1,721,004 research outputs found
ESPRESSIONE DI SEL1L NEL CARCINOMA MAMMARIO - CORRELAZIONI CLINICO PATOLOGICHE
No full textMalignant cells exhibit an exceptional ability to maintain homeostasis in an hostile environment, upregulation of proteins involved in the stress response with an increase in the apoptosis resistance, and in diminishing cell senescence or permanent arrest of cell division. SEL1L is a member of endoplasmic-reticulum (ER)-associated protein degradation (ERAD)-specific ubiquitin ligase complex that functions in the detection, targeting, and degradation of malfolded and normal endoplasmic reticulum (ER) resident proteins in fisiologic or pathologic conditions. Past studies have focused on the role of SEL1L in various aspects of malignant transformation and tumorigenic processes, providing significant in vitro and in vivo evidences to link its increased expression to a decrease in breast tumor aggressiveness. In this study it has been suggested that SEL1L protein could be also a tumor breast markers with a prognostic and/or predictive response and this may be important in determining the successive therapeutic approach. In patients of Black African ethnicity, breast cancer strongly differ from Western populations in ethnicity, lifestyle and environmental exposures and is reportedly to be characterized by aggressive, poorly differentiated phenotype(s). To highlight possible differences between breast cancer in indigenous sub-Saharan African and European patients, two breast cancer case series, from Central Sudan (Khartoum) and Northern Italy (Milan), were compared for clinicopathological characteristics, expression of oestrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PR), Her-2/neu, and breast cancer subtypes and for SEL1L expression. SEL1L protein expression was evaluated by immunohistochemistry using the mouse MAb MSel1 raised against the NH2 terminus of the recombinant human SEL1L protein. Compared with the Italian series, the Sudanese breast cancer series showed younger age and worse prognostic features, including larger tumour size, higher grade and LN+ status, consistent with more advanced stage at disease diagnosis.
Results showed that no clear significant differences between the Sudanese and Italian series were found for SEL1L expression levels combined with clinicopathological characteristics, including nodal involvement, tumor size, grade, with hormone receptor status (ER and/or PR), Her-2/neu status and with breast cancer subtypes (Luminal A, Luminal B, Her-2/neu+ and basal-like). The clinicopathological differences between breast cancer in indigenous sub-Saharan African and European patients probably reflects the young demographic structure of the Sudanese population, the lack of breast cancer prevention, the extreme rarity of healthcare centres able to treat breast cancer and, possibly, the influence of socio-cultural and logistic factors which could limit travel and access to healthcare. In conclusion, SEL1L protein expression is not a tumor marker however the role of SEL1L during tumorigenesis and in breast cancer needs further investigation
Going Beyond Counting First Authors in Author Co-citation Analysis
Get PDFThe present study examines one of the fundamental aspects of author co-citation analysis (ACA) - the way co-citation
counts are defined. Co-citation counting provides the data on which all subsequent statistical analyses and mappings
are based, and we compare ACA results based on two different types of co-citation counting - the traditional type that
only counts the first one among a cited work's authors on the one hand and a non-traditional type that takes into
account the first 5 authors of a cited work on the other hand. Results indicate that the picture produced through this non-traditional author co-citation counting contains more coherent author groups and is therefore considerably clearer. However, this picture represents fewer specialties in the research field being studied than that produced through the traditional first-author co-citation counting when the same number of top-ranked authors is selected and analyzed. Reasons for these effects are discussed
Colonizzazione faringea da Streptococcus Pneumoniae (Sp) in soggetti sani di età compresa fra 6 e 17 anni
No full textIntroduzione:Il monitoraggio dello stato di portatore permette di valutare le modificazioni quali-quantitative della circolazione dei diversi sierotipi di Sp, fornisce utili indicazioni sull’importanza di ciascuno di questi come causa di malattia e consente di valutare la teorica copertura offerta dai vaccini specifici nelle diverse età. Questo studio ha analizzato lo stato di portatore in una larga popolazione di soggetti di età pediatrica clinicamente sani viventi a Milano, in precedenza non vaccinati con alcuno dei vaccini pneumococcici in commercio.
Metodi: Sono stati arruolati 2.076 soggetti di 6-17 anni (1.114 di 6-10; 518 di 11-13 e 444 di 14-17 anni). A ciascuno di essi è stato prelevato secreto faringeo mediante tampone. Su questo, con metodiche di biologia molecolare, è stato ricercato Sp (presenza dei geni di Sp WZG e lytA) e, nei casi positivi, identificata la presenza dei sierotipi 1, 3, 4, 5, 6A, 6B, 7F, 9V, 14, 18C, 19A, 19F e 23F, quelli contenuti nel vaccino coniugato a 13 componenti (PCV13).
