Incubating frozen-thawed buffalo sperm with olive fruit extracts counteracts thawing-induced oxidative stress and improves semen quality.

Freezing-thawing procedures and semen manipulation for in vitro fertilization induce oxidative stress, which in turn leads to impaired sperm quality. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether incubation of frozen-thawed buffalo semen with olive fruit extracts (OFE), known to contain a high concentration of phenolic antioxidants, would improve semen quality by reducing oxidative stress. Frozen sperm (4 ejaculates/4 bulls/3 replicates) were thawed and diluted to 30 × 10/mL in IVF medium with 0, 72, 143, and 214 μL/mL of OFE, corresponding to 0 (D0-control), 50 (D50), 100 (D100), and 150 (D150) μM hydroxytyrosol.

A MiR181/Sirtuin1 regulatory circuit modulates drug response in biliary cancers.

Despite recent advances, biliary tract cancer (BTC) remains one of the most lethal tumor worldwide due to late diagnosis, limited therapeutic strategies and resistance to conventional therapies. In recent years, high-throughput technologies have enabled extensive genome, and transcriptome sequencing unveiling, among others, the regulatory potential of microRNAs (miRNAs). Compelling evidence shown that miRNA are attractive therapeutic targets and promising candidates as biomarkers for various therapy-resistant tumors.

Bluetongue virus seroprevalence and risk factor analysis in cattle and water buffalo in southern Italy (Campania region).

Bluetongue is an arthropod-borne viral infection that is notifiable in several countries and causes significant economic losses and major concerns for ruminant trade. In this study, we investigated bluetongue 1seroprevalence in the Campania region, southern Italy, in cattle and buffalo populations, and assessed which factors were correlated with a high risk of exposure. The infection was widespread, as evidenced by the high individual (43.

Multimodality imaging features of desmoid tumors: a head-to-toe spectrum.

Desmoid tumors (DTs) are a rare and biologically heterogeneous group of locally aggressive fibroblastic neoplasm: their biological behavior spectrum ranges from indolent to aggressive tumors. DTs are classified as intra-abdominal, extra-abdominal, and within the abdominal wall lesions.It is well known that abdominal and extra-abdominal DTs are associated with familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP) and Gardner syndrome.

Evaluation of Salivary Cytokines and Vitamin D Levels in Periodontopathic Patients.

Periodontal disease (PD) is an inflammatory condition of the tissues supporting the teeth, which is widespread among the adult population. Evidence shows a relationship between PD and vitamin D levels, which is involved in the regulation of bone metabolism, mineral homeostasis, and inflammatory response. This study aimed to perform a simultaneous evaluation of inflammatory mediators and vitamin D levels in saliva in periodontopathic patients to better understand their role in periodontal disease.

Meta-Analysis of Personality Traits in Alzheimer's Disease: A Comparison with Healthy Subjects.

Background: The role of specific personality traits as factor risks of Alzheimer's disease (AD) has been consistently found, whereas personality traits specifically related to AD (after the diagnosis) have not been outlined yet.

Objective: A meta-analysis of published studies was performed to determine whether AD patients have a distinctive personality trait profile compared to healthy subjects (HC), similar to or different from a premorbid personality profile consistently reported in previous studies.

Methods: A systematic literature search was performed using PsycInfo (PROQUEST), PubMed, and Scopus.

Personality and Parkinson's disease: A meta-analysis.

Introduction: Personality changes are considered pre-motor features of Parkinson's disease (PD). Cross-sectional studies revealed that PD patients were more introvert, apprehensive, and cautious than healthy subjects (HS), whereas other studies failed to disclose these behavioural traits. Some studies found mixed results concerning Novelty Seeking (NS) and Harm Avoidance (HA) profiles in PD patients.

Neuropsychological profile in parents of adult phenylketonuria patients.

Phenylketonuria (PKU) is a disorder caused by an inborn error of metabolism, causing cognitive and behavioral disorders when not treated. Heterozygotes (i.e.

Impact of anxiety, apathy and reduced functional autonomy on perceived quality of life in Parkinson's disease.

