Search results for " Function"
showing 10 items of 9395 documents
Perceptual Pseudoneglect in Schizophrenia: Candidate Endophenotype and the Role of the Right Parietal Cortex
2013
Several contributions have reported an altered expression of pseudoneglect in psychiatric disorders, highlighting the existence of an anomalous brain lateralization in affected subjects. Surprisingly, no studies have yet investigated pseudoneglect in first-degree relatives (FdR) of psychiatric patients. We investigated performance on “paper and pencil” line bisection (LB) tasks in 68 schizophrenic patients (SCZ), 42 unaffected FdR, 41 unipolar depressive patients (UP), and 103 healthy subjects (HS). A subgroup of 20 SCZ and 16 HS underwent computerized LB and mental number line bisection (MNL) tasks requiring judgment of prebisected lines and numerical intervals. Moreover, we evaluated, in …
Effects of red orange juice intake on endothelial function and inflammatory markers in adult subjects with increased cardiovascular risk
2012
BACKGROUND Oxidative and inflammatory stresses are involved in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis. The consumption of fruit and vegetables is associated with improved health and reduced cardiovascular risk. Red oranges have a high content of antioxidant and antiinflammatory substances, but there is a paucity of data concerning their effects on cardiovascular biomarkers in subjects with increased cardiovascular risk. OBJECTIVE We investigated the effect of red orange juice intake on endothelial function, oxidative stress, and markers of inflammation in subjects with increased cardiovascular risk. DESIGN Nineteen nondiabetic subjects with increased cardiovascular risk (aged 27-56 y) were inc…
Endothelin-1 and F2-isoprostane relate to and predict renal dysfunction in hypertensive patients.
2008
Background. Hypertension and additional non-traditional risk factors can damage the kidney directly and by promoting atherogenesis. Evidence indicates that increased oxidative stress and inflammation may mediate a large part of the effects of risk factors on the kidney. We hypothesized that in hypertensive patients (HT), oxidative stress, measured as 8-ISO-prostaglandin F2alpha (8-ISO-PGF2alpha), should raise paralleling decreasing renal function and should correlate with estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR). Methods. In 626 HT with renal function ranging from stages 1 to 5 and 100 healthy controls, plasma levels of 8-ISO-PGF2alpha, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (CRP), transfor…
White-coat hypertension and cardiovascular risk
1995
OBJECTIVE: To compare cardiovascular risk in white-coat hypertensives, normotensives and established hypertensives. METHODS: We studied 61 hypertensive individuals, 27 of whom were white-coat hypertensives, and 35 normotensives. All subjects underwent 24 h noninvasive blood pressure monitoring and Doppler echocardiographic examination of the heart; urine was tested for microalbuminuria and the fundi of the eyes examined for retinopathy. RESULTS: The 24 h as well as the day- and night-time mean systolic blood pressure (SBP) was slightly but significantly higher in white-coat hypertensives than in normotensives; no significant difference was observed in diastolic blood pressure (DBP) between …
High volume and low concentration of anaesthetic solution in the perivascular interscalene sheath determines quality of block and incidence of compli…
2006
Background and objective: In the perivascular sheath of the brachial plexus, the volume of anaesthetic solution determines the quality of anaesthetic cover. Fibrous septa may divide the perivascular space into compartments, leading to inadequate diffusion of the anaesthetic solution. The aim of our study was to obtain good anaesthesia and less complications using high volume of low concentration anaesthetic solution, overcoming the obstacle of the septa with a double approach to the scalene sheath. Methods: Sixty patients scheduled for shoulder capsuloplasty received both Winnie interscalene brachial plexus block and Pippa proximal cranial needle approach. The patients were randomly assigne…
Sexual function in adult patients with classic bladder exstrophy: A multicenter study
2015
Summary Background The bladder exstrophy–epispadias complex (BEEC) comprises a spectrum of congenital anomalies that represents the severe end of urorectal malformations, and has a profound impact on continence as well as sexual and renal functions. Objective The relation between severity of BEEC and its associated functional impairments, on one hand, and the resulting restrictions in quality of life and potential psychopathology determine the patients' outcome. It is important for improving further outcome to identify BEEC-related sources of distress in the long term. Genital function and sexuality becomes an important issue for adolescent and adult BEEC individuals. Hence, the present stu…
Effects of morning vs. evening combined strength and endurance training on physical performance, sleep and well-being
2019
The aim of the present study was to examine how combined strength and endurance training in the morning and evening influences the adaptations in strength and endurance performance, perception of time management, psychological well-being and sleep. The combined training period lasted for 24 weeks and the participants were divided into the morning training (MG, n = 18), evening training (EG, n = 24) and control groups (CG, n = 10). Isometric leg press force (iLP), maximal oxygen consumption (VO2max), sleep behavior, fatigue, time management, motivation, self-esteem and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) were assessed. Morning to evening difference in iLP was observed in both MG and EG at…
Visuospatial attention lateralization in volleyball players and in rowers.
2011
In the present study, differences in visuospatial attention lateralization were evaluated in athletes engaged in open- compared to closed-skill sports and sedentary nonathletes. 23 volleyball players (open skill; Italian national level and regional level), 10 rowers (closed skill, Italian national level), and 23 sedentary participants responded to a computerized line-length judgment task. Five lines, differing in the length of their right and left segments, were randomly presented; the respondent made a forced-choice decision about the respective length of the two segments. Volleyball players responded significantly faster; those at the higher competitive level were also more accurate, mak…
Primary megaureter in adults.
1984
The terminology of megaureters, their histological findings and etiology vary greatly in the literature. Primary obstructed megaureters must be clearly differentiated from megaureters caused by infravesical obstruction. The characterization and therapeutical consequences of the two types also differ. In a retrospective study, 43 adult patients with 54 primary obstructed megaureters (male:female = 30:13) were studied. This diagnosis excluded infravesical obstruction, reflux and neurogenic disorders. The main symptoms were flank pain, infection and hematuria. An operation was performed in 25 patients; 29 were treated conservatively. The criteria for surgery are discussed in relation to sympto…
The role of plasma triglyceride/high-density lipoprotein cholesterol ratio to predict cardiovascular outcomes in chronic kidney disease.
2015
Background Cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk is substantially increased in subjects with chronic kidney disease (CKD). The Triglycerides (TG) to High-Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol (HDL-C) ratio is an indirect measure of insulin resistance and an independent predictor of cardiovascular risk. No study to date has been performed to evaluate whether the TG/HDL-C ratio predicts CVD risk in patients with CKD. Methods A total of 197 patients (age 53 ± 12 years) with CKD Stages 1 to 5, were enrolled in this longitudinal, observational, retrospective study. TG/HDL-C ratio, HOMA-IR indexes, serum asymmetric dimethyl arginine (ADMA), high sensitivity C-reactive protein (CRP), parathyroid hormone (PT…