Sicilian Area Research Articles

From Neonatal Intensive Care to Neurocritical Care: Is It Still a Mirage? The Sicilian Multicenter Project.

Background Neonatal brain injury (NBI) can lead to a significant neurological disability or even death. After decades of intense efforts to improve neonatal intensive care and survival of critically ill newborns, the focus today is an improved long-term neurological outcome through brain-focused care. The goal of neuroprotection in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) is the prevention of new or worsening NBI in premature and term newborns. As a result, the neonatal neurocritical care unit (NNCU) has been emerging as a model of care to decrease NBI and improve the long-term neurodevelopment in critically ill neonates. Purpose Neurocritical care (NCC) Sicilian project includes three academic sites with NICU in Sicily (Catania, Messina, and Palermo), and its primary goal is to develop neurocritical neonatal care unit (NNCU). Methods In 2018, the three NICUs created a dedicated space for neonates with primary neurological diagnosis or at risk for neurological injuries—NNCU. Admission criteria for eligible patients and treatment protocols were created. Contact with parents, environmental protection, basic monitoring, brain monitoring, pharmacological therapy, and organization of the staff were protocolized. Results Evaluation of the efforts to establish NNCU within existing NICU, current protocols, and encountered problems are shown. Implications for Practice. Our outcome confirmed the need for dedicated NNCU for neuroprotection of critically ill neonates at risk for a neurological injury. Although the literature on neonatal neurocritical care is still scarce, we see the value of such targeted approach to newborn brain protection and therefore we will continue developing our NNCU, even though there have been problems encountered. The project of building NNCU will continue to be closely monitored. Conclusions The development of our neonatal neurocritical model of care is far from being completed. Although it is currently limited to the Sicilian area only, the goal of this paper is to share the development of this multicenter interdisciplinary project focused on a newborn brain protection. After evaluating our outcome, we strongly believe that a combined expertise in neonatal neurology and neonatal critical care can lead to an improved neurodevelopmental outcome for critically ill neonates, from the extremely preterm to those with brain injuries.

An updated checklist of Recent ostracods (Crustacea: Ostracoda) from inland waters of Sicily and adjacent small islands with notes on their distribution and ecology

Because of its position in the middle of the Mediterranea Sea and a complex geological history that has promoted repeated waves of biological colonization, Sicily (Southern Italy) is of particular interest from a biogeographical perspective. A number of previous investigations, dating back as far as the end of the 19th century, have contributed to gather information about the occurrence of Recent non-marine ostracods in Sicily, making this region one of the most intensively studied areas of the Central Mediterranean. Published data on ostracod distributions have been integrated through an extensive field survey on mainland Sicily and surrounding small islands and archipelagos. Altogether, 271 ostracod samples and 11 sediment samples from dry water bodies were analysed from 218 sites visited between 2002 and 2017. Sampling sites were selected to encompass all the most common types of freshwater aquatic habitats, both natural and artificial, present in the area. Thirty-nine ostracods were identified at species level and 12 at supraspecific level. The present study reports four species (Cypria subsalsa, Eucypris mareotica, Physocypria kerkyrensis, Vestalenula boteai) and one genus (Vestalenula) as new for both peninsular Italy and adjacent islands, and three species (Candonopsis novaezelandiae, Ilyocypris inermis, Neglecandona neglecta) and two genera (Candonopsis and Physocypria) as new for Sicily. The updated checklist of the study area now includes at least 46 nominal species and other taxa identified at supraspecific level, belonging to 28 genera in 8 families (Candonidae, Cyprididae, Cytherideidae, Darwinulidae, Hemicytheridae, Ilyocyprididae, Limnocytheridae and Notodromadidae). The present investigation represents a significant addition to the knowledge of the ostracod diversity and distribution in the Sicilian area and in Italy as a whole. It also provides a sound baseline data for further comparative faunal studies aimed at investigating the affinities and origins of the central Mediterranean inland-water ostracod faunas, and to analyse their biogeographic patterns.

