Past, Present, and Future of Molecular and Cellular Oncology

In the last 20 years, the field of cellular and molecular oncology has been born and has moved its first steps, with an increasingly rapid pace. Hundreds of oncogenic and oncosuppressive signaling cascades have been characterized, facilitating the development of an ever more refined and variegated arsenal of diagnostic and therapeutic weapons. Furthermore, several cancer-specific features and processes have been identified that constitute promising therapeutic targets. For instance, it has been demonstrated that microRNAs can play a critical role in oncogenesis and tumor suppression. Moreover, it turned out that tumor cells frequently exhibit an extensive metabolic rewiring, can behave in a stem cell-like fashion (and hence sustain tumor growth), often constitutively activate stress response pathways that allow them to survive, can react to therapy by engaging in non-apoptotic cell death programs, and sometimes die while eliciting a tumor-specific immune response. In this Perspective article, we discuss the main issues generated by these discoveries that will be in the limelight of molecular and cellular oncology research for the next, hopefully few years

Uma Abordagem De Mapeamento De Potencial Mineral Dos Depósitos De Níquel Supérgeno Do Sudeste Do Cráton Do São Francisco

Southwestern Sao Francisco Craton makes limit with Braslia thrust-fold belt and involves rocks from Archean to formed during the Brasiliano-Pan Africano Neoproterozoic event, including a mafic-ultramafic belt (Morro do Ferro Greenstone Belt) hosted along the Archean counterpart. This greenstone belt hosts two-nickel deposits (Morro do Niquel and O'Toole, respectively silicate and sulfide types) and occurrences. This study applies an empirical-conceptual model for lateritic nickel deposits formation into geographic information systems with aerogeophysical data (magnetic and gamma-spectrometry) and digital elevation models (terrain relief and slope). Our contribution aims for nickel deposits favorability mapping using a simple mathematical operator over a supporting spatial database translating the conceptual exploration model into evidential layers for geological processes involved on deposit formation. Evidential layers constructed for identification of elements pertaining the supergene nickel mineral system are given by analytic signal amplitude maps, thorium over potassium ratio images, and digital elevation models and slope maps, derived from shuttle radar topography mission digital elevation models. Evidential layers integration through binary layers algebraic sum identified effectively known deposits and occurrences with its outputs highlighting possibilities for unknown resources in this under-explored terrain.46226127

Polyphenolic extracts from the olive mill wastewater as a source of biopesticides and their effects on the life cycle of the Mediterranean fruit fly Ceratitis capitata (Diptera, Tephriditae)

AbstractThe Mediterranean Fruit Fly Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann) (Diptera, Tephriditae) is an important pest in the Mediterranean region causing severe economic losses. Currently, pyrethroids are the most common insecticides used in the control of the Medfly. However, the demand for biopesticides is growing due to the necessity to limit the use of hazardous chemical pesticides in the context of the integrated pest management. In this context, a valid alternative is the use of plant derived pesticides with a selective action against target pests and a shorter persistence in ecosystems.Among plant products, olive tree phenolic and polyphenolic compounds show potent bioactive properties as insecticides and growth regulators. The olive mill wastewater is an important source of these compounds.We are reporting here that the polyphenolic fractions of the olive mill wastewater, show ovicidal effects in terms of reduction of the hatching rate, whereas the larval development is not affected by the treatments.On the adults, we show that selected fractions induce a complete block of the fecundity of the females probably due to an induced disruption of the oogenesis.These results suggest that the polyphenolic fractions derived from the olive mill wastewater can be used as a strong natural chemosterilant against the Mediterranean Fruit fly and can be considered as a putative ovicidal agent

Numerical and experimental analysis of the thermoforming process parameters of semi-spherical glass fibre thermoplastic parts

