IRIS Università degli Studi dell'Aquila
Not a member yet
68355 research outputs found
Sort by
Metabarcoding Reveals a Potentially Undescribed Columnaris‐Causing Bacterium in Peracute Skin Disease of Rainbow Trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss, Walbaum)
Get PDFColumnaris-causing bacteria (CCB) represent a group of four Flavobacterium species, previously classified under Flavobacterium columnaris, causing a threatening condition in salmonid farming characterised by cutaneous and gill lesions, commonly referred to as ‘saddleback disease’. A peracute skin disease outbreak with high mortality in rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) farms in Northern Italy was investigated. The disease presented with skin discoloration and scale lifting without internal organ abnormalities, leading to a weekly cumulative mortality of up to 80%. The disease was successfully managed with Oxytetracycline treatment, with no relapses observed. Conventional investigation methods produced inconsistent results, prompting additional analyses. Metagenomic sequencing of the 16S rRNA identified Flavobacterium species differing from the classical CCB based on the alignment of the V3 and V4 regions, with best matches to Flavobacterium bernardetii, Flavobacterium aquicola, and Flavobacterium hiemivividum. Histopathology and SEM confirmed epidermal necrosis and bacterial infiltration in the dermis, with filamentous bacteria resembling Flavobacterium morphology yet differing from classical CCB lesions. These findings point to a previously undescribed Flavobacterium-related skin disease with significant economic implications, supporting the value of metagenomic in investigating microbial dynamics in aquaculture diseases, especially in sites exposed to external environments. Further research is required to clarify the pathogenic mechanisms and guide effective management strategies for future outbreaks
Real‐World Dual Antiplatelet Therapy Use Exceeds Randomized Trials Boundaries With Possible Safety Issues in Patients With Large Artery Atherosclerosis—Insights From the READAPT Study
Get PDFBackground and aim: According to randomized controlled trials (RCTs), dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) is more effective for secondary prevention of ischemic events attributable to large artery atherosclerosis (LAA) than other mechanisms. We investigated whether real-world application may impact DAPT effectiveness and safety in the REAl-life study on short-term Dual Antiplatelet treatment in Patients with ischemic stroke or Transient ischemic attack (READAPT, NCT05476081). Methods: READAPT was an observational multicenter study including patients with minor ischemic stroke or TIA treated with short-term DAPT. At 90 days, we assessed primary effectiveness (ischemic recurrence, severe bleeding, or vascular death) and safety (severe to moderate bleeding) outcomes. We explored associations between LAA and outcomes using Cox regression. Within patients with and without LAA, outcomes were compared between subgroups based on age, NIHSS score (for ischemic stroke patients), ABCD2 score (for TIA patients), presence and number of MRI acute lesions, and DAPT regimen characteristics. Results: Among 1920 analyzed patients (of 2278 enrolled), 452 had LAA. Unlike RCTs, 21.2% of patients with LAA had NIHSS > 5, and 48.2% received DAPT > 30 days. Patients with LAA had higher bleeding rates (3.5% vs. 2.1%, p = 0.004), primarily hemorrhagic infarctions and moderate bleeding, than those without LAA. However, primary effectiveness outcomes were similar (4.9% vs. 3.5%, p = 0.201) between the groups. In patients with LAA, prolonged DAPT (> 21 days), multiple MRI lesions, age ≥ 65, and loading doses increased bleeding risk. Conclusions: The real-world DAPT use in patients with LAA exceeds RCTs boundaries with possible drawbacks on treatment safety
Short-Term Forecasting of Crop Production for Sustainable Agriculture in a Changing Climate
Get PDFfirst_page
settings
Order Article Reprints
Open AccessArticle
Short-Term Forecasting of Crop Production for Sustainable Agriculture in a Changing Climate
by Vincenzo Guerriero
1,* [ORCID] , Anna Rita Scorzini
1 [ORCID] , Bruno Di Lena
2, Mario Di Bacco
3 [ORCID] and Marco Tallini
1 [ORCID]
1
Department of Civil, Environmental and Architectural Engineering, University of L’Aquila, 67100 L’Aquila, Italy
2
Abruzzo Region, Agriculture Department, 66054 Vasto, Italy
3
Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Florence, 50139 Florence, Italy
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Sustainability 2025, 17(13), 6135; https://doi.org/10.3390/su17136135
Submission received: 14 May 2025 / Revised: 19 June 2025 / Accepted: 1 July 2025 / Published: 4 July 2025
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Impact of Climate Change and Extreme Weather Events on Crop Growth, Pest Management and Crop Production)
Download
keyboard_arrow_down
Browse Figures
Versions Notes
Abstract
Globally, crop productive systems exhibit climatic adaptation, resulting in increased overall yields over the past century. Nevertheless, inter-annual fluctuations in production can lead to food price volatility, raising concerns about food security. Within this framework, short-term crop yield predictions informed by climate observations may significantly contribute to sustainable agricultural development. In this study, we discuss the criteria for historical monitoring and forecasting of the productive system response to climatic fluctuations, both ordinary and extreme. Here, forecasting is intended as an assessment of the conditional probability distribution of crop yield, given the observed value of a key climatic index in an appropriately chosen month of the year. Wheat production in the Teramo province (central Italy) is adopted as a case study to illustrate the approach. To characterize climatic conditions, this study utilizes the Standardized Precipitation Evapotranspiration Index (SPEI) as a key indicator impacting wheat yield. Validation has been carried out by means of Monte Carlo simulations, confirming the effectiveness of the method. The main findings of this study show that the model describing the yield–SPEI relationship has time-varying parameters and that the study of their variation trend allows for an estimate of their current values. These results are of interest from a methodological point of view, as these methods can be adapted to various crop products across different geographical regions, offering a tool to anticipate production figures. This offers effective tools for informed decision-making in support of both agricultural and economic sustainability, with the additional benefit of helping to mitigate price volatility
Il ruolo delle aree protette nella conservazione della biodiversità vegetale e minacciata in Europa.
