“FADN - FER system description and its exploitability in Agricultural Policies impact evaluation: the system can accept further development specification in order to assist Policies design and evaluation?”

In this paper we examined subsides received from actions set in motion by the two Pillars of EU Structural Policies. Data come from Fadn-Fer system that collects a large number of variables regarding results and economical behaviour of farmers active in the rural areas, including business and public entrepreneurs. Both FADN register and FER questionnaire collect data on CAP and RD contributes received to perform activities proposed by CAP/RD Pillars and measures; then FADN -FER databases can be used for Policies evaluation exercises as well as to improve Policies’ design and targets. The available vectors of data have been analyzed through an approach that aims to represent the principal financial records and figures of the EU structural policies in two cycles: the first period for the cycle 2000-2006 and the second period for the first two years of the cycle 2007-2013.Policies Evaluation, subsidies, type of farming, Agricultural and Food Policy, Q18, R11.,

Role of the Neuroinflammation in the Degree of Spinal Cord Injury: New Therapeutic Strategies

A case of spinal cord injury (SCI) is defined as the occurrence of an acute traumatic lesion of neural elements in the spinal canal (spinal cord and cauda equina), resulting in temporary or permanent sensory and/or motor deficit. Most studies on traumatic SCI show a bimodal age distribution, with a first peak in young adulthood and a second peak in older adults. Spinal cord trauma activates a cascade of events that exacerbates the damage such as activation of inflammatory process that determinates cytokine and chemokine production and that generates reduction in functional recovery resulting in necrosis or apoptosis of neurons. However, the precise mechanism of SCI-induced inflammatory response remains not fully understood at present. Current strategy to treat damage to the spinal cord is limited, only the treatment with methylprednisolone (MP), if administered in excessive dose during the acute phase of the damage, could ameliorate patients with severe SCI. However, associated to the beneficial effects, there are growing evidence that high-dose of MP is correlated to increased risk of infections, pneumonia and gastrointestinal bleeding. Therefore, there is a necessity to develop new therapies to treat SCI; one of these is to selectively reduce inflammation that possess unique role in the processes of injury and recovery

Fragmented citizenship: contemporary infrastructures of mobility containment along two migratory routes

Several authors have contended recently that the rationality of contemporary migration control can be most adequately grasped by the notion of ‘containment’, conceived as the redirection of people’s autonomous movement into restricted and defined path- ways. Following this idea, this article proceeds in three steps. First, it proposes an analysis of the ‘infrastructures’ through which contain- ment is enforced, showing the plural dimensions (regulatory, huma- nitarian, commercial, social) of which they are composed. Second, analysing two cases of transnational mobility towards (and across) the EU, it shows the effect of containment on people’s spatial and existential trajectories. And third, through the analysis of such cases, it contends that the ultimate effect of containment is the fragmentation of citizenship into a variety of intermediate ‘latitudi- nal’ positions characterised by partial and conditional access to rights, which are functional to several forms of exploitation, includ- ing labour but also profit extraction through the operations of containment infrastructures themselves

Fragmented citizenship: contemporary infrastructures of mobility containment along two migratory routes

Several authors have contended recently that the rationality of contemporary migration control can be most adequately grasped by the notion of ‘containment’, conceived as the redirection of people’s autonomous movement into restricted and defined pathways. Following this idea, this article proceeds in three steps. First, it proposes an analysis of the ‘infrastructures’ through which containment is enforced, showing the plural dimensions (regulatory, humanitarian, commercial, social) of which they are composed. Second, analysing two cases of transnational mobility towards (and across) the EU, it shows the effect of containment on people’s spatial and existential trajectories. And third, through the analysis of such cases, it contends that the ultimate effect of containment is the fragmentation of citizenship into a variety of intermediate ‘latitudinal’ positions characterised by partial and conditional access to rights, which are functional to several forms of exploitation, including labour but also profit extraction through the operations of containment infrastructures themselves.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Design of a cloud robotic system to support senior citizens: the KuBo experience

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Splenic and portal vein thrombosis in pancreatic metastasis from Renal cell carcinoma

BACKGROUND: Pancreatic metastases from previously treated renal cell carcinoma are uncommon. Surgical resection of pancreatic metastasis remains the only worthwhile modality of treatment. CASE PRESENTATION: A case where pancreatic metastasis from previously resected right sided renal cell carcinoma was resected with a subtotal left pancreatectomy is described. An unusual feature was the presence of a large splenic vein tumor thrombus extending into the portal vein with associated portal hypertension. The patient underwent an uneventful portal vein resection with primary anastomosis. CONCLUSION: This is possibly the first documented case of portal vein renal tumor thrombosis in a case of isolated pancreatic metastasis from previously operated renal cell carcinoma in published world surgical literature

PPAR-α Contributes to the Anti-Inflammatory Activity of Verbascoside in a Model of Inflammatory Bowel Disease in Mice

