Fast plasma sintering delivers functional graded materials components with macroporous structures and osseointegration properties

We explored the osseointegration potential of two macroporous titanium surfaces obtained using fast plasma sintering (FPS): Ti macroporous structures with 400-600 µmØ pores (TiMac400) and 850-1000 µmØ pores (TiMac850). They were compared against two surfaces currently in clinical use: Ti-Growth® and air plasma spray (Ti-Y367). Each surface was tested, once placed over a Ti-alloy and once onto a CoCr bulk substrate. Implants were placed in medial femoral condyles in 24 sheep. Samples were explanted at four and eight weeks after surgery. Push-out loads were measured using a material-testing system. Bone contact and ingrowth were assessed by histomorphometry and SEM and EDX analyses. Histology showed early osseointegration for all the surfaces tested. At 8 weeks, TiMac400, TiMac850 and Ti-Growth® showed deep bone ingrowth and extended colonisation with newly formed bone. The mechanical push-out force was equal in all tested surfaces. Plasma spray surfaces showed greater bone-implant contact and higher level of pores colonisation with new bone than FPS produced surfaces. However, the void pore area in FPS specimens was significantly higher, yet the FPS porous surfaces allowed a deeper osseointegration of bone to implant. FPS manufactured specimens showed similar osseointegration potential to the plasma spray surfaces for orthopaedic implants. FPS is a useful technology for manufacturing macroporous titanium surfaces. Furthermore, its capability to combine two implantable materials, using bulk CoCr with macroporous titanium surfaces, could be of interest as it enables designers to conceive and manufacture innovative components. FPS delivers functional graded materials components with macroporous structures optimised for osseointegration

Translation, Cross-Cultural Adaptation, and Preliminary Validation of the Transsexual Voice Questionnaire for Male-to-Female Transsexuals (I-TVQ MtF) Into Italian

Summary: Objective.To perform a cross-cultural adaptation into Italian and to analyse reliability and valid-ity of the Transsexual Voice Questionnaire for male-to-female transsexuals (I-TVQMtF).Study Design.Cross-sectional nonrandomized survey study.Methods.For item-generation, a cross-cultural adaptation and translation process was performed followingstandard guidelines. Transgender women were consecutively recruited and asked tofill out the I-TVQMtFand aform on social, demographic and transition-related variables. Firstly, data collected from participants were usedto perform confirmatory factor analysis, and to evaluate internal consistency and test-retest reliability Subse-quently, convergent validity was evaluated comparing I-TVQMtFtotal scores with the two extra items addressingself-perception (SPVF) and aspiration (AVF) of voice femininity. To evaluate convergent validity, scores of theItalian version of the Voice Handicap Index were considered for comparisons. A correlation analysis was per-formed to verify potential association between I-TVQMtFscores and social, demographic and transition-relatedvariables.Results.Confirmatory factor analysis demonstrated that a two-factor modelfits data better than the unidimen-sional one. Both internal consistency and test retest reliability of the I-TVQMtFwere satisfactory. Negative corre-lations were highlighted between I-TVQMtFscores on one side and self-perception vocal functioning andaspiration vocal functioning on the other. Positive correlations between I-TVQMtFand Italian version of theVoice Handicap Index scores were also found. Finally, negative correlations were demonstrated between I-TVQMtFscores and time spent living in the female role.Conclusion.The I-TVQMtFappears to be a reliable and valid instrument for the assessment of voice-relatedquality of life in transgender women

Proteins involved in biotic and abiotic stress responses as the most significant biomarkers in the ripening of Pinot Noir skins

We propose an integrated approach, obtained by the combination of multivariate statistics and proteomics, useful to isolate candidate biomarkers for the evaluation of grape ripening. We carried out a comparative 2-DE analysis of grape skins collected in three moments of ripening and analyzed the spot volume dataset through the application of principal component analysis followed by forward stepwiselinear discriminant analysis. This technique allowed to discriminate v\ue9raison, quite mature and mature samples, and to sort the matched spots according to their significance. We identified 36 spots showing high discriminating coefficients through liquid chromatography - electrospray ionization - tandem mass spectrometry (LC-ESI-MS/MS). Most of them were involved in biotic and abiotic stress responses indicating these enzymes as good candidate markers of berry ripening. These evidences hint at a likely developmental role of these proteins, in addition to their reported activity in stress events. Restricting the same statistical analysis to the samples belonging to the two last stages, it was indicated that this approach can clearly distinguish these close and similar phases of berry development. Taken all together, these results bear out that the employment of the combination of 2-DE and multivariate statistics is a reliable tool in the identification of new protein markers for describing the ripening phases and to assess the overall quality of the fruit

Blood transcriptomics of drug-na\uefve sporadic Parkinson's disease patients

BACKGROUND: Parkinson's disease (PD) is a chronic progressive neurodegenerative disorder that is clinically defined in terms of motor symptoms. These are preceded by prodromal non-motor manifestations that prove the systemic nature of the disease. Identifying genes and pathways altered in living patients provide new information on the diagnosis and pathogenesis of sporadic PD. METHODS: Changes in gene expression in the blood of 40 sporadic PD patients and 20 healthy controls ("Discovery set") were analyzed by taking advantage of the Affymetrix platform. Patients were at the onset of motor symptoms and before initiating any pharmacological treatment. Data analysis was performed by applying Ranking-Principal Component Analysis, PUMA and Significance Analysis of Microarrays. Functional annotations were assigned using GO, DAVID, GSEA to unveil significant enriched biological processes in the differentially expressed genes. The expressions of selected genes were validated using RT-qPCR and samples from an independent cohort of 12 patients and controls ("Validation set"). RESULTS: Gene expression profiling of blood samples discriminates PD patients from healthy controls and identifies differentially expressed genes in blood. The majority of these are also present in dopaminergic neurons of the Substantia Nigra, the key site of neurodegeneration. Together with neuronal apoptosis, lymphocyte activation and mitochondrial dysfunction, already found in previous analysis of PD blood and post-mortem brains, we unveiled transcriptome changes enriched in biological terms related to epigenetic modifications including chromatin remodeling and methylation. Candidate transcripts as CBX5, TCF3, MAN1C1 and DOCK10 were validated by RT-qPCR. CONCLUSIONS: Our data support the use of blood transcriptomics to study neurodegenerative diseases. It identifies changes in crucial components of chromatin remodeling and methylation machineries as early events in sporadic PD suggesting epigenetics as target for therapeutic intervention