Prepositions as relators in Italian Prepositional Compounds

In this paper, we propose a morphosyntactic analysis of Prepositional Compounds in Italian. We argue that while prepositions are not meaningless, their content isn't too rich, either. We propose that they can be treated as general relators (along the lines of Manzini & Franco's (2016) treatment of locative and oblique prepositions) which can express different directions of inclusion between the nominal items which are part of the compound. The lexicalization patterns are coherent with the syncretism found in other aspects of the grammar (e.g. locative/oblique prepositions). At the same time, the specific lexicalizations of these prepositions are ultimately determined by the morphosyntactic context in which they are embedded, highlighting the key role played by the syntactic context in shaping a vocabulary entry. One advantage of our proposal lies in its minimality: the prepositions only encode general relators with varying directionalities; they are not burdened with semantic content. The relevant interpretations of Prepositional Compounds are ultimately derived by pragmatic enrichment at the C-I interface on the basis of the elementary content expressed by the preposition

Osservazioni sulla sintassi dell’Edda Poetica

Nella lingua norrena vi è una distinzione nella collocazione del verbo finito tra la prosa, che ammette esclusivamente ordini V1 e V2, e la poesia, in cui sono attestati anche ordini V3 e V-late. Lo scopo del presente articolo consiste nel tentativo di esaminare tale distinzione, e in particolar modo sotto un quadro di riferimento teorico generativo. Se le analisi della sintassi del norreno in prosa individuano in C/I1 la posizione strutturale del verbo finito, uniformemente a testa iniziale, più complesso è il discorso per il norreno in poesia, in cui sembrerebbe necessario ipotizzare una struttura con IP a testa variabile per derivare gli ordini V3 e V-late. Applicare una tale analisi, tuttavia, genera delle ambiguità strutturali in alcuni casi, e dei problemi di carattere teorico in altri. Recentemente è stata però proposta un’analisi, sviluppata per altre lingue germaniche antiche, che oltre a risolvere i suddetti problemi offre un’interpretazione della funzione pragmatica degli ordini V3: quella di tematizzare elementi noti agli interlocutori

Partial Wh-Movement in North Italo-Romance and the FormCopy Analysis of Wh-Doubling

This paper analyzes the syntactic derivation of so-called ‘wh-doubling’, a single-constituent question-formation strategy that features the overt occurrence of two wh-phrases (e.g. kuza fa la ku’zε (lit.) ‘what does she do what?’) in North Italo-Romance. We argue that the wh-phrases involved in the construction are best treated as being generated independently by External Merge (EM), rather than being bona fide syntactic copies constructed by Internal Merge (IM). This raises the theoretical issue why IM to scope position cannot take place in wh-doubling, despite IM being more economical than EM. We propose that the wh-element merged in argumental position undergoes partial movement to the edge of the v-phase, where it becomes ‘frozen’ upon entering into a Focus configuration. This makes the derivation of wh-doubling identical to the derivation of wh-in situ up to the v-phase as recently proposed for different wh-in situ languages. The derivation of wh-doubling then proceeds by EM of an additional wh-phrase that gives phonological content to the scope Q position in the left periphery. The single-constituent reading is obtained at Conceptual-Intentional (C-I) via the operation FormCopy (FC), which connects the independently generated wh-elements in the syntactic workspace. We moreover discuss issues pertaining to parametric variation

Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma (DLBCL) in an Aged Raccoon (Procyon lotor)

A 15-years-old, captive, female raccoon (Procyon lotor) was necropsied after a one-week history of apathy and self-isolation. Gross changes consisted of the severe enlargement of the mesenteric lymph node; hepatosplenomegaly with multifocal to coalescing, white tan nodules in the spleen and liver,; and pale kidneys. Histologically, neoplastic CD79α-positive lymphocytes effaced the mesenteric lymph node and multifocally infiltrated the spleen, liver, and kidneys, and focally infiltrated the heart. Based on pathological and immunohistochemical findings, as well as the canine-adapted World Health Organization (WHO) diagnostic criteria, a diagnosis of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) was made

Four-Year Monitoring of Foodborne Pathogens in Raw Milk Sold by Vending Machines in Italy

