Immunobiology of solid cancers: cellular and molecular pathways as potential diagnostic and therapeutic targets

In the last four decades, tumor immunology has shed light on identity and functions of cells and molecules involved in tumor rejection through the involvement of the immune system [1]. Several groups of immune cells have been demonstrated to be able to contrast tumor occurrence and tumor progression by killing immunogenic tumor cells, a phenomenon recognized under the definition of “immunosurveillance” [2]. Unfortunately, cancer may evade immunosurveillance and progress through the modifications of its own antigens, which can reduce tumor immunogenicity and/or increase its immunosuppressive action [3]. After years of investigations, harnessing the immune system to attack cancer has recently led scientists to gather enough clinical data to show what a powerful sword immunotherapy can be

A Pathogenetic Focus on the Aortoiliac - Mesenteric Steal Syndrome

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Is a combination of melatonin and amino acids useful to sarcopenic elderly patients? A randomized trial

This study evaluated the effectiveness of a 4-week intervention of melatonin and essential aminoacid supplementation on body composition, protein metabolism, strength and inflammation in 159 elderly sarcopenic patients (42/117, men/women), assigned to four groups: isocaloric placebo (P, n = 44), melatonin (M, 1 mg/daily, n = 42), essential amino acids (eAA 4 g/daily, n = 40) or eAA plus melatonin (eAAM, 4 g eAA and 1 mg melatonin/daily, n = 30). Data from body composition (dual X-ray absortiometry (DXA)), strength (handgrip test) and biochemical parameters for the assessment of protein metabolism (albumin) and inflammation (CRP) were collected at baseline and after the 4-week intervention. Compared with P and M, supplementation with eAA plus M increased total fat-free mass (vs. P: +2190 g; p < 0.01; vs. M: +2107 g; p < 0.05). M alone lowered albumin levels (vs. P: -0.39 g; p < 0.01; vs. eAA: -0.47 g; p < 0.01). This data on albumin was confirmed by within-group analysis (M -0.44g; p < 0.001; eAAM: -0.34 p < 0.05). M and eAA seemed to lower the percentage of gynoid fat (p < 0.05) and android fat (p < 0.01). No significant changes in inflammation or strength were reported. A 4-week intervention with eAA plus M together may be effective in enhancing fat-free-mass compared to M and P but not versus eAA. M alone demonstrates a negative effect on albumin level

Pivotal role of boron supplementation on bone health: A narrative review

Background: Boron is a trace element that plays an important role in numerous biological functions, including calcium metabolism, growth and maintenance of bone tissue. However, there are still no precise indications regarding a possible role of boron supplementation, and its amount of supplementation, to maintain bone health. So the aim of this narrative review was to consider the state of the art on the effectiveness of boron supplementation (alone or with other micronutrients) on growth and maintenance of bone in humans through control of calcium, vitamin D and sex steroid hormone metabolism in order to suggest a daily dosage of boron supplementation. Main findings: This review included 11 eligible studies: 7 regarding the supplementation with boron alone and 4 regarding supplementation with boron and other nutrients. Despite the number of studies considered being low, the number of subjects studied is high (594) and the results are interesting. Conclusions: The studies considered in this narrative review have evaluated the positive effectiveness on bone, in humans, through control of calcium, vitamin D and sex steroid hormone metabolism, considering a dietary supplementation of 3 mg/day of boron (alone or with other nutrients); this supplementation is demonstrably useful to support bone health (in order to prevent and maintain adequate bone mineral density), also considering the daily dose of 3 mg is much lower than the Upper Level indicated by EFSA in the daily dose of 10 mg

Variable stiffness control for oscillation damping

In this paper a model-free approach for damping control of Variable Stiffness Actuators is proposed. The idea is to take advantage of the possibility to change the stiffness of the actuators in controlling the damping. The problem of minimizing the terminal energy for a one degree of freedom spring-mass model with controlled stiffness is first considered. The optimal bang-bang control law uses a maximum stiffness when the link gets away from the desired position, i.e. the link velocity is decreasing, and a minimum one when the link is going towards it, i.e. the link velocity is increasing. Based on Lyapunov stability theorems the obtained law has been proved to be stable for a multi-DoF system. Finally, the proposed control law has been tested and validated through experimental tests

HD 17156b: A Transiting Planet with a 21.2 Day Period and an Eccentric Orbit

We report the detection of transits by the 3.1 M_Jup companion to the V=8.17 G0V star HD 17156. The transit was observed by three independant observers on Sept. 9/10, 2007 (two in central Italy and one in the Canary Islands), who obtained detections at confidence levels of 3.0 sigma, 5.3 sigma, and 7.9 sigma, respectively. The observations were carried out under the auspices of the Transitsearch.org network, which organizes follow-up photometric transit searches of known planet-bearing stars during the time intervals when transits are expected to possibly occur. Analyses of the 7.9 sigma data set indicates a transit depth d=0.0062+/-0.0004, and a transit duration t=186+/-5 min. These values are consistent with the transit of a Jupiter-sized planet with an impact parameter b=a*cos(i)/R_star ~ 0.8. This planet occupies a unique regime among known transiting extrasolar planets, both as a result of its large orbital eccentricity (e=0.67) and long orbital period (P=21.2 d). The planet receives a 26-fold variation in insolation during the course of its orbit, which will make it a useful object for characterization of exoplanetary atmospheric dynamics.Comment: Accepted for publication to A&A, 4 pages, 2 figure

