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La generazione di Foscolo e di Clausewitz assistette in un quarto di secolo all’avvicendamento di una decina di costituzioni, si assoggettò o si ribellò a vari cambi di sovranità o di regime, e si spense infine in un regime di sovranità coatta. Hölderlin ne impazzì, mentre essi non conobbero il successo personale, nel doppio significato del riconoscimento pubblico e del raggiungimento dei propri scopi letterari ultimi. Caos e catastrofe non furono soltanto nozioni astratte, bensì esperienza e spettacolo. L’esperienza si narra, allo spettacolo si assiste o lo si immagina. In a quarter of a century, the generation of Foscolo and Clausewitz witnessed the advancement of a dozen constitutions, subjected or rebelled to various changes of sovereignty or regime, and finally died out in a regime of forced sovereignty . Hölderlin went mad, while they did not know personal success, in the double meaning of public recognition and the achievement of their ultimate literary goals. Chaos and catastrophe were not just abstract notions, but experience and spectacle. The experience is told, the spectacle is witnessed or imagined.

International organizations such as the WHO have worked to raise awareness of the massive infodemic that accompanied the COVID-19 outbreak and made it hard for people to find trustworthy sources of information and reliable guidance for their decisions. Our contribution focuses on the Italian case, where the Communications Regulatory Authority (AGCOM) was able to act as first mover in its field so as to strategically frame the problem of disinformation in the absence of a pre-existing policy intervention. An emerging body of research shows that the activity of formally independent regulators is not necessarily limited to the implementation of delegated regulatory competencies. We discuss the implications of the activity of independent regulators for the fight against disinformation during the COVID-19 pandemic. We find that as a political actor in its own right, the Italian media regulator claimed control over sectoral expertise in order to shape the crucial first steps of the response to the infodemic.Internationale Organisationen wie die WHO haben sich bemüht, das Bewusstsein für die massive «Infodemie» zu schärfen, die den COVID‐19‐Ausbruch begleitete und es den Menschen erschwerte, vertrauenswürdige Informationsquellen und verlässliche Entscheidungshilfen zu finden. Unser Beitrag untersucht den Fall Italiens, wo die Regulierungsbehörde für Kommunikation (AGCOM) als First Mover agieren und das Problem der Desinformation in Ermangelung einer bereits bestehenden politischen Intervention strategisch gestalten konnte. Die neuere Forschung zeigt, dass die Tätigkeit formal unabhängiger Regulierungsbehörden nicht notwendigerweise auf die Umsetzung delegierter Regulierungskompetenzen beschränkt ist. Wir diskutieren in diesem Beitrag die Auswirkungen der Tätigkeit unabhängiger Regulierungsbehörden auf den Kampf gegen Desinformation während der COVID‐19‐Pandemie. Wir stellen zudem fest, dass die italienische Medienregulierungsbehörde die Kontrolle über sektorales Fachwissen beanspruchte und so die entscheidenden ersten Schritte der politischen Antwort auf die Infodemie zu gestalten.Des organisations internationales telles que l'OMS se sont efforcées de faire prendre conscience de l' « infodémie » massive qui a accompagné l'épidémie du COVID‐19 et qui a rendu difficile pour les gens de trouver des sources d'information dignes de confiance et des aides fiables à leurs décisions. Notre contribution se concentre sur le cas de l'Italie, où l'Autorité de régulation des communications (AGCOM) a été en mesure d'agir en tant que premier acteur dans son domaine afin d'encadrer stratégiquement le problème de la désinformation en l'absence d'une intervention politique préexistante. Des recherches récentes montrent que l'activité des régulateurs formellement indépendants ne se limite pas nécessairement à la mise en œuvre des compétences réglementaires déléguées. Nous examinons les implications de l'activité des régulateurs indépendants pour la lutte contre la désinformation pendant la pandémie COVID‐19. Nous constatons que le régulateur italien des médias a revendiqué le contrôle de l'expertise sectorielle afin de façonner les premières étapes cruciales de la réponse à l'infodémie.

