Protective Activity of Resveratrol in Cardio- and Cerebrovascular Diseases

Resveratrol (RSV) is a natural nonflavonoid polyphenol compound containing a stilbene structure similar to that of estrogen diethylstilbestrol. It is a fat-soluble compound existing in cis-, trans-, and piceid isomeric forms, isolated for the first time in 1940 from a plant used in traditional Chinese and Japanese medicine. Although initially used for cancer therapy, it has shown beneficial effects against most cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases. Its beneficial effects are mainly related to its antioxidant properties. Here, we review the metabolism and the ability of RSV to modulate redox signaling and to interact with multiple molecular targets of different intracellular pathways exerting protective effects against cardio-cerebrovascular diseases and metabolic disorders such as diabetes, reporting evidence in animal models and its efficacy and toxicity in humans. The aim of this chapter is to highlight the mechanisms, the biology, and the potential use of resveratrol to prevent, protect and aid cardio- and cerebrovascular diseases

Efficient micro-doppler based pedestrian activity classification for ADAS systems using Krawtchouk moments

In this paper the application, performance and results of a fully discrete micro-Doppler feature classication processing chain utilising Krawtchouk moment invariants are presented. The approach demonstrates to be capable of running on low power hardware such as the Raspberry Pi 2. The effectiveness of the proposed approach is veried through the use of real K-band data in real-time

A location scale based CFAR detection framework for FOPEN SAR images

The problem of target detection in a complex clutter environment, with Constant False Alarm Ratio (CFAR), is addressed in this paper. In particular an algorithm for CFAR target detection is applied to the context of FOliage PENetrating (FOPEN) Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) imaging. The extreme value distributions family is used to model the data and exploiting the location-scale property of this family of distributions, a multi-model CFAR algorithm is derived. Performance analysis on real data confirms the capability of the developed framework to control the false alarm probability

Multi-model CFAR detection in FOliage PENetrating SAR images

A multi-model approach for Constant False Alarm Ratio (CFAR) detection of vehicles through foliage in FOliage PENetrating (FOPEN) SAR images is presented. Extreme value distributions and Location Scale properties are exploited to derive an adaptive CFAR approach that is able to cope with different forest densities. Performance analysis on real data is carried out to estimate the detection and false alarm probabilities in the presence of a ground truth

Circumferential dissection of deep fascia as ancillary technique in circumcision: is it possible to correct phimosis increasing penis size?

Background: Phimosis is the inability to retract the preputium downward over the glans penis. Despite the various techniques of preputial plasty described in literature, the most performed surgical treatment is still the conventional circumcision.Methods: In this paper we retrospectively reviewed data of a homogeneous population of 36 consecutive adult patients who underwent phimosis correction by circumcsion with dissection of the Deep Fascia. Patients were followed up by one independent plastic surgeon that measured penis length and circumference in nonerected state preoperatively and at 6 month time postoperatively.Results: The Wilcoxon Signed Rank Test showed a significant (p < 0.0001) difference between the two groups both in terms of length and circumference.Conclusions: In conclusion, the ancillary technique we described leads to an increase of penis size, is safe and easy to perform and does not increase significantly operative time nor complication rate to the conventional procedure

Partitioned block frequency domain prediction error method based acoustic feedback cancellation for long feedback path

In this paper an innovative method of using Acoustic Feedback Cancellation (PEM based PBFD-AFC) in large acoustic spaces is presented. The system under analysis could vary from Single Source Single Receiver (SISR) to a Multiple Sources Multiple Receivers (MSMR). An environment is representative of (e.g.) churches installations or Public Address (PA) systems, thus involving the presence of one or more microphones and corresponding feedback paths. The Partitioned Block approach consists of slicing the feedback path (e.g the impulse response of the system) to improve the algorithm performance. It can be applied either in the time domain or in the frequency domain, where the latter, called Partitioned Block Frequency Domain, shows faster convergence, lower computational cost and higher estimation accuracy. The results of the proposed framework is compared with the state of the art using real acoustic data showing superior performance with up to 20dB Maximum Stable Gain (MSG) and 30 seconds less convergence time

Loudspeaker analysis : a radar based approach

Recently radar based micro-Doppler signature analysis has been successfully applied in various sectors including defence, biomedical and automotive. This paper presents the novel use of radar micro-Doppler for loudspeaker analysis. The approach offers the potential benefits of characterising the mechanical motion of a loudspeaker in order to identify defects and design issues. Compared to acoustic based approaches, the use of a radar allows reliable measurements in an acoustically noisy end of production line. In addition, when compared witha laser vibrometric approach the use of radar micro-Doppler reduces the number of measurements required and provides direct access to the information of the metallic components of the loudspeaker. In the paper experimental results and analysis of the micro-Doppler signatures of loudspeakers using low cost radar systems are presented. Based on Thiele&Small parameters, the voice coil displacement is modelled and micro-Doppler signatures for a single tone and a sine sweep stimulus are presented. Furthermore, in order to characterise the speaker with a single radar measurement, a methodology to measure mechanical frequency response of loudspeakers is also shown

A Novel Combination of High-Load Omega-3 Lysine Complex (AvailOm®) and Anthocyanins Exerts Beneficial Cardiovascular Effects

Omega-3 fatty acids have been shown to exert several beneficial effects in the prevention of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases. The objective of the present study was to analyze the effects of a novel high-load omega-3 lysine complex, AvailOm®, its related constituents and a novel mixture of AvailOm® with specific vasoactive anthocyanins on vascular function in mice resistance artery. Pressure myograph was used to perform vascular reactivity studies. Nitric oxide and oxidative stress were assessed by difluorofluorescein diacetate and dihydroethidium, respectively. Increasing doses of AvailOm® exerted a dose-response vasorelaxation via AMPK-eNOS-mediated signaling. Omega-3 Ethyl Ester was identified as the main bioactive derivative of AvailOm®, being capable of inducing vasorelaxant action to the same extent of entire product. The combination of AvailOm® with a mix of potent vasoactive anthocyanins (C3-glu + DP3-glu + Mal3-glu + Mal3-gal + PEO3-gal), strongly protected mesenteric arteries from vascular dysfunction and oxidative stress evoked by oxidized-LDL. These data demonstrate for the first time the direct effects of AvailOm® on resistance arteries. The evidence that the combination of specific vasoactive anthocyanins and AvailOm® further enhanced the vasculoprotective properties of these compounds, may offer new promising perspectives for preventing the onset of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events