The contribution of geophysical prospecting to the multidisciplinary study of the Sarno Baths, Pompeii

This paper focuses on the contribution of geophysical measurements to the study of the Sarno Baths in Pompeii in the context of the MACH project funded by the University of Padua. Between 2016 and 2017, a series of geophysical measurements were carried out inside and outside the Sarno Baths in order to support the multidisciplinary study of this archaeological site. High-frequency ground penetrating radar (GPR) antennas have been applied to the characterization of horizontal and vertical structural elements (vaults and walls) of the building, where GPR acquisitions and electrical resistivity tomography (ERT) were used in the open field to identifying possible archaeological features. In general, the results made by these geophysical measurements provide new information supporting both structural analysis and preliminary archaeological excavation conducted in this area

Geomorphic floodplain mapping in small Mediterranean catchments using LiDAR data

Recent advances in remote sensing technologies along with the increased availability of topographic data have lately encouraged the development of automatic DEM (Digital Elevation Model)-based procedures for floodplain delineation. Geomorphic methods, establishing relationships between flood descriptors and morphologic catchment characteristics, appear particularly suitable to be implemented within a GIS algorithm. In the present work, four simplified geomorphic approaches based on “flow-depth scaling laws” (FD) or “flow-cross-sectional area scaling laws” (FA) with contributing area and two methods employing two different flood descriptors (Hydro-Geomorphic Method, HGM and Geomorphic Flood Index method, GFIM) have been applied for the preliminary evaluation of floodplain extent using high resolution DEMs (i.e. LiDAR at 1 and 2 m resolution) as the main input. Taking as a case study six of the largest basins located in southern Italy, the performances of these methods were evaluated and critically compared using government agency derived flood hazard maps as benchmarks. Results show that the adoption of FD especially when combined with morphology to formulate the GFIM, allows to efficiently predict the flood-prone areas with low computational costs. At the same time, performances of the flood mapping procedures based on “flow-area scaling laws”, although in principle more appealing, seem to be slightly lower. Overall, the proposed approaches can be applied for rough mapping of floodplains in ungauged basins or in data-scarce regions where standard flood hazard maps are unavailable

Measuring and modeling water-related soil-vegetation feedbacks in a fallow plot

Abstract. Land fallowing is one possible response to shortage of water for irrigation. Leaving the soil unseeded implies a change of the soil functioning that has an impact on the water cycle. The development of a soil crust in the open spaces between the patterns of grass weed affects the soil properties and the field-scale water balance. The objectives of this study are to test the potential of integrated non-invasive geophysical methods and ground-image analysis and to quantify the effect of the soil–vegetation interaction on the water balance of fallow land at the local- and plot scale. We measured repeatedly in space and time local soil saturation and vegetation cover over two small plots located in southern Sardinia, Italy, during a controlled irrigation experiment. One plot was left unseeded and the other was cultivated. The comparative analysis of ERT maps of soil moisture evidenced a considerably different hydrologic response to irrigation of the two plots. Local measurements of soil saturation and vegetation cover were repeated in space to evidence a positive feedback between weed growth and infiltration at the fallow plot. A simple bucket model captured the different soil moisture dynamics at the two plots during the infiltration experiment and was used to estimate the impact of the soil vegetation feedback on the yearly water balance at the fallow site

A combined non-invasive approach to the study of a mosaic model: First laboratory experimental results

This paper presents first laboratory results of a combined approach carried out by the use of three different portable non-invasive electromagnetic methods: Digital holographic speckle pattern interferometry (DHSPI), stimulated infrared thermography (SIRT) and holographic subsurface radar (HSR), proposed for the analysis of a custom-built wall mosaic model. The model reproduces a series of defects (e.g., cracks, voids, detachments), simulating common deteriorated, restored or reshuffled areas in wall mosaics. DHSPI and SIRT, already well known in the field of non-destructive (NDT) methods, are full-field contactless techniques, providing complementary information on the subsurface hidden discontinuities. The use of DHSPI, based on optical imaging and interferometry, provides remote control and visualization of surface micro-deformation after induced thermal stress, while the use of SIRT allows visualization of thermal energy diffusion in the surface upon the induced thermal stress. DHSPI and SIRT data are complemented by the use of HSR, a contact method that provides localized information about the distribution of contrasts in dielectric permittivity and related possible anomalies. The experimental results, made by the combined use of these methods to the identification of the known anomalies in the mosaic model, are presented and discussed here as a contribution in the development of an efficient non-invasive approach to the in-situ subsurface analysis of ancient wall mosaics

Cholera with severe renal failure in an Italian tourist returning from Cuba, July 2013

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Olive Oil Phenolic Compounds’ Activity against Age-Associated Cognitive Decline: Clinical and Experimental Evidence

