540 research outputs found
Hepatitis B prevalence in two Maltese sub-populations
Hepatitis B surface antigen was measured by enzyme immunoassay in a random sample of 1258 healthy pregnant women attending the ante-natal clinics of St. Luke’s Hospital, Malta and Gozo General Hospital, Gozo, and 364 intravenous drug users attending the detoxification centre, SLH. Eight of the pregnant women and ten of the drug addicts were positive for the surface antigen, accounting for a prevalence of 6/1000 and 30/1000 for each cohort, respectively. This would be consistent with low/intermediate prevalence rate in accordance with WHO criteria.peer-reviewe
Thinking beyond organism energy use: A trait-based bioenergetic mechanistic approach for predictions of life history traits in marine organisms
The functional trait-based bioenergetic approach is emergent in many ecological spectra, from the conservation of natural resources to mitigation and adaptation strategies in a global climate change context. Such an approach relies on being able to exploit mechanistic rules to connect environmental human-induced variability to functional traits (i.e. all those specific traits defining species in terms of their ecological roles) and use these to provide estimates of species life history traits (LH; e.g. body size, fecundity per life span, number of reproductive events). LHs are species-specific and proximate determinants of population characteristics in a certain habitat. They represent the most valuable quantitative information to investigate how broad potential distributional boundaries of a species are, and to feed predictive population models. There is much to be found in the current literature that describes mechanistic functional trait-based bioenergetics models, using them to test ecological hypotheses, but a mathematical framework often renders interpretation and use complicated. Here, we wanted to present a simpler interpretation and description of one of the most important recent mechanistic bioenergetic theories: the dynamic energy budget theory by Kooijman (Dynamic Energy Budget Theory for Metabolic Organisation, 2010, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge). Our main aim was to disentangle those aspects that at first reading may seem too mathematically challenging to many marine biologists, ecologists and environmental scientists, and present them for use in mechanistic applications
Mitral valve infective endocarditis following device occlusion of a coronary artery fistula
A three year old girl, with a right coronary artery fistula and signs of a hyperdynamic circulation, underwent uncomplicated closure of the fistula using an occluding device introduced via the femoral arterial route and covered with appropriate antibiotics. Two months later she presented with a persistent fever, signs of infective endocarditis (IE) and embolic phenomena in the left lower limb. Mitral valve endocarditis was confirmed immediately and treated effectively. However, initial ultrasound and doppler did not show the femoral artery thrombo-occlusion that was only confirmed on magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) one month later. This case highlights the usefulness of MRA in diagnosing suspected vessel occlusion in young children, and is in keeping with the latest NICE guidelines that suggest that prophylactic antibiotics do not always prevent IE. Parent and patient education on ‘what to look out for’, combined with careful clinical vigilance is paramount in the early detection of IE with a consequent reduction in morbidity and mortality.peer-reviewe
Eco-physiological response of two marine bivalves to acute exposition to commercial Bt-based pesticide
Microbial products based on the entomopathogenic bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) are among the most common biopesticides used worldwide to suppress insect pests in forests, horticulture and agricultural crops. Some of the effects of commercial Bt have been recorded for terrestrial and freshwater non-target organisms but little research is available on marine fauna. Nevertheless, due to the contiguity of agro-ecosystems and coastal habitats, marine fauna may be highly influenced by this control method. We studied the effect of a commercial Bt product on the physiological and ecological responses and the energy budget of two of the most frequent marine intertidal bivalves in the Mediterranean, the native Mytilaster minimus and the invasive Brachidontes pharaonis. To test the effects experimentally, we simulated the worst scenarios possible using the average dose applied to fields and a hypothetical accumulation dose. The results showed the feeding rates of both species were affected detrimentally by the different experimental conditions; higher concentrations led to higher respiration rates, however neither species showed any significant difference in excretion rates. The biopesticide had a significant effect on the energy budget, the values decreasing with doses. In addition, it led to high mortality for the worst treatments and, in both species, induced significantly higher cardiac activity than in the controls. These results indicate a measurable effect of Bt commercial products on marine organisms, and great attention should be paid to biopesticides composed by entomopathogenic bacteria and addictive compounds. In addition, the results highlight the urgent need to study not only the effects of anthropogenic pressures on target organisms but also to extend our view to other ecosystems not expected to be influenced. Gaining data at the organismal level should help increase the sustainability of pest control and reduce the consequences of side-effects
Predicting biological invasions in marine habitats through eco-physiological mechanistic models: a case study with the bivalve Brachidontes pharaonis
Aim We used a coupled biophysical ecology (BE)-physiological mechanistic
modelling approach based on the Dynamic Energy Budget theory (DEB,
Dynamic energy budget theory for metabolic organisation, 2010, Cambridge
University Press, Cambridge; DEB) to generate spatially explicit predictions of physiological performance (maximal size and reproductive output) for the invasive mussel, Brachidontes pharaonis.
