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In recent decades, medicinal leeches of the genus Hirudo have experienced a sharp decline throughout their distribution range due to their overexploitation for medical use and habitat alteration. Such a phenomenon is not fully understood because of the complex taxonomy of the genus, which remained unsettled until the beginning of the XXI century, when the implementation of DNA taxonomy allowed for a better understanding of the diversity of the genus and the distribution ranges of Hirudo species. Only the Mediterranean medicinal leech Hirudo verbana Carena, 1820 is currently reported to occur in Italy and its major islands, although records of other Hirudo species have been reported in the literature. In this study, we report the occurrence of the Dragon leech Hirudo troctina Johnson, 1816 in Sardinia and provide its molecular characterization. In addition, based on a review of the existing literature and museum collections, we provide an ample synopsis of the available evidence regarding the occurrence of the species on the island. Hirudo troctina proved to be widespread and abundant in Sardinia during the XIX century but became rarer and rarer in the XX and XXI centuries possibly due to its overexploitation for medicinal use and export in mainland Europe, the abandonment of traditional grazing practices, and the decline of wetland habitats and amphibian populations. Currently, the only recently validated occurrence sites of the species are the water bodies of the “Giara di Gesturi”, a basaltic plateau in central-southern Sardinia. No corroborated evidence of the possible occurrence of other Hirudo species on the island was found. A better understanding of Hirudo troctina distribution in Sardinia will allow the amelioration of its protection and management practices, also under the provisions of the European “Habitats Directive”, where the H. medicinalis species complex is listed in Annex V.

Ednan K Bajwa,1 Dawn Cislak,1 Amit Kumar,1 Dan Li,1 Eric J Messina,1 Tom Reynders,2 Jean-François Denef,2 Vasile Corcea,3 Ketan P Buch,4 Eseng Lai,1 S Aubrey Stoch1 1MRL, Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, NJ, USA; 2Translational Medicine, MSD Belgium, Brussels, Belgium; 3PMSI Republican Clinical Hospital “T. Mosneaga”, ARENSIA EM Unit, Chisinau, Republic of Moldova; 4Department of Internal Medicine, Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Lexington VA Healthcare, Lexington, KY, USACorrespondence: Ednan K Bajwa, Translational Medicine, Merck Research Laboratories Massachusetts LLC, 33 Avenue Louis Pasteur, MAILSTOP BMB-3-420, Boston, MA, 02115-5727, USA, Tel +1 617 992-3470, Email ednan.bajwa@merck.comPurpose: This phase 1 study (NCT04370873) evaluated safety and pharmacokinetics/pharmacodynamics (PK/PD) of MK-5475 in participants with pulmonary hypertension associated with COPD (PH-COPD).Methods: Eligible participants were 40– 80 years old with COPD (FEV1/FVC < 0.7; FEV1 > 30% predicted) and PH (mean pulmonary arterial pressure ≥ 25 mmHg). Participants were randomized 2:1 to MK-5475 or placebo via dry-powder inhaler once daily for 7 days in Part 1 (360 μg) or 28 days in Part 2 (380 μg). Safety was assessed by adverse events (AEs) and arterial blood oxygenation. Part-2 participants had pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR; primary PD endpoint) and pulmonary blood volume (PBV; secondary PD endpoint) measured at baseline and Day 28. A non-informative prior was used to calculate posterior probability (PP) that the between-group difference (MK-5475 – placebo) in mean percent reduction from baseline in PVR was less than − 15%.Results: Nine participants were randomized in Part 1, and 14 participants in Part 2. Median age of participants (86.4% male) was 68.5 years (41– 77 years); 95.5% had moderate-to-severe COPD. Incidences of AEs were comparable between MK-5475 and placebo: overall (5/14 [36%] versus 5/8 [63%]), drug-related (1/14 [7%] versus 2/8 [25%]), and serious (1/14 [7%] versus 1/8 [13%]). MK-5475 caused no meaningful changes in arterial blood oxygenation or PBV. MK-5475 versus placebo led to numerical improvements from baseline in PVR (− 21.2% [95% CI: − 35.4, − 7.0] versus − 5.4% [95% CI: − 83.7, 72.9]), with between-group difference in PVR less than − 15% and calculated PP of 51%.Conclusion: The favorable safety profile and numerical reductions in PVR observed support further clinical development of inhaled MK-5475 for PH-COPD treatment.Keywords: pulmonary hypertension, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, MK-5475, soluble guanylate cyclase stimulator, dry powder inhaler, pulmonary vascular resistance

