4,838 research outputs found
Evaluation of the activity of the immune system and age-related tissue markers in Turquoise killifish \ud (Nothobranchius furzeri, Jubb 1971) \ud and their role in cell ageing\ud
Currently the Turquoise Killifish is considered the best animal model suitable for aging research. \ud
This annual fish, from south east Africa, shows an exceptionally adaptive behaviour to dry periods: indeed, due to this extreme environmental characteristics, the life cycle of Nothobranchius furzeri is very fast, with an average lifespan of just about 8-9 weeks, making this species (more similar to highly developed vertebrates than nematodes or fruit flies) highly practical for aging studies. \ud
The present study has evaluated the activity of the immune system as well as the expression of AGE-RAGE system, cell-damage related proteins (Bcl2, p53), mitosis activity marker (PCNA), and pro-apoptosis activity by T.U.N.E.L. method on the liver of four lifespan-specific strains of Turquoise Killifish (Nothobranchius furzeri, Jubb 1971), correlating the results with aging processes and tumor incidence. Some groups underwent caloric restriction in order to module their expected lifespan.\ud
The results demonstrated an increase of age-related lesions along with the age in all the strains tested, due to a decrease of cellular-turn-over. This aspect was also influenced by the strain of the fish: longest lifespan strains showed later the similar lesions than short lifespan strains. Moreover caloric restriction groups showed lower incidence and severity of hepatic degeneration than control groups. Furthermore, there was a linear correspondence between the age of the model and its expected lifespan with the incidence and severity of neoplasm. The same relationship could be found in the expression of cell-damage related proteins (p53, Bcl2), age-related markers (AGE-RAGE system) and pro-apoptosis activity, as well as in the development of neoplasms. These results demonstrated the high feasibility of this fish as an excellent model to study the effects of aging processes and cancer genesis.\u
Multi-resolution techniques for a compressible staggered LES numerical code
A numerical technique for mesh refinement in the HeaRT (Heat Release and Turbulence) numerical code is presented. In the CFD framework, Large Eddy Simulation (LES) approach is gaining in importance as a tool for simulating turbulent combustion processes, also if this approach has an high computational cost due to the complexity of the turbulent modeling and the high number of grid points necessary to obtain a good numerical solution. In particular, when a numerical simulation of a big domain is performed with a structured grid, the number of grid points can increase so much that the simulation becomes impossible: this problem can be overcomed with a mesh refinement technique. Mesh refinement technique developed for HeaRT numerical code (a staggered finite difference code) is based on an high order reconstruction of the variables at the grid interfaces by means of a moving least square interpolation: numerical code is written in modern Fortran (2003 standard of newer) and is parallelized using domain decomposition and message passing interface (MPI) standard. The multi-resolution algorithm is been validated by the comparison with DNS and LES data
Gesture Recognition and Control for Semi-Autonomous Robotic Assistant Surgeons
The next stage for robotics development is to introduce autonomy and cooperation with human agents in tasks that require high levels of precision and/or that exert considerable physical strain. To guarantee the highest possible safety standards, the best approach is to devise a deterministic automaton that performs identically for each operation. Clearly, such approach inevitably fails to adapt itself to changing environments or different human companions. In a surgical scenario, the highest variability happens for the timing of different actions performed within the same phases. This thesis explores the solutions adopted in pursuing automation in robotic minimally-invasive surgeries (R-MIS) and presents a novel cognitive control architecture that uses a multi-modal neural network trained on a cooperative task performed by human surgeons and produces an action segmentation that provides the required timing for actions while maintaining full phase execution control via a deterministic Supervisory Controller and full execution safety by a velocity-constrained Model-Predictive Controller
Oral burning with dysphagia and weight loss
