Publications by authors named "Anna C Berardi"

Rotator cuff tendon (RCT) disease results from multifactorial mechanisms, in which inflammation plays a key role. Pro-inflammatory cytokines and tendon stem cell/progenitor cells (TSPCs) have been shown to participate in the inflammatory response. However, the underlying molecular mechanism is still not clear.

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Rotator cuff tendinopathy (RCT) is the primary reason for shoulder surgery and its clinical management is still challenging. Hyaluronic acid (HA) has been shown to have anti-inflammatory effects in vitro and in vivo under RCT conditions, characterized by an exaggerated oxidative stress (OS). However, molecular mechanisms underlying HA-related effects are still partially disclosed.

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The physical-chemical, structural, hydrodynamic, and biological properties of hyaluronic acid within tendons are still poorly investigated. Medical history and clinical applications of hyaluronic acid for tendinopathies are still debated. In general, the properties of hyaluronic acid depend on several factors including molecular weight.

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Erythro-myeloid progenitors (EMP) are found in a population of cells expressing CD31 and CD45 markers (CD31CD45). A recent study indicated that EMPs persist until adulthood and can be a source of endothelial cells. We identified two sub-populations of EMP cells, CD31CD45 and CD31CD45, from peripheral blood that can differentiate into cells of erythroid lineage.

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CDKL5 (cyclin-dependent kinase-like 5) deficiency disorder (CDD) is a severe neurodevelopmental encephalopathy characterized by early-onset epilepsy and intellectual disability. Studies in mouse models have linked CDKL5 deficiency to defects in neuronal maturation and synaptic plasticity, and disruption of the excitatory/inhibitory balance. Interestingly, increased density of both GABAergic synaptic terminals and parvalbumin inhibitory interneurons was recently observed in the primary visual cortex of Cdkl5 knockout (KO) mice, suggesting that excessive GABAergic transmission might contribute to the visual deficits characteristic of CDD.

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Sustained oxidative stress and inflammation have been reported as the major factors responsible for the failure of tendon healing during rotator cuff tears (RCTs) and rotator cuff disease (RCD). Although, their therapeutic management remains still challenging. Carbonic anhydrases (CAs) are involved in many pathological conditions, and the overexpression of both CA9 and 12 in inflamed joints has been recently reported.

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Rotator cuff tears (RCTs) and rotator cuff disease (RCD) are important causes of disability in middle-aged individuals affected by nontraumatic shoulder dysfunctions. Our previous studies have demonstrated that four different hyaluronic acid preparations (HAPs), including Artrosulfur hyaluronic acid (HA) (Alfakjn S.r.

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Conventional central chondrosarcoma (CCC) is a malignant bone tumor that is characterized by the production of chondroid tissue. Since radiation therapy and chemotherapy have limited effects on CCC, treatment of most patients depends on surgical resection. This study aimed to identify the expression profiles of microRNAs (miRNAs) and isomiRs in CCC tissues to highlight their possible participation to the regulation of pathways critical for the formation and growth of this type of tumor.

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Article Synopsis
  • * In an experiment with rat models, the EVs derived from rat bone marrow MSCs (rBMSCs-EVs) demonstrated the ability to promote tendon healing by enhancing the migration and proliferation of tendon cells, particularly increasing collagen type I expression.
  • * The study found that higher doses of rBMSCs-EVs led to better tendon repair, as seen in improved tendon structure and alignment, suggesting that these EVs could be a promising new treatment for tendon injuries.
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Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the sixth most common cancer and the third highest cause of mortality from cancer, largely because of delays in diagnosis. There is currently no effective therapy for advanced stage HCC, although sorafenib, the standard treatment for HCC, systemic therapy (including tyrosine kinase inhibitors and anti-angiogenesis agents), and more recently, immunotherapy, have demonstrated some survival benefit. The measurement and modification of extracellular vesicle (EVs) cargoes-composed of nucleic acids, including miRNAs, proteins, and lipids-holds great promise for future HCC diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment.

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Non-traumatic rotator cuff tears (RCTs) are a frequent and potentially disabling injury. There is growing evidence that hyaluronic acid (HA) is effective for pain relief and to counteract inflammation in RCTs, however, its effective role in tendinopathies remains poorly studied. This study aims to disclose a possible molecular mechanism underlying the cytoprotective effects of four different HA preparations (Artrosulfur HA, Synolis VA, Hyalgan and Hyalubrix) under HO-induced oxidative stress.

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The objective of this study was to assess and validate the psychometric properties of the Italian culturally adapted Barthel Index (IcaBI) in a cohort of people with ischemic stroke. The validation process was conducted in an Italian cohort of 99 stroke inpatients to whom the IcaBI was administered in order to test its structural validity, and inter-and intrarater reliability. The internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha) was 0.

