363 research outputs found
Hsp72 translocation and secretion in in vivo and in vitro models
Evidence suggesting that Hsp72 is actively participating in cellular signalling as well interacting with immune system dynamics has been increasing. This is true in healthy, stressed and diseased cells but to different degrees. Modulation of the plasma membrane association and secretion in the extracellular environment by different types of stressors is the key event that leads to different degrees of immune system activation. Hence a better understanding of the mechanisms of Hsp72 secretion and association with plasma membrane is crucial. This thesis investigated the tissue source and mechanism of Hsp72 surface presentation to plasma membrane structures and release in relation with different cellular and physiological stressors. In vivo models confirmed that different tissue types determine specific Hsp72 responses following the same stress and increase serum Hsp72 dependant on intensity and duration of the stress. Diseases models confirm that Hsp72 responses in specific cell populations is related to disease progression, while in vitro models clearly showed that there are multiple mechanisms of secretion and surface presentation, dependent on the nature of the stressor as well as the intensity and duration. This observations clearly change the view of extracellular Hsp72 as a danger signal and lead to a revision of the original danger model. It also suggests that manipulation of Hsp72 translocation through the different pathways involved may prove effective therapeutically
Dia Azzawi: Painting poetry
Dia al-Azzawi (b. Baghdad, 1939) is
considered one of the Arab world’s most
influential living artists. Best-known for large
colourful paintings, his work embraces many
other media and draws on the visual heritage
of Iraq to reflect contemporary struggles and
collective concerns.
Azzawi spent his formative years in Baghdad,
immersed in its effervescent art scene and
actively shaping the direction of mid-century
Iraqi modernism. In 1969 he founded the
group known as ‘Towards a New Vision’ and
co-authored its manifesto, which called for
an exploration of the past to forge a relevant
artistic language for the present.
After moving to London in 1976, Iraq’s
cultural heritage acquired a fresh meaning,
prompting him to rediscover traditions like
Islamic illustrated manuscripts and to engage
with other creative practices. Poetry became
an inherent part of his work, providing not
only a creative stimulus but also a storehouse
of visual associations. This interest also gave
rise to a distinctive genre called dafatir
(Arabic plural for ‘notebooks’), where texts
and images merge to create a wholly new
form of artistic expression.
This exhibition, the first UK solo exhibition
dedicated to Dia al-Azzawi, celebrates
dafatir as a way into the practice and
inspiration of this influential modern master
Chemical communication between synthetic and natural cells: a possible experimental design
The bottom-up construction of synthetic cells is one of the most intriguing
and interesting research arenas in synthetic biology. Synthetic cells are built
by encapsulating biomolecules inside lipid vesicles (liposomes), allowing the
synthesis of one or more functional proteins. Thanks to the in situ synthesized
proteins, synthetic cells become able to perform several biomolecular
functions, which can be exploited for a large variety of applications. This
paves the way to several advanced uses of synthetic cells in basic science and
biotechnology, thanks to their versatility, modularity, biocompatibility, and
programmability. In the previous WIVACE (2012) we presented the
state-of-the-art of semi-synthetic minimal cell (SSMC) technology and
introduced, for the first time, the idea of chemical communication between
synthetic cells and natural cells. The development of a proper synthetic
communication protocol should be seen as a tool for the nascent field of
bio/chemical-based Information and Communication Technologies (bio-chem-ICTs)
and ultimately aimed at building soft-wet-micro-robots. In this contribution
(WIVACE, 2013) we present a blueprint for realizing this project, and show some
preliminary experimental results. We firstly discuss how our research goal
(based on the natural capabilities of biological systems to manipulate chemical
signals) finds a proper place in the current scientific and technological
contexts. Then, we shortly comment on the experimental approaches from the
viewpoints of (i) synthetic cell construction, and (ii) bioengineering of
microorganisms, providing up-to-date results from our laboratory. Finally, we
shortly discuss how autopoiesis can be used as a theoretical framework for
defining synthetic minimal life, minimal cognition, and as bridge between
synthetic biology and artificial intelligence.Comment: In Proceedings Wivace 2013, arXiv:1309.712
Aging and IoT: Developing Innovative Solutions in a Quadruple Helix Approach
The paper investigates, through the use of a case study, how local firms can promote technological advancements in a very specific field, such as the one of ICT and IoT applied to the care of elderly people, benefiting from relationships with institutions, enterprises, universities and users in a Quadruple Helix Model. The firm selected, which is launching innovative solutions and systems of connected care and wellness, provides evidence on how technological improvement can flourish if a collaborative approach is followed
Effect of efflux pump inhibition on Pseudomonas aeruginosa transcriptome and virulence
Efflux pumps of the resistance-nodulation-cell-division (RND) family increase antibiotic resistance in many bacterial pathogens, representing candidate targets for the development of antibiotic adjuvants. RND pumps have also been proposed to contribute to bacterial infection, implying that efflux pump inhibitors (EPIs) could also act as anti-virulence drugs. Nevertheless, EPIs are usually investigated only for their properties as antibiotic adjuvants, while their potential anti-virulence activity is seldom taken into account. In this study it is shown that RND efflux pumps contribute to Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO1 pathogenicity in an insect model of infection, and that the well-characterized EPI Phe-Arg-β-naphthylamide (PAβN) is able to reduce in vivo virulence of the P. aeruginosa PAO1 laboratory strain, as well as of clinical isolates. The production of quorum sensing (QS) molecules and of QS-dependent virulence phenotypes is differentially affected by PAβN, depending on the strain. Transcriptomic and phenotypic analyses showed that the protection exerted by PAβN from P. aeruginosa PAO1 infection in vivo correlates with the down-regulation of key virulence genes (e.g. genes involved in iron and phosphate starvation). Since PAβN impacts P. aeruginosa virulence, anti-virulence properties of EPIs are worthy to be explored, taking into account possible strain-specificity of their activit
Evaluation of anatomical and histopathological changes in target organs of cattle slaughtered in Sardinia as a result of the illegal use of growth hormones. Preliminary results
Within the bovine specie, illegal use of anabolic agents can be grouped into four categories: beta-agonists,
thyrostatics, glucocorticoids, sexual steroids.
These substances, further their anabolic effect, cause morphological changes in target organs which can be
evidenced by anatomical and histopathological testing. Such investigations are extremely important to
screen and to detect in advance groups of animals in risk-breeding
Genetic diversity of Arcobacter isolated from bivalves of Adriatic and their interactions with Mytilus galloprovincialis hemocytes
The human food-borne pathogens Arcobacter butzleri and A. cryaerophilus have been frequently isolated from the intestinal tracts and fecal samples of different farm animals and, after excretion, these microorganisms can contaminate the environment, including the aquatic one. In this regard, A. butzleri and A. cryaerophilus have been detected in seawater and bivalves of coastal areas which are affected by fecal contamination. The capability of bivalve hemocytes to interact with bacteria has been proposed as the main factor inversely conditioning their persistence in the bivalve. In this study, 12 strains of Arcobacter spp. were isolated between January and May 2013 from bivalves of Central Adriatic Sea of Italy in order to examine their genetic diversity as well as in vitro interactions with bivalve components of the immune response, such as hemocytes. Of these, seven isolates were A. butzleri and five A. cryaerophilus, and were genetically different. All strains showed ability to induce spreading and respiratory burst of Mytilus galloprovincialis hemocytes. Overall, our data demonstrate the high genetic diversity of these microorganisms circulating in the marine study area. Moreover, the Arcobacter–bivalve interaction suggests that they do not have a potential to persist in the tissues of M. galloprovincialis
- …