97 results on '"Ricci, Serena"'
Search Results
2. Hepatic non-parenchymal S100A9-TLR4-mTORC1 axis normalizes diabetic ketogenesis
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Ursino, Gloria, Ramadori, Giorgio, Höfler, Anna, Odouard, Soline, Teixeira, Pryscila D. S., Visentin, Florian, Veyrat-Durebex, Christelle, Lucibello, Giulia, Firnkes, Raquel, Ricci, Serena, Vianna, Claudia R., Jia, Lin, Dirlewanger, Mirjam, Klee, Philippe, Elmquist, Joel K., Roth, Johannes, Vogl, Thomas, Schwitzgebel, Valérie M., Jornayvaz, François R., Boland, Andreas, and Coppari, Roberto
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- 2022
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3. A novel affordable user interface for robotic surgery training: design, development and usability study.
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Neri, Alberto, Coduri, Mara, Penza, Veronica, Santangelo, Andrea, Oliveri, Alessandra, Turco, Enrico, Pizzirani, Mattia, Trinceri, Elisa, Soriero, Domenico, Boero, Federico, Ricci, Serena, and Mattos, Leonardo S.
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SURGICAL robots ,COMPUTER simulation ,COMPUTER-aided design ,TASK performance ,RESEARCH funding ,QUESTIONNAIRES ,DESCRIPTIVE statistics ,VIRTUAL reality ,SURVEYS ,ROBOTICS ,USER-centered system design ,USER interfaces - Abstract
Introduction: The use of robotic systems in the surgical domain has become groundbreaking for patients and surgeons in the last decades. While the annual number of robotic surgical procedures continues to increase rapidly, it is essential to provide the surgeon with innovative training courses along with the standard specialization path. To this end, simulators play a fundamental role. Currently, the high cost of the leading VR simulators limits their accessibility to educational institutions. The challenge lies in balancing highfidelity simulation with cost-effectiveness; however, few cost-effective options exist for robotic surgery training. Methods: This paper proposes the design, development and user-centered usability study of an affordable user interface to control a surgical robot simulator. It consists of a cart equipped with two haptic interfaces, a VR visor and two pedals. The simulations were created using Unity, which offers versatility for expanding the simulator to more complex scenes. An intuitive teleoperation control of the simulated robotic instruments is achieved through a high-level control strategy. Results and Discussion: Its affordability and resemblance to real surgeon consoles make it ideal for implementing robotic surgery training programs in medical schools, enhancing accessibility to a broader audience. This is demonstrated by the results of an usability study involving expert surgeons who use surgical robots regularly, expert surgeons without robotic surgery experience, and a control group. The results of the study, which was based on a traditional Peg-board exercise and Camera Control task, demonstrate the simulator's high usability and intuitive control across diverse user groups, including those with limited experience. This offers evidence that this affordable system is a promising solution for expanding robotic surgery training. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
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- 2024
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4. Altered Morpho-Functional Features of Neurogenesis in Zebrafish Embryos Exposed to Non-Combustion-Derived Magnetite.
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Cacialli, Pietro, Ricci, Serena, Servetto, Giulia Pia, Franceschini, Valeria, Ruiz-Zepeda, Francisco, and Vigliaturo, Ruggero
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DEVELOPMENTAL neurobiology , *ZEBRA danio embryos , *MAGNETITE , *NEUROGENESIS , *BRACHYDANIO , *NEURAL development , *EMBRYOS - Abstract
Neurogenesis is the process by which new brain cells are formed. This crucial event emerges during embryonic life and proceeds in adulthood, and it could be influenced by environmental pollution. Non-combustion-derived magnetite represents a portion of the coarse particulate matter (PM) contributing to air and water pollution in urban settings. Studies on humans have reported that magnetite and other iron oxides have significant damaging effects at a central level, where these particles accumulate and promote oxidative stress. Similarly, magnetite nanoparticles can cross the placenta and damage the embryo brain during development, but the impact on neurogenesis is still unknown. Furthermore, an abnormal Fe cation concentration in cells and tissues might promote reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation and has been associated with multiple neurodegenerative conditions. In the present study, we used zebrafish as an in vivo system to analyze the specific effects of magnetite on embryonic neurogenesis. First, we characterized magnetite using mineralogical and spectroscopic analyses. Embryos treated with magnetite at sub-lethal concentrations showed a dose–response increase in ROS in the brain, which was accompanied by a massive decrease in antioxidant genes (sod2, cat, gsr, and nrf2). In addition, a higher number of apoptotic cells was observed in embryos treated with magnetite. Next, interestingly, embryos exposed to magnetite displayed a decrease in neural staminal progenitors (nestin, sox2, and pcna markers) and a neuronal marker (elavl3). Finally, we observed significative increases in apoeb (specific microglia marker) and interleukin-1b (il1b), confirming a status of inflammation in the brain embryos treated with magnetite. Our study represents the very first in vivo evidence concerning the effects of magnetite on brain development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
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- 2024
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5. Exposure of Zebrafish Embryos to Urea Affects NOS1 Gene Expression in Neuronal Cells.
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Cacialli, Pietro, Ricci, Serena, Frabetti, Flavia, Ferrando, Sara, and Franceschini, Valeria
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NITRIC-oxide synthases ,GENE expression ,UREA ,BRACHYDANIO ,EMBRYOS ,GASTRULATION - Abstract
Nitrogen-based fertilizers represent the most common fertilization tools, particularly used in crop food agriculture, despite the low cost-efficiency and the high negative environmental impact. At present, there is still inadequate information available about the effects of urea on human health; nevertheless, previous studies in animals observed that high urea concentration exposure can damage different tissues, including the brain. In several vertebrates, a crucial factor involved in neuronal cell formation is represented by the gas molecule, nitric oxide (NO), derived from the conversion of arginine to citrulline through the enzymatic activity of nitric oxide synthases (NOS). In zebrafish, three different isoforms of the NOS gene are known: nos1, nos2a, and nos2b. In the present study we show that nos1 represents the unique isoform with a stable high expression in the brain and spinal cord during all the embryonic stages of zebrafish development. Then, by using a specific transgenic zebrafish line, Tg(HuC:GFP), to mark neuronal cells, we observed nos1 to be specifically expressed in neurons. Interestingly, we observed that urea exposure at sub-lethal doses affected cell proliferation and the number of nos1-expressing cells, inducing apoptosis. Consistently, brain NO levels were observed to be reduced in urea-treated animals compared to untreated ones. This finding represents the first evidence that urea exposure affects the expression of a key gene involved in neuronal cell formation during embryonic development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
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- 2024
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6. RiNeo MR: A mixed reality simulator for newborn life support training.
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Coduri, Mara, Calandrino, Andrea, Addiego Mobilio, Giulia, Casadio, Maura, and Ricci, Serena
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MIXED reality ,NEWBORN infants ,MEDICAL personnel ,PERINATOLOGY ,VIRTUAL reality - Abstract
Neonatal resuscitation is an uncommon, albeit critical task that is more likely to succeed if performed properly and promptly. In this context, simulation is an appropriate way for training and assessing the abilities of all medical staff involved in delivery room care. Recent studies have shown that learning is enhanced if the simulation experience is realistic and engaging. Hence, Virtual Reality can be beneficial for newborn resuscitation training. However, the difficulty of providing realistic haptic interaction limits its use. To overcome this constraint, we have designed RiNeo MR, a simulator for newborn life support training, combining a sensorized manikin to monitor in real time resuscitation skills, with a Virtual Reality application. The system includes a Virtual Reality headset, Leap Motion to track the user's hands, sensorized bag valve mask, and manikin to monitor head and mask positioning, ventilation, and chest compression. RiNeo MR can be used in two modalities: 2D to let the trainee practice resuscitation manoeuvres on the physical manikin, while receiving real time feedback; 3D that allows the user to be immersed in a virtual environment and practice in an hospital-like setting. In the 3D mode, virtual and real manikins are overlapped and communicate in real time. Tests on 16 subjects (11 controls without medical expertise and 5 paediatric residents) demonstrated that the simulator is well tolerated in terms of discomfort. Moreover, the simulator is high rated for user experience and system usability, suggesting that RiNeo MR can be a promising tool to improve newborn life support training. RiNeo MR is a proof of concept of a mixed-reality newborn life support simulator that can be a promising tool to spread newborn resuscitation high-quality training among healthcare providers involved in perinatal medicine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
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- 2023
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7. Analysis of clasp2 Transcription Pattern in Male Germ Cells during Spermatogenesis: A Comparative Study in Zebrafish (Danio rerio) and Guppy (Poecilia reticulata).
