2,222 research outputs found
Diagnostica molecolare per la sicurezza alimentare
No full textLe zoonosi sono infezioni che possono essere trasmesse dagli animali all'uomo. Le zoonosi di tipo alimentare vengono trasmesse attraverso alimenti contaminati e rappresentano una seria e diffusa minaccia per la salute pubblica
Lo scopo di questo progetto è lo sviluppo di test diagnostici basati sul rilevamento di sequenze di DNA specifiche per ciascun agente zoonotico. Fasi del progetto
1) Ottimizzazione del protocollo di estrazione del DNA di agenti patogeni da campioni di carne di maiale, manzo e pollo
2) Ottimizzazione dei test di PCR per l’ identificazione di agenti zoonotici quali Campylobacter, Listeria monocytogenes, Escherichia coli e Salmonella
3) Assemblaggio e ottimizzazione di kit per l'identificazione di specifici agenti zoonotici da utilizzarsi con un dispositivo di PCR portatile.
Lo strumento è composto da un termoblocco per permettere di impostare temperature costanti (in fase di estrazione) o cicli termici (durante l’amplificazione). Lo strumento di PCR portatile contiene inoltre un fluorimetro in grado di leggere l’intensità di fluorescenza prima e dopo la reazione di PCR.
L’aumento di fluorescenza è proporzionale alla quantità di agente infettivo presente nel campione.
L’analisi è effettuabile agevolmente e rapidamente in qualsiasi luogo, il dispositivo infatti può essere alimentato anche da un semplice accendisigari per automobile.The zoonotic deseases are infections that can be passed from animals to humans. The Zoonotic deseases can be transferred by eating contaminated food.
Tha aim of this project is to develop diagnostic tests based on identification of specific sequences of DNA for each pathogen. The different phases of this project are :
1)Optimization of protocol for DNA extraction from samples of pig, bovine and chicken
2)Optimization of PCR tests to identify pathogenics like Campylobacter, Listeria monocytogenes, Escherichia coli and Salmonella
3) development of a kit to identify the pathogenics.
This kit includes a portable device that allow to perform all diagnostic phases (DNA extraction, PCR and collecting fluorescence). The device includes termal cycler that allow to reach the correct temperature to perform the DNA extraction and PCR. The device also include an instrument that allow to collect fluorescence and allow to compare the fluoroscence of the sample before and after the PCR raection. The increase of fluotrecence is proprortional to concentration of pathogenic into the sample.
The analysis it’s easy and it can be perfermed outside the laboratory by everyone
Nel cantiere degli ‘Scritti’ di Alberto Mario: l’asse Carducci-Jessie White.
No full textIl saggio mette in luce la collaborazione fra Carducci e la White nella pubblicazione degli Scritti diAlberto Mario
Toward a resolution of the cosmopolitan Botryllus schlosseri species complex (Ascidiacea, Styelidae): mitogenomics and morphology of clade E (Botryllus gaiae)
No full textBotryllus schlosseri is a model colonial ascidian and a marine invader. It is currently recognized as a species complex comprising five genetically divergent clades, with clade A globally distributed and clade E found only in Europe. This taxon has also been recently redescribed by designation of a clade A specimen as the neotype. To clarify the taxonomic status of clade E and its relationship to clade A, we examine the entire mitochondrial genome and study the morphology of clade E. The mitogenome of clade E has an identical gene order to clade A, but substantially differs in the size of several non-coding regions. Remarkably, the nucleotide divergence of clade A-clade E is incompatible with the intraspecies ascidian divergence, but similar to the congeneric one and almost identical to the divergence between species once considered morphologically indistinguishable (e.g. the pair Ciona intestinalis (Linnaeus, 1767)-Ciona robusta Hoshino & Tokioka, 1967, and the pair Botrylloides niger Herdman, 1886-Botrylloides leachii (Savigny, 1816)). Clade E differs morphologically from the Botryllusschlosseri neotype mainly in the number and appearance of the stomach folds, and the shape of the anal opening, the first intestinal loop and the typhlosole. Our integrative taxonomical approach clearly distinguishes clade E as a species separate from Botryllus schlosseri, with unique morphological and molecular characters. Therefore, we here describe clade E as the new species Botryllus gaiae sp. nov
