The e-learning approach and visualisation techniques in the judicial area

Online courses, webinars and other digital media open up a wide range of convenient, cost-effective training options for law professionals. Myriad combinations of technology, platforms, content and classrooms are nowadays possible. In particular, the e-learning approach can be considered as a tailored-made mean that aims to meet the needs of a specific target group, at the same time, reach the majority of stakeholders, and ensure the continuity of the acquired abilities and skills. The positive result of this approach depends largely on the way the content is presented. Thus, the visual design of materials and the way the content is structured and displayed are important elements when designing the e-learning modules. The article tries to point out how visual techniques interact with e-learning legal programmes, specifically focusing on legal practitioners (judges, prosecutors and lawyers)

Arsenosugar phospholipids and arsenic hydrocarbons in two species of brown macroalgae

Fourteen arsenolipids, including 11 new compounds, were identified and quantified in two species of brown algae, Wakame (Undaria pinnatifida) and Hijiki (Hizikia fusiformis), by high resolution mass spectrometry, high performance liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry and gas chromatography–mass spectrometry. Both algal species contained arsenosugar-phospholipids as the major type of arsenolipid, and arsenic-hydrocarbons were also significant components, particularly in Hijiki. The origin of the various arsenolipids, and the possible significance of their relative quantities, is briefly discussed

Reinforcing and broadening resistance against Fusarium diseases in durum wheat by an udp-glucosyltransferase transgene and its pyramiding with a pectin methyl esterase inhibitor transgene

Many species of the genus Fusarium are phytopathogenic fungi of a wide range of cereal crop plants, including wheat. F. graminearum is the main causal agent of Fusarium Head Blight (FHB), while F. culmorum and F. pseudograminearum are the main responsible species of Fusarium Crown Rot (FCR). Fusarium diseases represent major agricultural problems worldwide, causing reduction of grain yield, grain quality and food safety. The latter is associated with contamination of grains with mycotoxins, particularly deoxynivalenol (DON), which cause health problems in humans and animals. DON is a protein synthesis inhibitor, acting as a virulence factor during pathogenesis and resulting essential for fungal spread along the spike. Conversion of DON to deoxynivalenol-3-\u3b2-D-glucoside (D3G) by the activity of specific UDP-glucosyltransferases (UGTs), is one of the mechanisms involved in enhancing plant tolerance to DON. Previous studies demonstrated that the expression of the barley HvUGT13248 gene confers resistance to DON in Arabidopsis thaliana (Shin et al. 2012, J Exp Bot. 63:4731-40) and type II resistance to FHB (i.e. resistance to fungal spread within host tissues) in bread wheat (Li et al. 2015, MPMI 28:1237-46). Improvement of FHB resistance is a major target in both bread and durum wheat. The latter, however, is especially vulnerable, as effective sources of resistance are particularly limited. Therefore, we decided to verify whether the expression of the HvUGT13248 gene could enhance FHB resistance in durum wheat as well. To this aim, transgenic lines of Triticum durum cv. Svevo, constitutively expressing the HvUGT13248 gene, were produced. Transgenic plants in which presence of transcript and protein was confirmed, were infected with F. graminearum and evaluated for FHB severity, DON content and D3G conversion as compared to wild type plants. Our results showed that the HvUGT13248 gene determines in durum wheat a significant reduction of FHB symptoms (up to 30%) compared to control plants. This effect, however, was mainly evident at early infection stages, progressively decreasing at later stages. This outcome differs from what observed in transgenic bread wheat expressing the same UGT gene, in which FHB severity did not exceed 20% up to the last stages of infection (Li et al. 2015). To verify further the effectiveness of the DON-detoxifying approach, durum wheat lines with the same HvUGT13248 transgene were challenged with F. culmorum, also able to produce DON. A significant reduction of FCR symptoms compared to Svevo plants was observed. This represents the first report of improvement of FCR resistance associated with overexpression of an UGT involved in DON-detoxification. Recently, in order to combine in the same plant genes controlling two different mechanisms of type II resistance to FHB, we have crossed two types of durum wheat transgenic lines, one expressing the HvUGT13248 gene, the other AcPMEI, coding for a kiwi pectin methyl esterase inhibitor, known to increase resistance by strengthening the cell wall pectin fraction. On selected carriers of both transgenes, and in control lines with individual or no transgenes, the efficacy of the novel assembly will be verified against FHB and FCR

Determination of water and lipid-soluble arsenic compounds in the commercial edible seaweed Hijiki (Hizikia fusiforme)

Se presentan los resultados obtenidos en los estudios de especiación de arsénico realizados sobre el alga comestible Hijiki. Los análisis se realizaron a través de métodos analíticos desarrollados en la UPM (España) y en la Universidad de Graz (Austria). La determinación de especies hidrosolubles se realizó mediante HPLC-(UV)-HG-AFS, previa extracción mediante MAE con agua desionizada. Por otro lado, la identificación y cuantificación de arsenolípidos se llevó a cabo mediante HPLC-ICPMS/ESMS, previa extracción con cloroformo:metanol y purificación mediante SPE

