University of Bari Aldo Moro
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Le cataratte di Nelson / Las cataratas de Nelson
No full textIl titolo della sesta raccolta di poesie di Ignacio Cartagena, Le cataratte di Nelson, allude al cedimento graduale della vista e, con esso, alla perdita di una visione chiara e rassicurante del mondo. Denso di implicazioni simboliche, questo motivo diventa il filo conduttore dell’intera opera: una riflessione sulla percezione, sulla soggettività dello sguardo e sull’opacità crescente con cui si affrontano i passaggi cruciali della maturità. È nel gioco continuo tra ciò che si mostra e ciò che sfugge, tra superficie e profondità, tra enunciato e taciuto, che si costruisce l’architettura poetica di questo libro
Nota sulla traduzione di Le cataratte di Nelson / Las cataratas de Nelson
No full textLa traduzione poetica rappresenta una sfida ardua seppur affascinante, dato che la poesia non veicola soltanto un contenuto semantico, ma integra nella propria tessitura una gamma articolata di elementi formali, quali ritmo, metrica, sonorità, immagini, ambiguità sintattiche e lessicali, che concorrono a creare un'esperienza estetica profondamente stratificata e, spesso, irriducibile a una mera trasposizione letterale. La poesia, in quanto forma espressiva densa e concentrata, si radica profondamente nella specificità della lingua in cui è concepita, e ciò comporta che ogni tentativo di traslazione in un altro idioma implichi non solo un’operazione linguistica, ma anche e soprattutto una delicata mediazione culturale ed estetica
Altered dimerization of certain riboflavin transporter 2 mutants: a possible source of UPR, altered calcium signalling and mitochondrial derangements in RTD2
No full textRiboflavin transporter deficiency Type 2 (RTD2, OMIM #614707), formerly known as Brown-Vialetto-Van Laere
Syndrome 2 (BVVLS 2), is a rare autosomal recessive neurodegenerative disorder caused by biallelic variants in
the SLC52A2 gene, encoding for riboflavin transporter 2 (RFVT2). This transporter plays a critical role in flavin
cofactor delivery, particularly in the brain. Clinically, RTD2 presents with progressive hearing loss, optic atrophy, muscle weakness, respiratory issues, and pontobulbar palsy. Current treatment involves high-dose riboflavin
and other supplements.
In this study we explored the molecular mechanisms behind RTD2, focusing on the dimerization of RFVT2 and
the associated cellular stress mechanisms in patient-specific models. We demonstrated that RFVT2 exists as a
homodimer and that pathogenic variants significantly impair its dimerization, which may contribute to the induction of ER stress. This hypothesis was supported by elevated levels of BiP, an ER stress marker, in patient
iPSC-derived motor neurons. Similar findings were confirmed in patient-derived fibroblasts, where we also
observed mitochondrial dysfunction and disrupted calcium signaling. Interestingly, no significant changes in
FAD content were detected in both cell models, suggesting that proteotoxic stress may be a crucial pathogenic
mechanism in RTD2, even in the absence of signs of FAD deficiency. FAD autofluorescence and FLIM measurements reinforce the occurrence of mitochondrial dysfunction in patient MNs.
These findings provide insight into the pathogenic mechanisms of RTD2, highlighting the critical role of
RFVT2 misfolding, ER stress, and mitochondrial dysfunction in this neurodegenerative disorder
Valorization of Organic Third-Category Fruits Through Vinegar Fermentation: A Laboratory-Scale Evaluation of Apples, Peaches, and Clementines
No full textThis study aimed to evaluate the feasibility of producing vinegar from organic thirdcategory
apples, peaches, and clementines on a laboratory scale. Two-step fermentation
with Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Gluconobacter oxydans was applied, monitoring production
of ethanol and acetic acid and microbial dynamics. Fruit vinegars were subjected to analyses
of sensory traits, color, volatile organic compounds (VOCs), and antioxidant activity.
