300 research outputs found
Azobenzene containing polymers: what is yet viable with aged liquid crystals
No full textA Commentary on the paper ”Photochromic liquid crystalline polymers. Main chain and side chain polymers containing azobenzene mesogens„, by A. S. Angeloni, D. Caretti, C. Carlini, E. Chiellini, G. Galli, A. Altomare, R. Solaro and M. Laus. First published in Liquid Crystals, 4, 513‐527 (1989)
SMYD3: An Oncogenic Driver Targeting Epigenetic Regulation and Signaling Pathways
No full textSMYD3 is a member of the SMYD lysine methylase family and plays an important role in the methylation of various histone and non-histone targets. Aberrant SMYD3 expression contributes to carcinogenesis and SMYD3 upregulation was proposed as a prognostic marker in various solid cancers. Here we summarize SMYD3-mediated regulatory mechanisms, which are implicated in the pathophysiology of cancer, as drivers of distinct oncogenic pathways. We describe SMYD3-dependent mechanisms affecting cancer progression, highlighting SMYD3 interplay with proteins and RNAs involved in the regulation of cancer cell proliferation, migration and invasion. We also address the effectiveness and mechanisms of action for the currently available SMYD3 inhibitors. The findings analyzed herein demonstrate that a complex network of SMYD3-mediated cytoplasmic and nuclear interactions promote oncogenesis across different cancer types. These evidences depict SMYD3 as a modulator of the transcriptional response and of key signaling pathways, orchestrating multiple oncogenic inputs and ultimately, promoting transcriptional reprogramming and tumor transformation. Further insights into the oncogenic role of SMYD3 and its targeting of different synergistic oncogenic signals may be beneficial for effective cancer treatment
Fattori di rischio della depressione post partum
No full textLa maternità rappresenta un periodo critico per una donna, caratterizzato da profonde trasformazioni fisiche, psicologiche e relazionali. I cambiamenti e la riorganizzazione richiesti in questa fase possono portare all’insorgenza di alcuni disturbi, tra cui la depressione post partum che nelle società occidentali ha un’incidenza compresa tra l’8% e il 15 % e può provocare effetti negativi sulla relazione madre-bambino e sullo sviluppo del bambino. Nel presente articolo vengono esaminati i fattori che predispongono allo sviluppo della depressione post partum, attraverso una revisione della letteratura sui fattori di rischio biologici, ambientali, ginecologici e ostetrici, psicosociali e psicologici. I fattori che sembrano avere una maggiore incidenza per lo sviluppo della depressione post partum sono una precedente storia di depressione, la presenza di eventi di vita stressanti, lo scarso supporto sociale e l’ansia prenatale. Conoscere quali sono i fattori che contribuiscono allo sviluppo della depressione post partum consente di predisporre degli interventi mirati e tempestivi che possano prevenire la sua comparsa o ridurne le conseguenze negative
Activated carbons from hydrothermal carbonization of municipal solid waste
No full text1. Introduction – In recent years, the global production of municipal solid waste (MSW) has increased. A significant amount of the waste that is not suitable for recycling is incinerated or landfilled, raising serious environmental issues. This has promoted the investigation of more sustainable technologies for waste exploitation and conversion towards valuable materials. Hydrothermal carbonization (HTC) has received considerable attention for its potential to process heterogeneous organic wastes. Operating under aqueous conditions at moderate temperatures and autogenous pressure, HTC yields a carbonaceous solid product known as hydrochar. The condensed carbon structure makes hydrochar attractive as a feedstock to produce materials such as activated carbons [1]. In the present study the potential of HTC to valorize a waste stream from mechanical biological treatment of mixed MSW, specifically the under-sieve fraction, which is currently landfilled, was explored. Activated carbons were prepared through HTC followed by chemical activation, and tested for the removal of pollutants, namely Benzene, Toluene, Ethylbenzene, and Xylenes (BTEX), from aqueous phases. The investigation was performed through the Design of Experiment (DoE) - Response Surface Methodology (RSM) approach, in order to assess the optimal process conditions to achieve the desired product properties.
2. Experimental – The under-sieve fraction from the mechanical treatment of mixed MSW was provided by Scapigliato S.r.l., a waste management company located in Tuscany (Italy). HTC tests were conducted in a laboratory-scale stainless-steel reactor. Activated carbons were prepared by chemical activation of hydrochar (HC) using potassium hydroxide (KOH). Tests were performed in a fixed bed tubular reactor at different activation temperatures (500-700 °C) and impregnation ratios KOH/HC (0.5–1.5 wt/wt), according to a randomized design matrix obtained by DoE-RSM. Batch adsorption experiments were carried out using BTEX solutions in tap water with the activated carbons produced.
