Search

The identification of genes that confer either extension of life span or accelerate age-related decline was a step forward in understanding the mechanisms of aging and revealed that it is partially controlled by genetics and transcriptional programs. Here, we discovered that the human DNA sequence C16ORF70 encodes a protein, named MYTHO (macroautophagy and youth optimizer), which controls life span and health span. MYTHO protein is conserved from Caenorhabditis elegans to humans and its mRNA was upregulated in aged mice and elderly people. Deletion of the orthologous myt-1 gene in C. elegans dramatically shortened life span and decreased animal survival upon exposure to oxidative stress. Mechanistically, MYTHO is required for autophagy likely because it acts as a scaffold that binds WIPI2 and BCAS3 to recruit and assemble the conjugation system at the phagophore, the nascent autophagosome. We conclude that MYTHO is a transcriptionally regulated initiator of autophagy that is central in promoting stress resistance and healthy aging., Introduction In nature, organisms are continuously exposed to environmental stresses that challenge their survival. The species that quickly and efficiently adapt to hostile conditions are positively selected. This response is [...]

El objetivo de esta contribución es divulgar una metodología que incluye una serie de técnicas y métodos, disponibles en diferentes instituciones académicas y de investigación de nuestro país, que posibilita el estudio y la caracterización de los Sistemas Petroleros. Dicha metodología incluye el análisis de inclusiones fluidas (IF) con hidrocarburos (HC), alojadas en fases minerales que han cristalizado en equilibrio junto con fluidos acuosos de diferente origen (sedimentario, ígneo, hidrotermal o metamórfico), combinado con Fluorescencia con luz incidente UV (ultravioleta) y Espectrometría Raman. Como caso de estudio, se presenta la implementación de la metodología propuesta en el análisis de IF con HC identificadas en cristales de baritina del área de Colipilli-Naunauco (Cuenca Neuquina, provincia del Neuquén), la que permitió determinar la composición de los HC, así como obtener datos térmicos que posibilitaron la interpretación de los procesos de entrampamiento, maduración y migración de los HC en este sistema hidrotermal-magmático. Los resultados presentados podrán ser de interés no sólo para el avance del conocimiento de la temática, sino también para la industria petrolera, en un contexto de transición energética que demanda la incorporación de nuevos recursos a menor costo y la optimización del desarrollo de los recursos ya disponibles.

The gilded bronze eagles that stand upon the summit of the Tabernacle by Michelozzo in the Abbey of San Miniato al Monte, Florence (Italy) are an exquisite example of Italian Renaissance sculpture. Commissioned by Piero di Cosimo de Medici, the two eagles, representing the ancient Arte di Calimala, were cast and decorated by Maso di Bartolomeo in the 1448–1449 period. A multi-analytical approach was set up to characterize the state of conservation, materials used, and artistic technique of the eagles. Non-invasive methods were used and integrated with micro-invasive analyses, such as X-ray fluorescence (XRF) and Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, X-ray diffractometry on powders (XRPD), scanning electron microscopy coupled with EDS (SEM-EDS), and metallographic investigation. The results depict shiny-looking eagles, suggesting the use of oil gilding on almost all surfaces and revealing the presence of polychromies, which is almost unusual in XV-century bronze statuary and is initially hidden by deposits and corrosion products. Indeed, the paws were originally painted with azurite, while the use of cinnabar imparted a vivid red color to the tongue. A black paint containing mercury was found on the eyes and talons. The bales of cloth were decorated with silver, which is now almost completely lost and whose remains are not visible due to being tarnished, while fine details in gold were detected on the lanyard.

