University of Siena

About: University of Siena is a education organization based out in Siena, Italy. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Cancer. The organization has 12179 authors who have published 33334 publications receiving 1008287 citations. The organization is also known as: Università degli studi di Siena & Universita degli studi di Siena.

Intergenerational wealth transmission and the dynamics of inequality in small-scale societies.

Abstract: Small-scale human societies range from foraging bands with a strong egalitarian ethos to more economically stratified agrarian and pastoral societies. We explain this variation in inequality using a dynamic model in which a population's long-run steady-state level of inequality depends on the extent to which its most important forms of wealth are transmitted within families across generations. We estimate the degree of intergenerational transmission of three different types of wealth (material, embodied, and relational), as well as the extent of wealth inequality in 21 historical and contemporary populations. We show that intergenerational transmission of wealth and wealth inequality are substantial among pastoral and small-scale agricultural societies (on a par with or even exceeding the most unequal modern industrial economies) but are limited among horticultural and foraging peoples (equivalent to the most egalitarian of modern industrial populations). Differences in the technology by which a people derive their livelihood and in the institutions and norms making up the economic system jointly contribute to this pattern.

Latent autoimmune diabetes in adults (LADA) should be less latent.

Abstract: ‘Latent autoimmune diabetes in adults’ (LADA) is the term coined to describe adults who have a slowly progressive form of autoimmune or type 1 diabetes that can be treated initially without insulin injections. The diagnosis of LADA is currently based on three clinical criteria: (1) adult age at onset of diabetes; (2) the presence of circulating islet autoantibodies, which distinguishes LADA from type 2 diabetes; and (3) insulin independence at diagnosis, which distinguishes LADA from classic type 1 diabetes. The prevalence of LADA in adults presenting with non-insulin-requiring diabetes is approximately 10%. Recognition of LADA expands the concept and prevalence of autoimmune diabetes, but LADA remains poorly understood at both a clinical and research level. In this perspective, we review the nomenclature, diagnostic criteria, genetics, pathology and therapy of LADA, to arrive at recommendations that might advance knowledge and management of this form of diabetes.

Antigen retrieval techniques in immunohistochemistry: comparison of different methods.

Abstract: Routine sections of normal and pathological samples fixed in 10 per cent buffered formalin or B5, including EDTA-decalcified bone-marrow biopsies, were tested with 61 antibodies following heating in three different fluids: 0.01 M citrate buffer (pH 6.0), 0.1 M Tris-HCl (pH 8.0), and 1 mM EDTA-NaOH solution (pH 8.0). The sections underwent either three cycles of microwave treatment (5 min each) or pressure cooking for 1-2 min. The alkaline phosphatase/anti-alkaline phosphatase (APAAP) technique was used as the standard detection method; with 16 antibodies a slightly modified streptavidin-biotin complex (SABC)-immunoperoxidase technique was applied in parallel. The results obtained were compared with those observed without any antigen retrieval (AR), or following section digestion with 0.05 per cent protease XIV at 37 degrees C for 5 min. Chess-board titration tests showed that all antibodies but one profited by AR. Protease XIV digestion represented the gold standard for five antibodies, while 55 produced optimal results following the application of heat-based AR. By comparison with the other fluids, EDTA appeared to be superior in terms of both staining intensity and the number of marked cells. These results were independent of tissue processing, immunohistochemical approach, and heating device. Pressure cooking was found to be more convenient on practical grounds, as it allowed the simultaneous handling of a large number of slides and a time saving of 1 min 30 s, representing the proper time for the treatment.

Mutations in SLC30A10 Cause Parkinsonism and Dystonia with Hypermanganesemia, Polycythemia, and Chronic Liver Disease

Abstract: Manganese is essential for several metabolic pathways but becomes toxic in excessive amounts. Manganese levels in the body are therefore tightly regulated, but the responsible protein(s) remain incompletely known. We studied two consanguineous families with neurologic disorders including juvenile-onset dystonia, adult-onset parkinsonism, severe hypermanganesemia, polycythemia, and chronic hepatic disease, including steatosis and cirrhosis. We localized the genetic defect by homozygosity mapping and then identified two different homozygous frameshift SLC30A10 mutations, segregating with disease. SLC30A10 is highly expressed in the liver and brain, including in the basal ganglia. Its encoded protein belongs to a large family of membrane transporters, mediating the efflux of divalent cations from the cytosol. We show the localization of SLC30A10 in normal human liver and nervous system, and its depletion in liver from one affected individual. Our in silico analyses suggest that SLC30A10 possesses substrate specificity different from its closest (zinc-transporting) homologs. We also show that the expression of SLC30A10 and the levels of the encoded protein are markedly induced by manganese in vitro. The phenotype associated with SLC30A10 mutations is broad, including neurologic, hepatic, and hematologic disturbances. Intrafamilial phenotypic variability is also present. Chelation therapy can normalize the manganesemia, leading to marked clinical improvements. In conclusion, we show that SLC30A10 mutations cause a treatable recessive disease with pleomorphic phenotype, and provide compelling evidence that SLC30A10 plays a pivotal role in manganese transport. This work has broad implications for understanding of the manganese biology and pathophysiology in multiple human organs.