International network for ALS research and care (INARC).

The International Network for Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) Research and Care (INARC) was founded in 2022. INARC's main goals are to offer a platform dedicated to staff members for ALS clinics and research teams who are not physicians. By nurturing experience and expertise exchanges to improve problem solving skills, the ultimate goal is to increase the standard ALS care and research.

Accessing the Pion 3D Structure at US and China Electron-Ion Colliders.

We present the first systematic feasibility study of accessing generalized parton distributions of the pion at an electron-ion collider through deeply virtual Compton scattering. Relying on state-of-the-art models for pion GPDs, we show that quarks and gluons interfere destructively, modulating the expected event rate and maximizing it when parton content is generated via radiation from valence dressed quarks. Moreover, gluons are found to induce a sign inversion for the beam-spin asymmetry in every model studied, being a clear signal for pinning down the regime of gluon superiority.

Enhanced therapeutic index of liposomal doxorubicin Myocet locally delivered by fibrin gels in immunodeficient mice bearing human neuroblastoma.

Caelyx and Myocet are clinically used liposomal forms of doxorubicin (Dox). To explore ways to improve their therapeutic index, we have studied their activity in vitro and in vivo when locally delivered by fibrin gels (FBGs). In vivo local toxic and anti-tumour activities of loaded FBGs were assessed in two immunodeficient mouse orthotopic human neuroblastoma (NB) models after application in the visceral space above the adrenal gland, either still tumour-bearing or after tumour removal.

Fibrin gels entrapment of a doxorubicin-containing targeted polycyclodextrin: Evaluation of in vivo antitumor activity in orthotopic models of human neuroblastoma.

In vivo local antitumor activity of fibrin gels (FBGs) loaded with the poly-cyclodextrin oCD-NH/Dox, compared to free Dox, was evaluated in two mouse orthotopic neuroblastoma (NB) models, after positioning of the releasing devices in the visceral space. FBGs were prepared at the fibrinogen (FG) concentrations of 22 and 40 mg/ml clotted in the presence of 0.81 mM/mg FG Ca and 1.

Fibrin Gels Entrapment of a Poly-Cyclodextrin Nanocarrier as a Doxorubicin Delivery System in an Orthotopic Model of Neuroblastoma: Evaluation of In Vitro Activity and In Vivo Toxicity.

Purpose: Fibrin gels (FBGs) are potential delivery vehicles for many drugs, and can be easily prepared from purified components. We previously demonstrated their applicability for the release of different doxorubicin (Dox) nanoparticles used clinically or in an experimental stage, such as its inclusion complex with the amino β-cyclodextrin polymer (oCD-NH/Dox). Here we extend these studies by in vitro and in vivo evaluations.

Charged hadron fragmentation functions from collider data: NNPDF Collaboration.

We present NNFF1.1h, a new determination of unidentified charged-hadron fragmentation functions (FFs) and their uncertainties. Experimental measurements of transverse-momentum distributions for charged-hadron production in proton-(anti)proton collisions at the Tevatron and at the LHC are used to constrain a set of FFs originally determined from electron-positron annihilation data.

Parton distributions with small- resummation: evidence for BFKL dynamics in HERA data.

We present a determination of the parton distribution functions of the proton in which NLO and NNLO fixed-order calculations are supplemented by NLL small- resummation. Deep-inelastic structure functions are computed consistently at or , while for hadronic processes small- resummation is included only in the PDF evolution, with kinematic cuts introduced to ensure the fitted data lie in a region where the fixed-order calculation of the hard cross-sections is reliable. In all other respects, the fits use the same methodology and are based on the same global dataset as the recent NNPDF3.

Impact of low- resummation on QCD analysis of HERA data.

Fits to the final combined HERA deep-inelastic scattering cross-section data within the conventional DGLAP framework of QCD have shown some tension at low and low . A resolution of this tension incorporating -resummation terms into the HERAPDF fits is investigated using the xFitter program. The kinematic region where this resummation is important is delineated.

