Esperimenti di design pattern di ispirazione biologica

L'informatica, assieme alle sue innovazioni tecnologiche, offre al mondo d'oggi uno scenario in continuo sviluppo evolutivo che permette di facilitare alcune necessità dell'essere umano. Con la nascita di internet e dei nuovi dispositivi cellulari, la comunicazione è stata resa più malleabile e immediata. Tuttavia, le nuove tecnologie utilizzano infrastrutture complesse che non sempre sono ampiamente sfruttate a causa delle loro esigenze quali scalabilità, risposte in tempo reale, o tolleranza. Per far fronte a queste caratteristiche, una nuova tendenza del software è quella di fornire autonomia e pro-attività alle entità nel sistema in modo da incrementare la loro interazione. Queste caratteristiche permettono di responsabilizzare i soggetti rendendo il sistema auto-organizzato, con una migliore scalabilità,robustezza, e quindi riducendo le esigenze di calcolo di ciascuna entità. Lo studio dei sistemi auto-organizzanti è stato ispirato alla natura, e in particolare, ai sistemi biologici. Questi sistemi mostrano le caratteristiche interessanti per gli scenari pervasivi, poichè sono robusti e resistenti, in grado di adattarsi al contesto ambientale e quindi reagiscono a determinate modifiche che si verificano nell'ambiente comportandosi di conseguenza. L'ingegneria dell'auto-organizzazione ha il compito di simulare e testare questi comportamenti presentando uno schema progettuale completo che permetta di presentare soluzioni ricorrenti a problemi noti. Tale schema è definito in termini informatici design pattern. Le entità, definite agenti, per interagire e comunicare tra di loro hanno bisogno di coordinarsi tramite un modello specifico. Nel nostro caso è stato scelto TuCSoN, poichè riesce a separare uno spazio dedicato allo scambio di informazioni da uno spazio dedicato alle specifiche che permette di descrivere delle politiche di comportamento per sistemi MAS implementati nell'opportuno linguaggio di programmazione ReSpecT

Descemet stripping automated endothelial keratoplasty in Fuchs' corneal endothelial dystrophy: Anterior segment optical coherence tomography and in vivo confocal microscopy analysis

Background: To evaluate the in vivo corneal changes using in vivo confocal microscopy (IVCM) and anterior segment optical coherence tomography (AS-OCT) in patients with Fuchs' dystrophy who underwent Descemet stripping automated endothelial keratoplasty (DSAEK) and the relationship between these changes and the postoperative visual recovery up to 1-year follow-up. Methods: Before DSAEK and 1 day, 3, 6 and 12 months after surgery 31 patients (39 pseudophakic eyes) underwent a complete ophthalmological evaluation including best corrected visual acuity (BCVA), IVCM (subepithelial haze, interface haze, graft thickness) and AS-OCT (graft thickness). Results: Graft thickness measurements by AS-OCT were strongly correlated to those obtained using IVCM at every follow-up stage (intraclass correlation coefficientâ\u88\u88=â\u88\u880.95 to 0.97 between 3 and 12 months, Pâ\u88\u88<â\u88\u880.001 for all coefficients). No correlation between BCVA and graft thickness measured by AS-OCT at any follow-up stage was found, while at 3 and 6 postoperative months the correlations between BCVA and preoperative subepithelial haze (râ\u88\u88=â\u88\u880.61, Pâ\u88\u88<â\u88\u880.001 and râ\u88\u88=â\u88\u880.46, Pâ\u88\u88=â\u88\u880.002), interface haze (râ\u88\u88=â\u88\u880.51, Pâ\u88\u88<â\u88\u880.001 and râ\u88\u88=â\u88\u880.46, Pâ\u88\u88=â\u88\u880.003), postoperative subepithelial haze (râ\u88\u88=â\u88\u880.43, Pâ\u88\u88=â\u88\u880.004 and râ\u88\u88=â\u88\u880.39, Pâ\u88\u88=â\u88\u880.001) were significant. Conclusions: The study confirmed corneal subepithelial haze and interface haze as important factors limiting visual acuity after DSAEK, while graft thickness was not related to BCVA

