The University of Malta (Seismic Monitoring and Research Unit), University of Basilicata and Imaa-CNR (Italy) operations during the 2012 Emilia seismic sequence

On 20th May 2012 (02:03 UTC), and on 29th May 2012 (07.00 UTC) two major earthquakes occurred in Northern Italy. The two earthquakes caused 27 people to be killed (7 on 20th May and 20 on 29th May), at least 400 injured, and up to 45,000 homeless in total, with initial estimates placing the total economic loss at several billion Euros. The main goal of this communication is to describe the operations and efforts of several researchers and Institutions during the seismic crises of the Emilia sequence. The acquired data can provide tools to reduce the impact of future earthquakes on the local communities.peer-reviewe

Geophysical measurements for site response investigation : preliminary results on the island of Malta

The main goal of this study is to investigate the dynamic properties of main lithotypes outcropping on the island of Malta and to evaluate the general features of the local seismic response through the combined use of geophysical methods based on Rayleigh waves and horizontal to vertical noise spectral ratios. These kind of studies have unfortunately never been undertaken in Malta and, therefore, no shear wave velocity values and fundamental frequency of outcropping lithotypes have been published. The proposed preliminary results represent a valid set of data useful for evaluating seismic hazard and risk for the Maltese islands. Even if the seismic activity around the archipelago is generally of low to moderate magnitude the islands in the past were struck by large events in Sicily and the Hellenic arc resulting in considerable damage.peer-reviewe

Somatic Embryogenesis in Vitis for Genome Editing: Optimization of Protocols for Recalcitrant Genotypes

New Plant Breeding Techniques (NPBTs) protocols have been developed to produce new grape varieties with improved quantitative and qualitative characteristics. Reliable transformation protocols for grapes are based on the generation/induction of embryogenic callus cells that are then transformed. Varieties such as Italia have proven to be very recalcitrant to regeneration via somatic embryogenesis. In this work, the development of a protocol for improved production of embryogenic calluses is described. Two sterilization protocols were tested: (a) a lower active chlorine concentration for a longer time (LS); and (b) a higher chlorine concentration for a shorter time (HS), in combination with the absence or presence of citric acid in the growing substrate in the first growth media. The embryogenic calluses formation in Chardonnay, a cv. with a high embryogenic response, was significantly higher in presence of citric acid in the initial growing substrate regardless of the sterilization protocol. In Aglianico, a cv. with a lower embryogenic response, no significant differences were observed. Instead, in a recalcitrant cv. as Italia, we obtained a 13-fold increase in embryogenic calluses formation performing sterilization of flowers with the HS protocol compared to LS

recombinant human erythropoietin influences revascularization and healing in a rat model of random ischaemic flaps

In order to ascertain whether erythropoietin plays a role in early and late repair processes following ischaemic skin flap injury, a dorsal, caudally based skin flap was created in rats. The rats were successively divided into four groups. Group 1 was not treated. The other groups were treated with a subcutaneous administration of 0.9% NaCl saline solution (group 2), a subcutaneous administration of vehicle (group 3) or a subcutaneous administration of 300 IU/kg/day of recombinant human erythropoietin (group 4). We evaluated the possible relationships between neutrophil accumulation, myeloperoxidase activity and content in flap tissue, flap survival, flap temperature (using telethermography) and flap revascularization (using videocapillaroscopy). Necrosis in the flap was significantly less extensive in group 4 than in groups 1, 2 and 3. A significant increase in neutrophil infiltration occurred between the 1st and 24th hour in these groups, but this was not observed in group 4. These findings were confirmed by biochemical data of myeloperoxidase activity and malonyldialdehyde content. Between the 1st and 7th days, we recorded an increase of about 20% in flap temperature in groups 1, 2 and 3, whereas no significant variation was observed in group 4. On the 7th day, videocapillaroscopic findings showed an increase in the mean vascularization index in group 4. Our findings suggest that recombinant human erythropoietin administration can improve the wound healing process, in both early and late stages of injury, by reducing inflammatory response, increasing the density of capillaries in ischaemic flaps and allowing earlier repair of a damaged area

Temporary dense seismic network during the 2016 Central Italy seismic emergency for microzonation studies

In August 2016, a magnitude 6.0 earthquake struck Central Italy, starting a devastating seismic sequence, aggravated by other two events of magnitude 5.9 and 6.5, respectively. After the first mainshock, four Italian institutions installed a dense temporary network of 50 seismic stations in an area of 260 km2. The network was registered in the International Federation of Digital Seismograph Networks with the code 3A and quoted with a Digital Object Identifier ( https://doi.org/10.13127/SD/ku7Xm12Yy9 ). Raw data were converted into the standard binary miniSEED format, and organized in a structured archive. Then, data quality and completeness were checked, and all the relevant information was used for creating the metadata volumes. Finally, the 99 Gb of continuous seismic data and metadata were uploaded into the INGV node of the European Integrated Data Archive repository. Their use was regulated by a Memorandum of Understanding between the institutions. After an embargo period, the data are now available for many different seismological studies.Publishedid 1825T. Sismologia, geofisica e geologia per l'ingegneria sismicaJCR Journa

Effects of PPARs Agonists on Cardiac Metabolism in Littermate and Cardiomyocyte-Specific PPAR-γ –Knockout (CM-PGKO) Mice

Understanding the molecular regulatory mechanisms controlling for myocardial lipid metabolism is of critical importance for the development of new therapeutic strategies for heart diseases. The role of PPARγ and thiazolidinediones in regulation of myocardial lipid metabolism is controversial. The aim of our study was to assess the role of PPARγ on myocardial lipid metabolism and function and differentiate local/from systemic actions of PPARs agonists using cardiomyocyte-specific PPARγ –knockout (CM-PGKO) mice. To this aim, the effect of PPARγ, PPARγ/PPARα and PPARα agonists on cardiac function, intra-myocyte lipid accumulation and myocardial expression profile of genes and proteins, affecting lipid oxidation, uptake, synthesis, and storage (CD36, CPT1MIIA, AOX, FAS, SREBP1-c and ADPR) was evaluated in cardiomyocyte-specific PPARγ –knockout (CM-PGKO) and littermate control mice undergoing standard and high fat diet (HFD). At baseline, protein levels and mRNA expression of genes involved in lipid uptake, oxidation, synthesis, and accumulation of CM-PGKO mice were not significantly different from those of their littermate controls. At baseline, no difference in myocardial lipid content was found between CM-PGKO and littermate controls. In standard condition, pioglitazone and rosiglitazone do not affect myocardial metabolism while, fenofibrate treatment significantly increased CD36 and CPT1MIIA gene expression. In both CM-PGKO and control mice submitted to HFD, six weeks of treatment with rosiglitazone, fenofibrate and pioglitazone lowered myocardial lipid accumulation shifting myocardial substrate utilization towards greater contribution of glucose. In conclusion, at baseline, PPARγ does not play a crucial role in regulating cardiac metabolism in mice, probably due to its low myocardial expression. PPARs agonists, indirectly protect myocardium from lipotoxic damage likely reducing fatty acids delivery to the heart through the actions on adipose tissue. Nevertheless a direct non- PPARγ mediated mechanism of PPARγ agonist could not be ruled out