Owing to the “Racovitzan impediment”, the groundwater fauna of most biogeographical regions is currently inadequately known, thus hampering our understanding of subterranean biodiversity and its protection. Based on an extensive bibliographical review accompanied by fieldwork to localize occurrence sites, a checklist of crustacean taxa reported to date from Sicilian groundwater is provided, and their distribution is described. Among the 63 taxa recorded to date, 43 belong to the class Copepoda (orders Cyclopoida and Harpacticoida), 15 to the class Malacostraca (orders Amphipoda, Bathynellacea, Isopoda, and Thermosbaenacea), and 5 to the class Ostracoda (order Podocopida). Conversely, to date, no representatives of the copepod order Calanoida nor species of the class Branchiopoda have been recorded from groundwater habitats on the island. Several taxa require accurate taxonomic revision or are yet to be formally described and are thus at present left in open nomenclature. Finally, the date of publication of several copepod and amphipod taxa is amended. A high incidence of stygobites (i.e., obligate groundwater dwellers) has been observed in malacostracans, whereas nearly half of the recorded copepods were non-stygobites. This pattern is mirrored by the incidence of endemic species, which is higher in malacostracans than in copepods. The only non-stygobitic crustacean species endemic to Sicily observed in the frame of present review is the asellid isopod Proasellus montalentii. The paucity of information currently available on the Sicilian groundwater ostracods prevents us from drawing conclusions regarding this crustacean group. The origin and composition of Sicilian groundwater crustacean fauna can be explained by considering three major faunal assemblages: the presence of ancient paleoendemic taxa, likely of Miocene origin, the colonization of the groundwater of the island during late Pliocene and Pleistocene land connections with peninsular Italy, and the direct colonization of these environments from the sea; no species of African origin have been discovered to date. Based on currently available data, the groundwater of southeastern Sicily hosts the highest species richness and some of the most biogeographically interesting taxa. Unfortunately, a progressive lowering and salinization of the local aquifers possibly due to climate change and its overexploitation threats this fauna, and several taxa are disappearing even before their discovery and description.

Abstract Subterranean ecosystems (comprising terrestrial, semi-aquatic, and aquatic components) are increasingly threatened by human activities; however, the current network of surface-protected areas is inadequate to safeguard subterranean biodiversity. Establishing protected areas for subterranean ecosystems is challenging. First, there are technical obstacles in mapping three-dimensional ecosystems with uncertain boundaries. Second, the rarity and endemism of subterranean organisms, combined with a scarcity of taxonomists, delays the accumulation of essential biodiversity knowledge. Third, establishing agreements to preserve subterranean ecosystems requires collaboration among multiple actors with often competing interests. This perspective addresses the challenges of preserving subterranean biodiversity through protected areas. Even in the face of uncertainties, we suggest it is both timely and critical to assess general criteria for subterranean biodiversity protection and implement them based on precautionary principles. To this end, we examine the current status of European protected areas and discuss solutions to improve their coverage of subterranean ecosystems.

Abstract Molnupiravir is an orally administered, small‐molecule ribonucleoside prodrug of β‐D‐N4‐hydroxycytidine (NHC) that has demonstrated potent, broad‐spectrum preclinical activity against RNA viruses and has a high barrier to the development of resistance. A double‐blind, placebo‐controlled, phase I trial was conducted to evaluate the pharmacokinetics (PKs), safety, and tolerability of 10.5‐day administration of multiple doses of molnupiravir and its metabolites in healthy, adult participants. Participants were randomly assigned (3:1) to receive molnupiravir (400 mg [n = 6], 600 mg [n = 6], and 800 mg [n = 12]) or matching placebo (n = 8) every 12 h (q12h) for 10.5 days. Blood was collected to evaluate the PKs of NHC in plasma and of its active metabolite, NHC‐triphosphate (NHC‐TP), in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs). Molnupiravir was generally well‐tolerated. All adverse events were mild or moderate in severity and none led to treatment discontinuation. No clinically meaningful dose‐related safety findings were observed. Mean time to maximal concentration was ~1.50 to 1.98 h for plasma NHC and ~4.00 to 8.06 h for PBMC NHC‐TP. Accumulation was minimal (

