690 research outputs found
Protocol for the detection of defined T cell clones in a heterogeneous cell population
No full textSummary: Identifying defined T cell clones within a polyclonal population is key to clarifying their phenotype and function. Here, we present a protocol for detecting specified T cell clones in a heterogeneous cell population. We describe steps for stimulating human CD4+ T cells isolated from blood with a protein antigen, sorting antigen-specific cells by fluorescence-activated cell sorting, and detecting among these the presence of predefined T cell clones, based on their T cell receptor (TCR). TCR cDNA is amplified through 5′-RACE (TCR-SMART) and detected by qPCR.For complete details on the use and execution of this protocol, please refer to Notarbartolo et al. (2021).1 : Publisher’s note: Undertaking any experimental protocol requires adherence to local institutional guidelines for laboratory safety and ethics
[Pathogenesis of atherosclerosis by "cholesterol" or "inflammation": a true or fictitious dilemma] Ann Ital Med Int. 2005 Apr-Jun;20(2):63-8. Review. Italian
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Alle origini dei Duchi di Villarosa: Francesco Notarbartolo (1630-1704)
No full textL’ascesa economica del ramo della famiglia Notarbartolo che conseguirà il titolo di duchi di Villarosa si caratterizza per la rapidità e l’incisività d’azione del capostipite: Francesco Notarbartolo Alvarez d’Eván. Muovendosi con abilità nel quadro del sistema economico siciliano della seconda metà del Seicento, Francesco riuscì in breve tempo a costruire il nucleo del patrimonio fondiario della famiglia: nel volgere di un ventennio, tra gli anni ’70 e gli anni ’90 del XVII secolo, creò un patrimonio di feudi compatto e geograficamente ben definito, che si estendeva tra Castrogiovanni e Santa Caterina. L’operato del Notarbartolo è assimilabile ad altri casi simili, ma si caratterizza anche per una certa originalità d’azione, come dimostrano la personalissima soluzione fornita al problema della trasmissione di un patrimonio di recente acquisto, nonché la notevole lucidità nel delineare una politica matrimoniale e patrimoniale, che orienterà l’operato della famiglia per oltre un cinquantennio.The economic rise of the branch of the Notarbartolo family that would obtain the title of Duke of Villarosa was defined by the rapid and incisive action of the progenitor, Francesco Notarbartolo Alvarez d'Eván. Moving skilfully in the Sicilian economic framework of the second half of the seventeenth century, Francesco was quickly able to amass a nucleus of family estates: in the space of twenty years, between the 1670s and 1690s, he created a large number of compact and geographically well-defined feudal estates extending from Castrogiovanni to Santa Caterina. The accomplishments of Notarbartolo are comparable to other similar cases, but are also characterized by a certain originality, as demonstrated by his unique solution to the problem of handing down newly acquired assets and the great clarity in defining a marriage and financial policy that was to guide the family's actions for over fifty years
Mafia e élites nell'Italia liberale. Il caso Notarbartolo.
