Using Freshwater Mussels as an Indicator for River Water Quality

Using the freshwater mussel to monitor water quality is a practical and advantageous way to use nature’s indicator species. River water quality is an important measurement that is constantly monitored for many purposes. The sampling involved with monitoring can be very costly and time-consuming. Using mussels as indicator species could save money and time. So, this project has been dedicated to exploring the applications and reality of using freshwater mussels to monitor river quality

Composizione dello "sporco" (macrobenthos non commerciale) della pesca a strascico Campagna MEDITS 2016 - Stretto di Sicilia

E' riportata la lista tassonomica del macrobenthos campionato nel corso del trawl-survey MEDITS 2016 svolto nello Stretto di Sicilia

Composizione dello "sporco" (macrobenthos non commerciale) della pesca a strascico Campagna MEDITS 2013 - Stretto di Sicilia

E’ riportata la lista tassonomica del macrobenthos campionato nel corso del trawl-surveys MEDITS 2013 svolto nello Stretto di Sicilia

Composizione dello "sporco" (macrobenthos non commerciale) della pesca a strascico Campagna GRUND 2008 - Stretto di Sicilia

E’ riportata la lista tassonomica del macrobenthos campionato nel corso del trawl-surveys GRUND 2008 svolto nello Stretto di Sicilia

Durability of biodegradable polymers for the conservation of cultural heritage

The use of polymers for conservation of cultural heritage is related to the possibility to slow down or stop natural deterioration which, in many cases, corresponds to stopping the entrance of liquid water and to favor spontaneous water vapor removal. Unfortunately, hydrophobicity is generally favored by surface roughness and thus competitive with transparency. It is therefore important to find an optimal balance hydrophobicity, transparency and durability (especially to photooxidation). However, polymers typically used for applications in this field come from non-renewable resources and are not biodegradable. In this work, the mechanical, structural, and optical properties of PLA, PBAT, and a PBAT/PLA blends, as well as surface properties and water vapor permeability, were investigated before and after exposure to UV irradiation, in order to evaluate their durability and suitability for conservation of cultural heritage

Theory of mind in utterance interpretation: the case from clinical pragmatics

The cognitive basis of utterance interpretation is an area that continues to provoke intense theoretical debate among pragmatists. That utterance interpretation involves some type of mind-reading or theory of mind (ToM) is indisputable. However, theorists are divided on the exact nature of this ToM-based mechanism. In this paper, it is argued that the only type of ToM-based mechanism that can adequately represent the cognitive basis of utterance interpretation is one which reflects the rational, intentional, holistic character of interpretation. Such a ToM-based mechanism is supported on conceptual and empirical grounds. Empirical support for this view derives from the study of children and adults with pragmatic disorders. Specifically, three types of clinical case are considered. In the first case, evidence is advanced which indicates that individuals with pragmatic disorders exhibit deficits in reasoning and the use of inferences. These deficits compromise the ability of children and adults with pragmatic disorders to comply with the rational dimension of utterance interpretation

Treatment of human brucellosis with rifampin plus minocycline

In order to evaluate the efficacy and tolerability of a high intravenous dose of rifampin plus oral minocycline (administered daily for 3 weeks) for the treatment of acute brucellosis, we retrospectively reviewed the outcome of 239 consecutive patients (135 adults and 104 children) diagnosed and treated over a 17-year period in Italy. The combination used resulted in 100% response and a relapse rate lower than 2%. Fifty-two (30 adults and 22 children) (29.8%) complained of mild adverse effects including an increase in aspartate aminotransferase (>250 IU) observed in 12 cases and considered related to rifampin and in 11 cases a reversible hyperpigmentation of the tongue attributed to minocycline. A randomized prospective comparative study should be performed to confirm our encouraging result