336 research outputs found
Economic factors affecting obesity: an application in Italy
No full textThe World Health Organization has stated that obesity is spreading around the world like a “global epidemic”. In 2004 the percentage of obese people in the Italian population was 9%, but the trend s increasing in recent years. Focusing on this country, the purpose of the paper is to analyze the socio-economic variables affecting obesity by means of a survey conducted in a consumer sample. Our analysis is based on a survey conducted in Italy, and the sample was composed of 999 consumers. We used a binary logit model and the dependent variable is body mass index (BMI), expressed in a dichotomic way (seriously overweight and obese, value 1, and normal weight, value 0). The results show that the condition of the seriously overweight and obese increases with age, especially in people over 65 of age. Also gender is correlated with the pathology: being seriously overweight and obese is far more likely for men than for women. An inverse relation was shown between obesity and education, and between obesity and the level of food knowledge. The results highlight that disadvantaged social categories are more susceptible to the problem of overweight and obesity. A policy implication of the analysis, to limit the spread of obesity, could lie in programs aimed at improving health and food awareness and focused on these minority groups.economics of obesity, BMI and consumer, logit model, Food Consumption/Nutrition/Food Safety, Health Economics and Policy,
Author response
No full textDetecting pathogens and mounting immune responses upon infection is crucial for animal health. However, these responses come at a high metabolic price (McKean and Lazzaro, 2011, Kominsky et al., 2010), and avoiding pathogens before infection may be advantageous. The bacterial endotoxins lipopolysaccharides (LPS) are important immune system infection cues (Abbas et al., 2014), but it remains unknown whether animals possess sensory mechanisms to detect them prior to infection. Here we show that Drosophila melanogaster display strong aversive responses to LPS and that gustatory neurons expressing Gr66a bitter receptors mediate avoidance of LPS in feeding and egg laying assays. We found the expression of the chemosensory cation channel dTRPA1 in these cells to be necessary and sufficient for LPS avoidance. Furthermore, LPS stimulates Drosophila neurons in a TRPA1-dependent manner and activates exogenous dTRPA1 channels in human cells. Our findings demonstrate that flies detect bacterial endotoxins via a gustatory pathway through TRPA1 activation as conserved molecular mechanism.sponsorship: Vlaams Instituut voor Biotechnologie Alessia Soldano Luis Franco Guangda Liu Natalia Mora Emre Yaksi Bassem A Hassanr Fonds Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek G.0702.12 Alessia Soldano Yeranddy A Alpizar Brett Boonen Alejandro Lopez-Requena Natalia Mora Thomas Voets Rudi Vennekens Bassem A Hassan Karel Talaverar Fonds Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek G.0077.15 Alessia Soldano Yeranddy A Alpizar Brett Boonen Alejandro Lopez-Requena Natalia Mora Thomas Voets Rudi Vennekens Bassem A Hassan Karel Talaverar Fonds Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek G.0680.10 Alessia Soldano Yeranddy A Alpizar Brett Boonen Alejandro Lopez-Requena Natalia Mora Thomas Voets Rudi Vennekens Bassem A Hassan Karel Talaverar Fonds Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek G.0681.10 Alessia Soldano Yeranddy A Alpizar Brett Boonen Alejandro Lopez-Requena Natalia Mora Thomas Voets Rudi Vennekens Bassem A Hassan Karel Talaverar Fonds Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek G.0503.12 Alessia Soldano Yeranddy A Alpizar Brett Boonen Alejandro Lopez-Requena Natalia Mora Thomas Voets Rudi Vennekens Bassem A Hassan Karel Talaverar Fonds Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek G.0654.15 Alessia Soldano Yeranddy A Alpizar Brett Boonen Alejandro Lopez-Requena Natalia Mora Thomas Voets Rudi Vennekens Bassem A Hassan Karel Talaverar Fonds Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek