57 research outputs found
Global topological control for synchronized dynamics on networks
A general scheme is proposed and tested to control the symmetry breaking
instability of a homogeneous solution of a spatially extended multispecies
model, defined on a network. The inherent discreteness of the space makes it
possible to act on the topology of the inter-nodes contacts to achieve the
desired degree of stabilization, without altering the dynamical parameters of
the model. Both symmetric and asymmetric couplings are considered. In this
latter setting the web of contacts is assumed to be balanced, for the
homogeneous equilibrium to exist. The performance of the proposed method are
assessed, assuming the Complex Ginzburg-Landau equation as a reference model.
In this case, the implemented control allows one to stabilize the synchronous
limit cycle, hence time-dependent, uniform solution. A system of coupled real
Ginzburg-Landau equations is also investigated to obtain the topological
stabilization of a homogeneous and constant fixed point
TGFβ impairs HNF1α functional activity in Epithelial-to-Mesenchymal Transition interfering with the recruitment of CBP/p300 acetyltransferases
The cytokine transforming growth factor β (TGFβ) plays a crucial role in the induction of both epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) program and fibro-cirrhotic process in the liver, where it contributes also to organ inflammation following several chronic injuries. All these pathological situations greatly increase the risk of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and contribute to tumor progression. In particular, late-stage HCCs are characterized by constitutive activation of TGFβ pathway and by an EMT molecular signature leading to the acquisition of invasive and metastatic properties. In these pathological conditions, the cytokine has been shown to induce the transcriptional downregulation of HNF1α, a master regulator of the epithelial/hepatocyte differentiation and of the EMT reverse process, the mesenchymal-to-epithelial transition (MET). Therefore, the restoration of HNF1α expression/activity has been proposed as targeted therapeutic strategy for liver fibro-cirrhosis and late-stage HCCs. In this study, TGFβ is found to trigger an early functional inactivation of HNF1α during EMT process that anticipates the effects of the transcriptional downregulation of its own gene. Mechanistically, the cytokine, while not affecting the HNF1α DNA-binding capacity, impaired its ability to recruit CBP/p300 acetyltransferases on target gene promoters and, consequently, its transactivating function. The loss of HNF1α capacity to bind to CBP/p300 and HNF1α functional inactivation have been found to correlate with a change of its posttranslational modification profile. Collectively, the results obtained in this work unveil a new level of HNF1α functional inactivation by TGFβ and contribute to shed light on the early events triggering EMT in hepatocytes. Moreover, these data suggest that the use of HNF1α as anti-EMT tool in a TGFβ-containing microenvironment may require the design of new therapeutic strategies overcoming the TGFβ-induced HNF1α inactivation
Protective effect of different antioxidant agents in UVB-irradiated keratinocytes
Skin cells can respond to UVB-induced damage either by tolerating it, or restoring it through antioxidant activation and DNA repair mechanisms or, ultimately, undergoing programmed cell death, when damage is massive. Nutritional factors, in particular, food antioxidants, have attracted much interest because of their potential use in new preventive, protective, and therapeutic strategies for chronic degenerative diseases, including skin inflammation and cancer. Some polyphenols, present in virgin olive oil, well tolerated by organism after oral administration, show a variety of pharmacological and clinical benefits such as anti-oxidant, anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory, and neuro-protective activities. Here, the protective effects of antioxidant compounds against UV-induced apoptosis have been described in HaCat cell line. Human keratinocytes were pre-treated with antioxidants before UVB exposure and their effects have been evaluated by means of ultrastructural analyses. After UVB radiation, a known cell death trigger, typical apoptotic features, absent in control condition and in antioxidant alone-treated cells, appear. An evident numerical decrease of ultrastructural apoptotic patterns and TUNEL positive nuclei can be observed when natural antioxidants were supplied before cell death induction. These data have been confirmed by molecular investigation of caspase activity. In conclusion, this paper highlights antioxidant compound ability to prevent apoptotic cell death in human keratinocytes exposed to UVB, suggesting, for these molecules, a potential role in preventing skin damage
Poly(ADP-ribose) Polymerase 1 (PARP1) restrains MyoD-dependent gene expression during muscle differentiation
