Development of a fiber optic health monitoring system for aerospace applications

This paper describes our research activity involved in the identification, development and test of a prototype SHM system constituted by optical sensing nodes to measure both temperature and strain on ultra high temperature ceramics (UHTC) materials up to 1000 °C. Commercially available optic devices can operate up to 550 °C. To raise temperature limit up to 1000 °C, custom devices, mainly under development for scientific applications, have been identified. A prototype SHM system has been developed adopting a FBG sensor for temperature measurement and an EFPI sensor in sapphire fiber for strain measurement. The preliminary findings from thermo-mechanical tests indicate that former SHM system is capable of accurately measuring strain at elevated temperatures on UHTC materials.     

Preservation of chicken breast meat treated with thyme and balm essential oils

The present study evaluated the effects of thyme and balm essential oils on the 3-wk storage of fresh chicken breast meat at 4 °C. Thyme and, to a lesser extent, balm essential oils reduced DPPH (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl) radical formation in the meat (25% to 30% and 20%, respectively). Treatment with the 2 essential oils also limited lipid peroxidation and the deterioration of sarcoplasmic proteins, helping to preserve the meat even after 2 wk of storage. Thyme and balm essential oils decreased the natural microflora present in the meat; total microbial content decreased down to 50% in comparison to the control samples. In addition, a clear effect on lactic acid bacterial growth was recorded. Balm essential oil significantly limited the growth of Salmonella sp., whereas thyme essential oil effectively inhibited the growth of Escherichia coli. Our data demonstrate that these 2 essential oils effectively reduced deteriorative processes in chicken meat and extended the shelf life of this fresh product. Practical Application: The essential oils of thyme and balm can protect the chicken meat from decomposition during the storage time.     

Plasma Small Extracellular Vesicle Cathepsin D Dysregulation in GRN/C9orf72 and Sporadic Frontotemporal Lobar Degeneration

Emerging data suggest the roles of endo-lysosomal dysfunctions in frontotemporal lobar degeneration (FTLD) and in other dementias. Cathepsin D is one of the major lysosomal proteases, mediating the degradation of unfolded protein aggregates. In this retrospective study, we investigated cathepsin D levels in human plasma and in the plasma small extracellular vesicles (sEVs) of 161 subjects (40 sporadic FTLD, 33 intermediate/pathological C9orf72 expansion carriers, 45 heterozygous/homozygous GRN mutation carriers, and 43 controls). Cathepsin D was quantified by ELISA, and nanoparticle tracking analysis data (sEV concentration for the cathepsin D level normalization) were extracted from our previously published dataset or were newly generated. First, we revealed a positive correlation of the cathepsin D levels with the age of the patients and controls. Even if no significant differences were found in the cathepsin D plasma levels, we observed a progressive reduction in plasma cathepsin D moving from the intermediate to C9orf72 pathological expansion carriers. Observing the sEVs nano-compartment, we observed increased cathepsin D sEV cargo (ng/sEV) levels in genetic/sporadic FTLD. The diagnostic performance of this biomarker was fairly high (AUC = 0.85). Moreover, sEV and plasma cathepsin D levels were positively correlated with age at onset. In conclusion, our study further emphasizes the common occurrence of endo-lysosomal dysregulation in GRN/C9orf72 and sporadic FTLD.     

Prognostic role of hERG1 Potassium Channels in Neuroendocrine Tumours of the Ileum and Pancreas

hERG1 potassium channels are widely expressed in human cancers of different origins, where they affect several key aspects of cellular behaviour. The present study was designed to evaluate the expression and clinical relevance of hERG1 protein in cancer tissues from patients suffering from neuroendocrine tumours (NETs) of ileal (iNETs) and pancreatic (pNETs) origin, with available clinicopathological history and follow-up. The study was carried out by immunohistochemistry with an anti-hERG1 monoclonal antibody. In a subset of samples, a different antibody directed against the hERG1/β1 integrin complex was also used. The analysis showed for the first time that hERG1 is expressed in human NETs originating from either the ileum or the pancreas. hERG1 turned out to have a prognostic value in NETs, showing (i) a statistically significant positive impact on OS of patients affected by ileal NETs, regardless the TNM stage; (ii) a statistically significant positive impact on OS of patients affected by aggressive (TNM stage IV) disease, either ileal or pancreatic; (iii) a trend to a negative impact on OS of patients affected by less aggressive (TNM stage I-III) disease, either ileal or pancreatic. Moreover, in order to evaluate whether ERG1 was functionally expressed in a cellular model of pNET, the INS1E rat insulinoma cell line was used, and it emerged that blocking ERG1 with a specific inhibitor of the channel (E4031) turned out in a significant reduction in cell proliferation.     

Therapeutic Potential of the Natural Compound S-Adenosylmethionine as a Chemoprotective Synergistic Agent in Breast,and Head and Neck Cancer Treatment: Current Status of Research

The present review summarizes the most recent studies focusing on the synergistic antitumor effect of the physiological methyl donor S-adenosylmethionine (AdoMet) in association with the main drugs used against breast cancer and head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC), two highly aggressive and metastatic malignancies. In these two tumors the chemotherapy approach is recommended as the first choice despite the numerous side effects and recurrence of metastasis, so better tolerated treatments are needed to overcome this problem. In this regard, combination therapy with natural compounds, such as AdoMet, a molecule with pleiotropic effects on multiple cellular processes, is emerging as a suitable strategy to achieve synergistic anticancer efficacy. In this context, the analysis of studies conducted in the literature highlighted AdoMet as one of the most effective and promising chemosensitizing agents to be taken into consideration for inclusion in emerging antitumor therapeutic modalities such as nanotechnologies.     