Immunotherapeutic strategies in chronic lymphocytic leukemia: advances and challenges
No full textImmune-based therapeutic strategies have drastically changed the landscape of hematological disorders, as they have introduced the concept of boosting immune responses against tumor cells. Anti-CD20 monoclonal antibodies have been the first form of immunotherapy successfully applied in the treatment of CLL, in the context of chemoimmunotherapy regimens. Since then, several immunotherapeutic approaches have been studied in CLL settings, with the aim of exploiting or eliciting anti-tumor immune responses against leukemia cells. Unfortunately, despite initial promising data, results from pilot clinical studies have not shown optimal results in terms of disease control - especially when immunotherapy was used individually - largely due to CLL-related immune dysfunctions hampering the achievement of effective anti-tumor responses. The growing understanding of the complex interactions between immune cells and the tumor cells has paved the way for the development of new combined approaches that rely on the synergism between novel agents and immunotherapy. In this review, we provide an overview of the most successful and promising immunotherapeutic modalities in CLL, including both antibody-based therapy (i.e. monoclonal antibodies, bispecific antibodies, bi- or tri- specific killer engagers) and adoptive cellular therapy (i.e. CAR T cells and NK cells). We also provide examples of successful new combination strategies and some insights on future perspectives
CAR-modified Cellular Therapies in Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia: Is the Uphill Road Getting Less Steep?
No full textThe clinical development of chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy has been more challenging for chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) compared to other settings. One of the main reasons is the CLL-associated state of immune dysfunction that specifically involves patient-derived T cells. Here, we provide an overview of the clinical results obtained with CAR T-cell therapy in CLL, describing the identified immunologic reasons for the inferior efficacy. Novel CAR T-cell formulations, such as lisocabtagene maraleucel, administered alone or in combination with the Bruton tyrosine kinase inhibitor ibrutinib, are currently under investigation. These approaches are based on the rationale that improving the quality of the T-cell source and of the CAR T-cell product may deliver a more functional therapeutic weapon. Further strategies to boost the efficacy of CAR T cells should rely not only on the production of CAR T cells with an improved cellular composition but also on additional changes. Such alterations could include (1) the coadministration of immunomodulatory agents capable of counteracting CLL-related immunological alterations, (2) the design of improved CAR constructs (such as third- and fourth-generation CARs), (3) the incorporation into the manufacturing process of immunomodulatory compounds overcoming the T-cell defects, and (4) the use of allogeneic CAR T cells or alternative CAR-modified cellular vectors. These strategies may allow to develop more effective CAR-modified cellular therapies capable of counteracting the more aggressive and still incurable forms of CLL
Trade-off between sexual activities and parental care: an experimental test using handicapped mates
No full textElecting to invest in parental care is an adaptive decision thought to involve a trade-off between remating and continuing parental effort. The rock sparrow, Petronia petronia, is an unusual species in which parental investment is highly variable and both sexes may desert the brood. Males contemporaneously engage in parental care, mate guarding, and courting their current or new females. In this study we experimentally handicapped male rock sparrows during the nestling period by increasing their body mass in order to study the effects on male behaviour and the female response. Handicapped males exhibited lower sexual activity than control males but handicapped males did not reduce their offspring feeding rates. Females with a handicapped partner significantly increased the number of sexual soliciting postures towards their mates compared to females paired with control males. The females' behaviour is probably a response to the sexual behaviour change of their partners. Our results suggest that with choices involving a trade-off between mating investment and parental investment, handicapped males chose the parental investment option
