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Cardinali I, Ceccarelli M. Molecular and cytogenetic analyses in Geranium macrorrhizum L. wild Italian plants. R Soc Open Sci 2024; 11:240035. [PMID: 38601032 PMCID: PMC11004676 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.240035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2024] [Revised: 03/07/2024] [Accepted: 03/08/2024] [Indexed: 04/12/2024]
Abstract
Geranium macrorrhizum L. is a herbaceous species native to southern Europe and was introduced in central Europe and North America. It is also widely distributed in Italy. In this study, molecular and cytogenetic analyses were carried out on 22 wild plants, collected in central and southern Italy, compared with five cultivated plants, with the main purpose to identify those living near the Marmore waterfalls in central Italy, recently described as the new species Geranium lucarinii. Four barcoding markers (rbcL, matK, trnH-psbA intergenic spacer and internal transcribed spacer region) were sequenced and their variability among the plants was evaluated. Chromosome numbers were determined and 45S rDNA was physically mapped by fluorescence in situ hybridization. Moreover, genomic affinity between wild and cultivated plants was evaluated by genomic in situ hybridization. The results of this study supported that all the plants belong to G. macrorrhizum, including the Marmore population. Barcoding analyses showed a close similarity among the wild plants, and a differentiation, although not significant, between the wild plants on one hand and the cultivated plants on the other. Integrated studies focusing on morphological, genetic and ecological characterization of a larger number of wild populations would allow us to know the extent of the variability within the species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Irene Cardinali
- Department of Chemistry, Biology and Biotechnology, University of Perugia, Perugia06123, Italy
| | - Marilena Ceccarelli
- Department of Chemistry, Biology and Biotechnology, University of Perugia, Perugia06123, Italy
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Bellingacci L, Canonichesi J, Sciaccaluga M, Megaro A, Mazzocchetti P, Di Mauro M, Costa C, Di Filippo M, Pettorossi VE, Tozzi A. Locally Synthetized 17-β-Estradiol Reverses Amyloid-β-42-Induced Hippocampal Long-Term Potentiation Deficits. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:1377. [PMID: 38338656 PMCID: PMC10855267 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25031377] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/01/2024] [Revised: 01/19/2024] [Accepted: 01/20/2024] [Indexed: 02/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Amyloid beta 1-42 (Aβ42) aggregates acutely impair hippocampal long-term potentiation (LTP) of synaptic transmission, and 17β-estradiol is crucial for hippocampal LTP. We tested whether boosting the synthesis of neural-derived 17β-estradiol (nE2) saves hippocampal LTP by the neurotoxic action of Aβ42. Electrophysiological recordings were performed to measure dentate gyrus (DG) LTP in rat hippocampal slices. Using a pharmacological approach, we tested the ability of nE2 to counteract the LTP impairment caused by acute exposure to soluble Aβ42 aggregates. nE2 was found to be required for LTP in DG under physiological conditions. Blockade of steroid 5α-reductase with finasteride, by increasing nE2 synthesis from testosterone (T), completely recovered LTP in slices treated with soluble Aβ42 aggregates. Modulation of the glutamate N-methyl-D aspartate receptor (NMDAR) by memantine effectively rescued the LTP deficit observed in slices exposed to Aβ42, and memantine prevented LTP reduction observed under the blocking of nE2 synthesis. nE2 is able to counteract Aβ42-induced synaptic dysfunction. This effect depends on a rapid, non-genomic mechanism of action of nE2, which may share a common pathway with glutamate NMDAR signaling.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Alessandro Tozzi
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Perugia, 06156 Perugia, Italy; (L.B.); (J.C.); (M.S.)
