Benthic foraminifers and siliceous sponge spicules assemblages in the Quaternary rhodolith rich sediments from Pontine Archipelago shelf

The bottom samples (Quaternary in age) of two cores (CS1 and Caro1) collected at 60 and 122 m water depth in the marine area near Ponza Island (Pontine Archipelago, Tyrrhenian Sea) are investigated. In particular, benthic foraminifers and siliceous sponge spicules are considered. The coralline red algae (pralines, boxworks and unattached branches) are abundant in both samples and, particularly, in the CS1 bottom as well as the benthic foraminifers. The siliceous sponge spicules also are very diversified and abundant in the CS1 bottom sample, while in the Caro1 bottom they are rare and fragmented. Benthic foraminiferal assemblage of two samples is dominated by Asterigerinata mamilla and Lobatula lobatula, typical epiphytic species but also able to live on circalittoral detrital seafloors, adapting to an epifaunal lifestyle. Based on these data the bottom of the studied cores represents the upper circalittoral zone, within the present-day depth limit distribution of coralline red algae in the Pontine Archipelago (shallower than 100 m water depth)

Determinants and impact of suboptimal asthma control in Europe : The INTERNATIONAL CROSS-SECTIONAL AND LONGITUDINAL ASSESSMENT ON ASTHMA CONTROL (LIAISON) study

Acknowledgements We are grateful to THERAmetrics for the study management, data collection and analysis. The authors would like to thank the following investigators for their contribution (>30 patients enrolled): F. Fohler, A.G. Haider, J. Hesse-Tonsa, J. Messner, W. Pohl (Austria); G. Joos, J.L. Halloy, R. Peche, H. Simonis, P. Van den Brande (Belgium); B. Bugnas, J.M. Chavaillon, P. Debove, S. Dury, L. Mathieu, O. Lagrange, A. Prudhomme, S. Verdier (France); A. Benedix, O. Kestermann, A. Deimling, G. Eckhardt, M. Gernhold, V. Grimm-Sachs, M. Hoefer, G. Hoheisel, C. Stolpe, C. Schilder, M. John, J. Uerscheln, K.H. Zeisler (Germany); A. Chaniotou, P. Demertzis, V. Filaditaki-Loverdou, A. Gaga, E. Georgatou-Papageorgiou, S. Michailidis, G. Pavkalou, M. Toumpis (Greece); K. Csicsari, K. Hajdu, M. Póczi, M. Kukuly, T. Kecskes, C. Hangonyi, J. Schlezak, E. Takács, M. Szabo,G. Szabó, C. Szabo (Hungary); G.W. Canonica, W. Castellani, A. Cirillo, M.P. Foschino Barbaro, M. Gjomarkaj, G. Guerra, G. Idotta, D. Legnani, M. Lo Schiavo, R. Maselli, F. Mazza, S. Nutini, P. Paggiaro, A. Pietra, O. Resta, S. Salis, N.A. Scichilone, M.C. Zappa, A. Zedda (Italy); M. Goosens, R. Heller, K. Mansour, C. Meek, J. van den Berg (The Netherlands); A. Antczak, M. Faber, D. Madra-Rogacka, G. Mincewicz, M. Michnar, D. Olejniczak, G. Pulka, Z. Sankowski, K. Kowal, I. Krupa-Borek, B. Kubicka Kozik, K. Kuczynska, P. Kuna, A. Kwasniewski, M. Wozniak (Poland); F. Casas Maldonado, C. Cisneros, J. de Miguel Díez, L.M. Entrenas Costa, B. Garcìa-Cosio, M.V. Gonzales, L. Lores, M. Luengo, C. Martinez, C. Melero, I. Mir, X. Munoz, A. Pacheco, V. Plaza, J. Serra, J. Serrano, J.G. Soto Campos (Spain); T. Bekci, R. Demir, N. Dursunoglu, D. Ediger, A. Ekici, O. Goksel, H. Gunen, I.K. Oguzulgen, Z.F. Ozseker, (Turkey); L. Barnes, T. Hall, S. Montgomerie, J. Purohit, J. Ryan (United Kingdom). The authors would also like to thank P. Galletti (THERAMetrics S.p.A., Sesto San Giovanni, Italy) and K. Stockmeyer (THERAMetrics GmbH, Essen, Germany) for providing editorial assistance in the preparation of this manuscript.Peer reviewedPublisher PD

