1,720,965 research outputs found
Soothing and anti-itch effect of quercetin phytosome in human subjects: A single-blind study
Full text linkBackground: We evaluated the ability of quercetin, a natural antioxidant formulated in a specific delivery system, to reduce skin inflammation induced by a variety of stimuli, including UV radiation, stimulation with a histamine solution, or contact with chemical irritants. In particular, we tested the soothing and anti-itch effect of Quercevita®, 1% cream for external use, a formulation characterized by a phospholipids-based delivery system. Patients and methods: The study was a monocentric, single blind trial that enrolled a group of 30 healthy volunteers. The back of each subject was examined to identify four quadrants with no previous skin damage or naevi that were treated in order to induce a controlled and reversible form of skin stress. The areas were treated as follows: no product; Quercevita® 1% cream, 2 mg/cm2; placebo; positive control (a commercially available topical formulation containing 1% dexchlorpheniramine). Results: Only quercetin phospholipids 1% and dexchlorpheniramine 1% achieved a significant reduction in erythema with comparable results: (â10.05% [P=0.00329] for quercetin phospholipids 1% vs â14.05% [P=0.00046] for the positive control). Moreover, quercetin phospholipids 1% and dexchlorpheniramine 1% were both associated with a significant decrease in mean wheal diameter: (â13.25% and â12.23% for dexchlorpheniramine 1%, respectively). Similar findings were reported for the other tested parameters. Conclusion: Quercetin has a skin protective effect against damage caused by a variety of insults, including UV radiation, histamine, or contact with toxic chemical compounds. Indeed, quercetin is able to reduce redness, itching, and inflammation of damaged skin; it may also help restore skin barrier function, increasing hydration, and reducing water loss
Component-Resolved Diagnosis Based on a Recombinant Variant of Mus m 1 Lipocalin Allergen
Full text linkExposure to the Mus m 1 aeroallergen is a significant risk factor for laboratory animal allergy. This allergen, primarily expressed in mouse urine where it is characterized by a marked and dynamic polymorphism, is also present in epithelium and dander. Considering the relevance of sequence/structure assessment in protein antigenic reactivity, we compared the sequence of the variant Mus m 1.0102 to other members of the Mus m 1 allergen, and used Discotope 2.0 to predict conformational epitopes based on its 3D-structure. Conventional diagnosis of mouse allergy is based on serum IgE testing, using an epithelial extract as the antigen source. Given the heterogeneous and variable composition of extracts, we developed an indirect ELISA assay based on the recombinant component Mus m 1.0102. The assay performed with adequate precision and reasonable diagnostic accuracy (AUC = 0.87) compared to a routine clinical diagnostic test that exploits the native allergen. Recombinant Mus m 1.0102 turned out to be a valuable tool to study the fine epitope mapping of specific IgE reactivity to the major allergen responsible for mouse allergy. We believe that advancing in its functional characterization will lead to the standardization of murine lipocalins and to the development of allergen-specific immunotherapy
The allergen Mus m 1.0102: Dissecting the relationship between molecular conformation and allergenic potency
No full textBackground The species Mus musculus experiences an obligate proteinuria: predominant are the Major Urinary Proteins (MUPs), that, collectively known as the major mouse allergen Mus m 1, are among the most important aeroallergens for mouse allergic patients. The production of a soluble and stable hypoallergenic form of Mus m 1 is essential for the development of immunotherapeutic protocols to treat allergic symptoms. Methods We introduced the substitution C138S in recombinant Mus m 1.0102, an allergenic isoform of Mus m 1. Solubility, conformation, stability and ability to refold after chemical denaturation were investigated with dynamic light scattering, circular dichroism, fluorescence and NMR spectroscopy. An in vitro degranulation assay was used to evaluate the protein allergenic potential, and compare it with Mus m 1.0102 and with an hypoallergenic variant bearing the substitution Y120A. Results Mus m 1.0102-C138S retains a native-like fold revealing, however, local conformational alterations that influence some of its