Understanding the thermal properties of zeolites is crucial for their industrial applications. This study explores the thermal stability and dehydration process of clinoptilolite using high-temperature X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR). Clinoptilolite’s thermal decomposition was monitored from 25 °C to 1200 °C, with results analyzed based on its crystal structure. Principal components analysis (PCA) of the DRIFT spectra indicated progressive water removal and dehydration upon heating, leading to the formation of hydrogen bonds. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) revealed a two-step endothermic weight loss: initially, physically adsorbed water was lost up to 100 °C, followed by the removal of tightly bound water and hydroxyl groups until 800 °C. Clinoptilolite remained the dominant phase up to 800 °C, after which albite and cristobalite took over. Rietveld refinement showed that the sample initially contained 70% clinoptilolite, 24% albite, and 6% cristobalite. Above 800 °C, clinoptilolite disappeared, leaving 93% albite and 7% cristobalite. FT-IR spectra changes due to water loss were evident: drying of adsorbed water occurred up to 75 °C and minimal changes were observed from 75 °C to 135 °C, followed by further dehydration until 240 °C. Complete dehydration was confirmed by the disappearance of OH stretching vibration bands by 395 °C, consistent with TGA findings.

Among the many possible applications of iron phosphate glasses, one of them is that they are promising materials in waste vitrification, particularly for radioactive waste. In vitrified form, waste elements should be permanently immobilized in a glass network as they are susceptible to harsh environmental conditions. The self-diffusion of the vitrified material species may limit the potential usefulness of the glasses. This paper presents the possibility of using molecular dynamics simulations to study this process and the substitution of SrO into an iron phosphate glass network. It was evidenced that the self-diffusion mechanism differed significantly depending on whether the glass was in a solid or liquid state. The proposed method also offered a relatively easy prediction of glass characteristic temperatures, such as transformation and flow. We also observed, and here describe, an aggregation process of the glass elements that may drive their crystallization. The obtained results are discussed in light of the experimental and theoretical structural feature literature data.

Abstract Phase I trials inform on the initial safety profile of a new molecule and impact whether further development is pursued or not. Understanding the effect of non‐pharmacological factors on the variability of routine safety parameters could improve decision making in these early clinical trials, helping to separate signals related to the new molecule from background “noise.” To understand the impact of non‐pharmacological factors on routine safety parameters, we evaluated pooled safety data from over 1000 healthy participants treated with placebo in phase I trials between 2009 and 2018. The phase I participants were predominantly men, less than or equal to 50 years, White, and non‐Hispanic; and approximately an equal proportion had body mass index in the normal and overweight/obese range. Following administration of placebo, vital signs, electrocardiogram, and laboratory parameters remained near predose baseline values. Large changes from baseline were observed for many safety parameters, but these occurred in a relatively small number of participants. At least one adverse event (AE) occurred in 49.7% of participants receiving placebo in single ascending dose (SAD) studies and in 72.4% of participants receiving placebo in multiple ascending dose (MAD) studies, with headache being the most commonly reported AE (18.7% in SAD and 28.3% in MAD studies). Overall, these analyses are consistent with non‐pharmacological factors having a small impact on routine safety parameters in a phase I trial. The provided supplemental data may be used to contextualize the magnitude and frequency of abnormal safety values and AEs observed in phase I trials.

The Scientific Committee for the Italian Fauna is managing the new checklist of the animal species of Italy. The previous checklist was published in 1993-1995 and included both protozoans and Metazoa (more than 57,000 species); the new project, which includes only Metazoa, started in 2020 and is aimed at updating the former checklist (with more than 60,000 expected species) by on-line datasets and data papers. The new checklist includes marine species recorded in the Italian seas, divided into nine marine sectors, within the Italian Economic Exclusive Zone, and terrestrial and freshwater species recorded in administrative regions, as well as in the three macro-regions (northern continental, southern peninsular and insular - Sicily and Sardinia - macro-regions). Records from geopolitical units biogeographically related to Italy (i.e., Canton Ticino, CH; Corsica, F; San Marino Republic and Vatican City) are also included. Over 180 Italian and foreign taxonomists have so far participated to the first phase of this new project, providing datasets for taxa at different hierarchical level, from phyla to subfamilies and tribes. The list is intended to be a fundamental instrument not only for the faunistic knowledge of Italy, but also for biodiversity conservation strategies in the country and in the European Union. The new Checklist of the Italian fauna will be available from the LifeWatch Italy platform, and it will be progressively updated. Furthermore, data papers for taxa at different hierarchical level could be published with continuity in a special section of the journal Biogeographia – The Journal of Integrative Biogeography.

