The rise of Matteo Renzi and Italy’s international role

What solutions should be used to tackle climate change? Ernst Ulrich von Weizsäcker writes that it is time to consider a market-based approach which makes polluting energy more expensive and encourages the creation of green jobs. He suggests that countries which are ready to engage in such policies should press ahead now, without international agreement, and that other countries will get on board afterwards

HyperJournal HowTo (versione italiana). HyperJournal 0.4 : guida per principianti

Hyperjournal user guide. Italian translation - by Michele Barbera and Francesca Di Donato - of the original "HyperJournal Howto : A beginner's guide to HyperJournal 0.4" revision 1.1. Translation version: 1.0

HyperJournal HowTo (versione italiana). HyperJournal 0.4 : guida per principianti

Hyperjournal user guide. Italian translation - by Michele Barbera and Francesca Di Donato - of the original "HyperJournal Howto : A beginner's guide to HyperJournal 0.4" revision 1.1. Translation version: 1.0

Supporting Remote Maintenance in Industry 4.0 through Augmented Reality

Abstract Due to the Industry 4.0 initiative, Augmented Reality (AR) has started to be considered one of the most interesting technologies companies should invest in, especially to improve their maintenance services. Several technological limitations have prevented AR to become an effective industrial tool in the past. Now some of them have been overcome, some others not yet by off-the-shelf technologies. In this paper, we present a solution for remote maintenance based on off-the-shelf mobile and AR technologies. The architecture of the application allows us to remotely connect a skilled operator in a control room with an unskilled one located where the maintenance task has to be performed. This application, which has been initially described in a previous work, has been improved on the basis of feedback received by industrial partners. We describe the important features we have added and the rationale behind them to make the remote communication more effective

Comparison of anogenital distance and correlation with vulvo-vaginal atrophy: a pilot study on premenopausal and postmenopausal women

OBJECTIVES: Anogenital distance (AGD) represents the space between labia posterior commissure and anus. This was pilot study to investigate how menopause and so lack of oestrogens affects AGD. METHODS: A total of 109 patients were enrolled. AGD was measured in lithotomy position using sterile paper ruler. Anogenital index (AGI) was used to control 2 variables of height and weight (body mass index, kg/m2). Vaginal health index (VHI) was used to evaluate vaginal wellness. Female sexual function index (FSFI) questionnaire was administered to all women to evaluate the impact of menopause on their sexual function. RESULTS: AGD (30.87 ± 2.98 vs. 17.57 ± 2.18; P = 0.0001) and AGI (1.40 ± 0.21 vs. 0.70 ± 0.15; P = 0.0001) were both significantly lower in the postmenopausal group. Postmenopausal women were affected by vulvovaginal atrophy (VVA) significantly. Thus, VHI scores were dramatically worse in postmenopausal group (23.95 ± 1.28 vs. 10.75 ± 3.41; P = 0.0001) as well as FSFI results (32.68 ± 2.25 vs. 19.78 ± 5.46; P = 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: This study confirms that AGD in post-menopausal women was significantly shorter than AGD in premenopausal women, correlating with an increase of VVA and sexual impairment. Changes of AGD and AGI demonstrated to predict hormonal changes that may occur after menopause

Different substrates of non-sustained ventricular tachycardia in post-infarction patients with and without left ventricular dilatation

Background: We investigated the relationship between nonsustained ventricular tachycardia (NSVT) and left ventricular (LV) dilatation, function, remodeling, and scar tissue extent in patients with previous myocardial infarction (MI). Methods and Results: Eighty-two patients (ages 64610 years) with first previous MI were referred for 24-hour electrocardiogram recording and cine and delayed enhancement (DE) cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR). LVvolumes, ejection fraction, systolic wall thickening, sphericity index, and core and peri-infarctual areas of scar tissue by CMR were evaluated. LV dilatation was observed in 39 patients. Episodes of NSVT were recorded in 32 patients: 23 with LV dilatation and 9 without. In the entire population, NSVTwas related to ejection fraction, LV volumes, LV mass, and sphericity index; end-systolic volume (P5.001) resulted in the only independent predictor at multivariate analysis. In patients without LV dilatation, the occurrence of NSVTwas only positively related with percentage of contracting segments with DE (P5.008). Conversely, in patients with LV dilatation, increase in LV mass (P5.020) and end-systolic volume (P5.038) were independent predictors of NSVT. Conclusions: Necrotic and viable myocardium coexistence within the same wall segments predicted occurrence of NSVT in patients without LV dilatation, whereas LV mass and end-systolic volume were predictors of NSVT in those with LV dilatation. (J Cardiac Fail 2010;16:61e68

Efficacy of milbemycin oxime/afoxolaner chewable tablets (NEXGARD SPECTRA®) against Capillaria aerophila and Capillaria boehmi in naturally infected dogs

