EVOLUZIONE DELLA LAGUNA DI TONNARELLA (MAZARA DEL VALLO, TRAPANI) E SUO ATTUALE VALORE ORNITOLOGICO

Temporal changing of Tonnarella lagoon (Mazara del Vallo, Trapani) and its current ornithological value. Aims of this work were to highlight the importance of a small and artificial recently formed wetland area, that presents different interesting ornithological peculiarities. The Tonnarella lagoon is a breeding site of Little Tern Sternula albifrons and Kentish Plover Charadrius alexandrinus, both classified as “endangered” species in 2011 by the Red List of breeding birds in Italy; the site is considered of “national importance“ for Kentish Plover and “recorded site“ for the Sandwich Tern Sterna sandvicensis, due to the consistency of its wintering populations. Besides, the ornithological importance of this zone increases by the presence of migrating species included in the “Birds” 79/409/CEE Directive and in the Bern, Bonn and Washington international conventions; their status is considered at risk in the near future, according to the most recent estimates in Europe. The value of this area has been also highlighted by the method of evaluation H.A.T., both for breeding and wintering species. Nevertheless, Tonnarella lagoon is at risk of disappearing, because of the competent Authority choices to use it as storage for the dredging of sludge extracted from the harbour of Mazara del Vallo

IL SUCCIACAPRE CAPRIMULGUS EUROPAEUS (Aves Caprimulgiformes) NIDIFICANTE ALLO STAGNONE DI MARSALA (TRAPANI)

First breeding of Nightjar Caprimulgus europaeus (Aves Caprimulgiformes) in the Stagnone di Marsala (Trapani, western Sicily

Status of the Golden Eagle Aquila chrysaetos in Sicily

In the present work, we review all the relevant information since the first Regional Atlas of breeding birds (Massa 1985), and we add field data on the species occurrence and site occupancy relative to the period January 2014-December 2016, in order to update the species’ status in Sicily

Comparative antiviral activity of integrase inhibitors in human monocyte-derived macrophages and lymphocytes

The activity of raltegravir and 4 other integrase inhibitors (MK-2048, L870,810, IN2, and IN5) was investigated in primary human macrophages, PBMC and C8166-lymphocytic T cells, in order to determine their relative potency and efficacy in different cellular systems of HIV infection. Raltegravir showed better protective efficacy in all cell types; MK-2048, L870,810 and IN5 showed a potent anti-HIV-1 activity in macrophages, while in lymphocytes only MK-2048 and L870,810 showed an inhibitory effect comparable to raltegravir. IN2 was a poorly effective anti-HIV-1 compound in all cellular systems. All effective integrase inhibitors exhibited a potent antiviral activity against both X4 and R5 HIV-1 strains. In general, raltegravir, MK-2048, L870,810 and IN5 showed anti HIV activity similar or slightly higher in macrophages compared to PBMC and C8166 T cells: for MK-2048, the EC(50) was 0.4, 0.9, 11.5nM in macrophages, in PBMCs and T cells, respectively; for L870,810, the EC(50) was 1.5, 14.3, and 10.6nM, respectively; for IN5 the EC(50) was 0.5, 13.7, and 5.7nM, respectively

Effect of iron doping on the properties of nanopowders and coatings on the basis of Al2O3 produced by pulsed electron beam evaporation

Multiphase nanopowders (NPs) and amorphous/amorphous-nanocrystalline coatings (A-NC) have been prepared by the evaporation of ceramic targets of Al2O3-Fe2O3 (0.1, 3, 5 Fe2O3 mass %) by a pulsed electron beam in vacuum. The specific surface area of NP Al2O3-Fe2O3 reached 277 m2/g. The α and γ phases Al2O3 and other nonidentified phases have been found in the composition of NP Al2O3-Fe2O3. All coatings contained an insignificant fraction of the crystalline γ phase. No secondary phases on the basis of iron have been revealed. According to transmission electron microscopy, the fine fraction of NP Al2O3-Fe2O3 consists of amorphous nanoparticles of an irregular and quasispherical shape no more than 10 nm in size which form agglomerates reaching 1.5 μm. A large fraction of NPs consists of crystal spherical nanoparticles with preferential sizes of about 10-20 nm. All NP Al2O3-Fe2O3 showed ferromagnetic behavior at room temperature. The maximum magnetic response has been established in NPs with a minimum iron content (1.1 mass %). The pulsed cathode luminescence spectra of coatings and NP Al2O3-Fe2O3 have been presented by a wide band in the wavelength range of 300-900 nm regardless of their phase composition. Phase transformations into NP AL2O3-1.1% Fe and coatings from undoped Al2O3 heated to 1400°C occur according to the following scheme: amorphous phase → γ → δ → θ → α, regardless of their initial phase composition. The threshold of thermal stability of the Γ phase in NPs and the coating of undoped Al2O3 does not exceed 830°C. For the first time, the increased thermo and optically stimulated luminescent response comparable with the response of the leading TLD-500K thermoluminescent dosimeter has been reached in A-NC coatings of undoped Al2O3. © 2013 Pleiades Publishing, Ltd

