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We focus on distinctive data-driven measures of the fate of ongoing epidemics. The relevance of our pursuit is suggested by recent results proving that the short-term temporal evolution of infection spread is described by an epidemicity index related to the maximum instantaneous growth rate of new infections, echoing concepts and tools developed to study the reactivity of ecosystems. Suitable epidemicity indices can showcase the dynamics of infections, together with commonly employed effective reproduction numbers, especially when the latter assume values less than 1. In particular, epidemicity evaluates the short-term reactivity to perturbations of a disease-free equilibrium. Here, we show that sufficient epidemicity thresholds to prevent transient epidemic outbreaks in a spatially connected setting can be estimated by generalizing existing analogues derived when spatial effects are neglected. We specifically account for the discrete nature, in both space and time, of surveillance data of the type typically employed to estimate effective reproduction numbers that formed the bulk of the communication of the state of the COVID-19 pandemic and its controls. After analyzing the effects of spatial heterogeneity on the considered prognostic indicators, we perform a short- and long-term analysis on the COVID-19 pandemic in Italy, showing that endemic conditions were maintained throughout the duration of our simulation despite stringent control measures. Our method provides a portfolio of prognostic indices that are essential to pinpoint the ongoing pandemic in both a qualitative and quantitative manner, as our results demonstrate. We base our conclusions on extended investigations of the effects of spatial fragmentation of communities of different sizes owing to connectivity by human mobility and contact scenarios, within real geographic contexts and synthetic setups designed to test our framework.

The geographical range of schistosomiasis is affected by the ecology of schistosome parasites and their obligate host snails, including their response to temperature. Previous models predicted schistosomiasis' thermal optimum at 21.7°C, which is not compatible with the temperature in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) regions where schistosomiasis is hyperendemic. We performed an extensive literature search for empirical data on the effect of temperature on physiological and epidemiological parameters regulating the free-living stages of S. mansoni and S. haematobium and their obligate host snails, i.e., Biomphalaria spp. and Bulinus spp., respectively. We derived nonlinear thermal responses fitted on these data to parameterize a mechanistic, process-based model of schistosomiasis. We then re-cast the basic reproduction number and the prevalence of schistosome infection as functions of temperature. We found that the thermal optima for transmission of S. mansoni and S. haematobium range between 23.1-27.3°C and 23.6-27.9°C (95% CI) respectively. We also found that the thermal optimum shifts toward higher temperatures as the human water contact rate increases with temperature. Our findings align with an extensive dataset of schistosomiasis prevalence in SSA. The refined nonlinear thermal-response model developed here suggests a more suitable current climate and a greater risk of increased transmission with future warming for more than half of the schistosomiasis suitable regions with mean annual temperature below the thermal optimum.

This article focuses on the relationship between Leónidas and Osvaldo Lamborghini’s works in the attempt to describe their brotherhood as an existential, literary and also “musical”, bond. Their works, in fact, appear to be based on some notions derived from musical composition and practice – counterpoint, distortion and fugue – which can be applied to the formal analysis of their texts, as well as to their relationship with the wider scenario of Argentinian and international culture in the second half of the 20th century and, finally, to their mutual and multilayered relationship as writers. Such a reading also implies a reconsideration of the label of “neobarroco literature”, as counterpoint and fugue – being mediated by the more modern concept and practice of distortion – directly recall the compositional methods of baroque music.

The rapid development of intensive fish farming has been associated with the spreading of infectious diseases, pathogens and parasites. One such parasite is Sparicotyle chrysophrii (Platyhelminthes: Monogenea), which commonly infects cultured gilthead seabream (Sparus aurata)—a vital species in Mediterranean aquaculture. The parasite attaches to fish gills and can cause epizootics in sea cages with relevant consequences for fish health and associated economic losses for fish farmers. In this study, a novel stratified compartmental epidemiological model of S. chrysophrii transmission was developed and analysed. The model accounts for the temporal progression of the number of juvenile and adult parasites attached to each fish, as well as the abundance of eggs and oncomiracidia. We applied the model to data collected in a seabream farm, where the fish population and the number of adult parasites attached to fish gills were closely monitored in six different cages for 10 months. The model successfully replicated the temporal dynamics of the distribution of the parasite abundance within fish hosts and simulated the effects of environmental factors, such as water temperature, on the transmission dynamics. The findings highlight the potential of modelling tools for farming management, aiding in the prevention and control of S. chrysophrii infections in Mediterranean aquaculture.