Epidemiological studies have shown that consuming olive oil rich in phenolic bioactive compounds is associated with a lower risk of neurodegenerative diseases and better cognitive performance in aged populations. Since oxidative stress is a common hallmark of age-related cognitive decline, incorporating exogenous antioxidants could have beneficial effects on brain aging. In this review, we firstly summarize and critically discuss the current preclinical evidence and the potential neuroprotective mechanisms. Existing studies indicate that olive oil phenolic compounds can modulate and counteract oxidative stress and neuroinflammation, two relevant pathways linked to the onset and progression of neurodegenerative processes. Secondly, we summarize the current clinical evidence. In contrast to preclinical studies, there is no direct evidence in humans of the bioactivity of olive oil phenolic compounds. Instead, we have summarized current findings regarding nutritional interventions supplemented with olive oil on cognition. A growing body of research indicates that high consumption of olive oil phenolic compounds is associated with better preservation of cognitive performance, conferring an additional benefit, independent of the dietary pattern. In conclusion, the consumption of olive oil rich in phenolic bioactive compounds has potential neuroprotective effects. Further research is needed to understand the underlying mechanisms and potential clinical applications

Submarine Geomorphology of the Southwestern Sardinian Continental Shelf (Mediterranean Sea): Insights into the Last Glacial Maximum Sea-Level Changes and Related Environments

During the lowstand sea-level phase of the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM), a large part of the current Mediterranean continental shelf emerged. Erosional and depositional processes shaped the coastal strips, while inland areas were affected by aeolian and fluvial processes. Evidence of both the lowstand phase and the subsequent phases of eustatic sea level rise can be observed on the continental shelf of Sardinia (Italy), including submerged palaeo-shorelines and landforms, and indicators of relict coastal palaeo-environments. This paper shows the results of a high-resolution survey on the continental shelf off San Pietro Island (southwestern Sardinia). Multisensor and multiscale data\u2014obtained by means of seismic sparker, sub-bottom profiler chirp, multibeam, side scan sonar, diving, and uncrewed aerial vehicles\u2014made it possible to reconstruct the morphological features shaped during the LGM at depths between 125 and 135 m. In particular, tectonic controlled palaeo-cliffs affected by landslides, the mouth of a deep palaeo-valley fossilized by marine sediments and a palaeo-lagoon containing a peri-littoral thanatocenosis (18,983 \ub1 268 cal BP) were detected. The Younger Dryas palaeo-shorelines were reconstructed, highlighted by a very well preserved beachrock. The coastal paleo-landscape with lagoon-barrier systems and retro-littoral dunes frequented by the Mesolithic populations was reconstructed

Identification of two new repetitive elements and chromosomal mapping of repetitive DNA sequences in the fish Gymnothorax unicolor (Anguilliformes: Muraenidae)

Muraenidae is a species-rich family, with relationships among genera and species and taxonomy that have not been completely clarified. Few cytogenetic studies have been conducted on this family, and all of them showed the same diploid chromosome number (2n=42) but with conspicuous karyotypic variation among species. The Mediterranean moray eel Gymnothorax unicolor was previously cytogenetically studied using classical techniques that allowed the characterization of its karyotype structure and the constitutive heterochromatin and argyrophilic nucleolar organizer regions (Ag-NORs) distribution pattern. In the present study, we describe two new repetitive elements (called GuMboI and GuDdeI) obtained from restricted genomic DNA of G. unicolor that were characterized by Southern blot and physically localized by in situ hybridization on metaphase chromosomes. As they are highly repetitive DNA sequences, they map in heterochromatic regions. However, while GuDdeI was localized in the centromeric regions, the GuMboI fraction was distributed on some centromeres and was co-localized with the nucleolus organizer region (NOR). Comparative analysis with other Mediterranean species such as Muraena helena pointed out that these DNA fractions are species-specific and could potentially be used for species discrimination. As a new contribution to the karyotype of this species, we found that the major ribosomal genes are localized on acrocentric chromosome 9 and that the telomeres of each chromosome are composed of a tandem repeat derived from a poly-TTAGGG DNA sequence, as it occurs in most vertebrate species. The results obtained add new information useful in comparative genomics at the chromosomal level and contribute to the cytogenetic knowledge regarding this fish family, which has not been extensively studied

Genetic variability of the blue and red shrimp Aristeus antennatus in the Western Mediterranean Sea inferred by DNA microsatellite loci

Genetic variation at eight microsatellite loci was studied in nine populations of the blue and red shrimp Aristeus antennatus to investigate whether distinct stocks are present in the Western Mediterranean Sea. A high level of gene flow and no evidence of genetic partitioning were discovered. No significant variation was found (FST = 0.00673, P-value = 0.067) even when shrimps from exploited and those from deep-water unexploited grounds were compared. No evidence of reduction or expansion of population size in the recent past was found, as indicated by the bottleneck and interlocus g-tests. Our results are consistent with previous studies using mitochondrial gene methods and allozymes, indicating that, for this species, extensive pelagic larval dispersal and adult migration are probably responsible for the genetic homogeneity observed. In particular, due to a different bathymetric distribution of males and females, reported to be associated with different water masses and hence with possible differential dispersal capacity between sexes, the hypothesis of sex-biased dispersal was tested. Mean values of corrected assignment indices and mean relatedness values were higher for males, suggesting that females are the more widely dispersing sex. Molecular assessment of A. antennatus from the Western Mediterranean provides data of biological and evolutionary interest for the successful management of such a highly valuable fishery resource