Unveiling Chirality: Exploring Nature's Blueprint for Engineering Nanostructured Materials

Chirality, the property of asymmetry, is of great importance in biological and physical phenomena. This prospective offers an overview of the emerging field of chiral bioinspired plasmonics and metamaterials, aiming to uncover nature's blueprint for engineering nanostructured materials. These materials possess unique chiral structures, resulting in fascinating optical properties and finding applications in sensing, photonics, and catalysis. The first part of the prospective focuses on the design and fabrication of chiral metamaterials that mimic intricate structures found in biological systems. By employing self-assembly and nanofabrication techniques, researchers have achieved remarkable control over the response to light, opening up new avenues for manipulating light and controlling polarization. Chiral metamaterials hold significant promise for sensing applications, as they can selectively interact with chiral molecules, allowing for highly sensitive detection and identification. The second part delves into the field of plasmonics nanostructures, which mediate enantioselective recognition through optical chirality enhancement. Plasmonic nanostructures, capable of confining and manipulating light at the nanoscale, offer a platform for amplifying and controlling chirality-related phenomena. Integrating plasmonic nanostructures with chiral molecules presents unprecedented opportunities for chiral sensing, enantioselective catalysis, and optoelectronic devices. By combining the principles of chiral bioinspired plasmonics and metamaterials, researchers are poised to unlock new frontiers in designing and engineering nanostructured materials with tailored chiroptical properties

HIPK2 in cancer biology and therapy: Recent findings and future perspectives

Homeodomain-interacting protein kinase 2 (HIPK2) is a serine-threonine kinase that phosphorylates and regulates a plethora of transcriptional regulators and chromatin modifiers. The heterogeneity of its interactome allows HIPK2 to modulate several cellular processes and signaling pathways, ultimately regulating cell fate and proliferation. Because of its p53-dependent pro-apoptotic activity and its downregulation in many tumor types, HIPK2 is traditionally considered a bone fide tumor suppressor gene. However, recent findings revealed that the role of HIPK2 in the pathogenesis of cancer is much more complex, ranging from tumor suppressive to oncogenic, strongly depending on the cellular context. Here, we review the very recent data emerged in the last years about the involvement of HIPK2 in cancer biology and therapy, highlighting the various alterations of this kinase (downregulation, upregulation, mutations and/or delocalization) in dependence on the cancer types. In addition, we discuss the recent advancement in the understanding the tumor suppressive and oncogenic functions of HIPK2, its role in establishing the response to cancer therapies, and its regulation by cancer-associated microRNAs. All these data strengthen the idea that HIPK2 is a key player in many types of cancer; therefore, it could represent an important prognostic marker, a factor to predict therapy response, and even a therapeutic target itself

Progetto senza titolo

Il progetto in questione derivava da ricerche e letture degli artisti sui Test di Turing. Due computer settati con conoscenze di base complementari rispondevano agli input visivi che il visitatore mostrava ad uno dei due, il primo computer processava lʼimmagine comunicandola poi verbalmente al secondo computer, cioè il primo computer parlava al secondo descrivendogli lʼimmagine. Il secondo computer, basandosi sulle informazioni presenti in memoria, attivava un processo di raffigurazione della descrizione che poi rappresentava tramite un videoproiettore a fianco all'immagine che era stata mostrata al primo computer. Le due immagini venivano infine esposte fianco a fianco, mostrando così il processo di traduzione immagine>parola>immagine. Il progetto aveva bisogno di un numero elevato di collaborazioni tecnico-scientifiche per rendere possibile la trasmissione dati. Tuttavia il suo nucleo concettuale prende vita in due performance che gli artisti realizzano nel 2011 e 2014.This project derives from the artistsʼ research around the Turing Test. Two computers set up with basic complementary knowledge responded to the visual inputs that the visitor showed to one of them: the first computer processed the image and then verbally communicated it to the second computer, in fact the first computer spoke to the second describing the image. The second computer, on the basis of information stored in its memory, activated a process of representation of the description, which it then actually represented through a projector next to the image that had been shown to the first computer. The two images were finally exposed side by side, showing the translation process image> word> image. The project needed a great number of technical and scientific partnerships to make the data transmission possible. However, the concept behind the project came to life with two performances the artists realized in 2011 and 2014

Collective awareness platforms and digital social innovation mediating consensus seeking in problem situations

In this paper we show the results of our studies carried out in the framework of the European Project SciCafe2.0 in the area of Participatory Engagement models. We present a methodological approach built on participative engagements models and holistic framework for problem situation clarification and solution impacts assessment. Several online platforms for social engagement have been analysed to extract the main patterns of participative engagement. We present our own experiments through the SciCafe2.0 Platform and our insights from requirements elicitation

Chronic heart failure is characterized by altered mitochondrial function and structure in circulating leucocytes

Oxidative stress is currently viewed as a key factor in the genesis and progression of Heart Failure (HF). The aim of this study was to characterize the mitochondrial changes linked to oxidative stress generation in circulating peripheral blood mononuclear cells isolated from chronic HF patients (HF_PBMCs) in order to highlight the involvement of mitochondrial dysfunction in the pathophysiology of HF. To assess the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS), mitochondrial function and ultrastructure and the mitophagic flux in circulating PBMCs we enrolled 15 patients with HF and a control group of ten healthy subjects. The HF_PBMCs showed a mitochondrial population consisting of damaged and less functional organelles responsible of higher superoxide anion production both at baseline and under in vitro stress conditions, with evidence of cellular apoptosis. Although the mitophagic flux at baseline was enhanced in HF_PBMCs at level similar to those that could be achieved in control PBMCs only under inflammatory stress conditions, the activation of mitophagy was unable to preserve a proper mitochondrial dynamics upon stress stimuli in HF. In summary, circulating HF_PBMCs show structural and functional derangements of mitochondria with overproduction of reactive oxidant species. This mitochondrial failure sustains a leucocyte dysfunctional status in the blood that may contribute to development and persistence of stress conditions within the cardiovascular system in HF

