1,721,029 research outputs found
Extracellular vesicles in glioblastoma: Role in biological processes and in therapeutic applications
No full textBackground: Glioblastoma is the most common and malignant form of primary brain cancer; it is characterized by one of the highest mortality among human cancers. Maximal and aggressive surgical resection is the first approach treatment even if not usually definitive, being the tumor characterized by a high proliferative rate and extensive invasion. Early diagnosis, associated to careful monitoring, is pivotal in glioblastoma treatment; Magnetic Resonance Imaging is used for monitoring purpose, but itâs not sensitive enough to detect very small tumors; a valid alternative could be a repeated biopsy, but it is associated to a significant morbidity: less invasive options for diagnosis and therapeutic monitoring are unfailingly researched. Methods: A careful search was performed on PubMed, mainly considering papers in the last 10 years. Conclusion: In recent years it has begun to take hold the knowledge that glioblastoma cells secrete extracellular vesicles (microvesicles and exosomes), which mirror the molecular features of parental cells and are able to escape from tumor microenvironment, reaching cerebrospinal fluid and systemic blood circulation. Such information led to consider the possibility to use extracellular vesicles in biological fluids as markers of glioblastoma pathology and to use them as a more feasible âliquid-biopsyâ to gain diagnostic information, follow the disease progression and the response to clinical treatment, just through a blood test or cerebrospinal fluid collection. The most interesting extracellular vesiclesassociated molecules studied as glioblastoma markers are taken into account, as well as approaches aiming to use extracellular vesicles as cell-free vaccines or vehicle of therapeutic molecules
New Challenges and Opportunities: Extracellular Vesicles in Biological and Biochemical Processes
Full text linkCell-to-cell communication plays a crucial role in many processes, both in physiological and pathological assets [...
Extracellular Vesicles as Matrix Messengers
No full textThe extracellular matrix (ECM) is a dynamic, acellular framework that maintains homeostasis and supports the preservation of tissues’ structural integrity. From early embryonic stages forward, the ECM organizes itself through a variety of changes, including degradation, synthesis, and rearrangement of matrix elements. Although the mechanisms that underlie these changes are strictly controlled, the ECM can undergo structural and functional alterations that result in diseases or even promote the growth of tumors. Several elements mediate communication between the cells that make up the tissue and the matrix, with extracellular vesicles (EVs) playing a significant role. EVs are spherical particles surrounded by a phospholipid bilayer, secreted by all living organisms and present in all organs, tissues, and bio
logical fluids, both in physiological and in pathological conditions. In this review, we will present a comprehensive understanding of the matrix’s structure and the roles in which it is engaged, as well as the implications of EVs. Several aspects of EVs–ECM interaction under healthy and pathological settings will be covered, with an emphasis on EVs’ function in matrix degradation
Cellular and molecular mechanisms of intestinal fibrosis
No full text"Fibrosis is a chronic and progressive process characterized. by an excessive accumulation of extracellular matrix. (ECM) leading to stiffening and\/or scarring of the. involved tissue. Intestinal fibrosis may develop in several. different enteropathies, including inflammatory bowel. disease. It develops through complex cell, extracellular. matrix, cytokine and growth factor interactions. Distinct. cell types are involved in intestinal fibrosis, such as. resident mesenchymal cells (fibroblasts, myofibroblasts. and smooth muscle cells) but also ECM-producing cells. derived from epithelial and endothelial cells (through a. process termed epithelial- and endothelial-mesenchymal. transition), stellate cells, pericytes, local or bone. marrow-derived stem cells. The most important soluble. factors that regulate the activation of these cells include. cytokines, chemokines, growth factors, components of. the renin-angiotensin system, angiogenic factors, peroxisome. proliferator-activated receptors, mammalian. target of rapamycin, and products of oxidative stress.. It soon becomes clear that although inflammation is. responsible for triggering the onset of the fibrotic process,. it only plays a minor role in the progression of this. condition, as fibrosis may advance in a self-perpetuating. fashion. Definition of the cellular and molecular. mechanisms involved in intestinal fibrosis may provide. the key to developing new therapeutic approaches.
