Phthiraptera Anoplura della Sardegna: analisi delle coinfestazioni ectoparassitiche rilevate su animali d'allevamento e selvatici

The studies on arthropods of medical and veterinary importance carried out in Sardinia until now not yet provide a clear and comprehensive overview on the taxa present, their distribution, phenology and the pathogen role. Phthiraptera Anoplura (= Siphunculata), which includes the so called "sucking lice" was almost never investigated in Sardinia. They are small insects, obligatory permanent ectoparasites, characterized by a high host specificity and a high ethological, physiological and anatomical specialization, including the wingless. They feed on epidermal tissues, and the entire life cycle of the Anoplura takes place on the host. Heavy louse infestation may cause to their hosts pruritus, alopecia, weakness, irritability, weight loss and anaemia. They are also potential vectors of pathogens that can cause severe disease in domestic and wild animals as well as humans. One of the most famous can be considered the epidemic typhus whose etiologic agent is Rickettsia prowazeki. It is to be noted that the Anoplura have been little studied all around Italy and the few available published papers are occasional, sporadic and, apart from some recent works, already old. The aim of this PhD was to shed light on Phthiraptera Anoplura in Sardinia, taking into consideration the list of species present on the island, their distribution, phenology, and which mammals are parasitized. In this paper the Anoplura and other arthropod ectoparasites were collected on living and dead animals. The search for parasites was performed by examining the fur and skin of animals, concentrating on the areas of the body more vascularized and susceptible to localization of blood-sucking arthropods. So depending on the host species, was mainly look for the ectoparasites the regions of head, ears, neck, abdomen, the inguinal region and the perianal area. All arthropods found were fixed in 70% ethanol and later identified morphologically at the microscope. The collection of specimens in Sardinia provide information about twelve species of Phthiraptera Anoplura belonging to 6 families: Pediculidae (1 species), Phthiridae (1 species), Haematopinidae (4 species), Linognathidae (4 species), Hoplopleuridae (1 species), Echinophthiriidae (1 species). Were found 121 samples of arthropods with a total of 1294 specimens: 37 Pediculus capitis and 19 Phthirus pubis on man; 144 Haematopinus apri on wild boar; 1 Haematopinus asini on horse; 97 Haematopinus suis on pig and wild boar; 18 Haematopinus tuberculatus on buffalo; 787 Linognathus africanus on goat and sheep; 73 Linognathus stenopsis on goat and mouflon; 2 Linognathus vituli on cattle; 116 Solenopotes burmeisteri on Sardinian red deer. To add at the list, in literature two other species were cited for the island: Schizophthirus pleurophaeus found on the Eliomys quercinus sardus and Echinophthirius horridus found on Monachus monachus. Among other parasites (349 specimens) detected in coinfestation with Anoplura were identified 171 Acari Ixodida Amblyommidae: 73 Rhipicephalus bursa on goat, cattle, horse, sardinian red deer and mouflon; 50 Rhipicephalus turanicus on goat, sheep, pig, wild boar and mouflon; 8 Haemaphysalis punctata on goat and mouflon; 4 Haemaphysalis sulcata on mouflon; 31 Dermacentor marginatus on wild boar and mouflon; 5 Hyalomma marginatum on cattle and horse. On goat also were captured 7 fleas (Siphonaptera) belonging to Ctenocephalides felis (1 specimen); Ctenocephalides canis (1 specimen); Pulex irritans (5 specimens). On a horse was captured a specimen of Hippobosca equina (Diptera Ippoboscide). Were also found 170 Phthiraptera Ischnocera Bovicolidae: Bovicola caprae (143 specimens on goat); Bovicola ovis (23 specimens on sheep and mouflon); Bovicola equi (4 specimens on horse). These three species are at first founded in Sardinia. It has been reported the coinfestations between Anoplura and other parasites taxa in about the 80% of cases, on all the host species, except for man and buffalo. Here there are first reports for Sardinia for at least eight Phthiraptera species; among them Linognathus africanus was just recently reported on the Italian continental part, in Emilia Romagna, and is known in Europe only of Spain, Greece and Turkey. Haematopinus tuberculatus was also only recently reported of central-southern Italy. Solenopotes burmeisteri, was never previously officially reported for Italy but presumed. Besides the new species checklist a preliminary distribution maps for each species of Anoplura are provide. This study collect important new information about the species of ectoparasites that infest mammals in Sardinia, increasing meanwhile the knowledge about the same also in Italy and in the Mediterranean Basin. The results obtained also provide a starting point for faunistic, parasitological and epidemiological future works, for the protection and preservation of the regional livestock, wild animals and public health

