Using simple sequence repeats in 9 brassica complex species to assess hypertrophic curd induction

Five Simple Sequence Repeats (SSRs) were used to assess the relationship between inflorescence characteristics and their allelic variation in 53 Brassica oleracea and Brassica wild relatives (n = 9). Curd morphometric traits, such as weight (CW), height (CH), diameter (CD1), shape (CS) inflorescence curvature angle (CA), and its curd stem diameter (CD2), were measured. The aim of the work was to analyze the relationships among the allelic patterns of the SSRs primers utilized, and their status of homo or heterozygosity registered at each locus, as well as the inflorescence morphometric traits in order to individuate genomic regions stimulating the hypertrophy of this reproductive organ. The relationships found explain the diversity among B. oleracea complex species (n = 9) for the inflorescence size and structure, allowing important time reduction during the breeding process by crossing wild species, transferring useful resistance, and organoleptic and nutraceutical traits. The five SSRs loci were BoABI1, BoAP1, BoPLD1, BoTHL1, and PBCGSSRBo39. According to the allelic variation ascertained, we evaluated the heterozygosity index (H) for each SSR above cited. The results showed a significant interaction between the H index of the BoPLD1 gene and the inflorescence characteristics, summarized by the First Principal Component (PC1) (p-value = 0.0244); we ascertained a negative correlation between the H index and inflorescence characteristics, namely CW, CH, CD1, CD2, CA. The homozygosity BoPLD1 alelles, indicated by the H index, affect the inflorescence characteristics and broccoli and cauliflower yields

Early impairment of endothelial structure and function in young normal-weight women with polycystic ovary syndrome

The aim of this study was to evaluate the presence of early vascular damage in young normal-weight women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).Thirty young normal-weight women with PCOS, who had no additional metabolic or cardiovascular diseases, and 30 healthy women (controls) matched for age and body mass index were studied. A complete hormonal assay was performed in each subject. Serum insulin and glucose levels were measured at baseline and after the oral glucose tolerance test. Plasma endothelin-1 levels and serum lipid profile were also assessed. The endothelial function was studied by flow-mediated dilation on the brachial artery, and arterial structure was evaluated by intima-media thickness measurement using Doppler ultrasound of both common carotid arteries.A significant (P < 0.05) difference in flow-mediated dilation (14.3 +/- 1.9% vs. 18.1 +/- 2.0% for PCOS patients and controls, respectively) and in intima-media thickness (0.53 +/- 0.09 mm vs. 0.39 +/- 0.08 mm for PCOS patients and controls, respectively) was found between PCOS and control subjects. Serum endothelin-1 levels were also significantly (P < 0.05) higher in PCOS patients compared with controls (1.1 +/- 0.4 pmol/liter vs. 0.5 +/- 0.2 pmol/liter for PCOS patients and controls, respectively).In conclusion, our data show that young, normal-weight, nondyslipidemic, nonhypertensive women with PCOS have an early impairment of endothelial structure and function

Physical education and sport in the Campania region

The didactic of physical activities in the school, while exercising the individual technical skills, never loses sight of the unity of knowledge and invites the child to reflect on his actions, on his mental and physical changes, but also on his knowledge. For this reason, the school is differs from sports federations and associations, and it must rise to the role of leadership in the sport education. After these necessary preambles, it seems now particularly interesting to introduce the scenario laid out by ISTAT (Italian Statistics Institute) survey \u201c100 statistics to understand the country we live in\u201d. The ISTAT analysis shows how Campania is the region after Sicily with the highest percentage of people with a sedentary lifestyle. It seems that in Campania, the primary school fails in its leadership role with regard to the sports education and the motor practices and in supporting non-sedentary lifestyles. In fact, in Campania the sport practice is very low and the level of giving up is particularly high. This discussion starts from this point and should be considered as a pilot study to evaluate a possible contributory cause of the status here outlined, i.e. the perception that teachers have of their own basic and technical skills in the motor field. It is not forbidden to think that, if this survey shows a widespread perception of lack of ability, this will adversely affect the motor teaching and be at least partly responsible for the situation described herein. Therefore the aim of this research is to monitor the level of the basic skills and of the motor teaching skills of primary school teachers in the region Campania, and the way they perceive the movement, highlighting any possible critical factor

The golden fig: a plasmonic effect study of organic-based solar cells

An optimization work on dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) based on both artificial and natural dyes was carried out by a fine synthesis work embedding gold nanoparticles in a TiO(2) semiconductor and perfecting the TiO(2) particle sizes of the scattering layer. Noble metal nanostructures are known for the surface plasmon resonance peculiarity that reveals unique properties and has been implemented in several fields such as sensing, photocatalysis, optical antennas and PV devices. By embedding gold nanoparticles in the mesoporous TiO(2) layer and adding a scattering layer, we were able to boost the power conversion efficiency (PCE) to 10.8%, using an organic ruthenium complex. The same implementation was carried out using a natural dye, betalains, extracted from Sicilian prickly pear. In this case, the conversion efficiency doubled from 1 to 2% (measured at 1 SUN illumination, 100 mW/cm(2) under solar simulation irradiation). Moreover, we obtained (measured at 0.1 SUN, 10 mW/cm(2) under blue light LED irradiation) a record efficiency of 15% with the betalain-based dye, paving the way for indoor applications in organic natural devices. Finally, an attempt to scale up the system is shown, and a betalain-based- dye-sensitized solar module (DSSM), with an active area of 43.2 cm(2) and a PCE of 1.02%, was fabricated for the first time

