A semantic geo-catalogue for a local administration

The enhancement of the search capabilities of geo-spatial tools occupies one of the highest positions in the agenda of the INSPIRE initiative. This can be done by equipping applications with tools able to understand user terminology. However, this is in contrast with current approaches, which tend to fix in advance the terminology with a consequent rigidity in the way users interact with the system. In this paper we present the work we have done with the Semantic Geo-Catalogue (SGC) project in providing a semantic extension to the geo-catalogue of the Autonomous Province of Trento (PAT) in Italy. This was done through the adoption of a semantic matching tool and a faceted ontology that codifies knowledge about the geography of the PAT and that was created by reorganizing data extracted from the local geographical dataset. Thanks to the semantic extension, queries to the geo-catalogue are expanded with domain specific terms taken from the ontology thus obtaining a higher number of relevant documents in output. We also complied with the Open Government Data (OGD) initiative by publishing in RDF and by linking to relevant dictionaries some useful data taken from the local repository.     

An approach to the measurement of shunt resistance of individual subcells in thin‐film tandem devices

In this paper, the selective illumination approach is adopted to separately extract the shunt resistance of the individual subcells belonging to a tandem cell. The method relies on simple theoretical considerations and is based on the measurement of the current–voltage characteristic of the tandem cell by alternately keeping one of the subcells under dark conditions. Numerical simulations are employed to support the reliability of the technique, which is experimentally tested on micromorph devices deposited onto glass covered by a V‐shaped transparent conducting oxide and subject to different thermal treatments. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

The Role of Testosterone in the Elderly: What Do We Know?

Testosterone is the most important hormone in male health. Aging is characterized by testosterone deficiency due to decreasing testosterone levels associated with low testicular production, genetic factors, adiposity, and illness. Low testosterone levels in men are associated with sexual dysfunction (low sexual desire, erectile dysfunction), reduced skeletal muscle mass and strength, decreased bone mineral density, increased cardiovascular risk and alterations of the glycometabolic profile. Testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) shows several therapeutic effects while maintaining a good safety profile in hypogonadal men. TRT restores normal levels of serum testosterone in men, increasing libido and energy level and producing beneficial effects on bone density, strength and muscle as well as yielding cardioprotective effects. Nevertheless, TRT could be contraindicated in men with untreated prostate cancer, although poor findings are reported in the literature. In addition, different potential side effects, such as polycythemia, cardiac events and obstructive sleep apnea, should be monitored. The aim of our review is to provide an updated background regarding the pros and cons of TRT, evaluating its role and its clinical applicability in different domains.     

Novel Insights into Autophagy and Prostate Cancer: A Comprehensive Review

Autophagy is a complex process involved in several cell activities, including tissue growth, differentiation, metabolic modulation, and cancer development. In prostate cancer, autophagy has a pivotal role in the regulation of apoptosis and disease progression. Several molecular pathways are involved, including PI3K/AKT/mTOR. However, depending on the cellular context, autophagy may play either a detrimental or a protective role in prostate cancer. For this purpose, current evidence has investigated how autophagy interacts within these complex interactions. In this article, we discuss novel findings about autophagic machinery in order to better understand the therapeutic response and the chemotherapy resistance of prostate cancer. Autophagic-modulation drugs have been employed in clinical trials to regulate autophagy, aiming to improve the response to chemotherapy or to anti-cancer treatments. Furthermore, the genetic signature of autophagy has been found to have a potential means to stratify prostate cancer aggressiveness. Unfortunately, stronger evidence is needed to better understand this field, and the application of these findings in clinical practice still remains poorly feasible.     

Biological Effects of Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitors Ribociclib,Palbociclib and Abemaciclib on Breast Cancer Bone Microenvironment

