The Neuroprotective Effects of 17β-Estradiol Pretreatment in a Model of Neonatal Hippocampal Injury Induced by Trimethyltin.

Hippocampal dysfunction plays a central role in neurodevelopmental disorders, resulting in severe impairment of cognitive abilities, including memory and learning. On this basis, developmental studies represent an important tool both to understanding the cellular and molecular phenomena underlying early hippocampal damage and to study possible therapeutic interventions, that may modify the progression of neuronal death. Given the modulatory role played by 17β-estradiol (E2) on hippocampal functions and its neuroprotective properties, the present study investigates the effects of pretreatment with E2 in a model of neonatal hippocampal injury obtained by trimethyltin (TMT) administration, characterized by neuronal loss in CA1 and CA3 subfields and astroglial and microglial activation.

A vascular endothelial growth factor deficiency characterises scleroderma lung disease.

Objectives: Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is thought to play an important role in systemic sclerosis (SSc) pathogenesis. It was found to be upregulated in the serum and in the affected skin of scleroderma patients. However, its involvement in scleroderma lung disease is not clear.

Cardiovascular risk factors in healthy women with previous small for gestational age infants.

Aim: To investigate whether healthy women with a previous pregnancy complicated by a small for gestational age (SGA) infant have normal endothelial function, carbohydrate and lipid metabolism, and normal inflammation parameters.

Material And Methods: Brachial artery flow-mediated dilatation (FMD, endothelium-dependent) was measured in 16 subjects with previous SGA, and in 15 controls (CTR) with previous normal pregnancies. Lipid panel, glucose, insulin, tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha), soluble intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (s-ICAM), soluble vascular (s-VCAM-1) adhesion molecule-1 (s-VCAM-1), and androgens were also measured.

Bronchoalveolar lavage fluid peptidomics suggests a possible matrix metalloproteinase-3 role in bronchopulmonary dysplasia.

Background: Bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) is an important diagnostic source to investigate molecular changes occurring in lung disorders. The objective of this study was to assess and compare the peptidomic profiles of BALF from premature neonates with and without bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD).

Methods: Samples were obtained on the 3rd day of life from 34 neonates with gestational age View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Association of calcium channel blocker use and pregnancy-associated plasma protein-A among older adults with hypertension: results from the ilSIRENTE study.

Background: Pregnancy-associated plasma protein A (PAPP-A) is a zinc-binding matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) that was shown to increase in acute coronary syndromes. Calcium channel blockers (CCB) can influence the production of several MMPs, but no study, so far, has assessed the association between use of CCB and PAPP-A levels. The aim of the present cross-sectional study was to evaluated if, among older hypertensive adults, PAPP-A levels differ according to use of CCB.

Use of ACE inhibitors is associated with elevated levels of IGFBP-3 among hypertensive older adults: results from the IlSIRENTE study.

Objective: Several studies in vitro or in rodent models have suggested a potential relationship between angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibition and the insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) axis. However, this relationship has only rarely been investigated in humans. The aim of the present cross-sectional study was to assess the association of ACE inhibitors with free IGF-1 and IGFBP-3 in the blood of older hypertensive adults.

Free insulin-like growth factor-I and cognitive function in older persons living in community.

Context: Increasing evidences from experimental and human studies suggest that the activity of the growth hormone (GH/insulin-like growth factor-I) axis may contribute to the age-related cognitive decline and poor cognition in late life.

Objective: The aim of the present study was to evaluate the relationship of total serum free IGF-I and its binding protein-3 with cognitive performance in older persons aged 80 years or older.

Design: Data are from baseline evaluation of the ilSIRENTE study (n=353).

Association between serum free IGF-I and IGFBP-3 levels in type-I diabetes patients affected with associated autoimmune diseases or diabetic complications.

Background: Patients with type 1 diabetes (T1DM) present lower serum free IGF and IGFBP-3 values than healthy people. T1DM patients often present with associated autoimmune diseases such as thyroiditis or coeliac disease, and over time they frequently develop proliferative retinopathy, neuropathy or nephropathy in different combinations.

Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of two associated autoimmune diseases or three diabetic complications on the serum free IGF-I or IGFBP-3 levels in T1DM patients, who also have a family history of T1DM.

Epithelial lining fluid free IGF-I-to-PAPP-A ratio is associated with bronchopulmonary dysplasia in preterm infants.

Preterm newborns developing retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) and bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) show persistently low levels of insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) in sera. They also present higher free IGF-I concentrations in epithelial lining fluids (ELFs) and lung tissues. Pregnancy-associated plasma protein-A (PAPP-A) is a metalloproteinase that dissociates three binding proteins from the active form of IGF-I, namely free IGF-I.

Inverse correlation between serum free IGF-I and IGFBP-3 levels and blood pressure in patients affected with type 1 diabetes.

Background: Even though the gene encoding for IGF-I is considered of most importance amongst blood pressure-regulating genes in mouse models, little and discordant data are available in literature for what concerns a possible relationship between blood pressure and serum free IGF-I values in humans. In addition, no information is available on type 1 diabetes patients.

Aim: Our aim is to analyze the relationship between systolic and diastolic blood pressure and serum free IGF-I and IGFBP-3 levels in subjects suffering from type 1 diabetes.

Safety of video-assisted thyroidectomy versus conventional surgery.

Background: Thyroid gland manipulation, surgical stress response, and postoperative outcome in cases of video-assisted thyroidectomy (VAT) and conventional thyroidectomy were compared to verify the safety of VAT.

Methods: Twenty consenting patients were randomly assigned to undergo VAT or conventional thyroidectomy. Serum thyroglobulin levels were monitored as indicators of thyroid manipulation, and C-reactive protein and white blood cell count were monitored to assess surgical stress response.

Atorvastatin treatment does not affect gonadal and adrenal hormones in type 2 diabetes patients with mild to moderate hypercholesterolemia.

Atorvastatin, a second generation synthetic 3-hydroxy 3-methylglutaryl-coenzyme-A (HMG-CoA) reductase inhibitor used in the treatment of hypercholesterolemia, reduces both intracellular cholesterol synthesis and serum cholesterol levels, and this could have a potential negative impact on gonadal and adrenal steroidogenesis. Hypercholesterolemia in type 2 diabetes, even when mild, must be treated in an aggressive way, due to the more strict therapeutic goals than in the non diabetic population. Since the wide use of 3-hydroxy 3-methylglutaryl-coenzyme-A (HMG-CoA) reductase inhibitor (statins) in type 2 diabetes, the main aim of our study was to evaluate the effects of "therapeutic" doses of atorvastatin on gonadal and adrenal hormones in 24 type 2 diabetic patients (16 males and 8 postmenopausal females), with mild to moderate hypercholesterolemia (LDL-cholesterol = 150.