Factor structure and psychometric properties of the Italian version of the Gambling Related Cognitions Scale (GRCS-I).

The past decade has witnessed an expanded accessibility and popularity of gambling worldwide, and in Italy the phenomenon significantly increased. Nevertheless, little is known about the role of gambling cognitions among Italian individuals, and few scales assessing problem gambling have been validated. The purpose of the present study was to examine and validate the Gambling Related Cognitions Scale-Italian version (GRCS-I), based on the 23-item Gambling Related Cognitions Scale (GRCS).

Lipidomic investigations for the characterization of circulating serum lipids in multiple sclerosis.

Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is a neurodegenerative autoimmune demyelinating disease affecting young adults. The aetiology still remains a mystery and diagnosis is impaired by the lack of defined molecular markers. Autoimmune response remains the main topic under investigation and recent studies suggest additional non-proteic mediators of brain inflammation such as lipids.

Confirmation of congenital adrenal hyperplasia by adrenal steroid profiling of filter paper dried blood samples using ultra-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry.

Background: The specificity of screening for congenital adrenal hyperplasia by direct measurement of 17-hydroxyprogesterone in filter paper dried blood spot samples by immunoassay is low and has a high false-positive rate. In order to reduce the false-positive rate of this test, we developed a rapid, robust, specific confirmatory procedure in which cortisol, 4-androstene-3,17-dione and 17-hydroxyprogesterone were measured simultaneously by ultra-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry.

Methods: After extraction, samples were analysed by ultra-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry and 17-hydroxyprogesterone was quantified accurately.

Role of excessive inflammatory response to Stenotrophomonas maltophilia lung infection in DBA/2 mice and implications for cystic fibrosis.

Stenotrophomonas maltophilia is a pathogen that causes infections mainly in immunocompromised patients. Despite increased S. maltophilia isolation from respiratory specimens of patients with cystic fibrosis (CF), the real contribution of the microorganism to CF pathogenesis still needs to be clarified.

A computational platform for MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry data: application to serum and plasma samples.

Background: Mass spectrometry (MS) is becoming the gold standard for biomarker discovery. Several MS-based bioinformatics methods have been proposed for this application, but the divergence of the findings by different research groups on the same MS data suggests that the definition of a reliable method has not been achieved yet. In this work, we propose an integrated software platform, MASCAP, intended for comparative biomarker detection from MALDI-TOF MS data.

Pre-analytical factors in clinical proteomics investigations: impact of ex vivo protein modifications for multiple sclerosis biomarker discovery.

Serum proteome investigations have raised an incredible interest in the research of novel molecular biomarker, nevertheless few of the proposed evidences have been translated to the clinical practice. One of the limiting factors has been the lack of generally accepted guidelines for clinical proteomics studies and the lack of a robust analytical and pre-analytical ground for the proposed classification models. Pre-analytical issues may results in a deep impact for biomarker discovery campaign.

Novel IgE recognized components of Lolium perenne pollen extract: comparative proteomics evaluation of allergic patients sensitization profiles.

In the last years, proteomic investigation provided a powerful tool in molecular characterization of complex allergen sources with relevant implications in both diagnosis and immunotherapic treatment of allergies. We followed a proteomic approach to characterize ryegrass (Lolium perenne) pollen, a common cause of seasonal allergic diseases affecting an increasing part of world population. Peptide shotgun experiments performed on nanoLiquid Ultra Pressure Chromatography coupled with fast Q-TOF MS-MS/MS acquisition protocols (MS(E)) and 2-DE immunoblot combined with MALDI-TOF-TOF analysis allowed the detection of all previously identified ryegrass allergens.

Independent component analysis for the extraction of reliable protein signal profiles from MALDI-TOF mass spectra.

Motivation: Independent component analysis (ICA) is a signal processing technique that can be utilized to recover independent signals from a set of their linear mixtures. We propose ICA for the analysis of signals obtained from large proteomics investigations such as clinical multi-subject studies based on MALDI-TOF MS profiling. The method is validated on simulated and experimental data for demonstrating its capability of correctly extracting protein profiles from MALDI-TOF mass spectra.

LIMPIC: a computational method for the separation of protein MALDI-TOF-MS signals from noise.

Background: Mass spectrometry protein profiling is a promising tool for biomarker discovery in clinical proteomics. However, the development of a reliable approach for the separation of protein signals from noise is required. In this paper, LIMPIC, a computational method for the detection of protein peaks from linear-mode MALDI-TOF data is proposed.

Isolation of new rotenoids from Boerhaavia diffusa and evaluation of their effect on intestinal motility.

A bioassay-guided separation of a methanolic extract obtained from the roots of Boerhaavia diffusa L. (Nyctaginaceae) allowed us to isolate five compounds belonging to the class of rotenoids: the known boeravinone D ( 1), boeravinone E ( 2), compound 5 and two novel compounds that we have named boeravinone G ( 3) and boeravinone H ( 4). The structures of the new molecules have been determined on the basis of their HR-EI-MS, (1)H- and (13)C-NMR and 2D-NMR (HMQC, HMBC) data.

Cytotoxic germacrane sesquiterpenes from the aerial parts of Santolina insularis.

Chemical investigation of Santolina insularis afforded 11 germacrane sesquiterpenes (1-11), four of which (2, 3, 10, and 11) are new. The stereostructures of these compounds have been established by a combination of spectroscopic techniques (mainly NMR), chemical transformations, and application of the modified Mosher method. Compounds 8 and 10 showed a potent and selective cytotoxic activity against the human colon carcinoma cell line.

Analytical assessment of MALDI-TOF Imaging Mass Spectrometry on thin histological samples. An insight in proteome investigation.

Background: The development of MALDI Imaging Mass Spectrometry is a promising technique in the investigation of biological molecular repertoire. We have pursued an analytical assessment of this technique in its application to proteome analysis.

Methods: A specific statistical method of analysis has been developed to enable data processing in the absence of internal standards, by defining similarity scores.

A prenylbisabolane with NF-kappaB inhibiting properties from Cascarilla (Croton eluteria).

Investigation of the bark of Croton eluteria Bennett for biologically active compounds has led to the isolation of the new prenylbisabolane 3, whose structure was assessed by spectroscopic methods. The corresponding known enone 4 and the eudesmane sesquiterpene 2 were also obtained. Compound 3 proved active in selectively inhibiting the induction of NF-kappaB by tumor necrosis factor-alpha in T cells.

Polychlorinated androstanes from the burrowing sponge Cliona nigricans.

Two new steroidal derivatives, named clionastatins A and B, have been isolated from the burrowing sponge Cliona nigricans. These molecules are tri-and tetrachlorinated androstane derivatives, respectively, and they represent the first polyhalogenated steroids found in a natural organism, either marine or terrestrial, and the first examples of halogenated androstanes in nature. Both clionastatins proved to be potently cytotoxic.

Minor diterpenoids from cascarilla (Croton eluteria Bennet) and evaluation of the cascarilla extract and cascarillin effects on gastric acid secretion.

Three new diterpenoids belonging to the clerodane (2-3) and halimane (4) structural types have been isolated from the bark of Croton eluteria Bennet, commonly known as cascarilla. Their structures have been fully characterized by spectroscopic means. Cascarilla extract and its major component, cascarillin, were found to significantly increase histamine-induced gastric acid secretion in the mouse stomach.