Poema

Poema dedicado a Guillermo Fernánde

EASL Recognition Awardee 2013

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The balance between Notch/Wnt signaling regulates progenitor cells' commitment during liver repair: mystery solved?

During chronic injury a population of bipotent hepatic progenitor cells (HPCs) become activated to regenerate both cholangiocytes and hepatocytes. Here we show in human diseased liver and mouse models of the ductular reaction that Notch and Wnt signaling direct specification of HPCs via their interactions with activated myofibroblasts or macrophages. In particular, we found that during biliary regeneration, expression of Jagged 1 (a Notch ligand) by myofibroblasts promoted Notch signaling in HPCs and thus their biliary specification to cholangiocytes. Alternatively, during hepatocyte regeneration, macrophage engulfment of hepatocyte debris induced Wnt3a expression. This resulted in canonical Wnt signaling in nearby HPCs, thus maintaining expression of Numb (a cell fate determinant) within these cells and the promotion of their specification to hepatocytes. By these two pathways adult parenchymal regeneration during chronic liver injury is promoted. 2012 European Association for the Study of the Liver. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved. Journal of Hepatology 2

El Disparo

Fragmentos del poema del autor Stefano Strazzabosco traducido del italiano por Guillermo Fernández y publicado en la revista "La Colmena" No. 46 del año 2005, de la Universidad Autónoma del Estado de México, en la sección "Italia en la Colmena"

Notch signaling and new therapeutic options in liver disease

Summary Notch signaling is a crucial determinant of cell fate decision during development and disease in several organs. Notch effects are strictly dependent on the cellular context in which it is activated. In the liver, Notch signaling is involved in biliary tree development and tubulogenesis. Recent advances have shed light on Notch as a critical player in liver regeneration and repair, as well as in liver metabolism and inflammation and cancer. Notch signaling is finely regulated at several levels. The complexity of the pathway provides several possible targets for development of therapeutic agents able to inhibit Notch. Recent reports have shown that persistent activation of Notch signaling is associated with liver malignancies, particularly hepatocellular with stem cell features and cholangiocarcinoma. These novel findings suggest that interfering with the aberrant activation of the Notch pathway may have therapeutic relevance. However, further studies are needed to clarify the mechanisms regulating physiologic and pathologic Notch activation in the adult liver, to better understand the mechanistic role(s) of Notch in liver diseases and to develop safe and specific therapeutic agents

Bile acids and their receptors: modulators and therapeutic targets in liver inflammation

Bile acids participate in the intestinal emulsion, digestion, and absorption of lipids and fat-soluble vitamins. When present in high concentrations, as in cholestatic liver diseases, bile acids can damage cells and cause inflammation. After the discovery of bile acids receptors about two decades ago, bile acids are considered signaling molecules. Besides regulating bile acid, xenobiotic, and nutrient metabolism, bile acids and their receptors have shown immunomodulatory properties and have been proposed as therapeutic targets for inflammatory diseases of the liver. This review focuses on bile acid-related signaling pathways that affect inflammation in the liver and provides an overview of the preclinical and clinical applications of modulators of these pathways for the treatment of cholestatic and autoimmune liver diseases

La sostenibilità degli interventi su alberi veterani: un protocollo per la valutazione integrata e la cura

The purpose of this study was to develop and implement a protocol for risk analysis and assessment of veteran trees in public places. One of the main objectives of the management plans of the historical sites is the preservation of the trees "founders". Many of the trees "founder" survivors are subjected to inappropriate management practices, which lowered their life expectancy and greatly reduced their biomechanical safety factor. The protocol developed for the assessment of these trees is based on two types of analysis: a biological assessment of tree health and well-being, and a new method for assessing the biomechanical stability of the tree ( OREBLA - a worksheet digital based tree modeling and evaluation system ). The biological evaluation of tree health is a critical step to evaluate the ability of a veteran tree to react to management practices that lead to the reduction of the biomass. In particular, the metabolic activity of the root system is evaluated by measuring the starch content of the root that has been shown to be related to the response to tree management practices. OREBLA is an integrated tool biomechanical analysis, which includes a modeling of the tree structure based on the protocol EUROCODE for the evaluation of the safety factor of structures exposed to the wind . The evaluation is based on data dendrometric and diagnostic, non-invasive tools for the analysis of the trunk and limbs ( Sonic tomography and electrical ) , and also on an assessment of the risk of tree failure due to fracturing of the plate ( Pulling Test). The protocol was tested in the assessment of veterans 'founders' of the Park trees Revedin Bolasco in Castelfranco Veneto (Italy)

Analisi energetica ed economica di sistemi a pompa di calore geotermica per la climatizzazione di edifici

Scopo di questo studio è di analizzare le prestazioni energetiche delle pompe di calore geotermiche, valutandone poi la convenienza economica rispetto ad un impianto tradizionale per la climatizzazione di edifici. In particolare si considera un condominio ed un ufficio. Le simulazioni vengono fatte per tre diverse località italiane (Milano, Roma e Palermo) al fine di valutare come i carichi termici cambiano al variare delle condizioni climaticheope