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3D-Printed Organ-on-a-Chip Models: Easily Customizable and Scalable Platforms for Study the Neurovascular Unit
No full textIntroduction
Please briefly frame your work.
The Neurovascular Unit (NVU) regulates cerebral blood flow and substance exchange with the Central Nervous System[1]. However, due to the inadequacy of current models, our understanding of cell-cell interactions remains limited. Organ-on-a-Chip (OoC) models are promising avenue to address the limitations of conventional preclinical models [2].
Materials and Methods
Please describe your procedures.
The custom-designed microfluidic platforms were created using Autodesk Fusion 360. Each platform layer was printed
using Formlabs AmusedTerrier Form3B+ printer with BioMedClear V1 resin. Primary endothelial and neuronal cells were used as cellular models. We performed live imaging and immunofluorescence (IF) measurements to assess cellular morphology andfunctionality.
Results
Please describe your main results.
(text can continue in the next page)
Here we present two biocompatible 3D printed microfluidic OoC platforms for recapitulating the Neurovascular unit.
The first OoC platform was developed in order to evaluate drugs kinetics targeting CNS. It consists of two chambers separated by a porous PET membrane. Each chamber has an inlet and outlet allowing connection to a peristaltic pump. The top and bottom of the OoC were sealed with two round glass coverslips for easy cell imaging. The biocompatibility of the chip was validated by seeding endothelial cells on the top and neuronal cells on the bottom of the platform, and then evaluated through live calcium imaging and IF measurements. Moreover, to evaluate endothelial barrier integrity, silver electrodes were incorporated into the chip to perform TEER measurement.
The second platform developed is composed of a single round open chamber presenting an open channel shape and an inlet and outlet to connect the chip to a flow system. On the bottom of the chamber a PET membrane is attached by using bio resin. This OoC allows the possibility to culture three different cell types: endothelial cells on the top of the membrane, pericyte on the bottom of the membrane and neurons on the well plate in which the OoC is positioned.
Results (continues from page 1)
The biocompatibility of the chip has been validated by culturing endothelial cells on the membrane and performing IF as well as live imaging. The goal of this chip is to expose cells to a controllable flow in order to investigate how flow alterations can impact cell-cell interactions. To achieve this, the chip was designed to enable different flow conditions, allowing the study of the effects of shear stress on endothelial cells and their interactions with different NVU cell types.
Discussion
The most common material in use to fabricate OoC is PDMS, which is biocompatible, transparent, and gas permeable. However, its hydrophobic nature can lead to the absorption of hydrophilic substances. Furthermore, chip fabrication can take several days and requires specialized facilities [3]. To overcome this challenge, the OoCs presented here were fabricated using stereolithography 3D printing, a faster and more precise technique that does not require multi-step fabrication. Furthermore, the modularity of 3D printing facilitates the integration of different sensors, such as TEER electrodes, allowing in situ on-line analysis.
