AR AND CHAMBER MUSIC: MUSICAL KALEIDOSCOPE

DIGI-ORCH is a research project with objectives, on one hand, to design and develop "smart" brochures for concerts and educational programs of the State Conservatory of Thessaloniki (Greece), and, on the other, to develop an innovative system for the visualization of information on smart mobile devices (smartphones and tablets). The application of Augmented Reality (AR) provides free access to the information and content of the above concerts and educational programs, combining the information of a robust data server and an easy-to-use user interface of the smart device in real-time.The pilot implementation of the system in real conditions took place at the beginning of December 2022, in an event held at the facilities of the State Conservatory of Thessaloniki. The event was an evening of Chamber Music entitled Musical Kaleidoscope, with the internationally acclaimed artists Simos Papanas (violin), Dimos Goundaroulis (violoncello), and Vassilis Varvaresos (piano). They performed the Piano Trio no. 3 in G minor, Robert Schumann's opus 110, and the Piano Trio no. 2 in E flat major, Op. 100 D. 929 by Franz Schubert. The concert was attended by over 150 attendees.The paper will present the chaîne-operatoire of the development of the system, from the acquisition of raw data (text, video, image, and sound) to the methodology used to produce the "smart" event brochure and the AR application for the above concert. Essentially, this large amount of information that cannot be assessed by a regular printed concert brochure is included in the smart system and displayed on the mobile device when the user locates the appropriate AR patterns on the surface of the analog concert poster and/or on the pages of the brochure.This information comprised of ie. additional text and images about the composers and their musical projects, about the musicians of the concert (e.g. biographies), their interviews and rehearsals (video) before the concert, information about the State Conservatory of Thessaloniki (text, video, image, and sound), 3D models of musical instruments, 360° of the concert space, etc. diverse multimedia material.</p

Divergent effect of mammalian PLCζ in generating Ca2+ oscillations in somatic cells compared with eggs

Sperm PLCζ (phospholipase Cζ) is a distinct phosphoinositide-specific PLC isoform that is proposed to be the physiological trigger of egg activation and embryo development at mammalian fertilization. Recombinant PLCζ has the ability to trigger Ca2+ oscillations when expressed in eggs, but it is not known how PLCζ activity is regulated in sperm or eggs. In the present study, we have transfected CHO (Chinese-hamster ovary) cells with PLCζ fused with either YFP (yellow fluorescent protein) or luciferase and found that PLCζ-transfected cells did not display cytoplasmic Ca2+ oscillations any differently from control cells. PLCζ expression was not associated with changes in CHO cell resting Ca2+ levels, nor with a significantly changed Ca2+ response to extracellular ATP compared with control cells transfected with either YFP alone, a catalytically inactive PLCζ or luciferase alone. Sperm extracts containing PLCζ also failed to cause Ca2+ oscillations in CHO cells. Despite these findings, PLCζ-transfected CHO cell extracts exhibited high recombinant protein expression and PLC activity. Furthermore, either PLCζ-transfected CHO cells or derived cell extracts could specifically cause cytoplasmic Ca2+ oscillations when microinjected into mouse eggs. These data suggest that PLCζ-mediated Ca2+ oscillations may require specific factors that are only present within the egg cytoplasm or be inhibited by factors present only in somatic cell lines

Synthesis and characterization of calcium oxyboroapatite with bimodal porosity

Calcium oxyboroapatite with bimodal porosity and proposed general formula (CaO)x(PO2.5)y(BO1.5)z with 10 ≥ x ≥ 9, y ≥ 4 and z ≥ 1.6 have been prepared for the first time, by thermal processing of sol–gel-derived glass. F-127 triblock copolymer was incorporated in the sol–gel reactions as the structure directing agent under acidic conditions, whereas tributyl borate, triethyl phosphate and calcium nitrate were used as precursors for the glass structure. The prepared materials were chemically analyzed and characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), infrared absorption and Raman scattering spectroscopic techniques, where the related XRD patterns clearly revealed growth of rich in boron oxyboroapatite phase with increasing temperature. The oxyboroapatite phases treated at high temperatures exhibited bioactivity after soaking in simulated body fluid (SBF) solution within a few hours and these were observed by μ-Raman and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Moreover, the external morphology of these materials has been directly observed with SEM microscopy before and after the immersion in SBF. Furthermore, mercury intrusion porosity measurements were taken in order to investigate the porosity, showing bimodal meso- and macro-porosity. Graphical Abstract: [Figure not available: see fulltext.

Tiotropium bromide exerts anti-inflammatory effects during resistive breathing, an experimental model of severe airway obstruction

