Non-contact elastography methods in mechanobiology: a point of view

In recent decades, mechanobiology has emerged as a novel perspective in the context of basic biomedical research. It is now widely recognized that living cells respond not only to chemical stimuli (for example drugs), but they are also able to decipher mechanical cues, such as the rigidity of the underlying matrix or the presence of shear forces. Probing the viscoelastic properties of cells and their local microenvironment with sub-micrometer resolution is required to study this complex interplay and dig deeper into the mechanobiology of single cells. Current approaches to measure mechanical properties of adherent cells mainly rely on the exploitation of miniaturized indenters, to poke single cells while measuring the corresponding deformation. This method provides a neat implementation of the everyday approach to measure mechanical properties of a material, but it typically results in a very low throughput and invasive experimental protocol, poorly translatable towards three-dimensional living tissues and biological constructs. To overcome the main limitations of nanoindentation experiments, a radical paradigm change is foreseen, adopting next generation contact-less methods to measure mechanical properties of biological samples with sub-cell resolution. Here we briefly introduce the field of single cell mechanical characterization, and we concentrate on a promising high resolution optical elastography technique, Brillouin spectroscopy. This non-contact technique is rapidly emerging as a potential breakthrough innovation in biomechanics, but the application to single cells is still in its infancy

A new iron free treatment with oral fi sh cartilage polysaccharide for iron defi ciency chronic anemia in infl ammatory bowel diseases: A pilot study

Abstract AIM: To investigate the effect of a new oral preparation, highly concentrated in fish cartilage, in a group of infl ammatory bowel diseases (IBD) patients with chronic iron defi cient anemia. METHODS: In an open label pilot study, we supplemented a group of 25 patients (11 with Crohn's disease and 14 with ulcerative colitis) in stable clinical conditions and chronic anemia with a food supplement which does not contain iron but contains a standardized fraction of fish cartilage glycosaminoglycans and a mixture of antioxidants (Captafer Medestea, Turin, Italy). Patients received 500 mg, twice a day during meals, for at least 4 mo. Patients were suggested to maintain their alimentary habit. At time 0 and after 2 and 4 mo, emocrome, sideremia and ferritin were examined. Paired data were analyzed with Student's t test. RESULTS: Three patients relapsed during the study (2 in the 3 rd mo, 1 in the 4 th mo), two patients were lost to follow up and two patients dropped out (1 for orticaria, 1 for gastric burning). Of the remaining 18 patients, levels of serum iron started to rapidly increase within the 2 nd mo of treatment, P < 0.05), whereas serum ferritin and hemoglobin needed a longer period to signifi cantly improve their serum levels (mo 4) P < 0.05). The product was safe, easy to administer and well tolerated by patients. CONCLUSION: These data suggest a potential new treatment for IBD patients with iron defi ciency chronic anemia and warrant further larger controlled studies

Intestinal epithelial cells in inflammatory bowel diseases

The pathogenesis of inflammatory bowel diseases (IBDs) seems to involve a primary defect in one or more of the elements responsible for the maintenance of intestinal homeostasis and oral tolerance. The most important element is represented by the intestinal barrier, a complex system formed mostly by intestinal epithelial cells (IECs). IECs have an active role in producing mucus and regulating its composition; they provide a physical barrier capable of controlling antigen traffic through the intestinal mucosa. At the same time, they are able to play the role of non-professional antigen presenting cells, by processing and presenting antigens directly to the cells of the intestinal immune system. On the other hand, immune cells regulate epithelial growth and differentiation, producing a continuous bi-directional cross-talk within the barrier. Several alterations of the barrier function have been identified in IBD, starting from mucus features up to its components, from epithelial junctions up to the Toll-like receptors, and altered immune responses. It remains to be understood whether these defects are primary causes of epithelial damage or secondary effects. We review the possible role of the epithelial barrier and particularly describe the role of IECs in the pathogenesis of IBD

Significato del concetto di genere e sesso nell'obbligo della valutazione dei rischi in ottica di genere

