131 research outputs found
Neurobiology of Vascular Dementia
Vascular dementia is, in its current conceptual form, a distinct type of dementia with a spectrum of specific clinical and pathophysiological features. However, in a very large majority of cases, these alterations occur in an already aged brain, characterized by a milieu of cellular and molecular events common for different neurodegenerative diseases. The cell signaling defects and molecular dyshomeostasis might lead to neuronal malfunction prior to the death of neurons and the alteration of neuronal networks. In the present paper, we explore some of the molecular mechanisms underlying brain malfunction triggered by cerebrovascular disease and risk factors. We suggest that, in the age of genetic investigation and molecular diagnosis, the concept of vascular dementia needs a new approach
Biomolecular alterations detected in multiple sclerosis skin fibroblasts using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is the leading cause of non-traumatic disability in young adults. New avenues are needed to help predict individuals at risk for developing MS and aid in diagnosis, prognosis, and outcome of therapeutic treatments. Previously, we showed that skin fibroblasts derived from patients with MS have altered signatures of cell stress and bioenergetics, which likely reflects changes in their protein, lipid, and biochemical profiles. Here, we used Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy to determine if the biochemical landscape of MS skin fibroblasts were altered when compared to age- and sex-matched controls (CTRL). More so, we sought to determine if FTIR spectroscopic signatures detected in MS skin fibroblasts are disease specific by comparing them to amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) skin fibroblasts. Spectral profiling of skin fibroblasts from MS individuals suggests significant alterations in lipid and protein organization and homeostasis, which may be affecting metabolic processes, cellular organization, and oxidation status. Sparse partial least squares-discriminant analysis of spectral profiles show that CTRL skin fibroblasts segregate well from diseased cells and that changes in MS and ALS may be unique. Differential changes in the spectral profile of CTRL, MS, and ALS cells support the development of FTIR spectroscopy to detect biomolecular modifications in patient-derived skin fibroblasts, which may eventually help establish novel peripheral biomarkers
Is there a role of statins in the prevention of aortic biological prostheses degeneration
It has been recently observed that statins might slow the progression of aortic stenosis or sclerosis. Preliminary reports suggested a similar positive effect in reducing the degeneration of aortic valve bioprostheses even though this hypothesis should be further proven and supported by new data. In this review the present evidences of the possible effects of statins in this field are discussed
Appropriateness criteria for cardiovascular imaging use in clinical practice: a position statement of the ESC/EACVI taskforce
There is a growing interest from the scientific community in the appropriate use of cardiovascular imaging techniques for diagnosis and decision making in Europe. To develop appropriateness criteria for cardiovascular imaging use in clinical practice in Europe, a dedicated taskforce has been appointed by the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) and the European Association of Cardiovascular Imaging (EACVI). The present paper describes the appropriateness criteria development process
LSST Science Book, Version 2.0
A survey that can cover the sky in optical bands over wide fields to faint
magnitudes with a fast cadence will enable many of the exciting science
opportunities of the next decade. The Large Synoptic Survey Telescope (LSST)
will have an effective aperture of 6.7 meters and an imaging camera with field
of view of 9.6 deg^2, and will be devoted to a ten-year imaging survey over
20,000 deg^2 south of +15 deg. Each pointing will be imaged 2000 times with
fifteen second exposures in six broad bands from 0.35 to 1.1 microns, to a
total point-source depth of r~27.5. The LSST Science Book describes the basic
parameters of the LSST hardware, software, and observing plans. The book
discusses educational and outreach opportunities, then goes on to describe a
broad range of science that LSST will revolutionize: mapping the inner and
outer Solar System, stellar populations in the Milky Way and nearby galaxies,
the structure of the Milky Way disk and halo and other objects in the Local
Volume, transient and variable objects both at low and high redshift, and the
properties of normal and active galaxies at low and high redshift. It then
turns to far-field cosmological topics, exploring properties of supernovae to
z~1, strong and weak lensing, the large-scale distribution of galaxies and
baryon oscillations, and how these different probes may be combined to
constrain cosmological models and the physics of dark energy.Comment: 596 pages. Also available at full resolution at
http://www.lsst.org/lsst/sciboo
Three-dimensional transoesophageal echocardiography: how to use and when to use-a clinical consensus statement from the European Association of Cardiovascular Imaging of the European Society of Cardiology.
