Cancer progression: a single cell perspective

Tumor tissues are constituted by a dynamic diversity of malignant and non-malignant cells, which shape a puzzling biological ecosystem affecting cancer biology and response to treatments. Over the course of the tumoral disease, cancer cells acquire genotypic and phenotypic changes, allowing them to improve cellular fitness and overcome environmental and treatment constraints. This progression is depicted by an evolutionary process in which single cells expand as a result of an interaction between single-cell changes and the lovelopments have made it possible to depict the development of cancer at the single-cell level, offering a novel method for understanding the biology of this complex disease. Here, we review those complex interactions from the perspective of single cells and introduce the concept of omics for single-cell studies. This review emphasizes the evolutionary dynamics that control cancer progression and the capacity of single cells to escape the local environment and colonize distant sites. We are assisting a rapid progression of studies carried out at the single-cell level, and we survey relevant single-cell technologies looking at multi-omics studies. These path for precision medicine in cancer

Life Cycle Assessment and Cost–Benefit Analysis as Combined Economic–Environmental Assessment Tools: Application to an Anaerobic Digestion Plant

In the present study, using Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and Cost–Benefit Analysis (CBA), we assess the economic–environmental performance of an anaerobic digestion (AD) plant, fed by cultured crops (i.e., maize and wheat), in Italy. The biogas generated by the AD plant is used for the production of electricity, imputed into the Italian energy grid. The LCA evaluated potential greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, measured via Carbon Footprint (CF), while the CBA analysed the financial and economic profiles via the Net Present Value (NPV) and Internal Rate of Return (IRR) indicators. The strength of combining these methodologies is the joint examination of the financial and social–environmental performance of the plant. The results of the CBA are complemented with the GHG emissions avoided by producing electricity from biogas. The CF of 0.28 kg CO2eq·kWh−1 of electricity produced is mainly due to the nitrogen fertilizers involved in the production of the additional feedstock matrix (i.e., maize flour). In the CBA, the negative financial NPV and the financial IRR, which is lower than the discount rate applied, highlight the inability of the net revenue to repay the initial investment. Regarding the social desirability, the economic analysis, enriched by the LCA outcomes, shows a positive economic performance, demonstrating that the combination of information from different methodologies enables wider consideration for the anaerobic digestion plant. In line with the Italian Recovery and Resilience Plan’s aim to strongly increase the exploitation of renewable resources, an AD plant fed by dedicated crops could valorise the marginal uncultivated land, obtaining energy without consuming land for food production. Moreover, this AD plant could contribute to the creation of repeatable small-scale energy production systems able to sustain the demand of local communities

Evaluación de distintas densidades de siembra en un cultivo de zapallo tipo “Anco” (Cucurbita moschata) en la región semiárida Pampeana

The objective of this work was to determine the optimum plant density of squash type Butternut (Cucurbita moschata) in the semiarid region of La Pampa. The test was carried out in the Anguil INTA experimental station. In this experiment Cuyano INTA was used in three densities: 10.000 plants.ha-1, 6.666 plants.ha-1 and 5.000 plants.ha-1. The crop was planted on 26/11/09 and harvested on 25/03/10. The experimental design was randomized blocks with 4 repetitions, where each plot included 10 plants. The experiment evaluated yield, fruit weight and number of each plant. Statistical analysis using ANOVA and Duncan test 5% were performed on the data. The results did not show differences between densities in total and commercial yield per hectare and percentage of waste. The total and commercial yield by plant was higher in lower density. The average weight of commercial fruit was higher at the lower density. Different planting densities did not result in significant differences in total and commercial yield per hectare. Increasing the density of plants decreased the size of commercial fruit and the number of fruit per plant.El objetivo de este trabajo fue determinar la densidad de siembra óptima de zapallos tipo Anco (Cucurbita moschata) en la Región Semiárida Pampeana. El ensayo se realizó en la E.E.A INTA Anguil, La Pampa. El cultivar utilizado fue Cuyano INTA. Se probaron tres densidades de siembra: 10.000 plantas.ha-1, 6.666 plantas.ha-1 y 5.000 plantas.ha-1. La siembra se realizó el 26/11/09 y la cosecha el 25/03/10. El diseño experimental fue de bloques completos al azar con cuatro repeticiones. Cada parcela estuvo compuesta de diez plantas. Se evaluó el rendimiento en peso y número de frutos por planta. Los resultados se analizaron mediante ANOVA y test de Duncan al 5%. El rendimiento total y comercial por hectárea y el porcentaje de descarte no tuvieron diferencias entre densidades. El rendimiento total y comercial por planta fue mayor a menor densidad. En cuanto al peso promedio de frutos comerciales, a menor densidad se obtuvieron los frutos de mayor tamaño. Variando la densidad de siembra, el rendimiento total y comercial por hectárea no varía significativamente, pero afecta el tamaño de los frutos comerciales y el número de frutos por planta, siendo estos menores a mayor densidad

