STRAWind Ventilated roof Sviluppo e sperimentazione di un sistema/componete per coperture ventilate ecosostenibili prodotte dalla conversione dei “by products “ della paglia

Lo scopo della ricerca è quello di comprendere il potenziale d’uso delle biomasse vegetali in edilizia, ma soprattutto quello di delineare un nuovo scenario d’uso della paglia che, attraverso nuove applicazioni e nuove tecnologie, può contribuire alla definizione di un comparto edilizio più sostenibile. Le soluzioni “alternative” coibentanti/ventilate già sono diffuse e rappresentano le sfide dell’innovazione tecnologica. La scelta di rivalorizzare la fibra di paglia consente di operare in linea con alcune esperienze di ricerca estere, inoltre, disporre della paglia come materiale edile oltre a conferire ottime prestazione termiche in termini di coibentazione, consente di gestire in modo efficiente le risorse rinnovabili locali

Association between a genetic variant of type-1 cannabinoid receptor and inflammatory neurodegeneration in multiple sclerosis

Genetic ablation of type-1 cannabinoid receptors (CB1Rs) exacerbates the neurodegenerative damage of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis, the rodent model of multiple sclerosis (MS). To address the role on CB1Rs in the pathophysiology of human MS, we first investigated the impact of AAT trinucleotide short tandem repeat polymorphism of CNR1 gene on CB1R cell expression, and secondly on the inflammatory neurodegeneration process responsible for irreversible disability in MS patients. We found that MS patients with long AAT repeats within the CNR1 gene (≥12 in both alleles) had more pronounced neuronal degeneration in response to inflammatory white matter damage both in the optic nerve and in the cortex. Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT), in fact, showed more severe alterations of the retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thickness and of the macular volume (MV) after an episode of optic neuritis in MS patients carrying the long AAT genotype of CNR1. MS patients with long AAT repeats also had magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) evidence of increased gray matter damage in response to inflammatory lesions of the white matter, especially in areas with a major role in cognition. In parallel, visual abilities evaluated at the low contrast acuity test, and cognitive performances were negatively influenced by the long AAT CNR1 genotype in our sample of MS patients. Our results demonstrate the biological relevance of the (AAT)n CNR1 repeats in the inflammatory neurodegenerative damage of MS

Bioclimatic performances of traditional straw construction in Italy and in Portugal

Technological innovation in envelope solutions integrate design ideas with performance levels, by investigating their potential, by creating a link between creative act and productive moment. New artificial materials are not the sole products meant to achieve sustainable solutions: lately a number of old materials - straw, stone, rammed earth - are becoming again updated for sustainability, zero waste production, bioclimatic behaviour and comfort and health, besides being economy and locally available. Their great potential, as envelope elements is investigated in this paper, through a bioclimatic comparison between cases from Italy and from Portugal. Italian example is "Casone", typical of Venetian neighbourhood, Portuguese is fisherman dwelling from Carrasqueira village (Lisbon). Promotion of vegetable materials can switch on processes of virtuous management of agricultural by-products, and produce environmental benefits for local regions. Real potential of vegetable materials as sustainable products for new constructions can be assessed.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Employing second matter from agricultural sector in architecture: a comparison between the Italian and Romanian situation

The paper deals with the complex issue of wastes and makes an effort to synthesize possible solutions by re-use applications in the building sector. The architecture as means of transformation of the environment has lately been responsible for a number of impacts, but at the same time it can be considered as a tool for trying to reduce the amount of waste through recycling and re-using by-products and wastes from various sectors. The paper discusses the employment of wastes in architecture and the necessary change of route from linear to circular processes. Some case studies are shown to compare the situation in the building sectors in Italy and R omania. The paradigms of the new sustainable society are defined in opposition to those of the last century, and a n important input and incentive is noticed towards the promotion of a n ew market of wastes. The Romanian architecture of the past had widely employed the green and natural products of the countryside, either from wastes or from specifically growth species. Some examples of local Romanian architecture of the past are shown, so as to illustrate the construction of good quality buildings with waste systems. Then the present situation is shown, both in Romania and in Italy, where wastes from the agricultural sector are re-cycled, reprocessed and employed in contemporary architecture, with great amount of sustainability and health benefits for users and for the environmen

A Functional Interplay between 5-Lipoxygenase and μ-Calpain Affects Survival and Cytokine Profile of Human Jurkat T Lymphocyte Exposed to Simulated Microgravity

A growing body of evidence strongly indicates that both simulated and authentic weightlessness exert a broad range of effects on mammalian tissues and cells, including impairment of immune cell function and increased apoptotic death. We previously reported that microgravity-dependent activation of 5-lipoxygenase (5-LOX) might play a central role in the initiation of apoptosis in human T lymphocytes, suggesting that the upregulation of this enzyme might be (at least in part) responsible for immunodepression observed in astronauts during space flights. Herein, we supplement novel information about the molecular mechanisms underlying microgravity-triggered apoptotic cell death and immune system deregulation, demonstrating that under simulated microgravity human Jurkat T cells increase the content of cytosolic DNA fragments and cytochrome c (typical hallmarks of apoptosis) and have an upregulated expression and activity of µ-calpain. These events were paralleled by the unbalance of interleukin- (IL-) 2 and interferon- (INF-) γ, anti- and proapoptotic cytokines, respectively, that seemed to be dependent on the functional interplay between 5-LOX and µ-calpain. Indeed, we report unprecedented evidence that 5-LOX inhibition reduced apoptotic death, restored the initial IL-2/INF-γ ratio, and more importantly reverted µ-calpain activation induced by simulated microgravity

The <it>MP65 gene </it>is required for cell wall integrity, adherence to epithelial cells and biofilm formation in <it>Candida albicans</it>

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The <it>MP65 </it>gene of <it>Candida albicans </it>(orf19.1779) encodes a putative β-glucanase mannoprotein of 65 kDa, which plays a main role in a host-fungus relationship, morphogenesis and pathogenicity. In this study, we performed an extensive analysis of a <it>mp65Δ </it>mutant to assess the role of this protein in cell wall integrity, adherence to epithelial cells and biofilm formation.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The <it>mp65Δ </it>mutant showed a high sensitivity to a range of cell wall-perturbing and degrading agents, especially Congo red, which induced morphological changes such as swelling, clumping and formation of hyphae. The <it>mp65Δ </it>mutant showed an activation of two MAPKs (Mkc1p and Cek1p), a high level of expression of two stress-related genes (DDR48 and <it>SOD5</it>), and a modulated expression of β-glucan epitopes, but no gross changes in cell wall polysaccharide composition. Interestingly, the <it>mp65Δ </it>mutant displayed a marked reduction in adhesion to BEC and Caco-2 cells and severe defects in biofilm formation when compared to the wild type. All of the mentioned properties were totally or partially recovered in a revertant strain, demonstrating the specificity of gene deletion.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>We demonstrate that the <it>MP65 </it>gene of <it>Candida albicans </it>plays a significant role in maintaining cell wall integrity, as well as in adherence to epithelia and biofilm formation, which are major virulence attributes of this fungus.</p