Microtubules play a role in trafficking prevacuolar compartments to vacuoles in tobacco pollen tubes

Fine regulation of exocytosis and endocytosis plays a basic role in pollen tube growth. Excess plasma membrane secreted during pollen tube elongation is known to be retrieved by endocytosis and partially reused in secretory pathways through the Golgi apparatus. Dissection of endocytosis has enabled distinct degradation pathways to be identified in tobacco pollen tubes and has shown that microtubules influence the transport of plasma membrane internalized in the tip region to vacuoles. Here we used different drugs affecting the polymerization state of microtubules together with SYP21, a marker of prevacuolar compartments, to characterize trafficking of prevacuolar compartments in Nicotiana tabacum pollen tube. Ultrastructural and biochemical analysis showed that microtubules bind SYP21-positive microsomes. Transient transformation of pollen tubes with LAT52-YFP-SYP21 revealed that microtubules play a key role in the delivery of prevacuolar compartments to tubular vacuoles

Cleaning the Medicago Microarray Database to Improve Gene Function Analysis

Transcriptomics studies have been facilitated by the development of microarray and RNA-Seq technologies, with thousands of expression datasets available for many species. However, the quality of data can be highly variable, making the combined analysis of different datasets difficult and unreliable. Most of the microarray data for Medicago truncatula, the barrel medic, have been stored and made publicly accessible on the web database Medicago truncatula Gene Expression atlas (MtGEA). The aim of this work is to ameliorate the quality of the MtGEA database through a general method based on logical and statistical relationships among parameters and conditions. The initial 716 columns available in the dataset were reduced to 607 by evaluating the quality of data through the sum of the expression levels over the entire transcriptome probes and Pearson correlation among hybridizations. The reduced dataset shows great improvements in the consistency of the data, with a reduction in both false positives and false negatives resulting from Pearson correlation and GO enrichment analysis among genes. The approach we used is of general validity and our intent is to extend the analysis to other plant microarray databases

RC columns upgrade: opportunities given by FRP and potential of FRCC systems

Fiber Reinforced Polymer (FRP) composites have been widely used in past decades for the seismic upgrading of sub-standard reinforced concrete (RC) members and their effectiveness as a suitable strengthening technique for such kind of structural components has largely been proved. However, some concerns still arise with the effectiveness of such composite materials at high temperature, such as in the case of fire exposure. Furthermore, the use of FRPs requires a min- imum quality for the concrete substrate to avoid undesirable premature failure mechanisms. Usually, the replacement of the poor quality or damaged concrete cover of existing members with a new one is needed before the strengthening intervention. Current research is now moving towards the adoption of inorganic composite materials, such as Fiber Reinforced Cementitious Composite (FRCC), for repairing existing RC buildings and infrastructures as a replacement of the original concrete cover, due to its good durability properties and resistance to high temperature. The present study discusses the possibility of adopting such FRCC jacketing also for the seismic upgrading of existing shear critical RC columns. The experimental performance of RC columns strengthened with FRCC jacket- ing subjected to cyclic lateral loading and different axial load ratios is analyzed herein, and the experimental performance of FRCC and FRP jacketed columns is compared to point out the effectiveness of both retrofit solutions

Fibre Reinforced Mortar (FRM) for in Plane Strengthening of Masonry Panels

The effectiveness of Fibre Reinforced Cementitious Mortar (FRCM) as strengthening technique of masonry structures under seismic actions has been widely investigated by means of diagonal compression tests in the last decade. The results showed that the effectiveness of FCRM solution, based on the use of FRP grid embedded in mortar matrix, to increase the masonry walls shear capacity strongly depends on the axial stiffness of mesh reinforcement and on the mechanical properties of the matrix. The paper presents preliminary experimental results of tests carried out on specimens strengthened with a new strengthening solution based on the use of Fibre Reinforced Mortar (FRM) without the use of FRP grid. In particular, the strengthening system consists of an innovative high performance and high ductility mortar made by a mix of fibres spread in lime-based powder. The experimental program aims at investigating the soundness of such technique to increase the shear capacity of different masonry panels. In particular, the system was applied over limestone masonry walls with irregular texture, typical of existing buildings in Central Italy, and old-type clay brick masonry panels with regular texture, typical of existing buildings in the Northern Ital

Hs-ctn Poct:state-of-art and clinical-organizational perspectives

The rationale for the Point-of-care testing (POCT) of troponin (cTn) lies in the reduction of the Turnaround Time (TAT) and therefore of the length-of-stay (LOS) in the Emergency Department (ED), and in the diagnosis of heart injury in isolated areas. However, cTn POCTs are less sensitive and not comparable with laboratory methods (LAB). Their data cannot be used in the troponin curve with the LAB method and the rise and fall curve with POCT must be followed for more than 6 hours. Furthermore, there are few primary evidence and no meta-analyses on the role of cTn POCTs. Nevertheless, POCTs with hs-cTn (high-sensitivity troponin) method have recently appeared on the market and can overcome the above-described issues: PATHFAST hs-cTn, Quiedel/Alere TriageTrue, Atellica VTLi Patient-side. The Review describes the data and evidence of these devices, evaluating their adequacy for the diagnostic objectives, and their perspectives