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Rugini L, Banelli P. Performance Analysis of Centralized Cooperative Schemes for Compressed Sensing. Sensors (Basel) 2024; 24:661. [PMID: 38276353 PMCID: PMC10818830 DOI: 10.3390/s24020661] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2023] [Revised: 01/17/2024] [Accepted: 01/18/2024] [Indexed: 01/27/2024]
Abstract
This paper presents a performance analysis of centralized spectrum sensing based on compressed measurements. We assume cooperative sensing, where unlicensed users individually perform compressed sensing and send their results to a fusion center, which makes the final decision about the presence or absence of a licensed user signal. Several cooperation schemes are considered, such as and-rule, or-rule, majority voting, soft equal-gain combining (EGC). The proposed analysis provides simplified closed-form expressions that calculate the required number of sensors, the required number of samples, the required compression ratio, and the required signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) as a function of the probability of detection and the probability of the false alarm of the fusion center and of the sensors. The resulting expressions are derived by exploiting some accurate approximations of the test statistics of the fusion center and of the sensors, equipped with energy detectors. The obtained results are useful, especially for a low number of sensors and low sample sizes, where conventional closed-form expressions based on the central limit theorem (CLT) fail to provide accurate approximations. The proposed analysis also allows the self-computation of the performance of each sensor and of the fusion center with reduced complexity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luca Rugini
- Department of Engineering, University of Perugia, 06125 Perugia, Italy;
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Orlacchio A. Special Issue "Neurogenetics in Neurology". Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:1061. [PMID: 38256134 PMCID: PMC10815939 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25021061] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2023] [Accepted: 01/11/2024] [Indexed: 01/24/2024] Open
Abstract
With the rapid developments in molecular genetics and genomics, this Special Issue collates works outlining ultra-modern scientific research [...].
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Affiliation(s)
- Antonio Orlacchio
- Dipartimento di Medicina e Chirurgia, Università di Perugia, 06132 Perugia, Italy;
- Laboratorio di Neurogenetica, Centro Europeo di Ricerca sul Cervello (CERC), Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS) Fondazione Santa Lucia, 00143 Rome, Italy
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Ianni F, Scandar S, Mangiapelo L, Blasi F, Marcotullio MC, Cossignani L. NADES-Assisted Extraction of Polyphenols from Coriander Seeds: A Systematic Optimization Study. Antioxidants (Basel) 2023; 12:2048. [PMID: 38136168 PMCID: PMC10741060 DOI: 10.3390/antiox12122048] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2023] [Revised: 11/15/2023] [Accepted: 11/21/2023] [Indexed: 12/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Coriandrum sativum L. seeds are widely recognized for their traditional use in medicine. Among the most investigated components, the terpenoid linalool and monounsaturated petroselinic acid have attracted interest for their nutritional value. Instead, minor attention was paid to the polyphenolic fraction, resulting still being incomplete today. This study aimed to develop a systematic approach in which green natural deep eutectic solvents (NADES) were combined with conventional (maceration, MAC) or non-conventional (ultrasound-assisted extraction, UAE) techniques in a one-step methodology to recover polyphenols from coriander seeds. The NADES system choline chloride-citric acid (ChCl:CA, 1:1) was firstly evaluated, coupled with MAC or UAE, and then compared with ChCl-Urea (ChCl:Ur, 1:1) and ChCl-Glucose (ChCl:Glu, 1:1) under optimal conditions (20 min extraction time). The system ChCl:Ur UAE significantly improved the extraction of chlorogenic acid and its isomer (453.90 ± 4.77 and 537.42 ± 1.27 µg/g, respectively), while the system ChCl:Glu UAE improved the extraction of protocatechuic, caffeic and p-coumaric acids (131.13 ± 6.16, 269.03 ± 4.15 and 57.36 ± 0.06 µg/g, respectively). The highest levels of rutin were obtained with ChCl:CA-based NADES when the MAC technique was applied (820.31 ± 28.59 µg/g). These findings indicate that the NADES composition could be appropriately modulated to tailor extraction towards higher levels of a desirable bioactive for further applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Federica Ianni
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Section of Food, Biochemical, Physiological and Nutrition Sciences, University of Perugia, 06126 Perugia, Italy; (L.M.); (F.B.); (L.C.)
| | - Samir Scandar
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Section of Morphological, Biomolecular, Nutraceutical and Health Sciences (SIMBIONUS), University of Perugia, 06122 Perugia, Italy;
| | - Luciano Mangiapelo
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Section of Food, Biochemical, Physiological and Nutrition Sciences, University of Perugia, 06126 Perugia, Italy; (L.M.); (F.B.); (L.C.)
| | - Francesca Blasi
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Section of Food, Biochemical, Physiological and Nutrition Sciences, University of Perugia, 06126 Perugia, Italy; (L.M.); (F.B.); (L.C.)
| | - Maria Carla Marcotullio
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Section of Morphological, Biomolecular, Nutraceutical and Health Sciences (SIMBIONUS), University of Perugia, 06122 Perugia, Italy;
| | - Lina Cossignani
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Section of Food, Biochemical, Physiological and Nutrition Sciences, University of Perugia, 06126 Perugia, Italy; (L.M.); (F.B.); (L.C.)
