Redoxomics and Oxidative Stress: From the Basic Research to the Clinical Practice

Potentially oxidant chemical species, which include not only free radicals but also other oxidizing chemical species such as reactive oxygen species (ROS), for example, hydroxyl radical and hydrogen peroxide, and nitrogen reactive species (RNS), for example, nitric oxide, play a relevant role in all biological processes and especially in cell defenses and molecular signaling. Their action is finely modulated by the antioxidant network that is composed either by endogenous or exogenous compounds (e.g., enzymes, peptides, lipids, and vitamins). An impaired modulation of oxidant species can lead to the so-called oxidative stress that is now considered an emerging health risk factor in almost all living organisms including plants, animals, and humans. Indeed, oxidative stress is related to a reduced lifespan and many diseases (e.g., cardiovascular diseases, neurodegenerative disorders, and metabolic diseases) both in humans and in animals. Unfortunately, oxidative stress does not show any clinical picture, but it can be detected only by means of specific laboratory tests. The recent recognition of a specific “redox code” and the definition of a redoxomics as a new “omics” are now enlarging the horizon of the traditional oxidative stress field leading to the definition of the so-called electrophilic stress. The aim of this chapter is to review the basic principles of redox reaction starting from the concept of free radicals and antioxidant in order to define the “electrophilic stress” as an emerging health risk factor for early aging and almost 1000 illness from infectious diseases to cancer. A paragraph is dedicated to the tests to measure oxidative stress in clinical practice either in humans or in animals in order to prevent, to treat and to monitor electrophilic-related diseases

Symmetries and criticality of generalised van der Waals models

We consider a family of thermodynamic models such that the energy density can be expressed as an asymptotic expansion in the scale formal parameter and whose terms are suitable functions of the volume density. We examine the possibility to construct solutions for the Maxwell thermodynamic relations relying on their symmetry properties and deduce the critical properties implied in terms of the the dynamics of coexistence curves in the space of thermodynamic variables

Combined role of the Lewis antigenic system, Chlamydia pneumoniae, and C-reactive protein in unstable angina

AbstractObjectivesThe goal of this study was to assess the prognostic role of the Lewis antigenic system, Chlamydia pneumoniae(CP) seropositivity (CP+), and C-reactive protein (CRP) levels in unstable angina (UA).BackgroundThe role of CP infection in acute coronary syndromes is contradictory. The Lewis antigenic system, a genetically determined blood group system associated with infections and several disorders, including ischemic heart disease, might influence the susceptibility to CP infection, inflammatory response, and risk of cardiac ischemic events.MethodsThe CRP levels, Lewis antigens, and CP+ were measured in 54 patients with Braunwald’s class IIIB UA. All patients were followed up for one year, and the occurrence of new coronary events (coronary death, myocardial infarction, and recurrence of instability) were recorded.ResultsTwenty-five coronary events occurred during follow-up. At univariate analysis CRP >3 mg/l (CRP+) (p = 0.0056), Lewis antigen b (Leb+) (p = 0.028), and the combination of Leb+ and CP+ (p = 0.006) and of CRP+ and Leb+ (p = 0.003) were associated with new coronary events, while CP+ alone was not. At multivariate analysis, CRP+ (p = 0.008) and combined Leb+CP+ (p = 0.03) were independent predictors of worse outcome. The event rate was 64% in CRP+ patients, 67% in Leb+CP+ patients, and 86% in CRP+Leb+CP+ patients. Combined Leb+CP+, but not Leb+ and CP+ alone, was related to CRP levels (p = 0.03). Among CP+ patients, CRP levels were higher in Leb+ than Leb- (p = 0.028).ConclusionsOur data demonstrate that in UA the Lewis antigenic system plays an important role, probably determining individual susceptibility to the detrimental effects of CP infection and by determining an enhanced inflammatory response

Crohn's Disease Imaging: A Review

Crohn's disease is a chronic granulomatous inflammatory disease of the gastrointestinal tract, which can involve almost any segment from the mouth to the anus. Typically, Crohn's lesions attain segmental and asynchronous distribution with varying levels of seriousness, although the sites most frequently involved are the terminal ileum and the proximal colon. A single gold standard for the diagnosis of CD is not available and the diagnosis of CD is confirmed by clinical evaluation and a combination of endoscopic, histological, radiological, and/or biochemical investigations. In recent years, many studies have been performed to investigate the diagnostic potential of less invasive and more patient-friendly imaging modalities in the evaluation of Crohn's disease including conventional enteroclysis, ultrasonography, color-power Doppler, contrast-enhanced ultrasonography, multidetector CT enteroclysis, MRI enteroclysis, and 99mTc-HMPAO-labeled leukocyte scintigraphy. The potential diagnostic role of each imaging modality has to be considered in different clinical degrees of the disease, because there is no single imaging technique that allows a correct diagnosis and may be performed with similar results in every institution. The aim of this paper is to point out the advantages and limitations of the various imaging techniques in patients with suspected or proven Crohn's disease

COVID-19 in rheumatic diseases in Italy: first results from the Italian registry of the Italian Society for Rheumatology (CONTROL-19)

