Collapse or transformation? Regeneration and innovation at the turn of the first millennium BC at Arslantepe, Turkey

Ongoing excavations at Arslantepe in south-eastern Turkey are revealing settlement continuity spanning two crucial phases at the transition from the second to the first millennium BC: the post-Hittite period and the development of Syro-Anatolian societies

Targeting GLI factors to inhibit the Hedgehog pathway

Hedgehog (Hh) signaling has emerged in recent years as an attractive target for anticancer therapy because its aberrant activation is implicated in several cancers. Major progress has been made in the development of SMOOTHENED (SMO) antagonists, although they have shown several limitations due to downstream SMO pathway activation or the occurrence of drug-resistant SMO mutations. Recently, particular interest has been elicited by the identification of molecules able to hit glioma-associated oncogene (GLI) factors, the final effectors of the Hh pathway, which provide a valid tool to overcome anti-SMO resistance. Here, we review results achieved in developing GLI antagonists, explaining their mechanisms of action and highlighting their therapeutic potential. We also underline the relevance of structural details in their discovery and optimization

Paesaggi agrari e scelte alimentari. Orzo e sesamo nella Mesopotamia del bronzo antico

The economic relevance of cereal production in the centralized economies of III millennium BCE Mesopotamia has been often underlined. But beside the cereal production, oil, together with wool, formed the standard base of a redestributive economy. The article deals with the introduction of the sesame cultivation in Mesopotamia and its relation to the barley cultivation cycle, main cereal of southern-Mesopotamia, in the wider frame of an administrative rural landscape

Análisis de la musicalización en la publicidad televisiva de Entel Perú en el año 2016

La siguiente investigación pretende analizar la música en la publicidad televisiva de Entel Perú en el año 2016. Para ello, se clasificó y explicó los distintos tipos de música que existen en la publicidad y se identificó los elementos musicales que mayormente son utilizados. Asimismo, la investigación ha determinado la importancia que los entrevistados especialistas le otorgan a la música como estrategia publicitaria. Se analizaron diez spots lanzados en el 2016, los cuales se encuentran en el canal de YouTube de Entel Perú (escenario de la investigación).Los objetivos mencionados pudieron ser concretados gracias a la metodología cualitativa hermenéutica. Además, los siguientes instrumentos: Ficha de Análisis y Entrevista, permitieron el correcto desarrollo de los mismos y del análisis de la investigación en su totalidad. Finalmente, la buena ejecución de dichos instrumentos contribuyó en la elaboración de las conclusiones y recomendaciones

ESTILOS DE APRENDIZAJE, COMO FACTOR PREDISPONENTE AL DESEMPEÑO LABORAL EN LOS TRABAJADORES DEL “AREA DE MINA” DE LA COMPAÑÍA MINERA ATACOCHA-CHICRIN-2019

La presente investigación se hizo con la finalidad fundamental de decidir si existe un grado significativo de los estilos de aprendizaje como factor predisponente al desempeño laboral en los trabajadores del “Área de Mina” de la Compañía Minera Atacocha - Chicrin – 2019. La investigación es de tipo aplicada, con un enfoque cuantitativo, nivel descriptivo y con un diseño no experimental, la muestra de estudio estuvo representada por 250 trabajadores del “Área de Mina”, de la Compañía Minera Atacocha – Chicrin, utilizando como instrumento el “Inventario adaptado sobre estilos de aprendizaje VAK”. De esta manera los siguientes resultados obtenidos nos permiten llegar a la conclusión estadísticamente comprobada que existe un nivel significativo de los estilos de aprendizaje como factor predisponente al desempeño laboral en los trabajadores del “Área de Mina” de la Compañía Minera Atacocha – Chicrin- 2019. Concluyendo así que: Un porcentaje promedio de 59.2% de trabajadores de la muestra estudiada presentaron un nivel significativo medio de los estilos de aprendizaje como factor predisponente al desempeño laboral, el 39.6% con un nivel alto y el 1.2% con un nivel bajo. La cual significa que, si existe un nivel significativo de los estilos de aprendizaje, como factor predisponente al desempeño laboral, en los trabajadores del “área de mina” de la Compañía Minera Atacocha – Chicrin – 2019, ya que está aceptando la hipótesis general de la investigación. Observando que un promedio de porcentaje de 59.2%(148) presentan un nivel significativo medio de los estilos de aprendizaje en el sistema de representación Visual, auditivo y kinestésica, el 39.6% (99) nivel alto y 1.2% (3) nivel bajo.Tesi

Organic versus mineral fertilization: Assessing of yield and quality of durum wheat in marginal lands

