2,811 research outputs found
The role of Glutamatergic pathways in Schizophrenia: from animal models to human imaging studies
No full textModelling delay and noise in arbitrarily coupled RC trees.
No full textClosed-form equations for second-order transfer functions of general arbitrarily coupled resistance-capacitance (RC) trees with multiple drivers are reported. The models allow precise delay and noise calculations for systems of coupled interconnects with guaranteed stability and represent the minimum complexity associated with this class of circuits. Their accuracy is extensively compared against other relevant models and is found to be better or comparable to more expensive models. All results are derived from a theoretical approach, and their physical basis is examined. The simplicity, accuracy, and generality of the models make them suitable for use in early signal integrity analyses of complex systems and incremental physical optimization
Mifepristone (RU 38486) influences expression of glycoprotein Po and morphological parameters at the level of rat sciatic nerve: In vivo observations .
No full text
Post-Finasteride Syndrome And Post-Ssri Sexual Dysfunction: Two Clinical Conditions Apparently Distant, But Very Close
No full textPost-finasteride syndrome and post-SSRI sexual dysfunction, are two poorly explored clinical conditions in which men treated for androgenetic alopecia with finasteride or for depression with SSRI antidepressants show persistent side effects despite drug suspension (e.g., sexual dysfunction, psychological complaints, sleep disorders). Because of some similarities in the symptoms, common pathological mechanisms are proposed here. Indeed, as discussed, clinical studies and preclinical data obtained so far suggest an important role for brain modulators (i.e., neuroactive steroids), neurotransmitters (i.e., serotonin, and cathecolamines), and gut microbiota in the context of the gut-brain axis. In particular, the observed interconnections of these signals in these two clinical conditions may suggest similar etiopathogenetic mechanisms, such as the involvement of the enzyme converting norepinephrine into epinephrine (i.e., phenylethanolamine N-methyltransferase). However, despite the current efforts, more work is still needed to advance the understanding of these clinical conditions in terms of diagnostic markers and therapeutic strategies
The gut‐microbiota‐brain axis: Focus on gut steroids
No full textThere are over 1000 varieties of steroids that have been reported in nature, including the endogenous sex steroid hormones (i.e., progesterone, testosterone, and 17β-estradiol) and corticosteroids which are mainly synthesized by gonads and adrenals, respectively. In addition, an extra-glandular steroidogenesis has been also reported in the brain and in the gastrointestinal tract (GIT). The reason why intestinal steroidogenesis and consequently gut steroids draw our attention is for the communication and interaction with the gut microbiota, which functions like a virtual endocrine organ, and it is also involved in the steroid production. Moreover, both GIT and gut microbiota communicate through neural, endocrine, and humoral ways with the brain, in the so-called gut-microbiota-brain axis. On this basis, in this review, we will discuss several aspects such as (1) intestinal steroidogenesis and its possible regulation, (2) the potential role of gut steroids in physiopathological conditions, and (3) the role of microbiome in steroidogenesis and steroid metabolism. Overall, this review highlights new points of view considering steroid molecules as potential therapeutic approach for gastrointestinal disorders and brain comorbidities
Sex-dimorphic effects of dehydroepiandrosterone in diabetic neuropathy
No full textOur recent observations have demonstrated that gonadectomy in female, but not in male diabetic animals, exert protection in the peripheral nervous system and that these effects were associated with an increase in the levels of dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) in the female sciatic nerve [Pesaresi M, Giatti S, Cavaletti G, Abbiati F, Calabrese D, Bianchi R, Caruso D, Garcia-Segura LM, Melcangi RC (2011) Exp Neurol 228:215-221]. That is interesting because the neuroprotective effects of this neuroactive steroid have so far only been analyzed in male diabetic animals. Using the experimental model of streptozotocin-induced diabetic neuropathy, we have here compared the effect of DHEA treatment in male and in female