Search

Additional file 2.

Additional file 1.

Recent studies, coordinated by the CNR-IGAG, have allowed us to discover a previously unknown active hydrothermal system off the coast of Zannone Island (western Pontine Archipelago, central Tyrrhenian Sea). Morphological features produced by hydrothermal activity include five, large-scale depressions (length >250 m) detected using multibeam data acquired by research vessels of the National Research Council (CNR, Italy). After this discovery, multidisciplinary investigations (geophysical, geochemical, micro-paleontological, mineralogica-petrographical, etc) were conducted within the framework of the Ritmare Project to define the processes that formed the depressions, to infer the origin of the fluids, and to explore the sub-seafloor architecture. The main focus was devoted to the most complex depression among the five: the Zannone Giant Pockmark - ZGP, which is characterized by several active fluid emissions. The ZGP represents a unique case in the Mediterranean of large-scale complex depression (0.5 km2) formed by numerous craters, mounds, and pockmarks associated with different types of emissions. To date, examples of similar hydrothermal morphologies are very rare (i.e., depression located offshore Panarea Island, MONECKE et alii, 2012; the Yellowstone Lake seafloor, MORGAN et alii, 2003), and their formation and evolution are not yet well understood (e.g., explosive hydrothermal activity, collapse, self-sealing, and alteration processes).

The continental margins of southern Italy are located along converging plate boundaries, which are affected by intense seismicity and volcanic activity. Most of the coastal areas experienced severe earthquakes, landslides, and tsunamis in historical and/or modern times. The most prominent example is the Messina earthquake of Dec. 28, 1908 (Ms=7.3; 80,000 casualties), which was characterized by the worst tsunami Italy experienced in the historical time (~2000 casualties). It is, however, still unclear, whether this tsunami was triggered by a sudden vertical movement along a major fault during the earthquake or as a result of a giant marine slide initiated by the earthquake. The recurrence rates of major landslides and therefore the risk associated with landslides is also unknown. Based on detailed bathymetric data sets collected by Italian colleagues in the frame of the MaGIC Project (Marine Geohazards along the Italian Coast), we collected seismic data (2D and 3D) and gravity cores in three working areas (The Messina Straits, off Eastern Sicily, the Gioia Basin). A dense grid of new 2D-seismic data in the Messina Straits will allow to map fault patterns in great detail. One interesting outcome in this context is the identification of a set of normal faults striking in an EW-direction, which is almost perpendicular to the previously postulated faults. This EW-striking faults seem to be active. The area off eastern Sicily is characterized by numerous landslides and a complex deformation pattern. A 3D-seismic data set has been collected during the cruise using the so called P-cable in order to investigate these deformation patterns in detail. The new data will be the basis for a risk assessment in the working areas., peer-reviewed

