Aldo Zullini - Academia.edu (original) (raw)
Papers by Aldo Zullini
Soft X-ray Contact Microscopy (SXCM) experiments have been performed on the nematode Caenorhabdit... more Soft X-ray Contact Microscopy (SXCM) experiments have been performed on the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans using the Prague Asterix Iodine Laser System (PALS). Pulsed X-rays were generated using gold and molybdenum targets with laser intensities I 65 1014 W/cm2 to record the contact images of C. elegans, on PMMA photoresists. Results were analyzed using an atomic force microscope operating in constant force mode. Our results show some characteristic features of the C. elegans and the suitability of the SXCM technique for the study of multi-cellular specimens
Laser-Generated and Other Laboratory X-Ray and EUV Sources, Optics, and Applications, 2004
An experiment on Soft X-ray Contact Microscopy (SXCM) performed on Caenorhabditis elegans nematod... more An experiment on Soft X-ray Contact Microscopy (SXCM) performed on Caenorhabditis elegans nematodes is discussed. This sample has been selected since it is a well studied case used as model in many biological contexts. The experiment has been performed using the iodine PALS laser source to generate pulsed soft X-rays from laser-plasma interaction, using molybdenum and gold as targets. Typical
The extent of pollution of a river is often ascertained by examining the bottom meso- and macro-f... more The extent of pollution of a river is often ascertained by examining the bottom meso- and macro-fauna, and standardized testing schedules have been proposed to express the « health condition)} of the water in comparative quantitive terms (Woodiwiss, 1964; Tuffery and Verneaux, 1968; Sladecek, 1973). However, the molluscs, annelids and insect larvae which are the animal group used, are not always sufficiently abundant to allow statistical analysis, and insect populations fluctuate with seasonal conditions so that a satisfactory appraisal can therefore be established only by taking many samples and at several times during the year. Moreover, these animal groups, with the exception of oligochaetes (Brinkhurst, 1962), are virtually absent at high levels of pollution. The present paper proposes the use of nematodes as indicators of river pollution. They are universally present in the river bed, regardless of whether it is stony, muddy or sandy; populations are not subject to seasonal flu...
Bioinformatics, 1989
The order Dorylaimida includes many soil, freshwater and plant parasitic nematodes. In 1963 they ... more The order Dorylaimida includes many soil, freshwater and plant parasitic nematodes. In 1963 they were included in 56 genera. After the splitting of some already known genera and the description of new ones, their number had risen to 219 in 1988. To aid the animal taxonomist to recognize these genera; we have developed a computer program named DORY. DORY has been developed for the IBM PC/XT/AT and compatibles. This program was developed using dBASE III version 1.10
Most free-living nematodes should have a global distribution if they would follow general tendenc... more Most free-living nematodes should have a global distribution if they would follow general tendencies of microbial organisms. Information on free-living nematodes presented in this review demonstrates that this cosmopolitanism is less common than assumed by theory. While very large distribution ranges are observed in a number of nematode species, various examples of endemism are described for isolated units like islands, extreme environments and ancient pre-Quaternary lakes. Endemism is generally rare among microorganisms, but a typical observation for larger organisms. The biogeography of nematodes thus reflects their intermediate position between macro-and microorganisms and future studies on this interesting group may help identifying why the positive relationship between body size and range size observed in large animals shifts to a negative relationship in microbial organisms.
Standardized methods for determining the index c' are proposed to ensure universal comparabil... more Standardized methods for determining the index c' are proposed to ensure universal comparability of morphometries,
Riassunto Il suolo e un comparto che svolge importanti funzioni ambientali, economiche, sociali e... more Riassunto Il suolo e un comparto che svolge importanti funzioni ambientali, economiche, sociali e culturali. La sua tutela e la sua gestione sono pertanto meritevoli di grande attenzione. Tuttavia a livello europeo non esiste una politica specifica per la salvaguardia del suolo; in ambito italiano l’argomento e stato trattato solo in maniera frammentaria, focalizzando l’attenzione su problemi come rischio idrogeologico, discariche, riciclo di fanghi di depurazione in agricoltura, acque superficiali e sotterranee. Per valutare la qualita del suolo si sono cercati degli strumenti adatti, focalizzando l’attenzione sulla componente biotica in quanto e considerata la piu vulnerabile e responsabile dello svolgimento dei principali processi del suolo. A questo scopo sono stati proposti bioindicatori in grado di fornire indicazioni integrate di tutti i possibili fattori (ambientali o esogeni) che influiscono sul suolo. I bioindicatori si riferiscono ad organismi (batteri, funghi, piante e a...
