Recent reports suggest that several viruses, besides human immunodeficiency virus, induce apoptosis in infected cells. We report here that Sendai virus or Herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1), two ...potent inducers of interferon-α, caused cell death in a consistent number of human peripheral blood mononuclear cells. A careful analysis of infected cells by different techniques, such as optical and electron microscopy, DNA agarose gel electrophoresis, and cytofluorimetric analysis of DNA content, showed that cell death was of apoptotic type. Sendai virus was more apoptogenic than HSV-1, and it was further studied to understand the mechanism(s) by which it induced apoptosis. Physical (uv and heat) and chemical (β-propiolactone) inactivation reduced or abolished the apoptogenic power of Sendai virus. The use of a novel technique, which allows the study of mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) in intact cells by flow cytometry, showed that a decrease of MMP is concomitant with the appearance of the hypodiploid peak. These results suggest that Sendai virus and HSV-1 can be added to the list of viruses causing apoptosis, which appears to be a general mechanism occurring during viral infection.
Minimal change disease during lithium therapy: case report Graziani, Romina; Monti, Mattia; Sejdiu, Brunilda ...
Giornale italiano di nefrologia : organo ufficiale della Societa italiana di nefrologia,
2019-Jul-24, Letnik:
36, Številka:
4
Journal Article
Lithium is a largely used and effective therapy in the treatment of bipolar disorder. Its toxic effects on kidneys are mostly diabetes insipidus, hyperchloremic metabolic acidosis and ...tubulointerstitial nephritis. Also, a correlation between lithium and minimal change disease has sometimes been described. We report here the case of a patient with severe bipolar disorder on lithium therapy who, without any pre-existing nephropathy, developed nephrotic syndrome and AKI with histopathologic findings pointing to minimal change disease. The patient was treated with symptomatic therapy; the discontinuation of lithium therapy resulted in the remission of AKI and of the nephrotic syndrome, thus suggesting a close relationship between lithium and minimal change disease.
Semantic Granularity for the Semantic Web Albertoni, Riccardo; Camossi, Elena; De Martino, Monica ...
Lecture notes in computer science,
2006
Book Chapter, Conference Proceeding
Recenzirano
In this paper we describe a framework for the application of semantic granularities to the Semantic Web. Given a data source and an ontology formalizing qualities which describe the source, we define ...a dynamic granularity system for the navigation of the repository according to different levels of detail, i.e., granularities. Semantic granularities summarize the degree of informativeness of the qualities, taking into account both the individuals populating the repository, which concur in the definition of the implicit semantics, and the ontology schema, which gives the formal semantics. The method adapts and extends to ontologies existing natural language processing techniques for topics generalization.
We describe the case of a patient with adenocarcinoma of the colon treated with FOLFOX-4 (5-Fluorouracil, Folinic acid, Oxalyplatin), with subsequent appearance of atypical hemolytic uremic syndrome ...(aHUS). From 1999 to 2009, 13 cases of atypical HUS receiving chemotherapy with oxaliplatin have been described, as well as some sporadic cases. None of these cases has been treated with eculizumab. This is the first report of a patient with aHUS secondary to Oxalyplatin treated with Eculizumab. This treatment induced a complete remission of the syndrome and, later on, it has been discontinued with clinical and laboratory permanent remission. We identified some genetic mutations in this patient that might have a pathogenic role in the determining aHUS when associated with exposure to Oxalyplatin. Oxalyplatin withdrawal and its replacement to Irinotecan allowed the patient to receive first line chemotherapy continuation (FOLFIRI) with the same life expectancy and the same symptoms free period.
Selecting units of rare blood for transfusion to patients with complex immunisation is one of the most critical processes of a Transfusion Centre. In January 2005 the 'Rare Blood Components Bank - ...Reference Centre of the Region of Lombardy' w as established with the following goals: 1) identifying regional rare blood donors; 2) creating a regional registry of rare donors; 3) organising a regional bank of liquid and frozen rare blood units; 4) setting up a regional Immunohaematology Reference Laboratory (IRL) to type donors and resolve complex cases.
The key elements in establishing the Bank were periodic meetings organised by the directors and representatives of the regional Departments of Transfusion Medicine and Haematology (DTMH) and the institution of three working groups (informatics, regulations, finance).
