The miRNAome of globe artichoke: conserved and novel micro RNAs and target analysis

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Plant microRNAs (miRNAs) are involved in post-transcriptional regulatory mechanisms of several processes, including the response to biotic and abiotic stress, often contributing to the adaptive response of the plant to adverse conditions. In addition to conserved miRNAs, found in a wide range of plant species a number of novel species-specific miRNAs, displaying lower levels of expression can be found. Due to low abundance, non conserved miRNAs are difficult to identify and isolate using conventional approaches. Conversely, deep-sequencing of small RNA (sRNA) libraries can detect even poorly expressed miRNAs.</p> <p>No miRNAs from globe artichoke have been described to date. We analyzed the miRNAome from artichoke by deep sequencing four sRNA libraries obtained from NaCl stressed and control leaves and roots.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Conserved and novel miRNAs were discovered using accepted criteria. The expression level of selected miRNAs was monitored by quantitative real-time PCR. Targets were predicted and validated for their cleavage site. A total of 122 artichoke miRNAs were identified, 98 (25 families) of which were conserved with other plant species, and 24 were novel. Some miRNAs were differentially expressed according to tissue or condition, magnitude of variation after salt stress being more pronounced in roots. Target function was predicted by comparison to <it>Arabidopsis </it>proteins; the 43 targets (23 for novel miRNAs) identified included transcription factors and other genes, most of which involved in the response to various stresses. An unusual cleaved transcript was detected for miR393 target, transport inhibitor response 1.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>The miRNAome from artichoke, including novel miRNAs, was unveiled, providing useful information on the expression in different organs and conditions. New target genes were identified. We suggest that the generation of secondary short-interfering RNAs from miR393 target can be a general rule in the plant kingdom.</p

Eating in extreme environment: diet of the European hare (Lepus europaeus) on Vesuvius

The European hare (Lepus europaeus) is cosmopolitan species, living in a variety of habitats and showing a diversified diet, that has been described mainly from agricultural meadows and crops, with little information available for extreme environments. Here, we describe, for the first time, the diet of the European hare from Mount Vesuvius, using DNA metabarcoding and high- throughput sequencing on DNA extracted from faecal pellets, a proxy for a population living in a volcanic environment. The DNA from pellets was first genetically assigned to European hare using high-resolution melting analysis. The diet of the hare on Vesuvius is mainly composed of herbaceous species belonging to Fabaceae (86.26% of total diet). The most frequent plant items ingested by the species are Galega officinalis and Lupinus angustifolius (67.10% of total diet), although these are detected only sporadically in the study area. Indeed, the spectrum of available plants also includes other easily accessible wild (i.e. Lolium sp., Bromus sp., Rumex sp.) and cultivated (i.e. Solanum lycopersicum, Cucumis melo, Pisum sativum) plant items, found only in traces in the diet of the hares. Our contribution adds information on the trophic ecology of the European hare, exploring its ability to live in an extreme environment. This could be useful to set a management strategy for conservation of the species, which is ecologically relevant on Vesuvius as prey for birds and mammals, as well as a vegetation modulator via selective grazing by endozoochory. Furthermore, our study represents the latest information on the diet of the hare living in an environment that no longer exists: an extensive fire destroyed about 80% of the woody area after our sampling. The post-fire regrowth is transforming the original environment and consequently the trophic availability for the European hare

Reflections on the future of research, development and innovation in Colombia

Colombia is going through a moment of historical change. After four years of formal peace negotiations and the signing of a peace agreement with the FARC in November 2016, the country is set to enter an era of increased stability. In this perspective, the Colombian government should concentrate its effort to respond to societal challenges by improving infrastructure, promoting social inclusion and a sustainable use of natural resources. However, while it is acknowledged that greater investments in science and technology could foster economic growth and development and respond to societal needs, Colombia is still lagging behind. Greater investment in science and technology with a long-term perspective should support the country’s efforts for growth and development. Furthermore, considering Colombia´s great diversity in terms of population, topography and societal needs, it appears reductive to apply a ‘one size fits all’ solution. This article presents some reflections on how strengthening the capacity of higher education institutions (HEIs) for research and internationalization and strengthening the link between knowledge, practice and policy would contribute to more and better research, development and innovation in Colombia

