Effects of long term application of compost and poultry manure on soil quality of citrus orchards in Southern Italy.

A six-year study was carried out in an organically managed orange orchard located in Sicily (Southern Italy) to assess the effect of compost and organic fertilizers utilisation on soil quality. Adopting a randomized-block experimental design with three replicates, four treatments were carried out. In treatments 1 and 2, two different composts (C1 from distillery by products and C2 from livestock wastes) were applied. The plots of treatment 3 were fertilized using dried poultry manure. The control treatment was fertilized with mineral/synthetic fertilizers. In order to verify the hypothesis that composts and organic fertilizers improve soil fertility, soil quality was evaluated by selecting dynamic soil parameters, as indicators linked to C and N cycles. Total organic C, total N, C/N ratio, humified fraction, isoelectric focusing (IEF) of extracted organic matter, microbial biomass C, potentially mineralisable N under anaerobic conditions, potenzially mineralizable C, C mineralization quotient and metabolic quotient were determined for each sample. Furthermore, the Comunity level Physiological Profile (by Biolog tecnique) was defined, calculating derived functional biodiversity and versatility indexes. Parameters related to IEF and potentially mineralizable C showed significant differences among the treatments. Moreover, total C, total N and humification parameters tended to increase, while no differences were observed in biodiversity indexes. On these findings, it was concluded that composts and poultry manure only weakly affected soil properties, though they increased soil nutritive elements potentially available to crops

Transcriptional control of the B3GALT5 gene by a retroviral promoter and methylation of distant regulatory elements

We focused on transcription factors and epigenetic marks that regulate the B3GALT5 gene through its retroviral long terminal repeat (LTR) promoter. We compared the expression levels of the B3GALT5 LTR transcript, quantitated by competitive RT-PCR, with those of the candidate transcription factors HNF1\u3b1/\u3b2 and Cdx1/2, determined by Western blot analysis, in colon cancer biopsies, various cell lines, and cell models serving as controls. We found that HNF1\u3b1/\u3b2 were easily detected, irrespective of the amount of LTR transcript expressed by the source, whereas Cdx1/2 were undetectable, and no sample lacking HNF1\u3b1/\u3b2 expressed the LTR transcript. On transfection in proper host cells, both HNF1\u3b1 and HNF1\u3b2 provided detectable LTR transcript, whereas shRNA-mediated silencing of HNF1\u3b2 impaired transcription. Treating cells with 5\u2032-aza-2\u2032-deoxycytidine (5AZA) strongly reduced expression, without affecting HNF1\u3b1/\u3b2, despite the lack of CpG islands in the LTR and proximal sequences. By electrophoresis mobility shift and luciferase reporter assays, the LTR promoter binding and activity did not correlate with the amounts of LTR transcript expressed in the cells and depended on the levels of the transcription factors. We conclude that HNF1\u3b1/\u3b2 are necessary but insufficient to activate and regulate B3GALT5 LTR transcription, which depends on unknown regulatory elements that are active when methylated and located outside of and far from the LTR promoter

The expanding roles of the Sda/Cad carbohydrate antigen and its cognate glycosyltransferase B4GALNT2

Background The histo-blood group antigens are carbohydrate structures present in tissues and body fluids, which contribute to the definition of the individual immunophenotype. One of these, the Sda antigen, is expressed on the surface of erythrocytes and in secretions of the vast majority of the Caucasians and other ethnic groups. Scope of review We describe the multiple and unsuspected aspects of the biology of the Sda antigen and its biosynthetic enzyme \u3b21,4-N-acetylgalactosaminyltransferase 2 (B4GALNT2) in various physiological and pathological settings. Major conclusions The immunodominant sugar of the Sda antigen is a \u3b21,4-linked N-acetylgalactosamine (GalNAc). Its cognate glycosyltransferase B4GALNT2 displays a restricted pattern of tissue expression, is regulated by unknown mechanisms - including promoter methylation, and encodes at least two different proteins, one of which with an unconventionally long cytoplasmic portion. In different settings, the Sda antigen plays multiple and unsuspected roles. 1) In colon cancer, its dramatic down-regulation plays a potential role in the overexpression of sialyl Lewis antigens, increasing metastasis formation. 2) It is involved in the lytic function of murine cytotoxic T lymphocytes. 3) It prevents the development of muscular dystrophy in various dystrophic murine models, when overexpressed in muscular fibers. 4) It regulates the circulating half-life of the von Willebrand factor (vWf), determining the onset of a bleeding disorder in a murine model. General significance The expression of the Sda antigen has a wide impact on the physiology and the pathology of different biological systems

