Quantitative real time PCR approach to study gene expression profile during prenatal growth of skeletal muscle in pig of Duroc and Pietrain breeds

The quantitative real time-PCR (QRT-PCR) is a very sensitive method used to quantify mRNA level in gene expression analysis. Combining amplification, detection and quantification in a single step, allows a more accurate measurement compared to the traditional PCR end point analysis (Pfaffl, 2001; Bustin, 2002)

Polymorphisms of beta-lactoglobulin promoter region in three Sicilian goat breeds

Several beta-lactoglobulin (BLG) polymorphisms have been described within the proximal promoter region and coding region of the caprine gene, although no genetic variants affecting the protein amino acid composition and/or expression level have been characterized so far. Binding sites for several transcription factors (TFs) are present in the BLG promoter region. The aims of this work were to sequence the full-length promoter region of three Sicilian goat breeds in order to identify polymorphisms, analyze the identified haplotypes, search for differences between breeds for the presence of polymorphisms in this gene region, search for putative TFs binding sites, and check if polymorphisms lay within the identified TFs binding sites. The promoter region of BLG gene in Sicilian goat breeds showed high level of polymorphism due to the presence of 36 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). Association between polymorphic sites was computed within the whole sample analyzed and 18 haplotypes were inferred. Binding sites for three milk protein binding factors (MPBFs) and four nuclear factor-I (NF-I) were found within BLG promoter region based on the ovine sequence. The identification of some SNPs within TFs binding sites allowed hypothesizing the loss of TFs. Further studies are in progress to evaluate the effect of these mutations on binding affinity of TFs, the functional interaction of the TFs with the goat BLG promoter, and the relationship of the polymorphisms with BLG gene expression and milk production and composition

Fibre probe for tumour laser thermotherapy with integrated temperature measuring capabilities

The development and preliminary characterisation of a novel fibre probe for laser thermotherapy of solid tumours are presented. The probe introduces two innovative features: the tailoring of the laser irradiation pattern to adapt it also for larger tumour applications, and the all-optical real time evaluation of the induced temperature increase. These features are simultaneously obtained by integrating in a single capillary tube a laser delivery fibre with properly micro-structured tip surface together with some fibre Bragg gratings. Preliminary validation examples in human liver phantoms have demonstrated the viability of the proposed approach for the development of a whole set of new probes for laser ablation in medical applications

Assessing molecular diversity among 87 species of the Quercus L. genus by RAPD markers

Oaks (Quercus sp.) are among the most ecologically and economically important woody Angiosperms of the northern hemisphere. Nowadays, the reduction of Quercus biodiversity is becoming a matter of global concern, and several oak species have been included in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Consequently, characterization and preservation strategies for the oak germplasm are largely promoted. Thus, in this work, the genetic diversity existing among 87 different Quercus species was assessed using the RAPD markers, in order to better typify these specimens, to show the amazing DNA variability of this plant genus, and to confirm or infer new putative molecular correlations. Our data were discussed taking into consideration the phylogenetic and phylogeographic relationships previously proposed by the literature. In general, the obtained results corroborated that the evolutionary pattern of Quercus genus has been extremely intricate and continues to change rapidly, making it difficult to be fully resolved. The evidence collected in the present investigation would confirm the complex evolution of the oaks, due to their high migration capacity, divergence rate, and hybridization propensity. This research, performed on a so large series of species, represents a positive contribution for highlighting the genetic diversity within collections of Quercus germplasm and favouring ex-situ conservation programmes

Investigation of SNPs in the ATP1A2, CA3 and DECR1 genes mapped to porcine chromosome 4: analysis in groups of pigs divergent for meat production and quality traits

