Showing papers by "University of Turin published in 1984"
TL;DR: This form of cell-substratum contact occurring at the tip of a short ventral protrusion represented an osteoclast-specific adhesion device that might also be present in in vivo osteoclasts as well as in other normal and transformed cell types.
Abstract: The cell-substratum interaction was studied in cultures of osteoclasts isolated from the medullary bone of laying hens kept on low calcium diet. In fully spread osteoclasts, cell-substratum adhesion mostly occurred within a continuous paramarginal area that corresponded also to the location of a thick network of intermediate filaments of the vimentin type. In this area, regular rows of short protrusions contacting the substratum and often forming a cup-shaped adhesion area were observed in the electron microscope. These short protrusions showed a core of F-actin-containing material presumably organized as a network of microfilaments and surrounded by a rosette-like structure in which vinculin and alpha-actinin were found by immunofluorescence microscopy. Rosettes were superposable to dark circles in interference-reflection microscopy and thus represented circular forms of close cell-substratum contact. The core of ventral protrusions also contained, beside F-actin, fimbrin and alpha-actinin. Villin was absent. This form of cell-substratum contact occurring at the tip of a short ventral protrusion differed from other forms of cell-substratum contact and represented an osteoclast-specific adhesion device that might also be present in in vivo osteoclasts as well as in other normal and transformed cell types.
334 citations
TL;DR: The monoclonal antibody produced by fusing the murine nonsecreting myeloma cell line P3.X63.653 with spleen cells from rats immunized with IFN-gamma-containing supernatants obtained by stimulating a T-cell lymphoma, L12-R4, with phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate.
Abstract: Monoclonal antibodies against murine immune interferon (IFN-gamma) were produced by fusing the murine nonsecreting myeloma cell line P3.X63.Ag8.653 with spleen cells from rats immunized with IFN-gamma-containing supernatants obtained by stimulating a T-cell lymphoma, L12-R4, with phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate. Supernatants from a twice-cloned hybridoma (AN-18.17.24) were found to neutralize and to adsorb in depletion experiments up to 27 units of mouse IFN-gamma but not equivalent amounts of mouse leukocyte or fibroblast IFNs. The AN-18.17.24 monoclonal antibody neutralized to the same extent mouse IFN-gamma from different sources--namely, (i) concanavalin A-stimulated spleen cells, (ii) alloantigen-stimulated spleen cells, and (iii) monkey fibroblasts transfected with the cloned gene of murine IFN-gamma. Moreover, the monoclonal antibody displayed species specificity, since it did not neutralize IFN-gamma of human origin. Binding inhibition experiments with murine IFN-gamma preparations exposed to enzymatic or physicochemical degradation demonstrated that the protein moiety and not the carbohydrate residues were responsible for the binding to the AN-18.17.24 monoclonal antibody. Finally, this monoclonal antibody immunoprecipitated two molecular species of IFN-gamma of about 16.8 and 17.8 kilodaltons, respectively, from [35S]methionine- or [3H]glucosamine-labeled supernatants of stimulated L12-R4 cells.
143 citations
TL;DR: In this article, the role of the 2 p -2 h states in the spin-isospin nuclear response function was investigated in the frame of a microscopic approach which includes the meson exchange currents and the nucleon-nucleon correlation.
126 citations
TL;DR: In this article, the Hartree-Fock level of approximation with the use of two basis sets: a minimal basis set comprising a single Slater-type orbital per atom (minimal closed-shell model), and an extended set comprising 11 independent $s$- and $p$-type atomic orbitals per unit cell (extended-basis set model).
Abstract: Crystalline LiH is studied at a linear combination of atomic orbitals---Hartree-Fock level of approximation with the use of two basis sets: a minimal basis set comprising a single Slater-type orbital per atom (minimal closed-shell model), and an extended set comprising 11 independent $s$- and $p$-type atomic orbitals per unit cell (extended-basis-set model). The problem of an adequate treatment of long-range Coulomb interactions (which is of great importance with polarizable ionic systems) has been solved by including a Madelung potential in the Fock operator. Cohesive energy, bulk modulus, band structure, x-ray structure factors, and electron-momentum distribution data are calculated and discussed. The agreement with experiment is in general very good with the extended-basis-set model. The present study confirms the essentially ionic nature of LiH.
124 citations
TL;DR: The data show that perinatal Hypoxia plays a role in the etiology of epilepsy, although at birth the hypoxia might result in only a modest and oftentimes completely reversible neurological syndrome.
