Sex Differences in Cardiovascular Diseases: A Matter of Estrogens, Ceramides, and Sphingosine 1-Phosphate

The medical community recognizes sex-related differences in pathophysiology and cardiovascular disease outcomes (CVD), culminating with heart failure. In general, pre-menopausal women tend to have a better prognosis than men. Explaining why this occurs is not a simple matter. For decades, sex hormones like estrogens (Es) have been identified as one of the leading factors driving these sex differences. Indeed, Es seem protective in women as their decline, during and after menopause, coincides with an increased CV risk and HF development. However, clinical trials demonstrated that E replacement in post-menopause women results in adverse cardiac events and increased risk of breast cancer. Thus, a deeper understanding of E-related mechanisms is needed to provide a vital gateway toward better CVD prevention and treatment in women. Of note, sphingolipids (SLs) and their metabolism are strictly related to E activities. Among the SLs, ceramide and sphingosine 1-phosphate play essential roles in mammalian physiology, particularly in the CV system, and appear differently modulated in males and females. In keeping with this view, here we explore the most recent experimental and clinical observations about the role of E and SL metabolism, emphasizing how these factors impact the CV system

Chapitre 2. Parenté et patronymes chez les minorités ethniques en Italie du Sud et en Sicile

Dans ce travail, on se propose d’étudier la structure génétique des minorités ethniques d’origine albanaise, croate et grecque, qui vivent en Italie du Sud et en Sicile, en se fondant sur l’analyse de leurs patronymes. Le problème abordé est celui de l’isolement de ces minorités. Est-il plus important ou plus faible que celui observé dans les populations italiennes urbaines ou rurales ? Les regroupements des communautés s’effectuent-ils sur des critères de proximité géographique ou sur des af..

Uomini e ambienti

Come ha avuto origine Homo sapiens? In che modo alcune popolazioni si sono adattate ai climi caldi, altre al freddo e altre ancora all'alta quota? Perché alcuni difetti genetici permettono di sopravvivere meglio in certe condizioni? Come possiamo interagire con l'ambiente per ricavarne il cibo necessario in modo sostenibile? Attraverso un'incursione nella biodiversità umana, nel libro si affronta la varietà delle strategie biologiche e culturali con cui la nostra specie si è potuta adattare ai diversi ambienti, talvolta trasformandoli anche profondamente in rapporto alle proprie esigenze. Alimentazione, clima e complessi patogeni sono le tre grandi sfide che abbiamo dovuto affrontare; a queste abbiamo risposto con strategie adattative di natura genetica, fisiologica e culturale, che ci hanno consentito di giungere sin qui

Cranial non-metric traits as indicators of hypostosis or hyperostosis.

Cranial non-metric traits (and particularly those traits which are referable to the opposite conditions of hypostosis or hyperostosis) may represent markers of dynamic responses to general and local perturbation of the morphogenetic pattern. According to this hypothesis, a method is introduced for scoring and analyzing the occurrence of such an “ontogenetic stress” by the evaluation of 20 cranial non-metric traits. The scoring procedure is based on semi-quantitative parameters varying with the variable expression of each trait, in order to set the position of that particular feature in the spectrum provided by the distinction between hypostosis and hyperostosis. This kind of approach allows to apply multivariate statistical analysis, as well as to introduce specific thresholds aimed to the evaluation of the traits in terms of presence/absence. Data may be then examined in the light of the variation ranging from hypostosis to hyperostosis, obtaining a single type of evidence that we call hypostotic score

Developmental stress and cranial hypostosis by epigenetic trait occurrence and distribution: An exploratory study on the Italian Neandertals

The occurrence and distribution of 35 cranial epigenetic traits in the Italian Neandertals (Saccopastore 1 and 2, Guattari 1) were examined according to morpho-functional cranial regions and with respect to a distinction between hypostosis (i.e., weak osseous development, arrested morphogenesis, retention of infantile features) and hyperostosis (i.e. excess of ossification, not reaching the pathological condition). The results, expressed as hypostotic scores, showed higher levels of hypostosis in these Neandertal specimens than in recent European samples. The highest expressions of hypostotis were observed in those regions of the Neandertal cranium where disequilibrium between skeletal and cerebral growth factors was expected. These results—interpreted as expression of developmental stress—are consistent with a heterochronic interpretation of the development of the Neandertal cranium; namely, a faster ossification of the cranial vault relative to brain growth rates

