Geomorphological map of the NW Coast of the Island of Malta (Mediterranean Sea)

This paper presents the results of geomorphological investigations carried along the north-western coast of the Island of Malta. Field surveys, accompanied by aerial photo-intepretation, have led to the production of a geomorphological map at 1:7500 scale which outlines the main processes and related landforms. The latter are the result of the complex interplay of structural, gravitational, coastal and karst processes. Particular attention was devoted to the recognition, identification and mapping of landslides which affect large coastal sectors of the study area, locally giving rise to hazard conditions

Reply to comment by C. Morhange, C. Flaux, P.A. Pirazzoli, M.B. Carre on \u201cHolocene Sea level Change in Malta\u201d

The pits of Birzebbugia are located near the present-day mean sea level, and some are partially submerged. They were dated using pottery discovered in an archaeological site close to the coast, dated to the Bronze Age (Zammit, 1928; Abela, 1999). As they have been interpreted as sites for the retting of flax, during their utilization they should have remained dry and the sea could not submerge them. This is the reason why these structures are not directly related to the sea level, as suggested by Biolchi et al. (2011), so they represent an upper limit.peer-reviewe

Cross-reactivity of 4CMenB vaccine-induced antibodies against meningococci belonging to non-B serogroups in Italy

The four-component meningococcal serogroup B vaccine (4CMenB) contains antigens present in the majority of meningococci causing invasive meningococcal disease (IMD) and may potentially offer protection against strains belonging to non-B serogroups. This study aimed to evaluate the ability of 4CMenB-induced antibodies to kill, in a human serum bactericidal assay (hSBA), non-B meningococci belonging to the main genotypes responsible for IMD in Italy. Meningococci, collected between 2015 and 2017, was characterized for PorA, FetA and sequence type, and for clonal complex. Twenty non-B isolates, representative of the most frequent genotypes, were molecularly characterized for 4CMenB antigens and tested in hSBA with sera from 4CMenB-vaccinated infants and adolescents. Among twenty isolates, eleven were serogroup C, five were Y, two W and two X. All isolates contained genes encoding for fHbp and NHBA antigens and four harbored the NadA full-length encoding gene. Positive hSBA titers were obtained against all serogroup W, X and Y isolates and against five serogroup C isolates. These data show that the 4CMenB vaccine can induce bactericidal antibodies against genetically representative meningococcal W, Y and X strains from Italy. For serogroup C, different susceptibilities to killing were observed for strains with similar antigenic repertoires

Multidisciplinary geological excursion in the open-air laboratory of the Island of Malta. 11-18 November 2010. Field-Trip Guide.

Si tratta della guida all'escursione geologica multidisciplinare tenutasi a Malta dall'11 al 18 novembre 2010, nell'ambito del progetto di internazionalizzazione dell'Università di Modena e Reggio Emilia dal titolo "Multidisciplinary research in the open-air laboratory of the island of Malta: an internazional network for landslide hazard assessment in coastal areas" (2008-2010) finanziato dalla Fondazione Cassa di Risparmio di Modena e Reggio Emilia, per i Corsi di Laurea Triennale in Scienze Geologiche e Magistrale in Scienze e Tecnologie Geologiche

The everchanging epidemiology of meningococcal disease worldwide and the potential for prevention through vaccination.

Neisseria meningitidis is a major cause of bacterial meningitis and septicaemia worldwide and is associated with high case fatality rates and serious life-long complications among survivors. Twelve serogroups are recognised, of which six (A, B, C, W, X and Y) are responsible for nearly all cases of invasive meningococcal disease (IMD). The incidence of IMD and responsible serogroups vary widely both geographically and over time. For the first time, effective vaccines against all these serogroups are available or nearing licensure. Over the past two decades, IMD incidence has been declining across most parts of the world through a combination of successful meningococcal immunisation programmes and secular trends. The introduction of meningococcal C conjugate vaccines in the early 2000s was associated with rapid declines in meningococcal C disease, whilst implementation of a meningococcal A conjugate vaccine across the African meningitis belt led to near-elimination of meningococcal A disease. Consequently, other serogroups have become more important causes of IMD. In particular, the emergence of a hypervirulent meningococcal group W clone has led many countries to shift from monovalent meningococcal C to quadrivalent ACWY conjugate vaccines in their national immunisation programmes. Additionally, the recent licensure of two protein-based, broad-spectrum meningococcal B vaccines finally provides protection against the most common group responsible for childhood IMD across Europe and Australia. This review describes global IMD epidemiology across each continent and trends over time, the serogroups responsible for IMD, the impact of meningococcal immunisation programmes and future needs to eliminate this devastating disease

