7,602 research outputs found
Disentanglement among vitamins D
Vitamin D is essential for intestinal calcium absorption andtherefore crucial for skeletal health. In addition, its beneficialeffects extend outside bone tissue. The list of putative non-skeletal effects for which vitamin D adequacy is needed rangesfrom diseases at birth to those causing death. Associationsbetween a poor vitamin D status and endometriosis, uterinemyoma, dysmenorrhea, abnormal PAP smear results, and high-risk HPV infection of the cervix have also been described. Just tostay in our days, a possible favorable role ofâvitamin Dâin mod-ulating SARS-COV-2 infection has been demonstrated by some[1] but not all researchers. However, hypovitaminosis D (a termwe would prefer to indicate both deficiency and insufficiency, inanalogy with other clinical conditions, i.e. hypomagnesemia, hypo-calcemia, hyposideremia) is highly prevalent in the world
Suppression of the thermal hysteresis in magnetocaloric MnAs thin film by highly charged ion bombardment
We present the investigation on the modifications of structural and magnetic
properties of MnAs thin film epitaxially grown on GaAs induced by slow highly
charged ions bombardment under well-controlled conditions. The ion-induced
defects facilitate the nucleation of one phase with respect to the other in the
first-order magneto-structural MnAs transition with a consequent suppression of
thermal hysteresis without any significant perturbation on the other structural
and magnetic properties. In particular, the irradiated film keeps the giant
magnetocaloric effect at room temperature opening new perspective on magnetic
refrigeration technology for everyday use
The Cerebellar Fastigial Nucleus Contributes to CO\u3csub\u3e2\u3c/sub\u3e-H\u3csup\u3e+\u3c/sup\u3e Ventilatory Sensitivity in Awake Goats
The purpose of this study was to test the hypothesis that an intact cerebellar fastigial nucleus (CFN) is an important determinant of CO2-H+ sensitivity during wakefulness. Bilateral, stainless steel microtubules were implanted into the CFN (N = 9) for injection (0.5â10 ÎŒl) of the neurotoxin ibotenic acid. Two or more weeks after implantation of the microtubules, eupneic breathing and CO2-H+ sensitivity did not differ significantly (P \u3e 0.10) from pre-implantation conditions. Injection of ibotenic acid (50 mM) did not significantly alter eupneic PaCO2 (P \u3e 0.10). The coefficient of variation of eupneic PaCO2 was 4.0 ± 0.6 and 3.7 ± 0.4% over the 2 weeks before and after the lesion, respectively. CO2-H+ sensitivity expressed as inspired ventilation/PaCO2 decreased from 2.15 ± 0.17 pre-lesion to 1.58 ± 0.26 l/(min mmHg) 3â6 days post-lesion (P \u3c 0.02, â27%). There was no significant (P \u3e 0.10) recovery of sensitivity between 7 and 10 days post-lesion. The lesion also increased (P \u3c 0.05) the day-to-day variability of this index by nearly 100%. When CO2 sensitivity was expressed as elevated inspired CO2/room air VI, values at 7%, but not 3 and 5% inspired CO2, were reduced and more variable (P \u3c 0.05) after the ibotenic acid injections. We conclude that during wakefulness, the CFN contributes relatively more to overall ventilatory drive at high relative to low levels of hypercapnia
Effect of sunlight exposure on anthocyanin and non-anthocyanin phenolic levels in pomegranate juices by high resolution mass spectrometry approach
Quali-quantitative analyses of anthocyanins and non-anthocyanin phenolic compounds performed with the use of liquid chromatography coupled with high resolution mass spectrometry, were evaluated in juice of pomegranate fruits (âDente di Cavalloâ), in relation to different light exposures (North, South, West and East). A total of 16 compounds were identified, including phenolic acids, flavonoids, hydrolysable tannins, and anthocyanins, known for their health-promoting effects. Striking differences were observed about the total phenolic content, which was high in juices from fruits with east- and north-facing position, while it was lower in juices facing south. The greatest contents of total flavonoids and anthocyanins were recorded in fruit juices with southern exposure; however, there are no great differences in the content in phenolic acids. Tannins were mainly synthesized in fruit juices with West exposure. The results showed that the position within the tree had no significant effects on color juice, however, it significantly (p < 0.05) affected data on fruit weight, soluble sugars and juice yield. Remarkable synergies existed among polyphenols and phytochemicals in pomegranate juice, but collecting fruits with different solar exposure could enhance different health benefits, i.e., the juices with higher polyphenols content could have more anticancer effect or those with higher tannins content could have more antimicrobial effect
Clinical implications of discordant early molecular responses in CML patients treated with imatinib