physical and allergenic properties: it is monodispersed, thermostable up to 56 °C, able to reversibly unfold and it exhibits an enhanced allergenicity. Conclusions The unique free thiol group affects the solution structural stability of the native protein. Because the mutant C138S does not aggregate over time it is a good lead protein to develop diagnostic and therapeutic applications. General significance We elucidated the relationship between unfolding reversibility and sulphydryl reactivity. We ascribed the enhanced allergenicity of the mutant C138S to an increased accessibility of its allergenic determinants, an enticing feature to further investigate the structural elements of the allergen-IgE interface
Sublingual immunotherapy in mite-sensitized children with atopic dermatitis: A randomized, open, parallel-group study
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Going Beyond Counting First Authors in Author Co-citation Analysis
Full text linkThe 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
Selective increase in serum IgE following enfuvirtide administration in HIV-1 infected multidrug resistant patients
No full textEnfuvirtide (ENF) is the first HIV-1 entry inhibitor used in clinical practice and is currently administered via the subcutaneous route. We here evaluated whether ENF administration leads to a change in humoral parameters, including IgE, possibly related to ENF-associated injection site reactions (ISRs). A 24-week prospective study was conducted in multidrug resistant patients enrolled in the ENF Early Access Program characterized by CD4 counts <= 100 cells/microlitre and no other active antiretroviral drug. Licensed commercial laboratory assays were used to measure the parameters considered in this study. Results are reported as medians (interquartiles IQR). Statistical analyses were performed using Wilcoxon sign rank, Wilcoxon rank sum and Kruskall Wallis tests. Total IgM, IgA and IgG did not change significantly throughout the study. Conversely, a significant increase in IgE was observed in all patients, in those with normal as well as in those with altered IgE at baseline (BL). ISRs such as induration and number of nodules were more frequent in patients with altered BL IgE. IgE increased significantly in all patients, regardless of the different stratifications in their BL CD4 counts. Of note, the ENF-induced increase in CD4 occurred significantly in all patients, independently of their BL IgE levels. The immunological response associated with ENF treatment is accompanied by a selective increase in IgE levels. Determination of IgE could be used in the monitoring ISRs associated with ENF
Variations on the Author
Full text link“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
Diamine Oxidase Supplementation in Chronic Spontaneous Urticaria: A Randomized, Double-Blind Placebo-Controlled Study
No full text<b><i>Introduction:</i></b> Diamine oxidase (DAO) catabolizes and inactivates histamine, a key player in a wide range of invalidating conditions, such as migraine and chronic spontaneous urticaria (CSU). The highest expression of DAO occurs in the gastrointestinal tract, possibly to control the burden of histamine intake from food. <b><i>Methods:</i></b> Here, we tested the hypothesis that a 30-day oral supplementation with DAO (1 capsule b.i.d., 15 min before a meal) could reduce the severity of CSU as estimated by the 7-Day Urticaria Activity Score (UAS-7). The study was designed as a double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover investigation of 22 patients with CSU incompletely controlled by first-line antihistamine therapy. <b><i>Results:</i></b> Twenty patients completed the study. Supplemental therapy with DAO caused a 3.8 ± 1.2 point mean ± SEM UAS-7 score reduction in patients with low serum DAO levels at time 0 (<i>p</i> = 0.041 compared to placebo). The degree of UAS-7 improvement was inversely correlated with the levels of basal DAO (<i>p</i> = 0.019). Patients receiving DAO supplementation were able to slightly reduce their daily antihistamine dose (<i>p</i> = 0.049). <b><i>Conclusion:</i></b> These data suggest that DAO may be involved in the pathogenic cascade of CSU and that DAO supplementation could be effective for symptom relief in patients with low DAO levels in serum.</jats:p
Appropriate Similarity Measures for Author Cocitation Analysis
Full text linkWe 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
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