Chitosan composite microparticles: A promising gastroadhesive system for taxifolin.

Taxifolin possesses gastroprotective property but is characterized by low water solubility, is instabile in alkaline medium, and is degraded by the intestinal bacteria flora. The purpose of the work was therefore to produce a gastroadhesive formulation to prolong taxifolin residence time and release in the stomach. We first demonstrated that taxifolin is stable in simulated gastric fluid with or without pepsin and mucus, and is able to cross pig gastric mucus layer and stomach mucosa. Next, gastromucoadhesive microparticles composed of Syloid® AL-1 mesoporous silica, chitosan and HPMC were produced using spray-drying. Microparticles were characterized by a spherical shape and a mean volume-equivalent diameter around 12 µm. The optimized microparticles were able to release taxifolin and to adhere to pig stomach mucosa for 5 h.

Análogos de prostaglandinas y desarrollo de membrana epirretinal / Topical prostaglandin analogues and development of epiretinal membrane

OBJETIVOS: Evaluar la posible asociación entre el uso de análogos de prostaglandinas (AP) y el desarrollo de membrana epirretinal (MER) en pacientes con glaucoma. MÉTODO: Mediante el método comparativo se realizó un diseño retrospectivo de casos y controles. Se compararon pacientes que presentaban glaucoma y, a su vez, MER y que utilizaban una mayor proporción de AP con un grupo control de pacientes que presentaban glaucoma pero sin MER. El diagnóstico de MER ha sido realizado mediante un examen clínico y un estudio de tomografía de coherencia óptica. RESULTADOS: La edad media de los casos ha sido de 77 años, con DE de 8,68 (IC 95%: 74,3-79,4) y la de los controles de 63 años, con DE de 16,6 (IC 95%: 70,1-78,5). El 50% de los casos (n = 26) estaba compuesto por hombres y el otro 50% eran mujeres (n = 26), mientras que para los controles el 25,4% eran hombres (n = 16) y el 74,6% eran mujeres (n = 47). El 59,6% de los casos (n = 31) y el 60,3% de los controles (n = 38) fueron tratados con AP. No se ha observado ninguna diferencia de colocación de AP entre ambos grupos (p = 0,939). CONCLUSIONES: En este trabajo no hemos podido demostrar si existe asociación entre el uso de AP y el desarrollo de MER

OBJECTIVES: To determine whether patients with glaucoma and epiretinal membrane (ERM) use a greater proportion of prostaglandin analogues (PA) than a control group of patients with glaucoma without ERM. METHOD: A retrospective study of cases and controls was conducted in order to determine whether patients with glaucoma and ERM used a greater proportion of PA than a control group of patients with glaucoma without ERM. The diagnosis of de ERM was made by clinical examination and optical coherence tomography. RESULTS: The mean age of the cases was 77 years (SD: 8.68; 95% CI: 74.3-79.4), compared to the controls with 63 years (SD: 16.6; 95% CI: 70.1-78.5). The cases included 50% (n = 26) men and 50% women (n=26), whereas in the controls 25.4% (n = 16) of the cases were men and 74.6% (n = 47) women. PA treatment was used in 59.6% (n = 31) and 60.3% (n = 38) of the cases and controls, respectively. There was no statistically significant difference in PA use between the 2 groups (P = .939). CONCLUSIONS: In this study, an association between the use of AP and the development of ERM could not be demonstrated

Topical prostaglandin analogues and development of epiretinal membrane. / Análogos de prostaglandinas y desarrollo de membrana epirretinal.

OBJECTIVES: To determine whether patients with glaucoma and epiretinal membrane (ERM) use a greater proportion of prostaglandin analogues (PA) than a control group of patients with glaucoma without ERM. METHOD: A retrospective study of cases and controls was conducted in order to determine whether patients with glaucoma and ERM used a greater proportion of PA than a control group of patients with glaucoma without ERM. The diagnosis of de ERM was made by clinical examination and optical coherence tomography. RESULTS: The mean age of the cases was 77 years (SD: 8.68; 95% CI: 74.3-79.4), compared to the controls with 63 years (SD: 16.6; 95% CI: 70.1-78.5). The cases included 50% (n=26) men and 50% women (n=26), whereas in the controls 25.4% (n=16) of the cases were men and 74.6% (n=47) women. PA treatment was used in 59.6% (n=31) and 60.3% (n=38) of the cases and controls, respectively. There was no statistically significant difference in PA use between the 2groups (P=.939). CONCLUSIONS: In this study, an association between the use of AP and the development of ERM could not be demonstrated.