The large branchiopod fauna of Sardinia is reviewed based both on literature and newly collected data. Based on the available evidence, 13 taxa are present on the island (8 Anostraca, 2 Notostraca, and 3 Spinicaudata). Among them, the finding of the spinicaudatan Leptestheria dahalacensis is new for Sardinia, while the spinicaudatans Cyzicus bucheti and Eulimnadia sp. were overlooked in the most recent synopses on the fauna of the island due to misidentifications. Conversely, Cyzicus tetracerus and Limnadia lenticularis, previously erroneously reported based on misidentifications, must be excluded from the fauna of Sardinia. The finding of Eulimnadia sp. is the first record in Europe and the northernmost record of the genus. The occurrence of Leptestheria dahalacensis in Sardinia is rather unexpected and probably due to its accidental introduction linked with rice cultures. At least four of the 13 Sardinian large branchiopod species are absent from the Italian mainland and Sicily, stressing the uniqueness of its fauna and its significant contribution to the Mediterranean inland water crustacean diversity.

Scarce data are currently available about the distribution of the Mediterranean medicinal leech Hirudo verbana in Italy, and most of the known occurrence localities are based on records collected in the nineteenth and the first half of the twentieth century, which were not confirmed in the last decades, mostly due to a lack of surveys. Accordingly, the available knowledge on the distribution of the species is far from being updated and representative, although a significant negative trend of H. verbana throughout the country is supposed. The lack of sound distribution data is a significant shortfall, which hinders the implementation of the monitoring of the species as required by the Article 17 of the “Habitats Directive” on the species of Union concern. To provide recent, validated distributional data for the Mediterranean medicinal leech in Italy to be used as baseline data for further surveys and monitoring, we present herein a set of unpublished observations collected in the last decades in peninsular Italy, Sicily, and Sardinia. Moreover, we report observation of H. verbana feeding on amphibians, a feeding habit to date poorly documented for the Mediterranean medicinal leech. Based on both published and novel data, H. verbana is characterised by a large but fragmented distribution in Italy. Therefore, dedicated monitoring programs and the collection of validated occasional observations are highly desirable to get a clearer picture of the real distribution of the species.

Celem artykułu jest ukazanie współczesnych wyzwań kulturoznawstwa medialnego, które staje się istotnym sektorem nauk stosowanych nakierowanych na wytwarzanie wiedzy społecznie użytecznej. Wiedza ta z kolei jest wykorzystywana do rozwiązywania konkretnych problemów użytkowników i generacji medialnych (np. pokolenia Z, młodych dorosłych), związanych z wykorzystywaniem nowych mediów, w tym mediów społecznościowych, do celów interakcji, komunikacji, edukacji. Badania w obrębie tak rozumianego kulturoznawstwa medialnego są powiązane z podejściem zorientowanym na użytkowników (user‑text oriented approach). Przyjęcie takiej optyki badania zjawisk jest wynikiem zmiany paradygmatycznej w ramach samych mediów, tzn. przejściem od mediów masowych do mediów sieciowych, oraz efektem tzw. zwrotu performatywnego, który przyczynił się do większego namysłu nad „stosowalnością wiedzy” oraz samą performatywnością w odniesieniu do sfery symbolicznej i w rozumieniu Judith Butler. Problematyka ta została zobrazowana na wybranych przykładach.

Autorka artykułu przedstawia kluczowe momenty rozwoju oraz główne założenia koncepcji edukacji medialnej, wypracowanej w Instytucie Filologii Polskiej Uniwersytetu Pedagogicznego im. Komisji Edukacji Narodowej w Krakowie. Przedstawiony rys historyczny stanowi podstawę do rozważań o możliwych strategiach rozwoju instytucjonalnego w kontekście presji dynamicznie rozwijającego się rynku pracy.

