EXPERIMENTANDO A CIÊNCIA

O projeto “Experimentando a Ciências” tem por objetivo proporcionar aosestudantes realizar experimentos que comprovam que a ciências e aexperimentação são inseparáveis. A possibilidade de comprovação e aplicaçãoprática dos conceitos científicos é o suporte essencial para a validação deteorias. Este projeto inclui uma série de 10 experimentos simples utilizandomateriais do dia-a-dia. Concluiu-se que as aulas práticas de Ciênciasproporcionam espaços para que o aluno seja coautor, construtor do próprioconhecimento. Através de aulas práticas o aluno aprende a interagir com assuas próprias dúvidas, chegando a conclusões, à aplicação dos conhecimentospor ele obtidos, tornando-se agente do seu aprendizado

EXPERIMENTANDO A CIÊNCIA

O projeto “Experimentando a Ciências” tem por objetivo proporcionar aosestudantes realizar experimentos que comprovam que a ciências e aexperimentação são inseparáveis. A possibilidade de comprovação e aplicaçãoprática dos conceitos científicos é o suporte essencial para a validação deteorias. Este projeto inclui uma série de 10 experimentos simples utilizandomateriais do dia-a-dia. Concluiu-se que as aulas práticas de Ciênciasproporcionam espaços para que o aluno seja coautor, construtor do próprioconhecimento. Através de aulas práticas o aluno aprende a interagir com assuas próprias dúvidas, chegando a conclusões, à aplicação dos conhecimentospor ele obtidos, tornando-se agente do seu aprendizado

LC3B and ph-S6K are both expressed in epithelioid and classic renal angiomyolipoma: a rationale tissue-based evidence for combining use of autophagic and mTOR targeted drugs

Background: Targeted drugs to the autophagy processes are emerging in clinical trials. The aim of this work is to assess the magnitude of autophagic expression in renal angiomyolipoma. Methods: Fourteen cases of renal angiomyolipoma were recruited. Anti-LC3B-II and anti-phospho-S6K were detected by Western blot analysis. For immunohistochemical staining, sections were stained with the antibodies LC3B-II and cathepsin-K. LC3B-II was also analyzed by immunofluorescence. We have also carried out electron microscopy analysis on tumor cells. Results: 13 classic and 1 epithelioid renal angiomyolipoma were recruited. The Western-blot LC3B-II analysis shows increasing in protein expression in all cases, however quantitative protein expression ranged from 1 to 15 (mean 5). The autophagosome protein LC3B-I also significantly increased in all tumor extraction. The expression of LC3B-II protein was confirmed in tumoral samples by immunofluorescence. The lysosomal marker cathepsin-K was observed by immunohistochemistry on all tumours. The Western-blot ph-S6K analysis showed significant protein overexpression along all cases after evaluation of the quantitative S6K/Ponceaus ratio. In 6/14 (52%) the expression was high, with a quantitative increase of 653 fold induction in 4 angiomyolipoma compared to normal tissue. At electron microscopy, cancer cells evidenced round or oval electron-dense granules associated with membranes and granules with double membrane. Conclusion: Both autophagic LC3B-II and ph-S6K molecules are over-represented in both epithelioid and classic renal angiomyolipoma and a combined use of inhibitors to the autophagic and mTOR processes may be designed in clinical trials, when enrolling patients affected by tumours in tuberous sclerosis or angiomyolipoma at risk of bledding

Experimental and numerical investigation of magneto-plasma optical properties toward measurements of opacity relevant for compact binary objects

Electromagnetic transients known as kilonovae (KN), are among the photonic messengers released in the post-merger phase of compact binary objects, for example, binary neutron stars, and they have been recently observed as the electromagnetic counterpart of related gravitational-wave (GW) events. Detection of the KN signal plays a fundamental role in the multi-messenger astronomy entering in a sophisticated GW-detecting network. The KN light curve also delivers precious information on the composition and dynamics of the neutron-rich post-merger plasma ejecta (relying on r-process nucleosynthesis yields). In this sense, studying KN becomes of great relevance for nuclear astrophysics. Because of the highly heterogeneous composition, plasma opacity has a great impact both on radiative transport and spectroscopic observation of KN. Theoretical models attempting in encoding the opacity of this system often fail, due to the complexity of blending plethora of both light- and heavy-r nuclei transition lines, requesting for more complete atomic database. Trapped magneto-plasmas conceived in PANDORA could answer to these requests, allowing experimental in-laboratory measurements of optical properties and opacities, at plasma electron densities and temperatures resembling early-stage plasma ejecta’s conditions, contributing to shed light on r-process metallic species abundance at the blue-KN diffusion time. A numerical study has been recently performed, supporting the choice of first physics cases to be investigated and the design of the experimental setup. In this article, we report on the feasibility of metallic plasmas on the basis of the results from the systematic numerical survey on optical spectra computed under non-local thermodynamic equilibrium (NLTE) for several light-r nuclei. Results show the great impact of the NLTE regime of laboratory magneto-plasmas on the gray opacity contribution contrasted with those under the astrophysical LTE assumption. A first experimental attempt of reproducing ejecta plasma conditions has been performed on the operative Flexible Plasma Trap (FPT) at the INFN-LNS and here presented, together with first plasma characterization of density and temperature, via non-invasive optical emission spectroscopy (OES). The measured plasma parameters have supported numerical simulations to explore optical properties of NLTE gaseous and metallic plasmas, in view of the near-future plasma opacity measurements through spectroscopic techniques. The novel work so far performed on these under-dense and low-temperature magneto-plasmas, opens the route for the first-time to future in-laboratory plasma opacity measurements of metallic plasma species relevant for KN light curve studies

