Shallow to intermediate resistivity features of the Colfiorito Fault System inferred by DC and MT survey

Over the last decade electromagnetic (EM) measurements have provided new constraints on the upper-crustal structure of the major fault zones in the world, both when they act as conduit and as a barrier, due to strong sensitivity of resistivity to fluids circulation and mineralization. On the track of a high impact magnetotelluric (MT) study performed across the San Andreas Fault, high resolution EM data were collected in the Colfiorito epicentral area along profiles crossing some main fault lineaments. Being the study focussed both on shallow that on intermediate resistivity distribution in the brittle upper-crust, a MT profile was integrated by several electrical resistivity tomographies (ERT). The latter were successful in locating faults even where the structures are buried by a wide covering of Quaternary deposits and in the recognition of different electrical signatures of the faults. MT resistivity model crossing Mt. Prefoglio normal fault clearly imaged the typical thrust structures of the area and a high conductive zone spatially related to the fault. Seismicity seems to be located outside such conductive area, whose behaviour suggests a fluidised and altered zone incapable of supporting significant stress internally

Monster parastomal pyoderma gangrenosum effectively treted by topical tacrolimus.

Terapia del pyoderma gangrenoso parastomale refrattario in malattia di Crohn. Il trattamento si è basato sull'applicazione topica di tacrolimus pomata. Dopo la suddetta terapia si è osservata la guarigione delle lesioni cutanee

Ascaridia galli: a report of erratic migration

This paper describes a case of an unusual recovery of adult Ascaridia galli in hen's egg. Several data are available on this occurrence but it appears to be the first case described in Italy. The worm was identified as an adult female, 6.8 cm in length, with three trilobed lips, cervical narrow alae, oesophagus club-shaped without posterior bulb, vulva near the middle of body, with gravid uteri containing a large number of eggs. The presence of Ascaridia galli in hen's eggs cannot be considered as hazard for public health but may be cause of a potential consumer complaint. Moreover it is a sign of presence of ascaridiosis, parasitosis that still produces economic losses in modern poultry production system

Self-supporting hydrogels based on fmoc-derivatized cationic hexapeptides for potential biomedical applications

Peptide-based hydrogels (PHGs) are biocompatible materials suitable for biological, biomedical, and biotechnological applications, such as drug delivery and diagnostic tools for imaging. Recently, a novel class of synthetic hydrogel-forming amphiphilic cationic peptides (referred to as series K), containing an aliphatic region and a Lys residue, was proposed as a scaffold for bioprinting applications. Here, we report the synthesis of six analogues of the series K, in which the acetyl group at the N-terminus is replaced by aromatic portions, such as the Fmoc protecting group or the Fmoc-FF hydrogelator. The tendency of all peptides to self-assemble and to gel in aqueous solution was investigated using a set of biophysical techniques. The structural characterization pointed out that only the Fmoc-derivatives of series K keep their capability to gel. Among them, Fmoc-K3 hydrogel, which is the more rigid one (G’ = 2526 Pa), acts as potential material for tissue engineering, fully supporting cell adhesion, survival, and duplication. These results describe a gelification process, allowed only by the correct balancing among aggregation forces within the peptide sequences (e.g., van der Waals, hydrogen bonding, and π–π stacking)

Shear-Velocity Structure and Dynamics Beneath the Sicily Channel and Surrounding Regions of the Central Mediterranean Inferred From Seismic Surface Waves

The evolution of the Sicily Channel Rift Zone (SCRZ) is thought to accommodate the regional tectonic stresses of the Calabrian subduction system. Much of the observations we have today are either limited to the surface or to the upper crust or deeper from regional seismic tomography, missing important details about the lithospheric structure and dynamics. It is unclear whether the rifting is passive from far-field extensional stresses or active from mantle upwelling beneath. We measure Rayleigh-and Love-wave phase velocities from ambient seismic noise and invert for 3-D shear-velocity and radial anisotropic models. Variations in crustal S-velocities coincide with topographic and tectonic features. The Tyrrhenian Sea has a ∼10 km thin crust, followed by the SCRZ (∼20 km). The thickest crust is beneath the Apennine-Maghrebian Mountains (∼55 km). Areas experiencing extension and intraplate volcanism have positive crustal radial anisotropy (VSH > VSV); areas experiencing compression and subduction-related volcanism have negative anisotropy. The crustal anisotropy across the Channel shows the extent of the extension. Beneath the Tyrrhenian Sea, we find very low sub-Moho S-velocities. In contrast, the SCRZ has a thin mantle lithosphere underlain by a low-velocity zone. The lithosphere-asthenosphere boundary rises from 60 km depth beneath Tunisia to ∼33 km beneath the SCRZ. Negative radial anisotropy in the upper mantle beneath the SCRZ is consistent with vertical mantle flow. We hypothesize a more active mantle upwelling beneath the rift than previously thought from an interplay between poloidal and toroidal fluxes related to the Calabrian slab, which in turn produces uplift at the surface and induces volcanism