G.0761.10N Alessia Soldano Yeranddy A Alpizar Brett Boonen Alejandro Lopez-Requena Natalia Mora Thomas Voets Rudi Vennekens Bassem A Hassan Karel Talaverar Fonds Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek G.0596.12 Alessia Soldano Yeranddy A Alpizar Brett Boonen Alejandro Lopez-Requena Natalia Mora Thomas Voets Rudi Vennekens Bassem A Hassan Karel Talaverar Fonds Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek G.0565.07 Alessia Soldano Yeranddy A Alpizar Brett Boonen Alejandro Lopez-Requena Natalia Mora Thomas Voets Rudi Vennekens Bassem A Hassan Karel Talaverar KU Leuven GOA/14/011 Alessia Soldano Yeranddy A Alpizar Brett Boonen Luis Franco Alejandro Lopez-Requena Guangda Liu Natalia Mora Emre Yaksi Thomas Voets Rudi Vennekens Bassem A Hassan Karel Talaverar European Commission IUAP P7/13 Alessia Soldano Yeranddy A Alpizar Brett Boonen Luis Franco Alejandro Lopez-Requena Guangda Liu Natalia Mora Emre Yaksi Thomas Voets Rudi Vennekensr KU Leuven OT/12/091 Alessia Soldano Yeranddy A Alpizar Brett Boonen Luis Franco Alejandro Lopez-Requena Guangda Liu Natalia Mora Emre Yaksi Thomas Voets Rudi Vennekens Bassem A Hassan Karel Talaverar KU Leuven PF-TRPLe Alessia Soldano Yeranddy A Alpizar Brett Boonen Luis Franco Alejandro Lopez-Requena Guangda Liu Natalia Mora Emre Yaksi Thomas Voets Rudi Vennekens Bassem A Hassan Karel Talavera (Vlaams Instituut voor Biotechnologie, Fonds Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek|G.0702.12, Fonds Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek|G.0077.15, Fonds Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek|G.0680.10, Fonds Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek|G.0681.10, Fonds Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek|G.0503.12, Fonds Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek|G.0654.15, Fonds Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek|G.0761.10N, Fonds Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek|G.0596.12, KU Leuven|GOA/14/011, KU Leuven|OT/12/091, European Commission|IUAP P7/13, KU Leuven PF-TRPLe)status: Publishe
SUMOylation balance: a key determinant in synapse physiology
No full textNeuronal communication relies on the precise regulation of synaptic compartments, where protein activity, localization, and turnover are tightly controlled. Among the mechanisms ensuring this regulation, post-translational modifications (PTMs) play a central role. SUMOylation, the covalent attachment of Small Ubiquitin-like Modifier (SUMO) proteins to target substrates, has emerged as a dynamic key PTM in the nervous system, modulating synaptic structure and function. Target SUMOylation occurs through an enzymatic cascade and requires the presence of a consensus sequence. Reversible addition of SUMO monomers or chains may contribute to distinct functional outcomes changing the conformation of the protein thus favoring/inhibiting molecular interaction among proteins or stabilizing the protein inhibiting degradation or influencing subcellular localization. All these SUMO dependent effects are crucial in the regulation of the tiny and highly specialized synaptic compartments to achieve spatiotemporal control for proper neurotransmission and synaptic plasticity in response to environmental stimuli. Dysregulation of this system has been implicated in various neurological disorders, including Alzheimer’s disease, where imbalances in SUMO1 versus SUMO2/3 levels contribute to synaptic dysfunction. As such, comprehension of SUMO related mechanisms may give important insights into both physiological regulation of synapses and potential therapeutic approaches for neurodegenerative diseases. Thus, in this review we will first introduce the enzymatic cascade of SUMOylation and its impact on protein function, then we will focus on its role within the synaptic compartment. Finally, we will discuss the therapeutic potential of modulating SUMOylation in Alzheimer’s disease as example of neurodegenerative disorders
Social Network to analyse the relationship between ‘victim-author’ and ‘motivation’ of violence against women in Italy.
