1,201 research outputs found
Lipid-based core-shell nanoparticles: Evolution and potentialities in drug delivery
No full textOver the last decade, impressive progress in the field of nanomedicine has led to the development of novel biomaterials and nanotechnology platforms. However, lipid-based nanovectors, i.e. li- posomes, combining safety, versatility and delivery efficiency, remain the most “popular” ap- proach. Lipids, especially charged lipids, have been used to design nanoparticles characterized by a core-shell structure. In these nanoparticles a lipid shell interacts with a core based on different biomaterials. Drugs characterized by a net charge can be condensed in the core, which is then covered by the lipid shell. This approach has been investigated in relation to the delivery of different active molecules, among them macromolecular drug, e.g. nucleic acids, and small molecules, e.g. bisphosphonates. This review reports the progress that has been made in the development of this technology and its potential applications in drug delivery
First person – Simona Amodeo
No full textABSTRACT
First Person is a series of interviews with the first authors of a selection of papers published in Journal of Cell Science, helping early-career researchers promote themselves alongside their papers. Simona Amodeo is the first author on ‘Characterization of the novel mitochondrial genome replication factor MiRF172 in Trypanosoma brucei’, published in Journal of Cell Science. Simona is a PhD student in the lab of Torsten Ochsenreiter at the Institute of Cell Biology, University of Bern, Switzerland, investigating mitochondrial genome anchoring, replication and inheritance in Trypanosoma brucei.</jats:p
Engineering of thermoresponsive gels as a fake metastatic niche
No full textChemoattraction through the CXCR4-CXCL12 axis has been shown to be an important mechanism to direct circulating tumor cells toward distant sites. The objective of this work was to prepare a fake metastatic niche made up of a gel loaded with CXCL12. The gel is designed to create a steep concentration gradient of the chemokine in the proximity of the site of administration/injection, aimed to divert and capture circulating CXCR4+ tumor cells. To this aim, different thermoresponsive gels based on methylcellulose (MC) or poloxamers, loaded with CXCL12, with or without hyaluronic acid (HA) were designed and their mechanical properties correlated with the ability to attract and capture in vitro CXCR4+ cells. Results of in vitro cell studies showed that all prepared gels induced CEM tumor cell migration whereas only gels based on MC embedded with CXCL12 are able to capture them
Materiali e discussioni per l'analisi dei testi classici. Indici 1-60
No full textIl volume raccoglie e riassume tutti gli articoli apparsi nei volumi 1-60 della rivista «Materiali e discussioni per l’analisi dei testi classici» («MD»), nel periodo compreso tra il 1978 e il 2008. Esso è diviso in tre parti. Nella prima sono riportati in successione i singoli numeri della rivista, con il relativo sommario. Nella seconda compaiono gli articoli riuniti in sequenza cronologica, sotto il nome dell’Autore e ognuno con un proprio numero d’ordine: di ogni articolo è fornito il sunto, con i concetti, le argomentazioni salienti, i principali luoghi discussi. Nella terza parte sono elencati gli Autori antichi e i Nomi e parole notevoli, con il rinvio al numero d’ordine dell’articolo. Le schedature dei numeri 1-30 sono curate da Andrea Cucchiarelli, quelle dei numeri 31-60 da Simona Fortini.The volume collects and summarizes all the articles published in Volumes 1-60 of the journal "Materiali e discussioni per l’analisi dei testi classici” ("MD"), in the period between 1978 and 2008. It is divided into three parts. In the first part the individual issues of the journal are summarized with the table of contents. In the second part the articles appear in chronological order, under the name of the author and each with its own serial number: each item is provided with a summary including the main points of argumentation and the loci discussed. The third part contains the indexes of the ancient authors, of the names and of the most relevant things and words, with reference to the number of the item. The profiling of the numbers 1-30 is cared for by Andrea Cucchiarelli, those of the numbers 31-60 by Simona Fortini
