Morphometric analysis in the offshore of the southern Taranto Gulf: unveiling the structures controlling the Late Pleistocene-Holocene bathymetric evolution

The present study is focused on a morphometric analysis of high resolution multibeam data (10m, 5m and, locally, 2m resolution), that were acquired during the oceanographic TEATIOCA 2011 campaign along a sector of the Ionian margin of northern Calabria. The integration of morphometric analysis with sparker and chirp data allowed to unveil basic but robust information about: 1. hierarchy of the fault systems controlling the bathymetric evolution; 2. the interplay between tectonic and erosional processes in sea-floor modeling; 3. uplift rates; 4. tilting processes

Geometry and modeling of an active offshore thrust-related fold system: the Amendolara Ridge, Ionian Sea, southern Italy

On the Ionian Sea coast of southern Italy, spanning the transition from the Calabrian Arc to the Apennines, NE-directed motion of the thin-skinned frontal thrust belt of the Apennines toward the Apulian foreland reportedly ceased during the Early-Middle Pleistocene. The submarine extension of the frontal thrust belt is represented by the Amendolara ridge, which stretches for over 80 km to the SE beneath the Taranto Gulf. High-resolution marine geophysical data collected on the Amendolara ridge during the TEATIOCA_2011 cruise provided unequivocal constraints to assert active fault-related fold growth. Single-channel seismic (sparker) and acoustic CHIRP profiles, corroborated by multibeam mapping and shallow coring, form the novel dataset to constrain the near-bottom evolution. The new data were benchmarked to the crustal geometry by means of interpretation of existing multichannel seismic profiles

Dependência da polinização animal em goiaba [Acca sellowiana (Berg) Burret] (Myrtaceae) e variação de polinizadores entre regiões do Uruguai

The Feijoa “Guayabo del país” (Acca sellowiana) is a native Myrtaceae whose fruits have a great commercial potential for their nutritive properties. The objectives of this study were to determine the extent to which fruit production depends on biotic pollination and to identify potential pollinators in Uruguay. Two farms and three park, located in Salto and Canelones were used for the study. The percentage of fruit set in the branches excluding pollinators did not exceed 5.1%, whereas in the branches with free access of pollinators it varied between 10.4% (Salto) and 90.9% (park trees, Canelones). A total of 28 insect species and 3 Passeriforme species were identified on the flower varying with the region. Apis mellifera were present on all plantations with high frequency. Remarkably, 7 species of native bees and 3 species of native passerines were found only in the southern trees of the country. Some pollinators can be managed to improve production, of commercial quality, like honeybees or bumblebees.A goiaba “Guayabo del país” (Acca sellowiana) é uma Myrtaceae nativa cujos frutos apresentam grande potencial comercial por suas propriedades nutritivas. Os objetivos deste estudo foram determinar em que medida a produção de frutos depende da polinização biótica e identificar potenciais polinizadores no Uruguai. Duas fazendas e três parques, localizados em Salto e Canelones, foram utilizados para o estudo. A porcentagem de frutificação nos ramos excluindo polinizadores não ultrapassou 5,1%, enquanto nos ramos com livre acesso de polinizadores variou entre 10,4% (Salto) e 90,9% (árvores do parque, Canelones). Um total de 28 espécies de insetos e 3 espécies de Passeriformes foram identificados na flor variando com a região. Apis mellifera esteve presente em todos os plantios com alta frequência. Notavelmente, 7 espécies de abelhas nativas e 3 espécies de passeriformes nativos foram encontrados apenas nas árvores do sul do país. Alguns polinizadores podem ser manejados para melhorar a produção, de qualidade comercial, como abelhas ou zangões

Establishment of an experimental field to explore the differential olive cultivar response to Xylella fastidiosa infection

While different sources of natural resistance to Xylella fastidiosa (Xf) have been described in grapevines and citrus, lack of consolidated information exists on the wide panel of cultivars characterizing the vast olive germplasm. Preliminary observations on few cultivars, support the evidence that differential cultivar responses to Xf infections may exist. To explore the response of a larger panel of cultivars, in April 2015, an experimental olive plot, located within the Xf-heavily affected olive groves, was established in the Apulia Region (Italy). Twenty-four trees for each of the ten different cultivars were planted in randomized blocks. Each tree was caged with 15-20 specimens of Philaenus spumarius collected from the neighboring infected olive groves. Upon removing the cages, the trees are then continuously exposed to the natural vector populations occurring in the area. Nine and 12-months after planting, the trees were sampled, tested for Xf and inspected for symptoms. The first data confirmed the infectivity of the vector populations occurring in the Apulian contaminated area and the Xf susceptibility of the olive cultivars tested. Almost 50% of the trees tested positive, with an infection incidence ranging from 25% (Leccino) to 78% (Koroneiki). Symptoms of shoot dieback started to appear 1-year after planting, limitedly on few replicates of Cellina di Nardò. In April 2016, the number of cultivars has been increased up to 30. Periodical surveys for symptoms and quantitative analyses to monitor the differential bacterial titer and expression of target genes involved in the host response, are underway

Animal pollination dependence in Feijoa [Acca sellowiana (Berg) Burret] (Myrtaceae) and variation of pollinators between regions of Uruguay: Dependência da polinização animal em goiaba [Acca sellowiana (Berg) Burret] (Myrtaceae) e variação de polinizadores entre regiões do Uruguai

