Role of metal ions in the abeta oligomerization in Alzheimer's disease and in other neurological disorders.

Neurodegeneration is a complex and multifaceted process leading to many chronic diseased states. Neurodegenerative disorders include a number of different pathological conditions, like Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases, which share similar critical metabolic processes, such as protein aggregation, which could be affected by some metal ions. A huge number of reports indicate that, among putative aggravating factors, metal ions (Al, Zn, Cu, Fe) could specifically impair protein aggregation of Abeta, prion protein, ataxin, huntingtin, etc. and their oligomeric toxicity. While studying the molecular basis of these diseases, it has become clear that protein conformation plays a critical role in the pathogenic process. In this review, we will focus on Alzheimer's disease and on the role of metal ions, specifically aluminium, in affecting amyloid aggregation, oligomerization and toxicity.

[Quality of life and depression in normal and in high-risk pregnancy. Analysis of a sample of 100 women]. / Qualità della vita e depressione in gravidanza normale e a rischio. Analisi di un campione di 100 donne.

AIM: The aim of this paper was to assess quality of life, possible presence of depressive symptomatology and their possible relationship during normal and high-risk pregnancy. METHODS: A total of 100 women (50 experiencing a normal pregnancy and 50 experiencing a high-risk pregnancy) were studied. They completed the World Health Organization Quality of Life (WHOQOL) to assess the quality of life and the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) to assess the level of depressive symptomatology. The mean of the scores obtained in both the entire sample and the 2 subgroups was calculated, and then the results obtained were compared. RESULTS: The study shows that the women with normal pregnancy have a good perception of their quality of life, instead women with high-risk pregnancy do not think so. They consider it more unfavourable then the others. It also emerged, that the 12% of our sample (all women with high-risk pregnancy) shows a significant level of depressive symptomatology. CONCLUSIONS: It is very important to identify early women at risk of depressive symptoms or mental disorders, so that it is possible to offer an adequate psychological support during pregnancy, to prevent the worsening of the symptoms or the development of a real mental disorder in the postnatal period.

Aluminum-triggered structural modifications and aggregation of beta-amyloids.

We investigated the structural effects induced by Al3+ on different beta-amyloid (Abeta) fragments at pH 7.4 and T=25 degrees C, with particular attention given to the sequences 1-40 and 1-42. Al3+ caused peptide enrichment in beta sheet structure and formation of solvent-exposed hydrophobic clusters. These intermediates evolved to polymeric aggregates which organized in fibrillar forms in the case of the Al3+-Abeta(1-42) complex. Comparative studies showed that Zn2+ and Cu2+ were much less efficient than Al3+ in stimulating the spontaneous aggregation/fibrillogenesis of Abetas. Studies with liposomes as membrane models showed dramatic changes in the structural properties of the lipid bilayer in the presence of Al3+-Abeta complexes, suggesting a major role of Al3+ in Abeta-induced cell dysfunction. Al3+ effects were abolished by desferrioxamine mesylate (DFO) only in solution. We concluded that, in vivo, DFO may act as a protective agent by preventing or reverting Abeta aggregation in the extracellular spaces.

[Effect of uremia and peritoneal dialysis on peritoneal mesothelial cells]. / Uticaj uremije i peritoneurske dijalize na celije mezotela peritoneuma.

The aim of the study was to investigate the morphology of mesothelial cells of the peritoneum of patients with terminal renal failure (TRF), taken by the biopsy immediately before the onset of peritonal dialysis (PD), and to compare it with the findings in patients with PD. The samples were prepared in the way standard for light microscopy and transmission electron microscopy. In patients with TRF intracytoplasmatic inclusions could be observed, unusual protrusions of mesothelial apical surfaces, deformation of mesothelial cells and their detachment from the basal membrane, as well as the dilatated cisternae of granulated endoplasmatic reticulum with filamentous structures in some of them. In patients on PD cytoplasmic protrusions of different shapes and contents were observed at the surface of mesothelial cells, multiplication of basal membrane, occurrence of young forms of mesothelial cells as well as the detachment of those cells from the basal lamina.

Infant mechanical suffocation deaths in the United States, 1980-1997.

PURPOSE: To document specific patterns and products associated with mechanical suffocation among infants younger than 13 months of age for the period 1980 to 1997. METHODOLOGY: A total 2178 case summaries from the US Consumer Product Safety Commission's Death Certificate File were reviewed. A computerized database was created for information about the infants, products, and patterns of suffocation. The relationships among products, patterns, and age groups were analyzed by chi2. Thirty-eight investigations conducted on a subset of cases involving cribs were reviewed for details on crib age, structural integrity, and compliance with the federal crib regulation. Mortality rates were calculated based on the US population younger than 1 year old. RESULTS: The most frequent causes of suffocation were 1) wedging between a bed or mattress and a wall and 2) oronasal obstruction by plastic bag. Patterns of suffocation were significantly related to age group, but not to sex. Pattern-specific mortality rates comparing three time frames for the the 16-year period from 1980 to 1995 showed continued increases for overlain and oronasal obstruction; an increase followed by a plateau for wedging, a decrease for hanging, and no substantial change for entrapment with suspension. CONCLUSIONS: Suffocation hazards presented by beds, bedding, pillows, and plastic bags continue to be underrecognized by parents and caregivers. Bed-sharing and use of adult beds for infants should be discouraged. Only complying cribs should be used and maintained properly to ensure structural integrity. Suffocation deaths involving plastics should be investigated to determine the specific material characteristics and use patterns to design more effective interventions than selective labeling.

