Intergeneric Grafting of Ornamental Incense Cedar: First Results

Horticultural grafting is important in propagating conifers, mainly because many species are hard to root, especially when using cuttings from mature trees. Incense cedar (Calocedrus decurrens (Torr.) Florins) was recently introduced in Albania as an ornamental tree in public and private urban green spaces and is now much in demand. Intergeneric grafts are rarely used in conifers, and there is little information regarding incense cedar grafting onto rootstocks from different genera. This work aimed to evaluate the effects of intergeneric grafting on the quality of ornamental incense cedar, which is little known in Albania. Scions were prepared by taking 8-10 cm apical shoot from young C. decurrens ‘Aureovariegata’ plants. Rootstocks were prepared from one-year-old Mediterranean cypress (Cupressus sempervirens L.) seedlings. First results show that the height of grafted plants tended to increase slowly from 30 to 90 days after grafting (DAG), with a minimum increase of 4,9 %; this is because the plant grafted takes several days to join scion and rootstock. The Relative Growth Rate (RGR) of the scion was generally higher than that of the rootstock, which even showed negative values 60 DAG; this trend grew after 90 DAG. At the end of our experimental work, we obtained 410 plants, representing an 82% graft success rate available for planting in different Albanian soils

Nursery growing media: agronomic and environmental quality assessment of sewage sludge-based compost

There is a stringent need to reduce the environmental impact of peat in the plant nursery production chain. In this experiment, the use of different rates of sewage sludge compost in the preparation of growing media for potted Bougainvillea was evaluated to assess its efficiency for the replacement of peat and to quantify the environmental impact of such alternative substrates by the life cycle assessment (LCA) method. Five substrates containing increasing proportion of composted sewage sludge to peat (0%, 25%, 40%, 55%, and 70% v/v) were used, and their physicochemical properties were measured. Bougainvillea plant growth, biomass production, and macro- and micronutrient absorption were also determined. The main results were that compost addition improved the plant nutrient and increased the substrate pH, electrical conductivity (EC), and dry bulk density values. Globally, the results showed that compost could be used at up to 55% by volume with no negative effects on plant growth. The LCA showed that use of compost reduced the environmental loads of the growth media, except the Global Warming Potential value (GWP100). Environmental implications of the use of compost in the plant nursery chain are discussed

Effect of Peat-Reduced and Peat-Free Substrates on Rosemary Growth

The objective of this work was to study the use of four composts, obtained by agro-industrial, urban and green wastes, as growing media components on Rosmarinus officinalis L. Substrates were obtained by mixing each compost with peat in different proportions. Main physical and chemical characteristics of prepared substrates have been compared and, at the end of growing cycle, the biometric survey on main growing parameters and plant nutritional status was performed. The obtained results showed that substrates with 30% compost have main physical and chemical parameters comparable with those of the control. Best quality plants have been obtained substituting peat with 30% of compost, except with the olive mill compost. At the end, the green pruning compost can be recommended as growing media component (up to 50%) for the growth of Rosmarinus officinalis L., being able to determine high quality plants, together with an implemented plant nutrient efficiency

Selective targeting of HDAC1/2 elicits anticancer effects through Gli1 acetylation in preclinical models of SHH Medulloblastoma.

SHH Medulloblastoma (SHH-MB) is a pediatric brain tumor characterized by an inappropriate activation of the developmental Hedgehog (Hh) signaling. SHH-MB patients treated with the FDA-approved vismodegib, an Hh inhibitor that targets the transmembrane activator Smoothened (Smo), have shown the rapid development of drug resistance and tumor relapse due to novel Smo mutations. Moreover, a subset of patients did not respond to vismodegib because mutations were localized downstream of Smo. Thus, targeting downstream Hh components is now considered a preferable approach. We show here that selective inhibition of the downstream Hh effectors HDAC1 and HDAC2 robustly counteracts SHH-MB growth in mouse models. These two deacetylases are upregulated in tumor and their knockdown inhibits Hh signaling and decreases tumor growth. We demonstrate that mocetinostat (MGCD0103), a selective HDAC1/HDAC2 inhibitor, is a potent Hh inhibitor and that its effect is linked to Gli1 acetylation at K518. Of note, we demonstrate that administration of mocetinostat to mouse models of SHH-MB drastically reduces tumor growth, by reducing proliferation and increasing apoptosis of tumor cells and prolongs mouse survival rate. Collectively, these data demonstrate the preclinical efficacy of targeting the downstream HDAC1/2-Gli1 acetylation in the treatment of SHH-MB

