401 results on '"S Santini"'
Search Results
2. A universal molecular control for DNA, mRNA and protein expression
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Helen M. Gunter, Scott E. Youlten, Andre L. M. Reis, Tim McCubbin, Bindu Swapna Madala, Ted Wong, Igor Stevanovski, Arcadi Cipponi, Ira W. Deveson, Nadia S. Santini, Sarah Kummerfeld, Peter I. Croucher, Esteban Marcellin, and Tim R. Mercer
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Science - Abstract
Abstract The expression of genes encompasses their transcription into mRNA followed by translation into protein. In recent years, next-generation sequencing and mass spectrometry methods have profiled DNA, RNA and protein abundance in cells. However, there are currently no reference standards that are compatible across these genomic, transcriptomic and proteomic methods, and provide an integrated measure of gene expression. Here, we use synthetic biology principles to engineer a multi-omics control, termed pREF, that can act as a universal molecular standard for next-generation sequencing and mass spectrometry methods. The pREF sequence encodes 21 synthetic genes that can be in vitro transcribed into spike-in mRNA controls, and in vitro translated to generate matched protein controls. The synthetic genes provide qualitative controls that can measure sensitivity and quantitative accuracy of DNA, RNA and peptide detection. We demonstrate the use of pREF in metagenome DNA sequencing and RNA sequencing experiments and evaluate the quantification of proteins using mass spectrometry. Unlike previous spike-in controls, pREF can be independently propagated and the synthetic mRNA and protein controls can be sustainably prepared by recipient laboratories using common molecular biology techniques. Together, this provides a universal synthetic standard able to integrate genomic, transcriptomic and proteomic methods.
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- 2024
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3. wmh_seg: Transformer based U-Net for Robust and Automatic White Matter Hyperintensity Segmentation across 1.5T, 3T and 7T.
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Jinghang Li, Tales S. Santini, Yuanzhe Huang, Joseph M. Mettenburg, Tamer S. Ibrahim, Howard J. Aizenstein, and Minjie Wu
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- 2024
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4. Library adaptors with integrated reference controls improve the accuracy and reliability of nanopore sequencing
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Helen M. Gunter, Scott E. Youlten, Bindu Swapna Madala, Andre L. M. Reis, Igor Stevanovski, Ted Wong, Sarah K. Kummerfield, Ira W. Deveson, Nadia S. Santini, Esteban Marcellin, and Tim R. Mercer
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Science - Abstract
Adding library adaptors to DNA samples is an essential step in preparing samples for next-generation sequencing. Here, Gunter et al. describe the development of Control Library Adaptors (CAPTORs), that correct sequencing errors and normalise quantitative biases in Nanopore libraries.
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- 2022
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5. Nuclear genetic diversity and structure of Anastrepha ludens wild populations evidenced by microsatellite markers
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Nancy Gálvez-Reyes, Miguel Salvador-Figueroa, Nadia S. Santini, Alicia Mastretta-Yanes, Juan Núñez-Farfán, and Daniel Piñero
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variability ,structure ,migration ,biogeographic zone ,nuclear ,microsatellites ,Evolution ,QH359-425 ,Ecology ,QH540-549.5 - Abstract
The Mexican fruit fly, Anastrepha ludens, is an important pest that causes widespread damage to a number of fruit crops in Mexico. The sterile insect technique (SIT) is commonly used for its control. However, the existence of natural barriers can give rise to a population structure in neutral loci and possibly behavioral or adaptive traits that interfere with SIT. For this reason, it is important to understand the genetic diversity and structure of A. ludens populations and to better understand the evolutionary ecology and population processes in view of possible expansions and possible host shifts due to climate change. We genotyped nine nuclear DNA (nDNA) microsatellite loci among fruit fly populations collected from five biogeographic areas within Mexico, namely, the Mexican Plateau, the Northeastern Coastal Plain, the Pacific Coast, the Gulf Coast of Mexico, and the Soconusco, and a laboratory strain. The nuclear genetic diversity was moderate (from He = 0.34 to He = 0.39) within the wild mexfly population. We found that populations were clustered in three genetic groups (K = 3). The diversity and the genetic structure of A. ludens are determined by environmental and geological conditions, as well as local conditions like anthropogenic perturbation, which would produce population expansion and the existence of possible predators that would affect the population density. Gene flow showed recent migration among populations. The laboratory strain showed fewer diversity than the wild samples. Large values of current and ancestral population size suggest high resistance to climatic changes, probably due to biological attributes, such as its polyphagous, multivoltine, and high dispersal characteristics. In particular, ecosystem fragmentation and perturbation as well as the existence of new plant hosts would probably increase the abundance of flies.
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- 2022
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6. Reconstructing extreme climatic and geochemical conditions during the largest natural mangrove dieback on record
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J. Z. Sippo, I. R. Santos, C. J. Sanders, P. Gadd, Q. Hua, C. E. Lovelock, N. S. Santini, S. G. Johnston, Y. Harada, G. Reithmeir, and D. T. Maher
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Ecology ,QH540-549.5 ,Life ,QH501-531 ,Geology ,QE1-996.5 - Abstract
A massive mangrove dieback event occurred in 2015–2016 along ∼1000 km of pristine coastline in the Gulf of Carpentaria, Australia. Here, we use sediment and wood chronologies to gain insights into geochemical and climatic changes related to this dieback. The unique combination of low rainfall and low sea level observed during the dieback event had been unprecedented in the preceding 3 decades. A combination of iron (Fe) chronologies in wood and sediment, wood density and estimates of mangrove water use efficiency all imply lower water availability within the dead mangrove forest. Wood and sediment chronologies suggest a rapid, large mobilization of sedimentary Fe, which is consistent with redox transitions promoted by changes in soil moisture content. Elemental analysis of wood cross sections revealed a 30- to 90-fold increase in Fe concentrations in dead mangroves just prior to their mortality. Mangrove wood uptake of Fe during the dieback is consistent with large apparent losses of Fe from sediments, which potentially caused an outwelling of Fe to the ocean. Although Fe toxicity may also have played a role in the dieback, this possibility requires further study. We suggest that differences in wood and sedimentary Fe between living and dead forest areas reflect sediment redox transitions that are, in turn, associated with regional variability in groundwater flows. Overall, our observations provide multiple lines of evidence that the forest dieback was driven by low water availability coinciding with a strong El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO) event and was associated with climate change.
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- 2020
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7. The Restoration of Degraded Lands by Local Communities and Indigenous Peoples
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Nadia S. Santini and Yosune Miquelajauregui
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conservation and restoration ,land degradation ,deforestation ,desertification ,local and indigenous communities ,ecosystem functions ,General. Including nature conservation, geographical distribution ,QH1-199.5 - Abstract
One of Earth's foremost ecological challenges is the degradation of land habitats. This degradation is often caused by deforestation and desertification resulting from the unsustainable management of natural resources. Land restoration seeks to reverse this trend and repair ecosystems to better health. Indigenous peoples and local communities have a key role in realizing long-term, sustainable land restoration. Local and indigenous communities often have intimate knowledge of the local ecosystems and an interest in preserving ecosystem services. Areas managed by indigenous peoples and local communities especially overlap with remaining intact ecosystems and suffer from less deforestation than unprotected areas. Here, we discuss how the knowledge and engagement of local communities can improve the management, implementation, and monitoring of habitat restoration. However, there are also challenges to land restoration, and scientists and policymakers that can align restoration outcomes with community benefits gained from environmental stewardship and knowledge, are more likely to achieve long-term sustainable restoration success.
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- 2022
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8. Editorial: Restoration of Degraded Terrestrial Ecosystems
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Nadia S. Santini, Sonia Chamizo, Manuel Esteban Lucas-Borja, and Miriam Muñoz-Rojas
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drylands ,ecosystem shifts ,Mediterranean region ,mining ,Amazonian rainforest ,Evolution ,QH359-425 ,Ecology ,QH540-549.5 - Published
- 2022
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9. Status and forecast of leprosy in the still endemic province of Formosa in northern Argentina.
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María R Arnaiz, Mónica S Iglesias, José I Franco, Lucila Arzamendia, María S Santini, and Hugo C Recalde
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Arctic medicine. Tropical medicine ,RC955-962 ,Public aspects of medicine ,RA1-1270 - Abstract
BackgroundThe province of Formosa, Argentina, is endemic for leprosy. In the present paper, we assessed the trend (T, 2002-2016 time series) and the forecast for 2022 of new case detection rate (NCDR) and determined the spatial distribution of new cases detected (NCD) of leprosy.Methodology/principal findingsThis is a descriptive observational study of 713 NCD of leprosy from provincial medical records between January 2002 and December 2016. The whole dataset from the provincial medical record was used to independently estimate the NCDR trends of the general population, age groups, sexes and Departments. This same database was used to estimate the NCDR forecast of the general population for 2022, applying a dynamic linear model with a local linear trend, using the MCMC algorithm. The NCDR was higher in men (p65:-61, p0.05), which showed no trend. Forecasts predicted that leprosy will not be eliminated by 2022 (3.64, 95%CI: [1.22, 10.25]).Conclusions/significanceOur results highlight the status of leprosy in Formosa and provide information to the provincial public health authorities on high-risk populations, stressing the importance of timely detection of new cases for further elimination of the disease in the province.
