Ethylenediurea (EDU) Affects the Growth of Ozone-Sensitive and Tolerant Ash ( Fraxinus excelsior

Adult ash trees (Fraxinus excelsior L.), known to be sensitive or tolerant to ozone, determined by presence or absence of foliar symptoms in previous years, were treated with ethylenediurea (EDU) at 450 ppm by gravitational trunk infusion over the 2005 growing season (32.5 ppm h AOT40). Tree and shoot growth were recorded in May and September. Leaf area, ectomycorrhizal infection, and leaf and fine root biomass were determined in September. EDU enhanced shoot length and diameter, and the number and area of leaves, in both O3-sensitive and tolerant trees. However, no EDU effects were recorded at the fine root and tree level. Therefore, a potential for EDU protection against O3-caused growth losses of forest trees should be evaluated during longer-term experiments

New Concept in Bioderived Composites: Biochar as Toughening Agent for Improving Performances and Durability of Agave-Based Epoxy Biocomposites

Biocomposites are increasingly used in the industry for the replacement of synthetic materials, thanks to their good mechanical properties, being lightweight, and having low cost. Unfortunately, in several potential fields of structural application their static strength and fatigue life are not high enough. For this reason, several chemical treatments on the fibers have been proposed in literature, although still without fully satisfactory results. To overcome this drawback, in this study we present a procedure based on the addition of a carbonaceous filler to a green epoxy matrix reinforced by Agave sisalana fibers. Among all carbon-based materials, biochar was selected for its environmental friendliness, along with its ability to improve the mechanical properties of polymers. Different percentages of biochar, 1, 2, and 4 wt %, were finely dispersed into the resin using a mixer and a sonicator, then a compression molding process coupled with an optimized thermomechanical cure process was used to produce a short fiber biocomposite with Vf = 35%. Systematic experimental tests have shown that the presence of biochar, in the amount 2 wt %, has significant effects on the matrix and fiber interphase, and leads to an increase of up to three orders of magnitude in the fatigue life, together with an appreciable improvement in static tensile strength

Short Communication Proceedings: Impacts of Air Pollution and Climate Change on Forest Ecosystems TheScientificWorldJOURNAL