Long-term safety and efficacy of Omnitrope® in adults with growth hormone deficiency: Italian interim analysis of the PATRO Adults study.

PURPOSE: To report the long-term effectiveness and safety of the recombinant human growth hormone Omnitrope®, a somatropin biosimilar to Genotropin®, in Italian patients with growth hormone deficiency (GHD) enrolled in the PATRO Adults study. METHODS: The PATRO Adults study is an ongoing observational, longitudinal, non-interventional global post-marketing surveillance study, conducted in several European countries. The primary endpoint is long-term safety; secondary endpoints include the effectiveness of Omnitrope®, which was assessed using serum insulin-like growth factor-1 levels, body composition, bone mineral density and lipid levels. Here we report the data from the Italian patients enrolled in the study. RESULTS: Sixty-seven patients (mean age 50.4 years, 61.2% male) have been enrolled and have received a mean 45.4 ± 24.3 months of Omnitrope®. A total of 55.2% of patients were reported to have experienced adverse events (AEs), including arthralgia, myalgia, abdominal distension and hypoaesthesia, and 4.5% had adverse drug reactions. Fourteen serious AEs have been recorded; none of these are considered related to the study drug. The effectiveness of Omnitrope® was similar to other available somatropin preparations. CONCLUSIONS: This study confirms the effectiveness and safety of Omnitrope® in adult patients with GHD in Italy. However, due to the limited size of the study population, these results need to be further confirmed by the global PATRO Adults study.

Topical application of LEVORAG® as first-line treatment for chronic anal fissures: a preliminary multicentric study.

AIM: The aim of the present study was to assess the safety and efficacy of this new topical agent as a first line treatment in patients with chronic anal fissures. METHODS: Nine centres were involved in the study. Patients with chronic anal fissures were recruited and received Levorag® for 40 days. Follow-up visits were conducted at 10, 20 and 40 days from the recruitment. Primary outcome was the healing rate, secondary outcome the reduction of pain at the end of the treatment measured with a VAS scale. RESULTS: Fifty patients completed the treatment. No adverse events were recorded. 60% of patients healed completely at the end of the treatment. In those that did not heal the reduction of mean VAS values was 60%. CONCLUSION: The use of Levorag® on patients affected by chronic anal fissures achieved in the short term results similar to those experienced by more classic local treatments without any side effect.

Immunization with DISC1 protein in an animal model of ADHD influences behavior and excitatory amino acids in prefrontal cortex and striatum.

The Disrupted-in-schizophrenia 1 (DISC1) gene is involved in vulnerability to neuropsychiatric disorders. Naples high-excitability (NHE) rat model neuropsychiatric problems characterized by an unbalanced mesocortical dopamine system. Here, we assessed behavioral and neurochemical effects of immunization against multimeric rat DISC1 protein in adult NHE rats, an animal model of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder and their Random-Bred (NRB) controls. Males of both lines received subcutaneous injections of vehicle (PB), adjuvant only (AD) or recombinant rat DISC1 protein purified from E. coli, suspended in AD (anti-DISC1) at age of 30, 45 and 60 postnatal days (pnd). At 75 pnd, the rats were exposed to a Làt maze and 2 days later to an Olton eight-arm radial maze, and horizontal (HA) and vertical activities (VA) were monitored. Non-selective (NSA) and selective spatial attention (SSA) were monitored in the Làt and in the Olton maze by duration of rearings and working memory, respectively. Post mortem neurochemistry in the prefrontal cortex (PFc), dorsal (DS) and ventral (VS) striatum of L-Glutamate, L-Aspartate and L-Leucine was performed. All immunized rats showed a clear humoral IgM (but not IgG) immune response against the immunogen, indicating that immunological self-tolerance to DISC1 can be overcome by immunization. NHE rats exhibited a higher unspecific IgM response to adjuvant, indicating an immunological abnormality. The sole anti-DISC1 immunization-specific behavioral in the NHE rats was an increased horizontal activity in the Làt maze. Adjuvant treatment increased vertical activity in both lines, but in the NRB controls it increased rearing and decreased horizontal activity. Liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry analysis of soluble or membrane-trapped neurotransmitters aspartate, glutamate and leucine revealed increased soluble aspartate levels in the ventral striatum of NRB controls after anti-DISC1 immunization. Immune activation by adjuvant independent of simultaneous DISC1 immunization led to other specific changes in NHE and control NRB rats. In DISC1-immunized NHE rats, horizontal activity in Lat maze correlated with membrane-trapped glutamate in PFc and in the NRB rats, duration of rearing in Olton maze correlated with membrane-trapped glutamate in PFc and aspartate in dorsal striatum. In addition to non-specific immune activation (by AD), the postnatal anti-DISC1 immune treatment led to behavioral changes related to mechanisms of activity and attention and had influenced amino acids and synaptic markers in striatum and neocortex in the adult NHE as well as control animals.