Natural History Sciences
Darwin interpreted most of biogeographic distributions as a consequence of dispersal events. The ... more Darwin interpreted most of biogeographic distributions as a consequence of dispersal events. The dispersionist approach lasted till the half of the XX century, but then an alternative paradigm arose: vicariantist biogeography. Madagascan carnivores and lemurs, e.g., were considered as heirs of old Gondwanian ancestors. But new phylogeographic research, based on molecular biology, discovered that they evolved, in different times, after the parting of Madagascar from continental Africa, supporting the dispersionist approach. Nowadays, the two paradigms are welcome in all the different cases, thus avoiding the old disputes typical of the last century.
Biogeographia – The Journal of Integrative Biogeography
Most free-living nematodes should have a global distribution if they would follow general tendenc... more Most free-living nematodes should have a global distribution if they would follow general tendencies of microbial organisms. Information on free-living nematodes presented in this review demonstrates that this cosmopolitanism is less common than assumed by theory. While very large distribution ranges are observed in a number of nematode species, various examples of endemism are described for isolated units like islands, extreme environments and ancient pre-Quaternary lakes. Endemism is generally rare among microorganisms, but a typical observation for larger organisms. The biogeography of nematodes thus reflects their intermediate position between macro-and microorganisms and future studies on this interesting group may help identifying why the positive relationship between body size and range size observed in large animals shifts to a negative relationship in microbial organisms.
Nematology
SummaryThere is no single feature to distinguish free-living soil nematodes from freshwater nemat... more SummaryThere is no single feature to distinguish free-living soil nematodes from freshwater nematodes, also because all free-living nematodes are essentially aquatic. This notwithstanding, by examining the frequencies of some characters of 1141 European species, differences of qualitative/quantitative characters between soil and freshwater nematodes were found. In particular, aquatic and semi-aquatic species are, on average, longer and slimmer than soil species, have a longer tail, greater body weight, smooth cuticle and larger amphids. A new body parameter, length of the pharynx in relation to the length of the whole digestive tract (e), was also taken into consideration.
Natural History Sciences
Most of the freshwater fauna originates from ancient or recent marine ancestors. In this study, w... more Most of the freshwater fauna originates from ancient or recent marine ancestors. In this study, we considered only completely aquatic non-parasitic animals, counting 25 phyla, 77 classes, 363 orders for a total that should include 236,070 species. We divided these taxa into three categories: exclusively marine, marine and freshwater, and exclusively freshwater. By doing so, we obtained three distribution curves which could reflect the marine species’ mode of invasion into continental waters. The lack of planktonic stages in the benthic fauna of inland waters, in addition to what we know about the effects of the impoundment of epicontinental seas following marine regressions, lead us to think that the main invasion mode into inland waters is more linked to the sea level fluctuations of the past than to slow and “voluntary” ascents of rivers by marine elements.
Zootaxa
In their classic book “An Introduction to Nematology” Chitwood & Chitwood (1950) wrote (1): “Havi... more In their classic book “An Introduction to Nematology” Chitwood & Chitwood (1950) wrote (1): “Having briefly considered the history of general nematology, the question naturally arises, “What is a nematode?”. In answering this question it is necessary first to designate a nematode as a triploblastic, bilaterally symmetric, unsegmented, non-coelomate animal of the Series Scolecida Huxley, 1865”. Actually, definition of taxa is not an easy task, because monothetic characters are rare, as polythetic traits are more common and evident, albeit of probabilistic value. To highlight this problem, the following paradoxical but empirically correct diagnosis of the taxon Nematoda is given.
