THE OSTRACODS IN THE PALAEOENVIRONMENTAL INTERPRETATION OF THE LATE LANGHIAN - EARLY SERRAVALLIAN SECTION OF RAS IL-PELLEGRIN (MALTA)

The distribution of ostracods in the composed Langhian-Serravallian section of Ras il Pellegrin (Malta) has been studied quantitatively to define the evolution of both the assemblages and the palaeoenvironmental conditions. 99 samples have been examined at a stratigraphic distance of about 1 m. 78 species have been identified whose assemblages indicate an epibathyal environment and a sedimentation depth of 500-700 m. In particular, the almost continuous occurrence of the genus Oblitacythereis, which characterizes the water layer just above the psychrosphere, together with the absolute absence of the psychrospheric genus Agrenocythere confirm this interpretation. The sudden drop of both the simple diversity and abundance near the boundary "Upper Globigerina Limestone" - "Blue Clays" Formations, especially at the top of the succession, in our opinion may be due to the the decrease of dissolved bottom oxygen content as supported also by the Cytherellidae.&nbsp

Infralittoral ostracoda and benthic foraminifera of the Gulf of Pozzuoli (Tyrrhenian Sea, Italy)

AbstractThe shallow water benthic foraminiferal and ostracod assemblages of the Gulf of Pozzuoli, located in the central Tyrrhenian Sea, were studied to investigate the relationship between calcareous meiofaunas and contaminant concentrations in bottom sediments exposed to prolonged industrial pollution. Both benthic foraminifers and ostracods displayed high-diversity and low-dominance, unusual features in highly contaminated environments. High-diversity values were possibly linked to the oligotrophic, well-oxygenated, and CaCO3-supersaturated coastal Mediterranean waters. The comparison with historical data suggested that assemblage composition changed in the last decades, with an increase in the relative abundance of benthic foraminiferal (Quinqueloculina seminulum, Bulimina elongata) and ostracod (Xestoleberis,Loxoconcha, Semicytherura rarecostata) taxa. They probably represent organisms tolerant to the environmental variations in the last decades. The relationships between granulometry and diversity indices, high correlation values betweenQuinqueloculina lataand heavy metal pollution, and the preference of the ostracod generaUrocythereisandParacytherideafor very shallow marine waters were highlighted

Sensor recorded changes in rates of hand washing with soap in response to the media reports of the H1N1 pandemic in Britain

Objectives To examine how the frequency of information regarding a real disease threat influences hand washing with soap. Design and setting The authors installed wireless devices in highway service station lavatories in England to record the proportion of individuals washing hands with soap from May 2009 to January 2010. Participants Participants were users of men's and women's toilets. Combined there was an average of 6800 participant entrances into the lavatories daily. Primary outcome measure The primary outcome measure is the proportion of soap usage to the number of entries into the lavatories. Results Hand-washing rates were positively related to both H1NI coverage in blogs and the news; however, these relationships were stronger for men than for women. Conclusions Hand washing with soap increases proportionally to the frequency of media key words related to H1N1. Women's hand washing was more strongly associated with incidence of media keywords than men's

Relevance of genipin networking on rheological, physical, and mechanical properties of starch-based formulations

The small amount of proteins in starch-rich food industry byproducts can be an advantage to crosslink with genipin and tailor the performance of biobased films. In this work, genipin was combined with non- purified starch recovered from industrial potato washing slurries and used for films production. Starch recovered from potato washing slurries contained 0.75% protein, 2 times higher than starch directly obtained from potato and 6 times higher than the commercial one. Starch protein-genipin networks were formed with 0.05% and 0.10% genipin, gelatinized at 75 °C and 95 °C in presence of 30% glycerol. Bluish colored films were obtained in all conditions, with the higher surface roughness (Ra, 1.22 μm), stretchability (elongation, 31%), and hydrophobicity (water contact angle, 127°) for 0.10% genipin and starch gelatinized at 75 °C. Therefore, starch-rich byproducts, when combined with genipin, are promising for surpassing the starch-based films hydrophilicity and mechanical fragilities while providing light barrier properties.publishe

Tailoring the surface properties and flexibility of starch-based films using oil and waxes recovered from potato chips byproducts