IntroductionGrowth Differentiation Factor 15 (GDF15) is a mitokine expressed in response to various stresses whose circulating levels increase with age and are associated with numerous pathological conditions, including muscle wasting and sarcopenia. However, the use of circulating GDF15 (c-GDF15) as a biomarker of sarcopenia is still debated. Moreover, the role of GDF15 intracellular precursor, pro-GDF15, in human skeletal muscle (SM-GDF15) is not totally understood. In order to clarify these points, the association of both forms of GDF15 with parameters of muscle strength, body composition, metabolism and inflammation was investigated.Methodsthe levels of c-GDF15 and SM-GDF15 were evaluated in plasma and muscle biopsies, respectively, of healthy subjects (HS) and patients with lower limb mobility impairment (LLMI), either young (70 years-old). Other parameters included in the analysis were Isometric Quadriceps Strength (IQS), BMI, lean and fat mass percentage, Vastus lateralis thickness, as well as circulating levels of Adiponectin, Leptin, Resistin, IGF-1, Insulin, IL6, IL15 and c-PLIN2. Principal Component Analysis (PCA), Canonical Discriminant Analysis (CDA) and Receiving Operating Characteristics (ROC) analysis were performed.Resultsc-GDF15 but not SM-GDF15 levels resulted associated with decreased IQS and IGF-1 levels in both HS and LLMI, while only in LLMI associated with increased levels of Resistin. Moreover, in LLMI both c-GDF15 and SM-GDF15 levels were associated with IL-6 levels, but interestingly SM-GDF15 is lower in LLMI with respect to HS. Furthermore, a discrimination of the four groups of subjects based on these parameters was possible with PCA and CDA. In particular HS, LLMI over 70 years or under 40 years of age were discriminated based on SM-GDF15, c-GDF15 and Insulin levels, respectively.Conclusionour data support the idea that c-GDF15 level could be used as a biomarker of decreased muscle mass and strength. Moreover, it is suggested that c-GDF15 has a different diagnostic significance with respect to SM-GDF15, which is likely linked to a healthy and active state.

Healthcare workers (HCWs) are a high-risk group for hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection. Notably, about 5–10% of the general population does not respond to the HBV vaccination. In this study, we aimed to investigate DNA methylation (DNAm) in order to estimate the biological age of B cells from HCW of both sexes, either responder (R) or non-responder (NR), to HBV vaccination. We used genome-wide DNA methylation data to calculate a set of biomarkers in B cells collected from 41 Rs and 30 NRs between 22 and 62 years old. Unresponsiveness to HBV vaccination was associated with accelerated epigenetic aging (DNAmAge, AltumAge, DunedinPoAm) and was accompanied by epigenetic drift. Female non-responders had higher estimates of telomere length and lower CRP inflammation risk score when compared to responders. Overall, epigenetic differences between responders and non-responders were more evident in females than males. In this study we demonstrated that several methylation DNAm-based clocks and biomarkers are associated with an increased risk of non-response to HBV vaccination, particularly in females. Based on these results, we propose that accelerated epigenetic age could contribute to vaccine unresponsiveness. These insights may help improve the evaluation of the effectiveness of vaccination strategies, especially among HCWs and vulnerable patients.

Abstract Background Arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) symbiosis is the most widespread association between plant roots and fungi in natural and agricultural ecosystems. This work investigated the influence of mycorrhization on the economically relevant part of the tomato plant, by analyzing its impact on the physiology of the fruit. To this aim, a combination of phenological observations, transcriptomics (Microarrays and qRT-PCR) and biochemical analyses was used to unravel the changes that occur on fruits from Micro-Tom tomato plants colonized by the AM fungus Glomus mosseae. Results Mycorrhization accelerated the flowering and fruit development and increased the fruit yield. Eleven transcripts were differentially regulated in the fruit upon mycorrhization, and the mycorrhiza-responsive genes resulted to be involved in nitrogen and carbohydrate metabolism as well as in regulation and signal transduction. Mycorrhization has increased the amino acid abundance in the fruit from mycorrhizal plants, with glutamine and asparagine being the most responsive amino acids. Conclusions The obtained results offer novel data on the systemic changes that are induced by the establishment of AM symbiosis in the plant, and confirm the work hypothesis that AM fungi may extend their influence from the root to the fruit.

The prevention of cardiovascular diseases is a fundamental pillar for reducing morbidity and mortality caused by non-communicable diseases. Social determinants, such as socioeconomic status, education, neighborhood, physical environment, employment, social support networks, and access to health care, play a crucial role in influencing health outcomes and health inequities within populations. Social determinants and stress in women are interconnected factors that can significantly impact women’s health and well-being. Pregnancy is a good time to engage young women and introduce them to beneficial behaviors, such as adopting essential life skills, especially diet, and learning stress management techniques. Stress influences diet, and women are more likely to engage in unhealthy eating behaviors such as emotional eating or coping with stress with food. Strong action is needed to improve women’s lifestyle starting at a young age considering that this lays the foundation for a lower cardiovascular risk in adults and the elderly. The objective of this review is to examine cardiovascular primary prevention in young healthy women, focusing particularly on unresolved issues and the influence of social determinants, as well as the correlation with stressors and their influence on diet.

