Direct Measurement of the Reduced Scattering Coefficient by a Calibrated Random Laser Sensor

The research in optical sensors has been largely encouraged by the demand for low-cost and less or non-invasive new detection strategies. The invention of the random laser has opened a new frontier in optics, providing also the opportunity to explore new possibilities in the field of sensing, besides several different and peculiar phenomena. The main advantage in exploiting the physical principle of the random laser in optical sensors is due to the presence of the stimulated emission mechanism, which allows amplification and spectral modification of the signal. Here, we present a step forward in the exploitation of this optical phenomenon by a revisitation of a previous experimental setup, as well as the measurement method, in particular to mitigate the instability of the results due to shot-to-shot pump energy fluctuations. In particular, the main novelties of the setup are the use of optical fibers, a reference sensor, and a peristaltic pump. These improvements are devoted to: eliminating optical beam alignment issues; improving portability; mitigating the variation in pump energy and gain medium performances over time; realizing an easy and rapid change of the sensed medium. The results showed that such a setup can be considered a prototype for a portable device for directly measuring the scattering of liquid samples, without resorting to complicated numerical or analytic inversion procedures of the measured data, once the suitable calibration of the system is performed

Multiphysics Modeling and Driving Strategy Optimization of an Urban-Concept Vehicle

International audienc

Neuroinflammation: From target selection to preclinical and clinical studies

Inflammation is a highly dynamic and complex adaptive process to preserve and restore tissue homeostasis in neurological disorders and often serves as a prognostic marker for disease outcome. The underlying cellular and factorial heterogeneity represents an opportunity in the development of disease-modifying therapies. Molecular imaging of neuroinflammation (NI) may support the characterization of key aspects of the dynamic interplay of various inducers, sensors, transducers, and effectors of the multifactorial inflammatory response in vivo in animal models and patients. The characterization of the NI response by molecular imaging will (i) support early diagnosis and disease follow-up, (ii) guide (stereotactic) biopsy sampling, (iii) highlight the dynamic changes during disease pathogenesis in a noninvasive manner, (iv) help monitoring existing therapies, (v) support the development of novel NI-modifying therapies, and (vi) aid stratification of patients, according to their individual NI profile. This book chapter will review the basic principles of NI, recent developments and applications of novel molecular imaging targets, key considerations for the selection and development of imaging targets, as well as examples of successful clinical translation of NI imaging

The MCL1 inhibitor S63845 is tolerable and effective in diverse cancer models

Avoidance of apoptosis is critical for the development and sustained growth of tumours. The pro-survival protein myeloid cell leukemia 1 (MCL1) is overexpressed in many cancers, but the development of small molecules targeting this protein that are amenable for clinical testing has been challenging. Here we describe S63845, a small molecule that specifically binds with high affinity to the BH3-binding groove of MCL1. Our mechanistic studies demonstrate that S63845 potently kills MCL1-dependent cancer cells, including multiple myeloma, leukaemia and lymphoma cells, by activating the BAX/BAK-dependent mitochondrial apoptotic pathway. In vivo, S63845 shows potent anti-tumour activity with an acceptable safety margin as a single agent in several cancers. Moreover, MCL1 inhibition, either alone or in combination with other anti-cancer drugs, proved effective against several solid cancer-derived cell lines. These results point towards MCL1 as a target for the treatment of a wide range of tumours