Social sustainability in healthcare facilities: a rating tool for analysing and improving social aspects in environments of care

Introduction. Nowadays several rating systems exist for the evaluation of the sustainability of buildings, but often their focus is limited to environmental and efficiency aspects. Hospitals are complex constructions in which many variables affect hospital processes. Therefore, a research group has developed a tool for the evaluation of sustainability in healthcare facilities. Methodology. The paper analyses social sustainability issues through a tool which evaluates users’ perception from a the quality and well-being perspective. It presents a hierarchical structure composed of a criteria and indicators system which is organised through a weighing system calculated by using the Analytic Network Process. Results and discussion. The output is the definition of a tool which evaluates how Humanisation, Comfort and Distribution criteria can affect the social sustainability of a building. Conclusion. Starting from its application, it is evident that the instrument enables the improvement of healthcare facilities through several design and organisational suggestions for achieving healing and sustainable architectures

Nostra esperienza sul trattamento dell’ernia epigastrica

L’ernia epigastrica rappresenta una rara affezione chirurgica, talvolta insidiosa, la cui patogenesi è stata a lungo discussa, essendo stati identificati, nel corso degli anni, molteplici fattori predisponenti e responsabili della sua comparsa. Dalla nostra esperienza e dai dati ricavati dalla letteratura, si evince che non esiste per questa patologia un intervento chirurgico standard, e che oltre tutto sono spesso necessarie indagini diagnostiche preliminari non comuni, al contrario di altri difetti della parete addominale anteriore. Il nostro studio retrospettivo consiste nell’analisi dei trattamenti chirurgici eseguiti su 37 pazienti affetti da ernia epigastrica, per ognuno dei quali, sulla base delle condizioni cliniche generali, dei risultati delle indagini diagnostiche pre-operatorie e soprattutto delle caratteristiche del difetto erniario, è stato programmato un intervento chirurgico personalizzato, ottenendo così per la stessa patologia diversi protocolli di cura (procedure “open” o laparoscopiche, in ricovero ordinario o in day-surgery, riparazioni protesiche e non)

Bone damage after chemotherapy for lymphoma: a real-world experience

Abstract Background: Despite recent improvements in survival due to advances in treatment, the quality of life of patients with lymphoma may be compromised by the long-term complications of chemotherapy and steroid therapy. Among these, a potentially relevant problem is bone loss and the development of fragility fractures. Aim: To provide further evidence of clinical or subclinical skeletal complications in correlation with biological variables and markers of bone disease in patients with complete response to therapy. Method: A cross-sectional observational study was conducted on subjects diagnosed with lymphoma with subsequent antineoplastic treatment, disease status after therapy defined as complete response disease for at least a year now. We performed: blood chemistry tests, imaging techniques and screening tools for the assessment of functional status and quality of life (SARC-F and mini-Osteoporosis Quality of Life). Results: Approximately 50% of patients had osteoporosis, with a prevalence of vertebral fractures of 65.5%. In most patients, we found hypovitaminosis D and high levels of parathyroid hormone (PTH). Furthermore, a statistically significant association was observed between high PTH levels and previous lymphoma treatment. Finally, the MiniOsteoporosis Quality of life (mini-OQLQ) questionnaire demonstrated a loss of quality of life as a consequence of the change in bone status. Conclusions: Patient treatment design for personalized chemotherapy would be desirable to reduce late effects on bone. Also, early prevention programs need to be applied before starting treatment. The most benefited subpopulations could be not only elderly but also young patients

Cell cycle-dependent resolution of DNA double-strand breaks

DNA double strand breaks (DSBs) elicit prompt activation of DNA damage response (DDR), which arrests cell-cycle either in G1/S or G2/M in order to avoid entering S and M phase with damaged DNAs. Since mammalian tissues contain both proliferating and quiescent cells, there might be fundamental difference in DDR between proliferating and quiescent cells (or G0-arrested). To investigate these differences, we studied recruitment of DSB repair factors and resolution of DNA lesions induced at site-specific DSBs in asynchronously proliferating, G0-, or G1-arrested cells. Strikingly, DSBs occurring in G0 quiescent cells are not repaired and maintain a sustained activation of the p53-pathway. Conversely, re-entry into cell cycle of damaged G0-arrested cells, occurs with a delayed clearance of DNA repair factors initially recruited to DSBs, indicating an inefficient repair when compared to DSBs induced in asynchronously proliferating or G1-synchronized cells. Moreover, we found that initial recognition of DSBs and assembly of DSB factors is largely similar in asynchronously proliferating, G0-, or G1-synchronized cells. Our study thereby demonstrates that repair and resolution of DSBs is strongly dependent on the cell-cycle state