Unraveling the impact of upfront chemotherapy and proton beam therapy on treatment outcome and follow-up in central nervous system germ cell tumors: a single center experience

BackgroundGerm cell tumors (GCT) account for a minority of central nervous system (CNS) malignancies, highly prevalent in adolescents and young adults. Despite their aggressive biological behavior, prognosis is excellent in most cases with risk stratified treatment, consisting in a combination of chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Whole ventricular irradiation (WVI) and craniospinal irradiation, the treatment of choice for localized and metastatic disease, pose significant risk of collateral effects, therefore proton beam radiation (PBT) has been recently proposed for its steep dose fallout.Materials and methodsWe report our experience in a consecutive series of 17 patients treated for CNS GCT at our Institution from 2015 to 2021.ResultsMost frequent lesion location were sellar/suprasellar (35%) and bifocal germinoma (35%), followed by pineal (18%) and thalamic (12%). Two patients (12%), had evidence of disseminated disease at the time of diagnosis. At the latest follow-up all but one patient showed complete response to treatment. The only relapse was successfully rescued by additional chemotherapy and PBT. PBT was well tolerated in all cases. No visual, neurological or endocrinological worsening was documented during and after treatment. Neuropsychological evaluation demonstrated preservation of cognitive performance after PBT treatment.ConclusionsOur data, albeit preliminary, strongly support the favourable therapeutic profile of PBT for the treatment of CNS germ cell tumors

Science with the Einstein Telescope: a comparison of different designs

The Einstein Telescope (ET), the European project for a third-generation gravitational-wave detector, has a reference configuration based on a triangular shape consisting of three nested detectors with 10 km arms, where in each arm there is a `xylophone' configuration made of an interferometer tuned toward high frequencies, and an interferometer tuned toward low frequencies and working at cryogenic temperature. Here, we examine the scientific perspectives under possible variations of this reference design. We perform a detailed evaluation of the science case for a single triangular geometry observatory, and we compare it with the results obtained for a network of two L-shaped detectors (either parallel or misaligned) located in Europe, considering different choices of arm-length for both the triangle and the 2L geometries. We also study how the science output changes in the absence of the low-frequency instrument, both for the triangle and the 2L configurations. We examine a broad class of simple `metrics' that quantify the science output, related to compact binary coalescences, multi-messenger astronomy and stochastic backgrounds, and we then examine the impact of different detector designs on a more specific set of scientific objectives.Comment: 197 pages, 72 figure

Regulation of IL-8 gene expression in gliomas by microRNA miR-93

Background: Different strategies have been proposed to target neoangiogenesis in gliomas, besides those targeting Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (VEGF). The chemokine Interleukin-8 (IL-8) has been shown to possess both tumorigenic and proangiogenic properties. Although different pathways of induction of IL-8 gene expression have been already elucidated, few data are available on its post-transcriptional regulation in gliomas. Methods: Here we investigated the role of the microRNA miR-93 on the expression levels of IL-8 and other pro-inflammatory genes by RT-qPCR and Bio-Plex analysis. We used different disease model systems, including clinical samples from glioma patients and two glioma cell lines, U251 and T98G. Results: IL-8 and VEGF transcripts are highly expressed in low and high grade gliomas in respect to reference healthy brain; miR-93 expression is also increased and inversely correlated with transcription of IL-8 and VEGF genes. Computational analysis showed the presence of miR-93 consensus sequences in the 3′UTR region of both VEGF and IL-8 mRNAs, predicting possible interaction with miR-93 and suggesting a potential regulatory role of this microRNA. In vitro transfection with pre-miR-93 and antagomiR-93 inversely modulated VEGF and IL-8 gene expression and protein release when the glioma cell line U251 was considered. Similar data were obtained on IL-8 gene regulation in the other glioma cell line analyzed, T98G. The effect of pre-miR-93 and antagomiR-93 in U251 cells has been extended to the secretion of a panel of cytokines, chemokines and growth factors, which consolidated the concept of a role of miR-93 in IL-8 and VEGF gene expression and evidenced a potential regulatory role also for MCP-1 and PDGF (also involved in angiogenesis). Conclusion: In conclusion, our results suggest an increasin

