Alzheimer's Disease: Treatment Strategies and Their Limitations.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most frequent case of neurodegenerative disease and is becoming a major public health problem all over the world. Many therapeutic strategies have been explored for several decades; however, there is still no curative treatment, and the priority remains prevention. In this review, we present an update on the clinical and physiological phase of the AD spectrum, modifiable and non-modifiable risk factors for AD treatment with a focus on prevention strategies, then research models used in AD, followed by a discussion of treatment limitations.

Transfer Phenomena of Nanoliposomes by Live Imaging of Primary Cultures of Cortical Neurons.

Soft nanoparticles, and in particular, nanoliposomes (NL), have attracted increasing interest for their use in food, nutraceuticals, and in particular, in pharmaceutics for drug delivery. Recent data using salmon lecithin NL suggest that these NL, rich in omega-3 (n-3) fatty acids, can improve the bioavailability and transport of molecules through the blood brain barrier (BBB) to target the brain for the prevention and treatment of neurodegenerative diseases. The objective of this study was to characterize the physicochemical properties and analyze the transfer phenomena of salmon lecithin NL over time in neurons to better understand the behavior of NL in an intracellular environment.

Adrenalectomy Improves Blood Pressure and Metabolic Control in Patients With Possible Autonomous Cortisol Secretion: Results of a RCT.

Objective: The best approach to patients with adrenal incidentaloma (AI) and possible autonomous cortisol secretion (PACS) is debated. The aim of this study was to assess the metabolic effect of adrenalectomy in AI patients with PACS in relation to cortisol secretion parameters, peripheral activation, and glucocorticoid sensitivity.

Design: This is a multicenter randomized study (NCT number: NCT04860180).

Use of Active Salmon-Lecithin Nanoliposomes to Increase Polyunsaturated Fatty Acid Bioavailability in Cortical Neurons and Mice.

Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 PUFAs) play an important role in the development, maintenance, and function of the brain. Dietary supplementation of n-3 PUFAs in neurological diseases has been a subject of particular interest in preventing cognitive deficits, and particularly in age-related neurodegeneration. Developing strategies for the efficient delivery of these lipids to the brain has presented a challenge in recent years.

Pain assessment and management in Italian Haemophilia Centres.

Background: Although the widespread use of factor VIII/IX replacement therapy has significantly reduced the severity of arthropathy in persons with haemophilia (PWH), some develop degenerative joint changes, associated with significant pain. The aim of this survey was to investigate the management and perception of pain among Italian physicians who treat PWH.

Materials And Methods: Between September and October 2017, a questionnaire was distributed to 35 Italian haemophilia treatment centres (60 physicians).

Hypertryptasemia and Mast Cell-Related Disorders in Severe Osteoporotic Patients.

Purpose: Systemic mastocytosis (SM) is characterized by a clonal proliferation of neoplastic mast cells (MCs) in one or more extracutaneous organs including the bone marrow (BM). SM is often associated with osteoporosis (OP) and fractures. Hypertryptasemia usually occurs in SM.

Mental Health in Patients With Adrenal Incidentalomas: Is There a Relation With Different Degrees of Cortisol Secretion?

Context: Cushing's syndrome frequently causes mental health impairment. Data in patients with adrenal incidentaloma (AI) are lacking.

Objective: We aimed to evaluate psychiatric and neurocognitive functions in AI patients, in relation to the presence of subclinical hypercortisolism (SH), and the effect of adrenalectomy on mental health.

Circulating fractures-related microRNAs distinguish primary hyperparathyroidism-related from estrogen withdrawal-related osteoporosis in postmenopausal osteoporotic women: A pilot study.

Primary hyperparathyroidism (PHPT) represents a common cause of secondary osteoporosis in postmenopausal women, where the negative effect of estrogen withdrawal and that of hyperparathyroidism on bone mineralization coexist. Circulating microRNAs (miRNAs) expression profile has been correlated to both osteoporosis and fragility fractures. The study aimed to profile a set of miRNAs associated with osteoporotic fractures, namely miR-21-5p, miR-23a-5p, miR-24-2-5p, miR-24-3p, miR-93-5p, miR-100-5p, miR-122-5p, miR-124-3p, miR-125b-5p and miR-148-3p, in the plasma of 20 postmenopausal PHPT women.

