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Notwithstanding several research efforts in the past years, robust and replicable molecular signatures for autism spectrum disorders from peripheral blood remain elusive. The available literature on blood transcriptome in ASD suggests that through accurate experimental design it is possible to extract important information on the disease pathophysiology at the peripheral level. Here we exploit the availability of a resource for molecular biomarkers in ASD, the Italian Autism Network (ITAN) collection, for the investigation of transcriptomic signatures in ASD based on a discordant sibling pair design. Whole blood samples from 75 discordant sibling pairs selected from the ITAN network where submitted to RNASeq analysis and data analyzed by complementary approaches. Overall, differences in gene expression between affected and unaffected siblings were small. In order to assess the contribution of differences in the relative proportion of blood cells between discordant siblings, we have applied two different cell deconvolution algorithms, showing that the observed molecular signatures mainly reflect changes in peripheral blood immune cell composition, in particular NK cells. The results obtained by the cell deconvolution approach are supported by the analysis performed by WGCNA. Our report describes the largest differential gene expression profiling in peripheral blood of ASD subjects and controls conducted by RNASeq. The observed signatures are consistent with the hypothesis of immune alterations in autism and an increased risk of developing autism in subjects exposed to prenatal infections or stress. Our study also points to a potential role of NMUR1, HMGB3, and PTPRN2 in ASD.

We report on new stratigraphic data concerning Upper Miocene deposits outcropping in the Northwestern Rif Belt. We analyzed sections located in the Dar Zhiro-Bougdour and Saf Lahmam-Seguedla areas, 30 km to the south of Tanger City. In these areas, sandy-clayey deposits unconformably overlie the Numidian Sandstones pertaining to the External Tanger Intrarif sub-domain. In turn, the External Tanger Intrarif is part of the External Rif domain (ER). The tectono-stratigraphic features of the studied areas, e.g. the basal unconformity and the slight compressional deformation with respect to the substratum, let us to refer them to a wedge-top basin recording the compressional deformation of ER domains. Dar Zhiro-Bougdour and Saf Lahmam-Seguedla sections are both represented mainly by dm-thick turbiditic strata interbedded with light-colored and bluish/pinkish marls. These successions show sulfur nodules, glauconie, and deep marine environment ichnofacies. Biostratigraphic quantitative analyses, performed on calcareous nannofossil assemblages, provided ages ranging from early Tortonian for Seguedla area, and late Tortonian-Messinian for Dar Zhiro-Bougdour- Saf Lahmam. The new stratigraphic results are a major constraint for the closure timing of the Maghrebian Flysch Basin and its tectono-sedimentary evolution, which is coeval with the internal part of the Intrarif sub-domain. Particularly, they point out the latest collisional and docking stages of the whole Rif nappe-stack onto the African plate in the Gibraltar Arc system.

We report on new stratigraphic data concerning Middle - Upper Miocene deposits outcropping in the Northern Rif Belt. We analyzed sections located in the Dar Zhiro-Bougdour and Saf Lahmam-Seguedla areas, 30 km to the south of Tanger City. In these regions, sandy-clayey deposits unconformably overlie the Numidian and like-Numidian (quartz-lithic arenites) successions pertaining to the Massylian and the External Tanger Intrarif sub-domains, respectively. In turn, the Massylian sub-domain belongs to the Maghrebian Flysch Basin (MFB), whereas the External Tanger Intrarif is part of the External Rif domain (ER). The tectono-stratigraphic features of the studied areas, e.g. the basal unconformity and the slight compressional deformation with respect to the substratum, let us to refer them to a wedge-top basin recording the compressional deformation of MFB and ER domains. Dar Zhiro-Bougdour and Saf Lahmam-Seguedla sections are both represented mainly by dm-thick turbiditic strata interbedded with light-colored and bluish/pinkish marls. These successions show sulfur nodules, glauconie, and ichnofacies pointing to a deep marine environment. Biostratigraphic quantitative analyses, performed on calcareous nannofossil assemblages, provided ages ranging from latest Serravallian to Tortonian for Saf Lahmam-Seguedla areas, and late Tortonian for Dar Zhiro-Bougdour. The new stratigraphic results are a major constraint for the closure timing of the Maghrebian Flysch Basin and its tectono-sedimentary evolution, which is coeval with the internal part of the Intrarif sub-domain. Particularly, they point out the latest collisional and docking stages of the whole Rif nappe-stack onto the African plate in the Gibraltar Arc system.

