Mauro VACCAREZZA - Academia.edu (original) (raw)

Papers by Mauro VACCAREZZA

Immuno

In the past few years, a renowned interest in the interplay between the immune system and central... more In the past few years, a renowned interest in the interplay between the immune system and central nervous systems (CNS) has sparked a wealth of new experimental studies. Two recent publications in Science shed new light on the “resident” immune cell populations in the CNS and their functions in homeostasis and pathological status, with potential implications in understanding CNS disease mechanisms and in designing new “intelligent” therapies.

Anatomical Sciences Education

At the end of 2019, the Covid-19 pandemic spread caused restrictions in business and social spher... more At the end of 2019, the Covid-19 pandemic spread caused restrictions in business and social spheres. Higher education was also severely affected: universities and medical schools moved online to distance learning and laboratory facilities closed. Questions arise about the long-term effects of this pandemic on anatomical education. In this systematic review, the authors investigated whether or not anatomical educators were able to deliver anatomical knowledge during the pandemic. They also discuss the challenges that anatomical education has faced over the last year. The search strategy was conducted between July 2020 and July 2021. Two hundred and one records were identified, and a total of 79 studies were finally included. How best to deliver anatomy to students remains a moot point. In the last years, the advent of new technologies has raised the question of the possible overcoming of dissection as the main instrument in anatomical education. The Covid-19 pandemic further sharpened the debate. Remote learning enhanced the use of technologies other than cadaveric dissection to teach anatomy. Moreover, from the analyzed records it appears that both from students' perspective as well as teachers' there is a clear tear between those who endorse dissection and those who believe it could be easily overcome or at least integrated by virtual reality and online learning. The authors strongly believe that the best anatomy teaching practice requires the careful adaptation of resources and methods. Nevertheless, they support cadaveric dissection and hope that it will not be replaced entirely as a result of this pandemic.

Copyright © 2013 V. Papa and M. Vaccarezza. This is an open access article distributed under the ... more Copyright © 2013 V. Papa and M. Vaccarezza. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. Anatomyhas historically been a cornerstone inmedical education regardless of nation, racial background, ormedical school system. By learning gross anatomy, medical students get a first “impression ” about the structure of the human body which is the basis for understanding pathologic and clinical problems. Although the importance of teaching anatomy to both undergraduate and postgraduate students remains undisputed, there is currently a relevant debate concerning methods of anatomy teaching. In the past century, dissection and lectures were its sole pedagogy worldwide. Recently, the time allocated for anatomy teaching was dramatically reduced to such an extent that some suggest that it has fallen below an adequate standard. Trad...

Recent evidence suggests that the use of mineral waters for ther-apeutic purposes in human diseas... more Recent evidence suggests that the use of mineral waters for ther-apeutic purposes in human diseases relies on precise molecular mechanisms [1-4]. Indeed, paramount scientific literature reports the clinical evidence of a therapeutic benefit of the use of min-

Anatomy has historically been a cornerstone in medical education regardless of nation, racial bac... more Anatomy has historically been a cornerstone in medical education regardless of nation, racial background, or medical school system. By learning gross anatomy, medical students get a first “impression” about the structure of the human body which is the basis for understanding pathologic and clinical problems. Gross anatomy classes are still regarded as an integral part of human biomedical education worldwide. Dissection of the human body is practiced in most anatomy institutions worldwide despite increasing pressure to reduce material and staff costs, regardless the ongoing debate concerning the suitability of body donors for medical education. Moreover, anatomical teaching skills are also evolving and need to be tailored for the different areas of anatomical expertise students have to acquire therefore, anatomic dissection goes probably beyond the scope of anatomy teaching in some classes such as sports sciences. However, there is no doubt that a practical approach to the study and ...

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is one of the greatest disease burdens and takes the lives of many e... more Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is one of the greatest disease burdens and takes the lives of many each year. There are many risk factors both modifiable and non-modifiable which contribute to the onset and progression of the disease. Trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO) in recent years has been found to have a correlation with CVD onset. Those with increased levels of the metabolite have a markedly increased risk of future development of cardiometabolic disorders. This literature review aimed to critique past studies undertaken to find a consensus of the significance of the interrelationship between TMAO and cardiovascular risk. A definite link between TMAO levels and a CVD outcome was found. The majority of the literature stated the relationship with evidence; however, there is still some uncertainty as to why and how the correlation occurs. Further study needs to be done to further dissect and understand the relationship between TMAO and CVD risk.

