Association of LTA and SOD Gene Polymorphisms with Cerebral White Matter Hyperintensities in Migraine Patients

White matter hyperintensities (WMHs) in migraine could be related to inflammatory and antioxidant events. The aim of this study is to verify whether migraine patients with WMHs carry a genetic pro-inflammatory/pro-oxidative status. To test this hypothesis, we analyzed lymphotoxin alpha (LTA; rs2071590T and rs2844482G) and superoxide dismutase 1 (SOD1; rs2234694C) and 2 (SOD2; rs4880T) gene polymorphisms (SNPs) in 370 consecutive patients affected by episodic (EM; n = 251) and chronic (CM; n = 119) migraine and in unrelated healthy controls (n = 100). Brain magnetic resonance was available in 183/370 patients. The results obtained show that genotypes and allele frequencies for all tested SNPs did not differ between patients and controls. No association was found between single SNPs or haplotypes and sex, migraine type, cardiovascular risk factors or disorders. Conversely, the LTA rs2071590T (OR = 2.2) and the SOD1 rs2234694C (OR = 4.9) alleles were both associated with WMHs. A four-loci haplotype (TGCT haplotype: rs2071590T/rs2844482G/rs2234694C/rs4880T) was significantly more frequent in migraineurs with WMHs (7 of 38) compared to those without WMHs (4 of 134; OR = 8.7). We may, therefore, conclude by suggesting that that an imbalance between pro-inflammatory/pro-oxidative and antioxidant events in genetically predisposed individuals may influence the development of WMHs.     

A Sustainable Process for the Production of Varnishes Based on Pelargonic Acid Esters

This work demonstrates the possibility of using pelargonic acid (PA) esters as solvents for vegetable-based varnishes. First, PA was efficiently produced through a chemocatalytic cleavage of oleic acid, practicing an optimized scale-up of previously developed conditions. PA was then esterified with several alcohols ROH (R = Me, i-Pr, n-Bu, n-Hex, 2-ethylhexyl, and sec-octyl) and the products were formulated with a commercial rosin (Phenolic Modified Rosin Esters). Dynamic light scattering (DLS) measures and determination of rheological parameters of the corresponding varnishes disclosed their suitability for applications in offset, coldset, heatset printing inks, and coatings. Furthermore, inks obtained were used to efficiently produce preliminary industrial offset prints.     

Improvement of thermal and mechanical properties by control of formulations in rigid polyurethane foams from polyols functionalized with graphene oxide

This article addresses the optimization of water-blown rigid polyurethane (RPU) foams obtained from a polyol functionalized with graphene oxide (GO). For this purpose, a series of RPU foams are herein synthesized by varying either the isocyanate index, the contents of catalyst or the contents of surfactant, or a combination of these three components. The modifications introduced in the formulation are based on the effect of GO on the reaction kinetics. These strategies are mainly focused on the increase of both isocyanate conversion and polymerization reaction, which decrease for the foams containing GO. Density, cellular structure, thermal conductivity, and mechanical properties of the resulting foams are herein investigated. The results show how controlling PU formulation allows to improve both the thermal and the mechanical behavior in these RPU foams containing GO. The highest cell size reduction of 25% and the lowest thermal conductivity are obtained for the sample with a simultaneous increase in isocyanate index, catalyst content, and surfactant content. Moreover, the adequate combination of these components leads to a high improvement of 59% of the relative Young's modulus and of 54% of the relative collapse stress. © 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2019 , 136, 47474.     

Influence of elastin on the properties of hybrid PCL/elastin scaffolds for tissue engineering

Developing scaffolds by combining different polymers in order to improve the properties of the bare polymers has become an extensively applied practice. Polycaprolactone (PCL) is a synthetic polyester with outstanding properties for tissue engineering (TE), although it does have certain drawbacks that can be counteracted by combining it with other biopolymers. The biopolymer elastin is an essential functional component of the dermal extracellular matrix. Therefore, the aim of this work was to produce binary systems comprising a combination of PCL (16 wt/vol%) and different concentrations of elastin (2 and 4 wt/vol%) to evaluate how the protein affects the matrix. To this end, the morphological, physicochemical, mechanical and biological properties of the aforementioned scaffolds were further characterized, observing that PCL/elastin is a suitable mixture as it improves the wettability of PCL when combined with elastin (the contact angles were reduced from 102 to ca. 70°). In addition, mixing PCL with a small quantity of elastin (2%) improved the mechanical properties of PCL-based scaffolds (Young's modulus increased from 36 to 69 MPa and the maximum stress increased from 11 to 34 MPa).     

