Search results for " Applications"

Use of recombinant collagenases class I and II in optimization of cell purification for tissue engineering applications

2014

WIN55,212-2-induced expression of Mir-29b1 favours the suppression of osteosarcoma cell migration in a SPARC-independent manner

2019

WIN55,212-2 (WIN) is a synthetic agonist of cannabinoid receptors that displays promising antitumour properties. The aim of this study is to demonstrate that WIN is able to block the migratory ability of osteosarcoma cells and characterize the mechanisms involved. Using wound healing assay and zymography, we showed that WIN affects cell migration and reduces the activity of the metalloproteases MMP2 and MMP9. This effect seemed to be independent of secreted protein acidic and rich in cysteine (SPARC), a matricellular protein involved in tissue remodeling and extracellular matrix deposition. SPARC release was indeed prevented by WIN, and SPARC silencing by RNA interference did not influence …

Quantitative global mapping of terrestrial vegetation photosynthesis

2017

Although traditional remote sensing systems based on spectral reflectance can already provide estimates of the 'potential' photosynthetic activity of terrestrial vegetation through the quantification of total canopy chlorophyll content or absorbed photosynthetic radiation, the determination of the 'actual' photosynthetic activity of terrestrial vegetation requires information about how the absorbed light is used by plants, such as vegetation fluorescence, using very high spectral resolution spectroscopy in the range 650-800 nm. The Fluorescence Explorer (FLEX) mission, selected in November 2015 as the 8th Earth Explorer by the European Space Agency (ESA), carries the FLORIS spectrometer, wi…

A global Canopy Water Content product from AVHRR/Metop

2020

Abstract Spatially and temporally explicit canopy water content (CWC) data are important for monitoring vegetation status, and constitute essential information for studying ecosystem-climate interactions. Despite many efforts there is currently no operational CWC product available to users. In the context of the Satellite Application Facility for Land Surface Analysis (LSA-SAF), we have developed an algorithm to produce a global dataset of CWC based on data from the Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR) sensor on board Meteorological–Operational (MetOp) satellites forming the EUMETSAT Polar System (EPS). CWC reflects the water conditions at the leaf level and information related …

Comparison among different rainfall energy harvesting structures

2018

In this paper, an experimental comparison between different rainfall harvesting devices through the study of the electrical rectifying circuit is proposed. In more detail, three harvesting structures are considered: the cantilever, the bridge and the floating circle. Different waveforms were acquired and discussed. The processed data were compared in order to suggest the best choice for the rectifying circuit, from the simplest one to that most frequently endorsed in the technical literature.

The mixed capacitated general routing problem with turn penalties

2011

In this paper we deal with the mixed capacitated general routing problem with turn penalties. This problem generalizes many important arc and node routing problems, and it takes into account turn penalties and forbidden turns, which are crucial in many real-life applications, such as mail delivery, waste collection and street maintenance operations. Through a polynomial transformation of the considered problem into a Generalized Vehicle routing problem, we suggest a new approach for solving this new problem by transforming it into an Asymmetric Capacitated Vehicle routing problem. In this way, we can solve the new problem both optimally and heuristically using existing algorithms. A powerfu…

Phylostratic Shift of Whole-Genome Duplications in Normal Mammalian Tissues towards Unicellularity Is Driven by Developmental Bivalent Genes and Reve…

2020

Tumours were recently revealed to undergo a phylostratic and phenotypic shift to unicellularity. As well, aggressive tumours are characterized by an increased proportion of polyploid cells. In order to investigate a possible shared causation of these two features, we performed a comparative phylostratigraphic analysis of ploidy-related genes, obtained from transcriptomic data for polyploid and diploid human and mouse tissues using pairwise cross-species transcriptome comparison and principal component analysis. Our results indicate that polyploidy shifts the evolutionary age balance of the expressed genes from the late metazoan phylostrata towards the upregulation of unicellular and early m…

SGLT2 Inhibitors as the Most Promising Influencers on the Outcome of Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease

2022

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), the most frequent liver disease in the Western world, is a common hepatic manifestation of metabolic syndrome (MetS). A specific cure has not yet been identified, and its treatment is currently based on risk factor therapy. Given that the initial accumulation of triglycerides in the liver parenchyma, in the presence of inflammatory processes, mitochondrial dysfunction, lipotoxicity, glucotoxicity, and oxidative stress, can evolve into non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). The main goal is to identify the factors contributing to this evolution because, once established, untreated NASH can progress through fibrosis to cirrhosis and, ultimately, be co…

Neuroinflammatory mechanisms in ischemic stroke: Focus on cardioembolic stroke, background, and therapeutic approaches

2020

One of the most important causes of neurological morbidity and mortality in the world is ischemic stroke. It can be a result of multiple events such as embolism with a cardiac origin, occlusion of small vessels in the brain, and atherosclerosis affecting the cerebral circulation. Increasing evidence shows the intricate function played by the immune system in the pathophysiological variations that take place after cerebral ischemic injury. Following the ischemic cerebral harm, we can observe consequent neuroinflammation that causes additional damage provoking the death of the cells; on the other hand, it also plays a beneficial role in stimulating remedial action. Immune mediators are the or…

2021

Growth and differentiation factor 15 (GDF15) belongs to the transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) superfamily of proteins. Glial-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) family receptor α-like (GFRAL) is an endogenous receptor for GDF15 detected selectively in the brain. GDF15 is not normally expressed in the tissue but is prominently induced by “injury”. Serum levels of GDF15 are also increased by aging and in response to cellular stress and mitochondrial dysfunction. It acts as an inflammatory marker and plays a role in the pathogenesis of cardiovascular diseases, metabolic disorders, and neurodegenerative processes. Identified as a new heart-derived endocrine hormone that regulates body growth,…