Noise Enhances Action Potential Generation in Mouse Sensory Neurons via Stochastic Resonance.

Noise can enhance perception of tactile and proprioceptive stimuli by stochastic resonance processes. However, the mechanisms underlying this general phenomenon remain to be characterized. Here we studied how externally applied noise influences action potential firing in mouse primary sensory neurons of dorsal root ganglia, modelling a basic process in sensory perception.

Significance of masked and nocturnal hypertension in normotensive women coursing a high-risk pregnancy.

Objective: The aim was to evaluate the prevalence of nocturnal and masked hypertension and the prognostic values of these blood pressure (BP) abnormalities in normotensive women coursing a high-risk pregnancy.

Methods: The study was performed in pregnant women with 20 or more weeks of gestation coursing a high-risk pregnancy, sent to a specialized hypertension department to perform a prospective defined protocol of BP evaluation. Women with office BP at least 140/90 mmHg were excluded.

The Antimicrobial Photodynamic Therapy in the Treatment of Peri-Implantitis.

Introduction. The aim of this study is to demonstrate the effectiveness of addition of the antimicrobial photodynamic therapy to the conventional approach in the treatment of peri-implantitis. Materials and Methods.

[ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction in a patient with thrombophilia taking new oral anticoagulants].

We report the case of a 65--year-old woman admitted for inferior ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction complicated by complete atrioventricular block. The patient was under treatment with a novel oral anticoagulant (NOAC, rivaroxaban) because of a history of recurrent idiopathic pulmonary embolism. Emergency angiography showed complete acute thrombotic occlusion of the right coronary artery.

Scar Detection by Pulse-Cancellation Echocardiography: Validation by CMR in Patients With Recent STEMI.

Objectives: This study sought to assess an echocardiographic approach (scar imaging echocardiography with ultrasound multipulse scheme [eSCAR]), based on existing multipulse ultrasound scheme, as a marker of myocardial scar in humans, compared with cardiac magnetic resonance assessing late gadolinium enhancement (CMR-LGE).

Background: The detection of myocardial scar impacts patient prognosis and management in coronary artery disease and other types of cardiac disease. The clinical experience with echocardiography suggests that the reflected ultrasound signal is often significantly enhanced in infarcted myocardial segments.

Atrial Conduction Velocity Correlates with Frequency Content of Bipolar Signal.

Background: Anisotropy in conduction velocity (CV) is a key substrate abnormality influencing atrial arrhythmias. In skeletal muscle fibers, CV and frequency content of the surface electromyogram signal are directly related. We hypothesized that in human atria the frequency content of the bipolar signal, recorded on the endocardial surface, is directly related to the local CV.

Italian translation, cultural adaptation and validation of the "American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society's (AOFAS) ankle-hindfoot scale".

Background and Aim of the workAnkle and hindfoot injuries are common and may lead to functional impairment, disability, exclusion from occupational and daily activities. It's necessary a standardized method for assessing treatment outcomes in people with same condition and disease.American-Orthopaedics-Foot-and-Ankle-Society's-Ankle-Hindfoot-Evaluation-Scale (AOFAS-AHES) is specific to estimate clinical problems of the ankle-hindfoot.

Postoperative blood salvage versus allogeneic blood transfusion in total knee and hip arthroplasty: a literature review.

Background And Aim Of The Work: We aimed to compare Postoperative Blood Salvage (PBS) with Allogeneic Blood Transfusion (ABT) in patients undergoing Total Hip and Knee Arthroplasty (THA, TKA).

Methods: A bibliographic research was carried out in order to review the literature dedicated to postoperative blood salvage in major orthopaedic surgery, excluding papers dealing exclusively with preoperative autologous donation, intraoperative blood salvage and ABT. PBS and ABT were compared according to complications, costs and duration of hospitalization.

Cross-cultural validation of the Italian version of the Cumulated Ambulation Score.

Hip fractures are common in elderly patients, and walking impairment is a frequent complication. The Cumulated Ambulation Score (CAS) is a validated functional scale used to monitor easily three basic mobility activities in patients with hip fracture. The aim of this study was to translate, cross-cultural adapt, and validate the CAS in the Italian language (CAS-I).

Intestinal microbiota sustains inflammation and autoimmunity induced by hypomorphic RAG defects.

Omenn syndrome (OS) is caused by hypomorphic Rag mutations and characterized by a profound immunodeficiency associated with autoimmune-like manifestations. Both in humans and mice, OS is mediated by oligoclonal activated T and B cells. The role of microbial signals in disease pathogenesis is debated.

Ectonucleotidase activity and immunosuppression in astrocyte-CD4 T cell bidirectional signaling.

Astrocytes play a crucial role in neuroinflammation as part of the glia limitans, which regulates infiltration of the brain parenchyma by leukocytes. The signaling pathways and molecular events, which result from the interaction of activated T cells with astrocytes are poorly defined. Here we show that astrocytes promote the expression and enzymatic activity of CD39 and CD73 ectonucleotidases in recently activated CD4 cells by a contact dependent mechanism that is independent of T cell receptor interaction with class II major histocompatibility complex (MHC).

Hydrogen Sulfide Is a Novel Regulator of Bone Formation Implicated in the Bone Loss Induced by Estrogen Deficiency.

