Natural zeolites and white wines from Campania region (Southern Italy): a new contribution for solving some oenological problems

The purpose of this research is to provide a new mixture of Campanian zeolitized tuffs for solving two specific problems in the production of white wines: the protein and tartaric stability. In fact, a very frequent cause of turbidity and formation of organic deposits in white wines is the occurrence of thermolabile and thermostable proteins colloidal suspensions which precipitate in time, especially in summertime and during the storage and transport. Normally, to mitigate this risk wine producers use organic and inorganic stabilizers and clarifiers. The best known treatment, recognized also by the International Organisation of Vine and Wine (OIV) foresees the use of bentonite with a montmorillonite content not lower than 80%. The present paper aims at evaluating the use of two high zeolite grade Italian volcanoclastites such as the Neapolitan Yellow Tuff (NYT) and the Yellow Facies of the Campanian Ignimbrite (YFCI), in the treatment of three peculiar white wines of the Campanian region (Southern Italy): Falanghina, Fiano di Avellino and Greco di Tufo. Granulates were produced starting from tuff blocks as provided by quarries. Some grain size fractions have been prepared to investigate the zeolite content (phillipsite + chabazite + analcime) by X-ray diffraction (XRD). A 2-5 mm grain size fraction was chosen for NYT and a 5-10 mm for YFCI. Three Campanian monocultivar white wines were used for the test: the Falanghina 2006 vintage, the Fiano di Avellino DOCG 2007 vintage, and the Greco di Tufo DOCG 2008 vintage. 48 samples with mixture of the zeolitized tuffs, 1 sample with mixture of a synthetic zeolite A and 1 sample with mixture of a commercial sodium activated bentonite were prepared. ICP-OES analysis for the determination of ECEC, Ion Chromatography (IC) analyses for the determination of some major cations and Turbidimetric tests for the definition of the protein stabilization process before and after treatments were also carried out. It was evidenced that high zeolitized tuff/wine ratios enable the protein stabilization whereas a significant decrease of potassium ion after the treatment with a zeolite-rich powder improves the tartaric stability, a serious problem in all the wine productions. The results of these tests refer to a laboratory scale research. A transfer of the experiment to a pilot plant scale is in progress

The use of intraoperative ultrasound for diagnosis and stadiation in pancreatic head neoformations

The intraoperative staging of the pancreatic cancer is important to make a proper treatment. For this reason the intraoperative echography is playing an important role in the right treatment choice. The intraoperative echography, that can be performed with an open or laparoscopic probe, is used to confirm the preoperative diagnosis and assess the pancreatic cancer resecability. The intraoperative echography (IOUS) or laparoscopic intraoperative echography (LIOUS) are useful to identify the patients with a non resecable cancer and perform a faster neoadjuvant treatment. The LIOUS can also avoid an useless laparotomy. The aim of this study is to assess, both in our experience and in the cited literature, the concordance rate between the pancreatic cancer preoperative staging, performed with TC and MRI (when it is available), and intraoperative staging, performed with intraoperative laparotomic or laparoscopic echography. Material and methods: We have analyzed the treatment management of 34 patients, who were candidate to major surgery for suspected pancreatic head cancer and who underwent to intraoperative LIOUS or IOUS staging from 2001 to 2012. Results: LIOUS and IOUS have allowed to detect cases in which preoperative diagnosis, proved by CT and MRI, was not agreeing with intraoperative diagnosis (22 patients on 34, 64% discordance rate), avoiding the execution of a demolitive and uneseful surgery in order to guarantee the surveillance and life's quality of patients. Conclusion: We suggest to perform in every patients undergone to pancreatic surgery an intraoperative ultrasound exam, to detect unresecable and unpredicted lesions

Clinical relevance of intrahepatic hepatitis B virus DNA in HBsAg-negative HBcAb-positive patients undergoing hematopoietic stem cell transplantation for hematological malignancies.

