Does Enhancement or Perfusion on Preprocedure CT Predict Outcomes After Embolization of Hepatocellular Carcinoma?

Publication date: Available online 27 March 2018
Source:Academic Radiology
Author(s): Alessandra Borgheresi, Adrian Gonzalez-Aguirre, Karen T. Brown, George I. Getrajdman, Joseph P. Erinjeri, Anne Covey, Hooman Yarmohammadi, Etay Ziv, Constantinos T. Sofocleous, Franz Edward Boas
Rationale and ObjectiveThe objective of this study was to evaluate whether quantitative enhancement or perfusion measurements on preprocedure triphasic computed tomography (CT) can be used to predict response or overall survival after embolization of hepatocellular carcinoma.Materials and MethodsThe institutional review board approved this retrospective review of 63 patients with hepatocellular carcinoma treated with particle embolization between March 2009 and December 2014. Quantitative enhancement and perfusion measurements were performed on the target tumor and the background liver on the triphasic CT performed before treatment. Microvascular invasion (MVI) and degree of differentiation were determined from a core biopsy specimen. Quantitative enhancement and perfusion values were then correlated with pathology (two-tailed t test), response to embolization on modified Response Evaluation Criteria In Solid Tumors (two-tailed t test), and overall survival after embolization (Cox proportional hazards model).ResultsArterial enhancement did not predict immediate response or overall survival after embolization. The degree of differentiation or presence of MVI also did not predict immediate response or overall survival after embolization. However, high hepatic artery coefficient or low portal vein coefficient, both in the tumor (P = .011 and P = .004) and in the background liver (P = .015 and P = .009), were associated with worse survival. Hepatic artery coefficient, both in the tumor (P = .025) and in the background liver (P = .013), were independent predictors of survival in a multivariate model including the Child-Pugh score and the BCLC stage.ConclusionsTumor and liver perfusion parameters estimated from preprocedure triphasic CT were predictive of survival after embolization. Arterial-phase enhancement and histology (degree of differentiation or MVI) did not predict immediate response or overall survival after particle embolization.



https://ift.tt/2GzdiAR

Relationship between Background Parenchymal Enhancement on High-risk Screening MRI and Future Breast Cancer Risk

Publication date: Available online 27 March 2018
Source:Academic Radiology
Author(s): Lars J. Grimm, Ashirbani Saha, Sujata V. Ghate, Connie Kim, Mary Scott Soo, Sora C. Yoon, Maciej A. Mazurowski
Rationale and ObjectivesTo determine if background parenchymal enhancement (BPE) on screening breast magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in high-risk women correlates with future cancer.Materials and MethodsAll screening breast MRIs (n = 1039) in high-risk women at our institution from August 1, 2004, to July 30, 2013, were identified. Sixty-one patients who subsequently developed breast cancer were matched 1:2 by age and high-risk indication with patients who did not develop breast cancer (n = 122). Five fellowship-trained breast radiologists independently recorded the BPE. The median reader BPE for each case was calculated and compared between the cancer and control cohorts.ResultsCancer cohort patients were high-risk because of a history of radiation therapy (10%, 6 of 61), high-risk lesion (18%, 11 of 61), or breast cancer (30%, 18 of 61); BRCA mutation (18%, 11 of 61); or family history (25%, 15 of 61). Subsequent malignancies were invasive ductal carcinoma (64%, 39 of 61), ductal carcinoma in situ (30%, 18 of 61) and invasive lobular carcinoma (7%, 4of 61). BPE was significantly higher in the cancer cohort than in the control cohort (P = 0.01). Women with mild, moderate, or marked BPE were 2.5 times more likely to develop breast cancer than women with minimal BPE (odds ratio = 2.5, 95% confidence interval: 1.3–4.8, P = .005). There was fair interreader agreement (κ = 0.39).ConclusionsHigh-risk women with greater than minimal BPE at screening MRI have increased risk of future breast cancer.