We present the preliminary results of a ~ 230 m deep borehole (CN1) drilled in the eastern part of the Paganica-San Demetrio-Castelnuovo Basin (PSC) (L'Aquila, central Italy), at the top of the Castelnuovo hill within the Valle Daria paleosurface (Fig. 1). The PSC is a NW-SE trending graben bordered by active normal faults and filled by Plio-Quaternary deposits (Fig. 2). The oldest ones, largely outcropping in the Valle Daria area, pertain to the San Demetrio-Colle Cantaro Synthem and are composed by several formations, laterally interfingered each other, representing different depositional environments of the Paleolake San Nicandro (Fig. 2) (Cosentino et al., 2017; Nocentini et al., 2017; Nocentini et al., 2018). The deep lacustrine facies (San Nicandro Fm. - SNF) is formed by laminated to massive whitish calcareous silts, bearing an endemic ostracod assemblage mainly composed by Caspiocypris ssp. (Spadi et al., 2016), allowing to ascribe the SNF to a late Piacenzian-Gelasian age (Cosentino et al., 2017). The outcropping part of the SNF, usually less than 50 m thick, shows a normal magnetic polarity in the basal 10 m, passing upwards to a reverse polarity. In addition, in the upper portion of the SNF, close to Castelnuovo village, three blackish tephra layers are present. Starting from these premises, the Castelnuovo deep borehole (CN1) was realized to investigate, in a palaeoenvironmental and palaeoclimatic perspective, the early sedimentary infilling of the PSC and the evolution of the lacustrine system. The borehole reached a depth of 229.30 m b.g.l., drilling a succession mainly composed by cyclic alternations of fine-grained laminated and massive sediments (Fig. 3). The cyclic variations of different parameters among which the CaCO3 content, the granulometry, the sediment colour and the magnetic susceptibility testify that sedimentation was controlled by orbital and climatic oscillations (Fig. 3). In detail, the upper part of the well-log (

Since the 50s of the last century, several authors have investigated the nature of Tubotomaculum: enigmatic Mn-Fe mineralizations occurring in the latest Oligocene – Early Miocene varicoloured clays of the western Mediterranean area. Some authors regarded these structures as fossil traces[1], as fossil corals covered by Fe-oxides and manganite[2], or as inorganic Mn-Fe nodules with rhodocrosite, siderite, and non-crystalline Mn-oxides[3]. Due to the lack of mineralogical and geochemical data the processes of crystallization and growth are still unclear and questionable. Mn-oxides are significant environmental indicators for composition, pH, Eh, and biological activities. However, since they occur typically as cryptocrystalline and fine-grained mixtures of different Mn-phases and additional minerals, like Fe-oxides, carbonates and silicates, their characterization is a real challenge that requires a multimethodological approach. The Tubotomaculum samples analyzed in this work are from the western Rif in northern Morocco. The samples come from the pre-Numidian varicoloured clays of a section sampled close to the dam of the Reservoir Lake 9th April. This work is a first contribution aimed at providing a proper characterization of these mineralizations and to define the processes that led to their crystallization and growth. The final aim of this work is to provide evidence of the paleo-environmental conditions affecting the late Oligocene-early Miocene pre-Numidian sedimentary basin of northern Morocco. Crossing SEM-EDS, XRPD, TEM, 3D ED and FT-IR and Raman spectroscopy data, a proper characterization of the samples was achieved. Tubotomaculum consists of a very fine mixture of birnessite [(Ca,Na)(Mn4+,Mn3+)O4·1.5HO] and todorokite [(Ca,Na,K)(Mn4+,Mn3+)6O12·nHO], Mn-phases commonly recognized in oceanic nodules[4]. In particular, todorokite could be related to biological processes[5]. Goethite, hematite, kaolinite, and quartz were also found. All these minerals have a clear spatial distribution in the samples: millimetric Mn-Fe rich layers grow around central nuclei of clay minerals, quartz and/or bone fragments. In these layers 3-5 μm Mn-rich spheroidal structures occur in a Fe-rich matrix. SEM analyses reveal the presence of rounded structures suggesting microbial colonies. Their occurrence points to a biofilm formed by a single species of bacteria. These features allow to exclude the secondary diffusion of Mn and Fe from the surrounding sediment, suggesting a primary deposition of these mineralizations, possibly mediated by bacterial activity. According to these evidence, Tubotomaculum cannot be considered as a fossil trace or fragments of fossil coral. They are polymetallic nodules made up of a very fine-grained mixture Mn-Fe oxides, whose growth was biologically mediated by bacterial activity. Allegedly, such activity played a key role in catalyzing the oxidation of Mn2+ on the late Oligocene-early Miocene sea floor of northern Morocco.

