PHOTOGRAMMETRIC UNDERWATER AND UAS SURVEYS OF ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITES: THE CASE STUDY OF THE ROMAN SHIPWRECK OF TORRE SANTA SABINA

The 2020 underwater archaeological research in the inlet of Torre Santa Sabina – Baia dei Camerini (Municipality of Carovigno, Brindisi, Italy) represented the first phase of the pilot intervention of the Interreg Italia-Croatia UnderwaterMuse project. The project aims to enhance and make accessible the vast underwater heritage of the areas involved; this will be done by creating submerged archaeological parks and using virtual reality's narrative and communicative tools and platforms. During the 2020 campaign, different survey activities were carried out using several techniques and methodology to produce the area's multi-scale documentation. First of all, the entire stretch of coast was mapped with UASs (Uncrewed Aerial Systems) flights to reconstruct the coastal landscape in various phases. Furthermore, an underwater photogrammetric survey carried out by expert scuba divers has been achieved in the wreck's aft area (the site analyzed during the 2020 excavation activities). The fruitful synergy between the various actors involved and the support of the territory and the community has allowed the achievement of this campaign's objectives, preliminary to the broader and more articulated intervention foreseen for the following year

Photogrammetric underwater and UAS surveys of archaeological sites: the case study of the Roman shipwreck of Torre Santa Sabina

The 2020 underwater archaeological research in the inlet of Torre Santa Sabina - Baia dei Camerini (Municipality of Carovigno, Brindisi, Italy) represented the first phase of the pilot intervention of the Interreg Italia-Croatia UnderwaterMuse project. The project aims to enhance and make accessible the vast underwater heritage of the areas involved; this will be done by creating submerged archaeological parks and using virtual reality's narrative and communicative tools and platforms. During the 2020 campaign, different survey activities were carried out using several techniques and methodology to produce the area's multi-scale documentation. First of all, the entire stretch of coast was mapped with UASs (Uncrewed Aerial Systems) flights to reconstruct the coastal landscape in various phases. Furthermore, an underwater photogrammetric survey carried out by expert scuba divers has been achieved in the wreck's aft area (the site analyzed during the 2020 excavation activities). The fruitful synergy between the various actors involved and the support of the territory and the community has allowed the achievement of this campaign's objectives, preliminary to the broader and more articulated intervention foreseen for the following year

Use of mixed study techniques in the evaluation of coastline dynamics - the “Porto Cesareo” MPA case of study

In recent decades, the much-discussed climate changes with the consequent variations in sea and weather conditions and the rise of the mean sea level are causing an indisputable set of negative actions on the entire coastal system mainly due to the increase of the erosive phenomenon along the shorelines. These critical scenarios have a major impact even on a local scale, and because of that, we decided to study a well knows tract of rocky/sandy mixed coast, in a highly anthropized area, even if located inside the “Porto Cesareo” Marine Protected Area (MPA) (Ionian Sea, Gulf of Taranto, Puglia Region, Italy). The high naturalistic and archaeological value of this area calls for a greater institutional effort in the study of erosional phenomena. Several historical documents from other studies point out that this coastal area is an ideal place for this kind of research. The effects of coastal erosion and anthropic pressures along this tract of coast require adequate efforts for a consistent and rapid evaluation of the coastal dynamics. The methodologies proposed in this work are based on mixed techniques from different fields of study, integrating recent aero photogrammetry surveys with drones, aerial images acquired by the Italian Military Geographic Institute (IGM), elaboration of paleoshorelines related by underwater archaeological markers and their dating, and finally on the elaboration of satellite products useful for the study of vast areas. The monitoring of coastal areas and the evaluation of shoreline dynamics are core topics in the implementation of managing actions of decision makers on a local, regional, national, and international scale, above all in places like the chosen one, inside an MPA. Remote sensing through the use of RPAS (Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems or Drones) has proved to be very useful for identifying phenomena that act on a small spatial scale and in supporting and implementing protective measures according to the adaptive management approach, through multi-year surveys on habitats of conservation interest [18]. For the implementation of fine-scale monitoring actions, we have chosen products from the Sentinel satellite of the Copernicus constellation (European Space Agency - ESA). In this context, the use of satellite products provides a recurrent view of the ground, useful in the short and long-term monitoring of changes in wide coastal areas, and in particular, offers a coastline positioning evaluation in near real-time. Local monitoring actions performed in recent years have already shown an erosive trend in the past decades, and even, negative forecasts for the next decade, so further surveys with mixed methodologies could be crucial in the evaluation of the evolution of this particular coastal area by local authorities

Mechanism of leptin expression in breast cancer cells: role of hypoxia-inducible factor-1alpha.

