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Urban soils are often mixed with extraneous materials and show a high spatial variability that determine great differences from their agricultural or natural counterparts. The soils of 18 localities of a medium-sized city (Ancona, Italy) were analysed for their main physicochemical and biological properties, and for chromium (Cr), copper (Cu), cobalt (Co), lead (Pb), nickel (Ni), zinc (Zn), and mercury (Hg) total content, distribution among particle-size fractions, and extractability. Because of the absence of thresholds defining a hot spot for heavy metal pollution in urban soils, we defined a “threshold of attention” (ToA) for each heavy metal aiming to bring out hot spot soils where it is more impellent to intervene to mitigate or avoid potential environmental concerns. In several city locations, the soil displayed sub-alkaline pH, large contents of clay-size particles, and higher TOC, total N, and available P with respect to the surrounding rural areas, joined with high contents of total heavy metals, but low availability. The C biomass, basal respiration, qCO2, and enzyme activities were compared to that detected in the near rural soils, and results suggested that heavy metals content has not substantially compromised the soil ecological services. We conclude that ToA can be considered as a valuable tool to highlight soil hot spots especially for cities with a long material history and, for a proper risk assessment in urban soils, we suggest considering the content of available heavy metals (rather than the total content) and soil functions.

Purpose Hilly soils of central Italy are characterized by high variability of physicochemical properties that influence standard agronomic practices. Moreover, cereal-grain legume mixed cropping is a strategy to improve agricultural sustainability. This study aimed to i) evaluate if soil variability could affect grain yield in barley-pea mixed cropping, and ii) improve the overall performance of barley-pea by modifying the relative cereal-legume crop densities. Methods Two field trials were performed to evaluate differential N fertilization effects on grain yield of barley-pea replacement design combinations. High and Low N inputs were designed by adjusting N levels based on barley density. Moreover, the 2017 trial let us to suppose the occurrence of an interaction between soil physical properties and N fertilization. Therefore, in 2018, based on a pedological survey subsequently evaluated by principal component analysis, the soil effect was included in ANOVA models applied to evaluate crop performance parameters. Results Nitrogen fertilization positively affected barley performance only in the soil unit located downslope, and a significantly lower presence of weeds was observed in mixed crops rather than in pea pure crops. Increasing the pea density from 50–80%, reducing the barley density (from 50–20%), and tailoring N fertilization were effective approaches to obtain a more balanced mixed grain harvest for animal feeding. Conclusion The combination of crop performance evaluation and assessments of soil conditions suggested that more sustainable agricultural systems based on within-crop biodiversity and a significant reduction of N fertilizers and herbicides can be achieved with barley-pea mixed cropping.

Phosphorus (P) deficiency is one of the main constraints on crop production in Arenosols (acid sandy soil). The high cost of P fertilizers may represent an insurmountable obstacle in many poor countries, leaving the exploitation of their own calcareous and phosphate rocks as the only low-cost and long-term alternative. Biochar is suggested to have positive effects on soil properties; however, there is no published research on the synergistic effects of biochar and rocky materials in modifying soil properties. The aim of this study was to investigate the chemical and biochemical responses of an acid Arenosol treated with phosphate rock (PR), calcareous rock (CR), and biochar (BC), and the implications for corn yield. A soil from Marracuene District, Mozambique was used, where corn was grown for 90 d with the soil treated with: no addition (control), water-soluble zinc phosphite fertilizer (WSP), PR, WSP+CR, WSP+BC, WSP+CR+BC, PR+BC, and PR+CR+BC. Biochar was produced by pyrolysis of babycorn peels for 4 h at 450 °C and applied at 11 g kg−1. The soil pHH2O increased from about 4.54 in the control to 7.38 in the PR+CR+BC treatment. Easily oxidizable organic carbon, cation exchange capacity, and available P were higher in the treatments containing BC than in the control. The treatments containing CR and/or BC led to the highest activities of alkaline phosphomonoesterase, phosphodiesterase, and α-glucosidase, which increased P availability and gave the greatest biomass and yields. We suggest that biochar provides additional soluble P and supplies adsorption sites for phosphate, preventing its evolution to unavailable forms. Thus, PR applied together with BC contributed to an 840% yield increase compared to the control. The treatments containing WSP and BC facilitated phosphite oxidation to phosphate and increased crop yield.

