Applying Space Data to the Analysis of the Economic Impact of Covid-19 Restrictions

The objective of this research is to study the impact of Covid-19 restrictions on the Italian economy based on space data on representative Italian ports. We posit that port activity has a mediation effect on Covid-19 restrictions’ impact on the Italian economy. To study port activity we leverage space data and, in particular, earth observation AIS data, which provide different types of information describing a port’s activity, such as the number of ships in a port at different points in time and their type. We complement these data with other sources of data, including traffic and mobility data, as well official sources of information on port economics and on the more general trends of the Italian economy. To test our hypotheses, we focus on two large Italian ports, Genoa (Liguria) and Gioia Tauro (Calabria). Our empirical analyses confirm that port activity has a mediation effect on Covid-19 restrictions’ impact on the Italian economy. The mediation effect has been found to be partial, as Covid-19 restrictions direct impact on the Italian economy remains significant when port activity is added to the correlation model

A Combined Targeted and Whole Exome Sequencing Approach Identified Novel Candidate Genes Involved in Heritable Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension

The pathogenesis of idiopathic and heritable forms of pulmonary arterial hypertension is still not completely understood, even though several causative genes have been proposed, so that a third of patients remains genetically unresolved. Here we applied a multistep approach to extend identification of the genetic bases of such a disease by searching for novel candidate genes/pathways. Twenty-eight patients belonging to 18 families were screened for BMPR2 mutations and BMPR2-negative samples were tested for 12 additional candidate genes by means of a specific massive parallel sequencing-based assay. Finally, whole exome sequencing was performed on four patients showing no mutations at known disease genes, as well as on their unaffected parents. In addition to EIF2AK4, which has been already suggested to be associated with pulmonary veno-occlusive disease, we identified the novel candidate genes ATP13A3, CD248, EFCAB4B, involved in lung vascular remodeling that represent reliable drivers contributing to the disease according to their biological functions/inheritance patterns. Therefore, our results suggest that combining gene panel and whole exome sequencing provides new insights useful for the genetic diagnosis of familial and idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension, as well as for the identification of biological pathways that will be potentially targeted by new therapeutic strategies

Drp1 overexpression induces desmin disassembling and drives kinesin-1 activation promoting mitochondrial trafficking in skeletal muscle

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All-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) in non-promyelocytic acute myeloid leukemia (AML): results of combination of ATRA with low-dose Ara-C in three elderly patients with NPM1-mutated AML unfit for intensive chemotherapy and review of the literature

Based upon the clinical behavior of three patients, we suggest that the combination of low-dose Ara-C and all-trans retinoic acid may potentially be effective in some elderly patients, unfit for intensive chemotherapy, affected with NPM1-mutated acute myeloid leukemia without FLT3 mutations, warranting perspective clinical studies in these selected patients

TET2 regulates mast cell differentiation and proliferation through catalytic and non-catalytic activities

Dioxygenases of the TET family impact genome functions by converting 5-methylcytosine (5mC) in DNA to 5-hydroxymethylcytosine (5hmC). Here, we identified TET2 as a crucial regulator of mast cell differentiation and proliferation. In the absence of TET2, mast cells showed disrupted gene expression and altered genome-wide 5hmC deposition, especially at enhancers and in the proximity of downregulated genes. Impaired differentiation of Tet2- ablated cells could be relieved or further exacerbated by modulating the activity of other TET family members, and mechanistically it could be linked to the dysregulated expression of C/EBP family transcription factors. Conversely, the marked increase in proliferation induced by the loss of TET2 could be rescued exclusively by re-expression of wild-type or catalytically inactive TET2. Our data indicate that, in the absence of TET2, mast cell differentiation is under the control of compensatory mechanisms mediated by other TET family members, while proliferation is strictly dependent on TET2 expression

Prognostic Relevance of Multi-Antigenic Myeloma-Specific T-Cell Assay in Patients with Monoclonal Gammopathies

: Multiple Myeloma (MM) typically originates from underlying precursor conditions, known as Monoclonal Gammopathy of Undetermined Significance (MGUS) and Smoldering Multiple Myeloma (SMM). Validated risk factors, related to the main features of the clonal plasma cells, are employed in the current prognostic models to assess long-term probabilities of progression to MM. In addition, new prognostic immunologic parameters, measuring protective MM-specific T-cell responses, could help to identify patients with shorter time-to-progression. In this report, we described a novel Multi-antigenic Myeloma-specific (MaMs) T-cell assay, based on ELISpot technology, providing simultaneous evaluation of T-cell responses towards ten different MM-associated antigens. When performed during long-term follow-up (mean 28 months) of 33 patients with either MGUS or SMM, such deca-antigenic myeloma-specific immunoassay allowed to significantly distinguish between stable vs. progressive disease (p < 0.001), independently from the Mayo Clinic risk category. Here, we report the first clinical experience showing that a wide (multi-antigen), standardized (irrespective to patients' HLA), MM-specific T-cell assay may routinely be applied, as a promising prognostic tool, during the follow-up of MGUS/SMM patients. Larger studies are needed to improve the antigenic panel and further explore the prognostic value of MaMs test in the risk assessment of patients with monoclonal gammopathies

Significance of glycolytic metabolism-related protein expression in colorectal cancer, lymph node and hepatic metastasis

Background: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most common malignancies and a leading cause of cancer death worldwide. Most cancer cells display high rates of glycolysis with production of lactic acid, which is then exported to the microenvironment by monocarboxylate transporters (MCTs). The main aim of this study was to evaluate the significance of MCT expression in a comprehensive series of primary CRC cases, lymph node and hepatic metastasis. Methods: Expressions of MCT1, MCT4, CD147 and GLUT1 were studied in human samples of CRC, lymph node and hepatic metastasis, by immunohistochemistry. Results: All proteins were overexpressed in primary CRC, lymph node and hepatic metastasis, when compared with non-neoplastic tissue, with exception of MCT1 in lymph node and hepatic metastasis. MCT1 and MCT4 expressions were associated with CD147 and GLUT1 in primary CRC. These markers were associated with clinical pathological features, reflecting the putative role of these metabolism-related proteins in the CRC setting. Conclusion: These findings provide additional evidence for the pivotal role of MCTs in CRC maintenance and progression, and support the use of MCTs as biomarkers and potential therapeutic targets in primary and metastatic CRC.This work was supported by the Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT) grant ref. PTDC/SAU-FCF/104347/2008, under the scope of ‘Programa Operacional Temático Factores de Competitividade’ (COMPETE) of ‘Quadro Comunitário de Apoio III’ and co-financed by the Fundo Europeu De Desenvolvimento Regional (FEDER). Ricardo Amorim was recipient of the fellowship SFRH/BD/98002/2013, from Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT Portugal).info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

A Large Fraction of Extragenic RNA Pol II Transcription Sites Overlap Enhancers

A substantial fraction of extragenic Pol II transcription sites coincides with transcriptional enhancers, which may be relevant for functional annotation of mammalian genomes