The problem of identity in architecture towards globalization: the experience of the house in Moledo by Eduardo Souto Moura

Globalization creates cultural comes-and-goes around the world, promoting transitory, ephemeral and floating identities that we may call “hybrid identities”, which become the major characteristic of our contemporary world. So how do we deal with the huge pressure of worldwide architectural context whilst preserving our own character? What can we do to claim the diversity of architectural culture and the maintenance of local traditions? What methodological tools are available to avoid the alienation of nowadays’ architects from their traditions for the sake of genuine architecture? By analyzing the House in Moledo we’ll reflect on the identity of Portuguese traditional architecture and the way Souto Moura faces this topic. The houses he designs are the result of a long and arduous process of analysis, refinement and decision. It can be interpreted as a set of variations on a theme, like Mies van der Rohe did, resulting in a simplicity that isn’t easy to achieve. By observing the evolution of his research, it seems obvious that it comes down to a kind of pattern that reveals a specific typology. But what does it have to do with local architecture? In this house, six tons of stone were used in blind side walls, erected with irregular blocks of granite anchored in dry, supporting the place’s high demanding along a vast expanse of a steep hillside overlooking the Atlantic coastline through its terraced agricultural banks. By sustaining an outcropping of rock in the back of the house as an extra visual reaffirming, plus the link between the environment and the interior of the house, he praises the masonry work as the main value of its architecture. But is this enough to define it as Portuguese architecture? Through this experience, which achieved a harmonic architectural balance and its worldwide recognition as a farsighted case-study, we intend to reflect on the direct effects globalization induces on the local cultural identity, and the challenges we’re facing.This work has the financial support of the Project Lab2PT - Landscapes, Heritage and Territory laboratory - AUR/04509 and FCT through national funds and when applicable of the FEDER co-financing, in the aim of the new partnership agreement PT2020 and COMPETE2020 - POCI 01 0145 FEDER 007528.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Evaluation of the multifunctional dipeptidyl-peptidase IV and angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitory properties of a casein hydrolysate using cell-free and cell-based assays

The objective of the study was the evaluation of the potential pleiotropic effect of a commercial casein hydrolysate (CH). After an analysis of the composition, the BIOPEP-UWM database suggested that these peptides contained numerous sequences with potential inhibitory activities on angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) and dipeptidyl-peptidase IV (DPP-IV). The anti-diabetic and anti-hypertensive effects of these peptides were thus assessed using either cell-free or cell-based assays. In the cell-free system, CH displayed inhibitory properties against DPP-IV (IC50 value equal to 0.38 ± 0.01 mg/mL) and ACE (IC50 value equal to 0.39 ± 0.01 mg/mL). Further, CH reduced the DPP-IV and ACE activities expressed by human intestinal Caco-2 cells by 61.10 ± 1.70% and 76.90 ± 4.47%, respectively, versus untreated cells, after 6 h of treatment at the concentration of 5 mg/mL. This first demonstration of the multifunctional behavior of this material suggests that it may become an anti-diabetic and/or anti-hypertensive ingredient to be included in the formulation of different functional food or nutraceutics

Chemical and biological characterization of the DPP-IV inhibitory activity exerted by lupin (Lupinus angustifolius) peptides: From the bench to the bedside investigation

10 Páginas.-- 5 Figuras.-- 1 TablaDipeptidyl peptidase IV (DPP-IV) is considered a key target for the diabetes treatment, since it is involved in glucose metabolism. Although lupin protein consumption shown hypoglycemic activity, there is no evidence of its effect on DPP-IV activity. This study demonstrates that a lupin protein hydrolysate (LPH), obtained by hydrolysis with Alcalase, exerts anti-diabetic activity by modulating DPP-IV activity. In fact, LPH decreased DPP-IV activity in a cell-free and cell-based system. Contextually, Caco-2 cells were employed to identify LPH peptides that can be intestinally trans-epithelial transported. Notably, 141 different intestinally transported LPH sequences were identified using nano- and ultra-chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry. Hence, it was demonstrated that LPH modulated the glycemic response and the glucose concentration in mice, by inhibiting the DPP-IV. Finally, a beverage containing 1 g of LPH decreased DPP-IV activity and glucose levels in humans.Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad, Gobierno de España [AGL2012-40247-C02-01 and AGL2012-40247-C02-02]. Consejería de Salud [PC-0111-2016-0111], and the PAIDI Program [CTS160] from Junta de Andalucía. I.C.-C. was supported by Ministerio de Educación, Cultura y Deporte, Gobierno de España [FPU13/01210], by the Universidad de Sevilla [VIPPIT-2020-II.4], and by a postdoctoral fellowship from the Consejería de Transformación Económica, Industria, Conocimiento y Universidades, Junta de Andalucía [DOC_00587/2020]. G.S.-S. was supported by Ministerio de Educación, Cultura y Deporte, Gobierno de España [FPU16/02339], and by an Erasmus+ Mobility Programme.Peer reviewe

