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Abstract Human pharmaceuticals represent a major challenge in natural environment. A better knowledge on their mechanisms of action and adverse effects on cellular pathways is fundamental to predict long-term consequences for marine wildlife. The FTIRI Imaging (FTIRI) spectroscopy represents a vibrational technique allowing to map specific areas of non-homogeneous biological samples, providing a unique biochemical and ultrastructural fingerprint of the tissue. In this study, FTIRI technique has been applied, for the first time, to characterize (i) the chemical building blocks of digestive glands of Mytilus galloprovincialis, (ii) alterations and (iii) resilience of macromolecular composition, after a 14-days exposure to 0.5 µg/L of carbamazepine (CBZ), valsartan (VAL) and their mixture, followed by a 14-days recovery period. Spectral features of mussels digestive glands provided insights on composition and topographical distribution of main groups of biological macromolecules, such as proteins, lipids, and glycosylated compounds. Pharmaceuticals caused an increase in the total amount of protein and a significant decrease of lipids levels. Changes in macromolecular features reflected the modulation of specific molecular and biochemical pathways thus supporting our knowledge on mechanisms of action of such emerging pollutants. Overall, the applied approach could represent an added value within integrated strategies for the effects-based evaluation of environmental contaminants.

Dissolved oxygen (DO) is one of the most important drivers of ocean biogeochemical cycles and marine life, and in many areas its concentration has declined due to climate change. In recent decades, a growing number of autonomous oceanographic platforms has been equipped with sensors for direct in situ measurements of oxygen levels. However, to ensure high quality and comparable data, these observations need to be validated or, if necessary, corrected. In this paper, we compiled all the available DO data collected by Argo floats and gliders in the South Adriatic Pit (Mediterranean Sea) between 2014 and 2020. This dataset includes data for which it was not possible to apply conventional quality-control methods. Therefore, we had to apply tailored procedures based on well-established best practices for correction. The aim is to showcase how these tailored procedures allowed us to achieve the best possible quality of data and generate consistent datasets. The drift of the glider DO sensors related to storage was also estimated. The described procedure could be useful in similar cases where the conventional methods are not viable, thus making available potentially useful data.

Convolutional Neural Networks are being increasingly applied to the detection of anomalies in Computed Tomographies (CTs). The goal of this paper is to implement an automated Computer-Aided Detection (CADe) system for spinal lesions using CTs and Convolutional Neural Networks pre-trained on commercial datasets. The proposed pipeline works as follows. The CADe takes in input CT scans and is equipped with an intuitive GUI to allow physicians to use it as a support tool for diagnoses. From the CT scans, the CADe selects volumes containing the vertebrae and extracts 2D slices of these volumes. These slices are pre-processed and then analyzed using a VGG19 Convolutional Neural Network and a tailored, binary classifier. The neural network identifies healthy vertebrae and vertebrae containing lesions (e.g. metastases, primary tumors, lytic and sclerotic lesions). For training and testing purposes, we generated a dataset from CTs of vertebrae from patients treated at IRCCS Rizzoli Orthopaedics Institute of Bologna, Italy, between 2009 and 2019. Both healthy and lesioned vertebrae retrieved with different tomography machines and setups are considered. The dataset has been enlarged using data augmentation techniques and subsequently used to train a wide range of deep learning models. We perform an in-depth benchmark study to assess the performance of the considered classifier against different Convolutional Neural Networks pre-trained on the ImageNet dataset and exploiting Transfer Learning techniques. Leveraging Transfer Learning techniques, we reached 93.43% accuracy and a recall of 92.99%.

Abstract Background One of the main factors for the osseointegration of dental implants is the development of an adequate soft tissue barrier, mainly composed by collagen, which protects the implant from bacterial development. The structural features of the peri-implant collagen are influenced by the implant components and, in particular, by the type of the surface. In the clinical practice, healing abutments are characterized by smooth surfaces, named machined. Recently, a new laser technique, Synthegra, has been developed to obtain a topography-controlled surface with micrometric regular pores that seems reducing the risk of peri-implantitis. Based on this background, this study aims investigating the structural organization and spatial distribution of collagen surrounding healing abutments characterized by laser-treated and machined surfaces. Methods Gingiva portions surrounding custom-made healing abutments (HA), characterized by alternated laser-treated and machined surfaces, were collected and analyzed by combining Fourier Transform InfraRed Imaging (FTIRI) spectroscopy, a non-invasive and high-resolution bidimensional analytical technique, with histological and multivariate analyses. Results Masson’s trichrome staining, specific for collagen, highlighted a massive presence of collagen in all the analyzed samples, evidencing a surface-related spatial distribution. The nature of collagen, investigated by the FTIRI spectroscopy, appeared more abundant close to the laser-treated surface, with a perpendicular disposition of the bundles respect to the HA; conversely, a parallel distribution was observed around the machined surface. A different secondary structure was also found, with a higher amount of triple helices and a lower quantity of random coils in collagen close to the laser treated surfaces. Conclusions FTIRI spectroscopy demonstrates that the use of a laser treated transmucosal surface can improve the morphological organization of the peri-implant collagen, which presents a distribution more similar to that of natural teeth. Trial registration: This trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: (Registration Number: NCT05754970). Registered 06/03/2023, retrospectively registered, https://clinicaltrials.gov/show/NCT05754970 .