As members of the plant microbiota, arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF, Glomeromycotina) symbiotically colonize plant roots. AMF also possess their own microbiota, hosting some uncultivable endobacteria. Ongoing research has revealed the genetics underlying plant responses to colonization by AMF, but the fungal side of the relationship remains in the dark. Here, we sequenced the genome of Gigaspora margarita, a member of the Gigasporaceae in an early diverging group of the Glomeromycotina. In contrast to other AMF, G. margarita may host distinct endobacterial populations and possesses the largest fungal genome so far annotated (773.104 Mbp), with more than 64% transposable elements. Other unique traits of the G. margarita genome include the expansion of genes for inorganic phosphate metabolism, the presence of genes for production of secondary metabolites and a considerable number of potential horizontal gene transfer events. The sequencing of G. margarita genome reveals the importance of its immune system, shedding light on the evolutionary pathways that allowed early diverging fungi to interact with both plants and bacteria.

Prostate-specific antigen (PSA) is the most commonly used serum marker for prostate cancer. It plays a role in cancer detection, treatment monitoring, and more recently, in guiding adaptive therapy protocols, where treatment is alternated based on PSA levels. However, the relationship between PSA levels and tumor volume remains poorly understood. Empirical evidence suggests that different cancer cell types produce varying amounts of PSA. Despite this, current mathematical cancer models often assume either that all cell types contribute equally to PSA levels or that only certain subpopulations produce PSA at fixed rates. In this study, we compare Zhang et al.'s classical adaptive therapy protocol with the standard of care, which involves continuous maximum tolerable dose treatment, under different assumptions regarding PSA production. Specifically, we explore the possibility that testosterone-dependent, testosterone-producing, and testosterone-independent cells contribute to PSA production to varying degrees. We use the time to competitive release as a proxy for the time to disease progression. Our findings indicate that adaptive therapy consistently results in a longer time to competitive release compared to the standard of care, regardless of the assumptions about PSA production. However, when testosterone-independent cells are the sole PSA producers, Zhang et al.'s adaptive therapy protocol becomes inapplicable, as PSA levels never fall to half of their initial value, preventing therapy discontinuation. Additionally, we observe that the number and duration of treatment cycles in adaptive therapy are highly sensitive to assumptions about how much each cell type contributes to PSA production. Overall, our results emphasize the need for a deeper understanding of patient-specific PSA dynamics, which could enhance the effectiveness of adaptive therapy in prostate cancer treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chronic low back pain (cLBP) is one of the leading worldwide causes of disability. The smallest worthwhile effect (SWE) parameter has been proposed to find a threshold of clinical relevance. Specific values of the SWE have been calculated in patients with cLBP for pain intensity, physical functioning and time to recovery for physiotherapy compared with no intervention. Our objectives are 1) To evaluate how authors have interpreted the clinical relevance of the effect of physiotherapy compared to no-intervention on pain, physical functioning and time to recovery; 2) To reinterpret the clinical relevance of these between-group differences based on the available SWE estimates; 3) To evaluate, for descriptive purposes, whether the studies are adequately powered or underpowered considering the published SWE values and a power threshold of 80%. A systematic search in Medline, PEDro, Embase and Cochrane CENTRAL will be conducted. We will search for RCT investigating the effectiveness of physiotherapy as compared to no interventions in people with cLBP. We will compare the authors' interpretation of results for clinical relevance with their results to determine if they meet their a-priori definitions. Then, we will perform a re-interpretation of the between-group differences based on SWE values published for cLBP.