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Bianconi F, Salis R, Fravolini ML, Khan MU, Minestrini M, Filippi L, Marongiu A, Nuvoli S, Spanu A, Palumbo B. Performance Analysis of Six Semi-Automated Tumour Delineation Methods on [ 18F] Fluorodeoxyglucose Positron Emission Tomography/Computed Tomography (FDG PET/CT) in Patients with Head and Neck Cancer. Sensors (Basel) 2023; 23:7952. [PMID: 37766009 PMCID: PMC10537871 DOI: 10.3390/s23187952] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2023] [Revised: 09/01/2023] [Accepted: 09/15/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023]
Abstract
Background. Head and neck cancer (HNC) is the seventh most common neoplastic disorder at the global level. Contouring HNC lesions on [18F] Fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography (FDG PET/CT) scans plays a fundamental role for diagnosis, risk assessment, radiotherapy planning and post-treatment evaluation. However, manual contouring is a lengthy and tedious procedure which requires significant effort from the clinician. Methods. We evaluated the performance of six hand-crafted, training-free methods (four threshold-based, two algorithm-based) for the semi-automated delineation of HNC lesions on FDG PET/CT. This study was carried out on a single-centre population of n=103 subjects, and the standard of reference was manual segmentation generated by nuclear medicine specialists. Figures of merit were the Sørensen-Dice coefficient (DSC) and relative volume difference (RVD). Results. Median DSC ranged between 0.595 and 0.792, median RVD between -22.0% and 87.4%. Click and draw and Nestle's methods achieved the best segmentation accuracy (median DSC, respectively, 0.792 ± 0.178 and 0.762 ± 0.107; median RVD, respectively, -21.6% ± 1270.8% and -32.7% ± 40.0%) and outperformed the other methods by a significant margin. Nestle's method also resulted in a lower dispersion of the data, hence showing stronger inter-patient stability. The accuracy of the two best methods was in agreement with the most recent state-of-the art results. Conclusions. Semi-automated PET delineation methods show potential to assist clinicians in the segmentation of HNC lesions on FDG PET/CT images, although manual refinement may sometimes be needed to obtain clinically acceptable ROIs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesco Bianconi
- Department of Engineering, Università degli Studi di Perugia, Via Goffredo Duranti 93, 06125 Perugia, Italy; (M.L.F.); (M.U.K.)
| | - Roberto Salis
- Unit of Nuclear Medicine, Department of Medicine, Surgery and Pharmacy, University of Sassari, 07100 Sassari, Italy; (R.S.); (A.M.); (S.N.)
| | - Mario Luca Fravolini
- Department of Engineering, Università degli Studi di Perugia, Via Goffredo Duranti 93, 06125 Perugia, Italy; (M.L.F.); (M.U.K.)
| | - Muhammad Usama Khan
- Department of Engineering, Università degli Studi di Perugia, Via Goffredo Duranti 93, 06125 Perugia, Italy; (M.L.F.); (M.U.K.)
| | - Matteo Minestrini
- Section of Nuclear Medicine and Health Physics, Department of Medicine and Surgery, Università degli Studi di Perugia, Piazza Lucio Severi 1, 06132 Perugia, Italy; (M.M.); (B.P.)
| | - Luca Filippi
- Policlinico Tor Vergata Hospital, Viale Oxford 81, 00133 Rome, Italy;
| | - Andrea Marongiu
- Unit of Nuclear Medicine, Department of Medicine, Surgery and Pharmacy, University of Sassari, 07100 Sassari, Italy; (R.S.); (A.M.); (S.N.)
| | - Susanna Nuvoli
- Unit of Nuclear Medicine, Department of Medicine, Surgery and Pharmacy, University of Sassari, 07100 Sassari, Italy; (R.S.); (A.M.); (S.N.)
| | - Angela Spanu
- Unit of Nuclear Medicine, Department of Medicine, Surgery and Pharmacy, University of Sassari, 07100 Sassari, Italy; (R.S.); (A.M.); (S.N.)
| | - Barbara Palumbo
- Section of Nuclear Medicine and Health Physics, Department of Medicine and Surgery, Università degli Studi di Perugia, Piazza Lucio Severi 1, 06132 Perugia, Italy; (M.M.); (B.P.)
