Identification of plant semiochemicals and evaluation of their interactions with early spring insect pests of asparagus

Information is lacking on the chemical ecology of asparagus, and knowledge about the effects of its volatile emissions on its associated early season pest species is completely absent. The current study aimed to (1) evaluate whether the asparagus miner responds to asparagus volatiles, (2) identify and compare the changes in asparagus host plant volatiles from mechanical and chewing damage by the black cutworm, a temporally co-occurring species with the asparagus miner, and (3) assess how asparagus volatiles affect asparagus miner populations in the field. Results indicated that asparagus miners were significantly attracted to healthy asparagus stems when compared to clean air. Damaged asparagus headspace volatiles were quantitatively and qualitatively different from healthy plants. Volatile baits elicited a range of responses, but their effects were inconsistent between sampling years and phenology-dependent. Overall, we demonstrated that the chemical ecology of asparagus may be altered by its pest community, and volatiles identified from asparagus may impact the behavior of the asparagus miner.     

CD1A-positive cells and HSP60 (HSPD1) levels in keratoacanthoma and squamous cell carcinoma

CD1a is involved in presentation to the immune system of lipid antigen derived from tumor cells with subsequent T cell activation. Hsp60 is a molecular chaperone implicated in carcinogenesis by, for instance, modulating the immune reaction against the tumor. We have previously postulated a synergism between CD1a and Hsp60 as a key factor in the activation of an effective antitumor immune response in squamous epithelia. Keratoacantomas (KAs) are benign tumors that however can transform into squamous cell carcinomas (SCCs), but the reasons for this malignization are unknown. In a previous study, we found that CD1a-positive cells are significantly more numerous in KA than in SCC. In this study, we analyzed a series of KAs and SCCs by immunohistochemistry for CD1a and Hsp60. Our results show that the levels of both are significantly lower in KA than in SCC and support the hypothesis that KA may evolve towards SCC if there is a failure of the local modulation of the antitumor immune response. The data also show that immunohistochemistry for CD1a and Hsp60 can be of help in differential diagnosis between KAs and well-differentiated forms of SCC.     

Human Bone Marrow Mesenchymal Stem Cells Display Anti-Cancer Activity in SCID Mice Bearing Disseminated Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma Xenografts

Background

Although multimodality treatment can induce high rate of remission in many subtypes of non-Hodgkin''s lymphoma (NHL), significant proportions of patients relapse with incurable disease. The effect of human bone marrow (BM) mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) on tumor cell growth is controversial, and no specific information is available on the effect of BM-MSC on NHL.

Methodology/Principal Findings

The effect of BM-MSC was analyzed in two in vivo models of disseminated non-Hodgkin''s lymphomas with an indolent (EBV⁻ Burkitt-type BJAB, median survival = 46 days) and an aggressive (EBV⁺ B lymphoblastoid SKW6.4, median survival = 27 days) behavior in nude-SCID mice. Intra-peritoneal (i.p.) injection of MSC (4 days after i.p. injection of lymphoma cells) significantly increased the overall survival at an optimal MSC∶lymphoma ratio of 1∶10 in both xenograft models (BJAB+MSC, median survival = 58.5 days; SKW6.4+MSC, median survival = 40 days). Upon MSC injection, i.p. tumor masses developed more slowly and, at the histopathological observation, exhibited a massive stromal infiltration coupled to extensive intra-tumor necrosis. In in vitro experiments, we found that: i) MSC/lymphoma co-cultures modestly affected lymphoma cell survival and were characterized by increased release of pro-angiogenic cytokines with respect to the MSC, or lymphoma, cultures; ii) MSC induce the migration of endothelial cells in transwell assays, but promoted endothelial cell apoptosis in direct MSC/endothelial cell co-cultures.

Conclusions/Significance

Our data demonstrate that BM-MSC exhibit anti-lymphoma activity in two distinct xenograft SCID mouse models of disseminated NHL.     

Freight transport in the context of industrial ecology and sustainability: evaluation of uni- and multi-modality scenarios via life cycle assessment

Purpose

This study aims at comparing, from an environmental point of view, four different scenarios of freight transport at the Italian level, on an equal base of route between supplier and customer. The first scenario included freight movements by truck and mainly ship, the second included track and mainly train, the third was the three-modal based scenario, whilst the fourth scenario was the only uni-modal, based only upon truck movement.