The soil is vital for life on Earth and its biodiversity. However, being a non-renewable and threatened resource, preserving soil quality is crucial to maintain a range of ecosystem services critical to ecological balances, food production and human health. In an agricultural context, soil quality is often perceived as the ability to support field production, and thus soil quality and fertility are strictly interconnected. The concept of, as well as the ways to assess, soil fertility has undergone big changes over the years. Crop performance has been historically used as an indicator for soil quality and fertility. Then, analysis of a range of physico-chemical parameters has been used to routinely assess soil quality. Today it is becoming evident that soil quality must be evaluated by combining parameters that refer both to the physico-chemical and the biological levels. However, it can be challenging to find adequate indexes for evaluating soil quality that are both predictive and easy to measure in situ. An ideal soil quality assessment method should be flexible, sensitive enough to detect changes in soil functions, management and climate, and should allow comparability among sites. In this review, we discuss the current status of soil quality indicators and existing databases of harmonized, open-access topsoil data. We also explore the connections between soil biotic and abiotic features and crop performance in an agricultural context. Finally, based on current knowledge and technical advancements, we argue that the use of plant health traits represents a powerful way to assess soil physico-chemical and biological properties. These plant health parameters can serve as proxies for different soil features that characterize soil quality both at the physico-chemical and at the microbiological level, including soil quality, fertility and composition of soil microbial communities.

IntroductionGrowth Differentiation Factor 15 (GDF15) is a mitochondrial-stress-responsive molecule whose expression strongly increases with aging and age-related diseases. However, its role in neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer’s disease (AD), is still debated.MethodsWe have characterized the expression of GDF15 in brain samples from AD patients and non-demented subjects (controls) of different ages.ResultsAlthough no difference in CSF levels of GDF15 was found between AD patients and controls, GDF15 was expressed in different brain areas and seems to be predominantly localized in neurons. The ratio between its mature and precursor form was higher in the frontal cortex of AD patients compared to age-matched controls (p

El objetivo de este trabajo fue aplicar indicadores e índices ambientales en una zona costera localizada en el noreste de la provincia de Buenos Aires (Argentina). El área de estudio se ubica en el sector de la planicie costera del Río de la Plata, correspondiente al partido de Ensenada. La misma es un área con alto valor para la biodiversidad regional y brinda numerosos servicios ecosistémicos. Además, está expuesta de manera recurrente a inundaciones y anegamientos, los cuales, determinan fuertes condicionantes para el uso del suelo. Se identificaron y seleccionaron indicadores que aportan información sobre características estructurales y funcionales del medio natural, respecto de su fragilidad frente a intervenciones, a partir de los criterios: vulnerabilidad natural, valor patrimonial y condicionamientos naturales frente a intervenciones antrópicas; estos indicadores fueron integrados para obtener un Índice de Fragilidad Natural Territorial (IFNT). Se generaron mapas temáticos de índices parciales y un mapa final correspondiente al IFNT, mediante el uso de Sistemas de Información Geográfica (SIG). Los resultados obtenidos establecen que el 15,1 % de la superficie del partido presenta una fragilidad natural entre muy alta (2,1 %) y alta (13 %) y un 20,2 %, con valores medios, asociados a ambientes de escasa pendiente del centro, W y E-SE del territorio, así como al sector más próximo a la ribera rioplatense, donde se asientan áreas urbanas. Se observó tendencia de crecimiento urbano avanzando sobre sectores identificados con fragilidad entre muy alta y media. Este índice se considera una herramienta útil para la planificación territorial sostenible.

Abstract Introduction Implementation of clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) to manage musculoskeletal conditions among physiotherapists appears suboptimal. Osteoarthritis is one of the most disabling conditions worldwide and several studies showed a lack of knowledge of and adherence to osteoarthritis CPGs in physiotherapists’ clinical practice. However, those studies are not conclusive, as they examine the knowledge of and adherence to CPGs only in isolation, or only by focussing on a single treatment. Thus, analysis of the knowledge of and adherence to CPGs in the same sample would allow for a better understanding of the evidence-to-practice gap, which, if unaddressed, can lead to suboptimal care for these patients. This study aims at assessing Italian physiotherapists’ evidence-to-practice gap in osteoarthritis CPGs. Methods An online survey divided into two sections investigating knowledge of and adherence to CPGs was developed based on three high-quality, recent and relevant CPGs. In the first section, participants had to express their agreement with 24 CPG statements through a 1 (completely disagree) to 5 (completely agree) scale. We defined a ≥ 70% agreement with a statement as consensus. In the second section, participants were shown a clinical case, with different interventions to choose from. Participants were classified as ‘Delivering’ (all recommended interventions selected), ‘Partially Delivering’ (some recommended interventions missing) and ‘Non-Delivering’ (at least one non-recommended interventions selected) the recommended intervention, depending on chosen interventions. Results 822 physiotherapists (mean age (SD): 35.8 (13.3); female 47%) completed the survey between June and July 2020. In the first section, consensus was achieved for 13/24 statements. In the second section, 25% of the participants were classified as ‘Delivering’, 22% as ‘Partially Delivering’ and 53% as ‘Non-Delivering’. Conclusions Our findings revealed an adequate level of knowledge of osteoarthritis CPGs regarding the importance of exercise and education. However, an adequate level of adherence has yet to be reached, since many physiotherapists did not advise weight reduction, but rest from physical activity, and often included secondary treatments (e.g. manual therapy) supported by low-level evidence. These results identify an evidence-to-practice gap, which may lead to non-evidence based practice behaviours for the management of patients with osteoarthritis.

