Report No. 24: Analysis of the Social Agendas

Study conducted for the European Parliament, Bonn 2010 (135 pages)

A new record of Craspedacusta sowerbii, Lankester 1880 (Cnidaria, Limnomedusae) in Northern Italy

A new record of the freshwater jellyfish Craspedacusta sowerbii in Northern Italy is reported. The medusae bloom occurred in a small oligo-mesotrophic artificial lake during July, 2009. At the time of sampling, the medusae were all immature, reached low density and showed feeding preference towards the Daphnia complex of species, the most abundant zooplanktonic species in the lake. Negative feeding selectivity towards small Rotifera was demonstrated. The occasional occurrence of a C. sowerbii bloom in this lake suggests the distribution range of this species may be largely underestimated, and its potential impact on the zooplankton community remains unknown

Population dynamics of Chaoborus flavicans and Daphnia spp.: effects on a zooplankton community in a volcanic eutrophic lake with naturally high metal concentrations (L. Monticchio Grande, Southern Italy)

The response of Daphnia populations to invertebrate predators involves morphological or behavioural changes. Few studies suggest that contaminant aqueous metals, like Cu or Ni at environmentally relevant concentrations, interfere with invertebrate chemical communication systems, such as that which operates between Daphnia and Chaoborus. The objective of our study was to determine if this interference could be also observed in lakes naturally rich in dissolved metals, such as volcanic lake (Lago Grande di Monticchio). This study aimed to assess if natural dissolved metals (e.g., Fe, Mn and Sr) could impair the ability of Daphnia pulex and D. galeata × hyalina × cucullata 'complex' populations to respond to Chaoborus kairomones by producing morphological defenses against potential predation, and to understand how Chaoborus predation might affect zooplankton community composition and overall zooplankton density. The predator impact did not result in: i) any morphological changes; ii) any apparent shift in body size pattern of the prey population; iii) any shift in life history traits. Chaoborus accounted for high mortality rates in Cladocera and strongly reduced the chance of individuals to reach maturity. Moreover, highly significant negative correlations between abundance of dominant taxa of zooplankton and C. flavicans were found. The last larval instars of C. flavicans seem to reduce the number of crustaceans, particularly cladocerans and copepod adults and could play an important role in structuring zooplankton communities. Our results suggest that metal inhibition of defence strategies induction probably occurs along the signal transduction pathway in Lake Grande di Monticchio. Impairment of chemosensory response to predatory chemical cues may have widespread ecological consequences in aquatic systems. Chaoborus predation effects can greatly affect both zooplankton biomass and community composition, impact interactions at lower trophic levels and generate an ecological cascade leading to a rapid eutrophication

PIRANESI PRIX DE ROME- LECTIONES MAGISTRALES. EDUARDO SOUTO DE MOURA

La Collana editoriale denominata Piranesi Prix de Rome Lectiones Magistrales nasce con l’obbiettivo di raccogliere e documentare l’attività di ricerca scientifica e di promozione culturale svolta dall’Accademia Adrianea di Architettura e Archeologia. La collana è dedicata al suo prodotto più qualificato e noto a livello internazionale che è appunto il Piranesi Prix de Rome, nella sua doppia identità di premio per le migliori realizzazioni di architettura per l’archeologia, e di riconoscimento alla carriera per gli architetti che maggiormente si sono distinti a livello professionale ed accademico nella progettazione per il patrimonio culturale. Il Piranesi Prix de Rome per professionisti (che affianca quello Universitario nato sette anni prima) vede la luce nel 2010 grazie alla prima Call Internazionale per architetture costruite in contesto archeologico, consultazione alla quale hanno risposto studi di architettura di primario livello europeo. Nei sette anni successivi il Piranesi Prix de Rome si è consolidato accogliendo nel proprio albo d’oro i più importanti nomi del panorama contemporaneo, tra cui due celebri architetti già premiati con il Pritzker Prize, lo spagnolo Rafael Moneo premiato per primo nel 2010, il portoghese Eduardo Souto de Moura, premiato il 24 Marzo 2017, e più recentemente, lo spagnolo Alberto Campo Baeza, premiato il 16 marzo 2018

Hydrogeological conceptual model of a highly impacted watershed: the case study of Oglio river (n Italy)

Oglio River watershed, Italy, water bodies, TANGRAM, groundwater discharge

Negative Feedback Regulation of Auxin Signaling by ATHB8/ACL5–BUD2 Transcription Module

