102 research outputs found
Futuro del SSN, crisi dell’universalismo, ruolo del Terzo settore: un dialogo
No full textIl capitolo si sviluppa sotto forma di dialogo attorno ai grandi nodi del Servizio sanitario nazionale, coinvolgendo alcune voci particolarmente autorevoli nel dibattito pubblico del nostro Paese
Time-resolved quantification of plasma accumulation induced by multi-pulse laser ablation using self-mixing interferometry
Get PDFIn this work a method based on self-mixing interferometry (SMI) is presented for probing the concentration of plasma plumes induced by multi-pulse laser ablation. An analytical model is developed to interpret the single-arm interferometric signal in terms of plasma electron number density. Its time dependence follows a power-law scaling which is determined by concurrent effects of plume accumulation and propagation. The model has been applied for the experimental study of plume formation at variable laser pulse frequencies on different materials. The plume expansion dynamics has been observed with high-speed imaging, and the SMI measurements allowed for a time-resolved estimation of the electron number density. The intrinsic advantages of the SMI technique in terms of robustness and low intrusiveness would allow for its usage as a fast diagnostic tool for the dynamical scaling of laser-induced plumes. Moreover it can be easily applied in laser-based manufacturing technologies where plasma concentration monitoring and control is important
Como interpretar os intérpretes. Os dois Brasis de Silviano Santiago
No full textAttraverso l'analisi dell'introduzione ai tre volumi che compongono la serie degli Intérpretes do Brasil (2000), l'articolo intende studiare la metodologia con la quale Silviano Santiago cerca di leggere i modi e le forme in cui gli intellettuali brasiliani, a partire dal periodo finale dell'Ottocento, hanno tentato di decifrare la formazione della società nazionale, indicando le mancanze e i guasti di un percorso storico segnato dall'adozione di costumi, istituzioni e ideologie "fuori luogo".Through the analysis of the introduction to the three volumes composing the series entitled Intérpretes do Brasil (2000), this essay studies the methodology underlying Silviano Santiago's reading of the modes and forms in which Brazilian intellectuals, since the end of the nineteenth century, have tried to interpret the formation of their national society. The author points out the failures of a historical course marked by the adoption of "out of place" customs, institutions and ideologies
La parola situata. José de Anchieta tra acculturazione e transculturazione
No full textLe opere, sia teatrali che liriche, composte da Padre José de Anchieta in terra brasiliana mostrano, nel loro carattere plurilingue, un'attenzione al contesto antropico e naturale che le rende un documento fondamentale per intendere i rapporti, sia di accettazione che di rifiuto, della cultura europea nei confronti delle culture indigene. L'autore, in effetti, sembra oscillare tra l'impegno catechetico (e di accettazione dell'altro) e la volontà di imporre canoni religiosi e rituali che cancellino l'apparente ateismo delle popolazioni indigene, Il misticismo presente nei suoi testi appare sempre venato dall'inquietudine derivante dalla situazione reale nella quale egli si trova ad operare
MobMeter: a global human mobility data set based on smartphone trajectories
No full textThe data set provides estimates of country-level daily mobility metrics (uncertainty included) for 17 countries from March 11, 2020 to present. Estimates are based on more than 3.8 million smartphone trajectories.
Metrics:
Estimated daily average travelled distance by people.
Estimated percentage of people who did not move during the 24 hours of the day.
Countries: Argentina (ARG), Chile (CHL), Colombia (COL), Costa Rica (CRI), Ecuador (ECU), Greece (GRC), Guatemala (GTM), Italy (ITA), Mexico (MEX), Nicaragua (NIC), Panama (PAN), Peru (PER), Philippines (PHL), Slovenia (SVN), Turkey (TUR), United States (USA) and Venezuela (VEN).
Covered period: from March 11, 2020 to present.
Temporal resolution: daily.
Temporal smoothing:
No smoothing.
7-day moving average.
14-day moving average.
21-day moving average.
28-day moving average.
Uncertainty: 95% bootstrap confidence interval.
