Ricerca di nuovi indici molecolari e microbiologici dello stato nutrizionale della vite

The study of soil-plant relationships is a prerequisite for controlling production of the vineyard. In vineyard sites of Gambellara, we studied the relationship between productivity, the main physico-chemical properties of soils and some innovative indices for the diagnosis of the nutritional status of the grape as i) the biodegradation capacity of organic matter evaluated by means of degradation of filaments of vegetal and animal origin and ii) the expression of genes that could be involved in defence mechanisms of grape to abiotic stress. Large and significant differences (p<0.05) were observed for physical and chemical fertility parameters evaluated. The vineyards characterized by high productivity are those showing a neutral pH, good supply of organic matter and adequate C/N ratio. These soils also showed high biodegradation of organic matter determined through the soil filaments degradation. The ARISA analysis (Amplified Ribosomal Intergenic Spacer Analysis), carried out on DNA samples isolated through an automatic procedure, showed that sites Pio Paulsen and Pio Carenza, characterized by low biodegradation capacity of organic matter, have a reduced genetic similarity compared to sites Chiarafontana and Branco viceversa characterized by high biodegradation capacity. Furthermore, the number of ARISA peaks, index of the number of soil bacterial species, was was statistically lower (p <0.05) in sites Pio Paulsen and Pio Carenza with respect to sites Chiarafontana and Branco. Plants of Campilonghi’s vineyard which is characterized by acid pH, scarce organic matter content, low C/N ratio, limited degradation capacity of filaments and low leaves content of nitrogen and sulphur showed, with respect plants of Pio Paulsen involved as control, up-regulation of WRKY, SuSy, PAL and STS1 genes. In conclusion, the degradative capacity of filaments and the assays of expression of above genes seem to be valid indicators of soil fertility and grape nutritional status

Finite life fatigue design of spiral springs of dual-mass flywheels: Analytical estimation and experimental results

A procedure to design the spiral springs finite life for dual-mass flywheels is presented. Due to design constraints, installation space, production processes, stiffness requirement, maximum torque, and maximum speed, these components are dimensioned for finite life. Two- and three-dimensional finite element model static structural analysis was performed to obtain the stress distribution, deformed shape, and to validate optimization design. The fatigue analysis was performed both experimentally and by means of a component life estimation model. An experimental duty cycle was applied. Finite element analysis and experimental analysis agree in pointing out the location and the value of maximum stresses and the shape of deformation. Vehicle tests highlight premature spiral springs' failures, which do not agree with life estimation. The examination of the fracture showed that fretting and wear, along with fatigue phenomena, are the causes of premature failures. A dedicated component life estimation model is required, taking into account of wear and loading history

Thrombin generation in a woman with heterozygous factor V Leiden and combined oral contraceptives: A case report.

Combined oral contraceptives and factor V Leiden mutation are multiplicative risk factors for venous thromboembolism. However, it remains unknown whether this multiplicative effect is reflected in thrombin generation assays. We report here the evolution of the thrombin generation profile while taking combined oral contraceptives and after their discontinuation in a woman with heterozygous factor V Leiden mutation. The proband exhibited a distinctly prothrombotic thrombin generation profile including markedly decreased thrombomodulin (TM) sensitivity, compared to the control population. This profile possibly reflected a high thrombotic risk. After discontinuation of combined oral contraceptives, thrombin generation and TM sensitivity improved greatly, leaving only a slightly prothrombotic profile. Therefore, the multiplied thrombotic risk occurring with simultaneous combined oral contraceptives and factor V Leiden mutation is reflected by a thrombin generation assay performed without and with TM. This could be a promising tool to identify women taking combined oral contraceptives at high risk for venous thromboembolism. Further studies are needed to verify this hypothesis

Thrombocytopathies: Not Just Aggregation Defects-The Clinical Relevance of Procoagulant Platelets.

