e-Service-learning in an interdisciplinary course of plant and insect biodiversity and pollinator health

This article presents a synopsis of an interdisciplinary asynchronous online science service-learning course for upper undergraduates and graduate students. The design process, structure of the course, pedagogical approaches, and specific goals are described. Discussions, analyses, and evaluations from both students and university faculty highlight the experience and lessons learned from the process. Our study shows that our approach impacted students positively, including developing a more positive attitude toward biodiversity protection and some behavioral changes in their personal life as well as their professional life

Potential Use of Superabsorbent Polymer on Drought-Stressed Processing Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) in a Mediterranean Climate

Drought risk is significantly increasing as a consequence of climate change, and the Mediterranean basin will be among the most affected areas by water scarcity in Europe. The development of agronomic strategies enabling the reduction in drought stress in cultivated crops is, therefore, a crucial priority. Superabsorbent polymers (SAPs) are soil amendments capable to retain water and release it when drought occurs. In the present study, the ability of a commercial SAP to improve the drought tolerance of processing tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) was assessed on a commercial farm located in northern Italy. A strip plot experimental design was adopted, where three irrigation treatments (IRR100, IRR75, and IRR50, respectively, restituting 100%, 75%, and 50% of crop evapotranspiration) were combined with the application of the SAP (control vs. soil amended with SAP). No significant interaction was observed between irrigation treatments and SAP application in yield and quality traits. SAP application allowed for an average increase in tomato yield (+16.4%) and irrigation water use efficiency (IWUE) (+15.8%), determined by a higher number of marketable fruits. The irrigation strategy IRR75 + SAP maintained the same yield and quality as the full irrigation control (IRR100), increasing the IWUE by about 37%. The experiment demonstrated that, for processing tomatoes grown in the Mediterranean, it is possible to reduce the water supply by 25% when SAP amendment is applied to the soil

Hypoxia Enhances Differentiation of Adipose Tissue-Derived Stem Cells toward the Smooth Muscle Phenotype.

Smooth muscle differentiated adipose tissue-derived stem cells are a valuable resource for regeneration of gastrointestinal tissues, such as the gut and sphincters. Hypoxia has been shown to promote adipose tissue-derived stem cells proliferation and maintenance of pluripotency, but the influence of hypoxia on their smooth myogenic differentiation remains unexplored. This study investigated the phenotype and contractility of adipose-derived stem cells differentiated toward the smooth myogenic lineage under hypoxic conditions. Oxygen concentrations of 2%, 5%, 10%, and 20% were used during differentiation of adipose tissue-derived stem cells. Real time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction and immunofluorescence staining were used to detect the expression of smooth muscle cells-specific markers, including early marker smooth muscle alpha actin, middle markers calponin, caldesmon, and late marker smooth muscle myosin heavy chain. The specific contractile properties of cells were verified with both a single cell contraction assay and a gel contraction assay. Five percent oxygen concentration significantly increased the expression levels of α-smooth muscle actin, calponin, and myosin heavy chain in adipose-derived stem cell cultures after 2 weeks of induction (p < 0.01). Cells differentiated in 5% oxygen conditions showed greater contraction effect (p < 0.01). Hypoxia influences differentiation of smooth muscle cells from adipose stem cells and 5% oxygen was the optimal condition to generate smooth muscle cells that contract from adipose stem cells

Redox regulation of cellular stress response in multiple sclerosis

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an autoimmune-mediated neurodegenerative disease with characteristic foci of inflammatory demyelination in the brain, spinal cord, and optic nerves. Recent studies have demonstrated not only that axonal damage and neuronal loss are significant pathologic components of MS, but that this neuronal damage is thought to cause the permanent neurologic disability often seen in MS patients. Emerging finding suggests that altered redox homeostasis and increased oxidative stress, primarily implicated in the pathogenesis of MS, are a trigger for activation of a brain stress response. Relevant to maintenance of redox homeostasis, integrated mechanisms controlled by vitagenes operate in brain in preserving neuronal survival during stressful conditions. Vitagenes encode for heat shock proteins (Hsp) Hsp32, Hsp70, the thioredoxin and the sirtuin protein systems. In the present study we assess stress response mechanisms in the CSF, plasma and lymphocytes of control patients compared to MS patients. We found that the levels of vitagenes Hsp72, Hsc70, HO-1, as well as oxidative stress markers carbonyls and hydroxynonenals were significantly higher in the blood and CSF of MS patients than in control patients. In addition, an increased expression of Trx and sirtuin 1, together with a decrease in the expression of TrxR were observed. Our data strongly support a pivotal role for redox homeostasis disruption in the pathogenesis of MS and, consistently with the notion that new therapies that prevent neurodegeneration through nonimmunomodulatory mechanisms can have a tremendous potential to work synergistically with current MS therapies, unravel important targets for new cytoprotective strategies

Prevalence of Blood Types and Alloantibodies of the AB Blood Group System in Non-Pedigree Cats from Northern (Lombardy) and Southern (Sicily) Italy

