University of Salento

Ammonia a by‐product of nitrogen containing molecules is detoxified by liver into non‐toxic urea and glutamine. Impaired ammonia detoxification leads to hyperammonemia. Ammonia has a dual role on autophagy, it acts as inducer at low concentrations and as inhibitor at high concentrations. However, little is known about the mechanisms responsible for this switch. Wnt/β‐catenin signalling is emerging for its role in the regulation of ammonia metabolizing enzymes and autophagosome synthesis through c‐Myc. Here, using Huh7 cell line, we show a modulation in c‐Myc expression under different ammonia concentrations. An increase in c‐Myc expression and in its transcriptional regulator β‐catenin was detected at low concentrations of ammonia, when autophagy is active, whereas these modifications were lost under high ammonia concentrations. These observations were also recapitulated in the livers of spf‐ash mice, a model of constitutive hyperammonaemia due to deficiency in ornithine transcarbamylase enzyme. Moreover, c‐Myc‐mediated activation of autophagy plays a cytoprotective role in cells under ammonia stress conditions as confirmed through the pharmacological inhibition of c‐Myc in Huh7 cells treated with low ammonia concentrations. In conclusion, the unravelled role of c‐Myc in modulating ammonia induced autophagy opens new landscapes for the development of novel strategies for the treatment of hyperammonemia.

This article aims to draw attention to three little known portraits of Beatrice d’Este (1475–1497). These are a manuscript portrait (British Library, Additional MS 21413) assigned to Giovan Pietro Birago, and two painted portraits in the Uffizi Galleries, Florence, and in the Christ Church Picture Gallery, Oxford. These works have not yet received the attention of modern scholars despite their considerable artistic value and historic importance. Examination of style and technique of all three portraits was carried out in situ and the character of the works is here investigated within the artistic, cultural and social contexts of the late fifteenth-century Milanese, Ferrarese and Mantuan courts with particular emphasis on Beatrice’s versatile character, social projecting and notorious promotion of court ladies’ fashion in Milan. The author also advances the hypothesis that the Oxford portrait may have been commissioned by Beatrice’s sister Isabella d’Este. This is substantiated by Isabella’s lesser known commissions of portraits of her Este relatives. This aspect of her artistic patronage, mainly deriving from the scrutiny of her letters, has not been highlighted in modern scholarship; it may reinforce her powerful image as a patron of the arts, her pride in the Este ancestry and Ferrarese visual culture.

Background Osteoarthritis is the most common form of arthritis, causing pain, functional disability, and a reduction in terms of quality of life. Minimally invasive treatments like intra-articular hip injections are a therapeutic option and ultrasound guidance might improve the results of these injections. Objective To summarize the evidence about the effectiveness of ultrasound-guided hip injections in terms of pain and functioning in patients affected by hip osteoarthritis. Methods A systematic search of the literature was performed on three electronic databases: PubMed, Cochrane and PEDro, using a specific search strategy. We evaluated for inclusion all articles according to the following participants, intervention, comparison, and outcomes (PICO) model: P) Population: human patients affected by hip osteoarthritis; I) Intervention: intra-articular hip injections performed with a ultrasound-guidance; C) Comparator: sham therapy or every other conservative or oral, non-invasive, minimally invasive or surgical technique; O) Outcome measures: pain assessed by Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) or Numerical Rating Scale (NRS); functional outcomes. Results At the end of the search, 43 articles were included in the review. Several drugs have been considered in the included studies: hyaluronic acid, platelet-rich plasma, corticosteroids, micro-fragmented adipose tissue, bone marrow concentrates, amniotic suspension allograft. Conclusion Ultrasound-guided injections of hyaluronic acid might be effective on pain relief and functioning in patients affected by hip osteoarthritis. Also, other rehabilitative infiltrative techniques (i.e., corticosteroids and platelet-rich plasma) showed a positive effect in the short-term period.

