CALCAREOUS NANNOPLANKTON RESPONSE TO THE LATEST CENOMANIAN OCEANIC ANOXIC EVENT 2 PERTURBATION

Morphometric analyses were performed on Biscutum constans, Zeugrhabdotus erectus, Discorhabdus rotatorius and Watznaueria barnesiae specimens from five sections spanning the Cenomanian-Turonian boundary interval including Oceanic Anoxic Event (OAE) 2 (~ 94 Ma). The study provides evidence for size fluctuations and dwarfism of B. constans during OAE 2, followed by a partial recovery at the end of the event: this taxon appears to be the most sensitive species, with similar and coeval size trends in all the analyzed sections. Conversely, morphometry shows negligible or unsystematic coccolith variations in Z. erectus, D. rotatorius and W. barnesiae. The comparison of OAE 2 data with those available for the early Aptian OAE 1a and latest Albian OAE 1d, indicates that B. constans repeatedly underwent size reduction and temporary dwarfism possibly implying that the same paleoenvironmental factors controlled calcification of B. constans during subsequent OAEs although the amplitude of B. constans coccolith reduction is significantly larger for OAE 1a than OAE 2. Paleoceanographic reconstructions suggest that ocean chemistry related to the amount of CO2 and toxic metal concentrations played a central role in B. constans coccolith secretion, while temperature and nutrient availability do not seem to have been crucial. Contrary to OAE 1a, Z. erectus, D. rotatorius and W. barnesiae appear to be substantially unrelated to OAE 2 paleoenvironmental stress, possibly because of different degrees of perturbation.  &nbsp

[18F]-Fludeoxyglucose Positron Emission Tomography/Computed Tomography with Radiomics Analysis in Patients Undergoing Aortic In-Situ Reconstruction with Cryopreserved Allografts

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of positron emission tomography/computed tomography with [18F]-fludeoxyglucose (FDG-PET/CT) and radiomics analysis in detecting differences between the native aorta and the abdominal aortic allograft after the total eradication of infection in patients undergoing infected graft removal and in situ reconstruction with cryopreserved allografts

Impact of trace metal concentrations on coccolithophore growth and morphology: laboratory simulations of Cretaceous stress

The Cretaceous ocean witnessed intervals of profound perturbations such as volcanic input of large amounts of CO2, anoxia, eutrophication and introduction of biologically relevant metals. Some of these extreme events were characterized by size reduction and/or morphological changes of a few calcareous nannofossil species. The correspondence between intervals of high trace metal concentrations and coccolith dwarfism suggests a negative effect of these elements on nannoplankton biocalcification processes in past oceans. In order to test this hypothesis, we explored the potential effect of a mixture of trace metals on growth and morphology of four living coccolithophore species, namely Emiliania huxleyi, Gephyrocapsa oceanica, Pleurochrysis carterae and Coccolithus pelagicus. The phylogenetic history of coccolithophores shows that the selected living species are linked to Mesozoic species showing dwarfism under excess metal concentrations. The trace metals tested were chosen to simulate the environmental stress identified in the geological record and upon known trace metal interactions with living coccolithophore algae. Our laboratory experiments demonstrated that elevated trace metal concentrations, similarly to the fossil record, affect coccolithophore algae size and/or weight. Smaller coccoliths were detected in E. huxleyi and C. pelagicus, while coccoliths of G. oceanica showed a decrease in size only at the highest trace metal concentrations. P. carterae coccolith size was unresponsive to changing trace metal concentrations. These differences among species allow discriminating the most- (P. carterae), intermediate- (E. huxleyi and G. oceanica) and least-tolerant (C. pelagicus) taxa. The fossil record and the experimental results converge on a selective response of coccolithophores to metal availability. These species-specific differences must be considered before morphological features of coccoliths are used to reconstruct paleo-chemical conditions

Acute Delta Hepatitis in Italy spanning three decades (1991–2019): Evidence for the effectiveness of the hepatitis B vaccination campaign