Testing soil water repellency in a Sicilian area two years after a fire

The water drop penetration time (WDPT) technique was applied in 2018 to check persistence of soil water repellency (SWR) in a Sicilian mountain area affected by a wildfire on June 2016. A total of four sites, that were severely water repellent immediately after burning, were sampled. Depending on the site, wettable soil conditions, less SWR and maintenance of a noticeable SWR were detected two years later. At the site showing a near-constant SWR, WDPTs were particularly high in the top soil layer (0-0.03 m) and they appreciably decreased more in depth. Signs of decreasing SWR in drier soil conditions and in association with coarser soil particles were also detected at this site. High gradients of the WDPT can occur at very small vertical distances and a depth increment of approximately 0.01 m should be appropriate to capture small-scale vertical changes in SWR, especially close to the soil surface. Occurrence of SWR phenomena is easily perceivable and explainable if an inverse relationship between WDPTs and antecedent soil water content is obtained. A direct relationship between these two variables is more difficult to interpret because infiltration times that increase in wetter soil are expected according to the classical infiltration theory. A hypothesis that should be tested in the future is to verify if WDPTs that decrease in drier soil conditions signal less SWR as a consequence of a reduced biological activity of the soil. Finally, long-term monitoring projects on longevity of fire effects on SWR should be developed, even because an in depth knowledge of the involved processes is relevant for the civil protection system.

Comparing different application procedures of the water drop penetration time test to assess soil water repellency in a fire affected Sicilian area

The Water Drop Penetration Time (WDPT) technique was applied in two subsequent years (2016 and 2017) to check surface soil water repellency (SWR) in a Sicilian mountain area affected by a wildfire on June 2016. A total of 93 sites were sampled and from 3 to 100 droplets were used to characterize a site. The detected SWR varied with the severity of the wildfire, being practically absent in the unburnt control area and slight to extreme in the burnt areas. The percentage of extremely repellent sites increased with wildfire severity. SWR vanished one year after the passage of the fire in sites where fire severity was moderate but it persisted in the case of a severe wildfire. In general, the number of applied droplets at a site (from 3 to 100) and the SWR classification methodology (modal class, mean of the measured WDPTs) did not have a strong impact on SWR assessment. However, the data collected with the first few droplets (i.e. three or four) could help to make choices about the number of droplets to be used to reliably characterize a site. If all the initially used droplets give clear signals of wettable conditions, it is plausible to believe that a small number of droplets will be enough to characterize the site. If signs of water repellency are detected, then it could be advisable to use larger samples sizes. Complementing a detailed information on the spatial distribution of wildfire severity with a WDPT experiment appears appropriate to establish where fire mitigation techniques should promptly be implemented after the fire. Experimental developments with larger databases are advisable to improve our ability to capture spatial and temporal variability of SWR.

HPV genotypes in precancerous cervical lesions: histological and biomolecular investigations in the Sicilian area, Italy

HPV genotypes in precancerous cervical lesions: histological and biomolecular investigations in the Sicilian area, Italy

Influence of different rootstocks on yield precocity and fruit quality of ‘Tarocco Scirè’ pigmented sweet orange

Abstract Several studies in citrus-producing countries are currently being carried out to select and evaluate rootstocks that are tolerant to Citrus Tristeza Virus (CTV) and can be adopted in different citrus production areas. An evaluation of rootstock suitability must consider the productive and qualitative features as well as the adaptability to varied environmental conditions (i.e., soil characteristics). Additionally, some varieties present qualitative aspects that are appreciated by consumers but can be affected by the use of different rootstocks. In Italy, the qualitative traits of pigmented or blood oranges, which are characterized by the presence of anthocyanins in the peel and flesh, are strongly influenced by several factors, including the scion/rootstock combination. The objective of this study was to evaluate and compare the influence of ten rootstocks on yield precocity and fruit quality of ‘Tarocco Scire’ pigmented sweet orange in a Sicilian area within the Protected Geographical Indication (GPI) “Arancia Rossa di Sicilia” production district. Five of the ten rootstocks, namely, ‘Bitters’, ‘Carpenter’, ‘Furr’, ‘F6P12®’ and ‘F6P13′, have recently been released and produced good yields in limiting soil conditions. In this study, the important role of rootstock in determining the organoleptic quality, specifically the sugar content, and the anthocyanin concentrations in both the pulp and the juice was demonstrated. Some of the rootstocks that were recently introduced in Italy, i.e., ‘Bitters’ and ‘Furr’, were promising because they positively influenced several agronomic and qualitative parameters in the tested conditions, positively affected the yield precocity and enhanced the fruit juice anthocyanin content. Overall, these results contribute to the assessment of the role of different rootstocks in the post-CTV Italian citrus industry.