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- 2021
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10. Organic Carbon Stocks of Mexican Montane Habitats: Variation Among Vegetation Types and Land-Use
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Nadia S. Santini, Alfredo Villarruel-Arroyo, María Fernanda Adame, Catherine E. Lovelock, Rachael H. Nolan, Nancy Gálvez-Reyes, Edgar J. González, Betzabeth Olivares-Resendiz, Alicia Mastretta-Yanes, and Daniel Piñero
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carbon credits ,forest conservation ,forest management ,conifer forest ,alpine grasslands ,arable lands ,Environmental sciences ,GE1-350 - Abstract
Montane ecosystems occur throughout the world, and harbor many endemic species. They also provide key ecological services, including the catchment of water resources and the storage of organic carbon. These ecosystems are vulnerable to global climate change and increasing human pressures, including forestry and their conversion to arable land. In the extensive and biodiverse Mexican montane regions, ongoing deforestation and conversion to arable lands has led to diminished ecosystem health and services. Here, we undertook a comprehensive evaluation of carbon stocks within Mexican montane habitats in the Flora and Fauna Conservation Area of Nevado de Toluca. This aimed to integrate these habitats into Mexican and global census of forest carbon, the first step needed to convert on carbon credit markets to incentivize conservation of this region by local communities. Our study evaluated both, living biomass and belowground soil organic carbon in sites within forests, alpine grasslands and converted arable land. We addressed the following questions: (1) What are the organic carbon stocks, including the soil component, of our studied montane habitats? (2) What are the avoided CO2 emissions from maintaining natural forests and preventing conversion to arable land? And (3) Within our study area, are organic carbon stocks in the soil correlated to carbon stocks in aboveground living biomass? We found whole ecosystem organic carbon stocks ranged from 68 Mg OC ha–1 in unburnt alpine grasslands to 668 Mg OC ha–1 in Abies religiosa forests. By avoiding conversion of the A. religiosa forests to arable lands, we show that emissions of 1,122 to 1,671 Mg CO2 ha–1 are avoided. Notably, the belowground soil organic carbon stock comprised ≥ 40% of the total ecosystem organic carbon stock. We recommend soil organic carbon stocks should be included within Mexican and global forestry carbon stock inventories, and should be considered within voluntary carbon-credit markets used to incentivize the conservation of Mexican montane habitats.
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- 2020
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11. Synthetic microbe communities provide internal reference standards for metagenome sequencing and analysis
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Simon A. Hardwick, Wendy Y. Chen, Ted Wong, Bindu S. Kanakamedala, Ira W. Deveson, Sarah E. Ongley, Nadia S. Santini, Esteban Marcellin, Martin A. Smith, Lars K. Nielsen, Catherine E. Lovelock, Brett A. Neilan, and Tim R. Mercer
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Science - Abstract
Complex microbial communities pose a challenge to metagenomic analysis. Here the authors develop ‘sequins’, internal DNA standards that represent a synthetic community of artificial genomes.
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- 2018
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12. Dynamic Bayesian Network Modeling of Hippocampal Subfields Connectivity with 7T fMRI: A Case Study.
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Fernando P. Santos, Stephen F. Smagula, Helmet T. Karim, Tales S. Santini, Howard Aizenstein, Tamer S. Ibrahim, and Carlos Dias Maciel
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- 2017
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13. Performance of the Health System Network in Formosa, Argentina, in the Diagnosis of Leprosy
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María R. Arnaiz, Daniela Tobar Abarca, María S. Santini, José I. Franco, Lucila Arzamendia, Hugo C. Recalde, and Octavio A. Bruzzone
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Infectious Diseases ,Virology ,Parasitology - Abstract
Leprosy is a chronic, neglected tropical infectious disease, currently endemic in Formosa, a province in northwestern Argentina. To analyze the performance, distribution, and effectiveness of the health system in leprosy diagnosis in Formosa, we estimated the trend of the number of new cases of leprosy diagnosed between 2002 and 2019 and estimated a forecast for 2022 at the primary health care centers (PHCCs) of at the first level of care (1stLC), at district hospitals (DHs) of the second level of care (2ndLC), high-complexity hospitals at the third level of care (3rdLC), and in rural and urban areas. The general trend was calculated based on the new cases detection rate (NCDR) using the autoregressive–moving average model (ARMA). The 1stLC, 2ndLC, and 3rdLC and the rural/urban variables were assessed using a proportional Bayesian trend ARMA (TrARMA) model. A predictive model was used for estimated forecasts. Markov-Monte Carlo chains were applied with A Metropolis-Hastings’s algorithm. The highest median proportion (Mp) of new cases of leprosy was diagnosed at the 2ndLC (Mp, 0.67; 97.5% credibility interval [CI] [0.56–0.77]), at the 3rdLC (Mp, 0.11; 97.5% CI [0.08–0.15]), and in urban areas (urban median proportion (uMp), 0.86; 97.5% CI [0.83– 0.88]), whereas the lowest proportion of new cases was diagnosed at the 1stLC (Mp, 0.082; 97.5% CI [0.061–0.108]) and in rural areas (rural median proportion (rMp), 0.13; 97.5% CI [0.11–0.16]). Our model predicts for 2022 that a median number of new cases of leprosy of 19.70 will be diagnosed in urban areas (97.5% CI [15.94–23.80]), and will continue to be diagnosed at the 2ndLC (median number of cases, 15.33; 97.5% CI [12.40–10.52]) and 3rdLC (median number of cases, 2.43; 97.5% CI [1.97–2.94]).
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- 2023
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14. Night and day: Shrinking and swelling of stems of diverse mangrove species growing along environmental gradients.
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Maria P Vilas, Matthew P Adams, Marilyn C Ball, Jan-Olaf Meynecke, Nadia S Santini, Andrew Swales, and Catherine E Lovelock
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Medicine ,Science - Abstract
Tree stems swell and shrink daily, which is thought to reflect changes in the volume of water within stem tissues. We observed these daily patterns using automatic dendrometer bands in a diverse group of mangrove species over five mangrove forests across Australia and New Caledonia. We found that mangrove stems swelled during the day and shrank at night. Maximum swelling was highly correlated with daily maxima in air temperature. Variation in soil salinity and levels of tidal inundation did not influence the timing of stem swelling over all species. Medium-term increases in stem circumference were highly sensitive to rainfall. We defoliated trees to assess the role of foliar transpiration in stem swelling and shrinking. Defoliated trees showed maintenance of the pattern of daytime swelling, indicating that processes other than canopy transpiration influence the temporary stem diameter increments, which could include thermal swelling of stems. More research is required to understand the processes contributing to stem shrinking and swelling. Automatic Dendrometer Bands could provide a useful tool for monitoring the response of mangroves to extreme climatic events as they provide high-frequency, long-term, and large-scale information on tree water status.
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- 2019
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15. Is autumn the key for dengue epidemics in non endemic regions? The case of Argentina
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Anibal E. Carbajo, Maria V. Cardo, Pilar C. Guimarey, Arturo A. Lizuain, Maria P. Buyayisqui, Teresa Varela, Maria E. Utgés, Carlos M. Giovacchini, and Maria S. Santini
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Arbovirus ,Predictive models ,Climate ,Demography ,Aedes aegypti ,Epidemiology ,Medicine ,Biology (General) ,QH301-705.5 - Abstract
Background Dengue is a major and rapidly increasing public health problem. In Argentina, the southern extreme of its distribution in the Americas, epidemic transmission takes place during the warm season. Since its re-emergence in 1998 two major outbreaks have occurred, the biggest during 2016. To identify the environmental factors that trigger epidemic events, we analyzed the occurrence and magnitude of dengue outbreaks in time and space at different scales in association with climatic, geographic and demographic variables and number of cases in endemic neighboring countries. Methods Information on dengue cases was obtained from dengue notifications reported in the National Health Surveillance System. The resulting database was analyzed by Generalized Linear Mixed Models (GLMM) under three methodological approaches to: identify in which years the most important outbreaks occurred in association with environmental variables and propose a risk estimation for future epidemics (temporal approach); characterize which variables explain the occurrence of local outbreaks through time (spatio-temporal approach); and select the environmental drivers of the geographical distribution of dengue positive districts during 2016 (spatial approach). Results Within the temporal approach, the number of dengue cases country-wide between 2009 and 2016 was positively associated with the number of dengue cases in bordering endemic countries and negatively with the days necessary for transmission (DNT) during the previous autumn in the central region of the country. Annual epidemic intensity in the period between 1999–2016 was associated with DNT during previous autumn and winter. Regarding the spatio-temporal approach, dengue cases within a district were also associated with mild conditions in the previous autumn along with the number of dengue cases in neighboring countries. As for the spatial approach, the best model for the occurrence of two or more dengue cases per district included autumn minimum temperature and human population as fixed factors, and the province as a grouping variable. Explanatory power of all models was high, in the range 57–95%. Discussion Given the epidemic nature of dengue in Argentina, virus pressure from endemic neighboring countries along with climatic conditions are crucial to explain disease dynamics. In the three methodological approaches, temperature conditions during autumn were best associated with dengue patterns. We propose that mild autumns represent an advantage for mosquito vector populations and that, in temperate regions, this advantage manifests as a larger egg bank from which the adult population will re-emerge in spring. This may constitute a valuable anticipating tool for high transmission risk events.
