Cu_{2}O as nonmagnetic semiconductor for spin transport in crystalline oxide electronics

We probe spin transport in Cu_{2}O by measuring spin valve effect in La_{0.7}Sr_{0.3}MnO_{3}/Cu_{2}O/Co and La_{0.7}Sr_{0.3}MnO_{3}/Cu_{2}O/La_{0.7}Sr_{0.3}MnO_{3} epitaxial heterostructures. In La_{0.7}Sr_{0.3}MnO_{3}/Cu_{2}O/Co systems we find that a fraction of out-of-equilibrium spin polarized carrier actually travel across the Cu_{2}O layer up to distances of almost 100 nm at low temperature. The corresponding spin diffusion length dspin is estimated around 40 nm. Furthermore, we find that the insertion of a SrTiO_{3} tunneling barrier does not improve spin injection, likely due to the matching of resistances at the interfaces. Our result on dspin may be likely improved, both in terms of Cu_{2}O crystalline quality and sub-micrometric morphology and in terms of device geometry, indicating that Cu_{2}O is a potential material for efficient spin transport in devices based on crystalline oxides.Comment: 15 pages, 10 figure

Origin of interface magnetism in BiMnO3/SrTiO3 and LaAlO3/SrTiO3 heterostructures

Possible ferromagnetism induced in otherwise non-magnetic materials has been motivating intense research in complex oxide heterostructures. Here we show that a confined magnetism is realized at the interface between SrTiO3 and two insulating polar oxides, BiMnO3 and LaAlO3. By using polarization dependent x-ray absorption spectroscopy, we find that in both cases the magnetic order is stabilized by a negative exchange interaction between the electrons transferred to the interface and local magnetic moments. These local magnetic moments are associated to Ti3+ ions at the interface itself for LaAlO3/SrTiO3 and to Mn3+ ions in the overlayer for BiMnO3/SrTiO3. In LaAlO3/SrTiO3 the induced magnetic moments are quenched by annealing in oxygen, suggesting a decisive role of oxygen vacancies in the stabilization of interfacial magnetism.Comment: 5 pages, 4 figure

Allelic Variation of Wheat Flour Allergens in a Collection of Wheat Genotypes

Wheat is the most widely grown crop in the world and provides 20% of the daily protein and food calories for 4.5 billion people. Together with rice, it is the most important food crop in the developing world. In the last decades, various symptoms have been recorded across the population due to the consumption of wheat products, also summarized as "wheat allergy." Wheat allergy is usually reported as a food allergy but can also be a contact allergy as a result of exposure to wheat. Several important wheat allergens have been characterized in the last years through biochemical, immunological, and molecular biological techniques. In the present work, the identification of allelic variation of genes involved in wheat allergy was reported. A collection of wheat genotypes was screened in order to identify new alleles. A total of 14 new alleles were identified forprofilin, triosephosphate-isomerase, dehydrin, glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate-dehydrogenase,α/βgliadin, GluB3-23,andGlutathione transferaseallergen genes (located on chromosomes 1B, 3B, 6A, and homoelogous groups 5 and 7), potentially related to a minor allergenicity and useful in breeding programs

MTERF factors: a multifunction protein family

The MTERF family is a large protein family, identified in metazoans and plants, which consists of four subfamilies, MTERF1, 2, 3 and 4. Mitochondrial localisation was predicted for the vast majority of MTERF family members and demonstrated for the characterised MTERF proteins. The main structural feature of MTERF proteins is the presence of a modular architecture, based on repetitions of a 30-residue module, the mTERF motif, containing leucine zipperlike heptads. The MTERF family includes transcription termination factors: human mTERF, sea urchin mtDBP and Drosophila DmTTF. In addition to terminating transcription, they are involved in transcription initiation and in the control of mtDNA replication. This multiplicity of functions seems to flank differences in the gene organisation of mitochondrial genomes. MTERF2 and MTERF3 play antithetical roles in controlling mitochondrial transcription: that is, mammalian and Drosophila MTERF3 act as negative regulators, whereas mammalian MTERF2 functions as a positive regulator. Both proteins contact mtDNA in the promoter region, perhaps establishing interactions, either mutual or with other factors. Regulation of MTERF gene expression in human and Drosophila depends on nuclear transcription factors NRF-2 and DREF, respectively, and proceeds through pathways which appear to discriminate between factors positively or negatively acting in mitochondrial transcription. In this emerging scenario, it appears that MTERF proteins act to coordinate mitochondrial transcription

