28 research outputs found
Technical and Economic Efficiency of Vine Pruning: Results of Experimental Trials of Some Cultivars of Grapevine Grown in Sicily and Determination of Break-even Point
No full textThe research presents the results carried out on Sicilian viticulture in order to study the economic
sustainability of the agricultural company. In particular, the author examined the operation of dry pruning and tying
of the fruiting head in espalier vineyards with tools that facilitate the work. The economic analysis highlights that
equipping yourself with mechanical tools that facilitate work is convenient for both large and small wineries. The results
of the research highlight that the investment to facilitate pruning and tying in Guyot-trained vineyards can also be made
by wine-growing companies and is increasingly convenient as the area under vines involved increases
Authorship of Italian medical literature on neuroendocrine neoplasms: any gender gap?
No full textPurpose: While males have dominated the physician lines over the last decades the recent female doctors' number increasing might progressively reduce this gender gap. This might be not fully true in the academic/research area. We aimed to analyze the gender distribution of first/senior Italian authors on neuroendocrine neoplasm papers published on peer reviewed journals. Methods: Publications from January 2019 to September 2023 were reviewed; only papers with first and/or senior Italian authors were included. First/senior author gender, type of article, co-authorship with foreign authors were the variable analyzed. Results: 742 papers with Italian first and/or senior authors were retrieved, 449 (60.5%) multicentric, 285 (38.4%) original articles. A female author was first and senior author in 386/742 (52%) and in 228/742 (31%) papers, respectively. 150 (20.2%) papers included foreign coauthors, being an Italian female researcher first author in 50 papers (33%), senior author in 28 (18.6%). The number of Italian female first/senior authors has been increasing over the years (22 in 2019, 113 in 2022; 16 in 2019, 62 in 2022, respectively). The first/senior female authors were mainly Oncologists/Endocrinologists/Pathologists rather than Gastroenterologists/Nuclear Medicine doctors/Surgeons/Radiologists. Conclusion: There has been an increase in the prevalence of female authorship of published research in the neuroendocrine setting over the last 5 years, which partially reflects the current distributions in this field, taking into account that several specialties with different gender distribution are involved. However, senior authorship continues to be primarily men. Efforts should be made to improve proportionate gender representation in both clinical and academic/research setting
Impact of systemic juvenile idiopathic arthritis/Still’s disease on adolescents as evidenced through social media posts
No full textRenee F Modica,1 Kathleen G Lomax,2 Pamela Batzel,3 Armelle Cassanas3 1Department of Pediatrics, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA; 2Immunology, Hepatology and Dermatology Medical Affairs, Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation, East Hanover, NJ, USA; 3Treato, Princeton, NJ, USA Purpose: To understand the experience of adolescent systemic juvenile idiopathic arthritis (SJIA) patients and those of their parents based on their social media posts.Methods: English language posts related to SJIA, Still’s disease, or juvenile arthritis were collected and analyzed.Results: In total, 71 posts created between 2009 and 2015 on 15 websites were identified in November 2015. Of the 32 unique authors, 17 were SJIA patients aged 13–20 years (40 posts), 7 were mothers of SJIA patients (12 posts), and 8 patients had unspecified forms of juvenile arthritis (19 posts). Many patients posted about similar diagnostic experiences marked by 5 phases: 1) early prediagnosis: pain and fatigue overlooked until crisis occurred, 2) first misdiagnosis: doctors talked about “growing pains” and psychosocial problems (“fake pains” to avoid school), 3) second misdiagnosis: severity acknowledged, but diagnosed as leukemia or another cancer, 4) tests: tests leading to diagnosis and treatment conducted, and 5) cognitive identity: patient accepted the diagnosis and its implications. Many adolescent patients, looking back at disease onset in their childhood, described themselves as a “sleeping child” rather than the typical active child. Several patients tried to hide their illness from friends, but expressed concerns openly online. Many patients described SJIA as a powerful external enemy, using terms like “bulldozer,” “dragon,” and “monster.” Many posts from patients and their mothers used superhero language/imagery to help “fight” SJIA. Some patients also posted about the risk of death.Conclusion: Although most adolescent SJIA patients openly posted about the difficulties of their disease online, they made efforts to hide their disease in the real world. They frequently used superhero words and images in describing their fight for better health. Physicians can use these insights when counseling SJIA patients to provide a narrative that meshes with the patients’ worldview and perhaps to improve physician–patient communication to increase treatment adherence. Keywords: adolescents, juvenile arthritis, SJIA, social media, Still’s disease, superheroe
The family journey-to-diagnosis with systemic juvenile idiopathic arthritis: a cross-sectional study of the changing social media presence
