Distribution of the brown bear (Ursus arctos marsicanus) in the Central Apennines, Italy, 2005-2014

Despite its critical conservation status, no formal estimate of the Apennine brown bear (Ursus arctos marsicanus) distribution has ever been attempted, nor a coordinated effort to compile and verify all recent occurrences has ever been ensured. We used 48331 verified bear location data collected by qualified personnel from 20052014 in the central Apennines, Italy, to estimate the current distribution of Apennine brown bears. Data sources included telemetry relocations, scats and DNA-verified hair samples, sightings, indirect signs of presence, photos from camera traps, and damage to properties. Using a grid-based zonal analysis to transform raw data density, we applied ordinary kriging and estimated a 4923 km2 main bear distribution, encompassing the historical stronghold of the bear population, and including a smaller (1460 km2) area of stable occupancy of reproducing female bears. National and Regional Parks cover 38.8% of the main bear distribution, plus an additional 19.5% encompassed by the Natura 2000 network alone. Despite some methodological and sampling problems related to spatial and temporal variation in sampling effort at the landscape scale, our approach provides an approximation of the current bear distribution that is suited to frequently update the distribution map. Future monitoring of this bear population would benefit from estimating detectability across a range on environmental and sampling variables, and from intensifying the collection of bear presence data in the peripheral portions of the distribution

Modelling Internet Workloads for IEEE 802.16

The IEEE 802.16-2004 standard contains the wireless MAN (WMAN) air interface specification. WMAN has become a major part of the emerging broadband wireless access technology particularly since it accounts for differentiated traffic classes (TCs). Differentiated traffic is immediately associated with Quality of Service (QoS) and this then becomes the objective of many WMAN studies. Since it is unrealistic to experiment with a real WMAN, the obvious alternative is to model its performance. Our objective is thus to develop a WMAN Base Station (BS) and Subscriber Station (SS) simulation model operating in the point-to-multipoint (PMP) architecture mode. As important as the simulation itself is a model representing the load or traffic. In this document we report on an IEEE 802.16 synthetic Workload Model (WLM) with a WLM Generator (WLG) and associated generators (TGs) that represent and generate internet traffic. Underlying the WLM is a Markov Modulated Arrival Process (MMBP) to combine the various WLGs

The Italian open data meteorological portal: MISTRAL

AbstractAt the national level, in Italy, observational and forecast data are collected by various public bodies and are often kept in various small, heterogeneous and non‐interoperable repositories, released under different licenses, thus limiting the usability for external users. In this context, MISTRAL (the Meteo Italian SupercompuTing PoRtAL) was launched as the first Italian meteorological open data portal, with the aim of promoting the reuse of meteorological data sets available at national level coverage. The MISTRAL portal provides (and archives) meteorological data from various observation networks, both public and private, and forecast data that are generated and post‐processed within the Consortium for Small‐scale Modeling‐Limited Area Model Italia (COSMO‐LAMI) agreement using high performance computing (HPC) facilities. Also incorporated is the Italy Flash Flood use case, implemented with the collaboration of European Centre for Medium‐Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF), which exploits cutting edge advances in HPC‐based post‐processing of ensemble precipitation forecasts, for different model resolutions, and applies those to deliver novel blended‐resolution forecasts specifically for Italy. Finally, in addition to providing architectures for the acquisition and display of observational data, MISTRAL also delivers an interactive system for visualizing forecast data of different resolutions as superimposed multi‐layer maps

Genetics and prognostication in splenic marginal zone lymphoma: revelations from deep sequencing

PURPOSE: Mounting evidence supports the clinical significance of gene mutations and immunogenetic features in common mature B-cell malignancies.EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN: We undertook a detailed characterization of the genetic background of splenic marginal zone lymphoma (SMZL), using targeted re-sequencing and explored potential clinical implications in a multinational cohort of 175 SMZL patients.RESULTS: We identified recurrent mutations in TP53 (16%), KLF2 (12%), NOTCH2 (10%), TNFAIP3 (7%), MLL2 (11%), MYD88 (7%) and ARID1A (6%), all genes known to be targeted by somatic mutation in SMZL. KLF2 mutations were early, clonal events, enriched in patients with del(7q) and IGHV1-2*04 B-cell receptor immunoglobulins, and were associated with a short median time-to-first-treatment (0.12 vs. 1.11 yrs; P=0.01). In multivariate analysis mutations in NOTCH2 (HR 2.12, 95%CI 1.02-4.4, P=0.044) and 100% germline IGHV gene identity (HR 2.19, 95%CI 1.05-4.55, P=0.036) were independent markers of short time-to-first-treatment, while TP53 mutations were an independent marker of short overall survival (HR 2.36, 95% CI 1.08-5.2, P=0.03).CONCLUSIONS: We identify key associations between gene mutations and clinical outcome, demonstrating for the first time that NOTCH2 and TP53 gene mutations are independent markers of reduced treatment-free and overall survival, respectively.<br/

