Investigating the Integration of Cultural Heritage Disaster Risk Management into Urban Planning Tools. The Ravenna Case Study

As increasingly recognized by scholars, climate change is posing new challenges in the field of disaster risk management and urban planning. Even though cultural heritage has passed through decades and centuries, it has never experienced such unexpected and variable events as those forecasted by climate change for the foreseeable future, making it a sensitive element of the living environment. By selecting the city of Ravenna and the cultural heritage site of the Santa Croce Church and archaeological area as a case study, the paper aims at providing an insight into the role that urban planning tools have when it comes to improving the resilience of historical areas, coping with climate change through improvements to the disaster risk management of cultural heritage. Starting from a deep analysis of the existing spatial and urban planning tools that operate at different scales on the Ravenna territory, the adaptive capacity of the historical area toward the identified risks was assessed. The results may lead, on the one hand, to improving the integration of cultural heritage risk management into urban planning tools; on the other hand, they contribute to improving the scope and the governance of the heritage management plans in order to cope with climate change risks and their effects

Anti-CD20 Therapy Acts via FcγRIIIA to Diminish Responsiveness of Human Natural Killer Cells

Natural killer (NK) immune cells mediate antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC) by aggregating FcγRIIIA/CD16, contributing significantly to the therapeutic effect of CD20 monoclonal antibodies (mAb). In this study, we show that CD16 ligation on primary human NK cells by the anti-CD20 mAb rituximab or ofatumumab stably impairs the spontaneous cytotoxic response attributable to cross-tolerance of several unrelated NK-activating receptors (including NKG2D, DNAM-1, NKp46, and 2B4). Similar effects were obtained from NK cells isolated from patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia in an autologous setting. NK cells rendered hyporesponsive in this manner were deficient in the ability of these cross-tolerized receptors to phosphorylate effector signaling molecules critical for NK cytotoxicity, including SLP-76, PLCγ2, and Vav1. These effects were associated with long-lasting recruitment of the tyrosine phosphatase SHP-1 to the CD16 receptor complex. Notably, pharmacologic inhibition of SHP-1 with sodium stibogluconate counteracted CD20 mAb-induced NK hyporesponsiveness, unveiling an unrecognized role for CD16 as a bifunctional receptor capable of engendering long-lasting NK cell inhibitory signals. Our work defines a novel mechanism of immune exhaustion induced by CD20 mAb in human NK cells, with potentially negative implications in CD20 mAb-treated patients where NK cells are partly responsible for clinical efficacy. Cancer Res; 75(19); 1-12. ©2015 AACR

Diversity and Function of the Microbial Community on Anodes of Sediment Microbial Fuel Cells fueled by Root Exudates

Anode microbial communities are essential for current production in microbial fuel cells. Anode reducing bacteria are capable of using the anode as final electron acceptor in their respiratory chain. The electrons delivered to the anode travel through a circuit to the cathode where they reduce oxygen to water generating an electric current. A novel type of sediment microbial fuel cell (SMFC) harvest energy from photosynthetically derived compounds released through the roots. Nothing is known about anode microbial communities of this type of microbial fuel cell. This work consists of three parts. The first part focuses on the study of bacterial and archaeal community compositions on anodes of SMFCs fueled by rice root exudates. By using terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism (T-RFLP), a profiling technique, and cloning / sequencing of 16S rRNA, we determined that the support type used for the plant (vermiculite, potting soil or rice field soil) is an important factor determining the composition of the microbial community. Finally, by comparing microbial communities of current producing anodes and non-current producing controls we determined that Desulfobulbus- and Geobacter-related populations were probably most important for current production in potting soil and rice field soil SMFCs, respectively. However, δ-proteobacterial Anaeromyxobacter spp., unclassified δ-proteobacteria and Anaerolineae were also part of the anode biofilm in rice field soil SMFCs and these populations might also play a role in current production. Moreover, distinct clusters of Geobacter and Anaeromyxobacter populations were stimulated by rice root exudates. Regarding Archaea, uncultured Euryarchaea were abundant on anodes of potting soil SMFCs indicating a potential role in current production. In both, rice field soil and potting soil SMFCs, a decrease of Methanosaeta, an acetotrophic methanogen, was detected on current producing anodes. In the second part we focused our study on identifying the bacteria capable of rice root exudate assimilation on anodes of planted SMFCs. Using stable isotope probing (SIP) with 13C-CO2 combined with high throughput sequencing, we detected that labeled bacteria belonged to β-proteobacteria and Anaerolineae indicating their relevance in root exudate degradation. The main current producing bacteria, belonging to δ-proteobacteria were not able to assimilate root exudates. A microbial “food chain” combining activities of anode reducing bacteria with root exudate degrading bacteria is necessary for current production. However, we cannot dismiss the possibility that some bacteria might be able to directly use root exudates for current production. In the last part, we found that by submerging an anode into rice field soil up to 50% methane emission was reduced compared with open circuit controls. This mitigation could not only be explained by competition for common electron donors like acetate. We suggest that the anode, even in non-current controls, can be used as electron acceptor capturing electrons and transferring them from one part of the sediment to a spatially distant one, communicating biogeochemical processes occurring in different parts of the sediment. Our work is a first approach in understanding the microbial diversity on anodes of SMFCs fueled by rice root exudation and their potential as methane emission mitigation strategy