E-LEARNING AND DESIGN PRACTICE. Tools and methods for professional learning of strategic design approach

The aim of this paper is to present a new methodology in teaching the strategic design approach combining e-learning with practice activities in a unique process of learning experience. Design is moving its domain area close to the management of the innovation and the company strategy. In this new framework strategic design is a mind-set that drives to answer to the social, economic, environmental challenges. Designers can improve their capacity do adopt this mind-set to be able to operate in this complex context also using specific tools and design methods to understand the user experience and to co-design new solutions. These methods are various and can be taught and learned through various education experiences; a wide range of topics in a constantly changing world render designers as lifelong learners. This new professional framework need a continue learning process that designers need to follow to empower skills, competences, knowledge and abilities. Trough a research activity with a pilot experience, a new teaching methodology has been tested in international high training courses and partially in a training program included in a European project

Making Visible: Valuating the Impacts of Design Intervention for Social Cooperative

The aim of this exploratory paper is to generate a method of evaluating design interventions for organizational change in third sector and to apply this method to an ongoing design research project with a national social cooperative in Italy. The evaluation model is a way to present what changes and impacts that design, especially strategic design, could bring to organisations and how these results could enable organisations to fulfil its missions in a more “human-centered” process. The results will consist of a theoretical framework to evaluate, taking social cooperative as one example, and the applied results in an empirical project. In the future, this framework will be continuously developed in this and also other similar projects

Pathogens and symbionts in ticks: a survey on tick species distribution and presence of tick-transmitted micro-organisms in Sardinia, Italy

A total of 1485 adult ticks were collected from mammalian hosts in south-eastern Sardinia, Italy, during the years 2007–2008. Ticks were identified and tested by PCR analysis for presence of Rickettsia species of the spotted fever group, Ehrlichia canis, Anaplasma phagocytophilum, Coxiella burnetii, Bartonella species and Leishmania species. Among all tick species examined (Rhipicephalus sanguineus, Rhipicephalus turanicus, Rhipicephalus bursa, Rhipicephalus pusillus, Hyalomma marginatum marginatum, Haemaphysalis sulcata and Dermacentor marginatus), only Hyalomma marginatum marginatum produced negative results. A total of 22 pools belonging to the three tick species Rhipicephalus sanguineus (0.9 %), Rhipicephalus turanicus (4.5 %) and Rhipicephalus pusillus (100 %) were positive for Rickettsia species, while a total of five pools belonging to Rhipicephalus sanguineus (0.09 %), Haemaphysalis sulcata (16.7 %) and D. marginatus (7.8 %) were positive for E. canis. Five pools of Rhipicephalus turanicus (1.8 %) were positive for A. phagocytophilum. Positivity for C. burnetii was found in seven pools belonging to three tick species: Rhipicephalus sanguineus (0.5 %), Rhipicephalus turanicus (0.3 %) and Haemaphysalis sulcata (4.4 %). Finally, four pools belonging to Rhipicephalus sanguineus (0.09 %), Rhipicephalus turanicus (0.7 %) and Rhipicephalus bursa (1.1 %) were positive for Bartonella species. Leishmania species DNA was not detected in any of the tick pools examined. Data presented here increase our knowledge on tick-borne diseases in Sardinia, and provide a useful contribution to understanding their epidemiology

Identification of ticks collected in two areas of Sardinia

In the present note the resu1ts of preliminary studies on tick distribution in two areas of Sardinia (Cagliari and Ogliastra) are reported

Intestinal Microbial Ecology and Fillet Metal Chemistry of Wild Grey Mullets Reflect the Variability of the Aquatic Environment in a Western Mediterranean Coastal Lagoon (Santa Giusta, Sardinia, Italy)

Fish populations play an active role in the maintenance of aquatic ecosystems biodiversity. Their intestinal microbiota and fillet chemistry depend on abiotic and biotic factors of the water environments that they inhabit. The present study investigated the grey mullets' gut microbiota from a transitional aquatic ecosystem (Santa Giusta Lagoon, Sardinia, Italy) by a multidisciplinary approach which refers the results of (1) gut cultivable microbiota analyses (MA), (2) the trace metal assessment of fish muscle (TM), (3) the physico-chemical water monitoring (PC). MA detected the greatest number of total aerobic heterotrophic bacteria, Enterobacteriaceae and coliforms in Autumn (mean values 1.3 × 105, 2.4 × 104, 1.1 × 104 cfu g−1, respectively) when the accumulated rain and mean values of nutrients (reactive phosphorous and silica) were the highest. Marine bacteria were more numerous in Summer (mean value 7.4 × 105 cfu g−1) when the highest mean values of water temperature and salinity were registered. The gut bacteria were identified as Pseudomonas spp. (64%), Aeromonas spp. (17%), Ochrobactrum pseudogrignonense (10%), Providencia spp. (5%), Enterobacter ludwigii (2%) and Kocuria tytonicola (2%). TM showed that Ca, Na, B and Ni increased their concentrations in Winter while maxima of P, Zn, Cu and Fe were found in muscles of fish sampled in Summer. This study highlighted that the fish intestinal microbiota and metal composition of the fillet reflected the seasonal aquatic environmental variability

