Nitrogen deposition outweighs climatic variability in driving annual growth rate of canopy beech trees: Evidence from long-term growth reconstruction across a geographic gradient

In this study, we investigated the role of climatic variability and atmospheric nitrogen deposition in driving long-term tree growth in canopy beech trees along a geographic gradient in the montane belt of the Italian peninsula, from the Alps to the southern Apennines. We sampled dominant trees at different developmental stages (from young to mature tree cohorts, with tree ages spanning from 35 to 160 years) and used stem analysis to infer historic reconstruction of tree volume and dominant height. Annual growth volume (G V ) and height (G H ) variability were related to annual variability in model simulated atmospheric nitrogen deposition and site-specific climatic variables, (i.e. mean annual temperature, total annual precipitation, mean growing period temperature, total growing period precipitation, and standard precipitation evapotranspiration index) and atmospheric CO 2 concentration, including tree cambial age among growth predictors. Generalized additive models (GAM), linear mixed-effects models (LMM), and Bayesian regression models (BRM) were independently employed to assess explanatory variables. The main results from our study were as follows: (i) tree age was the main explanatory variable for long-term growth variability; (ii) GAM, LMM, and BRM results consistently indicated climatic variables and CO 2 effects on G V and G H were weak, therefore evidence of recent climatic variability influence on beech annual growth rates was limited in the montane belt of the Italian peninsula; (iii) instead, significant positive nitrogen deposition (N dep ) effects were repeatedly observed in G V and G H ; the positive effects of N dep on canopy height growth rates, which tended to level off at N dep values greater than approximately 1.0 g m −2  y −1 , were interpreted as positive impacts on forest stand above-ground net productivity at the selected study sites

Estimación del tamaño muestral para estudios de variabilidad morfológica in situde Lippia integrifolia (Verbenaceae) en el Parque Nacional Talampaya, La Rioja (Argentina)

Lippia integrifolia “incayuyo” is an aromatic and medicinal shrub of economic importance, distributed from Bolivia to northwestern and central Argentina. It has shown a wide variation between individuals of the same species, which could be the result of interaction with the environment and / or be genetically determined. On the basis of this variability, characterization studies are needed for further agronomic evaluations, plant breeding, selection, conservation and reproduction of specimen with desirable characteristics. The aim of this study is to determine, using two estimation methods, the minimum number of individuals to be assessed that represents in situ morphological variability of a population of L. integrifolia. From a preliminary sampling conducted in the Parque Nacional Talampaya, in which 11 morphometric characters were registered in L. integrifolia, a parametric and a nonparametric estimation of the Minimum Sample Size was performed. Based on the morphometric characters evaluated here it is recommended a minimum sample size in between 35-40 individuals, determined by the characters that showed greater variability, with which the morphological variability of the species would be guaranteedLippia integrifolia“incayuyo” es un arbusto aromático y medicinal de interés económico cuya distribución abarca desde Bolivia hasta el noroeste y centro de Argentina. Presenta una amplia variabilidad intraespecífica, la cual podría ser el resultado de la interacción con el ambiente y/o estar determinada genéticamente. Debido a esta variabilidad, estudios de caracterización son necesarios para posteriores evaluaciones agronómicas, mejoramiento genético, selección,reproducción y conservación de ejemplares con características deseables. El objetivo de este trabajo es determinar, utilizando dos métodos de estimación, el número de individuos mínimo a relevar in situque representen la variabilidad morfológica de una población de L. integrifolia. A partir de un muestreo preliminar realizado en el Parque Nacional Talampaya en el que se registraron 11 caracteres morfométricos en L. integrifolia, se realizó una estimación paramétrica y una no paramétrica del Tamaño Muestral Mínimo. Sobre la base de los caracteres morfométricos aquí evaluados se recomienda un tamaño de muestra mínimo de entre 35 a 40 ejemplares, determinado por los caracteres que mostraron mayor variabilidad, con el cual se garantizaría poder captar la variabilidad morfológica de la especie

