Enhanced Streptomyces roseochromogenes melanin production by using the marine renewable source Posidonia oceanica egagropili.

Since the possibility to biotechnologically produce melanin by Streptomycetes using plant biomass has been so far poorly investigated, Posidonia oceanica egagropili, a marine waste accumulating along the Mediterranean Sea coasts, was explored as a renewable source to enhance extracellular melanin production by Streptomyces roseochromogenes ATCC 13400. Therefore, different amounts of egagropili powder were added to a culture medium containing glucose, malt extract, and yeast extract, and their effect on the melanin biosynthesis was evaluated. A 2.

Molecular weight determination of heparosan- and chondroitin-like capsular polysaccharides: figuring out differences between wild -type and engineered Escherichia coli strains.

Heparin and chondroitin sulfate are used as anti-thrombic and anti-osteoarthritis drugs, respectively, but their pharmacological actions depend on their structural characteristics such as their sulfation grade and their molecular weight. In the last years, new fermentation-based biotechnological approaches have tried to obtain heparin and chondroitin sulfate starting from the heparosan and chondroitin-like capsular polysaccharides produced by Escherichia coli K5 and K4. The study of the microbial capsular polysaccharide molecular weight is critical to obtain nature-like or structural tailor cut glycosaminoglycan homologues.

Myocardial infarction complicated by ventricular septal rupture.

Transporting patients with an ST segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) is a fairly common practice for most critical care transport teams. When a STEMI is complicated by ventricular septal rupture, the care can become more challenging, especially if the rupture is not yet diagnosed. This article describes such a transport and reviews the pathophysiology of the process along with treatment options.

[Duodenal angiodysplasia and Turner's syndrome. Case report].

Unlabelled: The Turner's syndrome is the most common chromosomic disease in the women and touches 1:2,500 women born live. The most important anomaly is the presence of short stature and ovarian failure. Others disorders are increasing in case reports: osteoporosis, hypothyroidism, renal diseases and gastroenteric diseases.

[Surgical complications for gastric and small bowel metastases due to primary lung carcinoma].

Lung carcinoma is the first cause of death for tumors; in Italy there are from 35,000 to 40,000 new cases a year, with a global survival to 5 years from the diagnosis in 13% of cases. The gastric and small bowel metastases are rare, respectively 0.4% and 1.

[Extrauterine endometriosis: three new cases].

Extragonadal endometriosis is rarely diagnosed preoperatively due the variety of its localizations. Presentation to general surgeons may be atypical and pose diagnostic difficulties. The Authors report three cases surgically treated between 2000-2003.

Technique of total hepatectomy in the rat.

We report a novel one-stage technique of total hepatectomy in the rat, in which the liver is replaced by an autologous prosthesis. This prosthesis is obtained from a donor rat, and consists of the subhepatic vena cava and the left renal vein harvested en block. This graft is sutured with the subdiaphragmatic cava and linked with cuffs to the subhepatic vena cava and the portal vein in the donor rat.

[Monitoring of hepatocyte xenotransplantation. Usefulness of various laboratory parameters].

The authors report a study in which they evaluate the efficacy of some laboratory parameters for monitoring intrasplenic hepatocyte xenotransplantation (mouse to rat) as an alternative to 99Tc-HIDA dynamic scan and histologic exam. Swiss mouse and wistar rat hepatocytes were obtained with collagenase digestion. Wistar male rats were used as recipient and were allocated into three groups: A) omotransplanted rats; B) xenotransplanted rats; C) xenotransplanted and immunosuppressed (Cyclosporin A: 20 mg/kg/daily orally) rats.

[Anhepatic rat, technic for reconstruction of venous circulation].

Authors report an experimental model of total hepatectomy in the rat. In this model whole liver was replaced by an autologous vascular prosthesis. On the contrary as reported in other experiences, in this model is maintained the cavo-caval flow, with absence of cavo-caval and porta-caval shunts.

Transglutaminase changes in intestinal mucosa after experimental small bowel resection in the rat.

The low serum transglutaminase found in various intestinal disorders (celiac disease and IBD) suggested to us to study the serum and mucosal transglutaminase behaviour in an experimental model of small intestine resection in rats to reduce cellular mass and induce enterocyte hyperproliferation in the proximal part left in continuity. Transglutaminase activity in the intestinal mucosa was significantly higher in resected rats than in control and sham operated animals from days 4 (121 +/- 10 v basal 94 +/- 3 mU/g protein, p < 0.01) to 10 (165 +/- 37 mU/g protein, p < 0.

Release of diamine oxidase into plasma by glycosaminoglycans in rats.

Plasma diamine oxidase (DAO) values are enhanced by intravenous injection of heparin which releases the enzyme, synthesized in small bowel enterocytes, from binding sites located on endothelial cells of the intestinal microvasculature. Intestinal DAO, in analogy with lipoprotein lipase (another heparin-released enzyme), is believed to be electrostatically linked to endothelial binding sites composed of a glycosaminoglycan (GAG) which is presumably heparan sulphate, but the complete mechanism of enzyme release is not known. In this study we assayed in rats the DAO-releasing capability of heparan sulphate, dermatan sulphate, chondroitin sulphate A and hyaluronic acid, all heparin related compounds.

Human serum transglutaminase and coeliac disease: correlation between serum and mucosal activity in an experimental model of rat small bowel enteropathy.

Transglutaminase (TG) activity is increased in the mucosa of patients with coeliac disease. Among 18 patients with untreated coeliac disease we have found a significant decrease (p less than 0.001) in serum levels of TG activity (0.