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Research Interests: Healthcare workers, Hospital Infection, Helicobacter pylori, Medicine, Italy, and 15 moreHumans, Internal Medicine, Infection Control, Female, Male, Epidemiology of Helicobacter pylori infection, Clinical Sciences, Aged, Prevalence, Middle Aged, Risk Factor, Adult, Occupational Exposure, Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay, and Logistic Models
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Research Interests: Biochemistry, Immunology, Medical Microbiology, Biology, Phospholipids, and 15 moreMedicine, Biological Sciences, Humans, Cell fusion, Vesicular Stomatitis Virus, Sphingomyelin, Membrane Lipids, HeLa cells, Glycolipids, Glycolipid, Hydrogen-Ion Concentration, Oxidation-Reduction, Giant Cells, Cell Membrane, and Medical and Health Sciences
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The haemagglutination-inhibiting activity of human serum towards Sindbis virus is linked to very low and low density lipoprotein classes, in particular to their lipid component. To investigate the specific role played in this inhibition... more
The haemagglutination-inhibiting activity of human serum towards Sindbis virus is linked to very low and low density lipoprotein classes, in particular to their lipid component. To investigate the specific role played in this inhibition by carbohydrates contained in the molecule, inhibitor separation was carried out by Concanavalin A-Sepharose affinity chromatography. A different behaviour among the inhibiting molecules in relation to the carbohydrate content was observed. The importance of mannose for the biological activity of the inhibitor is discussed.
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Research was carried out in order to verify if some components of human serum, which are capable of inhibiting the hemagglutination by Sendai virus, are active even towards the hemolysis by the same virus. It was ascertained that both... more
Research was carried out in order to verify if some components of human serum, which are capable of inhibiting the hemagglutination by Sendai virus, are active even towards the hemolysis by the same virus. It was ascertained that both orosomucoid and low-density lipoproteins obtained by floatation had no action on the hemolysis by Sendai virus while lipoproteins precipitated with dextrane sulphate showed a certain inhibiting effect. This action however is not due to lipoproteins but is probably related to some substances used in the method of precipitation.
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[No abstract available
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A study has been made to clarify the importance of some carbohydrate components of goose red blood cell and BHK 21 cell membrane receptors for vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV). Experiments have been carried out by inducing enzymatic... more
A study has been made to clarify the importance of some carbohydrate components of goose red blood cell and BHK 21 cell membrane receptors for vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV). Experiments have been carried out by inducing enzymatic modifications on the surface of intact cells and following the interaction between VSV and treated cells. Results obtained indicate that the removal of mannose, galactose and fucose from cell membranes reduces the attachment of the virus to cell receptors.
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Abstract: Chlamydia pneumoniae, a pathogenic bacteria responsible for respiratory tract infections, is known as the most implicated infectious agent in atherosclerotic cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). Accumulating evidence suggests that C.... more
Abstract: Chlamydia pneumoniae, a pathogenic bacteria responsible for respiratory tract infections, is known as the most implicated infectious agent in atherosclerotic cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). Accumulating evidence suggests that C. pneumoniae-induced oxidative stress may play a critical role in the pathogenesis of CVDs. Indeed, the overproduction of reactive oxygen species (ROS) within macrophages, endothelial cells, platelets and vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) after C. pneumoniae exposure, has been shown to cause low density lipoprotein oxidation, foam cell formation, endothelial dysfunction, platelet adhesion and aggregation, and VSMC proliferation and migration, all responsible for the typical pathological changes of atherosclerotic plaque. The aim of this review is to improve our insight into C. pneumoniae-induced oxidative stress in order to suggest potential strategies for CVD prevention. Several antioxidants, acting on multi-enzymatic targets related to ROS produ...
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The relationship between Con A-receptor mobility and Con A-induced agglutination of Novikoff hepatoma and normal rat liver cells was investigated. Novikoff cells, incubated with fluorescein-labelled Con A at 3 °C displayed uniform,... more
The relationship between Con A-receptor mobility and Con A-induced agglutination of Novikoff hepatoma and normal rat liver cells was investigated. Novikoff cells, incubated with fluorescein-labelled Con A at 3 °C displayed uniform, ring-like surface fluorescence. Increasing the temperature of the cells to 37 °C caused capping of Con A receptors in approximately 65% of the cells, a phenomenon that could be prevented by prefixing the cells with glutaraldehyde. In spite of these variations in Con A-receptor distribution, Con A-induced agglutination was remarkably constant over a temperature range from 3 to 37 °C. In contrast to Novikoff cells, normal hepatocytes displayed a uniform, ringlike surface fluorescence at both 3 and 37 °C. No capping was observed. However, hepatocytes, similar to Novikoff cells, were agglutinable by low concentrations of Con A. These findings indicate that, in this model system, Con A-induced cytoagglutination is not dependent upon long-range lateral mobility...
