Early-onset neonatal sepsis (EONS), a serious infection in newborns within 3 days, is challenging to diagnose. The current methods often lack accuracy, leading to unnecessary antibiotics or delayed treatment. This study investigates the role of the frozen section examination of placental membranes and umbilical cord (FSMU) to improve EONS diagnosis in the daily lab practice.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIn patients with subacute stroke, task specific training (TST) has been shown to accelerate functional recovery of the upper limb. However, many patients do not have sufficient active extension of the fingers to perform this treatment. In these patients, here we propose a new rehabilitation technique in which TST is performed through a soft robotic hand (SoftHand-X).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFQuantum mechanics allows distribution of intrinsically secure encryption keys by optical means. Twin-field quantum key distribution is one of the most promising techniques for its implementation on long-distance fiber networks, but requires stabilizing the optical length of the communication channels between parties. In proof-of-principle experiments based on spooled fibers, this was achieved by interleaving the quantum communication with periodical stabilization frames.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFQuantum key distribution (QKD) is a technology that allows two users to exchange cryptographic keys securely. The decoy state technique enhances the technology, ensuring keys can be shared at high bit rates over long distances with information theoretic security. However, imperfections in the implementation, known as side-channels, threaten the perfect security of practical QKD protocols.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPhysical activity has been demonstrated to be effective in the prevention and treatment of different chronic conditions, including type 2 diabetes (T2D). In particular, several studies highlighted how the beneficial effects of physical activity may be related to the stability of the DNA molecule, such as longer telomeric ends. Here we analyze the effect of exercise training on telomere length, spontaneous and HO-induced DNA damage, as well as the apoptosis level in leukocytes from untrained or trained T2D patients vs.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPurpose: While a good safety for recombinant human growth hormone (rhGH) therapy at replacement doses is recognized, a possible link between high concentration of the GH-IGF-I axis hormones and side negative effect has been reported. The aim of this pilot study was to assess whether a short-term exposure to supra-physiological doses of rhGH may affect DNA integrity in human lymphocytes (PBL).
Methods: Eighteen healthy Caucasian female (24.
Objective: Hyperglycemia leads to increased production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in type 2 diabetes, which reduces cellular antioxidant defenses and induces DNA lesions. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects on redox homeostasis and DNA oxidative damage of exercise training in patients with type 2 diabetes compared with nondiabetic individuals.
Methods And Results: 12 sedentary type 2 diabetic males (62.
We recently demonstrated that low frequency, moderate intensity, explosive-type resistance training (EMRT) is highly beneficial in elderly subjects towards muscle strength and power, with a systemic adaptive response of anti-oxidant and stress-induced markers. In the present study, we aimed to evaluate the impact of EMRT on oxidative stress biomarkers induced in old people (70-75 years) by a single bout of acute, intense exercise. Sixteen subjects randomly assigned to either a control, not exercising group (n=8) or a trained group performing EMRT protocol for 12-weeks (n=8), were submitted to a graded maximal exercise stress test (GXT) at baseline and after the 12-weeks of EMRT protocol, with blood samples collected before, immediately after, 1 and 24h post-GXT test.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAging is characterized by an impaired capacity to maintain the redox balance both in physiological and pathological situations associated with an increased production of reactive oxygen species. Since the extent of this phenomenon may be influenced by an antioxidants-rich diet, we investigated the effect of supplementation with fresh red orange juice (ROJ) on biochemical and cellular biomarkers of oxidative stress in healthy, trained elderly women after a single bout of exhaustive exercise (EE). To this purpose, a sample of 22 females, 15 (69.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFDespite numerous studies on the role of growth hormone (GH), its function in skeletal muscle apoptosis secondary to various stimuli is poorly understood. In this study, we used rodent muscle cell lines to analyse cell growth and survival as well as the morphological and molecular markers of cell death in C2C12 and L6C5 myoblasts. These cells were treated either in the presence or absence of GH under serum starvation conditions or in the pro-apoptotic concentrations of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: According to the "vascular" theory, arterial overflow in the superior hemorrhoidal arteries would lead to dilatation of the hemorrhoidal venous plexus. A 980-nm diode laser-pulsed shot causes shrinkage of tissue. The depth of shrinkage can be regulated by the power and duration of the laser beam.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAim Of The Study: Conservative operative management of a splenic injury has become more and more employed in order to preserve the immune function of the organ.
