Claudio Chimenti

Natural or man-made hypogea (such as tombs, catacombs and crypts) are underground environments with a stable microclimate (temperatures rarely above 20°C and a consistently high relative humidity, often close to water vapour saturation). These features result from the combined effect of the high heat capacity of the structure and limited air exchange between the indoors and outdoors. Despite the stable microclimate conditions, the monitoring in such environments requires careful consideration of instrument choice and deployment due to prolonged near-saturation conditions. The THESAN project has been funded by Sapienza University of Rome to investigate the impact of a changing microclimate and microbial dynamics on the preservation of tombs in the Etruscan necropolis of Tarquinia, a UNESCO World Heritage Site in the Mediterranean basin. This contribution describes the microclimate investigation undertaken in selected tombs, where an environmental monitoring has been implemented by the authors since 2024 and it is still ongoing. Particular attention was paid to selecting a sensor to measure relative humidity, which is challenging in such environments. Additionally, the contribution investigates the potential impact of a changing climate on related indoor microclimate conditions. Heat and moisture transfer functions were applied to indoor and outdoor microclimate observations collected in 2024-2026 in order to model indoor temperature and specific humidity based on past and future outdoor conditions. In this way, the evolution of the indoor microclimate from 1940 to 2100 under the Shared Socioeconomic Pathway (SSP) 2-4.5 scenario was analysed. Both microclimate variables increase slowly but steadily in line with the outdoor variables, with their intensity differing only according to the depth of the structures. This is a significant factor when assessing the risk to the preservation of these unique sites, as most degradation, including the spread of microorganisms colonising mural paintings, is induced by microclimate conditions. The investigation enabled the evaluation of the impact of outdoor climate and informs possible future pathways for the management of these sites in a constructive dialogue with microclimatologists, microbiologists, restorers, and the site manager.

The Odonata (dragonflies and damselflies) are key bioindicators of freshwater ecosystem health and are widely used in ecological and conservation research. Historical entomological collections provide a valuable source of biodiversity data, particularly for tracking species distributions over time and detecting environmental changes. The Odonata collection of the Museum of Zoology at Sapienza University of Rome includes 2406 specimens, representing 77 taxa (74 species and three identified at genus level) across 33 genera and 11 families. Most specimens were collected in Italy, with a small subset from other parts of Europe. This collection forms part of the broader entomological heritage of the University and is now being preserved and made accessible for research and public engagement through digitisation and online dissemination initiatives. This is the first publicly available, digitised dataset of the Odonata collection from the Museum of Zoology at Sapienza University of Rome (MZUR), comprising 2406 specimens. All records have been georeferenced and standardised following the Darwin Core format. The dataset is published on the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) under the MZUR institutional profile, significantly increasing its visibility and accessibility. In addition to data publication, the digitisation process included high-resolution photography of specimens and the transcription of original label data. An interactive web-based platform was also developed using Python-based tools, enabling dynamic exploration of the collection and enhancing its use for research, education and outreach.

The aim of the present study was to in vitro evaluate the effect of dentin conditioning with hydroabrasion on the microtensile bond strengths of three adhesive systems, compared to the standard etch-and-rinse technique. Sixty extracted human third molars were collected, and their midcoronal occlusal dentin was used for the microtensile bond strength test. Teeth were randomly assigned to three groups according to the adhesive system used: ExciTE F DSC, ENA Bond, and Scotchbond Universal. Specimens from each group were further divided into four subgroups: control specimens were treated with standard adhesive procedures; hydroabraded (HA) specimens were subjected to preventive hydroabrasion with three different intensity levels. After bonding procedures, composite crowns were incrementally built up. After thermocycling, specimens were subsequently sectioned into 1 × 1 mm sticks, and microtensile bond strengths were measured. Data were statistically analyzed. Failure mode analysis was performed. There were no significant differences in terms of bond strength between standard adhesion protocols and adhesion with HA preconditionings. On the other hand, the type of adhesive used had a significant effect on the tensile bond strength. Subgroups treated with hydroabrasion at higher intensity showed a slightly increased frequency of cohesive fractures. In conclusion, hydroabrasion can be used for dentin cavity preparation or finishing, since it does not seem to affect the bonding effectiveness.

Three species belonging to the genus Dolichopoda (Orthoptera; Rhaphidopohoridae) are known so far from the Peloponnese, all endemic to the area. In particular, D. matsakisi is known from two mountains in the North, while D. dalensi is present in the east region. The third species, D. unicolor, is distributed in the southern part of the Peloponnese, inhabiting caves on Mt Taygetos and Mani Peninsula. Recently, extensive sampling work in most of the Peloponnese has led to the discovery of new taxa, morphologically differentiated by the above three known species. To investigate the delimitation of the Peloponnesian species of Dolichopoda, we performed both morphological and molecular analyses. Morphological analysis was carried out by considering diagnostic characters generally used to distinguish different taxa, as the shape of epiphallus in males and the subgenital plate in females. Molecular analysis was performed by sequencing three mitochondrial genes, 12S rRNA, 16S rRNA, and COI, and one nuclear gene, 28S rRNA. Results from both morphological and molecular analyses were used to revise the taxonomic arrangement of the Peloponnesian species. On the whole, we were able to distinguish seven lineages of Peloponnesian Dolichopoda species, of which D. kofinasi n.sp., D.epidavrii n.sp., D. poseidonica n.sp., and D. propanti n.sp. are described as new species. http://www.zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:857875CB-22B9-4CFC-9B7F-3FDDFC47A4E6