In forest ecosystems, a variety of abiotic and biotic soil forming factors drives soil organic matter (SOM) and nutrients cycling with a profitable outcome on climate change mitigation. As a consequence, type and intensity of forest management, through its impact on carbon (C) and nutrient soil stocks, can be considered as an additional soil forming force. In this study, we investigated the influence of the coppice conversion into high forest on pedogenesis and on soil C and nutrient (N, P, Ca, Mg, and K) stocks, fifty years later the beginning of the conversion-cycle. The trial was established in a Turkey oak forest historically managed under the coppice system in central Italy. Specifically, we considered tree population density (natural evolution - control, moderate thinning, heavy thinning) where soil samples were collected according to genetic horizon to estimate C, N, and P stocks both in the forest floor and at fixed depth intervals (0-30, 30-50 and 50-75 cm). Further, the stocks of exchangeable Ca, Mg, and K were also assessed for the mineral layers. The results showed that litter and the upper layer of mineral soil (0-30 cm) contained a similar quantity of C (about 74-83 Mg ha

Slash and burn is a land use practice widespread all over the world, and nowadays it is formally recognized as the principal livelihood system in rural areas of South America, Asia, and Africa. The practice consists of a land rotation where users cut native or secondary forest to establish a new crop field and, in some cases, build charcoal kilns with the cut wood to produce charcoal. Due to several socio-economic changes in developing countries, some scientists and international organizations have questioned the sustainability of slash and burn since in some cases, crop yield does not justify the soil degradation caused. To estimate the soil quality in agricultural and forest soils at different ages of the forest-fallow period (25, 35, and 50 years), this survey investigated rural areas in three locations in Manica province, central Mozambique: Vanduzi, Sussundenga, and Macate. Soil profiles were trenched and sampled with a pedological approach under crop fields and forest-fallow. The chronosequence was selected to test the hypothesis that the increase in forest-fallow age causes an improvement of soil fertility. Results highlighted discrete variations among locations in mineralogy, Al- and Fe-oxyhydroxides, sand, silt, pH, total organic carbon, humic carbon, total nitrogen, available phosphorous, chloride, nitrate, fluoride, and ammonium. Few differences in mineralogy, Fe-oxyhydroxides, available P, chloride, and nitrate were detected between crop fields and forest-fallow within the same location. Such differences were mostly ascribed to intrinsic fertility inherited from the parent material rather than a longer forest-fallow period. However, physicochemical soil property improvement did not occur under a forest age of 50 years (the longest forest-fallow considered), indicating that harmonization of intrinsic fertility and agronomic practices may increase soil organic matter and nutrient contents more than a long forest-fallow period.

Post-digestate treatments may reduce the risk linked to Antibiotic Resistant Genes (ARGs) release with digestate direct land application. Thus, this study aimed to evaluate post-digestate composting and co-composting with biogas production feedstock (maize silage, food processing waste, and poultry litter) effect on abundance of selected ARGs: erm(B), tet(K), tet(M), tet(O), and tet(S) genes. More than 80% of all ARGs were removed after 90 days of composting but removals from co-composting were lower. Bacteroidetes, Firmicutes, and Proteobacteria dominated fresh digestate, and a network analysis indicated that these were potential hosts of ARGs. The emergence of Actinobacteria (dominant), Planctomycetes, and Verrucomicrobia phyla during composting shifted the microbial composition. Moreover, canonical correspondence analysis showed trace elements explaining 90% variations in ARGs abundance. The study illustrates significance of post-digestate composting in mitigating ARGs release, and effectiveness could be linked to shift in microbial composition and trace elements release.

The current study evaluated the quality of agricultural waste digestate by composting or co-composting with biogas feedstock (maize silage, food processing waste, or poultry litter). Temperature, phytotoxicity, C/N ratio, water extractable trace elements, and 14 enzyme activities were monitored. Temperature dropped earlier in digestate and maize silage co-composting pile, reducing time to maturity by 20 days. Composting and co-composting reduced phytotoxicity and C/N ratio, but increased immobilization of Al, Ba, Fe, Zn, and Mn at least by 40% in all piles. All the enzyme activities, except arylsulfatase and α-glucosidase, increased at the maturity phase and negatively correlated with organic matter content and most of trace elements. Post-digestate composting or co-composting with biogas feedstock is a promising strategy to improve digestate quality for fertilizer use, and selected enzyme activities can be indicators of compost maturity and immobilization of trace elements.

Ostrya carpinifolia forests are formations traditionally managed as coppice, with a high biodiversity that characterizes much of the Italian and Balkan low mountain and hill landscapes. Her...

