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Mixotrophy in Marine Microalgae to Enhance Their Bioactivity
Get PDFPhotosynthetic microorganisms, such as microalgae, are remarkable for their
ability to harness sunlight, fix carbon dioxide, and produce a variety of bioactive compounds. These organisms are pivotal in climate mitigation strategies as they can absorb
carbon dioxide while generating valuable biomolecules. Among the diverse cultivation
approaches, mixotrophic growth combines light energy with both inorganic and organic
carbon sources, offering a unique strategy to enhance biomass production and metabolic
diversity in microalgae. Here, microalgal species such as Nannochloropsis granulata, Phaeodactylum tricornutum, and Chlorella sp. were investigated for their potential applications
under different cultivation methods, including phototrophy and mixotrophy. Mixotrophic
conditions significantly improved biomass production across all tested species. Among
these, Phaeodactylum tricornutum, a marine diatom, emerged as a promising candidate
for bioactive compound production, exhibiting higher antiproliferative activity against
human melanoma cells and antibacterial effects against Staphylococcus aureus. Importantly,
Chlorella sp. was also found to possess antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus,
broadening its potential applications. Additionally, metabolomics analysis was performed
on Chlorella sp. and Phaeodactylum tricornutum to identify the compounds responsible for
the observed bioactivity. This study highlights the value of mixotrophic cultivation in
enhancing the productivity and bioactivity of microalgae, positioning them as versatile
organisms for sustainable biotechnological applications
Il risarcimento in forma specifica
No full textThe article examines the evolution of case law on restitution in kind. It focuses on the requirements of the legal framework and certain specific cases, such as procurement contracts and uneconomical repairs. The Author analyses the existence of a judicial trend favouring the recognition of restitution in kind to the injured party, even when its cost exceeds the value of the damaged item
Chemical and isotopic characterization of groundwater and thermal waters from the Campi Flegrei caldera (southern Italy)
Get PDFWe report here on the results of an extensive hydrogeochemical survey of the chemical and isotopic composition of thermal groundwater in the Campi Flegrei caldera (CFc), a restless volcanic system in the Campania Volcanic Province of Southern Italy. Our hydrogeochemical study, based on the collection of 114 groundwater samples, is the first comprehensive one since uplift, seismicity and degassing resumed in 2005, continuing today at accelerating rate. We use our results to characterize the processes that control the wide diversity of groundwater composition observed. We identify a set of key source processes governing the composition of the CFc thermal waters: i) the infiltration of meteoric water, responsible for the formation of diluted cold groundwater having bicarbonate as the prevalent anion (fresh waters), ii) mixing, upon downward infiltration in the aquifer(s), with high-temperature hydrothermal reservoir brines of probable marine origin (chloride waters), iii) the dissolution of a CO2-He rich magmatic-hydrothermal gas, with isotopic signature (respectively δ13C ∼ −1 ‰ vs. PDB and 3He/4He ∼ 3Ra, where Ra is the atmospheric He isotope ratio) similar to the Solfatara hydrothermal gases, generating bicarbonate-rich groundwater; (iv) near-surface dilution by hot condensates, formed by partial condensation of H2S-rich Solfatara like hydrothermal steam, generating sulphate-rich steam heated waters. In near-surface environments, upward migrating groundwater also degases, releasing poorly soluble gas compounds (He, Ar, N2, CH4) and becoming enriched in more soluble CO2. The above processes can work in concert, but each dominates in specific regions of the hydrothermal system, hence causing the extreme spatial diversity of water chemistry observed within the caldera. Our conceptual model for the processes acting within the thermal groundwater system will be crucial to interpreting any temporal change in groundwater chemistry observed in the installed permanent (instrumental) groundwater-monitoring network, which is critically needed for improving geochemical volcano monitoring during current acceleration of the unrest
Pour une défense du droit administratif issu de la tradition française
Get PDFThe contribution focuses on the summa divisio and aims to demonstrate that administrative law has its own regime, distinct from that of private law, through the enhancement of what in French administrative law doctrine are defined as dérogations en moins
Causal machine learning for medical texts