No full textRenee F Modica,1 Kathleen Graham Lomax,2 Pamela Batzel,3 Leah Shapardanis,3 Kimberly Compton Katzer,3 Melissa E Elder1 1Division of Pediatric Rheumatology, Immunology and Infectious Diseases, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA; 2Immunology and Dermatology Medical Affairs, Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation, East Hanover, USA; 3Treato, Princeton, NJ, USA Background: Children with systemic juvenile idiopathic arthritis (SJIA) often encounter a delay between symptom onset and disease diagnosis, partly due to the broad differential of fever and lack of symptom recognition by providers. Families often seek multiple medical opinions and post on social media about their frustrations. This linguistic analysis observed the changing language patterns and social media posting behaviors of parents in the time leading to, during, and after SJIA diagnosis. Methods: Public social media sites were manually reviewed by a linguistic team to evaluate posts about SJIA from US-based parents. Results: A total of 3,979 posts between July 2001 and January 2015 were reviewed from 108 sites. Pre-SJIA diagnosis parents sought answers and shared status updates on social media, focusing primarily on the following three site types: alternative/natural lifestyle forums (39%), Facebook (27%), and disease-specific forums (17%). Posts during early prediagnosis phases were characterized by expressive language showing confidence in health care providers and trust in parental instincts. At later prediagnosis stages, parents continued to use social media, but the posts demonstrated increased frustration with delays in diagnosis and gaps in communication with providers. More objective symptom descriptions and a greatly reduced child-centered emotional focus were observed as parents shifted into caregiving roles. Once the diagnosis of SJIA was confirmed, parents used straightforward, less expressive language, and Facebook (47%) to make "announcement" posts and increased their use of SJIA websites (30%). With treatment initiation, the posts demonstrated a slow return of expressive language and an increased parental understanding of the "new normal". Conclusion: Parents use different language styles, frames of reference, and websites before and after SJIA diagnosis. Gaps in parent–provider communication, especially before diagnosis, and their new roles as caregivers lead to parental use of social media to express frustration with the health care process. Providers should tailor their discussions with parents to address these issues. Keywords: systemic juvenile idiopathic arthritis, social media, linguistics, language frames, diagnostic proces
Las gramineas mendocinas del genero Stipa : taxonomía
No full textIn order to describe phytogeographically Stipa pastures of the province of Mendoza, a previous revision of the genus is undertaken. The work begins with morphological considerations, the principal attention heing paid to the taxonomic values of the characters. A key based fundamentally an suhgenuses established by SPEcAzzINI is given, and as to Pappostipa subgenus, the author follows the judgment of Agronomic Engineer L. R. PARODI. Different taxa are described and to these the author adds the studied materíals and his observations on their distribution, systematics, etc. On the whole, 35 Mendoza species, 12 varieties and forms are named. The following new species are treated:
Stirpa Semperiana, S. vatroensis. S. Ruiz Lealii, S. Parodiana, S. malalhuensis, S. barrancaensis; equally, the following varieties: S. speciosa v. parva, S. vaginata v. dilatata, S. cordobensis v. tuberculata, and the following forms: S. speciosa f. horrida, S. speciosa f. abscondita, S. vaginata f. laevis, S. vaginata f. contracta, S. vaginata f. immersa, S. vaginata f. rigida, S. chrysophylla f. minuta y S. chrysophylla f. modica. The possibility of hybrids S. speciosa - S. vaginata is discussed, going over to the synonymy of S. perrigida SPEc. The species and varieties are illustrated with analytic drawings and photographies of the types.En el deseo de describir fitogeográficamente los pastizales de Stipa de la provincia de Mendoza, se hace previamente la revisión del género. Se introduce el trabajo con consideraciones morfológicas dando principal atención al valor taxonómico de los caracteres. Se da una clave basada fundamentalmente en los subgéneros establecidos por SPEGAZZINI y, en lo que se refiere al subgénero Pappostipa en especial, se sigue el criterio del Ing. Agr. L. R. PARODI. Se describen los diversos taxa, agregándose los materiales estudiados y observaciones sobre su distribución, sistemática, etc. En total se da para Mendoza 35 especies, 12 variedades y 9 formas. Se consideran nuevas especies, Stipa Semperiana, S. vatroensis, S. Ruiz Lealii, S. Parodiana, S. malalhuensis y S. barrancaensis; como nuevas variedades, S. speciosa var. parva, S. vaginata var. dilatata y S. cordobensis var. tnberculata y como nuevas formas S. speciosa var. horrida, S. speciosa fma. abscondita, S. vaginata fma. laevis, S. vaginata fma. contracta, S. vaginata fma. immersa, S. vaginata fma. rigida, S. chrysophylla fma. minuta, y S. chrysophylla fma, modica. Se discute la posibilidad de híbridos entre S. speciosa y S. vaginata y se pasa a la sinonimia S. perrigida SPEG. Las especies y variedades se ilustran con dibujos analíticos y fotografías de los tipos.Fil: Roig, Fidel A..
