A Participatory Design Approach for Energy-Aware Mobile App for Smart Home Monitoring

It is generally recognized that our behaviours affect the environment. However, it is difficult to correlate behaviour of an individual person to large-scale problems. This is usually due to insufficient ergonomy of available tools. The main cause is that most of user-awareness tools available are technology-centered instead of user-centered. In this paper, we present a participatory design approach we followed to design and develop an energy-aware mobile application for user-awareness on energy consumption for Smart Home monitoring. To engage end-users from the early design stages, we conduct two on-line surveys and a focus group involving about 630 people. Results allowed on identifying functional requirements and guidelines for mobile app design. The purpose of this research is to increase user-awareness on energy consumption using tools and methods required by users themselves. Furthermore in this paper, we present the technological choices that drove our implementation of an energy-aware application based on prosumers’ requirements

Clinical, Pathological and Prognostic Features of Rare BRAF Mutations in Metastatic Colorectal Cancer (mCRC): A Bi-Institutional Retrospective Analysis (REBUS Study)

Simple SummarySomatic BRAF mutations occur in approximately 10% of metastatic colorectal cancers (mCRCs) and, according to the involved codon, are classified as V600E and in non-V600, accounting for 80% and 20%, respectively. Being the most frequent mutation, the BRAF V600E mutation has been extensively investigated and up to now its clinical, pathological and molecular phenotype and its prognostic impact have been clearly described. On the contrary, evidence concerning BRAF non-V600 is weaker. We retrospectively evaluated 537 mCRC patients treated at two Italian Institutions. This study corroborates and strengthens available evidence concerning phenotype and prognostic performance of BRAF non-V600 compared to BRAF V600E and BRAF wild-type mCRCs. This deeper insight on rare BRAF non-V600 mutated mCRC is a primary issue in the precision oncology era, since the wider application of NGS is expected to increase the identification of those aberrations.Recently, retrospective analysis began to shed light on metastatic colorectal cancers (mCRCs) harboring rare BRAF non-V600 mutations, documenting a distinct phenotype and a favorable prognosis. This study aimed to confirm features and prognosis of rare BRAF non-V600 mCRCs compared to BRAF V600E and BRAF wild-type mCRCs treated at two Italian Institutions. Overall, 537 cases were retrospectively evaluated: 221 RAS/BRAF wild-type, 261 RAS mutated, 46 BRAF V600E and 9 BRAF non-V600. Compared to BRAF V600E mCRC, BRAF non-V600 mCRC were more frequently left-sided, had a lower tumor burden and displayed a lower grade and an MMR proficient/MSS status. In addition, non-V600 mCRC patients underwent more frequently to resection of metastases with radical intent. Median overall survival (mOS) was significantly longer in the non-V600 compared to the V600E group. At multivariate analysis, only age < 65 years and ECOG PS 0 were identified as independent predictors of better OS. BRAF V600E mCRCs showed a statistically significant worse mOS when compared to BRAF wild-type mCRCs, whereas no significant difference was observed between BRAF non-V600 and BRAF wild-type mCRCs. Our study corroborates available evidence concerning incidence, clinicopathologic characteristics and prognosis of BRAF-mutated mCRCs

Uso de plaguicidas en alimentos: situación actual en la provincia del Chubut

Los plaguicidas son sustancias químicas utilizadas para controlar, prevenir o destruir las plagas que afectan las plantaciones agrícolas. La utilización incorrecta, debida principalmente a la sobredosificación y la aplicación inadecuada, puede ocasionar la presencia de residuos en alimentos. Esto origina riesgos para la salud humana y también afecta la comercialización en diferentes mercados mundiales. En el valle inferior del río Chubut (VIRCh) la actividad agrícola hace uso de estos productos

Sicilia—silicon carbide detectors for intense luminosity investigations and applications