Agrofood byproducts may be exploited as a source of biomolecules suitable for developing bioplastic materials. In this work, the feasibility of using starch, oil, and waxes recovered from potato chips byproducts for films production was studied. The recovered potato starch-rich fraction (RPS) contained an amylopectin/amylose ratio of 2.3, gelatinization temperatures varying from 59 to 71 °C, and a gelatinization enthalpy of 12.5 J/g, similarly to a commercial potato starch (CPS). Despite of its spherical and oval granules identical to CPS, RPS had a more amorphous structure and gave rise to low viscous suspensions, contradicting the typical B-type polymorph crystal structure and sluggish dispersions of CPS, respectively. When used for films production, RPS originated transparent films with lower roughness and wettability than CPS-based films, but with higher stretchability. In turn, when combined with RPS and CPS, oil or waxes recovered from frying residues and potato peels, respectively, allowed to develop transparent yellowish RPS- and CPS-based films with increased surface hydrophobicity, mechanical traction resistance, elasticity, and/or plasticity. Therefore, potato chips industry byproducts revealed to have thermoplastic and hydrophobic biomolecules that can be used to efficiently develop biobased plastics with improved surface properties and flexibility, opening an opportunity for their valorization.publishe

Disseminating the knowledge on the complex interactions between humans and volcanoes: the geological section of the Villa Arbusto archaeological museum at Lacco Ameno (Ischia, Naples - Italy)

A room in the Archaeological Museum of Villa Arbusto (Lacco Ameno, Ischia) was set up to house rocks and fossils collected by the renowned archaeologist Giorgio Buchner during his excavation activity on the Island of Ischia. The collection is witness to a long multidisciplinary research activity that saw archaeological studies at the center of volcanological, pedological and palaeoenvironmental researches, aimed at reconstructing the archaeological contexts in the complex geological dynamics of the island. In fact, during the different phases of colonization recorded on the island, the Ischia volcanoes were very active and produced explosive and effusive eruptions, accompanied by a strong geological dynamics that included earthquakes, landslides (even gigantic ones), rapid ground uplift and strong hydrothermal activity. In the room, the samples on display "tell" the evolution of the island and its dynamics in four windows and a chest of drawers, where there is an exposition of the products of the various eruptions, from the oldest to the most recent, sedimentary rocks and the collection of macro and microfossils found in marine sediments, displaced at variable altitudes by the rapid volcano-tectonic deformations that characterize the island. A series of panels and monitors accompany the visitor along a path that, starting from the geological evolution of the island, passes through the relationship between humans and the volcano, the main volcanic phenomena and the reconstruction of an archaeological excavation of exceptional value, where it is possible to see the strong interaction between primary and secondary volcanic phenomena and a human settlement of the first Greek colony in the west: Pithecusae. The exhibition was designed with the purpose of educating the visitors and the local population about the natural history of the island and its volcanoes, and their impact on the human life through time

Identification and neuromodulation of brain states to promote recovery of consciousness

Experimental and clinical studies of consciousness identify brain states (i.e., transient, relevant features of the brain associated with the state of consciousness) in a non-systematic manner and largely independent from the research into the induction of state changes. In this narrative review with a focus on patients with a disorder of consciousness (DoC), we synthesize advances on the identification of brain states associated with consciousness in animal models and physiological (sleep), pharmacological (anesthesia) and pathological (DoC) states of altered consciousness in human. We show that in reduced consciousness the frequencies in which the brain operates are slowed down and that the pattern of functional communication in the brain is sparser, less efficient, and less complex. The results also highlight damaged resting state networks, in particular the default mode network, decreased connectivity in long-range connections and in the thalamocortical loops. Next, we show that therapeutic approaches to treat DoC, through pharmacology (e.g., amantadine, zolpidem), and (non-)invasive brain stimulation (e.g., transcranial current stimulation, deep brain stimulation) have shown some effectiveness to promote consciousness recovery. It seems that these deteriorated features of conscious brain states may improve in response to these neuromodulation approaches, yet, targeting often remains non-specific and does not always lead to (behavioral) improvements. Furthermore, in silico model-based approaches allow the development of personalized assessment of the effect of treatment on brain-wide dynamics. Although still in infancy, the fields of brain state identification and neuromodulation of brain states in relation to consciousness are showing fascinating developments that, when united, might propel the development of new and better targeted techniques for DoC. For example, brain states could be identified in a predictive setting, and the theoretical and empirical testing (i.e., in animals, under anesthesia and patients with a DoC) of neuromodulation techniques to promote consciousness could be investigated. This review further helps to identify where challenges and opportunities lay for the maturation of brain state research in the context of states of consciousness. Finally, it aids in recognizing possibilities and obstacles for the clinical translation of these diagnostic techniques and neuromodulation treatment options across both the multi-modal and multi-species approaches outlined throughout the review. This paper presents interactive figures, supported by the Live Paper initiative of the Human Brain Project, enabling the interaction with data and figures illustrating the concepts in the paper through EBRAINS (go to https://wiki.ebrains.eu/bin/view/Collabs/live-paper-states-altered-consciousness and get started with an EBRAINS account).NA is research fellow, OG is Research Associate, and SL is research director at FRS-FNRS. JA is postdoctoral fellow at the FWO. The study was further supported by the University and University Hospital of Liège, the BIAL Foundation, the Belgian National Funds for Scientific Research (FRS-FNRS), the European Union's Horizon 2020 Framework Programme for Research and Innovation under the Specific Grant Agreement No. 945539 (Human Brain Project SGA3), the FNRS PDR project (T.0134.21), the ERA-Net FLAG-ERA JTC2021 project ModelDXConsciousness (Human Brain Project Partnering Project), the fund Generet, the King Baudouin Foundation, the Télévie Foundation, the European Space Agency (ESA) and the Belgian Federal Science Policy Office (BELSPO) in the framework of the PRODEX Programme, the Public Utility Foundation 'Université Européenne du Travail', "Fondazione Europea di Ricerca Biomedica", the BIAL Foundation, the Mind Science Foundation, the European Commission, the Fondation Leon Fredericq, the Mind-Care foundation, the DOCMA project (EU-H2020-MSCA–RISE–778234), the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Joint Research Project 81471100) and the European Foundation of Biomedical Research FERB Onlus