Benthic foraminiferal assemblages and rhodolith facies evolution in post-LGM sediments from the Pontine Archipelago shelf (Central Tyrrhenian Sea, Italy)

The seabed of the Pontine Archipelago (Tyrrhenian Sea) insular shelf is peculiar as it is characterized by a mixed siliciclastic–carbonate sedimentation. In order to reconstruct the Late Quaternary paleoenvironmental evolution of the Pontine Archipelago, this study investigates the succession of facies recorded by two sediment cores. For this purpose, benthic foraminifera and rhodoliths assemblages were considered. The two cores (post-Last Glacial Maximum in age) were collected at 60 (CS1) and 122 m (Caro1) depth on the insular shelf off Ponza Island. The paleontological data were compared with seismo-stratigraphic and lithological evidence. The cores show a deepening succession, with a transition from a basal rhodolith-rich biodetritic coarse sand to the surface coralline-barren silty sand. This transition is more evident along core Caro1 (from the bottom to the top), collected at a deeper water depth than CS1. In support of this evidence, along Caro1 was recorded a fairly constant increase in the amount of planktonic foraminiferal and a marked change in benthic foraminiferal assemblages (from Asterigerinata mamilla and Lobatula lobatula assemblage to Cassidulina carinata assemblage). Interestingly, the dating of the Caro1 bottom allowed us to extend to more than 13,000 years BP the rhodolith record in the Pontine Archipelago, indicating the possible presence of an active carbonate factory at that time

Determinants and impact of suboptimal anthma control in Europe: the international cross-sectional and longitudinal assessment on asthma control (Liaison study)

Background: according to the Global Initiative of Asthma, the aim of asthma treatment is to gain and maintain control. In the INTERNATIONAL CROSS-SECTIONAL AND LONGITUDINAL ASSESSMENT ON ASTHMA CONTROL (LIAISON) study, we evaluated the level of asthma control and quality of life (QoL), as well as their determinants and impact in a population consulting specialist settings. Methods: LIAISON is a prospective, multicentre, observational study with a cross-sectional and a 12-month longitudinal phase. Adults with an asthma diagnosis since at least 6 months, receiving the same asthma treatment in the 4 weeks before enrolment were included. Asthma control was assessed with the 6-item Asthma Control Questionnaire (ACQ) and QoL with the MiniAsthma Quality of Life Questionnaire (MiniAQLQ). Results: overall, 8111 asthmatic patients were enrolled in 12 European countries. Asthma control was suboptimal in 56.5 % of patients and it was associated with poorer asthma-related QoL, higher risk of exacerbations and greater consumption of healthcare resources. Variables associated with suboptimal control were age, gender, obesity, smoking and comorbidities. Major determinants of poor asthma control were seasonal worsening and persisting exposure to allergens/irritants/triggers, followed by treatment-related issues. Conclusions: the cross-sectional phase results confirm that suboptimal control is frequent and has a high individual and economic impact. Trial registration: The clinicaltrials.gov identifier is NCT01567280

InternationaL cross-sectIonAl and longItudinal assessment on aSthma cONtrol in European adult patients : the LIAISON study protocol

The study is funded by Chiesi Farmaceutici S.p.A., Parma, ItalyPeer reviewedPublisher PD

INFLUENCE OF FLUID EMISSIONS ON SHALLOW-WATER BENTHIC HABITATS OF THE PONTINE ARCHIPELAGO (TYRRHENIAN SEA, ITALY)

An active fluid emission area located off the eastern coast of Zannone Island (western Pontine Archipelago) has been studied in order to investigate benthic assemblages related to vent-activity. The fluid escape feature is a giant depression (about 0.5 km2) located on the outer shelf, between 110 and130 m water depth. Evidences of active emissions were detected by ROV observations and sediment sampling, whereas integration of high-resolution multibeam bathymetry, backscatter and ground-truth data allowed us to characterize and identify different seafloor types (e.g., lithified seafloor and sandy sediment). Moreover, the analysis of ROV videos and grab samples allowed the definition of the benthic assemblages (micro and megafauna) living within the vent-areas and in the nearby seafloor. This study shows results from the first integrated analysis of the morpho-acoustic, sedimentological and biological characteristics of the northern sector of the Zannone giant depression, highlighting great differences between vent and non-vent seafloor areas. In vent areas, the seafloor is characterized by high morphological complexity and peculiar benthic habitats strongly controlled by dissolution processes, indicating “extreme” conditions due to active fluid emissions

