Ciclo biológico del anfidopo Corophium insidiosum (Crustacea: Amphipoda) del Mar Piccolo (Mar Jónico, Italia)

A one-year study was conducted on the life history of the amphipod Corophium insidiosum (Crawford, 1937) in the Mar Piccolo estuary (Southern Italy). Monthly collections were made to investigate certain aspects of population structure, abundance and reproductive biology. Population density showed a clear seasonal variation: with a maximum in spring-summer and a minimum in autumn-winter. Although brooding females were present all year round, recruitment occurred in spring, decreased in summer, peaked in autumn and almost ceased during the winter. 7-8 new cohorts in all samples could be recognised from April 2002 to November 2002. Mean longevity was ~5 to 6 months, and the estimated lifespan was longer for individuals born in late summer than for individuals born in spring. The sex ratio favoured females with a mean value of 1.51, but males grew faster and attained a larger maximum body length than females. Males and females became distinguishable at roughly > 2 mm, reaching a maximum size of 5.6 mm for females and 6.0 mm for males during the winter months. The females reproduced for the first time when they reached 2.2 mm body length. The number of eggs carried by females was related to the size of the female.Se realizó un estudio anual sobre el ciclo biológico del anfípodo Corophium insidiosum (Crawford, 1937) en el estuario del Mar Piccolo (S de Italia). Se realizaron muestreos mensuales para investigar aspectos de la estructura de poblaciones, abundancia y de la biología reproductiva de la especie. La densidad de las poblaciones mostró una clara variación estacional con un máximo en primavera-verano y un mínimo en otoño-invierno. Aunque se observaron hembras con oosteguitos durante todo el año, el reclutamiento se dio en primavera, descendiendo en verano, alcanzando un pico en otoño y casi cesando en invierno. 7-8 nuevas cohortes pudieron ser identificadas en todos los muestreos desde Abril 2002 a Noviembre 2002. La longevidad media fue de ~5-6 meses, mayor en individuos nacidos en el final del verano que en aquellos nacidos en primavera. La relación hembras/machos fue favorable a las hembras con un valor medio de 1.51, aunque los machos crecieron más rápido alcanzando una longitud total mayor que la de las hembras. Machos y hembras empiezan a ser morfológicamente distinguibles entre ellos a partir de unos 2 mm, alcanzando tallas máximas de 5.6 mm en hembras y 6.0 mm en machos, durante el perido hivernal. Las hembras se reproducen por vez primera una vez alcanzados los 2.2 mm de longitud total. El número de huevos por hembra fue proprcional al tamaño de las mismas

Fluctuaciones estacionales de algunas características biológicas de la invasora Caprella scaura en el Mar Piccolo de Taranto (mar Jónico, sur de Italia).

Caprella scaura is an epifaunal amphipod crustacean that originates in the western Indian Ocean and has spread throughout the world, but very little is known about fundamental aspects of its biology. This paper is the first presentation of its life history traits in an invaded region. The study was conducted in the Mar Piccolo basin (southern Italy, Ionian Sea), over a one-year period. All biological parameters showed a strong seasonal pattern, breeding peaked twice during the year and the number of eggs in the ventral brood pouch ranged from 5 to 72. The sex ratio was generally close to 1:1. A strong correlation between total length of ovigerous females and number of eggs was observed. The mean length of both mature males and mature females was 10.63 and 7.70 mm, respectively. The results of this study showed that the population dynamics of this species was not dissimilar to that of other caprellids or marine epifaunal Crustacea. This caprellid has given rise to a stable population in the Mar Piccolo; it was present all year round in the study area but its density suggests that it is not yet a strong invader.Caprella scaura es un crustáceo anfípodo originario del Océano Índico occidental, que se ha extendido por todo el mundo. Sin embargo, poco se conoce sobre la biología de la especie. Este artículo es un primera presentación de algunas características de la especie en una región invadida. El estudio se realizó en la cuenca del Mar Piccolo (sur de Italia, Mar Jónico) durante un año. Todos los parámetros biológicos mostraron un patrón estacional con picos reproductivos en dos ocasiones durante el año y con un número de huevos entre 5 y 72. La proporción de sexos estuvo en torno 1:1. Se observó una fuerte correlación entre la longitud total de hembras ovígeras y el número de huevos. La longitud media de las hembras y los machos maduros fue 10.63 y 7.70 respectivamente. Los resultados de este estudio mostraron que la dinámica poblacional de esta especie no es muy distinta al resto de crustáceos caprélidos. Se puede hablar de una población estable en el Mar Piccolo, ya que estuvo presente durante todo el año en el área estudiada, sin embargo su densidad sugiere que no parece ser un invasor fuerte aún

Post-marketing surveillance study of the DTaP2-IPV-HB-Hib (Hexyon) vaccine administered in preterm infants in the Apulia region, Italy, in 2017.

