Effectiveness of a soil mapping geomatic approach to predict the spatial distribution of soil types and their properties

A soil map (1:50,000 scale) was recently produced in Sardinia (Italy) using a cost-effective GIS approach. In this study we aimed to verify, in two pilot areas and by means of statistical analysis, the effectiveness of the adopted methodology in representing and predicting the spatial distribution of soil types and properties. We focused on evaluation of 1) the influence of landforms and parent materials on soil types (WRB Reference Soil Groups) and selected soil properties and 2) the suitability of the adopted methodology for calibrating a model to predict land unit composition in terms of different soil types. Leptosols, Regosols and Cambisols were prevalent on slopes, with Leptosols being more frequent on convex slopes and Regosols and Cambisols on concave slopes. In flat areas, soil types mainly depended on the type and age of parent material, with Regosols and Cambisols prevailing on Holocene deposits and highly developed soils (mainly Luvisols) largely prevailing on Pleistocene deposits. On hard rock, Leptosols were very frequent on terrigenous metamorphic rock and frequent on granite. Besides Leptosols, Regosols occurred more frequently than Cambisols on both parent materials. Landforms strongly influenced soil depth and available water capacity. Soils on plains were deeper than those on slopes, where convex forms had shallower soils than concave forms. A similar trend applied to the available water capacity. The parent material had a significant effect on topsoil properties (thickness, texture, pH and organic carbon content) of soils belonging to the same WRB Reference Soil Group (analysis done on the most relevant WRB Reference Soil Groups, i.e. Leptosols, Regosols and Cambisols). We calibrated and tested stepwise multiple linear regressions (MLR) and general linear models (GLM) to predict the composition of map units in terms of different WRB Reference Soil Groups. The two models gave very similar results, with distinct distribution patterns that were coherent with the relationships observed between soil groups and specific combination of terrain attributes and parent materials. Results showed that both models were more reliable in predicting the absence rather than presence of a given soil type

Epigenetic mechanisms of endocrine-disrupting chemicals in obesity

The incidence of obesity has dramatically increased over the last decades. Recently, there has been a growing interest in the possible association between the pandemics of obesity and some endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs), termed “obesogens”. These are a heterogeneous group of exogenous compounds that can interfere in the endocrine regulation of energy metabolism and adipose tissue structure. Oral intake, inhalation, and dermal absorption represent the major sources of human exposure to these EDCs. Recently, epigenetic changes such as the methylation of cytosine residues on DNA, post-translational modification of histones, and microRNA expression have been considered to act as an intermediary between deleterious effects of EDCs and obesity development in susceptible individuals. Specifically, EDCs exposure during early-life development can detrimentally affect individuals via inducing epigenetic modifications that can permanently change the epigenome in the germline, enabling changes to be transmitted to the next generations and predisposing them to a multitude of diseases. The purpose of this review is to analyze the epigenetic alterations putatively induced by chemical exposures and their ability to interfere with the control of energy metabolism and adipose tissue regulation, resulting in imbalances in the control of body weight, which can lead to obesity

The CLAS12 Software Framework and Event Reconstruction

We describe offline event reconstruction for the CEBAF Large Acceptance Spectrometer at 12 GeV (CLAS12), including an overview of the offline reconstruction framework and software tools, a description of the algorithms developed for the individual detector subsystems, and the overall approach for charged and neutral particle identification. We also present the scheme for data processing and the code management procedures

Glucosamine-induced endoplasmic reticulum stress affects GLUT4 expression via activating transcription factor 6 in rat and human skeletal muscle cells

AIMS/HYPOTHESIS: Glucosamine, generated during hyperglycaemia, causes insulin resistance in different cells. Here we sought to evaluate the possible role of endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress in the induction of insulin resistance by glucosamine in skeletal muscle cells. METHODS: Real-time RT-PCR analysis, 2-deoxy-D: -glucose (2-DG) uptake and western blot analysis were carried out in rat and human muscle cell lines. RESULTS: In both rat and human myotubes, glucosamine treatment caused a significant increase in the expression of the ER stress markers immunoglobulin heavy chain-binding protein/glucose-regulated protein 78 kDa (BIP/GRP78 [also known as HSPA5]), X-box binding protein-1 (XBP1) and activating transcription factor 6 (ATF6). In addition, glucosamine impaired insulin-stimulated 2-DG uptake in both rat and human myotubes. Interestingly, pretreatment of both rat and human myotubes with the chemical chaperones 4-phenylbutyric acid (PBA) or tauroursodeoxycholic acid (TUDCA), completely prevented the effect of glucosamine on both ER stress induction and insulin-induced glucose uptake. In both rat and human myotubes, glucosamine treatment reduced mRNA and protein levels of the gene encoding GLUT4 and mRNA levels of the main regulators of the gene encoding GLUT4 (myocyte enhancer factor 2 a [MEF2A] and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma coactivator 1alpha [PGC1alpha]). Again, PBA or TUDCA pretreatment prevented glucosamine-induced inhibition of GLUT4 (also known as SLC2A4), MEF2A and PGC1alpha (also known as PPARGC1A). Finally, we showed that overproduction of ATF6 is sufficient to inhibit the expression of genes GLUT4, MEF2A and PGC1alpha and that ATF6 silencing with a specific small interfering RNA is sufficient to completely prevent glucosamine-induced inhibition of GLUT4, MEF2A and PGC1alpha in skeletal muscle cells. CONCLUSIONS/INTERPRETATION: In this work we show that glucosamine-induced ER stress causes insulin resistance in both human and rat myotubes and impairs GLUT4 production and insulin-induced glucose uptake via an ATF6-dependent decrease of the GLUT4 regulators MEF2A and PGC1alpha