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- 2018
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16. Application of CLT prefabricated exoskeleton for an integrated renovation of existing buildings and continuous structural monitoring
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J. Zanni, S. Castelli, M. Bosio, C. Passoni, S. Labò, A. Marini, A. Belleri, E. Giuriani, G. Brumana, C. Abrami, S. Santini, G. Venturelli, and A.L. Marchetti
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LCT ,Life Cycle ,LCA ,Integrated approach ,Settore ICAR/09 - Tecnica delle Costruzioni ,Earth-Surface Processes - Published
- 2023
17. Carbon stocks and soil sequestration rates of tropical riverine wetlands
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M. F. Adame, N. S. Santini, C. Tovilla, A. Vázquez-Lule, L. Castro, and M. Guevara
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Ecology ,QH540-549.5 ,Life ,QH501-531 ,Geology ,QE1-996.5 - Abstract
Riverine wetlands are created and transformed by geomorphological processes that determine their vegetation composition, primary production and soil accretion, all of which are likely to influence C stocks. Here, we compared ecosystem C stocks (trees, soil and downed wood) and soil N stocks of different types of riverine wetlands (marsh, peat swamp forest and mangroves) whose distribution spans from an environment dominated by river forces to an estuarine environment dominated by coastal processes. We also estimated soil C sequestration rates of mangroves on the basis of soil C accumulation. We predicted that C stocks in mangroves and peat swamps would be larger than marshes, and that C, N stocks and C sequestration rates would be larger in the upper compared to the lower estuary. Mean C stocks in mangroves and peat swamps (784.5 ± 73.5 and 722.2 ± 63.6 MgC ha−1, respectively) were higher than those of marshes (336.5 ± 38.3 MgC ha−1). Soil C and N stocks of mangroves were highest in the upper estuary and decreased towards the lower estuary. C stock variability within mangroves was much lower in the upper estuary (range 744–912 MgC ha−1) compared to the intermediate and lower estuary (range 537–1115 MgC ha−1) probably as a result of a highly dynamic coastline. Soil C sequestration values were 1.3 ± 0.2 MgC ha−1 yr−1 and were similar across sites. Estimations of C stocks within large areas need to include spatial variability related to vegetation composition and geomorphological setting to accurately reflect variability within riverine wetlands.
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- 2015
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18. Maxillary sinus augmentation: collagen membrane over the osteotomy window. A pilot study
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F.S. Marchionni, F. Alfonsi, S. Santini, S. Marconcini, U. Covani, and A. Barone
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Sinus ,Floor ,Augmentation ,Lift ,Membrane ,Xenograft ,Dentistry ,RK1-715 - Abstract
Aim Implant rehabilitation has become a very reliable and safe procedure. However, in some cases, a small amount of bone could make implant surgery extremely difficult or even impossible. Hence, a surgical technique to augment sinus floor has been developed and improved. Nevertheless, there is still controversy over the use of a membrane over the osteotomy window. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate whether the use of a membrane could be beneficial in sinus floor augmentation. Materials and methods A group of 12 patients requiring sinus floor lift were recruited. The patients were randomly allocated to either control group (membrane) or test group (no membrane) and only one sinus for patient was augmented. After 6 months, a bone biopsy was harvested from the lateral window to be processed for histological analysis. Results The mean amount of newly formed bone in test group was 28.0±19.5%, the connective tissue accounted for a mean value of 59.2±15.6%, while 12.8±12.6% was the amount of residual graft particles. In the membrane group the newly formed bone counted for a mean value of 30.4±15.8%, the mean quantity of connective tissue was 50.3±18.9% and about residual graft particles a mean value of 18.2±20.4% was registered. Conclusion According to our data, the use of a membrane over the lateral bone wall in sinus lift surgery does not significantly influence healing. However, the membrane could influence the residual particles resorption rate as well as soft tissue ingrowth.
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- 2015
19. An integrated care pathway for maternal and childcare: evidence from Ethiopia, Tanzania, and Uganda
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I Corazza, P Belardi, M Bonciani, F Manenti, D Abebe, S Santini, G Azzimonti, J Nsubuga, G Dall'Oglio, and M Vainieri
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Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health - Abstract
Performance monitoring and evaluation are key to quality improvement in maternal and child healthcare in Sub-Saharan Africa. This study presents the experience of designing and implementing bottom-up and integrated performance evaluation tools for care pathway to monitor and manage maternity healthcare services. The research project involved four health districts and relative reference hospitals, supported by the NGO Doctors with Africa CUAMM in Ethiopia, Tanzania, and Uganda. The maternal and childcare pathway developed consists of 23 indicators, calculated at hospital and district level, relating to pregnancy, childbirth and first year of life phases. The authors developed staves and performance maps, as graphical representation tools, to display longitudinally integrated health services provision performance along the continuum of care. Substantial variation was observed between the phases of each maternal and childcare pathway and across the care pathways of the different analysed settings. The most impressive results across the four settings are: 1) regarding pregnancy phase, that women tend to attend more than four antenatal classes, still with a quite high drop-out rate, and are largely tested for syphilis, 2) with respect to childbirth, that there are varying percentage levels in terms of C-sections, episiotomies and peri/intra-partum asphyxia cases, and 3) as it regards first year of life, there emerges scope for improvement considering the vaccination coverages attained for pentavalent, measles and polio vaccinations. Thanks to the collaboration with local managers and health professionals, the maternal and childcare pathway allowed to monitor the changes in the quality of maternity services provided within the analysed contexts. The benchmarking approach encouraged local professionals to learn from other settings. The use of such tool allowed the development of targeted quality improvement actions, shared among all involved stakeholders. Key messages • In collaboration with local professionals, we designed and implemented an integrated pathway for maternal and childcare, covering the phases of pregnancy, childbirth and first year of life. • Benchmarking performance results encouraged collaboration among professionals and allowed the identification of actions to improve the provision of maternal and childcare services.
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- 2022
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20. Optimization of DNA Extraction from Individual Sand Flies for PCR Amplification
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Lorena G. Caligiuri, Adolfo E. Sandoval, Jose C. Miranda, Felipe A. Pessoa, María S. Santini, Oscar D. Salomón, Nagila F. C. Secundino, and Christina B. McCarthy
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sand fly ,DNA extraction ,calcium ,PCR ,lysis buffer ,Lutzomyia ,Biology (General) ,QH301-705.5 - Abstract
Numerous protocols have been published for extracting DNA from phlebotomines. Nevertheless, their small size is generally an issue in terms of yield, efficiency, and purity, for large-scale individual sand fly DNA extractions when using traditional methods. Even though this can be circumvented with commercial kits, these are generally cost-prohibitive for developing countries. We encountered these limitations when analyzing field-collected Lutzomyia spp. by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and, for this reason, we evaluated various modifications on a previously published protocol, the most significant of which was a different lysis buffer that contained Ca2+ (buffer TESCa). This ion protects proteinase K against autolysis, increases its thermal stability, and could have a regulatory function for its substrate-binding site. Individual sand fly DNA extraction success was confirmed by amplification reactions using internal control primers that amplify a fragment of the cacophony gene. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first time a lysis buffer containing Ca2+ has been reported for the extraction of DNA from sand flies.
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- 2019
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21. Is prealbumine a good biomarker of lean mass loss after gastric bypass?