3. Results and Discussion – The obtained results demonstrated the feasibility of HTC for the waste feedstock considered. The joint effect of process parameters (temperature, time, and solid load) on the yield and properties of the hydrochar produced was evaluated. Predictive models were developed by RSM analysis, and the optimum conditions for maximizing the carbon yield were identified and selected to produce hydrochar for activated carbons preparation: 190 °C reaction temperature, 60 min reaction time, and 5 wt % solid load. The chemical activation stage led to the development of a porous structure, as evident by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis (Image 1). RSM analysis allowed to investigate the effects of activation temperature and KOH/HC impregnation ratio on activated carbons morphology and adsorption capacity. Specific surface areas reaching up to 587 m2/g were achieved with the highest activation temperature and impregnation ratio explored. Notably, the maximum BTEX removal efficiency, approximately 85 %, was attained under mild activation conditions (600 °C) (Image 2).
4. Conclusions – The results evidenced that hydrothermal carbonization followed by chemical activation is a promising way to convert waste into valuable adsorbents suitable for contaminants removal from water.
5. References
[1] E. Stefanelli, S. Vitolo, N. Di Fidio, M. Puccini, J. Environ. Manag., 345, (2023) p. 118887
Psychic Retreats or Psychic Pits? Unbearable States of Mind and Technological Addiction
No full textNew technologies are highly interactive. They promote imaginative involvement and allow the experience of different self-states, such as those involving withdrawal or “psychic retreat”. According to Steiner, psychic retreats are areas of the mind populated by imagination and ideas which are poorly aligned with reality. Psychic retreats are not necessarily pathological in themselves—for instance, they can be used positively for counteracting anxiety or enhancing creativeness. However, with technological addiction there is a misuse of psychic retreat: here the total absorption with computer applications serves to hide painful or unbearable states of mind, and to protect the patient from overwhelming feelings through segregating self-states with a disconnection in their representations. Therefore, in clinical work with individuals suffering from technological addiction exploring the use of psychic retreats can serve as an aid to both diagnosis and treatment. Where the dysfunctional use of new technologies constitutes a temporary withdrawal from a specific painful event, this can have the function of protecting the individual from inner conflict; in the most serious cases however, technological addiction is grounded in more chronic and pathological dissociative mechanisms, and serves to prevent the mind from reactivating traumatic states connected to childhood experience of emotional neglect or abuse. While it is likely that the first condition can be positively handled with appropriate identification and treatment, the latter is much more difficult to deal with, particularly where the addictive behavior hides the weakness of the self, and psychic retreats are pervasively used to protect the patient from mental breakdown. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved
Multivitamin Analysis Using LC-MS/MS
No full textThe water-soluble vitamins are a heterogeneous group of compounds with different structures and physico-chemical properties acting mainly as coenzymes. Moreover, a single vitamin consists of several biologically active forms, known as vitamers, which introduce a further element of heterogeneity due to the subtle differences in their chemical structures. For these reasons, it is very difficult to find experimental conditions suitable for their simultaneous determination, furthermore complicated by the labile nature of some vitamins, the complexity of food matrices and in the case of naturally occurring vitamins, their possible linkage with macromolecular components and by their low concentrations in foods.
Simultaneous analysis of water soluble vitamins is advantageous for several reasons such as the reduced analysis time and a cost containment due to a less extensive use of solvents, materials and equipment.
Gas-chromatography (GC) and liquid-chromatography (LC) are more suitable analytical techniques for the development of multivitamin methods; however, the selected analytes have to be visible in the selected detection system (UV detector) or have to be extractable with the same procedures from the examined food. Liquid chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry (LC-MS) has been showing itself as a promising technique in this analytical ambit. In fact, besides performing multi-analyte analysis and providing unambiguous evidence of identification, sensitivity and selectivity of LC-MS allow simplifying sample pre-treatment and restraining degradation of those vitamins susceptible to it.
Despite of LC-MS versatility, only two papers have been published about the multivitamin analysis in dietary supplements and in food samples.
A rapid, simple and sensitive LC-ESI(+)-MS/MS method for the simultaneous determination of fourteen water-soluble vitamins (B1, B2, two B3 vitamers, B5, five B6 vitamers, B8, B9, B12 and C) in various food matrices, is here presented5. The use of rapid and simple extraction procedures (short exposition to light and air) and the direct injection of the extract, without any concentration step (no exposition to heat) were the two important outcomes achieved as a consequence of the high sensitivity and selectivity of LC-MS/MS. The mild extraction conditions preserved the analytes susceptible to degradation, allowed estimation of each vitamer singly and avoided artifacts formation. For these reasons, our method was able to minimize the loss of those vitamins that are particularly susceptible to degradation and to accurately characterize the profile of free forms in foodstuffs
Evaluation of a method based on liquid chromatography-diode array detector-tandem mass spectrometry for a rapid and comprehensive characterization of the fat-soluble vitamin and carotenoid profile of selected plant foods
