Climatic and anthropogenic factors affect Ailanthus altissima invasion in a Mediterranean region

Ailanthus altissima is an aggressive invasive tree worldwide, but the ecological factors that lead to the spread of this species in Mediterranean ecosystems are still unclear. Here we aim to identify such factors, focusing on the interaction of human activity with climatic conditions. We determined the occurrence and abundance of Ailanthus in 240 sites and studied their relationship with 20 variables representing climatic, geographic, and topographic factors, as well as land use, in the region of Campania (southern Italy). Overall, we found that temperature and rainfall in Campania are suitable for Ailanthus, with the only major constraint being the temperature at an altitude exceeding 900 m a.s.l. We found that Ailanthus is unable to spread where the mean annual temperature is lower than 11.1 °C. By contrast, precipitation variables showed poor correlation with Ailanthus distribution, suggesting that rainfall in the selected study sites is suitable to sustain the growth of this tree. About land use variables, roads were the primary landscape feature along which this species spread and invaded new areas. Roads probably combine high propagule pressure and favorable growing conditions in terms of available resources i.e., light, water, and mineral nutrients, that allow Ailanthus to establish and spread along roadside edges in different ecosystems. In conclusion, we found that climate and human-associated variables are correlated with the current occurrence of Ailanthus, with the temperature being more influential at high elevation sites and road distance playing a prominent role in low elevation areas

Multistep, sequential control of the trafficking and function of the multiple sulfatase deficiency gene product, SUMF1 by PDI, ERGIC-53 and ERp44.

Sulfatase modifying factor 1 (SUMF1) encodes for the formylglicine generating enzyme, which activates sulfatases by modifying a key cysteine residue within their catalytic domains. SUMF1 is mutated in patients affected by multiple sulfatase deficiency, a rare recessive disorder in which all sulfatase activities are impaired. Despite the absence of canonical retention/retrieval signals, SUMF1 is largely retained in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), where it exerts its enzymatic activity on nascent sulfatases. Part of SUMF1 is secreted and paracrinally taken up by distant cells. Here we show that SUMF1 interacts with protein disulfide isomerase (PDI) and ERp44, two thioredoxin family members residing in the early secretory pathway, and with ERGIC-53, a lectin that shuttles between the ER and the Golgi. Functional assays reveal that these interactions are crucial for controlling SUMF1 traffic and function. PDI couples SUMF1 retention and activation in the ER. ERGIC-53 and ERp44 act downstream, favoring SUMF1 export from and retrieval to the ER, respectively. Silencing ERGIC-53 causes proteasomal degradation of SUMF1, while down-regulating ERp44 promotes its secretion. When over-expressed, each of three interactors favors intracellular accumulation. Our results reveal a multistep control of SUMF1 trafficking, with sequential interactions dynamically determining ER localization, activity and secretion

Evaluation of the severity of chronic hepatitis C with 3-T 1H-MR spectroscopy

OBJECTIVE. The purpose of this study was to compare the spectral characteristics of lipids, choline-containing compounds, and glutamine-glutamate complex assessed with H-1-MR spectroscopy with the histologic findings in patients with chronic hepatitis C. SUBJECTS AND METHODS. Nine healthy controls and 30 patients with biopsy-proven hepatitis C virus-related liver disease participated in this prospective study. Degree of fibrosis and histologic activity were scored according to the METAVIR classification. The percentage of involved hepatocytes was used to grade steatosis. Hepatic spectra were obtained with a 3-T spectroscopic system. Tenfold cross-validated stepwise discriminant analysis was performed to classify disease severity on the basis of the spectroscopic findings. RESULTS. There was a strong correlation between H-1-MR spectroscopically measured lipid concentration and the degree of steatosis at histologic examination (r=0.9236, p < 0.0001). This finding enabled clear separation of groups according to degree of histologically determined steatosis. Variation in lipid concentration was consistent with the degree of steatosis (r=0.7265, p < 0.0001) and stage of fibrosis (r=0.8156, p < 0.0001). In univariate analysis, concentrations of both choline-containing compounds and glutamine-glutamate complex had a direct correlation with histologic grade ( p < 0.0001) and degree of steatosis ( p < 0.0001) but not with stage of fibrosis ( p > 0.05). In multivariate analysis, the only factor independently associated with concentrations of choline-containing compounds and glutamine-glutamate complex was histologic grade. In cross-validated discriminant analysis based on choline-containing compound, glutamine-glutamate complex, and lipid resonance, 70% ( 21 of 30) of the histologic grade groups and 73% (22 of 30) of the steatosis groups were correctly classified. CONCLUSION. Hydrogen-1 MR spectroscopy can be an alternative to liver biopsy in the evaluation of steatosis and necroinflammatory activity in liver disease but is not useful for complete evaluation of hepatic fibrosis

Molecular characteristics of humic substances from different origins and their effects on growth and metabolism of Pinus laricio callus

Abstract Humic susbtances (HS) are increasingly applied as biostimulants in agriculture, though their mechanism of action is not yet completely understood due to their complex and heterogeneous composition. Here, we isolated thirteen different humic and fulvic acids from different sources, such as soils, composts, peat, leonardite and lignite, and characterized the distribution of their carbon components by 13C-CPMAS–NMR spectroscopy. Callus of Pinus Laricio, as a model plant species, was treated with different humic extracts and its growth and content of carbohydrates, phenols, and enzyme related to the nitrogen metabolism (invertase, glutamine synthetase, glutamate synthase, phosphoenoly pyruvate carboxylase, malate dehydrogenase) and stress resistance (catalase) were monitored. While a multivariate statistical analysis of NMR results well-separated the HS characteristics based on their origin, humic materials generally increased callus growth, as expected, with largest effects being exerted by the mostly polar humic acids from composts. However, the rest of measured parameters were not linearly related to hydrophobicity and aromaticity of humic isolates as well as their origin, but their conformational dynamics had to be advocated to explain their effects on callus cellular components. This work confirms that HS of various origin can act as sustainable biostimulants of plant growth, though the comprehension of their effects on plants biochemical activities requires further research and additional understanding of their molecular composition and conformational behaviour. Graphical Abstrac

