104 research outputs found
La presidenza Nixon e le origini delle Global Value Chains. Una proposta interpretativa
No full textAnche se il concetto delle Catene globali del valore (GVCs) è stato definito nel corso degli anni
Ottanta, può essere utile ricostruire le origini storiche di questo fenomeno, identificando le politiche che vennero definite e sostenute per promuoverlo, nonché gli effetti che queste ebbero sull’evoluzione del sistema internazionale. Assolutamente fondamentale, per quest’analisi, è il ruolo degli Stati Uniti d’America, non solo perché unica potenza globale,
ma anche perché l’idea di dividere la produzione in una serie di sottosistemi può essere spiegata con le strategie varate da alcune amministrazioni americane per contenere la crisi manifatturiera vissuta dal Paese e il crescente deficit della sua bilancia commerciale. Le importanti iniziative politiche ed economiche varate nel corso della presidenza Nixon, a partire dal 1971, per fronteggiare una difficile situazione economica interna, ebbero infatti un impatto rilevante sul sistema internazionale, in una fase storica in cui Washington doveva contrastare teorie e proposte ispirate da modelli non funzionali al capitalismo e al liberalismo di stampo occidentale. Questo saggio vuole dimostrare come queste politiche possano essere considerate alle origini dell’attuale modello basato sulle GVCs, oggi elemento fondamentale dell’ordine neoliberista su cui è strutturato il sistema economico globale
Understanding Mechanisms of RKIP Regulation to Improve the Development of New Diagnostic Tools
No full textOne of the most dangerous aspects of cancer cell biology is their ability to grow, spread and form metastases in the main vital organs. The identification of dysregulated markers that drive intracellular signalling involved in the malignant transformation of neoplastic cells and the understanding of the mechanisms that regulate these processes is undoubtedly a key objective for the development of new and more targeted therapies. RAF-kinase inhibitor protein (RKIP) is an endogenous tumour suppressor protein that affects tumour cell survival, proliferation, and metastasis. RKIP might serve as an early tumour biomarker since it exhibits significantly different expression levels in various cancer histologies and it is often lost during metastatic progression. In this review, we discuss the specific impact of transcriptional, post-transcriptional and post-translational regulation of expression and activation/inhibition of RKIP and focus on those tumours for which experimental data on all these factors are available. In this way, we could select how these processes cooperate with RKIP expression in (1) Lung cancer; (2) Colon cancer, (3) Breast cancer; (4) myeloid neoplasm and Multiple Myeloma, (5) Melanoma and (6) clear cell Renal Cell Carcinoma. Furthermore, since RKIP seems to be a key marker of the development of several tumours and it may be assessed easily in various biological fluids, here we discuss the potential role of RKIP dosing in more accessible biological matrices other than tissues. Moreover, this objective may intercept the still unmet need to identify new and more accurate markers for the early diagnosis and prognosis of many tumours
Good Subjective Outcomes, Stable Knee and High Return to Sport after Tibial Eminence Avulsion Fracture in Children
No full textAvulsion fracture of the tibial spine (TSA) is uncommon in children, although its incidence is increasing with the earlier practice of competitive sport activities. This study aims to report mid to long term outcomes in children who sustained a TSA, with a special focus on a return to sport activities. Skeletally immature patients with a TSA, treated in two orthopedic hospitals, were evaluated for range of motion and knee laxity using KT1000, KiRA and Rolimeter. The pediatric International Knee Documentation Committee score (Pedi-IKDC) and the Hospital for Special Surgery pediatric Functional Activity Brief Scale (Pedi-FABS) questionnaires were recorded during the latest visit. Forty-two children were included. Twenty-six were treated nonoperatively and 16 underwent surgery. At a mean follow-up of 6.9 +/- 3.6 years, 36 patients completed the questionnaires and 23 patients were tested with arthrometers. Among them, 96% had normal knee laxity. The Pedi-IKDC score averaged 96.4 +/- 5.7 points, while the mean Pedi-FABS was 22.2 +/- 5.9 points, without statistically significant differences between groups. Twenty-eight patients (78%) returned to their previous level of sport activity (eight amateur, 13 competitive, seven elite athletes). Eight patients (22%) quit sport, mostly because of re-injury fear. If properly treated, pediatric TSAs achieve a high rate of successful healing, with complete restoration of knee stability and an early return to sport activities
ROCKY FORUM | The De-Italianization of Rocky Balboa: The Italian Stallion's Path to Becoming an American Hero
No full textAuthor: Juan Rodríguez Santos University of Alcalá Download PDF version If you polled Americans to identify which character in all cinema best represents American values, it is quite likely that many would choose Rocky Balboa (Sylvester Stallone). Without a doubt, the image of Rocky fighting with the colors of the American flag and defeating the Soviet boxer Ivan Drago (Dolph Lundgren) is already a Hollywood icon. In Rocky Road: The Hero's Journey of Rocky Balboa Through the “Rocky” Ant..