PIEZO1 Hypomorphic Variants in Congenital Lymphatic Dysplasia Cause Shape and Hydration Alterations of Red Blood Cells

PIEZO1 is a cation channel activated by mechanical force. It plays an important physiological role in several biological processes such as cardiovascular, renal, endothelial and hematopoietic systems. Two different diseases are associated with alteration in the DNA sequence of PIEZO1: (i) dehydrated hereditary stomatocytosis (DHS1, #194380), an autosomal dominant hemolytic anemia caused by gain-of-function mutations; (ii) lymphatic dysplasia with non-immune fetal hydrops (LMPH3, #616843), an autosomal recessive condition caused by biallelic loss-of-function mutations. We analyzed a 14-year-old boy affected by severe lymphatic dysplasia already present prenatally, with peripheral edema, hydrocele, and chylothoraces. By whole exome sequencing, we identified compound heterozygosity for PIEZO1, with one splicing and one deletion mutation, the latter causing the formation of a premature stop codon that leads to mRNA decay. The functional analysis of the erythrocytes of the patient highlighted altered hydration with the intracellular loss of the potassium content and structural abnormalities with anisopoikolocytosis and presence of both spherocytes and stomatocytes. This novel erythrocyte trait, sharing features with both hereditary spherocytosis and overhydrated hereditary stomatocytosis, complements the clinical features associated with loss-of-function mutations of PIEZO1 in the context of the generalized lymphatic dysplasia of LMPH3 type

SARS-CoV-2 infection in beta thalassemia: Preliminary data from the Italian experience

Patients with pre\u2010existent chronic morbidities are likely to be more severely affected by SARS\u2010Cov2 infection, but no data are available regarding Thalassemic Syndromes (TS). Note, TS and hemoglobin variants represent, according to WHO, one of the most frequent causes of anemia, affecting more than 7% of the world population.1 Thalassemic Syndromes are classified in either transfusion\u2010dependent thalassemia (TDT) or non\u2010transfusion\u2010dependent thalassemia (NTDT). Infectious complications, mainly from bacteria, constitute a common cause of mortality and morbidity in TS. Stress erythropoiesis, iron overload, splenectomy and adrenal insufficiency among others may contribute to increase susceptibility to infection.2 To verify the impact of SARS\u2010CoV\u20102 infection on TS, we set\u2010up a specific survey by electronic Case Report Form (eCRF).3 Inclusion criteria require at least 15\u2009days of follow\u2010up from either the onset of symptoms or SARS\u2010CoV2 positivity. The survey was approved by Ethics Committee and eCRF was shared with the Centers of Italian Hemoglobinopathies Network. The \u201cSociet\ue0 Italiana Talassemie ed Emoglobinopatie\u201d (SITE), has estimated the presence in Italy of approximately 5000 TDT and 1900 NTDT patients.3 As of 10 April 2020, 11 cases of TS and COVID\u201019 have been collected (see supplementary information). All the reported patients are in Northern Italy, where the rate of infection is higher, reflecting the national epidemiology. The mean age is 44\u2009\ub1\u200911\u2009years (range 31\u201061\u2009years) and 55% (6/11) are females. Ten patients are TDT, and one is NTDT. All the patients have thalassemia associated comorbidities, eight are splenectomized, and one patient (#9 in the supplementary table) has pulmonary hypertension treated with sildenafil. The likely source of infection has been detected in 55% (6/11) of cases: two had contacts with COVID\u201019 positive subjects, and four had occupational exposure (three are nurses working in hospital or assisted living facilities). Three patients were asymptomatic. One patient (#3 in supplementary information) was admitted for high fever and bone marrow hypoplasia, lymphopenia, and agranulocytosis (on treatment with deferiprone) and tested positive at the third swab. Six out of 11 were hospitalized, but no one required mechanical ventilation. The patient with more severe symptoms who required more intensive ventilation support with continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) has a history of diffuse large B\u2010cell lymphoma, treated with chemotherapy in the previous year, currently in complete remission. Of the six people admitted to the hospital, only three received supposedly specific treatment for COVID\u201019: one hydroxychloroquine (HCQ), one HCQ plus ritonavir/darunavir, and one HCQ plus anakinra. Patient #3 did not receive HCQ due to concomitant therapy with amiodarone and an increased risk of life\u2010threatening arrhythmia. The clinical course ranged from 10 to 29\u2009days. Ten patients have clinically recovered and are on a daily remote phone call follow\u2010up. Splenectomy which was present in 8/11 patients did not seem to affect the clinical course. Of note, except for the patient with myelosuppression, no increase in blood requirement was observed. When luspatercept treatment was halted in the NTDT patient, hemoglobin fell from 110 to 82 g/L, a value similar to the pre\u2010luspatercept period. Neither death nor severe SARS or signs of cytokines storm were observed in these 11 subjects, which may be surprising, taking into account the mean age and the presence of severe comorbidities. Our data, although preliminary, do not indicate increased severity of COVID\u201019 in TS. A larger number of cases needs to be collected to define the impact of this new infection and its outcome in these fragile patients