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Ricci, Serena, Lazzari, Maurizio, Maurizii, Maria Gabriella, Franceschini, Valeria, Milani, Liliana, and Cacialli, Pietro
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GUPPIES , *BRACHYDANIO , *GERM cells , *ZEBRA danio , *GENITALIA , *GERM cell differentiation , *SPERMATOZOA - Abstract
Simple Summary: Fertility, in males and females, is linked to the correct formation of sexual line cells (spermatozoa and oocytes) through a physiological process called meiosis. In all vertebrates, meiosis is orchestrated by different molecular effectors, and among these, we focused our attention on CLASP2, a protein involved in cytoskeleton function. In several animal models, such as mice, flies, or frogs, this protein is known to participate in spermatozoa maturation. However, in fish, nothing was known about the presence of CLASP2 in sexual organs or whether it could have a role in spermatozoa formation. To investigate this point, we used two excellent vertebrate aquatic models: guppy and zebrafish. Our results open a window to knowledge about male sex cell formation effectors in fish. Considering the great affinity between zebrafish and humans, the study of CLASP2 in fish spermatogenesis could uncover a new target of male fertility in humans. Cytoplasmic linker-associated protein-2 (CLASP2) is a member of the CLIP-associating proteins (CLASPs) family involved in the structure and function of microtubules and Golgi apparatus. Several studies performed using different mammalian and non-mammalian model organisms reported that CLASP2 controls microtubule dynamics and the organization of microtubule networks. In Drosophila and mice, an important role of CLASP2 during the development of germ cell lines has been uncovered. However, no study has clearly defined its role during fish germ cell differentiation. In the present study, we used two excellent aquatic animal models among teleost fish: zebrafish (Danio rerio) and guppy (Poecilia reticulata). Using qPCR, we found that the clasp2 transcript level is significantly high in the testis of both fish. Then, by in situ hybridization, we localized the clasp2 transcript in the spermatozoa of zebrafish and the spermatozeugmata of guppy. Our data suggest a potential role for this gene in the last stage of spermiogenesis in fish. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
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- 2023
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8. Prep1 Deficiency Affects Olfactory Perception and Feeding Behavior by Impairing BDNF-TrkB Mediated Neurotrophic Signaling
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Ricci, Serena, Viggiano, Davide, Cimmino, Ilaria, Perruolo, Giuseppe, Cabaro, Serena, Liotti, Antonietta, Fiory, Francesca, Spinelli, Rosa, Di Carlo, Angelina, Beguinot, Francesco, Formisano, Pietro, and Oriente, Francesco
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- 2018
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9. S100A9 extends lifespan in insulin deficiency
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Ramadori, Giorgio, Ljubicic, Sanda, Ricci, Serena, Mikropoulou, Despoina, Brenachot, Xavier, Veyrat-Durebex, Christelle, Aras, Ebru, Ioris, Rafael M., Altirriba, Jordi, Malle, Elisabeth, Foell, Dirk, Vogl, Thomas, and Coppari, Roberto
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- 2019
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10. The Certification Matters: A Comparative Performance Analysis of Combat Application Tourniquets versus Non-Certified CAT Look-Alike Tourniquets.
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Lagazzi, Emanuele, Ballardini, Giulia, Drogo, Alberto, Viola, Ludovica, Marrone, Eva, Valente, Valerio, Bonetti, Michele, Lee, Jarone, King, David R., and Ricci, Serena
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TOURNIQUETS ,COMPARATIVE studies ,GOVERNMENT agencies ,CERTIFICATION ,BATTLE casualties - Abstract
Introduction: The Stop the Bleed campaign provided civilians with tourniquet application training and increased the demand for tourniquets among the general population, which led to the development of new commercially available devices. However, most widely available tourniquets have not undergone testing by regulatory bodies and their efficacy remains unknown. Study Objective: This study aimed to compare the efficacy and performance of Combat Application Tourniquets (CAT) versus uncertified tourniquets. Methods: This study compared 25 CAT with 50 commercially available "look-alike" tourniquets (LA-TQ) resembling the CAT. The CAT and the LA-TQ were compared for cost, size, and tested during one-hour and six-hour applications on a manikin's leg. The outcomes were force applied, force variation during the application, and tourniquet rupture rate. Results: The LA-TQ were cheaper (US$6.07 versus US$27.19), shorter, and had higher inter-device variability than the CAT (90.1 [SE = 0.5] cm versus 94.5 [SE = 0.1] cm; P <.001). The CAT applied a significantly greater force during the initial application when compared to the LA-TQ (65 [SE = 3] N versus 14 [SE = 1] N; P <.001). While the initial application force was maintained for up to six hours in both groups, the CAT group applied an increased force during one-hour applications (group effect: F [1,73] = 105.65; P <.001) and during six-hour applications (group effect: F [1,12] = 9.79; P =.009). The rupture rate differed between the CAT and the LA-TQ (0% versus 4%). Conclusion: The LA-TQ applied a significantly lower force and had a higher rupture rate compared to the CAT, potentially affecting tourniquet performance in the context of public bleeding control. These findings warrant increased layperson education within the framework of the Stop the Bleed campaign and further investigations on the effectiveness of uncertified devices in real-world applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
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- 2023
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11. Transcription Pattern of Neurotrophic Factors and Their Receptors in Adult Zebrafish Spinal Cord.
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Cacialli, Pietro, Ricci, Serena, Lazzari, Maurizio, Milani, Liliana, and Franceschini, Valeria
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SPINAL cord , *BRACHYDANIO , *CENTRAL nervous system , *ZEBRA danio , *IN situ hybridization , *NEUROTROPHINS - Abstract
In vertebrates, neurotrophins and their receptors play a fundamental role in the central and peripheral nervous systems. Several studies reported that each neurotrophin/receptor signalling pathway can perform various functions during axon development, neuronal growth, and plasticity. Previous investigations in some fish species have identified neurotrophins and their receptors in the spinal cord under physiological conditions and after injuries, highlighting their potential role during regeneration. In our study, for the first time, we used an excellent animal model, the zebrafish (Danio rerio), to compare the mRNA localization patterns of neurotrophins and receptors in the spinal cord. We quantified the levels of mRNA using qPCR, and identified the transcription pattern of each neurotrophin/receptor pathway via in situ hybridization. Our data show that ngf/trka are the most transcribed members in the adult zebrafish spinal cord. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
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- 2023
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12. Evaluation of matrix metalloproteinase type IV-collagenases in serum of patients with tumors of the central nervous system
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Ricci, Serena, Guadagno, Elia, Bruzzese, Dario, Del Basso De Caro, Marialaura, Peca, Carmela, Sgulò, Francesco G., Maiuri, Francesco, and Di Carlo, Angelina
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- 2017
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13. Virtual and Augmented Reality in Basic and Advanced Life Support Training
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Ricci, Serena, Calandrino, Andrea, Borgonovo, Giacomo, Marco, Chirico, and Casadio, Maura
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training ,healthcare simulation ,simulation training ,augmented reality ,basic and advanced life support ,cardiopulmonary resuscitation ,emergency ,first aid ,medical simulation ,virtual reality - Published
- 2022
14. Enhancing neonatal resuscitation training using a mixed-reality tool for immersive simulated scenarios
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Calandrino, Andrea, Mobilio, Giulia Addiego, Chessa, Manuela, Solari, Fabio, Chirico, Marco, Casadio, Maura, and Ricci, Serena
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- 2021
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15. Viewpoint: Virtual and Augmented Reality in Basic and Advanced Life Support Training.
