13 research outputs found
Graminex pollen: phenolic pattern, colorimetric analysis and protective effects in immortalized prostate cells (PC3) and rat prostate challenged with LPS
Prostatitis, a general term describing prostate inflammation, is a common disease that
could be sustained by bacterial or non-bacterial infectious agents. The efficacy of herbal extracts with
antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects for blunting the burden of inflammation and oxidative
stress, with possible improvements in clinical symptoms, is under investigation. Pollen extracts have
been previously reported as promising agents in managing clinical symptoms related to prostatitis.
The aim of the present work was to evaluate the protective effects of Graminex pollen (GraminexTM,
Deshler, OH, USA), a commercially available product based on standardized pollen extracts, in rat
prostate specimens, ex vivo. In this context, we studied the putative mechanism of action of
pollen on multiple inflammatory pathways, including the reduction of prostaglandin E2 (PGE2),
nuclear factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells (NFB), and malondialdehyde (MDA),
whose activities were significantly increased by inflammatory stimuli. We characterized by means
of chromatographic and colorimetric studies the composition of Graminex pollen to better correlate
the activity of pollen on immortalized prostate cells (PC3), and in rat prostate specimens challenged
with Escherichia coli lipopolysaccharide (LPS). We found that Graminex pollen was able to reduce
radical oxygen species (ROS) production by PC3 cells and MDA, NFB mRNA, and PGE2 levels,
in rat prostate specimens. According to our experimental evidence, Graminex pollen appears to be a
promising natural product for the management of the inflammatory components in the prostate
Predicting respiratory failure in patients infected by SARS-CoV-2 by admission sex-specific biomarkers
Background: Several biomarkers have been identified to predict the outcome of COVID-19 severity, but few data are available regarding sex differences in their predictive role. Aim of this study was to identify sex-specific biomarkers of severity and progression of acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) in COVID-19.
Methods: Plasma levels of sex hormones (testosterone and 17ÎČ-estradiol), sex-hormone dependent circulating molecules (ACE2 and Angiotensin1-7) and other known biomarkers for COVID-19 severity were measured in male and female COVID-19 patients at admission to hospital. The association of plasma biomarker levels with ARDS severity at admission and with the occurrence of respiratory deterioration during hospitalization was analysed in aggregated and sex disaggregated form.
Results: Our data show that some biomarkers could be predictive both for males and female patients and others only for one sex. Angiotensin1-7 plasma levels and neutrophil count predicted the outcome of ARDS only in females, whereas testosterone plasma levels and lymphocytes counts only in males.
Conclusions: Sex is a biological variable affecting the choice of the correct biomarker that might predict worsening of COVID-19 to severe respiratory failure. The definition of sex specific biomarkers can be useful to alert patients to be safely discharged versus those who need respiratory monitoring
Coherent structures of turbulence in wall-bounded turbulent flows
Dottorato di Ricerca in Ingegneria Idraulica per lâAmbiente e il Territorio, Ciclo XXII,a.a. 2011Direct Numerical Simulation (DNS) of a fully developed turbulent channel flow
represents a powerful tool in turbulence research: it has been carried out to
investigate the main characteristics of wall-bounded turbulence. It consists of solving
numerically the Navier-Stokes equations with physically-consistent accuracy in
space and time. The major difficulty in performing turbulence calculations at values
of the Reynolds number of practical interest lies in the remarkable amount of
computational resources required. Recent advances in high performance computing,
especially related to hybrid architectures based on CPU/GPU, have completely
changed this scenario, opening the field of High Performance Direct Numerical
Simulation of turbulence (HPDNS), to which new and encouraging perspectives have
been associated with the development of an advanced numerical methodology for
studying in detail turbulence phenomena.