Fertilization is required for optimum plant growth, particularly in unfertile soils, while optimizing nutrient use efficiency is an alternative to reduce inorganic fertilizer needs and reduce environmental problems caused by nutrient leaching. This study investigated soil properties and cowpea yield responses to biochars (BCs) made from different feedstocks, baby corn peel biochar (BC1), branches of mango tree biochar (BC2), and rice husk biochar (BC3), applied in combination with nitrogen-phosphorus-potassium (NPK) fertilizers. The experiment was conducted in a greenhouse, using an acid sandy soil (Arenosol) that was submitted for 70 d to the following eight treatments: i) control; ii) full dose of NPK (a commercial compound fertilizer (12-24-12 of N-P2O5-K2O) + urea (46% N)); iii) BC1 + half dose of NPK; iv) BC1 + full dose of NPK; v) BC2 + half dose of NPK; vi) BC2 + full dose of NPK; vii) BC3 + half dose of NPK; and viii) BC3 + full dose of NPK. All biochars were applied at a rate of 0.9% (weight/weight), and each type of biochar was combined with half and full doses of NPK fertilizers. Soil pH increased significantly (P < 0.05) in treatments with BC1 and BC2, while cation exchange capacity (CEC) and available P were higher in the treatments with BC1; BC1 and BC2 also induced higher activity of enzymes related to the P cycle and higher cowpea yield. Similar soil properties and cowpea yield parameters were obtained with the full and half doses of NPK fertilizers for each type of biochar used. In conclusion, biochars in the combination with NPK fertilizers improved soil chemistry and enzymatic activities, allowing reduced fertilizer application and food production costs in the acid soil studied.

Abundant preclinical evidences indicate that stress-induced autophagy in tumor cells is predominantly cytoprotective and that inhibition of autophagy can enhance tumor cell death by diverse anticancer therapies. A major negative regulator of autophagy is the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR), activated downstream of PI3KAKT pathway. mTOR inhibitors, including rapamycin, have been shown to induce autophagy in tumor cells, while the combination of PI3K-AKT/mTOR and autophagy inhibitors shown synergistic effect on increased apoptosis and reduced autophagy (Takeuchi H. 2005). This project aimed to characterize the role of autophagy in Breast Cancer models exposed to new potent Genentech PI3K/AKT inhibitors GDC0068 (Ipatasertib) and GDC0032 (Taselisib) currently in phase III clinical trials on TNBC and ER+ patients. However, the efficacy of PI3K/AKT inhibitors may be limited by resistance mechanisms that result in minimal cell death in tumor cells. In order to investigate the role of autophagy as possible mechanisms of resistance, Ipatasertib and Taselisib have been evaluated in breast cancer cell lines characterized by different receptors profile: TNBC, HER2/c-erb-2 and luminal A cell lines. Our results showed that both drugs are able to induce G1/S cell cycle block and increase of autophagy signaling measured by p62 level and LC3 II/LC3 I ratio and by the percentage of cells exhibiting LC3 positive puncta. In addition, apoptosis increase was also evaluated by measuring positive annexin V staining, by flow cytometry technique, and apoptosis markers, such as PARP and cleaved caspase 3, by immunoblot assay. Furthermore, the supplement of pharmacologic inhibitors of autophagy, such as hydroxichloroquine, were able to reduce cell viability evaluated by both short- and long-term assays in cell lines exposed to Ipatasertib and Taselisib. 3D breast cancer models are ongoing to confirm the synergic effect of PI3K/AKT inhibitors and hydroxychloroquine, in order to provide a new therapeutic combinatorial approach potentially translatable to patients. Citation Format: Cocco S, Leone A, Buonfanti G, Sisalli MJ, Budillon A, De Laurentiis M. Role played by autophagy in breast cancer models exposed to new PI3K/AKT inhibitors, GDC-0068 and GDC-0032 [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2018 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2018 Dec 4-8; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2019;79(4 Suppl):Abstract nr P4-07-09.