Doppler-guided transanal haemorrhoidal dearterialization for haemorrhoids: results from a multicentre trial.

AIM: This multicentre study, based on the largest patient population ever published, aims to evaluate the efficacy of Doppler-guided transanal haemorrhoidal dearterialization (THD Doppler) in the treatment of symptomatic haemorrhoids and to identify the factors predicting failure for an effective mid-term outcome. METHOD: Eight hundred and three patients affected by Grade II (137, 17.1%), III (548, 68.2%) and IV (118, 14.7%) symptomatic haemorrhoidal disease underwent THD Doppler, with a rectal mucopexy in patients with haemorrhoidal prolapse. The disease was assessed through a specifically designed symptom questionnaire and scoring system. A uni- and multivariate analyses of the potential predictive factors for failure were performed. RESULTS: The morbidity rate was 18.0%, represented mainly by pain or tenesmus (106 patients, 13.0%). Acute bleeding requiring surgical haemostasis occurred in seven patients (0.9%). No serious or life-threatening complications occurred. After a mean follow-up period of 11.1 ± 9.2 months, the overall success rate was 90.7% (728 patients), with a recurrence of haemorrhoidal prolapse, bleeding, and both symptoms in 51 (6.3%), 19 (2.4%) and 5 (0.6%) patients, respectively. Sixteen out of 47 patients undergoing re-operation had a conventional haemorrhoidectomy. All the symptoms were significantly improved in each domain of the score (P < 0.0001). At multivariate analysis the absence of morbidity and performance of a distal Doppler-guided dearterialization were associated with a better outcome. CONCLUSION: THD Doppler is a safe and effective therapy for haemorrhoidal disease. If this technique is to be employed, an accurate distal Doppler-guided dearterialization and a tailored mucopexy are mandatory to contain and reduce the symptoms.

[Nutritional graph for Argentina's bariatric population]. / Gráfica alimentaria para la población bariátrica Argentina.

INTRODUCTION: A food graph is a guide that helps individuals controlling and improving their feeding quality; it provides recommendations on what should a particular population eat with a correct selection of the nutrients to be consumed. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this publication was to create a food education tool for bariatric surgery patients in the long run of the post-surgical period. METHODS: Graduates in nutrition and physicians specialized in nutrition were invited to participate in workshops at a meeting that took place in 2011. The scientific bases were the First Argentinean Consensus on Nutrition in Bariatric Surgery and the Feeding Guidelines for Normal Argentinean Population. In this way, these guidelines are adapted to the Argentinean population submitted to bariatric surgery, together with the experience of the healthcare professionals. RESULT: This yielded an oval-shaped food graph, an adaptation of the Feeding Guidelines for Normal Argentinean Population, 12 messages or recommendations focused on individuals with bariatric surgery, a recommended menu with a mean energetic value of 1,273 calories per day, 145 g of carbohydrates, 76 g of proteins and 43.2 g of fat; 45.5% of the calories coming from carbohydrates, 24% from proteins, and 30.5% from fat, with 1,160 mg of calcium.