Il chiostro di San Bartolomeo a Lipari: sperimentazioni progettuali e decorative nella prima comunità benedettina della Sicilia normanna

The most ancient Norman Benedictine abbey in Sicilian area is S. Bartolomeo in Lipari. Count Roger I and his brother Robert Guiscard established it a couple of years before the death of the latter ...

Temporal Evolution of the Microbiological Conditions of a Sicilian Area Designed for Aquaculture (Castellammare Gulf, Southern Tyrrhenian Sea)

Microbiological controls of coastal seawaters are a common practice to verify their safety for human recreational and productive uses. The aim of the present study is to describe the microbiological conditions of the Castellammare Gulf (Trapani, Sicily), an area traditionally used for aquaculture purposes. Particularly, the results obtained from three surveys (1993-1995, 2000-2001 and 2007) are compared in order to depict how the hygienic-sanitary conditions of this marine ecosystem have evolved over time. Attention has been given to the abundance and distribution of the bacterial indicators of faecal pollution (faecal coliforms, enterococci and Salmonella spp.) as well as halophilic vibrios, using the culture methods conventionally indicated by current legislation in force for the sanitary control of waters designed for aquaculture productions. The obtained results shows that the sanitary conditions of seawater samples met the criteria recommended by current legislations for shellfish farming approved areas. The low concentrations of faecal pollution indicators and of halophilic vibrios confirm the general suitability of the Gulf of Castellammare for seafood production. Nevertheless, the detection of low percentages of potentially pathogenic species of halophilic vibrios stresses the importance of extending microbiological controls also to these emerging pathogens.

Sicily in its Mediterranean geological frame

The Island of Sicily is generally considered to be the geological link between the North African Fold Belt and the Appennines, in Italy. This comes from a cylindristic meaning and is only partly exact. As a matter of fact, Sicily is essentially Greek; Ionian. Up to Middle Cretaceous time, the Sicilian area was a submerged shoal in the sea or the Panormide area, bordering the Ionian Ocean. This shoal lay between the future North African Fold Belt and the Appennines, forming an intermediate link between the Appenninic, Apulian, Panormian and Tunisian platforms. It was only during the Middle to Upper Cretaceous that the Atlantic and Ligure Oceans merged, making a continuous relationship between the Appenninic, Sicilian and North African sedimentary series. The key time periods are the Permian, Cretaceous and Oligo-Miocene periods leading to the formation of the actual Calabro-Sicilian arc. From the Permian to the present, the Sicilian geological history pertains to three oceanic domains: Ionian, Ligurian and Atlantic, of which the Ionian and Ligurian were under the influence of Tethys (Neo and Paleo-Tethys). The Tethysian identity of Sicily constitutes the major aspect of its geological history. However, the European and African plate tectonic movements complicated its structure. During the Middle Miocene subduction, southern Sicily became African, meanwhile its north-eastern part became, in Pliocene time, Maghrebian by accretion. Sicily is thus a truly geological patchwork, but its main section remains Ionian and now constitutes a link between North Africa and the Appennines. With older data, but also by means of recent results, we will replace Sicily in its Mediterranean frame, giving the mean stages of its paleogeographical and then its tectonic evolution. We will review the calabro-sicilian arc evolution from the Oligocene, developing the actual context and recalling the main fundamental play of the Numidian flysch.

Cancer incidence in Priolo, Sicily: a spatial approach for estimation of industrial air pollution impact.