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Background: This pilot study aimed to ascertain whether the local application of ascorbic acid (AA), of T, and of rat (r) bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs), alone or in all possible combinations, promoted healing after an Achilles tendon injury in a rat model.

Methods: An Achilles tendon defect was produced in 24 6-8-week-old male inbred Lewis rats. The animals were then randomly divided into eight groups of three rats each.

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Article Synopsis
  • There's been a lot of new research on tiny structures called extracellular vesicles (EVs) that cells release, which help us understand how cells work and what goes wrong in diseases.
  • Scientists have had a hard time studying these EVs because they come in different types and can be tough to separate and analyze properly.
  • The International Society for Extracellular Vesicles updated their guidelines, called MISEV2018, to help researchers share clear information about how to study EVs and ensure their findings are accurate and reliable.
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Background: Hyaluronic Acid (HA) has been already approved by Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for osteoarthritis (OA), while its use in the treatment of tendinopathy is still debated. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of two different HA on human rotator cuff tendon derived cells in terms of cell viability, proliferation and apoptosis.

Methods: An model was developed on human tendon derived cells from rotator cuff tears to study the effects of two different HA preparations: Sinovial HL® (High-Low molecular weight) (MW: 80-100 kDa) and KDa Sinovial Forte SF (MW: 800-1200), at various concentrations.

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Article Synopsis
  • Liver cancer is a major global health issue, ranking as the third leading cause of cancer-related deaths, highlighting the need for better diagnostic and treatment methods.
  • The study investigated the RNA contained in extracellular vesicles (EVs) from four liver cancer cell lines, analyzing both small RNAs and whole transcriptomes to gather comprehensive data on their RNA cargoes.
  • Results revealed that while the EV-RNA profiles of the cell lines showed some similarities, significant differences were also observed, indicating distinct features and genetic diversity among the different liver cancer cell types.
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Background: Tissue engineering is now increasingly focusing on cell-based treatments as promising tools to improve tendon repair. However, many crucial aspects of tendon biology remain to be understood before adopting the best experimental approach for cell-tissue engineering.

Methods: The role played by Ascorbic Acid (AA) alone and in combination with thyroid hormone T in the viability and proliferation of primary human tendon-derived cells was investigated.

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At present, injuries or rupture of tendons are treated by surgical repair or conservative approaches with unpredictable clinical outcome. Alternative strategies to repair tendon defects without the undesirable side effects associated with the current options are needed. With this in mind, a tissue engineering approach has gained considerable attention as a promising strategy.

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Tendinopathies have a multifactorial etiology driven by extrinsic and intrinsic factors. Recent studies have elucidated the importance of thyroid hormones in the alteration of tendons homeostasis and in the failure of tendon healing after injury. The effects of thyroid hormones are mediated by receptors (TR)-α and -β that seem to be ubiquitous.

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The molecular mechanism responsible for Ewing's Sarcoma (ES) remains largely unknown. MicroRNAs (miRNAs), a class of small non-coding RNAs able to regulate gene expression, are deregulated in tumors and may serve as a tool for diagnosis and prediction. However, the status of miRNAs in ES has not yet been thoroughly investigated.

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Background: Tendinopathies negatively affect the quality of life of millions of people, but we still do not know the factors involved in the development of tendon conditions.

Sources Of Data: Published articles in English in PubMed and Google Scholar up to June 2015 about hormonal influence on tendinopathies onset. One hundred and two papers were included following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines.

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Tissue engineering is one of the major challenges of orthopedics and trauma surgery for bone regeneration. Biomaterials filled with mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are considered the most promising approach in bone tissue engineering. Furthermore, our previous study showed that the multi-phase poly [ε-caprolactone]/thermoplastic zein-hydroxyapatite (PCL/TZ-HA) biomaterials improved rabbit (r) MSCs adhesion and osteoblast differentiation, thus demonstrating high potential of this bioengineered scaffold for bone regeneration.

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Background: Hyaluronic Acid (HA) has been already approved by Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for osteoarthritis (OA), while its use in the treatment of tendinopathy is still debated. The aim of this study was to evaluate in human rotator cuff tendon derived cells the effects of four different HA on cell viability, proliferation, apoptosis and the expression of collagen type I and collagen type III.

Methods: An in vitro model was developed on human tendon derived cells from rotator cuff tears to study the effects of four different HA preparations (Ps) (sodium hyaluronate MW: 500-730 KDa - Hyalgan®, 1000 kDa Artrosulfur HA®, 1600 KDa Hyalubrix® and 2200 KDa Synolis-VA®) at various concentrations.

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