In this article, we study the BM quasi‐Hermitian varieties, laying in the three‐dimensional Desarguesian projective space of even order. After a brief investigation of their combinatorial properties, we first show that all of these varieties are projectively equivalent, exhibiting a behavior which is strikingly different from what happens in odd characteristic. This completes the classification project started there. Here we prove more; indeed, by using previous results, we explicitly determine the structure of the full collineation group stabilizing these varieties. Finally, as a byproduct of our investigation, we also construct a family of simple orthogonal arrays , with entries in , where is an even prime power. Orthogonal arrays (OA's) are principally used to minimize the number of experiments needed to investigate how variables in testing interact with each other.

Neurodegenerative diseases are characterized by progressive loss of neurons and persistent inflammation. Neurons are terminally differentiated cells, and lost neurons cannot be replaced since neurogenesis is restricted to only two neurogenic niches in the adult brain, whose neurogenic potential decreases with age. In this regard, the astrocytes reprogramming into neurons may represent a promising strategy for restoring the lost neurons and rebuilding neural circuits. To date, many anti-inflammatory agents have been shown to reduce neuroinflammation; however, their potential to restore neuronal loss was poorly investigated. This study investigates the anti-inflammatory effects of lactoferrin on DI-TNC1 astrocyte cell line and its ability to induce astrocyte reprogramming in a context of sustained inflammation. For this purpose, astrocytes were pre-treated with lactoferrin (4 μg/mL) for 24 h, then with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) (400 ng/mL), and examined 2, 9 and 16 days from treatment. The results demonstrate that lactoferrin attenuates astrocyte reactivity by reducing Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4), Glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) and IL-6 expression, as well as by upregulating Interleukin-10 (IL-10) cytokine and NRF2 expression. Moreover, lactoferrin promotes the reprogramming of reactive astrocytes into proliferative neuroblasts by inducing the overexpression of the Sex determining region Y/SRY-box 2 (SOX2) reprogramming transcription factor. Overall, this study highlights the potential effects of lactoferrin to attenuate neuroinflammation and improve neurogenesis, suggesting a future strategy for the treatment of neurodegenerative disorders.

The spread of multidrug-resistant microbes has made it necessary and urgent to develop new strategies to deal with the infections they cause. Some of these are based on nanotechnology, which has revolutionized many fields in medicine. Evaluating the safety and efficacy of these new antimicrobial strategies requires testing in animal models before being tested in clinical trials. In this context, Galleria mellonella could represent a valid alternative to traditional mammalian and non-mammalian animal models, due to its low cost, ease of handling, and valuable biological properties to investigate host–pathogen interactions. The purpose of this review is to provide an updated overview of the literature concerning the use of G. mellonella larvae as an animal model to evaluate safety and efficacy of nanoparticles and nanomaterials, particularly, of those that are used or are under investigation to combat microbial pathogens.

Graphitic carbon nitride (g-C3N4) is a polymer conjugated composed of carbon and nitrogen atoms in a graphite-like structure. Despite its structure, its catalytic potential is limited due to its small surface area, abundance of electron pairs, and low UV absorption. Recent research has focused on synthesizing nanocomposites from g-C3N4 and meso-metalloporphyrins, which exhibit synergistic properties for photocatalysis through π-π interactions. This study aims to synthesize zinc (ZnP) and palladium (PdP) meso-metalloporphyrins from cardanol, a major constituent of cashew nut shell liquid (CNSL), to create g-C3N4 nanocomposites. These systems were characterized using UV-vis, FT-IR, NMR, TGA, and SEM, and applied to reduce 4-nitrophenol (4-NP) in wastewater to the less toxic 4-aminophenol (4-AP). The synthesis of g-C3N4 with PdP and ZnP produced new nanocomposites, g-C3N4/PdP and g-C3N4/ZnP, with yields of 43% and 16%, respectively. These materials demonstrated significant success in the photocatalytic reduction of 4-NP, highlighting the potential of renewable catalysts and promoting cleaner chemical processes, thereby reducing environmental impact. Graphical abstract