We reported previously that the obesity hormone leptin is overexpressed in breast cancer biopsies. Here, we investigated molecular mechanisms involved in this process, focusing on conditions that are associated with obesity, that is, hyperinsulinemia and induction of hypoxia. By using quantitative real-time PCR, immunofluorescent detection of proteins and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays, we found that treatment of MCF-7 breast cancer cells with high doses of insulin or the hypoxia-mimetic agent CoCl2, or culturing the cells under hypoxic conditions significantly increased the expression of leptin mRNA and protein. Notably, the greatest leptin mRNA and protein expression were observed under combined hyperinsulinemia and hypoxia or hypoxia-mimetic treatments. Luciferase reporter assays suggested that increased leptin synthesis could be related to the activation of the leptin gene promoter. DNA affinity precipitation and chromatin immunoprecipitation experiments revealed that insulin, CoCl2 and/or hypoxia treatments augmented nuclear accumulation of hypoxia-inducible factor-1a (HIF-1a) and increased its interaction with several upstream leptin regulatory sequences, especially with the proximal promoter containing four hypoxia-response elements and three GC-rich regions. By using reverse chromatin precipitation, we determined that loading of HIF-1a on the proximal leptin promoter concurred with the recruitment of p300, the major HIF coactivator, suggesting that the HIF/p300 complex is involved in leptin transcription. The importance of HIF-1a in insulin- and CoCl2-activated leptin mRNA and protein expression was confirmed using RNA interferenc

Knockdown of menin affects pre-mRNA processing and promoter fidelity at the interferon-gamma inducible IRF1 gene

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The tumor suppressor menin (<it>MEN1</it>) is mutated in the inherited disease multiple endocrine neoplasia type I, and has several documented cellular roles, including the activation and repression of transcription effected by several transcription factors. As an activator, MEN1 is a component of the Set1-like mixed lineage leukemia (MLL) MLL1/MLL2 methyltransferase complex that methylates histone H3 lysine 4 (H3K4). MEN1 is localized to the signal transducer and activator of transcription 1 (STAT1)-dependent gene, interferon regulatory factor 1 (<it>IRF1)</it>, and is further recruited when <it>IRF1 </it>transcription is triggered by interferon-γ signaling.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>RNAi-mediated knockdown of MEN1 alters the H3K4 dimethylation and H3 acetylation profiles, and the localization of histone deacetylase 3, at <it>IRF1</it>. While MEN1 knockdown does not impact the rate of transcription, <it>IRF1 </it>heteronuclear transcripts become enriched in MEN1-depleted cells. The processed mRNA and translated protein product are concomitantly reduced, and the antiviral state is attenuated. Additionally, the transcription start site at the <it>IRF1 </it>promoter is disrupted in the MEN1-depleted cells. The H3K4 demethylase, lysine specific demethylase 1, is also associated with <it>IRF1</it>, and its inhibition alters H3K4 methylation and disrupts the transcription start site as well.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Taken together, the data indicate that MEN1 contributes to STAT1-activated gene expression in a novel manner that includes defining the transcription start site and RNA processing.</p

Chitosan-alginate microparticles of Andrographis paniculata and Annona muricata extracts for Controlled Release

This study investigates the properties of microparticles prepared from Andrographis paniculata (AP) and Annona muricata (AM) aqueous extracts for controlled release. Extracts obtained by maceration of the dried powdered plant leaves were microencapsulated by counterion coacervation method. Microcapsules were characterized using Fourier-transform infrared-spectroscopy (FTIR), x-ray difractometry (XRD) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC).In vitro release studies were carried out at pH 1.2 for 2 h and 6.8 for a further 10 h. Release was monitored at274 and 230 nm for AM and AP, respectively. Encapsulation efficacy was less than 52% for AP and 70% for AM. In vitro drug release at pH 1.2 showed less than 40% release from the microcapsules after 2h while over 90% of extract was released after 6h at pH 6.8. Conventional capsules released the content within 1 h in simulated gastric fluid. FTIR, XRD and DSC results indicate the stable character of the extract within the microcapsules. Microencapsulation with chitosan- alginate controlled the release of Andrographis paniculata (AP) and Annona muricata (AM) aqueous extracts

Clinical and metabolic effects of first-line treatment with somatostatin analogues or surgery in acromegaly: a retrospective and comparative study

To evaluate the metabolic effects of first-line somatostatin analogues or surgery in acromegaly. Retrospective, comparative, 12-month follow-up. Two hundred and thirty one patients (123 men, age 47.32 ± 14.63 years) with active acromegaly, first line treatments were somatostatin analogues in 151 (65.4%) and surgery in 80 (34.6%). Metabolic syndrome (MS) parameters, glucose, insulin and GH during oral glucose tolerance test, stimulated insulin sensitivity by insulin sensitivity index (ISI Matsuda), early and total insulin-secretion rate by insulinogenic index and AUC(INS), visceral adiposity function, expressed by visceral adipose index (VAI). Somatostatin analogues treatment improved all MS parameters and significantly reduced fasting glucose (P < 0.001), HbA1c (P = 0.014) and the prevalence of DM (P = 0.003) when disease control was achieved. Both somatostatin analogues and surgery improved ISI Matsuda (P < 0.001) and reduced AUC(INS) (P < 0.001) and VAI (P < 0.001 and P = 0.003, respectively). Only in controlled somatostatin analogues-treated patients a significant reduction in insulinogenic index (P = 0.010) was observed. ISI Matsuda showed a significant independent correlation with IGF-1 levels (β = -0.258; P = 0.001) and VAI score (β = -0.430; P < 0.001). VAI was independently correlated with IGF-1 (β = 0.183; P = 0.004). Both somatostatin analogues and surgery can safely be used as first-line therapy in acromegaly, without any untoward effects on glucose tolerance. The control of acromegaly is the main determinant of beneficial effects on general features of insulin sensitivity. VAI could represent an additional link between disease control and insulin sensitivity