1,172 research outputs found
The Role of Vitamin D in Allergic Diseases in Children
No full textThe role of vitamin D in calcium and phosphate homeostasis is well known; however, in addition to traditional functions, vitamin D modulates a variety of processes, and evidence shows that it has an important role in different allergic diseases such as asthma, atopic dermatitis, and food allergy. Vitamin D acts by binding to the vitamin D receptor, which is present in a variety of tissues; for this reason it is considered a hormone. One of the most important functions is to modulate the immune system response, both innate and adaptive, by suppressing Th2-type response and increasing natural killer cells. Recent studies show that higher serum levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D were associated with a reduced risk for asthma exacerbations and hospitalization. Other experimental data suggest that vitamin D can potentially increase the therapeutic response to glucocorticoid and potentially be used as an add-on treatment in steroid-resistant asthmatic patients. However, vitamin D stimulates the production and regulation of skin antimicrobial peptides, such as cathelicidins, which have both direct antimicrobial activity and induced host cellular response by triggering cytokine release. Recent evidence suggests that low blood vitamin D level is a risk factor for food allergy; vitamin D deficiency predisposes to gastrointestinal infections, which may promote the development of food allergy. In conclusion, several data suggest that serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels are often insufficient in children with asthma, atopic dermatitis, and food allergy. Further clinical trials are needed to provide conclusive evidence and to identify the effects of vitamin D in allergic diseases
Vitamin D Immunomodulatory Aspects
No full textVitamin D is a group of liposoluble prohormones consisting of 5 different vitamins, the most important forms being vitamin D2 and vitamin D3. The ergocalciferol (vitamin D2) is less efficacious and derives from irradiated fungi, while colecalciferol (vitamin D3), derived from cholesterol, is synthesized via ultraviolet B rays in animal organisms. Only the ultraviolet B rays (290 to 315 nm) portion of the solar ray photolyzes 7-dehydrocholesterol in the skin to previtamin D3, which is converted subsequently to vitamin D3. Moreover, the skin makes little vitamin D from the sun at latitudes above 37 degrees north or below 37 degrees south of the equator. Calcidiol [25(OH)D] is the more stable metabolite of vitamin D in serum and the best indicator of the vitamin D status. Optimal values range are >30 ng/mL. Calcitriol [1,25(OH)2D] is the active hormone form of vitamin D. The 1,25(OH)2D binds to its nuclear receptor (vitamin D receptor), expressed in many tissues, regulating the expression of genes involved in calcium metabolism, cell differentiation, apoptosis, and immunity. About immunity, calcitriol stimulates innate immune responses by enhancing the chemotactic and phagocytotic responses of macrophages as well as the production of antimicrobial peptides. 1,25(OH)2D strongly enhances production of interleukine-10 by stimulating T regulatory cells and inhibiting Th1 and Th17 cell differentiation. Furthermore, several studies suggest that lower 25(OH)D serum levels are associated with an increased risk of respiratory infection at all ages in a dose-response manner
Shark-like chondroitin sulfate and process for the preparation thereof
No full textThe present invention concerns a shark-like chondroitin sulfate and a process for the prepn. thereof. In particular, the present invention relates to a shark-like chondroitin sulfate having a very low amt. of 4-sulfate, a high charge d. and a biol. activity comparable to natural chondroitin sulfates. The invention also relates to a process for the prepn. of said shark-like chondroitin sulfate affording substantially higher productivities and better reproducibility of product quality. The shark-like chondroitin sulfate of the invention shows a high mol. mass and charge d. and in vitro biol. and anti-inflammatory effectiveness, comparable to the ones of natural products make this polysaccharide potentially useful as a drug in pharmaceutical prepns. and nutraceuticals. Chondroitin sulfate was obtained by the reaction of sodium chondroitin with sulfur trioxide pyridine comple
Volatile organic compounds and D-amino acids in ewes' milk as affected by temperature treatments and total microbial count