Universidad Nacional de Cuyo. Facultad de Ciencias Agraria
A Case of Polyarteritis Nodosa Associated with Vertebral Artery Vasculitis Treated Successfully with Tocilizumab and Cyclophosphamide
No full textPediatric polyarteritis nodosa is rare systemic necrotizing arteritis involving small- and medium-sized muscular arteries characterized by aneurysmal dilatations involving the vessel wall. Aneurysms associated with polyarteritis nodosa are common in visceral arteries; however intracranial aneurysms have also been reported and can be associated with central nervous system symptoms, significant morbidity, and mortality. To our knowledge extracranial involvement of the vertebral arteries has not been reported but has the potential to be deleterious due to fact that they supply the central nervous system vasculature. We present a case of a 3-year-old Haitian boy with polyarteritis nodosa that presented with extracranial vessel involvement of his vertebral arteries. After thorough diagnostic imaging, including a bone scan, ultrasound, Magnetic Resonance Imaging/Angiography, and Computed Tomography Angiography, he was noted to have vertebral artery vasculitis, periostitis, subacute epididymoorchitis, arthritis, and myositis. He met diagnostic criteria for polyarteritis nodosa and was treated with cyclophosphamide, methylprednisolone, and tocilizumab, which resulted in improvement of his inflammatory markers, radiographic findings, and physical symptoms after treatment. To the authors’ knowledge, this is the first report of vertebral artery vasculitis in polyarteritis nodosa as well as successful treatment of the condition using the combination cyclophosphamide and tocilizumab for this condition
Cryptic diversity in Mediterranean gastropods of the genus Aplus (Neogastropoda, Buccinidae)
No full textNorth-eastern Atlantic and Mediterranean gastropods previously ascribed to the buccinid genus Pollia Gray, 1837 are more correctly classified in the genus Aplus de Gregorio, 1885. Using an integrative taxonomy approach combining molecular, morphological and geographic data, we revisit the limits of the extant species in the area, and propose a molecular phylogenetic hypothesis based on 66 specimens from various localities in the Mediterranean Sea, including type localities of some nominal taxa. We used a preliminary morphological inspection, followed by a DNA-barcoding approach to propose species hypotheses, subsequently consolidated using additional data (phylogenetic, geographic and refined morphological data). Seven species hypotheses were eventually retained within our molecularly assayed samples, versus three classical morphologically recognized species. Among these, three correspond to Aplus dorbignyi (Payreaudeau, 1826) with its hitherto unrecognized geographical cognates A. gaillardoti (Puton, 1856) [eastern Mediterranean] and Aplus nodulosus (Bivona Ant., 1832) [Sicily]; two closely related, yet remarkably divergent, lineages are treated as a single species under Aplus scaber (Locard, 1892); the classically admitted Aplus scacchianus (Philippi, 1844) is confirmed by molecular evidence; Mediterranean populations attributable to Aplus assimilis (Reeve, 1846) may represent either cryptic native populations or an ongoing invasion of the Mediterranean by what was hitherto considered to be a West African species; finally, specimens from the Strait of Gibraltar may represent an undescribed species, but we conservatively refrain from formally introducing it pending the analysis of more material, and it is compared with the similar Aplus campisii (Ardovini, 2014), recently described from Sicily and not assayed molecularly, and Aplus scaber
Antigen-presentation of non-peptidic antigens lipid trafficking and loading
No full textT cells recognize a broad variety of antigens, including peptides, lipids and non-peptidic phosphorylated metabolites. Clarification of the rules rendering non-peptidic molecules immunogenic is essential to understand and to influence the reactions of the immune system to this class of substances in health and disease. Despite recent advances in research about immune responses to non-peptidic compounds, important issues remain unanswered. Molecular mechanisms governing the immunogenicity of non-peptidic ligands such as their cell internalization, trafficking within intracellular organelles, association with dedicated antigen-presenting molecules, induction of central and peripheral tolerance, and finally their role in autoimmune diseases as well as in protection during infections are unknown to date.
