Epidermal Langerhans cells (LCs) show extraordinary immunostimulatory capacity and play a key role in the initiation and regulation of immune responses. Studies of LC biology are currently the focus ...of efforts to engineer immune responses and to better understand the immunopathology of cutaneous diseases. Here we identified and characterized a population of LC precursors that were resident in human skin. These immediate precursors expressed CD14, langerin and functional CCR6. When cultured with transforming growth factor beta -1 alone, they had the potential to differentiate into epidermal LCs; when cultured in the presence of granulocyte macrophage-colony-stimulating factor and interleukin 4 they differentiated into functionally mature dendritic cells. Identification and characterization of these LC precursors provided insight into LC biology and the mechanism(s) through which LCs repopulate the epidermis.
High dietary protein intake, in the past recommended for nephrotic syndrome, does not improve hypoproteinemia and may accelerate progressive renal damage. In contrast, low-protein diets reduce ...proteinuria and preserve renal function in experimental renal models of nephrotic syndrome. In this study, 20 steroid-resistant, nephrotic patients were treated with a pure vegetarian, low-protein diet, supplemented with essential amino acids and ketoanalogues (supplemented vegan diet, SVD) for 4.6 +/- 3.1 months. Before the study, these patients followed an unrestricted protein, low-sodium diet (LSD). Proteinuria, daily urea nitrogen excretion and creatinine clearance decreased significantly on SVD. A similar lowering effect of SVD was observed on serum total cholesterol. Seven of the 20 patients changed from LSD to SVD and vice-versa on 3 occasions, and in all cases, we found an increase of proteinuria during the LSD period. Serum albumin, HDL cholesterol, triglycerides and anthropometric measurements did not change on SVD. Our data suggest that SVD exerts a favorable effect on proteinuria and hypercholesterolemia in nephrotic patients, without inducing clinical or laboratory signs of malnutrition.
The binding of copper ion to the surfaces of the marine diatom Phaeodactylum tricornutum was studied in seawater pH 8. The cell wall complexing capacity and the average surface complex formation ...constant were determined by voltammetric titration curves. The presence of biotic particles at a concentration of 2.7 X 10
6
cells mL
−1
does not hinder the measurement of stripping currents and the voltammetric fraction of non-reducible copper is the same as the copper bound to the cell surfaces as measured by atomic absorption spectrometry.
Morelli: The author illustrates a type of thoracoplastic operation effected through the axillary way, which consists of freeing completely the upper lobe by eliminating the first five ribs, by means ...of posterior disarticulation.
Thus an homogenous detensive and concentric collapse is obtained at the level of the affected side, equivalent to an elective extrafascial pneumothorax (atmospheric pneumothorax).
Through this intervention, any tuberculous lesion localized in the upper lobe, either with a prevailing exudative or productive character, with acute or chronic evolution, unilateral or bilateral, micro-ulcerative or widely excavated is eligible for treatment.
Di Paola: The intervention carried out by means of instruments conceived by Dr. Morelli, consists of the total exeresis, through the axillary way, of the first three ribs, their disarticulation from their vertebral attachment, and of the resection of the lateroposterior segments of the fourth and fifth rib, which are also disarticulated; of the lowering of the apex by extrafascial way and the fixation of the same by helicoidal suture; of extrapleural or extrafascial detachment of the lung in its latero-posterior side, starting from the sixth costal arch to the level of the healthy area of the lung. Detailed late results are given.
DPASV measurements of complexation capacity of seawater samples collected from the Tyrrhenian Sea during the period December 1981 - May 1982 are reported. The data analysis was performed by the ...direct least squares method implemented on the computer. The differences between this method and that of linear regression commonly reported in the literature are outlined. In particular, the method presented here allows consideration of the errors in the experimental measurements as well as calculation of the uncertainties in the estimates of complexation capacity (L
t
) and conditional stability constant (K
c
) parameters. The results show that the L
t
values for waters of the Tyrrhenian Sea range from 0.84-10
-7
mol(Cu)l
-1
to 2.97.10
7
mol(Cu)l
-1
, while difficulties arise in attributing an environmental significance to K
c
. This is to be related to the high error connected with its estimation through the titration method by DPASV.
Mechanical loss spectrum of aged AlMgSi alloys Xie, E. Carreño-Morelli, R., C.
Philosophical magazine. A, Physics of condensed matter. Defects and mechanical properties,
9/2001, Letnik:
81, Številka:
9
Journal Article