Case Report: A case of a rupture of the spleen successfully treated with the use of a radiofrequency thermal energy generator is eported. The parenchymal tear was coagulated by a one cooled tip needle electrode.
To better clarify the relationship between physical activity and oxidative stress, we determined the effects of a maximal test in 18 young subjects with different training levels (six professional Athletes and 12 non-agonists (NA)). Redox homeostasis (total antioxidant activity (TAS), vitamin C and glutathione (GSH)), oxidative damage (diene conjugation and hemolysis), lymphocyte cell death and repair systems (apoptosis, micronuclei and Hsp70 expression) were evaluated. We found that agonistic training led to a chronic oxidative insult (high baseline values of oxidized glutathione (GSSG), micronuclei and hemolysis).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAppendiceal mucocele is an uncommon disorder caused by accumulation of mucus within the appendiceal lumen. Mucoceles represent a heterogeneous group comprising various histopathologic lesions including mucosal hyperplasia, cystoadenomas, and cystoadenocarcinomas and prognosis is related to these subtypes. The most common symptom is pain or a palpable mass in the right lower quadrant on physical examination.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe aim of this article was to review the main indications of laparoscopic colostomy. A series of 9 patients is reported, stressing the technical steps of laparoscopic colostomy. The laparoscopic approach in patients with unresectable colorectal cancer permit to avoidance mayor laparotomy.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFInt J Sports Med
July 2004
The association between physical activity and a decreased risk of age-correlated diseases appears to be well established. Nevertheless, the relation between past life style and current health in the elderly is likely to be affected by interactions of environmental and genetic factors in mediating the effects of exercise on disease prevention. As a contribution to this general issue, a retrospective twin study was undertaken so as to take advantage of the classical twin method in assessing genetic influences on health status in the elderly.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFA renal mass with not typical instrumental characteristic in patient in follow-up for ovarian neoplasia sets to the surgeon serious doubts about proper surgical strategy. Achieve of the conservative renal surgery assisted by the intraoperative use of the radiofrequency energy has allowed to preserve the renal function and the diagnosis of unknown angiomyolipoma.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe activation of telomerase in phytohemagglutinin-stimulated peripheral lymphocytes is thought to play a role in telomere maintenance and DNA repair. Considering the importance of this enzyme in both cancer and senescence, we studied the effects of the telomerase inhibitor 3'-azido-3'-deoxythymidine on the frequency of chromosomal aberrations and micronuclei induced in peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL) of elderly monozygotic and dizygotic twins, evaluated with respect to the genotoxic effects induced in unrelated young subjects. Our results show that the cytogenetic damage induced by 3'-azido-3'-deoxythymidine in human PBL was mainly regulated by genetic factors and allowed the identification of hypersensitive subjects.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe induction of chromosome damage in cultured human lymphocytes by in vitro treatments with aphidicolin (APC) and bleomycin (BLM) has been proposed as test of sensitivity to mutagens. To assess their validity, we have investigated whether the individual expression of induced chromosome damage has a genetic rather than an environmental basis. Metaphase analysis for chromosomal aberrations (CA) and micronucleus (MN) assay in cytokinesis-blocked cells have been performed in peripheral blood lymphocytes from 19 healthy male twins (9 monozygotic and 10 dizygotic pairs), aged 70-78 years, after APC, BLM and APC+BLM treatments.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIn muscle cells, reactive oxygen species (ROS) are continually generated. It is believed that these molecules have a well-established role as physiological modulators of skeletal muscle functions, ranging from development to metabolism and from blood flow to contractile functions. Moreover, ROS may contribute to the development of muscle fatigue, inflammation, and degeneration, and may be implicated in many muscle diseases.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe Authors present a case of an insidious onset of Crohn Disease (CD) in an elderly patient. Diagnosis complicated by extraintestinal manifestation properly of old age could be delayed and often made after surgery on the histological specimen as in our case. CD is uncommon as primary manifestation in old age, often unsuspected, incorrectly diagnosed and in many case the clinical features may lead to late diagnosis.
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