Lezione di Galileo Galilei sulla struttura dell'Inferno di Dante

Mathematics and Art have a long historical relationship, which goes as far back as the ancient Greeks. It suffices to think, for instance, to their use of the golden ratio, regarded as an aesthetically pleasing canon and incorporated into the design of many monuments and temples. With the Renaissance we can see a rebirth of Classical (Greek and Roman) culture and ideas, and among them the study of Mathematics as a relevant subject needed to understand the nature and the arts. Two major reasons drove Renaissance artists towards the pursuit of Mathematics. Firstly, painters needed to figure out how to depict three-dimensional scenes on a two-dimensional canvas. Secondly, philosophers and artists alike were convinced that Mathematics was the true essence of the physical world so that the entire universe, including the arts, could be explained in geometrical terms. For instance, Galileo Galilei in his Il Saggiatore wrote that “[The universe] is written in the language of Mathematics, and its characters are triangles, circles, and other geometric figures.” Thus, there is a close relation between Mathematics and Fine Arts during the Renaissance: mathematical knowledge is applied in drawings and paintings with the use of symmetry, producing ratios and proportions. Within the study of such a context arises the artistic and educational project “Galileo: location, shape and size of Dante’s Inferno” as a collaboration between the FDS Laboratory for Mathematical Education and Science Communication at the Department of Mathematics of the Politecnico di Milano and Accademia di Belle Arti di Brera. The project is inspired by the first of two lectures held by Galileo Galilei at the Accademia Fiorentina in 1588. These lectures were commissioned by the Accademia to solve a literary controversy concerning the interpretation of Dante’s Inferno. In these lessons Galileo took the opportunity to show his mathematical abilities combined with his strong background in Humanities. His ultimate aim was to show that Mathematics is not merely useful from a technical point of view, but can also give a contribution to nobler cultural debates, thus acquiring an intellectual status comparable to that of the Humanities. When giving his lectures Galileo probably used drawings to explain how to map Dante’s Inferno, because of “ la difficoltà del suggetto che non patisce esser con la penna facilmente esplicato” (the difficulty of the subject which does not admit of easy explication in writing). Galileo’s manuscript survives and is catalogued in the Filza Rinucciniana 21 of the Biblioteca Nazionale di Firenze, but the drawings are lost. The project here presented included an accurate analysis of Galileo’s work and was meant as an opportunity for the students of Graphic to investigate the relationship between geometric representation and artistic interpretation. They made scale drawings of the Inferno, by using different paper media and drawing techniques of their choice. Later they produced original art works resulting from a personal artistic interpretation of the subject, free of pure scientific representation. The results reflect various artistic and creative sensibilities: drawings, paintings, engravings. The students’ works were gathered, accompanied by short sentences associated with the selected quotes of Inferno and displayed on the exhibition that was held at Politecnico di Milano (May 2012). After the works were exhibited at the Museo Dantesco of Ravenna (September 2013) and at the Bergamo Science Festival (XI Edition, October 2013)

Geometrical analysis of a design artwork coffee table designed by the architectb Augusto Magnaghi-delfino

Abstract For his home (Caboto Street, in Milan) the architect Augusto Magnaghi-Delfino designed a prototype of coffee table in marble and iron and assigned the construction to his trusted artisan in Carrara. The unusual shape of the top table and the single leg and the lack of the original drawing stimulated our interest in trying to recreate the draw of this coffee table. We create two templates, then we fitted points with approximating curves. For the components of the leg and the table’s top we concluded that the shapes are similar respectively to branches of Lamé curve and superellipse, a curve used by the Danish writer and inventor Piet Hein in 1959, which started in Architecture and Industrial Design the use of mathematical curves

M2 muscarinic receptor activation inhibits cell proliferation and migration of rat adipose-mesenchymal stem cells

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), also known as stromal mesenchymal stem cells, are multipotent cells, which can be found in many tissues and organs as bone marrow, adipose tissue and other tissues. In particular MSCs derived from Adipose tissue (ADSCs) are the most frequently used in regenerative medicine because they are easy to source, rapidly expandable in culture and excellent differentiation potential into adipocytes, chondrocytes and other cell types. Acetylcholine (ACh), is one of the most important neurotransmitter in central (CNS) and peripheral nervous system (PNS), playing important roles also in non-neural tissue, but its functions in MSCs are still not investigated. Although MSCs express muscarinic receptor subtypes, their role is completely unknown. In present work muscarinic cholinergic effects were characterized in rat ADSCs. Analysis by RT-PCR demonstrates that ADSCs express M1-M4 muscarinic receptor subtypes, whereas M2 is one of the most expressed subtype. For this reason, our attention was focused on M2 subtype. By using the selective M2 agonist Arecaidine Propargyl Ester (APE) we performed cell proliferation and migration assays demonstrating that APE causes cell growth and migration inhibition without affecting cell survival. Our results indicate that ACh via M2 receptors, may contribute to the maintaining of the ADSCs quiescent status. These data are the first evidence that ACh via muscarinic receptors might contribute to control ADSCs physiology

