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Chromerids are a group of alveolates, found in corals, that show peculiar morphological and genomic features. These organisms are evolutionary placed in-between symbiotic dinoflagellates and parasitic apicomplexans. There are two known species of chromerids: Chromera velia and Vitrella brassicaformis. Here, the biochemical composition of the C. velia cell wall was analyzed. Several polysaccharides adorn this structure, with glucose being the most abundant monosaccharide (approx. 80%) and predominantly 4-linked (approx. 60%), suggesting that the chromerids cell wall is mostly cellulosic. The presence of cellulose was cytochemically confirmed with calcofluor white staining of the algal cell. The remaining wall polysaccharides, assuming structures are similar to those of higher plants, are indicative of a mixture of galactans, xyloglucans, heteroxylans, and heteromannans. The present work provides, for the first time, insights into the outermost layers of the photosynthetic alveolate C. velia.

Symbiodiniaceae algae are often photosymbionts of reef-building corals. The establishment of their symbiosis resembles a microbial infection where eukaryotic pattern recognition receptors (e.g. lectins) are thought to recognize a specific range of taxon-specific microbial-associated molecular patterns (e.g. glycans). The present study used the sea anemone, Exaiptasia diaphana and three species of Symbiodiniaceae (the homologous Breviolum minutum, the heterologous-compatible Cladocopium goreaui and the heterologous-incompatible Fugacium kawagutii) to compare the surface glycomes of three symbionts and explore the role of glycan���lectin interactions in host���symbiont recognition and establishment of symbiosis. We identified the nucleotide sugars of the algal cells, then examined glycans on the cell wall of the three symbiont species with monosaccharide analysis, lectin array technology and fluorescence microscopy of the algal cell decorated with fluorescently tagged lectins. Armed with this inventory of possible glycan moieties, we then assayed the ability of the three Symbiodiniaceae to colonize aposymbiotic E. diaphana after modifying the surface of one of the two partners. The Symbiodiniaceae cell-surface glycome varies among algal species. Trypsin treatment of the alga changed the rate of B. minutum and C. goreaui uptake, suggesting that a protein-based moiety is an essential part of compatible symbiont recognition. Our data strongly support the importance of D-galactose (in particular ��-D-galactose) residues in the establishment of the cnidarian���dinoflagellate symbiosis, and we propose a potential involvement of L-fucose, D-xylose and D-galacturonic acid in the early steps of this mutualism.

The authors investigated the possible effect of ibuprofen when included in polyurethane dressing foam in the management of pain and healing related to split-thickness skin graft (STSG) donor sites. The study focused on the use of a foam dressing, Biatain-Ibu, the combination of an absorbent hydrophilic polyurethane foam, Biatain, and the active ingredient ibuprofen as an integral part of the matrix.A prospective study was conducted from October 2006 to April 2007 and included 40 patients undergoing surgery for any reconstructive purposes with the use of STSG. The patients were divided into two groups in a randomized fashion. In the first group of 20 patients, the donor sites were covered using Biatain-Ibu foam dressing. In the second group of 20 patients, the donor sites were closed intra-operatively with a standard dressing which did not contain any known healing promoting agent. To evaluate the extent and quality of the pain experienced by the patients and to score pain over time, the patients in the study were asked to complete a form containing a visual analogue scale and answer questions on the quality of pain and the way normal daily activities were affected.The combined use of ibuprofen with bio-occlusive dressings accelerated wound healing compared to fine-mesh gauze dressings and almost eliminated pain and discomfort in all patients treated. In patients receiving topical ibuprofen, itch did not present a major problem.This study demonstrates that the Biatain-Ibu dressing is a useful tool in the management of STSG donor sites by providing an optimal environment for wound healing due to its bio-occlusive properties and by minimizing pain and discomfort.

Fotemustine is a cytotoxic alkylating agent, belonging to the group of nitrosourea family. Its mechanism of action is similar to that of other nitrosoureas, characterized by a mono-functional/bi-functional alkylating activity. Worth of consideration is the finding that the presence of high levels of the DNA repair enzyme O6-methylguanine-DNA-methyltransferase (MGMT) in cancer cells confers drug resistance. In different clinical trials Fotemustine showed a remarkable antitumor activity as single agent, and in association with other antineoplastic compounds or treatment modalities. Moreover, its toxicity is generally considered acceptable. The drug has been employed in the treatment of metastatic melanoma, and, on the basis of its pharmacokinetic properties, in brain tumors, either primitive or metastatic. Moreover, Fotemustine shows pharmacodynamic properties similar to those of mono-functional alkylating compounds (e.g. DNA methylating drugs, such as Temozolomide), that have been recently considered for the management of acute refractory leukaemia. Therefore, it is reasonable to assume that this agent could be a good candidate to play a potential role in haematological malignancies.