The research activities related to the Ph. D. Program concerns the high
performance direct numerical simulation of a wall-bounded turbulent flow in a plane
channel with respect to the Reynolds number dependence in order to investigate coherent structures of turbulence in the wall region. The objectives of the research
have been achieved by means the construction and the validation of DNS turbulent
flow databases, that give a complete description of the turbulent flow. The Navier-
Stokes equations that governs the flow of a three-dimensional, fully developed,
incompressible and viscous fluid in a plane channel have been integrated and a
computational code based on a mixed spectral-finite difference scheme has been
implemented. In particular, a novel parallel implementation of the Navier-Stokes
solver on GPU architectures have been proposed in order to perform simulations at
high Reynolds numbers. In order to deal with large amount of data produced by the
numerical simulation, statistical tools have been developed in order to verify the
accuracy of the computational domain and describe the energetic budgets that govern
the energy transfer mechanisms close to the wall. Flow visualization has been
provided in order to identify and evaluate the temporal and morphological evolution coherent structures of turbulence in the wall region. The objectives of the research
have been achieved by means the construction and the validation of DNS turbulent
flow databases, that give a complete description of the turbulent flow. The Navier-
Stokes equations that governs the flow of a three-dimensional, fully developed,
incompressible and viscous fluid in a plane channel have been integrated and a
computational code based on a mixed spectral-finite difference scheme has been
implemented. In particular, a novel parallel implementation of the Navier-Stokes
solver on GPU architectures have been proposed in order to perform simulations at
high Reynolds numbers. In order to deal with large amount of data produced by the
numerical simulation, statistical tools have been developed in order to verify the
accuracy of the computational domain and describe the energetic budgets that govern
the energy transfer mechanisms close to the wall. Flow visualization has been
provided in order to identify and evaluate the temporal and morphological evolution threedimensional,
fully developed, incompressible and viscous flow. The second part is
devoted to the study of the numerical method for the integration of the Navier-Stokes
equations. A mixed spectral-finite difference technique for the numerical integration
of the governing equations is devised: Fourier decomposition in both streamwise and
spanwise directions and finite difference method along the wall-normal direction are
used, while a third-order Runge-Kutta algorithm coupled with the fractional-step
method are used for time advancement and for satisfying the incompressibility
constraint. A parallel computational codes has been developed for multicore
architectures; furthermore, in order to simulate the turbulence phenomenon at high
Reynolds numbers, a novel parallel computational model has been developed and
implemented for hybrid CPU/GPU computing systems. The third part of the Ph. D. thesis concerns the analysis of numerical results, in order to evaluate the relationship
between turbulence statistics, energy budgets and flow structures, allowing to
increase the knowledge about wall-bounded turbulence for developing new
predictive models and for the control of turbulenceUniversitĂ degli Studi della Calabri
Evaluation of an Intervention to Promote Self-Management Regarding Cardiovascular Disease: The Social Engagement Framework for Addressing the Chronic-Disease-Challenge (SEFAC)
Background: Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) are predominantly lifestyle related. Mental health issues also influence CVD progression and quality of life. Self-management of lifestyle behaviors and mental well-being may play a significant role in reducing the CVD burden. Previous studies have shown that mindfulness practices are associated with psychological well-being, but their effects on CVD self-management are mainly unknown. Methods: The study had a beforeâafter design and included adults over 50 years with CVD and/or one or more risk factors from three European countries. Follow-up was six months. The intervention was a 7-week mindfulness-based intervention (MBI) in a group setting focusing on chronic disease self-management. Outcomes were measured with validated self-report questionnaires at baseline and follow-up: self-efficacy, physical activity, nutrition, smoking, alcohol use, sleep and fatigue, social support, stress, depression, medication adherence, and self-rated health. Results: Among 352 participants, 324 (92%) attended â„4 of the 7 group sessions and completed follow-up. During follow-up, self-efficacy, stress, social support, depressive symptoms, and self-rated health significantly improved. No significant changes were detected for other outcomes. Conclusions: A 7-week MBI focusing on chronic disease self-management was conducive to improved self-efficacy, emotional well-being, social support, and self-rated overall health during six months. These findings support the use of MBIs for improving self-management in cardiovascular care. ISRCTN registry-number ISRCTN11248135
Epidemiology, Clinical Presentation and Treatment of Non-Hepatic Hyperammonemia in ICU COVID-19 Patients
Background: Although COVID-19 is largely a respiratory disease, it is actually a systemic
disease that has a wide range of effects that are not yet fully known. The aim of this study
was to determine the incidence, predictors and outcome of non-hepatic hyperammonemia (NHH) in COVID-19 in intensive care unit (ICU); (2) Methods: This is a 3-month prospective observational study in a third-level COVID-19 hospital. The authors collected demographic, clinical, severity score and outcome data. Logistic regression analyses were performed to identify predictors of NHH; (3) Results: 156 COVID-19 patients were admitted to the ICU. The incidence of NHH was 12.2% (19 patients). The univariate analysis showed that invasive mechanical ventilation had a 6.6-fold higher risk (OR 6.66, 95% CI 0.86â51.6, p = 0.039) for NHH, while in the multiple regression analysis, there was a 7-fold higher risk for NHHâbut it was not statistically significant (OR 7.1, 95% CI 0.90â56.4, p = 0.062). Demographics, clinical characteristics and mortality in the ICU at 28 days did not show a significant association with NHH. (4) Conclusions: The incidence of NHH in ICU COVID-19 patients was not low. NHH did not appear to significantly increase mortality, and all patients with non-hepatic hyperammonemia were successfully treated without further complications.
However, the pathogenesis of NHH in ICU patients with COVID-19 remains a topic to be explored with further researc
Incidence of Pneumothorax and Pneumomediastinum in 497 COVID-19 Patients with ModerateâSevere ARDS over a Year of the Pandemic: An Observational Study in an Italian Third Level COVID-19 Hospital
Background: COVID-19 is a novel cause of acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS).
