Expressão de podoplanina em ceratocistos odontogênicos associados ou não associados à síndrome do carcinoma nevoide de células basais

Resumo: a podoplanina é uma proteína transmembrana expressa em várias células normais ou neoplásicas. Alguns estudos têm mostrado que a podoplanina promove a migração e a invasão de células tumorais. Esse estudo avaliou a expressão de podoplanina em Ceratocistos Odontogênicos (CO) associados ou não associados à Síndrome do Carcinoma Nevóide de Células Basais (SCNCB) e Cistos Odontogênicos Ortoceratinizados (COO). Materiais e Métodos: um total de 50 lesões foram obtidas nesse estudo, 28 COs, 18 COs associados à SCNCB e 4 COOs. A expressão imunoistoquímica da podoplanina em células epiteliais da camada basal e suprabasal foi avaliada usando os seguintes escores: (a) intensidade da imunomarcação (0: ausente, 1: fraco, 2: moderado, 3: forte e 4: muito forte) e (b) número de células positivas (0: 0%, 1 = 75%). O escore final foi determinado pela soma dos escores, variando de 0 a 8 (0: ausente, 1-4: fraco e 5-8: forte). Resultados: a expressão de podoplanina foi significativamente mais forte na camada basal das lesões de COs e das associadas à SCNCB. Além disso, a expressão de podoplanina foi maior na camada suprabasal de lesões da SCNCB, seguido pela suprabasal de COs e de COOs. Conclusão: a expressão de podoplanina é diferente em lesões de diferentes comportamentos biológicos. O padrão e a localização da expressão da podoplanina poderiam sugerir a sua influência em atividades de proliferação e migração celular.Background: Podoplanin is a transmembrane glycoprotein expressed on various normal or neoplastic cells. Some studies have shown that podoplanin promotes the migration and invasion of tumor cells. This study evaluated podoplanin expression in Odontogenic Keratocysts (OKs) associated or not associated with Nevoid Basal Cell Carcinoma Syndrome (NBCCS) and in Orthokeratinized Odontogenic Cysts (OOCs). Materials and Methods: A total of 50 lesions were obtained in this study, 28 OKs, 18 OKs associated with NBCCS, and 4 OOCs. Immunohistochemical expression of podoplanin in epithelial cells was evaluated using the following score: (a) intensity of immunostaining: (0: absent, 1: weak, 2: moderate, 3: strong, and 4: very strong) and (b) number of positively cells (0 = 0%, 1 = 75%). The final score was determined by adding the scores ranging from 0 to 8 (0: absent, 1 to 4: weak, and 5 to 8: strong). Results: Podoplanin expression was significantly stronger in the basal layer OKs and NBCCS lesions. Further, podoplanin expression was the highest in the suprabasal layer of NBCCS lesions, followed by the suprabasal layers of OK and OOC lesions. Conclusion: Podoplanin expression is different in lesions of different biological behaviors. The pattern and localization of podoplanin expression may suggest its influence on cell proliferation and migration

Thermal and spectral dimension of (generalized) Snyder noncommutative spacetimes

We report an investigation of the Snyder noncommutative spacetime and of some of its most natural generalizations, also looking at them as a powerful tool for comparing different notions of dimensionality of a quantum spacetime. It is known that (generalized-)Snyder noncommutativity, while having rich off-shell implications (kinematical Hilbert space), does not affect on-shell particles (physical Hilbert space), and we argue that physically meaningful notions of dimensionality should describe such spacetimes as trivially four-dimensional, without any running with scales. By studying the thermodynamics of a gas of massless particles living on these spacetimes, we find that indeed the Snyder model and its generalizations have constant thermal dimension of four. We also compute the spectral dimension of the Snyder model and its generalizations, finding that, as a result of its sensitivity to off-shell properties, it runs from the standard value of four in the infrared towards lower values in the ultraviolet limit

Biocontrol Ability and Action Mechanism of Starmerella bacillaris (Synonym Candida zemplinina) Isolated from Wine Musts against Gray Mold Disease Agent Botrytis cinerea on Grape and Their Effects on Alcoholic Fermentation