Dimitrios Toumpanakis,1,2 Konstantinos Loverdos,1,2 Vassiliki Tzouda,1,2 Vyronia Vassilakopoulou,1,2 Eleni Litsiou,1,2 Christina Magkou,3 Vassiliki Karavana,1,2 Michael Pieper,4 Theodoros Vassilakopoulos1,2 1First Critical Care Department, Pulmonary Unit, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens Medical School, Evangelismos General Hospital, 2George P. Livanos&nbsp;and Marianthi Simou Laboratories, Thorax Foundation, 3Department of Pathology, Evangelismos General Hospital, Athens, Greece; 4Boehringer Ingelheim Pharma GmbH &amp; Co. KG Div. Research Germany, Biberach, Germany Introduction: Resistive breathing (RB), a hallmark of obstructive airway diseases, is characterized by strenuous contractions of the inspiratory muscles that impose increased mechanical stress on the lung. RB is shown to induce pulmonary inflammation in previous healthy animals. Tiotropium bromide, an anticholinergic bronchodilator, is also shown to exert anti-inflammatory effects. The effect of tiotropium on RB-induced pulmonary inflammation is unknown.Methods: Adult rats were anesthetized, tracheostomized and breathed spontaneously through a two-way non-rebreathing valve. Resistances were connected to the inspiratory and/or expiratory port, to produce inspiratory resistive breathing (IRB) of 40% or 50% Pi/Pi,max (40% and 50% IRB), expiratory resistive breathing (ERB) of 60% Pe/Pe,max (60% ERB) or combined resistive breathing (CRB) of both 40% Pi/Pi,max and 60% Pe/Pe,max (40%/60% CRB). Tiotropium aerosol was inhaled prior to RB. After 6&nbsp;h of RB, mechanical parameters of the respiratory system were measured and bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) was performed. IL-1&beta; and IL-6 protein levels were measured in lung tissue. Lung injury was estimated histologically.Results: In all, 40% and 50% IRB increased macrophage and neutrophil counts in BAL and raised IL-1&beta; and IL-6 lung levels, tissue elasticity, BAL total protein levels and lung injury score. Tiotropium attenuated BAL neutrophil number, IL-1&beta;, IL-6 levels and lung injury score increase at both 40% and 50% IRB. The increase in macrophage count and protein in BAL was only reversed at 40% IRB, while tissue elasticity was not affected. In all, 60% ERB raised BAL neutrophil count and total protein and reduced macrophage count. IL-1&beta; and IL-6 levels and lung injury score were increased. Tiotropium attenuated these alterations, except for the decrease in macrophage count and the increase in total protein level. In all, 40%/60% CRB increased macrophage and neutrophil count in BAL, IL-1&beta; and IL-6 levels, tissue elasticity, total protein in BAL and histological injury score. Tiotropium attenuated the aforementioned alterations.Conclusion: Tiotropium inhalation attenuates RB-induced pulmonary inflammation. Keywords: resistive breathing, inflammation, tiotropium bromid

The role of Src &amp; ERK1/2 kinases in inspiratory resistive breathing induced acute lung injury and inflammation

Background: Inspiratory resistive breathing (IRB), a hallmark of obstructive airway diseases, is associated with large negative intrathoracic pressures, due to strenuous contractions of the inspiratory muscles. IRB is shown to induce lung injury in previously healthy animals. Src is a multifunctional kinase that is activated in the lung by mechanical stress. ERK1/2 kinase is a downstream target of Src. We hypothesized that Src is activated in the lung during IRB, mediates ERK1/2 activation and IRB-induced lung injury. Methods: Anaesthetized, tracheostomized adult rats breathed spontaneously through a 2-way non-rebreathing valve. Resistance was added to the inspiratory port to provide a peak tidal inspiratory pressure of 50% of maximum (inspiratory resistive breathing). Activation of Src and ERK1/2 in the lung was estimated during IRB. Following 6 h of IRB, respiratory system mechanics were measured by the forced oscillation technique and bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) was performed to measure total and differential cell count and total protein levels. IL-1b and MIP-2a protein levels were measured in lung tissue samples. Wet lung weight to total body weight was measured and Evans blue dye extravasation was estimated to measure lung permeability. Lung injury was evaluated by histology. The Src inhibitor, PP-2 or the inhibitor of ERK1/2 activation, PD98059 was administrated 30 min prior to IRB. Results: Src kinase was activated 30 min after the initiation of IRB. Src inhibition ameliorated the increase in BAL cellularity after 6 h IRB, but not the increase of IL-1β and MIP-2a in the lung. The increase in BAL total protein and lung injury score were not affected. The increase in tissue elasticity was partly inhibited. Src inhibition blocked ERK1/2 activation at 3 but not at 6 h of IRB. ERK1/2 inhibition ameliorated the increase in BAL cellularity after 6 h of IRB, blocked the increase of IL-1β and returned Evans blue extravasation and wet lung weight to control values. BAL total protein and the increase in elasticity were partially affected. ERK1/2 inhibition did not significantly change total lung injury score compared to 6 h IRB. Conclusions: Src and ERK1/2 are activated in the lung following IRB and participate in IRB-induced lung injury. © 2017 The Author(s)

Prognostic significance and therapeutic implications of Caveolin-1 in gastrointestinal tract malignancies

Caveolin-1 (CAV1) is expressed in several solid tumors both in cancerous cells as well as in tumor stroma and is reported to be related to cancer progression, metastasis, therapy resistance and clinical outcomes. Many studies report contrasting functions of this protein depending on the tumor cell model, the tumor type, or the stage of cancer studied. This protein is reported to function both as tumor suppressor and as tumor promoter. In this review, we aim to summarize translational and clinical studies that provide evidence of the role of CAV1 in tumor progression and survival outcome focusing on tumors of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. Towards this aim, a detailed search has been performed for studies on the expression and the role of CAV1 in oesophageal, gastric, colorectal, pancreatic cancer and cholangiocarcinoma prognosis. We also review and discuss the implication of CAV1 in the outcome of pharmacological interventions. We conclude that CAV1 has the potential to become an important prognostic, and possibly predictive, biomarker in GI malignancies. It may also become a novel target towards the development of improved cancer therapies. However, it is obvious that there remains a lack of consensus on important issues such as the methodologies and cut-off levels in caveolin assessment. This ultimately result in many studies being contradictory not only in terms of the role of CAV1 as a tumor-promoting or suppressing gene but also in terms of the tumor compartment in which the levels of this protein may be of clinical significance. Addressing these important technical issues, in conjunction with a further elucidation of the role of CAV1 in tumor formation and progression, will delineate the importance of CAV1 in prognostic and therapeutic perspectives. © 202