Severe Drought in Italy: Characteristics, Impacts, and Mitigation Strategies

Following the severe drought event that occurred in Italy in 1988–90, the Italian Department of Civil Protection published a report, Drought in Italy 1988–90 (in Italian; edited by G. Rossi and G. Margaritora), containing a comprehensive description of the drought event, its impacts, and the mitigation measures adopted in the most affected regions. Since the beginning of the drought, the Department promoted and coordinated a number of initiatives, aiming mainly to mitigate domestic and agricultural water shortages. The Department also formed a drought committee, which included representatives of various government agencies (in charge of hydrometeorological data collection and water supply system management), with the aim of acquiring timely information on the evolution of the drought in different parts of the country and suggesting adequate actions. The book presents the results of the activities coordinated by the Committee—namely, the description of the meteorological and hydrological characteristics of the 1988–90 drought, the main impacts of the drought on municipal and irrigation systems, and the assessment of measures implemented at the national and local levels. The following summary of the book provides a picture of the most severe drought experienced in Italy in the last fifty years and some information on recent initiatives and laws at the national level to reduce the risk of water shortage during future drought events. A study of the meteorological trends in the 1988–90 period, prepared by the Italian Air Force Meteorological Service, shows that the position of the 500 hPa isobaric surface over the Mediterranean basin during the drought period was significantly higher than the reference average values. The presence of persistent anticyclones during the entire decade (1980–90) became especially critical between September 1988 and March 1989 and between September 1989 and March 1990, leading to precipitation lower than long-term average values for all of Italy

JRC’s reference lists of MSFD species and habitats: MSFD reporting for Descriptors 1 and 6

JRC produced reference lists of species and habitats for the MSFD, following the recommendations listed in the COM DEC 2017/848/EU and shared them with the D1 experts, proposed by the Member States, to evaluate them. This task is part of the mandate to JRC (GES_18-2017-03) to facilitate Member States data entry in the EEA reporting web-forms, while increasing consistency and harmonization across Member States. The scope of the technical report is to describe the synthesis of the reference lists, to provide directions to the experts to evaluate and update them and to allow Member States to consult the reference lists (embedded in the document) for any future MSFD related task.JRC.D.2-Water and Marine Resource

A Pan-European Delimitation of Coastal Waters: Compliance with EU Environmental Legislation

The definition of coastal waters in relation to EU environmental legislation was clearly stated in the Water Framework Directive. In compliance with this Directive, most of the EU Member States delineated their coastal waters¿ boundaries. However, these delineations are not as complete and homogeneous as could be expected. A clear identification of European coastal waters boundaries is crucial for the implementation of the Water Framework Directive and the Marine Strategy Framework Directive, which depend on an accurate ecological/environmental assessment of those waters. Hence, there is a need for a comprehensive and unambiguous delimitation of European coastal waters. This report aims at bridging this gap providing a pan-European mapping of coastal waters, which cover 553,817 km2 in 30 seaside countries, 340,524 km2 of which pertain to the 22 EU Member States connected to the sea. For this purpose, a comprehensive geographical analysis of the national baselines and transitional waters distribution was performed. A pan-European baseline of 63,340 km was delineated as a basis for the European coastal waters delimitation. The European coastal waters identified in this work show significant differences with the available national declarations (almost 12% of the compared area), the latter defining an additional area of 29,337 km2 with respect to the former. The largest deviations seem to be due to misinterpretations of the definition of coastal waters in the Water Framework Directive, although a number of one-sided national modifications to that definition are also observed. This work provides the geographical basis for a full consultation process and discussion about this subject. Our recommendations include setting a clear geographical limit between the Water Framework Directive and the Marine Strategy Framework Directive jurisdiction, revise the possible exemptions in the definition of coastal waters, and discuss their consequences in the assessment of ecological/environmental status.JRC.DDG.H.5-Rural, water and ecosystem resource

Comparison between soluble ST2 and high-sensitivity troponin I in predicting short-term mortality for patients presenting to the Emergency Department with chest pain

