Search results for "DISCOVERY"

Inflammation, Endothelial Dysfunction and Arterial Stiffness as Therapeutic Targets in Cardiovascular Medicine

2016

In the last decades, many factors thought to be associated with the atherosclerotic process and cardiovascular events have been studied, and some of these have been shown to correlate with clinical outcome, such as arterial stiffness, endothelial dysfunction and immunoinflammatory markers. Arterial stiffness is an important surrogate marker that describes the capability of an artery to expand and contract in response to pressure changes. It can be assessed with different techniques, such as the evaluation of PWV and AIx. It is related to central systolic pressure and it is an independent predictor of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality in hypertensive patients, type 2 diabetes, end-stage…

Histochemische Methoden in der H�matologie

1955

HPV Vaccination: The Position Paper of the Italian Society of Colposcopy and Cervico-Vaginal Pathology (SICPCV)

2020

Human papillomavirus (HPV) related cervical cancer represents an issue of public health priority. The World Health Organization recommended the introduction of HPV vaccination in all national public programs. In Europe, vaccines against HPV have been available since 2006. In Italy, vaccination is recommended and has been freely offered to all young girls aged 11 years since 2008. Three prophylactic HPV vaccines are available against high- and low-risk genotypes. The quadrivalent vaccine contains protein antigens for HPV 6, 11, 16, and 18. The bivalent vaccine includes antigens for HPV 16 and 18. The nonavalent vaccine was introduced in 2014, and it targets HPV types 6, 11, 16, 18, 31, 33, 4…

The dilemma for patients with chronic hepatitis C: treat now or warehouse?

2013

Dual therapy with peginterferon and ribavirin, the only treatent for chronic hepatitis C available In Italy and in many other ountries worldwide up to 2013, obtains satisfactory response ates in infections with hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotype 2, but far rom optimal for other genotypes [1,2]. Eradication requires 6–12 onths of therapy, with significant inconvenience for patients: dverse reactions force premature termination in about 20% of atients and reduced the quality of life for almost all who persist n treatment. In view of the important and prolonged side effects, nterferon-based treatment is perceived as a nightmare by many symptomatic,well-being, socially activepatients (the largema…

Calcium Dependence of the Mechanical Response Evoked by Okadaic Acid in Smooth Muscle

1995

The effects of okadaic acid (OA), obtained from a culture of the marine dinoflagellate Prorocentrum Lima were studied on isolated strips of rat myometrium. The contractile response evoked by OA at 5, 10, and 20 μM in normal physiological solution was unaffected in the presence of tetrodotoxin (10 μM), indomethacin (3 μM), or a cocktail of antagonists which blocked muscarinic, adrenergic, histaminergic, serotonergic, and opioid receptors. Similarly, the response to OA was unaffected in the presence of nifedipine at a concentration (1 μM) which completely or highly blocked the response to KCl (60 mM), oxytocin (1 μM), or acetylcholine (100 μM). In a Ca 2+ -free 1 mM EGTA-containing solution, …

SUBFRACTIONS AND SUBPOPULATIONS OF HDL: AN UPDATE

2014

High-density lipoproteins (HDL) are classified as atheroprotective because they are involved in transport of cholesterol to the liver, known as "reverse cholesterol transport (RCT)" exerting antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities. There is also evidence for cytoprotective, vasodilatory, antithrombotic, and anti-infectious activities for these lipoproteins. HDLs are known by structural, metabolic and biologic heterogeneity. Thus, different methods are able to distinguish several subclasses of HDL. Different separation techniques appear to support different HDL fractions as being atheroprotective or related with lower cardiovascular (CV) risk. However, HDL particles are not always prote…

Crataegus laevigata decreases neutrophil elastase and has hypolipidemic effect: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial.

2011

Crataegus laevigata is a medicinal plant most commonly used for the treatment of heart failure and psychosomatic disorders. Based on previous experimental findings, this double-blind placebo-controlled study was aimed at finding beneficial effects of C. laevigata on biomarkers of coronary heart disease (CHD). The study included 49 diabetic subjects with chronic CHD who were randomly assigned to the treatment for 6 months with either a micronized flower and leaf preparation of C. laevigata (400 mg three times a day) or a matching placebo. Blood cell count, lipid profile, C-reactive protein, neutrophil elastase (NE) and malondialdehyde were analyzed in plasma at baseline, at one month and six…

Synthesis and in vitro evaluation of (S)-2-([11C]methoxy)-4-[3-methyl-1-(2-piperidine-1-yl-phenyl)-butyl-carbamoyl]-benzoic acid ([11C]methoxy-repagl…

2004

The 11 C-labeled sulfonylurea receptor 1 (SUR1) ligand (S)-2-(( 11 C)methoxy)-4-(3-methyl-1-(2-piperidine-1-yl-phenyl)- butyl-carbamoyl)-benzoic acid (( 11 C)methoxy-repaglinide) was synthesized in an overall radiochemical yield of 35% after 55 min with a radiochemical purity higher than 99%. This compound is considered for the noninvasive investigation of the SUR1 receptor status of pancreatic b-cells by positron emission tomography (PET) in the context of type 1 and type 2 diabetes. The specific activity was 40-70 GBq/lmol. In vitro testing of the nonradioactive methoxy-repaglinide was performed to characterize the affinity for binding to the human SUR1 isoform. Methoxy-repaglinide induce…

Prevention of Atherosclerosis by Interference with the Vascular Nitric Oxide System

2009

Nitric oxide (NO) produced by endothelial NO synthase (eNOS) represents an anti-atherosclerotic principle. NO bioavailability is decreased in atherosclerosis due to increased NO inactivation by reactive oxygen species and reduced NO synthesis. Various types of vascular pathophysiology are associated with oxidative stress, with NADPH oxidases as the major source of reactive oxygen species. These inactivate NO. Also, oxidative stress is likely to be the main cause for oxidation of the essential NOS cofactor, tetrahydrobiopterin (BH(4)). A lack of BH(4) leads to eNOS uncoupling (i.e., uncoupling of oxygen reduction from NO synthesis in eNOS). Based on these pathomechanisms, the therapeutic pot…

Is 5-ASA Still the Treatment of Choice for Ulcerative Colitis?

2010

5-Amino-salacylic acid (5-ASA) is up to now the treatment of choice in the induction and maintenance of remission of mild-to-moderate ulcerative colitis (UC). Sulfasalazine, despite similar efficacy, is hampered by more side effects, but in presence of peripheral arthopaties it remains the treatment of choice. The new delayed release MMX formulation seems to be promising in reducing compliance problems, but further studies are warranted to show the superiority of new MMX formulation compared with the older formulations of 5-ASA. Some trials evaluated also the efficacy and safety of once-daily dosing of older 5-ASA formulations in maintenance of remission, finding a greater adherence to ther…