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Curcio R, Poli G, Fabi C, Sugoni C, Pasticci MB, Ferranti R, Rossi M, Folletti I, Sanesi L, Santoni E, Dominioni I, Cavallo M, Morgana G, Mordeglia L, Luca G, Pucci G, Brancorsini S, Vaudo G. Exosomal miR-17-5p, miR-146a-3p, and miR-223-3p Correlate with Radiologic Sequelae in Survivors of COVID-19-Related Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:13037. [PMID: 37685844 PMCID: PMC10488112 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241713037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2023] [Revised: 08/16/2023] [Accepted: 08/19/2023] [Indexed: 09/10/2023] Open
Abstract
We investigated the association between circulating microRNAs (miRNAs) potentially involved in the lung inflammatory process and fibrosis development among COVID-19-related acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) survivors. At 4 ± 2 months from clinical recovery, COVID-19-related ARDS survivors matched for age, sex, and clinical characteristics underwent chest high-resolution computerized tomography (HRCT) and were selected based on imaging pattern evolution into fully recovered (N = normal), pulmonary opacities (PO) and fibrosis-like lesions (FL). Based on the previous literature, we performed plasma miRNA profiling of exosomal miRNAs belonging to the NLRP3-inflammasome platform with validated (miR-17-5p, miR-223-3p) and putative targets (miR-146a-5p), miRNAs involved in the post-transcriptional regulation of acute phase cytokines (miR128-3p, miR3168, miR125b-2-3p, miR106a-5p), miRNAs belonging to the NLRP4-inflammasome platform (miR-141-3p) and miRNAs related to post-transcriptional regulation of the fibrosis process (miR-21-5p). miR-17-5p, miR-223-3p, and miR-146a-5p were significantly down-regulated in patients with FL when compared to patients with PO. miR-146a-5p was also down-regulated in patients with FL than in N. The expression of the remaining miRNAs did not differ by group. In patients with long-term pulmonary radiological sequelae following COVID-19-related ARDS, a down-regulation of miR-17-5p, miR-146a-3p, and miR-223-3p correlated to fibrosis development in patients showing persistent hyper-reactivity to inflammatory stimulation. Our results support the hypothesis that NLRP3-Inflammasome could be implicated in the process of fibrotic evolution of COVID-19-associated ARDS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rosa Curcio
- Unit of Internal Medicine, Santa Maria Terni Hospital, 05100 Terni, Italy
| | - Giulia Poli
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Perugia, 06132 Perugia, Italy
| | - Consuelo Fabi
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Perugia, 06132 Perugia, Italy
| | - Chiara Sugoni
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Perugia, 06132 Perugia, Italy
| | - Maria Bruna Pasticci
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Perugia, 06132 Perugia, Italy
- Infectious Diseases Unit, Santa Maria Terni Hospital, 05100 Terni, Italy
| | - Roberto Ferranti
- Unit of Radiology, Santa Maria Terni Hospital, 05100 Terni, Italy
| | - Monica Rossi
- Unit of Radiology, Santa Maria Terni Hospital, 05100 Terni, Italy
| | - Ilenia Folletti
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Perugia, 06132 Perugia, Italy
- Section of Occupational Medicine, Santa Maria Terni Hospital, 05100 Terni, Italy
| | - Leandro Sanesi
- Unit of Internal Medicine, Santa Maria Terni Hospital, 05100 Terni, Italy
| | - Edoardo Santoni
- Unit of Internal Medicine, Santa Maria Terni Hospital, 05100 Terni, Italy
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Perugia, 06132 Perugia, Italy
| | - Irene Dominioni
- Unit of Internal Medicine, Santa Maria Terni Hospital, 05100 Terni, Italy
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Perugia, 06132 Perugia, Italy
| | | | - Giovanni Morgana
- Unit of Internal Medicine, Santa Maria Terni Hospital, 05100 Terni, Italy
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Perugia, 06132 Perugia, Italy
| | - Lorenzo Mordeglia
- Unit of Internal Medicine, Santa Maria Terni Hospital, 05100 Terni, Italy
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Perugia, 06132 Perugia, Italy
| | - Giovanni Luca
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Perugia, 06132 Perugia, Italy
| | - Giacomo Pucci
- Unit of Internal Medicine, Santa Maria Terni Hospital, 05100 Terni, Italy
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Perugia, 06132 Perugia, Italy
| | - Stefano Brancorsini
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Perugia, 06132 Perugia, Italy
| | - Gaetano Vaudo
- Unit of Internal Medicine, Santa Maria Terni Hospital, 05100 Terni, Italy
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Perugia, 06132 Perugia, Italy