Introducción: Una gráfica alimentaria es una guía que ayuda a los individuos a controlar y a mejorar la calidad de su alimentación; ofrece pautas sobre lo que debe comer una determinada población en términos de alimentos dando un marco para la correcta selección de los nutrientes a consumir. Objetivo: El objetivo de la presente publicación fue crear una herramienta de educación alimentaria destinada a pacientes de cirugía bariátrica para el postoperatorio en el largo plazo. Métodos: Se convocó a participar en mesas de trabajo a licenciados en nutrición y médicos especialistas en nutrición en un congreso realizado en el 2011. Se tomó como base científica el Primer Consenso Argentino de Nutrición en Cirugía Bariátrica y las "Guías alimentarias para la Población Argentina normal". De esta forma se adapta la misma a la población argentina con cirugía bariátrica sumada a la experiencia de los profesionales. Resultado: Como resultado se obtuvo un gráfica alimentaria en forma de óvalo, adaptación de la gráfica de las "Guías alimentarias para la población argentina", 12 mensajes o recomendaciones dirigidas a individuos con CB, una sugerencia de menú que responde a un valor calórico promedio de 1.273 calorías diarias, 145 g de carbohidratos, 76 g de proteínas y 43,2 g de grasas; 45,5% de calorías proveniente de los carbohidratos, 24% de calorías proveniente de las proteínas y 30,5 % de calorías proveniente de las grasas, 1.160 mg de calcio.

Gráfica alimentaria para la población bariátrica argentina / Nutritional graph for Argentina’s bariatric population

Introducción: Una gráfica alimentaria es una guía que ayuda a los individuos a controlar y a mejorar la calidad de su alimentación; ofrece pautas sobre lo que debe comer una determinada población en términos de alimentos dando un marco para la correcta selección de los nutrientes a consumir. Objetivo: El objetivo de la presente publicación fue crear una herramienta de educación alimentaria destinada a pacientes de cirugía bariátrica para el postoperatorio en el largo plazo. Métodos: Se convocó a participar en mesas de trabajo a licenciados en nutrición y médicos especialistas en nutrición en un congreso realizado en el 2011. Se tomó como base científica el Primer Consenso Argentino de Nutrición en Cirugía Bariátrica y las «Guías alimentarias para la Población Argentina normal». De esta forma se adapta la misma a la población argentina con cirugía bariátrica sumada a la experiencia de los profesionales. Resultado: Como resultado se obtuvo un gráfica alimentaria en forma de óvalo, adaptación de la gráfica de las «Guías alimentarias para la población argentina», 12 mensajes o recomendaciones dirigidas a individuos con CB, una sugerencia de menú que responde a un valor calórico promedio de 1.273 calorías diarias, 145 g de carbohidratos, 76 g de proteínas y 43,2 g de grasas; 45,5% de calorías proveniente de los carbohidratos, 24% de calorías proveniente de las proteínas y 30,5 % de calorías proveniente de las grasas, 1.160 mg de calcio (AU)

Introduction: A food graph is a guide that helps individuals controlling and improving their feeding quality; it provides recommendations on what should a particular population eat with a correct selection of the nutrients to be consumed. Objective: The aim of this publication was to create a food education tool for bariatric surgery patients in the long run of the post-surgical period. Methods: Graduates in nutrition and physicians specialized in nutrition were invited to participate in workshops at a meeting that took place in 2011. The scientific bases were the First Argentinean Consensus on Nutrition in Bariatric Surgery and the Feeding Guidelines for Normal Argentinean Population. In this way, these guidelines are adapted to the Argentinean population submitted to bariatric surgery, together with the experience of the healthcare professionals. Result: This yielded an oval-shaped food graph, an adaptation of the Feeding Guidelines for Normal Argentinean Population, 12 messages or recommendations focused on individuals with bariatric surgery, a recommended menu with a mean energetic value of 1,273 calories per day, 145 g of carbohydrates, 76 g of proteins and 43.2 g of fat; 45.5% of the calories coming from carbohydrates, 24% from proteins, and 30.5% from fat, with 1,160 mg of calcium (AU)

Prepuberal intranasal dopamine treatment in an animal model of ADHD ameliorates deficient spatial attention, working memory, amino acid transmitters and synaptic markers in prefrontal cortex, ventral and dorsal striatum.