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S. Santini, N. Vionnet, M. Barigou, J. Pasquier, and L. Favre
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Nutrition and Dietetics ,Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism - Published
- 2023
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22. Conditions for large earthquakes in a two-asperity fault model
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M. Dragoni and S. Santini
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Science ,Physics ,QC1-999 ,Geophysics. Cosmic physics ,QC801-809 - Abstract
A fault with two asperities is modelled as a system made of two blocks coupled by a spring and sliding on a plane under the same values of static and dynamic friction. An analytical solution is given for the simultaneous motion of the blocks and the corresponding orbits are plotted in the phase space. It is proven that, whichever the initial state is, the long-term behaviour of the system is one of an infinite number of limit cycles, characterized by a particular pattern of forces. The region where the system is located when the blocks are stationary can be divided into narrow stripes corresponding to different orbits of the points belonging to them. This implies that the system is sensitive to perturbations and has relevant implications for a fault, which is subject to stress transfers from earthquakes generated by neighbouring faults. In this case, the fault may experience a larger earthquake, with the simultaneous failure of the two asperities, which restores a stress distribution compatible with periodic behaviour. The seismic moment associated with simultaneous asperity failure is always greater than the maximum value that can be released in a limit cycle. For strongly coupled asperities, the moment can be several times larger.
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- 2011
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23. Simulation of the long-term behaviour of a fault with two asperities
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M. Dragoni and S. Santini
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Science ,Physics ,QC1-999 ,Geophysics. Cosmic physics ,QC801-809 - Abstract
A system made of two sliding blocks coupled by a spring is employed to simulate the long-term behaviour of a fault with two asperities. An analytical solution is given for the motion of the system in the case of blocks having the same friction. An analysis of the phase space shows that orbits can reach a limit cycle only after entering a particular subset of the space. There is an infinite number of different limit cycles, characterized by the difference between the forces applied to the blocks or, as an alternative, by the recurrence pattern of block motions. These results suggest that the recurrence pattern of seismic events produced by the equivalent fault system is associated with a particular stress distribution which repeats periodically. Admissible stress distributions require a certain degree of inhomogeneity, which depends on the geometry of fault system. Aperiodicity may derive from stress transfers from neighboring faults.
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- 2010
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24. Nuevos registros de Phlebotominae (Diptera: Psychodidae) para la Argentina New records of Phlebotominae (Diptera: Psychodidae) from Argentina
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Oscar D. Salomón, José D. Andrade Filho, María S. Fernández, Juan R. Rosa, Enrique A. Szelag, and María S. Santini
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Phlebotominae ,Nuevos registros ,Chaco ,Paranaense ,Argentina ,Phebotominae ,New records ,Zoology ,QL1-991 - Abstract
La presente nota informa sobre 5 nuevos registros de especies de Phlebotominae para Argentina: Micropygomyia oswaldoi (Mangabeira) y Pintomyia bianchigalatiae (Andrede-Filho, Aguiar, Dias & Falcão) en Iguazú, provincia de Misiones; Psathyromyia lanei (Barretto & Coutinho) en Posadas, Misiones; y Pintomyia torresi (Le Pont & Desjeux) en Nueva Pompeya, provincia de Chaco. Sciopemyia sordellii (Shannon & Del Ponte) y Brumptomyia brumpti (Larrouse), halladas en Iguazú, son nuevas citas para Misiones.The present paper provides 5 new records of phlebotomine sand flies for Argentina: Micropygomyia oswaldoi (Mangabeira) and Pintomyia bianchigalatiae (Andrade Filho, Aguiar, Dias & Falcão), collected in Iguazú, province of Misiones, Psathyromyia lanei (Barretto & Coutinho), from Posadas, Misiones; and Pintomyia torresi (Le Pont & Desjeux), from Nueva Pompeya, province of Chaco. Sciopemyia sordellii (Shannon & Del Ponte), and Brumptomyia brumpti (Larrouse), collected in Iguazú, are new records for the province of Misiones.
- Published
- 2010
25. Agricultural Land Degradation in Mexico
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Nadia S. Santini, Angela P. Cuervo-Robayo, and María Fernanda Adame
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- 2022
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26. Library adaptors with integrated reference controls improve the accuracy and reliability of nanopore sequencing
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Helen M. Gunter, Scott E. Youlten, Bindu Swapna Madala, Andre L. M. Reis, Igor Stevanovski, Ted Wong, Sarah K. Kummerfield, Ira W. Deveson, Nadia S. Santini, Esteban Marcellin, and Tim R. Mercer
- Subjects
Nanopore Sequencing ,Multidisciplinary ,General Physics and Astronomy ,Reproducibility of Results ,High-Throughput Nucleotide Sequencing ,RNA ,General Chemistry ,General Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology ,Gene Library - Abstract
Library adaptors are short oligonucleotides that are attached to RNA and DNA samples in preparation for next-generation sequencing (NGS). Adaptors can also include additional functional elements, such as sample indexes and unique molecular identifiers, to improve library analysis. Here, we describe Control Library Adaptors, termed CAPTORs, that measure the accuracy and reliability of NGS. CAPTORs can be integrated within the library preparation of RNA and DNA samples, and their encoded information is retrieved during sequencing. We show how CAPTORs can measure the accuracy of nanopore sequencing, evaluate the quantitative performance of metagenomic and RNA sequencing, and improve normalisation between samples. CAPTORs can also be customised for clinical diagnoses, correcting systematic sequencing errors and improving the diagnosis of pathogenic BRCA1/2 variants in breast cancer. CAPTORs are a simple and effective method to increase the accuracy and reliability of NGS, enabling comparisons between samples, reagents and laboratories, and supporting the use of nanopore sequencing for clinical diagnosis.
- Published
- 2021
27. Short and medium-term impact of a cardiac rehabilitation (CR) program in COVID-19 patients after acute care hospitalization
- Author
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F Mussini, M Bavera, A Virgillitto, L Briscese, S Santini, M Bresci, P Cavicchioli, E Venturini, and C Laddaga
- Subjects
medicine.medical_specialty ,Myocardial ischemia ,Rehabilitation ,Ejection fraction ,Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) ,business.industry ,Barthel index ,medicine.medical_treatment ,medicine.disease ,Comorbidity ,Medium term ,Acute care ,Internal medicine ,medicine ,Cardiology ,Cardiology and Cardiovascular Medicine ,business - Abstract
Background COVID-19 (C-19) infection can acutely cause organ dysfunctions, especially cardiorespiratory, even with a long recovery period, inducing a significant functional deficit. Aim of the study was to evaluate the impact of a holistic hospital intensive rehabilitation program, based on CR, on C-19 patients (P), after acute care, to improve their fitness, in order to return to their life in the best conditions. Methods In the period april-august 2020, 30 P (mean age 73 years, 60% male) were admitted to the rehabilitation centre at a mean distance of 31±11 days from the onset of C-19; 34% of them had undergone prolonged invasive ventilation, 34% non invasive ventilation and 32% required high flow oxygen. Comorbidities were: hypertension (77%), diabetes (13%) and chronic coronary syndrome (10%); 18 P were unable to stand, and 12 showed impaired trunk control. No P had impaired LVEF or significant valvular disease. Initially, the program focused on training for trunk and sitting control; then on exercises for straightening the upper and lower limbs. From the second week, started a CR training on the cycle ergometer 10–20 minutes a day for 6 days a week, similar protocol to that used in P with heart failure. The aerobic training was of moderate intensity, not exceeding 40–60% of the maximum heart rate, Borg scale 10–12, starting with zero load, gradually increasing by 10–15 watts and up to a minimum target of 25–30 watts. The impact of the protocol on motor functions [MRC Muscle Strenght Scale, Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB)] on functional capacity [6 Minutes Walking Test (6MWT)] on anxiety (A) and depression (D) [Hamilton Anxiety Rating scale (HAMA) and Hamilton Depression Rating scale (HAMD)] and on basic activities of daily life [Barthel Index (BI)] were evaluated. The assessment was done on the admission (T0), at the discharge (T1, on average after 31 days) and after a follow-up of 55 days (T3). Results The results are shown in the table below. Only 4 P were able to perform the 6MWT at T0. The motor function improves rapidly and then reaches a plateau and its trend is reflected in the BI. Functional capacity, on the other hand, improves significantly even at a distance. A and D decreased rapidly but increased over time. Conclusions A rehabilitation protocol, centered on CR, induces a rapid increase in motor capacity, even in severely compromised subjects such as C-19. The improvement in fitness over time, as demonstrated by the 6MWT, probably is due to the severe muscle deconditioning, for the long stay in acute care. The long-term worsening of A and D may depend on various causes: no longer living in a “protected and safe” place, the fear of relapse, returning home and discovering new deaths and mournings. A program, CR-like, can counteract many of the negative consequences of C-19; however these P deserve an outpatient rehabilitation to maintain and consolidate the positive results over time. Funding Acknowledgement Type of funding sources: None. Table 1
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- 2021
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28. Storage of organic carbon in the soils of Mexican temperate forests
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Alicia Mastretta-Yanes, Maria Fernanda Adame, Derek Eamus, Daniel Piñero, Rachael H. Nolan, Yosune Miquelajauregui, Angela P. Cuervo-Robayo, and Nadia S. Santini
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0106 biological sciences ,Agroforestry ,Soil organic matter ,Biodiversity ,Forestry ,Soil carbon ,Management, Monitoring, Policy and Law ,Carbon sequestration ,010603 evolutionary biology ,01 natural sciences ,Ecosystem services ,Deforestation ,Environmental science ,Ecosystem ,Temperate rainforest ,010606 plant biology & botany ,Nature and Landscape Conservation - Abstract
The deforestation and degradation of natural habitats is the second largest contributor to carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions to the atmosphere. Temperate forests cover ∼16.5% of the Mexican landscape, and are a priority ecosystem for global conservation due to their high rate of endemism and species diversity. These forests also provide valuable ecosystem services, including the storage of organic carbon. Mexican temperate forests have lost more than half of their original cover, with ongoing forest degradation, resulting in CO2 emissions to the atmosphere. Most studies and carbon inventories only consider organic carbon stored in the aboveground biomass, and do not consider the organic carbon stored within soils of temperate forests. As a result, the emissions of CO2 due to deforestation are underestimated, and the value of temperate forests is underappreciated. To address this shortcoming, (1) we examine the extent and factors determining soil organic carbon stocks; (2) we estimate soil organic carbon stocks of Mexican temperate forests, the CO2 emissions caused by deforestation and avoided emissions from conservation and (3) we discuss the causes of loss of soil OC and management strategies to mitigate this loss. We propose that including the soil organic carbon stock-component is a priority for national projects targeting reducing emissions from deforestation. Also, urgent studies on the impacts of forest degradation in stocks of soil organic carbon are needed. Management strategies for conservation and rehabilitation of Mexican temperate forests must consider social and economic aspects of the local communities.
