Epigenetic Changes Induced by Green Tea Catechins a re Associated with Prostate Cancer.

Prostate cancer is one of the most difficult cancers to treat especially when it becomes hormone resistant such as castrate resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) and subsequent metastatic CRPC. Apart from the genetic alterations in prostate cancer, epigenetic modifications also play an important role in the development and neoplastic progression of this disease. These include DNA methylation, histone modifications, and non-coding microRNAs. miRNAs are a novel class of small endogenous single-stranded non-coding RNAs of 19-25 nucleotides in length that typically silence gene expression. Considering the reversibility of epigenetic alterations in early carcinogenesis process, reversion (correction) of these modifications by green tea catechins could be a promising strategy for cancer chemoprevention and therapy. Recent evidence suggests that green tea catechins such as epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) not only act as epigenetic modulators but can also modify miRNA expression and their target mRNAs, consistently contributing to the inhibition of prostate carcinogenesis. Various studies also indicate that several green tea polyphenols (GTPs) exert synergistic effects with other cancer chemotherapeutic agents. Therefore, the use of appropriate combinations of green tea catechins with the existing chemotherapeutics will lead to a reduction in side effects without decreasing the chemotherapeutic effects. This review will summarize the key results from recent studies detailing the effects of green tea catechins such as EGCG on epigenetic alterations and miRNA expression in prostate cancer.

BAG3 regulates formation of the SNARE complex and insulin secretion.

Insulin release in response to glucose stimulation requires exocytosis of insulin-containing granules. Glucose stimulation of beta cells leads to focal adhesion kinase (FAK) phosphorylation, which acts on the Rho family proteins (Rho, Rac and Cdc42) that direct F-actin remodeling. This process requires docking and fusion of secretory vesicles to the release sites at the plasma membrane and is a complex mechanism that is mediated by SNAREs. This transiently disrupts the F-actin barrier and allows the redistribution of the insulin-containing granules to more peripheral regions of the ß cell, hence facilitating insulin secretion. In this manuscript, we show for the first time that BAG3 plays an important role in this process. We show that BAG3 downregulation results in increased insulin secretion in response to glucose stimulation and in disruption of the F-actin network. Moreover, we show that BAG3 binds to SNAP-25 and syntaxin-1, two components of the t-SNARE complex preventing the interaction between SNAP-25 and syntaxin-1. Upon glucose stimulation BAG3 is phosphorylated by FAK and dissociates from SNAP-25 allowing the formation of the SNARE complex, destabilization of the F-actin network and insulin release.

The determinants of translational medicine success - a managerial contribution.

Scope of Translational Medicine is to speed the development of new compounds of medical protocols and/or treatments to improve patient's quality of life. Translational medicine represents the synergy between epidemiology, basic research and clinical trials, and is based upon Innovation Management and Research Development in medicine. Being the speed and progression up to the patient a key issue of Translational Medicine, the innovation process ought to be pursued according to rigorous protocols embedded on a research development path capable of decreasing the lead time at the most. Translational Medicine represents a goal to be pursued by all involved actors, from academic researchers to clinicians, patients and others than can be seen as a network of co-creating actors engaged for the ultimate patient benefit. To underpin Translational Medicine advantages and determinants, the paper approaches the issue by adopting a systems thinking perspective, capable of highlighting the key issues to be considered.

Surveillance of nosocomial infections: a preliminary study on yeast carriage on hands of healthcare workers.

