On approximate solutions to the Neumann elliptic boundary value problem with non-linearity of exponential type

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The Effect of the Association between Donepezil and Choline Alphoscerate on Behavioral Disturbances in Alzheimer's Disease: Interim Results of the ASCOMALVA Trial

BACKGROUND: Behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD) are a group of psychological reactions, psychiatric symptoms, and behaviors commonly found in Alzheimer's disease (AD). Four clusters of BPSD have been described: mood disorders (depression, anxiety, and apathy), psychotic symptoms (delusions and hallucinations), aberrant motor behaviors (pacing, wandering, and other purposeless behaviors), and inappropriate behaviors (agitation, disinhibition, and euphoria). Most of them are attributed to acetylcholine deficiency. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate if a higher amount of acetylcholine obtained by associating donepezil and choline alphoscerate might have a favorable effect on BPSD. METHODS: BPSD were measured at baseline and after 24 months in 113 mild/moderate AD patients, included in the double-blind randomized trial ASCOMALVA, by the Neuropsychiatric Inventory (NPI). Two matched groups were compared: group A treated with donepezil (10 mg/day) plus choline alphoscerate (1200 mg/day), and group B treated with donepezil (10 mg/day) plus placebo. RESULTS: Data of NPI revealed a significant decrease of BPSD severity and distress of the caregiver in patients of group A compared with group B. Mood disorders (depression, anxiety and apathy) were significantly decreased in subjects treated with donepezil and choline alphoscerate, while their severity and frequency was increased in the other group. CONCLUSIONS: Patients treated with donepezil plus choline alphoscerate showed a lower level of behavioral disturbances than subjects treated with donepezil only, suggesting that the association can have beneficial effect

Changes in cerebellar output abnormally modulates cortical myoclonus sensorimotor hyperexcitability

Cortical myoclonus is produced by abnormal neuronal discharges within the sensorimotor cortex, as demonstrated by electrophysiology. Our hypothesis is that the loss of cerebellar inhibitory control over the motor cortex, via cerebello-thalamo-cortical connections, could induce the increased sensorimotor cortical excitability that eventually causes cortical myoclonus. To explore this hypothesis, in the present study we applied anodal transcranial direct current stimulation over the cerebellum of patients affected by cortical myoclonus and healthy controls and assessed its effect on sensorimotor cortex excitability. We expected that anodal cerebellar transcranial direct current stimulation would increase the inhibitory cerebellar drive to the motor cortex and therefore reduce the sensorimotor cortex hyperexcitability observed in cortical myoclonus. Ten patients affected by cortical myoclonus of various aetiology and 10 aged-matched healthy controls were included in the study. All participants underwent somatosensory evoked potentials, long-latency reflexes, and short-interval intracortical inhibition recording at baseline and immediately after 20 min session of cerebellar anodal transcranial direct current stimulation. In patients, myoclonus was recorded by the means of surface electromyography before and after the cerebellar stimulation. Anodal cerebellar transcranial direct current stimulation did not change the above variables in healthy controls, while it significantly increased the amplitude of somatosensory evoked potential cortical components, long-latency reflexes and decreased short-interval intracortical inhibition in patients; alongside, a trend towards worsening of the myoclonus after the cerebellar stimulation was observed. Interestingly, when dividing patients in those with and without giant somatosensory evoked potentials, the increment of the somatosensory evoked potential cortical components was observed mainly in those with giant potentials. Our data showed that anodal cerebellar transcranial direct current stimulation facilitates, and does not inhibit, sensorimotor cortex excitability in cortical myoclonus syndromes. This paradoxical response might be due to an abnormal homeostatic plasticity within the sensorimotor cortex, driven by dysfunctional cerebello-thalamo-cortical input to the motor cortex. We suggest that the cerebellum is implicated in the pathophysiology of cortical myoclonus and that these results could open the way to new forms of treatment or treatment targets

Anti-biofilm activity of an exopolysaccharide from a sponge-associated strain of Bacillus licheniformis

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Secondary metabolites ranging from furanone to exo-polysaccharides have been suggested to have anti-biofilm activity in various recent studies. Among these, <it>Escherichia coli </it>group II capsular polysaccharides were shown to inhibit biofilm formation of a wide range of organisms and more recently marine <it>Vibrio </it>sp. were found to secrete complex exopolysaccharides having the potential for broad-spectrum biofilm inhibition and disruption.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>In this study we report that a newly identified ca. 1800 kDa polysaccharide having simple monomeric units of α-D-galactopyranosyl-(1→2)-glycerol-phosphate exerts an anti-biofilm activity against a number of both pathogenic and non-pathogenic strains without bactericidal effects. This polysaccharide was extracted from a <it>Bacillus licheniformis </it>strain associated with the marine organism <it>Spongia officinalis</it>. The mechanism of action of this compound is most likely independent from quorum sensing, as its structure is unrelated to any of the so far known quorum sensing molecules. In our experiments we also found that treatment of abiotic surfaces with our polysaccharide reduced the initial adhesion and biofilm development of strains such as <it>Escherichia coli </it>PHL628 and <it>Pseudomonas fluorescens</it>.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The polysaccharide isolated from sponge-associated <it>B. licheniformis </it>has several features that provide a tool for better exploration of novel anti-biofilm compounds. Inhibiting biofilm formation of a wide range of bacteria without affecting their growth appears to represent a special feature of the polysaccharide described in this report. Further research on such surface-active compounds might help developing new classes of anti-biofilm molecules with broad spectrum activity and more in general will allow exploring of new functions for bacterial polysaccharides in the environment.</p

Effects of gestational and lactational exposure to PCB126 and methylmercury on circulating steroid hormone levels at weaning and puberty in the rat

