Osservazione delle zone marine costiere da dati ottici multi-sensore: il caso studio della foce del Volturno

Questo lavoro s’inserisce nell’ambito del progetto bandiera RITMARE (Ricerca ITaliana per il MARE, 2012-2016, MIUR-CNR) che ha lo scopo di studiare, monitorare, gestire e valorizzare la risorsa marina in Italia. A tale fine il telerilevamento è parte integrante al progetto che, in questo studio, viene applicato alla fascia costiera della foce del Volturno. Lo studio si avvale dell’utilizzo di immagini satellitari (RapidEye (2013) e Landsat-8 OLI (2014)) e aviotrasportate (MIVIS (2011)). A supporto dell’analisi delle immagini sono state acquisite misure in-situ di riflettanza e di concentrazione dei seguenti parametri: clorofilla-a (Chl-a), sedimenti totali sospesi (TSM) e sostanza organica colorata disciolta (CDOM) durante una campagna svoltasi in agosto 2014. I dati telerilevati, geocodificati e co-registrati, sono stati pre-elaborati per correggere gli effetti radiometrici ed atmosferici. Le immagini sono state successivamente elaborate per classificare le acque marino-costiere secondo diversi gradi di complessità ottica e per produrre mappe di concentrazione di Chl-a, TSM e CDOM. In particolare, per la generazione delle mappe è stato applicato un approccio semi-empirico basato su analisi di correlazione dei dati in-situ; in particolare tra valori spettrali di riflettanza (es. rapporti di banda) e le corrispondenti misure di concentrazione di Chl-a, TSM e CDOM. I risultati mostrano un gradiente crescente di complessità ottica delle acque spostandosi dalle zone pelagiche verso le aree costiere. In queste aree l’analisi del dato OLI ha mostrato una variabilità spaziale di Chl-a, TSM e CDOM imputabile ai regimi idrologici del fiume Volturno

Impaired natural killer cell functions in patients with signal transducer and activator of transcription 1 (STAT1) gain-of-function mutations

Gain-of-function (GOF) mutations affecting the coiled-coil domain or the DNA-binding domain of signal transducer and activator of transcription 1 (STAT1) cause chronic mucocutaneous candidiasis disease. This condition is characterized by fungal and bacterial infections caused by impaired generation of TH17 cells; meanwhile, some patients with chronic mucocutaneous candidiasis disease might also have viral or intracellular pathogen infections

Spectroscopic Time-series Performance of JWST/NIRSpec from Commissioning Observations

We report on JWST commissioning observations of the transiting exoplanet HAT-P-14 b, obtained using the Bright Object Time Series (BOTS) mode of the NIRSpec instrument with the G395H/F290LP grating/filter combination ($3-5\mu$m). While the data were used primarily to verify that the NIRSpec BOTS mode is working as expected, and to enable it for general scientific use, they yield a precise transmission spectrum which we find is featureless down to the precision level of the instrument, consistent with expectations given HAT-P-14~b's small scale-height and hence expected atmospheric features. The exquisite quality and stability of the \emph{JWST/NIRSpec} transit spectrum -- almost devoid of any systematic effects -- allowed us to obtain median uncertainties of 50-60 ppm in this wavelength range at a resolution of $R=100$ in a single exposure, which is in excellent agreement with pre-flight expectations and close to the (or at the) photon-noise limit for a $J = 9.094$, F-type star like HAT-P-14. These observations showcase the ability of NIRSpec/BOTS to perform cutting-edge transiting exoplanet atmospheric science, setting the stage for observations and discoveries to be made in Cycle 1 and beyond.Comment: 16 pages, 14 figures; part of the PASP Focus Issue "JWST Time-Series Observations: Commissioning Performance". Paper after the first round of referee comments; inputs welcom

The Italian National External Quality Assessment Program in Cytogenetics: 4 years of activity (2013-2016) following the introduction of poor performance criteria

Background. Italian External Quality Assessment (IEQA) Program in Cytogenetics, established in 2001 by the Istituto Superiore di Sanità (ISS), covers both Constitutional and Oncohaematological diagnosis. In 2013, performance criteria were defined and adopted. In this paper, we present the data from the first 4 years of activity (2013-2016) following the introduction of performance criteria. Methods. The enrollment is voluntary, fee-based and open to both public and private Italian laboratories. The scheme is annual and retrospective; a national panel of experts assess technical, analytical and interpretative performance. Results. Overall, 95 distinct Italian laboratories participated in different Cytogenetics IEQA schemes over the 2013-2016 years and most of the laboratories took part in Constitutional diagnosis. General hospitals and local health centers represented 40% of the total participants and the percentage of laboratories from Northern Regions was more than 45% of total participants throughout the 4-year period. As regards the performance evaluation, on average, 11, 9 and 23% of participants were marked as poor performers in Prenatal, Postnatal and Oncohaematological schemes, respectively. With regard to critical errors, ISCN nomenclature in Prenatal and Postnatal schemes, and interpretation in Oncohaematological diagnosis, were identified as main issues. On the other hand, karyotype errors and inadequate analysis decreased strongly, over the 4 years, in Constitutional and Oncohaematological diagnosis, respectively. Conclusions. Our data show that the introduction of poor performance encourages laboratories to address critical issues, and the IEQA participation helps to improve quality in cytogenetic testing. 