Adult ash trees (Fraxinus excelsior L.), known to be sensitive or tolerant to ozone, determined by presence or absence of foliar symptoms in previous years, were treated with ethylenediurea (EDU) at 450 ppm by gravitational trunk infusion over the 2005 growing season (32.5 ppm h AOT40). Tree and shoot growth were recorded in May and September. Leaf area, mycorrhizal infection, and leaf and fine root biomass were determined in September. EDU enhanced shoot length and diameter, and the number and area of leaves, in both O 3 -sensitive and tolerant trees. However, no EDU effects were recorded at the fine root and tree level. Therefore, a potential for EDU protection against O 3 -caused growth losses of forest trees should be evaluated during longer-term experiments. KEYWORDS: European ash, ethylenediurea, forest, growth, mycorrhizae, tropospheric ozone INTRODUCTION Much has been written about the effects of O 3 on growth of forest trees, but conclusive proof that ambient levels of O 3 affect growth of forest trees remains elusive, usually because the experimental techniques do not allow extrapolation to realistic conditions Paoletti et al.: EDU Effects on Tree Growth TheScientificWorldJOURNAL (2007) 7(S1), 128-133 129 MATERIALS AND METHODS Six O 3 -sensitive (symptomatic) and six O 3 -tolerant (asymptomatic) adult ash trees, determined by presence or absence of foliar symptoms in previous years, were gravitationally infused with 450 ppm ethylenediurea (EDU) or water at 3-week intervals from May to September, 2005. AOT40 over the period was 32.5 ppm h. The experimental site was located at the 34-ha "Millerose" park in Turin, Italy. Details about infusion methodology, site characteristics, and EDU protection from O 3 visible injury are presented elsewhere Measurements of tree and shoot growth were carried out in May and September, while biomass, leaf area, and fine root mycorrhizal infection were determined only in September. Tree diameter was measured at breast height by means of a calliper. The points of measurements were labelled to reduce the error from May to September. Tree height was measured with a clinometer (Model CM360PA, Silva, Sweden). Shoot growth was measured on one 1-year-old sun shoot per tree, from the lower crown part. The shoots were the terminal ones of a lateral branch and were randomly selected. The total number of leaves and leaflets per shoot was counted. Shoot length and base diameter were recorded by means of a ruler and a digital calliper, respectively, with 0.1-mm accuracy. In September, 3 shoots per plant were collected. Total leaflet area per shoot was determined with an AM300 area meter (ADC, BioScientific Ltd, Herts UK). Shoot biomass was determined by oven-drying at 65 °C until a constant weight was reached. Leaflet mass per unit of leaflet area (LMA) and leaflet water content (LWC = (fresh weight-dry weight)/dry weight) were calculated Fine roots (diameter<2 mm) were sampled in standard cores of soil (500 ml). Four cores per tree were collected 40 cm far from the trunk along the cardinal points and joined in a single sample. Roots were attributed to F. excelsior with the help of morphological and anatomical observations The statistical unit was the single tree. After checking for normality, data were analyzed using a twoway (EDU x tree O3-sensitivity) analysis of variance (Statistica 6.0, StatSoft, Tulsa, OK). RESULTS EDU significantly reduced the abscission of leaves and induced a larger increment of the shoot length and diameter over the growing season, compared to the water-infused trees Paoletti et al.: EDU Effects on Tree Growth TheScientificWorldJOURNAL EDU Symptomatic 8.0 ± 1.8 2.5 ± 2.5 -6.2 ± 2.3 -7.9 ± 1.7 17.5 ± 8.8 11.1 ± 2.7 EDU Asymptomatic 2.0 ± 0.8 1.1 ± 1.0 1.8 ± 0.9 2.8 ± 2.5 17.5 ± 5.5 15.3 ± 0.2 WATER Symptomatic 5.1 ± 2.7 0 -7.7 ± 1.0 -10.6 ± 1.9 6.7 ± 1.2 6.0 ± 2.0 WATER Asymptomatic 1.0 ± 0.9 2.4 ± 4.0 -2.8 ± 3.5 -6.9 ± 2.4 7.7 ± 4.4 4.6 ± 2. Paoletti et al.: EDU Effects on Tree Growth TheScientificWorldJOURNAL DISCUSSION EDU enhanced shoot length and diameter, and reduced leaf abscission. The stimulating effect of EDU on shoot growth did not translate into a stimulation of growth at the fine root and whole tree level, during one growing season. Overall, EDU effects were slight, and not enough to significantly affect the total leaf biomass. Increased growth in the EDU-treated plants over the non-EDU-treated ones has been reported in several species (Phaseolus vulgaris[18] Symptomatic trees did not show a marked reduction in growth compared to the asymptomatic trees. At the shoot level, we recorded a stimulation of leaf abscission. Part of the photosynthate may have been used to prevent or repair foliar damage rather than going toward growth In conclusion, gravitational infusion of EDU resulted in stimulation of shoot growth in both O 3 -sensitive and tolerant ash trees exposed to elevated ambient O 3 concentrations (32.5 ppm h AOT40). Ainsworth et al

Touch Avoidance with Close People and Strangers: Effects of Gender, Sexual Orientation, and Relationship Status

Human contact through physical touch is a core element in social bonding, which facilitates psychosocial well-being. Touch avoidance is an individual disposition that may prevent individuals from engaging in or benefiting from physical touch. The present study recruited 450 Italian participants (51.1% female) with a mean age of 32.2 ± 13.5 to complete a battery of demographic questionnaires and the Touch Avoidance Questionnaire (TAQ). Individuals who were single and reporting same-sex attraction avoided touch with family more often than their coupled counterparts or those reporting opposite-sex attraction. Moreover, males reporting same-sex attraction avoided touch with a potential partner more frequently. When comparing sex differences, women reported greater touch avoidance with opposite-sex friends more frequently, while males avoided touch with same-sex friends more frequently. Individuals reporting opposite-sex attraction reported greater touch amongst same-sex friends. Single males avoided touch with same-sex friends more frequently than those in a relationship. Overall, this contribution reflects the individual differences related to social touch avoidance with respect to sex, relationship status, and sexual orientation in an Italian sample

