The effects of canrenone on inflammatory markers in patients with metabolic syndrome.

To evaluate the effects of canrenone compared to placebo on blood pressure control, some non-conventional biomarkers in cardiovascular stratification, and on metalloproteinases in patients affected by metabolic syndrome.A total of 156 Caucasian patients were treated with placebo or canrenone, 50 mg once a day, for 3 months and then 50 mg twice a day, till the end of the study. We evaluated: systolic (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP), body weight, body mass index (BMI), fasting plasma glucose (FPG), lipid profile, plasma aldosterone, creatinine, potassium, brain natriuretic peptide (BNP), metalloproteinases 2 and 9 (MMP-2 and -9), lipoprotein (a) (Lp(a)), and serum myeloperoxidase (MPO).We observed a significant decrease of SBP and DBP in the canrenone group compared to baseline. Canrenone gave a significant decrease of MMP-2 and -9, Lp(a), and MPO compared to baseline, not observed with placebo. Plasma aldosterone, but not BNP, decreased with canrenone, both compared to baseline and to placebo.Canrenone seems to be effective in reducing blood pressure in patients with metabolic syndrome. Moreover, canrenone seems also to improve MPO, Lp(a), and metalloproteinases in these patients

Remdesivir treatment in hospitalized patients affected by COVID-19 pneumonia: a case-control study

Background: to date the optimal antiviral treatment against severe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has not been proven; remdesivir is a promising drug with in vitro activity against several virus, but in COVID-19 the clinical results are currently not definitive. Methods: in this retrospective observational study we analyzed the clinical outcomes (survival analysis, efficacy and safety) in a group of hospitalized patients with COVID-19 treated with remdesivir in comparison with a control group of patients treated with other antiviral or supportive therapies. Results: we included 163 patients treated with remdesivir and 403 subjects in the control group; the baseline characteristics were similar in the two groups; mortality rate was higher in control group (24.8% vs 2.4%, p<0.001), the risk of intensive-care-unit (ICU) admission was higher in control group (17.8% vs 9.8%, p=0.008); hospitalization time was significantly lower in patients treated with remdesivir (9.5 vs 12.5 days, p<0.001). The safety of remdesivir was good and no significant adverse events were reported. In multivariate analysis the remdesivir treatment was independently associated with a 34% lower mortality rate (OR=0.669; p=0.014). Conclusions: in this analysis the treatment with remdesivir was associated with lower mortality, lower rate of ICU admission, shorter time of hospitalization. No adverse events were observed. This promising antiviral treatment should also be confirmed by other studies. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved

AVALIAÇÃO DA OCORRÊNCIA DE ESTRO E DESENVOLVIMENTO FOLICULAR EM FÊMEAS SUÍNAS NA LACTAÇÃO COM MANEJO DE DESMAME DE 28 DIAS

O desmame de fêmeas suínas é realizado na grande maioria aos 21 dias de lactação, contudo, uma grande discussão acerca da mudança de manejo de 21 para 28 dias, sem ocorrência da manifestação do estro durante a lactação e interferência no intervalo desmame cio (IDC) vem sendo discutida. Foram avaliadas 114 fêmeas suínas de duas granjas diferentes, quanto a manifestação de estro pelo reflexo de tolerância ao homem (RTH) e desenvolvimento folicular por ultrassonografia. Os resultados mostraram que não houve ocorrência de estro durante a lactação no período de 28 dias e nenhuma interferência no IDC em 100% das fêmeas avaliadas

Tracing rejuvenation events in nearby S0 galaxies

With the aim of characterizing rejuvenation processes in early-type galaxies, we analyzed five barred S0 galaxies showing prominent outer ring in ultraviolet (UV) imaging. We analyzed GALEX far- (FUV) and near- (NUV) UV and optical data using stellar population models and estimated the age and the stellar mass of the entire galaxies and of the UV-bright ring structures. Outer rings consist of young (<200 Myr old) stellar populations, accounting for up to 70% of the FUV flux but containing only a few % of the total stellar mass. Integrated photometry of the whole galaxies places four of these objects on the green valley, indicating a globally evolving nature. We suggest such galaxy evolution is likely driven by bar induced instabilities, i.e. inner secular evolution, that conveys gas to the nucleus and to the outer rings. At the same time, HI observations of NGC 1533 and NGC 2962 suggest external gas re-fueling can play a role in the rejuvenation processes of such galaxies.Comment: 23 pages, 5 figures and 2 tables, Accepted for publication in The Astrophysical Journa