Risultati:In totale,1.201 (57,8%) soggetti sono risultati portatori di Sp. I valori sono stati significativamente più elevati nei soggetti più giovani (71,3%) e hanno dimostrato una progressiva riduzione con il crescere dell’età (49,2% in bambini 11-13 anni e 33,8 in soggetti di 14-17; p<0.001). Il sierotipo 19F è risultato quello più spesso portato (53,7%) seguito dal 5 (24,3%) dal 4 (18,5%), dal 9V (12,9%) e dal 19A (5,3%). Più del 45% dei soggetti arruolati è risultato portatore di più di uno dei sierotipi contenuti in PCV13.
Conclusioni. Questo studio dimostra che lo stato di portatore nella popolazione pediatrica sana non vaccinata è molto elevato e il fenomeno interessa anche gli adolescenti. Ciò è probabilmente da mettere in rapporto alla relativamente ridotta copertura vaccinale contro Sp nell’area ove la ricerca è stata condotta con conseguente limitata immunità di gregge. Inoltre, è evidente l’elevata circolazione di sierotipi inclusi nei preparati vaccinali, con elevati valori anche per i sierotipi potenzialmente invasivi quali 5 e 19A. I dati indicano un elevato potenziale di malattia pneumococcica dei soggetti di età > 6 anni inclusi gli adolescenti e una chiara possibilità di intervento preventivo con l’impiego di PCV13
Comparison of manual methods of extracting genomic DNA from dried blood spots collected on different cards : implications for clinical practice
No full textIsolating genomic DNA from blood samples is essential when studying the associations between genetic variants and susceptibility to a given clinical condition, or its severity. This study of three extraction techniques and two types of commercially available cards involved 219 children attending our outpatient pediatric clinic for follow-up laboratory tests after they had been hospitalised. An aliquot of venous blood was drawn into plastic tubes without additives and, after several inversions, 80 μL were put on circles of common paper cards and Whatman FTA-treated cards. Three extraction methods were compared: the Qiagen Investigator, Gensolve, and Masterpure. The best method in terms of final DNA yield was Masterpure, which led to a significantly higher yield regardless of the type of card (p<0.001), followed by Qiagen Investigator and Gensolve. Masterpure was also the best in terms of price, seemed to be simple and reliable, and required less hands-on time than other techniques. These conclusions support the use of Masterpure in studies that evaluate the associations between genetic variants and the severity or prevalence of infectious diseases. Copyrigh
Valutazione del campionamento orofaringeo e nasofaringeo per la rilevazione dello stato di portatore di Streptococcus Pneumoniae negli adolescenti
No full textINTRODUZIONE: Il monitoraggio delle dinamiche dello stato di portatore pneumococcico permette di valutare le caratteristiche epidemiologiche dell’infezione causata da Streptococcus pneumoniae e la copertura teorica offerta dai vaccini pneumococcici disponibili. Nei bambini più piccoli, la raccolta di secrezioni respiratorie nasofaringee (NP) consente una migliore identificazione dello stato di portatore pneumococcico rispetto al campionamento orofaringeo (OP). Tuttavia, i dati negli adulti sono contrastanti e non sono mai stati eseguiti studi comparativi negli adolescenti. Questo studio si è proposto di comparare l’efficienza del campionamento NP rispetto a quello OP nella rilevazione dello stato di portatore di S. pneumioniae negli adolescenti sani.
METODI: Due tamponi sono stati prelevati da 530 adolescenti di età compresa tra 15 e 19 (età media ± DS, 16,4 ± 1,3), il primo ottenuto dalla parete posteriore del faringe attraverso la bocca (OP) e il secondo passando dal naso (NP). In ogni campione, il DNA genomico batterico è stato testato per la rilevazione dei geni pneumococcici autolisina-A (LytA) e wzg (cpsA) utilizzando la real time polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Sui campioni risultati positivi per S. pneumioniae è stata eseguita la sierotipizzazione.
RISULTATI: S. pneumoniae è stato identificato nel 35,8% dei tamponi OP rispetto al 3,5% rilevato nei tamponi NP (p<0,0001). Almeno un sierotipo incluso nel vaccino PCV13 è stato trovato nel 98,9% (188/190) dei tamponi OP positivi, mentre nei tamponi NP è stato trovato almeno un sierotipo di PCV13 solo nel 64,7% (11/17) dei casi (p<0,0001). Tra i sierotipi ricercati, il 19F è stato quello maggiormente identificato in entrambi i gruppi, seguito dai sierotipi 5 e 9V.