Artificial Intelligence (AI) applications and Machine Learning (ML) methods have gained much attention in recent years for their ability to automatically detect patterns in data without being explicitly taught rules. Specific features characterise the ECGs of patients with Brugada Syndrome (BrS); however, there is still ambiguity regarding the correct diagnosis of BrS and its differentiation from other pathologies.This work presents an application of Echo State Networks (ESN) in the Recurrent Neural Networks (RNN) class for diagnosing BrS from the ECG time series.12-lead ECGs were obtained from patients with a definite clinical diagnosis of spontaneous BrS Type 1 pattern (Group A), patients who underwent provocative pharmacological testing to induce BrS type 1 pattern, which resulted in positive (Group B) or negative (Group C), and control subjects (Group D). One extracted beat in the V2 lead was used as input, and the dataset was used to train and evaluate the ESN model using a double cross-validation approach. ESN performance was compared with that of 4 cardiologists trained in electrophysiology.The model performance was assessed in the dataset, with a correct global diagnosis observed in 91.5 % of cases compared to clinicians (88.0 %). High specificity (94.5 %), sensitivity (87.0 %) and AUC (94.7 %) for BrS recognition by ESN were observed in Groups A + B vs. C + D.Our results show that this ML model can discriminate Type 1 BrS ECGs with high accuracy comparable to expert clinicians. Future availability of larger datasets may improve the model performance and increase the potential of the ESN as a clinical support system tool for daily clinical practice.

PurposeThis study aims to describe the functional status of a cohort of subacute COVID-19 patients treated in a dedicated rehabilitation unit and to compare functional outcomes between patients previously hospitalized in the intensive care unit (ICU group) and patients assisted in the medical care unit (MCU group).Materials and methodsClinical and functional evaluations were performed at admission and discharge. The functional status was assessed using Barthel index (BI), functional ambulation categories (FAC), trunk control test (TCT), and dysphagia outcome and severity score (DOSS). All patients received multidisciplinary tailored rehabilitation.ResultsWe evaluated 171 patients (with a mean age of 67.7 ± 11.9 years, 117 were males), 110 coming from the ICU (with a mean age of 63.24 ± 10.9 years), and 61 coming from the MCU (with a mean age of 75.75 ± 9.09 years). The ICU group showed a worse functional status at admission compared with the MCU group [BI 2.5 (0–20) vs. 20 (10–60), FAC 0 (0–0) vs. 0 (0–2), TCT 61 (42–100) vs. 100 (61–100), DOSS 5 (1–7) vs. 7 (7–7)] and had significantly longer hospital stay. At discharge, all functional scales were improved with no statistically significant differences between the two groups.ConclusionEarly rehabilitation of COVID-19 survivors improves functional recovery closing the initial gap between the ICU and MCU groups. In addition, it is effective to improve the functional outcome reducing the costs for longer-term assistance of COVID-19 patients.

The Mediterranean Sea is very sensitive to climatic changes due to its semi-enclosed nature and is therefore defined as one of the hotspots in future climate change projections. In this study, we use Argo float data to assess climatologies and trends in temperature and Ocean Heat Content (OHC) throughout the Mediterranean Sea and for specific sub-basins (e.g. Western and Eastern Mediterranean, Gulf of Lion, South Adriatic). The amount of the OHC, spatially averaged in bins of 1°x1° over the period from 2001 to 2020, increases from west to east in the Mediterranean Sea. Time series of temperature and OHC from 2005 to 2020, estimated in the surface and intermediate layers (5-700 m) and deeper layer (700-2000 m), reveal significant warming trends and an increase of OHC. The upper 700 m of the Mediterranean Sea show a temperature trend of 0.041 ± 0.012°C·yr-1, corresponding to an annual increase in OHC of 3.59 ± 1.02 W·m-2. The Western Mediterranean Sea (5-700 m) is warming fastest with an increase in temperature at a rate of 0.070 ± 0.015°C·yr-1, corresponding to a yearly increase in OHC of 5.72 ± 1.28 W·m-2. Mixing and convection events within convection sites and along boundary currents transport and disperse the temperature and OHC changes. Significant warming trends are evident in the deeper layers (700-2000 m) of the two deep convection sites in the Mediterranean Sea (Gulf of Lion, South Adriatic), with an exceptionally strong warming trend in the South Adriatic from 2013 to 2020 of 0.058 ± 0.005°C·yr-1, corresponding to a yearly increase in OHC of 9.43 ± 0.85 W·m-2. The warming of the different water masses will show its feedback on ocean dynamics and air-sea fluxes in the next years, decades, and even centuries as these warming waters spread or re-emerge. This will provide more energy to the atmosphere, resulting in more extreme weather events and will also stress ecosystems and accelerate the extinction of several marine species. This study contributes to a better understanding of climate change in the Mediterranean region, and should act as another wake-up call for policy makers and society.