The myogenic factor MyoD regulates skeletal muscle differentiation by interacting with a variety of chromatin-modifying complexes. Although MyoD can induce and maintain chromatin accessibility at its target genes, its binding and trans-activation ability can be limited by some types of not fully characterized epigenetic constraints. In this work we analysed the role of PARP1 in regulating MyoD-dependent gene expression. PARP1 is a chromatin-associated enzyme, playing a well recognized role in DNA repair and that is implicated in transcriptional regulation. PARP1 affects gene expression through multiple mechanisms, often involving the Poly(ADP-ribosyl)ation of chromatin proteins. In line with PARP1 down-regulation during differentiation, we observed that PARP1 depletion boosts the up-regulation of MyoD targets, such as p57, myogenin, Mef2C and p21, while its re-expression reverts this effect. We also found that PARP1 interacts with some MyoD-binding regions and that its presence, independently of the enzymatic activity, interferes with MyoD recruitment and gene induction. We finally suggest a relationship between the binding of PARP1 and the loss of the activating histone modification H3K4me3 at MyoD-binding regions. This work highlights not only a novel player in the epigenetic control of myogenesis, but also a repressive and catalytic-independent mechanisms by which PARP1 regulates transcription
Characterization of nitrogen dioxide variability using ground-based and satellite remote sensing and in situ measurements in the Tiber valley (Lazio, Italy)
The spatial-temporal distributions of nitrogen dioxide (NO2) in a rural area of Tiber valley were evaluated over one year (March 2022-February 2023) using remote sensing and in situ measurements. Surface concentration monitoring was conducted using a Pandora-2s spectrometer and a chemiluminescence analyzer operated at the Liberti Observatory (CNR-IIA). In spring, when the growing season and the agricultural activities increase, NO2 peaks were detectable by the Pandora but not by the in situ analyzer. The tropospheric Pandora and TROPOMI VCD products showed similar temporal patterns as those of the analyzer at the Observatory. High TROPOMI VCD levels in spring were detected at the Observatory and at six sites selected as representative of rural, residential, and industrial environments. WRF simulations found that high pollution events, observed by the Pandora and analyzer, occurred in calm wind conditions, favouring the accumulation of NO2 locally emitted. The complementary dataset provided by remote sensing and in situ techniques efficiently captured the spatial-temporal NO2 variability in a rural site exposed to low emission sources, thus supporting future decisional policies and actions
Assessment of energy, mobility, waste, and water management on Italian small islands
Small islands are recognized for their vulnerability to climate change. In this context, mitigation and adaptation policies are needed, but the ecological transition must be based on data. This study aims to assess the level of sustainability reached by 26 of the inhabited Italian small islands; it collects and analyzes the data and initiatives on the energy, mobility, waste, and water sectors and discusses the islands’ steps toward sustainability. The findings show that 18 of the 26 islands are not interconnected with the national grid and that the renewable sources cover less than 5% of the energy demand on 25 of the 26 islands. The number per capita of private vehicles reaches 90 cars per 100 inhabitants on three islands. The average of the separate collection of waste on the islands is 52%, which is far from the minimum recommended threshold of 65%. Pipelines or tankers on 17 of the 26 islands guarantee the water supply, and desalination plants are still not the rule, while the presence of wastewater treatment has been detected on 12 islands, and it often provides only partial treatment. An ambitious multi-stakeholder sustainability plan for each island should be developed to overcome the typical barriers of the island and to increase the building capacity in order to use economic incentives for that goal
Cell damage induced by asbestos similar particles
The presence, in nature, of asbestos similar particles, highly toxic and potentially cancerogenic for human healthy is well known (1). Inhalation of the fibrous form of erionite, has been shown to cause effects compared to those observed with mineral fibers classified as ‘‘asbestos,’’ including malignant mesothelioma, a disease typically associated with occupational and environmental exposures to asbestos (2). In this work various zeolite materials have been considered because of their suspected carcinogenic activity and, the possible interactions occurring between asbestiform fibers and U937 cell, a human hemopoietic cell line, have been evaluated. Chemical and morpho-functional analyses have been carried out, both to characterize fiber structure and cell response. Cells showed the ability to internalize the minerals, as observed after TEM analyses. With zeolite exposure time increasing, a diffuse cell damage with features of apoptotic and necrotic death can be evidenced (3). These findings suggest that the fibrous form of scolecite or offretite too can be considered potentially toxic for cell culture in vitro