The aims of this thesis were to assess some of the immunological functions and cell biological rules governing the immunogenicity of non-peptidic antigens, with particular emphasis on cell trafficking of non-peptidic antigens and antigen-presenting molecules. It focused on (i) the antigen reactivity and presence of human invariant natural killer T (iNKT) cells in diseases, (ii) the role of CD1a trafficking in lipid antigen presentation by this protein, and (iii) the requirements of membrane translocation of phosphorylated mevalonate metabolites that stimulate human T cell receptor (TCR) gamma-delta cells.
With the development of alpha-galactosylceramide (alpha-GC)-loaded soluble CD1d dimers, which specifically interact with the TCR of iNKT cells, we have the perfect tool in our hands to perform detailed studies on iNKT cells. Analysis of the iNKT cells in blood unveiled large differences in their fluorescence intensity suggesting the presence of semi-invariant iNKT TCR with large disparities in the affinity for the alpha-GC-CD1d complex. Unexpectedly, established iNKT cell clones showed no correlation between CD1d dimer-staining levels and alpha-GC reactivity, indicating that additional mechanisms control responsiveness of iNKT cells, at least to this lipid antigen.
The identification of lipid antigens stimulating exclusively some desired functions in human iNKT cells might lead to new medical therapies or vaccines. To screen a variety of synthetic lipids for their capacity to activate iNKT cells, we devised an in vitro model based on plastic-bound CD1d. Piperidinones, molecules with a ceramide- or sphingosine-like structure, revealed that a single lipid tail is sufficient to form stimulatory complexes with CD1d. Interestingly, piperidinones preferentially induce TH1-like cytokines, predicting a possible role as novel leader molecules to functionally direct iNKT cell responses deployable in clinical therapies.
The balance of proinflammatory TH1 to regulatory TH2 cytokines is well-known to be decisive for the outcome of many diseases. Atherosclerosis (ATH) is a chronic inflammatory disease characterized by lipid accumulation in plaques. The disease is complicated by cardiovascular events provoked by plaque rupture or erosion. Because inflammation participates in lesion progression and rupture of plaques, the identification of its causes and of the culprit leukocyte populations involved in plaque destabilization is crucial for effective prevention of cardiovascular events. We used CD1d dimers to detect and characterize iNKT cells in ATH patients. We found that, in human atherosclerotic lesions, the abundance of CD1d-positive antigen-presenting cells (APC) and of iNKT cells correlates with disease severity and activity. CD1d-positive cells colonize advanced plaques in symptomatic patients and are most abundant in plaques with concomitant signs of ectopic neovascularization. In plaques, the frequency of iNKT cells among total T cells exceeds the one in blood. After having successfully isolated iNKT cell lines from plaque tissue, we showed that they promptly release proinflammatory cytokines upon lipid antigen stimulation and promote endothelial cell migration and microvascular sprout formation in vitro. This functional proangiogenic activity is ascribed to interleukin-8 released by iNKT cells after lipid recognition. These findings introduce iNKT cells as novel candidates to induce plaque neovascularization and destabilization in human ATH. Targeting iNKT cells could lead to late stage ATH treatment.
Another approach to understand the role of lipid-specific immune responses is to investigate the molecular rules of lipid-CD1 complex formation. Lipids distribute, due to their physicochemical properties or with the help of specific transporters and lipid transfer proteins, to different intracellular compartments and membrane domains. Thus, it is advantageous for the immune system to utilize multiple CD1 isoforms, each with a distinct trafficking pattern, to facilitate sampling of lipid antigens localized in various membranes. Several studies have addressed trafficking of CD1 isoforms. However, the molecular mechanisms are known in only a few cases.
