Is leptin sensitivity the link between smoking cessation and weight gain?

We performed a case-control study to investigate the association of the poor metaboliser genotype of the cytochrome P450 2D6 gene with Parkinson's disease (PD). Genotyping was determined by the polymerase chain reaction followed by digestion with restriction enzymes. The poor metaboliser genotype was more frequent in 112 patients with PD than in 206 matched controls (odds ratio 1.7, 95% CI: 0.94-2.45). A meta-analysis of these results together with ten other published studies gave a pooled odds ratio for the poor metaboliser genotype of 1.47 (95% CI: 1.18-1.96, P=0.01). Thus, the poor metaboliser genotype has a small but highly significant association with PD which would be easily missed in small studies. Research now should focus on the mechanism of this association.     

Radiation processing with the Messina electron linac

In the last decades radiation processing has been more and more applied in several fields of industrial treatments and scientific research as a safe, reliable and economic technique. In order to improve existing industrial techniques and to develop new applications of this technology, at the Physics Department of Messina University a high power 5 MeV electron linac has been studied and set-up.The main features of the accelerating structure will be described together with the distinctive features of the delivered beam and several results obtained by electron beam irradiations, such as improvement of the characteristics of polymers and polymer composite materials, synthesis of new hydrogels for pharmaceutical and biomedical applications, reclaim of culture ground, sterilization of medical devices, development of new dosimeters for very high doses and dose rates required for monitoring of industrial irradiations.     

Effects of protein-surface interactions on protein ion signals in MALDI mass spectrometry

The influence of polymer surface-protein binding affinity on protein ion signals in matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization (MALDI) mass spectrometry is examined. The surfaces of poly(vinylidene fluoride) and poly(ethylene terephthalate) polymer substrates are modified by pulsed rf plasma deposition of allylamine. By varying the on/off duty cycle of the pulsed rf plasma, the polymer substrate surfaces are coated with thin films having varying densities of surface amine groups. The varying surface amine density is shown to lead to systematic changes in the surface binding affinity for the 125I-radiolabeled peptides angiotensin I and porcine insulin. Unlabeled angiotensin I and porcine insulin are then deposited on the pulsed rf plasma-modified substrates and analyzed by MALDI mass spectrometry. The experimental approach involves applying the peptide to the modified polymer surface in an aqueous phosphate-buffered saline solution and allowing the peptide solution to dry completely under ambient conditions. Subsequently, the MALDI matrix alpha-cyano-4-hydroxycinnamic acid in methanol and 10% trifluoroacetic acid in water are added to the peptide-coated modified polymer surfaces. The results of these studies demonstrate that, for the sample preparation method employed, increases in the surface peptide binding affinity lead to decreases in the peptide MALDI ion signal.     

Identification of seven Treponema species in health- and disease-associated dental plaque by nested PCR

Species-specific nested PCR was used to detect Treponema amylovorum, Treponema denticola, Treponema maltophilum, Treponema medium, Treponema pectinovorum, Treponema socranskii, and Treponema vincentii in dental plaque. Subjects with periodontitis harbored all species, but T. pectinovorum and T. vincentii were not found in plaque from disease-free subjects.     

Assessment of atrial septal defect morphology by transthoracic three dimensional echocardiography using standard grey scale and Doppler myocardial imaging techniques: comparison with magnetic resonance imaging and intraoperative findings

The properties of chemically cured and light-cured composite resins were recorded at baseline and at intervals over seven years, while the materials were exposed to controlled storage conditions as well as to various conditions typical of clinical situations. For chemically cured resins in clinical conditions, mechanical properties decreased, and working and setting times increased over four years; if refrigerated (controlled), properties remained constant past seven years. For light-cured resins, test results were constant over the entire seven-year test period regardless of storage conditions. An accelerated aging protocol was developed to allow for the evaluation of the relative storage stability of new and similar materials.