Comparison between appendicular skeletal muscle index dxa defined by ewgsop1 and 2 versus bia tengvall criteria among older people admitted to the post-acute geriatric care unit in Italy

This study aims to assess the agreement between the appendicular skeletal muscle index (ASMI) and dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) using a single frequency bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) to assess criteria. Moreover, we used the European working group on sarcopenia in older people 1 (EWGSOP1), EWGSOP2, and the Tengvall equation to estimate a low prevalence in ASMI (under the cutoff criteria). We examined a sample of 765 elderly individuals (27.8% male and 72.2% female, aged 82 ± 8.2 years). Based on the cutoff identified by Tengvall, EWGSOP1, and EWGSOP2, the results showed that the prevalence of low ASMI in females was 10.1%, 11.4%, and 9.2%, respectively, and 98.1%, 30.5%, and 23.5% in males, respectively. Moreover, low ASMI prevalence under each diagnostic criterion and body mass index (BMI) was calculated. For BMI 25 kg/m2, the ASMI prevalence was 29.0%, 6.6%, and 5.2%. The percentage of agreement and Cohen’s Kappa with the corresponding p-value between Tengvall and EWGSOP1 was 70.1% (p < 0.001). Between Tengvall and EWGSOP2, it was 69.4% (p < 0.001). Between EWGSOP1 and EWGSOP2, it was 96.5% (p < 0.001). Regarding gender, low ASMI prevalence in males was higher than in females. Moreover, in females, the prevalence was comparable among the three diagnostic criteria, while in males, it was significantly higher under Tengvall than the other two criteria. The application of the Tengvall formula with a single frequency BIA should be revised in terms of application for assessing low ASMI in elderly patients

Association between des-acyl ghrelin at fasting and predictive index of muscle derangement, metabolic markers and eating disorders: a cross-sectional study in overweight and obese adults

Background: This study aimed to analyse the impact of des-acyl and acyl ghrelin (AG) on a wide range of muscular and metabolic markers and in order to discover the possible relationships and interactions of des-acylated ghrelin (DAG) on eating disorders. Materials & Methods: A total of 88 subjects (64 women and 24 men, with a mean age of 43 years and a mean body mass index (BMI) of 30.20 ± 3.27 kg/m2) were enrolled in the cross-sectional study. Results: The findings showed that for each unit of increase of free fat mass index (FFMI), levels of DAG decreased by −41.11 pg/mL (p < 0.05). Moreover, similar associations with DAG were found for insulin (β = −30.67; p < 0.001), leptin (β = −0.64; p < 0.05), body weight (β = −14.36; p < 0.001), and free fat mass (FFM) (β = −30.67; p < 0.001). In addition, associations were found between DAG and resting energy expenditure (REE) (β = −0.84; p = 0.05) and the binge eating scale (BES) in which a unit increase of the BES score Q3 (depression) correlated with a decrease of DAG levels (β = −9.98; p = 0.08). Further, a unit increase of AG/DAG ratio correspond with an increase in body weight (β = 12.20; p < 0.05), BMI (β = 4.70; p < 0.05) and fat mass (β = 7.30; p < 0.05). However, the AG/DAG ratio was not associated with FFMI (β = 2.61; p = 0.165) and FFML/BMI (β = −0,064; p = 0.625). Conclusion: This study suggests that higher levels of DAG at fasting are indices of poor muscle mass, insulin resistance and depression

Clinical trials on pain lowering effect of ginger: A narrative review

Ginger has a pain-reducing effect and it can modulate pain through various mechanisms: inhibition of prostaglandins via the COX and LOX-pathways, antioxidant activity, inibition of the transcription factor nf–kB, or acting as agonist of vanilloid nociceptor. This narrative review summarizes the last 10-year of randomized controlled trials (RCTs), in which ginger was traditionally used as a pain reliever for dysmenorrhea, delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS), osteoarthritis (AO), chronic low back pain (CLBP), and migraine. Regarding dysmenorrhea, six eligible studies suggest a promising effect of oral ginger. As concerned with DOMS, the four eligible RCTs suggested a reduction of inflammation after oral and topical ginger administration. Regarding knee AO, nine RCTs agree in stating that oral and topical use of ginger seems to be effective against pain, while other did not find significant differences. One RCT considered the use of ginger in migraine and suggested its beneficial activity. Finally, one RCT evaluated the effects of Swedish massage with aromatic ginger oil on CLBP demonstrated a reduction in pain. The use of ginger for its pain lowering effect is safe and promising, even though more studies are needed to create a consensus about the dosage of ginger useful for long-term therapy