Preclinical, clinical and epidemiological studies support the hypothesis that aberrant systemic m... more Preclinical, clinical and epidemiological studies support the hypothesis that aberrant systemic metabolism of amyloid-beta (Aβ) in the peripheral circulation is causally related to the development of Alzheimers disease (AD). Specifically, recent studies suggest that increased plasma concentrations of lipoprotein-Aβ compromises the brain microvasculature, resulting in extravasation and retention of the lipoprotein-Aβ moiety. The latter results in an inflammatory response and neurodegeneration ensues. Probucol, a historic cholesterol-lowering drug, has been shown in murine models to suppress lipoprotein-Aβ secretion, concomitant with maintaining blood-brain-barrier function and suppressing neurovascular inflammation. Probucol has also been shown to protect cognitive function in dietary-induced amyloidogenic mice. This protocol details the Probucol in Alzheimers Study (PIA-study), a double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled drug intervention trial investigating if Probucol attenuate...

Journal of Clinical Medicine

Some random mutations can confer a selective advantage to a hematopoietic stem cell. As a result,... more Some random mutations can confer a selective advantage to a hematopoietic stem cell. As a result, mutated hematopoietic stem cells can give rise to a significant proportion of mutated clones of blood cells. This event is known as “clonal hematopoiesis.” Clonal hematopoiesis is closely associated with age, and carriers show an increased risk of developing blood cancers. Clonal hematopoiesis of indeterminate potential is defined by the presence of clones carrying a mutation associated with a blood neoplasm without obvious hematological malignancies. Unexpectedly, in recent years, it has emerged that clonal hematopoiesis of indeterminate potential carriers also have an increased risk of developing cardiovascular disease. Mechanisms linking clonal hematopoiesis of indeterminate potential to cardiovascular disease are only partially known. Findings in animal models indicate that clonal hematopoiesis of indeterminate potential-related mutations amplify inflammatory responses. Consistently...

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health

More than 10.74 million people are currently held in penal institutions worldwide. Moreover, ther... more More than 10.74 million people are currently held in penal institutions worldwide. Moreover, there is also evidence that the percentage of elder and female prisoners has been consistently growing. Cardiovascular diseases are the leading cause of death worldwide. Exercise training and physical activity help to prevent both primary and secondary cardiovascular events. Data on the influence of physical activity on the well-being in prison population is scarce. Here, we discussed, in a systematic review, the general health conditions and the cardiovascular risk profile in the prisoners compared to the general population and evaluated whether or not exercise could be a valuable tool in preventing these diseases in inmates. We performed a systematic review following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) statement: 769 were initially identified, and a total of 24 studies were finally included. Nine studies evaluated the health conditions in prisone...

Applied Sciences

Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) are molecules naturally produced by cells. If their levels are too ... more Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) are molecules naturally produced by cells. If their levels are too high, the cellular antioxidant machinery intervenes to bring back their quantity to physiological conditions. Since aging often induces malfunctioning in this machinery, ROS are considered an effective cause of age-associated diseases. Exercise stimulates ROS production on one side, and the antioxidant systems on the other side. The effects of exercise on oxidative stress markers have been shown in blood, vascular tissue, brain, cardiac and skeletal muscle, both in young and aged people. However, the intensity and volume of exercise and the individual subject characteristics are important to envisage future strategies to adequately personalize the balance of the oxidant/antioxidant environment. Here, we reviewed the literature that deals with the effects of physical activity on redox balance in young and aged people, with insights into the molecular mechanisms involved. Although many mol...