The response of benthic meiofauna to hydrothermal emissions in the Pontine Archipelago, Tyrrhenian Sea (central Mediterranean Basin)

Recent investigations highlighted the occurrence of a giant depression related to hydrothermal activity off the Pontine Archipelago (central Mediterranean Sea, Italy). The new record of a giant seeping depression (Zannone Giant Pockmark, ZGP) in shallow-water provides the opportunity to study fluid vent impact on meiobenthic communities. The micropaleontological analyses on living (Rose Bengal stained) and dead assemblages recorded inside and outside the Zannone Giant Pockmark, allow to highlight changes in the structure and composition of the foraminiferal community that suggest variations of fluid emissions in different sectors of the study area. Inside the ZGP, under the direct influence of venting activity, a very peculiar living foraminiferal assemblage is found. It consists of agglutinated species (Spiculosiphon oceana, Jaculella acuta, Deuterammina rotaliformis) never found or very rare in the Mediterranean Sea. On the contrary dead assemblage testifies the changes on foraminiferal assemblages under carbonate dissolution process. Outside the pockmark in the nearby area of ZGP, the integrated meiofaunal and geochemical data suggest a transitional condition between vent influenced sedimentation and the typical carbonate sedimentation recorded in the rest of the Pontine Archipelago. In particular a possible spread of the venting activity in the northern and southern sectors of the study area, towards the edge of the Zannone insular shelf, is inferred. The impact of fluid emissions on foraminiferal assemblages can be summarized in the following observations: reduced biodiversity, increase of agglutinated species with predominant siliceous component in the test structure, limited distribution of living specimens inside the sediment, disappearance of porcelaneous taxa and presence of carbonate loss tests. As the result, the venting activity is likely to be the main environmental driver on the meiofaunal distribution. We also report, at the emission sites in the Pontine Archipelago, the presence of agglutinated species such as Spiculosiphon oceana, Jaculella acuta, Deuterammina rotaliformis, never found earlier in the Mediterranean Sea

Fluid emission affecting lowstand shelf deposits on the flank of a volcanic island (Zannone Island, Tyrrhenian Sea, Italy).

Several Gas Related Features (GRFs) have been detected offshore the Western Pontine Archipelago by means of very high resolution multibeam bathymetry, high resolution seismic profiles, ROV video observations, water and sediment sampling. Importance of GRFs is related to their association with hydrocarbon occurrence in the subsurface, settlement of endemic ecosystems and the possible direct or indirect linkage with marine geohazards (submarine slides, earthquakes, damage to seafloor infrastructures). In particular, at a broader spatial and temporal scale, geological emissions of methane may be take into consideration as geological factors controlling Quaternary atmospheric and climate changes. Pontine Archipelago is located 30 kilometers from the Italian peninsula (Eastern Tyrrhenian Sea) and is composed of five Plio-Pleistocene volcanic islands: Ponza, Palmarola, Zannone (western sector) and Ventotene and S. Stefano (eastern sector). The research is focused on specific GRFs located offshore the eastern sector of Zannone Island, at water depth ranging between 105-130 m (outer continental shelf). GRFs comprise: giant pockmark, several pockmarks and dome topographic features. The giant pockmark has elongated shape and is 900 m long and 500 m wide; pockmarks are characterized by circular, sub-circular and elongated shapes with dimensions ranging between 2-80 m; whereas dome topographic features are mostly cone-shaped structures with dimensions between 8-36 m. ROV observations have revealed the occurrence of active fluid emissions escaping from the seafloor, characterized by different discharge modalities (continuous and intermittent) and presence of widespread bacterial mats, possible chemosynthetic bivalve aggregations, small scales cone structures and several burrows linked to bioturbation and/or fluid escaped. Moreover, water column backscatter data acquired by multibeam have revealed the occurrence of plumes extended to at least 70 m into the water column. Analysis of very high seismic profiles show the occurrence of several flares at the same location of plumes individuated by water column backscatter data and the occurrence of lowstand prograding deposits, covered by a few meters thick of Holocene deposits. Lowstand prograding deposits have a max thickness of about 35 m and across the giant pockmark show a chaotic seismic facies, indicating intense deformation. To date, rare cases of active shallow-water cold seeps have been described in the Mediterranean Sea. Analysis of the morphological, sedimentological and stratigraphic characteristics of the study area provide the first evidence of an active shallow-water cold emission site in the Eastern Tyrrhenian Sea