1,854 research outputs found
Analisi dell'espressione di spexina e augurina in tessuti di ratto
No full textAnalysis of spexin and augurin expression in rat tissuesAnalisi dell'espressione di Spexina e Augurina nei tessuti di ratt
Il reportage alla maniera di Tiziano Terzani: Buonanotte, Signor Lenin e le epifanie dei luoghi
No full textIn this paper, Gloria Politi embarks upon an analysis of Goodnight, Mister Lenin seen
as an interpretation of the genre of reportage in the peculiar way by its author Tiziano
Terzani. In terms of methodology, this approach draws on theories of literary criticism,
textual hermeneutics and narratology. The analysis shows how the depiction of the flow
of events before the reader’s eyes reveals an inner gaze that, according to Pavel Florensky,
almost creates a figurative mark, just like the impressions conveyed by poetry. Terzani’s
word thus expresses all its evocative potential as a narrative transfer of the rendering of
space in the visual arts
Histological study of the antebrachial fascia and flexor retinaculum carpi. In: Winter Meeting of the British Association of Clinical Anatomists, 18 December 2007, London.
No full textMorphometric parameters and neuronal apoptosis in medullary nuclei of adults and infants.
No full textFractal analysis of alveolarization in hyperoxia-induced rat models of bronchopulmonary dysplasia
No full textNo papers are available about potentiality of fractal analysis in quantitative assessment of alveolarization in bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD). Thus, we here performed a comparative analysis between fractal [fractal dimension (D) and lacunarity] and stereological [mean linear intercept (Lm), total volume of alveolar air spaces, total number of alveoli, mean alveolar volume, total volume and surface area of alveolar septa, and mean alveolar septal thickness] parameters in experimental hyperoxia-induced models of BPD. At birth, rats were distributed between the following groups: 1) rats raised in ambient air for 2 wk; 2) rats exposed to 60% oxygen for 2 wk; 3) rats raised in normoxia for 6 wk; and 4) rats exposed to 60% hyperoxia for 2 wk and to room air for further 4 wk. Normoxic 6-wk rats showed increased D and decreased lacunarity with respect to normoxic 2-wk rats, together with changes in all stereological parameters except for mean alveolar volume. Hyperoxia-exposed 2-wk rats showed significant changes only in total number of alveoli, mean alveolar volume, and lacunarity with respect to equal-in-age normoxic rats. In the comparison between 6-wk rats, the hyperoxia-exposed group showed decreased D and increased lacunarity, together with changes in all stereological parameters except for septal thickness. Analysis of receiver operating characteristic curves showed a comparable discriminatory power of D, lacunarity, and total number of alveoli; Lm and mean alveolar volume were less discriminative. D and lacunarity did not show significant changes when different segmentation thresholds were applied, suggesting that the fractal approach may be fit to automatic image analysis
Anatomic distribution of apoptosis in medulla oblongata of infants and adults
No full textThe aim of the study was to evaluate the distribution of apoptosis in the medullary nuclei of infants and adults
who died of hypoxic-ischaemic injury. Apoptosis was studied by terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated
dUTP nick end-labelling (TUNEL) in brainstems from 22 adults (7 subjects who died of opiate intoxication, 15 who
died of other hypoxic-ischaemic injury) and 10 infants. The nuclei examined included the hypoglossal, dorsal motor
nucleus of the vagus, nucleus tractus solitarii, nucleus of the spinal trigeminal tract, cuneate, vestibular and inferior
olivary nuclei. A morphometric analysis with the optical disector method was performed to calculate the mean
percentages (± standard deviation) of TUNEL-positive neuronal and glial cells for the sample populations. Opiate
deaths did not have higher apoptotic indices than other adult hypoxic-ischaemic deaths. Statistically significant
differences between adults and infants were found in the neuronal apoptotic indices of the cuneate (28.2±16.3%
vs. 6.9±8.7%), vestibular (24.7±15.0% vs. 11.3±11.4%), nucleus tractus solitarii (11.2±11.2% vs. 2.3±2.4%),
dorsal motor nucleus of the vagus (6.8±8.5% vs. 0.1±0.2%) and hypoglossal (6.6±5.7% vs. 0.1±0.2%), indicating
higher resistance of the neuronal populations of these infant medullary nuclei to terminal hypoxic-ischaemic injury
or post-mortem changes. Differences in neuronal apoptotic index were also statistically significant among nuclei,
suggesting differential characteristics of survival. Nuclei with higher neuronal apoptotic indices were the cuneate,
vestibular and nucleus of the spinal trigeminal tract, which are located in the lateral medullary tegmentum and
share the same vascular supply from the posterior inferior cerebellar artery
Hyperbaric Air Exposure at 2.5 ATA Does Not Affect Respiratory Mechanics and Lung Histology in the Rat
No full textAbstract
BACKGROUND:
We previously demonstrated that the exposure to hyperbaric hyperoxia increased respiratory system elastance and both the "ohmic" and viscoelastic components of inspiratory resistances, probably because of increased oxygen tension toxic effects. We presently investigated the possible consequences of a single exposure to 2.5-atmospheres absolute air (hyperbarism) lasting 90 min.