Hepatitis flare-up due to hepatitis B virus (HBV) is a well-recognized complication associated with chemotherapy. Data on the clinical impact of HBV DNA in liver tissue of HB-surface antigen (sAg)-negative patients undergoing immunosuppression are scanty

Effects of physical activity on endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs)

Physical activity has a therapeutic role in cardiovascular disease (CVD), through its beneficial effects on endothelial function and cardiovascular system. Circulating endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) are bone marrow (BM) derived cells that represent a novel therapeutic target in CVD patients, because of their ability to home to sites of ischemic injury and repair the damaged vessels. Several studies show that physical activity results in a significant increase in circulating EPCs, and, in particular, there are some evidence of the beneficial exercise-induced effects on EPCs activity in CVD settings, including coronary artery disease (CAD), heart failure (HF), and peripheral artery disease (PAD). The aim of this paper is to review the current evidence about the beneficial effects of physical exercise on endothelial function and EPCs levels and activity in both healthy subjects and patients with CVD

Late time response analysis in UWB radar for concealed weapon detection : feasibility study

Remote detection of body-worn concealed weapons or explosives (CWE) is a field of ongoing research. In this Thesis the feasibility of CWE detection by using the UWB radar is explored. The CWE detection is based on the analysis of the Late Time Response (LTR) of the human which has been illuminated by the UWB signal. A specific set of LTR parameters characterizes the target signature. Therefore the existence of a CWE attached on the human body will influence the LTR characteristics and give the composite object i.e. human-CWE a different signature than the simple object i.e. human. The CWE detection methodology is verified by theoretical analysis, modelling and extensive laboratory experimentation. Investigation of the way the LTR parameters are influenced by the existence of the CWE signifies the differences of the LTR signature between the human and human-CWE. So the resolution of the differences in the LTR of a human with and without a CWE as the main objective of the research, are presented in the Thesis. The results verify that CWE detection with the use of LTR is feasible under the experimental conditions presented. Furthermore consideration of all possible detection scenarios is out of the scope of this Thesis.EThOS - Electronic Theses Online ServiceGBUnited Kingdo

Adipokines and coronary artery disease

Adipose tissue, besides being an important energetic storage, is also a source of cytokines and hormones which act in a paracrine, autocrine and especially endocrine manner, influencing the cardiometabolic axis. Adipokines are a group of mediators with pleiotropic function, that are involved in many physiological processes, so that a disregulation in their secretion can lead to multiple pathological conditions. In this review our aim was to clarify the role of adipokines in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis, especially in coronary artery disease, and based on current scientific evidence, to analyze the therapeutic and behavioral strategies that are so far available

LAMC2 marks a tumor-initiating cell population with an aggressive signature in pancreatic cancer

[Background]: Tumor-initiating cells (TIC), also known as cancer stem cells, are considered a specific subpopulation of cells necessary for cancer initiation and metastasis; however, the mechanisms by which they acquire metastatic traits are not well understood.[Methods]: LAMC2 transcriptional levels were evaluated using publicly available transcriptome data sets, and LAMC2 immunohistochemistry was performed using a tissue microarray composed of PDAC and normal pancreas tissues. Silencing and tracing of LAMC2 was performed using lentiviral shRNA constructs and CRISPR/Cas9-mediated homologous recombination, respectively. The contribution of LAMC2 to PDAC tumorigenicity was explored in vitro by tumor cell invasion, migration, sphere-forming and organoids assays, and in vivo by tumor growth and metastatic assays. mRNA sequencing was performed to identify key cellular pathways upregulated in LAMC2 expressing cells. Metastatic spreading induced by LAMC2- expressing cells was blocked by pharmacological inhibition of transforming growth factor beta (TGF-β) signaling.[Results]: We report a LAMC2-expressing cell population, which is endowed with enhanced self-renewal capacity, and is sufficient for tumor initiation and differentiation, and drives metastasis. mRNA profiling of these cells indicates a prominent squamous signature, and differentially activated pathways critical for tumor growth and metastasis, including deregulation of the TGF-β signaling pathway. Treatment with Vactosertib, a new small molecule inhibitor of the TGF-β type I receptor (activin receptor-like kinase-5, ALK5), completely abrogated lung metastasis, primarily originating from LAMC2-expressing cells.[Conclusions]: We have identified a highly metastatic subpopulation of TICs marked by LAMC2. Strategies aimed at targeting the LAMC2 population may be effective in reducing tumor aggressiveness in PDAC patients. Our results prompt further study of this TIC population in pancreatic cancer and exploration as a potential therapeutic target and/or biomarker.This work was supported by: Marie Curie IF (H2020-MSCA-IF-2015, #703753), My First AIRC Grant (MFAG-2017, #20206), POR Campania FESR 2014/2020 (Project SATIN) to E.L.; AIRC IG grant 2018 n.21420 to A.D.L.; FIMP to D.D.C.; AECC (Proye18046BATL_002) to E.B.; My First AIRC Grant (MFAG grant #23029), WorldWide Cancer Research (Research grant #20–0188), EASI Genomics consortium (TNA project #15158) and the World Cancer Research Fund (Seed grant #2021–1769) to A.C