No full textThe paper aims to analyse the phenomenon of Violence against women in the Italian context during 2020. It proposes to study the relationship between ‘victim-author’ and ‘motivation’ in femicides committed in domestic environment. By means of the properties of the Social Network Analysis on bimodal data, the study detected main actors and motivations that generated the homicides with female victims. At the same time, the structural relationships allowed to investigate the existence of motivations that better characterized the action of the various actors. The bipartite graph visualization and centrality scores calculated have demonstrated the effectiveness of the methodology for the pursued objectives
Cytoplasmic HDAC4 recovers synaptic function in the 3×Tg mouse model of Alzheimer's disease
No full textAims Early dysfunction in Alzheimer's disease (AD) is characterised by alterations of synapse structure and function leading to dysmorphic neurites, decreased spine density, impaired synaptic plasticity and cognitive deficits. The class II member HDAC4, which recently emerged as a crucial factor in shaping synaptic plasticity and memory, was found to be altered in AD. We investigated how the modulation of HDAC4 may contribute to counteracting AD pathogenesis. Methods Using a cytoplasmic HDAC4 mutant (HDAC4(SD)), we studied the recovery of synaptic function in hippocampal tissue and primary neurons from the triple-transgenic mouse model of AD (3xTg-AD). Results Here, we report that in wild-type mice, HDAC4 is localised at synapses and interacts with postsynaptic proteins, whereas in the 3xTg-AD, it undergoes nuclear import, reducing its interaction with synaptic proteins. Of note, HDAC4 delocalisation was induced by both amyloid-beta and tau accumulation. Overexpression of the HDAC4(SD) mutant in CA1 pyramidal neurons of organotypic hippocampal slices obtained from 3xTg-AD mice increased dendritic length and promoted the enrichment of N-cadherin, GluA1, PSD95 and CaMKII proteins at the synaptic level compared with AD neurons transfected with the empty vector. Moreover, HDAC4 overexpression recovered the level of SUMO2/3ylation of PSD95 in AD hippocampal tissue, and in AD organotypic hippocampal slices, the HDAC4(SD) rescued spine density and synaptic transmission. Conclusions These results highlight a new role of cytoplasmic HDAC4 in providing a structural and enzymatic regulation of postsynaptic proteins. Our findings suggest that controlling HDAC4 localisation may represent a promising strategy to rescue synaptic function in AD, potentially leading to memory improvement
Louis-Philippe Dalembert, «vagabond jusqu’au bout de la fatigue»
No full textThe Haitian novelist and poet Louis-Philippe Dalembert (Port-au-Prince, 1962) has developed in his works of fiction the concept of vagabondage as a literary projection of his biographical wandering through multiple spaces. The aim of this essay is to study the presence of vagabondage and its distinctive features in those novels written by Dalembert that reflect the writer’s perpetual motion: Le Crayon du bon Dieu n’a pas de gomme (1996), L’Autre face de la mer (1998), L’Île du bout des rêves (2003), Les dieux voyagent la nuit (2006). The main characters are constantly moving, they are cosmopolitan wanderers who belong to many places at the same time, just like Dalembert himself. By analyzing the representation of movement in these fictions, we will show that the notion of vagabondage is depicted by the author as a positive and meaningful opportunity for the vagabond who travels across countries, languages and cultures
Analysis of Running Gait in Children with Cerebral Palsy: Barefoot vs. a New Ankle Foot Orthosis
