Cultural gems linked open data: Mapping culture and intangible heritage in European cities

The recovery and resilience of the cultural and creative sectors after the COVID-19 pandemic is a current topic with priority for the European Commission. Cultural gems is a crowdsourced web platform managed by the Joint Research Centre of the European Commission aimed at creating community-led maps as well as a common repository for cultural and creative places across European cities and towns. More than 130,000 physical locations and online cultural activities in more than 300 European cities and towns are currently tracked by the application. The main objective of Cultural gems consists in raising a holistic vision of European culture, reinforcing a sense of belonging to a common European cultural space. This data article describes the ontology developed for Cultural gems, adopted to represent the domain of knowledge of the application by means of FAIR (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, Reusable) principles and following the paradigms of Linked Open Data (LOD). We provide an overview of this dataset, and describe the ontology model, along with the services used to access and consume the data.

Chronic Wasting Disease Monitoring in Italy 2017–2019: Neuropathological Findings in Cervids

Chronic wasting disease (CWD) is a prion disease that affects cervids; it is classified under transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSEs). CWD is particularly contagious, making its eradication in endemic areas very difficult and creating serious problems for cervid conservation and breeding. It has recently become an emerging public health risk to be managed by health authorities. Starting in 2017, active CWD surveillance in Italy has intensified with the monitoring of wild and farmed cervids. The present study summarizes findings from a histopathological survey of the brains from wild ruminants collected via CWD monitoring between 2017 and 2019. A total of 113 brains from 62 red deer (Cervus elaphus) and 51 roe deer (Capreolus capreolus) were submitted for analysis at the National Reference Center for Animal Encephalopathies (CEA) to determine major patterns of neuropathological lesions and correlated pathogens. Brain lesions were detected in 20 animals, 10 brain samples were unsuitable for examination, and 83 presented no lesions. Neuropathological examination revealed non-suppurative encephalitis or meningoencephalitis in most cases (15/20). This brain study revealed evidence for the absence of CWD in Italy and provided a reference spectrum of neuropathological lesions for differential diagnosis in cervids.

Development of a screening method to rapidly discriminate extravirgin olive oil from other edible vegetable oil by means of direct sample analysis with high resolution mass spectrometry

Extra virgin olive oil is the highest quality olive oil mainly due to its beneficial constituents and nutritional properties. However, olive oil adulteration is a common fraudulent practice by deliberate mislabelling of less expensive oil categories and admixing expensive olive oils with low oils. To protect consumers from such commercial frauds, an easy and fast method to detect the real composition of oil is needed. For this study we used direct sampling analysis (DSA) coupled with a high-resolution mass spectrometer (AxION2 TOF Perkin Elmer) to analyse the fatty acid composition of three types of edible oil: extra virgin olive oil, refined olive oil and seed oil (EVOO, ROO, and SO respectively) to find a marker that could distinguish between them. Good precision in repeatability and reproducibility (RSD% < 15%) was obtained. The fatty acid ratio between the oleic acid/oleic acid dimer was able to distinguish EVOO from the other two types of oil, while the ratio between linoleic and oleic acid was found to discriminate refined oil from seed oil. The development of an easy, fast and cost-effective method can help to limit commercial frauds, increase the number of controlled samples, and enhance food control along the commercial chain.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s13197-021-05063-y.

Development of a Novel Method for Rapid Discrimination between Wild and Farmed Sea Bream

A simple method based on direct sampling analysis, coupled with a time of flight mass spectrometer, was developed to discriminate between wild and farmed sea bream on the basis of the docosahexaenoic and arachidonic fatty acid ratio. Good precision in repeatability and reproducibility (relative standard deviation < 15%) was obtained. The fatty acid ratios of the two types of fish were statistically significant (Student's t < 0.001). The use of a simple, rapid, and cost-effective tool could aid in the detection of commercial fish fraud, increase the number of controlled samples, and strengthen control along the entire commercial chain.

