Interannual variability of the hydrology on the Sardinia shelf

The interannual variability of the physical properties of the shelf waters in Sardinia, western Mediterranean Sea, is studied by using hydrological data gathered during three oceanographic cruises: two in late summer of 2019 and 2021 respectively and another one in early autumn of 2020. The data consist of vertical profiles of salinity and potential temperature acquired by a multiparametric probe for a total of 171 casts performed along a set of transects extending from the nearshore to the continental slope, up to the depth of 200 m. Satellite remote sensing and numerical modelling oceanographic products support the phenomenological analysis. Atlantic Water, characterised by low salinity signatures (S<37.0), is detected in the surface waters of the southwestern shelf areas, induced by the Algerian Eddies, and with differences between years. It is also observed on the southern-eastern and north-eastern shelf areas of Sardinia, mainly driven by the interaction with large-scale circulation features like the southeast Sardinia Gyre and the Bonifacio Gyre. An upwelling phenomenology is identified as one of the major features of the coastal circulation on the western shelf area. The study provides the first assessment of the thermohaline features on the Sardinian shelf; an enhanced contribution to the current knowledge of the coastal sea phenomena, and contributes to numerical modelling applications and implementations for ecosystem services

Gamma Ray Bursts from delayed collapse of neutron stars to quark matter stars

We propose a model to explain how a Gamma Rays Burst can take place days or years after a supernova explosion. Our model is based on the conversion of a pure hadronic star (neutron star) into a star made at least in part of deconfined quark matter. The conversion process can be delayed if the surface tension at the interface between hadronic and deconfined-quark-matter phases is taken into account. The nucleation time (i.e. the time to form a critical-size drop of quark matter) can be extremely long if the mass of the star is small. Via mass accretion the nucleation time can be dramaticaly reduced and the star is finally converted into the stable configuration. A huge amount of energy, of the order of 10(52)-10(53) erg, is released during the conversion process and can produce a powerful Gamma Ray Burst. The delay between the supernova explosion generating the metastable neutron star and the new collapse can explain the delay proposed in GRB990705 and in GRB011211

Biological accidents at work among resident physicians in specialist training at Bari University Hospital, Italy

The phenomenon of accidents at work was investigated among the resident physicians of the School of Medicine, Bari University, by a self-administered anonymous questionnaire probing personal details and inquiring about any accidents at work experienced during the training period, and by a comparison with the accidents reported to the Hospital Accidents Registry. At least 1 biological accident was reported by 18.2% of the 450 participants, this percentage being significantly higher in the surgical area (33.3%), where biological accidents were much more rarely reported to either the Residency School Director or the Accidents Registry. In conclusion, despite an overall reduction compared with the past, the frequency both of biological accidents and of underreporting is still high among resident physicians, particularly in the surgical area

Influence of occupational and environmental exposure to low concentrations of polychlorobiphenyls and a smoking habit on the urinary excretion of corticosteroid hormones

The effects of occupational exposure to low concentrations of polychlorobiphenyls (PCBs) on the urinary excretion of corticosteroid hormones were evaluated, taking into account the influence of cigarette smoking. The study included 26 males working as electrical maintenance staff in a steel factory, previously exposed to a mixture of PCBs (exposed workers), and 30 male workers with no occupational exposure to PCBs (controls). Serum PCBs (33 congeners), urinary 17-hydroxycorticosteroids, 17-ketosteroids (KS) and pregnanes, and their respective glucuronidated and sulfonated compounds, were determined for each subject. PCBs were significantly higher in the exposed workers than controls, and were correlated with age. Both the urinary concentrations of the total 17-KS and pregnanes, and those of some single steroids and their glucuronidated compounds, were significantly lower in the exposed workers than controls, but higher in smokers than the non-smokers + ex-smokers. Two-way analysis of variance showed a negative association between serum PCBs and both total glucuronidated 17-KS and total and glucuronidated pregnanes, and a positive association between cigarette smoking and both total and glucuronidated 17-KS. PCBs seem to act as endocrine disruptors by reducing the urinary excretion of corticosteroid hormones, particularly of the glucuronidated fraction. Cigarette smoking could boost these effects of PCBs in smokers

Biomonitoring of exposure to metallic elements in the steelworks plant of Taranto

Objective. To assess, by means of biological monitoring, the potential exposure to metallic elements of workers operating in the integrated route steelworks plant in Taranto. Methods. A total of 755 workers from different working areas of the steelworks plant, with potential occupational exposure to metallic elements (Exposed), and 101 workers from the finished products embarking area of the same plant, not exposed to metallic elements (Not exposed), were examined. After the administration of questionnaire inquiring about working activity, residence location and lifestyle habits, all the workers collected a urine sample for the determination of Cr, Mn, Co, Cu, Zn, Cd, Hg, Pb by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS), of Ni by atomic absorption spectrometry (AAS), and of urinary creatinine. Moreover, all the workers underwent venous blood sampling for the determination of Pb by AAS. The results of the environmental monitoring of Cr, Mn, Co, Cu, Cd, Hg, Pb and Ni, carried out by specialized companies in the same period of biomonitoring in some of the working areas where potentially exposed workers operate, were also obtained. Results. None of the examined metallic elements showed values exceeding the specific ACGIH BEI, while only urinary Co and Zn exceeded the reference values of the laboratory where analyzes were carried out in more than 5% of the determinations (5.9 %), only in the not exposed workers. Moreover, more than 5% of the determinations higher than the reference values of the Italian Reference Values Society (SIVR) were observed for urinary Cu, both in potentially exposed (19.2%) and in not exposed workers (19.8%), and for urinary Cd, only in potentially exposed workers (6%). Comparison between potentially exposed and not exposed workers showed higher concentrations in the former only for urinary Mn (p <0.05). Environmental monitoring showed airborne concentrations of metallic elements almost always lower than TLV-TWA ACGIH, with most of the determinations below the respective limits of detection for all the metallic elements, except for Mn. Conclusions. The study did not show the presence of metallic elements higher in the potentially exposed than in the not exposed workers, except for urinary Mn that, however, was always included both in SIVR and in the laboratory reference values

Applicability of the Nordic Occupational Skin Questionnaire for Screening Contact Dermatological Disorders in Sea Fishers.

This survey aimed to evaluate the applicability of the Nordic Occupational Skin Questionnaire (NOSQ) as a preliminary screening tool to investigate the presence of contact dermatological disorders in sea fishermen. The Italian version of the NOSQ was administered to 143 male fishermen working at an Apulia (Southern Italy) Fisheries, and 136 male workers who had never worked as sea fishers (controls). A significantly higher rate of frequency of transient itchy wheals on the hands, wrists, and forearms was recorded in the fishermen as compared to the controls (49.6% vs. 8.1%; p &lt; 0.001), while there was no significant difference in the frequency of eczema (8.4% vs. 6.6%). In 46.1% of the fishermen, the onset of transient itchy wheals was associated with contact with specific agents and the most common causes were algae and aquatic plants (49.3%) and seabed sludge (25.3%). In conclusion, the administration of the NOSQ can be useful in preliminary screening for dermatitis in fishermen, although it could show a possible overestimation of the prevalence of transient itchy wheals