Biogeographia – The Journal of Integrative Biogeography, 1990
Rc Ist Lomb Accad Sci Lett, 1970
Bollettino Del Museo Civico Di Storia Naturale Verona, 1980
Soft X-ray Contact Microscopy (SXCM) experiments have been performed on the nematode Caenorhabdit... more Soft X-ray Contact Microscopy (SXCM) experiments have been performed on the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans using the Prague Asterix Iodine Laser System (PALS). Pulsed X-rays were generated using gold and molybdenum targets with laser intensities I 65 1014 W/cm2 to record the contact images of C. elegans, on PMMA photoresists. Results were analyzed using an atomic force microscope operating in constant force mode. Our results show some characteristic features of the C. elegans and the suitability of the SXCM technique for the study of multi-cellular specimens
Laser-Generated and Other Laboratory X-Ray and EUV Sources, Optics, and Applications, 2004
An experiment on Soft X-ray Contact Microscopy (SXCM) performed on Caenorhabditis elegans nematod... more An experiment on Soft X-ray Contact Microscopy (SXCM) performed on Caenorhabditis elegans nematodes is discussed. This sample has been selected since it is a well studied case used as model in many biological contexts. The experiment has been performed using the iodine PALS laser source to generate pulsed soft X-rays from laser-plasma interaction, using molybdenum and gold as targets. Typical
The extent of pollution of a river is often ascertained by examining the bottom meso- and macro-f... more The extent of pollution of a river is often ascertained by examining the bottom meso- and macro-fauna, and standardized testing schedules have been proposed to express the « health condition)} of the water in comparative quantitive terms (Woodiwiss, 1964; Tuffery and Verneaux, 1968; Sladecek, 1973). However, the molluscs, annelids and insect larvae which are the animal group used, are not always sufficiently abundant to allow statistical analysis, and insect populations fluctuate with seasonal conditions so that a satisfactory appraisal can therefore be established only by taking many samples and at several times during the year. Moreover, these animal groups, with the exception of oligochaetes (Brinkhurst, 1962), are virtually absent at high levels of pollution. The present paper proposes the use of nematodes as indicators of river pollution. They are universally present in the river bed, regardless of whether it is stony, muddy or sandy; populations are not subject to seasonal flu...
Bioinformatics, 1989
The order Dorylaimida includes many soil, freshwater and plant parasitic nematodes. In 1963 they ... more The order Dorylaimida includes many soil, freshwater and plant parasitic nematodes. In 1963 they were included in 56 genera. After the splitting of some already known genera and the description of new ones, their number had risen to 219 in 1988. To aid the animal taxonomist to recognize these genera; we have developed a computer program named DORY. DORY has been developed for the IBM PC/XT/AT and compatibles. This program was developed using dBASE III version 1.10
Most free-living nematodes should have a global distribution if they would follow general tendenc... more Most free-living nematodes should have a global distribution if they would follow general tendencies of microbial organisms. Information on free-living nematodes presented in this review demonstrates that this cosmopolitanism is less common than assumed by theory. While very large distribution ranges are observed in a number of nematode species, various examples of endemism are described for isolated units like islands, extreme environments and ancient pre-Quaternary lakes. Endemism is generally rare among microorganisms, but a typical observation for larger organisms. The biogeography of nematodes thus reflects their intermediate position between macro-and microorganisms and future studies on this interesting group may help identifying why the positive relationship between body size and range size observed in large animals shifts to a negative relationship in microbial organisms.
Standardized methods for determining the index c' are proposed to ensure universal comparabil... more Standardized methods for determining the index c' are proposed to ensure universal comparability of morphometries,
Riassunto Il suolo e un comparto che svolge importanti funzioni ambientali, economiche, sociali e... more Riassunto Il suolo e un comparto che svolge importanti funzioni ambientali, economiche, sociali e culturali. La sua tutela e la sua gestione sono pertanto meritevoli di grande attenzione. Tuttavia a livello europeo non esiste una politica specifica per la salvaguardia del suolo; in ambito italiano l’argomento e stato trattato solo in maniera frammentaria, focalizzando l’attenzione su problemi come rischio idrogeologico, discariche, riciclo di fanghi di depurazione in agricoltura, acque superficiali e sotterranee. Per valutare la qualita del suolo si sono cercati degli strumenti adatti, focalizzando l’attenzione sulla componente biotica in quanto e considerata la piu vulnerabile e responsabile dello svolgimento dei principali processi del suolo. A questo scopo sono stati proposti bioindicatori in grado di fornire indicazioni integrate di tutti i possibili fattori (ambientali o esogeni) che influiscono sul suolo. I bioindicatori si riferiscono ad organismi (batteri, funghi, piante e a...