La Fetuina A è ridotta nel siero e nelle urine dei pazienti affetti da nefro-urolitiasi ricorrente
No full textLa riduzione dei livelli sierici di BAFF e APRIL si associa alla negativizzazione degli anticorpi anti-recettore della fosfolipasi A2 (PLA2R) nei pazienti affetti da glomerulonefrite membranosa idiopatica (iMN)
No full text
Hypoxic State of Cells and Immunosenescence: A Focus on the Role of the HIF Signaling Pathway
No full textHypoxia activates hypoxia-related signaling pathways controlled by hypoxia-inducible factors (HIFs). HIFs represent a quick and effective detection system involved in the cellular response to insufficient oxygen concentration. Activation of HIF signaling pathways is involved in improving the oxygen supply, promoting cell survival through anaerobic ATP generation, and adapting energy metabolism to meet cell demands. Hypoxia can also contribute to the development of the aging process, leading to aging-related degenerative diseases; among these, the aging of the immune system under hypoxic conditions can play a role in many different immune-mediated diseases. Thus, in this review we aim to discuss the role of HIF signaling pathways following cellular hypoxia and their effects on the mechanisms driving immune system senescence
TLR-4 Signaling in Pericytes
No full textIntroduction
Pericytes are cells with intriguing properties that have only recently attracted the
attention of numerous researchers. In the past years, their function was mainly associated
with microvascular homeostasis, angiogenesis and maintenance of bloodtissue
barriers. Recently, several studies suggest that pericytes play a predominant
role in acute as well as chronic diseases contributing to damage or tissue repair in
an organ specific manner. Given their role in inflammatory and fibrotic context, the
activation of pericyte Toll like Receptor-4 (TLR-4) signaling was suggested as a
powerful molecular mechanism of pericytes activation and dysfunction. Here we
review emerging works regarding the involvement of the TLR-4 signaling in pericytes
activation both in healthy and pathological conditions.
Methods
For the selection of literature cited we used MEDLINE/Pubmed database and in particular
the MESH vocabulary. The keywords used in the MEDLINE research were:
pericytes; TLR-4 signaling; MyD88 pathway, mesenchymal stem cells; pericyte to
myofibroblast transition (PMT); endotoxin; LPS and LPS-Binding protein (LBP).
Results
Brain and lung pericytes are sensitive to microbial or non-microbial injury by
TLR-4 signaling and exhibit non-professional Antigen-Presenting Cell (APC) characteristics
suggesting a prominent role in immunosurveillance. Moreover, renal pericytes activate fibrogenesis via the TLR-4 and MyD88-dependent mechanism.
TLR-4 signaling has been reported to be pivotal in various pathological conditions,
including cardiovascular diseases, neuronal degeneration and correlated disorders,
sepsis, lung and renal diseases.
Conclusions
There is an urgent need for exploring TLR-4 signaling in different pericyte populations
in order to develop new therapeutic approaches trying to modulate their behavior
in pathological conditions
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