Background: The introduction of trastuzumab biosimilars in clinical practice plays an important role in promoting the sustainability of healthcare systems. By contrast, the switching process can be challenging to the clinics. This survey describes the switching process at a National Cancer Institute over a period of 2 years. Methods: Data regarding all trastuzumab-based regimens for breast cancer (BC) from 1 January 2019 and 31 December 2020 were extracted from both adverse drug reactions (ADRs) reporting systems and electronic systems involved in inventory management, prescribing, dispensing, and administration. Both patients under monotherapy and combination treatment regimens were included. There were no exclusion criteria. Results and Conclusions: Overall 354 patients received at least one trastuzumab-based regimen for a total of 493 lines of treatment and 5769 administrations. Biosimilar were used in 34.3% of trastuzumab-based treatments. No differences between biosimilars and reference drug have been observed in terms of ADRs. The effective cost-saving of the first 2 years is greater than EUR 800,000 and it is estimated to increase over time.

Several studies have highlighted the key role of chronic inflammation in breast cancer development, progression, metastasis, and therapeutic outcome. These processes are mediated through a variety of cytokines and hormones that exert their biological actions either locally or distantly via systemic circulation. Recent findings suggest that positive psychosocial experiences, including psychotherapeutic interventions and therapeutic mind-body protocols, can modulate the inflammatory response by reducing the expression of genes/proteins associated with inflammation and stress-related pathways. Our preliminary results indicate that a specific mind-body therapy (MBT-T) could induce a significant reduction of the release of different cytokines and chemokines, such as SCGF&beta, SDF-1&alpha, MCP3, GRO&alpha, LIF, and IL-18, in the sera of breast cancer patients compared to a control group, suggesting that MBT-T could represent a promising approach to improve the wellness and outcome of breast cancer patients.

The aim of the study was to assess if pedogenic processes such as mineral weathering and lessivage, other than organic matter accumulation, can affect soil microbial population and enzyme activities. This study examines six soil profiles located in a karst region of the North-Eastern Italian Alps and characterized by a vertical textural differentiation due to lessivage. For each soil, four pedological layers were recognized according to the dominant soil forming process: i) the top soil (Tp layer), formed by A and AB horizons, characterized by organic matter accumulation; ii) the subsurface eluviated layer (Elu layer), comprising AE and EB horizons; iii) the layer dominated by the in-situ mineral weathering (Wh layer), made by Bw horizons; iv) the deepest layer (Ls), subjected to clay illuviation and comprised by Bt horizons. In the upper layers (Tp and Elu), because of the low pH, weathering also occurred, as indicated by the presence of disordered smectite and by the high values of pedogenic Fe oxi-hydroxides to pseudo-total Fe ratio. The microbial biomass content and structure, and the enzyme activities significantly differed in the four pedological layers. The amount of microbial biomass was, as expected, most abundant in the Tp layer, where bacteria and actinomycetes abounded. Conversely, in Elu and Wh we observed a fungal-to-bacterial biomass ratio significantly higher than in Tp and Ls; in Elu, also the gram (+)/gram (−) ratio was the highest. In the upper layer, the interaction between enzymes and minerals like disordered smectite and pedogenic Fe-oxides appeared as responsible for the inhibition of the total enzyme activity per unit of organic C, and of the lipase activity. In Ls layer, where clay illuviation and high organo-minerals interaction occurred, the potential hydrolysis of organic matter was low, as revealed by the SEI/TOC ratio, the reduced lipase activity, and the inhibited activity of α-fucosidase and α-mannosidase. Even if the activity of most enzymes depends on the substrate availability, which decreases with soil depth, those involved in lipid degradation displayed the maximum activities in Elu and Wh layers, where a relative increase of the fungal population was observed. In conclusion, our findings showed that the soil functionality, expressed by the microbial community structure and enzymes activity, can vary according to organic matter–mineral interaction following the weathering and lessivage gradients along the soil profiles.

Proximal sensors have been increasingly used for a variety of purposes worldwide, with great interest on portable X-ray fluorescence (pXRF) spectrometry applications in Soil Science. pXRF provides rapid, inexpensive, non-destructive, and environmentally-friendly elemental analysis in soils, rocks, sediments, plant tissues, water, and other matrices. While temperate regions concentrate the largest number of studies involving pXRF for soil characterization, tropical regions have recently demonstrated increasing interests in—and acceptance of—pXRF applications for soil-related studies due to the wide range of purposes in which this equipment can be utilized. However, the lack of a standard methodology for tropical soil analysis via pXRF coupled with the recognized variation of results according to the procedures used during analyses underlie the need for routine protocols for improving pXRF analyses in tropical environments. Besides establishing such a standard methodology, this review elucidates the main differences between soils from tropical and temperate regions that are key in pXRF research, presents state-of-the-art achievements in pXRF analysis, and envisions applications of pXRF in tropical soils.