Healthcare workers (HCWs) are a high-risk group for hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection. Notably, about 5–10% of the general population does not respond to the HBV vaccination. In this study, we aimed to investigate DNA methylation (DNAm) in order to estimate the biological age of B cells from HCW of both sexes, either responder (R) or non-responder (NR), to HBV vaccination. We used genome-wide DNA methylation data to calculate a set of biomarkers in B cells collected from 41 Rs and 30 NRs between 22 and 62 years old. Unresponsiveness to HBV vaccination was associated with accelerated epigenetic aging (DNAmAge, AltumAge, DunedinPoAm) and was accompanied by epigenetic drift. Female non-responders had higher estimates of telomere length and lower CRP inflammation risk score when compared to responders. Overall, epigenetic differences between responders and non-responders were more evident in females than males. In this study we demonstrated that several methylation DNAm-based clocks and biomarkers are associated with an increased risk of non-response to HBV vaccination, particularly in females. Based on these results, we propose that accelerated epigenetic age could contribute to vaccine unresponsiveness. These insights may help improve the evaluation of the effectiveness of vaccination strategies, especially among HCWs and vulnerable patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Control of ribosome biogenesis is a critical aspect of the regulation of cell metabolism. As ribosomal genes (rDNA) are organized in repeated clusters on chromosomes 13, 14, 15, 21, and 22, trisomy of chromosome 21 confers an excess of rDNA copies to persons with Down syndrome (DS). Previous studies showed an alteration of ribosome biogenesis in children with DS, but the epigenetic regulation of rDNA genes has not been investigated in adults with DS so far. In this study, we used a targeted deep-sequencing approach to measure DNA methylation (DNAm) of rDNA units in whole blood from 69 adults with DS and 95 euploid controls. We further evaluated the expression of the precursor of ribosomal RNAs (RNA45S) in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from the same subjects. We found that the rDNA promoter tends to be hypermethylated in DS concerning the control group. The analysis of epihaplotypes (the combination of methylated and unmethylated CpG sites along the same DNA molecule) showed a significantly lower intra-individual diversity in the DS group, which at the same time was characterized by a higher interindividual variability. Finally, we showed that RNA45S expression is lower in adults with DS. Collectively, our results suggest a rearrangement of the epigenetic profile of rDNA in DS, possibly to compensate for the extranumerary rDNA copies. Future studies should assess whether the regulation of ribosome biogenesis can contribute to the pathogenesis of DS and explain the clinical heterogeneity characteristic of the syndrome.

Epigenetic clocks were initially developed to track chronological age, but accumulating evidence indicates that they can also predict biological age. They are usually based on the analysis of DNA methylation by genome-wide methods, but targeted approaches, based on the assessment of a small number of CpG sites, are advisable in several settings. In this study, we developed a targeted epigenetic clock purposely optimized for the measurement of biological age. The clock includes six genomic regions mapping in ELOVL2, NHLRC1, AIM2, EDARADD, SIRT7 and TFAP2E genes, selected from a re-analysis of existing microarray data, whose DNA methylation is measured by EpiTYPER assay. In healthy subjects (n = 278), epigenetic age calculated using the targeted clock was highly correlated with chronological age (Spearman correlation = 0.89). Most importantly, and in agreement with previous results from genome-wide clocks, epigenetic age was significantly higher and lower than expected in models of increased (persons with Down syndrome, n = 62) and decreased (centenarians, n = 106; centenarians’ offspring, n = 143; nutritional intervention in elderly, n = 233) biological age, respectively. These results support the potential of our targeted epigenetic clock as a new marker of biological age and open its evaluation in large cohorts to further promote the assessment of biological age in healthcare practice.

