Water affinity and surface charging at the z-Cut and y-Cut LiNbO3 surfaces : an ambient pressure X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy study

Polarization dependence of water adsorption and desorption on LiNbO₃ surfaces was demonstrated using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) carried out in situ under near-ambient conditions. Positive and negative (0001) faces (z-cut) of the same crystal were compared for the same temperature and pressure conditions. Our results indicate a preferential adsorption on the positive face of the crystal with increasing water pressure and also higher desorption temperature of the adsorbed molecular water at the positive face. Adsorption measurements on the (1100) face (y-cut) showed also strong affinity to water, as observed for the z-cut positive surface. We found a direct relation between the capacity of the surface to discharge and/or to screen surface charges and the affinity for water of each face. XPS spectra indicate the presence of OH groups at the surface for all the conditions and surfaces measured

Geographic population structure analysis of worldwide human populations infers their biogeographical origins

The search for a method that utilizes biological information to predict humans’ place of origin has occupied scientists for millennia. Over the past four decades, scientists have employed genetic data in an effort to achieve this goal but with limited success. While biogeographical algorithms using next-generation sequencing data have achieved an accuracy of 700 km in Europe, they were inaccurate elsewhere. Here we describe the Geographic Population Structure (GPS) algorithm and demonstrate its accuracy with three data sets using 40,000–130,000 SNPs. GPS placed 83% of worldwide individuals in their country of origin. Applied to over 200 Sardinians villagers, GPS placed a quarter of them in their villages and most of the rest within 50 km of their villages. GPS’s accuracy and power to infer the biogeography of worldwide individuals down to their country or, in some cases, village, of origin, underscores the promise of admixture-based methods for biogeography and has ramifications for genetic ancestry testing

An integrated assessment of the Good Environmental Status of Mediterranean Marine Protected Areas

Este artículo contiene 11 páginas, 2 figuras, 2 tablas.Local, regional and global targets have been set to halt marine biodiversity loss. Europe has set its own policy targets to achieve Good Environmental Status (GES) of marine ecosystems by implementing the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD) across member states. We combined an extensive dataset across five Mediterranean ecoregions including 26 Marine Protected Areas (MPAs), their reference unprotected areas, and a no-trawl case study. Our aim was to assess if MPAs reach GES, if their effects are local or can be detected at ecoregion level or up to a Mediterranean scale, and which are the ecosystem components driving GES achievement. This was undertaken by using the analytical tool NEAT (Nested Environmental status Assessment Tool), which allows an integrated assessment of the status of marine systems. We adopted an ecosystem approach by integrating data from several ecosystem components: the seagrass Posidonia oceanica, macroalgae, sea urchins and fish. Thresholds to define the GES were set by dedicated workshops and literature review. In the Western Mediterranean, most MPAs are in good/high status, with P. oceanica and fish driving this result within MPAs. However, GES is achieved only at a local level, and the Mediterranean Sea, as a whole, results in a moderate environmental status. Macroalgal forests are overall in bad condition, confirming their status at risk. The results are significantly affected by the assumption that discrete observations over small spatial scales are representative of the total extension investigated. This calls for large-scale, dedicated assessments to realistically detect environmental status changes under different conditions. Understanding MPAs effectiveness in reaching GES is crucial to assess their role as sentinel observatories of marine systems. MPAs and trawling bans can locally contribute to the attainment of GES and to the fulfillment of the MSFD objectives. Building confidence in setting thresholds between GES and non-GES, investing in long-term monitoring, increasing the spatial extent of sampling areas, rethinking and broadening the scope of complementary tools of protection (e.g., Natura 2000 Sites), are indicated as solutions to ameliorate the status of the basin.This article was undertaken within the COST Action 15121 MarCons (http://www.marcons-cost.eu, European Cooperation in Science and Technology), the Interreg MED AMAre Plus (Ref: 8022) and the project PO FEAMP 2014-2020 Innovazione, sviluppo e sostenibilita ` nel settore della pesca e dell’acquacoltura per la Regione Campania (ISSPA 2.51). M.C.U., A.B. have been funded by the project MEDREGION (European Commission DG ENV/MSFD, 2018 call, Grant Agreement 110661/ 2018/794286/SUB/ENV.C2). Aegean Sea data were retrieved from the project PROTOMEDEA (www.protomedea.eu), funded by DG for Marine Affairs and Fisheries of the EC, under Grant Agreement SI2.721917. JB acknowledges support from the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation (Juan de la Cierva fellowship FJC 2018-035566-I).With the institutional support of the ‘Severo Ochoa Centre of Excellence’ accreditation (CEX2019-000928-S).Peer reviewe