Background Lombardy has been the first and one of the most affected European regions during the first and second waves of the novel coronavirus (severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 [SARS-CoV-2]). Objective To evaluate the impact of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) on all urologic activities over a 17-wk period in the three largest public hospitals in Lombardy located in the worst hit area in Italy, and to assess the applicability of the authorities’ recommendations provided for reorganising urology practice. Design, setting, and participants A retrospective analysis of all urologic activities performed at three major public hospitals in Lombardy (Brescia, Bergamo, and Milan), from January 1 to April 28, 2020, was performed. Outcome measurements and statistical analysis Join-point regression was used to identify significant changes in trends for all urologic activities. Average weekly percentage changes (AWPCs) were estimated to summarise linear trends. Uro-oncologic surgeries performed during the pandemic were tabulated and stratified according to the first preliminary recommendations by Stensland et al (Stensland KD, Morgan TM, Moinzadeh A, et al. Considerations in the triage of urologic surgeries during the COVID-19 pandemic. Eur Urol 2020;77:663–6) and according to the level of priority recommended by European Association of Urology guidelines. Results and limitations The trend for 2020 urologic activities decreased constantly from weeks 8–9 up to weeks 11–13 (AWPC range –41%, –29.9%; p, Take Home Message Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic urologic recommendations redefined treatment options and timing of urological surgical activities to support urologists during this healthcare crisis to avoid delaying life-saving treatments. These recommendations should be adapted according to hospital resources and local incidence of the pandemic.

Objective: To evaluate the relationship between enlarged prostate, bulky median lobe (BML) or prior benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) surgery and perioperative functional, and oncological outcomes in high-risk (HR) prostate cancer (PCa) patients treated with Retzius-sparing robot-assisted radical prostatectomy (RS-RARP). Methods: 320 HR-PCa patients treated with RS-RARP between 2011 and 2020 at a single high-volume center. The relationship between prostate volume, BML, prior BPH surgery and perioperative outcomes, Clavien-Dindo (CD) grade >= 2 90-day postoperative complications, positive surgical margins (PSMs), and urinary continence (UC) recovery was evaluated respectively in multivariable linear, logistic and Cox regression models. Complications were collected according to the standardized methodology proposed by EAU guidelines. UC recovery was defined as the use of zero or one safety pad.Results: Overall, 5.9% and 5.6% had respectively a BML or prior BPH surgery. Median PV was 45 g (range: 14-300). The rate of focal and non-focal PSMs was 8.4% and 17.8%. 53% and 10.9% patients had immediate UC recovery and CD >= 2. The 1- and 2-yr UC recovery was 84 and 85%. PV (p = 0.03) and prior BPH surgery (p = 0.02) was associated with longer operative time. BML was independent predictor of time to bladder catheter removal (p = 0.001). PV was independent predictor of PSMs (OR: 1.02; p = 0.009). Prior BPH surgery was associated with lower UC recovery (HR: 0.5; p = 0.03). Conclusion: HR-PCa patients with enlarged prostate have higher risk of PSMs, while patients with prior BPH surgery have suboptimal UC recovery. These findings should help physicians for accurate preoperative counseling and to improve surgical planning in case of HR-PCa patients with challenging features.

