160 research outputs found
Scope For Growth of Mytilus galloprovincialis (Lmk., 1819) in oligotrophic coastal waters (southern Tyrrhenian Sea, Italy)
No full textThe ‘scope for growth’ (SFG) tool was used to
study the growth performance of cultivated populations of
Mytilus galloprovincialis (Lmk., 1819) in an oligotrophic
area of the Southern Mediterranean Sea. The study was
carried out between 1993 and 1996 by using data from four
seasonal oceanographic cruises and from growth experiments.
Water samples were collected and analysed for total
suspended matter (TSM), particulate organic carbon (POC)
and nitrogen (PON), particulate lipids, proteins and carbohydrates
and chloropigments. The sum of the carbon
equivalents of carbohydrates, proteins and lipids is indicated
as the total biopolymeric particulate organic carbon
(BPC) and was converted into a unit of energy in order to
calculate the SFG of a theoretical mussel of 5 cm length. In
order to test the performance of mussel growth at two
depths (5 and 15 m water depth), mussel body size [as ash
free dry weight (AFDW)] and the actual concentrations
of BPC were used to calculate the monthly SFG using
the physiological energetic relationships suggested in the
current literature. Data from the field cruises led us to
characterise the study site as ultra-oligotrophic (annual
average of chloropigment concentration approximately
0.5 lg L-1). SFG calculations allowed us to identify a site
where mussels grown successively were found to reach a
commercial size in approximately 12 months. The good
agreement obtained between energetic response and subsequent
production response suggests that the available
energy from particulate food could be fully available for
organic production for maintaining ‘‘proportionate’’ growth
trajectories, even in a ultra-oligotrophic system
Riccardo Apuzzo, Roberta Garruccio, Sara Roncaglia, Sara Zanisi, Il polline e la ruggine: Memoria, lavoro, deindustrializzazione a Sesto San Giovanni (1985-2015), Italia, 2015, 45’, DVD
No full textReview of Riccardo Apuzzo, Roberta Garruccio, Sara Roncaglia, Sara Zanisi, Il polline e la ruggine: Memoria, lavoro, deindustrializzazione a Sesto San Giovanni (1985-2015), Italy, 2015, 45 minutes, DVD.Recensione di Riccardo Apuzzo, Roberta Garruccio, Sara Roncaglia, Sara Zanisi, Il polline e la ruggine: Memoria, lavoro, deindustrializzazione a Sesto San Giovanni (1985-2015), Italia, 2015, 45 minuti, DVD
Particulate organic matter composition in a semi-enclosed marine system
No full textSpatial and temporal changes in the biochemical composition of particulate organic matter in a semi-enclosed marine system (Stagnone di Marsala, Mediterranean Sea) were studied, on a monthly basis, from January to December 1994, in order to assess nutritional value of suspended particles for benthic suspension feeders. According to previous findings, the study site displayed a strong oligotrophy. Chlorophyll-a accounted for a very low fraction of the total suspended matter pool (0.1%), whereas at least 75% of POC was of detrital/heterotrophic origin. POC: PON ratio values indicate that bacterioplankton biomass accounted for a significant fraction of the total POC pool, displaying values comparable to those of the phytoplankton biomass (phytoplankton to bacterial biomass ratio was about (1). Temporal and spatial changes in the biochemical composition of particulate organic matter were rather limited and related to its sources, the main of which is represented by detrital particles released by the Posidonia oceanica (L.) beds. The comparison between our results and those encountered in other coastal lagoons indicates that the low abundance of suspension-feeding organisms observed in the study area is related to the "quality depression" of particles due to the dilution of high quality compounds (i.e., biopolymeric carbon) in a largely inorganic matrix. This result leads us to conclude that, to reach the same amount of high quality particulate food, a suspension feeder mollusc in the Marsala lagoon would need to filter a sea water volume around 3 times higher than in other Mediterranean coastal lagoons
Relationships between suspended and sediment organic matter in a semi-enclosed marine system: the Stagnone di Marsala Sound (Western Sicily)
No full textTo gather information on the interactions between the sediment and suspended organic matter pools in the Stagnone di Marsala, water and sediment samples were collected, on a monthly basis, at 11 stations. Water temperature and salinity showed a clear seasonality whilst particulate and sediment organic matter did not show any clear seasonal pattern. Relative abundances of suspended and sediment organic matter, on the other hand, appeared to be site-dependent and controlled mainly by the dynamic balance between resuspension and sedimentation. High quantities of both suspended and sediment total organic matter were present, while very low algal biomasses (in terms of chlorophyll-a concentrations) were observed both in the suspended and sediment pools thus showing the oligotrophy of the site. The contribution of phytoplankton and microphytobenthos to the total organic content of suspended and sediment matter was negligible. The low food availability of organic matter in the Stagnone di Marsala Sound may explain the low abundance of suspension-feeding molluscs, which are substituted by limnovore and detritivore species
