Sensitive and quantitative method to evaluate DNA methylation of the positive regulatory domains (PRDI, PRDII) and cAMP response element (CRE) in human endothelial nitric oxide synthase promote

Nitric oxide plays a prominent role in the cardiovascular system and much attention has been devoted in the last years on deciphering the regulation of human endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) expression. Epigenetic-based mechanisms have a key role in the eNOS expression and their pathologic perturbations may have profound effects on the steady state RNA levels in the endothelium. The human eNOS promoter lacks a canonical TATA box and it does not contain a proximal CpG island. A differentially DNA methylated region (DMR) in the native eNOS proximal promoter is involved in gene expression regulation. Here we describe a quantitative, sensitive and cost-effective method that, relying on a novel normalization strategy, allows the quantification of DNA methylation status of the positive regulatory domains (PRDI, PRDII) and cAMP response element (CRE) in human eNOS promoter. This technique will enable to explore the functional relevance of DNA methylation perturbations of eNOS promoter both under pathological and physiological conditions

"Thermoluminescence dating laboratory improvements tested on an archaeological rescue site in Trino, Vercelli province, Italy"

Thermoluminescence (TL) is a reliable radiation-based technique for the dating and authentication of ceramic objects, allowing the evaluation of the time elapsed since their last exposure to high temperatures (e.g. firing in kiln or later fire events). The TL laboratory developed in the last decade at the Physics Department of the University of Torino, currently operating within the INFN (National Institute of Nuclear Physics) CHNet network, is presented. The 10-years-long experience in the field resulted in the enhancement of the procedures, with the development of customised α and β irradiation systems and the optimisation of sampling approach and chemical pre-treatment. In collaboration with TecnArt S.r.l., the improved procedures were employed for dating two structures from a rescue archaeological site in the Vercelli province (Italy)

Changes in the zonation of lactate dehydrogenase activity in lobules of rat liver after experimentally induced colon carcinoma metastases

Visualization of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) activity with Neotetrazolium as final electron acceptor under anaerobic conditions and an incubation medium containing polyvinyl alcohol showed that under normal physiological conditions a zonal distribution of LDH activity is present in the liver lobule of male rats. Periportal hepatocytes contain more LDH activity than periventral hepatocytes. This difference is due to the role of LDH both in gluconeogenesis (periportal cells) and glycolysis (pericentral cells). In livers containing metastases from colon carcinoma, areas of the parenchyma which are not affected by tumour growth maintain such zonation in the lobule, whereas areas close to metastatic foci show increased activity which is distributed uniformly over the lobule. This change may be explained by a Cori's cycle-like relationship between malignancy cells and the surrounding hepatocytes due to glucose consumption and lactate production by the tumour cells. Within the metastatic foci, a zonation of LDH activied was also observed. Malignant cells close to the edge of the tumours contained the lowest activity, whereas activity increased inwards. Cancer cells directly surrounding necrotiic areas showed the highest activity. Such patterns are in line with increasing anaerobic glycolysis towards the inner metastatic regions. Anaerobic glycolysis supplies limited amounts of ATP with concomitant lactate production but also large amounts of metabolites for RNA, DNA, lipid and complex carbohydrate synthesis. Lactate that is produced by the metastases induces adaptive changes in surrounding hepatocytes to convert this excess of lactate effectivel

Intorno a Enriques. Cinque conferenze

Il volume include cinque interventi di studiosi di diverse estrazioni dedicati al pensiero e all'opera di Federigo Enriques. I testi costituiscono rielaborazioni di conferenze sollecitate dal Centro Studi Enriques di Livorno su iniziativa di Ornella Pompeo Faracovi

Relazione interpersonale ed esiti terapeutici : applicazione del metodo SASB (Structural Analysis of Social Behavior)

Aim: Many studies recognize the therapeutic relationship as a crucial factor in leading outcomes in therapy (Lambert & Bergin, 1992; Norcross, 2001).The present study was designed to further a more precise understanding of the influence of interpersonal dynamics on outcome; interpersonal variables were assessed using the SASB coding model (Structural Analysis of Social Behaviour; Benjamin, 1979, 1993). Method: The present research project is made up of two researches, named Study 1 and Study 2. A group of three couples of patients with DSM-IV-R diagnosis of Mood Disorder composed the sample for Study 1. The patients of each couple received individual brief psychodynamic psychotherapy by the same therapist, and achieved different outcomes (high and low-change). Study 2\u2019s sample was made up of two patients with the DSM-IV-R diagnosis of Mood Disorder, who received a long-term psychodynamic psychotherapy. Data were processed with descriptive statistics analyses, conducted to assess interpersonal behaviour\u2019s course state for each dyad. Besides, log-linear and sequential analyses were conducted to assess the particular interpersonal transactions of each outcome group. Results-Study 1: Patients in the poor-outcome group are marked by constant difficulties in accepting the dependence on their therapists. These patients begins therapy with significantly high levels of avoiding behaviours and hostile submission. Moreover, they show poor acceptance of therapist\u2019s controlling behaviours. Study 2: This study partly replicates the previous study\u2019s results, especially about poor outcome dyad\u2019s ones. Conclusion: Therapeutic relationship\u2019s quality could act as a go-between of the efficacy of the other kind of therapeutic interventions

Thermoluminescence dating laboratory improvements tested on an archaeological rescue site in Trino, Vercelli province, Italy

Thermoluminescence (TL) is a reliable radiation-based technique for the dating and authentication of ceramic objects, allowing the evaluation of the time elapsed since their last exposure to high temperatures (e.g. firing in kiln or later fire events). The TL laboratory developed in the last decade at the Physics Department of the University of Torino, currently operating within the INFN (National Institute of Nuclear Physics) CHNet network, is presented. The 10-years-long experience in the field resulted in the enhancement of the procedures, with the development of customised \u3b1 and \u3b2 irradiation systems and the optimisation of sampling approach and chemical pre-treatment. In collaboration with TecnArt S.r.l., the improved procedures were employed for dating two structures from a rescue archaeological site in the Vercelli province (Italy)