Abstract Background Orthostatic tremor (OT) is a rare movement disorder characterized by high‐frequency (>12 Hz) involuntary, rhythmic, sinusoidal movements affecting predominantly the limbs while standing. Objective To describe the signalment, presenting complaints, phenotype, diagnostic findings, treatment, and outcome of a large sample of dogs with OT. Animals Sixty dogs diagnosed with OT based on conscious electromyography. Methods Multicenter retrospective case series study. Dogs were included if they had a conscious electromyography consistent with muscle discharge frequency >12 Hz while standing. Results Fifty‐three cases were diagnosed with primary OT (POT). Giant breed dogs represented most cases (83%; 44/53). Most dogs (79%; 42/53) were younger than 2 years of age at onset of signs, except for Retrievers which were all older than 3.5 years of age. The most common presenting complaints were pelvic limb tremors while standing (85%; 45/53) and difficulty when rising or sitting down (45%; 24/53). Improvement of clinical signs occurred in most dogs (85%; 45/53) treated medically with phenobarbital, primidone, gabapentin, pregabalin or clonazepam, but it was mostly partial rather than complete. Orthostatic tremor‐plus was seen in 7 dogs that had concurrent neurological diseases. Conclusions and Clinical Importance Primary OT is a progressive disease of young, purebred, giant/large‐breed dogs, which appears to begin later in life in Retrievers. Primary OT apparently responds partially to medications. Orthostatic tremor‐plus exists in dogs and can be concomitant or associated with other neurological diseases.

Abstract Since its emergence in late 2019, the diffusion of SARS-CoV-2 is associated with the evolution of its viral genome. The co-occurrence of specific amino acid changes, collectively named ‘virus variant’, requires scrutiny (as variants may hugely impact the agent’s transmission, pathogenesis, or antigenicity); variant evolution is studied using phylogenetics. Yet, never has this problem been tackled by digging into data with ad hoc analysis techniques. Here we show that the emergence of variants can in fact be traced through data-driven methods, further capitalizing on the value of large collections of SARS-CoV-2 sequences. For all countries with sufficient data, we compute weekly counts of amino acid changes, unveil time-varying clusters of changes with similar—rapidly growing—dynamics, and then follow their evolution. Our method succeeds in timely associating clusters to variants of interest/concern, provided their change composition is well characterized. This allows us to detect variants’ emergence, rise, peak, and eventual decline under competitive pressure of another variant. Our early warning system, exclusively relying on deposited sequences, shows the power of big data in this context, and concurs to calling for the wide spreading of public SARS-CoV-2 genome sequencing for improved surveillance and control of the COVID-19 pandemic.

This interview with Rosaria Lo Russo focuses on her recent poetic and essayistic production – including her translation of Anne Sexton’s The Book of Folly – in order to underline the crucial importance of voice in her approach to poetry, performance and translation. This red thread – as well as the one concerning female authorship and several others – can be retraced in Lo Russo’s essays about Dante, Pirandello, Sylvia Plath and Anne Sexton, in her longstanding translation work on Sexton’s poems and in her latest poetry collections, Anatema and Unamedea.

While campaigns of vaccination against SARS-CoV-2 are underway across the world, communities face the challenge of a fair and effective distribution of a limited supply of doses. Current vaccine allocation strategies are based on criteria such as age or risk. In the light of strong spatial heterogeneities in disease history and transmission, we explore spatial allocation strategies as a complement to existing approaches. Given the practical constraints and complex epidemiological dynamics, designing effective vaccination strategies at a country scale is an intricate task. We propose a novel optimal control framework to derive the best possible vaccine allocation for given disease transmission projections and constraints on vaccine supply and distribution logistics. As a proof-of-concept, we couple our framework with an existing spatially explicit compartmental COVID-19 model tailored to the Italian geographic and epidemiological context. We optimize the vaccine allocation on scenarios of unfolding disease transmission across the 107 provinces of Italy, from January to April 2021. For each scenario, the optimal solution significantly outperforms alternative strategies that prioritize provinces based on incidence, population distribution, or prevalence of susceptibles. Our results suggest that the complex interplay between the mobility network and the spatial heterogeneities implies highly non-trivial prioritization strategies for effective vaccination campaigns. Our work demonstrates the potential of optimal control for complex and heterogeneous epidemiological landscapes at country, and possibly global, scales.

Several prognostic indices are available to predict the long-term fate of emerging infectious diseases and the effect of their containment measures, including a variety of reproduction numbers. Here, the authors introduce the epidemicity index, a complementary index to evaluate the potential for transient increases of SARS-Cov-2 epidemics.

Releasing COVID-19 lockdown measures risks increases in transmission. Here, the authors estimate the increase in transmission rate for different regions in Italy and estimate that isolation of 5.5% exposed and highly infectious individuals would be needed to compensate for a 40% increase in transmission.