The study was conducted to find the environmentally sustainable solution, or at least a sustainable trade-off, as well as the most environmentally burdening issues, associated with the geographic dimension of transport in Italy, towards sustainability.

Methods

Using uni‐ and multi-modal freight movements by truck, rail and ship, a life cycle assessment (LCA) was developed to estimate the related environmental burdens both at the midpoint and at the endpoint levels from the consumption of primary energy and natural resources along with the emissions of greenhouse gases (GHGs) and of other pollutants. Primary data were compiled as part of the inventory analysis and consisted in the transport flows associated with the system investigated: those were calculated from the distance travelled and the goods load transported. Primary data were then combined with secondary data that were modelled with the transport life cycle modules contained in Ecoinvent: from those modules, the fuel consumption amounts associated transport flows were extrapolated, and used for the assessment.

Results

Results showed that the environmental impact of the multi-modal scenarios is lower compared with the uni-modal scenario. The best performing option was found to be the third scenario providing use of all the three freight means, namely ship, train and truck. However, this scenario is not being practiced for several reasons, mainly due to control and monitoring difficulties of each step and higher operational costs. The first and second scenarios showed a quite comparable environmental behaviour and so are to be considered as viable options.

Conclusions

Apart from highlighting the most environmentally viable transport options, the study contributed to finding the indicators of environmental impact and damage that best describe the system investigated and are recommended by this author team to be accounted for in future assessments in the transport sector. Finally, although site-specific, the results of this study may be useful to logistics companies, policy and decision makers of other regions and countries towards identifying and promoting environmentally optimal freight transport solutions, contributing to sustainability of the transport sector.

     

Levels of some trace elements in selected autopsy organs,and in hair and blood samples from adult subjects of the Italian population

This study, which is part of a research program for the determination of trace element reference levels in various human tissues for the Italian population, presents the concentrations of Se, Hg, Cr, Cs, Sc, Rb, Zn, Fe, Co, and Sb in lung, liver, spleen, and kidney autopsy samples taken from 14 adult subjects of the Italian population who died from accidental causes. Concentrations of the same trace elements are given also for blood and hair samples taken from subjects of the general Italian population and of a population group living in a small coastal town that has an average annual fish consumption well above the national average. The analytical method used was Instrumental Neutron Activation Analysis. The levels and distribution of the trace elements in the various human organs examined are analyzed and discussed.     

Excitatory Amino Acids Stimulate Inositol Phospholipid Hydrolysis and Reduce Proliferation in Cultured Astrocytes

Excitatory amino acids stimulated inositol phospholipid hydrolysis in primary cultures of astrocytes, as reflected by an increased formation of [3H]inositol monophosphate [( 3H]InsP) in the presence of 10 mM Li+. Quisqualate was the most potent activator of inositol phospholipid hydrolysis, followed by glutamate and ibotenate. Kainate exhibited low activity, whereas N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) and alpha-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methylisoxazolepropionate (AMPA) were inactive. The increase in [3H]InsP formation induced by glutamate was potentiated after 12-h exposure to the proliferative agent epidermal growth factor (EGF), suggesting that activation of the mitotic cycle leads to an enhanced coupling of glutamate recognition sites with phospholipase C. To study how glutamate receptors are involved in regulating cell proliferation, we have measured [methyl-3H]thymidine incorporation in cultured astrocytes. Excitatory amino acids reduced thymidine incorporation with a pharmacological profile similar to that observed for the stimulation of inositol phospholipid hydrolysis. Quisqualate acted as a potent antiproliferative agent, both under basal conditions and in cells stimulated to proliferate by addition of EGF or phorbol 12-tetradecanoate 13-acetate. Glutamate and ibotenate reduced [methyl-3H]thymidine incorporation at high concentrations, whereas kainate, AMPA, and NMDA were virtually inactive. The action of quisqualate on both inositol phospholipid hydrolysis and thymidine incorporation was attenuated by 2-amino-4-phosphonobutyrate, which acted as a weak agonist/competitive antagonist. Other excitatory amino acid receptor antagonists were not effective.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)