The previous results suggest that peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-alpha (PPAR)-α, an intracellular transcription factor activated by fatty acids, plays a role in control of inflammation. There is persuasive epidemiological and experimental evidence that dietary polyphenols have anti-inflammatory activity. In this regard, it has been demonstrated that verbascoside (VB) functions as intracellular radical scavenger and reduces the microscopic and macroscopic signs of experimental colitis. With the aim to characterize the role of PPAR-α in VB-mediated anti-inflammatory activity, we tested the efficacy of VB in an experimental model of inflammatory bowel disease induced by dinitrobenzene sulfonic acid, comparing mice lacking PPAR-α (PPAR-αKO) with wild type (WT) mice. Results indicate that VB-mediated anti-inflammatory activity is weakened in PPAR-αKO mice, compared to WT controls, especially in the inhibition of neutrophil infiltration, intestinal permeability and colon injury. These results indicate that PPAR-α can contribute to the anti-inflammatory activity of VB in inflammatory bowel disease

Differential Protein Expression Profiles in Glaucomatous Trabecular Meshwork: An Evaluation Study on a Small Primary Open Angle Glaucoma Population

INTRODUCTION: Primary open angle glaucoma (POAG) is a progressive optic neuropathy characterized by impaired aqueous outflow and extensive remodeling in the trabecular meshwork (TM). The aim of this study was to characterize and compare the expression patterns of selected proteins belonging to the tissue remodeling, inflammation and growth factor pathways in ex vivo glaucomatous and post-mortem TMs using protein-array analysis. METHODS: TM specimens were collected from 63 white subjects, including 40 patients with glaucoma and 23 controls. Forty POAG TMs were collected at the time of surgery and 23 post-mortem specimens were from non-glaucomatous donor sclerocorneal tissues. Protein profiles were evaluated using a chip-based array consisting of 60 literature-selected antibodies. RESULTS: A different expression of some factors was observed in POAG TMs with respect to post-mortem specimens, either in abundance (interleukin [IL]10, IL6, IL5, IL7, IL12, IL3, macrophage inflammatory protein [MIP]1δ/α, vascular endothelial growth factor [VEGF], transforming growth factor beta 1 [TGFβ1], soluble tumor necrosis factor receptor I [sTNFRI]) or in scarcity (IL16, IL18, intercellular adhesion molecule 3 [ICAM3], matrix metalloproteinase-7 [MMP7], tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase 1 [TIMP1]). MMP2, MMP7, TGFβ1, and VEGF expressions were confirmed by Western blot, zymography, and polymerase chain reaction. No difference in protein profile expression was detected between glaucomatous subtypes. CONCLUSION: The analysis of this small TM population highlighted some proteins linked to POAG, some previously reported and others of new detection (IL7, MIPs, sTNFαRI). A larger POAG population is required to select promising disease-associated biomarker candidates. FUNDING: This study was partially supported by the Fondazione Roma, the Italian Ministry of Health and the “National 5xMille 2010 tax donation to IRCCS-G.B. Bietti Foundation”. ELECTRONIC SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIAL: The online version of this article (doi:10.1007/s12325-016-0285-x) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users

Anti-inflammatory effect of simvastatin in an experimental model of spinal cord trauma: involvement of PPAR-α

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Statins such as simvastatin are inhibitors of 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-coenzyme A (HMG-CoA) reductase used in the prevention of cardiovascular disease. In addition to their cholesterol-lowering activities, statins exert pleiotropic anti-inflammatory effects, which might contribute to their beneficial effects on lipid-unrelated inflammatory diseases. Recently it has been demonstrated that the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR)-α mediates anti-inflammatory effects of simvastatin in vivo models of acute inflammation. Moreover, previous results suggest that PPAR-α plays a role in control of secondary inflammatory process associated with spinal cord injury (SCI).</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>With the aim to characterize the role of PPAR-α in simvastatin activity, we tested the efficacy of simvastatin (10 mg/kg dissolved in saline i.p. 1 h and 6 h after the trauma) in an experimental model of SCI induced in mice by extradural compression of the spinal cord (T6-T7 level) using an aneurysm clip with a closing force of 24 g via a four-level T5-T8 laminectomy, and comparing mice lacking PPAR-α (PPAR-α KO) with wild type (WT) mice. In order to elucidate whether the effects of simvastatin are due to activation of the PPAR-α, we also investigated the effect of a PPAR-α antagonist, GW6471 (1 mg/kg administered i.p. 30 min prior treatment with simvastatin) on the protective effects of on simvastatin.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Results indicate that simvastatin activity is weakened in PPAR-α KO mice, as compared to WT controls. In particular, simvastatin was less effective in PPAR-α KO, compared to WT mice, as evaluated by inhibition of the degree of spinal cord inflammation, neutrophil infiltration, nitrotyrosine formation, pro-inflammmatory cytokine expression, nuclear factor (NF)-κB activation, inducible nitric-oxide synthase (iNOS) expression, and apoptosis. In addition we demonstrated that GW6471 significantly antagonized the effect of the statin and thus abolished the protective effect.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>This study indicates that PPAR-α can contribute to the anti-inflammatory activity of simvastatin in SCI.</p