A potato large-insert library for isolation of candidate loci for late blight resistance and studies on their genome organization

Summary QTL mapping of quantitative resistance to P. infestans has been pursued in potato and several loci contributing to the resistance have been identified (Leonards-Schippers et al. 1994; Meyer et al. 1998; Ewing et al. 2000; Sandbrink et al. 2000 and Naess et al. 2000). Ghislain et al. (2001) detected two major QTL effects on linkage groups VIII and XII using a hybrid cross between S. phureja x dihaploid S. tuberosum. The strong QTL effect on linkage group XII was localized in a region where no major gene or QTL for P. infestans has been reported. So far, none of the QTLs for P. infestans resistance has been cloned and the genes behind the QTLs are still unknown. Map based cloning has proved to be a promising approach for cloning genes and QTLs. This approach requires DNA markers tightly linked to the trait in combination with large insert libraries. In this study, a large insert library was constructed from one of the resistant hybrids of the population analysed by Ghislain et al. (2001). The inserts have been cloned into the binary vector pCLD04541. The clones can be used for plant transformation via A. tumefaciens. The library contains approximately 50 000 clones with an average insert size of 80 kb. The coverage of the library has been calculated to be 3-4 times the haploid potato genome. The construction of a large insert library with this genetic material will facilitate the cloning and dissection of the genes underlying the QTL once a more precise map of the region is available. The library was used to clone members of three defense related gene families: PAL(Phenylalanine-Ammonia-Lyase), PR-5 (acidic and basic osmotin) and PPO(Polyphenol oxidase). 29, 7 and 10 BAC clones containing PAL, PR-5 and PPO genes, respectively were identified. The PR-5 BAC clones were further characterized. 6 BACs containing osmotin-like sequences were grouped in two small contigs: Contig A (100kb) and Contig B (120kb). DNA markers derived from the contigs identified two genetic loci on linkage groups VIII (Contig A) and XI (Contig B). Southern gel blot analysis of genomic and BAC DNA showed that potato has at least 5 copies of osmotin genes. Most of the osmotin genes are clustered on linkage group VIII in less than 90 kb whereas only one gene is present on linkage group XI. Interestingly, Trognitz et al. (2001) using the population of Ghislain et al. (2001) reported correlation between a QTL effect derived from S. tuberosum and an osmotin RFLP marker on linkage group VIII. On the other hand, one BAC with sequence similarity to acidic PR-5 showed that acidic members of PR-5 in potato are clustered on linkage group XII, where at least 3 copies are present in less than 35 kb. S. phureja and S. tuberosum are highly homozygous at these loci which made it difficult to develop specific markers. However, two CAPS markers were derived and mapped in the maternal line S. phureja, revealing that the position of the genes do not overlap with the QTL effect. Fragments of the PR-5 BACs inserts were subcloned into pBluescript. Sequence analysis of the subclones identified 6 osmotin-like genes and 4 acidic PR-5 genes, including a copy with a truncated sequence at the N-terminus. One of the acidic PR-5 genes had 100% identity to the partial sequence of potato Protein C (Pierpoint et al. 1990). All the PR-5 ORF did not contain introns and all except the one from linkage group XI had the 16 cysteine residues highly conserved in the PR-5 family. PCR and Southern gel blot analysis demonstrated that PR-5 genes are present in all members of the Solanaceae family tested. A phylogenetic analysis of PR-5 sequences of Solanaceae from the Genebank and the genes described in this study clustered the sequences in three main branches of acidic, neutral and basic genes

