Search results for "GEM"
showing 10 items of 19240 documents
Sociovirology: Conflict, Cooperation, and Communication among Viruses
2017
Viruses are involved in various interactions both within and between infected cells. Social evolution theory offers a conceptual framework for how virus-virus interactions, ranging from conflict to cooperation, have evolved. A critical examination of these interactions could expand our understanding of viruses and be exploited for epidemiological and medical interventions.
Communication about vaccination: A shared responsibility
2016
ABSTRACT Vaccine hesitancy is an important issue to be addressed, due to the risk of decrease of vaccination coverage and consequent control of preventable diseases. While it is not considered a specific determinant, poor or inadequate communication can contribute to vaccine hesitancy and negatively influence vaccination uptake. As a contribution to the ongoing discussion regarding this theme and in the perspective of the implementation of the upcoming national vaccination plan in Italy, the Erice Declaration was drafted by experts in the field of immunization following a 5-day residential, independent workshop regarding communication topics in vaccinology. The aim of the current letter is …
Opportunities and challenges for drug development: public-private partnerships, adaptive designs and big data
2016
Drug development faces the double challenge of increasing costs and increasing pressure on pricing. To avoid that lack of perceived commercial perspective will leave existing medical needs unmet, pharmaceutical companies and many other stakeholders are discussing ways to improve the efficiency of drug Research and Development. Based on an international symposium organized by the Medical School of the University of Duisburg-Essen (Germany) and held in January 2016, we discuss the opportunities and challenges of three specific areas, i.e., public-private partnerships, adaptive designs and big data. Public-private partnerships come in many different forms with regard to scope, duration and typ…
Determinants of fibrosis progression and regression in NASH
2017
Cirrhosis has become the major liver-related clinical endpoint in non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). However, progression to cirrhosis is less predictable in NASH than in other chronic liver diseases. This is due to the complex and multifactorial aetiology of NASH, which is determined by lifestyle and nutrition, multiple genetic and epigenetic factors, and a prominent role of hepatic and extrahepatic comorbidities. Thus, modest changes in these cofactors can also induce fibrosis regression, at least in patients with precirrhotic liver disease. Fibrogenesis in NASH correlates with, but is indirectly coupled to, classical inflammation, since fibrosis progression is driven by repetitive per…
Central nervous system involvement in ALK-rearranged NSCLC : promising strategies to overcome crizotinib resistance
2016
ABSTRACT: Introduction: ALK rearranged Non Small Cell Lung Cancers (NSCLCs) represent a distinct subgroup of patients with peculiar clinic-pathological features. These patients exhibit dramatic responses when treated with the ALK tyrosine kinase inhibitor Crizotinib, albeit Central Nervous System (CNS) activity is much less impressive than that observed against extracranial lesions. CNS involvement has become increasingly observed in these patients, given their prolonged survival. Several novel generation ALK inhibitors have been developing to increase CNS penetration and to provide more complete ALK inhibition. Areas covered: The CNS activity of Crizotinib and novel generation ALK inhibito…
Adolescent and adult mice display differential sensitivity to the effects of bupropion on the acquisition of a water maze task.
2017
Abstract Background Adolescence is characterized by major neurobiological changes, and the effects of some psychoactive drugs seem to differ between adolescents and adults. Bupropion, an antidepressant that is also used to treat nicotine addiction, induces behavioral actions in both adolescent and adult rodents. However, the effects of this drug on spatial ability have not been compared in animals at different stages of their development. The present study was conducted to assess the effects of bupropion on spatial learning and memory in adolescent and adult mice. Methods Adolescent (post-natal day: PND35-36) and adult (PND >65) NMRI mice received bupropion (10, 20 and 40 mg/kg) or saline d…
Identification of plasma biomarkers for discrimination between tuberculosis infection/disease and pulmonary non tuberculosis disease.
2018
We used the Luminex Bead Array Multiplex Immunoassay to measure cytokines, chemokines and growth factors responses to the same antigens used for RD1-based Interferon γ Release Assay (IGRA) test. Seventy-nine individuals, 27 active TB, 32 latent infection subsets, 20 individuals derivative purified protein (PPD) negative (subjects that do not have any indurative cutaneous reaction after 72 hrs of intradermal injection of PPD) and with other pulmonary disease were retrospectively studied. Forty-eight analytes were evaluated by Luminex Assay in plasma obtained from whole blood stimulated cells. The diagnostic accuracies of the markers detected were evaluated by ROC curve analysis and by the co…
Prevalence and determinants of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease in lifelines: A large Dutch population cohort
2017
BACKGROUND & AIMS Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease is an increasing health issue that develops rather unnoticed with obesity, type 2 diabetes mellitus and metabolic syndrome. We investigated prevalence, determinants and associated metabolic abnormalities of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease in the largest population-based cohort to date. METHODS Biochemical characteristics, type 2 diabetes mellitus and metabolic syndrome were determined in the Lifelines Cohort Study (N = 167,729), a population-based cohort in the North of the Netherlands. Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease was defined as Fatty Liver Index (FLI)≥60. Exclusion criteria were age <18 years, immigrants, missing data to assess FL…
Predictors of Hepatitis B Surface Antigen Titers two decades after vaccination in a cohort of students and post-graduates of the Medical School at th…
2017
Introduction and objective. The introduction of a vaccine against hepatitis B virus (HBV) for newborn babies in Italy in 1991, extended to 12-year-old children for the first 12 years of application, has been a major achievement in terms of the prevention of HBV infection. The objective of this study was to analyse the long-term immunogenicity and effectiveness of HBV vaccination among healthcare students with different working seniorities. Materials and method. A cross-sectional observational study of undergraduate and postgraduate students attending the Medical School of the University of Palermo was conducted from January 2014 – July 2016. HBV serum markers were performed with commercial …
Characterization of the Clinical and Immunologic Phenotype and Management of 157 Individuals with 56 Distinct Heterozygous NFKB1 Mutations
2020
Contains fulltext : 229571.pdf (Publisher’s version ) (Closed access) BACKGROUND: An increasing number of NFKB1 variants are being identified in patients with heterogeneous immunologic phenotypes. OBJECTIVE: To characterize the clinical and cellular phenotype as well as the management of patients with heterozygous NFKB1 mutations. METHODS: In a worldwide collaborative effort, we evaluated 231 individuals harboring 105 distinct heterozygous NFKB1 variants. To provide evidence for pathogenicity, each variant was assessed in silico; in addition, 32 variants were assessed by functional in vitro testing of nuclear factor of kappa light polypeptide gene enhancer in B cells (NF-κB) signaling. RESU…