No full textBiodiversity loss remains one of the most pressing environmental challenges globally, and in Europe, the Natura 2000 (N2K) protected area (PA) network plays a pivotal role in mitigating this crisis. Covering approximately 18% of the EU’s land area, the N2K network represents a cornerstone of the European Union's conservation strategy, aiming to protect priority species and habitats under the Birds and Habitats Directives. However, questions about its overall representativeness across various taxa and biogeographic regions persist. This PhD thesis explores the representativeness of N2K in biodiversity conservation through three case studies focusing on taxonomic diversity, vascular plant diversity, and forest understory plant diversity, offering a comprehensive assessment of its representativeness and performance.
The first case study evaluates the impact of N2K PAs on conserving 1,769 priority species across various taxonomic groups, including mammals, birds, amphibians, reptiles, arthropods, fishes, molluscs, and vascular and non-vascular plants. Using propensity score matching to control for confounding factors related to the non-random location of PAs in the landscape the study assessed the representativeness of N2K network by comparing alpha, beta, and gamma diversity of priority species inside and outside PAs across European biogeographic regions.
Results indicate that N2K PAs generally host a significantly higher number of priority species than unprotected areas. Specifically, alpha diversity was notably higher inside PAs for most taxonomic groups, except in the Boreal region. Beta diversity was also significantly higher within PAs. Similarly, gamma diversity, representing overall species richness, showed higher values in PAs, with exceptions in the Boreal and Atlantic regions. These findings underscore the uneven role of N2K across different regions and taxa, emphasizing the need for targeted expansion under the European Biodiversity Strategy for 2030 to prioritize underrepresented species and regions.
The second case study focuses on the representativeness of the N2K network in conserving vascular plant biodiversity. Drawing from over 1.2 million vegetation plots in the European Vegetation Archive, encompassing 14.2 million species occurrences, the study assessed the presence of native and conservation priority species within and outside N2K sites.
The findings reveal that the N2K network harbors approximately 90% of the EU’s native vascular flora, demonstrating its crucial role in conserving plant diversity. However, significant variability exists across countries and biogeographic regions. Despite this variability, N2K sites generally support a higher species richness per unit area than unprotected areas, as evidenced by species-area curves. These results highlight that while N2K is effective overall, its expansion should focus on regions and habitats where plant diversity is underrepresented, ensuring comprehensive conservation of Europe’s vascular flora.
The third case study examines the representativeness of PAs (including in this case N2K sites, national parks, and reserves) in conserving forest understory plant diversity in Italy, one of Europe’s most forested and biodiverse countries. Using a dataset of 16,259 vegetation plots sampled between 1980 and 2020 in broadleaved deciduous forests, the study applied propensity score matching to control for factors related to the non-random locations of PAs and vegetation plots in the landscape.
The results reveal that PAs consistently maintained higher understory plant diversity than unprotected areas. Alpha and gamma diversity showed a clear pattern, with a higher number of understory plant species found inside PAs than outside. These case studies show that while Europe's PA network is crucial for biodiversity conservation, its efficacy varies, underscoring the need for a strategic, data-driven expansion to protect underrepresented species and regions
The impact of inflammatory markers on clinical outcomes in acute ischemic stroke patients following mechanical thrombectomy: A multicentre study
Get PDFBackground: Inflammation contributes to brain injury in acute ischemic stroke, but its role among patients treated with mechanical thrombectomy (MT) for large vessel occlusion (LVO) has not been fully established. The aim of this study was to explore the relationship between functional prognosis and the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and derived ratios in patients undergoing MT. Methods: This is a multicentre retrospective analysis of 970 consecutive patients treated with MT. Blood samples were collected on admission and after 24 h. Logistic regression was performed to assess the relationship between the ratios and 90-day modified Rankin scale (mRS) 0–2. Receiver-operating-characteristic (ROC) curves were used to estimate the ability of NLR and other ratios to predict the outcome. Restricted-cubic-spline (RCS) was used to investigate the association between NLR and 90-day mRS 3–6 and to determine a critical threshold. Results: The 24-h NLR showed the strongest predictive performance (AUC = 0.670 alone; AUC = 0.784 when combined with other clinical variables) in patients treated with MT. An optimal NLR cutoff of 4.30 was identified, with patients below this threshold less likely to have poor 90-day outcome (RR 0.76 [95 % CI 0.65–0.89] p = 0.001) and significant shift toward better 90-day mRS scores (cOR 0.55, 95 %CI 0.40–0.74; p < 0.001). Restricted cubic spline analysis confirmed the cutoff's significance in predicting unfavourable mRS shifts. Conclusions: This study highlights the 24-h NLR as a powerful predictor of stroke outcomes post-MT, with a threshold of 4.30 strongly associated with poor prognosis. These findings suggest that NLR can guide personalized treatment approaches to improve recovery trajectories
New designs in organocatalysis to unlock novel catalytic systems and complex chemical spaces
Get PDFIn Chapter 1, a general introduction to catalysis and its branches that will be encountered in this manuscript has been given.