The last known event of the Pantelleria volcanic complex (Sicily Channel, Italy) was a basaltic submarine eruption, which occurred on October 1891, 5 km off the NW coast of the island. Historical reports [e.g. Riccò, 1892; Washington, 1909] document that 1891 eruption was unusual as it produced floating lava bombs (i.e., lava balloons). Before the 1891 event of Pantelleria the only documented eruption emitting lava balloons was that at Mauna Loa, Hawaii in 1877 [Moore et al., 1985]. Later on, similar eruptions have been documented at Socorro Island, Mexico in 1993 [Siebe et al., 1995]; Serreta ridge, offshore Terceira Island, Azores in 1998-2001 [Gaspar et al., 2003; Kueppers et al., 2012; Chiocci et al., 2012] and offshore El Hierro, Canary Islands in October 2011 [Troll et al., 2011]. To date, despite significant recent advances [i.e., Kueppers et al., 2012; Troll et al., 2011; Conte et al., submitted] most remains unknown for this kind of eruptions. In the present work we use the high-resolution bathymetric data and petrological and geochemical data of submarine volcanic deposits collected during two marine surveys, in 2006 and 2008 in the area surrounding the sighting of lava balloons reported by Riccò [1892] in order to identify and characterize the vent and the eruptive processes of the 1891 eruption of Pantelleria. The results of investigation indicate: 1) the 1891 eruptive vent is a small cone (volume of ~700,000 m3) rising ~90 m from 350 m w.d., and located within a newly discovered submarine volcanic field; 2) the erupted products consist of floating scoriaceous bombs (lava balloons), scorias and sand-sized glass shards (i.e., Pele's hair, fluidal, highly vesicular and reticulite pyroclasts) made up by a relatively volatile-poor, basaltic-hawaiitiic magma. 3) Coarser products (scorias) are dispersed nearby the vent, whereas glassy shards are dispersed northward from the vent, up to 1.5 km, probably due to a buoyant plume likely redirected by marine currents. 4) The majority of coarser products (scorias) display distinctive vesicularity and crystallization characteristics that reflect modes of degassing in both syn- and post-eruptive regimes. All these features point to the likelihood of an explosive eruption, similar to those that worldwide pertain to submarine Hawaiian fountaining and/or to sustained strombolian activity. Such eruptions, depending on magma ascent rate and style of degassing are able to produce a widespread dispersal of small-sized pyroclasts and the entrainment of large pyroclasts in the rising plumes. The results provide a contribution on improvement of knowledge of submarine explosive eruptions occurring at shallow-intermediate depths, and in particular on the definition of the styles of the rare eruptions producing lava balloons.

In September 2011 a marine geological survey, the FAIVI (Features of Acores and Italian Volcanic Islands) cruise, was carried offshore the Terceira Island aboard the French R/V L'Atalante, in the framework of the Eurofleet program. One of the targets of the FAIVI cruise was the study of the Terceira volcanic edifice, particularly the area offshore the NW sector of the island (Serreta Ridge). Here an intermediate-depth submarine eruption occurred in 1998-2001, producing a consistent amount of lava balloons, i.e. balloon-like structures consisting of a thin lava shell surrounding a closed hollow interior, normally corresponding to a single large vesicle, or a few large convoluted vesicles, floating on the sea (Gaspar et al., 2003; Kueppers et al., 2012). Lava balloons are fairly unusual products of submarine eruptions. To date, balloon-like products have only been documented at Pantelleria, Italy in 1891 (Riccò, 1982; Washington, 1909), Mauna Loa, Hawaii in 1877 (Moore et al., 1985); Socorro Island, Mexico in 1993 (Siebe et al., 1995); at the 1998-2001 Serreta eruption offshore Terceira island (Azores) (Gaspar & Wallenstein, 1999) and, very recently offshore El Hierro, Canary Islands in October 2011 (Troll et al., 2012). Their genesis, in the framework of shallow-intermediate-depth submarine eruptions, is still poorly understood although several efforts have been made to improve the knowledge of the mechanisms producing such basaltic floating scorias (Kueppers et al., 2012). In order to reconstruct the style of eruption producing lava balloons and associated volcaniclastic deposits at Serreta, the investigations focused on: i) the identification and characterization of the emission vent(s) associated to the 1998-2001 submarine eruption; ii) the characterization of related deposits dispersal and grain size and, iii) the quantification of physical parameters of the eruptive event from the characteristics of sampled products (e.g., volatile contents, cooling rate). Here, we present preliminary results of the FAIVI cruise and attempt a first comparison with the 1891 eruption at Pantelleria, object of recent marine geological studies (Conte et al., submitted). As a first result, the FAIVI survey allowed to reconstruct with unprecedented detail the bathymetry offshore Terceira Island and, particularly, in the Serreta Ridge area. The latter is characterized by several volcanic features such as linear eruptive centres, volcanic cones and lava flows. Furthermore, bathymetric backscatter data and seafloor samples (collected through rock- and gravity- coring, grabbing and dredging) were preliminary analyzed on board and gave the following results: 1) The main vent of 1998-2001 Serreta eruption was identified; it is a half-cone, some 150 m high with a diameter of 700 m, resting on the top of the Serreta Ridge at 250-300 m water depth. 2) Most samples collected in the area surrounding the vent have been interpreted as related to the 1998-2001 Serreta eruption. They include, in fact, a large amount of fresh, highly vesciculated basaltic scoria, with the typical layered vescicularity observed in the lava balloon crust recovered intact during the 1998-2001 eruption. Material sampled from the top of Serreta Ridge encompasses different types, from large scoriaceous blocks (up to 60 cm length) of black fresh basalt characterized by numerous, large, highly convoluted vesicles with smooth internal walls, to fragments of scoriaceous material with dimensions