Environmental Influence on the Occurrence of Multi-Organ Cystic Echinococcosis Infection in a Patient from Sardinia, Italy

An uncommon clinical case of an adult woman who was referred to the hospital with severe symptoms attributable to cystic echinococcosis (CE) is described in this report. According to a questionnaire, the subject was exposed to a high risk of infection since she was employed on a farm about 20 years before diagnosis. She lived close to several animal species and handled vegetables in inadequate hygienic conditions. Medical and laboratory investigations confirmed the presence of massive echinococcal cystic lesions in each lung and in the liver. Given the peculiarity of the case, pharmacological and surgical treatments were the only conceivable option. The association of pharmacological treatment, surgery, and interventional radiology procedure represented a reliable and effective way to handle a complex case of human hydatidosis. A multi-disciplinary approach was mandatory, resulting in a clear and conclusive diagnosis of CE caused by the zoonotic parasite E. granulosus sensu stricto of the G1 genotype

In Vitro Evaluation of Antibacterial and Antibiofilm Activity of Different Chlorhexidine-Containing Mouthwash Formulations against Streptococcus mutans

Daily use of mouthwash is generally recommended to control dental plaque development and limit further adhesion of oral bacteria. To this purpose, Chlorhexidine di-gluconate (CHG)-containing products are still the most used antiseptic in oral health. The aim of this study was to compare the antimicrobial and antibiofilm activity of three different mouthwash commercial formulations containing CHG at the same concentration (0.2%) on the main etiological agent of dental plaque, Streptococcus mutans (S. mutans). Liquid Chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) was used to confirm the CHG concentration in the commercial formulations. The Minimal Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) and Minimal Bactericidal concentration (MBC) were measured to evaluate the antimicrobial activity of mouthwashes on planktonic cells. The biofilm prevention concentration (BPC) and CHG formulation activity towards mature biofilm were investigated. Both total cell titer and viability in S. mutans pregrown biofilms were evaluated after treatment with formulations at different time points and concentrations, using Crystal Violet (CV) and tetrazolium dye assay (MTT). The Shapiro–Wilk and Levene tests were used to evaluate the normality and overall homogeneity of the datasets, respectively. The chi-square test, Fischer’s exact test and Student’s t-test were used to evaluate the inhibitory capacity of the commercial formulations in CV and MTT assays. Results showed that even though only slight differences in MIC and MBC values were found on planktonic bacteria, the antibiofilm effect of the different formulations exhibited wide variation when mature biofilms were treated. In addition, results were discussed based on the different compositions of the three formulations, suggesting that herbal extracts, when present in mouthwash formulations, may not always have a beneficial effect, especially when mature biofilms are concerned

Uptake by human glioma cell lines and biological effects of a peptide-nucleic acids targeting miR-221

MicroRNAs are a family of small noncoding RNAs regulating gene expression by sequence-selective mRNA targeting, leading to a translational repression or mRNA degradation. The oncomiR miR-221 is highly expressed in human gliomas, as confirmed in this study in samples of low and high grade gliomas, as well in the cell lines U251, U373 and T98G. In order to alter the biological functions of miR-221, a peptide nucleic acid targeting miR-221 (R8-PNA-a221) was produced, bearing a oligoarginine peptide (R8) to facilitate uptake by glioma cells. The effects of R8-PNA-a221 were analyzed in U251, U373 and T98G glioma cells and found to strongly inhibit miR- 221. In addition, the effects of R8-PNA-a221 on p27Kip1 (a target of miR-221) were analyzed in U251 and T98G cells by RT-qPCR and by Western blotting. No change of p27Kip1 mRNA content occurs in U251 cells in the presence of PNA-a221 (lacking the R8 peptide), whereas significant increase of p27Kip1 mRNA was observed with the R8-PNA-a221. These data were confirmed by Western blot assay. A clear increment of p27Kip1 protein expression in the samples treated with R8-PNA-a221 was detected. In addition, R8-PNA-a221 was found able to increase TIMP3 expression (another target of miR-221) in T98G cells. These results suggest that PNAs against oncomiRNA miR-221 might be proposed for experimental treatment of human glioma