Reseña del libro de Daniel Del Percio, La historia y un instante

Daniel Del Percio en su primera novela, La historia y un instante, nos invita a emprender un viaje por una ucronía que inicia con la modificación de un hecho histórico: un desenlace diferente de la Guerra de Malvinas. Desde una estética de extrañamiento del presente y por medio del despliegue de estrategias creativas logra interpelar al lector enfrentándolo a reflexionar sobre diversas cuestiones que refieren a la identidad, la memoria, la política, la toma de decisiones y sus efectos. Estrategias que le permiten al autor reinventar las narrativas establecidas como así también narrar con imágenes sincronicidades que rozan los bordes de la imaginación y de los discursos históricos. El libro hace un especial llamado al lector a adquirir una posición activa a través de los sentidos y de la necesidad de pensar críticamente nuevos escenarios. Esto es posible, en primer lugar, gracias a la elección de una trama no lineal es decir una trama compuesta por instantes que transcurren en múltiples temporalidades, en segundo lugar, al desarrollo de historias dentro de historias lo que se conoce como microrrelatos y, en tercer lugar, a la posibilidad de acceder al mundo interno de cada uno de los interesantes personajes (reales y ficcionales)

A Review Study on prostate cancer. Incidence, diagnosis and biomarkers: epithelial cadherin and related molecules

El cáncer de próstata (CaP) es un tumor maligno originado en las células prostáticas, siendo el subtipo más frecuente denominado adenocarcinoma. A nivel mundial, el CaP es el cuarto cáncer más común combinando ambos sexos y el segundo más común en hombres. Según el informe de Globocan del año 2012 , ~1,1 millones de hombres fueron diagnosticados en dicho año con CaP en todo el mundo (Ver Tabla 1.A.), representando el 15% de los casos de cáncer diagnosticados en hombres.Fil: Vazquez, Monica Hebe. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental. Fundación de Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental. Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental; ArgentinaFil: Mencucci, Maria Victoria. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental. Fundación de Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental. Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental; ArgentinaFil: Besso, María José. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental. Fundación de Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental. Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental; ArgentinaFil: Rosso, Marina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental. Fundación de Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental. Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental; Argentin

Identification of a novel human E-Cadherin splice variant andassessment of its effects upon EMT-related events

Epithelial Cadherin (E-cadherin) is involved in calcium-dependent cell-cell adhesion and signal transduction. The E-cadherin decrease/loss is a hallmark of Epithelial to Mesenchymal Transition (EMT), a key event in tumor progression. The underlying molecular mechanisms that trigger E-cadherin loss and consequent EMT have not been completely elucidated. This study reports the identification of a novel human E-cadherin variant mRNA produced by alternative splicing. A bioinformatics evaluation of the novel mRNA sequence and biochemical verifications suggest its regulation by Nonsense-Mediated mRNA Decay (NMD). The novel E-cadherin variant was detected in 29/42 (69%) human tumor cell lines, expressed at variable levels (E-cadherin variant expression relative to the wild type mRNA = 0.05-11.6%). Stable transfection of the novel E-cadherin variant in MCF-7 cells (MCF7Ecadvar) resulted in downregulation of wild type E-cadherin expression (transcript/protein) and EMT-related changes, among them acquisition of a fibroblastic-like cell phenotype, increased expression of Twist, Snail, Zeb1, and Slug transcriptional repressors and decreased expression of ESRP1 and ESRP2 RNA binding proteins. Moreover, loss of cytokeratins and gain of vimentin, N-cadherin and Dysadherin/FXYD5 proteins was observed. Dramatic changes in cell behavior were found in MCF7Ecadvar, as judged by the decreased cell-cell adhesion (Hanging-drop assay), increased cell motility (Wound Healing) and increased cell migration (Transwell) and invasion (Transwell w/Matrigel). Some changes were found in MCF-7 cells incubated with culture medium supplemented with conditioned medium from HEK-293 cells transfected with the E-cadherin variant mRNA. Further characterization of the novel E-cadherin variant will help understanding the molecular basis of tumor progression and improve cancer diagnosis.Fil: Matos, María Laura. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental. Fundación de Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental. Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental; ArgentinaFil: Lapyckyj, Lara. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental. Fundación de Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental. Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental; ArgentinaFil: Rosso, Marina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental. Fundación de Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental. Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental; ArgentinaFil: Besso, María José. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental. Fundación de Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental. Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental; ArgentinaFil: Mencucci, Maria Victoria. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental. Fundación de Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental. Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental; ArgentinaFil: Marin Briggiler, Clara Isabel. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental. Fundación de Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental. Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental; ArgentinaFil: Giustina, Silvina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental. Fundación de Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental. Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental; ArgentinaFil: Furlong, Laura Ines. Universitat Pompeu Fabra; EspañaFil: Vazquez, Monica Hebe. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental. Fundación de Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental. Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental; Argentin