Ensayo comparativo de rendimiento y calidad de frutos de zapallo tipo "anco" (Cucurbita moschata) en la EEA Anguil de la región semiárida pampeana

The objective of this work was to evaluate the agronomical performance of seven "Anco" pumpkin cultivars in the semiarid region of La Pampa. A comparative yield and fruit quality experiment was carried out at EEA INTA Anguil during the growing season of 2008. AII crops were planted on 25/11/08 and harvest of all materials took place on 17/03/09. Seven different cultivars were tested: Saxo (Basso), Experimental bushy material (INTA), Experimental material (INTA), Coco (Basso), Atlas (Sakata), Cuyano INTA and Waltham Butternut (Seminis). The experimental design was a randomized block with 4 replications. Each plot included 10 plants separated by 1 m and 2 m between rows. Statistical analysis using ANOVA and Scott & Knott test were performed on the data. Saxo and Atlas cultivars showed a significant total and commercial yields. In commercial yield besides the mentioned, the Material Experimental lNTA stood up. The Material Experimental lNTA showed a smaller percentage of waste, together with Cuyano INTA. Atlas showed a greater fruit size, reaching an average weight of 2.75 kg. Atlas and Waltham Butternut showed a cylindrical form of fruit, while the rest of the materials were piriform.El objetivo del trabajo fue evaluar la respuesta agronómica de zapallos tipo "anco" en la Región Semiárida Pampeana. Se realizó un ensayo comparativo de rendimi ento y calidad de frutos, el cual estuvo ubicado en la EEA INTA Anguil. Se probaron siete cultivares: Saxo (Basso), Material Experimental Arbustivo (INTA), Material Experimental (INTA), Coco (Basso), Atlas (Sakata), Cuyano (INTA) y Waltham Butternut (Seminis). La siembra e realizó el 25/11/08 y la cosecha el 17/03/09. El diseño experimental fue de bloques completos al azar con cuatro repeticiones. Cada parcela estuvo compuesta de diez plantas a 1 m entre si y 2 m entre hileras. Se evaluó el rendimiento, en peso y número de frutos, y las características de los mismos. Las diferencias fueron evaluadas mediante ANOVA y test de Scott & Knott. Los cultivares Saxo y Atlas se destacaron por el rendimiento en peso total. En rendimiento comercial además de los mencionados se destacó el Material Experimental INTA. El Material Experimental INTA presentó el menor porcentaje de descarte, junto con Cuyano INTA. Atlas tuvo el mayor tamaño de fruto comercial con un promediode 2,75 Kg. Atlas y Waltham Butternut presentaron forma de fruto cilíndrica, el resto de los materiales fueron piriformes

Anomalies Observed in VLF and LF Radio Signals on the Occasion of the Western Turkey Earthquake (Mw = 5.7) on May 19, 2011

VLF radio signals lie in the 10 - 60 kHz frequency band. These radio signals are used for worldwide navigation support, time signals and for military purposes. They are propagated in the earth-ionosphere wave-guide mode along great circle propagation paths. So, their propaga-tion is strongly affected by the ionosphere conditions. LF signals lie in 150 - 300 kHz frequency band. They are used for long way broadcasting by the few (this type of broadcasting is going into disuse) transmitters located in the world. These radio signals are characterized by the ground wave and the sky wave propagation modes [1]. The first generates a stable signal that propagates in the channel Earth-troposphere and is affected by the surface ground and troposphere condition. The second instead gives rise to a signal which varies greatly between day and night, and between summer and winter, and which propagates using the lower ionosphere as a reflector; its propagation is mainly affected by the ionosphere condi-tion, particularly in the zone located in the middle of the transmitter-receiver path. The propagation of the VLF/LF radio signals is affected by different factors such as the meteorological condition, the solar bursts and the geo-magnetic activity. At the same time, variations of some parameters in the ground, in the atmosphere and in the ionosphere occurring during the preparatory phase of earthquakes can produce disturbances in the above men-tioned signals. As already reported by many previous studies [2-18] the disturbances are classified as anoma-lies and different methods of analysis as the residual dA/ dP [15], the terminator time TT [9], the Wavelet spectra and the Principal Component Analysis have been used [6,7]. Here the analysis carried out on LF and VLF radio signals using three different methods on the occasion of a strong earthquake occurred recently in Turkey is pre-sented

