Antiradical activity of phenolic metabolites extracted from grapes of white and red Vitis vinifera L. cultivars

A diet rich in plant foods is strongly recommended for its beneficial effect on human health. In fact, plant secondary metabolites may exert various biological activities on mammalian cells. Among them, phenolics are excellent natural antioxidants able to rescue cell redox unbalance responsible for the onset of different pathologies. For these reasons, the present work was focused on the study of grape extracts obtained from eight different Italian Vitis vinifera cultivars, quite rare in Italian viticulture and not yet completely chemically characterized. For each preparation, total simple phenolic, flavonoidic and anthocyaninic content was measured through spectrophotometrical assays, while detailed biochemical profile was revealed by LC-MS analyses. In order to valorize the products of these varieties and increase our knowledge about their potential healthy role, the antioxidant power of the samples was evaluated by two different in vitro antiradical tests: DPPH and FRAP. Moreover, free radical scavenging properties of eleven grape pure compounds were investigated, with the aim to: a) compare their real antiradical property with the theoretical one; b) identify which one of them possessed the best bioactivity; c) understand how they might singularly contribute to the nutraceutical effect of the whole grapevine phytocomplex

Sensitivity Studies for the Exercise I-1 of the OECD/UAM Benchmark

OECD/NEA has initiated an international Uncertainty Analysis in Modeling (UAM) benchmark focused on uncertainties in modeling of Light Water Reactor (LWR). The first step of uncertainty propagation is to perform sensitivity to the input data affected by the numerical errors and physical models. The objective of the present paper is to study the effect of the numerical discretization error and the manufacturing tolerances on fuel pin lattice integral parameters (multiplication factor and macroscopic cross-sections) through sensitivity calculations. The two-dimensional deterministic codes NEWT and HELIOS were selected for this work. The NEWT code was used for analysis of the TMI-1, PB-2, and Kozloduy-6 test cases; the TMI-1 test case was investigated using the HELIOS code. The work has been performed within the framework of UAM Exercise I-1 "Cell Physics.

Ultrastructure and development of the floral nectary from Borago officinalis L. and phytochemical changes in its secretion

Although Boraginaceae have been classified as good sources of nectar for many insects, little is still known about their nectar and nectaries. Thus, in the present contribution, we investigated the nectar production dynamics and chemistry in Borago officinalis L. (borage or starflower), together with its potential interaction capacity with pollinators. A peak of nectar secretion (∼5.1 μL per flower) was recorded at anthesis, to decrease linearly during the following 9 days. In addition, TEM and SEM analyses were performed to understand ultrastructure and morphological changes occurring in borage nectary before and after anthesis, but also after its secretory phase. Evidence suggested that nectar was transported by the apoplastic route (mainly from parenchyma to epidermis) and then released essentially by exocytotic processes, that is a granulocrine secretion. This theory was corroborated by monitoring the signal of complex polysaccharides and calcium, respectively, via Thiéry staining and ESI/EELS technique. After the secretory phase, nectary underwent degeneration, probably through autophagic events and/or senescence induction. Furthermore, nectar (Nec) and other flower structures (i.e., sepals, gynoecia with nectaries, and petals) from borage were characterized by spectrophotometry and HPLC-DAD, in terms of plant secondary metabolites, both at early (E-) and late (L-) phase from anthesis. The content of phytochemicals was quantified and discussed for all samples, highlighting potential biological roles of these compounds in the borage flower (e.g., antimicrobial, antioxidant, staining effects). Surprisingly, a high significant accumulation of flavonoids was registered in L-Nec, with respect to E-Nec, indicating that this phenomenon might be functional and able to hide molecular (e.g., defence against pathogens) and/or ecological (e.g., last call for pollinators) purposes. Indeed, it is known that these plant metabolites influence nectar palatability, encouraging the approach of specialist pollinators, deterring nectar robbers, and altering the behaviour of insects

Neural Analyses Validate and Emphasise the Role of Progesterone Receptor in Breast Cancer Progression and Prognosis

Oestrogen receptor (ER) expression is routinely measured in breast cancer management, but the clinical merits of measuring progesterone receptor (PR) expression have remained controversial. Hence the major objective here was to assess the potential of PR as a predictor of response to endocrine therapy. We report analyses of the relative importance of ER and PR for predicting prognosis using robust multilayer perceptron artificial neural networks. Receptor determinations use immunohistochemical (IHC) methods or radioactive ligand binding assays (LBA). In view of the heterogeneity of intratumoral receptor distribution, we examined the relative merits of the IHC and LBA methods. Our analyses reveal a more significant correlation of IHC-determined PR than ER with both nodal status and 5-year disease-free survival (DFS). In LBA, PR displayed higher correlation with survival and ER with nodal status. There was concordance of correlation of PR with DFS by both IHC and LBA. This study suggests a clear distinction between PR and ER, with PR displaying greater correlation than ER with disease progression and prognosis, and emphasises the marked superiority of the IHC method over LBA. These findings may be valuable in the management of patients with breast cancer

Analisi della suscettibilità da frana a scala di bacino (Bacino del Fiume Arno, Toscana-Umbria, Italia)

