Expression of cell adhesion molecules in jejunum biopsies of children with coeliac disease

The composition of inflammatory cells as well as the expression of cell adhesion molecules (LFA-1/CD11a, ICAM-1/CD54, CD36) in jejunal biopsies from children with active, untreated coeliac disease (CD) has been analyzed and compared with control biopsies. In CD the number of intraepithelial and lamina propria T cells was greater than in controls. ICAM-1 was found on most cells in the lamina propria; many of them expressed LFA-1 as well. In contrast, no ICAM-1+ and a few LFA-1+ cells were noticed in the epithelium. The brush border from control biopsies reacted with HLADR and anti-CD36. In CD, de novo expression of HLADR was found in the cytoplasm of villous and cryptal enterocytes in contrast, CD36 disappeared from the brush border and no expression of ICAM-1 on the inflamed epithelium was noticed. The results indicate that adhesion molecules other than LFA-1, ICAM-1 and CD36 may be involved in the cellular interactions occurring in the intraepithelial compartment in CD; the lack of ICAM-1 and the reduced expression of LFA-1 on intraepithelial lymphocytes might reflect a defective activation of these cells. Several macrophages were found in the lamina propria in cases of CD; some of them were located beneath the surface epithelium, showed a spindle/dendritic morphology, and expressed the HLADR+, CD36+, CD11a- phenotype. These cells might be stimulated by luminal antigens and might play an important role in subsequent activation of T cells in the lamina propria

[Celiac disease and recurrent aphthous stomatitis. The clinical and immunogenetic aspects].

The frequency of HLA class II (DR and DQ) antigens is analyzed in 113 subjects affected by coeliac disease, nineteen of them suffering from recurrent aphthous stomatitis. A significant association was found between DRw10 and DQw1 HLA antigens and the two diseases in the 19 subjects suffering from both diseases

Anticipating Ethical Issues When Designing Services that Employ Personal Data

Advancements in technology enable cross-device interactions and the creation of complex ecosystems of Internet of Things (IoT). Networked systems support the creation of services for multiple purposes such as smart transportation, health care, wellbeing. The spreading of services based on personal data is shaping current socio-technical systems; it induces innovations that are changing everyday scenarios and behaviors, posing ethical issues that should be taken into account since the very first phases of the design process. As designers, we need to understand the user experience with respect to the usual requirements of usability, acceptability and desirability of the new solutions, and manage delicate issues related to the impacts of these solutions on individuals and communities. This requires knowledge and dedicated design tools enabling designers to make conscious design choices during the design process. In this paper, we present an anticipation method aimed to support awareness of designers about critical issues related to the use of personal data in the project of complex technology-based systems and services. The paper reports the main features of the methods and of the research activity that generated our approach. Furthermore, we illustrate the results obtained applying the anticipation method on a case study, the MEMoSa project. The case study refers to an innovative service offering tailored services for safer driving; this research involved several partners, including a telecommunication company, and insurance offerings services for safer driving. The case study supports the validation of the anticipation method and the discussion of its potentials