324 research outputs found
Role of regulatory cells and tissue cytokines in patients with ulcerative colitis: implications for patient-oriented therapy
No full textUlcerative colitis (UC) is an inflammatory bowel disease that results in a chronic inflammation and ulcers of the mucosa of the colon. In UC, two important issues, specifically related to the prognosis, remain to be clarified. A) Extension of disease greatly influences the prognosis and biological factors involved in the limitation of the disease extent are presently unknown B) Due to increased availability of biological drugs targeting different cytokines, biological therapy need to be optimized on the key cytokine(s) relevant for the inflammatory process. Aim: A) We hypothesized that regulatory T cells might be relevant in limiting the extension of inflammation and that B) UC patients might be stratified according to distinctive cytokine profiles. Methods: In a cross-sectional study, we evaluated the relationship between UC extension and the proportions of CD3+CD4+Foxp3+ and CD3+CD4+LAP+Foxp3-Tregs in the colonic lamina propria (LP) in UC patients undergoing colonoscopy for clinical relapse and controls undergoing colonoscopy for non-inflammatory conditions. The role of these cells in UC extension was also investigated in the murine oxazolone-induced colitis model. B) At the same time, we analyzed tissue cytokine by RTqPCR in endoscopic biopsies from uninvolved and involved tissue of UC patients and controls. Mucosal microbiota analysis was also performed. Results: A) Involved and uninvolved tissue show different and opposite frequency of LP CD3+CD4+Foxp3+ and LP CD3+CD4+LAP+ Tregs with the latter significantly increased in uninvolved vs involved tissue. In mice with oxazolone-induced distal colitis, treatment with α-LAP-depleting antibody was associated with the development of extensive colitis; B) We quantified by RTqPCR TNF-α, IFN-γ, IL-10, IL-6, IL-17, and IL-13 and analyzed the results by r square of the k means for cluster solution. IL-17A and IL-13 mRNA tissue content show classificatory power and their distribution points to the existence of discrete clusters of subjects. Six clusters define the optimal partition of data explaining 91% of the total information present in the data set (R-square=0.91). UC patients were distributed in two clusters characterized by high/low IL-13 mRNA tissue content in the context of high IL-17A mRNA tissue content. The two subsets differ in clinical-pathological characteristics. High IL-13mRNA patients are younger at diagnosis and show higher prevalence of extensive colitis than low IL-13mRNA ones. They also show a more frequent use of steroid/immunosuppressant/anti-TNFα therapy during a one-year follow-up. The two subgroups show a differential enrichment of mucosa associated microbiota genera with prevalence of Prevotella in patients with high IL-13mRNA tissue content and Sutterella and Acidaminococcus in patients with low IL-13mRNA tissue content. Conclusion: A) LP CD3+CD4+LAP+ Tregs efficiently limit the extension of inflammatory lesions. Therapeutic strategy aimed at their expansion may help in containing the spreading of inflammation and possibly in preventing inflammatory relapse. B) Evaluation of IL-13 and IL-17 mRNA content allows the identification of different UC patients’ subsets with associated different clinic phenotypes. Therapeutic options might be optimized according to the patients’ tissue cytokine profile
Economic factors affecting obesity: an application in Italy
No full textThe World Health Organization has stated that obesity is spreading around the world like a “global epidemic”. In 2004 the percentage of obese people in the Italian population was 9%, but the trend s increasing in recent years. Focusing on this country, the purpose of the paper is to analyze the socio-economic variables affecting obesity by means of a survey conducted in a consumer sample. Our analysis is based on a survey conducted in Italy, and the sample was composed of 999 consumers. We used a binary logit model and the dependent variable is body mass index (BMI), expressed in a dichotomic way (seriously overweight and obese, value 1, and normal weight, value 0). The results show that the condition of the seriously overweight and obese increases with age, especially in people over 65 of age. Also gender is correlated with the pathology: being seriously overweight and obese is far more likely for men than for women. An inverse relation was shown between obesity and education, and between obesity and the level of food knowledge. The results highlight that disadvantaged social categories are more susceptible to the problem of overweight and obesity. A policy implication of the analysis, to limit the spread of obesity, could lie in programs aimed at improving health and food awareness and focused on these minority groups.economics of obesity, BMI and consumer, logit model, Food Consumption/Nutrition/Food Safety, Health Economics and Policy,
