106 research outputs found
Interazione acido umico-metalli pesanti in un suolo boschivo
Analytical data on the heavy metal content of humic acid extracted from the surface soil samples
of a wooded area in southern Sardinia and correlations between soil and humic acid metal content
are reported. A tentative approach to the determination of humic acid-heavy metal complex stability
constants, based upon Langmuir's isotherm is proposed
Diffusion induced anisotropic cancer invasion: A novel experimental method based on tumor spheroids
Tumour invasion is strongly influenced by microenvironment and, among other
parameters, chemical stimuli play an important role. An innovative methodology
for the quantitative investigation of chemotaxis in vitro by live imaging of
morphology of cell spheroids, in 3D collagen gel, is presented here. The assay
was performed by using a chemotactic chamber to impose a controlled gradients
of nutrients (glucose) on spheroids, mimicking the chemotactic stimuli
naturally occurring in the proximity of blood vessels. Different tumoral cell
lines (PANC-1 and HT-1080) are compared to non-tumoral ones (NIH/3T3).
Morphology response is observed by means a Time-lapse workstation equipped with
an incubating system and quantified by image analysis techniques. Description
of invasion phenomena was based on an engineering approach, based on transport
phenomena concepts. As expected, NIH/3T3 spheroids are characterized by a
limited tendency of cells to invade the surrounding tissue, unlike PANC-1 and
HT-1080 that show relatively stronger response to gradients.Comment: 14 pages, 9 figure
Association of kidney disease measures with risk of renal function worsening in patients with type 1 diabetes
Background: Albuminuria has been classically considered a marker of kidney damage progression in diabetic patients and it is routinely assessed to monitor kidney function. However, the role of a mild GFR reduction on the development of stage 653 CKD has been less explored in type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) patients. Aim of the present study was to evaluate the prognostic role of kidney disease measures, namely albuminuria and reduced GFR, on the development of stage 653 CKD in a large cohort of patients affected by T1DM. Methods: A total of 4284 patients affected by T1DM followed-up at 76 diabetes centers participating to the Italian Association of Clinical Diabetologists (Associazione Medici Diabetologi, AMD) initiative constitutes the study population. Urinary albumin excretion (ACR) and estimated GFR (eGFR) were retrieved and analyzed. The incidence of stage 653 CKD (eGFR < 60 mL/min/1.73 m2) or eGFR reduction > 30% from baseline was evaluated. Results: The mean estimated GFR was 98 \ub1 17 mL/min/1.73m2 and the proportion of patients with albuminuria was 15.3% (n = 654) at baseline. About 8% (n = 337) of patients developed one of the two renal endpoints during the 4-year follow-up period. Age, albuminuria (micro or macro) and baseline eGFR < 90 ml/min/m2 were independent risk factors for stage 653 CKD and renal function worsening. When compared to patients with eGFR > 90 ml/min/1.73m2 and normoalbuminuria, those with albuminuria at baseline had a 1.69 greater risk of reaching stage 3 CKD, while patients with mild eGFR reduction (i.e. eGFR between 90 and 60 mL/min/1.73 m2) show a 3.81 greater risk that rose to 8.24 for those patients with albuminuria and mild eGFR reduction at baseline. Conclusions: Albuminuria and eGFR reduction represent independent risk factors for incident stage 653 CKD in T1DM patients. The simultaneous occurrence of reduced eGFR and albuminuria have a synergistic effect on renal function worsening
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