S-Adenosylmethionine Inhibits Cell Growth and Migration of Triple Negative Breast Cancer Cells through Upregulating MiRNA-34c and MiRNA-449a

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is one of the most common malignancies worldwide and shows maximum invasiveness and a high risk of metastasis. Recently, many natural compounds have been highlighted as a valuable source of new and less toxic drugs to enhance breast cancer therapy. Among them, S-adenosyl-L-methionine (AdoMet) has emerged as a promising anti-cancer agent. MicroRNA (miRNA or miR)-based gene therapy provides an interesting antitumor approach to integrated cancer therapy. In this study, we evaluated AdoMet-induced modulation of miRNA-34c and miRNA-449a expression in MDA-MB-231 and MDA-MB-468 TNBC cells. We demonstrated that AdoMet upregulates miR-34c and miR-449a expression in both cell lines. We found that the combination of AdoMet with miR-34c or miR-449a mimic strongly potentiated the pro-apoptotic effect of the sulfonium compound by a caspase-dependent mechanism. For the first time, by video time-lapse microscopy, we showed that AdoMet inhibited the in vitro migration of MDA-MB-231 and MDA-MB-468 cells and that the combination with miR-34c or miR-449a mimic strengthened the effect of the sulfonium compound through the modulation of β-catenin and Small Mother Against Decapentaplegic (SMAD) signaling pathways. Our results furnished the first evidence that AdoMet exerts its antitumor effects in TNBC cells through upregulating the expression of miR-34c and miR-449a.     

3D printing of dense and porous alkali-activated refractory wastes via Direct Ink Writing (DIW)

Alkali-activated pastes prepared starting from refractory wastes were successfully 3D-printed via Direct Ink Writing. In particular, as raw powders, two different aluminosilicates were used: chamotte (CH, mainly composed of corundum, mullite and andalusite) and alumina-zirconia-silica (AZS, mainly baddeleyite, corundum and amorphous silica). First, pastes rheological parameters were optimized in terms of liquid-to-solid ratio and polyethylene glycol content. Then, both dense prismatic samples and lattice structures were successfully 3D-printed. Additionally, PMMA beads of 20 and 60 μm diameter were used to generate an additional porosity in both dense and lattice structures, leading to hierarchically porous materials. Indeed, samples were partially sintered up to 800 °C, to decompose PMMA beads, when present, and provide very high mechanical properties: a flexural strength of approx. 45 MPa was obtained for both AZS and CH dense samples. Moreover, the addition of 30 vol% of PMMA beads leads to macroporous samples without affecting mechanical properties.     

Combining OSMAC Approach and Untargeted Metabolomics for the Identification of New Glycolipids with Potent Antiviral Activity Produced by a Marine Rhodococcus

Natural products of microbial origin have inspired most of the commercial pharmaceuticals, especially those from Actinobacteria. However, the redundancy of molecules in the discovery process represents a serious issue. The untargeted approach, One Strain Many Compounds (OSMAC), is one of the most promising strategies to induce the expression of silent genes, especially when combined with genome mining and advanced metabolomics analysis. In this work, the whole genome of the marine isolate Rhodococcus sp. I2R was sequenced and analyzed by antiSMASH for the identification of biosynthetic gene clusters. The strain was cultivated in 22 different growth media and the generated extracts were subjected to metabolomic analysis and functional screening. Notably, only a single growth condition induced the production of unique compounds, which were partially purified and structurally characterized by liquid chromatography high-resolution tandem mass spectrometry (LC-HRMS/MS). This strategy led to identifying a bioactive fraction containing >30 new glycolipids holding unusual functional groups. The active fraction showed a potent antiviral effect against enveloped viruses, such as herpes simplex virus and human coronaviruses, and high antiproliferative activity in PC3 prostate cancer cell line. The identified compounds belong to the biosurfactants class, amphiphilic molecules, which play a crucial role in the biotech and biomedical industry.     

Unified phase diagram of gelatin films plasticized by hydrogen bonded liquids

Plasticizing effects of water and glycerol are widely used in pharmaceutical applications of gelatin films. We investigated gelatin films containing water or water and glycerol equilibrated under a range of relative humidity. Films were characterized by differential scanning calorimetry running in classical and modulated modes. Glass and melting transition temperatures, relaxation and melting enthalpies and heat capacity changes were determined versus film composition and maturation time. This investigation quantifies the amount of collagen type structure through the melting enthalpy of triple helices. A unified phase diagram for glass and melting transition temperatures is presented as a universal curve for any proportion of water and glycerol in films versus a single parameter, which is the ratio of hydroxyl groups belonging to water or glycerol per amino-acid group and highlights the role played by the hydrogen bonding. The molecular mechanisms involved in the plasticizing effects are discussed.