Publications by authors named "C Alessi"

Coral populations are being progressively thinned by climate change, which elevates the risk of reproductive failure from Allee effects during fertilization. Studies have shown that fertilization success improves during more intense and synchronized spawning, but the local dependence of fertilization on coral density remains unknown in wild populations. Here, we measure the fertilization success of individual colonies of the common table coral, in Palau, Micronesia.

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Background: Neoplasms in the head and neck often lead to peripheral facial paralysis (PFP), impacting facial expression and causing psychological distress. Standard treatments involve physiotherapy, but botulinum toxin type A (BTA) and hyaluronic acid (HA) injections have shown promise in promoting facial symmetry.

Aim: To assess the effectiveness of combined BTA and HA intervention in PFP patients, comparing it to conventional treatment (physiotherapy).

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  • - Short-term dual antiplatelet treatment (DAPT) shows better effectiveness compared to single antiplatelet treatment (SAPT) for preventing secondary strokes in patients with mild to moderate strokes and high-risk TIAs, according to a study of 2016 patients.
  • - Patients treated with DAPT had a higher likelihood of regaining pre-stroke neurological function within 90 days and showed more early neurological improvement compared to those on SAPT.
  • - The study suggests that DAPT might be a safer and more effective option than SAPT in real-world settings, even for patients not fitting the criteria of major clinical trials.
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  • Nocturia (waking up at night to urinate) and chronic insomnia often affect older adults together, leading to more severe sleep disturbances, yet treatments usually focus on one issue at a time.
  • A study involved older adults with both conditions to test a new treatment approach combining cognitive-behavioral therapy for insomnia and nocturia, as well as a control health education program.
  • Results showed that participants in the combined treatment group experienced a greater reduction in the number of nightly nocturia episodes compared to those in the control group over four months, suggesting the method's feasibility for future research.
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  • Placebo effects are often seen in clinical trials for benzodiazepine receptor agonists, leading to recommendations for discontinuation of these medications in older adults and the use of cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBTI) instead.
  • This study aims to compare the effects of a masked tapering process combined with enhanced CBTI against standard CBTI with an unmasked taper in helping older adults discontinue benzodiazepine receptor agonists.
  • The primary outcome measured is the percentage of participants successfully discontinuing their medication after 6 months, with additional assessments of insomnia severity and short-term discontinuation rates.
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