The modernity of the controversy on planning between Roberto Simonsen and Eugênio Gudin and the paradoxes of Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva’s economic model (2004-2010)

O artigo aborda as diferentes visões sobre o planejamento no Brasil de acordo com dois grandes intelec-tuais brasileiros do século XX: Roberto Simonsen (1889-1948) e Eugênio Gudin (1886-1986). Simon-sen foi defensor de planejamento econômico e via a industrialização como alternativa à elevação do nível de renda e a melhoria dos padrões de vida da população brasileira. Gudin defendia que o Brasil não necessitava de um plano e sim produtividade agrícola e livre mercado. A sequência de publicações sobre planejamento deu origem ao que se convencionou na História do Pensamento Econômico Brasileiro de “A Controvérsia do planejamento na Economia Brasileira entre Roberto Simonsen e Eugênio Gudin”. O cotejo entre as duas visões demonstra que essa controvérsia retorna à pauta de política econômica brasileira no início do século XXI, em função do retorno de visões teóricas que representam um “novo” ciclo em relação à necessidade de planejamento como processo global e contínuo.The article discusses the different views about planning in Brazil according to two major Brazilian thinkers of the twentieth century: Roberto Simonsen (1889-1948) and Eugênio Gudin (1886-1986). Simonsen was a defender of economic planning and saw industrialization as an alternative to the rising level of income and the improvement in the standard of living of Brazilian people. Gudin argued that Brazil did not need a plan, but it needed agricultural productivity and free market. The following publi-cations on planning brought about what has been called in the Brazilian History of Economic Thought as "The Planning Controversy in the Brazilian Economy between Roberto Simonsen and Eugênio Gudin". The comparison between both views demonstrates that this controversy returns to the agenda of Brazili-an economic policy at the beginning of the twenty-first century, particularly because of the return of theoretical views that represents a "new" cycle in relation to the need of planning as a global and contin-uous process

La "similarità" delle categorie merceologiche dei flussi di esportazioni e di importazioni di prodotti alimentari nell'ambito dell'Unione Europea

L’articolo pone l’attenzione sul confronto dei flussi delle importazioni e delle esportazioni agro-industriali di Italia e Francia, due paesi mediterranei che hanno un interscambio intenso. La Francia è, infatti, il principale paese europeo fornitore dell’Italia e rappresenta il secondo mercato di sbocco per le produzioni agro-industriali italiane. Il lavoro propone due livelli di analisi. Nel primo livello si valutano, sulla base dell’elaborazione di dati EUROSTAT espressi in valori (euro), le caratteristiche dei flussi commerciali in entrata e in uscita dall’Italia e dalla Francia da e verso gli altri paesi dell’UE-27. Nel secondo livello, invece, l’idea è quella di stimare il grado di “similarità” dei beni scambiati sotto il profilo merceologico e di valutare in quale misura le relazioni tra i due partner siano improntate, da un lato, alla concorrenza, dall’altro alla complementarietà. L’analisi della similarità dal lato delle importazioni e delle esportazioni di prodotti agro-industriali scambiati dall’Italia e dalla Francia con l’area commerciale europea si basa su tre categorie di indici. La prima categoria degli indici di somiglianza e di specializzazione (saldo normalizzato, indice di somiglianza della struttura delle importazioni e delle esportazioni, indice di somiglianza dei prodotti dal lato delle importazioni e delle esportazioni) permette di esaminare il grado di “similarità”, di specializzazione e il trend evolutivo dei rapporti commerciali delle aree di scambio considerate. La seconda categoria di indici (Finger-Kreinen e Hirschmann) misura, invece, il cambiamento strutturale dei pattern commerciali, nell’intervallo temporale 1999-2006. Infine, l’ultima categoria (indice di Balassa sulle importazioni e sulle esportazioni) fornisce informazioni circa i vantaggi comparati rilevati dell’Italia e della Francia nell’interscambio con il mercato europeo.Q17,