Data ownership
Anonymized data on smartphone trajectories are collected, owned and managed by Futura Innovation SRL. Smartphone trajectories are stored and analyzed on servers owned by Futura Innovation SRL and not shared with third parties, including the author of this repository and his organization (University of Bergamo).
Contribution
Ilaria Cremonesi of Futura Innovation SRL is the data owner and data manager.
Francesco Finazzi of University of Bergamo developed the statistical methodology for the data analysis and the algorithms implemented on Futura Innovation SRL servers
Selective laser melting of NiTi stents with open-cell and variable diameter
Get PDFThis work investigates the processing of NiTi open-cell peripheral stents with variable diameter by SLM and consecutive heat treatments. The production of open-cell designs via SLM requires dedicated processing strategies to avoid the use of support structures with comparable dimensions to the stent struts. Process parameters were studied using an SLM system operating with pulsed wave emission to assess the geometrical fidelity and the density of thin struts. The novel stent mesh was designed and produced employing gaps with unmelted powder between the consecutive cells along the build direction. Solution annealing and stress relieving treatments were assessed after SLM. The results show that regular struts with high density (>99.5%) with an austenitic transformation finish below the room temperature can be achieved with SLM and dedicated heat treatment
Evidence for the intracellular accumulation of anandamide in adiposomes
No full textAnandamide is a lipid messenger that carries out a wide variety of biological functions. It has been suggested that anandamide accumulation involves binding to a saturable cellular component. To identify the structure(s) involved in this process, we analyzed the intracellular distribution of both biotinylated and radiolabeled anandamide, providing direct evidence that lipid droplets, also known as adiposomes, constitute a dynamic reservoir for the sequestration of anandamide. In addition, confocal microscopy and biochemical studies revealed that the anandamide-hydrolase is also spatially associated with lipid droplets, and that cells with a larger adiposome compartment have an enhanced catabolism of anandamide. Overall, these findings suggest that adiposomes may have a critical role in accumulating anandamide, possibly by connecting plasma membrane to internal organelles along the metabolic route of this endocannabinoid
Characterization of biotin-anandamide, a novel tool for the visualization of anandamide accumulation
No full textAnandamide (N-arachidonoylethanolamide; AEA) acts as an endogenous agonist of both cannabinoid and vanilloid receptors. During the last two decades, its metabolic pathways and biological activity have been investigated extensively and relatively well characterized. In contrast, at present, the effective nature and mechanism of AEA transport remain controversial and still unsolved issues. Here, we report the characterization of a biotinylated analog of AEA (b-AEA) that has the same lipophilicity of the parent compound. In addition, by means of biochemical assays and fluorescence microscopy, we show that b-AEA is accumulated inside the cells in a way superimposable on that of AEA. Conversely, b-AEA does not interact or interfere with the other components of the endocannabinoid system, such as type-1 and type-2 cannabinoid receptors, vanilloid receptor, AEA synthetase (N-acylphosphatidylethanolamine-hydrolyzing phospholipase D), or AEA hydrolase (fatty acid amide hydrolase). Together, our data suggest that b-AEA could be a very useful probe for visualizing the accumulation and intracellular distribution of this endocannabinoid
Molecular Identification of Albumin and Hsp70 as Cytosolic Anandamide-Binding Proteins
No full textThe cellular uptake and the intracellular synthesis/degradation of anandamide are crucial steps for controlling its extracellular level and the duration of its activity. Although the biosynthesis and breakdown of anandamide are well understood, little is known about the mechanisms underlying its intracellular transport. Here, we investigated the presence of a potential carrier-mediated trafficking of anandamide within the cytosol, using a biotinylated analog as a tool to catch by affinity chromatography anandamide-interacting proteins. The identity of two of these anandamide-binding proteins, Hsp70 and serum albumin, was determined by mass spectrometry, confirmed by western blotting and confocal microscopy, and further validated through an anandamide-binding assay. These findings suggest that the trafficking of anandamide from the plasma membrane to the internal compartments of a cell occur via a non-vesicular mechanism mediated by cytosolic carriers