Recommendations for the detection and management of critical results in clinical laboratories

Critical results, (also known as panic or alarm results) identify a laboratory test result associated with a serious risk for the patient\u2019s health, requiring immediate communication to the physician to establish appropriate therapeutic interventions. The adoption of an efficient procedure for the communication of critical values/results is crucial for clinical, ethical, organizational reasons, because it is a requirement for laboratory accreditiation and because of potential legal consequences related to the lack of notification of harmful laboratory results. In 2008, the Italian Society of Clinical Biochemistry and Laboratory Medicine (SIBioC) published its first consensus-based recommendation for the detection and management of critical values in clinical laboratories, with the aim to improve the implementation of standardized and universally accepted procedures, promoting an essential policy toward rational and efficient solutions to this issue. These new recommendations represent a complete review of the first document. Using the same consensus conference method between experts of scientific societies, the main aspects of clinical risk, patient safety and legal liability of health care workers were re-considered. The SIBioC and the Italian Society of Laboratory Medicine (SIPMeL), Intersociety Study Group on Standardization of extra-analytical variability of laboratory results, together with the Italian Society of Ergonomics and Human Factors (SIE) collaboration, issued the present join document

Guide for the Design and Construction of Externally Bonded Fibre Reinforced Inorganic Matrix Systems for Strengthening Existing Structures

The FRCM (Fibre-Reinforced Cementitious Matrix/Mortar) composites are nowadays used in structural rehabilitation interventions, more and more frequently, instead of classic FRP fibre reinforced composites (Fibre Reinforced Polymer), made with long glass, carbon or aramid fibres immersed in polymeric matrices (such as epoxy resins). In international literature the first are also called TRC (Textile Reinforced Concrete), TRM (Textile Reinforced Mortars), FRM (Fabric Reinforced Mortar) or even IMG (Inorganic Matrix-Grid Composites). In the following, since the acronym FRCM has been adopted in already approved Italian ministerial documents, it is preferred to continue using the same acronym. FRCM composites are the result of coupling nets, made with the same fibres mentioned above, or with others which have appeared more recently on the building materials market, with an inorganic matrix based on lime or cement mortar. Innovative fibres include basalt, PBO (Polyparaphenylene benzobisoxazole) and steel. In particular, this last material, very common in the construction field, is proposed again for use in FRCMs, in a version with highly enhanced mechanical performance, thanks to a particular processing process. The inorganic matrix has numerous advantages over the organic FRP matrix, especially for applications to masonry structures, given its greater affinity with this type of substrate. At the moment some guidelines are available in the international field for the qualification of FRCMs and for the design of structural reinforcement interventions carried out with such materials. In this connection the US acceptance criteria (ACI 434 - Acceptance Criteria for Masonry and Concrete Strengthening Using Fiber-Reinforced Cementitious Matrix (FRCM) Composite Systems, issued by ICC Evaluation Service, 2018) and the design guidelines (RILEM TC 250-CSM & ACI 549 - Guide to Design and Construction of Externally Bonded Fabric-Reinforced Cementitious Matrix (FRCM) and Steel Reinforced Grout (SRG) Systems for Repair and Strengthening Masonry Structures, pending approval) can be mentioned. In recent years, the scientific interest in the innovative applications of FRCMs for structural rehabilitation, on the one hand, and the special nature of the widely varied Italian building heritage on the other, have attracted the interest of numerous researchers operating in the fields of Structural Mechanics, Construction, Structural Rehabilitation and Seismic Engineering. It is clear that the drafting of an Italian Guideline for the design and construction of strengthening interventions with FRCMs could no longer be postponed; above all, the drafting of a wide ranging document usable for the different types present in the national building heritage, from the masonry to the concrete constructions, as well as for the many FRCM products currently present on the national market that are different in nature of the matrix and the net reinforcement. The CNR, through its Advisory Committee on Technical Recommendations for Construction, promptly felt this need and made efforts to satisfy it by setting up a Working Group in June 2016 with the task of drawing up a Guideline for the design and construction of externally bonded fibre reinforced inorganic matrix systems for strengthening existing structures. In July 2017, the CNR Advisory Committee approved a first draft of this Technical Document on a proposal from the Working Group. Subsequently, the Working Group expanded to include all interested Italian researchers already scientifically committed to the topic, and benefited from the invaluable contribution of the FRCM manufacturers. It was thus possible to draw up the present version of the Technical Document, broader than the initial draft and characterized by more advanced applications and more sophisticated approaches which are at the frontier of current international research on the topic of structural reinforcement with FRCM

Istruzioni per la Progettazione, l’Esecuzione ed il Controllo di Interventi di Consolidamento Statico mediante l’utilizzo di Compositi Fibrorinforzati Materiali, strutture di c.a. e di c.a.p., strutture murarie CNR-DT 200 R1/2013

Raccomandazioni CNR-DT 200 R1/201

Guide for the design and construction of externally bonded FRP systems for strengthening existing structures

Versione in inglese delle raccomandazioni del Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche CNR-DT 200 R