Abstract The attention of the scientific community, policymakers, and public opinion on the Medicanes has recently grown because of their increase in intensity and harmful potential. Although Medicanes may be influenced by pre-existing upper-ocean conditions, uncertainties remain about how such weather extremes influence ocean circulation. This work examines a condition that has been never described before in the Mediterranean, which involves the interplay between an atmospheric cyclone (Medicane Apollo—October 2021) and a cyclonic gyre located in the western Ionian Sea. During the event, the temperature in the core of the cold gyre dropped dramatically, due to a local maximum in the wind-stress curl, Ekman pumping, and relative vorticity. Cooling and vertical mixing of the surface layer combined with upwelling in the subsurface layer caused a shoaling of the Mixed Layer Depth, halocline, and nutricline. The resulting biogeochemical impacts included an increase in oxygen solubility, chlorophyll concentration, productivity at the surface, and decreases in the subsurface layer. The presence of a cold gyre along Apollo's trajectory leads to a different ocean response from that observed with previous Medicanes, endorsing the efficiency of a multi-platform observation system integrated into an operational model for future mitigation of weather-related damages.

The Argo observation network is made up of approximately 4,000 drifting floats, which provide valuable information about the ocean and its role in the climate system. Each one of these floats work in continuous cycles, until their batteries run out. Due to its importance in operational forecasting and climate research, the Argo community continually assesses the status of the sensors mounted on each of the floats. Recovering floats would offer a great opportunity to gain insight into sensor performance and stability, although the economic and environmental costs of dedicating a ship exclusively to recover Argo floats make it unsustainable. In this work, the potential of world shipping traffic as float retrievers has been evaluated through an analysis of encounters based on the Automatic Identification System (AIS) of ships and the location of Argo floats in the years 2019 and 2020. About 18,500 and 28,500 encounters happened for both years, respectively. The Mediterranean Sea hosted the most encounters, and fishing ships were the most suitable type of ship aimed for potential recoveries. A total of 298 and 373 floats interacted with the world shipping traffic in favorable weather conditions in 2019 and 2020, respectively, a figure equivalent to 25% of the annual replacement rate of the Argo network. The same approach was applied to 677 floats affected by abrupt salinity drift (ASD), an issue that has recently come to the attention of the Argo community. It turned out that 59 and 103 ASD-affected floats interacted with ships of opportunity in both years.

This review presents several alternatives to replace antibiotic therapy and make the European aquaculture industry more friendly and environmentally sustainable. The first part of this review highlights the growing importance of the aquaculture industry worldwide for its ability to supply low-cost proteins and lipids. The second part discusses different strategies for these replacements, from recombinant vaccines to diets with low environmental impact and rich in bioactive molecules that can benefit other species. Specifically, the beneficial effects of bioactive compounds present within insect meals are discussed. In addition, particular focus is placed on the importance of adopting sustainable protocols for fish farming, including supplements such as probiotics, prebiotics, and synbiotics capable of modulating the gut microbiota as the second brain. Those feed additives can stimulate European farmed species’ immunological systems, growth, and welfare.

Sustainability is a paradigm of generative action if combined with the principle of antifragility. This contribution, adhering to a transdisciplinary approach, proposes a reinterpretation of the principles of the 2030 Agenda, orienting them towards a community-building model. Sustainability can be seen as passive (care) and active (custody), determining paths to be activated at the territorial level. Sustainability is a communitarian learning path measured by one’s antifragility capacity. The effectiveness of the Agenda is linked to the dissemination and accountability of the challenges contained in the 17 objectives. The local scale is perhaps the most suitable for activating this process. However, this requires a strengthening of the anti-fragility of communities and organizations, which must be more capable of recognizing and reducing vulnerabilities and weaknesses. A promising field of application is that of impact assessment, to be reworked in the light of the antifragility approach.

Abstract Background Radiofrequency ablation has been shown to be a safe and effective treatment for scar-related ventricular arrhythmias (VA). Recent preliminary studies have shown that real time integration of late gadolinium enhancement cardiac magnetic resonance (LGE-CMR) images with electroanatomical map (EAM) data may lead to increased procedure efficacy, efficiency, and safety. Methods VOYAGE is a prospective, randomized, multicenter controlled open label study designed to compare in terms of efficacy, efficiency, and safety a CMR aided/guided workflow to standard EAM-guided ventricular tachycardia (VT) ablation. Patients with an ICD or with ICD implantation expected within 1 month, with scar related VT, suitable for CMR and multidetector computed tomography (MDCT) will be randomized to a CMR-guided or CMR-aided approach, whereas subjects unsuitable for imaging or with image quality deemed not sufficient for postprocessing will be allocated to standard of care ablation. Primary endpoint is defined as VT recurrences (sustained or requiring appropriate ICD intervention) during 12 months follow-up, excluding the first month of blanking period. Secondary endpoints will include procedural efficiency, safety, impact on quality of life and comparison between CMR-guided and CMR-aided approaches. Patients will be evaluated at 1, 6 and 12 months. Discussion The clinical impact of real time CMR-guided/aided ablation approaches has not been thoroughly assessed yet. This study aims at defining whether such workflow results in more effective, efficient, and safer procedures. If proven to be of benefit, results from this study could be applied in large scale interventional practice. Trial registrationClinicalTrials.gov, NCT04694079, registered on January 1, 2021.

