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Carroll WD, Strenger V, Eber E, Porcaro F, Cutrera R, Fitzgerald DA, Balfour-Lynn IM. European and United Kingdom COVID-19 pandemic experience: The same but different. Paediatr Respir Rev 2020; 35:50-56. [PMID: 32709461 PMCID: PMC7334652 DOI: 10.1016/j.prrv.2020.06.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2020] [Accepted: 06/11/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
The global healthcare landscape has changed dramatically and rapidly in 2020. This has had an impact upon paediatricians and in particular respiratory paediatricians. The effects in Europe, with its mature healthcare system, have been far faster and greater than most authorities anticipated. Within six weeks of COVID-19 being declared a public health emergency by the World Health Organisation [WHO] in China, Europe had become the new epicentre of disease. A pandemic was finally declared by the WHO on March 11th 2020. Continued international travel combined with the slow response of some political leaders and a variable focus on economic rather than health consequences resulted in varying containment strategies in response to the threat of the initial wave of the pandemic. It is likely that this variation has contributed to widely differing outcomes across Europe. Common to all countries was the stark lack of preparations and initial poor co-ordination of responses between levels of government to this unforeseen but not unheralded global health crisis. In this article we highlight the impact of the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in Italy, Austria, Germany, and the United Kingdom.
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Affiliation(s)
- W D Carroll
- Department of Paediatric Respiratory Medicine, Staffordshire Children's Hospital at Royal Stoke, Newcastle Road, Stoke-on-Trent ST4 6QG, UK.
| | - V Strenger
- Division of Paediatric Pulmonology and Allergology, Department of Paediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, Medical University of Graz, Auenbruggerplatz 34/2, A-8036 Graz, Austria.
| | - E Eber
- Division of Paediatric Pulmonology and Allergology, Department of Paediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, Medical University of Graz, Auenbruggerplatz 34/2, A-8036 Graz, Austria.
| | - F Porcaro
- Pediatric Pulmonology & Respiratory Intermediate Care Unit, Sleep and Long-Term Ventilation Unit, Academic Department of Pediatrics, Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital, Rome, Italy.
| | - R Cutrera
- Pediatric Pulmonology & Respiratory Intermediate Care Unit, Sleep and Long-Term Ventilation Unit, Academic Department of Pediatrics, Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital, Rome, Italy.
| | - D A Fitzgerald
- Department of Respiratory Medicine, Discipline of Child & Adolescent Health, Sydney Medical School, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Sydney, The Children's Hospital at Westmead, Sydney, NSW 2145, Australia.
| | - I M Balfour-Lynn
- Department of Paediatric Respiratory Medicine, Royal Brompton Hospital, Sydney Street, London SW3 6NP, UK.
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Porcaro F, Paglietti MG, Diamanti A, Petreschi F, Schiavino A, Negro V, Pecora V, Fiocchi A, Cutrera R. Authors' reply - anaphylactic shock with methylprednisolone, Kounis syndrome and Hypersitivity to corticosteroids: a clinical paradox. Ital J Pediatr 2019; 45:5. [PMID: 30616660 PMCID: PMC6323731 DOI: 10.1186/s13052-018-0600-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2018] [Accepted: 12/27/2018] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
In our letter, we comment the paper of Kounis et al., that highlights a poor-known clinical entity determined by systemic use of corticosteroids, the so-called “Kounis syndrome type I”. We appreciated and shared the intent of Authors to treat the important issue of high risk of adverse drug reaction in patients with atopic diathesis and we confirm the need to administer corticosteroids with caution in patients suffering from allergic disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- F Porcaro
- Respiratory Unit, Academic Department of Pediatrics, Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital, IRCCS, Piazza di Sant'Onofrio 4, 00165, Rome, Italy.
