Variation of DNA Fragmentation Levels During Density Gradient Sperm Selection for Assisted Reproduction Techniques: A Possible New Male Predictive Parameter of Pregnancy?

Predicting the outcome of in vitro fertilization (IVF)/intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) is one main goal of the present research on assisted reproduction. To understand whether density gradient centrifugation (DGC), used to select sperm, can affect sperm DNA integrity and impact pregnancy rate (PR), we prospectively evaluated sperm DNA fragmentation (sDF) by TUNEL/PI, before and after DGC. sDF was studied in a cohort of 90 infertile couples the same day of IVF/ICSI treatment. After DGC, sDF increased in 41 samples (Group A, median sDF value: 29.25% [interquartile range, IQR: 16.01–41.63] in pre- and 60.40% [IQR: 32.92–93.53] in post-DGC) and decreased in 49 (Group B, median sDF value: 18.84% [IQR: 13.70–35.47] in pre- and 8.98% [IQR: 6.24–15.58] in post-DGC). PR was 17.1% and 34.4% in Group A and B, respectively (odds ratio [OR]: 2.58, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.95–7.04, P = 0.056). After adjustment for female factor, female and male age and female BMI, the estimated OR increased to 3.12 (95% CI: 1.05–9.27, P = 0.041). According to the subgroup analysis for presence/absence of female factor, heterogeneity in the association between the Group A and B and PR emerged (OR: 4.22, 95% CI: 1.16–15.30 and OR: 1.53, 95% CI: 0.23–10.40, respectively, for couples without, n = 59, and with, n = 31, female factor). This study provides the first evidence that the DGC procedure produces an increase in sDF in about half of the subjects undergoing IVF/ICSI, who then show a much lower probability of pregnancy, raising concerns about the safety of this selection procedure. Evaluation of sDF before and after DGC configures as a possible new prognostic parameter of pregnancy outcome in IVF/ICSI. Alternative sperm selection strategies are recommended for those subjects who undergo the damage after DGC

Accurata ma sostenibile: soluzioni operative per la documentazione grafica e fotografica dello scavo sul sito di Vignale

In the last couple of years, as part of the archaeological project ‘Uomini e Cose a Vignale’ several tests were conducted, focused on fast and effective methods for the graphic and photographic documentation of the archaeological excavation. This paper presents three case studies, which have produced promising results. All of these were conceived and carried on in order to be based on cost-effective and straightforward procedures, which can be further experimented by other research groups. The final outputs are both sufficiently precise and adequate for the online sharing. The first case study focuses on developing an effective pipeline, based on UAV and 3D modeling, and easy enough to allow every member of the excavation team to carry on autonomously the documentation of its excavation area. The second case study has been aimed at 3D modeling of archival data in order to increase their informational potential. The third case study consisted in the elaboration of a high-definition photoplan of a wide (9x3 m) late antique mosaic. The proposed case studies show that the use of sustainable and low-cost procedures and tools leads to the production of graphic and photographic documentation maintaining good quality standards and suitable for communication purposes

Indagini archeologiche nell’area del quartiere bizantino del Pythion di Gortyna: settima relazione preliminare (campagne 2016-2021)

Le campagne di scavo e studio 2019 e 2021 nell’area archeologica del Quartiere Bizantino del Pythion a Gortina di Creta hanno apportato nuovi dati sul settore occidentale, a ridosso della pavimentazione dell’area esterna del Pythion. I rinvenimenti più importanti consistono in un edificio preliminarmente databile al VII sec. d.C., denominato D, complanare al tempio, che presenta una problematica relazione spaziale e funzionale con i resti di almeno due sepolture, anch’esse di età bizantina, emerse nel suo vano orientale, e con l’edificio C, già indagato negli anni precedenti. La discussione sulla nuova immagine del quartiere è integrata da due appendici dedicate rispettivamente all’applicazione della fotogrammetria SFM 3D per il rilievo e la ricostruzione di complessi archeologici utilizzando immagini d’archivio e a una contestualizzazione delle nuove sepolture nel contesto delle altre analoghe evidenze gortinie

Percorsi bioGrafici: un progetto di archeologia pubblica del contemporaneo a Monforte San Giorgio (ME)

Percorsi bioGrafici is a Public Archaeology project carried out jointly by the Municipality of Monforte San Giorgio and the Department of History and Cultural Heritage of the University of Siena, and aimed to an archaeological assessment of the historical complexity of an “average” small town in contemporary Sicily. The project is intended to understand – and above all to make the local heritage community understand – when, how and why this small town of Sicily, like many others in Southern Italy and in the Mediterranean, has assumed its current conformation. Starting from this basis, specific activities were designed and implemented with the cooperation of the local community: a) participatory archaeology activities, involving schools, cultural associations and individual citizens; b) realization of thematic routes, usable also through mobile phone apps; c) re-qualification of specific elements of the urban fabric; d) regeneration of the relationship between men and things in the urban space, with the aim of inducing virtuous behaviors and best practices of respect and protection of one’s living space and relationship

Percorsi bioGrafici: un progetto di archeologia pubblica del contemporaneo a Monforte San Giorgio (ME) / Percorsi bioGrafici: a project of public archaeology of contemporary at Monforte San Giorgio (ME, Sicily)