Aim: We aimed to evaluate trifecta outcomes after Retzius-sparing robot-assisted radical prostatectomy (rs-RARP). Methods: We evaluated 1488 patients who had undergone rs-RARP at our institution from 2011 to 2019. All patients filled out questionaries for functional outcomes before surgery, and only patients with baseline continence and IIEF-5 scores of > 16 were included. Biochemical recurrence (BCR) was defined as two consecutive prostatic specific antigen levels of > 0.2 ng/mL after rs-RARP. Postoperative continence was defined as the use of no pads. Potency was defined as the ability to achieve erections for sexual intercourse, with or without phosphodiesterase-5 (PDE-5) inhibitors. A multivariable logistic regression model was performed to identify predictors of trifecta outcome. Results: In total, 1240 patients were included in the analysis. During the 24-month follow-up time, 149 patients (11.9%) harbored BCR. Urinary continence was observed in 981 patients (79.5%), while 171 (13.8%) still used a safety pad daily after 24 months. Sexual potency was reported in 643 patients (51.9%), of whom 379 (30.6%) had spontaneous erections and 264 (21.3%) used a PDE-5 inhibitor. Overall, the trifecta outcome was reached by 42.1% of the study’s population. The trifecta outcome was easily reached by younger patients and patients who underwent a full nerve-sparing (NS) prostatectomy. In the multivariable model, age [odds ratio (OR) = 0.89; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.84-0.90; P < 0.01] and type of NS surgery [partial NS (OR = 3.34; 95%CI: 1.01-11; P = 0.04) full NS (OR = 4.57; 95%CI: 1.86-12; P < 0.01)] resulted as independent predictors. Conclusion: rs-RARP is associated with optimal trifecta outcome rate. Age and NS technique are independent predictors of trifecta outcomes.

The cryptic diversity in the polychaete Syllis gracilis Grube, 1840, in the Mediterranean Sea was examined with an integrative morpho-molecular approach. Individuals of S.gracilis were collected at eleven Mediterranean localities to provide an insight into the role of brackish environments in inducing cryptic speciation. The examination of morphological features combined with a molecular genetic analysis based on a partial sequence of the 16S rRNA gene highlighted discrepancies between morphological and molecular diversity. Morphological data allowed to identify a morphotype with short appendages occurring in coralline algae communities and another one with long appendages observed in brackish-water environments and Sabellaria reefs. Multivariate analyses showed that sampling localities were the greatest source of morphological divergence, suggesting that phenotypic plasticity may play a role in local adaptations of S.gracilis populations. Molecular data showed the occurrence of four divergent lineages not corresponding to morphological clusters. Different species delimitation tests gave conflicting results, retrieving, however, at least four separated entities. Some lineages occurred in sympatry and were equally distributed in marine and brackish-water environments, excluding a biogeographic or ecological explanation of the observed pattern and suggesting instead ancient separation between lineages and secondary contact. The co-occurrence of different lineages hindered the identification of the lineage corresponding to S.gracilis sensu stricto. The discrepancy between morphological and molecular diversity suggests that different environmental and biogeographic features may interact in a complex and unpredictable way in shaping diversity patterns. An integrative approach is needed to provide a satisfactory insight on evolutionary processes in marine invertebrates.

A molecular phylogeny of the family Paraonidae was reconstructed on the basis of 16S rDNA, COI and 18S rDNA sequences obtained from 66 individuals belonging to 38 nominal species and subspecies. In agreement with previous findings, Paraonidae represent a monophyletic group, closely related to Sternaspidae. The topology obtained by the Bayesian and Maximum Likelihood analyses on the combined dataset was not consistent with the traditional view on Paraonidae evolution, nor with a recent cladistic analysis. According to our results, Paraonidae are divided in five clades. The earliest branching clade (Clade I) included five species of the genera Cirrophorus and Paradoneis, whereas the remaining species of these genera were included in the Clade II. The genus Levinsenia is monophyletic and represents the sister group of a highly supported clade including some morphologically homogeneous species previously assigned to the genus Aricidea, which is here described as Blakeia n. gen. The remaining species of Aricidea clustered in a clade that included Paraonis as well. Paraonis can be interpreted as a pedomorphic form of Aricidea, accounting for the strong morphological divergence between the two genera. For priority rules, Aricidea should be considered a junior synonym of Paraonis. None of the subgenera traditionally recognised within Aricidea were monophyletic; in addition, the shallow molecular divergence identified among species, in particular for 18S rDNA sequences, suggests that the adaptive radiation of the genus Aricidea is relatively recent. Phylogenetic relationships suggested that the median antenna is an ancestral character, which has been independently lost several times, though a long, cirriform antenna only occurs in the genus Aricidea. The ancestral number of pre-branchial chaetigers is most likely three, even though arrangements with a higher number of chaetigers have been probably achieved at least twice independently. Notopodial modified chaetae appear to be a plesiomorphy of Paraonidae and they have been lost subsequently, whereas neuropodial modified chaetae have been acquired at least thrice independently through the evolutionary history of the family. Paraonidae show a strikingly high occurrence of cryptic and pseudocryptic species; results of the present work suggest that environmental features play a crucial role in the diversification of this family, whereas the influence of geographical distance appears less pronounced. Lastly, despite their importance in deep-water environments, Paraonidae probably are a primarily shallow-water family, that radiated in the deep sea secondarily.

