Review
Ophthalmology
Anthony Oganov, Ghasem Yazdanpanah, Sayena Jabbehdari, Aditya Belamkar, Stephen Pflugfelder
Summary: Dry eye disease (DED) is a common condition with a prevalence ranging from 8.7% to 64% in various populations. Altered blinking behavior is a common feature of DED and can be both a cause and an effect of the disease. However, there is a lack of comprehensive review on the relationship between altered blinking behavior and DED in the literature.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Mayamiko Mbamba, Thokozani Mzumara, Precious Chisale, Joseph Afonne
Summary: The aim of this study was to determine the cut-off blink rate value among Malawian young adults and investigate the effects of sex and age on this parameter. A total of 98 participants, 50% male and 50% female, were recruited from Mzuzu University in Malawi for this quantitative descriptive cross-sectional study. The blink rate was manually measured by observing the number of blinks per minute. The results showed an average blink rate of 16.04 (SD = 6.417) blinks per minute, with no significant correlation with age and sex. This study confirms that blink rate varies according to geographical location as a factor of different weather conditions, and there are no age and sex-related differences in blink rate.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2023)
Article
Surgery
Gustavo David Ludwig, Midori Hentona Osaki, Gustavo Rosa Gameiro, Tammy Hentona Osaki
Summary: The objective of this study was to examine the effects of botulinum neurotoxin A (BoNT-A) injection on the management of blepharoptosis. The study found that there was a significant increase in the margin reflex distance-1 on the treated side and a significant reduction on the contralateral eyelid at week 2, but the effect diminished after 24 weeks. Most patients reported improvement in their eyelid ptosis.
AESTHETIC SURGERY JOURNAL
(2022)
Article
Physics, Applied
Maryam Qaiser, Afsar Bano, Ammad Shaukat, Syed Zajif Hussain, Ata Ulhaq, Ammar. A. A. Khan
Summary: Liquid crystal materials exhibit interesting electro-optic properties and can be tuned with chemically compatible active emitters like core-shell quantum dots in a reconfigurable medium. This work demonstrates the formation of integer topological defects in a liquid crystal medium doped with core-shell quantum dots using patterned substrates. The self-assembly of quantum dots into square arrays on the patterned substrates and the role of surfactant in defect formation is discussed.
JOURNAL OF APPLIED PHYSICS
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Biomedical
Parthana Sarma, Shovan Barma
Summary: Studies have shown that blinking duration variability can be a useful indicator for distinguishing different emotional states. By utilizing various time series analysis techniques, such as statistical, geometrical, sample entropy and recurrence plot, it is possible to differentiate between neutral, negative, and positive emotional states effectively.
BIOMEDICAL SIGNAL PROCESSING AND CONTROL
(2021)
Article
Neurosciences
Yang Liu, Lu Yang, Haohao Yan, Changqiang Feng, Wenyan Jiang, Wenmei Li, Yiwu Lei, Lulu Pang, Meilan Liang, Wenbin Guo, Shuguang Luo
Summary: This study investigated the abnormalities of brain function in blepharospasm (BSP) and illustrated its neural mechanisms by focusing on the supplementary motor area (SMA). The results revealed enhanced functional connectivity (FC) between several brain regions and the SMA in BSP patients. The FC between the left medial prefrontal cortex (MPFC) and left SMA was positively correlated with symptomatic severity. The abnormal FCs demonstrated in this study can effectively differentiate patients with BSP from controls, providing novel evidence for the neural basis of BSP and potential neuroimaging-based screening methods.
Article
Clinical Neurology
Giovanni Defazio, Hyder A. Jinnah, Alfredo Berardelli, Joel S. Perlmutter, Gamze Kilic Berkmen, Brian D. Berman, Joseph Jankovic, Tobias Baeumer, Cynthia Comella, Adam C. Cotton, Tommaso Ercoli, Gina Ferrazzano, Susan Fox, Han-Joon Kim, Emile Sami Moukheiber, Sarah Pirio Richardson, Anne Weissbach, Laura J. Wrigth, Mark Hallett
Summary: The study results support the use of the proposed diagnostic criteria in multi-ethnic, multi-center cohorts. A case-finding procedure to screen blepharospasm in a given population with less effort than would be required by examination of all subjects is also proposed.