Functional antagonism between nociceptin/orphanin FQ and corticotropin-releasing factor in rat anxiety-related behaviors: involvement of the serotonergic system

Nociceptin/orphanin FQ (N/OFQ) acts as an anxiolytic-like agent in the rat and behaves as a functional antagonist of corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) due to its ability to oppose CRF biological actions. In response to stress, CRF triggers changes in neurotransmitter systems including serotonin (5-HT). The role of 5-HT1A receptor in anxiety has been supported by preclinical and clinical studies. The present study investigated the possible functional antagonism between N/OFQ (1nmol/rat) and CRF (0.2nmol/rat) in anxiety-related conditions in rats, using elevated plus maze and defensive burying tests, in order to confirm previous literature results. Moreover, possible changes in the serotonergic system were studied in areas rich of serotonergic neurons: frontal cortex and pons. In both tests N/OFQ showed anxiolytic-like effects while CRF displayed anxiogenic-like effects. N/OFQ before CRF treatment counteracted the anxiogenic-like effects evoked by CRF. In frontal cortex, N/OFQ significantly decreased 5-HT levels but did not modify the hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5-HIAA) ones; CRF modified neither 5-HT nor 5-HIAA content but counteracted changes induced by N/OFQ alone. In pons, N/OFQ induced no change in serotonergic activity while CRF significantly decreased 5-HT levels and increased 5-HIAA content. The two peptides' combination reinstated serotonergic parameters to controls. In frontal cortex, N/OFQ increased the 5HT1A receptor density but reduced its affinity, while CRF alone did not induce any change. In pons, CRF decreased 5HT1ABmax and KD whereas N/OFQ was ineffective. All biochemical modifications were reverted by N/OFQ plus CRF treatment. The present study confirms that N/OFQ counteracts CRF anxiogenic-like effects in the behavioral tests evaluated. These effects may involve central serotonergic mechanisms since N/OFQ plus CRF induces a reversion of serotonergic changes provoked by single peptide. Our data support the hypothesis that N/OFQ may behave as functional CRF antagonist, this action being of interest for the treatment of anxiety disorders

Altered expression of HER-2 and the mismatch repair genes MLH1 and MSH2 predicts the outcome of T1 high-grade bladder cancer

Purpose: The identification of factors predicting the outcome of stage T1 high-grade bladder cancer (BC) is a major clinical issue. Methods: We performed immunohistochemistry to assess the role of human epidermal growth factor receptor-2 (HER-2) and microsatellite instability (MSI) factors MutL homologue 1 (MLH1) and MutS homologue 2 (MSH2) in predicting recurrence and progression of T1 high-grade BCs having undergone transurethral resection of bladder tumor (TURBT) alone or TURBT + intravesical instillations of bacillus Calmetteâ\u80\u93Guerin (BCG). Results: HER-2 overexpression was a significant predictor of disease-free survival (DFS) in the overall as well as in the two patientsâ\u80\u99 population; as for progression-free survival (PFS), it was significant in the overall but not in the two patientsâ\u80\u99 population. MLH1 was an independent predictor of PFS only in patients treated with BCG and MSH2 failed to predict DFS and PFS in all populations. Most importantly, the higher the number of altered markers the lowers the DFS and PFS. In multivariate Cox proportional-hazards regression analysis, the number of altered molecular markers and BCG treatment were significant predictors (p = 0.0004 and 0.0283, respectively) of DFS, whereas the number of altered molecular markers was the only significant predictor (p = 0.0054) of PFS. Conclusions: Altered expression of the proto-oncogene HER-2 and the two molecular markers of genetic instability MLH1 and MSH2 predicted T1 high-grade BC outcome with the higher the number of altered markers the lower the DFS and PFS. These findings provide grounds for further testing them in predicting the outcome of this challenging disease

Water affinity and surface charging at the z-Cut and y-Cut LiNbO3 surfaces : an ambient pressure X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy study

