The Impact of Sports Training on the Spinal Cord Injury Individual's Balance.

Spinal cord injury (SCI) causes major challenges to mobility and daily life activities and maintaining balance becomes a crucial issue. Individuals with SCI often need to adopt new strategies to manage balance with minimal discomfort. Sports and physical activities have become one of the most popular rehabilitation methods for people with SCI.

Harnessing Cyanine-like Properties to Develop Bright Fluorogenic Probes Based on Viscosity-Sensitive Molecular Rotors.

Dipolar fluorescent molecular rotors (FMRs) are environmentally-sensitive fluorophores that can be used in bioimaging applications to sense local viscosity and polarity. Their sensitivity to viscosity can also be used for the fluorogenic labeling of biomolecules such as DNA or proteins. In particular, we have previously used FMRs to develop a series of tunable fluorogens targeting the self-labeling protein tag Halotag for wash-free protein imaging in live cells.

The Origin and Early Evolution of Life: Homochirality Emergence in Prebiotic Environments.

Homochirality is one of the signatures of life. Numerous geological and prebiotic chemistry studies have proved that disordered soups containing small organic molecules, gases, liquids, and minerals (such as those containing phosphorous) yielded racemic mixtures of building blocks for biomolecule assembly. Polymers obtained from these bricks should have been enantiopure with functional properties similar to modern biomolecules or heterochiral with some functions such as catalyzing a chemical transformation unspecifically.

Microwave-Assisted Syntheses of Rhodamine, Rhodol, and Fluorescein Derivatives.

A series of rhodol-; fluorescein- and rhodamines-based spirolactam compounds, bearing electron donor amines have been prepared. For this purpose we have redesigned the synthesis of the rhodol scaffold using 2-(2,4-dihydroxybenzoyl)benzoic acid obtaining one example rhodol methyl ester in good yields (25-30 %) Thus, one set of non-cytotoxic rhodamine-based compounds has been prepared using thermal and microwave assisted synthesis (40-78 %) and tested as high affinity ATP chemo-sensors.

Shedding Light on the Role of Na,K-ATPase as a Phosphatase during Matrix-Vesicle-Mediated Mineralization.

Matrix vesicles (MVs) contain the whole machinery necessary to initiate apatite formation in their lumen. We suspected that, in addition to tissue-nonspecific alkaline phosphatase (TNAP), Na,K,-ATPase (NKA) could be involved in supplying phopshate (P) in the early stages of MV-mediated mineralization. MVs were extracted from the growth plate cartilage of chicken embryos.

Comprehensive Characterization of an "Off/On" Rhodol-Based Lysosomal Tracker for Orthogonal Cellular Analysis by Confocal Imaging.

Two florescent xanthene-cyanamide lysosomal trackers emitting strongly at ∼525 nm were prepared from fluorescein and rhodol methyl esters in microwave-assisted reactions. Both forms named "off" (nonfluorescent lactam) and "on" (strongly fluorescent ring-opened amide) have been comprehensively characterized out by using a combination of NMR spectroscopy, X-ray analysis, fluorimetry and confocal microscopy. Known rhodamines bearing electron-withdrawing groups (EWGs) exhibit an equilibrium between non-fluorescent (off) and fluorescent (on) depending on the dielectric constant of the medium.

Synthesis of Phospholipids Under Plausible Prebiotic Conditions and Analogies with Phospholipid Biochemistry for Origin of Life Studies.

Phospholipids are essential components of biological membranes and are involved in cell signalization, in several enzymatic reactions, and in energy metabolism. In addition, phospholipids represent an evolutionary and non-negligible step in life emergence. Progress in the past decades has led to a deeper understanding of these unique hydrophobic molecules and their most pertinent functions in cell biology.

Pharmacokinetic and Pharmacodynamic Effects of Oral CXA-10, a Nitro Fatty Acid, After Single and Multiple Ascending Doses in Healthy and Obese Subjects.

10-nitro-9(E)-octadec-9-enoic acid (CXA-10), a novel nitro fatty acid compound, demonstrates potential as a therapeutic agent in multiple disease indications in which oxidative stress, inflammation, fibrosis, and/or direct tissue toxicity play significant roles. Phase I studies were conducted in healthy and obese subjects to evaluate the pharmacokinetics (PK), pharmacodynamics (PD), safety, and tolerability of oral CXA-10 after single and multiple doses in the fed and fasted states that would confirm the mechanisms of action of CXA-10. After single and multiple ascending doses, CXA-10 demonstrated dose-proportional increases in plasma exposure.

Efficacy and safety of an octreotide implant in the treatment of patients with acromegaly.

Context: Acromegaly is caused by excessive GH secretion and IGF-I overproduction. The goals of treatment are to reduce GH and IGF-I values to normal and relieve the associated symptoms.

Objective: The purpose of this article was to demonstrate that an octreotide implant (84 mg) is safe and efficacious in patients with acromegaly who were responsive to prior monthly octreotide long-acting release (LAR) injections.

[Standards and outcome measures in cardiovascular rehabilitation. Position paper GICR/IACPR].

Despite major improvements in diagnostics and interventional therapies, cardiovascular diseases remain a major health care and socio-economic problem in Italy. Costs and resources required are increasing in close correlation to both the improved quality of care and to the population ageing. There is an overwhelming evidence of the efficacy of cardiac rehabilitation (CR) in terms of reduction in morbidity and mortality after acute cardiac events.