Abstract The thermoforming process is considered among the most promising manufacturing processes for delivering both high quality and volume of thermoplastic composite parts as it exploits all the principal advantages these materials provide. Nevertheless, a series of critical defects may be introduced during the process such as wrinkles, shear deformation of the textile, variation on the thickness as well as geometric distortions and residual stresses which are highly dependent on the material characteristics and the parameters of the process itself. In the present work presented is an analysis of these parameters and their influence on a simple semi-spherical geometry using finite element modelling. The results are also compared with actual experimental results

The Ribosomal RNA Gene Number and the Length of the Nucleolar Secondary Constrictions in Bellevalia Romana and B. Dubia (Liliaceae): A Possible Correlation

SUMMARYKaryological analyses and rRNA/DNA hybridization experiments were carried out in Bellevalia romana and B. dubia (Liliaceae). B. romana (2 n=8) has four short NORs and 3,200 genes for ribosomal RNA; B. dubia (2 n=8) has six NORs clearly longer than those of B. romana and 9,800 rRNA genes. The gene numbers are calculated on the basis that both species possess 24 × 10−12 g/2C nucleus. A correlation between cytological and molecular hybridization results is made

On the Predictive Tools for Assessing the Effect of Manufacturing Defects on the Mechanical Properties of Composite Materials

Abstract Despite the recent advances in the field of manufacturing of composite materials, with both thermosetting and thermoplastic matrix, the presence of irregularities that influence their mechanical properties and behavior remains a critical issue to the industry. The defects with the form of porosity, fiber misalignment, delamination and poor consolidation are considered an unavoidable form of initial damage to composite materials. The reduction of the defects by optimizing the manufacturing process and the creation effective tools for predicting the residual properties of these materials during the design and/or the manufacturing phase are of great interest. In the present work, presented are these numerical tools and methodologies based either on the idea of optimizing the manufacturing process or by using data derived from non-destructive tests. Finally, the possibility of combining the two approaches is being proposed

Optimization of Friction Stir Welding of Thermoplastics

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Monitoring of MMCs grinding process by means of IR thermography

Abstract The objective of this investigation is to assess the IR thermography as a monitoring system able to detect the grinding conditions in order to test its use as an industrial tool for optimizing and control the process. To this aim an experimental investigation has been carried out in the grinding of Metal Matrix Composites (MMCs). These materials exhibit additional drawbacks with respect to conventional materials due to the abrasive nature of the reinforcement together with the softness of the matrix. The results show how the IR thermography can give a significant contribution in the definition of a strategy to control the grinding process as well as for the maintenance of the grinding machine

The 100th anniversary of the four-point probe technique: the role of probe geometries in isotropic and anisotropic systems

The electrical conductivity of solid-state matter is a fundamental physical property and can be precisely derived from the resistance measured via the four-point probe technique excluding contributions from parasitic contact resistances. Over time, this method has become an interdisciplinary characterization tool in materials science, semiconductor industries, geology, physics, etc, and is employed for both fundamental and application-driven research. However, the correct derivation of the conductivity is a demanding task which faces several difficulties, e.g. the homogeneity of the sample or the isotropy of the phases. In addition, these sample-specific characteristics are intimately related to technical constraints such as the probe geometry and size of the sample. In particular, the latter is of importance for nanostructures which can now be probed technically on very small length scales. On the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the four-point probe technique, introduced by Frank Wenner, in this review we revisit and discuss various correction factors which are mandatory for an accurate derivation of the resistivity from the measured resistance. Among others, sample thickness, dimensionality, anisotropy, and the relative size and geometry of the sample with respect to the contact assembly are considered. We are also able to derive the correction factors for 2D anisotropic systems on circular finite areas with variable probe spacings. All these aspects are illustrated by state-of-the-art experiments carried out using a four-tip STM/SEM system. We are aware that this review article can only cover some of the most important topics. Regarding further aspects, e.g. technical realizations, the influence of inhomogeneities or different transport regimes, etc, we refer to other review articles in this field.DFG/FOR1700DFG/Te 386/9-