Factors influencing fruit cracking: an environmental and agronomic perspective

Fruit cracking, a widespread physiological disorder affecting various fruit crops and vegetables, has profound implications for fruit quality and marketability. This mini review delves into the multifaceted factors contributing to fruit cracking and emphasizes the pivotal roles of environmental and agronomic factors in its occurrence. Environmental variables such as temperature, relative humidity, and light exposure are explored as determinants factors influencing fruit cracking susceptibility. Furthermore, the significance of mineral nutrition and plant growth regulators in mitigating fruit cracking risk is elucidated, being calcium deficiency identified as a prominent variable in various fruit species. In recent years, precision farming and monitoring systems have emerged as valuable tools for managing environmental factors and optimizing fruit production. By meticulously tracking parameters such as temperature, humidity, soil moisture, and fruit skin temperature, growers can make informed decisions to prevent or alleviate fruit cracking. In conclusion, effective prevention of fruit cracking necessitates a comprehensive approach that encompasses both environmental and agronomic factors

Circulating MicroRNA-15a Associates With Retinal Damage in Patients With Early Stage Type 2 Diabetes

: Circulating microRNAs are potential biomarkers of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and related complications. Here, we investigated the association of microRNA-15a with early retinal damage in T2DM. A cohort of untreated subjects screened for intermediate/high risk of T2DM, according to a score assessment questionnaire, and then recognized to have a normal (NGT) or impaired (IGT) glucose tolerance or T2DM was studied. The thickness of the ganglion cell complex (GCC), an early marker of retinal degeneration anteceding overt retinopathy was assessed by Optical Coherence Tomography. Total and extracellular vesicles (EV)-associated microRNA-15a quantity was measured in plasma by real time PCR. MicroRNA-15a level was significantly higher in subjects with IGT and T2DM compared with NGT. MicroRNA-15a abundance was correlated to body mass index and classical diabetes biomarkers, including fasting glucose, HbA1c, insulinemia, and HOMA-IR. Moreover, GCC thickness was significantly reduced in IGT and T2DM subjects compared with NGT controls. Importantly, total microRNA-15a correlated with GCC in IGT subjects, while in T2DM subjects, EV-microRNA-15a negatively correlated with GCC, suggesting that microRNA-15a may monitor initial retinal damage. The assessment of plasma microRNA-15a may help refining risk assessment and secondary prevention in patients with preclinical T2DM

Environmental and Agro-Economic Sustainability of Olive Orchards Irrigated with Reclaimed Water under Deficit Irrigation

This study explores the effects of the adoption of reclaimed water (RW) as source of irrigation in conjunction with the application of deficit irrigation strategies in an olive orchard (different genotypes) located within the “Valle dei Margi” farmhouse (Eastern Sicily). Specifically, the RW was obtained in situ by treating the wastewater coming from the farmhouse throughout a treatment wetland system (TW). The effects of RW on crop water status (CWS) was assessed by conducting plant-based measurements (i.e., leaf water potential, Ψ, and leaves relative water content, RWC) and determining satellite-based biophysical indicators. An economical and environmental evaluation of the proposed sustainable irrigation practices was carried out by using the life cycle assessment (LCA) approach.The RW quality showed high variability due to fluctuations in the number of customers at the farmhouse during the Covid-19 pandemic period. However, high removal efficiency of the overall TW was reached even if the RW quality did not always accomplish with the limits of the Italian regulations. A strong impact in the variation of Ψ was observed among the olive orchard under the different water regimes, evidencing how CWS performances are greatly conditioned by the genotype. However, no differences in leaves RWC and in satellite-based biophysical indicators were detected, despite the severe water deficit imposed (i.e., 50% of irrigation water reduction). Finally, the results of the LCA analysis underlined that the use of RW may permit to obtain important gains both in economic and environmental terms, thus representing a valid strategy for the olive cultivation

Supplement: "Localization and broadband follow-up of the gravitational-wave transient GW150914" (2016, ApJL, 826, L13)

This Supplement provides supporting material for Abbott et al. (2016a). We briefly summarize past electromagnetic (EM) follow-up efforts as well as the organization and policy of the current EM follow-up program. We compare the four probability sky maps produced for the gravitational-wave transient GW150914, and provide additional details of the EM follow-up observations that were performed in the different bands

Excess Lead-210 and Plutonium-239+240: Two suitable radiogenic soil erosion tracers for mountain grassland sites

