Text Messaging and Type 1 Diabetes Management: Qualitative Study Exploring Interactions Among Patients and Health Care Professionals.

Background: The diffusion of information and communication technologies (ICTs) in type 1 diabetes (T1D) management has generated a debate on the ways in which ICTs can support the patient-provider relationship. Several studies have focused on text messages. Most of the literature proposes quantitative analysis of the impact of text messaging on the clinical conditions of patients and/or their satisfaction with the technology, while the qualitative studies have focused mainly on patients' perceptions about strengths and weaknesses of this technology.

Forebrain-specific, conditional silencing of Staufen2 alters synaptic plasticity, learning, and memory in rats.

Background: Dendritic messenger RNA (mRNA) localization and subsequent local translation in dendrites critically contributes to synaptic plasticity and learning and memory. Little is known, however, about the contribution of RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) to these processes in vivo.

Results: To delineate the role of the double-stranded RBP Staufen2 (Stau2), we generate a transgenic rat model, in which Stau2 expression is conditionally silenced by Cre-inducible expression of a microRNA (miRNA) targeting Stau2 mRNA in adult forebrain neurons.

The Real Impact of Target Therapy in Breast Cancer Patients: Between Hope and Reality.

Over the last 15 years, we have seen a huge expansion of the development of drugs directed against biomolecular targets within breast cancer cells. The over-expression of certain receptors (ER, PgR, HER-2, VEGF-R), as well as alteration of several intracellular signal transduction pathways (the PI3K-AKT-mTOR pathway, MEK-MAPK pathway, loss of PTEN, etc ..

Renal transplant vascular complications: the role of Doppler ultrasound.

Improvements in the care of kidney transplant recipients and advances in immunosuppressive therapy have reduced the incidence of graft rejection. As a result, other types of kidney transplant complications, such as surgical, urologic, parenchymal, and vascular complications, have become more common. Although vascular complications account for only 5-10 % of all post-transplant complications, they are a frequent cause of graft loss.

Resistive intrarenal index: myth or reality?

In renal diagnosis, the B-mode ultrasound is used to provide an accurate study of the renal morphology, whereas the colour and power Doppler are of strategic importance in providing qualitative and quantitative information about the renal vasculature, which can also be obtained through the assessment of the resistive index (RI). To date, this is one of the most sensitive parameters in the study of kidney diseases and allows us to quantify the changes in renal plasma flow. If a proper Doppler ultrasound examination is carried out and a critical analysis of the values obtained is performed, the RI measurement at the interlobar artery level has been suggested in the differential diagnosis between nephropathies.

Synthetic microRNA-mediated downregulation of Nogo-A in transgenic rats reveals its role as regulator of synaptic plasticity and cognitive function.

We have generated a transgenic rat model using RNAi and used it to study the role of the membrane protein Nogo-A in synaptic plasticity and cognition. The membrane protein Nogo-A is expressed in CNS oligodendrocytes and subpopulations of neurons, and it is known to suppress neurite growth and regeneration. The constitutively expressed polymerase II-driven transgene was composed of a microRNA-targeting Nogo-A placed into an intron preceding the coding sequence for EGFP, thus quantitatively labeling cells according to intracellular microRNA expression.

[Parenchymal complications of the transplanted kidney: the role of color-Doppler imaging].

Kidney transplantation is the treatment of choice for end-stage renal disease, given the better quality of life of transplanted patients when compared to patients on maintenance dialysis. In spite of surgical improvements and new immunosuppressive regimens, part of the transplanted grafts still develop chronic dysfunction. Ultrasonography, both in B-mode and with Doppler ultrasound, is an important diagnostic tool in case of clinical conditions which might impair kidney function.

Diagnostic and prognostic value of alpha-fetoprotein, des-γ-carboxy prothrombin and squamous cell carcinoma antigen immunoglobulin M complexes in hepatocellular carcinoma.

The hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most common malignant tumors. It carries a poor survival rate and has an increasing incidence worldwide. In most cases, HCC is diagnosed at a late stage.

