Editorial: Non-invasive Brain Stimulation in the Study and Modulation of Metaplasticity in Neurological Disorders

[No abstract available

Low-cost smartphone-based speed surveying methods in proximity to traffic calming devices.

Abstract The study is aimed at investigating the effectiveness of two smartphone applications for surveying speeds of moving objects. These applications are used for urban speed measurements. Once the most reliable application was selected among the available ones, its outputs were calibrated by using the speed from the GPS system mounted on the test vehicle as a benchmark. Thereafter, an experimental test was conducted for monitoring the influence of a raised crossing on the vehicle speeds in the urban environment, by using the selected smartphone application

The polychrome works “Prayer of Tobias and Sarah” and “The Archangel Raphael reveals himself to Tobi and his son Tobias”, inside the Cathedral of Cosenza: diagnostic investigations and considerations on the conditions of conservation

The oil paintings and “Prayer of Tobias and Sarah” and “The Archangel Raphael reveals himself to Tobi and his son Tobias”, executed by Francesco Bruno at the end of the XVIII century on oval Conservation Science in Cultural Heritage 210 shaped canvas, were investigated by integrated physica-chemical and analytical methodologies in order to obtain scientific data capable of elucidating the state of conservation and the painting technique. Optical (OM) and electronic (SEM-EDS) microscopy, micro-FT-IR spectroscopy, were applied on some microfragments whilst the two whole paintings were analyzed by the non invasive IR reflectografy technique. The reflectography evidenced some pentimenti of author on the canvas “Prayer of Tobias and Sarah”, while invasive analysis made it possible to locate the stratigraphic sequence of each canvas and to characterise the constituent materials

Use of a ceramic membrane to improve the performance of two-separate-phase biocatalytic membrane reactor

Biocatalytic membrane reactors (BMR) combining reaction and separation within the same unit have many advantages over conventional reactor designs. Ceramic membranes are an attractive alternative to polymeric membranes in membrane biotechnology due to their high chemical, thermal and mechanical resistance. Another important use is their potential application in a biphasic membrane system, where support solvent resistance is highly needed. In this work, the preparation of asymmetric ceramic hollow fibre membranes and their use in a two-separate-phase biocatalytic membrane reactor will be described. The asymmetric ceramic hollow fibre membranes were prepared using a combined phase inversion and sintering technique. The prepared fibres were then used as support for lipase covalent immobilization in order to develop a two-separate-phase biocatalytic membrane reactor. A functionalization method was proposed in order to increase the density of the reactive hydroxyl groups on the surface of ceramic membranes, which were then amino-activated and treated with a crosslinker. The performance and the stability of the immobilized lipase were investigated as a function of the amount of the immobilized biocatalytst. Results showed that it is possible to immobilize lipase on a ceramic membrane without altering its catalytic performance (initial residual specific activity 93%), which remains constant after 6 reaction cycles

Multi-lamellar vesicle formation in a long-chain nonionic surfactant: C16E4/D2O system

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Modulation of complement activation by pentraxin-3 in prostate cancer.

Pentraxin 3 (PTX3) is an essential component of the innate immune system and a recognized modulator of Complement cascade. The role of Complement system in the pathogenesis of prostate cancer has been largely underestimated. The aim of our study was to investigate the role of PTX3 as possible modulator of Complement activation in the development of this neoplasia. We performed a single center cohort study; from January 2017 through December 2018, serum and prostate tissue samples were obtained from 620 patients undergoing prostate biopsy. A group of patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) underwent a second biopsy within 12-36 months demonstrating the presence of a prostate cancer (Group A, n = 40) or confirming the diagnosis of BPH (Group B, N = 40). We measured tissue PTX3 protein expression together with complement activation by confocal microscopy in the first and second biopsy in group A and B patients. We confirmed that that PTX3 tissue expression in the first biopsy was increased in group A compared to group B patients. C1q deposits were extensively present in group A patients co-localizing and significantly correlating with PTX3 deposits; on the contrary, C1q/PTX3 deposits were negative in group B. Moreover, we found a significantly increased expression of C3a and C5a receptors within resident cells in group A patient. Interestingly, C1q/PTX3 deposits were not associated with activation of the terminal Complement complex C5b-9; moreover, we found a significant increase of Complement inhibitor CD59 in cancer tissue. Our data indicate that PTX3 might play a significant pathogenic role in the development of this neoplasia through recruitment of the early components of Complement cascade with hampered activation of terminal Complement pathway associated with the upregulation of CD59. This alteration might lead to the PTX3-mediated promotion of cellular proliferation, angiogenesis and insensitivity to apoptosis possible leading to cancer cell invasion and migration

Molecular Mechanisms of AKI in the Elderly: From Animal Models to Therapeutic Intervention

Acute kidney injury (AKI), a critical syndrome characterized by a sudden reduction of renal function, is a common disorder among elderly patients particularly in Intensive Care Unit (ICU). AKI is closely associated with both short- and long-term mortality and length of hospital stay and is considered a predictor of chronic kidney disease (CKD). Specific hemodynamic, metabolic, and molecular changes lead to increased susceptibility to injury in the aged kidney; therefore, certain causes of AKI such as the prerenal reduction in renal perfusion or vascular obstructive conditions are more common in the elderly; moreover, AKI is often multifactorial and iatrogenic. Older patients present several comorbidities (diabetes, hypertension, heart failure) and are exposed to multiple medical interventions such as the use of nephrotoxic contrasts media and medications, which can also trigger AKI. Considering the emerging relevance of this condition, prevention and treatment of AKI in the elderly should be crucial in the internist and emergency setting. This review article summarizes the incidence, the risk factors, the pathophysiology, the molecular mechanisms and the strategies of prevention and treatment of AKI in elderly patients

Resistive Plate Chambers with Gd-coated electrodes as thermal neutron detectors

Abstract Resistive Plate Chambers (RPCs) are wide spread, cheap, easy-to-build and large size detectors, used mainly to reveal ionising particles in high-energy physics experiments. Here a technique, consisting in coating the inner surface of the bakelite electrodes with a mixture of linseed oil and Gd 2 O 3 is reported. This allows to make RPCs sensitive also to thermal neutrons, making them suitable to be employed for industrial, medical or de-mining applications. Thermal neutron-sensitive RPCs can be operated at atmospheric pressure, are lightweighted, have low γ -ray sensitivity and are easy to handle even when large areas have to be covered. This paper reports the results of the first test of this detector, performed at the Geel Linear Accelerator (GELINA) in Belgium

Percutaneous coronary intervention in an anomalously arising totally occluded circumflex coronary artery

AbstractCongenital coronary anomalies are present in approximately 1% of the patients referred to cardiac catheterization. The present case describes a successful percutaneous coronary intervention in totally occluded left circumflex coronary artery (LCx) with an anomalous origin from right sinus of Valsalva. To the best of our knowledge this is the first case presented of successful recanalization of a chronic total occlusion in an anomalously arising LCx. The case highlights the feasibility of such a challenging procedure on the basis of the knowledge of coronary anatomy and the selection of appropriate guiding catheters and coronary wires