Molecular Advances in Preeclampsia and HELLP Syndrome

Preeclampsia (PE) constitutes one of the principal reasons for maternal and perinatal morbidity and mortality worldwide. The circumstance typically implicates formerly healthful normotensive women, after 20 weeks of gestation, typically withinside the third trimester, without regarded threat elements or past deliveries. PE can be further complicated with hemolysis and thrombocytopenia, leading to the emergence of HELLP syndrome (Hemolysis, Elevated Liver enzymes, Low platelets). Both conditions are classified as hypertensive diseases of pregnancy (HDP), and their pathogenesis has been linked to an excessive maternal inflammatory response, accompanied by enhanced endothelial activation. Several studies have found that in pregnancies affected by PE/HELLP, von Willebrand factor (vWF) antigen levels (vWF:Ag) are significantly elevated, while its cleaving protease (ADAMTS-13, A Disintegrin-like and Metalloprotease with Thrombospondin type 1 motif, member 13) activity is normal to decreased. Furthermore, the higher urine excretion of the terminal complement complex C5b-9, as well as its greater deposition in the placental surface in preeclamptic women, imply that the utero-placental unit’s distinctive deficits are intimately tied to disproportionate complement activation. The goal of this updated evaluation is to provide the most up-to-date molecular advances in the pathophysiology of PE/HELLP syndromes. Recent medical data on vWF:Ag levels in patients with PE, ADAMTS-13, and dysregulation of the complement system, are highlighted and evaluated. Furthermore, we discuss the relationship between those entities and the progression of the disease, as well as their significance in the diagnostic process. Finally, considering the difficulties in analyzing and controlling those symptoms in pregnant women, we can provide a current diagnostic and therapeutic algorithm.     

Transgenic and knockout analyses of the role of TNF in immune regulation and disease pathogenesis

Transgenic mutagenesis in whole animals has become without doubt the most rewarding approach to analyse gene structure, expression, and function. In the TNF field, much of what we now question about TNF/TNF receptor function is based, to a large extent, on what we have already learned by overexpressing these molecules in transgenic mice or by ablating their expression in knockout systems. In addition, a clearer view of the involvement of these molecules in disease pathogenesis has emerged, and useful models for human disease have been generated. In this overview, we summarise our experience with TNF transgenic and knockout systems, and highlight advances made in our understanding of the role played by TNF and its receptors in immune regulation and in the pathogenesis of infectious, inflammatory, and autoimmune disease.     

Effects of curd heating with or without previous milk pasteurisation on the microbiological quality and safety of craft‐made ‘Pasta Filata’ Kashkaval cheese curds

An empirical ‘Pasta Filata’ process used for traditional Kashkaval cheese manufacture from raw ewes’ milk improved the hygiene of fresh curd. Coagulase‐positive (RPF+) staphylococci and coliforms declined by 2.4 and 4.5 log units, respectively, and Listeria contamination was minimised. Before Pasta Filata, RPF+ staphylococci exceeded the 5‐log threshold level specified in EC Regulation 1441/2007 in raw milk curds despite the prevalence of indigenous mesophilic lactic acid bacteria. Pasta Filata favoured enterococci in raw milk curds. Pasteurisation enhanced prevalence of Streptococcus thermophilus and Lactococcus lactis starters and microbial quality and safety of pasteurised milk curds before and particularly after Pasta Filata.     

Implementation of quality control methods (physico-chemical, microbiological and sensory) in conjunction with multivariate analysis towards fish authenticity

Nowadays authenticity of foods and fish in particular has become of crucial importance because of high number of adulteration cases. Authenticity control has gained ground thanks to the development of several rapid physico‐chemical and microbiological methods aiming at distinguishing one species from another based on solid scientific evidence. It has been proven that despite the precision and accuracy of robust analytical and protein and DNA‐based techniques, detection of authenticity could not be claimed without resorting to multivariate analysis. This review summarizes both the most advanced and state of the art used techniques for detecting fish and seafood authenticity (both in terms of species and geographical origin). Another issue reported in this review is the preservation of fish and seafood through the implementation of old and novel techniques (ice, modified atmosphere packaging). Several informative tables were included in this paper referring to the employed quality control and sensory analysis methods and multivariate analysis for fish and seafood.     