Seasonal and spatial changes in the sediment organic matter of a semi-enclosed marine system (W-Mediterranean Sea)
No full textThe composition of sediment organic matter and the related role of microphytobenthic biomass have been investigated during one-year in a semi-enclosed marine system (Marsala lagoon, Mediterranean Sea). Monthly samples from June 1993 to May 1994 were analysed for carbohydrate, protein, lipid, photosynthetic pigment and total organic matter. The three main biochemical classes of organic compounds (i.e. carbohydrates, proteins and lipids) showed higher concentrations than reported in the literature. However, photosynthetic pigment was quite low, compared to other enclosed marine basins or Mediterranean coastal lagoons. As a result, the contribution of primary organic carbon to the sedimentary biopolymeric fraction of organic matter was low (on average 2.2%), indicating that most of the sedimentary organic matter in the study area originated from sources other than micro-algae. The sedimentary organic matter, dominated by carbohydrates (on average 51.2%) followed by proteins (39.0%) and lipids (9.8%), as well as the low protein to carbohydrate ratio, indicate the presence of large amounts of non-living and/or aged organic matter. Comparing data on spatial distribution of sedimentary and suspended organic matter, the dynamic balance of resuspension vs. sedimentation along a north-south axis is invoked as one major factor affecting the distribution and composition of the main classes of organic compounds. The macroalgal and vascular plant coverage is suggested to be another major factor affecting both amounts and composition of sedimentary organic matter. The northern area, characterised by partially unvegetated sediments, showed higher amounts of proteins, whilst moving southward and approaching a luxuriant Posidonia oceanica reef, carbohydrates became more important relative to proteins. As only the biopolymeric fraction of sediment organic matter showed significant seasonal changes, the quantity of sediment OM behaves as an emerging property. By contrast, OM quality is strictly connected to algal coverage as well as to episodic inputs of primary organic matter from deposited phytoplankton and/or microphytobenthos. The uncoupling between large amounts and relatively low nutritional value of sedimentary OM suggests that this particular environment behaves as a detrital 'trap'
The relationship between food availability and the growth in Mytilus galloprovincialis in the open-sea (southern Mediterranean)
No full textWith the aim of gathering information about the possibility of culturing mussels (Mytilus galloprovincialis) in a south Mediterranean oligotrophic area, different lots of mussels were placed in culture at depths of -5 m and -15 m and their growth monitored on a monthly basis. Temperature and salinity were measured in situ and water samples were collected at different depths each month. Total suspended matter (TSM) and its inorganic (ISM) and organic (OSM) fractions were analysed by gravimetry and loss on ignition. Photosynthetic pigments (chlorophyll-a and phaeopigments), particulate organic carbon (POC) and nitrogen (PON), particulate carbohydrate (CHO), protein (PRT) and lipid concentration (LIP) were also measured. The chlorophyll-a concentrations highlighted the high degree of oligotrophy of the study site. Moreover, the inorganic fraction of total seston, which exceeded the organic fraction throughout the study period, highlighted the importance of the allochthonous input of suspended particles. Two main phytoplankton abundance peaks were observed, in spring and autumn. These peaks were mirrored by the biochemical composition of the biopolymeric fraction of particulate organic matter (POM, the sum of PRT, CHO and LIP concentrations). The relatively high values of the POC:PON ratio indicated that the major fraction of particulate organic matter in the study area was of detrital origin. A clear dilution effect on the organic matter, caused by high concentrations of suspended inorganic material, was also revealed by the LPOM/TSM ratio, used as a qualitative food index. The mussels were found to activate physiological compensatory mechanisms in order to maintain a constant absorption rate of organic matter from the total available seston. In this case study, the mussels survived in an environment in which the quantities of available food were frequently time-varied. The mussels placed in culture as juveniles (total length = 11.20 ± 4.02 mm) reached a length of approximately 40 mm after 12 months, while the mussels placed in culture as sub-adults (total length = 43.16 ± 7.5 mm) reached the commercial size of about 60 mm in the same time interval. The sub-adult mussels spawned in autumn and spring, indicating that they acclimatised well, despite the high degree of oligotrophy of the water
