Multidisciplinary Investigations at Panarea (Aeolian Islands) after the Exhalative Crisis of 2002

Panarea and surrounding Islets form a volcanic edifice, that is part of the Eastern sector of the Aeolian Arc, Southern Tyrrhenian Sea. It is now considered inactive, since last documented activity is 20 Ka old. However, on 2002-11-03, gas started to flow violently from the seafloor in an area E of the Island, mainly along NE and NW structural lineaments, and lasting up to 2003-2004 with a consistent flux, orders of magnitude larger that ’steady-state’ fumarolic activity documented there in historical times. On the same period a strong effusive activity of Stromboli (10 NM to NNE) was present. Since then, several investigations have been conducted at sea and on land, with the aim of focusing on the problem of effusive activity at sea, mainly in the light of volcanic surveillance and risk. Among these investigations, some of which have been repeated over years, we present and discuss some data and results from: (a)visual inspection and sampling by divers and ROV, (b)GPS networks and mapping by multibeam and LIDAR, (c) oceanographical measurements by current meters and CTD, and water flux and dynamics measurements, (d)magnetic and gravimetric surveys, (e) multichannel reflection Seismic with OBS and land station networks. Data were used for compilation of high resolution bathymetric, magnetic and gravimetric maps, including the emerged and submerged portions of the edifice

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

RAPPORTO SULLE INDAGINI DI SISMICA A RIFLESSIONE, GRAVIMETRICHE, MAGNETOMETRICHE, MORFOBATIMETRICHE E CAMPIONAMENTO FONDO MARE NELL’ ARCO CALABRO (MAR IONIO) CAMPAGNA CALAMARE08

The study of the Calabrian Arc in the Ionian Sea is key to understanding of the geological processes in the Mediterranean Sea. We present the technical details and results of cruise CALAMARE08 with N/O Urania during spring 2008. We acquired a large set of geological and geophysical data, among them Multichannels Seismic and SBP, magnetometry, gravimetry, swath bathymetry and coring of sea bottom

Laser-Ablation Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS): setting operating conditions and instrumental performance

The concentration of thirty nine geochemically relevant trace elements, from 7Li to 238U, was determined in standard silicate glasses (NIST610, NIST612, BCR-2) using the Laser Ablation Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) instrumentation at the Department of Earth Sciences of the University of Cagliari (Italy). The device is a Quadrupole ICP-MS (Perkin Elmer Elan DRC-e) coupled with a 213 nm Nd:YAG laser probe (New Wave Research). This configuration allows rapid, high quality, in-situ trace elements analysis in glasses and minerals. The calibration strategy, achieved using synthetic multi-element glasses (NIST612), with 44Ca as internal standard, gives an analytical accuracy within 5% error level, providing a precision between 1% and 9%, at 40 μm of crater size for all elements. At a laser spot size of 40 μm, the lower limit of detection (LLD) ranges between 0.001 and 1 ppm for all the elements; it increases by about one order of magnitude, without any significant fractionation among the different elements, for a laser spot size of 15 μm. Quality control of LA-ICP-MS analyses is routinely performed analysing a natural standard glass, the BCR-2, certified by the USGS, considered as unknown sample. Results indicate that the instrumentation capabilities are suitable for the geochemical characterisation of various materials of mineralogical, petrological, geological and environmental interest

Donne e tumore al seno: effetti del protocollo guidato di scrittura sui sintomi associati al disturbo post-traumatico da stress

La malattia tumorale al seno si configura come un evento traumatico in grado di compromettere il senso di continuità ed integrazione della propria storia di vita dando luogo, spesso, ad esiti psicopatologici. Entro il paradigma della scrittura espressiva, il presente contribuito valuta l’effetto del Guided Written Disclosure Protocol sui sintomi associati al Disturbo post-traumatico da stress di 40 donne affette da neoplasia mammaria in trattamento farmacologico post-operatorio - 20 trattate con chemioterapia e 20 trattate con terapia biologica - attraverso rilevazioni testologiche, ripetute nel tempo, del test IES-R. È stata effettuata una serie di Anova per Misure Ripetute. I risultati mostrano, nel confronto tra gruppi, sperimentale/controllo, al trascorrere del tempo, una diminuzione significativa dei punteggi delle sottoscale intrusione e irritabilità entro il gruppo sperimentale. Al contrario, l’andamento crescente delle sottoscale intrusione e irritabilità, entro il gruppo di controllo, lascia ipotizzare come il trascorrere del tempo, in assenza di uno spazio di sostegno, non sia un “rimedio naturale” contro il disagio psicologico. Inoltre l’analisi evidenzia che i vissuti connessi ai diversi momenti terapeutici non influenzano la possibilità di beneficiare della scrittura. Entro il presente studio il protocollo di scrittura si è configurato, quindi, come uno strumento di sostegno utile durante le diverse fasi della terapia, che in sinergia con le cure mediche consente di contenere gli effetti del trauma e a svolgere, in tal modo, una funzione di prevenzione. Promuovere salute, non solo dopo la guarigione ma fin dall’esordio della malattia

