Oxidative Stress in Obesity: A Critical Component in Human Diseases

Obesity, a social problem worldwide, is characterized by an increase in body weight that results in excessive fat accumulation. Obesity is a major cause of morbidity and mortality and leads to several diseases, including metabolic syndrome, diabetes mellitus, cardiovascular, fatty liver diseases, and cancer. Growing evidence allows us to understand the critical role of adipose tissue in controlling the physic-pathological mechanisms of obesity and related comorbidities. Recently, adipose tissue, especially in the visceral compartment, has been considered not only as a simple energy depository tissue, but also as an active endocrine organ releasing a variety of biologically active molecules known as adipocytokines or adipokines. Based on the complex interplay between adipokines, obesity is also characterized by chronic low grade inflammation with permanently increased oxidative stress (OS). Over-expression of oxidative stress damages cellular structures together with under-production of anti-oxidant mechanisms, leading to the development of obesity-related complications. The aim of this review is to summarize what is known in the relationship between OS in obesity and obesity-related diseases.     

Mosquito sound communication: are male swarms loud enough to attract females?

Given the unsurpassed sound sensitivity of mosquitoes among arthropods and the sound source power required for long-range hearing, we investigated the distance over which female mosquitoes detect species-specific cues in the sound of station-keeping mating swarms. A common misunderstanding, that mosquitoes cannot hear at long range because their hearing organs are ‘particle-velocity’ receptors, has clouded the fact that particle velocity is an intrinsic component of sound whatever the distance to the sound source. We exposed free-flying Anopheles coluzzii females to pre-recorded sounds of male An. coluzzii and An. gambiae s.s. swarms over a range of natural sound levels. Sound levels tested were related to equivalent distances between the female and the swarm for a given number of males, enabling us to infer distances over which females might hear large male swarms. We show that females do not respond to swarm sound up to 48 dB sound pressure level (SPL) and that louder SPLs are not ecologically relevant for a swarm. Considering that swarms are the only mosquito sound source that would be loud enough to be heard at long range, we conclude that inter-mosquito acoustic communication is restricted to close-range pair interactions. We also showed that the sensitivity to sound in free-flying males is much enhanced compared to that of tethered ones.     

Back to the Origins: Background and Perspectives of Grapevine Domestication

Domestication is a process of selection driven by humans, transforming wild progenitors into domesticated crops. The grapevine (Vitis vinifera L.), besides being one of the most extensively cultivated fruit trees in the world, is also a fascinating subject for evolutionary studies. The domestication process started in the Near East and the varieties obtained were successively spread and cultivated in different areas. Whether the domestication occurred only once, or whether successive domestication events occurred independently, is a highly debated mystery. Moreover, introgression events, breeding and intense trade in the Mediterranean basin have followed, in the last thousands of years, obfuscating the genetic relationships. Although a succession of studies has been carried out to explore grapevine origin and different evolution models are proposed, an overview of the topic remains pending. We review here the findings obtained in the main phylogenetic and genomic studies proposed in the last two decades, to clarify the fundamental questions regarding where, when and how many times grapevine domestication took place. Finally, we argue that the realization of the pan-genome of grapes could be a useful resource to discover and track the changes which have occurred in the genomes and to improve our understanding about the domestication.     

A reliable decision support system for fresh food supply chain management

The paper proposes a decision support system (DSS) for the supply chain of packaged fresh and highly perishable products. The DSS combines a unique tool for sales forecasting with order planning which includes an individual model selection system equipped with ARIMA, ARIMAX and transfer function forecasting model families, the latter two accounting for the impact of prices. Forecasting model parameters are chosen via two alternative tuning algorithms: a two-step statistical analysis, and a sequential parameter optimisation framework for automatic parameter tuning. The DSS selects the model to apply according to user-defined performance criteria. Then, it considers sales forecasting as a proxy of expected demand and uses it as input for a multi-objective optimisation algorithm that defines a set of non-dominated order proposals with respect to outdating, shortage, freshness of products and residual stock. A set of real data and a benchmark – based on the methods already in use – are employed to evaluate the performance of the proposed DSS. The analysis of different configurations shows that the DSS is suitable for the problem under investigation; in particular, the DSS ensures acceptable forecasting errors and proper computational effort, providing order plans with associated satisfactory performances.     

