Raimondo Montecuccoli, la guerra di Castro e l'organizzazione delle milizie modenesi

In questo studio si esamina la figura del generale Raimondo Montecuccoli nel periodo della Guerra dei trent'anni, la sua partecipazione alla Guerra di Castro al servizio di Francesco I° d'Este ed il contributo che fornì proponendo una trasformazione della milizia estense in un esercito permanente. Si analizzano le cause e le principali vicende militari del conflitto che contrappose tra il 1641 e il 1644 lo Stato Pontificio ai Ducati di Parma e di Modena, al Granducato di Toscana e alla Repubblica Veneta. Questa vicenda viene inquadrata nel contesto delle trasformazioni delle tecniche belliche in corso nella prima metà del XVII° secolo e dell'analisi dei processi di ordine militare che concorsero alla formazione dello stato moderno

Genetic characterization of four native Italian shepherd dog breeds and analysis of their relationship to cosmopolitan dog breeds using microsatellite markers

Very little research into genetic diversity of Italian native dog breeds has been carried out so far. In this study we aimed to estimate and compare the genetic diversity of four native Italian shepherd dog breeds: the Maremma, Bergamasco, Lupino del Gigante and Oropa shepherds. Therefore, some cosmopolitan dog breeds, which have been widely raised in Italy for a long time past, have also been considered to check possible influence of these dog populations on the Italian autochthonous breeds considered here. A total of 212 individuals, belonging to 10 different dog breeds, were sampled and genotyped using 18 autosomal microsatellite loci. We analyzed the genetic diversity of these breeds, within breed diversity, breed relationship and population structure. The 10 breeds considered in this study were clearly genetically differentiated from each other, regardless of current population sizes and the onset of separate breeding history. The level of genetic diversity explained 20% of the total genetic variation. The level of H E found here is in agreement with that found by other studies. The native Italian breeds showed generally higher genetic diversity compared with the long established, well-defined cosmopolitan dog breeds. As the Border Collie seems closer to the Italian breeds than the other cosmopolitan shepherd dogs considered here, a possible utilization of this breed to improve working performance in Italian traditional working shepherd dogs cannot be ignored. The data and information found here can be utilized in the organization of conservation programs planned to reduce inbreeding and to minimize loss of genetic variability

Desenvolvimento de sistemas de plasmas de interesse tecnológico

Pulsos rápidos de alta tensão, com tempo de subida na ordem de nanossegundos (ns), têm se mostrado cada vez mais aplicáveis nas mais diversas áreas de pesquisa, desde o tratamento de superfícies em ciência dos materiais até aplicações na biotecnologia e na biomedicina. Nosso estudo foi particularmente motivado pela capacidade que esses pulsos têm de acionar plasmas frios de barreira dielétrica, uma tecnologia em franco desenvolvimento e com grande leque de aplicações. Foi feita uma revisão na bibliografia especializada, incluindo a reprodução de alguns circuitos apresentados na literatura capazes de gerar pulsos usando componentes semicondutores como chaves rápidas. Particularmente interessante para nosso trabalho é o modo avalanche de transistores, e acionamento avalanche em cascata de transistores em série

Assessing mantle versus crustal sources for non-volcanic degassing along fault zones in the actively extending southern Apennines mountain belt (Italy)

The actively extending axial zone of the southern Apennine mountain belt of Italy is characterized by a substantial flow of non-volcanic gas to the surface. In this study, we have analyzed the correlation between the active tectonic framework of the Matese Ridge area and the high gas emissions found to the southwest, which includes large amounts of CO2 (up to 99 vol%), CH4 (up to 0.55 vol%), and He (up to 52 ppmv). We measured CO2 and CH4 fluxes of up to 34000 g d–1 and 2000 g d–1, respectively, from zones of focused degassing (gas vents and associated strong diffuse emission). This anomalously high flux of CO2 (advective plus diffusive) indicates that the study area has one of the largest non-volcanic natural emissions of CO2 ever measured on Earth. The isotope composition of C in CO2 and CH4 shows there is a dominant crustal contribution of emissions (as opposed to a source from the mantle), indicating that thermometamorphism of the buried Apulian Platform carbonates is probably the main cause of CO2 production. This process has likely been enhanced by Quaternary magmatism, which provides an additional local source of heat triggering decarbonation of Apulian Platform limestones and dolostones at depth. The advective flux is concentrated at gas vents located along active fault segments located at the western tip of a major crustal structure, the South Matese fault zone. We believe that the very high gas emission in the Matese Ridge area is the result of both the presence of a dense network of active fault strands, which provides efficient pathways for fluid flow toward the surface, and the dramatically reduced thickness of the clay-rich mélange zone acting elsewhere in the southern Apennines as a top seal overlying the buried Apulian Platform carbonates

Assessing mantle versus crustal sources for non-volcanic degassing along fault zones in the actively extending southern Apennines mountain belt (Italy)