The expected growing population and challenges associated with globalisation will increase local food and feed demands and enhance the pressure on local and regional upland soil resources. In light of these potential future developments it is necessary to define sustainable land use and tolerable soil loss rates with methods applicable and adapted to mountainous areas. Fallout-radionuclides (FRNs) are proven techniques to increase our knowledge about the status and resilience of agro-ecosystems. However, the use of the Caesium-137 (137Cs) method is complicated in the European Alps due to its heterogeneous input and the timing of the Chernobyl fallout, which occurred during a few single rain events on partly snow covered ground. Other radioisotopic techniques have been proposed to overcome these limitations. The objective of this study is to evaluate the suitability of excess Lead-210 (210Pbex) and Plutonium-239+240 (239+240Pu) as soil erosion tracers for three different grassland management types at the steep slopes (slope angles between 35 and 38°) located in the Central Swiss Alps. All three FRNs identified pastures as having the highest mean (± standard deviation) net soil loss of -6.7 ± 1.1, -9.8 ± 6.8 and -7.0 ± 5.2 Mg ha-1 yr-1 for 137Cs, 210Pbex and 239+240Pu, respectively. A mean soil loss of -5.7 ± 1.5, -5.2 ± 1.5 and-5.6 ± 2.1 was assessed for hayfields and the lowest rates were established for pastures with dwarf-shrubs (-5.2 ± 2.5, -4.5 ± 2.5 and -3.3 ± 2.4 Mg ha-1 yr-1 for 137Cs, 210Pbex and 239+240Pu, respectively). These rates, evaluated at sites with an elevated soil erosion risk exceed the respective soil production rates. Among the three FRN methods used, 239+240Pu appears as the most promising tracer in terms of measurement uncertainty and reduced small scale variability (CV of 13%). Despite a higher level of uncertainty, 210Pbex produced comparable results, with a wide range of erosion rates sensitive to changes in grassland management. 210Pbex can then be as well considered as a suitable soil tracer to investigate alpine agroecosystems

Neutralizing properties of plant extracts against jellyfish venom

Cnidarian venoms are thought to have therapeutic potential so that the research about these compounds is a field of concern for applicative purposes. Nevertheless, at present the fine composition, the activity and the characterization of venom constituents are greatly unexplored. Cnidarian venoms are complex mixtures of thousands of components, mainly peptides, having specific bond targets. This study aims to evaluate the neutralizing properties of natural products from plants against cnidarian envenomation and induced pain, to develop protective products having topical utilization. The isolation of heterotrichous microbasic eurytele nematocysts from tentacles of Pelagia noctiluca collected in Eastern Tyrrhenian Sicily waters around Messina and venom extraction have been carried out according to published methods. Commercial extracts from Ananas comosus and Carica papaya were formerly evaluated on cultured mouse lung fibroblasts L979 to measure their cytotoxicity by MTT assay and here used to prove protection against cytotoxicity of eurytele nematocysts venom. Eurytele nematocysts induced cytotoxicity with an IC50 of about 40 710exp4 N/mL. The extracts from Ananas comosus and Carica papaya resulted non-toxic, both with an IC50>2000 ug/mL. Ananas comosus extract caused reduction of venom effects at 10 and 100 ug/ml, doubling the amount of surviving cells at the endpoint, while Carica papaya extract was more effective at 100 ug/mL than at 10 ug/mL. These preliminary results show that the studied plant extracts can have an interest in fighting the effects of jellyfish stings and could be good candidates for the preparation of topical products. Further studies in progress in our laboratory will hopefully confirm these first heartening data

Violenza Politica

La violenza è l’impensato della politica e al medesimo tempo ciò che ne scuote l’ordine presunto. Numerosi pensatori hanno proposto delle teorie per dare un ruolo alla violenza nelle faccende della politica. Eppure a noi giunge chiara una duplicità: la violenza o è minimizzata per proporre un’immagine edulcorata e bonaria di coloro che la adoperano, oppure viene presa per sinonimo di criminalità. Abbiamo provato, con queste ricerche empiriche e teoriche, a smontare i meccanismi che la filosofia e le scienze sociali ci hanno consegnato, per ripensare il nesso fra politica e violenza nelle società contemporanee

New rivastigmine-like compounds for the potential treatment of Alzheimer’s disease: a multi-target approach

Non

Rivastigmine-based hybrids: a multi-target approach to anti-Alzheimer’s drug design

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