Cattle manure and poultry litter are widely used as fertilizers as they are excellent sources of nutrients; however, potential adverse environmental effects exist during land applications, due to the release of zoonotic bacteria and antimicrobial resistance (AMR) genes. This study was conducted to understand linkages between physiochemical composition, bacterial diversity, and AMR gene presence of cattle manure and poultry litter using quantitative polymerase chain reaction to enumerate four AMR genes (ermB, sulI, intlI, and blactx-m-32), Illumina sequencing of the 16 S region, and analysis of physical and chemical properties. Principal coordinate analysis of Bray–Curtis distance revealed distinct bacterial community structures between the two manure sources. Greater alpha diversity occurred in cattle manure compared to poultry litter (P

Breast cancer is a heterogeneous disease consisting of different biological subtypes, with differences in terms of incidence, response to diverse treatments, risk of disease progression, and sites of metastases. In the last years, several molecular targets have emerged and new drugs, targeting PI3K/Akt/mTOR and cyclinD/CDK/pRb pathways and tumor microenvironment have been integrated into clinical practice. However, it is clear now that breast cancer is able to develop resistance to these drugs and the identification of the underlying molecular mechanisms is paramount to drive further drug development. Autophagy is a highly conserved homeostatic process that can be activated in response to antineoplastic agents as a cytoprotective mechanism. Inhibition of autophagy could enhance tumor cell death by diverse anti-cancer therapies, representing an attractive approach to control mechanisms of drug resistance. In this manuscript, we present a review of autophagy focusing on its interplay with targeted drugs used for breast cancer treatment.

Deregulation of cell cycle, via cyclin D/CDK/pRb pathway, is frequently observed in breast cancer lending support to the development of drugs targeting the cell cycle control machinery, like the inhibitors of the cycline-dependent kinases (CDK) 4 and 6. Up to now, three CDK4/6 inhibitors have been approved by FDA for the treatment of hormone receptor-positive (HR+), HER2-negative metastatic breast cancer. These agents have been effective in improving the clinical outcomes, but the development of intrinsic or acquired resistance can limit the efficacy of these treatments. Clinical and translational research is now focused on investigation of the mechanism of sensitivity/resistance to CDK4/6 inhibition and novel therapeutic strategies aimed to improve clinical outcomes. This review summarizes the available knowledge regarding CDK4/6 inhibitor, the discovery of new biomarkers of response, and the biological rationale for new combination strategies of treatment.

Hyperglycemia, obesity and metabolic syndrome are negative prognostic factors in breast cancer patients. Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have revolutionized cancer treatment, achieving unprecedented efficacy in multiple malignancies. However, ICIs are associated with immune-related adverse events involving cardiotoxicity. We aimed to study if hyperglycemia could affect ipilimumab-induced anticancer efficacy and enhance its cardiotoxicity. Human cardiomyocytes and estrogen-responsive and triple-negative breast cancer cells (MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 cell lines) were exposed to ipilimumab under high glucose (25 mM), low glucose (5.5 mM), high glucose and co-administration of SGLT-2 inhibitor (empagliflozin), shifting from high glucose to low glucose. Study of cell viability and the expression of new putative biomarkers of cardiotoxicity and resistance to ICIs (NLRP3, MyD88, cytokines) were quantified through ELISA (Cayman Chemical) methods. Hyperglycemia during treatment with ipilimumab increased cardiotoxicity and reduced mortality of breast cancer cells in a manner that is sensitive to NLRP3. Notably, treatment with ipilimumab and empagliflozin under high glucose or shifting from high glucose to low glucose reduced significantly the magnitude of the effects, increasing responsiveness to ipilimumab and reducing cardiotoxicity. To our knowledge, this is the first evidence that hyperglycemia exacerbates ipilimumab-induced cardiotoxicity and decreases its anticancer efficacy in MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 cells. This study sets the stage for further tests on other breast cancer cell lines and primary cardiomyocytes and for preclinical trials in mice aimed to decrease glucose through nutritional interventions or administration of gliflozines during treatment with ipilimumab.