ATR-FTIR (Attenuated Total Reflectance Fourier Transform InfraRed) spectroscopy, combined with chemometric, represents a rapid and reliable approach to obtain information about the macromolecular composition of food and plant materials. With a single measurement, the chemical fingerprint of the analyzed sample is rapidly obtained. Hence, this technique was used for investigating 13 differently processed tea leaves (green, black and white) all grown and processed in European tea gardens, and their vacuum-dried tea brews, prepared using both hot and cold water, to observe how the components differ from tea leaf to the in-cup infusion. Spectra were collected in the 1800–600 cm−1 region and were submitted to Principal Component Analysis (PCA). The comparison of the spectral profiles of leaves and hot and cold infusions of tea from the same country, emphasizes how they differ in relation to the different spectral regions. Differences were also noted among the different countries. Furthermore, the changes observed (e.g., at ~1340 cm−1) due to catechin content, confirm the antioxidant properties of these teas. Overall, this experimental approach could be relevant for rapid analysis of various tea types and could pave the way for the industrial discrimination of teas and of their health properties without the need of time-consuming, lab chemical assays.

Atlantic Water (AW) and Levantine Intermediate Water (LIW) are important water masses that play a crucial role in the internal variability of the Mediterranean thermohaline circulation. To be more specific, their variability and interaction, along with other water masses that characterize the Mediterranean basin, such as the Western Mediterranean Deep Water (WMDW), contribute to modify the Mediterranean Outflow through the Strait of Gibraltar, and hence they may influence the stability of the global thermohaline circulation. This work aims to characterize AW and LIW in the Mediterranean Sea, taking advantage of the large observational dataset (freely available on https://argo.ucsd.edu, https://www.ocean-ops.org, last access: 17 January 2022; Wong et al., 2020) provided by Argo floats from 2001 to 2019. AW and LIW were identified using different diagnostic methods, highlighting the inter-basin variability and the strong zonal gradient that both denote the two water masses in this marginal sea. Their temporal variability was also investigated over the last 2 decades, providing a more robust view of AW and LIW characteristics, which have only been investigated using very short periods in previous studies due to a lack of data. A clear salinification and warming trend characterize AW and LIW over the last 2 decades (∼ 0.007 ± 0.140 and 0.006 ± 0.038 yr−1; 0.026 ± 0.715 and 0.022 ± 0.232 ∘C yr−1, respectively). The salinity and temperature trends found at sub-basin scale are in good agreement with previous results. The strongest trends are found in the Adriatic basin in the properties of both AW and LIW.

Abstract Over the last years, the potential use of Black Soldier Fly meal (BSF) as a new and sustainable aquafeed ingredient has been largely explored in several fish species. However, only fragmentary information is available about the use of BSF meal-based diets in sturgeon nutrition. In consideration of a circular economy concept and a more sustainable aquaculture development, the present research represents the first comprehensive multidisciplinary study on the physiological effects of a BSF diet during sturgeon culture in an aquaponic system. Siberian sturgeon (Acipenser baerii) juveniles were fed over a 60-days feeding trial on a control diet (Hi0) and a diet containing 50% of full-fat BSF meal respect to fish meal (Hi50). Physiological responses of fish were investigated using several analytical approaches, such as gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, histology, Fourier Transformed Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), microbiome sequencing and Real-time PCR. While aquaponic systems performed optimally during the trial, Hi50 group fish showed lower diet acceptance that resulted in growth and survival reduction, a decrease in hepatic lipids and glycogen content (FTIR), a higher hepatic hsp70.1 gene expression and a worsening in gut histological morphometric parameters. The low feed acceptance showed by Hi50 group sturgeon highlighted the necessity to improve the palatability of BSF-based diet designed for sturgeon culture.

The corpus callosum (CC) is the largest interhemispheric commissure of the mammalian brain, and it includes axons, cortical neurons, and glial cells. It is mainly composed of myelin, a lipidic sheath which is produced by glial cell membranes; myelin is wrapped up around axons and plays a fundamental role in the fast conduction of neuronal electrical signals. The human CC is divided into various anatomical regions, with different axonal composition, including, from front to back, genu, body or trunk, isthmus, and splenium. Corpus callosum undergoes some alterations not only in the presence of specific physiological and pathological conditions, but also because of aging. For the first time, in the present study a hyperspectral imaging analysis of human corpus callosum was performed. The study, carried out on CC autopsy samples collected from human adult males of different ages, was focused mainly on the genu and splenium regions. By combining Fourier-transform infrared imaging and histological analyses with multivariate and univariate ones, the macromolecular composition of these regions was defined, and age-related alterations in the lipid and protein components were identified.

Bones offer a great amount of information on ancient populations regarding both their lifestyle habits and the influence of the living area. Bones are composed by an inorganic component, i.e., carbonated hydroxyapatite (Ca10[(PO4)6−x(CO3)x](OH)2), and an organic matrix (mainly proteins and collagen). After death, bones are subjected to diagenetic processes, with changes in structure, morphology, and chemical composition. All these modifications strictly depend on several factors, including the nearby environment, the climate, and the burial modality. Hence, a precise knowledge of the diagenetic processes affecting bones after death is mandatory. In this study, archeological human bones from the Garamantian necropolis of Fewet (Libyan Sahara) were analyzed by ATR–FTIR spectroscopy to elucidate the role of the burial location and modality, as well as the highly arid environment in the diagenesis rate. Several spectral parameters related to structural and chemical features of the organic and mineral components (i.e., AmideI/PO4, C/P, MM, FWHM603, and IRSF indexes) were statistically analyzed. Spectral data were compared with those from modern ruminants from the same site to evaluate a possible time-dependent correlation between the chemical composition and the diagenetic processes. A mild diagenesis was found in all human bones, even though it had a variable degree depending on the burial location.

