Search results for "ict"
showing 10 items of 7961 documents
The essentials of marine biotechnology
2021
Coastal countries have traditionally relied on the existing marine resources (e.g., fishing, food, transport, recreation, and tourism) as well as tried to support new economic endeavors (ocean energy, desalination for water supply, and seabed mining). Modern societies and lifestyle resulted in an increased demand for dietary diversity, better health and well-being, new biomedicines, natural cosmeceuticals, environmental conservation, and sustainable energy sources. These societal needs stimulated the interest of researchers on the diverse and underexplored marine environments as promising and sustainable sources of biomolecules and biomass, and they are addressed by the emerging field of ma…
Junctional adhesion molecules JAM-B and JAM-C promote autoimmune-mediated liver fibrosis in mice
2018
Fibrosis remains a serious health concern in patients with chronic liver disease. We recently reported that chemically induced chronic murine liver injury triggers increased expression of junctional adhesion molecules (JAMs) JAM-B and JAM-C by endothelial cells and de novo synthesis of JAM-C by hepatic stellate cells (HSCs). Here, we demonstrate that biopsies of patients suffering from primary biliary cholangitis (PBC), primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) or autoimmune hepatitis (AIH) display elevated levels of JAM-C on portal fibroblasts (PFs), HSCs, endothelial cells and cholangiocytes, whereas smooth muscle cells expressed JAM-C constitutively. Therefore, localization and function of JA…
Circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) as predictive biomarker in NSCLC patients treated with Nivolumab
2017
Nivolumab is a programmed death-1 (PD-1)inhibitor recently approved for the treatment of NSCLC patients who failed prior chemotherapy. Searching for predictive biomarkers of immunotherapy efficacy is an area of intensive investigation for translational research. Monitoring circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) during nivolumab treatment could help clinicians to predict the immunotherapy efficacy and ultimately improve the management of patients
Current advances in γδ T cell-based tumor immunotherapy
2017
γδ T cells are a minor population (~5%) of CD3 T cells in the peripheral blood, but abound in other anatomic sites such as the intestine or the skin. There are two major subsets of γδ T cells: those that express Vd1 gene, paired with different Vγ elements, abound in the intestine and the skin, and recognize the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I-related molecules such as MHC class I-related molecule A, MHC class I-related molecule B, and UL16-binding protein expressed on many stressed and tumor cells. Conversely, γδ T cells expressing the Vδ2 gene paired with the Vγ9 chain are the predominant (50-90%) γδ T cell population in the peripheral blood and recognize phosphoant…
Maristem stem cells of marine/aquatic invertebrates: from basic research to innovative applications
2018
The “stem cells” discipline represents one of the most dynamic areas in biomedicine. While adult marine/aquatic invertebrate stem cell (MISC) biology is of prime research and medical interest, studies on stem cells from organisms outside the classical vertebrate (e.g., human, mouse, and zebrafish) and invertebrate (e.g., Drosophila, Caenorhabditis) models have not been pursued vigorously. Marine/aquatic invertebrates constitute the largest biodiversity and the widest phylogenetic radiation on Earth, from morphologically simple organisms (e.g., sponges, cnidarians), to the more complex mollusks, crustaceans, echinoderms, and protochordates. These organisms contain a kaleidoscope of MISC-type…
Effects of noise on vascular function, oxidative stress, and inflammation: mechanistic insight from studies in mice
2017
Aims Epidemiological studies indicate that traffic noise increases the incidence of coronary artery disease, hypertension and stroke. The underlying mechanisms remain largely unknown. Field studies with nighttime noise exposure demonstrate that aircraft noise leads to vascular dysfunction, which is markedly improved by vitamin C, suggesting a key role of oxidative stress in causing this phenomenon. Methods and results We developed a novel animal model to study the vascular consequences of aircraft noise exposure. Peak sound levels of 85 and mean sound level of 72 dBA applied by loudspeakers for 4 days caused an increase in systolic blood pressure, plasma noradrenaline and angiotensin II lev…
Acetaldehyde as the first hit of addictive behaviour
2016
Unhealthy alcohol use is common in the Western society, which puts risk of health consequences, causing multiple behavioural injuries. Increasing evidence focuses on acetaldehyde, the first metabolite of ethanol, as the mediator of the several behavioural actions of alcohol, including its rewarding and motivational effects. In particular, acetaldehyde induces dopamine release in the nucleus accumbens modulating primary alcohol rewarding effect, drug seeking, and relapse behaviour. Recent behavioural studies point at acetaldehyde as a drug of abuse since its oral self-administration is induced and maintained in an operant/conflict paradigm. These findings provide further evidence on the role…
Systemic inflammatory status predict the outcome of k-RAS WT metastatic colorectal cancer patients receiving the thymidylate synthase poly-epitope-pe…
2018
// Pierpaolo Correale 1 , Cirino Botta 2 , Nicoletta Staropoli 3 , Valerio Nardone 4 , Pierpaolo Pastina 4 , Cristina Ulivieri 5 , Claudia Gandolfo 6 , Tatiana Cosima Baldari 5 , Stefano Lazzi 7 , Domenico Ciliberto 3 , Rocco Giannicola 1 , Antonella Fioravanti 8 , Antonio Giordano 9 , Silvia Zappavigna 10 , Michele Caraglia 9, 10 , Pierfrancesco Tassone 2, 3, 10 , Luigi Pirtoli 4 , Maria Grazia Cusi 6 and Pierosandro Tagliaferri 3 1 Unit of Medical Oncology, Grand Metropolitan Hospital Bianchi Melacrino Morelli, Reggio-Calabria, Italy 2 Medical Oncology Unit, AUO Mater Domini, Magna Graecia University, Catanzaro, Italy 3 Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, Magna Graecia Unive…
Analysis of the morphological dynamics of blastocysts after vitrification/warming: defining new predictive variables of implantation
2017
Objective To describe the morphological dynamics of vitrified/warmed blastocysts and to identify quantitative morphological variables related to implantation. Subsequently, by using the most predictive parameters, to develop a hierarchical model by subdividing vitrified/warmed blastocysts into categories with different implantation potentials. Design Observational, retrospective, cohort study. Setting University-affiliated private IVF center. Patient(s) The study included 429 vitrified/warmed blastocysts with known implantation data, which were evaluated by time-lapse imaging. Blastocysts were routinely placed in EmbryoScope (Vitrolife) immediately after warming until transfer. Intervention…
Shortened Activated Partial Thromboplastin Time May Help in Diagnosing Hereditary and Acquired Angioedema
2016
<b><i>Objective:</i></b> To evaluate whether activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT) could be used in the laboratory diagnosis of hereditary or acquired angioedema (HAE or AAE) with and without C1 inhibitor (C1-INH) deficiency. <b><i>Methods:</i></b> In a prospective investigation, APTT and other coagulation parameters were determined in 149 adult patients with various types of angioedema and in 26 healthy participants (HP). <b><i>Results:</i></b> Mean APTT was significantly shortened in HAE-C1-INH type I (p < 0.0001) and type II (p = 0.0017) and in AAE-C1-INH (p < 0.0001) compared to the HP. APTT was shorten…