THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT OF POWER LINES ON BIRDS IN SICILY

Electrocution is a serious conservation problem worldwide for a large number of bird species (BEVANGER, 1994, 1998; BIRDLIFE INTERNATIONAL, 2004; PRINSEN et al., 2011). Due to its wide extension, it is necessary to seek methods that optimize the identification of the most dangerous pylons (JANSS and FERRER, 2001; MANOSA, 2001), lines and the highest risk areas (TINTÓ et al., 2010; GUIL et al., 2011). Actually, the data on bird mortality caused by electrocution and collision in Sicily are deficient, however, a preliminary study suggests that the White Stork (Ciconia ciconia L., 1758) is one of the most threatened species inside two Special Protection Areas (SPA) (ZAFARANA and BARBERA, 2016). The project C.L.E.S.A. aims at making a complete checklist of the species at risk, collecting information from published articles and personal reports. Unpublished data were collected through a request for information widely circulated among professional and dabbler ornithologists, local sections of bird conservation ONG and wildlife services. A standard monitoring method was used to collect data, monthly during the entire sampling period. First, we selected different transects randomly, and, subsequently, we counted and removed all the birds found dead. A total of 152 cases were collected from 1996 to 2017, of which 85 caused by electrocution and 67 by collision. The 55.5% of the founded species are considered as “Birds of Community Importance” (included in Annex I of the Council Directive 2009/147/EC on the conservation of wild birds). C. ciconia is the most species killed by electrocution and Phoenicopterus roseus Pallas, 1811 by collision. These preliminary results suggest that this problem, as well as having serious consequences in terms of conservation, could has serious economic repercussions for human societies, as power failures, loss of revenue, necessity of repairs infrastructures and cost of legal compliance (LEHMAN et al., 2007). The monitoring activities of the C.L.E.S.A. volunteers have the purpose of implementing direct conservation actions for endangered species. The synergy between power companies and C.L.E.S.A. will be basic to adopt the measures suggested by the Conference of the Parties in Resolution 7.4 "Electrocution of migratory birds" (BONN, 2002) and the current management plans for SPAs. This partnership will improve the effective field actions in Sicily

Surgical management of Glioma Grade 4: technical update from the neuro-oncology section of the Italian Society of Neurosurgery (SINch®): a systematic review

Purpose: The extent of resection (EOR) is an independent prognostic factor for overall survival (OS) in adult patients with Glioma Grade 4 (GG4). The aim of the neuro-oncology section of the Italian Society of Neurosurgery (SINch®) was to provide a general overview of the current trends and technical tools to reach this goal. Methods: A systematic review was performed. The results were divided and ordered, by an expert team of surgeons, to assess the Class of Evidence (CE) and Strength of Recommendation (SR) of perioperative drugs management, imaging, surgery, intraoperative imaging, estimation of EOR, surgery at tumor progression and surgery in elderly patients. Results: A total of 352 studies were identified, including 299 retrospective studies and 53 reviews/meta-analysis. The use of Dexamethasone and the avoidance of prophylaxis with anti-seizure medications reached a CE I and SR A. A preoperative imaging standard protocol was defined with CE II and SR B and usefulness of an early postoperative MRI, with CE II and SR B. The EOR was defined the strongest independent risk factor for both OS and tumor recurrence with CE II and SR B. For intraoperative imaging only the use of 5-ALA reached a CE II and SR B. The estimation of EOR was established to be fundamental in planning postoperative adjuvant treatments with CE II and SR B and the stereotactic image-guided brain biopsy to be the procedure of choice when an extensive surgical resection is not feasible (CE II and SR B). Conclusions: A growing number of evidences evidence support the role of maximal safe resection as primary OS predictor in GG4 patients. The ongoing development of intraoperative techniques for a precise real-time identification of peritumoral functional pathways enables surgeons to maximize EOR minimizing the post-operative morbidity

Morphological and molecular characterization of three new Parastenocarididae (Copepoda: Harpacticoida) from caves in Southern Italy

We describe three new parastenocaridid: Cottarellicaris sanctiangeli Bruno &amp; Cottarelli sp. nov., Stammericaris vincentimariae Bruno &amp; Cottarelli sp. nov. and Proserpinicars specincola Bruno &amp; Cottarelli sp. nov., collected in the pools of five different caves located in Calabria (Southern Italy). We conducted a phylogenetic analysis based on the mitochondrial COI and ribosomal 18S sequences of C. sanctiangeli sp. nov. and S. vincentimariae sp. nov., and of four more species of Stammericaris and one Proserpinicaris available from literature. Based on the molecular study, the specimens of C. sanctiangeli sp. nov. are clearly separated from the species belonging to the closely-related genus Stammericaris. The morphological and molecular data indicate that the genera belonging to the two subfamilies Parastenocaridinae and Fontinalicaridinae form two monophyletic and distinct clades, thus supporting their status. We also provide insights on the genus Proserpinicaris based on morphological data only; in particular, the most important synapomorphic character of the genus, i.e., the taxonomic value of the hyaline structure inserted on the anterior surface of the male leg 4 basis, is discussed based on the development of the P4 endopod, as observed in the last copepodid stage of some species of this genus. Finally, we widen the biogeographic and ecological knowledge of the three genera.</p

Les assemblages fossiles de chauves-souris de la Grotta dei Pipistrelli à Pantalica (Sud-Est de la Sicile, Italie) : implications chronologiques et paléoécologiques