ABSTRACT The role of auxin as main regulator of vascular differentiation is well established, and a direct correlation between the rate of xylem differentiation and the amount of auxin reaching the (pro)cambial cells has been proposed. It has been suggested that thermospermine produced by ACAULIS5 (ACL5) and BUSHY AND DWARF2 (BUD2) is one of the factors downstream to auxin contributing to the regulation of this process in Arabidopsis . Here, we provide an in-depth characterization of the mechanism through which ACL5 modulates xylem differentiation. We show that an increased level of ACL5 slows down xylem differentiation by negatively affecting the expression of homeodomain-leucine zipper ( HD–ZIP ) III and key auxin signaling genes. This mechanism involves the positive regulation of thermospermine biosynthesis by the HD–ZIP III protein ARABIDOPSIS THALIANA HOMEOBOX8 tightly controlling the expression of ACL5 and BUD2 . In addition, we show that the HD–ZIP III protein REVOLUTA contributes to the increased leaf vascularization and long hypocotyl phenotype of acl5 likely by a direct regulation of auxin signaling genes such as LIKE AUXIN RESISTANT2 ( LAX2 ) and LAX3 . We propose that proper formation and differentiation of xylem depend on a balance between positive and negative feedback loops operating through HD–ZIP III genes

Systems Biology Approaches for the Improvement of Oncolytic Virus-Based Immunotherapies

Oncolytic virus (OV)-based immunotherapy is mainly dependent on establishing an efficient cell-mediated antitumor immunity. OV-mediated antitumor immunity elicits a renewed antitumor reactivity, stimulating a T-cell response against tumor-associated antigens (TAAs) and recruiting natural killer cells within the tumor microenvironment (TME). Despite the fact that OVs are unspecific cancer vaccine platforms, to further enhance antitumor immunity, it is crucial to identify the potentially immunogenic T-cell restricted TAAs, the main key orchestrators in evoking a specific and durable cytotoxic T-cell response. Today, innovative approaches derived from systems biology are exploited to improve target discovery in several types of cancer and to identify the MHC-I and II restricted peptide repertoire recognized by T-cells. Using specific computation pipelines, it is possible to select the best tumor peptide candidates that can be efficiently vectorized and delivered by numerous OV-based platforms, in order to reinforce anticancer immune responses. Beyond the identification of TAAs, system biology can also support the engineering of OVs with improved oncotropism to reduce toxicity and maintain a sufficient portion of the wild-type virus virulence. Finally, these technologies can also pave the way towards a more rational design of armed OVs where a transgene of interest can be delivered to TME to develop an intratumoral gene therapy to enhance specific immune stimuli

Studies on the phytoplankton of the deep subalpine Lake Iseo

This paper reports the results of investigations carried out on the chemical characteristics and phytoplankton community of Lake Iseo. Samplings were performed on a monthly basis from 1998 to 2000. At least three main algal groups dominated the community throughout the study period. The large Bacillariophyceae were dominant mainly during late winter and early spring (Aulacoseira spp., Melosira varians, Asterionella formosa), with few species able to maintain occasional positive growth also during mid summer and/or autumn (Fragilaria crotonensis and Diatoma elongatum). The thermal stability of the water column and silica depletion were the main factors responsible for the decline of the large spring diatoms. The subsequent growth of Mougeotia sp. (Conjugatophyceae) was favoured by its lower sinking rate and resistance to increasing grazing pressure by the dominant copepods (Copidodiaptomus steueri) and cladocerans (Daphnia hyalina × galeata). Among the cyanobacteria, the greater development of Planktothrix rubescens in the autumn months, with conditions of vertical homogenisation and decreasing Zeu/Zmix ratios, was favoured by its ability to survive at low light irradiances. The temporal replacement of these three groups constitutes the main sequence of the annual phytoplankton succession in Lake Iseo. A large development of other algal groups was recorded only in one or two of the three study years (e.g. Dinophyceae and Chlorococcales). The changes observed in the annual phytoplankton development are discussed in the light of differences in the spring fertilisation of the waters, caused by differences in the depth of the layer involved in the late winter and spring vertical mixing

Zooplankton as an early warning system of persistent organic pollutants contamination in a deep lake (lake Iseo, Northern Italy)

The lake Iseo has been recently contaminated by DDT residues, originated from the melting of a glacier that released the pollutants accumulated in the past. Because of this recent input, DDT residues concentrations rose more quickly in zooplankton than in fish during 2009. In autumn 2010 the ratio drastically dropped to one–two for all the compounds indicating that the glacial DDT load should have been ceased. The situation was different for PCBs that were released to a much lower extent from glaciers. The PCB 138 ratio between zooplankton and fish was always around one–two in both years. As the zooplankton response to pollution changes resulted particularly prompt, our research highlights the importance of this component as an early warning bioindicator of hydrophobic pollutants