Delineation of flood‐prone areas in cliffed coastal regions through a procedure based on the geomorphic flood index

The geomorphic flood index (GFI) method provides a good representation of flood-prone areas. However, the method does not account for floodwater transfers in undefined interbasins (UIBs), which represent intercluded small basins along the coastline likely to be flooded by adjacent major rivers. The present work addresses this shortcoming by complementing the GFI approach with an iterative procedure that considers UIBs and water transfers between basins. The methodology was tested on a coastal basin in southern Italy and the outcome was compared with a flood map obtained by a two-dimensional hydraulic simulation. GFI performance as a morphological descriptor improved from 74% (standard method) to 94% with the addition of the iterative procedure. The proposed methodology, with the same parameterization, was applied on a second adjacent coastal basin obtaining improvements both in terms of true positive (from 56 to 79%) and false negative rates (from 44 to 21%). Finally, a sensitivity analysis to the flood return periods highlighted a strong influence on model parameterization for return periods below 20 years. This achievement represents a new development in the application of the GFI method, which can help stakeholders in a more time- and cost-effective flood risk management in hazard-prone areas

Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy with a Mixed Approach in a Patient with Kartagener Syndrome: Technical Report and Review of Literature

Kartagener syndrome (KS) is a rare autosomal recessive disease. The disease is characterized by three typical symptoms: chronic sinusitis, situs viscerum inversus (SVI), and bronchiectasis. The laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) is the standard procedure in most cases of cholelithiasis, but in SVI patients it can be difficult, especially for right-handed surgeons. We report the case of a 24-year-old female affected by KS, presenting with a history of symptomatic cholelithiasis. Ultrasound and magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography confirmed SVI totalis and cholelithiasis. The patient underwent a laparoscopic cholecystectomy by a right-handed surgeon performed with a mixed approach without complications. Laparoscopic cholecystectomy in SVI patients can be a safe and reliable technique especially for a left-handed surgeon. The described technique is also easy for a right-handed surgeon. However, it is considered a technically challenging procedure and often requires technical modification

Response to Letter by Tsuda

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Effects of dietary protein restriction on fibrinogen and albumin metabolism in nephrotic patients

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Twenty years of surveillance of Invasive Meningococcal Diseases in Puglia, Italy

The study aims to investigate the change in the burden of disease and the microbiological characteristics of Invasive Meningococcal Disease (IMD) in Puglia in comparison with overall incidence from 1994 through 2014

Antibacterial effect of zinc oxide-based nanomaterials on environmental biodeteriogens affecting historical buildings

The colonization of microorganisms and their subsequent interaction with stone substrates under different environmental conditions encourage deterioration of materials by multiple mechanisms resulting in changes in the original color, appearance and durability. One of the emerging alternatives to remedy biodeterioration is nanotechnology, thanks to nanoparticle properties such as small size, no-toxicity, high photo-reactivity, and low impact on the environment. This study highlighted the effects of ZnO-based nanomaterials of two bacteria genera isolated from the Temple of Concordia (Agrigento’s Valley of the Temples in Sicily, Italy) that are involved in biodeterioration processes. The antimicrobial activities of ZnO-nanorods (Zn-NRs) and graphene nanoplatelets decorated with Zn-NRs (ZNGs) were evaluated against the Gram positive Arthrobacter aurescens and two isolates of the Gram negative Achromobacter spanius. ZNGs demonstrated high antibacterial and antibiofilm activities on several substrates such as stones with different porosity. In the case of ZNGs, a marked time- and dose-dependent bactericidal effect was highlighted against all bacterial species. Therefore, these nanomaterials represent a promising tool for developing biocompatible materials that can be exploited for the conservation of cultural heritage. These nanostructures can be successfully applied without releasing toxic compounds, thus spreading their usability