Working-Age Cataract Patients: Visual Results, Reading Performance, and Quality of Life with Three Diffractive Multifocal Intraocular Lenses

Abstract PURPOSE: To compare the visual outcomes, reading performance, and quality of life (QoL) of working-age cataractous patients bilaterally implanted with 3 different diffractive multifocal intraocular lenses (MIOLs). DESIGN: Two-center, randomized, prospective, double-masked study. PARTICIPANTS: Sixty-three consecutive patients (126 eyes) seen at Ophthalmology Section, Palermo and Florence University, Italy, randomized to receive the ReSTOR SN6AD3 (Alcon Laboratories, Inc, Irvine, CA) (20 patients, group A), ReSTOR SN6AD1 (Alcon Laboratories, Inc) (21 patients, group B), or TECNIS ZMA00 (Abbott Medical Optics, Santa Ana, CA) (22 patients, group C) MIOL. INTERVENTION: Phacoemulsification. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: One-year follow-up differences among the 3 MIOL groups in visual acuity, reading performance by MNREAD (Minnesota Laboratory for Low-Vision Research, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN) reading acuity (RA), critical print size (CPS), and maximum reading speed (MRS) under mesopic and photopic conditions. SECONDARY OUTCOME MEASURES: Photopic and mesopic contrast sensitivity (CS) by Pelli-Robson test and patient satisfaction by National Eye Institute Refractive Error Quality of Life Instrument-42 (NEI RQL-42) questionnaire. RESULTS: Mean photopic uncorrected near visual acuity (UNVA), distance-corrected near visual acuity (DCNVA), and corrected near visual acuity (CNVA) did not differ among groups, with a preferred reading distance greater in group B (P&lt; 0.0005). Photopic distance-corrected intermediate visual acuity (DCIVA) was best in group B (P = 0.001) and better in group C than in group A. Mesopic UNVA and DCNVA were worse in groups A and B compared with group C (P&lt; 0.0005 in both cases), with better DCNVA in group B than in group A (P = 0.031). Mesopic uncorrected intermediate visual acuity (UIVA) and DCIVA were worst in group A, with better results in group C (P&lt; 0.0005 and P = 0.001, respectively). Mesopic MNREAD RA was better in group C (P = 0.02), and mesopic MRS was higher in groups B and C than in group A (P = 0.002). The QoL scores by the NEI RQL-42 test exhibited no differences among groups in 9 over 13 scales. "Near vision" (P = 0.005), "symptoms" (P = 0.001), and "satisfaction with correction" scale scores (P = 0.030) were lowest in group A, and "appearance" scale score was lowest in group B (P = 0.045). CONCLUSIONS: Newer-generation aspheric diffractive MIOLs, especially low-add hybrid apodized or full diffractive, are highly suited for working-age cataractous patients in terms of visual outcomes, reading performance, and QoL. Intrinsic optical differences, such as optimization for computer or dim-light working, or night driving, could be useful tools to customize the IOL in each single case