FP846EARLY CMV-SPECIFIC T CELL RESPONSE AND EGFR IDENTIFY PATIENTS AT HIGH RISK OF INFECTION AFTER RENAL TRANSPLANTATION

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Identification of a New Complement Factor H Mutation in a Patient With Pregnancy-Related Acute Kidney Injury

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Oxidative Balance and Inflammation in Hemodialysis Patients: Biomarkers of Cardiovascular Risk?

During chronic kidney disease, the progressive deterioration of renal function induces several biological/clinical dysfunctions, including enhancement of synthesis of inflammation/oxidative stress mediators. Impaired renal function is an independent cardiovascular risk factor; indeed, cardiovascular complications dominate the landscape of both chronic kidney disease and end-stage renal disease. The aim of this study is to explore the correlation between the global oxidative balance in hemodialysis patients and both inflammatory markers and cardiovascular events. Using photometric tests, this study explored plasmatic oxidative balance in 97 hemodialysis patients compared to a healthy population. In the hemodialysis patients, we showed that oxidative stress values were significantly lower than in controls while effectiveness in the antioxidant barrier was significantly increased in the hemodialysis group. Furthermore, we highlighted a strong correlation between oxidative index and blood levels of C-reactive protein. When patients were divided into two groups based on previous cardiovascular events, we found that subjects with previous cardiovascular events had higher values of both oxidative stress and antioxidant barrier than patients without cardiovascular events. Our results indicated that in hemodialysis patients, the clinical and prognostic significance of oxidative status is very different from general population. As cardiovascular complications represent a strong negative factor for survival of hemodialysis patients, the research of new cardiovascular risk biomarkers in these patients takes on particular importance in order to translate them into clinical practice/primary care

Qualitative and quantitative analysis of the proautophagic activity of Citrus flavonoids from Bergamot Polyphenol Fraction

Bergamot Polyphenol Fraction (BPF®) is a natural mixture of Citrus flavonoids extracted from processed bergamot fruits. It has been shown to counteract cardiovascular risk factors and to prevent liver steatosis in rats and patients. Hepatic effects of BPF correlate with its ability to stimulate liver autophagy. Six aglyconic flavonoids have been identified in the proautophagic fraction of the hydrolysis product of BPF (A-BPF): naringenin, hesperetin, eridictyol, diosmetin, apigenin and luteolin. We report here the output parameters of high resolution mass spectrometry analysis of these flavonoids and chemical structures of their parent compounds. The second set of data shows the proautophagic activity of BPF flavonoids in a hepatic cell line HepG2 analyzed by a flow cytometry approach. The method is based on the red to green fluorescence intensity ratio analysis of DsRed -LC3- GFP, which is stably expressed in HepG2 cells. Proportional analysis of ATG indexes allowed us to address a relative contribution of individual compounds to the proautophagic activity of the A-BPF mixture and evaluate if the effect was additive. Qualitative analysis of ATG indexes compared the effects of flavonoids at equal concentrations in the presence and absence of palmitic acid and chloroquine. The Excel files reporting the analysis of flow cytometry data are available in the public repository

THE BAROQUE MONUMENTS OF MODICA (EASTERN SICILY): ASSESSMENT OF CAUSES OF CHROMATIC ALTERATION OF STONE BUILDING MATERIALS

Published on line 08 april 201

Association between <i>NLRP3 rs10754558</i> and <i>CARD8 rs2043211</i> Variants and Susceptibility to Chronic Kidney Disease

Nod-like receptor protein 3 (NLRP3) is a multi-protein complex belonging to the innate immune system, whose activation by danger stimuli promotes inflammatory cell death. Evidence supports the crucial role of NLRP3 inflammasome activation in the transition of acute kidney injury to Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD), by promoting both inflammation and fibrotic processes. Variants of NLRP3 pathway-related genes, such as NLRP3 itself and CARD8, have been associated with susceptibility to different autoimmune and inflammatory diseases. In this study, we investigated for the first time the association of functional variants of NLRP3 pathway-related genes (NLRP3-rs10754558, CARD8-rs2043211), with a susceptibility to CKD. A cohort of kidney transplant recipients, dialysis and CKD stage 3–5 patients (303 cases) and a cohort of elderly controls (85 subjects) were genotyped for the variants of interest and compared by using logistic regression analyses. Our analysis showed a significantly higher G allele frequency of the NLRP3 variant (67.3%) and T allele of the CARD8 variant (70.8%) among cases, compared with the control sample (35.9 and 31.2%, respectively). Logistic regressions showed significant associations (p NLRP3 rs10754558 and CARD8 rs2043211 variants could be associated with a susceptibility to CKD

A scientific approach to the characterization of the painting technique of an author: the case of Raffaele Rinaldi

During the last restoration of the six paintings by Raffaele Rinaldi (1851-1916), located in the church of Maria SS. Annunziata (Marano Principato, Cosenza, Italy), made between 1890 and 1903, several scientific investigations were carried out on them. The present work aims at differentiating the painting in terms of its materials and technical particularities. The goal of this study was to characterize the painting technique of the author, its evolution and possible additions made during previous restorations. Pigments, binder media and raw materials used for the application of the ground and the paint layers were studied using electronic microscopy equipped with energy dispersive spectroscopy qualitative microanalysis (SEM-EDS), infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (GC/MS). Furthermore, a complete analysis of the state of preservation of these paintings represents a scientific aid and guide for its restoration, taking into account the, severe damage not exclusively due to natural decay processes. Our data can provide information about historical and stylistic background as well as advises for correct planning of the cleaning procedures. The identification of materials allowed a correct restoration

The Role of miRNAs as New Molecular Biomarkers for Dating the Age of Wound Production: A Systematic Review

Background:The timing of wounds production is a significant issue in forensic pathology. Although various methods have been evaluated, obtaining an accurate dating of lesions is still a challenge. The pathologist uses many parameters to value wound age, such as histological and immunohistochemical. In recent years, there have been many studies regarding the use of miRNAs in wound-age estimation; indeed, miRNAs have multiple potential uses in forensic pathology. Scope:This review aims to verify the efficacy and feasibility of miRNAs as a tool for determining the timing of lesions. Materials and Methods:The authors conducted the systematic review according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) guidelines. PubMed was used as a search engine to find articles published between January, 1st 2016 and October, 1st 2021, to evaluate the current state of the art regarding wound-age estimation. Results:A total of 256 articles were collected; after screening according to PRISMA guidelines, the systematic review included 8 articles. The studies included in this review were all Original articles evaluating the use of biomarkers for wound-age determination. Discussion and Conclusion:The literature review showed that analysis of miRNA is an innovative field of study with significant potentiality in forensic pathology. There are few studies, and almost all of them are at an early stage. The challenge is to understand how to standardize the samples' selection to obtain reliable experimental data. This observation represents a necessary prerequisite to planning further clinical trials