Involvement of the Ubiquitin-Proteasome System in the Formation of Experimental Postsurgical Peritoneal Adhesions

We investigated the Ubiquitin-Proteasome System (UPS), major nonlysosomal intracellular protein degradation system, in the genesis of experimental postsurgical peritoneal adhesions. We assayed the levels of UPS within the adhered tissue along with the development of peritoneal adhesions and used the specific UPS inhibitor bortezomib in order to assess the effect of the UPS blockade on the peritoneal adhesions. We found a number of severe postsurgical peritoneal adhesions at day 5 after surgery increasing until day 10. In the adhered tissue an increased values of ubiquitin and the 20S proteasome subunit, NFkB, IL-6, TNF-α and decreased values of IkB-beta were found. In contrast, bortezomib-treated rats showed a decreased number of peritoneal adhesions, decreased values of ubiquitin and the 20S proteasome, NFkB, IL-6, TNF-α, and increased levels of IkB-beta in the adhered peritoneal tissue. The UPS system, therefore, is primarily involved in the formation of post-surgical peritoneal adhesions in rats

Bifunctional Phase Transfer Catalysis in the Asymmetric Synthesis of Biologically Active Isoindolinones

New bifunctional chiral ammonium salts were investigated in an asymmetric cascade synthesis of a key building block for a variety of biologically relevant isoindolinones. With this chiral compound in hand, the development of further transformations allowed for the synthesis of diverse derivatives of high pharmaceutical value, such as the Belliotti (S)-PD172938 and arylated analogues with hypnotic sedative activity, obtained in good overall total yield (50%) and high enantiomeric purity (95% ee). The synthetic routes developed herein are particularly convenient in comparison with the current methods available in literature and are particularly promising for large scale applications

Isoindolinones as Michael Donors under Phase Transfer Catalysis: Enantioselective Synthesis of Phthalimidines Containing a Tetrasubstituted Carbon Stereocenter

Readily available chiral ammonium salts derived from cinchona alkaloids have proven to be effective phase transfer catalysts in the asymmetric Michael reaction of 3-substituted isoindolinones. This protocol provides a convenient method for the construction of valuable asymmetric 3,3-disubstituted isoindolinones in high yields and moderate to good enantioselectivity. Diastereoselectivity was also investigated in the construction of contiguous tertiary and quaternary stereocenters. The use of acrolein as Michael acceptor led to an interesting tricyclic derivative, a pyrroloisoindolinone analogue, via a tandem conjugated addition/cyclization reaction

The Evolution of Natural Capital Accounting: From Origins to System of Environmental-Economic Accounting

The valuation of natural capital has become an increasingly important issue in the environmental debate and in public policies, given the growing awareness that human well-being depends on the health of terrestrial ecosystems and their services. Natural Capital Accounting (NCA) proposes a solution to measure and value the ecosystem services provided by natural systems, integrating them into economic decision-making processes. However, the wide range of ecosystem resources and services that our natural environment provides is often overlooked or taken for granted, leading to unsustainable practices and the degradation of natural resources. This research proposes an analysis of the evolution of natural capital accounting over time, examining the origins, significant developments and achievements of the approach, with a focus on the methodologies and tools applied. The System of Environmental-Economic Accounting (SEEA) is an important tool for putting this recognition into practice, providing a standardized and coherent approach to measuring and evaluating natural capital. SEEA enables the identification of trade-offs and synergies between economic and environmental objectives and supports the development of policies and practices that promote sustainable development, ensuring the sustainable and equitable use of natural resources. The paper highlights the potential of the SEEA approach to provide useful results and support effective decision-making, emphasizing the importance of considering natural capital as a key element that can be integrated into policy strategies and spatial planning

Isoindolinones as Michael Donors under Phase Transfer Catalysis: Enantioselective Synthesis of Phthalimidines Containing a Tetrasubstituted Carbon Stereocenter

Readily available chiral ammonium salts derived from cinchona alkaloids have proven to be effective phase transfer catalysts in the asymmetric Michael reaction of 3-substituted isoindolinones. This protocol provides a convenient method for the construction of valuable asymmetric 3,3-disubstituted isoindolinones in high yields and  moderate to good enantioselectivity. Diastereoselectivity was also investigated in the construction of contiguous tertiary and quaternary stereocenters. The use of acrolein as Michael acceptor led to an interesting tricyclic derivative, a pyrroloisoindolinone analogue, via a tandem conjugated addition/cyclization reaction

Spatial cognition and crime: the study of mental models of spatial relations in crime analysis

Several studies employed different algorithms in order to investigate criminal's spatial behaviour and to identify mental models and cognitive strategies related to it. So far, a number of geographic profiling (GP) software have been implemented to analyse mobility and its relation to the way criminals are using spatial environment when committing a crime. Since crimes are usually perpetrated in the offender's high-awareness areas, those cognitive maps can be employed to create a map of the criminal's operating area to help investigators to circumscribe search areas. The aim of the present study was to verify accuracy of simple statistical analysis in predicting spatial mobility of a group of 30 non-criminal subjects. Results showed that statistics such as Mean Centre and Standard Distance were accurate in elaborating a GP for each subject according to the mobility area provided. Future analysis will be implemented using mobility information of criminal subjects and location-based software to verify whether there is a cognitive spatial strategy employed by them when planning and committing a crime

Organocatalytic asymmetric synthesis of highly functionalized pyrrolizidines via cascade Michael/hemi-aminalization reactions of isoindolinones

This Letter describes the first application of activated 3-substituted isoindolinones in asymmetric synthesis of aza-tricyclic heterocycles, belonging to the class of pyrrolizidines. It was found that diphenylprolinol trimethylsilyl (TMS) ether was particularly effective, allowing the obtaining of adducts in good yields and up to 96% ee via iminium ion catalysis in the reaction of unsaturated aldehydes