Solid wastes wastewater and remediation costs in an urban slum: The case study of A Gypsy Camp in Napoli (S Italy)

Slums represent a sort of black box within the urban environment, generating multiple impacts, that are often acknowledged, but forgotten by urban planners and policy-makers when envisioning the future of cities, due to the dimension of social exclusion in which slum dwellers live. These criticalities pose a further threat to urban sustainability. The first problem is revealed by the lack of quantifications about many environmental and socio-economic factors, as well as by a general lack of understanding about slums as systems. This study is aimed at overcoming the present knowledge weakness, developing a preliminary site-specific system representation of a slum as a system. In particular, a case study of a Gypsy camp in Napoli (S Italy) was chosen for such a purpose. Focusing on solid waste, an approximate evaluation of informal waste picking activity was performed. Basic parameters of generated wastewater, which is dispersed in the environment due to the absence of any sewerage infrastructure, are accounted according to environmental engineering standards. In addition, considering a second abandoned camp (Brecce Sant'Erasmo, Napoli, Italy), specific-site remediation costs were calculated. Results evidence the necessity of a better understanding of resources flows within slums. A first planning action for the studied area would be to separate the areas for waste processing with respect to living areas. Basic infrastructures for solid waste and wastewater management are also necessary to improve the life quality of slum dwellers, while reducing the existing impacts. Finally, also a study to detail atmospheric emissions characteristics would be desirable. Specific upgrading solutions are indicated on the basis of the existing literature. They include planning and monitoring actions, together with the development of engineered solutions for waste and wastewater management

A decrease of calcitonin serum concentrations less than 50 percent 30 minutes after thyroid surgery suggests incomplete C-cell tumor tissue removal

The prognosis of medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC) depends on the completeness of the first surgical treatment. To date, it is not possible to predict whether the tumor has been completely removed after surgery. The aim of this study was to evaluate the reliability of an intraoperative calcitonin monitoring as a predictor of the final outcome after surgery in patients with MTC

Effective conductivity of inertial flows through porous media

We study two-dimensional incompressible inertial flows through porous media. At core (small) scale, we prove that the constitutive, nonlinear model can be rewritten into a linear one by means of a new parameter K* which encompasses all the inertial effects. In natural (large-scale) formations, K* is erratically changing, and we analytically compute its counterpart, which is coined generalized effective conductivity, by the self-consistent approach (SCA). In spite of its approximate nature, the SCA leads to simple results that are in good agreement with Monte Carlo simulations

Na+/Ca2+ exchanger isoform 1 takes part to the Ca2+-related prosurvival pathway of SOD1 in primary motor neurons exposed to beta-methylamino-l-alanine

Background: The cycad neurotoxin beta-methylamino-l-alanine (L-BMAA), one of the environmental trigger factor for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis/Parkinson-dementia complex (ALS/PDC), may cause neurodegeneration by disrupting organellar Ca2+ homeostasis. Through the activation of Akt/ERK1/2 pathway, the Cu,Zn-superoxide dismutase (SOD1) and its non-metallated form, ApoSOD1, prevent endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress-induced cell death in motor neurons exposed to L-BMAA. This occurs through the rapid increase of intracellular Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]i) in part flowing from the extracellular compartment and in part released from ER. However, the molecular components of this mechanism remain uncharacterized. Methods: By an integrated approach consisting on the use of siRNA strategy, Western blotting, confocal double- labeling immunofluorescence, patch-clamp electrophysiology, and Fura 2-/SBFI-single-cell imaging, we explored in rat motor neuron-enriched cultures the involvement of the plasma membrane proteins Na+/Ca2+ exchanger (NCX) and purinergic P2X7 receptor as well as that of the intracellular cADP-ribose (cADPR) pathway, in the neuroprotective mechanism of SOD1. Results: We showed that SOD1-induced [Ca2+]i rise was prevented neither by A430879, a P2X7 receptor specific antagonist or 8-bromo-cADPR, a cell permeant antagonist of cADP-ribose, but only by the pan inhibitor of NCX, CB-DMB. The same occurred for the ApoSOD1. Confocal double labeling immunofluorescence showed a huge expression of plasmalemmal NCX1 and intracellular NCX3 isoforms. Furthermore, we identified NCX1 reverse mode as the main mechanism responsible for the neuroprotective ER Ca2+ refilling elicited by SOD1 and ApoSOD1 through which they promoted translocation of active Akt in the nuclei of a subset of primary motor neurons. Finally, the activation of NCX1 by the specific agonist CN-PYB2 protected motor neurons from L-BMAA-induced cell death, mimicking the effect of SOD1. Conclusion: Collectively, our data indicate that SOD1 and ApoSOD1 exert their neuroprotective effect by modulating ER Ca2+ content through the activation of NCX1 reverse mode and Akt nuclear translocation in a subset of primary motor neurons. [MediaObject not available: see fulltext.

