scholarly journals Died with or Died of? Development and Testing of a SARS CoV-2 Significance Score to Assess the Role of COVID-19 in the Deaths of Affected Patients

Diagnostics ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 190
Author(s):  
Arianna Giorgetti ◽  
Vasco Orazietti ◽  
Francesco Paolo Busardò ◽  
Filippo Pirani ◽  
Raffaele Giorgetti

Since December 2019, a new form of coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2, has spread from China to the whole word, raising concerns regarding Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) endangering public health and life. Over 1.5 million deaths related with COVID-19 have been recorded worldwide, with wide variations among countries affected by the pandemic and continuously growing numbers. The aim of this paper was to provide an overview of the literature cases of deaths involving COVID-19 and to evaluate the application of the COVID-19 Significance Score (CSS) in the classification of SARS CoV-2-related fatalities, comparing it with the Hamburg rating scale. The results obtained allowed us to highlight that CSS used after a complete accurate post-mortem examination, coupled to the retrieval of in vivo data, post-mortem radiology, histology and toxicology, as well as to additional required analyses (e.g., electronic microscopy) is a useful and concise tool in the assessment of the cause of death and the role played by this virus. A shared use of this scale might hopefully lower the inhomogeneities in forensic evaluation of SARS CoV-2-related fatalities.

2015 ◽  
Vol 14 (2) ◽  
pp. 16-25
Author(s):  
E. V. Fomenko ◽  
S. B. Tkachenko ◽  
N. F. Beresten ◽  
E. S. Pavochkina

The article describes the features of ultrasound diagnostics and central hemodynamics in patients with minor heart anomalies. In vivo visualization of these anomalies has become possible after the introduction of echocardiography. The working classification of minor heart anomalies, as well as the description of clinically significant syndromes and abnormalities are considered. The role of connective tissue dysplasia in the development of cardiac pathology is highlighted, and its place in the structure of connective tissue dysplasia syndrome of the heart and heritable disorders of connective tissue is described.


2020 ◽  
Vol 27 (10) ◽  
pp. 1690-1710
Author(s):  
Félix Javier Jiménez-Jiménez ◽  
Hortensia Alonso-Navarro ◽  
Elena García-Martín ◽  
José A.G. Agúndez

Background: The pathophysiology and neurochemical mechanisms of essential tremor (ET) are not fully understood, because only a few post-mortem studies have been reported, and there is a lack of good experimental model for this disease. Objective: The main aim of this review is to update data regarding the neurochemical features of ET. Alterations of certain catecholamine systems, the dopaminergic, serotonergic, GABAergic, noradrenergic, and adrenergic systems have been described, and are the object of this revision. Methods: For this purpose, we performed a literature review on alterations of the neurotransmitter or neuromodulator systems (catecholamines, gammaaminobutyric acid or GABA, excitatory amino acids, adenosine, T-type calcium channels) in ET patients (both post-mortem or in vivo) or in experimental models resembling ET. Results and Conclusion: The most consistent data regarding neurochemistry of ET are related with the GABAergic and glutamatergic systems, with a lesser contribution of adenosine and dopaminergic and adrenergic systems, while there is not enough evidence of a definite role of other neurotransmitter systems in ET. The improvement of harmaline-induced tremor in rodent models achieved with T-type calcium channel antagonists, cannabinoid 1 receptor, sphingosine-1-phosphate receptor agonists, and gap-junction blockers, suggests a potential role of these structures in the pathogenesis of ET.


2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 1
Author(s):  
Feytie Magda Mawey ◽  
Azimatul Karimah ◽  
Erlyn Limoa ◽  
Muhammad Nazmuddin

Schizophrenia is a chronic debilitating mental illness. In many aspects, the neuropathology of schizophrenia is closely associated with neuroinflammation, especially microglial activation. Microglial hyperactivity, which is characterized by the predominant release of proinflammatory cytokines serves as the basis of the neuroinflammation hypothesis in schizophrenia. The enhanced inflammatory induce neuronal susceptibility to oxidative stress and trigger, glutamatergic synaptic dysregulation, especially in the mesolimbic and mesocortical pathways. Many in vitro studies, in vivo animal evidence, post-mortem examinations, neuroimaging evaluations with Positron Emission Tomography (PET), anti-inflammatory and antipsychotic use converge upon the central role of microglial activation and proinflammatory cytokines as common of features schizophrenia.


