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Albini A, Bruno A, Bassani B, D’Urso D, Zanellato S, Aida I, Mortara L, Boni L, Noonan D. Tumour infiltrating (TINK) and Tumour associated (TANK) natural killer cells: novel inflammatory orchestrators in colorectal cancer (CRC) progression and angiogenesis. Eur J Cancer 2017. [DOI: 10.1016/s0959-8049(17)30271-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
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Gatti S, Mahdi R, Bruno A, Cevini C, Scaglia M. A survey of amoebic infection in the Wonji area of central Ethiopia. ANNALS OF TROPICAL MEDICINE AND PARASITOLOGY 2016. [DOI: 10.1080/00034983.1998.11813277] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
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Royer-Perron L, Bruno A, Daniau M, Labrèche K, Mokhtari K, Nguyen Them L, Houillier C, Soussain C, Hoang-Xuan K, Alentorn A. P17.04 Radiomics analysis of primary central nervous system lymphoma (PCNSL) - A LOC network study. Neuro Oncol 2016. [DOI: 10.1093/neuonc/now188.278] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
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Demichelis S, Rapetti S, Galetta D, Catino A, Ricci D, Moretti A, Bria E, Pilotto S, Bruno A, Valmadre G, Bandelli G, Trisolini R, Gianetta M, Pacchiana M, Vallone S, Novello S. The role of health professionals in informing patients with pulmonary diseases to stop smoking: final data of an Italian multicentric survey. Ann Oncol 2016. [DOI: 10.1093/annonc/mdw332.25] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
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Pace E, Di Vincenzo S, Ferraro M, Bruno A, Dino P, Bonsignore MR, Battaglia S, Saibene F, Lanata L, Gjomarkaj M. Carbocysteine counteracts the effects of cigarette smoke on cell growth and on the SIRT1/FoxO3 axis in bronchial epithelial cells. Exp Gerontol 2016; 81:119-28. [PMID: 27237816 DOI: 10.1016/j.exger.2016.05.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2016] [Revised: 05/18/2016] [Accepted: 05/25/2016] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Cigarette smoke may accelerate cellular senescence by increasing oxidative stress. Altered proliferation and altered expression of anti-aging factors, including SIRT1 and FoxO3, characterise cellular senescence. The effects of carbocysteine on the SIRT1/FoxO3 axis and on downstream molecular mechanisms in human bronchial epithelial cells exposed to cigarette smoke are largely unknown. AIMS Aim of this study was to explore whether carbocysteine modulated SIRT1/FoxO3 axis, and downstream molecular mechanisms associated to cellular senescence, in a bronchial epithelial cell line (16-HBE) exposed to cigarette smoke. METHODS 16HBE cells were stimulated with/without cigarette smoke extracts (CSE) and carbocysteine. Flow cytometry and clonogenic assay were used to assess cell proliferation; western blot analysis was used for assessing nuclear expression of SIRT1 and FoxO3. The nuclear co-localization of SIRT1 and FoxO3 was assessed by fluorescence microscopy. Beta galactosidase (a senescence marker) and SIRT1 activity were assessed by specific staining and colorimetric assays, respectively. ChiP Assay and flow cytometry were used for assessing survivin gene regulation and protein expression, respectively. RESULTS CSE decreased cell proliferation, the nuclear expression of SIRT1 and FoxO3 and increased beta galactosidase staining. CSE, reduced SIRT1 activity and FoxO3 localization on survivin promoter thus increasing survivin expression. In CSE stimulated bronchial epithelial cells carbocysteine reverted these phenomena by increasing cell proliferation, and SIRT1 and FoxO3 nuclear expression, and by reducing beta galactosidase staining and survivin expression. CONCLUSIONS The study shows for the first time that carbocysteine may revert some senescence processes induced by oxidative stress due to cigarette smoke exposure.