ANALISI DI RISPOSTA SISMICA LOCALE 1D – 2D, FINALIZZATE ALLA MICROZONAZIONE SISMICA DI AREE URBANE IN TOSCANA
Full text linkIn vitro evidence supporting applications of platelet derivatives in regenerative medicine
No full textThe role of platelets in haemostasis has long been known, but understanding of these cells' involvement in wound healing/tissue repair is more recent and has given rise to a multitude of translational studies. Tissue repair processes consist of complex, regulated interactions between cells modulated by biologically active molecules, most of which are growth factors released by activated platelets: this aspect represents the rationale on which the use of platelet derivatives for clinical purposes is based.In the last years, many in vitro studies have focused on the mechanisms of action by which these growth factors affect the biological activities of cells, thus supporting tissue healing. Although limited by some drawbacks (two-dimensional in vitro monocultures cannot replicate the tissue architecture and organisation of organs or the continuous interplay between different cell types), in vitro studies do have the advantages of giving rapid results and allowing precise control of platelet concentrations and other parameters.This review offers an updated overview of the data obtained from the most recent bench-top studies focused on the effects of platelet derivatives on a wide variety of human cells, highlighting their possible impact for in vivo applications. The heterogeneity of the data obtained so far is very evident. This can be explained by the different experimental settings used in each study, which may be the cause of the variability in clinical outcomes. In fact, in vitro studies suggest that the composition of platelet derivatives and the method used for their production and activation (or not) and the platelet concentration used can have profound effects on the final results
An Example of teaching slope stability from true case histories: three year experience
Full text linkPart of the information summarized in this paper
has already been published (Lo Presti 2013). The context (Study
Course, Subject) within which the case history has been used and
the case history itself has already been described. Such details are
reported for a full understanding. Anyway the present paper
mainly evaluates the effectiveness of using such a case history
after an experience of three years. The use of case histories in
classroom mainly involves an inductive teaching approach. This
paper discusses the intrinsic advantages and possible drawbacks
of such an inductive approach in the light of three year
experience. More specifically, the paper illustrates an example of
teaching the class of “slope stability” based on such methodology.
The experience took place at the University of Pisa in the second
tier degree of Civil Engineering of Infrastructures in 2010 and
covered three academic years. The inductive teaching approach
is very popular in the British/American Higher Education
system. On the contrary it is not so popular in Latin countries
like Italy. In order to make more clear the comprehension of this
paper to the potential readers, information on the Higher
Education system in Europe and specifically in Italy is also given
Going Beyond Counting First Authors in Author Co-citation Analysis
Full text linkThe present study examines one of the fundamental aspects of author co-citation analysis (ACA) - the way co-citation
counts are defined. Co-citation counting provides the data on which all subsequent statistical analyses and mappings
are based, and we compare ACA results based on two different types of co-citation counting - the traditional type that
only counts the first one among a cited work's authors on the one hand and a non-traditional type that takes into
account the first 5 authors of a cited work on the other hand. Results indicate that the picture produced through this non-traditional author co-citation counting contains more coherent author groups and is therefore considerably clearer. However, this picture represents fewer specialties in the research field being studied than that produced through the traditional first-author co-citation counting when the same number of top-ranked authors is selected and analyzed. Reasons for these effects are discussed
Breast Cancer Derived Extracellular Vesicles in Bone Metastasis Induction and Their Clinical Implications as Biomarkers
Full text linkCancer incidence and mortality are rapidly growing worldwide. The main risk factors for cancer can be associated with aging as well as the growth of the population and socioeconomic condition. Breast cancer, a crucial public health problem, is the second cause of death among women. About 70% of patients with advanced breast cancer have bone metastases. In bone metastasis, cancer cells and osteoclasts form a vicious cycle: cancer cells promote osteoclast differentiation and activation that, in turn, induce cancer cell seeding and proliferation in the bone. Growing evidence shows that extracellular vesicles (EVs) play a key role in carcinogenesis, proliferation, pre-metastatic niche formation, angiogenesis, metastasis, and chemoresistance in several tumors, such as breast, lung, prostate, and liver cancer. Here, we discuss the role of EVs released by breast cancer cells, focusing on bone metastasis induction and their clinical implications as biomarkers
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