Introduzione: Il D.Lgs 81/08 ha, per la prima volta in Italia, introdotto il paradigma di genere nella normativa in tema di salute e sicurezza nei luoghi di lavoro, come da tempo promosso a livello europeo. Il Decreto però non solo non chiarisce il reale significato del termine "genere" ma non fornisce nemmeno specifiche linee di indirizzo o altre indicazioni pratiche per assolvere gli obblighi di legge. Materiali e Metodi: In un progetto che vede la collaborazione di INAIL Regione Toscana e Università di Pisa, è stato pertanto elaborato uno strumento che permetta alle aziende di verificare la congruità dell’applicazione del paradigma di genere nel proprio processo di valutazione dei rischi. Per la costruzione di tale strumento è stata condotta un’approfondita revisione della letteratura ad oggi disponibile al fine di identificare quali fossero gli aspetti più significativi per un’analisi delle tematiche di prevenzione e tutela della salute in ottica di genere, che ha condotto alla determinazione di alcune aree di interesse nell’ambito delle quali sono stati elaborati specifici item investigativi. Risultati: In considerazione del risultato di tale disamina quattro sono state le principali aree identificate: la discriminazione/segregazione, la disparità tra generi di accesso alla formazione e informazione, le disuguaglianze nei generi di fronte alla salute e sicurezza, nonché le problematiche inerenti la conciliazione casa-lavoro. Ogni area comprende fattori legati rispettivamente ad ambiti sociali o lavorativi diversi, che possono influenzare uno o più aspetti della valutazione del rischio. Conclusioni: Una volta validato, tale strumento potrà rappresentare un efficace strumento applicativo a disposizione delle figure coinvolte nella salute e sicurezza, in grado di colmare un vuoto normativo, segnando il passaggio dalla concezione di un modello “neutro” di prevenzione, ad una tutela equa per lavoratori e lavoratrici. Biancheri R. (a cura di), La dimensione di genere nel lavoro. Scelte o vincoli nel quotidiano femminile, Pisa, Plus University Press, 2008. EU-OSHA, Expert forecast on Emerging Biological Risks related to occupational safety and health, 200

Severe hypernatremia as a predictor of mortality after percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) placement

none10noAvailable online 2 November 2016Background: Percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy is the preferred option for providing enteral nutrition, allowing for an improvement in survival and quality of life. Aim: To evaluate risk factors for early and delayed mortality after gastrostomy placement. Methods: A single-center retrospective analysis of a prospectively-collected database including all patients undergoing gastrostomy placement for enteral nutrition was performed. Two operators performed all the procedures according to the most recent guidelines. Results: Analysis included data on 438 patients [178 male; 80.5 (72-86) year-old]. Indications for PEG were stroke (34.0%), dementia (31.3%), neurodegenerative disorders (18.5%), coma (9.1%) and cancer (7.1%). No periprocedural adverse events was observed. Mean survival was 14.6. ±. 3.4. months; 1-month and 3-month mortality rates were 4.0% and 8.1%, respectively. Severe hypernatremia (≥150. mmol/L) was independently related to 1-month mortality (odds ratio 25.4; P . 4.3. mg/dL was independently related to 3-month mortality (odds ratio 5.3; P = 0.003). Kaplan-Meier and Cox-regression analysis identified male gender (hazard ratio 2.32; P = 0.0002), severe hypernatremia (hazard ratio 4.3; P . 4.3. mg/dL (hazard ratio 3.5; P = 0.0014), leukocytosis (hazard ratio 1.97; P = 0.0036) and presence of underlying malignancy (hazard ratio 2.4; P = 0.0013) as independent risk factors for long-term mortality. Discussion: Presence of severe hypernatremia and increased C-reactive protein levels were strongly correlated with early and delayed mortality in our population. Studies are necessary to understand whether correcting underlying dehydration and inflammation further improves patients' outcomes.mixedMuratori, Rosangela; Lisotti, Andrea; Fusaroli, Pietro; Caponi, Alessandra; Gibiino, Giulia; Eusebi, Leonardo Henry; Azzaroli, Francesco; Brighi, Nicole; Altimari, Guglielmo; Bazzoli, FrancoMuratori, Rosangela; Lisotti, Andrea; Fusaroli, Pietro; Caponi, Alessandra; Gibiino, Giulia; Eusebi, Leonardo Henry; Azzaroli, Francesco; Brighi, Nicole; Altimari, Guglielmo; Bazzoli, Franc

Brillouin spectroscopy for accurate assessment of morphological and mechanical characteristics in micro-structured samples

Brillouin spectroscopy has recently attracted attention as a powerful tool for the characterization of the mechanical properties of heterogeneous materials, particularly in the biological and biomedical domains. This study investigates the procedure to use Brillouin data to provide relevant morphological parameters of micro-structured samples. When acquiring Brillouin spectra at the interface between two regions of the sample, the spectrum shows signatures of both regions. This feature can be used to precisely identify the position of the interfaces by analyzing the evolution of the fitting parameters of the Brillouin spectra acquired by performing a linear scan across the interface. This concept has been demonstrated by measuring the thickness of adherent HEK293T cells. The results are validated using fluorescence microscopy, showing an excellent agreement. The present analysis showcases the wealth of information present in the Brillouin spectrum and the potentiality of Brillouin spectroscopy not only for mechanical characterization but also for label-free, high-resolution imaging of sample morphology. The study introduces the possibility of correlating mechanical properties and shape of biological samples using a single technique