Extending Functional kriging to a multivariate context

Environmental data usually have a spatio-temporal structure; pollutant concentrations, for example, are recorded along time and space. Generalized Additive Models (GAMs) represent a suitable tool to model spatial and/or temporal trends of this kind of data, that can be treated as functional, although they are collected as discrete observations. Frequently, the attention is focused on the prediction of a single pollutant at an unmonitored site and, at this aim, we extend kriging for functional data to a multivariate context by exploiting the correlation with the other pollutants. In particular, we propose two procedures: the first one (FKED) combines the regression of a variable (pollutant), of primary interest on the other variables, with functional kriging of the regression residuals; the second one (FCK) is based on linear unbiased prediction of spatially correlated multivariate random processes. The performance of the two proposed procedures is assessed by cross validation; data recorded during a year (2011) from the monitoring network of the state of California (USA) are considered

GAMs and functional kriging for air quality data

Data having spatio-temporal structure are often observed in environmental sciences. They may be considered as discrete observations from curves along time and/or space and treated as functional. Generalized Additive Models (GAMs) represent a useful tool for modelling, for example, as pollutant concentrations describing their spatial and/or temporal trends.Usually, the prediction of a curve at an unmonitored site is necessary and, with this aim, we extend kriging for functional data to a multivariate context. Moreover, even if we are interested only in predicting a single pollutant, such as PM10, the estimation can be improved exploiting its correlation with the other pollutants. Cross validation is used to test the performance of the proposed procedure

Mid-term evaluation of the Hercule III programme. CEPS Research Report, February 2018

The Hercule III programme was established by the European Commission to promote activities against fraud, corruption and any other illegal activities affecting the financial interests of the Union. In compliance with Article 13 of Regulation (EU) No 250/2014 establishing the Hercule III Programme, the Evaluation Roadmap prepared by OLAF and the Better Regulation Guidelines, CEPS was commissioned to carry out a mid-term evaluation, together with three other institutes, to assess the relevance, coherence, effectiveness, efficiency, EU added value and sustainability of the programme. Based on primary data collected from 574 stakeholders and extensive desk research, the study concludes that Hercule III scores well in all the evaluation criteria. In addition, the programme appears to indirectly contribute to the targets of the Europe 2020 strategy. Therefore, the evaluation recommends the funding of a new edition of the programme in order to sustain the protection of EU financial interests in the coming years. Whereas no major changes would be required in the structure of the programme, it is advisable to introduce certain improvements to enhance the current performance of Hercule III and its future editions. In this respect, the programme should, inter alia, allocate more resources to protecting EU financial interests on the expenditure side of the budget, fighting against corruption and VAT fraud, fostering cross-border cooperation and procuring and making technical equipment available to national authorities

Malondialdehyde in benign prostate hypertrophy: a useful marker?

Benign prostate hypertrophy (BPH) is the most common benign tumor in men due to obstruction of the urethra and, finally, uremia. Malondialdehyde (MDA) is a product derived from peroxidation of polyunsaturated fatty acids and related esters. Evaluation of MDA in serum represents a non-invasive biomarker of oxidative stress. Prostate-specific antigen (PSA) is a sensitive marker for prostatic hypertrophy and cancer. We analyzed MDA serum levels to evaluate the oxidative stress in BPH. To this end, 22 BPH patients and 22 healthy donors were enrolled. Data show an increase of MDA level in BPH patients and a positive correlation between PSA and MDA levels. In conclusion, we describe a previously unknown relationship between PSA and MDA as an index of inflammation and oxidative stress in BPH

A Small Chaperone Improves Folding and Routing of Rhodopsin Mutants Linked to Inherited Blindness

The autosomal dominant form of retinitis pigmentosa (adRP) is a blindness-causing conformational disease largely linked to mutations of rhodopsin. Molecular simulations coupled to the graph-based protein structure network (PSN) analysis and in vitro experiments were conducted to determine the effects of 33 adRP rhodopsin mutations on the structure and routing of the opsin protein. The integration of atomic and subcellular levels of analysis was accomplished by the linear correlation between indices of mutational impairment in structure network and in routing. The graph-based index of structural perturbation served also to divide the mutants in four clusters, consistent with their differences in subcellular localization and responses to 9-cis retinal. The stability core of opsin inferred from PSN analysis was targeted by virtual screening of over 300,000 anionic compounds leading to the discovery of a reversible orthosteric inhibitor of retinal binding more effective than retinal in improving routing of three adRP mutants

Gardnerella vaginalis clades in pregnancy: New insights into the interactions with the vaginal microbiome