Down Syndrome (DS) entails an increased risk of many chronic diseases that are typically associated with older age. The clinical manifestations of accelerated aging suggest that trisomy 21 increases the biological age of tissues, but molecular evidence for this hypothesis has been sparse. Here, we utilize a quantitative molecular marker of aging (known as the epigenetic clock) to demonstrate that trisomy 21 significantly increases the age of blood and brain tissue (on average by 6.6 years, P = 7.0 × 10(-14)).

Rapid evolution is ubiquitous in nature. We briefly review some of this quite broadly, particularly in the context of response to anthropogenic disturbances. Nowhere is this more evident, replicated and accessible to study than in cancer. Curiously cancer has been late - relative to fisheries, antibiotic resistance, pest management and evolution in human dominated landscapes - in recognizing the need for evolutionarily informed management strategies. The speed of evolution matters. Here, we employ game-theoretic modeling to compare time to progression with continuous maximum tolerable dose to that of adaptive therapy where treatment is discontinued when the population of cancer cells gets below half of its initial size and re-administered when the cancer cells recover, forming cycles with and without treatment. We show that the success of adaptive therapy relative to continuous maximum tolerable dose therapy is much higher if the population of cancer cells is defined by two cell types (sensitive vs. resistant in a polymorphic population). Additionally, the relative increase in time to progression increases with the speed of evolution. These results hold with and without a cost of resistance in cancer cells. On the other hand, treatment-induced resistance can be modeled as a quantitative trait in a monomorphic population of cancer cells. In that case, when evolution is rapid, there is no advantage to adaptive therapy. Initial responses to therapy are blunted by the cancer cells evolving too quickly. Our study emphasizes how cancer provides a unique system for studying rapid evolutionary changes within tumor ecosystems in response to human interventions; and allows us to contrast and compare this system to other human managed or dominated systems in nature.

Abstract Traditionally, the most popular sentences used to describe the arbuscular mycorrhizal symbiosis sound like: “AM fungi form one of the most widespread root symbioses, associating with 80% of land plants. In this symbiosis, the fungus provides the plant host with mineral nutrients, especially phosphate, receiving in turn carbohydrates.” In the last years, the mycorrhiza research field has witnessed a big step forward in the knowledge of the physiology and the mechanisms governing this important symbiosis, that helped plants colonizing the lands more than 400 MYA. The huge expansion of the -omics studies produced the first results on the fungal side, with genomes and transcriptomes of AM fungi being published. In parallel, the need for more sustainable agricultural practices has boosted the research in the field of the plant symbioses, with the final aim of improving plant productivity employing symbiotic microbes as bioinoculants. Beside all the other (positive) effects that mycorrhizal fungi exert on plants, the nutrient exchange is considered as the keystone, and the core mechanism governing this symbiosis. This review will focus on the molecular determinants underneath this exchange, both on the fungal and the plant side. Coming back to the sentence that claims this symbiosis as based on phosphate provided to the plant in return to carbohydrate, we will find that some concepts of this view still stand, while some others have been partly revolutionized.

Los derechos humanos en el centro de la Esfera internacional y nacional: nuevos paradigmas hacia la paz y la justicia | Human rights at the center of the international and national Sphere: new paradigms towards peace and justice