Discontinuity of life conditions at the transition from the Roman Imperial Age to the early Middle Ages: Example from central Italy evaluated by pathological dento-alveolar lesions

Teeth are highly informative in the study of past human populations. In particular, the occurrence of lesions in the masticatory apparatus relates diseases, diet, and living conditions. The dental pathology of three skeletal samples from the north-central part of Latium (central Italy) is reported. Two of them belong to the Roman Imperial Age (1st-3rd century AD): the first (including 942 permanent teeth and 1,085 tooth sockets) represents the rural town of Lucus Feroniae and is mainly composed of slaves and/or war veterans, whereas the second (872 permanent teeth and 1,325 tooth sockets) comes from the Isola Sacra necropolis at Portus Romae and represents the "middle class" segment of an urban population. The medieval sample (912 teeth and 1,097 tooth sockets), dated to the 7th century AD, belongs to the Lombard necropolis of La Selvicciola. All of the samples were examined for caries, abscesses, antemortem tooth loss, calculus, alveolar resorption, attrition, and enamel hypoplasia; standard methods were used to identify, classify, and quantify these conditions. The results reveal different patterns of dental and alveolar lesions for the three populations, indicating a different combination of dietary factors and hygienic conditions in the Roman samples compared to the Lombard series. As evidenced by multivariate correspondece analysis, the Romans show afffinites between each other, whereas the Medieval sample appears associated with the incidence of caries and the pathological conditions related to them, thus indicating increase of these lesions and deterioration of the quality of life in the transition to the early Middle Ages. These data agree with the respective archeological characterizations of the necropolises and the hypothetical social composition of each population

Testing a Biochemical Model of Human Genetic Resistance to falciparum Malaria by the Analysis of Variation at Protein and Microsatellite Loci

We recently proposed a biochemical model of genetic resistance to falciparum malaria based on the role of oxidant stress (of parasitic origin) in inducing the irreversible oxidation of hemoglobin and its binding to the erythrocyte membrane (Destro-Bisol et al. 1996). To test the model, we analyzed the relationships between the polymorphisms at the hemoglobin beta chain (.HBB) and red cell glutathione peroxidase (GPX1) loci in 18 populations that had been subjected to endemic malaria (Cameroon and Central African Republic). The erythrocytes of GPX1*2 heterozygotes should be more efficient in sheltering the cell membrane from irreversible oxidation and binding of hemoglobin caused by the oxidant stress exerted by Plasmodium falciparum. According to our model, the GPX1*2 allele has an epistatic effect on the HBB*A/*S genotype by lowering its protection againstfalciparum malaria. In turn, this should decrease the fitness of the HBB*A/*S-GPX1 *2/*l genotype. Our predictions were confirmed. In fact, we observed a clear trend toward a dissociation between the HBB*A/*S and GPX1 *2/*l genotypes in the overall data. To test alternative hypotheses, we also analyzed the genetic variation at 9 protein and 10 autosomal microsatellite loci at both the single- and the 2-locus level. We also discuss the possible relevance of an alternative biochemical pathway. The results further support the conclusions of our study because the dissociation between the GPX1 *2/*l and HBB *A/*S genotypes does not appear to be related either to a general decrease in heterozygosity or to an increased risk of sudden death in HBB*A/*S individuals

Editorial 4/2013: Medialer Habitus

Die breite soziale Verwendung und Nutzung von Medien in unserer Wissens­ und Informationsgesellschaft hat seit der dritten industriellen Revolution auch zu tiefgreifenden Änderungen in den Verhaltensweisen und Erfahrungsräumen der Menschen geführt. Angelehnt an die Bildungssoziologie Pierre Bourdieus, der mit dem Begriff des (individuellen und kollektiven) Habitus derartige gesellschaftliche Transformationen praxeologisch und d. h. immer auch handlungstheoretisch zu fassen suchte, diskutieren MedienpädagogInnen seit geraumer Zeit den Wandel von Mediennutzung und Medienkompetenz rund um den Begriff des "Medialen Habitus".

Strukturwandel der Öffentlichkeit 3.0 mit allen Updates

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Partizipation

Im Beitrag wird Partizipation formal definiert. Anschließend werden medienpädagogische Bestimmungen des Partizipationsbegriffs vorgestellt