Natural History Sciences
Darwin interpreted most of biogeographic distributions as a consequence of dispersal events. The ... more Darwin interpreted most of biogeographic distributions as a consequence of dispersal events. The dispersionist approach lasted till the half of the XX century, but then an alternative paradigm arose: vicariantist biogeography. Madagascan carnivores and lemurs, e.g., were considered as heirs of old Gondwanian ancestors. But new phylogeographic research, based on molecular biology, discovered that they evolved, in different times, after the parting of Madagascar from continental Africa, supporting the dispersionist approach. Nowadays, the two paradigms are welcome in all the different cases, thus avoiding the old disputes typical of the last century.
Biogeographia – The Journal of Integrative Biogeography
Most free-living nematodes should have a global distribution if they would follow general tendenc... more Most free-living nematodes should have a global distribution if they would follow general tendencies of microbial organisms. Information on free-living nematodes presented in this review demonstrates that this cosmopolitanism is less common than assumed by theory. While very large distribution ranges are observed in a number of nematode species, various examples of endemism are described for isolated units like islands, extreme environments and ancient pre-Quaternary lakes. Endemism is generally rare among microorganisms, but a typical observation for larger organisms. The biogeography of nematodes thus reflects their intermediate position between macro-and microorganisms and future studies on this interesting group may help identifying why the positive relationship between body size and range size observed in large animals shifts to a negative relationship in microbial organisms.
Nematology
SummaryThere is no single feature to distinguish free-living soil nematodes from freshwater nemat... more SummaryThere is no single feature to distinguish free-living soil nematodes from freshwater nematodes, also because all free-living nematodes are essentially aquatic. This notwithstanding, by examining the frequencies of some characters of 1141 European species, differences of qualitative/quantitative characters between soil and freshwater nematodes were found. In particular, aquatic and semi-aquatic species are, on average, longer and slimmer than soil species, have a longer tail, greater body weight, smooth cuticle and larger amphids. A new body parameter, length of the pharynx in relation to the length of the whole digestive tract (e), was also taken into consideration.
Natural History Sciences
Most of the freshwater fauna originates from ancient or recent marine ancestors. In this study, w... more Most of the freshwater fauna originates from ancient or recent marine ancestors. In this study, we considered only completely aquatic non-parasitic animals, counting 25 phyla, 77 classes, 363 orders for a total that should include 236,070 species. We divided these taxa into three categories: exclusively marine, marine and freshwater, and exclusively freshwater. By doing so, we obtained three distribution curves which could reflect the marine species’ mode of invasion into continental waters. The lack of planktonic stages in the benthic fauna of inland waters, in addition to what we know about the effects of the impoundment of epicontinental seas following marine regressions, lead us to think that the main invasion mode into inland waters is more linked to the sea level fluctuations of the past than to slow and “voluntary” ascents of rivers by marine elements.
Zootaxa
In their classic book “An Introduction to Nematology” Chitwood & Chitwood (1950) wrote (1): “Havi... more In their classic book “An Introduction to Nematology” Chitwood & Chitwood (1950) wrote (1): “Having briefly considered the history of general nematology, the question naturally arises, “What is a nematode?”. In answering this question it is necessary first to designate a nematode as a triploblastic, bilaterally symmetric, unsegmented, non-coelomate animal of the Series Scolecida Huxley, 1865”. Actually, definition of taxa is not an easy task, because monothetic characters are rare, as polythetic traits are more common and evident, albeit of probabilistic value. To highlight this problem, the following paradoxical but empirically correct diagnosis of the taxon Nematoda is given.
Biogeographia – The Journal of Integrative Biogeography, 1990
Rc Ist Lomb Accad Sci Lett, 1970
Bollettino Del Museo Civico Di Storia Naturale Verona, 1980