Abstract: A historical cohort study was undertaken to determine the risk of epilepsy in a population of 371 newborns with an acute neurological disorder related to fetal and/or neonatal hypoxia compared with a control population of 362 normal newborns. The results showed that the risk of epilepsy was 5.1 times higher in the group of subjects affected at birth by a hypoxia-related acute neurological syndrome than in the control group. (Although the incidence of epilepsy is higher in the first year of life, epileptic seizures connected to perinatal hypoxia may occur in early childhood or later on.) Also, there were frequently persistent neuropsychiatric disorders in children with perinatal hypoxia (5.4%). There was no difference in the two groups regarding the incidence of febrile convulsions. The data show that perinatal hypoxia plays a role in the etiology of epilepsy, although at birth the hypoxia might result in only a modest and oftentimes completely reversible neurological syndrome.
117 citations
TL;DR: In this article, it was shown that D = 11 supergravity admits an infinite discrete class of solutions having the phenomenological group SU(3) ⊗ SU(2)⊗ U(1) as a symmetry of the internal space M7.
110 citations
TL;DR: A case‐control study of 512 male cases of bladder cancer and 596 male hospital controls has been analyzed for cigarette smoking, finding that relative risks decreased with years since stopping, whereas they seemed not to change with age starting to smoke.
Abstract: A case-control study of 512 male cases of bladder cancer and 596 male hospital controls (all living in the province of Turin, Northern Italy) has been analyzed for cigarette smoking. Relative risks (RRs) decreased with years since stopping, whereas they seemed not to change with age starting to smoke. A multiplicative effect of RRs for smoking and high-risk occupations was suggested. Filters exerted a protective effect (RR = 0.3 for smokers of filter-tip cigarettes only vs. smokers of non-filter-tip cigarettes). A previously unreported difference was noticed between black types and blond types of tobacco (RR = 0.4 for smokers of the blond types only vs. smokers of the black types, adjusted for age, average daily amount, years since stopping, occupation and use of filter).
98 citations
TL;DR: In this article, the holonomy group of SU(2, q, r) is shown to be SO(3) and the existence of two covariantly constant spinors ηA and k α = ϵ AB η A τ α η B is revealed.
85 citations
TL;DR: The development of proteinuria, the glomerular localization of platelet- and PMN-derived CP and the concomitant loss of fixed anionic charges suggested the possibility that, once CP were released in the circulation from PAF-stimulated platelets and PMn, they bound to, and neutralized, fixed anion charges, resulting in enhanced glomersular permeability.
83 citations
TL;DR: The Triton X-100-insoluble skeleton of baby hamster kidney BHK cells is studied to conclude that gp85 is an integral plasma membrane glycoprotein that might have a role in cell surface-cytoskeleton interaction.
Abstract: The Triton X-100-insoluble skeleton of baby hamster kidney BHK cells consists of the nucleus, intermediate-size filaments, and actin fibers. By transmission electron microscopy, membrane fragments were found to be associated with these insoluble structures. When radioiodinated or [3H]glucosamine-labeled cells were extracted with 0.5% Triton, most plasma membrane glycoproteins were solubilized except for a glycoprotein with a molecular weight of 85,000 (gp85) that remained associated with the insoluble skeletons. Immunoprecipitation with a specific antiserum indicated that the gp85 is not a proteolytic degradation product of fibronectin, an extracellular matrix glycoprotein insoluble in detergent. A monoclonal antibody of BHK cells specific for gp85 was produced. Immunofluorescence analysis with this monoclonal antibody indicated that gp85 is not associated with the extracellular matrix, but is confined to the cell membrane. Both in fixed and unfixed intact cells, fluorescence was concentrated in dots preferentially aligned in streaks on the cell surface. Gp85 was found to behave as an integral membrane protein interacting with the hydrophobic core of the lipid bilayer since it was extracted from membrane preparations by ionic detergents such as SDS, but not by 0.1 N NaOH (pH 12) in the absence of detergents, a condition known to release peripheral molecules. Association of gp85 with the cell skeleton was unaffected by increasing the Triton concentration up to 5%, but it was affected when actin filaments were dissociated or when a protein-denaturing agent (6 M urea) was used in the presence of Triton, suggesting that protein-protein interactions are involved in the association of gp85 with the cell skeleton. We conclude that gp85 is an integral plasma membrane glycoprotein that might have a role in cell surface-cytoskeleton interaction.