https://ift.tt/2uu9lsx

Impact of a New Adaptive Statistical Iterative Reconstruction (ASIR)-V Algorithm on Image Quality in Coronary Computed Tomography Angiography

Publication date: Available online 27 March 2018
Source:Academic Radiology
Author(s): Gianluca Pontone, Giuseppe Muscogiuri, Daniele Andreini, Andrea I. Guaricci, Marco Guglielmo, Andrea Baggiano, Fabio Fazzari, Saima Mushtaq, Edoardo Conte, Andrea Annoni, Alberto Formenti, Elisabetta Mancini, Massimo Verdecchia, Alessandro Campari, Chiara Martini, Marco Gatti, Laura Fusini, Lorenzo Bonfanti, Elisa Consiglio, Mark G. Rabbat, Antonio L. Bartorelli, Mauro Pepi
Rationale and objectivesA new postprocessing algorithm named adaptive statistical iterative reconstruction (ASIR)-V has been recently introduced. The aim of this article was to analyze the impact of ASIR-V algorithm on signal, noise, and image quality of coronary computed tomography angiography.Materials and MethodsFifty consecutive patients underwent clinically indicated coronary computed tomography angiography (Revolution CT; GE Healthcare, Milwaukee, WI). Images were reconstructed using filtered back projection and ASIR-V 0%, and a combination of filtered back projection and ASIR-V 20%–80% and ASIR-V 100%. Image noise, signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), and contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) were calculated for left main coronary artery (LM), left anterior descending artery (LAD), left circumflex artery (LCX), and right coronary artery (RCA) and were compared between the different postprocessing algorithms used. Similarly a four-point Likert image quality score of coronary segments was graded for each dataset and compared. A cutoff value of P < .05 was considered statistically significant.ResultsCompared to ASIR-V 0%, ASIR-V 100% demonstrated a significant reduction of image noise in all coronaries (P < .01). Compared to ASIR-V 0%, SNR was significantly higher with ASIR-V 60% in LM (P < .01), LAD (P < .05), LCX (P < .05), and RCA (P < .01). Compared to ASIR-V 0%, CNR for ASIR-V ≥60% was significantly improved in LM (P < .01), LAD (P < .05), and RCA (P < .01), whereas LCX demonstrated a significant improvement with ASIR-V ≥80%. ASIR-V 60% had significantly better Likert image quality scores compared to ASIR-V 0% in segment-, vessel-, and patient-based analyses (P < .01).ConclusionsReconstruction with ASIR-V 60% provides the optimal balance between image noise, SNR, CNR, and image quality.



https://ift.tt/2uu91tP

The Impact of Interruptions on Chest Radiograph Interpretation

Publication date: Available online 28 March 2018
Source:Academic Radiology
Author(s): Rachel M. Wynn, Jessica L. Howe, Linda C. Kelahan, Allan Fong, Ross W. Filice, Raj M. Ratwani
Rationale and ObjectivesThe objective of this study was to experimentally test the effect of interruptions on image interpretation by comparing reading time and response accuracy of interrupted case reads to uninterrupted case reads in resident and attending radiologists.Materials and MethodsInstitutional review board approval was obtained before participant recruitment from an urban academic health-care system during January 2016–March 2016. Eleven resident and 12 attending radiologists examined 30 chest radiographs, rating their confidence regarding the presence or the absence of a pneumothorax. Ten cases were normal (ie, no pneumothorax present), 10 cases had an unsubtle pneumothorax (ie, readily perceivable by a nonexpert), and 10 cases had a subtle pneumothorax. During three reads of each case type, the participants were interrupted with 30 seconds of a secondary task. The total reading time and the accuracy of interrupted and uninterrupted cases were compared. A mixed-factors analysis of variance was run on reading time and accuracy with experience (resident vs attending) as a between-subjects factor and case type (normal, unsubtle, or subtle) and interruption (interruption vs no interruption) as within-subjects factors.ResultsInterrupted tasks had significantly longer reading times than uninterrupted cases (P = .032). During subtle cases, interruptions reduced accuracy (P = .034), but during normal cases, interruptions increased accuracy (P = .038).ConclusionsInterruptions increased reading times and increased the tendency for a radiologist to conclude that a case is normal for both resident and attending radiologists, demonstrating that interruptions reduce efficiency and introduce patient safety concerns during reads of abnormal cases.