The ubiquitous presence of microplastics (MPs) and their health effects is a recent scientific topic. However, the investigation of MPs in human/biological matrices has several limitations due to analytical methods and sample treatment protocols. In this study, the presence of MPs in the urine samples of six volunteers from different cities in the south of Italy (three men and three women) was investigated by Raman microspectroscopy. The analysis pinpointed four pigmented microplastic fragments (4–15 μm size), with irregular shapes, which were characterized in terms of morphology and chemical composition. Polyethylene vinyl acetate (PVA), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polypropylene (PP), and polyethylene (PE) MPs were found in four samples (PVA and PVC in one female sample and PP and PE in three male samples). This preliminary study suggests that MPs could pass through the gastrointestinal tract and are eliminated through biological processes.

Once they reach the aquatic environment, microplastics (MPs) are accidentally ingested by aquatic biota, thus entering the food chain with possible negative effects. The present study investigated, for the first time, MP presence in cuttlefish (Sepia officinalis) eggs and their association with embryonic development. Cuttlefish eggs were sampled from four different sites along the Marche region (Senigallia, Ancona, Numana, and San Benedetto del Tronto). Embryo and hatchling biometric parameters were evaluated and the internal structural integrity was examined through histological analysis. MPs were detected and characterized in embryos and yolk samples. MPs were identified in all sites (size < 5 µm), however, their presence has not been associated with an impairment of either embryo or hatchling internal structures. Noteworthy, the highest number of MPs (in both yolk and embryo samples) were found in Numana (37% of the total amount), where the lowest hatchling size was observed. On the other hand, the highest embryo mantle length was associated with the lowest number of MPs detected (9%) in Ancona. Overall, only MP fragments and sphere types (74 and 26%, respectively) were observed, and the most frequent polymers were Polyvinyl chloride (52%), Polypropylene, and Cellulose acetate (15% both). Further studies are needed to assess the possible MP effects on the yolk quality and assimilation.

The paper aims to describe the preconditioning and observations of exceptionally high salinity values that were observed in summer and autumn of 2017 in the Adriatic. The observations encompassed CTD measurements carried out along the well-surveyed climatological transect in the Middle Adriatic (the Palagruža Sill, 1961–2020), Argo profiling floats and several glider missions, accompanied with satellite altimetry and operational ocean numerical model (Mediterranean Forecasting System) products. Typically, subsurface salinity maximum, with values lower than 39.0, is observed in the Southern Adriatic (usually between 200 and 400 m), related to ingressions of saltier and warmer waters originating in the eastern Mediterranean (Levantine Intermediate Water—LIW). However, seasonally strong inflow of warm and high salinity waters (S > 38.8) has been observed much closer to the surface since spring 2015. The main LIW core deepened at the same time (to 400–700 m). Such double-maxima vertical pattern was eventually disturbed by winter convection at the beginning of 2017, increasing salinities throughout the water column. A new episode of very strong inflow of high salinity waters from the Northern Ionian was observed in late winter and spring of 2017, this time restricted almost to the surface. As most of 2017 was characterized by extremely dry conditions, low riverine inputs and warmer than usual summer over the Adriatic and Northern Ionian, salinity values above the sharp and shallow (15–40 m) thermocline significantly increased. The maximum recorded salinity was 39.26, as measured by the Argo float in the Southern Adriatic. Surface salinity maximum events, but with much lower intensity, have been documented in the past. Both past events and the 2017 event were characterized by (i) concurrence with overall high salinity conditions and cyclonic or transitional phase of the Adriatic-Ionian Bimodal Oscillating System, (ii) very low river discharges preconditioning the events for a year or more, (iii) higher-than-average heat fluxes during most of the summer and early autumn periods, forming a stable warm layer above the thermocline, and (iv) higher-than-average E-P (evaporation minus precipitation) acting on this warm surface layer. Importantly, the 2017 event was also preceded by strong near-surface inflow of very saline waters from the Northern Ionian in early 2017.

The circulation of the Eastern Mediterranean Sea is characterized by numerous recurrent or permanent anticyclonic structures, which modulate the pathway of the main currents and the exchange of the water masses in the basin. This work aims to describe the main circulation structures and thermohaline properties of the Eastern Mediterranean with particular focus on two anticyclones, the Pelops and the Cyprus gyres, using in-situ (drifters and Argo floats) and satellite (altimetry) data. The Pelops gyre is involved in the circulation and exchange of Levantine origin surface and intermediate waters and in their flow toward the Ionian and the Adriatic Sea. The Cyprus Gyre presents a marked interannual variability related to the presence/absence of waters of Atlantic origin in its interior. These anticyclones are characterized by double diffusive instability and winter mixing phenomena driven by salty surface waters of Levantine origin. Conditions for the salt finger regime occur steadily and dominantly within the Eastern Mediterranean anticyclones. The winter mixing is usually observed in December–January, characterized by instability conditions in the water column, a gradual deepening of the mixed layer depth and the consequent downward doming of the isohalines. The mixing generally involves the first 200 m of the water column (but occasionally can affect also the intermediate layer) forming a water mass with well-defined thermohaline characteristics. Conditions for salt fingers also occur during mixing events in the layer below the mixed layer.