No full textText analysis has become increasingly common in medical
research, especially for tasks like patient diagnosis based on medical
notes. However, most existing approaches do not account for causal rela
tionships between words and diagnoses. This paper proposes a causal
approach using the MIMIC-III dataset to identify words or word pairs
that causally affect the probability of receiving a specific diagnosis. We
employ causal forests to assess the impact of individual linguistic fac
tors on patient outcomes while adjusting for potential confounders. Our
analysis reveals significant causal relationships between specific terms in
clinical notes and the presence of hypothyroidism diagnosis
Greenflation: Empirical evidence using macro, regional and sectoral data
No full textThis paper investigates the impact of climate change policies on inflation, for a large sample of 177 developed and developing economies, 78 subnational territorial areas and 17 sectors, over the period 1989–2022. We show that carbon taxes lead to inflationary pressures. The effect is not negligible: a one standard deviation carbon tax shock—corresponding to a 5$/tCO2 increase in emissions-weighted carbon taxes—leads to an increase of the price level of about 0.7 percent one year after the implementation of the policy, and between 1.6 and 4 percent in the medium term. These results hold at the national, sub-national and sectoral level. The effect is larger when inflation is initially high, and in regions (sectors) characterized by high emissions and low innovation capacity. In contrast, we find that emissions trading systems as well as non-market-based climate change policies (such as R&D subsidies) do not have statistically significant effects on prices
Timing and morbidity of loop ileostomy closure after rectal cancer resection: a prospective observational multicentre snapshot study from Multidisciplinary Italian Study group for STOmas (MISSTO)
Get PDFPurpose: Time to closure and morbidity are significant issues associated with ileostomy reversal after rectal cancer resection. This study aimed to investigate the rate, time, and morbidity associated with ileostomy closure procedure. Methods: Between February and December 2022, patients who underwent protective ileostomy after rectal cancer surgery across 45 Italian surgical centres were prospectively included. Data on ileostomy closure times, surgical methods, and complications were collected and analyzed. Both univariate and multivariate statistical tests were employed to assess stoma closure rates and the occurrence of post-operative complications. Results: A total of 287 patients participated in the study. Ileostomy closure was achieved in 241 patients, yielding overall and 6-month closure rates of 84% and 62%, respectively. The median time for ileostomy closure was 146 days. Direct sutures were used to close approximately 70% of skin defects, while purse-string sutures were applied in around 20%. The overall morbidity rate was 17%, with complications including skin suture dehiscence (7%), small bowel obstruction (6%), and anastomotic leakage (2%). Multivariate analysis revealed that an American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) score > 2 (p = 0.028), advanced age (p = 0.048), and previous stoma complications (p = 0.048) were independently linked to failure of stoma closure; hypertension (p = 0.036) was found to be a significant independent risk factor for post-operative complications. Conclusion: This study demonstrated that a delay and a significant no-closure rate exist in ileostomy reversal after rectal cancer surgery. Post-operative complications remain high but can be prevented with adequate pre-operative assessment and post-operative care
Fluid escape processes studied in Palermo offshore (NW Sicily). Quantitative analysis and modelling analysis of the factor of safety (FOS) of a submarine slope.
No full textThis study analyzes a submarine sector of Palermo offshore where the multiple cause-effect relationship between pockmarks and submarine landslides are studied by mean Multi Beam Echo Sounder (MBES) morphobathymetric data. This sector is characterized by freshwater continental origin pockmarks whose activity can be considered intermittent as associated with the recharge of the continental aquifer through meteorological events (Pennino et al., 2014).
The integration of MBES data and Sparker seismic profiles allowed us to obtain quantitative measurements of: 1) thicknesses, areas and volumes of sedimentary body altered by upward migration of pressurized fluids; 2) the presence of preferential sliding surfaces (e.g. weak layers) likely responsible of pockmark-associated landslides; 3) tectonic alignments linked to recent geological structures (predominantly N-S oriented) along which the fluids escape structures are detected.
