Grotta Romanelli (Southern Italy, Apulia). Legacies and issues in excavating a key site for the Pleistocene of the Mediterranean

Grotta Romanelli, located on the Adriatic coast of southern Apulia (Italy), is considered a key site for the Mediterranean Pleistocene for its archaeological and palaeontological contents. The site, discovered in 1874, was re-evaluated only in 1900, when P. E. Stasi realised that it contained the first evidence of the Palaeolithic in Italy. Starting in 1914, G. A. Blanc led a pioneering excavation campaign, for the first-time using scientific methods applied to systematic palaeontological and stratigraphical studies. Blanc proposed a stratigraphic framework for the cave. Different dating methods (C-14 and U/Th) were used to temporally constrain the deposits. The extensive studies of the cave and its contents were mostly published in journals with limited distribution and access, until the end of the 1970s, when the site became forgotten. In 2015, with the permission of the authorities, a new excavation campaign began, led by a team from Sapienza University of Rome in collaboration with IGAG CNR and other research institutions. The research team had to deal with the consequences of more than 40 years of inactivity in the field and the combined effect of erosion and legal, as well as illegal, excavations. In this paper, we provide a database of all the information published during the first 70 years of excavations and highlight the outstanding problems and contradictions between the chronological and geomorphological evidence, the features of the faunal assemblages and the limestone artefacts

Stratigraphic reassessment of Grotta Romanelli sheds light on Middle-Late Pleistocene palaeoenvironments and human settling in the Mediterranean

During the last century, Grotta Romanelli (Southern Italy) has been a reference site for the European Late Pleistocene stratigraphy, due to its geomorphological setting and archaeological and palaeontological content. The beginning of the sedimentation inside the cave was attributed to the Last Interglacial (MISs 5e) and the oldest unearthed evidence of human occupation, including remains of hearths, was therefore referred to the Middle Palaeolithic. Recent surveys and excavations produced new U/Th dates, palaeoenvironmental interpretation and a litho-, morpho- and chrono-stratigraphical reassessment, placing the oldest human frequentation of the cave between MIS 9 and MIS 7, therefore embracing Glacial and Interglacial cycles. These new data provide evidence that the sea reached the cave during the Middle Pleistocene and human occupation occurred long before MISs 5e and persisted beyond the Pleistocene- Holocene boundary

Current status of MELCOR 2.2 for fusion safety analyses

MELCOR is an integral code developed by Sandia National Laboratories (SNL) for the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (USNRC) to perform severe accident analyses of Light Water Reactors (LWR). More recently, MELCOR capabilities are being extended also to analyze non-LWR fission technologies. Within the European MELCOR User Group (EMUG), organized in the framework of USNRC Cooperative Severe Accident Research Program (CSARP), an activity on the evaluation of the applicability of MELCOR 2.2 for fusion safety analyses has been launched and it has been coordinated by ENEA. The aim of the activity was to identify the physical models to be possibly implemented in MELCOR 2.2 necessary for fusion safety analyses, and to check if those models are already available in MELCOR 1.8.6 for fusion version, developed by Idaho National Laboratory (INL). From this activity, a list of modeling needs emerged from the safety analyses of fusion-related installations have been identified and described. Then, the importance of the various needs, intended as the priority for model implementation in the MELCOR 2.2 code, has been evaluated according to the technical expert judgement of the authors. In the present paper, the identified modeling needs are discussed. The ultimate goal would be to propose to have a single integrated MELCOR 2.2 code release capable to cover both fission and fusion applications

To respond or not to respond - a personal perspective of intestinal tolerance

For many years, the intestine was one of the poor relations of the immunology world, being a realm inhabited mostly by specialists and those interested in unusual phenomena. However, this has changed dramatically in recent years with the realization of how important the microbiota is in shaping immune function throughout the body, and almost every major immunology institution now includes the intestine as an area of interest. One of the most important aspects of the intestinal immune system is how it discriminates carefully between harmless and harmful antigens, in particular, its ability to generate active tolerance to materials such as commensal bacteria and food proteins. This phenomenon has been recognized for more than 100 years, and it is essential for preventing inflammatory disease in the intestine, but its basis remains enigmatic. Here, I discuss the progress that has been made in understanding oral tolerance during my 40 years in the field and highlight the topics that will be the focus of future research

