The Italian Agreement between the Government and the Regional Authorities: National Guidelines for AAI and Institutional Context

Animal-assisted interventions (AAI) have developed considerably in the last half century, prompting various private and public realities dealing with AAI worldwide to work on and establish standards and best practice. However, AAI are still far from being regulated harmoniously. In this context, Italy offers a unique example at world level: here the spread of AAI has set in motion an ethical and legal reflection that led to the creation of the Italian National Reference Centre for AAI (NRC AAI) by ministerial decree in 2009 and the approval of National Guidelines for AAI in 2015. The Italian legislation on AAI is based on the One Health approach, which has been part of Italian health culture and institutions since the Renaissance. The synergy between human and veterinary medicine is the core of this theme: in other words, One Health represents a multidisciplinary approach aimed at best protecting the health and well-being of all those who share our planet. In Italy, human and veterinary medicine have both been placed under the umbrella of the Ministry of Health since its establishment in 1958. The same idea of collaboration is at the heart of the Italian legislative approach to the AAI field, given the inherent multidisciplinarity of these interventions. This applies to all indications provided by the National Guidelines, for example the distinction between the various types of interventions, the animal species involved, the roles within the multidisciplinary team, and the training programs for each professional figure. In addition, the National Guidelines are intended to be amendable according to the needs arising over time from daily practice: in fact, the constant contact and dialogue between institutions and AAI professionals is another pillar of the Italian approach

Une approche multi-omique permet de mieux comprendre la réponse immunitaire des coelomocytes de concombres de mer aux lipopolysaccharides

peer reviewedSea cucumbers are curious organisms belonging to echinoderms – a basal phylum of deuterostomes, relatively close to our early vertebrate ancestors. Their primitive appearance might suggest that their defence mechanisms against pathogens are limited. On the contrary, these animals have a very efficient immune system, capable of neutralizing a wide spectrum of invaders. Moreover, sea cucumbers are of great interest in many areas: they have a crucial ecological function by playing much the same role as earthworms but in seas and oceans, and some species have a high economic value due to their commercial exploitation as seafood and traditional pharmacopoeia in the Asian market. The present research aims to further our knowledge of the coelomocyte immune response in these particular animals. Coelomocytes are circulating cells constituting the main cellular actors of immunity in sea cucumbers and many other organisms. In echinoderms, they are particularly abundant in two body fluids: the coelomic fluid (i.e., the fluid of the perivisceral cavity) and the hydrovascular fluid (i.e., the fluid of the water vascular system). Here, we used a combined transcriptomic and metabolomic approach to study the response of coelomocytes to lipopolysaccharides (LPS). Our results show both a differential expression of genes and a differential abundance of metabolites, in response to the LPS challenge. First, regarding the transcriptomic response, 945 genes were differentially expressed, of which 673 were up-regulated and 272 down-regulated in the LPS-treated individuals. Some of them were annotated as immune genes, with most falling into the category of pathogen recognition receptors. Then, regarding the metabolomic response, out of the 19 metabolites identified, 6 metabolites increased in abundance while 3 decreased after the LPS challenge. Interestingly, some characteristic metabolites of bacteria were differentially abundant between the two conditions, suggesting a microbiome response to the LPS challenge. In addition, glutamate-glutamine metabolism appeared to be strongly decreased after immunostimulation. This multi-omics approach should help to better understand how sea cucumbers cope with bacterial infections and could also be a first step for preventing bacterial diseases in sea cucumber aquaculture facilities while providing valuable data for comparative immunology

Morpho-functional Characterisation of Cœlomocytes in the Aquacultivated Sea Cucumber Holothuria Scabra: From Cell Diversity to Transcriptomic Immune Response