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Adamo FM, Silva Barcelos EC, De Falco F, Dorillo E, Rompietti C, Sorcini D, Stella A, Del Papa B, Baldoni S, Esposito A, Geraci C, Arcaleni R, Pennetta C, Ragonese F, Moretti L, Mameli M, Di Ianni M, Rosati E, Fioretti B, Sportoletti P. Therapeutic Targeting Potential of Novel Silver Nanoparticles Coated with Anti-CD20 Antibody against Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia. Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15:3618. [PMID: 37509279 PMCID: PMC10377400 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15143618] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2023] [Revised: 07/07/2023] [Accepted: 07/09/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) is an incurable disorder associated with alterations in several pathways essential for survival and proliferation. Despite the advances made in CLL therapy with the new target agents, in some cases, relapses and resistance could occur, making the discovery of new alternatives to manage CLL refractoriness necessary. To provide new therapeutic strategies for CLL, we investigated the anti-leukemic activity of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs), whose impact on CLL cells has been poorly explored. METHODS We studied the action mechanisms of AgNPs in vitro through flow cytometry and molecular analyses. To improve the bioavailability of AgNPs, we generated AgNPs coated with the anti-CD20 antibody Rituximab (AgNPs@Rituximab) and carried out imaging-based approaches and in vivo experiments to evaluate specificity, drug uptake, and efficacy. RESULTS AgNPs reduced the viability of primary CLL cells and the HG-3 cell line by inducing an intrinsic apoptotic pathway characterized by Bax/Bcl-2 imbalance, caspase activation, and PARP degradation. Early apoptotic events triggered by AgNPs included enhanced Ca2+ influx and ROS overproduction. AgNPs synergistically potentiated the cytotoxicity of Venetoclax, Ibrutinib, and Bepridil. In vitro, the AgNPs@Rituximab conjugates were rapidly internalized within CLL cells and strongly prolonged the survival of CLL xenograft models compared to each unconjugated single agent. CONCLUSIONS AgNPs showed strong anti-leukemic activity in CLL, with the potential for clinical translation in combination with agents used in CLL. The increased specificity of AgNPs@Rituximab toward CLL cells could be relevant for overcoming in vivo AgNPs' non-specific distribution and increasing their efficacy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesco Maria Adamo
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, Institute of Hematology and Center for Hemato-Oncology Research (CREO), University of Perugia, Santa Maria della Misericordia Hospital, 06129 Perugia, Italy
| | - Estevao Carlos Silva Barcelos
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, Institute of Hematology and Center for Hemato-Oncology Research (CREO), University of Perugia, Santa Maria della Misericordia Hospital, 06129 Perugia, Italy
- Postgraduate Program in Biotechnology, Federal University of Espírito Santo, Vitória 29043-900, Brazil
| | - Filomena De Falco
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, Institute of Hematology and Center for Hemato-Oncology Research (CREO), University of Perugia, Santa Maria della Misericordia Hospital, 06129 Perugia, Italy
| | - Erica Dorillo
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, Institute of Hematology and Center for Hemato-Oncology Research (CREO), University of Perugia, Santa Maria della Misericordia Hospital, 06129 Perugia, Italy
| | - Chiara Rompietti
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, Institute of Hematology and Center for Hemato-Oncology Research (CREO), University of Perugia, Santa Maria della Misericordia Hospital, 06129 Perugia, Italy
| | - Daniele Sorcini
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, Institute of Hematology and Center for Hemato-Oncology Research (CREO), University of Perugia, Santa Maria della Misericordia Hospital, 06129 Perugia, Italy
| | - Arianna Stella
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, Institute of Hematology and Center for Hemato-Oncology Research (CREO), University of Perugia, Santa Maria della Misericordia Hospital, 06129 Perugia, Italy
| | - Beatrice Del Papa
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, Institute of Hematology and Center for Hemato-Oncology Research (CREO), University of Perugia, Santa Maria della Misericordia Hospital, 06129 Perugia, Italy
| | - Stefano Baldoni
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, Institute of Hematology and Center for Hemato-Oncology Research (CREO), University of Perugia, Santa Maria della Misericordia Hospital, 06129 Perugia, Italy
- Department of Medicine and Sciences of Aging, "G. d'Annunzio" University of Chieti-Pescara, 66100 Chieti, Italy
| | - Angela Esposito