No full textL’elaborato si prefigura l’obiettivo di indagare intorno alle relazioni tra elitès e mafia, all’interno del contesto siciliano di fine XIX secolo. Il punto focale su cui ragionare è rappresentato dall’uccisione di Emanuele Notarbartolo, avvenuta nel febbraio 1893. Grazie alla consultazione del materiale giudiziario proveniente dai processi di Bologna e Firenze, credo sia possibile fornire ulteriori elementi riguardo alla tematica che intendo discutere. Prima di soffermarmi sulla vicenda Notarbartolo ho ritenuto opportuno ampliare il discorso, delineando il contesto dell’Italia postunitaria, caratterizzato da numerosi rapporti e interazioni tra elitès e mafia. Ho deciso di utilizzare la parola elitè, per non limitare il ragionamento, in maniera univoca, a coloro che detenevano responsabilità di tipo politico - amministrativo. Infine, attraverso i processi inerenti all’omicidio Notarbartolo, penso sia possibile riflettere sulle percezioni e le interpretazioni che si avevano - all’epoca - del fenomeno mafioso
Malattia celiaca: presentazione di un caso clinico “tipico” e di un caso clinico “atipico”[Celiac disease: Presentations of a "typical" clinical case and an "atypical" clinical case]
No full textHuman T lymphocytes at tumor sites
No full textCD4(+) and CD8(+) T lymphocytes mediate most of the adaptive immune response against tumors. Naïve T lymphocytes specific for tumor antigens are primed in lymph nodes by dendritic cells. Upon activation, antigen-specific T cells proliferate and differentiate into effector cells that migrate out of peripheral blood into tumor sites in an attempt to eliminate cancer cells. After accomplishing their function, most effector T cells die in the tissue, while a small fraction of antigen-specific T cells persist as long-lived memory cells, circulating between peripheral blood and lymphoid tissues, to generate enhanced immune responses when re-encountering the same antigen. A subset of memory T cells, called resident memory T (T(RM)) cells, stably resides in non-lymphoid peripheral tissues and may provide rapid immunity independently of T cells recruited from blood. Being adapted to the tissue microenvironment, T(RM) cells are potentially endowed with the best features to protect against the reemergence of cancer cells. However, when tumors give clinical manifestation, it means that tumor cells have evaded immune surveillance, including that of T(RM) cells. Here, we review the current knowledge as to how T(RM) cells are generated during an immune response and then maintained in non-lymphoid tissues. We then focus on what is known about the role of CD4(+) and CD8(+) T(RM) cells in antitumor immunity and their possible contribution to the efficacy of immunotherapy. Finally, we highlight some open questions in the field and discuss how new technologies may help in addressing them
Efficacy of oral pancreatic enzyme therapy for the treatment of fat malabsorption in HIV-infected patients
No full textBACKGROUND: Nutrient malabsorption is a negative prognostic factor in acquired immunodeficiency syndrome and recent studies have shown that pancreatic insufficiency is a codetermining factor of malabsorption.
AIMS: To evaluate the effectiveness of open-label oral pancreatic enzyme supplementation therapy in acquired immunodeficiency syndrome patients with fat malabsorption.
PATIENTS AND METHODS: Twenty-four consecutive patients with human immunodeficiency virus infection and fat malabsorption were recruited (11 males, 13 females; median age, 9.1 years). Faecal fat loss was evaluated by steatocrit assay at entry to the study (T-0), after 2 weeks (T-1) without pancreatic enzyme treatment and after a further 2 weeks (T-2) of treatment with pancreatic extracts (Creon 10 000 at a dose of 1000 units of lipase per gram of ingested dietary fat). Faecal elastase-1 and chymotrypsin were assayed at entry.
RESULTS: Six patients (25%) had abnormally low elastase-1 and/or chymotrypsin faecal concentration. In all patients, steatocrit values were elevated at both T-0 and T-1. Five patients proved intolerant to pancreatic enzyme treatment because of the onset of abdominal pain, and therapy was discontinued. In the 19 patients who concluded the study, steatocrit values during pancreatic enzyme treatment (T-2) were significantly lower than at entry (P < 0.0001). At T-2, in eight of 19 patients, steatocrit values were within the normal limit and the frequency of cases cured or improved on pancreatic enzyme therapy (at T-2) was significantly higher than that observed during the previous study period without enzyme treatment (T-1) (P < 0.01). A positive significant correlation was found between steatocrit values at entry and the Centers for Disease Control class (P < 0.0005); also, the decrease in steatocrit values during pancreatic enzyme therapy (difference between steatocrit value at T-2 and steatocrit value at T-0) positively correlated with the Centers for Disease Control class (P < 0.05).
CONCLUSIONS: This pilot, open-label study showed that pancreatic enzyme supplementation therapy is highly effective in reducing faecal fat loss in human immunodeficiency virus-infected patients with nutrient malabsorption. Further double-blind studies must be undertaken to verify these results and, if they are confirmed, pancreatic enzymes can be added to our weapons in the fight against human immunodeficiency virus-associated nutrient malabsorption
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