Multiphoton Label-Free ex-vivo imaging using a custom-built dual-wavelength microscope with chromatic aberrations compensation

Label-Free Multiphoton Microscopy is a very powerful optical microscopy that can be applied to study samples with no need for exogenous fluorescent probes, keeping the main benefits of a Multiphoton approach, like longer penetration depths and intrinsic optical sectioning, while opening the possibility of serial examinations with different kinds of techniques. Among the many variations of Label-Free MPM, Higher Harmonic Generation (HHG) is one of the most intriguing due to its generally low photo-toxicity, which enables the examination of specimens particularly susceptible to photo-damages. HHG and common Two-Photon Microscopy (TPM) are well-established techniques, routinely used in several research fields. However, they require a significant amount of fine-tuning in order to be fully exploited and, usually, the optimized conditions greatly differ, making them quite difficult to perform in parallel without any compromise on the extractable information. Here we present our custom-built Multiphoton microscope capable of performing simultaneously TPM and HHG without any kind of compromise on the results thanks to two, separate, individually optimized laser sources with full chromatic aberration compensation. We also apply our setup to the examination of a plethora of ex vivo samples in order to prove the significant advantages of our approach

Clinical applications of TSPO PET for glioma imaging: current evidence and future perspective a systematic review

Our aim was to provide a comprehensive overview of the existing literature concerning the clinical applications of positron emission computed tomography (PET) with radiopharmaceuticals targeting the translocator protein (TSPO) in gliomas. A literature search for studies about TSPO PET in the last 10 years (from 2013 to February 2023) was carried out on PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science using the following keywords: "PET" AND "Gliomas" AND "TSPO". The Critical Appraisal Skills Program checklist for diagnostic test studies was used for testing the quality of selected papers. Ten articles were selected, encompassing 314 glioma patients submitted to PET/CT (9/10) or PET/MRI (1/10) with TSPO ligands. Among the various available TSPO tracers, the most frequently used was the third-generation ligand, [F-18]-GE-180. TSPO PET results were useful to identify anaplastic transformation in gliomas and for the prognostic stratification of patients bearing homogeneous genetic alterations. When compared to amino-acid PET, TSPO PET with [F-18]-GE-180 presented superior image quality and provided larger and only partially overlapping PET-based volumes. Although biased by some issues (i.e., small sample size, most of the studies coming from the same country), preliminary applications of TSPO PET were encouraging. Further studies are needed to define implications in clinical practice and shape the role of TSPO PET for patients' selection for potential TSPO-targeted molecular therapies

Designing for the next generation. Children urban design as a strategic method to improve the future in the cities

Nowadays, society recognizes the childhood as an important step able to generate a social value: children are the main actors of the future but it is necessary to consider the children as children and not as the next adult. Traditionally, the design for kids consider them little adults in a transition phase. The research intention is to spread a new design culture conceived expressly for children, which shall be able to communicate to them using their languages. The project is dedicated to the children - the next generation - from 3 to 11 years old. The aim of this research is to propose a methodological system to design public spaces in the cities able to orient, inform, communicate, entertain, interact, educate, and integrate all kind of children (and their parents) belonging to different cultures with one universal language.6n

Is it possible to study paleoenvironmental changes in Alpine spring habitats? A few examples from the south-eastern Alps (NE Italy)

