Purpose
Hypogonadism was described in high number of male subjects with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection. In this study, we investigated whether low testosterone ...(
T
) values may influence the clinical presentation and outcome of SARS-CoV-2-related pneumonia in a large population of adult males with coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19).
Methods
Two hundred twenty one adult males hospitalized for COVID-19 at the IRCCS Humanitas Research Hospital, Rozzano-Milan (Italy) were consecutively evaluated for arterial partial pressure oxygen (PaO
2
)/fraction of inspired oxygen (FiO
2
) ratio, serum T and inflammatory parameters at study entry, need of ventilation during hospital stay and in-hospital mortality.
Results
Subjects low
T
values (< 8 nmol/L; 176 cases) were significantly older (
P
= 0.001) and had higher serum interleukin-6 (
P
= 0.001), C-reactive protein (
P
< 0.001), lactate dehydrogenase (
P
< 0.001), ferritin (
P
= 0.012), lower
P/F
ratio (
P
= 0.001), increased prevalence of low T3 syndrome (
P
= 0.041), acute respiratory insufficiency (
P
< 0.001), more frequently need of ventilation (
P
< 0.001) and higher mortality rate (
P
= 0.009) compared to subjects with higher T values. In the multivariable regression analyses,
T
values maintained significant associations with acute respiratory insufficiency (odds ratio OR 0.85, 95% confidence interval CI 0.79–0.94;
P
< 0.001 and in-hospital mortality (OR 0.80, 95% CI 0.69–0.95;
P
= 0.009), independently of age, comorbidities, thyroid function and inflammation.
Conclusion
Low T levels values are associated with unfavorable outcome of COVID-19. Prospective studies are needed to evaluate the long-term outcomes of hypogonadism related to COVID-19 and the clinical impact of T replacement during and after acute illness.
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EMUNI, FIS, FZAB, GEOZS, GIS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, MFDPS, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, SBMB, SBNM, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK, VKSCE, ZAGLJ
The Mediterranean Sea is a two‐basin system, with the boundary zone restricted to the Strait of Sicily and the narrow Strait of Messina. Two main population groups are recognized in the Mediterranean ...endemic seagrass Posidonia oceanica, corresponding to the Western and the Eastern basins. To address the nature of the East–West cleavage in P. oceanica, the main aims of this study were: (i) to define the genetic structure within the potential contact zone (i.e. the Strait of Sicily) and clarify the extent of gene flow between the two population groups, and (ii) to investigate the role of present water circulation patterns vs. past evolutionary events on the observed genetic pattern. To achieve these goals, we utilized SSR markers and we simulated, with respect to current regime, the possible present‐day dispersal pattern of Posidonia floating fruits using 28‐day numerical Lagrangian trajectories. The results obtained confirm the presence of the two main population groups, without any indices of reproductive isolation, with the break zone located at the level of the Southern tip of Calabria. The populations in the Strait of Sicily showed higher affinity with Western than with Eastern populations. This pattern of genetic structure probably reflects historical avenues of recolonization from relict glacial areas and past vicariance events, but seems to persist as a result of the low connectivity among populations via marine currents, as suggested by our dispersal simulation analysis.
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BFBNIB, FZAB, GIS, IJS, KILJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, SAZU, SBCE, SBMB, UL, UM, UPUK
Posidonia oceanica is the most common, widespread and important monocotyledon seagrass in the Mediterranean Basin, and hosts a large biodiversity of species, including microorganisms with key roles ...in the marine environment. In this study, we ascertain the presence of a fungal endophyte in the roots of P. oceanica growing on different substrata (rock, sand and matte) in two Sicilian marine meadows. Staining techniques on root fragments and sections, in combination with microscope observations, were used to visualise the fungal presence and determine the percentage of fungal colonisation (FC) in this tissue. In root fragments, statistical analysis of the FC showed a higher mean in roots anchored on rock than on matte and sand. In root sections, an inter- and intracellular septate mycelium, producing intracellular microsclerotia, was detected from the rhizodermis to the vascular cylinder. Using isolation techniques, we obtained, from both sampling sites, sterile, slow-growing fungal colonies, dark in colour, with septate mycelium, belonging to the dark septate endophytes (DSEs). DNA sequencing of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region identified these colonies as Lulwoana sp. To our knowledge, this is the first report of Lulwoana sp. as DSE in roots of P. oceanica. Moreover, the highest fungal colonisation, detected in P. oceanica roots growing on rock, suggests that the presence of the DSE may help the host in several ways, particularly in capturing mineral nutrients through lytic activity.
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BFBNIB, FZAB, GIS, IJS, KILJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, SAZU, SBCE, SBMB, UL, UM, UPUK
The effects of different substratum typologies on Posidonia oceanica growth and morphology were estimated in four Sicilian meadows using Generalized and Linear Mixed Models combined with retrodating ...and biometric analyses. Substratum exerted a multiple effect, resulting in different biometric features for P. oceanica shoots settled on rock from those growing on sand and matte. On rock, values for growth rate, leaf length and shoot surface were lower than those on other substrata, with 42%, 23% and 32% the highest degree of difference respectively. The present study may have interesting methodological consequences for the comprehensive understanding of the causative variables potentially affecting meadows features and their health status. The importance of substratum in the prediction of likely biometry changes in P. oceanica meadows, means that knowledge of substratum type should receive due attention in the future to derive reliable estimates of meadow status.