Gray mold is one of the most important diseases of grapevine in temperate climates. This plant pathogen affects plant growth and reduces wine quality. The use of yeasts as biocontrol agents to apply in the vineyard have been investigated in recent years as an alternative to agrochemicals. In this work, fermenting musts obtained from overripe grape berries, therefore more susceptible to infection by fungal pathogens such as Botrytis cinerea, were considered for the selection of yeasts carrying antifungal activity. Thirty-six isolates were identified as Starmerella bacillaris, a species recently proven to be of enological interest. Among them 14 different strains were studied and antifungal activity against B. cinerea was demonstrated, for the first time, to be present in S. bacillaris species. The production of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), tested in vitro, was found to be the main responsible of S. bacillaris antifungal effects. All the strains were able to reduce B. cinerea decay on wounded grape berries artificially inoculated with gray mold. The colonization level of wound was very high reaching, after 5 days, a concentration of 10(6) cells per ml of grape juice obtained after berry crushing. At this cell concentration S. bacillaris strains were used to ferment synthetic and natural musts. The sequential yeast inoculation, performed by adding S. cerevisiae 48 h after S. bacillaris, was needed to complete sugar consumption and determined a significant increase in glicerol content and a reduction of ethanol and acetic acid concentrations. The high wound colonization ability, found in this work, together with the propensity to colonize grape berry and the interesting enological traits possessed by the selected S. bacillaris strains allow the use of this yeast as biocontrol agent on vine and grape berries with possible positive effects on must fermentation, although the presence of S. cerevisiae is needed to complete the fermentation process. This work introduces new possibilities in wine yeast selection programs in order to identify innovative wine yeasts that are simultaneously antifungal agents in vineyards and alternative wine starters for grape must fermentation and open new perspective to a more integrated strategy for increasing wine quality

Costruisci il Sistema Solare in Scala sulla tua città: un laboratorio divulgativo della serie INAF Online Lab

Il laboratorio Costruisci il Sistema Solare in scala sulla tua città è uno degli INAF Online Lab, il progetto sviluppato dal Gruppo DD INAF e ospitato su EduINAF, la rivista online dedicata alla Didattica e Divulgazione dell’INAF. L’idea degli INAF Online Lab, laboratori divulgativi ludici da svolgere completamente online, è nata nell’epoca dell’emergenza COVID19 e della successiva trasformazione in eventi online dei Festival della Scienza e dei laboratori didattici normalmente ospitati in queste manifestazioni. In particolare, Costruisci il Sistema Solare in scala sulla tua città è l’evoluzione di un progetto didattico precedentemente progettato e realizzato con le scuole, trasformato in INAF Online Lab grazie all’uso del software Google Earth. In Costruisci il Sistema Solare in scala sulla tua città, gruppi di ragazzi tra gli 8 e i 13 anni partecipano a un’attività guidata online in cui costruiscono un Sistema Solare virtuale in scala tra le vie della propria città per comprendere le reali dimensioni dei pianeti, le loro distanze reciproche e con il Sole. In questo documento descriviamo nel dettaglio il laboratorio e i suoi possibili ulteriori sviluppi

Design and Synthesis of 4-Alkylidene-b-lactams: Benzyland Phenethyl-carbamates as Key Fragments to Switch on Antibacterial Activity

The emergence of multidrug-resistant bacterial strains is particularly important in chronic pathologies such as cystic fibrosis (CF), in which persistent colonization and selection of resistant strains is favored by the frequent and repeated use of antibacterial agents. Staphylococcus aureus is a common pathogen in CF patients that has an associated increased multidrug resistance. In previous studies we demonstrated that the presence of a 4-alkylidene side chain directly linked to a beta-lactam appeared to strengthen the potency against S. aureus, especially against methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) strains. In the present study, 21 new 4-alkylidene-beta-lactams were synthesized and evaluated for antibacterial activity. We designed the new compounds to have aryl, benzyl, or phenethyl-carbamate groups on the C3 hydroxyethyl side chain. We found a correlation between biological activity and the nitrogen substituent of the carbamate group, and two phenethyl-carbamate b-lactams were shown to be valuable antibacterial agents against selected linezolid-resistant strains, with a minimum inhibitory concentrations of 2–4 mgL-1

Neonatal lymphocyte subpopulations analysis and maternal preterm premature rupture of membranes: a pilot study

Abstract Objectives Preterm premature rupture of membranes (pPROM) causes preterm delivery, and increases maternal T-cell response against the fetus. Fetal inflammatory response prompts maturation of the newborn's immunocompetent cells, and could be associated with unfavorable neonatal outcome. The aims were (1) to examine the effects of pPROM on the newborn's and mother's immune system and (2) to assess the predictive value of immune system changes in neonatal morbidity. Methods Mother-newborn pairs (18 mothers and 23 newborns) who experienced pPROM and controls (11 mothers and 14 newborns), were enrolled. Maternal and neonatal whole blood samples underwent flow cytometry to measure lymphocyte subpopulations. Results pPROM-newborns had fewer naïve CD4 T-cells, and more memory CD4 T-cells than control newborns. The effect was the same for increasing pPROM latency times before delivery. Gestational age and birth weight influenced maturation of the newborns' lymphocyte subpopulations and white blood cells, notably cytotoxic T-cells, regulatory T-cells, T-helper cells (absolute count), and CD4/CD8 ratio. Among morbidities, fewer naïve CD8 T-cells were found in bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) (p=0.0009), and more T-helper cells in early onset sepsis (p=0.04). Conclusions pPROM prompts maturation of the newborn's T-cell immune system secondary to antigenic stimulation, which correlates with pPROM latency. Maternal immunity to inflammatory conditions is associated with a decrease in non-major histocompatibility complex (MHC)-restricted cytotoxic cells

