Effect of hypoxia on gene expression in cell populations involved in wound healing

Wound healing is a complex process regulated by multiple signals and consisting of several phases known as haemostasis, inflammation, proliferation, and remodelling. Keratinocytes, endothelial cells, macrophages, and fibroblasts are the major cell populations involved in wound healing process. Hypoxia plays a critical role in this process since cells sense and respond to hypoxic conditions by changing gene expression. This study assessed the in vitro expression of 77 genes involved in angiogenesis, metabolism, cell growth, proliferation and apoptosis in human keratinocytes (HaCaT), microvascular endothelial cells (HMEC-1), differentiated macrophages (THP-1), and dermal fibroblasts (HDF). Results indicated that the gene expression profiles induced by hypoxia were cell-type specific. In HMEC-1 and differentiated THP-1, most of the genes modulated by hypoxia encode proteins involved in angiogenesis or belonging to cytokines and growth factors. In HaCaT and HDF, hypoxia mainly affected the expression of genes encoding proteins involved in cell metabolism. This work can help to enlarge the current knowledge about the mechanisms through which a hypoxic environment influences wound healing processes at the molecular level

A Review of the Potential Benefits of Plants Producing Berries in Skin Disorders

During the last 30 years, berries have gained great attention as functional food against several risk factors in chronic diseases. The number of related publications on Pubmed rose from 1000 items in 1990 to more than 11,000 in 2019. Despite the fact that a common and clear definition of "berries" is not shared among different scientific areas, the phytochemical pattern of these fruits is mainly characterized by anthocyanins, flavanols, flavonols, and tannins, which showed antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties in humans. Skin insults, like wounds, UV rays, and excessive inflammatory responses, may lead to chronic dermatological disorders, conditions often characterized by long-term treatments. The application of berries for skin protection is sustained by long traditional use, but many observations still require a clear pharmacological validation. This review summarizes the scientific evidence, published on EMBASE, MEDLINE, and Scholar, to identify extraction methods, way of administration, dose, and mechanism of action of berries for potential dermatological treatments. Promising in vitro and in vivo evidence of Punica granatum L. and Vitis vinifera L. supports wound healing and photoprotection, while Schisandra chinensis (Turcz.) Baill. and Vaccinium spp. showed clear immunomodulatory effects. Oral or topical administrations of these berries justify the evaluation of new translational studies to validate their efficacy in humans

Olfaction: anatomy, physiology and behavior

The anatomy, physiology and function of the olfactory system are reviewed, as are the normal effects of olfactory stimulation. It is speculated that olfaction may have important but unobtrusive effects on human behavior

Valutazione del degrado superficiale di edifici storici di Ferrara ad opera di agenti inquinanti

suppl. a European journal of mineralog