Early impairment of endothelial structure and function in young normal-weight women with polycystic ovary syndrome

The aim of this study was to evaluate the presence of early vascular damage in young normal-weight women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).Thirty young normal-weight women with PCOS, who had no additional metabolic or cardiovascular diseases, and 30 healthy women (controls) matched for age and body mass index were studied. A complete hormonal assay was performed in each subject. Serum insulin and glucose levels were measured at baseline and after the oral glucose tolerance test. Plasma endothelin-1 levels and serum lipid profile were also assessed. The endothelial function was studied by flow-mediated dilation on the brachial artery, and arterial structure was evaluated by intima-media thickness measurement using Doppler ultrasound of both common carotid arteries.A significant (P < 0.05) difference in flow-mediated dilation (14.3 +/- 1.9% vs. 18.1 +/- 2.0% for PCOS patients and controls, respectively) and in intima-media thickness (0.53 +/- 0.09 mm vs. 0.39 +/- 0.08 mm for PCOS patients and controls, respectively) was found between PCOS and control subjects. Serum endothelin-1 levels were also significantly (P < 0.05) higher in PCOS patients compared with controls (1.1 +/- 0.4 pmol/liter vs. 0.5 +/- 0.2 pmol/liter for PCOS patients and controls, respectively).In conclusion, our data show that young, normal-weight, nondyslipidemic, nonhypertensive women with PCOS have an early impairment of endothelial structure and function

Differential effects on membrane permeability and viability of human keratinocyte cells undergoing very low intensity megasonic fields

Among different therapeutic applications of Ultrasound (US), transient membrane sonoporation (SP) - a temporary, non-lethal porosity, mechanically induced in cell membranes through US exposure - represents a compelling opportunity towards an efficient and safe drug delivery. Nevertheless, progresses in this field have been limited by an insufficient understanding of the potential cytotoxic effects of US related to the failure of the cellular repair and to the possible activation of inflammatory pathway. In this framework we studied the in vitro effects of very low-intensity US on a human keratinocyte cell line, which represents an ideal model system of skin protective barrier cells which are the first to be involved during medical US treatments. Bioeffects linked to US application at 1 MHz varying the exposure parameters were investigated by fluorescence microscopy and fluorescence activated cell sorting. Our results indicate that keratinocytes undergoing low US doses can uptake drug model molecules with size and efficiency which depend on exposure parameters. According to sub-cavitation SP models, we have identified the range of doses triggering transient membrane SP, actually with negligible biological damage. By increasing US doses we observed a reduced cells viability and an inflammatory gene overexpression enlightening novel healthy relevant strategies

Reduced heart rate variability is associated with vulnerability to depression

Background: Heart rate variability (HRV) mirrors cardiac autonomic modulation, an index of well-being. Reduced HRV has been reported in depression, but few studies investigated HRV in individuals at-risk of or remitted from a full-blown depressive episode. The present study aimed at examining whether reduced HRV could be a potential indicator of vulnerability to depression. Methods: Self-reported psychological measures and three-minute resting-state ECG were collected in two at-risk populations [group with dysphoria (n = 27), group with past depression (n = 16)] and in a control group (n = 25). Time- and frequency-domain HRV parameters were computed. Analysis of covariance was conducted to detect between-groups differences for each measure. Results: Standard Deviation of Normal to Normal intervals (SDNN) and High Frequency (HF) power of HRV were found to be reduced both in individuals with dysphoria and in those with past depression as compared with controls. Whereas psychological measures did not significantly differ among individuals with past depression and controls, HRV was capable of discriminating between the two groups. Limitations: Past depression was assessed retrospectively with self-reported information. The inclusion of a group with depression would provide an overview about HRV during the illness course. Conclusions: The findings suggest that reduced HRV is likely to be implicated in the risk of developing full-blown depression, rather than being a mere correlate of current depressive state. The results suggest that HRV may improve clinicians\u2019 ability to early identify people at risk for depression who can benefit from targeted prevention by psychiatric and psychological interventions

Appetitive and aversive motivation in depression: The temporal dynamics of task-elicited asymmetries in alpha oscillations