Abstract Molnupiravir (MK‐4482) is an oral prodrug of the antiviral ribonucleoside analog, N‐hydroxycytidine (NHC), which has activity against RNA viruses, including severe acute respiratory syndrome‐coronavirus 2 (SARS‐CoV‐2). We conducted a phase I safety and pharmacokinetic study of molnupiravir in healthy Japanese adult participants. A sample size larger than typically used in pharmacokinetic studies was implemented to collect additional safety data in the Japanese population to support special approval for emergency use in Japan. Single doses of molnupiravir up to 1600 mg and multiple doses of 400 and 800 mg administered every 12 h (q12h) for 5.5 days were generally well‐tolerated. NHC appeared rapidly in plasma and reached maximum concentration (Cmax), with a median time to Cmax (Tmax) between 1.00 and 2.00 h. Area under the concentration versus time curve from zero to infinity (AUC0–inf), area under the concentration versus time curve from zero to 12 h (AUC0–12), and Cmax of plasma NHC increased approximately dose proportionally. With q12h dosing, the geometric mean (GM) accumulation ratios for NHC AUC0–12 and Cmax were ~1 for 400 and 800 mg. Pharmacokinetics of NHC triphosphate (NHC‐TP), the active metabolite of NHC was assessed in peripheral blood mononuclear cells and also demonstrated roughly dose proportional pharmacokinetics. The GM accumulation ratios for NHC‐TP AUC0–12 and Cmax were ~2.5 for 400 and 800 mg. Following administration with food, only a modest reduction (24%) in plasma NHC Cmax with comparable AUC0–inf was seen, supporting administration without regard to food.

Abstract Aluminum phosphates are materials with relatively wide potential applications in many industries. The vibrational features of selected compounds were established on Raman and infrared spectroscopy. The experimentally determined spectra are compared to those calculated by ab initio methods. This gives a unique possibility of a proper assignment of the experimental spectral features to specific modes of vibration. In the results, it was evidenced that the spectra are characterized by two specific intense bands in the mid- and high-frequency range due to the P–O–P and P–O bonds in [PO4] tetrahedron vibrations. The position of the high-frequency band is related to the number of bridging oxygen atoms connecting [PO4] tetrahedrons in the unit cell. Additionally, the differences in the spectra were evidenced as a result of different polymorphic forms of the selected compounds. Therefore, the results may be useful in determining the phase composition of polyphase materials or structural features of aluminum–phosphate glasses and glass–ceramic materials.

Purpose Patients with chronic cough are typically female and have a mean age of ~ 60 years. However, initial pharmacokinetic (PK) characterization of the P2X3-receptor antagonist gefapixant, developed to treat refractory or unexplained chronic cough, was performed in healthy participants who were predominantly younger adult males. The objective of this Phase 1 study was to assess the safety, tolerability, and PK of gefapixant in younger (18-55 years) and older (65-80 years) males and females. Methods A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study was conducted. Healthy adult participants were stratified into 4 cohorts by age and sex (younger males/females and older males/females) and randomized 4:1 (younger adults) or 3:1 (older adults) to receive gefapixant 300 mg twice daily (BID) for 1 week, followed by gefapixant 600 mg BID for 2 weeks or placebo. Safety, tolerability, and PK were assessed. Results Of 36 randomized and treated participants, 28 (100%) receiving gefapixant and 6 (75%) receiving placebo reported [greater than or equal to] 1 adverse event (AE). The most common treatment-related AEs in the gefapixant group were taste related. Predefined renal/urologic AEs were reported by 7 (25%) participants receiving gefapixant (all mild to moderate in severity). Gefapixant exposure was generally lower in younger males compared with younger females and older adults; however, differences may have been due to estimated glomerular filtration rate. Conclusion The safety profile of gefapixant 300-600 mg BID was generally consistent with previous studies. Additional characterization of gefapixant PK as a function of age and sex using population PK modeling is warranted., Author(s): Jesse Nussbaum [sup.1] [sup.2], Azher Hussain [sup.1], Anthony Ford [sup.1], Peter Butera [sup.1], Michael Kitt [sup.1], Steve Smith [sup.1], Aubrey Stoch [sup.1], Marian Iwamoto [sup.1] Author Affiliations: (1) grid.417993.1, [...]