Shedding light on surface exposition of poly(ethylene glycol) and folate targeting units on nanoparticles of poly(ε-caprolactone) diblock copolymers: beyond a paradigm

Polymeric nanoparticles (NPs) of poly(\u3b5-caprolactone) (PCL) covered with a hydrophilic poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) shell are usually prepared from diblock PEG-PCL copolymers through different techniques. Furthermore PEG, NPs can be decorated with targeting ligands to accumulate in specific cell lines. However, the density and conformation of PEG on the surface and its impact on the exposition of small targeting ligands has been poorly considered so far although this has a huge impact on biological behaviour. Here, we focus on PEG-PCL NPs and their folate-targeted version to encourage accumulation in cancer cells overexpressing folate receptor \u3b1. NPs were prepared with mixtures of PEG-PCL with different PEG length (short 1.0kDa, long 2.0kDa,) and a folate-functionalized PEG-PCL (PEG 1.5kDa) by the widely employed solvent displacement method. In depth characterization of NPs surface by 1H NMR, fluorescence and photon correlation spectroscopy evidenced a PEGylation extent below 7% with PEG in a mushroom conformation and the presence of folate more exposed to water pool in the case of copolymer with short PEG. NPs with short PEG adsorbed HSA forming a soft corona without aggregating. Although limited, PEGylation overall reduced NPs uptake in human macrophages. Uptake of NPs exposing folate prepared with short PEG was higher in KB cells (FR+) than in A549 (FR-), occurred via FR-receptor and involved lipid rafts-dependent endocytosis. In conclusion, the present results demonstrate that PEG length critically affects protein interaction and folate exposition with a logical impact on receptor-mediated cell uptake. Our study highlights that the too simplistic view suggesting that PEG-PCL gives PEG-coated NPs needs to be re-examined in the light of actual surface properties, which should always be considered case-by-case

Upper-rim acidic peptidocalixarenes as crystal growth modifiers

Calix[4]arenes functionalised at the upper rim with acidic amino acid residues are found to have a significant impact on the crystal growth of model mineral systems, calcium carbonate and barium sulphate. The aspartic acid derivative is found to be most efficacious, matching or exceeding the impact of commercial phosphonate-based scale inhibitors. In some cases, the modified morphologies are found to be similar to those induced by proteins isolated from biomineralised systems

A diet enriched in omega-3 PUFA and inulin prevents type 1 diabetes by restoring gut barrier integrity and immune homeostasis in NOD mice

IntroductionThe integrity of the gut barrier (GB) is fundamental to regulate the crosstalk between the microbiota and the immune system and to prevent inflammation and autoimmunity at the intestinal level but also in organs distal from the gut such as the pancreatic islets. In support to this idea, we recently demonstrated that breakage of GB integrity leads to activation of islet-reactive T cells and triggers autoimmune Type 1 Diabetes (T1D). In T1D patients as in the NOD mice, the spontaneous model of autoimmune diabetes, there are alterations of the GB that specifically affect structure and composition of the mucus layer; however, it is yet to be determined whether a causal link between breakage of the GB integrity and occurrence of autoimmune T1D exists. MethodsHere we restored GB integrity in the NOD mice through administration of an anti-inflammatory diet (AID- enriched in soluble fiber inulin and omega 3-PUFA) and tested the effect on T1D pathogenesis. ResultsWe found that the AID prevented T1D in NOD mice by restoring GB integrity with increased mucus layer thickness and higher mRNA transcripts of structural (Muc2) and immunoregulatory mucins (Muc1 and Muc3) as well as of tight junction proteins (claudin1). Restoration of GB integrity was linked to reduction of intestinal inflammation (i.e., reduced expression of IL-1 beta, IL-23 and IL-17 transcripts) and expansion of regulatory T cells (FoxP3(+) Treg cells and IL-10(+) Tr1 cells) at the expenses of effector Th1/Th17 cells in the intestine, pancreatic lymph nodes (PLN) and intra-islet lymphocytes (IIL) of AID-fed NOD mice. Importantly, the restoration of GB integrity and immune homeostasis were associated with enhanced concentrations of anti-inflammatory metabolites of the omega 3/omega 6 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) and arachidonic pathways and modifications of the microbiome profile with increased relative abundance of mucus-modulating bacterial species such as Akkermansia muciniphila and Akkermansia glycaniphila. DiscussionOur data provide evidence that the restoration of GB integrity and intestinal immune homeostasis through administration of a tolerogenic AID that changed the gut microbial and metabolic profiles prevents autoimmune T1D in preclinical models