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Biomedical subjects

M Nardone

Publications and source records attributed to M Nardone.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2005

Inhibition of p38 mitogen activated protein kinase controls airway inflammation in cystic fibrosis.

BACKGROUND: Cystic fibrosis (CF) airways are characterised by chronic inflammation, increased interleukin (IL)-8 secretion, and neutrophil activation which are considered the principal factors of morbidity and mortality in CF patients. Optimising management of this chronic inflammatory response is therefore a key issue of basic and clinical CF research. Several reports have addressed ways to manage CF airways inflammation, and an attractive therapeutic strategy may be the inhibition of the p38-mitogen activated protein kinase (p38-MAP-k) pathway. METHODS: A new ex vivo model was used to study the mucosal inflammatory response to environmental airways stimuli. Nasal biopsy tissues from CF patients and controls were cultured ex vivo for 20 minutes, 4 hours, and 24 hours in the presence of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) from Pseudomonas aeruginosa (PA) with and without the p38-MAP-k inhibitor SB203580. Quantitative mRNA assessment, immunohistochemistry, and Western blots were used to detect the expression and modulation of inflammatory markers. RESULTS: PA-LPS challenge induced a time dependent mucosal inflammation indicated by rapid epithelial activation, IL-8 release, COX-2 upregulation, and neutrophil migration to the upper mucosal layers. Some of these LPS induced changes (IL-8 release and neutrophil migration) were specific to CF tissues. SB203580 significantly controlled all LPS induced mucosal changes in CF tissues. CONCLUSION: These findings provide a rationale and proof of principle for the potential use of p38-MAP-k inhibitors to control inflammation in patients with CF.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2004

Collective dynamics in molten potassium: an inelastic x-ray scattering study.

The high-frequency collective dynamics of molten potassium has been investigated by inelastic x-ray scattering, disclosing an energy/momentum transfer region unreachable by previous inelastic neutron scattering (INS) experiments. We find that a two-step relaxation scenario, similar to that found in other liquid metals, applies to liquid potassium. In particular, we show how the sound velocity determined by INS experiments, exceeding the hydrodynamic value by approximately 30%, is the higher limit of a speedup, located in the momentum region 1 < Q < 3 nm(-1), which marks the departure from the isothermal value. We point out how this phenomenology is the consequence of a microscopic relaxation process that, in turn, can be traced back to the presence of "instantaneous" disorder, rather than to the crossover from a liquid to solidlike response.

Journal Article↗
PubMed2003

Clinical characteristics and genotype analysis of patients with cystic fibrosis and nasal polyposis.

The prevalence of nasal polyps in a group of paediatric patients with cystic fibrosis was prospectively studied in comparison with a control group with cystic fibrosis but without polyps. Clinical variables, including pulmonary function tests, skin testing and mucociliary transport, were carried out in both groups, as well as genotype analysis. Endoscopic intranasal evaluation identified polyps in 29 of 89 patients (33%). Statistical analysis revealed that patients with nasal polyposis had better pulmonary function, a higher rate of Pseudomonas aeruginosa colonization, more hospitalizations, and more prevalence of allergy to Aspergillus fumigatus than did the comparison group. We found no statistically different genotype distribution between the polyposis and the control group. However, it can be emphasized that the prevalence of the compound heterozygous genotype is higher in the nasal polyposis group than in controls. Our observations suggest that other genetic and environmental factors could play an important role in the development of nasal polyposis.

Child↗
PubMed2002

[Pleomorphic adenoma in unusual anatomic sites: case reports and review of literature].

Pleomorphic adenoma is the most common neoplasm of the major salivary glands, in particular of the parotid gland. Only occasionally can it be found in the cervicofacial area outside the major and minor salivary glands of the oral cavity. The present article describes three cases of pleomorphic adenoma, respectively of the external auditory canal, the nose, and the larynx. The three tumors showed no clinical or radiological signs of malignancy and were surgically excised with a suitable margin of healthy tissue. Histologically, the typical features of pleomorphic adenoma were observed in the larynx case alone. The pleomorphic adenoma of the external auditory canal evidenced an extensive apocrine glandular component; the neoplasm of the nose was itself characterized by ample proliferation of fused cells. Immunohistochemical findings revealed focal or widespread positivity to cytokeratin, S100 protein and muscle-specific actin in both the epithelial and mesenchymal components of the neoplasm. Cases of pleomorphic adenoma in sites other than the major salivary glands show clinical and radiological signs of benignity. Their histopathological identification is, however, not always straightforward; immunohistochemistry can contribute significantly to the formulation of a definitive diagnosis and to the realization of an appropriate follow-up.

