CA19.9 antigen circulating in the serum of colon cancer patients: Where is it from?

CA19.9 antigen is a glycoprotein present in human serum and found elevated in various diseases. It is intensively studied since long time as a potential marker for managing cancers of the gastrointestinal tract, but its reliability is widely accepted only for pancreatic cancers. Here, we focused on the tetrasaccharide epitope (NeuAc\u3b12-3Gal\u3b21-3[Fuc\u3b11-4]GlcNAc) sialyl-Lewis a studying the biosynthesis, expression, and secretion in colon cancers and related cancer cell lines. We found that the \u3b21,3 galactosyltransferase \u3b23Gal-T5, responsible for sialyl-Lewis a synthesis, is dramatically reduced in colon adenocarcinomas, in terms of both transcript and enzyme activity levels. Moreover, no or very faint antigen is detectable in colon cancer homogenates, by dot-blot or enzyme immunoassay, while it is commonly evident in sera from different patients. In cancer cell lines synthesizing CA19.9, the amount of antigen secreted is proportional to that expressed on the cell surface, and depends on appreciable levels of \u3b23Gal-T5, which appear much higher than those measured in colon cancer specimens. Since colon cancers appear unable to synthesize relevant amount of CA19.9, we suggest that the antigen circulating in the serum of colon cancer patients may have a different and more complex origin than expected so far

Impact of body mass index on retention rates of anti-TNF-alfa drugs in daily practice for psoriasis

Psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory skin disease which often requires life-long treatment.Our objective was to assess the role of the body mass index (BMI) on the retention rates of anti-TNF-alfa therapies in patients with moderate to severe plaque psoriasis.Retrospective observational study of psoriasis patients included in local databases of three public Italian hospitals. All patients, who received anti-TNF-alfa treatment in referral centers, were included. Only patients with at least 1-year follow-up were considered eligible. The outcome was the conservation of the treatment at 1 and 2 years of follow-up.194 patients were enrolled. 307 treatment courses with a minimum follow-up of 12 months and 263 with a follow-up of 24 months were analyzed. The proportion of patients receiving the same treatment at months 12 and 24 was 67.43% and 42.21%, respectively. The proportion steadily decreased with increased values of BMI.The overall efficacy of TNF-alfa inhibitors diminishes with time. The BMI affects the long-term survival rate of anti-TNF-alfa in psoriatic patients. A high BMI can be considered a potential predictor of drug discontinuation

INTERACCIÓN GESTUAL PARA ENTORNOS DE INMERSIÓN ARQUEOLÓGICOS: TRABAJO EN CURSO

[EN] Archaeological data are heterogeneous (i.e., data-sheets and pictures, stratigraphic data, 3D models), and innovative virtual reconstractuions helps to visualize and study those data. In this short paper, we describe our work in progress in the design of an innovative way to interact with the complexity of a virtual reconstruction, using natural gestures and advanced machine learning, in close collaboration with archeaeologists.[ES] Los datos arqueológicos son heterogéneos (por ejemplo, ficha técnica e imágenes, datos estratigráficos y modelos 3D), y las nuevas tecnologías pueden ser capaces de ayudar en la visualizacion y el estudio de dichos datos. En este documento se presenta nuestro trabajo en curso que describe el diseño de una forma innovadora de interactuar con la complejidad de una reconstrucción virtual, mediante gestos naturales y avanzadas técnicas de aprendizaje, en directa colaboración con los arqueólogos.Albertini, N.; Brogni, A.; Caramiaux, B.; Gillies, M.; Olivito, R.; Taccola, E. (2016). NATURAL GESTURE INTERACTION IN ARCHAEOLOGICAL VIRTUAL ENVIRONMENTS: WORK IN PROGRESS. En 8th International congress on archaeology, computer graphics, cultural heritage and innovation. Editorial Universitat Politècnica de València. 284-287. https://doi.org/10.4995/arqueologica8.2016.3400OCS28428

Co and In Doped Ni-Mn-Ga Magnetic Shape Memory Alloys: A Thorough Structural, Magnetic and Magnetocaloric Study

In Ni-Mn-Ga ferromagnetic shape memory alloys, Co-doping plays a major role in determining a peculiar phase diagram where, besides a change in the critical temperatures, a change of number, order and nature of phase transitions (e.g., from ferromagnetic to paramagnetic or from paramagnetic to ferromagnetic, on heating) can be obtained, together with a change in the giant magnetocaloric effect from direct to inverse. Here we present a thorough study of the intrinsic magnetic and structural properties, including their dependence on hydrostatic pressure, that are at the basis of the multifunctional behavior of Co and In-doped alloys. We study in depth their magnetocaloric properties, taking advantage of complementary calorimetric and magnetic techniques, and show that if a proper measurement protocol is adopted they all merge to the same values, even in case of first order transitions. A simplified model for the estimation of the adiabatic temperature change that relies only on indirect measurements is proposed, allowing for the quick and reliable evaluation of the magnetocaloric potentiality of new materials starting from readily available magnetic measurements

Role of interface and morphology in the magnetic behaviour of perpendicular thin films based on L10 FePt

FePt L10 ordered alloy is a promising material for high-density magnetic recording, since it allows the ferromagnetic stability in particles of few nanometers. Here we present our recent studies on the correlation between magnetic and morphological/interfacial properties of FePt -based thin films, nanostructures, and nano-composite bilayers. L10 FePt (001) epitaxial thin films with high structural quality were grown on (100) MgO by sputtering r.f., using the alternate-layer deposition method. By playing with growth temperature on the one hand and post-annealing temperature and time on the other, we have been able to finely control epitaxy, structural order, and morphology from 3D laterally confined structures to continuous film, with desired grain size. In particular we have been able to decrease grain size and to optimise magnetic properties (increase of anisotropy/coercivity ratio) at the same time, by post-annealing in situ [1]. Laterally confined magnetic structures were also obtained by focused ion beam (FIB). We have shown that for suitable Ga+ doses (1?1014 ion/cm2), it is possible to transform the L10 ordered phase to the A1 disordered one, without affecting morphology, giving rise to substantial modifications of magnetic properties from hard to soft. Perpendicular 2D magnetic patterns (dots, stripes) in a soft easy-plane matrix were realized in films of continuous morphology [2]. FePt L10 has also been exploited as the hard layer of nanostructured hard-soft nanocomposite bilayers. The exploitation of the exchange-coupling between hard and soft layers in exchange-coupled media represents a possible approach to overcome the so-called "recording trilemma" [3]. The samples were prepared by growing a magnetically soft Fe layer (2 and 3.5 nm) over a hard FePt(001) layer (10 nm). Three bilayers series have been grown based on FePt epitaxial layers with high degree of chemical order (S≥0.76) and different morphologies, corresponding to different interface characteristics. The resulting hard layer anisotropy is high (K>1?107 erg/cm3), and the coercivity is increased by the grains separation (from 1.7 to 3 T). In the Fe/FePt bilayers the coercivity HC is strongly reduced compared to the hard layer value (HC/HChard down to 0.37), indicating that high anisotropy perpendicular systems with moderate coercivity can be obtained [4]. Moreover, the control of the interface morphology allows to modify the magnetic regime at fixed Fe thickness (Rigid Magnet to Exchange-Spring), due to the nanoscale structure effect on the hard/soft coupling, and to tailor the hysteresis loop characteristics

Validation and Ecological Niche Investigation of a New Fungal Intraspecific Competitor as a Biocontrol Agent for the Sustainable Containment of Aflatoxins on Maize Fields

Crop yield and plant products quality are directly or indirectly affected by climate alterations. Adverse climatic conditions often promote the occurrence of different abiotic stresses, which can reduce or enhance the susceptibility to pests or pathogens. Aflatoxin producing fungi, in particular, whose diffusion and deleterious consequences on cereals commodities have been demonstrated to highly depend on the temperature and humidity conditions that threaten increasingly larger areas. Biological methods using intraspecific competitors to prevent fungal development and/or toxin production at the pre-harvest level are particularly promising, even if their efficacy could be affected by the ecological interaction within the resident microbial population. A previously characterized Aspergillus flavus atoxigenic strain was applied in two maize fields to validate its effectiveness as a biocontrol agent against aflatoxin contamination. At one month post-application, at the harvest stage, its persistence within the A. flavus population colonizing the maize kernels in the treated area was assessed, and its efficacy was compared in vitro with a representation of the isolated atoxigenic population. Results proved that our fungal competitor contained the aflatoxin level on maize grains as successfully as a traditional chemical strategy, even if representing less than 30% of the atoxigenic strains re-isolated, and achieved the best performance (in terms of bio-competitive potential) concerning endogenous atoxigenic isolates

Designing natural gesture interaction for archaeological data in immersive environments

