PRELIMINARY PALEOMAGNETIC INVESTIGATIONS ON PLEISTOCENE SEQUENCES IN LOMBARDY NORTHERN ITALY

Paleomagnetic measurements have been carried out in continental sediments of Northern ltaly. The loess deposits of Copreno, the loess and paleosols of Cascina Lina and Barlassina, and the la­custrine sediments of Pontida all belong to the Brunhes Normal Polarity Epoch, in agreement with their previous chronostratigraphic classification. The lower lacustrine sediments of Bagaggera, previously attributed to the antepenultimate glaciation, belong to the Matuyama Reversed Polarity Epoch, whilee the overlying sandy-loamy sequence belongs to the Brunhes. At Leffe the entire sequence up to the top of the lacustrine sediments belongs to the Matuyama Epoch, being in such way older than previously admit­ted. These paleomagnetic results prove that the "ferretto" is a complex of paleosols of different age, ranging from Lower to Middle Pleistocene

PRELIMINARY PALEOMAGNETIC INVESTIGATIONS ON PLEISTOCENE SEQUENCES IN LOMBARDY NORTHERN ITALY

Paleomagnetic measurements have been carried out in continental sediments of Northern ltaly. The loess deposits of Copreno, the loess and paleosols of Cascina Lina and Barlassina, and the la­custrine sediments of Pontida all belong to the Brunhes Normal Polarity Epoch, in agreement with their previous chronostratigraphic classification. The lower lacustrine sediments of Bagaggera, previously attributed to the antepenultimate glaciation, belong to the Matuyama Reversed Polarity Epoch, whilee the overlying sandy-loamy sequence belongs to the Brunhes. At Leffe the entire sequence up to the top of the lacustrine sediments belongs to the Matuyama Epoch, being in such way older than previously admit­ted. These paleomagnetic results prove that the "ferretto" is a complex of paleosols of different age, ranging from Lower to Middle Pleistocene

IL-1 receptor-associated kinase 4 is essential for IL-18-mediated NK and Th1 cell responses

Abstract IL-18 is an important cytokine for both innate and adaptive immunity. NK T cells and Th1 cells depend on IL-18 for their divergent functions. The IL-18R, IL-1R, and mammalian Toll-like receptors (TLRs) share homologous intracellular domains known as the TLR/IL-1R/plant R domain. Previously, we reported that IL-1R-associated kinase (IRAK)-4 plays a critical role in IL-1R and TLR signaling cascades and is essential for the innate immune response. Because TLR/IL-1R/plant R-containing receptors mediate signal transduction in a similar fashion, we investigated the role of IRAK-4 in IL-18R signaling. In this study, we show that IL-18-induced responses such as NK cell activity, Th1 IFN-γ production, and Th1 cell proliferation are severely impaired in IRAK-4-deficient mice. IRAK-4−/− Th1 cells also do not exhibit NF-κB activation or IκB degradation in response to IL-18. Moreover, AP-1 activation which is triggered by c-Jun N-terminal kinase activation is also completely inhibited in IRAK-4−/− Th1 cells. These results suggest that IRAK-4 is an essential component of the IL-18 signaling cascade.</jats:p

Overview of the COMPASS results

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