Microbiological Assessment of Some Culturable Microbiotafrom Clinically Healthy Bottlenose Dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) Under Human Care

The mammalian commensal microbiota constitutes over a thousand bacterial phylotypes (Suchodolski, 2014) and confers important functions, including a mucosal barrier function, a metabolic function, and an immune regulatory function, which contribute to the development and regulation of the gut immune system (Backhed et al., 2005). The composition of microbiota can be influenced by various factors, including diet, exposure to antibiotics, and the well-functioning mechanisms of immune tolerance (Koenig et al., 2011). Unfortunately, there are few reports describing gastrointestinal microflora in cetacean species, and the available information is related to free-ranging dolphins (Morris et al., 2011). The knowledge of normal gastrointestinal microflora from healthy dolphins under human care, in addition to allowing a wider understanding of the role of bacteria in animals with physiological disorders, could permit an evaluation of the general health status of wild marine mammals and the potential transmission risks to humans. The aim of this study is to detect and enumerate some culturable microorganisms from the gastric juice and faeces of clinically healthy bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) kept under human care to establish baseline data for this species for the first time

Hydrophobic Windscreen Coating for Next Generation Civil Tilt Rotor: Experimental Testing and Qualification

The paper describes the results achieved in the HaSU project, a European Research Program funded by the European Commission, which dealt with design, fabrication and experimental testing/qualification of hydrophobic specimens suitable for the Next Generation Civil Tilt Rotor windscreen development. Evidence from tests on hydrophobicity, UV stability, transparency and environmental tests are documented and discussed to demonstrate airworthiness. The proposed technological solution started at TRL4 level and reached TRL6 at the end of the project

Flexible photonics: Transform rigid materials into mechanically flexible and optically functional systems

none19siAs already done in electronics, passive and active photonic devices demand integration on flexible substrates for a broad spectrum of application ranging from optical interconnection to sensors for civil infrastructure and environments, to coherent and uncoherent light sources and functionalized coatings for integration on biological tissue. In this communication we will present some recent results concerning the fabrication of novel flexible optical layers by sol-gel and radio frequency sputtering deposition techniques. The perspective is to give a technological way to transform intrinsically rigid or brittle materials into a highly mechanically flexible and optically functional systems.noneChiasera A.; Szczurek A.; Tran L.T.N.; Startek K.; Saynger O.; Varas S.; Armellini C.; Chiappini A.; Carpentiero A.; Zonta D.; Bursi O.S.; Ramponi R.; Bollani M.; Scotognella F.; MacRelli G.; Krzak J.; Righini G.C.; Ferrari M.; Lukowiak A.Chiasera, A.; Szczurek, A.; Tran, L. T. N.; Startek, K.; Saynger, O.; Varas, S.; Armellini, C.; Chiappini, A.; Carpentiero, A.; Zonta, D.; Bursi, O. S.; Ramponi, R.; Bollani, M.; Scotognella, F.; Macrelli, G.; Krzak, J.; Righini, G. C.; Ferrari, M.; Lukowiak, A