No full textThe aim of the study was to approach the analytical determination of chemical markers able to define the quality of sheep milk. Gas chromatographic determination of free amino acid enantiomers and headspace solid-phase microextraction, gas chromatography mass spectrometric detection of volatile compounds were applied to ewes’s milk samples characterized by different total microbial counts (TMC) and temperature treatments. Twenty bulk raw milk samples were obtained from Sardinian ewes and treated, before the final freeze-storage at -80° C, as follows: 1) raw milk; 2) raw milk refrigerated at 4°C for 48 h; 3) raw milk treated at 37°C for 3 h; 4) raw milk treated at 37°C for 3 h and refrigerated at 4°C for 48 h. Correlations between TMC and D-amino acids or volatile compounds were evaluated by Pearson’s analysis. Student-Newman-Keuls was used as post hoc test for comparison of the means among different groups, P value of ≤ 0.05 was considered as significant. Positive correlations between TMC and D-Ala (P<0.05) and between D-Ala and D-Asp (P<0.05) were found. D-amino acids contents in milk groups did not produce any significant difference. D/D+L amounts of D-Ala, D-Pro and D-Asp were lowest in group 1. D-Ala was highest in group 3 and 4, whereas D-Asp was highest in group 2. Changes in D-Met were opposite to D-Ala and D-Asp variations, with the highest values observed in group 1 and the lowest ones in group 4. Concerning the volatile fraction, ketones resulted the most abundant class of compounds, followed by aldehydes and alcohols. Sulfur and acid compounds were less represented. No correlations were observed between TMC and volatile compounds in milk; similarly, comparison of means of volatile compounds within groups was not significant
La cura dei folli nel Progetto di Stabilimento per alienati proposto da Biagio Gioacchino Miraglia
No full textThe essay is a study of the evolution of the mental institutions legislation after the Italy Unification. The author highlights the problems that Italy had to face regarding the adjustment of institutional arrangements in the healthcare, which urgently needed legislation to make uniform the mental institutions management and organization. Alienists were pressing for a primary and active role in the debate on the mental institutions legislation. Among these was certainly Biagio Gioacchino Miraglia who proposed in South Italy an important project
Biotechnologica sulphated chondroitin sulphate at position 4 or 6 on the same polysaccharide chain, and process for the preparation thereof
No full textThe present invention disclosed a process for the production of chondroitin sulphated with an average molecular weigh (Mw) of 10-30 KDa by chemical sulphation starting from an unsulphated backbone, obtained in turan by acidc hydrolisis of capsular polysaccarides K4 made directly from E. coli strai O5:K4:H14, ordirectly produced from a genetically modified strain of E. coli. Sulphatetion of N-acetil-D-galactosamine residue at position 4 or 6 takes place simultaneously in the same plisaccharide chain, simulating the sulphation pattern observed in natural chondroitin sulphate, unlike the sukphation obtained with the synthesis methods described to date
Effetto dell’integrazione della dieta di pecore con Rosmarinus officinalis sullo stato ossidativo del formaggio Pecorino durante la stagionatura R. BRANCIARI, C. FORTE, M. TRABALZA MARINUCCI, D. RANUCCI, M. ORRU, M. CODINI, R. ORTENZI, D. MIRAGLIA, A. VALIANI
No full textE' stato valutato l ́effetto dell ́integrazione di
rosmarino nella dieta di pecore da latte sulla stabilità ossidativa ed il potere
antiossidante del formaggio Pecorino. La somministrazione di rosmarino
si è dimostrata in grado di influenzare lo stato ossidativo dei formaggi.
I TBARs (Fig. 1) hanno fatto registrare valori inferiori nel gruppo R rispetto
al gruppo CTR a partire da 30 giorni fino alla fine del periodo di
stagionatura. Per quanto riguarda la capacità antiossidante del formaggio
anch’essa è aumentata nel corso della stagionatura ed è risultata
influenzata dal trattamento alimentare fin dal primo giorno
METHOD FOR RAPID ON-SITE IDENTIFICATION OF VOCs IN EWE MILK
No full textUse of a portable GC/MS for on-site identification of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in ewe milk is for the first time reported. Different VOCs tipically observed in milk were detected with a good repetitivity of the measurement
Sistemas de Información geográfica en la investigación científica actual
No full textEste libro es el resultado de la reflexión conjunta de docentes investigadores de tres universidades nacionales, en las cuales la tecnología SIG tiene amplio reconocimiento y apoyo para el desarrollo de docencia, proyectos de investigación y extensión, entre los aportes más destacados. El objetivo de esta producción es presentar experiencias de docencia e investigación en el ámbito de los Sistemas de Información Geográfica en las instituciones educativas de la región, nacionales e internacionales, abriendo la posibilidad de elaborar un banco de datos de experiencias de trabajo y a partir de ello formar redes de intercambio de información y cooperación interinstitucional.Fil: Miraglia, Marina. Universidad Nacional de General Sarmiento. Instituto del Conurbano; Argentina.Fil: Caloni, Nicolás. Universidad Nacional de General Sarmiento. Instituto del Conurbano; Argentina
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