Anterior pituitary autoantibodies in patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus: methodological problems and clinical correlations

BACKGROUND

Anti-pituitary antibodies (APA) were described in patients with Type 1 Diabetes (T1D) but their prevalence and relevance remain controversial.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We evaluated the APA prevalence in Sardinian sera from 100 T1D patients, 70 Type 2 Diabetes (T2D) patients and 62 healthy controls, using indirect immunofluorescence on bovine pituitary sections. To compare two different substrates, we tested using bovine sections, further T1D patient sera (n = 11, from Pisa) previously analysed for APA on monkey sections, while some T1D Sardinian patient sera (n = 22) were tested on monkey sections. According to preliminary experiments, positivity were considered ≥1:200 and ≥1:20 for bovine and monkey substrates, respectively.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

Using bovine sections, APA were detected in 7/100 Sardinian T1D patients (at 1:200 titer) and in none of the other Sardinian sera tested. When the T1D sera from Pisa were tested on bovine and the T1D Sardinian sera were tested on monkey, none of these sera showed corresponding positivity for APA. Pituitary hormone dysfunctions were not found in the 7 APA-positive Sardinian T1D patients. The present study shows that the presence of APA at low-titer is highly related to T1D but not associated with any pituitary dysfunction while the animal species used as substrate appears crucial.

CONCLUSION

Further studies are needed to ascertain whether APA detected by different animal species may have different pathological relevance in T1D and/or whether APA in the long run may predict future anterior pituitary dysfunction.

Cytokines as anti-angiogenic agents in haematological malignancies

The role of angiogenesis in haematological malignancies has been recently recognized. In these tumors, angiogenesis has been investigated predominantly in the bone marrow (BM) compartment where it appears to be regulated by multiple interactions between malignant cells and different cell populations present in the tumor microenvironment. Thus, angiogenesis represents a therapeutic target that opens new perspectives for the treatment of haematological malignancies. Cytokines are small proteins that mediate intercellular communications, thus regulating important cellular functions, such as immune responses and angiogenesis. Some cytokines show anti-angiogenic properties through different mechanisms; these cytokines can interfere directly with biological functions of endothelial cells and/or target tumor cells inhibiting their capability to stimulate formation of new microvessels that are essential for tumor growth and dissemination. In this review we will summarize the current knowledge about the role of cytokines as anti-angiogenic agents in cancer, focusing our attention on the anti-angiogenic activity of IL-12 family members in haematological malignancies.

Absence of IL-12Rβ2 in CD33(+)CD38(+) pediatric acute myeloid leukemia cells favours progression in NOD/SCID/IL2RγC-deficient mice

Childhood acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a hematological malignancy in which tumor burden is continuously replenished by leukemic-initiating cells (ICs), which proliferate slowly and are refractory to chemotherapeutic agents. We investigated whether interleukin (IL)-12, an immuno-modulatory cytokine with anti-tumor activity, may target AML blasts (CD45(+)CD33(+)) and populations known to contain leukemia ICs (that is, CD34(+)CD38(-), CD33(+)CD38(+) and CD44(+)CD38(-) cells). We demonstrate for the first time that: i) AML blasts and their CD34(+)CD38(-), CD33(+)CD38(+), CD44(+)CD38(-) subsets express the heterodimeric IL-12 receptor (IL-12R), ii) AML cells injected subcutaneously into NOD/SCID/Il2rg(-/-) (NSG) mice developed a localized tumor mass containing leukemic ICs and blasts that were virtually eliminated by IL-12 treatment, iii) AML cells injected intravenously into NSG mice engrafted within the first month in the spleen, but not in bone marrow or peripheral blood. At this time, IL-12 dramatically dampened AML CD45(+)CD33(+), CD34(+)CD38(-), CD33(+)CD38(+) and CD44(+)CD38(-) populations, only sparing residual CD33(+)CD38(+) cells that did not express IL-12Rβ2. From 30 to 60 days after the initial inoculum, these IL-12-unresponsive cells expanded and metastasized in both control and IL-12-treated NSG mice. Our data indicate that the absence of IL-12Rβ2 in pediatric AML cells favours leukemia progression in NOD/SCID/IL2Rγc-deficient mice.

