Accuracy assessment in photo interpretation of remote sensing Ers-2/Sar images

Three major technological advances have occurred in recent years in the use of Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) for the study of geophysical processes. The first is the launch and excellent performance of ERS satellites, which permits the study of global-scale dynamic processes. The second is the development of airborne polarimetric SARs, which provides afar more complete picture of the scattering properties of the Earth's surface than the "simple" systems flown in space. The third is the inception of interferometric SAR, which allows high resolution topographic data to be generated from spaceborne and airborne SAR systems, and can defect centimetric changes in the Earth's surface. Going hand in hand with these advances, there have been major achievements in backscatter modeling, developing viable statistical models of the data and in image understanding techniques bt this work we study the applications of the above concepts in characterizing "crushed" soils in terms of accuracy assessment in images of part of Puglia Region, in Italy

Genes and miRNA expression signatures in peripheral blood mononuclear cells in healthy subjects and patients with metabolic syndrome after acute intake of extra virgin olive oil

Extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) consumption has been associated with reduced cardiovascular risk but molecular mechanisms underlying its beneficial effects are not fully understood. Here we aimed to identify genes and miRNAs expression changes mediated by acute high- and low-polyphenols EVOO intake. Pre- and post-challenge gene and miRNAs expression analysis was performed on the peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of 12 healthy subjects and 12 patients with metabolic syndrome (MS) by using microarray and RT-qPCR. In healthy subjects, acute intake of EVOO rich in polyphenols was able to ameliorate glycaemia and insulin sensitivity, and to modulate the transcription of genes and miRNAs involved in metabolism, inflammation and cancer, switching PBMCs to a less deleterious inflammatory phenotype; weaker effects were observed in patients with MS as well as in healthy subjects following low-polyphenol EVOO challenge. Concluding, our study shows that acute high-polyphenols EVOO intake is able to modify the transcriptome of PBMCs through the modulation of different pathways associated with the pathophysiology of cardio-metabolic disease and cancer. These beneficial effects are maximized in healthy subjects, and by the use of EVOO cultivars rich in polyphenols. Nutrigenomic changes induced by EVOO thus legitimate the well-known beneficial effects of EVOO in promoting human health and, potentially, preventing the onset of cardiovascular disease and cancer

Clustering nuclear receptors in liver regeneration identifies candidate modulators of hepatocyte proliferation and hepatocarcinoma.

Liver regeneration (LR) is a valuable model for studying mechanisms modulating hepatocyte proliferation. Nuclear receptors (NRs) are key players in the control of cellular functions, being ideal modulators of hepatic proliferation and carcinogenesis.We used a previously validated RT-qPCR platform to profile modifications in the expression of all 49 members of the NR superfamily in mouse liver during LR. Twenty-nine NR transcripts were significantly modified in their expression during LR, including fatty acid (peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors, PPARs) and oxysterol (liver X receptors, Lxrs) sensors, circadian masters RevErbα and RevErbβ, glucocorticoid receptor (Gr) and constitutive androxane receptor (Car). In order to detect the NRs that better characterize proliferative status vs. proliferating liver, we used the novel Random Forest (RF) analysis to selected a trio of down-regulated NRs (thyroid receptor alpha, Trα; farsenoid X receptor beta, Fxrβ; Pparδ) as best discriminators of the proliferating status. To validate our approach, we further studied PPARδ role in modulating hepatic proliferation. We first confirmed the suppression of PPARδ both in LR and human hepatocellular carcinoma at protein level, and then demonstrated that PPARδ agonist GW501516 reduces the proliferative potential of hepatoma cells.Our data suggest that NR transcriptome is modulated in proliferating liver and is a source of biomarkers and bona fide pharmacological targets for the management of liver disease affecting hepatocyte proliferation

Mitochondrial defect and PGC-1α dysfunction in parkin-associated familial Parkinson's disease

