Transcriptome of pig muscle assessed by erial analysis of gene expression (SAGE)

Serial analysis of gene expression (SAGE) is a molecular biology technique applied to measure the global gene expression levels, characterise transcriptomes, compare the transcript levels between tissues and uncover new molecules within defined signal transduction pathways (Tutela and Tuteja, 2004)

Substitution of a commercial diet with raw meat complemented with vegetable foods containing chickpeas or peas affects faecal microbiome in healthy dogs

The aim of the study was to investigate if the inclusion of chickpeas or peas in the diet can modify faecal microbiome in dogs. Eight healthy adult Border collie, fed a commercial extruded diet as reference diet (RD), were divided in two groups of four individuals. At the beginning of the trial, one group received a diet based mainly of raw meat, rice and chickpeas (CP) and in the other group this pulse was substituted with peas (PE). After 14 days, the dogs with CP diet shifted to the PE and those with PE shifted to the CP diet, for another 14 days. Faeces were col- lected at the beginning (T0), after 14 days (T14) and at the end of the study (T28). Faeces were analysed for 16S rRNA, short chain fatty acids (SCFA), lactate, pH and faecal score was also eval- uated. The SCFA and lactate in the faeces were not affected by the inclusion of pulses, with the only exception of isovalerate, which was higher in CP and PE diets in comparison with RD diet (p < .05). The abundances of Erysipelotrichaceae incertae sedis, Eubacterium, Anaerobacter and Sarcina significantly differed in CP and PE in comparison with RD. Moreover, the genera Prevotella, Lactobacillus, Alloprevotella, Suttarella varied significantly between CP and PE diets. The observed modifications of faecal microbioma were related not only to the change from RD to CP or PE, but also to the type of pulse, chickpeas or peas. However, long-term studies are required to investigate the implications that pulses can have for gut health

The sensitivity to -carotene growth-inhibitory and proapoptotic effects is regulated by caveolin-1 expression in human colon and prostate cancer cells

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Monitoring of Land Subsidence in Ravenna Municipality Using Integrated SAR - GPS Techniques: Description and First Results

The Emilia Romagna Region (N-E Italy) and in particular the Adriatic Sea coastline of Ravenna, is affected by a noticeable subsidence that started in the 1950s, when the exploitation of on and off-shore methane reservoirs began, along with the pumping of groundwater for industrial uses. In such area the current subsidence rate, even if lower than in the past, reaches the -2 cm/y. Over the years, local Authorities have monitored this phenomenon with different techniques: spirit levelling, GPS surveys and, more recently, Differential Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (DInSAR) techniques, confirming the critical situation of land subsidence risk. In this work, we present the comparison between the results obtained with DInSAR and GPS techniques applied to the study of the land subsidence in the Ravenna territory. With regard to the DInSAR, the Small Baseline Subset (SBAS) and the Coherent Pixel Technique (CPT) techniques have been used. Different SAR datasets have been exploited: ERS-1/2, ENVISAT, TerraSAR-X and Sentinel-1. Some GPS campaigns have been also carried out in a subsidence prone area. 3D vertices have been selected very close to existing persistent scatterers in order to link the GPS measurement results to the SAR ones. GPS data were processed into the International reference system and the comparisons between the coordinates, for the first 6 months of the monitoring, provided results with the same trend of the DInSAR data, even if inside the precision of the method

Tissue reconstruction of abdominal wall with butyric acid-based nets: preliminary in vitro test using tissue engineering strategies

OBJECTIVE: A hernia of the abdominal wall is an opening of the muscles in the abdominal wall, which is frequently treated via the application of a surgical mesh. The purpose of this research is to study how human adipose-derived stem cells (hADSCs) interact with Phasix™ Mesh, a commercially available mesh for hernia repair. Studying how cells derived from the abdominal region behave with Phasix™ Mesh is crucial to improve the state of the art of current surgery and achieve effective tissue restoration. MATERIALS AND METHODS: hADSCs were seeded onto Phasix™ Mesh, a fully resorbable surgical mesh of poly (4-hydroxybutyric acid) (P4HB). Cell viability was assessed through MTT assay, and cell growth and adhesion were evaluated via multiple imaging techniques and gene imaging profiling. RESULTS: Results confirm that the nets support cells proliferation, extracellular matrix production and increasing of angiogenetic factor. CONCLUSIONS: Butyric acid-based nets are promising scaffolds for abdominal wall reconstruction

Capturing and communicating impact of citizen science for policy: A storytelling approach

In response to the need for approaches to understand how citizen science is currently influencing environmental policy and associated decision making, we devised the Citizen Science Impact StoryTelling Approach (CSISTA). We iteratively designed instruments to be used as tools primarily for citizen science practitioners seeking to understand or communicate policy impacts. We then trialled the CSISTA and associated instruments on four exemplary citizen science initiatives, using different forms of inquiry and collaboration with respective initiative leaders. In this paper, we present CSISTA, with details of the steps for implementing inquiry and storytelling instruments. Additionally, we reflect on insights gained and challenges encountered implementing the approach. Overall, we found the versatility and structure of CSISTA as a process with multiple guiding instruments useful. We envision the approach being helpful, particularly with regards to: 1) gaining an understanding of a citizen science initiative's policy and decision-making impacts; 2) creating short policy impact stories to communicate such impacts to broader audiences; or 3) fulfilling both goals to understand and communicate policy impacts with a unified approach. We encourage others to explore, adapt, and improve the approach. Additionally, we hope that explorations of CSISTA will foster broader discussions on how to understand and strengthen interactions between citizen science practitioners, policy makers, and decision makers at large, whether at local, national, or international scales

Lycopene Inhibits NF-kB-Mediated IL-8 Expression and Changes Redox and PPARγ Signalling in Cigarette Smoke–Stimulated Macrophages

Increasing evidence suggests that lycopene, the major carotenoid present in tomato, may be preventive against smoke-induced cell damage. However, the mechanisms of such a prevention are still unclear. The aim of this study was to investigate the role of lycopene on the production of the pro-inflammatory cytokine IL-8 induced by cigarette smoke and the possible mechanisms implicated. Therefore, human THP-1 macrophages were exposed to cigarette smoke extract (CSE), alone and following a 6-h pre-treatment with lycopene (0.5–2 µM). CSE enhanced IL-8 production in a time- and a dose-dependent manner. Lycopene pre-treatment resulted in a significant inhibition of CSE-induced IL-8 expression at both mRNA and protein levels. NF-kB controlled the transcription of IL-8 induced by CSE, since PDTC prevented such a production. Lycopene suppressed CSE-induced NF-kB DNA binding, NF-kB/p65 nuclear translocation and phosphorylation of IKKα and IkBα. Such an inhibition was accompanied by a decrease in CSE-induced ROS production and NOX-4 expression. Lycopene further inhibited CSE-induced phosphorylation of the redox-sensitive ERK1/2, JNK and p38 MAPKs. Moreover, the carotenoid increased PPARγ levels which, in turn, enhanced PTEN expression and decreased pAKT levels in CSE-exposed cells. Such effects were abolished by the PPARγ inhibitor GW9662. Taken together, our data indicate that lycopene prevented CSE-induced IL-8 production through a mechanism involving an inactivation of NF-kB. NF-kB inactivation was accompanied by an inhibition of redox signalling and an activation of PPARγ signalling. The ability of lycopene in inhibiting IL-8 production, NF-kB/p65 nuclear translocation, and redox signalling and in increasing PPARγ expression was also found in isolated rat alveolar macrophages exposed to CSE. These findings provide novel data on new molecular mechanisms by which lycopene regulates cigarette smoke-driven inflammation in human macrophages