Procjena prošlih promjena u okolišu proučavanjem sedimenata u hiperslanoj laguni

Carbon and oxygen isotopes, organic matter elemental composition, and mineralogy of carbonates were used as proxies to investigate environmental changes recorded in the carbonate-rich sediment of the hypersaline lagoon "Vermelha", Rio de Janeiro. Isotopic and other data suggest that two striking shifts in environmental conditions occurred about 1900 and 3200 years ago. Carbonates δ(18O) and δ(13C) were found in the range of +1.5‰ to +4.5 ‰ (PDB), and –2 ‰ to –11‰ (PDB), respectively. In organic matter, δ(13C) ranged from –22 ‰ to –15 ‰ (PDB). Calcites and dolomites are present in the studied core; their relative abundance seems to be related to the observed changes. Calcites are enriched up 38 % in MgCO3 (mole fraction, x). As distinct from calcites with lower magnesium contents, Mg-calcite with x(Mg) > 20 % shows an additional peak at 0.2929 nm in the X-ray diffractogram. Samples that contain Mg-calcite or 100 % dolomite show similar δ(13C) values. There are strong indications for an early formation of dolomite already in the microbial mat region. 18O and 2H determinations in lagoon water confirm evaporation as the water balance controlling processU radu je opisana uporaba izotopa ugljika i kisika, elementnog sastava organske tvari i mineralogije karbonata kao faktora u istraživanju promjena na okolišu utvrđenih u karbonatom bogatim sedimentima hiperslane lagune "Vermelha" kod Rio de Janeira u Brazilu. Izotopski i drugi podaci ukazuju na dvije značajne promjene okolišnih uvjeta, koje su se dogodile prije 1900 odnosno 3200 godina. U karbonatima, vrijednosti δ(18O) i δ(13C) izmjerene su u rasponu od +1,5 ‰ do +4,5 ‰, odnosno od –2 ‰ do –11 ‰ (standard Pee Dee Belemnite – PDB). Kod organske tvari, vrijednost δ(13C) varira u rasponu od –22 ‰ do –15 ‰ (PDB). U istraživanoj su sedimentnoj jezgri utvrđeni kalcit i dolomit, a njihova relativna zastupljenost povezana je s utvrđenim okoliš nim promjenama. Kalciti sadrže do 38 % MgCO3 (molni udjeli, x). Za razliku od kalcita s nižim sadržajem magnezija, magnezijev kalcit (x(Mg) > 20 %) pokazuje dodatnu liniju na rendgenskom difraktogramu kod 2929 nm. Uzorci koji sadrže magnezijev kalcit ili čisti dolomit pokazuju slične vrijednosti δ(13C). Postoje snažne indicije za stvaranje dolomita već u području mikrobnih pokrova. Vrijednosti 18O i 2H u vodi lagune ukazuju na to da je isparavanje proces koji kontrolira bilancu vode u sustavu

Prvi nalaz vrste Paradiopatra bihanica (Polychaeta, onuphidae) u Jadranskom moru

Paradiopatra bihanica (Intes & Le Loeuff, 1975) (Polychaeta, Onuphidae) is reported for the first time in the Adriatic Sea. In this study the morphological characters of the observed individuals are provided, as well as the extension of its hitherto geographical distribution.Paradiopatra bihanica (Intes & Le Loeuff, 1975) (Polychaeta, Onuphidae) je po prvi put pronađena u Jadranskom moru. U ovom radu su prikazane morfološke karakteristike istraživanih jedinki, te su priloženi podaci o njezinoj geografskoj raspodjeli

Prvi nalaz školjkaša Tellimya tenella (Lovén, 1846) u talijanskom dijelu Jadranskog mora

Alive specimens belonging to Tellimya tenella (Lovén, 1846) were recorded for the first time in Adriatic Sea. Up to date, only few pleistocene fossils or empty valves of this species had been reported in Italian waters.Žive jedinke Tellimya tenella (Lovén, 1846.) prvi su puta zabilježeni u Jadranskom moru. Do danas je u talijanskim vodama zabilježeno svega nekoliko pleistocenskih fosila ili praznih ljuski ove vrste

Multi-benthic size approach to unveil different environmental conditions in a Mediterranean harbor area (Ancona, Adriatic Sea, Italy)