Boccaccio nel Seicento: censure e recuperi della "compassione"
No full textSIMONA MORANDO, Boccaccio in the sixteenth century: censorship and recovery ofthe «compassion»
In the introduction of this paper, the literature of the seventeenth century is defined as a writing of compassion but not of consolation (quotations from Giovanni Cisano, Torquato Accetto, Emanuele Tesauro, G. B. Marino). The distance between the
writers studied here and Boccaccio is due to the censored editions of the Decameron in sixteenth century, to the censorship of Boccaccio as a «maestro d’amore», to his unrefined language, to his interpretation by many critics as a light and burlesque author. But, as reported in a writing by Boccalini, Boccaccio’s Latin works are very much appreciated in seventeenth century literature. This is especially the case of De casibus virorum illustrium, a gloomy and pessimistic book about misfortunes of famous men and about compassion, which nevertheless believes in the ability of letters to give back fame to ruined men. As shown in the conclusion
through some writings by Tassoni, many other seventeenth century authors do not have this kind of hope
Spontaneous Arrangement of a Tumor Targeting Hyaluronic Acid Shell on Irinotecan Loaded PLGA Nanoparticles
No full textThe arrangement of tumor targeting hyaluronic acid (HA) moieties on irinotecan (IRIN)-loaded poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) nanoparticles (NPs) has been directed by means of a gradient of lipophilicity between the oil and water phases of the emulsion used to produce the NPs. PLGA constitutes the NP bulk while HA is superficially exposed, with amphiphilic poloxamers acting as a bridge between PLGA and HA. Differential scanning calorimetry, zeta potential analyses and ELISA tests were employed to support the hypothesis of polymer assembly in NP formulations. The presence of flexible HA chains on NP surface enhances NP size stability over time due to an enhanced electrostatic repulsion between NPs and a higher degree of hydration. IRIN in vitro release kinetics can be sustained up to 7-13 days. In vitro biologic studies indicated that HA-containing NPs were more toxic than bare PLGA NPs against CD44-overexpressing breast carcinoma cells (HS578T), therefore indicating their ability to target CD44 receptor
Le chiavi del Paradiso. Primato petrino e devozione mariana di Sisto IV tra Cappella Sistina e S. Maria della Pace
No full textIl volume è strutturato in due parti distinte con una postfazione, un indice dei nomi e n. 55 Tavole a colori fuori testo, valide per entrambe le parti del volume. I. PARTE (di Lorenzo Cappelletti) A partire dalla esplicita indicazione che l’ignoto architetto, collocato sul fianco destro dell’affresco sistino della Consegna delle chiavi di Perugino, fa dell’edificio a pianta centrale che campeggia sullo sfondo, viene operata una completa rilettura iconografica e iconologica dell’intero affresco. Tenendo conto di tutta la migliore bibliografia sul tema e grazie anche alla considerazione di fonti inedite o mai considerate in relazione a tale affresco –– vengono riletti in particolare i due episodi evangelici sullo sfondo, la teoria dei dodici apostoli e dei personaggi dell’attualità di fine Quattrocento e soprattutto il gesto della consegna delle chiavi a Simon Pietro da parte di Gesù.
La rilettura si allarga necessariamente anche alla Punizione di Core, Datan e Abiram, l’affresco di Botticelli posto in chiave tipologica dirimpetto alla Consegna delle chiavi, e alla serie dei 30/32 papi affrescati nel cleristorio.
Lo studio non manca di offrire inoltre spunti per una comprensione più adeguata anche degli altri affreschi quattrocenteschi della sistina. II PARTE (di Simona Benedetti) Nell’ambito della revisione di lettura iconologica e iconografica dell’affresco della Consegna delle chiavi di Perugino nella Cappella Sistina, svolta da Lorenzo Cappelletti, si torna a riflettere anche sul significato dell’architettura dell’edificio rappresentato al centro dell’affresco. In questo senso nel contributo di Simona Benedetti, in primo luogo, si ripercorrono i riferimenti alla trattatistica quattrocentesca in materia di edifici sacri, che possono aver influito nella determinazione dell’edificio ottagonale.
