Chromatin characterization by banding techniques, in situ hybridization, and nuclear DNA content in Cicer L. (Leguminosae).

The karyotypes of three accessions, one each from three annual species of the genus Cicer, namely Cicer arietinum, Cicer reticulation, and Cicer echinospermum, were examined and compared using C-banding, the fluorochromes chromomycin A3, DAPI, and Hoechst 33258, in situ hybridization of the 18S-5.8S-25S and 5S rDNA sequences, and silver staining. The nuclear DNA content of the three species and the amount of heterochromatin were also determined. The results suggest an evolutionary pathway in which C. reticulatum is the ancestral species from which both C. arietinum and C. echinospermum are derived with the loss of one pair of satellites; subsequently, C. echinospermum further differentiated by the accumulation of chromosomal rearrangement(s) that gave rise to a hybrid sterility barrier. Key words : Cicer, C-banding, fluorochromes, Ag staining, rRNA genes.     

The multidisciplinary therapy in binge eating disorder is able to influence the interdaily stability and sleep quality?

ABSTRACT

We have recently shown that rest-activity circadian rhythm significantly differed in women with Binge Eating Disorder (BED) compared to the Ctrl group. In details, patients with BED exhibited significantly reduced levels of MESOR and Amplitude with respect to the Ctrl group. In addition, in this previous study, the results of the actigraphic sleep monitoring provided no evidence of differences in sleep parameters between the two groups. We expanded the original sample obtaining a total of 28 volunteered women, 14 BED women, and 14 Ctrl. We recorded in all 28 participants a 5-day actigraphic monitoring to detect the rhythmometric parameters, interdaily stability, intradaily variability, L5, M10, and sleep parameters. During the study, BED’s women group kept an individual multidisciplinary therapy lasting five weekly days, from Monday to Friday, consisting in cognitive-behavioral therapy and nutritional program, administered in outpatient care from 8:00 a.m. at 5:00 p.m. The combination of both our previous and current study supports the conclusion that the sleep quality of the BED group is significantly better compared to Ctrl. The non-parametric indexes showed how interdaily stability, significantly correlated to sleep efficiency, was higher in BED group compared to the Ctrl group, indicating a better synchronization of rest-activity circadian rhythm. In conclusion, the maintenance of a regular lifestyle, such as imposed by the multidisciplinary therapy, is important to avoid alterations in the sleep-wake cycle, particularly in patients with eating disorders.     

Lectin-related resistance factors against bruchids evolved through a number of duplication events

Abundant lectin-related proteins found in common beans (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) have been shown to confer resistance against the larvae of a number of bruchid species. Genes encoding for these proteins are members of the lectin multigene family, the most representative components being arcelins, phytohemagglutinins and -amylase inhibitors. Arcelins have been described in seven variants, some of which are resistance factors against the Mexican bean weevil (Zabrotes subfasciatus), a major bean predator. In this study the isolation and sequencing of arcelin genes from wild P. vulgaris genotypes, containing Arc3 and Arc7 variants, is reported, and similarities and evolutionary relationships among the seven known arcelins are described. The evolutionary analysis shows that arcelins 3 and 4 cluster together and are the most-ancient variants. A duplication event gave rise to two additional clusters, one comprising arcelins 1, 2 and 6 and separated from the cluster of arcelins 5 and 7. A multiple number of arcelin genes were found in arcelin 3 and 4 genotypes indicating that more than one type of arcelin gene may be present in the same locus. Some of these sequences are reminiscent of ancient duplication events in arcelin evolution demonstrating that arcelins have evolved through multiple duplications. A further aim of this paper was to better understand and describe the evolution of the entire lectin multigene family. Beside arcelins, a number of other types of sequences, such as putative lectins and sequences not easily classifiable, were found in genotypes containing Arc3 and Arc4. These results, together with the evolutionary analysis, indicate that lectin loci are quite complex and confirm their origin by multiple duplication events.Communicated by J.S. Heslop-HarrisonL. Lioi and F. Sparvoli contributed equally to the work     

Short-term therapy with celecoxib and lansoprazole modulates Th1/ Th2 immune response in human gastric mucosa

Background: Selective cyclooxygenase‐2 (COX‐2) inhibitors and proton pump inhibitors may exert immune‐mediated effects in human gastric mucosa. T‐cell immune response plays a role in Helicobacter pylori‐induced pathogenesis. This study evaluated effects of celecoxib and lansoprazole on T‐helper (Th) 1 and Th2 immune response in human gastric mucosa. Methods: Dyspeptic patients with or without osteoarticular pain were given one of the following 4‐week therapies: celecoxib 200 mg, celecoxib 200 mg plus lansoprazole 30 mg, and lansoprazole 30 mg daily. Expression of COX‐2, T‐bet, and pSTAT6 and production of prostaglandin E₂ (PGE₂), interferon (IFN)‐γ, and interleukin (IL)‐4 were determined in gastric biopsies before and after therapy. Histology was evaluated. Results: Cyclooxygenase‐2 expression and PGE₂ production was higher, and Th1 signaling pathway was predominant in H. pylori‐infected vs. uninfected patients. T‐bet expression and IFN‐γ production increased, while STAT6 activation and IL‐4 production decreased following therapy with celecoxib and celecoxib plus lansoprazole, respectively. Th1 and Th2 signaling pathways down‐regulated after therapy with lansoprazole, and this was associated with an improvement of gastritis. Effect of therapy was not affected by H. pylori status. Conclusion: Celecoxib and lansoprazole modulate Th1/Th2 immune response in human gastric mucosa. The use of these drugs may interfere with long‐term course of gastritis.     