International Journal of Molecular Sciences

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) and mitochondria play a pivotal role in regulating platelet functio... more Reactive oxygen species (ROS) and mitochondria play a pivotal role in regulating platelet functions. Platelet activation determines a drastic change in redox balance and in platelet metabolism. Indeed, several signaling pathways have been demonstrated to induce ROS production by NAPDH oxidase (NOX) and mitochondria, upon platelet activation. Platelet-derived ROS, in turn, boost further ROS production and consequent platelet activation, adhesion and recruitment in an auto-amplifying loop. This vicious circle results in a platelet procoagulant phenotype and apoptosis, both accounting for the high thrombotic risk in oxidative stress-related diseases. This review sought to elucidate molecular mechanisms underlying ROS production upon platelet activation and the effects of an altered redox balance on platelet function, focusing on the main advances that have been made in platelet redox biology. Furthermore, given the increasing interest in this field, we also describe the up-to-date meth...

Advances in Biological Regulation

Natural killer (NK) cells are pivotal effectors of the innate immunity protecting an individual f... more Natural killer (NK) cells are pivotal effectors of the innate immunity protecting an individual from microbes. They are the first line of defense against invading viruses, given their substantial ability to directly target infected cells without the need for specific antigen presentation. By establishing cellular networks with a variety of cell types such as dendritic cells, NK cells can also amplify and modulate antiviral adaptive immune responses. In this review, we will examine the role of NK cells in SARS-COV2 infections causing the ongoing COVID19 pandemic, keeping in mind the controversial role of NK cells specifically in viral respiratory infections and in inflammatory-driven lung damage. We discuss lessons learnt from previous coronavirus outbreaks in humans (caused by SARS-CoV-1 and MERS-COV).

Developmental Neuroscience

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterised by repetitive behav... more Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterised by repetitive behaviours, cognitive rigidity/inflexibility, and social-affective impairment. Unfortunately, few pharmacological treatments exist to alleviate these socio-behavioural impairments. Prenatal administration of valproic acid (VPA) has become an accepted animal model of ASD and has been extensively used to explore new pharmacotherapies in rodents. We conducted a systematic review of the behavioural impairments induced by the VPA model in rodents, with specific reference to 3 core socio-behavioural alterations associated with ASD: repetitive behaviours, cognitive rigidity/inflexibility, and social-affective impairment. We systematically reviewed studies attempting to alleviate these core behavioural alterations using pharmacological means. We include 132 studies exploring the prenatal effects of VPA in rodents. Gestational exposure to VPA in rodents has significant effects on rodent-equivalent measures of the 3 core behavioural traits characteristic of ASD in humans, inducing social impairments, repetitive behaviour, and cognitive rigidity/inflexibility after birth. This model's validity has seen it used to test potential drug treatments for ASD and is likely to continue doing so. We conclude the rodent VPA model may be suitable to examine future therapeutic interventions for ASD, providing an overview of the progress made so far.

Current Neuropharmacology

Background: Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterised by repe... more Background: Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterised by repetitive behaviours, cognitive rigidity/inflexibility, and social-affective impairment. Unfortunately, no gold-standard treatments exist to alleviate the core socio-behavioural impairments of ASD. Meanwhile, the prosocial empathogen/entactogen 3,4- methylene-dioxy-methamphetamine (MDMA) is known to enhance sociability and empathy in both humans and animal models of psychological disorders. Objective: We review the evidence obtained from behavioural tests across the current literature, showing how MDMA can induce prosocial effects in animals and humans, where controlled experiments were able to be performed. Methods: Six electronic databases were consulted. The search strategy was tailored to each database. Only Englishlanguage papers were reviewed. Behaviours not screened in this review may have affected the core ASD behaviours studied. Molecular analogues of MDMA have not been investigate...

Nutrients

Studies suggest that migraine pain has a vascular component. The prevailing dogma is that periphe... more Studies suggest that migraine pain has a vascular component. The prevailing dogma is that peripheral vasoconstriction activates baroreceptors in central, large arteries. Dilatation of central vessels stimulates nociceptors and induces cortical spreading depression. Studies investigating nitric oxide (NO) donors support the indicated hypothesis that pain is amplified when acutely administered. In this review, we provide an alternate hypothesis which, if substantiated, may provide therapeutic opportunities for attenuating migraine frequency and severity. We suggest that in migraines, heightened sympathetic tone results in progressive central microvascular constriction. Suboptimal parenchymal blood flow, we suggest, activates nociceptors and triggers headache pain onset. Administration of NO donors could paradoxically promote constriction of the microvasculature as a consequence of larger upstream central artery vasodilatation. Inhibitors of NO production are reported to alleviate migr...