Green Hydrogels Composed of Sodium Mannuronate/Guluronate, Gelatin and Biointeractive Calcium Silicates/Dicalcium Phosphate Dihydrate Designed for Oral Bone Defects Regeneration

Innovative green, eco-friendly, and biologically derived hydrogels for non-load bearing bone sites were conceived and produced. Natural polysaccharides (copolymers of sodium D-mannuronate and L-guluronate) with natural polypeptides (gelatin) and bioactive mineral fillers (calcium silicates CaSi and dicalcium phosphate dihydrate DCPD) were used to obtain eco-sustainable biomaterials for oral bone defects. Three PP-x:y formulations were prepared (PP-16:16, PP-33:22, and PP-31:31), where PP represents the polysaccharide/polypeptide matrix and x and y represent the weight % of CaSi and DCPD, respectively. Hydrogels were tested for their chemical-physical properties (calcium release and alkalizing activity in deionized water, porosity, solubility, water sorption, radiopacity), surface microchemistry and micromorphology, apatite nucleation in HBSS by ESEM-EDX, FT-Raman, and micro-Raman spectroscopies. The expression of vascular (CD31) and osteogenic (alkaline phosphatase ALP and osteocalcin OCN) markers by mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) derived from human vascular walls, cultured in direct contact with hydrogels or with 10% of extracts was analysed. All mineral-filled hydrogels, in particular PP-31:31 and PP-33:22, released Calcium ions and alkalized the soaking water for three days. Calcium ion leakage was high at all the endpoints (3 h–28 d), while pH values were high at 3 h–3 d and then significantly decreased after seven days (p < 0.05). Porosity, solubility, and water sorption were higher for PP-31:31 (p < 0.05). The ESEM of fresh samples showed a compact structure with a few pores containing small mineral granules agglomerated in some areas (size 5–20 microns). PP-CTRL degraded after 1–2 weeks in HBSS. EDX spectroscopy revealed constitutional compounds and elements of the hydrogel (C, O, N, and S) and of the mineral powders (Ca, Si and P). After 28 days in HBSS, the mineral-filled hydrogels revealed a more porous structure, partially covered with a thicker mineral layer on PP-31:31. EDX analyses of the mineral coating showed Ca and P, and Raman revealed the presence of B-type carbonated apatite and calcite. MSCs cultured in contact with mineral-filled hydrogels revealed the expression of genes related to vascular (CD31) and osteogenic (mainly OCN) differentiation. Lower gene expression was found when cells were cultured with extracts added to the culture medium. The incorporation of biointeractive mineral powders in a green bio-derived algae-based matrix allowed to produce bioactive porous hydrogels able to release biologically relevant ions and create a suitable micro-environment for stem cells, resulting in interesting materials for bone regeneration and healing in oral bone defects

Altered modulation of lamin A/C-HDAC2 interaction and p21 expression during oxidative stress response in HGPS

Defects in stress response are main determinants of cellular senescence and organism aging. In fibroblasts from patients affected by Hutchinson-Gilford progeria, a severe LMNA-linked syndrome associated with bone resorption, cardiovascular disorders, and premature aging, we found altered modulation of CDKN1A, encoding p21, upon oxidative stress induction, and accumulation of senescence markers during stress recovery. In this context, we unraveled a dynamic interaction of lamin A/C with HDAC2, an histone deacetylase that regulates CDKN1A expression. In control skin fibroblasts, lamin A/C is part of a protein complex including HDAC2 and its histone substrates; protein interaction is reduced at the onset of DNA damage response and recovered after completion of DNA repair. This interplay parallels modulation of p21 expression and global histone acetylation, and it is disrupted by LMNAmutations leading to progeroid phenotypes. In fact, HGPS cells show impaired lamin A/C-HDAC2 interplay and accumulation of p21 upon stress recovery. Collectively, these results link altered physical interaction between lamin A/C and HDAC2 to cellular and organism aging. The lamin A/C-HDAC2 complex may be a novel therapeutic target to slow down progression of progeria symptoms

Statins and histone deacetylase inhibitors affect lamin A/C - histone deacetylase 2 interaction in human cells

We recently identified lamin A/C as a docking molecule for human histone deacetylase 2 (HDAC2) and showed involvement of HDAC2-lamin NC complexes in the DNA damage response. We further showed that lamin NC-HDAC2 interaction is altered in Hutchinson-Gilford Progeria syndrome and other progeroid laminopathies. Here, we show that both inhibitors of lamin A maturation and small molecules inhibiting HDAC activity affect lamin NC interaction with HDAC2. While statins, which inhibit prelamin A processing, reduce protein interaction, HDAC inhibitors strengthen protein binding. Moreover, treatment with HDAC inhibitors restored the enfeebled lamin NC-HDAC2 interaction observed in HGPS cells. Based on these results, we propose that prelamin A levels as well as HDAC2 activation status might influence the extent of HDAC2 recruitment to the lamin A/C-containing platform and contribute to modulate HDAC2 activity. Our study links prelamin A processing to HDAC2 regulation and provides new insights into the effect of statins and histone deacetylase inhibitors on lamin NC functionality in normal and progeroid cells