About the shallow resistivity structure of Vesuvius volcano

Magnetotelluric (MT) soundings performed in the past in the volcanic area of Mt. Vesuvius by two independent research groups showed in the same places MT apparent resistivity curves with very similar shape, but statically shifted by one order of magnitude, at least. To try to resolve this ambiguity new controlled source audio-magnetotelluric (CSAMT) measurements have been carried out in the same MT sites. The interpretation of the CSAMT dataset, combined with that of two shallow dipole-dipole geoelectrical resistivity tomographies previously carried out in the area have allowed a reliable electrical structure to be recovered down to a few km of depth, which will next be used for a best constrained re-interpretation of the deep MT soundings

po 324 interferon regulatory factor 1 irf1 regulates inflammatory and metabolic phenotypes in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma

Introduction Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is the most frequent neoplasia of the exocrine pancreas. This tumour is and is characterised by a pervasive heterogeneity, with the coexistence of a range of histological grades, from epithelial-like to mesenchymal-like features. We previously dissected the transcriptional and epigenetic networks underlying PDAC grading. We identified the association of low grade phenotypes with a cell-autonomous interferon-related signature. Therefore, we set out to investigate the sustainment of inflammatory and interferon-related signatures in well-differentiated pancreatic cancer cells, and to determine the role of this network in PDAC biology. Material and methods We used cell-line based models of cancer differentiation, xenografts and human samples. We used CRISPR-Cas9 mediated genome editing to delete the transcription factor IRF1 (Interferon Regulatory Factor 1) in low-grade PDAC cells. RNA-seq, metabolic assays (oxygraphy, steady state metabolomics, fluxomics) and cell biology assays were carried out in IRF1 wt and knock-out cell lines. Data validation in human PDAC samples was carried out by immunohistochemistry. Results and discussions We found that IRF1 is a transcription factor differentially expressed between low- and high-grade PDACs, both in cell lines and in human tumours. IRF1 deletion in low-grade cell lines reduced the expression of genes in the antigen processing and presentation pathways, while its overexpression promoted the expression of the same genes in high-grade cells, where they are normally not expressed. Furthermore, xenografted IRF1-deficient cell lines recruited fewer immune cells in vivo . IRF1 deletion also affected epithelial phenotypes, including growth rate, cell shape, motility and collagen remodelling ability. Alongside, we unveiled a role of IRF1 in the control of the metabolism of low-grade PDAC cells, consisting in the control of mitochondrial respiration and lipogenesis as well as of the overall lipid profile of these cells. Conclusion To conclude, our results provide hints on the regulatory networks controlling cell differentiation in human PDACs. We show that IRF1 acts as a pleiotropic regulator in the low grade component of PDACs, with wide effects on immunological and metabolic features of this cancer population. Our work reinforces the body of knowledge needed for the development of those therapeutic strategies aiming at exploiting immunological or metabolic pitfalls

Deepfield connect, an innovative decision support system for crops irrigation management under Mediterranean conditions

The irrigation management, in the Mediterranean region, represents an important technique useful to reach sustainable yield and improve the quality of the crop. The use of decision support systems and water saving techniques has gained importance during the last decades mainly in arid and semiarid countries where water is considered a precious resource. DeepField Connect by BOSCH is an innovative tool able to support farmers in irrigation management and consists of three main parts: hardware (sensors, device-to-web-data logger and thermo-hygrometer), algorithm and graphic use interface (app). This system is based on GIS analysis, which represents the most innovative and functional tool for such studies, which provides a mapping of soil hydrological characteristics at the regional level. We used, as a reference, soil data analysis obtained at Regional level from the ACLA II Project. In this way, the system creates an interactive mapping system, matching each point of the Apulian surface, in particular, the texture composition of the soil and the values of the hydrological constants (wilting point, WP and field capacity FC), for irrigation planning. These data are integrated with the recharging point (RP) a value calculated for the main regional irrigated crop which represents the level of soil moisture that, together with FC, represent the range of plant-available water. Besides, this tool provides different irrigation strategies such as deficit irrigation or complete restitution of evapotranspiration losses, according to farmer needs. DeepField Connect by BOSCH transmits the data via the Bosch Cloud to the smartphone. This allows to keep track of fields at any given time and to provide assistance in: when to irrigate and which irrigation volumes to use. This intelligent system can be considered as the application of one of the best practices that the agricultural sector can implement to improve its environmental performance and contribute to sustainable food production

About the shallow resistivity structure of Vesuvius volcano

Magnetotelluric (MT) soundings performed in the past in the volcanic area of Mt. Vesuvius by two independent research groups showed in the same places MT apparent resistivity curves with very similar shape, but statical- ly shifted by one order of magnitude, at least. To try to resolve this ambiguity new controlled source audio-mag- netotelluric (CSAMT) measurements have been carried out in the same MT sites. The interpretation of the CSAMT dataset, combined with that of two shallow dipole-dipole geoelectrical resistivity tomographies previ- ously carried out in the area have allowed a reliable electrical structure to be recovered down to a few km of depth, which will next be used for a best constrained re-interpretation of the deep MT soundings