Synthesis and Characterization of Segmented Poly(ether ester)s Containing H‐Bonding Units

A series of poly(ether ester)s containing different H‐bonding units (amide, carbamate, urea) was prepared by polycondensation in bulk, using Ti(OBu)₄ as a catalyst. The copolymers were obtained starting from PEG1000, 1,4‐butanediol, and a symmetrical, bis‐ester terminated monomer carrying H‐bonding units. These materials were designed for biomedical applications, in which ultimate biodegradability of the materials is required. The influence of the nature of the H‐bonding unit and of the length of the methylene spacer between H‐bonding groups on the thermal and solubility properties of copolymers was investigated. Amide containing copolymers were more thermally stable than ones containing carbamate, consistent with the observed behavior of the corresponding monomers. In most cases, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) traces were quite complex because of phase separation and dependent on the applied cooling rate. Copolymers containing urea bonds were less soluble in most organic solvents, but their thermal properties were not significantly different than their amide containing counterparts.

Synthesis of amide‐based diester monomers.     

A novel mutation of varicella-zoster virus associated to fatal hepatitis.

BACKGROUND: Lethal varicella in immunocompetent hosts is rare and its pathogenesis is largely unknown. The discovery of glycoprotein E (gE) mutants showing attributes consistent with increased virulence in vitro and in animal models, provided a possible molecular mechanism underlying a more aggressive virus infection. However, these mutants have never been associated with unusually severe clinical cases. OBJECTIVES: To varicella-zoster virus (VZV) mutations that correlate with increased virulence. RESULTS: We report a case of fatal hepatitis caused by a VZV bearing a novel mutation on the 3B3 monoclonal antibody epitope of gE in an immunocompetent host. CONCLUSIONS: This report describes a mutant VZV responsible for an aggressive clinical course in an immunocompetent host. Linking these severe clinical presentations of VZV infection to virus mutations might provide insights into the underlying pathogenic mechanisms.     

Investigation of Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) A receptors genes and migraine susceptibility

Background  

Migraine is a neurological disorder characterized by recurrent attacks of severe headache, affecting around 12% of Caucasian populations. It is well known that migraine has a strong genetic component, although the number and type of genes involved is still unclear. Prior linkage studies have reported mapping of a migraine gene to chromosome Xq 24–28, a region containing a cluster of genes for GABA A receptors (GABRE, GABRA3, GABRQ), which are potential candidate genes for migraine. The GABA neurotransmitter has been implicated in migraine pathophysiology previously; however its exact role has not yet been established, although GABA receptors agonists have been the target of therapeutic developments. The aim of the present research is to investigate the role of the potential candidate genes reported on chromosome Xq 24–28 region in migraine susceptibility. In this study, we have focused on the subunit GABA A receptors type ε (GABRE) and type θ (GABRQ) genes and their involvement in migraine.     

Use of emergency medical service in acute myocardial infarction in an Italian Northeastern region

Journal of Public Health - This study aimed at assessing emergency medical service (EMS) use by patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI), factors associated with EMS use, and outcomes in the...     

Three-Year Follow-Up of the POIBA Intervention on Childhood Obesity: A Quasi-Experimental Study

Childhood obesity has increased worldwide over the past four decades. This quasi-experimental study aimed to assess the effectiveness of a multicomponent and multilevel school-based intervention (POIBA) at 3 years of follow-up. The nutrition intervention focused on food groups, food pyramid, nutrients, portions, and balanced menus. In total, 3624 children participated in the study. Anthropometric measurements and information on food frequency and behavior, physical activity, and daily screen use were collected in the intervention (IG) and comparison group (CG). Positive unadjusted changes toward adherence to recommendations were found for water, meat, sweets, and fried potato consumption, proper breakfast, not having dinner in front of the TV, out-of-school physical activity, and daily screen use. Three scores were used to calculate the proportion of children making more than one change to improve healthy habits regarding physical activity (global Activity score), nutrition (global Nutrition score), and both (global score). Students exposed to the intervention had a significantly better global Activity score (16.2% IG vs. 11.9% CG; p = 0.012) and Global score (63.9% IG vs. 58.5% CG; p = 0.025). Intervention effects on obesity incidence at 3-year follow-up lost significance but maintained the positive trend. In conclusion, school-based interventions including a family component could be useful to address the childhood obesity problem.     

