1,680 research outputs found
Lifestyles and ageing: targeting key mechanisms to shift the balance from unhealthy to healthy ageing
No full textThe increase in life expectancy has dramatically enhanced the prevalence of age-related chronic diseases resulting in growing costs for both society and individuals. Identification of strategies contributing to healthy ageing is thus one of the major challenges of the coming years. Lifestyle has a primary role among non-genetic factors affecting health and lifespan. In particular, nutrition, mental and physical activity impact the molecular and functional mechanisms whose alterations cause the major age-related diseases. A better understanding of mechanisms underlying the beneficial action of correct lifestyles is useful to develop interventions aimed at preventing and/or delaying the onset of chronic degenerative diseases, to identify high-risk populations who could be targeted in intervention trials as well as to identify novel biomarkers of healthy ageing. A multidisciplinary team of basic scientists and clinicians operating at the Catholic University Medical School in Rome is actively working on this topic to determine the ability of healthy lifestyles to promote active ageing and counteract the major age-related diseases affecting brain health, musculoskeletal function and gut microenvironment. This chapter summarizes our strategic approaches, the major results we obtained so far and the main experimental and translational perspectives
Interleukin 1β receptor and synaptic dysfunction in recurrent brain infection with Herpes simplex virus type-1
No full textSeveral experimental evidence suggests a link between brain Herpes simplex virus type-1 infection and the occurrence of Alzheimer’s disease. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying this association are not completely understood. Among the molecular mediators of synaptic and cognitive dysfunction occurring after Herpes simplex virus type-1 infection and reactivation in the brain neuroinflammatory cytokines seem to occupy a central role. Here, we specifically reviewed literature reports dealing with the impact of neuroinflammation on synaptic dysfunction observed after recurrent Herpes simplex virus type-1 reactivation in the brain, highlighting the role of interleukins and, in particular, interleukin 1β as a possible target against Herpes simplex virus type-1-induced neuronal dysfunctions
RTAIAED: A Real-Time Ambulance in an Emergency Detector with a Pyramidal Part-Based Model Composed of MFCCs and YOLOv8
No full textIn emergency situations, every second counts for an ambulance navigating through traffic. Efficient use of traffic light systems can play a crucial role in minimizing response time. This paper introduces a novel automated Real-Time Ambulance in an Emergency Detector (RTAIAED). The proposed system uses special Lookout Stations (LSs) suitably positioned at a certain distance from each involved traffic light (TL), to obtain timely and safe transitions to green lights as the Ambulance in an Emergency (AIAE) approaches. The foundation of the proposed system is built on the simultaneous processing of video and audio data. The video analysis is inspired by the Part-Based Model theory integrating tailored video detectors that leverage a custom YOLOv8 model for enhanced precision. Concurrently the audio analysis component employs a neural network designed to analyze Mel Frequency Cepstral Coefficients (MFCCs) providing an accurate classification of auditory information. This dual-faceted approach facilitates a cohesive and synergistic analysis of sensory inputs. It incorporates a logic-based component to integrate and interpret the detections from each sensory channel, thereby ensuring the precise identification of an AIAE as it approaches a traffic light. Extensive experiments confirm the robustness of the approach and its reliable application in real-world scenarios thanks to its predictions in real time (reaching an fps of 11.8 on a Jetson Nano and a response time up to 0.25 s), showcasing the ability to detect AIAEs even in challenging conditions, such as noisy environments, nighttime, or adverse weather conditions, provided a suitable-quality camera is appropriately positioned. The RTAIAED is particularly effective on one-way roads, addressing the challenge of regulating the sequence of traffic light signals so as to ensure a green signal to the AIAE when arriving in front of the TL, despite the presence of the “double red” periods in which the one-way traffic is cleared of vehicles coming from one direction before allowing those coming from the other side. Also, it is suitable for managing temporary situations, like in the case of roadworks
“Syndiotactic-specific polymerization of styrene: Catalyst structure and polymerization mechanism”
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