International Journal of Molecular Sciences

In the last two decades, new insights have been gained regarding sex/gender-related differences i... more In the last two decades, new insights have been gained regarding sex/gender-related differences in cardiovascular disease (CVD). CVD represents the leading cause of death worldwide in both men and women, accounting for at least one-third of all deaths in women and half of deaths in women over 50 years in developing countries. Important sex-related differences in prevalence, presentation, management, and outcomes of different CVDs have been recently discovered, demonstrating sex/gender-specific pathophysiologic features in the presentation and prognosis of CVD in men and women. A large amount of evidence has highlighted the role of sex hormones in protecting women from CVDs, providing an advantage over men that is lost when women reach the menopause stage. This hormonal-dependent shift of sex-related CVD risk consequently affects the overall CVD epidemiology, particularly in light of the increasing trend of population aging. The benefits of physical activity have been recognized for ...

Sports

Background: The bench press exercise (BP) is commonly practiced in both recreational and professi... more Background: The bench press exercise (BP) is commonly practiced in both recreational and professional training. The weight is lowered from a position where the elbows are at a 90° angle at the start and <90° at the end of eccentric phase, and then returned to the elbows extended position. In order to focus the exercise more on the triceps brachii (TB) rather than the pectoralis major (PM), the inter-handle distance (IHD) is decreased diminishing the involvement of the PM in favor of the TB. Purpose: To improve performance of the exercise by reducing force dissociation and transmitting 100% of the external load to the muscle tissue we propose a prototype of the barbell with a bar on which two sleeves are capable of sliding. The dynamic modifications of the IHD keep the elbow flexion angle constant at 90°. Results: Analysis of the inter-handle distance (IHD) signals of the upper body muscles showed a marked increase in muscle activity using the experimental barbell for the PM (19.5...

Frontiers in Cardiovascular Medicine

Annals of Anatomy - Anatomischer Anzeiger

Three-dimensional (3D) printing is a modern technique of creating 3D-printed models that allows r... more Three-dimensional (3D) printing is a modern technique of creating 3D-printed models that allows reproduction of human structures from MRI and CT scans via fusion of multiple layers of resin materials. To assess feasibility of this innovative resource as anatomy educational tool, we conducted a preliminary study on Curtin University undergraduate students to investigate the use of 3D models for anatomy learning as a main goal, to assess the effectiveness of different specimen types during the sessions and personally preferred anatomy learning tools among students as secondary aim. The study consisted of a pre-test, exposure to test (anatomical test) and post-test survey. During pre-test, all participants (both without prior experience and experienced groups) were given a brief introduction on laboratory safety and study procedure thus participants were exposed to 3D, wet and plastinated specimens of the heart, shoulder and thigh to identify the pinned structures (anatomical test). Then, participants were provided a post-test survey containing five questions. In total, 23 participants completed the anatomical test and post-test survey. A larger number of participants (85%) achieved right answers for 3D models compared to wet and plastinated materials, 74% of population selected 3D models as the most usable tool for identification of pinned structures and 45% chose 3D models as their preferred method of anatomy learning. This preliminary small-size study affirms the feasibility of 3D-printed models as a valuable asset in anatomy learning and shows their capability to be used adjacent to cadaveric materials and other widely used tools in anatomy education.

Molecular Medicine

Background: CC chemokine receptor 5 (CCR5) is a cell entry cofactor for macrophage-tropic isolate... more Background: CC chemokine receptor 5 (CCR5) is a cell entry cofactor for macrophage-tropic isolates of human immunodeficiency virus-I (HIV-1). Recently, an inactive CCR5 allele (designated here as CCR5-2) was identified that confers resistance to HIV-1 infection in homozygotes and slows the rate of progression to AIDS in heterozygotes. The reports conflict on the effect of heterozygous CCR5-2 on HIV-1 susceptibility, and race and risk The nucleic acid sequence of CCR5-2 has been deposited in Genbank, #U66285.

