Oral health knowledge in pre-school children: a survey among parents in central Italy

Background: The aim of this survey was to evaluate the knowledge and awareness of parents about potential oral health risk factors and correct management of oral hygiene of their preschool children. Material and Methods: The participation to the survey was proposed to all parents of 3-5 year aged children attending a kindergarten in Campobasso. A self-administered questionnaire was completed to obtain information regarding demographic and education variables, knowledge about caries and its transmission, infant feeding practice, maternal oral health during pregnancy, parents and children’s oral hygiene habits and risk behaviors (e.g., sharing cutlery, tasting of baby food, nightly using of baby bottles or pacifier), oral health prevention and role of school. Results: Overall, the parents of 101 children consented to fill the questionnaire. Data analysis showed that only 24% of respondents was aware of the potential vertical transmissibility of cariogenic bacteria through contaminated saliva. It is still a common trend from61% of parents tasting food of their child. On 101 children, 30% used pacifier and 17% used baby bottle with milk during night and among these children 41% for more than 2 years. Parents reported no toothbrushing for 57% of the children in their first 3 years of life. Conclusions: From this survey, independently on parents education, it emerges as still nowadays parents are not fully trained and informed about the management of their child’s oral hygiene and as it’s necessary a parental oral health promoting program to control children oral health risk status, starting from school

The cold-water coral province of the eastern Ligurian Sea (NW Mediterranean Sea): historical and novel evidences

Several bathyal cold-water coral provinces, characterized by a lush growth of habitat-forming scleractinians, have been recognized in the Mediterranean Sea. However, the search for this biogenic habitat only marginally targeted the Italian coast of the Ligurian Sea (NW Mediterranean basin) despite historical and a few recent local studies in the region reporting the presence of corals. This study used bathymetry maps, side-scan sonar profiles, historical charts, and trawling routes to identify sites that could potentially host coral habitats in the eastern sector of the Ligurian Sea. Remotely operated vehicle video footage from various projects (2015-2021, 20 dives) was then used to characterize four sub-areas (Genoa Plateau, Portofino, Deiva Marina, and Monterosso) where corals were detected between 450 m and 750 m depth. Radiocarbon dating was used to trace back the geological history of the coral structures. A small coral mound, impacted by trawling activities, was found on the Genoa Plateau, while four massive coral structures were found in the other sub-areas, mainly located in a morphologically complex and highly energetic canyon region. High levels of megafaunal biodiversity, including rarely reported alcyonaceans as Placogorgia coronata, were observed together with moderate fishing impact. Overall, the identified coral areas potentially account for 9 km(2) of both subfossil mounds (as old as 13300 years BP), dominated by Desmophyllum pertusum, and living reefs, dominated by Madrepora oculata, the latter representing up to 23% of the substrate coverage. The few living colonies of D. pertusum in the area represent the first documented records for the Ligurian Sea. These data support the presence of a distinct eastern Ligurian cold-water coral province

The paleo-community of the Sciacca red coral

The sub-fossil red coral deposits of Sciacca (Sicily Channel) have attracted scientific attention for nearly 150 years. Their origin and formation have been long questioned and investigated, given the fact that they represent one of the most intriguing geobiological events ever to occur in the Mediterranean basin. Less attention was given to the paleo-community associated with the sub-fossil coral. Radiocarbon age determinations, in particular, were provided only for red coral, neglecting the possibility of understanding which species were simultaneously present in the coralline paleo-community and which was their role. The study of cemented coral rubble pieces revealed that Corallium rubrum covered the largest time interval (more than 3000 years) and was contemporary to many secondary epibionts over two millennia and to Madrepora oculata for about 500 years; this last finding suggested that an uncommon co-dominance between the two structuring species occurred in the nearby living communities. The lack of Fe-Mg deposits on the cemented coral rubbles coupled with the low bioerosion rate of the red coral skeletons by the demosponge Siphonodictyon coralliirubri (assessed through the analysis of the erosive paleo-scars) suggested that the deposits met with a rapid sediment cover-up. Moreover, for the first time, the analysis of a piece of cemented coral rubble of sub-fossil red coral coming from Sardinian waters confirmed that, albeit to a lesser extent, the conditions favouring the preservation of dead corals can occur also in different localities far from Sciacca