In this study, the ligands 23,24-dihydroxy-3,6,9,12-tetraazatricyclo[17.3.1.1(14,18)]eicosatetra-1(23),14,16,18(24),19,21-hexaene, L1, and 26,27-dihidroxy-3,6,9,12,15-pentaazatricyclo[20.3.1.1(17,21)]eicosaepta-1(26),17,19,21(27),22,24-hexaene, L2, were synthesized: they represent a new class of molecules containing a biphenol unit inserted into a macrocyclic polyamine fragment. The previously synthesized L2 is obtained herein with a more advantageous procedure. The acid-base and Zn(II)-binding properties of L1 and L2 were investigated through potentiometric, UV-Vis, and fluorescence studies, revealing their possible use as chemosensors of H+ and Zn(II). The new peculiar design of L1 and L2 afforded the formation in an aqueous solution of stable Zn(II) mono (LogK 12.14 and 12.98 for L1 and L2, respectively) and dinuclear (LogK 10.16 for L2) complexes, which can be in turn exploited as metallo-receptors for the binding of external guests, such as the popular herbicide glyphosate (N-(phosphonomethyl)glycine, PMG) and its primary metabolite, the aminomethylphosphonic acid (AMPA). Potentiometric studies revealed that PMG forms more stable complexes than AMPA with both L1- and L2-Zn(II) complexes, moreover PMG showed higher affinity for L2 than for L1. Fluorescence studies showed instead that the L1-Zn(II) complex could signal the presence of AMPA through a partial quenching of the fluorescence emission. These studies unveiled therefore the utility of polyamino-phenolic ligands in the design of promising metallo-receptors for elusive environmental targets.

Case summary In this report we describe the occurrence of intracranial meningioma in two adult cats from the same litter. The location of the meningioma varied: one tumour was at the level of the brainstem, and the other was affecting the temporal and piriform lobes. The cat with the brainstem meningioma was treated with radiotherapy and the littermate had a rostrotentorial craniectomy for tumour removal. Both cats had a histopathological diagnosis of grade I meningioma of a predominantly fibrous subtype. Relevance and novel information Cases of familial meningioma in cats have not previously been described in the veterinary literature. However, familial meningioma is well described in humans and it is possible that cases are underestimated in animals. We discuss the possible genetic background and other causes, as well as challenges we may face in veterinary medicine in identifying these associations.

Abstract Background Urinary (UI) and fecal (FI) incontinence occur in up to 7.5% and 32% of dogs, respectively, after thoracolumbar acute noncompressive nucleus pulposus extrusion (ANNPE). Hypotheses/Objectives To investigate clinical, diagnostic, and therapeutic predictors of UI and FI in dogs with ANNPE affecting the T3‐L3 spinal cord segments. Animals Hundred and eighty‐seven dogs with T3‐L3 ANNPE diagnosed based on clinical and MRI findings. Methods Multicenter retrospective study. Data were obtained from medical records and telephone questionnaires and analyzed by logistic regression. Results UI and FI were reported in 17 (9.1%) and 44 (23.5%) dogs, respectively. Paraplegic dogs were 3 times (95% CI = 1.25, 10.87) more likely to develop UI (P = .018) and 4 times (95% CI = 1.94, 12.56) more likely to develop FI (P = .001) compared to nonparaplegic dogs. Dogs with an intramedullary hyperintensity greater than 40% of the cross‐sectional area of the spinal cord at the same level on transverse T2‐weighted MRI images were 4 times more likely to develop UI (95% CI = 1.04, 21.72; P = .045) and FI (95% CI = 1.56, 10.39; P = .004) compared to dogs with smaller lesions. FI was 3 times (95% CI = 1.41, 7.93) more likely in dogs that were not treated with nonsteroidal anti‐inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) after diagnosis compared to dogs administered NSAIDs (P = .006) and 2 times (95% CI = 1.12, 5.98) more likely in dogs presented with clinical signs compatible with spinal shock compared to dogs without (P = .026). Conclusion and Clinical Importance The identification of clinical, diagnostic, and therapeutic predictors of UI and FI in dogs with T3‐L3 ANNPE can help to approach these autonomic dysfunctions occurring after spinal cord injury.

Abstract Background Data about congenital sensorineural deafness (CSD) in white blue‐eyed cats derive mainly from research colonies, and information about client‐owned cats is limited. Objectives To describe the prevalence of CSD in a client‐owned population of white purebred kittens and colored littermates in the United Kingdom. Animals One hundred thirty‐two solid white client‐owned purebred kittens and 61 colored littermates, 6 to 21 weeks of age. Methods Retrospective (56 cases) and prospective (137 cases) study. Hearing was assessed by brainstem auditory evoked response testing, and the entire litter was tested. Results Congenital sensorineural deafness was diagnosed only in solid white kittens, with a prevalence of 30.3% (15.9% bilateral, 14.4% unilateral). The prevalence of CSD was significantly higher in white kittens with 1 (44.4%) or 2 (50%) blue irises than in those without blue irises (22.2%). Kittens with at least 1 blue iris were 3.2 times more likely to have CSD than kittens without blue irises. In solid white kittens, CSD was diagnosed in 7 of 15 (46.7%) Turkish Vankedisi, 8 of 18 (44.0%) Maine Coon, 18 of 41 (43.9%) Norwegian Forest, 3 of 11 (27.3%) British Shorthair, 2 of 12 (16.7%) Devon Rex, 2 of 12 (8.3%) Persian, 1 of 21 (4.8%) Russian, and 0 of 2 Sphinx. The prevalence of CSD was significantly different in Norwegian Forest, Maine Coon, and Turkish Vankedisi kittens compared with Persian or Russian kittens. Conclusion and Clinical Importance We identified a high prevalence of CSD in a population of client‐owned purebred white kittens in the United Kingdom and suggest differences in breed‐specific prevalence of CSD.