The AlborEX (Alboran Sea Experiment) consisted of a multi-platform, multi-disciplinary experiment carried out in the Alboran Sea (western Mediterranean Sea) between 25 and 31 May 2014. The observational component of AlborEx aimed to sample the physical and biogeochemical properties of oceanographic features present along an intense frontal zone, with a particular interest in the vertical motions in its vicinity. To this end, the mission included 1 research vessel (66 profiles), 2 underwater gliders (adding up 552 profiles), 3 profiling floats, and 25 surface drifters.Near real-time ADCP velocities were collected nightly and during the CTD sections. All of the profiling floats acquired temperature and conductivity profiles, while the Provor-bio float also measured oxygen and chlorophyll a concentrations, coloured dissolved organic matter, backscattering at 700 nm, downwelling irradiance at 380, 410, and 490 nm, as well as photo-synthetically active radiation (PAR).In the context of mesoscale and sub-mesoscale interactions, the AlborEX dataset constitutes a particularly valuable source of information to infer mechanisms, evaluate vertical transport, and establish relationships between the thermal and haline structures and the biogeochemical variable evolution, in a region characterised by strong horizontal gradients provoked by the confluence of Atlantic and Mediterranean waters, thanks to its multi-platform, multi-disciplinary nature.The dataset presented in this paper can be used for the validation of high-resolution numerical models or for data assimilation experiment, thanks to the various scales of processes sampled during the cruise. All the data files that make up the dataset are available in the SOCIB data catalog at https://doi.org/10.25704/z5y2-qpye (Pascual et al., 2018). The nutrient concentrations are available at https://repository.socib.es:8643/repository/entry/show?entryid=07ebf505-bd27-4ae5-aa43-c4d1c85dd500 (last access: 24 December 2018).

Microplastics are particles smaller than five millimeters deriving from the degradation of plastic objects present in the environment. Microplastics can move from the environment to living organisms, including mammals. In this study, six human placentas, collected from consenting women with physiological pregnancies, were analyzed by Raman Microspectroscopy to evaluate the presence of microplastics. In total, 12 microplastic fragments (ranging from 5 to 10 μm in size), with spheric or irregular shape were found in 4 placentas (5 in the fetal side, 4 in the maternal side and 3 in the chorioamniotic membranes); all microplastics particles were characterized in terms of morphology and chemical composition. All of them were pigmented; three were identified as stained polypropylene a thermoplastic polymer, while for the other nine it was possible to identify only the pigments, which were all used for man-made coatings, paints, adhesives, plasters, finger paints, polymers and cosmetics and personal care products.

In the past two decades, the Argo Program has collected, processed, and distributed over two million vertical profiles of temperature and salinity from the upper two kilometers of the global ocean. A similar number of subsurface velocity observations near 1,000 dbar have also been collected. This paper recounts the history of the global Argo Program, from its aspiration arising out of the World Ocean Circulation Experiment, to the development and implementation of its instrumentation and telecommunication systems, and the various technical problems encountered. We describe the Argo data system and its quality control procedures, and the gradual changes in the vertical resolution and spatial coverage of Argo data from 1999 to 2019. The accuracies of the float data have been assessed by comparison with high-quality shipboard measurements, and are concluded to be 0.002°C for temperature, 2.4 dbar for pressure, and 0.01 PSS-78 for salinity, after delayed-mode adjustments. Finally, the challenges faced by the vision of an expanding Argo Program beyond 2020 are discussed.

The Mediterranean Sea is considered a hot spot of global warming because it has been changing faster than the global ocean, creating a strong impact on the marine environment. Recent studies agree on the increase in the sea level, in the sea surface temperature, and in the sea surface salinity in the Mediterranean Sea over the last two decades. In this research, the possible interconnection between these and other parameters that contribute to the regulatory effect of the sea on the climate are identified and discussed. Spatio-temporal variability of four oceanographic and air–sea interaction parameters (sea-level, sea surface temperature, sea surface salinity, and freshwater flux) are estimated over the last 27 years by performing the empirical orthogonal function analysis. Climatic trends, and interannual and decadal variability of the different datasets are delineated and described in the whole Mediterranean and in its sub-basins. On the climatic scale, the Mediterranean and its sub-basins behave in a coherent way, showing the seal level, temperature, salinity, and freshwater flux rise. On the interannual scale, the temporal evolution of the sea level and sea surface temperature are highly correlated, whereas freshwater flux affects the variability of sea level, temperature, and the salinity field mainly in the Western and Central Mediterranean. The decadal signal associated with the Northern Ionian Gyre circulation reversals is clearly identified in three of the four parameters considered, with different intensities and geographical extents. This signal also affects the intermediate layer of the Eastern Mediterranean, from where it is advected to the other sub-basins. Decadal signal not associated with the Northern Ionian Gyre reversals is strongly related to the variability of main sub-basin scale local structures.

Currently, various analytical techniques, including scanning electron microscopy, X-Ray diffraction, microcomputed tomography, and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, are available to study the structural or elemental features of hard dental tissues. In contrast to these approaches, Raman Microspectroscopy (RMS) has the great advantage of simultaneously providing, at the same time and on the same sample, a morpho-chemical correlation between the microscopic information from the visual analysis of the sample and its chemical and macromolecular composition. Hence, RMS represents an innovative and non-invasive technique to study both inorganic and organic teeth components in vitro. The aim of this narrative review is to shed new light on the applicative potential of Raman Microspectroscopy in the dental field. Specific Raman markers representative of sound and pathological hard dental tissues will be discussed, and the future diagnostic application of this technique will be outlined. The objective and detailed information provided by this technique in terms of the structure and chemical/macromolecular components of sound and pathological hard dental tissues could be useful for improving knowledge of several dental pathologies. Scientific articles regarding RMS studies of human hard dental tissues were retrieved from the principal databases by following specific inclusion and exclusion criteria.