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Galimberti A, Spinelli S, Bruno A, Mezzasalma V, De Mattia F, Cortis P, Labra M. Evaluating the efficacy of restoration plantings through DNA barcoding of frugivorous bird diets. CONSERVATION BIOLOGY : THE JOURNAL OF THE SOCIETY FOR CONSERVATION BIOLOGY 2016; 30:763-773. [PMID: 26864475 DOI: 10.1111/cobi.12687] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2015] [Revised: 01/16/2016] [Accepted: 02/06/2016] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
Frugivores are critical components of restoration programs because they are seed dispersers. Thus, knowledge about bird-plant trophic relationships is essential in the evaluation of the efficacy of restoration processes. Traditionally, the diet of frugivores is characterized by microscopically identifying plant residues in droppings, which is time-consuming, requires botanical knowledge, and cannot be used for fragments lacking detectable morphological characteristics (e.g., fragmented seeds and skins). We examined whether DNA barcoding can be used as a universal tool to rapidly characterize the diet of a frugivorous bird, Eurasian blackcap (Sylvia atricapilla). We used the DNA barcoding results to assess restoration efforts and monitor the diversity of potentially dispersed plants in a protected area in northern Italy. We collected 642 Eurasian Blackcap droppings at the restored site during the autumn migration over 3 years. Intact seeds and fragmented plant material were analyzed at 2 plastidial barcode loci (rbcL and trnH-psbA), and the resulting plant identifications were validated by comparison with a reference molecular data set of local flora. At least 17 plant species, including 7 of the 11 newly transplanted taxa, were found. Our results demonstrate the potential for DNA barcoding to be used to monitor the effectiveness of restoration plantings and to obtain information about fruit consumption and dispersal of invasive or unexpected plant species. Such an approach provides valuable information that could be used to study local plant biodiversity and to survey its evolution over time.
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Zanellato S, Musco A, Bruno A, Bassani B, Sampietro C, Cattoni M, Imperatori A, Albini A, Noonan D, Mortara L. Natural killer cells from patients with malignant or inflammatory pleural effusions display decreased cytotoxicity and a decidual NK-like phenotype. Eur J Cancer 2016. [DOI: 10.1016/s0959-8049(16)61745-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
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Bruno A, Bassani B, D’Urso D, Boni L, Mortara L, Noonan D, Albini A. Tumour infiltrating (TINKs) and tumour associated (TANKs) natural killer cells: a new paradigm in colorectal cancer angiogenesis. Eur J Cancer 2016. [DOI: 10.1016/s0959-8049(16)61761-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
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Adriani O, Barbarino GC, Bazilevskaya GA, Bellotti R, Boezio M, Bogomolov EA, Bongi M, Bonvicini V, Bottai S, Bruno A, Cafagna F, Campana D, Carlson P, Casolino M, Castellini G, De Santis C, Di Felice V, Galper AM, Karelin AV, Koldashov SV, Koldobskiy SA, Krutkov SY, Kvashnin AN, Leonov A, Malakhov V, Marcelli L, Martucci M, Mayorov AG, Menn W, Mergé M, Mikhailov VV, Mocchiutti E, Monaco A, Mori N, Munini R, Osteria G, Panico B, Papini P, Pearce M, Picozza P, Ricci M, Ricciarini SB, Simon M, Sparvoli R, Spillantini P, Stozhkov YI, Vacchi A, Vannuccini E, Vasilyev GI, Voronov SA, Yurkin YT, Zampa G, Zampa N, Potgieter MS, Vos EE. Time Dependence of the Electron and Positron Components of the Cosmic Radiation Measured by the PAMELA Experiment between July 2006 and December 2015. PHYSICAL REVIEW LETTERS 2016; 116:241105. [PMID: 27367381 DOI: 10.1103/physrevlett.116.241105] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2016] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
Cosmic-ray electrons and positrons are a unique probe of the propagation of cosmic rays as well as of the nature and distribution of particle sources in our Galaxy. Recent measurements of these particles are challenging our basic understanding of the mechanisms of production, acceleration, and propagation of cosmic rays. Particularly striking are the differences between the low energy results collected by the space-borne PAMELA and AMS-02 experiments and older measurements pointing to sign-charge dependence of the solar modulation of cosmic-ray spectra. The PAMELA experiment has been measuring the time variation of the positron and electron intensity at Earth from July 2006 to December 2015 covering the period for the minimum of solar cycle 23 (2006-2009) until the middle of the maximum of solar cycle 24, through the polarity reversal of the heliospheric magnetic field which took place between 2013 and 2014. The positron to electron ratio measured in this time period clearly shows a sign-charge dependence of the solar modulation introduced by particle drifts. These results provide the first clear and continuous observation of how drift effects on solar modulation have unfolded with time from solar minimum to solar maximum and their dependence on the particle rigidity and the cyclic polarity of the solar magnetic field.
