34 research outputs found
Urban and Peri-urban Agroforestry as Multifunctional Land Use
No full textIn this era of global changes, rapid urbanization rates, climate change impacts and growing socio-environmental concerns are negatively impacting on various aspects of urban life, such as human health and well-being, urban economy stability, biodiversity levels, land productivity and natural resources availability. In this context, cities - having become the main centres of consumption and production worldwide - need to move towards more sustainable and resilient urban development models, considering novel approaches aimed at integrating grey and green infrastructure, economic growth and environmental concerns, knowledge diffusion and poverty and hunger eradication. In this regard, the implementation of urban and peri-urban agroforestry (UPAF) systems - associated with the integration of urban food systems into urban planning - can greatly support the provision of ecosystem services to urban dwellers, thus contributing to the improvement of their livelihood through increased food and nutrition security, energy and fresh water availability, regulation of local climate, carbon sequestration, maintenance of genetic diversity, recreation opportunities and health improvement. In this sense, UPAF is emerging as a new urban practice addressed to promote sustainable land use as well as the integration between urban and rural development. However, its implementation in urban contexts presents several key challenges, such as land tenure conflicts, lack of integration with urban policies and plans and technical knowledge, as well as necessity of innovative governance models. In this context, the aim of this chapter is to outline, through a review of the relevant literature and case studies from both developed and developing countries, the benefits deriving from the implementation of UPAF systems and highlight how these practices can support the improvement of urban sustainability and resilience, particularly in terms of enhancement of provisioning, cultural, regulating and supporting ecosystem services
The Place of Urban Food Forests in Cities of the 21st Century
No full textThe history of urban food forests (UFFs) dates back to ancient times, when civilizations incorporated edible species into wild forests to create an ecosystem as natural as and self-sufficient as possible. Since the second half of the 20th century, the practices of integrating edible plants into ornamental landscapes have spread throughout the world. Currently, UFFs must face a number of challenges similar to those encountered by urban forests: land tenure, governance, technical capacities, and pollution and global change issues, and must be addressed in order to identify the most suitable combination of productive, environmental, and socio-economic functions of UFF. The events on a global scale that occurred in the first decades of the 21st century are forcing those who live and work in urban environments to react quickly to address the upcoming challenges
Prenatal growth map of the mouse knee joint by means of deformable registration technique.
No full textJoint morphogenesis is the process during which distinct and functional joint shapes emerge during pre- and post-natal joint development. In this study, a repeatable semi-automatic protocol capable of providing a 3D realistic developmental map of the prenatal mouse knee joint was designed by combining Optical Projection Tomography imaging (OPT) and a deformable registration algorithm (Sheffield Image Registration toolkit, ShIRT). Eleven left limbs of healthy murine embryos were scanned with OPT (voxel size: 14.63μm) at two different stages of development: Theiler stage (TS) 23 (approximately 14.5 embryonic days) and 24 (approximately 15.5 embryonic days). One TS23 limb was used to evaluate the precision of the displacement predictions for this specific case. The remaining limbs were then used to estimate Developmental Tibia and Femur Maps. Acceptable uncertainties of the displacement predictions computed from repeated images were found for both epiphyses (between 1.3μm and 1.4μm for the proximal tibia and between 0.7μm and 1.0μm for the femur, along all directions). The protocol was found to be reproducible with maximum Modified Housdorff Distance (MHD) differences equal to 1.9 μm and 1.5 μm for the tibial and femoral epiphyses respectively. The effect of the initial shape of the rudiment affected the developmental maps with MHD of 21.7 μm and 21.9 μm for the tibial and femoral epiphyses respectively, which correspond to 1.4 and 1.5 times the voxel size. To conclude, this study proposes a repeatable semi-automatic protocol capable of providing mean 3D realistic developmental map of a developing rudiment allowing researchers to study how growth and adaptation are directed by biological and mechanobiological factors
LEMON-DERIVED EXTRACELLULAR VESICLES EXERT ANTI-INFLAMMATORY EFFECTS BY INHIBITING THE ERK/NF-KB PATHWAY
No full textnflammation can be the leading cause of several diseases, including cancer, diabetes, and ulcerative colitis; however, the existing anti-inflammatory drugs cause side effects.