JADES: Insights into the low-mass end of the mass–metallicity–SFR relation at 3 < z < 10 from deep JWST/NIRSpec spectroscopy⋆

© 2024 The Author(s). Published by EDP Sciences. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY), https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/We analysed the gas-phase metallicity properties of a sample of low-stellar-mass (log M⋆/M⊙ ≲ 9) galaxies at 3  6, with galaxies significantly less enriched than predicted given their M⋆ and SFR (with a median offset in log(O/H) of ∼0.5 dex, significant at ∼5σ). These observations are consistent with an enhanced stochasticity in the gas accretion and star-formation history of high-redshift systems, prompting us to reconsider the nature of the relationship between M⋆, O/H, and SFR in the early Universe.Peer reviewe

Antimicrobial resistance among migrants in Europe: a systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND: Rates of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) are rising globally and there is concern that increased migration is contributing to the burden of antibiotic resistance in Europe. However, the effect of migration on the burden of AMR in Europe has not yet been comprehensively examined. Therefore, we did a systematic review and meta-analysis to identify and synthesise data for AMR carriage or infection in migrants to Europe to examine differences in patterns of AMR across migrant groups and in different settings. METHODS: For this systematic review and meta-analysis, we searched MEDLINE, Embase, PubMed, and Scopus with no language restrictions from Jan 1, 2000, to Jan 18, 2017, for primary data from observational studies reporting antibacterial resistance in common bacterial pathogens among migrants to 21 European Union-15 and European Economic Area countries. To be eligible for inclusion, studies had to report data on carriage or infection with laboratory-confirmed antibiotic-resistant organisms in migrant populations. We extracted data from eligible studies and assessed quality using piloted, standardised forms. We did not examine drug resistance in tuberculosis and excluded articles solely reporting on this parameter. We also excluded articles in which migrant status was determined by ethnicity, country of birth of participants' parents, or was not defined, and articles in which data were not disaggregated by migrant status. Outcomes were carriage of or infection with antibiotic-resistant organisms. We used random-effects models to calculate the pooled prevalence of each outcome. The study protocol is registered with PROSPERO, number CRD42016043681. FINDINGS: We identified 2274 articles, of which 23 observational studies reporting on antibiotic resistance in 2319 migrants were included. The pooled prevalence of any AMR carriage or AMR infection in migrants was 25·4% (95% CI 19·1-31·8; I2 =98%), including meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (7·8%, 4·8-10·7; I2 =92%) and antibiotic-resistant Gram-negative bacteria (27·2%, 17·6-36·8; I2 =94%). The pooled prevalence of any AMR carriage or infection was higher in refugees and asylum seekers (33·0%, 18·3-47·6; I2 =98%) than in other migrant groups (6·6%, 1·8-11·3; I2 =92%). The pooled prevalence of antibiotic-resistant organisms was slightly higher in high-migrant community settings (33·1%, 11·1-55·1; I2 =96%) than in migrants in hospitals (24·3%, 16·1-32·6; I2 =98%). We did not find evidence of high rates of transmission of AMR from migrant to host populations. INTERPRETATION: Migrants are exposed to conditions favouring the emergence of drug resistance during transit and in host countries in Europe. Increased antibiotic resistance among refugees and asylum seekers and in high-migrant community settings (such as refugee camps and detention facilities) highlights the need for improved living conditions, access to health care, and initiatives to facilitate detection of and appropriate high-quality treatment for antibiotic-resistant infections during transit and in host countries. Protocols for the prevention and control of infection and for antibiotic surveillance need to be integrated in all aspects of health care, which should be accessible for all migrant groups, and should target determinants of AMR before, during, and after migration. FUNDING: UK National Institute for Health Research Imperial Biomedical Research Centre, Imperial College Healthcare Charity, the Wellcome Trust, and UK National Institute for Health Research Health Protection Research Unit in Healthcare-associated Infections and Antimictobial Resistance at Imperial College London

Spectroscopy of four metal-poor galaxies beyond redshift ten

Finding and characterising the first galaxies that illuminated the early Universe at cosmic dawn is pivotal to understand the physical conditions and the processes that led to the formation of the first stars. In the first few months of operations, imaging from the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) have been used to identify tens of candidates of galaxies at redshift (z) greater than 10, less than 450 million years after the Big Bang. However, none of these candidates has yet been confirmed spectroscopically, leaving open the possibility that they are actually low-redshift interlopers. Here we present spectroscopic confirmation and analysis of four galaxies unambiguously detected at redshift 10.3<z<13.2, previously selected from NIRCam imaging. The spectra reveal that these primeval galaxies are extremely metal poor, have masses between 10^7 and a few times 10^8 solar masses, and young ages. The damping wings that shape the continuum close to the Lyman edge are consistent with a fully neutral intergalactic medium at this epoch. These findings demonstrate the rapid emergence of the first generations of galaxies at cosmic dawn.Comment: 32 pages, 9 figures, Submitte