Introduction: Parkinson's disease (PD) is characterized by a wide spectrum of non-motor symptoms that may impact negatively on the activities of the patient's daily life and reduce Health-related quality of life (HRQoL). The present study explored the impact of specific non-motor symptoms on the HRQoL in PD.

Methods: Eighty-four outpatients underwent the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) assessing global functioning and several questionnaires to assess depression, apathy, impulse control disorders (ICD), anxiety, anhedonia and functional impact of cognitive impairment.

Assessment of apathy minimising the effect of motor dysfunctions in Parkinson's disease: a validation study of the dimensional apathy scale.

Purpose: Apathy is associated with motor symptoms in Parkinson's disease (PD); therefore, its evaluation could be influenced by motor disability. The Dimensional Apathy Scale (DAS) evaluates apathy excluding confounding effects of motor symptoms. The present study had three major aims: (a) to explore the psychometric properties of the DAS in non-demented PD patients; (b) to determine an optimal cut-off score of the DAS to identify apathetic PD patients; and (c) to determine a specific apathy profile in PD patients as compared to healthy controls (HC).

Edinburgh Cognitive and Behavioural ALS Screen (ECAS)-Italian version: regression based norms and equivalent scores.

Cognitive assessment for individuals with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) can be difficult because of frequent occurrence of difficulties with speech, writing, and drawing. The Edinburgh Cognitive and Behavioural ALS Screen (ECAS) is a recent multi-domain neuropsychological screening tool specifically devised for this purpose, and it assesses the following domains: executive functions, social cognition, verbal fluency and language (ALS-specific), but also memory and visuospatial abilities (Non-ALS specific). ECAS total score ranges from 0 (worst performance) to 136 (best performance).

Personality in Parkinson's disease: Clinical, behavioural and cognitive correlates.

Affective disorders and personality changes have long been considered pre-motor aspects of Parkinson's disease (PD). Many authors have used the term "premorbid personality" to define distinctive features of PD patients' personality characterized by reduced exploration of new environmental stimuli or potential reward sources ("novelty seeking") and avoidance behaviour ("harm avoidance") present before motor features. The functional correlates underlying the personality changes described in PD, implicate dysfunction of meso-cortico-limbic and striatal circuits.

Assessment of apathy independent of physical disability: validation of the Dimensional Apathy Scale in Italian healthy sample.

Apathy is well described in neurodegenerative diseases characterized by motor disability; therefore, assessment of apathy avoiding possible confounding effects of motor impairments is necessary in neurological diseases. Recently, the Dimensional Apathy Scale (DAS) was developed to assess apathy as multifaceted construct, independent of physical disability. We developed the Italian version of the Dimensional Apathy Scale (I-DAS) and explored its psychometric properties in a sample of 309 healthy individuals.

Rouleau version of the Clock Drawing Test: age- and education-adjusted normative data from a wide Italian sample.

Objective: The Clock Drawing Test (CDT) is widely used as a screening tool for discriminating cognitively normal individuals from patients with mild dementia. The aim of present study was to provide normative values for a 10-point quantitative scoring system proposed by Rouleau and colleagues (1992), including CDT total score and subscales score assessing representation of clock face (RC), layout of numbers (LN), and position of hands (PH), in a large sample of Italian healthy individuals.

Method: Eight hundred and seventy-two Italian healthy participants (483 women; age range 20-94 years) with educational level from primary school to university underwent CDT and Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE).

Three-dimensional sonohysterography for examination of the uterine cavity in women with abnormal uterine bleeding: Preliminary findings.

Introduction: To compare the diagnostic values of three-dimensional sonohysterography (3DSH), transvaginal ultrasound (TVUS), and 2-dimensional sonohysterography (2DSH) in the work-up of abnormal uterine bleeding (AUB), in particular the ability of each method to identify intracavitary lesions arising from the endometrium or uterine wall.

Materials And Methods: 24 patients referred for AUB underwent TVUS followed by 2-D and 3-D HS in the same session. Three-dimensional data were acquired with a free-hand technique during maximal distention of the uterus.