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Bagnato G, Cordova F, Sciortino D, Fiorenza A, Ferrera A, Coppolino G, Sangari D, Roberts W, Gangemi S, Bruno A, Muscatello M, Pandolfo G, Zoccali R, Bagnato G. SAT0226 Circulating Serum Levels of Cortisol Are Associated with The Pain Threshold in Systemic Sclerosis: Correlations with Depression. Ann Rheum Dis 2016. [DOI: 10.1136/annrheumdis-2016-eular.5015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
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Caini S, Andrade W, Badur S, Balmaseda A, Barakat A, Bella A, Bimohuen A, Brammer L, Bresee J, Bruno A, Castillo L, Ciblak MA, Clara AW, Cohen C, Daouda C, de Lozano C, De Mora D, Dorji K, Emukule GO, Fasce RA, Feng L, Ferreira de Almeida WA, Guiomar R, Heraud JM, Holubka O, Huang QS, Kadjo HA, Kiyanbekova L, Kosasih H, Kusznierz G, Lee V, Lara J, Li M, Lopez L, Mai HP, Pessanha HC, Matute ML, Mironenko A, Moreno B, Mott JA, Njouom R, Ospanova A, Owen R, Pebody R, Pennington K, Puzelli S, Quynh Le MT, Razanajatovo NH, Rodrigues A, Rudi JM, Venter M, Vernet MA, Wei AL, Wangchuk S, Yang J, Yu H, Zambon M, Schellevis F, Paget J. Correction: Temporal Patterns of Influenza A and B in Tropical and Temperate Countries: What Are the Lessons for Influenza Vaccination? PLoS One 2016; 11:e0155089. [PMID: 27135748 PMCID: PMC4852893 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0155089] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0152310.].
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Hopkins C, Bruno A, Jenkins P, Ayton A. The prevalence and correlates of haematological abnormalities in adult inpatients with anorexia nervosa. Eur Psychiatry 2016. [DOI: 10.1016/j.eurpsy.2016.01.031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022] Open
Abstract
IntroductionThere is only limited literature concerning haematological abnormalities in anorexia nervosa (AN), with little past investigation into these abnormalities in adult AN patients admitted to inpatient eating disorder (ED) units.ObjectivesThis study sought to determine the prevalence and severity of haematological abnormalities in admitted AN patients, and to examine correlates of these abnormalities.MethodsAll adult patients with a clinical diagnosis of AN admitted to the Cotswold House specialist ED inpatient unit between November 2013 and December 2014 were included in the study. Demographic, anthropometric and haematological parameters were systematically recorded for the duration of each admission. The proportions of patients affected by haematological abnormalities (anaemia, leucocytopaenia, neutropaenia, thrombocytopaenia and pancytopaenia) were selected as primary outcomes, and binary logistic regression was performed using SPSS 22.0.ResultsA total of 37 AN patients (91.9% female; mean age: 29.7 years) were included in this study, with a mean admission BMI of 13.7 kg/m2 (SD: 1.8) and a mean admission duration of 128 days; 54.1% of patients were anaemic, 64.9% of patients experienced leucocytopaenia, 56.8% of patients developed neutropaenia, 16.2% of patients suffered thrombocytopaenia, and 8.1% of patients were pancytopaenic. Logistic regression identified low admission BMI (P = 0.009) and low serum albumin level (P = 0.017) as significant correlates of anaemia, and isolated increased age (P = 0.034) as a significant associate of leucocytopaenia.ConclusionsHaematological abnormalities occur frequently in AN inpatients. Given the frequency at which abnormalities occurred in this cohort, further large-scale and prospective studies examining haematological abnormalities in inpatient AN populations are warranted.Disclosure of interestThe authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.