Immuno

In the past few years, a renowned interest in the interplay between the immune system and central... more In the past few years, a renowned interest in the interplay between the immune system and central nervous systems (CNS) has sparked a wealth of new experimental studies. Two recent publications in Science shed new light on the “resident” immune cell populations in the CNS and their functions in homeostasis and pathological status, with potential implications in understanding CNS disease mechanisms and in designing new “intelligent” therapies.

Anatomical Sciences Education

At the end of 2019, the Covid-19 pandemic spread caused restrictions in business and social spher... more At the end of 2019, the Covid-19 pandemic spread caused restrictions in business and social spheres. Higher education was also severely affected: universities and medical schools moved online to distance learning and laboratory facilities closed. Questions arise about the long-term effects of this pandemic on anatomical education. In this systematic review, the authors investigated whether or not anatomical educators were able to deliver anatomical knowledge during the pandemic. They also discuss the challenges that anatomical education has faced over the last year. The search strategy was conducted between July 2020 and July 2021. Two hundred and one records were identified, and a total of 79 studies were finally included. How best to deliver anatomy to students remains a moot point. In the last years, the advent of new technologies has raised the question of the possible overcoming of dissection as the main instrument in anatomical education. The Covid-19 pandemic further sharpened the debate. Remote learning enhanced the use of technologies other than cadaveric dissection to teach anatomy. Moreover, from the analyzed records it appears that both from students' perspective as well as teachers' there is a clear tear between those who endorse dissection and those who believe it could be easily overcome or at least integrated by virtual reality and online learning. The authors strongly believe that the best anatomy teaching practice requires the careful adaptation of resources and methods. Nevertheless, they support cadaveric dissection and hope that it will not be replaced entirely as a result of this pandemic.

Copyright © 2013 V. Papa and M. Vaccarezza. This is an open access article distributed under the ... more Copyright © 2013 V. Papa and M. Vaccarezza. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. Anatomyhas historically been a cornerstone inmedical education regardless of nation, racial background, ormedical school system. By learning gross anatomy, medical students get a first “impression ” about the structure of the human body which is the basis for understanding pathologic and clinical problems. Although the importance of teaching anatomy to both undergraduate and postgraduate students remains undisputed, there is currently a relevant debate concerning methods of anatomy teaching. In the past century, dissection and lectures were its sole pedagogy worldwide. Recently, the time allocated for anatomy teaching was dramatically reduced to such an extent that some suggest that it has fallen below an adequate standard. Trad...

Recent evidence suggests that the use of mineral waters for ther-apeutic purposes in human diseas... more Recent evidence suggests that the use of mineral waters for ther-apeutic purposes in human diseases relies on precise molecular mechanisms [1-4]. Indeed, paramount scientific literature reports the clinical evidence of a therapeutic benefit of the use of min-

Anatomy has historically been a cornerstone in medical education regardless of nation, racial bac... more Anatomy has historically been a cornerstone in medical education regardless of nation, racial background, or medical school system. By learning gross anatomy, medical students get a first “impression” about the structure of the human body which is the basis for understanding pathologic and clinical problems. Gross anatomy classes are still regarded as an integral part of human biomedical education worldwide. Dissection of the human body is practiced in most anatomy institutions worldwide despite increasing pressure to reduce material and staff costs, regardless the ongoing debate concerning the suitability of body donors for medical education. Moreover, anatomical teaching skills are also evolving and need to be tailored for the different areas of anatomical expertise students have to acquire therefore, anatomic dissection goes probably beyond the scope of anatomy teaching in some classes such as sports sciences. However, there is no doubt that a practical approach to the study and ...

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is one of the greatest disease burdens and takes the lives of many e... more Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is one of the greatest disease burdens and takes the lives of many each year. There are many risk factors both modifiable and non-modifiable which contribute to the onset and progression of the disease. Trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO) in recent years has been found to have a correlation with CVD onset. Those with increased levels of the metabolite have a markedly increased risk of future development of cardiometabolic disorders. This literature review aimed to critique past studies undertaken to find a consensus of the significance of the interrelationship between TMAO and cardiovascular risk. A definite link between TMAO levels and a CVD outcome was found. The majority of the literature stated the relationship with evidence; however, there is still some uncertainty as to why and how the correlation occurs. Further study needs to be done to further dissect and understand the relationship between TMAO and CVD risk.