Previous studies indicated that dacarbazine and Temozolomide could be highly effective against refractory acute leukaemia. Their activity relies mainly on the generation of methyl adducts at the O6-position of guanine in DNA. High levels of O6-methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase (MGMT) or a defective mismatch repair (MMR) system, are associated with cellular resistance to triazenes. The MGMT inhibitor, O6-(4-bromothenyl)guanine (Lomeguatrib), can restore in vitro sensitivity to Temozolomide in MMR-proficient blasts. In the early 1970s we discovered that, in vivo, triazene compounds induce the appearance of novel transplantation antigens in murine leukaemia (“Chemical Xenogenization”, CX). Non-self peptides presented by class I MHC molecules are generated by triazene-induced somatic mutations, affecting retroviral sequences that are detectable in the mouse genome. Moreover, preliminary experiments suggested that human cancer cells can also undergo CX. Therefore, we designed a chemo-immunotherapy strategy in leukaemic patients as follows: (a) cytoreduction and a hypothetical CX phase, i.e. treatment with Lomeguatrib (to suppress MGMT activity) and Temozolomide (to kill sensitive blas

The new Italian cytological classification (SIAPEC 2014) of thyroid nodules, in line with those of Bethesda and BTA-RCPath, replaces the previous TIR3 class with two new classes (TIR3A and TIR3B), which correspond to different risks of malignancy and clinical actions required. The present study was conducted to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of the new SIAPEC classification as opposed to its previous version (SIAPEC 2007). Preoperative cytology was compared with the final histology obtained from 650 consecutive patients who underwent total thyroidectomy for multinodular goiter. Of this total, 434 patients (group A) had their cytological diagnosis based on the old SIAPEC 2007 classification and 216 patients (group B) had their cytological diagnosis based on the SIAPEC 2014 classification. In group A 111 patients (25.6%) had a TIR3 diagnosis, while in group B 52 patients (24.1%) received a TIR3 diagnosis, of whom 30 had TIR3A and 22 had TIR3B. In group A, 46 (41.4%) out of the 111 patients with TIR3 diagnosis had, based on histology, a thyroid carcinoma. In group B, only 2 (6.7%) out of 30 patients with TIR3A diagnosis had a thyroid carcinoma. This rate of malignancy was significantly lower (p less than 0.001) than that observed in patients with TIR3B diagnosis, in which 12 (54.5%) out of 22 patients had a carcinoma. The observations here reported show that, in respect to the previous version, the new Italian cytological classification provides greater diagnostic accuracy for detecting thyroid nodule malignancy. The new Italian cytological classification (SIAPEC 2014) of thyroid nodules, in line with those of Bethesda and BTA-RCPath, replaces the previous TIR3 class with two new classes (TIR3A and TIR3B), which correspond to different risks of malignancy and clinical actions required. The present study was conducted to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of the new SIAPEC classification as opposed to its previous version (SIAPEC 2007). Preoperative cytology was compared with the final histology obtained from 650 consecutive patients who underwent total thyroidectomy for multinodular goiter. Of this total, 434 patients (group A) had their cytological diagnosis based on the old SIAPEC 2007 classification and 216 patients (group B) had their cytological diagnosis based on the SIAPEC 2014 classification. In group A 111 patients (25.6%) had a TIR3 diagnosis, while in group B 52 patients (24.1%) received a TIR3 diagnosis, of whom 30 had TIR3A and 22 had TIR3B. In group A, 46 (41.4%) out of the 111 patients with TIR3 diagnosis had, based on histology, a thyroid carcinoma. In group B, only 2 (6.7%) out of 30 patients with TIR3A diagnosis had a thyroid carcinoma. This rate of malignancy was significantly lower (p