CONCLUSIONI: Negli adolescenti, la raccolta orofaringea è significativamente più efficace rispetto a quella nasofaringea per l’identificazione e la caratterizzazione dello stato di portatore pneumococcico. Questo dato suggerisce che questo metodo di raccolta può essere utilizzato quando deve essere eseguita la valutazione dello stato di portatore e la copertura offerta dal vaccino PCV13 negli adolescenti
Variations on the Author
Get PDF“Variations on the Author” discusses two of Eduardo Coutinho’s recent films (Um Dia na Vida, from 2010, and Últimas Conversas, posthumously released in 2015) and their contribution to the general question of documentary authorship. The director’s filmography is characterized by a consistent yet self-effacing form of authorial self-inscription: Coutinho often features as an interviewer that rather than express opinions propels discourses; an interviewer that is good at listening. This mode of self-inscription characterizes him as an author who is not expressive but who is nonetheless markedly present on the screen. In Um Dia na Vida, however, Coutinho is completely absent form the image, while Últimas Conversas, on the contrary, includes a confessional prologue that moves the director from the margins to the center of his films. This article examines the ways in which these works stand out in the filmography of a director who offers new insights into the notion of cinematic authorship
Appropriate Similarity Measures for Author Cocitation Analysis
Get PDFWe provide a number of new insights into the methodological discussion about author cocitation analysis. We first argue that the use of the Pearson correlation for measuring the similarity between authors’ cocitation profiles is not very satisfactory. We then discuss what kind of similarity measures may be used as an alternative to the Pearson correlation. We consider three similarity measures in particular. One is the well-known cosine. The other two similarity measures have not been used before in the bibliometric literature. Finally, we show by means of an example that our findings have a high practical relevance.information science;Pearson correlation;cosine;similarity measure;author cocitation analysis
Use of nasopharyngeal Streptococcus Pneumoniae (Sp) load to define pneumococcal etiology of community acquired pneumonia (CAP)
No full textBackground: Pneumococcal CAP is frequently associated with chest X-ray findings suggesting alveolar involvement. Recently, it has been reported that determination of nasopharyngeal SP load could be useful for the identification of pneumococcal etiology in CAP.
However, no data are available about the association between nasopharyngeal SP load and alveolar CAP as well as the relevance of viral coinfections in conditioning bacterial load.
Methods: On nasopharyngeal secretions of 386 children aged <5 years with radiographically-confirmed CAP, the presence of 17 viruses and Sp was evaluated by means of Luminex xTAG Respiratory Virus Panel Fast assay and by specific Real-Time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for LytA and Wgz (cpsA) Sp genes.
Nasopharyngeal Sp load was calculated and analyzed according to chest X-ray characteristics.
Conclusion: Higher nasopharyngeal Sp load is more common in children with alveolar CAP suggesting that determination of this variable can contribute to the definition of pneumococcal etiology of CAP. Viral coinfections do not influence bacterial load
Pneumococcal colonization in healthy children and pediatric patients with chronic underlying disease
No full textBackground: Prevalence of pharyngeal Streptococcus pneumoniae (Sp) serotype carriage in school-children and adolescents can predict the potential impact of Sp conjugate vaccines and could suggest the duration of the conferred capsular-specific immunity. Aim of this study was to evaluate 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV13) serotypes carriage by Italian children and adolescents.
Methods: Oropharyngeal swabs were obtained in classrooms and outpatient clinics from subjects attending primary (6-9 years), secondary (10-14 years) and high school (≥15 years). General characteristics and vaccination status of the enrolled children were recorded. Standardized methods were used to extract bacterial genomic DNA and to test it for lytA and wzg (cpsA) genes of Sp. Positive cases were serotyped using primers and probes for the identification of PCV13 serotypes.
Results: A total of 1,230 healthy children and 1,230 age- and sex-matched patients with chronic underlying disease (443 severe asthma, 213 cystic fibrosis, 277 oncohematological diseases treated with aggressive or maintenance chemotherapy and 297 type 1 diabetes) were evaluated. Of these, 740 (30.0%) children were fully vaccinated with 7-valent PCV (PCV7) and none was vaccinated with PCV13. The incidence of Sp carriage was age-related (25.8-74.9% in those aged 6-9 years, 14.7-51.8% in those 10-14 years and 7.2-32.7% in those ≥15 years, respectively; p<0.001) and appeared independent on the vaccination status. In all the age groups, children with type 1 diabetes or severe asthma were those with significantly higher colonization rates in comparison with the other patients (p<0.05). Overall, 713 (57.9%) healthy children showed pneumococcal colonization. Serotypes 19F, 9V and 14 were more common among PCV7-vaccinated than among PCV7-not vaccinated subjects (p<0.05).
Conclusions: The high prevalence of carriers in all of the age groups independently from previous pneumococcal vaccination and only partially related to underlying disease seems to indicate that the extensive use of PCVs in older children and adolescents might be useful to persistently reduce pharyngeal colonisation of these subjects
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