Updated incidence data of acute Delta virus hepatitis (HDV) are lacking worldwide. Our aim was to evaluate incidence of and risk factors for acute HDV in Italy after the introduction of the compulsory vaccination against hepatitis B virus (HBV) in 1991. Data were obtained from the National Surveillance System of acute viral hepatitis (SEIEVA). Independent predictors of HDV were assessed by logistic-regression analysis. The incidence of acute HDV per 1-million population declined from 3.2 cases in 1987 to 0.04 in 2019, parallel to that of acute HBV per 100,000 from 10.0 to 0.39 cases during the same period. The median age of cases increased from 27 years in the decade 1991-1999 to 44 years in the decade 2010-2019 (p < .001). Over the same period, the male/female ratio decreased from 3.8 to 2.1, the proportion of coinfections increased from 55% to 75% (p = .003) and that of HBsAg positive acute hepatitis tested for by IgM anti-HDV linearly decreased from 50.1% to 34.1% (p < .001). People born abroad accounted for 24.6% of cases in 2004-2010 and 32.1% in 2011-2019. In the period 2010-2019, risky sexual behaviour (O.R. 4.2; 95%CI: 1.4-12.8) was the sole independent predictor of acute HDV; conversely intravenous drug use was no longer associated (O.R. 1.25; 95%CI: 0.15-10.22) with this. In conclusion, HBV vaccination was an effective measure to control acute HDV. Intravenous drug use is no longer an efficient mode of HDV spread. Testing for IgM-anti HDV is a grey area requiring alert. Acute HDV in foreigners should be monitored in the years to come

CALCAREOUS NANNOFOSSIL TAXONOMY AND BIOSTRATIGRAPHY OF THE TOARCIAN-LOWER BAJOCIAN COLLE DI SOGNO SECTION (LOMBARDY BASIN, SOUTHERN ALPS, ITALY)

Calcareous nannofossil biostratigraphy was conducted in the Toarcian-lower Bajocian interval at Colle di Sogno (Lombardy Basin, Southern Alps, Northern Italy) where the type-section of the Sogno Formation consisting of pelagic marly limestone, marlstone and marly claystone was established. Semiquantitative analyses of calcareous nannofossil assemblages allowed to achieve a high-resolution biostratigraphy based on several biohorizons, including zonal/subzonal markers and additional events. The NJT5 to NJT9 Zones of the standard nannofossil zonation established for the Mediterranean Province were identified. The biostratigraphy obtained at Colle di Sogno was compared to published nannofossil events calibrated with ammonite zones in sections from SE Spain, S France, Portugal and N Algeria. This assessment evidenced some discrepancies in the succession of events of the standard zonation and, furthermore, resulted in the revision of the age of a few datums. Moreover, some new/additional nannofossil biohorizons are proposed as subzonal markers. A morphometric analysis of the genus Watznaueria was conducted to identify diagnostic features for unambiguous species identification. The species W. colacicchii and W. contracta are distinguished on the basis of the coccolith width/central area width ratio, whereas W. britannica britannica is discriminated by the size - as in the original definition of the species - relative to the new subspecies W. britannica minor. The new species W. gaetanii differs from all other Watznaueria taxa by the bridge ultrastructure. In the Toarcian-Aalenian interval a progressive increase in size of Watznaueria specimens is paralleled by the progressive closure of the central area and the modification of the central area structure passing from a cross (W. colacicchii and W. contracta) to a double-button bridge (W. gaetanii) to a single-button bridge (W. britannica). These intrageneric evolutionary innovations accelerated in the Aalenian under stable paleoceanographic conditions and an oligotrophic regime

Taxonomic revision of the genus Carinolithus (Early - Middle Jurassic) based on morphometric analyses and diagenesis observations: Implications for biostratigraphy and evolutionary trends