Cyclodextrin polymers as nanocarriers for sorafenib.

Polymeric nanoparticles based on cyclodextrins are currently undergoing clinical trials as new promising nanotherapeutics. In light of this interest, we investigated cyclodextrin cross-linked polymers with different lengths as carriers for the poorly water-soluble drug sorafenib. Both polymers significantly enhanced sorafenib solubility, with shorter polymers showing the most effective solubilizing effect.

A determination of the fragmentation functions of pions, kaons, and protons with faithful uncertainties: The NNPDF Collaboration.

We present NNFF1.0, a new determination of the fragmentation functions (FFs) of charged pions, charged kaons, and protons/antiprotons from an analysis of single-inclusive hadron production data in electron-positron annihilation. This determination, performed at leading, next-to-leading, and next-to-next-to-leading order in perturbative QCD, is based on the NNPDF methodology, a fitting framework designed to provide a statistically sound representation of FF uncertainties and to minimise any procedural bias.

Enzyme-Histochemistry Technique for Visualizing the Dipeptidyl-Peptidase IV (DPP-IV) Activity in the Liver Biliary Tree.

Dipeptidyl-peptidase IV is an enzyme involved in a lot of biochemical processes, where it modifies a number of regulatory proteins by removing the terminal peptides by hydrolysis. Here we describe a histochemical method to demonstrate with accuracy and precision its in situ activity on cryostatic section of Wistar rat liver by means of a simultaneous azo-coupling method.

Impact of the heavy-quark matching scales in PDF fits.

We investigate the impact of displaced heavy-quark matching scales in a global fit. The heavy-quark matching scale determines at which energy scale the QCD theory transitions from to in the variable flavor number scheme (VFNS) for the evolution of the parton distribution functions (PDFs) and strong coupling . We study the variation of the matching scales, and their impact on a global PDF fit of the combined HERA data.

Determination of the strong coupling constant in next-to-next-to-leading order QCD using H1 jet cross section measurements: H1 Collaboration.

The strong coupling constant is determined from inclusive jet and dijet cross sections in neutral-current deep-inelastic scattering (DIS) measured at HERA by the H1 collaboration using next-to-next-to-leading order (NNLO) QCD predictions. The dependence of the NNLO predictions and of the resulting value of at the -boson mass are studied as a function of the choice of the renormalisation and factorisation scales. Using inclusive jet and dijet data together, the strong coupling constant is determined to be .

Parton distributions from high-precision collider data: NNPDF Collaboration.

We present a new set of parton distributions, NNPDF3.1, which updates NNPDF3.0, the first global set of PDFs determined using a methodology validated by a closure test.

Autofluorescence discrimination of metabolic fingerprint in nutritional and genetic fatty liver models.

Liver tissue autofluorescence (AF) has been characterized in two models with a different potential to undergo disease progression to steatohepatitis: Wistar rats, administered with a methionine, choline deficient diet (MCD), and Zucker (fa/fa) rats, homozygous for a spontaneous mutation of leptin receptor. AF spectra were recorded from liver tissue cryostatic sections by microspectrofluorometry, under 366nm excitation. Curve fitting analysis was used to estimate the contribution of different endogenous fluorophores (EFs) to the overall AF emission: i) fluorescing fatty acids, a fraction of liver lipids up to now poorly considered and complicated to detect by conventional procedures; ii) lipofuscin-like lipopigments, biomarkers of oxidizing events; iii) NAD(P)H and flavins, biomarkers of energy metabolism and tissue redox state.

Fatty liver oxidative events monitored by autofluorescence optical diagnosis: Comparison between subnormothermic machine perfusion and conventional cold storage preservation.

Aims: Livers with moderate steatosis are currently recruited as marginal organs to face donor shortage in transplantation, even though lipid excess and oxidative stress increase preservation injury risk. Sensitive, real-time detection of liver metabolism engagement could help donor selection and preservation procedures, ameliorating the graft outcome. Hence, we investigated endogenous biomolecules with autofluorescence (AF) properties as biomarkers supporting the detection of liver oxidative events and the assessment of metabolic responses to external stimuli.