No full textThe feasibility of using reversed-phase liquid chromatography/diode array/tandem mass spectrometry (LC-DAD-MS/MS) for a rapid and comprehensive profiling of fat soluble vitamins and pigments in some foods of plant origin (maize flour, green and golden kiwi) was evaluated. The instrumental approach was planned for obtaining two main outcomes within the same chromatographic run: (i) the quantitative analysis of ten target analytes, whose standards are commercially available; (ii) the screening of pigments occurring in the selected matrices. The quantitative analysis was performed simultaneously for four carotenoids (lutein, zeaxanthin, beta-cryptoxanthin, and beta-carotene) and six compounds with fat-soluble activity (alpha-tocopherol, delta-tocopherol, gamma-tocopherol, ergocalciferol, phylloquinone and menaquinone-4), separated on a C30 reversed-phase column and detected by atmospheric pressure chemical ionization (APCI) tandem mass spectrometry, operating in Selected Reaction Monitoring (SRM) mode. Extraction procedure was based on matrix solid-phase dispersion with recoveries of all compounds under study exceeding 78 and 60% from maize flour and kiwi, respectively. The method intra-day precision ranged between 3 and 7%, while the inter-day one was below 12%. The mild isolation conditions precluded artefacts creation, such as cis-isomerization phenomena for carotenoids. During the quantitative LC-SRM determination of the ten target analytes, the identification power of the diode array detector joined to that of the triple quadrupole (QqQ) allowed the tentatively identification of several pigments (chlorophylls and carotenoids), without the aid of standards, on the basis of: (i) the UV-vis spectra recorded in the range of 200-700 nm; (ii) the expected retention time; (iii) the two SRM transitions, chosen for the target carotenoids but also common to many of isomeric carotenoids occurring in the selected foods. (C) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved
Resine polistireniche reticolate contenenti derivati triorganostannici: nuovi catalizzatori eterogenei di transesterificazione
No full textPVA_H2SO4 Hydrogel for wearable devices
No full textIn recent years, wearable electronic sensing devices have attracted much attention because they can easily monitor human motion and physiological signals. The design of traditional wearable electronic devices mostly combines conductive materials with flexible substrates and provides for their placement on the body using an external aid like plasters and bands. The emergence and development of wearable devices have provided new directions for many fields, especially artificial intelligence systems and wearable healthcare devices. Currently, skin-attached wearable devices are widely expected because they adhere well to the skin and accurately enable health monitoring. However, wearable equipment, such as glasses or metal, is still limited to the conventional form. The key reason is that the critical devices cannot be flexible and stretchable so the device cannot be deformed and adhered well to the skin. Therefore, flexible, stretchable, and conductive materials are highly expected in wide applications. Gel-based materials exhibited excellent elongation, self-healing, and self-adhesive performance for various applications. As a result, the sample could be used for motion detection and signal transmission. Our research efforts are focused on the development of an alternative to traditional electronics that should be low-cost, bio-degradable, and made of environmentally nontoxic substances such as hydrogels. Hydrogels exhibit excellent flexibility and stretchability as promising candidates for preparing wearable devices, especially conductive hydrogels. We have investigated PVA_H2SO4 hydrogels and PVA_H2SO4/PANI-PAMPSA- PVA_H2SO4 double-layered hydrogels with different molecular weight as well as different amounts of PVA polymer as potential materials for energetic or sensors applications.
Reference:
Giovagnoli, A.; D’Altri, G.; Yeasmin, L.; Di Matteo, V.; Scurti, S.; Di Filippo, M.F.; Gualandi, I.; Cassani, M.C.; Caretti, D.; Panzavolta, S.; et al. Multi-Layer PVA-PANI Conductive Hydrogel for Symmetrical Supercapacitors: Preparation and Characterization. Gels 2024, 10, 458. https://doi.org/10.3390/gels10070458
Giada D’Altri, Lamyea Yeasmin, Valentina Di Matteo, Stefano Scurti, Angelica Giovagnoli, Maria Francesca Di Filippo, Isacco Gualandi, Maria Cristina Cassani, Daniele Caretti, Silvia Panzavolta, Erika Scavetta, Mariangela Rea, and Barbara Ballarin,ACS Omega 2024 9 (6), 6391-6402. DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.3c0539
Dysregulated lipid metabolism in lymphangioleiomyomatosis pathogenesis as a paradigm of chronic lung diseases
No full textA chronic inflammatory condition characterizes various lung diseases. Interestingly, a great contribution to inflammation is made by altered lipids metabolism, that can be caused by the deregulation of the mammalian target of rapamycin complex-1 (mTORC1) activity. There is evidence that one of mTOR downstream effectors, the sterol regulatory element-binding protein (SREBP), regulates the transcription of enzymes involved in the de novo fatty acid synthesis. Given its central role in cell metabolism, mTOR is involved in several biological processes. Among those, mTOR is a driver of senescence, a process that might contribute to the establishment of chronic lung disease because the characteristic irreversible inhibition of cell proliferation, associated to the acquisition of a pro-inflammatory senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP) supports the loss of lung parenchyma. The deregulation of mTORC1 is a hallmark of lymphangioleiomyomatosis (LAM), a rare pulmonary disease predominantly affecting women which causes cystic remodeling of the lung and progressive loss of lung function. LAM cells have senescent features and secrete SASP components, such as growth factors and pro-inflammatory molecules, like cancer cells. Using LAM as a paradigm of chronic and metastatic lung disease, here we review the published data that point out the role of dysregulated lipid metabolism in LAM pathogenesis. We will discuss lipids’ role in the development and progression of the disease, to hypothesize novel LAM biomarkers and to propose the pharmacological regulation of lipids metabolism as an innovative approach for the treatment of the disease
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