Subfractionation of human very low density lipoproteins by heparin-Sepharose affinity chromatography.

Very low density lipoproteins obtained from normolipidemic subjects were fractionated into subclasses by means of affinity chromatography on a heparin-Sepharose column in the presence of MnCl2. The four subfractions eluted at 0.05, 0.12, 0.20, and 0.38 M NaCl and they differed in chemical composition and apoprotein pattern. The relative amounts of apoB and apoE in subfractions increased with increasing concentrations of the NaCl eluant. Modification of the arginyl residues with 1-2 cyclohexadione demonstrated that arginine plays an important role in determining the elution pattern of VLDL. In vitro studies indicated that only fractions eluted at 0.2 and 0.5 M NaCl compete with LDL for cellular receptors. These data suggest that the various subfractions may represent VLDL at different stages of catabolism

A proposal for compiling quantitative hydrogeological maps

An innovative approach to hydrogeological mapping based on quantitative analysis is shown in this paper. It gives some cartographical solutions for an immediate evaluation of the groundwater resources and their spatial distribution. All relevant aquifers, springs and their regime, geological and structural setting and their hydraulic role should be shown in several understandable and clear hydrogeological maps where all hydrogeological information is reported in detail in the “Hydrogeological experimental Map” composed by a. “Hydrogeological Complexes and Natural Springs Map”, b. “Surface Hydrology Map”, c. “Conceptual Hydrogeological Model” and d. “Hydrogeological sections”. The cartographical solutions adopted for representing all these documents are proposed in this paper. Some graphical solutions have been proposed for improving the Italian official guidelines of hydrogeological mapping at scale 1:50.000, explain the legends symbols and illustrate the structure of a hydrogeological GIS database. An application of this approach has been carried out in north-western sector of Sibillini Mts. (Marche, Italy)

Weight gain in a sample of patients affected by overweight/obesity with and without a psychiatric diagnosis during the covid-19 lockdown

The present study aimed at identifying psychological and psychosocial variables that might predict weight gain during the COVID-19 lockdown in patients affected by overweight/obesity with and without a psychiatric diagnosis. An online survey was administered between 25 April and 10 May 2020, to investigate participants’ changes in dietary habits during the lockdown period. 110 participants were recruited and allocated to two groups, 63 patients had no psychiatric diagnosis; there were 47 patients with psychiatric diagnosis. ANOVA analyses compared the groups with respect to psychological distress levels, risk perception, social support, emotion regulation, and eating behaviors. For each group, a binary logistic regression analysis was conducted, including the factors that were found to significantly differ between groups. Weight gain during lockdown was reported by 31 of the participants affected by overweight/obesity without a psychiatric diagnosis and by 31 patients with a psychiatric diagnosis. Weight gain predictors were stress and low depression for patients without a psychiatric diagnosis and binge eating behaviors for patients with a psychiatric diagnosis. Of patients without a psychiatric diagnosis, 60% reported much more frequent night eating episodes. The risk of night eating syndrome in persons affected by overweight/obesity with no psychiatric diagnosis should be further investigated to inform the development of tailored medical, psychological, and psychosocial interventions

A quantitative proteomic approach to highlight Phragmites sp. adaptation mechanisms to chemical stress induced by a textile dyeing pollutant

Phragmites sp. is present worldwide in treatment wetlands though the mechanisms involved in the phytoremediation remain unclear. In this study a quantitative proteomic approach was used to study the prompt response and adaptation of Phragmites to the textile dyeing pollutant, Acid Orange 7 (AO7). Previously, it was demonstrated that AO7 could be successfully removed from wastewater and mineralized in a constructed wetland planted with Phragmites sp. This azo dye is readily taken up by roots and transported to the plant aerial part by the xylem. Phragmites leaf samples were collected from a pilot scale vertical flow constructed wetland after 0.25, 3.25 and 24.25h exposure to AO7 (400mgL-1) immediately after a watering cycle used as control. Leaf soluble protein extraction yielded an average of 1560 proteins in a broad pI range (pH3-10) by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis. A time course comparative analysis of leaf proteome revealed that 40 proteins had a differential abundance compared to control (p<0.05) within a 3.25h period. After 24.25h in contact with AO7, leaf proteome was similar to control. Adaptation to AO7 involved proteins related with cellular signalling (calreticulin, Ras-related protein Rab11D and 20S proteasome), energy production and conversion (adenosine triphosphate synthase beta subunit) carbohydrate transport and metabolism (phosphoglucose isomerase, fructose-bisphosphate aldolase, monodehydroascorbate reductase, frutockinase-1 and Hypothetical protein POPTR_0003s12000g and the Uncharacterized protein LOC100272772) and photosynthesis (sedoheptulose-1,7-bisphosphatase and ferredoxin-NADP+ reductase). Therefore, the quantitative proteomic approach used in this work indicates that mechanisms associated with stress cell signalling, energy production, carbohydrate transport and metabolism as well as proteins related with photosynthesis are key players in the initial chemical stress response in the phytoremediation process of AO7

How personality relates to distress in parents during the COVID-19 lockdown: The mediating role of child’s emotional and behavioral difficulties and the moderating effect of living with other people

Since the initiation of the COVID-19 lockdown, Italian parents have been forced to manage their children at home. The present study aimed at investigating the psychological distress of parents during the lockdown, identifying contributing factors. An online survey was administered to 833 participants from 3 to 15 April 2020. Mediation and moderated mediation models were run to explore the association between parent neuroticism and parent distress, mediated by child hyperactivity–inattention and child emotional symptoms, and the moderating effect of living only with child(ren) on the direct and indirect effects of parent neuroticism on parent distress. For parents living only with child(ren), high levels of psychological distress depended exclusively on their levels of neuroticism. For parents living with at least one other person in addition to child(ren), distress levels were also mediated by child behavioral and emotional difficulties. Motherhood emerged as a significant factor contributing to greater distress. Furthermore, parent psychological distress decreased in line with increased child age. The results confirm that neuroticism is an important risk factor for mental health. Preventive measures should be primarily target multicomponent families with younger children and directed towards parents who are already known to present emotional instability and to parents of children who have received local mental health assistance for behavioral and/or emotional difficulties

How to improve compliance with protective health measures during the covid-19 outbreak. Testing a moderated mediation model and machine learning algorithms

In the wake of the sudden spread of COVID-19, a large amount of the Italian population practiced incongruous behaviors with the protective health measures. The present study aimed at examining psychological and psychosocial variables that could predict behavioral compliance. An online survey was administered from 18–22 March 2020 to 2766 participants. Paired sample t-tests were run to compare efficacy perception with behavioral compliance. Mediation and moderated mediation models were constructed to explore the association between perceived efficacy and compliance, mediated by self-efficacy and moderated by risk perception and civic attitudes. Machine learning algorithms were trained to predict which individuals would be more likely to comply with protective measures. Results indicated significantly lower scores in behavioral compliance than efficacy perception. Risk perception and civic attitudes as moderators rendered the mediating effect of self-efficacy insignificant. Perceived efficacy on the adoption of recommended behaviors varied in accordance with risk perception and civic engagement. The 14 collected variables, entered as predictors in machine learning models, produced an ROC area in the range of 0.82–0.91 classifying individuals as high versus low compliance. Overall, these findings could be helpful in guiding age-tailored information/advertising campaigns in countries affected by COVID-19 and directing further research on behavioral compliance