Distribution of Caulerpa taxifolia var. distichophylla (Sonder) Verlaque, Huisman & Procaccini in the Mediterranean Sea

The Non-Indigenous Species (NIS) Caulerpa taxifolia var. distichophylla (Sonder) Verlaque, Huisman & Procaccini has been reported for the first time in the Mediterranean Sea along the coast of South Turkey. This NIS is actively expanding into the Eastern and Western Mediterranean Sea. In this paper, we present an overview of the current distribution of this alga in the Mediterranean Sea, based on relevant scientific publications, grey literature and personal observations. New records from the Sicilian coast (Italy) are also reported. Caulerpa taxifolia var. distichophylla was found over a wide range of environmental conditions (depth, light and substratum), suggesting a broad ecological plasticity of this alga which makes it a poten- tial threat for the Mediterranean benthic communities. In this respect, artificial structures, often linked to harbours and maritime traffic, seem to provide suitable habitats for this NIS. Since maritime traffic is intense in the Mediterranean Sea, further expansion of C. taxifolia var. distichophylla in this region is to be expected. For this reason, it is very important to build up an overview on the current distribution of the species and its possible pattern of colonisation in relation to environmental conditions, as well as in view of future climate change scenarios

Electric Hybrid Powertrain for Armored Vehicles

The performance of modern, new generation-armored vehicles would greatly benefit from overall engineering, optimization, and integration techniques of advanced diesel engines-electrified transmissions. Modern axial flux electric motors and controllers are perfectly able to replace the classical automatic gearbox and complex steering system of traditional Main Battle Tanks. This study shows a possible design of a serial hybrid electric power pack for very heavy tanks with a weight well over 50 tons. The result is a hybrid power system that improves the overall performance of armored vehicles off-road and on-road, improving the acceleration and the smoothness of the ride. In addition, fuel consumption will be reduced because the internal combustion engine operates at fixed rpm. The electric motors will outperform the traditional engines due to their very high torque output even at “zero speed”. The weight of a hybrid system has also been calculated. In fact, in many cases, it is possible to use all off-the-shelf components. The on-board diagnosis of the subsystems in the hybrid powertrain makes it possible to achieve a Time Between Overhaul (TBO) of 4500 h with a failure probability inferior to one in 10,000

Use of Biomarkers in Ongoing Research Protocols on Alzheimer's Disease

The present study aimed to describe and discuss the state of the art of biomarker use in ongoing Alzheimer's disease (AD) research. A review of 222 ongoing phase 1, 2, 3, and 4 protocols registered in the clinicaltrials.gov database was performed. All the trials (i) enrolling subjects with clinical disturbances and/or preclinical diagnoses falling within the AD continuum; and (ii) testing the efficacy and/or safety/tolerability of a therapeutic intervention, were analyzed. The use of biomarkers of amyloid deposition, tau pathology, and neurodegeneration among the eligibility criteria and/or study outcomes was assessed. Overall, 58.2% of ongoing interventional studies on AD adopt candidate biomarkers. They are mostly adopted by studies at the preliminary stages of the drug development process to explore the safety profile of novel therapies, and to provide evidence of target engagement and disease-modifying properties. The biologically supported selection of participants is mostly based on biomarkers of amyloid deposition, whereas the use of biomarkers as study outcomes mostly relies on markers of neurodegeneration. Biomarkers play an important role in the design and conduction of research protocols targeting AD. Nevertheless, their clinical validity, utility, and cost-effectiveness in the "real world" remain to be clarified

Analisi preliminare delle risposte della comunità intertidale a variazioni di pCO2 e temperatura

La principale conseguenza delle emissioni atmosferiche di CO2 di origine antropica è l’incremento dell’effetto serra, che sta conducendo al fenomeno del riscaldamento globale. Una parte di queste emissioni viene sequestrata dagli oceani causando profondi cambiamenti nella chimica dei carbonati, un processo noto come acidificazione degli oceani. La temperatura ed il pH possono interagire fra loro inducendo cambiamenti nelle risposte delle comunità marine. Questo studio si propone di valutare sperimentalmente la risposta del biofilm a cambiamenti indotti di temperatura e pCO2 lungo un gradiente di chimica dei carbonati nell’Isola di Vulcano (Isole Eolie)

[Italian Cystic Fibrosis Register - Report 2010]