Improving guideline adherence for cardiac rehabilitation in the Netherlands

Background In 2004, the Netherlands Society of Cardiology released the current guideline on cardiac rehabilitation. Given its complexity and the involvement of various healthcare disciplines, it was supplemented with a clinical algorithm, serving to facilitate its implementation in daily practice. Although the algorithm was shown to be effective for improving guideline adherence, several shortcomings and deficiencies were revealed. Based on these findings, the clinical algorithm has now been updated. This article describes the process and the changes that were made. Methods The revision consisted of three phases. First, the reliability of the measurement instruments included in the 2004 Clinical Algorithm was investigated by evaluating between-centre variations of the baseline assessment data. Second, based on the available evidence, a multidisciplinary expert advisory panel selected items needing revision and provided specific recommendations. Third, a guideline development group decided which revisions were finally included, also taking practical considerations into account. Results A total of nine items were revised: three because of new scientific insights and six because of the need for more objective measurement instruments. In all revised items, subjective assessment methods were replaced by more objective assessment tools (e.g. symptom-limited exercise instead of clinical judgement). In addition, four new key items were added: screening for anxiety/depression, stress, cardiovascular risk profile and alcohol consumption. Conclusion Based on previously determined shortcomings, the Clinical Algorithm for Cardiac Rehabilitation was thoroughly revised mainly by incorporating more objective assessment methods and by adding several new key area

Current status of Melcor 2.2 for fusion safety analyses

MELCOR is an integral code developed by Sandia National Laboratories (SNL) for the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (USNRC) to perform severe accident analyses of Light Water Reactors (LWR). More recently, MELCOR capabilities are being extended also to analyze non-LWR fission technologies. Within the European MELCOR User Group (EMUG), organized in the framework of the USNRC Cooperative Severe Accident Research Program (CSARP), an activity on the evaluation of the applicability of MELCOR 2.2 for fusion safety analyses has been launched and it has been coordinated by ENEA. The aim of the activity was to identify the physical models to be possibly implemented in MELCOR 2.2 necessary for fusion safety analyses, and to check if those models are already available in MELCOR 1.8.6 fusion version, developed by Idaho National Laboratory (INL). From this activity, a list of modeling needs that emerged from the safety analyses of fusion-related installations has been identified and described. Then, the importance of the various needs, intended as the priority for model implementation in the MELCOR 2.2 code, has been evaluated according to the technical expert judgment of the authors. In the present paper, the identified modeling needs are discussed. The ultimate goal would be to propose to have a single integrated MELCOR 2.2 code release capable to cover both fission and fusion applications

Advances, challenges and future directions for stem cell therapy in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a rapidly progressive neurodegenerative condition where loss of motor neurons within the brain and spinal cord leads to muscle atrophy, weakness, paralysis and ultimately death within 3–5 years from onset of symptoms. The specific molecular mechanisms underlying the disease pathology are not fully understood and neuroprotective treatment options are minimally effective. In recent years, stem cell transplantation as a new therapy for ALS patients has been extensively investigated, becoming an intense and debated field of study. In several preclinical studies using the SOD1G93A mouse model of ALS, stem cells were demonstrated to be neuroprotective, effectively delayed disease onset and extended survival. Despite substantial improvements in stem cell technology and promising results in preclinical studies, several questions still remain unanswered, such as the identification of the most suitable and beneficial cell source, cell dose, route of delivery and therapeutic mechanisms. This review will cover publications in this field and comprehensively discuss advances, challenges and future direction regarding the therapeutic potential of stem cells in ALS, with a focus on mesenchymal stem cells. In summary, given their high proliferation activity, immunomodulation, multi-differentiation potential, and the capacity to secrete neuroprotective factors, adult mesenchymal stem cells represent a promising candidate for clinical translation. However, technical hurdles such as optimal dose, differentiation state, route of administration, and the underlying potential therapeutic mechanisms still need to be assessed