The Planck clusters in the LOFAR sky: IV: LoTSS-DR2: statistics of radio halos and re-acceleration models

Diffuse cluster-scale synchrotron radio emission is discovered in an increasing number of galaxy clusters in the form of radio halos (RHs), probing the presence of relativistic electrons and magnetic fields in the intra-cluster medium. The favoured scenario to explain their origin is that they trace turbulent regions generated during cluster mergers where particles are re-accelerated. In this framework, RHs are expected to probe cluster dynamics and are predicted to be more frequent in massive systems. Statistical studies are important to study the connection of RHs with cluster dynamics and to constrain theoretical models. Furthermore, low-frequency surveys can shed light on the existence of RHs with very steep radio-spectra, a key prediction of turbulent models. We study the properties of RHs from clusters of the second catalog of Planck Sunyaev Zel'dovich detected sources that lie within the 5634 deg^2 covered by the second Data Release (DR2) of the LOFAR Two-meter Sky Survey. We find that the number of observed RHs, their radio flux density and redshift distributions are in line with what is expected in the framework of the re-acceleration scenario. In addition, the fraction of clusters with RHs increases with the cluster mass, confirming the leading role of the gravitational process of cluster formation in the generation of RHs. These models predict a large fraction of RHs with very steep spectrum in the DR2 Planck sample, this will be tested in future studies, yet a comparison of the occurrence of halos in GMRT and LOFAR samples indeed shows a larger occurrence of RHs at lower frequencies suggesting the presence of a number of very steep spectrum RH that is preferentially detected by LOFAR. Using morphological information we confirm that RHs are preferentially located in merging systems and that the fraction of newly LOFAR discovered RHs is larger in less disturbed systems.Comment: 12 pages, 10 figures, accepted for publication in A&

The GPIIIA PlA2 polymorphism is associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular adverse events

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The clinical impact of PlA2 polymorphism has been investigated in several diseases, but the definition of its specific role on thrombotic cardiovascular complications has been challenging. We aimed to explore the effect of PlA2 polymorphism on outcome in patients with atherosclerosis.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>We studied 400 consecutive patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention. A replication study was conducted in 74 hypertensive patients with cerebrovascular events while a group of 100 healthy subjects was included as control population. PlA genotype was determined by PCR-RFLP on genomic DNA from peripheral blood cells. Major adverse cardiac events (MACE), were considered as end points, and recorded at a mean follow up of 24 ± 4.3 months.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The frequencies of PlA2 polymorphism was similar between groups and genotype distribution was in Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium. In patients with CAD, the presence of PlA2 allele was associated with higher incidence of cardiac death (13.1% vs. 1.5%, p = 0.0001), myocardial infarction (10.7% vs. 2.6%, p = 0.004) and needs of new revascularization (34.8% vs. 17.7%, p = 0.010). Accordingly, the Kaplan-Meier analysis for event free survival in patients harboring the PlA2 allele showed worse long-term outcome for these patients (p = 0.015). Cox regression analysis identified the presence of PlA2 as an independent predictor of cardiac death (OR: 9.594, 95% CI: 2.6 to 35.3, p = 0.002) and overall MACE (OR: 1.829, 95% CI: 1.054 to 3.176, p = 0.032). In the replication study, the PlA2 polymorphism increased the risk of stroke (OR: 4.1, 95% CI: 1.63-12.4, p = 0.02) over TIA and was identified as an independent risk factor for stroke (B:-1.39; Wald: 7.15; p = 0.001).</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Our study demonstrates that in patients with severe atherosclerosis the presence of PlA2 allele is associated with thrombotic cardiovascular complications.</p