Gardnerella vaginalis (GV) is an anaerobic bacterial species involved in the pathogenesis of bacterial vaginosis (BV), a condition of vaginal dysbiosis associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes. GV strains are categorized into four clades, characterized by a different ability to produce virulence factors, such as sialidase. We investigated the distribution of GV clades and sialidase genes in the vaginal ecosystem of a cohort of pregnant women, assessing the correlations between GV clades and the whole vaginal microbiome. A total of 61 Caucasian pregnant women were enrolled. Their vaginal swabs, collected both at the first and third trimester of pregnancy, were used for (i) evaluation of the vaginal status by Nugent score, (ii) vaginal microbiome profiling by 16S rRNA sequencing, (iii) detection and quantification of GV clades and sialidase A gene by qPCR assays. DNA of at least one GV clade was detected in most vaginal swabs, with clade 4 being the most common one. GV clade 2, together with the presence of multiple clades (>2 simultaneously), were significantly associated with a BV condition. Significantly higher GV loads and sialidase gene levels were found in BV cases, compared to the healthy status. Clade 2 was related to the major shifts in the vaginal microbial composition, with a decrease in Lactobacillus and an increase in several BV-related taxa. As the number of GV clades detected simultaneously increased, a group of BV-associated bacteria tended to increase as well, while Bifidobacterium tended to decrease. A negative correlation between sialidase gene levels and Lactobacillus, and a positive correlation with Gardnerella, Atopobium, Prevotella, Megasphaera, and Sneathia were observed. Our results added knowledge about the interactions of GV clades with the inhabitants of the vaginal microbiome, possibly helping to predict the severity of BV and opening new perspectives for the prevention of pregnancy-related complications

Lactobacillus crispatus BC5 Interferes With Chlamydia trachomatis Infectivity Through Integrin Modulation in Cervical Cells

Lactobacilli play a crucial role in maintaining the ecological equilibrium of the vaginal niche, preventing the colonization of exogenous microorganisms. Although many studies have discussed the mechanisms displayed by lactobacilli in counteracting several urogenital pathogens, a few data are available on the interaction between lactobacilli and Chlamydia trachomatis. This study aimed to elucidate the molecular bases of the interaction among vaginal lactobacilli, the sexually transmitted pathogen C. trachomatis and the epithelial cervical cells. We evaluated the in vitro activity of 15 Lactobacillus strains, belonging to different species (i.e., L. crispatus, L. gasseri, L. vaginalis), against C. trachomatis. In particular, we evaluated the capability of lactobacilli cells to interfere with C. trachomatis infection in HeLa cells, by exclusion assays. Lactobacilli significantly reduced C. trachomatis infectivity, being L. crispatus the most active species. Although a dose-dependent effect was noticed, a significant antagonistic activity was maintained even at lower doses. As other Gram-positive bacteria (i.e., Streptococcus agalactiae, Enterococcus faecalis, and Bacillus subtilis) failed to interfere with C. trachomatis infectivity, Lactobacillus activity proved to be specific. The potential mechanism of protection was investigated in Lactobacillus crispatus BC5, chosen as the model strain. The incubation of HeLa cell line with BC5 cells induced important modifications in the epithelial plasma membrane, by altering lipid composition and α5 integrin subunit exposure. When α5 integrin subunits were masked by a specific blocking antibody or ITGA5 gene expression was silenced, Chlamydia infection was significantly reduced. It follows that α5 integrin subunit is crucial for the pathogen infection process, and the anti-Chlamydia activity can be directly linked to membrane properties modifications in cervical cells. The three Gram-positive bacteria used as controls failed to modify the expression of α5β1 integrin. In conclusion, we identified a potential molecular mechanism at the basis of the protection exerted by L. crispatus BC5 against C. trachomatis, getting insights into the role of the cervico-vaginal microbiota for the woman’s health

Effects of Cannabis on Cell Viability and the Sleep-Wake Cycle in an Animal Model

