Long-term dynamics of hypoxia and anoxia in the Emilia Romagna coastal zone (Northern Adriatic Sea)

The Northern Adriatic is a continental shelf area characterised by highly variable freshwater discharges and production events. Here, hypoxia and anoxia have occurred both in offshore areas and in coastal waters, at least since the beginning of 1900. Despite several biogeochemical studies are available, longterm analysis of their recurrence, triggering mechanisms and impact on marine environment may provide a tool for a better understanding of present evolution of this ecosystem. For this reason, a compilation of the information contained in the scientific literature on the occurrence on decadal scales of hypoxia and anoxia in the North Adriatic has been done, focusing in particular on the Emilia Romagna coastal zone. Time series of Po River discharges and meteorological data (air temperature, precipitation, wind intensity and direction) were analysed, together with oceanographic conditions, as triggering factors for this phenomenon in the area of interest. The occurrence of plankton blooms was also reported and evaluated. The characteristics of hypo-anoxic events in terms of extension, duration and diffusion were collected in order to distinguish local vs. regional events, shortlived vs. long-lasting events, and to evaluate space and temporal evolutionary trends. This analysis was carried out through the reconstruction of time series of bottom dissolved O2 distribution for the period 1982-2005 and by comparison with reported observations on the field. On this base, latitudinal diffusion of events was studied, as well as possible exchanges between coastal and offshore waters. Finally, the analysis of this historical dataset suggests an increase in short-lived events, located in shallow waters, but often repeated during the year, which cause a continuous stress on the pelagic and benthic habitats. This temporal trends may be related to regional changes of the climatic conditions, which include an higher frequency of irregular seasonal cycles

Present and future of aquatic sciences: The perspective of AIOL scientific community for a priority roadmap over the next five years

Water issues represent an increasing societal challenge, since the 70% of Planet Earth is covered by water. The intensive use of the hydrosphere is changing the structure and functions of aquatic ecosystems and their ability to produce goods and services that are useful to humans. It is therefore necessary that the scientific community makes citizens aware of the results of scientific research on these issues and informs them about the need to intensify the study of the mechanisms that underlie the ongoing changes in aquatic ecosystems. To help meet this need, within the 23rd Congress of the Italian Association of Oceanology and Limnology (AIOL; http://www.aiol.info/), entitled "Functioning, alteration and recovery of aquatic ecosystems: the aquatic sciences to understand global change and to make the citizens aware of it" (Cagliari, Italy, 26-29 September 2017), all participants, among which some renown experts in the field of aquatic sciences, were invited to give their contribution, via a shared and bottom-up built questionnaire, in assessing a set of actions needed to achieve an adaptive and proactive management of changes that the aquatic sciences are going to face in the next five years. The results of this survey allowed us to identify a set of priorities that funding agencies should include in their economic and financial planning in the next future. Among all, we pinpoint that there is an urgent need in: (i) promoting sustainable food production by exploiting aquatic systems; (ii) diffusing an opportune spatial planning integrating ecosystem-based management approaches; (iii) developing recovery/remediation plans for contaminated sites; iv) promoting conservation of ecosystems by assessing their conservation status, first of all the water/ecosystem quality; (v) fostering the technological development of sustainable and integrated tools and procedures for environmental monitoring; (vi) developing a better forecasting capacity, particularly of extreme events, by implementing long-term research networks; and, ultimately, (vii) supporting a wider society learning processes and a more effective transfer of knowledge from science to society

Is the clinical pattern of pediatric celiac disease changing? A thirty-years real-life experience of an Italian center