The seagrass Posidonia oceanica is a benthic foundation species endemic to the Mediterranean Sea. It is a key component of coastal seascapes across the Mediterranean large marine ecosystem, where it plays fundamental ecological, physical, and economic roles. Despite the importance of this iconic seagrass species, a quantitative assessment of the interplay between local dynamics and basin-wide dispersal patterns is still lacking. Here we propose a Mediterranean-scale metapopulation model for P. oceanica, accounting for both demographic processes (inter-annual survival, vegetative growth, fruit production, seed establishment) and the spatial connectivity provided by current-driven dispersal of seagrass fruits. Model simulations are used to identify hotspots of seagrass population abundance, realized connectivity, and long-distance dispersal. Our results indicate that P. oceanica multi-functional hotspots, defined as species-suitable areas that rank high in all of the considered functional roles, are unevenly distributed in the four main sub-basins of the Mediterranean Sea, and along both the European and the African coastline. Our analysis also allows us to outline a remarkable geographical gap in protection: in fact, while many of the hotspots located along European coasts occur close to protected sites, the great majority of the hotspots lying on African coasts lack any form of protection. The identification of hotspots of P. oceanica metapopulation dynamics can thus help select regions that may serve as priority candidates for focusing conservation efforts.

Case summary An 8-year-old neutered female domestic longhair cat was presented for investigation of a 48 h history of lethargy and pelvic limb ataxia. MRI of the spinal cord and vertebral column (C1 to sacrum) and brain was unremarkable. Lumbar cerebrospinal fluid analysis revealed pleocytosis and increased protein concentration. Thoracic radiographs and abdominal ultrasound were unremarkable. Anti-inflammatory doses of prednisolone were administered. Clinical deterioration occurred over the following 2 days, with the development of lower motor neuron deficits in both thoracic limbs. On repetition of the MRI, bilateral enlargement, T2-weighted hyperintensity, and marked contrast enhancement of the C7, C8 and T1 nerve roots, spinal nerves and brachial plexuses were observed. Infectious disease testing was negative. An immune-mediated inflammatory process was suspected and immunosuppressive doses of prednisolone were commenced. The clinical signs improved transiently, but marked deterioration occurred after 2 weeks. The patient was euthanased and a post-mortem examination was performed. A lymphocytic inflammatory infiltrate was detected in the C7, C8 and T1 nerve roots and dorsal root ganglia, and neoplastic plasma cells were identified in multiple organs. A diagnosis of non-cutaneous extramedullary plasmacytoma with multiorgan involvement and paraneoplastic ganglioradiculoneuritis was reached. Relevance and novel information Paraneoplastic ganglioradiculoneuritis in association with a plasma cell neoplasia has not been previously reported in the cat and should be considered as a differential diagnosis for cats with clinical or imaging evidence of an inflammatory process affecting the nerve roots, spinal nerves or brachial plexuses.

Recensione del libro di Teresa Franco, La lingua del padrone. Giovanni Giudici traduttore dall'inglese.

Variation in the intensity and duration of infections is often driven by variation in the network and strength of host immune responses. While many of the immune mechanisms and components are known for parasitic helminths, how these relationships change from single to multiple infections and impact helminth dynamics remains largely unclear. Here, we used laboratory data from a rabbit-helminth system and developed a within-host model of infection to investigate different scenarios of immune regulation in rabbits infected with one or two helminth species. Model selection suggests that the immunological pathways activated against Trichostrongylus retortaeformis and Graphidium strigosum are similar. However, differences in the strength of these immune signals lead to the contrasting dynamics of infections, where the first parasite is rapidly cleared and the latter persists with high intensities. In addition to the reactions identified in single infections, rabbits with both helminths also activate new pathways that asymmetrically affect the dynamics of the two species. These new signals alter the intensities but not the general trend of the infections. The type of interactions described can be expected in many other host-helminth systems. Our immune framework is flexible enough to capture different mechanisms and their complexity, and provides essential insights to the understanding of multi-helminth infections.

Recensione a Epica dell'Ottobre. John Reed, la rivoluzione e il mito dei Dieci giorni che sconvolsero il mondo.