The regional IRL was set up, the relevant operating procedures were distributed region-wide, software features were defined and later validated upon activation, and the funds assigned were allocated to various cost items. The number and characteristics of the donors to be typed were identified and 14 regional DTMHs started to send samples. Overall, 20,714 donors were typed, for a total of 258,003 typings, and 2,880 rare donors were identified. Of these, 97% were rare donors because of combinations of antigens (2,139 negative for the S antigen and 659 negative for the s antigen) and 3% (n=82) because they were negative for high-frequency antigens. In the first 2 years of activity, the IRL carried out investigations of 140 complex cases referred from other Centres and distributed 2,024 units with rare phenotypes to 142 patients.
The main goal achieved in the first 24 months from the start of the project was to set up a regional network able to meet the transfusion needs of patients with complex immunisation.
BACKGROUNDAeromonas species are uncommon pathogens in biliary sepsis and cause substantial mortality in patients with impaired hepatobiliary function. Asia has the highest incidence of infection from ...Aeromonas, whereas cases in the west are rare. CASE SUMMARYWe report the case of a 64-year-old woman with advanced pancreatic cancer and jaundice who manifested fever, abdominal pain, severe thrombocytopenia, anemia and kidney failure following the insertion of a percutaneous transhepatic biliary drainage. Blood culture results revealed the presence of Aeromonas veronii biovar veronii (A. veronii biovar veronii). After antibiotic therapy and transfusions, the life-threatening clinical conditions of the patient improved and she was discharged. CONCLUSIONThis was a rare case of infection, probably the first to be reported in West countries, caused by A. veronii biovar veronii following biliary drainage. A finding of Aeromonas must alert clinician to the possibility of severe sepsis.
Context Enabled Semantic Granularity Albertoni, Riccardo; Camossi, Elena; De Martino, Monica ...
Knowledge-Based Intelligent Information and Engineering Systems
5178
Book Chapter
Recenzirano
Odprti dostop
In this paper we propose a powerful ontology driven method that eases the browsing of any repository of information resources described by an ontology: we provide a flexible semantic granularity ...method for the navigation of a repository according to different levels of abstraction, i.e. granularities. The granularity is explicitly parameterised according to the criteria induced by the context.
OBJECTIVES
This study was performed to characterize the endothelial and metabolic alterations of patients with angina and angiographically normal coronary arteries (“cardiac” syndrome X CSX) compared ...with subjects with insulin resistance syndrome (“metabolic” syndrome X MSX) and normal controls.
BACKGROUND
Previous studies have found high endothelin-1 levels, impaired endothelium-dependent vasodilation and insulin resistance in patients with angina pectoris and angiographically normal coronary arteries. On the other hand, subjects with insulin resistance syndrome have shown high endothelin-1 levels.
METHODS
Thirty-five subjects were studied: 13 patients with angina pectoris and angiographically normal coronary arteries (CSX group); 9 subjects with insulin resistance syndrome (MSX group) and 13 normal controls. All subjects received an acute intravenous bolus of insulin (0.1 U/kg) combined with a euglycemic clamp and forearm indirect calorimetry. Endothelin-1 levels, nitrite/nitrate (NOx) levels, end products of nitric oxide metabolism, glucose infusion rates (index of insulin sensitivity) and their incremental areas (ΔAUCs area under curves) were measured during this period.
RESULTS
Basal endothelin-1 levels were higher in CSX and MSX groups than in normal controls (8.19 ± 0.46 and 6.97 ± 0.88 vs. 3.67 ± 0.99 pg/ml; p < 0.01), while basal NOx levels were significantly higher in MSX group than in CSX and normal controls (36.5 ± 4.0 vs. 24.2 ± 3.3 and 26.8 ± 3.2 mol/liter, p < 0.05). After insulin administration, the ΔAUCs of NOx (p < 0.05) were lower in CSX group than in MSX and normal controls, and the ΔAUCs of endothelin-1 were lower in group CSX than in normal controls. Glucose infusion rate was significantly lower in CSX and MSx groups than in normal controls (p < 0.01), suggesting that in both CSX and MSX groups insulin resistance is present. A positive correlation was found between the ΔAUCs of nitric oxide and the AUCs of glucose infusion rate.
CONCLUSIONS
Blunted nitric oxide and endothelin responsiveness to intravenously infused insulin is a typical feature of patients with angina pectoris and angiographically normal coronary arteries and may contribute to the microvascular dysfunction observed in these subjects.
PDF
