Publications by authors named "G C Carini"
The vast repository of van der Waals (vdW) materials supporting polaritons offers numerous possibilities to tailor electromagnetic waves at the nanoscale. The development of twistoptics-the modulation of the optical properties by twisting stacks of vdW materials-enables directional propagation of phonon polaritons (PhPs) along a single spatial direction, known as canalization. Here we demonstrate a complementary type of directional propagation of polaritons by reporting the visualization of unidirectional ray polaritons (URPs).
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- The gene LRRK2, linked to both familial and sporadic Parkinson's disease, plays vital roles in the behavior of glial cells, particularly in oligodendrocyte precursor cells (OPCs) compared to other brain cells.
- Research indicates that the absence of LRRK2 in OPC cultures leads to difficulties in their maturation into oligodendrocytes, highlighting its importance in this differentiation process.
- Additional findings in LRRK2 knock-out mice and transgenic zebrafish show decreased levels of key proteins involved in myelination and nerve growth factor, further suggesting LRRK2's critical role in the development of mature oligodendrocytes.
Article Synopsis
- Structural anisotropy in crystals affects how light travels, especially in the infrared region, where it interacts with phonon polaritons (PhPs), which are quasiparticles formed by light and lattice vibrations.
- Recent research on the monoclinic crystal β-GaO (bGO) reveals that PhPs can exhibit highly asymmetric propagation, which researchers studied using advanced techniques like scanning near-field optical microscopy.
- The study demonstrates that adjusting the laser orientation, the size of nano-antennas, and the frequency of light can significantly influence the behavior of these phonon polaritons, paving the way for practical applications in low-symmetry crystals.
Chronic neuroinflammation plays a crucial role in the progression of several neurodegenerative diseases (NDDs), including Parkinson's disease (PD) and Alzheimer's disease (AD). Intriguingly, in the last decade, leucine-rich repeat kinase-2 (), a gene mutated in familial and sporadic PD, was revealed as a key mediator of neuroinflammation. Therefore, the anti-inflammatory properties of LRRK2 inhibitors have started to be considered as a disease-modifying treatment for PD; however, to date, there is little evidence on the beneficial effects of targeting LRRK2-related neuroinflammation in preclinical models.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPhenotypic Frailty Assessment in SAMP8 Mice: Sex Differences and Potential Role of miRNAs as Peripheral Biomarkers.
J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci
October 2023
Frailty is a geriatric syndrome characterized by age-related decline in physiological reserves and functions in multiple organ systems, including the musculoskeletal, neuroendocrine/metabolic, and immune systems. Animal models are essential to study the biological basis of aging and potential ways to delay the onset of age-related phenotypes. Unfortunately, validated animal models of frailty are still lacking in preclinical research.
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