Hemidesmus indicus induces apoptosis via proteasome inhibition and generation of reactive oxygen species.

Proteasome inhibition represents an important anticancer strategy. Here, we studied the mechanisms at the basis of the pro-apoptotic activity of the standardized decoction of Hemidesmus indicus, a plant evoking a complex anticancer activity, and explored its inhibition of proteasome activity in human leukemia cells. Additionally, we preliminary tested the cytotoxicity of some H. indicus's phytochemicals on leukemia cells and their intestinal absorption on a human intestinal epithelium model consisting of a monolayer of differentiated Caco2 cells. We observed a potent antileukemic effect for H. indicus, imputable to the modulation of different critical targets at protein and mRNA levels and the reduction of the 26S proteasome expression. We found that some phytomarkers of H. indicus decoction passed through the enterocyte monolayer. Overall, our study supports the pharmacological potential of H. indicus, which can represent an interesting botanical drug in the oncological area

X-ray diffraction characterization of amorphous poly(propylene)

The differential radial distribution functions of a sample of amorphous (atactic) poly(propylene) and of an isotactic one were compared, showing the absence, in the former sample, of interatomic correlations beyond 8 \uc5 (1 \uc5 = 0,1 nm). The influence of the length of atactic and isotactic chain segments on the calculated X-ray interference functions was investigated. A model based on the arrangement of atactic chains in close-packed spheres fits well the experimental X-ray diffraction pattern of the amorphous sample

\u201cGovernment\u201d, \u201cGovernance\u201d e integrazione: alcune riflessioni di politica economica

Il contributo offre alcune riflessioni di politica economica sui concetti di "government", "governance" e integrazione, analizzando aspetti quali il ruolo delle istituzioni e il loro cambiamento, la costruzione istituzionale e le politiche macro e micr

Fat and Water Photon Scattering Data for in vivo Lean and Fatty Tissue Composition Study

Photon scattering cross-section data for freshly excised and filtered liquid pig fat was measured in the interval χ = 0.02 to 0.64 Å-1 (χ = E*[sin(θ/2)]/12.4; E being the photon incident energy (keV) and θ the scattering angle). The experimental results demonstrate that the marked intermolecular effects of coherent scattering in the forward direction can be exploited as a tool for characterizing lean and fatty tissue. Photon scattering cross-section data for freshly excised and filtered liquid pig fat was measured in the interval χ = 0.02 to 0.64 angstroms (χ = E*[sin(θ/2)]/12.4; E being the photon incident energy (keV) and θ the scattering angle). The experimental results demonstrate that the marked intermolecular effects of coherent scattering in the forward direction can be exploited as a tool for characterizing lean and fatty tissue

17β-estradiol modulates prostaglandin E2 release from human amnion-derived WISH cells

In human amnion-derived WISH cells [(3)H]estradiol-17beta binding sites are not detectable, but they become measurable in cells exposed to cAMP elevating agents such as forskolin or Ro 20-1724. In cells unexposed to these drugs, 17beta-estradiol stimulates prostaglandin (PG)E(2) release but exerts an evident inhibitory effect in cells exposed to Ro 20-1724. Both stimulatory and inhibitory actions are inhibited by the estrogen receptor antagonist, tamoxifen, by cell pretreatment with cycloheximide, or when the hormone is bound to BSA. Our data demonstrate for the first time that 1) 17beta-estradiol modulates PGE(2) release from WISH cells, interacting with specific intracellular receptors and probably evoking new protein synthesis, and 2) WISH cell responsiveness to 17beta-estradiol seems to be modulated by cAMP, whose levels are significantly increased by the steroid hormone in the presence of Ro 20-1724. The nucleotide is presumably responsible for the enhacement of hormone receptor availability and for the inhibition of PGE(2) release observed in the presence of Ro 20-1724

Properties of ion channels in the protoplasts of the Mediterranean seagrass Posidonia oceanica

Posidonia oceanica (L) Delile, a seagrass endemic of the Mediterranean sea, provides food and shelter to marine organisms. As environment contamination and variation in physico-chemical parameters may compromise the survival of the few Posidonia genotypes living in the Mediterranean, comprehending the molecular mechanisms controlling Posidonia growth and development is increasingly important. In the present study the properties of ion channels in P. oceanica plasma membranes studied by the patch-clamp technique in protoplasts obtained from the young non-photosynthetic leaves were investigated. In protoplasts that were presumably originated from sheath cells surrounding the vascular bundles of the leaves, an outwardrectifying time-dependent channel with a single channel conductance of 58 \ub1 2 pS which did not inactivate, was selective for potassium and impermeable to monovalent cations such as Na +, Li + and Cs + was identified. In the same protoplasts, an inward-rectifying channel that has a timedependent component with single channel conductance of the order of 10 pS, a marked selectivity for potassium and no permeation to sodium was also identified, as was a third type of channel that did not display any ionic selectivity and was reversibly inhibited by tetraethylammonium and lanthanum. A comparison of Posidonia channel characteristics with channels identified in terrestrial plants and other halophytic plants is included

X-ray diffraction of newly formed bone close to alumina- or hydroxyapatite-coated femoral stem

The study was focused on the bone tissue response to two types of ceramic coating [alumina and hydroxyapatite (HA)] obtained with a plasma-spray technique. The HA coating was performed on titanium stems, while the alumina coating was on chromium-cobalt-molybdenum stems. The investigation was carried out by means of micro-area X-ray diffractometric analyses and microdiffractometric analyses at the bone-implant interface. Moreover, the coating before and after implantation was analysed by means of the conventional powder X-ray diffractometric technique. This study demonstrated that 1 yr after implantation in animals the newly formed bone adjacent to the HA-coated hip prosthesis stems was mineralized as much as the preexisting bone, while 24-64 months after surgery in humans the newly formed bone close to the alumina-coated hip prosthesis stems showed a lamellar and Haversian structure strongly demineralized, probably due to the release of aluminium ions from the alumina covering. The authors conclude that the X-ray diffraction allows the evaluation of the structural modifications of the ceramic coating, the bone formation rate close to the coating and the chemical nature of the particles released from the coating. © 1993

Microstructural investigation of boneâ\u80\u94cement interface

We evaluated the microstructural characteristics of newly formed bone tissue at the interface with cement. The boneâ\u80\u90cement interfaces of the femoral components of nine hip prostheses retrieved after loosening were investigated by means of Xâ\u80\u90ray diffraction on microareas and microhardness. The bone far from the interface of two stable prostheses was used as a control. The newly formed bone adjacent to cement in the loosened prostheses showed a maturity degree lower than that of bone adjacent to cement in stable prostheses. The lattice parameters of bone apatite did not show significant variations as compared to the reference values. Bone trabeculae at the interface with loosened prostheses often showed an osteoid lining characterized by a strongly demineralized lamellar and haversian structure. Radioopaque cement particles are sometimes found in the trabecular bone tissue around the prosthesis. © 1995 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Copyright © 1995 John Wiley & Sons, Inc