Structural and functional differences between L-type calcium channels: crucial issues for future selective targeting.

Within the family of voltage-gated calcium channels (VGCCs), L-type channels (L-VGCCs) represent a well-established therapeutic target for calcium channel blockers, which are widely used to treat hypertension and myocardial ischemia. L-VGCCs outside the cardiovascular system also control key physiological processes such as neuronal plasticity, sensory cell function (e.g.

Activation of brain NOP receptors attenuates acute and protracted alcohol withdrawal symptoms in the rat.

Background: Alcohol withdrawal refers to a cluster of symptoms that may occur from suddenly ceasing the use of alcohol after chronic or prolonged ingestion. These symptoms make alcohol abstinence difficult and increase the risk of relapse in recovering alcoholics. In previous studies, we demonstrated that treatment with Nociceptin/orphanin FQ (N/OFQ) significantly reduces alcohol consumption and attenuates alcohol-seeking behavior induced by environmental conditioning factors or by stress in rats.

Multivariate chemical mapping of pigments and binders in easel painting cross-sections by micro IR reflection spectroscopy.

Paintings are composed of superimposed layers of inorganic and organic materials (pigments and binders). Knowledge of the stratigraphic sequence of these heterogeneous layers is fundamental for understanding the artist's painting technique and for conservation issues. In this study, micro-IR mapping experiments in reflection mode have been carried out on cross-sections taken from simulations of ancient easel paintings.

FLAP: GRID molecular interaction fields in virtual screening. validation using the DUD data set.

The performance of FLAP (Fingerprints for Ligands and Proteins) in virtual screening is assessed using a subset of the DUD (Directory of Useful Decoys) benchmarking data set containing 13 targets each with more than 15 different chemotype classes. A variety of ligand and receptor-based virtual screening approaches are examined, using combinations of individual templates 2D structures of known actives, a cocrystallized ligand, a receptor structure, or a cocrystallized ligand-biased receptor structure. We examine several data fusion approaches to combine the results of the individual virtual screens.

The CB1/CB2 receptor agonist WIN-55,212-2 reduces viability of human Kaposi's sarcoma cells in vitro.

Kaposi's sarcoma is a highly vascularized mesenchymal neoplasm arising with multiple lesions of the skin. Endogenous cannabinoids have been shown to inhibit proliferation of a wide spectrum of tumor cells. We studied the effects of cannabinoids on human Kaposi's sarcoma cell proliferation in vitro.

Uterine cervical carcinoma: role of matrix metalloproteinases (review).

Epidemiological and experimental studies have provided evidence that human papillomavirus (HPV) infection is a main player in the development of uterine cervical neoplasms. Migration of cancer cells from the origin tissue to surrounding or distant organs is essential for tumor progression. Many studies of tumor invasion and metastases have focused on the degradation of the extracellular matrix where matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) play a central role.

Cisplatin-induced kidney injury in the rat: L-carnitine modulates the relationship between MMP-9 and TIMP-3.

Renal interstitial fibrosis is a major complication of cisplatin treatment, due to the increased accumulation of extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins whose remodeling is important for the development of normal tissues; indeed, its malfunction might play a role in the etiology of various diseases. Biopharmacological evaluations suggest that L-carnitine can prevent cardiac metabolic damage caused by doxorubicin, as well as can inhibit cisplatin-induced injury in the kidney and in the small intestine, without any interference with the drug's antitumoral properties. Since the glomerular basement membrane and the mesangial matrix constitute the ECM of the renal glomerulus, we examined the localization and expression of MMP-9 and TIMP-3 in normal rat kidney and the changes in their expression over a period of time by treatment with cisplatin, with and without L-carnitine.

Risk analysis of colorectal cancer in women with endometrial carcinoma.

Endometrial carcinoma (EC) and colorectal cancer (CRC) are closely linked in a well-documented, predominantly inherited cancer syndrome known as hereditary non-polyposis colorectal cancer (HNPCC). Epidemiological studies report that women with EC have a 1.5- to 3-fold increased risk of developing CRC.

