Search results for "function"

Real life triplet FIr/FOx chemotherapy in first-line metastatic pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma patients: Recommended schedule for expected activity…

2018

// Gemma Bruera 1, 2 , Silvia Massacese 3 , Stefania Candria 1 , Antonio Galvano 4 , Rosa Manetta 5 , Aldo Victor Giordano 5 , Sergio Carducci 5 , Alessandra Di Sibio 5 , Eugenio Ciacco 3 , Antonio Russo 4 , Enrico Ricevuto 1, 2 and on behalf of Oncology Network ASL1 Abruzzo, Italy 1 Oncology Territorial Care Unit, S. Salvatore Hospital, Oncology Network ASL1 Abruzzo, University of L’Aquila, L’Aquila, Italy 2 Department of Biotechnological and Applied Clinical Sciences, University of L’Aquila, L’Aquila, Italy 3 Pharmacy Unit, S. Salvatore Hospital, Oncology Network ASL1 Abruzzo, L’Aquila, Italy 4 Medical Oncology Unit, Department of Surgical, Oncological and Stomatological Sciences, Univers…

Add-On Peginterferon Alfa-2a Significantly Reduces HBsAg Levels in HBeAg-Negative, Genotype D Chronic Hepatitis B Patients Fully Suppressed on Nucleo…

2016

23 (36%) cases, respectively. Ribavirin (RBV) was used in 35% and 65% of the patients receiving SOF and DCV, respectively. Most of the patients were male (72%) and genotype 1b (81%). Median age was 59 years. Median baseline MELD and Child–Pugh (CPT) scores were 9 and 6, respectively. Among the patients with cirrhosis, 47% were CPT B/C. Tacrolimus was the immunosuppressant used in the majority of the patients (69%). At the beginning of therapy, 20 patients had ascites and 3 had hepatic encephalopathy (HE). Thirty-four patients completed the treatment course and 30 are still on therapy. End of treatment (EOT) response was 88% (30/34) and SVR12 was 83% (25/30). In patients receiving SMV+DCV±RB…

Supporting recovery from brain injury

2018

The beauty and intricacy of the human brain is unfortunately also mirrored by its vulnerability. Damage to the brain is typically permanent. Because cells of the adult brain, apart from rare exceptions, no longer divide, there is essentially no regrowth of damaged brain tissue. Acquired brain injury in the majority of cases occurs directly through traumatic events such as an accident involving a blow to the head or indirectly through interruption of the blood supply, namely a stroke. Brain injury is a major burden, with an estimated 1.7 million people in the United States suffering a traumatic brain injury and nearly 800,000 Americans suffering a stroke each year ( 1 , 2 ). However, current…

2016

In humans, the amount of spinal homonymous recurrent inhibition during voluntary contraction is usually assessed by using a peripheral nerve stimulation paradigm. This method consists of conditioning the maximal M-wave (SM stimulus) with prior reflex stimulation (S1), with 10 ms inter-stimulus interval (ISI). The decrease observed between unconditioned (S1 only) and conditioned (S1+SM) reflex size is then attributed to recurrent inhibition. However, during a voluntary contraction, a superimposed SM stimulation leads to a maximal M-wave followed by a voluntary (V) wave at similar latency than the H-reflex. This wave can therefore interfere with the conditioned H-reflex when two different sti…

Modulation of GABAA receptors by neurosteroids. A new concept to improve cognitive and motor alterations in hepatic encephalopathy

2016

Hepatic encephalopathy (HE) is a complex neuropsychiatric syndrome affecting patients with liver diseases, mainly those with liver cirrhosis. The mildest form of HE is minimal HE (MHE), with mild cognitive impairment, attention deficit, psychomotor slowing and impaired visuo-motor and bimanual coordination. MHE may progress to clinical HE with worsening of the neurological alterations which may lead to reduced consciousness and, in the worse cases, may progress to coma and death. HE affects several million people in the world and is a serious health, social and economic problem. There are no specific treatments for the neurological alterations in HE. The mechanisms underlying the cognitive …

Circulating inflammation-related factors are correlated with systemic redox status in IgA nephropathy; a case-control study.

2020

Abstract Background IgA nephropathy (IGAN) is characterized by oxidative stress and inflammation. In the present study, we explored the relationship of redox status vs. that of circulating inflammation-related factors with other biomarkers in patients with IGAN. Methods This is a case-control study comparing patients with IGAN (Stage 1–4) to healthy controls. Forty patients and 40 controls were matched for age and sex. Two circulating dynamic redox parameters were analysed: oxidized free cysteine (Cys) and nitrate. Thirty-seven inflammation-related factors were measured in serum. Results The patients had elevated levels of oxidized free Cys and nitrate, indicating the presence of oxidative …

Somatosensory Training Improves Proprioception and Untrained Motor Function in Parkinsons Disease

2018

Background: Proprioceptive impairment is a common feature of Parkinson's disease (PD). Proprioceptive function is only partially restored with anti-parkinsonian medication or deep brain stimulation. Behavioral exercises focusing on somatosensation have been promoted to overcome this therapeutic gap. However, conclusive evidence on the effectiveness of such somatosensory-focused behavioral training for improving somatosensory function is lacking. Moreover, it is unclear, if such training has any effect on motor performance in PD.Objective: To investigate, whether proprioception improves with a somatosensory focused, robot-aided training in people with PD (PWPs), and whether enhanced proprioc…

The Effect of Different Exercise Modes on Domain-Specific Cognitive Function in Patients Suffering from Parkinson's Disease: A Systematic Review of R…

2019

BACKGROUND Supervised exercise training alleviates motor symptoms in people with Parkinson's disease (PD). However, the efficacy of exercise to improve nonmotor symptoms such as cognitive function is less well known. OBJECTIVE To systematically review evidence on the efficacy of different exercise modes (coordination exercise, resistance exercise, aerobic exercise) on domain-specific cognitive function in patients with PD. METHODS Parallel-group randomized controlled trials published before March 2018 were included. Primary outcome measures included global cognitive function and its subdomains, and the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale was included as a secondary outcome. Methodologi…

Transcranial random noise stimulation over the primary motor cortex in PD-MCI patients: a crossover, randomized, sham-controlled study

2020

AbstractMild cognitive impairment (MCI) is a very common non-motor feature of Parkinson’s disease (PD) and the non-amnestic single-domain is the most frequent subtype. Transcranial random noise stimulation (tRNS) is a non-invasive technique, which is capable of enhancing cortical excitability. As the main contributor to voluntary movement control, the primary motor cortex (M1) has been recently reported to be involved in higher cognitive functioning. The aim of this study is to evaluate the effects of tRNS applied over M1 in PD-MCI patients in cognitive and motor tasks. Ten PD-MCI patients, diagnosed according to the Movement Disorder Society, Level II criteria for MCI, underwent active (re…

Interstitial lung disease in systemic sclerosis: current and future treatment.

2017

Systemic sclerosis (SSc) has the highest fatality rate among connective tissue diseases and is characterized by vascular damage, inflammation and fibrosis of the skin and various internal organs. Interstitial lung disease (ILD) frequently complicates SSc and can be a debilitating disorder with a poor prognosis. ILD is the most frequent cause of death in SSc, and the management of SSc–ILD patients is a great challenge. Early detection of pulmonary involvement based on a recent decline of lung function tests and on the extent of lung involvement at high-resolution computed tomography is critical for the best management of these patients. This article summarizes classification, pathogenesis,…