Dental trauma is common in all age groups, although, epidemiologically, it is more common in children with studies that indicate that 15% of preschoolers and 20–25% of school-age children experience it. These injuries, which frequently call for immediate attention, can affect the hard tissues and supporting components of the teeth, and, because dental damage in deciduous teeth occurs frequently and affects speech, nutrition, and oral development, it is particularly worrying. After searching three databases, Scopus, Web of Science (WoS), and PubMed, and removing duplicates, 3,630 articles were screened, and 12 publications were included in the qualitative analysis. Due to their busy lifestyles, children are particularly susceptible to oral trauma and in certain areas and lower socioeconomic groups, the incidence is higher. From little fractures in the enamel to serious dislocations and avulsions, injuries vary and must be treated promptly in order to avoid consequences and to prevent long-term issues. Furthermore, a conservative treatment strategy is recommended to preserve tooth vitality and prevent extractions. Reducing the occurrence of dental injuries requires the implementation of preventive measures including mouthguard use and educational campaigns. In summary, this review emphasizes the importance of early diagnosis, immediate management, and long-term care, by synthesizing existing knowledge on the prevalence, types, management, complications, and prevention of dental trauma in deciduous teeth. Finally, it’s important to underscore the need for continued research to refine treatment approaches.

In the frame of the EU Next Generation Europe program, the Italian Minister of University and Research has approved the IRIS project (Innovative Research Infrastructure for applied Superconductivity). IRIS will be active in six poles. The six poles are spread all over Italy: Milano, hub of the infrastructure; Genova, Frascati, Napoli, Salerno, and Lecce. The scope of IRIS is to provide an infrastructure to accompany the development of applied superconductivity for basic research like accelerators. It also aims at developing societal applications of superconductivity, especially in the fields of sustainability and medicine. The new facility will support basic research on magnetism and superconducting materials, wires, tapes and large current cable tests; superconducting magnet construction with advanced instrumentation, superconducting magnet, and power transmission line tests. The program, which represents an investment of about €60 million, has passed halfway of its three-year life; once finished will be followed by at least 10 years of infrastructure exploitation. The IRIS construction program also includes two demonstrators: a 10 T dipole HTS magnet to be operated at 10-20K and an electric superconducting transmission line capable of 1 GW (40kA-25 kV) of about 130 m long.

Optical approaches to monitor neural activity are transforming neuroscience, owing to a fast-evolving palette of genetically encoded molecular reporters. However, the field still requires robust and label-free technologies to monitor the multifaceted biomolecular changes accompanying brain development, aging or disease. Here, we have developed vibrational fiber photometry as a low-invasive method for label-free monitoring of the biomolecular content of arbitrarily deep regions of the mouse brain in vivo through spontaneous Raman spectroscopy. Using a tapered fiber probe as thin as 1 µm at its tip, we elucidate the cytoarchitecture of the mouse brain, monitor molecular alterations caused by traumatic brain injury, as well as detect markers of brain metastasis with high accuracy. We view our approach, which introduces a deep learning algorithm to suppress probe background, as a promising complement to the existing palette of tools for the optical interrogation of neural function, with application to fundamental and preclinical investigations of the brain and other organs.

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is a highly aggressive type of solid tumor that is becoming more common. cis-[PtCl2 (NH3)2] (in short cisplatin or CDDP) has been shown to be effective in treating various cancers, including PDAC. However, the development of resistance to chemotherapy drugs has created a need for the synthesis of new anticancer agents. Platinum-based drugs containing the bidentate ligand phenanthroline have been found to have strong antitumor activity due to their ability to cause DNA damage. In this study, we examined the ability of two Pt (II) cationic complexes, [Pt(η1-C2H4OR) (DMSO) (phen)]⁺ (in short Pt-EtORSOphen; R = Me, 1; Et, 2), to inhibit the growth and spread of BxPC-3 PDAC cells, in comparison to CDDP. The length of the alkyl chain and its associated lipophilic properties did not affect the anticancer effects of complexes 1 and 2 in BxPC-3 cells. However, it did appear to influence the rapid loss of mitochondrial membrane potential (ΔΨM), suggesting that these complexes could potentially be used as mitochondria-targeted lipophilic cations in anticancer therapy.