The territory around the industrial Sicilian area of Priolo, Italy, has been defined as a contaminated site (CS) of national priority for remediation because of diffuse environmental contamination caused by large industrial settlements. The present study investigates the spatial distribution of cancer into the CS territory (period 1999-2006). Different geographical methods used for the evaluation of the impact of industrial air pollutants were adopted. Using the database of Syracuse Province Cancer Registry, gender-specific standardised incidence ratios were calculated for 35 tumour sites for the CS overall and for each municipality included in the CS. A cluster analysis for 17 selected neoplasms was performed at micro-geographical level. The identification of the priority index contaminants (PICs) present in environmental matrices and a review of their carcinogenicity have been performed and applied in the interpretation of the findings. The area has a higher cancer incidence with respect to the provincial population, in particular excess is registered among both genders of lung, bladder and breast cancers as well as skin melanoma and pleural mesothelioma and there is an a priori evidence of association with the exposure to PICs. The study highlights the need to provide different approaches in CSs where several exposure pathways might be relevant for the population. The presence of potential sources of asbestos exposure deserves specific concern.

Archaeometric characterization of Roman volcanic millstones from Messina territory (Sicily, Italy)

In this paper we present the results of petrochemical study of Roman cereal millstones and relative elements made of volcanic rocks, found in various archaeological sites of Messina. Fifteen samples dating from the III century AD and one from the second, also dating from the II–III centuries AD, were characterized through archaeological, petrographic, mineralogical and geochemical approach. On the petrochemical point of view the raw materials of the studied millstones are mainlyvolcanic rock characterized by Na-alkaline affinity with intraplate geochemical signature. Only two samples belonging to the K-alkaline seires showing volcanic arc signature. Comparison with literature data of similar volcanic rocks, allowed to constrain the volcanic site of provenance. Most of the intraplate samples are mugearites and benmoreites from Mt. Etna, the other are peralkaline-trachyte from Pantelleria Island and alkaline basalt from Linosa Island. The two arc-type samples derived instead from Islands of the Aeolian Archipelago. The petrochemical study of millstones improve the archaeological research, confirming the ancient communication routes and trade networks in the Mediterranean Region and highlighted the use of volcanic rocks from Sicilian area, during the Roman period, as very important sources of raw materials for millstones.

The construction of the historic theatres in the Sicilian area: knowledge as a tool for their rehabilitation

In Sicilian area, as well as elsewhere in Europe, the theatres built between the last decades of the XVIII century and the beginning of the XX century are progressively disappearing because of integrations and substitutions required by the new “modernity”, the change of use of the building itself that do not respect the original purpose. Nevertheless, beyond the updates caused by the respect of the new laws concerning the security in public spaces and a great confidence in concrete, there are still many theatres witness of this very interesting typology. This study recognizes and analyses the peculiar elements of major and minor theatre structures.

Platinum in indoor settled dust matter (homes and cars)

This paper presents a method for Pt analysis in indoor (homes and cars) settled dust, used as passive samplers, and the results relative to samples collected in the Sicilian area are used to evaluate the magnitude and distribution of concentrations inside common environments and the possible origins of the considered contaminant. The concentrations of platinum in settled indoor dust were measured by differential pulsed voltammetry (DPV).Concentrations of Pt in homes are in the range from 30 to 1460μgkg−1 d.w. while, in the vehicles from 30 to 1750μgkg−1 d.w. Considering the geoaccumulation index (Igeo), 42% of the settled dust sampled in homes could be classified as extremely contaminated. Only in two cases, the Igeo indicates extremely contaminated and the analyzed settled dust sampled in the cars, about 11% corresponds to practically unpolluted.Considering the Pt concentrations found by us in apartments and cars, it is possible to estimate a daily total uptake of 10 and 4ng respectively. Compared to the dietary PGE intake, which is estimated about μg per day level, or uptake by drinking water, the amount uptake by the indoor dust (homes and cars) may be considered negligible.

