Isoflavones in aglycone solution enhance ultraviolet B-induced DNA damage repair efficiency.

The isoflavones daidzein and genistein are natural compounds which have anti-inflammatory and photoprotective activities, and may be effective in the repair of ultraviolet (UV)-induced photodamage. In this study, an alcoholic solution of aglycone isoflavones with a genistein:daidzein ratio of 1:4 [Rottapharm (RPH)-aglycone] was examined for its effects on the repair of DNA damage induced by a single dose of UVB irradiation (20 mJ/cm2). For this purpose, human skin cells were first UVB-irradiated and then treated with RPH-aglycone. Comet assay analysis was used to estimate the UVB-induced DNA damage at different time points after treatment by measuring the tail moment parameter. We found that treatment with 10 μmol/L RPH-aglycone solution resulted in a significantly reduced tail moment at 1 h after treatment, and 34-35% enhancement of damage repair at 4 h after treatment. These results suggest that isoflavone aglycones are protective against UVB-induced DNA damage. © 2014 British Association of Dermatologists

Treatment with gonadotropin releasing hormone agonists in systemic lupus erythematosus patients receiving cyclophosphamide: a long-term follow-up study

Background: Cyclophosphamide treatment has been associated with ovarian function impairment. Co-treatment with gonadotropin-releasing hormone-analogue (GnRH-a) seems to be able to prevent this complication. However, even though data are available on neoplastic patients, limited data have been published on systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) women cohorts. Objectives: To evaluate GnRH-a efficacy on ovarian function preservation in SLE women receiving cyclophosphamide treatment. Methods: The authors performed a retrospective study including SLE women requiring cyclophosphamide treatment and compared those treated with and without GnRH-a (case and controls, respectively). All patients were evaluated before cyclophosphamide treatment and every 3 months in the following years. Ovarian function was evaluated using hormonal profiles. Results: The study comprised 33 SLE cyclophosphamide-treated women: 18 co-treated with triptorelin, and 15 controls. The mean follow-up was 8.1 ± 5.1 years (range 4–11). Premature ovarian failure (POF) prevalence was significantly lower in SLE women treated by cyclophosphamide plus triptorelin compared to controls (11.1% vs. 33.3%, P = 0.0002). The occurrence of POF was significantly associated with higher age at the time of cyclophosphamide treatment (P = 0.008). Only patients in the GnRH-a treated group had successful pregnancies. Conclusions: The study provides information about the efficacy of co-treatment with GnRH-a in SLE women receiving cyclophosphamide, as demonstrated by the lower POF incidence compared to untreated subjects, based on long-term follow-up. These results reinforce the use of GnRH-a for fertility preservation in premenopausal SLE patients treated by cyclophosphamide

A voxel-based morphometry study of disease severity correlates in relapsing–remitting multiple sclerosis

Previous studies have shown a preferential loss of grey matter in fronto-temporal regions in patients with multiple sclerosis. Studies of correlates of disease severity are more controversial, because some studies have suggested an association between sensorimotor cortex atrophy and Expanded Disability Status Scale score, while others did not find such a correlation. The objective of this study was to assess the correlation of regional loss of grey matter and white matter with indexes of clinical and radiological severity in relapsing–remitting multiple sclerosis, including the Expanded Disability Status Scale and lesion load. Correlations between Expanded Disability Status Scale, lesion load and disease duration were assessed in 128 patients with relapsing–remitting multiple sclerosis (Expanded Disability Status Scale range 1.0–6.0) using optimized voxel-based morphometry. Bilateral loss of grey matter in sensorimotor cortices was correlated with Expanded Disability Status Scale, and tissue loss also involved adjacent white matter, extending along pyramidal tracts to the brainstem. Increasing lesion load was correlated with loss of deep grey matter and white matter. No specific region of grey matter or white matter showed a significant correlation with disease duration. These findings support the hypothesis that motor neuron involvement plays a major role in the progression of physical disability. Lesion load accrual affects mainly highly interconnected subcortical structures, while disease duration has a less significant impact on brain atrophy, probably owing to the inter-subject heterogeneity of the clinical course of the disease

Looking for seismites in the Fucino basin: preliminary results from a combined geological geophysical approach.

We present a combined geological-geophysical study on the lacustrine sequence of the Fucino Plain (central Italy). New acquired data on liquefaction features and the recovery of a seismite in the lacustrine sequence are shown. Our preliminary results suggest the occurrence of three seismic events in the last ca. 45 kyr. Moreover, a first attempt to find out the source deposit responsible of the widespread liquefaction phenomena has been performed by means of shallow engine boreholes and ERT profiles

Imaging the three-dimensional architecture of the Middle Aterno basin (2009 L’Aquila earthquake, Central Italy) using ground TDEM and seismic noise surveys: preliminary results

We present preliminary results from a multidisciplinary geophysical approach applied to the imaging of the threedimensional architecture of the Middle Aterno basin, close to the epicentral area of the 2009 L’Aquila earthquake (central Italy). We collected several time domain electromagnetic soundings (TDEM) coupled with seismic noise measurements focusing on the characterization of the bedrock/infill interface. Our preliminary results agree with existing geophysical data collected in the area, and show that the southeastern portion of the basin is characterized by a deepening of the Mesozoic-Tertiary bedrock down to a depth of more than 450 m. We found that a joint use of electromagnetic and seismic methods significantly contributes in obtaining new insights on the 3D geometry of the Middle Aterno basin. Moreover, we believe that our combined approach based on TDEM and noise measurements can be adopted to investigate similar geological settings elsewhere.PublishedPescina (AQ)2T. Tettonica attivaope

