1,721,459 research outputs found
Endocrine-disrupting chemicals and insulin resistance in children
Full text linkThe purpose of this article is to review the evidence linking background exposure to endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) with insulin resistance in children. Although evidence in children is scarce since very few prospective studies exist even in adults, evidence that EDCs might be involved in the development of insulin resistance and related diseases such as obesity and diabetes is accumulating. We reviewed the literature on both cross-sectional and prospective studies in humans and experimental studies. Epidemiological studies show a statistical link between exposure to pesticides, polychlorinated bisphenyls, bisphenol A, phthalates, aromatic polycyclic hydrocarbides, or dioxins and insulin resistance
Evaluation and management of a child with short stature
No full textGrowth monitoring is a fundamental approach to evaluate a child's health and it is part of preventive programs to timely identify and treat a possible disease. Height and weight measurements, calculation of height velocity over time are main instruments to discover pathological deviations. Short stature is defined as a height that is greater than or equal 2 standard deviations (SDS) below the mean height for reference children comparable for sex and age. According to the International Classification of Pediatric Endocrine Diagnosis (ICPED) the possible causes of short stature could be divided into three groups: primary growth disorders (intrinsic diseases of the growth plate), secondary growth disorders (diseases that interfere on the growth plate setting) and the idiopathic short stature in which no possible cause is identified. The etiology of short stature is not always a disease, but it could be a variant of normal growth. Furthermore, to date there are new advances in the genetic causes of short stature. A detailed evaluation of a child with growth impairment should include an accurate history, a standardize physical examination, general and specific laboratory evaluations, radiologic investigations and genetic testing. Short stature could represent an important threat for physical and psychological health in a child, so a prompt identification of abnormal growth deviations offers the possibility to early treat the possible cause of shortness. This review aimed to discuss a practical approach to a child with short stature on the bases of the most recent scientific evidence
Prediction and Prevention of Type 1 Diabetes
No full textType 1 Diabetes (T1D) is one of the most common chronic autoimmune diseases in children. The disease is characterized by the destruction of beta cells, leading to hyperglycemia, and to a lifelong insulin-dependent state. Although several studies in the last decades have added relevant insights, the complex pathogenesis of the disease is not yet completely understood. Recent studies have been focused on several factors, including family history and genetic predisposition (HLA and non-HLA genes) as well as environmental and metabolic biomarkers, with the aim of predicting the development and progression of T1D. Once a child becomes symptomatic, beta cell mass has already reached a critical threshold (usually a residual of 20–30% of normal amounts), thus representing only the very late phase of the disease. In particular, this final stage follows two preceding asymptomatic stages, which have been precisely identified. In view of the long natural history and complex pathogenesis of the disease, many strategies may be proposed for primary, secondary, and tertiary prevention. Strategies of primary prevention aim to prevent the onset of autoimmunity against beta cells in asymptomatic individuals at high risk for T1D. In addition, the availability of novel humoral and metabolic biomarkers that are able to characterize subjects at high risk of progression, have stimulated several studies on secondary and tertiary prevention, aimed to preserve residual beta cell destruction and/or to prolong the remission phase after the onset of T1D. This review focuses on the major current knowledge on prediction and prevention of T1D in children
Comment on: Linguistic and cognitive abnormalities in children with benign partial epilepsy with centro-temporal spikes (BCECTS).
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The Multiple Functions of Insulin Put into Perspective: From Growth to Metabolism, and from Well-Being to Disease
Full text link: Insulin has pleiotropic effects, and is of importance both as a key regulator of glucose metabolism and as a growth factor [...]
A new technical approach to monkey visual training.
No full textTo train the monkey for visual task we use the microcomputer and a bicoloured LED. This system is very advantageous in respect of its low cost and the ease of use
Medicina dell’adolescenza
Full text linkL’Organizzazione Mondiale della Sanità definisce come “adolescenti” le persone di età compresa tra 10 e 19 anni. Questi minori rappresentano circa il 10-25% della popolazione a seconda dei vari paesi europei (www.euro.who.int) e poco più del 9,0% in Italia al 1° gennaio 2023 (www.istat.it). Nel nostro Paese si osserva inoltre una rapida contrazione dei soggetti in età adolescenziale in conseguenza del progressivo calo delle nascite; ad esempio, si ha una riduzione di oltre l’8% (-47.165 unità) dei bambini di 10 anni rispetto ai ragazzi di 18 anni. Una prima ovvia considerazione a questo dato di fatto è la necessità di assicurare il migliore stato possibile a questa fascia di età anche in prospettiva futura. In effetti, la maggior parte degli adolescenti in Europa è sana, ma ogni giorno oltre 3.000 di loro muoiono per cause prevenibili o curabili. Inoltre, gli adolescenti presentano cause specifiche di morbilità [lesioni non intenzionali o intenzionali, disturbi della salute mentale (depressione, abuso di sostanze, disturbi alimentari), malattie infettive, comportamenti sessuali a rischio, gravidanza e parto precoci] con conseguenze sia a breve che a lungo termine (Slobođanac M., et al. www.eapaediatrics.eu/young-eap-eap-july-2019-blog-adolescent-medicine-and-health-a-training-challenge-for-europe/).
Ne deriva la necessità di percorsi formativi dedicati pre-laurea e post-laurea, compresi quelli di educazione medica continua, in Medicina dell’adolescenza. Alcuni paesi (USA, Canada, Australia) hanno riconosciuto le esigenze specifiche di salute degli adolescenti, creando percorsi formativi anche specialistici in questo nuovo settore medico
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