The sub-fossil red coral of Sciacca (Sicily Channel, Mediterranean Sea): colony size and age estimates

The Mediterranean red coral, Corallium rubrum (L.), has been a valuable economic resource for more than 2000 years. The Sicily Channel and surrounding areas are one of the most famous red coral fishing grounds of the whole region, hosting the deepest ever found living colonies and large sub-fossil red coral deposits; the so-called Sciacca banks are a unique location in the whole Mediterranean Sea. In this paper, a morphometric description of this sub-fossil population is presented for the first time from studies of colonies in the collection of several coral factories from Torre del Greco (Naples), with radiocarbon age estimations and growth rate evaluations. From the results of this study, after several thousand years Sciacca red coral colonies maintained the organic matrix structure with evident annual discontinuities, allowing estimations of the annual growth rate (about 0.3 mm/year) and the average population age (about 33.5 years). These resulting data are similar to the values determined for deep-dwelling living red coral populations. The radiocarbon dating evidenced a range of ages, from 8300 to 40 years before 1950 CE, mostly falling between 2700 and 3900 YBP, suggesting that colonies accumulated over a wide span of time. In view of the tectonically active nature of the area, several catastrophic events affected these ancient populations, maintaining them in a persistent state of early-stage, structurally similar to the those in current over-exploited areas

X‐ray Tomography Unveils the Construction Technique of Un‐Montu’s Egyptian Coffin (Early 26th Dynasty)

The Bologna Archaeological Museum, in cooperation with prestigious Italian universities, institutions, and independent scholars, recently began a vast investigation programme on a group of Egyptian coffins of Theban provenance dating to the first millennium BC, primarily the 25th–26th Dynasty (c. 746–525 BC). Herein, we present the results of the multidisciplinary investigation car-ried out on one of these coffins before its restoration intervention: the anthropoid wooden coffin of Un‐Montu (Inv. MCABo EG1960). The integration of radiocarbon dating, wood species identifica-tion, and CT imaging enabled a deep understanding of the coffin’s wooden structure. In particular, we discuss the results of the tomographic investigation performed in situ. The use of a transportable X‐ray facility largely reduced the risks associated with the transfer of the large object (1.80 cm tall) out of the museum without compromising image quality. Thanks to the 3D tomographic imaging, the coffin revealed the secrets of its construction technique, from the rational use of wood to the employment of canvas (incamottatura), from the use of dowels to the assembly procedure

New evidence of mis 3 relative sea level changes from the messina strait, Calabria (Italy)

none12Investigation of sea-level positions during the highly-dynamic Marine Isotope Stage 3 (MIS 3: 29–61 kyrs BP) proves difficult because: (i) in stable and subsiding areas, coeval coastal sediments are currently submerged at depths of few to several tens of meters below the present sea level; (ii) in uplifting areas, the preservation of geomorphic features and sedimentary records is limited due to the erosion occurred during the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) with sea level at a depth of −130 m, followed by marine transgression that determined the development of ravinement surfaces. This study discusses previous research in the Mediterranean and elsewhere, and describes new fossiliferous marine deposits overlaying the metamorphic bedrock at Cannitello (Calabria, Italy). Radiocarbon ages of marine shells (about 43 kyrs cal BP) indicate that these deposits, presently between 28 and 30 m above sea level, formed during MIS 3.1. Elevation correction of the Cannitello outcrops (considered in an intermediate-to-far-field position with respect to the ice sheet) with the local vertical tectonic rate and Glacial Isostatic Adjustment (GIA) rate allows the proposal of a revision of the eustatic depth for this highstand. Our results are consistent with recently proposed estimates based on a novel ice sheet modelling technique.openAntonioli F.; Calcagnile L.; Ferranti L.; Mastronuzzi G.; Monaco C.; Orru P.; Quarta G.; Pepe F.; Scardino G.; Scicchitano G.; Stocchi P.; Taviani M.Antonioli, F.; Calcagnile, L.; Ferranti, L.; Mastronuzzi, G.; Monaco, C.; Orru, P.; Quarta, G.; Pepe, F.; Scardino, G.; Scicchitano, G.; Stocchi, P.; Taviani, M

