Well quasi-orders and context-free grammars

Let G be a context-free grammar and let L be the language of all the words derived from any variable of G. We prove the following generalization of Higman's theorem: any division order on L is a well quasi-order on L. We also give applications of this result to some quasi-orders associated with unitary grammars. (C) 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved

Arabidopsis ANAC102, Chloroplastic or Nucleocytosolic Localization?

ANAC102 is a transcription factor involved in stress response and brassinosteroids signaling, with circadian regulation controlled by phytochromes. ANAC102 has been proposed to have a role in downregulating chloroplast transcription, which may be very useful in reducing photosynthesis and chloroplast energy demand under stress conditions. However, its localization in the chloroplast has mainly been demonstrated by using constitutive promoters. In this work, we recapitulate the literature, clarify which are ANAC102 isoforms in Arabidopsis and analyze their expressions under control conditions and in response to stress. Based on our results, the most highly expressed ANAC102 isoform encodes for a nucleocytoplasmic protein and the N-terminal chloroplast-targeting peptide appears to be present only in Brassicaceae, and not involved in stress response

A Simulation Model for Logical and Operative Clash Detection

The introduction of the Building Information Modeling (BIM) approach has facilitated the management process of documents produced by different kinds of professionals involved in the design and/or renovation of a building, through identification and subsequent management of geometrical interferences (Clash Detection). The methodology of this research proposes a tool to support Clash Detection, introducing the logical-operative dimension, that may occur with the presence of a construction site within a hospital structure, through the integration of a BIM model within a Game Engine environment, to preserve the continuity of daily hospital activities and trying to reduce negative impacts, times and costs due to construction activities

Biochemical and functional characterization of p23, a regulatory co-chaperone of HSP90 in Arabidopsis

In the present Ph.D. thesis it is reported a molecular and functional study of the Arabidopsis p23, a key component of the HSP90 complex. Homologues of the p23 co-chaperone of HSP90 have been found in all eukaryotes, suggesting conserved functions for this protein throughout evolution. While p23 has been well studied in animals, little is known about its function in plants. Arabidopsis owns two isoforms of p23 and their expression pattern was analysed in planta. We characterized the expression profile of the two isoforms founding redundant functions in the analysed pathway. In order to determine the function of the two p23 paralogue genes, we selected knockout homozygous insertional mutant lines and overexpressing transgenic lines for both genes. The analysis of the knockout mutant and overexpressing lines showed these proteins as in involved in Nitric oxide production both in physiological processes and in stress induced conditions. All the lines showed alteration in root growth parameters, suggesting a likely involvement of p23 in auxin regulation. So to understand the molecular mechanisms underlying the growth alterations observed in p23 knockout mutants, the involvement of auxin and Nitric Oxide was investigate

Endocannabinoid-related compounds in gastrointestinal diseases

The endocannabinoid system (ECS) is an endogenous signalling pathway involved in the control of several gastrointestinal (GI) functions at both peripheral and central levels. In recent years, it has become apparent that the ECS is pivotal in the regulation of GI motility, secretion and sensitivity, but endocannabinoids (ECs) are also involved in the regulation of intestinal inflammation and mucosal barrier permeability, suggesting their role in the pathophysiology of both functional and organic GI disorders. Genetic studies in patients with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) or inflammatory bowel disease have indeed shown significant associations with polymorphisms or mutation in genes encoding for cannabinoid receptor or enzyme responsible for their catabolism, respectively. Furthermore, ongoing clinical trials are testing EC agonists/antagonists in the achievement of symptomatic relief from a number of GI symptoms. Despite this evidence, there is a lack of supportive RCTs and relevant data in human beings, and hence, the possible therapeutic application of these compounds is raising ethical, political and economic concerns. More recently, the identification of several EC-like compounds able to modulate ECS function without the typical central side effects of cannabinomimetics has paved the way for emerging peripherally acting drugs. This review summarizes the possible mechanisms linking the ECS to GI disorders and describes the most recent advances in the manipulation of the ECS in the treatment of GI diseases

Beneficial Bacteria Isolated from Grapevine Inner Tissues Shape Arabidopsis thaliana Roots

