Mejora del olmo para resistencia a DED: clones italianos y características de su madera

In Italy, an elm breeding program to develop Dutch elm disease-resistant trees has been established by cross-breeding Asian elms with indigenous species, in order to produce individuals that combine resistance of the first with growth characteristics and higher degree of environmental adaptability of the second. Thus, the favourable adaptation of Ulmus pumila in Italy has been explored: «San Zanobi» and «Plinio» are two recent results of this research and many others promising clones as «FL090», «FL146», «FL441», «FL568», «FL634», are in the final stage of field testing. The resistance levels of all these clones were significantly higher level of resistance than «Lobel» and «Urban» in several assessments during different years. First technological tests indicate that the wood characteristics of «San Zanobi» and «FL090» clones are comparable to those of elm wood traditionally present on the market, thus highlighting that those clones is likely to satisfy the elm wood demand. The present characterisation needs to be confirmed by further evaluations of mature trees having bigger diameters and allowing industrial trials, still not available so far.En Italia, el programa de mejora genética del olmo para la obtención de árboles resistentes a la grafiosis se ha desarrollado a partir del cruzamiento de olmos asiáticos con especies nativas, y tiene por objetivo producir individuos que combinen la resistencia de los primeros con las características vegetativas y el alto grado de adaptación al ambiente de los segundos. Por esta razón, se ha aprovechado la favorable adaptación de Ulmus pumila en Italia: «San Zenobi» y «Plinio » son dos resultados recientes de estas investigaciones, y otros muchos clones prometedores como «FL090», «FL146», «FL441», «FL568» y «FL634» están en las fases finales de las pruebas de campo. Los niveles de resistencia de todos estos clones fueron significativamente mayores, en diferentes ensayos, que los niveles de resistencia de «Lobel» y «Urban ». Los primeros ensayos tecnológicos han mostrado que las características de la madera de los clones «San Zenobi» y «FL090» son comparables a los de las maderas de olmo tradicionalmente presentes en el mercado, indicando que esos clones pueden probablemente satisfacer las demandas de madera. La actual caracterización debe ser confirmada con nuevas evaluaciones en árboles maduros de mayores diámetros y mediante ensayos industriales aún no disponibles

X‐ray Tomography Unveils the Construction Technique of Un‐Montu’s Egyptian Coffin (Early 26th Dynasty)

The Bologna Archaeological Museum, in cooperation with prestigious Italian universities, institutions, and independent scholars, recently began a vast investigation programme on a group of Egyptian coffins of Theban provenance dating to the first millennium BC, primarily the 25th–26th Dynasty (c. 746–525 BC). Herein, we present the results of the multidisciplinary investigation car-ried out on one of these coffins before its restoration intervention: the anthropoid wooden coffin of Un‐Montu (Inv. MCABo EG1960). The integration of radiocarbon dating, wood species identifica-tion, and CT imaging enabled a deep understanding of the coffin’s wooden structure. In particular, we discuss the results of the tomographic investigation performed in situ. The use of a transportable X‐ray facility largely reduced the risks associated with the transfer of the large object (1.80 cm tall) out of the museum without compromising image quality. Thanks to the 3D tomographic imaging, the coffin revealed the secrets of its construction technique, from the rational use of wood to the employment of canvas (incamottatura), from the use of dowels to the assembly procedure

Ultrasound Effectiveness of Steroid Injection for hand Psoriatic Dactylitis: Results from a Longitudinal Observational Study

Introduction: To assess clinical and ultrasound effectiveness of steroid injection (local treatment, LT) into the digital flexor tendon sheath for the treatment of psoriatic dactylitis compared to systemic treatment (ST) alone. Methods: In this observational, multicentre, prospective study, 88 cases of symptomatic hand dactylitis were evaluated clinically and sonographically by high-frequency ultrasound (US) probe in both greyscale (GS) and power Doppler (PD). The presence of flexor tenosynovitis (FT), soft tissue oedema (STO), peritendon extensor inflammation and synovitis was assessed (including DACtylitis glObal Sonographic—DACTOS—score) before treatment, at 1-month (T1) and 3-months (T3) follow-up. LT was proposed to all patients. Patients refusing LT were treated with oral NSAIDs. Patients continued the same baseline csDMARDs and/or corticosteroid therapy during the whole follow-up period. US response was defined for DACTOS score < 3 and US remission for DACTOS score = 0. Results: At T3 evaluation the ST group showed a significantly higher persistence (grade > 1) of FT and STO (p < 0.001 for all) and MCP synovitis (p = 0.001). US remission was achieved only in the LT group (at T3 31% vs. 0, p < 0.001). The percentage of patients with DACTOS < 3 was significantly greater in the LT group compared with ST group, at both T1 (49% vs. 5%, p < 0.001) and T3 evaluation (76% vs. 7%, p < 0.001). In multiple conditional logistic regression analysis, the only factor associated with US remission was LT (T3 odds ratio = 41.21, p < 0.001). Conclusions: US confirmed the effectiveness of steroid injection for dactylitis by demonstrating that it involves the resolution of extra-articular inflammation, in particular FT and STO

Age-related changes in bile acid synthesis and hepatic nuclear receptor expression

