1,721,037 research outputs found
The cholinergic approach for the treatment of vascular dementia: evidence from pre-clinical and clinical studies.
No full textThe involvement of an impaired cholinergic neurotransmission in the pathophysiology of cognitive impairment occurring in vascular dementia (VaD), as well as the possibility of treating it by stimulating cholinergic neurotransmission was reviewed. Pre-clinical data suggest that similarly as documented in dementia disorders of neurodegenerative origin, a cholinergic deficit is involved in the pathophysiology of cognitive impairment of vascular origin. In the past, clinical trials have evaluated cholinergic precursors such as lecithin, citicoline and choline alphoscerate. More recent investigations have assessed acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and cholinesterase (ChE) inhibitors such as donepezil, rivastigmine and galantamine. In general, treatment with citicoline, choline alphoscerate, as well as with AChE and ChE inhibitors induced favourable effects on cognitive function in dementia disorders of vascular origin. These positive results should be regarded with caution due to the small number of patients included in controlled clinical trials using cholinergic precursors and to the limited number and sample size of trials with AChE and ChE inhibitors. Among compounds investigated, choline alphoscerate was well tolerated, improved cognitive function in VaD patients to a better extent than citicoline and to similar or better extent than other more recently developed drugs. This particular profile would justify reconsideration of the compound in larger controlled clinical trials for the treatment of cognitive dysfunction associated with dementia disorders of vascular origi
Population and Family in Central and Northern Italy at the Dawn of the Modern Age. A Comparison of Fiscal Data from Three Different Areas
No full textNeuroprotective effect of treatment with calcium antagonists on hypertensive retina.
No full textThe influence of hypertension and of treatment with the dihydropyridine-type Ca2+ antagonists lercanidipine, manidipine, nicardipine, and nimodipine and with non dihydropyridine-type vasodilator hydralazine on retinal nervous and glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) immunoreactive astrocytes were investigated in male spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR). Normotensive Wistar-Kyoto (WKY) were used as normotensive references group. Treatment of animals with oral equi-hypotensive doses of the above compounds started at 14 weeks of age and lasted for 12 weeks. Microanatomical analysis was extended to samples of frontal cortex and occipital cortex used as reference tissue. Different compounds investigated decreased to a similar extent systolic blood pressure values with the exception of nimodipine that in spite of the high dose used exerted a less pronounced hypotensive activity. Morphological changes including reduced thickness of retina and of inner plexiform, outer nuclear and layer of inner and outer segments plus outer limiting layer, and loss of ganglionic neurons were observed. GFAP-immunoreactive astrocyte hypertrophy was also found in control SHR. These phenomena were countered by treatment by treatment with dihydropyridine-type Ca2+ antagonists and to a lesser extent by hydralazine. The different Ca2+ antagonists tested exerted a similar protective effect on retinal, but not on brain neurons. The sensitivity of retina and cerebral cortex to anti-hypertensive treatment may be related to a different density of L-type Ca2+ channels in structures investigated or to kinetic reasons. The demonstration of a neuroprotective effect of Ca2+ antagonists on retina of SHR suggests that these compounds might protect to a some extent retina from hypertensive injury
Tecnici d'avanguardia e longue durée nella Sardegna del primo Ottocento
No full textIl volume intende disegnare una storia economica dell’ambiente italiano, a partire dall’età preindustriale, in una prospettiva di dialogo e confronto con la più recente storiografia internazionale. I contributi raccolti sono rappresentativi dei diversi approcci seguiti dagli storici economici che oggi, in Italia, si interessano dell’ambiente
Going Beyond Counting First Authors in Author Co-citation Analysis
Get PDFThe present study examines one of the fundamental aspects of author co-citation analysis (ACA) - the way co-citation
counts are defined. Co-citation counting provides the data on which all subsequent statistical analyses and mappings
are based, and we compare ACA results based on two different types of co-citation counting - the traditional type that
only counts the first one among a cited work's authors on the one hand and a non-traditional type that takes into
account the first 5 authors of a cited work on the other hand. Results indicate that the picture produced through this non-traditional author co-citation counting contains more coherent author groups and is therefore considerably clearer. However, this picture represents fewer specialties in the research field being studied than that produced through the traditional first-author co-citation counting when the same number of top-ranked authors is selected and analyzed. Reasons for these effects are discussed