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, Institute of Hematology and Center for Hemato-Oncology Research (CREO), University of Perugia, Santa Maria della Misericordia Hospital, 06129 Perugia, Italy
| | - Clelia Geraci
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, Institute of Hematology and Center for Hemato-Oncology Research (CREO), University of Perugia, Santa Maria della Misericordia Hospital, 06129 Perugia, Italy
| | - Roberta Arcaleni
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, Institute of Hematology and Center for Hemato-Oncology Research (CREO), University of Perugia, Santa Maria della Misericordia Hospital, 06129 Perugia, Italy
| | - Chiara Pennetta
- Department of Chemistry, Biology and Biotechnologies, University of Perugia, 06123 Perugia, Italy
| | - Francesco Ragonese
- Department of Chemistry, Biology and Biotechnologies, University of Perugia, 06123 Perugia, Italy
| | - Lorenzo Moretti
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, Institute of Hematology and Center for Hemato-Oncology Research (CREO), University of Perugia, Santa Maria della Misericordia Hospital, 06129 Perugia, Italy
| | - Mariagrazia Mameli
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, Institute of Hematology and Center for Hemato-Oncology Research (CREO), University of Perugia, Santa Maria della Misericordia Hospital, 06129 Perugia, Italy
| | - Mauro Di Ianni
- Department of Medicine and Sciences of Aging, "G. d'Annunzio" University of Chieti-Pescara, 66100 Chieti, Italy
| | - Emanuela Rosati
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, Biosciences and Medical Embryology Section, University of Perugia, 06129 Perugia, Italy
| | - Bernard Fioretti
- Department of Chemistry, Biology and Biotechnologies, University of Perugia, 06123 Perugia, Italy
| | - Paolo Sportoletti
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, Institute of Hematology and Center for Hemato-Oncology Research (CREO), University of Perugia, Santa Maria della Misericordia Hospital, 06129 Perugia, Italy
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Orfei B, Moretti C, Loreti S, Tatulli G, Onofri A, Scotti L, Aceto A, Buonaurio R. Silver nanoclusters with Ag 2+/3+ oxidative states are a new highly effective tool against phytopathogenic bacteria. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 2023:10.1007/s00253-023-12596-z. [PMID: 37289240 DOI: 10.1007/s00253-023-12596-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2023] [Revised: 05/03/2023] [Accepted: 05/09/2023] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
The main measure worldwide adopted to manage plant bacterial diseases is based on the application of copper compounds, which are often partially efficacious for the frequent appearance of copper-resistant bacterial strains and have raised concerns for their toxicity to the environment and humans. Therefore, there is an increasing need to develop new environmentally friendly, efficient, and reliable strategies for controlling plant bacterial diseases, and among them, the use of nanoparticles seems promising. The present study aimed to evaluate the feasibility of protecting plants against attacks of gram-negative and gram-positive phytopathogenic bacteria by using electrochemically synthesized silver ultra nanoclusters (ARGIRIUM‑SUNCs®) with an average size of 1.79 nm and characterized by rare oxidative states (Ag2+/3+). ARGIRIUM‑SUNCs strongly inhibited the in vitro growth (effective concentration, EC50, less than 1 ppm) and biofilm formation of Pseudomonas syringae pv. tomato and of quarantine bacteria Xanthomonas vesicatoria, Xylella fastidiosa subsp. pauca, and Clavibacter michiganensis subsp. michiganensis. In addition, treatments with ARGIRIUM‑SUNCs also provoked the eradication of biofilm for P. syringae pv. tomato, X. vesicatoria, and C. michiganensis subsp. michiganensis. Treatment of tomato plants via root absorption with ARGIRIUM‑SUNCs (10 ppm) is not phytotoxic and protected (80%) the plants against P. syringae pv. tomato attacks. ARGIRIUM‑SUNCs at low doses induced hormetic effects on P. syringae pv. tomato, X. vesicatoria, and C. michiganensis subsp. michiganensis as well as on tomato root growth. The use of ARGIRIUM‑SUNCs in protecting plants against phytopathogenic bacteria is a possible alternative control measure. KEY POINTS: • ARGIRIUM‑SUNC has strong antimicrobial activities against phytopathogenic bacteria; • ARGIRIUM‑SUNC inhibits biofilm formation at low doses; • ARGIRIUM‑SUNC protects tomato plants against bacterial speck disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benedetta Orfei
- Department of Agricultural, Food and Environmental Sciences, University of Perugia, Perugia, Italy
| | - Chiaraluce Moretti
- Department of Agricultural, Food and Environmental Sciences, University of Perugia, Perugia, Italy.