In the present study, the cytotoxic effects of 5-azacytidine on primary Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma cells (OSCCs) from human biopsies, and on Cancer Stem Cells (CSCs) from the same samples, were investigated by an in vitro Fourier Transform InfraRed Microscospectroscopy (FTIRM) approach coupled with multivariate analysis. OSCC is an aggressive tumoral lesion of the epithelium, accounting for ~90% of all oral cancers. It is usually diagnosed in advanced stages, and this causes a poor prognosis with low success rates of surgical, as well as radiation and chemotherapy treatments. OSCC is frequently characterised by recurrence after chemotherapy and by the development of a refractoriness to some employed drugs, which is probably ascribable to the presence of CSCs niches, responsible for cancer growth, chemoresistance and metastasis. The spectral information from FTIRM was correlated with the outcomes of cytotoxicity tests and image-based cytometry, and specific spectral signatures attributable to 5-azacytidine treatment were identified, allowing us to hypothesise the demethylation of DNA and, hence, an increase in the transcriptional activity, together with a conformational transition of DNA, and a triggering of cell death by an apoptosis mechanism. Moreover, a different mechanism of action between OSSC and CSC cells was highlighted, probably due to possible differences between OSCCs and CSCs response.

An Algerian Eddy, anticyclonic vortex generated by the instability of the Algerian Current in the southwestern Mediterranean Sea, is studied using data provided by drifters (surface currents), Argo floats (temperature and salinity profiles), environmental satellites (absolute dynamic topography maps and ocean color images) and operational oceanography products. The eddy was generated in May 2018 and lasted as an isolated vortex until November 2018. Its morphology and kinematics are described in June–July 2018 when drifters were trapped in its core. During that period, the eddy was slowly moving to the NE (~2 km/day), with an overall diameter of about 200 km (slowly growing with time) and maximal surface swirl velocity of ~50 cm/s at a radius of ~50 km. Geostrophic currents derived from satellite altimetry data compare well with low-pass filtered drifter velocities, with only a slight overestimation, which is expected as its maximum vorticity corresponds to a small Rossby number of ~0.6. Satellite ocean color images and some drifters show that the eddy has an elliptical spiral structure. The looping tracks of the drifters trapped in the eddy were analyzed using two statistical methods: least-squares ellipse fitting and wavelet ridge analysis, revealing a typical eccentricity of about 0.5, a wide range of inclination and a rotation period between 3 and 10 days. Clusters of drifters on the northeastern limb of the eddy were also considered to estimate divergence and vorticity. The results indicate convergence (divergence) and downwelling (upwelling) at scales of 20–50 km near the northeastern (northwestern) edge of the eddy, in agreement with the quasi-geostrophic theory. Vertically, the eddy extends mostly down to 250 m depth, with a warm, low-salinity and low-density signature and with geostrophic currents near 50 cm/s in the top layer (down to ~80 m) reducing to less than 10 cm/s near 250 m. Near the surface, colder water is advected into it.

Intergenerational physical activity could be a pleasant method to prevent elderly sedentary behaviors. The aim of this study is to provide a basis to develop an intergenerational physical activity between preschool children and elderly people. An assessing enjoyment three questionnaire survey was administered to 140 participants (aged 67.8 ± 9.1): the global physical activity questionnaire (GPAQ) assessing the sedentariness degree; the physical activity enjoyment scale (PACES-Q) assessing enjoyment for the physical activity usually practiced; the physical activity enjoyment scale (PACES-INT) assessing the enjoyment for a hypothetical intergenerational program. Successively, the sample was divided into subgroups based on age, gender, marital status, education, employment, sports background, sedentariness level and residential location. Four multichoice questions, aiming to have guidelines in organizing an intergenerational program, were used. A total of 44.3% of the sample found the physical activity practiced pleasant, whereas 81.5% enjoyed the intergenerational program (only 7.1% expressed a negative judgment). A separated one-way ANOVA showed significant differences in PACES-INT for gender, (p = 0.009), residential location, (p < 0.001) and employment (p = 0.004). About 80% of the sample would adhere to the intergenerational programs, despite the fatigue fear and logistic or family relationship problems.

The agricultural sector is required to produce food at the same pace as population growth, while accounting for pollution and costs. For this reason, conservative agricultural practices have been employed worldwide. Attenuated Total Reflectance–Fourier Transform Infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectroscopy has the ability to provide a snapshot of the macromolecular composition of a sample in a timely and cost-effective way and it has been widely applied in the field of agriculture to assess food quality. The aim of this study was to exploit ATR-FTIR spectroscopy to assess the impact of different soil tillage methods (conventional tillage, CT; minimum tillage, MT, and no tillage, NT) and nitrogen fertilization levels (0, 90 and 180 kg N ha−1) on the macromolecular composition of leaves and caryopses of durum wheat (Triticum turgidum subsp. durum). The analysis of the spectral data revealed that the quality of durum wheat, in terms of protein content, grown on soil with no tillage was not reduced. Indeed, with regards to caryopses, the different tillage methods influenced only the lipid and hemicellulose content, whereas the macromolecular composition of leaves was sensitive to tillage methods mostly during the early stage of growth. Moreover, no relevant effects were found in leaves and caryopses when different fertilizer concentrations were used. These results provide important knowledge supporting the adoption of both no-tillage soil treatments and reduced fertilization dosage for the development of durum wheat management strategies and support the use of spectroscopy for conservative agriculture practices.