Cirrophorus nikebianchii sp. nov. is described from brackish-water and organically enriched marine environments of the Mediterranean Sea. The new species is characterized by a very small prostomial antenna and a high number of branchiae pairs. A phylogenetic analysis carried out through the use of three molecular markers (16S rRNA, 18S rRNA and COI) supports the distinction between C. nikebianchii and C. furcatus, a closely related species with which it has been misidentified. Preliminary results obtained show that the genera Cirrophorus and Paradoneis are not reciprocally monophyletic, with uncertain relationships with the remaining genera of Paraonidae. This outcome suggests that the evolutionary history of Paraonidae is less straightforward than previously supposed. Moreover, the uncertainty about the taxonomic status of Paraonides neapolitana, type species of the genus Paraonides, makes the revamping of the taxonomy of Paraonidae more challenging. Awaiting support from studies including more species, and based on morphological and genetic data as well, we suggest to provisionally maintain the current use of Cirrophorus and Paradoneis, and to assign to Paraonella the species traditionally assigned to Paraonides.

The present study deals with the design, the fabrication and the characterization of an innovative heat exchanger manufactured by using open cell aluminum foams. The cooling performances of the heat exchanger, working in low temperature difference were measured. Open cells aluminum foams, produced via polymeric foam replication method, have been assembled to manufacture the cooling elements. The wettability of the aluminum foam surface was improved through a surface treatment, in order to enhance the joining between the pipes and the metal foam. In a first phase, preliminary experimental tests on aluminum metal foam samples were used for an estimation of the overall cooling performance. The experimental test was also aimed to understand the basic mechanisms involved in the heat transfer process. In a second phase, the full heat exchanger was assembled, and an experimental setup was designed in order to determine the performance of the heat exchanger. The heat exchanger revealed its high potentiality in terms of thermal performance, showing also a remarkable behavior in terms of energy saving, assembly and endurance.

The interest in the development of non-contact temperature sensors for particle image velocimetry (PIV) is continuously growing. The integration of thermochromic tracers in PIV represents a critical step forward in experimental fluid mechanics, which would enable detailed full-field analysis of thermal and environmental flows. In this paper, interpenetrated polymer networks (IPN) PNIPAAm/alginate loaded with Nile Red (NR) fluorescent dye are used to develop beads for simultaneous non-contact temperature sensing and flow tracing in fluids. The novel IPN beads are coated with chitosan to properly modulate particle permeability in water. The thermochromic response of the fluorescent tracers is studied through fluorescence spectroscopy, evidencing an increase in the NR fluorescence emission up to twenty times above the lower critical solution temperature of PNIPAAm. These findings confirm the potential of fluorescent chitosan-coated PNIPAAm/alginate beads for in situ temperature in PIV.

