Cerebrovascular risk in restless legs syndrome: Intima-media thickness and cerebral vasomotor reactivity: A case\u2013control study

Purpose: Although some studies have suggested an association between cardiovascular disease and restless legs syndrome (RLS), the mechanisms underlying this relationship remain unclear. The intima-media thickness (IMT) and vasomotor reactivity are two simple, non-invasive tools to investigate preclinical atherosclerosis and microangiopathy, respectively. The aims of this study were to evaluate carotid IMT and to explore vasomotor reactivity in idiopathic RLS (iRLS) patients. Patients and Methods: We enrolled 44 iRLS after exclusion of patients with secondary causes of RLS, history of vascular events, known uncontrolled vascular risk factors and other neurological disorders. Forty-four age and sex matched controls were therefore recruited. No significant differences in demographic data and vascular risk factors were found between the two groups. Carotid IMT was measured with a high-resolution B-mode ultrasound on the far-wall of common carotid artery, 10 mm and 30 mm to the carotid bulb. Vasomotor reactivity to hypo-and hypercapnia was assessed, by right middle cerebral artery transcranial Doppler, accordingly to the changes in peak systolic velocity, peak diastolic velocity and mean blood flow velocity. Results: Mean IMT was significantly increased in patients with iRLS when measured immediately proximally to carotid bifurcation (0.73; sd=0.17), versus controls (0.65; sd=0.13); p=0.035. Patients showed higher cerebrovascular flow velocities (CBFVs) compared to controls. After multivariate analysis, age, hypertension and iRLS proved to be independent IMT predictors. Conclusion: Increased IMT and higher CBFVs in iRLS support the association of iRLS with vascular damage, possibly through enhanced atherogenesis and sympathetic hyperactivity. However, to clarify a causal relationship, further longitudinal assessment of these parameters is needed, trying to control all their physiological modifying factors

Ketogenic Diet in the Treatment of Gliomas and Glioblastomas

In recent years, scientific interest in the use of the ketogenic diet (KD) as a complementary approach to the standard cancer therapy has grown, in particular against those of the central nervous system (CNS). In metabolic terms, there are the following differences between healthy and neoplastic cells: neoplastic cells divert their metabolism to anaerobic glycolysis (Warburg effect), they alter the normal mitochondrial functioning, and they use mainly certain amino acids for their own metabolic needs, to gain an advantage over healthy cells and to lead to a pro-oncogenetic effect. Several works in literature speculate which are the molecular targets of KD used against cancer. The following different mechanisms of action will be explored in this review: metabolic, inflammatory, oncogenic and oncosuppressive, ROS, and epigenetic modulation. Preclinical and clinical studies on the use of KD in CNS tumors have also increased in recent years. An interesting hypothesis emerged from the studies about the possible use of a ketogenic diet as a combination therapy along with chemotherapy (CT) and radiotherapy (RT) for the treatment of cancer. Currently, however, clinical data are still very limited but encouraging, so we need further studies to definitively validate or disprove the role of KD in fighting against cancer

Airway microbiota diversity and composition correlates with the severity of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

No abstract available.publishe

Characterization of the water diffusion in GEM foil material

Systematic studies on the GEM foil material are performed to measure the moisture diffusion rate and saturation level.These studies are important because the presence of this compound inside the detector’s foil can possibly change its mechanical and electrical properties,and in such a way,the detector performance can be affected.To understand this phenomenon,a model is developed with COMSOL Multiphysicsv.4.3 which described the adsorption and diffusion within the geometry of GEM foil,the concentration profiles and the time required to saturate the foil.The COMSOL model is verified by experimental observations on a GEM foil sample.This note will describe the model and its experimental verification results

Cms gem detector material study for the hl-lhc

A study on the Gaseous Electron Multiplier (GEM) foil material is performed to determine the moisture diffusion rate, moisture saturation level and the effects on its mechanical properties. The study is focused on the foil contact with ambient air and moisture to determine the value of the diffusion coefficient of water in the foil material. The presence of water inside the detector foil can determine the changes in its mechanical and electrical properties. A simulated model is developed with COMSOL Multiphysics v. 4.3 [1] by taking into account the real GEM foil (hole dimensions, shapes and material), which describes the adsorption of water. This work describes the model, its experimental verification, the water diffusion within the entire sheet geometry of the GEM foil, thus gaining concentration profiles and the time required to saturate the system and the effects on the mechanical properties

Repeatability of the ISAAC video questionnaire and its accuracy against a clinical diagnosis of asthma