In the frame of the activities of the LIFE11 NAT/GR/1014 ForOpenForests, some water bodies occurring in the "Ethnikos Drymos Oitis” (GR2440004) and “Oros Kallidromo” (GR2440006) (Sterea Ellada) were investigated with the aim of providing a first census of the composition and diversity of their crustacean fauna. Overall, the sampling of 15 water bodies (7 of them listed as “Mediterranean temporary ponds” sensu EU “Habitats Directive”) led to the finding of 13 branchiopod, 11 copepod, and 7 ostracod taxa, including 4 species new for mainland Greece, i.e. the copepods Arctodiaptomus alpinus (Imhoff, 1885) and Diaptomus cf. serbicus, and the branchiopods Leptestheria dahalacensis (Rüppel, 1837) and Wlassicsia pannonica Daday, 1904. The comparative analysis of the observed species assemblages and richness suggests that the protection of those ponds identified as “priority habitats” according to the “Habitats Directive” is effective for the specialized and peculiar crustacean biota of these ecosystems, but it is not sufficient in order to preserve efficiently the whole diversity of temporary pond-dwelling crustaceans occurring in the study area. Therefore, the implementation of synergistic conservation measures dedicated to both “priority” and “non-priority” habitats is desirable.

This manuscript summarizes the outcomes of the 6th EuroSpeleo Protection Symposium. Special emphasis was laid on presenting and discussing monitoring activities under the umbrella of the Habitats Directive (EU Council Directive 92/43/EEC) for habitat type 8310 "Caves not open to the public" and the Emerald Network. The discussions revealed a high level of variation in the currently conducted underground monitoring activities: there is no uniform definition of what kind of underground environments the "cave" habitat should cover, how often a specific cave has to be monitored, and what parameters should be measured to evaluate the conservation status. The variation in spatial dimensions in national definitions of caves further affects the number of catalogued caves in a country and the number of caves to be monitored. Not always participants are aware of the complete national monitoring process and that data sets should be freely available or easily accessible. The discussions further showed an inherent dilemma between an anticipated uniform monitoring approach with a coherent assessment methodology and, on the contrary, the uniqueness of caves and subterranean biota to be assessed – combined with profound knowledge gaps and a lack of resources. Nevertheless, some good practices for future cave monitoring activities have been identified by the participants: (1) Cave monitoring should focus on bio- and geodiversity elements alike; (2) Local communities should be involved, and formal agreements envisaged; (3) Caves must be understood as windows into the subterranean realm; (4) Touristic caves should not be excluded ad-hoc from regular monitoring; (5) New digital tools and open FAIR data infrastructures should be implemented; (6) Cave biomonitoring should focus on a large(r) biological diversity; and (7) DNA-based tools should be integrated. Finally, the importance of the 'forgotten' Recommendation No. 36 from the Bern Convention as a guiding legal European document was highlighted.

Groundwater ecosystems host a rich and unique, but still largely unexplored and undescribed, biodiversity. Several lineages of ostracod crustaceans have subterranean representatives or are exclusively living in groundwaters. The stygobitic genus Pseudolimnocythere Klie, 1938 has a West Palearctic distribution, and includes few living and fossil species of marine origin. Through a comprehensive literature review and the description of the two new living species, Pseudolimnocythere abdita sp. nov. and Pseudolimnocythere sofiae sp. nov., from springs in the Northern Apennines, Italy, a morphological analysis was carried out with the aim of comparing the valve morphology of living and fossil species, and to discuss previous hypotheses about time and mode of colonization of inland waters. Pseudolimnocythere species show a low variability in valve morphology, with a remarkable stasis over geological times. The distribution of extant and fossil species is consistent with a scenario of multiple and independent events of colonization of continental habitats linked to sea level variations starting from Middle Miocene in the Paratethys and, later, in the Mediterranean. The most common colonization routes of inland waters have taken place through karst formations along ancient coastlines, although we cannot exclude some minor active migration through the hyporheic zone of streams. Available distribution data suggest a poor dispersal ability of Pseudolimnocythere species after they had colonized continental waters.