The aims of this study were to determine the prevalence of A, B and AB blood types and alloantibodies in non-pedigree cats from two regions, one in Northern and one in Southern Italy (Lombardy and Sicily, respectively). A total of 448 samples (52.0% from Northern and 48.0% from Southern Italy) were blood typed. The prevalence of A, B and AB blood types in northern and southern cats were 91.0%, 5.2%, 3.8%, and 77.2%, 12.1% and 10.7%, respectively. The prevalence of type-A blood in southern cats was significantly lower (p = 0.0001) than in northern cats, while type-B and AB blood were significantly higher (p = 0.0085 and p = 0.0051, respectively) in Southern compared to Northern Italian cats. Alloantibodies against type-A blood were found in 94.1% of type-B cats, 11.2% of type-A cats had alloantibodies against type-B blood, while no type-AB cats had alloantibodies with no significant difference between the two Italian populations. Type-AB prevalence in non-pedigree cats in Southern Italy was the highest reported in Europe. Italian type-A cats had the lowest worldwide prevalence of alloantibodies against type-B blood. These results highlight the usefulness of regional studies to report different prevalences in feline blood types and reinforce the importance of blood typing cats before transfusions and mating

HYDRAULIC RISK ASSESSMENT IN ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITES SUPPORTED BY AN INTEGRATED DIGITAL SURVEY – CFD (COMPUTATIONAL FLUID DYNAMICS) MONITORING APPROACH

Abstract. This paper presents a methodological approach for analysing and evaluating hydraulic risks in complex archaeological areas, and thereby substantially improve general preservation and conservation efforts involving cultural heritage.The hypogeum of Calaforno (province of Ragusa, Sicily) represents a unique sample of rock-cut architecture in terms of size and architectural features, and an ideal candidate for the case study due to its high historical, archaeological and cultural significance, as well as its intrinsic fragility and criticality associated with hydrogeological and seismic factors.The interdisciplinary research approach involved archaeological and engineering contributions towards the development of numerical models for the assessment of hydraulic risks threatening archaeological heritage. The morphological characteristics of the site rendered the use of a Laser Scanner necessary for three-dimensional survey.The prehistoric structures currently undergoing excavation outside the main entrance of the monument have raised concerns regarding the impact of the Manna stream, which flows a few meters from the main entrance to the hypogeum, which has seen periodic flooding in some of its rooms. Simulations of these flooding events were performed in order to attain better understanding of the hydraulic phenomena influencing the site, especially regarding the dynamics associated with surface runoff.The interdisciplinary approach to this research, combining in-depth archaeological expertise with digital 3D surveying and modelling technologies, has proven fundamental to the effective monitoring of this morphologically complex site, and should perhaps be considered integral to any preventive assessment and risk management initiative involving cultural heritage

SHELF –LIFE OF SEA BREAM (SPARUS AURATA) PACKAGED IN MODIFIED ATMOSPHERE: RELATIONSHIPs BETWEEN SENSORY AND MICROBIOLOGICAL PARAMETERS

The research evaluates sensorial and microbiological parameters of gilthead sea bream (Sparus aurata) during storage in MAP. Fish samples, obtained from three off-shore breedings located in Messina, Pisa and Sassari, were analyzed after 1, 5, 8, 12, 15 and 19 days of storage. Sensory assessment was carried out using the Quality Index Method (QIM). Microbiological assays (CMT, CPT, H2S-producing bacteria) were performed on muscle pools. The results show that the shelf-life of gilthead sea bream packaged in MAP as determined by acceptability sensory scores, was lower than 12 days. A relationship between QIM and the microbiological parameter of H2S producing bacteria has been found, even if not it cannot be considered statistically significant according to statistical analysis

Lamb meat colour stability as affected by dietary tannins

Twenty-one male Comisana lambs were divided into three groups at 45 days of age and were individually penned for 60 days. Seven lambs were fed a concentrate-based diet (C), seven lambs received the same concentrate with the addiction of tannins from quebracho (Schinopsis lorentzii; T), whereas the remaining animals were fed exclusively fresh vetch (Vicia sativa; H). Colour descriptors (a*, b* and H*) and metmyoglobin (MMb) percentages were measured on minced semimembranosus muscle over 14 days of refrigerated storage in a high oxygen atmosphere. Regardless of dietary treatment, meat redness decreased, while yellowness and hue angle increased (P < 0.001) over storage duration. However, higher a* values, lower b* values and lower H* values were observed in meat from both H- and T-fed animals as compared to meat from C-fed lambs (P = 0.012; P = 0.02; P = 0.003, respectively). Metmyoglobin formation increased over time (P < 0.001), but H diet resulted in lower metmyoglobin percentages than C diet (P = 0.007). We conclude that the inclusion of tannins into the concentrate improved meat colour stability compared to a tannin-free concentrate. Moreover, the protective effect of tannins against meat discolouration was comparable to that obtained by feeding lambs fresh herbage