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The intensification of anomalous events of seawater warming and the co-occurrence with local anthropogenic stressors are threatening coastal marine habitats, including seagrasses, which form extensive underwater meadows. Eutrophication highly affects coastal environments, potentially summing up to the widespread effects of global climate changes. In the present study, we investigated for the first time in seagrasses, the transcriptional response of different plant organs (i.e., leaf and shoot apical meristem, SAM) of the Mediterranean seagrass Posidonia oceanica growing in environments with a different history of nutrient enrichment. To this end, a mesocosm experiment exposing plants to single (nutrient enrichment or temperature increase) and multiple stressors (nutrient enrichment plus temperature increase), was performed. Results revealed a differential transcriptome regulation of plants under single and multiple stressors, showing an organ-specific sensitivity depending on plants' origin. While leaf tissues were more responsive to nutrient stress, SAM revealed a higher sensitivity to temperature treatments, especially in plants already impacted in their native environment. The exposure to stress conditions induced the modulation of different biological processes. Plants living in an oligotrophic environment were more responsive to nutrients compared to plants from a eutrophic environment. Evidences that epigenetic mechanisms were involved in the regulation of transcriptional reprogramming were also observed in both plants’ organs. These results represent a further step in the comprehension of seagrass response to abiotic stressors pointing out the importance of local pressures in a global warming scenario., SI

The reactivity of asymmetric benzo-condensed diazines in the 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition reactions with nitrilimines was investigated. The results demonstrated that, at variance with the symmetric quinoxaline, a certain grade of diastereoselectivity emerged. Moreover in the case of the 5-methylquinoxaline and quinazoline a mono-cycloadduct was obtained.

Various derivatives of the heterocyclic system 1,12,12a,12b-tetrahydrobis-1,2,4-triazolo[4,3-a:3′,4′-c]quinoxaline of pharmaceutical interest have been obtained by double site- and regio-selective 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition of arylnitrilimines to quinoxalines. No evidence for the formation of mono-adducts was obtained, at variance with literature reports. Specific studies to establish the exact stereochemistry of the bis-cycloadducts were undertaken.

The title indolo-triazolo-pyrimidines were obtained from 3-azidoindoles and can be used as models for the design of DNA-interactive compounds. Hetero-domino reaction of azidoindoles/pyrroles and acetonitriles constitutes the synthetic entry to annelated 1,2,3-triazolo[1,5- a ]pyrimidines.

Web 2.0 represents a new challenge for the ethno-musicology and outlines new modalities of storing and structuring music archives, counting on the active participation and interaction of users that become authors and can directly create, express themselves and communicate. This paper proposes a distributed framework, based on a multi-agent approach, aimed at aggregating ethno-music communities for sharing existing archives and other data, creating new knowledge and improving the access.

Background Life expectancy after transplantation has improved, and cancer may soon be the leading cause of late death after transplantation. The guidelines of the American and European societies of nephrology and urology have not yet established the optimal frequency for screening for renal cell carcinoma (RCC) of native kidneys in patients who have undergone renal transplantation. Objective To evaluate the prevalence, prognosis, and risk factors of RCC in a series of patients followed up for 16 years in our transplantation unit. Materials and Methods Our study is a follow-up observational cohort study conducted in 694 consecutive renal transplant recipients admitted to our institution from July 1991 through July 2007. At our institution, ultrasound studies of the native kidneys were performed every 6 months after renal transplantation. Results In the patient cohort studied, 10 patients developed a renal tumor (1.6% incidence). Three patients died of causes other than recurrence of RCC. Seven patients are alive with no evidence of RCC recurrence or metastatic disease after a mean (range) follow-up of 41 (12–96) months. Acquired cystic kidney disease and dialysis duration were positively associated with development of RCC. Conclusions The incidence of RCC in the literature varies between 0.3% and 4.8%. The variability depends on the timing of follow-up, with a higher incidence in prospective studies with strict follow-up. We advise ultrasound studies performed by specialized physicians every 6 months after transplantation. More detailed guidelines designed by the major international transplantation societies are necessary.