Circulating IL-17A Levels in Postmenopausal Women with Primary Hyperparathyroidism.

Background: Primary hyperparathyroidism (PHPT) is a common cause of secondary osteoporosis in postmenopausal women. Th17 lymphocytes and the released cytokine IL-17A play an important role in bone metabolism. Th17 cells have been shown to be activated by PTH, and peripheral blood T cells from patients affected with PHPT express higher levels of IL-17A mRNA than controls.

Symptomatic Hypercalcemia in Patients with Primary Hyperparathyroidism Is Associated with Severity of Disease, Polypharmacy, and Comorbidity.

Current primary hyperparathyroidism (PHPT) clinical presentation is asymptomatic in more than 90% of patients, while symptoms concern osteoporosis and rarely kidney stones. Here, we retrospectively investigated the prevalence of PHPT patients presenting with hypercalcemic-related symptoms (HS-PHPT) as cognitive impairment, changes in sensorium, proximal muscle weakness, nausea and vomiting, constipation, and severe dehydration, in a single center equipped with an emergency department and described their clinical features and outcome in comparison with a series of asymptomatic PHPT out-patients (A-PHPT). From 2006 to 2016, 112 PHPT patients were consecutively diagnosed: 16% ( = 18, 3M/15F) presented with hypercalcemic-related symptoms.

Fragility fractures and bone mineral density in male patients affected by type 1 and type 2 myotonic dystrophy.

Myotonic dystrophy is a multisystemic disorder affecting skeletal muscle. Male patients have an increased risk of fractures and develop a number of endocrine/metabolic impairments known to adversely affect bone health. The aim of this study was primarily to determine the occurrence of fragility fractures and the bone mineralization status (lumbar spine, hip and total body by dual X-ray absorptiometry) in 36 male patients affected with type 1 myotonic dystrophy and 13 male patients affected with type 2 myotonic dystrophy.

Neurotrophic Effect of Fish-Lecithin Based Nanoliposomes on Cortical Neurons.

Lipids play multiple roles in preserving neuronal function and synaptic plasticity, and polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) have been of particular interest in optimizing synaptic membrane organization and function. We developed a green-based methodology to prepare nanoliposomes (NL) from lecithin that was extracted from fish head by-products. These NL range between 100-120 nm in diameter, with an n-3/n-6 fatty acid ratio of 8.

Familial neurohypophyseal diabetes insipidus in 13 kindreds and 2 novel mutations in the vasopressin gene.

Background: Autosomal dominant neurohypophyseal diabetes insipidus (adNDI) is caused by arginine vasopressin (AVP) deficiency resulting from mutations in the AVP-NPII gene encoding the AVP preprohormone.

Aim: To describe the clinical and molecular features of Italian unrelated families with central diabetes insipidus.

Patients And Methods: We analyzed AVP-NPII gene in 13 families in whom diabetes insipidus appeared to be segregating.

Arthropathy in acromegaly: a questionnaire-based estimation of motor disability and its relation with quality of life and work productivity.

Purpose: Arthropathy is a common and disabling complication of acromegaly. Since in this condition radiological findings rarely correspond to functional impairment, we elected to quantify in a large cohort of acromegalic patients: the degree of motor disability compared with data from general population, the impact of joint involvement on quality of life and work productivity, and to look for associated factors.

Methods: In 211 acromegalic patients, 131 with controlled disease and 80 with active disease, eight validated scales were used to evaluate the (i) prevalence and distribution of arthropathy, (ii) degree of motor disability and joint symptoms (VAS, AIMS symptoms and WOMAC), (iii) quality of life (AcroQoL and PASQ) and work capability (WPAI:GH) as consequences of joint complications.

Standard and water rehabilitation: An analysis of over 14 years' experience in patients with haemophilia or other clotting factor disorders after orthopaedic surgery.

Introduction: In people with haemophilia (PWH) with severe arthropathy, total joint replacement (TJR) can be undertaken if conservative management fails. Post-operative rehabilitation treatment is an important part of the comprehensive management of patients undergoing TJR.

