22 research outputs found
Harnessing Electrostatic Forces: A Review of Bees as Bioindicators for Particulate Matter Detection
Get PDFBees (Hymenoptera, Anthophila) are widely recognized for their essential ecological roles, including pollination and biodiversity maintenance. Recently, their ability to collect environmental particulate matter through electrostatic forces has been explored for biomonitoring purposes. This review integrates knowledge on electrostatic pollen adhesion with emerging insights into particulate matter adhesion to bees, emphasizing their potential as bioindicators. The mechanisms of electrostatic adhesion, influenced by factors such as the physicochemical properties of particulate matter and bee morphology, are discussed in detail. Additionally, the study evaluates the adhesion efficiency of pollutants, including heavy metals, microplastics, nanoplastics, pathogens, pesticides, radionuclides, and volatile organic compounds. This multidisciplinary approach underscores the role of bees in advancing environmental monitoring methodologies and offers innovative tools for assessing ecosystem health while addressing the drivers of bee decline
A first exploratory comparison of the behaviour of wolves (Canis lupus) and wolf-dog hybrids in captivity
Get PDFExtensive introgression of genes from domesticated taxa may be a serious threat for the genomic integrity and adaptability of wild populations. Grey wolves (Canis lupus) are especially vulnerable to this phenomenon, but there are no studies yet assessing the potential behavioural effects of dog-introgression in wolves. In this study, we conducted a first systematic comparison of admixed (N = 11) and non-admixed (N = 14) wolves in captivity, focusing on their reaction to unfamiliar humans and novel objects, and the cohesiveness of their social groups. When exposed to unfamiliar humans in the experimental task, wolves were more vigilant, fearful and aggressive than admixed wolves, and less likely to approach humans, but also more likely to spend time in human proximity. When exposed to novel objects, wolves were more aggressive than admixed wolves, less likely to spend time in object proximity, and more likely to interact with objects, but also less vigilant and as fearful as admixed wolves. Finally, social networks were more cohesive in wolves than in admixed wolves. Although caution is needed when comparing groups of captive individuals with different life experiences, our study suggests that dog admixture may lead to important behavioural changes in wolves, with possible implications for conservation strategies
A pilot study to assess carabids (Coleoptera: Carabidae) as potential bioindicators of microplastics contamination in soils
Get PDFMicroplastics are pervasive pollutants across ecosystems, posing environmental risks due to their bioavailability and toxicity. Monitoring microplastics presence in different environments is crucial, and employing simple, cost-effective methods, such as using insects as bioindicators, can be highly effective. In this pilot study, Carabid beetles (Coleoptera: Carabidae), a terrestrial insect group, were used, for the first time, to investigate their potential as bioindicators for microplastics in soils. Their biological and morphological characteristics, along with their broad distribution, make them ideal candidates for assessing the presence of microplastics in terrestrial environments. Monthly sampling was conducted from July to October 2022 using pitfall traps at three sites along the Conero coast (Italy), differing in the degree of human influence. Microplastics were extracted from organisms' guts using oxidative digestion and vacuum filtration and then characterized through optical microscopy and μFT-IR spectroscopy. Findings revealed that 32 % of Carabid beetles ingested microplastics. While no consistent spatial or temporal patterns were observed in the number of particles found per individual, ingestion frequency varied significantly among sites (Pearson's chi-squared test, p = 0.028). Site C, a stony beach subject to intense summer tourism, exhibited the highest ingestion rates (75 % in July, 87.5 % in August). Most microplastics were primarily fragments of 0.1–1 mm in size, with polyester and silicone being the most prevalent polymers. Given limited information available on microplastics contamination in soils, this pilot study confirms that Carabids are effective bioindicators of the presence of soil microplastics, and demonstrated a link between microplastics pollution and anthropogenic presence
Correction to: Multimodal treatment of pediatric patients with Askin's tumors: Our experience (World Journal of Surgical Oncology (2018) 16 (140) DOI: 10.1186/s12957-018-1434-2)
No full textIn the original article mentioned above, the name of the sixth author was wrongly mentioned as "Vincenzo Briganti" instead of "Vito Briganti". The original article has been corrected
Say's Law