Adriatic and Ionian seas are Mediterranean sub-basins linked through the Bimodal Oscillating System mechanism responsible for decadal reversals of the Ionian basin-wide circulation. Altimetric maps showed that the last cyclonic mode started in 2011 but unexpectedly in 2012 reversed to anticyclonic. We related this "premature" inversion to the extremely strong winter in 2012, which caused the formation of very dense Adriatic waters, flooding Ionian flanks in May and inverting the bottom pressure gradient. Using Lagrangian float measurements, the linear regression between the sea surface height and three isopycnal depths suggests that the southward deep-layer flow coincided with the surface northward geostrophic current and the anticyclonic circulation regime. Density variations at depth in the northwestern Ionian revealed the arrival of Adriatic dense waters in May and maximum density in September. Comparison between the sea level height in the northwestern Ionian and in the basin centre showed that in coincidence with the arrival of the newly formed Adriatic dense waters the sea level was lowered in the northwestern flank, inverting the surface pressure gradient. Toward the end of 2012, the density gradient between the basin flanks and its centre went to zero, coinciding with the weakening of the anticyclonic circulation and eventually with its return to the cyclonic pattern. Thus, the premature and transient reversal of Ionian surface circulation originated from the extremely harsh winter in the Adriatic, resulting in the formation and spreading of highly dense bottom waters. The present study highlights the remarkable sensitiveness of the Adriatic–Ionian BiOS to climatic forcing.

Drifter observations in the Mediterranean Sea between 1986 and 2012 have allowed study of important aspects of the surface dynamics in most areas of this marginal sea, including: interannual and seasonal variabilities; basin, subbasin, and mesoscale circulation features; inertial and tidal currents; coastal circulation; and relative dispersion by surface waters. This paper reviews selected important studies, carried out in the last two decades or still in progress, that used or are using Mediterranean drifter observations and ancillary remotely sensed observations (satellite altimetry and high-frequency coastal radars).

La distrito turístico es un importante instrumento para la gobernanza territorial del turismo regional. El distrito es un tipo de sistema local que se caracteriza por su multidimensionalidad, así como la contigüidad espacial de los operadores que pertenecen a ella. El territorio es un espacio transformado por las interacciones sociales y las relaciones de producción: por lo tanto es la referencia indispensable para medir el impacto del turismo.Por tanto, un enfoque ascendente en el proceso de identificación de los distritos es vital. Es deseable administrar correctamente este proceso una puntuación saldo de su tarjeta enfoque. Este estudio es un análisis preliminar derivado de la experiencia directa de los distritos turísticos de Sicilia, de reciente formación.

El distrito turístico es un importante instrumento para la gobernanza territorial del turismo regional. El distrito es un tipo de sistema local que se caracteriza por su multidimensionalidad, así como la contigüidad espacial de los operadores que pertenecen a ella. El territorio es un espacio transformado por las interacciones sociales y las relaciones de producción: por lo tanto es la referencia indispensable para medir el impacto del turismo.Por tanto, un enfoque ascendente en el proceso de identificación de los distritos es vital. Es deseable administrar correctamente a este proceso una puntuación, en lo que se denomina enfoque de “card-approach”. Este estudio es un análisis preliminar derivado de la experiencia directa de los distritos turísticos de Sicilia, de reciente formación

Background: Device replacement is the ideal time to reassess health care goals regarding continuing implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) therapy. Only few data are available on the decision making at this time.Objectives: The goals of this study were to identify factors associated with poor prognosis at the time of ICD replacement and to develop a prognostic index able to stratify those patients at risk of dying early.Methods: DEtect long-term COmplications after implantable cardioverter-DEfibrillator replacement (DECODE) was a prospective, single-arm, multicenter cohort study aimed at estimating long-term complications in a large population of patients who underwent ICD/cardiac resynchronization therapy - defibrillator replacement. Potential predictors of death were investigated, and all these factors were gathered into a survival score index (SUSCI).Results: We included 983 consecutive patients (median age 71 years (63-78)); 750 (76%) were men, 537 (55%) had ischemic cardiomyopathy; 460 (47%) were implanted with cardiac resynchronization therapy - defibrillator. During a median follow-up period of 761 days (interquartile range 628-904 days), 114 patients (12%) died. In multivariate Cox regression analysis, New York Heart Association class III/IV, ischemic cardiomyopathy, body mass index < 26 kg/m2, insulin administration, age ≥ 75 years, history of atrial fibrillation, and hospitalization within 30 days before ICD replacement remained associated with death. The survival score index showed a good discriminatory power with a hazard ratio of 2.6 (95% confidence interval 2.2-3.1; P < .0001). The risk of death increased according to the severity of the risk profile ranging from 0% (low risk) to 47% (high risk).Conclusion: A simple score that includes a limited set of variables appears to be predictive of total mortality in an unselected real-world population undergoing ICD replacement. Evaluation of the patient's profile may assist in predicting vulnerability and should prompt individualized options, especially for high-risk patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]