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- 2019
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29. The August 17, 1999 Izmit, Turkey, earthquake: slip distribution from dislocation modeling of DInSAR and surface offset
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S. Salvi, M. Dragoni, F. R. Cinti, S. Stramondo, and S. Santini
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1999 Izmit earthquake ,Differential SAR Interferometry ,coseismic displacement field ,Montecarlo method ,Meteorology. Climatology ,QC851-999 ,Geophysics. Cosmic physics ,QC801-809 - Abstract
We show the results of application of Differential SAR Interferometry to the MW 7.4, August 17, 1999, Izmit earthquake, Western Turkey. The differential interferogram is obtained using an interferometric ERS2 ascending pair with a time interval of 35 days (August 13th - September 17th). The fringe pattern clearly defines the coseismic displacement field extended in an area of about 100 km N-S and 120 km E-W. The analysis of the interferogram shows the right-lateral strike-slip movement on the activated section of the North Anatolian fault system. The maximum SAR-detected displacement ranges between 117.6 cm and 134.4 cm in the proximity of Gölcük. We invert SAR data for uniform dislocation on a single fault plane using a Montecarlo procedure, with the aim of testing a large set of a priori possible asperity distributions on the fault. We then use a forward modeling approach to evaluate the slip variability for the dislocation using additional constraints as surface offsets and seismicity distribution: in this case we allow unit cells to undergo different values of slip in order to refine the initial dislocation model. Misfits between SAR data and modeled slant range displacements are generally low for all our models (~ 12 cm). Our results indicate that slip is concentrated in the central-western part of the fault, in the upper 10-15 km, tapering to the fault tips. For the Izmit case, we note that a well constrained fault model can be obtained only integrating DInSAR data with additional observations. This is mainly due to an undersampling of the displacement field by DInSAR, caused by decorrelation and lack of image data.
- Published
- 2002
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30. Natural and Regenerated Saltmarshes Exhibit Similar Soil and Belowground Organic Carbon Stocks, Root Production and Soil Respiration
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Adriana Vergés, Torsten Thomas, Paul Adam, Swapan Paul, Debashish Mazumder, Atun Zawadzki, Quan Hua, Bindu Swapna Madala, Ezequiel M. Marzinelli, Nadia S. Santini, Miriam Muñoz-Rojas, Simon A. Hardwick, William K. Cornwell, Catherine E. Lovelock, and Tim R. Mercer
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0106 biological sciences ,Total organic carbon ,Biomass (ecology) ,geography ,geography.geographical_feature_category ,010504 meteorology & atmospheric sciences ,Ecology ,Soil organic matter ,Wetland ,Carbon sequestration ,010603 evolutionary biology ,01 natural sciences ,Soil respiration ,Blue carbon ,Environmental Chemistry ,Environmental science ,Ecosystem ,Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics ,0105 earth and related environmental sciences - Abstract
Saltmarshes provide many valuable ecosystem services including storage of a large amount of ‘blue carbon’ within their soils. To date, up to 50% of the world’s saltmarshes have been lost or severely degraded primarily due to a variety of anthropogenic pressures. Previous efforts have aimed to restore saltmarshes and their ecosystem functions, but the success of these efforts is rarely evaluated. To fill this gap, we used a range of metrics, including organic carbon stocks, root production, soil respiration and microbial communities to compare natural and a 20-year restoration effort in saltmarsh habitats within the Sydney Olympic Park in New South Wales, Australia. We addressed four main questions: (1) Have above- and belowground plant biomass recovered to natural levels? (2) Have organic carbon stocks of soils recovered? (3) Are microbial communities similar between natural and regenerated saltmarshes? and (4) Are microbial communities at both habitats associated to ecosystem characteristics? For both soil organic carbon stocks and belowground biomass, we found no significant differences between natural and regenerated habitats (F(1,14) = 0.47, p = 0.5; F(1,42) = 0.08, p = 0.76). Aboveground biomass was higher in the natural habitat compared to the regenerated habitat (F(1,20) = 27.3, p
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- 2019
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31. Mangrove sinkholes (
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M F, Adame, N S, Santini, O, Torres-Talamante, and K, Rogers
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Carbon Sequestration ,Soil ,Wetlands ,Mexico ,Carbon ,Ecosystem - Abstract
Mangroves are among the most carbon-dense ecosystems on the planet. The capacity of mangroves to store and accumulate carbon has been assessed and reported at regional, national and global scales. However, small-scale sampling is still revealing 'hot spots' of carbon accumulation. This study reports one of these hotspots, with one of the largest-recorded carbon stocks in mangroves associated with sinkholes (
- Published
- 2021
32. Mangrove sinkholes ( cenotes ) of the Yucatan Peninsula, a global hotspot of carbon sequestration
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O. Torres-Talamante, Kerrylee Rogers, Maria Fernanda Adame, and N. S. Santini
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0106 biological sciences ,geography ,Peat ,geography.geographical_feature_category ,010504 meteorology & atmospheric sciences ,Agroforestry ,010604 marine biology & hydrobiology ,Wetland ,Soil carbon ,Biology ,Carbon sequestration ,Karst ,01 natural sciences ,Agricultural and Biological Sciences (miscellaneous) ,Ecosystem ,Mangrove ,Carbon credit ,General Agricultural and Biological Sciences ,0105 earth and related environmental sciences - Abstract
Mangroves are among the most carbon-dense ecosystems on the planet. The capacity of mangroves to store and accumulate carbon has been assessed and reported at regional, national and global scales. However, small-scale sampling is still revealing ‘hot spots’ of carbon accumulation. This study reports one of these hotspots, with one of the largest-recorded carbon stocks in mangroves associated with sinkholes ( cenotes ) in the Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico. We assessed soil organic carbon (SOC) stocks, sequestration rates and carbon origin of deep peat soils (1 to 6 m) . We found massive amounts of SOC up to 2792 Mg C ha −1 , the highest value reported in the literature so far. This SOC is primarily derived from highly preserved mangrove roots and has changed little since its deposition, which started over 3220 years ago (±30 BP). Most cenotes are owned by Mayan communities and are threatened by increased tourism and the resulting extraction and pollution of groundwater. These hot spots of carbon sequestration, albeit small in area, require adequate protection and could provide valuable financial opportunities through carbon-offsetting mechanisms and other payments for ecosystem services.
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- 2021
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33. Figure S1 from Mangrove sinkholes (cenotes) of the Yucatan Peninsula, a global hotspot of carbon sequestration
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Adame, M. F., N. S. Santini, O. Torres-Talamante, and Rogers, K.
- Abstract
Association between carbon (C) stock (Mg C ha-1) and peat depth in cenotes of the Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico.
