Connecting molecular biomarkers, mineralogical composition, and microbial diversity from Mars analog lava tubes.

Lanzarote (Canary Islands, Spain) is one of the best terrestrial analogs to Martian volcanology. Particularly, Lanzarote lava tubes may offer access to recognizably preserved chemical and morphological biosignatures valuable for astrobiology. By combining microbiological, mineralogical, and organic geochemistry tools, an in-depth characterization of speleothems and associated microbial communities in lava tubes of Lanzarote is provided.

Insights into the microbial life in silica-rich subterranean environments: microbial communities and ecological interactions in an orthoquartzite cave (Imawarì Yeuta, Auyan Tepui, Venezuela).

Microbial communities inhabiting caves in quartz-rich rocks are still underexplored, despite their possible role in the silica cycle. The world's longest orthoquartzite cave, Imawarì Yeuta, represents a perfect arena for the investigation of the interactions between microorganisms and silica in non-thermal environments due to the presence of extraordinary amounts of amorphous silica speleothems of different kinds. In this work, the microbial diversity of Imawarì Yeuta was dissected by analyzing nineteen samples collected from different locations representative of different silica amorphization phases and types of samples.

Organic geochemistry and mineralogy suggest anthropogenic impact in speleothem chemistry from volcanic show caves of the Galapagos.

The network of lava tubes is one of the most unexploited natural wonders of the Galapagos Islands. Here, we provide the first morphological, mineralogical, and biogeochemical assessment of speleothems from volcanic caves of the Galapagos to understand their structure, composition, and origin, as well as to identify organic molecules preserved in speleothems. Mineralogical analyses revealed that moonmilk and coralloid speleothems from Bellavista and Royal Palm Caves were composed of calcite, opal-A, and minor amounts of clay minerals.

Transition from unclassified Ktedonobacterales to Actinobacteria during amorphous silica precipitation in a quartzite cave environment.

The orthoquartzite Imawarì Yeuta cave hosts exceptional silica speleothems and represents a unique model system to study the geomicrobiology associated to silica amorphization processes under aphotic and stable physical-chemical conditions. In this study, three consecutive evolution steps in the formation of a peculiar blackish coralloid silica speleothem were studied using a combination of morphological, mineralogical/elemental and microbiological analyses. Microbial communities were characterized using Illumina sequencing of 16S rRNA gene and clone library analysis of carbon monoxide dehydrogenase (coxL) and hydrogenase (hypD) genes involved in atmospheric trace gases utilization.

Machine learning for recognizing minerals from multispectral data.

Machine Learning (ML) has found several applications in spectroscopy, including recognizing minerals and estimating elemental composition. ML algorithms have been widely used on datasets from individual spectroscopy methods such as vibrational Raman scattering, reflective Visible-Near Infrared (VNIR), and Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS). We firstly reviewed and tested several ML approaches to mineral classification from the existing literature, and identified a novel approach for using Deep Learning algorithms for mineral classification from Raman spectra, that outperform previous state-of-the-art methods.

The PANGAEA mineralogical database.

Future human missions to the surface of the Moon and Mars will involve scientific exploration requiring new support tools to enable rapid and high quality science decision-making. Here, we describe the PANGAEA (Planetary ANalogue Geological and Astrobiological Exercise for Astronauts) Mineralogical Database developed by ESA (European Space Agency): a catalog of petrographic and spectroscopic information on all currently known minerals identified on the Moon, Mars, and associated with meteorites. The catalog also includes minerals found in the analog field sites used for ESA's geology and astrobiology training course PANGAEA, to broaden the database coverage.

Nocturia in mothers and enuresis in children: Possible links.

Objective: The aim of the present study was to examine the relationship between nocturnal enuresis (NE) of childhood and nocturia of parents.

Material And Methods: The study was conducted across the network of general pediatricians of the ASL NA 1 of Naples, Italy. All the children with NE and their mothers were invited to attend the clinic for the study.

Microbial diversity and biosignatures of amorphous silica deposits in orthoquartzite caves.

Chemical mobility of crystalline and amorphous SiO plays a fundamental role in several geochemical and biological processes, with silicate minerals being the most abundant components of the Earth's crust. Although the oldest evidences of life on Earth are fossilized in microcrystalline silica deposits, little is known about the functional role that bacteria can exert on silica mobility at non-thermal and neutral pH conditions. Here, a microbial influence on silica mobilization event occurring in the Earth's largest orthoquartzite cave is described.