Objectives Clinical presentation of pediatric celiac disease (CD) is heterogeneous and ever-evolving. Our aim is to highlight its changes throughout the years. Methods Data about clinical presentation of CD in children diagnosed between 1990 and 2020 at the CD Center of Maggiore Hospital, Bologna, were collected. Patients were stratified into groups based on the date [P1 (1990-2011), P2 (2012-2020)] and age [G1 (< 2 years), G2 (2-5), G3 (6-11), G4 (12-18)] at diagnosis, then investigated by comparing CD clinical presentation in different periods and ages. Results 1081 children were selected. Mean age at diagnosis increases from 5.9 to 6.6 years from P1 to P2. Gastrointestinal Symptoms (GIs) are predominant, with a decline of diarrhea (47%VS30%) and an increase of constipation (4%VS19%) (p < 0.001). Among Extraintestinal symptoms (EIs) a decrease of anemia (76%VS43%, p = 0,001) is observed. Failure to Thrive (FTT) is stable throughout the years (p = 0.03), while screenings show a trend of increment (19%VS23%). GIs' frequency decline from G1 to G4 (p = 0,001), with reduction of diarrhea (p < 0.001), and rise of recurrent abdominal pain (p = 0,02). EIs are more frequent at older ages, FTT in younger patients. Conclusions Changes in clinical presentation of CD have occurred in the last 30 years. We observe a reduction of severe and classic gastroenterologic symptoms and a rise of atypical ones, together with a growth of serological screenings and higher age at diagnosis. Awareness about CD clinical trends is crucial for a proper approach and early diagnosis

Planning and designing an integrated management of coastal hypoxia in the Emila Romagna region water (Northern Adriatic Sea)

Abstract The design of an integrated monitoring network useful for the early-warning, the management and mitigation of both the environmental and socio-economic costs of hypoxia/anoxia events in the Northern Adriatic coastal zone, south of the mouth of the Po river, is described in the contribute. It has been developed within the EMMA research project (Environmental Management through Monitoring and Modelling of Anoxia; LIFE04ENV/IT/0479) (2004-2007). Over the past few decades, hypoxia events have recurrently affected the coastal zone of Emilia Romagna Region (Italy). Data collected by the C.Z. lying in the Province of Rimini, because of its economic importance, are presented. The area is subjected to intense anthropogenic pressure due to its high population (416 000 equivalent inhabitants) with tourist seasonal peaks of up to 973 110 equivalent inhabitants (in summer time), to industrial and agricultural activity, to maritime traffic and nutrient river discharges (about 600 tons y-1 of nitrogen and 300 tons y-1 of phosphorus, in 2002). Hypoxia and anoxia have a negative effect on the quality of bathing waters as well as on fishing and mussel farming, which are important activities for the economy of the area. The planning of the monitoring network has been carried out by analyzing the scientific knowledge on hypoxia in the local area; its integration with other existing monitoring activities, available facilities and data resources was considered in order to optimize cost effectiveness of the network

FDG-PET findings and alcohol-responsive myoclonus in a patient with Unverricht-Lundborg disease

The aim of this report is to describe clinical, EEG, and neuroimaging findings in a patient with UnverrichtLundborg disease (ULD), the most common form of progressive myoclonus epilepsy (PME). A 23-year-old male with genetically confirmed ULD had a phenotype consisting of myoclonus, generalized seizures, intellectual disability, ataxia, and dysarthria. Myoclonus and gait disturbance were strongly ameliorated by alcohol consumption. EEG revealed a posterior dominant rhythm with alpha variant, mild bilateral slowing, and anterior-predominant epileptiform abnormalities. Brain MRI showed mild cerebellar atrophy. FDG-PET revealed hypometabolism more prominent in the posterior brainstem, thalami, frontal and parietal lobes. This report confirms that alcohol may ameliorate myoclonus in a subset of patients with PME, including genetically confirmed ULD. In addition, the presence of FDG-PET hypometabolism predominant in the frontoparietal region and thalami has not been previously described in ULD, yet is consistent with previous brain morphometry studies showing motor cortex and thalamic atrophy in ULD, and brings into question the possibility of a shared metabolic pattern with other PMEs, notably Lafora disease. (c) 2022 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/)

Fourteen years of palaeolimnological research of a past industrial polluted lake (L. Orta, Northern Italy): an overview

