Predatory impact of the mosquitofish (Gambusia holbrooki Girard) on zooplanktonic populations in a pond at Tenuta di Castelporziano (Rome, Central Italy)

A study of a permanent pond located in a nature reserve in Central Italy was carried out over two periods (1985-87; 1995-98) to determine the structure and dynamics of planktonic biocoenosis. The composition of the zooplankton community was quite different in the two periods of study: in the first period, rotifers, small-bodied cladocerans and larval copepods were the dominant groups; in the second there was a shift from rotifers and microcrustaceans to dominance by large-bodied Daphnidae and adult copepods. The possibility is stressed that Gambusia holbrooki, present in 1985 and absent in 1995, may be responsible for the changes in the planktonic community

Zooplankton abundance and diversity in Lake Bracciano, Latium, Italy

The zooplankton community structure in Lake Bracciano (Latium, Central Italy) was studied in monthly surveys throughout an annual cycle (November 1998 – October 1999). The seasonal cycles and population dynamics of the dominant species are described and discussed. Copepods numerically dominated the community throughout the study period with calanoid Eudiaptomus padanus etruscosexsetosus making up the largest share of zooplankton density; moreover it accounted for the largest portion of total biovolume. Cladocerans represented a significant component of the zooplankton in the summer and autumn months. No substantial differences in regard to results of previous investigations (1971, 1972, 1984) were observed. The only differences for which there is evidence consist of the appearance of Filinia terminalis, never previously found in the lake, and the replacement of Keratella cochlearis instead of Kellicottia longispina as dominant species. However, the results of the comparison of the different investigations confirm that the trophic state of the pelagial region may be classified as oligo-mesotrophic

Cytokines in Induced Sputum: A Role for the Ratio of IL-6/IL-13 in the Differentiation of Asthma and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease?

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Large-scale survey method for the integrity of historical urban walls: application to the case of Volterra (Italy)

Abstract Several relevant collapses of historical urban walls happened in Tuscany in the last ten years, due to rainfalls. The wide extension of the walls, with difficulties of proper monitoring, joined with lack of maintenance, contributed to the failures. This recalled the attention on their vulnerability, in view to ensure a proper safety level and appropriate cultural heritage protection. In this paper, a method of extensive and quick structural survey to identify the mechanical characteristics of an historical urban wall path is proposed. It is based on geographic method of management of the territory (GIS database, satellite data). The data are obtained throughout a discretization of the walls in a wide set of vertical sections. A reduced subset of sections is directly surveyed, while the others are indirectly identified via numerical procedure, with the help of GIS data. A specific form to take note of the most relevant features is edited. The method is tested on the entire perimeter of the Middle Age walls of Volterra (2,6 km), affected by two relevant collapses in 2014. The procedure of survey is conceived to perform structural analysis to evaluate the vulnerability to landslides and earthquake risks, in view to determine restoration strategies and consolidation or monitoring programs

Tenebrio molitor as a Simple and Cheap Preclinical Pharmacokinetic and Toxicity Model

The progression of drugs into clinical phases requires proper toxicity assessment in animals and the correct identification of possible metabolites. Accordingly, different animal models are used to preliminarily evaluate toxicity and biotransformations. Rodents are the most common models used to preliminarily evaluate the safety of drugs; however, their use is subject to ethical consideration and elevated costs, and strictly regulated by national legislations. Herein, we developed a novel, cheap and convenient toxicity model using Tenebrio molitor coleoptera (TMC). A panel of 15 drugs-including antivirals and antibacterials-with different therapeutic applications was administered to TMC and the LD50 was determined. The values are comparable with those already determined in mice and rats. In addition, a TMC model was used to determine the presence of the main metabolites and in vivo pharmacokinetics (PK), and results were compared with those available from in vitro assays and the literature. Taken together, our results demonstrate that TMC can be used as a novel and convenient preliminary toxicity model to preliminarily evaluate the safety of experimental compounds and the formation of main metabolites, and to reduce the costs and number of rodents, according to 3R principles

Macroecological and spatial patterns in the distribution of cladocerans in Alpine lakes

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Validation of the Human Ozone Challenge Model as a Tool for Assessing Anti-Inflammatory Drugs in Early Development

This study aimed to test the utility of the ozone challenge model for profiling novel compounds designed to reduce airway inflammation. The authors used a randomized, doubledummy, double-blind, placebo-controlled 3-period crossover design alternating single orally inhaled doses of fluticasone propionate (inhaled corticosteroids, 2mg), oral prednisolone (oral corticosteroids, 50mg), ormatched placebo. At a 2-week interval, 18 healthy ozone responders (>10% increase in sputum neutrophils) underwent a 3-hour ozone (250 ppb)/intermittent exercise challenge starting 1 hour after drug treatment. Airway inflammation was assessed at 2 hours (breath condensate) and 3 hours (induced sputum) after ozone challenge. Compared to placebo, pretreatment with inhaled corticosteroids or oral corticosteroids resulted in a significant reduction (mean [95% confidence interval]) of sputum neutrophils by 62% (35%, 77%) and 64% (39%, 79%) and of sputum supernatant myeloperoxidase by 55% (41%, 66%) and 42% (25%, 56%), respectively. The authors conclude that an optimized ozone challenge model (including ozone responders and ensuring adequate drug levels during exposure) may be useful for testing novel anti-inflammatory compounds in early development

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and comorbidity: possible implications in the disease management

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is becoming the first cause of pulmonary disability and death. Because of the increase in the mean age of the population, COPD is frequently associated with important comorbidities that require medical attention. In the last 10 years many observational studies (large surveys of population or databases of the main health organisations or of General Practitioners in different Countries) have extensively documented that many diseases (cardiovascular diseases, metabolic syndrome, osteoporosis, diabetes, depression, and lung cancer) have a higher prevalence in COPD patients than in non-COPD ones (after correction for many confounding factors, such as smoking habit). There are two different views relating the association between COPD and comorbidities. These comorbidities may be just randomly associated with COPD (due to common risk factors including age), but many data support the hypothesis that chronic inflammation derived from airway wall and lung parenchima of COPD patients may "spill over" the systemic circulation and mediate, at least partially, negative effects on other organs or systems. Some comorbidities seem more commonly associated with the functional abnormalities of COPD (like skeletal muscle dysfunction and malnutrition, or osteoporosis, which are related to the inactivity due to dyspnoea), while for others the systemic effect of some cytokines (IL-6,TNFalfa, etc.) or mediators (CRP, serum amyloid A, etc.) may play a role.Since comorbidities represent major causes of death in COPD patients, and are responsible of poorer quality of life and hospitalisation during COPD exacerbations, their presence requires a new approach, including an interdisciplinary co-operation and the use of specific strategies able to affect the several pulmonary and extra-pulmonary components of the disease. New pharmacologic options (such as roflumilast) active on both pulmonary and extra-pulmonary inflammation might be useful in the future

Simple Method for Determining Frictional Sliding Resistance and Frictional Energy Dissipation in Layered Ceramics

Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/65478/1/j.1151-2916.1997.tb02883.x.pd

Comparison of anti-inflammatory and clinical effects of beclomethasone dipropionate and salmeterol in moderate asthma

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