Several authors claimed that the Retzius-sparing robot-assisted radical prostatectomy (RS-RARP) needs a prolonged learning curve, and outcomes during this phase could be suboptimal.To verify the safety and outcomes of RS-RARP performed by young surgeons during the learning curve.We conducted a retrospective analysis of the pre-, intra-, and postoperative features of all the patients who underwent RS-RARP from 2013 to 2017. We divided our patients into two groups: patients operated by two experienced surgeons (ESs) with100 procedures and patients operated on by five younger surgeons in the learning curve (LCSs). LCSs had no previous experience in radical prostatectomy, and the very first RS-RARP procedures of each LCS case are included in the analysis.Perioperative, oncological, and functional data were analyzed. Short-term oncological results were reported as positive surgical margins (PSMs) and 1-yr disease-free survival. Complications were graded according to the Clavien-Dindo system. Potency was defined as erections sufficient for intercourse; continence was defined as no pad or one safety liner. A propensity score-matching analysis was used to adjust the difference in baseline preoperative parameters between the groups.We obtained two homogeneous groups of 256 patients each. After the matching, preoperative variables were similar in the two groups. The mean console time was longer for younger surgeons (98 vs 122 min, p0.001). Postoperative course, complications, and functional results were similar in the two groups; the final pathological analysis showed a worse T stage in the ES group (p = 0.017). PSMs and 1-yr disease-free survival did not differ between the groups.RS-RARP can be safely performed by inexperienced surgeons who have received adequate training.Surgeons in the learning curve can perform Retzius-sparing robot-assisted radical prostatectomy safely, with similar early oncological results and functional outcomes.

BACKGROUND The aim of this study is to evaluate differences in discomfort, complications and functional results after Retzius-sparing robot-assisted radical prostatectomy (RS-RARP) according to different urinary drainage: suprapubic tube (SPT) and standard urethral catheter (UC). METHODS Prospective, comparative, consecutive, non-randomized study. In all patients with a water-tight anastomosis, no hematuria, obesity, previous suprapubic surgery or history of bladder cancer, a SPT (two-way Foley 14-Fr catheter) was positioned instead of a Foley 18-Fr UC. One week after surgery, an institutional self-compiled questionnaire was administered. The patients were divided into two groups according to the presence of UC or SPT and were compared concerning pain, perioperative results, complications, functional outcomes. RESULTS Fifty-six patients with UC and 135 with SPT agreed to participate to the study. Median postoperative pain score was 3 (IQR: 2-5) in UC and 3 (IQR: 1-5) in SPT group (P=0.324); urinary drain-related pain scores were 3 (IQR: 1-5) in UC and 1 (IQR: 0-3) in SPT groups (P

Robot-assisted laparoscopic radical prostatectomy (RARP) is nowadays considered the main surgical option for localized prostate cancer (PCa). We recently developed a new approach for RARP avoiding all the Retzius structures involved in continence and potency preservation, the so called Retzius-sparing technique (RSP). The objective of the paper is to report technical aspects and functional results of RSP. METHODS: We evaluated our data and available literature regarding RSP, functional results and advantages. RESULTS: RSP is oncologically safe and guarantee high early continence rates.Long-term, prospective, comparative, and possibly randomized studies are needed but RSP is now spreading all over the world thanks to the different advantages that offers to patients. The most recognized benefit is surely the achievement of early continence, as well documented in multiple studies and papers, without compromising the oncological outcomes.ARTICULO SOLO EN INGLES. OBJETIVO: La prostatectomía radical laparoscópica asistida por robot (PRAR) se considera hoy en día la principal opción quirúrgica para el cáncer de próstata localizado. Recientemente desarrollamos un nuevo abordaje para la PRAR evitando todas las estructuras del Retzius involucradas en la conservación de la continencia y la potencia, la conocida como técnica de prostatectomía conservadora del Retzius (PCR). El objetivo de este artículo es comunicar los aspectos técnicos y funcionales de la PCR. MÉTODOS: Evaluamos nuestros datos y la literatura disponible sobre PCR, resultados funcionales y ventajas. RESULTADOS: La PCR es oncológicamente segura y garantiza unas tasas altas de continencia precoz. CONCLUSIONES: Son necesarios estudios a largo plazo, prospectivos, comparativos y posiblemente aleatorizados pero la PCR está actualmente extendiéndose por todo el mundo gracias a las diferentes ventajas que ofrece a los pacientes. El beneficio más reconocido es seguramente la consecución de continencia precoz, bien documentada en múltiples estudios y artículos, sin compromiso de los resultados oncológicos.

