Isolation and genetic analysis of pure cells from forensic biological mixtures: The precision of a digital approach.

Latest genotyping technologies allow to achieve a reliable genetic profile for the offender identification even from extremely minute biological evidence. The ultimate challenge occurs when genetic profiles need to be retrieved from a mixture, which is composed of biological material from two or more individuals. In this case, DNA profiling will often result in a complex genetic profile, which is then subject matter for statistical analysis.

Cost-benefit effectiveness of angiotensin-II receptor blockers in patients with uncomplicated hypertension: A comparative analysis.

Objective: The treatment of hypertensive patients (HTs) requires a long-term commitment of compliance for the patient and resources by the healthcare system. This poses an economic dilemma in countries where universal healthcare is standard. The aim of this study was to evaluate the costs/health benefit and effectiveness of treatment with angiotensin-II receptor blockers (ARBs) in uncomplicated essential hypertension.

A direct gene transfer strategy via brain internal capsule reverses the biochemical defect in Tay-Sachs disease.

Therapy for neurodegenerative lysosomal Tay-Sachs (TS) disease requires active hexosaminidase (Hex) A production in the central nervous system and an efficient therapeutic approach that can act faster than human disease progression. We combined the efficacy of a non-replicating Herpes simplex vector encoding for the Hex A alpha-subunit (HSV-T0alphaHex) and the anatomic structure of the brain internal capsule to distribute the missing enzyme optimally. With this gene transfer strategy, for the first time, we re-established the Hex A activity and totally removed the GM2 ganglioside storage in both injected and controlateral hemispheres, in the cerebellum and spinal cord of TS animal model in the span of one month's treatment.

Effects of defective herpes simplex vectors expressing neurotrophic factors on the proliferation and differentiation of nervous cells in vivo.

Neurotrophic factors (NTFs) are known to govern the processes involved in central nervous system cell proliferation and differentiation. Thus, they represent very attractive candidates for use in the study and therapy of neurological disorders. We constructed recombinant herpesvirus-based-vectors capable of expressing fibroblast growth factor-2 (FGF-2) and ciliary neurotrophic factor (CNTF) alone or in combinations.