Recommendations in many countries state that preterm infants (PTIs) should receive the same routine immunization schedule and timing as for full-term births, according to their chronological age. Data regarding hexavalent vaccine safety in PTIs are still limited. We conducted a post-marketing surveillance study of the DTaP2-IPV-HB-Hib vaccine administered to PTIs in Apulia region, Italy. We identified PTIs by selecting the hospital discharge records of infants born between January and June 2017 using the DRG and ICD-9-CM codes for preterm birth, and we matched these data with records included in the regional immunization registry. We analyzed coverage and timeliness of vaccination. To investigate adverse events (AEs) after the first dose, we interviewed via phone the parents of PTIs vaccinated with at least one dose of the DTaP2-IPV-HB-Hib vaccine. At the time of our analysis (31.12.2017), 866/936 (92.5%) PTIs received the first dose of hexavalent vaccine and 539/936 (57.6%) were vaccinated by the third month of age, as recommended; 700/866 (80.8%) received the DTaP2-IPV-HB-Hib vaccine. The parents of 339 PTIs vaccinated with the DTaP2-IPV-HB-Hib vaccine reported local pain as the most common reaction (35.7% of the children). Erythema, swelling, induration and nodule were also reported in about 25% of the children. Systemic adverse events were generally rarer than local reactions. No serious AEs were reported. Our findings showed that more than 40% of PTIs received delayed hexavalent vaccination. This study showed a reassuring safety profile of the vaccine in the preterm population and may be considered as a pilot for further real-world studies

Rast, smrtnost i prinos olige (Atherina boyeri Risso, 1810) iz lagune Lesina (Jadransko more, Italija)

Population structure, growth, age, mortality and exploitation status of Atherina boyeri, caught in the period from June 2013 to May 2014 in the Lesina lagoon (Apulia region, southern Adriatic) was studied. Samples were taken each month by using beach seines . The length–weight relationship of all sand smell specimens was described by the equation W=0.012*TL 3.10; (R2= 0.84). Population parameters including the asymptotic length (L∞) and growth coefficient (K) were assessed to evaluate the stock status. The recruitment pattern was modeled with a FiSAT routine. The asymptotic length (L∞) was 111.0 mm, while the growth coefficient (K) was 0.68 year−1. The growth performance index ((φ’) reached 3.92. The total mortality coefficient “Z”, the natural mortality coefficient “M” and the fishing mortality coefficient “F” were estimated as 2.24, 1.48 and 0.76 year-1, respectively. Exploitation rate for the population of A. boyeri in the Lesina lagoon estimated as 0.34 was resulted still lower than the predicted maximum value of Emax 0.59. The probability of capture indicated that L50 was of 55.57 mm, indicating that the stock of sand smelt in Lesina lagoon is not being over-fished.Istraživana je struktura populacije, rast, starost, smrtnost i status eksploatacije olige Atherinaboyeri, ulovljene u razdoblju od lipnja 2013. do svibnja 2014. u laguni Lesina (regija Apulija, južni Jadran). Uzorci su uzimani svaki mjesec pomoću mreže potegače.Dužinsko-maseni odnos opisan je jednadžbom W = 0,012 * TL 3,10; (R2 = 0,84). Utvrđeni su parametri populacije, uključujući asimptotsku duljinu (L∞) i koeficijent rasta (K), kako bi se procijenilo stanje zaliha. Obrazac novačenja modeliran je FiSAT rutinom. Asimptotska duljina (L∞) iznosila je 111,0 mm, dok je koeficijent rasta (K) iznosio 0,68 godina − 1. Indeks učinka rasta (φ’) dosegnuo je 3,92. Ukupni koeficijent smrtnosti „Z“, koeficijent prirodne smrtnosti „M“ i koeficijent mortaliteta ribolova „F“ procijenjeni su na 2,24, 1,48 i 0,76 godina-1.Stopa eksploatacije populacije olige u Lesinskoj laguni procijenjena na 0,34 rezultirala je i dalje nižom od predviđene maksimalne vrijednosti Emax 0,59

Effects of commercial formulations of glyphosate on marine crustaceans and implications for risk assessment under temperature changes.

