The new checklist of the Italian Fauna: Rotifera

5openInternationalInternational coauthor/editorWe present a data set reporting the checklist of the species of the phylum Rotifera for Italy, updating the one previously published in the series ‘Checklist delle Specie della Fauna d'Italia’ in 1995. The records of the updated checklist refer to the 483 taxa at the species and subspecies level currently known from national Italian territories (119 Bdelloidea, 362 Monogononta, 2 Seisonacea) at the regional level (22 terrestrial and nine marine geographical units). The records refer to various freshwater, limno-terrestrial, and marine coastal habitats. The previous checklist reported 245 taxa (54 Bdelloidea, 189 Monogononta, 2 Seisonacea): three taxa were removed because currently considered not valid and 241 were added,scanning 21 papers we found that were published between 1993 and 2020, expanding the regional records and including four papers older than 1993 with overlooked records in the previous checklist. The Rotifera data are part of the updated Checklist of the Italian Fauna, which is viewable on the LifeWatch Italy platform at https://www.lifewatchitaly.eu/en/initiatives/checklist-fauna-italia-en/checklist and is freely available on the LifeWatch Italy Data Portal (https://dataportal.lifewatchitaly.eu/data). The checklist will be dynamically updated with new records; this paper describes the state of the art of the data set regarding Rotifera on May 2021.openFontaneto, D.; Bertani, I.; Cancellario, T.; Rossetti, G.; Obertegger, U.Fontaneto, D.; Bertani, I.; Cancellario, T.; Rossetti, G.; Obertegger, U

Real-time estimation of plasma insulin concentration from continuous glucose monitor measurements

Continuous glucose monitors can measure interstitial glucose concentration in real time for closed-loop glucose control systems, known as artificial pancreas. These control systems use an insulin feedback to maintain plasma glucose concentration within a narrow and safe range, and thus to avoid health complications. As it is not possible to measure plasma insulin concentration in real time, insulin models have been used in literature to estimate them. Nevertheless, the significant interand intra-patient variability of insulin absorption jeopardizes the accuracy of these estimations. In order to reduce these limitations, our objective is to perform a real-time estimation of plasma insulin concentration from continuous glucose monitoring (CGM). Hovorka s glucose insulin model has been incorporated in an extended Kalman filter in which different selected time-variant model parameters have been considered as extended states. The observability of the original Hovorka s model and of several extended models has been evaluated by their Lie derivatives. We have evaluated this methodology with an in-silico study with 100 patients with Type 1 diabetes during 25 h. Furthermore, it has been also validated using clinical data from 12 insulin pump patients with Type 1 diabetes who underwent four mixed meal studies. Real-time insulin estimations have been compared to plasma insulin measurements to assess performance showing the validity of the methodology here used in comparison with that formerly used for insulin models. Hence, real-time estimations for plasma insulin concentration based on subcutaneous glucose monitoring can be beneficial for increasing the efficiency of control algorithms for the artificial pancreas.This work was partially supported by the Spanish Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovacion through Grant DPI-2010-20764-C02-01 and Grant DPI-2013-46982-C2-1-R, and the European Union through FEDER fund.De Pereda Sebastián, D.; Romero Vivó, S.; Ricarte Benedito, B.; Rossetti, P.; Ampudia Blasco, FJ.; Bondía Company, J. (2015). Real-time estimation of plasma insulin concentration from continuous glucose monitor measurements. Computer Methods in Biomechanics and Biomedical Engineering. Sep:1-9. https://doi.org/10.1080/10255842.2015.1077234S19Se

Citicoline in Ophthalmological Neurodegenerative Disease: A Comprehensive Review

Cytidine 5'-diphosphocholine has been widely studied in systemic neurodegenerative diseases, like Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, and brain ischemia. The rationale for the use of citicoline in ophthalmological neurodegenerative diseases, including glaucoma, anterior ischemic optic neuropathy, and diabetic retinopathy, is founded on its multifactorial mechanism of action and the involvement in several metabolic pathways, including phospholipid homeostasis, mitochondrial dynamics, as well as cholinergic and dopaminergic transmission, all being involved in the complexity of the visual transmission. This narrative review is aimed at reporting both pre-clinical data regarding the involvement of citicoline in such metabolic pathways (including new insights about its role in the intracellular proteostasis through an interaction with the proteasome) and its effects on clinical psychophysical, electrophysiological, and morphological outcomes following its use in ophthalmological neurodegenerative diseases (including the results of the most recent prospective randomized clinical trials)

Haplotype analysis of single nucleotide polymorphisms of cyp1a1 and cyp1a2 and its relationship with the development of porphyria cutanea tarda