Biodegradable hydrogels as scaffolds for nerve regeneration

Biodegradable hydrogels as scaffolds for nerve regeneration Valerio Magnaghi 1, Elisabetta Ranucci 2, Fabio Fenili 2, Patrizia Procacci 3, Giorgio Pivato 4, Paolo Cortese 4 and Paolo Ferruti 2 1 Department of Endocrinology, Physiopathology, Applied biology, Via Balzaretti 9, University of Milan, 20133 Milan, Italy 2 Department of Organic and Industrial Chemistry, University of Milan, Via Venezian 21, 20133 Milan, Italy 3 Department of Human Morphology and Biomedical Sciences - Citta' Studi, University of Milan, Via Mangiagalli 31, 20133 Milan, Italy 4 Hand Surgery Unit, IRCCS Multimedica, Via Milanese 300, 20099 Sesto San Giovanni, Italy Transected peripheral nerves are typically reconnected by direct end-to-end surgery or by autologous nerve graft. However, artificial synthetic guide are a successful alternative which may prevent neuroma formation (1). Among biodegradable conduits a novel approach is represented by use of tuneable polyamidoamine (PAA)-based hydrogels, with specific diameters, different shapes and/or dimensions. Depending by their crosslinking degree, hydrogels made by PAAs are tough material which may absorb large amounts of water. PAA hydrogels are biocompatible and biodegradable in vitro to non-toxic low molecular weight products over a period of time varying from few weeks to months (2). In order to evaluate their ability to promote nerve regeneration, PAA hydrogels scaled as scaffold conduits (10mm lenght, 1mm internal diameter) were studied by using an experimental model of rat nerve transection. A conduit was used to join a gap of 4-5 mm in the sciatic nerve, and a longitudinal analysis was made at 30, 45, 60, 90 days post-surgery. We performed the gait analysis to evaluate locomotor coordination, the plantar test to study nociception and pain sensitivity, and the morphological-morphometric analysis to evaluate the nerve recovery. Preliminary results indicate that nerve ends can be successfully joined by these PAA-based hydrogel conduits. One month after surgery, in fact, the regeneration is appreciable inside the conduit and the nerve is resistant to mechanical traction, without signs of inflammation or serum infiltrate. In the implanted rats 45 days after surgery the footprints analysis reveals a trail similar to sham-operated animals, while the thermal hypersensitivity tend to normalize to the control levels at later times. The morphological evaluation of the explanted conduit at 90 days after surgery shows normal myelin structures, confirming nerve regeneration and complete scaffold re-absorption. In conclusion, our results demonstrate that PAA hydrogels might be a promising scaffold tube for nerve regeneration. Further studies on the hydrogels functionalization for drug delivery, with growth factors or hormones, are in progress in our labs. References 1. Yannas, I.V., Hill, B.J., 2004. Selection of biomaterials for peripheral nerve regeneration using data from the nerve chamber model. Biomaterials 25, 1593-1600. 2. Jacchetti, E., Elimitri, E., Rodighiero, S., Indrieri, M., Gianfelice, A., Lenardi, C., Podest\ue0, A., Ranucci, E., Ferruti, P. Milani, P., 2008. P. Biomimetic poly(amidoamine) hydrogels as synthetic materials for cell culture. J. Biothecnol. 6, 1

Valutazione Del Benessere Psico-Fisico Nell'aderenza Terapeutica Nelle Donne Con Malattia Renale Policistica Autosomica Dominante: Uno Studio Osservazionale

Evaluation Of The Psychophysical Well-Being In The Compliance Of Women With Autosomal Dominant Policystic Kidney Disease: An Observational Study BACKGROUND: Autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease is the most common inherited renal disease and affects less than 1 every 400-1,000 people. There are many effective treatments, including blood pressure management, physical activity, low sodium diet and hydration. Therapeutic education is part of a patient's care and treatment. This approach is an essential strategy in order to face the current healthcare scenario, in which the number of people affected by chronic diseases is progressively increasing. OBJECTIVES: This article aims to analyze the effect of therapeutic education in patients with ADPKD, the level of adherence to pharmacological therapy and their compliance to dietetic and lifestyle recommendations as part of a nursing-led education. METHODS: This is a prospective, longitudinal, observational pilot study. The following measurements were used: Kidney Disease Quality of life - Short Form, Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, Body Uneasiness Test. At the T0 visit, a nurse selected patients and carried out a personalized educational intervention with the aims of adhering to drug therapies, monitoring blood pressure and dietary behavior (physical activity and water intake). At the T1 visit, patients performed psychological tests. At the T2 visit, the following evaluations were performed: a psychological interview together with the delivery and evaluation of the tests performed, an interview with the nurse to evaluate the adherence to the prescriptions, and a control of parameters such as physical activity, diet, water intake, drug therapy, and blood pressure. RESULTS: Therapeutic education can have a positive impact on patients' health by improving adherence to the pharmacological therapy, diet and lifestyle. CONCLUSIONS: Therapeutic education improve the patient's knowledge, treatments and correct behaviors as well as promotes an independent management of the disease. Through an educational intervention, the patient acquires the ability and the awareness to modify the wrong behaviors and to guarantee a balance between his needs and the pathology, thus improving the quality of life