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Ricci, Serena, Calandrino, Andrea, Borgonovo, Giacomo, Chirico, Marco, and Casadio, Maura
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VIRTUAL reality , *LIFE support systems in critical care , *CARDIOPULMONARY resuscitation , *MEDICAL simulation , *EMERGENCY medical services - Abstract
The use of augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) for life support training is increasing. These technologies provide an immersive experience that supports learning in a safe and controlled environment. This review focuses on the use of AR and VR for emergency care training for health care providers, medical students, and nonprofessionals. In particular, we analyzed (1) serious games, nonimmersive games, both single-player and multiplayer; (2) VR tools ranging from semi-immersive to immersive virtual and mixed reality; and (3) AR applications. All the toolkits have been investigated in terms of application goals (training, assessment, or both), simulated procedures, and skills. The main goal of this work is to summarize and organize the findings of studies coming from multiple research areas in order to make them accessible to all the professionals involved in medical simulation. The analysis of the state-of-the-art technologies reveals that tools and studies related to the multiplayer experience, haptic feedback, and evaluation of user's manual skills in the foregoing health care-related environments are still limited and require further investigation. Also, there is an additional need to conduct studies aimed at assessing whether AR/VR-based systems are superior or, at the minimum, comparable to traditional training methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
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- 2022
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16. Extended Visual Sequence Learning Leaves a Local Trace in the Spontaneous EEG.
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Ricci, Serena, Tatti, Elisa, Nelson, Aaron B., Panday, Priya, Chen, Henry, Tononi, Giulio, Cirelli, Chiara, and Ghilardi, M. Felice
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VISUAL learning ,VISUAL memory ,ELECTROENCEPHALOGRAPHY ,MOTOR learning ,MEMORY testing - Abstract
We have previously demonstrated that, in rested subjects, extensive practice in a motor learning task increased both electroencephalographic (EEG) theta power in the areas involved in learning and improved the error rate in a motor test that shared similarities with the task. A nap normalized both EEG and performance changes. We now ascertain whether extensive visual declarative learning produces results similar to motor learning. Thus, during the morning, we recorded high-density EEG in well rested young healthy subjects that learned the order of different visual sequence task (VSEQ) for three one-hour blocks. Afterward, a group of subjects took a nap and another rested quietly. Between each VSEQ block, we recorded spontaneous EEG (sEEG) at rest and assessed performance in a motor test and a visual working memory test that shares similarities with VSEQ. We found that after the third block, VSEQ induced local theta power increases in the sEEG over a right temporo-parietal area that was engaged during the task. This local theta increase was preceded by increases in alpha and beta power over the same area and was paralleled by performance decline in the visual working memory test. Only after the nap, VSEQ learning rate improved and performance in the visual working memory test was restored, together with partial normalization of the local sEEG changes. These results suggest that intensive learning, like motor learning, produces local theta power increases, possibly reflecting local neuronal fatigue. Sleep may be necessary to resolve neuronal fatigue and its effects on learning and performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2021
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17. Multifaceted Breast Cancer: The Molecular Connection With Obesity
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FEOLA, ANTONIA, RICCI, SERENA, Kouidhi, Soumaya, RIZZO, ANTONIETTA, Penon, Antonella, FORMISANO, PIETRO, Giordano, Antonio, DI CARLO, ANGELINA, DI DOMENICO, MARINA, Feola, Antonia, Ricci, Serena, Kouidhi, Soumaya, Rizzo, Antonietta, Penon, Antonella, Formisano, Pietro, Giordano, Antonio, Di Carlo, Angelina, DI DOMENICO, Marina, and DI CARLO, Angelina
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Animal ,Physiology ,medicine (all) ,physiology ,clinical biochemistry ,cell biology ,Medicine (all) ,Clinical Biochemistry ,Breast Neoplasms ,Cell Biology ,Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 ,Adipose Tissue ,Animals ,Energy Metabolism ,Humans ,Insulin Resistance ,Obesity ,Diabetes Mellitus ,Breast Neoplasm ,Type 2 ,Human - Abstract
Obesity is characterized by a disruption in energy balance regulation that results in an excess accumulation of body fat. Its increasing prevalence poses a major public health concern because it is a risk factor for a host of additional chronic conditions, including type 2 diabetes, hypertension, and cardiovascular disease. Obesity is increasingly recognized as a growing cause of cancer risk. In particular excessive adipose expansion during obesity causes adipose dysfunction and inflammation that can regulate tumor growth. In obesity, dysregulated systemic metabolism and inflammation induce hyperinsulinemia, hyperglycemia, dyslipidemia, and enhance sex hormone production with increased secretion of proinflammatory adipokine that impact breast cancer development and progression. This review describes how adipose inflammation that characterizes obesity is responsible of microenvironment to promote cancer, and discuss how steroid hormones, that are essential for the maintenance of the normal development, growth and differentiation of the cells, influence the induction and progression of breast cancer. J. Cell. Physiol. 232: 69–77, 2017. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
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- 2017
18. Different forms of serum gelatinases in human intracranial neoplasms
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Ricci Serena, Bruzzese Dario, Guadagno Elia, Peca Carmela, Sgulo Francesco G, Del Basso De Caro Marialaura, Maiuri Francesco, Di Carlo Angelina, Ricci Serena, Bruzzese Dario, Guadagno Elia, Peca Carmela, Sgulo Francesco, Del Basso De Caro Marialaura, Maiuri Francesco, Di Carlo Angelina, Ricci, Serena, Bruzzese, Dario, Guadagno, Elia, Peca, Carmela, Sgulo Francesco, G, DEL BASSO DE CARO, Marialaura, Maiuri, Francesco, and Di Carlo, Angelina
- Published
- 2015
19. Induction of EEG and performance tiredness by learning and restoration with a nap
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Tatti, Elisa, Ricci, Serena, Nelson, Aaron, Cirelli, Chiara, Tononi, Giulio, and Ghilardi, Maria Felice
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- 2018
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20. Long term effects of mesoglycan on brachial arterial stiffness and MMP-9/TIMP-1 system in patients with metabolic syndrome
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Antonio, Valvano, Giorgio, Bosso, Ricci, Serena, DI CARLO, Angelina, and Ugo, Oliviero
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mesoglycan ,arterial stiffness ,matrix metallo proteinases ,coefficient of distensibility ,metabolic syndrome - Published
- 2018
21. Neural fatigue due to intensive learning is reversed by a nap but not by quiet waking.
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Nelson, Aaron B, Ricci, Serena, Tatti, Elisa, Panday, Priya, Girau, Elisa, Lin, Jing, Thomson, Brittany O, Chen, Henry, Marshall, William, Tononi, Giulio, Cirelli, Chiara, and Ghilardi, M Felice
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- 2021
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22. Prior Practice Affects Movement-Related Beta Modulation and Quiet Wake Restores It to Baseline.
