Search results for "AGENT"

Spontaneous labour at term is associated with fetal monocyte activation.

1999

SUMMARYThe aetiology of both term and preterm labour remains incompletely understood. Maternal infectious diseases as well as intra-uterine infections were shown to be a well established cause of uncontrollable preterm delivery, indicating that inflammatory reactions, regulated by maternal immunecompetent cells, are implicated in labour-promoting mechanisms. To investigate the possibility that the activation of the fetal immune system may be involved in labour induction, we examined cytokine production patterns of different cord blood cell populations obtained from neonates after spontaneous onset of normal term labour and vaginal delivery (n = 25), vaginal delivery but induced term labour …

Harnessing dendritic cells in cancer.

2011

Dendritic cells (DCs) are central to the initiation of tumor-specific immune responses. However, the tumor microenvironment generates immunosuppressive cells and soluble mediators that compromise DC functions and limit the success of DC-based therapies. Progress in understanding DC metabolism in cancer is uncovering novel therapeutic targets that could restore DC capacity to prime T cells and trigger effective anticancer responses. Accumulating evidence also indicates that conventional chemo- and radiotherapy protocols can cause DC activation, enhance antigen cross-presentation, selectively eliminate immunosuppressive cells and revert the immunosuppression state caused by cancer, suggesting…

Is COVID‐19 infection more severe in kidney transplant recipients?

2021

International audience; There are no studies which have compared the risk of severe Covid-19 and related mortality between transplant recipients and non-transplant patients. We enrolled two groups of patients hospitalized for Covid-19, i.e., kidney transplant recipients from the French Registry of Solid Organ Transplant (n=306) and a single-center cohort of non-transplant patients (n=795). An analysis was performed among subgroups matched for age and risk factors for severe Covid-19 or mortality. Severe Covid-19 was defined as admission (or transfer) to an intensive care unit, need for mechanical ventilation, or death.Transplant recipients were younger and had more comorbidities compared to…

The Italian Society of Gastroenterology (SIGE) and the Italian Group for the study of Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IG-IBD) Clinical Practice Guideline…

2010

Biological therapies are an important step in the management of Inflammatory Bowel Diseases. In consideration of high cost and safety issues there is the need to have clear recommendations for their use. Despite the American Gastroenterological Association and the European Crohn's and Colitis Organisation have published exhaustive Inflammatory Bowel Disease guidelines, national guidelines may be necessary as cultural values, economical and legal issues may differ between countries. For these reasons the Italian Society of Gastroenterology and the Italian Group for the study of Inflammatory Bowel Disease have decided to elaborate the Italian guidelines on the use of biologics in Inflammatory…

Metodi adattativi e modelli multi agente per la valutazione del comfort indoor

2008

Chemical composition and microencapsulation suitability of sumac (Rhus coriaria L.) fruit extract

2021

Sumac (Rhus coriaria L.), a spice obtained by grinding whole sumac berries, is a complex natural product with a plethora of biological activities that can be favorably explored in nutraceutical and pharmaceutical fields. Sicilian sumac is herein chemically investigated by means of a combined NMR/HR MS-based profiling. A hydroalcoholic extract was prepared and its complexity unraveled following fractionation in an alcoholic and an aqueous fraction. The 1H-NMR spectrum of this latter fraction was dominated by the signals of gallic acid and its derivatives, whereas HR MS and HR MS/MS analyses highlighted the diversity in malic acid derivatives. Gallotannins and galloyl flavonol glycosides with…

Micelles in Mixtures of Sodium Dodecyl Sulfate and a Bolaform Surfactant

2006

Mixtures composed of water, sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS), and a bolaform surfactant with two aza-crown ethers as polar headgroups (termed Bola C-16) were investigated by modulating the mole ratios between the components. The two surfactants have ionic and nonionic, but ionizable, headgroups, respectively. The ionization is due to the complexation of alkali ions by the aza-crown ether unit(s). Structural, thermodynamic, and transport properties of the above mixtures were investigated. Results from surface tension, translational self-diffusion, and small angle neutron scattering ( SANS) are reported and discussed. Interactions between the two surfactants to form mixed micelles result in a com…

Continuous subcutaneous Insulin infusion leads to immediate, table, and long-term changes in metabolic control

2008

Background:  Evaluations of continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion (CSII) usually focus on one pre- and one post-CSII measurement to assess metabolic therapy outcome. Aim:  Extending this research, the aim of the present study was to provide a more fine-grained analysis of achieved glycaemic control. Methods:  In 52 patients with type 1 diabetes (mean age of 37.85 years at CSII begin; s.d. ± 12.41), haemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) levels were assessed every 3 months over a period of 5 years (1 year before and 4 years after the introduction of CSII). Mixed models were utilized to describe changes in glycaemic control. Results:  The pre–post course showed that already in the first quarter, a statis…

Examining Consumer Mobile Money Usage Behaviour in Ghana

2018

Mobile money as a driver of digital financial inclusion

2023

Meeting the mobile money needs of the less privileged in developing and emerging markets opens up enormous possibilities for banks and newly emerged financial-technology firms. Many consider mobile money services a separate domain within the banking and payment sector, different from its siblings: automated teller machines, net banking, point-of-sale banking, etc. This study was conducted to investigate how mobile money services act as a reliable driver of digital financial inclusion and to determine the role of mobile money agents in the transformation from the traditional services to mobile money services. This paper presents a conceptual model based on the stimulus-organism-response para…