A form of hereditary cerebellar ataxia has recently been described in the Norwegian Buhund dog breed. This study aimed to identify the genetic cause of the disease. Whole-genome sequencing of two Norwegian Buhund siblings diagnosed with progressive cerebellar ataxia was carried out, and sequences compared with 405 whole genome sequences of dogs of other breeds to filter benign common variants. Nine variants predicted to be deleterious segregated among the genomes in concordance with an autosomal recessive mode of inheritance, only one of which segregated within the breed when genotyped in additional Norwegian Buhunds. In total this variant was assessed in 802 whole genome sequences, and genotyped in an additional 505 unaffected dogs (including 146 Buhunds), and only four affected Norwegian Buhunds were homozygous for the variant. The variant identified, a T to C single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) (NC_006585.3:g.88890674T>C), is predicted to cause a tryptophan to arginine substitution in a highly conserved region of the potassium voltage-gated channel interacting protein KCNIP4. This gene has not been implicated previously in hereditary ataxia in any species. Evaluation of KCNIP4 protein expression through western blot and immunohistochemical analysis using cerebellum tissue of affected and control dogs demonstrated that the mutation causes a dramatic reduction of KCNIP4 protein expression. The expression of alternative KCNIP4 transcripts within the canine cerebellum, and regional differences in KCNIP4 protein expression, were characterised through RT-PCR and immunohistochemistry respectively. The voltage-gated potassium channel protein KCND3 has previously been implicated in spinocerebellar ataxia, and our findings suggest that the Kv4 channel complex KCNIP accessory subunits also have an essential role in voltage-gated potassium channel function in the cerebellum and should be investigated as potential candidate genes for cerebellar ataxia in future studies in other species.

Schistosomiasis is a debilitating parasitic disease of poverty that affects more than 200 million people worldwide, mostly in sub-Saharan Africa, and is clearly associated with the construction of dams and water resource management infrastructure in tropical and subtropical areas. Changes to hydrology and salinity linked to water infrastructure development may create conditions favorable to the aquatic vegetation that is suitable habitat for the intermediate snail hosts of schistosome parasites. With thousands of small and large water reservoirs, irrigation canals, and dams developed or under construction in Africa, it is crucial to accurately assess the spatial distribution of high-risk environments that are habitat for freshwater snail intermediate hosts of schistosomiasis in rapidly changing ecosystems. Yet, standard techniques for monitoring snails are labor-intensive, time-consuming, and provide information limited to the small areas that can be manually sampled. Consequently, in low-income countries where schistosomiasis control is most needed, there are formidable challenges to identifying potential transmission hotspots for targeted medical and environmental interventions. In this study, we developed a new framework to map the spatial distribution of suitable snail habitat across large spatial scales in the Senegal River Basin by integrating satellite data, high-definition, low-cost drone imagery, and an artificial intelligence (AI)-powered computer vision technique called semantic segmentation. A deep learning model (U-Net) was built to automatically analyze high-resolution satellite imagery to produce segmentation maps of aquatic vegetation, with a fast and robust generalized prediction that proved more accurate than a more commonly used random forest approach. Accurate and up-to-date knowledge of areas at highest risk for disease transmission can increase the effectiveness of control interventions by targeting habitat of disease-carrying snails. With the deployment of this new framework, local governments or health actors might better target environmental interventions to where and when they are most needed in an integrated effort to reach the goal of schistosomiasis elimination.

The pervasiveness of microplastics in global oceans is raising concern about their impacts on organisms. While quantifying their toxicity is still an open issue, sampling evidence has shown that rarely are marine microplastics found clean; rather, they are often contaminated by other types of chemical pollutants, some known to be harmful to biota and humans. To provide a first tool for assessing the role of microplastics as vectors of plastic-related organic pollutants (PROPs), we developed a data-informed simulation model that accounts for the intertwined dynamics of Lagrangian microplastic particles transported by surface currents and the Eulerian advection-diffusion of pollutants that partition on them through seawater-particle interaction. Focusing on the Mediterranean Sea and using simple, yet realistic forcings for the input of PROPs, our simulations highlight that microplastics can mediate the export of PROPs across different marine regions. Particle origin, in terms of both source type (either coastal, riverine, or fishing-derived) and geographical location, plays a major role in determining the amount of PROPs conveyed by microplastics during their journey at sea. We argue that quantitative numerical modelling approaches can be focal to shed some light on the vast spatiotemporal scales of microplastics-PROPs interaction, complementary to much-needed field investigation.

Abstract Schistosomiasis is a parasitic infection that is widespread in sub-Saharan Africa, where it represents a major health problem. We study the drivers of its geographical distribution in Senegal via a spatially explicit network model accounting for epidemiological dynamics driven by local socioeconomic and environmental conditions, and human mobility. The model is parameterized by tapping several available geodatabases and a large dataset of mobile phone traces. It reliably reproduces the observed spatial patterns of regional schistosomiasis prevalence throughout the country, provided that spatial heterogeneity and human mobility are suitably accounted for. Specifically, a fine-grained description of the socioeconomic and environmental heterogeneities involved in local disease transmission is crucial to capturing the spatial variability of disease prevalence, while the inclusion of human mobility significantly improves the explanatory power of the model. Concerning human movement, we find that moderate mobility may reduce disease prevalence, whereas either high or low mobility may result in increased prevalence of infection. The effects of control strategies based on exposure and contamination reduction via improved access to safe water or educational campaigns are also analyzed. To our knowledge, this represents the first application of an integrative schistosomiasis transmission model at a whole-country scale.

Review of the book José-Miguel Ullán. Por una estética de lo inestable by Rosa Benéitez Andrés.