Establishment and genomic characterization of the new chordoma cell line Chor-IN-1

Chordomas are rare, slowly growing tumors with high medical need, arising in the axial skeleton from notochord remnants. The transcription factor "brachyury" represents a distinctive molecular marker and a key oncogenic driver of chordomas. Tyrosine kinase receptors are also expressed, but so far kinase inhibitors have not shown clear clinical efficacy in chordoma patients. The need for effective therapies is extremely high, but the paucity of established chordoma cell lines has limited preclinical research. Here we describe the isolation of the new Chor-IN-1 cell line from a recurrent sacral chordoma and its characterization as compared to other chordoma cell lines. Chor-IN-1 displays genomic identity to the tumor of origin and has morphological features, growth characteristics and chromosomal abnormalities typical of chordoma, with expression of brachyury and other relevant biomarkers. Chor-IN-1 gene variants, copy number alterations and kinome gene expression were analyzed in comparison to other four chordoma cell lines, generating large scale DNA and mRNA genomic data that can be exploited for the identification of novel pharmacological targets and candidate predictive biomarkers of drug sensitivity in chordoma. The establishment of this new, well characterized chordoma cell line provides a useful tool for the identification of drugs active in chordoma

Molecular dynamics simulations of p97 including covalent, allosteric and ATP-competitive inhibitors

Binary (nucleotide-protein dimer and hexamer complexes) and ternary (nucleotide-protein-inhibitor complexes) p97 complexes were subjected to molecular dynamics simulations in an attempt to further our understanding of the p97 protein oligomer domain stability and, more importantly, of the recently reported diverse molecular mechanisms of inhibition including allosteric, ATP-competitive and covalent inhibitors. Analysis of stable states following equilibration phases indicated a higher intrinsic stability of the homohexamer as opposed to the dimer, and of N-D1 domains as opposed to the D2 domain. The molecular dynamics of the proposed allosteric binding model reproduced important molecular interactions identified experimentally with high frequency throughout the trajectory. Observed conformational changes occurring in the D2 nucleotide binding site provided a novel bind-rearrange-react hypothesis of stepwise molecular events involved in the specific covalent inhibitor mode of actio

Effects of caloric restriction on neuropathic pain, peripheral nerve degeneration and inflammation in normometabolic and autophagy defective prediabetic Ambra1 mice

There is a growing interest on the role of autophagy in diabetes pathophysiology, where development of neuropathy is one of the most frequent comorbidities. We have previously demonstrated that neuropathic pain after nerve damage is exacerbated in autophagy-defective heterozygous Ambra1 mice. Here, we show the existence of a prediabetic state in Ambra1 mice, characterized by hyperglycemia, intolerance to glucose and insulin resistance. Thus, we further investigate the hypothesis that prediabetes may account for the exacerbation of allodynia and chronic pain and that counteracting the autophagy deficit may relieve the neuropathic condition. We took advantage from caloric restriction (CR) able to exert a double action: a powerful increase of autophagy and a control on the metabolic status. We found that CR ameliorates neuropathy throughout anti-inflammatory and metabolic mechanisms both in Ambra1 and in WT animals subjected to nerve injury. Moreover, we discovered that nerve lesion represents, per se, a metabolic stressor and CR reinstates glucose homeostasis, insulin resistance, incomplete fatty acid oxidation and energy metabolism. As autophagy inducer, CR promotes and anticipates Schwann cell autophagy via AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) that facilitates remyelination in peripheral nerve. In summary, we provide new evidence for the role of autophagy in glucose metabolism and identify in energy depletion by dietary restriction a therapeutic approach in the fight against neuropathic pain

Transmembrane Protein TMEM230, Regulator of Glial Cell Vascular Mimicry and Endothelial Cell Angiogenesis in High-Grade Heterogeneous Infiltrating Gliomas and Glioblastoma

High-grade gliomas (HGGs) and glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) are characterized by a heterogeneous and aggressive population of tissue-infiltrating cells that promote both destructive tissue remodeling and aberrant vascularization of the brain. The formation of defective and permeable blood vessels and microchannels and destructive tissue remodeling prevent efficient vascular delivery of pharmacological agents to tumor cells and are the significant reason why therapeutic chemotherapy and immunotherapy intervention are primarily ineffective. Vessel-forming endothelial cells and microchannel-forming glial cells that recapitulate vascular mimicry have both infiltration and destructive remodeling tissue capacities. The transmembrane protein TMEM230 (C20orf30) is a master regulator of infiltration, sprouting of endothelial cells, and microchannel formation of glial and phagocytic cells. A high level of TMEM230 expression was identified in patients with HGG, GBM, and U87-MG cells. In this study, we identified candidate genes and molecular pathways that support that aberrantly elevated levels of TMEM230 play an important role in regulating genes associated with the initial stages of cell infiltration and blood vessel and microchannel (also referred to as tumor microtubule) formation in the progression from low-grade to high-grade gliomas. As TMEM230 regulates infiltration, vascularization, and tissue destruction capacities of diverse cell types in the brain, TMEM230 is a promising cancer target for heterogeneous HGG tumors