Improving plant physiological performance and growth by increasing the efficiency of lighting systems

Plant cultivation in controlled environment has been grown considerably for commercial vegetable production in addition to research purposes in plant science. In a controlled environment, as well as in nature, light is a main factor affecting plant growth, development, and photosynthetic performance. Therefore, the yield and the quality of plant products are highly dependent on the amount of available light and its spectral composition. Light interaction with plants is not limited to photosynthesis. In addition to light intensity and quality, plants perceive also light direction which is essential in phototropic responses. Light is a major influential stimulus on plant tropisms, together with gravity force, and both compete and interact with each other. Considering plant cultivation in altered-gravity environment such as on the ISS, the moon or mars, light plays an unique role as an external stimulus in shaping the plant in a three-dimensional space through photomorphogenesis and phototropism. However, little is known about the interaction between plant tropisms, especially considering tropic responses of roots, and only recently advances in knowledge have been made thanks to the opportunities to experiment in absence of gravity on the ISS combining the use of LED technology. In this context, a deep understanding of plant responses to the different characteristics of light is needed and the peculiarities of LED technology provide promising opportunities for study and research in the field of plant science. The study and research activities carried out during this Ph.D. program were focused on plant responses to spectral composition of light by using LED technology. More specifically, the studies considered species suitable for plant production in controlled environment, with particular attention to red-leaf or reddish-leaf plants due to their contribution of antioxidant compounds to plant food. Given that the general aim of this Ph.D. was to improve plant cultivation in Space, in addition to studies specifically focused on the effect of light on plant growth, part of the research was dedicated to interactions between light and altered gravity. To perform experiments in altered-gravity conditions it was necessary to use specific facilities such as the International Space Station (ISS), the Large Diameter Centrifuge, and the Random Positioning Machine

Servizi socio-sanitari: concertazione, pianificazione, programmazione, progettazione, modelli di gestione, integrazione

L'implementazione della L. 328/00 e', nella maggior parte delle Regioni italiane, in una fase ancora molto fluida, una condizione che non consente di apprezzare la forma definita e strutturata, che l'attuazione della legge quadro di riforma dei servizi sociali sta assumendo nei diversi territori. Alla luce di questa situazione operativa, ancora una volta a macchia di leopardo, e' opportuno confrontarsi sui diversi modelli attuativi della riforma dell'assistenza, prendendo a riferimento sia i modelli teorici , sia le buone prassi, che pure, in tanti anni di erogazione di prestazioni sociali, sono maturate all'interno dei soggetti, pubblici e privati, che hanno garantito l'erogazione dei servizi sociali territoriali. Il percorso da compiere e' connotato da complessita', multidimensionalita', multidisciplinarieta', specificita' e integrazione: elementi presenti sia nelle caratteristiche dei destinatari dei servizi, sia nell'organizzazione dei numerosi attori della riforma del welfare italiano, sia nei fenomeni oggetto e premessa di ogni intervento e servizio. Cercheremo, in questa relazione, di approfondire alcune questioni, di principio e operative, relative all'implementazione dei Piani di Zona, con particolare riferimento ai modelli e alle modalita' di gestione, al processo di concertazione, all'integrazione pubblico-privata, ai livelli essenziali dei servizi sociali territoriali, alle modalita' di accesso alle prestazioni sociali, all'integrazione socio-sanitaria, ai ruoli e alle funzioni degli operatori sociali, ai soggetti del Terzo Settore (privato sociale, no-profit), ai sistemi di affidamento dei servizi esternalizzati

High Temperature and Humidity Affect Pollen Viability and Longevity in Olea europaea L.

Olea europaea L. is a crop typical of the Mediterranean area that has an important role in economy, society, and culture of this region. Climate change is expected to have significant impact on this crop, which is typically adapted to certain pedo-climatic characteristics of restricted geographic areas. In this scenario, the aim of this study was to evaluate the time-course response of pollen viability to different combinations of temperature and humidity. The study was performed comparing flowering time and pollen functionality of O. europaea from twelve cultivars growing at the same site belonging to the Campania olive collection in Italy. Pollen was incubated at 12 °C, 22 °C, and 36 °C in combination with 50% RH or 100% RH treatments for 5 days. The results highlighted that a drastic loss of pollen viability occurs when pollen is subjected to a combination of high humidity and high temperature, whereas 50% RH had less impact on pollen thermotolerance, because most cultivars preserved a high pollen viability over time. In the ongoing climate change scenario, it is critical to assess the effect of increasing temperatures on sensitive reproductive traits such as pollen viability to predict possible reduction in crop yield. Moreover, the results highlighted that the effect of temperature increase on pollen thermotolerance should be evaluated in combination with other environmental factors such as humidity conditions. The screening of olive cultivars based on pollen thermotolerance is critical in the ongoing climate change scenario, especially considering that the economic value of this species relies on successful fertilization and embryo development, and also that production cycle of Olea europaea can be longer than a hundred years