Polarization dependence of water adsorption and desorption on LiNbO₃ surfaces was demonstrated using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) carried out in situ under near-ambient conditions. Positive and negative (0001) faces (z-cut) of the same crystal were compared for the same temperature and pressure conditions. Our results indicate a preferential adsorption on the positive face of the crystal with increasing water pressure and also higher desorption temperature of the adsorbed molecular water at the positive face. Adsorption measurements on the (1100) face (y-cut) showed also strong affinity to water, as observed for the z-cut positive surface. We found a direct relation between the capacity of the surface to discharge and/or to screen surface charges and the affinity for water of each face. XPS spectra indicate the presence of OH groups at the surface for all the conditions and surfaces measured

Atlante dei territori del vino italiano

L’opera ha l’obiettivo di presentare in modo approfondito e articolato la varietà delle condizioni fisiche, climatiche e agronomiche di produzione dell’uva da vino e la diversità di vini che nei singoli territori viticoli italiani vengono prodotti. La descrizione dei territori del vino italiani muove da una presentazione generale delle condizioni della viticoltura nelle varie regioni e provincie autonom,e che si articola in un’analisi della geografia, dell’ambiente, dell’origine e storia della viticoltura, delle varietà di vite e delle caratteristiche delle imprese che partecipano alla produzione dell’uva e del vino. Nell’ambito delle singole regioni si individuano poi delle macroaree che rappresentano l’unità elementare di lettura del territorio vitivinicolo italianoche viene utilizzata nell’Atlante. Le macroaree individuate si caratterizzano per un elevato livello di omogeneità rispetto agli elementi più significativi del terroir, primi fra tutti la geologia, e in particolare il materiale parentale da cui hanno preso origine i caratteri chimici e fisici del suolo e la morfologia del rilievo. Nelle macroaree risultano dunque riunite, in sistemi di terre viticole, unità di territorio caratterizzate da un elevato numero di elementi comuni, in grado di determinare il timbro espressivo della produzione vinicola. Nelle singole macroaree sono quindi descritti in dettaglio le condizioni pedoclimatiche, gli orientamenti colturali e le produzioni enologiche espresse nell’ambito delle denominazioni di origine esistenti all'interno della macroarea stessa. L’analisi dei territori del vino italiani è preceduta da capitoli introduttivi che: i) inquadrano l’evoluzione storica della produzione del vino in Italia, il quadro normativo e le caratteristiche socioeconomiche generali del sistema produttivo; ii) presentano le scelte metodologiche che sono state poste alla base della descrizione dei territori del vino italiani e forniscono una guida alla lettura dei singoli capitoli regionali e delle analisi per macroarea

Atlante dei territori del vino italiano

L’opera ha l’obiettivo di presentare in modo approfondito e articolato la varietà delle condizioni fisiche, climatiche e agronomiche di produzione dell’uva da vino e la diversità di vini che nei singoli territori viticoli italiani vengono prodotti. La descrizione dei territori del vino italiani muove da una presentazione generale delle condizioni della viticoltura nelle varie regioni e provincie autonom,e che si articola in un’analisi della geografia, dell’ambiente, dell’origine e storia della viticoltura, delle varietà di vite e delle caratteristiche delle imprese che partecipano alla produzione dell’uva e del vino. Nell’ambito delle singole regioni si individuano poi delle macroaree che rappresentano l’unità elementare di lettura del territorio vitivinicolo italianoche viene utilizzata nell’Atlante. Le macroaree individuate si caratterizzano per un elevato livello di omogeneità rispetto agli elementi più significativi del terroir, primi fra tutti la geologia, e in particolare il materiale parentale da cui hanno preso origine i caratteri chimici e fisici del suolo e la morfologia del rilievo. Nelle macroaree risultano dunque riunite, in sistemi di terre viticole, unità di territorio caratterizzate da un elevato numero di elementi comuni, in grado di determinare il timbro espressivo della produzione vinicola. Nelle singole macroaree sono quindi descritti in dettaglio le condizioni pedoclimatiche, gli orientamenti colturali e le produzioni enologiche espresse nell’ambito delle denominazioni di origine esistenti all'interno della macroarea stessa. L’analisi dei territori del vino italiani è preceduta da capitoli introduttivi che: i) inquadrano l’evoluzione storica della produzione del vino in Italia, il quadro normativo e le caratteristiche socioeconomiche generali del sistema produttivo; ii) presentano le scelte metodologiche che sono state poste alla base della descrizione dei territori del vino italiani e forniscono una guida alla lettura dei singoli capitoli regionali e delle analisi per macroarea