Effects of vessel traffic on relative abundance and behaviour of cetaceans : the case of the bottlenose dolphins in the Archipelago de La Maddalena, north-western Mediterranean sea

Acknowledgements This study was part of the Tursiops Project of the Dolphin Research Centre of Caprera, La Maddalena. Financial and logistical support was provided by the Centro Turistico Studentesco (CTS) and by the National Park of the Archipelago de La Maddalena. We thank the Natural Reserve of Bocche di Bonifacio for the support provided during data collection. The authors thank the numerous volunteers of the Caprera Dolphin Research Centre and especially Marco Ferraro, Mirko Ugo, Angela Pira and Maurizio Piras whose assistance during field observation and skills as a boat driver were invaluable.Peer reviewedPostprin

Wastewater surveillance of SARS-CoV-2 variants in October–November 2022 in Italy: detection of XBB.1, BA.2.75 and rapid spread of the BQ.1 lineage

: This study adds insight regarding the occurrence and spread of SARS-CoV-2 Variants of Concern (VOCs) and Variants of Interest (VOIs) in Italy in October and November 2022, by testing urban wastewater collected throughout the country. A total of 332 wastewater samples were collected from 20 Italian Regions/Autonomous Provinces (APs) within the framework of national SARS-CoV-2 environmental surveillance. Of these, 164 were collected in the first week of October and 168 in the first week of November. A ∼1600 bp fragment of the spike protein was sequenced by Sanger (for individual samples) and long-read nanopore sequencing (for pooled Region/AP samples). In October, mutations characteristic of Omicron BA.4/BA.5 were detected in the vast majority (91 %) of the samples amplified by Sanger sequencing. A fraction of these sequences (9 %) also displayed the R346T mutation. Despite the low prevalence documented in clinical cases at the time of sampling, amino acid substitutions characteristic of sublineages BQ.1 or BQ.1.1 were detected in 5 % of sequenced samples from four Regions/APs. A significantly higher variability of sequences and variants was documented in November 2022, when the rate of sequences harbouring mutations of lineages BQ.1 and BQ1.1 increased to 43 %, and the number of Regions/APs positive for the new Omicron subvariant more than tripled (n = 13) compared to October. Moreover, an increase in the number of sequences with the mutation package BA.4/BA.5 + R346T (18 %), as well as the detection of variants never observed before in wastewater in Italy, such as BA.2.75 and XBB.1 (the latter in a Region where no clinical cases associated with this variant had ever been documented) was recorded. The results suggest that, as predicted by the ECDC, BQ.1/BQ.1.1 is rapidly becoming dominant in late 2022. Environmental surveillance proves to be a powerful tool for tracking the spread of SARS-CoV-2 variants/subvariants in the population

Equity in science: advocating for a triple-blind review system

We propose 'triple-blind review' for peer-reviewed journals – a process that keeps author identities and affiliations blind to manuscript editors until after first appraisal. Blinded appraisalwill help to reduce the biases that negatively affect under-represented and minority scientists, ultimately better supporting equity in scientific publishing.En prens

The effects of somatostatin analogues on liver volume and quality of life in polycystic liver disease: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

A clear evidence on the benefits of somatostatin analogues (SA) on liver outcome in patients affected by polycystic liver disease is still lacking. We performed a meta-analysis of RCTs and a trial sequential analysis (TSA) evaluating the effects of SA in adult patients with polycystic liver disease on change in liver volume. As secondary outcome, we evaluated the effects on quality of life as measured by SF36-questionnaire. Six RCTs were selected with an overall sample size of 332 adult patients with polycystic liver disease (mean age: 46 years). Mean liver volume at baseline was 3289 ml in SA group and 3089 ml in placebo group. Overall, unstandardized mean difference in liver volume was − 176 ml (95%CI, − 406, 54; p < 0.133). Heterogeneity was low (I2:0%, p < 0.992). However, we performed a moderator analysis and we found that a higher eGFR significantly correlates to a more pronounced effect of SA on liver volume reduction (p = 0.036). Cumulative Z-curve in TSA did not reach either significance and futility boundaries or required information size. Three RCTs have evaluated Quality of life parameters measured by SF36-QOL questionnaire for a total of 124 patients; no significant difference was found on the effect of SA on QOL parameters when compared with placebo. The present meta-analysis revealed a potential effect of SA on reduction of liver volume and quality of life parameters, but results did not reach a statistical significance. These data could be explained by the need of further studies, as demonstrated through TSA, to reach an adequate sample size to confirm the beneficial outcomes of SAs treatment

Hospital discharges-based search of acute flaccid paralysis cases 2007-2016 in Italy and comparison with the National Surveillance System for monitoring the risk of polio reintroduction