The objective of our study is to evaluate the effect of prostatic volume on the outcomes of Retzius-sparing robot-assisted radical prostatectomy (RSP).All the consecutive patients undergoing RSP up to January 2015 were included. The series was divided into three groups based on prostate weight at radical prostatectomy specimen (40 g, 40-60 g,60 g). Perioperative, oncological and functional data were prospectively recorded. Potency was defined as erections sufficient for penetration; continence as no pad or one safety liner. Oncological results were reported as positive surgical margins (PSMs) and 1-year biochemical disease-free survival (PSA0.2 ng/mL).We evaluated 750 patients (366 with40 g prostates, 272 with 40-60 g prostates, 112 with60 g prostates). Median follow-up was 22 months; PSA was higher in larger prostates (6.6 vs. 6.8 vs. 8 ng/mL). Nerve-sparing and bladder-neck sparing procedures were in similar percentages. Larger prostates required longer surgeries (90 vs. 100 vs. 100 minutes, P=0.002). Perioperative results were similar (blood loss, discharge, complications, catheter removal). Larger prostates had more frequently localized disease (pT2 in 49.5% vs. 60.7% vs. 68.5%; P=0.001); PSMs were similar both in pT2 (15.5% vs. 9.4% vs. 11.8%) and in pT3 cases (40.1% vs. 42% vs. 34%). In the three study groups, immediate continence was reached by 88%, 89.5% and 81.3% (P=0.045), while no differences were observed concerning continence (93.4%, 94.1%, 94.7%; P=0.892) or potency after follow-up.RSP is feasible in patients with prostates of any volume, with similar oncological and functional outcomes. Despite being inferior to the figures obtained in low volume prostates, the very high immediate continence rates observed in larger prostates encourage the use of this approach also in larger prostates.

Background The National Research Council (CNR) prostate cancer monitoring project in Italy (Pros-IT CNR) is an observational, prospective, ongoing, multicentre study aiming to monitor a sample of Italian males diagnosed as new cases of prostate cancer. The present study aims to present data on the quality of life at time prostate cancer is diagnosed. Methods One thousand seven hundred five patients were enrolled. Quality of life is evaluated at the time cancer was diagnosed and at subsequent assessments via the Italian version of the University of California Los Angeles-Prostate Cancer Index (UCLA-PCI) and the Short Form Health Survey (SF-12). Results At diagnosis, lower scores on the physical component of the SF-12 were associated to older ages, obesity and the presence of 3+ moderate/severe comorbidities. Lower scores on the mental component were associated to younger ages, the presence of 3+ moderate/severe comorbidities and a T-score higher than one. Urinary and bowel functions according to UCLA-PCI were generally good. Almost 5% of the sample reported using at least one safety pad daily to control urinary loss; less than 3% reported moderate/severe problems attributable to bowel functions, and sexual function was a moderate/severe problem for 26.7%. Diabetes, 3+ moderate/severe comorbidities, T2 or T3-T4 categories and a Gleason score of eight or more were significantly associated with lower sexual function scores at diagnosis. Conclusions Data collected by the Pros-IT CNR study have clarified the baseline status of newly diagnosed prostate cancer patients. A comprehensive assessment of quality of life will allow to objectively evaluate outcomes of different profile of care.

The census of natural populations provides relevant information for both conservation purposes and environmental monitoring. In the present work, natural populations of the killifish Aphanius fasciatus (Teleostei: Cyprinodontidae) were censused in the Italian territory. The historical distribution of the species was reconstructed with the aid of bibliographic material and museal samples, in order to evaluate the extent of changes in its distribution. Three periods (pre-1990s, 1990s, post-1990s) and five habitat types (lagoons/coastal ponds, saltworks, canals, river mouths, inland water bodies) were considered. Overall, we recorded the presence of A. fasciatus in 82 localities, the majority of which are lagoons/ponds. The species showed a widespread decline and sometimes local population extinction, due to habitat degradation and competition with the introduced poeciliid Gambusia holbrooki. With a few exceptions, A. fasciatus is currently extinct in inland waters, being mainly present in coastal br...