Palaeolimnological techniques were applied to spring habitats in the Trentino Region (NE Italy) as a test in order to reconstruct past environmental changes in these crucial and fragile milieus. Three different sites were selected from a database of more than one hundred on the basis of morphological, geological, and biological factors, including human impact evaluation: Nambrone, Paul and Madonnina Val Lomasona. Sampling was performed by adapting standard lake-sediment coring methods, and the retrieved sediment was described and subsampled following standard "lake" procedures. Field work and sedimentological analyses revealed clear influence from nearby fluvial environment for the Nambrone site, whereas Paul and Madonnina Val Lomasona were selected for further analyses (e.g., dating, diatoms, chironomids). Lead-210 and Caesium-137 dating methods were used to obtain a chronological framework, in addition to historical information on land use and other events in the area. The upper part of the Paul sequence presented organic rich sediment compatible with spring environments, but the lower and essentially detrital part appeared to record alluvial deposition, probably linked to extraordinary flood events (1882, 1966). This interpretation is indirectly confirmed by the records of the fallout nuclides Caesium-137 and Lead-210, that were both unfortunately concentrated in the topmost 1 cm, making it impossible to construct a normal age-depth profile. Madonnina Val Lomasona sedimentological and biological indicators point to a marked change around ca 5 cm, dividing the sequence in two units, corresponding to different environmental conditions. Although the interpretation of the dating results is not completely straightforward, the assembled data suggest that the upper 5 cm of the record represents ca the last 50 years. During this period we found typical limnocrenic, clear-water spring conditions, while before 1960s the coexistence of lotic and lentic chironomid species including several opportunistic ones and the low richness, emphasized the presence of a disturbance (e.g., highly variable flow and/or trophic conditions), as confirmed also by diatom assemblages and sedimentological features. The recorded disturbance is probably linked to a water-level change due to the local land use, as also testified by historical data. The results of this study support the idea that carefully selected spring sites might be approached with adapted palaeolimnological techniques to extract valuable palaeoenvironmental information. However, it also highlighted the low percentage of "good sites" (1%) and considerable difficulties in coring and sampling without disturbing the sediment

Senectute, potestas, auctoritas...

 En el presente trabajo nos ocuparemos de la Vejez, la última edad del hombre en Roma en las distintas épocas políticas desde la Monarquía pasando por la República hasta comienzos del Imperio, el enfoque dado es sobre todo recoger las ideas de poetas, historiadores, moralistas, filósofos y literatos, para luego describir la situación jurídica de los Adultos Mayores en nuestra legislación.    Palabras Clave: Vejez- Potestad- Adulto Mayor

La presbiacusia. problematiche, diagnosi e opzioni riabilitative Presbycusis. problems, diagnosis and treatment

Presbycusis is sensorineural bilateral symmetrical, progressive hearing loss, caused by the advance of age. It involves mainly the higher frequencies and associated with tinnitus. Presbycusis the most frequent form of sensorineural hearing loss of the adult, characterized by the progressive difficulty following the conversation, especially in noisy environments. It is caused by reduction in the number of Corti cells, induced by genetic and environmental factors. In the elderly communication disorders generate isolation and depression, thereby causing a significant reduction of life quality. An observational study at our hospital in 2010, using questionnaires on verbal-acoustic communication (Self Assessment of Communication), found that older people have a poor perception of disability related to hearing loss. For presbycusis to be diagnosed, tone audiometry and speech and sovraliminary tests have to be carried out and must be integrated with the evaluation of extremely high frequencies (EHFs). In the majority of cases, rehabilitation involves conventional hearing aids. The most commonly used are retroauricular hearing aids, when these are contraindicated partially or totally implantable hearing device scan be used. Careful follow up of the patient is also fundamental, using benefit questionnaires to find the optimal fitting and therefore the best result

