The Association of Il28b Genotype with the Histological Features of Chronic Hepatitis C Is HCV Genotype Dependent

The interleukin 28B (IL28B) rs12979860 polymorphism is associated with treatment outcome in hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotype 1 and 4 patients. Its association with the histological features of chronic hepatitis C and disease severity needs further clarifications. To assess the correlation between IL28B genotype, HCV genotype and liver biopsy findings in untreated patients.

Materials and Methods

Pre-treatment liver biopsies from 335 HCV Caucasian patients (59% males, age 50 years) enrolled in the MIST study were staged for fibrosis and inflammation according to the METAVIR and the Ishak scoring systems; steatosis was dichotomized as <5% or ≥5%. IL28B was typed by Taqman Single Nucleotide Polymorphism (SNP) genotyping assay. HCV genotype was 1 in 151 (45%), 2 in 99 (30%), 3 in 50 (15%) and 4 in 35 (10%) patients. IL28B genotype was CC in 117 (34%), CT in 166 (49%) and TT in 52 (15%). At univariate analysis, the IL28B CC genotype was associated with severe portal inflammation in HCV-1 patients (CC vs. CT/TT: 86% vs. 63%, p = 0.005), severe lobular inflammation in HCV-2 patients (CC vs. CT/TT: 44% vs. 23%, p = 0.03), and less fatty infiltration in HCV-1 patients (CC vs. CT/TT: 72% vs. 51%, p = 0.02). Despite the lack of any association between IL28B and fibrosis stage, in HCV-3 patients IL28B CC correlated with METAVIR F3–F4 (CC vs. CT/TT: 74% vs. 26%, p = 0.05). At multivariate analysis, the genotype CC remained associated with severe portal inflammation in HCV-1, only (Odds Ratio (OR): 95% Confidence Interval (CI): 3.24 (1.23–8.51)). IL28B genotype is associated with the histological features of chronic hepatitis C in a HCV genotype dependent manner, with CC genotype being independently associated with severe portal inflammation.     

A low-power 2nd-order CT delta-sigma modulator with a single operational amplifier

We present a 2nd-order 4-bit continuous-time (CT) delta-sigma modulator (DSM) employing a 2nd-order loop filter with a single operational amplifier. This choice strongly reduces the power consumption, since operational amplifiers are the most power hungry blocks in the DSM. The DSM has been implemented in a 65 nm CMOS process, where it occupies an area of \(0.08\,\hbox {mm}^2\) . It achieves an SNDR of 64 dB over a 500 kHz signal bandwidth with an oversampling ratio of 16. The power consumption is \(76\,\upmu \hbox {W}\) from a 800 mV power supply. The DSM figure-of-merit is 59 fJ/conversion. The CT DSM is well suited for the receiver of an ultra-low-power radio.     

Data driven analysis of functional brain networks in fMRI for schizophrenia investigation

The purpose of this article is to present a methodology to identify the sources of activity in brain networks from functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data using the multiset canonical correlation analysis algorithm. The aim is to lay the foundations for a screening marker to be used as indicator of mental diseases. Group analysis blind source separation methods have proved reliable to extract the latent sources underlying the brain activities but currently there is no recognized biomarker for mental disorders. Recent studies have identified alterations in the so called default mode network (DMN) that are common to several neuropsychiatric disorders, including schizophrenia. In particular, here we account for the hypothesis that the alterations in the DMN activity can be effectively highlighted by analyzing the transient states between two different tasks. A set of fMRI data acquired from 18 subjects performing working memory tasks is investigated for such purpose. Subjects are patients affected by schizophrenia for one half and healthy control subjects for the other. Under these conditions, the proposed methodology provides high discrimination performances in terms of classification error, thereby providing promising results for a preliminary tool able to monitor the disease state or to perform a prescreening for patients at risk for schizophrenia. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Imaging Syst Technol, 24, 239–248, 2014     

Design and characterization of a chitosan physical gel promoting wound healing in mice

In this study, a sterile and biocompatible chitosan (CHI) gel for wound healing applications was formulated. CHI powder was treated in autoclave (ttCHI) to prepare sterile formulations. The heat treatment modified the CHI molecular weight, as evidenced by GPC analysis, and its physical–chemical features. Differential scanning calorimetry studies indicated that the macromolecules, before and after thermal treatment, differ in the strength of water-polymer interaction leading to different viscoelastic and flow properties. Thermally treated CHI exhibited the following effects: (i) increased the proliferation and migration of human foreskin foetal fibroblasts at 24 h; (ii) accelerated wound healing (measured as area of lesion) at 3 and 10 days in an in vivo model of pressure ulcers. These effects were linked to the increase of the hydroxyproline and haemoglobin content as well as Wnt protein expression. Moreover, we found a reduction of myeloperoxidase activity and TNF-α mRNA expression. These observations suggest the potential of this novel CHI gel in wound healing and other therapeutic applications.     

Bunsen reaction and hydriodic phase purification in the sulfur-iodine process: An experimental investigation

This paper reports an investigation on the Bunsen reaction. An experimental campaign was conducted by means of a stirred reactor. Runs were carried out at a constant temperature in the 30-120 °C range, following a semi-batch procedure by feeding gaseous sulfur dioxide in an iodine/hydriodic acid/water solution. A specific analytical procedure to measure the hydriodic phase composition was implemented. It was observed that both the amount of absorbed SO₂ and its conversion lowered as the temperature increased. Secondary reactions were beyond the detection limit in the reactor, even at low temperature and low iodine content. The purification of the produced hydriodic phase was also investigated. It was possible to satisfactorily reduce the impurities content without the occurrence of secondary reactions only when high temperature and high iodine content were applied.     