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No full textDetecting pathogens and mounting immune responses upon infection is crucial for animal health. However, these responses come at a high metabolic price (McKean and Lazzaro, 2011, Kominsky et al., 2010), and avoiding pathogens before infection may be advantageous. The bacterial endotoxins lipopolysaccharides (LPS) are important immune system infection cues (Abbas et al., 2014), but it remains unknown whether animals possess sensory mechanisms to detect them prior to infection. Here we show that Drosophila melanogaster display strong aversive responses to LPS and that gustatory neurons expressing Gr66a bitter receptors mediate avoidance of LPS in feeding and egg laying assays. We found the expression of the chemosensory cation channel dTRPA1 in these cells to be necessary and sufficient for LPS avoidance. Furthermore, LPS stimulates Drosophila neurons in a TRPA1-dependent manner and activates exogenous dTRPA1 channels in human cells. Our findings demonstrate that flies detect bacterial endotoxins via a gustatory pathway through TRPA1 activation as conserved molecular mechanism.sponsorship: Vlaams Instituut voor Biotechnologie Alessia Soldano Luis Franco Guangda Liu Natalia Mora Emre Yaksi Bassem A Hassanr Fonds Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek G.0702.12 Alessia Soldano Yeranddy A Alpizar Brett Boonen Alejandro Lopez-Requena Natalia Mora Thomas Voets Rudi Vennekens Bassem A Hassan Karel Talaverar Fonds Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek G.0077.15 Alessia Soldano Yeranddy A Alpizar Brett Boonen Alejandro Lopez-Requena Natalia Mora Thomas Voets Rudi Vennekens Bassem A Hassan Karel Talaverar Fonds Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek G.0680.10 Alessia Soldano Yeranddy A Alpizar Brett Boonen Alejandro Lopez-Requena Natalia Mora Thomas Voets Rudi Vennekens Bassem A Hassan Karel Talaverar Fonds Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek G.0681.10 Alessia Soldano Yeranddy A Alpizar Brett Boonen Alejandro Lopez-Requena Natalia Mora Thomas Voets Rudi Vennekens Bassem A Hassan Karel Talaverar Fonds Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek G.0503.12 Alessia Soldano Yeranddy A Alpizar Brett Boonen Alejandro Lopez-Requena Natalia Mora Thomas Voets Rudi Vennekens Bassem A Hassan Karel Talaverar Fonds Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek G.0654.15 Alessia Soldano Yeranddy A Alpizar Brett Boonen Alejandro Lopez-Requena Natalia Mora Thomas Voets Rudi Vennekens Bassem A Hassan Karel Talaverar Fonds Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek G.0761.10N Alessia Soldano Yeranddy A Alpizar Brett Boonen Alejandro Lopez-Requena Natalia Mora Thomas Voets Rudi Vennekens Bassem A Hassan Karel Talaverar Fonds Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek G.0596.12 Alessia Soldano Yeranddy A Alpizar Brett Boonen Alejandro Lopez-Requena Natalia Mora Thomas Voets Rudi Vennekens Bassem A Hassan Karel Talaverar Fonds Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek G.0565.07 Alessia Soldano Yeranddy A Alpizar Brett Boonen Alejandro Lopez-Requena Natalia Mora Thomas Voets Rudi Vennekens Bassem A Hassan Karel Talaverar KU Leuven GOA/14/011 Alessia Soldano Yeranddy A Alpizar Brett Boonen Luis Franco Alejandro Lopez-Requena Guangda Liu Natalia Mora Emre Yaksi Thomas Voets Rudi Vennekens Bassem A Hassan Karel Talaverar European Commission IUAP P7/13 Alessia Soldano Yeranddy A Alpizar Brett Boonen Luis Franco Alejandro Lopez-Requena Guangda Liu Natalia Mora Emre Yaksi Thomas Voets Rudi Vennekensr KU Leuven OT/12/091 Alessia Soldano Yeranddy A Alpizar Brett Boonen Luis Franco Alejandro Lopez-Requena Guangda Liu Natalia Mora Emre Yaksi Thomas Voets Rudi Vennekens Bassem A Hassan Karel Talaverar KU Leuven PF-TRPLe Alessia Soldano Yeranddy A Alpizar Brett Boonen Luis Franco Alejandro Lopez-Requena Guangda Liu Natalia Mora Emre Yaksi Thomas Voets Rudi Vennekens Bassem A Hassan Karel Talavera (Vlaams Instituut voor Biotechnologie, Fonds Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek|G.0702.12, Fonds Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek|G.0077.15, Fonds Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek|G.0680.10, Fonds Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek|G.0681.10, Fonds Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek|G.0503.12, Fonds Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek|G.0654.15, Fonds Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek|G.0761.10N, Fonds Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek|G.0596.12, KU Leuven|GOA/14/011, KU Leuven|OT/12/091, European Commission|IUAP P7/13, KU Leuven PF-TRPLe)status: Publishe