From blue star-forming to red passive: galaxies in transition in different environments

Exploiting a mass complete (M_*>10^(10.25)M_sun) sample at 0.03<z<0.11 drawn from the Padova Millennium Galaxy Group Catalog (PM2GC), we use the (U-B)_rf color and morphologies to characterize galaxies, in particular those that show signs of an ongoing or recent transformation of their star formation activity and/or morphology - green galaxies, red passive late types, and blue star-forming early types. Color fractions depend on mass and only for M_*<10^(10.7)M_sun on environment. The incidence of red galaxies increases with increasing mass, and, for M_*<10^(10.7)M_sun, decreases toward the group outskirts and in binary and single galaxies. The relative abundance of green and blue galaxies is independent of environment, and increases monotonically with galaxy mass. We also inspect galaxy structural parameters, star-formation properties, histories and ages and propose an evolutionary scenario for the different subpopulations. Color transformations are due to a reduction and suppression of SFR in both bulges and disks which does not noticeably affect galaxy structure. Morphological transitions are linked to an enhanced bulge-to-disk ratio due to the removal of the disk, not to an increase of the bulge. Our modeling suggests that green colors might be due to star formation histories declining with long timescales, as an alternative scenario to the classical "quenching" processes. Our results suggest that galaxy transformations in star formation activity and morphology depend neither on environment nor on being a satellite or the most massive galaxy of a halo. The only environmental dependence we find is the higher fast quenching efficiency in groups giving origin to post-starburst signatures.Comment: 20 pages, 12 figures, accepted for publication in Ap

Inflammation protein quantification by multiple reaction monitoring mass spectrometry in lipopolysaccharide-stimulated THP-1 cells

Rationale: Inflammation is a cascade of events mediated by a cytokine network triggering the cellular response. In order to monitor the modulation of the crucial inflammatory proteins, e.g., Tumour Necrosis Factor-α (TNF-α), Interferon-γ (INF-γ), Interleukin-8 (IL-8) and Interleukin-10 (IL-10), upon stimulation with endotoxins, differentiated and undifferentiated THP-1 cells were treated with lipopolysaccharides (LPSs) from E. coli, key cell wall components of Gram-negative bacteria. Methods: The multiple reaction monitoring mass spectrometry (MRM-MS) method was optimized by using the standard proteins to be quantified, in order to construct external calibration curves and define the analytical parameters. The developed method was used to quantify the above-mentioned inflammatory proteins in THP-1 differentiated cells upon stimulation with LPSs with high accuracy, sensitivity, and robustness. Results: The analysis of such proteins in MRM mode allowed the kinetics of stimulation along the time up to 24 h to be followed and the MS results were found to be comparable with those obtained by Western-blotting. A significant increase in TNF-α release triggered a cascade mechanism leading to the production of INF-γ and IL-8. IL-10, instead, was found to be constant throughout the process. Conclusions: The developed MRM-MS method allowed the quantification of TNF-α, INF-γ, IL-8 and IL-10 along a time-course from 2 to 24 h. Hence, a trace of the kinetics of the inflammatory response in THP-1 cells upon stimulation with E. coli LPSs was obtained. Finally, the extensibility of the developed MRM method to serum samples and other matrices demonstrated the versatility of the approach and the possibility to quantify multiple target proteins in different biological samples by using a few microliters in a single analysis