Coastal areas are among the most biologically productive, dynamic and valued ecosystems on Earth. They are subject to changes that greatly vary in scale, time and duration and to additional pressures resulting from anthropogenic activities. The aim of this work was to investigate the shoreline evolution and the main environmental changes of the coastal stretch between the towns of Licata and Gela (in the Gulf of Gela, Sicily, Italy). The methodology used in this work included the analysis of: (i) shoreline changes over the long- and medium-term periods (1955–2019 and 1989–2019, respectively), (ii) dune system fragmentation and (iii) the impact of coastal structures (harbours and breakwaters) on coastal evolution. The shoreline change analysis mainly showed a negative trend both over the long- and medium-term periods, with a maximum retreat of 3.87 m/year detected over the medium-term period down-drift of the Licata harbour. However, a few kilometres eastward from the harbour, significant accretion was registered where a set of breakwaters was emplaced. The Shoreline Change Envelope (SCE) showed that the main depositional phenomena occurred during the decade between 1955 and 1966, whereas progressive and constant erosion was observed between 1966 and 1989 in response to the increasing coastal armouring.

Background: Although the detrimental effects of conventional combustible cigarettes on oral health and dental esthetics are well known, there is limited information about the long-term impact of combustion-free nicotine alternatives (C-F NA) such as e-cigarettes or heated tobacco products. Objective: This multicenter, prospective, 3-parallel-arm randomized controlled trial will investigate whether switching from combustible cigarettes to C-F NA will lead to measurable improvements in oral health parameters and dental esthetics over 18 months in adult smokers with limited gum disease. Methods: Regular smokers not intending to quit and without clinical signs of periodontitis will be randomly assigned (1:4 ratio) to either standard of care with brief cessation advice (control group; arm A) or C-F NA use (intervention group; arm B). The study will also include a reference group of never smokers (reference group; arm C). The primary end point is the change in the Modified Gingival Index (MGI) score from baseline between the control arm (arm A) and the intervention arm (arm B) at the 18-month follow-up. In addition, the study will analyze the within- and between-group (arms A, B, and C) changes in MGI assessment, plaque imaging, dental shade quantitation, tooth stain scores, and oral health–related quality of life questionnaires measured at each study time point. All participants will attend a total of 7 clinic visits: screening, enrollment, and randomization (visit 0); baseline visit—day 14 (visit 1); day 90 (visit 2); day 180 (visit 3); day 360 (visit 4); and day 540 (visit 5). This multicenter study will be conducted in 4 dental clinics in 4 countries. The statistical analysis will involve descriptive statistics for continuous and categorical data. Primary end points will undergo tests for normality and, based on distribution, either a 2-sided t test or Mann-Whitney U test. Linear mixed model with random factors center and study arms by center will also be applied. Secondary end points, including MGI assessment and quality of life, will be subjected to similar tests and comparisons. Only if one value of the parameter MGI is missing after day 1, the last available observation will be carried forward. The analysis will be performed on the substituted data. Secondary parameters will not have missing value replacement. Results: Participant recruitment began in October 2021, and enrollment was completed in June 2023. Results will be reported in 2025. Conclusions: This will be the first study to provide key insights into oral health benefits or risks associated with using C-F NA in smokers who are seeking alternatives to cigarette smoking. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT04649645; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04649645 International Registered Report Identifier (IRRID): DERR1-10.2196/53222

The assessment of the vulnerability of a site to tsunami events should take into consideration the geomorphological setting, which is strongly determined by the stratigraphic framework of the area. Lampedusa island is located in the central portion of the Sicilian Channel (Mediterranean Sea, Italy), where a significant incidence of tsunamis (with wave runup above 15 m) caused by earthquakes and submarine landslides has been historically documented. This work shows the geomorphological and stratigraphic differences between the western and south-eastern sectors of Lampedusa island. This update to the geological characterization of the island was used to create 3D flooding maps according to runup steps of 5 m, 10 m, and 15 m, thus showing a homogeneous involvement of the south-eastern sector of Lampedusa. Furthermore, our study aims to provide a geomorphological-stratigraphic base for a mathematical-statistical model to create coastal flooding maps due to tsunami waves. As such, this tool is useful for evaluation of strategic infrastructure for the security of the island and the improvement of risk management in civil protection.

The quantitative analysis of the calcareous nannofossil content yield in the 600 m thick succession drilled at ODP Site 1123 (offshore New Zealand), considered as a reference section for the Southern Ocean region, allowed the recognition of 43 bioevents distributed along the last 20 Myr. The correlation with the excellent magnetostratigraphic record resulted in the attribution of numerical ages for the position of the detected horizons. Many of the marker species used in previous zonation were detected also at ODP Site 1123, but others revealed to be absent or of scarce applicability. On the other hand, the good applicability of additional events was verified and proved to be useful for the biostratigraphic subdivision and correlation. The obtained average bio- and chronostratigraphic resolution is about 0.6 Myr along the whole section, which increases to about 0.3 in the Pliocene–Holocene time interval. The final result is a detailed southern mid-to-high latitude nannofossil biochronology for the last 20 Myr, which confirms that the ODP Site 1123 succession represents a reference section for the Southern Ocean.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1016/j.radcr.2022.04.023.].