Mutations in the parkin gene are expected to play an essential role in autosomal recessive Parkinson's disease. Recent studies have established an impact of parkin mutations on mitochondrial function and autophagy. In primary skin fibroblasts from two patients affected by an early onset Parkinson's disease, we identified a hitherto unreported compound heterozygous mutation del exon2-3/del exon3 in the parkin gene, leading to the complete loss of the full-length protein. In both patients, but not in their heterozygous parental control, we observed severe ultrastructural abnormalities, mainly in mitochondria. This was associated with impaired energy metabolism, deregulated reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, resulting in lipid oxidation, and peroxisomal alteration. In view of the involvement of parkin in the mitochondrial quality control system, we have investigated upstream events in the organelles' biogenesis. The expression of the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma-coactivator 1-alpha (PGC-1α), a strong stimulator of mitochondrial biogenesis, was remarkably upregulated in both patients. However, the function of PGC-1α was blocked, as revealed by the lack of its downstream target gene induction. In conclusion, our data confirm the role of parkin in mitochondrial homeostasis and suggest a potential involvement of the PGC-1α pathway in the pathogenesis of Parkinson's disease. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: Translating nuclear receptors from health to disease.Mutations in the s parkin gene are expected to play an essential role in autosomal recessive Parkinson's disease. Recent studies have established an impact of parkin mutations on mitochondrial function and autophagy. In primary skin fibroblasts from two patients affected by an early onset Parkinson's disease, we identified a hitherto unreported compound heterozygous mutation del exon2-3/del exon3 in the parkin gene, leading to the complete loss of the full-length protein. In both patients, but not in their heterozygous parental control, we observed severe ultrastructural abnormalities, mainly in mitochondria. This was associated with impaired energy metabolism, deregulated reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, resulting in lipid oxidation, and peroxisomal alteration. In view of the involvement of parkin in the mitochondrial quality control system, we have investigated upstream events in the organelles' biogenesis. The expression of the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma-coactivator 1-alpha (PGC-1α), a strong stimulator of mitochondrial biogenesis, was remarkably upregulated in both patients. However, the function of PGC-1α was blocked, as revealed by the lack of its downstream target gene induction. In conclusion, our data confirm the role of parkin in mitochondrial homeostasis and suggest a potential involvement of the PGC-1α pathway in the pathogenesis of Parkinson's disease. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: Translating nuclear receptors from health to disease. © 2011 Elsevier B.V

Integrative miRNA and whole-genome analyses of epicardial adipose tissue in patients with coronary atherosclerosis

Background Epicardial adipose tissue (EAT) is an atypical fat depot surrounding the heart with a putative role in the development of atherosclerosis. Methods and results We profiled genes and miRNAs in perivascular EAT and subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT) of metabolically healthy patients without coronary artery disease (CAD) vs. metabolic patients with CAD. Compared with SAT, a specific tuning of miRNAs and genes points to EAT as a tissue characterized by a metabolically active and pro-inflammatory profile. Then, we depicted both miRNA and gene signatures of EAT in CAD, featuring a down-regulation of genes involved in lipid metabolism, mitochondrial function, nuclear receptor transcriptional activity, and an up-regulation of those involved in antigen presentation, chemokine signalling, and inflammation. Finally, we identified miR-103-3p as candidate modulator of CCL13 in EAT, and a potential biomarker role for the chemokine CCL13 in CAD. Conclusion EAT in CAD is characterized by changes in the regulation of metabolism and inflammation with miR-103-3p/CCL13 pair as novel putative actors in EAT function and CAD

PPARβ/δ protein is suppressed in murine regenerating liver (A) and human HCC (C), and negatively correlates with PCNA (B).

<p>Anti-PPARβ/δ immunostaining in samples of LR (4–5/group) and 9 paraffin-embedded samples of HCC paired with reference tumor-free tissues (selection: 3 of 9 subjects); PPARβ/δ positive cells (percentage of marked area) were quantified using the ImageJ software. Results are shown as means ± SEM or means (bars) and cases (each line representing paired tumor-free tissue <i>vs</i>. tumor sample). Statistical significance (p≤0.05) assessed by the Kruskal-Wallis One-Way ANOVA on Ranks plus Nemenyi-Damico-Wolfe-Dunn post-hoc test (LR), Wilcoxon Signed-Rank Test (HCC), and Pearson's correlation coefficient (correlation). Legend: lower case letters indicate statistical significance (“a” means reference group; “b” means different from “a”; “c” means different from “a” and “b”); (white) quiescent; (black) proliferating; (▴) Sham; (▪) 0.5 days; (•) 1 day; (♦) 3 days; (▾) 7 days</p

Markers of hepatocyte proliferation and growth termination correlate with the top three NRs at RF analysis.

<p><i>Trα</i>, <i>Fxrβ</i>, and <i>Pparβ/δ</i> mRNA expression levels correlate negatively with <i>Ccne1</i> (<b>A</b>) and <i>cMyc</i> (<b>B</b>), and positively with <i>Tgfβ1</i> (<b>D</b>); <i>Fxrβ</i> and <i>Pparβ/δ</i>, but not <i>Trα</i>, also correlate negatively with <i>Pcna</i> expression levels (<b>C</b>) (0.4>Pearson's correlation coefficient<−0.4; p<0.05). Legend: (white) quiescent; (black) proliferating; (▴) Sham; (▪) 0.5 days; (•) 1 day; (♦) 3 days; (▾) 7 days.</p