| | - M G Paglietti
- Respiratory Unit, Academic Department of Pediatrics, Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital, IRCCS, Piazza di Sant'Onofrio 4, 00165, Rome, Italy
| | - A Diamanti
- Artificial Nutrition Unit, Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital, IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - F Petreschi
- Respiratory Unit, Academic Department of Pediatrics, Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital, IRCCS, Piazza di Sant'Onofrio 4, 00165, Rome, Italy
| | - A Schiavino
- Respiratory Unit, Academic Department of Pediatrics, Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital, IRCCS, Piazza di Sant'Onofrio 4, 00165, Rome, Italy
| | - V Negro
- Respiratory Unit, Academic Department of Pediatrics, Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital, IRCCS, Piazza di Sant'Onofrio 4, 00165, Rome, Italy
| | - V Pecora
- Division of Allergy, Academic Department of Pediatrics, Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital, IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - A Fiocchi
- Division of Allergy, Academic Department of Pediatrics, Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital, IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - R Cutrera
- Respiratory Unit, Academic Department of Pediatrics, Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital, IRCCS, Piazza di Sant'Onofrio 4, 00165, Rome, Italy
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Porcaro F, Bonchi C, Ugolini A, Frangipani E, Polzonetti G, Visca P, Meneghini C, Battocchio C. Understanding the biomimetic properties of gallium in Pseudomonas aeruginosa: an XAS and XPS study. Dalton Trans 2018; 46:7082-7091. [PMID: 28524209 DOI: 10.1039/c7dt00651a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Pyochelin (PCH) is a siderophore (extracellular chelator) produced by the pathogenic bacterium Pseudomonas aeruginosa (PAO). PCH is implicated in iron (Fe3+) transport to PAO, and is crucial for its metabolism and pathogenicity. Due to the chemical similarity with Fe3+, gallium (Ga3+) interferes with vital iron-dependent processes in bacterial cells, thereby opening new perspectives for the design of specific metal-based antibacterial drugs. However, the structural basis for the Fe3+-mimetic properties of Ga3+ complexed with the PCH siderophore is still lacking. A precise knowledge of the coordination chemistry at the metal site is one of the topmost issues in the production of novel biomimetic metal-based drugs. Elucidation of this issue by means of a deep structural spectroscopic investigation could lead to an improved interference with, or a specific inhibition of, relevant biological pathways. For this reason, we applied Synchrotron Radiation induced X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (SR-XPS) and X-ray Absorption Spectroscopy (XAS) to probe the electronic nature and coordination chemistry of Fe3+ and Ga3+ coordinative sites in PCH metal complexes. Combined XAFS and SR-XPS studies allow us to demonstrate that both Fe and Ga have the same valence state in Fe-PCH and Ga-PCH, and have the same octahedral coordination geometry. Moreover, a similar next neighbour distribution for Fe and Ga, resulting from the EXAFS data analysis, strongly supports similar coordination chemistry at the origin of the biomimetic behaviour of Ga.
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Affiliation(s)
- F Porcaro
- Roma Tre University, Dept. of Sciences, Via della Vasca Navale 79, 00146 - Rome, Italy.
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Porcaro F, Miao Y, Kota R, Haun J, Polzonetti G, Battocchio C, Gratton E. Fluctuation Spectroscopy Analysis of Glucose Capped Gold Nanoparticles. Langmuir 2016; 32:13409-13417. [PMID: 27935716 PMCID: PMC5470844 DOI: 10.1021/acs.langmuir.6b02545] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
In this work, we report the synthesis and biophysical studies carried out on a new kind of biocompatible and very stable gold nanoparticle (GNP) stabilized with glucose through a PEG linker (AuNP-PEG-Glu). The synthetic path was optimized to obtain nanoparticles of controlled sizes. ζ-potential and dynamic light scattering measurements allowed assessment of the nanodimension, dispersity, surface charge, and stability of our GNPs. Confocal microscopy demonstrated qualitatively that glucose molecules are successfully bonded to GNP surfaces. For our study, we selected nanoparticles with diameter in a range that maximizes the internalization efficiency in cells (40 nm). A detailed investigation about the biophysical proprieties of AuNP-PEG-Glu was carried out by means of fluorescence correlation spectroscopy (FCS) and orbital tracking techniques. This work gives new insights about the uptake mechanism of gold nanoparticles capped with glucose molecules.
