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Abstract: Nowadays wireless body sensor networks (WBSNs) have great potential to enable a broad variety of assisted living applications such as human biophysical/biochemical control and activity monitoring for health care, e-fitness, emergency detection, emotional recognition for social networking, security, and highly interactive games. It is therefore important to define design methodologies and programming frameworks which enable rapid prototyping of WBSN applications. Several effective application development frameworks have been already proposed for WBSNs designed for TinyOS-based sensor platforms, e.g. CodeBlue, SPINE, and Titan. In this paper we present an application of MAPS, an agent framework for wireless sensor networks based on the Java-programmable Sun SPOT sensor platform, for the development of a real-time WBSN-based system for human activity monitoring. The agent-oriented programming abstractions provided by MAPS allow effective and rapid prototyping of the sensor-side software. In particular, the architecture of the developed system is a typical star-based WBSN composed of a coordinator node and two sensor nodes located respectively on the waist and the thigh of the monitored assisted living. The coordinator relies on a JADE-based enhancement of the SPINE coordinator and allows configuring sensors, receiving their data, and recognizing pre-defined human activities. On the other hand, each sensor node runs a MAPS-based agent that performs sensing of the 3-axial accelerometer sensor, computation of significant features on the acquired data, feature aggregation and transmission to the coordinator. The experimentation phase of the prototype, which allows evaluating the obtainable monitoring performances and activity recognition accuracy, is described. Moreover, a comparison of the monitoring system based on MAPS, AFME and SPINE in terms of programming effectiveness and system performances is discussed. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Herein, we describe a new strategy for the preparation of thiazolothiazepine-based inhibitors of human immunodeficiency virus type-1 integrase (IN). The present method allows facile preparation of the title compounds in a single enantiomeric form starting from l-4-thiazolidinecarboxylic acid. This method could be easily extended to the synthesis of several analogs derived from optically active cyclic aminoacids. We also present a putative model showing the interaction between l- and d-isomers of compound 1 in the IN active site. A sensibly lower IC50 value was found for (–)-1 over racemic-1 in an anti-IN assay. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

By panning procedures employing T6 and T3 monoclonal antibody, human thymocytes were fractionated into two subpopulations depleted of T6- or T3- positive (T6+, T3+) cells. Unfractionated thymocytes and T6- and T3-depleted subpopulations were separately cultured for 48 h in RPMI 1640 medium with 10%, FCS or in HB 101 serum-Free medium. Determining the phenotype of unfractionated thymocytes at various time intervals, a time-dependent increase of T3+ cells was observed. An inverse relationship was found between the percentage of T3+ cells and the T6 and peanut agglutinin (PNA reactive thymocytes. When the surface antigen expression in the T3-depleted population (>95% T6+ and PNA+ cells) was analysed. a strong increase of T3+ cells and a complementary reduction of T6+ and PNA+ cells was evidenced. During that time the surface phenotype of the T6-depleted population (>80% T3+ cells) showed the same trend of differentiation, as the other thymocyte preparations. These results indicate that a conspicuous fraction of human thymocytes and particularly of those characterized by a cortical phenotype (PNA + and T6+ cells), are able to express mature T-cell antigens when cultured in vitro in the absence of the thymic microenvironment influence. However, the in vitro acquisition of a mature phenotype is not accompanied by a parallel achievement of the capacity to respond to mitogens such as PHA or T3 monoclonal antibody [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Leishmaniasis is a human disease produced by a parasite of the Leishmania genus transmitted by prick of an infected female sandfly. The disease occurs clinically with either cutaneous, mucocutaneous or visceral form, depending on the infective species and the immune status of the patient. Antimonial drugs are the current treatment of choice for all clinical forms. We report a case of cutaneous Leishmaniasis in a young girl successfully treated with itraconazole. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Defects in the gene for the IL-7 receptor (R) α chain are one cause of severe combined immunodeficiency disease (SCID) based on a strict requirement for IL-7 in T lymphoid development and survival. We tested the feasibility and potentially undesirable consequences of IL-7Rα gene transfer as a therapy for this genetic defect. The murine IL-7Rα gene was introduced into IL-7Rα−/− bone marrow progenitors using retrovirus and transplanted into Rag−/− recipient mice. Both αβ and γδ T cells were reconstituted in thymus and spleen showing proof of principle. B-cell development was also restored in some mice, but their numbers were much lower than in the T-cell compartment. Splenomegaly was observed due to an increase in neutrophils. We showed that hematopoeitic progenitors, after transfection with IL-7Rα, could respond to IL-7 in vitro by a striking production of neutrophils and other myeloid cells. These data indicate that although IL-7 is a critical lymphopoietin, ectopic expression of its receptor on multipotential progenitors can also induce production of myeloid cells, presumably through survival and proliferation signals that are not restricted to lymphoid cells. This supports the stochastic model of progenitor differentiation, in which cytokines give permissive and not instructive signals.Gene Therapy (2005) 12, 1761–1768. doi:10.1038/sj.gt.3302558; published online 6 October 2005 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report a case of tinea capitis mimicking tufted hair folliculitis in a 56-year-old European man, who presented with a 4-year history of pain and erythema in an area of scarring alopecia of the occipital scalp, with scales and tufts of hair emerging from individual follicles. Histological examination showed hair plugging, and a dense perifollicular infiltrate of plasma cells, lymphocytes, and neutrophils. There was widespread scarring and fibrosis. Bacterial cultures were negative for Staphylococcus aureus, but fungal cultures and periodic-acid–Schiff stain were positive for Trichophyton tonsurans. Videodermatoscopy of the lesion showed a pattern consistent with folliculitis decalvans. Diagnosis was made on the basis of the clinical, histological, microbiological and videodermatoscopy data. After 30 days of systemic antifungal treatment, there were a substantial clinical improvement and disappearance of pain. After 5 months, a residual cicatricial area was seen with some hair tufts emerging from a single orifice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pemphigus erythematosus (Senear–Usher syndrome) is a variant of superficial pemphigus with features of both lupus erythematosus and pemphigus. It affects mainly middle-aged adults, and is rarely observed before the age of 20 years. The case of a 14-year-old boy who showed cutaneous lesions suggestive for pemphigus erythematosus is described. Not all laboratory and histopathological investigations confirmed the hypothesis, so a diagnosis of clinical pemphigus erythematosus was made. Systemic steroid therapy was effective in controlling the disease. This case is interesting because of the rare occurrence of pemphigus erythematosus in adolescence and the possibility of another drug being added to the list of pemphigus inducers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The winemaking process generates large amounts of by-products that are still a potential source of bioactive compounds to be used as functional food ingredients. This study is aimed to develop a cow milk kefir fortified with Sangiovese red grape pomace. The phenolic extracts of skins and seeds, which were obtained after infusion and ultrasoundassisted extraction (UAE), were rich in (+)-catechin (105.0±147.0 mg/L) and (-)-epicatechin (76.0±364.0 mg/L) based on HPLC-DAD analysis. The UAE-derived skin extracts were selected for their best antioxidant effectiveness and incorporated into kefir, whose functional properties have been investigated through spectrophotometric assays. The addition of UAE-derived skin extract to kefir was significantly effective in enhancing the total phenolic content (43.2 %) thus increasing the total antioxidant capacity (+47.7 %) and lowering IC50 ABTS (-36.0%) and DPPH (-31.45%). An increased inhibitory activity towards α-amylase, α-glucosidase and pancreatic lipase was also achieved by decreasing the corresponding IC50 values (69.39 and 73.01 "g/mL, respectively). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Keratoconus provides a decrease of quality of life to the patients who suffer from it. The treatment used as well as the method to correct the refractive error of these patients may influence on the impact of the disease on their quality of life. The purpose of this review is to describe the evidence about the conservative surgical treatment for keratoconus aiming to therapeutic and refractive effect. The visual rehabilitation for keratoconic corneas requires addressing three concerns: halting the ectatic process, improving corneal shape, and minimizing the residual refractive error. Cross-linking can halt the disease progression, intrastromal corneal ring segments can improve the corneal shape and hence the visual quality and reduce the refractive error, PRK can correct mild-moderate refractive error, and intraocular lenses can correct from low to high refractive error associated with keratoconus. Any of these surgical options can be performed alone or combined with the other techniques depending on what the case requires. Although it could be considered that the surgical option for the refracto-therapeutic treatment of the keratoconus is a reality, controlled, randomized studies with larger cohorts and longer follow-up periods are needed to determine which refractive procedure and/or sequence are most suitable for each case. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Therapeutic hypothermia (HT) has been shown to decrease death and severe disability in infants with hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE). Rectal temperature (RT) is used to determine the temperature set-points for treatment with HT, however experimental studies have shown significant differences between RT and brain temperature during HT. Knowledge of actual brain temperature during HT might allow better determination of optimal degree of cooling and improve outcomes. OBJECTIVES: To compare measurements of brain temperature obtained by non-invasive radiometric thermometry (RadT) to direct tissue measurements in an experimental model of HT, and to use RadT in newborn infants with HIE undergoing HT. STUDY DESIGN: RadT measurements of brain temperature were compared to fiber optic (Luxtron) thermometry measurements placed at a depth of 1.5 centimeters into the brain of cooled miniswine. Following validation studies, brain RadT and RT measurements were continuously recorded in thirty infants with HIE during HT and rewarming. RESULTS: RadT and Luxtron probe temperatures were comparable in miniswine throughout a temperature range similar to therapeutic HT. RadT measurements of brain temperature were higher than RT in 60% of infants with HIE undergoing HT. Higher RadT measurements compared to RT were associated with cerebral white matter abnormalities (p = 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: RadT provides a safe, passive and non-invasive way to measure brain temperature that can be used in the clinical setting. RadT may be helpful in determining the optimal degree of cooling and identifying infants at highest risk of brain injury. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Placebo-controlled studies in maintaining remission of symptomatic uncomplicated diverticular disease ( SUDD) of the colon are lacking. Aim To assess the effectiveness of mesalazine and/or probiotics in maintaining remission in SUDD. Methods A multicentre, double-blind, placebo-controlled study was conducted. Two hundred and ten patients were randomly enrolled in a double-blind fashion in four groups: Group M (active mesalazine 1.6 g/day plus Lactobacillus casei subsp. DG placebo), Group L (active Lactobacillus casei subsp. DG 24 billion/day plus mesalazine placebo), Group LM (active Lactobacillus casei subsp. DG 24 billion/day plus active mesalazine), Group P ( Lactobacillus casei subsp. DG placebo plus mesalazine placebo). Patients received treatment for 10 days/month for 12 months. Recurrence of SUDD was defined as the reappearance of abdominal pain during follow-up, scored as ≥5 (0: best; 10: worst) for at least 24 consecutive hours. Results Recurrence of SUDD occurred in no (0%) patient in group LM, in 7 (13.7%) patients in group M, in 8 (14.5%) patients in group L and in 23 (46.0%) patients in group P ( LM group vs. M group, P = 0.015; LM group vs. L group, P = 0.011; LM group vs. P group, P = 0.000; M group vs. P group, P = 0.000; L group vs. P group, P = 0.000). Acute diverticulitis occurred in six group P cases and in one group L case ( P = 0.003). Conclusion Both cyclic mesalazine and Lactobacillus casei subsp. DG treatments, particularly when given in combination, appear to be better than placebo for maintaining remission of symptomatic uncomplicated diverticular disease. (ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT01534754). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Ulcerative colitis with diverticulosis (UCD), segmental colitis associated with diverticulosis (SCAD) and acute uncomplicated diverticulitis (AUD) may affect the same colonic regions, but the real incidence of these entities in clinical practice is unknown. Aim To assess the incidence and the endoscopic findings of UCD, SCAD and AUD. Methods From January 2004 to June 2009, 8525 consecutive colonoscopies were performed. Diagnosis of the diseases was based on specific endoscopic and histological (UCD and SCAD), and on endoscopic and radiological (AUD) patterns. Results Ulcerative colitis with diverticulosis was diagnosed in 25 patients (0.3%), SCAD was diagnosed in 129 patients (2%) and AUD was diagnosed in 130 patients (2%). In UCD, the inflammation in colonic area harbouring diverticula always affects the overall colonic mucosa in all cases, involving also diverticular orifices. The endoscopic characteristic of SCAD is that inflammation is mainly detected within the inter-diverticular mucosa without involvement of the diverticular orifices. In AUD, the inflammation affects primarily diverticular orifice and peri-diverticular mucosa. Conclusions In clinical practice, the incidence of mucosal inflammation in the presence of colonic diverticular disease is low and endoscopy is the mainstay of differential diagnosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective An endoscopic classification of ‘Segmental colitis associated with diverticulosis’ (SCAD) is lacking. Our aim was therefore to assess the endoscopic spectrum of SCAD, comparing it with the histological and clinical features. Method A prospective study was performed from January 2004 to October 2007. Diagnosis of SCAD was made on the basis of specific endoscopic and histological patterns. Results A total of 6230 consecutive colonoscopies were performed during the study period. SCAD was diagnosed in 92 (1.48%) patients, with four endoscopic patterns: pattern A, ‘crescentic fold disease’ (52.20%); pattern B, ‘Mild-to moderate ulcerative colitis-like’ pattern (30.40%); pattern C, ‘Crohn’s disease colitis-like’ pattern (10.90%); pattern D, ‘Severe ulcerative colitis-like’ pattern (6.50%). Most patients with patterns A (58.33%, P < 0.018) and B (89.29%, P < 0.00001) showed histological alterations resembling moderate ulcerative colitis (UC). In pattern C, larger histological variability was found ( P < 0.01). All patients showing pattern D showed the typical histological alteration changes of severe UC ( P < 0.0001). In pattern A (60.42%, P = n.s.) and pattern B (46.43%, P = n.s.), diarrhoea was the most common symptom whilst abdominal pain was the most frequent in pattern C (50%, P = n.s.) and pattern D (83.33%, P = n.s.) patients. Conclusions Endoscopic patterns of SCAD may range from mild to severe inflammation. The histopathological findings but not clinical features showed a statistically significant association with the degree of endoscopic severity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The oral cavity, and particularly the gingival mucosa, is continuously exposed to numerous food and bacterial plaque antigens, though evident immunologic reactions are uncommon. It is therefore possible that the mucosal associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) of this region is preferentially biased towards unresponsiveness, rather than immune cell activation. The distribution and phenotype of immune cells in normal human gingiva were examined. Their distribution varied, and high and low cellularity areas could be distinguished in the same specimen. The number of CD3 positive (CD3+) T lymphocytes was more than thrice higher in a high cellularity area. In both types of area, intraepithelial T lymphocytes were not activated. Moreover, they showed chromatin condensation and cell shrinkage characteristic of apoptosis. In the stroma of high cellularity areas, foci of cell activation and numerous B cells were present, suggesting a localized active immune response. The vast majority of intraepithelial and stromal T lymphocytes expressed the "memory" CD45RO+ phenotype. The absence of an immune response within the epithelium and the localized response in the stroma (probably due to the binding of memory T cells to antigens in a low affinity, cross-reactive fashion) may be a part of a protective mechanism against indiscriminate stimulation by a multitude of external antigens. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The mutation analysed in HOXA1 is a base transition from 'A' to 'G' at position 218 of mRNA. In the HOXB1 gene, the 'at risk' allele consists of a 9-base insertion (INS), the other allele is named ('+'). In order to verify the existence of LD between these mutations and autism, researchers have used TDT analysis in a group of 85 complete trios families and a conventional 'case-control' study with an ethnically matched sample as reference population. Deviation from Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium was detected for none of the four gene sample-of-individuals combinations tested. Comparison of the 'at risk' alleles for both HOXA1 (allele 'G') and HOXB1 (allele 'INS') genes, between cases and ethnically matched controls, did not reveal statistically significant differences. For HOXB1, from 52 heterozygote parents 30 transmissions and 22 non-transmissions were scored for allele 'INS'.