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Tatti, Elisa, Ricci, Serena, Nelson, Aaron B., Mathew, Dave, Chen, Henry, Quartarone, Angelo, Cirelli, Chiara, Tononi, Giulio, and Ghilardi, Maria Felice
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POWER resources ,PRIOR learning ,ELECTROENCEPHALOGRAPHY ,OSCILLATIONS ,ROTATIONAL motion - Abstract
Beta oscillations (13.5−25 Hz) over the sensorimotor areas are characterized by a power decrease during movement execution (event-related desynchronization, ERD) and a sharp rebound after the movement end (event-related synchronization, ERS). In previous studies, we demonstrated that movement-related beta modulation depth (peak ERS-ERD) during reaching increases within 1-h practice. This increase may represent plasticity processes within the sensorimotor network. If so, beta modulation during a reaching test should be affected by previous learning activity that engages the sensorimotor system but not by learning involving other systems. We thus recorded high-density EEG activity in a group of healthy subjects performing three 45-min blocks of motor adaptation task to a visually rotated display (ROT) and in another performing three blocks of visual sequence-learning (VSEQ). Each block of either ROT or VSEQ was followed by a simple reaching test (mov) without rotation. We found that beta modulation depth increased with practice across mov tests. However, such an increase was greater in the group performing ROT over both the left and frontal areas previously involved in ROT. Importantly, beta modulation values returned to baseline values after a 90-min of either nap or quiet wake. These results show that previous practice leaves a trace in movement-related beta modulation and therefore such increases are cumulative. Furthermore, as sleep is not necessary to bring beta modulation values to baseline, they could reflect local increases of neuronal activity and decrease of energy and supplies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
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- 2020
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23. Dynamic Stability and Trunk Control Improvements Following Robotic Balance and Core Stability Training in Chronic Stroke Survivors: A Pilot Study.
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De Luca, Alice, Squeri, Valentina, Barone, Laura M., Vernetti Mansin, Honorè, Ricci, Serena, Pisu, Ivano, Cassiano, Cinzia, Capra, Cristina, Lentino, Carmelo, De Michieli, Lorenzo, Sanfilippo, Carlo A., Saglia, Jody A., and Checchia, Giovanni A.
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DYNAMIC stability ,ACTIVE recovery ,PILOT projects ,STROKE ,POSTURAL balance ,DYNAMIC balance (Mechanics) - Abstract
Stroke survivors show greater postural oscillations and altered muscular activation compared to healthy controls. This results in difficulties in walking and standing, and in an increased risk of falls. A proper control of the trunk is related to a stable walk and to a lower falling risk; to this extent, rehabilitative protocols are currently working on core stability. The main objective of this work was to evaluate the effectiveness of trunk and balance training performed with a new robotic device designed for evaluation and training of balance and core stability, in improving the recovery of chronic stroke patients compared with a traditional physical therapy program. Thirty chronic stroke patients, randomly divided in two groups, either underwent a traditional rehabilitative protocol, or a robot-based program. Each patient was assessed before and after the rehabilitation and at 3-months follow-up with clinical and robot-based evaluation exercises focused on static and dynamic balance and trunk control. Results from clinical scores showed an improvement in both groups in balance and trunk control. Robot-based indices analysis indicated that the experimental group showed greater improvements in proprioceptive control, reactive balance and postural control in unstable conditions, compared to the control group, showing an improved trunk control with reduced compensatory strategies at the end of the training. Moreover, the experimental group had an increased retention of the benefits obtained with training at 3 months follow up. These results support the idea that such robotic device is a promising tool for stroke rehabilitation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
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- 2020
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24. Expression of matrix metalloproteinase-9 in human glioma and meningioma
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Ricci, Serena, Dario, Bruzzese, and DI CARLO, Angelina
- Published
- 2016
25. Circulating tumor cells in diagnosing lung cancer: clinical and morphologic analysis
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Antonia, Feola, Adelaide, Auletta, Letizia, Cito, Rosamaria, Iorio, Alfonso, Fiorelli, Matteo, Pierdiluca, Ricci, Serena, DI CARLO, Angelina, and Marina Di Domenico
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lung cancer ,Circulating tumor cells - Published
- 2016
26. Matrix Metalloproteinasi-9: emergente biomarcatore nei meningiomi?
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Ricci, Serena, Dario, Bruzzese, Elia, Guadagno, Marialaura Del Basso De Caro, Carmela, Peca, Sgulò, Francesco G., Francesco, Maiuri, and DI CARLO, Angelina
- Published
- 2016
27. Serum levels of gelatinases, their inhibitors and neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin: worthwhile non-invasive biomarkers for bladder cancer patients' managment
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Ricci, Serena, Bruzzese, Dario, and DI CARLO, Angelina
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TIMPs ,Bladder cancer ,MMPs ,NGAL - Published
- 2015
28. Malvidin's effects on blood brain barrier alterations during hypoperfusion/ reperfusion injury
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Lapi, D, Mastantuono, T, Chiaruzzi, M, Battiloro, L, Di Maro, M, Ricci, Serena, DI CARLO, Angelina, and Colantuoni, A
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pial microcirculation ,reperfusion ,metalloproteinases - Published
- 2015
29. Different forms of sera gelatinases in human intracranial neoplasias
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Ricci, Serena, Bruzzese, Dario, Guadagno, Elia, Peca, Carmela, Sgulò, Francesco G., Del Basso De Caro, Marialaura, Maiuri, Francesco, and DI CARLO, Angelina
- Published
- 2015
30. Evaluation of matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) and matrix metalloproteinse-2 (MMP-2) in sera of intracranial tumor patients
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Elia, Guadagno, Marialaura Del Basso De Caro, Dario, Bruzzese, Ricci, Serena, Carmela, Peca, Sgulò, Francesco G., Francesco, Maiuri, and DI CARLO, Angelina
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Matrix metalloproteinases ,zymography ,intracranial tumors ,sera - Published
- 2015
31. Aging Does Not Affect Beta Modulation during Reaching Movements.
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Ricci, Serena, Mehraram, Ramtin, Tatti, Elisa, Nelson, Aaron B., Bossini-Baroggi, Martina, Panday, Priya, Lin, Nancy, and Ghilardi, M. Felice
- Subjects
- *
SENSORIMOTOR cortex , *MOTOR ability - Abstract
During movement, modulation of beta power occurs over the sensorimotor areas, with a decrease just before its start (event-related desynchronization, ERD) and a rebound after its end (event-related synchronization, ERS). We have recently found that the depth of ERD-to-ERS modulation increases during practice in a reaching task and the following day decreases to baseline levels. Importantly, the magnitude of the beta modulation increase during practice is highly correlated with the retention of motor skill tested the following day. Together with other evidence, this suggests that the increase of practice-related modulation depth may be the expression of sensorimotor cortex's plasticity. Here, we determine whether the practice-related increase of beta modulation depth is equally present in a group of younger and a group of older subjects during the performance of a 30-minute block of reaching movements. We focused our analyses on two regions of interest (ROIs): the left sensorimotor and the frontal region. Performance indices were significantly different in the two groups, with the movements of older subjects being slower and less accurate. Importantly, both groups presented a similar increase of the practice-related beta modulation depth in both ROIs in the course of the task. Peak latency analysis revealed a progressive delay of the ERS peak that correlated with the total movement time. Altogether, these findings support the notion that the depth of beta modulation in a reaching movement task does not depend on age and confirm previous findings that only ERS peak latency but not ERS magnitude is related to performance indices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2019
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
32. The enigmatic role of matrix metalloproteinases in epithelial‐to‐mesenchymal transition of oral squamous cell carcinoma: Implications and nutraceutical aspects.