SEMELHANÇAS E DIFERENÇAS NA PERCEPÇÃO DE ATITUDE ÉTICA PROFISSIONAL ENTRE ESTUDANTES DE CIÊNCIAS CONTÁBEIS E CONTADORES NAS NBC PG 100, 200 e 300

Este estudo tem por objetivo evidenciar as semelhanças e diferenças na percepção de atitude ética profissional entre estudantes de ciências contábeis e profissionais contadores, com base nas NBC PG 100, 200 e 300. A abordagem é quantitativa e descritiva e o método utilizado foi aplicação de questionário, sendo este adaptado do estudo de Feil, Diehl e Schuck (2017). A unidade amostral conta com 81 estudantes de uma Universidade Privada em São Paulo e 90 profissionais associados ao SESCON-SP, sendo os dados analisados por técnica descritiva e técnicas estatísticas não paramétricas de correlação de Spearman e o teste Kruskal-Wallis. Os resultados sugerem que: a disciplina de ética contribui e pode influenciar as atitudes tanto dos estudantes como dos profissionais contadores; existem diferenças nas atitudes éticas quanto maior a experiência profissional; e que os profissionais já presenciaram alguma situação ou atitude que contraria o CEPC, diferentemente dos estudantes, dentre outros resultados.            

A Novel Combination of High-Load Omega-3 Lysine Complex (AvailOm®) and Anthocyanins Exerts Beneficial Cardiovascular Effects

Omega-3 fatty acids have been shown to exert several beneficial effects in the prevention of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases. The objective of the present study was to analyze the effects of a novel high-load omega-3 lysine complex, AvailOm®, its related constituents and a novel mixture of AvailOm® with specific vasoactive anthocyanins on vascular function in mice resistance artery. Pressure myograph was used to perform vascular reactivity studies. Nitric oxide and oxidative stress were assessed by difluorofluorescein diacetate and dihydroethidium, respectively. Increasing doses of AvailOm® exerted a dose-response vasorelaxation via AMPK-eNOS-mediated signaling. Omega-3 Ethyl Ester was identified as the main bioactive derivative of AvailOm®, being capable of inducing vasorelaxant action to the same extent of entire product. The combination of AvailOm® with a mix of potent vasoactive anthocyanins (C3-glu + DP3-glu + Mal3-glu + Mal3-gal + PEO3-gal), strongly protected mesenteric arteries from vascular dysfunction and oxidative stress evoked by oxidized-LDL. These data demonstrate for the first time the direct effects of AvailOm® on resistance arteries. The evidence that the combination of specific vasoactive anthocyanins and AvailOm® further enhanced the vasculoprotective properties of these compounds, may offer new promising perspectives for preventing the onset of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events

Time trend in hypertension prevalence, awareness, treatment, and control in a contemporary cohort of HIV-infected patients: the HIV and Hypertension Study

Hypertension control is often inadequate in HIV patients. In a contemporary, nationwide cohort of Italian HIV-infected adults, we assessed time trends in hypertension prevalence, awareness, treatment, and control. We also evaluated predictors of cardiovascular events and of new-onset hypertension