The State of the Art in Biosynthesis of Anthocyanins and Its Regulation in Pigmented Sweet Oranges [(Citrus sinensis) L. Osbeck

Anthocyanins are water-soluble pigments belonging to the flavonoid compound family involved in nature in several aspects of plant development and defense. By bestowing much of the color and flavor on fruits and vegetables, they are components of the human diet and, thanks to their radical-scavenging properties, are not considered exclusively as food products but also as therapeutic agents. Several cultivars of red (or blood) oranges [Citrus sinensis (L.) Osbeck], such as Tarocco, Moro, and Sanguinello, are characterized by the presence of anthocyanins in both the rind and fruit juice vesicles. The amount and composition of anthocyanins in the pigmented orange cultivar vary greatly depending on variety, maturity, region of cultivation, and many other environmental conditions. Most of the blood orange varieties require a wide day-night thermal range to maximize color formation. Therefore, the production of red oranges characterized by high anthocyanin levels is limited to a few regions and in particular to the Sicilian area around Mount Etna in Italy, where the characteristic climate conditions yield fruits of unique color intensity and quality. In this review, both the basic information and the most recent advances in red orange anthocyanins are reported, with intense attention given to their biosynthesis and regulation.

Using Static and Dynamic Indicators to Evaluate Soil Physical Quality in a Sicilian Area

AbstractBoth capacitive indicators derived from the water retention curve and dynamic measurements of the flow‐weighted mean pore radius, R0, were used to assess the soil physical quality of two agricultural areas (cropland and olive orchard) and two natural areas (grassland and managed woodlot plantation) potentially subject to soil degradation. The overall idea of the study was to investigate whether a dynamic indicator quantitatively derived from hydraulic conductivity measurements could be used to supplement the traditionally applied capacitive indicators retrieved from water retention measurements. According to the available criteria, only the surface layer of the cropland site showed optimal soil physical quality. In the grassland and woodlot sites, the physical quality was deteriorated also as a consequence of compaction because of grazing. Overall, the physical quality was better in tilled than nontilled soils. The optimal soil in terms of capacitive indicators had hydraulic conductivity close to saturation that was intermediate among the different land uses, and it remained 1·3–1·9 times higher than that observed in the natural sites even when the largest pores emptied. A depth effect on R0 was observed only when larger macropores were activated. It was suggested that water transmission parameters are more affected by changes in large pore domain. The plant available water content and Dexter's S‐index showed inverse statistically significant regressions with R0. The empirical relationships were physically convincing given that, at increasing R0, the contribution of macropores increases, water is transmitted faster below the root zone and the soil's ability to store water is reduced. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Lithospheric P- and S-wave velocity models of the Sicilian area using WAM tomography: procedure and assessments

We present 3-D models of the P- and S-wave velocity distributions in the crust and uppermost mantle beneath Sicily, Calabria (Southern Italy), and surrounding submerged areas, obtained by tomographic inversion of traveltimes of regional body waves phases. Our method combines double-difference tomographic inversion with a post-processing procedure [Weighted Average Model method (WAM)]. This procedure was applied to a set of models consistent with the experimental data. We tested the ability of the WAM procedure to mitigate the uncertainty associated with the arbitrary nature of the many input parameters required for each inversion. The local reliability and resolution of the obtained models have been assessed through: syn- thetic tests, experimental tests carried out with independent data sets and unconventional tests based on the analysis of the internal consistency of the P- and S-velocity models. The tomo- graphic images provide a detailed sketch of P- and S-wave velocity anomalies. These clearly show the shape of the Sicilian-Maghrebian belt beneath Sicily and Calabrian Arc at different depths. Low VP and Vs bodies are imaged beneath Stromboli and Marsili volcanoes in the southern Tyrrhenian, whereas high and low seismic velocities alternate beneath the Etna giving inferences on the possible depth of the mantle melting feeding the volcano. In the upper crust, the main sedimentary basins and tectonic features are also well imaged. Finally, tomographic cross sections show the trend of the Moho in the study area, where its depth ranges between 35 and 40 km beneath the Sicilian belt and between 15 and 22 km in the southern Tyrrhenian basin and Ionian Sea.