Intranasal application of dopamine (IN-DA) has been shown to increase motor activity and to release DA in the ventral (VS) and dorsal striatum (DS) of rats. The aim of the present study was to assess the effects of IN-DA treatment on parameters of DA and excitatory amino acid (EAA) function in prepuberal rats of the Naples high-excitability (NHE) line, an animal model for attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and normal random bred (NRB) controls. NHE and NRB rats were daily administered IN-DA (0.075, 0.15, 0.30 mg/kg) or vehicle for 15 days from postnatal days 28-42 and subsequently tested in the Làt maze and in the Eight-arm radial Olton maze. Soluble and membrane-trapped L-glutamate (L-Glu) and L-aspartate (L-Asp) levels as well as NMDAR1 subunit protein levels were determined after sacrifice in IN-DA- and vehicle-treated NHE and NRB rats in prefrontal cortex (PFc), DS and VS. Moreover, DA transporter (DAT) protein and tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) levels were assessed in PFc, DS, VS and mesencephalon (MES) and in ventral tegmental area (VTA) and substantia nigra, respectively. In NHE rats, IN-DA (0.30 mg/kg) decreased horizontal activity and increased nonselective attention relative to vehicle, whereas the lower dose (0.15 mg/kg) increased selective spatial attention. In NHE rats, basal levels of soluble EAAs were reduced in PFc and DS relative to NRB controls, while membrane-trapped EAAs were elevated in VS. Moreover, basal NMDAR1 subunit protein levels were increased in PFc, DS and VS relative to NRB controls. In addition, DAT protein levels were elevated in PFc and VS relative to NRB controls. IN-DA led to a number of changes of EAA, NMDAR1 subunit protein, TH and DAT protein levels in PFc, DS, VS, MES and VTA, in both NHE and NRB rats with significant differences between lines. Our findings indicate that the NHE rat model of ADHD may be characterized by (1) prefrontal and striatal DAT hyperfunction, indicative of DA hyperactivty, and (2) prefrontal and striatal NMDA receptor hyperfunction indicative of net EAA hyperactivty. IN-DA had ameliorative effects on activity level, attention, and working memory, which are likely to be associated with DA action at inhibitory D2 autoreceptors, leading to a reduction in striatal DA hyperactivity and, possibly, DA action on striatal EAA levels, resulting in a decrease of striatal EAA hyperfunction (with persistence of prefrontal EAA hyperfunction). Previous studies on IN-DA treatment in rodents have indicated antidepressant, anxiolytic and anti-parkinsonian effects in relation to enhanced central DAergic activity. Our present results strengthen the prospects of potential therapeutic applications of intranasal  DA by indicating an enhancement of selective attention and working memory in a deficit model.

Metabolic syndrome in adult patients with Prader-Willi syndrome.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS), the most common genetic cause of obesity, is characterized by elevated morbility and mortality in all ages. In this context, non-obese PWS children showed low frequency of metabolic syndrome (MetS), while a comparable prevalence was observed in obese PWS and obese controls. Aim of this study was to estimate the occurrence of MetS and its components in a large group of PWS adults, according to obesity status. METHODS AND RESULTS: A cross-sectional study was performed in 108 PWS aged 18.0-43.2 years (87 obese and 21 non-obese) and in 85 controls with nonsyndromic obesity matched for age, gender, and BMI with obese PWS. Non-obese PWS showed lower waist circumference, insulin, HOMA-index, triglycerides, diastolic blood pressure, and higher HDL-C than both obese PWS and obese controls (p < 0.017). Obese PWS showed higher glucose and systolic blood pressure than both non-obese PWS and obese controls (p < 0.017). MetS was found in 1/21 (4.8%) non-obese PWS, 36/87 (41.4%) obese PWS and 39/85 (45.9%) obese controls. Non-obese PWS showed lower frequency for each MetS component as compared with obese PWS and obese controls. PWS patients with deletion of the chromosome 15q11-13 showed a lower risk for low HDL-C (p < 0.01) and a trend towards a lower MetS risk (p < 0.06) compared to subjects without deletion. CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest the main role that obesity status plays on the individual metabolic risk clustering in PWS adults. Early identification of MetS could be helpful to improve morbidity and prevent mortality in such patients.

Compression and focusing a laser produced plasma using a plasma optical system.

Axi-symmetric compression and focusing of a low temperature laser produced copper plasma with an electrostatic plasma optical system was investigated for the first time. The degree of plasma concentration was quantified using Langmuir ion measurements of the ion flow and optical measurements of the thickness distributions of copper depositions on glass substrates. Both the ion flow and the deposition measurements showed strong concentration of the ion-plasma flow towards the axis. The ion current density at the focus was compressed by a factor up to 9. The on-axis deposition rate was increased by about the same factor.