Several anthropogenic stressors threaten the Mediterranean basin, which is currently regarded as one of the most impacted marine ecoregions globally. Among those stressors, marine plastic litter is causing increasing concern about its environmental and biological consequences, the latter being largely unknown. To improve the understanding of these aspects, here we provide a mapped indicator of the risk of plastic ingestion by the fin whale Balaenoptera physalus, an endangered cetacean whose feeding grounds are located within the Pelagos Sanctuary for Mediterranean Marine Mammals, in the north-western Mediterranean Sea. We analyse a decade (2000–2010) of advection patterns of marine plastic litter, modeled as Lagrangian particles and released from the three major sources: untreated waste along coasts, plastic discharged from rivers and along maritime shipping routes. Risk of exposure to microplastics via food ingestion for fin whales is then evaluated by interlacing the plastic litter distribution obtained via particle tracking with maps of habitat suitability based on bathymetry and satellite-derived estimates of chlorophyll-a. Our modeling results locate the highest risk values in the Central Ligurian Sea, and show that all the three main sources of plastic litter taken into account clearly contribute to impacting cetaceans in the Sanctuary, yet with spatial and interannual variability of patterns. The procedure formalized with our approach can be extended to assess the risk caused by ingestion of plastics by other taxa and/or in other MPAs, as we suggest by providing an application on the whole ecosystem of Pelagos, thus informing targeted actions to tackle the complex issue of marine litter.

Waterborne diseases are a diverse family of infections transmitted through ingestion of—or contact with—water infested with pathogens. Outbreaks of waterborne infections often show well-defined spatial signatures that are typically linked to local eco-epidemiological conditions, water-mediated pathogen transport and human mobility. In this work, we apply a spatially explicit network model describing the transmission cycle of waterborne pathogens to determine invasion conditions in metacommunities endowed with a realistic spatial structure. Specifically, we aim to define conditions under which pathogens can temporarily colonize a set of human communities, thus triggering a transient epidemic outbreak. To that end, we apply generalized reactivity analysis, a recently developed methodological framework for the study of transient dynamics in ecological systems subject to external perturbations. The study of pathogen invasion is complemented by the detection of the spatial signatures associated with the perturbations to a disease-free system that are expected to be amplified the most over different time scales. Understanding the drivers of waterborne disease dynamics over time scales that are relevant to epidemic and/or endemic transmission is a crucial, cross-disciplinary challenge, as large portions of the developing world still struggle to cope with the burden of these infections.

Recent studies have raised concerns about the potential reemergence of infectious diseases in Arctic regions associated with warming temperatures. Among these, particular attention has been devoted to anthrax, as a consequence of the outbreak that occurred in the Russian Yamalo-Nenets peninsula in 2016. Understanding how environmental change might influence the diffusion of this pathogen could allow informed decisions to prevent further zoonotic or epidemic episodes. To that end, the present study aims to identify and investigate the driving variables that may favor anthrax transmission within the Arctic, in order to build environmental niche maps describing the future suitability of these regions for the pathogen. To do so, we use the MaxEnt statistical learning tool informed by Arctic-specific variables, such as reindeer herd distribution and active-layer variation. Because of the relative lack of reliable georeferenced information in these regions, the resulting potential distribution maps are to be considered preliminary, but they can already provide a first assessment tool for local communities living in potential risk areas. They also indicate areas in which additional investigation is needed to improve the reliability of environmental niche modeling, hence the accuracy of risk mapping and the usefulness to Arctic communities.

Forse per effetto dell’onda lunga dell’idealismo crociano – per il quale la poesia è espressione del genio individuale e trova la propria ultima verità in se stessa – o a causa della manifesta subalternità rispetto a una forma storicamente molto più affine alle metodologie della comparatistica come quella del romanzo, lo studio comparato delle forme poetiche si è tradizionalmente presentato, tanto in Italia quanto altrove, come una delle “cenerentole” della disciplina. Un esito, dunque, che non si deve tanto alla qualità intrinseca delle singole ricerche, quanto alla loro scarsità numerica e al costante declino del prestigio conferito a tali indagini.

Review of the book Femminismi queer postcoloniali. Critiche transnazionali all’omofobia, all’islamofobia e all’omonazionalismo edited by Paola Bacchetta and Laura Fantone.

Review of the book Il romanzo massimalista. Da L’Arcobaleno della gravità di Thomas Pynchon a 2666 di Roberto Bolaño by Stefano Ercolino.