Evaluation of the Efficacy of Low-Particle-Size Toothpastes against Extrinsic Pigmentations: A Randomized Controlled Clinical Trial
No full textStain-removing domiciliary protocols are focused on the elimination of dental extrinsic pigmentations by the application of abrasive toothpastes, extensively available in commerce. The goal of the present study is to evaluate the efficacy of two different stain removal molecule-formulated toothpastes by the reduction of clinical parameters: the micro-cleaning crystals and activated charcoal. A total of 40 participants with extrinsic dental pigmentations were enrolled and divided into two groups: a Control group, assigned to a toothpaste with micro-cleaning crystals (Colgate Sensation White); and a Trial group, with microparticle-activated charcoal toothpaste (Coswell Blanx Black). At T0 (baseline), T1 (10 days), T2 (1 month), and T3 (3 months), clinical parameters, including Lobene stain index calculated for intensity and extension, plaque control record, and bleeding on probing, were measured. Statistically significant differences were found in both groups (p < 0.05): a reduction of extrinsic pigmentation, both in intensity and extension, was obtained in the Control group, but their total elimination could be achieved only in the Trial group with the activated charcoal molecule, though without significant difference between the groups (p > 0.05). No intergroup differences were found for each timeframe for PCR, BoP, LSI-I, and LSI-E. Both tested toothpastes can be recommended for domiciliary oral hygiene of patients with extrinsic pigmentations
3D Evaluation of Upper Airway Morphological Changes in Growing Patients with Class II Malocclusion Using Sander Bite Jumping Appliance
No full textClass II malocclusion due to mandibular retrognathia is associated with a posterior positioning of the tongue and the hyoid bone, reducing the oropharyngeal volume. This could be a contributing factor to the development of respiratory and cardiovascular problems. This study evaluates the oropharyngeal volume variation in 13 patients with class II malocclusion undergoing functional orthopedic treatment with Sander Bite Jumping Appliance (SBJ). CBCT scans were performed before treatment (T0) and approximately after 12.5 months (T1): the retropalatal volume and retroglossal volume were quantified in mm3 using a segmentation software. At T1, the retropalatal volume increased in 2523 ± 2088 mm3, and the retroglossal volume increased in 2258 ± 1717 mm3. Both values were statistically significant (p < 0.05). This widening of the airways may allow prevention and treatment of sleep-disordered breathing, including obstructive sleep apnea syndrome
Photodynamic Therapy in Non-Surgical Treatment of Periodontitis: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
No full textAim: to evaluate the adjunctive effects of photodynamic therapy (aPDT) on nonsurgical mechanical treatment in patients with periodontitis. Materials and methods: The search strategy was conducted according to the PRISMA guidelines to answer research questions regarding the effectiveness of aPDT in association with non-surgical periodontal therapy. The mean values and standard deviations were collected by data extraction. A descriptive comparison between aPDT in association with periodontal treatment and periodontal treatment alone was performed, and meta-analyses of PPD were also performed. Both randomized controlled clinical trials (RCTs) and controlled clinical trials (CCTs) were included. Results: Out of 2059 records, 14 articles on adjunctive photodynamic therapy were included because they met the eligibility criteria. A comparison between the aPDT data and the control group showed improved PPD for photodynamic therapy (SMD −0.76, p = 0.003; I2 = 88%). Statistical analysis was then applied to the three PPD subgroups. The first group included studies that used indocyanine green in association with a wavelength of 810 nm (SMD −1.79, p < 0.00001, I2 = 88%). The second group included studies that used phenothiazine chloride at a wavelength of 660 nm (SMD −0.03, p = 0.84, I2 = 0%). The last group included studies that used methylene blue photosensitizers treated with a wavelength 628–670 nm were included (SMD −0.13, p = 0.38; I2 = 0%). Conclusions: despite the limited number of RCTs and the great heterogeneity between them, it can be concluded that aPDT in association with nonsurgical periodontal treatment improved the clinical parameters at 3 months
Periodontitis and Depressive Disorders: The Effects of Antidepressant Drugs on the Periodontium in Clinical and Preclinical Models: A Narrative Review