Abstract : Objective: Porphyria Cutanea Tarda results from decrease hepatic uroporphyrinogen decarboxylase activity. There are twoprincipal types: sporadic or acquired and familial or hereditary Porphyria Cutanea Tarda. Hereditary Porphyria Cutanea Tarda is observed in 25-30% of the patients in whom one allele of the uroporphyrinogen decarboxylase gene reduces the enzyme activity by approximately 50% in all tissues. There are experimental evidences that suggest a possible relationship between CYP1A1, CYP1A2 andPorphyria Cutanea Tarda symptomatology development but the results described in dif erent populations are very conflictive.The aim ofthis work is provide additional evidences about the participation of the CYP system on the manifestation of this disease. Subjets/Methods: We analyse the polymorphisms already described in these CYPs isoforms in 112 Porphyria Cutanea Tarda Argentinianpatients and 89 controls. Of these 64 were used for haplotype analysis. The polymorphisms were detected by RFLP-PCR or sequencing. Results: For CYP1A2*1F polymorphism C allele (wt) was exceptionally the less frequent while the polymorphic A allele, with an increasedtranscriptional activity, resulted to be the risk allele. For CYP1A1 m4 polymorphism, for which are not previous reports about this effect, our results indicated that the A variant would be arisk factor to develop the disease. For m2 polymorphism we obtained contradictory results depending on the groups compared. The risk haplotype calculated with the snpSTATs was m4-m2-m1-1A2: C-G-C-C. Conclusions: These results indicated that, among other factors, these polymorphisms would be related with Porphyria Cutanea Tardadevelopment.Fil: Gordillo, Diego Miguel. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Centro de Investigaciones sobre Porfirinas y Porfirias. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Centro de Investigaciones sobre Porfirinas y Porfirias; ArgentinaFil: Abou Assali, Lubna. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Centro de Investigaciones sobre Porfirinas y Porfirias. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Centro de Investigaciones sobre Porfirinas y Porfirias; ArgentinaFil: Cerbino, Gabriela Nora. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Centro de Investigaciones sobre Porfirinas y Porfirias. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Centro de Investigaciones sobre Porfirinas y Porfirias; ArgentinaFil: Varela, Laura Sabina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Centro de Investigaciones sobre Porfirinas y Porfirias. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Centro de Investigaciones sobre Porfirinas y Porfirias; ArgentinaFil: Batlle, Alcira Maria del C.. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Centro de Investigaciones sobre Porfirinas y Porfirias. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Centro de Investigaciones sobre Porfirinas y Porfirias; ArgentinaFil: Parera, Victoria Estela. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Centro de Investigaciones sobre Porfirinas y Porfirias. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Centro de Investigaciones sobre Porfirinas y Porfirias; ArgentinaFil: Rossetti, Maria Victoria. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Centro de Investigaciones sobre Porfirinas y Porfirias. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Centro de Investigaciones sobre Porfirinas y Porfirias; Argentin

Study of the relationship between variants of cyp2c9 enzyme and acute intermittent porphyria manifestation

Abstract: Objective: The manifestation of Acute Intermittent Porphyria (AIP) requires many factors. In situations of high demand of heme, initial enzyme of the pathway in parallel to P450 cytochrome genes (CYPs) is induced in response to drugs. It was suggested that variants in CYP2C9, would play a role in AIP manifestation, according to the theory of Thunell.S at 2006Acute. Method: It was studied genotype and allele frequency of some SNPs in a control and AIP patients groups, then was analyzed the relation of those found variants with heme precursors. We amplified by PCR a fragment covering from intron 1 to intron 3. All obtained data were analyzed by Statistical programs VccSTAT© and InfoSTAT©. Results: We detected 4 different polymorphisms: two missense variants in exon 3 g.8633 C <T and g.8652 G <A, and two SNPs no translated g.8187 G <C and g.8436 T <C in introns 1 and 2, respectively. And there were not significant frequencies in all studied groups. Conclusions: The presence of genotypes G/C-C/T was in major frequency in AIP men, which also have high levels of ALA and PBG comparing with women. Worldwide, this study clearly demonstrated for the first time that AIP men with G/CC/T variants could have a high possibility to trigger the disease due to porphyrinogenic drug consumption, as a mainly reason to development the disease in male patients.Fil: Abou Assali, Lubna. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Centro de Investigaciones sobre Porfirinas y Porfirias. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Centro de Investigaciones sobre Porfirinas y Porfirias; ArgentinaFil: Gordillo, Diego Miguel. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Centro de Investigaciones sobre Porfirinas y Porfirias. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Centro de Investigaciones sobre Porfirinas y Porfirias; ArgentinaFil: Cerbino, Gabriela Nora. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Centro de Investigaciones sobre Porfirinas y Porfirias. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Centro de Investigaciones sobre Porfirinas y Porfirias; ArgentinaFil: Varela, Laura Sabina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Centro de Investigaciones sobre Porfirinas y Porfirias. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Centro de Investigaciones sobre Porfirinas y Porfirias; ArgentinaFil: Batlle, Alcira Maria del C.. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Centro de Investigaciones sobre Porfirinas y Porfirias. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Centro de Investigaciones sobre Porfirinas y Porfirias; ArgentinaFil: Parera, Victoria Estela. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Centro de Investigaciones sobre Porfirinas y Porfirias. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Centro de Investigaciones sobre Porfirinas y Porfirias; ArgentinaFil: Rossetti, Maria Victoria. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Centro de Investigaciones sobre Porfirinas y Porfirias. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Centro de Investigaciones sobre Porfirinas y Porfirias; Argentin

Anti-Vascular Endothelial Growth Factors Protect Retinal Pigment Epithelium Cells Against Oxidation by Modulating Nitric Oxide Release and Autophagy

Background/Aims: the anti-vascular endothelial growth factors (VEGF), Aflibercept and Ranibizumab, are used for the treatment of macular degeneration. Here we examined the involvement of nitric oxide (NO), mitochondria function and of apoptosis/autophagy in their antioxidant effects in human retinal pigment epithelium cells (RPE). Methods: RPE were exposed to Ranibizumab/Aflibercept in the absence or presence of NO synthase (NOS) inhibitor and of autophagy activator/blocker, rapamicyn/3-methyladenine. Specific kits were used for cell viability, NO and reactive oxygen species detection and mitochondrial membrane potential measurement, whereas Western Blot was performed for apoptosis/ autophagy markers and other kinases detection. Results: In RPE cultured in physiological conditions, Aflibercept/Ranibizumab increased NO release in a dose and time-dependent way. Opposite results were obtained in RPE pretreated with hydrogen peroxide. Moreover, both the anti-VEGF agents were able to prevent the fall of cell viability and of mitochondrial membrane potential. Those effects were reduced by the NOS inhibitor and 3-methyladenine and were potentiated by rapamycin. Finally, Aflibercept and Ranibizumab counteracted the changes of apoptosis/autophagy markers, NOS, Phosphatidylinositol-3-Kinase/Protein Kinase B and Extracellular signal–regulated kinases 1/2 caused by peroxidation. Conclusion: Aflibercept and Ranibizumab protect RPE against peroxidation through the modulation of NO release, apoptosis and autophagy

Planck intermediate results: VI. The dynamical structure of PLCKG214.6+37.0, a Planck discovered triple system of galaxy clusters

The survey of galaxy clusters performed by Planck through the Sunyaev-Zeldovich effect has already discovered many interesting objects, thanks to its full sky coverage. One of the SZ candidates detected inthe early months of the mission near to the signal-to-noise threshold, PLCKG214.6+37.0, was later revealed by XMM-Newton to be a triple system of galaxy clusters. We present the results from a deep XMM-Newton re-observation of PLCKG214.6+37.0, part of a multi-wavelength programme to investigate Planck discovered superclusters. The characterisation of the physical properties of the three components has allowed us to build a template model to extract the total SZ signal of this system with Planck data. We have partly reconciled the discrepancy between the expected SZ signal derived from X-rays and the observed one, which are now consistent within 1.2σ. We measured the redshift of the three components with the iron lines in the X-ray spectrum, and confirm that the three clumps are likely part of the same supercluster structure. The analysis of the dynamical state of the three components, as well as the absence of detectable excess X-ray emission, suggests that we are witnessing the formation of a massive cluster at an early phase of interaction. © ESO, 2013.The Planck Collaboration acknowledges the support of: ESA; CNES and CNRS/INSU-IN2P3-INP (France); ASI, CNR, and INAF (Italy); NASA and DoE (USA); STFC and UKSA (UK); CSIC, MICINN and JA (Spain); Tekes, AoF and CSC (Finland); DLR and MPG (Germany); CSA (Canada); DTU Space (Denmark); SER/SSO (Switzerland); RCN (Norway); SFI (Ireland); FCT/MCTES (Portugal); and DEISA (EU).Peer Reviewe

Systemic amyloidosis due to unknown multiple myeloma in small bowel pseudo-obstruction: case report

Amyloidosis is a pathologic diagnosis characterized by extracellular deposition of insoluble protein fibrils in various organs and tissues. There are two main forms of amyloidosis, primary amyloidosis, and secondary amyloidosis. Gastrointestinal involvement is common in both amyloidosis forms. We describe the case of a 78-year-old woman taken to the operating room for small bowel obstruction, found to have pseudo-obstruction and enteritis. Exploratory laparotomy revealed gastric mass and histological examen showed extensive amyloid deposition consistent with amyloidosis. Hematological evaluation revealed unknown multiple myeloma. This case report and literature data suggest to perform a hematological examination in patients with amyloidosis diagnosis to exclude a multiple myeloma or other plasma cell disorder