Conclusions
We have described the design, fabrication and application of easy assembled 3D printed OoCs. We demonstrated the modularity of our platforms and their ability to support different cell types growth and maturation. Additionally, we demonstrate that our platforms can be used with different techniques, including in-situ online analysis, which are crucial for physiological and drug development studies, particularly for assessing barrier permeability
Optimized microfluidic blow spinning process for single-step manufacturing of crosslinked chitosan nanofilaments using a quality-by-design approach
Full text linkNanofibrous patches composed of chitosan (CS) present promising solutions for wound healing by supporting cell growth and enabling controlled drug release. This study introduces a new single-step microfluidic blow-spinning process that blends CS with polyethylene oxide (PEO) and crosslinks it with tripolyphosphate (TPP) using a series of laminar flow chips integrated into a blow-spinning apparatus. The microfluidic mixing between PEO and CS solutions at different concentrations was simulated with computational fluid dynamics (CFD). This manufacturing process was optimized through a Design of Experiment Approach (DOE) consisting of a 24 full-level screening design followed by a Box-Behnken optimization design. Design spaces correlating the CS concentration, the flow rate ratio between TPP solution and CS/PEO solution, and the air pressure with the filaments' mean diameter, diameter distribution, and deposition time were defined." These design spaces were used to select the process conditions suitable to obtain filaments with a mean diameter of 295 nm, a diameter distribution width approaching 150 nm, and a deposition time higher than 30 min. The good agreement between the predicted and experimental properties validated the design spaces. The crosslinked sample presented a higher water stability than the uncrosslinked one, retaining the fibrous structure with a swelling ratio of 470 ± 60 %. The cytotoxicity test on HaCaT keratinocyte cells showed no significant reduction in cell viability or protein content, confirming the patch's safety and compatibility for biomedical applications
Event-based landslide inventory through very high-resolution optical images and field surveys
Full text linkBackground
Landslide inventories are essential tools for emergency response, hazard assessment, and susceptibility mapping, especially following very hazardous events. On 15 September 2022, an extreme rainfall event affected the Misa River basin in the Marche region, Central-Eastern Italy, resulting in widespread hydrogeomorphological instability, including numerous landslides and debris flows. Understanding the distribution and characteristics of these failures is vital for post-event analysis and future risk mitigation.
Objectives
This study aims to develop a detailed post-event landslide inventory of the Misa basin and to analyze the spatial distribution, the main morphological features, and the environmental context of the triggered landslides. A further objective is to evaluate the impact of these landslides on the built environment, particularly roads and buildings.
Methods
The landslide inventory was created using four Very High-Resolution (VHR) satellite imagery datasets (spatial resolution ranging from 3 m to 0.4 m), acquired before and after the event. Semi-automatic approaches, including NDVI (Normalized Difference Vegetation Index) change detection and segmentation/classification, were employed to assist visual photointerpretation. Field surveys were carried out to validate and refine the mapped landslides. Each landslide was classified according to its type of movement. Additional analyses included spatial density mapping, shape characterization using a roundness index, and correlation with geological, geomorphological, land cover, and rainfall data.
Results
The final inventory comprises 805 landslides, categorized by movement type and spatially analyzed. The results highlight specific distribution patterns influenced by geomorphological and geological settings. A notable number of landslides affected infrastructure, with direct impacts recorded on both road networks and buildings. Morphometric analysis revealed variability in landslide shapes and sizes, reflecting diverse failure mechanisms triggered by the intense rainfall.
Conclusions
This study provides new insights into the dynamics of landslides induced by extreme meteorological events, which are becoming increasingly frequent in Mediterranean regions. The event-based inventory not only supports a better understanding of triggering and preparatory factors but also contributes to improving emergency planning and future landslide susceptibility assessments in similar settings
(POST)POLITICA. Metamorfosi e traiettorie ai confini dello spazio globale Luigi Ceccarini
No full text
Filosofia della religione
No full textIl capitolo illustra la natura della filosofia della religione come disciplina autonoma di studi nel contesto delle scienze della religione, le sue tematiche principali, e la sua rilevanza per la comprensione del fenomeno religioso
Psychopathology of psychotic experiences in borderline patients: An exploratory study
Full text linkObjective. Psychotic symptoms are a prevalent and distressing phenomenon in patients diagnosed with borderline personality disorder (BPD) and represent a significant challenge to effective treatment. However, there is a lack of knowledge about the specific characteristics of these phenomena. The aim of this study was to examine the psychotic experiences of patients with borderline personality disorder (BPD) and compare them with those of patients with psychotic disorders, with particular attention to the role of dysphoria, which has been proposed to be at the core of BPD functioning from a psychopathological-dynamic perspective. Methods. Two groups of adult psychiatric patients (aged 18-65 years), one with BPD and the other with schizophrenia, were administered a questionnaire assessing the presence and phenomenology of psychotic experiences (QPE), together with self-reports measuring other dimensions. Results. The results showed that patients with BPD had a greater diversity of hallucinations in terms of sensory modalities, a higher prevalence but lower severity of paranoid delusions and, most importantly, an increased degree of situational dysphoria, especially triggered by recent interpersonal events. Conclusions. This suggests that psychotic symptoms in borderline patients may begin to manifest a distinctive psychopathological profile that warrants further investigation and attention from the scientific community
Turismo alternativo. Per la riscoperta e valorizzazione delle aree interne e marginali.