A 12-week vigorous exercise protocol in a healthy group of persons over 65: study of physical function by means of the senior fitness test

The aim of this study was to assess the effects of vigorous exercise on functional abilities bymeans of a Senior Fitness Test (SFT) in a group of elderly adults. Twenty healthy and inactive people performed vigorous exercise (VE: 12 men and 8 women, aged 69.6 ± 3.9 years). At the beginning of the study (T0) and after 3months (T1), each subject’s functional ability was tested formuscular strength, agility, cardiovascular fitness, flexibility, and balance.The VE was designed with continuous and interval exercise involving large muscle activities. Functional exercises were performed between 60% and 84% of heart rate reserve (HRR) for a duration of 65 minutes. Five out of the 6 SFTs performed were found significantly improved: Chair Stand (T0 12.4 ± 2.4, T1 13.5 ± 2.6, < 0.01), Arm Curl (T0 14.2 ± 3.6, T1 16.6 ± 3.6, < 0.01), 2 min step (T0 98.2 ± 15.7, T1 108.9 ± 16.2, < 0.01), Chair Sit-and-Reach (T0 −9.9 ± 7.7 cm, T1 1.7 ± 6.3 cm, < 0.01), and Back Scratch (T0 −15.8 ± 10.9 cm, T1 −8.4 ± 13.1 cm, < 0.01). Our results suggest that a high intensity protocol and functional exercises can improve functional mobility and muscle endurance in those over 65 years of age. SFTs are an effective method for assessing improvements in the functional capacity of elderly adults

Physical and mental fatigue reduce psychomotor vigilance in professional football players

PURPOSE: Professional football players experience both physical and mental fatigue. The main aims of this randomized crossover study were to investigate the effect of mental fatigue on repeated sprint ability (RSA), and the effects of both physical and mental fatigue on psychomotor vigilance.METHODS: Seventeen male professional football players performed maximal 20-m shuttle sprints interspaced by incomplete recovery (RSA test). Running speed, heart rate (HR), brain oxygenation and rating of perceived exertion (RPE) were monitored during each sprint. The RSA test was preceded by either a 30-min Stroop task to induce mental fatigue (MF), or by watching a documentary for 30 min (CON) in a randomized counterbalanced order. Participants performed a psychomotor vigilance test (PVT) at baseline, after the cognitive task (MF or CON), and after the RSA test.RESULTS: HR and RPE significantly increased, while running speed and brain oxygenation significantly decreased over the repeated sprints (p < 0.001) with no significant differences between conditions. Response speed during the PVT significantly declined after the Stroop task but not after CON (p = 0.001). Response speed during the PVT declined after the RSA test in both conditions (p < 0.001) and remained lower in the MF condition compared to CON (p = 0.012).CONCLUSIONS: Mental fatigue does not reduce RSA. However, the results of this study suggest that physical and mental fatigue have negative and cumulative effects on psychomotor vigilance. Therefore, strategies to reduce both physical and mental fatigue should be implemented in professional football players

La Provincia di Sassari: i secoli e la storia

Le vicende che si sono svolte su quello che oggi è il territorio della provincia di Sassari sono antiche, se non addirittura antichissime. Questo volume ne ripercorre la storia a partire dalle prime culture prenuragiche sino al secondo dopoguerra, con elementi di originalità che corrono lungo i secoli, dai primi dolmens alle condizioni della vita economica e sociale di oggi

Global and Regional IUCN Red List Assessments: 2

In this contribution the conservation status assessment of six plant species according to IUCN categories and criteria are presented. It includes the assessment at global level of Charybdis glaucophylla Bacch., Brullo, D’Emerico, Pontec. &amp; Salmeri, Euphorbia nicaeensis All. subsp. japygica (Ten.) Arcang., Hieracium australe Fr. subsp. australe, Limonium multiforme Pignatti, Onosma helvetica Boiss. em. Teppner subsp. lucana (Lacaita) Peruzzi, Aquaro &amp; Cesca and the assessment at national level (Italy) of Lathyrus laxiflorus (Desf.) Kuntze subsp. laxiflorus