Contributo alla conoscenza della flora vascolare della Riserva Naturale Regionale Sentina (Italia Centrale, Marche)

In this work new floristic records for 12 taxa are reported for Natural Regional Reserve Sentina. Particularly 3 are new to Marche region (Cortaderia selloana, Eclipta prostrata, and Potamogeton berchtoldii). The survey was carried out from 2014 to 2015 through field research and collections. Some recorded species are particularly interesting from phytogeographical or conservational point of views as they are very rare in central Italy along the Adriatic coasts

How future surgery will benefit from SARS-COV-2-related measures: a SPIGC survey conveying the perspective of Italian surgeons

COVID-19 negatively affected surgical activity, but the potential benefits resulting from adopted measures remain unclear. The aim of this study was to evaluate the change in surgical activity and potential benefit from COVID-19 measures in perspective of Italian surgeons on behalf of SPIGC. A nationwide online survey on surgical practice before, during, and after COVID-19 pandemic was conducted in March-April 2022 (NCT:05323851). Effects of COVID-19 hospital-related measures on surgical patients' management and personal professional development across surgical specialties were explored. Data on demographics, pre-operative/peri-operative/post-operative management, and professional development were collected. Outcomes were matched with the corresponding volume. Four hundred and seventy-three respondents were included in final analysis across 14 surgical specialties. Since SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, application of telematic consultations (4.1% vs. 21.6%; p < 0.0001) and diagnostic evaluations (16.4% vs. 42.2%; p < 0.0001) increased. Elective surgical activities significantly reduced and surgeons opted more frequently for conservative management with a possible indication for elective (26.3% vs. 35.7%; p < 0.0001) or urgent (20.4% vs. 38.5%; p < 0.0001) surgery. All new COVID-related measures are perceived to be maintained in the future. Surgeons' personal education online increased from 12.6% (pre-COVID) to 86.6% (post-COVID; p < 0.0001). Online educational activities are considered a beneficial effect from COVID pandemic (56.4%). COVID-19 had a great impact on surgical specialties, with significant reduction of operation volume. However, some forced changes turned out to be benefits. Isolation measures pushed the use of telemedicine and telemetric devices for outpatient practice and favored communication for educational purposes and surgeon-patient/family communication. From the Italian surgeons' perspective, COVID-related measures will continue to influence future surgical clinical practice

Colorectal Cancer Stage at Diagnosis Before vs During the COVID-19 Pandemic in Italy

IMPORTANCE Delays in screening programs and the reluctance of patients to seek medical attention because of the outbreak of SARS-CoV-2 could be associated with the risk of more advanced colorectal cancers at diagnosis. OBJECTIVE To evaluate whether the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic was associated with more advanced oncologic stage and change in clinical presentation for patients with colorectal cancer. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS This retrospective, multicenter cohort study included all 17 938 adult patients who underwent surgery for colorectal cancer from March 1, 2020, to December 31, 2021 (pandemic period), and from January 1, 2018, to February 29, 2020 (prepandemic period), in 81 participating centers in Italy, including tertiary centers and community hospitals. Follow-up was 30 days from surgery. EXPOSURES Any type of surgical procedure for colorectal cancer, including explorative surgery, palliative procedures, and atypical or segmental resections. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES The primary outcome was advanced stage of colorectal cancer at diagnosis. Secondary outcomes were distant metastasis, T4 stage, aggressive biology (defined as cancer with at least 1 of the following characteristics: signet ring cells, mucinous tumor, budding, lymphovascular invasion, perineural invasion, and lymphangitis), stenotic lesion, emergency surgery, and palliative surgery. The independent association between the pandemic period and the outcomes was assessed using multivariate random-effects logistic regression, with hospital as the cluster variable. RESULTS A total of 17 938 patients (10 007 men [55.8%]; mean [SD] age, 70.6 [12.2] years) underwent surgery for colorectal cancer: 7796 (43.5%) during the pandemic period and 10 142 (56.5%) during the prepandemic period. Logistic regression indicated that the pandemic period was significantly associated with an increased rate of advanced-stage colorectal cancer (odds ratio [OR], 1.07; 95%CI, 1.01-1.13; P = .03), aggressive biology (OR, 1.32; 95%CI, 1.15-1.53; P < .001), and stenotic lesions (OR, 1.15; 95%CI, 1.01-1.31; P = .03). CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE This cohort study suggests a significant association between the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic and the risk of a more advanced oncologic stage at diagnosis among patients undergoing surgery for colorectal cancer and might indicate a potential reduction of survival for these patients

[Additions to the vascular flora of Natural Regional Reserve Sentina (central Italy, Marche)]

AIn this work new floristic records for 12 taxa are reported for Natural Regional Reserve Sentina. Particularly 3 are new to Marche region (Cortaderia selloana, Eclipta prostrata, and Potamogeton berchtoldii). The survey was carried out from 2014 to 2015 through field research and collections. Some recorded species are particularly interesting from phytogeographical or conservational point of views as they are very rare in central Italy along the Adriatic coasts

Flora della Riserva Naturale Regionale Sentina . Atlante fotografico delle piante vascolari.