A Lupinus angustifolius protein hydrolysate exerts hypocholesterolemic effects in Western diet-fed ApoE-/- mice through the modulation of LDLR and PCSK9 pathways

6 Figuras.-- 2 TablasLupin protein hydrolysates (LPHs) are gaining attention in the food and nutraceutical industries due to their several beneficial health effects. Recently, we have shown that LPH treatment reduces liver cholesterol and triglyceride levels in hypercholesterolemic mice. The aim of this study was to elucidate the effects of LPH treatment on the molecular mechanism underlying liver cholesterol metabolism in ApoE-/- mice fed the Western diet. After identifying the composition of the peptide within the LPH mixture and determining its ability to reduce HMGCoAR activity in vitro, its effect on the LDLR and PCSK9 pathways was measured in liver tissue from the same mice. Thus, the LPH reduced the protein levels of HMGCoAR and increased the phosphorylated inactive form of HMGCoAR and the pHMGCoAR/HMGCoAR ratio, which led to the deactivation of de novo cholesterol synthesis. Furthermore, the LPH decreased the protein levels of SREBP2, a key upstream transcription factor involved in the expression of HMGCoAR and LDLR. Consequently, LDLR protein levels decreased in the liver of LPH-treated animals. Interestingly, the LPH also increased the protein levels of pAMPK responsible for HMGCoAR phosphorylation. Furthermore, the LPH controlled the PSCK9 signal pathway by decreasing its transcription factor, the HNF1-α protein. Consequently, lower PSCK9 protein levels were found in the liver of LPH-treated mice. This is the first study elucidating the molecular mechanism at the basis of the hypocholesterolemic effects exerted by the LPH in an in vivo model. All these findings point out LPHs as a future lipid-lowering ingredient to develop new functional foods.This research was funded by the Andalusian Government Ministry of Health (PC-0111-2016-0111), and the PAIDI Program from the Andalusian Government (CTS160). I. C.-C. was supported by the VI Program of Inner Initiative for Research and Transfer of University of Seville (VIPPIT-2020-II.4) and a postdoctoral fellowship from the Andalusian Government Ministry of Economy, Knowledge, Business, and University (DOC_00587/2020). G. S.-S. was supported by a FPU grant from the Spanish Ministerio de Educación, Cultura y Deporte (FPU16/02339), and by an Erasmus+ Mobility Programme. The authors gratefully acknowledge the Carlo Sirtori Foundation (Milan, Italy) for having provided part of the equipment used in this experimentation. We thank all the staff from the Instituto de Biomedicina de Sevilla (IBiS) Animal Facility for their valuable assistance.Peer reviewe

State of the art of 18F-FDG PET/CT application in inflammation and infection: a guide for image acquisition and interpretation

Aim The diagnosis, severity and extent of a sterile inflammation or a septic infection could be challenging since there is not one single test able to achieve an accurate diagnosis. The clinical use of 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose ([F-18]FDG) positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) imaging in the assessment of inflammation and infection is increasing worldwide. The purpose of this paper is to achieve an Italian consensus document on [F-18]FDG PET/CT or PET/MRI in inflammatory and infectious diseases, such as osteomyelitis (OM), prosthetic joint infections (PJI), infective endocarditis (IE), prosthetic valve endocarditis (PVE), cardiac implantable electronic device infections (CIEDI), systemic and cardiac sarcoidosis (SS/CS), diabetic foot (DF), fungal infections (FI), tuberculosis (TBC), fever and inflammation of unknown origin (FUO/IUO), pediatric infections (PI), inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD), spine infections (SI), vascular graft infections (VGI), large vessel vasculitis (LVV), retroperitoneal fibrosis (RF) and COVID-19 infections. Methods In September 2020, the inflammatory and infectious diseases focus group (IIFG) of the Italian Association of Nuclear Medicine (AIMN) proposed to realize a procedural paper about the clinical applications of [F-18]FDG PET/CT or PET/MRI in inflammatory and infectious diseases. The project was carried out thanks to the collaboration of 13 Italian nuclear medicine centers, with a consolidate experience in this field. With the endorsement of AIMN, IIFG contacted each center, and the pediatric diseases focus group (PDFC). IIFG provided for each team involved, a draft with essential information regarding the execution of [F-18]FDG PET/CT or PET/MRI scan (i.e., indications, patient preparation, standard or specific acquisition modalities, interpretation criteria, reporting methods, pitfalls and artifacts), by limiting the literature research to the last 20 years. Moreover, some clinical cases were required from each center, to underline the teaching points. Time for the collection of each report was from October to December 2020. Results Overall, we summarized 291 scientific papers and guidelines published between 1998 and 2021. Papers were divided in several sub-topics and summarized in the following paragraphs: clinical indications, image interpretation criteria, future perspectivess and new trends (for each single disease), while patient preparation, image acquisition, possible pitfalls and reporting modalities were described afterwards. Moreover, a specific section was dedicated to pediatric and PET/MRI indications. A collection of images was described for each indication. Conclusions Currently, [F-18]FDG PET/CT in oncology is globally accepted and standardized in main diagnostic algorithms for neoplasms. In recent years, the ever-closer collaboration among different European associations has tried to overcome the absence of a standardization also in the field of inflammation and infections. The collaboration of several nuclear medicine centers with a long experience in this field, as well as among different AIMN focus groups represents a further attempt in this direction. We hope that this document will be the basis for a "common nuclear physicians' language" throughout all the country