Platelets are active key players in haemostasis. Qualitative platelet dysfunctions result in thrombocytopathies variously characterized by defects of their adhesive and procoagulant activation endpoints. In this review, we summarize the traditional platelet defects in adhesion, secretion, and aggregation. In addition, we review the current knowledge about procoagulant platelets, focusing on their role in bleeding or thrombotic pathologies and their pharmaceutical modulation. Procoagulant activity is an important feature of platelet activation, which should be specifically evaluated during the investigation of a suspected thrombocytopathy

Heparin-Induced Thrombocytopenia: A Review of New Concepts in Pathogenesis, Diagnosis, and Management.

Knowledge on heparin-induced thrombocytopenia keeps increasing. Recent progress on diagnosis and management as well as several discoveries concerning its pathogenesis have been made. However, many aspects of heparin-induced thrombocytopenia remain partly unknown, and exact application of these new insights still need to be addressed. This article reviews the main new concepts in pathogenesis, diagnosis, and management of heparin-induced thrombocytopenia

Characterization of Procoagulant COAT Platelets in Patients with Glanzmann Thrombasthenia.

Patients affected by the rare Glanzmann thrombasthenia (GT) suffer from defective or low levels of the platelet-associated glycoprotein (GP) IIb/IIIa, which acts as a fibrinogen receptor, and have therefore an impaired ability to aggregate platelets. Because the procoagulant activity is a dichotomous facet of platelet activation, diverging from the aggregation endpoint, we were interested in characterizing the ability to generate procoagulant platelets in GT patients. Therefore, we investigated, by flow cytometry analysis, platelet functions in three GT patients as well as their ability to generate procoagulant collagen-and-thrombin (COAT) platelets upon combined activation with convulxin-plus-thrombin. In addition, we further characterized intracellular ion fluxes during the procoagulant response, using specific probes to monitor by flow cytometry kinetics of cytosolic calcium, sodium, and potassium ion fluxes. GT patients generated higher percentages of procoagulant COAT platelets compared to healthy donors. Moreover, they were able to mobilize higher levels of cytosolic calcium following convulxin-plus-thrombin activation, which is congruent with the greater procoagulant activity. Further investigations will dissect the role of GPIIb/IIIa outside-in signalling possibly implicated in the regulation of platelet procoagulant activity

Innovative approaches to evaluate sugar beet responses to changes in sulfate availability

In this study, a system based on omics profiling was set-up for sugar beet (Beta vulgaris L. subsp. vulgaris) evaluation after changes in sulfate availability. Seedlings were grown on sulfate-deprived Hoagland solution. Six days after germination, 100 \ub5M MgSO4was added to the solution. Root samples were collected 36 h after treatments. WinRHIZO root-scanning approach was used for the automated image analysis of plant root morphology. Inductively Coupled Plasma Spectrometry (ICP-OES) and quadrupole-time-of-flight mass spectrometry (Q-TOF) were used for ionomic and metabolic analysis, respectively. Nanofluidic real-time PCR (OpenArray system) was used for molecular profiling. OpenArray chips were designed with TaqMan probes for 53 sugar beet genes putatively involved in sulfate nutrition. At morphological level treated seedlings showed significantly higher values (P < 0.01) than untreated plants for root traits related to soil exploration and nutrient uptake, such as total root length, fine roots length and root tips number. ICP-OES, Q-TOF and transcriptomic data revealed changes due to sulfate availability in sugar beet samples. Two key results are highlighted in sulfate-supplied roots and leaves. Firstly, high expression levels of auxin efflux carrier component 1 (PIN) and 5-phosphoribosyl-anthranilate, precursor of tryptophan and auxin synthesis, were observed in roots. Secondly, high levels of 2-Cys peroxiredoxin BAS1, chloroplastic, thioredoxin reductase (NADPH) and cysteine synthase, chloroplastic/chromoplastic, O-acetylserine sulfhydrylase, involved in protection against oxidative stress and cysteine synthase activity, respectively, were observed in leaves. Based on our findings, the combination of evaluated omics approaches could become a key system for the evaluation of the nutritional status of sugar beet under different nutrient availability conditions

Autophagy is defective in collagen VI muscular dystrophies and its reactivation rescues myofiber degeneration

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