The capability model of alpha asymmetries posits that state emotional manipulations are a more powerful detector of depression-related motivational deficits than alpha activity at rest. The present study used a time-frequency approach to investigate the temporal dynamics of event-related changes in alpha power during passive viewing of emotional pictures in individuals with dysphoria (n = 23) and in individuals without dysphoria (n = 24). In the whole group, the processing of pleasant and unpleasant compared to neutral pictures was associated with a decrease in event-related alpha power (i.e., alpha desynchronization) at centro-parietal and parietal scalp sites in the 538\u20131400 ms post-stimulus. The group with dysphoria revealed a smaller alpha desynchronization than the group without dysphoria in response to pleasant, but not neutral and unpleasant, stimuli at frontal, fronto-central and centroparietal sites. Interestingly, at central and centro-parietal scalp sites, the difference between groups in response to pleasant stimuli was lateralized to the right hemisphere, whereas no clear lateralization was observed at frontal and fronto-central scalp sites. These findings suggest that decreased cortical activity (i.e., reduced alpha desynchronization) in a network involving bilateral frontal and right-lateralized parietal regions may provide a specific measure of deficits in approach-related motivation in depression

The contamination of the surface of Vesta by impacts and the delivery of the dark material

The Dawn spacecraft observed the presence of dark material, which in turn proved to be associated with OH and H-rich material, on the surface of Vesta. The source of this dark material has been identified with the low albedo asteroids, but it is still a matter of debate whether the delivery of the dark material is associated with a few large impact events, to micrometeorites or to the continuous, secular flux of impactors on Vesta. The continuous flux scenario predicts that a significant fraction of the exogenous material accreted by Vesta should be due to non-dark impactors likely analogous to ordinary chondrites, which instead represent only a minor contaminant in the HED meteorites. We explored the continuous flux scenario and its implications for the composition of the vestan regolith, taking advantage of the data from the Dawn mission and the HED meteorites. We used our model to show that the stochastic events scenario and the micrometeoritic flux scenario are natural consequences of the continuous flux scenario. We then used the model to estimate the amounts of dark and hydroxylate materials delivered on Vesta since the LHB and we showed how our results match well with the values estimated by the Dawn mission. We used our model to assess the amount of Fe and siderophile elements that the continuous flux of impactors would mix in the vestan regolith: concerning the siderophile elements, we focused our attention on the role of Ni. The results are in agreement with the data available on the Fe and Ni content of the HED meteorites and can be used as a reference frame in future studies of the data from the Dawn mission and of the HED meteorites. Our model cannot yet provide an answer to the fate of the missing non-carbonaceous contaminants, but we discuss possible reasons for this discrepancy.Comment: 31 pages, 7 figures, 4 tables. Accepted for publication on the journal ICARUS, "Dark and Bright Materials on Vesta" special issu

Metformin and gonadotropins for ovulation induction in patients with polycystic ovary syndrome: a systematic review with meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

The current systematic review with meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) was aimed to evaluate the effects of metformin on reproductive outcomes in patients with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) who receive gonadotropins for ovulation induction. After systematic review of electronic databases and websites for registration of RCTs, a total of 7 RCTs reporting data on 1023 cycles were included in the final analysis. Descriptive data showed an overall low studies’ quality due to unclear sequence generation and allocation concealment, lack of blinding procedure, incomplete outcome data and several biases and/or confounders. Data synthesis showed that metformin improved live-birth (odds ratio [OR] = 1.94, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.10 to 3.44; P = 0.020) and pregnancy (OR = 2.25, 95% CI 1.50 to 3.38; P < 0.0001) rates, without significant heterogeneity across the studies (P = 0.230, estimation of inconsistency = 30%; and P = 0.710, estimation of inconsistency = 0%, respectively, for live-birth and pregnancy rates). A significant reduction of cancellation rate was observed after metformin administration (OR = 0.41, 95% CI 0.24 to 0.72, P = 0.002) without significant heterogeneity across the studies (P = 0.500, estimation of inconsistency = 0%). Metformin administration influenced or did not influence other secondary endpoints assessed with a significant heterogeneity. In conclusion, metformin administration increases the live-birth and pregnancy rate in PCOS patients who receive gonadotropins for ovulation induction. Further well designed, blinded, placebo-controlled, and adequately powered RCTs are need to confirm that metanalytic results

Frequency Selection to Improve the Performance of Microwave Breast Cancer Detecting Support Vector Model by Using Genetic Algorithm

This paper presents an innovative paradigm for breast cancer detection by leveraging a Support Vector Machine (SVM) based model fueled with numerical data obtained from the cutting-edge MammoWave device. Operating in the microwave spectrum between 1 to 9 GHz and boasting a 5 MHz sampling rate, MammoWave emerges as a groundbreaking solution, specifically addressing the limitations posed by conventional methods, particularly for women under 50. This technological advancement opens a promising avenue for more frequent and precise breast health monitoring. To enhance the efficacy of the SVM model, our research introduces a metaheuristic-based methodology, strategically navigating the selection of frequencies crucial for breast cancer detection within the MammoWave dataset. Overcoming the challenge of judicious frequency selection, our approach employs wrapper methods in metaheuristic algorithms. These algorithms iterate through subsets of frequencies, guided by the SVM model's performance, culminating in the identification of the optimal frequency subset that significantly refines precision in breast cancer detection. Moreover, a novel cost function is proposed to strike a balanced trade-off between sensitivity and specificity, ensuring an acceptable accuracy rate. The results exhibit a noteworthy 10% increase in specificity, a milestone achievement for the MammoWave device, yielding an overall detection rate of approximately 62%. This research underscores the potential of seamlessly integrating metaheuristic algorithms into frequency selection, thereby contributing significantly to the ongoing refinement of MammoWave's capabilities in breast cancer detection

