New methodologies to analyze and study the Hellenistic-Roman quarter in Agrigento

The Agrigento: insula III Project began in 2016 thanks to an agreement between the Parco Archeologico e Paesaggistico Valle dei Templi di Agrigento and DiSCi - Bologna University; it aims to document an entire sector of the Hellenistic-Roman quarter, in a three-year period. The main goal is to start a systematic study of private housing from the Archaic period to Late Antiquity and, at the same time, provide a critical understanding of the town planning scheme in this part of the town, which still lacks a modern archaeological and topographical documentation. The interpretation of the previous documentation is the starting point, along with new mapping with laser scanning and a systematic campaign of geophysical investigations to obtain a BIM. As the Bologna University tradition teaches, modern technologies can answer precise historical and archaeological questions: what are the primary phases of the town map? Which one is the starting module of each lot and what are the changes in different ages? Is it possible to reconstruct the original architecture of Hellenistic houses? What is the relationship between this quarter and the rest of the town? The integration of traditional investigational techniques with more recent ones is the methodological assumption of the project, in order to solve the analysis of the complex stratigraphy of the setting, which was inhabited for at least a millennium, from the Archaic to the Middle Ages

Plant MYB Transcription Factors: Their Role in Drought Response Mechanisms

Water scarcity is one of the major causes of poor plant performance and limited crop yields worldwide and it is the single most common cause of severe food shortage in developing countries. Several molecular networks involved in stress perception, signal transduction and stress responses in plants have been elucidated so far. Transcription factors are major players in water stress signaling. In recent years, different MYB transcription factors, mainly in Arabidopsis thaliana (L.) Heynh. but also in some crops, have been characterized for their involvement in drought response. For some of them there is evidence supporting a specific role in response to water stress, such as the regulation of stomatal movement, the control of suberin and cuticular waxes synthesis and the regulation of flower development. Moreover, some of these genes have also been characterized for their involvement in other abiotic or biotic stresses, an important feature considering that in nature, plants are often simultaneously subjected to multiple rather than single environmental perturbations. This review summarizes recent studies highlighting the role of the MYB family of transcription factors in the adaptive responses to drought stress. The practical application value of MYBs in crop improvement, such as stress tolerance engineering, is also discussed

Painful constipation: a neglected entity?

Functional chronic constipation is a common symptom in daily clinical practice. Although the definition of constipation may be variable, there is usually agreement that (at least for research purposes) the definition given by the Rome Committee are useful. However, some blind spots or hidden angles remain, even in the more thorough classifications; among these, there is painful constipation, a poorly defined yet clinically encountered entity. The present article reviews the current knowledge about painful constipation, trying to put together the scarce data available, and to frame it in the more general context of chronic constipation

A meta-analysis of comparative transcriptomic data reveals a set of key genes involved in the tolerance to abiotic stresses in rice

Several environmental factors, such as drought, salinity, and extreme temperatures, negatively affect plant growth and development, which leads to yield losses. The tolerance or sensitivity to abiotic stressors are the expression of a complex machinery involving molecular, biochemical, and physiological mechanisms. Here, a meta-analysis on previously published RNA-Seq data was performed to identify the genes conferring tolerance to chilling, osmotic, and salt stresses, by comparing the transcriptomic changes between tolerant and susceptible rice genotypes. Several genes encoding transcription factors (TFs) were identified, suggesting that abiotic stress tolerance involves upstream regulatory pathways. A gene co-expression network defined the metabolic and signalling pathways with a prominent role in the differentiation between tolerance and susceptibility: (i) the regulation of endogenous abscisic acid (ABA) levels, through the modulation of genes that are related to its biosynthesis/catabolism, (ii) the signalling pathways mediated by ABA and jasmonic acid, (iii) the activity of the \u201cDrought and Salt Tolerance\u201d TF, involved in the negative regulation of stomatal closure, and (iv) the regulation of flavonoid biosynthesis by specific MYB TFs. The identified genes represent putative key players for conferring tolerance to a broad range of abiotic stresses in rice; a fine-tuning of their expression seems to be crucial for rice plants to cope with environmental cues

