Archivio Istituzionale della Ricerca - Università degli Studi della Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli"
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Methods to Detect and Compare Cellular and Mitochondrial Changes in Senescent and Healthy Mesenchymal Stem Cells
No full textCellular senescence is a multifaceted process marked by irreversible cell cycle arrest in response to stressors such as DNA damage, oxidative stress, and telomere shortening, leading to significant cellular and mitochondrial alterations. These changes impact mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) function, affecting their differentiation, self-renewal, and regenerative abilities. Senescent MSCs adopt the senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP), characterized by the secretion of pro-inflammatory factors that propagate senescence to neighboring cells. Key features of senescent MSCs include altered morphology, reduced proliferative and differentiation capacity, and changes in their secretome. Mitochondrial dysfunction plays a central role in this process, impairing stemness, increasing oxidative stress, and contributing to cellular aging by generating reactive oxygen species (ROS). The chapter provides an overview of various methods to analyze senescent cells, including techniques to detect changes in cell proliferation, DNA damage, apoptosis, and mitochondrial function. It also highlights assays for mitochondrial alterations such as fluorescent staining, membrane potential analysis, and mitophagy evaluation. These tools are essential for understanding the complex mechanisms of cellular senescence and mitochondrial dysfunction, offering insights into aging and potential therapeutic strategies
Paranasal Sinus Hypoplasia and Sinonasal Anatomical Variants in Cystic Fibrosis Adult Patients: A Computed- Tomography-Based Volumetric Comparison with Healthy Controls
No full textObjectives: In this retrospective study, we performed a volumetric analysis of paranasal cavity pneumatization in a population of adult patients with cystic fibrosis compared to healthy controls, providing parcel evaluation of each sinus, and analyzing the prevalence of major anatomical sinonasal variants in the two groups. Methods: We compared paranasal sinus volumes of 89 adult patients with cystic fibrosis and 144 healthy controls who underwent paranasal sinus computed tomography. Volumes were segmented and extracted on tomographic images using the freely available software MRIcron 2019, then compared using a t-test; the z-score test was used to determine whether the two groups differ significantly in terms of major anatomical variants prevalence. Results: Overall sinus volumes in patients with cystic fibrosis patients differ significantly as compared to the healthy population (p < 0.00001). Furthermore, with the only exception of ethmoid sinus pneumatization, which was similar in both populations, all the other sinuses were statistically different. No significant difference emerged concerning anatomical variants’ prevalence. Conclusions: Our results further stress the impact of cystic fibrosis on sinus structure in adult patients, better revealing the consequences of the disease on upper airways and in optimizing the management of patients with sinonasal manifestations
Strategie e misure di age management nel d. lgs. n. 29/2024 e nella contrattazione collettiva
No full textAlla luce della transizione demografica in atto, il contributo intende analizzare le principali misure di age management introdotte dal d. lgs. n. 29/2024 e dalla recente contrattazione collettiva (in particolare, il contratto collettivo del comparto Funzioni Centrali), al fine di verificare la loro adeguatezza e individuare i margini per il loro eventuale miglioramento
Digital Fashion Art Direction in Italy: Shaping Sustainable Practices and Mindsets
No full textThe contribution presents an ongoing research that intends to investigate
the digital dimension of art direction for fashion in Italy, with the aim of understanding
how the identity concepts of Made in Italy are intertwined and configured with the
concept of twin transition. The aim is to put forward the hypothesis that digital art
direction in fashion and the professional figure of the art director, in the various
declinations and facets that this role can have within the fashion system, play a key
role in conveying sustainability, social, ethical, and environmental messages:
messages that can activate greater awareness in consumers, influence their
purchasing behavior, and effectively contribute to an idea of prosperity through
conscious development, which produces more widespread well-being. Art directors,
through their taste preferences and the emotions they trigger, can judge whether the
meanings of each possible visual element fit the visual identity of the brand;
therefore, the choice of visual elements is not based on rules and logic, but on the
art director’s own ability to interpret contemporary trends. We also want to highlight
the critical and sometimes negative aspects of digital communication for fashion, as
it also has elements that are not really sustainable, such as the large production of
data and the problem of its storage
Association of the Cervical Canal Area With Disability and Progression in People With Multiple Sclerosis