Postharvest evaluation of soilless-grown table grape during storage in modified atmosphere

BACKGROUND: Soilless growth systems, developed mainly for vegetables and ornamental crops, have also been used recently as an alternative to soil culture for table grape in order to achieve optimal production performance. In this study, sensory, physical and chemical parameters were analysed in table grapes obtained from soil and soilless growth systems at harvest and during storage in air or modified atmosphere. RESULTS: At harvest, soilless‐grown berries were 30% firmer than those grown in soil. Moreover, they showed 60% higher antioxidant activity and total phenol content than soil‐grown fruits. Modified atmosphere storage resulted in a better quality of table grapes compared with those stored in air. Furthermore, soilless growth was more suitable than soil growth for preserving visual quality and controlling rachis browning and weight loss. CONCLUSION: Since the soilless system produces berries that are cleaner and of higher quality than those grown in soil, the implementation of soilless growth for the production of health‐promoting and convenience fruits is suggested. Copyright © 2011 Society of Chemical Industry     

Very Low Degree of Energetic Disorder as the Origin of High Mobility in an n‐channel Polymer Semiconductor

Charge transport is investigated in high‐mobility n‐channel organic field‐effect transistors (OFETs) based on poly{[N,N′‐bis(2‐octyldodecyl)‐naphthalene‐1,4,5,8‐bis(dicarboximide)‐2,6‐diyl]‐alt‐5,5′‐(2,2′‐bithiophene)} (P(NDI2OD‐T2), Polyera ActivInk? N2200) with variable‐temperature electrical measurements and charge‐modulation spectroscopy. Results indicate an unusually uniform energetic landscape of sites for charge‐carrier transport along the channel of the transistor as the main reason for the observed high‐electron mobility. Consistent with a lateral field‐independent transport at temperatures down to 10 K, the reorganization energy is proposed to play an important role in determining the activation energy for the mobility. Quantum chemical calculations, which show an efficient electronic coupling between adjacent units and a reorganization energy of a few hundred meV, are consistent with these findings.     

Online comprehensive RPLC × RPLC with mass spectrometry detection for the analysis of proteome samples

LC-MS-based shotgun proteomics relies both on the power of the separation techniques and the sensitivity of detection methods. As a viable alternative to classical approaches in this field, we developed a fully automated, comprehensive 2D LC system, in which RPLC × RPLC was coupled to MS detection, for the first time, and applied for the analysis of tryptic digests obtained from α-casein and dephosphorylated α-casein. The use of a significantly different pH in the two dimensions allowed us to attain high peak capacity, despite the employment of novel identical stationary phases. Furthermore, such a combination addresses compatibility issues, thus allowing straightforward interfacing in online 2D LC configuration, as well as direct linkage to a mass spectrometer. A theoretical peak capacity of ca. 8500 was calculated for the setup, employing four serially coupled C18 columns in the first dimension (600 × 2.1 mm, 2.7 μm d.p.), operated under basic conditions, and 3 cm length of the same stationary phase (30 × 4.6 mm, 2.7 μm d.p. column), under acidic conditions, for fast second dimension analysis.     

Persistent organochlorine compounds in fetal and maternal tissues: evaluation of their potential influence on several indicators of fetal growth and health

Some organochlorine compounds, such as polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), have a tendency to bioaccumulate in humans and predators at the top of the food chain. We have recently confirmed the transplacental transfer of these compounds and the present study has been designed on the same material with the aim of investigating their potential health effects on newborns from 70 pregnant women, resident in a Northern Italy industrial town. Organochlorine compounds [namely, p,p′-dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (p,p′-DDT), p,p′-dichlorodiphenyldichloroethene (p,p′-DDE), hexachlorobenzene (HCB), and PCBs] have been analyzed both in cord and maternal serum, placenta, and maternal subcutaneous adipose tissue by GC-MSD. p,p′-DDT levels in the adipose tissue resulted significantly (p < 0.05) related to birth length. Mothers of neonates born by preterm programmed caesarean delivery showed significantly (p < 0.005 for both) higher serum p,p′-DDE serum concentrations and p,p′-DDT levels in the adipose tissue, as compared to mothers delivering at term.     

Hierarchically Structured Magnetic Nanoconstructs with Enhanced Relaxivity and Cooperative Tumor Accumulation

Iron oxide nanoparticles are formidable multifunctional systems capable of contrast enhancement in magnetic resonance imaging, guidance under remote fields, heat generation, and biodegradation. Yet, this potential is underutilized in that each function manifests at different nanoparticle sizes. Here, sub‐micrometer discoidal magnetic nanoconstructs are realized by confining 5 nm ultra‐small super‐paramagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (USPIOs) within two different mesoporous structures, made out of silicon and polymers. These nanoconstructs exhibit transversal relaxivities up to ≈10 times (r ₂ ≈ 835 mm ^?1 s^?1) higher than conventional USPIOs and, under external magnetic fields, collectively cooperate to amplify tumor accumulation. The boost in r ₂ relaxivity arises from the formation of mesoscopic USPIO clusters within the porous matrix, inducing a local reduction in water molecule mobility as demonstrated via molecular dynamics simulations. The cooperative accumulation under static magnetic field derives from the large amount of iron that can be loaded per nanoconstuct (up to ≈65 fg) and the consequential generation of significant inter‐particle magnetic dipole interactions. In tumor bearing mice, the silicon‐based nanoconstructs provide MRI contrast enhancement at much smaller doses of iron (≈0.5 mg of Fe kg^?1 animal) as compared to current practice.