Global minimizers of coexistence for competing species

A class of variational models describing ecological systems of k species competing for the same resources is investigated. The occurrence of coexistence in minimal energy solutions is discussed and positive results are proven for suitably differentiated internal dynamics

Coexistence and Segregation for Strongly Competing Species in Special Domains

We deal with strongly competing multispecies systems of Lotka-Volterra type with homogeneous Dirichlet boundary conditions. For a class of nonconvex domains composed by balls connected with thin corridors, we show the occurrence of pattern formation (coexistence and spatial segregation of all the species), as the competition grows indefinitely. As a result we prove the existence and uniqueness of solutions for a remarkable system of differential inequalities involved in segregation phenomena and optimal partition problems

Minimal coexistence configurations for multispecies systems

We deal with strongly competing multispecies systems of Lotka-Volterra type with homogeneous Neumann boundary conditions in dumbbell-like domains. Under suitable non-degeneracy assumptions, we show that, as the competition rate grows indefinitely, the system reaches a state of coexistence of all the species in spatial segregation. Furthermore, the limit configuration is a local minimizer for the associated free energy

Changes in the Gut Microbiome Following Traumatic Stress Exposure in a Mouse Model of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) can occur following exposure to extreme adverse events, affecting 6.8% of adult Americans. There is a positive correlation between PTSD and gastrointestinal (GI) pain and upset, with the origin of these GI issues attributed to bacterial changes in the gut microbiome. Animal studies have shown a relationship between stress and GI dysfunction, leading to increased systemic lipopolysaccharide (LPS) levels, which have been linked to neuroinflammation and cognitive impairment. The bidirectional and complex communication between microbiota and the brain is not fully understood and therefore would benefit from further experimental studies. Therefore, the goal of my project is to quantify the changes in the concentrations of microbiome bacteria after exposure to mouse Single Prolonged Stress (mSPS), a mouse model validated for the use of studying PTSD, in order to gain fuller understanding of interactions between stress, the brain, and the gut microbiome. Single-housed C57Bl/6 mice were exposed to mSPS, with fecal and blood samples collected prior to and 7 days after mSPS. Using quantitative polymerase chain reaction, bacterial DNA levels of several bacterial phyla were quantified from the fecal samples. LPS levels present in blood from animals were also measured and analyzed with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. It is expected that Actinobacteria and Firmicute bacterial levels will decrease, as these phyla are associated with stress. Likewise, elevated blood LPS levels are also expected after mSPS. Greater understanding of the gut-brain axis through these studies will be critical in the development of novel treatment and assessment methods in PTSD patients

Functional selectivity of GPCR-directed drug action through location bias.

G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) are increasingly recognized to operate from intracellular membranes as well as the plasma membrane. The β 2 -adrenergic GPCR can activate G s -linked cyclic AMP (G s -cAMP) signaling from endosomes. We show here that the homologous human β 1 -adrenergic receptor initiates an internal G s -cAMP signal from the Golgi apparatus. By developing a chemical method to acutely squelch G-protein coupling at defined membrane locations, we demonstrate that Golgi activation contributes significantly to the overall cellular cAMP response. Golgi signaling utilizes a preexisting receptor pool rather than receptors delivered from the cell surface, requiring separate access of extracellular ligands. Epinephrine, a hydrophilic endogenous ligand, accesses the Golgi-localized receptor pool by facilitated transport requiring the organic cation transporter 3 (OCT3), whereas drugs can access the Golgi pool by passive diffusion according to hydrophobicity. We demonstrate marked differences, among both agonist and antagonist drugs, in Golgi-localized receptor access and show that β-blocker drugs currently used in the clinic differ markedly in ability to antagonize the Golgi signal. We propose \u27location bias\u27 as a new principle for achieving functional selectivity of GPCR-directed drug action

Effects of Drying Methods and Temperatures on the Quality of Chestnut Flours

The demand for chestnut flour is growing because of its use in gluten-free products. Previous studies have correlated the quality of chestnut flours to the drying temperature and technology applied. This work is a novel study on the role of the traditional drying method with a wood fire in a "metato" building for flour compared with a food dryer at 40 degrees C or 70 degrees C. The contents of antioxidants, total polyphenols and sugars were determined as well as the presence of toxic volatiles or aflatoxins. The flour, resulting from the traditional method, presented lower polyphenol content and antioxidant power compared to the others. The content of the sugars was similar to the flours obtained after drying with hot air, both at 40 degrees C and 70 degrees C. The toxic volatile molecules, furfural, guaiacol, and o-cresol, were found. There was no correlation between the aflatoxin content and the presence of damage in chestnut fruits. The traditional method should not be abandoned since it confers a pleasant smoky taste to the product, but it is necessary to regulate the level and steadiness of temperature. Future research needs to be directed to the quantification of harmful volatile compounds and their correlation with the quantity of smoke emitted by the wood fire

Appunti a margine del concetto di "Isomorfismo"

