Subjects increasing sperm DNA fragmentation (sDF) during Density Gradient Centrifugation (DGC), a common sperm selection procedure in Assisted Reproduction Techniques (ARTs), experience a 50% lower ...probability of pregnancy. Hence, identification of these subjects is of clinical importance. Here, we investigated whether such subjects are identified with higher accuracy detecting DNA fragmentation in viable (viable sDF) instead of total spermatozoa (total sDF) and whether swim up, an alternative procedure to DGC, does not increase sDF. With DGC, we identified 10/20 subjects increasing total sDF, and 2 more subjects using viable sDF. With swim up, we identified 8/40 subjects increasing total sDF, and 8 more subjects using viable sDF. In addition, viable sDF reveals more accurately the increase of the damage when it occurs. Finally, a multivariate analysis demonstrated that the proportional increase of sDF was higher after DGC respect to swim up. In conclusion, viable sDF is a more accurate parameter to reveal the increase of the damage by selection both with swim up and DGC. Swim up increases sDF in some samples, although at a lesser extent than DGC, suggesting that it should be used to select spermatozoa for ARTs when possible.
Background and purpose
Parkinson's disease (PD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder with motor and non‐motor symptoms, including cognitive deficits. Several magnetic resonance imaging ...approaches have been applied to investigate brain atrophy in PD. The aim of this study was to detect early structural cortical and subcortical changes in de novo PD whilst distinguishing cognitive status, clinical phenotype and motor laterality.
Methods
Eighteen de novo PD with mild cognitive impairment (PD‐MCI), 18 de novo PD without MCI (PD‐NC) and 18 healthy control subjects were evaluated. In the PD‐MCI group, nine were tremor dominant and nine were postural instability gait disorder (PIGD) phenotype; 11 had right‐sided symptom dominance and seven had left‐sided symptom dominance. FreeSurfer was used to measure cortical thickness/folding, subcortical structures and to study group differences as well as the association with clinical and neuropsychological data.
Results
Parkinson's disease with MCI showed regional thinning in the right frontal, right middle temporal areas and left insula compared to PD‐NC. A reduction of the volume of the left and right thalamus and left hippocampus was found in PD‐MCI compared to PD‐NC. PD‐MCI PIGD showed regional thinning in the right inferior parietal area compared to healthy controls. A decreased volume of the left thalamus was reported in PD‐MCI with right‐sided symptom dominance compared to PD‐NC and PD‐MCI with left‐sided symptom dominance.
Conclusions
When MCI was present, PD patients showed a fronto‐temporo‐parietal pattern of cortical thinning. This cortical pattern does not appear to be influenced by motor laterality, although one‐sided symptom dominance may contribute to volumetric reduction of specific subcortical structures.
We have shown that congenitally blind individuals are more sensitive to painful heat compared to their sighted counterparts. This hypersensitivity might be at least partly mediated by psychological ...and cognitive factors, such as pain expectation and anxiety. Here we investigate whether uncertainty about the intensity of a pending painful stimulus affects pain differently in congenitally blind and sighted control subjects. We measured pain and anxiety in a group of 11 congenitally blind and 11 age- and sex-matched normal sighted control participants. Painful stimuli were delivered under two psychological conditions, whereby participants were either certain or uncertain about the intensity of a pending noxious stimuli. Although both blind and sighted participants had increased anxiety ratings in the uncertain condition, pain ratings increased only in the congenitally blind participants. Our data therefore indicate that increased anxiety levels have a stronger influence on the perceived pain intensity in blind individuals, possibly because they allocate greater attention to signals of external threat.
Boron nitride nanotubes (BNNTs) have generated considerable interest within the scientific community by virtue of their unique physical properties, which can be exploited in the biomedical field. In ...the present in vitro study, we investigated the interactions of poly-l-lysine-coated BNNTs with C2C12 cells, as a model of muscle cells, in terms of cytocompatibility and BNNT internalization. The latter was performed using both confocal and transmission electron microscopy. Finally, we investigated myoblast differentiation in the presence of BNNTs, evaluating the protein synthesis of differentiating cells, myotube formation, and expression of some constitutive myoblastic markers, such as MyoD and Cx43, by reverse transcription - polymerase chain reaction and Western blot analysis. We demonstrated that BNNTs are highly internalized by C2C12 cells, with neither adversely affecting C2C12 myoblast viability nor significantly interfering with myotube formation.
Abstract Currently, non-pharmacological interventions are useful, versatile and potentially cost-effective tools for managing the care of people suffering from Alzheimer's Disease (AD). The aim of ...the present study is to examine non-pharmacological interventions in terms of their theoretical basis and empirical evidence in improving cognition and autonomy of daily living and reducing neuropsychiatric symptoms in people with AD. We searched the electronic databases from January 2005 until 15 November 2015 using a combination of the terms “Alzheimer's Disease and Reality Orientation”, “Cognitive Stimulation Therapy”, “Reminiscence”, “Psychodynamic therapy”, “Spaced retrieval”, “Music Therapy”, “Bright light therapy”. Non-pharmacological interventions can be grouped into four categories: Holistic techniques, Brief psychotherapies, Cognitive methods and Alternative strategies. Reality orientation and Cognitive stimulation therapy (CST) were associated with a significant improvement in cognition and behaviour in mild to moderate AD patients and in reinforcing concomitant pharmacological treatment. Reminiscence was found to enhance cognition and reduce depressive symptoms. Spaced retrieval may facilitate retention and recall of meaningful items. Further research needs to be conducted to establish the impact of Bright light therapy on neuropsychiatric disturbances in AD, while the use of Music Therapy may lead to a reduction of the frequency and the extent of them. Methodological limitations such as the paucity of randomized-controlled trials and small samples size have been observed. Non-pharmacological interventions represent complementary techniques and should be tailored case by case, according to patients’ medical condition and resilience, compliance to treatment, AD severity, available sanitary and professional resources and caregiver care commitment and support.
