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Arylthioindoles as Tubulin Polymerization and Cell Growth Inhibitors: New Bioisosteres at the Sulfur Bridging and Ester Groups
No full textDevelopment of Processes for Metals Recovery from Special Waste with Production of Nanoparticles
No full textMechanical and hydrometallurgical routes have been developed aiming to recover metals from spent batteries such as lithium ion, primary lithium and nickel metal hydride batteries. Moreover nanoparticles of manganese carbonate were synthesized by microemulsione mediated route with the future goal of performing a production of nanoparticles downstream of a hydrometaluurgical process for batteries valorization
Exponential growth of lung granulomas after Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection
No full textPulmonary tuberculosis (TB), caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) infection, remains a global health problem of enormous proportions, causing 2 million deaths each year. It is estimated that one-third of the world population has been exposed to or carry the pathogen, with 8 million new cases of active disease per year. Both innate and adaptive immunity responses are known to play a pivotal role in establishing a protective immunity during Mtb infection, and latest studies suggested that additional genetic factors could affect the outcome of infection. The interaction between the pathogen and the host immune system induces granulomas development, structures characterized by bacterial components and immune cells that represent key pathologic features of TB. Moreover, neogenesis of lymphoid tissues in the lungs after Mtb infection contributes to the generation of local antigen-specific responses. To test the role of Interferon Regulatory Factor 8 (IRF8) in host defenses against Mtb, we used mice deficient in IRF8 gene (IRF8-/- mice), and we investigated the mycobacterial load and dissemination in the lesions, the functional and structural properties of infiltrated tissues as well as the distribution and interactions of host immune cells. This study shows that this transcription factor is essential for the induction of an effective adaptive immunity associated to the generation of competent pulmonary newly formed lymphoid structures and granulomas characterized by a proper influx of immune cells able to restrain Mtb infection. Together, these findings support the role of IRF8 as an important regulator of host defenses against TB
Studio della risposta sismica locale nell'area del Fosso di Vallerano - affuente in sinistra idrografica del Fiume Tevere
No full textComplexity in Financial Markets: Models and empirical evidence at the micro and macro level
No full textIn this thesis I have used tools and methods lent from Statistical Physics to build models or directly analyze some empirical evidence of Financial Markets. In particular, I analyzed the correlation and distribution properties of the price variations of various stocks, finding a new property which links extreme price fluctuations. This evidence can be quantitatively explained with a simple model. I have conceived and developed an Agent Based Model to explain the main statistical properties of financial time series, addressing in particular the issue of Self-Organization. From a market microstructure perspective, I have studied the problem of the emergence of liquidity crises and the connection between traders' strategies, the spread relaxation after a shock and volatility clustering
Downmodulation of HER2 overexpression in breast and ovarian cancer cells following inhibition of phosphatidylcholine-specific phospholipase C
No full textThe case of realgar photo oxidation: looking for the best lighting system applied to cultural heritage
No full textIn a museum all objects are subjected to decay caused by many contributing factors: temperature, humidity, pollutants. Among these environmental risks, light remains unique because it can neither be eliminated nor completely controlled. Light is necessary for viewing a work of art, but, as it involves the transmission of energy, it can damage the artwork. Nowadays, the most common methods for controlling light are based on the spectrum of the sources and on the control of the overall lighting intensity. In particular, museum lighting guidelines recommend to limit the time of illumination or to remove wavelengths of light to which human eyes are insensitive. The most important parameters are illuminance and time of exposure. According to CIE 157:2004, cultural heritage objects are classified according to their sensibility to light exposure in no sensibility, low sensibility, medium sensibility and high sensibility, but no guidelines directly consider the photo-chemical interaction between artwork and light. This survey aims at determining how lighting systems can be standardized and developed, by studying the interaction between light and the materials constituting cultural property. To develop this research, an interesting case-study was considered as starting point: the arsenic sulphides photo-oxidation induced by visible light. In particular, among arsenic sulphides, realgar photo-degradation was studied, as this pigment was used since antiquity. Light transforms realgar (red mineral, As4S4) in arsenolite (white if powered, As2O3) and pararealgar (yellow, As4S4), a compound with the same formula of realgar but characterized by a different disposition of sulphur and arsenic atoms. The process isn't still completely clarified. This study deepens realgar degradation and determines the capacity of inducing degradation by different halogen lamps and a LED lamp, used in museum exhibitions. The survey was carried out by means of FT-IR, micro-RAMAN spectroscopy, SEM/EDX, XRD, XPS and spectra colorimeter analysis. Because vision is generated by the brain interactions with energy and matter, the capacity of eyes to evidence the realgar transformation has been studied. This aspect allows to know the best lighting source in terms of lighting reproduction and quality. The results partly confirm literature studies about the realgar degradation induced by light, but also suggest that some mechanisms are still not completely clarified. The LED lamp produces a less degradation, keeping a high quality of lighting.KrensEnergia Sr
PALAEOENVIRONMENTAL RECONSTRUCTION OF THE ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITE OF ARSLANTEPE (EASTERN ANATOLIA)
No full textThe archaeobotanical remains, coming from the tell of Arslantepe (Eastern Anatolia), have been studied to reconstruct the vegetation history and the palaeoclimate features of the site. The anthracological investigation provided important changes along the five investigated periods. Both anthropological choices and environmental causes can be advocated to explain increase/decrease of key taxa. The stable carbon content of charred wood remains (juniper and deciduous oaks) and caryopses (barley and emmer) has been analysed for five different archaeological periods (3350- 2000 BC) and for modern plants grown near the site.
The results show important similarities with the palaeoenvironmental records available for the Near East. The climate trend can be divided in three main aspects: an instability phase dated from ca. 3350 to 2900 BC; a phase of relative stability (up to 2350 BC); a driest phase during the last part of the 3rd millennium BC. The comparison of !13C values between fossil and modern plants show that the present climate is more arid than that registered between the end of the 4th and the 3rd millennium BC. Between 3000 and 2750 BC the results for caryopses clearly show a different hydric system, compatible with irrigation practises for emmer, if compared with barley
Evaluation of immune responses induced by a novel candidate vaccine against whooping cough in a human pre-clinical model
No full textNew vaccines against pertussis are needed to evoke full protection and long-lasting immunological memory starting from the first administration in neonates—the major target of the life-threatening pertussis infection. A novel live attenuated Bordetella pertussis vaccine strain, BPZE1, has been developed by eliminating or detoxifying three important B. pertussis virulence factors: pertussis toxin, dermonecrotic toxin, and tracheal cytotoxin. We used a human preclinical ex vivo model based on monocyte-derived dendritic cells (MDDCs) to evaluate BPZE1 immunogenicity. We studied the effects of BPZE1 on MDDC functions, focusing on the impact of Bordetella-primed dendritic cells in the regulation of Th and suppressor T cells (Ts). BPZE1 is able to activate human MDDCs and to promote the production of a broad spectrum of proinflammatory and regulatory cytokines. Moreover, conversely to its parental wild-type counterpart BPSM, BPZE1-primed MDDCs very efficiently migrate in vitro in response to the lymphatic chemokine CCL21, due to the inactivation of pertussis toxin enzymatic activity. BPZE1-primed MDDCs drove a mixed Th1/Th17 polarization and also induced functional Ts. Experiments performed in a Transwell system showed that cell contact rather than the production of soluble factors was required for suppression activity. Overall, our findings support the potential of BPZE1 as a novel live attenuated pertussis vaccine, as BPZE1-challenged dendritic cells might migrate from the site of infection to the lymph nodes, prime Th cells, mount an adaptive immune response, and orchestrate Th1/Th17 and Ts responses