We identified invariant chain (Ii) and lipid rafts as key regulators of CD1a organization on the surface of APC and of its immunological function as antigen-presenting molecule. Colocalization of CD1a with Ii is dependent on raft integrity and CD1a internalization is increased by Ii. The localization of CD1a in lipid rafts is functionally relevant as raft disruption inhibits CD1a-restricted antigen presentation.
Moreover, we found that CD1a is internalized independently of clathrin and dynamin and that it follows a Rab22a- and adenosine diphosphate ribosylation factor (ARF) 6-dependent recycling pathway, similar to other clathrin-independent cargo. Posttranslational S-acylation of the CD1a cytoplasmic tail may occur but neither determines the rate of internalization nor recycling nor its localization to detergent-resistant membrane microdomains. These findings place CD1a close to major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I in its trafficking routes although CD1a loads lipids in recycling endosomes and not in the endoplasmic reticulum as MHC class I.
Strikingly, the glycolipid antigen sulfatide was found localized predominantly to early and recycling endosomes where CD1a is located. Swapping the cytoplasmic tail of CD1a for the one of CD1b and hence targeting the CD1a protein to the late endosomal and lysosomal compartments decreases its capacity to present sulfatide and shortens the half-life of stimulatory complexes. Thus, the physiological intracellular trafficking route of CD1a is critical for efficient presentation of lipid antigens that traffic through the early endocytic and recycling pathways.
Intracellular trafficking of another class of non-peptidic antigens, namely the phosphorylated metabolites which stimulate human TCR gamma-delta cells expressing the Vgamma9/Vdelta2 heterodimer, was examined. These T cells recognize a family of structurally related compounds produced in the eukaryotic mevalonate and prokaryotic methylerythritol phosphate (MEP) pathways. The endogenous self-ligands are generated within the cytoplasm and must cross the membrane in order to associate with dedicated antigen-presenting molecules, which remain unknown at present.
Using an in vitro transport assay, we demonstrated that the multidrug resistance-associated protein (MRP) 5 transporter is involved in membrane translocation of antigenic phosphorylated metabolites. Confocal microscopy illustrated that MRP5 is located in membranes of both endoplasmic reticulum and early endosomes. Both the intracellular localization and active role in antigen transport confer an immunological function to MRP5, resembling that of TAP (transporter associated with antigen processing) transporters involved in peptide antigen translocation. This indicates a similar strategy used for antigen presentation to TCR alpha-beta and gamma-delta T cells.
In conclusion, these studies have underlined the physiological relevance of T cells recognizing non-peptidic ligands and have revealed unanticipated molecular mechanisms controlling the efficient presentation of such antigens
Laminar flame speed of lignocellulosic biomass-derived oxygenates and blends of gasoline/oxygenates
No full textOxygenates present in partially hydro processed lignocellulosic-biomass pyrolysis oil to be component of second generation bio-fuels have been examined for their compact on the laminar flame speed of gasoline. Experiments were performed in an elevated pressure combustion vessel designed around a concept of a premixed Bunsen flame. Laminar flame speed measurements were firstly conducted for neat oxygenate fuel (anisole, 4-methylanisole and ethylvalerate)/N-2/O-2 mixtures at conditions T = 423 K, P = 0.1 MPa and phi = 0.6-1.3. It has been observed that anisole has a higher flame speed compared to 4-methylanisole and ethylvalerate. Meanwhile, very similar values of flame speeds have been obtained for 4-mythlanisole and ethylvalerate fuels. To learn the potential effect of these oxygenates present in biofuels acting as drop-in additives on the petroleum-based gasoline fuel, a five components surrogate gasoline fuel (hexane, 2,3-dimethyl-2-butene, cyclohexane, isooctane, and toluene) was then proposed and validated by comparing its laminar flame speed with commercial gasoline. Laminar flame speeds measurements were finally performed for the blends mixed by the proposed surrogate gasoline and different percentage of oxygenates over a large working condition range including T = 400-473 K, phi = 0.61.3 and P = 0.1-0.8 MPa. The influence of studied oxygenates as additives on gasoline has been found to be negligible for values up to 10% (wt) which is insensitive to the variation of pressure and temperature. (C) 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved
