59 research outputs found
Increased chromosomal DNA damage is predictor of turare aderse cardiac events in patients with coronary artery disease
No full textAdenosine A2(A) receptor gene polymorphism (1976C > T) affects coronary flow reserve response during vasodilator stress testing in patients with non ischemic-dilated cardiomyopathy
No full textOBJECTIVES:
Patients with non ischemic-dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) are characterized by an activation of the adenosinergic system and reduced coronary flow reserve (CFR) evaluated by transthoracic Doppler echocardiography during vasodilator adenosinergic stress (dipyridamole administration). The aim of this study was to assess whether genetic polymorphisms (263C>T and 1976C>T) of the A2(A) receptor gene affect CFR response in patients with DCM.
METHODS:
We enrolled a group of 80 patients with DCM (55 male; age, 62±10.3 years) and 162 healthy volunteers (55 male; age, 45.1±9.5 years). Doppler-derived CFR (high-dose dipyridamole coronary diastolic peak flow velocity to resting coronary peak flow velocity ratio) of distal left anterior descending artery was determined in DCM. A2(A) receptor genotyping was determined in all patients by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis. The expression of A2(A) protein and mRNA was also assessed in healthy controls.
RESULTS:
The genotype distribution of the 263C>T (P=0.5) and 1976C>T (P=0.8) polymorphisms was not significantly different between patients and controls. Patients with 1976TT genotype had significantly lower CFR value than 1976CC patients (2.3±0.7, 2.0±0.5 and 1.9±0.4, P<0.05 for CC, CT and TT genotypes, respectively). Controls who were heterozygous (P=0.02) or homozygous (P=0.001) for the T1976 allele showed a significant increase in A2(A) receptor protein.
CONCLUSION:
These data demonstrate that A2(A) 1976C>T polymorphism is associated with a blunted coronary vasodilatory response in patients with DCM, and support a direct consequences of this single nucleotide polymorphism for protein expression. Additional studies are needed to better define the functional role of this genetic variant as well as to clarify the potential clinical impact of genetics during pharmacological stress cardiac imaging
Small-caliber vascular grafts based on a piezoelectric nanocomposite elastomer: Mechanical properties and biocompatibility
No full textThe development of small-caliber grafts still represents a challenge in the field of vascular prostheses. Among other factors, the mechanical properties mismatch between natural vessels and artificial devices limits the efficacy of state-of-the-art materials. In this paper, a novel nanocomposite graft with an internal diameter of 6 nun is proposed. The device is obtained through spray deposition using a semi-interpenetrating polymeric network combining poly(ether)urethane and polydimethilsyloxane. The inclusion of BaTiO3 nanoparticles endows the scaffold with piezoelectric properties, which may be exploited in the future to trigger beneficial biological effects. Graft characterization demonstrated a good nanoparticle dispersion and an overall porosity that was not influenced by the presence of nanoparticles. Graft mechanical properties resembled (or even ameliorated) the ones of natural vessels: both doped and non-doped samples showed a Young's modulus of similar to 700 kPa in the radial direction and similar to 900 kPa in the longitudinal direction, an ultimate tensile strength of similar to 1 MPa, a strain to failure of similar to 700%, a suture retention force of similar to 1.7 N and a flexural rigidity of similar to 2.5 x 10(-5) N m(2). The two grafts differed in terms of burst strength that resulted similar to 800 kPa for the control non-doped samples and similar to 1100 kPa for the doped ones. The graft doped with BaTiO3 nanoparticles showed a d(33) coefficient of 1.91 pm/V, almost double than the non-doped control. The device resulted highly stable, with a mass loss smaller than 2% over 3 months and an excellent biocompatibility
Carboxymethyl Cellulose-Based Hydrogel Film Combined with Umbilical Cord Blood Platelet gel as an Innovative Tool for Chronic Wound Management: A Pilot Clinical Study
No full textTreatment of chronic leg ulcers remains a major challenge and it is a substantial financial burden on individuals, families, caregivers, and health care system. There is increasing evidence on using of autologous Platelet-rich-plasma in wound repair but limited clinical data are available on the efficacy and safety of the use of umbilical cord blood platelet gel (CBPG). In our pilot study, for the first time, we aimed to evaluated the safety and efficacy of the use of umbilical CBPG combined with a hydrogel dressing in 10 patients with chronic venous ulcers (VU). The protocol consisted of application of umbilical cord blood platelet-rich plasma (PRP) combined with a Carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC)-based hydrogel dressing once a week for 4 weeks. The 80% of patients after 4 weeks of treatment had a significantly decrease in wound size. Moreover, we obtained an improvement in terms of mean Wound Bed Score (WBS), numeric rating scale (NRS) value and the EQ-5D index score. This pilot study showed that the topically therapeutic administration of umbilical CBPG associated with a CMC-based hydrogel dressing has the potential to accelerate the healing of chronic lesions without adverse reaction. However, additional studies with larger sample size and longer follow-up periods are required to confirm our findings
Screening genetico di TGFBR1 e TGFBR2 in casi familiari di aneurisma dell'aorta toracica
No full textGli aneurismi dell’aorta toracica rappresentano un’importante causa di morbosità e mortalità nei paesi occidentali. Studi in letteratura hanno dimostrato come disordini genetici, vedi la sindrome di Marfan, la bicuspidia aortica e altri disordini del tessuto connettivo, incrementino il rischio di sviluppare la patologia aneurismatica soprattutto in individui di giovane età. Tuttavia la maggior parte dei casi tendono ad essere sporadici, asintomatici e spesso non vengono diagnosticati prima della comparsa della rottura.
I meccanismi genetici e molecolari alla base della patologia aneurismatica sono ancora poco chiari, sebbene negli ultimi anni sia stato osservato un ruolo chiave svolto dal TGF-beta. Infatti studi di sequenziamento genico in casi familiari di aneurisma aortico hanno riscontrato la presenza di mutazioni a livello dei geni codificanti i recettori di tipo 1 e 2 del TGF-beta (TGFBR1 e TGFBR2).
Pertanto lo scopo della tesi è quello di verificare, mediante screening genetico, la presenza di mutazioni a carico dei geni TGFBR1 e TGFBR2 in casi familiari di aneurisma dell’aorta toracica. Abbiamo arruolato 2 pazienti, afferenti presso l’ospedale Pasquinucci di Massa, i quali presentavano una storia familiare positiva di aneurisma toracico. L’analisi mutazionale è stata effettuata mediante sequenziamento genico sia delle regioni codificanti, 9 esoni per il gene TGFBR1 e 7 esoni per il gene TGFBR2 che delle vicine regioni introniche, importanti siti di splicing. Il sequenziamento genico è stato ottenuto mediante l’impiego della piattaforma ad alta processività “GenomeLab GeXP Genetic Analysis System” (CEQ8800, Beckman) e le sequenze ottenute sono state analizzate con un software specifico, che ci ha permesso di confrontarle con sequenze ottenute dalla GenBank. Lo screening genetico ha rilevato la presenza di varianti polimorfiche già precedentemente descritte in letteratura.
L’assenza di mutazioni patologiche nei nostri pazienti non esclude tuttavia il possibile ruolo dei geni TGFBR1 e TGFBR2 nell’eziologia aneurismatica.
Studi futuri si propongono di chiarire il meccanismo molecolare alla basa di tale patologia ed il potenziale effetto di mutazioni a carico del gene TGF-beta
Structured mesh generation strategy for CFD analysis of a marine ducted propeller
No full textLAUREA SPECIALISTICAIn maniera del tutto analoga ai fan, alle palette dei compressori e delle turbine dei motori aeronautici, un'elica marina intubata costituisce una geometria alquanto complessa, presentando profili, lunghezze di corda e angoli d'attacco differenti sezione per sezione. Inoltre, al fine di sopportare i pesanti carichi meccanici richiesti dalle moderne imbarcazioni (soprattutto quelle ad alta velocità), l'elica marina è generalmente utilizzata ad elevate velocità di rotazione, cosa che implica uno svergolamento della stessa ben superiore a quello delle componenti poc'anzi citate. Tutto ciò, insieme all'ulteriore aggiunta di una intubazione per l'innalzamento delle prestazioni, rende l'analisi del flusso attorno ad un'elica marina intubata uno dei problemi più interessanti da affrontare nell'ambito della fluidodinamica computazionale (CFD).Similar to aerospace fans, compressors and turbine blades, a marine nozzle propeller is a very complex geometry in that it has variable section profiles,
chord lengths, and pitch angles. Furthermore, in order to meet the heavy loads required for today's high-speed vessels, it should be operated at high speeds of rotation, which ensures higher skewness in the propeller design. All of these make the marine nozzle propeller flow one of the most challenging problems in computational fluid dynamics (CFD)
Framing power relationship in urban mega projects (UMPs). The case of the Hudson Yards Redevelopment Project NYC
No full textOgni atto di pianificazione è, oggi come ieri, un atto politico: “non è mai né innocente, né neutrale”(Forester 1998): le forme di conquista e occupazione dello spazio si realizzano con divisioni e delimitazioni spaziali che sono l’affermazione di forme specifiche di potere, di strategie economiche e sociali, simboliche e culturali (Mazza,1993). A fronte dell’assunzione che lo spazio è per definizione politico (Lefebvre, 1976) – ossia solcato dalle strategie dei diversi gruppi che lo abitano e che tentano di inscrivervi valori imperativi per la comunità (Easton, 1953) – e dunque strategico – ossia disponibile ad un uso orientato, politicamente, socialmente, economicamente, diventa interessante conoscere e comprendere i possibili rapporti e nessi tra le strategie di pianificazione e le relazioni di potere che strutturano il campo della regolazione urbanistica.
La ricerca si pone come obiettivo l’analisi del processo politico urbano; in particolare, gli Urban Mega Project dell'epoca post fordista, vengono assunti come ambiente analitico ideale per osservare i nessi tra politica/potere e politiche/azioni. Lo sguardo volge alle coalizioni di attori, mobilitazioni, eventi, alle interconnessioni ma anche alle sovrapposizioni, interferenze di iniziative e programmi, poste in gioco, in un grande caso di trasformazione urbana nel Far West Side Manhattan: gli Hudson Yards. Quale approccio teorico sembra poter meglio interpretare questo intricato sistema di relazioni di potere?Considering the assumption that space is political by definition (Lefebvre & Enders 1976) - hence strategic - i.e. accessible to a politically, socially and economically oriented use - it becomes interesting to know and understand the potential relations and connections between the planning strategies and power relations that define the field of urban restructuring processes in the post fordist urban economy era.
The research aims to understand which theoretical approach might represent the best analytical framework to interpret the system of power that structures, leads and rules the decision-making processes and the implementation of some of the most widespread urban revitalization strategies: the Urban Mega Projects (UMPs).
In recent years, the dominant analytical approaches aimed to frame the urban power have mainly focused on the so-called pro-growth coalition (Molotoch & Logan 1987) and the stable market-led governing coalition (Stone 1989), i.e. the urban regimes, as the drivers of the most important urban transformations.
Therefore the essential question: is an approach mainly focalized upon stable and market-led pro-growth alliances still adequate? Or would it be better suited a more pluralistic and institutional framework – which draws from new institutional and political economy approaches? The research question has been elaborated through a single case study: the Hudson Yards development project in NYC, an example of the new wave of UMPs of the post fordist urban economy era.DIPARTIMENTO DI ARCHITETTURA E STUDI URBANI26RANCI ORTIGOSA, COSTANZ
Metriorhynchus Geoffroyii (von Meyer 1832
No full text<i>METRIORHYNCHUS</i> VON MEYER, 1832 <p>(FIGS 1–3)</p> <p> <i>Type specimen:</i> MHNG V-2232, partial cranial rostrum.</p> <p> Eugène Eudes-Deslongchamps (1867 – 69: 118) attempted to rectify the taxonomic issues associated with <i>Metriorhynchus</i>, and designated a new type species for the genus (<i>Me. superciliosus</i>). However, the ICZN did not exist during that time, and under Article 68.3 of the Code, <i>M. geoffroyii</i> is the type species by monotypy. As stated above, von Meyer (1832) never designated a type specimen for <i>Me. geoffroyii</i>. The first time MHNG V-2232 was considered to the lectotype was by Vignaud (1995) in his unpublished PhD thesis, which Young <i>et al.</i> (2010) followed. However, as noted above, Young <i>et al.</i> (2010) merely stated that MHNG V-2232 was the lectotype, they did not designate it so. Thus, until this publication, no-one has ever designated a type specimen for <i>Metriorhynchus geoffroyii</i> that fulfils Article 74.7.3 of the ICZN Code. As herein, we formally designate MHNG V-2232 to be the lectotype; it ensures that the cranial rostrum description of von Meyer (1832), which was the basis for the generic name, is reflected in the type specimen and ensures taxonomic stability. With the ‘Havre snout’ (MHNG V-2232) being the lectotype of both <i>Me. geoffroyii</i> and <i>Ga. jurinii</i> it renders them both junior objective synonyms of <i>Steneosaurus brevirostris</i> Holl, 1829.</p> <p> <i>Type species:</i> <i>Metriorhynchus geoffroyii</i> von Meyer, 1832, a junior objective synonym of <i>Steneosaurus brevirostris</i> Holl, 1829 (following Recommendation 67B of the ICZN Code).</p> <p> <i>Note:</i> We cannot use Article 23.9 to preserve <i>Me. geoffroyii</i> as it does not fulfil Article 23.9.1.2. A Google Scholar online search for ‘ <i>Metriorhynchus geoffroyii</i> ’ from 1970–2020 gave 13 results: all are from 2001 onwards and most of the first authors mentioning the species are co-authors on this contribution. We recognize that Google Scholar is not an ideal literature search, especially for historical names, but it does give a general overview of how widespread the usage of a name is.</p> <p> <i>Etymology:</i> Latinized from Greek µέτριο, moderate, and ρύγχος, snout.</p> <p> <i>Diagnosis:</i> Same as the only species herein regarded to be validly assigned to the genus <i>Metriorhynchus</i> (see below).</p>Published as part of <i>Young, Mark T., Brignon, Arnaud, Sachs, Sven, Hornung, Jahn J., Foffa, Davide, Kitson, James J. N., Johnson, Michela M. & Steel, Lorna, 2021, Cutting the Gordian knot: a historical and taxonomic revision of the Jurassic crocodylomorph Metriorhynchus, pp. 510-553 in Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 192 (2)</i> on page 531, DOI: 10.1093/zoolinnean/zlaa092, <a href="http://zenodo.org/record/7017003">http://zenodo.org/record/7017003</a>
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