In seconda istanza, si considerano le principali fabbriche a pianta ottagonale costruite precedentemente all’edificio dipinto, che possono aver costituito un fondato riferimento per il Perugino nella Consegna delle chiavi.
In particolare tra le architetture, che possono avere avuto un’influenza determinante nella definizione iconografica della fabbrica ottagonale presente nell'affresco, la chiesa di S. Maria della Pace è quella su cui si concentra il presente studio. L'opera si realizzò nel cuore pulsante della Roma rinascimentale proprio contemporaneamente all’affresco in esame, con esso trova degli innegabili punti di tangenza e corrispondenze, sia storiche che figurative. A questo riguardo interessantissima risulta la connessione tra il motivo dell’edificazione della fabbrica e i fatti storici, i personaggi, gli eventi prodigiosi e le pratiche devozionali, che condizionarono lo svolgersi del cantiere del Templum Pacis negli ultimi anni del pontificato di Sisto IV. La storicità del gesto della consegna delle chiavi a Pietro - avvenimento che si protrae nel tempo ad ogni elezione pontificia nello spazio fisico della Cappella Sistina - costituisce la centralità del messaggio iconografico dell'affresco del Perugino in cui, anche l’architettura, insieme ai personaggi rappresentati, strutturano una narrazione reale, estranea alle simbologie decontestualizzate dall’epoca propriamente sistina. Segue una postfazione di Francesco Andreani dal titolo Enigma del Quattrocento, saggio nel quale si sviluppano considerazioni sulle personalità degli architetti e maestranze attive nella Roma del tardo Quattrocento e negli anni di inizio della fabbrica di S. Maria della Pace. Il volume si conclude con l'indice dei nomi (a cura di Gemma Fusciello)I (of Lorenzo Cappelletti) Starting from the unknown architect’s forefinger pointed to the central plan building found in the background of the Sistine Perugino’s fresco The Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven, the author offers a new interpretation of the entire fresco at both an iconographical and iconological level.
Having considered the most important studies about this fresco and taking into account a number of unpublished and unconsidered sources, the author rereads in particular the meaning of the central plan building, as well as the two Gospel episodes in the background; and he rereads also the grouping of the Twelve, along with the fifteenth century historical personages painted among them, in the foreground.
The author’s vision necessarily broodens also to comprehend Botticelli’s fresco named The Punishment of Corah, Dathan and Abiram which is placed on the opposite wall as a typological prefiguration of The Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven; and it broodens moreover to reconsider the series of 30/32 popes frescoed in the upper register of the Sistine Chapel.
The essay also offers hints for a more complete comprehension of the other fifteenth century frescoes of the Sistine Chapel.
II. (of Simona Benedetti) As part of the review of iconological and iconographic reading about the fresco of the “Delivery of the keys” by Perugino in the Sistine Chapel, conducted by Lorenzo Cappelletti, you go back and think about the significance of the building architecture depicted in the center of the fresco. In this sense, the contribution of Simona Benedetti, first, retraces the references to the fifteenth-century treatises concerning sacred buildings, which may have affected the determination of the octagonal building. Secondly, we consider the main factories octagonal building constructed previously painted, that may have been an established reference for the Perugino in the “Delivery of the keys”. Especially between architectures, which may have had a decisive influence in defining the iconographic factory octagonal present in the fresco, the church of St. Mary of Peace is the one on which this study focuses. The work was realized in the heart of Renaissance Rome just simultaneously fresco concerned, although it is undeniable points of contact and correspondence, both historical and figurative. In this regard are interesting connections between the reason of building the factory, the historical facts, the characters and the miraculous events and devotional, which has conditioned the unfolding of the construction site of the Templum Pacis in the last years of the pontificate of Sixtus IV. The historicity of the act of handing over the keys to Peter, that continues over time in the physical space of the Sistine Chapel, is the centrality of the iconographic message of the fresco by Perugino; so even the architecture, along with the characters represented, the real narrative structure, far from to the symbolism belonging to the Sistine period properly
Playing with autism. Encountering Simona Concaro by her music. Vol. 1.1
No full textPlaying with Autism contains twenty-four original pieces for piano, recorded and carefully transcribed in current music notation by Pierluigi Politi and Hanna Shybayeva. Simona Concaro, the author, is a young woman suffering of low-functioning autism. She lives in Cascina Rossago, a farm-community, designed to meet the needs of people with autism, in Oltrepo pavese (Italy).