In seguito ai due eventi di Ml 5,4 e 5,3 della sequenza sismica del 31 Ottobre-1 Novembre 2002, sono state osservate significative disomogeneità nella distribuzione del danno. Il caso più eclatante è rappresentato dall'abitato di San Giuliano di Puglia, caratterizzato da un marcato contrasto fra aree con edifici distrutti ed altre solo lievemente danneggiate in contiguità fra loro. Anomalie nella distribuzione del danno sono state riscontrate anche in centri attigui prossimi alle zone epicentrali. La massima intensità MCS di VIII-IX grado è stata attribuita a San Giuliano di Puglia, mentre agli abitati di Bonefro e Colletorto, siti a qualche chilometro da San Giuliano di Puglia, sono stati assegnati rispettivamente i gradi di VII e VI-VII MCS. In nessun caso sono stati assegnati i gradi intermedi di VII-VIII e VIII. Queste "anomalie" hanno suggerito che alcuni potenziali fattori locali, quali le caratteristiche geologiche del sottosuolo, i dissesti franosi o le caratteristiche del costruito, abbiano fortemente condizionato l'entità e la distribuzione dei danni. Al fine di identificare e definire il ruolo di questi potenziali fattori di amplificazione locale, è stata condotta un'indagine geologica multidisciplinare (stratigrafica, biostratigrafica, geologico-strutturale e geomorfologica) che ha interessato il territorio di San Giuliano di Puglia e altri centri fra i più colpiti dalla sequenza sismica (Ripabottoni, Morrone del Sannio, Pietramontecorvino e Castellino del Biferno). L'esame dei dati acquisiti, ha evidenziato nel caso di San Giuliano di Puglia, una relazione diretta tra danneggiamento e caratteristiche geologico-strutturali e litologiche dei terreni di fondazione. Negli altri centri esaminati gli effetti di sito risultano generalmente moderati e condizionati da fenomeni franosi preesistenti.

