17β-estradiol inhibits Notch1 activation in murine macrophage cell line RAW 264.7.

Background: Macrophages are major effectors in regulating immune response and inflammation. The pro-inflammatory phenotype (M1) is induced by the activation of the Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) on the macrophage surface, which recognizes lipopolysaccharide (LPS), a component of Gram-negative bacterial wall, and by the binding of interferon-gamma (IFNγ), a cytokine released by activated T lymphocytes, to its receptor (IFNGR). Among the pathways activated by LPS/IFNγ is the Notch pathway, which promotes the M1 phenotype.

Effects of lack of microRNA-34 on the neural circuitry underlying the stress response and anxiety.

Stress-related psychiatric disorders, including anxiety, are complex diseases that have genetic, and environmental causes. Stressful experiences increase the release of prefrontal amygdala neurotransmitters, a response that is relevant to cognitive, emotional, and behavioral coping. Moreover, exposure to stress elicits anxiety-like behavior and dendritic remodeling in the amygdala.

Fear but not fright: re-evaluating traumatic experience attenuates anxiety-like behaviors after fear conditioning.

Fear allows organisms to cope with dangerous situations and remembering these situations has an adaptive role preserving individuals from injury and death. However, recalling traumatic memories can induce re-experiencing the trauma, thus resulting in a maladaptive fear. A failure to properly regulate fear responses has been associated with anxiety disorders, like Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).

Tis21 is required for adult neurogenesis in the subventricular zone and for olfactory behavior regulating cyclins, BMP4, Hes1/5 and Ids.

Bone morphogenic proteins (BMPs) and the Notch pathway regulate quiescence and self-renewal of stem cells of the subventricular zone (SVZ), an adult neurogenic niche. Here we analyze the role at the intersection of these pathways of Tis21 (Btg2/PC3), a gene regulating proliferation and differentiation of adult SVZ stem and progenitor cells. In Tis21-null SVZ and cultured neurospheres, we observed a strong decrease in the expression of BMP4 and its effectors Smad1/8, while the Notch anti-neural mediators Hes1/5 and the basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH) inhibitors Id1-3 increased.

The role of narrative medicine in pregnancy after liver transplantation.

Unlabelled: Narrative medicine allows professionals from all fields of medical sciences to understand the patient's total experience of illness, and meet his/her needs in an empathetic environment. Narrative medicine helps spread holistic knowledge of a multitude of complex clinical conditions, including transplantation.

Objective: To underline the role of narrative medicine in women who become pregnant after a liver transplant by using their narrations of this very special experience.

[Living donor kidney transplant: the vision of the Italian National Transplant Center].

Living donor kidney transplantation offers an additional opportunity for patients with renal failure. The Italian National Transplant Center has collected data on kidney transplants from living donors since 2001. The data revealed a sharp increase in recent years, although the number of living donor transplants is still low compared to the number of patients on the waiting list.

TRAIN: Training through Research Application Italian iNitiative.

Training through Research Application Italian iNitiative (TRAIN) is a mobility program financed under the EU action called "Cofinancing of regional, national and international programs" (COFUND) of the European Commission Seventh Framework Program (FP7) - People, and has been designed to encourage the promotion and development of international programs of research through mobility at various stages of research careers. The aim of TRAIN is to improve translational skills in the field of cancer by promoting a three-year international mobility program assigning a total of 51 fellowships subdivided into incoming, outgoing and reintegration fellowships.?The TRAIN proposal has been submitted in February 2009 to the European Commission in reply to the 2008 FP7-PEOPLE-COFUND call and has been successfully evaluated.

Training and mobility: a priority for the Organisation of the European Cancer Institutes. How a national mobility initiative could enhance EU cooperation in cancer research contributing to the development of an European Research Area: the example of The Italian Comprehensive Cancer Centers' Network "Alleanza Contro il Cancro".

It is widely recognized that productivity gains, sustained economic growth and employment are largely determined by technological progress, innovation and human capital. The 2000 Lisbon strategy to make Europe a competitive knowledge-based economy by 2010 and, more specifically, the Barcelona objectives agreed upon in 2002 to increase R&D investment in the EU to approach 3% of GDP, ensuring that there are sufficient human resources for research, are a preliminary step in this direction. If we want to reach this goal we have to succeed in retaining the best researchers, creating the right environment where they can perform their activities and develop their careers.