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Bruno A, Gasperi C, Rampini A, Belli G. Validation of a deformable image registration algorithm for radiotherapy applications. Phys Med 2016. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmp.2016.01.026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
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Caipo M, Cahill S, Kenny M, Wachsmuth K, Toyofuku H, Hielm S, Carolissen V, Bruno A, Mulholland C, Kojima M, Esteban E. The development of illustrative examples for the establishment and application of microbiological criteria for foods and their role in international standard development. Food Control 2015. [DOI: 10.1016/j.foodcont.2015.06.043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
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Demichelis S, Rapetti S, Galetta D, Bruno A, Bria E, Pilotto S, Valmadre G, Ricci D, Gianetta M, Vallone S, Pacchiana M, Novello S. The role of health care professionals in smoking cessation among patients with pulmonary diseases: an Italian multicentric survey. Ann Oncol 2015. [DOI: 10.1093/annonc/mdv343.09] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
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de Lange G, van Heck B, Bruno A, van Woerkom DJ, Geresdi A, Plissard SR, Bakkers EPAM, Akhmerov AR, DiCarlo L. Realization of Microwave Quantum Circuits Using Hybrid Superconducting-Semiconducting Nanowire Josephson Elements. PHYSICAL REVIEW LETTERS 2015; 115:127002. [PMID: 26431010 DOI: 10.1103/physrevlett.115.127002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2015] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
We report the realization of quantum microwave circuits using hybrid superconductor-semiconductor Josephson elements comprised of InAs nanowires contacted by NbTiN. Capacitively shunted single elements behave as transmon circuits with electrically tunable transition frequencies. Two-element circuits also exhibit transmonlike behavior near zero applied flux but behave as flux qubits at half the flux quantum, where nonsinusoidal current-phase relations in the elements produce a double-well Josephson potential. These hybrid Josephson elements are promising for applications requiring microwave superconducting circuits operating in a magnetic field.
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Adriani O, Barbarino GC, Bazilevskaya GA, Bellotti R, Boezio M, Bogomolov EA, Bongi M, Bonvicini V, Bottai S, Bruno A, Cafagna F, Campana D, Carlson P, Casolino M, Castellini G, De Donato C, De Santis C, De Simone N, Di Felice V, Formato V, Galper AM, Karelin AV, Koldashov SV, Koldobskiy S, Krutkov SY, Kvashnin AN, Leonov A, Malakhov V, Marcelli L, Martucci M, Mayorov AG, Menn W, Mergè M, Mikhailov VV, Mocchiutti E, Monaco A, Mori N, Munini R, Osteria G, Palma F, Panico B, Papini P, Pearce M, Picozza P, Ricci M, Ricciarini SB, Sarkar R, Scotti V, Simon M, Sparvoli R, Spillantini P, Stozhkov YI, Vacchi A, Vannuccini E, Vasilyev G, Voronov SA, Yurkin YT, Zampa G, Zampa N. New upper limit on strange quark matter abundance in cosmic rays with the PAMELA space experiment. PHYSICAL REVIEW LETTERS 2015; 115:111101. [PMID: 26406816 DOI: 10.1103/physrevlett.115.111101] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2015] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
In this work we present results of a direct search for strange quark matter (SQM) in cosmic rays with the PAMELA space spectrometer. If this state of matter exists it may be present in cosmic rays as particles, called strangelets, having a high density and an anomalously high mass-to-charge (A/Z) ratio. A direct search in space is complementary to those from ground-based spectrometers. Furthermore, it has the advantage of being potentially capable of directly identifying these particles, without any assumption on their interaction model with Earth's atmosphere and the long-term stability in terrestrial and lunar rocks. In the rigidity range from 1.0 to ∼1.0×10^{3} GV, no such particles were found in the data collected by PAMELA between 2006 and 2009. An upper limit on the strangelet flux in cosmic rays was therefore set for particles with charge 1≤Z≤8 and mass 4≤A≤1.2×10^{5}. This limit as a function of mass and as a function of magnetic rigidity allows us to constrain models of SQM production and propagation in the Galaxy.