Virgin oil polyphenols prevent UVB-induced keratinocyte cell death
Food compounds, in particular hydroxytyrosol (HyT), hydroxytyrosol laurate (L-HyT) and tyrosol (Tyr), polyphenols present in virgin oil, have attracted much interest because of their potential use in new preventive, protective, and therapeutic strategies for chronic skin degenerative disorders, including erythema, inflammation and aging (Lahtz et al., 2013). In our previous studies HyT and L-HyT antiapoptotic effects, against pro-oxidant agents in different cell models, have been demonstrated (Burattini et al., 2013). Here, the potential protective actions of antioxidant compounds against UV-induced apoptosis were investigated in human keratinocytes (HaCaT). The cell line was pre-treated with antioxidants before UVB exposure and their effect evaluated by means of ultrastructural and molecular analyses. After UVB radiation typical morphological apoptotic features appeared and their significant down regulation could be observed when polyphenols were administrated before cell death induction. These data have been confirmed by molecular analyses. In fact, both intrinsic and extrinsic apoptotic pathways appeared activated after UVB radiation. When antioxidants were added to samples before cell death induction, an evident caspase activation decrease could be revealed. In conclusion, these results demonstrate that polyphenols are able to prevent in vitro apoptotic cell death in human keratinocytes exposed to UVB, encouraging their use in vivo as potential sun damagepreventing molecules
Puzzling large-scale polarization in the galaxy cluster Abell 523
Large-scale magnetic fields reveal themselves through diffuse synchrotron
sources observed in galaxy clusters such as radio halos. Total intensity
filaments of these sources have been observed in polarization as well, but only
in three radio halos out of about one hundred currently known. In this paper we
analyze new polarimetric Very Large Array data of the diffuse emission in the
galaxy cluster Abell 523 in the frequency range 1-2 GHz. We find for the first
time evidence of polarized emission on scales of ~ 2.5 Mpc. Total intensity
emission is observed only in the central part of the source, likely due to
observational limitations. To look for total intensity emission beyond the
central region, we combine these data with single-dish observations from the
Sardinia Radio Telescope and we compare them with multi-frequency total
intensity observations obtained with different instruments, including the LOw
Frequency ARray and the Murchison Widefield Array. By analysing the rotation
measure properties of the system and utilizing numerical simulations, we infer
that this polarized emission is associated with filaments of the radio halo
located in the outskirts of the system, in the peripheral region closest to the
observer.Comment: 14 pages, 12 figures, accepted for publication on MNRA
The Atacama Cosmology Telescope: Extragalactic Point Sources in the Southern Surveys at 150, 220 and 280 GHz observed between 2008-2010
We present a multi-frequency, multi-epoch catalog of extragalactic sources.
The catalog is based on 150, 220 and 280 GHz observations carried out in 2008,
2009 and 2010 using the Millimeter Bolometric Array Camera on the Atacama
Cosmology Telescope. We also present and release 280 GHz maps from 2008 and
2010. The catalog contains 695 sources, found in a sky area of
square degrees. It is obtained by cross-matching sources found in 11
sub-catalogs, one for each season and frequency band. Also include are co-added
data from and square degrees using 2 and 3 years of
overlapping observations. We divide the sources into two populations,
synchrotron and dusty emitters, based on their spectral behavior in the 150-220
GHz frequency range. We find 374 synchrotron sources and 321 dusty source
candidates. Cross-matching with catalogs from radio to X-ray results in 264
synchrotron sources (71%) and 89 dusty sources (28%) with counterparts,
suggesting that 232 dusty candidates are not in existing catalogs. We study the
variability and number counts of each population. In the case of synchrotron
sources, we find year-to-year variability up to 60%, with a mean value around
35%. As expected, we find no evidence of dusty source variability. Our number
counts generally agree with previous measurements and models, except for dusty
sources at 280 GHz where some models overestimate our results. We also
characterize the spectral energy distribution of a dusty star-forming galaxy,
ACT-S J065207-551605, using our data and higher frequency observations.Comment: 24 pages, 16 figures, for associated data products see
https://lambda.gsfc.nasa.gov/product/act/act_prod_table.htm
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