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L’articolo narra l’esperienza vissuta da un brigatista austriaco unitosi ai rifugiati spagnoli in quei drammatici momenti antecedenti lo sbarco alleato, nell’estate del 1944. Nel luglio dello stesso anno, dopo l’attentato ad Adolf Hitler, tutti avevano sperato, invano, in una rapida conclusione della guerra. In agosto la Wehrmacht aveva già lasciato spazio alle truppe d’invasione alleate, mentre l’amministrazione della vita civile rimaneva ancora in mano agli occupanti tedeschi. Nel frattempo i ‘Maquis’ iniziavano ad uscire dai loro nascondigli. L’autore, che a quei tempi viveva con una famiglia di rifugiati spagnoli, ricorda in questo testo gli ultimi giorni delle SS e i primi della Liberazione, un evento che diede purtroppo il via a una serie di effetti secondari: da chi cercava di approfittarsi della situazione di confusione assumendo il controllo dei ruoli di potere, a chi perpetuava atti di vendetta e abusi, talora anche nei confronti di innocenti. L’autore ricorda come gli spagnoli della regione si riunirono per intraprendere il ritorno verso una patria, la Spagna repubblicana, che in quel momento sentivano ancora viva, e che credevano possibile recuperare. Gerhard Hoffmann, costantemente combattuto tra le sue due patrie, si vide obbligato a separarsi dagli spagnoli in attesa della liberazione dell’Austria, la sua terra.

Selected light wavebands promote plant development and/or the biosynthesis of targeted metabolites. This work offers new insights on the effects of red (R), green (G), blue (B), and white (W - R:G:B; 1:1:1) LED light supplementation on physiochemical traits of strawberry leaves. Gas exchange and chlorophyll fluorescence parameters, photosynthetic pigments, and superoxide anion (•O2-) content were analysed in plants grown for 1 (T1) and 17 (T17) d with light supplementations. At T1, light supplementations resulted in the enhancement of the de-epoxidation state of xanthophylls and nonphotochemical quenching, but no changes were observed in maximal photosynthetic rate (PNmax), irrespective of light spectra. At T17, xanthophyll contents remained higher only in R-supplemented plants. Overall, W light resulted in higher photosynthesis, whilst R and B light depressed PNmax values and promoted •O2- formation at T17. G light did not induce variations in photosynthetic traits nor induced oxidative stress at both T1 and T17. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Essential macro- and microelements availability strictly influences photosynthetic process as well as the overall plant status. Besides essential macro- and micronutrients, a group of other elements described as 'beneficial' has been proposed to ameliorate plant performances under optimal and/or stressful conditions. The first explanation of the term 'essential', as suggested by Arnon and Stout in 1939, defined beneficial elements as not essential since they are not necessary for plants to complete their life cycle. However, at low amounts, they can exert promoting effects on plant performances, including photosynthesis. In this review, we summarize the positive effect of seven beneficial elements (Se, Si, Na, I, Ti, Ce, and La) on plant photosynthetic processes to depict a clear picture of the influences of these beneficial elements on photosynthesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim was the evaluation of the biochemical and physiological responses of green- (GP) and red-leafed (RP) Prunus cerasifera mature leaves to 20 d of polyethylene glycol (PEG 6000)-induced water stress in order to elucidate a possible ameliorative role exerted by anthocyanins. At 10 d, the anthocyanin content remained unchanged in RP water-stressed leaves. Photosynthetic rate was lower in GP than that of RP (83.4 vs. 76.5%, respectively), paralleled by a higher degree of photoinhibition (Fv/Fm) in GP leaves. Leaves of GP accounted for higher content of soluble sugars at 10 d, when RP only showed a slight sucrose increase. At 20 d of stress, both morphs recovered their Fv/Fm values, suggesting the ability of both genotypes to adjust their photosynthetic metabolism under conditions of water stress. In conclusion, besides the sunscreen role served by anthocyanins, the carbon sink by these flavonoids might have further prevented sugar accumulation and the consequent sugar-promoted feedback regulation of photosynthesis in drought-stressed red leaves. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Irinotecan hydrochloride (CPT-11) can display severe toxicities in individual cancer patients. CPT-11 is bio-activated through CES, detoxified through UGT1A1 and inhibits TOP1. CPT-11 toxicity and UGT1A1, CES2 and TOP1 mRNAs and UGT1A1 protein were determined in male and female C57BL/6, B6D2F1 and B6CBAF1, as potential models for tailoring CPT-11 delivery. CPT-11 was administered intravenously (40–90mg/kg/day for 4 days at 7h after light onset). The relations between dose and lethal toxicity or body weight loss were steep and similar in C57BL/6 (lethality, p =0.001; weight loss, p =0.002) and B6D2F1 (p =0.01; p =0.03, respectively), but weak in B6CBAF1. Females displayed less toxicity than males (p <0.001). Mean mRNA expression of UGT1A1 was highest in B6CBAF1 (p =0.039) and in females (p <0.001). Both CES2 and TOP1 varied according to strain and gender (p <0.001). The three gene expression data explained the most severe toxicity of CPT-11 in male B6D2F1, but displayed inconsistent relations with toxicity in the other groups. Mean UGT1A1 protein expression was highest in males as compared to females, and so by ∼8-fold in C57BL/6 as compared to B6D2F1 (p <0.0001). Genetic background and gender significantly altered the molecular prediction of irinotecan toxicity by UGT1A1, CES2 and TOP1 mRNA expressions. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

A 45-year-old patient with the Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome suffering from recurrent intractable reciprocating atrioventricular tachycardia (RAVT) is reported. He used amiodarone, sotalol, quinidine, propafenone and flecainide unsuccessfully. An electrophysiological study (EPS) performed with four catheters localized the site of the anomalous pathway in the ostium of the coronary sinus. In this region we could also record a Kent potential. In the ostium of the coronary sinus, radiofrequencv energy was repeatedly applied until the conduction over the accessory pathway was abolished both in the anterograde and the retrograde direction. The Kent deflection detectable before ablation, could not be detected after it. During follow-up (1 month) the patient remained asymptomatic and the control EPS showed no evidence of pre-excitation, either anterogradely or retrogradely. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]