At the scale of human life, soil is a non-renewable resource, and forests, one of the major land-cover types of the Planet, are a multipurpose, complex and self-regenerating type of ecosystem. The comprehension of soil related processes, soil-tree relationships, forest dynamics and management in different environments is fundamental, especially in the context of global change, to guarantee a sustainable use of forest products (i.e., timber or wood energy) and to provide a broad range of ecosystem services. A reliable economic assessment of sustainable forest management and of ecosystem services is useful to setup state or intergovernmental policies promoting habitat conservation and/or increasing people’s socio-economic perspectives. Here we blend different research experiences on forest and environmental sectors. Future challenges should direct forest research focusing on non-renewable resources (soil, water, air), their functional changes due to forest management and product use, and on the externalization of those ecosystem services not yet accounted for.

In this contribution, we examined a latitudinal soil transect from interior Alaska, focusing on morphological, physical and chemical characteristics of permafrost affected soils. The aim of this work was to evaluate if latitude (a proxy for temperature change) or other soil forming factors may affect organic layer thickness and, consequently, permafrost depth along the latitudinal gradient of 65° to 69°. Along this gradient, the plant community changed from boreal forest to moist tundra, but this change did not affect the amount of C stored in the organic horizons and the permafrost depth. Hence, we suspected that, at latitudes higher than the 65° degree, the formation of thick and thermally insulating organic layers is controlled mostly by the extent of the pedoturbations produced by the permafrost dynamics and the soil parent material.

Su oltre 80 campioni di suolo costituenti i diversi orizzonti dei suoli prelevati nelle saline di Trapani e Paceco sono state determinate 18 attività enzimatiche idrolasiche e il contenuto di dsDNA.

Soil microorganisms play crucial roles in nutrient cycling and provisioning ecosystem services. However, little is known about how soil microbial communities are affected by soil management and landscape position in silvopastures. The current study aimed to understand effects of forage species [non-native, cool season orchardgrass (Dactylis glomerata L.) and a warm-season native grass mix (Andropogon gerardii L. and Schizachyrium scoparium L.) planted in strips between hedgerows], soil fertility (poultry litter and a control), and soil moisture regimes (aquic and udic) on soil bacterial communities to evaluate linkages between terrain attributes and soil bacterial assemblages. Thirteen terrain attributes representing topographic variability were clustered into four topographic functional units (TFUs) using the k-means method, and their impact on soil microbial diversity was evaluated. Illumina sequencing results identified a soil moisture regime × forage species interaction, with native grass species under wet (aquic) conditions resulting in the most diverse microbial assemblages relative to dry (udic) and wet soil conditions for the non-native forage (orchardgrass). These results suggest an enhanced soil microbial diversity under native grasses with greater available soil water. Overall, microbial diversity was negatively correlated with elevation, suggesting niche differentiation and microbial preference for lower elevations. Overall, TFUs and selected terrain attributes may be useful for predicting microbiota dynamics in integrated tree-livestock systems.

The skeleton water-extractable fines (SWEF) is a soil fraction smaller than 2 mm located at the interface between rock fragments (RF) and fine earth (FE). It is made of illuvial and/or RF weathering products comprising neoformed clay-size particles and organic substances. Contrary to FE and even to soil RF, SWEF represents a poorly documented soil fraction despite its unique ion exchange properties. To fill this knowledge gap, we compared mineralogy, effective cation exchange capacity (ECEC), and exchangeable cation composition of SWEF with those of FE and RF from three acidic soils derived from either mica schist (Mottarone, Italy), granite (Aubure, France) or glacial till of varied lithology (Gardsjon, Sweden), and subjected to distinct climatic conditions. Further, we provided a general hypothesis on the formation of SWEF. The SWEF had a different acidity level, a significantly higher accumulation of organic C, a higher Alp and/or Fep content (in two over three soils), was enriched in neoformed minerals, and had a larger concentration of exchangeable cations than both FE and RF. A key role in the development of the SWEF properties was attributed to mineralogy, weathering and pedogenesis. The interactions between mineralogical composition, pH, and organic C content not only determined the extent of ECEC in SWEF but also the source of exchangeable cations originating either from organic complexes (Mottarone soil) or from the dissolution of the mineral phases (Aubure and Gardsjon soils). However, the abundance of SWEF appeared to be independent from the actual abundance of RF. Its formation was rather controlled by the combination of mineralogy of the parent material, weathering intensity, pathway of mineral dissolution (congruent and/or incongruent dissolution), and to the duration of pedogenesis.