animals. Data obtained indicate that DHEA treatment is able to counteract the decrease in nerve conduction velocity (NCV) induced by diabetes in both sexes. However, it was only in females that this neuroactive steroid was able to reestablish NCV to control levels. In addition, it was only in females that DHEA exerted neuroprotective actions on functional (i.e., thermal sensitivity) or molecular parameters, such as gene expression of myelin proteins. Sex-depending neuroprotective effects of DHEA were also confirmed by the finding that it was only in females that this neuroactive steroid fully restored the intra-epidermal nerve fiber density, which was decreased by diabetes. Interestingly, the metabolic fate of DHEA is also different in males and females. Thus, analysis of the neuroactive steroid levels after the treatment with DHEA indicates that in the sciatic nerve of male diabetic animals 17α-estradiol levels decrease in association with an increase of its isomer 17β-estradiol and with a decrease in the levels of α-androstane-3α, 17β-diol. These changes were not observed in the sciatic nerve of females. Altogether, these results suggest that DHEA could be considered as a candidate for a sex-specific therapy based on neuroactive steroids
A Compact 10-MHz RC Frequency Reference With a Versatile Temperature Compensation Scheme
No full textThis article presents the design and implementation of a compact CMOS RC frequency reference. It consists of a frequency-locked loop (FLL) that locks the period of a voltage-controlled oscillator (VCO) to the time an RC network takes to charge to a reference voltage. Conventionally, an RC time constant with a near-zero temperature coefficient (TC) is realized by using a trimmed network of resistors with different TCs. In this work, such a network is used to realize a temperature-dependent reference voltage whose TC cancels that of a single-resistor RC time constant. Compared with the conventional approach, which requires resistors with TCs of opposite polarity, the proposed approach can be implemented with resistors with TCs of similar polarity, and so it can be implemented in most CMOS processes. To compensate for RC spread, a trimmed capacitor is used to adjust the nominal frequency. Two prototype chips were made, one based on p- /n-polysilicon resistors and other based on silicided/p-diffusion resistors. Fabricated in a standard 180-nm CMOS technology, the polysilicon-based prototype has an active area of 0.01 mm2 and an absolute inaccuracy of ±2800 ppm from -45 °C to 125 °C with a fixed TC-trim and a one-point frequency trim. After one week of accelerated aging at 150 °C, however, significant drift (5000 ppm) was observed. The diffusion-based prototype exhibits greater inaccuracy (±14 400 ppm) but much less drift (600 ppm).Green Open Access added to TU Delft Institutional Repository ‘You share, we take care!’ – Taverne project https://www.openaccess.nl/en/you-share-we-take-care Otherwise as indicated in the copyright section: the publisher is the copyright holder of this work and the author uses the Dutch legislation to make this work public.Electronic InstrumentationMicroelectronic
A CMOS Dual-RC frequency reference with ±250ppm inaccuracy from -45°C to 85°C
No full textTo comply with wired communication standards such as USB, SATA and PCI/PCI-E, systems-on-chip require frequency references with better than 300ppm accuracy. LC-based references achieve 100ppm accuracy [1], but suffer from high power consumption (∼20mW). Thermal diffusivity (TD) references require less power (∼2mW), at the expense of less accuracy (1000ppm) [2]. RC-based references offer the lowest power consumption, but their accuracy is typically limited to ∼0.1% [3]. In RC relaxation oscillators, comparator offset and delay are the major sources of inaccuracy [4,5]. References based on frequency-locked loops (FLLs) circumvent these by locking an oscillator's frequency to the time-constant of an RC filter, but their accuracy is then limited by the nonlinear temperature dependency of on-chip resistors [3,6].Session 3.3 Green Open Access added to TU Delft Institutional Repository ‘You share, we take care!’ – Taverne project https://www.openaccess.nl/en/you-share-we-take-care Otherwise as indicated in the copyright section: the publisher is the copyright holder of this work and the author uses the Dutch legislation to make this work public.Electronic Instrumentation(OLD)Applied Quantum ArchitecturesMicroelectronic
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