Preclinical, clinical and epidemiological studies support the hypothesis that aberrant systemic m... more Preclinical, clinical and epidemiological studies support the hypothesis that aberrant systemic metabolism of amyloid-beta (Aβ) in the peripheral circulation is causally related to the development of Alzheimers disease (AD). Specifically, recent studies suggest that increased plasma concentrations of lipoprotein-Aβ compromises the brain microvasculature, resulting in extravasation and retention of the lipoprotein-Aβ moiety. The latter results in an inflammatory response and neurodegeneration ensues. Probucol, a historic cholesterol-lowering drug, has been shown in murine models to suppress lipoprotein-Aβ secretion, concomitant with maintaining blood-brain-barrier function and suppressing neurovascular inflammation. Probucol has also been shown to protect cognitive function in dietary-induced amyloidogenic mice. This protocol details the Probucol in Alzheimers Study (PIA-study), a double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled drug intervention trial investigating if Probucol attenuate...

Journal of Clinical Medicine

Some random mutations can confer a selective advantage to a hematopoietic stem cell. As a result,... more Some random mutations can confer a selective advantage to a hematopoietic stem cell. As a result, mutated hematopoietic stem cells can give rise to a significant proportion of mutated clones of blood cells. This event is known as “clonal hematopoiesis.” Clonal hematopoiesis is closely associated with age, and carriers show an increased risk of developing blood cancers. Clonal hematopoiesis of indeterminate potential is defined by the presence of clones carrying a mutation associated with a blood neoplasm without obvious hematological malignancies. Unexpectedly, in recent years, it has emerged that clonal hematopoiesis of indeterminate potential carriers also have an increased risk of developing cardiovascular disease. Mechanisms linking clonal hematopoiesis of indeterminate potential to cardiovascular disease are only partially known. Findings in animal models indicate that clonal hematopoiesis of indeterminate potential-related mutations amplify inflammatory responses. Consistently...

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health

More than 10.74 million people are currently held in penal institutions worldwide. Moreover, ther... more More than 10.74 million people are currently held in penal institutions worldwide. Moreover, there is also evidence that the percentage of elder and female prisoners has been consistently growing. Cardiovascular diseases are the leading cause of death worldwide. Exercise training and physical activity help to prevent both primary and secondary cardiovascular events. Data on the influence of physical activity on the well-being in prison population is scarce. Here, we discussed, in a systematic review, the general health conditions and the cardiovascular risk profile in the prisoners compared to the general population and evaluated whether or not exercise could be a valuable tool in preventing these diseases in inmates. We performed a systematic review following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) statement: 769 were initially identified, and a total of 24 studies were finally included. Nine studies evaluated the health conditions in prisone...

Applied Sciences

Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) are molecules naturally produced by cells. If their levels are too ... more Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) are molecules naturally produced by cells. If their levels are too high, the cellular antioxidant machinery intervenes to bring back their quantity to physiological conditions. Since aging often induces malfunctioning in this machinery, ROS are considered an effective cause of age-associated diseases. Exercise stimulates ROS production on one side, and the antioxidant systems on the other side. The effects of exercise on oxidative stress markers have been shown in blood, vascular tissue, brain, cardiac and skeletal muscle, both in young and aged people. However, the intensity and volume of exercise and the individual subject characteristics are important to envisage future strategies to adequately personalize the balance of the oxidant/antioxidant environment. Here, we reviewed the literature that deals with the effects of physical activity on redox balance in young and aged people, with insights into the molecular mechanisms involved. Although many mol...