Respuesta a la multiplicación agámica de clones selectos de Lippia integrifolia" "incayuyo"

Fil: Leiva, Romina M. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Agropecuarias. Centro de Investigación, Desarrollo y Transferencia de Plantas Aromáticas y Medicinales (CIDeTPAM); Argentina.Fil: Ojeda, Marta Susana. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Agropecuarias. Centro de Investigación, Desarrollo y Transferencia de Plantas Aromáticas y Medicinales (CIDeTPAM); Argentina.Fil: Suárez Santillán, María Paula. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Agropecuarias. Centro de Investigación, Desarrollo y Transferencia de Plantas Aromáticas y Medicinales (CIDeTPAM); Argentina.Fil: Brunetti, Paula Cecilia. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Agropecuarias. Centro de Investigación, Desarrollo y Transferencia de Plantas Aromáticas y Medicinales (CIDeTPAM); Argentina.Lippia integrifolia (Griseb.) Hieron. “incayuyo” es un arbusto aromático, subleñoso que crece en el noroeste y centro de Argentina. Se emplea tradicionalmente la decocción de sus hojas y flores para afecciones del tracto digestivo. El objetivo del presente trabajo fue evaluar y comparar la respuesta a la reproducción asexual de 13 genotipos de Lippia integrifolia pre-seleccionados por caracteres de interés agronómico.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersionFil: Leiva, Romina M. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Agropecuarias. Centro de Investigación, Desarrollo y Transferencia de Plantas Aromáticas y Medicinales (CIDeTPAM); Argentina.Fil: Ojeda, Marta Susana. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Agropecuarias. Centro de Investigación, Desarrollo y Transferencia de Plantas Aromáticas y Medicinales (CIDeTPAM); Argentina.Fil: Suárez Santillán, María Paula. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Agropecuarias. Centro de Investigación, Desarrollo y Transferencia de Plantas Aromáticas y Medicinales (CIDeTPAM); Argentina.Fil: Brunetti, Paula Cecilia. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Agropecuarias. Centro de Investigación, Desarrollo y Transferencia de Plantas Aromáticas y Medicinales (CIDeTPAM); Argentina

Modular ma-xrf scanner development in the multi-analytical characterisation of a 17th century Azulejo from Portugal†

This project has received funding from the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under the Marie Sklodowska-Curie grant agreement No. 766311, from Regione Lazio, under the Project "MUSA" n. B86C17000280002, of the Excellence Centre at the Lazio Technological District for Cultural Heritage (DTC), from the Regione Autonoma di Sardegna, under project number CUP:J81G17000140002, and from Fundacao para a Ciencia e a Tecnologia, grants UID/FIS/04559/2020 and UIDB/00729/2020.A modular X-ray scanning system was developed, to fill in the gap between portable instruments (with a limited analytical area) and mobile instruments (with large analytical areas, and sometimes bulky and difficult to transport). The scanner has been compared to a commercial tabletop instrument, by analysing a Portuguese tile (azulejo) from the 17th century. Complementary techniques were used to achieve a throughout characterisation of the sample in a complete non-destructive approach. The complexity of the acquired X-ray fluorescence (XRF) spectra, due to inherent sample stratigraphy, has been resolved using Monte Carlo simulations, and Raman spectroscopy, as the most suitable technique to complement the analysis of azulejos colours, yielding satisfactory results. The colouring agents were identified as cobalt blue and a Zn-modified Naples-yellow. The stratigraphy of the area under study was partially modelled with Monte Carlo simulations. The scanners performance has been compared by evaluating the images outputs and the global spectrum.publishersversionpublishe

Rosa M.a Capel Martínez, José Cepeda Gómez, El Siglo de las Luces : Política y sociedad

Après une séduisante mise au point sur Los siglos XVI-XVII: Cultura y vida cotidiana (due, en 2000, à L. E. Rodríguez-San Pedro et J. L. Sánchez Lora), la collection de synthèses historiques Historia de España 3er milenio, dirigée par Elena Hernández Sandoica, nous offre à présent, sous la plume de deux professeurs de la Complutense, une excellente présentation des enjeux politiques et sociaux du Siglo de las Luces, étude appelée à rendre les plus grands services aux étudiants, voire aux spéc..