Screening of the essential oil composition of wild Sicilian thyme

Thirty samples of wild thyme collected from as many Sicilian locations have been analysed for their qualitative and quantitative essential oil profiles. The oils, obtained by hydrodistillation, have been analysed by a combination of GC-FID-MS; in all, 46 components, representing more than 98% of the oils, were fully characterized. Monoterpenes, both hydrocarbons and oxygenated, were the most highly represented components: the former with a range of 8–61% and the latter with a range of 31–86%. Carvacrol was the main compound in 29 samples, ranging between 49 and 83%, suggesting that Thymus capitatus Hoff. et Link. [syn. Coridothymus capitatus (L.) Rchb.f., Satureja capitata L., Thymbra capitata (L.) Cav.] is the most widespread wild species in the Sicilian area. Only one sample, identified as Thymus longicaulis C. Presl., collected from the North-East of Sicily showed a different composition, p-cymene and thymol being the main compounds with 40 and 16%, respectively. Statistical analyses allowed establishing a single broad group, confirming the substantial compositional uniformity of the essential oil profiles of the wild Sicilian thyme.

Taxonomy of correlations of wind velocity — an application to the Sicilian area

We present an algorithm that allows us to analyze the cross-correlation of wind velocity measured in different locations; this algorithm is applied to 29 recording stations in Sicily. The results show that such correlations present a significant and persistent ultrametric structure that is influenced by the geographical neighborhood as well as by the presence of mountain and the sea. The algorithm presented, that is also able to reveal weak correlations, can be used as a starting point for the development of multivariate models of wind.

Application and Evaluation of the SWAP Model for Simulating Water and Solute Transport in a Cracking Clay Soil

In Sicily, the increasing scarcity of quality water is leading to irrigation with saline water in soils having a considerable susceptibility to cracking. Irrigation systems involving high application rates are used in these irrigated areas, and bypass flow during irrigation is thus prevalent. Adoption of management practices accounting for cracking is therefore necessary to prevent salinization and land degradation. In this paper, water flow and solute transport in a Sicilian cracking soil irrigated with saline water was simulated by using the soil‐water‐atmosphere‐plant environment (SWAP) model, and the simulated results compared with measured values of soil moisture and salinity. The soil hydraulic parameters were obtained by inverse method based on multi‐step outflow experiments, adopting two different sets of hydraulic parameters/functions, that is, (i) the van Genuchten‐Mualem, (VGM model) and (ii) the Brutsaert retention equation coupled with the hydraulic conductivity model proposed by Gardner (B‐G model). The results obtained using field measurements from four soil profiles of a cracking clay soil showed that SWAP provided accurate predictions of water content, θ, when the soil hydraulic properties were expressed according to the B‐G model. Using the B‐G hydraulic parameters/functions, the model was calibrated with reference to the dispersivity (Ldis). A calibration value of about 20 cm was found for the four different profiles. In the conditions occurring in the Sicilian area where we are focusing our attention, the predictive errors associated with the simulated ECsat, can be considered acceptable if the purpose of application is to predict the influence of salinity on crop yield.

A new germline mutation in BRCA1 gene in a sicilian family with ovarian cancer

A group of 103 sicilian patients with hereditary and familiar breast and/or ovarian cancer were screened for Breast Cancer 1 gene (BRCA1) mutations by direct sequencing PCR products spanning the coding region and partial intronic regions of the BRCA1 gene. In this study, we report a new germline mutation in BRCA1 gene, not previously reported in the BIC database, in a woman with ovarian cancer at 46 years old. Mother's proband has been diagnosed the same histotype of ovarian cancer at 42 age. The mutational analyses that shown a 4843delC frameshift mutation in exon 16 of BRCA1 gene was extended to other family members including the proband's brother and her two sons. Direct automatic sequencing of DNA extracted from the lymphocytes showed exactly the same 4843delC frameshift mutation only in the brother. In conclusion, the characterization of this mutation could help in the identification of a founder mutation of sicilian area and this may provide significant advantages for genetic counselling.