100,482 research outputs found
Assistive products and childhood neurodisability: a retrospective study on factors associated with aids/orthoses prescription
No full textBACKGROUND: Children affected by pathologies causing neurodisability go through motor, cognitive, sensory and other limitations. The selection of assistive products can influence their level of independence and quality of life. AIM: The present study investigated the possibility to assess the equipment needs of children with neurodisabilities, based on their clinical characteristics. DESIGN: A retrospective observational study. SETTING: Outpatients. POPULATION: Inclusion criteria: diagnosis of cerebral palsy or genetic/chromosomal/syndromic disorders, age range 0-18 years, intelligence quotient evaluation, medical history of positive or negative presence of epilepsy and of communication disorders, admission at our neurorehabilitation service between 2007 and 2017, and registration of all equipment prescribed to each child. METHODS: In 192 children (111 males, 57.81%) we evaluated the relationship between several independent variables (diagnosis, sex, Gross Motor Function Classification System level, intelligence quotient, history of epilepsy and communication disorders) and equipment prescription by means of logistic regression models. RESULTS: Our data showed significant correlation between the Gross Motor Function Classification System level and the equipment prescribed. A history of seizures was negatively correlated with walker prescriptions (the log odds of prescription decreases by -2.156; CI: -4.16 to -0.65) and positively with those of stroller (the log odds increases by 1.427; CI: 0.22 to 2.69). Stroller and knee-ankle-foot orthoses and hip-knee-ankle-foot orthoses prescriptions were negatively correlated with the cerebral palsy diagnosis. The prescription of foot orthoses was positively correlated with mental retardation (the log odds increases by 0.358; CI: 0.12 to 0.61). A negative correlation between communication disorders and the prescription of ankle-foot orthoses and communication/learning devices was also found (the log odds decreases by -0.833; CI -1.66 to -0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Several clinical characteristics correlate with specific equipment needs. CLINICAL REHABILITATION IMPACT: The definition of the clinical characteristics with a potential predicting value, may facilitate the task of physician on choosing what is more appropriate to prescribe, as well as the authorizing office responsible for evaluating the appropriateness of prescriptions. Furthermore, it could be possible to foresee the care needs in terms of type and number of aids/orthoses and to guarantee every disabled child the possibility to take advantage of the same opportunities. (Cite this article as: Assenza C, Cacciatore D, Manica M, Iosa M, Foti C, Gobbetti T, et al. Assistive products and childhood neurodisability: a retrospective study on factors associated with aids/orthoses prescription
Isolation and characterization of high molecular mass endopeptidase complex from Lactococcus lactis
No full textBatch production of Kefir.Analysis of the relationships among the biological components of the systems
No full textAmphibian oocyte: a model of a possible regulatory mechanism for prostaglandin E2 and prostaglandin F2 alpha synthesis.
No full textTo clarify the possible mechanisms regulating prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) and prostaglandin F2 alpha (PGF2 alpha) synthesis, the effects of gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) and substance P (SP) on the release of these two prostaglandins were studied in the oocytes of the crested newt, Triturus carnifex. Full-grown oocytes of T. carnifex, freed from follicular cells, were incubated in the presence of GnRH or SP and of the inhibitors of several enzymes involved in the release of arachidonic acid (AA) and in the conversion of AA into PGE2 and PGF2 alpha. In parallel, the same experiments were performed on oocytes with membrane phospholipids labelled with [3H]AA. In addition, the PGE2-9-ketoreductase activity was evaluated through the conversion of [3H]PGE2 into [3H]PGF2 alpha. The results showed that GnRH and SP could regulate prostaglandin synthesis through the activation of phospholipase C and diacylglycerol lipase, and through the modulation of PGE2-9-ketoreductase in the oocytes of T. carnifex. In particular, GnRH enhances the activity of PGE2-9-ketoreductase with a consequent increase in PGF2 alpha, while SP inhibits the enzyme which leads to an increase in PGE2. A similar mechanism could also be hypothesized for other vertebrate species
Mammalian GnRH involvement in prostaglandin F2 alpha and sex steroid hormones testicular release in two amphibian species: the anuran water frog, Rana esculenta, and the urodele crested newt, Triturus carnifex.