Level of lymph nodes dissection (LND) and inferior mesenteric artery (IMA) ligation is still matter of debate of radical resection of colorectal cancer. This study aims to compare the short-term outcome of three different surgical techniques to treat sigmoid cancer: low ligation (LL) of the IMA with D3-LND, low IMA ligation with D2-LND, and high ligation (HL) of the IMA with D3-LND. Patients affected by sigmoid colon cancer, who underwent radical resection with three different techniques (LL and D3-LND Group A, HL and D3-LND Group B, and LL with D2 LND- Group C), were included. Operative time (min), blood loss (ml), early postoperative complications, and number of harvested lymph nodes were compared. Thirty patients per group were enrolled. The median operation time was shorter in group C (130 min, interquartile range [IQR] 120–140), compared with the 245 min (IQR 193.8–295.5) of group A and 257 min (IQR 183–345) of group B, p < 0.005. No significant differences between A and B group were observed in the median intraoperative blood loss, while group C had higher intraoperative blood loss (200 ml, IQR 200–260, p = 0.002). Anastomotic leak occurred in three patients belonging to group B. A reduced number of harvested lymph nodes was registered in Group C (14 lymph nodes, IQR 10–17), p < 0.005. Both high and low tie ligation with D3-LND for sigmoid cancer can be considered safe and feasible with low rate of postoperative complications, allowing a higher number of harvested lymph nodes compared to low tie ligation with D2 lymphadenectomy.

N-myc downstream-regulated gene 1 (NDRG1) is a member of the NDRG family of intracellular proteins and plays a central role in a wide range of biological processes including stress response, differentiation, and metabolism. The overexpression of NDRG1 is an indicator of poor prognosis in various types of cancer. Here, we found that NDRG1 is an independent prognostic marker of poor outcome in breast cancer (BC). Analysis of the TCGA dataset showed a significant positive correlation between NDRG1 and PRKCA expression, suggesting a mechanistic role of protein kinase C (PKC) in the regulation of NDRG1. We then assessed the hypothesis that PKC might modulate the activity of NDRG1, and observed that different acute stress conditions converging on PKC activation lead to enhanced NDRG1 expression. This mechanism was found to be specific for NDRG1 as the expression of other NDRG members was not affected. Moreover, CRISPR-based inhibition of NDRG1 expression was obtained in a BC cell line, and showed that this protein is a key driver of BC cell invasion through the Rho-associated coiled-coil containing protein kinase 1 (ROCK1)/phosphorylated cofilin pathway that regulates stress fiber assembly, and the modulation of extracellular matrix reorganization related genes. Together, our findings highlight the potential of NDRG1 as a new BC biomarker and uncover a novel mechanism of regulation of NDRG1 expression that might lead to innovative therapeutic strategies.

In Italy during the last years It’s been possible to observe the structuring and then the partial de-structuring of a close bond between the movement for a global justice (and other local movements) and the Refoundation Communist Party (Prc). Since 1999, Prc started to debate some principles of classic Leninism through a critic re-reading of the communist experiences of the XX century and the consequent consciousness of the communist no-self-sufficiency. After this, the leaders of the party could throw out the new strategy of an horizontal link to social movements. The relationship between Prc and social movements seem to go on without particular problems until the participation of Prc to the center-left govern in a moderate coalition. This paper intend to analyse the dynamics of this relationship by using, on one hand, the data from a survey carried out during the last four European Social Forum regarding the attitude of Italian movement activists on their relationship with traditional political institutions; on the other hand, we will analyse the interior debate of the Refoundation Communist Party by using documents published in occasion of the 7th National Congress with particular regard to the articles published on the party’s newspaper “Liberazione” for the tribune of the Congress. All the documents will be analysed with a specific computer program for content analysis.

Although brands can signal reputation and serve as proxies for trust, consumer preferences for attributes may differ for branded and non-branded products. The authors of this paper test this hypothesis using data from a particular experiment conducted with Italian jeans’ consumers. The results indicate that consumers appear uncertain when there is an absence of a brand; non-brand-oriented consumers ascribe greater importance to the attributes of a product, with emphasis on those that relate to the product model (fit, comfort, design). Price is important for both types of consumers. Factor and cluster analyses permit identification of elements for the positioning strategies of brand and non-branded products. For marketing managers, it is important to know the consumer’s perception of the product’s characteristics and, accordingly, adopt specific communication and positioning strategies.