Instrumento para análise de consumo de alimentos com alto teor de sódio

Diante da importância para estudos epidemiológicos objetivou-se elaborar um instrumento para avaliar o consumo de alimentos com alto teor de sódio. Recordatório de 24 horas (R24) foi aplicado em 50 indivíduos ?18 anos, de ambos os sexos, para identificar alimentos e preparações consumidas. Para a elaboração do questionário de frequência alimentar de alimentos com alto teor de sódio (QFA-ATS) foram selecionados alimentos com quantidade de sódio ?400mg por 100g/mL de alimento. A lista inicial foi composta de 44 itens, distribuídos em seis grupos alimentares. Em estudo piloto o QFA-ATS inicial foi aplicado em 32 hipertensos ?40 anos, selecionados aleatoriamente de amostra probabilística de estudo de base populacional. A reestruturação do QFA-ATS foi necessária para incluir alimentos que contribuem com a ingestão de sódio, por representar consumo habitual da população-alvo.  QFA-ATS desenvolvido é do tipo semiquantitativo, constituído de 55 itens, distribuídos em sete grupos alimentares. A porção padrão de cada item foi definida a partir da tabela de medidas referidas para alimentos consumidos no Brasil. Estabeleceram-se quatro opções para a quantidade consumida e oito categorias de frequência de ingestão. Aplicou-se estatística descritiva para estimativa da ingestão de sódio. Foi observada ingestão inadequada de sódio na população saudável (76%) e na população hipertensa (84,4%). No estudo piloto, o QFA-ATS inicial mostrou que 40,4% do sódio consumido provém dos alimentos com alto teor de sódio. O QFA-ATS atendeu aos aspectos metodológicos para a quantificação de sódio. Estudos para validação e reprodutibilidade deste instrumento estão em andamento

Biotic, mineralogical, petrographic, and geomorphological characterization of the Falerno-Domitio shoreline (Campania region, southern Italy), with implication for environmental health studies: preliminary results

We report the first results of an ongoing study related to the project FARO (i.e. the Italian “Fund for original research projects”, granted by the Università di Napoli Federico II and IMI bank partner). This research project aims to the enhancement of the physical and biotic features of the coastal landscape related to the Falerno-Domitio shoreline, located in the mid-north coast of the Campania region (southern Italy), from the Garigliano river and Torregaveta. In the national scenario, this area can be considered as a valuable “natural laboratory”, for its wildlife (i.e. the Natural Reserve Foce Volturno, the Regional Park of Campi Flegrei, etc.), famous archaeological sites (i.e. Cuma excavations), and peculiar geological and volcanological characteristics (i.e. Phlegraean Fields). Unfortunately, it also suffers for a strong pollution and environmental degradation due to human activities. The research consists of a multidisciplinary analysis, mainly based on a bathymetric sensing, sampling of both the sea bottom sediments and the beach sands; it comprises: 1) integrated monitoring of the quality of environmental health through a biological study, 2) geomorphological and sedimentological analyses of the area and of the whole sample sets, with GIS data processing, 3) taxonomic and ecological analyses of selected benthic meiofauna assemblages, 4) mineralogy, petrography and geochemistry of beach sands along the shoreline, as well as of sea bottom samples. A complete sampling work of the beach sands, from the Garigliano estuary to the Cuma site, has been done, and the results of mineralogical, petrographic and chemical features, mainly in relation to major and trace elements data, as well as the granulometric curves, are presented. The ecologic and eco-toxicological studies are also carried out on selected samples, revealing the structure of meiofauna (benthic foraminifers and ostracods) assemblages. Tests on the occurrence of the bio-indicator organism Artemia salina have also performed, showing a relatively low toxicity of the samples analysed up to now. Preliminary bathymetric data are also presented