1,721,829 research outputs found
A biological model to explain the association between human rhinovirus respiratory infections and bronchial asthma
No full textHuman rhinoviruses (HRVs) are a frequent cause or upper respiratory tract infections in children and adults, and can exacerbate existing pulmonary disease. The major group of HRV attach to the receptor intercellular adhesion molecule (ICAM)-1, which is expressed on many cell types including epithelial cells. To study the influence of biological mediators on ICAM-1 expression, and consequently HRV attachment and infection, we have established an in vitro model system to evaluate the effects or pre-exposure to different cytokines on surface expression of ICAM-1 of uninfected and HRV-14-infected epithelial cells. The results of our studies show that the cytokines interleukin (IL)-1 beta, IL-8 and tumour necrosing factor (TNF)alpha increased ICAM-1 expression on epithelial cells. Epithelial cells infected with live HRV-14 displayed a significant upregulation of ICAM-1 compared to baseline. In contrast, interferon (IFN)gamma, whilst increasing the level of ICAM-1 expression on uninfected cells, induced a marked persistent downregulation of ICAM-1 expression on HRV-infected epithelial cells. In addition, IFN gamma appeared to completely override the ICAM-1 upregulation induced by IL-1 beta, IL-8 and TNF alpha, during HRV infection. We have further demonstrated that type 2 T-helper cell (Th2)-associated cytokines, predominantly IL-13, induce a marked upregulation or epithelial cell surface ICAM-1, thus increasing cellular binding sites for HRV attachment. As the airway mucosa or asthmatic subjects is predominantly infiltrated by activated type 2 T-helper cells with a simultaneous decrease of type 1 T-helper cells, our observations could explain the increased susceptibility to human rhinovirus infection observed in asthma.Human rhinoviruses (HRVs) are a frequent cause of upper respiratory tract infections in children and adults, and can exacerbate existing pulmonary disease. The major group of HRV attach to the receptor intercellular adhesion molecule (ICAM)-1, which is expressed on many cell types including epithelial cells. To study the influence of biological mediators on ICAM-1 expression, and consequently HRV attachment and infection, we have established an in vitro model system to evaluate the effects of pre-exposure to different cytokines on surface expression of ICAM-1 of uninfected and HRV-14-infected epithelial cells. The results of our studies show that the cytokines interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-8 and tumour necrosing factor (TNF)α increased ICAM-1 expression on epithelial cells. Epithelial cells infected with live HRV-14 displayed a significant upregulation of ICAM-1 compared to baseline. In contrast, interferon (IFN)γ, whilst increasing the level of ICAM-1 expression on uninfected cells, induced a marked persistent downregulation of ICAM-1 expression on HRV-infected epithelial cells. In addition, IFNγ appeared to completely override the ICAM-1 upregulation induced by IL-1β, IL-8 and TNFα, during HRV infection. We have further demonstrated that type 2 T-helper cell (Th2)-associated cytokines, predominantly IL-13, induce a marked upregulation of epithelial cell surface ICAM-1, thus increasing cellular binding sites for HRV attachment. As the airway mucosa of asthmatic subjects is predominantly infiltrated by activated type 2 T-helper cells with a simultaneous decrease of type 1 T-helper cells, our observations could explain the increased susceptibility to human rhinovirus infection observed in asthma
I fattori determinanti dell'export di vino secondo il modello gravitazionale: un'applicazione alle principali destinazioni mondiali
Full text linkInternational wine trade has gained a great importance during years, specially for our country, and there’s a raising interest in the study of its structure, functioning and the forces that govern it.
In this work international wine export has been studied with a gravity model - an econometrical model with an increasing importance and acceptance among scientist - for the explication of transactional phenomenal. The study concerned bilateral trade of twelve of the main wine markets, both importers and exporters, from 1997 until 2010, utilizing a proper panel data for still and sparkling wine.
According to previous works found in literature regarding gravity wines, in addition to the classical model estimation, it has been proposed an expanded model in order to obtain more accurate results. This expanded model include more variables than those traditionally included in literature (distance and GDP) like exchange rate and wine production of exporting country, language and trade barriers.
The hypothesis that lead to variables election is tied to them growing importance in the economic policy intervention at international level, in particular in the market regulation of good and inside the WTO. In practice, the aim was to evaluate if these variables have a great impact also in the case of wine market.
Results leads to believe that wine export are strongly conditioned by the income level of the importing country, while distance, even having a negative impact, doesn’t seem to have the same importance found in another goods. When countries have the same official language the model show a trade growth of more than twice, and also exporter exchange rate has a significant effect, with an increasing export when exporter currency devaluate.
In order to better evaluate the role of trade barriers, that has growing relevance for alimentary goods and especially for wine, tariff and non tariff barriers have been taken into account. In addition, non tariff barriers have been divided into technical barriers and sanitary – phytosanitary barriers. The study has highlighted how sparkling wine, despite having higher duties levels on average, is less affected to tariffs applied by importing country, and seem to have a behavior more similar to luxury goods ones.
Technical barriers seem to penalize mainly still bottled wine, while for sanitary and phytosanitary measures there isn’t any effect with statistical significance.
In the light of WTO negotiate, the study seems to validate the importance of reducing effects of tariff and technical barriers to trade, especially for still bottled win
Gli effetti della patologia respiratoria cronica sulla muscolatura
No full textRespiratory rehabilitation is indicated in all thoraco-pulmonary system diseases
in addition to pharmacologic treatment.
However, COPD remains the main disease receiving rehabilitative treatments. The
primary objective of rehabilitation is to improve the physical performance and reducing
dyspnoea. The individual’s rehabilitation plan is designed to achieve restoration of
both respiratory and limb muscle strength.La riabilitazione respiratoria trova indicazione in tutte le patologie coinvolgenti
il sistema toraco-polmonare nei diversi stadi di malattia come opzione terapeutica
complementare al trattamento farmacologico previsto. Tuttavia, è la BPCO la
patologia maggiormente trattata in riabilitazione. Lo scopo principale del trattamento
riabilitativo per i pazienti con BPCO è quello di migliorare la performance fisica
e la tolleranza fisica allo sforzo riducendo la spiacevole sensazione dispnoica. Il
programma di riabilitazione personalizzato alle esigenze del singolo paziente, stilato
dal team riabilitativo mira sostanzialmente al recupero della forza e della resistenza
dei muscoli, sia respiratori che degli arti
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