Old and Promising Markers Related to Autophagy in Traumatic Brain Injury

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is one of the first causes of death and disability in the world. Because of the lack of macroscopical or histologic evidence of the damage, the forensic diagnosis of TBI could be particularly difficult. Considering that the activation of autophagy in the brain after a TBI is well documented in literature, the aim of this review is to find all autophagy immunohistological protein markers that are modified after TBI to propose a method to diagnose this eventuality in the brain of trauma victims. A systematic literature review on PubMed following PRISMA 2020 guidelines has enabled the identification of 241 articles. In all, 21 of these were enrolled to identify 24 markers that could be divided into two groups. The first consisted of well-known markers that could be considered for a first diagnosis of TBI. The second consisted of new markers recently proposed in the literature that could be used in combination with the markers of the first group to define the elapsed time between trauma and death. However, the use of these markers has to be validated in the future in human tissue by further studies, and the influence of other diseases affecting the victims before death should be explored

Detection of natural and synthetic anthropogenic fibers, plastics, and phthalates in Mediterranean marine organisms and environment

This PhD project aimed to investigate different types of anthropogenic pollution in the Mediterranean Sea, specifically focusing on anthropogenic particles (APs) and Phthalic Acid Esters (PAEs). The study included both plastic (PL) and non-plastic (N-PL) particles, with a particular focus on a category of particles that are still understudied: fibers. Fibers are indeed the most common category of APs found in the environment and marine organisms, but they are difficult to sample and analyze. Phthalic Acid Esters (PAEs) are a class of contaminants often used as additives in plastic and other industrial products. Some compounds are considered harmful to humans, and their effects on marine fauna are not yet well understood. The first aim of this PhD project was to investigate the relationship among PAEs, PL ingestion, and environmental and biometric parameters in fish species. Four fish species (Boops boops, Engraulis encrasicolus, Mullus surmuletus, Sardina pilchardus) were sampled in five areas of the Tyrrhenian Sea and Ligurian Sea during two different seasons, spring and autumn, to assess plastic ingestion and the levels of PAEs in the muscles of the selected species. The data obtained have been analyzed to investigate potential correlations between levels of PAEs and factors such as plastic ingestion, sampling season, area, morphometric values, or somatic indices. The results revealed that PAE levels in muscle tissues were not directly associated with plastic ingestion or other factors across all species examined, except for seasonal variability. Specifically, specimens sampled during the spring season exhibited higher PAE levels compared to those sampled in autumn. The second aim was to assess the presence of APs in the water column. For sampling APs, including fibers in the water column, a new methodology was tested, around Capraia Island, using an in-situ pump that allows water sampling at specific depths with minimal air exposure, and isolates particles down to 20 μm in size. This method was compared with sampling using the WP2 plankton net. The best methodology was then applied for sampling the water column in three different areas of the western Mediterranean Sea, characterized by the presence of marine protected areas: the Gulf of Asinara, Capraia Island, and Capo Carbonara. The polymer of all isolated APs was determined by μFTIR. From the results, it emerged that the in-situ pump is the most effective method for isolating APs, including PL and N-PL fibers, and was then applied to sampling the other study areas. Sampling across the study areas revealed that fibers are the most common category of APs, comprising 90% of isolated particles, and that the majority were cellulose fibers. Furthermore, the most impacted area by the presence of APs is the Gulf of Asinara (with an average of 393.7 items/m3 isolated). The third aim of this PhD project was to investigate the ingestion of APs, including N-PL (such as cellulose and rayon), and the levels of PAEs in marine organisms. Eight fish species (Boops boops, Diplodus annularis, Mullus surmuletus, Scyliorhinus canicula, Spicara maena, Spondyliosoma cantharus, Synodus saurus, Trachurus trachurus) and one species of holothurian (Holothuria tubulosa) with six different feeding habits were selected. Organisms were sampled in the same three study areas where water column AP concentration was measured to assess any relationship between APs in the water column and organisms. The ingestion of APs was assessed by analyzing the gastrointestinal content of the organisms, by digesting the organic matter using a 10% KOH solution. Furthermore, the presence of PAEs was investigated in the muscles of the selected species. Additionally, stable isotope analysis of carbon and nitrogen was used to determine the trophic position (TP) and trophic niche of the analyzed organisms to understand whether this factor can influence the ingestion of APs. The results showed that fibers are the most commonly (90% of the APs isolated) found category of APs in the marine organisms analyzed, particularly cellulose, consistent with water column data: specimens sampled in the Gulf of Asinara were found to be the most impacted by the ingestion of APs. PAEs were found in all analyzed specimens, in particular DEHP, DBP, and DIBP. From the statistical analyses, DIBP has emerged as a PAE associated with AP ingestion in the sampled species, thus representing a potential candidate for use as a chemical tracer for APs. The carnivorous and deposit-feeding organisms analyzed appear to be more susceptible to the ingestion of APs, suggesting that feeding habits may influence the quantity of APs in the GI. Additionally, a weak relationship was observed between TP and AP ingestion: organisms with a lower TP appear to ingest a higher number of APs. In conclusion, this PhD underscores the widespread presence of APs, particularly anthropogenic fibers, across the studied marine areas of the Mediterranean Sea, including those within marine protected areas. The pervasive occurrence of both natural and synthetic anthropogenic fibers has been evident in both the water column and within the analyzed marine organisms. Future research on APs in the marine environment should always consider the presence of fibers, encompassing those of natural origin. Furthermore, it is essential to clarify the environmental fate of PAEs and to identify the factors that influence seasonal variations in their levels within marine organisms

