Search results for "interactions."
showing 10 items of 1865 documents
Density-dependent effects on parasite growth and parasite-induced host immunodepression in the larval helminth Pomphorhynchus laevis.
2011
SUMMARYLarval helminths exploit the physiology of their intermediate hosts: first, as a resource for energy and space and second by altering the immune system activity to ensure their survival. Whereas the growth pattern under parasite competition has been investigated, the effect of multiple infections on the level of parasite-induced immunodepression in a trophically transmitted helminth has been neglected. In this study, amphipodsGammarus pulexwere infected in the laboratory by the acanthocephalanPomphorhynchus laevisto investigate how parasite density in the intermediate host affected (i) cystacanth growth and (ii) the level of parasite-induced alterations of the host immune defences, t…
Bacterial load and inflammatory response in sputum of alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency patients with COPD
2019
Bruno Balbi,1 Claudia Sangiorgi,1 Isabella Gnemmi,1 Ilaria Ferrarotti,2 Davide Vallese,1 Elena Paracchini,1 Lorena Delle Donne,1 Luciano Corda,3 Paolo Baderna,4 Angelo Corsico,2 Mauro Carone,1 Paola Brun,5 Francesco Cappello,6,7 Fabio LM Ricciardolo,8 Paolo Ruggeri,9 Sharon Mumby,10 Ian M Adcock,10 Gaetano Caramori,9 Antonino Di Stefano11Istituti Clinici Scientifici Maugeri, IRCCS, Division of Pneumology and Laboratory of Cytoimmunopathology of the Heart and Lung, Veruno, Italy; 2Department of Internal Medicine and Medical Therapy, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy; 3Medicina Respiratoria, Seconda Medicina Interna, Spedali Civili, Brescia, Italy; 4Division of Pneumology, Aosta Hospital, Aos…
Inhibitory effects of N-valproyl-L-tryptophan on high potassium, low calcium and low magnesium-induced CA1 hippocampal epileptiform bursting activity…
2012
N-valproyl-l-tryptophan (VPA-Tryp), new antiepileptic drug, was tested on CA1 hippocampal epileptiform bursting activity obtained by increasing potassium and lowering calcium and magnesium concentrations in the fluid perfusing rat brain slices. Each slice was treated with a single concentration (0.2, 0.5, 1 or 2 mM) of Valproate (VPA) or VPA-Tryp. Both burst duration and interburst frequency during and after treatment were off-line compared with baseline values. For both parameters, the latency and the length of statistically significant response periods as well as the magnitude of drug-induced responses were calculated. VPA-Tryp evoked fewer and weaker early excitatory effects than VPA on …
The effects of low doses of pregabalin on morphine analgesia in advanced cancer patients
2012
Abstract OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to evaluate the opioid response in patients receiving morphine and pregabalin, independently from the presumed pain mechanisms, in comparison with patients receiving morphine treatment only. METHODS: A multicenter prospective randomized controlled study was carried out in a sample of 70 advanced cancer patients with pain requiring strong opioids. Thirty-five patients (group MO) were randomized to receive sustained-release morphine using initial doses of 60 mg/day. Thirty-five patients (group MO-PR) were randomized to start the same morphine doses and pregabalin in increasing doses, starting with 25 mg/day up to 150 mg/day in one week. The follo…
Oh sister, where art thou? Spatial population structure and the evolution of an altruistic defence trait.
2014
The evolution of parasite virulence and host defences is affected by population structure. This effect has been confirmed in studies focusing on large spatial scales, whereas the importance of local structure is not well understood. Slavemaking ants are social parasites that exploit workers of another species to rear their offspring. Enslaved workers of the host species Temnothorax longispinosus have been found to exhibit an effective post-enslavement defence behaviour: enslaved workers were observed killing a large proportion of the parasites’ offspring. As enslaved workers do not reproduce, they gain no direct fitness benefit from this ‘rebellion’ behaviour. However, there may be an indir…
Occurrence of the interference of sperm-associated antibodies on sperm fertilizing ability as evaluated by the sperm-zona pellucida binding test and …
1997
PROBLEM: This study was performed to evaluate the occurrence as well as the level of the interference of sperm-associated antibodies on fertilization process. METHOD: Motile sperm suspensions from 28 infertile patients with high degree of autoimmunization against the sperm head were tested with the zona pellucida (ZP) binding test and with the sperm penetration assay (SPA) enhanced with TEST-yolk buffer. Both tests were also performed using donor sperm exposed and non-exposed to the patients' circulating sperm antibodies. RESULTS: A low ZP-binding was exhibited by sperm from 50% of patients with normal semen profile. All normozoospermic patients with low ZP-binding showed circulating sperm-…
Effect of genistein added to bull semen after thawing on pronuclear and sperm quality.
2015
The aim of this research was to study the effect of different genistein treatments on bull sperm after thawing on pronuclear formation after in vitro fertilization (IVF) and on different sperm quality variables. Three experiments were performed. In Experiment 1, three treatments (Control, sperm incubation for 1 h at 37 degrees C with or without genistein) and two sperm concentrations during IVF (I or 3 x 10(6) sperm/mL) were evaluated to study the influence of genistein on pronuclear formation (PNF). Sperm incubation for 1 h before IVF reduced PNF regardless of sperm concentration. However, after sperm incubation and with 3 x 10(6) sperm/mL in IVF, the genistein treatment group had greater …
Fos-related antigen 2 (Fra-2) memorizes photoperiod in the rat pineal gland
2004
As the physiological role of fos-related antigen-2 (Fra-2) is largely unknown and since the pineal plays an important role in the photoperiodic control of the body, we have tested the hypothesis that Fra-2 expression is photoperiod-dependent and may be involved in imprinting photoperiod on the pineal gland and the body as a whole. To this end, we have investigated Fra-2 mRNA expression and Fra-2 protein expression under various light/dark (LD) cycles. A clear nocturnal increase occurs for both monitored parameters under all photoperiodic conditions studied. The level of Fra-2 protein expression clearly depends on photoperiod, because the amount of protein at dark onset and during the night …
Acanthocephalan size and sex affect the modification of intermediate host colouration
2009
Parasitology, 136 (8)
Cryptogenic stroke and atrial fibrillation in a real-world population: the role of insertable cardiac monitors
2020
AbstractThe incidence of atrial fibrillation (AF) in cryptogenic stroke (CS) patients has been studied in carefully controlled clinical trials, but real-world data are limited. We investigated the incidence of AF in clinical practice among CS patients with an insertable cardiac monitor (ICM) placed for AF detection. Patients with CS admitted to our Stroke Unit were included in the study; they received an ICM and were monitored for up to 3 years for AF detection. All detected AF episodes of at least 120 sec were considered. From March 2016 to March 2019, 58 patients (mean age 68.1 ± 9.3 years, 67% male) received an ICM to detect AF after a CS. No patients were lost to follow-up. AF was detec…