Fish populations subject to heavy exploitation are expected to evolve over time smaller average body sizes. We introduce Stackelberg evolutionary game theory to show how fisheries management should be adjusted to mitigate the potential negative effects of such evolutionary changes. We present the game of a fisheries manager versus a fish population, where the former adjusts the harvesting rate and the net size to maximize profit, while the latter responds by evolving the size at maturation to maximize the fitness. We analyze three strategies: i) ecologically enlightened (leading to a Nash equilibrium in game-theoretic terms); ii) evolutionarily enlightened (leading to a Stackelberg equilibrium) and iii) domestication (leading to team optimum) and the corresponding outcomes for both the fisheries manager and the fish. Domestication results in the largest size for the fish and the highest profit for the manager. With the Nash approach the manager tends to adopt a high harvesting rate and a small net size that eventually leads to smaller fish. With the Stackelberg approach the manager selects a bigger net size and scales back the harvesting rate, which lead to a bigger fish size and a higher profit. Overall, our results encourage managers to take the fish evolutionary dynamics into account. Moreover, we advocate for the use of Stackelberg evolutionary game theory as a tool for providing insights into the eco-evolutionary consequences of exploiting evolving resources.

Aging is accompanied by physiological changes affecting body composition and functionality, including accumulation of fat mass at the expense of muscle mass, with effects upon morbidity and quality of life. The gut microbiome has recently emerged as a key environmental modifier of human health that can modulate healthy aging and possibly longevity. However, its associations with adiposity in old age are still poorly understood. Here we profiled the gut microbiota in a well-characterized cohort of 201 Italian elderly subjects from the NU-AGE study, by 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing. We then tested for association with body composition from dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA), with a focus on visceral and subcutaneous adipose tissue. Dietary patterns, serum metabolome and other health-related parameters were also assessed. This study identified distinct compositional structures of the elderly gut microbiota associated with DXA parameters, diet, metabolic profiles and cardio-metabolic risk factors.

As obligate biotrophic symbionts, arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) live in association with most land plants. Among them, Gigaspora margarita has been deeply investigated because of its peculiar features, i.e., the presence of an intracellular microbiota with endobacteria and viruses. The genome sequencing of this fungus revealed the presence of some hybrid non-ribosomal peptide synthases-polyketide synthases (NRPS-PKS) that have been rarely identified in AMF. The aim of this study is to describe the architecture of these NRPS-PKS sequences and to understand whether they are present in other fungal taxa related to G. margarita. A phylogenetic analysis shows that the ketoacyl synthase (KS) domain of one G. margarita NRPS-PKS clusters with prokaryotic sequences. Since horizontal gene transfer (HGT) has often been advocated as a relevant evolutionary mechanism for the spread of secondary metabolite genes, we hypothesized that a similar event could have interested the KS domain of the PKS module. The bacterial endosymbiont of G. margarita, Candidatus Glomeribacter gigasporarum (CaGg), was the first candidate as a donor, since it possesses a large biosynthetic cluster involving an NRPS-PKS. However, bioinformatics analyses do not confirm the hypothesis of a direct HGT from the endobacterium to the fungal host: indeed, endobacterial and fungal sequences show a different evolution and potentially different donors. Lastly, by amplifying a NRPS-PKS conserved fragment and mining the sequenced AMF genomes, we demonstrate that, irrespective of the presence of CaGg, G. margarita, and some other related Gigasporaceae possess such a sequence.

El cuarzo (SiO2) es un mineral ampliamente utilizado en varias industrias. Sus aplicaciones dependen de sus propiedades físicas y químicas y del contenido de impurezas que poseen los cristales. El cuarzo más requerido es aquel de alta pureza (CAP), sin embargo, los yacimientos de este tipo son mundialmente escasos. En el partido de Azul, se determinó la presencia de un cuerpo rocoso de dimensiones considerables compuesto casi totalmente por cuarzo. El estudio petrográfico permitió determinar cristales de cuarzo de variable dimensión (70-600 µm) y de filosilicatos (escasos). Además, se reconocieron microestructuras de deformación dúctil y frágil. Los análisis geoquímicos realizados en dos muestras, sin y con preselección manual, indicaron contenidos de SiO₂ de 95 y 97 % respectivamente, y contenidos menores de Al₂O₃ (< 1,50 %), Fe₂O₃ (< 0,55 %) y K₂O (< 0,50 %). Por otro lado, se observaron escasas inclusiones fluidas. De acuerdo con los resultados obtenidos el cuerpo cuarzoso estudiado cumple con las condiciones establecidas para ser clasificado como CAP. Considerando los requerimientos de las distintas industrias, este mineral podría ser utilizado, sin ningún tipo de tratamiento, en la industria de las ferroaleaciones, y en el caso de aplicar algún método de purificación, en la industria del vidrio.