No full textBackground/Objectives: Several psychological conditions, including stress and depression, can adversely affect oral health; in fact, antidepressants, commonly used to treat depressive disorders, may have conflicting effects on the periodontal status of individuals. The aim of this review was to determine the effects of antidepressants on the periodontium. Methods: A literature search was conducted using electronic databases, Pubmed/MEDLINE, Cochrane Library, focusing on the use of antidepressants and their effects on periodontal health in animals or humans. Results: Seventeen articles have been included with the use of amitriptyline (two studies), desipramine (one study), imipramine (two studies), desvenlafaxine (one study), fluoxetine (six studies), venlafaxine (three studies) and tianeptine (two studies). One study evaluated several categories of antidepressants, such as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI), serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRI), tricyclic, atypical and monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAO). Most trials showed improvements in periodontal health, especially with fluoxetine, but also with imipramine, desipramine, desvenlafaxine and tianeptine; on the contrary, worsening of clinical periodontal indices and increased loss of alveolar bone were reported with venlafaxine. Conclusions: This review suggests that in the presence of comorbidity between periodontitis and depression, pharmacological treatment with SNRIs, SSRIs and mixed antidepressants is associated with improvement in periodontal parameters, except for venlafaxine. Healthcare professionals (especially oral and mental health professionals) should investigate proper adherence to medication therapy in patients with a history of periodontitis and depression. Further clinical trials are needed to confirm these results
Social Network to analyse the relationship between ‘victim-author’ and ‘motivation’ of violence against women in Italy.
No full textThe paper aims to analyse the phenomenon of Violence against women in the Italian context during 2020. It proposes to study the relationship between ‘victim-author’ and ‘motivation’ in femicides committed in domestic environment. By means of the properties of the Social Network Analysis on bimodal data, the study detected main actors and motivations that generated the homicides with female victims. At the same time, the structural relationships allowed to investigate the existence of motivations that better characterized the action of the various actors. The bipartite graph visualization and centrality scores calculated have demonstrated the effectiveness of the methodology for the pursued objectives
Louis-Philippe Dalembert, «vagabond jusqu’au bout de la fatigue»
No full textThe Haitian novelist and poet Louis-Philippe Dalembert (Port-au-Prince, 1962) has developed in his works of fiction the concept of vagabondage as a literary projection of his biographical wandering through multiple spaces. The aim of this essay is to study the presence of vagabondage and its distinctive features in those novels written by Dalembert that reflect the writer’s perpetual motion: Le Crayon du bon Dieu n’a pas de gomme (1996), L’Autre face de la mer (1998), L’Île du bout des rêves (2003), Les dieux voyagent la nuit (2006). The main characters are constantly moving, they are cosmopolitan wanderers who belong to many places at the same time, just like Dalembert himself. By analyzing the representation of movement in these fictions, we will show that the notion of vagabondage is depicted by the author as a positive and meaningful opportunity for the vagabond who travels across countries, languages and cultures
Una ridiscussione dei concetti di home e identity nell’Asia globalizzata: il caso di These Foolish Things (2004) e How to Get Filthy Rich in Rising Asia (2013)
No full textThe evolution of postcolonial studies in the last thirty years and the development of a transnational approach in literary studies (Jay 2010) have led to a renewed interest towards the subaltern voices, especially in relation to the phenomena of migration and diaspora and their global effects. In this light, the idea of 'home' is characterized by a sort of porosity and by a new geographical and emotional conceptualization which inevitably influences the personal and collective identities of migrant communities.
The aim of the paper is to analyze these topics from a cultural and literary standpoint through the examination of the two different kinds of migrant flows and postcolonial scenarios depicted in These Foolish Things (2004) by the English author Deborah Moggach, and How to Get Filthy Rich in Rising Asia (2013) by the Pakistan novelist Mohsin Hamid. In these novels, the chaotic Indian framework – the former margin of the British empire – is torn between its colonial past and the current effects of the permeability of its borders. It is, therefore, a perfect global context, wherein the experiences and the feelings of the modern Indian identities are reinterpreted by the two authors
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