International Journal of Molecular Sciences

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) and mitochondria play a pivotal role in regulating platelet functio... more Reactive oxygen species (ROS) and mitochondria play a pivotal role in regulating platelet functions. Platelet activation determines a drastic change in redox balance and in platelet metabolism. Indeed, several signaling pathways have been demonstrated to induce ROS production by NAPDH oxidase (NOX) and mitochondria, upon platelet activation. Platelet-derived ROS, in turn, boost further ROS production and consequent platelet activation, adhesion and recruitment in an auto-amplifying loop. This vicious circle results in a platelet procoagulant phenotype and apoptosis, both accounting for the high thrombotic risk in oxidative stress-related diseases. This review sought to elucidate molecular mechanisms underlying ROS production upon platelet activation and the effects of an altered redox balance on platelet function, focusing on the main advances that have been made in platelet redox biology. Furthermore, given the increasing interest in this field, we also describe the up-to-date meth...

Advances in Biological Regulation

Natural killer (NK) cells are pivotal effectors of the innate immunity protecting an individual f... more Natural killer (NK) cells are pivotal effectors of the innate immunity protecting an individual from microbes. They are the first line of defense against invading viruses, given their substantial ability to directly target infected cells without the need for specific antigen presentation. By establishing cellular networks with a variety of cell types such as dendritic cells, NK cells can also amplify and modulate antiviral adaptive immune responses. In this review, we will examine the role of NK cells in SARS-COV2 infections causing the ongoing COVID19 pandemic, keeping in mind the controversial role of NK cells specifically in viral respiratory infections and in inflammatory-driven lung damage. We discuss lessons learnt from previous coronavirus outbreaks in humans (caused by SARS-CoV-1 and MERS-COV).

Developmental Neuroscience

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterised by repetitive behav... more Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterised by repetitive behaviours, cognitive rigidity/inflexibility, and social-affective impairment. Unfortunately, few pharmacological treatments exist to alleviate these socio-behavioural impairments. Prenatal administration of valproic acid (VPA) has become an accepted animal model of ASD and has been extensively used to explore new pharmacotherapies in rodents. We conducted a systematic review of the behavioural impairments induced by the VPA model in rodents, with specific reference to 3 core socio-behavioural alterations associated with ASD: repetitive behaviours, cognitive rigidity/inflexibility, and social-affective impairment. We systematically reviewed studies attempting to alleviate these core behavioural alterations using pharmacological means. We include 132 studies exploring the prenatal effects of VPA in rodents. Gestational exposure to VPA in rodents has significant effects on rodent-equivalent measures of the 3 core behavioural traits characteristic of ASD in humans, inducing social impairments, repetitive behaviour, and cognitive rigidity/inflexibility after birth. This model's validity has seen it used to test potential drug treatments for ASD and is likely to continue doing so. We conclude the rodent VPA model may be suitable to examine future therapeutic interventions for ASD, providing an overview of the progress made so far.

Current Neuropharmacology

Background: Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterised by repe... more Background: Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterised by repetitive behaviours, cognitive rigidity/inflexibility, and social-affective impairment. Unfortunately, no gold-standard treatments exist to alleviate the core socio-behavioural impairments of ASD. Meanwhile, the prosocial empathogen/entactogen 3,4- methylene-dioxy-methamphetamine (MDMA) is known to enhance sociability and empathy in both humans and animal models of psychological disorders. Objective: We review the evidence obtained from behavioural tests across the current literature, showing how MDMA can induce prosocial effects in animals and humans, where controlled experiments were able to be performed. Methods: Six electronic databases were consulted. The search strategy was tailored to each database. Only Englishlanguage papers were reviewed. Behaviours not screened in this review may have affected the core ASD behaviours studied. Molecular analogues of MDMA have not been investigate...

Nutrients

Studies suggest that migraine pain has a vascular component. The prevailing dogma is that periphe... more Studies suggest that migraine pain has a vascular component. The prevailing dogma is that peripheral vasoconstriction activates baroreceptors in central, large arteries. Dilatation of central vessels stimulates nociceptors and induces cortical spreading depression. Studies investigating nitric oxide (NO) donors support the indicated hypothesis that pain is amplified when acutely administered. In this review, we provide an alternate hypothesis which, if substantiated, may provide therapeutic opportunities for attenuating migraine frequency and severity. We suggest that in migraines, heightened sympathetic tone results in progressive central microvascular constriction. Suboptimal parenchymal blood flow, we suggest, activates nociceptors and triggers headache pain onset. Administration of NO donors could paradoxically promote constriction of the microvasculature as a consequence of larger upstream central artery vasodilatation. Inhibitors of NO production are reported to alleviate migr...

