102,062 research outputs found
TRPC3-mediated Ca2+signals as a promising strategy to boost therapeutic angiogenesis in failing hearts: The role of autologous endothelial colony forming cells
No full textEndothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) are a sub-population of bone marrow-derived mononuclear cells that are released in circulation to restore damaged endothelium during its physiological turnover or rescue blood perfusion after an ischemic insult. Additionally, they may be mobilized from perivascular niches located within larger arteries’ wall in response to hypoxic conditions. For this reason, EPCs have been regarded as an effective tool to promote revascularization and functional recovery of ischemic hearts, but clinical application failed to exploit the full potential of patients-derived cells. Indeed, the frequency and biological activity of EPCs are compromised in aging individuals or in subjects suffering from severe cardiovascular risk factors. Rejuvenating the reparative phenotype of autologous EPCs through a gene transfer approach has, therefore, been put forward as an alternative approach to enhance their therapeutic potential in cardiovascular patients. An increase in intracellular Ca 2+ concentration constitutes a pivotal signal for the activation of the so-called endothelial colony forming cells (ECFCs), the only known truly endothelial EPC subset. Studies from our group showed that the Ca 2+ toolkit differs between peripheral blood- and umbilical cord blood (UCB)-derived ECFCs. In the present article, we first discuss how VEGF uses repetitive Ca 2+ spikes to regulate angiogenesis in ECFCs and outline how VEGF-induced intracellular Ca 2+ oscillations differ between the two ECFC subtypes. We then hypothesize about the possibility to rejuvenate the biological activity of autologous ECFCs by transfecting the cell with the Ca 2+ -permeable channel Transient Receptor Potential Canonical 3, which selectively drives the Ca 2+ response to VEGF in UCB-derived ECFCs
Pharmacological studies on traditional plant-based remedies
No full textFor years, plant-based remedies have been used as a traditional practice to treat and prevent a broad range of diseases [...]
Indagine campionaria sugli spostamenti sistematici che interessano il nodo ferroviario di Firenze
No full textQuaderni DIC - sezione trasporti - Dipartimento Ingegneria Civil
Topical Collection “Pharmacology of Medicinal Plants”
No full textThe use of remedies based on medicinal plants continues to expand rapidly around the world, with many people now resorting to this type of product for the treatment and prevention of several pathologies [...
Evaluation of the electrodic catalytic activity of PEMFC single cells by electrochemical techniques
No full textHallermann-Streiff-Francois syndrome
No full textHallermann-Streiff-Francois Syndrome, or oculomandibulodyscephaly is a rare congenital anomaly, characterized by bilateral congenital cataracts and bird-face. As the disease always involves oral troubles, that sometimes precede or predominate over other symptoms, the patient need oral examinations and life-long rehabilitation
Cranial base in patients with cleft lip and palate
No full textThe AA. discuss the problem of morphology of cranial base in children with cleft lip and palate, using a cephalometric appraisal. They record the data from 28 patients with cleft and from 30 normal children; the linear dimensions from nasion to sella and sella to basion are significantly reduced in the cleft lip and palate group, while cranial base angulation doesn't differ between the cleft sample and the control group
Hydrogen storage integrated in off-grid power systems: a case study
No full textThis paper investigates the feasibility and benefits of integrating hydrogen storage systems into off-grid power systems. As a case study, a stand-alone microgrid located on a small island in southeastern Sardinia (Italy) and already equipped with a photovoltaic (PV) system coupled with batteries is chosen. To evaluate the integration benefits of the two storage systems (hydrogen and batteries) and the optimal sizing of the hydrogen storage section, a parametric analysis with a simulation model implemented in the MATLAB environment has been carried out. Results show that the optimal integration between the two storage systems is found by imposing a share of the batteries (18 kWh, 50% of the overall battery capacity) to exclusively supply the load demand (called battery energy buffer). In these conditions, an almost 100% self-sufficiency of the microgrid can be achieved by a hydrogen generator with the lowest size considered (2.4 kW), a hydrogen storage volume of 10 m3 and a fuel cell, mainly able to completely cover the night loads, of 1.5 kW. This sizing leads to a Levelized Cost of Electricity (LCOE) for the hydrogen section of about 10.5 /kWh
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