Synergistic effects of glucose tolerance and BMI on cardiovascular events and all-cause mortality in a healthy population: CA.ME.LI.A study 7 years follow-up.

The CA.ME.LI.

Polydopamine Blending Increases Human Cell Proliferation in Gelatin-Xanthan Gum 3D-Printed Hydrogel.

Background: Gelatin-xanthan gum (Gel-Xnt) hydrogel has been previously modified to improve its printability; now, to increase its ability for use as cell-laden 3D scaffolds (bioink), polydopamine (PDA), a biocompatible, antibacterial, adhesive, and antioxidant mussel-inspired biopolymer, has been added (1-3% /) to hydrogel.

Methods: Control (CT) and PDA-blended hydrogels were used to print 1 cm grids. The hydrogels' printability, moisture, swelling, hydrolysis, and porosity were tested after glutaraldehyde (GTA) crosslinking, while biocompatibility was tested using primary human-derived skin fibroblasts and spontaneously immortalized human keratinocytes (HaCaT).

In-vitro and in-vivo metabolism of different aspirin formulations studied by a validated liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry method.

Low-dose aspirin (ASA) is used to prevent cardiovascular events. The most commonly used formulation is enteric-coated ASA (EC-ASA) that may be absorbed more slowly and less efficiently in some patients. To uncover these "non-responders" patients, the availability of proper analytical methods is pivotal in order to study the pharmacodynamics, the pharmacokinetics and the metabolic fate of ASA.

Restoring Tissue Homeostasis at Metastatic Sites: A Focus on Extracellular Vesicles in Bone Metastasis.

Bone is the most common site of cancer metastasis and the spread of cancer cells to the bone is associated with poor prognosis, pain, increased risk of fractures, and hypercalcemia. The bone marrow microenvironment is an attractive place for tumor dissemination, due to the dynamic network of non-malignant cells. In particular, the alteration of the bone homeostasis favors the tumor homing and the consequent osteolytic or osteoblastic lesions.

CA.ME.LI.A. An epidemiological study on the prevalence of CArdiovascular, MEtabolic, LIver and Autoimmune diseases in Northern Italy.

Background And Aims: CA.ME.LI.

Discovery of Unexpected Sphingolipids in Almonds and Pistachios with an Innovative Use of Triple Quadrupole Tandem Mass Spectrometry.

The densely packed storage of valuable nutrients (carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, micronutrients) in the endosperm of nuts and seeds makes the study of their complex composition a topic of great importance. Ceramides in the total lipid extract of some ground almonds and pistachios were searched with a systematic innovative discovery precursor ion scan in a triple quadrupole tandem mass spectrometry, where iso-energetic collision activated dissociation was performed. Five descriptors were used to search components with different C18 long chain bases containing different structural motifs (d18:0, d18:1, d18:2, t18:0, t18:1).

Unambiguous Characterization of -Cresyl Sulfate, a Protein-Bound Uremic Toxin, as Biomarker of Heart and Kidney Disease.

-Cresyl sulfate is one of the bound uremic toxins whose level increases in the sera of patients with the severity of chronic kidney disease and is therefore used as a standard for clinical investigations. Our first attempts to obtain -cresyl sulfate led exclusively to the product of sulfonation of the aromatic ring instead of sulfation on the OH moiety. Nevertheless, this initial discouraging result allowed us to handle both -cresyl sulfate and 2-hydroxy-5-methylbenzenesulfonic acid obtained by different synthetic pathways.

Targeting Notch as a Therapeutic Approach for Human Malignancies.

Background: Notch is a multifaceted protein that plays a fundamental role in fetal development and tissue homeostasis by directing many cellular functions, including cell growth and differentiation, cell fate determination and regulation of stem cells maintenance. The Notch family consists of four receptors (Notch 1-4) and five ligands (Jagged1-2 and Delta-like 1-3-4) widely expressed in human tissues. Given the crucial contribution of Notch signaling in many physiological processes, it is not surprising that a variety of human malignancies is characterized by a dysregulation of one or more components of this pathway.

Chromosome 7q31.1 deletion in myeloid neoplasms.

We studied monosomy and deletions of chromosome 7 in 208 patients with myeloid disorders; we found 39 patients (19%) with monosomy or deletion of chromosome 7: 24 patients with chromosome 7 deletion and 15 with monosomy 7. In the 24 patients with chromosome 7 deletions, studied with copy-number variants, short-tandem repeats, microsatellites, single nucleotide polymorphisms, and deletion polymorphisms, the most common deleted region was 7q31.1 (20 patients).

Telomere dysfunction in peripheral blood mononuclear cells from patients with primary biliary cirrhosis.

Background: Chromosomal instability in peripheral blood mononuclear cells has a role in the onset of primary biliary cirrhosis. We hypothesized that patients with primary biliary cirrhosis may harbour telomere dysfunction, with consequent chromosomal instability and cellular senescence.

Aim: To evaluate the clinical significance of telomerase activity and telomere length in peripheral blood mononuclear cells from patients with primary biliary cirrhosis.

T-cell receptor beta polymorphism is not associated with endometriosis.

Aim: We carried out an association study between T-cell receptor beta polymorphism (TCRB) and endometriosis to investigate the difference in allelic frequency. Polymorphisms in T-cell receptor genes can provide important information for the study of the immune response and autoimmune diseases; indeed, rs1800907, a very common single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) of the TCRB, has been extensively studied in autoimmune diseases in the 1990s using Southern blot analysis and more recently polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and sequencing. An autoimmune etiology for endometriosis has been strongly suggested for the presence of antibodies against endometrium, high rates of autoimmune disorders and associated atopic diseases.

PBC screen: an IgG/IgA dual isotype ELISA detecting multiple mitochondrial and nuclear autoantibodies specific for primary biliary cirrhosis.

A dual isotype (IgG, IgA) enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) designed to provide enhanced detection of primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC)-specific autoantibodies against both major mitochondrial and nuclear antigens has been developed and recently become commercially available. The assay (PBC Screen) simultaneously detects IgG and IgA autoantibodies to the immunodominant portions of the 3 major mitochondrial (MIT3) and nuclear (gp210, and sp100) antigens. The aim of this study was to compare the performance of the PBC Screen to the combined performance obtained with individual IgG ELISAs to MIT3, gp210, and sp100 on a large group of selected patients from multiple centers.

Immunoglobulin gene rearrangements and in vitro growth of stromal cells are prognostic indexes in B-chronic lymphocytic leukemia.

B-chronic lymphocytic leukemia is a disease characterized by an accumulation of monoclonal B cells that are resistant to apoptosis. In chronic lymphocytic leukemia, the prognosis depends on the stage of the disease, according to the classifications of Rai and Binet. However, in recent years, the number of patients with very early disease (stage 0 of Rai) and without any clinical symptom, has considerably increased because of the extensive use of automatic apparatus for leukocyte counting and immunophenotypic analysis of lymphocytes.

T-cell receptor polymorphism in primary biliary cirrhosis.

T-cell receptor (TCR) plays a key role in immune regulation and polymorphisms of its genes have been found in association with several autoimmune diseases. No data are available for primary biliary cirrhosis, an autoimmune liver disease the natural history of which is highly variable. We studied a TCR constant beta-2 chain polymorphism in 70 patients affected by primary biliary cirrhosis and in 70 healthy controls.