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DeoxygenaTion in a waRming climAte: iNsightS from the geologiCal rEcord to uNderstand moDErN Trend (TRANSCENDENT) Alessandra Negri (DISVA) Project area SCIENCES Presentation Supervisor Project Idea Goals In the geological past the Mediterranean Sea underwent cyclical deoxygenation events, responsible for the annihilation of the euka...ryotic life in deep-sea environments. These deoxygenation events are recorded by organic-rich sediments called sapropel, which date back to 15 Ma. Some of these sapropels are deposited during warmer than today intervals, with temperatures in the range of the predicted at the end of this century in the MS, thus offering an ideal real-world data archive to explore deoxygenation dynamics and the ecosystem response to higher temperatures and oxygen-starved conditions. Overall objective: Investigation of oxygen dynamics in the MS, by documenting deoxygenation and (re)ventilation processes during sapropels that deposited in a climate state warmer than today and analogous to the future business-as-usual scenarios. In this respect TRANSCENDENT will develop the following research objectives aimed to: 1. Focus on the geological record of warm Pliocene sapropel investigating the sediment composition and grainsize+ the fossil compound. 2. Modern foraminifera culture under different temperature and Ph to be compared to the past record. 3. Identification of physical and biological proxies to identify deoxygenation trend in fossil sequences. The project is expected to have tangible impacts in providing new insight on the effects of global change on the marine environment and ecosystems, with a specific focus on the mechanisms leading to deoxygenation events. |
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Nutrition and integrative metabolism in aging (NUMAGE) Andrea Frontini (DISVA) Project area SCIENCES Presentation Supervisor Project Idea Goals The project Nutrition and integrate metabolism in aging (NUMAGE) is designed to study the adaptations induced by exercise and nutr...itional factors, stimuli which may have important implications in the protection from metabolic and neurodegenerative age-associated disorders. To this purpose, the first objective will be the development of different co-culture systems, such as muscle/neurons, muscle/adipocytes and neurons/glia. The following research objectives will be addressed, aimed at contributing to healthy aging: 1. to detail the molecular mechanisms underlying the combination of physical exercise and nutrients on the modulation of mitochondrial plasticity, improving biogenesis, respiration and consequently fatty acid oxidation and aerobic performance, and indirectly also affecting brain cells. 2. to investigate the molecular mechanisms underlying myelin production and regeneration. 3. to evaluate the role of exercise-induced EVs on adipocytes biology. Well analyze if oxidative stress and pro-inflammatory conditions can be modulated to curb the development of insulin resistance in sarcopenic obesity. The project is expected to have impacts in providing new insights on the molecular adaptation, in the young as well as in the senescent cells, underlying physical exercise, brain functionality, and adipose tissue metabolism. Identification of optimal exercise protocols and nutrients combination will provide useful insight on optimizing health at advanced age and achieve a successful ageing. |
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effect-based Assessment for ContaminanTs of emergIng cOncern in mariNe ecosystemS (ACTIONS) Francesco Regoli (DISVA) Project area SCIENCES Presentation Supervisor Project Idea Goals Contaminants of emerging concern (CECs) including pharmaceuticals, plasticizers, new pesticides, perfluorinated compounds, abuse s...ubstances, personal care products and their mixtures represent a global threat to marine ecosystems. Increasingly detected in marine waters, sediments, and organisms, they potentially hamper marine species and biodiversity due to a documented toxicity at very low concentrations. CECs presence, distribution and environmental risk assessment are not considered in any of routinary monitoring programmes and the urgent need of effect-based monitoring tools has been recently highlighted by many actions promoted by European Union. In this respect, ACTIONS aims to develop the framework for a new risk assessment procedure integrating on one side chemical investigations on the CECs distribution, in coastal areas, targeting the occurrence, uptake and trophic transfer along regional marine food webs; on the other, effects and risks will be highlighted by a wide range of ecotoxicological effects, measured from molecular to individual levels, and synthesized in an integrated weight-of-evidence risk assessment procedure for better evaluate and communicated the risk of CECs on marine ecosystems. The project is expected to have tangible impacts in providing integrated effect- based assessment and monitoring tools to be shared and possible adopted by EU regulatory guidelines including Water Framework Directive, Marine Strategy Framework Directive, the EU Zero Pollution Strategy and Plan and the implementation of the EU biodiversity strategy for 2030. |
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Probiotics as emerging tools to counteract EDCs toxicity (PROXY) Oliana Carnevali (DISVA) Project area SCIENCES Presentation Supervisor Project Idea Goals Consumer products and their underlying chemistry have been altering our planet since the industrial revolution. These alterations,... caused by the release of many chemical substances are endangering the health of ecosystems and living organisms. Current research is mainly focused on compounds that can interfere with the synthesis, secretion, transport, binding, or elimination of endogenous hormones, also known as endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs). Despite the implementations of different measures to reduce human and animal exposure to BPA, new strategies are devoted to mitigating its toxicity, such as the use of natural compounds and probiotics. In this respect, PROXY will develop the following research objectives aimed to: 1. Establish a comprehensive atlas about the impact of EDCs on host-microbe dialogue will be performed in vivo (using zebrafish as model) and in 3D in vitro models (gut organoids). 2. Evaluate the power of the probiotics to counteract the gut dysbiosis and metabolic disorders triggered by EDCs exposure in vivo. 3. Assess whether the restoration of gut microbiota by probiotic administration can mitigate the disruption of gametogenesis and breeding capacity caused by EDCs, using in vivo (zebrafish) and ex vivo (testicular culture) models. |
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