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- 2021
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34. Dynamic identification of the so-called Temple of Minerva Medica: comparison of different instrumentations and methods for mutual validation of the results
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C. Baggio, V. Sabbatini, S. Santini, C. Sebastiani V. Fioriti, I. Roselli, A. Colucci, F. Saitta, S. Forliti, P. Roca, L. Pelà and C. Molins, Baggio, C., Sabbatini, V., Santini, S., Fioriti, C. Sebastiani V., Roselli, I., Colucci, A., Saitta, F., and Forliti, S.
- Subjects
Historical Structure, Masonry, Operational Modal Analysis, Dynamic Identification, Non-Destructive Inspection, Accelerometer vs Velocimeter - Abstract
Dynamic monitoring is a well-established technique used to gain information on the global health of constructions. In particular, ambient vibration tests have achieved important results in the dynamic characterization of modal parameters. Several techniques and instrumentations are currently available, however the accuracy of these results is often unquestioned. The mutual validation between different modal analysis techniques is an important procedure to assess the reliability of the results. In the present paper the ambient vibration tests performed on the so-called ‘Temple of Minerva Medica’ in Rome considering different techniques and instrumentations will be described and compared. While it is referred to as the Temple of Minerva Medica, the structure is actually a ruined decagonal nymphaeum in opus latericium that dates to the 4th century AD. Today, the construction is located between the main central train station (Roma Termini) and the local tram way. Ambient vibration data were acquired during different campaigns [1] to characterize the effects of the vibrations and the modal parameters of the structure. This work deals with the data collected on the 11th of July 2019 within the project “Tecnologie per il miglioramento della Sicurezza e la ricostruzione dei centri Storici in area sismica” coordinated by DTC Lazio (Distretto Tecnologico beni e attività culturali). The instrumentation comprised of several seismographs equipped with triaxial velocimeters and piezoelectric accelerometers. A variety of techniques were applied to process the acquired vibration data in order to extract the modal parameters of the studied structure including PolyMAX, FDD, EFDD, CC-SSI, HVSR and FRF. Comparison of the modal parameters obtained by each different technique was considered to provide indications on the reliability of the instruments.
- Published
- 2021
35. Radiocarbon dating and wood density chronologies of mangrove trees in arid Western Australia.
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Nadia S Santini, Quan Hua, Nele Schmitz, and Catherine E Lovelock
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Medicine ,Science - Abstract
Mangrove trees tend to be larger and mangrove communities more diverse in tropical latitudes, particularly where there is high rainfall. Variation in the structure, growth and productivity of mangrove forests over climatic gradients suggests they are sensitive to variations in climate, but evidence of changes in the structure and growth of mangrove trees in response to climatic variation is scarce. Bomb-pulse radiocarbon dating provides accurate dates of recent wood formation and tree age of tropical and subtropical tree species. Here, we used radiocarbon techniques combined with X-ray densitometry to develop a wood density chronology for the mangrove Avicennia marina in the Exmouth Gulf, Western Australia (WA). We tested whether wood density chronologies of A. marina were sensitive to variation in the Pacific Decadal Oscillation Index, which reflects temperature fluctuations in the Pacific Ocean and is linked to the instrumental rainfall record in north WA. We also determined growth rates in mangrove trees from the Exmouth Gulf, WA. We found that seaward fringing A. marina trees (~10 cm diameter) were 48 ± 1 to 89 ± 23 years old (mean ± 1 σ) and that their growth rates ranged from 4.08 ± 2.36 to 5.30 ± 3.33 mm/yr (mean ± 1 σ). The wood density of our studied mangrove trees decreased with increases in the Pacific Decadal Oscillation Index. Future predicted drying of the region will likely lead to further reductions in wood density and their associated growth rates in mangrove forests in the region.
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- 2013
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36. AB1169 IMMUNOMODULATORY EFFECTS OF SARS-CoV-2 VACCINATION: INCREASE OF REGULATORY T CELLS AFTER mRNA VACCINE
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F. La Gualana, F. Villani, G. Cusano, L. Gragnani, L. Stefanini, S. Santini, S. Basili, M. Casato, M. Fiorilli, and M. Visentini
- Subjects
Rheumatology ,Immunology ,Immunology and Allergy ,General Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology - Abstract
BackgroundBesides the ability to induce antigen-specific responses, vaccines can be endowed with immunomodulatory properties including the capacity to induce or downregulate regulatory T cells (Treg) that suppress adaptative and autoreactive immune responses (1).ObjectivesWe asked if an anti-SARS-CoV-2 mRNA vaccine could also induce an accumulation of Treg cells in patients with mixed cryoglobulinemia vasculitis (MCV), who have a deficiency of Treg cells (2) and in healthy individuals. We also investigated immunologic variables possibly associated with a low immunogenicity of SARS-CoV-2 mRNA vaccine in patients with MCV (3).MethodsWe analyzed peripheral blood lymphocyte subpopulations and anti-SARS-CoV-2 serological response in 24 patients with MCV and 9 Healthy donors (HD) before and after 2 weeks after the second dose of the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine.ResultsAmong MCV patients we found 15 serological responders and 9 non-responders. All 5 seronegative patients treated recently with rituximab had low B cells was significantly increased in seronegative patients.Before receiving the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine, patients with MCV had a significantly reduced frequency of Treg cells among CD4+ T cells compared to HD. After the second dose of the vaccine, there was in MCV patients a significant increase in the percent and absolute count of Treg among CD4+ T cellsConcerning the pre-vaccination distribution of T cells subpopulations, including the percentages and absolute counts of total CD3+, CD4+, CD8+, HLA-DR+ activated, Treg or CD56+ natural killer T cells, we could not reveal any pattern significantly associated with lack of serological response to vaccine.ConclusionOur findings show that lack of immunoreactivity in patients with MCV may be associated with expansion of pathologic B cells and that anti-SARS-CoV2 mRNA vaccine may induce an increase of Treg cells.References[1]Krienke C. et al. A noninflammatory mRNA vaccine for treatment of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis. Science. 2021 Jan 8;371(6525):145-153.[2]Boyer O. et al. CD4+CD25+ regulatory T-cell deficiency in patients with hepatitis C-mixed cryoglobulinemia vasculitis. Blood. 2004 May 1;103(9):3428-30.[3]Visentini M. et al. Flares of mixed cryoglobulinaemia vasculitis after vaccination against SARS-CoV-2. Ann Rheum Dis. 2021 Nov 24:annrheumdis-2021-221248.Disclosure of InterestsNone declared
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- 2022
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37. Contrasting ecophysiology of two widespread arid zone tree species with differing access to water resources
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Nadia S. Santini, Anthony P. O'Grady, Sepideh Zolfaghar, James Cleverly, Derek Eamus, Rizwana Rumman, Tonantzin Tarin, Kendal A. Fairweather, and Rachael H. Nolan
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0106 biological sciences ,Ecophysiology ,010504 meteorology & atmospheric sciences ,Ecology ,Moisture ,biology ,Acacia ,biology.organism_classification ,01 natural sciences ,Photosynthetic capacity ,Arid ,Eucalyptus camaldulensis ,Agronomy ,Environmental science ,Water content ,Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics ,010606 plant biology & botany ,0105 earth and related environmental sciences ,Earth-Surface Processes ,Transpiration - Abstract
Arid environments can support the seemingly unlikely coexistence of species tolerant of, or sensitive to, dry soil moisture. Here, we examine water-use and carbon-gain traits in two widespread tree species in central Australia: Acacia aptaneura and Eucalyptus camaldulensis. The former has a shallow root distribution and relies on soil moisture, while the latter is groundwater dependent. We hypothesised that A. aptaneura would exhibit a suite of characteristics that confer tolerance to low soil moisture, in contrast to E. camaldulensis. Consistent with our hypotheses A. aptaneura was relatively more anisohydric than E. camaldulensis (seasonal leaf water potential of −7.2 to −0.8 MPa cf. −1.4 to −0.3 MPa). Additionally, compared to E. camaldulensis, A. aptaneura had lower water potential at turgor loss (−2.5 cf. −1.1 MPa); a larger Huber value; smaller, narrower and thicker phyllodes/leaves; and larger photosynthetic capacity (Jmax); and larger water-use efficiency. Further, water-use efficiency for E. camaldulensis was similar to species receiving annual rainfall of 1500 mm, despite annual rainfall of 348 mm. We conclude that mean annual rainfall is the dominant determinant of water and carbon relations for A. aptaneura, but not E. camaldulensis. This has important implications for ecosystem-scale transpiration and primary productivity across this arid zone.
