level and within the bacterial cell. We also tested the bactericidal activity of the product obtained from an in vitro model of gastrointestinal digestion of protamine-like proteins on a Gram-positive and a Gram-negative strain, and obtained the same results with respect to undigested protamine-like proteins on the Gram-positive bacterium. These results provide the first evidence of bactericidal activity of protamine-like-proteins