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Parthenolide, a natural product from the feverfew plant and member of the large family of sesquiterpene lactones, exerts multiple biological and therapeutic activities including anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer effects. Herein, we further study parthenolide mechanism of action using activity-based protein profiling (ABPP)-based chemoproteomic platforms to map additional covalent targets engaged by parthenolide in human breast cancer cells. We find that parthenolide, as well as other related exocyclic methylene lactone-containing sesquiterpenes, covalently modify cysteine 427 (C427) of focal adhesion kinase 1 (FAK1) leading to impairment of FAK1-dependent signaling pathways and breast cancer cell proliferation, survival, and motility. These studies reveal a novel functional target exploited by members of a large family of anticancer natural products.

Major questions are whether mothers infected with the Human Immunodeficiency Virus type 1 (HIV-1) transmit the virus through breast milk and the magnitude of the additional transmission risk. The demonstration of a dose-response effect is an epidemiological method to demonstrate causality. Thus, a study was carried out by the Italian Register for HIV Infection in Children on 961 children of known infection status. Duration of breast-feeding was considered as the level of exposure in 168 ever breast-fed children. Results showed that duration of practice significantly increased the risk of transmission. The adjusted infection odds ratio for one day of breast- versus exclusive formula-feeding was 1.19 with narrow confidence limits (1.10-1.28). In a second study by the Register on 556 children of known infection status and derived prospectively, an infection odds ratio of 2.55 (confidence interval: 1.03-6.37) was calculated in breast- versus exclusively formula-fed children. Several lines of evidence, including the above-mentioned data from the Italian Register for HIV Infection in Children, showed a contribution of breast-feeding to mother-to-child HIV-1 transmission. Thus, this practice is now discouraged in HIV-1 infected mothers living in industrialized societies where formula feeding is practical and attainable. Mode of feeding was known in 2183 children enrolled in the Register and born to HIV-1 infected mothers since 1981. It could be observed that feeding habits of at-risk infants changed in Italy in the middle 1980s, when a large majority of subjects was identified at birth.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Two groups of children from 6 to 14 years old have been compared to explain correlation between haematic eosinophils and allergic respiratory diseases related with the environment where they live. First group was formed by 350 pupils of Sesto S. Giovanni, and industrialized town, the second group by 345 pupils of Cogliate, a country place. The screening was been preceded by a set of questions self-managed and it consisted in the determinations percentage of peripheral blood eosinophils. Patients whose eosinophils were more than 4% have been considered eosinophilia carrier. The results have been elaborated with statistical method "chi square". Results proved the greatest prevalence of allergic respiratory diseases in urban population with a greater eosinophilia spreading (33% in comparison with 26%; p less than 0.05). Eosinophilia appeared connected with recurrent rhinitis (p less than 0.001) relapsing bronchitis (p less than 0.001) relapsing bronchitis (p less than 0.001) asthmatic bronchitis (p less than 0.001) positive results of skin tests to 4 allergens (p less than 0.001) and in rural district also with male sex (p less than 0.05). In industrialized areas, in special way there is a closed relation between respiratory diseases and peripheral blood eosinophils increased. Eosinophilia will be find in relapsing respiratory pathology and it will apply to allergology controls. It could represent an unfavourable element of prognosis foresee the possibility that episodic bronchus-spasms will be frequent in patients with asthmatic syndrome.

This paper present the case of a 5 year old girl affected by ichthyosis vulgaris, atopic diathesis (asthma - eczema), hair anomalies as pili torti, trichorrhexis invaginata. Such data are compared with the most frequent symptoms Netherton's syndrome. Although some difference be extant, the authors deem it appropriate that this case be included within the framework of this syndrome. The problem is therefore posed once again of the boundaries of Netherton's syndrome. Also considered are the most interesting hypotheses recently set forth by different authors with the aim of better defining this disease whose biological mechanism is still unknown.

On a sample of 35 healthy newborns the authors have determined the IgE in the blood of the umbilical cord, using the PRIST method. A geometric average of 1.152 +/- 0.117 was obtained. No statistically significant difference appeared between the two groups, which contained individuals with positive and negative allergic family anamnesis, respectively. Thus, the possibility of predicting neonatal atopy by IgE determination appears to be no better than can be deduced through an accurate family anamnesis. The observed differences in the IgE levels of the funicular blood might then be explained by physiological, paraphysiological and pathological motivations.