PARKINSONISM & RELATED DISORDERS
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Hashini B. Chandrasiri, Haoran Jing, Thilini Perera, Ying S. Hu, Preston T. Snee
Summary: Quantum dot (QD)-organic dye couple chromophores are widely studied for their applications in biology, catalysis, and energy. The blinking behavior of QD donors significantly affects the average on and off times of dye acceptors, with implications for both biological imaging and alternative energy. Suppressing QD blinking can mitigate the detrimental effects on energy storage capacity of acceptors.
JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY LETTERS
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Andras Salamon, Zsofia Flora Nagy, Margit Pal, Mate Szabo, Adam Csosz, Laszlo Szpisjak, Gabriella Gardian, Denes Zadori, Marta Szell, Peter Klivenyi
Summary: This study investigated 121 patients and identified 209 different heterozygous variants in 24 genes, with nine of them confirmed to have clinical and genetic validity. Detailed genetic examination is crucial in understanding the causes of movement disorders.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Jingzhong Yang, Tom Fandrich, Frederik Benthin, Robert Keil, Nand Lal Sharma, Weijie Nie, Caspar Hopfmann, Oliver G. Schmidt, Michael Zopf, Fei Ding
Summary: This paper investigates the intermittence issue in the emission of quantum dots and proposes a solution to enhance the quantum efficiency by controlling the balance of free electrons and holes.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Luca Schulz, Zhijun Guo, Jan Zarzycki, Wieland Steinchen, Jan M. Schuller, Thomas Heimerl, Simone Prinz, Oliver Mueller-Cajar, Tobias J. Erb, Georg K. A. Hochberg
Summary: This study uses ancestral sequence reconstruction to reveal an important event in the adaptation of photosynthetic organisms to an oxygenated environment, concerning the evolution of ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenases (Rubiscos) that have strong discrimination between carbon dioxide and oxygen. Through gaining an accessory subunit before atmospheric oxygen was present, Rubisco increased its specificity and carboxylation efficiency. The research provides insights into the adaptation to rising ambient oxygen levels, opens up possibilities for studying essential interactions, and sheds light on the determinants of specificity in Rubisco.
Article
Food Science & Technology
Bettina Wabbels, Rolf Fimmers, Peter Roggenkaemper
Summary: The aim of this study was to investigate the long-term effects of botulinum toxin A (BoNT-A) injections for benign essential blepharospasm (BEB) and report the experience with (ultra-)long-term treatment with onabotulinumtoxin-A. The results show that onabotulinumtoxin-A is a safe and effective therapy for essential blepharospasm, even in the ultra-long term.
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Swarnali Ghosh, Saptarshi Mandal, Soumen Mukherjee, Chayan K. De, Tridib Samanta, Mrinal Mandal, Debjit Roy, Prasun K. Mandal
Summary: This research reports the achievement of near-unity photoluminescence quantum yield and highly suppressed blinking in a toxic-metal-free quantum dot, making it suitable for single-particle tracking and bioimaging purposes.
JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY LETTERS
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
John R. Buzzo, Aishwarya Devaraj, Erin S. Gloag, Joseph A. Jurcisek, Frank Robledo-Avila, Theresa Kesler, Kathryn Wilbanks, Lauren Mashburn-Warren, Sabarathnam Balu, Joseph Wickham, Laura A. Novotny, Paul Stoodley, Lauren O. Bakaletz, Steven D. Goodman
Summary: Biofilms formed by bacteria rely on a rare Z-form DNA structure containing eDNA and DNABII proteins for structural integrity. Stabilization of Z-DNA by DNABII proteins promotes biofilm formation and stability, while disruption of Z-DNA structure can disturb existing biofilms. The universal bacterial DNABII family of proteins is shown to stabilize both bacterial and host eDNA in the Z-form, suggesting a role in biofilm pathogenesis and immune interactions.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Mengdi Zhang, Bai-Yan Li, Jing Liu
Summary: This study investigates the photon-induced charge conversion dynamics of a single NV center in nanodiamond between two charge states, revealing that the NV--NV0 transition is wavelength-dependent. A new method based on auto-correlation calculation is developed to quantify the transition kinetics, showing that ionization and recharging in the NV center are one-photon and two-photon processes, respectively, as supported by power-dependent measurements. These findings provide theoretical and experimental explanations for the emission properties of a single NV center, which can be beneficial for applications in quantum information science, quantum communication, and quantum bioimaging.