Effect of Heat Treatment on the Electrochemical and Mechanical Behavior of the Ti6Al4V Alloy

Metallurgical and Materials Transactions A - The effects of heat treatment on the hardness and electrochemical behavior of the Ti6Al4V alloy were studied. Two heat treatments were performed: one...     

CACNA1A Mutations Causing Early Onset Ataxia: Profiling Clinical,Dysmorphic and Structural-Functional Findings

The CACNA1A gene encodes the pore-forming α_1A subunit of the voltage-gated Ca_V2.1 Ca²⁺ channel, essential in neurotransmission, especially in Purkinje cells. Mutations in CACNA1A result in great clinical heterogeneity with progressive symptoms, paroxysmal events or both. During infancy, clinical and neuroimaging findings may be unspecific, and no dysmorphic features have been reported. We present the clinical, radiological and evolutionary features of three patients with congenital ataxia, one of them carrying a new variant. We report the structural localization of variants and their expected functional consequences. There was an improvement in cerebellar syndrome over time despite a cerebellar atrophy progression, inconsistent response to acetazolamide and positive response to methylphenidate. The patients shared distinctive facial gestalt: oval face, prominent forehead, hypertelorism, downslanting palpebral fissures and narrow nasal bridge. The two α_1A affected residues are fully conserved throughout evolution and among the whole human Ca_V channel family. They contribute to the channel pore and the voltage sensor segment. According to structural data analysis and available functional characterization, they are expected to exert gain- (F1394L) and loss-of-function (R1664Q/R1669Q) effect, respectively. Among the CACNA1A-related phenotypes, our results suggest that non-progressive congenital ataxia is associated with developmental delay and dysmorphic features, constituting a recognizable syndromic neurodevelopmental disorder.     

Constipation: a common problem in patients with neurological abnormalities

Constipation is a frequent complaint among patients with different neurological diseases. This review provides a brief account of the numerous conditions affecting the central, peripheral and intrinsic (enteric) nervous systems in which constipation can be the only clinical manifestation or a component of a complex syndrome. Recent neuropathophysiological acquisitions show that any structural or functional impairment of the intrinsic innervation of the gut, including both developmental (i.e., Hirschsprung's disease and intestinal neuronal dysplasia) and acquired (i.e., either degenerative or inflammatory neuropathies) disorders, can be associated with constipation. Constipation may also arise from derangements of the peripheral nervous system, including diabetes and primary chronic autonomic failure (pandysautonomias). Finally, in the central nervous system, a wide array of disorders (post-traumatic, degenerative, ischaemic or neoplastic) are recognized to determine bowel dysfunction, ultimately leading to constipation. Further understanding of the fine pathophysiological mechanisms through which the intrinsic and extrinsic nerve supplies to the digestive system are involved in idiopathic constipation or in diseases generating this symptom will hopefully lead to a better treatment of this frequent pathological condition.     

Visual evoked potentials are affected by trunk rotation in neglect patients

Steady-state visual evoked potentials (VEPs) were recorded in four patients with unilateral visuo-spatial neglect, stimulating either the left or the right hemifield. In the standard condition (head and body oriented straight ahead towards the stimulus) the left hemifield VEP was delayed. When the body was turned to the left, however, the two hemifield latencies were comparable. These results were confirmed with the transient VEP technique. No effect of trunk rotation was observed in a group of patients with left brain damage and without neglect. The results imply that the sensory afferents from neck muscles might restore the altered occipital activity and suggest that the same conditions which modulate neglect modulate VEPs latencies.     

Effects of reward and response costs on inhibition in ADHD children.

This study examined effects of reward and response costs on the ability of 19 attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and 17 control children to inhibit responding. Children were tested under 4 reinforcement conditions on a go/no-go learning task developed by J. P. Newman, C. S. Widom, and S. Nathan (1985). Two conditions involved both reward and response costs, 1 response costs only, and 1 reward only. ADHD children made more commission errors than controls across the 4 conditions. Analyses of learning curves indicated that group differences became larger on later trials. Thus, impaired inhibition was more generalized in ADHD children than in the psychopaths and extraverts studied by Newman and colleagues, and it became most evident when the children were required to improve learning across trials. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Structural family versus psychodynamic child therapy for problematic Hispanic boys.

Structural family therapy, psychodynamic child therapy, and a recreational control condition were compared for 69 six-to-twelve-year-old Hispanic boys who presented with behavioral and emotional problems. The results suggest that the control condition was significantly less effective in retaining cases than the two treatment conditions, which were apparently equivalent in reducing behavioral and emotional problems as well as in improving psychodynamic ratings of child functioning. Structural family therapy was more effective than psychodynamic child therapy in protecting the integrity of the family at 1-year follow-up. Finally, the results did not support basic assumptions of structural family systems therapy regarding the mechanisms mediating symptom reduction. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)