Protecting key hotspots of marine biodiversity is essential to maintain ecosystem services at large spatial scales. Protected areas serve not only as sources of propagules colonizing other habitats, but also as receptors, thus acting as protected nurseries. To quantify the geographical extent and the temporal persistence of ecological benefits resulting from protection, we investigate larval connectivity within a remote archipelago, characterized by a strong spatial gradient of human impact from pristine to heavily exploited: the Northern Line Islands (NLIs), including part of the Pacific Remote Islands Marine National Monument (PRI-MNM). Larvae are described as passive Lagrangian particles transported by oceanic currents obtained from a oceanographic reanalysis. We compare different simulation schemes and compute connectivity measures (larval exchange probabilities and minimum/average larval dispersal distances from target islands). To explore the role of PRI-MNM in protecting marine organisms with pelagic larval stages, we drive millions of individual-based simulations for various Pelagic Larval Durations (PLDs), in all release seasons, and over a two-decades time horizon (1991-2010). We find that connectivity in the NLIs is spatially asymmetric and displays significant intra- and inter-annual variations. The islands belonging to PRI-MNM act more as sinks than sources of larvae, and connectivity is higher during the winter-spring period. In multi-annual analyses, yearly averaged southward connectivity significantly and negatively correlates with climatological anomalies (El Niño). This points out a possible system fragility and susceptibility to global warming. Quantitative assessments of large-scale, long-term marine connectivity patterns help understand region-specific, ecologically relevant interactions between islands. This is fundamental for devising scientifically-based protection strategies, which must be space- and time-varying to cope with the challenges posed by the concurrent pressures of human exploitation and global climate change.

This paper aims to retrace the influence of the politics of gender enacted by Nelson and Winnie Mandela on post-apartheid gender relationships, as represented in three novels: Phaswane Mpe’s Welcome to Our Hillbrow (2001), Njabulo Ndebele’s The Cry of Winnie Mandela (2003) and Lewis Nkosi’s Mandela’s Ego (2006). Recently, Nelson and Winnie Mandela’s marriage has been also described as the “unusual founding-family romance” (Munro 2014) of the post-apartheid nation. Their marriage lasted from 1958 to 1992, including, thus, the last decades of the anti-apartheid struggle, as well as the demise of the apartheid regime. Their separation, which was due in the first place to Nelson Mandela’s imprisonment and, later, to their divorce, eventually marked the disruption of this founding-family romance, making it “unusual”. As a consequence, the deconstructive take on Nelson Mandela’s fatherhood and masculinity and Winnie Mandela’s femininity and motherhood which is enacted in the three novels also allows to reassess the possibility of that “founding-family romance”, envisioning an alternative understanding of the origins of the post-apartheid South African nation.

L’esordio letterario dell’autore di origini libiche Hisham Matar, In the Country of Men(2006), appartiene a un corpus letterario diasporico e transnazionale che non è stato ancora adeguatamente approfondito nell’ambito della critica postcoloniale italiana. Il romanzo di Matar, ambientato in Libia nel 1979, durante il regime di Gheddafi, non presenta un confronto diretto con le eredità storiche e culturali del colonialismoitaliano nel Paese; vi sono, tuttavia, alcune peculiarità tematiche che − contrariamente aquanto sostenuto dalla critica accademica che fino a oggi si è occupata del testo −meritano di essere analizzate nell’ambito della storia coloniale e postcoloniale dellaLibia.Tra queste, spicca la descrizione del sito archeologico, ubicato in territorio libico,di Leptis Magna: il protagonista del romanzo, Suleiman, e il docente universitario UstathRashid collaborano efficacemente nella decostruzione delle storiografie nazionaliste chehanno inteso occuparsi anche del passato remoto della regione libica, ovvero della suaappartenenza all’impero romano. Ciò che Suleman e Ustath Rashid portano alla luce è un’eredità traumatica−pertinente tanto all’epoca di Settimio Severo e al colonialismo italiano, quanto alregime nazionalista postcoloniale di Gheddafi − che nessuna storiografia, coloniale onazionalista, è stata in grado di elaborare in modo compiutamente critico.

Nel dibattito pubblico così come, inevitabilmente, nel senso comune, l’interpretazione della storia post-unitaria italiana alla luce delle migrazioni – prima come flussi in uscita, poi sia in entrata che in uscita – ha innescato la costruzione di un preciso discorso retorico, alimentato da pubblicazioni come L’orda. Quando gli albanesi eravamo noi (2005) di Gian Antonio Stella.

Case summary A 6-year-old female spayed Birman cat presented with a history of weight loss, stiff and short-strided gait in the pelvic limbs and reluctance to jump, progressing to non-ambulatory tetraparesis over 6 weeks. Poor body condition, dehydration and generalised muscle wastage were evident on general examination. Neurological examination revealed mildly depressed mental status, non-ambulatory flaccid tetraparesis and severely decreased proprioception and spinal reflexes in all four limbs. The neuroanatomical localisation was to the peripheral nervous system. Haematology, feline immunodeficiency virus/feline leukaemia virus serology, serum biochemistry, including creatine kinase and thyroxine, thoracic radiographs and abdominal ultrasound did not reveal significant abnormalities. Electromyography revealed fibrillation potentials and positive sharp waves in axial and appendicular muscles. Decreased motor conduction velocities and compound muscle action potential amplitudes were detected in ulnar and sciatic–tibial nerves. Residual latency was increased in the sciatic–tibial nerve. Histologically, several intramuscular nerve branches were depleted of myelinated fibres and a few showed mononuclear infiltrations. Toxoplasma gondii serology titres were compatible with active toxoplasmosis. Four days after treatment initiation with oral clindamycin the cat recovered the ability to walk. T gondii serology titres and neurological examination were normal after 11 and 16 weeks, respectively. Clindamycin was discontinued after 16 weeks. One year after presentation the cat showed mild relapse of clinical signs and seroconversion, which again resolved following treatment with clindamycin. Relevance and novel information To our knowledge, this is the first report of distal polyneuropathy associated with toxoplasmosis in a cat. This case suggests the inclusion of toxoplasmosis as a possible differential diagnosis for acquired polyneuropathies in cats.