Introduced in the early Seventies as a specific framework for the evaluation of investment opportunities as partof product portfolio management, the General Electric/McKinsey Matrix is still widely used for the analysis ofcompetitive scenarios. In this study, this managerial tool is applied to the apparel sector and four well-knownItalian fashion companies are analyzed. The procedure for creating the matrix is described and a detailedpresentation is made, for each company over a five-year-period, of the results relative to the two typicaldimensions of the matrix: business competitiveness and industry attractiveness. Considering the current tendencyof the majority of fashion and luxury companies to internationalize and develop multi-product and multi-branddiversification strategies, this study may be useful for marketers working in these sectors who intend to developpositioning and competitiveness analyses. Additionally, given the limited amount of academic studies on theapplication of this matrix to the fashion industry, this study can help fill that gap and describe the state of the artin the field, enriching the literature on the subject and creating new points of departure for future research. Thepaper presents results that, although they are based on a limited selection of companies, provide an accuratedemonstration of the methodology applied and highlight a few differences found between the companiesexamined; in particular, between fashion brands with a very high positioning (“couture”) and those with amedium/high positioning (“diffusion” or “ready-to-wear”).

Background Cancer incidence in the Galapagos archipelago is unknown. Aim In 2021, a task force including Ecuadorian and Italian researchers was established to estimate cancer incidence among the 25 244 Galapagos residents. Methods Registration covered all malignancies, including malignant melanoma and non‐melanoma skin cancers; case recording was based on the International Classification of Diseases for Oncology. The data collection involved an active search across all relevant health institutions on the islands and the mainland. Mortality data were obtained from the Ecuador national mortality registry. Results From January 2013 and December 2019, 174 new cancer cases were recorded, including 134 malignancies (M:F = 58:76) and 40 non‐melanoma skin cancers. The mean age at diagnosis was 48 years for males and 56 years for females. Prostate, gastric, and melanocytic malignancies were most incident among males; breast, thyroid, and cervical cancers prevailed in females. The age‐standardized incidence rates (ASR) were 80.39 for males and 99.24 for females with a mortality‐to‐incidence ratio 0.43. These ASRs were significantly lower than those reported in continental Ecuador and other South American countries. Conclusions This pilot cancer registration initiative in the Galapagos record a low incidence of malignancies and requires validation with temporal expansion of cancer registration. The environmental etiology of some of the most common cancers warrants strategic primary and secondary prevention efforts.

Aim Brazil harbours the largest known extent of rhodolith beds (RBs) in the world, a habitat whose ecological and economic importance have been widely overlooked. This creates a dire situation that is likely to worsen with the rapidly expanding human activities, considering that less than 5% of Brazil's ocean area is fully protected. We assessed the importance of Brazilian RBs for supporting biodiversity, at a country‐wide level, and identified multi‐criteria hotspots that, in face of lack of protection and presence of anthropogenic threats, could safeguard conservation seascapes across Southwestern Atlantic waters. Location Southwestern Atlantic Ocean. Methods We performed a systematic review of studies on Brazilian RBs to retrieve information regarding their spatial distribution and associated biodiversity. Multi‐criteria hotspots were identified based on the areas where high species diversity co‐occurs with a high presence of endemic, threatened and commercially important species. Furthermore, we assessed how well RBs are covered by marine protected areas (MPAs), as well as their spatial overlap with multiple threats. Results Existing records for Brazilian RBs indicate > 1000 different species, mostly fish and algae, including significant numbers of endemic, threatened and commercially important species. Most of the RBs are either unprotected or only partially protected, including the majority of the biodiversity hotspots identified by our analysis. Among the main potential threats to RBs, bottom trawling ranks highest, while the expansion of seabed mining and oil and gas activities may sharply increase the risk of cumulative impacts on RBs in the near future. Main Conclusions Our large‐scale quantitative assessment confirms the significant role of RBs as biodiversity hotspots. This information could be leveraged to help meet the twin goals of RB conservation, through the establishment of highly‐protected MPAs in hotspot areas, and their sustainable use through an ecosystem‐based approach that accounts for vulnerabilities of RBs to multiple threats.