Magnetic resonance imaging 3t and total fibrotic volume in autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease

INTRODUCTION: Autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD) is the most common renal hereditary disorder. Several authors have attempted to identify a kidney damage marker for predicting the prognosis and the effectiveness of therapy in ADPKD. The aim of this study was to identify and quantify in ADPKD, through a novel MR protocol with 3 Tesla (MRI 3Tesla), the presence of parenchymal fibrotic tissue at early stage of disease, able to correlate the glomerular filtrate and to predict the loss of the function renal. MATERIAL AND METHODS: 15 ADPKD patients undergone to renal MRI 3Tesla at T0 and revaluated after follow up (T1) of 5 years. We have evaluated renal function, plasma aldosterone concentration (PAC), insulin resistance and surrogate markers of atherosclerosis (carotid intima media thickness (IMT), ankle/brachial index (ABI) and left ventricular mass index (LVMI). RESULTS: Our study showed a significant negative correlation between total kidney volume and estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) during observational observation (p<0.02). Moreover, we showed a negative correlation between eGFR with Total Fibrotic Volume (TFV) (p<0.04) and Total Perfusion Volume/Total kidney Volume(<0.02). Moreover TFV was correlated positively with PAC (p<0.05), insulin values (p<0.05), ABI (p <0.05) and LVMI(p<0.01). CONCLUSIONS: The MRI 3Tesla, despite the high costs, could be considered an useful and non-invasive method in the evaluation of fibrotic tissue and progression of the disease in ADPKD patients. Further clinical trials on larger group are due to confirm the results of this pilot study, suggesting that MRI 3Tesla can be useful to evaluate the effectiveness of new therapeutic strategies. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved

Functional characterization of the human PRUNE protein: implications in cancer.

The functional characterization of H-PRUNE was performed using different approaches, in order to elucidate first the biochemical function of the protein, and then the correlation with other genes and the role in different tumour types. First, we identified and characterized H-PRUNE phosphodiesterase activity, which is suppressed by dipyridamole. Interestingly, H-PRUNE interacts with NM23-Hl, an anti-metastatic protein involved in different processes as proliferation, differentiation and motility, suggesting us to investigate H-PRUNE possible correlation to tumour development and progression with respect to NM23-H1. Our study has consisted in elucidating H-PRUNE function in three different tumour types, as sarcoma, neuroblastoma, and breast cancer. Both sarcoma and breast cancer analyses revealed that H-PRUNE, localized into the cytoplasm, acts as a negative regulator of NM23-H1. In fact, both aggressive sarcoma subtypes and metastatic breast cancer showed high protein levels of H-PRUNE and low levels of NM23-H1, indicating its involvement in advanced stages of cancer. Moreover, we demonstrated that both the H-PRUNE phosphodiesterase activity and the H-PRUNE and NM23-H1 complex increase cell motility in the MDA-MB-435 breast cancer cell line. The overview of genes and pathways influenced by H-PRUNE overexpression in the MDA-MB-435 breast cancer cellular model has been performed in order to understand the molecular changes in tumour cells. Interestingly, we found high levels of H-PRUNE, localized into the nuclear compartment, correlated to high levels of both NM23-H1 and NM23-H2 (an isoform of the NM23 family) in advanced stages of neuroblastoma. We identified a new function of H-PRUNE as a transcriptional regulator of NM23-H2 and we postulated a transcriptional mechanism of regulation, including activation of NM23-H1 by NM23-H2 and of NM23-H2 by H-PRUNE. This study evidences H-PRUNE function, as a regulator of NM23-H1 anti-metastatic function by two different mechanisms of action, correlated to the different compartmentalization of H-PRUNE protein

Discontinuously supervised aerobic training vs. physical activity promotion in the self-management of type 2 diabetes in older Italian patients: design and methods of the 'TRIPL-A' randomized controlled trial

Physical activity (PA) has health benefits for people with type 2 diabetes (T2D). Indeed, regular PA is considered an important part of any T2D management plan, yet most patients adopt a sedentary lifestyle. Exercise referral schemes (ERS) have the potential to effectively promote physical activity among T2D patients, and their effectiveness may be enhanced when they are supported by computer-based technologies. The 'TRIPL-A' study (i.e., a TRIal to promote PhysicaL Activity among patients in the young-old age affected by T2D) aims to assess if realizing an innovative ERS, based on a strong partnership among general practitioners, specialist physicians, exercise specialists, and patients, and supported by a web-based application (WBA), can effectively lead sedentary older T2D patients to adopt an active lifestyle

Presenza e distribuzione delle Aquaporine (AQPs) nel piccolo e grosso intestino del vitello bufalino

Aquaporins (AQPs) are membrane water channel proteins that selectively transport water or water solutes across the cell. The possible activities of these proteins in the gut of the newborn calf is unknown, although the mechanisms of neonatal absorption are particularly crucial in this species. For this reason, the aim of this research was to assess the presence and the different distribution of AQPs (AQP1, AQP4, AQP5) in the intestinal tracts of newborn calf before and after a week of food intake (colostrum/milk). The analysis performed through studies of expression and cellular localization showed the presence of these proteins in many of the examined tracts. In addition, it was observed that in all the portions of the intestinal tract, AQPs were more expressed after colostrum injestion