The first sediment core analyses were carried out in 1958, but it is only from 1985 onward that a modern palaeolimnological approach was applied to the study of Lake Orta, a large and deep lake in North Italy, heavily polluted by ammonia and copper for about 50 and 30 years, respectively. Thus, we summarise those studies from a variety of sediment cores, collected in different years and sites, using both published and unpublished data. Changes in algal pigments (mainly chlorophyll derivatives, total and single carotenoids), inorganic geochemistry, especially heavy metals (e.g. Cu), diatoms, Cladocera, and thecamoebians were studied and related to the stressed environment. The whole picture reveals a close relationship between modifications in algal biomass, density, taxonomic composition and organisms size on the one hand, and water chemistry changes on the other hand. Long-term history of this lake over 7-8 centuries, including invertebrate and terrestrial vegetation dynamics (pollen stratigraphy), reveals close relationship with natural (climate) and anthropogenic forces

Integrated management of coastal hypoxia in the Northern Adriatic Sea: the case study of the Province of Rimini

An integrated monitoring network aimed at the management and mitigation of environmental and socio-economic costs of hypoxia was developed for the coastal zone of Rimini (Emilia Romagna - Italy). This area was chosen for the presence of high anthropogenic pressure (416,000 equivalent inhabitants and tourist summer peak of up to 973,110), industrial and agricultural activities, as well as maritime traffic and nutrient river discharges (about 600 ty􀀀1 of N and 300 ty􀀀1 of P in 2002). EMMA monitoring network was planned by linking scientific knowledge on hypoxia phenomenon with in situ experimental investigations. Its integration with existing environmental monitoring, available facilities and data resources was considered in order to increase the cost effectiveness of the project. The structure of EMMA monitoring network was based on four main components: - an instrumental monitoring network of the coastal zone, by means of an automated remote station coupled by traditional sampling at fixed stations, to provide a set of high resolution environmental data; - a 3-D numerical model (ROMS) implemented to perform hydrological simulations and forecast of hypoxia in the area of interest; - a Local Information Centre (LIC) devoted to the acquisition and exchange of data and model results among network components; - a Decision Supporting System to bring scientific aspects of hypoxia phenomena into management requirements of local institutions and socio-economic operators

Expiratory flow limitation in intensive care: prevalence and risk factors

Expiratory flow limitation (EFL) is characterised by a markedly reduced expiratory flow insensitive to the expiratory driving pressure. The presence of EFL can influence the respiratory and cardiovascular function and damage the small airways; its occurrence has been demonstrated in different diseases, such as COPD, asthma, obesity, cardiac failure, ARDS, and cystic fibrosis. Our aim was to evaluate the prevalence of EFL in patients requiring mechanical ventilation for acute respiratory failure and to determine the main clinical characteristics, the risk factors and clinical outcome associated with the presence of EFL

Integrated Management of Coastal Hypoxia in the Northern Adriatic Sea: the Case Study of the Province of Rimini.

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BRCA1 foci test as a predictive biomarker of olaparib response in ovarian cancer patient-derived xenograft models

Standard therapy for high-grade ovarian carcinoma includes surgery followed by platinum-based chemotherapy and poly-ADP ribose polymerase inhibitors (PARPis). Deficiency in homologous recombination repair (HRD) characterizes almost half of high-grade ovarian carcinomas and is due to genetic and epigenetic alterations in genes involved in HR repair, mainly BRCA1/BRCA2, and predicts response to PARPi. The academic and commercial tests set up to define the HRD status of the tumor rely on DNA sequencing analysis, while functional tests such as the RAD51 foci assay are currently under study, but have not been validated yet and are available for patients. In a well-characterized ovarian carcinoma patient-derived xenograft platform whose response to cisplatin and olaparib, a PARPi, is known, we assessed the association between the BRCA1 foci score, determined in formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tumor slices with an immunofluorescence technique, and other HRD biomarkers and explored the potential of the BRCA1 foci test to predict tumors’ response to cisplatin and olaparib. The BRCA1 foci score was associated with both tumors’ HRD status and RAD51 foci score. A low BRCA1 foci score predicted response to olaparib and cisplatin, while a high score was associated with resistance to therapy. As we recently published that a low RAD51 foci score predicted olaparib sensitivity in our xenobank, we combined the two scores and showed that the predictive value was better than with the single tests. This study reports for the first time the capacity of the BRCA1 foci test to identify HRD ovarian carcinomas and possibly predict response to olaparib