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TGF-β3 Promotes Trophoblast Development in Sheep Embryos via ACSS2-Dependent Permissive Lipid Metabolism
No full textTransforming growth factor-beta (TGF-β) supports the in vitro maintenance of embryonic and trophoblast stem cells. Here, we demonstrated that, in a sheep embryo model, the transition from morula to blastocyst is positively regulated by TGF-β3, primarily through its promotion of trophoblast development. Our results indicate that morulae treated with TGF-β3 develop at a higher rate into blastocysts, characterized by an expanded trophoblast layer marked by CDX-2 expression. In blastocysts, TGF-β3 mediates transcriptional activation of genes involved in cell adhesion and lipid metabolism pathways, leading to remarkable in vitro outgrowth expansion and a substantial increase in trophoblast lipid droplet content. Functional analysis reveals that the positive effects of TGF-β3 are mitigated by inhibition of Acetyl-CoA Synthetase Short-Chain Family Member 2 (ACSS2), a key enzyme upregulated by TGF-β3 and a promoter of de novo lipogenesis. These findings suggest that TGF-β3 modulates lipid metabolism during blastocyst formation and may play a potential role in regulating implantation and placental development
Enrichment of fermented olive patè with Lactiplantibacillus plantarum as a biological strategy to enhance anti-inflammatory activity and gut modulation.
No full textReflections and new directions: An editorial retrospective and the launch of our new Policy Paper section
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Impact of organic and conventional cropping systems on plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR)
No full textMaintaining soil health and productivity requires an understanding of soil biodiversity and the interactions within the soil microbiome and rhizosphere. This study focuses on Plant GrowthPromoting Rhizobacteria (PGPR) associated with horticultural crops (Solanaceae and Cucurbitaceae), grown under both conventional and organic no-till systems (within the MOnsampolo VEgetables Long Term Experiment - MOVE-LTE - established in 2001 by CREA-OF). We examined how these farming systems affect the PGPR population. Moreover, we investigated the ability of PGPR to induce indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) and siderophores production, phosphate solubilization, and antagonistic activity against Fusarium oxysporum and Alternaria alternata. A total of 147 bacterial isolates were tested; 28 identified strains with plant growth-promoting (PGP) traits were identified by sequencing the 16S rRNA gene, with their genomes matched to those in the NCBI database. Bacillus megaterium showed high siderophore units (90.55), P-solubilization Index (3.58), and antagonism activities. B. altitudinis and B. halotolerans were notable for high IAA production (46.23 and 40.7 ppm, respectively) while Paenarthrobacter nitroguajacolicus and Variovorax paradoxus exhibited high P-solubilization Index (3.97 and 4.39, respectively). Moreover, the distribution of strains with high relative abundance (>10%) among treatments reveal key characteristics of the PGPR community of the cropping systems: microbial community is significantly influenced by crop (tomato vs zucchini and pumpkin), with organic no-till management enhancing strain diversity more than abundance. These results advance PGPR knowledge and indicate specific strengths and weaknesses around which consortia could be strategically developed to test performance under real conditions and ultimately improve crop yield and health across all agricultural systems
Teaching policymaking with games. Introduction to the special issue
No full textUnderstanding how policy decisions are made is a vital skill for students and practitioners in public administration. Yet policymaking remains a complex, dynamic, and often opaque process—where ideas compete, interests clash, and change is hard-won. This special issue examines how digital serious games can teach policymaking in a manner that is both theoretically grounded and experientially rich. This introductory article addresses the unique challenges of teaching policymaking—a subject that lies at the intersection of the technical and procedural aspects of public administration and the conceptual focus of policy process theories. Teaching policymaking carries both practical and democratic value. It helps students develop strategic agency by learning how actors frame problems, build coalitions, overcome opposition, and design pathways to policy reform. At the same time, it fosters democratic competence by encouraging students to recognise the pluralistic nature of public decisions, understand power asymmetries, and resist simplistic or populist narratives. The article also argues that addressing complex policy problems requires not only sound evidence but also knowledge of policymaking, i.e. a deep understanding of how evidence is framed, contested, and mobilised within the policy process. The introductory article discusses how serious games can effectively integrate these dimensions into the classroom. By simulating real-world dynamics, games allow students to experience policymaking first-hand. This experiential approach fosters critical thinking, soft skills, and a realistic understanding of the complexity of policy decisions. The articles in this special issue expand on these themes, presenting insights from the use of the P-CUBE digital game across diverse policy fields, including social inclusion, scientific decision-making, and urban policy, and offering practical guidance on game design, classroom strategies, and learning outcomes
Development of a 3D platform for drug screening
No full textProceedings of the 70th Congress of the Italian Embryological Group-Italian Society of Development and Cell Biology (GEI-SIBSC) - Modena, 10-13 June 2025