323,160 research outputs found
Dehydroepiandrosterone Sulfate, Dehydroepiandrosterone, 5α-Dihydroprogesterone and Pregnenolone: Serum Analysis and Correlation Between Migraine and Non-headache Control Females
No full textMigraine is a very painful and disabling disorder of the nervous system (NS) affecting about 10% of the world's adult population, especially women and it is associated with a variety of comorbidities [1, 2]. Neuroactive steroids have pleiotropic actions on the NS. Alterations in their peripheral and central levels could be involved in the pathogenesis, still not fully understood, of migraine and its comorbidities [3]. The purpose of our exploratory study (approved by Modena Ethical Committee) was to determine serum levels of dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEAS), dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), 5α-dihydroprogesterone (DHP) and pregnenolone (PREGNE) in women suffering from migraine without aura (n=30) and age-matched non-headache control females (n=30). The patients were enrolled at the Headache Centre of Modena; controls were patients’ contacts. Calibrators and serum samples were spiked with the ISs solution and treated to deplete proteins and phospholipids. The obtained extracts were evaporated to dryness, derivatized and analysed by RP-LC-ESI-MS/MS in MRM mode. Analyte’s levels were determined by interpolation on the regression curves, generated from the analyte quantifier ion peak area to the corresponding IS. Migraine women presented significantly lower levels of DHEAS, DHEA and DHP compared to controls (P<0.05) and the found concentrations negatively correlated with migraine history, and migraine days in the last three months (P< 0.05). These results parallel to our previous studies showing reduced serum levels of allopregnanolone and pregnenolone sulfate in migraine women [4,5]. The low serum levels found for both inhibitory and excitatory neurosteroids indicate that migraine women may suffer from inadequate neuroprotection, anti-inflammation activity and pain modulation. These deficits could represent the link between migraine and its various comorbidities.
References
[1] Headache classification Committee of the International Headache Society (IHS). Cephalalgia 2018, 38,1–211.
[2] Yin JH., Lin YK., Yang CP., et al. Headache 2021. doi: 10.1111/head.14106. Online ahead of print.
[3] Yilmaz, C.; Karali, K.; Fodelianaki, G.; et al. Front Neuroendocrinol 2019, 55, 100788.
[4] Rustichelli, C.; Bellei, E.; Bergamini, S.; et al. Cephalalgia 2020, 40, 1355-1362.
[5] Rustichelli, C.; Bellei, E.; Bergamini, S.; et al. J Head Pain 2021, 22, 13
Some structural and dynamical properties of multilamellar vesicles incorporated with propranolol
No full textTectonic vs. gravitational carbonate breccia within karstified strike-slip faults
No full textWe investigate the geometry, distribution, texture and composition of several samples collected along representative sheared breccia dikes and strike-slip faults crosscutting Cretaceous limestones. The study area is located in the Murge Plateau, Italy, where Santonian limestones pertaining to the Calcare di Altamura Formation is nicely exposed along the walls of inactive quarries. During post-Cretaceous tectonics, the 10’s of cm-to-m thick breccias dikes has been sheared, either right- or
left-laterally, deforming its original fabric. At the same time, cataclastic deformation took place, at very shallow depths, within the evolving fault zones brecciating the limestone rocks forming tectonic breccia. The former breccia deposits infill sub-vertical open fissures characterized, at the mesoscale, by a constant thickness. These deposits are made up of an uncemented, clast and matrix-supported breccia with reddish matrix, carbonate cements and iron-manganese oxides. Clasts are from cm- to msized, sub-angular to angular and not sorted at all. Tectonic
breccia, differently, consists of either isolated pockets (along moffset
faults) or continuous, at the mesoscale, volumes (10’s of m-offset faults) made up of cm- to 10’s of cm-sized, sub-angular to sub-rounded clasts embedded within a reddish microcrystalline matrix. Generally, the tectonic breccia is clast-supported. The overall clast size diminishes near the main slip zones. Meso- and microscopic evidences clearly indicates that clasts are due to comminution processes. Ongoing mineralogic analysis will shed lights on the nature of matrix and cements present within the investigated samples. The results of this study will be discussed in terms of the control exerted by pre-existing brecciated
limestone on karst evolution. In fact, the aforementioned breccias strongly affected the paleo-fluid pathways within the evolving strike-slip fault zones, as shown by the numerous field evidences documented in this work
The role of neptunian dikes on strain localization within layered Apulian carbonates, Italy
No full textOutcropping strike-slip faults in Cretaceous peritidal limestones (Altamura Fm.) display different type of calcareous breccia present either within isolated pockets or continuous volumes surrounding the main slip surfaces. Furthermore, original neptunian dikes and sheared neptunian dikes infilled with bauxite-rich matrix and limestone fragments are along walls and pavements of inactive quarries of the Altamura area (Murge area, Italy). In this work, we focus on the distribution, geometry, texture and composition of representative sheared neptunian dikes and tectonic limestone breccias to investigate the role exerted by Cretaceour neptunian dikes on nucleation and growth of strike-slip faults within tight layered limestones. In fact, during post-Cretaceous tectonics some of the 10’s of cm to m-thick neptunian dikes have been sheared, either right- or left-laterally, deforming its original fabric. At the same time, cataclastic deformation of intact limestones took place, at very shallow depths, within the evolving fault zones forming tectonic breccias.