The CDK4/6 inhibitors (CDKi) palbociclib, ribociclib, and abemaciclib are currently approved in combination with anti-estrogen therapy for the treatment of advanced and/or metastatic hormone receptor-positive/HER2-neu-negative breast cancer patients. Given the high incidence of bone metastases in this population, we investigated and compared the potential effects of palbociclib, ribociclib, and abemaciclib on the breast cancer bone microenvironment. Primary osteoclasts (OCs) and osteoblasts (OBs) were obtained from human monocyte and mesenchymal stem cells, respectively. OC function was evaluated by tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase assay and real-time PCR; OB activity was assessed by an alizarin red assay. OB/breast cancer co-culture models were generated via the seeding of MCF-7 cells on a layer of OBs, and tumor cell proliferation was analyzed using flow cytometry. Here, we showed that ribociclib, palbociclib, and abemaciclib exerted similar inhibitory effects on the OC differentiation and expression of bone resorption markers without affecting OC viability. On the other hand, the three CDKi did not affect the ability of OB to produce bone matrix, even if the higher doses of palbociclib and abemaciclib reduced the OB viability. In OB/MCF-7 co-culture models, palbociclib demonstrated a lower anti-tumor effect than ribociclib and abemaciclib. Overall, our results revealed the direct effects of CDKi on the tumor bone microenvironment, highlighting differences potentially relevant for clinical practice.     

Artificial Intelligence Technologies for COVID-19 De Novo Drug Design

The recent covid crisis has provided important lessons for academia and industry regarding digital reorganization. Among the fascinating lessons from these times is the huge potential of data analytics and artificial intelligence. The crisis exponentially accelerated the adoption of analytics and artificial intelligence, and this momentum is predicted to continue into the 2020s and beyond. Drug development is a costly and time-consuming business, and only a minority of approved drugs generate returns exceeding the research and development costs. As a result, there is a huge drive to make drug discovery cheaper and faster. With modern algorithms and hardware, it is not too surprising that the new technologies of artificial intelligence and other computational simulation tools can help drug developers. In only two years of covid research, many novel molecules have been designed/identified using artificial intelligence methods with astonishing results in terms of time and effectiveness. This paper reviews the most significant research on artificial intelligence in de novo drug design for COVID-19 pharmaceutical research.     

Assessment of intradialysis calcium mass balance by a single pool variable‐volume calcium kinetic model

Introduction: A reliable method of intradialysis calcium mass balance quantification is far from been established. We herein investigated the use of a single‐pool variable‐volume Calcium kinetic model to assess calcium mass balance in chronic and stable dialysis patients. Methods: Thirty‐four patients on thrice‐weekly HD were studied during 240 dialysis sessions. All patients were dialyzed with a nominal total calcium concentration of 1.50 mmol/L. The main assumption of the model is that the calcium distribution volume is equal to the extracellular volume during dialysis. This hypothesis is assumed valid if measured and predicted end dialysis plasma water ionized calcium concentrations are equal. A difference between predicted and measured end‐dialysis ionized plasma water calcium concentration is a deviation on our main hypothesis, meaning that a substantial amount of calcium is exchanged between the extracellular volume and a nonmodeled compartment. Findings: The difference between predicted and measured values was 0.02 mmol/L (range ?0.08:0.16 mmol/L). With a mean ionized dialysate calcium concentration of 1.25 mmol/L, calcium mass balance was on average negative (mean ± SD ?0.84 ± 1.33 mmol, range ?5.42:2.75). Predialysis ionized plasma water concentration and total ultrafiltrate were the most important predictors of calcium mass balance. A significant mobilization of calcium from the extracellular pool to a nonmodeled pool was calculated in a group of patients. Discussion: The proposed single pool variable‐volume Calcium kinetic model is adequate for prediction and quantification of intradialysis calcium mass balance, it can evaluate the eventual calcium transfer outside the extracellular pool in clinical practice.     

Malignant Transformation of Giant Cell Tumour of Bone: A Review of Literature and the Experience of a Referral Centre

Giant cell tumour of bone (GCTB) is a benign, locally aggressive primary bone neoplasm that represents 5% of all bone tumours. The principal treatment approach is surgery. Although generally GCTB is considered only a locally aggressive disease, it can metastasise, and lung metastases occur in 1–9% of patients. To date, only the use of denosumab has been approved as medical treatment for GCTB. Even more rarely, GCTB undergoes sarcomatous transformation into a malignant tumour (4% of all GCTB), but history of this malignant transformation is unclear and unpredictable. Considering the rarity of the event, the data in the literature are few. In this review, we summarise published data of GCTB malignant transformation and we analyse three cases of malignant transformation of GCTB, evaluating histopathology, genetics, and radiological aspects. Despite the rarity of this event, we conclude that a strict follow up is recommended to detect early malignant transformation.