Soil magnetic properties are sensitive indicators of pedogenetic processes. Although many of the processes that increase soil magnetism are well documented, the role of microbial communities and the metabolic characteristics of Fe-reducing bacteria are still largely unknown. For this work, two soils with contrasting magnetic properties were identified in a beech forest on Monte Zuccarello (central Italy). Samples of bulk soil and rhizosphere were obtained from A (0–7 cm), AB (7–16 cm), Bw1 (16–22 cm) and Bw2 (22–29 cm) horizons of both soils, and were analysed for their physicochemical characteristics, the amount of magnetic minerals, and the composition of total and culturable bacterial communities, focusing on siderophore-producing bacteria (SPB). Analyses confirmed that the magnetic soil (MS) have a higher content of maghemite and magnetite association, compared to non-magnetic soil (NMS). Since the formation of maghemite can occur through different processes, we investigated on the possible role of soil bacteria in the formation of this magnetic mineral. As soil maghemite generally contains small amounts of Fe2+, the formation of which has been attributed to the combustion of organic matter, SPB have been isolated and identified. MS samples showed the highest number of SPB (mainly Micrococcaceae, Bacillaceae, and Pseudomonadaceae), suggesting a significant increase in Fe-reducing bacteria. High-throughput sequencing analysis revealed a separation in terms of the total composition of the bacterial community between bulk and rhizosphere of both MS and NMS, dominated by Proteobacteria, Actinobacteria, Acidobacteria, and Verrucomicrobia phyla. Interestingly, Gamma and Delta Proteobacteria, as well as Nitrospirae, were usually more abundant in MS than in NMS, confirming that the MS was predominantly characterized by groups of magnetotactic bacteria and SPB, and potentially contributing to enhance the soil magnetic properties.

This study evaluated soil properties along a small transect in the Apennines chain (central Italy). Using latitude and altitude as surrogates for temperature differences, three locations at different latitudes were selected for the study. At each location, two altitudes were selected (800 and 1000 m). The study was conducted by contrasting chemical and biochemical parameters [microbial biomass-C content, amount of CO2 evolved during basal respiration (ΣCO2–C), and potential enzyme activities] of topsoils (O and A horizons) supporting European beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) forests at different scales of investigation: horizons, altitude, and latitude. Along the topsoil, the trend of all investigated properties was unique to each O and A horizon according to its level of organic matter degradation, availability of substrates, and nutrients. Contrasting the altitudes, the difference of 1 °C of temperature between 800 and 1000 m significantly affected some of the chemical parameters and both microbial and enzyme activities mainly in the mineral horizons, although glucuronidase and phosphodiesterase activities appeared to be mainly controlled by TOC content. Generally, the different enzyme activities were more clearly highlighted when they were expressed per organic C unit, rather than on a soil mass basis. Latitudinal sensitivity was recorded for total N, ΣCO2–C, and some enzyme activities, although no difference in mean annual air temperature occurred along the latitudinal transect. In this case, it is plausible that the summer-winter thermal excursion, which was lower for the southernmost location and increased going north, might have indirectly affected these parameters through changes in the plant-soil relationships, composition of the macro- and mesofauna population, and microbial activity. Considering all the investigated aspects, an increase of 1 °C in mean annual air temperature (in the range 9–10 °C) and/or the alteration of summer-winter thermal excursion might affect the actual soil-plant balance in temperate beech forests, with possible greater mineralization of the topsoil organic matter and a major release of CO2 in the atmosphere.

Coffee is the most common beverage and there are two main different methods to process coffee cherries. Coffee husk is the main by-product of coffee processing by dry method and is available in large quantities throughout the years, but its main application has been limited to animal feeding or energy production. Most of the coffee husk is disposed in landfills or arable land, usually with no care of its fate and changes to the source of pollution, especially in developing countries. Coffee husk can have several re-uses, but it is important to have environment-friendly methods to change it into useable material or material to be recycled in nature because of its important content of organic matter, chemical nutrients, and secondary compounds. The aim of this review is to recollect the amounts and uses of the coffee industry by-products, giving emphasis to its transformation into compost because of their large content of nutrients and the need to introduce high valuable organics into the soil.