Percorsi bioGrafici è un progetto di archeologia pubblica condotto congiuntamente dal Comune di Monforte San Giorgio e dal Dipartimento di Scienze Storiche e dei Beni Culturali dell’Università di Siena che ha come obiettivo la lettura in chiave archeologica della complessità storica di un paese “medio” della Sicilia contemporanea. Il progetto è inteso a comprendere – e soprattutto far comprendere alla comunità di eredità dei Monfortesi – quando, come e perché questo paese della Sicilia, dell’Italia Meridionale e del Mediterraneo ha assunto la sua conformazione attuale. Su questa base di partenza, attività specifiche di miglioramento sono state progettate e realizzate in costante collaborazione con la comunità locale: a) riqualificazione di elementi specifici del tessuto urbano attraverso pratiche di valorizzazione leggera; b) realizzazione di percorsi tematici, fruibili anche attraverso app di telefonia cellulare; c) attività di archeologia partecipata con il coinvolgimento di scuole, associazioni culturali e singoli cittadini; d) rigenerazione del rapporto tra uomini e cose nello spazio urbano, con l’obiettivo di indurre comportamenti virtuosi e buone pratiche di rispetto e tutela del proprio spazio di vita e di relazione. Percorsi bioGraficiis a public archaeology project carried out jointly by the Municipality of Monforte San Giorgio and the Department of History and Cultural Heritage of the University of Siena, and aimed to an archaeological assessment of the historical complexity of an “average” small town in contemporary Sicily. The project is intended to understand – and above all to make the local heritage community understand – when, how and why this small town of Sicily, like many others in Southern Italy and in the Mediterranean, has assumed its current conformation. Starting from this basis, specific activities were designed and implemented with the cooperation of the local community: a) participatory archaeology activities, involving schools, cultural associations and individual citizens; b) realization of thematic routes, usable also through mobile phone apps; c) re-qualification of specific elements of the urban fabric; d) regeneration of the relationship between men and things in the urban space, with the aim of inducing virtuous behaviors and best practices of respect and protection of one’s living space and relationship

Analisi del “Matching” motore - turbocompressore in un motore Diesel automobilistico ad iniezione diretta

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Programma Nazionale Italiano per la raccolta di dati alieutici 2008. Modulo H "Campionamento biologico delle catture” (CAMP-BIOL risorse demersali e piccoli pelagici) GSA 16 (Stretto di Sicilia): relazione finale

Il campionamento biologico delle catture/sbarchi commerciali, modulo H, (Camp-Biol), nell’ambito del Programma Nazionale per la Raccolta Dati Alieutici (PNDA), ai sensi dei regolamenti ex Reg CE. 1543/2000; Reg. CE 1639/2001; Reg. CE 1581/2004, si propone di campionare pesci, molluschi e crostacei, provenienti dalle catture/sbarchi commerciali, al fine di conoscere il prelievo e l’impatto dei diversi segmenti e dei diversi sistemi di pesca della flotta sulle principali specie commerciali, in termini di struttura di lunghezza ed età delle risorse

Programma Nazionale Italiano per l a raccolta di dati alieutici 2008. Modulo I “Altri campionamenti biologici risorse demersali e piccoli pelagici” GSA 16 (Stretto di Sicilia): relazione finale

Nell’ambito del Programma Nazionale per la raccolta dati alieutici (PNDA), ai sensi dei regolamenti CE Reg. 1543/2000; Reg. CE 1639/2001; Reg. CE 1581/2004, il Modulo I “Altri campionamenti biologici”, ha l’obiettivo di acquisire informazioni riguardanti i principali parametri biologici del pescato commerciale. Più precisamente, tali informazioni riguardano la relazione lunghezza-peso, il rapporto sessi complessivo e per classi di lunghezza, la crescita e la relazione lunghezza-maturità

The Diversity, Metabolomics Profiling, and the Pharmacological Potential of Actinomycetes Isolated from the Estremadura Spur Pockmarks (Portugal)

The Estremadura Spur pockmarks are a unique and unexplored ecosystem located in the North Atlantic, off the coast of Portugal. A total of 85 marine-derived actinomycetes were isolated and cultured from sediments collected from this ecosystem at a depth of 200 to 350 m. Nine genera, Streptomyces, Micromonospora, Saccharopolyspora, Actinomadura, Actinopolymorpha, Nocardiopsis, Saccharomonospora, Stackebrandtia, and Verrucosispora were identified by 16S rRNA gene sequencing analyses, from which the first two were the most predominant. Non-targeted LC-MS/MS, in combination with molecular networking, revealed high metabolite diversity, including several known metabolites, such as surugamide, antimycin, etamycin, physostigmine, desferrioxamine, ikarugamycin, piericidine, and rakicidin derivatives, as well as numerous unidentified metabolites. Taxonomy was the strongest parameter influencing the metabolite production, highlighting the different biosynthetic potentials of phylogenetically related actinomycetes; the majority of the chemical classes can be used as chemotaxonomic markers, as the metabolite distribution was mostly genera-specific. The EtOAc extracts of the actinomycete isolates demonstrated antimicrobial and antioxidant activity. Altogether, this study demonstrates that the Estremadura Spur is a source of actinomycetes with potential applications for biotechnology. It highlights the importance of investigating actinomycetes from unique ecosystems, such as pockmarks, as the metabolite production reflects their adaptation to this habitat