Effects of a medium cut-off (Theranova&#174;) dialyser on haemodialysis patients: a prospective, cross-over study

Background. Despite significant advances in haemodialysis (HD) in recent decades, current dialysis techniques are limited by inadequate removal of uraemic solutes such as middle molecules and protein-bound uraemic toxins. Novel medium cut-off (MCO) membrane or \u2018expanded haemodialysis\u2019 (HDx) provides diffusive removal of conventional and large middle molecular weight uraemic toxins, with marginal albumin leak. Methods. This prospective, open-label, controlled, cross-over pilot study compared HDx (novel MCO membrane TheranovaVR 400) and conventional HD in 20 prevalent HD patients. Biochemical, dialysis adequacy and safety measures (adverse events, infections and hospitalization frequency) were recorded. Ten patients underwent conventional HD high-flux dialyser and 10 patients underwent HDx for 3 months, and the patients then switched and received the other treatment for a further 3 months. Results. Treatment with HDx was associated with a significant reduction in serum albumin concentration [median (interquartile range) reduction 0.45 g/dL (0.575 to 0.05); P \ubc 0.025]. However, median albumin levels were 3.5 g/dL and no patients had clinical symptoms of hypoalbuminaemia or needed intravenous albumin administration. The number of infections was lower in patients treated with HDx (n \ubc 7/19) compared with patients treated with HD (n \ubc 14/20; P \ubc 0.03). Patients treated with HDx had reduced levels of interleukin (IL)-1b (from 0.06 6 0.02 pg/mL versus 0.28 6 0.18 pg/mL with HD) and IL-6 (6.45 6 1.57 pg/mL versus 9.48 6 2.15 pg/mL), while tumour necrosis factor-a levels remain unchanged. Conclusions. This study demonstrates that the chronic use of the novel MCO dialyser TheranovaVR appears to be safe and well-tolerated, without serious side effects or hypoalbuminaemia, as well as fewer infections. These results need to be confirmed in larger randomized clinical trials

MOBILITY AND BIOAVAILABILITY OF HEAVY METALS AND METALLOIDS IN SOIL ENVIRONMENTS

In soil environments, sorption/desorption reactions as well as chemical complexation with inorganic and organic ligands and redox reactions, both biotic and abiotic, are of great importance in controlling their bioavailability, leaching and toxicity. These reactions are affected by many factors such as pH, nature of the sorbents, presence and concentration of organic and inorganic ligands, including humic and fulvic acid, root exudates, microbial metabolites and nutrients. In this review, we highlight the impact of physical, chemical, and biological interfacial interactions on bioavailability and mobility of metals and metalloids in soil. Special attention is devoted to: i) the sorption/desorption processes of metals and metalloids on/from soil components and soils; ii) their precipitation and reduction-oxidation reactions in solution and onto surfaces of soil components; iii) their chemical speciation, fractionation and bioavailability

Dabigatran overload in acute kidney injury: haemodialysis or idarucizumab? A case report and proposal for a decisional algorithm

Dabigatran overload has been reported in acute kidney injury (AKI), leading to occasional major bleeding. Haemodialysis (HD) was the method used for reversing dabigatran anticoagulant effects before the approval of idarucizumab, which is now indicated for dabigatran reversal in major bleeding or surgical emergencies. There have been reports of rebound of dabigatran levels following idarucizumab administration in AKI, requiring HD to achieve effective dabigatran clearance. However, a decisional algorithm to individualize treatments for dabigatran overload seems lacking. We present a case of dabigatran accumulation in obstructive AKI with minor bleeding that was successfully treated with HD and tranexamic acid without using idarucizumab, and propose a decision-making algorithm including different pathways in the management of suspected dabigatran overload in AKI

A Hybrid Analytic Hierarchy Process and Likert Scale Approach for the Quality Assessment of Medical Education Programs

The quality assessment of training courses is of utmost importance in the medical education field to improve the quality of the training. This work proposes a hybrid multicriteria decision-making approach based on two methodologies, a Likert scale (LS) and the analytic hierarchy process (AHP), for the quality assessment of medical education programs. On one hand, the qualitative LS method was adopted to estimate the degree of consensus on specific topics; on the other hand, the quantitative AHP technique was employed to prioritize parameters involved in complex decision-making problems. The approach was validated in a real scenario for evaluating healthcare training activities carried out at the Centre of Biotechnology of the National Hospital A.O.R.N. “A. Cardarelli” of Naples (Italy). The rational combination of the two methodologies proved to be a promising decision-making tool for decision makers to identify those aspects of a medical education program characterized by a lower user satisfaction degree (revealed by the LS) and a higher priority degree (revealed by the AHP), potentially suggesting strategies to increase the quality of the service provided and to reduce the waste of resources. The results show how this hybrid approach can provide decision makers with helpful information to select the most important characteristics of the delivered education program and to possibly improve the weakest ones, thus enhancing the whole quality of the training courses