Since she was three, Simona Concaro has created original compositions on piano, instrument she learned by herself, refusing any kind of musical education. In everyday life, Simona does not use verbal language and has low autonomy. Her music, on the contrary, contains interesting features – melodic, rhythmic and harmonic –, even in the presence of some iterative elements, typical of the autistic spectrum
Counseling Youth Online
No full textOnline counseling is becoming more pervasive; this type of guidance method is occurring, and it will likely in-crease within youth work. Studying the phenomena can give relevant resources to the field of digital youth work. The main purpose of this thesis is to research how to provide quality online counseling for youth and to write guidelines for professionals and volunteer workers.
As a facilitator the author researches the themes related to online counseling and enhances discussion through four online group discussions organized for youth workers working in online chats. The aims of the thesis are to find out with qualitative methods how professionals deliver efficiently and effectively online counseling sessions. On a wider perspective, the thesis tries to trace guidelines for counseling young people online, providing em-powerment, direction, guidance and support.
Online counseling has been recently widely studied due to the spread of these kind of services. Due to the uniqueness of digital youth work in Finland, its context and its principles within online counseling and guidance, it is relevant to gain more knowledge about practices and professionals’ perspective
DEVELOPMENT OF INNOVATIVE FORMULATIONS BASED ON POLYSACCHARIDES FOR TUMOR TREATMENT
No full textThe development of a wide spectrum of new strategies based on controlled drug delivery systems for tumor treatment have attracted a great deal of interest thanks to their ability to encapsulate and control the release of a large array of anticancer drugs and to their targeting ability to many tumor sites. In the last years, the use of polysaccharides for the development of innovative formulations for drug delivery and targeting is rapidly growing. This could be probably attributed to their peculiar properties, such as biodegradability, biocompatibility, large availability as natural source, low cost manufacturing process and to the presence of multiple reactive groups in their structures, which make them suitable for an easy chemical functionalization. In this context, the overall aim of this thesis was to design, produce and characterize innovative formulations based on polysaccharides with potential application in tumors treatment. In particular, in the present thesis, two different strategies were envisaged.
The first one is based on the evidence that chemoattraction through the CXCR4-CXCL12 axis has been shown to be an important mechanism to direct circulating tumor cells toward distant sites. Thus, a fake metastatic niche made up of a gel loaded with CXCL12 was realized. This gel was engineered to create a steep concentration gradient of the chemokine in the proximity of the site of administration/injection thus diverting and capturing the circulating CXCR4+ tumor cells. To this aim, different thermo-responsive gels based on methylcellulose or poloxamers, with or without the polysaccharide hyaluronic acid, were designed, loaded with CXCL12 and their mechanical properties correlated with the ability to attract and capture in vitro CXCR4+ cells.
The second strategy concerned the use of polysaccharides both as structural and coating component for different types of nano-carriers, prepared with simple and easily up-scalable manufacturing process. In this context, two different polysaccharides were investigated, hyaluronic acid and enoxaparin. These polysaccharides, thanks to their ability to recognize and bind specific receptors and growth factors overexpressed in tumor cells, can favor a greater drug accumulation to target sites, thus promoting and improving the selectivity and effectiveness of the chemotherapy. The nano-carriers here investigated are chitosan-based polyelectrolyte complexes, poly (lactic-co-glycolic acid) polymeric nanoparticles and self-emulsifying drug delivery systems
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