BACKGROUND: Capillaria aerophila and Capillaria boehmi parasitize the respiratory system of wild and domestic carnivores. Capillaria aerophila inhabits the trachea and bronchi of dogs and cats, while C. boehmi affects the nasal cavities and sinuses of dogs. In dogs the infection may be subclinical or characterized by varying respiratory distress.METHODS: The present study evaluated the efficacyof an oral formulation containing milbemycin oxime and afoxolaner (NEXGARD SPECTRA) in dogs naturally infected with C. aerophila and/or C. boehmi from three enzootic areas of Italy. Dogs were enrolled pending fecal examination and molecular confirmation of respiratory capillarioses. Dogs were allocated in two groups: Group 1 (G1, 25 dogs), treated with a negative control product with no anthelmintic activity (afoxolaner, NEXGARD), and Group 2 (G2, 26 dogs), treated with NEXGARD SPECTRA. At the day of treatment administration (Day 0), all dogs were clinically examined. Dogs were again subjected to clinical and fecal examinations at Days 28 (±4) and 56 (±2). The primary criterion for treatment efficacy was the reduction of fecal Capillaria egg counts in G2 compared with G1. The regression of/recovery from baseline clinical signs was considered as a further efficacy criterion.RESULTS: Percentage reduction of fecal Capillaria egg counts in the NEXGARD SPECTRA group compared to the control group was >97% on Day 28 and 100% on Day 56, respectively (p<0.05 for both time points). Twelve of the 13 dogs in the NEXGARD SPECTRA group with respiratory signs prior to treatment were free of clinical signs at the end of the study. Conversely, the six control group dogs with respiratory signs prior to treatment remained symptomatic.CONCLUSIONS: Results of the present study showed that NEXGARD SPECTRA was safe and highly efficacious in the reduction of C. aerophila and C. boehmi eggs after one treatment with a complete reduction of the egg output after the second administration associated with a recovery from respiratory signs

The androgen receptor/filamin A complex as a target in prostate cancer microenvironment.

Prostate cancer represents the major cause of cancer-related death in men and patients frequently develop drug-resistance and metastatic disease. Most studies focus on hormone-resistance mechanisms related to androgen receptor mutations or to the acquired property of prostate cancer cells to over-activate signalling pathways. Tumour microenvironment plays a critical role in prostate cancer progression. However, the mechanism involving androgen/androgen receptor signaling in cancer associated fibroblasts and consequences for prostate cancer progression still remains elusive. We now report that prostate cancer associated fibroblasts express a transcriptional-incompetent androgen receptor. Upon androgen challenging, the receptor co-localizes with the scaffold protein filamin A in the extra-nuclear compartment of fibroblasts, thus mediating their migration and invasiveness. Cancer-associated fibroblasts move towards epithelial prostate cancer cells in 2D and 3D cultures, thereby inducing an increase of the prostate cancer organoid size. Androgen enhances both these effects through androgen receptor/filamin A complex assembly in cancer-associated fibroblasts. An androgen receptor-derived stapled peptide, which disrupts the androgen receptor/filamin A complex assembly, abolishes the androgen-dependent migration and invasiveness of cancer associated fibroblasts. Notably, the peptide impairs the androgen-induced invasiveness of CAFs in 2D models and reduces the overall tumour area in androgen-treated 3D co-culture. The androgen receptor in association with β1 integrin and membrane type-matrix metalloproteinase 1 activates a protease cascade triggering extracellular matrix remodeling. The peptide also impairs the androgen activation of this cascade. The present study offers a potential new marker, the androgen receptor/filamin A complex, and a new therapeutic approach targeting intracellular pathways activated by the androgen/androgen receptor axis in prostate cancer-associated fibroblasts. Such a strategy, alone or in combination with conventional therapies, may allow a more efficient treatment of prostate cancer

The Interaction between Reactive Peritoneal Mesothelial Cells and Tumor Cells via Extracellular Vesicles Facilitates Colorectal Cancer Dissemination

Simple SummaryEmerging evidence has suggested that cancer-derived extracellular vesicles (EVs) have a crucial role in mediating directional metastasis to the peritoneal surface in colorectal cancer (CRC). We investigated the EV-mediated crosstalk between tumor and mesothelial cells which may drive remodeling of the premetastatic niche to allow tumor spread to the peritoneal surface. Our findings demonstrated that cancer-derived EVs triggered apoptosis and reduced mesothelial cell invasiveness and mesothelial-to-mesenchymal transition. On the other hand, mesothelial cells actively supported tumor invasion by releasing EVs, which induced upregulation of the major pro-invasive system in tumor cells. For the first time, we provide evidence of EV-driven mechanisms of CRC progression in patient-derived models, highlighting the crucial role of EVs in the reprogramming of mesothelial and tumor cells to establish the metastatic process.Advanced colorectal cancer (CRC) is highly metastatic and often results in peritoneal dissemination. The extracellular vesicles (EVs) released by cancer cells in the microenvironment are important mediators of tumor metastasis. We investigated the contribution of EV-mediated interaction between peritoneal mesothelial cells (MCs) and CRC cells in generating a pro-metastatic environment in the peritoneal cavity. Peritoneal MCs isolated from peritoneal lavage fluids displayed high CD44 expression, substantial mesothelial-to-mesenchymal transition (MMT) and released EVs that both directed tumor invasion and caused reprogramming of secretory profiles by increasing TGF-beta 1 and uPA/uPAR expression and MMP-2/9 activation in tumor cells. Notably, the EVs released by tumor cells induced apoptosis by activating caspase-3, peritoneal MC senescence, and MMT, thereby augmenting the tumor-promoting potential of these cells in the peritoneal cavity. By using pantoprazole, we reduced the biogenesis of EVs and their pro-tumor functions. In conclusion, our findings provided evidence of underlying mechanisms of CRC dissemination driven by the interaction of peritoneal MCs and tumor cells via the EVs released in the peritoneal cavity, which may have important implications for the clinical management of patients