8 research outputs found

    The Need of Multidisciplinary Approaches and Engineering Tools for the Development and Implementation of the Smart City Paradigm

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    This paper is motivated by the concept that the successful, effective, and sustainable implementation of the smart city paradigm requires a close cooperation among researchers with different, complementary interests and, in most cases, a multidisciplinary approach. It first briefly discusses how such a multidisciplinary methodology, transversal to various disciplines such as architecture, computer science, civil engineering, electrical, electronic and telecommunication engineering, social science and behavioral science, etc., can be successfully employed for the development of suitable modeling tools and real solutions of such sociotechnical systems. Then, the paper presents some pilot projects accomplished by the authors within the framework of some major European Union (EU) and national research programs, also involving the Bologna municipality and some of the key players of the smart city industry. Each project, characterized by different and complementary approaches/modeling tools, is illustrated along with the relevant contextualization and the advancements with respect to the state of the art

    Association of kidney disease measures with risk of renal function worsening in patients with type 1 diabetes

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    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

    Cell-mediated immune response to beta casein in recent-onset insulin-dependent diabetes: implications for disease pathogenesis.

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    The cows' milk hypothesis for the cause of insulin-dependent diabetes (IDDM) is based on the concept that early consumption of cows' milk may expose the immune system to a foreign protein possessing immunological cross-reactivity with an antigen present on pancreatic beta-cells. We measured in-vitro peripheral lymphocyte response to beta casein, a protein in cows' milk, in 47 patients with recent-onset IDDM, in 36 healthy people and, to test disease specificity, in 10 patients with autoimmune thyroid disease. Other antigens tested for were bovine serum albumin, purified protein derivative, human serum albumin, and phytohaemagglutinin. Specific proliferation of T lymphocytes with bovine beta casein was seen in patients with IDDM (mean [SD] age 18.7 [9]) with a significant difference in mean stimulation index (SI) versus healthy people (p < 0.00001) or patients with autoimmune thyroid disease (p < 0.002). 24 of 47 (51.1%) patients with IDDM versus 0/10 patients with thyroid disease and 1/36 (2.7%) healthy people had a positive response to beta casein defined as a SI above the mean value +2 SD of healthy people (p < 0.00001). No significant differences were observed between the groups of subjects with respect to other antigens tested. The association between IDDM and early consumption of cows' milk may be explained by the generation of a specific immune response to beta casein. Exposure to cows' milk triggers a cellular and humoral anti-beta casein immune response which may cross-react with a beta-cell antigen. It is of interest that sequence homologies exist between beta casein and several beta-cell molecules

    American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists Medical Guidelines for Clinical Practice for the Diagnosis and Treatment of Acromegaly-2011 Update