Detection of anthropogenic fibres in marine organisms: Knowledge gaps and methodological issues

Most studies examining the occurrence of plastics and microplastics in marine organisms have identified anthropogenic fibres, of natural and synthetic origin, as the most commonly occurring category. Anthropogenic fibres may have been chemically treated with additives making them more persistent and a potential threat to marine organisms. However, fibres have often been excluded from analytical data for the difficulties related to the sampling and analytical procedures, including potential overestimation of the results due to airborne contamination. This review aimed to collect and analyse all studies focusing on the interaction between anthropogenic fibres and marine organisms worldwide, highlighting critical issues that need to be overcome for the analysis fibres on marine organisms. Furthermore, emphasis was placed on the species studied in the Mediterranean Sea, which is particularly affected by this type of pollution. Overall, this review shows that fibre pollution is an underestimated threat to marine organisms and that a specific, harmonised protocol for the analysis of different anthropogenic fibres needs to be developed

Liver pathology in COVID-19 related death and leading role of autopsy in the pandemic

BACKGROUND. Information on liver involvement in patients with coronavirus disease 2019 is currently fragmented. AIM To highlight the pathological changes found during the autopsy of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 positive patients. METHODS A systematic literature search on PubMed was carried out until June 21, 2022. RESULTS A literature review reveals that pre-existing liver disease and elevation of liver enzyme in these patients are not common; liver enzyme elevations tend to be seen in those in critical conditions. Despite the poor expression of viral receptors in the liver, it seems that the virus is able to infect this organ and therefore cause liver damage. Unfortunately, to date, the search for the virus inside the liver is not frequent (16% of the cases) and only a small number show the presence of the virus. In most of the autopsy cases, macroscopic assessment is lacking, while microscopic evaluation of livers has revealed the frequent presence of congestion (42.7%) and steatosis (41.6%). Less frequent is the finding of hepatic inflammation or necrosis (19%) and portal inflammation (18%). The presence of microthrombi, frequently found in the lungs, is infrequent in the liver, with only 12% of cases presenting thrombotic formations within the vascular tree. CONCLUSION To date, the greatest problem in interpreting these modifications remains the association of the damage with the direct action of the virus, rather than with the inflammation or alterations induced by hypoxia and hypovolemia in patients undergoing oxygen therapy and decompensated patients

Assessment of multiple impacts of marine litter in the Adriatic Sea: from fishing for litter to fish species

The AdriCleanFish project aimed to study the impact of marine litter in the fishing system and how this can affect fish species and fishing resources. The study was carried out through the removal of marine litter by fishing vessels, the analysis of collected litter, the analysis of floating marine litter and microplastic ingestion and effects on fish species of commercial interest for human consumption. The areas of interest were located in the Adriatic Sea (Chioggia and Civitanova Marche). The collected material from the sea bottom was characterized to assess weight, volume, number and composition. In addition, the presence of macro-, meso- and microplastics in fish species (European anchovy, hake, European pilchard, sole, horse mackerel and red mullet) was determined. The results show an average concentration of floating microplastics and marine litter on the surface of study area in line with the average values of the Mediterranean. Form marine litter collected by the ”fishing for litter” activities from the bottom, the data confirm that plastic materials are the most frequently found (more than 70%) and the most abundant in term of weight. The plastic objects analyzed are mainly disposable and packaging items (eg. bags and bottles), having a land-based origin and they are also related to maritime activities, to fishing and aquaculture. In all the fish species analyzed, the presence of plastic in the gastro-intestinal tracts was detected. On average, 2 fish out of 10 had ingested from one to five microplastics. The pelagic species (anchovy and pilchard) have the highest percentage of occurrence of ingested microplastics. PCBs and PBDEs were also measured in the muscle of fish species as well as biomarker responses. The results show negligible effects related to plastic ingestion by fish as well as low levels of contaminant accumulation in fish with microplastics in their gastro-intestinal tract