Adenoma, Pleomorphic↗
PubMed2001

Quantum effects in the dynamics of He probed by inelastic x-ray scattering.

Quantum effects in the teraherz dynamics of supercritical 4He have been studied as a function of both density rho and temperature T; they have been characterized through their effects on the second and third spectral moments of the dynamic structure factor S(Q, omega), measured by the inelastic x-ray scattering (IXS) technique. The IXS spectra were collected in the low-Q region below and around the position of the first diffraction peak Q(m), i.e., in a range relatively unusual in this kind of investigation. The measured spectral moments clearly show a departure from their high-T classical expected values. We observe, moreover, that the amplitude of quantum deviations increases slightly with increasing density. This experimental method allows us to extract, even in a region where the dynamics still maintains a collective character, such typical single particle properties as the mean atomic kinetic energy.

Journal Article↗
PubMed2001

Deep-inelastic neutron scattering determination of the single-particle kinetic energy in solid and liquid 3He.

An experimental determination of the single-particle mean kinetic energies for 3He along the T = 2.00 K isotherm in the dense liquid and in the solid hcp and bcc phases is reported. Deep-inelastic neutron scattering measurements at exchanged wave vectors ranging from 90.0 to 140.0 A(-1) have been performed in order to evaluate, within the framework of the impulse approximation, the molar volume dependence of the kinetic energy. The results are found in excellent agreement with recent diffusion Monte Carlo simulations.

Journal Article↗
PubMed2001

Anomalous high pressure dependence of the Jahn-Teller phonon in La(0.75)Ca(0.25)MnO(3).

Raman spectra of La(0.75)Ca(0.25)MnO(3) have been collected for the first time over a wide pressure range (0-14 GPa) using a diamond anvil cell. The frequency range explored (200-1100 cm(-1)) and the very good quality of the data allowed us to carefully analyze the pressure evolution of the phonon modes of the MnO(6) octahedra. The results show an abrupt transition at approximately 7.5 GPa with an evident deviation from the linear trend of the frequency of the Jahn-Teller phonon versus the applied pressure, accompanied by a strong phonon broadening. This behavior disagrees with the predicted insulator to metal transition and, on the contrary, indicates the occurrence of a new unpredicted phase in the very high pressure regime.

Journal Article↗
PubMed2001

Incidence of autoimmune thyroiditis in interferon-alpha treated and untreated patients with chronic hepatitis C virus infection.

OBJECTIVES: To clarify the relationship between interferon-alpha (IFN-alpha) therapy and autoimmune thyroiditis in chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection, we investigated a selected number of patients without basal thyroid dysfunctions. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 130 patients (average age: 20-70), with chronic HCV infection and without basal clinical and laboratory signs of autoimmune thyroiditis were divided into two groups: IFN-alpha treated (A) and untreated (B) patients. Group A received IFN-alpha (three million U.I./3 times a week) for six months; group B was followed for the same period. Thyroid peroxidase and thyroglobulin autoantibodies were measured by radioimmunoassay; thyroid function was measured by radioimmunoassay (free thyroxine and triiodothyronine) and immunoradiometric assay (thyroid stimulating hormone). RESULTS: After a 6-month period, thyroid autoantibodies positivity was documented in 21.1% of group A and in 10.3% of group B patients, both statistically relevant (p<0.001 and p<0.011, respectively). The comparison between the two groups was not statistically relevant (p=0.142). CONCLUSIONS: Our study showed a prevalence of de novo thyroid autoimmunity in chronic HCV patients treated with IFN-alpha, confirming previous data in literature. The lack of a significant difference between treated and untreated patients strongly suggests that the anti-thyroid autoimmune response is linked to the HCV infection itself. Moreover, IFN-alpha therapy probably does not represent a risk factor in renewing the autoimmune processes of the thyroid gland. Thyroid function and autoantibodies must be systematically monitored in patients with HCV infection, especially in female and IFN-alpha treated population, not only to verify the possible thyroid abnormalities but also to rule out concomitant autoimmune diseases.

Adult↗
PubMed1991

A centromeric satellite DNA in the European plethodontid salamanders (Amphibia, Urodela).

A highly repeated satellite DNA (Hy500) located in the centromeric heterochromatin of the European plethodontid salamander Speleomantes (formerly Hydromantes) was studied. The Hy500 family represents about 1% of the Speleomantes supramontis genome and has a major repeating unit of about 500 base pairs, which may have evolved from the progressive amplification of shorter sequences. This centromeric satellite is conserved in all the Speleomantes species, which nevertheless show distinct patterns of chromosomal distribution, which are of relevance as to their phylogenetic relationships.

Animals↗