"Electro-clinical Syndromes" with onset in Paediatric Age. the highlights of the clinical-EEG, genetic and therapeutic advances

The genetic causes underlying epilepsy remain largely unknown, and the impact of available genetic data on the nosology of epilepsy is still limited. Thus, at present, classification of epileptic disorders should be mainly based on electroclinical features. Electro-clinical syndrome is a term used to identify a group of clinical entities showing a cluster of electro-clinical characteristics, with signs and symptoms that together define a distinctive, recognizable, clinical disorder. These often become the focus of treatment trials as well as of genetic, neuropsychological, and neuroimaging investigations. They are distinctive disorders identifiable on the basis of a typical age onset, specific EEG characteristics, seizure types, and often other features which, when taken together, permit a specific diagnosis which, in turn, often has implications for treatment, management, and prognosis. Each electro-clinical syndrome can be classified according to age at onset, cognitive and developmental antecedents and consequences, motor and sensory examinations, EEG features, provoking or triggering factors, and patterns of seizure occurrence with respect to sleep. Therefore, according to the age at onset, here we review the more frequently observed paediatric electro-clinical syndrome from their clinical-EEG, genetic and therapeutic point of views

New Cross-Talk Layer between Ultraconserved Non-Coding RNAs, MicroRNAs and Polycomb Protein YY1 in Bladder Cancer

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are highly conserved elements in mammals, and exert key regulatory functions. Growing evidence shows that miRNAs can interact with another class of non-coding RNAs, so-called transcribed ultraconserved regions (T-UCRs), which take part in transcriptional, post-transcriptional and epigenetic regulation processes. We report here the interaction of miRNAs and T-UCRs as a network modulating the availability of these non-coding RNAs in bladder cancer cells. In our cell system, antagomiR-596 increased the expression of T-UCR 201+. Moreover, T-UCR 8+ silencing increased miR-596 expression, which in turn reduced total T-UCR 283+, showing that the perturbation of one element in this network changes the expression of other interactors. In addition, we identify the polycomb protein Yin Yang 1 (YY1) as mediator of binding between miR-596 and T-UCR 8+. These new findings describe for the first time a network between T-UCRs, miRNAs and YY1 protein, highlighting the existence of an additional layer of gene expression regulation

Role of DNA repair machinery and p53 in the testicular germ cell cancer: a review

Notwithstanding the peculiar sensitivity to cisplatin-based treatment, resulting in a very high percentage of cures even in advanced stages of the disease, still we do not know the biological mechanisms that make Testicular Germ Cell Tumor (TGCT) "unique" in the oncology scene. p53 and MDM2 seem to play a pivotal role, according to several in vitro observations, but no correlation has been found between their mutational or expression status in tissue samples and patients clinical outcome. Furthermore, other players seem to be on stage: DNA Damage Repair Machinery (DDR) , especially Homologous Recombination (HR) proteins, above all Ataxia Telangiectasia Mutated (ATM), cooperates with p53 in response to DNA damage, activating apoptotic cascade and contributing to cell "fate". Homologous Recombination deficiency has been assumed to be a Germ Cell Tumor characteristic underlying platinum-sensitivity, whereby Poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP), an enzyme involved in HR DNA repair, is an intriguing target: PARP inhibitors have already entered in clinical practice of other malignancies and trials are recruiting TGCT patients in order to validate their role in this disease. This paper aims to summarize evidence, trying to outline an overview of DDR implications not only in TGCT curability, but also in resistance to chemotherapy

E-learning e formazione universitaria

Il saggio parte dalle analisi sulla sperimentazione didattica di blended learning e ne valuta gli esiti con un occhio di riguardo ai problemi sottesi alla formazione umanistica

Un'esperienza di didattica integrata: nuove tecnologie e formazione presso la cattedra di Storia delle dottrine politiche

Presentazione di una sperimentazione di blended learning condotta al Dipartimento di Filosofia dell’Universita' “Federico II” di Napoli. L’obiettivo dell’iniziativa e' stato quello di integrare la formazione in presenza con la formazione in rete per collaudare percorsi d’interazione non solo in senso verticale (uno-molti) ma anche in orizzontale (molti-molti), con particolare attenzione al processo e alla dimensione sociale dell’apprendimento in rete

EASEL e la ragion di Stato: esperienza possibile per l’e-learning?

Modalità di metadatazione di risorse della ragion di Stato in un progetto internazionale per il Dipartimento di Informatica e Sistemistica dell'Università "Federico II" di Napol

High Thermal Conductivity Structured Bimetallic Catalysts for Low Temperature Ethanol Steam Reforming

This study focuses on the development of bimetallic structured catalysts, supported on CeO2 and CeO2–ZrO2, active in Ethanol Steam Reforming (ESR) reaction at low-temperature (300–600 °C) and characterized by improved heat transfer properties. ESR reaction was carried out on ceramic foams and on powders catalysts. In particular, catalytic test were performed on two reactor configurations (annular and tubular), evidencing that the better thermal management of the foams, tested in the tubular reactor, results in very higher conversions mainly due to the overcoming heat transfer limitations. Moreover, the effect of catalytic support on system performances was investigated

Bimetallic catalysts for hydrogen generation by low temperature ethanol steam reforming

The production of hydrogen through the low temperature-ethanol steam reforming (LT-ESR) reaction requires the development of an efficient catalyst. A bimetallic formulation, based on Pt and Ni and supported on CeO2 was investigated, in terms of activity, selectivity, stability. Very interesting results were obtained, with a complete ethanol conversion and a perfect agreement between the experimental and equilibrium products distributions, yet at T ≥ 300 °C, contact time=240 ms and stoichiometric water/ethanol molar ratio. Furthermore, the selectivity towards the desired compounds was very high, with low coke selectivity and appreciable stability, especially with higher water/ethanol ratio. A mechanistic study of the reaction was carried out through the detailed analysis of the experimental evolution of the products distribution as a function of contact time (3 - 600 ms) and temperature (340 - 480 °C). The most significant result was the formulation of a possible Pt/Ni/CeO2 catalysed reaction pathway, that includes the following steps: ethanol adsorption followed by dehydrogenation to acetaldehyde; intermediate decomposition and reforming to CH4, CO, H2 and CO2; CO-WGS and CO2 methanation reaction. These outcomes were validated by specified characterizations of the exhaust sample, as temperature programmed desorption (TPD) experiments. Copyright © 2013, AIDIC Servizi S.r.l