The Function of a Nail: An Archaeological Examination of Three 18th- and 19th-Century Eastern Pequot Reservation Homes in Southeastern Connecticut

This thesis examines three indigenous households excavated on the Eastern Pequot reservation in North Stonington, Connecticut. Architectural artifact and spatial analyses, combined with historical documents, are utilized to understand reservation building practices of Native Americans navigating colonialism in the 18th and 19th century. The homes are small in design with at least one window and one stone chimney each. They all possessed cellars, but not all are stone-lined. Nails and window glass serve as the primary architectural artifact classes in this work, with an emphasis on their manufacture and modification. Examining nail and glass type, quantity, modification, and spatial patterns facilitates discussion on the forms Eastern Pequot homes took and how they entered the archaeological record. Furthermore, historical records combined with archaeological evidence suggest repairs were made to the homes or materials recycled from them. Documents highlight the relationship between the overseer and tribal members on the reservation and suggest overseers played an active role in Eastern Pequot home maintenance, at least in the 19th century. Results indicate that when these homes entered the archaeological record, they were intentionally demolished, although perhaps not immediately after the residents left. This historical and material evidence offers insight on Eastern Pequot strategies to navigating reservation life during colonialism of the 18th and 19th century

La gestione delle liste d’attesa per l’intervento di by-pass aorto-coronarico

Lo scopo di questa indagine è quello di analizzare i tempi di attesa durante il percorso diagnostico-terapeutico dei pazienti con by-pass aorto-coronarico, al fine di calcolare il lasso di tempo effettivo che intercorre tra la valutazione clinica del paziente e l'intervento chirurgico, secondo il programma nazionale italiano per la gestione della lista d'attesa 2010-2012 che introduce specifici standard di riferimento in ordine all’efficacia dei tempi di intervento. In particolare, le Regioni italiane devono garantire che la fase diagnostica venga completata entro 30 giorni per il 90% dei pazienti, e lo stesso vale per la fase terapeutica. Inoltre, è necessario individuare il momento esatto dal quale comincia la lista d'attesa fino alla fine della fase diagnostica e il tempo trascorso tra la prenotazione del ricovero e l’effettivo ricovero in ospedale, durante il quale i pazienti vengono sottoposti all’intervento chirurgic

Exosite inhibition of A Disintegrin And Metalloproteinase with Thrombospondin motif (ADAMTS)-5 by a glycoconjugated arylsulfonamide

ADAMTS-5 is a major protease involved in the turnover of proteoglycans such as aggrecan and versican. Its aggrecanase activity has been directly linked to the etiology of osteoarthritis (OA), identifying ADAMTS-5 as a pharmaceutical target for OA treatment. However, most existing ADAMTS-5 inhibitors target its active site and therefore suffer from poor selectivity. Here, using a novel approach, we have designed a new class of sugar-based arylsulfonamide inhibitors, which are selective for ADAMTS-5 through binding to a previously unknown substrate-binding site (exosite). Docking calculations combined with molecular dynamics simulations demonstrated that our lead compound is a cross-domain inhibitor that targets the interface of the metalloproteinase and disintegrin-like domains. Targeted mutagenesis identified disintegrin-like domain residues K532 and K533 as an exosite which is critical for substrate recognition. Furthermore, we show that this exosite acts as major determinant for inhibitor binding and, therefore, can be targeted for development of selective ADAMTS-5 inhibitors

Speckle tracking analysis: A new tool for left atrial function analysis in systemic hypertension: An overview

Speckle tracking echocardiography (STE) is an imaging technique applied to the analysis of left atrial function. STE provides a non-Doppler, angle-independent and objective quantification of left atrial myocardial deformation. Data regarding feasibility, accuracy and clinical applications of left atrial strain are rapidly gathering. This review describes the fundamental concepts of left atrial STE, illustrates its pathophysiological background and discusses its emerging role in systemic arterial hypertension

The controversial relationship between exercise and atrial fibrillation: clinical studies and pathophysiological mechanisms