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Affiliation(s)
- F. Porcaro
- Roma Tre University, Dept. of Sciences, Via della Vasca Navale 79, 00146 - Rome (Italy)
| | - Y. Miao
- Haun Laboratory for Nanoengineering and Molecular Medicine, Biomedical Engineering Department, University of California, Irvine, USA
| | - R. Kota
- Haun Laboratory for Nanoengineering and Molecular Medicine, Biomedical Engineering Department, University of California, Irvine, USA
| | - J. Haun
- Haun Laboratory for Nanoengineering and Molecular Medicine, Biomedical Engineering Department, University of California, Irvine, USA
| | - G. Polzonetti
- Roma Tre University, Dept. of Sciences, Via della Vasca Navale 79, 00146 - Rome (Italy)
| | - C Battocchio
- Roma Tre University, Dept. of Sciences, Via della Vasca Navale 79, 00146 - Rome (Italy)
| | - E. Gratton
- Laboratory for Fluorescence Dynamics, Biomedical Engineering Department, University of California, Irvine, USA
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Porcaro F, Battocchio C, Antoccia A, Fratoddi I, Venditti I, Fracassi A, Luisetto I, Russo MV, Polzonetti G. Synthesis of functionalized gold nanoparticles capped with 3-mercapto-1-propansulfonate and 1-thioglucose mixed thiols and "in vitro" bioresponse. Colloids Surf B Biointerfaces 2016; 142:408-416. [PMID: 26977977 DOI: 10.1016/j.colsurfb.2016.03.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2015] [Revised: 03/03/2016] [Accepted: 03/04/2016] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
The synthesis, characterization and assessment of biological behavior of innovative negatively charged functionalized gold nanoparticles is herein reported, for potential applications in the field of radiotherapy and drug delivery. Gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) functionalized with two capping agents, i.e., the 3-mercapto-1-propansulfonate (3-MPS) and 1-β-thio-D-glucose (TG), have been on purpose synthesized and fully characterized. Advanced characterization techniques including X-Ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS) were applied to probe the chemical structure of the synthesized nanomaterials. Z-potential and Dynamic Light Scattering measurements allowed assessing the nanodimension, dispersity, surface charge and stability of AuNPs. Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) and Flame Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy (FAAS) were applied to the "in vitro" HSG cell model, to investigate the nanoparticles-cells interaction and to evaluate the internalization efficiency, whereas short term cytotoxicity and long term cell killing were evaluated by means of MTT and SRB assays, respectively. In conclusion, in order to increase the amount of gold atoms inside the cell we have optimized the synthesis for a new kind of biocompatible and very stable negatively charged TG-functionalized nanoparticles, with diameters in a range that maximize the uptake in cells (i.e., ∼15nm). Such particles are very promising for radiotherapy and drug delivery application.
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Affiliation(s)
- F Porcaro
- Roma Tre University, Dept. of Sciences, Via della Vasca Navale 79, 00146 Rome Italy
| | - C Battocchio
- Roma Tre University, Dept. of Sciences, Via della Vasca Navale 79, 00146 Rome Italy
| | - A Antoccia
- Roma Tre University, Dept. of Sciences, Via della Vasca Navale 79, 00146 Rome Italy
| | - I Fratoddi
- Sapienza University, Dept. of Chemistry, P.le A. Moro 5, 00085 Rome Italy.
| | - I Venditti
- Sapienza University, Dept. of Chemistry, P.le A. Moro 5, 00085 Rome Italy
| | - A Fracassi
- Roma Tre University, Dept. of Sciences, Via della Vasca Navale 79, 00146 Rome Italy
| | - I Luisetto
- Roma Tre University, Dept. of Sciences, Via della Vasca Navale 79, 00146 Rome Italy
| | - M V Russo
- Sapienza University, Dept. of Chemistry, P.le A. Moro 5, 00085 Rome Italy
| | - G Polzonetti
- Roma Tre University, Dept. of Sciences, Via della Vasca Navale 79, 00146 Rome Italy
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Rossi A, Donati S, Fontana L, Porcaro F, Battocchio C, Proietti E, Venditti I, Bracci L, Fratoddi I. Negatively charged gold nanoparticles as a dexamethasone carrier: stability in biological media and bioactivity assessment in vitro. RSC Adv 2016. [DOI: 10.1039/c6ra19561j] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
AuNP and AuNP/DXM stability and drug release kinetics in different biological media.
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Affiliation(s)
- A. Rossi
- Department of Oncology and Molecular Medicine
- Istituto Superiore di Sanità
- 00161 Rome
- Italy
| | - S. Donati
- Department of Oncology and Molecular Medicine
- Istituto Superiore di Sanità
- 00161 Rome
- Italy
| | - L. Fontana
- Department of Chemistry
- Sapienza University of Rome
- Rome
- Italy
| | - F. Porcaro
- Department of Sciences
- University “Roma Tre”
- Rome
- Italy
| | - C. Battocchio
- Department of Sciences
- University “Roma Tre”
- Rome
- Italy
| | - E. Proietti
- Department of Oncology and Molecular Medicine
- Istituto Superiore di Sanità
- 00161 Rome
- Italy
| | - I. Venditti
- Department of Chemistry
- Sapienza University of Rome
- Rome
- Italy
| | - L. Bracci
- Department of Oncology and Molecular Medicine
- Istituto Superiore di Sanità
- 00161 Rome
- Italy
| | - I. Fratoddi
- Department of Chemistry
- Sapienza University of Rome
- Rome
- Italy
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Porcaro F, Valenzise M, Candela G, Chiera F, Corica D, Pitrolo E, Santucci S, Romeo M, Nigro S, Zirilli G. Evans Syndrome: A case report. Pediatr Med Chir 2014; 36:91. [PMID: 25573707 DOI: 10.4081/pmc.2014.91] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2014] [Accepted: 11/24/2014] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
We describe a case of a 14-years old caucasian female affected by autoimmune hemolytic anemia and thrombocytopenia successfully treated with intravenous immunoglobulin and steroids. Nevertheless, neutropenia occurred during follow-up period. Positivity of direct antiglobulin test and sieric anti-neutrophil antibodies suggested the diagnosis of Evans syndrome trilineage.
