Examination of pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating polypeptide in Parkinson’s disease focusing on correlations with motor symptoms

GeroScience - The neuroprotective effects of pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating polypeptide (PACAP) have been shown in numerous in vitro and in vivo models of Parkinson’s disease (PD)...     

The interplay between metabolic alterations,diastolic strain rate and exercise capacity in mild heart failure with preserved ejection fraction: a cardiovascular magnetic resonance study

Background

Heart failure (HF) is characterized by altered myocardial substrate metabolism which can lead to myocardial triglyceride accumulation (steatosis) and lipotoxicity. However its role in mild HF with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) is uncertain. We measured myocardial triglyceride content (MTG) in HFpEF and assessed its relationships with diastolic function and exercise capacity.

Methods

Twenty seven HFpEF (clinical features of HF, left ventricular EF >50%, evidence of mild diastolic dysfunction and evidence of exercise limitation as assessed by cardiopulmonary exercise test) and 14 controls underwent ¹H-cardiovascular magnetic resonance spectroscopy (¹H-CMRS) to measure MTG (lipid/water, %), ³¹P-CMRS to measure myocardial energetics (phosphocreatine-to-adenosine triphosphate - PCr/ATP) and feature-tracking cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) imaging for diastolic strain rate.

Results

When compared to controls, HFpEF had 2.3 fold higher in MTG (1.45?±?0.25% vs. 0.64?±?0.16%, p?=?0.009) and reduced PCr/ATP (1.60?±?0.09 vs. 2.00?±?0.10, p?=?0.005). HFpEF had significantly reduced diastolic strain rate and maximal oxygen consumption (VO₂ max), which both correlated significantly with elevated MTG and reduced PCr/ATP. On multivariate analyses, MTG was independently associated with diastolic strain rate while diastolic strain rate was independently associated with VO₂ max.

Conclusions

Myocardial steatosis is pronounced in mild HFpEF, and is independently associated with impaired diastolic strain rate which is itself related to exercise capacity. Steatosis may adversely affect exercise capacity by indirect effect occurring via impairment in diastolic function. As such, myocardial triglyceride may become a potential therapeutic target to treat the increasing number of patients with HFpEF.

     

Size controlled green synthesis of gold nanoparticles using Coffea arabica seed extract and their catalytic performance in 4-nitrophenol reduction

Well crystalline gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) of different sizes were fabricated using sundried Coffea arabica seed (CAS) extract at room temperature by controlling the pH of the green extract. The size, shape and crystallinity of the nanoparticles have been studied using electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction. The presence of phenolic groups (revealed through FT-IR studies) from the CAS extract are responsible both for the reduction of Au ions and stabilization of the formed AuNPs. The efficiency of the CAS extract mediated green synthesis technique for the production of AuNPs has been compared to the conventional chemical Turkevich technique, which not only uses a toxic reductant such as NaBH₄, but also operates around the boiling point of water. It has been observed that the CAS extract mediated synthesis process produces relatively bigger AuNPs at similar pH values of the reaction mixture in comparison to the AuNPs produced in the Turkevich process. Although the AuNPs synthesized using CAS extract are relatively larger and polydisperse in nature, their catalytic efficiencies for the degradation of an aromatic nitro compound (4-nitrophenol) are found to be comparable to the chemically fabricated AuNPs. Probable mechanisms associated with the formation of AuNPs and their size control in the CAS extract mediated green synthesis process have been discussed.

Size dependent catalytic activity of AuNPs synthesized at room temperature from Coffea arabica seed extract.     

Assessing rheumatologists’ attitudes and utilization of classification criteria for ankylosing spondylitis and axial spondyloarthritis: a global effort

Clinical Rheumatology - This study aims to assess rheumatologists’ perceptions, utilization patterns, and attitudes towards the modified New York (mNY) criteria for ankylosing spondylitis...     

Incidence and predictors of de novo late-onset persistent atrial fibrillation in postoperative rheumatic heart disease patients (LOAF-RHD study)

Journal of Interventional Cardiac Electrophysiology - Late-onset atrial fibrillation (LOAF) after valve surgery for degenerative mitral valve disease often with underlying mitral valve prolapse is...     

Precursors of arteriosclerosis in childhood. Protocol and firsts results concerning plasma lipids and carbohydrate tolerance in 520 school children at Pordenone (Italy) (author's transl)]

The cardiological centers of Pordenone and Cittadella (Italy) organized by the Institute of Clinica Medica II of Padua University, have carried out a study on the "Precursors of arteriosclerosis in children", according to a WHO protocol. In this paper some results of the Pordenone study are reported, concerning serum cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG) and blood glucose 1 h after 1 g/Kg glucose per os. 520 school children, males and females, aged 6, 9, 12, 15 years, entered the study. Mean serum TC resulted significantly higher at age 12 as compared to the other age classes. Serum TG progressively increased with age. Mean serum TC and TG in our italian children and adolescents were silimar to those reported in studies from other countries. Blood glucose resulted significantly higher in children than in adolescents. The distribution of the blood glucose values was bimodal. After having arbitrarily fixed cut-off points for serum TC, TG and blood glucose, the prevalence of hyperlipidemia and hyperglycemia was determined. The prevalence figures have shown that at the pediatric age it is possible to identify subjects at "risk" of developing arteriosclerosis.