AbstractThe objective of the study was to evaluate the performance of the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood (ISAAC) video questionnaire in terms of repeatability and accuracy against a clinical diagnosis of asthma achieved according to the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI) algorithm.Two hundred and forty-one subjects, aged 13–14 years from two secondary schools in Rome, Italy, were enrolled. Video and written ISAAC questionnaires were completed twice, 3 months apart, by 194 and 190 adolescents, respectively. Two months later, 106 subjects were visited by two physicians blinded to the results of questionnaires.Sixteen subjects were classified as having clinical asthma (CA) at the clinical visit, and eight of them as having clinical active asthma (CAA) on the basis of at least one positive outcome of the NHLBI algorithm. The repeatability of video questionnaire was similar to that of the written questionnaire for items on exercise wheeze and nocturnal cough and, to a lesser degree, for items concerning any wheeze in the past. The video questionnaire showed a worse performance than the written questionnaire for items on asthma attack: K-value (95% CL)=0·59 (0·37–0·80) for video scene no. 5 and K-value (95% CL)=0·86 (0·74–0·98) for written question no. 6. The overall accuracy of the video questionnaire, estimated as a positive answer to any video scene, was lower in terms of sensitivity than that of any written question when CA was used as a gold standard (0·50 vs. 0·81, P=0·025) and increased with respect to CAA (0·75vs. 0·87, P=0·317). The specificity of any video scene was better than that of any written question, independently from the gold standard used.In conclusion, the video questionnaire showed a fairly good accuracy, although slightly lower than that of the written questionnaire and provided sufficiently reliable results. However, samples of subjects from different geographic areas and cultures should be studied in order to conclusively define the performance of the ISAAC video questionnaire

El EFMA y su compromiso con los valores naturales: el alcornoque, la encina y los CTM vs regadío

Comunicación presentada al XXXVII Congreso Nacional de Riegos, celebrado en Don Benito del 4 al 6 de Junio de 2019 y organizada por la Asociación Española de Riegos y Drenajes y la Universidad de ExtremaduraComo entidad promotora del “Empreendimento de Fins Múltiplos de Alqueva” (EFMA), EDIA (Empresa de Desenvolvimento e Infra-estruturas do Alqueva, S. A.) siempre adicionó el principio de sostenibilidad de todo el proyecto, concretamente por medio de la gestión ambiental de las actividades relacionadas con la ejecución y exploración del EFMA, así como la promoción de los estudios ambientales necesarios, implementación de medidas de minimización/compensación/acompañamiento de las actividades y monitorización de las vertientes ambientales afectadas. Con el comienzo de la fase de exploración en los perímetros de riego (ej: realización efectiva del regadío en las áreas beneficiadas por infraestructuras del EFMA), EDIA también asume responsabilidades en la gestión de estos aprovechamientos hidroagrícolas, como entidad de concesión. Dicha gestión representa para EDIA una responsabilidad ambiental ya adquirida por la empresa, en la fase de construcción y en fases posteriores, asegurando así la sostenibilidad de las actividades agrícolas dentro de la área concesionada (ej: perímetros de riego) – de las cuales EDIA apenas es la gestora de la zona no interviniendo en las actividades agrícolas – y el cumplimiento y verificación de las medidas de minimización detalladas en las Declaraciones de Impactos Ambientales (DIA), específicas para la fase de exploración en los bloques de riego. En esta fase, EDIA tiene trabajado con especial sensibilidad y esfuerzo para salvaguardar los hábitats relevantes, los charcos temporales mediterráneos (CTM 3170*) y las dehesas. De acuerdo con las acciones ya realizadas en el terreno, se aprecia que la falta de información constituye una de las mayores amenazas para la conservación efectiva de estos hábitats, por lo que la empresa ha definido algunas estrategias de sensibilización y promoción junto con la comunidad regante. Proyectos pedagógicos, demostrativos y prácticos han sido desarrollados con el objetivo de demostrar la posibilidad y necesidad de la compatibilización de la exploración agrícola con los valores ambientales

Comparison of methods to isolate DNA from Caesalpinia ferrea.

Molecular markers are important for characterizing the genetic diversity of plants and can provide the basis for strategies to protect and conserve endangered populations. However, numerous molecular techniques are used, requiring an evaluation of fast and efficient methods to extract DNA

Avaliação do desempenho de um conector de cisalhamento em chapa dentada para estruturas mistas de aço e concreto

Este trabalho apresenta uma avaliação do comportamento de um conector de cisalhamento em chapa dentada, denominado Crestbond, para sistemas de pisos mistos, a partir dos resultados de 40 ensaios push-out. Avalia-se a capacidade de carga da conexão, sua ductilidade e os modos de colapso observados, considerando-se o efeito de diversas variáveis. Os resultados demonstram que o conector proposto apresenta um comportamento adequado, com alta rigidez para cargas de serviço e boa ductilidade em estado limite último, constituindo uma alternativa a conectores de cisalhamento como o stud bolt e o Perfobond