Fatty acid composition of raw caprine milk of a native Greek breed during lactation

The fatty acid (FA) and free fatty acid (FFA) profiles of caprine milk from a native Greek breed were investigated during a period of 6 months (January–June). The most abundant FAs were palmitic, oleic, stearic and capric. The short- and medium-chain FAs represented 17.5 and 14.5% of total FA, respectively, while long-chain FAs accounted for the rest (68.0%). From January to April, the major FFAs were acetic, palmitic, stearic and caproic, but afterwards, acetic and propionic were the principal FFAs, followed by stearic, palmitic, oleic and capric.     

Back to Von Thunen: a Southern European perspective on mono-centric urban growth,economic structure and non-urban land decline*

This study assesses trends (1960–2010) in forest cover over a Mediterranean metropolitan region (Attica, Greece) with the aim to investigate the role of local contexts promoting changes in the use of land. Forest cover decreased in a spatially heterogeneous manner over the study period determining a land-use structure coherent with the Von Thunen mono-centric model. We used a multivariate exploratory analysis of 26 contextual variables to identify changes in the urban spatial structure at the local scale. The shift from a land-use structure based on urban–rural and cropland-forest polarizations in the early 1960s to a pattern based on the polarization in medium-density, mixed urban/agricultural areas and low-density, sparse forest land has been observed in the last 50 years. Urban expansion into rural land and the establishment of protected areas in economically marginal and remote districts has been identified as relevant drivers of landscape transformation in the area. Our study demonstrates that land-use changes driven by expansion of dispersed settlements may consolidate mono-centric urban structures. A concentric land-use distribution around the central city is compatible with urban sprawl and may be indirectly supported by ‘green belt’ regional planning and environmental policies protecting high-quality natural land.     

Variations of vitamin and mineral contents in raw goat milk of the indigenous Greek breed during lactation

Raw goat milk samples from the indigenous Greek breed in the area of Ioannina, northwestern Greece, were collected during one lactation and analyzed for vitamins A, E, B₁, B₂, and C and for minerals Ca, Mg, P, Na, K, Cu, Fe and Zn. Also, the major constituents of goat milk, namely fat, protein, lactose and solids-non-fat, were determined. The average composition (%) of milk was: fat 4.10, protein 3.36, lactose 4.48 and solids-non-fat 8.54. The mean concentration of the fat-soluble vitamins retinol (A) and α-tocopherol (E) were 0.013 and 0.121 mg/100 ml, respectively. The mean concentration of the water-soluble vitamins, thiamin (B₁), riboflavin (B₂) and ascorbic acid (C) were 0.260, 0.112 and 5.48 mg/100 ml, respectively. Seasonal variations were observed for all vitamins studied. Thiamin had significantly (P < 0.05) higher concentrations during summer than in winter and early spring. The observed variations of the studied vitamins might be attributed to the differences in the feeding of goats during lactation. The mean mineral contents (mg/100 g) of goat milk were Ca 132, P 97.7, Na 59.4, K 152, Mg 15.87, Cu 0.08, Fe 0.06, Zn 0.37 and Mn 6.53 μg/100 g. Seasonal variations were observed for the major minerals Ca, P, K, and the trace elements Cu and Zn.     

p53 and c-jun expression in urinary bladder transitional cell carcinoma: correlation with proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) histological grade and clinical stage

OBJECTIVE: To investigate p53 and c-jun oncoproteins and proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) in transitional cell urinary bladder carcinomas (TCCs) and to determine their relationships to tumour grade, stage and survival. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The expression of p53, c-jun and PCNA was studied using immunohistochemistry in formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissues in a series of 110 TCCs. RESULTS: 58% of our cases were positive for p53 and 88% for c-jun. A statistically very significant correlation (p < 0.0001) was observed between p53 and c-jun (r = 0.781), p53 and PCNA (r = 0.772), c-jun and PCNA (r = 0.831) as well as between each of the two oncoproteins and the histological grade and clinical stage (p < 0.001). There was no correlation of either p53, PCNA or c-jun with clinical outcome in terms of patients survival. CONCLUSION: p53 and c-jun proteins' overexpression are strongly related to rapid tumour cell proliferation and hence with aggressive growth in urinary bladder TCC. PCNA score remains an important prognostic index in transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder.