102,096 research outputs found
Jesuit connections: Ruggiero G. Boscovich and Giovanni A. Lecchi
No full textIl lavoro presenta un quadro della vita di Ruggiero G. Boscovich durante il periodo da lui trascorso in Lombardia tra il 1763 ed il 1770. Boscovich fu prima professore di matematica all'Università di Pavia, poi alle Scuole Palatine di Milano. Alcuni manoscritti documentano questo importante periodo della sua vita, che precede di pochi anni la soppressione della Compagnia di Gesù.The present work provides a framework of Ruggiero Giuseppe Boscovich’s life during his stay in Lombardy in the period 1763-1770. He was called in Pavia as a professor of mathematics in the local University. Some unpublished manuscripts well document this important period in the life of the Jesuit. The first one represents a list of scientific books Boscovich suggests for the University Library of Pavia. Another source of information is a collection of twenty-two letters, written by Giovanni Antonio Lecchi to Boscovich in the period 1763-1770. This correspondence foreruns the canonical suppression of the Society of Jesus (1773)
Variability of [F-18]FDG administered activities among patients undergoing PET examinations : An international multicenter survey
No full textGiven the large number of [(18)F]fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) PET examinations performed annually throughout the world, reduction of the administered activity without compromise of the clinical information being sought is encouraged. Guidelines issued by the SNMMI and European Association of Nuclear Medicine (EANM) differ greatly on the choice of the activity that should be administered to patients: the EANM suggests a personalised activity based on the patient's body weight, whereas the SNMMI recommends the administration of fixed activities. The authors analysed a database of 24 716 [(18)F]FDG administrations performed worldwide in 15 PET centres to assess the degree of heterogeneity, in relation to available technology, operational protocols and reference guidelines. Median activities based on the patients' body weight were 43 % lower than fixed-activity administrations (p < 0.001). When TOF scanners are available, the median activity is lowered, but when comparing centres with the same technology or those that use the same operational protocols, weight-based activities are still significantly lower than fixed activities
Stem cell models in ataxia-telangiectasia
No full text: Ataxia-telangiectasia is a rare neurodegenerative disease with a complex phenotype, which has recently been associated with alterations in metabolism, inadequate responses to oxidative stress and inflammation, as well as increased cardiovascular and tumor risk. All of these appear to be attributable to genetic mutations/variants in the ataxia-telangiectasia mutated gene, which encodes the ataxia-telangiectasia mutated protein. The possibility of a better phenotypic definition provides a basis for timely, personalized therapeutic intervention to reduce or prevent worsening of clinical symptoms. Several ataxia-telangiectasia mutated knock-out murine models were created, but none efficiently developed progressive ataxia, failing to recapitulate human neurodegeneration following ataxia-telangiectasia mutated deficiency. Furthermore, considering the strong awareness of the ban on the use of animals in scientific research, a great effort has been made and is still ongoing to create human cellular models of ataxia-telangiectasia with the aim of understanding in detail the molecular mechanisms of neurodegeneration and skeletal muscle defect, of being able to identify specific therapies. This review highlights human stem cell approaches as in vitro models that have been established as attempts to study the outcomes of ataxia-telangiectasia mutated inactivation regarding neurogenic and myogenic differentiation. The first attempts at differentiation from fetal tissues, through the induced pluripotent stem cell revolution and the latest urine-derived stem cells will be reviewed
The role of selection pressure in shaping zoxamide resistance in Plasmopara viticola populations
No full textBACKGROUNDZ: oxamide, a beta-tubulin inhibitor, is widely used in vineyards to control downy mildew caused by the high-risk pathogen Plasmopara viticola. This study aimed to investigate the selection of zoxamide resistance and its characterization, providing practical insights for resistance management, through a twofold approach: a quantitative assessment of selection pressure effects on oospore populations and the molecular characterization of resistance-associated mutations in P. viticola strains. RESULTS: A total of 126 populations sampled from 57 vineyards mainly located in North-eastern Italy, were analyzed over a 6-year period (2017-2022). Based on toxicological parameters, 90% of the samples were fully sensitive to zoxamide (EC50 < 0.2 mg/L; EC95 and MIC<10 mg/L). Resistant individuals, able to germinate at 100 mg/L zoxamide, were detected in low frequency (<12%) within 13 samples. Only two samples showed a high frequency of resistant individuals (24-33%). Resistance was primarily found in vineyards treated more than four times per season with zoxamide. Partial sequencing of beta-tubulin gene revealed different polymorphisms at codon 239 associated with resistant isolates: the known C239S/G mutations, with the SG genotype being predominant, and a potential novel C239T mutation, not previously reported. CONCLUSION: This study highlighted a low risk of resistance under moderate fungicide application frequencies, indicating the importance of limiting fungicide applications to preserve sensitivity. The genetic diversity of resistance mechanisms, reflected in the various mutations in the beta-tubulin gene, underscores the need for a deeper investigation into the fitness of the different genotypes to evaluate resistance spread in P. viticola populations. (c) 2025 The Author(s). Pest Management Science published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry
Usefulness of PFA-100 (R) testing in the diagnostic screening of patients with suspected abnormalities of hemostasis: comparison with the bleeding time
