50 research outputs found
Long-term outcome of chronic myeloid leukaemia patients with p210 and p190 co-expression at baseline.
No full textle morti da incidente ferroviario nel settorato medico-legale genovese nel ventennio 1984-2003
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Echo color doppler ultrasound : A valuable diagnostic tool in the assessment of arteriovenous fistula in hemodialysis patients
No full textA functioning vascular access is a critical requirement to improve the quality of life in hemodialysis patients, so monitoring and surveillance of vascular access play key roles in identifying all dysfunctions and reducing the huge economic cost as well as adequacy of dialysis. In our five-year experience, a study protocol has been used and improved with the help of ultrasonography. Doppler ultrasound is an excellent and sensitive modality for hemodialysis access evaluation, one of techniques employed for arteriovenous fistulae (AVF) study, not only as a preoperative tool, but also in post-operative monitoring of AVF maturation. In addition, the current guidelines recommend AVF surveillance by access blood flow measurement and the correction of hemodynamic stenosis in order to prolong access survival. Doppler ultrasound is readily available, directly used by nephrologists, non-invasive, safe, inexpensive, reproducible, although it requires more clinical skill and time to perform and proper equipment. Ultrasonography imaging can substantially reduce the number of subsequent invasive angiographic procedures. In our opinion, Doppler ultrasound should have a crucial place in the interdisciplinary cooperation in AVF monitoring and it should be included as part of an integrated vascular access management program
Identification and characterisation of the IgE-binding proteins 2S albumin and conglutin gamma in almond (Prunus dulcis) seeds
No full textBackground. Almond proteins can cause severe anaphylactic reactions in susceptible individuals. The aim of this study was the identification of IgE-binding proteins in almonds and the characterisation of these proteins by N-terminal sequencing. Methods: Five sera were selected from individuals with a positive reaction to food challenge. Sodium dodecylsulphate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and immunoblotting were performed on almond seed proteins. Purified IgE-binding proteins were tested for immunoblot inhibition with sera preincubated with extracts of hazelnut and walnut. Results: N-terminal sequences of the 12-, 30- and 45-kD proteins were obtained. The 45- and 30-kD proteins shared the same N terminus, with 60% homology to the conglutin gamma heavy chain from lupine seed (Lupinus albus) and to basic 7S globulin from soybean (Glycine max). The sequences of the N-terminal 12-kD protein and of an internal peptide obtained by endoproteinase digestion showed good homology to 2S albumin from English walnut (Jug r 1). Immunoblot inhibition experiments were performed and IgE binding to almond 2S albumin and conglutin 7 was detected in the presence of cross-reacting walnut or hazelnut antigens. Conclusions: Two IgE-binding almond proteins were N-terminally sequenced and identified as almond 2S albumin and conglutin gamma. Localisation and conservation of IgE binding in a 6-kD peptide obtained by endoproteinase digestion of 2S albumin was shown
Development of a deletion and genetic linkage map for the 5A and 5B chromosomes of wheat (Triticum aestivum)
No full textThe aims of the present study were to provide deletion maps for wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) chromosomes 5A
and 5B and a detailed genetic map of chromosome 5A enriched with popular microsatellite markers, which could be compared
with other existing maps and useful for mapping major genes and quantitative traits loci (QTL). Physical mapping of
165 gSSR and EST–SSR markers was conducted by amplifying each primer pair on Chinese Spring, aneuploid lines, and
deletion lines for the homoeologous group 5 chromosomes. A recombinant inbred line (RIL) mapping population that is recombinant
for only chromosome 5A was obtained by crossing the wheat cultivar Chinese Spring and the disomic substitution
line Chinese Spring-5A dicoccoides and was used to develop a genetic linkage map of chromosome 5A. A total of 67
markers were found polymorphic between the parental lines and were mapped in the RIL population. Sixty-three loci and
the Q gene were clustered in three linkage groups ordered at a minimum LOD score of 5, while four loci remained unlinked.
