4,424 research outputs found
Comparison of the TaqMan and LightCycler systems in pharmacogenetic testing: evaluation of the CYP2C9*2/*3 polymorphisms.
Background: Pharmacogenetic testing for drugmetabolizing enzymes is not yet widely used in clinical practice. Methods: In an attempt to facilitate the application of this procedure, we have compared two real-time PCRbased methods, the TaqMan_ and the LightCycler_ for the pharmacogenetic evaluation of CYP2C9*2/*3 polymorphisms. Results and Conclusion: Both procedures are suitable for pharmacogenetic studies. The TaqMan procedure was less expensive in terms of cost per sample, but the TaqMan apparatus is more expensive than the LightCycler apparatus
Uniformity Of The 2000 Test Beam Module With The New Optimal Filtering Coefficients
An original method to reconstruct electron and pion signals in the Liquid ARGon barrel calorimeter (LARG) is applied to test beam data collected at the H8 line of the CERN North Area in July and August 2000. The method is based on the use of optimal filtering coefficients and takes into account the electrical description of the read-out electronics in the reconstruction of the physics pulses. Results on improvements in the LARG response and in particular on the energy uniformity of the calorimeter are shown
Kaon physics with the KLOE detector
In this paper we discuss the recent finalized analyses by the KLOE experiment
at DANE: the CPT and Lorentz invariance test with entangled pairs, and the precision measurement of the branching fraction of
the decay . We also present the
status of an ongoing analysis aiming to precisely measure the mass
Epidemiology of distal radius fractures: a detailed survey on a large sample of patients in a suburban area
Background: Literature lacks data on correlations between epidemiology and clinical data of patients with distal
radius fractures (DRFs).
Aim: The aim of this study was to present a detailed epidemiologic survey of a large consecutive series of patient
with DRFs.
Materials and Methods: This retrospective study included 827 consecutive patients (579 females, 248 men) who
sustained a DRFs in the last 5 years. All fractures were radiographically evaluated. DRFs were classifed according to
Association of Osteosynthesis classifcation. Data on age, gender, side, period in which fracture occurred, and fracture
mechanism were collected. Statistical analysis was performed.
Results: The patients’ mean age was 60.23 [standard deviation (SD) 16.65] years, with the left side being most frequently involved (56.1%). The mean age of females at the time of fracture was signifcantly higher than that of males.
The most frequent pattern of fracture was the complete articular fracture (64.3%), while the most represented fracture
type was 2R3A2.2 (21.5%). Regarding the period in which the fracture occurred, 305 DRFs (37.5%) were observed in
the warmer months and 272 (33.4%) in the colder months. Low-energy trauma occurring outside home was found to
be the major cause of DRF throughout the year.
In both genders, trauma mechanism 2 was more frequent (59.4% F; 31.9% M; p<0.01).
A bimodal distribution of fracture mechanisms was found in males when considering the patient’s age with a highenergy mechanism of fracture (3 and 4), identifed in 21% (n=52) of males aged 18–45 years, and a low-energy
mechanism (1 and 2) was observed in 39.9% (n=99) of males aged>45 years. A signifcant correlation between all
trauma mechanisms (from 1 to 6) and diferent fracture patterns (complete, partial, and extraarticular) was found
(p value<0.001). The mean age of patients with extraarticular fractures (mean age 61.75 years; SD 18.18 years) was
higher than that of those with complete (mean age 59.84 years; SD 15.67 years) and partial fractures (mean age
55.26 years; SD 18.31 years). Furthermore, considering diferent fracture patterns and patient age groups, a statistically
signifcant diference was found (p<0.001).
Conclusions: DRFs have a higher prevalence in females, an increase in incidence with older age, and no seasonal
predisposition. Low-energy trauma occurring at home is the main cause of fracture among younger males sustaining fractures after sports trauma; Complete articular is the most frequent fracture pattern, while 2R3A2.2 is most frequent
fracture type.
Level of evidence: Level IV; case series; descriptive epidemiology stud
Selective targeting of HDAC1/2 elicits anticancer effects through Gli1 acetylation in preclinical models of SHH Medulloblastoma.
