Although the long term negative effects of bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) are well known, follow-up studies of preterm infants with BPD into childhood are lacking.
Forty-two preschool children (age ...range 3-6 years) who were born before 32 weeks of gestational age and affected by BPD were enrolled. Pre-, peri-, and post-natal data were collected. During the follow up appointment complete physical examination and lung function (impulse oscillometry (IOS)) were recorded. The European Community Respiratory Health Survey (ECRHS) questionnaire was administered to all enrolled subjects.
Thirty patients were included in the final analysis. The BPD group did not differ in comparison to the non-BPD group in terms of lung function (p > 0.05). By comparing all subjects enrolled, We detected extremely low-birth-weight (ELBW) infants with height-, weight-, and gender-related reference values and a significant trend of increasing resistance values (R5Hz, R5-20 Hz) and respiratory impedance (Z5Hz) (p < 0.05). No significant difference in bronchial reversibility test was observed among BPD non-BPD groups (p < 0.05). The frequency of gastroesophageal reflux disease was significantly higher in patients with BPD when compared to non-BPD group (p < 0.05). Significant differences in gestational age, oxygen supplementation (days), mechanical ventilation therapy (days), and sepsis between BPD and non-BPD groups were also observed (p < 0.05). There were no significant differences in the prevalence of family and personal history of atopy and/or allergic diseases, tobacco exposure, respiratory symptoms, respiratory syncytial virus bronchiolitis, exercise induced dyspnea, treatment with ß-2 bronchodilators and inhaled corticosteroids among the groups (p > 0.05).
The respiratory function in preschool children born with ELBW is characterized by an increase in impedance and resistance of small airways. No statistically significant differences were found between ELBW children with BPD and without BPD. With regards to the smallest gestational age, the longer duration of O
2
therapy during hospitalization, and sepsis significantly resulted in a worse respiratory function.
non-IgE and mixed gastrointestinal food allergies present various specific, well-characterized clinical pictures such as food protein-induced allergic proctocolitis, food protein-induced ...enterocolitis and food protein-induced enteropathy syndrome as well as eosinophilic gastrointestinal disorders such as eosinophilic esophagitis, allergic eosinophilic gastroenteritis and eosinophilic colitis. The aim of this article is to provide an updated review of their different clinical presentations, to suggest a correct approach to their diagnosis and to discuss the usefulness of both old and new diagnostic tools, including fecal biomarkers, atopy patch tests, endoscopy, specific IgG and IgG4 testing, allergen-specific lymphocyte stimulation test (ALST) and clinical score (CoMiss).
Bovine mastitis caused by Prototheca is a serious and complex problem that accounts for high economic losses in the dairy industry. The main objective of this study was to identify and characterize ...at genetic level different Prototheca strains and provide the most complete data about protothecal antibiotic resistance. The study involves 46 isolates from Italian (13 strains) and Brazilian (33 strains) mastitic milk. These strains were identified by multiplex PCR and single strand conformation polymorphism analysis and characterized by randomly amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD)-PCR. Moreover, biofilm production and antibiotic susceptibility were evaluated. Forty-two strains resulted as Prototheca zopfii genotype 2, whereas 4 isolates could belong to a potential new Prototheca species. The RAPD-PCR, performed with 3 primers (M13, OPA-4, and OPA-18), showed a notable heterogeneity among isolates and grouped the strains according to the species and geographical origin. Biofilm production was species-dependent and P. zopfii genotype 2 strains were classified as strong biofilm producers. In vitro antibiotic susceptibility tests indicated that Prototheca strains were susceptible to antibacterial drugs belonging to aminoglycosides group; the highest activity against Prototheca strains was observed in the case of colistin sulfate, gentamicin, and netilmicin (100% of susceptible strains). It is interesting to note that all the Italian P. zopfii genotype 2 strains showed lower minimum inhibitory concentration values than the Brazilian ones. Nisin showed more efficacy than lysozyme and potassium sorbate, inhibiting 31% of the strains. Results obtained in this study confirmed that RAPD-PCR is a rapid, inexpensive, and highly discriminating tool for Prototheca strains characterization and could give a good scientific contribution for better understanding the protothecal mastitis in dairy herd.
Emerging evidence highlights the several roles that meninges play in relevant brain functions as they are a protective membrane for the brain, produce and release several trophic factors important ...for neural cell migration and survival, control cerebrospinal fluid dynamics, and embrace numerous immune interactions affecting neural parenchymal functions. Furthermore, different groups have identified subsets of neural progenitors residing in the meninges during development and in the adulthood in different mammalian species, including humans. Interestingly, these immature neural cells are able to migrate from the meninges to the neural parenchyma and differentiate into functional cortical neurons or oligodendrocytes. Immature neural cells residing in the meninges promptly react to brain disease. Injury-induced expansion and migration of meningeal neural progenitors have been observed following experimental demyelination, traumatic spinal cord and brain injury, amygdala lesion, stroke, and progressive ataxia. In this review, we summarize data on the function of meninges as stem cell niche and on the presence of immature neural cells in the meninges, and discuss their roles in brain health and disease. Furthermore, we consider the potential exploitation of meningeal neural progenitors for the regenerative medicine to treat neurological disorders.