Durum wheat is often cultivated in marginal areas with great management difficulties. Organic fertilization is a sustainable agricultural practice that allows preserving the environment, but its limit can be the reduction of yield and quality of crops, also in cereals. The aim of research was to evaluate the effects of the organic fertilization on yield and quality of Simeto, a variety of durum wheat, cultivated for two years in three different sites of the internal hill of Campania Region (San Giorgio la Molara, SGM; Ariano Irpino, AI; Sant’Angelo dei Lombardi, SAL). SGM was a sandy-clay-loam soil, with high fertility, while AI and SAL were clay soil. The organic fertilization (ORG), based on roasted leather, was compared to mineral fertilization (MIN) and the not fertilized treatment (N0). In SGM, crop growth rate (CGR) and leaf area index (LAI) were significantly higher than AI and SAL until the flowering (about 2-and 4-fold more, respectively). MIN and ORG significantly boosted CGR compared to N0, while for LAI, ORG was never different from N0. The two-years value of yield was 3.0 t ha–1; in SGM, it reached 4.2 t ha–1, and it was 54.6% more than the mean value of AI and SAL, while N0 was not different from MIN of AI and SAL. ORG yield was lower and not different from NO in AI, where the lowest values of 1000 kernels weight, and hectolitre weight were also recorded. MIN and ORG increased the number of spikes per square meter: 27.0%, and 12.8% over N0, respectively, but ORG showed an 11.2% decrease compared to MIN. The 1000 kernels weight reached the highest values in SAL, without differences between N0, MIN, and ORG. The values of protein and gluten percentage were highest in AI and SGM (about 13.5%, and 11.7%, respectively), but without differences between ORG and MIN in the 3 sites for protein percentage. The worst value of the vitreousness was recorded in SAL (52.3%), six-fold more than that of AI (8.2%), probably due to the high rainfall. NUE reached the highest value in SGM in the first year, when it was significantly different from AI and SAL (0.036 vs 0.030 t kg–1). Overall, the effect of nitrogen fertilization type results site-specific; indeed, organic fertilization had the same performance of mineral in the site with better soil (low clay content, high nitrogen, and organic matter content) and climate conditions

Bioactive Compounds and Antioxidant Properties of Wild Rocket (Diplotaxis Tenuifolia L.) Grown under Different Plastic Films and with Different UV-B Radiation Postharvest Treatments

: Rocket species are rich in nutrients with well-known bioactive activity, but their content depends on several factors, such as plant-UV radiation interaction. In this work, we measured the production of nutritional elements in wild rocket (Diplotaxis tenuifolia L.) leaves as a function of exposure to UV-B radiation by adopting a combined approach. The wild rocket plants were grown under three greenhouse cover films (A, B, and C) having different transmittivity to UV-B and the fresh-cut leaves were exposed to UV-B in postharvest for 45, 150, 330, and 660 s. The content of chlorophyll, carotenoids, phenolic compounds, ascorbic acid, and the antioxidant activity were determined. Chlorophyll, carotenoids, and total phenolic content were significantly increased by the combination of Film C and treatment with UV-B for 45 s. The predominant phenolic compounds were kaempferol, isorhamnetin, and quercetin. Film C also elicited an increase in ascorbic acid (the most abundant antioxidant compound in the range 374-1199 per 100 g of dry matter) and antioxidant activity. These findings highlighted an increase in bioactive compound content in the wild rocket when it was cultivated under Film C (diffused light film with a tailored UV-B transmission dose) and treated with UV-B radiation for 45 s postharvest, corresponding to an energy dose of 0.2 KJ m-2

Synergistic inhibition of the Hedgehog pathway by newly designed Smo and Gli antagonists bearing the isoflavone scaffold

Aberrant activation of the Hedgehog (Hh) pathway is responsible for the onset and progression of several malignancies. Small molecules able to block the pathway at the upstream receptor Smoothened (Smo) or the downstream effector Gli1 have thus emerged recently as valuable anticancer agents. Here, we have designed, synthesized, and tested new Hh inhibitors taking advantage by the highly versatile and privileged isoflavone scaffold. The introduction of specific substitutions on the isoflavone's ring B allowed the identification of molecules targeting preferentially Smo or Gli1. Biological assays coupled with molecular modeling corroborated the design strategy, and provided new insights into the mechanism of action of these molecules. The combined administration of two different isoflavones behaving as Smo and Gli antagonists, respectively, in primary medulloblastoma (MB) cells highlighted the synergistic effects of these agents, thus paving the way to further and innovative strategies for the pharmacological inhibition of Hh signaling

SIAIP position paper: provocation challenge to antibiotics and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs in children

Drug hypersensitivity reactions (DHRs) in childhood are mainly caused by betalactam or non-betalactam antibiotics, and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). Laboratory tests for identifying children who are allergic to drugs have low diagnostic accuracy and predictive value. The gold standard to diagnose DHR is represented by the drug provocation test (DPT), that aims of ascertaining the causative role of an allergen and evaluating the tolerance to the suspected drug. Different protocols through the administration of divided increasing doses have been postulated according to the type of drug and the onset of the reaction (immediate or non immediate reactions). DPT protocols differ in doses and time interval between doses. In this position paper, the Italian Pediatric Society for Allergy and Immunology provides a practical guide for provocation test to antibiotics and NSAIDs in children and adolescents

CD4+CD25+Foxp3+ T regulatory cells are not involved in oral desensitization.

Oral tolerance has been related to generation of T regulatory cells (Treg) or clonal anergy/deletion, respectively by administering low and high doses of fed antigens. CD4+CD25+ regulatory T cell clones can be induced by the antigen in Peyer's patches of animal models. We selected ten subjects (mean age: 89.4 ± 36.21 months; group A) with severe cow's milk allergy. They underwent oral desensitization (OD) according to the current protocols. In six months they reached a tolerance of 50 ml of cow's milk. CD4+CD25+Foxp3+ T(reg) blood levels were measured at the beginning of OD (A) and after 6 months (A'), but almost the same values were obtained: A = 0.36 ± 0.11%; A'= 0.59 ± 0.15%. These results were compared with a control group (C) of non-atopic children. Naturally outgrowing cow's milk allergy can be related to high blood levels of CD4+CD25+Foxp3+ T(reg), as previously reported in children. On the other hand, a forced oral desensitization through a progressive intake of the antigenic food seems not to be related to an enhancement of CD4+CD25+Foxp3+ T(reg) levels in peripheral blood, making the role of long-lasting systemic immunologic changes unlikely