Efficacy of bendamustine and rituximab as first salvage treatment in chronic lymphocytic leukemia and indirect comparison with ibrutinib: A GIMEMA, ERIC and UK CLL FORUM study

We performed an observational study on the efficacy of bendamustine and rituximab (BR) as first salvage regimen in chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). In an intention-to-treat analysis including 237 patients, the median progression-free survival (PFS) was 25 months. The presence of del (17p), unmutated IGHV and advanced stage were associated with a shorter PFS at multivariate analysis. The median time-to-next treatment was 31.3 months. Front-line treatment with a chemoimmunotherapy regimen was the only predictive factor for a shorter time to next treatment at multivariate analysis. The median overall survival (OS) was 74.5 months. Advanced disease stage (i.e. Rai stage III-IV or Binet stage C) and resistant disease were the only parameters significantly associated with a shorter OS. Grade 3-5 infections were recorded in 6.3% of patients. A matched-adjusted indirect comparison with ibrutinib given second-line within Named Patient Programs in the United Kingdom and in Italy was carried out with OS as objective end point. When restricting the analysis to patients with intact 17p who had received chemoimmunotherapy in first line, there was no difference in OS between patients treated with ibrutinib (63% alive at 36 months) and patients treated with BR (74.4% alive at 36 months). BR is an efficacious first salvage regimen in CLL in a real-life population, including the elderly and unfit patients. BR and ibrutinib may be equally effective in terms of OS when used as first salvage treatment in patients without 17p deletion. (Registered at clinicaltrials.gov identifier: 02491398)

Impact of lead shots on a mountain pass in central Apennines

An evaluation of the effect of lead left in the environment, during hunting activity, on migratory birds was done in 2004. We calculated 5.63-7.10 quintals of lead dispersed every year, corresponding to 16.5-20.9 kg of Pb/ha/year (total area of 34 ha). Considering a percentage of shot success between 20 and 40%, we calculate 3,520-8,880 migratory birds killed every year, among them several protected species

The impact of a central Apennine wind-farm

We monitored raptors and investigated collision rate of birds with 2 turbines of a central Apennine wind-farm. We detected 1,18/raptors/km2/h. We have not found bird fatalities with turbines. We found 2 carcasses: one Subalpine Warbler, Sylvia cantillans, died by collision with a close communication tower and a Kestrel, Falco tinnunculus, died by electrocution with an MT power-line starting from the communication tower

Peregrine and Lanner falcons in Ascoli Piceno district (Marche, Central Italy)

A study about Peregrine and Lanner falcons was carried out in Ascoli Piceno district. In 2007, 16 pairs of Peregrine and one pair of Lanner were found. Peregrines prefer tall and dominant rockwalls. The presence of secondary roads and isolated houses seems to favour the falcons, probably due to the higher number of prey in the vicinity

The influence of the choice of the cost index on the effectiveness of optimal resources allocation strategies for Hepatitis B Virus treatment

The hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection represents a global health problem; it can be transmitted through contact with infected blood or other body fluids and it is dangerous being highly contagious. Hepatitis B is preventable with effective vaccine, as it is strongly recommended by the World Health Organization; its protection is possibly life-long, at least 20 years. Mathematical modelling is a useful tool to study the evolution of an epidemic spread and possibly to suggest suitable control strategies, aiming at the best resource allocation while satisfying the obvious limitations, both from economics and practical points of view. In this paper, a recently proposed model describing the HBV infection is adopted and optimal control strategies are discussed; it is enhanced the dependence of the result on the preliminary choice of the cost index, suggesting a rationale in the determination of the weights of the elements to be minimized