Resistance characterization of Italian ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum) biotypes to clethodim herbicide.

2016

Geographic distribution of ryegrass resistent to the clethodim herbicide in Rio Grande do Sul.

2016

Altered transcriptional and epigenetic regulation affects brain cells proliferation and differentiation in the ultra-rare genetic demyelinating disease AGC1 deficiency: a study on in vitro models

AGC1 deficiency is a rare demyelinating disease caused by mutations in the SLC25A12 gene, which encodes for the mitochondrial glutamate-aspartate carrier 1 (AGC1/Alarar), highly expressed in the central nervous system. In neurons, impairment in AGC1 activity leads to reduction in N-acetyl-aspartate, the main lipid precursor for myelin synthesis (Profilo et al., 2017); in oligodendrocytes progenitors cells, AGC1 down regulation has been related to early arrest proliferation and premature differentiation (Petralla et al., 2019). Additionally, in vivo AGC1 deficiency models i.e., heterozygous mice for AGC1 knock-out and neurospheres from their subventricular zone, respectively, showed a global decrease in cells proliferation and a switch in neural stem cells (NSCs) commitment, with specific reduction in OPCs number and increase in neural and astrocytic pools (Petralla et al., 2019). Therefore, the present study aims to investigate the transcriptional and epigenetic regulation underlying the alterations observed in OPCs and NSCs biological mechanisms, in either AGC1 deficiency models of Oli-neu cells (murine immortalized oligodendrocytes precursors cells), partially silenced by a shRNA for SLC25A12 gene, and SVZ-derived neurospheres from AGC1+/- mice. Western blot and immunofluorescence analysis revealed significant variations in the expression of transcription factors involved in brain cells’ proliferation and differentiation, in association with altered histone post-translational modifications, as well as histone acetylases (HATs) and deacetylases (HDACs) activity/expression, suggesting an improper transcriptional and epigenetic regulation affecting both AGC1 deficiency in vitro models. Furthermore, given the large role of acetylation in controlling in specific time-windows OPC maturation (Hernandez and Casaccia; 2015), pharmacological HATs/HDACs inhibitions were performed, confirming the involvement of chromatin remodelling enzymes in the altered proliferation and early differentiation observed in the AGC1 deficiency models of siAGC1 Oli-neu cells and AGC1+/- mice-derived neurospheres.

RICORDACI: Research on the Conservation, Restoration and Diagnosis of Cinematographic Films

This thesis is the result of the RICORDACI project, a three-year European-funded initiative involving the collaboration between the University of Bologna and the restoration laboratory of the Cineteca di Bologna, L'immagine Ritrovata, which aimed to develop innovative solutions and technologies for the preservation of cinematographic film heritage. In particular, this thesis presents new analytical methodologies to exploit two types of portable miniaturized Near Infrared spectrometers working in Diffuse Reflectance over the Short Wave Infrared (SWIR) range, to study the near infrared (NIR) spectral behavior of film base materials for an accurate, non-invasive and fast characterization of the polymer type; and for films with cellulose acetate supports, they can be employed as a diagnostic tool for monitoring the Degree of substitution (DS) affected by the loss of acetyl groups. The proposed methods offer non-invasive, fast, inexpensive and simple alternatives for the characterization and diagnosis of film bases to help the strategic planning and decision-making regarding storage, digitalization and intervention of film collections. Secondly, the thesis includes the evaluation of new green cleaning systems and solvents for the effective, fast and innocuous removal of undesired substances from degraded cinematographic films bases; these tests compared the efficiency of traditional systems and solvents against the new proposals. Firstly, the use of Deep Eutectic Solvent formulations for removing softened gelatin residues from cellulose nitrate bases; and secondly, the employment of green volatile solvents with different application methods, including the use of new electrospun nylon mats, for avoiding the dangerous use of friction for the removal of Triphenyl Phosphate blooms from the surface of cellulose acetate bases. The results obtained will help improving the efficiency of the interventions needed before the digitalization of historical cinematographic films and will pave the way for further investigation on the use of green solvents for cleaning polymeric heritage objects.