The sheared neptunain dikes are sub-vertical open fissures infilled matrix-supported monomictic intraformational clasts embedded within a reddish hematite-bauxite clayish matrix mixed to calcite microsparry cement . Clasts are from cm- to dm-sized, sub-angular to angular and, overall, quite unsorted. In contrast, tectonic breccias consist of either isolated pockets (along m-offset faults) or continuous, at the mesoscale, volumes (10’s of m-offset faults) of cm- to 10’s of cm-sized, angular to sub-rounded clasts embedded within a calcite marix and often reddish bauxite matrix. Generally, the overall clast size decreases in the vicinity of the main slip surfaces. Meso- and microscopic evidence clearly indicate that clasts are due to comminution processes.
The results of mineralogic analysis conducted on selected samples of sheared neptunian dikes show that the red matrix and cements are mainly made up of quartz, calcite, kaolinite, hematite and goethite. Differently, the results of similar analyses conducted on samples of tectonic limestone breccias are consistent with calcite and iron oxides. The different mineralogic and textural composition of the two aforementioned elements well portray the variety of breccia distribution along the major, 10’s of m-offset fault zones present in the area. In fact the two different rocks show dissimilar grain matrix ratio and clast shape.
The conclusions of this study can be discussed in terms of the control exerted by pre-existing deformation on karst evolution. The study fault zone, actually, show evidences of multiple stages of karst development. Many features such as fracturing, brecciation and cementation suggest that subsurface fluid flow was strongly localized within these evolving fault zones. Faults with presence of remnants of former neptunian dikes can be inferred as a local barriers to fluid flow due to the presence of terrigenous materials chacterised by clay minerals. In contrast, faults in which the fault core is entirely made up of tectonic breccia the abundance of coarse and angular particles ensures efficient transmissibility
Characterization of Walnut Oil and Evaluation of Its Neuroprotective Effects in an In Vitro Model of Parkinson’s Disease
No full textParkinson’s disease (PD) is a common neurodegenerative disorder marked by the degeneration of dopaminergic neurons and the buildup of α-synuclein aggregates. The current treatments focus on symptom relief, with no drugs available to halt disease progression. This has prompted interest in plant-based extracts as alternative therapies. This study examines the neuroprotective and antioxidant effects of walnut oil (WO), extracted from Juglans regia L., in an in vitro PD model using the neurotoxin rotenone (ROT). WO, rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), including linoleic acid (LA) and α-linolenic acid (ALA), together with minor bioactive components, is known for its neuroprotective properties. Using human HMC3 microglial and SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma cells, we tested WO’s effects on ROT-induced toxicity. The experiments were performed at different time points. The results showed that the co-administration of WO with ROT significantly improved cell viability and reduced reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels. Additionally, conditioned media from WO-treated HMC3 cells enhanced SH-SY5Y cell survival, indicating positive microglia–neuron interactions. Cell viability appeared to be concentration- and time-dependent. These findings highlight WO’s potential, mainly due to its PUFA content, as a promising candidate for preventing neurodegenerative diseases like PD; they underscore the potential of WO content in food for the prevention of neurodegenerative diseases such as PD
Dolomitization impact on fracture density in pelagic carbonates: contrasting case studies from the Gargano Promontory and the Southern Apennines (Italy).
No full textThe results of combined field and laboratory analyses carried out in well bedded, partly dolomitized successions of Mesozoic pelagic carbonates outcropping in the Gargano Promontory and Southern Apennines (Italy), revealed that dolomitization can exert opposite roles in modulating fracture density of carbonate successions.
The coarsely crystalline dolomites of the Gargano Promontory, which are characterized by planar-S to planar-E textures and some intercrystalline porosity (3.6–18.4%), are less densely affected by stratabound fractures (mostly joints) than the precursor micritic limestones. In contrast, the finer-crystalline, no porous dolomites outcropping in the Southern Apennines, which are dominated by non-planar-A textures, are more densely fractured than the precursor micritic limestones. Therefore, intrinsic textural parameters of dolomites, such as crystal size, texture and porosity played a prominent role in modulating stratabound fracture density. In addition, dolomites of the Gargano Promontory are thicker bedded than the precursor limestone beds due to their diagenetic homogenization, which is enhanced by absence of strongly stylolitized bed surfaces and marly interlayers. This contributed to reduce the overall density of the stratabound fractures formed later.
As density of stratabound fractures is considered a prominent factor affecting the large-scale porosity of carbonate rocks, the results of this study provide new insights on how dolomitization may either increase or reduce the quality of fractured reservoirs of geofluids through its multiple controls on density of such fractures
Shearing of syn-sedimentary carbonate breccia along strike-slip faults, Altamura Fm., Southern Italy
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