1,025 research outputs found

    Estetica e traduzione: il pensiero tra senso e sensibile

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    Contemporary debate explores and enhances the relationship between philosophy and translation from various perspectives and cultural traditions. Nevertheless, there seems to be a lack of reflection on the aesthetic significance of the relation ship between philosophy and translation and the specificity of the translation of philosophical texts. After attempting to explore the reasons for this, the paper aims at showing how philosophy reveals the aesthetic side of conceptual produc tion when it is confronted with the problem of translation, both as a translation of experience into concepts and as a translation practice of conceptual language

    Disentangling the signaling complexity of nerve growth factor receptors by CRISPR/Cas9

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    The binding of nerve growth factor (NGF) to the tropomyosin-related kinase A (TrkA) and p75(NTR) receptors activates a large variety of pathways regulating critical processes as diverse as proliferation, differentiation, membrane potential, synaptic plasticity, and pain. To ascertain the details of TrkA-p75(NTR) interaction and cooperation, a plethora of experiments, mostly based on receptor overexpression or downregulation, have been performed. Among the heterogeneous cellular systems used for studying NGF signaling, the PC12 pheochromocytoma-derived cell line is a widely used model. By means of CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing, we created PC12 cells lacking TrkA, p75(NTR), or both. We found that TrkA-null cells become unresponsive to NGF. Conversely, the absence of p75(NTR) enhances the phosphoiylation of TrkA and its effectors. Using a patch-clamp, we demonstrated that the individual activation of TrkA and p75(NTR) by NGF results in antagonizing effects on the membrane potential. These newly developed PC12 cell lines can be used to investigate the specific roles of TrkA and p75(NTR) in a genetically defined cellular model, thus providing a useful platform for future studies and further gene editing

    Effect of immersive virtual reality training on hand-to-mouth task performance in people with Multiple Sclerosis: A quantitative kinematic study

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    Background Although the use of Virtual Reality (VR) has received increasing interest as an add-on treatment in neurorehabilitation programs in the last fifteen years, there is scarce information about the effectiveness of fully immersive VR-based treatments on upper limb (UL) motor function in people with Multiple Sclerosis (PwMS). Methods In this bicentric 2-period interventional crossover study, 19 PwMS with moderate to severe disability (mean EDSS score 5.5) and relevant UL impairment underwent 12 immersive-VR sessions over a period of 4 weeks, using commercially available VR platform (Oculus Quest) and games (Fruit Ninja, Beat Saber and Creed - Rise to Glory). Possible changes associated with the treatment were objectively assessed through instrumental kinematic analysis of the “hand-to-mouth” (HTM) movement by means of optical motion capture system. Clinical tests to assess gross and fine manual dexterity (i.e., the Box and Blocks and Nine Hole Peg Test) were also administered. Results The results of the kinematic analysis suggest that the VR training positively impacted the ability of the tested PwMS to perform the HTM task. In particular, a significant reduction of the overall time required to complete the task of approximately 20% for both most and least affected limb, and an improved degree of precision and stability of the movement, as indicated by the reduced value of adjusting sway, especially for the most affected limb (-60%). Conclusion Based on the results of the quantitative analysis, a 4-week treatment with immersive VR is able to improve speed and stability of the HTM movement in PwMS. This suggests that such an approach might be considered suitable to facilitate an immediate transfer of the possible positive effects associated with the training to common activities of daily living

    BDNF Val66Met polymorphism and protein levels in Amniotic Fluid

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    Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF) is a neurotrophin which plays survival- and growth-promoting activity in neuronal cells and it is involved in cellular plasticity mechanisms as it controls activity dependent synaptic transmission. A functional polymorphism (Val66Met) in the pro-region of BDNF, which affects the intracellular trafficking of proBDNF has been associated with memory and cognitive deficits as well as to an increased susceptibility for several psychiatric disorders especially those with a neurodevelopmental origin. To date, no study has evaluated the influence of the Val66Met polymorphism on BDNF levels in a peripheral system that may reflect fetal neurodevelopment. Therefore we investigated in amniotic fluids (AF) obtained from 139 healthy women during 15-17 week of pregnancy, BDNF protein levels in correlation with the Val66Met polymorphism

    Intensive Multimodal Training to Improve Gait Resistance, Mobility, Balance and Cognitive Function in Persons With Multiple Sclerosis: A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial

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    Introduction: Persons with multiple sclerosis (MS) have deficits in many aspects of physical and cognitive functioning that can impact on mobility and participation in daily life. The effect of a 4 week intensive multimodal treadmill training on functional mobility, balance, executive functions and participation in persons with MS with moderate to severe disability was investigated.Methods: Thirty eight persons with MS admitted to a rehabilitation center participated in a two arm randomized 2:1 controlled trial. Participants in the experimental group received supervised intensive treadmill training including cognitive and motor dual tasks (DT-group, N = 26), 5 sessions per week and a control group received the same amount of supervised strength training (S-group, N = 12). The participants were assessed before and after the rehabilitation period with the 2 Minutes Walking Test (2MWT), speed and, static and dynamic balance measures, the Frontal Assessment Battery and the Short Form-12 questionnaire. The main hypothesis was related to the superiority of the treadmill intervention based on a greater proportion of people making a clinically relevant gain (15% increase on 2MWT) in gait resistance following treatment. ANCOVA (Analysis of covariance) models adjusting for baseline measurement of the respective outcome variable, as well as sex and age, were used to evaluate differences in efficacy for all variables. P was set at 0.05.Results: Nineteen out of 26 persons in the DT-group made a clinically relevant gain and two out of 12 in the S-Group (P = 0.001). The DT-group improved more in gait resistance, speed and mobility (P < 0.01). Balance and executive functions instead improved moderately in both groups following training while perception of health remained similar in both groups.Conclusion: A four week multimodal training on treadmill was highly effective in augmenting gait resistance and mobility in moderately to severely affected persons with MS

    Prognostic features of gastro-entero-pancreatic neuroendocrine neoplasms in primary and metastatic sites: Grade, mesenteric tumour deposits and emerging novelties

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    Updates in classification of gastro-entero-pancreatic neuroendocrine neoplasms better reflect the biological characteristics of these tumours. In the present study, we analysed the characteristics of neuroendocrine tumours that could aid in a more precise stratification of risk groups. In addition, we have highlighted the importance of grade (re)assessment based on investigation of secondary tumour lesions. Two hundred and sixty-four cases of neuroendocrine tumours of gastro-entero-pancreatic origin from three centres were included in the study. Tumour morphology, mitotic count and Ki67 labelling index were evaluated in specimens of primary tumours, lymph node metastases and distant metastases. These variables were correlated with overall survival (OS) and relapse-free survival (RFS). Tumour stage, number of affected lymph nodes, presence of tumour deposits and synchronous/metachronous metastases were tested as possible prognostic features. Mitotic count, Ki-67 labelling index, primary tumour site, tumour stage, presence of tumour deposits and two or more affected lymph nodes were significant predictors of OS and RFS. At the same time, mitotic count and Ki-67 labelling index can be addressed as continuous variables determining prognosis. We observed a very high correlation between the measures of proliferative activity in primary and secondary tumour foci. The presence of isolated tumour deposits was identified as an important determinant of both RFS and OS for pancreatic (hazard ratio [HR] = 7.61, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 3.96-14.6, P < 0.0001 for RFS; HR = 3.28, 95% CI = 1.56-6.87, P = 0.0017 for OS) and ileal/jejunal neuroendocrine tumours (HR = 1.98, 95% CI = 1.25-3.13, P = 0.0036 for RFS and HR 2.59, 95% CI = 1.27-5.26, P = 0.009 for OS). The present study identifies the presence of mesenterial tumour deposits as an important prognostic factor for gastro-entero-pancreatic neuroendocrine tumours, provides evidence that proliferative parameters need to be treated as continuous variables and further supports the importance of grade determination in all available tumour foci

    Per il 450° anniversario della nascita di Galileo Galilei. Iniziativa di divulgazione interdisciplinare

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    Conferenze storico scientifiche su Galileo Galilei, Conferenze-concerto sul ruolo della musica nella formazione e nella scienza di Galileo Galilei, Mostra libraria di testi galileiani, Ricostruzione di esperimenti e strumenti di Galileo Galilei (vedi il programma nel file allegato)
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