Archaeological data are heterogeneous, making it difficult to correlate and combine different types. Datasheets and pictures, stratigraphic data and 3D models, time and space mixed together: these are only a few of the categories a researcher has to deal with. New technologies may be able to help in this process and trying to solve research related problems needs innovative solutions. In this paper, we describe the whole process for the design and development of a prototype application that uses an Immersive Virtual Reality system to acces archaeological excavation 3D data through the Gesture Variation Follower (GVF) algorithm. This makes it possible to recognise which gesture is being performed and how it is performed. Archaeologists have participated actively in the design of the interface and the set of gestures used for triggering the different tasks. Interactive machine learning techniques have been used for the real time detection of the gestures. As a case study the agora of Segesta (Sicily, Italy) has been selected. Indeed, due to the complex architectural features and the still ongoing fieldwork activities, Segesta represents an ideal context where to test and develop a research approach integrating both traditional and more innovative tools and methods

Significance of serum Myostatin in hemodialysis patients

Background: Malnutrition and muscle wasting are common in haemodialysis (HD) patients. Their pathogenesis is complex and involves many molecules including Myostatin (Mstn), which acts as a negative regulator of skeletal muscle. The characterisation of Mstn as a biomarker of malnutrition could be useful in the prevention and management of this condition. Previous studies have reported no conclusive results on the actual relationship between serum Mstn and wasting and malnutrition. So, in this study, we evaluated Mstn profile in a cohort of regular HD patients. Methods: We performed a cross-sectional study, enrolling 37 patients undergoing bicarbonate-HD (BHD) or haemodiafiltration (HDF) at least for six months. 20 sex-matched healthy subjects comprised the control group. Mstn serum levels were evaluated by ELISA before and after HD. We collected clinical and biochemical data, evaluated insulin resistance, body composition, malnutrition [by Malnutrition Inflammation Score (MIS)] and tested muscle function (by hand-grip strength, six-minute walking test and a questionnaire on fatigue). Results: Mstn levels were not significantly different between HD patients and controls (4.7 \ub1 2.8 vs 4.5 \ub1 1.3 ng/ml). In addition, while a decrease in Mstn was observed after HD treatment, there were no differences between BHD and HDF. In whole group of HD patients Mstn was positively correlated with muscle mass (r = 0.82, p < 0.001) and inversely correlated with age (r = - 0.63, p < 0.01) and MIS (r = - 0.39, p = 0.01). No correlations were found between Mstn and insulin resistance, such as between Mstn levels and parameters of muscle strength and fatigue. In multivariate analysis, Mstn resulted inversely correlated with fat body content (\u3b2 = - 1.055, p = 0.002). Conclusions: Circulating Mstn is related to muscle mass and nutritional status in HD patients, suggesting that it may have a role in the regulation of skeletal muscle and metabolic processes. However, also considering the lack of difference of serum Mstn between healthy controls and HD patients and the absence of correlations with muscle function tests, our findings do not support the use of circulating Mstn as a biomarker of muscle wasting and malnutrition in HD

Prospective urinary albumin/creatinine ratio for diagnosis, staging, and organ response assessment in renal AL amyloidosis: results from a large cohort of patients

Abstract Objectives Quantification of 24 h-proteinuria is the gold standard for diagnosing, staging, and monitoring of patients with renal AL amyloidosis. However, 24 h-urine collection is cumbersome and may result in preanalytical error. In this prospective study, we investigated the role of urinary albumin/creatinine ratio (UACR) (cut-off: 300 mg/g) identifying renal involvement, evaluated a UACR-based staging system (UACR cut-off: 3,600 mg/g) and assessed whether UACR response (UACR decrease >30% without worsening in eGFR >25%) predicts renal outcome in 531 patients with newly-diagnosed AL amyloidosis. Methods From October 2013 paired 24 h-proteinuria and UACR (on first morning void) were measured in all newly-diagnosed patients with AL amyloidosis. Correlation between 24 h-proteinuria and UACR at baseline was assessed by Pearson's r test. Impact of UACR response on renal outcome was assessed in randomly created testing (n=354) and validation (n=177) cohorts. Results A strong linear correlation was found between 24 h-proteinuria and UACR at baseline (r=0.90; p<0.001). After a median follow-up of 31 months, 57 (11%) patients required dialysis. A UACR-based renal staging system identified three stages with significantly higher dialysis rate at 36 months comparing stage I with stage II and stage II with stage III. Achieving a renal response, according to a UACR-based criterion, resulted in lower dialysis rate in both testing and validation cohorts. Conclusions UACR is a reliable marker for diagnosis, prognosis, and organ response assessment in renal AL amyloidosis and can reliably replace 24 h-proteinuria in clinical trials and individual patients' management