2,149 research outputs found
Staley, Roberta
No full textcurrentAcademic Biography
BA (University of Calgary)
Diploma Journalism (Grant MacEwan)
MA Liberal Studies (Simon Fraser University)
Roberta Staley is an author, a magazine editor and writer, and a documentary filmmaker who has reported from such places as Afghanistan, Papua New Guinea, Kenya, El Salvador, Haiti, Colombia, Cambodia, South Africa, Israel, and New Zealand. She currently edits Enterprise magazine, and is a contributor to BC Business, the South China Morning Post Magazine, Ms. Magazine, Trek, the Canadian Chemical News, Corporate Knights, and Sculpture, among others. She is also a columnist for Just for Canadian Doctors/Dentists magazines. Roberta has published her first book, titled Voice of rebellion : how Mozhdah Jamalzadah brought hope to Afghanistan. It is a biography of Afghan-Canadian human rights activist Mozhdah Jamalzadah
Identification of new variants in patients with neurodegenerative disorders by whole genome sequencing data and development of a bioinformatic pipeline
No full textWe explored the missing heritability in a cohort of 140 patients affected by Neurodegenerative disorders (NDDs), including Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), Frontotemporal dementia (FTD)) Parkinson disease (PD) and Spinocerebellar Ataxia (SCA). We performed Whole Genome Sequencing (WGS) after excluding pathogenic variants in the main disease-relevant causative genes and investigated 3 classes of potentially pathogenic variants: a)Coding/non-coding SNV/Indels in a panel of 696 genes involved in NODs. Using standard annotation, we identified pathogenic/likely pathogenic variants (ACMG) in genes causative of tare forms of each disease (N=15) and in gene causing a NND different from patient clinical presentation (N=15). In addition to the standard annotation we used SpliceAl, a deep leaming tool predicting an effect on splicing mechanism. We found 48 rare variants with a possible splicing Impact (ASTM 0.4). We performed in vitro studies for 9 variants (highest AS) and for 6 of them, we confirmed their role in splicing
alteration. b)Genome-wide structural variants Using CNVkit, we identified a 15925 deletion (1.2Mb) in a PD case. Similar deletions has been associated with mild intellectual disability and dysmorphisms but never reported in PD. c)Genome wide Tandem Repeat (TR). Using literature (ExpansionHunter, GangSTR) and novel tools, we Identified 4 novel loci in ALS cohort with a possible TR expansion and replicated the results in larger independent cohorts from Italy (763 ALS, 1018 controls) and International Mine project (3121 ALS, 1217 controls). For 3 of them (FRA1DAC1, RFC1, HK1) the result was not replicated. For the last locus (TFG2) the preliminary data are promising since the TR was observed only in patient and in none controls (1/352 vs 0/292 in ITFG2). In conclusion, using a multilevel WGS data analysis we were able to find missed pathogenetic variants In genes associated with different NDDs, reinforcing the idea of a shared genetic cause among these diseases
Pigment-pigment interactions in Lhca4 antenna complex of higher plants photosystem I.
