Update on the Serum Biomarkers and Genetic Factors Associated with Safety and Efficacy of rt-PA Treatment in Acute Stroke Patients

An accurate understanding of the mechanisms underlying an individual's response to rt-PA treatment is critical to improve stroke patients' management. We thus reviewed the literature in order to identify biochemical and genetic factors that have been associated with safety and efficacy of rt-PA administration after stroke

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An accurate understanding of the mechanisms underlying an individual's response to rt-PA treatment is critical to improve stroke patients' management. We thus reviewed the literature in order to identify biochemical and genetic factors that have been associated with safety and efficacy of rt-PA administration after stroke

Validation of score in mna scale like nutritional risk factor in institutionalized geriatric patients with moderate and severe cognitive impairment

Introducción: La valoración geriátrica integral incluye el examen del apartado nutricional debido a la alta prevalencia de desnutrición en este tipo de pacientes; especialmente en los pacientes con deterioro cognitivo asociado. Las escalas de cribado del estado nutricional presentan preguntas de autopercepción subjetiva de difícil respuesta en pacientes mayores con demencia. Objetivo: Estudiar la especificidad, el valor predictivo positivo y la sensibilidad de la escala MNA para la detección de malnutrición en pacientes diagnosticados de enfermedad de Alzheimer con deterioro cognitivo avanzado. Material y métodos: Se diseñó un estudio descriptivo poblacional con una muestra de 52 pacientes mayores de 70 años, institucionalizados, con enfermedad de Alzheimer grado moderado y severo. Se estudió la sensibilidad, especificidad y valor predictivo positivo de la escala MNA respecto a los parámetros de malnutrición del American Institute of Nutrition (AIN). Resultados: Los valores de sensibilidad, especificidad y valor predictivo positivo son 60%, 94,7% y 93,8% respectivamente. Existe una correlación significativa (p < 0,001) ente la puntuación obtenida en la escala MNA y la escala de riesgo de caídas Tinneti (r = 0,577), de función Barthel (r = 0,742), de valoración cognitiva MEC (r = 0,651) y los niveles de creatinina (r = 0,402). Más del 50% de la muestra presentó al menos un parámetro de malnutrición AIN alterado. Conclusiones: La escala MNA presenta una menor sensibilidad y especificidad en estos pacientes. El diseño de una escala de valoración nutricional sin valoraciones subjetivas y sólo con parámetros objetivos podría mejorar la eficacia de la misma en ancianos institucionalizados con deterioro cognitivo moderado y severo.Introduction: comprehensive geriatric assessment includes examination of the nutritional status given the high prevalence of hyponutrition in this kind of patients, particularly in patients with associated cognitive impairment. Scales for screening the nutritional status include questions on self-perception difficult to answer by demented elder patients. Objective: To study the specificity, the positive predictive value, and the sensitivity of the MNA scale to detect malnutrition in patients diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease with advanced cognitive impairment. Material and methods: a population-based descriptive study with a sample of 52 patients older than 70 years, institutionalized, and with moderate-severe Alzheimer’s disease was designed. The sensitivity, specificity, and positive predictive value of MNA scale were studied regarding the parameters on malnutrition of the American Institute of Nutrition (AIN). Results: the sensitivity, specificity, and positive predictive values were 60%, 94.7%, and 93.8%, respectively. There was a significant correlation (p < 0.001) between the score obtained with the MNA Scale and the Tinneti’s Risk of Fall Scale (r = 0.577), the Barthel’s function (r = 0.742), the MCT cognitive assessment (r = 0.651), and creatinine levels (r = 0.402). More than 50% of the sample presented at least one malnutrition parameter altered. Conclusions: the MNA Scale presents lower sensitivity and specificity in these patients. Designing a nutritional assessment scale without subjective evaluations and only with objective parameters might improve its efficiency in institutionalized elderly patients with moderate-severe cognitive impairment.Nutrición humana y dietétic

Maternal prepregnancy body mass index and offspring white matter microstructure: results from three birth cohorts

Prepregnancy maternal obesity is a global health problem and has been associated with offspring metabolic and mental ill-health. However, there is a knowledge gap in understanding potential neurobiological factors related to these associations. This study explored the relation between maternal prepregnancy body mass index (BMI) and offspring brain white matter microstructure at the age of 6, 10, and 26 years in three independent cohorts. Maternal BMI was associated with higher FA and lower MD in multiple brain tracts in offspring aged 10 and 26 years, but not at 6 years of age. Future studies should examine whether our observations can be replicated and explore the potential causal nature of the findings.This work was supported by the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation program [grant agreement no. 633595 DynaHEALTH] and no. 733206 LifeCycle], the Netherlands Organization for Health Research and Development [ZONMW Vici project 016.VICI.170.200]. The PREOBE cohort was funded by Spanish Ministry of Innovation and Science. Junta de Andalucía: Excellence Projects (P06-CTS-02341) and Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness (BFU2012-40254-C03-01). The first phase of the Generation R Study is made possible by financial support from the Erasmus Medical Centre, the Erasmus University, and the Netherlands Organization for Health Research and Development (ZonMW, grant ZonMW Geestkracht 10.000.1003). The Northern Finland Birth Cohort 1986 is funded by University of Oulu, University Hospital of Oulu, Academy of Finland (EGEA), Sigrid Juselius Foundation, European Commission (EURO-BLCS, Framework 5 award QLG1-CT-2000-01643), NIH/NIMH (5R01MH63706:02

Hypercholesterolemia Impaired Sperm Functionality in Rabbits

Hypercholesterolemia represents a high risk factor for frequent diseases and it has also been associated with poor semen quality that may lead to male infertility. The aim of this study was to analyze semen and sperm function in diet-induced hypercholesterolemic rabbits. Twelve adult White New Zealand male rabbits were fed ad libitum a control diet or a diet supplemented with 0.05% cholesterol. Rabbits under cholesterol-enriched diet significantly increased total cholesterol level in the serum. Semen examination revealed a significant reduction in semen volume and sperm motility in hypercholesterolemic rabbits (HCR). Sperm cell morphology was seriously affected, displaying primarily a “folded head”-head fold along the major axe-, and the presence of cytoplasmic droplet on sperm flagellum. Cholesterol was particularly increased in acrosomal region when detected by filipin probe. The rise in cholesterol concentration in sperm cells was determined quantitatively by Gas chromatographic-mass spectrometric analyses. We also found a reduction of protein tyrosine phosphorylation in sperm incubated under capacitating conditions from HCR. Interestingly, the addition of Protein Kinase A pathway activators -dibutyryl-cyclic AMP and iso-butylmethylxanthine- to the medium restored sperm capacitation. Finally, it was also reported a significant decrease in the percentage of reacted sperm in the presence of progesterone. In conclusion, our data showed that diet-induced hypercholesterolemia adversely affects semen quality and sperm motility, capacitation and acrosomal reaction in rabbits; probably due to an increase in cellular cholesterol content that alters membrane related events