Imaging the three-dimensional architecture of the Middle Aterno basin (2009 L’ Aquila earthquake, Central Italy) using ground TDEM and seismic noise surveys: preliminary results

We present preliminary results from a multidisciplinary geophysical approach ap- plied to the imaging of the three-dimensional architecture of the Middle Aterno basin, close to the epicentral area of the 2009 L’Aquila earthquake (central Italy). We collected several time domain electromagnetic soundings (TDEM) coupled with seismic noise measurements focu- sing on the characterization of the bedrock/in ll interface. Our preliminary results agree with existing geophysical data collected in the area, and show that the southeastern portion of the basin is characterized by a deepening of the Mesozoic-Tertiary bedrock down to a depth of more than 450 m. We found that a joint use of electromagnetic and seismic methods signi - cantly contributes in obtaining new insights on the 3D geometry of the Middle Aterno basin. Moreover, we believe that our combined approach based on TDEM and noise measurements can be adopted to investigate similar geological settings elsewhere.PublishedPescina (AQ), Italy2T. Tettonica attiva3T. Pericolosità sismica e contributo alla definizione del rischio7A. Geofisica di esplorazioneope

Imaging the three-dimensional architecture of the Middle Aterno basin (2009 L’Aquila earthquake, Central Italy) using ground TDEM and seismic noise surveys: preliminary results

We present preliminary results from a multidisciplinary geophysical approach applied to the imaging of the threedimensional architecture of the Middle Aterno basin, close to the epicentral area of the 2009 L’Aquila earthquake (central Italy). We collected several time domain electromagnetic soundings (TDEM) coupled with seismic noise measurements focusing on the characterization of the bedrock/infill interface. Our preliminary results agree with existing geophysical data collected in the area, and show that the southeastern portion of the basin is characterized by a deepening of the Mesozoic-Tertiary bedrock down to a depth of more than 450 m. We found that a joint use of electromagnetic and seismic methods significantly contributes in obtaining new insights on the 3D geometry of the Middle Aterno basin. Moreover, we believe that our combined approach based on TDEM and noise measurements can be adopted to investigate similar geological settings elsewhere

Brain atrophy and lesion load in a large population of patients with multiple sclerosis

OBJECTIVE: To measure white matter (WM) and gray matter (GM) atrophy and lesion load in a large population of patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) using a fully automated, operator-independent, multiparametric segmentation method. METHODS: The study population consisted of 597 patients with MS and 104 control subjects. The MRI parameters were abnormal WM fraction (AWM-f), global WM-f (gWM-f), and GM fraction (GM-f). RESULTS: Significant differences between patients with MS and control subjects included higher AWM-f and reduced gWM-f and GM-f. MRI data showed significant differences between patients with relapsing-remitting and secondary progressive forms of MS. Significant correlations between MRI parameters and between MRI and clinical data were found. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with multiple sclerosis have significant atrophy of both white matter (WM) and gray matter (GM); secondary progressive patients have significantly more atrophy of both WM and GM than do relapsing-remitting patients and a significantly higher lesion load (abnormal WM fraction); lesion load is related to both WM and even more to GM atrophy; lesion load and WM and GM atrophy are significantly related to Expanded Disability Status Scale score and age at onset (suggesting that the younger the age at disease onset, the worse the lesion load and brain atrophy); and GM atrophy is the most significant MRI variable in determining the final disabilit

Crowd guilds: Worker-led reputation and feedback on crowdsourcing platforms

Crowd workers are distributed and decentralized. While decentralization is designed to utilize independent judgment to promote high-quality results, it paradoxically undercuts behaviors and institutions that are critical to high-quality work. Reputation is one central example: crowdsourcing systems depend on reputation scores from decentralized workers and requesters, but these scores are notoriously inflated and uninformative. In this paper, we draw inspiration from historical worker guilds (e.g., in the silk trade) to design and implement crowd guilds: centralized groups of crowd workers who collectively certify each other’s quality through double-blind peer assessment. A two-week field experiment compared crowd guilds to a traditional decentralized crowd work model. Crowd guilds produced reputation signals more strongly correlated with ground-truth worker quality than signals available on current crowd working platforms, and more accurate than in the traditional model

Quality of life, depression and fatigue in mildly disabled patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis receiving subcutaneous interferon beta-1a: 3-year results from the COGIMUS (COGnitive Impairment in MUltiple Sclerosis) study.

BACKGROUND: The precise relationships among quality of life, depression, fatigue and cognitive impairment in multiple sclerosis (MS) are complex and poorly understood. OBJECTIVE: To assess the effects of subcutaneous interferon beta-1a on quality of life, depression and fatigue over 3 years in the COGIMUS study, and to examine the relationship between these outcomes and baseline cognitive status. METHODS: COGIMUS was an observational 3-year trial assessing cognitive function in 459 patients with relapsing-remitting MS treated with subcutaneous interferon beta-1a. RESULTS: In total, 331 patients completed the study (168 received interferon beta-1a, 44 µg subcutaneously three times weekly, and 163 received interferon beta-1a, 22 µg subcutaneously three times weekly). Mean MS Quality of Life-54 (MSQoL-54) composite scores did not change over time. There were no significant differences between groups in MSQoL-54 composite scores when patients were grouped by treatment dose and baseline cognitive status. Mean (standard deviation) Hamilton Depression Rating Scale score decreased from 6.8 (4.9) at baseline to 5.8 (5.9) at year 3. Mean total Fatigue Impact Scale scores were low (<30) at all time points. CONCLUSION: Quality of life, depression and fatigue remained largely stable over 3 years; no effects of treatment dose or baseline cognitive status were found