The unsaturated karst represents a transitional zone connecting the land surface to the water table of the underlying saturated zone through percolating water and small perched aquifers. It constitutes a significant groundwater reservoir and hosts a high biodiversity of specialized and endemic species. Whereas investigating this ecotone can shed light on the invertebrate diversity of the whole karst system, ecological studies in the unsaturated karst have been hampered by access, mapping, and sampling challenges. We studied the unsaturated zone of 52 caves in the Lessinian Massif (NE-Italy), which is dominated by carbonate rocks interspersed with spot areas composed mainly of igneous rocks. Our aim was to understand which ecological and historical factors may have shaped the distribution of the groundwater crustacean copepods at a regional spatial scale in the Lessinian unsaturated karst. We collected 33 species belonging to the orders Harpacticoida and Cyclopoida. Species richness estimators and related species accumulation curves suggest an exhaustive sampling effort. A hydrologic analysis performed in a Geographic Information System environment divided the study area in three distinct drainage basins: Eastern Lessini, Lessinian Core, and Western Lessini. Regression analyses indicated that richness of non-stygobitic copepods (i.e., surface-water species which exploit groundwater for different purposes) was mainly driven by inter-basin differences. Richness of stygobitic copepods (i.e., obligate groundwater dwellers) was instead strongly related to lithological features and responded negatively to surface thermal variability. Next, we used a kernel density estimation to spatially explore diversity patterns in the area. The highest density of stygobitic harpacticoids was identified in the Eastern Lessinian basin, which is lithologically more heterogeneous and surrounded by practically non-aquiferous igneous rocks that may limit dispersal. Conversely, the Western Lessinian basin hosted a high density of stygobitic cyclopoid species. This spatial pattern suggests different colonization pathways for the two taxa, with a strong effect of igneous rocks in hampering dispersal of most harpacticoids. Lithological barriers seemingly did not affect non-stygobitic copepods, which were found across the whole area. Altogether, these results emphasize the key role played by the interaction of hydrological features, climate, and lithology in determining different copepod biodiversity patterns in the unsaturated karst.

Featured Application: The materials studied may be used in the radioactive waste vitrification process. Additionally, the proposed simulation method may be useful in optimizing glass composition and predicting the glass elements migration. Among the many possible applications of iron phosphate glasses, one of them is that they are promising materials in waste vitrification, particularly for radioactive waste. In vitrified form, waste elements should be permanently immobilized in a glass network as they are susceptible to harsh environmental conditions. The self-diffusion of the vitrified material species may limit the potential usefulness of the glasses. This paper presents the possibility of using molecular dynamics simulations to study this process and the substitution of SrO into an iron phosphate glass network. It was evidenced that the self-diffusion mechanism differed significantly depending on whether the glass was in a solid or liquid state. The proposed method also offered a relatively easy prediction of glass characteristic temperatures, such as transformation and flow. We also observed, and here describe, an aggregation process of the glass elements that may drive their crystallization. The obtained results are discussed in light of the experimental and theoretical structural feature literature data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding the thermal properties of zeolites is crucial for their industrial applications. This study explores the thermal stability and dehydration process of clinoptilolite using high-temperature X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR). Clinoptilolite's thermal decomposition was monitored from 25 °C to 1200 °C, with results analyzed based on its crystal structure. Principal components analysis (PCA) of the DRIFT spectra indicated progressive water removal and dehydration upon heating, leading to the formation of hydrogen bonds. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) revealed a two-step endothermic weight loss: initially, physically adsorbed water was lost up to 100 °C, followed by the removal of tightly bound water and hydroxyl groups until 800 °C. Clinoptilolite remained the dominant phase up to 800 °C, after which albite and cristobalite took over. Rietveld refinement showed that the sample initially contained 70% clinoptilolite, 24% albite, and 6% cristobalite. Above 800 °C, clinoptilolite disappeared, leaving 93% albite and 7% cristobalite. FT-IR spectra changes due to water loss were evident: drying of adsorbed water occurred up to 75 °C and minimal changes were observed from 75 °C to 135 °C, followed by further dehydration until 240 °C. Complete dehydration was confirmed by the disappearance of OH stretching vibration bands by 395 °C, consistent with TGA findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]