- Author
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Ricci, Serena, Pinto, Federica, Auletta, Adelaide, Giordano, Antonio, Giovane, Alfonso, Settembre, Giuliana, Boccellino, Mariarosaria, Boffo, Silvia, Di Carlo, Angelina, and Di Domenico, Marina
- Published
- 2019
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
33. Exploitation of nanoparticle-protein interactions for early disease detection.
- Author
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Papi, Massimiliano, Palmieri, Valentina, Palchetti, Sara, Pozzi, Daniela, Digiacomo, Luca, Guadagno, Elia, del Basso De Caro, Marialaura, Di Domenico, Marina, Ricci, Serena, Pani, Roberto, Mahmoudi, Morteza, Di Carlo, Angelina, and Caracciolo, Giulio
- Subjects
NANOPARTICLES ,PROTEIN-protein interactions ,CENTRAL nervous system cancer ,IMAGING of cancer ,MACROMOLECULES ,BLOOD proteins - Abstract
The main diagnostic tools for primary and metastatic central nervous system (CNS) tumors are the anamnestic neurological examination and the imaging tests, which are expensive and lack specificity. In recent years, the shell of macromolecules which forms on nanoparticles (NPs) when they are exposed to human blood, also known as hard corona (HC), became a powerful tool in diagnostics. Indeed, HC can act as a "nano-concentrator" of serum proteins and can detect minor changes in the protein concentration at the very early stages of disease development. In this paper, we characterized lipid NP HC formed in blood samples from patients affected by meningeal tumors. We found that the HCs of meningeal tumor patients could be discriminated from those of healthy subjects. Our results show that emerging HC-based technologies will pave the way for early diagnosis of CNS cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2019
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
34. Beta Modulation Depth Is Not Linked to Movement Features.
- Author
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Tatti, Elisa, Ricci, Serena, Mehraram, Ramtin, Lin, Nancy, George, Shaina, Nelson, Aaron B., and Ghilardi, Maria F.
- Subjects
HUMAN mechanics ,MOTOR ability ,ELECTROENCEPHALOGRAPHY ,VELOCITY measurements ,DISTANCES - Abstract
Beta power over the sensorimotor areas starts decreasing just before movement execution (event-related desynchronization, ERD) and increases post-movement (event-related synchronization, ERS). In this study, we determined whether the magnitude of beta ERD, ERS and modulation depth are linked to movement characteristics, such as movement length and velocity. Brain activity was recorded with a 256-channels EEG system in 35 healthy subjects performing fast, uncorrected reaching movements to targets located at three distances. We found that the temporal profiles of velocity were bell-shaped and scaled to the appropriate target distance. However, the magnitude of beta ERD, ERS and modulation depth, as well as their timing, did not significantly change and were not related to movement features. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2019
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
35. eBSim: Development of a Low-Cost Obstetric Simulator.
- Author
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Paci, Andrea, Marcutti, Simone, Ricci, Serena, Casadio, Maura, Vercelli, Gianni Viardo, Marchiolè, Pierangelo, and Cordone, Massimo
- Published
- 2016
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
36. Beta Oscillatory Changes and Retention of Motor Skills during Practice in Healthy Subjects and in Patients with Parkinson's Disease.
- Author
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Nelson, Aaron B., Moisello, Clara, Jing Lin, Panday, Priya, Ricci, Serena, Canessa, Andrea, Di Rocco, Alessandro, Quartarone, Angelo, Frazzitta, Giuseppe, Isaias, Ioannis U., Tononi, Giulio, Cirelli, Chiara, and Ghilardi, M. Felice
- Subjects
MOTOR ability ,PARKINSON'S disease patients ,MEMORY ,ELECTROENCEPHALOGRAPHY ,OSCILLATING chemical reactions - Abstract
Recently we found that modulation depth of beta power during movement increases with practice over sensory-motor areas in normal subjects but not in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD). As such changes might reflect use-dependent modifications, we concluded that reduction of beta enhancement in PD represents saturation of cortical plasticity. A few questions remained open: What is the relation between these EEG changes and retention of motor skills? Would a second task exposure restore beta modulation enhancement in PD? Do practice-induced increases of beta modulation occur within each block? We thus recorded EEG in patients with PD and age-matched controls in two consecutive days during a 40-min reaching task divided in fifteen blocks of 56 movements each. The results confirmed that, with practice, beta modulation depth over the contralateral sensory-motor area significantly increased across blocks in controls but not in PD, while performance improved in both groups without significant correlations between behavioral and EEG data. The same changes were seen the following day in both groups. Also, beta modulation increased within each block with similar values in both groups and such increases were partially transferred to the successive block in controls, but not in PD. Retention of performance improvement was present in the controls but not in the patients and correlated with the increase in day 1 modulation depth. Therefore, the lack of practice-related increase beta modulation in PD is likely due to deficient potentiation mechanisms that permit between-block saving of beta power enhancement and trigger mechanisms of memory formation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2017
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
37. SEEG assistant: a 3DSlicer extension to support epilepsy surgery.
- Author
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Narizzano, Massimo, Arnulfo, Gabriele, Ricci, Serena, Toselli, Benedetta, Tisdall, Martin, Canessa, Andrea, Fato, Marco Massimo, and Cardinale, Francesco
- Subjects
EPILEPSY surgery ,ELECTROENCEPHALOGRAPHY ,NEUROPHYSIOLOGISTS ,NEUROSURGEONS ,COMPUTER software - Abstract
Background: In the evaluation of Stereo-Electroencephalography (SEEG) signals, the physicist's workflow involves several operations, including determining the position of individual electrode contacts in terms of both relationship to grey or white matter and location in specific brain regions. These operations are (i) generally carried out manually by experts with limited computer support, (ii) hugely time consuming, and (iii) often inaccurate, incomplete, and prone to errors. Results: In this paper we present SEEG Assistant, a set of tools integrated in a single 3DSlicer extension, which aims to assist neurosurgeons in the analysis of post-implant structural data and hence aid the neurophysiologist in the interpretation of SEEG data. SEEG Assistant consists of (i) a module to localize the electrode contact positions using imaging data from a thresholded post-implant CT, (ii) a module to determine the most probable cerebral location of the recorded activity, and (iii) a module to compute the Grey Matter Proximity Index, i.e. the distance of each contact from the cerebral cortex, in order to discriminate between white and grey matter location of contacts. Finally, exploiting 3DSlicer capabilities, SEEG Assistant offers a Graphical User Interface that simplifies the interaction between the user and the tools. SEEG Assistant has been tested on 40 patients segmenting 555 electrodes, and it has been used to identify the neuroanatomical loci and to compute the distance to the nearest cerebral cortex for 9626 contacts. We also performed manual segmentation and compared the results between the proposed tool and gold-standard clinical practice. As a result, the use of SEEG Assistant decreases the post implant processing time by more than 2 orders of magnitude, improves the quality of results and decreases, if not eliminates, errors in post implant processing. Conclusions: The SEEG Assistant Framework for the first time supports physicists by providing a set of open-source tools for post-implant processing of SEEG data. Furthermore, SEEG Assistant has been integrated into 3D Slicer, a software platform for the analysis and visualization of medical images, overcoming limitations of command-line tools. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2017
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
38. Substrate-zymography: a still worthwhile method for gelatinases analysis in biological samples.
- Author
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Ricci, Serena, D'Esposito, Vittoria, Oriente, Francesco, Formisano, Pietro, and Di Carlo, Angelina
- Subjects
- *
MATRIX metalloproteinases , *ENDOPEPTIDASES , *GELATINASES , *CANCER diagnosis , *CANCER treatment - Abstract
Matrix metallo-proteinases (MMPs) are a family of zinc-dependent endopeptidases, capable of degrading all the molecular components of extracellular matrix. A class of MMPs is gelatinases which includes gelatinase A or MMP-2 (72 kDa) and gelatinase B or MMP-9 (92 kDa), which have been shown to play critical roles in pathophysiology of many human disease and, in particular, cancer progression. For these reasons they obtained a great interest as potential non-invasive biomarker in providing useful clinical information in cancer diagnosis and therapy. A sensitive and unexpensive method for analysis of gelatinases is the gelatine zymography, which allows to measure the relative amounts of active and inactive enzymes in body fluids and tissue extracts. The procedure involves the electrophoretic separation of proteins under denaturing but non reducing conditions through a polyacrylamide gel containing a synthetic substrate (gelatin). The aim of this mini-review has been to describe the general principles of gelatine zymography technique, underling the main advantages and disadvantages. Even though an improvement of this method is necessary for a better applicability in laboratory medicine, gelatine zymography represents the most convenient method to detect the activity of the different gelatinases from a wide range of biological samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2016