Polyphenols and Human Health: The Role of Bioavailability

Polyphenols are a group of phytochemicals with potential health-promoting effects. They are classified as flavonoid (flavonols, flavanols, flavones, flavanones, isoflavones, and anthocyanins) and non-flavonoid molecules (phenolic acids, hydroxycinnamic acids, lignans, stilbenes, and tannins). Although an increasing number of trials have shown a correlation among polyphenol consumption and a reduction in risk factors for chronic diseases, discrepancies in explaining their positive effects have been found in terms of the bioavailability. In fact, polyphenols show a low bioavailability due to several factors: interaction with the food matrix, the metabolic processes mediated by the liver (phase I and II metabolism), intestine and microbiota. On the other hand, the biological activities of phenol compounds may be mediated by their metabolites, which are produced in vivo, and recent studies have confirmed that these molecules may have antioxidant and anti-phlogistic properties. This review discusses the studies performed in vivo, which consider the polyphenol bioavailability and their different food sources. Factors influencing the biological effects of the main classes of polyphenols are also considered.     

Effects of Late-Life Caloric Restriction on Age-Related Alterations in the Rat Cortex and Hippocampus

Background: A major problem of aging is the disruption of metabolic homeostasis. This is particularly relevant in the brain where it provokes neurodegeneration. Caloric restriction is a physiologic intervention known to delay the deleterious consequences of aging in several species ranging from yeast to mammals. To date, most studies on experimental models have started this dietary intervention from weaning, which is very difficult to be translated to human beings. Here, we study the effects of a more realistic dietary regimen in rats, starting at an advanced age and lasting for six months. Methods: we analyzed in the cortex and hippocampus, the proteins involved in the energetic balance of the cells, cholesterol metabolism, oxidative stress response, inflammation, synaptic impairment, and brain trophism. Results: our results suggest that caloric restriction in late life can revert only some age-related changes studied here.     

Free Fatty Acids Signature in Human Intestinal Disorders: Significant Association between Butyric Acid and Celiac Disease

Altered circulating levels of free fatty acids (FFAs), namely short chain fatty acids (SCFAs), medium chain fatty acids (MCFAs), and long chain fatty acids (LCFAs), are associated with metabolic, gastrointestinal, and malignant diseases. Hence, we compared the serum FFA profile of patients with celiac disease (CD), adenomatous polyposis (AP), and colorectal cancer (CRC) to healthy controls (HC). We enrolled 44 patients (19 CRC, 9 AP, 16 CD) and 16 HC. We performed a quantitative FFA evaluation with the gas chromatography–mass spectrometry method (GC–MS), and we performed Dirichlet-multinomial regression in order to highlight disease-specific FFA signature. HC showed a different composition of FFAs than CRC, AP, and CD patients. Furthermore, the partial least squares discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) confirmed perfect overlap between the CRC and AP patients and separation of HC from the diseased groups. The Dirichlet-multinomial regression identified only strong positive association between CD and butyric acid. Moreover, CD patients showed significant interactions with age, BMI, and gender. In addition, among patients with the same age and BMI, being male compared to being female implies a decrease of the CD effect on the (log) prevalence of butyric acid in FFA composition. Our data support GC–MS as a suitable method for the concurrent analysis of circulating SCFAs, MCFAs, and LCFAs in different gastrointestinal diseases. Furthermore, and notably, we suggest for the first time that butyric acid could represent a potential biomarker for CD screening.