A reduction in BCR-ABL1/ABL1IS transcript levels to <10% after 3 months or <1% after 6 months of tyrosine kinase inhibitor therapy are associated with superior clinical outcomes in chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) patients. In this study, we investigated the reliability of multiple BCR-ABL1 thresholds in predicting treatment outcomes for 184 subjects diagnosed with CML and treated with standard-dose imatinib mesylate (IM). With a median follow-up of 61 months, patients with concordant BCR-ABL1/ABL1IS transcripts below the defined thresholds (10% at 3 months and 1% at 6 months) displayed significantly superior rates of event-free survival (86.1% vs. 26.6%) and deep molecular response (â„ MR4; 71.5% vs. 16.1%) compared to individuals with BCR-ABL1/ABL1IS levels above these defined thresholds. We then analyzed the outcomes of subjects displaying discordant molecular transcripts at 3-and 6-month time points. Among these patients, those with BCR-ABL1/ABL1IS values >10% at 3 months but <1% at 6 months fared significantly better than individuals with BCR-ABL1/ABL1IS <10% at 3 months but >1% at 6 months (event-free survival 68.2% vs. 32.7%; p < 0.001). Likewise, subjects with BCR-ABL1/ABL1IS at 3 months >10% but <1% at 6 months showed a higher cumulative incidence of MR4 compared to patients with BCR-ABL1/ABL1IS <10% at 3 months but >1% at 6 months (75% vs. 18.2%; p < 0.001). Finally, lower BCR-ABL1/GUSIS transcripts at diagnosis were associated with BCR-ABL1/ABL1IS values <1% at 6 months (p < 0.001). Our data suggest that when assessing early molecular responses to therapy, the 6-month BCR-ABL1/ABL1IS level displays a superior prognostic value compared to the 3-month measurement in patients with discordant oncogenic transcripts at these two pivotal time points
Swift J201424.9+152930: discovery of a new deeply eclipsing binary with 491 s and 3.4 h modulations
We report on the discovery of a new X-ray pulsator, Swift J201424.9+152930
(Sw J2014). Owing to its X-ray modulation at 491 s, it was discovered in a
systematic search for coherent signals in the archival data of the Swift X-ray
Telescope. To investigate the nature of Sw J2014, we performed multi-wavelength
follow-up observations with space-borne (Swift and XMM-Newton) and ground-based
(the 1.5-m Loiano Telescope and the 3.6-m Telescopio Nazionale Galileo)
instruments. The X-ray spectrum of Sw J2014 can be described by a hard and
highly absorbed power law. The optical observations made it possible to single
out the optical counterpart to this source, which displays several variable
emission lines and total eclipses lasting ~20 min. Total eclipses of similar
length were observed also in X-rays. The study of the eclipses, allowed us to
infer a second periodicity of 3.44 h, which we interpret as the orbital period
of a close binary system. We also found that the period has not significantly
changed over a ~7 yr timespan. Based on the timing signatures of Sw J2014, and
its optical and X-ray spectral properties, we suggest that it is a close binary
hosting an accreting magnetic white dwarf. The system is therefore a
cataclysmic variable of the intermediate polar type and one of the very few
showing deep eclipses.Comment: 12 pages, 8 figures, 5 tables; minor changes to match the final MNRAS
versio
Environmental sustainability fruit quality and production in mycorrhizal tomato plants without P fertilizing
The influence of root colonization by arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungus
Funelliformis mosseae, on fruit quality, production and environmental sustainability were
evaluated in field-tomato plants grown exposed to P-limited soil 5 ”g g
-1
soil (basal-soil) with
nitrate fertilization (50 ”g g
-1
soil), after greenhouse germination and fungus colonization. After
60 days sowing (DAS), when the percentage of mycorrhizal root length (% RLC) raised at about
50%, the plants were transplanted in open field.
During the experiment, the mycorrhization has affected a lot of physiological aspects like
vegetative and reproductive growth, improving them and ended the fruiting with a major fruit
production that was 50% higher than not mycorrhizal (NM) plants. The ripening process of the
fruits was also followed by testing sugars content and Ă-Amylase activity in fruits of NM and
mycorrhizal (M) plants fruits. At 140 DAS, in the harvesting fruits stage, fruits of M plants
showed significantly higher mineral nutrient sugars and organic nitrogen compounds as amino
acids and protein, compared to fruits from NM plants. In particular, GLU-GLN-ASP and ASN
raised about 35% more than fruits from NM plants, improving nutritional aspect and flavor of the
product. THR-ILEU-LEU-VAL and LYS, essential amino acids in man nutrition, increased
around 25% more than fruits from NM plants, too. In this contest, lycopene, total carotenoids,
ascorbic acid and glutathione (GS) and reduced form (GSH) were also tested in ripe fruits. The
overall results suggest that tomato roots colonization by mycorrhizal fungus Funelliformis
mosseae affects host plant nutritional status, modifying reproductive behavior, fruits production
and nutritional quality
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