1,721,035 research outputs found
Forensic evaluations on a crime case with monospecific necrophagous fly population infected by two parasitoid species
No full textForensic entomology and climatic change
No full textForensic entomology establishes the postmortem interval (PMI) by studying cadaveric fauna. The PMI today is still largely based on tables of insect succession on human cadavers compiled in the late 19th- or mid-20th centuries. In the last few years, however, the gradual warming of the climate has been changing faunal communities by favouring the presence of thermophilous species. To demonstrate how globalisation and climate change are overcoming geographic barriers, we present some cases of southern and allochthonous species found in north-east Italy during our entomo-forensic investigations. (C) 2004 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved
Records of Chrysomya albiceps in Northern Italy: an ecological and forensic perspective
Full text linkKnowledge of the carrion-breeding insects present at a local level is important and necessary for defining the post-mortem interval. Climate changes and globalisation are affecting species ranges and population dynamics. In this note, we report the incidence of Chrysomya albiceps (Diptera: Calliphoridae) on dead human bodies and carrion in Northern Italy. These data confirm the spread of this species in the Northern regions. The partial sequencing of a 583-bp region of the cytochrome oxidase subunit 1 gene of an Adriatic population did not reveal any difference compared to the same genomic region in the African and South American populations of this specie
Effects of chronic dietary cadmium on hepatic glutathione levels and glutathione peroxidase activity in starlings (Sturnus vulgaris)
No full textThe effects of chronic exposure to dietary cadmium on the levels of hepatic glutathione (GSH) and on the activity of the glutathione peroxidase enzymes (GSH-Px) were studied for the first time in starlings (Sturnus vulgaris). Thirty-three individuals (17 females and 16 males) were divided into three groups: One represented the untreated control and two were respectively fed with diets containing 10 and 50 ppm cadmium chloride (CdCl(2)). The total duration of treatment was 22 weeks. The three groups respectively accumulated mean hepatic Cd residues of 2.29, 75.71, and 208.49 ppm. Hepatic GSH increased in the treated groups respectively 24% and 52% in comparison to controls. Total GSH-Px activity in the liver was inhibited in the group fed with 50 ppm, due to inhibition of the selenium-dependent fraction of the enzyme, while the selenium-independent fraction did not change significantly. During the treatment, after 14 weeks of exposure to cadmium, the 50 ppm-treated group showed a 47% decrease of the activity of the selenium-dependent GSH-Px and a 50% increase of the somatic liver index in comparison with controls
Effects and fate of sediment-sorbed linear alkylbenzene sulphonate (LAS) on the bivalve mollusk Mytilus galloprovincialis Lmk.
No full textThe toxicity of LAS on aquatic animals has been evaluated in particular relation to its concentration in water, although it is well known that sediments play an important role as repositories and sources of many contaminants, including surfactants. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of sediment-sorbed LAS on the marine mussel Mytilus galloprovincialis exposed to sediments drugged with 132 mg/kg dry weight of LAS mixtures. Four experiments were performed and some physiological parameters (filtration, oxygen uptake, nitrogen excretion) were measured on control and treated animals. In order to study uptake and release of sediment-sorbed LAS by mussels, quantification of weight, percentage of organic matter, LAS concentration and LAS homologue distribution on faeces were determined. Results showed no significant differences in physiological responses of treated mussels compared to controls, and the absence of a toxic action of LAS contaminated sediments. Moreover one notable aspect was that higher LAS concentrations were found in faeces than in uningested sediments recovered from water. This fact is tentatively explained either as the result of decreased desorption in the mussel intestinal tract with respect to circulating water, or as enrichment in fine particles by mussel filter feeding activity
LA TUTELA DEI CETACEI NEL DIRITTO INTERNAZIONALE: TRA “DIRITTI” DEI MAMMIFERI E PRINCIPIO DI PRECAUZIONE
No full textL’obiettivo di questo capitolo è di analizzare la sentenza della Corte internazionale di giustizia (CIG) nel caso Australia
c. Giappone, decisa il 31 marzo 201410, relativa all’interpretazione della Convenzione del 1946 sulla regolamentazione della caccia alle balene. Dimostreremo che la prassi, accompagnata da una crescente sensibilità della società civile sul piano internazionale, si indirizza verso la riduzione – e progressivamente forse anche la definitiva moratoria, – della caccia alle balene.Tale lettura è consentita dall’applicazione del principio di precauzione
Modeling the Consequences of Social Distancing Over Epidemics Spreading in Complex Social Networks: From Link Removal Analysis to SARS-CoV-2 Prevention
Full text linkIn this perspective, we describe how the link removal (LR) analysis in social complex networks may be a promising tool to model non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPIs) and social distancing to prevent epidemics spreading. First, we show how the extent of the epidemic spreading and NPIs effectiveness over complex social networks may be evaluated with a static indicator, that is, the classic largest connected component (LCC). Then we explain how coupling the LR analysis and type SIR epidemiological models (EM) provide further information by including the temporal dynamics of the epidemic spreading. This is a promising approach to investigate important aspects of the recent NPIs applied by government to contain SARS-CoV-2, such as modeling the effect of the social distancing severity and timing over different network topologies. Further, implementing different link removal strategies to halt epidemics spreading provides information to individuate more effective NPIs, representing an important tool to offer a rationale sustaining policies to prevent SARS-CoV-2 and similar epidemics
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