Gastric immunolocalization and plasma profiles of acyl-ghrelin in fasted and fasted-refed prepuberal gilts

Ghrelin is a peripheral circulating hormone, mainly released from the stomach, which can stimulate food intake. We studied fed, fasted and fasted-refed prepuberal gilts in order to outline possible changes in gastric mucosal ghrelin cells and in plasma ghrelin profiles in response to food deprivation. Acyl-ghrelin-immunoreactive cells were numerous in oxyntic glands, less abundant in cardiac glands and least frequent in pyloric glands, with the addition of a minor population of labelled cells in the gastric pit mucosa. When fed and fasted animals were compared (72-h fast versus fed; n = 4 each), no clear-cut differences were revealed in labelled cell numbers, nor in their staining intensity. An RIA for plasma porcine acyl-ghrelin (n-octanoylated at Ser-3), not recognizing des-acyl-ghrelin, was validated. Plasma acyl-ghrelin progressively increased upon fasting (over 6, 12, 24 and 48 h); ghrelin levels significantly (P<0.05) higher than those prefast were reached at 72 h. After refeeding, plasma ghrelin was rapidly restored to basal values by 6 h. In the same animals, plasma insulin was significantly reduced throughout the fasting period (6-72 h), while rapidly increasing after refeeding. Non-esterified fatty acid levels increased during fasting (12-72 h) and rapidly returned to low values after refeeding. In conclusion, the present study demonstrates that starvation and refeeding influence ghrelin plasma level in prepuberal gilts. The absence of detectable changes in ghrelin cells, as seen in immunohistochemistry, could be due to a large intracellular storage of potentially releasable acylghrelin.

Low-dose interferon-gamma-producing human neuroblastoma cells show reduced proliferation and delayed tumorigenicity

Interferon-γ (IFN-γ) directs T helper-1 cell differentiation and mediates antitumour effects in preclinical models. However, high-dose IFN-γ is toxic in vivo, and IFN-γ-transfected neuroblastoma (NB) cells secreting high amounts of the cytokine may be lost due to cell apoptosis or differentiation. Two human NB cell lines (ACN and SK-N-BE2(c)) differing as to genetic and phenotypic features were transfected with the human IFN-γ gene and selected on the grounds of the low concentrations of IFN-γ produced. In both IFN-γ-transfected cell lines, autocrine and paracrine activation of IFN-γ-mediated pathways occurred, leading to markedly reduced proliferation rate, to increased expression of surface HLA and CD40 molecules and of functional TNF binding sites. ACN/IFN-γ cells showed a significantly delayed tumorigenicity in nude mice as compared to parental cells. ACN/IFN-γ tumours were smaller, with extensive necrotic area as a result of a damaged and defective microvascular network. In addition, a significant reduction in the proliferation index was observed. This is the first demonstration that IFN-γ inhibits in vivo proliferation of NB cell by acting on the tumour cell itself. This effect adds to the immunoregulatory and antiangiogenic activities operated by IFN-γ in syngeneic tumour-bearing hosts.

ACE genotype and endothelium-dependent vasodilation of conduit arteries and forearm microcirculation in humans

The ACE gene is a candidate gene for cardiovascular disease. Endothelial dysfunction is considered an intermediate phenotype in the pathogenesis of hypertension and atherosclerosis. We evaluated the role of ACE gene polymorphism in endothelial function of young healthy humans. We assessed ACE genotype (deletion [D]/insertion [I] polymorphism) in 92 young healthy individuals. In 88 of them, endothelium-dependent (flow-mediated) vasodilation and endothelium-independent (nitroglycerin-induced) vasodilation were measured in the common femoral artery and in the brachial (n=84) artery by echo Doppler technique. In 35 subjects, we also applied the forearm perfusion technique to quantify the responses of the forearm vascular bed to 3 increasing doses of 2 endothelium-dependent vasodilators (acetylcholine and bradykinin) and 1 endothelium-independent vasodilator (sodium nitroprusside). The D allele of the ACE gene was associated with a significant blunting (Delta approximately 26%) of endothelium-dependent vasodilation in the femoral artery (P=0.02) but not in the brachial artery (P=0.55) or in the forearm microcirculation (P=0.70 to 0.80). Endothelium-independent vasodilation was unaffected by the ACE genotype. In young healthy humans, the D allele of the ACE gene is associated with selective endothelial dysfunction of the femoral artery. It remains to be determined whether this association discloses a causal role in vascular, particularly peripheral artery, disease.

Haemodynamic effects of intravenous clonidine on propofol or thiopental induction

The study evaluated the effects of premedication with intravenous clonidine on thiopental or propofol requirements for induction and haemodynamic changes associated with both induction and endotracheal intubation. Clonidine administered intravenously before induction of anaesthesia reduced propofol or thiopental requirements. The association of clonidine and propofol caused, after injection of the induction drug, a decrease in mean arterial pressure which was significantly greater than with thiopental. Moreover, a major haemodynamic stability was registered before and after laryngoscopy in the clonidine-thiopental group. These findings might contraindicate the clonidine-propofol combination in patients with cardiovascular disease.

