Critical Review of the Evolution of Extracellular Vesicles’ Knowledge: From 1946 to Today

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are a family of particles/vesicles present in blood and body fluids, composed of phospholipid bilayers that carry a variety of molecules that can mediate cell communication, modulating crucial cell processes such as homeostasis, induction/dampening of inflammation, and promotion of repair. Their existence, initially suspected in 1946 and confirmed in 1967, spurred a sharp increase in the number of scientific publications. Paradoxically, the increasing interest for EV content and function progressively reduced the relevance for a precise nomenclature in classifying EVs, therefore leading to a confusing scientific production. The aim of this review was to analyze the evolution of the progress in the knowledge and definition of EVs over the years, with an overview of the methodologies used for the identification of the vesicles, their cell of origin, and the detection of their cargo. The MISEV 2018 guidelines for the proper recognition nomenclature and ways to study EVs are summarized. The review finishes with a “more questions than answers” chapter, in which some of the problems we still face to fully understand the EV function and potential as a diagnostic and therapeutic tool are analyzed.     

玛丽蒂姆会议酒店,柏林,德国

立面、周边环境以及对所在街区的一系列回应,是玛丽蒂姆酒店的设计要点。这个占地约1.2万m2的酒店基地紧邻文化中心（Kulturforum）和著名的文物保护建筑贝壳屋（Shellhaus,建筑师：Emil Fahrenkamp）,且距国家美术馆和波茨坦广场不远。     

Container effects on the free drainage of wet foams

This work studies how drainage of a wet foam is affected by certain characteristics of its container: diameter, wettability and shape of the walls. Drainage is registered by three simultaneous techniques: (a) electrical conductance measurements for the evolution of the local liquid fraction, (b) close-up photos for the evolution of the local bubble size distribution and (c) volumetric measurements for the evolution of the global liquid fraction in the entire container. Electrical measurements are conducted at different heights along the foam with the aid of several pairs of non-intrusive ring electrodes. Three cylindrical Plexiglas containers of different diameter are used, before and after treatment of their walls to allow tests with hydrophobic and hydrophilic walls, respectively. To resemble the shape of common industrial containers, the lower part of the largest container has a gradually reducing diameter towards its bottom. Foam decay is slower in the hydrophobic containers, this being less evident as diameter increases. Moreover, the role of diameter and shape is complex since the highest drainage rate is measured at the largest container whereas the lowest one at the medium container. The possible effect of the container walls in promoting the macroscopic rigidity of the foam structure is discussed     

Exploring the universality of personality judgments: Evidence from the great transformation (1000 BCE–200 BCE).

We examined whether personality judgments were present in texts of the diverse religious and philosophical traditions that emerged during the Great Transformation, an era spanning roughly 1000 BCE to 200 BCE. Some psychologists have suggested that the tendency of humans to judge personality has evolved; if some ancient societies failed to record personality judgments, it would be evidence against such an evolutionary position. In addition, learning about the prevalence and specifics of ancient personality judgments can help psychologists better understand the prehistory of personality psychology. Eight cultural traditions were studied: two each from China (Confucianism, Taoism), Greece (Classical and Hellenistic philosophy), India (Buddhism, Hinduism), and the Middle East (Judaism, Zoroastrianism). We found evidence that personality judgments were an important aspect of all of these traditions. Not only did people judge one another, but they also offered instructions on how to judge others. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)     

Coping With Chronic Lower Back Pain: Designing and Testing the Online Tool ONESELF

A website was designed in order to help patients with chronic lower back pain (cLBP) to cope with their condition, relying on the concept of health literacy. A sample of 748 chronic or potentially chronic LBP patients were asked to regularly visit the site for a period of 12 months. The intervention was evaluated quantitatively (both preuse and postuse surveys, logfiles) and qualitatively. Users appear to have taken less painkillers than before in the period they accessed the site. Most users reported that the site contributed to increasing their knowledge, and helped them managing their back pain. Communication with doctors, family, and colleagues improved. Qualitative evaluation showed several positive effects including self‐comprehension, improvement of argumentative abilities, orientation, and self‐confidence.     

Cancer Stem Cells: Biological Functions and Therapeutically Targeting

Almost all tumors are composed of a heterogeneous cell population, making them difficult to treat. A small cancer stem cell population with a low proliferation rate and a high tumorigenic potential is thought to be responsible for cancer development, metastasis and resistance to therapy. Stem cells were reported to be involved in both normal development and carcinogenesis, some molecular mechanisms being common in both processes. No less controversial, stem cells are considered to be important in treatment of malignant diseases both as targets and drug carriers. The efforts to understand the role of different signalling in cancer stem cells requires in depth knowledge about the mechanisms that control their self-renewal, differentiation and malignant potential. The aim of this paper is to discuss insights into cancer stem cells historical background and to provide a brief review of the new therapeutic strategies for targeting cancer stem cells.     

Fractioned High Pressure Extraction of Anthocyanins from Elderberry (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Sambucus nigra</Emphasis> L.) Pomace

Fractionated high pressure extractions from dry and in natura elderberry pomace were performed in order to obtain anthocyanin rich extracts. Experiments were carried out using CO₂ supercritical fluid extraction followed by enhanced solvent extraction (ESE) with CO₂/EtOH–H₂O mixtures (1–100%, v/v), to obtain anthocyanin rich fractions in the second step, at 313 K and ~20 MPa. Higher extract yields, anthocyanin contents and antioxidant activities occurred by the presence of water, both in the raw material and in the solvent mixture. The CO₂ dissolved in the ESE solvent mixture favored either anthocyanin contents or antioxidant activities, which were not directly related. Comparing to the literature data for elderberries and grapes, these fractions had higher anthocyanins contents. From these results, an added economical value to this agroindustrial residue is proposed, using solvents and techniques “generally regarded as safe” in the food and pharmaceutical industries.