Juan Laluz: Estudiante de Medicina, Ciclo de Metodología Científi ca II, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de la República, Uruguay. La contribución en la realización del trabajo fue equivalente a la de los demás estudiantes.-- Analía Ríos: Estudiante de Medicina, Ciclo de Metodología Científica II, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de la República, Uruguay. La contribución en la realización del trabajo fue equivalente a la de los demás estudiantes.-- Santiago Salvo: Estudiante de Medicina, Ciclo de Metodología Científica II, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de la República, Uruguay. La contribución en la realización del trabajo fue equivalente a la de los demás estudiantes.-- Agustín Scasso: Estudiante de Medicina, Ciclo de Metodología Científica II, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de la República, Uruguay. La contribución en la realización del trabajo fue equivalente a la de los demás estudiantes.-- Antonella Techera: Estudiante de Medicina, Ciclo de Metodología Científica II, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de la República, Uruguay. La contribución en la realización del trabajo fue equivalente a la de los demás estudiantes.-- Gimena Vargas: Estudiante de Medicina, Ciclo de Metodología Científica II, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de la República, Uruguay. La contribución en la realización del trabajo fue equivalente a la de los demás estudiantes.-- Burix Mechoso: Docente supervisor, Laboratorio de Radiobiología, Departamento de Biofísica de la Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de la República, Uruguay.-- Verónica Sosa: Docente supervisor, Laboratorio de Radiobiología, Departamento de Biofísica de la Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de la República, Uruguay.-- Alejandra Mondino: Docente supervisor, Laboratorio de Neurobiología del Sueño, Departamento de Fisiología de la Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de la República, Uruguay.-- Atilio Falconi: Docente supervisor, Laboratorio de Neurobiología del Sueño, Departamento de Fisiología de la Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de la República, Uruguay.-- Carlos García: Docente supervisor, Catedra de Farmacognosia y productos Naturales , Departamento de Química Orgánica de la Facultad de Química, Universidad de la República, Uruguay.-- Nélson Bracesco: Docente supervisor, Laboratorio de Radiobiología, Departamento de Biofísica de la Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de la República, Uruguay. Contacto: Burix Mechoso. Correo electrónico: [email protected] investigación básica en nuestro país en relación a los efectos biológicos del cannabis es relativa mente reciente. Si bien la ley 14.294 de 1974 ya habilitaba a realizar investigación con cannabis, no fue hasta la aprobación de la ley 19.172 en el año 2013 de Regulación y Control del cannabis que se logró un marco regulatorio amplio que realmente impulsa la concreción de programas de investigación en diferentes áreas del conocimiento. En el presente trabajo se propone la aproximación al trabajo que realiza el Núcleo Interdisciplinario de Estudios sobre Cannabis (NIEC). Se presentan ensayos realiza dos sobre la viabilidad celular tras la exposición a extractos de cannabis en el Laboratorio de Radio biología y los resultados obtenidos por integrantes del laboratorio de Neurobiología del Sueño de la Facultad de Medicina en relación a los efectos sobre el ciclo sueño-vigilia de la administración aguda de cannabis vaporizado en un modelo animal. Los resultados obtenidos de los ensayos de viabilidad celular muestran una disminución de la sobrevida con concentraciones bajas de cannabinoides (1,0 µM), mientras cuando las líneas celulares fueron expuestas concentraciones más elevadas (10 µM y 100 µM), no se observó disminución de la fracción sobreviviente en ninguna de las líneas estudiadas. Este trabajo y los resultados obtenidos pretenden ser un insumo para la posterior profundización en la investigación sobre el potencial medicinal del cannabis en especial para futuros ensayos clínicos o terapéuticos del cannabis o los extractos de la planta.The basic research in our country in relation to the biological eff ects of cannabis is relatively recent. Although the law 14,294 of 1974 already enabled to carry out research with cannabis, it was not until the approval of the law 19,172 in the year 2013 of regulation and control of cannabis that a broad re gulatory framework was achieved that really drives the realization of research programs in diff erent areas of knowledge. In the present work, the approach to the work carried out by the Interdisciplinary Nucleus of Cannabis Studies (NIEC by its initials in Spanish) is proposed. The tests carried out on cell viability after exposure to cannabis extracts in the Radiobiology Laboratory are presented and also the results obtained by members of the Sleep Neurobiology Laboratory of the Faculty of Medicine in relation to the eff ects on the sleep-wake cycle of the acute administration of vaporized cannabis in an animal model. The results obtained from the cell viability tests show a decrease in survival with low concentrations of cannabinoids (1.0 μM), while when the cell lines were exposed to higher con centrations (10 μM and 100 μM), no decrease in the surviving fraction was observed in none of the lines studied. This work and the results obtained are intended to be an input for further research on the medicinal potential of cannabis, especially for future clinical or therapeutic trials of cannabis or plant extracts

Relazione tecnica sulle attività della campagna oceanografica “Evatir 2016”

La presente relazione tecnica descrive tutte le attività svolte nella Campagna oceanografica “Evatir 2017” condotta a bordo della N/O “G. Dallaporta” (dal 25 luglio al 21 agosto 2016). La Campagna “Evati 2016” è parte integrante del Progetto "Estensione della Campagna acustica Medias (Mediterranean International Acoustic Survey) nelle sub aree geografiche (GSA) 9 (Mar Ligure e Mar Tirreno settentrionale) e 10 (Mar Tirreno centrale e meridionale)", finanziato dal Ministero delle politiche agricole alimentari e forestali (Mipaaf) nell'ambito del Fondo Europeo per gli Affari Marittimi e la Pesca (FEAMP). E’ la sesta campagna rivolta alla valutazione acustica e alla distribuzione spaziale delle popolazioni di piccoli pelagici, insieme allo studio delle condizioni ambientali dell’area di studio. Le specie target del progetto sono state l’acciuga europea (Engraulis encrasicolus) e la sardina (Sardina pilchardus), specie chiave sia a livello commerciale che ecologico. La gestione di tali risorse è abbastanza complessa a causa del loro breve ciclo di vita e dall’ampia oscillazioni inter-annuali nell’abbondanza dello stock, legata al successo o al fallimento del reclutamento annuale. Insieme alle attività di acquisizione acustiche sono stati realizzati campionamenti bilogici, misurazioni, misurazioni di parametri fisico-chimici, rilevamenti di variabili oceanografiche e campionamento di acque (nei Golfi di Salerno, Napoli e Gaeta), monitoraggio della rete da pesca e campionamenti di fitoplancton, zooplancton, solidi sospesi e rilievo delle principali variabili oceanografiche (in prossimità dello stabilimento SOLVAY di Rosignano)