Pathogenetics of alveolar capillary dysplasia with misalignment of pulmonary veins.

Alveolar capillary dysplasia with misalignment of pulmonary veins (ACDMPV) is a lethal lung developmental disorder caused by heterozygous point mutations or genomic deletion copy-number variants (CNVs) of FOXF1 or its upstream enhancer involving fetal lung-expressed long noncoding RNA genes LINC01081 and LINC01082. Using custom-designed array comparative genomic hybridization, Sanger sequencing, whole exome sequencing (WES), and bioinformatic analyses, we studied 22 new unrelated families (20 postnatal and two prenatal) with clinically diagnosed ACDMPV. We describe novel deletion CNVs at the FOXF1 locus in 13 unrelated ACDMPV patients. Together with the previously reported cases, all 31 genomic deletions in 16q24.1, pathogenic for ACDMPV, for which parental origin was determined, arose de novo with 30 of them occurring on the maternally inherited chromosome 16, strongly implicating genomic imprinting of the FOXF1 locus in human lungs. Surprisingly, we have also identified four ACDMPV families with the pathogenic variants in the FOXF1 locus that arose on paternal chromosome 16. Interestingly, a combination of the severe cardiac defects, including hypoplastic left heart, and single umbilical artery were observed only in children with deletion CNVs involving FOXF1 and its upstream enhancer. Our data demonstrate that genomic imprinting at 16q24.1 plays an important role in variable ACDMPV manifestation likely through long-range regulation of FOXF1 expression, and may be also responsible for key phenotypic features of maternal uniparental disomy 16. Moreover, in one family, WES revealed a de novo missense variant in ESRP1, potentially implicating FGF signaling in the etiology of ACDMPV

Assessment of the Cholesterol-Lowering Effect of MOMAST®: Biochemical and Cellular Studies

MOMAST® is a patented phenolic complex derived from the olive oil vegetation water, a by-product of the olive oil supply chain, in which hydroxytyrosol (OH-Tyr) and tyrosol (Tyr) and verbascoside are the main compounds. This study was aimed at investigating its hypocholesterolemic effect by assessing the ability to modulate the low-density lipoprotein (LDL) receptor (LDLR)/sterol regulatory element-binding protein 2 (SREBP-2), and proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9) pathways. MOMAST® inhibits the in vitro activity of 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase (HMGCOAR) with a dose-response trend. After the treatment of HepG2 cells, MOMAST® increases the SREBP-2, LDLR, and HMGCoAR protein levels leading, from a functional point of view to an improved ability of hepatic cells to up-take LDL from the extracellular environment with a final cholesterol-lowering effect. Furthermore, MOMAST® decreased the PCSK9 protein levels and its secretion in the extracellular environment, presumably via the reduction of the hepatic nuclear factor 1-α (HNF1-α). The experiments were performed in parallel, using pravastatin as a reference compound. Results demonstrated that MOMAST® may be exploited as a new ingredient for the development of functional foods and/or nutraceuticals for cardiovascular disease prevention

DIGITAL DOCUMENTATION STRATEGIES FOR THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE BASILICA OF SANTA MARIA IN TRASTEVERE

Within the Cultural Heritage documentation field, this contribution illustrates the adopted methods for the first digital documentation of the Basilica of Santa Maria in Trastevere in Rome. The research activity carried out included the survey of this historic building as well as direct and indirect research connected with its transformations. The tested workflow illustrates the relevance of the activities carried out in terms of knowledge implementation, conservation, monitoring, and dissemination of tangible and intangible aspects of this layered religious architecture

The past is never dead. It's not even past. 3D models for the knowledge of cultural heritage

The research aims to define the operative procedure for constructing digital archives based on three-dimensional models generated by massive and fast acquisition of data regarding objects of architecture. Today digital objects have become a tradition in the cultural production and a business cycle with the objective to disseminate and communicate cultural data. The problem centers on a definition of data necessary for setting up digital archives. These data will be extracted from material obtained from surveys as well as from informative documentation and need to be chosen and structured. Hence the research aims at identifying the kind of information, tangible and intangible, principal and essential of the Architectural object and classifying them into distinctive and characteristic categories which make it possible to cognize the given object