Ariel - Volume 5 Number 1

Editors Mark Dembert J.D. Kanofskv Entertainment Editor Robert Breckenridge Gary Kaskey Editor Emeritus David A. Jacoby Photographer Scott Kastner Staff Richard Blutstein Bob Johnson John R. Cohn Joseph Sassani Ken Jaffe Bob Sklarof

Ariel - Volume 4 Number 5

Editors David A. Jacoby Eugenia Miller Tom Williams Associate Editors Paul Bialas Terry Burt Michael Leo Gail Tenikat Editor Emeritus and Business Manager Richard J. Bonnano Movie Editor Robert Breckenridge Staff Richard. Blutstein Mary F. Buechler Alice M. Johnson J.D. Kanofskv Rocky Webe

A review of ECG-based diagnosis support systems for obstructive sleep apnea

Humans need sleep. It is important for physical and psychological recreation. During sleep our consciousness is suspended or least altered. Hence, our ability to avoid or react to disturbances is reduced. These disturbances can come from external sources or from disorders within the body. Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) is such a disorder. It is caused by obstruction of the upper airways which causes periods where the breathing ceases. In many cases, periods of reduced breathing, known as hypopnea, precede OSA events. The medical background of OSA is well understood, but the traditional diagnosis is expensive, as it requires sophisticated measurements and human interpretation of potentially large amounts of physiological data. Electrocardiogram (ECG) measurements have the potential to reduce the cost of OSA diagnosis by simplifying the measurement process. On the down side, detecting OSA events based on ECG data is a complex task which requires highly skilled practitioners. Computer algorithms can help to detect the subtle signal changes which indicate the presence of a disorder. That approach has the following advantages: computers never tire, processing resources are economical and progress, in the form of better algorithms, can be easily disseminated as updates over the internet. Furthermore, Computer-Aided Diagnosis (CAD) reduces intra- and inter-observer variability. In this review, we adopt and support the position that computer based ECG signal interpretation is able to diagnose OSA with a high degree of accuracy

A novel delta current method for transport stoichiometry estimation

BACKGROUND: The ion transport stoichiometry (q) of electrogenic transporters is an important determinant of their function. q can be determined by the reversal potential (E(rev)) if the transporter under study is the only electrogenic transport mechanism or a specific inhibitor is available. An alternative approach is to calculate delta reversal potential (ΔE(rev)) by altering the concentrations of the transported substrates. This approach is based on the hypothesis that the contributions of other channels and transporters on the membrane to E(rev) are additive. However, E(rev) is a complicated function of the sum of different conductances rather than being additive. RESULTS: We propose a new delta current (ΔI) method based on a simplified model for electrogenic secondary active transport by Heinz (Electrical Potentials in Biological Membrane Transport, 1981). ΔI is the difference between two currents obtained from altering the external concentration of a transported substrate thereby eliminating other currents without the need for a specific inhibitor. q is determined by the ratio of ΔI at two different membrane voltages (V(1) and V(2)) where q = 2RT/(F(V(2) –V(1)))ln(ΔI(2)/ΔI(1)) + 1. We tested this ΔI methodology in HEK-293 cells expressing the elctrogenic SLC4 sodium bicarbonate cotransporters NBCe2-C and NBCe1-A, the results were consistent with those obtained with the E(rev) inhibitor method. Furthermore, using computational simulations, we compared the estimates of q with the ΔE(rev) and ΔI methods. The results showed that the ΔE(rev) method introduces significant error when other channels or electrogenic transporters are present on the membrane and that the ΔI equation accurately calculates the stoichiometric ratio. CONCLUSIONS: We developed a ΔI method for estimating transport stoichiometry of electrogenic transporters based on the Heinz model. This model reduces to the conventional reversal potential method when the transporter under study is the only electrogenic transport process in the membrane. When there are other electrogenic transport pathways, ΔI method eliminates their contribution in estimating q. Computational simulations demonstrated that the ΔE(rev) method introduces significant error when other channels or electrogenic transporters are present and that the ΔI equation accurately calculates the stoichiometric ratio. This new ΔI method can be readily extended to the analysis of other electrogenic transporters in other tissues