Author(s):  
W.A. Jacob ◽  
R. Hertsens ◽  
A. Van Bogaert ◽  
M. De Smet

In the past most studies of the control of energy metabolism focus on the role of the phosphorylation potential ATP/ADP.Pi on the regulation of respiration. Studies using NMR techniques have demonstrated that the concentrations of these compounds for oxidation phosphorylation do not change appreciably throughout the cardiac cycle and during increases in cardiac work. Hence regulation of energy production by calcium ions, present in the mitochondrial matrix, has been the object of a number of recent studies.Three exclusively intramitochondnal dehydrogenases are key enzymes for the regulation of oxidative metabolism. They are activated by calcium ions in the low micromolar range. Since, however, earlier estimates of the intramitochondnal calcium, based on equilibrium thermodynamic considerations, were in the millimolar range, a physiological correlation was not evident. The introduction of calcium-sensitive probes fura-2 and indo-1 made monitoring of free calcium during changing energy metabolism possible. These studies were performed on isolated mitochondria and extrapolation to the in vivo situation is more or less speculative.


2020 ◽  
Vol 64 (2) ◽  
pp. 251-261
Author(s):  
Jessica E. Fellmeth ◽  
Kim S. McKim

Abstract While many of the proteins involved in the mitotic centromere and kinetochore are conserved in meiosis, they often gain a novel function due to the unique needs of homolog segregation during meiosis I (MI). CENP-C is a critical component of the centromere for kinetochore assembly in mitosis. Recent work, however, has highlighted the unique features of meiotic CENP-C. Centromere establishment and stability require CENP-C loading at the centromere for CENP-A function. Pre-meiotic loading of proteins necessary for homolog recombination as well as cohesion also rely on CENP-C, as do the main scaffolding components of the kinetochore. Much of this work relies on new technologies that enable in vivo analysis of meiosis like never before. Here, we strive to highlight the unique role of this highly conserved centromere protein that loads on to centromeres prior to M-phase onset, but continues to perform critical functions through chromosome segregation. CENP-C is not merely a structural link between the centromere and the kinetochore, but also a functional one joining the processes of early prophase homolog synapsis to late metaphase kinetochore assembly and signaling.


2012 ◽  
Vol 82 (3) ◽  
pp. 228-232 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mauro Serafini ◽  
Giuseppa Morabito

Dietary polyphenols have been shown to scavenge free radicals, modulating cellular redox transcription factors in different in vitro and ex vivo models. Dietary intervention studies have shown that consumption of plant foods modulates plasma Non-Enzymatic Antioxidant Capacity (NEAC), a biomarker of the endogenous antioxidant network, in human subjects. However, the identification of the molecules responsible for this effect are yet to be obtained and evidences of an antioxidant in vivo action of polyphenols are conflicting. There is a clear discrepancy between polyphenols (PP) concentration in body fluids and the extent of increase of plasma NEAC. The low degree of absorption and the extensive metabolism of PP within the body have raised questions about their contribution to the endogenous antioxidant network. This work will discuss the role of polyphenols from galenic preparation, food extracts, and selected dietary sources as modulators of plasma NEAC in humans.


2016 ◽  
Vol 86 (3-4) ◽  
pp. 127-151 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zeshan Ali ◽  
Zhenbin Wang ◽  
Rai Muhammad Amir ◽  
Shoaib Younas ◽  
Asif Wali ◽  
...  

While the use of vinegar to fi ght against infections and other crucial conditions dates back to Hippocrates, recent research has found that vinegar consumption has a positive effect on biomarkers for diabetes, cancer, and heart diseases. Different types of vinegar have been used in the world during different time periods. Vinegar is produced by a fermentation process. Foods with a high content of carbohydrates are a good source of vinegar. Review of the results of different studies performed on vinegar components reveals that the daily use of these components has a healthy impact on the physiological and chemical structure of the human body. During the era of Hippocrates, people used vinegar as a medicine to treat wounds, which means that vinegar is one of the ancient foods used as folk medicine. The purpose of the current review paper is to provide a detailed summary of the outcome of previous studies emphasizing the role of vinegar in treatment of different diseases both in acute and chronic conditions, its in vivo mechanism and the active role of different bacteria.


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