Search results for "IPA"
showing 10 items of 5795 documents
La partecipazione delle famiglie nei “nuovi” servizi educativi per l’infanzia: verso la corresponsabilità educativa
2020
The paper explores the different meanings and possibilities of the participation of families in educational services for early childhood. In particular, it aims at highlighting the importance of an appropriate training for educators in order to value and improve parents’ educational competences as well as new possible forms of corresponsibility, as generating social capital as well as social and territorial cohesion .
Scope-Oriented Thermoeconomic analysis of energy systems. Part I: Looking for a non-postulated cost accounting for the dissipative devices of a vapou…
2010
Abstract The authors of the main thermoeconomic methodologies developed in the last two decades have recently focused their efforts on the analysis of dissipative devices, i.e. those components whose productive purpose is neither intuitive nor easy to define. Coherent and unanimously accepted cost structures have been identified for dissipative components, while ambiguities still exist as concerns the cost allocation principles to be adopted. Being this aspect evidently cost-influencing, accurate analyses focused on the subjectivity of results are needed. This paper is structured in two parts. In the Part I an in-depth study of some critical issues arising from the thermoeconomic analysis o…
Development and localization of microsatellite markers for the sibling species Chironomus riparius and Chironomus piger (Diptera: Chironomidae)
2006
Five variable microsatellite loci are reported for the nonbiting midge species Chironomus riparius and Chironomus piger. All loci show considerable intraspecific variation and species-specific alleles, which allow to discriminate among the two closely related species and their interspecific hybrids, and to estimate genetic diversity within and between populations. Additionally, the loci were localized on C. riparius polytene chromosomes to verify their single copy status and investigate possible chromosomal linkage. The described markers are used in different studies with regard to population and ecological genetics and evolutionary ecotoxicology of Chironomus.
Measuring mutagenicity in ecotoxicology: A case study of Cd exposure in Chironomus riparius
2020
AbstractExisting mutagenicity tests for metazoans lack the direct observation of enhanced germline mutation rates after exposure to anthropogenic substances, therefore being inefficient. Cadmium (Cd) is a metal described as a mutagen in mammalian cells and listed as a group 1 carcinogenic and mutagenic substance. But Cd mutagenesis mechanism is not yet clear. Therefore, in the present study, we propose a method coupling short-term mutation accumulation (MA) lines with subsequent whole genome sequencing (WGS) and a dedicated data analysis pipeline to investigate if chronic Cd exposure on Chironomus riparius can alter the rate at which de novo point mutations appear. Results show that Cd expo…
Toxicity of fullerene (C60) to sediment-dwelling invertebrate Chironomus riparius larvae
2011
An environmentally realistic method to test fullerene (C(60) ) toxicity to the benthic organism Chironomus riparius was created by allowing suspended fullerenes to settle down, making a layer on top of the sediment. To test the hypothesis that higher food concentrations will reduce toxic responses, two food concentrations were tested (0.5 and 0.8% Urtica sp.) in sediment containing fullerene masses of 0.36 to 0.55 mg/cm(2) using a 10-d chronic test. In the 0.5% food level treatments, there were significant differences in all growth-related endpoints compared with controls. Fewer effects were observed for the higher food treatment. Fullerene agglomerates were observed by electron microscopy …
Detecting Cd adaptation footprint in C. riparius with a multi-genomic approach
2021
AbstractEvolutionary processes and acquired tolerance to toxicants are important factors governing how animals respond to chemical exposure. Evidence for increased tolerance to cadmium (Cd), a widely distributed toxic metal in aquatic environments, in Chironomus riparius is conflicting and still questioned if it happens through phenotypic plasticity or genetic adaptation. The present study considered the relevance of directional environmental changes by increasing contaminant concentration in a multigenerational selection experiment. Evaluation of measurable life-cycle traits, transcriptomic responses and quantitative genetics from an evolve and resequencing (E&R) experiment were integr…
Establishing Laboratory Cultures and Performing Ecological and Evolutionary Experiments with the Emerging Model Species <em>Chironomus Riparius…
2018
Chironomus riparius is a well-established model organism in various fields such as ecotoxicology and ecology, and therefore environmental preferences, ecological interactions and metabolic traits are well-studied. With the recent publication of a high-quality draft genome, as well as different population genetic parameters such as mutation and recombination rate, the species can be used as an alternative to the Drosophila models in experimental population genomics or molecular ecology. To facilitate access to this promising experimental model species for a wider range of researchers, we describe experimental methods to first create and sustain long term cultures of C. riparius and then use …
Structural and Functional Analysis of the Antiparallel Strands in the Lumenal Loop of the Major Light-harvesting Chlorophyll a/b Complex of Photosyst…
2007
The light-harvesting chlorophyll a/b-binding protein of photosystem II (LHCIIb) fulfills multiple functions, such as light harvesting and energy dissipation under different illuminations. The crystal structure of LHCIIb at the near atomic resolution reveals an antiparallel strands structure in the lumenal loop between the transmembrane helices B/C. To study the structural and functional significances of this structure, three amino acids (Val-119, His-120, and Ser-123) in this region have been exchanged to Phe, Leu, and Gly, respectively, and the influence of the mutagenesis on the structure and function of LHCIIb has been investigated. The results are as follows. 1) Circular dichroism spect…
Light-Dependent Translocation of Arrestin in Rod Photoreceptors is Signaled through a Phospholipase C Cascade and Requires ATP
2009
Light adaptation of rod photoreceptors induces translocation of arrestin from inner segments (IS) to outer segments (OS). Our study suggests that components of the G-protein linked phosphoinositide pathway play a role in signaling the initiating events of arrestin translocation. We show that arrestin translocation can be stimulated by activators of phospholipase C (PLC) and protein kinase C (PKC) in the absence of light. Conversely, arrestin translocation to the OS is significantly slowed by inhibitors of PLC and PKC.In the second part of this study, we investigated the mechanism by which arrestin translocates in response to light. Other investigators have suggested that arrestin translocat…
Phosphatidylinositol specific phospholipase C of plant stems : membrane associated activity concentrated in plasma membranes.
1987
A phosphatidylinositol-specific phospholipase C of plant stems (EC 3.1.4.10) assayed at pH 6.6 and at 30 degrees C cleaved phosphatidylinositol such that more than 85% of the product was inositol-1-phosphate. Other phospholipids were cleaved 5 to 10% or less under these conditions. The phospholipase had both a soluble and a membrane-associated form. The soluble activity accounted for approximately 85 to 90% of the activity and 15% was associated with membranes. The membrane-associated activity was most concentrated in the plasma membranes of hypocotyl segments of both soybean (Glycine max) and bushbean (Phaseolus vulgaris). The plasma membrane location was verified by analysis of highly pur…