Holothuria scabra is one of the most valuable species of sea cucumber owing to its exploitation as a seafood product. This study aims to describe the main molecular and cellular actors in the immunology of the holothuroid H. scabra. First of all, a detailed description of the immune cells – the cœlomocytes – is provided, highlighting five main cell types including phagocytes, small round cells (SRCs), spherulocytes, fusiform cells, and crystal cells, with a further five subtypes identified using transmission electron microscopy. Cœlomocyte aggregates were also described morphologically, yielding two main types, one comprising three successive maturation stages. A comparison of the concentration and proportion of cell populations was carried out between the two main body fluids, namely the hydrovascular fluid of the Polian vesicle (HF) and the perivisceral fluid of the general cavity (PF), and no clear relation could be revealed. Next, the cœlomocyte immune response was studied 24 hours after a lipopolysaccharide (LPS) injection. Firstly, the fluctuation in cell populations was assessed, and despite a high inter-individual variability, it shows a decrease in the phagocyte proportion and an increase in the SRC proportion. Secondly, the differential gene expression of PF cœlomocytes was studied by de novo RNA-sequencing between LPS-injected and control-injected individuals: 945 genes were differentially expressed, including 673 up-regulated and 272 down-regulated in the LPS-injected individuals. Among these genes, 80 had a presumed function in immunity based on their annotation, covering a wide range of immune mechanisms. Overall, this study reveals a complex immune system at both molecular and cellular levels and constitutes a baseline reference on H. scabra immunity, which may be useful for the development of sustainable aquaculture and provides valuable data for comparative immunology

Morpho-functional Characterisation of Cœlomocytes in the Aquacultivated Sea Cucumber Holothuria Scabra: From Cell Diversity to Transcriptomic Immune Response

Holothuria scabra is one of the most valuable species of sea cucumber owing to its exploitation as a seafood product. This study aims to describe the main molecular and cellular actors in the immunology of the holothuroid H. scabra. First of all, a detailed description of the immune cells – the cœlomocytes – is provided, highlighting five main cell types including phagocytes, small round cells (SRCs), spherulocytes, fusiform cells, and crystal cells, with a further five subtypes identified using transmission electron microscopy. Cœlomocyte aggregates were also described morphologically, yielding two main types, one comprising three successive maturation stages. A comparison of the concentration and proportion of cell populations was carried out between the two main body fluids, namely the hydrovascular fluid of the Polian vesicle (HF) and the perivisceral fluid of the general cavity (PF), and no clear relation could be revealed. Next, the cœlomocyte immune response was studied 24 hours after a lipopolysaccharide (LPS) injection. Firstly, the fluctuation in cell populations was assessed, and despite a high inter-individual variability, it shows a decrease in the phagocyte proportion and an increase in the SRC proportion. Secondly, the differential gene expression of PF cœlomocytes was studied by de novo RNA-sequencing between LPS-injected and control-injected individuals: 945 genes were differentially expressed, including 673 up-regulated and 272 down-regulated in the LPS-injected individuals. Among these genes, 80 had a presumed function in immunity based on their annotation, covering a wide range of immune mechanisms. Overall, this study reveals a complex immune system at both molecular and cellular levels and constitutes a baseline reference on H. scabra immunity, which may be useful for the development of sustainable aquaculture and provides valuable data for comparative immunology

Charge collection measurements with p-type Magnetic Czochralski silicon single pad detectors

Abstract The charge collected from beta source particles in single pad detectors produced on p-type Magnetic Czochralski (MCz) silicon wafers has been measured before and after irradiation with 26 MeV protons. After a 1 MeV neutron equivalent fluence of 1 × 10 15 cm - 2 the collected charge is reduced to 77% at bias voltages below 900 V. This result is compared with previous results from charge collection measurements

Validation tests of the CMS TIB/TID structures

Tracker Inner Barrel half-cylinders and Tracker Inner Disks of the CMS tracker have been integrated in three INFN sites. Integrated structures are submitted to an extensive set of tests whose main aim is to validate the functioning of the structures in CMS-like conditions. The tests have furthermore proven to be a great opportunity to study several aspects of the performance in detail. In this note the tests are described in some detail and an overview of the results is presented

Charge collection and capacitance–voltage analysis in irradiated n-type magnetic Czochralski silicon detectors