Comparable ethanol yields across substrates were obtained, ensuring consistent acetous
fermentation and achieving acetic acid concentrations of 5.0–5.6%. Dynamics of yeasts and
acetic acid bacteria reflected the production of and subsequent decrease in ethanol. Overall,
fermentation proceeded a bit faster in peach juice. Overall, the fruit vinegars, particularly
those from peaches and clementines, exhibited darker and more saturated tones. The
values of colorimetric indexes fell within the range reported for vinegars. Sensory analysis
highlighted large differences among the vinegars. Notwithstanding the highest scores of
color, aroma intensity, and floral aroma received by the peach vinegar (PV), it received the
lowest acceptability. Clementine vinegar (CV) was especially appreciated. Multivariate
analysis based on the VOC profile showed that apple vinegar (AV) was quite similar to
the commercial one, whereas PV and CV were well distinguished from it. CV showed the
highest antioxidant activity followed by PV
Structural alterations related to emotion dysregulation, anxiety and self-harm in adolescents borderline personality disorder. A source-based morphometry study
No full textObjective: Previous research suggests that adolescents with BPD (aBPD) exhibit distinct neuroanatomical alterations, although methodological limitations such as low sample size, and the reliance on univariate massive statistical analyses, prevent conclusions. Moreover, the possibility to associate these abnormalities with clinical features has been only partially explored. This study aims to investigate structural brain differences in the largest sample of adolescents with BPD to date, using a combination of unsupervised and supervised machine learning approaches: Source-Based Morphometry (SBM) and a deep neural network whose architecture was optimized through genetic algorithms. We hypothesize that adolescents with BPD will exhibit increased gray matter volume in the default mode network (DMN) and cerebellum, strictly related with emotion dysregulation and borderline symptoms, alongside reduced gray matter in frontal control networks. Methods: High-resolution T1-weighted structural MRI of 129 adolescents with BPD (aged 12-17) and 107 age-, gender-, and education-matched healthy controls (HCs) were analyzed using SBM to identify networks of covarying gray matter concentration (GMC). Borderline symptomatology, difficulties in emotion regulation, anxiety-related problems, and global functioning were assessed to characterize the meaning of neural findings. Results: Compared to HCs, adolescents with BPD exhibited significantly increased GMC in regions overlapping with the posterior hub of the DMN, and the cerebellum, and reduced GMC in frontal control regions. Importantly, the GMC alterations inside the cerebellum and the DMN positively correlated with the difficulties in emotion regulation such as emotional clarity and emotion regulation difficulties, self-harm injuries, anxiety and depressive symptoms, and negatively correlated with global assessment functioning. The deep learning model confirmed these findings and provided a good generalization performance. Conclusions: Our findings suggest that gray matter alterations in regions ascribed to the default mode network, cerebellum, and frontal control regions play a crucial role in emotional regulation deficits and self-injurious behaviors in adolescent BPD. This study provides new insights into the neurobiological mechanisms of BPD in youth and offering potential biomarker and targets for treatments
A blow-up result for the semilinear Euler-Poisson-Darboux-Tricomi equation with critical power nonlinearity
No full textIn this paper, we prove a blow-up result for a generalized semilinear Euler-Poisson-Darboux equation with polynomially growing speed of propagation, when the power of the semilinear term is a shift of the Strauss' exponent for the classical semilinear wave equation. Our proof is based on a comparison argument of Kato-type for a second-order ODE with time-dependent coefficients, an integral representation formula by Yagdjian and the Radon transform. As byproduct of our method, we derive upper bound estimates for the lifespan which coincide with the sharp one for the classical semilinear wave equation in the critical case
Efficacy and mode of action of the biocontrol yeast Meyerozyma caribbica BBJ against blue mold and patulin production by Penicillium expansum