SHH Medulloblastoma (SHH-MB) is a pediatric brain tumor characterized by an inappropriate activation of the developmental Hedgehog (Hh) signaling. SHH-MB patients treated with the FDA-approved vismodegib, an Hh inhibitor that targets the transmembrane activator Smoothened (Smo), have shown the rapid development of drug resistance and tumor relapse due to novel Smo mutations. Moreover, a subset of patients did not respond to vismodegib because mutations were localized downstream of Smo. Thus, targeting downstream Hh components is now considered a preferable approach. We show here that selective inhibition of the downstream Hh effectors HDAC1 and HDAC2 robustly counteracts SHH-MB growth in mouse models. These two deacetylases are upregulated in tumor and their knockdown inhibits Hh signaling and decreases tumor growth. We demonstrate that mocetinostat (MGCD0103), a selective HDAC1/HDAC2 inhibitor, is a potent Hh inhibitor and that its effect is linked to Gli1 acetylation at K518. Of note, we demonstrate that administration of mocetinostat to mouse models of SHH-MB drastically reduces tumor growth, by reducing proliferation and increasing apoptosis of tumor cells and prolongs mouse survival rate. Collectively, these data demonstrate the preclinical efficacy of targeting the downstream HDAC1/2-Gli1 acetylation in the treatment of SHH-MB
UVB radiation induced effects on cells studied by FTIR spectroscopy
We have made a preliminary analysis of the results about the eVects on
tumoral cell line (lymphoid T cell line Jurkat) induced by UVB radiation (dose
of 310 mJ/cm^2) with and without a vegetable mixture. In the present study, we
have used two techniques: Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and
flow cytometry. FTIR spectroscopy has the potential to provide the
identiWcation of the vibrational modes of some of the major compounds (lipid,
proteins and nucleic acids) without being invasive in the biomaterials. The
second technique has allowed us to perform measurements of cytotoxicity and to
assess the percentage of apoptosis. We already studied the induction of
apoptotic process in the same cell line by UVB radiation; in particular, we
looked for correspondences and correlations between FTIR spetroscopy and flow
cytometry data finding three highly probable spectroscopic markers of apoptosis
(Pozzi et al. in Radiat Res 168:698-705, 2007). In the present work, the
results have shown significant changes in the absorbance and spectral pattern
in the wavenumber protein and nucleic acids regions after the treatments
Single-Center-Single-Blinded Clinical Trial to Evaluate the Efficacy of a Nutraceutical Containing Boswellia Serrata, Bromelain, Zinc, Magnesium, Honey, Tyndallized Lactobacillus Acidophilus and Casei to Fight Upper Respiratory Tract Infection and Otitis Media
Some nutraceuticals have been studied as supportive treatment for fighting upper respiratory tract infection and middle ear disease. Our study aims at evaluating the effect of a specific oral supplementation in the treatment of pediatric otits media. The subjects were randomly assigned by the physician (single-blinded study) to one of three groups: Control Group (CG), Treatment Group 1 (TG1), or Treatment Group 2 (TG2). Both TG were treated with Flogostop Duo (for 20 days—TG1 or 30 days—TG2) in combination with the standard treatment, while CG underwent standard treatment only. The standard treatment was nasal aerosol with Fluticasone and Mucolytic, and nasal washing with hypertonic solution. All patients were analyzed by otoscopy, impedance, fibroscopy, and pure auditory test at the baseline (T0), after 20 days (T1) and 35 days (T2). 120 children were included in the study, 40 in the CG, 40 in the TG1, and 40 in the TG2. Both TG1 and TG2 presented statistically significant differences with respect to controls in otoscopy, impedance, fibroscopy, and PTA at T2. The otoscopy improved at T2 with statistically significant value only in TG2. The impedance and fibroscopy improved at T1 both in TG1 and TG2 compared to CG. A statistically significant improvement was observed in TG2 at T2 in comparison to both CG and TG1. Statistically significant differences were observed in PTA at T2 only compared with controls. This study confirmed the efficacy of nutraceutical as supporting therapy in the upper respiratory tract infection in children. In particular, the supplement containing Boswellia serrata and Bromelain, which are molecules with strong anti-inflammatory and pain-control capacities, could add the benefit without the adverse effects which are related to NSAID us
On the survival of metallicity gradients to major dry-mergers
Using a large suite of galaxies with a variety of concentrations and
metallicity gradients, we study the evolution of non-dissipative ("dry") equal
mass mergers. Our purpose in generating these simulations is to explore how the
metallicity gradient in dry mergers depends on the structure and metallicity
gradients of the galaxies involved in the merger. Specifically, we would like
to answer: Could dry mergers lead to metallicity gradients as observed in
elliptical galaxies in the local Universe? Do dry mergers always lead to a
flattening of the initial (i.e., pre-merger) gradient? From this modeling, we
conclude that: The ratio of the remnant and the initial galaxy slopes span a
wide range of values, up to values greater than 1 (with values greater than one
resulting only when companions have gradients twice the progenitor). For a
merger between two ellipticals having identical initial metallicity slopes
(i.e., equal companion and galaxy slopes), the metallicity profile of the
remnant flattens, with a final gradient about 0.6 times the initial one.
Ellipticals can maintain their original pre-merger metallicity gradient if the
companion slope is sufficiently steep. The amount of flattening neither depends
on the characteristics of the orbit of the progenitors or on their initial
concentration. Given the diversity in outcomes of the mergers, we conclude that
dry mergers do not violate any observational constraints on the systematic
characteristics of metallicity gradients in local ellipticals. In fact, dry
mergers may be important within the context of the results of our simulations
and may explain the large scatter in gradients for massive ellipticals and the
relative paucity of massive ellipticals with no or shallow metallicity
gradients.Comment: 11 pages, 11 figures, 4 tables, A&A accepte
Charged particle's flux measurement from PMMA irradiated by 80 MeV/u carbon ion beam
Hadrontherapy is an emerging technique in cancer therapy that uses beams of
charged particles. To meet the improved capability of hadrontherapy in matching
the dose release with the cancer position, new dose monitoring techniques need
to be developed and introduced into clinical use. The measurement of the fluxes
of the secondary particles produced by the hadron beam is of fundamental
importance in the design of any dose monitoring device and is eagerly needed to
tune Monte Carlo simulations. We report the measurements done with charged
secondary particles produced from the interaction of a 80 MeV/u fully stripped
carbon ion beam at the INFN Laboratori Nazionali del Sud, Catania, with a
Poly-methyl methacrylate target. Charged secondary particles, produced at
90 with respect to the beam axis, have been tracked with a drift
chamber, while their energy and time of flight has been measured by means of a
LYSO scintillator. Secondary protons have been identified exploiting the energy
and time of flight information, and their emission region has been
reconstructed backtracking from the drift chamber to the target. Moreover a
position scan of the target indicates that the reconstructed emission region
follows the movement of the expected Bragg peak position. Exploting the
reconstruction of the emission region, an accuracy on the Bragg peak
determination in the submillimeter range has been obtained. The measured
differential production rate for protons produced with 83 MeV and emitted at 90 with respect to the beam line is: .Comment: 13 pages, 9 figure
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