Recensione di: Emma Bond e Daniele Comberiati (a cura di), Il confine liquido. Rapporti interculturali fra Italia e Albania, Nardò, Besa, 2013, 229 p., ISBN: 9788849708950, € 18,00.

Review of Narrazioni contese. Vent'anni di scritture italiane della migrazione by Chiara Mengozzi

Deeply entangled as they are, censorship and self-censorship affect many postcolonial literary texts, from different periods and locations. Due to the great variety of case studies, an investigation of censorship and self-censorship in postcolonial literature might take advantage of multiple comparative approaches. In fact, whereas the censoring effects of colonial discourse on race, class and gender issues concerning the colonized populations produced a transnational phenomenon known as “the postcolonial exotic” (Huggan 2001), the necessity of a comparative analysis might be assessed also in the case of state-imposed and/or religious censorship. This allows to take into account the specificities of each national and cultural context, while considering, at the same time, the existence of shared political, cultural and literary elements. As for the theoretical grounds upon which this comparison might be built, they often involve the general patterns of postcolonial nation building, as well as its relationship with postcolonial allegory (Jameson 1986, Slemon 1988). The struggle against censorship, in fact, implies the joint reinstatement and deconstruction of the stereotyped Orientalist dichotomy (Said 1978) between European liberalism and Oriental despotism – resulting in a situation of political relativity and ambiguity or, as Rushdie writes, in “a war between buffoons” (1990: 179). The paper will focus on two specific case studies – Rushdie’s Haroun and the Sea of Stories (1990) and Shalimar the Clown (2005), as well as Nuruddin Farah’s trilogy “Variations on the Theme of an African Dictatorship” (1979-1983) – where the authors both represent and challenge censorship and self-censorship. Their thematic investment in the figures of the madman and the buffoon, on the double threshold of truth/falsity and speech/silence, will be thus considered as a crucial point in both authors’ attempts to reconsider postcolonial censorship as specific to post-colonial nation building and, at the same time, deconstructing the dichotomy between Western (colonial) liberalism and postcolonial authoritarianism.

We study the geography of schistosomiasis across Burkina Faso by means of a spatially explicit model of water-based disease dynamics. The model quantitatively addresses the geographic stratification of disease burden in a novel framework by explicitly accounting for drivers and controls of the disease, including spatial information on the distributions of population and infrastructure, jointly with a general description of human mobility and climatic/ecological drivers. Spatial patterns of disease are analysed by the extraction and the mapping of suitable eigenvectors of the Jacobian matrix subsuming the stability of the disease-free equilibrium. The relevance of the work lies in the novel mapping of disease burden, a byproduct of the parametrization induced by regional upscaling, by model-guided field validations and in the predictive scenarios allowed by exploiting the range of possible parameters and processes. Human mobility is found to be a primary control at regional scales both for pathogen invasion success and the overall distribution of disease burden. The effects of water resources development highlighted by systematic reviews are accounted for by the average distances of human settlements from water bodies that are habitats for the parasite's intermediate host. Our results confirm the empirical findings about the role of water resources development on disease spread into regions previously nearly disease-free also by inspection of empirical prevalence patterns. We conclude that while the model still needs refinements based on field and epidemiological evidence, the proposed framework provides a powerful tool for large-scale public health planning and schistosomiasis management.

The temporal variability of streamflow is known to be a key feature structuring and controlling fluvial ecological communities and ecosystem processes. Although alterations of streamflow regime due to habitat fragmentation or other anthropogenic factors are ubiquitous, a quantitative understanding of their implications on ecosystem structure and function is far from complete. Here, by experimenting with two contrasting flow regimes in stream microcosms, we provide a novel mechanistic explanation for how fluctuating flow regimes may affect grazing of phototrophic biofilms (i.e., periphyton) by an invertebrate species (Ecdyonurus sp.). In both flow regimes light availability was manipulated as a control on autotroph biofilm productivity and grazer activity, thereby allowing the test of flow regime effects across various ratios of biofilm biomass to grazing activity. Average grazing rates were significantly enhanced under variable flow conditions and this effect was highest at intermediate light availability. Our results suggest that stochastic flow regimes, characterised by suitable fluctuations and temporal persistence, may offer increased windows of opportunity for grazing under favourable shear stress conditions. This bears important implications for the development of comprehensive schemes for water resources management and for the understanding of trophic carbon transfer in stream food webs.