DEOXYNIVALENOL DETOXIFICATION IN TRANSGENIC DURUM WHEAT CONFERS RESISTANCE TO FUSARIUM HEAD BLIGHT AND CROWN ROT DISEASES REDUCING GRAIN MYCOTOXIN CONTAMINATION

Fusarium diseases, including Fusarium head blight (FHB) and crown rot (FCR), represent major agricultural problems worldwide, causing reducti on of grain yield, quality and food safety. Grain contaminati on by Fusarium mycotoxins, mainly deoxynivalenol (DON), is responsible for health problems in humans and animals. DON acts as virulence factor during pathogenesis and its glycosylati on, performed by UDPglucosyltransferases (UGTs) and resulti ng in DON-3-glucoside (D3G) producti on, has been identi fi ed as the main detoxifi cati on strategy in wheat. In this work, we produced Triti cum durum cv. Svevo transgenic lines consti tuti vely expressing the barley HvUGT13248 gene. In them, DON-detoxifi cati on by UGT was found to confer a broad-spectrum resistance against F. graminearum and F. culmorum, aff ecti ng diff erent plant organs and developmental stages during FHB and FCR. When challenged with F. graminearum, the transgenic plants revealed a signifi cant reducti on (up to 30%) of FHB symptoms, mostly evident during early-mid stages of the infecti on progress. Notably, much higher DON-to-D3G conversion ability and considerable decrease of DON and DON+D3G content in wholemeal fl our of transgenic lines vs. nontransgenic control was observed. The higher effi ciency of D3G conversion since early infecti on stages may have reduced fungal progression and, consequently, DON and D3G contaminati on in kernels. Furthermore, we highlighted for the fi rst ti me the possible involvement of the DON-detoxifying mechanism in limiti ng FCR disease caused by F. culmorum. When challenged with the pathogen at the seedling stage, the HvUGT13248-expressing lines showed signifi cant reducti on (~50%) of FCR symptoms throughout the infecti on as compared to non-transgenic plants. Transgenic seedlings revealed also a bett er root tolerance to DON, which could have contributed to a higher seedling vigor during the infecti on. The concomitant effi cacy of the DON-detoxifi cati on strategy against FHB and FCR represents an att racti ng sustainable approach to pursue in breeding programs targeti ng broad-spectrum Fusarium resistance and hence reducti on of mycotoxin contaminati on of durum wheat-derived products

Effect of calcination time on the physicochemical properties and photocatalytic performance of carbon and nitrogen co-doped TiO2 nanoparticles

The application of highly active nano catalysts in advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) improves the production of non-selective hydroxyl radicals and co-oxidants for complete remediation of polluted water. This study focused on the synthesis and characterisation of a highly active visible light C–N-co-doped TiO2 nano catalyst that we prepared via the sol-gel method and pyrolysed at 350 ◦C for 105 min in an inert atmosphere to prevent combustion of carbon moietie

Global overview of the management of acute cholecystitis during the COVID-19 pandemic (CHOLECOVID study)

Background: This study provides a global overview of the management of patients with acute cholecystitis during the initial phase of the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: CHOLECOVID is an international, multicentre, observational comparative study of patients admitted to hospital with acute cholecystitis during the COVID-19 pandemic. Data on management were collected for a 2-month study interval coincident with the WHO declaration of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic and compared with an equivalent pre-pandemic time interval. Mediation analysis examined the influence of SARS-COV-2 infection on 30-day mortality. Results: This study collected data on 9783 patients with acute cholecystitis admitted to 247 hospitals across the world. The pandemic was associated with reduced availability of surgical workforce and operating facilities globally, a significant shift to worse severity of disease, and increased use of conservative management. There was a reduction (both absolute and proportionate) in the number of patients undergoing cholecystectomy from 3095 patients (56.2 per cent) pre-pandemic to 1998 patients (46.2 per cent) during the pandemic but there was no difference in 30-day all-cause mortality after cholecystectomy comparing the pre-pandemic interval with the pandemic (13 patients (0.4 per cent) pre-pandemic to 13 patients (0.6 per cent) pandemic; P = 0.355). In mediation analysis, an admission with acute cholecystitis during the pandemic was associated with a non-significant increased risk of death (OR 1.29, 95 per cent c.i. 0.93 to 1.79, P = 0.121). Conclusion: CHOLECOVID provides a unique overview of the treatment of patients with cholecystitis across the globe during the first months of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. The study highlights the need for system resilience in retention of elective surgical activity. Cholecystectomy was associated with a low risk of mortality and deferral of treatment results in an increase in avoidable morbidity that represents the non-COVID cost of this pandemic