Silicon carbide (SiC) is a compound semiconductor, which is considered as a possible alternative to silicon for particles and photons detection. Its characteristics make it very promising for the next generation of nuclear and particle physics experiments at high beam luminosity. Silicon Carbide detectors for Intense Luminosity Investigations and Applications (SiCILIA) is a project starting as a collaboration between the Italian National Institute of Nuclear Physics (INFN) and IMM-CNR, aiming at the realization of innovative detection systems based on SiC. In this paper, we discuss the main features of silicon carbide as a material and its potential application in the field of particles and photons detectors, the project structure and the strategies used for the prototype realization, and the first results concerning prototype production and their performance

Chimeric G proteins in fluorimetric calcium assays: Experience with opioid receptors

High throughput calcium mobilization assays are extensively used for pharmacological characterization of GPCR ligands. These approaches, initially developed for Gq-coupled receptors, can be extended to Gi coupled GPCRs using chimeric G proteins. Here we used the G\u3b1qi5 protein to force the nociceptin/orphanin FQ (N/OFQ) peptide (NOP) receptor, as well as the classical opioid receptors to signal through the PLCIP 3-Ca2+ pathway in CHO cells. Calcium levels were monitored using the fluorometric imaging plate reader FlexStation II and the Ca 2+ dye Fluo 4 AM. For investigating the pharmacology of the NOP receptor a panel of full and partial agonists and antagonists were assessed, while a small panel of agonists and antagonists was used for evaluating the pharmacological profile of opioid receptors. Some limitations of this assay and differences in the results obtained in comparison with those with Gi based biochemical assays are described. Overall, the present results confirm that the chimeric G protein strategy is useful for studying the pharmacological activity of Gi coupled receptor ligands and that the aberrant signaling does not produce any measurable change in the pharmacological profile of the receptor under study. Thus, this G protein strategy is extremely useful for setting up primary screening assays for NOP and classical opioid receptors and likely for other members of the GPCR family. \ua9 Springer Science+Business Media, LLC 2013

Pharmacological profile of hemokinin 1: a novel member of the tachykinin family

Recently, the cloning of a novel preprotachykinin gene (PPT-C) has been reported. This gene codes for a novel peptide named hemokinin 1 (HK-1). In contrast with the known tachykinins, which are exclusively expressed in neuronal tissues, PPT-C mRNA was detected primarily in hematopoietic cells. In this study, we pharmacologically characterised the effects of HK-1 using three tachykinin monoreceptor systems, namely the rabbit jugular vein (rbJV) for NK(1), the rabbit pulmonary artery (rbPA) for NK(2), and rat portal vein (rPV) for NK(3) receptors. In all these preparations substance P (SP), neurokinin A (NKA) and neurokinin B (NKB) elicited concentration dependent contractions showing similar maximal effects and the following rank order of potency: SP > NKA = NKB in the rbJV, NKA > NKB >> SP in the rbPA, and NKB > NKA > SP in the rPV. In those vessels HK-1 behaved as a full agonist displaying potencies similar (rbPA and rPV) or slightly higher (rbJV) than those of SP. In the rbJV, SR 140333, a selective NK(1) receptor antagonist, antagonised the effects of HK-1 and SP with similar high potencies (pK(B) 9.3 and 9.5, respectively). Similar results were obtained with the pseudopeptide NK(1) antagonist, MEN 11467 (pK(B) 8.8 and 8.6, respectively). Taken together, these data indicate that HK-1 behaves as a NK(1) preferring receptor agonist

Synthesis and pharmacological evaluation of Spiroxatrine derivatives as potential ligands for NOP receptor

Gli Atti del XXIV Congresso Nazionale della Società Chimica Italiana raccolgono gli abstract degli otre 1000 contributi scientifici del Congresso svoltosi a Lecce dall'11 al 16 settembre 2011. Il Congresso si articola in una sessione comune, con lectures tenute da ospiti prestigiosi (una menzione particolare meritano i 2 Nobel per la Chimica Jean-Marie Lehn e Kurt Wuthrich) e ben 12 sessioni parallele delle singole divisioni. Gli Atti contengono anche le schede dei docenti che saranno insigniti delle Medaglie della Società Chimica Italiana