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The human vaginal microbiota plays an important role in the maintenance of a woman's health, as well as of her partner's and newborns'. When this predominantly Lactobacillus community is disrupted, decreased in abundance and... more
The human vaginal microbiota plays an important role in the maintenance of a woman's health, as well as of her partner's and newborns'. When this predominantly Lactobacillus community is disrupted, decreased in abundance and replaced by different anaerobes, bacterial vaginosis (BV) may occur. BV is associated with ascending infections and obstetrical complications, such as chorioamnionitis and preterm delivery, as well as with urinary tract infections and sexually transmitted infections. In BV the overgrowth of anaerobes produces noxious substances like polyamines and other compounds that trigger the release of pro-inflammatory cytokines interleukin (IL)-1 β and IL-8. BV can profoundly affect, with different mechanisms, all the phases of a woman's life in relation to reproduction, before pregnancy, during fertilization, through and at the end of pregnancy. BV can directly affect fertility, since an ascending dissemination of the involved species may lead to tubal fac...
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The chemical nature of BK virus receptors on human erythrocytes was investigated. Glycosidases, KIO4, proteases, phospholipases and other substances acting specifically on different structures of plasma membranes were used to ascertain... more
The chemical nature of BK virus receptors on human erythrocytes was investigated. Glycosidases, KIO4, proteases, phospholipases and other substances acting specifically on different structures of plasma membranes were used to ascertain the role of surface cell components in the interaction with BK virus. The results obtained indicate an analogy between BK virus receptors on red cells and non-antibody serum inhibitors active against haemagglutination by the same virus.
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The in vitro antiviral activity against picornaviruses (rhinovirus serotype 1B and 14, and poliovirus type 2) of new synthetic 3-hydroxyflavones, 3-acetoxyflavones, and substituted cinnamic and benzoic acid flavon-3-yl esters was... more
The in vitro antiviral activity against picornaviruses (rhinovirus serotype 1B and 14, and poliovirus type 2) of new synthetic 3-hydroxyflavones, 3-acetoxyflavones, and substituted cinnamic and benzoic acid flavon-3-yl esters was evaluated. The maximum non-toxic concentration of compounds was determined in a human cell line (HeLa) suitable for the replication of the three viruses. Their antiviral potency was measured by a plaque reduction assay. Generally, rhinoviruses exhibited a higher sensitivity to the new flavonoids than poliovirus. Flavones, with sterically small substituents in position 3, showed good activity against both rhinoviruses tested. However, the introduction of bulky substituents in the same position resulted in analogues with a higher toxicity and often with a lower efficacy.
Research Interests: Biology, Flavonoids, Medicine, Humans, Stereochemistry, and 13 moreEsterification, Public health systems and services research, HeLa cells, Picornavirus, HeLa, Rhinovirus, Structure activity Relationship, Flavones, Antiviral Agents, Biochemistry and cell biology, Molecular Structure, Poliovirus, and cinnamic acid
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A total of 150 strains of staphylococci, clinically isolated, were tested for sensitivity to ovotransferrin (conalbumin). Among these, all the 50 coagulase-positive, mannitol-positive, and deoxyribonuclease-positive staphylococci appeared... more
A total of 150 strains of staphylococci, clinically isolated, were tested for sensitivity to ovotransferrin (conalbumin). Among these, all the 50 coagulase-positive, mannitol-positive, and deoxyribonuclease-positive staphylococci appeared to be resistant to conalbumin, i.e., capable of growing in the presence of this transferrin. Among the other 100 strains, which were not classified as S. aureus, some appeared to be resistant and some were sensitive. The different behavior toward conalbumin is related to varying degrees of efficiency of the bacterial iron transport systems and, to test this, a simple method can be used, based on the addition of CrCl3 to the culture medium. The precipitation of iron produced by chromium salts has an effect on the growth of staphylococci similar to that produced by conalbumin and reveals the differences in the iron transport systems which occur in the genus Staphylococcus.