The Feijoa “Guayabo del país” (Acca sellowiana) is a native Myrtaceae whose fruits have a great commercial potential for their nutritive properties. The objectives of this study were to determine the extent to which fruit production depends on biotic pollination and to identify potential pollinators in Uruguay. Two farms and three park, located in Salto and Canelones were used for the study. The percentage of fruit set in the branches excluding pollinators did not exceed 5.1%, whereas in the branches with free access of pollinators it varied between 10.4% (Salto) and 90.9% (park trees, Canelones). A total of 28 insect species and 3 Passeriforme species were identified on the flower varying with the region. Apis mellifera were present on all plantations with high frequency. Remarkably, 7 species of native bees and 3 species of native passerines were found only in the southern trees of the country. Some pollinators can be managed to improve production, of commercial quality, like honeybees or bumblebees

Injection molded lab-on-a-disc platform for screening of genetically modified E. coli using liquid-liquid extraction and surface enhanced Raman scattering

We present an injection molded lab-on-a-disc enabling quantification of bacterial metabolites in E. coli supernatant.</p

A machine-learning based bio-psycho-social model for the prediction of non-obstructive and obstructive coronary artery disease

Background: Mechanisms of myocardial ischemia in obstructive and non-obstructive coronary artery disease (CAD), and the interplay between clinical, functional, biological and psycho-social features, are still far to be fully elucidated. Objectives: To develop a machine-learning (ML) model for the supervised prediction of obstructive versus non-obstructive CAD. Methods: From the EVA study, we analysed adults hospitalized for IHD undergoing conventional coronary angiography (CCA). Non-obstructive CAD was defined by a stenosis &lt; 50% in one or more vessels. Baseline clinical and psycho-socio-cultural characteristics were used for computing a Rockwood and Mitnitski frailty index, and a gender score according to GENESIS-PRAXY methodology. Serum concentration of inflammatory cytokines was measured with a multiplex flow cytometry assay. Through an XGBoost classifier combined with an explainable artificial intelligence tool (SHAP), we identified the most influential features in discriminating obstructive versus non-obstructive CAD. Results: Among the overall EVA cohort (n = 509), 311 individuals (mean age 67 ± 11&nbsp;years, 38% females; 67% obstructive CAD) with complete data were analysed. The ML-based model (83% accuracy and 87% precision) showed that while obstructive CAD was associated with higher frailty index, older age and a cytokine signature characterized by IL-1β, IL-12p70 and IL-33, non-obstructive CAD was associated with a higher gender score (i.e., social characteristics traditionally ascribed to women) and with a cytokine signature characterized by IL-18, IL-8, IL-23. Conclusions: Integrating clinical, biological, and psycho-social features, we have optimized a sex- and gender-unbiased model that discriminates obstructive and non-obstructive CAD. Further mechanistic studies will shed light on the biological plausibility of these associations. Clinical trial registration: NCT02737982

An explainable model of host genetic interactions linked to COVID-19 severity

We employed a multifaceted computational strategy to identify the genetic factors contributing to increased risk of severe COVID-19 infection from a Whole Exome Sequencing (WES) dataset of a cohort of 2000 Italian patients. We coupled a stratified k-fold screening, to rank variants more associated with severity, with the training of multiple supervised classifiers, to predict severity based on screened features. Feature importance analysis from tree-based models allowed us to identify 16 variants with the highest support which, together with age and gender covariates, were found to be most predictive of COVID-19 severity. When tested on a follow-up cohort, our ensemble of models predicted severity with high accuracy (ACC = 81.88%; AUCROC = 96%; MCC = 61.55%). Our model recapitulated a vast literature of emerging molecular mechanisms and genetic factors linked to COVID-19 response and extends previous landmark Genome-Wide Association Studies (GWAS). It revealed a network of interplaying genetic signatures converging on established immune system and inflammatory processes linked to viral infection response. It also identified additional processes cross-talking with immune pathways, such as GPCR signaling, which might offer additional opportunities for therapeutic intervention and patient stratification. Publicly available PheWAS datasets revealed that several variants were significantly associated with phenotypic traits such as "Respiratory or thoracic disease", supporting their link with COVID-19 severity outcome.A multifaceted computational strategy identifies 16 genetic variants contributing to increased risk of severe COVID-19 infection from a Whole Exome Sequencing dataset of a cohort of Italian patients

Carriers of ADAMTS13 Rare Variants Are at High Risk of Life-Threatening COVID-19

Thrombosis of small and large vessels is reported as a key player in COVID-19 severity. However, host genetic determinants of this susceptibility are still unclear. Congenital Thrombotic Thrombocytopenic Purpura is a severe autosomal recessive disorder characterized by uncleaved ultra-large vWF and thrombotic microangiopathy, frequently triggered by infections. Carriers are reported to be asymptomatic. Exome analysis of about 3000 SARS-CoV-2 infected subjects of different severities, belonging to the GEN-COVID cohort, revealed the specific role of vWF cleaving enzyme ADAMTS13 (A disintegrin-like and metalloprotease with thrombospondin type 1 motif, 13). We report here that ultra-rare variants in a heterozygous state lead to a rare form of COVID-19 characterized by hyper-inflammation signs, which segregates in families as an autosomal dominant disorder conditioned by SARS-CoV-2 infection, sex, and age. This has clinical relevance due to the availability of drugs such as Caplacizumab, which inhibits vWF-platelet interaction, and Crizanlizumab, which, by inhibiting P-selectin binding to its ligands, prevents leukocyte recruitment and platelet aggregation at the site of vascular damage