•We examine Posidonia oceanica meadows growing on different substrata.•Variations in P. oceanica morphology and growth depend on substratum type.•On rock the plants show lower growth performance and leaf biometry.•Substratum should be controlled during monitoring the meadows to avoid its confounding.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UILJ, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK, ZAGLJ, ZRSKP
The conservation of the coastal marine environment requires the possession of information that enables the global quality of the environment to be evaluated reliably and relatively quickly. The use ...of biological indicators is often an appropriate method. Seagrasses in general, and
Posidonia oceanica meadows in particular, are considered to be appropriate for biomonitoring because of their wide distribution, reasonable size, sedentary habit, easy collection and abundance and sensitivity to modifications of littoral zone. Reasoned management, on the scale of the whole Mediterranean basin, requires standardized methods of study, to be applied by both researchers and administrators, enabling comparable results to be obtained. This paper synthesises the existing methods applied to monitor
P. oceanica meadows, identifies the most suitable techniques and suggests future research directions. From the results of a questionnaire, distributed to all the identified laboratories working on this topic, a list of the most commonly used descriptors was drawn up, together with the related research techniques (e.g. standardization, interest and limits, valuation of the results). It seems that the techniques used to study meadows are rather similar, but rarely identical, even though the various teams often refer to previously published works. This paper shows the interest of a practical guide that describes, in a standardized way, the most useful techniques enabling
P. oceanica meadows to be used as an environmental descriptor. Indeed, it constitutes the first stage in the process.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK
The presence of rock and portable art on Sicily has been recognized since World War II. This record has been unanimously attributed to the Upper Palaeolithic in the published literature, based almost ...uniquely on stylistic reasoning. Here we present the first absolute dates in direct association with the Sicilian art record. These data provide new insights into the life of Southern European hunter-gatherers and their relationships with coeval groups from Western Europe, contributing a fresh perspective on the ongoing discussion about the development and co-existence of different art traditions in Europe during the final phases of the Pleistocene and at the beginning of the Holocene.
•First numerical dates of the Lateglacial rock and mobile art record of Sicily.•Providing additional data to ongoing debates on the trend to simplification in Europe’s art at the end of the Palaeolithic.•Contributing new elements to the discussion on the relationships between centre and periphery during the Lateglacial
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UILJ, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK, ZAGLJ, ZRSKP
A model developed for Zostera marina was adapted and used to select suitable areas for Posidonia oceanica transplantation in the Gulf of Palermo, where recent rehabilitation programmes have reduced ...human pressure. This model consists of three steps: (1) habitat selection, by calculation of the Preliminary Transplant Suitability Index (PTSI); (2) field assessments and test-transplanting, to evaluate the site suitability and to estimate the effects of tearing on transplant units (about 50%); (3) identification of suitable restoration sites, by calculation of the Transplant Suitability Index (TSI). A new parameter was added to the literature model: the number of grids detached, which is linked to factors (hydrodynamic regime, anchoring, fishing) that have a potentially great effect on the final outcome of the transplant. Only one site (TSI = 16) in the Gulf of Palermo was indicated as potentially suitable for restoration with P. oceanica. In this site, a transplant of 40 m2 was implemented. From 2008 to 2014, transplant effectiveness was evaluated in terms of establishment, detachment and mortality of cuttings and shoot density. The long-term monitoring (6 years) allowed us to detect changes in the structural conditions of the transplanted meadow and to identify the possible turning point in P. oceanica recovery (2 years after transplanting). Moreover, 6 years after transplantation the P. oceanica meadow has exceeded the transplant shoot density of about 16%, with a mean and a maximum value of 11.6 and 17 shoots per cutting, respectively.
The response of orthotropic rhizome elongation and primary production of
Posidonia oceanica to anthropogenic perturbations and potential confounding effects of shoot age were assessed using a Linear ...Multilevel Model (LMM). This model examined the confounding effect of age by comparing the estimates of impact and variance components obtained by excluding and including Age as an explanatory variable. Age had a negative effect on rhizome elongation and primary production with an annual decrease of 0.6 mm y
−
1
and 7 mg dw y
−
1
respectively. According to the LMM when age effect was omitted, the differences between disturbed and control locations in rhizome elongation and primary production were 2.62 mm y
−
1
and 0.044 g dw y
−
1
respectively. These effects were statistically not significant. On the contrary, when age effect was included in the statistical model, impacts became evident for both variables, with significant differences between disturbed and control locations of 5.85 mm y
−
1
and 0.081 g dw y
−
1
for rhizome elongation and primary production, respectively. Thus, particular attention should be paid to the potential confounding effect of shoots age in analyses of impacts on growth performance of
P. oceanica.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK
The relationship between flowering and growth performance of Posidonia oceanica (L.) Delile in meadows distributed along the south‐eastern coast of Sicily (Italy) was investigated by means of a ...statistical model (generalized linear mixed model) combined with the lepidochronological analysis. Over a 28‐year period, 67 floral stalk remains were observed. The highest flowering index was recorded in lepidochronological year 1998 (10.1%) and the Inflorescence Frequency per age showed a clear decrease corresponding to 15‐year‐old shoots. The sexual reproductive event had positive effects on rhizome elongation (cm year−1) and leaf production (no. leaves year−1) in the same flowering year, whilst no effect on the rhizome production (mg year−1) was observed. Rhizome growth variables showed significant negative lagged responses in the two years following flowering. On the whole, we calculated that the effect exerted by flowering, in terms of loss on rhizome elongation and production, was about 27% and 38%, respectively. Although it has been demonstrated that recovery from the stress induced by sexual reproduction is limited to the two years after flowering, the magnitude of the reproductive cost may become quite considerable especially in comparison with the whole lifespan of individual shoots.
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BFBNIB, FZAB, GIS, IJS, KILJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, SAZU, SBCE, SBMB, UL, UM, UPUK
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