78 citations
TL;DR: The results indicate that an association does exist, but also that concentrations of nitrates higher than 20 mg/l in drinking water are a risk factor for people exposed.
TL;DR: It is confirmed that gliosarcoma represents the last stage of a process which starts with the endothelial hyperplasia of glioblastoma, and immunohistochemically investigated GFAP, Factor VIII/RAg, laminin, and fibronectin were immunohistsically investigated.
Abstract: GFAP, Factor VIII/RAg, laminin, and fibronectin were immunohistochemically investigated in 15 glioblastomas and 15 gliosarcomas. GFAP was found variably positive in the glial areas. F VIII/RAg characterizes the endothelial cells and in gliosarcomas suggests the origin of the sarcomatous component from the endothelial proliferations. Laminin separates the two components and characterizes the inner and the outer basement membranes in the vessels. It is multiplied and thickened in endothelial proliferations, while it is often fragmented in the larger vessel wall proliferations. Our observations confirm that gliosarcoma represents the last stage of a process which starts with the endothelial hyperplasia of glioblastoma.
TL;DR: Pretreatment with the cholinergic muscarinic antagonist pirenzepine almost completely abolished the rise in plasma growth hormone (GH) elicited by an iv bolus injection of human pancreatic GH-releasing factor 1-40 (hp-GRF-40).
Abstract: In five healthy young men, pretreatment with the cholinergic muscarinic antagonist pirenzepine (0.6 mg/kg iv) almost completely abolished the rise in plasma growth hormone (GH) elicited by an iv bolus injection of 1 μg/kg human pancreatic GH-releasing factor 1-40 (hp-GRF-40). These data demonstrate that cholinergic receptor sites involved in GH-releasing mechanisms do not interact with GRF-secreting structures in the central nervous system. A mechanism mediated via hypothalamic release of somatostatin or,a IternativeIy, a direct pituitary site of action, can be postulated for the blocking effect of pirenzepine.
TL;DR: In this paper, a new definition of rheonomy based on Bianchi identities instead of field equation is proposed, and the transformation rules are obtained in a completely geometrical way and invariance of the action is equivalent to d P = 0.
TL;DR: In this paper, the reaction of O2 and N2O with Cu, traditionally employed for the evaluation of copper surface area, has been investigated by adsorption microcalorimetry on some CuZnO catalysts with different copper loadings.
TL;DR: Most cases of non-T ALL appear to be characterized by the expansion of neoplastic cells "frozen" at different levels along the B cell differentiation pathway, the first detectable marker being heavy chain gene rearrangement, followed by BA-1, B1, and CyIg expression.
Abstract: Immunoglobulin heavy chain gene rearrangement was evaluated in 19 cases of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) and correlated with the immunological phenotypic expression on primary or phorbol diester (12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate [TPA])-induced cells. One case of common ALL (cALL), one case of T-ALL, and one undifferentiated acute leukemia that responded to anti-myeloid drugs after unsuccessful anti-lymphoid induction therapy, had germ line heavy chain genes. Rearranged immunoglobulin genes were instead found in 15 of the 16 cALL cases studied and in a case of non-T, non-B, non-common ("null") ALL, which suggested the B cell origin of the neoplastic cells. All cases bearing a heavy chain gene rearrangement were HLA-DR positive. However, the unique cALL case with a germ line configuration was also HLA-DR positive, which confirmed that both the cALL antigen and HLA-DR antigen were not per se expression of B cell commitment. On the other hand, a complete search for B cell-related markers (BA-1 and B1 monoclonal antibodies, as well as cytoplasmic immunoglobulins [CyIg]) in the cALL cases showed that at least one B cell marker could be detected either on primary or on TPA-induced cells in all cases in which a gene rearrangement had occurred. Incubation with TPA allowed the detection of one B cell marker in a case in which the primary cells were negative, and increased the expression of B cell markers in all but one of the cALLs tested. The only cALL case that was not rearranged expressed no B cell markers either on primary or on TPA-induced cells. The non-T, non-B, non-common ("null") case that was rearranged also showed no phenotypic evidence of B cell markers on primary and induced cells. These findings indicate that: (a) practically all cases of cALL appear to be of B cell origin as shown by gene rearrangement analysis; (b) DNA studies are relevant for a more precise characterization of individual cases of undifferentiated acute leukemia; (c) a complete survey for B cell markers may establish the B cell origin of the cALL blasts, as long as the analysis on primary cells is complemented by differentiation induction assessment; and (d) most cases of non-T ALL appear to be characterized by the expansion of neoplastic cells "frozen" at different levels along the B cell differentiation pathway, the first detectable marker being heavy chain gene rearrangement, followed by BA-1, B1, and CyIg expression.
