1,721,397 research outputs found
Thioredoxin-1: a cardioprotector against stress
Full text linkThis editorial refers to ‘Thioredoxin-1 maintains mitochondrial function via mTOR signaling in the heart’ by S.I. Oka et al., pp. 1742–1755
Innovative MRI techniques in neuroimaging approaches for cerebrovascular diseases and vascular cognitive impairment
Full text linkCognitive impairment and dementia are recognized as major threats to public health. Many studies have shown the important role played by challenges to the cerebral vasculature and the neurovascular unit. To investigate the structural and functional characteristics of the brain, MRI has proven an invaluable tool for visualizing the internal organs of patients and analyzing the parameters related to neuronal activation and blood flow in vivo. Different strategies of imaging can be combined to obtain various parameters: (i) measures of cortical and subcortical structures (cortical thickness, subcortical structures volume); (ii) evaluation of microstructural characteristics of the white matter (fractional anisotropy, mean diffusivity); (iii) neuronal activation and synchronicity to identify functional networks across different regions (functional connectivity between specific regions, graph measures of specific nodes); and (iv) structure of the cerebral vasculature and its efficacy in irrorating the brain (main vessel diameter, cerebral perfusion). The high amount of data obtainable from multi-modal sources calls for methods of advanced analysis, like machine-learning algorithms that allow the discrimination of the most informative features, to comprehensively characterize the cerebrovascular network into specific and sensitive biomarkers. By using the same techniques of human imaging in pre-clinical research, we can also investigate the mechanisms underlying the pathophysiological alterations identified in patients by imaging, with the chance of looking for molecular mechanisms to recover the pathology or hamper its progression
The neurology of hypertension: merging academic specialties to connect heart and brain pathophysiology
Full text linkSelf-fermentation: Innovative pretreatment for use high concentration of olive mill wastewater in anaerobic digestion plant
No full textThis study aimed to evaluate the impact of self fermentation on methane production as biological pretreatment of olive mill wastewater (OMW). The self-fermentation was carried out at room temperature without mixing and at natural light cycle. The batch assays were performed at the influent substrate concentration of 36.7 g VS/l (OMW 100%), 18,4 g VS/l (OMW 50%) and 9.2 g VS/l (OMW 25%). The methane production was performed at 37°C in mixing condition. The results of methane production were compared with those obtained using untreated OMW. The results of this study showed that the self fermentation process is a very effective pretreatment to produce methane. Only the self-fermented samples have produced methane from undiluted OMW and a maximum cumulative methane production of 7583 ± 138 mlCH4/L and a yield of 246 ± 10 mlCH4/ gVS were obtained. A yield increase of +13.5% at OMW dilution of 50% was also achieved as compared to untreated OMW results. Interestingly, in the anaerobic digestion of untreated OMW, high hydrogen yields, with an average value of 46.8 ± 1.9 mlH2/gVS, were obtained. Moreover a depletion around 20% v/v of polyphenols was recorded for all experimental set. © 2016 ETA-Florence Renewable Energies
Gli acidi grassi omega-3 attenuano la vasocostrizione arteriosa mediante l'aumentata produzione di ossido nitrico
No full textPI3kinases in diabetes mellitus and its related complications
Full text linkRecent studies have shown that phosphoinositide 3-kinases (PI3Ks) have become the target of many pharmacological treatments, both in clinical trials and in clinical practice. PI3Ks play an important role in glucose regulation, and this suggests their possible involvement in the onset of diabetes mellitus. In this review, we gather our knowledge regarding the effects of PI3K isoforms on glucose regulation in several organs and on the most clinically-relevant complications of diabetes mellitus, such as cardiomyopathy, vasculopathy, nephropathy, and neurological disease. For instance, PI3K α has been proven to be protective against diabetes-induced heart failure, while PI3K γ inhibition is protective against the disease onset. In vessels, PI3K γ can generate oxidative stress, while PI3K β inhibition is anti-thrombotic. Finally, we describe the role of PI3Ks in Alzheimer’s disease and ADHD, discussing the relevance for diabetic patients. Given the high prevalence of diabetes mellitus, the multiple effects here described should be taken into account for the development and validation of drugs acting on PI3Ks
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