Les restes de chauves-souris sont utiles pour les reconstructions paléoécologiques; ils fournissent des informations indépendantes sur le paléoenvironnement et ils sont de bons indicateurs pour les microclimats hypogés. Neuf taxons de Chiroptera divisés en trois familles (Rhinolophidae, Vespertilionidae et Miniopteridae) et quatre genres (Rhinolophus, Myotis, Plecotus et Miniopterus) ont été découverts dans trois assemblages fossiles de la Grotta dei Pipistrelli, en Sicile, région clé pour la compréhension des climats et des environnements du Quaternaire. Les restes de chauves-souris ont été déposés pendant trois périodes distinctes: une au Pléistocène supérieur, MIS 2, autour du dernier maximum glaciaire, et deux à l’Holocène, tous les deux se référant à la chronozone Atlantique. La présence d’individus jeunes, adultes et âgés suggère des colonies en hibernation, mais la grotte a également été utilisée pour la reproduction. La diversité des taxons indique un paysage composite à couverture végétale dominante et des conditions climatiques relativement chaudes. Les variations en pourcentage des fréquences des taxons reconnus suggèrent une augmentation progressive des espaces ouverts dans l’Holocène moyen.Bat remains are useful for palaeoecological reconstructions, they provide independent information on palaeoenvironment and are good indicators for hypogean microclimates. Nine taxa of Chiroptera divided into three families (Rhinolophidae, Vespertilionidae and Miniopteridae) and four genera (Rhinolophus, Myotis, Plecotus and Miniopterus) were discovered in three fossil assemblages from the Grotta dei Pipistrelli, in Sicily, a key region for an understanding of Quaternary climates and environments. Bat remains were deposited during three distinct timespans: one late Pleistocene, MIS 2, around the Last Glacial Maximum, and two Holocene, both referable to the Atlantic chronozone. The presence of yearlings, adult and old individuals suggests hibernating colonies, but the cave was also utilized as a nursery. The diversity of taxa indicates a composite landscape with prevailing vegetation cover and relatively warm climatic conditions. The percentage variations of the frequencies of the recognized taxa suggest a progressive increase of open spaces in the middle Holocene.</p

SULLA INTEGRAZION'E DELLA EQUAZIONE SEMIPLIFICATA DEL MOTO VARIO DI UNA FALDA FREATICA.

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Antimicrobial Resistance in Physiological and Potentially Pathogenic Bacteria Isolated in Southern Italian Bats

The spread of antimicrobial resistance is one of the major health emergencies of recent decades. Antimicrobial-resistant bacteria threaten not only humans but also populations of domestic and wild animals. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the distribution of antibiotic resistance (AMR) and multidrug resistance (MDR) in bacterial strains isolated from six Southern-Italian bat populations. Using the disk diffusion method, we evaluated the antimicrobial susceptibility of 413 strains of Gram-negative bacteria and 183 strains of Gram-positive bacteria isolated from rectal (R), oral (O) and conjunctival (C) swabs of 189 bats belonging to 4 insectivorous species (Myotis capaccinii, Myotis myotis, Miniopterus schreibersii and Rhinolophus hipposideros). In all bat species and locations, numerous bacterial strains showed high AMR levels for some of the molecules tested. In both Gram-negative and Gram-positive strains, the resistance patterns ranged from one to thirteen. MDR patterns varied significantly across sites, with Grotta dei Pipistrelli in Pantalica displaying the highest levels of MDR (77.2% of isolates). No significant differences were found across different bat species. Monitoring antibiotic resistance in wildlife is a useful method of evaluating the impact of anthropic pressure and environmental pollution. Our analysis reveals that anthropic contamination may have contributed to the spread of the antibiotic resistance phenomenon among the subjects we examined

Epikarstic crustaceans from some Italian caves: endemisms and spatial scales.

The epikarst crustacean fauna from four Sicilian caves (Conza, Entella, Molara, and Zubbia del Cavallo caves) and four caves in the Lessinian Massif in the Venetian Prealps (Covolo della Croce, Ponte di Veja, Roverè Mille, Buso della Rana caves) was recently investigated. The two groups of caves differ in their environmental conditions: the Sicilian caves are fossil except one which has an active branch; they are all fed by strongly intermittent and scarce rainfall peaking in the fall. The Lessinian caves are fed by more abundant rainfall, with two yearly peaks (May-June and October-November); two of them are active, one has a temporary stream, one is fossil. The crustacean fauna found in the epikarst drip of each of the studied caves is characterized by interesting endemic harpacticoid and cyclopoid copepods, and one bathynellacean syncarid, often collected in only one cave. Higher diversity of stygobiotic taxa was recorded for the Lessinian caves (9 species of copepods in the Lessinian, and 6 species of copepods and one bathynellacean in Sicily); most of the taxa collected in Sicily are endemic to one cave. Spatial analysis showed very different distributions over short spatial scales (tens of kilometers) and, within each cave, the distribution also varied over distances of a few meters. Our data correspond with other studies where many epikarst crustaceans showed a distribution with a linear extent of only a few hundred meters: the epikarst fauna is not uniformly distributed but rather divided in “blocks” probably characterized by different environmental conditions and, as a consequence, by different taxocoenoses. The data highlight the epikarst as a source of “hidden” biodiversity, and the importance of management protection plans which include not only the caves, but also the epikarst overlying layer and the water sources that feed it