Performance testing of two new one-step real time PCR assays for detection of human influenza and avian influenza viruses isolated in humans and Respiratory Syncytial Virus

Introduction and Methods. Two real time one-step RT-PCRassays were developed for simultaneous detection and typingof influenza A and B viruses and detection of Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV). As regard influenza, primers were designedto amplify specific sequences of gene M of A/H1N1, A/H3N2,A/H5N1, A/H7N7 and A/H9N2 viruses and of gene NP of typeB viruses belonging both Yamagata and Victoria lineage. Specificity, analytical and clinical sensitivity, dynamic range, linearity of the new assays were evaluated.Results. Dynamic ranges for Influenza A and B, and RSV,were at least five logs and linearity was conserved. In orderto evaluate the specificity, 80 nasopharyngeal swabs resulting Influenza and RSV negative by multiplex nested PCR andcell culture, were tested and 79 resulted negative. The detection limits for influenza A and B, calculated by 95% probit,was 0,008 and 0,09 PFU, respectively, resulting more sensible than nested PCR. A total of 75 specimens (10 A/H1N1,

A phase I clinical and pharmacological study evaluating vinflunine in combination with doxorubicin as first line treatment in metastatic breast cancer

Vinfunine (VFL) is a novel bifluorinated tubulin-targeted agent of the vinca alkaloids class active in advanced stage breast cancer. We conducted a phase I study combining VFL with doxorubicin (DXR) to define the recommended dose (RD), safety, pharmacokinetic (PK) interaction and efficacy. Two schedules (day 1 every 3weeks; days 1 and 8 every 3weeks) were investigated as first line chemotherapy in metastatic breast cancer patients. Thirty-two patients received a total of 162 cycles of the VFL-DXR combination (median 6). The RDs were VFL 250mg/m2/DXR 40mg/m2 every 3weeks for schedule 1 and VFL 120mg/m2/DXR 25mg/m2 days 1 and 8 every 3weeks for schedule 2. The main dose-limiting toxicity was neutropenia. The most frequent non-hematological adverse events were nausea, fatigue, constipation, vomiting, anorexia, stomatitis and dyspnea. Objective response rate was reached in 47.1% of the patients. No PK interaction was observed. VFL-DXR combination is feasible with manageable toxicity. The antitumor activity was promising and supports further evaluatio

Exploiting lipid and polymer nanocarriers to improve the anticancer sonodynamic activity of chlorophyll

Sonodynamic therapy is an emerging approach that uses low-intensity ultrasound to activate a sonosensitizer agent triggering its cytotoxicity for selective cancer cell killing. Several molecules have been proposed as sonosensitizer agents, but most of these, as chlorophyll, are strongly hydrophobic with a low selectivity towards cancer tissues. Nanocarriers can help to deliver more efficiently the sonosensitizer agents in the target tumor site, increasing at the same time their sonodynamic effect, since nanosystems act as cavitation nuclei. Herein, we propose the incorporation of unmodified plant-extracted chlorophyll into nanocarriers with different composition and structure (i.e., liposomes, solid lipid nanoparticles and poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) nanoparticles) to obtain aqueous formulations of this natural pigment. The nanocarriers have been deeply characterized and then incubated with human prostatic cancer cells (PC-3) and spheroids (DU-145) to assess the influence of the different formulations on the chlorophyll sonodynamic effect. The highest sonodynamic cytotoxicity was obtained with chlorophyll loaded into poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) nanoparticles, showing promising results for future clinical investigations on sonodynamic therapy

Simulation and first characterization of MAPS test structures with gain for timing applications

Thanks to their advantages in terms of easiness of manufacturing and reduced production costs, Monolithic Active Pixel Sensors (MAPS) represent an appealing solution for radiation imaging applications, which require to cover large areas with pixelated detectors. In the next upgrade of the ALICE detector, that will have to deal with the higher event rate resulting from the planned increase in the LHC luminosity, it is foreseen to include two additional sensor layers to perform Time of Flight (ToF) measurements. Trying to reach the challenging timing resolution required by the ALICE ToF layers, an internal gain layer has been included in the test structures of the third engineering run of the ARCADIA project to improve the timing performance of this MAPS technology. In the paper we will present an overview of the main results obtained from the electrical and the dynamic characterization of the fabricated devices, which have been compared with the behavior expected from the preliminary TCAD simulations carried out in the design phase. The experimental results confirmed the feasibility of embedding a gain layer in the ARCADIA 110 nm CMOS technology to develop monolithic LGADs

Evaluation of microbial contamination of air in two haematology departments equipped with ventilation systems with different filtration devices

Background. Nosocomial infections (NI) are above all due to health-care workers practices, but also the contamination of the environment could lead to their rise in health-care facilities. Introduction. In the last years, the incidence of NI has increased due to a substantial rise in the number of immuno-compromised patients. These patients are often gathered in hospital areas declared at ?high risk? of infection such as Hematology and Bone Marrow Transplant ward. In this study, we evaluated microbial contamination of the air in two divisions with high risk patients, focusing on the validity of the air system with correla- tion to the presence or not of the HEPA absolute filters. Methods. An environmental surveillance study has been carried out in two Divisions of Haematology, in two different Hospitals. Investigations have been performed by sampling air and by analyzing bacterial and fungal growth on microbiology plates after an incubation period. Results. Unit A, without HEPA filters in the ventilation systems, showed a gradual increase in the bacterial load 20 and 60 days after cleaning of the ventilation system. Mycetes and Aspergilli were not present in basal conditions, at 20 or 60 days after decontamination. Unit B, equipped with HEPA filters placed at the inlet vents, showed extremely low values of the bacterial load either in basal conditions or upon inspection 60 days after cleaning. No mycetes were present. Discussion. From the results obtained, it was evident that fol- lowing the cleaning operation, the quality of the air is excellent in both types of equipment, since no mycetes were present and the bacterial load was inf. 20 CFU/mc in all the sites tested. However, although in subsequent controls mycetes were absent in both types of equipment, a great difference in the suspended bacterial load was found: Unit B was close to sterility whereas in Unit A a progressive increase was observed