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Adriani O, Barbarino GC, Bazilevskaya GA, Bellotti R, Boezio M, Bogomolov EA, Bongi M, Bonvicini V, Bottai S, Bruno A, Cafagna F, Campana D, Carlson P, Casolino M, Castellini G, Donato CD, Santis CD, Simone ND, Felice VD, Formato V, Galper AM, Karelin AV, Koldashov SV, Koldobskiy S, Krutkov SY, Kvashnin AN, Leonov A, Malakhov V, Marcelli L, Martucci M, Mayorov AG, Menn W, Mergè M, Mikhailov VV, Mocchiutti E, Monaco A, Mori N, Munini R, Osteria G, Palma F, Panico B, Papini P, Pearce M, Picozza P, Ricci M, Ricciarini SB, Sarkar R, Scotti V, Simon M, Sparvoli R, Spillantini P, Stozhkov YI, Vacchi A, Vannuccini E, Vasilyev G, Voronov SA, Yurkin YT, Zampa G, Zampa N, Potgieter MS, Vos EE. TIME DEPENDENCE OF THEe−FLUX MEASURED BYPAMELADURING THE 2006 JULY–2009 DECEMBER SOLAR MINIMUM. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2015. [DOI: 10.1088/0004-637x/810/2/142] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
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Baek KW, Deibel W, Marinov D, Griessen M, Bruno A, Zeilhofer HF, Cattin P, Juergens P. Clinical applicability of robot-guided contact-free laser osteotomy in cranio-maxillo-facial surgery: in-vitro simulation and in-vivo surgery in minipig mandibles. Br J Oral Maxillofac Surg 2015; 53:976-81. [PMID: 26305341 DOI: 10.1016/j.bjoms.2015.07.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2014] [Accepted: 07/24/2015] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Laser was being used in medicine soon after its invention. However, it has been possible to excise hard tissue with lasers only recently, and the Er:YAG laser is now established in the treatment of damaged teeth. Recently experimental studies have investigated its use in bone surgery, where its major advantages are freedom of cutting geometry and precision. However, these advantages become apparent only when the system is used with robotic guidance. The main challenge is ergonomic integration of the laser and the robot, otherwise the surgeon's space in the operating theatre is obstructed during the procedure. Here we present our first experiences with an integrated, miniaturised laser system guided by a surgical robot. An Er:YAG laser source and the corresponding optical system were integrated into a composite casing that was mounted on a surgical robotic arm. The robot-guided laser system was connected to a computer-assisted preoperative planning and intraoperative navigation system, and the laser osteotome was used in an operating theatre to create defects of different shapes in the mandibles of 6 minipigs. Similar defects were created on the opposite side with a piezoelectric (PZE) osteotome and a conventional drill guided by a surgeon. The performance was analysed from the points of view of the workflow, ergonomics, ease of use, and safety features. The integrated robot-guided laser osteotome can be ergonomically used in the operating theatre. The computer-assisted and robot-guided laser osteotome is likely to be suitable for clinical use for ostectomies that require considerable accuracy and individual shape.
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Bagnato G, Visalli E, Fiorenza A, Cordova F, Greco D, Monaco C, Roberts W, Bruno A, Zoccali R, Bagnato G. SAT0453 Clinical, Autoimmune and Psychiatric Parameters in Systemic Sclerosis and Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients: Correlations with Sleep Disturbances. Ann Rheum Dis 2015. [DOI: 10.1136/annrheumdis-2015-eular.2708] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
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Pandolfo G, Gugliandolo A, Gangemi C, Arrigo R, Currò M, La Ciura G, Muscatello MRA, Bruno A, Zoccali R, Caccamo D. Association of the COMT synonymous polymorphism Leu136Leu and missense variant Val158Met with mood disorders. J Affect Disord 2015; 177:108-13. [PMID: 25766270 DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2015.02.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/24/2014] [Revised: 02/16/2015] [Accepted: 02/18/2015] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Major depressive disorder (MDD) and bipolar disorder (BD) are the two most common mood disorders. Given the recognized involvement of catecholamines in depression, genetic research focused on the evaluation of polymorphisms in genes coding for proteins that regulate neurotransmitter release, transport and degradation. Here we aimed at evaluating the distribution of two genetic variants of catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT), namely the well characterized missense polymorphism G1947A (Val158Met) and the recently reported synonymous polymorphism C1886G (Leu136Leu), in MDD and BD patients compared with healthy subjects. METHODS Genotyping for COMT polymorphisms was carried out by DNA direct sequencing in 112 patients (54 MDD and 58 BD) and 58 healthy subjects. RESULTS We did not find significant differences in the Val158Met variant distribution between patients and controls. Instead, we found that the C1886 major allele and the CC1886 wild-type genotype frequencies were significantly higher in controls than in both groups of patients. On the contrary, the G1886 minor allele and the heterozygous CG1886 genotype were significantly more present in both MDD and BD patients than in healthy subjects. When looking at combined polymorphisms, we found a significantly higher frequency of the double heterozygous diplotype CG/GAVal/Met158 in both MDD and BD patients than in controls. Instead, the diplotype CC/GAVal/Met158 showed a significantly higher frequency in controls than in BD patients. LIMITATIONS The small size of our study cohort may limit the generalizability of the present findings. CONCLUSIONS This work first showed the association of combined Leu136Leu and Val158Met variants of COMT gene with MDD and BD.