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2-Styrylchromones were synthesized as vinylogues of 2-phenylchromones (flavones), a broad class of anti-rhinovirus compounds. The antiviral activity of 2-styrylchromones and 3-hydroxy-1-(2-hydroxyphenyl)-5-phenyl-2,4-pentadien-1-ones,... more
2-Styrylchromones were synthesized as vinylogues of 2-phenylchromones (flavones), a broad class of anti-rhinovirus compounds. The antiviral activity of 2-styrylchromones and 3-hydroxy-1-(2-hydroxyphenyl)-5-phenyl-2,4-pentadien-1-ones, which are intermediates in the synthesis, was evaluated against two selected serotypes of human rhinovirus, 1B and 14, by a plaque reduction assay in HeLa cell cultures. All of the compounds interfered with HRV 1B replication, with the exception of 3-hydroxy-1-(2-hydroxyphenyl)-5-(4-methoxyphenyl)-2,4-pentadien-1-one. The majority of derivatives were also found to be effective against serotype 14, often with a higher potency.
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[No abstract available
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IntroductionNeonatal encephalopathy is still a major cause of mortality and morbidity for newborns, although hypothermia treatment has improved the prognosis of term newborns with hypoxic-ischemic injury.Recent evidence suggests that one... more
IntroductionNeonatal encephalopathy is still a major cause of mortality and morbidity for newborns, although hypothermia treatment has improved the prognosis of term newborns with hypoxic-ischemic injury.Recent evidence suggests that one of the crucial but understudied mechanisms of secondary neuronal injury after global hypoxic-ischemic injury is inflammation.Hence, blocking the inflammatory reaction promotes neuroprotection and has a potential for use in the clinical treatment of ischemic brain injury.Many preclinical studies have shown bidirectional interactions between the central nervous system, the enteric nervous system, and the gastrointestinal tract, suggesting a prominent role for the gut microbiota in these gut-brain interactions. Early human studies suggest that altering the microbiota with beneficial bacteria, or probiotics, can lead to changes in brain function, as well as subjective reports of mood.Methods and analysisThe VISNAT trial is a PILOT STUDY developed accord...
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Resveratrol, a polyphenolic natural product, shows protective properties against several viral infections. Rhinoviruses are the major etiological agents of common cold and asthma exacerbations, however no specific antiviral therapy is... more
Resveratrol, a polyphenolic natural product, shows protective properties against several viral infections. Rhinoviruses are the major etiological agents of common cold and asthma exacerbations, however no specific antiviral therapy is available. We evaluated the antiviral effect of resveratrol towards human rhinovirus 16 (HRV-16) in two different cellular models: cell culture monolayer and human nasal epithelium, composed by basal, ciliated and mucus cells. Infection was performed under single cycle or multiple cycles of virus replication conditions. Viral yield in the presence of different non cythopatic concentrations of resveratrol was assessed by plaque assay. Resveratrol was tested on different experimental conditions by measuring its ability 1) to prevent virus infection after pre-treatment of cells or virus, 2) to inhibit early steps of virus multiplication and 3) to reduce virus yield when present during viral replication. Resveratrol showed a strong inhibitory effect on HRV-16 infective particles production in both cellular systems. The inhibition appeared to be dose- and time-dependent. It has been reported that HRV-16 induces activation of NF-kB, which in turn promotes the transcription of ICAM-1, the major receptor for HRV. We examined the effect of resveratrol on the HRV-16-induced expression of ICAM-1 by western blot and direct immuno-fluorescence assay. Resveratrol treatment inhibited the HRV-16-induced increase of ICAM-1 level. Besides, since HRV-16 replication in epithelial cells induces the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines, we evaluated the effects of resveratrol on IL-6, IL-8, RANTES and INF-β levels in human nasal epithelia by ELISA assay. The results of this study suggest that resveratrol may have a possible clinical application in the treatment of HRV infections
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Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) make up a heterogeneous group of neurodevelopmental disorders characterized by social and communication difficulties associated with repetitive and restrictive behaviors. Besides core features, metabolic... more
Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) make up a heterogeneous group of neurodevelopmental disorders characterized by social and communication difficulties associated with repetitive and restrictive behaviors. Besides core features, metabolic imbalances, inflammation, gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms, and altered gut microbiota composition were often described in association with ASD, but their connection with the severity of autism (SA) remains unexplored. In this study, fecal metabolome, microbiota, and calprotectin levels of 80 ASD preschoolers were quantified and correlated with SA. Twelve of the fifty-nine molecules that were quantified by fecal metabolome analysis were significantly associated with SA. No links between SA or GI symptoms and microorganisms’ relative abundance were highlighted. Significant correlations between bifidobacteria, Sutterella, lactobacilli relative abundance, and metabolomics profiles were found. These results suggest that fecal metabolome discriminates the SA...