Identifying the 993-994 CE Miyake event in the oldest dated living tree in Europe

Combined dendrochronology and accelerator mass spectrometry radiocarbon (AMS 14C) dating analyses were used in order to date an old living tree named Italus, growing in the Pollino massif in Southern Italy. Wiggle match AMS 14C dating analysis was performed on a 320-yr-long floating chronology obtained by cross-dating four wood cores extracted from the exposed roots of the tree. Following this approach, an age for the tree of ≈1230 yr was estimated. This age makes Italus the oldest living tree in Europe. High-resolution 14C dating analyses performed on single rings extracted from the tree stem allowed us to identify the 993.994 CE large excursion in atmospheric 14C concentration (Miyake event) revealing for the first time its presence in the Mediterranean basin

Persistence of pristine deep-sea coral gardens in the Mediterranean Sea (SW Sardinia)

Leiopathes glaberrima is a tall arborescent black coral species structuring important facies of the deep-sea rocky bottoms of the Mediterranean Sea that are severely stifled by fishing activities. At present, however, no morphological in vivo description, ecological characterization, age dating and evaluation of the possible conservation actions have ever been made for any population of this species in the basin. A dense coral population was reported during two Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) surveys conducted on a rocky bank off the SW coasts of Sardinia (Western Mediterranean Sea). L. glaberrima forms up to 2 m-tall colonies with a maximal observed basal diameter of nearly 7 cm. The radiocarbon dating carried out on a colony from this site with a 4 cm basal diameter revealed an approximately age of 2000 years. Considering the size-frequency distribution of the colonies in the area it is possible to hypothesize the existence of other millennial specimens occupying a supposedly very stable ecosystem. The persistence of this ecosystem is likely guaranteed by the heterogeneous rocky substrate hosting the black coral population that represents a physical barrier against the mechanical impacts acted on the surrounding muddy areas, heavily exploited as trawling fishing grounds. This favorable condition, together with the existence of a nursery area for catsharks within the coral ramifications and the occurrence of a meadow of the now rare soft bottom alcyonacean Isidella elongata in small surviving muddy inclaves, indicates that this ecosystem have to be considered a pristine Mediterranean deep-sea coral sanctuary that would deserve special protection

Interplay between non-coding rna transcription, stringent/relaxed phenotype and antibiotic production in streptomyces ambofaciens

While in recent years the key role of non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) in the regulation of gene expression has become increasingly evident, their interaction with the global regulatory circuits is still obscure. Here we analyzed the structure and organization of the transcriptome of Streptomyces ambofaciens, the producer of spiramycin. We identified ncRNAs including 45 small-RNAs (sRNAs) and 119 antisense-RNAs (asRNAs I) that appear transcribed from dedicated promoters. Some sRNAs and asRNAs are unprecedented in Streptomyces and were predicted to target mRNAs encoding proteins involved in transcription, translation, ribosomal structure and biogenesis, and regulation of morphological and biochemical differentiation. We then compared ncRNA expression in three strains: (i) the wild-type strain; (ii) an isogenic pirA-defective mutant with central carbon metabolism imbalance, “relaxed” phenotype, and repression of antibiotic production; and (iii) a pirA-derivative strain harboring a “stringent” RNA polymerase that suppresses pirA-associated phenotypes. Data indicated that the expression of most ncRNAs was correlated to the stringent/relaxed phenotype suggesting novel effector mechanisms of the stringent response