Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi affect total phenolics content and antioxidant activity in leaves of oak leaf lettuce varieties

Plant secondary metabolites are considered key bioactive compounds for a healthy diet. Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) may interact with host plant metabolism, inducing the accumulation of health-promoting phytochemicals and antioxidant molecules. Lettuce is a largely consumed vegetable, which may interact with AMF to alter its content of secondary metabolites and natural antioxidants molecules, as previously shown in cultivars belonging to var. capitata or var. longifolia. In this study, the effects of red and green leaf Lactuca sativa var. crispa inoculation with different AMF species, Rhizoglomus irregulare and Funneliformis mosseae, were investigated, by assessing the total phenolics and anthocyanins content, and the antioxidant activity of leaf tissue. A significant increase of antioxidant activity and of phenolics were observed in plants of both cultivars inoculated with R. irregulare, compared to non inoculated plants. Likewise, anthocyanins (in red leaf lettuce) were more abundant in inoculated plants than in controls. Altogether, the results indicate that R. irregulare strain showed a stronger ability than F. mosseae in affecting plant metabolism and that mycorrhizal inoculation may be used to enhance concentration of phenolics in leaf type lettuces, provided that a suitable AMF is selected

PIXE mapping on multiphase fluid inclusions in endoskarn xenoliths of AD 472 eruption of Vesuvius (Italy)

In this work we report a microthermometric and proton-induced X-ray emission (PIXE) mapping investigation on multiphase fluid inclusions hosted within nepheline and clinopyroxene of endoskarn xenoliths present in the deposits of the AD 472 eruption of Vesuvius. PIXE mapping on magmatic fluid inclusions repesents a useful tool for the characterization of the composition of magma derived fluids, exsolved from active magma chambers. In fluid inclusions we observed the occurrence of widespread solid phases formed by Fe, Pb, Zn, As ± Cu ± Mn, suggesting the good metal transport capability of Vesuvius magmatic fluids, which interacted with carbonate country rocks leading to the formation of endoskarn

Ecological implications beyond the ecotoxicity of plastic debris on marine phytoplankton assemblage structure and functioning

none7noPlastic pollution is a global issue posing a threat to marine biota with ecological implications on ecosystem functioning. Micro and nanoplastic impact on phytoplankton autotrophic species (e.g., cell growth inhibition, decrease in chlorophyll a and photosynthetic efficiency and hetero-aggregates formation) have been largely documented. However, the heterogeneity of data makes rather difficult a comparison based on size (i.e. micro vs nano). In addition, knowledge gaps on the ecological impact on phytoplankton assemblage structure and functioning are evident. A new virtual meta-analysis on cause-effect relationships of micro and nanoplastics on phytoplankton species revealed the significant effect posed by polymer type on reducing cell density for tested PVC, PS and PE plastics. Linked with autotrophic phytoplankton role in atmospheric CO2 fixation, a potential impact of plastics on marine carbon pump is discussed. The understanding of the effects of microplastics and nanoplastics on the phytoplankton functioning is fundamental to raise awareness on the overall impact on the first level of marine food web. Interactions between micro and nanoplastics and phytoplankton assemblages have been quite documented by in vitro examinations; but, further studies considering natural plankton assemblages and/or large mesocosm experiments should be performed to evaluate and try predicting ecological impacts on primary producers.openCasabianca Silvia, Bellingeri Arianna, Capellacci Samuela, Sbrana Alice, Russo Tommaso, Corsi Ilaria, Penna AntonellaCasabianca, Silvia; Bellingeri, Arianna; Capellacci, Samuela; Sbrana, Alice; Russo, Tommaso; Corsi, Ilaria; Penna, Antonell

Correlated fragile site expression allows the identification of candidate fragile genes involved in immunity and associated with carcinogenesis

Common fragile sites (cfs) are specific regions in the human genome that are particularly prone to genomic instability under conditions of replicative stress. Several investigations support the view that common fragile sites play a role in carcinogenesis. We discuss a genome-wide approach based on graph theory and Gene Ontology vocabulary for the functional characterization of common fragile sites and for the identification of genes that contribute to tumour cell biology. CFS were assembled in a network based on a simple measure of correlation among common fragile site patterns of expression. By applying robust measurements to capture in quantitative terms the non triviality of the network, we identified several topological features clearly indicating departure from the Erdos-Renyi random graph model. The most important outcome was the presence of an unexpected large connected component far below the percolation threshold. Most of the best characterized common fragile sites belonged to this connected component. By filtering this connected component with Gene Ontology, statistically significant shared functional features were detected. Common fragile sites were found to be enriched for genes associated to the immune response and to mechanisms involved in tumour progression such as extracellular space remodeling and angiogenesis. Our results support the hypothesis that fragile sites serve a function; we propose that fragility is linked to a coordinated regulation of fragile genes expression.Comment: 18 pages, accepted for publication in BMC Bioinformatic

Net gain: Low-cost, trawl-associated eDNA samplers upscale ecological assessment of marine demersal communities