Abstract Glyphosate-based formulations are the most commonly used herbicides worldwide with the risk of potential contamination of aquatic bodies. The present study assessed the response of four marine crustaceans to three different brands of herbicides Roundup®Platinum, Efesto® and Taifun® MK CL.T, under two selected temperatures of 20 °C and 30 °C. The harpacticoid copepod Tigriopus fulvus, the anostracan Artemia franciscana, the amphipod Corophium insidiosum and the isopod Sphaeroma serratum were chosen as testing organisms. Effects of herbicides and temperatures were assessed by estimating lethal concentrations. The results showed that the high temperature rises the toxicity of glyphosate with an increase of mortality of all the tested species. This is an important aspect for future risk assessments of pesticides under global climate change scenarios. Efesto® resulted the most toxic brand, showing C. insidiosum the most sensitive with 96 h-LC50 values of 3.25 mg/L acid equivalent (a.e.) at 30 °C and 7.94 mg/L a.e. at 20 °C followed by T. fulvus while A. franciscana and S. serratum were the less sensitive. This study provides important information for assessing the toxic effects of three different brands of glyphosate-based herbicides on non-target marine organisms suggesting that they should be carefully managed to minimize any negative impact on marine organisms

Practical aspects related to the measurement of the diffuse field absorption coefficient in scaled reverberation rooms

The scaled reverberation room has proven to be an excellent tool for acoustic consultants and professionals alike to carry out comparison tests between acoustic materials and 3D systems or structures. The suitability of a scaled reverberation room is currently under investigation for the evaluation of the frequency-dependent sound absorption. At present, no standard is available on the methods that could be used to derive acoustic absorption coefficients from scaled measurements. In this work practical aspects of ISO 354 have been investigated within a 1:5 scaled reverberation room: a balance has been sought between reducing sample size, to reduce the manufacturing costs of materials, and finding the appropriate sample area, thickness, orientation and edges treatment, to obtain reliable values at mid and high frequencies. Four different materials have been tested. The paper discusses some of the findings of the measurements conducted on the same materials in a full-scale reverberation room according to ISO 354, in a 1:5 scaled reverberation room and in an impedance tube according to ISO 10534-2. The absorption coefficients data collected have been effective in proving that small reverberation room tests can provide compatible results compared to standard ones in 400-5000 Hz frequency range

Symmetry‐Breaking Charge‐Transfer Chromophore Interactions Supported by Carbon Nanodots

Carbon dots (CDs) and their derivatives are useful platforms for studying electron-donor/acceptor interactions and dynamics therein. Herein, we couple amorphous CDs with phthalocyanines (Pcs) that act as electron donors with a large extended p-surface and intense absorption across the visible range of the solar spectrum. Investigations of the intercomponent interactions by means of steady-state and pump-probe transient absorption spectroscopy reveal symmetry-breaking charge transfer/separation and recombination dynamics within pairs of phthalocyanines. The CDs facilitate the electronic interactions between the phthalocyanines. Thus, our findings suggest that CDs could be used to support electronic couplings in multichromophoric systems and further increase their applicability in organic electronics, photonics, and artificial photosynthesisFil: Cacioppo, Michele. Università degli Studi di Trieste; ItaliaFil: Scharl, Tobias. Universitat Erlangen-Nuremberg; AlemaniaFil: Dordevic, Luka. Università degli Studi di Trieste; ItaliaFil: Cadranel, Alejandro. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Ciudad Universitaria. Instituto de Química, Física de los Materiales, Medioambiente y Energía. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Instituto de Química, Física de los Materiales, Medioambiente y Energía; ArgentinaFil: Arcudi, Francesca. Università degli Studi di Trieste; ItaliaFil: Guldi, Dirk. Universitat Erlangen-Nuremberg; AlemaniaFil: Prato, Maurizio. Università degli Studi di Trieste; Itali