Avances sobre el manejo de arvenses en la huerta agroecológica

En la agricultura convencional el barbecho químico es una práctica eficiente para contrarrestar el efecto de arvenses en el cultivo, aunque con riesgos de impacto ambiental. La agroecología propone prácticas de manejo amigables con el ambiente para reducir su competencia. La técnica del acolchado o “mulch” ha demostrado ser eficiente y constituye una opción de manejo agroecológico frente al uso de herbicidas. Este trabajo para evaluar el efecto de una cubierta de polietileno previo al cultivo (barbecho) y durante el cultivo a manera de coberturas (mulch de paja y polietileno) sobre la biomasa de arvenses en un sistema de huerta agroecológica. Las arvenses presentes fueron identificadas como anuales diferenciadas en gramíneas y latifoliadas; y las especies perennes encontradas fueron cebollín (Cyperus rotundus L.). Se implantaron dos asociaciones de cultivo: acelga-puerro y habas-lechuga en un diseño de parcelas distribuidas al azar (Test de Tukey 0,05%). Se evaluó el efecto sobre las arvenses de las dos asociaciones combinadas el tratamiento “barbecho” con polietileno y las coberturas durante el cultivo. En las condiciones del ensayo las asociaciones de cultivos no influyeron en el crecimiento de las arvenses (p=0,6). No se detectó interacción entre los ambientes precultivos y los tratamientos de cobertura en la biomasa de arvenses anuales: gramíneas y latifoliadas (p=0,6). Las coberturas de suelo durante el cultivo, paja y polietileno negro, fueron igualmente efectivas para disminuir la biomasa de arvenses anuales, independientemente de su tipo (p=0,003). La combinación de la práctica de barbecho anterior con polietileno y mulch de paja durante el cultivo terminó la biomasa de gramón (p=0,01) y cebollín (p=0,02) aunque no tuvo efecto sobre el crecimiento de lágrima (p= 0,5).In conventional agriculture, chemical fallow is an efficient practice to counteract the effect of weeds on the crop, although with risks of environmental impact. Agroecology proposes environmentally friendly management practices to reduce competition. The mulch technique has proven to be efficient and constitutes an agroecological manage ment option against the use of herbicides. This work proposed to evaluate the effect of a polyethylene cover prior to cultivation (“fallow”) and during cultivation as a cover (straw and polyethylene mulch) on weed biomass in an agroecological garden system. The weeds present were identified as annual: differentiating them into grasses and broadleaved and the perennial species found were: chives (Cyperus rotundus L.), gramón (Cynodon dactylon L.) and teardrop (Nothoscordum gracile). Two cultivation associations were implanted: (chard-leek) and (broad beans-lettuce) in a randomly distributed plot design (Tukey’s test < 0.05%). covers during cultivation. Under the test conditions, crop associations did not influence weed growth (p=0.6). No interaction was detected between the pre-cultivation envi ronments and cover treatments in the biomass of annual weeds: grasses and broadleafs (p=0.6). Ground cover during cultivation: straw and black polyethylene, were equally effective in reducing the biomass of annual weeds, regardless of their type (p=0.003). The combination of prior fallow practice with polyethylene and straw mulch during cultivation crop, decreased the biomass of grass (p=0.01) and chives (p=0.02) although they had no effect on tear growth (p=0.5).EEA PergaminoFil: Filippi, Mónica. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Pergamino. Agencia de Extensión Rural Chivilcoy; ArgentinaFil: Godoy, Ines. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Pergamino; ArgentinaFil: Rossi, Ana Laura. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Centro Regional Buenos Aires Norte; ArgentinaFil: Marcozzi, Paula. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Estación Experimental Agropecuaria San Pedro. Agencia de Extensión Rural San Pedro; Argentin

DIREITO DOS ANIMAIS, SEGUNDO A IDEOLOGIA VEGANA

A valorização de um grupo específico é um grande problema no mundo em todas as épocas, o resultado na atualidade é o preconceito contra minorias e basicamente vemos isso se repetindo com os animais, tirando o valor de suas vidas para virarem comida. Platão o pai da filosofia, acreditava que para o nosso sustento foi criado as plantas, e que a carne adoecia o corpo. Uma forma de diminuir essas desigualdades é a informação e é isso que o nosso projeto busca: informar as pessoas sobre os direitos dos animais e sua relação com o movimento vegano. Para isso, será criado um site informativo, com passagens históricas, jurídicas e ideológicas, contando com uma interface amigável que permitirá responder às dúvidas mais frequentes que as pessoas possuem sobre o tema