Prospective randomized multicentre study comparing stapler haemorrhoidopexy with Doppler-guided transanal haemorrhoid dearterialization for third-degree haemorrhoids.

AIM: Doppler-guided transanal haemorrhoid dearterialization (THD) and stapler haemorrhoidopexy (SH) have been demonstrated to be less painful than the Milligan-Morgan procedure. The aim of this study was to compare the effectiveness of THD vs SH in the treatment of third-degree haemorrhoids in an equivalent trial. METHOD: One hundred and sixty-nine patients with third-degree haemorrhoids were randomized online to receive THD (n = 85) or SH (n = 84) in 10 Colorectal Units in which the staff were well trained in both techniques. The mean follow-up period was 17 (range 15-20) months. RESULTS: Early minor postoperative complications occurred in 30.6% of patients in the THD group and in 32.1% of patients in the SH group. Milder spontaneous pain and pain on defecation were reported in the THD group in the first postoperative week, but this was not statistically significant. Late complications were significantly higher (P = 0.028) in the SH group. Residual haemorrhoids persisted in 12 patients in the THD group and in six patients in the SH group (P = 0.14). Six patients in the SH group and 10 in the THD group underwent further treatment of haemorrhoids (P = 0.34). No differences were found in postoperative incontinence. The obstructed defecation score (ODS) was significantly higher in the SH group (P < 0.02). Improvement in quality of life was similar in both groups. Postoperative in-hospital stay was 1.14 days in the THD group and 1.31 days in the SH group (P = 0.03). CONCLUSION: Both THD and SH techniques are effective for the treatment of third-degree haemorrhoids in the medium term. THD has a better cost-effective ratio and lower (not significant) pain compared with SH. Postoperative pain and recurrence did not differ significantly between the two groups.

Increased adipogenic conversion of muscle satellite cells in obese Zucker rats.

AIMS/HYPOTHESIS: Visceral and intermuscular adipose tissue (IMAT) depots account for most obesity-related metabolic and cardiovascular complications. Muscle satellite cells (SCs) are mesenchymal stem cells giving rise to myotubes and also to adipocytes, suggesting their possible contribution to IMAT origin and expansion. We investigated the myogenic differentiation of SCs and the adipogenic potential of both preadipocytes and SCs from genetically obese Zucker rats (fa/fa), focusing on the role of Wnt signaling in these differentiation processes. METHODS: SCs were isolated by single-fiber technique from flexor digitorum brevis muscle and preadipocytes were extracted from subcutaneous adipose tissue (AT). Morphological features and gene expression profile were evaluated during in vitro myogenesis and adipogenesis. Wingless-type MMTV integration site family member 10b (Wnt10b) expression was quantified by quantitative PCR in skeletal muscle and AT. RESULTS: We did not observe any difference in the proliferation rate and in the myogenic differentiation of SCs from obese and lean rats. However, a decreased insulin-induced glucose uptake was present in myotubes originating from fa/fa rats. Under adipogenic conditions, preadipocytes and SCs of obese animals displayed an enhanced adipogenesis. Wnt10b expression was reduced in obese rats in both muscle and AT. CONCLUSIONS/INTERPRETATION: Our data suggest that the increase in different fat depots including IMAT and the reduced muscle insulin sensitivity, the major phenotypical alteration of obese Zucker rats, could be ascribed to an intrinsic defect, either genetically determined or acquired, still present in both muscle and fat precursors. The involvement of Wnt10b as a regulator of both adipogenesis and muscle-to-fat conversion is suggested.

Velocity-dependent changes of rotational axes in the non-visual control of unconstrained 3D arm motions.

We examined the roles of inertial (e(3)), shoulder-centre of mass (SH-CM) and shoulder-elbow articular (SH-EL) rotation axes in the non-visual control of unconstrained 3D arm rotations. Subjects rotated the arm in elbow configurations that yielded either a constant or variable separation between these axes. We hypothesized that increasing the motion frequency and the task complexity would result in the limbs' rotational axis to correspond to e(3) in order to minimize rotational resistances. Results showed two velocity-dependent profiles wherein the rotation axis coincided with the SH-EL axis for S and I velocities and then in the F velocity shifted to either a SH-CM/e(3) trade-off axis for one profile, or to no preferential axis for the other. A third profile was velocity-independent, with the SH-CM/e(3) trade-off axis being adopted. Our results are the first to provide evidence that the rotational axis of a multi-articulated limb may change from a geometrical axis of rotation to a mass or inertia based axis as motion frequency increases. These findings are discussed within the framework of the minimum inertia tensor model (MIT), which shows that rotations about e(3) reduce the amount of joint muscle torque that must be produced by employing the interaction torque to assist movement.