Indeed, with the increase of ARDS cases due to the COVID-19 pandemic, there has also been an increase in the incidence of cases with pneumothorax (PNX) and pneumomediastinum (PNM). However, the incidence and the predictors of PNX/PMN in these patients are currently unclear and even conflicting. (2) Methods: The present observational study analyzed the incidence of barotrauma (PNX/PNM) in COVID-19 patients with moderateâsevere ARDS hospitalized in a year of the pandemic, also focusing on the three waves occurring during the year, and treated with positive-pressure
ventilation (PPV). We collected demographic and clinical data. (3) Results: During this period, 40 patients developed PNX/PNM. The overall incidence of barotrauma in all COVID-19 patients hospitalized in a year was 1.6%, and in those with moderateâsevere ARDS in PPV was 7.2% and 3.8 events per 1000 positive-pressure ventilator days. The incidence of barotrauma in moderateâsevere ARDS COVID-19 patients during the three waves was 7.8%, 7.4%, and 8.7%, respectively.
Treatment with noninvasive respiratory support alone was associated with an incidence of barotrauma of 9.1% and 2.6 events per 1000 noninvasive ventilator days, of which 95% were admitted to the ICU after the event, due to a worsening of respiratory parameters. The incidence of barotrauma of ICU COVID-19 patients in invasive ventilation over a year was 5.8% and 2.7 events per 1000 invasive ventilator days. There was no significant difference in demographics and clinical features between the barotrauma and non-barotrauma group. The mortality was higher in the barotrauma group (17 patients died, 47.2%) than in the non-barotrauma group (170 patients died, 37%), although this difference was not statistically significant (p = 0.429). (4) Conclusions: The incidence of PNX/PNM in moderateâsevere ARDS COVID-19 patients did not differ significantly between the three waves over a year, and does not appear to be very different from that in ARDS patients in the pre-COVID era. The barotrauma does not appear to significantly increase mortality in COVID-19 patients with moderateâsevere ARDS if protective ventilation strategies are applied. Attention should be paid to the risk of barotrauma in COVID-19 patients in noninvasive ventilation because the event increases the probability of admission to the intensive care unit (ICU) and intubation
Disease-specific and general health-related quality of life in newly diagnosed prostate cancer patients: The Pros-IT CNR study
BACKGROUND:
The National Research Council (CNR) prostate cancer monitoring project in Italy (Pros-IT CNR) is an observational, prospective, ongoing, multicentre study aiming to monitor a sample of Italian males diagnosed as new cases of prostate cancer. The present study aims to present data on the quality of life at time prostate cancer is diagnosed.
METHODS:
One thousand seven hundred five patients were enrolled. Quality of life is evaluated at the time cancer was diagnosed and at subsequent assessments via the Italian version of the University of California Los Angeles-Prostate Cancer Index (UCLA-PCI) and the Short Form Health Survey (SF-12).
RESULTS:
At diagnosis, lower scores on the physical component of the SF-12 were associated to older ages, obesity and the presence of 3+ moderate/severe comorbidities. Lower scores on the mental component were associated to younger ages, the presence of 3+ moderate/severe comorbidities and a T-score higher than one. Urinary and bowel functions according to UCLA-PCI were generally good. Almost 5% of the sample reported using at least one safety pad daily to control urinary loss; less than 3% reported moderate/severe problems attributable to bowel functions, and sexual function was a moderate/severe problem for 26.7%. Diabetes, 3+ moderate/severe comorbidities, T2 or T3-T4 categories and a Gleason score of eight or more were significantly associated with lower sexual function scores at diagnosis.
CONCLUSIONS:
Data collected by the Pros-IT CNR study have clarified the baseline status of newly diagnosed prostate cancer patients. A comprehensive assessment of quality of life will allow to objectively evaluate outcomes of different profile of care
Disease-specific and general health-related quality of life in newly diagnosed prostate cancer patients: the Pros-IT CNR study
Background: The National Research Council (CNR) prostate cancer monitoring project in Italy (Pros-IT CNR) is an observational, prospective, ongoing, multicentre study aiming to monitor a sample of Italian males diagnosed as new cases of prostate cancer. The present study aims to present data on the quality of life at time prostate cancer is diagnosed. Methods: One thousand seven hundred five patients were enrolled. Quality of life is evaluated at the time cancer was diagnosed and at subsequent assessments via the Italian version of the University of California Los Angeles-Prostate Cancer Index (UCLA-PCI) and the Short Form Health Survey (SF-12). Results: At diagnosis, lower scores on the physical component of the SF-12 were associated to older ages, obesity and the presence of 3+ moderate/severe comorbidities. Lower scores on the mental component were associated to younger ages, the presence of 3+ moderate/severe comorbidities and a T-score higher than one. Urinary and bowel functions according to UCLA-PCI were generally good. Almost 5% of the sample reported using at least one safety pad daily to control urinary loss; less than 3% reported moderate/severe problems attributable to bowel functions, and sexual function was a moderate/severe problem for 26.7%. Diabetes, 3+ moderate/severe comorbidities, T2 or T3-T4 categories and a Gleason score of eight or more were significantly associated with lower sexual function scores at diagnosis. Conclusions: Data collected by the Pros-IT CNR study have clarified the baseline status of newly diagnosed prostate cancer patients. A comprehensive assessment of quality of life will allow to objectively evaluate outcomes of different profile of care