LA BALNEAZIONE NELLA REGIONE CAMPANIA: ANALISI DEI DATI E NUOVI APPROCCI METODOLOGICI.

analisi dei descrittori microbiologici, chimici e fisici per l'uso turistico-balneare dei litorali campani. lo studio comprende 20 anni di indagini e permette di valutare le criticità per la corretta gestione del rischio in tema balneazione e la validità dei nuovi approcci metodologici

A Comprehensive Review of Electromagnetic Interference Shielding Composite Materials

The interaction between matter and microwaves assumes critical significance due to the ubiquity of wireless communication technology. The selective shielding of microwaves represents the only way to achieve the control on crucial technological sectors. The implementation of microwave shielding ensures the proper functioning of electronic devices. By preventing electromagnetic pollution, shielding safeguards the integrity and optimal performances of devices, contributing to the reliability and efficiency of technological systems in various sectors and allowing the further step forwards in a safe and secure society. Nevertheless, the microwave shielding research is vast and can be quite hard to approach due to the large number and variety of studies regarding both theory and experiments. In this review, we focused our attention on the comprehensive discussion of the current state of the art of materials used for the production of electromagnetic interference shielding composites, with the aim of providing a solid reference point to explore this research field

Role of phenotypic plasticity and local adaptation in allowing cave exploitation: ecological and evolutionary insights from the fire salamander

peer reviewe

Nucleolar localization of the ErbB3 receptor as a new target in glioblastoma

Abstract Background: The nucleolus is a subnuclear, non-membrane bound domain that is the hub of ribosome biogenesis and a critical regulator of cell homeostasis. Rapid growth and division of cells in tumors are correlated with intensive nucleolar metabolism as a response to oncogenic factors overexpression. Several members of the Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor (EGFR) family, have been identifed in the nucleus and nucleolus of many cancer cells, but their function in these compartments remains unexplored. Results: We focused our research on the nucleolar function that a specifc member of EGFR family, the ErbB3 receptor, plays in glioblastoma, a tumor without efective therapies. Here, Neuregulin 1 mediated proliferative stimuli, promotes ErbB3 relocalization from the nucleolus to the cytoplasm and increases pre-rRNA synthesis. Instead ErbB3 silencing or nucleolar stress reduce cell proliferation and afect cell cycle progression. Conclusions: These data point to the existence of an ErbB3-mediated non canonical pathway that glioblastoma cells use to control ribosomes synthesis and cell proliferation. These results highlight the potential role for the nucleolar ErbB3 receptor, as a new target in glioblastoma

Screening of a Small Number of Italian COVID-19 Syndrome Survivors by Means of the Fatigue Assessment Scale: Long COVID Prevalence and the Role of Gender

Months after healing, a number of COVID-19 syndrome survivors are affected by both psychological and physical limitations. They are mainly troubled with long-term fatigue, which is a crucial aspect of Long Covid syndrome. This paper aims to investigate the level and persistency of fatigue among COVID-19 survivors from the first wave of the pandemic in Western Liguria and to elucidate the role of gender, age, and lifestyle. It also provides data to the scientific community to help drawing a consistent picture of Long Covid syndrome. The patients were requested to fill a Fatigue Assessment Questionnaire twice: (i) a few weeks after discharge from hospital or home confinement and (ii) a few months later. Statistical analysis was carried out on the global scores and on the score for every single item of the questionnaire. The outcome of the two questionnaires were analyzed separately and compared. Females are more affected by fatigue than males. This results holds for both physical and mental fatigue. All the males’ fatigue scores were reduced at the second control, while 40% of females worsened it. Home-confined patients showed a higher fatigue score at the first check. In the initial stages of the recovery, patients are more affected by physical, rather than mental, fatigue. This is worth of further investigation as well as the reasons leading to a higher initial fatigue score for home cared patients