Search results for "Unity"
showing 10 items of 3852 documents
Interleukin-12 in Human Boutonneuse Fever Caused by Rickettsia conorii
2000
Interleukin (IL)-12 contributes to the resistance against a number of intracellular pathogens. We examined the potential biological role of IL-12 by studying peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC), its production and its effect on cytokine synthesis in 20 Sicilian patients with boutonneuse fever (BF) caused by Rickettsia conorii. Data indicate that PBMC from acute BF patients were able to produce IL-12 in response to in vitro stimulation with rickettsial antigen (Ag): this production was higher than that detected in healed patients. Monocytes were the main source of IL-12 by PBMC from BF patients. IL-12 secretion by in vitro Ag-stimulated PBMC from BF patients was potentiated by recombin…
Activation of a murine autoreactive B cell by immunization with human recombinant autoantigen La/SS-B: Characterization of the autoepitope
1995
Immunization of Balb/c mice with a homogeneously purified recombinant human La/SS-B protein resulted in activation of an autoreactive B cell secreting a novel monoclonal anti-La antibody termed La4B6. La4B6 reacted with La protein from a variety of sources including human, bovine, rat and mouse. ATP blocked the binding of La4B6 to recombinant La protein. The human epitope was identified as consisting of the amino acid sequence SKGRRFKGKGKGN, which includes the proposed ATP-binding site of the La protein. In the human and bovine La protein, the epitope exists as a continuous amino acid sequence. In rat and mouse the epitope was found to consist of the amino acid sequence SKG interrupted by a…
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…
Post-graduate medical education in public health: the case of Italy and a call for action
2017
Summary Public health technical expertise is of crucial importance to inform decision makers’ action in the field of health and its broader determinants. Improving education and training of public health professionals for both practice and research is the starting point to strengthen the role of public health so that current health challenges can be efficiently tackled. At the Association of Schools of Public Health in the European Region (ASPHER) Deans’ & Directors’ 2017 Annual Retreat, we presented the structure and management of public health training system in Italy, and we reported recent data on Italian public health specialists’ educational experience, employment opportunities and jo…
Volunteering in dementia care – a Norwegian phenomenological study
2012
Ulrika Söderhamn1, Bjørg Landmark2,3, Live Aasgaard2, Hilde Eide3, Olle Söderhamn11Center for Caring Research – Southern Norway, Faculty of Health and Sport Sciences, University of Agder, Grimstad, Norway; 2Institute of Research and Development for Nursing and Care Services, Municipality of Drammen, Drammen, Norway; 3Faculty of Health Sciences, Buskerud University College, Drammen, NorwayIntroduction: The number of people suffering from dementia will increase dramatically in the future, and this will be a great challenge and concern for health care services. It is assumed that volunteers will strengthen community health care services more in the future…
Patógenos atípicos en pacientes hospitalizados con neumonía adquirida en la comunidad: una perspectiva mundial
2018
Abstract Background Empirical antibiotic coverage for atypical pathogens in community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) has long been debated, mainly because of a lack of epidemiological data. We aimed to assess both testing for atypical pathogens and their prevalence in hospitalized patients with CAP worldwide, especially in relation with disease severity. Methods A secondary analysis of the GLIMP database, an international, multicentre, point-prevalence study of adult patients admitted for CAP in 222 hospitals across 6 continents in 2015, was performed. The study evaluated frequency of testing for atypical pathogens, including L. pneumophila, M. pneumoniae, C. pneumoniae, and their prevalence. Ris…
Does the use of face masks during the COVID-19 pandemic impact on oral hygiene habits, oral conditions, reasons to seek dental care and esthetic conc…
2021
Background To evaluate the impact of the use of face masks on oral hygiene habits; oral conditions self-perception; reasons to seek dental treatment; and esthetic concerns. Material and methods 1346 participants answered a web-based survey with questions related to the aims of the study. Descriptive statistic was performed and the responses were analyzed with chi-square test and regression analysis. Results With the use of masks, toothbrushing frequency decreased significantly, and people are significantly less concerned about oral hygiene. The number of subjects that reported to have halitosis increased significantly and this was associated with a decrease in toothbrushing frequency. The g…
Circulating microRNAs can identify endotypes of community-acquired pneumonia
2019
Background: The identification of the host processes dysregulated in community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) patients, especially in those who develop severe complications could be crucial for future management of this disease. We aim to study microRNAs profiles to define different CAP endotypes regarding complications. Methods: An observational prospective study of consecutive hospitalized CAP cases was performed. Circulating microRNAs were analyzed using qRT-PCR. We study correlations and predictive value of miRNAs regarding severe sepsis and acute hypoxemic respiratory failure (AHRF: PaO2/FiO2 Results: We analyzed clinical data and blood samples from 169 CAP patients. The mean age was 66.9 ye…
Immunology of dermatophytosis
1983
By causing experimental lesions of dermatophytosis in rabbits inoculated and reinoculated with T. mentagrophytes var. granulosum and T. rubrum a study was carried out of the state of cellular immunity response, during infection, and also of the antigens responsible for the sensitization. Cellular immunity response was detected using the leucocyte migration test (L.M.T.) in the presence of antigenic compounds of the 'Keratinase' of Eleuterio et al.
Changes in lymphocyte subsets after cardiac surgery in children.
2001
Children undergoing cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) operations have an increased risk of developing severe infections. Impairment of the immune system may contribute to the development of sequelae such as capillary leaks, pulmonary dysfunction and auto-immune reactions. The objective of this study was to investigate the impact of cardiac surgery with CPB on the immune system of infants and young children. We conducted a prospective study to investigate the changes in circulating lymphocyte subpopulations in a sample of 21 consecutive infants and young children undergoing cardiac surgery for congenital heart disease. The following statistically significant (P<0.05) results were obtained: leucoc…