Background: Acute flaccid paralysis (AFP) surveillance has been adopted globally as a key strategy for monitoring the progress of the polio eradication initiative. Hereby, to evaluate the completeness of the ascertainment of AFP cases in Italy, a hospital-discharges based search was carried out. Methods: AFP cases occurring between 2007 and 2016 among children under 15 years of age were searched in the Italian Hospital Discharge Records (HDR) database using specific ICD-9-CM diagnostic codes. AFP cases identified between 2015 and 2016 were then compared with those notified to the National Surveillance System (NSS). Results: Over a 10-year period, 4163 hospital discharges with diagnosis of AFP were reported in Italy. Among these, 956 (23.0%) were acute infective polyneuritis, 1803 (43.3%) myopathy, and 1408 (33.8%) encephalitis, myelitis and encephalomyelitis. During the study period, a decreasing trend was observed for all diagnoses and overall the annual incidence rate (IR) declined from 5.5 to 4.5 per 100,000 children. Comparing NSS with HDR data in 2015-2016, we found a remarkable underreporting, being AFP cases from NSS only 14% of those recorded in HDR. In particular, the acute infective polyneuritis cases reported to NSS accounted for 42.6% of those detected in HDR, while only 0.9% of myopathy cases and 13.1% of encephalitis/myelitis/encephalomyelitis cases have been notified to NSS. The highest AFP IRs per 100,000 children calculated on HDR data were identified in Liguria (17.4), Sicily (5.7), and Veneto (5.1) Regions; regarding the AFP notified to the NSS, 11 out of 21 Regions failed to reach the number of expected cases (based on 1/100,000 rate), and the highest discrepancies were observed in the Northern Regions. Overall, the national AFP rate was equal to 0.6, therefore did not reach the target value. Conclusions: AFP surveillance data are the final measure of a country's progress towards polio eradication. The historical data obtained by the HDR have been useful to assess the completeness of the notification data and to identify the Regions with a low AFP ascertainment rate in order to improve the national surveillance system

Working Group for the Bay of Biscay and the Iberian Waters Ecoregion (ICES WGBIE) (2-9 May 2109)

The ICES Working Group for the Bay of Biscay and the Iberian Waters Ecoregion (WGBIE) assesses the status of 23 stocks distributed from ICES Divisions 3.a–4.a though to Subarea 9, mostly distributed in Subareas 7, 8 and 9. The group was tasked with conducting assessments of stock status for 23 stocks using analytical, forecast methods or trends indicators to provide catch forecasts and a first draft of the ICES advice for 2019. For two of the Nephrops stocks updates were provided on catch data with the advice release delayed until October after the completion of the surveys used for the assessment. Analytical assessments using age-structured models were conducted for the northern stock of white anglerfish, the northern and southern stocks of megrim, four-spot megrim and sole in the Bay of Biscay. The two hake stocks and one southern stock of anglerfish were assessed using models that allow the use of length-structured data (no age data). A surplus-production model, without age or length structure, was used to assess the second southern stock of anglerfish and an age-length structure model was used for the European seabass in the Bay of Biscay. The state of stocks for which no analytical assessment could be performed was inferred from examination of catch, commercial LPUE or CPUE data and from survey information, where available. The northern stock of hake was benchmarked this year to incorporate discards into the model that were previously omitted. New reference points with the accepted benchmark assessment were proposed by the group and new proxy biomass reference points where proposed for black anglerfish in Division’s 7b-k, 8abd. A recurrent issue significantly constrained the group’s ability to fully address the terms of reference this year. Despite an ICES data call with a deadline of six weeks before the meeting, data for most stocks were submitted to ICES only two days before the start of the meeting and in one case 2 days after the meeting commenced. This delayed the process of having the data quality checked and the assessment completed before the start of the working group. This is an important matter of concerns for the working group members. The structure of the report is set out with section 1 presenting a summary of each stock, discussing general issues and conclusions. Section 2 provides descriptions of the relevant fishing fleets and surveys used in the assessment of the stocks. Sections 3–18 contains the single stock assessments

Metastatic group 3 medulloblastoma is driven by PRUNE1 targeting NME1-TGF-β-OTX2-SNAIL via PTEN inhibition.

Genetic modifications during development of paediatric groups 3 and 4 medulloblastoma are responsible for their highly metastatic properties and poor patient survival rates. PRUNE1 is highly expressed in metastatic medulloblastoma group 3, which is characterized by TGF-β signalling activation, c-MYC amplification, and OTX2 expression. We describe the process of activation of the PRUNE1 signalling pathway that includes its binding to NME1, TGF-β activation, OTX2 upregulation, SNAIL (SNAI1) upregulation, and PTEN inhibition. The newly identified small molecule pyrimido-pyrimidine derivative AA7.1 enhances PRUNE1 degradation, inhibits this activation network, and augments PTEN expression. Both AA7.1 and a competitive permeable peptide that impairs PRUNE1/NME1 complex formation, impair tumour growth and metastatic dissemination in orthotopic xenograft models with a metastatic medulloblastoma group 3 cell line (D425-Med cells). Using whole exome sequencing technology in metastatic medulloblastoma primary tumour cells, we also define 23 common 'non-synonymous homozygous' deleterious gene variants as part of the protein molecular network of relevance for metastatic processes. This PRUNE1/TGF-β/OTX2/PTEN axis, together with the medulloblastoma-driver mutations, is of relevance for future rational and targeted therapies for metastatic medulloblastoma group 3

Interaction between bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) and trammel nets in the Archipelago de La Maddalena, Italy

Peer reviewedPublisher PD