1,721,110 research outputs found
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
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
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
Reply to letter to the Editor “Cardiac Imaging Stress Techniques: How fishing in the high-tech pot”
No full textRelationship between triiodothyronine and proinflammatory cytokines in chronic heart failure
No full textCytokines and thyroid hormones are involved in the biochemical changes associated to heart failure (HF).
AIM: Aims of the study were to investigate: plasma circulating levels of the cytokines Interleukine-6 (IL-6) TNF alpha and C reactive protein (CRP) in patients with stable HF in relation to the severity of left ventricular dysfunction; the relationship between these inflammatory markers and thyroid hormones.
METHODS: One-hundred and sixty-six patients (121 males, age 64+/-12), with non-ischemic cardiomyopathy, were admitted to the Institute of Clinical Physiology for progressive deterioration of symptoms. Forty-eight healthy subjects (30 males, age range 26-75 years) were also enrolled as control group (Group N). High sensitivity (hs)-IL-6 and hs-TNFalpha were quantified using solid phase sandwich ELISA kits. Hs-CRP was measured by Immulite System.
RESULTS: In the whole population (HF and N), the association between inflammatory markers and age resulted statistically significant only for IL-6 serum concentration (p35% and EF<35%, we clearly observed the progressive enhancement of the inflammatory markers. Considering normal subjects, patients without and with low T3 syndrome, IL-6 and TNFalpha increased progressively from normal to patients with fT3<2 pg/ml (p<0.01 and p<0.01) while CRP only respect to the group with low T3 syndrome (p<0.01). The inflammatory markers were all inversely correlated with FT3 levels.
CONCLUSION: Because low FT3 serum concentration represents a negative prognostic index, it is likely that impairment of T3 production and enhanced inflammation represent pathogenic mechanisms linked to HF progression
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
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
Going Beyond Counting First Authors in Author Co-citation Analysis
Full text linkThe 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
Full text link“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
- …