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
39. Malvidin's Effects on Rat Pial Microvascular Permeability Changes Due to Hypoperfusion and Reperfusion Injury.
- Author
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Lapi, Dominga, Chiurazzi, Martina, Di Maro, Martina, Mastantuono, Teresa, Battiloro, Laura, Sabatino, Lina, Ricci, Serena, Di Carlo, Angelina, Starita, Noemy, Guida, Bruna, Santillo, Mariarosaria, and Colantuoni, Antonio
- Subjects
CAROTID artery diseases ,ARTERIAL occlusions ,REPERFUSION ,LEUCOCYTES ,NITRIC-oxide synthases - Abstract
The present study was aimed to evaluate the malvidin's protective effects on damage induced by 30 min bilateral common carotid artery occlusion (BCCAO) and 60 min reperfusion (RE) in rat pial microcirculation. Rat pial microcirculation was observed using fluorescence microscopy through a closed cranial window. Western blotting analysis was performed to investigate the endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS), phosphorylated eNOS (p-eNOS) and matrix metalloproteinase 9 (MMP-9) expression. Moreover, MMP-9 activity was evaluated by zymography. Finally, neuronal damage and radical oxygen species (ROS) formation were assessed. In all animals, pial arterioles were classified in five orders of branching according to Strahler's method. In hypoperfused rats, 30 min BCCAO and 60 min RE caused a decrease in arteriolar diameter, an increase in microvascular leakage and leukocyte adhesion, accompanied by decreased capillary perfusion and red blood cell velocity (V
RBC ). Moreover, marked neuronal damage and evident ROS generation were detected. Conversely, malvidin administration induced arteriolar dilation in dose-related manner, reducing microvascular leakage as well as leukocyte adhesion. Capillary perfusion and VRBC were protected. Nitric oxide (NO) synthase inhibition significantly attenuated malvidin's effects on arteriolar diameter. Western blotting analysis revealed an increase in eNOS and p-eNOS expression, while zymography indicated a decrease in MMP-9 activity after malvidin's administration. Furthermore, malvidin was able to prevent neuronal damage and to decrease ROS generation. In conclusion, malvidin protects rat pial microcirculation against BCCAO/RE injury, preventing blood-brain impairment and neuronal loss. Malvidin's effects appear to be mediated by eNOS activation and scavenger activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]- Published
- 2016
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
40. Matrix metalloproteinase-9 and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-1 in diagnosis of pleural effusion of malignant origin.
- Author
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Fiorelli, Alfonso, Ricci, Serena, Feola, Antonia, Mazzella, Antonio, D'Angelo, Luigi, Santini, Mario, Di Domenico, Marina, and Di Carlo, Angelina
- Published
- 2016
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
41. Evaluation of MMP-2, MMP-9, TIMP-1, TIMP-2, NGAL and MMP-9/NGAL complex in urine and sera from patients with bladder cancer.
- Author
-
RICCI, SERENA, BRUZZESE, DARIO, and DI CARLO, ANGELINA
- Subjects
- *
BIOMARKERS , *BLADDER cancer , *METALLOPROTEINASES , *ENZYME-linked immunosorbent assay , *URINE - Abstract
The identification of biomarkers in urine or serum samples from patients with bladder cancer is urgently required for the development of non-invasive methods for the diagnosis of bladder carcinoma and to facilitate follow-up surveillance, to combat the high progression and recurrence rates of this type of cancer. The current study measured the content of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-2 and -9, as well as tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase (TIMP)-1 and -2 in the urine and sera of 41 patients with bladder cancer by ELISA. The association between levels of MMP-2 and -9 and TIMP-1 and -2, and tumor grade and stage were investigated to verify whether these molecules are involved in tumor differentiation. Statistical analysis of the data revealed that urinary TIMP-1 levels were significantly higher in the high grade group compared with those of the low grade samples (P=0.022). The results also revealed a significantly differing distribution of TIMP-1 expression between Ta and T1 stage specimens (P=0.040). The corresponding area under the curves (AUCs) were 0.72, with a sensitivity of 0.70 and specificity of 0.75. In addition, neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL) and MMP-9/NGAL complex levels in the sera were measured. All molecules evaluated were detected in the sera of the patients studied. In particular, tumors staged as non-muscle invasive (Ta and T1), demonstrated significantly higher NGAL levels compared with those of muscle invasive (>T1) bladder cancer (32.8 ng/ml vs. 16.2 ng/ml; P=0.029). The discriminatory ability of NGAL expression was confirmed by receiver operating characteristic curve analysis that revealed an AUC of 0.75, a sensitivity of 0.88 and a specificity of 0.67. These data indicated that urinary TIMP-1 and serum NGAL may be useful non-invasive biomarkers to provide clinical information for bladder cancer disease management. Multicenter, prospective studies are required to confirm these preliminary results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2015
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
42. Stem Cell Research Tools in Human Metabolic Disorders: An Overview.
- Author
-
Ricci, Serena and Cacialli, Pietro
- Subjects
- *
METABOLIC disorders , *STEM cell research , *LYSOSOMAL storage diseases , *LYSOSOMES , *OBESITY , *HUMAN experimentation - Abstract
Metabolic disorders are very common in the population worldwide and are among the diseases with the highest health utilization and costs per person. Despite the ongoing efforts to develop new treatments, currently, for many of these disorders, there are no approved therapies, resulting in a huge economic hit and tension for society. In this review, we recapitulate the recent advancements in stem cell (gene) therapy as potential tools for the long-term treatment of both inherited (lysosomal storage diseases) and acquired (diabetes mellitus, obesity) metabolic disorders, focusing on the main promising results observed in human patients and discussing the critical hurdles preventing the definitive jump of this approach from the bench to the clinic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2021