Get PDFThe expression “Say’s Law” is used in the economics literature to represent the arguments set out by Say in Chapter XV, Des Débouchés, Book I, of his Traité d’Economie Politique (1st ed. 1803; 4th ed. 1819, 1st English trans. 1821). These arguments, later known and discussed under the different names of “loi des débouchés” and “law of markets”, are considered by Ricardo amongst the “original, accurate, and profound” discussions of an author “who justly appreciated and applied the principles of Smith” (Works I: 6-7). Ever since Say’s exposition and Ricardo’s appreciation, the focus and controversies on this Law reached two distinct peaks first in the classical and then in the post-Keynesian period. While the classical period, which run between James Mill’s explicit draft of the Law (1965 [1808]) and J. S. Mill’s final qualification of it (1929 [1871]), reached its own peak in Ricardo’s outright support, against Malthus’ criticisms, of those arguments, the post-Keynesian period was opened by Keynes’ outright criticism of Ricardo’s system of thought (believed to be based on Say’s Law), and corresponding defence of Malthus, in his General Theory (CW VII: 18-21, 32-34, 364]). The different versions, interpretations and misunderstandings that have surrounded the Law in the course of time have been so numerous that an entire volume (be it one of those authored by Kates, 1998, Sowell, 1972, and Hutt, 1974; or the one edited by Kates, 2003) may not be enough to account for all of them. This holds even if the Law were looked at from the standpoint of a single author, be it Say or Ricardo, or of the interactions within, or between, the systems of thought of these or of many other authors. This entry is intended to single out, amongst these different versions, interpretations and misunderstandings, only those connected, directly or indirectly, with Ricardo’s support of the Law. Thus the entry is divided into 5 sections. Section 1 is focused on the limits of the Law from the standpoint of its pure or abstract content and on why it should be more properly referred to as Say’s Principle, while section 2 is focused on the split of the Law into its two forms known in the literature as “Say’s identity” and “Say’s equality”. The remaining three sections are instead devoted to an analysis of the main endorsements, criticisms and counter-criticisms that have surrounded the Law ever since Ricardo came to its support against Malthus, and until Keynes moved against it and, more generally, against Ricardo himself. Some brief conclusions are eventually provided in the final section.
A draft of this paper has been submittted for publication in the Elgar Companion to David Ricardo, edited by H. Kurz and N. Salvadori, E. Elgar, forthcomin
Salvage of an octogenarian liver graft using normothermic perfusion. A case report
No full textLiver transplantation with very old donors is safe, but is associated with an increased incidence of ischemic-type biliary lesions and delayed graft function. Normothermic machine perfusion (NMP) is a novel technique for preservation of liver grafts and has the potential to reduce ischemia-reperfusion injury. A case is reported here of a liver transplantation (LT) with a graft from an 83-year-old brain-dead donor. Procurement was with dual perfusion and en bloc, modified fast technique. Donor kidneys were not transplanted due to severe atherosclerosis and poor perfusion. The liver was shipped to the transplantation center and underwent NMP with a blood-based perfusate. During machine perfusion lactates decreased, vascular flow was stable, and bile production restored, and the graft was considered suitable for transplantation. The postoperative course was uneventful and 4 months after surgery the patient is in good clinical condition with normal liver function. To date, few LTs have been performed with NMP in humans, but its preliminary results are promising. NMP allows functional evaluation of the graft and possibly reduction of post-transplantation complications when extended-criteria donor grafts are used.Liver transplantation with very old donors is safe, but is associated with an increased incidence of ischemic-type biliary lesions and delayed graft function. Normothermic machine perfusion (NMP) is a novel technique for preservation of liver grafts and has the potential to reduce ischemia-reperfusion injury. A case is reported here of a liver transplantation (LT) with a graft from an 83-year-old brain-dead donor. Procurement was with dual perfusion and en bloc, modified fast technique. Donor kidneys were not transplanted due to severe atherosclerosis and poor perfusion. The liver was shipped to the transplantation center and underwent NMP with a blood-based perfusate. During machine perfusion lactates decreased, vascular flow was stable, and bile production restored, and the graft was considered suitable for transplantation. The postoperative course was uneventful and 4 months after surgery the patient is in good clinical condition with normal liver function. To date, few LTs have been performed with NMP in humans, but its preliminary results are promising. NMP allows functional evaluation of the graft and possibly reduction of post-transplantation complications when extended-criteria donor grafts are used
Pietro Verri’s Contribution to the Economic Theory of the 18th Century: Commercial Society, Civil Society and Governance of the Economy