The cannabinoid system and male reproductive functions.

Cannabinoids, the main active components of marijuana, have been shown to exert different adverse effects on male reproduction both in vertebrates and invertebrates. In vivo, cannabinoids exert negative effects on hypothalamic-hypophyseal reproductive hormone secretion and testicular endocrine and exocrine functions. Furthermore, a large amount of experimental data obtained in vitro have clearly shown that cannabinoids negatively influence important sperm functions, including motility and acrosome reaction, two fundamental processes necessary for oocyte fertilisation. These inhibitory effects are mediated by the direct action of cannabinoids on sperm through the activation of the cannabinoid receptor subtype CNR1 that has been shown to be expressed in mature sperm. In the present paper, we briefly review the effects of cannabinoids and endocannabinoids, a particular group of endogenously produced cannabinoids, on male reproductive function.

Endocannabinoids, adipose tissue and lipid metabolism.

Endocannabinoids regulate energy balance by modulating hypothalamic circuits controlling food intake and energy expenditure. However, convincing evidence has accumulated indicating that the endocannabinoid system is present also in peripheral tissues, in particular in adipose tissue. Fat cells produce (and are targets of) endocannabinoids. Adipogenesis, lipogenesis and glucose uptake are stimulated by endocannabinoids through CB(1) receptors and these effects are blocked by the CB(1) receptor antagonist rimonabant, suggesting that the weight-lowering effect of CB(1) receptor blockade is partly due to peripheral mechanisms. This review will focus on the role of endocannabinoids in adipose tissue metabolism, adipokine production and interactions between endocannabinoids and peroxisome proliferator activated receptors during adipogenesis.

Superior vena cava thrombosis after intravascular AICD lead extraction: a case report.

Pacemaker lead extraction has been shown to be an effective and safe treatment in the case of infected per-manent pacemaker leads. However, it can lead to potentially serious complications, usually occurring during the ex-traction procedure. This report describes a case of a 74-year-old male with a persistent superior vena cava thrombo-sis related to an infected permanent pacemaker lead transvenous extraction. Clinical and surgical management are discussed.

Rosiglitazone modifies the adipogenic potential of human muscle satellite cells.

AIMS/HYPOTHESIS: Satellite cells are responsible for postnatal skeletal muscle regeneration. It has been demonstrated that mouse satellite cells behave as multipotent stem cells. We studied the differentiation capacities of human satellite cells and evaluated the effect of the insulin sensitiser rosiglitazone, a well known peroxisome proliferative activated receptor gamma (PPARG) agonist, on their adipogenic conversion. SUBJECTS, MATERIALS AND METHODS: We obtained human satellite cells from human muscle biopsies of healthy subjects by single-fibre isolation and cultured them under myogenic, osteogenic and adipogenic conditions. Moreover, we compared the morphological features and the adipose-specific gene expression profiling, as assessed by quantitative PCR, between adipocytes differentiated from human satellite cells and those obtained from the stromal vascular fraction of human visceral fat. RESULTS: We proved by morphological analysis, mRNA expression and immunohistochemistry that human satellite cells are able to differentiate into myotubes, adipocytes and osteocytes. The addition of rosiglitazone to the adipogenic medium strongly activated PPARG expression and enhanced adipogenesis in human satellite cells, but did not in itself trigger the complete adipogenic programme. Moreover, we observed a decrease in wingless-type MMTV integration site family member 10B and an upregulation of growth differentiation factor 8 expression, both being independent of PPARG activation. CONCLUSIONS/INTERPRETATION: Human satellite cells possess a clear adipogenic potential that could explain the presence of mature adipocytes within skeletal muscle in pathological conditions such as obesity, type 2 diabetes and ageing-related sarcopenia. Rosiglitazone treatment, while enhancing adipogenesis, induces a more favourable pattern of adipocytokine expression in satellite-derived fat cells. This could partially counteract the worsening effect of intermuscular adipose tissue depots on muscle insulin sensitivity.