Magmatic Signature in Submarine Hydrothermal Fluids Vented Offshore Ventotene and Zannone Islands (Pontine Archipelago, Central Italy)

Geochemical investigations carried out on submarine hydrothermal fluids vented offshore the Pontine Islands (Tyrrhenian Sea) revealed the existence of gas vents to the W of Zannone Island and SW of Ventotene Island. The geochemical features of the CO2-rich gas samples show a clear mantle-derived signature with3He/4He of 3.72-3.75 Ra and 1.33 Ra at Zannone and Ventotene, respectively. Gas geochemistry denotes how CO2-rich gases undergo fractionation processes due to CO2dissolution to a variable extent favoring enrichment in the less soluble gas species, i.e., CH4, N2, and He. The carbon isotope composition of CO2, expressed asδ13C vs. V-PDB, ranges from -0.71 and -6.16‰ at Zannone to 1.93‰ at Ventotene. Preliminary geothermometric and geobarometric estimations indicate equilibrium temperatures in the range of 150-200°C at Zannone and >200°C at Ventotene besides H2O pressures in the range of 5 bar and 20 bar at Zannone and Ventotene, respectively. Although the latest volcanic activity at the Pontine Archipelago is dated Middle Pleistocene, the combination of the new geochemical information along with geothermometric estimations indicates that cooling magmas are likely releasing enough thermal energy to form an efficient hydrothermal system

Hazard Scenarios Related to Submarine Volcanic-Hydrothermal Activity and Advanced Monitoring Strategies: A Study Case from the Panarea Volcanic Group (Aeolian Islands, Italy)

Geohazards associated to submarine hydrothermal systems still represent a tricky enigma to face and solve for the scientific community. The poor knowledge of a submarine environment, the rare and scarce monitoring activities, and the expensive and sometimes complicated logistics are the main problems to deal with. The submarine low-energy explosion, which occurred last November 3, 2002, off the volcanic island of Panarea, highlighted the absence of any hazard scenario to be used to manage the volcanic crisis. The "unrest" of the volcanic activity was triggered by a sudden input of deep magmatic fluids, which caused boiling water at the sea surface with a massive CO2 release besides changes in the fluids' geochemistry. That event dramatically pushed scientists to develop new methods to monitor the seafloor venting activity. Coupling the information from geochemical investigations and data collected during the unrest of volcanic activity, we were able to (a) develop theoretical models to gain a better insight on the submarine hydrothermal system and its relationships with the local volcanic and tectonic structures and (b) to develop a preliminary submarine volcanic hazard assessment connected to the Panarea system (Aeolian Islands). In order to mitigate the potential submarine volcanic hazard, three different scenarios are described here: (1) ordinary hydrothermal venting, (2) gas burst, and (3) volcanic eruption. The experience carried out at Panarea demonstrates that the best way to face any submarine volcanic-hydrothermal hazard is to improve the collection of data in near real-time mode by multidisciplinary seafloor observatories and to combine it with periodical sampling activity

Dolphin Morbillivirus in Eurasian Otters, Italy

We report biomolecular evidence of dolphin morbillivirus in 4 wild Eurasian otters (Lutra lutra) from southern Italy; 2 animals showed simultaneous immunohistochemical reactivity against morbilliviral antigen. These cases add further concern and support to the progressively expanding host range of dolphin morbillivirus in the western Mediterranean Sea

Moderately Escalated Hypofractionated (Chemo) Radiotherapy Delivered with Helical Intensity-Modulated Technique in Stage III Unresectable Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer

Purpose: To assess clinical outcomes and toxicities in patients with stage III unresectable non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) treated with a moderately escalated hypofractionated radiotherapy delivered with Helical Intensity-Modulated Technique in combination with sequential or concurrent chemotherapy. Materials and Methods: Sixty-one consecutive patients considered non-progressive after two cycles of induction chemotherapy were treated with a moderately escalated hypofractionated radiation course of 30 daily fractions of 2.25–2.28 Gy each administered in 6 weeks up to a total dose of 67.5–68.4 Gy (range, 64.5–71.3 Gy). Thirty-two received sequential RT after two more cycles (total = 4 cycles) of chemotherapy, while 29 were treated with concurrent chemo-radiation. The target was considered the gross tumor volume and the clinically proven nodal regions, without elective nodal irradiation. Results: With a median follow up of 27 months (range 6–40), 1-year and 2-year OS rate for all patients was 77 and 53%, respectively, with a median survival duration of 18.6 months in the sequential group and 24.1 months in the concomitant group. No Grade ≥4 acute and late toxicity was reported. Acute Grade 3 treatment-related pneumonitis was detected in 10% of patients. Two patients, both receiving the concurrent schedule, developed a Grade 3 acute esophagitis. The overall incidence of late Grade 3 lung toxicity was 5%. No patients experienced a Grade 3 late esophageal toxicity. Conclusion: A moderately hypofractionated radiation course delivered with a Helical Intensity-Modulated Technique is a feasible treatment option for patients with unresectable locally advanced NSCLC receiving chemotherapy (sequentially or concurrently). Hypofractionated radiotherapy with a dedicated technique allows safely dose escalation, minimizing the effect of tumor repopulation that may occur with prolonged treatment time