The whole genetic 5A chromosome map covered 420.2 cM, distributed among three linkage groups of 189.3, 35.4,
and 195.5 cM. The EST sequences located on chromosomes 5A and 5B were used for comparative analysis against Brachypodium
distachyon (L.) P. Beauv. and rice (Oryza sativa L.) genomes to resolve orthologous relationships among the genomes
of wheat and the two model species
HMGB1-stimulated human primary cardiac fibroblasts exert a paracrine action on human and murine cardiac stem cells
No full textHigh Mobility Box 1 Protein (HMGB1) is a cytokine released into the extracellular space by necrotic cells and activated macrophages in response to injury. We recently demonstrated that HMGB1 administration into the mouse heart during acute myocardial infarction induces cardiac tissue regeneration by activating resident cardiac c-kit+ cells (CSCs) and significantly enhances left ventricular function. In the present study it was analyzed the hypothesis that human cardiac fibroblasts (cFbs) exposed to HMGB1 may exert a paracrine effect on mouse and human CSCs. Human cFbs expressed the HMGB1 receptor RAGE. Luminex technology and ELISA assays revealed that HMGB1 significantly enhanced VEGF, PlGF, Mip-1α, IFN-γ, GM-CSF, Il-10, Il-1β, Il-4, Il-1ra, Il-9 and TNF-α in cFbs cell culture medium. HMGB1-stimulated cFbs conditioned media induced CSC migration and proliferation. These effects were significantly higher to those obtained when HMGB1 was added directly to the culture medium. In conclusion, we provide evidence that HMGB1 may act in a paracrine manner stimulating growth factor, cytokine and chemokine release by cFbs which, in turn, modulate CSC function. Via this mechanism HMGB1 may contribute to cardiac tissue regeneration
Altered SDF-1-mediated differentiation of bone marrow-derived endothelial progenitor cells in diabetes mellitus.
No full textIn diabetic patients and animal models of diabetes mellitus (DM), circulating endothelial progenitor cell (EPC) number is lower than in normoglycaemic conditions and EPC angiogenic properties are inhibited. Stromal cell derived factor-1 (SDF-1) plays a key role in bone marrow (BM) c-kit(+) stem cell mobilization into peripheral blood (PB), recruitment from PB into ischemic tissues and differentiation into endothelial cells. The aim of the present study was to examine the effect of DM in vivo and in vitro, on murine BM-derived c-kit(+) cells and on their response to SDF-1. Acute hindlimb ischemia was induced in streptozotocin-treated DM and control mice; circulating c-kit(+) cells exhibited a rapid increase followed by a return to control levels which was significantly faster in DM than in control mice. CXCR4 expression by BM c-kit(+) cells as well as SDF-1 protein levels in the plasma and in the skeletal muscle, both before and after the induction of ischemia, were similar between normoglycaemic and DM mice. However, BM-derived c-kit(+) cells from DM mice exhibited an impaired differentiation towards the endothelial phenotype in response to SDF-1; this effect was associated with diminished protein kinase phosphorylation. Interestingly, SDF-1 ability to induce differentiation of c-kit(+) cells from DM mice was restored when cells were cultured under normoglycaemic conditions whereas c-kit(+) cells from normoglycaemic mice failed to differentiate in response to SDF-1 when they were cultured in hyperglycaemic conditions. These results show that DM diminishes circulating c-kit(+) cell number following hindlimb ischemia and inhibits SDF-1-mediated AKT phosphorylation and differentiation towards the endothelial phenotype of BM-derived c-kit(+) cells
(1-3)-β-d-Glucan serum increase and small-airway-invasive radiological findings as early signs of pulmonary aspergillosis in high-risk hematologic patients in the posaconazole era: preliminary observations
No full textBreath Analysis: New Key-Challenges for Early Detection of Lung and Pleural Neoplasms
No full textThe growing interest about breath analysis relies on the need of tools to get an early diagnosis of respiratory pathologies with high mortality rate such as lung cancer (LC) and malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM). Nowadays the key-challenge of the scientific community is the search for non-invasive diagnostic biomarkers able to identify patients at risk of developing cancer or with early stage cancer. A diagnostic progress would be crucial to improve the survival outcome of these neoplasms, generally detected at an advanced stage