Fibromyalgia is a disorder characterized by an abnormal pain regulation. Widespread pain, fatigue, and sleep disturbance are the prevalent symptoms. When unusual symptoms are overbearingly predominant at clinical presentation, the diagnosis becomes challenging. We report on the case of a patient with fibromyalgia, who presented with dysphagia, odynophagia, and glossodynia as prevalent symptoms. Difficulty in swallowing gradually developed over a month prior hospitalization, and worsened progressively so that nourishment and fluid intake were impeded. Because anemia with mild iron deficiency was found, esophagogastroduodenoscopy was performed, but no lesions were seen in the upper digestive tract. Levels of zinc and vitamin B12 were normal. Intense pain at pelvis and the inferior limbs, which was at a first glance referred to as osteoarthrosis, associated with oral symptoms and feeling of being in the clouds allowed us to diagnose fibromyalgia. Amitriptyline was used, with relief of symptoms. Although oropharyngeal symptoms were occasionally reported in fibromyalgia, they are often overlooked. The present case, therefore, testifies the need to consider the diagnosis of fibromyalgia when the patient presents with such symptoms that cannot be readily explained on other grounds
About multi-resolution techniques for large eddy simulation of reactive multi-phase flows
A numerical technique for mesh refinement in the HeaRT (Heat Release and Transfer) numerical code is presented. In the CFD
framework, Large Eddy Simulation (LES) approach is gaining in importance as a tool for simulating turbulent combustion pro-
cesses, also if this approach has an high computational cost due to the complexity of the turbulent modeling and the high number of
grid points necessary to obtain a good numerical solution. In particular, when a numerical simulation of a big domain is performed
with a structured grid, the number of grid points can increase so much that the simulation becomes impossible: this problem can
be overcomed with a mesh refinement technique. Mesh refinement technique developed for HeaRT numerical code (a staggered
finite difference code) is based on an high order reconstruction of the variables at the grid interfaces by means of a least square
quasi-eno interpolation: numerical code is written in modern Fortran (2003 standard of newer) and is parallelized using domain
decomposition and message passing interface (MPI) standard
Microbiome, Diet, Gastrointestinal Disease and Dysbiosis
Intestinal microbiota is the set of microorganisms (bacteria, fungi, archaea, protozoa, and viruses) present inside the gut; bacteria
are of fundamental importance because they help maintain gut homeostasis by competing with pathogens, by regulating
energy metabolism and also producing immunomodulatory substrates such as short-chain fatty acids (i.e. acetate, propionate,
butyrate). Shifts in microbial communities are due to disease, drug administration, diet, etc., and in recent years, the
study of gut microbiome (DNA-based techniques) has better defined/characterized this relationship in many cases. The link
between microbiome (dysbiosis) and health and disease is very complex and still far to be completely understood. We wanted
to underline the importance of diet in modulating gut microbiome, possibly a useful tool also in term of disease prevention, and
of microbial-microbial signaling. Even more we wanted to stress that it will be fundamental to better characterize dysbiosis,
cause this may guide treatment decisions
Host-probiotic interaction: new insight into the role of the endocannabinoid system by in vivo and ex vivo approaches
The endocannabinoid system plays an important role in regulating inflammation in several chronic or anomalous gut inflammatory diseases. In vivo and ex vivo studies showed that 30 days treatment with a probiotic mix activated the endocannabinoid system in zebrafish. These results highlight the potential of this probiotic mixture to regulate immune cell function, by inducing gene expression of toll-like receptors and other immune related molecules. Furthermore, TUNEL assay showed a decrease in the number of apoptotic cells, and this finding was supported by a reduction in pro-apoptotic factors and an increase in anti-apoptotic molecules. The results presented here strengthen the molecular mechanisms activated by probiotic mix controlling immune response and inflammation
Convergence in Total Variation for nonlinear functionals of random hyperspherical harmonics
Random hyperspherical harmonics are Gaussian Laplace eigenfunctions on the
unit -dimensional sphere (). We study the convergence in Total
Variation distance for their nonlinear statistics in the high energy limit,
i.e., for diverging sequences of Laplace eigenvalues. Our approach takes
advantage of a recent result by Bally, Caramellino and Poly (2020): combining
the Central Limit Theorem in Wasserstein distance obtained by Marinucci and
Rossi (2015) for Hermite-rank functionals with new results on the
asymptotic behavior of their Malliavin-Sobolev norms, we are able to establish
second order Gaussian fluctuations in this stronger probability metric as soon
as the functional is regular enough. Our argument requires some novel estimates
on moments of products of Gegenbauer polynomials that may be of independent
interest, which we prove via the link between graph theory and diagram
formulas
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