No full textPenicillium expansum is one of the main postharvest pathogens of several fruits including apples, resulting in decay and causing severe economic losses. Furthermore, it might represent a safety issue as the main producer of the mycotoxin patulin. In this study, we investigated the efficacy and related mode of action of the strain BBJ of the yeast Meyerozyma caribbica in controlling blue mold by P. expansum and consequent patulin contamination. The yeast M. caribbica BBJ was selected within a screening of the epiphytic population of apple fruit. It was found to significantly control the incidence of blue mold in apples, apricots, and sweet cherries, reducing in vitro P. expansum growth and patulin presence, showing toxin-degrading abilities. In addition, the results of this study showed that M. caribbica strain BBJ induced resistance in the host tissues, causing an up-regulation of apple defense-related genes, particularly coding chitinase enzyme. These experiments also indicated that yeast BBJ's biocontrol ability against P. expansum relied on competition for nutrients and production of volatile compounds. When tested on a semi-commercial scale, M. caribbica BBJ proved to be effective against apple rots, particularly as a preharvest treatment. In summary, although further large-scale trials are needed, M. caribbica BBJ has the potential to be used as antagonistic yeast against postharvest blue mold of apples and other fruits susceptible to P. expansum infection
Food Poverty, Health, and Innovation: the Impact of new food frontiers on the social context
No full textFood preferences have long been increasingly influenced by sensitivity to ethics and the sustainability of production processes, from the beginning of the supply chain to the table. All this must be considered the food poverty that affects a large segment of the population. In fact, the propensity for healthy products is growing, with methods of use and purchase based on
sustainability and a shared concept of well-being. However, the main obstacle to the development of new food systems continues to be inequality in access to food. To respond to the needs arising from food poverty, which has predominantly social and not only economic or nutritional characteristics, research, with the aim of defining an indicator for evaluating the phenomenon,
has identified three fundamental indicators dimensions of analysis with respect to nutrition: material and/or social food deprivation index (DAMS), risk of food poverty index, relative food poverty index. We proceeded with a comparative analysis within the Italian regions, through a Gaussian Mixture
cluster analysis. The analysis highlighted problems such as malnutrition and incorrect nutrition, two opposing problems whose paradoxical correlation is typical of our era. The study, therefore, highlighted how it is necessary to put people’s needs at the center, with a synergic and non-substitutive welfare system with respect to the public and contractual one, focused on social
Globalization, Social innovation, beyond the list of services and benefits provided. The objective
is therefore to satisfy real individual needs, supporting people in identifying a customized service
A Poincar\'e-Hopf formula for functionals associated to quasilinear elliptic systems
No full textWe consider the functional
\begin{align*}
J_{\alpha,\beta}(z) =& \frac{1}{p} \into \left(\alpha+
|\nabla u(x)|^2\right)^{\frac p 2} \ dx + \frac{1}{q}\into \left(\beta +
|\nabla v(x)|^2\right)^{\frac q 2} \ dx \nonumber \\ &- \into
F(u(x),v(x)) \ dx, \quad z=(u,v) \in X,
\end{align*}
where is a smooth bounded domain of , $
Soil calcium deficiency in Sorana bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) ecotype reveals adaptive strategies through differential physiological and yield responses
No full textThe common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.), a key crop within the Fabaceae family, is one of the most widely grown and consumed legumes in the world. However, many genotypes and landraces remain understudied, including the Sorana ecotype, traditionally cultivated in Italy along the Pescia river. It is well-adapted to alluvial, sandy soils with low calcium content. To investigate its adaptive mechanisms to calcium deficiency, we grew Sorana bean plants under control (2 mM Ca2+), moderate (0.4 mM), and severe (0.2 mM) calcium deficiency conditions, from sowing to pod harvest. Both calcium-deficient conditions negatively affected plant biomass, photosynthetic pigment levels, polyphenol content, and stomatal conductance. Interestingly, moderate calcium deficiency enhanced yield, harvest index, and pod harvest index, indicating great sink strength and a shift in resource allocation. Bean skin thickness, a defining trait of this ecotype, was also influenced by calcium availability. At the molecular level, abscisic acid-related genes showed differential expression depending on calcium concentration, suggesting a threshold-dependent activation of stress-response pathways. Our results indicate that Sorana adapts to calcium-poor environments by prioritizing seed production over vegetative growth. This strategy, along with its distinctive agronomic traits, positions Sorana as a valuable genetic resource for breeding programs aimed at improving crop resilience and yield under suboptimal soil conditions