Get PDF'Count Pietro Verri (1728-97) - Schumpeter writes (History, p. 178) - - would have to be included in any list of the greatest economists'. Within the Milanese school, he certainly stands out, alongside with Cesare Beccaria, during one of the most interesting periods from a history of analysis point of view. Luigi Cossa's famous introduction to the study of political economy rates Pietro Verri to be inferior to Beccaria in ingenuity and scientific cultivation, but greatly to be ahead of him as an economist.1 This judgement by Cossa, in particular, seems to echo the relative position of the two men in the history of ideas, particularly after Beccaria's rise to fame with a book - On crimes and punishments - which had in fact been largely inspired by Verri himself and defended by him.2 It is proposed in the present paper to revisit some of the basic tenets of Pietro Verri's political economy, with more in view than dwell on specific intuitions and theorems: namely relate those to Verri's own - quite original - conception of the economy. The scholarly work of Pietro Verri - with a special reference to his Meditazioni sulla economia politica of 1771 - provides the first systematic contribution stemming from the quarters of Lombard enlightenment in the field of political economy, especially so if one considers that Cesare Beccaria's parallel work - namely his Elementi di economia pubblica, conceived and drafted at the same time as Verri's Meditazioni - would only be published posthumously several years later. From the vantage point afforded by Verri's political economy, we gain a considerably attractive view of the most significant elements and characteristic concepts of Lombard enlightenment during the latter half of the 18th century; Verri, moreover, as we shall see, builds on a number of them in a new and original way. This paper is aimed at discussing Verri's political economy mainly along two distinct, but related, lines. In the first place the conception of commercial society is considered such as it is treated by the author particularly in his Meditazioni. In this perspective the analysis of such issues as competition and the market or money and taxation occupy a central place. Secondly it will be necessary to emphasise that Verri's approach has little to do either with forms of pure economics on one side - largely yet to be born throughout the 18th century - or, on the other side, with such conceptions of the polis - contrariwise well alive among his own contemporaries - as are founded on a sovereign authority conceived to be situated above the law. What Verri's political economy ultimately amounts to is an economic conception of civil society. The latter has natural strong connections with his own fact-mindedness - emphasised by Schumpeter - as well as with his deep practical involvement in administrative affairs and in the reforming process taking place during the latter half of the 18th century in Milan. In our view, a thorough investigation along the mentioned lines is the precondition for an understanding of the intellectual stature and of the scholarly contribution of Pietro Verri. His main ground is distinctly analytical and only by appreciating his analysis is it possible to shed light on the meaning and intellectual significance also of his practical contributions. Moreover Verri's pronouncements on the criticism of despotic government, the relevance of intermediate powers or bodies and on multiple levels of governance will be examined in a new and original light, showing how close they are to the gist of his analysis.
Correction: Robotic thymectomy for large thymomas: a multicenter study
No full textIn the original version of the article, the author name and affiliation was missing and should have been Solli Piergiorgio Department of Thoracic Surgery, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan, Ital
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Varicella zoster virus reactivation antedating ipsilateral brainstem stroke
Get PDFitor Title: Varicella zoster virus reactivation antedating ipsilateral brainstem stroke Authors: Giuliana Galassi1, Maurilio Genovese2, Marisa Meacci3, Marcella Malagoli2 Affiliations: 1Department of Biomedical, Metabolic, Neural Sciences, University Hospital of Modena, Italy, 2Neuroradiology Service, University Hospital of Modena, Italy, 3Department of Laboratory Medicine and Patholgy, Microbiology and Virology Unit, University Hospital of Modena, Italy Corresponding Author: Giuliana Galassi, MD, Department of Biomedical, Metabolic, Neural Sciences, University Hospital of Modena, Via P. Giardini 1455, Modena, Italy, Tel: 39-3497325802, Email: [email protected] Abstract: Varicella zoster virus (VZV) infection and reactivation are associated with a number of neurologic conditions. Unifocal large vessel infarcts may follow zoster in the trigeminal or cervical distribution as a result of transaxonal transport of virus from trigeminal or cervical afferent fibers that innervate vessels. Ophthalmic zoster (HZO) might cause ophthalmoplegic syndromes, with secondary optic neuritis. Mechanisms include local orbital muscle inflammation and, viral spread from the ophthalmic branch of the fifth nerve with associated vasculopathy. A 72-year-old man developed a vesicular rash in the territory of C5-T5-6. Within four weeks, the patient developed headache, dysphagia, left facial and extremity ataxic weakness. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) revealed a right pontine infarction. A 66-year-old woman presented with right-sided painfull HZO. One week later she developed complete external ophthalmoplegia and blurred vision. MRI showed ill-defined signal alteration in the retrobulbar tissue. Three weeks later, the patient was admitted because of dysarthria, deviated tongue, left-sided limb weakness, and tactile hypoesthesia. Spinal fluid contained 23 lymphocytes/mm3 and increased protein. The serum contained antibodies to VZV IgG and IgM in both cases. The patients received intravenously acyclovir with improvement. This report confirms unusual occurrence of ipsilateral brainstem stroke after VZV reactivation in immunocompetent subjects