International Journal of Molecular Sciences

In the last two decades, new insights have been gained regarding sex/gender-related differences i... more In the last two decades, new insights have been gained regarding sex/gender-related differences in cardiovascular disease (CVD). CVD represents the leading cause of death worldwide in both men and women, accounting for at least one-third of all deaths in women and half of deaths in women over 50 years in developing countries. Important sex-related differences in prevalence, presentation, management, and outcomes of different CVDs have been recently discovered, demonstrating sex/gender-specific pathophysiologic features in the presentation and prognosis of CVD in men and women. A large amount of evidence has highlighted the role of sex hormones in protecting women from CVDs, providing an advantage over men that is lost when women reach the menopause stage. This hormonal-dependent shift of sex-related CVD risk consequently affects the overall CVD epidemiology, particularly in light of the increasing trend of population aging. The benefits of physical activity have been recognized for ...

Sports

Background: The bench press exercise (BP) is commonly practiced in both recreational and professi... more Background: The bench press exercise (BP) is commonly practiced in both recreational and professional training. The weight is lowered from a position where the elbows are at a 90° angle at the start and <90° at the end of eccentric phase, and then returned to the elbows extended position. In order to focus the exercise more on the triceps brachii (TB) rather than the pectoralis major (PM), the inter-handle distance (IHD) is decreased diminishing the involvement of the PM in favor of the TB. Purpose: To improve performance of the exercise by reducing force dissociation and transmitting 100% of the external load to the muscle tissue we propose a prototype of the barbell with a bar on which two sleeves are capable of sliding. The dynamic modifications of the IHD keep the elbow flexion angle constant at 90°. Results: Analysis of the inter-handle distance (IHD) signals of the upper body muscles showed a marked increase in muscle activity using the experimental barbell for the PM (19.5...

Frontiers in Cardiovascular Medicine

Annals of Anatomy - Anatomischer Anzeiger

Three-dimensional (3D) printing is a modern technique of creating 3D-printed models that allows r... more Three-dimensional (3D) printing is a modern technique of creating 3D-printed models that allows reproduction of human structures from MRI and CT scans via fusion of multiple layers of resin materials. To assess feasibility of this innovative resource as anatomy educational tool, we conducted a preliminary study on Curtin University undergraduate students to investigate the use of 3D models for anatomy learning as a main goal, to assess the effectiveness of different specimen types during the sessions and personally preferred anatomy learning tools among students as secondary aim. The study consisted of a pre-test, exposure to test (anatomical test) and post-test survey. During pre-test, all participants (both without prior experience and experienced groups) were given a brief introduction on laboratory safety and study procedure thus participants were exposed to 3D, wet and plastinated specimens of the heart, shoulder and thigh to identify the pinned structures (anatomical test). Then, participants were provided a post-test survey containing five questions. In total, 23 participants completed the anatomical test and post-test survey. A larger number of participants (85%) achieved right answers for 3D models compared to wet and plastinated materials, 74% of population selected 3D models as the most usable tool for identification of pinned structures and 45% chose 3D models as their preferred method of anatomy learning. This preliminary small-size study affirms the feasibility of 3D-printed models as a valuable asset in anatomy learning and shows their capability to be used adjacent to cadaveric materials and other widely used tools in anatomy education.

Molecular Medicine

Background: CC chemokine receptor 5 (CCR5) is a cell entry cofactor for macrophage-tropic isolate... more Background: CC chemokine receptor 5 (CCR5) is a cell entry cofactor for macrophage-tropic isolates of human immunodeficiency virus-I (HIV-1). Recently, an inactive CCR5 allele (designated here as CCR5-2) was identified that confers resistance to HIV-1 infection in homozygotes and slows the rate of progression to AIDS in heterozygotes. The reports conflict on the effect of heterozygous CCR5-2 on HIV-1 susceptibility, and race and risk The nucleic acid sequence of CCR5-2 has been deposited in Genbank, #U66285.