L’effetto della mitilicoltura posta a valle di allevamenti di specie ittiche riduce il carico organico
No full textL’utilizzo del mussel cleaning che sfrutta le caratteristiche fisiologiche dei molluschi filtratori per la mitigazione degli impatti derivanti da reflui particellati di origine antropica, ed in particolare delle attività di piscicoltura, è stato introdotto di recente in diversi paesi europei. Tale procedura si basa sull’ipotesi che la filtrazione operata da elevate biomasse di molluschi eduli posti nei pressi degli impianti di pescicoltura possa ridurre il carico organico in eccesso proveniente dal surplus di mangime fornito ai pesci allevati e che in certa parte inutilizzato tende a sedimentare al di sotto delle gabbie di allevamento. In questo studio abbiamo analizzato in due periodi differenti (Luglio e Ottobre 2006) le differenze nel carico e nella composizione biochimica del particellato in sospensione in siti posti nelle vicinanze di gabbie di allevamento di pesci associate a filari per l’allevamento di bivalvi (mitili ed ostriche) ed in siti di controllo lontani dalle gabbie ma caratterizzati dalla presenza di filari di molluschi. Né quantità né composizione biochimica del particellato sospeso differiscono significativamente tra siti interessati dai reflui della piscicoltura e relativi controlli. Questi risultati suggeriscono che la presenza di elevate biomasse di filtratori possa avere un certo effetto nella riduzione del carico organico associato ai reflui di maricoltura
La “Kawasaki disease shock syndrome”: descrizione di un caso clinico
No full text: Kawasaki disease is a systemic vasculitis that presents with stable vital signs. Although it is well known that Kawasaki disease can cause myocarditis, tachycardia and heart failure during the acute stage, Kawasaki disease shock syndrome (KDSS) has recently been described. It is characterized by hypotension, signs and symptoms of poor perfusion and a shock-like state. We report the case of a 7-year-old boy with KDSS who presented with persistent fever, conjunctival injection, laterocervical lymphadenitis, and echocardiography showing signs of myocardial dysfunction and shock. The patient's hemodynamic status markedly improved with immunoglobulin therapy. Early recognition of KDSS can be challenging; however, delay in diagnosis may increase the risk of coronary artery abnormalities and death
Le nuove Linee Guida sulla bronchiolite
No full textLa bronchiolite è la causa più frequente di infezione delle basse vie aeree e di ospedalizzazione nel bambino di età inferiore ad 1 anno. L'American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) e la Società Italiana di Pediatria (SIP) hanno recentemente pubblicato nuove linee guida per la diagnosi, la gestione e la prevenzione della bronchiolite. Le indicazioni dei due documenti sono simili, ma la gestione della bronchiolite è ancora oggetto di dibattito. In particolare i trattamenti farmacologici non sono supportati da una sufficiente evidenza, laddove la terapia di supporto con l'ossigeno, l'idratazione e la nutrizione sembra essere l'unica opzione efficace. Lo scopo del presente lavoro è riassumere queste nuove linee guida, aggiungendo un breve commento a ciascuna raccomandazione, al fine di produrre una guida quotidiana utile e pratica per il pediatra
Prevention of acute chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting: the role of palonosetron
No full textEmilio Bajetta, Sara Pusceddu, Valentina Guadalupi, Monika Ducceschi, Luigi CelioMedical Oncology Unit 2, Fondazione IRCCS “Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori”, Milan, ItalyAbstract: Prevention of nausea and vomiting is the main goal of antiemetic treatment in cancer patients scheduled to receive chemotherapy. To prevent acute emesis, antiemetics should be administered just before chemotherapy and patients should be protected for up to 24 hours after chemotherapy initiation. The emetogenic potential of chemotherapeutic agents guides clinicians towards the most appropriate antiemetic prophylaxis. Current guidelines recommend the use of 5-HT3 receptor antagonist (RA) either alone or in combination with dexamethasone and/or a neurokinin-1 RA both in the acute and delayed phases. The second-generation 5-HT3RA palonosetron exhibits a longer half-life and a higher binding affinity than older antagonists. Palonosetron has been approved by the FDA for the prevention of chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting (CINV) in patients scheduled to receive either moderately (MEC) or highly emetogenic chemotherapy (HEC) and for the prevention of delayed CINV in patients receiving MEC. The present review will discuss the role of palonosetron in the prevention of acute CINV.Keywords: antiemetics, chemotherapy, nausea, vomiting, serotonin-receptor antagonists, palonosetro
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