No full textBackground and Objectives In multiple sclerosis (MS), brain reserve serves as a protective factor against cognitive impairment. Previous research has suggested a structural counterpart in the spine—spinal cord reserve—seemed to be associated with physical disability. This study aimed to investigate the potential of the cervical canal area (CCaA) as a proxy for spinal cord reserve in a multicentric cohort of people with MS (PwMS). Methods This retrospective, multicentric, longitudinal study included PwMS and healthy controls (HCs) from 9 European MAGNIMS sites. Baseline cervical 3D T1-weighted images were acquired, excluding poor-quality images. CCaA was estimated independently at the C2/C3 and C3/C4 levels. The Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) score was assessed at baseline and 5-year follow-up. We analyzed mean CCaA differences between groups and the association of CCaA with baseline EDSS scores and disability progression using multivariable regression models adjusted for age, sex, spinal cord parenchymal fraction, and cervical cord lesions. Results After quality check, the cohort included 177 HCs (mean age 39.8 years, 57.6% women) and 428 PwMS (mean age 46.5 years, 60.8% women), comprising 289 people with relapsing MS (PwRMS) and 139 people with progressive MS (PwPMS). No significant differences in CCaA were found between HCs and PwRMS at C2/C3 or C3/C4 levels. Conversely, PwPMS showed a smaller CCaA at the C2/C3 level (210.51 mm2) than HCs (214.62 mm2, estimated mean difference [EMD] −4.11, 95% CI −6.28 to −1.00, p = 0.007) and PwRMS (213.68 mm2, EMD −3.17, 95% CI −5.22 to −0.34, p = 0.026). PwPMS also had a smaller CCaA at C3/C4 (165.16 mm2) than HCs (169.67 mm2, EMD −4.51, 95% CI −5.50 to −1.60, p < 0.001) and PwRMS (169.44 mm2, EMD −3.81, 95% CI −5.22 to −0.34, p < 0.001). At the C3/C4 level, CCaA and baseline EDSS scores were significantly associated (β = −0.13, p < 0.001); in addition, PwMS with clinical worsening at 5-year follow-up displayed a smaller baseline CCaA (worsened vs stable: 167.03 mm2 vs 169.13 mm2, EMD −2.10, 95% CI −3.98 to −023, p = 0.028). Discussion CCaA was associated with baseline EDSS scores and clinical worsening in a multicentric MS cohort, suggesting the existence of spinal cord reserve. PwPMS had a smaller CCaA, indicating that reduced spinal cord reserve might be characteristic of progressive MS. Therefore, spinal cord reserve may represent a novel radiologic marker for better understanding physical disability in MS
OUTDOOR EDUCATION AND PHYSICAL ACTIVITY TO STIMULATE CREATIVE THINKING AND INCLUSION IN SCHOOL
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Exploring the Antimicrobial and Antiviral Properties of Cryptic Peptides from Human Fibrinogen
No full textFibrinogen (FIB), a key component of the coagulation cascade, is traditionally recognized for its role in hemostasis and tissue repair. However, due to its high plasma abundance and susceptibility to proteolytic cleavage during inflammation, it may also represent a previously unrecognized source of bioactive peptides. This study presents, for the first time, a comprehensive analysis of the antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, and antiviral properties of six cationic antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) deriving from the C-terminal extremities of the three subunits of human fibrinogen (FIBα, FIBβ, and FIBγ), identified using a scoring function developed by our group. Antibacterial assays against Gram-positive and Gram-negative pathogens revealed different antimicrobial activity profile depending on their parent protein. Selected peptides displayed additive or synergistic effects when combined with conventional antibiotics or the thrombin-derived peptide (P)GKY20, highlighting their potential for combination therapies. Hemolytic assay confirmed the biocompatibility of fibrinogen-derived cryptic peptides with erythrocytes. Furthermore, the peptides significantly reduced LPS-induced nitric oxide release in murine macrophages Raw 264.7 cells, indicating anti-inflammatory activity. Notably, antiviral activity was observed against enveloped viruses (HCoV-229E and HSV-1) under various treatment conditions, while no activity was detected against the non-enveloped virus CVB3. Overall, these findings reveal human fibrinogen as a source of multifunctional cryptic peptides with broad-spectrum antimicrobial, antiviral, and immunomodulatory activities, supporting their potential as part of the innate immune system
La spesa pubblica europea e l’attrattività territoriale
No full textIl presente capitolo esamina come la spesa pubblica europea, in particolare il Quadro finanziario pluriennale e gli strumenti straordinari, si combini con i bilanci nazionali nel modellare crescita, convergenza e attrattività dei territori. Dopo una prima lettura istituzionale e comparata del bilancio dell’UE, il capitolo passa la letteratura sugli effetti della politica di coesione, sulle condizioni che ne influenzano l’efficacia nonché i risultati, includendo i nessi con migrazione, mobilità e attrattività. Successivamente, il focus si sposta quindi sull’Italia, caso rilevante per eterogeneità territoriale, ruolo nei programmi europei e dinamiche demografiche. Nello specifico, si analizzano dati recenti su intensità e composizione dei flussi di migrazione e mobilità, distinguendo la mobilità effettiva da movimenti di natura fiscale o anagrafica, e si esamina come scelte di spesa e assetti di governance interagiscano con i fabbisogni locali.
Dall’analisi emergono tre risultati principali: 1) l’impatto territoriale è influenzato dall’allineamento tra priorità europee e contesti locali; 2) la qualità dell’attuazione e della governance è molto rilevante; 3) un giusto bilanciamento tra investimenti materiali e immateriali rafforzerebbe l’attrattività nel medio periodo. Alla luce di ciò, sarebbe opportuno orientare le risorse verso capitale umano e infrastrutture materiali e sociali, nonché integrare con politiche del lavoro, dell’abitare e della mobilità quotidiana e adottare metriche che separino la mobilità effettiva da fenomeni puramente fiscali o anagrafici, in modo da trasformare gli investimenti in attrattività duratura e reti produttive radicate