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the shear bond strength and adhesive remnant index ARI) of orthodontic brackets following enamel conditioning with acid etching, hydroabrasion, and with both procedures. Thirty extracted human premolars were divided into three groups and received either acid etching, hydroabrasion or both procedures. Orthodontic brackets were bonded with composite resin. Shear bond strength was tested with a tensile machine, then the teeth were observed under a stereomicroscope to evaluate ARI scores. The enamel morphology after each conditioning method was evaluated with scanning electron microscope imaging. A one-way ANOVA and a Kruskal−Wallis H test were used to compare the bond strength and the ARI scores among the three groups. Hydroabrasion alone produced shear bond strength values below clinical acceptability, while the combination of acid etching and hydroabrasion produced the highest values. The ARI scores in the hydroabrasion group were significantly different from the other groups. Hydroabrasion followed by acid etching was effective in increasing the shear bond strength of orthodontic brackets. Further in vivo studies are needed to confirm the cost and benefits of this technique.

Maxillary canines are the second most frequently impacted teeth after third molars. In some cases, the position of the impacted tooth makes orthodontic traction too risky or even impossible. Autotransplantation can be a viable treatment option, and has been proven to have an acceptable success rate. The case reports a young female with a complex impaction solved using autotransplantation together with orthodontic alignment, with a 5‐year follow‐up.

Clear aligner treatment offers several advantages, but the available literature shows that some kind of tooth movements are unpredictable. In addition, the majority of the studies are focused on one clear aligner system, while different characteristics of various systems can provide different treatment outcomes. The aim of the present retrospective cohort study was to evaluate the predictability of Nuvola® aligner system in achieving torque movements of anterior teeth. Thirty-nine adult patients, who were consecutively treated with clear aligners, were retrospectively selected, and digital models pre-treatment (T0), post-treatment (T1) and the digital setup models (TS) were collected. Only the first phase of treatment made of 12 aligners was considered for the present study. Torque of anterior teeth was measured as labiolingual inclination on digital models at T0, T1, and TS using VAM software. Any difference between the predicted and achieved torque movements was evaluated using Wilcoxon signed-rank test or paired sample t test. First-type error was set as p < 0.008. No statistically significant difference was found for all the anterior teeth between predicted and achieved torque movements. The studied clear aligner system was able to produce clinical outcomes comparable to the planning of the digital setup relative to torque movements of the anterior teeth.

Arsenic (As) contamination of freshwater is largely due to geogenic processes, but As is also released into the environment because of improper anthropic activities. The European regulatory limits in drinking water are of 10 μg L⁻¹ As. However, knowledge of the genotoxic effects induced by low doses of As in freshwater environments is still scanty. This study was designed to investigate arsenate (As(V)) and arsenite (As(III)) toxicity and low-dose genotoxicity in Gammarus elvirae, which has proved to be a useful organism for genotoxicity assays in freshwater. As(V) and As(III) toxicity was assessed on the basis of the median lethal concentration, LC(50), while estimates of DNA damage were based on the Comet assay. The G. elvirae LC (50–240 h) value we calculated was 1.55 mg L⁻¹ for As(V) and 1.72 mg L⁻¹ for As(III). Arsenic exposure (240 h) at 5, 10, and 50 µg L⁻¹ of As in assays with either arsenate or arsenite-induced DNA damage in hemocytes of G. elvirae in a concentration-dependent manner. Our study provides a basis for future genotoxic research on exposure to freshwater that contains low levels of arsenic.

Stem lodging causes significant losses in crops of cereals and oilseeds. The aim of the present study was to identify the anatomical causes that generate differences in response to stem lodging in sunflower. Two sunflower hybrids (Stay-Green, resistant to stem lodging; Zenit, susceptible to stem lodging) were grown at three crop population densities and artificially lodged at two advanced ontogeny stages (R7 and R8), which were preceded by ethephon application near the flower button stage (R1). Measurements included stem failure moment of force (Bs), thickness of primary and secondary structures in the stem lodging zone (t), diameter of the stem lodging zone (di), sclerenchyma packages area (sp), secondary xylem tissue area (xt) and yield. Stay-Green had significantly higher values for Bs, t, di, sp and xt. At higher crop densities and more advanced ontogeny stages these parameters were reduced, favouring stem lodging, although the effects were ameliorated by ethephon application through anatomical modifications. Zenit exhibited the greatest responses to ethephon application. The present study is the first field study identifying anatomical changes causing stem lodging and intraspecific variability in sunflowers. The information provided can be used by geneticists in selection programs for stem lodging tolerance in the context of increasing crop population densities to improve sunflower yield.