| | - Stefania Loreti
- Council for Agricultural Research and Economics (CREA), Research Centre for Plant Protection and Certification, Roma, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Tatulli
- Council for Agricultural Research and Economics (CREA), Research Centre for Plant Protection and Certification, Roma, Italy
| | - Andrea Onofri
- Department of Agricultural, Food and Environmental Sciences, University of Perugia, Perugia, Italy
| | - Luca Scotti
- Department of Medical, Oral and Biotechnological Sciences, "G. d'Annunzio" University of Chieti-Pescara, Chieti, Italy.
| | - Antonio Aceto
- Department of Medical, Oral and Biotechnological Sciences, "G. d'Annunzio" University of Chieti-Pescara, Chieti, Italy
| | - Roberto Buonaurio
- Department of Agricultural, Food and Environmental Sciences, University of Perugia, Perugia, Italy
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Scandar S, Zadra C, Marcotullio MC. Coriander ( Coriandrum sativum) Polyphenols and Their Nutraceutical Value against Obesity and Metabolic Syndrome. Molecules 2023; 28:molecules28104187. [PMID: 37241925 DOI: 10.3390/molecules28104187] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2023] [Revised: 05/02/2023] [Accepted: 05/11/2023] [Indexed: 05/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Coriander is a widely used plant for its medicinal and biological properties. Both coriander essential oil and extracts are interesting sources of bioactive compounds and are widely used as spices in culinary practice due to their exclusive aroma and flavour. We focus our attention on coriander extracts that are rich in polyphenols. It is well known that plant polyphenols possess different biological activities and several functional foods contain this class of compounds. The polyphenol profile in an extract can be influenced by the plant part studied, the method of extraction and other parameters. This study performs a literature review using the words "coriander", "polyphenols" and "extraction" or "biological activity" in different databases such as PubMed, Google Scholar and Scopus. After that, we focus on the evidence of coriander polyphenols as protective agents against some inflammation-related diseases. Due to the bioactivities of coriander extract, this herb can be considered a valuable functional food against obesity, metabolic syndrome and diabetes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samir Scandar
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Perugia, Via del Giochetto-Ed. B, 06122 Perugia, Italy
| | - Claudia Zadra
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Perugia, Via del Giochetto-Ed. B, 06122 Perugia, Italy
| | - Maria Carla Marcotullio
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Perugia, Via del Giochetto-Ed. B, 06122 Perugia, Italy
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11
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Menardo E, Cubelli R, Balboni G. Adaptation of the personal social capital brief scale for the measurement of the offline and online social capital in Italy. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0272454. [PMID: 36048834 PMCID: PMC9436046 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0272454] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2021] [Accepted: 07/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Social Capital refers to the resources associated with durable and trustworthy social connections. Social Capital can be developed through offline and online relationships. It can be distinguished between cognitive Social Capital (perception of trustworthiness, reciprocity, and support) and structural Social Capital (density of social networks and membership, and participation in groups and associations). It can also be distinguished between bonding Social Capital (resources associated with informal networks; i.e., neighbors, friends, colleagues) and bridging Social Capital (resources associated with formal networks; i.e., community service, cultural, religious or political groups/associations). The different forms and dimensions of Social Capital may have distinct effects on health outcomes and self-rated health. Therefore, public health researchers need valid and reliable instruments to investigate Social Capital. However, valid instruments including the measurement of online Social Capital are not available. The Personal Social Capital Scale aims to assess bonding and bridging Social Capital by means of cognitive and structural items. In the present investigation, three studies were carried out (N = 1149) to adapt the Personal Social Capital Scale to develop the Personal On-Offline Social Capital Brief Scale, a brief scale for measuring online and offline bonding and bridging Social Capital in Italy. Factorial structure and convergent/divergent validity in relation to scales measuring constructs with different patterns of relationships with bonding and bridging Social Capital (i.e., social support and stress; sense of community and health) were also investigated. Overall, these studies provide evidence of reliability and validity related to the internal structure of the Personal On-Offline Social Capital Brief Scale in measuring online and offline bonding and bridging Social Capital and discriminating them from similar constructs. This scale is a useful instrument for planning public health interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elisa Menardo
