Biology subjects

Albanese, L.

Publications and source records attributed to Albanese, L..

5 recordsLinked to original sources

bioRxiv2018

The proto CpG island methylator phenotype of sessile serrated adenoma/polyps

Sessile serrated adenomas/polyps (SSA/Ps) are the putative precursors of the {small tilde}20% of colon cancers with the CpG island methylator phenotype (CIMP), but their molecular features are poorly understood. We used high-throughput analysis of DNA methylation and gene expression to investigate the epigenetic phenotype of SSA/Ps. Fresh-tissue samples of 17 SSA/Ps and (for comparison purposes) 15 conventional adenomas (cADNs)--each with a matched sample of normal mucosa-- were prospectively collected during colonoscopy (total no. samples analyzed: 64). DNA and RNA were extracted from each sample. DNA was subjected to bisulfite next-generation sequencing to assess methylation levels at {small tilde}2.7 million CpG sites located predominantly in gene regulatory regions and spanning 80.5Mb ({small tilde}2.5% of the genome); RNA was sequenced to define the samples transcriptomes. An independent series of 61 archival lesions was used for targeted verification of DNA methylation findings. Compared with normal mucosa samples, SSA/Ps and cADNs exhibited markedly remodeled methylomes. In cADNs, hypomethylated regions were far more numerous (18,417 vs 4288 in SSA/Ps) and rarely affected CpG islands/shores. SSA/Ps seemed to have escaped this wave of demethylation. Cytosine hypermethylation in SSA/Ps was more pervasive (hypermethylated regions: 22,147 vs 15,965 in cADNs; hypermethylated genes: 4938 vs 3443 in cADNs) and more extensive (region for region), and it occurred mainly within CpG islands and shores. Given its resemblance to the CIMP typical of SSA/Ps putative descendant colon cancers, we refer to the SSA/P methylation phenotype as proto-CIMP. Verification studies of six hypermethylated regions (3 SSA/P-specific and 3 common) demonstrated the high potential of DNA methylation markers for predicting the diagnosis of SSA/Ps and cADNs. Surprisingly, proto-CIMP in SSA/Ps was associated with upregulated gene expression (n=618 genes vs 349 that were downregulated); downregulation was more common in cADNs (n=712 vs 516 upregulated genes). The epigenetic landscape of SSA/Ps differs markedly from that of cADNs. These differences are a potentially rich source of novel tissue-based and noninvasive biomarkers that can add precision to the clinical management of the two most frequent colon-cancer precursors.

cancer biology↗

bioRxiv2018

Hydrodynamic cavitation as an energy efficient process to increase biochar surface area and porosity: a case study

The effectivity of biochar as soil amendment is depending by its physical and chemical characteristics that are related to the type and the features of the thermal production process, such as peak temperature, heating rate, holding time, as well as from the used feedstocks. The textural characteristics of biochar in term of surface area, pore size and pore volume distribution, important for the physicochemical properties of the material, are critically dependent on the production process and the feedstock type. In this study, based on a single biochar type and a single experiment, for the first time controlled hydrodynamic cavitation was proven as a fast and effective way to enhance the biochar surface area by as much as 120%, while preserving or improving the respective chemical composition, showing far higher efficiency than the conventional increase of the peak pyrolysis temperature.\n\nAbbreviations

bioengineering↗

bioRxiv2017

Beer produced via hydrodynamic cavitation retains higher amounts of xanthohumol and other hops prenylflavonoids

A fraction of the most valuable bioactive compounds in beer comes from hops polyphenols, mainly flavonoids, some of which are unique to inflorescences of that flowering plant. Although far from pharmacologically relevant concentrations, the intake of low doses of xanthohumol and related prenylflavonoids found in beer contributes to significant preventive actions with regards to certain diseases, such as cardiovascular and neurodegenerative, as well as to distinct chemopreventive effects on certain cancer types. Hence the efforts to explore both ingredients and methods able to enhance the concentration of such bioactive compounds in the final beers. A novel brewing method assisted by hydrodynamic cavitation was proved able, under suitable process conditions, to retain or generate higher amounts of xanthohumol, desmethylxanthohumol and 6-geranylnaringenin, extending recent evidence about different food and respective bioproducts, as well as adding to its distinct benefits to the brewing process.

biochemistry↗

bioRxiv2017

Innovative beer-brewing of typical, old and healthy wheat varieties to boost their spreading

Certain typical old wheat varieties grown in the Mediterranean countries and elsewhere are renowned for their nutritional value due to higher concentration of polyphenols, especially flavonoids, as well as of important minerals, than modern varieties. However, the respective economical sustainability is constrained by reduced yield, increasing costs and stagnating or decreasing market prices. Moreover, under certain conditions, connected with the respective scale and local market volume, low-input, organically grown cereals can lead to lower environmental footprint. Brewing with a portion of such old grains can effectively boost their spreading, conditioned on its ability to supply a significant additional net income to farmers. Beer has become the worldwide most consumed alcoholic beverage and, although its market is dominated by few global players and standardized products, craft breweries have quickly spread out in most countries. Nevertheless, a scale issue has arisen about the economic sustainability of microbreweries, mainly due to high initial capital investment, energy costs, scale, and sometimes taxation. It is shown how breakthrough, cheaper, more efficient and profitable microbreweries can help solving the sustainability issues affecting old wheat varieties, thus boosting the respective spreading, lowering the environmental footprint of the cereal sector and contributing to improve the public health.

immunology↗

bioRxiv2016

Gluten-Free Beer via Hydrodynamic Cavitation Assisted Brewing ofBarley Malts

We provide evidence that novel brewing technology based on controlled hydrodynamic cavitation greatly reduces gluten concentration in wort and finished beer. We advance the hypothesis that the degradation of proline, the most recalcitrant among gluten constituents, leads to gluten concentration reduction in the unfermented as well as in the fermenting wort and later during maturation. These findings are significant as the new cavitation-assisted technology could provide coeliac patients and gluten-intolerant people with gluten-free beer of high quality, offering an alternative to existing methods to lower the gluten concentration, which are detrimental to flavor and taste.

biochemistry↗