No data are available on incisional hernia in renal transplant recipients using a midline incision. This study evaluated the incidence of abdominal wall incisional hernia, comparing two surgical approaches: midline and J-shaped incisions. Methods Between 1991 and 2005, 415 consecutive patients underwent renal transplantation: between 1991 and 1997, 139 patients through a lateral incision; between 1997 and 2005, 137 of 276 renal trasnsplant patients via a midline incision, and 139 via a J-shaped incision. We evaluated the incidence of incisional herniae in these patients. Analyzed factor risks included: age, sex, body mass index, diabetes, reoperation, lymphocele, dialysis time, underlying renal disease, and immunosuppressive therapy. Results During follow-up, 15 patients of 415 transplantations were dead or lost to follow-up. Incisional herniae were identified in 12 cases of 132 (9%) between 1991 and 1997. Between 1997 and 2005 we identified 3 of 133 (2.2%) patients who underwent a midline incision and 15 of 135 (11.1%) who received a J-shaped incision ( P = .005). Comparing midline and J-shaped incisions before and after 1997, the incidence reduction was significant ( P = .01). Comparing the incidence among patients treated with J-shaped incision before versus after 1997, the increased incidence was insignificant ( P = .6). Multivariate analysis found the most important risk factor was obesity followed by polycystic kidney disease, reoperation, wound infection, and mycophenolate mofetil therapy. Conclusions Our data showed an advantage of a midline incision. Strategies to prevent surgical complications, such as abdominal wall relaxation and poor cosmetic results, are needed; the midline incision may be a possible alternative to address this complication.

Parameters derived by ultrasonic myocardial characterization in dialysis patients are associated with mortality.BackgroundAutopsy studies have shown that hypertrophic hearts of uremic patients have peculiar characteristics. Changes in tissue structure are detectable by ultrasound as changes in echo reflectivity.MethodsWe studied 96 dialysis patients, 18 hypertensive subjects with normal renal function and 52 healthy subjects. The echo pattern of interventricular septum was assessed by videodensitometry (VDT) (i.e., a computer-assisted quantitative analysis of gray levels). For each pixel a numerical value from 0 (black) to 255 (white) was assigned. From the resulting histogram of gray level frequency distribution, we obtained indexes of central tendency (reflectivity) and of homogeneity of distribution (uniformity).ResultsFor the same septum thickness, dialysis patients showed a significantly greater reflectivity (87 ± 19 and 70 ± 17) (P < 0.001) and lower uniformity (137 ± 32 and 184 ± 71) (P < 0.007) compared with hypertensives. Hypertensive patients showed VDT parameters similar to control subjects in spite of significantly higher septum thickness (P < 0.003). Followed up after 5 years, dialysis patients with a reduced homogeneity of distribution of gray levels (lower uniformity) showed a significantly shorter survival (HR by Cox 2.5, 95% CI 1.21-5.27).ConclusionFor a similar degree of cardiac hypertrophy, dialysis patients differed widely from hypertensives in their VDT parameters. By contrast, the hypertensive heart differed from the normal heart in the degree of hypertrophy but not in terms of VDT parameters. VDT parameters are independent predictors of all-cause mortality in dialysis patients.

Prognostic value of 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure monitoring and of night/day ratio in nondiabetic, cardiovascular events-free hemodialysis patients. Background The use of 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure monitoring is increasing in end-stage renal disease (ESRD) patients but the prediction power for cardiovascular complications of time-averaged ambulatory blood pressure components has been little investigated in these patients. Methods We analyzed the prognostic power of 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure monitoring for all-cause and cardiovascular mortality in 168 nondiabetic, events-free hemodialysis patients selected from a total dialysis population of about 450 patients. Results During the follow-up period (38 ± 22 months), 48 patients died, 29 of them of cardiovascular causes. On univariate Cox regression analyses, the night/day systolic ratio resulted to be the sole blood pressure indicator to be associated with all-cause and cardiovascular mortality while left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) was a strong predictor of these outcomes. In multivariable Cox models not including LVH, the night/day systolic ratio maintained an independent prognostic value for incident outcomes. However, when both risk factors, LVH and night/day systolic ratio, were introduced into Cox models, LVH was no longer a significant predictor while the night/day systolic ratio became a predictor of marginal statistical significance. Conclusion The night/day ratio emerges as the sole ambulatory blood pressure monitoring-derived indicator providing significant prognostic information in patients with ESRD. However, this indicator as well as LVH loses substantial prediction power in statistical models including both risk factors. The results suggest that the night/day systolic ratio and LVH provide overlapping prognostic information, a phenomenon in keeping with the hypothesis that they represent a common pathway leading to adverse outcomes in ESRD.

