Natural hazard risk analysis in the framework of water safety plans.

The available literature on natural hazard risk analysis focused on the implementation of water safety plans (WSPs) is surprisingly quite poor, despite the significant increase in the number and severity of disasters and adverse effects on drinking water supply systems generated by natural hazards. At the same time, WSPs that conveniently account for natural hazards with a comprehensive approach 'from source to tap' are still scarce as they typically occur at larger spatial scales and adequate prevention, mitigation and adaptation require efficient inter-institutional collaborations. The aim of this paper is to highlight the main bottlenecks for water utilities to include natural hazards in the development of their WSPs.

Rectal Administration of Cells Elicits a Specific, Th1-Associated IgG2a Response in Mice: New Perspectives for Mucosal Vaccination against Leishmaniasis, after the Repurposing of a Study on an Anti-Viral Vaccine Candidate.

The mucosal immune system plays a pivotal role in the control of infections, as it represents the first line of defense against most pathogens, from respiratory viruses to intestinal parasites. Mucosal vaccination is thus regarded as a promising strategy to protect animals, including humans, from infections that are acquired by ingestion, inhalation or through the urogenital system. In addition, antigens delivered at the mucosal level can also elicit systemic immune responses.

Efficacy of mucosal vaccination using a protozoan parasite as a vehicle for antigen delivery: IgG and neutralizing response after rectal administration of LeCoVax-2, a candidate vaccine against COVID-19.

Mucosal vaccination is regarded as a promising alternative to classical, intramuscular vaccine delivery. However, only a limited number of vaccines have been licensed for mucosal administration in humans. Here we propose Leishmania tarentolae, a protozoan parasite, as a potential antigen vehicle for mucosal vaccination, for administration via the rectal or oral routes.

The cloacal microbiome of a cavity-nesting raptor, the lesser kestrel ().

Background: Microbial communities are found on any part of animal bodies exposed to the environment, and are particularly prominent in the gut, where they play such a major role in the host metabolism and physiology to be considered a "second genome". These communities, collectively known as "microbiome", are well studied in humans and model species, while studies on wild animals have lagged behind. This is unfortunate, as different studies suggested the central role of the gut microbiome in shaping the evolutionary trajectories of species and their population dynamics.

Antibiotic resistance genes correlate with metal resistances and accumulate in the deep water layers of the Black Sea.

Seas and oceans are a global reservoir of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs). Only a few studies investigated the dynamics of ARGs along the water column of the Black Sea, a unique environment, with a peculiar geology, biology and history of anthropogenic pollution. In this study, we analyzed metagenomic data from two sampling campaigns (2013 and 2019) collected across three different sites in the Western Black Sea at depths ranging from 5 to 2000 m.

as an Antigen Delivery Platform: Dendritic Cell Maturation after Infection with a Clone Engineered to Express the SARS-CoV-2 Spike Protein.

Background: Protozoa of the genus are characterized by their capacity to target macrophages and Dendritic Cells (DCs). These microorganisms could thus be exploited for the delivery of antigens to immune cells. is regarded as a non-pathogenic species; it was previously used as a biofactory for protein production and has been considered as a candidate vaccine or as an antigen delivery platform.

Epidemic Preparedness- as an Easy-to-Handle Tool to Produce Antigens for Viral Diagnosis: Application to COVID-19.

To detect and prevent emerging epidemics, discovery platforms are urgently needed, for the rapid development of diagnostic assays. Molecular diagnostic tests for COVID-19 were developed shortly after the isolation of SARS-CoV-2. However, serological tests based on antiviral antibody detection, revealing previous exposure to the virus, required longer testing phases, due to the need to obtain correctly folded and glycosylated antigens.

Life-history responses of a freshwater rotifer to copper pollution.

In organisms with dormant stages, life-history responses to past pollution can be studied retrospectively. Here, we study such responses in a rotifer () from the once heavily copper-polluted Lake Orta (Italy). We extracted resting eggs from sediments, established clonal lineages from hatchlings, and exposed newborns of these lineages to one of three copper concentrations that each mimicked a specific period in the lake's pollution history.

Exposure assessment of PFAS-contaminated sites using avian eggs as a biomonitoring tool: A frame of reference and a case study in the Po River valley (Northern Italy).

For many years, eggs of diverse bird species have been used as monitoring tools in studies investigating perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) contamination, especially in marine and remote areas. Avian eggs are a suitable monitoring matrix because they are relatively easy to collect and their yolks store diverse maternally transferred PFAS. Moreover, the concentrations of PFAS detected in the eggs are a good proxy for maternal exposure and allow the assessment of the potential risk for birds.

