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of conference poster on The "Museo Giovanni Capellini": a case study on how to drive a Nineteenth Century geological collection to modern times. by Museum Curator Michela Contessi of University Of Bologna Ravenna Italy for SPNHC2022 Conference, Edinburgh. June 5-10th 2022.

The morphological variation of two benthic foraminiferal species, Gyroidinoides altiformis (Stewart & Stewart) and Gyroidinoides subangulatus (Plummer), are described from Late Neogene - Quaternary, and Palaeogene sequences from northern Italy and Greece. A number of morphotypes, two for each species, are thought to be ecophenotypes. The inferred ecological (bathymetric) conditioning derives from: 1) comparable shape variations occur in species of very different ages; 2) both species exhibit the same morphological changes as a result of a comparable environmental trend.

Prostate cancer (PC) is usually characterized by an excellent prognosis, largely due to little biological aggressiveness and the power of hormonal deprivation therapy. In spite of these favorable characteristics, however, a significant quota of patients does not respond to androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) and develop a progressive disease. Castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) is defined by disease progression in spite of ADT. This progression may show any combination of a rise in serum prostate-specific antigen (PSA), clinical and radiological progression of pre-existing disease, and appearance of new metastases. This event is a striking change in the clinical scenario, since the power of treatment for CRPC patients with distant metastases is very limited. Somatostatin is a hormone produced by neuroendocrine cells. Its distant effects are mediated by the binding to five specific receptors, which are the most striking parameter for neuroendocrine. Various synthetic somatostatin agonists able to bind to the receptors have been synthesized during the past two decades for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes. Octreotide, the most popular of these, is widely used to treat patients affected by neuroendocrine tumors. A number of researches carried out in the past evaluated the possible neuroendocrine differentiation (NED) of PC cells in the castration resistant phase. If proved, the presence of a specific class of receptor on cell's surfaces should give a potentially biological target to be used for therapy. However, these studies led to contradictory results. Aim of our phase III diagnostic trial was to study "in vivo" the over-expression of somatostatin receptors (SSTRs) in CRPC patients by PET/CT after the administration of the somatostatin analog [(68)Ga-DOTANOC,1-Nal(3)]-octreotide labeled with (68)Ga. Every area of increased uptake corresponding to a metastasis detected with other methods was considered as SSTRs expressing. False positivity to SSTRs expression was considered those localizations with a suspicious uptake not confirmed by other radiologic procedures. On the other hand, metastatic lesions lacking the radiopharmaceutical's uptake were considered not SSTRs expressing metastases. The preliminary results in 6 of the 67 patients scheduled by our phase III trial showed metastases with a variable SSTRs expression in 2 patients.

The importance of the Fe- and the S-cycles in generating extreme (acidic) conditions of low pH and high concentration of heavy metals that can, however, sustain an high-level of microbial diversity, show how extremely robust life is, and how rapidly it can adapts to different conditions [1]. In addition, the acidophilic microorganisms are also representing a possible relic metabolism from early Earth’s life. Therefore, the presence of vast deposits of (c. 4 Ga old) Noachian sulfates and iron oxides on Mars, make the acidic, sulphate-rich environments interesting Mars terrestrial analogs. The Dallol hydrothermal field is a remote volcanic area of the northern Danakil Depression in Ethiopia. It hosts spectacular (active and inactive) mounds, terraces, metal crusts and concretions resulting from interactions between sulphuric hot springs, salty solutions, and recrystallization processes driven by hydrothermal waters, degassing, and rapid evaporation. Surrounded by a wide saline region, Dallol area is one of the hottest and most acidic places (pH < 1.0) of the globe that can potentially host life. We present preliminary field and analytical results obtained on samples collected during recent field campaigns. The geological, geochemical and mineralogical features of the Dallol and its location closed to regional basaltic volcanism of planetary-scale importance make it a suitable analogue to ancient Martian environments. It also provides contextual perspective for the interpretation of future Martian rover data. The geomicrobiological and astrobiological potential of the site will be also discussed.

Recent advances in chronostratigraphy are enabling global correlation of Silurian strata at a temporal resolution of 10-100 k.y. Comparative analysis of disparate localities at this resolution is yielding surprisingly similar peculiarities of facies. Facies analysis has been traditionally regarded as a tool to investigate local paleoenvironmental conditions and reconstruct past paleoecological settings. Less frequently are aspects of facies recognized as long-distance time-correlative markers. The concept of time-specific facies, originally proposed by Walliser (1986) and recently revised by Brett et al. (2012), challenges the “strictly local” facies paradigm by emphasizing that some aspects of facies are signatures of broader oceanic-climatic processes. Their synchronous occurrence, spanning major portions of sedimentary basins to globally, represents the key distinctive factor of time-specific facies. This aspect is combined with the significance of the ecostratigraphic analysis as a tool to identify bioevents and, therefore, for improving biostratigraphic subdivisions (e.g., Boucot, 1986). Marine ironstones represent a prime example of time-specific facies. Silurian ironstones retaining microbial signatures are documented by Ferretti et al. (2012) in forms of Fe-rich oolitic horizons and ferruginous laminated structures for the Llandovery-Wenlock boundary interval (mid-late Telychian, Pt. celloni Superzone-Pt. a. amorphognathoides Zone and Sheinwoodian, Oz. s. rhenana Zone) in the Carnic Alps (Austria). Age-equivalent ironstones also occur in the Appalachian Basin of eastern North America (McLaughlin et al., 2012). Appalachian Basin ironstones collected from the New Point Stone quarry (Napoleon, Indiana) and Dawes Quarry Creek (Clinton, New York) were recently analyzed through combined analytical techniques (i.e., confocal laser Raman microscopy, X-ray diffraction, ESEM-EDX, and optical microscopy) for a geobiological characterization. Results demonstrate that the Appalachian ironstones seem to reflect the same microbially-mediated iron mineralization already documented in the Carnic Alps. Combined evidence of iron geochemistry and microbial interactions include i) the formation of planar laminated ironstones (late Telychian); ii) coeval ooidal pack- to grain-ironstones; iii) a wealth of other microbial-related morphostructures and mineralogies. The synchroneity of iron microbe activity on opposite ends of the Iapetus Ocean during the late Telychian and Sheinwoodian is inferred as a time-specific sea water redox signature associated with the Ireviken Event.

Diverse morphologies and deposits interpreted as the product of hydrothermal systems have been reported on Mars [e.g., 1, 2]. Spring deposits are features of prime interest to astrobiologists and Mars planetary scientists because of their potential in recording the paleohydrology of the planet and in the preservation of biotic processes, if any. Therefore, they are important targets for the landing site selection process and developing technologies for future Mars landing missions. In a number of terrestrial sites, fossil spring deposits allow to recognize geomorphologies directly related to biological activity. One such site is the desert area of the Skoura region (southern Morocco) where dry climate and lack vegetation cover allows the excellent exposure of a few hundred meters long, wide ridge of low temperature spring deposits – travertines of Quaternary age [3, 4]. A combination of detailed field and analytical investigations allow to assign specific microfacies and distinctive diagenetic textures to a given facies of depositional environments, and to recognize a cause-effect relationship for a number of morphological, geochemical and organic life signals. At Skoura the Fe-Mn rich microstromatolitic structures known as Frutexites (Maslov, 1960) represent a paradigmatic example of a recurring, microbial-derived microstructure associated to water flow facies, and well detectable through some of the equipment available to the Mars rovers.