Human depression: a new approach in quantitative psychiatry

The biomolecular approach to major depression disorder is explained by the different steps that involve cell membrane viscosity, Gsα protein and tubulin. For the first time it is hypothesised that a biomolecular pathway exists, moving from cell membrane viscosity through Gsα protein and Tubulin, which can condition the conscious state and is measurable by electroencephalogram study of the brain's γ wave synchrony

&quot;Delirium Day&quot;: A nationwide point prevalence study of delirium in older hospitalized patients using an easy standardized diagnostic tool

Background: To date, delirium prevalence in adult acute hospital populations has been estimated generally from pooled findings of single-center studies and/or among specific patient populations. Furthermore, the number of participants in these studies has not exceeded a few hundred. To overcome these limitations, we have determined, in a multicenter study, the prevalence of delirium over a single day among a large population of patients admitted to acute and rehabilitation hospital wards in Italy. Methods: This is a point prevalence study (called "Delirium Day") including 1867 older patients (aged 65 years or more) across 108 acute and 12 rehabilitation wards in Italian hospitals. Delirium was assessed on the same day in all patients using the 4AT, a validated and briefly administered tool which does not require training. We also collected data regarding motoric subtypes of delirium, functional and nutritional status, dementia, comorbidity, medications, feeding tubes, peripheral venous and urinary catheters, and physical restraints. Results: The mean sample age was 82.0 ± 7.5 years (58 % female). Overall, 429 patients (22.9 %) had delirium. Hypoactive was the commonest subtype (132/344 patients, 38.5 %), followed by mixed, hyperactive, and nonmotoric delirium. The prevalence was highest in Neurology (28.5 %) and Geriatrics (24.7 %), lowest in Rehabilitation (14.0 %), and intermediate in Orthopedic (20.6 %) and Internal Medicine wards (21.4 %). In a multivariable logistic regression, age (odds ratio [OR] 1.03, 95 % confidence interval [CI] 1.01-1.05), Activities of Daily Living dependence (OR 1.19, 95 % CI 1.12-1.27), dementia (OR 3.25, 95 % CI 2.41-4.38), malnutrition (OR 2.01, 95 % CI 1.29-3.14), and use of antipsychotics (OR 2.03, 95 % CI 1.45-2.82), feeding tubes (OR 2.51, 95 % CI 1.11-5.66), peripheral venous catheters (OR 1.41, 95 % CI 1.06-1.87), urinary catheters (OR 1.73, 95 % CI 1.30-2.29), and physical restraints (OR 1.84, 95 % CI 1.40-2.40) were associated with delirium. Admission to Neurology wards was also associated with delirium (OR 2.00, 95 % CI 1.29-3.14), while admission to other settings was not. Conclusions: Delirium occurred in more than one out of five patients in acute and rehabilitation hospital wards. Prevalence was highest in Neurology and lowest in Rehabilitation divisions. The "Delirium Day" project might become a useful method to assess delirium across hospital settings and a benchmarking platform for future surveys

Contribution of ultrarare variants in mTOR pathway genes to sporadic focal epilepsies

Objective: We investigated the contribution to sporadic focal epilepsies (FE) of ultrarare variants in genes coding for the components of complexes regulating mechanistic Target Of Rapamycin (mTOR)complex 1 (mTORC1). Methods: We collected genetic data of 121 Italian isolated FE cases and 512 controls by Whole Exome Sequencing (WES) and single-molecule Molecular Inversion Probes (smMIPs) targeting 10 genes of the GATOR1, GATOR2, and TSC complexes. We collapsed “qualifying” variants (ultrarare and predicted to be deleterious or loss of function) across the examined genes and sought to identify their enrichment in cases compared to controls. Results: We found eight qualifying variants in cases and nine in controls, demonstrating enrichment in FE patients (P = 0.006; exact unconditional test, one-tailed). Pathogenic variants were identified in DEPDC5 and TSC2, both major genes for Mendelian FE syndromes. Interpretation: Our findings support the contribution of ultrarare variants in genes in the mTOR pathway complexes GATOR and TSC to the risk of sporadic FE and a shared genetic basis between rare and common epilepsies. The identification of a monogenic etiology in isolated cases, most typically encountered in clinical practice, may offer to a broader community of patients the perspective of precision therapies directed by the underlying genetic cause