Abstract
Context
In recent years, the ketogenic diet has gained special relevance as a possible therapeutic alternative to some neurological and chronic diseases.
Objective
The aim of this systematic ...review was to answer the following question: Does a ketogenic diet improve cognitive skills in patients with Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, refractory epilepsy, and type 1 glucose deficiency syndrome? To define the research question, the PICOS criteria were used, following the guidelines of the PRISMA method.
Data sources
Medline/PubMed, Elsevier Science Direct, Dialnet, EBSCOhost, Mediagraphic, Sage Journals, ProQuest, and Wiley Online Library databases were used.
Data extraction
After applying inclusion and exclusion criteria in accordance with the PRISMA method, a total of 63 entries published between 2004 and 2019 were used.
Data analysis
The records extracted were analyzed from a qualitative approach, so no statistical analysis was carried out.
Conclusion
Although scientific literature on the subject is scarce and there has tended to be a lack of scientific rigor, the studies reviewed confirmed the effectiveness of this diet in improving the cognitive symptomatology of the aforementioned diseases.
The interaction of the I-phase with twins during compression has been studied in a Mg-6Zn-1Y (wt.%) alloy using the combination of Synchrotron Radiation Diffraction and Acoustic Emission experiments ...during compression tests. The I-phase occurs as coarse particles at grain boundaries and nanosized precipitates within magnesium grains. Their interaction with twins depends on their shape and size. The presence of coarse I-phase particles with higher Young Modulus requires an additional stress for the activation of twinning since they induce tensile residual stresses in the magnesium matrix. Besides twinning, the basal and non-basal slip systems are also activated. Non-basal slip is observed after macroscopic yield stress within twins. The fine I-phase precipitates within grains interacts with the dislocations and the twins. In the latter case a back-stress arises, which acts against the compressive applied stress. This back stress hinders the twin growth more than the effect of the coarse particles.
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•A modal basis and a Partition of Unity Finite Element Method are combined.•The tensorial form of Love and internal eigenmodes of a bilayered material are used.•Condition number for the stiffness ...matrix is estimated a priori.•Some regularization techniques are analyzed in different discrete scenarios.•The modal basis can be selected in terms of the interface crack observability.
The time-harmonic propagation of elastic waves in layered media is simulated numerically by means of a modal-based Partition of Unity Finite Element Method (PUFEM). Instead of using the standard plane waves or the Bessel solutions of the Helmholtz equation to design the discretization basis, the proposed modal-based PUFEM explicitly uses the tensor-product expressions of the eigenmodes (the so-called Love and interior modes) of a spectral elastic transverse problem, which fulfil the coupling conditions among layers. This modal-based PUFEM approach does not introduce quadrature errors since the coefficients of the discrete matrices are computed in closed-form. A preliminary analysis of the high condition number suffered by the proposed method is also analyzed in terms of the mesh size and the number of eigenmodes involved in the discretization. The numerical methodology is validated through a number of test scenarios, where the reliability of the proposed PUFEM method is discussed by considering different modal basis and source terms. Finally, some indicators are introduced to select a convenient discrete PUFEM basis taking into account the observability of cracks located on a coupling boundary between two adjacent layers.
Background and purpose
There are no recommendations regarding how to treat cardioembolic recurrent strokes when patients are well anticoagulated. We evaluated the safety and efficacy of combining ...oral anticoagulation (OAC) with percutaneous left atrial appendage closure (LAAC) in patients with well‐anticoagulated atrial fibrillation (AF) with recurrent strokes.
Methods
In an explorative, prospective, observational study, LAAC was performed in patients with AF with at least two ischaemic strokes in the previous year, despite good anticoagulation using the Amplatzer Cardiac Plug (St Jude Medical, St Paul, MN, USA) or Amulet Abbot device (Abbot Vascular, Santa Clara, CA, USA). We recorded age, type of AF, CHA2DS2‐VASC and HAS‐BLED scores, types of OAC and risk factors. After closure, treatment with aspirin (100 mg/day) was continued for 3 months in combination with indefinite OAC. Clinical status, recurrent embolisms and bleeding complications were recorded during follow‐up.
Results
A total of 19 patients were included (mean age, 72.1 ± 9.6 years; mean CHA2DS2‐VASC score, 5.3 ± 1.48; mean number of previous strokes, 2.78 ± 1.15). Thirteen had spontaneous echocardiographic contrast and all had dilatation of the left atrium. Eighteen patients had a multilobulated left atrial appendage, 17 with ‘chicken‐wing’ morphology and one patient had a left atrial appendage thrombus. There were no complications during the procedure. Only one patient had a transient ischaemic attack and no major bleeding occurred during a mean follow‐up of 17.4 ± 11.5 months.
Conclusion
Combination therapy with indefinite OAC plus LAAC in patients with AF with recurrent strokes despite good anticoagulation should be considered in order to prevent a new stroke.
The pathogenesis of type 2 diabetes (T2D) is associated with a progressive loss of pancreatic β‐cell mass. It is known that miR‐146a, miR‐34a, and miR‐375 are involved in β‐cell functionality. In ...this work, we evaluated the levels of these miRNAs in normal‐glycaemic individuals, pre‐diabetic, and T2D patients in relation to β‐cell functionality, insulin resistance, and metabolic parameters. The relative expression of the miRNAs was evaluated in serum samples by real‐time polymerase chain reaction. In a principal component analysis, we observed that T2D patients and pre‐diabetic individuals were not associated with β‐cell functionality. However, in a correlation matrix analysis, we detected that miR‐34a was related to miR‐146a and insulin resistance. The relative expression of miR‐375 was correlated with cholesterol and low‐density lipoprotein levels. A decrease of β‐cell function in pre‐diabetic individuals and T2D patients was observed. The insulin resistance was higher in pre‐diabetic individuals and T2D patients. The relative expression of miR‐146a in pre‐diabetic individuals, T2D patients with insulin treatment, and T2D patients with nephropathy and diabetic foot was decreased. In addition, miR‐34a was increased in T2D patients who were overweight and obese. The relative expression of miR‐375 was increased in T2D patients with poor glycaemic control, while a decrease was seen in T2D patients with nephropathy and diabetic foot. Circulating miR‐375, miR‐34a, and miR‐146a were not associated with β‐cell functionality, but their expression was differentially affected by glycaemia, obesity, insulin treatment, and the presence of nephropathy and diabetic foot.
