Stress hormones,sleep deprivation and cognition in older adults

Cognition can be deteriorated in older persons because of several potential mechanisms including the hormonal changes occurring with age. Stress events cause modification in hormonal balance with acute and chronic changes such as increase in cortisol and thyroid hormones, and simultaneous alterations in dehydroepiandrosterone sulphate, testosterone and insulin like growth factor-1 levels. The ability to cope with stress and regain previous healthy status, also called resiliency, is particularly impaired in older persons Thus, stressful conditions and hormonal dysregulation might concur to the onset of cognitive impairment in this population.     

Relationship between use of proton pump inhibitors and IGF system in older subjects

Objectives

to investigate the effects of proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) on the insulin-like-growth factor 1(IGF-1) system in the elderly.

Design

cross-sectional.

Setting

InCHIANTI study.

Participants

938 older subjects (536 women, 402 men, mean age 75.7±7.4 years).

Measurements

complete data on age, sex, BMI, liver function, medications, dietary intake, IGF-1, IGF-binding protein-1 and -3 (IGFBP-1, IGFBP-3).

Results

Participants were categorized by PPI use, identifying 903 PPI non users and 35 users. After adjusting for age, male PPI users (107.0 ± 69.6 vs 127.1 ± 55.8, p<0.001) and female PPI users (87.6 ± 29.1 vs 107.6 ± 52.3, p=0.03) had lower IGF-1 levels than non-users. IGFBP-1 levels were similar in the two groups in both sexes. In whole population, after adjustment for age and sex, PPI users had lower IGF-1 levels 81.9 [61.1–113.8] than nonusers 110 [77.8–148.6], p=0.02. After further adjustment for BMI, albumin, liver function, C-reactive protein, Interleukin-6, number of medications, ACE-inhibitors use, caloric intake, protein intake, physical activity, glycemia, and IGFBP-1, the use of PPIs remained significantly and negatively associated with IGF-1 levels (β±SE=?19.60±9.83, p=0.045).

Conclusion

Use of PPIs was independently and negatively associated with IGF-1 levels.     

Heavy metal concentrations in soils as determined by laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS), with special emphasis on chromium

Soil is unanimously considered as one of the most important sink of heavy metals released by human activities. Heavy metal analysis of natural and polluted soils is generally conducted by the use of atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS) or inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES) on adequately obtained soil extracts. Although in recent years the emergent technique of laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) has been applied widely and with increasing success for the qualitative and quantitative analyses of a number of heavy metals in soil matrices with relevant simplification of the conventional methodologies, the technique still requires further confirmation before it can be applied fully successfully in soil analyses. The main objective of this work was to demonstrate that new developments in LIBS technique are able to provide reliable qualitative and quantitative analytical evaluation of several heavy metals in soils, with special focus on the element chromium (Cr), and with reference to the concentrations measured by conventional ICP spectroscopy. The preliminary qualitative LIBS analysis of five soil samples and one sewage sludge sample has allowed the detection of a number of elements including Al, Ca, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mg, Mn, Pb, Si, Ti, V and Zn. Of these, a quantitative analysis was also possible for the elements Cr, Cu, Pb, V and Zn based on the obtained linearity of the calibration curves constructed for each heavy metal, i.e., the proportionality between the intensity of the LIBS emission peaks and the concentration of each heavy metal in the sample measured by ICP. In particular, a triplet of emission lines for Cr could be used for its quantitative measurement. The consistency of experiments made on various samples was supported by the same characteristics of the laser-induced plasma (LIP), i.e., the typical linear distribution confirming the existence of local thermodynamic equilibrium (LTE) condition, and similar excitation temperatures and comparable electron number density measured for all samples. An index of the anthropogenic contribution of Cr in polluted soils was calculated in comparison to a non-polluted reference soil. Thus, the intensity ratios of the emission lines of heavy metal can be used to detect in few minutes the polluted areas for which a more detailed sampling and analysis can be useful.     

Brain mapping using transcranial magnetic stimulation

Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) is a novel brain stimulation technique that has advanced the understanding of brain physiology, and has diagnostic value as well as therapeutic potential for several neuropsychiatric disorders. The stimulation involves restricted cortical and subcortical regions, and, when used in combination with a visually guided technique, results in improved accuracy to target specific areas, which may also influence the outcome desired. This article reviews the principles underlying the mechanism of action of TMS, and discusses its use to obtain functional maps of the motor and visual cortex, including technical considerations for accuracy and reproducibility of mapping procedures.     

Estrogen-Induced Proliferation in Cultured Hepatocytes Involves Cyclin D1, P21CIP1 and P27KIP1

The purpose of this study was to establish if estrogen-induced hepatocyte proliferation in vitro involves the cell cycle regulators cyclin D1, p21^Cip1, and p27^Kip1. Male rat hepatocytes were cultured in presence of 17-β -estradiol (E₂) ± ICI-182780, a pure estrogen antagonist, and [³H]-thymidine, as required. DNA synthesis as well as p21^Cip1, p27^Kip1, and cyclin D1mRNA and protein levels were evaluated at different times (12, 24, 36, and 48 hours) of incubation. E₂-increased DNA synthesis was correlated with cyclin D1 and p21^Cip1 (mRNA and protein) variations that were reversed by the addition of ICI-182780. p27^Kip1protein levels progressively increased regardless of the presence of E₂ or ICI-182780. Our data confirm that estrogens’ stimulatory effect is related to their ability to increase cyclin D1 levels. The increase of p21^Cip1 is probably related to the reentry of hepatocytes in the quiescent state. p27^Kip1protein is not able to arrest hepatocyte proliferation.     

Evidence-based dexamethasone dosing in malignant brain tumors: what do we really know?

Purpose

The present study aims to conduct a systematic review of literature reporting on the dose and dosing schedule of dexamethasone (DXM) in relation to clinical outcomes in malignant brain tumor patients, with particular attention to evidence-based practice.

Methods

A systematic search was performed in PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, Cochrane, Academic Search Premier, and PsycINFO to identify studies that reported edema volume reduction, symptomatic relief, adverse events and survival in relation to dexamethasone dose in glioma or brain metastasis (BM) patients.

Results

After screening 1812 studies, fifteen articles were included for qualitative review. Most studies reported a dose of 16 mg, mostly in a schedule of 4 mg four times a day. Due to heterogeneity of studies, it was not possible to perform quantitative meta-analysis. For BMs, best available evidence suggests that higher doses of DXM may give more adverse events, but may not necessarily result in better clinical condition. Some studies suggest that higher DXM doses are associated with shorter survival in the palliative setting. For glioma, DXM may lead to symptomatic improvement, yet no studies directly compare different doses. Results regarding edema reduction and survival in glioma patients are conflicting.

Conclusions

Evidence on the safety and efficacy of different DXM doses in malignant brain tumor patients is scarce and conflicting. Best available evidence suggests that low DXM doses may be noninferior to higher doses in certain circumstances, but more comparative research in this area is direly needed, especially in light of the increasing importance of immunotherapy for brain tumors.