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The pandemic caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus type 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has led to an extraordinary threat to the global healthcare system. This infection disease, named COVID-19, is characterized by a wide clinical... more
The pandemic caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus type 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has led to an extraordinary threat to the global healthcare system. This infection disease, named COVID-19, is characterized by a wide clinical spectrum, ranging from asymptomatic or mild upper respiratory tract illness to severe viral pneumonia with fulminant cytokine storm, which leads to respiratory failure. To improve patient outcomes, both the inhibition of viral replication and of the unwarranted excessive inflammatory response are crucial. Since no specific antiviral drug has been proven effective for the treatment of patients and the only upcoming promising agents are monoclonal antibodies, inexpensive, safe, and widely available treatments are urgently needed. A potential anti-inflammatory molecule to be evaluated, which possesses antiviral activities in several experimental models, is the polyphenol resveratrol. This compound has been shown to inhibit SARS-CoV-2 replication in human pr...
Research Interests: Medicine and Resveratrol
Type C hepatic encephalopathy (HE) is a neuropsychiatric disease caused by chronic liver disease. Management of type C HE remains an important challenge because treatment options are limited. Both the antibiotic rifaximin and probiotics... more
Type C hepatic encephalopathy (HE) is a neuropsychiatric disease caused by chronic liver disease. Management of type C HE remains an important challenge because treatment options are limited. Both the antibiotic rifaximin and probiotics have been reported to reduce the symptoms of HE, but longitudinal studies assessing their effects on brain metabolism are lacking and the molecular mechanisms underpinning their effects are not fully understood. Therefore, we evaluated in detail the effects of these different treatments on the neurometabolic changes associated with type C HE using a multimodal approach including ultra-high field in vivo 1H MRS. We analyzed longitudinally the effect of rifaximin alone or in combination with the probiotic Vivomixx on the brain metabolic profile in the hippocampus and cerebellum of bile duct ligated (BDL) rats, an established model of type C HE. Overall, while rifaximin alone appeared to induce no significant effect on the neurometabolic profile of BDL ...
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Chronic liver disease leads to neuropsychiatric complications called hepatic encephalopathy (HE). Current treatments have some limitations in their efficacy and tolerability, emphasizing the need for alternative therapies. Modulation of... more
Chronic liver disease leads to neuropsychiatric complications called hepatic encephalopathy (HE). Current treatments have some limitations in their efficacy and tolerability, emphasizing the need for alternative therapies. Modulation of gut bacterial flora using probiotics is emerging as a therapeutic alternative. However, knowledge about how probiotics influence brain metabolite changes during HE is missing. In the present study, we combined the advantages of ultra-high field in vivo 1H MRS with behavioural tests to analyse whether a long-term treatment with a multistrain probiotic mixture (VIVOMIXX) in a rat model of type C HE had a positive effect on behaviour and neurometabolic changes. We showed that the prophylactic administration of this probiotic formulation led to an increase in gut Bifidobacteria and attenuated changes in locomotor activity and neurometabolic profile in a rat model of type C HE. Both the performance in behavioural tests and the neurometabolic profile of BD...