Harbors are hubs of human activity and are subject to the continuous discharge and release of industrial, agricultural, and municipal waste and contaminants. Benthic organisms are largely known to reflect environmental conditions they live in. Despite meio- and macrofauna interacting within the benthic system, they are ecologically distinct components of the benthos and as such may not necessarily respond to environmental conditions and/or disturbances in the same way. However, in a few field studies the spatial patterns of meio- and macrofauna have been simultaneously compared. In the present study, we assess the response and patterns in the abundance, diversity, and distribution of the two benthic size classes to the different environmental conditions they live in (i.e., sediment concentrations of selected trace metals and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs); organic matter contents and grain size) characterizing the Ancona Harbor (Adriatic Sea). Meio- and macrofauna provided partially similar types of information depending on the indices used (univariate measures or community structure/species composition) and the different ‘response-to-stress’. The community structure (i.e., taxa composition) of both benthic size components clearly showed differences among sampling stations located from inside to outside the harbor, reflecting the marked environmental heterogeneity and disturbance typically characterizing these systems. Notwithstanding, the univariate measures (i.e., meio- and macrofauna total abundance, diversity indices and equitability) didn’t show similar spatial patterns. Meiofauna were likely to be more sensitive to the effects of environmental features and contaminants than macrofauna. Overall, trace metals and PAHs affected the community composition of the two benthic components, but only the meiofauna abundance and diversity were related to the environmental variables considered (i.e., quantity and quality oforganic matter). Our results pinpoint the importance of studying both meio- and macrofauna communities, which could provide greater insight into the processes affecting the investigated area and reveal different aspects of the benthic ecosystems in response to harbor conditions

Anadara kagoshimensis (Mollusca: Bivalvia: Arcidae) in Adriatic Sea: morphological analysis, molecular taxonomy, spatial distribution, and prediction

Morphological analysis, molecular characterization, and information on distribution and density of Anadara kagoshimensis (Tokunaga, 1906) specimens collected in the Adriatic Sea were here carried out as based on various material and data from five surveys conducted from 2010 to 2014, for a total of 329 bottom trawl hauls. The morphological and molecular analyses allowed to clarify the confused taxonomy regarding the biggest ark clam alien species invading the Italian waters and the Mediterranean Sea. The analysis on distribution and density revealed that A. kagoshimensis mostly occurs along the Italian coast at depths from 8 to 50 m, with a catch frequency of more than 98% in all hauls performed on silty-clay sediment at 8-30 m depth. The hotspot map clearly shows a reduction of its distribution area from 2010 to 2012

Photobiomodulation reduces the cytokine storm syndrome associated with Covid-19 in the zebrafish model

Although the exact mechanism of the pathogenesis of COVID-19 is not fully understood, oxidative stress and the release of pro-inflammatory cytokines have been highlighted as playing a vital role in the pathogenesis of the disease. In this sense, alternative treatments are needed to reduce the inflammation caused by COVID-19. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the potential effect of red PBM as an attractive therapy to downregulate the cytokine storm caused by COVID-19 from a zebrafish model. RT-PCR analyses and protein-protein interaction prediction among SARS-CoV-2 and Danio rerio proteins showed that rSpike was responsible for generating systemic inflammatory processes with significantly increased pro-inflammatory (il1b, il6, tnfa, and nfkbiab), oxidative stress (romo1) and energy metabolism (slc2a1a, coa1) mRNA markers, with a pattern like those observed in COVID-19 cases in humans. On the other hand, PBM treatment decreased the mRNA levels of these pro-inflammatory and oxidative stress markers compared with rSpike in various tissues, promoting an anti-inflammatory response. Conversely, PBM promotes cellular and tissue repair of injured tissues and significantly increases the survival rate of rSpike-inoculated individuals. Additionally, metabolomics analysis showed that the most impacted metabolic pathways between PBM and the rSpike-treated groups were related to steroid metabolism, immune system, and lipids metabolism. Together, our findings suggest that the inflammatory process is an incisive feature of COVID-19, and red PBM can be used as a novel therapeutic agent for COVID-19 by regulating the inflammatory response. Nevertheless, the need for more clinical trials remains, and there is a significant gap to overcome before clinical trials.publishedVersio

Guidelines for the use and interpretation of assays for monitoring autophagy (3rd edition)

