Uomini, libri e immagini. Per una storia del libro illustrato dal tardo antico al medioevo

L'opera propone una raccolta di studi dedicata alla storia del libro illustrato. La miscellanea, radunata dalla curatrice, propone in versione italiana rivista e aggiornata, testi di Kurt Weitzmann, Ernst Kitzinger, Sahoko Tsuji, Erwin Panofsky, Jonathan J. Alexander, Patricia Stirnemann e Marie -Thérèse Gousset. L'edizione italiana dei testi è arricchita da contributi personali di alcuni autori. E' questo il caso dei saggi di Ernst Kitzinger e Sahoko Tsuji, da considerarsi una riedizione degli studi originali. L'antologia è corredata da un’introduzione, un glossario e un breve compendio di orientamenti bibliografici redatti dalla curatrice

Equitable and Effective Climate Policy: Integrating Less Developed Countries into a Global Climate Agreement

ISSN:1612-4804ISSN:1612-481

Circulating levels of dickkopf-1, osteoprotegerin and sclerostin are higher in old compared with young men and women and positively associated with whole-body bone mineral density in older adults

Summary: Bone mineral density declines with increasing older age. We examined the levels of circulating factors known to regulate bone metabolism in healthy young and older adults. The circulating levels of dickkopf-1, osteocalcin, osteoprotegerin and sclerostin were positively associated with WBMD in older adults, despite the average WBMD being lower and circulating dickkopf-1, osteoprotegerin and sclerostin being higher in old than young. Purpose: To investigate the relationship between whole-body bone mineral density (WBMD) and levels of circulating factors with known roles in bone remodelling during 'healthy' ageing. Methods: WBMD and fasting plasma concentrations of dickkopf-1, fibroblast growth factor-23, osteocalcin, osteoprotegerin, osteopontin and sclerostin were measured in 272 older subjects (69 to 81 years; 52% female) and 171 younger subjects (18-30 years; 53% female). Results: WBMD was lower in old than young. Circulating osteocalcin was lower in old compared with young, while dickkopf-1, osteoprotegerin and sclerostin were higher in old compared with young. These circulating factors were each positively associated with WBMD in the older adults and the relationships remained after adjustment for covariates (r-values ranging from 0.174 to 0.254, all p<0.01). In multivariate regression, the body mass index, circulating sclerostin and whole-body lean mass together accounted for 13.8% of the variation with WBMD in the older adults. In young adults, dickkopf-1 and body mass index together accounted for 7.7% of variation in WBMD. Conclusion: Circulating levels of dickkopf-1, osteocalcin, osteoprotegerin and sclerostin are positively associated with WBMD in community-dwelling older adults, despite the average WBMD being lower and circulating dickkopf-1, osteoprotegerin and sclerostin being higher in old than young

Evidence for Planet-induced Chromospheric Activity on HD 179949

We have detected the synchronous enhancement of Ca II H & K emission with the short-period planetary orbit in HD 179949. High-resolution spectra taken on three observing runs extending more than a year show the enhancement coincides with phi ~ 0 (the sub-planetary point) of the 3.093-day orbit with the effect persisting for more than 100 orbits. The synchronous enhancement is consistent with planet-induced chromospheric heating by magnetic rather than tidal interaction. Something which can only be confirmed by further observations. Independent observations are needed to determine whether the stellar rotation is sychronous with the planet's orbit. Of the five 51 Peg-type systems monitored, HD 179949 shows the greatest chromospheric H & K activity. Three others show significant nightly variations but the lack of any phase coherence prevents us saying whether the activity is induced by the planet. Our two standards, tau Ceti and the Sun, show no such nightly variations.Comment: 10 pages, 6 figures. Submitted to Ap

The Regulation of MS-KIF18A Expression and Cross Talk with Estrogen Receptor

This study provides a novel view on the interactions between the MS-KIF18A, a kinesin protein, and estrogen receptor alpha (ERα) which were studied in vivo and in vitro. Additionally, the regulation of MS-KIF18A expression by estrogen was investigated at the gene and protein levels. An association between recombinant proteins; ERα and MS-KIF18A was demonstrated in vitro in a pull down assay. Such interactions were proven also for endogenous proteins in MBA-15 cells were detected prominently in the cytoplasm and are up-regulated by estrogen. Additionally, an association between these proteins and the transcription factor NF-κB was identified. MS-KIF18A mRNA expression was measured in vivo in relation to age and estrogen level in mice and rats models. A decrease in MS-KIF18A mRNA level was measured in old and in OVX-estrogen depleted rats as compared to young animals. The low MS-KIF18A mRNA expression in OVX rats was restored by estrogen treatment. We studied the regulation of MS-KIF18A transcription by estrogen using the luciferase reporter gene and chromatin immuno-percipitation (ChIP) assays. The luciferase reporter gene assay demonstrated an increase in MS-KIF18A promoter activity in response to 10−8 M estrogen and 10−7M ICI-182,780. Complimentary, the ChIP assay quantified the binding of ERα and pcJun to the MS-KIF18A promoter that was enhanced in cells treated by estrogen and ICI-182,780. In addition, cells treated by estrogen expressed higher levels of MS-KIF18A mRNA and protein and the protein turnover in MBA-15 cells was accelerated. Presented data demonstrated that ERα is a defined cargo of MS-KIF18A and added novel insight on the role of estrogen in regulation of MS-KIF18A expression both in vivo and in vitro