STUDIO DI TRE GENI (ATP1A2, CA3E DECR1) LOCALIZZATI SUL CROMOSOMA SUINO 4: ANALISIDELLE FREQUENZE ALLELICHE DI SNP IN SUINI ESTREMI PER ALCUNI CARATTERI PRODUTTIVITre geni (ATPase, Na+/K+transporting, \u3b12(+) polypeptide, ATP1A2; carbonic anhydrase III, CA3; 2,4-die-noyl CoA reductase 1, mitochondrial, DECR1), isolati da una libreria a cDNA ottenuta da muscolo scheletri-co di suino, sono stati scelti per questo studio sulla base del ruolo fisiologico della proteina codificata in pro-cessi cellulari e metabolici collegabili in modo diretto o indiretto con alcuni caratteri produttivi. La scelta dei tre geni \ue8 stata anche basata sulla loro localizzazione sul cromosoma 4 dove diversi QTL per caratteri pro-duttivi sono gi\ue0 stati identificati.Nella regione 3\u2019 non tradotta del gene CA3\ue8 stato identificato, mediante analisi SSCP, un polimorfismo bial-lelico. Il sequenziamento dei due alleli ha permesso di identificare una nuova mutazione puntiforme, che \ue8stata successivamente analizzata mediante PCR-RFLP. Per questo gene \ue8 stato effettuato il mappaggiogenetico sul cromosoma 4 mediante l\u2019analisi della mutazione nei campioni delle famiglie di riferimento delprogetto europeo di mappaggio del genoma suino (PiGMaP). Utilizzando il polimorfismo PCR-RFLP del geneATP1A2, gi\ue0 decritto in un precedente lavoro come SSCP, sono state tipizzate diverse famiglie di riferimen-to PiGMaP ed \ue8 stato confermato il mappaggio genetico di ATP1A2. Utilizzando queste informazioni e quel-le gi\ue0 disponibili per DECR1, per la prima volta, \ue8 stata ottenuta una mappa di linkage del cromosoma 4che comprende tutti e tre i geni analizzati. Il mappaggio genetico dei tre geni \ue8 stato anche confermatomediante tipizzazione di un pannello di ibridi di cellule irradiate (IMpRH 7000 rad).Le frequenze alleliche delle mutazioni identificate nei tre loci sono state studiate in 11 razze suine (LargeWhite Italiana, Landrace Italiana, Duroc Italiana, Landrace Belga, Hampshire, Pi\ue9train, Meishan, CintaSenese, Casertana, Calabrese and Nero Siciliano) per un totale di 272 animali. Inoltre, come approccio ini-ziale per poi scegliere i geni da analizzare in futuri studi di associazione, abbiamo confrontato le frequenzealleliche di mutazioni puntiformi per questi tre loci in gruppi di suini di razza Large White Italiana e DurocItaliana, analizzando animali con valori degli indici genetici estremi e divergenti per alcuni caratteri produt-tivi (accrescimento, spessore lardo dorsale, tagli magri e grasso intermuscolare visibile). Per il gene CA3 \ue8stata osservata una differenza nella distribuzione delle frequenze alleliche (P< 0,05) per i due caratteri taglimagri (nella razza Large White Italiana) e grasso intermusculare visibile (nella razza Duroc Italiana). Per ilgene DECR1, differenze significative sono state osservate per il carattere grasso intermuscolare visibile. Ilgene ATP1A2, che mappa vicino al locus FAT1, non ha presentato differenze statisticamente significativenelle frequenze tra i gruppi estremi per i caratteri oggetto di studio. Analizzando il livello di linkage disequi-librium(LD) tra i tre loci, \ue8 stato evidenziato un elevato livello di LD (D\u2019= 0,967; P< 0,0001) tra i geni CA3e DECR1, solo nella popolazione Duroc Italiana. Questi primi risultati pongono le basi per ulteriori studi perverificare se i geni CA3e DECR1sono associati con i caratteri oggetto di selezione nel suino pesante.Three genes (ATPase, Na+/K+ transporting, \u3b1 2(+) polypeptide, ATP1A2; carbonic anhydrase III, CA3; 2,4-dienoyl CoA reductase 1, mitochondrial, DECR1), isolated from a porcine skeletal muscle cDNA library and mapped on porcine chromosome 4 (SSC4), were investigated. A new single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) was identified in the 3\u2019-untranslated region of the CA3 gene and used to genetically map this locus on SSC4 together with the ATP1A2 and DECR1 loci for which SNPs were already reported. Allele frequencies of the three loci were reported for 11 pig breeds (Italian Large White, Italian Landrace, Italian Duroc, Belgian Landrace, Hampshire, Pi\uf9train, Meishan, Cinta Senese, Casertana, Calabrese and Nero Siciliano). Radiation hybrid mapping of these genes confirmed the linkage mapping results as well as mapping information reported by other authors. Then, the SNPs identified in the ATP1A2, CA3 and DECR1 genes were genotyped in Italian Large White and Italian Duroc animal groups with extreme and divergent estimated breeding value for several production traits. For CA3 significant differences in allele frequencies (P< 0.05) were observed between the extreme groups of pigs for the lean cuts (Italian Large White) and visible intermuscular fat (Italian Duroc) traits. For DECR1, a significant difference in allele frequencies was observed only for the visible intermuscular fat trait. ATP1A2, which maps close to the FAT1 locus, did not show any significant difference. A very high linkage disequilibrium (D\u2019= 0.967; P< 0.0001) was identified between CA3 and DECR1 in the Italian Duroc population. Further investigations are needed to evaluate the effect of CA3 and DECR1 on the considered trait

Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy for All-Solid-State Batteries: Theory, Methods and Future Outlook

Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) is widely used to probe the physical and chemical processes in lithium (Li)-ion batteries (LiBs). The key parameters include state-of-charge, rate capacity or power fade, degradation and temperature dependence, which are needed to inform battery management systems as well as for quality assurance and monitoring. All-solid-state batteries using a solid-state electrolyte (SE), promise greater energy densities via a Li metal anode as well as enhanced safety, but their development is in its nascent stages and the EIS measurement, cell set-up and modelling approach can be vastly different for various SE chemistries and cell configurations. This review aims to condense the current knowledge of EIS in the context of state-of-the-art solid-state electrolytes and batteries, with a view to advancing their scale-up from the laboratory to commercial deployment. Experimental and modelling best practices are highlighted, as well as emerging impedance methods for conventional LiBs as a guide for opportunities in the solid-state

Exploiting the Potential in Water Cleanup from Metals and Nutrients of Desmodesmus sp. and Ampelodesmos mauritanicus

Increasing levels of freshwater contaminants, mainly due to anthropogenic activities, have resulted in a great deal of interest in finding new eco-friendly, cost-effective and efficient methods for remediating polluted waters. The aim of this work was to assess the feasibility of using a green microalga Desmodesmus sp., a cyanobacterium Nostoc sp. and a hemicryptophyte Ampelodesmos mauritanicus to bioremediate a water polluted with an excess of nutrients (nitrogen and phosphorus) and heavy metals (copper and nickel). We immediately determined that Nostoc sp. was sensitive to metal toxicity, and thus Desmodesmus sp. was chosen for sequential tests with A. mauritanicus. First, A. mauritanicus plants were grown in the ‘polluted’ culture medium for seven days and were, then, substituted by Desmodesmus sp. for a further seven days (14 days in total). Heavy metals were shown to negatively affect both the growth rates and nutrient removal capacity. The sequential approach resulted in high metal removal rates in the single metal solutions up to 74% for Cu and 85% for Ni, while, in the bi-metal solutions, the removal rates were lower and showed a bias for Cu uptake. Single species controls showed better outcomes; however, further studies are necessary to investigate the behavior of new specie

Index matching between passive and active tellurite glasses for use in microstructured fiber lasers: Erbium doped lanthanum-tellurite glass

Active and passive variants of La-containing tellurite glasses have been developed with matched refractive indices. The consequences of adding lanthanum to the glass was studied through measurements of the crystallization stability, glass viscosity and the loss of unstructured fibers. Doping the glass with erbium allowed for any spectroscopic changes to be observed through measurements of the absorption and energy level lifetimes. The fluorescence emission spectra were measured at 1.5 microm and, to the best of our knowledge, for the first time in tellurite glass at 2.7 microm.Michael R. Oermann, Heike Ebendorff-Heidepriem, Yahua Li, Tze-Cheung Foo, and Tanya M. Monrohttp://www.opticsinfobase.org/abstract.cfm?URI=oe-17-18-1557

Sustainability in Aquaponics: Industrial Spirulina Waste as a Biofertilizer for Lactuca sativa L. Plants

Aquaponics represents an alternative to traditional soil cultivation. To solve the problem of nutrient depletion that occurs in this biotechnological system, the application of a spirulina-based biofertilizer was assessed. The microalgal waste used in this study came from industrial processing. Four different dilutions of the supernatant portion of this waste were sprayed on lettuce plants cultivated in an aquaponics system installed at the Botanical Gardens of the Tor Vergata University of Rome. The biofertilizer was characterized to evaluate its amount of macro- and micronutrients. The analysis conducted on the plants involved both morpho-biometric aspects and qualitative–quantitative measurements. The experiments showed that the spirulina extract had a positive effect on the growth and nutraceutical content of the lettuce plants; the obtained results highlighted that a dilution of 75% was the best for treatment. The use of the proposed organic and recycled fertilizer could increase the sustainability of crop cultivation and promote the functioning of aquaponics systems