In this work, we studied the thermal performance of aluminum metal foams in buoyancy-induced convection. We investigated the effect of heat transfer performance on metal foam fins heated from below due to the use of different aspect-ratio. The samples used in the trial were characterized by a square base of 50 mm length and seven different heights, which ranged from 10 mm to 150 mm. The samples were made of aluminum metal foam characterized by 5 PPI and a porosity of 0.95. The analysis showed that the heat dissipation increased asymptotically with the height of the sample. The results also showed that the Darcy characteristic length should be not correlated to the sample height. A novel empirical correlation is proposed for the computation of Nusselt number as a function of Rayleigh and Darcy numbers, and a shape function η.

Pinctada imbricata radiata (Leach, 1814) was the first Lessepsian bivalve reported in the Mediterranean Sea where it is progressively expanding westward. Its native range includes the Indian Ocean and western Atlantic. The present study provides the first insight into the species’ phylogeographic structure, by analysing sequences of a 385-bp region of the mitochondrial gene coding for the subunit I of the cytochrome c oxydase (COI). Sixty-four individuals collected at seven Mediterranean localities were sequenced; in addition, eight COI sequences of individuals from the species’ native range (Persian Gulf) were retrieved from GenBank. Overall, we detected 10 haplotypes. Samples from both the native range and invaded localities were characterised by low levels of haplotype and nucleotide diversity (total h = 0.351, total π = 0.0013). Significant genetic divergence was found between Persian Gulf and Mediterranean Sea samples, whereas very shallow genetic structuring was observed within the Mediterra...

Phylogeographical analysis of Paracentrotus lividus was carried out by means of sequencing the mitochondrial cytochrome b gene (1143 bp) of 260 individuals collected at 22 Mediterranean and four Atlantic localities. Against a background of high haplotype diversity and shallow genetic structuring, we observed significant genetic divergence between the Adriatic Sea and the rest of the Mediterranean, as well as between the Mediterranean and the Atlantic sample groups. Furthermore, on the largest spatial scale, isolation by distance was detected. Three main haplogroups were identified by network and Bayesian assignment analyses. The relative proportions of haplogroups were different in the four regions considered, with the exception of Western and Eastern Mediterranean that showed a similar pattern. This result together with the outcome of Snn statistics, analysis of molecular variance and network analyses allowed to identify three weakly differentiated populations corresponding to the Atlantic, Western + Eastern Mediterranean, and Adriatic seas. Analyses of mismatch distribution and neutrality tests were consistent with the presence of genetic structuring and past demographic expansion(s). From a fisheries perspective, the results obtained in the present study are consistent with genetic sustainability of current exploitation; local depleted stocks are recurrently replenished by recruits that may have originated from nonharvested areas. © 2010 The Linnean Society of London, Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, 2010, 100, 910-923.

This paper describes two different powertrain configurations for the repowering of a conventional vehicle, equipped with an internal combustion engine (ICE). A model of a mid-sized ICE-vehicle is realized and then modified to model both a parallel plug-in hybrid electric powertrain and a proton electrolyte membrane (PEM) fuel cell (FC) hybrid powertrain. The vehicle behavior under the application of an optimal control algorithm for the energy management is analyzed for the different scenarios and results are compared.