Viene presentata la Flora vascolare della Riserva Naturale Regionale Sentina (Marche

Land-cover changes in a remote area of central Apennines (Italy) and management directions

In the Mediterranean mountains and hills spontaneous reforestation occurred in the last fifty years at the expenses of open habitats. This process was triggered by depopulation and cessation of traditional farming. In this paper we investigate landscape changes in one such area in central Apennines (Italy), which is currently almost uninhabited after centuries of human presence; we give a quantitative description of the changes that occurred between 1955 and 2006, and we discuss their management implications in a multidisciplinary context. To do this, we used aerial photos and field surveys to map land-use/land-cover classes in 1955, 1978 and 2006; we then employed a transition matrix model based on Markov chains, together with landscape and class metrics, to analyze gains and losses of each class over time. Our results show that almost all classes were replaced directly by woodlands: no “shrub stage” was observed and a surprisingly brief interval of about 25 years was sufficient for canopy closure on abandoned open lands; furthermore, some classes increased their transformation rate from period 1 (1955–1978) to period 2 (1978–2006), while others did not. Metrics show that reforestation is accompanied by simplification and homogenization of the original mosaic, with no intermediate fragmentation process. We discuss current management plans and propose strategies that take into account the presence of endangered species: management should exploit the spontaneous reforestation and promote the creation and preservation of mature forests; concurrently, it should plan to maintain the last “islands” of grasslands, even if small

Multiple Aspects of the Fight against the Red Palm Weevil in an Urban Area: Study Case, San Benedetto del Tronto (Central Italy)

The fight against alien invasive insect pests of plants in the urban environment often affects varied sectors of the economy, landscape gardening, public health, and ecology. This paper focuses on the evolution of the red palm weevil in San Benedetto del Tronto, a coastal urban area in central Italy. We investigated the evolution of this insect pest of palm trees in the 2013–2020 period, considering both the effectiveness of the chemicals used and their potentially harmful effects. With a multidisciplinary approach, we carried out a spatio-temporal analysis of the extent and mode of pest spread over time using historical aerial photos, freely available remote sensing images, and field surveys integrated in a GIS environment. We also assessed the toxicity risk associated with the chemicals used to protect the palms from the red weevil. The fight against this weevil is now concentrated in specific areas such as parks, roads, villas, hotels, farmhouses, and nurseries. The preventive chemical treatments applied are very effective in preserving the palms, but they show a toxic potential for all organisms. We discuss current local management of this pest, focusing on several aspects involved in the fight against this beetle in an urban area

A new species of Oxytropis (Fabaceae) from Central Apennines (Italy)

A new species, Oxytropis ocrensis, is described from Central Apennines (Italy). This species is morphologically closely related to O. halleri group (O. xerophila, O. halleri and O. korabensis) occurring in the Alps and Albania, from which it differs by longer calyx, larger lateral calyx teeth, long hairs on calyx teeth, smaller keel limb and larger diameter of stem under the inflorescence. The taxonomic relationships of the new species with the hitherto known species of O. halleri group are examined and discussed

Development and pre-validation of a testosterone enzyme-immunoassay (EIA) for predicting sex ratio of immature loggerhead sea turtles (Caretta caretta) recovered along the western coasts of the central Adriatic Sea.

Plasma testosterone levels were evaluated, by validating and using a commercially available testosterone enzyme immunoassay (EIA), as indicators of the sex of immature loggerhead turtles (Caretta caretta) recovered along the western coasts of the central Adriatic Sea between November 2011 and February 2012. Testosterone levels were measured in blood samples collected from 28 immature turtles kept in short-term maintenance at the Fondazione Cetacea Rescue Centre (Italy). Overall, plasma testosterone ranged between 229.3 and 2628.6 pg mL-1 suggesting that the EIA procedure provided is effective for determining androgen titers in immature loggerhead sea turtles. Analysis of the obtained data indicates an unbiased sex ratio supporting previous studies of juvenile loggerhead turtle sex ratios in the Mediterranean Sea. The present work can be considered a starting point for augmenting knowledge on dynamics of juvenile loggerhead aggregations increasingly found in the northern-central Adriatic sea and for promoting local management for conservation actions