Depression and dementia. A review Cipriani, G; Lucetti, C; Carlesi, C ...
European geriatric medicine,
10/2015, Letnik:
6, Številka:
5
Journal Article
Recenzirano
Abstract Although dementia is primarily considered a memory disorder, there are significant neuropsychiatric manifestations sufficient to cause decline in ability to carry out social or occupational ...functioning independently. Depressive symptoms are extremely common in demented patients, and may be present very early in the course of the disease. To describe depression observed in patients suffering from dementia. Medline and Google Scholar searches were conducted for relevant articles, chapters, and books published before 2014. Search terms used included depression, dementia, behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD), Alzheimer's disease, dementia with Lewy bodies frontotemporal dementia, Huntington's disease, Parkinson's disease with dementia, vascular dementia. Publications found through this indexed search were reviewed for further relevant references. Depression and dementia are common in older people and their association is very complex. The reported prevalence of comorbid depression or depressive symptoms in individuals with dementia has been quite variable, likely due to differences in methods of assessment, diagnostic criteria, stages of dementia, and other factors. Little empirical evidence is available to guide the clinicians in the selection of treatment. Comorbid depression complicates diagnosis, affects treatment approaches and outcomes, and decreases the quality of life of affected individuals as well as their caregivers. The coexistence of depression and dementia has emerged as a significant public health problem leading to increased health care utilization and costs.
Abstract The history of dementia is probably as old as mankind itself, but in recent years, considerable advances have been made in our understanding of epidemiology, pathogenesis and diagnosis of ...Alzheimer's disease and related disorders. The scope of this paper is to review the history of three men, Alzheimer, Pick, Lewy, that improved understanding of dementias and that led to a completely new attitude toward these diseases.
Sundown syndrome and dementia Cipriani, G; Lucetti, C; Carlesi, C ...
European geriatric medicine,
07/2015, Letnik:
6, Številka:
4
Journal Article
Recenzirano
Abstract The terms “sundown syndrome” or “sundowning” are used to describe a wide range of neuropsychiatric symptoms often occurring in individuals with dementia. It is a poorly defined entity. The ...goal of this review is to describe the phenomenon of this syndrome, its clinical characteristics and management. Medline and Google Scholar searches were conducted for relevant articles, chapters, and books published before 2014. Search terms used included behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD), circadian rhythms, dementia, sundowning, sundown syndrome. Publications found through this indexed search were reviewed for further relevant references. Sundowning is a complex behavioural disorder with tremendous costs for families, caretakers, and patients themselves. Increased understanding of the sundowning syndrome may lead to more effective environmental, behavioural, or pharmacological interventions.
Nanoscale structures and materials have been explored in many biological applications because of their extraordinary novel properties. Here we propose a study of cellular interactions with barium ...titanate nanoparticles, an interesting ceramic material that has received a lot of interest in the nanotechnology research, but without any attention about its biological potential. We introduced for the first time an efficient method for the preparation of stable aqueous dispersions of barium titanate nanoparticles, characterized with FIB, TEM and AFM imaging, light scattering,
Z-potential and UV/vis analysis. Finally, we presented a systematic study of short-term cytotoxicity of the prepared dispersion based both on quantitative (metabolism, proliferation) and qualitative (apoptosis, viability, differentiation) assays.
Disordered gambling and dementia Cipriani, G; Cammisuli, D.M; Danti, S ...
European geriatric medicine,
09/2016, Letnik:
7, Številka:
5
Journal Article
Recenzirano
Abstract Disordered gambling is a term used to describe the full range of gambling problems, which includes pathological and sub-clinical gambling. Pathological gambling is a psychiatric disorder ...with social consequences. The purpose of this paper was to explore the phenomenon of pathological gambling in persons suffering from dementia. Medline and Google Scholar searches were conducted for relevant articles, chapters, and books published before 2015. Search terms used included “pathological gambling”, “gambling disorder”, “behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia”, “dementia”, “Alzheimer's disease”, and “frontotemporal dementia”. Publications found through this indexed search were reviewed for further relevant references. Literature on pathological gambling in the course of dementia consists of case reports and small samples of patients. Pathological gambling arising late in life should be thoroughly investigated to rule out organicity. Neurological and neuropsychological assessments should be considered especially in late onset PG patients with other behavioral and cognitive symptoms. PG, which was associated with frontal lobe dysfunction, has also been reported in disorders such as FTD.
PDF
