The adipokine leptin a pleiotropic molecule in the human respiratory tract

Leptin, a 16-kd adipocyte-derived hormone originally described in metabolism regulation, plays a pleiotropic role in the immune system and inflammation (1). Leptin exerts its action through the leptin receptor (Ob-R), present in several tissues, human respiratory tract included. Leptin is a survival cytokine for human neutrophils and eosinophils (2, 3), other than for other cytotypes, included lung carcinoma cells (4). The following findings highlight the specific role of leptin both in the lung and in the nasal tract. We firstly find that ex-vivo leptin expression is increased and co-localized with lymphocytes T inflammatory cells, in bronchial mucosa of chronic obstructive pulmonary disea…

Caratteristiche epidemiologiche dell’Infezione da virus respiratorio sinciziale in Sicilia: dati preliminari su una casistica di infettivologia pediatrica

RADIOPROTECTION IN 2018: AN UPDATE

Fluoroscopically-guided interventional procedures are performed in large numbers in Europe and in the United States. Radiation doses received by interventional radiologists can vary for the same type of procedure and for similar patient doses. Occupational radiation protection is a necessity whenever radiation is used in the practice of medicine. The International Commission on Radiological Protection is engaging against occupational radiation damages, publishing regular recommendations on dose limits. These limits are expressed as effective doses for the whole body and also as equivalent doses for particular regions or tissues of practitioners’ bodies. Shielding and personal protective clo…

Obtaining mesenchymal stem cells from adipose tissue of murine origin: Experimental study

Stem cells have a key role in regenerative medicine and tissue engineering. Although not immortal, they are able to expand manyfold in culture retaining at the same time their growth and multilineage potential. They also show a migratory capacity when transplanted systemically in animal model with injuries. Thanks to their properties and their plasticity stem cells are of great importance since they can be used as a tool for repair damaged tissues and organs. Mesenchymal stem cells, in particular, have the ability to differentiate into lineages of mesodermal tissues, such as skeletal muscle, bone, tendons, cartilage, and fat under appropriate culturing conditions. Recent evidence suggest th…

The response to methacholine (Mch) bronchoprovocation in the absence of deep inspiration (DI) is dependent on airway smooth muscle (ASM) content

Counteracting effects of apigenin and leptin on lung adenocarcinoma cells.

Interaction Control of Robotic Manipulators Without Force Measurement

This paper deals with a new adaptive force-position control of a robotic manipulator based on force estimation. Based on Lyapunov techniques will be proved that the control law guaranties tracking of the desired Cartesian trajectory along the contact plane and of a constant desired force along reciprocal direction, without force measuring. Extensive simulations with 2-DOF manipulator illustrates the followed approach.

The maternal funzion: from a child's dependence to independence.

Association of kidney disease measures with risk of renal function worsening in patients with type 1 diabetes

Background Albuminuria has been classically considered a marker of kidney damage progression in diabetic patients and it is routinely assessed to monitor kidney function. However, the role of a mild GFR reduction on the development of stage ≥3 CKD has been less explored in type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) patients. Aim of the present study was to evaluate the prognostic role of kidney disease measures, namely albuminuria and reduced GFR, on the development of stage ≥3 CKD in a large cohort of patients affected by T1DM. Methods A total of 4284 patients affected by T1DM followed-up at 76 diabetes centers participating to the Italian Association of Clinical Diabetologists (Associazione Medici D…

Place-based. Sviluppo locale e programmazione 2014-2020

L’Unione Europea nel 2013 ha approvato un nuovo apparato regolamentare che inserisce, nell’attuazione degli obiettivi dei Trattati in materia di coesione socio-economica e territoriale, la metodologia di sviluppo place-based, applicata in Italia dal Programma di Iniziativa Comunitaria Leader (Patti Territoriali). Per gli attori dello sviluppo locale in Italia si tratta di un passo indietro, in quanto diverso è l’approccio sin qui sperimentato. Sviluppo locale o sviluppo place-based: un concetto che è stato spesso al centro del dibattito politico in Italia negli ultimi venti anni, oggi anche nell'Unione Europea, e che riveste un ruolo storico di riferimento rispetto al tema affrontato nel vo…

Leptin levels in induced sputum from patients with COPD are sensitive to smoking status

Valutazione della vita a fatica di giunti complessi saldati tramite Friction Stir Welding

Alterated expression of leptin and its receptor in the epithelium of asthmatic patients