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Ristè D, Poletto S, Huang MZ, Bruno A, Vesterinen V, Saira OP, DiCarlo L. Detecting bit-flip errors in a logical qubit using stabilizer measurements. Nat Commun 2015; 6:6983. [PMID: 25923318 PMCID: PMC4421804 DOI: 10.1038/ncomms7983] [Citation(s) in RCA: 198] [Impact Index Per Article: 22.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2015] [Accepted: 03/18/2015] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Quantum data are susceptible to decoherence induced by the environment and to errors in the hardware processing it. A future fault-tolerant quantum computer will use quantum error correction to actively protect against both. In the smallest error correction codes, the information in one logical qubit is encoded in a two-dimensional subspace of a larger Hilbert space of multiple physical qubits. For each code, a set of non-demolition multi-qubit measurements, termed stabilizers, can discretize and signal physical qubit errors without collapsing the encoded information. Here using a five-qubit superconducting processor, we realize the two parity measurements comprising the stabilizers of the three-qubit repetition code protecting one logical qubit from physical bit-flip errors. While increased physical qubit coherence times and shorter quantum error correction blocks are required to actively safeguard the quantum information, this demonstration is a critical step towards larger codes based on multiple parity measurements. Future quantum computers will employ error correction to protect quantum data from decoherence and faulty hardware. Here, using a quantum processor with five superconducting qubits, the authors demonstrate how to protect one logical qubit from bitflip errors using multi-qubit, stabilizer measurements.
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Adriani O, Barbarino GC, Bazilevskaya GA, Bellotti R, Boezio M, Bogomolov EA, Bongi M, Bonvicini V, Bottai S, Bruno A, Cafagna F, Campana D, Carbone R, Carlson P, Casolino M, Castellini G, De Donato C, De Santis C, De Simone N, Felice VD, Formato V, Galper AM, Karelin AV, Koldashov SV, Koldobskiy S, Krutkov SY, Kvashnin AN, Leonov A, Malakhov V, Marcelli L, Martucci M, Mayorov AG, Menn W, Mergé M, Mikhailov VV, Mocchiutti E, Monaco A, Mori N, Munini R, Osteria G, Palma F, Panico B, Papini P, Pearce M, Picozza P, Ricci M, Ricciarini SB, Sarkar R, Scotti V, Simon M, Sparvoli R, Spillantini P, Stozhkov YI, Vacchi A, Vannuccini E, Vasilyev GI, Voronov SA, Yurkin YT, Zampa G, Zampa N, Zverev VG. TRAPPED PROTON FLUXES AT LOW EARTH ORBITS MEASURED BY THE
PAMELA
EXPERIMENT. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2015. [DOI: 10.1088/2041-8205/799/1/l4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
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Sabia E, Claps S, Napolitano F, Annicchiarico G, Bruno A, Francaviglia R, Sepe L, Aleandri R. In vivo digestibility of two different forage species inoculated with arbuscular mycorrhiza in Mediterranean red goats. Small Rumin Res 2015. [DOI: 10.1016/j.smallrumres.2014.10.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
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Sandionigi A, Vicario S, Prosdocimi EM, Galimberti A, Ferri E, Bruno A, Balech B, Mezzasalma V, Casiraghi M. Towards a better understanding of Apis mellifera and Varroa destructor microbiomes: introducing 'phyloh' as a novel phylogenetic diversity analysis tool. Mol Ecol Resour 2014; 15:697-710. [PMID: 25367306 DOI: 10.1111/1755-0998.12341] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2014] [Revised: 10/23/2014] [Accepted: 10/24/2014] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
The study of diversity in biological communities is an intriguing field. Huge amount of data are nowadays available (provided by the innovative DNA sequencing techniques), and management, analysis and display of results are not trivial. Here, we propose for the first time the use of phylogenetic entropy as a measure of bacterial diversity in studies of microbial community structure. We then compared our new method (i.e. the web tool phyloh) for partitioning phylogenetic diversity with the traditional approach in diversity analyses of bacteria communities. We tested phyloh to characterize microbiome in the honeybee (Apis mellifera, Insecta: Hymenoptera) and its parasitic mite varroa (Varroa destructor, Arachnida: Parasitiformes). The rationale is that the comparative analysis of honeybee and varroa microbiomes could open new perspectives concerning the role of the parasites on honeybee colonies health. Our results showed a dramatic change of the honeybee microbiome when varroa occurs, suggesting that this parasite is able to influence host microbiome. Among the different approaches used, only the entropy method, in conjunction with phylogenetic constraint as implemented in phyloh, was able to discriminate varroa microbiome from that of parasitized honeybees. In conclusion, we foresee that the use of phylogenetic entropy could become a new standard in the analyses of community structure, in particular to prove the contribution of each biological entity to the overall diversity.
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