Anthropic pressures on Nature 2000 Sites: recommendations and monitoring criteria for the pollution emergency response activities within the Orbetello lagoon

L’elevato valore naturalistico e socioeconomico di un Sito Natura 2000 richiede che tutte le attività antropiche che si svolgono al suo interno (es. pesca, turismo, trasporti, attività industriali, etc.) siano gestite in maniera tale da non pregiudicare le specie e gli habitat per i quali l’area è stata designata. Molti di questi Siti sono ambienti di transizione, ovvero zone che costituiscono il passaggio naturale tra terra e mare. La loro posizione di interfaccia tra questi due ambienti li rende ecosistemi unici e biologicamente molto produttivi, sede di meccanismi di regolazione dei processi interattivi della biosfera nelle due fasi, terrestre e marina. In alcuni Siti la presenza di attività antropiche diffuse e prolungate nel tempo ha portato al riscontro di stati di contaminazione elevata, fino all’inclusione di queste zone, o parti di esse, tra i Siti di bonifica di Interesse Nazionale (SIN). Il presente lavoro descrive le linee di indirizzo e le attività di monitoraggio da attuare per la salvaguardia della salute pubblica e dell’ambiente nel corso degli interventi di messa in sicurezza di emergenza predisposti nell’area lagunare antistante l’area industriale Ex Sitoco, all’interno della perimetrazione del SIN di Orbetello, incluso in un Sito di Importanza Comunitaria. Le matrici ambientali potenzialmente a rischio a causa dell’esecuzione di tali interventi sono: acqua, sedimento, biocenosi acquatiche, avifauna, uomo. È altresì importante valutare gli effetti che le ipotetiche modifiche su microscala, apportate a livello di ogni matrice, potrebbero causare nel lungo periodo su macroscala.The high naturalistic and socio-economic value of Natura 2000 sites requires that all human activities performed within their borders (e.g. fishing, tourism, transports, industrial activities) are regulated. Indeed, the site management should assure the effective safeguard of all species and habitats of European interest included in the protected area. A lot of such sites are located in transitional environments, that are areas characterised by a natural progression from the terrestrial to the water environments. Such environments include unique and very productive habitats, and they represent the regulation mechanisms of the interactive processes of the terrestrial and marine biosphere. In some sites, the presence of human activities that are distributed both in space and time has led to high levels of contamination, that in some cases even required their inclusion in Reclamation Sites of National Interest (SIN). The present study describes the planning and monitoring activities to be performed in order to safeguard human and environment health during the actions of MISE in the lagoonal area in front of the industrial area Ex Sitoco, within the borders of the Orbetello SIN, included in a SCI. The environmental parameters that are potentially at risk due to such activities are: water, sediment, water biocenosis, birds, humans. Furthermore, it is important to evaluate the effects that potential variations at the microscale level may cause at the macroscale level

Effect of Peat-Reduced and Peat-Free Substrates on Rosemary Growth

The objective of this work was to study the use of four composts, obtained by agro-industrial, urban and green wastes, as growing media components on Rosmarinus officinalis L. Substrates were obtained by mixing each compost with peat in different proportions. Main physical and chemical characteristics of prepared substrates have been compared and, at the end of growing cycle, the biometric survey on main growing parameters and plant nutritional status was performed. The obtained results showed that substrates with 30% compost have main physical and chemical parameters comparable with those of the control. Best quality plants have been obtained substituting peat with 30% of compost, except with the olive mill compost. At the end, the green pruning compost can be recommended as growing media component (up to 50%) for the growth of Rosmarinus officinalis L., being able to determine high quality plants, together with an implemented plant nutrient efficiency

Overview of farmers expected benefits of diversification. Report on national stakeholder involvement.