Hospital-acquired fungal infection is increasing. The aim of this preliminary study was to evaluate the frequency and distribution of yeast carriage on the hands of healthcare workers (HCW) from different departments. The study was conducted in three departments (Surgery, Intensive Care Unit, Obstetrics and Gynaecology) of a hospital in Campania, southern Italy. Over a six-month period, 50 healthcare workers were randomly tested. Imprints of palms and fingertips were taken monthly during the morning shift. The plate with yeast was counted and Candida species were identified. Risk factors for hand contamination were determined. Hand carriage of yeast and Candida species in the three departments were found in the following percentages: Surgery (50% and 49%); Intensive Care Unit (61% and 57%); Obstetrics and Gynaecology (65% and 59%). No significant difference in the frequency or distribution of yeast and Candida sp. recovered in the three departments was ascertained by comparing every two months' data, the hand carriage of yeast and Candida species found in the three departments; this varied - min to max - according to the following percentages: Surgery [(45%-54%) and (42%-58%)]; Intensive Care Unit [(53%-66%) and (56%-59%)]; Obstetrics and Gynaecology [(62%-69%) and (57%-63%)]. The only factor associated with yeast carriage on the hands of healthcare workers was the absence of gloving during healthcare procedure (p = 0.0192). We conclude that in our study yeast carriage on the HCWs' hands is common in the three departments investigated, but its causes are unclear. Careful use of gloving may reduce pathogenic yeast on hands.

New approach for evaluating the public health risk of living near a polluted river.

Chemical, physical and microbial analyses were conducted in the Sarno River basin to obtain a comprehensive description of the overall quality of the water bodies. The collection period lasted 12 months, between 2005 and 2006, with high frequency of sampling and analysis. More than 6,000 analytical determinations were performed on samples collected at six sampling points along the Sarno River and two points each on tributaries Solofrana and Cavaiola. The results indicated the presence of inorganic contaminants, which, in most cases, were below the Italian State water quality thresholds. The organic contamination showed an increasing trend, with respect to previous determinations, thus demonstrating the major contribution of untreated urban wastewater to the overall pollution of the river. Moreover, this study was designed to explore the correlation between the presence of microbial indicators of fecal contamination in Sarno River and their presumable presence in the aerosol surrounding the river, thus pointing to the possible environmental hazard associated with the presence of pathogens in the air.

Surveillance of nosocomial infections: a preliminary study on hand hygiene compliance of healthcare workers.

The observance of hand hygiene compliance is important to reduce cross-infection by micro-organisms. The aim of this preliminary study was to evaluate the level of hand hygiene in healthcare workers from different departments, with particular emphasis on transient flora. The study was conducted in three departments (Surgery, Intensive Care Unit, Obstetrics and Gynecology) of a hospital in Campania, southern Italy. Over a six-month period, 50 healthcare workers were randomly tested. Imprints of palms and fingertips were taken monthly during the morning shift. The number of colonies per plate was counted and transient pathogens were identified. Risk factors for hand contamination were determined. Total flora was found in the following CFU means per palm and per five fingertips (95% CI): Obstetrics and Gynecology [palms 130 CFUs (95% CI 85-180); fingertips 125 CFUs (95% CI 92-160)]; ICU [palms 80 CFUs (95% CI 58-99); fingertips 62 CFUs (95% CI 45-82)]; Surgery [palms 75 CFUs (95% CI 41-120); fingertips 70 CFUs (95% CI 52-90)] Transient flora was found on 39% of healthcare workers' hands. The only factor associated with hand contamination by transient flora was the absence of gloving during healthcare procedure (P = 0.02).

Two-years surveillance of fungal contamination in three hospital departments in Campania region.

A two-years (2003-2005) fungal environmental surveillance was carried out in three departments of a hospital in Campania region (Surgery, Intensive Care Unit, Obstetrics and Gynaecology). Four operating theatres rooms and their relative areas of service and support, 4 patient rooms of intensive care unit, 1 delivery room, 1 labour room and 1 nursery of Obstetrics and Gynaecology were checked. A total of 12,120 surfaces and 2,904 air samples were collected in 24 monthly determinations. A seasonal variation in the fungal development was observed, in particular the lowest level of air and surface fungi contamination was found in winter and autumn whereas it was higher in spring and summer. In this study 30 fungal species were identified and, among these, the most frequent specie isolated was the Aspergillus spp. The results show an air contamination, expressed in percentage of positive determinations for Aspergillus spp, and the other fungi in the following percentages: Obstetrics and Gynaecology (25% and 33,3%); Intensive Care Unit (17% and 25%); Surgery (12.5% and 21%). For surfaces contamination it was found: Obstetrics and Gynaecology (67% and 75%); Intensive Care Unit (63% and 71%); Surgery (58.3% and 67%). This study shows that in the departments observed environmental fungi contamination is always present and therefore it would be necessary to apply environmental surveillance procedure and monitor the effectiveness.