No full textThe red-most fluorescence emission of photosystem I (733 nm at 4 K) is associated with the Lhca4 subunit of the antenna complex. It has been proposed that this unique spectral feature originates from the low energy absorption band of an excitonic interaction involving chlorophyll A5 and a second chlorophyll a molecule, probably B5 (Morosinotto, T., Breton, J., Bassi, R., and Croce, R. (2003) J. Biol. Chem. 278, 49223-49229). Because of the short distances between chromophores in Lhc proteins, the possibility that other pigments are involved in the red-shifted spectral forms could not be ruled out. In this study, we have analyzed the pigment-pigment interactions between nearest neighboring chromophores in Lhca4. This was done by deleting individual chlorophyll binding sites by mutagenesis, and analyzing the changes in the spectroscopic properties of recombinant proteins refolded in vitro. The red-shifted (733 nm) fluorescence peak, the major target of this analysis, was lost upon mutations affecting sites A4, A5, and B5 and was modified by mutating site B6. In agreement with the shorter distance between chlorophylls A5 and B5 (7.9 Å) versus A4 and A5 (12.2 Å) in Lhca4 (Ben-Shem, A., Frolow, F., and Nelson, N. (2003) Nature 426, 630-635), we conclude that the low energy spectral form originates from an interaction involving pigments in sites A5 and B5. Mutation at site B6, although inducing a 15-nm blue-shift of the emission peak, maintains the red-shifted emission. This implies that chromophores responsible for the interaction are conserved and suggests a modification in the pigment organization. Besides the A5-B5 pair, evidence for additional pigment-pigment interactions between chlorophylls in sites B3-A3 and B6-A6 was obtained. However, these features do not affect the red-most spectral form responsible for the 733-nm fluorescence emission band
Codici e copisti francescani a Firenze nel XIV secolo
No full textindagine sulla presenza di frati copisti all'interno del convento di Santa Croce di Firenze nel corso del XIV secolo
I manoscritti della Biblioteca di Santa Croce di Firenze conservati presso la Biblioteca Medicea Laurenziana. Catalogazione e studio dei Plutei (parte destra)
No full textNel presente lavoro sono catalogati 306 manoscritti provenienti dall’antica biblioteca del convento di Santa Croce in Firenze oggi conservati nel fondo Plutei destri della Biblioteca Medicea Laurenziana. Per ciascun codice è stata approntata una scheda descrittiva che tiene conto degli aspetti codicologici e paleografici, dei contenuti e della storia del manoscritto. Il catalogo è corredato da una bibliografia aggiornata e dagli indici degli autori e delle opere e dei possessori, copisti e decoratori dei codici. Nella breve parte introduttiva si dà conto di alcuni aspetti della storia della biblioteca di Santa Croce investigati contestualmente al lavoro di catalogazione, in particolare: la riperimetrazione del fondo antico della biblioteca conventuale, la presenza di frati-copisti in Santa Croce e la ricostruzione del contesto di copia della versione inedita dell’Exhortatio ad laudem Dei di Francesco d’Assisi rinvenuta nei margini del ms. Plut. 22 dex. 3.In the present thesis are catalogued 306 manuscripts originally coming from the ancient library of the franciscan convent of Santa Croce in Florence (c. XIII-XV), and now held in the Plutei Destri collection in the Biblioteca Medicea Laurenziana. Each manuscript has a descriptive entry that takes into account the codicological and paleographical aspects, the contents and the history of the manuscript. Furthermore, the catalogue is accompanied by an updated bibliography as well as a table of contents (authors, works, owners, scribes, and illuminators). In the brief introductory section some aspects of the history of the Santa Croce library that have been investigated jointly to cataloging work are discussed, in particular: the delimitation of the ancient collection of the convent library (c. XIII-XIV in.), the presence of friars-scribes in Santa Croce, and the reconstruction of the context of the copy of the unedited version of Francesco d’Assisi’s Exhortatio ad laudem Dei which emerged along the margins of the ms. Plut. 22 dex. 3
Energy transfer among CP29 chlorophylls: calculated Förster rates and experimental transient absorption at room temperature
No full textThe energy transfer rates between chlorophylls in the light harvesting complex CP29 of higher plants at room temperature were calculated ab initio according to the Förster mechanism (Förster T. 1948, Ann. Physik. 2:55-67). Recently, the transition moment orientation of CP29 chlorophylls was determined by differential linear dichroism and absorption spectroscopy of wild-type versus mutant proteins in which single chromophores were missing (Simonetto R., Crimi M., Sandonà D., Croce R., Cinque G., Breton J., and Bassi R. 1999. Biochemistry. 38:12974-12983). In this way the Q(y) transition energy and chlorophyll a/b affinity of each binding site was obtained and their characteristics supported by reconstruction of steady-state linear dichroism and absorption spectra at room temperature. In this study, the spectral form of individual chlorophyll a and b ligands within the protein environment was experimentally determined, and their extinction coefficients were also used to evaluate the absolute overlap integral between donors and acceptors employing the Stepanov relation for both the emission spectrum and the Stokes shift. This information was used to calculate the time-dependent excitation redistribution among CP29 chlorophylls on solving numerically the Pauli master equation of the complex: transient absorption measurements in the (sub)picosecond time scale were simulated and compared to pump-and-probe experimental data in the Q(y) region on the native CP29 at room temperature upon selective excitation of chlorophylls b at 640 or 650 nm. The kinetic model indicates a bidirectional excitation transfer over all CP29 chlorophylls a species, which is particularly rapid between the pure sites A1-A2 and A4-A5. Chlorophylls b in mixed sites act mostly as energy donors for chlorophylls a, whereas site B5 shows high and bidirectional coupling independent of the pigment hosted
Ecological risk assessment for the recent case of DDT pollution in Lake Maggiore (Northern Italy)
No full textContamination by DDT of industrial origin was detected in 1996 in Lake Maggiore (Northern Italy) causing concern for wildlife and human health. Starting from 1998 a monitoring programme involving different research laboratories was undertaken to establish the pollution level of the lake. In assessing the ecological risk to Lake Maggiore wildlife during this period, the present study integrates information provided by the Commission for the Protection of Italian and Swiss Waters with further analysis and ecotoxicological tests carried out on some autochthonous target species for this insecticide. Sediments collected at the end of 1997 in the most contaminated bay (total DDT 860.2 ng g-1 dry weight) caused a decrease in fertility and growth of benthic oligochaetes and chironomids, while the 48 h IC50 for Daphnia galeata (0.76 μg L-1, c.i. 0.43-1.34) was much higher than the DDT concentration in the lake water. The risk of acute effects on zooplankton should therefore be excluded, while transfer through the trophic web and bioconcentration in fish and fish-eating birds are the most adverse consequences of DDT contamination in Lake Maggiore
HEPARAN-SULFATE FRACTIONS - PHARMACOLOGICAL PROPERTIES AND EFFECT ON SMOOTH-MUSCLE CELL-PROLIFERATION IN-VITRO
No full textIn this study we have evaluated the effect of heparan sulfate fractions with different molecular weights on the growth of aortic smooth muscle cells (SMC) of rat in vitro. These fractions were obtained from unfractionated heparan sulfate by a gel filtration technique. The fraction having a molecular weight of 25.5 kDa showed a significant antiproliferative activity only at higher concentrations, while the fractions with molecular weight ranging from 10.7 kDa to 6.8 kDa were effective in reducing cell proliferation at very low concentrations (10(-5) nM and 10(-4) nM). The dose-effect curves are characterized by an initial plateau followed by an increase in effectiveness at the highest concentration. The relationship between molecular weight and antiproliferative activity is discussed
I got it. perceived infectability and germ aversion after Covid-19 infection
No full textObjective: The COVID-19 pandemic has offered a unique opportunity to test evolutionary hypotheses on the functionality of the behavioral immune system. The aim of the present study was to ascertain if a previous infection with COVID-19 was associated with increased levels of perceived infectability and germ aversion. Based on the calibration hypothesis, we predicted that the activation of the behavioral immune system was greater in those participants who had been infected compared to those who reported no previous COVID-19 infection. Method: The sample included 2072 participants who completed an online survey between March 1 and April 10, 2022 when the Italian population was facing the third wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. To measure the activation of the behavioral immune system, we used the Perceived Vulnerability to Disease (PVD) scale. Results: Perceived infectability was significantly greater in those participants who had been infected compared to those who reported no previous COVID-19 infection but there was no significant difference between the two groups in terms of germ aversion.Conclusions Overall, our findings suggest that individual differences in the activation of the behavioral immune system were marginally affected by a personal history of COVID-19 infection. A possible explanation is that the environmental sensitivity of the behavioral immune system is tuned more on chronic disease threat (i.e., ecologies with higher pathogen load) than on situational disease threat (e.g., a pandemic or disease outbreak like the COVID-19 pandemic)
Fluorescence resonance energy transfer imaging as a tool for in situ evaluation of cell morphofunctional characteristics.
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