Seven different European countries are participating in a transnational project SUREVEG (Strip-cropping and recycling of waste for biodiverse and resoURce-Efficient intensive VEGetable production). SUREVEG focuses on developing and implementing new diversified, intensive organic cropping systems using strip-cropping and fertility strategies from plant-based fertilizers for improved resilience, system sustainability, local nutrient recycling and soil carbon storage. This study focuses on providing references concerning benefits and drawbacks of strip-cropping and plant residues for soil fertility in field vegetable production at medium sized organic farms. Specifically to identify local stakeholders’ knowledge and develop ideas in an iterative approach on benefits of diversification in space, time and genes, and plant-based fertilizers. Activities included workshops with stakeholder involvement, to increase awareness and dialogue on strip-cropping and identify local technical and practical knowledge on organic systems. A survey was developed as a tool for having a more systematic discussion with the stakeholders in the workshops. With a selection of questions to analysis the performance criteria of strip-cropping in farmers perspective a transnational comparison of the findings is presented,. The workshops and surveys were executed in six different European countries. In total approximately 140 farmers and other stakeholders were participating in the workshops and 38 farmers filled out the survey. The outcome of the survey and workshops in the different countries suggests that most farmers think fairly equally about the added values of strip-cropping. Higher resistance of crops against plagues and diseases is ranked high in all countries. This is followed by soil quality and benefits from increased agroecosystem biodiversity. Only Belgian farmers mentioned higher yield as an important added value, however certain individual farmers in different counties have ranked it high as well. Divers answers were given on the question on the most suitable width of the cropping-strips. For farmers this depends mostly on the machinery farmers have available for their daily practices. For the importance of crop traits, the efficient use of nutrients and resilience against diseases and plagues scored high throughout all countries investigated. Only Italian farmers mentioned nitrogen-fixing capacity as an important trait. The farmers in all countries thought the same about expected bottlenecks for implementing strip-cropping system: harvesting, weed control and technical problems. The information obtained by the survey and workshops in the different countries is input for the experimental design of field trials in each country. Some countries changed their set-up for following years. To conclude, in the participating countries, the use of strip-cropping is still limited. The farmers participating, consider strip-cropping a promising innovation. However, a lot of basic questions about strip-cropping still need to be answered for farmers before implementing strip-cropping. Farmers in every country will benefit from a database of best crops combinations. In Finland, the farmers explicitly mentioned the need of good companion crops for Brassicaceae and Apiaceae vegetables (suitable trap crops)

Expression of carbohydrate-antigen sialyl-Lewis a on colon cancer cells promotes xenograft growth and angiogenesis in nude mice

We investigated the role of carbohydrate antigen sialyl-Lewis a (sLea), an E-selectin ligand and epitope of tumor marker CA19.9, in the development of xenografts in nude mice. To this end, animals were inoculated with the human colon cancer cell line HCT-15, expressing no Lewis antigens, or with a clone expressing sLea (HCT-15-T5). The size of HCT-15-T5 xenografts appeared larger than those of HCT-15 and their average weight was over twice bigger. In both xenografts the mitotic index was found elevated, as determined by Ki-67 assay, and no apoptosis was detected in the tumor cells by both caspase 8 or TUNEL assays. Some apoptotic signals were instead detected in the vessels. Conversely, microvessel density, determined through CD-31 immunohistochemistry, was found 3.2-folds bigger in HCT-15-T5 xenografts (p < 0.012). Only the membranes of HCT-15-T5 cells grown as xenografts reacted intensively with the anti CA19.9 antibody 1116-NS-19-9 by immunofluorescence, but not by immunohistochemistry. Unknown structures were instead stained by such technique in both xenografts, as were in mouse tissues not expressing the antigen and in human colon adenocarcinoma. We conclude that expression of sLea on the surface of colon cancer cells improves xenograft growth and is associated with enhanced angiogenesis, while immunohistochemistry with 1116-NS-19-9 antibody appears not suitable to determine CA19.9 expression

Levers and Obstacles of Effective Research and Innovation for Organic Food and Farming in Italy

The objectives of this paper are to present the dynamic of organic food and farming (OFF) research and innovation, to outline challenges in deploying programs and accessing funding, and to define key actions to foster the development of tailored quality research on organic farming in Italy. The baseline starts from the main outcomes that emerged during the World Caf\ue9 held in the frame of the Salone Internazionale del biologico e del naturale (SANA Expo) in 2018, where the Italian OFF research community met to build a convergence on scope and modus operandi in the research endeavor. These outcomes were examined in the light of the key features of the research and innovation projects funded in Italy in the last 10 years, respectively by the Italian Ministry of Agriculture and the regional administrations through the innovation support instruments in the Rural Development Plan programming periods. In the period 2009\u20132018, 70 research projects for a total funding of 21.081 million \ubf (&lt;0.1% of the value of the sector) were launched, addressing nine dierent topic areas. Over a similar period (2007\u20132019), 53 regional innovation projects addressing organic farming were activated for a total budget of 14.299 million \ubf (&lt;10% of the entire available funding). The implementation of interventions in the research and the innovation areas were often scattered in terms of the topics, disciplines, and types of supply chain/network addressed. The relatively high share of multi/interdisciplinary research and innovation projects aswell as the acknowledgement of the multi-actor approach as a fundamental step toward co-research and co-innovation were upshots that emerged from our analysis. The outcomes of this study can be used by competent national and the regional authorities to design their future research and innovation policies and interventions