How to choose a good marker to analyze the olive germplasm (Olea europaea l.) and derived products

The olive tree (Olea europaea L.) is one of the most cultivated crops in the Mediterranean basin. Its economic importance is mainly due to the intense production of table olives and oil. Cultivated varieties are characterized by high morphological and genetic variability and present a large number of synonyms and homonyms. This necessitates the introduction of a rapid and accurate system for varietal identification. In the past, the recognition of olive cultivars was based solely on analysis of the morphological traits, however, these are highly influenced by environmental conditions. Therefore, over the years, several methods based on DNA analysis were developed, allowing a more accurate and reliable varietal identification. This review aims to investigate the evolving history of olive tree characterization approaches, starting from the earlier morphological methods to the latest technologies based on molecular markers, focusing on the main applications of each approach. Furthermore, we discuss the impact of the advent of next generation sequencing and the recent sequencing of the olive genome on the strategies used for the development of new molecular markers

Integrating computational methods to predict mutagenicity of aromatic azo compounds

Azo dyes have several industrial uses. However, these azo dyes and their degradation products showed mutagenicity, inducing damage in environmental and human systems. Computational methods are proposed as cheap and rapid alternatives to predict the toxicity of azo dyes. A benchmark dataset of Ames data for 354 azo dyes was employed to develop three classification strategies using knowledge-based methods and docking simulations. Results were compared and integrated with three models from the literature, developing a series of consensus strategies. The good results confirm the usefulness of in silico methods as a support for experimental methods to predict the mutagenicity of azo compounds

Mushroom-Based Supplements in Italy: Let’s Open Pandora’s Box

Mushrooms and derivates are well known to the scientific community for having different health benefits and exhibit a wide range of pharmacological activities, including lipid-lowering, antihypertensive, antidiabetic, antimicrobic, antiallergic, anti-inflammatory, anticancer, immunomodulating, neuroprotective and osteoprotective actions. In Europe, medical mushrooms are mainly marketed in the form of food supplements as single components or combined with other nutraceuticals. In this context, the first peculiarity that distinguishes it is the safety established through the “history of consumption” that characterizes that mushroom. However, the cultivation of medicinal mushrooms on a large scale is performed mainly in China, where most of the production facilities do not have internationally recognized good manufacturing practices, despite that many European companies that sell myotherapies are supplied by Chinese manufacturers. This is particularly evident in Italy, where an arsenal of mushroom products is marketed in the form of powders and extracts not always of ascertained origin and sometimes of doubtful taxonomic identification, and thus not meeting the quality criteria required. The growing interest in mycotherapy involves a strong commitment from the scientific community to propose supplements of safe origin and genetic purity as well as to promote clinical trials to evaluate its real effects on humans. The purpose of this research is to analyze different mushroom-based dietary supplements used in medicine as monotherapy on the Italian market and to evaluate their composition and quality. The molecular identification of the sequences with those deposited in GenBank allowed for identifying 6 out of 19 samples, matching with those deposited belonging to the species indicated in the label, i.e., Lentinula edodes (samples 1, 4, 12 and 18) and Ganoderma lucidum (samples 5 and 10). Samples containing Ganoderma, labeled in the commercial product as G. lucidum, showed sequences that showed homology of 100% and 99% with G. resinaceum and G. sichuanense. An additional investigation was carried out in order to determine the active fungal ingredients, such as ergosterol, aflatoxins, heavy metals, nicotine and total glucan. The results obtained and shown in the manuscript highlight how the data were not only in line with what is expected with respect to what is indicated in the labels