Abstract The depletion depth of irradiated n-type silicon microstrip detectors can be inferred from both the reciprocal capacitance and from the amount of collected charge. Capacitance voltage ( C – V ) measurements at different frequencies and temperatures are being compared with the bias voltage dependence of the charge collection on an irradiated n-type magnetic Czochralski silicon detector. Good agreement between the reciprocal capacitance and the median collected charge is found when the frequency of the C – V measurement is selected such that it scales with the temperature dependence of the leakage current. Measuring C – V characteristics at prescribed combinations of temperature and frequency allows then a realistic estimate of the depletion characteristics of irradiated silicon strip detectors based on C – V data alone

The 2003 Tracker Inner Barrel Beam Test

Before starting the CMS Silicon Strip Tracker (SST) mass production, where the quality control tests can only be done on single components, an extensive collection of activities aiming at validating the tracker system functionality has been performed. In this framework, a final component prototype of the Inner Barrel part (TIB) of the SST has been assembled and tested in the INFN laboratories and then moved to CERN to check its behaviour in a 25~ns LHC-like particle beam. A set of preproduction single-sided silicon microstrip modules was mounted on a mechanical structure very similar to a sector of the third layer of the TIB and read out using a system functionally identical to the final one. In this note the system setup configuration is fully described and the results of the test, concerning both detector performance and system characteristics, are presented and discussed

New tools and recommendations for a better management of harmful algal blooms under the European Marine Strategy Framework Directive

23 pages, 2 figures, supplementary material https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/.2023.1298800/full#supplementary-materialMarine harmful algal blooms (HABs), caused by various aquatic microalgae, pose significant risks to ecosystems, some socio-economic activities and human health. Traditionally managed as a public health issue through reactive control measures such as beach closures, seafood trade bans or closure of mollusc production areas, the multifaceted linkages of HABs with environmental and socio-economic factors require more comprehensive ecosystem-based management approach tools to support policies. This study promotes a coordinated understanding and implementation of HAB assessment and management under the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD), targeting the achievement of Good Environmental Status (GES) in European marine waters. We introduce two novel tools: GES4HABs (GES for HABs) decision tree, and MAMBO (environMental mAtrix for the Management of BlOoms), a decision support matrix. These tools aim to streamline HABs reporting and prioritize resource allocation and management interventions. The GES4HABs decision tree defines a sequence of decision steps to identify HAB management strategies according to their state (evaluated against predefined baselines) and causes (anthropic or natural). MAMBO is proposed to address different HABs and their interaction with human and environmental pressures. The matrix utilizes two axes: natural trophic status and level of human influence, capturing major aspects such as nutrient supply. While acknowledging the limitations of this simplified framework, MAMBO categorizes marine regions into quadrants of varying management viability. Regions with high human influence and eutrophic conditions are identified as most suitable for effective management intervention, whereas regions with minimal or mixed human influence are deemed less amenable to active management. In addition, we explore and describe various indicators, monitoring methods and initiatives that may be relevant to support assessments of HAB status and associated pressures and impacts in the MSFD reporting. Finally, we provide some recommendations to promote the consideration of HABs in ecosystem-based management strategies, intensify efforts for harmonizing and defining best practices of analysis, monitoring and assessment methodologies, and foster international and cross-sectoral coordination to optimize resources, efforts and rolesThis manuscript is a result of the joint activity of two projects funded by the European Union, under the Horizon Europe program: GES4SEAS (Achieving Good Environmental Status for maintaining ecosystem services, by assessing integrated impacts of cumulative pressures; grant agreement no. 101059877; www.ges4seas.eu) and ACTNOW (Advancing understanding of cumulative impacts on European marine biodiversity, ecosystem functions and services for human wellbeing, grant agreement No. 101060072). JF was financially supported by the Slovenian Research and Innovation Agency (research core funding no. P1-0237). This work by EG, NS, AR, and JC acknowledges the ‘Severo Ochoa Centre of Excellence' accreditation (CEX2019-000928-S) funded by AEI 10.13039/501100011033 to the Institut de Ciencies del Mar, CSICPeer reviewe