Linearity.

<p>Correlations between bacterial concentrations (expressed ad logCFU/ml, obtained with the reference method) and the time occurred for color change concentrations (expressed as hours, h, obtained analyzing identical surface water samples). Continuous line linear regression analysis: R² = 0.81 heterotrophic bacteria count 22°C, R² = 0.79 for heterotrophic bacteria count 37°C, R² = 0.87 for E. coli. Each point is the mean of at least three different analyses. a = heterotrophic bacteria count 22°C; b = heterotrophic bacteria count 37°C; c = <i>E</i>. <i>coli</i>.</p

Correlation coefficients values (R2) between all the selected physical-chemical descriptors and Total Viable Count (that is heterotrophic bacteria count) at 22 and 37°C, and <i>E</i>. <i>coli</i> at 44°C (significant correlations at p<0.05 are in bold).

<p>Marks: COD = chemical oxygen demand (mg/l); C = conductivity (μS/cm); P = total phosphorus (mg/l); T = temperature (°C); VEL = velocity (cm/s).</p

Integrating running water monitoring tools with the Micro Biological Survey (MBS) method to improve water quality assessment

<div><p>Running water habitats are among the most altered aquatic systems by human activities driving an increase in the organic components and the associated bacterial load as well. To contribute in improving the monitoring activities in running waters, here we tested the validity of the new Micro Biological Survey (MBS) method to specifically assess the bacterial load in running waters focusing on Total Viable Counts (at 22°C and 37°C) and <i>Escherichia coli</i> (at 44°C) in order to propose a new prognostic tool for watercourses. MBS method is an alternative colorimetric method for counting bacterial load in water and food samples that is easy to use and leads to a reliable and simple interpretation of results, being also faster and less expensive than traditional methods. Then, we compared MBS with the traditionally used reference method for the bacterial load, and with the most used biotic index for Italian watercourses based on the benthic invertebrates: the Extended Biotic Index (EBI). The last comparison was performed to validate the use of MBS in biomonitoring activities since the benthic invertebrate multi-species assemblage (and then EBI) alter own structure mainly depending on the organic component variation. During the first part of the study, the assessment of both linearity (regressions among bacterial concentrations) and accuracy (significant correlation between a measured value and a value used as reference) confirmed the validity of the MBS method. Second, the linear regressions between the three investigated microbial parameters vs. both physical-chemical descriptors and EBI, revealed the usefulness of MBS as a valid tool for routine microbiological analyses involved in rapid and easy field monitoring activities. This represents the first attempt to evaluate the river microbial status by exploiting the innovative MBS on running waters to propose it as new valuable monitoring tool in the biomonitoring field.</p></div

Geographic coordinates and name of locations and sampled rivers.

<p>The use of numbers 1 or 2 in marks depend on the part of river that was sampled: 1 –sampling site into the first 5 km from the source; 2—sampling site into the last 5 km till the mouth or access into another water course. The only exception is represented by the River Aniene where site ANI1 is located into the last 5 km till the access into the River Tiber.</p

Linear regressions between the Extended Biotic Index (EBI) and the three analysed microbiological parameters, expressed as Total Viable Count (TVC) at 22°, 37°, and 44° C (the latter for <i>E</i>. <i>coli</i>).

<p>Dotted lines correspond to the 95% confident intervals.</p

Principal genetic and clinical characteristics of patients with Myotonic dystrophy type-1.

<p>Principal genetic and clinical characteristics of patients with Myotonic dystrophy type-1.</p

Anti-LRP4 detection by FACS analysis.

<p>Each of 101 MG s and 85 control sera was tested on both parental untransfected (shaded area) and on LRP4fl-HEK293T transfected cells (full line). None of the 45 NHS but only 14 MG sera showed a clear cut shift of mean fluorescence value with a ratio transfected/untransfected > 1.5. We show the immunoreactivity of one NHS, one dSN-MG (sample#8), one AChR-MG (sample#9) and one MuSK-MG serum (sample#14) (A,B,C,D respectively) as representative plots.</p

Frequency of occurrence of direct connections between BA20 and the rest of ToM network.

<p>The number of subjects (expressed as a percentage) showing a direct significant correlation between BA20 and one of the remaining 13 nodes involved in the ToM-network, is plotted for DM1 patients (in blue) and healthy controls (in green). Significant (p<0.001) differences between patients and controls, highlighted by stars, were observed in the connections between BA20 and BA46 and the cerebellum. Bold characters are used to highlight the nodes that show the strongest connectivity with BA20 in DM1 patients. Abbreviations: DM1 = Myotonic dystrophy type 1; HS = Healthy Controls; BA = Brodmann areas; * = Chi-square. See text for further details.</p

Principal demographic characteristics of studied subjects.

<p>Principal demographic characteristics of studied subjects.</p

Anti-LRP4 detection by immunoprecipitation of pools of sera.

<p>Supernatants from LRP4ecto HEK293T cells were immune-precipitated with the indicated pools (p) of sera that scored positive at FACS analysis: pool#1 and #2 from dSN-MG, Musk-MG pool and AChR-MG pool. Immuno-complexes were subdued to western blotting and probed with anti-c-Myc. Aliquots of total supernatants from EGFP-HEK293T and from LRP4ecto HEK293T cells were blotted alongside with immune-precipitates as negative and positive control, respectively. The specific, uppermost band is pointed by the arrow.</p