A Novel Study and Meta-Analysis of the Genetic Variation of the Serotonin Transporter Promoter in the Italian Population Do Not Support a Large Effect on Alzheimer's Disease Risk

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disorder whose clinical onset is mainly characterized by memory loss. During AD progression, behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD) frequently occur. In this paper we evaluated the association between AD and the short/long (S/L) functional polymorphism of the promoter region of the 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) transporter gene (SLC6A4). The S-allele shows a 2-fold reduced transcriptional rate, causing an imbalance in 5-HT intracellular availability that might in turn trigger behavioral and cognitive alterations. We also genotyped the SLC6A4 promoter functional variant rs25531 (A → G). By comparing the genotypic and allelic frequencies in an Italian population of 235 AD and 207 controls, we found an association between 5-HTTLPR and AD (odds ratio for the L-allele versus the S-allele: 0.74, associated P value = .03), while no difference was found for the rs25531. A meta-analysis of studies in Italy assessing 5-HTTLPR and AD risk gave an estimation of odds ratio for the L-allele versus the S-allele of 0.85 (associated P value = .08). Overall, our findings are not supportive of a large genetic effect of the explored polymorphisms on AD risk

REDUCTION OF INVASIVE DISEASE IN CHILDREN TWO DECADES AFTER THE INTRODUCTION OF HAEMOPHILUS INFLUENZAE TYPE B CONJUGATE VACCINATION IN APULIA REGION, ITALY

Background Haemophilus influenzae type b conjugate (Hib) monovalent vaccination, consisting of 2p+1 doses at 3, 5, and 11 months of age, was introduced in the Italy’s infant immunization schedule in 1999 and included in the DTaP-HBV-IPV/Hib hexavalent vaccine since 2001. The estimated vaccination coverage was 83.4% in 2002, >90% by 2005, and >95% by 2011 [1-4]. In the Apulia region of Italy (about 4,000,000 inhabitants), vaccination coverage for 3 doses reached 75% in 2001, >90% by 2002, and >95% by 2007 (Graph. 1).Methods We considered annual age-specific hospitalization rates in infants <1 year and children 1-4 years as a proxy for incidence in the period 1996-2014. The attributable benefit was calculated as the reduction in incidence of Haemophilus influenzae invasive disease among vaccinated children attributable to the routine use of Hib monovalent vaccine during 1999-2000 (“Hib-monovalent period”) and of the hexavalent DTPa-HBV-IPV/Hib vaccine in the period 2001-2014 (“DTPa-HBV-IPV/Hib period”). The prevented fraction was calculated as the proportion of hypothetical total cases that were prevented by the use of monovalent and hexavalent vaccine, respectively (Panel A) [5]Results The hospitalization rate for Haemophilus influenzae invasive disease among infants decreased from 11.5 (95% CI= 1.4-21.6) per 100,000 in the 1996-1998 pre-vaccination period to 6 (95% CI= -1.4-13.3) per 100,000 in the “Hib-monovalent period”, with an estimated AleB of -5.5 per 100,000 and a PedF of 48.2%. It declined further to 1 (95% CI= -2.2-4.1) per 100,000 in the “DTaP-HBV-IPV/Hib period”, with an AleB of -10.5 per 100,000 and a PedF of 91.6% (Graph. 2). The rate of hospitalization among children aged 1-4 year remained stable at 2.4 per 100.000 from the pre- vaccination period through “Hib-monovalent period” (AleB=0; PedF=2%) and declined to 0.1 (95% CI= - 0.4-0.7) per 100,000 in the “DTaP-HBV-IPV/Hib period”, with an AleB of -2.3 per 100,000 and a PedF of 94.3% (Graph. 3)Conclusions * Hib-monovalent period - ** DTPa-HBV-IPV/Hib period In the Apulia region of Italy, the proportion of Haemophilus influenzae invasive disease requiring hospitalization in children aged <5 years presumably prevented by the introduction of Hib universal vaccination amounted to more than nine in ten cases. These findings are consistent with increased vaccine coverage rates as a result of the wide use of the hexavalent combination vaccines