Un ampia trincea ha permesso di investigare una successione stratigrafica del Pleistocene recente al margine nord-orientale del bacino intermontano della Piana di Colfiorito (Umbria-Marche). Lo scavo attraversa lo spartiacque appenninico a circa 760 m s.l.m. (sella di Fonte delle Mattinate; FDM) lungo una delle principali vie intermontane di questo settore della catena. Studi integrati, lito-pedostratigrafici e archeologici, descrivono una dettagliata storia degli eventi geo-ambientali e dell'occupazione umana di quest'area strategica nel corso dell'ultimo Bond cycle dello Stadio Isotopico 3 (OIS3; ca. 38-29 GISP2 ka B.P.). La parte più bassa della sequenza è rappresentata da sedimenti di un sistema fluviale costituito da un canale attivo e un'adiacente piana soggetta alternativamente a episodi di esondazione e di pedogenesi, questi ultimi testimoniati da un profondo paleosuolo (Vertisuolo) datato a 31.510±860-30.970±310- 28.910±390-28.300±790 14C anni B.P. Il paleosuolo è sepolto da diversi metri di sedimenti ghiaioso-limosi ascrivibili ad un sistema di conoide alluvionale attivo fra 25.930±325 e 24.150±120 14C anni B.P. Il paleosuolo e due sottili livelli limosi alla base delle alluvioni hanno restituito manufatti del Paleolitico superiore ed altre tracce archeologiche compatibili con brevi, ma ripetuti episodi di occupazioni umana. I dati cronologici e stratigrafici disponibili indicano infatti che l'area del sito fu frequentata, probabilmente in maniera sistematica, durante tutto il periodo di formazione del paleosuolo fino ai primi episodi di sedimentazione alluvionale che ne hanno determinato il seppellimento. In termini di cronologia radiocarbonio questo periodo copre almeno l'intervallo compreso fra ca. 31 e 26 ka B.P. La fase di pedogenesi a FDM, contemporanea ai primi episodi di frequentazione umana, risulta coeva ad un periodo di clima mite che ha visto in un'ampia area dell'Appennino centrale la formazione di un diffuso paleosuolo datato nell'intervallo 33-29 14C ka B.P. e correlato ai primi millenni dell'ultimo ciclo di Bond dell'OIS3 (Greenland interstadial 8-7; ca. 38-34 cal ka B.P. in anni GISP2 icecore). La successiva fase di sedimentazione alluvionale e di contemporaneo abbandono del sito può essere invece correlata all'episodio di estremo raffreddamento dell'Heinrich Event 3 (ca. 30-29 GISP2 ka B.P.) che chiude il summenzionato ciclo climatico di Bond. La coincidenza dell'abbandono di quest'area strategica con l'inizio dell'HE3 suggerirebbe che durante l'OIS3 le modificazioni geoambientali associate a questi eventi condizionarono pesantemente le strategie dei gruppi paleolitici, probabilmente limitando o modificando la mobilità nelle aree montane più interne dell'Appennino centrale.

Carotid surgery must be preventive; therefore cerebral protection procedures have been the centre of interest for a decade. Nowadays local cervical block anaesthesia seems to have changed the terms of the problem allowing achieve the aim of "no risk surgery". Therefore we considered our 16 year experience (352 carotids operated on 290 patients). Since 1990 we employed cervical block anaesthesia. In order to ratify as much as possible the two groups of comparison, considering that we adopted some exclusion criteria, we compared the results of the first hundred carotids that underwent surgery with general anaesthesia and the first hundred operated using cervical block anaesthesia. Since we adopted cervical block anaesthesia there was no need of intra-operative monitoring systems because we considered exclusively the patients' clinical answer to preclamping. The use of shunt decreased from 9% to 3%. Surgery performed in cervical block anaesthesia gives a positive impression. This is due to the fact that there is not only a significant reduction of the morbidity rate, especially from a neurologic point of view, but also a reduction of the post-operation hospital stay. Furthermore there is also a better organization of the surgical phases. Direct monitoring of the cerebral function allows a precise analysis of the peri-operatory neurological events. In conclusion our study suggests that cervical block anaesthesia allows clinical benefits for the patient as far as safety is concerned being also more convenient under the economic point of view.

Vertebrate spermatogonial stem cells maintain sperm production over the lifetime of an animal but fertility declines with age. While morphological studies have greatly informed our understanding of typical spermatogenesis, the molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying spermatogenesis are not yet understood, particularly with respect to the onset of fertility. We used single-cell RNA sequencing to generate a developmental atlas of the zebrafish testis. Using 5 timepoints across the adult life of a zebrafish, we described cellular profiles in the testis during and after fertility. While all germ cell stages of spermatogenesis are detected in testes from fertile adult zebrafish, testes from older infertile males only contained spermatogonia and a reduced population of spermatocytes. These remaining germ cells are transcriptionally distinct from fertile spermatogonia. Immune cells including macrophages and lymphocytes drastically increase in abundance in infertile testes. Our developmental atlas reveals the cellular changes as the testis ages and defines a molecular roadmap for the regulation of male fertility.