METHODS:
We used the end-inflation occlusion method on anesthetized rats after about 15 min from previous exposure to hyperbarism. The method allows the measurements of respiratory system elastance and of the ohmic and viscoelastic components of airway resistance, which respectively depend on the Newtonian pressure dissipation due to the ohmic airway resistance to airflow and on the viscoelastic pressure dissipation caused by respiratory system tissue stress relaxation. The expressions of inducible NO synthase (iNOS) and endothelial NO synthase (eNOS) in the lung's tissues were also investigated, together with the histological characteristics of lung tissue. Data were compared with those obtained in control animals and in previously studied animals exposed to hyperoxic hyperbarism.
RESULTS:
Unlike with hyperoxic hyperbarism, hyperbarism per se did not change significantly the parameters of respiratory mechanics in the control animals (respiratory system elastance and ohmic and viscoelastic resistances were 2.01 ± 0.17 vs. 1.74 ± 0.08 cm H(2)O/ml, and 0.13 ± 0.02 vs. 0.13 ± 0.03 and 0.425 ± 0.04 vs. 0.33 ± 0.03 cm H(2)O/ml s(-1) in control vs. experimental animals, respectively, none significantly different), nor did it induce evident effects on lung histology. An increment of both iNOS and eNOS expressions was documented instead (0.50 ± 0.05 vs. 0.75 ± 0.07 and 1.04 ± 0.1 and 1.4 ± 0.15, respectively).
CONCLUSION:
Our results indicate that, at variance with hyperoxic hyperbarism, the acute exposure to only hyperbarism does not affect either the elastic or the resistive respiratory system properties, or lung histology
Spatial and age-related patterns of apoptosis in human brainstem. In: Summer Meeting of the Anatomical Society of Great Britain and Ireland, Cardiff, 5-7 luglio 2005.
No full textECRG4 expression in normal rat tissues: Expression study and literature review
No full textThe Esophageal Cancer Related Gene 4 (ECRG4) is a highly conserved tumour suppressor gene encoding various peptides (augurin, CΔ16 augurin, ecilin, argilin, CΔ16 argilin) which can be processed and secreted. In the present work, we examined ECRG4 expression and location in a wide range of rat organs and reviewed the available literature. ECRG4 mRNA was identified in all examined tissues by quantitative PCR (qPCR). ECRG4 immunoreaction was mainly cytoplasmic, and was detected in heart and skeletal muscles, smooth muscle cells showing only weak reactions. In the digestive system, ECRG4 immunostaining was stronger in the esophageal epithelium, bases of gastric glands, hepatocytes and pancreatic acinar epithelium. In the lymphatic system, immunoreactive cells were detectable in the thymus cortex, lymph node medulla and splenic red pulp. In the central and peripheral nervous systems, different neuronal groups showed different reaction intensities. In the endocrine system, ECRG4 immunoreaction was detected in the hypothalamic paraventricular and supraoptic nuclei, hypophysis, thyroid and parathyroid glands, adrenal zona glomerularis and medulla and Leydig cells, as well as in follicular and luteal cells of the ovary. In the literature, ECRG4 has been reported to inhibit cell proliferation and increase apoptosis in various cell types. It is down-regulated, frequently due to hypermethylation, in esophageal, prostate, breast and colon cancers, together with glioma (oncosuppressor function), although it is up-regulated in papillary thyroid cancer (oncogenic role). ECRG4 expression is also higher in non-proliferating cells of the lymphatic system. In conclusion, our identification of ECRG4 in many structures suggests the involvement of ECRG4 in the tumorigenesis of other organs and also the need for further research. In addition, on the basis of the location of ECRG4 in neurons and endocrine cells and the fact that it can be secreted, its role as a neurotransmitter/neuromodulator and endocrine factor must be examined in depth in the future
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