SerpinB3 promotes pro-fibrogenic responses in activated hepatic stellate cells

SerpinB3 is a hypoxia- and hypoxia-inducible factor-2\u3b1-dependent cystein protease inhibitor that is up-regulated in hepatocellular carcinoma and in parenchymal cells during chronic liver diseases (CLD). SerpinB3 up-regulation in CLD patients has been reported to correlate with the extent of liver fibrosis and the production of transforming growth factor-\u3b21, but the actual role of SerpinB3 in hepatic fibrogenesis is still poorly characterized. In the present study we analyzed the pro-fibrogenic action of SerpinB3 in cell cultures and in two different murine models of liver fibrosis. "In vitro" experiments revealed that SerpinB3 addition to either primary cultures of human activated myofibroblast-like hepatic stellate cells (HSC/MFs) or human stellate cell line (LX2 cells) strongly up-regulated the expression of genes involved in fibrogenesis and promoted oriented migration, but not cell proliferation. Chronic liver injury by CCl4 administration or by feeding a methionine/choline deficient diet to transgenic mice over-expressing human SerpinB3 in hepatocytes confirmed that SerpinB3 over-expression significantly increased the mRNA levels of pro-fibrogenic genes, collagen deposition and \u3b1SMA-positive HSC/MFs as compared to wild-type mice, without affecting parenchymal damage. The present study provides for the first time evidence that hepatocyte release of SerpinB3 during CLD can contribute to liver fibrogenesis by acting on HSC/MFs

Retrieving soil moisture in rainfed and irrigated fields using Sentinel-2 observations and a modified OPTRAM approach

Abstract Surface soil water content plays an important role in driving the exchange of latent and sensible heat between the atmosphere and land surface through transpiration and evaporation processes, regulating key physiological processes affecting plants growth. Given the high impact of water scarcity on yields, and of irrigated agriculture on the overall withdrawal rate of freshwater, it is important to define models that help to improve water resources management for agricultural purposes, and to optimize rainfed crop yield. Recent advances in satellite-based remote sensing have led to valuable solutions to estimate soil water content based on microwave or optical/thermal-infrared data. This study aims at improving soil water content estimation at high spatial and temporal resolution, by means of the Optical Trapezoid Model (OPTRAM) driven by Copernicus Sentinel-2 data. Two different model variations were considered, based on linear and nonlinear parameters constraints, and validated against in situ soil water content measurements made with time domain reflectometry (TDR) on irrigated maize in central Italy and on rainfed maize and pasture in northern Italy. For the first site the non-linear model shows a better correlation between measured and estimated soil water content values (r = 0.80) compared to the linear model (r = 0.73). In both cases the modeled soil moisture tends to overestimate the measured values at medium to high water content level, while both models underestimate soil moisture at low water content level. Estimated versus measured normalized surface soil water for rainfed pasture plots from nonlinear OPTRAM parametrized based on irrigated maize parameterization (SIM1), and site-specific parametrization for rainfed pasture (SIM2), indicate that both models (SIM1 and SIM2) are comparable for rotational grazing pasture (RMSEsim1 = 0.0581 vs. RMSEsim2 = 0.0485 cm3 cm-3) and the continuous grazing pasture (RMSEsim1 = 0.0485 vs. RMSEsim2 = 0.0602 cm3 cm-3), while for the rainfed maize plots SIM1 shows lower RMSE (average for all plots RMSE = 0.0542 cm3 cm-3) compared to the site-specific calibration model (SIM2 – average for all plots RMSE = 0.0645 cm3 cm-3). Finally, OPTRAM estimations are close to in situ measurement values while Surface Soil Moisture at 1 km (SSM1 km) tends to underestimate the measurements during maize crop growing season. Soil moisture retrieval from high-resolution Sentinel-2 optical images allows water stress conditions to be effectively mapped, supporting decision making in irrigation scheduling and other crop management

T-REX OU4 HIRES: the high resolution spectrograph for the E-ELT

The goal of this unit was to consolidate the project for the construction of the high resolution spectrometer of the E-ELT (HIRES). The task included the development of scientific cases and tools to predict the instrumental performances. From the technical point of view it included several R&D activities in collaboration with highly specialized Italian companies; it culminated with the detailed design of a highly modular instrument based on well established technologies. From the management point of view it lead to the consolidation of a large international consortium that spans over 12 countries and includes most of the European and ESO-related institutes interested in high resolution spectroscopy. This consortium is led by INAF; its formal creation is awaiting the official call by ESO for the phase-A study for the HIRES instrument of the E-ELT

Why do boards exist? Governance design in the absence of corporate law

We study under which circumstances firms choose to install boards and their roles in a historical setting in which neither boards nor their duties are mandated by law. Boards arise in firms with large, heterogeneous shareholder bases. We propose that an important role of boards is to mediate between heterogeneous shareholders with divergent interests. Voting restrictions are common and ensure that boards are representative and not captured by large blockholders. Boards are given significant powers to both mediate and monitor management, and these roles are intrinsically linked

