16 research outputs found
Plasma Inflammatory Cytokines Are Elevated in ALS
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease which
leads to death in a median time of 2–3 years. Inflammation has been claimed important
to the ALS pathogenesis, but its role is still not well-characterized. In the present study, a
panel of five cytokines (IL-2, IL-6, IL-10, IFN-gamma, and TNF-alpha)measured in plasma
has been investigated in ALS. These biomarkers of inflammation were measured in a
population-based cohort of 79 patients with ALS and 79 age- and sex-matched healthy
controls using the Bio-Plex technology (Bio-Rad). All the five cytokines were significantly
increased in plasma samples of patients compared with controls (p < 0.0001), with IL-6
having the highest median concentration (10.11 pg/ml) in the ALS group. Furthermore,
IL-6 was the plasma cytokine with the highest discrimination ability between patients and
controls according to the receiver operating characteristic analysis (area under the curve
= 0.93). At a cut-off point of 5.71 pg/ml, it was able to classify patients and controls with
91% of sensitivity and 87% of specificity. In the ALS group, plasma IL-6 concentration
correlated with demographic (age: rs = 0.25, p = 0.025) and clinical (revised ALS
Functional Rating Scale at evaluation: rs = −0.32, p = 0.007; Manual Muscle Testing: rs
=−0.33, p=0.004; progression: rs=0.29, p=0.0395) parameters. In line with previous
studies, our results confirm that inflammatory cytokines are elevated in ALS, supporting
a possible role of inflammation in disease mechanism and progression. However, the
precise role of inflammation in ALS needs to be further investigated on larger samples
and with more mechanistic studies
Differences of stabilized organic carbon fractions and microbiological activity along Mediterranean Vertisols and Alfisols profiles
This study examined the chemical and structural properties of humic substances and microbiological activity in
order to verify differences in carbon dynamics along soil profiles in two Vertisols (Typic Haploxerert and Xeric
Epiaquert) and two Alfisols (Mollic Haploxeralf and Ultic Haploxeralf) developed under Mediterranean climate
in Italy. Humification parameters, thermal methods, including differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and
thermogravimetry (TG), together with Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) and fluorescence spectroscopies
were used to characterize humic acids (HA). Microbiological activity of soils was assessed by basal respiration,
metabolic quotient (qCO2) and Cmic:Corg ratio. FT-IR spectra and thermal analysis DSC/TG of HA extracted from
the upper horizons showed a higher aliphatic character, whereas HA extracted from the lower horizons had a
higher content of aromatic structures and polysaccharides. Moreover, the fluorescence index of the HA (HIXflu)
showed a higher degree of aromatic polycondensation in the subsoils. The Cmic:Corg ratio was negatively
correlated with the HIXflu of HA (Pb0.05), while qCO2 was positively correlated with the labile components of
HA (Exo1/(Exo2+Exo3)) (Pb0.05). These results suggest reduced C availability in deep horizons where HA
structures resulted in complex and thermally more stable molecules. Following discriminant function analysis
all the chemical and microbiological properties with the exception of labile thermal fraction of HA and soil pH
largely varied between B and the upper horizons. In deep horizons of both Vertisols and Alfisols the microbial
biomass was nutritionally stressed with a low efficiency in C turnover. No correlation was found between
specific soil processes, such as argilliturbation or clay illuviation and humic substances properties or soil
microbial biomass and activity
Humic substances along the profile of two Typic Haploxerert.
In Vertisols, organic matter contributes to soil colour by formation of organo-mineral complexes and affects morphological, physico-chemical, biological and biochemical properties. Turbation may affect the chemical and structural composition of the most stabilised fractions of soil organic matter (SOM), i.e., humic substances (HS). The objectives of this study were to: (1) characterise SOM in two Vertisols (V1 and V2) developed under Mediterranean climate in Italy, using some HS characteristics as indicators of SOM turnover in Vertisols, and (2) explore possible differences related to the pedomorphologic conditions of the area under which two soils have formed. SOM evolution along the soil profile was investigated by applying different techniques to chemically extracted HS. Humification parameters, thermal methods, such as Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) and Thermogravimetry (TG) together with isoelectric focusing (IEF) were used. The results showed a significant difference in the chemical characteristics of SOM in the considered Vertisols. A higher amount of total and humified carbon was found in pedon V2. In particular, the results indicated an accumulation of humified compounds in deeper horizons of V2: this effect is particularly significant since both soils were under the same agricultural management and the same climatic conditions, but were different in physiografic position, slope and colour. The higher amount of not humified SOM in the pedon V1 could explain the differences found in the shape and size of soil structure between the two pedons. The different SOM evolution occurring in the two Vertisols apparently influenced the structure and composition of the HS fraction. Thermal analysis and isoelectric focusing data provided evidence of a different level of stabilisation of HS from the two Vertisols. The HS from pedon V2 have a higher molecular weight structure, which would imply a higher level of SOM stabilisation. Conversely, HS in the pedon V1 appeared to be richer in aliphatic and phenolic structures, which may imply the presence of less stabilised HS fractions. These findings agree well with the different water dynamics occurring in the two sites, which confirmed the influence exerted by water on chemical and structural composition of HS and, consequently, their effect in determining Vertisols colour. In conclusion, thermal and isoelectric focusing characterisation of HS appear to shed some light in understanding the structural complexity of Vertisols. The results obtained in the present study, if confirmed on a larger number of Vertisols, suggest the possibility of using HS as indicators of SOM turnover in relation to pedomorphology, use and management of soils