International audienc

Pathophysiology of Lymphatic Circulation in Different Disease Conditions

Lymphatic vessels have historically been viewed as passive conduits for fluid and as a transit system of immune cells from the extracellular space to the blood circulation. This classical perspective is increasingly being reappraised as new functions of lymphatic vessels are being revealed. Lymphatic vessels within different organs and in different physiological and pathological processes show a remarkable heterogeneity, reflecting their functional specialization. The discovery of lymphatic vessels in organs where they were previously not thought to exist has opened new avenues of investigation for unexpected roles. The cardinal manifestation of lymphatic dysfunction is lymphedema; emerging evidence shows that lymphatic dysfunction takes an active part in the uptake and clearance of cholesterol from peripheral tissues and atherosclerotic lesions. It has also been speculated that by enhancing lymphangiogenesis it might be possible to develop novel therapeutic modalities to modulate inflammatory responses of metabolic and cardiovascular diseases. By contrast, reducing lymphangiogenesis might constitute a novel approach to prevent cancer metastasis. The identification of novel regulators of the lymphatic vasculature and the development of suitable animal models to explore the pathophysiology of lymphatic circulation are providing new information toward the development of novel molecular mechanisms that could facilitate the design of therapeutic strategies against cancer, inflammatory conditions, and cardiovascular diseases

Radiosynthesis of 68Ga-labelled DOTA-biocytin (68Ga-r-BHD) and assessment of its pharmaceutical quality for clinical use

Biocytin analogues labelled with indium-111, yttrium-90 and lutetium-177 have shown their effectiveness in the imaging of infections/inflammation in patients with osteomyelitis and function as efficient tools in pretargeted antibody-guided radioimmunotherapy. In this study, the labelling of a biocytin analogue coupled with DOTA (1,4,7,10-tetraazacyclododecane-1,4,7,10-tetraacetic acid), namely, r-BHD, with gallium-68 (68Ga) was optimized, and the quality and stability of the preparations were assessed for clinical use

Carbon-and oxygen-isotope signature of the Toarcian Oceanic Anoxic Event:insights from two Tethyan pelagic sequences (Gajum and Sogno Cores – Lombardy Basin, northern Italy)

The early Toarcian Oceanic Anoxic Event (T-OAE) was associated with major climatic changes involving profound effects on the global carbon cycle. In this study, we present new carbon-and oxygen-isotope, CaCO3 and total organic carbon (TOC) records from two cores (Sogno and Gajum Cores) that recovered pelagic successions from north-western Tethys. A palaeobathymetry of about 1000 and 1500 m water depth is tentatively reconstructed for the Gajum and Sogno sites, respectively. The investigated sections thereby represent some of the deepest records of the T-OAE in the western Tethys. During the early Toarcian, sedimentation in the Lombardy Basin (Southern Alps, northern Italy) was characterized by the deposition of the Fish Level (Livello a Pesci), a dark grey to black marly claystone with low CaCO3 content and relatively high TOC content. In the two cores, the Fish Level (similar to 5 m and similar to 15 m-thick at Sogno and Gajum, respectively) is subdivided into three lithostratigraphic intervals: a lower part, with minimum CaCO3 (5-10 %) and TOC (similar to 0.2-0.3 %) values; a central part with a progressive increase in TOC up to similar to 1.4 %, and an upper part characterized by the highest TOC up to similar to 2.5 %. Within the Fish Level a lower grey interval and an upper black interval are defined based on lithological features. Carbon-isotope chemostratigraphy resolves a delta C-13(carb) negative excursion of similar to 3 parts per thousand at Sogno and similar to 6 parts per thousand at Gajum, and a delta C-13(org) negative excursion of similar to 7 parts per thousand at both locations. This global carbon cycle anomaly, named the 'Jenkyns Event', is here subdivided into a lower J1 and an upper J2 segment. As highlighted by lithostratigraphic evidence, nannofossil biostratigraphy and chemostratigraphic correlations, a hiatus elides part of the succession below the Fish Level in the Gajum Core, although without compromising the completeness of the Fish Level itself. High-resolution delta C-13 data indicate that the base of the Fish Level is synchronous, but the top diachronous at the two coring sites. The same synchroneity of the base and diachroneity of the top of the black shale interval is identified in the Umbria-Marche Basin, suggesting that the duration of anoxia was not identical over very modest to relatively long distances