Atrial fibrillation is the most common clinically significant arrhythmia observed both in the general population and in competitive athletes. The most important risk factors are all preventable by regular physical activity. However, although the benefits of moderate physical activity in controlling cardiovascular risk factors and decreasing the risk of atrial fibrillation have been extensively proved, concerns have arisen about the potential negative effects of vigorous exercise, particularly in endurance athletes. Furthermore, in a subset of patients with atrial fibrillation younger than 60 years, routine evaluation does not reveal any cardiovascular disease or any other known causal factor. This condition is called 'lone atrial fibrillation', and the potential mechanisms underlying this condition are speculative and remain to be clarified. Atrial ectopy, increased vagal tone, changes in electrolytes, left atrial dilatation, and fibrosis have been proposed among others as potential mechanisms. However, no convincing data still exist. Particularly, the increase in left atrial size represents in athletes a physiological adaptation to exercise conditioning and the presence of biatrial fibrosis has not been demonstrated in humans. Thus, contrary to patients with cardiovascular disorders, the atrial substrate seems to play a secondary role in healthy athletes. This review article analyzes the controversial relationship between atrial fibrillation and physical activity, with a particular attention on the pathophysiological mechanisms that could be responsible for atrial fibrillation in the athletic population

The controversial relationship between exercise and atrial fibrillation: clinical studies and pathophysiological mechanisms

Atrial fibrillation is the most common clinically significant arrhythmia observed both in the general population and in competitive athletes. The most important risk factors are all preventable by regular physical activity. However, although the benefits of moderate physical activity in controlling cardiovascular risk factors and decreasing the risk of atrial fibrillation have been extensively proved, concerns have arisen about the potential negative effects of vigorous exercise, particularly in endurance athletes. Furthermore, in a subset of patients with atrial fibrillation younger than 60 years, routine evaluation does not reveal any cardiovascular disease or any other known causal factor. This condition is called 'lone atrial fibrillation', and the potential mechanisms underlying this condition are speculative and remain to be clarified. Atrial ectopy, increased vagal tone, changes in electrolytes, left atrial dilatation, and fibrosis have been proposed among others as potential mechanisms. However, no convincing data still exist. Particularly, the increase in left atrial size represents in athletes a physiological adaptation to exercise conditioning and the presence of biatrial fibrosis has not been demonstrated in humans. Thus, contrary to patients with cardiovascular disorders, the atrial substrate seems to play a secondary role in healthy athletes. This review article analyzes the controversial relationship between atrial fibrillation and physical activity, with a particular attention on the pathophysiological mechanisms that could be responsible for atrial fibrillation in the athletic population

An update on hypertensive emergencies and urgencies

Severe acute arterial hypertension is usually defined as 'hypertensive crisis', although 'hypertensive emergencies' or 'hypertensive urgencies', as suggested by the Joint National Committee and the European Society of Hypertension, have completely different diagnostic and therapeutic approaches.The prevalence and demographics of hypertensive emergencies and urgencies have changed over the last four decades, but hypertensive emergencies and urgencies are still associated with significant morbidity and mortality.Different scientific societies have repeatedly produced up-to-date guidelines; however, the treatment of hypertensive emergencies and urgencies is still inappropriate, with potential clinical implications.This review focuses on hypertensive emergencies and urgencies management and treatment, as suggested by recent data

Mediterranean diet impact on cardiovascular diseases: a narrative review

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) accounts for more than 17 million deaths per year worldwide. It has been estimated that the influence of lifestyle on CVD mortality amounts to 13.7% for smoking, 13.2% for poor diet, and 12% for inactive lifestyle. These results deeply impact both the healthy status of individuals and their skills in working. The impact of CVD on productivity loss accounts for the 24% in total costs for CVD management. Mediterranean diet (MedD) can positively impact on natural history of CVD. It is characterized by a relatively high consumption of inexpensive and genuine food such as cereals, vegetables, legumes, nuts, fish, fresh fruits, and olive oil as the principal source of fat, low meat consumption and low-tomoderate consumption of milk, dairy products, and wine. Its effects on cardiovascular health are related to the significant improvements in arterial stiffness. Peripheral artery disease, coronary artery disease, and chronic heart failure are all positively influenced by the MedD. Furthermore, MedD lowers the risk of sudden cardiac death due to arrhythmias. The present narrative review aims to analyze the effects of MedD on CVD