Las incrustaciones son un conjunto de minerales que se depositan en las cañerías y en diferentes sectores de las instalaciones de producción de los pozos de hidrocarburos impidiendo el flujo normal de los fluidos. También, pueden ocluir la porosidad de la roca reservorio reduciendo su permeabilidad, lo que tiene un impacto económico sumamente negativo. Estas incrustaciones se forman por precipitación química cuando los equilibrios químicos de los fluidos naturales presentes en las rocas sedimentarias se ven perturbados por: contacto entre aguas incompatibles, cambios en la presión y/o temperatura original, liberación de gas o modificaciones en el pH. En la presente contribución se propone una metodología de diagnóstico y potencial remediación, accesible y de bajo costo, que incluye un estudio bajo lupa binocular y análisis SEM-EDX, para las incrustaciones minerales detectadas en el pozo productor de hidrocarburos AB.x-1 del área Agua Botada, provincia de Mendoza, Cuenca Neuquina (Argentina). La caracterización de estas acumulaciones minerales permitió determinar que las mismas corresponden principalmente a yeso (CaSO4) y a cantidades menores de halita (NaCl). En este sentido, el conocimiento de su mineralogía posibilita la predicción y prevención de la formación de este tipo de incrustaciones, durante la producción, o seleccionar la técnica más efectiva para su remoción, una vez formadas.

Growth differentiation factor 15 (GDF15) is a stress molecule produced in response to mitochondrial, metabolic and inflammatory stress with a number of beneficial effects on metabolism. However, at the level of skeletal muscle it is still unclear whether GDF15 is beneficial or detrimental. The aim of the study was to analyse the levels of circulating GDF15 in people of different age, characterized by different level of physical activity and to seek for correlation with hematological parameters related to inflammation. The plasma concentration of GDF15 was determined in a total of 228 subjects in the age range from 18 to 83 years. These subjects were recruited and divided into three different groups based on the level of physical activity: inactive patients with lower limb mobility impairment, active subjects represented by amateur endurance cyclists, and healthy controls taken from the general population. Cyclists were sampled before and after a strenuous physical bout (long distance cycling race). The plasma levels of GDF15 increase with age and are inversely associated with active lifestyle. In particular, at any age, circulating GDF15 is significantly higher in inactive patients and significantly lower in active people, such as cyclists before the race, with respect to control subjects. However, the strenuous physical exercise causes in cyclists a dramatic increase of GDF15 plasma levels, that after the race are similar to that of patients. Moreover, GDF15 plasma levels significantly correlate with quadriceps torque in patients and with the number of total leukocytes, neutrophils and lymphocytes in both cyclists (before and after race) and patients. Taken together, our data indicate that GDF15 is associated with decreased muscle performance and increased inflammation.

Epidemiological studies have demonstrated a positive relationship between dietary fat intake and the onset of several metabolic diseases. This association is particularly evident in a diet rich in saturated fatty acids, typical of animal foods, such as dairy products. However, these foods are the main source of fatty acids with a proven nutraceutical effect, such as the ω-3 fatty acid α-linolenic acid (ALA) and the conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), which have demonstrated important roles in the prevention of various diseases. In the present study, the effect of a supplementation with cheese enriched with ω-3 fatty acids and CLA on the metabolism and lipid profiles of C57bl/6 mice was evaluated. In particular, the analyses were conducted on different tissues, such as liver, muscle, adipose tissue and brain, known for their susceptibility to the effects of dietary fats. Supplementing cheese enriched in CLA and ω-3 fats reduced the level of saturated fat and increased the content of CLA and ALA in all tissues considered, except for the brain. Furthermore, the consumption of this cheese resulted in a tissue-specific response in the expression levels of genes involved in lipid and mitochondrial metabolism. As regards genes involved in the inflammatory response, the consumption of enriched cheese resulted in a reduction in the expression of inflammatory genes in all tissues analyzed. Considering the effects that chronic inflammation associated with a high-calorie and high-fat diet (meta-inflammation) or aging (inflammaging) has on the onset of chronic degenerative diseases, these data could be of great interest as they indicate the feasibility of modulating inflammation (thus avoiding/delaying these pathologies) with a nutritional and non-pharmacological intervention.