For these reasons, it is necessary to find new supportive therapeutic agents. In recent years, plant-derived extracellular
vesicles (PDEVs) are gaining increasing interest in the scientific community as they have been found to possess a variety of
biological properties; among those, the anti-inflammatory
effects have been described by different groups that evaluated the effects of PDEVs in in vitro and in vivo models. We successfully isolated and characterized extracellular vesicles from
Citrus limon juice (LEVs) and we studied their anti-inflammatory properties on in vitro and ex-vivo models: murine
macrophages (RAW264.7) and immune cells isolated from
healthy donors. LEVs were isolated by differential centrifugation followed by a final ultracentrifugation step. Further, biophysical analyses confirmed the size and morphology of
LEVs. Also, through metabolomics analysis by means of HPLCESI-Q-ToF-MS, we characterized flavonoids, limonoids and
lipids contained in the LEVs. Comparing the vesicle content
with the total juice and LEVs-deprived juice, we observed an
enrichment in the lipid component for LEVs. We then tested the
toxicity of LEVs on target cells at different doses and time
points and we observed that LEVs did not affect RAW and primary immune cell growth. To assess the role of EVs on inflammatory stimuli, we pre-treated both cell types for 24h with
LEVs and subsequently stimulated them with LPS. Through RTPCR, ELISA and FACS analysis, we saw that the pre-treatment
with LEVs decreased the gene and protein expression levels of
the pro-inflammatory cytokines IL-6, IL-1β, and TNFα. Besides,
we observed a reduction in the gene expression of
prostaglandin COX-2, compared to LPS alone. Similarly, pretreatment with LEVs followed by stimulation with LPS in human monocytes, down-regulated TNFα levels compared to LPS
alone. Nuclear factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated
B cells (NF-kB) is a key pro-inflammatory pathway that can be
activated by the ERK 1/2 signalling cascade. By confocal
analysis and western blot, we observed that the pre-treatment
with LEVs reduced the nuclear translocation of NF-kB in RAW
stimulated with LPS as well as its phosphorylation. NF-kB modulation is associated with the decrease of ERK phosphorylation. In conclusion, LEVs showed promising anti-inflammatory
properties, both in vitro and ex vivo, by reducing the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines through the ERK/NF-kB
pathwa
Urban forest benefits in developing and industrializing countries
No full textWhen reflecting on the significance and potential of urban and peri-urban forests in
developing and industrializing countries, some questions immediately come to mind. Does
it make sense to speak of urban and peri-urban forestry (UPF) by marking differences among
countries? To what extent does the stage of economic development determine/influence the
way the potential benefits from urban and peri-urban forests are perceived and valued?
On the one hand, national and local policies, decentralization and technical expertise
and capacity at the different levels of government, influence the way in which each country
regulates the institutional relationships between the central authorities and municipal
government, particularly on the management of open spaces. On the other hand, the historical
and cultural heritage of a country as well as lifestyles, attitude to outdoor life, and spiritual
and religious views, deeply influence the way people perceive the benefits of urban trees and
forests, especially when comparing developed and developing/industrializing countries.
The range of needs and quality of life expectations in developing countries is much wider
than in developed ones, with some basic benefits (often overlooked in developed countries)
playing a key role for the livelihood of poor urban dwellers. Issues such as income, poverty,
unemployment, migration, access to sanitation or health services, access to and use of food
and energy resources, or access to education and capacity building opportunities deeply
influence the way in which local communities value and utilize urban and peri-urban forests.
This chapter highlights the special needs and requirements for the development of
UPF in developing countries. It identifies specific governance approaches to optimize the
contribution of urban and peri-urban forests to improved livelihoods, human health and
well-being. However, the reflections and indications that follow are not only relevant to
developing countries. Indeed, in many cities around the world, independently from their
stage of development, the divide between rich and poor shapes cities and heavily affects
livelihoods, public health, and quality of life.
In Manila, like in Naples or Baltimore and Bogota (e.g. Escobedo et al., 2015), the
gap in character of places, living conditions, and access to basic services between rich and
poor neighbourhoods can be as wide as the differences between developed and developing
countries, and different approaches may be needed to respond to the different needs
Anti‐inflammatory properties of lemon‐derived extracellular vesicles are achieved through the inhibition of ERK/NF‐κB signalling pathways
No full textChronic inflammation is associated with the occurrence of several diseases. However, the side effects of anti‐inflammatory drugs prompt the identification of new therapeutic strategies. Plant‐derived extracellular vesicles (PDEVs) are gaining increasing interest in the scientific community for their biological properties. We isolated PDEVs from the juice of Citrus limon L. (LEVs) and characterized their flavonoid, limonoid and lipid contents through reversed‐phase high‐performance liquid chromatography coupled to electrospray ionization quadrupole time‐of‐flight mass spectrometry (RP‐HPLC–ESI‐Q‐TOF‐MS). To investigate whether LEVs have a protective role on the inflammatory process, murine and primary human macrophages were pre‐treated with LEVs for 24 h and then were stimulated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS). We found that pre‐treatment with LEVs decreased gene and protein expression of pro‐inflammatory cytokines, such as IL‐6, IL1‐β and TNF‐α, and reduced the nuclear translocation and phosphorylation of NF‐κB in LPS‐stimulated murine macrophages. The inhibition of NF‐κB activation was associated with the reduction in ERK1‐2 phosphorylation. Furthermore, the ability of LEVs to decrease pro‐inflammatory cytokines and increase anti‐inflammatory molecules was confirmed ex vivo in human primary T lymphocytes. In conclusion, we demonstrated that LEVs exert anti‐inflammatory effects both in vitro and ex vivo by inhibiting the ERK1‐2/NF‐κB signalling pathway