Analysis of Microsatellite Polymorphism in Inbred Knockout Mice

Previously, we found that the genotype of 42 out of 198 mouse microsatellite loci, which are distributed among all chromosomes except the Y chromosome, changed from monomorphism to polymorphism (CMP) in a genetically modified inbred mouse strain. In this study, we further examined whether CMP also relates to the homologous recombination in gene knockout (KO) mouse strains. The same 42 microsatellite loci were analyzed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in 29 KO inbred mouse strains via short tandem sequence repeat (STR) scanning and direct sequence cloning to justify microsatellite polymorphisms. The C57BL/6J and 129 mouse strains, from which these 29 KO mice were derived, were chosen as the background controls. The results indicated that 10 out of 42 (23.8%) loci showed CMP in some of these mouse strains. Except for the trinucleotide repeat locus of D3Mit22, which had microsatellite CMP in strain number 9, the core sequences of the remaining 41 loci were dinucleotide repeats, and 9 out of 41 (21.95%) showed CMPs among detected mouse strains. However, 11 out of 29 (37.9%) KO mice strains were recognized as having CMPs. The popular dinucleotide motifs in CMP were (TG)n (50%, 2/4), followed by (GT)n (27.27%, 3/11) and (CA)n (23.08%, 3/13). The microsatellite CMP in (CT)n and (AG)n repeats were 20% (1/5). According to cloning sequencing results, 6 KO mouse strains showed insertions of nucleotides whereas 1 showed a deletion. Furthermore, 2 loci (D13Mit3 and D14Mit102) revealed CMP in 2 strains, and mouse strain number 9 showed CMPs in two loci (D3Mit22 and D13Mit3) simultaneously. Collectively, these results indicated that microsatellite polymorphisms were present in the examined inbred KO mice

Prominent Bone Loss Mediated by RANKL and IL-17 Produced by CD4+ T Cells in TallyHo/JngJ Mice

Increasing evidence that decreased bone density and increased rates of bone fracture are associated with abnormal metabolic states such as hyperglycemia and insulin resistance indicates that diabetes is a risk factor for osteoporosis. In this study, we observed that TallyHo/JngJ (TH) mice, a polygenic model of type II diabetes, spontaneously developed bone deformities with osteoporotic features. Female and male TH mice significantly gained more body weight than control C57BL/6 mice upon aging. Interestingly, bone density was considerably decreased in male TH mice, which displayed hyperglycemia. The osteoblast-specific bone forming markers osteocalcin and osteoprotegerin were decreased in TH mice, whereas osteoclast-driven bone resorption markers such as IL-6 and RANKL were significantly elevated in the bone marrow and blood of TH mice. In addition, RANKL expression was prominently increased in CD4+ T cells of TH mice upon T cell receptor stimulation, which was in accordance with enhanced IL-17 production. IL-17 production in CD4+ T cells was directly promoted by treatment with leptin while IFN-γ production was not. Moreover, blockade of IFN-γ further increased RANKL expression and IL-17 production in TH-CD4+ T cells. In addition, the osteoporotic phenotype of TH mice was improved by treatment with alendronate. These results strongly indicate that increased leptin in TH mice may act in conjunction with IL-6 to preferentially stimulate IL-17 production in CD4+ T cells and induce RANKL-mediated osteoclastogenesis. Accordingly, we propose that TH mice could constitute a beneficial model for osteoporosis

Daidzein Prevents the Increase in CD4+CD28null T Cells and B Lymphopoesis in Ovariectomized Mice: A Key Mechanism for Anti-Osteoclastogenic Effect

Estrogen deficiency leads to an upregulation of TNF-α producing T cells and B-lymphopoesis which augments osteoclastogenesis. Estrogen deficiency also increases the population of premature senescent CD4+CD28null T cells which secrete a higher amount of TNF-α thus leading to enhanced osteoclastogenesis. Isoflavonoids like daidzein and genistein are found mostly in soybeans, legumes, and peas. These share structural similarity with 17β-stradiol (E2) and have osteoprotective role. This study explores the effect of daidzein (Daid) on the proliferation of TNF-α producing T cells, premature senescent T cells and B cell lymphopoesis under estrogen deficient conditions. For this study adult Balb/c mice were treated with Daid at 10 mg/kg body weight dose by oral gavage daily post ovariectomy (Ovx). After six weeks animals were autopsied and bone marrow and spleen cells were collected for FACS analysis. Blood serum was collected for ELISA. It was observed that Ovx mice treated with Daid for six weeks show reduction in Ovx induced expansion of CD4+ T cells in bone marrow and spleen when analysed by flow cytometry. Estrogen deficiency led to increased prevalence of TNF-α secreting CD4+CD28null T cells, however, treatment with Daid increased the percentage of CD4+CD28+ T cells. Co-culture of CD4+CD28null T cells and bone marrow resulted in enhanced osteoclastogenesis as evident by increased tartarate resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP) expression, an osteoclast marker. However, treatment with Daid resulted in reduced osteoclastogenesis in CD4+CD28null T cells and bone marrow cell co-culture. Daid also regulated B lymphopoesis and decreased mRNA levels of RANKL in B220+ cells. Taken together, we propose that one of the mechanisms by which Daid prevents bone loss is by reversing the detrimental immune changes as a result of estrogen deficiency