Prevalence data were collected from official microbiological records monitoring four selected foodborne pathogens (Salmonella spp., Listeria monocytogenes, Escherichia coli O157:H7 and Campylobacter jejuni) in raw milk sold by self-service vending machines in seven Italian Regions (n. 60907 samples from 1239 vending machines) during the years 2008 to 2011. Data of samples analyzed both by culture-based and real-time PCR methods were collected in one Region. A total of 100 raw milk consumers in four regions were interviewed while purchasing raw milk from vending machines. One hundred and seventy eight samples out of 60907 were positive for one of the four foodborne pathogens investigated; overall, 18 samples were positive for Salmonella spp., 83 for L. monocytogenes, 24 for E. coli O157:H7 and 53 for C. jejuni in the seven Regions investigated. There were no significant differences in prevalence among Regions, but a significant increase in C. jejuni prevalence was observed over the years. A comparison of the two different analysis methods showed that real-time PCR is from 2.71 to 9.40 times more sensitive than culture-based method. Data on consumer habits showed that some behaviors may enhance the risk of infection due to raw milk consumption: 37% of consumers do not boil milk before consumption, 93% never use an insulated bag to transport raw milk home, and raw milk is consumed by children under five years of age. The study emphasizes that end-product controls alone are not sufficient to guarantee an adequate level of consumer protection. The beta distribution of positive samples in this study and the data on raw milk consumer habits are useful and appropriate for the development of a National Quantitative Risk Assessment of Salmonella spp., L. monocytogenes, E. coli O157 and C. jejuni related to raw milk consumption

[Atrial natriuretic factor in patients with cardiac decompensation before and after chronic therapy with an angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor].

BACKGROUND: Patients with severe congestive heart failure often have high plasma Atrial Natriuretic Factor (ANF) and neurohormonal activation. Ace inhibitors give clinical and hemodynamic benefits and lower plasma angiotensin and norepinephrine levels. The interactions between ANF and the Ace inhibitors are mainly modulated via the renin angiotensin system. METHODS: Plasma ANF, renin activity, urinary aldosterone and catecholamine levels were evaluated in 10 patients with congestive heart failure (at baseline, after 15 days of adequate treatment with digoxin and diuretics, and after 45 days of enalapril) in order to assess the changes of ANF and vasoconstrictor neurohormones with chronic Ace inhibitor therapy. RESULTS: ANF increased significantly in the congestive heart failure group compared to a normal subject control group (P < 0.001). After digoxin and diuretic therapy NHYA class improved significantly, but no significant hormonal changes were found. On the contrary, the addition of enalapril caused a significant decrease of plasma ANF and urinary aldosterone and catecholamines (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The relationship between the renin angiotensin system and catecholamines is complex but our findings indicate that: 1) Traditional therapy is effective in improving symptoms, but cannot induce a decrease of vasoconstrictive neurohormones; 2) ACE inhibitor therapy reduces ANF and neurohormonal activation. 3) ANF is a useful marker in evaluating the response to treatment

Sand Flies and Pathogens in the Lowlands of Emilia-Romagna (Northern Italy)

Cases of sand fly-borne diseases in the Emilia-Romagna region, such as meningitis caused by Toscana virus and human leishmaniasis, are reported annually through dedicated surveillance systems. Sand flies are abundant in the hilly part of the region, while the lowland is unsuitable habitat for sand flies, which are found in lower numbers in this environment with respect to the hilly areas. In this study, we retrieved sand flies collected during entomological surveillance of the West Nile virus (from 2018 to 2021) to assess their abundance and screen them for the presence of pathogens. Over the four-year period, we collected 3022 sand flies, more than half in 2021. The most abundant sand fly species was Phlebotomus (Ph.) perfiliewi, followed by Ph. perniciosus; while more rarely sampled species were Ph. papatasi, Ph. mascittii and Sergentomyia minuta. Sand flies were collected from the end of May to the end of September. The pattern of distribution of the species is characterized by an abundant number of Ph. perfiliewi in the eastern part of the region, which then falls to almost none in the western part of the region, while Ph. perniciosus seems more uniformly distributed throughout. We tested more than 1500 female sand flies in 54 pools to detect phleboviruses and Leishmania species using different PCR protocols. Toscana virus and Leishmania infantum, both human pathogens, were detected in 5 pools and 7 pools, respectively. We also detected Fermo virus, a phlebovirus uncharacterized in terms of relevance to public health, in 4 pools. We recorded different sand fly abundance in different seasons in Emilia-Romagna. During the season more favorable for sand flies, we also detected pathogens transmitted by these insects. This finding implies a health risk linked to sand fly-borne pathogens in the surveyed area in lowland, despite being considered a less suitable habitat for sand flies with respect to the hilly areas