Emergence of Exhausted B Cells in Asymptomatic HIV-1-Infected Patients Naïve for HAART is Related to Reduced Immune Surveillance

Alterations of B cell subpopulations have been described up to date as characterizing advanced stage of HIV-1 infection. However, whether such defects are relevant in subjects with a preserved number of CD4+ T cells (>350 cells/μL) is unclear. In a cross-sectional study, we investigated if signs of B cells exhaustion and impaired viral immune surveillance are present in a cohort of 43 asymptomatic HIV-1-infected patients with preserved CD4+ T cell counts (>350 cells/μL) and highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) untreated. A dramatic expansion of exhausted tissue-like memory B cells (CD10−CD21lowCD27−) was observed. B cells alteration was related to an increase in Torque teno virus (TTV) load, used as surrogate marker of immune function. Successfully HAART-treated patients showed normalization of B cell subpopulations frequency and TTV load. These results provide new insights on B cell in HIV-1 infection and show that development of B cell abnormalities precedes CD4+ T cell decline

Plasma Total Cysteine and Cardiovascular Risk Burden: Action and Interaction

We hypothesized that redox analysis could provide sensitive markers of the oxidative pathway associated to the presence of an increasing number of cardiovascular risk factors (RFs), independently of type. We classified 304 subjects without cardiovascular disease into 4 groups according to the total number of RFs (smoking, hypertension, hypercholesterolaemia, hyperhomocysteinaemia, diabetes, obesity, and their combination). Oxidative stress was evaluated by measuring plasma total and reduced homocysteine, cysteine (Cys), glutathione, cysteinylglycine, blood reduced glutathione, and malondialdehyde. Twenty-seven percent of subjects were in group 0 RF, 26% in 1 RF, 31% in 2 RF, and 16% in ≥3 RF. By multivariable ordinal regression analysis, plasma total Cys was associated to a higher number of RF (OR = 1.068; 95% CI = 1.027–1.110, P = 0.002). Total RF burden is associated with increased total Cys levels. These findings support a prooxidant effect of Cys in conjunction with RF burden, and shed light on the pathophysiologic role of redox state unbalance in preclinical atherosclerosis

identification of amino acid residues critical for the b cell growth promoting activity of hiv 1 matrix protein p17 variants

Abstract Background HIV-1 matrix protein p17 variants (vp17s) detected in HIV-1-infected patients with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (HIV-NHL) display, differently from the wild-type protein (refp17), B cell growth-promoting activity. Biophysical analysis revealed that vp17s are destabilized as compared to refp17, motivating us to explore structure-function relationships. Methods We used: biophysical techniques (circular dichroism (CD), nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and thermal/GuHCL denaturation) to study protein conformation and stability; Surface plasmon resonance (SPR) to study interactions; Western blot to investigate signaling pathways; and Colony Formation and Soft Agar assays to study B cell proliferation and clonogenicity. Results By forcing the formation of a disulfide bridge between Cys residues at positions 57 and 87 we obtained a destabilized p17 capable of promoting B cell proliferation. This finding prompted us to dissect refp17 to identify the functional epitope. A synthetic peptide (F1) spanning from amino acid (aa) 2 to 21 was found to activate Akt and promote B cell proliferation and clonogenicity. Three positively charged aa (Arg15, Lys18 and Arg20) proved critical for sustaining the proliferative activity of both F1 and HIV-NHL-derived vp17s. Lack of any interaction of F1 with the known refp17 receptors suggests an alternate one involved in cell proliferation. Conclusions The molecular reasons for the proliferative activity of vp17s, compared to refp17, relies on the exposure of a functional epitope capable of activating Akt. General significance Our findings pave the way for identifying the receptor(s) responsible for B cell proliferation and offer new opportunities to identify novel treatment strategies in combating HIV-related NHL

Prevalence of co-occurring conditions in children and adults with autism spectrum disorder: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

