Serum Albumin Is Inversely Associated With Portal Vein Thrombosis in Cirrhosis

We analyzed whether serum albumin is independently associated with portal vein thrombosis (PVT) in liver cirrhosis (LC) and if a biologic plausibility exists. This study was divided into three parts. In part 1 (retrospective analysis), 753 consecutive patients with LC with ultrasound-detected PVT were retrospectively analyzed. In part 2, 112 patients with LC and 56 matched controls were entered in the cross-sectional study. In part 3, 5 patients with cirrhosis were entered in the in vivo study and 4 healthy subjects (HSs) were entered in the in vitro study to explore if albumin may affect platelet activation by modulating oxidative stress. In the 753 patients with LC, the prevalence of PVT was 16.7%; logistic analysis showed that only age (odds ratio [OR], 1.024; P = 0.012) and serum albumin (OR, -0.422; P = 0.0001) significantly predicted patients with PVT. Analyzing the 112 patients with LC and controls, soluble clusters of differentiation (CD)40-ligand (P = 0.0238), soluble Nox2-derived peptide (sNox2-dp; P < 0.0001), and urinary excretion of isoprostanes (P = 0.0078) were higher in patients with LC. In LC, albumin was correlated with sCD4OL (Spearman's rank correlation coefficient [r(s)], -0.33; P < 0.001), sNox2-dp (r(s), -0.57; P < 0.0001), and urinary excretion of isoprostanes (r(s), -0.48; P < 0.0001) levels. The in vivo study showed a progressive decrease in platelet aggregation, sNox2-dp, and urinary 8-iso prostaglandin F2 alpha-III formation 2 hours and 3 days after albumin infusion. Finally, platelet aggregation, sNox2-dp, and isoprostane formation significantly decreased in platelets from HSs incubated with scalar concentrations of albumin. Conclusion: Low serum albumin in LC is associated with PVT, suggesting that albumin could be a modulator of the hemostatic system through interference with mechanisms regulating platelet activation

Cristallochimica delle axiniti.

TESI DI DOTTORATO DI RICERCA, SCIENZE DELLA TERR

A critical comment on Ertl et al. (2012): “Limitations of Fe2+ and Mn2+ site occupancy in tourmaline: Evidence from Fe2+- and Mn2+-rich tourmaline”.

In this paper we have presented a detailed response to Ertl et al. (2012a) who, in a paper in volume 97 (year 2012), pages 1402-1416, this journal, claim evidence for limitations of Fe2+ and Mn2+ occupancy at the Z site of the tourmaline structure. They also propose a model by which the distance of tourmaline varies as a function of its and bond lengths. We have examined their conclusions and find that a different distribution of cations over the Y and Z sites gives better agreement with the extensive experimental information available. In fact, on the basis of crystal-structure refinements, Mossbauer spectroscopy, optical absorption spectroscopy, bond-valence theory, ionic radius concept and literature, the occurrence of Fe2+ at the Z site of tourmaline is well supported. Conversely, existing experimental data does not provide indisputable evidence for the occurrence of Mn2+ at the Z site. Despite this, there is no evidence for inductive effects of Mn-Y(2+) on , and the proposed effects must be regarded as speculative. Statistical analysis shows that the average value is 1.906(2) angstrom, which is consistent with the observed values of at the 99% confidence limit (within 3) in tourmalines with the Z site fully occupied by Al. Consequently, the proposed inductive effect of and on can be ruled out

Il colore blu degli spinelli a cobalto: distribuzione cationica e assorbimento UV-VIS-NIR in cristalli (Mg,Co)Al2O4 di sintesi

40A) D'Ippolito V., Andreozzi G.B. (2010). Il colore blu negli spinelli a cobalto: distribuzione cationica e assorbimento UV-VIS-NIR in cristalli di (Mg,Co)Al2O4 di sintesi. Rivista Gemmologica Italiana, 5, 120-123