312 research outputs found
Vitamin e-loaded membrane dialyzers reduce hemodialysis inflammaging
Background Inflammaging is a persistent, low-grade, sterile, nonresolving inflammatory state, associated with the senescence of the immune system. Such condition downregulates both innate and adaptive immune responses during chronic disorders as type II diabetes, cancer and hemodialysis, accounting for their susceptibility to infections, malignancy and resistance to vaccination. Aim of this study was to investigate hemodialysis inflammaging, by evaluating changes of several hemodialysis treatments on indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase-1 activity and nitric oxide formation. Methods We conducted a randomized controlled observational crossover trial. Eighteen hemodialysis patients were treated with 3 different hemodialysis procedures respectively: 1) Low-flux bicarbonate hemodialysis, 2) Low-flux bicarbonate hemodialysis with vitamin E - loaded dialyzers, and 3) Hemodialfitration. The control group consisted of 14 hospital staff healthy volunteers. Blood samples were collected from all 18 hemodialysis patients just after the long interdialytic interval, at the end of each hemodialysis treatment period. Results Hemodialysis kynurenine and kynurenine/L - tryptophan blood ratio levels were significantly higher, when compared to the control group, indicating an increased indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase-1 activity in hemodialysis patients. At the end of the low-flux bicarbonate hemodialysis with vitamin E - loaded dialyzers period, L - tryptophan serum levels remained unchanged vs both low-flux bicarbonate hemodialysis and hemodialfitration. Kynurenine levels instead decreased, resulting in a significant reduction of kynurenine/L - tryptophan blood ratio and indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase-1 activity, when matched to both low-flux bicarbonate hemodialysis and HDF respectively. Serum nitric oxide control group levels, were significantly lower when compared to all hemodialysis patient groups. Interestingly, low-flux bicarbonate hemodialysis with vitamin E - loaded dialyzers nitric oxide serum levels from venous line blood samples taken 60 min after starting the hemodialysis session were significantly lower vs serum taken simultaneously from the arterial blood line. Conclusions The treatment with more biocompatible hemodialysis procedure as low-flux bicarbonate hemodialysis with vitamin E - loaded dialyzers, reduced indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase-1 activity and nitric oxide formation when compared to both low-flux bicarbonate hemodialysis and hemodialfitration. These data suggest that low-flux bicarbonate hemodialysis with vitamin E - loaded dialyzers lowering hemodialysis inflammaging, could be associated to changes of proinflammatory signalling a regulated molecular level
Infertility and hypergonadotropic hypogonadism as first evidence of hereditary apolipoprotein A-I amyloidosis
Purpose: We report that primary infertility and hypergonadotropic hypogonadism in young patients may be caused by testicular amyloidosis and it is associated with the presence of a mutation in the apoA-I gene, resulting in the replacement of proline for leucine at residue 75 of the protein.
Materials and Methods: Ten patients presenting with infertility, gynecomastia, decreased libido, erectile dysfunction or a family history of amyloidosis underwent clinical evaluation, hormone assays, semen analysis, ultrasonographic investigation of the testicles, testicular biopsy and DNA sequencing of the apoA-I gene.
Results: All patients showed azoospermia and 9 had increased testicular volume. Massive amyloid deposition was observed in all testicular biopsies and the apoA-I mutation of replacement of proline for leucine at residue 75 of the protein was noted. Five patients showed hypergonadotropic hypogonadism and 5 had normal testosterone values with high gonadotropin levels.
Conclusions: Nonobstructive azoospermia and macro-orchidism with or without hypogonadism may be caused by hereditary apoA-I amyloidosis in young patients. Testicular amyloidosis can be the first manifestation of this systemic disease. Specific staining for amyloid deposits and genetic analysis of apoA-I mutations are recommended in young, infertile patients with macro-orchidism. Finally, surveillance in asymptomatic mutation carriers is suggested to evaluate the opportunity to implement sperm retrieval and start androgen replacement therapy when necessary
Renal involvement in mushroom poisoning: The case of Orellanus syndrome
none8Although mushroom poisoning is a rare cause of acute renal injury, in some cases it may lead to the development of a severe and irreversible renal failure. Orellanus syndrome is the most important example of organic renal damage related to mushroom consumption. It is caused by the ingestion of orellanine, the main toxin of different types of Cortinarius mushrooms (Cortinarius speciosissimus, C. orellanus, C. orellanoides, etc.), and it is characterized by progressive clinical phases with a predominant kidney involvement, finally requiring renal replacement therapy in about 10% of cases. Renal damage is often late and associated with a histological picture of interstitial nephritis. Diagnosis is essentially clinical and no specific therapy has been shown to be effective in preventing and treating renal damage. Here, we describe the case of a patient with mixed wild mushroom poisoning, presenting the typical clinical signs and course of the Orellanus syndrome. This case offers us the opportunity to review the main clinical features of this severe and little-known intoxication.openEsposito, P; La Porta, E; Calatroni, M; Bianzina, S; Libetta, C; Gregorini, M; Rampino, T; Dal Canton, AEsposito, P; La Porta, E; Calatroni, M; Bianzina, S; Libetta, Carmelo; Gregorini, Marilena; Rampino, Teresa; DAL CANTON, Antoni
Italian Science Case for ALMA Band 2+3
The Premiale Project "Science and Technology in Italy for the upgraded ALMA
Observatory - iALMA" has the goal of strengthening the scientific,
technological and industrial Italian contribution to the Atacama Large
Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA), the largest ground based international
infrastructure for the study of the Universe in the microwave. One of the main
objectives of the Science Working Group (SWG) inside iALMA, the Work Package 1,
is to develop the Italian contribution to the Science Case for the ALMA Band 2
or Band 2+3 receiver. ALMA Band 2 receiver spans from ~67 GHz (bounded by an
opaque line complex of ozone lines) up to 90 GHz which overlaps with the lower
frequency end of ALMA Band 3. Receiver technology has advanced since the
original definition of the ALMA frequency bands. It is now feasible to produce
a single receiver which could cover the whole frequency range from 67 GHz to
116 GHz, encompassing Band 2 and Band 3 in a single receiver cartridge, a so
called Band 2+3 system. In addition, upgrades of the ALMA system are now
foreseen that should double the bandwidth to 16 GHz. The science drivers
discussed below therefore also discuss the advantages of these two enhancements
over the originally foreseen Band 2 system.Comment: 43 pages, 21 figure
Management of mineral metabolism in hemodialysis patients: discrepancy between interventions and perceived causes of failure
none8BACKGROUND:
Mineral and bone disorders (MBD) in patients undergoing hemodialysis (HD) are a major clinical complication. Current therapeutic strategies do not attain the expected results. The Italian audit on mineral metabolism was implemented to investigate MBD management through a "patient-oriented" approach.
METHODS:
Clinical and laboratory data pertinent to MBD from 509 prevalent adult patients on chronic HD were recorded and examined (audit), after which individual strategies were elaborated to improve MBD control. Their effectiveness was evaluated 6 months after the audit (Post-6).
RESULTS:
The audit disclosed poor MBD control in a high percentage of patients (56 %). Low compliance to treatment was the major determinant of failure (in 43.5 % of cases). Logistic regression showed a direct correlation between high degree of compliance and the achievement of therapeutic targets, e.g. parathyroid hormone: odds ratio (OR) 2.48, p = 0.015. In contrast, a minority of the proposed interventions (14.7 %) included strategies to improve patient compliance. At Post-6, despite a significant increase in drug prescription (p < 0.05 vs. audit), the rate of successful MBD control was unchanged.
CONCLUSIONS:
Low compliance with treatment is a major, but still neglected, cause of failure in the achievement of MBD control in HD patients.Esposito, P; Rampino, T; Gregorini, M; Tinelli, C; De Silvestri, A; Malberti, F; Coppo, R; Dal Canton, A.Esposito, P; Rampino, Teresa; Gregorini, Marilena; Tinelli, C; De Silvestri, A; Malberti, F; Coppo, R; DAL CANTON, Antoni
Radio monitoring of a sample of X- and gamma-ray loud blazars
In this paper we present the results of a 4-year (1996 - 1999) radio flux
density monitoring program for a sample of X- and -ray loud blazars.