In 2008 we published the first set of guidelines for standardizing research in autophagy. Since then, research on this topic has continued to accelerate, and many new scientists have entered the field. Our knowledge base and relevant new technologies have also been expanding. Accordingly, it is important to update these guidelines for monitoring autophagy in different organisms. Various reviews have described the range of assays that have been used for this purpose. Nevertheless, there continues to be confusion regarding acceptable methods to measure autophagy, especially in multicellular eukaryotes. For example, a key point that needs to be emphasized is that there is a difference between measurements that monitor the numbers or volume of autophagic elements (e.g., autophagosomes or autolysosomes) at any stage of the autophagic process versus those that measure fl ux through the autophagy pathway (i.e., the complete process including the amount and rate of cargo sequestered and degraded). In particular, a block in macroautophagy that results in autophagosome accumulation must be differentiated from stimuli that increase autophagic activity, defi ned as increased autophagy induction coupled with increased delivery to, and degradation within, lysosomes (inmost higher eukaryotes and some protists such as Dictyostelium ) or the vacuole (in plants and fungi). In other words, it is especially important that investigators new to the fi eld understand that the appearance of more autophagosomes does not necessarily equate with more autophagy. In fact, in many cases, autophagosomes accumulate because of a block in trafficking to lysosomes without a concomitant change in autophagosome biogenesis, whereas an increase in autolysosomes may reflect a reduction in degradative activity. It is worth emphasizing here that lysosomal digestion is a stage of autophagy and evaluating its competence is a crucial part of the evaluation of autophagic flux, or complete autophagy. Here, we present a set of guidelines for the selection and interpretation of methods for use by investigators who aim to examine macroautophagy and related processes, as well as for reviewers who need to provide realistic and reasonable critiques of papers that are focused on these processes. These guidelines are not meant to be a formulaic set of rules, because the appropriate assays depend in part on the question being asked and the system being used. In addition, we emphasize that no individual assay is guaranteed to be the most appropriate one in every situation, and we strongly recommend the use of multiple assays to monitor autophagy. Along these lines, because of the potential for pleiotropic effects due to blocking autophagy through genetic manipulation it is imperative to delete or knock down more than one autophagy-related gene. In addition, some individual Atg proteins, or groups of proteins, are involved in other cellular pathways so not all Atg proteins can be used as a specific marker for an autophagic process. In these guidelines, we consider these various methods of assessing autophagy and what information can, or cannot, be obtained from them. Finally, by discussing the merits and limits of particular autophagy assays, we hope to encourage technical innovation in the field

Imprints of Place: Creative Expressions of the Museum Experience

Personalization and social awareness, important aspects in the definition of a place, are traditionally overlooked in the design of technology for museums. We describe Imprints, a system to enhance the role of visitor participation beyond information receiver to active creator of sense of place. Overall response to the Imprints system is explored through interviews and log analysis of use. Despite some usability issues, response to the system was positive, and it was appropriated for both personalization and awareness of others. The results suggest an opportunity to introduce technology that plays with the dynamic between private expression and public presence in the traditional environment of the art museum. Author Keywords Place, museums, context-aware computing, personalization

Synthesis, Pharmacological Evaluation, and Molecular Modeling Studies of Novel Peptidic CAAX Analogues as Farnesyl-Protein-Transferase Inhibitors

Fifteen analogues of the C-terminal CA1A2X motif were synthesized and evaluated for their inhibition potency against farnesyltransferase (FTase). Replacement of the A2 residue by phenylalanine or tyrosine-derived analogues, in which a different number of methyl groups were introduced on the aromatic ring, resulted in compounds less active than the reference compound CVFM against FTase except for compounds I and VI (IC50 = 1 μM and 2.5 μM, respectively) that were comparable to CVFM and compound IV (IC50 = 0.1 μM), which was 6-fold more active than the reference compound. Because pseudopeptidic derivatives I-IX were inactive in the cellular assays, the N-formyl- and methyl-ester derivatives (compounds X-XV) were synthesized and tested on different cell lines, showing, in some cases, activity and appreciable selectivity against transformed cells. To rationalize the obtained results, molecular modeling experiments were carried out suggesting the molecular basis of FTase inhibition by these products. © 2006 American Chemical Society