Background: High-sensitivity cardiac troponin I (hs-cTnI) and the soluble isoform of suppression of tumorigenicity 2 (sST2) are useful prognostic biomarkers in acute coronary syndrome (ACS). The aim of this study was to test the short term prognostic value of sST2 compared with hs-cTnI in patients with chest pain. Methods: Assays for hs-cTnI and sST2 were performed in 157 patients admitted to the Emergency Department (ED) for chest pain at arrival. In-hospital and 30-day follow-up mortalities were assessed. Results: The incidence of ACS was 37%; 33 patients were diagnosed with ST elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI), and 25 were diagnosed with non-ST elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI). Compared with the no acute coronary syndrome (NO ACS) group, the median level of hs-cTnI was higher in ACS patients: 7.22 (5.24-14) pg/mL vs 68 (15.33-163.50) pg/mL (P35 ng/mL at ED arrival died during the 30-day follow-up. Conclusions: sST2 has a greater prognostic value for 30-day cardiac mortality after discharge in patients presenting to the ED for chest pain compared with hs-cTnI. In STEMI patients, an sST2 value > 35 ng/mL at ED arrival showed the highest predictive power for short-term mortality

Self-Assessment of Adherence to Medication: A Case Study in Campania Region Community-Dwelling Population.

Objectives. The aim of the study was to assess self-reported medication adherence measure in patients selected during a health education and health promotion focused event held in the Campania region. The study also assessed sociodemographic determinants of adherence. Methods. An interviewer assisted survey was conducted to assess adherence using the Italian version of the 8-item Morisky Medication Adherence Scale (MMAS-8). Participants older than 18 years were interviewed by pharmacists while waiting for free-medical checkup. Results. A total of 312 participants were interviewed during the Health Campus event. A total of 187 (59.9%) had low adherence to medications. Pearson's bivariate correlation showed positive association between the MMAS-8 score and gender, educational level and smoking (P < 0.05). A multivariable analysis showed that the level of education and smoking were independent predictors of adherence. Individuals with an average level of education (odds ratio (OR), 2.21, 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.08-4.52) and nonsmoker (odds ratio (OR) 1.87, 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.04-3.35) were found to be more adherent to medication than those with a lower level of education and smoking. Conclusion. The analysis showed very low prescription adherence levels in the interviewed population. The level of education was a relevant predictor associated with that result

Impairment of the autophagic flux in astrocytes intoxicated by trimethyltin

Autophagy is a lysosomal catabolic route for protein aggregates and damaged organelles which in different stress conditions, such as starvation, generally improves cell survival. An impairment of this degradation pathway has been reported to occur in many neurodegenerative processes. Trimethyltin (TMT) is a potent neurotoxin present as an environmental contaminant causing tremors, seizures and learning impairment in intoxicated subjects. The present data show that in rat primary astrocytes autophagic vesicles (AVs) appeared after few hours of TMT treatment. The analysis of the autophagic flux in TMT-treated astrocytes was consistent with a block of the late stages of autophagy and was accompanied by a progressive accumulation of the microtubule associated protein light chain 3 (LC3) and of p62/SQSTM1. Interestingly, an increased immunoreactivity for p62/SQSTM1 was also observed in hippocampal astrocytes detected in brain slices of TMT-intoxicated rats. The time-lapse recordings of AVs in EGFP-mCherry-LC3B transfected astrocytes demonstrated a reduced mobility of autophagosomes after TMT exposure respect to control cells. The observed block of the autophagic flux cannot be overcome by known autophagy inducers such as rapamycin or 0.5mM lithium. Although ineffective when used at 0.5mM, lithium at higher concentrations (2mM) was able to protect astrocyte cultures from TMT toxicity. This effect correlated well with its ability to determine the phosphorylation/inactivation of glycogen kinase synthase-3β (GSK-3β)

Lithium limits trimethyltin-induced cytotoxicity and proinflammatory response in microglia without affecting the concurrent autophagy impairment

Trimethyltin (TMT) is a highly toxic molecule present as an environmental contaminant causing neurodegeneration particularly of the limbic system both in humans and in rodents. We recently described the occurrence of impairment in the late stages of autophagy in TMT-intoxicated astrocytes. Here we show that similarly to astrocytes also in microglia, TMT induces the precocious block of autophagy indicated by the accumulation of the autophagosome marker, microtubule associated protein light chain 3. Consistent with autophagy impairment we observe in TMT-treated microglia the accumulation of p62/SQSTM1, a protein specifically degraded through this pathway. Lithium has been proved effective in limiting neurodegenerations and, in particular, in ameliorating symptoms of TMT intoxication in rodents. In our in vitro model, lithium displays a pro-survival and anti-inflammatory action reducing both cell death and the proinflammatory response of TMT-treated microglia. In particular, lithium exerts these activities without reducing TMT-induced accumulation of light chain 3 protein. In fact, the autophagic block imposed by TMT is unaffected by lithium administration. These results are of interest as defects in the execution of autophagy are frequently observed in neurodegenerative diseases and lithium is considered a promising therapeutic agent for these pathologies. Thus, it is relevant that this cation can still maintain its pro-survival and anti-inflammatory role in conditions of autophagy bloc