Mushroom-Based Supplements in Italy: Let’s Open Pandora’s Box

Mushrooms and derivates are well known to the scientific community for having different health benefits and exhibit a wide range of pharmacological activities, including lipid-lowering, antihypertensive, antidiabetic, antimicrobic, antiallergic, anti-inflammatory, anticancer, immunomodulating, neuroprotective and osteoprotective actions. In Europe, medical mushrooms are mainly marketed in the form of food supplements as single components or combined with other nutraceuticals. In this context, the first peculiarity that distinguishes it is the safety established through the "history of consumption" that characterizes that mushroom. However, the cultivation of medicinal mushrooms on a large scale is performed mainly in China, where most of the production facilities do not have internationally recognized good manufacturing practices, despite that many European companies that sell myotherapies are supplied by Chinese manufacturers. This is particularly evident in Italy, where an arsenal of mushroom products is marketed in the form of powders and extracts not always of ascertained origin and sometimes of doubtful taxonomic identification, and thus not meeting the quality criteria required. The growing interest in mycotherapy involves a strong commitment from the scientific community to propose supplements of safe origin and genetic purity as well as to promote clinical trials to evaluate its real effects on humans. The purpose of this research is to analyze different mushroom-based dietary supplements used in medicine as monotherapy on the Italian market and to evaluate their composition and quality. The molecular identification of the sequences with those deposited in GenBank allowed for identifying 6 out of 19 samples, matching with those deposited belonging to the species indicated in the label, i.e., Lentinula edodes (samples 1, 4, 12 and 18) and Ganoderma lucidum (samples 5 and 10). Samples containing Ganoderma, labeled in the commercial product as G. lucidum, showed sequences that showed homology of 100% and 99% with G. resinaceum and G. sichuanense. An additional investigation was carried out in order to determine the active fungal ingredients, such as ergosterol, aflatoxins, heavy metals, nicotine and total glucan. The results obtained and shown in the manuscript highlight how the data were not only in line with what is expected with respect to what is indicated in the labels

A comprehensive meta-QTL analysis for yield-related traits of durum wheat (Triticum turgidum L. var. durum) grown under different water regimes

Abiotic stress strongly affects yield-related traits in durum wheat, in particular drought is one of the main environmental factors that have effect on grain yield and plant architecture. In order to obtain new genotypes well adapted to stress conditions, the highest number of desirable traits needs to be combined in the same genotype. In this context, hundreds of quantitative trait loci (QTL) have been identified for yield-related traits in different genetic backgrounds and environments. Meta-QTL (MQTL) analysis is a useful approach to combine data sets and for creating consensus positions for the QTL detected in independent studies for the reliability of their location and effects. MQTL analysis is a useful method to dissect the genetic architecture of complex traits, which provide an extensive allelic coverage, a higher mapping resolution and allow the identification of putative molecular markers useful for marker-assisted selection (MAS). In the present study, a complete and comprehensive MQTL analysis was carried out to identify genomic regions associated with grain-yield related traits in durum wheat under different water regimes. A total of 724 QTL on all 14 chromosomes (genomes A and B) were collected for the 19 yield-related traits selected, of which 468 were reported under rainfed conditions, and 256 under irrigated conditions. Out of the 590 QTL projected on the consensus map, 421 were grouped into 76 MQTL associated with yield components under both irrigated and rainfed conditions, 12 genomic regions containing stable MQTL on all chromosomes except 1A, 4A, 5A, and 6B. Candidate genes associated to MQTL were identified and an in-silico expression analysis was carried out for 15 genes selected among those that were differentially expressed under drought. These results can be used to increase durum wheat grain yields under different water regimes and to obtain new genotypes adapted to climate change

A hot spot of olive biodiversity in the Tunisian oasis of degache

Tunisia is one of the world's largest producers of olive oil, and it preserves pools of olive genetic diversity that are still unexplored. A recent prospection and collection program of the National Gene Bank of Tunisia (NGBT) focused on the vast oasis of Degache, in the south west part of Tunisia, where 47 samples were collected and genetically characterized through simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers. Identification and authentication of genotypes were obtained through comparison with reference cultivars belonging to the Olive National Collection of Tunisia (IOC) and with cultivars from Algeria, Italia, Syria and Lebanon. Degache olive genotypes showed large genetic variability, a significant diversity from the reference germplasm, and a clear differentiation from modern varieties. The population structure analysis identified four gene pools characterizing genotypes from different area of origin. Two gene pools appear to be more represented in germplasm from southern Tunisia, where environmental conditions at critical plant development phases, are harsher. This suggests that this germplasm might present traits of adaptation useful for breeding to improve resilience to abiotic stresses. Our results will support ex situ and in situ conservation activities of Tunisian olive germplasm pursued by the National Gene Bank of Tunisia