Publications by authors named "A Brancaccio"

Digital ischemia can be a painful complication of Raynaud's phenomenon or systemic sclerosis, which is caused by narrowing of blood vessels in the toes and hands. Epoprostenol is a potent vasodilator that may be used to treat digital ischemia in this patient population. Our institution provides epoprostenol infusion using two different administration techniques: a 30-h continuous infusion option and a 5-day intermittent 6-h infusion.

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Combining Non-Invasive Brain Stimulation (NIBS) techniques with the recording of brain electrophysiological activity is an increasingly widespread approach in neuroscience. Particularly successful has been the simultaneous combination of Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) and Electroencephalography (EEG). Unfortunately, the strong magnetic pulse required to effectively interact with brain activity inevitably induces artifacts in the concurrent EEG acquisition.

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Background: In healthy subjects, repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) targeting the primary motor cortex (M1) demonstrated plasticity effects contingent on electroencephalography (EEG)-derived excitability states, defined by the phase of the ongoing sensorimotor μ-oscillation. The therapeutic potential of brain state-dependent rTMS in the rehabilitation of upper limb motor impairment post-stroke remains unexplored.

Objective: Proof-of-concept trial to assess the efficacy of rTMS, synchronized to the sensorimotor μ-oscillation, in improving motor impairment and reducing upper-limb spasticity in stroke patients.

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Patients with a mechanical mitral valve have an increased risk of thrombosis, and guidelines recommend a higher international normalized ratio goal for vitamin K antagonists-based anticoagulation. Guidelines provide recommendations for bridging with unfractionated heparin; however, there is no clear guidance on the heparin infusion intensity that should be used. This study was a retrospective, single-center, cohort study of patients aged ≥18 years or older with a mechanical mitral valve admitted from June 2019 to September 2022 who were maintained on a singular heparin infusion intensity nomogram for at least 48 hours.

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Article Synopsis
  • Dystroglycan (DG) is a receptor made up of α- and β-DG subunits, and a specific mutation in the β-DG subunit is linked to muscle-eye-brain disease in humans.
  • In a mouse model with this mutation, many embryos do not survive to term, but those that do show normal early development but later develop muscle issues and changes in protein localization affecting the blood-brain barrier.
  • The mutant mice have reduced levels of DG proteins in muscle and brain, making them a valuable model for studying the effects of β-DG alterations and the underlying mechanisms of a related disease.
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