Nutrition, malnutrition and dietary interventions in inflammatory bowel disease

Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD), which includes both Crohn's disease (CD) and Ulcerative Colitis (UC), is a chronic idiopathic inflammatory disorder affecting the gastrointestinal tract. Diet, as a source of luminal antigens, is thought to be an important factor in the pathogenesis of IBD. often the nutritional status of patients is significantly compromised, particularly in CD. several factors, including drug-nutrient interactions, disease location, symptoms, and dietary restriction can lead to protein energy malnutrition and specific nutritional deficiencies. solid evidence regarding the accountability of certain dietary components in the etiology of IBD are lacking. With regard to malnu…

Use of tailored intraperitoneal ePTFE dual mesh in permagna inguinal hernia

Here we report a case of a giant inguinoscrotal hernia in an elderly patients treated by means of an open positioning of intraperitoneal ePTFE dual mesh. In patients with giant inguinoscrotal hernia the forceful introduction of viscera in abdominal cavity and primary wall closure is burnened from respiratory complication, abdominal compartment syndrome, and defects in wound healing thus exposing the patients to further morbidity and mortality risk. The management of these patients is difficult because of the high occurrence of morbidity factors that affect the success on intervention independently of the technique of surgical repair. The tension- free technique we adopted consented us to ob…

Sensitivity of the Cherenkov Telescope Array to a dark matter signal from the Galactic centre

Full list of authors: Acharyya, A.; Adam, R.; Adams, C.; Agudo, I.; Aguirre-Santaella, A.; Alfaro, R.; Alfaro, J.; Alispach, C.; Aloisio, R.; Alves Batista, R.; Amati, L.; Ambrosi, G.; Angüner, E. O.; Antonelli, L. A.; Aramo, C.; Araudo, A.; Armstrong, T.; Arqueros, F.; Asano, K.; Ascasíbar, Y. Ashley, M.; Balazs, C.; Ballester, O.; Baquero Larriva, A.; Barbosa Martins, V.; Barkov, M.; Barres de Almeida, U.; Barrio, J. A.; Bastieri, D.; Becerra, J.; Beck, G.; Becker Tjus, J.; Benbow, W.; Benito, M.; Berge, D.; Bernardini, E.; Bernlöhr, K.; Berti, A.; Bertucci, B.; Beshley, V.; Biasuzzi, B.; Biland, A.; Bissaldi, E.; Biteau, J.; Blanch, O.; Blazek, J.; Bocchino, F.; Boisson, C.; Bonneau Arbe…

Blood Vessel Detection Algorithm for Tissue Engineering and Quantitative Histology.

AbstractImmunohistochemistry for vascular network analysis plays a fundamental role in basic science, translational research and clinical practice. However, identifying vascularization in histological tissue images is time consuming and markedly depends on the operator’s experience. In this study, we present “blood vessel detection—BVD”, an automatic algorithm for quantitative analysis of blood vessels in immunohistochemical images. BVD is based on extraction and analysis of low-level image features and spatial filtering techniques, which do not require a training phase. BVD algorithm performance was comparatively evaluated on histological sections from three different in vivo experiments. …

A SIMPLE TECHINIQUE TO IMPROVE RESIDUAL SKIN PLASTICITY FOR SCROTAL RECONSTRUCTION IN FOURNIER'S GANGRENE

A 50 years-old man developed 24 hours after hemorrhoidectomy a severe Fournier's gangrene of the scrotum necessitating surgical exeresis of more than 2/3 of scrotal skin followed by hyperbaric oxygen therapy. After the resolution of the septic phase, scrotum reconstruction was obtained by tissue expansion to avoid more invasive advanced reconstructive techniques. The procedure consisted of an enzymatic and mechanical debridement and progressive skin expansion by package of gauzes of increasing volume covered with a collagenasecloramphenicol ointment (Iruxol®- Smith and Nephew, Italy), then closing the wound edges by temporary stitches to put under tension the skin. The reestablishment of th…

2016 WHO GLOBAL GUIDELINES FOR THE PREVENTION OF SURGICAL SITE INFECTION: A NEW STEP TO IMPROVE PATIENT'S SAFETY BEFORE, DURING AND AFTER SURGERY

Surgical site infection (SSI) are among the most preventable health-care-associated infections and are a substantial burden to health-care systems and service payers worldwide in terms of patient morbidity, mortality, and additional costs. SSI prevention is complex and requires the integration of a range of measures before, during and after surgery. No international guidelines are available and incosistencies in the interpretations of evidence and recommendations of national guidelines have been identified. Given the burden of SSI worldwide, the numerous gaps in evidence-based guidance, and the need for standardisation and a global approach, WHO decided to prioritise the development of evid…