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    Poster session 3Cell growth, differentiation and stem cells - Heart511The role of the endocannabinoid system in modelling muscular dystrophy cardiac disease with induced pluripotent stem cells.512An emerging role of T lymphocytes in cardiac regenerative processes in heart failure due to dilated cardiomyopathy513Canonical wnt signaling reverses the ‘aged/senescent’ human endogenous cardiac stem cell phenotype514Hippo signalling modulates survival of human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes515Biocompatibility of mesenchymal stem cells with a spider silk matrix and its potential use as scaffold for cardiac tissue regeneration516A snapshot of genome-wide transcription in human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived hepatocyte-like cells (iPSC-HLCs)517Can NOS/sGC/cGK1 pathway trigger the differentiation and maturation of mouse embryonic stem cells (ESCs)?518Introduction of external Ik1 to human-induced pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes via Ik1-expressing HEK293519Cell therapy of the heart studied using adult myocardial slices in vitro520Enhancement of the paracrine potential of human adipose derived stem cells when cultured as spheroid bodies521Mechanosensitivity of cardiomyocyte progenitor cells: the strain response in 2D and 3D environments522The effect of the vascular-like network on the maturation of the human induced pluripotent stem cell derived cardiomyocytes.Transcriptional control and RNA species - Heart525Gene expression regulation in heart failure: from pathobiology to bioinformatics526Human transcriptome in idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy - a novel high throughput screening527A high-throghput approach unveils putative miRNA-mediated mitochondria-targeted cardioprotective circuits activated by T3 in the post ischemia reperfusion setting528The effect of uraemia on the expression of miR-212/132 and the calcineurin pathway in the rat heartCytokines and cellular inflammation - Heart531Lack of growth differentiation factor 15 aggravates adverse cardiac remodeling upon pressure-overload in mice532Blocking heteromerization of platelet chemokines ccl5 and cxcl4 reduces inflammation and preserves heart function after myocardial infarction533Is there an association between low-dose aspirin use and clinical outcome in HFPEF? Implications of modulating monocyte function and inflammatory mediator release534N-terminal truncated intracellular matrix metalloproteinase-2 expression in diabetic heart.535Expression of CD39 and CD73 on peripheral T-cell subsets in calcific aortic stenosis536Mast cells in the atrial myocardium of patients with atrial fibrillation: a comparison with patients in sinus rhythm539Characteristics of the inflammatory response in patients with coronary artery disease and arterial hypertension540Pro-inflammatory cytokines as cardiovascular events predictors in rheumatoid arthritis and asymptomatic atherosclerosis541Characterization of FVB/N murinic bone marrow-derived macrophage polarization into M1 and M2 phenotypes542The biological expression and thoracic anterior pain syndromeSignal transduction - Heart545The association of heat shock protein 90 and TGFbeta receptor I is involved in collagen production during cardiac remodelling in aortic-banded mice546Loss of the inhibitory GalphaO protein in the rostral ventrolateral medulla of the brainstem leads to abnormalities in cardiovascular reflexes and altered ventricular excitablitiy547Selenoprotein P regulates pressure overload-induced cardiac remodeling548Study of adenylyl cyclase activity in erythrocyte membranes in patients with chronic heart failure549Direct thrombin inhibitors inhibit atrial myocardium hypertrophy in a rat model of heart failure and atrial remodeling550Tissue factor / FVIIa transactivates the IGF-1R by a Src-dependent phosphorylation of caveolin-1551Notch signaling is differently altered in endothelial and smooth muscle cells of ascending aortic aneurysm patients552Frizzled 5 expression is essential for endothelial proliferation and migration553Modulation of vascular function and ROS production by novel synthetic benzopyran analogues in diabetes mellitusExtracellular matrix and fibrosis - Heart556Cardiac fibroblasts as inflammatory supporter cells trigger cardiac inflammation in heart failure557A role for galectin-3 in calcific aortic valve stenosis558Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids- can they decrease risk for ventricular fibrillation?559Serum levels of elastin derived peptides and circulating elastin-antielastin immune complexes in sera of patients with coronary artery disease560Endocardial fibroelastosis is secondary to hemodynamic alterations in the chick model of hypoplastic left heart syndrome561Dynamics of serum levels of matrix metalloproteinases in primary anterior STEMI patients564Deletion of the alpha-7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor changes the vascular remodeling induced by transverse aortic constriction in mice.565Extracellular matrix remodelling in response to venous hypertension: proteomics of human varicose veinsIon channels, ion exchangers and cellular electrophysiology - Heart568Microtubule-associated protein RP/EB family member 1 modulates sodium channel trafficking and cardiac conduction569Investigation of electrophysiological abnormalities in a rabbit athlete's heart model570Upregulation of expression of multiple genes in the atrioventricular node of streptozotocin-induced diabetic rat571miR-1 as a regulator of sinoatrial rhythm in endurance training adaptation572Selective sodium-calcium exchanger inhibition reduces myocardial dysfunction associated with hypokalaemia and ventricular fibrillation573Effect of racemic and levo-methadone on action potential of human ventricular cardiomyocytes574Acute temperature effects on the chick embryonic heart functionVasculogenesis, angiogenesis and arteriogenesis577Clinical improvement and enhanced collateral vessel growth after monocyte transplantation in mice578The role of HIF-1 alpha, VEGF and obstructive sleep apnoea in the development of coronary collateral circulation579Initiating cardiac repair with a trans-coronary sinus catheter intervention in an ischemia/reperfusion porcine animal model580Early adaptation of pre-existing collaterals after acute arteriolar and venular microocclusion: an in vivo study in chick chorioallantoic membraneEndothelium583EDH-type responses to the activator of potassium KCa2.3 and KCa3.1 channels SKA-31 in the small mesenteric