We investigated the possibility that in the nearness of pockmark convergent reflectors, the pressurized fluids caused the loss cohesion resulting in sediments prone to movement. In the case of Palermo offshore, this hypothesis is strengthened by favorable boundary conditions such as: high slope values of the area, surrounding landslides and ongoing fluid escape processes.
The identification of areas and volumes of altered sediments, together with a critical review of literature, allowed us to develop a qualitative model regarding the potential future retrogressive evolution of these areas and, also the computation of the pockmark related Factor of Safety (FOS, Noda et al., 2013; Sultan et al., 2004). Preliminary results highlight that the pore overpressure, in intra-pockmark area, strongly influence the equilibrium of the slope and, thus, can be considered as a predisposing factor for submarine gravitational processes. Moreover, the identification of potential landslide volume could allow to investigate possible landslide triggered - tsunami waves hazard scenario
The Role of Active Breaks and Curriculum-Based Active Breaks in Enhancing Executive Functions and Math Performance, and in Reducing Math Anxiety in Primary School Children: A Systematic Review
Get PDFPhysical activity is recognized as crucial for children’s development in many aspects. However, its integration into the classroom remains a challenge, particularly in STEM subjects, despite this area being a central component of school curricula worldwide. This systematic review investigates the characteristics and the relationships between active breaks (AB) and curriculum-based active breaks (CB) interventions on executive functions, attention, on-task behavior, performance in STEM, and math anxiety in primary school children. A database search, following the PRISMA 2020 guidelines, was conducted in March 2024, identifying 19 eligible studies for descriptive analysis and assessed for risk of bias. A total of 13 studies focused on AB, four on CB, and two compared the two conditions. Only one paper considered math anxiety. The results revealed mixed effects on executive functions and attention, with some studies reporting improvements and others finding no significant changes. Math performance improved with both AB and CB interventions, especially when AB lasted 10 to 20 min. Most interventions were led by teachers, though few studies incorporated intervention fidelity. Overall, the inconsistent findings highlight the need for further research to determine the optimal characteristics for effective interventions and reliable assessment methods and to explore long-term effects and the appropriate level of teacher involvement
Real-Life Impact of Enfortumab Vedotin or Chemotherapy in the Sequential Treatment of Advanced Urothelial Carcinoma: The ARON-2 Retrospective Experience
Get PDFBackground: Recently, a plethora of novel systemic agents have been incorporated into the therapeutic armamentarium of advanced urothelial carcinoma (aUC). The antibody-drug conjugate (ADC), enfortumab vedotin (EV), has demonstrated relevant clinical benefit in patients with aUC refractory to platinum and immune-checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) therapy. Our study provides a retrospective, international, real-world analysis comparing the effectiveness of EV to chemotherapy in this setting. Methods: The data were extracted from the medical records of patients treated with EV or chemotherapy following pembrolizumab for recurrent or progressive aUC after platinum-based chemotherapy. Patients were assessed for overall survival (OS), progression-free survival (PFS), overall response rate (ORR) and duration of response (DoR). Results: Our analysis included 247 patients treated with EV (88, 36%) or chemotherapy (159, 64%). Median OS was 9.1 months (95%CI 7.2-10.7) in the overall study population, 13.6 months (95%CI 10.0-31.0) in patients receiving EV and 6.8 months (95%CI 6.0-8.9) in patients receiving chemotherapy (p < 0.001). The OS benefit of EV was not affected by primary tumour site and histology, metastatic sites, type of first platinum-based chemotherapy or response to pembrolizumab. In the EV cohort, the median PFS was significantly longer (8.8 months [95%CI 6.5-17.0] vs. 3.0 months [95%CI 2.6-3.7]) and the ORR was significantly higher (56% vs. 23%) than in the chemotherapy cohort. Conclusions: The results of our international analysis of real-world data confirm the effectiveness of EV in the sequential strategy of aUC patients who have received prior platinum-based chemotherapy and anti-PD-1 pembrolizumab, regardless of commonly considered prognostic factors. Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT05290038