Spatial distribution of antibiotic and heavy metal resistance genes in the Black Sea.

Antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) and antibiotic resistant bacteria (ARB) are worldwide considered as emerging contaminants of large interest, and a primary threat to human health. It is becoming clear that the environment plays a central role in the transmission, spread, and evolution of antibiotic resistance. Although marine systems have been largely investigated, only a few studies have considered the presence of ARGs in meso- and bathypelagic waters.

Does weighting presence records improve the performance of species distribution models? A test using fish larval stages in the Yangtze Estuary.

To obtain realistic forecasts of the impacts of climate change on species habitat suitability, novel approaches based on species distribution models (SDMs) are being developed and scrutinized. We argue here that, when dealing with data from long-term monitoring programmes, incorporating a temporal weight on the occurrence points may result in a more realistic prediction of a species' potential distribution. Using larval fish presence records collected from 1999 to 2013 in the Yangtze Estuary, China, we compared the performance of ensembles of standard SDMs versus SDMs constructed with weighted time-series presence records in predicting the present and future distributions of the larval stages of two dominant fish.

Water and microbial monitoring technologies towards the near future space exploration.

Space exploration is demanding longer lasting human missions and water resupply from Earth will become increasingly unrealistic. In a near future, the spacecraft water monitoring systems will require technological advances to promptly identify and counteract contingent events of waterborne microbial contamination, posing health risks to astronauts with lowered immune responsiveness. The search for bio-analytical approaches, alternative to those applied on Earth by cultivation-dependent methods, is pushed by the compelling need to limit waste disposal and avoid microbial regrowth from analytical carryovers.

Uptake and translocation of perfluoroalkyl acids (PFAAs) in hydroponically grown red chicory (Cichorium intybus L.): Growth and developmental toxicity, comparison with growth in soil and bioavailability implications.

Short-chain perfluoroalkyl acids (PFAAs) have shown a high potential for plant (crop) uptake, making them possibly significant contributors to the total dietary exposure to PFAAs. The plant uptake of PFAAs is a complex process that needs better characterization, as it does not only depend on perfluoroalkyl chain length, but also on their polar terminal group, on the plant species and the exposure media. Here, a plant uptake study with nine perfluoroalkyl acids (PFAAs) was carried out under the hydroponic (soilless) exposure conditions.

Uptake and translocation of perfluoroalkyl acids (PFAA) in red chicory (Cichorium intybus L.) under various treatments with pre-contaminated soil and irrigation water.

Perfluoroalkyl acids (PFAAs), particularly short-chained ones, have high potential for crop uptake, posing a threat to human health in contaminated areas. There is a scarcity of studies using contaminated water as the medium for PFAAs delivery to crops, and a lack of data on the partitioning of PFAA mixtures in growing media. In this context, a controlled experimental study was carried out in a greenhouse to investigate the uptake of a PFAA mixture into red chicory, a typical crop from a major PFAA contamination hot-spot in northern Italy, under treatments with environmentally relevant concentrations in spiked irrigation water and soil, separately and simultaneously.

Microbial community composition of water samples stored inside the International Space Station.

During the VIABLE ISS project (eValuatIon And monitoring of microBiofiLms insidE International Space Station), water samples subjected to two different silver treatments were sent and kept on board the International Space Station (ISS) from 2011 to 2016. In this note we report data on the viable and total bacterial load and on the composition of the microbial communities of the VIABLE ISS samples.

Water Quality and Total Microbial Load: A Double-Threshold Identification Procedure Intended for Space Applications.

During longer-lasting future space missions, water renewal by ground-loaded supplies will become increasingly expensive and unmanageable for months. Space exploration by self-sufficient spacecrafts is thus demanding the development of culture-independent microbiological methods for in-flight water monitoring to counteract possible contamination risks. In this study, we aimed at evaluating total microbial load data assessed by selected early-warning techniques with current or promising perspectives for space applications (i.

Eutrophication management in surface waters using lanthanum modified bentonite: A review.

This paper reviews the scientific knowledge on the use of a lanthanum modified bentonite (LMB) to manage eutrophication in surface water. The LMB has been applied in around 200 environments worldwide and it has undergone extensive testing at laboratory, mesocosm, and whole lake scales. The available data underline a high efficiency for phosphorus binding.