[Systemic lupus erythematosus in the elderly]

The authors report two clinical cases of systemic lupus erythematosus, both in patients over 65 years of age. The discussion includes a brief overview of recent publications on this condition in geriatric patients. Some aspects of systemic lupus in elderly persons are suggested and commented on.

Abnormal US response of main pancreatic duct after secretin stimulation in patients with acute pancreatitis of different etiology

To assess changes in caliber of the main pancreatic duct, we performed abdominal ultrasonography after maximal stimulation with secretin (US-S test) in 14 patients with idiopathic recurrent acute pancreatitis, in six with recurrent acute pancreatitis secondary to pancreas divisum, in 14 recovered from a single attack of acute pancreatitis, and in 21 control subjects. In five patients, the test was repeated 10 days after endoscopic sphincterotomy. We repeated the test 48 h later in nine subjects to evaluate its reliability. We evaluated changes in lipase serum values in some of these subjects. In the acute pancreatitis patients, the main pancreatic duct diameter was significantly increased over baseline and control values throughout the observation period. In the patients undergoing sphincterotomy, the poststimulation diameter of the main duct was substantially reduced after the operation. The reliability of the test ranged from 77 to 91.5%. In the acute pancreatitis patients, serum enzymes after secretin stimulation showed a persistent increase over controls. These results suggest that pancreatic outlet obstruction, mainly at the sphincter of Oddi level, may be an important pathogenetic factor in the course of the disease and that, if this condition is present after an attack of acute pancreatitis, endoscopic sphincterotomy may be in order. The simplicity and satisfactory reproducibility of the US-S test suggest a strong case for its routine clinical use.

Isoelectric focusing on cellulose acetate membrane: a separation procedure for alkaline phosphatase isoenzymes

An isoelectric focusing technique for the separation of alkaline phosphatase isoenzymes on cellulose acetate membrane is described. Optimal conditions for isoelectric focusing were established by changing ampholine concentration and focusing conditions. Bone, liver, intestinal, and placental isoenzymes can be resolved into various sub-bands in a pH range of 4.1 to 5.2. These sub-bands were correlated with the findings of electrophoretic isoenzyme separation. The whole procedure proves very simple to perform and comparatively time saving (4 h). This procedure may help clarify the problems of ALP isoenzyme differentiation when electrophoretic patterns are unresolved.

Comparison of different pharmacological interventions on enzymatic parameters during acute myocardial infarction

The concept that acute myocardial infarction is a dynamic event and that different interventions can modify the extent of the necrosis, has led to renewed interest in early pharmacological and surgical treatments designed to reduce the ischemic injury. To evaluate the effects of different pharmacological interventions aimed to reduce the extent of necrosis, we studied 166 patients (138 male and 28 female, mean age of 59.4 +/- 11.3 years) admitted within 6 h after chest pain and treated with a single therapy during the first 72 h. Enzymatic infarct size (IS) was calculated by serial creatine kinase isoenzyme MB determinations using a compartmental model. Six groups of patients were evaluated: 33 patients were treated only with antiplatelet drugs, 38 with anticoagulants, 34 with intravenous thrombolytic therapy, 20 with calcium channel blockers, 25 with nitrates, and 16 with beta-blockers. Estimated IS (gEq/m2) and elimination constant (Kd, U/L/h) did not differ in the six groups, but patients treated with streptokinase had higher release constant (Ka, U/L/h) and shorter time to peak CK-MB value. Early treatment (less than or equal to 2 h after chest pain) had a favourable effect on the enzymatic IS only in patients treated with calcium channel blockers (p less than 0.005).

Macro creatine kinase type 2: a marker of myocardial damage in infants?