artery from spontaneously hypertensive rats584The peculiarities of endothelial dysfunction in patients with chronic renocardial syndrome585Endothelial dysfunction, atherosclerosis of the carotid arteries and level of leptin in patient with coronary heart disease in combination with hepatic steatosis depend from body mass index.586Role of non-coding RNAs in thoracic aortic aneurysm associated with bicuspid aortic valve587Cigarette smoke extract abrogates atheroprotective effects of high laminar flow on endothelial function588The prognostic value of anti-connective tissue antibodies in coronary heart disease and asymptomatic atherosclerosis589Novel potential properties of bioactive peptides from spanish dry-cured ham on the endothelium.Lipids592Intermediate density lipoprotein is associated with monocyte subset distribution in patients with stable atherosclerosis593The characteristics of dyslipidemia in rheumatoid arthritisAtherosclerosis596Macrophages differentiated in vitro are heterogeneous: morphological and functional profile in patients with coronary artery disease597Palmitoylethanolamide promotes anti-inflammatory phenotype of macrophages and attenuates plaque formation in ApoE-/- mice598Amiodarone versus esmolol in the perioperative period: an in vitro study of coronary artery bypass grafts599BMPRII signaling of fibrocytes, a mesenchymal progenitor cell population, is increased in STEMI and dyslipidemia600The characteristics of atherogenesis and systemic inflammation in rheumatoid arthritis601Role of adenosine-to-inosine RNA editing in human atherosclerosis602Presence of bacterial DNA in thrombus aspirates of patients with myocardial infarction603Novel E-selectin binding polymers reduce atherosclerotic lesions in ApoE(-/-) mice604Differential expression of the plasminogen receptor Plg-RKT in monocyte and macrophage subsets - possible functional consequences in atherogenesis605Apelin-13 treatment enhances the stability of atherosclerotic plaques606Mast cells are increased in the media of coronary lesions in patients with myocardial infarction and favor atherosclerotic plaque instability607Association of neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio with presence of isolated coronary artery ectasiaCalcium fluxes and excitation-contraction coupling610The coxsackie- and adenovirus receptor (CAR) regulates calcium homeostasis in the developing heart611HMW-AGEs application acutely reduces ICaL in adult cardiomyocytes612Measuring electrical conductibility of cardiac T-tubular systems613Postnatal development of cardiac excitation-contraction coupling in rats614Role of altered Ca2+ homeostasis during adverse cardiac remodeling after ischemia/reperfusion615Experimental study of sarcoplasmic reticulum dysfunction and energetic metabolism in failing myocardium associated with diabetes mellitusHibernation, stunning and preconditioning618Volatile anesthetic preconditioning attenuates ischemic-reperfusion injury in type II diabetic patients undergoing on-pump heart surgery619The effect of early and delayed phase of remote ischemic preconditioning on ischemia-reperfusion injury in the isolated hearts of healthy and diabetic rats620Post-conditioning with 1668-thioate leads to attenuation of the inflammatory response and remodeling with less fibrosis and better left ventricular function in a murine model of myocardial infarction621Maturation-related changes in response to ischemia-reperfusion injury and in effects of classical ischemic preconditioning and remote preconditioningMitochondria and energetics624Phase changes in myocardial mitochondrial respiration caused by hypoxic preconditioning or periodic hypoxic training625Desmin mutations depress mitochondrial metabolism626Methylene blue modulates mitochondrial function and monoamine oxidases-related ROS production in diabetic rat hearts627Doxorubicin modulates the real-time oxygen consumption rate of freshly isolated adult rat and human ventricular cardiomyocytesCardiomyopathies and fibrosis630Effects of genetic or pharmacologic inhibition of the ubiquitin/proteasome system on myocardial proteostasis and cardiac function631Suppression of Wnt signalling in a desmoglein-2 transgenic mouse model for arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy632Cold-induced cardiac hypertrophy is reversed after thermo-neutral deacclimatization633CD45 is a sensitive marker to diagnose lymphocytic myocarditis in endomyocardial biopsies of living patients and in autopsies634Atrial epicardial adipose tissue derives from epicardial progenitors635Caloric restriction ameliorates cardiac function, sympathetic cardiac innervation and beta-adrenergic receptor signaling in an experimental model of post-ischemic heart failure636High fat diet improves cardiac remodelling and function after extensive myocardial infarction in mice637Epigenetic therapy reduces cardiac hypertrophy in murine models of heart failure638Imbalance of the VHL/HIF signaling in WT1+ Epicardial Progenitors results in coronary vascular defects, fibrosis and cardiac hypertrophy639Diastolic dysfunction is the first stage of the developing heart failure640Colchicine aggravates coxsackievirus B3 infection in miceArterial and pulmonary hypertension642Osteopontin as a marker of pulmonary hypertension in patients with coronary heart disease combined with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease643Myocardial dynamic stiffness is increased in experimental pulmonary hypertension partly due to incomplete relaxation644Hypotensive effect of quercetin is possibly mediated by down-regulation of immunotroteasome subunits in aorta of spontaneously hypertensive rats645Urocortin-2 improves right ventricular function and attenuates experimental pulmonary arterial hypertension646A preclinical evaluation of the anti-hypertensive properties of an aqueous extract of Agathosma (Buchu)Biomarkers648The adiponectin level in hypertensive females with rheumatoid arthritis and its relationship with subclinical atherosclerosis649Markers for identification of renal dysfunction in the patients with chronic heart failure650cardio-hepatic syndromes in chronic heart failure: North Africa profile651To study other biomarkers that assess during myocardial infarction652Interconnections of apelin levels with parameters of lipid metabolism in hypertension patients653Plasma proteomics in hypertension: prediction and follow-up of albuminuria during chronic renin-angiotensin system suppression654Soluble RAGE levels in plasma of patients with cerebrovascular events

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