This systematic review estimates the prevalence of co-occurring conditions (CCs) in children and adults with autism. A comprehensive search strategy consulting existing guidelines, diagnostic manuals, experts, carers, and autistic people was developed. PubMed and PsycInfo databases from inception to May 2022 were searched. PROSPERO registration: CRD42019132347. Two blind authors screened and extracted the data. Prevalence estimates for different CCs were summarized by using random effects models. Subgroup analyses were performed for age groups (children/adolescents vs adults) and study designs (population/registry-based vs clinical sample-based). Of 19,932 studies, 340 publications with about 590,000 participants were included and meta-analyzed to estimate the prevalence of 38-point prevalence, 27-lifetime, and 3 without distinction between point and lifetime prevalence. Point prevalence of developmental coordination disorder, sleep-wake problem, gastrointestinal problem, ADHD, anxiety disorder, overweight/obesity, feeding and eating disorder, elimination disorder, disruptive behavior, and somatic symptoms and related disorder were the most frequent CCs. Prevalence differed depending on the age group and study design. Knowing specific CCs linked to autism helps professional investigations and interventions for improved outcomes

The Bortoluzzi Mud Volcano (Ionian Sea, Italy) and its potential for tracking the seismic cycle of active faults

The Ionian Sea in southern Italy is at the center of active interaction and convergence between the Eurasian and African–Adriatic plates in the Mediterranean. This area is seismically active with instrumentally and/or historically recorded Mw > 7:0 earthquakes, and it is affected by recently discovered long strike-slip faults across the active Calabrian accretionary wedge. Many mud volcanoes occur on top of the wedge. A recently discovered one (called the Bortoluzzi Mud Volcano or BMV) was surveyed during the Seismofaults 2017 cruise (May 2017). Bathymetric backscatter surveys, seismic reflection profiles, geochemical and earthquake data, and a gravity core are used here to geologically, geochemically, and geophysically characterize this structure. The BMV is a circular feature ' 22m high and ' 1100m in diameter with steep slopes (up to a dip of 22 ). It sits atop the Calabrian accretionary wedge and a system of flowerlike oblique-slip faults that are probably seismically active as demonstrated by earthquake hypocentral and focal data. Geochemistry of water samples from the seawater column on top of the BMV shows a significant contamination of the bottom waters from saline (evaporite-type) CH4-dominated crustalderived fluids similar to the fluids collected from a mud volcano located on the Calabria mainland over the same accretionary wedge. These results attest to the occurrence of open crustal pathways for fluids through the BMV down to at least the Messinian evaporites at about 3000 m. This evidence is also substantiated by helium isotope ratios and by comparison and contrast with different geochemical data from three seawater columns located over other active faults in the Ionian Sea area. One conclusion is that the BMV may be useful for tracking the seismic cycle of active faults through geochemical monitoring. Due to the widespread diffusion of mud volcanoes in seismically active settings, this study contributes to indicating a future path for the use of mud volcanoes in the monitoring and mitigation of natural hazards.Published1-233SR TERREMOTI - Attività dei CentriJCR Journa

Rapporto tecnico e delle attività Campagna Oceanografica SAFE 2022

Le attività scientifiche realizzate nell’ambito della Campagna Oceanografica SAFE 2022 si inseriscono all’interno dell’Obiettivo Realizzativo 1 (OR1) del progetto PON_03 ‘Marine Hazard’ suddiviso in quattro Work Packages (WPs) articolati nel seguente modo: WP1 Studio dei potenziali giacimenti da sistemi idrotermali (GSI) sottomarini presenti nel Mar Tirreno sud-orientale e nello Stretto di Sicilia; WP2 Progetto Pilota di caratterizzazione geochimica ed ecologica dei GSI sul Palinuro Seamount; WP3 Sistema Acustico per la Rivelazione di Fenomeni di Idrotermalismo Sottomarino; WP4 Analisi di possibili impatti nell’ambiente marino e sottomarino. I dati ottenuti dalla Campagna Oceanografica SAFE 2022 contribuiranno ad arricchire le conoscenze sulla caratterizzazione chimico-fisica, biologica e microbiologica dei depositi e dei sistemi idrotermali. Le attività di ricerca si prospettano di fornire un quadro di conoscenze dettagliato e completo di ambienti che rappresentano oltre che possibili geositi e habitat prioritari anche un laboratorio per la ricerca e la scoperta di nuove biomolecole di interesse biotecnologico e l’individuazione di bioindicatori di attività geotermali e di marine hazard