Ricerc@Sapienza

The mTOR (mechanistic target of rapamycin) is a master regulator of several crucial cellular processes, including protein synthesis, cellular growth, proliferation, autophagy, lysosomal function, and cell metabolism. mTOR interacts with specific adaptor proteins to form 2 multiprotein complexes, called mTORC1 (mTOR complex 1) and mTORC2 (mTOR complex 2). In the cardiovascular system, the mTOR pathway regulates both physiological and pathological processes in the heart. It is needed for embryonic cardiovascular development and for maintaining cardiac homeostasis in postnatal life.

From the time of Hippocratic medicine, heart-brain interactions have been recognized and contributed to both mental and physical health. Heart-brain interactions are complex and multifaceted and appear to be bidirectional. Exposure to chronic and daily stressors such as quarantine, or severe psychological trauma like a significant person in danger of life can affect the cardiovascular system and the emotional experience of the individual, leading to an increased risk of developing a cardiovascular disease or mental illness.

The process of mitochondrial dynamics is emerging as a core player in cardiovascular homeostasis. This process refers to the co-ordinated cycles of biogenesis, fusion, fission and degradation to which mitochondria constantly undergo to maintain their integrity, distribution and size. These mechanisms represent an early response to mitochondrial stress, confining organelle portions that are irreversibly damaged and preserving mitochondrial function.

Purpose: Vertebral fractures (VFs) were described in elderly patients with heart failure (HF) whereas their prevalence and determinants in younger HF patients are still unknown. This study aimed at assessing whether secondary hyperparathyroidism (SHPT) may influence the risk of VFs in middle-aged patients with HF. Methods: 84 patients (44 males, median age 48.5 years, range 43–65) with HF were prospectively evaluated at the baseline and after 36-month follow-up for bone mineral density (BMD) and VFs by quantitative morphometry on chest X-rays.

Dual energy computed tomography is becoming increasingly widespread in clinical practice. It can expand on the traditional density-based data achievable with single energy computed tomography by adding novel applications to help reach a more accurate diagnosis. The implementation of this technology in cardiothoracic vascular imaging allows for improved image contrast, metal artifact reduction, generation of virtual unenhanced images, virtual calcium subtraction techniques, cardiac and pulmonary perfusion evaluation, and plaque characterization.

RATIONALE: Human cardiac mesenchymal cells (CMSCs) are a therapeutically relevant primary cell population. Diabetes mellitus compromises CMSC function as consequence of metabolic alterations and incorporation of stable epigenetic changes.
OBJECTIVE: To investigate the role of α-ketoglutarate (αKG) in the epimetabolic control of DNA demethylation in CMSCs.

The hallmarks of systemic sclerosis (SSc) are endothelial dysfunction and fibrosis of the skin and the internal organs, including the heart. Primary cardiac involvement related to SSc is more related to fibrosis and its complications (1). Recurrent episodes of vasospasm with ischaemia and reperfusion cause abnormal myocardial perfusion with subsequent fibrosis (2). In SSc vascular damage and chronic tissue hypoxia promote angiogenesis with production of pro-angiogenic factors such as vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) (3).

Vengono descritte le difficoltà di Leonardo da Vinci nel fare accettare le sue idee