The Italian National CF Registry (INCFR) is based on the official agreement between the clinicians of the Italian National Referral Centers for Cystic Fibrosis and the researchers of the Istituto Superiore di Sanità (National Center for Rare Diseases; National Center for Epidemiology, Surveillance and Health Care Promotion). OBJECTIVES The main aim of INCFR is to contribute to the improvement in CF patients health care and clinical management through: i. the estimates of CF prevalence and incidence in Italy; ii. the analyses of medium and long term clinical and epidemiological trends of the disesase; iii. the identification of the main health care needs at regional and national level to contribute to the Health Care programmes and to the distribution of resources. MATERIALS AND METHODS Analyses and results described in the present Report are referred to patients in charge to the Italian National Referral Centers for Cystic Fibrosis in 2010. Data were sent by Centers by means of a specific software (Camilla, Ibis Informatica). The Italian National Referral Centers for Cystic Fibrosis sent a total of 5,271 individual records; 1,112 records were excluded from the analyses due to restricted inclusion criteria. The total number of patients included in INCFR for analyses is 4,159. RESULTS INCFR database includes all prevalent cases at 1th January 2010 as well as all new diagnoses done in 2010. The present Report has been organized into 9 sections. 1. Demography: estimated 2010 CF prevalence was 7/100,000 residents in Italy; 52% of the patients were male, CF distribution showed higher frequency in patients aged 7 to 35 years. In 2010, 48.9% of the patients were more than 18 years old. 2. Diagnoses: most of the CF patients were diagnosed before two years of age (66.7%); a significant percentage of patients (11.4%) was diagnosed in adult-age. 3. New diagnoses (2010): new diagnoses were 168. Sixty-five percent of them was diagnosed before the second year of age and 17%in adulthood. No differences were observed between male and female. Incidence at birth was estimated 1/4,854 living births. 4

Use of Biomarkers in Ongoing Research Protocols on Alzheimer’s Disease

The present study aimed to describe and discuss the state of the art of biomarker use in ongoing Alzheimer’s disease (AD) research. A review of 222 ongoing phase 1, 2, 3, and 4 protocols registered in the clinicaltrials.gov database was performed. All the trials (i) enrolling subjects with clinical disturbances and/or preclinical diagnoses falling within the AD continuum; and (ii) testing the efficacy and/or safety/tolerability of a therapeutic intervention, were analyzed. The use of biomarkers of amyloid deposition, tau pathology, and neurodegeneration among the eligibility criteria and/or study outcomes was assessed. Overall, 58.2% of ongoing interventional studies on AD adopt candidate biomarkers. They are mostly adopted by studies at the preliminary stages of the drug development process to explore the safety profile of novel therapies, and to provide evidence of target engagement and disease-modifying properties. The biologically supported selection of participants is mostly based on biomarkers of amyloid deposition, whereas the use of biomarkers as study outcomes mostly relies on markers of neurodegeneration. Biomarkers play an important role in the design and conduction of research protocols targeting AD. Nevertheless, their clinical validity, utility, and cost-effectiveness in the “real world” remain to be clarified

Treatment of esophageal perforations. Considerations on a clinical case. [Trattamento delle perforazioni esofagee. Considerazioni su un caso clinico.]

Gli Autori, partendo dalla descrizione di un raro caso di perforazione esofagea insorta in un paziente di 68 anni due ore dopo l'esecuzione di un Ecocardiogramma TransEsofageo (TOE), prendono in esame questa patologia, non frequente ma grave, tema di discussione per le problematiche di diagnosi e di strategie terapeutiche che essa comporta. Gli Autori ne descrivono le cause, tra le quali l'Ecocardiogramma TransEsofageo (TOE), un esame semi-invasivo utilizzato sempre di più in cardiologia e nel corso di interventi chirurgici cardiaci, e il trattamento, che dipende dalla localizzazione della perforazione, dalla presenza di concomitanti patologie esofagee e dall'intervallo di tempo intercorso tra l'insulto e l'inizio del trattamento. Nell'ambito del trattamento chirurgico la riparazione primaria della perforazione è considerata, quando ne sussistano le condizioni , il trattamento chirurgico più idoneo ed è il tipo di intervento scelto dagli Autori per risolvere, con successo, il caso clinico descritto

Synthesis and Characterization of Curcumin-Loaded Nanoparticles of Poly(Glycerol Sebacate): A Novel Highly Stable Anticancer System

The research for alternative administration methods for anticancer drugs, towards enhanced effectiveness and selectivity, represents a major challenge for the scientific community. In the last decade, polymeric nanostructured delivery systems represented a promising alternative to conventional drug administration since they ensure secure transport to the selected target, providing active compounds protection against elimination, while minimizing drug toxicity to non-target cells. In the present research, poly(glycerol sebacate), a biocompatible polymer, was synthesized and then nanostructured to allow curcumin encapsulation, a naturally occurring polyphenolic phytochemical isolated from the powdered rhizome of Curcuma longa L. Curcumin was selected as an anticancer agent in virtue of its strong chemotherapeutic activity against different cancer types combined with good cytocompatibility within healthy cells. Despite its strong and fascinating biological activity, its possible exploitation as a novel chemotherapeutic has been hampered by its low water solubility, which results in poor absorption and low bioavailability upon oral administration. Hence, its encapsulation within nanoparticles may overcome such issues. Nanoparticles obtained through nanoprecipitation, an easy and scalable technique, were characterized in terms of size and stability over time using dynamic light scattering and transmission electron microscopy, confirming their nanosized dimensions and spherical shape. Finally, biological investigation demonstrated an enhanced cytotoxic effect of curcumin-loaded PGS-NPs on human cervical cancer cells compared to free curcumin