Search results for " Biochemistry"
showing 10 items of 5648 documents
Immunonegative Staining: Epitope Localization on Macromolecules
1996
Relevant literature relating to immunonegative staining is reviewed and integrated with current research of the author and others. The immunonegative staining procedure has been utilized for the study of epitope localization on immune complexes formed from keyhole limpet hemocyanin type 2 (KLH2) di- and multidecamers, and the 20S and 26S proteasome from Xenopus laevis. The IgG linkage pattern of molecules in small immune complexes is considered to provide the most reliable indication of epitope location. For both KLH2 and the 20S proteasome, using domain-specific monoclonal antibodies and a 32-kDa (p32) subunit-specific polyclonal antibody, respectively, it is shown that epitopes (KLH2, sub…
Gut Microbiota Cannot Compensate the Impact of (quasi) Aposymbiosis in Blattella germanica
2021
Simple Summary The German cockroach Blattella germanica is a good model to study complex symbiotic relationships because the following two symbiotic systems coexist in a single individual: the endosymbiont Blattabacterium (living inside specialized cells called bacteriocytes) and the gut microbiota. Although the role of the endosymbiont has been fully elucidated, the function of the gut microbiota remains unclear. The study of the gut microbiota will benefit from the availability of insects deprived of Blattabacterium. Our goal is to determine the effect of the removal (or, at least, the reduction) of the endosymbiont population on the cockroach’s fitness, in a normal gut microbiota communi…
Monoclonal antibodies and antibody fragments: state of the art and future perspectives in the treatment of non-haematological tumors
2011
Introduction: The use of monoclonal antibodies is one of the strategies for targeting the specific key points of the main pathways of cancer growth and survival, but only a few antibodies have offered a clear clinical benefit in the treatment of non-haematological malignancies. Areas covered: This review summarizes the general properties of monoclonal antibodies, including structure, nomenclature and production techniques. The antibodies approved for use in clinical practice for the treatment of non-haematological tumors and those antibodies still being developed in this setting are briefly described. The types of antibody fragments are also reported. Expert opinion: Monoclonal antibodies w…
Stimuli-responsive bile acid-based metallogels forming in aqueous media
2015
Abstract The synthesis and gelation properties of a picolinic acid conjugated bile acid derivative in the presence of metal salts along with the stimuli-responsiveness of the systems are reported. The gels are formed in the presence of Cu 2+ ions in the solvent systems composed of 30–50% of organic solvent (MeOH, acetonitrile, or acetone) in water. The gels respond to various stimuli: they can be formed upon sonication or shaking, and their gel–sol transformation can be triggered by a variety of chemical species. NMR, MS, and SEM techniques are exploited in order to gain a deeper insight on the self-assembled systems.
Synthesis, biological evaluation, and structure-activity relationship study of novel cytotoxic aza-caffeic acid derivatives.
2010
Abstract Three series of aza-caffeic acid derivatives with different linkers were designed and synthesized. Each of the synthesized derivatives was then used in cytotoxicity screening on either 8 or 12 human cancer cell lines. The structure–activity relationships on three structural regions A, B, and C are analyzed in detail, indicating that a nine bond linker B, containing a piperazine unit, is the most favorable linker leading to the generation of molecules with potent cytotoxicities. Compound ( E )-1-(4-(3,4-dichlorobenzyl)piperazin-1-yl)-3-(4-(4-ethoxybenzyloxy)-3,5-dimethoxyphenyl)prop-2-en-1-one ( 80 ) exhibited the most significant and selective cytotoxicity to KB, BEL7404, K562, and…
Humoral immunotherapy of multiple myeloma: perspectives and perplexities
2010
IMPORTANCE OF THE FIELDS Multiple myeloma (MM) is a hematological malignancy still remaining incurable despite the various therapies available, mainly because of the high fraction of refractory/relapsing cases. Therefore, the development of novel therapeutic approaches is urgently needed to overcome conventional treatment resistance. AREAS COVERED IN THIS REVIEW: In the era of targeted therapies, treatments combining a high specificity for neoplastic cells and the capability to interfere with environmental signals should be regarded as the weapons of choice. Monoclonal antibody (mAb)-based humoral immunotherapy could satisfy both these requirements when applied to MM. Indeed, many of the mo…
BCR-ABL as a target for novel therapeutic interventions.
2002
The BCR-ABL oncogene is the result of a reciprocal translocation between the long arms of chromosome 9 and 22 t(9; 22). There is good experimental evidence demonstrating that BCR-ABL is the single causative abnormality in chronic myeloid leukaemia (CML), making it a unique model for the development of molecular targets. In addition to CML, BCR-ABL transcripts can be found in a minority of acute lymphoblastic leukaemias and very rarely in acute myeloid leukaemia (AML). Elucidating the molecular mechanisms and downstream pathways of BCR-ABL has led to the design of several novel therapeutic approaches. In this review, molecular targeting of BCR-ABL will be discussed based on the inhibition of…
Lessons in clinical reasoning – pitfalls, myths, and pearls: the contribution of faulty data gathering and synthesis to diagnostic error
2021
Abstract Objectives Errors in clinical reasoning are a major factor for delayed or flawed diagnoses and put patient safety at risk. The diagnostic process is highly dependent on dynamic team factors, local hospital organization structure and culture, and cognitive factors. In everyday decision-making, physicians engage that challenge partly by relying on heuristics – subconscious mental short-cuts that are based on intuition and experience. Without structural corrective mechanisms, clinical judgement under time pressure creates space for harms resulting from systems and cognitive errors. Based on a case-example, we outline different pitfalls and provide strategies aimed at reducing diagnost…
Laboratory testing in the emergency department: an Italian Society of Clinical Biochemistry and Clinical Molecular Biology (SIBioC) and Academy of Em…
2018
Abstract Background: The mainstay of patient-oriented laboratory testing in emergency settings entails selecting a number and the type of tests according to valid criteria of appropriateness. Since the pattern of urgent tests requesting is variable across different institutions, we designed a joined survey between the Academy of Emergency Medicine and Care (AcEMC) and the Italian Society of Clinical Biochemistry and Clinical Molecular Biology (SIBioC) for reaching tentative consensus about the most informative diagnostic tests in emergency settings. Methods: A survey, containing the most commonly ordered urgent laboratory tests and the relative clinical indications, was disseminated to eigh…
The Mediterranean diet: A historical perspective on food for health.
2020
The Mediterranean diet (MedDiet) represents the crystallisation of the centuries-old cooking legacies of different civilisations. The association of the MedDiet with longevity and low cardiovascular risk prompted the Seven Countries Study, which provided epidemiological evidence on the health effects of diet. This led to further studies, both epidemiological and interventional. Scales to measure adherence as well as studies of food components have consolidated a body of knowledge that is of great interest to institutions and governmental agencies. The recognition of its benefits for health has made the widespread introduction of the MedDiet an urgent challenge. Parallel efforts are being ma…