Prenatal Screening and Genetics

Although the term 'genetic screening' has been used for decades, this paper discusses how, in its most precise meaning, genetic screening has not yet been widely introduced. 'Prenatal screening' is often confused with 'genetic screening'. As we show, these terms have different meanings, and we examine definitions of the relevant concepts in order to illustrate this point. The concepts are i) prenatal, ii) genetic screening, iii) screening, scanning and testing, iv) maternal and foetal tests, v) test techniques and vi) genetic conditions. So far, prenatal screening has little connection with precisely defined genetics. There are benefits but also disadvantages in overstating current links between them in the term genetic screening. Policy making and professional and public understandings about screening could be clarified if the distinct meanings of prenatal screening and genetic screening were more precisely observed

Serratiopeptidase reduces the invasion of osteoblasts by Staphylococcus aureus

Finding new strategies to counteract periprosthetic infection and implant failure is a main target in orthopedics. Staphylococcus aureus, the leading etiologic agent of orthopedic implant infections, is able to enter and kill osteoblasts, to stimulate pro-inflammatory chemokine secretion, to recruit osteoclasts, and to cause inflammatory osteolysis. Moreover, by entering eukaryotic cells, staphylococci hide from the host immune defenses and shelter from the extracellular antibiotics. Thus, infection persists, inflammation thrives, and a highly destructive osteomyelitis occurs around the implant. The ability of serratiopeptidase (SPEP), a metalloprotease by Serratia marcescens, to control S. aureus invasion of osteoblastic MG-63 cells and pro-inflammatory chemokine MCP-1 secretion was evaluated. Human osteoblast cells were infected with staphylococcal strains in the presence and in the absence of SPEP. Cell proliferation and cell viability were also evaluated. The release of pro-inflammatory chemokine MCP-1 was evaluated after the exposure of the osteoblast cells to staphylococcal strains. The significance of the differences in the results of each test and the relative control values was determined with Student’s t-test. SPEP impairs their invasiveness into osteoblasts, without affecting the viability and proliferation of bone cells, and tones down their production of MCP-1. We recognize SPEP as a potential tool against S. aureus bone infection and destruction

Leaky-wave slot array antenna fed by a dual reflector system

This work proposes a leaky-wave slot array antenna fed by a dual offset Gregorian reflector system realized by pins in a parallel plate waveguide. The radiating part of the antenna is composed by parallel slots etched on one side of the same parallel plate waveguide. The dual offset Gregorian reflector system is fed by an arrangement constituted by two vias and a grid, also constituted by pins. A prototype of the antenna has been designed, manufactured and successfully tested. The low profile, low cost and high efficiency of the antenna render it suited for a variety of radar or telecom applications

A millimeter-wave Bessel beam launcher through the excitation of higher-order leaky modes

International audienceWe present a Bessel beam launcher based on a radial leaky-wave antenna operating at millimeter waves. With respect to a design method proposed by one of the Authors in a lower frequency range, a new approach is chosen here, as an alternative to a simple scaling of all the geometrical parameters. In order to avoid inacceptable levels of losses and possible fabrication issues due to an extremely thin substrate, our design is based on the suitable excitation of a higher-order leaky mode. Closed-form equations are derived in order to simplify the design, providing reliable values for the physical parameters once the near-field characteristics are assigned. Simulated results are shown to validate the proposed procedure

New frontiers of cognitive rehabilitation in geriatric age: the Mozart effect (ME)

The ME was described for the first time in 1993. Subsequently other studies with similar designs were performed. The present study, therefore, proposes: (i) to verify the existence of the benefits of exposure to music in elderly subjects with mild cognitive impairment (MCI), (ii) to explore whether it is possible to find any lasting improvement after training, conducted for a long period of time, with such musical pieces, in the measurable cognitive performances. The study we conducted showed that the ME is present in geriatric patients with MCI; the influence on spatial–temporal abilities remains constant in time if the stimulation is maintained. The continuation of our study will consist of increasing the number of individuals examined and in having them listen to music during the study of ECG rhythms and during the acquisition of cerebral functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), and, at the same time, testing them by neuropsychometric methods

JCV-specific T-cells producing IFN-gamma are differently associated with PmL occurrence in HIV patients and liver transplant recipients

Aim of this work was to investigate a possible correlation between the frequency of JCV-specific T-cells and PML occurrence in HIV-infected subjects and in liver transplant recipients. A significant decrease of JCV-specific T-cells was observed in HIV-PML subjects, highlighting a close relation between JCV-specific T-cell immune impairment and PML occurrence in HIV-subjects. Interestingly, liver-transplant recipients (LTR) showed a low frequency of JCV-specific T-cells, similar to HIV-PML subjects. Nevertheless, none of the enrolled LTR developed PML, suggesting the existence of different immunological mechanisms involved in the maintenance of a protective immune response in LT

Von willebrand and factor VIII portosystemic circulation gradient in cirrhosi. Implications for portal vein thrombosis

OBJECTIVES: Portal vein thrombosis seems to be dependent on local hypercoagulation and venous stasis; data regarding endothelial damage are lacking. METHODS: von Willebrad factor, a marker of endothelial damage/perturbation, factor VIII, and lipopolysaccharides (LPS) were studied in the portal and systemic circulation of 20 cirrhotic patients undergoing transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic procedure. RESULTS: von Willebrad factor, factor VIII, and LPS were higher in the portal compared with systemic circulation, with a significant correlation between LPS and the other 2 variables. DISCUSSION: Endothelial damage and hypercoagulation coexist in the portal tree of patients with cirrhosis, and both could contribute to portal vein thrombosis. LPS may be a potential trigger of endothelial damage

Bridging and downstaging to transplantation in HCC

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Liposome-induced exfoliation of graphite to few-layer graphene dispersion with antibacterial activity

Liposome-induced exfoliation of graphite allowed to obtain few-layer graphene homogeneous in size and hydrophilic due to the non-covalent functionalization with phospholipids. The corresponding dispersions are stable for 48 h and demonstrate antimicrobial activity