We experimentally demonstrate a 24-Gbit/s discrete multi-tone (DMT) optical wireless communication (OWC) system that exploits a commercial vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser (VCSEL) and a ...low-cost photo-diode (PD). The OWC link has a good tolerance to misalignment (9 mm at 12.5 Gbit/s and 1.5-m link distance), thus it does not require active alignment and tracking. It only needs passive alignment, which can be achieved with adequate mechanical precision.
The concept of tissue-restricted differentiation of postnatal stem cells has been challenged by recent evidence showing pluripotency for hematopoietic, mesenchymal, and neural stem cells. ...Furthermore, rare but well documented examples exist of already differentiated cells in developing mammals that change fate and trans-differentiate into another cell type. Here, we report that endothelial cells, either freshly isolated from embryonic vessels or established as homogenous cells in culture, differentiate into beating cardiomyocytes and express cardiac markers when cocultured with neonatal rat cardiomyocytes or when injected into postischemic adult mouse heart. Human umbilical vein endothelial cells also differentiate into cardiomyocytes under similar experimental conditions and transiently coexpress von Willebrand factor and sarcomeric myosin. In contrast, neural stem cells, which efficiently differentiate into skeletal muscle, differentiate into cardiomyocytes at a low rate. Fibroblast growth factor 2 and bone morphogenetic protein 4, which activate cardiac differentiation in embryonic cells, do not activate cardiogenesis in endothelial cells or stimulate trans-differentiation in coculture, suggesting that different signaling molecules are responsible for cardiac induction during embryogenesis and in successive periods of development. The fact that endothelial cells can generate cardiomyocytes sheds additional light on the plasticity of endothelial cells during development and opens perspectives for cell autologous replacement therapies.
Osteoblastoma of the skull is a rare entity, and they account only for 2-4% of all the cases of osteoblastoma. We perform a comprehensive review of the pertinent literature on the subject and we ...report a case of a 3-year-old girl presenting with a 6-month history of a supraorbital mass and exophthalmos due to an osteoblastoma of the frontal and ethmoid bones involving the orbit and anterior skull base. A 3D printed model of the patient's skull was used for the preoperative planning and reconstruction strategy. Total en-bloc resection of the tumor followed by immediate reconstruction was achieved. No recurrence was detected 3 years after the surgery. Gross total resection is strongly advised with skull osteoblastoma, especially in young age, because of the risk of the recurrence and malignant transformation. 3D printing is proven to be a valuable tool to enhance surgical performance by avoiding complications while achieving total resection with accurate reconstruction. Long-term follow-up is important to detect recurrences and improve the management of these young patients.
Introduction
Safinamide is a recent antiparkinsonian drug that modulates both dopaminergic and glutamatergic systems with positive effects on motor and nonmotor symptoms of Parkinson’s disease (PD). ...Here, we aimed to describe the efficacy and safety of safinamide in the Italian PD patients in real-life conditions.
Methods
We performed a sub-analysis of the Italian cohort of the SYNAPSES study, a multi-country, multi-center, retrospective-prospective cohort observational study, designed to investigate the use of safinamide in routine clinical practice. Patients received for the first time a treatment with safinamide and were followed up for 12 months. The analysis was conducted on the overall population and in subgroups of interest: i) patients > 75 years, ii) patients with relevant comorbidities and iii) patients affected by psychiatric symptoms.
Results
Italy enrolled 616/1610 patients in 52 centers, accounting for 38% of the entire SYNAPSES cohort. Of the patients enrolled, 86.0% were evaluable at 12 months, with 23.3% being > 75 years, 42.4% with psychiatric conditions and 67.7% with relevant comorbidities.
Safinamide was effective on motor symptoms and fluctuations as measured through the Unified PD rating scale III and IV scores, and on the total score, without safety issues in none of the subgroups considered.
Conclusion
The SYNAPSES data related to Italian patients confirms the good safety profile of safinamide even in special groups of patients. Motor fluctuations and motor impairment improved at the follow-up suggesting the significant role of safinamide in managing motor symptoms in PD patients.
Spinal arachnoid cysts (SAC) are intradural lesions, which may provoke a compression of the spinal cord and roots. Endoscopic techniques are increasingly used to minimize the surgical access and the ...postoperative scar tissue. Shunts may also represent an option. The aim of this paper is to illustrate the technique of endoscopic-assisted fenestration and positioning of a cysto-peritoneal diversion in a thoracic SAC using a flexible endoscope and to perform a systematic literature review on this subject.
We reported our case and we performed a review of the literature, searching for all the adult cases of Type III SACs in English language treated through endoscopic procedures.
We found 5 articles matching our search criteria and we included 9 adult patients in our analysis. Six patients were females and the most common localization was the thoracic spine. Six patients underwent selective laminectomies followed by endoscopic fenestration without cyst wall resection. Three patients had a percutaneous endoscopic inspection of the cyst and in two cases a cysto-subarachnoid shunt space was performed. Improvement of pre-operative neurological deficit was reported in six patients, no patients experienced clinical deterioration. The mean follow-up was 22 months and no progression or recurrence was reported.
The implementation of endoscopy allows a minimally invasive treatments with good visualization of cyst anatomy and precise shunt positioning under real-time guidance. Endoscopy is technically demanding but it can offer similar clinical outcomes when compared to microscopic procedures with a limited rate of post-operative complications.
The long-term risk of recurrence should be established by prospective studies.
Spinal arachnoid cyst, Endoscopy, Outcome, Shunt, Surgery.
The present study was designed to explore the relationship between the cannabinoid and opioid receptors in animal models of opioid-induced reinforcement. The acute administration of SR141716A, a ...selective central cannabinoid CB1 receptor antagonist, blocked heroin self-administration in rats, as well as morphine-induced place preference and morphine self-administration in mice. Morphine-dependent animals injected with SR141716A exhibited a partial opiate-like withdrawal syndrome that had limited consequences on operant responses for food and induced place aversion. These effects were associated with morphine-induced changes in the expression of CB1 receptor mRNA in specific nuclei of the reward circuit, including dorsal caudate putamen, nucleus accumbens, and septum. Additionally, the opioid antagonist naloxone precipitated a mild cannabinoid-like withdrawal syndrome in cannabinoid-dependent rats and blocked cannabinoid self-administration in mice. Neither SR141716A nor naloxone produced any intrinsic effect on these behavioral models. The present results show the existence of a cross-interaction between opioid and cannabinoid systems in behavioral responses related to addiction and open new strategies for the treatment of opiate dependence.
Highlights•PRES and RCVS may associate with postpartum pre-eclampsia and eclampsia. •PRES may require aggressive medical and surgical management. •Hemispheric or suboccipital craniectomies may be ...required, depending on the mass effect. •A favorable neurological outcome is obtained after surgical decompression. •Neurosurgical procedures should be carefully considered in the postpartum period.
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