Multidisciplinary Investigations at Panarea (Aeolian Islands) after the Exhalative Crisis of 2002

Panarea and surrounding Islets form a volcanic edifice, that is part of the Eastern sector of the Aeolian Arc, Southern Tyrrhenian Sea. It is now considered inactive, since last documented activity is 20 Ka old. However, on 2002-11-03, gas started to flow violently from the seafloor in an area E of the Island, mainly along NE and NW structural lineaments, and lasting up to 2003-2004 with a consistent flux, orders of magnitude larger that ’steady-state’ fumarolic activity documented there in historical times. On the same period a strong effusive activity of Stromboli (10 NM to NNE) was present. Since then, several investigations have been conducted at sea and on land, with the aim of focusing on the problem of effusive activity at sea, mainly in the light of volcanic surveillance and risk. Among these investigations, some of which have been repeated over years, we present and discuss some data and results from: (a)visual inspection and sampling by divers and ROV, (b)GPS networks and mapping by multibeam and LIDAR, (c) oceanographical measurements by current meters and CTD, and water flux and dynamics measurements, (d)magnetic and gravimetric surveys, (e) multichannel reflection Seismic with OBS and land station networks. Data were used for compilation of high resolution bathymetric, magnetic and gravimetric maps, including the emerged and submerged portions of the edifice.Published1469-14862.6. TTC - Laboratorio di gravimetria, magnetismo ed elettromagnetismo in aree attiveope

Mapping of seafloor hydrothermally altered rocks using geophysical methods: Marsili and Palinuro seamounts, Southern Tyrrhenian Sea

Hydrothermal alteration processes involve mineralogical, chemical, and textural changes as a result of hot aqueous #uid-rock interaction under evolving boundary conditions. These changes affect the physico-chemical properties of the rocks, enabling high-resolution geophysical prospecting to be an important tool in the detection of sea#oor hydrothermal alteration. Here we present the results of recent geophysical investigations of the Marsili and Palinuro volcanic complexes, southern Tyrrhenian Sea, during the 2010 TIR10 and 2011 MAVA2011 cruises by the R/V Urania. The new dataset includes a dense grid of multibeam bathymetry; sea#oor re#ectivity, magnetic and gravity lines; and high-resolution single (CHIRP) and multichannel seismic proYles. The surveys were focused on areas known to host intense hydrothermal alteration in order to provide a more detailed description of the Marsili and Palinuro hydrothermal systems. Ground-truthing was based on earlier discoveries of hydrothermal vents and their associated deposits, and on direct observations made by ROV dives. High-resolution morpho-bathymetry, sonar re#ectivity, rock magnetization, and density distribution together enabled us to assess the extent of sea#oor hydrothermal alteration and its relationship to local volcanic and tectonic structures. Hydrothermal alteration associated with the Marsili seamount is largely distributed along primary volcano-tectonic structures at the ridge crest. By contrast, at Palinuro hydrothermal alteration is mostly associated with secondary volcanic structures such as collapsed calderas and volcanism reactivation along ring faults. In particular, evidence for intense hydrothermal activity occurs at Palinuro where volcanotectonic features interact with regional tectonic structures

Combined yeast and microalgal cultivation in a pilot-scale raceway pond for urban wastewater treatment and potential biodiesel production

A mixed culture of oleaginous yeast Lipomyces starkeyi and wastewater native microalgae (mostly Scenedesmus sp. and Chlorella sp.) was performed to enhance lipid and biomass production from urban wastewaters. A 400 L raceway pond, operating outdoors, was designed and used for biomass cultivation. Microalgae and yeast were inoculated into the cultivation pond with a 2:1 inoculum ratio. Their concentrations were monitored for 14 continuous days of batch cultivation. Microalgal growth presented a 3-day initial lag-phase, while yeast growth occurred in the first few days. Yeast activity during the microalgal lag-phase enhanced microalgal biomass productivity, corresponding to 31.4 mgTSS m-2 d-1. Yeast growth was limited by low concentrations in wastewater of easily assimilated organic substrates. Organic carbon was absorbed in the first 3 days with a 3.7 mgC L-1 d-1 removal rate. Complete nutrient removal occurred during microalgal linear growth with 2.9 mgN L-1 d-1 and 0.96 mgP L-1 d-1 removal rates. Microalgal photosynthetic activity induced high pH and dissolved oxygen values resulted in natural bactericidal and antifungal activity. A 15% lipid/dry weight was measured at the end of the cultivation time. Fatty acid methyl ester (FAME) analysis indicated that the lipids were mainly composed of arachidic acid