Rift Valley fever trasmission dynamics described by compartmental models.

Rift Valley fever (RVF) is one of the most important zoonotic Transboundary Animal Diseases able to cross international borders and cause devastating effect on animal health and food security. Climate changes and the presence of competent vectors in the most of the current RVF-free temperate countries strongly support the inclusion of RVF virus (RVFV) among the most significant emerging viral threats for public and animal health. The transmission of RVFV is driven by complex eco-climatic factors making the epidemiology of RVF infection difficult to study and to understand.

The Arbo‑zoonet Information System.

The Arbo‑zoonet Information System has been developed as part of the 'International Network for Capacity Building for the Control of Emerging Viral Vector Borne Zoonotic Diseases (Arbo‑zoonet)' project. The project aims to create common knowledge, sharing data, expertise, experiences, and scientific information on West Nile Disease (WND), Crimean‑Congo haemorrhagic fever (CCHF), and Rift Valley fever (RVF). These arthropod‑borne diseases of domestic and wild animals can affect humans, posing great threat to public health.

Microbial mediation of complex subterranean mineral structures.

Helictites--an enigmatic type of mineral structure occurring in some caves--differ from classical speleothems as they develop with orientations that defy gravity. While theories for helictite formation have been forwarded, their genesis remains equivocal. Here, we show that a remarkable suite of helictites occurring in Asperge Cave (France) are formed by biologically-mediated processes, rather than abiotic processes as had hitherto been proposed.

Multidisciplinary approach and anesthetic management of a surgical cancer patient with methylene tetrahydrofolate reductase deficiency: a case report and review of the literature.

Introduction: Hyperhomocysteinemia is a known risk factor for myocardial infarction, stroke, peripheral vascular disease, and thrombosis. Elevated plasma homocysteine levels have been demonstrated in patients with recurrent episodes or a single episode of thrombosis. Here we describe the development of cardiovascular disease as a complication of a surgical intervention in a patient with colorectal cancer and hyperhomocysteinemia.

Vector borne infections in Italy: results of the integrated surveillance system for West Nile disease in 2013.

The epidemiology of West Nile disease (WND) is influenced by multiple ecological factors and, therefore, integrated surveillance systems are needed for early detecting the infection and activating consequent control actions. As different animal species have different importance in the maintenance and in the spread of the infection, a multispecies surveillance approach is required. An integrated and comprehensive surveillance system is in place in Italy aiming at early detecting the virus introduction, monitoring the possible infection spread, and implementing preventive measures for human health.

Epidemiology of West Nile disease in Europe and in the Mediterranean Basin from 2009 to 2013.

West Nile virus (WNV) transmission has been confirmed in the last four years in Europe and in the Mediterranean Basin. An increasing concern towards West Nile disease (WND) has been observed due to the high number of human and animal cases reported in these areas confirming the importance of this zoonosis. A new epidemiological scenario is currently emerging: although new introductions of the virus from abroad are always possible, confirming the epidemiological role played by migratory birds, the infection endemisation in some European territories today is a reality supported by the constant reoccurrence of the same strains across years in the same geographical areas.

Analysis of surveillance systems in place in European Mediterranean countries for West Nile virus (WNV) and Rift Valley fever (RVF).

West Nile virus (WNV) and Rift Valley fever virus (RVFV) represent an important group of viral agents responsible for vector-borne zoonotic diseases constituting an emerging sanitary threat for the Mediterranean Basin and the neighbouring countries. WNV infection is present in several Mediterranean countries, whereas RVF has never been introduced into Europe, but it is considered a major threat for North African countries. Being vector-borne diseases, they cannot be prevented only through an animal trade control policy.

The components of 'One World - One Health' approach.

The interaction between living beings, including men, animals and pathogens, sharing the same environment, should be considered as a unique dynamic system, in which the health of each component is inextricably interconnected and dependent with the others. Nowadays, a new integrated One Health approach is reflecting this interdependence with a holistic view to the ecological system. The One Health approach can be defined as a collaborative and a multidisciplinary effort at local, national and global level to guarantee an optimal healthy status for humans, animals and environment.

Epidemiological study of an outbreak of Norovirus in a rest home in Italy.

A Norovirus GII.4 (variant 2006) epidemic occurred in a rest home in the Abruzzo region of Italy between January and March 2009. Rest homes are typologically exposed to Norovirus infections as often reported in the literature.