The HMGB1/RAGE pro-inflammatory axis in the human placenta: Modulating effect of low molecular weight heparin

We evaluated whether physiological and pre-eclamptic (PE) placentae, characterized by exacerbated inflammation, presented alterations in pro-inflammatory High Mobility Group Box 1 (HMGB1) and its Receptor of Advanced Glycation End products (RAGE) expression. Moreover, we investigated, in physiological placental tissue, the ability of Low Molecular Weight Heparin (LMWH) to modify HMGB1 structural conformation thus inhibiting RAGE binding and HMGB1/RAGE axis inflammatory activity. HMGB1, RAGE, IL-6 and TNFα (HMGB1/RAGE targets) mRNA expression were assessed by Real Time PCR. HMGB1, RAGE protein levels were assessed by western blot assay. Physiological term placental explants were treated by 0.5 U LMWH for 24 or 48 h. HMGB1 and RAGE expression and association were evaluated in LMWH explants by RAGE immunoprecipitation followed by HMGB1 immunoblot. HMGB1 spatial localization was evaluated by immuofluorescent staining (IF). HMGB1 expression was increased in PE relative to physiological placentae while RAGE was unvaried. 24 h LMWH treatment significantly up-regulated HMGB1 expression but inhibited HMGB1/RAGE complex formation in physiological explants. RAGE expression decreased in treated relative to untreated explants at 48 h. IF showed HMGB1 localization in both cytoplasm and nucleus of mesenchymal and endothelial cells but not in the trophoblast. IL-6 and TNFα gene expression were significantly increased at 24 h relative to controls, while they were significantly down-regulated in 48 h vs. 24 h LMWH explants. Our data depicted a new molecular mechanism through which LMWH exerts its anti-inflammatory effect on PE placentae, underlying the importance of HMGB1/RAGE axis in PE inflammatory response

Device and method for detecting wear of a fall protection device

Electronic device and method for detecting residual safety of fall protection device (specifically a harness for climbers) in terms of the accumulated force that the fall protection device has been subject to during falls of the climber. An accelerator measures the acceleration and a processing stage discriminates fall events as well as the maximum force occurring during each fall on the basis of the measured acceleration. Fall events are counted and the processing stage verifies, at each event of fall, whether a critical wear threshold of the fall protection device has been exceeded, on the basis of the accumulated maximum force values. When a critical threshold is reached, an alarm is given to the user that the equipment needs to be replaced. The device can be practically realised as a smartphone with an appropriate application that uses the accelerator built in the phone

Gruppo elettrovalvola perfezionata per impianti fluidici di condizionamento e relativo gruppo contabilizzatore

Un gruppo servovalvola definente un condotto collegabile ad una linea di un impianto termoidraulico tramite mezzi di collegamento filettati rilasciabili, comprende un dispositivo a turbina alloggiato nel condotto, una prima pluralità di magneti permanenti portati da un rotore del dispositivo a turbina, una seconda pluralità di poli magnetici accoppiati magneticamente alla prima pluralità di magneti permanenti, una centralina di controllo collegata ai poli magnetici, una batteria collegata alla centralina di controllo per essere caricata tramite il dispositivo a turbina, un trasmettitore collegato alla centralina di controllo per trasmettere / ricevere dati a distanza, un attuatore di regolazione fluidica configurato per regolare il flusso nel condotto e controllato / alimentato tramite la centralina di controllo e la batteria

IFPA Meeting 2013 Workshop Report III: maternal placental immunological interactions, novel determinants of trophoblast cell fate, dual ex vivo perfusion of the human placenta.

Workshops are an important part of the IFPA annual meeting as they allow for discussion of specialised topics. At IFPA meeting 2013 there were twelve themed workshops, three of which are summarized in this report. These workshops related to various aspects of placental biology but collectively covered areas of placental function, cell turnover and immunology: 1) immunology; 2) novel determinants of placental cell fate; 3) dual perfusion of human placental tissue