https://ift.tt/2pMSTib

Incidental Thyroid Nodules in the National Lung Screening Trial

Publication date: Available online 27 March 2018
Source:Academic Radiology
Author(s): Manisha Bahl
Rationale and ObjectivesThere is limited research on the prevalence of incidental thyroid nodules (ITNs) in the United States screening population and on the appropriate evaluation of computed tomography (CT)-detected ITNs. The purpose of this study is to determine the prevalence of ITNs in the National Lung Screening Trial (NLST) and develop a workup strategy for ITNs.Materials and MethodsCT images were obtained for subjects with documented thyroid abnormalities in the CT screening arm of the NLST, subjects diagnosed with thyroid malignancies, and control subjects. Several size thresholds were compared to determine how many nodules would be further evaluated and how many thyroid malignancies would be missed had each threshold been applied at the time of workup.ResultsThyroid nodules were reported in 0.7% (117 of 17,309 subjects). In 663 control subjects without reported thyroid nodules, thyroid nodules were identified in 78 (11.8%). Reported nodules were larger than unreported nodules (21.3 vs 16.9 mm, P = .03). Thyroid malignancies were diagnosed in 0.1% (22 of 17,309). If a 20-mm rather than a 10-mm cutoff were used to determine which nodules should be further evaluated, all malignancies would be detected, but 24 rather than 62 patients would require workup, for a workup reduction rate of 48.7% (38 of 78).ConclusionsLess than 1% of subjects in the NLST had reported ITNs. The true prevalence of ITNs was estimated to be 11.8%, which provides a better approximation of the number of patients who could potentially receive workup. A 20-mm rather than a 10-mm cutoff would reduce the workup rate by almost 50% while still capturing all malignancies.



https://ift.tt/2uqAwnQ

Gibbons (Nomascus gabriellae) provide key seed dispersal for the Pacific walnut (Dracontomelon dao), in Asia's lowland tropical forest

Publication date: April 2018
Source:Acta Oecologica, Volume 88
Author(s): Bach Thanh Hai, Jin Chen, Kim R. McConkey, Salindra K. Dayananda
Understanding the mutualisms between frugivores and plants is essential for developing successful forest management and conservation strategies, especially in tropical rainforests where the majority of plants are dispersed by animals. Gibbons are among the most effective seed dispersers in South East Asia's tropical forests, but are also one of the highly threatened arboreal mammals in the region. Here we studied the seed dispersal of the Pacific walnut (Dracontomelon dao), a canopy tree which produces fruit that are common in the diet of the endangered southern yellow-cheeked crested gibbon (Nomascus gabriellae). We found that gibbons were the most effective disperser for this species; they consumed approximately 45% of the fruit crop, which was four times more than that consumed by macaques – the only other legitimate disperser. Gibbons tracked the temporal (but not spatial) abundance of ripe fruits, indicating this fruit was a preferred species for the gibbon. Both gibbons and macaques dispersed the majority (>90%) of the seeds at least 20 m away from parent crowns, with mean dispersal distances by gibbons measuring 179.3 ± 98.0 m (range: 4–425 m). Seeds defecated by gibbons germinated quicker and at greater rates than seeds spat by macaques, or in undispersed fruits. Gibbon-dispersed seeds were also more likely to be removed by unknown seed predators or unknown secondary dispersers. Overall, gibbons play a key role in the regeneration of the Pacific walnut. Our findings have significant implications both for the management of the Pacific walnut tree dominating tropical rainforest as well as the reintroduction program of the Southern yellow-cheeked crested gibbon.



https://ift.tt/2pKZqck

A phase II, multicenter, single-arm trial of eribulin as first- or second-line chemotherapy for HER2-negative advanced or metastatic breast cancer: evaluation of efficacy, safety, and patient-reported outcomes

Abstract

Purpose

Although eribulin is a suitable option for early-line treatment of metastatic breast cancer (MBC), data on first- or second-line use of eribulin for human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-negative MBC are still limited. Therefore, we conducted a phase II trial to investigate the efficacy and safety of eribulin for first- or second-line chemotherapy for HER2-negative MBC.