Impact of safety-related dose reductions or discontinuations on sustained virologic response in HCV-infected patients: Results from the GUARD-C Cohort

BACKGROUND: Despite the introduction of direct-acting antiviral agents for chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection, peginterferon alfa/ribavirin remains relevant in many resource-constrained settings. The non-randomized GUARD-C cohort investigated baseline predictors of safety-related dose reductions or discontinuations (sr-RD) and their impact on sustained virologic response (SVR) in patients receiving peginterferon alfa/ribavirin in routine practice. METHODS: A total of 3181 HCV-mono-infected treatment-naive patients were assigned to 24 or 48 weeks of peginterferon alfa/ribavirin by their physician. Patients were categorized by time-to-first sr-RD (Week 4/12). Detailed analyses of the impact of sr-RD on SVR24 (HCV RNA <50 IU/mL) were conducted in 951 Caucasian, noncirrhotic genotype (G)1 patients assigned to peginterferon alfa-2a/ribavirin for 48 weeks. The probability of SVR24 was identified by a baseline scoring system (range: 0-9 points) on which scores of 5 to 9 and <5 represent high and low probability of SVR24, respectively. RESULTS: SVR24 rates were 46.1% (754/1634), 77.1% (279/362), 68.0% (514/756), and 51.3% (203/396), respectively, in G1, 2, 3, and 4 patients. Overall, 16.9% and 21.8% patients experienced 651 sr-RD for peginterferon alfa and ribavirin, respectively. Among Caucasian noncirrhotic G1 patients: female sex, lower body mass index, pre-existing cardiovascular/pulmonary disease, and low hematological indices were prognostic factors of sr-RD; SVR24 was lower in patients with 651 vs. no sr-RD by Week 4 (37.9% vs. 54.4%; P = 0.0046) and Week 12 (41.7% vs. 55.3%; P = 0.0016); sr-RD by Week 4/12 significantly reduced SVR24 in patients with scores <5 but not 655. CONCLUSIONS: In conclusion, sr-RD to peginterferon alfa-2a/ribavirin significantly impacts on SVR24 rates in treatment-naive G1 noncirrhotic Caucasian patients. Baseline characteristics can help select patients with a high probability of SVR24 and a low probability of sr-RD with peginterferon alfa-2a/ribavirin

Corticosteroid injection treatment for dactylitis in psoriatic arthritis

: Dactylitis - a hallmark clinical feature of psoriatic arthritis (PsA) - that occurs in 30-50% of PsA patients, is a marker of disease severity for PsA progression, an independent predictor of cardiovascular morbidity and impairs the motor functions of PsA patients. There is a paucity of evidence for the treatment due to the absence of randomized controlled trials assessing dactylitis as a primary endpoint and current practice arises from the analysis of dactylitis as a secondary outcome. Corticosteroid (CS) injections for dactylitis in PsA patients are a therapeutic treatment option for patients with isolated dactylitis or for patients with flares in tendon sheaths, despite stable and effective systemic treatment. The aim of this narrative review is to briefly illustrate the clinical aspects of dactylitis in PsA, the imaging and clinimetric tools used to diagnose and monitor dactylitis, the current treatment strategies and principally to provide a comprehensive picture of the clinical efficacy and safety with ultrasound-guide and blind techniques of CS injections for dactylitis in PsA patients

University as agent of change in terms of inclusion in working environments

Education can be considered an agent of change and one of the primary aims is to create feasible and inclusive pathways to strategically favour the realization of values and social change. The authors explore the role that universities can have in terms of agents of change for inclusion in the work environment, giving some methodological approaches. The results emerging from the literature analysis carried out during the IN-WORK (inclusive Communities at Work) project funded by the Erasmus + European Community will be presented

Efficacy of a Fixed Combination of Tetracycline, Chloramphenicol, and Colistimethate Sodium for Treatment of Candida albicans Keratitis

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“Sob a capa espessa da amnésia”: apagamentos visuais em Dora Bruder (1997), de Patrick Modiano

Este artigo objetiva buscar no romance Dora Bruder (1997), de Patrick Modiano, o significado e a relevância do apagamento visual como recurso narrativo, materializado na ausência das imagens fotográficas e no uso da écfrase para tratar do trauma deixado pela perseguição e morte de judeus durante a Segunda Guerra Mundial. A opção do autor por negar ao leitor a exposição da menina judia desaparecida em Paris durante a ocupação alemã é a metáfora da eliminação, do apagamento, do silenciamento e da morte da memória social de um povo. Em resposta a essa amnésia imposta, a memória é usada como meio de interrogar um passado que se transforma em narrativa para permitir a reelaboração de experiências dolorosas tornadas mais compreensíveis porque dizíveis

Retraction Note to: Different Aspects of Sartan + Calcium Antagonist Association Compared to the Single Therapy on Inflammation and Metabolic Parameters in Hypertensive Patients

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