Sea caves and coastal karst scenery along the maltese coasts: The case study of blue grotto

Tens of sea caves and other coastal karst landforms are to be found along the limestone coast of the Maltese Islands. Most of the sea caves develop around the present-day sea level, such as Blue Grotto, which is one of the widest and most spectacular sea cave on the islands. The Blue Grotto karst system is composed by partially submerged chambers, sea arches, gorges and small-scale landforms, such as coastal notches, and speleothems. Such landforms developed at the northwestern side of Wied Babu, in a half a kilometer wide bay near \u17burrieq. This chapter presents the results of a detailed geomorphological survey of these coastal and karst landforms and discusses the origin and development of the studied landforms. The close relation with the sea level suggests that the system is partly related to former enlargement of dissolutionally widened karst voids and partly related to present-day marine processes, such as waves, and subaerial processes, including rock collapse. Although most of the species recorded from the environs of Filfla are common elsewhere around the Maltese Islands, in general, the recorded biotopes exhibit high species richness values, which is indicative of a low degree of anthropogenic pressure being exerted on the site

Late Holocene widening of karst voids by marine processes in partially submerged coastal caves (Northeastern Adriatic Sea)

The coastal scenery of the Northeastern Adriatic sea is widely interested by caves and related coastal features, which are developed in correspondence of geological weaknesses of sea cliffs. We present the preliminary surveying of five partially submerged coastal caves cut in limestone cliffs, relating the dissolutionally widened vadose karst voids and the present- day forms. The analysis pointed out two well-defined morphological zones inside the caves. The boundary between the zones roughly coincides with the mean sea level. The submerged zone is mainly affected by abrasion processes on the bottom and the lateral walls, while the emerged zone is interested by karst processes and collapse of blocks from the roof. Their effects produce a bell-shaped cross-section, in which the submerged part of the caves is significantly larger than the emerged one. Considering the tectonic behaviour of the area inferred from literature the caves were flooded about 6 ka BP, when marine processes started to shape their submerged part. Our results allowed, in particular, to evaluate processes shaping the partially submerged coastal caves in the Northeastern Adriatic Sea after the marine transgression. Considering the very preliminary surveyed data, we suggest that the early phases of cave evolution was mainly dissolutionally-controlled and produced the widening of pre-existing joints or faults, as demonstrated by the occurrence of karst features in the upper part of the caves. Recent evolution is instead marine-controlled and the widening is mainly due to the overlapping of marine processes effects on karst voids, since they are closely related to the Late Holocene sea level rise

Factors triggering sea cliff instability along the Slovenian coasts

Coastal cliff behaviour in five sites along the Slovenian coast, in the North-eastern Adriatic Sea, has been studied through the comparison of 2515 images collected at the sites and more than 4500 additional pictures collected since 1998. Moreover, a detailed characterization of the geomechanical properties and the quality of rock masses, the susceptibility to rockfalls have been used in order to determine the geomechanical properties of the studied sites. Significant modifications of the cliff face are located in particular in correspondence of the sites showing poor or very poor rock mass quality. Moreover, photographic surveying suggests that cliffs are affected by a complex behaviour with respect to coastal retreat: during long stable-weather periods, cliff modifications are very low, while major changes in the cliff face occur after great storm events owing to the interaction of both marine and non-marine factors

Notches in the Northern Adriatic Sea: Genesis and development.

The genesis and development of the submerged notch occurring along the Northern Adriatic limestone coasts, surveyed at depth ranging between _0.35 and _2.8 m and amplitude consistent with the local tide is discussed using new and published data on its elevation and data on limestone lowering rates, collected using a micro-erosion meter and a traversing micro-erosion meter. Coastal limestone lowering rates in the Northern Adriatic range between 0.008 and 1.170 mm/y and they are about eight times higher than inland limestone lowering rates. Data support the hypothesis that notch is presently carving, even if no present-day notch has been surveyed in the area. The lack of a modern notch, and the presently submerged notch position, could be related to (1) a rapid still-acting tectonic downdrop or (2) an increase in weathering/erosion rates causing by different environmental conditions, e.g. during the so-called Medieval Warm Period, marked by more aggressive weathering, both chemically, biologically and/or mechanically, than present conditions, due to an increase in rainfall or variations in the acidity of seawater. Pros and cons of these hypotheses are discussed in the paper