THE IMPLANT TREATMENT OF TWO PATIENTS SUFFERING FROM SJÖGREN’S SYNDROME WITH MULTIFACTORIAL REGENERATIVE PROTOCOL

The purpose of the work is to show that it is possible to rehabilitate with Multifatorial Regenerative Protocol (MFRP) also the patients with diseases considered to be absolute contraindications to the implant rehabilitation. For the rehabilitation it has been used the PBR rehabilitation technique, that allows to insert prosthetic roots not excessively traumatizing the bone tissue and to avoid the use of high speed rotary burs. Despite the disease and the poor bone quality, it has been possible to obtain the osteo-connection only in 45 days. Using the MFRP implants, it is possible to rehabilitate with a high percentage of success also patients with poor bone quality and density

Erythrocyte morphology automated analysis: proposal for a new prediction tool of essential hypertension diagnosis

Erythrocyte morphology has already been studied in essential hypertension (EH) and cell membrane alterations have been observed. Relationships among red cell rheological, biochemical, and morphological properties still appear complex and are not clearly understood

L’influenza dell’attaccamento e della sensibilità diadica genitorialesullo sviluppo psicomotorio del bambino nato pretermine

Lo scopo di questa ricerca è studiare i precursori dell’attaccamento e la sensibilità diadica genitoriale nelle famiglie con bambino nato pretermine. Sono state considerate 110 famiglie delle quali 55 con figli nati pretermine ( peso alla nascita < 1500 gr.) per un totale di 330 soggetti valutati durante i primi sei mesi di età corretta del bambino. Le diadi madre-bambino e padre-bambino sono state sottoposte al CARE-Index, una procedura videoregistrata per la valutazione dei precursori dell’attaccamento; ad entrambi i genitori sono stati somministrati CES-D, per la valutazione della depressione e STAI Y-2, per la valutazione dell’ansia di tratto. Lo sviluppo psicomotorio dei neonati è stato valutato tramite le scale Bayley. Rispetto ai controlli, nelle madri dei bambini pretermine sono stati evidenziati bassi punteggi di Sensibilità Diadica al CARE-Index (p=.025) ed elevati livelli di ansia (p=.026). Nei padri sono stati riscontrati bassi punteggi di Sensibilità Diadica (p=.004) e alti livelli di sintomi depressivi (p=.003). Nelle famiglie pretermine i precursori dell’attaccamento sono più frequentemente di tipo insicuro nelle madri (p=.000) e nei padri (p=.000), mentre nei neonati solo nell’interazione con la madre (p=012). Questi fattori sono risultati associati a minori punteggi alle scale Bayley (p=.000). Nelle madri dei neonati pretermine si riscontrano frequenti difficoltà con la famiglia di origine, nei padri una percezione negativa del proprio bambino e una maggiore insoddisfazione per l’assistenza ricevuta. Questi risultati evidenziano che il 40% delle madri e il 75% dei padri dei bambini nati pretermine rientra nella fascia ad alto rischio del CARE-Index (che richiede un trattamento psicologico e/o farmacologico). In tali casi, la scarsa sensibilità diadica, i precursori di attaccamento insicuro e le difficoltà psicologiche dei genitori sembrano influenzare lo sviluppo psicomotorio del bambino

Attachment forerunners, dyadic sensitivity and development of the child in families with a preterm born baby

Objective: The aim of this study is to explore attachment forerunners and dyadic sensitivity in the family with preterm born child. Methods: 89 families, 35 with preterm born children ( 2500 gr.) were studied from 3 months to 1 year corrected age (267 total subjects). Mother-child and father-child couples were subjected to CARE-Index and both parents to DAS, CES-D and STAI Y-2. The child\u2019s psychomotor development was assessed by Bayley Scales. Results: The mothers of preterm children presented high risk interactive behaviors at CARE-Index (low scores at Dyadic Sensitivity Scale, p = .000), high anxiety (p = .003) and depression (p = .03). Preterm fathers presented low scores at Dyadic Sensitivity Scale (p = .000) and high anxiety (p = .024). In interaction, attachment forerunners suggest an insecure attachment in preterm mothers (p = .001) and fathers (p = .000) and in preterm children in the interaction with the mother (p = .028). These risk factors were correlated, in both parents, with low performance of the child at Bayley Scales (p =.04). Fathers of preterm children presented also a negative perception of the child and an unsatisfied perception of the hospital care. Conclusions: The results show in the preterm family that 40% of mothers and 75% of fathers are in high risk area suggested by CARE-Index. In these cases, insecure attachment forerunners, low dyadic sensitivity and psychological difficulties (couple conflicts, anxiety, depression) seem to influence the psychomotor development of the preterm child