open 7 si The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) predicted that ocean surface temperature will rise of 0.6–2.0◦C by 2100. Ocean warming is expected to produce strong impacts on marine ecosystems such as coral reefs, affecting their physiological events including reproductive processes. To date, relatively few studies have examined the effects of climate change on the reproductive success of temperate corals and even less in the azooxanthellate ones. This study examined the reproductive output of the azooxanthellate Mediterranean coral Caryophyllia inornata along a wide latitudinal gradient of seawater temperature and solar radiation. A total of 260 samples, collected from five populations along the Western Italian coast, have been analyzed through histological techniques. The intriguing aspects characterizing all populations of C. inornata along the latitudinal gradient are a strong male-biased sex ratio and the presence of embryos in all stages of development throughout the year in females, males, and sexually inactive individuals. This peculiarity could suggest a mixed strategy of sexual and asexual reproduction in this species as has been observed for some anemones of the genus Actinia. Fecundity and spermary abundance (i.e., the number of reproductive elements per body volume unit), gonadal index (i.e., the percentage of body volume occupied by the germ cells) and fertility (i.e., the number of embryos per body volume unit) in females, males and sexually inactive individuals were unrelated to solar radiation and temperature along the latitudinal gradient. These results suggest that the reproduction in C. inornata is not affected by increasing solar radiation and temperature. The lack of zooxanthellae could make this species less dependent on these environmental parameters, as previously hypothesized for another azooxanthellate species, Leptopsammia pruvoti, investigated along the same gradient. open Marchini C., Tortorelli G., Guidi E., Airi V., Falini G., Dubinsky Z., Goffredo S. Marchini C., Tortorelli G., Guidi E., Airi V., Falini G., Dubinsky Z., Goffredo S.

Il saggio intende esaminare il contributo di Francesco De Sarlo e della scuola di psicologia di Reggio Emilia alla conoscenza dell'apprendimento della lettura e soprattutto alla analisi delle trasformazioni dei gusti del pubblico nella scelta di libri e autori durante il periodo compreso tra la fine dell'Ottocento e il primo decennio del Novecento. Attraverso il questionario dedicato alle predilezioni delle letture degli italiani, inviato ad un ampio campionario che comprendeva scrittori, poeti, scienziati, gli psicologi suggerivano un criterio metodologico che intendesse sottrarsi alle categorie della cultura umanistica per individuare altri fattori di scelta. L'intento era anche quello di criticare quei questionari che, sotto la suggestione e l'indirizzo delle case editrici, avevano fini prevalentemente commerciali. Nella elaborazione del questionario si distingueva il giovane Francesco De Sarlo che in questo ambito faceva le prime prove di una teoria antistoricistica che lo avrebbe portato, negli anni successivi, a polemizzare duramente con Benedetto Croce.

Il saggio traccia un profilo critico dell'attività e del contributo di Luigi Crocetti sia all'interno del mondo bibliotecario, sia all'interno di importanti istituzioni pubbliche, sia come studioso della storia delle biblioteche, dell'editoria, del mondo del libro. Si mettono in evidenza la sua importante presenza come responsabile della classificazione e del restauro nella Biblioteca Nazionale Centrale di Firenze e la direzione lungimirante della Soprintendenza ai beni librari della Regione Toscana. Interessante fu anche la direzione del Gabinetto Viesseux e della Associazione italiana biblioteche. Viene restituitoil profilo di uno dei massimi bibliotecari del Novecento italiano la cui attività ha impresso un segno importante anche sugli studi di storia dell'editoria con i suoi interventi metodologici, le collane dirette, la partecipazione a iniziative e convegni.

Le vicende della Tipografia Galeati narrate in questo volume comprendono un lungo periodo che, partendo dalle prime prove di Ignazio Galeati agli inizi dell'Ottocento, si dipana sino agli anni cinquanta del Novecento. Una storia forse unica per una tipografia che intreccia la produzione della sua azienda con gli avvenimenti storici, culturali, economici, amministrativi della città di Imola. Cambiamenti rintracciabili nella collana di testi italiani e stranieri della Società dei Calobibliofili e poi nell'impegno civile di Paolo Galeati, appassionato cultore e strenuo difensore della lezione tipografica di Giovan Battista Bodoni. Attraverso la pubblicazione di libri, opuscoli, giornali e riviste il nostro lavoro segue il contributo importante di tanti intellettuali e politici che si ritroveranno nella trasformazione della Tipografia Galeati in Cooperativa accompagnandola sino al primo Novecento.

