Progettazione e sviluppo di un'applicazione Android nell'ambito dei prodotti del km '0'

Negli ultimi anni vi è una crescente sensibilizzazione sulle tematiche alimentari; i consumatori desiderano conoscere l'origine e la lavorazione dei prodotti che acquistano. I prodotti biologici e del km zero forniscono una maggiore affidabilità e qualità; per questo si è deciso di sviluppare un sistema che permettesse agli utilizzatori di condividere localmente le loro piccole produzioni agricole

Co-targeting of Bcl-2 and mTOR pathway triggers synergistic apoptosis in BH3 mimetics resistant acute lymphoblastic leukemia

Several chemo-resistance mechanisms including the Bcl-2 protein family overexpression and constitutive activation of the PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling have been documented in acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), encouraging targeted approaches to circumvent this clinical problem. Here we analyzed the activity of the BH3 mimetic ABT-737 in ALL, exploring the synergistic effects with the mTOR inhibitor CCI-779 on ABT-737 resistant cells. We showed that a low Mcl-1/Bcl-2 plus Bcl-xL protein ratio determined ABT-737 responsiveness. ABT-737 exposure further decreased Mcl-1, inducing apoptosis on sensitive models and primary samples, while not affecting resistant cells. Co-inhibition of Bcl-2 and the mTOR pathway resulted cytotoxic on ABT-737 resistant models, by downregulating mTORC1 activity and Mcl-1 in a proteasome-independent manner. Although Mcl-1 seemed to be critical, ectopic modulation did not correlate with apoptosis changes. Importantly, dual targeting proved effective on ABT-737 resistant samples, showing additive/synergistic effects. Together, our results show the efficacy of BH3 mimetics as single agent in the majority of the ALL samples and demonstrate that resistance to ABT-737 mostly correlated with Mcl-1 overexpression. Co-targeting of the Bcl-2 protein family and mTOR pathway enhanced drug-induced cytotoxicity by suppressing Mcl-1, providing a novel therapeutic approach to overcome BH3 mimetics resistance in ALL

The role of chemical products at low doses in preventing the proliferation of bacteria in dental unit waterlines: the ICX® experience.

Abstract In this study we evaluated (1) the efficacy of a protocol that combines hydrogen peroxide (shock treatment) and ICX® tablets (continuous treatment) for the control of microbial contamination in dental unit water lines, and (2) the in vitro antimicrobial activity of ICX® tablets on collection and wild strains isolated from dental chair output waters. To assess the treatment effectiveness, the microbial load in the output water samples of three dental chairs were investigated: one control chair received only shock treatment. In vitro bactericidal activity was tested against Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Data obtained from samples collected from chairs treated with ICX® and shock treatment and data from the control chair did not differ significantly on the basis of microbial load. In the in vitro study, the product was unable to kill Gram-negative bacteria. These results show that the continuous introduction of ICX® was not effective in maintaining low counts of the heterotrophic bacteria in the output water of dental devices, and shock treatment may be needed more frequently than monthly

10 Statements on the Future of Public Health in Europe

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A critical appraisal of epidemiological studies comes from basic knowledge: a reader's guide to assess potential for biases

Scientific literature may be biased because of the internal validity of studies being compromised by different forms of measurement error, and/or because of the selective reporting of positive and 'statistically significant' results. While the first source of bias might be prevented, and in some cases corrected to a degree, the second represents a pervasive problem afflicting the medical literature; a situation that can only be 'corrected' by a change in the mindset of authors, reviewers, and editors. This review focuses on the concepts of confounding, selection bias and information bias, utilising explanatory examples and simple rules to recognise and, when possible, to correct for them. Confounding is a mixing of effects resulting from an imbalance of some of the causes of disease across the compared groups. It can be prevented by randomization and restriction, and controlled by stratification, standardization or by using multivariable techniques. Selection bias stems from an absence of comparability among the groups being studied, while information bias arises from distorted information collection techniques. Publication bias of medical research results can invalidate evidence-based medicine, when a researcher attempting to collect all the published studies on a specific topic actually gathers only a proportion of them, usually the ones reporting 'positive' results. The selective publication of 'statistically significant' results represents a problem that researchers and readers have to be aware of in order to face the entire body of published medical evidence with a degree of scepticism

Impacts of the Adoption of IFRS 16 for Companies with Intensive Use of Mobile Assets

This study analysed through an event study if the IFRS 16 disclosure on January 2016 and its implementation on January 2019 affected the value of the companies. The IFRS 16 addresses the accounting for lease and its operation. Before its effectiveness, operating lease and rental were recorded in the financial statements as operating expenses, known as off-balance sheet. This change consisted in classifying the current operating lease and rental, changing the entry in the financial statement of “operating expenses” for “depreciation and interest”, without changing the total amount, that is, without impact on the profit for the year. According to the cash flow analysis, a change on the value of the company is not expected. The mining segment was chosen because it has an intensive use of mobile assets. This segment uses operating lease and rental in order to have available operational mobile assets. A total of 1002 companies on the Toronto, London, and Sydney stock exchanges were analysed on the two reference dates. Variations in abnormal returns suggested that the value of companies was affected by the IFRS 16 disclosure and implementation