BACKGROUND:Recent data highlighted the role of nuclear receptors in the transcriptional regulation of the limiting enzyme of bile acid synthesis, cholesterol 7alpha-hydroxylase, in cellular and animal models. This study was designed to analyze the effects of age on cholesterol 7alpha-hydroxylase and related nuclear receptor expression in human livers.DESIGN:Surgical liver biopsies were obtained in 23 patients requiring operation on the gastrointestinal tract. mRNA levels of cholesterol 7alpha-hydroxylase and related nuclear receptors and co-activators were assayed by quantitative real-time RT-PCR. Serum levels of 7alpha-hydroxy-4-cholesten-3-one, a marker of bile acid synthesis, were assayed by gas-liquid chromatography:mass spectrometry.RESULTS:Ageing was inversely correlated with serum 7alpha-hydroxy-4-cholesten-3-one and with cholesterol 7alpha-hydroxylase mRNA levels (r = -0.44 and r = -0.45 on a semi-log scale, respectively, P < 0.05). Among different nuclear factors, cholesterol 7alpha-hydroxylase mRNA best correlated with hepatocyte nuclear factor-4 (r = 0.55 on a log scale, P < 0.05); hepatocyte nuclear factor-4 levels were also inversely correlated with age (r = -0.64 on a semi-log scale, P < 0.05). Age was inversely correlated with serum insulin-like growth factor-I levels, which were directly correlated with hepatocyte nuclear factor-4 and cholesterol 7alpha-hydroxylase expression. No suppressive effect of short heterodimer partner expression on cholesterol 7alpha-hydroxylase was observed.CONCLUSIONS:Ageing associates with reduced bile acid synthesis, possibly related to decreased hepatic expression of hepatocyte nuclear factor-4 and consequently of cholesterol 7alpha-hydroxylase. Age-related modifications of the growth hormone/insulin-like growth factor axis might play a role. These findings may help to elucidate the pathophysiology of age-related modifications of cholesterol metabolism

Clinical Features and Prevalence of Spondyloarthritis in a Cohort of Italian Patients Presenting with Acute Nongranulomatous Anterior Uveitis

Purpose. To describe the clinical features of acute nongranulomatous anterior uveitis (NGAU) patients and to estimate the prevalence of concomitant spondyloarthritis (SpA). Methods. Retrospective study of consecutive patients affected by NGAU referred to the Ocular Immunology Unit of the AUSL-IRCCS di Reggio Emilia, Italy, between January 2016 and January 2019. All patients underwent ophthalmic evaluation and blood test with HLA-B27 typing and were referred to a rheumatologist to identify any undiagnosed SpA. SpA was classified according to the Assessment of SpondyloArthritis international Society (ASAS) criteria in axial or peripheral SpA. Patients were divided into two groups: NGAU with associated SpA (SpA+) and NGAU without SpA (SpA-). Clinical and demographic features of the two groups, including sex, HLA-B27, family history of rheumatic disease, uveitis laterality, course, and severity of ocular inflammation, complications, and treatment, were compared. Results. Ninety-nine patients with NGAU were enrolled, of whom 36 (36%) with a diagnosis of SpA: 14 with peripheral SpA and 22 with axial SpA. The prevalence of SpA was higher in HLA-B27-positive patients than in HLA-B27-negative patients (50% vs. 15%, p&lt;0.0001). The multivariate logistic regression (R2=0.28) for SpA diagnosis identified as significant predictive factors: age at diagnosis (odds ratio OR=0.95, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.91-0.99) and HLA-B27+ (OR=5.32, 95% CI: 1.80-15.70). Conclusions. Our results confirmed the high prevalence of undiagnosed SpA in patients with NGAU, suggesting that, regardless of HLA-B27 status, in the presence of IBP and/or peripheral arthritis, patients with NGAU must be referred to the rheumatologist to allow earlier diagnosis

Psoriatic Dactylitis: Current Perspectives and New Insights in Ultrasonography and Magnetic Resonance Imaging

Dactylitis, one of the most typical features of psoriatic arthritis (PsA), is the diffuse swelling of the digits and is determined by the involvement of different anatomic structures, including: the subcutaneous fibrous tissue “accessory pulley” system; flexor tendons, with their related structures; the articular synovium; the small enthesis of the hands. Dactylitis is currently considered both a marker of disease activity and severe prognosis and its importance in PsA is emphasized by the inclusion in the classification criteria of PsA. This review focuses on the role of imaging in the management of PsA patients with dactylitis in clinical practice and in a research setting. Furthermore, imaging could be a valuable tool to assist in unravelling some of the underlying mechanisms of the onset and chronicization of dactylitis in PsA patients

Walking a Supramolecular Tightrope: A Self-Assembled Dodecamer from an 8-Aryl-2′-deoxyguanosine Derivative

Guanosine quadruplexes (GQs) have emerged in recent years as key players in the development of promising functional nanostruc-tures.1 GQs are formed by the self-assembly of guanosine subunits into planar tetramers (G-tetrads) that stack on each other, assisted by the complexation of a metal cation such as K+ or Na+. Alternatively, GQs can also form via the folding of G-rich oligonucleotides (e.g., DNA, RNA) leading to monomeric, dimeric, and tetrameric structures via the association of one, two, or four oligonucleotides, respectively.1d,2 In the latter, the number of G-tetrads is primarily controlled by the sequence (intrinsic param-eter) of the oligonucleotide, whereas, in the former, such control can be primarily achieved by adjusting extrinsic parameters (e.g., concentration, temperature, solvent,3 the cation template,4 and/or its counteranion5). Controlling the molecularity via intrinsic parameters (i.e., structural information in the supramolecula