Biotin-anandamide: a new tool to visualize anandamide inside the cells
Get PDFL’endocannabinoide anandamide è un lipide neuromodulatorio non carico che è inattivato grazie al suo assorbimento cellulare e successivo catabolismo. Mentre la biosintesi e la degradazione dell’anandamide sono state chiarite in dettaglio, il meccanismo attraverso cui essa entra all’interno della cellula rimane ancora non chiaro. Vi è un generale accordo solo sul fatto che il movimento dell’anandamide attraverso la membrana plasmatica è rapido, ha una cinetica di saturazione ed è temperatura dipendente. Mentre molti sono gli studi che descrivono un assorbimento mediato da uno specifico trasportatore di questo endocannabinoide, solo pochi lavori hanno proposto che il trasporto avvenga attraverso semplice diffusione passiva o attraverso endocitosi mediata da caveolae/lipid rafts. L’unica cosa certa però ad oggi è che, la mancanza del clonaggio e dell’espressione di questa ipotetica proteina trasportatrice, ha impedito lo sviluppo di strumenti molecolari che potrebbero dare una definitiva risposta della reale presenza di un trasportatore sulla superficie cellulare. Allo stesso tempo, non sono ancora stati messi a punto analoghi dell’anandamide che ci consentano di visualizzare i suoi movimenti attraverso la membrana plasmatica e di conseguenza il suo destino all’interno della cellula.
Il nostro gruppo ha sintetizzato e caratterizzato un analogo dell’anandamide (b-AEA) che possiede la stessa lipofilia del composto madre. Abbiamo usato metodi biochimici e di microscopia impiegando la b-AEA come strumento per visualizzare l’accumulo, la distribuzione ed i movimenti intracellulari dell’anandamide.
Abbiamo scelto di modificare la testa polare della molecola poiché questo cambiamento strutturale non influenza la cinetica del trasporto. I nostri studi ci hanno consentito di chiarire la presenza di strutture intracellulari dette adiposomi, che possono accumulare anandamide e che potrebbero essere coinvolti nel suo trasporto verso la FAAH. Usando la nostra molecola biotinilata abbiamo inoltre identificato due proteine citosoliche, l’albumina e la Hsp70.2, come potenziali trasportatori che legano l’anandamide e che potrebbero formare un sistema di trasporto in grado di consentire, in modo veloce ed efficiente, il movimento dell’anandamide all’interno della cellula.The endocannabinoid anandamide is an uncharged neuromodulatory lipid that is inactivated through its cellular uptake and subsequent catabolism. While the biosynthesis and degradation of AEA have been clarified in considerable detail, the mechanism of AEA uptake has remained elusive. There is a general consensus only on the fact that AEA movement through the plasma membrane is rapid, saturable, temperature-dependent. While many studies describe a transporter-mediated uptake of AEA via a selective “anandamide membrane transporter”, only a few papers proposed that the transport occurs by simple diffusion or endocytosis via caveolae/lipid rafts. As a matter of fact, the lack of cloning and expression of the purported transporter protein has prevented the development of molecular tools which could give definitive proof of the presence of a true transporter on the cell surface. In the same line, AEA analogs able to visualize AEA movement across the plasma membrane and its subsequent fate within the cell, are still missing.
We synthesized and characterized a biotinylated analog of AEA (biotin-AEA) that has the same lipophilicity of the parent compound. We used biochemical assays and fluorescence microscopy employing b-AEA as a tool to visualize accumulation, intracellular distribution and trafficking of AEA inside the cells. We chose to modify the polar head of AEA because this structural change does not influence the kinetics of AEA uptake. Our studies led us to clarify the presence of molecular structures, the adiposomes, as a way to accumulate AEA and that could be involved in its delivery to FAAH. Using our biotinylated probe, we also identified two cytosolic proteins (albumin and Hsp70.2) as potential AEA-binding carriers which might form a delivery system to rapidly and efficiently assist the intracellular trafficking of AEA
- …
