Diversity of the proximal femur in humans: morphological variations of the head-neck junction

The proximal femur is a high-diversity region of the human skeleton, especially at the anterior junction between head and neck, where various bony morphologies have been recognized since mid nineteenth century. Classical literature on this topic is chaotic and contradictory, making almost impossible the comparison of data from different researches. Starting from an extensive bibliographic review, the first standardized method to score these traits has been created. This method allows representing both the anatomical diversity of the region already described in literature and a part of variability not considered before, giving few and univocal definitions and allowing to collect comparable data. The method has been applied to three identified and five archaeological European skeletal collections, with the aim of investigating the distribution of these features by sex, age and side, in different places and time periods. It has also been applied to 3D digital reconstructions of femurs from CT scan files of coxo-femoral joints from fresh cadavers. In addition to the osseous traits described in the standardized method, the presence and frequency of some features known as herniation pits have been scored both on bones and on CT scans. The various osseous traits of the proximal femur are present at similar frequencies in skeletal samples from different countries and different historical periods, even if with clear local differentiation. Some of the features examined show significant trends related to their distribution by gender and age. Some hypotheses are proposed about the etiology of these morphologies and their possible implication with the acquisition of bipedalism in Humans. It is therefore highlighted the possible relation of some of these traits with the development of disorders of the hip joint. Moreover, it is not recommended the use of any of these features as a specific activity-related marker.

Effects of sugars and lactic acid isomers on Chlamydia trachomatis infectivity, an in vitro study

The thesis investigates two different in vitro aspects of Chlamydia trachomatis (CT). The thesis analyzes the effect of different sugars on CT infectivity. which is investigated on HeLa cells after 2 hour-incubation of elementary bodies (EBs) with glucose, sucrose or mannitol. Sugars effect on EB membrane fluidity is investigated by fluorescence anisotropy measurement, whereas changes in lipopolysaccharide exposure are examined by cytofluorimetric analysis. By Western blot experiments, the phosphorylation state of Focal Adhesion Kinase in cells infected with EBs pre-incubated with sugars it’s explored. Sugar significantly increase infectivity, acting on the EB structure. Sugars induce an increase of EB membrane fluidity, leading to changes in LPS exposure. After incubation with sucrose and mannitol, EBs lead to higher FAK phosphorylation, enhancing activation of anti-apoptotic and proliferative signals in the host. Secondly, the thesis explores the protective effect of different Lactobacilli against CT infection: Lactobacillus crispatus and Lactobacillus reuteri. CT infectivity is evaluated after host cells were treated for 1 hour with diluted supernatant cell-free fraction or with the bacterial cells. Assessed that L.crispatus is more protective than L.reuteri, lactic acid production is evaluated by HPLC. Subsequently Lactate dehydrogenases activity is evaluated by resazurin assay and by LC-MS. Then, D-lactate dehydrogenase specific activity has been investigated by measuring NADH formation. Afterwards, addition of D or L-lactic acid to L.reuteri supernatant has been performed and their effect in promoting protection in the host cells assessed. Then a metabolic analysis has been carried out by real-time measurement of mitochondrial respiration after treatment. Finally, histone acetylation and lactylation, and gene and protein expression of relevant targets, have been investigated. It is shown that the D isomer is more efficient in conferring protection, causing a shift in the host cell metabolic profile and a pattern of histone modifications that changes the expression of important targets.