The actively extending axial zone of the southern Apennine mountain belt of Italy is characterized by a substantial flow of nonvolcanic gas to the surface. In this study, we have analyzed the correlation between the active tectonic framework of the Matese Ridge area and the high gas emissions found to the southwest, which includes large amounts of CO2 (up to 99 vol%), CH4 (up to 0.55 vol%), and He (up to 52 ppmv). We measured CO2 and CH4 fluxes of up to 34000 g d–1 and 2000 g d–1, respectively, from zones of focused degassing (gas vents and associated strong diffuse emission). This anomalously high flux of CO2 (advective plus diffusive) indicates that the study area has one of the largest nonvolcanic natural emissions of CO2 ever measured on Earth. The isotope composition of C in CO2 and CH4 shows there is a dominant crustal contribution of emissions (as opposed to a source from the mantle), indicating that thermometamorphism of the buried Apulian Platform carbonates is probably the main cause of CO2 production. This process has likely been enhanced by Quaternary magmatism, which provides an additional local source of heat triggering decarbonation of Apulian Platform limestones and dolostones at depth. The advective flux is concentrated at gas vents located along active fault segments located at the western tip of a major crustal structure, the South Matese fault zone. We believe that the very high gas emission in the Matese Ridge area is the result of both the presence of a dense network of active fault strands, which provides efficient pathways for fluid flow toward the surface, and the dramatically reduced thickness of the clay-rich mélange zone acting elsewhere in the southern Apennines as a top seal overlying the buried Apulian Platform carbonates

Multilocus detection of wolf x dog hybridization in Italy, and guidelines for marker selection

Hybridization and introgression can impact the evolution of natural populations. Several wild canid species hybridize in nature, sometimes originating new taxa. However, hybridization with free-ranging dogs is threatening the genetic integrity of grey wolf populations (Canis lupus), or even the survival of endangered species (e.g., the Ethiopian wolf C. simensis). Efficient molecular tools to assess hybridization rates are essential in wolf conservation strategies. We evaluated the power of biparental and uniparental markers (39 autosomal and 4 Y-linked microsatellites, a melanistic deletion at the β-defensin CBD103 gene, the hypervariable domain of the mtDNA control-region) to identify the multilocus admixture patterns in wolf x dog hybrids. We used empirical data from 2 hybrid groups with different histories: 30 presumptive natural hybrids from Italy and 73 Czechoslovakian wolfdogs of known hybrid origin, as well as simulated data. We assessed the efficiency of various marker combinations and reference samples in admixture analyses using 69 dogs of different breeds and 99 wolves from Italy, Balkans and Carpathian Mountains. Results confirmed the occurrence of hybrids in Italy, some of them showing anomalous phenotypic traits and exogenous mtDNA or Y-chromosome introgression. Hybridization was mostly attributable to village dogs and not strictly patrilineal. The melanistic β-defensin deletion was found only in Italian dogs and in putative hybrids. The 24 most divergent microsatellites (largest wolf-dog FST values) were equally or more informative than the entire panel of 39 loci. A smaller panel of 12 microsatellites increased risks to identify false admixed individuals. The frequency of F1 and F2 was lower than backcrosses or introgressed individuals, suggesting hybridization already occurred some generations in the past, during early phases of wolf expansion from their historical core areas. Empirical and simulated data indicated the identification of the past generation backcrosses is always uncertain, and a larger number of ancestry-informative markers is needed

The acute myeloid leukemia-associated Nucleophosmin 1 gene mutations dictate amyloidogenicity of the C-terminal domain

Nucleophosmin 1 (NPM1) is a nucleus-cytoplasm shuttling protein ubiquitously expressed and highly conserved. It is involved in many cellular processes and its gene is mutated in ~ 50-60% of Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML) patients. These mutations cause its cytoplasmic mislocation and accumulation (referred to as NPM1c+) and open the door to rational targeted therapy for AML diseases with mutated NPM1. Currently, there is limited knowledge on the mechanism of action of NPM1c+ and on structural determinants of the leukemogenic potential of AML mutations. Numerous previous studies outlined an unexpected amyloid-like aggregation tendency of several regions located in the C-terminal domain that, in wild-type form, fold as a three-helical-bundle. Here, using a combination of different techniques including Thioflavin T fluorescence, congo red absorbance, CD spectroscopy, Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and wide-angle X-ray scattering on a series of peptides bearing mutations, we evidence that the amyloidogenicity of NPM1 mutants is directly linked to AML. Noticeably, AML point mutations strongly affect the amyloid cytotoxic effects in neuroblastoma cells and the morphologies of deriving fibrils. This study paves the way to deepen our understanding of AML-associated NPM1 mutants, and could help to break new ground for the identification of novel drugs targeting NPM1c+ for treatment of AML

Discriminant analysis of principal components (DAPC) of wolf, dog and wolf <i>x</i> dog hybrids genotyped with 39 (A), 24 (B) and 12 (C) autosomal microsatellites.

<p>Sampling groups: 1) village dogs sampled in Italy (DIT; <i>n</i> = 31); 2) “Lupino del Gigante” dogs from Italy (DAP; <i>n</i> = 26); 3) German Shepherd dogs from Czech Republic (DCZ; <i>n</i> = 12;); 4) wolves in Italy (WIT; <i>n</i> = 63); 5) wolves in Czech and Slovak republics (WCZ; <i>n</i> = 10); 6)wolves in Croatia (WHR; <i>n</i> = 26); 7) certified Czechoslovakian wolfdogs (WDCZ; <i>n</i> = 73); and 8) putative wolf <i>x</i> dog hybrids (HYIT; <i>n</i> = 30) collected in Italy and identified by their anomalous phenotypic traits (dog-like body shape, coat colour variations, presence of hind-leg spurs or white nails), or by previous microsatellite analyses. Black numbers indicate the most probable F1 (sample n. 1) and F2 (sample n. 3) individuals as determined by Structure and NewHybrids analyses. The first principal component PC I (abscissa) explains 51.48%, 49.96% and 63.65% of the total genetic variance shown by genotypes determined at 39, 24 and 12 microsatellites, respectively. The corresponding second principal component PC II (ordinate) explains 21.25%, 21.93% and 18.19% of the total genetic variance. The inserts (low right corners) indicate the proportion of genetic variability explained by the first 6 eigenvalues.</p