"The love that made hell, paradise." Ouida re-writing the Paolo and Francesca theme in Held in Bondage
No full textThe bestselling Victorian author Ouida reveals in her novels, and, in particular, Held in Bondage, an extraordinary knowledge od Dante, by using characters and themes from the Commedia. The Paolo and Francesca theme actually constitutes part of the plot of the novel and is to be found in many of her other works, short stories and non-fiction writing
HERStory Makers 2023: Francesca Fotheringham
No full textFrancesca Fotheringham is a postdoctoral research associate at the University of Edinburgh studying educational psychology with a focus on neurodiversity. She took part in HERStory Makers 2023.What is HERStory Makers?HERStory Makers is a social media competition for female-identifying early career researchers to share their research, their career journeys, and to inspire the next generation. Winners are selected by public vote. HERStory Makers is also part of EXPLORATHON, Scotland's contribution to European Researchers' Night.In 2022-23, EXPLORATHON Francescasupported by the Engineering & Physical Sciences Research Council [grant number EP/X020762/1].Author contributions to contentFrancesca conceived, planned, and recorded the video content. Kirsty Ross edited the video content to insert HERStory Maker credits, added subtitles, and reduce video length to below Twitter/X limit of 2 mins and 20 secs.</p
Medicina illuminata. La Biblioteca Lancisiana di Roma
No full textL'articolo presenta i codici miniati della Biblioteca Lancisiana di Roma. La prima parte, del coautore, è dedicata alla Biblioteca. La seconda parte, di F. Manzari, tratta dei manoscritti miniati, costituiti da due codici con le opere di Avicenna e dal Liber fraternitatis della Confraternita dell'Ospedale di Santo Spirito in Sassia a Roma.The article introduces the illuminated manuscripts of the Biblioteca Lancisiana in Rome. The first part of the article, by the co-author, is dedicated to the Library. The second part, by Francesca Manzari, illustrates the manuscipts; these are two manuscripts with the works of Avicenna and the Liber fraternitatis of the Confraternity of the Hospital of Santo Spirito in Sassia in Rome
The mitochondrial genome of <it>Phallusia mammillata </it>and <it>Phallusia fumigata </it>(Tunicata, Ascidiacea): high genome plasticity at intra-genus level
No full textAbstract Background Within Chordata, the subphyla Vertebrata and Cephalochordata (lancelets) are characterized by a remarkable stability of the mitochondrial (mt) genome, with constancy of gene content and almost invariant gene order, whereas the limited mitochondrial data on the subphylum Tunicata suggest frequent and extensive gene rearrangements, observed also within ascidians of the same genus. Results To confirm this evolutionary trend and to better understand the evolutionary dynamics of the mitochondrial genome in Tunicata Ascidiacea, we have sequenced and characterized the complete mt genome of two congeneric ascidian species, Phallusia mammillata and Phallusia fumigata (Phlebobranchiata, Ascidiidae). The two mtDNAs are surprisingly rearranged, both with respect to one another and relative to those of other tunicates and chordates, with gene rearrangements affecting both protein-coding and tRNA genes. The new data highlight the extraordinary variability of ascidian mt genome in base composition, tRNA secondary structure, tRNA gene content, and non-coding regions (number, size, sequence and location). Indeed, both Phallusia genomes lack the trnD gene, show loss/acquisition of DHU-arm in two tRNAs, and have a G+C content two-fold higher than other ascidians. Moreover, the mt genome of P. fumigata presents two identical copies of trnI, an extra tRNA gene with uncertain amino acid specificity, and four almost identical sequence regions. In addition, a truncated cytochrome b, lacking a C-terminal tail that commonly protrudes into the mt matrix, has been identified as a new mt feature probably shared by all tunicates. Conclusion The frequent occurrence of major gene order rearrangements in ascidians both at high taxonomic level and within the same genus makes this taxon an excellent model to study the mechanisms of gene rearrangement, and renders the mt genome an invaluable phylogenetic marker to investigate molecular biodiversity and speciation events in this largely unexplored group of basal chordates.</p
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