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Segurança na administração de medicamentos: Investigação sobre a prática de enfermagem e circunstâncias de erros

Introduction: To provide safe, effective, timely and individualized care is a major challenge in health care. Currently, the main errors in health care are related to medication errors. These errors can cause damages, especially in pediatrics, because of organs’ immaturity and variation in the weight and body surface. In this way, the importance of nursing in this scenario is perceived to guarantee a safe care.Objective: To investigate the practice of nursing professionals about drug administration process, as well as the circumstances that lead to errors. Method: Descriptive, quantitative study with 147 nursing professionals in Neonatal and Pediatric Intensive Units. To collect data, a questionnaire was used elaborated and based on the recommendations of the Guideline for Prevention of Intravascular catheter-related infections with questions related to the practice of drug administration and afterwards a descriptive data analysis was used. Results: The professionals pointed out weaknesses in the practice, such as double checking of medications, administration of medication prepared by the colleague, delays and lack in checking the prescriptions. The most common errors were derived from the wrong dose and the environmental factors were presented as a critical point. Conclusion: The findings interfere in the consolidation of safety practices in drug administration in pediatrics and neonatology, suggesting the need for team qualification and continuous monitoring of the work processIntroducción: Prestar un cuidado seguro, efectivo, oportuno e individualizado es un gran desafío en la asistencia a la salud. Actualmente, los principales errores en la asistencia a la salud están relacionados con errores de medicación. Estos errores pueden ocasionar daños, especialmente en pediatría, debido a la inmadurez de los órganos y la variación de peso y superficie corpórea. De esta forma, se percibe la importancia de la enfermería en ese escenario para la garantía de una asistencia segura.Objetivo: Investigar la práctica de los profesionales de enfermería sobre el proceso de administración de medicamentos, así como las circunstancias que conducen a los errores. Método: Estudio descriptivo, cuantitativo, realizado con 147 profesionales de enfermería en Unidades Intensivas neonatales y pediátricas. Para la recolección de datos se utilizó un cuestionario elaborado y basado en las recomendaciones de la Guideline for Prevention of Intravascular cateter-related infections relacionadas con la práctica de la administración de medicamentos y posteriormente se realizó análisis descriptivo de los datos. Resultados: Los profesionales señalaron fragilidades de la práctica como chequeo doble de las medicaciones, administración de medicamentos preparados por el compañero, retrasos y falta de verificación de las prescripciones. Los errores más comunes derivaron de dosis erróneas y los factores ambientales fueron presentados como punto crítico. Conclusión: Los hallazgos encontrados interfieren en la consolidación de prácticas de seguridad en la administración de medicación en pediatría y neonatología, sugiriendo la necesidad de la calificación del equipo y monitoreo continuo del proceso de trabajo &nbsp; &nbsp;Introdução: Prestar um cuidado seguro, efetivo, oportuno e individualizado é um grande desafio na assistência à saúde. Atualmente, os principais erros na assistência à saúde estão relacionados à erros de medicação. Esses erros podem ocasionar danos, especialmente na pediatria, em decorrência da imaturidade dos órgãos e a variação de peso e superfície corpórea. Dessa forma, percebe-se a importância da enfermagem nesse cenário para a garantia de uma assistência segura. Objetivo: Investigar a prática dos profissionais de enfermagem sobre processo de administração de medicamento, bem como as circunstâncias que levam aos erros.Método: estudo descritivo, quantitativo, realizado com 147 profissionais de enfermagem em Unidades Intensivas neonatais e pediátricas. Para a coleta de dados foi utilizado um questionário elaborado e alicerçado nas recomendações do Guideline for Prevention of Intravascular cateter-related infections com perguntas relativas a prática de administração de medicamentos e posteriormente realizado analise descritiva dos dados. Resultados: Os profissionais apontaram fragilidades da prática como checagem dupla das medicações, administração de medicações preparada pelo colega, atrasos e falta de checagem das prescrições. Os erros mais comuns derivaram de dose errada e os fatores ambientais foram apresentados como ponto crítico. Conclusão: os achados encontrados interferem na consolidação de práticas de segurança na administração de medicação na pediatria e neonatologia, sugerindo necessidade da qualificação da equipe e monitoramento continuo do processo de trabalho

A myeloma paraprotein with specificity for platelet glycoprotein IIIa in a patient with a fatal bleeding

Abstract Impaired platelet aggregation, normal shape change, and agglutination and normal ATP secretion and thromboxane synthesis in response to high concentrations of thrombin or arachidonic acid were found in a patient with multiple myeloma and hemorrhagic tendency. The purified IgG1 kappa or its F(ab&apos;}2 fragments induced similar changes when added in vitro to plateletrich plasma from normal subjects. In addition, the paraprotein inhibited adhesion to glass microbeads, fibrin clot retraction, and binding of radiolabeled fibrinogen or von Willebrand factor to platelets exposed to thrombin or arachidonic acid without affecting intraplatelet levels of cAMP. The radiolabeled paraprotein bound to an average of 35,000 sites on normal platelets but it bound to &lt;2,000 sites on the platelets from a patient with Glanzmann&apos;s thrombasthenia. Immunoprecipitation studies showed that the platelet antigen identified by the paraprotein was the glycoprotein IlIa. Furthermore, binding of radiolabeled prostaglandin El (PGEI) to resting platelets as well as binding of von Willebrand factor to platelets stimulated with ristocetin were entirely normal in the presence of patient&apos;s inhibitor. These studies indicate that bleeding occurring in dysproteinemia may be the result of a specific interaction of monoclonal paraproteins with platelets. In addition, our data support the concept that the interaction of fibrinogen and/or von Willebrand factor with the platelet glycoprotein Ilb-IIla complex is essential for effective hemostasis