Article
Cardiac & Cardiovascular Systems
Chiara Pane, Andrea Salzano, Assunta Trinchillo, Claudia Del Prete, Carlo Casali, Christian Marcotulli, Giovanni Defazio, Vincenzo Guardasole, Rossella Vastarella, Francesco Giallauria, Giorgia Puorro, Angela Marsili, Giovanna De Michele, Alessandro Filla, Antonio Cittadini, Francesco Sacca
Summary: This study aims to explore the feasibility of upper limbs cardiopulmonary exercise test (CPET) in Friedreich ataxia (FRDA) patients and compare the results with a matched cohort of healthy controls (HC) in terms of sex, age, and body mass index (BMI). The study found significant reductions in peak oxygen uptake and peak workload in FRDA patients compared to HC. Peak oxygen uptake was inversely correlated with the Scale for Assessment and Rating of Ataxia score, disease duration, and 9HPT performance, and directly correlated with activities of daily living.
EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF PREVENTIVE CARDIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Clinical Neurology
Marta Melis, Giovanni Defazio, Elisa Casaglia, Valerio Melas, Gianluca Floris
Summary: C9orf72 mutation is associated with epilepsy, suggesting that hyperexcitability of cortical networks may contribute to neurodegenerative diseases.
AMYOTROPHIC LATERAL SCLEROSIS AND FRONTOTEMPORAL DEGENERATION
(2022)
Article
Neurosciences
Angela Sanna, Paolo Follesa, Paolo Tacconi, Mariangela Serra, Maria Giuseppina Pisu, Viola Cocco, Michela Figorilli, Giovanni Defazio, Monica Puligheddu
Summary: SCA 38 is a cerebellar movement disorder caused by mutations in the ELOVL5 gene, and in a study, cerebellar iTBS treatment was shown to improve clinical symptoms of SCA 38 patients, potentially influenced by the BDNF gene polymorphism.
Article
Clinical Neurology
Mario Meloni, Michela Figorilli, Manolo Carta, Ludovica Tamburrino, Antonino Cannas, Fabrizio Sanna, Giovanni Defazio, Monica Puligheddu
Summary: The study suggests that 5-HTP can improve sleep stability in PD patients, with an increase in total percentage of REM sleep and improvements in self-reported RBD frequency and clinical global impression. However, larger studies with higher doses and longer treatment duration are needed to confirm these findings.
SLEEP AND BREATHING
(2022)
Review
Neurosciences
Sara Pietracupa, Matteo Bologna, Silvia Tommasin, Alfredo Berardelli, Patrizia Pantano
Summary: This systematic review highlights the role of MRI in identifying the structural abnormalities associated with motor and non-motor symptoms in essential tremor (ET), particularly focusing on cerebellar damage and connectivity alterations between the cerebellum and various cortical areas. Many studies found an association between MRI findings and non-motor symptoms in ET patients.
Article
Clinical Neurology
Daniele Belvisi, Marco Canevelli, Matteo Costanzo, Margherita Giangrosso, Andrea Fabbrini, Andrea Borraccino, Giuseppe Bruno, Alfredo Berardelli, Giovanni Fabbrini
Summary: The study revealed that frailty in PD patients is associated with both motor and non-motor symptoms, with frail patients exhibiting more severe motor symptoms, higher global burden of non-motor symptoms, and pronounced cognitive deficits. The associations between frailty and symptom severity remained significant even after accounting for traditional predictors of PD severity.
JOURNAL OF NEUROLOGY
(2022)
Article
Clinical Neurology
Michele Tinazzi, Mirta Fiorio, Alfredo Berardelli, Bruno Bonetti, Domenico Marco Bonifati, Alessandro Burlina, Annachiara Cagnin, Francesca Calabria, Maurizio Corbetta, Pietro Cortelli, Bruno Giometto, Silvia Vittoria Guidoni, Leonardo Lopiano, Gianluigi Mancardi, Fabio Marchioretto, Maria Pellegrini, Francesco Teatini, Gioacchino Tedeschi, Lucia Tesolin, Emanuele Turinese, Mario Zappia, Angela Marotta
Summary: The study investigated Italian neurologists' knowledge and clinical experience in managing patients with Functional Neurological Disorders (FND). Results showed that neurologists preferred using the term FND over other psychological or descriptive terms when communicating with patients, and were more inclined to refer patients to psychologists rather than psychiatrists. Some believed in the usefulness of physiotherapy and psychiatric interventions, while others thought patients may simulate their symptoms. Overall, the study suggests that understanding of scientific advances in FND is somewhat lacking, and there is a need for professional education to improve patient management.