No full textBackground: Global tests of hemostasis that are used to screen patients with clinical suspicion of bleeding disorders should help the physician to identify the phase of the hemostatic system that is abnormal and guide further diagnostic workup.Patients and methods: We compared the performance of Platelet Function Analyzer-100 (PFA-100((R))) closure time (CT) with bleeding time (BT), both of which are screening tests for primary hemostasis, in the diagnostic workup of 128 consecutive patients who were screened for bleeding disorders. The sensitivities of BT and PFA-100 CT for known defects of hemostasis were evaluated; in addition, we calculated their correlation with the levels of severity of the bleeding symptoms, which were recorded using a standardized questionnaire.Results: The sensitivity of PFA-100 testing was 71% for von Willebrand disease (VWD) [with both collagen-adenosine diphosphate (C-ADP) and collagen-epinephrine (C-EPI) cartridges]; 58% (C-EPI) and 8% (C-ADP) for platelet function disorders (PFDs); and the sensitivity of BT was 29% (VWD) and 33% (PFD). C-EPI CT was also prolonged in about 20% of patients with abnormalities of coagulation or fibrinolysis. Only the C-EPI CT was significantly associated with the levels of severity of the patients' bleeding scores.Conclusions: BT and C-EPI are insufficiently sensitive to be recommended as hemostasis screening tests. The C-ADP cartridge, which is sensitive to VWD only, might prove useful in further diagnostic workup of defects of primary hemostasis. The association of C-EPI CT with the severity of bleeding symptoms as a useful predictor of risk of bleeding in clinical practise should be tested in properly designed studies
Real-time pcr per la quantificazione dell'espressione del recettore tir8 sigirr in tessuti di bovino
No full textCurrent concepts on imaging in radiotherapy
No full textNew high-precision radiotherapy (RT) techniques, such as intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) or hadrontherapy, allow better dose distribution within the target and spare a larger portion of normal tissue than conventional RT. These techniques require accurate tumour volume delineation and intrinsic characterization, as well as verification of target localisation and monitoring of organ motion and response assessment during treatment. These tasks are strongly dependent on imaging technologies. Among these, computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), ultrasonography (US) and positron emission tomography (PET) have been applied in high-precision RT. For tumour volume delineation and characterization, PET has brought an additional dimension to the management of cancer patients by allowing the incorporation of crucial functional and molecular images in RT treatment planning, i.e. direct evaluation of tumour metabolism, cell proliferation, apoptosis, hypoxia and angiogenesis. The combination of PET and CT in a single imaging system (PET/CT) to obtain a fused anatomical and functional dataset is now emerging as a promising tool in radiotherapy departments for delineation of tumour volumes and optimization of treatment plans. Another exciting new area is image-guided radiotherapy (IGRT), which focuses on the potential benefit of advanced imaging and image registration to improve precision, daily target localization and monitoring during treatment, thus reducing morbidity and potentially allowing the safe delivery of higher doses. The variety of IGRT systems is rapidly expanding, including cone beam CT and US. This article examines the increasing role of imaging techniques in the entire process of high-precision radiotherapy
Oospore germination dynamics and disease forecasting model: an integrated approach for downy mildew management
No full textUCP1 and UCP2 expression in different subcutaneous and visceral adipose tissue deposits in 30 days old goat kids and effect of fatty acid enriched diets
No full textBeside its importance in the first hours of life, brown adipose tissue has also significant roles in the following stages of growth and in adults by regulating energy metabolism, but its identification in adult ruminants is still controversial. Quantitative PCR, followed by histological confirmation, was used to investigate UCP expression and brown and white adipocytes' distribution in 30-day-old goat kids. The influence of maternal diet enriched with either fish oil or stearic acid was investigated as well. Results showed the differential expression of both UCP1 and UCP2 genes between subcutaneous and visceral adipose tissues, suggesting a different thermogenic activity between the two macro areas. The maternal diet influenced neither UCP1 nor UCP2 gene expression. The presence of multilocular adipocytes in 1-month goat kids is remarkable, as suggests thermogenic activity in non-newborn animals. Further insights into characteristics and functions of adipose tissue in young and adult goats are worth exploring
A Review on the Role of EPA and DHA Through Goat Nutrition to Human Health : Could they be Effective both to Animals and Humans?
No full textGoat’s milk is high digestible and useful for a number of human health problems, but this product could be further increased in its beneficial effects on immune response both at animal and human level through the use of dietary n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) sources in goat diet.
In the last decade, the interest on n-3 PUFAs, in particular eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA, C20:5) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA, C22:6), has increased due to their proved positive effects on human health. These two PUFAs must be provided with the diet both in human and animals. Anyway EPA and DHA can be successfully transferred into milk and thus can be available to human consumption with positive related effects on immune response. But what is the best dietary source of EPA and DHA in goat diet? The most promising and investigated raw material seems to be fish oil, but the interest in alternative n-3 PUFAs-rich sources, such as algae, is increasing. The EPA and DHA mechanisms of action, affecting metabolic and pathological pathways, must be still elucidated in goats, especially for what concern the use of dietary algae. The inclusion of fish oil and algae in the diet of dairy goat can increase the healthy properties of milk with consequential health benefit in human
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