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Affiliation(s)
- F Porcaro
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Messina, Messina.
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Battocchio C, Fratoddi I, Fontana L, Bodo E, Porcaro F, Meneghini C, Pis I, Nappini S, Mobilio S, Russo MV, Polzonetti G. Silver nanoparticles linked by a Pt-containing organometallic dithiol bridge: study of local structure and interface by XAFS and SR-XPS. Phys Chem Chem Phys 2014; 16:11719-28. [PMID: 24811056 DOI: 10.1039/c4cp01264j] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
Abstract
Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) functionalized with an organometallic bifunctional thiol containing Pt(ii) centers, generated in situ from trans-trans-[thioacetyl-bistributylphosphine-diethynylbiphenyl-diplatinum(ii)], were synthesized with different sulphur/metal molar ratios (i.e. AgNPs-1 and AgNPs-2) with the aim to obtain nanosystems of different mean size and self-organization behaviour. AgNPs spontaneously self-assemble, giving rise to 2D networks, as previously assessed. In this work a deeper insight into the chemico-physical properties of these AgNPs is proposed by means of synchrotron radiation induced X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (SR-XPS) and X-ray absorption fine structure spectroscopy (XAFS) techniques. The results are discussed in order to probe the interaction at the interface between a noble metal and a thiol ligand at the atomic level and the aim of this study is to shed light on the chemical structure and self-organization details of nanosystems. The nature of the chemical interaction between the dithiol ligand and the Ag atoms on the nanoparticle surface was investigated by combining SR-XPS (S2p, Ag3d core levels) and XAS (S and Ag K-edges) analysis. UV-visible absorption and emission measurements were also carried out on all samples and compared with TD-DFT calculations so as to get a better understanding of their optical behavior and establish the nature of the excitation and emission processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- C Battocchio
- Roma Tre University, Department of Sciences and CISDiC, via della Vasca Navale 79, 00146 - Rome, Italy.
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Salvatore E, Tucci T, Rinaldi C, Russo CV, Rossi F, Di Maio L, Colao A, Porcaro F, Filla A, Mainolfi C, De Michele G. F20 Evaluating body mass composition in huntington's disease by dexa. J Neurol Psychiatry 2010. [DOI: 10.1136/jnnp.2010.222620.20] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
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Canani RB, Ruotolo S, Auricchio L, Caldore M, Porcaro F, Manguso F, Terrin G, Troncone R. Diagnostic accuracy of the atopy patch test in children with food allergy-related gastrointestinal symptoms. Allergy 2007; 62:738-43. [PMID: 17573720 DOI: 10.1111/j.1398-9995.2007.01351.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Little is known about the diagnostic accuracy of atopy patch tests (APT) in the clinical practice of pediatric gastroenterology. Moreover, APTs containing purified food extracts have recently become available, but their diagnostic accuracy is largely undefined. PATIENTS AND METHODS We evaluated the diagnostic accuracy of food challenge, skin prick test (SPT), serum specific IgE determination, and APT using fresh food and commercial food extracts in parallel in children referred for suspected food allergy-related gastrointestinal symptoms. RESULTS Eighty-nine food challenges were performed in 60 patients (38 boys, median age 23 months, range 3-48 months): 31 tested positive for cow's milk (CM), 19 for hen's egg (HE), and two for wheat. Specific immunoglobulin E (IgE) determination, and SPT, respectively, were positive in 7/31 and 14/31 of patients with cow's milk allergy (CMA), and in 7/19 and 7/19 with HE allergy. The results of APT with fresh food vs a commercial assay were (1) CM: sensitivity: 64.5%vs 6.4%, specificity 95.8%vs 95.6%, positive predictive value (PPV) 95.2%vs 66.6% and negative predictive value (NPV) 67.6%vs 43.1%; (2) HE: sensitivity 84.2%vs 5.2%, specificity 100%vs 100%, PPV 100%vs 100% and NPV 75.0%vs 33.3%. CONCLUSIONS Atopy patch test is a useful tool in the diagnostic work up of children with food-allergy-related gastrointestinal symptoms. The diagnostic accuracy of ATP was higher with fresh food than with commercial food extracts.
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Affiliation(s)
- R Berni Canani
- Department of Pediatrics and European Laboratory for the Investigation of Food Induced Diseases, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
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