Wavelet analysis of the LF radio signals collected by the European VLF/LF network from July 2009 to April 2011

In 2008, a radio receiver that works in very low frequency (VLF; 20-60 kHz) and LF (150-300 kHz) bands was developed by an Italian factory. The receiver can monitor 10 frequencies distributed in these bands, with the measurement for each of them of the electric field intensity. Since 2009, to date, six of these radio receivers have been installed throughout Europe to establish a ‘European VLF/LF Network’. At present, two of these are into operation in Italy, and the remaining four are located in Greece, Turkey, Portugal and Romania. For the present study, the LF radio data collected over about two years were analysed. At first, the day-time data and the night-time data were separated for each radio signal. Taking into account that the LF signals are characterized by ground-wave and sky-wave propagation modes, the day-time data are related to the ground wave and the night-time data to the sky wave. In this framework, the effects of solar activity and storm activity were defined in the different trends. Then, the earthquakes with M ≥5.0 that occurred over the same period were selected, as those located in a 300-km radius around each receiver/transmitter and within the 5th Fresnel zone related to each transmitter-receiver path. Where possible, the wavelet analysis was applied on the time series of the radio signal intensity, and some anomalies related to previous earthquakes were revealed. Except for some doubt in one case, success appears to have been obtained in all of the cases related to the 300 km circles in for the ground waves and the sky waves. For the Fresnel cases, success in two cases and one failure were seen in analysing the sky waves. The failure occurred in August/September, and might be related to the disturbed conditions of the ionosphere in summer

Total- and semi-bare noble metal nanoparticles@silica core@shell catalysts for hydrogen generation by formic acid decomposition

Catalysts are involved in a number of established and emerging chemical processes as well as in environmental remediation and energy conversion. Nanoparticles (NPs) can offer several advantages over some conventional catalysts, such as higher efficiency and selectivity. Nowadays, versatile and scalable nanocatalysts that combine activity and stability are still lacking. Here, we report a comprehensive investigation on the production and characterization of hybrid nano-architectures bringing a partial or total bare surface together with their catalytic efficiency evaluation on, as a proof-of-concept, the formic acid decomposition reaction. In this regard, formic acid (FA) is a convenient and safe hydrogen carrier with appealing features for mobile applications, fuel cells technologies, petrochemical processes and energetic applications. Thus, the design of robust catalysts for FA dehydrogenation is strongly demanded. Due to this, we produced and evaluated nano-architectures with various equilibrium between the size-increase of the active part and the barer catalytic surface. Overall, this work paves the way for the development of new approaches for green energy storage and safe delivery

Ceramide-induced BOK promotes mitochondrial fission in preeclampsia

Mitochondria are in a constant balance of fusing and dividing in response to cellular cues. Fusion creates healthy mitochondria, whereas fission results in removal of non-functional organelles. Changes in mitochondrial dynamics typify several human diseases. However, the contribution of mitochondrial dynamics to preeclampsia, a hypertensive disorder of pregnancy characterized by placental cell autophagy and death, remains unknown. Herein, we show that the mitochondrial dynamic balance in preeclamptic placentae is tilted toward fission (increased DRP1 expression/activation and decreased OPA1 expression). Increased phosphorylation of DRP1 (p-DRP1) in mitochondrial isolates from preeclamptic placentae and transmission electron microscopy corroborated augmented mitochondrial fragmentation in cytotrophoblast cells of PE placentae. Increased fission was accompanied by build-up of ceramides (CERs) in mitochondria from preeclamptic placentae relative to controls. Treatment of human choriocarcinoma JEG3 cells and primary isolated cytrophoblast cells with CER 16:0 enhanced mitochondrial fission. Loss- and gain-of-function experiments showed that Bcl-2 member BOK, whose expression is increased by CER, positively regulated p-DRP1/DRP1 and MFN2 expression, and localized mitochondrial fission events to the ER/MAM compartments. We also identified that the BH3 and transmembrane domains of BOK were vital for BOK regulation of fission. Moreover, we found that full-length PTEN-induced putative kinase 1 (PINK1) and Parkin, were elevated in mitochondria from PE placentae, implicating mitophagy as the process that degrades excess mitochondria fragments produced from CER/BOK-induced fission in preeclampsia. In summary, our study uncovered a novel CER/BOK-induced regulation of mitochondrial fission and its functional consequence for heightened trophoblast cell autophagy in preeclampsia