Our program started in January 1996 and was carried out on monthly basis at the
frequencies of 5 GHz and 8.4 GHz with the 32-m antennas located in Medicina
(Bologna, Italy) and Noto (Siracusa, Italy). 22 GHz data collected in Medicina
from January 1996 to June 1997 will also be presented. The sample of selected
sources comprises most radio loud blazars with
characterised by emission in the X- and -ray regimes, and target
sources for the BeppoSAX X-ray mission. All sources in the sample, except
J1653+397 (MKN 501), are variable during the four years of our monitoring
program. We classified the type of variability in each source by means of a
structure function analysis. We also computed th for all
epochs with nearly simultaneous observations ate spectral index and found that
starts flattening at the very beginning o f a radio flare,
or flux density increase.Comment: 12 pages, 3 tables and 1 figure, in press on A&
Nutritionism in a food policy context: The case of ‘animal protein’
Reductionist approaches to food focus on isolated nutritional criteria, ignoring the broader physiological and societal benefits and trade-offs involved. They can lead to the inadvertent or, potentially, intentional labelling of foods as good or bad. Both can be considered worrisome. Among our present-day array of issues is the disproportionate stigmatisation of animalsource foods as harmful for human and planetary health. The case for a protein transition reinforces this trend, overemphasising one particular nutritional constituent (even if an important one). In its strongest formulation, animal-source foods (reduced to the notion of ‘animal protein’) are represented as an intrinsically harmful food category that needs to be minimised, thereby falsely assuming that ‘proteins’ are nutritionally interchangeable. We caution against using the word ‘protein’ in food policy-making to describe a heterogenous set of foods. Rather, we suggest referring to said foods as ‘protein-rich foods’, while acknowledging the expanded pool of non-protein nutrients that they provide and their unique capabilities to support a much broader range of bodily functions. Several essential or otherwise beneficial nutrients are generally more bioavailable in animal-source foods than in plant-source foods. A similar complementarity exists in reverse. Nutritional and environmental metrics should be carefully interpreted, as considerable contextuality is involved. This needs to be undertaken, for instance, with respect to the biochemistry of food and in light of individual and genetically inherited human physiology. Also, the assessments of the environmental impact need a finegrained approach, especially when examining a product at the system scale. Harms and benefits are multiple, multi-dimensional, and difficult to measure on the basis of the narrow sets of descriptive metrics that are often used (e.g. CO₂-eq/kg). A more appropriate way forward would consist of combining and integrating the best of animal and plant solutions to reconnect with wholesome and nourishing diets that are rooted in undervalued benefits such as conviviality and shared traditions, thus steering away from a nutrient-centric dogma. Humans do not consume isolated nutrients, they consume foods, and they do so as part of culturally complex dietary patterns that, despite their complexity, need to be carefully considered in food policy making
Abell 3560, a galaxy cluster at the edge of a major merging event
In this paper we study A3560, a rich cluster at the southern periphery of the
A3558 complex, a chain of interacting clusters in the central part of the
Shapley Concentration supercluster.
From a ROSAT-PSPC map we find that the X-ray surface brightness distribution
of A3560 is well described by two components, an elliptical King law and a more
peaked and fainter structure, which has been modeled with a Gaussian. The main
component, corresponding to the cluster, is elongated with the major axis
pointing toward the A3558 complex. The second component, centered on the
Dumb-bell galaxy which dominates the cluster, appears significantly offset (by
about 0.15 Mpc) from the cluster X-ray centroid.
From a Beppo-SAX observation we derive the radial temperature profile,
finding that the temperature is constant (at kT~3.7 keV) up to 8 arcmin,
corresponding to 0.3 Mpc: for larger distances, the temperature significantly
drops to kT~1.7 keV. We analyze also temperature maps, dividing the cluster in
4 sectors and deriving the temperature profiles in each sector: we find that
the temperature drop is more sudden in the sectors which point towards the
A3558 complex.
From VLA radio data, at 20 and 6 cm, we find a peculiar bright extended radio
source (J1332-3308), composed by a core (centered on the northern component of
the Dumb-bell galaxy), two lobes, a "filament" and a diffuse component. The
morphology of the source could be interpreted either with a strong interaction
of the radio source with the intracluster medium or with the model of
intermittency of the central engine.Comment: 8 pages with encapsulated figures, A&A in pres
The star pile in Abell 545
Context:Struble (1988) found what appeared to be a cD halo without cD galaxy
in the center of the galaxy cluster Abell 545. This remarkable feature has been
passed almost unnoticed for nearly twenty years.
Aims:Our goal is to review Struble's claim by providing a first (preliminary)
photometric and spectroscopic analysis of this ''star pile''.
Methods:Based on archival VLT-images and long-slit spectra obtained with
Gemini-GMOS, we describe the photometric structure and measure the redshift of
the star pile and of the central galaxy.
Results:The star pile is indeed associated with Abell 545. Its velocity is
higher by about 1300 km/s than that of the central object. The spectra indicate
an old, presumably metal-rich population. Its brightness profile is much
shallower than that of typical cD-galaxies.
Conclusions:The formation history and the dynamical status of the star pile
remain elusive, until high S/N spectra and a dynamical analysis of the galaxy
cluster itself become available. We suggest that the star pile might provide an
interesting test of the Cold Dark Matter paradigm.Comment: 6 pages, 7 figures. Accepted for publication in A&
Radio Continuum and CO emission in spiral galaxies
We have studied the relationship between the Radio Continuum (RC) and CO emission for a set of galaxies selected from the BIMA SONG sample. By combining new 20 cm VLA B-array observations with BIMA maps it has been possible to investigate the behaviour of the RC/CO correlation at matched resolution down to an angular size of about 6''. Preliminary results indicate that the RC/CO correlation is as tight as (if not better than) the famous RC/FIR one. This may have important consequences on the models proposed to explain them
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