Il saggio costituisce un momento di riflessione storiografica sulla produzione saggistica dedicata alla storia dell'editoria italiana nel Novecento. Il contributo però prosegue anche il lavoro personale dell'autore nel presentare e discutere volumi, carteggi, articoli, curatele e convegni che in questi ultimi anni hanno via via arricchito il panorama degli studi in questo settore. Il tentativo è quello di stimolare i ricercatori a indirizzare i propri lavori verso quelle lacune che ancora si evidenziano nella storia del Novecento. Una parte dell'articolo è dedicato alla discussione degli studi sulla casa editrice Einaudi che da tempo ha avviato una lunga opera di scavo sui suoi archivi diventando un punto di riferimento, anche metodologico, per gli studiosi. L'autore ha voluto anche discutere e sottolineare i diversi apporti dovuti agli italianisti, agli storici moderni, ai contemporaneisti, agli archivisti e ai bibliotecari. I loro contributi hanno ampliato la discussione recuperando quella attenzione filologica per i documenti smarrita per qualche tempo.

In questo lavoro storiografico l'autore intende discutere la produzione più recente dedicata dagli storici, dagli italianisti, dai bibliotecari e archivisti alla storia dell'editoria italiana nell'Ottocento. Attraverso la discussione e l'analisi dei volumi e dei saggi prodotti negli ultimi anni si cercano di individuare i punti di forza e di debolezza di un percorso che, iniziato in ritardo nel nostro paese, è tuttavia riuscito a colmare molte lacune e a suscitare un dibattito non banale. Si esaminano anche le ricerche che hanno avuto il merito di indagare quelle realtà geografiche poco frequentate e, quindi, poco conosciute per la storia dell'editoria ottocentesca. Fanno parte di questa rassegna gli studi sul Molise, Abruzzo, Marche e l'autore si sofferma anche sulla storia dell'editoria napoletana esaminando il collegamento con la più ampia storia tipografica nazionale.

Il saggio costituisce la prima ricerca complessiva dedicata alla vita e al lavoro di Cesare Ratta individuando, attraverso un'accurata ricerca d'archivio, i nessi che collegano la storia individuale ad un preciso momento di trasformazione dell'editoria italiana. In particolare la figura di Ratta consente di ripercorrere sia il dibattito sul rinnovamento dell'arte tipografica, sia la costituzione di quelle scuole che, seguendo l'insegnamento delle esperienze già avviate da tempo in Europa, volevano trasmettere e continuare un mestiere glorioso. Le pagine dedicate alla rilettura dell'opera di Bodoni sono significative dell'interesse di Ratta verso il rigore grafico senza essere disgiunto dal suo forte e continuo impegno nelle organizzazioni di categoria dei tipografi.

Storia della casa editrice E/O attraverso lo studio dell'archivio editoriale.

The variety of reproductive processes and modes among coral species reflects their extraordinary regeneration ability. Scleractinians are an established example of clonal animals that can exhibit a mixed strategy of sexual and asexual reproduction to maintain their populations. This study provides the first description of the annual reproductive cycle and embryogenesis of the temperate species Caryophyllia inornata. Cytometric analyses were used to define the annual development of germ cells and embryogenesis. The species was gonochoric with three times more male polyps than female. Polyps were sexually mature from 6 to 8 mm length. Not only females, but also sexually inactive individuals (without germ cells) and males were found to brood their embryos. Spermaries required 12 months to reach maturity, while oogenesis seemed to occur more rapidly (5–6 months). Female polyps were found only during spring and summer. Furthermore, the rate of gamete development in both females and males increased significantly from March to May and fertilization was estimated to occur from April to July, when mature germ cells disappeared. Gametogenesis showed a strong seasonal influence, while embryos were found throughout the year in males and in sexually inactive individuals without a defined trend. This unusual embryogenesis suggests the possibility of agamic reproduction, which combined with sexual reproduction results in high fertility. This mechanism is uncommon and only four other scleractinians (Pocillopora damicornis, Tubastraea diaphana, T. coccinea and Oulastrea crispata) have been shown to generate their broods asexually. The precise nature of this process is still unknown.

Si esamina l'importanza dello studio della scienza dell'onore per il giovane nobile italiano d'antico regime, in particolare valorizzando il fondo documentale concernente un'accademia di nobili bolognesi del '700.