Membrane potential and delta pH dependency of reverse electron transport-associated hydrogen peroxide production in brain and heart mitochondria

Succinate-driven reverse electron transport (RET) is one of the main sources of mitochondrial reactive oxygen species (mtROS) in ischemia-reperfusion injury. RET is dependent on mitochondrial membrane potential (Δψm) and transmembrane pH difference (ΔpH), components of the proton motive force (pmf); a decrease in Δψm and/or ΔpH inhibits RET. In this study we aimed to determine which component of the pmf displays the more dominant effect on RET-provoked ROS generation in isolated guinea pig brain and heart mitochondria respiring on succinate or α-glycerophosphate (α-GP). Δψm was detected via safranin fluorescence and a TPP+ electrode, the rate of H2O2 formation was measured by Amplex UltraRed, the intramitochondrial pH (pHin) was assessed via BCECF fluorescence. Ionophores were used to dissect the effects of the two components of pmf. The K+/H+ exchanger, nigericin lowered pHin and ΔpH, followed by a compensatory increase in Δψm that led to an augmented H2O2 production. Valinomycin, a K+ ionophore, at low [K+] increased ΔpH and pHin, decreased Δψm, which resulted in a decline in H2O2 formation. It was concluded that Δψm is dominant over ∆pH in modulating the succinate- and α-GP-evoked RET. The elevation of extramitochondrial pH was accompanied by an enhanced H2O2 release and a decreased ∆pH. This phenomenon reveals that from the pH component not ∆pH, but rather absolute value of pH has higher impact on the rate of mtROS formation. Minor decrease of Δψm might be applied as a therapeutic strategy to attenuate RET-driven ROS generation in ischemia-reperfusion injury

Giudizio sommario di Cassazione e illusione nomofilattica

La nuova disciplina della fase decisoria del giudizio di cassazione è l’ultimo tentativo della Corte di sfoltire i propri ruoli incrementando e sommarizzando all’estremo le dichiarazioni di inammissibilità e di infondatezza. è difficile approvare tali misure che, dopo l’incongrua eliminazione del controllo di ragionevolezza della sentenza, segnano un passo in avanti verso lo snaturamento del modello storico della Corte di cassazione italiana

La composition non juridictionnelle des différends dans le droit italien: médiation et négociation assistée

Il lavoro costituisce il testo della Relazione tenuta dall’autore all’Università di Aix-Marseille il 29 aprile 2017 nell’ambito del Convegno “La médiation en Europe” e traccia le linee guida del sistema generale italiano della mediazione civile a seguito del decreto legislativo n. 28/2010 in relazione al sistema della tutela giurisdizionale. Esso estende lo sguardo alla c.d. negoziazione assistita introdotto in Italia sul modello della convention de procédure participative francese

Considerazioni fugaci sull’arbitrato societario irrituale

La modalità irrituale non è incompatibile con l’arbitrato c.d. societario regolato dagli articoli 34 ss. d.lgs. n. 5/2003. La tesi dell’incompatibilità tra le due figure, proposta in dottrina, viene discussa e criticata, anche in difesa della linea adottata dalla prevalente giurisprudenza di legittimit

Possono gli arbitri pronunciare l'astreinte?

L’articolo discute criticamente l’idea che il potere di condanna alla astreinte sarebbe riservato al giudice statuale e sarebbe quindi in compatibile con le attribuzioni proprie dell’arbitro. La conclusione è che l’art. 614-bis c.p.c. è direttamente applicabile in arbitrato non necessitando neppure di apposita previsione nella convenzione arbitrale

La deriva della Cassazione e il silenzio dei chierici

La Corte di Cassazione, affetta da una sorta di «sindrome dell’assedio», ha adottato a partire da un certo momento una serie di decisioni che hanno creato una vera e propria deriva. Alla base di queste decisioni vi è fondamentalmente una distorsione dell’idea di nomofilachia, con l’appoggio del principio di durata ragionevole. Tale situazione meriterebbe una posizione più netta da parte della dottrina processualistica dalla cui critica non emerge invece la drammaticità del problema