- Department of Human Sciences, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
| | - Roberto Cubelli
- Department of Psychology and Cognitive Sciences, University of Trento, Rovereto, Italy
| | - Giulia Balboni
- Department of Philosophy, Social Sciences and Education, University of Perugia, Perugia, Italy
- * E-mail:
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12
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Bracciale MP, Kwon G, Ho D, Kim C, Santarelli ML, Marrocchi A. Synthesis, Characterization, and Thin-Film Transistor Response of Benzo[i]pentahelicene-3,6-dione. Molecules 2022; 27:863. [PMID: 35164123 PMCID: PMC8840029 DOI: 10.3390/molecules27030863] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2021] [Revised: 01/24/2022] [Accepted: 01/25/2022] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Organic semiconductors hold the promise of simple, large area solution deposition, low thermal budgets as well as compatibility with flexible substrates, thus emerging as viable alternatives for cost-effective (opto)-electronic devices. In this study, we report the optimized synthesis and characterization of a helically shaped polycyclic aromatic compound, namely benzo[i]pentahelicene-3,6-dione, and explored its use in the fabrication of organic field effect transistors. In addition, we investigated its thermal, optical absorption, and electrochemical properties. Finally, the single crystal X-ray characterization is reported.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Paola Bracciale
- Department of Chemical Engineering Materials and Environment, University of Rome “Sapienza”, Via Eudossiana 18, 00184 Rome, Italy;
| | - Guhyun Kwon
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Sogang University, Seoul 04107, Korea; (G.K.); (D.H.); (C.K.)
| | - Dongil Ho
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Sogang University, Seoul 04107, Korea; (G.K.); (D.H.); (C.K.)
| | - Choongik Kim
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Sogang University, Seoul 04107, Korea; (G.K.); (D.H.); (C.K.)
| | - Maria Laura Santarelli
- Department of Chemical Engineering Materials and Environment, University of Rome “Sapienza”, Via Eudossiana 18, 00184 Rome, Italy;
| | - Assunta Marrocchi
- Department of Chemistry, Biology and Biotechnology, University of Perugia, Via Elce di Sotto 8, 06123 Perugia, Italy
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Ederli L, Salerno G, Quaglia M. In the tripartite combination Botrytis cinerea-Arabidopsis-Eurydema oleracea, the fungal pathogen alters the plant-insect interaction via jasmonic acid signalling activation and inducible plant-emitted volatiles. J Plant Res 2021; 134:523-533. [PMID: 33738682 PMCID: PMC8106584 DOI: 10.1007/s10265-021-01273-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2020] [Accepted: 02/19/2021] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
In ecosystems, plants are continuously challenged by combined stress conditions more than by a single biotic or abiotic factor. Consequently, in recent years studies on plant relationships with multiple stresses have aroused increasing interest. Here, the impact of inoculation with fungal pathogens with different lifestyles on Arabidopsis plants response to the following infestation with the invasive crop pest Eurydema oleracea was investigated. In particular, as fungal pathogens the necrotroph Botrytis cinerea and the biotroph Golovinomyces orontii were used. Plants exposed to B. cinerea, but not to G. orontii, showed reduced herbivore feeding damage. This difference was associated to different hormonal pathways triggered by the pathogens: G. orontii only induced the salicylate-mediated pathway, while B. cinerea stimulated also the jasmonate-dependent signalling, which persisted for a long time providing a long-term defence to further herbivore attack. In particular, the lower susceptibility of B. cinerea-infected Arabidopsis plants to E. oleracea was related to the stimulation of the JA-induced pathway on the production of plant volatile compounds, since treatment with VOCs emitted by B. cinerea inoculated plants inhibited both insect plant choice and feeding damage. These results indicate that necrotrophic plant pathogenic fungi modulate host volatile emission, thus affecting plant response to subsequent insect, thereby increasing the knowledge on tripartite plant-microbe-insect interactions in nature.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luisa Ederli
- Department of Agricultural, Food and Environmental Sciences, University of Perugia, Borgo XX Giugno, Perugia, 06121, Italy
| | - Gianandrea Salerno
- Department of Agricultural, Food and Environmental Sciences, University of Perugia, Borgo XX Giugno, Perugia, 06121, Italy.
| | - Mara Quaglia
- Department of Agricultural, Food and Environmental Sciences, University of Perugia, Borgo XX Giugno, Perugia, 06121, Italy
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