1,354,741 research outputs found
Guided tissue regeneration employing a collagen membrane in a human periodontal bone defect: a histologic evaluation
No full textA wearable sensor to monitor localized sweat rate as support tool for monitoring athletes' performances
No full textObjectives
We developed a wearable sensor for the real time measurement of sweat rate in localized areas of the human body. This sensor represents the first step in the development of a wearable sensor network capable to estimate the global sweat rate via an ad hoc algorithm. Such device would be used to monitor athletes' hydration status during training and improve their performances.
Equipment and Methods
For this study, we tested our sensor on thirteen football players during a cycling test on a cycle ergometer. The sweat rate sensor was compared to a medical device that, although measuring a different physiological process, provides discrete data based on the same working principle, i.e. the diffusion of the water vapour emitted from the skin.
Results
Our sensor has a working range up to 400 g/m2·h. The statistical analysis and the Bland-Altman plot proved that our sensor is comparable to the medical device used as gold standard. At low sweat rate, the bias is 3.4 g/m2·h with a standard deviation of 7.6 g/m2·h. At maximum sweat rates, the bias is 2.3 g/m2·h with a standard deviation 6.9 g/m2·h. The p values for the Bland-Altman plots at low and maximum sweat rate (0.1331 and 0.2477 obtained by Kolmogorov-Smirnov test, respectively) allow the hypothesis that there is a significant difference between our sweat rate sensor and the medical device to be rejected.
Conclusion
We presented a prototype of a wearable sweat rate sensor for localized measurements. The trials on thirteen athletes proved that the performance of our sensor is comparable to that of a commercial medical device. This sweat rate sensor can provide valuable information on athletes' hydration status
Salivary gland involvement in a case of dermal eccrine cylindroma of the scalp (turban tumor). Report of a case with lung metastases
No full text The onset of sweat gland and salivary gland tumors in the same patient is a rare association known only for a few years. The case is reported of a man who died at 63 with lung metastases and bearing a turban and salivary tumor (both of the eccrine cylindroma dermal type). This « cutaneous and salivary neoplastic syndrome » may be explained by a common stem cell in different organs. </jats:p
LPIAT1/MBOAT7 contains a catalytic dyad transferring polyunsaturated fatty acids to lysophosphatidylinositol
No full textHuman membrane bound O-acyltransferase domain-containing 7 (MBOAT7), also known as lysophosphatidylinositol acyltransferase 1 (LPIAT1), is an enzyme involved in the acyl-chain remodeling of phospholipids via the Lands' cycle. The MBOAT7 rs641738 variant has been associated with the entire spectrum of fatty liver disease (FLD) and neurodevelopmental disorders, but the exact enzymatic activity and the catalytic site of the protein are still unestablished. Human wild type MBOAT7 and three MBOAT7 mutants missing in the putative catalytic residues (N321A, H356A, N321A + H356A) were produced into Pichia pastoris, and purified using Ni-affinity chromatography. The enzymatic activity of MBOAT7 wild type and mutants was assessed measuring the incorporation of radiolabeled fatty acids into lipid acceptors. MBOAT7 preferentially transferred 20:4 and 20:5 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) to lysophosphatidylinositol (LPI). On the contrary, MBOAT7 showed weak enzymatic activity for transferring saturated and unsaturated fatty acids, regardless the lipid substrate. Missense mutations in the putative catalytic residues (N321A, H356A, N321A + H356A) result in a loss of O-acyltransferase activity. Thus, MBOAT7 catalyzes the transfer of PUFAs to lipid acceptors. MBOAT7 shows the highest affinity for LPI, and missense mutations at the MBOAT7 putative catalytic dyad inhibit the O-acyltransferase activity of the protein. Our findings support the hypothesis that the association between the MBOAT7 rs641738 variant and the increased risk of NAFLD is mediated by changes in the hepatic phosphatidylinositol acyl-chain remodeling. Taken together, the increased knowledge of the enzymatic activity of MBOAT7 gives insights into the understanding on the basis of FLD
Preliminary observations on the effect of hypoxic and hyperbaric stress on pulmonary gas exchange in breath-hold divers
No full textAim: To evaluate pulmonary alveolar-capillary membrane integrity and ventilation/perfusion mismatch after breath-hold diving. Methods: Pulmonary diffusing capacity to carbon monoxide (DLCO) and nitric oxide (DLNO), haemoglobin (Hb) and haematocrit (Hct) were measured in six elite divers before and at 2, 10 and 25 minutes after a maximal breath-hold dive to a depth of 10 metres' sea water. Results: Compared to pre-dive, DLCO showed a slight increase at 2 minutes in five subjects and a tendency to decrease at 25 minutes (P < 0.001) in all subjects. DLNO showed an increase at 10 minutes in three divers and a slight decrease at 25 minutes in five subjects. There was a small but significant (P < 0.001) increase in Hb and Hct at 2 minutes, possibly affecting the DLCO measurements. Conclusions: An early but transient increase in DLCO in five divers may reflect the central shift in blood volume during a breath-hold dive. The late parallel decrease in DLCO and DLNO likely reflects alveolar-capillary distress (interstitial oedema). The DLNO increase in three subjects at 10 minutes may suggest ventilation/perfusion mismatch
Synchronization between music dynamics and heart rhythm is modulated by the musician’s emotional involvement: A single case study
