Abstract The aim of the present study was to assess the behavioral and cognitive effects following treatment with topiramate in children and adolescents with epilepsy with mild to profound mental ...retardation. The study group comprised 29 children, 16 males and 13 females, aged 3 to 19 years, affected by partial (4) and generalized (25) crypto/symptomatic epilepsy and mental retardation (7 mild, 5 moderate, 15 severe, 2 profound), who were administered topiramate (TPM) as add-on therapy to their baseline antiepileptic treatment. At baseline, 3 months, 6 months, and 12 months, parents or caregivers of each patient were administered a questionnaire based on the Holmfrid Quality of Life Inventory. After a 3-month follow-up, the add-on topiramate caused overall mild to moderate cognitive/behavioral worsening in about 70% of children and adolescents with mental retardation and epilepsy. After 6 and 12 months of follow-up, global worsening persisted in 31 and 20.1% of cases, respectively. In conclusion, this trial confirms that TPM can have significant adverse cognitive and behavioral side effects, even in mentally disabled children and adolescents.
This paper emphasizes the importance of groundwater resources of Rome with regard to its protection, and the associated issues. There are different tipologies of interference between human presence ...and groundwater in the city, ranging from the presence of water circulating inside the thick layers of anthropogenic deposits, the frequent contamination of groundwater, the presence of mining activities, the presence of archaeological heritage in underground or in low areas affected by flooding also induced by water table rising. Despite the various issues that are found, the knowledge of groundwater resources of Rome can be an important starting point to enhance its protection s and take advantage of the related countless benefits also aim to increase urban resilience.
The effects of two gamma-ray doses (1.5
kGy and 2.0
kGy) on some biochemical aspects and on the microbiological profile of black truffles was monitored, immediately after treatment and after 30 days ...of storage at 4
°C. Electrophoretic and chromatographic analyses of proteins and peptides, just like monitoring of polyphenol content, peroxides formation and microbial profile, allowed for the first time a better understanding of the mechanisms responsible for biochemical alterations and bacterial pattern in black truffles during their storage. Treatment at 1.5
kGy appeared to better preserve the characteristics of the fresh product. In 2.0
kGy-samples, the protein profile was characterised by a 20
kDa-polypeptide, which could be considered as an useful marker of the irradiation treatment and of the storage time of the product. MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry analysis did not permit a correct identification from tryptic peptides in databases, although the nano-ES/MS/MS analyses performed on the 10
kDa tryptic digest peptides showed an amino acidic sequence entirely contained in a protein of filamentous fungus
Neurospora crassa.
Cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) has been shown as a successful strategy in the treatment of patients with heart failure and electrical dyssincrony. However, a significant proportion of ...implanted patients fails to respond sufficiently or in a predictable manner. Consequently, non response to CRT remains a valuable problem in clinical practice. In order to improve CRT response and long-term clinical benefits, the proper evaluation of patient's global frialty, the technology improvement, the multimodality imaging approach and the use of simple and low cost electrographic parameters (to verify effective biventricular capture and QRS narrowing) could play a important role. Therefore, the integration of various medical expertises (clinical cardiology, cardiac advanced imaging, electrophysiology) is a crucial element in order to achive the maximal benefits from this promising tecnique. In the multistep process (from patients evaluation to results verification) the follow-up even from the earliest post implantation phase, should be managed with great attention having the potential for impact the prognosis. This brief review focus the problem of non responder to CRT, giving particular attention to the different variables that may play a role (comorbilities, improvement in the tecnology of device implantation, role of multimodality imaging and electrocardiographic parameters).