No full textIl contributo intende indagare come il turismo alternativo possa essere
occasione di sostenibilità e promozione per aree meno favorite e magari prossimali
a quelle del turismo di massa, aree sottoposte a un consumo eccessivo di risorse e
minacciate nei luoghi e nelle identità locali. A fronte di questa situazione sono stati
rilevati atteggiamenti favorevoli, da parte degli outsiders, verso forme inedite e alternative
di turismo. Un turismo che si caratterizza per l’attenzione e il rispetto
dell’ambiente, per il basso impatto ambientale e dei trasporti, per la tutela delle
identità e delle culture locali, per la qualità delle interazioni tra insiders e outsiders.
Caratterizzato, pertanto, da attività meno comuni rispetto al turismo tradizionale e
dal coinvolgimento delle comunità locali, inserite in un circuito virtuoso di valorizzazione
territoriale, vale a dire, in particolare, del patrimonio spirituale e dei beni storici
e architettonici di cui sono ignorati e fortunati custodi. Cenni alla riviera
adriatica di Romagna e alle Marche
Tecniche del Trattamento Basato sulla Mentalizzazione in terapie psicodinamiche, cognitive e basate sulla mentalizzazione: uno studio empirico osservazionale
Full text linkMentalization is a mental process that enables individuals to implicitly and explicitly understand and interpret their own and other's mental states (Bateman & Fonagy, 2016). While Mentalization-Based Treatment (MBT; Bateman & Fonagy, 2019) was specifically developed to enhance this capacity, its creators acknowledged that therapeutic approaches grounded in theoretical frameworks other than MBT can also foster the improvement of mentalizing abilities. Objective: To investigate, through two studies, which MBT techniques are present in other forms of psychotherapy and how they influence therapeutic processes.
Study 1: From a sample of audio recordings of psychotherapy sessions involving patients diagnosed with personality disorders or subclinical personality issues, 75 verbatim transcripts were randomly selected (n = 25 MBT sessions, n = 25 CBT sessions, n = 25 PDT sessions). Each session was independently evaluated by two trained raters using the MBT Adherence and Competence Scale. The results indicated that MBT therapists demonstrated greater adherence to mentalizing techniques, particularly in maintaining a Not-knowing Stance and Identifying non-Mentalizing Modes, compared to CBT and PDT therapists. The theoretical orientation of the therapists was significantly associated with differences in adherence to specific MBT techniques. Additionally, therapist-related effects appeared to influence adherence to mentalizing techniques, although this finding was not statistically significant.
Study 2: From a sample of audio recordings of psychotherapy sessions with patients diagnosed with PD or subclinical personality issues, 110 verbatim transcripts were randomly selected (n = 32 MBT sessions, n = 41 CT sessions, n = 37 PDT sessions). Each session was evaluated by two expert raters using the MBT-ACS (Anna Freud Centre, 2020) and the Reflective Functioning Scale (RFS; Fonagy et al., 1998). The results showed that MBT therapists exhibited greater adherence to MBT techniques. Furthermore, the domains of Mentalizing Sessional Structure and Mentalizing Process were significantly associated with improvements in in-session RF. This suggests that certain MBT techniques may have clinically relevant effects even within therapies that are not explicitly MBT.
These findings align with evidence challenging the notion that the “active ingredients” of therapy are exclusively those dictated by the theoretical model