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Celiac disease (CD) is an autoimmune enteropathy caused by an intolerance to gluten proteins. It has been hypothesized that probiotic bacteria may exert beneficial effects by modulating inflammatory processes and by sustaining peptide... more
Celiac disease (CD) is an autoimmune enteropathy caused by an intolerance to gluten proteins. It has been hypothesized that probiotic bacteria may exert beneficial effects by modulating inflammatory processes and by sustaining peptide hydrolysis at the intestinal level. This study aims at evaluating the capacity of a probiotic mixture (two different strains of lactobacilli and three of bifidobacteria) to hydrolyze gluten peptides following simulated gastrointestinal digestion of gliadin (PT-gliadin). The capacity of bacterial hydrolysates to counteract the toxic effects of gliadin-derived peptides in Caco-2 cells was also assessed. The protein and peptide mixtures, untreated or proteolyzed with the probiotic preparation, were analyzed before and after each proteolytic step with different techniques (SDS-PAGE, reverse phase HPLC, filtration on different molecular cut-off membranes). These experiments demonstrated that PT-gliadin can be further digested by bacteria into lower molecula...
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Probiotics are living microorganisms that confer a health benefit when administered in adequate amounts. It has been speculated that probiotics supplementation during pregnancy and in the neonatal period might reduce some maternal and... more
Probiotics are living microorganisms that confer a health benefit when administered in adequate amounts. It has been speculated that probiotics supplementation during pregnancy and in the neonatal period might reduce some maternal and neonatal adverse outcomes. In this narrative review, we describe the rationale behind probiotic supplementation and its possible role in preventing preterm delivery, perinatal infections, functional gastrointestinal diseases, and atopic disorders during early life.
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The innate defense system of the female mucosal genital tract involves a close and complex interaction among the healthy vaginal microbiota, different cells, and various proteins that protect the host from pathogens. Vaginal lactobacilli... more
The innate defense system of the female mucosal genital tract involves a close and complex interaction among the healthy vaginal microbiota, different cells, and various proteins that protect the host from pathogens. Vaginal lactobacilli and lactoferrin represent two essential actors in the vaginal environment. Lactobacilli represent the dominant bacterial species able to prevent facultative and obligate anaerobes outnumber in vaginal microbiota maintaining healthy microbial homeostasis. Several mechanisms underlie the protection exerted by lactobacilli: competition for nutrients and tissue adherence, reduction of the vaginal pH, modulation of immunity, and production of bioactive compounds. Among bioactive factors of cervicovaginal mucosa, lactoferrin, an iron-binding cationic glycoprotein, is a multifunctional glycoprotein with antibacterial, antifungal, antiviral, and antiparasitic activities, recently emerging as an important modulator of inflammation. Lactobacilli and lactoferr...
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To investigate the effectiveness and the safety of a probiotic-mixture (Vivomixx, Visbiome, DeSimone Formulation; Danisco-DuPont, Madison, WI, USA) for the treatment of infantile colic in breastfed infants, compared with a placebo. A... more
To investigate the effectiveness and the safety of a probiotic-mixture (Vivomixx, Visbiome, DeSimone Formulation; Danisco-DuPont, Madison, WI, USA) for the treatment of infantile colic in breastfed infants, compared with a placebo. A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial was conducted in exclusively breastfed infants with colic, randomly assigned to receive a probiotic-mixture or a placebo for 21 days. A structured diary of gastrointestinal events of the infants was given to the parents to complete. Samples of feces were also collected to evaluate microbial content and metabolome using fecal real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) and Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR)-based analysis. Study registered at ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT01869426). Fifty-three exclusively-breastfed infants completed three weeks of treatment with a probiotic-mixture (= 27) or a placebo (= 26). Infants receiving the probiotic-mixture had less minutes of crying per day throughout the study by the en...
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Variability in probiotics manufacturing may affect their properties, with potential implications for their efficacy and safety. This is of particular concern with probiotic products destined for use in patients with serious medical... more
Variability in probiotics manufacturing may affect their properties, with potential implications for their efficacy and safety. This is of particular concern with probiotic products destined for use in patients with serious medical conditions, including human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. The purpose of the study was to carry out a series of experiments comparing the properties of the US-made probiotic formulation originally commercialized under the brand name VSL#3(®), with those of the Italian-made formulation now commercialized under the same name. The US-made formulation has previously shown beneficial effects at the intestinal and neurological levels in HIV-infected subjects as well as in patients with inflammatory bowel diseases and hepatic encephalopathy. Eleven subjects receiving combined antiretroviral therapy for HIV-1 were treated for 6 months with the US-made VSL#3 formulation. At baseline and 6 months, T-cells were analyzed for phenotype and activation markers...