Data used in the study "Prenatal growth map of the mouse knee joint by means of deformable registration technique"
No full textLink to the data used in:Giorgi, Sotiriou, Fanchini, Conigliaro, Bignardi, Nowlan, Dall’Ara (2018)Prenatal growth map of the mouse knee joint by mean of deformable registration technique. Plos One 2018.The shared
files within each subfolder are arranged as following:
"B02_..." includes the cropped images of the
joints for each anatomical site
"C01b_..." includes the result file of the
deformable registration
"C03_..." includes the results for the
Modified Hausdorff Distance (MDH)
"C04_..." includes the average of the differences of the displacements between control and average maps
"G_..." includes the scripts used to compute the results
For further information please contact the senior author at: [email protected] files are stored in the University of Sheffield file-store at the link:https://web-unidrive.sheffield.ac.uk/shared/multisim2/WP7/Mario_Giorgi/BioMouse/</div
The Gas Chromatographic Analysis of Alpha-Hydroxy Carboxylic Acids
No full textMost of the various methods for analysis of alpha-hydroxy acids are complex and time consuming. Furthermore a specific analytical method must be employed for a specific alpha-hydroxy acid. The aim in the work undertaken was to develop a gas chromatographic analytical method for alpha-hydroxy acids in general which could find widespread use an an alternative to the more complex methods. The author\u27s principal reason for choosing to work on this particular problem arose from a desire to do research in the fast expanding field of gas chromatography. The problem chosen was of special interest since it involved a novel application of gas chromatography, that is, analysis of a substance by running a reaction directly in the injection system of a gas chromatograph
Randomised clinical trial: mucosal protection combined with acid suppression in the treatment of non-erosive reflux disease - efficacy of Esoxx, a hyaluronic acid-chondroitin sulphate based bioadhesive formulation
No full textBACKGROUND:
Several studies have shown that patients with non-erosive reflux disease (NERD) are less responsive to proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) than those with erosive disease as they belong to different subgroups, in whom factors other than acid can trigger symptoms.
AIM:
To evaluate whether combined therapy (mucosal protection plus acid suppression) would improve symptom relief compared to PPI treatment alone.
METHODS:
In a multicenter, randomised, double-blind trial, 154 patients with NERD were randomised to receive Esoxx (Alfa Wassermann, Bologna, Italy), a hyaluronic acid-chondroitin sulphate based bioadhesive formulation, or placebo, in addition to acid suppression with standard dose PPIs for 2 weeks. Symptoms (heartburn, acid regurgitation, retrosternal pain and acid taste in the mouth) and health-related quality of life (HRQL) were evaluated before and after treatment. The primary endpoint was the proportion of patients with at least a 3-point reduction in the total symptom score.
RESULTS:
At the end of treatment, the primary endpoint was reached by 52.6% of patients taking Esoxx compared to 32.1% of those given placebo (P < 0.01). The same was true also for HRQL, evaluated by means of the Short Form-36 questionnaire, which improved with both treatments, but some items were significantly better after Esoxx plus PPI therapy.
CONCLUSION:
The synergistic effect of Essox with PPI treatment suggests that mucosal protection added to acid suppression could improve symptoms and HRQL in NERD patients
Adherence of Italian rheumatologists to the EULAR recommendations and outcomes in early rheumatoid arthritis patients after starting conventional DMARDs: Methotrexate in Italian patients wiTh Rheumatoid Arthritis (the MITRA study). A cohort study of the I
No full textObjectives: The aim of this study was to assess the real-life adherence of Italian rheumatologist to the 2013 EULAR recommendations and treatment outcome in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients who started a conventional synthetic disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drug (csDMARD). Methods: The MITRA study is an Italian multicentre observational cohort focused on treatment naïve RA patients with early diagnosis recruited in an 18-month period starting from 2015. The data related to treatment with csDMARDs during the following 12 months follow-up were presented in this paper. Results: Two-hundred and fifty-nine RA patients from MITRA cohort who had a follow-up visit and started a csDMARD were included in the prospective analysis. Methotrexate was started as first conventional DMARD in 224 (86.4%) patients. During the first year after starting conventional DMARDs, 175 (67.6%) RA patients reached the pre-specified target, which was DAS28 remission (<2.6) for 112 (43.2%) patients and LDA (<3.2) for 63 (24.3%) patients. Factors that negatively impacted the target achievement were fibromyalgia (HR: 0.2 [0.05-0.81]), HAQ-DI (HR: 0.72 [0.56-0.93]) and ESR (HR: 0.99 [0.99-1]). Globally, 33 (12.7%) patients started a biologic DMARD, while 61 out of 84 (72.6%) patients who had never reached the target remained on conventional DMARD. One-hundred and ninety-three adverse events (AEs) were recorded, the majority classified as mild (91 cases, 51%). Conclusions: A high proportion of RA patients achieved the target during the first-year follow-up. However, a considerable portion of RA patients did not start a biological drug although the target was never reached. AEs remain frequent with conventional DMARDs, but the majority were mild