Anionic hetero-domino reaction of 3-azidopyrroles and acetonitriles constitutes the synthetic entry to annelated 1,2,3-triazolo[1,5-a]pyrimidines. Upon slight variations of the experimental conditions the method is of general application either with 2 or 4 substituted pyrroles. Thus derivatives of the new ring system pyrrolo[2,3-e][1,2,3]triazolo[1,5-a]pyrimidine, isomers of the previously synthesized pyrrolo[3,4-e][1,2,3]triazolo[1,5-a]pyrimidine, were prepared in high yields. The condensed pyrrolo-triazolo-pyrimidines, although only moderately active, can be used as model for the design of DNA-interactive compounds.

The behaviour of 2- and 3-aminoindoles towards protonation was studied using NMR techniques. The protonation site of 2-aminoindoles 1 depends on the substituent at the adjacent 3-position. Thus, the 2-aminoindoles 1a , b , with a hydrogen or a phenyl in 3-position, were protonated at the 3-position, whereas 1c , d , bearing electron withdrawing groups, were protonated at the exocyclic nitrogen. In contrast, 3-aminoindoles 2 were always protonated at the amino group.

In this work we discuss a number of issues for the design of hypertext systems in an agent-based model of computation. We examine how the “traditional” fundamental concepts which are at the basis of the design of hypertexts can be re-visited under a new perspective of collaborative expert agents. The paper presents how some principles of high-level concurrent programming are applied as new methodologies for the design and development of complex software, such as hypertext systems. By adopting an agent-based framework, we gain powerful control on version management that presents considerable difficulties for the development of hypertext systems; a general distributed version control mechanism is applied, without significant differences, both in single-user and in collaborative multiuser mode. In both cases, the underlying hypertext architecture is defined in terms of computational agents interacting each other in order to accomplish common goals. In this paper we present a first-level prototype implemented in a concurrent object-oriented language, realized on the top of the Common Lisp Object System.

A double-blind, randomized, comparative study of mepartricin (SPA-S-160) and placebo was performed on 36 patients who complained of obstructive symptomatology caused by prostatic hypertrophy. Treatment was continued for 60 days at a dose of 150,000 IU/d (three capsules/d) of active substance. All patients underwent full urodynamic investigation consisting of pressure-flow studies before and after treatment. The final results of our study showed that 50% of the patients treated with mepartricin had an improvement in micturitional performance.

After some basic concepts of fuzzy theory are briefly recalled, the problem of evaluating the student's knowledge state is investigated and a suitable fuzzy measure is introduced. The properties of the measure are discussed and a heuristic is illustrated which uses the measure to deal with the student's current learning level as regards a specific topic. Finally, it is shown how this assessment can be used by the teaching module to improve its tutoring strategies.

Triazenoindoles of type 3 were synthesized in excellent yields by coupling the 3-diazoindole 1 with the suitable amines. The 3-triazenoindoles 3a-c and the 3-diazoindole 1 showed good cytotoxic activity in vitro against erythroleukemia and multi-drug-resistant cells, with IC50 values in the range 0.053-0.080 μM and 0.10-0.34 μM, respectively.

On the basis of the 13 C NMR chemical shifts, it is proposed that, although b is the major canonical structure, structure c , in which a negative charge resides at C-3, provides an important contribution to the resonance stabilization of the 3-diazopyrroles, 1–4 .

The title compounds, that hold the deaza skeleton of temozolomide, exhibited potent in vitro antiproliferative activity. An evaluation of such a biological activity indicates that the mode of action of these compounds differs from that of temozolomide and is also mechanistically unrelated to that of any known antitumor drug.