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
43. Prep1 deficiency improves metabolic response in white adipose tissue.
- Author
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Liotti, Antonietta, Cabaro, Serena, Cimmino, Ilaria, Ricci, Serena, Procaccini, Claudio, Paciello, Orlando, Raciti, Gregory A., Spinelli, Rosa, Iossa, Susanna, Matarese, Giuseppe, Miele, Claudia, Formisano, Pietro, Beguinot, Francesco, and Oriente, Francesco
- Subjects
- *
WHITE adipose tissue , *INSULIN resistance , *FAT cells , *PHOSPHORYLATION , *T cells - Abstract
Prep1 is a gene encoding for a homeodomain transcription factor which induces hepatic and muscular insulin resistance. In this study, we show that Prep1 hypomorphic heterozygous ( Prep1 i /+ ) mice, expressing low levels of protein, featured a 23% and a 25% reduction of total body lipid content and epididymal fat, respectively. The percentage of the small adipocytes (25–75 μm) was 30% higher in Prep1 i /+ animals than in the WT, with a reciprocal difference in the large adipose cells (100–150 and >150 μm). Insulin-stimulated insulin receptor tyrosine and Akt serine phosphorylation markedly increased in Prep1 i /+ mice, paralleled by 3-fold higher glucose uptake and a significant increase of proadipogenic genes such as C / EBPα , GLUT4 , and FABP4 . Moreover, T cells infiltration and TNF-α , IFNγ and leptin expression were reduced in adipose tissue from Prep1 i /+ mice, while adiponectin levels were 2-fold higher. Furthermore, Prep1 i /+ mature adipocytes released lower amounts of pro-inflammatory cytokines and higher amount of adiponectin compared to WT cells. Incubation of murine liver cell line (NMuLi) with conditioned media (CM) from mature adipocytes of Prep1 i /+ mice improved glucose metabolism, while those from WT mice had no effect. Consistent with these data, Prep1 overexpression in 3T3-L1 adipocytes impaired adipogenesis and insulin signaling, and increased proinflammatory cytokine secretion. All these findings suggest that Prep1 silencing reduces inflammatory response and increases insulin sensitivity in adipose tissue. In addition, CM from mature adipocytes of Prep1 i /+ mice improve metabolism in hepatic cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2018
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
44. The enigmatic role of matrix metalloproteinases in epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition of oral squamous cell carcinoma: Implications and nutraceutical aspects
- Author
-
Federica Pinto, Adelaide Auletta, Alfonso Giovane, Serena Ricci, Mariarosaria Boccellino, Angelina Di Carlo, Marina Di Domenico, Giuliana Settembre, Silvia Boffo, Antonio Giordano, Ricci, Serena, Pinto, Federica, Auletta, Adelaide, Giordano, Antonio, Giovane, Alfonso, Settembre, Giuliana, Boccellino, Mariarosaria, Boffo, Silvia, Di Carlo, Angelina, and Di Domenico, Marina
- Subjects
0301 basic medicine ,curcumin ,epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) ,matrix metalloproteinases-9 (MMP-9) ,oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) ,resveratrol ,Matrix metalloproteinase ,Resveratrol ,Malignancy ,medicine.disease_cause ,Biochemistry ,Extracellular matrix ,03 medical and health sciences ,chemistry.chemical_compound ,0302 clinical medicine ,epithelial‐to‐mesenchymal transition (EMT) ,medicine ,Epithelial–mesenchymal transition ,matrix metalloproteinases‐9 (MMP‐9) ,Molecular Biology ,business.industry ,Cancer ,Cell Biology ,medicine.disease ,030104 developmental biology ,chemistry ,030220 oncology & carcinogenesis ,Cancer cell ,Cancer research ,Carcinogenesis ,business - Abstract
The most prevalent malignancy in the oral cavity is represented by oral squamous cell carcinoma, an aggressive disease mostly detected in low-income communities. This neoplasia is mostly diffused in older men particularly exposed to risk factors such as tobacco, alcohol, and a diet rich in fatty foods and poor in vegetables. In oral squamous cell carcinoma, a wide range of matrix-cleaving proteinases are involved in extracellular matrix remodeling of cancer microenvironment. In particular, matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) represent the major and most investigated protagonists. Owing to their strong involvement in malignant pathologies, MMPs are considered the most promising new biomarkers in cancer diagnosis and prognosis. The interest in studying MMPs in oral cancer biology is also owing to their prominent role in epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT). EMT is an intricate process involving different complex pathways. EMT-related proteins are attractive diagnostic biomarkers that characterize the activation of biological events that promote cancer's aggressive expansion. Different antioncogenic natural compounds have been investigated to counteract oral carcinogenesis, with the scope of obtaining better clinical results and lower morbidity. In particular, we describe the role of different nutraceuticals used for the regulation of MMP-related invasion and proliferation of oral cancer cells.
- Published
- 2019
45. Matrix metalloproteinase-9 and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-1 in diagnosis of pleural effusion of malignant origin
- Author
-
Alfonso Fiorelli, Marina Di Domenico, Angelina Di Carlo, Serena Ricci, Antonia Feola, Antonio Mazzella, Luigi D'Angelo, Mario Santini, Fiorelli, A., Ricci, S., Feola, A., Mazzella, A., D'Angelo, L., Santini, M., Di Domenico, M., Di Carlo, A., Fiorelli, Alfonso, Ricci, Serena, Feola, Antonia, Mazzella, Antonio, D'Angelo, Luigi, Santini, Mario, DI DOMENICO, Marina, and Di Carlo, Angelina
- Subjects
Pulmonary and Respiratory Medicine ,Male ,Pathology ,medicine.medical_specialty ,Exudative pleural effusion ,Pleural effusion ,Reproducibility of Result ,Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ,Predictive Value of Test ,030204 cardiovascular system & hematology ,Diagnosis, Differential ,03 medical and health sciences ,chemistry.chemical_compound ,0302 clinical medicine ,Carcinoembryonic antigen ,Predictive Value of Tests ,Lactate dehydrogenase ,Cytology ,medicine ,Biomarkers, Tumor ,Humans ,Zymography ,Aged ,Tissue Inhibitor of Metalloproteinase-1 ,biology ,business.industry ,Reproducibility of Results ,matrix metalloproteinase-9 ,tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-1 ,exudative pleural effusion ,Histology ,Matrix metalloproteinase-9 ,Tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase ,Middle Aged ,medicine.disease ,Pleural Effusion, Malignant ,chemistry ,Italy ,Matrix Metalloproteinase 9 ,ROC Curve ,030220 oncology & carcinogenesis ,Area Under Curve ,biology.protein ,Surgery ,Female ,Cardiology and Cardiovascular Medicine ,business ,Human - Abstract
OBJECTIVES The aim of the present study was to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of matrix metalloproteinase-9 and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-1 in differentiating benign from malignant exudative pleural effusions. METHODS This is a unicentre observational study including 97 consecutive patients with exudative pleural effusions. Metalloproteinase-9, tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-1, lactate dehydrogenase, ferritin, carcinoembryonic antigen and carbohydrate antigen 15-3 were measured in pleural effusion and serum by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The activity of metalloproteinase-9 was also evaluated by substrate zymography. The data were correlated with final diagnosis of pleural effusions to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy. RESULTS Of the 97 eligible patients, 6 were excluded. Of the 91 patients included in the study, 70 had malignant pleural effusions and 21 had benign pleural effusions. Both in sera and pleural effusions, matrix metalloproteinase-9 (P < 0.0001), tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-1 (P < 0.0001) and carcinoembryonic antigen (P < 0.0001) levels were higher in neoplastic patients than in benign group. Zymography analysis showed a most prominent band at a molecular weight of 92 kDa (metalloproteinase-9) whereas a less intense band was observed at 72 kDa (metalloproteinase-2). A significant correlation was found between metalloproteinase-9 and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-1 levels in pleural effusion (P < 0.0001; r = 0.8) and serum (P < 0.03; r = 0.2). Pleural effusion metalloproteinase-9 and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-1 levels showed higher value of sensitivity (97 and 91%, respectively) and specificity (90 and 95%, respectively) compared with other standard markers. Serum metalloproteinase-9 and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-1 levels showed similar results. Among 70 neoplastic patients, 29 had negative pleural cytology. Of these, 25 presented elevated levels of metalloproteinase-9 and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-1, whereas 4 patients had elevated levels of one of the two markers. CONCLUSIONS Our results showed that metalloproteinase-9 and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-1 might be valuable markers in differentiating benign from malignant pleural effusions. Their levels are neither influenced by the histology and tumour origin nor by the presence of tumour cells in pleural effusions. Thus, their use in clinical practice could help in the selection of patients needing more invasive procedures, such as thoracoscopic biopsy. OBJECTIVES The aim of the present study was to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of matrix metalloproteinase-9 and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-1 in differentiating benign from malignant exudative pleural effusions. METHODS This is a unicentre observational study including 97 consecutive patients with exudative pleural effusions. Metalloproteinase-9, tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-1, lactate dehydrogenase, ferritin, carcinoembryonic antigen and carbohydrate antigen 15-3 were measured in pleural effusion and serum by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The activity of metalloproteinase-9 was also evaluated by substrate zymography. The data were correlated with final diagnosis of pleural effusions to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy. RESULTS Of the 97 eligible patients, 6 were excluded. Of the 91 patients included in the study, 70 had malignant pleural effusions and 21 had benign pleural effusions. Both in sera and pleural effusions, matrix metalloproteinase-9 (P < 0.0001), tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-1 (P < 0.0001) and carcinoembryonic antigen (P < 0.0001) levels were higher in neoplastic patients than in benign group. Zymography analysis showed a most prominent band at a molecular weight of 92 kDa (metalloproteinase-9) whereas a less intense band was observed at 72 kDa (metalloproteinase-2). A significant correlation was found between metalloproteinase-9 and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-1 levels in pleural effusion (P < 0.0001; r = 0.8) and serum (P < 0.03; r = 0.2). Pleural effusion metalloproteinase-9 and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-1 levels showed higher value of sensitivity (97 and 91%, respectively) and specificity (90 and 95%, respectively) compared with other standard markers. Serum metalloproteinase-9 and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-1 levels showed similar results. Among 70 neoplastic patients, 29 had negative pleural cytology. Of these, 25 presented elevated levels of metalloproteinase-9 and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-1, whereas 4 patients had elevated levels of one of the two markers. CONCLUSIONS Our results showed that metalloproteinase-9 and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-1 might be valuable markers in differentiating benign from malignant pleural effusions. Their levels are neither influenced by the histology and tumour origin nor by the presence of tumour cells in pleural effusions. Thus, their use in clinical practice could help in the selection of patients needing more invasive procedures, such as thoracoscopic biopsy.