The glaucomatous disease is currently considered a disease involving ocular and visual brain structures. This new approach to glaucoma introduces the possibility of inducing an improvement by means ...of a pharmacological approach similar to that used in different degenerative brain disorders. In line with this hypothesis, we studied the effects of oral (1600 mg/die, Cebrolux, Tubilux Pharma, Pomezia, Rome, Italy) or intramuscular (1000 mg/die, Cebroton, Tubilux Pharma) cytidine-5'-diphosphocholine (citicoline) treatment on retinal function and neural conduction in the visual pathways of glaucoma patients with moderate visual defects. Improvement of retinal function (objectively evaluated by pattern electroretinogram recordings) and of neural conduction along visual pathways (objectively evaluated by visual evoked potential recordings) were observed in glaucoma patients after two 60-day periods of oral or intramuscular treatment with citicoline. However, partial regression of this improvement was detected after two 120-day periods of washout. This suggests that the beneficial effects observed are in part treatment-dependent. The extension of citicoline treatment up to a period of 8 years lead to the stabilization or improvement of the glaucomatous visual dysfunction. These results suggest potential neuroprotective effects of citicoline in the glaucomatous disease.
Type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) is caused by the selective destruction of insulin-producing beta-cells. This process is mediated by cells of the immune system through release of nitric oxide, free ...radicals and pro-inflammatory cytokines, which induce a complex network of intracellular signalling cascades, eventually affecting the expression of genes involved in beta-cell survival. The aim of our study was to investigate possible mechanisms of resistance to cytokine-induced beta-cell death. To this purpose, we created a cytokine-resistant beta-cell line (beta-TC3R) by chronically treating the beta-TC3 murine insulinoma cell line with IL-1beta + IFN-gamma. beta-TC3R cells exhibited higher proliferation rate and resistance to cytokine-mediated cell death in comparison to the parental line. Interestingly, they maintained expression of beta-cell specific markers, such as PDX1, NKX6.1, GLUT2 and insulin. The analysis of the secretory function showed that beta-TC3R cells have impaired glucose-induced c-peptide release, which however was only moderately reduced after incubation with KCl and tolbutamide. Gene expression analysis showed that beta-TC3R cells were characterized by downregulation of IL-1beta and IFN-gamma receptors and upregulation of SOCS3, the classical negative regulator of cytokines signaling. Comparative proteomic analysis showed specific upregulation of 35 proteins, mainly involved in cell death, stress response and folding. Among them, SUMO4, a negative feedback regulator in NF-kB and JAK/STAT signaling pathways, resulted hyper-expressed. Silencing of SUMO4 was able to restore sensitivity to cytokine-induced cell death in beta-TC3R cells, suggesting it may play a key role in acquired cytokine resistance by blocking JAK/STAT and NF-kB lethal signaling. In conclusion, our study represents the first extensive proteomic characterization of a murine cytokine-resistant beta-cell line, which might represent a useful tool for studying the mechanisms involved in resistance to cytokine-mediated beta-cell death. This knowledge may be of potential benefit for patients with T1DM. In particular, SUMO4 could be used as a therapeutical target.
Celotno besedilo
Dostopno za:
DOBA, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SIK, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
Mixed states represent a frequent issue in the context of bipolar disorders (up to 40% of acute phases). They are complex and serious clinical pictures, which pose diagnostic challenges but also ...require specific treatment interventions. The purpose of this article is to provide an overview of the current literature on the pharmacotherapy of bipolar mixed-states, focusing on mood stabilizers.
Literature was identified by searches in MEDLINE (Medical Literature Analysis and Retrieval System Online), using PubMed search engine. Studies are chosen if they contained the keywords: "mixed mania or mixed state(s) or mixed episode(s) treatment or therapy".
There was a small number of double-blind, placebo-controlled studies focused on the treatment of mixed states. The majority of available data derives from sub-group analysis made on studies that primarily include manic patients. Nevertheless, current evidences underline that, among mood-stabilizers, valproate, olanzapine and aripiprazole could be considered first-line drugs. Lithium has less evidences about its efficacy in the treatment of mixed states, but it could be a valid choice in combined therapies.
There is a need of further researches on the treatment of mixed states. Less restrictive diagnostic criteria could allow to select big sized samples in order to obtain more specific and meaningful data about the efficacy of drug treatments.
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