Luminescent and dosimetric properties of thin nanostructured layers of aluminum oxide obtained using evaporation of a target by a pulsed electron beam

Results of a study of optically and thermally stimulated luminescence (OSL and TL) of thin nanostructured aluminum oxide coatings obtained with evaporation of the target by a pulsed electron beam and deposited on quartz glass, Al, steel, Cu, Ta, and graphite wafers are presented. It follows from data of X-ray phase analysis that the obtained Al2O3 layers have an amorphous nanocrystal structure with different contents of the γ phase depending on the geometry of the wafer location on evaporation and annealing temperature of the samples. It is established that the material of the wafer and the ratio of the amorphous and γ phase in Al2O3 layers affect the yields of OSL and TL. Annealing at up to 970 K results in an increase of γ-phase concentration and OSL and TL responses. It was found that the yields of OSL and TL for the most emission-effective coating samples are comparable with those for the detectors on the basis of anion-defective corundum. The dose-dependence for β radiation, which was linear in the range 20-5000 mGy, was investigated. © 2013 Pleiades Publishing, Ltd

Enzyme replacement therapy with agalsidase beta improves cardiac involvement in Fabry's disease.

Fabry's disease is an X-linked lysosomal storage disease caused by a deficiency of alpha-galactosidase that results in an accumulation of neutral glycosphingolipids throughout the body, including the cardiovascular system. Fabry cardiomyopathy, characterized by progressive severe concentric left ventricular (LV) hypertrophy, is very frequent and is the most important cause of death in affected patients. Enzyme replacement therapy (ERT) allows a specific treatment for this disease, however, there are very few data on the effectiveness of therapy on cardiac involvement. Nine patients with Fabry cardiac disease were studied on basal condition and after 6 and 12 months of treatment with algasidase beta (Fabrazyme). A complete clinical, electrocardiographic and echocardiographic evaluation was performed in all patients. Interpretable Doppler recordings of transmitral flow and pulmonary flow velocity curves were also acquired. At baseline, the patients with Fabry's disease had increased LV septum and posterior wall thickness, normal LV fractional shortening, LV ejection fraction, normal Doppler parameters of mitral inflow but a duration of pulmonary vein flow velocity wave exceeding that of the mitral wave at atrial systole. ERT did not affect heart rate and arterial pressure. LV internal diameters did not change, there was a slight but not significant decrease in the LV posterior wall thickening and a progressive decrease in the interventricular septum thickening (p < 0.025) and in LV mass (p < 0.001) The difference in duration between pulmonary vein flow velocity wave and mitral wave at atrial systole significantly decreased (p < 0.001). These results suggest that ERT in patients with Fabry cardiomyopathy is able to reduce the LV mass and ameliorate the LV stiffness

LUVMI: an innovative payload for the sampling of volatiles at the Lunar poles

The ISECG identifies one of the first exploration steps as in situ investigations of the moon or asteroids. Europe is developing payload concepts for drilling and sample analysis, a contribution to a 250kg rover as well as for sample return. To achieve these missions, ESA depends on international partnerships. Such missions will be seldom, expensive and the drill/sample site selected will be based on observations from orbit not calibrated with ground truth data. Many of the international science community’s objectives can be met at lower cost, or the chances of mission success improved and the quality of the science increased by making use of an innovative, low mass, mobile robotic payload following the LEAG recommendations. LUVMI provides a smart, low mass, innovative, modular mobile payload comprising surface and subsurface sensing with an in-situ sampling technology capable of depth-resolved extraction of volatiles, combined with a volatile analyser (mass spectrometer) capable of identifying the chemical composition of the most important volatiles. This will allow LUVMI to: traverse the lunar surface prospecting for volatiles; sample subsurface up to a depth of 10 cm (with a goal of 20 cm); extract water and other loosely bound volatiles; identify the chemical species extracted; access and sample permanently shadowed regions (PSR). The main innovation of LUVMI is to develop an in situ sampling technology capable of depth-resolved extraction of volatiles, and then to package within this tool, the analyser itself, so as to maximise transfer efficiency and minimise sample handling and its attendant mass requirements and risk of sample alteration. By building on national, EC and ESA funded research and developments, this project will develop to TRL6 instruments that together form a smart modular mobile payload that could be flight ready in 2020. The LUVMI sampling instrument will be tested in a highly representative environment including thermal, vacuum and regolith simulant and the integrated payload demonstrated in a representative environment