In Chapter 2, an application of a novel class of aminocatalysts for the asymmetric Michael addition of masked acetaldehyde as dimethyl acetal to β-nitrostyrenes to produce key intermediates for the synthesis of a class of APIs (Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients) will be shown. These catalysts are specifically designed to work in water acting like micelles, thus avoiding the use of polluting organic solvents, while the acetaldehyde is released using catalytic amount of Amberlyst-15, an acidic heterogeneous resin. Critical to the success is the use of chemometrics-assisted ‘Design of Experiments’ (DoE) optimization during the development, which allowed to investigate the chemical space in a rational way.
An application of Asymmetric Counteranion Directed Catalysis merged with nanomaterials application will be described in Chapter 3. Indeed, a specifically designed type of Carbon Dots (a novel class of nanomaterials) functionalised with primary amine moieties has been used to perform asymmetric aminocatalysis via iminium ion recurring to a chiral phosphoric acid to transfer the chiral information in the 1,4-reduction of α,β-unsaturated-β,β-disubstituted aldehydes using dihydropyridines as reductants. A correlation between the features of the CDs’ surfaces and their catalytic performance was shown, and the catalytic activity of the employed CDs proved to be higher than simple molecular primary amines.
In Chapter 4, a new route towards the synthesis of silyl-heterocycles via catalytic 1,1-carboboration is reported. Due to the shortage of methods to synthetise this scaffold, four- and five-membered silyl-heterocycles are a challenge: however, the use of catalytic carboboration reaction shows how these heterocyclic cores can be easily prepared recurring to the use of [H-B-9-BBN]2 as catalyst and pinacolborane in stoichiometric amount to regenerate the catalyst and functionalise the product, opening the path for downstream derivatisations. Mechanistic studies, including 13C-labelling, computational studies, and single-turnover experiments, suggest a reaction pathway proceeding by 1,2-hydroboration, 1,1-carboboration, and transborylation to release the alkenyl boronic ester product and regenerate the borane catalyst.
In Chapter 5, a feasible synthesis of a primary metabolite of Cannabidiol (CBD), 7-hydroxy Cannabidiol, is described. Due to the wide interest the CBD had gathered in recent years, the study of its metabolites is of primary importance to understand its biological action for future clinical trials. However, the synthesis of this metabolites, is a challenge due to the many synthetic steps required and the consequent low yields they lead. In this chapter, an eight-step synthesis of 7-hydroxy Cannabidiol from CBD is described, recurring to easy reaction condition and to a final Piers–Rubinsztajn reaction as the key to enable a mild deprotection, affording the desired product in 31% overall yield.
In Chapter 6, an overview of the other projects I have contributed to will be given. The first one is a review on the alkali and alkali-earth metals salts of chiral phosphoric acids to which I have contributed as main author. In this review, the developments achieved in this field since its beginning are exposed in a critical perspective, focusing on their reaction mechanism and the potential future developments. The second project, to which I have contributed as secondary author, presents the development of a new and greener synthetic method of Dibenzosuberone (DBS), an important intermediate for the preparation of active pharmaceutical ingredients (API), born from a collaboration with the pharmaceutical company Dipharma Francis
Mechanical Design of McKibben Muscles Predicting Developed Force by Artificial Neural Networks
Get PDFMcKibben’s muscle (MKM) is the most adopted among the different types of pneumatic artificial muscles (PAMs) due to its mechanical performance and versatility. Several geometric parameters, including the diameter, thickness, and length of the inner elastic element, as well as functional conditions, such as shortening ratio and feeding pressure, influence the behaviour of this actuator. Over the years, analytical and numerical models have been defined to predict its deformation and developed forces. However, these models are often identified under simplifications and have limitations when integrating new parameters that were not initially considered. This work proposes a hybrid approach between finite element analyses (FEAs) and machine learning (ML) algorithms to overcome these issues. An MKM was numerically simulated as the chosen parameters changed, realizing the MKM dataset. The latter was used to train 27 artificial neural networks (ANNs) to identify the best algorithm for predicting the developed forces. The best ANN was tested on three numerical models and a prototype with a combination of parameters not included in the dataset, comparing predicted and numerical responses. The results demonstrate the effectiveness of ML techniques in predicting the behavior of MKMs while offering flexibility for integrating additional parameters. Therefore, this paper highlights the potential of ML approaches in the mechanical design of MKM according to the field of use and application