BackgroundA substantial genetic component accounts for Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) aetiology, with some rare and common genetic risk factors recently identified. Large collections of DNAs from thoroughly characterized ASD families are an essential step to confirm genetic risk factors, identify new variants and investigate genotype-phenotype correlations. The Italian Autism Network aimed at constituting a clinical database and a biorepository of samples derived from ASD subjects and first-degree relatives extensively and consistently characterized by child psychiatry centers in Italy.MethodsThe study was approved by the ethical committee of the University of Verona, the coordinating site, and by the local ethical committees of each recruiting site. Certified staff was specifically trained at each site for the overall study conduct, for clinical protocol administration and handling of biological material. A centralized database was developed to collect clinical assessment and medical records from each recruiting site. Children were eligible for recruitment based on the following inclusion criteria: age 4–18 years, at least one parent or legal guardian giving voluntary written consent, meeting DSM-IV criteria for Autistic Disorder or Asperger’s Disorder or Pervasive Developmental Disorder NOS. Affected individuals were assessed by full psychiatric, neurological and physical examination, evaluation with ADI-R and ADOS scales, cognitive assessment with Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children or Preschool and Primary, Leiter International Performance Scale or Griffiths Mental Developmental Scale. Additional evaluations included language assessment, the Krug Asperger’s Disorder Index, and instrumental examination such as EEG and structural MRI. DNA, RNA and plasma were collected from eligible individuals and relatives. A central laboratory was established to host the biorepository, perform DNA and RNA extraction and lymphocytes immortalisation. DiscussionThe study has led to an extensive collection of biological samples associated with standardised clinical assessments from a network of expert clinicians and psychologists. Eighteen sites have received ADI/ADOS training, thirteen of which have been actively recruiting. The clinical database currently includes information on 812 individuals from 249 families, and the biorepository has samples for 98% of the subjects. This effort has generated a highly valuable resource for conducting clinical and genetic research of ASD, amenable to further expansion.

International audience; Study of the tectonically active L'Aquila Basin offers new insights into both the creation of the extensional intermontane basins of the central Apennines of Italy and their tectono-sedimentary evolution through time. The combination of large mammal remains, ostracods, molluscs, Mousterian tools, and 14 C dating allows better definition of the onset and stratigraphic evolution of the L'Aquila Basin. Interpretation of a seismic reflection profile and well-log data allow evaluation of the subsurface setting of this sedimentary basin and its tectono-sedimentary evolution. The occurrence of a wedge-shaped seismic unit at the base of the basin sedimentary succession defines the first phase of basin fill during a late Piacenzian–Gelasian synrift stage. Activity along the main fault of the extensional fault system responsible for the onset and subsequent development of the western sector of the L'Aquila Basin (L'Aquila– Scoppito subbasin) migrated from southwest to northeast, reaching the presently active Mount Pettino normal fault only in the late Pleistocene–Holocene. The onset of sedimentation in the L'Aquila Basin was synchronous with the onset in the Tiberino Basin, and so the idea that these extensional GSA Bulletin; Month/Month 2017; v. 129; no. intermontane basins become progressively younger from the Tyrrhenian toward the Adriatic side of the central Apennines is rejected. In the northern and central Apen-nines, only two major syndepositional ex-tensional domains can be recognized: a late Miocene rifting area, which includes all the late Miocene extensional basins in Tuscany, and a late Pliocene to earliest Pleistocene rifting area, which possibly includes all the intermontane basins from the Tiberino Basin to the Sulmona Basin. The different time gaps between compressional and exten-sional deformation at any given locality in the central Apennines could indicate a partial decoupling of processes responsible for the migration of shortening and extension toward the foreland. Diachroneity between the eastward migration of shortening in the foreland and extension in the inner part of the orogen supports the notion that the central Apennines were created as a result of a partially decoupled collision zone. Study of the onset of the central Apennine extensional intermontane basins, together with their seismic activity, indicates that the central Apennine postorogenic extensional domain represents an archive of ~3 m.y. of continued crustal extension. These findings help to refine models of the long-term extensional rate of the central Apennines, and they provide a basis for more reliable seismotectonic models for one of the most seismically active sectors of the central Mediterranean area.