Application of the LOICZ Methodology to the Mediterranean Sea

From a broad perspective, the LOICZ (Land-Ocean Interactions in the Coastal Zone) approach attempts to evaluate coastal change from a system perspective and assumes that the effects taking place are due to pressures within the whole basin. The LOICZ methodology was applied to the Mediterranean Sea in order to estimate its water, salt and nutrient budget, as well as to gain insights into its biogeochemical cycles. In order to undertake this budget approach, various input data relative to the three budgets were gathered for the time period of 1996 to 2005. In the case of the Mediterranean Sea, it was seen that there is still a gap between LOICZ data requirements and the standard monitoring practices in the coastal zone, both from a spatial as well as temporal viewpoint. The results show that on average over the time period 1996 to 2005, the phosphorous and nitrogen budgets of 1.35·10-2 mmol m-2 d-1 and 3.22·10-1 mmol m-2 d-1, respectively, suggest an excess of release over uptake. The budget calculations translate to the fact that on average the Mediterranean Sea acts as a sink of phosphorous and nitrogen. No specific, statistically relevant trend of the water quality and ecosystem functioning of the Mediterranean Sea was observed. An examination of the stoichiometric linkage of C, N and P through the Redfield ratio indicates that nitrogen fixation and production of dissolved inorganic carbon dominate over denitrification and consumption of dissolved inorganic carbon via net organic production.JRC.H.5-Rural, water and ecosystem resource

In-depth assessment of the Member States reporting for the Marine Strategy’s biodiversity monitoring

This work aims to develop recommendations and propose emerging reporting requirements for the update of the monitoring programmes pursuant to MSFD Article 17. Such recommendations will enhance the consistency, comparability and coherence in the monitoring and assessment of marine biodiversity. The results are tailored according to the requirements of the new Commission Decision (2017/848/EU) for criteria and methodological standards to determine Good Environmental Status. The application of the risk-based approach in the European marine waters is amongst the emerging reporting requirements, being less tackled in the first MSFD cycle. The analysis goes deeper than the MSFD Art.12 evaluation performed by the European Commission (COM/2017/3; SWD/2017/1) after the Member States reporting. Its scope goes beyond the evaluation of the individual Member States performance and compliance, being focused on the technical assessment and evaluation of the reports at regional/subregional scales. The perspective of this analysis is to improve the current approach of the MSFD biodiversity Descriptors’ monitoring reports, but the conclusions are relevant to all MSFD Descriptors.JRC.D.2-Water and Marine Resource

Feasibility Study of the Application of the LOICZ Budget to the Mediterranean Sea

The Mediterranean Sea is an important regional EU sea and often used to assess the impacts of global change on the environment, due to its practically enclosed character. As most of the northern part is bordered by the EU, it is also of interest in the evaluation of the environmental and economic impact of the implementation of the EU Water Framework Directive and related environmental legislation. For this purpose, the feasibility to carry out a budget approach, developed in LOICZ (Land Ocean Interactions in the Coastal Zone) project has been analyzed. The activities carried out allow to conclude that all budget components can be reliably estimated and such budget correctly set up. In particular: - estimates for precipitation and evaporation of the Mediterranean Sea can be obtained from ECMWF; other sources for estimates of such variables are available, and in a further implementation of this work a comparison between estimate sets will be carried out; - estimates of annual flow and nutrient output to the Mediterranean Sea as required by the LOICZ budget can be obtained via the setting up of the AVGWLF model, with reasonable operating expense (time and effort) and with acceptable assumptions made for information/data not available for some or all of the regions, especially in the Asian and North African part of the Mediterranean; - exchanges through the Gibraltar and Dardanelles Straits can also be reliably estimated, based on previous studies. It is recognized that the estimates of all budget components, as illustrated in the paragraphs above, can be improved. It is foreseen that some of these improvements will be obtained already in the actual implementation of the LOICZ budget.JRC.H.5-Rural, water and ecosystem resource