OBJECTIVES: Italy was one of the first countries significantly affected by the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) epidemic. The Italian Society for Rheumatology promptly launched a retrospective and anonymised data collection to monitor COVID-19 in patients with rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases (RMDs), the CONTROL-19 surveillance database, which is part of the COVID-19 Global Rheumatology Alliance. METHODS: CONTROL-19 includes patients with RMDs and proven severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) updated until May 3rd 2020. In this analysis, only molecular diagnoses were included. The data collection covered demographic data, medical history (general and RMD-related), treatments and COVID-19 related features, treatments, and outcome. In this paper, we report the first descriptive data from the CONTROL-19 registry. RESULTS: The population of the first 232 patients (36% males) consisted mainly of elderly patients (mean age 62.2 years), who used corticosteroids (51.7%), and suffered from multi-morbidity (median comorbidities 2). Rheumatoid arthritis was the most frequent disease (34.1%), followed by spondyloarthritis (26.3%), connective tissue disease (21.1%) and vasculitis (11.2%). Most cases had an active disease (69.4%). Clinical presentation of COVID-19 was typical, with systemic symptoms (fever and asthenia) and respiratory symptoms. The overall outcome was severe, with high frequencies of hospitalisation (69.8%), respiratory support oxygen (55.7%), non-invasive ventilation (20.9%) or mechanical ventilation (7.5%), and 19% of deaths. Male patients typically manifested a worse prognosis. Immunomodulatory treatments were not significantly associated with an increased risk of intensive care unit admission/mechanical ventilation/death. CONCLUSIONS: Although the report mainly includes the most severe cases, its temporal and spatial trend supports the validity of the national surveillance system. More complete data are being acquired in order to both test the hypothesis that RMD patients may have a different outcome from that of the general population and determine the safety of immunomodulatory treatments

Beta-Blocker Use in Older Hospitalized Patients Affected by Heart Failure and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease: An Italian Survey From the REPOSI Register

Beta (β)-blockers (BB) are useful in reducing morbidity and mortality in patients with heart failure (HF) and concomitant chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Nevertheless, the use of BBs could induce bronchoconstriction due to β2-blockade. For this reason, both the ESC and GOLD guidelines strongly suggest the use of selective β1-BB in patients with HF and COPD. However, low adherence to guidelines was observed in multiple clinical settings. The aim of the study was to investigate the BBs use in older patients affected by HF and COPD, recorded in the REPOSI register. Of 942 patients affected by HF, 47.1% were treated with BBs. The use of BBs was significantly lower in patients with HF and COPD than in patients affected by HF alone, both at admission and at discharge (admission, 36.9% vs. 51.3%; discharge, 38.0% vs. 51.7%). In addition, no further BB users were found at discharge. The probability to being treated with a BB was significantly lower in patients with HF also affected by COPD (adj. OR, 95% CI: 0.50, 0.37-0.67), while the diagnosis of COPD was not associated with the choice of selective β1-BB (adj. OR, 95% CI: 1.33, 0.76-2.34). Despite clear recommendations by clinical guidelines, a significant underuse of BBs was also observed after hospital discharge. In COPD affected patients, physicians unreasonably reject BBs use, rather than choosing a β1-BB. The expected improvement of the BB prescriptions after hospitalization was not observed. A multidisciplinary approach among hospital physicians, general practitioners, and pharmacologists should be carried out for better drug management and adherence to guideline recommendations

ANALISI DELLA RISPOSTA SISMICA LOCALE IN PRESENZA DI MORFOLOGIE COMPLESSE DI SOTTOSUOLO: IL CASO DI CASTELNUOVO (AQ)

La tesi ha l'obiettivo dello studio dell’amplificazione del moto sismico e dei fenomeni deformativi del colle di Castelnuovo (AQ), il centro abitato più vistosamente e singolarmente danneggiato dal terremoto aquilano del 2009. Il problema presenta diverse complessità e peculiarità di carattere geometrico, morfologico e geotecnico. In primo luogo, la morfologia del colle è spiccatamente tridimensionale, ed in superficie interessata da numerose cavità antropiche superficiali e di dimensioni confrontabili con gli edifici, il cui danneggiamento sembra essere stato localmente influenzato da esse. Il sottosuolo è costituito da un terreno deformabile molto particolare, i limi carbonatici di San Nicandro, sul quale è stata eseguita un’ampia campagna sperimentale di laboratorio, meticolosamente elaborata e interpretate nella tesi, integrando i dati sperimentali con i pochi già disponibili da indagini geofisiche in sito. La tesi affronta un esteso studio parametrico basato su modellazione 2D alle differenza finite degli effetti della propagazione di segnali sintetici attraverso cavità singole o multiple, di diversa profondità, forma e dimensione, sintetizzando i risultati in termini di parametri e criteri sintetici di apprezzabile utilità ingegneristica per la previsione degli effetti di modifica del moto in superficie. Successivamente, la tesi affronta il difficile problema della costruzione di un modello tridimensionale del colle per la simulazione numerica degli effetti del terremoto del 6.IV.2009, impegno particolarmente oneroso a causa della necessità di costruire un modello adeguatamente esteso da rappresentare le principali complessità topografiche, superficiali e sepolte, del colle, nonché sufficientemente dettagliato per introdurvi realisticamente le numerose cavità. Questo lavoro, condotto con particolare attenzione per la calibrazione preliminare del modello e il confronto con risultati numerici e sperimentali preesistenti, è stato accompagnato da uno studio molto accurato del moto sismico di riferimento, conducendo a risultati innovativi e d'indubbio valore tecnico-scientifico

On solutions to a novel non-evolutionary integrable 1+1 PDE

We investigate real solutions of a C-integrable non-evolutionary partial differential equation in the form of a scalar conservation law where the flux density depends both on the density and on its first derivatives with respect to the local variables. By performing a similarity reduction dictated by one of its local symmetry generators, a nonlinear ordinary differential equation arises that is connected to the Painleve III equation. Exact solutions are secured and described provided a constraint holds among the coefficients of the original equation. In the most general case, we pinpoint the generation of additional singularities by numerical integration. Then, we discuss the evolution of given initial profiles. Finally, we mention aspects concerning rational solutions with a finite number of poles