Pharmacological profile and antiparkinsonian properties of the novel nociceptin/orphanin FQ receptor antagonist 1-[1-Cyclooctylmethyl-5-(1-hydroxy-1-methyl-ethyl)-1,2,3,6-tetrahydro-pyridin-4-yl]-3-ethyl-1,3-dihydro-benzoimidazol-2-one (GF-4).

In this study we provided a pharmacological characterization of the recently synthesized nociceptin/ orphanin FQ (N/OFQ) peptide receptor (NOP) antagonist 1-[1-Cyclooctylmethyl-5-(1-hydroxy- 1-methyl-ethyl)-1,2,3,6-tetrahydro-pyridin-4-yl]-3-ethyl-1,3-dihydro-benzoimidazol-2-one (GF-4) and investigated its antiparkinsonian properties. GF-4 inhibited N/OFQ binding to CHOhNOP cell membranes (pKi 7.46), and antagonized N/OFQ effects in a calcium mobilization assay and electrically stimulated isolated tissues (pKB 7.27–7.82), showing a ∼5-fold selectivity over classical opioid receptors. In vivo, GF-4 dually modulated stepping activity in wild-type mice, causing facilitation in the 0.01–10 mg/kg dose range and inhibition at 30 mg/kg. These effects were mediated by NOP receptors since GF-4 was ineffective in NOP receptor knock-out mice. Antiparkinsonian properties of GF-4 were investigated in 6-hydroxydopamine hemilesioned rats. GF-4 ameliorated akinesia, bradykinesia and overall gait ability in the 0.1–10 mg/kg dose range, but inhibited motor activity at 30 mg/kg. To investigate the circuitry underlying motor facilitating and inhibitory effects of GF-4, microdialysis coupled to behavioral testing (akinesia test) was performed. An anti-akinetic dose of GF-4 (1 mg/kg) reduced glutamate (GLU) and enhanced GABA release in SNr, while the pro-akinetic dose of GF-4 (30 mg/kg) evoked opposite effects. Moreover, the anti-akinetic dose of GF-4 reduced GABA and increased GLU release in ventro-medial thalamus, the pro-akinetic dose decreasing GABA without affecting GLU release in this area. We conclude that GF-4 is an effective NOP receptor antagonist able to attenuate parkinsonian-like symptoms in vivo via inhibition of the nigro-thalamic pathway

Urotensin II stimulates plasma extravasation in mice via UT receptor activation

The peptide urotensin II (U-II) is the cognate ligand of the G-protein coupled receptor UT (formerly GPR14). A role in the regulation of cardiovascular functions has been proposed for this novel peptide/receptor system. In the present study, we evaluated the ability of U-II to induce plasma extravasation in mice and attempted to characterize the receptor involved using the novel UT receptor ligand, [Orn(8)]U-II. The Evans blue technique was used to quantify plasma extravasation. U-II (0.01, 0.1, 1 and 10 nmol/kg) dose-dependently stimulated plasma extravasation in airways, gastrointestinal and urogenital tract tissues from mice, but not in the skin. In most tissues, the dose/response curves to U-II were bell shaped with the maximal effect induced by 1 nmol/kg. [Orn(8)]U-II at 30 nmol/kg was per se either inactive or produced a non-significant increase in plasma extravasation; in the presence of 30 nmol/kg [Orn(8)]U-II, the effects of 1 nmol/kg U-II were always reduced and, in some tissues, abolished. The present findings demonstrate that U-II promotes plasma extravasation in various mouse vascular regions via activation of UT receptors. The mouse plasma extravasation assay will be a useful tool in future studies aimed at characterizing the pharmacological features of novel UT receptor ligands in vivo