Simulated microgravity affects directional growth of pollen tubes in candidate space crops

BackgroundLong-term space missions will necessarily require producing viable seeds to be used for plant cultivation over time under altered gravity conditions. Pollen is known to play a key role in determining seed and fruit production over seed-to-seed cycles, but very few studies have evaluated pollen functionality under altered gravity.MethodsWe performed ground-based experiments to test how simulated microgravity can affect the directional growth of pollen tubes as a potential bottleneck in seed and fruit sets. The effect of clinorotation was assessed in the pollen of Solanum lycopersicum L. cv. ‘Micro-Tom’ and Brassica rapa L. var. silvestris, both eligible for cultivation in space. Pollen tube length and tortuosity were compared under 1g and simulated microgravity with a uniaxial clinostat.ResultsThe main results highlighted that simulated microgravity significantly increased pollen tube length and tortuosity compared to 1g conditions. Further, clinorotation prompted a differential effect on pollen germination between S. lycopersicum and B. rapa. A more in-depth analysis evaluating the effect of gravity on the directional growth of pollen tubes excluded gravitropic responses as responsible for the tube tip position reached after germination.DiscussionThis research provides new insights into how altered gravity can interfere with plant reproduction and, in particular, microgametophyte functionality. Our findings represent a basis for further studies aimed at understanding the effect of real microgravity on plant reproduction and developing countermeasures to ensure seed-to-seed cultivation in long-term space missions and achieve self-sufficiency in food supplies from Earth

A Novel Combination of High-Load Omega-3 Lysine Complex (AvailOm®) and Anthocyanins Exerts Beneficial Cardiovascular Effects

Omega-3 fatty acids have been shown to exert several beneficial effects in the prevention of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases. The objective of the present study was to analyze the effects of a novel high-load omega-3 lysine complex, AvailOm®, its related constituents and a novel mixture of AvailOm® with specific vasoactive anthocyanins on vascular function in mice resistance artery. Pressure myograph was used to perform vascular reactivity studies. Nitric oxide and oxidative stress were assessed by difluorofluorescein diacetate and dihydroethidium, respectively. Increasing doses of AvailOm® exerted a dose-response vasorelaxation via AMPK-eNOS-mediated signaling. Omega-3 Ethyl Ester was identified as the main bioactive derivative of AvailOm®, being capable of inducing vasorelaxant action to the same extent of entire product. The combination of AvailOm® with a mix of potent vasoactive anthocyanins (C3-glu + DP3-glu + Mal3-glu + Mal3-gal + PEO3-gal), strongly protected mesenteric arteries from vascular dysfunction and oxidative stress evoked by oxidized-LDL. These data demonstrate for the first time the direct effects of AvailOm® on resistance arteries. The evidence that the combination of specific vasoactive anthocyanins and AvailOm® further enhanced the vasculoprotective properties of these compounds, may offer new promising perspectives for preventing the onset of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events

Biomarkers of myocardial injury with different energy sources for atrial fibrillation catheter ablation

Background: Our study aims to compare acute myocardial injury biomarker rise after atrial fibrillation ablation performed with different technologies.Methods and Results: One hundred and ten patients were treated with pulmonary vein isolation with 4 different technologies: open-irrigated tip radiofrequency (RF) catheter in35 patients (Group A), cryoballoon in 35 patients (Group B), visually guided laser balloon in 20 patients (Group C), open-irrigated tip RF catheter with contact-force-sensing technology in 20 patients (Group D). Post-procedure samples of cardiac troponin I (cTnI) and creatinine kinase-MB (CK-MB) were collected at 19 ± 3 h and 43 ± 3 h after ablation. At the first postprocedural sample, cTnI and CK-MB levels were found elevated in all 110 patients with a median value of 2.11 ng/mL and 8.95 ng/mL, respectively. Group B showed cTnI levels increased (median 5.96 ng/mL) compared to other groups (median Group A: 1.72 ng/mL, Group C: 1.54 ng/mL, Group D: 2.0 ng/mL; p < 0.001). Also CK-MB levels resulted higher in cryoablation (median 26.4 ng/mL) compared to other groups (median Group A: 6.40 ng/mL, Group C: 7.15 ng/mL, Group D: 6.50 ng/mL; p < 0.001). No significant association was observed between biomarker levels and recurrences of atrial fibrillation after a mean follow-up of 369 ± 196 days.Conclusions: Highest markers for myocardial injury were observed in the cryoballoon group. It is possible that a longer delivery energy duration and other factors affecting lesion size resulted in higher amount of cardiac injury in cryoablation. The higher levels of cardiac biomarkers did not translate into a better outcome and its physiologic significance is unknown.