Effects of 6-month daily supplementation with oral beta-carotene in combination or not with benzo[a]pyrene on cell-cycle markers in the lung of ferrets

Epidemiological studies have demonstrated that people who eat more fruits and vegetables (rich in carotenoids) and people who have higher serum beta-carotene (BC) levels have a lower risk of cancer, particularly lung cancer. However, the two main human intervention studies of BC supplementation (the ATBC and the CARET trials) revealed an increased risk of lung cancer among smokers and asbestos workers. Previous studies carried out in the ferret have reported that BC effects are related to dose. Here, we treated ferrets with two concentrations of oral BC (0.8 and 3.2 mg/kg body weight per day) for 6 months, using BC in a formulation also containing dl-alpha-tocopherol and ascorbyl palmitate. The effect of the smoke-derived carcinogenic agent benzo[a]pyrene (BP), with or without low-dose BC, was also analysed. We determined the protein levels and mRNA expression levels of activator protein 1 (c-Jun and c-Fos), c-Myc, cyclin D1, proliferating cellular nuclear antigen and retinoic acid receptor beta. We did not find higher levels of cell proliferation markers in the lung of ferrets treated with BC or signals of squamous metaplasia lesions either. On the other hand, although no evident signals of pulmonary carcinogenesis were observed in animals exposed to BP, BC supplementation in these animals may prevent against excess cell proliferation, since this reestablishes Jun protein and cyclin D1 mRNA levels in the lung of BP-exposed animals. In summary, these results show that the combination of BC with alpha-tocopherol and ascorbyl palmitate does not induce pro-oxidant effects in the lung of ferrets.     

An updated checklist of the vascular flora native to Italy

An updated inventory of the native vascular flora of Italy, providing details on the occurrence at regional level, is presented. The checklist includes 8195 taxa (6417 species and 1778 subspecies), distributed in 1092 genera and 152 families; 23 taxa are lycophytes, 108 ferns and fern allies, 30 gymnosperms and 8034 angiosperms. The taxa currently occurring in Italy are 7483, while 568 taxa have not been confirmed in recent times, 99 are doubtfully occurring in the country and 19 are data deficient. Out of the 568 not confirmed taxa, 26 are considered extinct or possibly extinct.     

Isozyme diversity, RFLP of the rDNA and phylogenetic affinities among cultivated Lima beans,Phaseolus lunatus (Fabaceae)

Genetic variation inPhaseolus lunatus (Lima bean) was investigated at isozyme and DNA levels. Sixty cultivated accessions, including representatives of the Mesoamerican and Andean gene pools and intermediate types, were analyzed for variability at 17 isozyme loci. Some accessions were also examined for restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) at the rDNA level. These data were used to construct two dendrograms showing clear separation in two distinct groups corresponding to each of the gene pools and an intermediate one probably representing a transitional group.     

Predicting the actigraphy-based acrophase using the Morningness–Eveningness Questionnaire (MEQ) in college students of North Italy

Actigraphy is the reference objective method to measure circadian rhythmicity. One simpler subjective approach to assess the circadian typology is the Morningness–Eveningness Questionnaire (MEQ) by Horne and Ostberg. In this study, we compared the MEQ score against the actigraphy-based circadian parameters MESOR, amplitude and acrophase in a sample of 54 students of the University of Milan in Northern Italy. MEQ and the acrophase resulted strongly and inversely associated (r = ?0.84, p < 0.0001), and their relationship exhibited a clear-cut linear trend. We thus used linear regression to develop an equation enabling us to predict the value of the acrophase from the MEQ score. The parameters of the regression model were precisely estimated, with the slope of the regression line being significantly different from 0 (p < 0.0001). The best-fit linear equation was: acrophase (min) = 1238.7–5.49·MEQ, indicating that each additional point in the MEQ score corresponded to a shortening of the acrophase of approximately 5 min. The coefficient of determination, R², was 0.70. The residuals were evenly distributed and did not show any systematic pattern, thus indicating that the linear model yielded a good, balanced prediction of the acrophase throughout the range of the MEQ score. In particular, the model was able to accurately predict the mean values of the acrophase in the three chronotypes (Morning-, Neither-, and Evening-types) in which the study subjects were categorized. Both the confidence and prediction limits associated to the regression line were calculated, thus providing an assessment of the uncertainty associated with the prediction of the model. In particular, the size of the two-sided prediction limits for the acrophase was about ±100 min in the midrange of the MEQ score. Finally, k-fold cross-validation showed that both the model’s predictive ability on new data and the model’s stability to changes in the data set used for parameter estimation were good. In conclusion, the actigraphy-based acrophase can be predicted using the MEQ score in a population of college students of North Italy.