No full textIn this study we evaluated heart rate variability (HRV) changes in a pianist, playing in a laboratory, to investigate whether HRV changes are guided by music temporal features or by technical difficulty and/or subjective factors (e.g., experienced effort). The pianist was equipped with a wearable telemetry device for ECG recording during the execution of 4 classical and 5 jazz pieces. From ECG we derived the RR intervals series (tachogram), and, for each piece, analyzed HRV in the time (RR, RMSSD, Stress Index) and frequency domains (Total spectral power) and performed non-linear analysis (Multiscale Entropy). We also studied the correlation (Pearson) between the time course of music volume envelope and tachogram. Results showed a general reduction of parasympathetic and an increase of sympathetic activity, with the greatest changes during the classical pieces execution, the pianist appraised as more demanding than the jazz ones. The most marked changes occurred during the most technically/emotionally demanding piece, and correlation analysis revealed a negative association between music volume envelope time course and tachogram only for this piece, suggesting a modulation of the limbic system on the synchronization between heart rhythm and music temporal features. Classical music was also associated with the increase of entropy (1st scale) with respect to rest, indicating its effectiveness in driving flexible, healthy, heart dynamics. In conclusion, HRV seems modulated not only by the music temporal features, but also by the pianist’s emotional involvement, which is greatly influenced, in a non-trivial manner, by the technical demands and musician expertise
New technological developments in the clinical imaging of atherosclerotic plaque RID A-6953-2008
No full textDirect visulization of the composition of the atherosclerotic plaque during its natural history and after therapeutic intervention may be helpful in detecting lesions with high risk of acute events and in understanding progression and regression of the disease. A wide variety of invasive and non-invasive imaging techniques is available to detect clue aspects of atherosclerosis from the early stage to the clinical evidence appearance. We will firstly review the ongoing technological and clinical research on both invasive and noninvasive techniques. Afterward, we will discuss in detail the use of high-resolution, multicontrast magnetic resonance imaging for non-invasive imaging of the plaque and its characterization in terms of its various components (i.e., thickness, lipid, fibrous, calcium, or thrombus). Finally, we will describe the potential of quantitative analysis in describing of plaque Constituents with improved reproducibility
The Relationship Between the Doctor and the Patient: The Ancient Conceptions of Philosophy as Medicine
No full textSome philosophers of the ancient Greek and Roman worlds referred to medicine to define the nature of their exercises for self-care. This essay reflects upon some implications of the medical analogy (philosophy as medical science for the mind), starting from Plato, by focusing on the methods a philosopher should employ in order to achieve therapeutic goals and on the way in which the philosopher-doctor should relate to patients. The underlying hypothesis of the chapter is that just as philosophy drew inspiration from medicine, medicine in turn can draw inspiration from philosophy on these issues
Lack of Efficacy of Topical Furfuryl Palmitate in Pediatric Atopic Dermatitis: A Randomized Double-Blind Study
No full textIntroduction: Atopic dermatitis is a common disease in children. It is usually treated with topical steroids and/or calcineurin inhibitors in association with emollients but topical antioxidants have been recently introduced as a therapeutic option for children. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and tolerability of furfuryl palmitate, a new antioxidant molecule, in a multicenter, randomized, double-blind, vehicle-controlled study. Patients and Methods: Children with atopic dermatitis were randomized into 2 groups treated for 2 weeks. One group of children (n=60) was treated with a basic emollient cream and the other (n=57) was treated with the same cream enriched with furfuryl palmitate. Results: in both groups, there was a significant reduction (P<.001) in atopic dermatitis-measured using the SCORAD index-after 14 days, The reduction in the per-protocol analysis was higher for the basic cream. Treatment success was defined as a reduction of 20% or more in the SCORAD index from baseline to day 14. Patients who used treatment not permitted by the protocol were also considered treatment failures. The intention-to-treat analysis showed 70% positive results for the basic treatment and 29% for the treatment containing furfuryl palmitate (P<.0001) with a number needed to treat of 2.4 (95% confidence interval, 1.6-4.6). The emollient cream without furfuryl palmitate was observed to be more efficacious by pediatricians and parents, and no differences were reported between the 2 products in terms of tolerability. Conclusions: Both products proved to be efficacious in treating atopic dermatitis in children, but the emollient cream not containing furfuryl palmitate showed better clinical efficacy
α-1 Protein evaluation to stratify heart failure patients.
No full textHeart failure is a pathological condition characterized by cardiac dysfunction and neuroendocrine system activation. The aim of this study was to evaluate serum ??-1 proteins in the characterization of heart failure patients. The study included 69 patients with documented heart failure disease and 44 healthy individuals. We included 12 out of 69 patients with preserved (>50%) left ventricular ejection fraction. ??-1 protein levels were evaluated using routine capillary electrophoresis. Markers of inflammation, such as interleukin-6 (IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor-??, were measured with UltraSensitive ELISA Kits. C-reactive protein and brain natriuretic peptide were determined by automated assays. No difference in ??-1 protein levels between patients with reduced versus preserved left ventricular ejection fraction was observed. IL-6, tumor necrosis factor-??, and C-reactive protein concentrations were significantly increased in patients with respect to the control group (P???<0.001, P???<0.01, and P???<0.05, respectively). A progressive increase in ??-1 protein levels across NYHA classes (P???=???0.0077) was observed. Brain natriuretic peptide median value of the patient group was 287???ng/l (92-602???ng/l) and was significantly associated with ??-1 proteins and IL-6 levels (P???<0.05 and P???<0.01, respectively). Considering recent findings and our preliminary data, we hypothesized that the overexpression of ??-1 antitrypsin (AAT) protein (and probably elevated AAT levels) is a compensatory mechanism as a consequence of the loss of the antiprotease activity, induced by the increase of oxidative stress in heart failure patients. In conclusion, we assume that ??-1 proteins and AAT could contribute to the prognostic stratification of heart failure patients
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