The case histories of two children (aged two months) affected by myocarditis showing an atypical band of serum creatine kinase (EC 2.7.3.2; CK) in the CK isoenzyme electrophoretic pattern are reported. The electrophoretic mobility on cellulose acetate of the atypical iso-CK band and its greater relative molecular mass, the lack of binding with immunoglobulins and the result of CK-BB determination by RIA, allowed us to identify the band with an oligomeric form of the mitochondrial isoenzyme. One child died 2 days after admission, while in the other it was possible to demonstrate reduction and disappearance of the atypical band in concomitance with a marked clinical improvement. Our findings suggest that the oligomeric form of mitochondrial-CK is released in conditions of serious heart muscle damage, and that it may be an indicator of myocardial cellular necrosis in pediatric patients.

[Early diagnosis of myocardial infarct: value of the combined use of creatine kinase and MB isoenzyme determinations]

To define the optimal diagnostic strategy for acute myocardial infarction, 225 patients with suspected myocardial infarction were studied by serial (3 hour intervals) sampling for CK and CK-MB enzyme activity. In 12 patients the diagnosis of myocardial infarction was rejected. In the remaining 213 the myocardial infarction was transmural in 183 (anterior in 79, postero-inferior in 95, anterior and inferior in 9), non transmural in 30. In these patients the mean increase of enzyme activity, the time to pick activity and the infarct size (Sobel method) were measured. The best diagnostic sensitivity in the early phases of myocardial infarction was obtained by the combined use of CK and CK-MB determinations (95.9% of the diagnosis at 9 hours after the acute event). However the percent of positivity of CK & CK-MB values occurred significantly (p less than 0.01) later in non transmural (4.3% at 3, 34.7% at 6 and 86.9% at 9 hours after the onset of the chest pain) than in transmural myocardial infarction (25.2% at 3, 54.4% at 6 and 97.6% at 9 hours) and among these in inferior as compared to anterior (18.7% vs 32.2% at 3 hours, 46.8% vs 62.7% at 6 hours and 96.8% vs 98.3% at 9 hours). The CK/CK-MB ratio was of limited diagnostic value because it was increased (greater than 8) in most of the patients, either with normal or abnormal enzymes activities. Early kinetics differed in the different anatomo-clinical types of infarction. In all locations of myocardial infarction the mean enzyme activity increase was significantly correlated with the calculated enzymatic infarct size.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

CPK and CPK-MB in the early diagnosis of acute myocardial infarction and prediction of infarcted area

This study was carried out on patients of a coronary unit to evaluate the diagnostic efficiency of total CPK and CPK-MB by using different analytical techniques: catalytic, immunoassisted, cellulose acetate electrophoresis, radioimmunoassay and immunoradiometric assay. The behaviour of the enzyme was studied in all patients with reference to the localization and extent of the infarct. In all cases a diagnostic algorithm was followed based on the combined use of CPK and its MB isoenzyme; the activity was measured twice, at three-hour intervals after admission. In this way the utilization of total CPK and MB isoenzyme allows almost complete diagnostic efficiency within the first 9 hours from onset of chest pain, together with the possibility of calculating the slope of the curve of MB isoenzyme release useful for calculating infarct size. Maximum diagnostic efficiency is also obtained in cases of small infarcts, with silent ECG, and those difficult to classify clinically.

Effect of chlorpropamide and phenformin on rat liver: the effect on plasma membrane-bound enzymes and cyclic AMP content of hepatocytes in vitro

Chlorpropamide and phenformin inhibited (Na+ - K+)-ATPase and stimulated a high affinity cyclic AMP-phosphodiesterase of isolated liver plasma membrane when tested in vitro. In addition, the two drugs decreased the intracellular cyclic AMP content of isolated hepatocytes without being effective on plasma membrane-bound adenylate cyclase. The results suggest that the plasma membrane plays an important role in the mechanism of action of the two hypoglycemic drugs, but do not exclude the presence of intracellular targets.

Insulin-sensitive adenosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate phosphodiesterase of hepatocyte plasma membrane

Adenosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate phosphodiesterase (EC 3.1.4.17) has been investigated in rat liver as to its insulin sensitivity. Hormone action has been assayed in vitro on a liver homogenate purified by DEAE-cellulose column chromatography, on isolated hepatocytes, on isolated plasma membranes. The DEAE-cellulose chromatography purified homogenate showed no sensitivity to insulin, whereas isolated hepatocytes incubated in presence of insulin showed increased phosphodiesterase activity in a plasma membrane-containing fraction. The plasma membrane-bound enzyme, which shows both high and low affinity components, was significantly stimulated after hormonal treatment; this effect being dependent on a V increase of the low Km form.