Molecular and phenotypic characterization of <i>Quercus suber</i> L. and <i>Pinus uncinata</i> R. populations in the Mediterranean basin

The Mediterranean Basin is an hotspot for bio-geographical and evolutionary studies, showing an exceptional level of biodiversity. The main aim of this research is to explore the genetic diversity in two different Mediterranean forest species: Quercus suber L. and Pinus uncinata R. In Sardinia the cork oak is extremely abundant throughout the island, extending from the lowlands up to the average mountain areas. The chloroplast and nuclear microsatellite markers were used to evaluate the Q. suber population genetic structure across the Mediterranean origins. Phenotipic assessment is also evalueted. For cpSSR Q. suber seems to be, as a general trend, characterized by an high level of genetic diversity (FST: 0.764) among populations and showed a clear geographical pattern. Despite, the low nuclear FST value (0.088) point out a limited differentiation among populations, showing that the 91.24% of the total variation is observed within populations. No geographical patterns were revealed by nuSSR. No association between cpSSR and nuSSR has been detected. In fact the Q. suber diversity investigated using chloroplast SSR showed different scenario than nuclear SSR. In Pinus uncinata populations the 29 nuclear candidate genes analyzed had a level of genetic diversity (Hd = 0.61) lower than those observed in others pines. Genetic variation in quantitative traits has been shown in P. uncinata. This suggests that some genes may be under differential selection among populations.</br

Monitoring of TCA concentration in stoppers obtained by cork oak from different Sardinian areas

A spatial and temporal distribution analysis of TCA biosynthesis phenomenon in the cork, through the use of both analytical data of sensory type and other instrumental determinations, was performed. By means of the sensory analysis, following the methodology of ISO 20752/2007 (E), it was determined the number of TCA-positive stoppers released and the percentage of caps with different defects. In each batch of caps, different scents have been identified: corked taste, mold, abnormal odor and doubt. The processed data from sensory analysis were broken down by geographic distribution and related to the instrumental determinations

Monitoring raw cork TCA content in Sardinian woodlands

The studies on stopper contamination by TCA have focused on manufacturing phase and on relations between the wine and the cork. Less numerous are the forest and environmental monitoring research useful to evaluate whether different management models of the cork stands may have an influence on the process

Provenance behaviour in the cork-oak internationl network trials FAIR 202

The international network of provenance trials in cork-oak was established as a result of the EU Concerted Action FAIR 202, 1995-2000. 34 provenances were selected in the natural range of cork oak and trials were established in 1996/97 in France, Italy, Portugal, Tunisia and Spain. This study compares the behavior of provenances in the trials of Grighini (Sardinia), Monte Fava and Quinta da Nogueira (Portugal), Monfrague (Spain), Les Maures (France) and Tebabe (Tunisia)

IGHD3-3 fails to behave as unfavourable prognostic marker in chronic lymphocytic leukaemia

IGHD3-3 fails to behave as unfavourable prognostic marker in chronic lymphocytic leukaemia

The ALPINE-ALMA [CII] survey: dust attenuation curves at z=4.4-5.5

There is now ample evidence that dust is already present in abundance at high z. However, given the faintness of distant galaxies in the optical and the NIR, datasets are still limited and how the dust affects the emerging radiation of galaxies at very high redshift is not yet fully understood. Using the ALPINE survey, our objective is to quantify the dust attenuation properties in galaxies at z=4.4-5.5, and in particular the shape of their attenuation curve. Using the CIGALE code, we model the stellar populations and their interaction with the dust in order to measure some of the physical properties of a subsample of 23 main-sequence ALPINE galaxies. We find that the attenuation curves span a broad range of properties, from curves that are much steeper than the SMC extinction curve, to shallower than the starburst attenuation curve. The shape of the attenuation curves strongly depends on the V-band attenuation. Galaxies with the lowest attenuation also present the steepest curves. The steepness of such curves is probably the consequence of the combination of the intrinsic physical properties of the dust, the relative distribution of stars and dust in the interstellar medium, and the differential reddening. The broad range of attenuation curves found at z~5 shows that no single attenuation curve is appropriate for main sequence galaxies and that assuming a fixed curve can lead to large errors, for instance in the interpretation and use of the IRX-beta diagram, if SED modeling is not feasible. Great caution should be exercised when correcting high redshift galaxies for the presence of dust using the UV slope beta as it can affect the estimation of both SFR and stellar mass even at low V-band attenuation due to the steepness of the attenuation curve. However, when SED modeling can be used, the impact of the choice of the attenuation curve on the SFR and the stellar mass is limited.Comment: 20 pages, 14 figures. Accepted for publication in A&

Long-term follow-up of patients with follicular lymphoma receiving single-agent rituximab at two different schedules in trial SAKK 35/98

PURPOSE: We report the long-term results of a randomized clinical trial comparing induction therapy with once per week for 4 weeks single-agent rituximab alone versus induction followed by 4 cycles of maintenance therapy every 2 months in patients with follicular lymphoma. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Patients (prior chemotherapy 138; chemotherapy-naive 64) received single-agent rituximab and if nonprogressive, were randomly assigned to no further treatment (observation) or four additional doses of rituximab given at 2-month intervals (prolonged exposure). RESULTS: At a median follow-up of 9.5 years and with all living patients having been observed for at least 5 years, the median event-free survival (EFS) was 13 months for the observation and 24 months for the prolonged exposure arm (P < .001). In the observation arm, patients without events at 8 years were 5%, while in the prolonged exposure arm they were 27%. Of previously untreated patients receiving prolonged treatment after responding to rituximab induction, at 8 years 45% were still without event. The only favorable prognostic factor for EFS in a multivariate Cox regression was the prolonged rituximab schedule (hazard ratio, 0.59; 95% CI, 0.39 to 0.88; P = .009), whereas being chemotherapy naive, presenting with stage lower than IV, and showing a VV phenotype at position 158 of the Fc-gamma RIIIA receptor were not of independent prognostic value. No long-term toxicity potentially due to rituximab was observed. CONCLUSION: An important proportion of patients experienced long-term remission after prolonged exposure to rituximab, particularly if they had no prior treatment and responded to rituximab induction

Night shift work and lymphoma: results from an Italian multicentre case-control study

Background: Night shift work can disrupt circadian rhythm and cause chronic sleep deprivation, which might increase the risk of lymphoma through immunosuppression and oxidative stress. Material and methods: We investigated the association between night shift work and risk of lymphoma subtypes in 867 incident cases and 774 controls, who participated in a multicentre Italian study between 2011 and 2017. Based on questionnaire information, occupational experts assessed the lifetime probability of night shift work, the total number of night shifts and years of night shift work among study participants. OR and 95% CI for lymphoma and its major subtypes associated with night shift work was calculated with logistic regression, adjusting by age, gender, education, study area, marital status and family history of haemolymphatic cancer. Results: Ever working night shifts was associated with an increase in the risk of chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL) (OR 1.9, 95% CI 1.14 to 3.32), which was highest after a 15-34 years latency. However, there was not a linear increase in risk by probability of exposure, years of night shift work, nor lifetime number of night shifts whether under rotating or permanent work schedules. Risk of lymphoma overall, B cell lymphoma (BCL), its major subtypes other than CLL, and other less prevalent BCL subtypes combined did not show an association. Conclusions: We found conflicting evidence of an association between night shift work and the risk of CLL. We did not observe an association with other lymphoma subtypes

Rituximab Maintenance for a Maximum of 5 Years After Single-Agent Rituximab Induction in Follicular Lymphoma: Results of the Randomized Controlled Phase III Trial SAKK 35/03

PURPOSE Rituximab maintenance therapy has been shown to improve progression-free survival in patients with follicular lymphoma; however, the optimal duration of maintenance treatment remains unknown. PATIENTS AND METHODS Two hundred seventy patients with untreated, relapsed, stable, or chemotherapy-resistant follicular lymphoma were treated with four doses of rituximab monotherapy in weekly intervals (375 mg/m(2)). Patients achieving at least a partial response were randomly assigned to receive maintenance therapy with one infusion of rituximab every 2 months, either on a short-term schedule (four administrations) or a long-term schedule (maximum of 5 years or until disease progression or unacceptable toxicity). The primary end point was event-free survival (EFS). Progression-free survival, overall survival (OS), and toxicity were secondary end points. Comparisons between the two arms were performed using the log-rank test for survival end points. RESULTS One hundred sixty-five patients were randomly assigned to the short-term (n = 82) or long-term (n = 83) maintenance arms. Because of the low event rate, the final analysis was performed after 95 events had occurred, which was before the targeted event number of 99 had been reached. At a median follow-up period of 6.4 years, the median EFS was 3.4 years (95% CI, 2.1 to 5.3) in the short-term arm and 5.3 years (95% CI, 3.5 to not available) in the long-term arm (P = .14). Patients in the long-term arm experienced more adverse effects than did those in the short-term arm, with 76% v 50% of patients with at least one adverse event (P < .001), five versus one patient with grade 3 and 4 infections, and three versus zero patients discontinuing treatment because of unacceptable toxicity, respectively. There was no difference in OS between the two groups. CONCLUSION Long-term rituximab maintenance therapy does not improve EFS, which was the primary end point of this trial, or OS, and was associated with increased toxicity