TL;DR: In this paper, the dominant, ∼ 1000 Ma old Lurian event (Kibaran orogeny) produced the Namama belt, a SE vergent satellite of the Lurio belt described further to the north by Bureau de Recherches Geologiques et Minieres (BRGM) in the 1970's.
TL;DR: The mesure de la resistivite electrique est un moyen tres sensible pour etudier le role effectif de la presence d'un element de transition dans la relaxation structurale.
TL;DR: In this paper, a general setup for the harmonic expansions of D = 11 supergravity about classical compactifying solutions is given, and the mass-matrices for the fermion mass-spectrum are derived both in the case of Freund-Rubin backgrounds and of Englert type solutions.
TL;DR: In this paper, data from an exposure of the BEBC bubble chamber filled with deuterium to neutrino and antineutrino wide band beams have been used to extract the x dependence of the structure functions for scattering on protons and neutrons and the fractional momentum distributions of the valence quarks and the antiquarks of different flavours.
TL;DR: The kinetics of the latter enzyme are complex and suggest the presence of two types of enzymes, which fit in well with the role probably played by the enzymes in vivo.
TL;DR: The development of "hairy" features in induced B-CLL and in HCL seems to be a malignancy-associated feature because the Mrbc+ normal B cells isolated from tonsil also develop TRAP positivity but no membrane aberrations.
TL;DR: The cytoskeleton and the adhesion complex of chick embryo chondrocytes maintained in vitro have been studied by fluorescence and interference reflection microscopy during the process of cell spreading to find the pattern of actin-containing microfilaments and the distribution of vinculin speckles on adhesion plaques change as a function of the culture time.
TL;DR: In this article, the antineutrino interactions in BEBC are compared to look for differences between the differential cross sections per nucleon in neon and in deuterium.
TL;DR: Collagenase gave better results with Carnoy fixed material than after formalin fixation; unlike trypsin and pepsin, it did not produce tissue digestion.
Abstract: The effects of collagenase on the immunohistochemical demonstrability of laminin, fibronectin and Factor VIII/RAg in human nervous tissue have been studied. The influence of this, and other proteolytic enzymes such as pepsin and trypsin, has been investigated in relation to different fixatives. Collagenase gave better results with Carnoy fixed material than after formalin fixation; unlike trypsin and pepsin, it did not produce tissue digestion.
TL;DR: Although racial differences have been noted in the occurrence of this disorder (Mediterranean women being more subjected to abnormal hair growth), no such differences have be found in androgenic steroids.
Abstract: INTRODUCTION FEMALE HIRSUTISM may be defined as excessive hair growth in anatomical sites where such growth is considered a secondary male characteristic. Although this disorder can be a symptom of a number of endocrine diseases such as polycystic ovarian disease (PCO) or Cushing's syndrome, most patients present with no obvious abnormalities of endocrine function. The term that has been applied to this condition is idiopathic or simple hirsutism. Idiopathic hirsutism shows no clinical differences from other types of hirsutism. However, it is generally not associated with other signs of hyperandrogenism such as virilization of the external genitalia, deepening of the voice, breast atrophy, or development of a male-type muscle bulk. Although racial differences have been noted in the occurrence of this disorder (Mediterranean women being more subjected to abnormal hair growth), no such differences have been found in androgenic steroids (1). Starting with the concept that hair follicles as well as sebaceous ...
TL;DR: The phenotypic expression and functional capacity of natural killer T‐lymphocytes (E+, OKT3 +) were analysed in a series of untreated patients with B‐cell chronic lymphocytic leukaemia.
Abstract: Summary. The phenotypic expression and functional capacity of natural killer (NK) T-lymphocytes (E+, OKT3 +) were analysed in a series of untreated patients with B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (B-CLL).
The mean value of NK activity of B-CLL T-lymphocytes, tested against the K562 cell line, was significantly depressed (P&<0-01) in the 20 cases studied, compared with that of normal T-cells. Incubation with human leucocyte interferon produced an increase (P&< 0-05) in NK activity, although the mean value was still significantly lower (P &< 0-05) than that obtained with normal T-cells. Furthermore, the formation of effector-target conjugates was significantly lower (P&<0-01) among B-CLL T-cells compared with normal T-lymphocytes.