Multilocus microsatellite typing (MLMT) reveals host-related population structure in Leishmania infantum from northeastern Italy.

BACKGROUND:Visceral leishmaniasis (VL) caused by Leishmania infantum is an ongoing health problem in southern Europe, where dogs are considered the main reservoirs of the disease. Current data point to a northward spread of VL and canine leishmaniasis (CanL) in Italy, with new foci in northern regions previously regarded as non-endemic. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS:Multilocus microsatellite typing (MLMT) was performed to investigate genetic diversity and population structure of L. infantum on 55 samples from infected humans, dogs and sand flies of the E-R region between 2013 and 2017. E-R samples were compared with 10 L. infantum samples from VL cases in other Italian regions (extra E-R) and with 52 strains within the L. donovani complex. Data displayed significant microsatellite polymorphisms with low allelic heterozygosity. Forty-one unique and eight repeated MLMT profiles were recognized among the L. infantum samples from E-R, and ten unique MLMT profiles were assigned to the extra E-R samples. Bayesian analysis assigned E-R samples to two distinct populations, with further sub-structuring within each of them; all CanL samples belonged to one population, genetically related to Mediterranean MON-1 strains, while all but one VL cases as well as the isolate from the sand fly Phlebotomus perfiliewi fell under the second population. Conversely, VL samples from other Italian regions proved to be genetically similar to strains circulating in dogs. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE:A peculiar epidemiological situation was observed in northeastern Italy, with the co-circulation of two distinct populations of L. infantum; one population mainly detected in dogs and the other population detected in humans and in a sand fly. While the classical cycle of CanL in Italy fits well into the data obtained for the first population, the population found in infected humans exhibits a different cycle, probably not involving a canine reservoir. This study can contribute to a better understanding of the population structure of L. infantum circulating in northeastern Italy, thus providing useful epidemiologic information for public health authorities

Geographical distribution of human, canine and sand fly <i>Leishmania</i>-positive samples, 2013–2017, Emilia-Romagna region (northeastern Italy).

<p>Colors depict the subpopulations inferred by STRUCTURE analysis: yellow for subPopA1; orange for subPopA2; green for subPopB1; brown for subPopB2; light blue for subPopB3; white for samples not submitted to cluster analysis. More than one sample per area are shown by numbers inside the icon. Map generated with Quantum-GIS (<a href="https://www.qgis.org/it/site/" target="_blank">https://www.qgis.org/it/site/</a>).</p

Bayesian phylogenetic tree (cladogram) obtained by the Sainudiin model [29] using data of 14 coincident microsatellite loci for the 62 <i>L</i>. <i>infantum</i> strains from Italy, 49 MLMT profiles available in literature and 3 WHO reference strains.

<p>Posterior probabilities > 0.75 are showed near the nodes. Strains representing the different microsatellite profiles are listed in <a href="http://www.plosntds.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pntd.0006595#pntd.0006595.s003" target="_blank">S1</a> and <a href="http://www.plosntds.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pntd.0006595#pntd.0006595.s004" target="_blank">S2</a> Tables. Strains designations specify, respectively, the laboratory code, the zymodeme (ND, not defined), the geographical origin (IT, Italy; ER, Emilia-Romagna; FR, France; SP, Spain; GR, Greece; PT, Portugal; DZ, Algeria; TN, Tunisia; KE, Kenia; SD, Sudan; ET, Ethiopia; IN, India; NP, Nepal). Italian samples are differentiated by the color of STRUCTURE designation (K = 2): PopA samples in red, PopB samples in blue.</p