Location We examined 26 sites throughout the central Mediterranean Sea.
Methods We ran models under subtidal and intertidal conditions; hourly
weather and water temperature data were obtained from the Italian Buoy
Network, and monthly CHL-a data were obtained from satellite imagery.
Results Mechanistic analysis of the B. pharaonis fundamental niche shows that
subtidal sites in the Central Mediterranean are generally suitable for this invasive bivalve but that intertidal habitats appear to serve as genetic sinks.
Main conclusions A BE-DEB approach enabled an assessment of how the
physical environment affects the potential distribution of B. pharaonis. Combined with models of larval dispersal, this approach can provide estimates of the likelihood that an invasive species will become established
Dynamic Energy Budget model parameter estimation for the bivalve Mytilus californianus: Application of the covariation method
Dynamic Energy Budget (DEB) models serve as a powerful tool for describing the flow of energy through organ-
ismsfrom assimilation offoodtoutilization for maintenance,growth andreproduction.The DEB theoryhas been
successfully applied to several bivalve species to compare bioenergetic and physiological strategies for the utili-
zation of energy. In particular, mussels within the
Mytilus edulis
complex (M. edulis,M. galloprovincialis
, and M. trossulus) have been the focus of many studies due to their economic and ecological importance, and their
worldwide distribution. However, DEB parameter values have never been estimated for Mytilus californianus
,a species that is an ecological dominant on rocky intertidal shores on the west coast of North America and
which likely varies considerably from mussels in the M. edulis complex in its physiology. We estimated a set of
DEB parameters for M. californianus
using the covariation method estimation procedure and compared these
to parameter values from other bivalve species. Model parameters were used to compare sensitivity to environ-
mental variability among species, as a
first examination of how strategies for physiologically contending with
environmental change by M. californianus
may differ from those of other bivalves. Results suggest that based
on the parameter set obtained,
M. californianus has favorable energetic strategies enabling it to contend with a range of environmental conditions. For instance, the allocation fraction of reserve to soma (
\u3ba ) is among the highest of any bivalves, which is consistent with the observation that this species can survive over a wide
range of environmental conditions, including prolonged periods of starvatio
New and updated stellar parameters for 90 transit hosts. The effect of the surface gravity
Context. Precise stellar parameters are crucial in exoplanet research for
correctly determining of the planetary parameters. For stars hosting a
transiting planet, determining of the planetary mass and radius depends on the
stellar mass and radius, which in turn depend on the atmospheric stellar
parameters. Different methods can provide different results, which leads to
different planet characteristics.}%Spectroscopic surface gravities have shown
to be poorly constrained, but the photometry of the transiting planet can
provide an independent measurement of the surface gravity.
Aims. In this paper, we use a uniform method to spectroscopically derive
stellar atmospheric parameters, chemical abundances, stellar masses, and
stellar radii for a sample of 90 transit hosts. Surface gravities are also
derived photometrically using the stellar density as derived from the light
curve. We study the effect of using these different surface gravities on the
determination of the chemical abundances and the stellar mass and radius.