Despite the reduced NK functions observed in the majority of B-CLL patients, the capacity of T-cells to react with the monoclonal antibody (MoAb) Leu-7 (HNK-1 clone), assessed in 60 patients, was significantly higher (P&<0.001)in B-CLL than in normal blood (mean 24%± 10.6 SD v 9%± 4.2), irrespective of the clinical stage of the disease.
These findings suggest that the reduced cytotoxic ability of B-CLL T-lymphocytes may be due either to an expanded population of immature T-cells which already express a cytotoxic-like phenotype (E +, OKT3 +, HNK-1+) but which lack adequate cytotoxic functions, or, alternatively, to an intrinsic defect of the natural effectors present within the T-cell population of B-CLL. The T-cell functional abnormalities documented in this study, together with other defective functions previously described, may be implicated in some of the complications frequently associated with B-CLL, particularly the high incidence of secondary neoplasms.
There is growing evidence that natural cytotoxicity may play a major role in the immune surveillance system, both against tumour cells and virus-infected cells (Herberman & Ortaldo, 1981).Natural killer (NK) cells are a morphologically homogeneous population of large granular lymphocytes with azurophilic granules in the cytoplasm (Timonen et al, 1981), which are non-adherent and express receptors for the Fc portion of IgG. About 50% of these cells form rosettes with sheep red blood cells (E-rosettes) (West et al, 1977).
A monoclonal antibody (MoAb) which appears to react with practically all human NK cells (HNK-1 clone, Leu-7: Becton Dickinson) has been recently produced (Abo & Balch, 1981). Purification experiments have shown that in man the NK activity is present within two distinct HNK-1 positive lymphocyte subsets: HNK-1+, OKT3 (pan T)-, OKMl (myelo-monocytic antigen)+ and HNK-1 +, OKT3 +, OKMl- (Abo et al, 1982).
Abnormal levels of natural cytotoxicity have been reported in numerous human conditions. More recently the abnormal proliferation of T-cells with NK function has been reported in cases of acute and chronic T-cell leukaemias (Komiyama et al, 1982: Itoh et al, 1983).
B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (B-CLL) is a neoplastic disorder characterized by the progressive accumulation of monoclonal B-lymphocytes (Preud'homme & Seligmann, 1972), often complicated by severe hypogammaglobulinaemia (Foa et al. 1979) and by a high risk of second tumours (Hyman, 1969). Recent evidence indicates that, together with the neoplastic B-cell proliferation, several phenotypic and functional abnormalities can be encountered within the residual T-cell population (Kay et al, 1979; Chiorazzi et al, 1979; Lauria et al, 1980; Foa et aZ, 1980; Davis, 1981). This has lead several authors to suggest that these abnormalities may play a role in the progression of the disease and in the development of some of its complications. In view of this we have tested the reactivity of the T-cell enriched population from 60 cases of B-CLL with the HNK-1 MoAb. In a series of patients the phenotypic analysis was compared with the NK activity measured in a chromium release assay, before and after pre-incubation with human leucocyte interferon (IFN), and by the capacity to form conjugates with NK sensitive target cells.
TL;DR: The essential oil of NEPETA NEPETELLA L. growing in the Aosta Valley (Valnontey), Italy, obtained by steam distillation of the leaves and the flowers, was investigated by capillary gas chromatography in combination with mass spectrometry to facilitate identification.
Abstract: The essential oil of NEPETA NEPETELLA L. growing in the Aosta Valley (Valnontey), Italy, obtained by steam distillation of the leaves and the flowers, was investigated by capillary gas chromatography in combination with mass spectrometry. To facilitate identification, fractionation of the oil with straight phase HPLC was performed. Nepetalactone (76.5%) is the main component of the oil. The isomers epinepetalactone (0.6%) and neonepetalactone (0.4%) together with the dihydro (1.6%) and dehydro (traces) nepetalactone derivatives were also identified. These compounds are considered to be responsible for the feline attractant activity of NEPETA NEPETELLA L.
TL;DR: The paper concludes by collecting together all the results into an explicit algorithm, MVALDMX (for mean value analysis load dependent mixed) that is a generalization of the original MVA algorithm of Reiser and Lavenberg (1978, 1980).
TL;DR: In this paper, a determination of branching ratios for D meson decays into all charged particle final states is reported, which implies a corresponding reduction in the accepted values for some total cross section measurements.