A subcutaneous octreotide hydrogel implant for the treatment of acromegaly.

Objective: To evaluate the pharmacokinetics, efficacy, and safety of a subcutaneous octreotide hydrogel implant in patients with acromegaly.

Methods: In 2 phase II open-label randomized studies, patients aged ≥ 18 years with confirmed acromegaly and octreotide responsiveness received one or two 52 mg hydrated implants (52 mg study) or a hydrated or nonhydrated 84 mg implant (84 mg study) inserted subcutaneously in the upper arm. Implants were removed after 6 months.

[Takotsubo syndrome in a young woman during puerperium: case report].

Introduction: Takotsubo syndrome is a reversibile cardiomyopathy that often occurs during an emotional stress and is more frequent in post-menopausal women.

Case Presentation: We describe a clinic case of a 42 years old woman, admitted to our emergency unit because of a thoracic pain. The ECG showed ST-T elevation in V1-V4, the echocardiography revealed akinesia of apical segment of left ventricle.

Global secondary prevention strategies to limit event recurrence after myocardial infarction: results of the GOSPEL study, a multicenter, randomized controlled trial from the Italian Cardiac Rehabilitation Network.

Background: Secondary prevention is not adequately implemented after myocardial infarction (MI). We assessed the effect on quality of care and prognosis of a long-term, relatively intensive rehabilitation strategy after MI.

Methods: We conducted a multicenter, randomized controlled trial in patients following standard post-MI cardiac rehabilitation, comparing a long-term, reinforced, multifactorial educational and behavioral intervention with usual care.

Trends in gender, employment, salary, and debt of graduates of US veterinary medical schools and colleges.

Objective: To characterize trends in gender, employment, starting salaries, and educational debt of graduates of US veterinary medical schools and colleges from 1988 to 2007.

Design: Meta-analysis. Sample Population-Veterinary medical graduates from 26 or 27 of 27 US veterinary schools and colleges from 1988 through 2007.

Coffee consumption and risk of cardiovascular events after acute myocardial infarction: results from the GISSI (Gruppo Italiano per lo Studio della Sopravvivenza nell'Infarto miocardico)-Prevenzione trial.

Background: The relation between coffee consumption and cardiovascular disease has been studied extensively, but results are still debated. In addition, little evidence is available on patients with established coronary heart disease.

Methods And Results: Prospectively ascertained information among 11,231 Italian patients (9584 males and 1647 females) with recent (< or = 3 months) myocardial infarction enrolled in the GISSI (Gruppo Italiano per lo Studio della Sopravvivenza nell'Infarto miocardico)-Prevenzione trial was used.

Efficacy of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids according to clinical characteristics of patients with recent myocardial infarction: insights from the GISSI-Prevenzione trial.

The GISSI-Prevenzione trial established the efficacy of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) for reducing mortality in patients after recent myocardial infarction. The generalisability of such results to clinical practice could vary according to other individual patient characteristics. We analysed the GISSI-Prevenzione database to assess whether other major risk factors, comorbidities, dietary habits, or medications could interact with the efficacy of n-3 PUFA treatment to reduce total mortality.

[Acute myocardial infarction in the elderly. A case-control study with a younger population and review of literature].

Background: ST elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) in old and old-old patients presents several peculiarities in natural history, delay of hospitalization and response to treatment. Aim of this retrospective case control study was to determine presentation, complications and management of elderly patients with STEMI compared to a younger population.

Methods: 462 patients (205 M and 257 F) aged > or =75 years, hospitalized in CCU between 1999 and 2003 for STEMI, were evaluated.

High pulse pressure and low mean arterial pressure: two predictors of death after a myocardial infarction.

Objectives: Although the negative prognostic implication of a clinical history of arterial hypertension in myocardial infarction (MI) survivors is well known, the predictive role of the blood pressure (BP) regimen after MI is not well defined. The aim of this study was to investigate the prognostic significance of different BP indices in post-MI.

Methods And Results: We evaluated the relationship between baseline systolic, diastolic, pulse and mean arterial pressure (MAP), measured by sphygmomanometry at discharge from hospital or within 3 months of an MI, and total and cardiovascular mortality in 11 116 patients enrolled in the GISSI-Prevenzione trial.

[Epidemiology of acute coronary syndrome in Campania].

Recent observational studies have pointed out many problems regarding the pre-hospital and in-hospital management of patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS). The present study analyses the epidemiology of ACS in Campania Region. It has enrolled the 92.

GlObal Secondary Prevention strategiEs to Limit event recurrence after myocardial infarction: the GOSPEL study. A trial from the Italian Cardiac Rehabilitation Network: rationale and design.

Background: Cardiac rehabilitation programmes are a proven treatment for individuals with recent myocardial infarction, resulting in reduced morbidity and mortality compared to usual care. Unfortunately, following completion of a cardiac rehabilitation programme, risk factors and lifestyle behaviours may deteriorate. The GlObal Secondary Prevention strategiEs to Limit event recurrence after myocardial infarction (GOSPEL) study investigates the benefits of a programme of continued educational and behavioural interventions to achieve optimal long-term secondary prevention goals.