Marine biodiversity stewardship requires costly and time-consuming capture-based monitoring techniques, which limit our understanding of the distribution and status of marine populations. Here, we reconstruct catch and demersal community compo- sition in a set of 24 fishing sites in the central Tyrrhenian Sea by gathering environ- mental DNA (eDNA) aboard commercial bottom-trawl fishing vessels. We collected genetic material from two sources: the water draining from the net after the end of hauling operations (“slush”), and custom-made rolls of gauze tied to a hollow perfo- rated sphere placed inside the fishing net (“metaprobe”). Species inventories were generated using a combination of fish-specific (Tele02 12S) and universal metazoan (COI) molecular markers. DNA metabarcoding data recovered over 90% of the caught taxa and accurately reconstructed the overall structure of the assemblages of the examined sites, reflecting expected differences linked to major drivers of community structure in Mediterranean demersal ecosystems, such as depth, distance from the coast, and fishing effort. eDNA also returned a “biodiversity bonus” mostly consisting of pelagic species not catchable by bottom trawl but present in the surrounding en- vironment. Overall, the “metaprobe” gauzes showed a greater biodiversity detection power as compared to “slush” water, both qualitatively and quantitatively, strengthen- ing the idea that these low-cost sampling devices can play a major role in upscaling the gathering of data on both catch composition and the broader ecological charac- teristics of marine communities sustaining trawling activities. This approach has the potential to drastically expand the reach of ecological monitoring, whereby fishing vessels operating across the oceans may serve as opportunistic scientific platforms to increase the strength and granularity of marine biodiversity data

Mechanical and Electrophysiological Properties of the Sarcolemma of Muscle Fibers in Two Murine Models of Muscle Dystrophy: Col6a1−/− and Mdx

This study aimed to analyse the sarcolemma of Col6a1−/− fibers in comparison with wild type and mdx fibers, taken as positive control in view of the known structural and functional alterations of their membranes. Structural and mechanical properties were studied in single muscle fibers prepared from FDB muscle using atomic force microscopy (AFM) and conventional electrophysiological techniques to measure ionic conductance and capacitance. While the sarcolemma topography was preserved in both types of dystrophic fibers, membrane elasticity was significantly reduced in Col6a1−/− and increased in mdx fibers. In the membrane of Col6a1−/− fibers ionic conductance was increased likely due to an increased leakage, whereas capacitance was reduced, and the action potential (ap) depolarization rate was reduced. The picture emerging from experiments on fibers in culture was consistent with that obtained on intact freshly dissected muscle. Mdx fibers in culture showed a reduction of both membrane conductance and capacitance. In contrast, in mdx intact FDB muscle resting conductance was increased while resting potential and ap depolarization rate were reduced, likely indicating the presence of a consistent population of severely altered fibers which disappear during the culture preparation

Organic farming systems for adaptation to and mitigation of climate change: Effects on soil fertility and resource use efficiency

Organic farming is pointed as one of the most sustainable farming practices in terms of environmental sustainability and climate change mitigation potential. At the core of organic farming practices there are practices aimed at improving soil fertility, increasing soil C content and enhancing system biodiversity. A long-term field experiment (LTE) (MASCOT) was started on 2001 in San Piero a Grado, Pisa (Italy) with the aim to compare two different cropping systems, one managed organically and one conventionally, in terms of agronomical, economic and environmental sustainability. In 2016, the MASCOT was redesigned as a full system trial and the organic system was reshaped according to up to date agroecological standards. Climate change adaptation capacity of the two systems is being assessed through agronomic and economic parameters, whilst greenhouse gas emission mitigation potential is mainly expressed in terms of soil C sequestration

Carbapenem-Sparing Antibiotic Regimens for Infections Caused by Klebsiella pneumoniae Carbapenemase-Producing K. pneumoniae in Intensive Care Unit

A carbapenem-sparing regimen of tigecycline plus gentamicin or colistin was effective for treating 24 of 26 (92%) Klebsiella pneumoniae carbapenemase-producing K. pneumoniae infectious episodes in 22 polytrauma intensive care unit patients without comorbidities. The 30-day crude mortality rate was 14%. Regimens were considered appropriate in 12% of episodes according to the Vitek 2 System and in 100% based on E-test

DNA metabarcoding of trawling bycatch reveals diversity and distribution patterns of sharks and rays in the central Tyrrhenian Sea

Conservation and management of chondrichthyans are becoming increasingly important, as many species are particularly vulnerable to fishing activities, primarily as bycatch, which leads to incomplete catch reporting, potentially hiding the impact on these organisms. Here, we aimed at implementing an eDNA metabarcoding approach to reconstruct shark and ray bycatch composition from 24 hauls of a bottom trawl fishing vessel in the central Mediterranean. eDNA samples were collected through the passive filtration of seawater by simple gauze rolls encapsulated in a probe (the "metaprobe"), which already showed great efficiency in detecting marine species from trace DNA in the environment. To improve molecular taxonomic detection, we enhanced the 12S target marker reference library by generating sequences for 14 Mediterranean chondrichthyans previously unrepresented in public repositories. DNA metabarcoding data correctly identifies almost all bycaught species and detected five additional species not present in the net, highlighting the potential of this method to detect rare species. Chondrichthyan diversity showed significant association with some key environmental variables (depth and distance from the coast) and the fishing effort, which are known to influence demersal communities. As DNA metabarcoding progressively positions itself as a staple tool for biodiversity monitoring, we expect that its melding with opportunistic, fishery-dependent surveys could reveal additional distribution features of threatened and elusive megafauna