Aims Facilitation has been reported in a wide range of plant communities, with evidence of positive interactions between beneficiary and nurse plants shifting during their ontogenetic development. This study explored the hypothesis that shrubs of Juniperus communis subsp. nana (thereafter Juniperus) play a crucial role in the successional sequence of plant communities acting as nurse for different species, but only after reaching a certain size. In addition, we examined whether plant–plant interaction changes during ontogenesis of these shrubs in the presence of contrasting disturbance regimes in terms of substrate stability. Location Sibillini National Park, central Italy. The vegetation is semi-natural dry grasslands (92/43/EEC Habitats Directive: Habitat 6210 - Festuco-Brometalia). Methods Field measurements were carried out to assess the effects of Juniperus on (1) the distribution of co-existing vascular species, (2) the above- and below-ground microclimate, and (3) changes in soil fertility and hydrology. Results The capacity of Juniperus shrubs to facilitate heterospecific plants considerably increases during its ontogenetic development, i.e. small shrubs mainly compete for resources with local vegetation, whereas large shrubs act as nurse plants for herbaceous and especially for woody species. The facilitation effect was slight, albeit significantly higher in the disturbed area than in the more stable one. Juniperus was able to promote the formation of an island of fertility under its canopy by accumulating a considerable amount of organic matter, N, P, Ca2+, Mg2+ and K+ in a few decades. Juniperus shrubs improve soil hydrological properties and mitigate the daily range of soil temperature, reducing the exposure of co-existing plants to high temperatures and water loss through soil evaporation, particularly during the growing periods in spring and summer. Conclusions This study demonstrates that biogenic amelioration of soil quality, coupled with the mitigation of below-canopy microclimatic conditions, control the establishment and growth of co-existing plants during Juniperus shrub development.

The mitochondrial ATPase Inhibitory Factor 1 (hereafter referred to as IF1) blocks the reversal of the F1Fo-ATPsynthase to prevent detrimental consumption of cellular ATP and associated demise. Herein, we infer further its molecular physiology by assessing its protective function in neurons during conditions of challenged homeostatic respiration.\ud \ud By adopting in vitro and in vivo protocols of hypoxia/ischemia and re-oxygenation, we show that a shift in the IF1:F1Fo-ATPsynthase expression ratio occurs in neurons. This increased IF1 level is essential to induce accumulation of the PTEN-induced putative kinase 1 (PINK-1) and recruitment of the mitophagic ubiquitin ligase PARK-2 to promote autophagic “control” of the mitochondrial population. In IF1 overexpressing neurons ATP depletion is reduced during hypoxia/ischemia and the mitochondrial membrane potential (ΔYm) resilient to re-oxygenation as well as resistant to electrogenic, Ca2+ dependent depolarization.\ud \ud These data suggest that in mammalian neurons mitochondria adapt to respiratory stress by upregulating IF1, which exerts a protective role by coordinating pro-survival cell mitophagy and bioenergetics resilience.

The introduction of CDK4/6 inhibitors in combination with endocrine therapy (ET) represents the most relevant advance in the management of hormone receptor (HR) positive, HER2-negative metastatic breast cancer over the last few years. This meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) is aimed to better characterize the efficacy of CDK4/6 inhibitors in some relevant subgroups and to test heterogeneity between different compounds with a particular focus on their ability to improve overall survival (OS). Pooled estimates of hazard ratios (HRs) were computed for progression-free survival (PFS), OS, and objective response rate (ORR) analysis in predefined subgroups to better understand treatment effect concerning specific patients’ characteristics. To estimate the absolute benefit in terms of PFS, pooled survival curves were generated by pooling the data of all trials. A total of eight RCTs were included. Adding a CDK4/6 inhibitor to ET is beneficial in terms of PFS, irrespective of the presence or not of visceral metastases, the number of metastatic sites, and the length of the treatment-free interval (TFI). The addition of CDK4/6 inhibitors produces a significant OS improvement, both in aromatase inhibitor (AI)-sensitive (HR 0.75, 95% CI) and AI-resistant patients (HR 0.77, 95% CI [0.67–0.89]). Pooled data from each single drug show that palbociclib remains the only class member not showing a statistically significant HR for OS (HR 0.83, 95% CI [0.68–1.02]).

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is a heterogeneous group of tumors characterized by aggressive behavior, high risk of distant recurrence, and poor survival. Chemotherapy is still the main therapeutic approach for this subgroup of patients, therefore, progress in the treatment of TNBC remains an important challenge. Data derived from molecular technologies have identified TNBCs with different gene expression and mutation profiles that may help developing targeted therapies. So far, however, only a few of these have shown to improve the prognosis and outcomes of TNBC patients. Robust predictive biomarkers to accelerate clinical progress are needed. Herein, we review prognostic and predictive biomarkers in TNBC, discuss the current evidence supporting their use, and look at the future of this research field.