- Published
- 2016
46. Design of a system to detect the force applied by tourniquets in a manikin's limb.
- Author
-
Viola L, Lagazzi E, Ballardini G, Drogo A, Bonetti M, Marrone E, Chirico M, and Ricci S
- Subjects
- Hemorrhage therapy, Humans, Lower Extremity, Manikins, Tourniquets
- Abstract
Massive hemorrhage remains the number one cause of preventable death in trauma worldwide. However, immediate intervention by a bystander can significantly improve the survival of the injured person. In this context, the tourniquets represent the most quick and effective devices for stopping arterial and venous blood flow. The aim of this study was to implement a system to detect the force applied by a tourniquet on a simulated limb, without blood flow. The system we designed is characterized by four low-cost force sensing resistors placed on each lower limb of a manikin, below the groin. Tests on 21 tourniquets, revealed that our system is able to detect the force applied for 60 minutes, also discriminating between turns. Hence, this system can be used to compare the performance of different types of devices, but also to assess proper tourniquet placement in trainees and trauma care providers, thus making it a versatile low-cost device.
- Published
- 2021
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
47. RiNeo MR: A mixed-reality tool for newborn life support training.
- Author
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Ricci S, Mobilio GA, Calandrino A, Pescio M, Issa E, Rossi P, Chessa M, Solari F, Chirico M, and Casadio M
- Subjects
- Adult, Computer Simulation, Humans, Infant, Newborn, Manikins, Resuscitation, Augmented Reality, Virtual Reality
- Abstract
The first minute of life, the Golden Minute, has been defined as a critical window in which fundamental physiological processes occur for establishing spontaneous ventilation in a newborn. Resuscitation is more likely to succeed if it is performed properly and at the right time. In this scenario, simulation is an appropriate tool for training and evaluating the abilities of all staff working in the delivery room, as well as students. As simulations require a high degree of immersivity in order to be effective, the use of technologies like Virtual (VR) and mixed reality (MR) have garnered more interest in training. Currently, some VR and MR applications have been developed for adult life support training, but neonatal tools are still missing. To overcome this limitation, we present RiNeo MR, a prototype of a MR simulator for neonatal resuscitation training. The simulator consists of (i) a sensorized physical model of the newborn that allows monitoring chest compressions; (ii) a VR head mounted display that allows visualizing a virtual 3D model of the manikin and scenarios of the delivery and operating rooms. This enables students, and healthcare providers to be immersed in realistic hospital settings while performing life support procedures on the newborn manikin. Clinical Relevance-The newborn life support training (NLS) in facilities reduces term intrapartum-related deaths by 30%.
- Published
- 2021
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
48. Design and implementation of a low-cost birth simulator.
- Author
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Ricci S, Marcutti S, Pani A, Cordone M, Torre G, Vercelli GV, and Casadio M
- Subjects
- Female, Fetus, Humans, Parturition, Pregnancy, Cesarean Section, Delivery, Obstetric education, Obstetrics education, Simulation Training, Vacuum Extraction, Obstetrical
- Abstract
During spontaneous and operative deliveries it is important to correctly estimate the position and orientation of the fetus in the birth canal. In fact, incorrect evaluations can lead to errors in ventouse extraction, forceps application, and increased use of cesarean section. In this scenario, simulation is an appropriate tool for training and evaluating the abilities of gynecologists and midwives, because it allows student to practice both common situations and unlikely or risky events.Here we present eBSim, a prototype of a low-cost birth simulator that allows for precise identification of the fetal position, orientation, and station. The simulator consists on a sensorized physical model of the fetus and the pelvis, a corresponding virtual model, and an application, which allows students, instructors, and doctors to use the simulator for training and assessment of gynecological skills.
- Published
- 2019
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
49. Beta band frequency differences between motor and frontal cortices in reaching movements.
- Author
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Ricci S, Tatti E, Mehraram R, Panday P, and Ghilardi MF
- Subjects
- Adult, Electroencephalography, Electromyography, Female, Humans, Male, Middle Aged, Movement physiology, Psychomotor Performance physiology, Young Adult, Motor Cortex physiopathology
- Abstract
Movement is associated with power changes over sensory-motor areas in different frequency ranges, including beta (15-30 Hz). In fact, beta power starts decreasing before the movement onset (event-related desynchronization, ERD) and rebounds after its end (event-related synchronization, ERS). There is increasing evidence that beta modulation depth (measured as ERD-ERS difference) increases with practice in a planar reaching task, suggesting that this measure may reflect plasticity processes. In the present work, we analyzed beta ERD, ERS and modulation depth in healthy subjects to determine their changes over three regions of interest (ROIs): right and left sensorimotor and frontal areas, during a reaching task with the right arm. We found that ERD, ERS and modulation depth increased with practice with lower values over the right sensory-motor area. Timing of peak ERD and ERS were similar across ROIs, with ERS peak occurring earlier in later sets. Finally, we found that beta ERS of the frontal ROI involved higher beta range (23-29 Hz) than the sensory-motor ROIs (15-18 Hz). Altogether these results suggest that practice in a reaching task is associated with modification of beta power and timing. Additionally, beta ERS may have different functional meaning in the three ROIs, as suggested by the involvement of upper and lower beta bands in the frontal and sensorimotor ROIs, respectively.
- Published
- 2019
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
50. Effects of rTMS and intensive rehabilitation in Parkinson's Disease on learning and retention.
- Author
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Marchesi G, Albanese GA, Ferrazzoli D, George S, Ricci S, Tatti E, Di Rocco A, Quartarone A, Frazzitta G, and Ghilardi MF
- Subjects
- Aged, Female, Humans, Male, Middle Aged, Learning physiology, Parkinson Disease rehabilitation, Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation methods
- Abstract
Movement is accompanied by modulation of oscillatory activity in different ranges over the sensorimotor areas. This increase is more evident in normal subjects and less in patients with Parkinson's Disease (PD), a disorder associated with deficits in the formation of new motor skills. Here, we investigated whether such EEG changes improved in a group of PD patients, after two different treatments and whether this relates to performance. Subjects underwent either a session of 5 Hz repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (rTMS) over the right posterior parietal cortex or a 4-week Multidisciplinary Intensive Rehabilitation Treatment (MIRT). We used a reaching task with visuo-motor adaptation to a rotated display in incremental 10° steps up to 60°. Retention of the learned rotation was tested before and after either intervention over two consecutive days. High-density EEG was recorded throughout the testing. We found that patients adapted their movements to the rotated display similarly to controls, although retention was poorer. Both rTMS and MIRT lead to improvement in retention of the learned rotation. Mean beta modulation levels changed significantly after MIRT and not after rTMS. These results suggest that rTMS produced local improvement reflected in enhanced short-term skill retention; on the other hand, MIRT determined changes across the contralateral sensorimotor area, reflected in beta EEG changes.
- Published
- 2019
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
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