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- 2018
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38. Severe Hemoperitoneum after Patient Self-Induced Fecal Evacuation
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S. Gianesini, S. Lanzara, R. Stano, S. Santini, A. De Troia, S. Gennari, and G. Vasquez
- Subjects
Medicine - Abstract
An increasing incidence of rectal injuries following patient self-induced harmful acts, aimed to sexual or laxatives porpouses, is a fact reported in literature (El-Ashaal et al., 2008). We herein report a case of severe hemoperitoneum related to a middle and upper rectal third seromuscolar tear caused by a self-induced fecal evacuation by means of an arrow with a covered cork tip. An urgent intestinal diversion by means of a Hartmann's operation was performed. The clinical case is presented in relation to the literature debate, regarding the issue of primary repair or resection and anastomosis versus fecal diversion for penetrating rectal injuries (Fabian, 2002; Cleary et al., 2006; Office of the Surgeon General, 1943; Busic et al., 2002). In conclusion, the importance of avoiding an anastomotic breakdown in a patient undergoing a hemorrhagic shock is highlighted.
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- 2011
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39. Post-Herpetic Pain Managed According to The Recommendations of the Italian Society of Mesotherapy
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D, Russo, primary, M, Mammucari, additional, S, Natoli, additional, E, Maggiori, additional, L, Antonaci, additional, R, Fanelli, additional, C, Giorgio, additional, AR, Catizzone, additional, F, Troili, additional, A, Gallo, additional, C, Guglielmo, additional, F, Canzona, additional, D, Dorato, additional, R, Di Marzo, additional, S, Santini, additional, R, Gallo, additional, P, Rocchi, additional, G, Ronconi, additional, PE, Ferrara, additional, and M, Guarda, additional
- Published
- 2021
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40. Mulga, a major tropical dry open forest of Australia: recent insights to carbon and water fluxes
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Derek Eamus, Alfredo Huete, James Cleverly, Rachael H Nolan, Xuanlong Ma, Tonantzin Tarin, and Nadia S Santini
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Acacia spp. ,Mulga ,ecohydrological niche separation ,tropical dry forests ,eddy covariance ,hydraulic traits ,Environmental technology. Sanitary engineering ,TD1-1066 ,Environmental sciences ,GE1-350 ,Science ,Physics ,QC1-999 - Abstract
Mulga, comprised of a complex of closely related Acacia spp., grades from a low open forest to tall shrublands in tropical and sub-tropical arid and semi-arid regions of Australia and experiences warm-to-hot annual temperatures and a pronounced dry season. This short synthesis of current knowledge briefly outlines the causes of the extreme variability in rainfall characteristic of much of central Australia, and then discusses the patterns and drivers of variability in carbon and water fluxes of a central Australian low open Mulga forest. Variation in phenology and the impact of differences in the amount and timing of precipitation on vegetation function are then discussed. We use field observations, with particular emphasis on eddy covariance data, coupled with modelling and remote sensing products to interpret inter-seasonal and inter-annual patterns in the behaviour of this ecosystem. We show that Mulga can vary between periods of near carbon neutrality to periods of being a significant sink or source for carbon, depending on both the amount and timing of rainfall. Further, we demonstrate that Mulga contributed significantly to the 2011 global land sink anomaly, a result ascribed to the exceptional rainfall of 2010/2011. Finally, we compare and contrast the hydraulic traits of three tree species growing close to the Mulga and show how each species uses different combinations of trait strategies (for example, sapwood density, xylem vessel implosion resistance, phenological guild, access to groundwater and Huber value) to co-exist in this semi-arid environment. Understanding the inter-annual variability in functional behaviour of this important arid-zone biome and mechanisms underlying species co-existence will increase our ability to predict trajectories of carbon and water balances for future changing climates.
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- 2016
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41. Weight-loss on liraglutide in a real-life swiss obese cohort
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S. Santini, N. Vionnet, N. Pitteloud, and L. Favre
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Nutrition and Dietetics ,Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism - Published
- 2021
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42. Neuron-derived neurotrophic factor is mutated in congenital hypogonadotropic hypogonadism
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A, Messina, primary, K, Pulli, additional, S, Santini, additional, J, Acierno, additional, J, Kansakoski, additional, D, Cassatella, additional, C, Xu, additional, F, Casoni, additional, SA, Malone, additional, G, Ternier, additional, D, Conte, additional, Y, Sidis, additional, J, Tommiska, additional, K, Vaaralahti, additional, A, Dwyer, additional, Y, Gothilf, additional, GR, Merlo, additional, F, Santoni, additional, NJ, Niederlander, additional, P, Giacobini, additional, T, Raivio, additional, and N, Pitteloud, additional
- Published
- 2020
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43. Normal-fault stress and displacement through finite-element analysis
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S. Santini, S. Barba, and A. Megna
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algorithms ,earthquakes ,faults ,theoretical studies ,numerical models ,analytical models ,displacements ,stress ,Meteorology. Climatology ,QC851-999 ,Geophysics. Cosmic physics ,QC801-809 - Abstract
We compute displacement and stress due to a normal fault by means of two-dimensional plane-strain finite-element analysis. To do so, we apply a system of forces to the fault nodes and develop an iterative algorithm serving to determine the force magnitudes for any slip distribution. As a sample case, we compute the force magnitudes assuming uniform slip on a 10-km two-dimensional normal fault. The numerical model generates displacement and stress fields that compare well with the analytical solution. In fact, we found little difference in displacements (
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- 2005
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44. Root xylem characteristics and hydraulic strategies of species co-occurring in semi-arid Australia
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K.E. McBean, Nadia S. Santini, Rachael H. Nolan, Rolf Faux, Derek Eamus, and James Cleverly
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0106 biological sciences ,Hakea ,Water transport ,biology ,fungi ,food and beverages ,Acacia ,Xylem ,Forestry ,Plant Science ,Evergreen ,biology.organism_classification ,010603 evolutionary biology ,01 natural sciences ,Eucalyptus ,Deciduous ,Hydraulic conductivity ,Botany ,010606 plant biology & botany - Abstract
Xylem traits such as xylem vessel size can influence the efficiency and safety of water transport and thus plant growth and survival. Root xylem traits are much less frequently examined than those of branches despite such studies being critical to our understanding of plant hydraulics. In this study, we investigated primary lateral and sinker roots of six co-occurring species of semi-arid Australia. Two species are restricted to a floodplain, two were sampled only from the adjacent sand plain, and two species co-occur in both habitats. We assessed root wood density, xylem traits (i.e., vessel diameter, fibre and vessel wall thickness), outer pit aperture diameter and calculated theoretical hydraulic conductivity and vessel implosion resistance. We hypothesized that (1) roots have larger xylem vessel diameters and lower wood density than branches of the same species and that (2) there is an inverse correlation between theoretical sapwood hydraulic conductivity and vessel implosion resistance for roots. Variation in root wood density was explained by variations in xylem vessel lumen area across the different species (r2 = 0.73, p = 0.03), as hypothesized. We rejected our second hypothesis, finding instead that the relationship between theoretical hydraulic conductivity and vessel implosion resistance was not maintained in roots of all of our studied species, in contrast to our previous study of branches from the same species. Xylem traits were found to depend upon habitat and eco-hydrological niche, with the groupings including (i) arid-adapted shrubs and trees with shallow lateral roots (Acacia aneura and Psydrax latifolia), (ii) trees restricted to the floodplain habitat, both evergreen (Eucalyptus camaldulensis) and deciduous (Erythrina vespertilio) and (iii) evergreen trees co-occurring in both floodplain and adjacent sand plain habitats (Corymbia opaca and Hakea sp.).
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- 2018
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45. Ion chambers compliance results of Brazilian radiation therapy facilities
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N. do Couto, G. S. Joana, E. S. Santini, M. Gonçalves, F C Teixeira, P. Leal, Camila Salata, R. Vasconcelos, and A. D. Soares
- Subjects
medicine.medical_specialty ,medicine.medical_treatment ,media_common.quotation_subject ,Commission ,Radiosurgery ,030218 nuclear medicine & medical imaging ,03 medical and health sciences ,Radiation Protection ,0302 clinical medicine ,medicine ,Humans ,Dosimetry ,Medical physics ,Quality (business) ,Radiometry ,Enforcement ,Waste Management and Disposal ,media_common ,Radiotherapy ,business.industry ,Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health ,General Medicine ,Work (electrical) ,030220 oncology & carcinogenesis ,Radiological weapon ,Calibration ,Guideline Adherence ,Radiation protection ,business ,Brazil - Abstract
The Brazilian Nuclear Energy Commission (cnen) has been making a constant effort to keep up to date with international standards and national needs to strengthen the status of radiological protection of the country. The guidelines related to radiation therapy facilities have been revised in the last five years in order to take into consideration the most relevant aspects of the growing technology as well as to mitigate the accidents or incidents observed in practice. Hence, clinical dosimeters have gained special importance in this matter. In the present work, we discuss the effectiveness of regulation and inspections to the enforcement of instrument calibration accuracy for the improvement of patient dosimetry and quality control. As a result, we observed that the number of calibrated instruments, mainly well chambers, is increasing each year. The same behavior is observed for instruments employed in technologically advanced radiation treatments such as intensity modulated radiotherapy, volumetric therapy and stereotatic radiosurgery. We ascribe this behavior to the new regulation.