[Intestinal parasitosis in canteen employees: a quadrennial study]. / Le parassitosi intestinali in addetti alla ristorazione collettiva: studio quadriennale.

Giardia Lamblia is the flagellated protozoan of intestinal-tract more frequently diagnosed. This disease is well known all over the world, particularly in hot countries and under precarious hygienic-environmental conditions. In Italy the rate of infestation is around 8%. The giardiasis affects people of every age. The disease can be transmitted either by direct contagion or through the ingestion of food contaminated by cysts. Some A.A. believe that in the last years real epidemics in adults occurred, due to the current changing in the habits of life, in particular as regards food and the use of canteens. The italian law demands the competent sanitary authorities to prepare diagnostical procedures for sanitary checks, to be carried out for consignment and renewal of the employment card and for periodical checks on production, manipulation, transport and sale-staff. In a quadrenniale study (1985-1988) the A.A. estimate the incidence of the intestinal parasites and they evaluate the real danger and risks deriving from the contamination of food, by checking 160 canteen-men working in a know metal-mechanical industry in our country, through periodical parasitological stool examination. The parasitological stool exam was carried out bright and after enrichment by Ritchie's method. The Giardia Lamblia, that certainly is the ++intestinal parasite more often isolated in our country, has been observed with varying frequency during the examined period from 1.9% to 5.6%. In 4 years, 38% of these patients, even undergoing specific therapy, has shown relapsing and recurrent infestations both in the following year and later.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

[Vertical transmission of immunity against B. pertussis]. / Sulla trasmissione verticale della immunità verso la B. pertussis.

Carrying out serological exams either from the blood of the woman in labor or from the umbilical cord at the moment of the birth, the AA. evaluate the rate of specific anti-pertussis antibodies which are transferred from the mother to the foetus through the placenta. The discovered rates are not quantitatively such to represent a protection from the infection. Certainly, through the breast feeding the newborn receives a further contribution in specific antibodies, but it is also true that the two mechanisms do not always produce additive results. Further, it is to be considered that this kind of protection has only a limited duration. The AA, conclude by hoping that in the near future there will be more efficacious vaccines free from the risk of serious complications, that today can be estimated at values of 1:300.000.

[Production, purification and characterization of some Clostridium perfringens toxins]. / Produzione, purificazione e caratterizzazione di alcune tossine del Clostridium perfringens.

Cultures of Clostridium perfringens produce a factor which hydrolyzes phospholipids. In this paper we report the separation and the purification from the growth medium of Clostridium perfringens of two phospholipase activities: a specific sphingomyelinase, and a specific lecithinase. Both the phospholipase activities have been purified 300-fold by fractionation of the growth medium with ammonium sulfate, filtration on Sephadex G-100 and chromatography on DEAE cellulose. The sphingomyelinase activity is completely inhibited by 10(-3) M calcium chloride, hydrolyzed lysolecithin and dipalmitoyllecithin at about 10% of the rate of sphingomyelin. No hydrolysis of phosphatidylserine, phosphatidylethanolamine or phosphatidylinositol is detected. From the same growth medium a theta-toxin activity was also purified.

[Structural characteristics of immune interferon in mice]. / Caratteristiche strutturali dell'interferon immune di topo.

In the present study we have analyzed the biochemical characteristics of murine immune interferon (IFN-y). Ionic or non-ionic detergents inactivate IFN-y, while as far as organic solvents are concerned only those with high polarity inhibit antiviral activity. Finally when different kinds of enzymes were used, proteases but not lipases or neuraminidase inactivated IFN-y.