Effects of valproic Acid, berberin and resveratrol on human mesenchymal stem cells adipogenic differentiation

Nowadays obesity and its related diseases represent a major health problem with an increasing worldwide prevalence. Hyperplasia and hypertrophy of adipocytes lead to an excessive fat accumulation that is not efficiently prevented by current pharmacological treatments. So the research on anti-obesity drugs with good efficacy and tolerability able both to prevent and to reduce fat accumulation is of pivotal interest. In the present study we evaluated in vitro the effects of Valproic Acid, Berberin and Resveratrol on adipogenesis. Our experimental model was represented by human Mesenchymal Stem Cells (hMSCs), physiological precursors of adipocytes that can differentiate into adipocytes also in vitro. Preliminary cytotoxicity assays were performed in order to choose non-toxic doses of the three drugs. hMSCs were induced to adipogenic differentiation and treated with Valproic Acid, Berberin and Resveratrol at the selected doses. Controls were represented by hMSCs treated for adipogenesis in absence of the drugs. At different time points intracellular lipid droplets accumulation, a typical feature of adipogenesis, was assessed by Oil Red O staining. Valproic Acid, Berberin and Resveratrol inhibited hMSCs adipogenic differentiation in a dose dependent manner as demonstrated by the reduction of the lipid droplets accumulation. To understand the molecular mechanisms of the drugs-induced adipogenesis inhibition, we focused our attention on the effects of the drugs treatment on cell cycle progression, known to be altered by many antiadipogenic drugs, and on the MAP Kinases ERK1 and ERK2, involved in the adipogenesis control. We evaluated the expression of cyclins and CDKs by immunoblotting and flow-cytometry analyses, demonstrating that Valproic Acid, Berberin and Resveratrol interfere on cell cycle progression. The expression and the phosphorylation status of the two kinases ERK1 and ERK2 were assessed by immunoblotting demonstrating an increase of ERK1 phosphorylation (i.e. activation) in hMSCs treated with Berberin and a reduction in hMSCs treated with Valproic Acid and Resveratrol compared to control cells. No changes in phosphorylation and expression of ERK2 were observed. Our study demonstrate that Valproic Acid, Berberin and Resveratrol exert an anti-adipogenic effect in our experimental model. The mechanisms of action of these drugs involve the alteration of cell cycle progression and, at least in part, ERK1/2 modulation. However other molecular pathways are likely implicated and other studies are required to identify them

Antitumoral effects of Hibiscus sabdarifa on human oral squamous cell carcinoma and multiple myeloma cells

Epidemiological data consistently demonstrate a reduced cancer risk associated with a polyphenols rich diet. Hibiscus sabdarifa (HS), a polyphenols rich plant widely consumed worldwide as beverage and used in folk medicine, has recently gained interest thanks to its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and chemopreventive properties. In the present study we investigated the antitumoral potential of HS extract in two different human tumor cell lines: Multiple Myeloma cells (RPMI 8226) and Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma cells (SCC-25). MTT assays showed that HS extract induced a dose-dependent viability reduction in both the cells lines. For the subsequent experiments we used HS at the concentration of 5 mg/ml that was the most effective in inducing cell viability reduction after 48h of treatment. Viable cell count using trypan blue staining demonstrated that the HS extract induced decrease in cell growth of both the cell lines and this was due to a reversible cytostatic rather than a cytotoxic effect. Wound-healing and cell invasion assays, respectively performed by a scratch of cell monolayer and Boyden Chamber transwell test, demonstrated that HS extract was able to reduce motility and invasiveness in both RPMI 8226 and SCC-25 cells. The chemical inhibition of ERK1/ERK2 and PI3K, with U0126 and wortmannin respectively, reduces proliferation and migration of both SSC-25 and RPMI cells and HB extract treatment played an additive action with the inhibitors. In conclusion, our results suggest that HS extract have antitumoral properties, since it proved to inhibit tumoral cell growth and cell migration and invasiveness. It is interesting to note that HS extract is effective against two very different tumor cell lines. In fact, RPMI 8226 cells are of hematopoietic origin and grow in suspension, whereas SCC-25 cells derive from epithelium and are characterized by adherent cell growth. Therefore, although further studies are needed to clarify the molecular mechanisms involved in its action, we proposed HS as a potential chemopreventive agent

Determinazione del valore predittivo di una scala di valutazione del rischio di cadute in pazienti anziani ospedalizzati