- Published
- 2018
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46. A note on Northern Marche seismicity: new focal mechanisms and seismological evidence
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S. Santini
- Subjects
focal mechanisms ,Northern Apennines ,Adriatic off-shore ,seismological evidence ,Meteorology. Climatology ,QC851-999 ,Geophysics. Cosmic physics ,QC801-809 - Abstract
A geodynamic interpretation of the Northern Marche region is diffi cult, the zone being characterized by complex structures which cannot be defi ned in the form of a simple, standard model. It is unquestionable that the geodynamic setting, whatever it is, bears a strong infl uence on the seismic hazard assessment of a region, and this is the background reason for the present note. In order to obtain a more detailed picture of seismological evidence in this zone, 11 new fault plane solutions of crustal events with 2.9 < M < 4.3 were calculated, using data recorded by the national seismic network of the Istituto Nazionale di Geofi sica e Vulcanologia in the period 1990-2000. The aim is to add local information to the previous studies by Frepoli and Amato (1997, 2000). A possible result of this new study is the division of the Northern Marche region into three areas with different focal mechanism categories: the inner area of the Apenninic belt, the Adriatic on-shore and the Adriatic off-shore. This note is intended to be a contribution to update seismological evidence in the Northern Marche region.
- Published
- 2003
- Full Text
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47. Linking climatic-driven iron toxicity and water stress to a massive mangrove dieback
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Nadia S. Santini, Quan Hua, Gloria Reithmeir, Christian J. Sanders, Scott G Johnston, James Z. Sippo, Damien T. Maher, Yota Harada, Catherine E. Lovelock, Patricia Gadd, and Isaac R. Santos
- Subjects
Carpentaria ,010504 meteorology & atmospheric sciences ,biology ,Sediment ,15. Life on land ,engineering.material ,biology.organism_classification ,01 natural sciences ,Forest dieback ,Oceanography ,13. Climate action ,engineering ,Environmental science ,Sedimentary rock ,14. Life underwater ,Pyrite ,Mangrove ,Water-use efficiency ,Sea level ,0105 earth and related environmental sciences - Abstract
A massive mangrove dieback event occurred in 2015/2016 along ~ 1000 km of pristine coastline in the Gulf of Carpentaria, Australia. To gain insights into dieback drivers, we combine sediment and wood chronologies to analyze geochemical and climatic changes. The unique combination of low rainfall and low sea level observed during the dieback event was unprecedented in the previous three decades. Multiple lines of evidence from iron (Fe) chronologies in wood and sediment, wood densities and mangrove water use efficiency suggest low water availability within the dead mangrove forest. Wood and sediment chronologies suggest a rapid and large mobilization of sedimentary Fe, which was likely associated with pyrite oxidation within mangrove sediments. High resolution elemental analysis of wood cross sections revealed 30–90 fold increase in Fe concentrations in dead mangrove areas just prior to mortality. Fe concentrations in wood samples correlated strongly with the El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) index, suggesting ENSO was a major driver of Fe mobilization. Large Fe losses from sediments during the dieback are consistent with Fe uptake in the trees, further implying sediment pyrite oxidation. If our data are representative of the entire dieback region, we estimate that the dieback drove the mobilization and loss of 50 ± 173 Gg Fe, equivalent to 8–50 % of annual global atmospheric Fe deposition into the oceans, which is one of the major drivers of surface ocean productivity. Overall, our observations support the hypothesis that the forest dieback was associated with low water availability and Fe toxicity driven by a strong ENSO event.
- Published
- 2020
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48. Operational Modal Analysis in the Temple of Minerva Medica in Rome
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S. Santini, C. Baggio, M. Magnani Cianetti, V. Sabbatini, C. Sebastiani, Carlo Baggio, Dante Galeota, Giorgio Monti, Yutaka Nakamura, camillo Nuti, Silvia Santini, Gianfranco Valente, Santini, S., Baggio, C., Magnani Cianetti, M., Sabbatini, V., and Sebastiani, C.
- Abstract
The building, known as the Temple of Minerva Medica, dates back to the 4th century A.D. The building presents different critical aspects: first of all the monumental pillars rest on pre-existing archaeological sites and inhomogeneous layers of soils, moreover the integrity of the structure is endangered by severe vibrations induced by the frequent transit of the nearby trains and the local tramway. Due to the instabil- ity of the surviving portion of the dome (the main part collapsed in 1828), there were commissioned in 2012 by the “Soprintendenza Spe- ciale Archeologia Belle Arti e Paesaggio di Roma” relevant restora- tion and consolidation interventions. These works restored the majesty and reliability of this monument that is undervalued and often forgot- ten. Onsite testing gained a fundamental role in the identification of the construction, in particular, Ambient Vibration Test (AVT) pro- vides global information on the overall dynamic characteristics of the structures. This paper, through the case study of the Temple of Miner- va Medica, aims to prove the reliability of Operational Modal Analy- sis (OMA) in the identification of the dynamic behaviour of a large masonry building (natural frequencies, modal damping and modal de- formations). Two sets of measurements were recorded by the laborato- ry of Proof testing and Research on Structures and Material (PRiSMa) of the “Dipartimento di Architettura” of Roma Tre University. A rea- sonable number of accelerometers, were suitably positioned and the dynamic response of the structure to wind and the surrounding traffic was recorded; the measurements of the two halves of the temple were processed and later merged through the Multi-Run technique in order to identify the dynamic behaviour of the entire structure.
- Published
- 2020
49. Montefeltro seismicity: from Serpieri's seismograph to the RSNC seismograph station
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S. Santini
- Subjects
seismicity ,Montefeltro ,seismological data ,Urbino observatory ,Meteorology. Climatology ,QC851-999 ,Geophysics. Cosmic physics ,QC801-809 - Abstract
In recent years, the recovery of some historical documents has permitted us to operate the seismographs used by Alessandro Serpieri (1823-1885) at the Observatory of the University of Urbino in the XIX century. The space-time concept of sensor network was already clear to Serpieri and he tried to apply this concept to the analysis of seismic phenomena in Italy. This paper reviews the history of the Urbino Observatory from Serpieri's age to present times. The historical region of Montefeltro, where Urbino is the main town, is affected by seismicity with typical magnitudes between 2.2 and 2.5. Most of these events occur in the upper 15 km of the crust. The seismicity of the neighbouring regions is mainly concentrated in three zones: Northern Rimini, the Apennine belt and the Sibillini Mountain area. From the overall data, it is possible to infer that there is a basin characterised by microseismicity and essentially dominated by a compressive tectonic regime in the Montefeltro area. Furthermore seismological data seem to show a "quiet" segment, separating the extension area from the compression area, characterised by a low concentration of seismic events.
- Published
- 2000
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50. Space-time variations of the Umbria-Marche region instrumental seismicity
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F. Vetrano, S. Santini, S. Barba, and A. Megna
- Subjects
b value ,seismicity ,Apennines ,Meteorology. Climatology ,QC851-999 ,Geophysics. Cosmic physics ,QC801-809 - Abstract
In the Umbria-Marche region, space and time variations concerning the b value were studied by instrumental seismicity from January 1987 to May 1999, according to the Bender method. Data were divided into two partially independent data sets. The first set, (January 1987 - December 1996), does not include the Colfiorito seismic sequence that occurred in the autumn of 1997. The second data set includes all events from January 1987 to May 1999. Using square cell dimensions of 80, 40 and 20 km, the examined area was divided respectively into three grids. The b value was estimated for each cell using the first data set, thus allowing us to reveal b value space variations and determine the resolution. To evaluate the stability of our result we estimated the b value on the basis of historical seismicity within the region. Several synthetic tests were also performed to estimate the stability of the Bender method and to verify its consistency with respect to other methods commonly used. Finally we estimated the b values using the second data set to prove the time variations. Results from the area examined show that the lowest possible spatial resolution of the b value is about 40 km and that there is a correlation between the b value pattern and the main active tectonic structures of the area. The most important time variations occur within the Colfiorito area, in which the b value drops significantly within the second data set. Results suggest two different ways of strain release: the first one produces continuous seismicity that spreads all over the examined area, while the second, which concerns stronger earthquakes, is localized.
- Published
- 2000
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