Early retinol-binding protein levels are associated with growth changes in infants born to diabetic mothers

Background: Biochemical predictors of infants' growth changes are not available. Objectives: We tested whether retinol-binding protein (RBP), docosahexaenoic acid and insulin (I) measured within 72 h from birth are associated with growth changes in infants born to mothers with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). Methods: Fifty-six children, 32 born to diabetic mothers treated with insulin (GDM-I) and 24 born to diabetic mothers treated with diet (GDM-D), were evaluated at 0, 1, 3, 6 and 12 months of life. Results: At multivariable regression performed using generalized estimating equations, early RBP levels and maternal body mass index were associated to average weight changes and early RBP and insulin levels to average length changes, respectively. There was no difference between GDM-I and GDM-D infants. Conclusions: This exploratory study suggests that early RBP levels may be a predictor of growth changes. \uc2\ua9 2012 The Authors

Prevalenza della Nutrizione Artificiale Domiciliare in Italia nel 2005: indagine epidemiologica SINPE

Obbiettivo Conoscere la prevalenza (casi per milione di abitanti) di nutrizione artificiale domiciliare (NAD), enterale (NED) e parenterale (NPD), in Italia. Metodi In Aprile 2005, i coordinatori regionali della Societ\ue0 Italiana di Nutrizione Parenterale ed Enterale (SINPE) hanno registrato tutti i casi di NAD in corso ed hanno valutato la rappresentativit\ue0 del campione raccolto rispetto a tutte le NAD attese nella loro regione Risultati Sono state registrate 6955 NAD (93.5% adulti, 6.5% pediatrici \ua3 18 anni) in 16 regioni (80% della popolazione italiana; reppresentativit\ue0 78%). Prevalenza di NAD: 152.6 (83.9% NED, 16.1% NPD). Range di NAD tra le regioni: prevalenza 28.1 \u2013 519.8; neoplastici 13.8% - 75.7%, neurologici 15.5%-79.9%, insufficienza intestinale 1.3%-14.0%. Nessuna correlazione tra rappresentativit\ue0 de campione e prevalenza regionale. Conclusioni La NAD \ue8 ampiamente diffusa su tutto il territorio nazionale ma esistono notevoli differenze di prevalenza e di uso per patologia, tra le regioni,. Sono necessari interventi per rendere pi\uf9 omogenea l\u2019attivit\ue0 di NA

Cancer stem cells from epithelial ovarian cancer patients privilege oxidative phosphorylation, and resist glucose deprivation.

We investigated the metabolic profile of cancer stem cells (CSC) isolated from patients with epithelial ovarian cancer. CSC overexpressed genes associated with glucose uptake, oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS), and fatty acid beta-oxidation, indicating higher ability to direct pyruvate towards the Krebs cycle. Consistent with a metabolic profile dominated by OXPHOS, the CSC showed higher mitochondrial reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and elevated membrane potential, and underwent apoptosis upon inhibition of the mitochondrial respiratory chain. The CSC also had a high rate of pentose phosphate pathway (PPP) activity, which is not typical of cells privileging OXPHOS over glycolysis, and may rather reflect the PPP role in recharging scavenging enzymes. Furthermore, CSC resisted in vitro and in vivo glucose deprivation, while maintaining their CSC phenotype and OXPHOS profile. These observations may explain the CSC resistance to anti-angiogenic therapies, and indicate this peculiar metabolic profile as a possible target of novel treatment strategies

Pregnancy and fetal outcomes after Glatiramer Acetate exposure in patients with multiple sclerosis: a prospective observational multicentric study.

Abstract Background Only few studies have assessed safety of in utero exposure to glatiramer acetate (GA). Following a previous study assessing the safety of interferon beta (IFNB) pregnancy exposure in multiple sclerosis (MS), we aimed to assess pregnancy and fetal outcomes after in utero exposure to GA, using the same dataset, with a specific focus on the risk of spontaneous abortion. Materials and methods We recruited MS patients, prospectively followed-up in 21 Italian MS Centres, for whom a pregnancy was recorded in the period 2002–2008. Patients were divided into 2 groups: drug-exposed pregnancies (EP: suspension of the drug less than 4 weeks from conception); non-exposed pregnancies (NEP: suspension of the drug at least 4 weeks from conception or never treated pregnancies). All the patients were administered a structured interview which gathered detailed information on pregnancy course and outcomes, as well as on possible confounders. Multivariate logistic and linear models were used for treatment comparisons. Results Data on 423 pregnancies were collected, 17 were classified as EP to GA, 88 as EP to IFNB, 318 as NEP. Pregnancies resulted in 16 live births in the GA EP, 75 live births in the IFNB EP, 295 live births in the NEP. GA exposure was not significantly associated with an increased risk of spontaneous abortion (OR = 0.44;95% CI 0.044-4.51;p = 0.49). Mean birth weight and length were not significantly different in pregnancies exposed to GA than in non exposed pregnancies (p = 0.751). The frequency of preterm delivery, observed in 4 subjects exposed to GA (25% of full term deliveries), was not significantly higher in pregnancies exposed to GA than in those non exposed (p > 0.735). These findings were confirmed in the multivariate analysis. There were neither major complications nor malformations after GA exposure. Conclusions Data in our cohort show that mother’s GA exposure is not associated with a higher frequency of spontaneous abortion, neither other negative pregnancy and fetal outcomes. Our findings point to the safety of in utero GA exposure and can support neurologists in the therapeutic counselling of MS women planning a pregnancy.</p

Pregnancy outcomes and disease activity after exposure to natalizumab in patients with multiple sclerosis

none30nononeE. Portaccio; B. Hakiki; L. Pastò; M. Giannini; C. Pecori; L. Razzolini; C. Tortorella; M. D’Onghia; M. Trojano; E. Cocco; M. Melis; MG Marrosu; V. Di Tommaso; D.Farina; A. Lugaresi; P. Annovazzi; A. Ghezzi; C. Gasperini; A. Iudice; R. Fantozzi; P. Bellantonio; S. Messina; F. Patti; S. Masera; P. Cavalla; A. Protti; M. Rossi; R. Totaro; MP Amato; MS Study Group of the Italian Neurological SocietyE. Portaccio; B. Hakiki; L. Pastò; M. Giannini; C. Pecori; L. Razzolini; C. Tortorella; M. D’Onghia; M. Trojano; E. Cocco; M. Melis; MG Marrosu; V. Di Tommaso; D.Farina; A. Lugaresi; P. Annovazzi; A. Ghezzi; C. Gasperini; A. Iudice; R. Fantozzi; P. Bellantonio; S. Messina; F. Patti; S. Masera; P. Cavalla; A. Protti; M. Rossi; R. Totaro; MP Amato; MS Study Group of the Italian Neurological Societ