Aim: To compare post-operative standard rehabilitation (SR) and SR plus water rehabilitation (WR) in PWH undergoing TJR.

Effects of 12-months treatment with zoledronate or teriparatide on intima-media thickness of carotid artery in women with postmenopausal osteoporosis: A pilot study.

Atherosclerosis and osteoporosis are interrelated entities and share similar pathogenic mechanisms. Recent studies showed that key proteins of bone metabolism, such as osteoprotegerin (OPG) and osteopontin (OPN), are also involved in vascular atherosclerosis and calcifications. The carotid intima-media thickness (CA-IMT) is an early quantitative marker of generalized atherosclerosis.

BDNF-Live-Exon-Visualization (BLEV) Allows Differential Detection of BDNF Transcripts and .

exon-IV and exon-VI transcripts are driven by neuronal activity and are involved in pathologies related to sleep, fear or memory disorders. However, how their differential transcription translates activity changes into long-lasting network changes is elusive. Aiming to trace specifically the network controlled by exon-IV and -VI derived BDNF during activity-dependent plasticity changes, we generated a transgenic reporter mouse for - - ), in which expression of exon-IV and -VI can be visualized by co-expression of CFP and YFP.

The Positive Role of Curcumin-Loaded Salmon Nanoliposomes on the Culture of Primary Cortical Neurons.

Curcumin (diferuloylmethane) is a natural bioactive compound with many health-promoting benefits. However, its poor water solubility and bioavailability has limited curcumin’s biomedical application. In the present study, we encapsulated curcumin into liposomes, formed from natural sources (salmon lecithin), and characterized its encapsulation efficiency and release profile.

Circulating Irisin Is Reduced in Male Patients with Type 1 and Type 2 Myotonic Dystrophies.

Context: Myotonic dystrophies (DM) are dominantly inherited muscle disorders characterized by myotonia, muscle weakness, and wasting. The reasons for sarcopenia in DMs are uncleared and multiple factors are involved. Irisin, a positive hormone regulator of muscle growth and bone, may play a role.

Serum NT-proBNP Levels Are Not Related to Vitamin D Status in Young Patients with Congenital Heart Defects.

Context: Hypovitaminosis D frequently occurs in early life and increases with age. Vitamin D has been suggested to influence cardiac performance and N-terminal-pro-type B natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) release in adults with heart failure.

Objectives: To assess the vitamin D status and the impact of hypovitaminosis D on circulating NT-proBNP levels in young patients with congenital heart defects (CHD).

Treatment with teriparatide might be associated with cardiometabolic changes in postmenopausal severe osteoporotic women.

Parathormone (PTH) has been suggested to affect the cardiovascular system. Teriparatide (TPT), the hormonally active 1-34 fragment of PTH, provides an anabolic treatment for osteoporosis. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the cardiometabolic effects of 18-month treatment with 20 μg/ die teriparatide subcutaneosly.

Infection and characterization of Toxoplasma gondii in human induced neurons from patients with brain disorders and healthy controls.

Toxoplasma gondii is a protozoan parasite capable of establishing persistent infection within the brain. Serological studies in humans have linked exposure to Toxoplasma to neuropsychiatric disorders. However, serological studies have not elucidated the related molecular mechanisms within neuronal cells.

Enhanced conversion of induced neuronal cells (iN cells) from human fibroblasts: Utility in uncovering cellular deficits in mental illness-associated chromosomal abnormalities.

The novel technology of induced neuronal cells (iN cells) is promising for translational neuroscience, as it allows the conversion of human fibroblasts into cells with postmitotic neuronal traits. However, a major technical barrier is the low conversion rate. To overcome this problem, we optimized the conversion media.

Estimated glomerular filtration rate by serum cystatin C correlates with cardiometabolic parameters in patients with primary hyperparathyroidism.

Objective: Patients with primary hyperparathyroidism (PHPT) are at risk of chronic kidney disease (CKD). Cystatin C (Cys-C) is considered a more reliable tool to assess glomerular filtration rate (GFR) than creatinine. The study aimed to assess circulating Cys-C and its relationships with biochemical PHPT and cardiometabolic parameters.