Breast cancer: Molecular basis and therapeutic strategies (Review).

Breast cancer is the most common malignancy among women. It is frequently treated with chemotherapy and hormone therapy. More recently, however, 'targeted therapy' has emerged as an important approach to cancer therapy.

Protective effects of the sigma agonist Pre-084 in the rat retina.

Aim: With the rationale that amyloid beta (AB) is toxic to the retina, we here assessed the role of TRAIL, a mediator of AB toxicity and related signal transduction, in a rat model. We also attempted to demonstrate possible protective effects of sigma 1 receptor agonists in these processes.

Methods: AB and the sigma 1 receptor agonist Pre-084 were injected intravitreally in the anaesthetised rat.

GRid-INdependent descriptors (GRIND): a novel class of alignment-independent three-dimensional molecular descriptors.

Traditional methods for performing 3D-QSAR rely upon an alignment step that is often time-consuming and can introduce user bias, the resultant model being dependent upon and sensitive to the alignment used. There are several methods which overcome this problem, but in general the necessary transformations prevent a simple interpretation of the resultant models in the original descriptor space (i.e.

Chemometric methodologies in a quantitative structure-activity relationship study: the antibacterial activity of 6-aminoquinolones.

The paper illustrates the chemometric strategies appropriate for extracting information from a large amount of biological data regarding the antibiotic activity of 6-aminoquinolones. The unique framework based on principal component analysis, projection onto latent structures, and response surface methodologies permits the structure-activity correlations to be shown and to suggest new compounds for further testing. The low activity of the suggested molecules points out the limitations of quantitative structure-activity relationship models when the training set is not properly designed in order to balance all the structural variations taken into account.

Smart region definition: a new way to improve the predictive ability and interpretability of three-dimensional quantitative structure-activity relationships.

This report describes a new methodology aimed at grouping 3D-QSAR interaction energy descriptors into regions of neighbor variables bearing the same chemical and statistical information. These regions represent the structural variability of the series better than individual descriptor variables and can advantageously replace them in the chemometric analysis. The algorithm used to generate such regions is described, together with their application for improving the quality of GOLPE variable selection.

GRID/GOLPE 3D quantitative structure-activity relationship study on a set of benzamides and naphthamides, with affinity for the dopamine D3 receptor subtype.

In the search for drugs against schizophrenia and depression without extrapyramidal side effects, compounds that selectively antagonize the dopamine D3 receptor subtype are thought to be a solution. In order to create a model with which the D3 activity can be predicted and that can generate new ideas for future synthesis, we performed a comparative molecular field analysis (CoMFA). In our model 30 ligands were described quantitatively in the GRID program, and the model was optimized by selecting only the most informative variables in the GOLPE program.

6-Aminoquinolones: a new class of quinolone antibacterials?

A series of quinolone- and 1,8-naphthyridone-3-carboxylic acids, designed by previous QSAR studies and characterized by an amino group at the C-6 position instead of the usual fluorine atom, were synthesized for the first time and evaluated for in vitro antibacterial activity. All of the synthesized compounds maintain good activity against Gram-negative bacteria (Pseudomonas aeruginosa excluded), and those compounds having a thiomorpholine group as the C-7 substituent also have good activity against Gram-positive bacteria. Some aspects of structure-activity relationships associated with the C-1, C-5, C-7, and C-8 substituents are also discussed.

The importance of secondary anchor residue motifs of HLA class I proteins: a chemometric approach.

In this paper we report a chemometric approach to Quantitative Structure-Activity Relationship (QSAR) analysis applied to a study of the binding of peptides to Major Histocompatibility Complex (MHC) class I proteins. Peptides which possess the known primary anchor residue motif for HLA-B27 binding do not necessarily bind to HLA-B27 proteins. Secondary anchor residues are also involved, but it is not yet clear which amino acids are required or in which positions.