The silencing of TdIPK1 genes enhances micronutrient concentration in durum wheat grain

Phytic acid (PA) is the main storage form of phosphorus in kernel and is considered an anti-nutritional compound because of its ability to bind to essential minerals such as iron (Fe), zinc (Zn), potassium (K), calcium (Ca) and magnesium (Mg), thus limiting their availability, especially for populations whose diet is largely based on staple crops. This study reports a promising nutrient biofortification approach of durum wheat. The approach was based on the silencing of the gene encoding the inositol pentakisphosphate 2- kinase 1 (IPK1), involved in the last step of the PA biosynthetic pathway, through a Targeting Induced Local Lesions IN Genomes (TILLING) approach. Single knockout mutants for the IPK1 homeoalleles were identified and crossed to pyramid the two mutations. Although an elevated number of plants (F2 and F3 progenies) were analysed, no genotypes lacking both the homeoalleles were recovered, suggesting that the expression of IPK1 is crucial for seed formation in the spike and/or for plant germination and development. The characterization of the single null genotypes highlighted that the partial TdIPK1-B1- mutants showed a lower accumulation of PA in the kernel along with a higher content of essential microelements (Fe, Mn, Zn) compared to the control wild-type. The pattern of mineral accumulation was different for the TdIPK1-A1- mutants which only presented a greater accumulation of K

Radiation therapy during the coronavirus disease 2019 (covid-19) pandemic in Italy: a view of the nation's young oncologists

status: publishe

Morphology of the toe flexor muscles in older people with toe deformities

Objective: Despite suggestions that atrophied, or weak toe flexor muscles are associated with the formation of toe deformities, there has been little evidence to support this theory. This study aimed to determine whether the size of the toe flexor muscles differed in older people with and without toe deformities. Methods: Forty-four older adults (>60 years) were recruited for the study. Each participant had their feet assessed for the presence of hallux valgus or lesser toe deformities. Intrinsic and extrinsic toe flexor muscles were imaged with an ultrasound system using a standardised protocol. Assessor blinded muscle thickness and cross-sectional area was measured using Image J software. Results: Participants with lesser toe deformities (n=20) were found to have significantly smaller quadratus plantae (p=0.003), flexor digitorum brevis (p=0.013), abductor halluces (p=0.004) and flexor halluces brevis (p=0.005) muscles than the participants without any toe deformities (n=19). Female participants with hallux valgus (n=10) were found to have significantly smaller abductor hallucis (p=0.048) and flexor halluces brevis (p=0.013) muscles than the female participants without any toe deformities (n=10; p<0.05). Conclusion: This is the first study to use ultrasound to investigate the size of the toe flexor muscles in older people with hallux valgus and lesser toe deformities compared to otherwise healthy older adults. The size of the abductor hallucis and flexor hallucis brevis muscles were decreased in participants with hallux valgus whereas the quadratus plantae, flexor digitorum brevis, abductor hallucis and flexor halluces brevis muscles were smaller in those participants with lesser toe deformities

Correlation between bone quality and microvascular damage in systemic sclerosis patients

Objectives. SSc patients are recognized as presenting an increased risk of altered bone mass. The aim of this study was to assess the bone quality, by trabecular bone score (TBS), in SSc patients in correlation with different levels of microvascular damage, as evaluated by nailfold videocapillaroscopy (NVC), and to compare the results regarding bone quality with RA patients and healthy subjects (CNT). Methods. Eighty-four SSc patients, 98 RA patients and 60 CNT, were studied. BMD (g/cm2) of the lumbar spine (L1-L4) was analysed by DXA scan. Lumbar spine bone quality was derived from each spine DXA examination using the TBS analysis. NVC patterns were analysed. Results. A total of 56/84 SSc patients (66%) as well as 78/98 RA patients (80%) showed bone loss at DXA and BMD was found to be significantly lower than in the CNT (P<0.001). Similarly, lumbar spine TBS was found to be significantly lower in SSc and RA patients than in CNT (P<0.001). TBS values were found to be lower in SSc with a late NVC pattern, compared with the active or early pattern (late vs active and early pattern, P<0.001). There was no statistically significant difference in the mean lumbar spine TBS between SSc and RA patients (P = 0.238). Conclusion. The data obtained showed significantly lower bone quality (lower TBS and BMD) in SSc and RA patients compared with CNT. The bone quality seemed lower in SSc patients with more altered microvasculature (late NVC pattern)

