University of Naples Federico II

About: University of Naples Federico II is a education organization based out in Naples, Campania, Italy. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Cancer. The organization has 29291 authors who have published 68803 publications receiving 1920149 citations. The organization is also known as: Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II & Naples University.

Lifetime and baseline alcohol intake and risk of colon and rectal cancers in the European prospective investigation into cancer and nutrition (EPIC).

Abstract: Lifetime and baseline alcohol intake and risk of colon and rectal cancers in the European prospective investigation into cancer and nutrition (EPIC).

Neural correlates of antinociception in borderline personality disorder.

Abstract: Context A characteristic feature of borderline personality disorder (BPD) is self-injurious behavior in conjunction with stress-induced reduction of pain perception. Reduced pain sensitivity has been experimentally confirmed in patients with BPD, but the neural correlates of antinociceptive mechanisms in BPD are unknown. We predicted that heat stimuli in patients with BPD would activate brain areas concerned with cognitive and emotional evaluation of pain. Objective To assess the psychophysical properties and neural correlates of altered pain processing in patients with BPD. Design Case-control study. Setting A university hospital. Participants Twelve women with BPD and self-injurious behavior and 12 age-matched control subjects. Interventions Psychophysical assessment and blood oxygen level–dependent functional magnetic resonance imaging during heat stimulation with fixed-temperature heat stimuli and individual-temperature stimuli adjusted for equal subjective pain in all the participants. Main Outcome Measure Blood oxygen level–dependent functional magnetic resonance imaging signal changes during heat pain stimulation. Results Patients with BPD had higher pain thresholds and smaller overall volumes of activity than controls in response to identical heat stimuli. When the stimulus temperature was individually adjusted for equal subjective pain level, overall volumes of activity were similar, although regional patterns differed significantly. Patient response was greater in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and smaller in the posterior parietal cortex. Pain also produced neural deactivation in the perigenual anterior cingulate gyrus and the amygdala in patients with BPD. Conclusion The interaction between increased pain-induced response in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and deactivation in the anterior cingulate and the amygdala is associated with an antinociceptive mechanism in patients with BPD.

Crystal structure of the collagen triple helix model [(Pro-Pro-Gly)(10)](3).

Abstract: The first report of the full-length structure of the collagen-like polypeptide [(Pro-Pro-Gly)(10)](3) is given. This structure was obtained from crystals grown in a microgravity environment, which diffracted up to 1.3 A, using synchrotron radiation. The final model, which was refined to an R(factor) of 0.18, is the highest-resolution description of a collagen triple helix reported to date. This structure provides clues regarding a series of aspects related to collagen triple helix structure and assembly. The strict dependence of proline puckering on the position inside the Pro-Pro-Gly triplets and the correlation between backbone and side chain dihedral angles support the propensity-based mechanism of triple helix stabilization/destabilization induced by hydroxyproline. Furthermore, the analysis of [(Pro-Pro-Gly)(10)](3) packing, which is governed by electrostatic interactions, suggests that charges may act as locking features in the axial organization of triple helices in the collagen fibrils.

Prognostic role of ambulatory blood pressure measurement in patients with nondialysis chronic kidney disease.

Abstract: Background Ambulatory blood pressure (BP) measurement allows a better risk stratification in essential hypertension compared with office blood pressure measurement, but its prognostic role in nondialysis chronic kidney disease has been poorly investigated. Methods The prognostic role of daytime and nighttime systolic BP (SBP) and diastolic BP (DBP) in comparison with office measurements was evaluated in 436 consecutive patients with chronic kidney disease. Primary end points were time to renal death (end-stage renal disease or death) and time to fatal and nonfatal cardiovascular events. Quintiles of BP were used to classify patients. Results The mean (SD) age of the patients was 65.1 (13.6) years, and the glomerular filtration rate was 42.9 (19.7) mL/min/1.73 m 2 ; 41.7% of the participants were women, 36.5% had diabetes, and 30.5% had cardiovascular disease. Office-measured SBP/DBP values were 146 (19)/82 (12) mm Hg; daytime SBP/DBP was 131 (17)/75 (11) mm Hg, and nighttime SBP/DBP was 122 (20)/66 (10) mm Hg. During follow-up (median, 4.2 years), 155 and 103 patients reached the renal and cardiovascular end points, respectively. Compared with a daytime SBP of 126 to 135 mm Hg, patients with an SBP of 136 to 146 mm Hg and those with an SBP higher than 146 mm Hg had an increased adjusted risk of the cardiovascular end point (hazard ratio [HR], 2.23; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.13-4.41 and 3.07; 1.54-6.09) and renal death (1.72; 1.02-2.89 and 1.85; 1.11-3.08). Nighttime SBPs of 125 to 137 mm Hg and higher than 137 mm Hg also increased the risk of the cardiovascular end point (HR, 2.52; 95% CI, 1.11-5.71 and 4.00; 1.77-9.02) and renal end point (1.87; 1.03-3.43 and 2.54; 1.41-4.57) with respect to the reference SBP value of 106-114 mm Hg. Office measurement of BP did not predict the risk of the renal or cardiovascular end point. Patients who were nondippers and those who were reverse dippers had a greater risk of both end points. Conclusion In chronic kidney disease, ambulatory BP measurement and, in particular, nighttime BP measurement, allows more accurate prediction of renal and cardiovascular risk; office measurement of BP does not predict any outcome.