Sociology and History of Science: News Questions, Contexts and Epistemological Perspectives

For historians of sociology , one of the most important problems of the twenty-first century is to replace the discipline in the age of scientific knowledge

Heterogeneity of the bone marrow niche in patients with myeloproliferative neoplasms: ActivinA secretion by mesenchymal stromal cells correlates with the degree of marrow fibrosis

Mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) represent an essential component of the bone marrow (BM) niche and display disease-specific alterations in several myeloid malignancies. The aim of this work was to study possible MSC abnormalities in Philadelphia-negative myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPNs) in relationship to the degree of BM fibrosis. MSCs were isolated from BM of 6 healthy donors (HD) and of 23 MPN patients, classified in 3 groups according to the diagnosis and the grade of BM fibrosis: polycythemia vera and essential thrombocythemia (PV/ET), low fibrosis myelofibrosis (LF-MF), and high fibrosis MF (HF-MF). MSC cultures were established from 21 of 23 MPN patients. MPN-derived MSCs did not exhibit any functional impairment in their adipogenic/osteogenic/chondrogenic differentiation potential and displayed a phenotype similar to HD-derived MSCs but with a decreased expression of CD146. All MPN-MSC lines were negative for the patient-specific hematopoietic clone mutations (JAK2, MPL, CALR). MSCs derived from HF-MF patients displayed a reduced clonogenic potential and a lower growth kinetic compared to MSCs from HD, LF-MF, and PV/ET patients. mRNA levels of hematopoiesis regulatory molecules were unaffected in MSCs from HF-MF compared to HD. Finally, in vitro ActivinA secretion by MSCs was increased in HF-MF compared to LF-MF patients, in association with a lower hemoglobin value. Increased ActivinA immunolabeling on stromal cells and erythroid precursors was also observed in HF-MF BM biopsies. In conclusion, higher grade of BM fibrosis is associated with functional impairment of MSCs and the increased secretion of ActivinA may represent a suitable target for anemia treatment in MF patients

Rubinstein-Taybi Syndrome: spectrum of CREBBP mutations in Italian patients

BACKGROUND: Rubinstein-Taybi Syndrome (RSTS, MIM 180849) is a rare congenital disorder characterized by mental and growth retardation, broad and duplicated distal phalanges of thumbs and halluces, facial dysmorphisms and increased risk of tumors. RSTS is caused by chromosomal rearrangements and point mutations in one copy of the CREB-binding protein gene (CREBBP or CBP) in 16p13.3. To date mutations in CREBBP have been reported in 56.6% of RSTS patients and an average figure of 10% has ascribed to deletions. METHODS: Our study is based on the mutation analysis of CREBBP in 31 Italian RSTS patients using segregation analysis of intragenic microsatellites, BAC FISH and direct sequencing of PCR and RT-PCR fragments. RESULTS: We identified a total of five deletions, two of the entire gene and three, all in a mosaic condition, involving either the 5' or the 3' region. By direct sequencing a total of 14 de novo mutations were identified: 10 truncating (5 frameshift and 5 nonsense), one splice site, and three novel missense mutations. Two of the latter affect the HAT domain, while one maps within the conserved nuclear receptor binding of (aa 1–170) and will probably destroy a Nuclear Localization Signal. Identification of the p.Asn1978Ser in the healthy mother of a patient also carrying a de novo frameshift mutation, questions the pathogenetic significance of the missense change reported as recurrent mutation. Thirteen additional polymorphisms, three as of yet unreported, were also detected. CONCLUSION: A high detection rate (61.3%) of mutations is confirmed by this Italian study which also attests one of the highest microdeletion rate (16%) documented so far

Reazioni di glicosidazione e sintesi di glicosidi a potenziale attivita biologica

Dottorato di ricerca in chimica del farmaco. 8. ciclo. A.a. 1992-95. Relatore D. Pocar. Coordinatore G. CignarellaConsiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche - Biblioteca Centrale - P.le Aldo Moro, 7, Rome; Biblioteca Nazionale Centrale - P.za Cavalleggeri, 1, Florence / CNR - Consiglio Nazionale delle RichercheSIGLEITItal

REDUCTIVE DEHALOGENATION OF ALPHA-HALOKETONES PROMOTED BY HYDROIODIC ACID AND WITHOUT SOLVENT

Several alpha-haloketones have been transformed into the corresponding ketones by reaction with aqueous 57% HI, without solvent. The products are obtained in nearly quantitative yields and with high purity (>99%) even in the case of sterically hindered starting materials

FINKELSTEIN REACTION WITH AQUEOUS HYDROGEN HALIDES EFFICIENTLY CATALYZED BY LIPOPHILIC QUARTERNARY ONIUM SALTS

The rate of halogen metathesis between halogenoalkanes RX 1-4 (X = F, Cl, Br, I) and aqueous concentrated hydrogen halides HY (Y = Cl, Br, I) is strongly accelerated under phase-transfer catalysis conditions, without solvent. The amount and nature of the nucleophilic species in the organic phase were determined

Gender specific data in patients with acute appendicitis: a single center perspective

The influence of sex, socioeconomic status and other factors on outcomes from acute illness has been found recently with an increasing interest; acute appendicitis is the most frequent urgency in pediatric age. The aim of this study is to show any gender differences

Isothiazoles. Part IV. Cycloaddition reactions of diaryl-oxazolones and munchnones to 3-diethylamino-4-(4-methoxyphenyl)-isothiazole 1,1-dioxide: A new synthesis of triarylpyrroles

3-Diethylamino-4-(4-methoxyphenyl)-isothiazole 1,1-dioxide (3) readily reacts with oxazolones 2 and munchnones 7 affording with satisfactory yield 3-diethylamino-4,6-diaryl-3a,4-dihydro-3a-(4-methoxyphenyl)-6aH-pyrrol o[3,4-d]isothiazole 1,1-dioxides 4 and 3-diethylamino-4,6-diaryl-5-alkyl-3a-(4-methoxyphenyl)-pyrrolo[3,4-d]i sothiazole 1,1-dioxides 8, respectively. The behaviour of the cycloadducts towards elevated temperatures and/or basic conditions was investigated. Under these conditions the primary products lost SO2 and diethylcyanamide affording 1-alkyl-2,3,5-triarylpyrroles 9 and 1H-2,3,5-triarylpyrroles 10. These latter were found to be better obtained through thermal decompression of N-protected cycloadducts 8 and subsequent deprotecting the final pyrroles