Methods. A spectroscopic analysis based on Kurucz models in LTE was performed
through the MOOG code to derive the atmospheric parameters and the chemical
abundances. The photometric surface gravity was determined through isochrone
fitting and the use of the stellar density, directly determined from the light
curve. Stellar masses and radii are determined through calibration formulae.
Results. Spectroscopic and photometric surface gravities differ, but this has
very little effect on the precise determination of the stellar mass in our
spectroscopic analysis. The stellar radius, and hence the planetary radius, is
most affected by the surface gravity discrepancies. For the chemical
abundances, the difference is, as expected, only noticable for the abundances
derived from analyzing of lines of ionized species.Comment: 12 pages, 6 figures, 5 tables, accepted to A&
Estimation of Dynamic Energy Budget parameters for the Mediterranean toothcarp (Aphanius fasciatus)
On the HI-Hole and AGB Stellar Population of the Sagittarius Dwarf Irregular Galaxy
Using two HST/ACS data-sets that are separated by ~2 years has allowed us to
derive the relative proper-motion for the Sagittarius dwarf irregular (SagDIG)
and reduce the heavy foreground Galactic contamination. The proper-motion
decontaminated SagDIG catalog provides a much clearer view of the young
red-supergiant and intermediate-age asymptotic giant branch populations. We
report the identification of 3 Milky Way carbon-rich dwarf stars, probably
belonging to the thin disk, and pointing to the high incidence of this class at
low Galactic latitudes. A sub-group of 4 oxygen-rich candidate stars depicts a
faint, red extension of the well-defined SagDIG carbon-rich sequence. The
origin of these oxygen-rich candidate stars remains unclear, reflecting the
uncertainty in the ratio of carbon/oxygen rich stars. SagDIG is also a gas-rich
galaxy characterized by a single large cavity in the gas disk (HI-hole), which
is offset by ~360 pc from the optical centre of the galaxy. We nonetheless
investigate the stellar feedback hypothesis by comparing the proper-motion
cleaned stellar populations within the HI-hole with appropriately selected
comparison regions, having higher HI densities external to the hole. The
comparison shows no significant differences. In particular, the centre of the
HI-hole (and the comparison regions) lack stellar populations younger than ~400
Myr, which are otherwise abundant in the inner body of the galaxy. We conclude
that there is no convincing evidence that the SagDIG HI-hole is the result of
stellar feedback, and that gravitational and thermal instabilities in the gas
are the most likely mechanism for its formation.Comment: Accepted for publication in A&A, 11 pages, 6 jpeg figure
Durability tests on lime-based mortars from the historic built heritage of Catania (Eastern Sicily, Italy): An experimental study
Supplementary data to this article can be found online at https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jobe.2023.108137Mortars, like any other natural and artificial stone materials, are subject to atmospheric weathering agents which affect their durability according to the intrinsic characteristics of the material, such as mineralogical composition, texture and pore structure.
This paper aims to investigate the physical-chemical durability of lime-based mortars made with two different volcanic aggregates, locally known as azolo and ghiara, peculiar of the historic built heritage of Catania (Eastern Sicily, Italy). An experimental approach has been used, based on the reproduction in laboratory of historic mortars by using ancient recipes. The experimental samples have been characterized from a physical point of view and then subject to accelerated aging tests. Specifically, the samples have undergone: i) mineralogical investigations through X-ray diffraction (XRD); ii) thin section analysis by polarized optical microscopy; iii) pore structure analysis through mercury intrusion porosimetry (MIP); iii) water absorption by capillarity; iii) water vapor permeability test; iv) accelerated aging test by salt crystallization; v) decay by sulfur dioxide.
Results obtained highlight that the higher microporosity which characterizes the ghiara mortars is certainly responsible for their greater water absorption by capillarity as well as for their lower resistance to salt crystallization and exposure to sulfur dioxide, with respect to azolo-based ones.PNRR project PE5 “CHANGES - Cultural Heritage Active Innovation for Sustainable
Society” – Spoke 5 (CUP E63C22001960006)EU-funded PON REACT project (CUP E65F21002200005)RNM 179 of the Junta de Andalucía (Spain
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