JOURNAL OF NEUROLOGY
(2022)
Article
Clinical Neurology
Gina Ferrazzano, Daniele Belvisi, Maria Ilenia De Bartolo, Viola Baione, Matteo Costanzo, Giovanni Fabbrini, Giovanni Defazio, Alfredo Berardelli, Antonella Conte
Summary: The study found that 75% of patients with isolated head tremor developed cervical dystonia 5 years later, while 25% still only had isolated head tremor. There was no significant change in head tremor severity between baseline and the 5-year follow-up.
PARKINSONISM & RELATED DISORDERS
(2022)
Article
Neurosciences
Giulia Paparella, Martina De Riggi, Antonio Cannavacciuolo, Donato Colella, Davide Costa, Daniele Birreci, Massimiliano Passaretti, Luca Angelini, Andrea Guerra, Alfredo Berardelli, Matteo Bologna
Summary: Through a study involving 33 healthy subjects, it was found that unilateral motor practice leads to improved performance of both the trained and untrained contralateral limbs. The transfer of this skill is asymmetric and relates to the modulation of specific inhibitory interhemispheric connections.
Review
Clinical Neurology
Alberto Albanese, Kailash P. Bhatia, Francisco Cardoso, Cynthia Comella, Giovanni Defazio, Victor S. C. Fung, Mark Hallett, Joseph Jankovic, Hyder A. Jinnah, Ryuji Kaji, Joachim K. Krauss, Anthony Lang, Eng King Tan, Marina A. J. Tijssen, Marie Vidailhet
Summary: This document provides a consensus on the diagnosis and classification of isolated cervical dystonia (iCD) and proposes diagnostic criteria and classification. It aims to systematize terminology and the diagnostic process for reproducibility and applicability. The criteria include motor abnormalities and nonmotor manifestations, and three iCD presentations are described. The relationship between iCD and isolated head tremor is also discussed. Continuous revision of the criteria is necessary as knowledge of iCD expands.
MOVEMENT DISORDERS
(2023)
Article
Clinical Neurology
Matteo Bologna, Alberto J. Espay, Alfonso Fasano, Giulia Paparella, Mark Hallett, Alfredo Berardelli
MOVEMENT DISORDERS
(2023)
Article
Clinical Neurology
Matteo Costanzo, Carolina Cutrona, Giorgio Leodori, Maria Ilenia De Bartolo, Andrea Fabbrini, Giorgio Vivacqua, Antonella Conte, Giovanni Fabbrini, Alfredo Berardelli, Daniele Belvisi
Summary: This study aimed to characterize the clinical features of upper limb tremor during walking (TW) in Parkinson's disease (PD) patients. TW was found to be a frequent sign in PD patients, and its distribution and severity were similar to rest and re-emergent tremor but different from postural tremor. TW may be considered as a clinical variant of rest tremor.
MOVEMENT DISORDERS CLINICAL PRACTICE
(2023)
Article
Clinical Neurology
A. Conte, N. De Stefano, A. Nicoletti, V. Caso, M. Mancuso, Alfredo Berardelli, G. Defazio
Summary: According to the analysis, Italian neurological research ranks fifth globally and third in Europe from 2020 to 2023.
NEUROLOGICAL SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Clinical Neurology
Wenqin Du, Peter G. Bain, Giovanni Defazio, Joseph Jankovic, Christine Y. Kim, E. K. Tan, Marie Vidailhet, Elan D. Louis
Summary: This study highlights the diagnostic uncertainty in differentiating between essential tremor (ET) and dystonia in patients with abnormal postures. The experts' assignments of diagnoses varied, underscoring differences in diagnostic interpretation. The study raises important questions for additional research.
TREMOR AND OTHER HYPERKINETIC MOVEMENTS
(2022)
