Environmental Conditions along Tuna Larval Dispersion: Insights on the Spawning Habitat and Impact on Their Development Stages

Estimated larval backward trajectories of three Tuna species, namely, Atlantic Bluefin Tuna (Thunnus thynnus, Linnaeus, 1758), Bullet Tuna (Auxis Rochei, Risso, 1801) and Albacore Tuna (Thunnus alalunga, Bonnaterre, 1788) in the central Mediterranean Sea, were used to characterize their spawning habitats, and to assess the impact of changes due to the major environmental parameters (i.e., sea surface temperature and chlorophyll-a concentration) on larval development during their advection by surface currents. We assumed that the environmental variability experienced by larvae along their paths may have influenced their development, also affecting their survival. Our results showed that the Tuna larvae underwent an accelerated growth in favorable environmental conditions, impacting on the notochord development. In addition, further updated information on spawning and larval retention habitats of Atlantic Bluefin Tuna, Bullet and Albacore Tunas in the central Mediterranean Sea were delivered

Procedures for high quality RNA extraction from Paracentrotus lividus (LAMARCK, 1816) embryos and gonadal tissue

The extraction protocol described below is part of the CISAS project, aimed at the realization, within CNR, of an “International Centre of advanced study in environment, ecosystem and human health”. In this report we describe a RNA extraction protocol from Paracentrotus lividus embryos and gonadal tissue

Exogenous and Endogenous Postprandial Lipid Abnormalities in Type 2 Diabetic Patients with Optimal Blood Glucose Control and Optimal Fasting Triglyceride Levels

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Islamic finance and conventional financial systems. Market trends, supervisory perspectives and implications for central banking activity

The paper analyses Islamic finance from the central bank and supervisory authorityÂ’s perspective, focusing on the European and Italian context. It depicts a rapidly expanding sector, with recent annual growth rates of between 10 and 15 percent and a geographical presence that now reaches several Western countries. Future prospects, however, could be hampered by problems concerning the standardization of products, governance structure, supervisory regulation, monetary policy instruments, and liquidity management. Islamic intermediaries are not necessarily riskier than traditional counterparts but their operational structure tends to be more complex. Key issues in supervision include the treatment of investment accounts and transparency. It has been seen that there are limits to the efficiency of the monetary policy instruments developed so far to remedy the prohibition of interest; moreover, the growth of interbank and money markets is hindered by a shortage of "Shari'ah-compliant" products. Problems arising from the participation of Islamic banks in payment systems are also discussed.Islamic finance, Islamic financial institutions, supervision, monetary policy instrments, payment systems

Diagnosis, treatment, and follow-up of a case of Wolman disease with hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis

: Wolman Disease (WD) is a severe multi-system metabolic disease due to lysosomal acid lipase (LAL) deficiency. We report on a WD infant who developed an unusual hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH) phenotype related to WD treated with sebelipase alfa. A male baby came to our attention at six months of life for respiratory insufficiency and sepsis, abdominal distension, severe hepatosplenomegaly, diarrhea, and severe growth retardation. HLH was diagnosed and treated with intravenous immunoglobulin, steroids, cyclosporine, broad-spectrum antimicrobial therapy, and finally with the anti-IL-6 drug tocilizumab. WD was suspected for the presence of adrenal calcifications and it was confirmed by LAL enzyme activity and by molecular analysis of LIPA. Plasma oxysterols cholestan-3β,5α,6β-triol (C-triol), and 7-ketocholesterol (7-KC) were markedly increased. Sebelipase alfa was started with progressive amelioration of biochemical and clinical features. The child died from sepsis, 2 months after sebelipase discontinuation requested by parents. Our case shows the importance of an early diagnosis of WD and confirms the difficulty to reach a diagnosis in the HLH phenotype. Sebelipase alpha is an effective treatment for LAL deficiency, also in children affected by WD. Further data are necessary to confirm the utility of measuring plasma c-triol as a biochemical marker of the disease

Presence of Mycobacterium bovis in slaughterhouses and risks for workers

An investigation was carried out to detect the presence of Mycobacterium bovis in slaughterhouses where intradermal tuberculin test positive cattle were slaughtered, and to evaluate the risk of contamination by M. bovis among exposed slaughterhouse workers. Swabs were taken from the carcasses of slaughtered animals showing autoptic signs of non-generalized forms of tuberculosis, thus authorized for free consumption. Swabs were also taken from the hands and clothes of the staff employed in the butchery production line. Environmental samplings were conducted on the slaughterhouse air using filters and air aspiration devices, and on water used to wash the carcasses after slaughter. Samples from the carcasses of healthy animals were also taken on a following slaughtering session. The swabs were analysed by means of Polymerase Chain Reaction for the detection of mycobacteria. M. bovis was detected on meats, on the hands of one worker, and in the washing water. The results obtained from this study confirm that workers are highly exposed to infection by zoonotic tuberculosis, and that cleaning procedures were ineffective in our setting

24 Gliflozins and ventricular function in patients affected by chronic heart failure with diabetes mellitus

Abstract Aims Diabetes is the most common comorbidity of HF patients. SGLT2 inhibitors has been shown to reduce hospitalization in patients with HF. The cardioprotective mechanisms of gliflozines have not been elucidated. The aim of our study was to evaluate the effect of SGLT2 inhibitors on right and left ventricular function in T2DM patients with HF. Methods and results One hundred and fifteen consecutive outpatients with CHF and T2DM were screened in the Daunia Heart Failure Registry. Seventy-eight of them were enrolled and followed up between May 2019 and September 2020. All patients underwent conventional, TDI and strain echocardiography in an ambulatory setting, at the beginning and after 3 months of therapy with SGLT2 inhibitors. Seventy-eight consecutive outpatients with CHF and T2DM (mean age 67.4 ± 8.4 years, male: 83%) were enrolled in the study. Thirty-eight of them started the treatment with SGLT2 inhibitors, while the remaining forty continued their original therapy. After 3 months of therapy, LVEF, LVEDD, and LVESD statistically improved (respectively, from 39.68 ± 7.78% to 45.08 ± 9.04%, P: 0.001 and 57.32 ± 9.76 mm to 54.16 ± 6.54 mm, P: 0.01 and from 47.51 ± 1.58 mm to 43.24 ± 8.12, P: 0.0008). Changes in left ventricular function and dimensions were not significant in patients who did not started a therapy with SGLT2 inhibitors. There was a statistically significant reduction of E/E′ (from 16.51 ± 22.55 to 9.73 ± 3.35, P: 0.0007) in patients with treatment with SGLT2i. Moreover, there was an improvement of right ventricular function, due to a statistically significant reduction of PAPs and increase of TAPSE (respectively, from 30.63 ± 8.80 to 24.00 ± 8.35, P: 0.008; from 19.16 ± 2.54 to 21.18 ± 2.84, P: 0.0003) and S′ (10.42 ± 2.09 to 12.91 ± 2.50, P: 0.000) 3 months after the administration of SGLT2 inhibitors therapy vs. the control group. Conclusions In a real-world scenario, our results showed that the treatment with SGLT-2 inhibitors in patients with CHF and diabetes is associated with an echocardiographic biventricular function improvement