Risk Factors and Cellular Differences in Heart Failure: The Key Role of Sex Hormones

Patients with heart failure are conventionally stratified into phenotypic groups based on their ejection fraction. The aim of this stratification is to improve disease management with a more targeted therapeutic approach. A further subdivision based on patient gender is justified. It is recognized that women are underrepresented in randomized controlled clinical trials, resulting in limited clinical and molecular differentiation between males and females. However, many observational studies show that the onset, development, and clinical course of the disease may substantially differ between the two sexes. According to the emerging concept of precision medicine, investigators should further explore the mechanisms responsible for the onset of heart failure due to sex differences. Indeed, the synergistic or opposing effects of sex hormones on the cardiovascular system and underlying heart failure mechanisms have not yet been clarified. Sex hormones, risk factors impact, and cardiovascular adaptations may be relevant for a better understanding of the intrinsic pathophysiological mechanisms in the two sexes. Despite the differences, treatment for HF is similar across the whole population, regardless of sex and gender. In our review, we describe the main differences in terms of cardiovascular dysfunction, risk factors, and cellular signaling modifications related to the hormonal pattern

Rebound effects of NCX3 pharmacological inhibition: A novel strategy to accelerate myelin formation in oligodendrocytes

The Na+/Ca2+ exchanger NCX3 is an important regulator of sodium and calcium homeostasis in oligodendrocyte lineage. To date, no information is available on the effects resulting from prolonged exposure to NCX3 blockers and subsequent drug washout in oligodendroglia. Here, we investigated, by means of biochemical, morphological and functional analyses, the pharmacological effects of the NCX3 inhibitor, the 5–amino-N-butyl-2–(4–ethoxyphenoxy)-benzamide hydrochloride (BED), on NCXs expression and activity, as well as intracellular [Na+]i and [Ca2+]i levels, during treatment and following drug washout both in human MO3.13 oligodendrocytes and rat primary oligodendrocyte precursor cells (OPCs). BED exposure antagonized NCX activity, induced OPCs proliferation and [Na+]i accumulation. By contrast, 2 days of BED washout after 4 days of treatment significantly upregulated low molecular weight NCX3 proteins, reversed NCX activity, and increased intracellular [Ca2+]i. This BED-free effect was accompanied by an upregulation of NCX3 expression in oligodendrocyte processes and accelerated expression of myelin markers in rat primary oligodendrocytes. Collectively, our findings show that the pharmacological inhibition of the NCX3 exchanger with BED blocker maybe followed by a rebound increase in NCX3 expression and reversal activity that accelerate myelin sheet formation in oligodendrocytes. In addition, they indicate that a particular attention should be paid to the use of NCX inhibitors for possible rebound effects, and suggest that further studies will be necessary to investigate whether selective pharmacological modulation of NCX3 exchanger may be exploited to benefit demyelination and remyelination in demyelinating diseases

Ischemic heart disease and heart failure. role of coronary ion channels

Heart failure is a complex syndrome responsible for high rates of death and hospitalization. Ischemic heart disease is one of the most frequent causes of heart failure and it is normally attributed to coronary artery disease, defined by the presence of one or more obstructive plaques, which determine a reduced coronary blood flow, causing myocardial ischemia and consequent heart failure. However, coronary obstruction is only an element of a complex pathophysiological process that leads to myocardial ischemia. In the literature, attention paid to the role of microcirculation, in the pathophysiology of ischemic heart disease and heart failure, is growing. Coronary microvascular dysfunction determines an inability of coronary circulation to satisfy myocardial metabolic demands, due to the imbalance of coronary blood flow regulatory mechanisms, including ion channels, leading to the development of hypoxia, fibrosis and tissue death, which may determine a loss of myocardial function, even beyond the presence of atherosclerotic epicardial plaques. For this reason, ion channels may represent the link among coronary microvascular dysfunction, ischemic heart disease and consequent heart failure

Noninvasive Assessment of Hemodynamic Stress Distribution after Indirect Revascularization for Pediatric Moyamoya Vasculopathy

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