The small-spotted catshark Scyliorhinus canicula is a small demersal chondrichthyan distributed on continental shelf and uppermost slope waters of the Mediterranean Sea and north eastern Atlantic Ocean. It has commercial value in some European regions, whereas in other it is considered a bycatch species. Species’ genetic structure was analysed by means of 578 bp mitochondrial COI sequences. A total of 192 individuals (122 obtained in the present work and 70 retrieved from GenBank) from 11 Mediterranean and 1 Atlantic locations were considered. Overall, we detected 27 COI haplotypes, seven of which were newly found. Moreover, a high number of haplotypes were location- and/or region-private. Low values of nucleotide diversity (total π = 0.0027) and moderate to high haplotype diversity (h = 0.500–0.920, total h = 0.827) were found. Significant genetic structuring in the study area was highlighted by AMOVA, Φ-statistics and Bayesian assignment analyses. The Atlantic sample was genetically divergent from Western Mediterranean counterparts and the Adriatic samples diverged from Eastern Mediterranean ones. Instead, Western and Eastern Mediterranean were not significantly divergent, suggesting that the Strait of Sicily is not effective in restricting past or current gene flow. No pattern of isolation by distance was detected. From a fisheries perspective, our results represent the first evidence of genetic structuring in S. canicula and are consistent with the presence of multiple genetic stocks in the study area. Further genetic analyses coupled with a fine grained sampling design are needed to precisely identify the borders of genetic stocks. These data provide a significant contribution for the planning of a long-term effective management policy, which could ensure sustainability of resource exploitation and stock viability.

Nuclear (18S and ITS) and mitochondrial (16S) ribosomal RNA gene sequences were determined from genetically distinct wild-type strains of Antarctic (nine strains), Fuegian (four strains), Greenland (nine strains) and Svalbard (three strains) populations of the marine ciliate, Euplotes nobilii, and analysed for their nucleotide polymorphisms. A close genetic homogeneity was found within and between the Antarctic and Fuegian populations, while more significant levels of genetic differentiation were detected within and between the two Arctic populations, as well as between these populations and the Antarctic/Fuegian ones. The phylogeographical pattern that was derived from these data indicates that gene flow is not limited among Arctic populations; it equally connects the Arctic and Antarctic populations either directly, or through the Fuegian population. This indication reinforces previous evidence from laboratory assays of mating interactions between some of the strains analysed in this work that Southern and Northern polar populations of E. nobilii belong to a unique, panmictic population that substantially share the same gene pool.

The present study reports new records of the invasive pygmy mussel Xenostrobus securis in six brackish-water localities in the western Mediterranean. Until now X. securis, whose native range includes southern Australia and New Zealand, was also known from the northern Adriatic Sea and southern France. Along the coast of northern Tuscany (Italy) X. securis invaded brackish-water canals in the area between the port of Leghorn and the mouth of the Arno River. Moreover, this mussel has been found in one inner site of the Gulf of Olbia (north-eastern Sardinia, Italy) and at the mouth of the Fluvia River (northern Catalonia, Spain). As an ecosystem engineer, X. securis is an ecologically important species, heavily altering pre-existing benthic communities. Given that its presence in other western Mediterranean sites is highly possible, we recommend a closer monitoring of brackish-water biotopes.

Plug-in hybrid electric vehicles are commonly designed to work in Charge Depleting/Charge Sustaining (CD/CS) mode, depleting the battery by driving in only-electrical mode until the SoC reaches its minimum acceptable threshold, and then sustaining the state of charge till the end of the mission, operating as a traditional hybrid vehicle. Nonetheless, a simple application of an optimal control framework suggests a blended discharge strategy, in which the powertrain is operated as to gradually deplete the SoC and reach the lower threshold only at the end of the trip. Such an algorithm has the drawback that the optimal solution can only be reached offline, depending on the a-priori knowledge of the driving event, making it unsuitable to be implemented online, as it is. The paper presents a methodology to design a heuristic controller, to be used online, based on rules extracted from the analysis of the powertrain behavior under the optimal control solution. The application is a parallel plug-in vehicle, derived from a re- engineered engine-only driven powertrain, and the optimal problem is solved with the Pontryagin's Minimum Principle. Results are also compared to the same vehicle in its standard internal combustion engine version, as well as the commonly implemented Charge Depleting/Charge Sustaining strategy.