Catholic University of the Sacred Heart

About: Catholic University of the Sacred Heart is a education organization based out in Milan, Lombardia, Italy. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Health care. The organization has 13592 authors who have published 31048 publications receiving 853961 citations.

Rv1818c‐encoded PE_PGRS protein of Mycobacterium tuberculosis is surface exposed and influences bacterial cell structure

Abstract: Identification of the novel PE multigene family was an unexpected finding of the genomic sequencing of Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Presently, the biological role of the PE and PE_PGRS proteins encoded by this unique family of mycobacterial genes remains unknown. In this report, a representative PE_PGRS gene (Rv1818c/PE_PGRS33) was selected to investigate the role of these proteins. Cell fractionation studies and fluorescence analysis of recombinant strains of Mycobacterium smegmatis and M. tuberculosis expressing green fluorescent protein (GFP)-tagged proteins indicated that the Rv1818c gene product localized in the mycobacterial cell wall, mostly at the bacterial cell poles, where it is exposed to the extracellular milieu. Further analysis of this PE_PGRS protein showed that the PE domain is necessary for subcellular localization. In addition, the PGRS domain, but not PE, affects bacterial shape and colony morphology when Rv1818c is overexpressed in M. smegmatis and M. tuberculosis. Taken together, the results indicate that PE_PGRS and PE proteins can be associated with the mycobacterial cell wall and influence cellular structure as well as the formation of mycobacterial colonies. Regulated expression of PE genes could have implications for the survival and pathogenesis of mycobacteria within the human host and in other environmental niches.

Patients with acute myocardial infarction and non-obstructive coronary arteries: safety and prognostic relevance of invasive coronary provocative tests.

Abstract: Aims Functional alterations of epicardial coronary arteries or coronary microcirculation represent a frequent cause of myocardial infarction and non-obstructive coronary arteries (MINOCA). We aimed at assessing the prognostic value of intracoronary provocative tests in patients presenting with MINOCA and in which other causes of MINOCA have been excluded. Methods and results We prospectively evaluated patients with a diagnosis of MINOCA, excluding patients with aetiologies other than suspected coronary vasomotor abnormalities. Immediately after coronary angiography, an invasive provocative test using acetylcholine or ergonovine was performed. The incidence of death from any cause, cardiac death, and recurrence of acute coronary syndrome (ACS) was assessed at follow-up. We also assessed angina status using Seattle Angina Questionnaires (SAQ). We enrolled 80 consecutive patients [mean age 63.0 ± 10.7 years, 40 (50%) male]. Provocative test was positive in 37 (46.2%) patients without any complication. Among patients with a positive test, epicardial spasm was detected in 24 (64.9%) patients and microvascular spasm in 13 (35.1%) patients. After a median follow-up of 36.0 (range 12.0-60.0) months, patients with a positive test had a significantly higher occurrence of death from any cause [12 (32.4%) vs. 2 (4.7%); P = 0.002], cardiac death [7 (18.9%) vs. 0 (0.0%); P = 0.005], and readmission for ACS [10 (27.0%) vs. 3 (7.0%); P = 0.015] as well as a worse angina status as assessed by SAQ [Seattle score: 88.0 (33.0-100.0) vs. 100.0 (44.0-100.0); P = 0.001] when compared with patients with a negative test. Conclusions We demonstrate that in patients presenting with MINOCA and suspected coronary vasomotor abnormalities, a positive provocative test for spasm is safe and identifies a high-risk subset of patients.

The Political Economy of Distress in East Asian Financial Institutions

Abstract: In the East Asian crisis, connections - with industrial groups or influential families - increased the probability of distress for financial institutions. Connections also made closure more, not less, likely, suggesting that the closure processes themselves were transparent. But larger institutions, although more likely to be distressed, were less likely to be closed, suggesting a too big to fail policy. Politics and regulatory capture can play an important role in financial institutions' distress. East Asia's financial crisis featured many distressed and closed financial intermediaries in an environment with many links between government, politicians, supervisors, and financial institutions. This makes the East Asian financial crisis a good event for studying how such connections affect the resolution of financial institutions' distress. Bongini, Claessens, and Ferri investigate distress and closure decisions for 186 banks and 97 nonbank financial institutions in Indonesia, the Republic of Korea, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Thailand. They find that after July 1997, 42 percent of the institutions experienced distress (were closed, merged, or recapitalized, or had their operations temporarily suspended). By July 1999, 13 percent of all institutions in existence in July 1997 had been closed. Using financial data for 1996, the authors find that: Traditional CAMEL-type variables - returns on assets, loan growth, and the ratio of loan loss reserves to capital, of net interest income to total income, and of loans to borrowings - help predict subsequent distress and closure. None of the foreign - controlled institutions was closed, and foreign portfolio ownership lowered an institution`s probability of distress. Connections - with industrial groups or influential families - increased the probability of distress, suggesting that supervisors had granted forbearance from regulations. Connections also made closure more, not less, likely - suggesting that the closure processes themselves were transparent. But larger institutions, although more likely to be distressed, were less likely to be closed, while (smaller) nonbank financial institutions were more likely to be closed. This suggests a too big to fail policy. These policies, together with the fact that resolution processes were late and not necessarily comprehensive, may have added to the overall uncertainty and loss of confidence in the East Asian countries, aggravating the financial crisis. This paper - a product of the Financial Sector Strategy and Policy Group, Financial Sector Vice Presidency - is part of a larger effort in the group to study the causes and resolution of financial distress.