5-methyl cytosine (5mC) is a key epigenetic mark entwined with gene expression and the specification of cellular phenotypes. Its distribution around gene promoters sets a barrier for transcriptional ...enhancers or inhibitor proteins binding to their target sequences. As a result, an additional level of regulation is added to the signals that organize the access to the chromatin and its structural components. The tumor suppressor gene
is a microtubule-associated and multitasking scaffold protein communicating with the RAS pathway, estrogen receptor signaling, and Hippo pathway.
action stimulates mitotic arrest, DNA repair and apoptosis, and controls the cell cycle and cell migration. De novo methylation of the
promoter has received much attention due to its increased frequency in most cancer types.
methylation is preceded by histones modifications and could represent an early molecular event in cell transformation. Accordingly,
methylation is proposed as an epigenetic candidate marker in many cancer types, even though an inverse correlation of methylation and expression remains to be fully ascertained. Some findings indicate that the epigenetic abrogation of
can promote the alternative expression of the putative oncogenic isoform
. Understanding the complexity and significance of
methylation is instrumental for a more accurate determination of its biological and clinical role. The review covers the molecular events implicated in
methylation and gene silencing and provides a deeper view into the significance of the
methylation patterns in a number of gastrointestinal cancer types.
Dietary supplementation of essential amino acids (EAAs) has been shown to promote healthspan. EAAs regulate, in fact, glucose and lipid metabolism and energy balance, increase mitochondrial ...biogenesis, and maintain immune homeostasis. Basic science and epidemiological results indicate that dietary macronutrient composition affects healthspan through multiple and integrated mechanisms, and their effects are closely related to the metabolic status to which they act. In particular, EAA supplementation can trigger different and even opposite effects depending on the catabolic and anabolic states of the organisms. Among others, gut-associated microbial communities (referred to as gut microbiota) emerged as a major regulator of the host metabolism. Diet and host health influence gut microbiota, and composition of gut microbiota, in turn, controls many aspects of host health, including nutrient metabolism, resistance to infection, and immune signals. Altered communication between the innate immune system and the gut microbiota might contribute to complex diseases. Furthermore, gut microbiota and its impact to host health change largely during different life phases such as lactation, weaning, and aging. Here we will review the accumulating body of knowledge on the impact of dietary EAA supplementation on the host metabolic health and healthspan from a holistic perspective. Moreover, we will focus on the current efforts to establish causal relationships among dietary EAAs, gut microbiota, and health during human development.
Abstract
Italian society is undergoing significant demographic changes: on one hand, the widespread decrease in birth rates and extended life expectancies lead to a substantial aging of the ...population; on the other hand, rising immigration rates constitute an important factor behind the renewal and growth of young population segments. According to conventional disciplinary divisions, such changes are the established domain of demography; however, it mainly draws on ethno‐national categories to investigate them. In reference to the Italian context, this article specifically highlights the way national demography employs forecasts and value judgments derived from a qualitative and selective definition of population to address the marked increase in children born to foreign parents. By examining the reproductive behaviours of migrants in
I
taly, the article thus offers a wide‐ranging reflection on the social boundaries that shape the formation of an ‘other’ generation.
vitamin D influences the immune system and the inflammatory response. It is known that vitamin D supplementation reduces the risk of acute respiratory tract infection. In the last two years, many ...researchers have investigated vitamin D’s role in the pathophysiology of COVID-19 disease.
the findings obtained from clinical trials and systematic reviews highlight that most patients with COVID-19 have decreased vitamin D levels and low levels of vitamin D increase the risk of severe disease. This evidence seems to be also confirmed in the pediatric population.
further studies (systematic review and meta-analysis) conducted on children are needed to confirm that vitamin D affects COVID-19 outcomes and to determine the effectiveness of supplementation and the appropriate dose, duration and mode of administration.
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Sustainable exploitation of agro-industrial by-products has attracted great interest in cereal bran valorization. In this research, a polyphasic approach has been carried out to characterize maize ...bran at microbiological and chemical level during a sourdough like fermentation process, in order to enhance its technological and nutritional properties. Autochthonous microbiota was isolated at different refreshment steps and subjected to identification and molecular characterization. Fermentation was characterized by a rapid increase in lactic acid bacteria and yeasts, with a co-dominance, at the initial stage, of
Weissella
spp.,
Pediococcus
spp. and
Wickerhamomyces anomalus.
At the end of the fermentation, a natural selection was produced, with the prevalence of
Lactobacillus plantarum
,
Lactobacillus brevis
and
Kazachstania unispora.
This is the first time that a specific association between LAB and yeasts is reported, during the maize bran fermentation process. Enzymatic activities related to this microbial consortium promoted a “destructuration” of the fiber fraction, an increase in soluble dietary fiber and a reduction of phytic acid content. Our data also evidenced a noticeable increment in ferulic acid. The results obtained indicate that fermentation processes represent an efficient biotechnological approach to increase nutritional and functional potential of maize bran. Moreover, the characterization of microbiota involved in natural fermentation process will allow the selection of specific biotypes, with appropriate metabolic and enzymatic activities, to conduct “tailored” fermentation processes and improve brans or whole-meal flours from both nutritional and technological points of view.
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