The sixth issue of Philosophy Kitchen entitled "Isomorphisms. Forms of thought, forms of reality ", intends to investigate the concept of "isomorphism", or rather the philosophical use of the same in response to ontological and epistemological questions. Literally, isomorphism is defined as an equivalence relationship between related sets (<a, R>, <b, S>) which preserves the order - that is, an injective function f from a to b such that for every c, d ∈ a, cRd if and only if f (c) Sf (d). During the twentieth century, however, the use of this notion was extended from the strictly logical-mathematical context to other disciplines with an inevitable resemantization; in particular in philosophy it has been used to describe an epistemological correspondence relationship between subject and object or a metaphysical one between structures of reality.Il sesto numero di Philosophy Kitchen dal titolo “Isomorfismi. Forme del pensiero, forme della realtà”, intende indagare il concetto di “isomorfismo”, o meglio l’uso filosofico dello stesso in risposta a domande ontologiche ed epistemologiche. Letteralmente, l’isomorfismo è definito come una relazione di equivalenza tra insiemi relati (<a, R>, <b, S>) che preserva l’ordine – ossia una funzione iniettiva f da a su b tale che per ogni c, d ∈ a, cRd se e soltanto se f(c)Sf(d). Nel corso del Novecento, l’utilizzo di tale nozione è stato tuttavia esteso dall’ambito strettamente logico-matematico ad altre discipline con un’inevitabile risemantizzazione; in particolare in filosofia essa è stata impiegata per descrivere una relazione di corrispondenza di tipo epistemologico tra soggetto e oggetto o di tipo metafisico tra strutture del reale

Conclusioni

Key terms: ἴσος μορφή. Structure, model, function, correspondence, identity, similarity, analogy, scale, symbol, proportion, distance, mirroring, subject, object, reflection, name, mise en abyme, image, fractal, chinese box, anamorphosis, lattice, architecture, process , mobile engine, transformation, writing, stratification, canon, echo, pace, discovery, memory, participation, nucleus, reality, difference, space, genesis, crystalTermini chiave: ἴσος μορφή. Struttura, modello, funzione, corrispondenza, identità, somiglianza, analogia, scala, simbolo, proporzione, distanza, specchiamento, soggetto, oggetto, riflessione, nome, mise en abyme, immagine, frattale, scatola cinese, anamorfosi, reticolo, architettura, processo, motore mobile, trasformazione, scrittura, stratificazione, canone, eco, andatura, ritrovamento, memoria, partecipazione, nucleo, realtà, differenza, spaziamento, genesi, cristall

Pasta Enriched with Carrot and Olive Leaf Flour Retains High Levels of Accessible Bioactives after In Vitro Digestion

The aim of this research was to evaluate the levels of antioxidants and polyphenols in pasta enriched with either carrot or olive leaf flours after simulating gastrointestinal digestion. Pasta samples were prepared with fixed amounts of carrot and olive leaf flours (15% and 6% of the total mixture, respectively). We measured the antioxidant capacity and polyphenol content at different stages of the pasta production process, starting from the initial flour to the cooked pasta, and tested samplesoftheliquid componentandsolidwasteresultingfromthedigestionprocess. Theantioxidant activity was measured by the FRAP method, while the polyphenol content was measured by the Folin–Ciocalteu method. Vitamin E contents were measured by HPLC. The pasta enriched with carrot (1.26 0.05 mmol/100 g) and olive leaf (2.9 0.07 mmol/100 g) exhibited higher antioxidant power compared to the unenriched pasta (0.8 0.1 mmol/100 g). The polyphenol content followed a similar trend, with values of 131.23 3.08 for olive flour-enriched pasta, 79.15 1.11 for carrot flour-enriched pasta, and 67.5 1.39 for the wheat-only pasta. The pasta samples maintained their antioxidant and polyphenol levels even after undergoing the simulated digestion process. Significantly, the liquid component of the pasta with olive leaf flours had the highest levels of antioxidants and polyphenols during all stages of the digestion process. According to the results of this study, pasta enriched with carrot and olive leaf flours shows promising potential for improving nutritional and functional properties by increasing antioxidant and polyphenol content. The samples were also evaluated by a sensory panel, which showed that fortification modified the perception of some organoleptic attributes without affecting the overall taste of the pasta

Drought Stress Affects the Response of Italian Local Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) Varieties in a Genotype-Dependent Manner

Drought stress is one of the most severe conditions for plants, especially in the face of the emerging problem of global warming. This issue is important when considering economically relevant crops, including the tomato. For these plants, a promising solution is the valorization of local agrobiodiversity as a source of genetic variability. In this paper we investigated how six Italian tomato varieties react to a prolonged period of water depletion. We used a multidisciplinary approach, from genetics to plant physiology and cytology, to provide a detailed overview of the response of plants to stress. The varieties analyzed, each characterized by a specific genetic profile, showed a genotype-specific response with the variety 'Fragola' being the most resistant and the variety 'Pisanello' the most susceptible. For all the parameters evaluated, 'Fragola' performed in a manner comparable to that of control plants. On the contrary, 'Pisanello' appeared to be more affected and showed an increase in the number of stomata and a drastic increase in antioxidants, a symptom of acute oxidative stress. Our work suggests the existence of a valuable reservoir of genetic biodiversity with more drought-tolerant tomato genotypes opening the way to further exploitation and use of local germplasm in breeding programs