No full textThe present work was carried out to study the in vitro effects of mammalian gonadotropin-releasing hormone (mGnRH) on Rana esculenta and Triturus carnifex testis production of prostaglandin F2 alpha (PGF2 alpha) and sex steroid hormones during the prereproduction, reproduction, and postreproduction periods. In R. esculenta, testicular PGF2 alpha release was lower during postreproduction, and mGnRH increased PGF2 alpha in prereproduction and reproduction. Androgens were higher during prereproduction, and mGnRH induced an androgens increase in prereproduction and reproduction. In T. carnifex testicular PGF2 alpha release was lower during reproduction, and mGnRH increased PGF2 alpha in prereproduction and reproduction. Androgens were higher in reproduction and lower in postreproduction, and mGnRH induced an androgens increase in reproduction. Estradiol-17 beta release was higher in postreproduction, and mGnRH induced an estradiol decrease in reproduction and an increase in postreproduction. These results seem to indicate the involvement of PGF2 alpha in the testicular reproductive activity, and a similar mGnRH mechanism of action, both in R. esculenta and in T. carnifex. In addition, taken together with previous studies, they seem to suggest that the relationship found between mGnRH and PGF2 alpha or sex steroids could be widespread in amphibians
A phorbol ester and calcium ionophore regulate sex steroid and prostaglandin release by follicles of the anuran Rana esculenta and the urodele Triturus carnifex.
No full textThe aim of this work was to study the relationships among protein kinase C (PKC), calcium, prostaglandins (PGs), and sex steroids in follicles of Rana esculenta and Triturus carnifex. Follicles, oocytes, and wall cells of follicle (theca and granulosa cells) were incubated in vitro with an activator of PKC, phorbol-12-myristate-13-acetate (PMA), a calcium ionophore (A23187), an antagonist of calcium channel, verapamil, PMA + A23187, prostaglandin F2 alpha (PGF2 alpha), and prostaglandin E2 (PGE2). Progesterone, androgens, and 17 beta-estradiol were assessed in incubation media of follicles and wall cells and PGs in incubation media of follicles, oocytes, and wall cells. In both species, PMA increased progesterone; A23187 increased progesterone, 17 beta-estradiol, and PGs; verapamil decreased progesterone and PGs; PMA + A23187 increased progesterone, 17 beta-estradiol, and PGs; PGF2 alpha increased 17 beta-estradiol; PGE2 increased progesterone. These data suggest that PKC and calcium intervene in the regulation of steroidogenesis and PG synthesis by follicles of both R. esculenta and T. carnifex; in particular, calcium seems to regulate PGs synthesis, activating an enzymatic pathway which does not include PKC
Letter, [Author unclear] to Paulina T. Merritt
No full textHandwritten letter to Paulina Merritt from an unknown author, October 1, 1876.
Isolation and characterization of a 67 KDA oligopeptidase from Propionibacterium freudenreichii ATCC 9614
No full textCellular mechanism of substance P in the regulation of corticosteroid secretion by newt adrenal gland
No full textIn this work, we have studied the effects and the possible cellular mechanism of Substance P (SP) on corticosteroid secretion by the adrenal gland of the urodele crested newt, Triturus carnifex. Adrenals were in vitro superfused with SP, prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), nitric oxide (NO) donor, cyclic GMP (cGMP) analogue, and inhibitors of phospholipase A1, phospholipase A2 (PLA2), phospholipase C, adenylate cyclase (AC), cyclooxygenase (COX), NO synthase (NOS), and soluble guanylate cyclase (sGC). PGE2, corticosterone, and aldosterone release and NOS activity were determined. SP, PGE2, NO donor, and cGMP analogue increased corticosterone and aldosterone; SP and PGE2 increased NOS, and SP increased PGE2. PLA2, AC, COX, NOS, and sGC inhibitors counteracted SP and PGE2 effects, except for PLA2, which did not affect PGE2. These results suggest that SP exhibits a stimulatory role on the corticosteroidogenesis of T. carnifex adrenal gland. In particular SP enhances PLA2 activity, increasing PGE2; this prostaglandin affects AC, which, in turn, enhances NO, and the latter therefore affects sGC, with the consequent corticosteroidogenesis increase
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