In Situ Evaluation of Oxidative Stress in Rat Fatty Liver Induced by a Methionine- and Choline-Deficient Diet.

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a serious health problem in developed countries. We documented the effects of feeding with a NAFLD-inducing, methionine- and choline-deficient (MCD) diet, for 1-4 weeks on rat liver oxidative stress, with respect to a control diet. Glycogen, neutral lipids, ROS, peroxidated proteins, and SOD2 were investigated using histochemical procedures; ATP, GSH, and TBARS concentrations were investigated by biochemical dosages, and SOD2 expression was investigated by Western Blotting.

A determination of the charm content of the proton: The NNPDF Collaboration.

We present an unbiased determination of the charm content of the proton, in which the charm parton distribution function (PDF) is parametrized on the same footing as the light quarks and the gluon in a global PDF analysis. This determination relies on the NLO calculation of deep-inelastic structure functions in the FONLL scheme, generalized to account for massive charm-initiated contributions. When the EMC charm structure function dataset is included, it is well described by the fit, and PDF uncertainties in the fitted charm PDF are significantly reduced.

Differences in Expression of DPP4 in Steatotic Rat Liver Are Not Related to Differences in the Methylation of its Gene Promoter.

The aim of the present study was to investigate the methylation status in the promoter region of Dipeptidyl peptidase-IV (Dpp4) gene, in livers from obese Zucker rats with different patterns of immunohistochemical positivity. Molecular analysis was carried-out on DNA obtained from livers of obese and lean Zucker rats and of control Wistar rats using the bisulfite conversion method and DNA sequencing. Our study focused on the genomic region of 1,000 bp, which includes the final part of 680 bp of the Dpp4 gene promoter and a small stretch of 320 bp at the beginning of the gene.

Dipeptidylpeptidase-IV activity and expression reveal decreased damage to the intrahepatic biliary tree in fatty livers submitted to subnormothermic machine-perfusion respect to conventional cold storage.

Graft steatosis is a risk factor for poor initial function after liver transplantation. Biliary complications are frequent even after normal liver transplantation. A subnormothermic machine perfusion (MP20) preservation procedure was developed by our group with high potential for reducing injury to hepatocytes and sinusoidal cells of lean and fatty livers respect to conventional cold storage (CS).

Integrated autofluorescence characterization of a modified-diet liver model with accumulation of lipids and oxidative stress.

Oxidative stress in fatty livers is mainly generated by impaired mitochondrial β-oxidation, inducing tissue damages and disease progression. Under suitable excitation, light liver endogenous fluorophores can give rise to autofluorescence (AF) emission, the properties of which depend on the organ morphofunctional state. In this work, we characterized the AF properties of a rat liver model of lipid accumulation and oxidative stress, induced by a 1-9-week hypercaloric methionine-choline deficient (MCD) diet administration.

Lung matrix metalloproteinase activation following partial hepatic ischemia/reperfusion injury in rats.

Purpose: Warm hepatic ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury can lead to multiorgan dysfunction. The aim of the present study was to investigate whether acute liver I/R does affect the function and/or structure of remote organs such as lung, kidney, and heart via modulation of extracellular matrix remodelling.

Methods: Male Sprague-Dawley rats were subjected to 30 min partial hepatic ischemia by clamping the hepatic artery and the portal vein.

Biological effects of the aqueous extract of Bridelia grandis stem bark on normal and neoplastic human cells: an in vitro preliminary evaluation.

The aim of the work is to investigate the effects of Bridelia grandis (Pierre ex Hutch) stem bark water extract on human HeLa cancer cells and normal monocytes treated in vitro, evaluating the morphological modifications with light and electron microscopy. The phytocomplex obtained from B. grandis caused a significant decrease in the mitotic index of both HeLa cancer cells and normal monocytes.