No full textRunning is an essential activity for children with cerebral palsy (CP). This study aims to characterize the locomotor pattern of running in hemiplegic children with new generation ankle foot orthosis (AFOs) conceived to foster intense motor activities such as running. A group of 18 children with spastic hemiplegia was recruited. A biomechanical multivariable comparison was made between barefoot and with AFO running trials. The focus was devoted to bilateral sagittal plane hip, knee, ankle kinematics and kinetics, and three-dimensional ground reaction forces. Wearing the orthoses, the children were found to reduce cadence and the duration of the stance phase as well as increase the step and stride length. The new AFO resulted in significant changes in kinematics of affected ankle both at initial contact 0-3% GC (p < 0.017) and during the entire swing phase 31-100%GC (p < 0.001) being the ankle more dorsiflexed with AFO compared to barefoot condition. Ankle power was found to differ significantly both in absorption and generation 5-10%GC (p < 0.001); 21-27%GC (p < 0.001) with a reduction in both cases when the AFO was worn. No statistical differences were recorded in the GRF components, in the affected ankle torque and hip and knee kinematics and kinetics
Acute restraint stress impairs histamine type 2 receptor ability to increase the excitability of medium spiny neurons in the nucleus accumbens
No full textHistamine, a monoamine implicated in stress-related arousal states, is synthesized in neurons exclusively located in the hypothalamic tuberomammillary nucleus (TMN) from where they diffusely innervate striatal and mesolimbic networks including the nucleus accumbens (NAc), a vital node in the limbic loop. Since histamine-containing TMN neuron output increases during stress, we hypothesized that exposure of mice to acute restrain stress (ARS) recruits endogenous histamine type 2 receptor (H2R) signaling in the NAc, whose activation increases medium spiny neurons (MSNs) intrinsic excitability via downregulation of A-type K+ currents. We employed an ARS paradigm in which mice were restrained for 120 min, followed by a 20-min recovery period, after which brain slices were prepared for ex vivo electrophysiology. Using whole-cell patch-clamp recordings, we found that pharmacological activation of H2R failed to affect MSN excitability and A-type K+ currents in mice that underwent ARS. Interestingly, in mice treated with H2R-antagonist prior to ARS paradigm, H2R activation increased evoked firing and decreased A-type K+ currents similarly to what observed in control mice. Furthermore, H2R-antagonist treatment ameliorated anxiety-like behavior in ARS mice. Together, our findings indicate that ARS paradigm recruits endogenous H2R signaling in MSNs and suggest the involvement of H2R signaling in stress-related motivational states
Una ridiscussione dei concetti di home e identity nell’Asia globalizzata: il caso di These Foolish Things (2004) e How to Get Filthy Rich in Rising Asia (2013)
No full textThe evolution of postcolonial studies in the last thirty years and the development of a transnational approach in literary studies (Jay 2010) have led to a renewed interest towards the subaltern voices, especially in relation to the phenomena of migration and diaspora and their global effects. In this light, the idea of 'home' is characterized by a sort of porosity and by a new geographical and emotional conceptualization which inevitably influences the personal and collective identities of migrant communities.
The aim of the paper is to analyze these topics from a cultural and literary standpoint through the examination of the two different kinds of migrant flows and postcolonial scenarios depicted in These Foolish Things (2004) by the English author Deborah Moggach, and How to Get Filthy Rich in Rising Asia (2013) by the Pakistan novelist Mohsin Hamid. In these novels, the chaotic Indian framework – the former margin of the British empire – is torn between its colonial past and the current effects of the permeability of its borders. It is, therefore, a perfect global context, wherein the experiences and the feelings of the modern Indian identities are reinterpreted by the two authors
Sulle tracce della fortuna dei Carmina di Ennodio tra Tardoantico e Medioevo
No full textKnowledge of the poems of Magnus Felix Ennodius in Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages is a field of research that has not yet been explored. The essay provides some food for thought on the possible fortune of the Late Antique author starting from Columbanus up to Radulfus Tortarius, identifying in the greatest medieval poets (Aldhelm, Paul the Deacon, Sedulius Scotus) expressions, verbal sequences and original clauses of the poet of Ticinum. The last section is dedicated to the epigraphic field and above all to the Fortleben of notable iuncturae minted by Ennodius in some inscriptions of the 8th-9th century
- …