Structure, Deformations and Gravitational Wave Emission of Magnetars

Neutron stars can have, in some phases of their life, extremely strong magnetic fields, up to 10^15-10^16 G. These objects, named magnetars, could be powerful sources of gravitational waves, since their magnetic field could determine large deformations. We discuss the structure of the magnetic field of magnetars, and the deformation induced by this field. Finally, we discuss the perspective of detection of the gravitational waves emitted by these stars.Comment: 11 pages, 2 figures, prepared for 19th International Conference on General Relativity and Gravitation (GR19), Mexico City, Mexico, July 5-9, 201

Quartz Crystal Microbalances for Space: Design and Testing of a 3D Printed Quasi-Kinematic Support

Outgassing or thruster’s generated contaminants are critical for optical surfaces and optical payloads because scientific measurements and, in general, the performances can be degraded or jeopardized by uncontrolled contamination. This is a well-known issue in space technology that is demonstrated by the growing usage of quartz crystal microbalances as a solution for measuring material outgassing properties data and characterizing the on-orbit contamination environment. Operation in space requires compatibility with critical requirements, especially the mechanical and thermal environments to be faced throughout the mission. This work provides the design of a holding structure based on 3D printing technology conceived to meet the environmental characteristics of space application, and in particular, to face harsh mechanical and thermal environments. A kinematic mounting has been conceived to grant compatibility with a large temperature range, and it has been designed by finite element methods to overcome loading during the launch phases and cope with a temperature working range down to cryogenic temperatures. Qualification in such environments has been performed on a mockup by testing a prototype of the holding assembly between −110 °C and 110 °C and allowing verification of the mechanical resistance and stability of the electrical contacts for the embedded heater and sensor in that temperature range. Moreover, mechanical testing in a random environment characterized by an RMS acceleration level of 500 m/s2 and excitation frequency from 20 to 2000 Hz was successfully performed. The testing activity allowed for validation of the proposed design and opened the road to the possible implementation of the proposed design for future flight opportunities, also onboard micro or nanosatellites. Moreover, exploiting the manufacturing technology, the proposed design can implement an easy assembling and mounting of the holding system. At the same time, 3D printing provides a cost-effective solution even for small series production for ground applications, like monitoring the contaminants in thermo-vacuum chambers or clean rooms, or depositions chambers

Retrospective Cohort Study on Acute Care in Obstetrics and Gynecology. Analogies and Differences When Compared to Emergency Medicine

Introduction: the demand for urgent obstetric and gynecology care has progressively increased: in the United States approximately 1.4 million gynecologic visits are made to the emergency department (ED) annually, while almost 75% of women make at least 1 unscheduled visit during pregnancy. Moreover, research has recently focused on setting standards in unscheduled care, and developing quality indicators to improve patients’ health. Therefore, we investigated the characteristics of women with acute gynecological or pregnancy complaints using quality indicators developed for emergency medicine, to better define the needs of this population and improve care. Methods: Retrospective cohort study on ED, and Obstetrics and Gynecology (ObGyn) triage visits, at a tertiary care hospital in Italy, during 2012. Data were analyzed with population-averaged logistic regression and Poisson regression. Results: When compared to the 33,557 ED visits, the 9245 ObGyntriage referrals were more frequently associated with pregnancy (≤12 weeks’ gestation, OR: 30.7, 95%CI; 24.5 - 38.4; &gt;12 weeks’ gestation, OR 81.2, 95%CI; 64.8 - 101.4), vaginal bleeding (OR 156.6, 95%CI; 82.7 - 294.4), diurnal (night access OR 0.87, 95% CI; 0.78 - 0.96) and weekday access (holiday access OR 0.87, 95%CI; 0.78 - 0.95), frequent users (recurrent ED visits IRR 0.87, 95%CI; 0.83 - 0.9) and lower hospital admissions (ED admission OR 1.6, 95%CI; 1.4 - 1.8). Conclusion: ObGyn triage patients differed from ED users, and were at higher risk of “crowding”. Such diversities should be considered to improve female healthcare services and allocate resources more efficiently