Use of a liquid chromatograph-ion trap mass spectrometer for end-group characterization of various polyethoxylate materials

The separation and detection properties of various ethoxylated polymers were investigated with atmospheric pressure ionization liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry (LC/MS). Interesting chromatographic elution behavior based on functionality was noted. LC/MS using in-source CID (collision-induced dissociation) and tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) detection was compared for end-group identification. Excellent end-group identification was achieved when the end-group molecular weight (MW) was greater than 100 Da and the average MW of the polymer was less than 400 Da by both MS/MS and in-source CID. In cases where the end-group MW was less than 100 Da, because of the low mass cut-off in a quadrapole ion trap analyzer, in-source CID produced the only characteristic end-group ions. The use of a dual scan function allowed investigation of the oligomeric distribution followed by a narrow low-mass scan using in-source CID to generate end-group information. This approach is applicable on instruments without MS/MS capability.     

PBAT/organoclay composite films: preparation and properties

Environmental problems caused by the increased waste associated with short-term use of plastic materials, particularly by the food packaging industry, prompted the search for biodegradable alternatives. This contribution studied one of these alternatives, poly(butylene adipate-co-terephthalate)—PBAT, a polymer that is fully biodegradable in common landfills, compounded with a small amount of Cloisite 20A organoclay. Materials were mixed in a laboratory internal mixer and films prepared in a chill roll extruder. Results show that the presence of organoclay does not increase degradation of the polymer matrix during processing, nor affects its crystallization characteristics. However, organoclay addition significantly diminished oxygen and carbon dioxide permeability of the films, making them a very interesting alternative for the food packaging industry.     

Tuning Sulfur Oxidation States on Thioether‐Bridged Peptide Macrocycles for Modulation of Protein Interactions

Thioethers, sulfoxides, and sulfonium ions, despite diverse physicochemical properties, all engage in noncovalent interactions with proteins. Thioether‐containing macrocycles are also attracting attention as protein–protein interaction (PPI) inhibitors. Here, we used a model PPI between α‐helical mixed lineage leukemia (MLL) protein and kinase‐inducible domain interacting (KIX) domain to evaluate oxidation effects on sulfurcontaining macrocycle structure, stability, and protein affinity. Desolvation effects from various polarity states were evaluated computationally and experimentally at the side chain, amino acid, and peptide level. Sulfur‐containing side chains spanned polarity ranges between all‐hydrocarbon and lactam bridges for modulating solubility, cellular uptake, and affinity. Helical propensity studies showed that, although oxidized sulfur‐containing side chains could be tolerated, conformational effects were sequence‐dependent. In some cases, proteolytic stability, binding capacity with KIX, and increased helicity were obtained as first steps toward developing PPI inhibitors.     

Integrating monitoring networks to obtain estimates of ground-level ozone concentrations --a proof of concept in Tuscany (central Italy)

Prior to 2000 a network of conventional ozone (O3) analysers existed in the Province of Firenze (Tuscany, central Italy). Between 2000 and 2004 the network was extended to incorporate a newly designed bioindicator network of tobacco plants (Nicotiana tabacum Bel W3). The objective was to set-up an integrated monitoring system to obtain estimates of ground-level O3 concentrations over the whole study area (3513 km2) in order to fill data gaps and cover reporting requirements. The existing conventional monitors were purposefully located mainly in urban areas. A total of 45 biomonitoring sites were selected using a systematic design to cover the target area. Two to five additional biomonitoring sites were co-located with conventional O3 analysers for calibration purposes, and five more sites for independent validation of modelled O3 concentrations. Visible Leaf Injury Index (LII) on the tobacco plants was significantly correlated (P: 0.018/0.0014) with a series of O3 exposure variables (mean of weekly 1-hour maxima, M1; mean of 7-hour means, M7; 24-hour mean, M24; and weekly AOT40). LII was found to be a significant predictor of weekly means of the O3 exposure variables with a standard error of estimates between 13.6 and 24.3 microg m(-3) (absolute values). LII was mapped with an ad-hoc spatial model over the study area at a 22 km grid resolution, and mapped values were used to predict O3 concentrations by means of a first order linear model. Results showed that high estimates of O3 (up to 188 microg m(-3) as mean of weekly maxima, M1) occurred more frequently in hilly and mountainous areas, with a spatial pattern changing on an annual basis. Predicted O3 concentrations were not significantly different from the measured concentrations (P: 0.34), although marked differences were observed for individual sites and years. The study provided evidence that integration of monitoring networks using different methods can be a viable option to obtain estimates of O3 concentrations over large areas.