Hydrogen sulfide (H2 S) is a gasotransmitter known to regulate bone formation and bone mass in unperturbed mice. However, it is presently unknown whether H2 S plays a role in pathologic bone loss. Here we show that ovariectomy (ovx), a model of postmenopausal bone loss, decreases serum H2 S levels and the bone marrow (BM) levels of two key H2 S-generating enzymes, cystathione β-synthase (CBS) and cystathione γ-lyase (CSE).

Lack of anti-inflammatory and anti-catabolic effects on basal inflamed osteoarthritic chondrocytes or synoviocytes by adipose stem cell-conditioned medium.

Objective: To define whether good manufacturing practice (GMP)-clinical grade adipose stem cell (ASC)-derived conditioned medium (CM) is as effective as GMP-ASC in modulating inflammatory and catabolic factors released by both osteoarthritis (OA) chondrocytes or synoviocytes.

Methods: OA chondrocytes and synoviocytes were treated with ASC-CM or co-cultured with ASC. Inflammatory factors (IL6, CXCL1/GROα,CXCL8/IL8, CCL2/MCP-1, CCL3/MIP-1α and CCL5/RANTES) and proteinases, such as metalloproteinase (MMP13), a disintegrin and metalloproteinase with thrombospondin motifs (ADAMTS4, ADAMTS5) and their tissue metalloproteinase inhibitors (TIMP1, TIMP3) were evaluated by qRT-PCR or immunoassays.

Osteogenic differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells from dental bud: Role of integrins and cadherins.

Several studies have reported the beneficial effects of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) in tissue repair and regeneration. New sources of stem cells in adult organisms are continuously emerging; dental tissues have been identified as a source of postnatal MSCs. Dental bud is the immature precursor of the tooth, is easy to access and we show in this study that it can yield a high number of cells with ≥95% expression of mesenchymal stemness makers and osteogenic capacity.

Enhancement of Muscle T Regulatory Cells and Improvement of Muscular Dystrophic Process in mdx Mice by Blockade of Extracellular ATP/P2X Axis.

Infiltration of immune cells and chronic inflammation substantially affect skeletal and cardiac muscle degeneration in Duchenne muscular dystrophy. In the immune system, extracellular adenosine triphosphate (ATP) released by dying cells is sensed as a danger associated molecular pattern through P2 purinergic receptors. Specifically, the P2X7 subtype has a prominent role in regulating immune system physiology and contributes to inflammasome activation also in muscle cells.

Effects of critical thermal cycling on the flexural strength of resin composites.

We compared flexural strength (FS) in four resin composites before and after three protocols for thermal cycling aging. Four resin composites were evaluated: Enamel Plus Hri, Gradia Direct Posterior, Grandioso, and Grandioso Flow. Sixty specimens (2 × 2 × 25 mm) were fabricated using a split metallic mold and light-cured for 30 s.

Immediate occlusal loading of one-piece zirconia implants: five-year radiographic and clinical evaluation.

Purpose: To evaluate radiographic and clinical outcomes of immediate occlusally loaded one-piece zirconia implants after 5 years of follow-up.

Materials And Methods: This longitudinal clinical investigation included patients older than 18 years, in need of implant-supported single-unit dental rehabilitations. One-piece zirconia in healed and postextraction sites and immediately restored with provisional crowns in light occlusal contact.

Fusarium spp. is able to grow and invade healthy human nails as a single source of nutrients.

Onychomycosis caused by Fusarium spp. is emerging, but some factors associated with its development remain unclear, such as whether this genus is keratinolytic. The main aim of the present study was to evaluate the ability of Fusarium to use the human nail as a single source of nutrients.

Transphyseal elbow fracture in newborn: review of literature.

Transphyseal elbow fracture is a rare entity in newborns, and in the last century, only case reports or small case series have been published; however, precise epidemiological data lack. Such fractures occur more often in emergency Caesarian section or vaginal delivery. The differential diagnosis with elbow dislocation can be challenging.

Partial block by riluzole of muscle sodium channels in myotubes from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis patients.

Denervated muscles undergo fibrillations due to spontaneous activation of voltage-gated sodium (Na(+)) channels generating action potentials. Fibrillations also occur in patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Riluzole, the only approved drug for ALS treatment, blocks voltage-gated Na(+) channels, but its effects on muscle Na(+) channels and fibrillations are yet poorly characterized.

Seed-mediated gene flow promotes genetic diversity of weedy rice within populations: implications for weed management.

Increased infestation of weedy rice-a noxious agricultural pest has caused significant reduction of grain yield of cultivated rice (Oryza sativa) worldwide. Knowledge on genetic diversity and structure of weedy rice populations will facilitate the design of effective methods to control this weed by tracing its origins and dispersal patterns in a given region. To generate such knowledge, we studied genetic diversity and structure of 21 weedy rice populations from Sri Lanka based on 23 selected microsatellite (SSR) loci.

Thompson calf squeezing test: clinical and ultrasound correlations in the follow up of Achille's tenorraphy.

In the follow up of Achille's tenorraphy, negativization of Thompson calf queezing test is not always omogeneous and absolute. Aim of the paper is to correlate Thompson test to different anatomical-ultrasound and functional parameters. We investigated clinically and by ultrasound 61 patients operated on of Achille's tenorraphy at Novara Hospital with follow-up of 10 to 46 months.

Noise in multiple sclerosis: unwanted and necessary.

As our knowledge about the etiology of multiple sclerosis (MS) increases, deterministic paradigms appear insufficient to describe the pathogenesis of the disease, and the impression is that stochastic phenomena (i.e. random events not necessarily resulting in disease in all individuals) may contribute to the development of MS.