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Arterial stiffness in symptomatic smokers with normal lung function

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is associated with cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Arterial stiffness and endothelial dysfunction index are validated surrogate cardiovascular markers and are increased in subjects with COPD. We tested whether increased arterial stiffness and endothelial dysfunction occur in symptomatic smokers with no evidence of bronchial obstruction. Clinical and lung functional assessments were conducted in smoker subjects with chronic respiratory symptoms and in COPD patients. Pulse wave velocity (PWV), aortic augmentation index (AIx) and reactive hyperaemia index (RHI) were measured to estimate the cardiovascular risk. 48 smokers (male n=37, female n=11; mean age 70±8.4 years) were studied. Smokers with respiratory symptoms without bronchial obstruction (n=13) did not differ from COPD patients (n=35) in terms of mean±SD PWV (12±3.2 m·s−1 versus 14±3.8 m·s−1; p=0.10), aortic AIx (25.2±11.8% versus 24.8±9.7%, p=0.89) and RHI (1.66±1.49 versus 1.62±1.43; p=0.79). The current investigation shows that the cardiovascular risk occurs in smokers with respiratory symptoms in the absence of bronchial obstruction. These findings need to be confirmed in larger populations in order to inform the design of intensive preventive programmes

Small angle scattering study of poly(methylmethacrylate)-blockpoly(ethylene oxide) block co-polymer in aqueous solution

A combined Small Angle X ray (SAXS) and Neutron (SANS) Scattering study of aqueous solutions of a symmetric block copolymer consisting of poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) and poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) moieties is presented. The polymer forms slightly polydisperse spherical micelles in a wide range of concentration (0.03 – 6.7 w/V) and temperature (20°C ≤ T ≤ 65°C). A good description of the SANS data is obtained using a polydisperse core-shell model with a structure factor for a modified hard sphere potential. By increasing the concentration at constant T we observed a decrease of the aggregation number and an increase of solvation of PEO groups in the shell, opposite to what happens by increasing the temperature at constant concentration

Archaeometric Applications of X-Ray and Neutron Techniques

Cultural Heritage is part of our everyday life and its conservation is extremely important not only from the cultural point of view, but also from a practical one. This is particularly true for Italy, a country which lists the highest number of World Heritage sites. Italian heritage, largely embodied in buildings and works of art, has a wider range of interests. For example information buried in sunk ships is very important when trying to gain information on commercial routes, exchange of technology and similar. In the case of stones authentication of works of art in museums is also of great concern, particularly as a number of rather expensive fakes have been acquired by museums from dubious sources[1]. We must feel the duty to pass on to our descendants the cultural heritage left to us by our ancestors. Obviously a great part of the items left to us are in a constant state of change and/or deterioration. Therefore, from the point of view of the knowledge and of the conservation as well, the use of the most advanced scientific and technological tools should be extended to Cultural Heritage. In the following we will show the results which can be achieved by application of complementary techniques based on the combined use of X rays and neutrons as structural probes. In particular experiments on two quite different materials, stones and wood, will be presented. Details on the structure from the microscopic to the macroscopic level will be shown to be fundamental from the Cultural Heritage point of view

Chronic Deficiency of Nitric Oxide Affects Hypoxia Inducible Factor-1α (HIF-1α) Stability and Migration in Human Endothelial Cells

BACKGROUND: Endothelial dysfunction in widely diffuse disorders, such as atherosclerosis, hypertension, diabetes and senescence, is associated with nitric oxide (NO) deficiency. Here, the behavioural and molecular consequences deriving from NO deficiency in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) were investigated. RESULTS: Endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) was chronically inhibited either by N(G)-Nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME) treatment or its expression was down-regulated by RNA interference. After long-term L-NAME treatment, HUVECs displayed a higher migratory capability accompanied by an increased Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (VEGF) and VEGF receptor-2 (kinase insert domain receptor, KDR) expression. Moreover, both pharmacological and genetic inhibition of eNOS induced a state of pseudohypoxia, revealed by the stabilization of hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α). Furthermore, NO loss induced a significant decrease in mitochondrial mass and energy production accompanied by a lower O(2) consumption. Notably, very low doses of chronically administered DETA/NO reverted the HIF-1α accumulation, the increased VEGF expression and the stimulated migratory behaviour detected in NO deficient cells. CONCLUSION: Based on our results, we propose that basal release of NO may act as a negative controller of HIF-1α levels with important consequences for endothelial cell physiology. Moreover, we suggest that our experimental model where eNOS activity was impaired by pharmacological and genetic inhibition may represent a good in vitro system to study endothelial dysfunction