We investigated the potential plant growth-promoting traits of 377 culturable endophytic bacteria, isolated from Vitis vinifera cv. Glera, as good biofertilizer candidates in vineyard management. Endophyte ability in promoting plant growth was assessed in vitro by testing ammonia production, phosphate solubilization, indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) and IAA-like molecule biosynthesis, siderophore and lytic enzyme secretion. Many of the isolates were able to mobilize phosphate (33%), release ammonium (39%), secrete siderophores (38%) and a limited part of them synthetized IAA and IAA-like molecules (5%). Effects of each of the 377 grapevine beneficial bacteria on Arabidopsis thaliana root development were also analyzed to discern plant growth-promoting abilities (PGP) of the different strains, that often exhibit more than one PGP trait. A supervised model-based clustering analysis highlighted six different classes of PGP effects on root architecture. A. thaliana DR5::GUS plantlets, inoculated with IAA-producing endophytes, resulted in altered root growth and enhanced auxin response. Overall, the results indicate that the Glera PGP endospheric culturable microbiome could contribute, by structural root changes, to obtain water and nutrients increasing plant adaptation and survival. From the complete cultivable collection, twelve promising endophytes mainly belonging to the Bacillus but also to Micrococcus and Pantoea genera, were selected for further investigations in the grapevine host plants towards future application in sustainable management of vineyards

Effects of lack of microRNA-34 on the neural circuitry underlying the stress response and anxiety

Stress-related psychiatric disorders, including anxiety, are complex diseases that have genetic, and environmental causes. Stressful experiences increase the release of prefrontal amygdala neurotransmitters, a response that is relevant to cognitive, emotional, and behavioral coping. Moreover, exposure to stress elicits anxiety-like behavior and dendritic remodeling in the amygdala. Members of the miR-34 family have been suggested to regulate synaptic plasticity and neurotransmission processes, which mediate stress-related disorders. Using mice that harbored targeted deletions of all 3 members of the miR-34-family (miR-34-TKO), we evaluated acute stress-induced basolateral amygdala (BLA)-GABAergic and medial prefrontal cortex (mpFC) aminergic outflow by intracerebral in vivo microdialysis. Moreover, we also examined fear conditioning/extinction, stress-induced anxiety, and dendritic remodeling in the BLA of stress-exposed TKO mice. We found that TKO mice showed resilience to stress-induced anxiety and facilitation in fear extinction. Accordingly, no significant increase was evident in aminergic prefrontal or amygdala GABA release, and no significant acute stress-induced amygdalar dendritic remodeling was observed in TKO mice. Differential GRM7, 5-HT2C, and CRFR1 mRNA expressionwas noted in the mpFC and BLA between TKO andWT mice. Our data demonstrate that the miR-34 has a critical function in regulating the behavioral and neurochemical response to acute stress and in inducing stress-related amygdala neuroplasticity

Single station location on small-magnitude seismic events recorded by OBS in the Ionian Sea

In May 2007, to monitor the seismic processes taking place in the Ionian region, the Centro Nazionale Terremoti, department of INGV, in the frame of the NERIES project (NA6), extended offshore through the deposition of 3 Ocean Bottom Seismometers (OBS) its seismic network. During this experiment the magnitudes of completeness (the magnitude of the smallest events that can be reliably and completely detected by the network) appreciably decreased and the precision of hypocenter estimation of medium-large magnitude earthquakes with epicentres in the Ionian Sea increased. However traveltime-based location methods are inapplicable to many earthquakes recorded only by the OBS’s. The most effective and economical methods to locate small-magnitude seismic events recorded by single three-component stations are based on the polarization analysis of broadband seismic data. The classical polarization analysis assumes that the signal is noise free, nevertheless the 3C recording includes both signal and noise and the polarization analysis is reliable only if the signal to noise ratio is very high. To statistically improve the polarization estimated attributes, we applied a noise correction to the covariance matrix. This correction is based on the assumption that in the selected time-window the noise can be regarded as a stochastic process stationary both in the time and in the space domain. To locate the earthquake hypocenters we used the back-azimuth and emergence angle of P-phase and Ts-Tp delay time. This parameters were estimated by polarization analysis. Using the 1D velocity model proposed by de Voogd (1992) for this region of Ionian Sea, we mapped the emersion angle of the seismic ray and the Ts-Tp delay time as functions of epicentral distance and focal depth. We used the punctual estimates of these parameters and the confidence intervals to determine their intersection region. This method defines in the vertical azimuthal plane the area containing the focus position with some probability. The application of this procedure to about 100 seismic events recorded only by a single OBS, allow to detect low energy seismicity near to the Hyblean-Maltese escarpement