Glucosamine and its N-acetyl-phenylalanine derivative prevent TNF-alpha-induced transcriptional activation in human chondrocytes.

Objectives: Glucosamine (GlcN) is used in the treatment of osteoarthritis as symptomatic slow-acting drug, but its mode of action is not completely known. We analyzed the influence of GlcN and its N-acetyl-phenylalanine derivative (NAPA) on mRNA transcription level of TNF-alpha-stimulated genes in cell culture.

Methods: Human immortalized chondrocyte cell line lbpva55 was stimulated with TNF-alpha and treated with GlcN and NAPA.

Ocular adnexal MALT lymphoma: an intriguing model for antigen-driven lymphomagenesis and microbial-targeted therapy.

Non-Hodgkin's lymphomas constitute one half of malignancies arising in the orbit and the ocular adnexae. Mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT)-type lymphoma is the most common histological category in this anatomic region. The incidence of ocular adnexal lymphoma of mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue-type (OAML) is increasing and recent studies offered new relevant insights in molecular, pathogenetic and therapeutic issues on these neoplasms.

Efficient in vitro labeling of human neural precursor cells with superparamagnetic iron oxide particles: relevance for in vivo cell tracking.

Recent studies have raised appealing possibilities of replacing damaged or lost neural cells by transplanting in vitro-expanded neural precursor cells (NPCs) and/or their progeny. Magnetic resonance (MR) tracking of superparamagnetic iron oxide (SPIO)-labeled cells is a noninvasive technique to track transplanted cells in longitudinal studies on living animals. Murine NPCs and human mesenchymal or hematopoietic stem cells can be efficiently labeled by SPIOs.

Lutein and zeaxanthin protect photoreceptors from apoptosis induced by oxidative stress: relation with docosahexaenoic acid.

Purpose: Oxidative stress has been proposed as a major pathogenic factor in age-related macular degeneration (AMD), the leading cause of vision loss among elderly people of western European ancestry. Lutein (LUT) and zeaxanthin (ZEA), major components in macular pigment, are among the retinal antioxidants. Though xanthophyll intake may reduce the likelihood of having advanced AMD, direct evidence of neuroprotection is lacking.

Glucosamine affects intracellular signalling through inhibition of mitogen-activated protein kinase phosphorylation in human chondrocytes.

The aim of this study was to determine the effects of glucosamine on matrix metalloprotease (MMP) production, on mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) phosphorylation, and on activator protein (AP)-1 transcription factor activation in human chondrocytes. The human immortalized cell line lbpva55 and healthy human chondrocytes (obtained from healthy donors) were subjected to challenge with 10 ng/ml IL-1beta after pretreatment with 2.5 or 10 mmol/l glucosamine.

Effects of intra-articular administration of glucosamine and a peptidyl-glucosamine derivative in a rabbit model of experimental osteoarthritis: a pilot study.

The aim of this pilot study was to analyze the effects of glucosamine (GlcN) and its N-acetyl-phenylalanine derivative (NAPA) in Vitamin A model of osteoarthritis (OA) in rabbits. GlcN or NAPA or saline solution was intra-articularly administered in rabbit OA knees. Histological analysis revealed that treatment with GlcN or NAPA was associated with more homogeneous chondrocyte cellularity, absence of fissures and fragmentation and more intense staining of the matrix with Alcian Blue compared to the articular surfaces of the knees treated with saline solution.

Therapeutic management of ocular adnexal MALT lymphoma.

Non-Hodgkin lymphomas constitute 50% of all orbital malignancies. Mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT)-type lymphoma is the most common histology category in this anatomic region. Ocular adnexal lymphoma of MALT-type is an indolent and rarely lethal malignancy that can often be managed with observation alone.

A direct screening procedure for diuretics in human urine by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry with information dependent acquisition.

Background: Diuretics are a class of compounds largely used for either therapeutic (edemas, hypertension, etc.) or illegal (doping) purposes. Probably owing to the substantial variety of their chemical structures, which makes them hardly extractable from a biological matrix in a single procedure, a quite short list of screening methods can be retrieved in the literature.

Magnetic-resonance-based tracking and quantification of intravenously injected neural stem cell accumulation in the brains of mice with experimental multiple sclerosis.

Eliciting the in situ accumulation and persistence patterns of stem cells following transplantation would provide critical insight toward human translation of stem cell-based therapies. To this end, we have developed a strategy to track neural stem/precursor cells (NPCs) in vivo using magnetic resonance (MR) imaging. Initially, we evaluated three different human-grade superparamagnetic iron oxide particles for labeling NPCs and found the optimal labeling to be achieved with Resovist.

Treatments against hair loss may hinder cocaine and metabolites detection.

Recently, some of the hair samples that we routinely analyse for drugs of abuse did not produce valid results for cocaine and metabolites. A series of very intense interfering peaks with ion fragments common to cocaine (CO), and benzoylecgonine (BE) were found to cover up the "cocaine" region of the chromatogram. In one of these cases the subject declared he had used a lotion containing Minoxidil in order to prevent hair loss.

Prosthetic replacement and tangential resection of the superior vena cava in chest tumors.

Aim: Infiltration of the superior vena cava (SVC) due to advanced non small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) or thymoma can be treated by prosthetic replacement or tangential resection. These two technical procedures and their results are described.

Methods: From 1988 to 2002, we performed 37 SVC resections: 21 replacements with polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) prostheses and 16 tangential exereses.

LC-MS-MS analysis of 2,4-dinitrophenol and its phase I and II metabolites in a case of fatal poisoning.

A liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS-MS) analysis of biological fluids (blood, urine, gastric content, and bile) collected at autopsy in a case of suspected 2,4-dinitrophenol (DNP) fatal poisoning allowed the determination of DNP and its known metabolites (2-amino-4-nitrophenol and nitro-4-aminophenol). The tentative identification of three conjugated metabolites (DNP glucuronide, DNP sulfate, and 2-amino-4-nitrophenol glucuronide) could be made on the basis of their pseudomolecular ion, isotopic and fragmentation patterns, and retention characteristics. Another DNP metabolite reported in the literature, 2,4-diaminophenol, was not detected in the samples.

MR-based imaging of neural stem cells.

The efficacy of therapies based on neural stem cells (NSC) has been demonstrated in preclinical models of several central nervous system (CNS) diseases. Before any potential human application of such promising therapies can be envisaged, there are some important issues that need to be solved. The most relevant one is the requirement for a noninvasive technique capable of monitoring NSC delivery, homing to target sites and trafficking.

Markers of chronic alcohol use in hair: comparison of ethyl glucuronide and cocaethylene in cocaine users.

Two direct ethanol metabolites, namely ethyl glucuronide (EtG) and cocaethylene (CE), in the hair of cocaine (COC) users were compared in this study. Hair samples (n=68) were submitted to the determination of EtG (by liquid chromatography-electrospray-tandem mass spectrometry) and of COC and metabolites, including CE (by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry). Quantitative and qualitative results were compared.

Cadmium induces mitogenic signaling in breast cancer cell by an ERalpha-dependent mechanism.

Breast cancer (BC) is linked to estrogen exposure. Estradiol (E2) stimulates BC cells proliferation by binding the estrogen receptor (ER). Hormone-related cancers have been linked to estrogenic environmental contaminants.

Effect of titanium carbide coating on the osseointegration response in vitro and in vivo.

Titanium has limitations in its clinical performance in dental and orthopaedic applications. This study describes a coating process using pulsed laser deposition (PLD) technology to produce surfaces of titanium carbide (TiC) on titanium substrates and evaluates the biological response both in vitro and in vivo. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analysis revealed the presence of 18.

Bacteria-eradicating therapy with doxycycline in ocular adnexal MALT lymphoma: a multicenter prospective trial.

Background: An association between ocular adnexal MALT lymphoma (OAL) and Chlamydia psittaci (Cp) infection has been proposed, and recent reports suggest that doxycycline treatment causes tumor regression in patients with Cp-related OAL. The effectiveness of doxycycline treatment in Cp-negative OAL has not been tested.

Methods: In a prospective trial, 27 OAL patients (15 newly diagnosed and 12 having experienced relapse) were given a 3-week course of doxycycline therapy.

Ethyl glucuronide and ethyl sulphate determination in serum by liquid chromatography-electrospray tandem mass spectrometry.

Background: Ethyl glucuronide (EtG) and ethyl sulphate (EtS) are two ethanol metabolites that can be detected in serum up to 8 h after ethanol elimination. Their presence is therefore indicative of recent ethanol consumption in case of delayed sampling after an event (e.g.

Ethyl glucuronide in hair: Is it a reliable marker of chronic high levels of alcohol consumption?

Aims: This study aims to investigate the relationship between ethanol daily intake (EDI) and the levels of ethyl glucuronide in hair.

Design: Ethyl glucuronide concentration was determined in hair samples from different classes of ethanol drinkers and results were compared with the reported information about drinking habits.

Setting: Pavia, Italy.

Determination of Cd, Cu, Pb and Zn in neoplastic kidneys and in renal tissue of fetuses, newborns and corpses.

The incidence of kidney tumors in USA and Europe (in particular, Central Europe and Italy) has been dramatically increasing since the 1970s, possibly as a consequence of ongoing environmental pollution. Environmental factors have been considered responsible for at least 80% of the incidence of neoplastic diseases. To shed some light on this issue, the amounts of Cd and Pb were measured in neoplastic tissue and adjacent normal part of kidney excised for carcinoma and compared with those in renal tissues of fetuses, newborns and subjects that died of non-neoplastic diseases.

Docosahexaenoic acid prevents apoptosis of retina photoreceptors by activating the ERK/MAPK pathway.

Identifying the trophic factors for retina photoreceptors and the intracellular pathways activated to promote cell survival is crucial for treating retina neurodegenerative diseases. Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), the major retinal polyunsaturated fatty acid, prevents photoreceptor apoptosis during early development in vitro, and upon oxidative stress. However, the signaling mechanisms activated by DHA are still unclear.

Docosahexaenoic acid promotes photoreceptor differentiation without altering Crx expression.

Purpose: The precise molecular cues required for photoreceptor development are still unknown. Pax6 and Crx are essential during early retinal development and for photoreceptor differentiation, respectively. The lipid molecule docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) has also been shown to promote photoreceptor differentiation.

Clinical implications of hepatitis C virus infection in MALT-type lymphoma of the ocular adnexa.

Background: A pathogenic link between hepatitis C virus (HCV) and MALT-type lymphomas has been suggested. However, studies assessing the role of HCV infection separately in different forms of MALT lymphomas are not available.

Patients And Methods: The prevalence and clinical implications of HCV seropositivity were analyzed in 55 patients with ocular adnexa lymphoma (OAL) of MALT-type.

Association between Helicobacter pylori infection and MALT-type lymphoma of the ocular adnexa: clinical and therapeutic implications.

Background: The prevalence and the clinical impact of gastric Helicobacter pylori (Hp) infection, as well as its possible correlation with Chlamydia psittaci (Cps) infection and the lymphoma regression rate produced by Hp eradicating antibiotic therapy were investigated in patients with MALT-type lymphoma of the ocular adnexa (OAL).

Methods: During staging, the presence of gastric Hp infection was assessed by gastroscopy and multiple biopsies in 31 OAL patients. Immediately after, Hp-positive patients were treated with eradicating antibiotic therapy, alone or associated with other therapies.