Ecotourism in Albania: the proposal of naturalistic routes in the Vlora region

ItIn occasione del progetto INTERREG III Italia-Albania PER.NA.TUR., è stata realizzata una proposta di escursionismo naturalistico nella regione di Vlorë. La proposta si è concretizzata nella realizzazione di tre percorsi. Il comune di Orikum è stato interessato da due di questi (denominati "Marmiro" e "Karaburun"), e il Comune di Nartë da uno (denominato "Dajlan"). La proposta finale è derivata da oltre un anno di sopralluoghi e visite, sia per accertare le presenze faunistiche (generalmente elusive) che per documentare le presenze floristiche (nelle diverse stagioni). I sopralluoghi hanno consentito di collaudare anche le infrastrutture e i mezzi di trasporto. In particolare è stato condotto uno studio approfondito della recettività turistica dell’intera zona, con censimento delle strutture (alberghi e ristoranti), e valutazioni numeriche della capacità di accoglienza e dei flussi demografici. I beni culturali e le tradizioni locali sono stati censiti e schedati, alla pari delle emergenze naturalistiche. Tutto il materiale reperito è andato a costituire un portale informativo sul web (www.pernatur.org), in tre lingue (Italiano, Albanese, Inglese).EnThe project INTERREG III Italy-Albania "PER.NA.TUR." was the occasion to study an Ecotourism proposal in the Vlora Region (Albania). Three proposals were realized (named, "Marmiro" and "Karaburun") in the municipality of Orikum, 14 and "Dajlan" in the municipality of Nartë. Information about nature, welcome structures, and tourist facilities, were collocated in a web site ad hoc realize (www.pernatur.org)

(Job Market Paper)

Zapatero, participants to the FMA doctoral student consortium for their helpful comments and suggestions. In this paper I show that if risk-averse agents prefer both to be richer in absolute terms and to be richer than their peers (relative-wealth concerns), then 1) they will prefer positive correlation between their payo s and the payo s of other agents, and 2) they will be averse to negative correlation between payo s. I test these theoretical predictions in a laboratory experiment. I nd that subjects prefer positively correlated payo s over risk-free and negatively correlated payo s. Furthermore, subjects who by observing other participants ' payo s signal stronger relative-wealth concerns, also show stronger aversion to negatively correlated payo s. Finally, women appear to be concerned about other agents ' payo s more than men. This novel evidence has implications that help explain why rms apparently use pro t-sharing and broad-based incentives contracts too extensively, and why Relative Performance Evaluation (RPE) contracts are scarcely used in common compensation practice. 2

Groundwater nitrate contamination and agricultural land use: A grey water footprint perspective in Southern Apulia Region (Italy)

In this paper, we present a new approach based on the Grey Water Footprint (GWF) concept for the determina- tion of groundwater nitrate contamination, with a focus on the agricultural impact in the Southern Apulia Region (Italy). The GWF assessment allows us to highlight wells where nitrate contamination is higher and for which a veri fi cation of the nature of contamination is necessary, potentially identifying certain contexts associated with risk factors present in the area. Data show higher nitrate GWF values for vineyards than for olive groves, partic- ularly in areas used for the production of table grapes. Indeed, it is possible to observe that the Western Ionian- Tarantino arch is characterized by a high average level of the GWF indicator, area characterized by an agricultural land use (vineyards, orchards, simple arable land). Another important area is the Brindisi plain, predominantly characterized by an agricultural vocation and a related fertilizer use. The situation in the whole Salento peninsula is more heterogeneous. The results of the GWF show high values in equally distributed points with a clear fre- quency in the coastal areas of the Ionic arch (Eastern Tarantino and Salento). The Water Footprint methodology and inparticular the GWF approach usedinthis studyconceives a useful indicator for the agricultural policy plan- ning processes, a criterion to establish land use management according to the status of hydrological basin and a tool for assessing the pollution monitoring program

Groundwater nitrate contamination and agricultural land use: A grey water footprint perspective in Southern Apulia Region (Italy)

In this paper, we present a new approach based on the Grey Water Footprint (GWF) concept for the determination of groundwater nitrate contamination, with a focus on the agricultural impact in the Southern Apulia Region (Italy). The GWF assessment allows us to highlight wells where nitrate contamination is higher and for which a verification of the nature of contamination is necessary, potentially identifying certain contexts associated with risk factors present in the area. Data show higher nitrate GWF values for vineyards than for olive groves, particularly in areas used for the production of table grapes. Indeed, it is possible to observe that the Western Ionian-Tarantino arch is characterized by a high average level of the GWF indicator, area characterized by an agricultural land use (vineyards, orchards, simple arable land). Another important area is the Brindisi plain, predominantly characterized by an agricultural vocation and a related fertilizer use. The situation in the whole Salento peninsula is more heterogeneous. The results of the GWF show high values in equally distributed points with a clear frequency in the coastal areas of the Ionic arch (Eastern Tarantino and Salento). The Water Footprint methodology and in particular the GWF approach used in this study conceives a useful indicator for the agricultural policy planning processes, a criterion to establish land use management according to the status of hydrological basin and a tool for assessing the pollution monitoring programs