This article presents VineSens, a hardware and software platform for supporting the decision-making of the vine grower. VineSens is based on a wireless sensor network system composed by autonomous ...and self-powered nodes that are deployed throughout a vineyard. Such nodes include sensors that allow us to obtain detailed knowledge on different viticulture processes. Thanks to the use of epidemiological models, VineSens is able to propose a custom control plan to prevent diseases like one of the most feared by vine growers: downy mildew. VineSens generates alerts that warn farmers about the measures that have to be taken and stores the historical weather data collected from different spots of the vineyard. Such data can then be accessed through a user-friendly web-based interface that can be accessed through the Internet by using desktop or mobile devices. VineSens was deployed at the beginning in 2016 in a vineyard in the Ribeira Sacra area (Galicia, Spain) and, since then, its hardware and software have been tested to prevent the development of downy mildew, showing during its first season that the system can led to substantial savings, to decrease the amount of phytosanitary products applied, and, as a consequence, to obtain a more ecologically sustainable and healthy wine.
Quantum dots (QDs) are semiconductor nanoparticles with unique optical and electronic properties, whose interest as potential nano-theranostic platforms for imaging and sensing is increasing. The ...design and use of QDs requires the understanding of cell-nanoparticle interactions at a microscopic and nanoscale level. Model systems such as supported lipid bilayers (SLBs) are useful, less complex platforms mimicking physico-chemical properties of cell membranes. In this work, we investigated the effect of topographical homogeneity of SLBs bearing different surface charge in the adsorption of hydrophilic QDs. Using quartz-crystal microbalance, a label-free surface sensitive technique, we show significant differences in the interactions of QDs onto homogeneous and inhomogeneous SLBs formed following different strategies. Within short time scales, QDs adsorb onto topographically homogeneous, defect-free SLBs is driven by electrostatic interactions, leading to no layer disruption. After prolonged QD exposure, the nanomechanical stability of the SLB decreases suggesting nanoparticle insertion. In the case of inhomogeneous, defect containing layers, QDs target preferentially membrane defects, driven by a subtle interplay of electrostatic and entropic effects, inducing local vesicle rupture and QD insertion at membrane edges.
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•Electrostatic interactions drive QDs adsorption onto defect-free supported lipid bilayers.•QDs exposure time leads to a decrease of the membrane nanomechanical stability.•QDs adsorption is stronger on defect containing membranes than on defect-free.•QDs target preferentially membrane defects.
Placenta‑derived exosomes play an important role in cellular communication both in the mother and the fetus. Their concentration and composition are altered in several pregnancy disorders, such as ...gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). The isolation and characterization of placental exosomes from serum, plasma and tissues from patients with GDM have been previously described; however, to the best of our knowledge, to date, there is no study available on placental exosomes isolated from urine of patients with GDM. In the present study, placental exosomes were purified from urine the 1st, 2nd and 3rd trimester of gestation. Placental exosomes were characterized by transmission electron microscopy in cryogenic mode and by western blot analysis, confirming the presence of exosomal vesicles. The expression profile of five microRNAs (miR‑516‑5p, miR‑517‑3p, miR‑518‑5p, miR‑222‑3p and miR‑16‑5p) was determined by RT‑qPCR. In healthy pregnant women, the expression of the miRNAs increased across gestation, apart from miR‑516‑5p, which was not expressed at the 2nd trimester. All the miRNAs examined were downregulated in patients with GDM at the 3rd trimester of gestation. The downregulated miRNAs affected several metabolic pathways closely associated with the pathophysiology of GDM. This provides further evidence of the regulatory role of miRNAs in the GDM. This also suggests that the of urinary exosomes may be an excellent source of biomarkers and therapeutic targets.
The role of dietary patterns in the prevention of unipolar depression has been analyzed in several epidemiological studies. The primary aims of this study are to determine the effectiveness of an ...extra-olive oil-enriched Mediterranean diet in reducing the recurrence of depression and improving the symptoms of this condition.
Multicenter, two-arm, parallel-group clinical trial. Arm 1, extra-virgin olive oil Mediterranean diet; Arm 2, control group without nutritional intervention. Dieticians are in charge of the nutritional intervention and regular contact with the participants. Contacts are made through our web platform ( https://predidep.es/participantes/ ) or by phone. Recurrence of depression is assessed by psychiatrists and clinical psychologists through clinical evaluations (semi-structured clinical interviews: Spanish SCID-I). Depressive symptoms are assessed with the Beck Depression Inventory. Information on quality of life, level of physical activity, dietary habits, and blood, urine and stool samples are collected after the subject has agreed to participate in the study and once a year.
To the best of our knowledge, the PREDI-DEP trial is the first ongoing randomized clinical trial designed to assess the role of the Mediterranean diet in the prevention of recurrent depression. It could be a cost-effective approach to avoid recurrence and improve the quality of life of these patients.
The study has been prospectively registered in the U.S. National Library of Medicine ( https://clinicaltrials.gov ) with NCT number: NCT03081065.
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