In questa nota vengono presentati i metodi applicati e i risultati ottenuti in una recente analisi della pericolosità da frana, condotta sul territorio del Bacino del Fiume Arno nell’ambito di una convenzione tra l’Autorità di Bacino e il Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra dell’Università di Firenze (2002-2005). Tutti i dati acquisiti, confluiti in una banca dati GIS, sono stati sintetizzati in carte tematiche e in una carta inventario delle frane. La sovrapposizione dei fattori predisponenti selezionati (pendenza, litologia, uso del suolo, curvatura di profilo e area drenata) ha permesso di definire le unità elementari per il trattamento statistico (Unità Territoriali Omogenee: UTO). La valutazione della pericolosità è stata estesa alle aree prive di movimenti franosi utilizzando metodi statistici multivariati implementati in Reti Neurali Artificiali. L’area di studio è stata suddivisa in cinque Macroaree morfologicamente e geologicamente omogenee: per ogni Macroarea, i predittori neurali sono stati addestrati su un opportuno sottoinsieme di dati, applicando poi i migliori all’intero data-set al fine di generare valori previsti dell’indice di suscettibilità per ogni UTO. Infine, i valori di uscita sono stati riclassificati in differenti livelli di pericolosità in base a criteri di soglia e validati per confronto con l’inventario. Una percentuale di area in frana compresa tra l’81 e il 96% risulta correttamente classificata dalla previsione nelle varie Macroare

Molecular characterization and phylogenetic analysis of human influenza A viruses in three consecutive seasons with different epidemiological profiles

INTRODUCTION: Influenza activity and influenza virus circulation were observed in Lombardy (northern Italy) during three consecutive seasons and the molecular characteristics of circulating viruses analysed to control for introduction of new variants. METHODS: The molecular characterization of 38 isolates, namely 20 A/H3N2 and 18 A/H1N1 influenza strains from the 2005/06, 2006/07 and 2007/08 seasons, was performed by sequence analysis of the globular head region of the HA protein (HA1 subunit), specific for influenza virus A/H3 and A/H1. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: The last three influenza seasons in the study region were characterized by medium-low activity. A typical co-circulation of several variants was shown for A/H3 viruses for approximately two years and were subsequently almost entirely substituted by new emerging variants. Vice versa, A/H1 viruses had a more homogeneous circulation with a single lineage clearly dominating each season. The HA sequences of the A/H3 and the A/H1 viruses isolated in the last three seasons fell into 4 and 3 principal phylogenetic groups, respectively. No evidence of positive or negative selection in the sequence alignments was observed. CONCLUSIONS: Molecular characterization of the influenza viruses in three consecutive seasons highlighted considerable heterogeneity in their HA sequences. A careful surveillance of genetic changes in the HA1 domain during seasonal influenza epidemics may reveal immune escape and provide early information on newly emerging strains with epidemiologic inference

Molecular characterization and phylogenetic analysis of human influenza A viruses in three consecutive seasons with different epidemiological profiles

Introduction. Influenza activity and influenza virus circulation were observed in Lombardy (northern Italy) during three con- secutive seasons and the molecular characteristics of circulating viruses analysed to control for introduction of new variants. Methods. The molecular characterization of 38 isolates, namely 20 A/H3N2 and 18 A/H1N1 influenza strains from the 2005/06, 2006/07 and 2007/08 seasons, was performed by sequence analy- sis of the globular head region of the HA protein (HA1 subunit), specific for influenza virus A/H3 and A/H1. Results and discussion. The last three influenza seasons in the study region were characterized by medium-low activity. A typical co-circulation of several variants was shown for A/H3 viruses for approximately two years and were subsequently almost entirely substituted by new emerging variants. Vice versa, A/H1 viruses had a more homogeneous circulation with a single lineage clearly dominating each season. The HA sequences of the A/H3 and the A/H1 viruses isolated in the last three seasons fell into 4 and 3 principal phylogenetic groups, respectively. No evidence of positive or negative selection in the sequence align- ments was observed. Conclusions. Molecular characterization of the influenza viruses in three consecutive seasons highlighted considerable heteroge- neity in their HA sequences. A careful surveillance of genetic changes in the HA1 domain during seasonal influenza epidemics may reveal immune escape and provide early information on newly emerging strains with epidemiologic inference

Identification of a new genotype of Torque Teno Mini virus

Although human torque teno viruses (TTVs) were first discovered in 1997, still many associated aspects are not clarified yet. The viruses reveal a remarkable heterogeneity and it is possible that some genotypes are more pathogenic than others. The identification of all genotypes is essential to confirm previous pathogenicity data, and an unbiased search for novel viruses is needed to identify TTVs that might be related to disease. The virus discovery technique VIDISCA-454 was used to screen serum of 55 HIV-1 positive injecting drug users, from the Amsterdam Cohort Studies, in search for novel blood-blood transmittable viruses which are undetectable via normal diagnostics or panvirus-primer PCRs. A novel torque teno mini virus (TTMV) was identified in two patients and the sequence of the full genomes were determined. The virus is significantly different from the known TTMVs ( <40% amino acid identity in ORF1), yet it contains conserved characteristics that are also present in other TTMVs. The virus is chronically present in both patients, and these patients both suffered from a pneumococcal pneumonia during follow up and had extremely low B-cells counts. We describe a novel TTMV which we tentatively named TTMV-13. Further research is needed to address the epidemiology and pathogenicity of this novel viru