“Don’t blame the shopkeeper!!” Food, drink and confectionery advertising and British Government market controls during the Second World War

A novel series of \u3b2-lactam derivatives that was designed and synthesized to target RGD-binding and leukocyte integrins is reported. The compound library was evaluated by investigating the effects on integrin-mediated cell adhesion and cell signaling in cell lines expressing \u3b1v\u3b23, \u3b1v\u3b25, \u3b1v\u3b26, \u3b15\u3b21, \u3b1IIb\u3b23, \u3b14\u3b21, and \u3b1L\u3b22 integrins. SAR analysis of the new series of azetidinones enabled the recognition of structural elements associated with integrin selectivity. We obtained selective and potent agonists that could induce cell adhesion and promote cell signaling mediated by \u3b1v\u3b23, \u3b1v\u3b25, \u3b15\u3b21, or \u3b14\u3b21 integrin, and antagonists for the integrins \u3b1v\u3b23 and \u3b15\u3b21, as well as \u3b14\u3b21 and \u3b1L\u3b22, preventing the effects elicited by the respective endogenous agonists

Frequency and type of domestic injuries among children during COVID-19 lockdown: what changes from the past? An Italian multicentre cohort study

: Accidents are the main cause of injury in children, more than half events happen at home. Aims of this study were to assess if SARS-CoV-2 lockdown influence emergency department (ED) visits due to children domestic accident (DAs) and to identify factors associated with hospitalization. This was a multicentre, observational, and retrospective cohort study involving 16 EDs in Italy and enrolling children (3-13 years) receiving a visit in ED during March-June 2019 and March-June 2020. Risk factors for hospitalization were identified by logistic regression models. In total, 8860 ED visits due to domestic accidents in children occurred before (4380) and during (4480) lockdown, with a mean incidence of DA of 5.6% in 2019 and 17.9% in 2020 (p < 0.001) (IRR: 3.16; p < 0.001). The risk of hospitalization was influenced by the type of occurred accident, with fourfold higher for poisoning and twofold lower risk for stab-wound ones. In addition, a higher risk was reported for lockdown period vs 2019 (OR: 1.9; p < 0.001), males (OR: 1.4; p < 0.001), and it increased with age (OR: 1.1; p < 0.001).    Conclusions: The main limitation of this study is the retrospective collection of data, available only for patients who presented at the hospital. This does highlight possible differences in the total number of incidents that truly occurred. In any case, the COVID-19 lockdown had a high impact on the frequency of DAs and on hospitalization. A public health campaign aimed at caregivers would be necessary to minimize possible risks at home. What is Known: • In Italy, domestic accidents are the second leading cause of paediatric mortality after cancer. • During the first SARS-CoV-2 lockdown in 2020, a sharp decrease in the total number of Emergency Departments visits for all causes was observed, both in children and in adults. What is New: • During the first SARS-CoV-2 lockdown in 2020, domestic accidents involving children increased threefold from the previous year. • Higher risk of hospitalization was showed in minors accessing during 2020 vs 2019, in males than in females and it increased with advancing age. Considering the type of injury, a significant higher risk of hospitalization for poisoning was observed

Il Progetto INAF Online Lab

Gli INAF Online Lab sono un progetto nato nell’ambito del Gruppo DD INAF per essere ospitato su EduINAF, la rivista online dedicata alla Didattica e Divulgazione dell’INAF. Il progetto è nato nell’epoca dell’emergenza COVID19 e della successiva trasformazione online dei Festival della Scienza e dei laboratori didattici normalmente ospitati in queste manifestazioni. La chiusura delle scuole e il crescente ricorso all’online hanno esteso il progetto facendo diventare questi laboratori delle possibili proposte di didattica online per le scuole, da inserire in percorsi di didattica in presenza o di didattica a distanza (DAD). In questo documento descriviamo il progetto e le sue possibili applicazioni ed evoluzioni