peer reviewedThree-dimensional transoesophageal echocardiography (3D TOE) has been rapidly developed in the last 15 years. Currently, 3D TOE is particularly useful as an additional imaging modality for the cardiac echocardiographers in the echo-lab, for cardiac interventionalists as a tool to guide complex catheter-based procedures cardiac, for surgeons to plan surgical strategies, and for cardiac anaesthesiologists and/or cardiologists, to assess intra-operative results. The authors of this document believe that acquiring 3D data set should become a 'standard part' of the TOE examination. This document provides (i) a basic understanding of the physic of 3D TOE technology which enables the echocardiographer to obtain new skills necessary to acquire, manipulate, and interpret 3D data sets, (ii) a description of valvular pathologies, and (iii) a description of non-valvular pathologies in which 3D TOE has shown to be a diagnostic tool particularly valuable. This document has a new format: instead of figures randomly positioned through the text, it has been organized in tables which include figures. We believe that this arrangement makes easier the lecture by clinical cardiologists and practising echocardiographers
Neuroregeneration in neurodegenerative disorders
<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Neuroregeneration is a relatively recent concept that includes neurogenesis, neuroplasticity, and neurorestoration - implantation of viable cells as a therapeutical approach.</p> <p>Discussion</p> <p>Neurogenesis and neuroplasticity are impaired in brains of patients suffering from Alzheimer's Disease or Parkinson's Disease and correlate with low endogenous protection, as a result of a diminished growth factors expression. However, we hypothesize that the brain possesses, at least in early and medium stages of disease, a "neuroregenerative reserve", that could be exploited by growth factors or stem cells-neurorestoration therapies.</p> <p>Summary</p> <p>In this paper we review the current data regarding all three aspects of neuroregeneration in Alzheimer's Disease and Parkinson's Disease.</p
Sex difference and intra-operative tidal volume: Insights from the LAS VEGAS study
BACKGROUND: One key element of lung-protective ventilation is the use of a low tidal volume (VT). A sex difference in use of low tidal volume ventilation (LTVV) has been described in critically ill ICU patients.OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to determine whether a sex difference in use of LTVV also exists in operating room patients, and if present what factors drive this difference.DESIGN, PATIENTS AND SETTING: This is a posthoc analysis of LAS VEGAS, a 1-week worldwide observational study in adults requiring intra-operative ventilation during general anaesthesia for surgery in 146 hospitals in 29 countries.MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Women and men were compared with respect to use of LTVV, defined as VT of 8 ml kg-1 or less predicted bodyweight (PBW). A VT was deemed 'default' if the set VT was a round number. A mediation analysis assessed which factors may explain the sex difference in use of LTVV during intra-operative ventilation.RESULTS: This analysis includes 9864 patients, of whom 5425 (55%) were women. A default VT was often set, both in women and men; mode VT was 500 ml. Median [IQR] VT was higher in women than in men (8.6 [7.7 to 9.6] vs. 7.6 [6.8 to 8.4] ml kg-1 PBW, P < 0.001). Compared with men, women were twice as likely not to receive LTVV [68.8 vs. 36.0%; relative risk ratio 2.1 (95% CI 1.9 to 2.1), P < 0.001]. In the mediation analysis, patients' height and actual body weight (ABW) explained 81 and 18% of the sex difference in use of LTVV, respectively; it was not explained by the use of a default VT.CONCLUSION: In this worldwide cohort of patients receiving intra-operative ventilation during general anaesthesia for surgery, women received a higher VT than men during intra-operative ventilation. The risk for a female not to receive LTVV during surgery was double that of males. Height and ABW were the two mediators of the sex difference in use of LTVV.TRIAL REGISTRATION: The study was registered at Clinicaltrials.gov, NCT01601223
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