Antiproliferative effects of Ceratonia siliqua L. on mouse hepatocellular carcinoma cell line

Extracts from pods and leaves of carob (Ceratonia siliqua L.) were tested for their ability to inhibit cell proliferation of mouse hepatocellular carcinoma cell line (T1). The two extracts showed a marked alteration of T1 cell proliferation in a dose-related fashion reaching the maximal effect at 1 mg/ml. Moreover, we demonstrated that leaf and pod extracts were able to induce apoptosis in T1 cell lines after 24-h treatment mediating a direct activation of the caspase 3 pathway. HPLC analysis revealed the presence of gallic acid, epigallocatechin-3-gallate and (-) epi catechin - 3 -gallate in pod and leaf extracts, compounds well known to exert antiproliferative effects. Their concentration reached 6.28 mg/g in carob leaves and 1.36 mg/g in carob pods extract. The discovery that carob pod and leaf extracts contained antiproliferative agents could be of practical importance in the development of functional foods and/or chemopreventive drugs

Improved sexual behavior in male rats treated with a Chinese herbal extract: hormonal and neuronal implications

Aim: To investigate the influence of an extract obtained from five Chinese medicinal plants on sexual behavior ofadult male rats. Methods: The extract was administered at doses of 30, 60 and 120 mg/kg by oral gavage, acutely (onetime, 45 min before mating test) or subchronically (daily for 10 days) in sexually potent and sexually sluggish/impotentrats. Sexual behavior, serum levels of luteinizing hormone (LH) and testosterone (T) were evaluated in treatedrats and compared with controls receiving vehicle. The effect of the extract on central dopaminergic neurotransmissionwas assessed in the nucleus accumbens using a microdialysis technique. Results: In sexually potent rats, bothacute and subchronic treatment with the extract dosed at 30 and 60 mg/kg reduced mount latency and intromissionlatency. In sluggish/impotent rats, the acutely administered extract at the dose of 60 mg/kg shortened ejaculationlatency, whereas subchronically administered at the doses of 30 and 60 mg/kg, reduced mount, intromission andejaculation latencies, increasing also the percentage of mounting and ejaculating rats. The extract dosed at 60 mg/kgsignificantly increased LH and T following acute and subchronic administration and increased 3,4-dihydroxyphenylaceticacid levels in the nucleus accumbens, 30 min after the acute administration. Conclusion: The improvement in bothappetitive and consummatory components of sexual behavior observed in male rats treated with the extract could beascribed to increased serum T level in parallel with the activation of the central dopaminergic system

Refined Rigid Block Model for In-Plane Loaded Masonry

In this work, a refined rigid block model is proposed for studying the in-plane behavior of regular masonry. The rigid block model is based on an existing discrete/rigid model with rigid blocks and elastoplastic interfaces that already proven its effectiveness in representing masonry behavior in linear and nonlinear fields. In this case, the proposed model is improved by assuming rigid quadrilateral elements connected by one-dimensional nonlinear interfaces, which are adopted both to represent mortar (or dry) joints between the blocks and also to represent inner potential cracks into the blocks. Furthermore, the softening behavior of interfaces in tension and shear is taken into account. Several numerical tests are performed by considering masonry panels with regular texture subjected to compression and shear. Particular attention is given to the collapse mechanisms and the pushover curves obtained numerically and compared with existing numerical and laboratory results. Furthermore, the numerical tests aim to evaluate the applicability limits of the proposed model with respect to existing results

The Painted Silk Panels of Palazzo Barberini at Rome. The Scientific Investigation and Preservation Challenge

AbstractThis paper reports the study carried out on the 18th century painted silk panels that cover the walls of the so called Salotto delle sete dipinte in Palazzo Barberini at Rome on the occasion of the conservation work started in 2007. Microscope and spectroscopy investigations were performed in order to study the materials and the realization techniques of the painted silk panels and to evaluate the conservation conditions. Moreover ageing tests were performed in order to evaluate the stability of the consolidant/protective product used for the silk panels

Refined Rigid Block Model for In-Plane Loaded Masonry

In this work, a refined rigid block model is proposed for studying the in-plane behavior of regular masonry. The rigid block model is based on an existing discrete/rigid model with rigid blocks and elastoplastic interfaces that already proven its effectiveness in representing masonry behavior in linear and nonlinear fields. In this case, the proposed model is improved by assuming rigid quadrilateral elements connected by one-dimensional nonlinear interfaces, which are adopted both to represent mortar (or dry) joints between the blocks and also to represent inner potential cracks into the blocks. Furthermore, the softening behavior of interfaces in tension and shear is taken into account. Several numerical tests are performed by considering masonry panels with regular texture subjected to compression and shear. Particular attention is given to the collapse mechanisms and the pushover curves obtained numerically and compared with existing numerical and laboratory results. Furthermore, the numerical tests aim to evaluate the applicability limits of the proposed model with respect to existing results

Reverse causality in the R&D – patents relationship: an interpretation of the innovation persistence

Starting from the failure of the R&D-patents traditional relationship, when time-series and/or within industry dimensions are included in the empirical analysis, the present work tries to contribute to the empirical literature in two directions. Firstly, it perform a Granger causality test on the theoretical presumption of a reverse patents→R&D link as an explanation of the failure of the traditional relationship. Second, assuming the reverse patents-R&D causality, we test and interpret the lag structure of such a relationship as showing the effective patent life which firms expect in the two Schumpeterian patterns of innovations they belong to. To the light of the effective patent life, we offer a further explanation of innovation persistence which overturns the findings of the existing literature on persistence

Reverse causality in the R&D – patents relationship: an interpretation of the innovation persistence

Starting from the failure of the R&D-patents traditional relationship, when time-series and/or within industry dimensions are included in the empirical analysis, the present work tries to contribute to the empirical literature in two directions. Firstly, it perform a Granger causality test on the theoretical presumption of a reverse patents→R&D link as an explanation of the failure of the traditional relationship. Second, assuming the reverse patents-R&D causality, we test and interpret the lag structure of such a relationship as showing the effective patent life which firms expect in the two Schumpeterian patterns of innovations they belong to. To the light of the effective patent life, we offer a further explanation of innovation persistence which overturns the findings of the existing literature on persistence

Fighting crime for improved recycling: evaluating an anti-mafia policy on source separation of waste.

It is well documented that organized crime heavily affects the waste management system. This paper focuses on examining the impact of Law 164/1991, one of Italy’s most stringent measures against organized crime. The law, designed to counteract suspected mafia infiltration by mandating the dissolution of city councils, is investigated for its role in reinstating a more efficient waste management system. This involves an increase in selective waste collection for recycling purposes. We exploit the staggered enforcement of Law 164/1991 to show that both the percentage and the per-capita tonnes in selective waste collection, measured for municipalities in Apulia, Calabria, Campania and Sicily, increase sharply starting from the first election after compulsory administration in dissolved municipalities compared to the control group of those never dissolved; the average treatment effect of the anti-mafia policy is measured in a 5 percentage points and 17.5 Kg increase in the percentage and in per-capita tonnes of selective waste collection, respectively. This outcome is influenced by the city council dismissal, as it severs the connections between organized crime and local politicians. The resulting refreshed pool of elected officials, characterized by lower levels of corruption, then implements policies that are unfavorable to organized crime. This leads to a more effective allocation of public funds in sectors specifically targeted by organized crime, such as waste management