PPAR-gamma agonist pioglitazone recovers mitochondrial quality control in fibroblasts from PITRM1-deficient patients

Introduction: Biallelic variants in PITRM1 are associated with a slowly progressive syndrome characterized by intellectual disability, spinocerebellar ataxia, cognitive decline and psychosis. The pitrilysin metallopeptidase 1 (PITRM1) is a mitochondrial matrix enzyme, which digests diverse oligopeptides, including the mitochondrial targeting sequences (MTS) that are cleaved from proteins imported across the inner mitochondrial membrane by the mitochondrial processing peptidase (MPP). Mitochondrial peptidases also play a role in the maturation of Frataxin, the protein affected in Friedreich’s ataxia. Recent studies in yeast indicated that the mitochondrial matrix protease Ste23, which is a homologue of the human insulin-degrading enzyme (IDE), cooperates with Cym1 (homologue of PITRM1) to ensure the proper functioning of the preprotein processing machinery. In humans, IDE could be upregulated by Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptor Gamma (PPARG) agonists.Methods: We investigated preprotein processing, mitochondrial membrane potential and MTS degradation in control and patients’, and we evaluated the pharmacological effect of the PPARG agonist Pioglitazone on mitochondrial proteostasis.Results: We discovered that PITRM1 dysfunction results in the accumulation of MTS, leading to the disruption and dissipation of the mitochondrial membrane potential. This triggers a feedback inhibition of MPP activity, consequently impairing the processing and maturation of Frataxin. Furthermore, we found that the pharmacological stimulation of PPARG by Pioglitazone upregulates IDE and also PITRM1 protein levels restoring the presequence processing machinery and improving Frataxin maturation and mitochondrial function.Discussion: Our findings provide mechanistic insights and suggest a potential pharmacological strategy for this rare neurodegenerative mitochondrial disease

Sample size estimation for in situ morphological variability studies of Lippia integrifolia (Verbenaceae) in Parque Nacional Talampaya, La Rioja (Argentina)

Lippia integrifolia“incayuyo” es un arbusto aromático y medicinal de interés económico cuya distribución abarca desde Bolivia hasta el noroeste y centro de Argentina. Presenta una amplia variabilidad intraespecífica, la cual podría ser el resultado de la interacción con el ambiente y/o estar determinada genéticamente. Debido a esta variabilidad, estudios de caracterización son necesarios para posteriores evaluaciones agronómicas, mejoramiento genético, selección,reproducción y conservación de ejemplares con características deseables. El objetivo de este trabajo es determinar, utilizando dos métodos de estimación, el número de individuos mínimo a relevar in situque representen la variabilidad morfológica de una población de L. integrifolia. A partir de un muestreo preliminar realizado en el Parque Nacional Talampaya en el que se registraron 11 caracteres morfométricos en L. integrifolia, se realizó una estimación paramétrica y una no paramétrica del Tamaño Muestral Mínimo. Sobre la base de los caracteres morfométricos aquí evaluados se recomienda un tamaño de muestra mínimo de entre 35 a 40 ejemplares, determinado por los caracteres que mostraron mayor variabilidad, con el cual se garantizaría poder captar la variabilidad morfológica de la especie.Lippia integrifolia “incayuyo” es un arbusto aromático y medicinal de interés económico cuya distribución abarca desde Bolivia hasta el noroeste y centro de Argentina. Presenta una amplia variabilidad intraespecífica, la cual podría ser el resultado de la interacción con el ambiente y/o estar determinada genéticamente. Debido a esta variabilidad, estudios de caracterización son necesarios para posteriores evaluaciones agronómicas, mejoramiento genético, selección reproducción y conservación de ejemplares con características deseables. El objetivo de este trabajo es determinar, utilizando dos métodos de estimación, el número de individuos mínimo a relevar in situ que representen la variabilidad morfológica de una población de L. integrifolia. A partir de un muestreo preliminar realizado en el Parque Nacional Talampaya en el que se registraron 11 caracteres morfométricos en L. integrifolia, se realizó una estimación paramétrica y una no paramétrica del Tamaño Muestral Mínimo. Sobre la base de los caracteres morfométricos aquí evaluados se recomienda un tamaño de muestra mínimo de entre 35 a 40 ejemplares, determinado por los caracteres que mostraron mayor variabilidad, con el cual se garantizaría poder captar la variabilidad morfológica de la especie.Fil: Brunetti, Paula Cecilia. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Agropecuarias; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Bruno, Cecilia Ines. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Agropecuarias. Departamento de Desarrollo Rural. Area de Estadística y Biometría; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Zapata, Ricardo Miguel. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Agropecuarias; ArgentinaFil: Torres, Lorena Elizabeth. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Agropecuarias; ArgentinaFil: Barboza, Gloria Estela. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Instituto Multidisciplinario de Biología Vegetal. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas Físicas y Naturales. Instituto Multidisciplinario de Biología Vegetal; ArgentinaFil: Ojeda, Marta Susana. Universidad Catolica de Cordoba. Facultad de Cs.agropecuarias; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentin

Interlaboratory performance of a Real-Time PCR method for detection of Ceratocystis platani, the agent of canker stain of Platanus spp

Ceratocystis platani (CP), an ascomycetous fungus, is the agent of canker stain, a lethal vascular disease of Platanus species. Ceratocystis platani has been listed as a quarantine pest (EPPO A2 list) due to extensive damage caused in Southern Europe and the Mediterranean region. As traditional diagnostic assays are ineffective, a Real-Time PCR detection method based on EvaGreen, SYBR Green, and Taqman assays was previously developed, validated in-house, and included in the official EPPO standard PM7/14 (2). Here, we describe the results of a test performance study performed by nine European laboratories for the purpose of an interlaboratory validation. Verification of the DNA extracted from biological samples guaranteed the high quality of preparations, and the stability and the homogeneity of the aliquots intended for the laboratories. All of the laboratories reproduced nearly identical standard curves with efficiencies close to 100%. Testing of blind-coded DNA extracted from wood samples revealed that all performance parameters-diagnostic sensitivity, diagnostic specificity, accuracy and reproducibility-were best fit in most cases both at the laboratory and at the assay level. The previously established limit of detection, 3 fg per PCR reaction, was also validated with similar excellent results. The high interlaboratory performance of this Real-Time PCR method confirms its value as a primary tool to safeguard C. platani-free countries by way of an accurate monitoring, and to investigate the resistance level of potentially canker stain-resistant Platanus genotypes

Immunotherapy for colorectal cancer: where are we heading?

Introduction: In the last few years, significant advances in molecular biology have provided new therapeutic options for colorectal cancer (CRC). The development of new drugs that target the immune response to cancer cells seems very promising and has already been established for other tumor types. In particular, the use of immune checkpoint inhibitors seems to be an encouraging immunotherapeutic strategy. Areas covered: In this review, the authors provide an update of the current evidence related to this topic, though most immunotherapies are still in early-phase clinical trials for CRC. To understand the key role of immunotherapy in CRC, the authors discuss the delicate balance between immune-stimulating and immune-suppressive networks that occur in the tumor microenvironment. Expert opinion: Modulation of the immune system through checkpoint inhibition is an emerging approach in CRC therapy. Nevertheless, selection criteria that could enable the identification of patients who may benefit from these agents are necessary. Furthermore, potential prognostic and predictive immune biomarkers based on immune and molecular classifications have been proposed. As expected, additional studies are required to develop biomarkers, effective therapeutic strategies and novel combinations to overcome immune escape resistance and enhance effector response