Variations on the Author
Get PDF“Variations on the Author” discusses two of Eduardo Coutinho’s recent films (Um Dia na Vida, from 2010, and Últimas Conversas, posthumously released in 2015) and their contribution to the general question of documentary authorship. The director’s filmography is characterized by a consistent yet self-effacing form of authorial self-inscription: Coutinho often features as an interviewer that rather than express opinions propels discourses; an interviewer that is good at listening. This mode of self-inscription characterizes him as an author who is not expressive but who is nonetheless markedly present on the screen. In Um Dia na Vida, however, Coutinho is completely absent form the image, while Últimas Conversas, on the contrary, includes a confessional prologue that moves the director from the margins to the center of his films. This article examines the ways in which these works stand out in the filmography of a director who offers new insights into the notion of cinematic authorship
Glial fibrillary acidic protein and vimentin expression is regulated by glucocorticoids and neurotrophic factors in primary rat astroglial cultures
No full textThe neurotrophic factors epidermal growth factor (EGF), basic fibroblast growth factor, (bFGF), insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I) and insulin (INS) regulate neural and astroglial cell functions. Glucocorticoids may influence the metabolism of astroglial compartment and are key hormones in neurodegenerative events. This study was designed to assess the interactions between growth factors and dexamethasone (DEX) on cytoskeletal proteins (GFAP and vimentin) expression in 25 days in vitro (DIV) astrocyte cultures. An increase in GFAP and vimentin expression was observed after 12 h pretreatment with bFGF and subsequent treatment for 60 h with DEX. GFAP immunoreactivity was decreased after 24 h progression growth factors (EGF, IGF-I and INS) addition, when compared to control 36 h DEX and bFGF-pretreated cultures for the last 12 h. Vimentin immunoreactivity was decreased after 12 h bFGF pretreatment and subsequent 60 h DEX addition in astrocyte cultures compared to 12 h bFGF-pretreated ones. Pretreatment for 36 h with DEX plus bFGF in the last 12 h and subsequent treatment for 24 h with DMEM (Dulbecco's modified Eagle medium; DMEM) + BSA (bovine serum albumine) (harvesting), or with progression growth factors (EGF, IGF-I or INS) alone or two of them together, stimulated GFAP expression, compared to untreated controls. Immunochemical analysis of the mitogen-activated protein kinase ERK2 suggests an involvement of this enzyme in the control of GFAP expression. The above findings support the view of an interactive and complex dialogue between growth factors and glucocorticoids during astroglial cell proliferation and maturation in culture. This may have implications in therapeutic approach of neurologic disorders associated with astrogliosis, including cerebrovascular disease
Increased expression of glial fibrillary acidic protein in the brain of spontaneously hypertensive rats
No full textAstrogliosis, consisting in astroglial proliferation and increased expression of the specific cytoskeletal protein glial fibrillary acid protein (GFAP) is common in several situations of brain damage. Arterial hypertension, which induces cerebrovascular changes, can cause also brain damage, neurodegeneration and dementia (vascular dementia). This study was designed to assess astroglial reaction in different brain areas (frontal cortex, occipital cortex, hippocampus and striatum) of spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) in the pre-hypertensive phase (2 months of age), in the developing phase of hypertension (4 months of age) and in established hypertension (6 months of age). SHR were compared to age-matched normotensive Wistar-Kyoto (WKY) rats. Analysis included reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) of GFAP mRNA, GFAP immunochemistry (Western blot analysis) and immunohistochemistry. A significant increase of GFAP mRNA and an increase of GFAP immunoreactivity were noticeable in different brain areas of SHR compared to normotensive WKY rats at 6, but not at 2 or 4 months of age. Immunohistochemistry revealed a numerical augmentation (hyperplasia) and an increase in size (hypertrophy) of GFAP-immunoreactive astrocytes in frontal cortex, occipital cortex and striatum of SHR. In the hippocampus of SHR only a numerical increase of GFAP-immunoreactive astrocytes was found. These finding demonstrating the occurrence of astrogliosis in the brain of SHR with established hypertension suggest that hypertension induces a condition of brain suffering enough to increase biosynthesis and expression of GFAP similarly as reported in several neurodegenerative disorders and in brain ischemia
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