Sisymbrium Officinale (the Singers' Plant) as an Ingredient: Analysis of Somatosensory Active Volatile Isothiocyanates in Model Food and Drinks.

(L.) Scop. (hedge mustard) is a wild common plant of the Brassicaceae family.

Association between OLR1 K167N SNP and intima media thickness of the common carotid artery in the general population.

Background And Purpose: The lectin-like oxidised LDL receptor-1 (OLR1) gene encodes a scavenger receptor implicated in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis. Although functional roles have been suggested for two variants, epidemiological studies on OLR1 have been inconsistent.

Methods: We tested the association between the non-synonymous substitution K167N (rs11053646) and intima media thickness of the common carotid artery (CCA-IMT) in 2,141 samples from the Progression of Lesions in the Intima of the Carotid (PLIC) study (a prospective population-based study).

From endothelial dysfunction to atherosclerosis.

It has recently emerged that endothelial dysfunction is an early step in the development of atherosclerosis and is mainly characterised by a reduction in the bioavailability of nitric oxide. All of the traditional cardiovascular (CV) risk factors (dyslipidemia, arterial hypertension, hyperglycemia and diabetes) are associated with endothelial dysfunction, and oxidised low-density lipoproteins, the renin-angiotensin axis and insulin resistance play important roles in the pathogenesis of impaired endothelial function. The increased expression of adhesion molecules and pro-inflammatory cytokines leads to abnormal endothelium-dependent vasodilation which could be investigated using vasoreactivity tests such as flow-mediated dilation in the brachial artery.

Circulating CD4+CD25hiCD127lo regulatory T-Cell levels do not reflect the extent or severity of carotid and coronary atherosclerosis.

Objective: Regulatory T (Treg) cells play a protective role in experimental atherosclerosis. In the present study, we investigated whether the levels of circulating Treg cells relate to the degree of atherosclerosis in carotid and coronary arteries.

Methods And Results: We studied 2 distinct populations: (1) 113 subjects, selected from a free-living population (carotid study), in which we measured the intima-media thickness of the common carotid artery, as a surrogate marker of initial atherosclerosis; and (2) 75 controls and 125 patients with coronary artery disease (coronary study): 36 with chronic stable angina, 50 with non-ST-elevation acute coronary syndrome, 39 with ST-elevation acute myocardial infarction.

Effects of PCSK9 variants on common carotid artery intima media thickness and relation to ApoE alleles.

Background: PCSK9 plays a key role in plasma cholesterol metabolism by modulating the expression of LDL receptors.

Objective And Methods: In this study we investigated the effects of two common polymorphism of the PCSK9 gene (E670G and I474V) on the intima media thickness of the common carotid artery and the possible relation with polymorphisms of apolipoprotein E in 1541 middle aged subjects selected from the general population enrolled in the PLIC study and confirmed the major findings in a second free-living population enrolled in the Ventimiglia study.

Results: 670G carriers showed significantly increased plasma total cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol, and Apo levels B while no significant differences were observed between carriers of the I474V SNP.

Internal controls for quantitative polymerase chain reaction of swine mammary glands during pregnancy and lactation.

High-throughput microarray analysis is an efficient means of obtaining a genome-wide view of transcript profiles across physiological states. However, quantitative PCR (qPCR) remains the chosen method for high-precision mRNA abundance analysis. Essential for reliability of qPCR data is normalization using appropriate internal control genes (ICG), which is now, more than ever before, a fundamental step for accurate gene expression profiling.

Nanotechnologies applied to the analysis of the animal genome.

Whole genome sequence information and high throughput technologies are speeding up the investigation of cellular processes leading to the phenotypic expression of genetic information. Nanotechnologies provide innovative tools to accomplish this task, increasing throughput and sensitivity and decreasing cost and time of analyses. Goals as ambitious as the sequencing of a mammalian-sized genome in a matter of hours, and of detecting gene expression from a single cell, are just around the corner.

Carboplatin, cisplatin and paclitaxel in the treatment of patients with epithelial ovarian cancer.

Background: Prognosis of advanced ovarian cancer is unsatisfactory. Chemotherapy can be intensified combining active drugs at their highest possible doses.

Patients And Methods: In this phase I/II trial, 77 untreated patients received escalating doses of paclitaxel (135, 155, 175, 195 and 215 mg/m2, infused over 3 hours) with carboplatin (AUC 3.

A phase I study of gemcitabine and epirubicin for the treatment of platinum-resistant or refractory advanced ovarian cancer.

Background: Gemcitabine is active in patients with otherwise resistant or refractory ovarian cancer. As the drug is well tolerated, studies using gemcitabine combined with other antineoplastic agents are needed. The aim of the study was to determine the maximum tolerated dose (MTD) of epirubicin combined with gemcitabine, with and without support of G-CSF.

Phase I study with weekly cisplatin-paclitaxel and concurrent radiotherapy in patients with carcinoma of the cervix uteri.

Background: Cisplatin and paclitaxel are active in cervical cancer and both are able to potentiate the effects of radiotherapy. In this study we evaluated the maximum-tolerated dose (MTD) of paclitaxel in combination with a fixed dose of cisplatin when given weekly concurrently with pelvic radiotherapy to patients with carcinoma of the cervix uteri.

Patients And Methods: Eighteen patients with cervical cancer were enrolled in this study.

A phase I study of paclitaxel and epirubicin, without and with filgrastim, for the treatment of platinum-resistant advanced ovarian cancer.

The aim of the study was to determine the maximum tolerated dose (MTD) of epirubicin combined with a fixed dose of paclitaxel, without and with support of filgrastim, in patients with platinum resistant or refractory ovarian cancer. Paclitaxel (150 mg/m2) and epirubicin (starting dose 90 mg/m2, 15 mg/m2 escalation per level) were given on day 1, every 28 days for 4-6 cycles. Filgrastim (F) (5 microg/kg/die) was given in case of grade 4 leukopenia (levels without support) or from day 4 up to leukocyte count >10,000/mm3 after nadir (levels with support).

Phase II study of cisplatin and vinorelbine as first-line chemotherapy in patients with carcinoma of the uterine cervix.

Purpose: To evaluate the activity and toxicity of the combination of cisplatin (80 mg/m2 day 1) and vinorelbine (25 mg/m2 days 1 and 8) in patients with carcinoma of the uterine cervix that has not been previously treated with chemotherapy.

Patients And Methods: Fifty patients with cervical cancer were enrolled onto this study (27 stage IB-III, 23 stage IVB-recurrent). A two-stage optimal Simon design was applied.

Primary malignant melanoma of the vagina: case report.

Primary vaginal melanoma is a very rare gynecological malignant tumor (less than 150 reported cases to-date). Prognosis is poor in spite of treatment. Due to the fact that only small groups of patients have been compared, conservative treatment has usually been recommended.