Obiettivo. Le cadute costituiscono un evento avverso di rilievo negli ospedali, perché possono condurre a conseguenze gravi, soprattutto nei pazienti anziani. Sebbene in letteratura siano stati suggeriti numerosi strumenti per la valutazione del rischio di caduta, il loro livello di predittività non è soddisfacente. Lo studio proposto è stato condotto per valutare sensibilità, specificità, valore predittivo positivo/negativo della scala FRASS (Fall Risk Assessment Scoring System). Pazienti e metodi. Tutti i pazienti di età >65 anni, ricoverati, dal 1 novembre 2007 al 31 gennaio 2008 presso 7 Unità Operative (medicina o specialità mediche) dell’Azienda Ospedaliera Ospedali Riuniti di Bergamo, sono stati valutati per il rischio di cadute. Risultati. Sono stati valutati 564 pazienti; 16 (2.8%), sono caduti. La sensibilità e la specificità della FRASS sono risultate basse (50% e 59% rispettivamente). Questo potrebbe far supporre che la FRASS classifichi a rischio pazienti che in realtà potrebbero non esserlo mentre sovrastimi il numero di quelli ritenuti non a rischio, che poi incorrono in cadute. Conclusioni. I risultati emersi, sembrano non raccomandare l’utilizzo delle scale di FRASS nell’ambito local

Environmental, Microbiological, and Immunological Features of Bacterial Biofilms Associated with Implanted Medical Devices

The spread of biofilms on medical implants represents one of the principal triggers of persistent and chronic infections in clinical settings, and it has been the subject of many studies in the past few years, with most of them focused on prosthetic joint infections. We review here recent works on biofilm formation and microbial colonization on a large variety of indwelling devices, ranging from heart valves and pacemakers to urological and breast implants and from biliary stents and endoscopic tubes to contact lenses and neurosurgical implants. We focus on bacterial abundance and distribution across different devices and body sites and on the role of environmental features, such as the presence of fluid flow and properties of the implant surface, as well as on the interplay between bacterial colonization and the response of the human immune system

Environmental, Microbiological, and Immunological Features of Bacterial Biofilms Associated with Implanted Medical Devices

The spread of biofilms on medical implants represents one of the principal triggers of persistent and chronic infections in clinical settings, and it has been the subject of many studies in the past few years, with most of them focused on prosthetic joint infections. We review here recent works on biofilm formation and microbial colonization on a large variety of indwelling devices, ranging from heart valves and pacemakers to urological and breast implants and from biliary stents and endoscopic tubes to contact lenses and neurosurgical implants. We focus on bacterial abundance and distribution across different devices and body sites and on the role of environmental features, such as the presence of fluid flow and properties of the implant surface, as well as on the interplay between bacterial colonization and the response of the human immune system.ISSN:0893-851

Fattori di rischio cadute in ambito pediatrico nell'Azienda Ospedaliera Ospedali Riuniti di Bergamo: studio osservazionale retrospettivo

Scopo: identificare i fattori di rischio caduta più significativi nel contesto locale e migliorare la qualití  dell'assistenza erogata ai pazienti pediatrici fornendo indicazioni per interventi di prevenzione delle cadute. Materiale e Metodi: per esaminare la correlazione tra le cadute e i fattori di rischio di caduta è stato condotto uno studio osservazionale retrospettivo caso controllo, il campione è costituito da tutti i bambini caduti dal 2004 al 2011 di etí  anagrafica compresa tra 0 – 18 anni, per i quali era presente la scheda di segnalazione dell'avvenuta caduta. Risultati: Nello studio sono stati inclusi 108 bambini (36 casi e 72 controlli). I dati hanno mostrato che l'assunzione di 4 farmaci è correlata al rischio di caduta ma la presenza di terapia endovenosa pare essere un fattore che protegge dal rischio di caduta. Conclusioni: Lo studio conferma l'importanza epidemiologica del problema delle cadute in etí  pediatrica. Una valutazione prospettica su un campione di maggior dimensioni potrebbe aiutare a identificare ulteriori variabili indipendenti. Questo studio può rappresentare un punto di partenza per ulteriori analisi. Parole chiave: pazienti ospedalizzati, fattori di rischio, bambini, cadute, nursing ABSTRACT Purpose: To identify the main and most significant risk factors for falls and improve the quality of care delivered to pediatric patients by providing indications for interventions for the prevention of falls. Methods: To investigate the correlation between falls and risk factors a retrospective observational case-control study was carried out, the sample was made up by all children who fell from 2004 to 2011 between 0-18 y.o. for which there was a record of the fall. Results: 108 children were included in the study (36 cases and 72 controls). The data showed that 4 drugs have a correlation with falls,on the contrary intravenous therapy seemed to be a factor that protects against the risk of falling. Conclusions: The study confirms the importance of the problem of falls in children. A greater sample size could help to identify additional independent variables. This study may represent a starting point for further analysis. Keywords: Hospital patients, risk factors, children, falls, nursin