[The use of metal vascular prosthesis in the palliative treatment of neoplastic esophago-gastric stenosis]. / Impiego di protesi metalliche vascolari nel trattamento palliativo delle stenosi neoplastiche esofago-gastriche.

The paper reports the authors' experience regarding the use of expandable metal prostheses designed for vascular stenoses but adapted for unoperable esophago-gastric stenoses. Their first impressions are very positive so much so that they affirm that these prostheses are close to being ideal since they are flexible and have an insertion diameter of 3 mm which does not therefore require dilatation. As a result: 1) they involve limited trauma to the patient; 2) reduce the risk of perforation to virtually zero. Moreover: 3) they can be inserted in twisted and angled stenoses and in esophaguses with difficult access due to axial deviations and restriction of the upper cervical aperture; 4) they function well even in notoriously "difficult" sections such as the cardia and esophago-jejunal anastomoses; 5) the unfastening system is easy and rapid. On the strength of these characteristics the authors suggest that these prostheses should be used in an outpatient setting, as occurred in the case of the last of the 10 patients treated, and even at a preoperative stage in preparation for resective surgery so as to preserve normal oral feeding. The structure of these prostheses renders them contraindicated for use in stenoses associated with fistulas in air paths and requires an evaluation of long-term results to verify the incidence with which the following occur: 1) tumoral growth between the mesh; 2) food obstruction; 3) hemorrhage due to compressive necrosis.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Serological screening for herpes simplex virus during pregnancy.

620 pregnant women living in the Province of Padua were submitted to serological screening for Herpes simplex virus antibody activity. A prevalence of 82.26% was found in the population; the Authors discuss the significance of the findings with special regard to relevant obstetric questions.

Management of postoperative bile leakage with endoscopic sphincterotomy (EST) and a naso-biliary drain (NBD).

Between July 1987 and December 1990, 13 patients with postoperative bile leakage were treated with endoscopic sphincterotomy and a naso-biliary drain. All the leaks healed in two weeks, except for one (intrahepatic) that needed two months to heal in association with percutaneous management. The non-surgical treatment of bile leakage is the preferred approach on account of the superior safety, efficacy and cost-effectiveness as compared with surgical repair, which is associated with significant morbidity, mortality and costs. The treatment of choice has to be endoscopic, which is much easier and safer than the transhepatic approach, especially in the non-dilated duct, while another advantage over radiology includes the possibility for rapid definitive treatment of distal obstruction (e.g. residual stones). A leak from an extrahepatic duct heals rapidly, while a leak from an intrahepatic duct takes longer to heal and sometimes needs associated percutaneous drainage. Finally, the authors propose treating an extrahepatic bile leak merely with naso-biliary drainage without cutting the papilla, and an intrahepatic bile leak with endoscopic sphincterotomy, nasobiliary drainage and a bilio-duodenal endoprosthesis.

Desire of pregnancy and desire of motherhood. Its sociocultural evolution.

Nowadays pregnancy is considered a psychosomatic experience during which personal and existential factors interact with cultural and environmental ones. This very important event causes conflictual conditions. In fact as regards to become a mother a different psychological attitude corresponds to a social-cultural change (historical environment, contraception, geographical area, etc.) that has shifted the objectives and the duties giving the woman the "theoretical" possibility to decide of her nature autonomally. This problem issues from two desires: the pregnancy and the maternity ones. Taking into account this attitude in 1200 women attending the Obstetric Psychoprophylaxis classes in 1982 at the Obstetric and Gynecological Department of Padua University, the Authors have pointed out interesting aspects concerning the way the woman today considers the conception and the pregnancy.

Premenstrual syndrome and personality traits: a study on 110 pregnant patients.

Five specific personality traits (emotivity, acceptance of sexual role, parental aptness, anxiety and depression) have been analyzed for this study of the premenstrual syndrome (PMS), conducted on a group of 110 women in advanced (8th month) pregnancy. The comparison of the results from the personality tests and from the overall assessment of the PMS (82%) establishes definite correlations between the syndrome's intensity and the tendency toward a pathologic personality. A further correlation of each personality trait and of the PMS shows that the greater deviation from normalcy affects not only those women who suffer from a severe PMS, but also those who complain of no premenstrual symptoms at all. Such a finding (as shown in the results of a separate previous study by our group) allows to conclude that a psychological normalcy or balance finds its equivalent in an absence, but more often in a scarce presence of premenstrual complaints, while an absolute absence or a very marked intensity of these complaints should correspond to the more extreme degrees of personality disturbance.

The nature of "spots" on soft lenses.

Of 278 consecutive therapeutic soft lens wearers, 19 (6.8%) developed discrete lens opacities on the anterior (air) surface of the lens. The incidence rose to 16.6% in patients fitted for dry eye syndromes, to 19% in bullous keratopathy and to 20% in exposure keratitis and trichiasis, if worn for longer than 2 weeks. These opacities were not associated with medications. Scanning electron microscopy demonstrated cracks on the anterior lens surface associated with these opacities. Transmission electron microscopy demonstrated the opacities to be amorphous material with extensions of the contact lens polymer into the substance of these opacities. Lipid, as demonstrated by histochemical methods, was found in these opacities. It is likely that the combination of dryness, stress on the lens surface, and lipid deposition act to alter the structure of the plastic and cause these opacities.