Development and First Validation of a Disease Activity Score for Gout

none51OBJECTIVE: To develop a new composite disease activity score for gout and provide its first validation. METHODS: Disease activity has been defined as the ongoing presence of urate deposits that lead to acute arthritis and joint damage. Every measure for each Outcome Measures in Rheumatology core domain was considered. A 3-step approach (factor analysis, linear discriminant analysis, and linear regression) was applied to derive the Gout Activity Score (GAS). Decision to change treatment or 6-month flare count were used as the surrogate criteria of high disease activity. Baseline and 12-month followup data of 446 patients included in the Kick-Off of the Italian Network for Gout cohort were used. Construct- and criterion-related validity were tested. External validation on an independent sample is reported. RESULTS: Factor analysis identified 5 factors: patient-reported outcomes, joint examination, flares, tophi, and serum uric acid (sUA). Discriminant function analysis resulted in a correct classification of 79%. Linear regression analysis identified a first candidate GAS including 12-month flare count, sUA, visual analog scale (VAS) of pain, VAS global activity assessment, swollen and tender joint counts, and a cumulative measure of tophi. Alternative scores were also developed. The developed GAS demonstrated a good correlation with functional disability (criterion validity) and discrimination between patient- and physician-reported measures of active disease (construct validity). The results were reproduced in the external sample. CONCLUSION: This study developed and validated a composite measure of disease activity in gout. Further testing is required to confirm its generalizability, responsiveness, and usefulness in assisting with clinical decisions.noneScirè, Carlo A; Carrara, Greta; Viroli, Cinzia; Cimmino, Marco A.; Taylor, William J.; Manara, Maria; Govoni, Marcello; Salaffi, Fausto; Punzi, Leonardo; Montecucco, Carlomaurizio; Matucci-Cerinic, Marco; Minisola, Giovanni; Ariani, Alarico; Galossi, Alessandra; Lauriti, Ciro; Fracassi, Elena; Idolazzi, Luca; Bardelli, Marco; Selvi, Enrico; Tirri, Enrico; Furini, Federica; Inverardi, Flora; Calabrò, Andrea; Porta, Francesco; Bittelli, Raffaele; Venturino, Francesco; Capsoni, Franco; Prevete, Immacolata; Sebastiani, Giandomenico; Selmi, Carlo; Fabbriciani, Gianluigi; D'Avola, Giovanni; Botticella, Giulia; Serale, Francesca; Seminara, Giulia; D'Alessandro, Giuseppe; Santo, Leonardo; Longato, Lorena; Zaccara, Eleonora; Sinigaglia, Luigi; Atteritano, Marco; Broggini, Marco; Caprioli, Marta; Favero, Marta; Sallì, Salvatore; Scarati, Marco; Parisi, Simone; Malavolta, Nazzarena; Corvaglia, Stefania; Scarpato, Salvatore; Veneto, VittorioScirè, Carlo A; Carrara, Greta; Viroli, Cinzia; Cimmino, Marco A.; Taylor, William J.; Manara, Maria; Govoni, Marcello; Salaffi, Fausto; Punzi, Leonardo; Montecucco, Carlomaurizio; Matucci Cerinic, Marco; Minisola, Giovanni; Ariani, Alarico; Galossi, Alessandra; Lauriti, Ciro; Fracassi, Elena; Idolazzi, Luca; Bardelli, Marco; Selvi, Enrico; Tirri, Enrico; Furini, Federica; Inverardi, Flora; Calabrò, Andrea; Porta, Francesco; Bittelli, Raffaele; Venturino, Francesco; Capsoni, Franco; Prevete, Immacolata; Sebastiani, Giandomenico; Selmi, Carlo; Fabbriciani, Gianluigi; D'Avola, Giovanni; Botticella, Giulia; Serale, Francesca; Seminara, Giulia; D'Alessandro, Giuseppe; Santo, Leonardo; Longato, Lorena; Zaccara, Eleonora; Sinigaglia, Luigi; Atteritano, Marco; Broggini, Marco; Caprioli, Marta; Favero, Marta; Sallì, Salvatore; Scarati, Marco; Parisi, Simone; Malavolta, Nazzarena; Corvaglia, Stefania; Scarpato, Salvatore; Veneto, Vittori

Rubin Observatory LSST Transients and Variable Stars Roadmap

International audienceThe Vera C. Rubin Legacy Survey of Space and Time (LSST) holds the potential to revolutionize time domain astrophysics, reaching completely unexplored areas of the Universe and mapping variability time scales from minutes to a decade. To prepare to maximize the potential of the Rubin LSST data for the exploration of the transient and variable Universe, one of the four pillars of Rubin LSST science, the Transient and Variable Stars Science Collaboration, one of the eight Rubin LSST Science Collaborations, has identified research areas of interest and requirements, and paths to enable them. While our roadmap is ever-evolving, this document represents a snapshot of our plans and preparatory work in the final years and months leading up to the survey’s first light

Third national surgical consensus conference of the Italian Association of Breast Surgeons (ANISC) on management after neoadjuvant chemotherapy: The difficulty in reaching a consensus

Introduction: Neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) has a profound impact on surgical management of breast cancer. For this reason, the Italian Association of Breast Surgeons (ANISC) promoted the third national Consensus Conference on this subject, open to multidisciplinary specialists. Materials and methods: The Consensus Conference was held on-line in November 2022, and after an introductory session with five core-team experts, participants were asked to vote on eleven controversial issues, while results were collected in real-time with a polling system. Results: A total of 164 dedicated specialists from 74 Breast Centers participated. Consensus was reached for only three of the eleven issues, including: 1) the indication to assess the response with Magnetic Resonance Imaging (79 %); 2) the need to re-assess the biological factors of the residual tumor if present (96 %); 3) the possibility of omitting a formal axillary node dissection for cN1 patients if a pathologic Complete Response (pCR) was confirmed with analysis of one or more sentinel lymph nodes (82 %). The majority voted in favor of mapping both the breast and nodal lesions pre-NAC (59 %), and against the omission of sentinel lymph node biopsy in cN0 patients in the case of pathologic or clinical Complete Response (69 %). In cases of cT3/cN1+ tumors with pCR, only 8 % of participants considered appropriate the omission of Post-Mastectomy Radiation Therapy. Conclusion: There is still a wide variability in surgical approaches after NAC in the "real world". As NAC is increasingly used, multidisciplinary teams should be attuned to conforming their procedures to the rapid advances in this field