Materials and methods

We performed a phase II, open-label, single-arm, multicenter study in Japan. Eligible patients were women with histologically confirmed HER2-negative MBC without chemotherapy or only one chemotherapy line for MBC. The primary endpoint was the overall response rate (ORR) and the secondary endpoints included the clinical benefit rate (ORR + stable disease for 6 months; CBR), progression-free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS), duration of response (DOR), safety, and health-related quality of life (HRQoL).

Results

A total of 35 patients with HER2-negative MBC were enrolled between March 2013 and February 2017 (data cut-off July 31, 2017). The ORR was 37.1% (95% CI 21.1–53.2%). The CBR was 54.3% (95% CI 37.8–70.8%). The median PFS was 6.2 months (95% CI 2.7–9.4 months) and median OS was 21.4 months (95% CI 11.5–32.9 months). Common grade 3/4 adverse events were neutropenia (42.9%) but febrile neutropenia (2.9%). Although the majority of non-hematological adverse events were mild in severity, one patient died of pneumonitis. In HRQoL analysis, eribulin appeared to maintain HRQoL of many patients.

Conclusions

Eribulin as first- or second-line chemotherapy is effective and has manageable toxicity for patients with HER2-negative MBC.

https://ift.tt/2I8a5Ft

Maternal Thyroid Function in Early Pregnancy and Child Neurodevelopmental Disorders: A Danish Nationwide Case-Cohort Study

Thyroid, Ahead of Print.


https://ift.tt/2pHhyVp

Quick, split and make hydrogen from water

Publication date: Available online 27 March 2018
Source:Materials Today
Author(s): David Bradley




https://ift.tt/2pKT0Kg

Nanocomposite hits the right note for bone repair

Publication date: Available online 27 March 2018
Source:Materials Today
Author(s): Cordelia Sealy




https://ift.tt/2Gdh6Zg

Nanogenerator promises blue energy dream

Publication date: Available online 27 March 2018
Source:Materials Today
Author(s): Cordelia Sealy




https://ift.tt/2I9zhLW

Stretchable, twistable textile-based biobatteries become a reality

Publication date: Available online 27 March 2018
Source:Materials Today
Author(s): Laurie Donaldson




https://ift.tt/2GAIX52

3D tattoos for chemical sensing

Publication date: Available online 27 March 2018
Source:Materials Today
Author(s): David Bradley




https://ift.tt/2pPXEH8

Computational design and property predictions for two-dimensional nanostructures

Publication date: Available online 27 March 2018
Source:Materials Today
Author(s): Runzhang Xu, Xiaolong Zou, Bilu Liu, Hui-Ming Cheng
Recent success in isolating and growing various two-dimensional (2D) materials with intriguing properties has pushed forward the search for new 2D nanostructures with novel properties. Current experimental trial-and-error methods face the fundamental challenges of low efficiency and a lack of clear guidelines. In contrast, based on state-of-the-art first-principles calculations and well-developed structural prediction algorithms, computational simulations can not only predict an increasing number of new 2D materials with desirable properties but also suggest their possible synthesis routes. Among them, many predictions, such as the growth of monolayer boron sheets (borophene), piezoelectricity in molybdenum disulfide (MoS2), ferroelectricity in tin telluride (SnTe), topological defects in transition metal dichalcogenides, Dirac cones in borophene, and high carrier mobility and mobility anisotropy in black phosphorene, have been verified by experiments, showing the accuracy of computational approaches, as well as their power in facilitating experimental exploration in 2D flatland. To date, the rapid expansion in theoretical work has generated a large number of very important results, but the overall picture of recent progress, current challenges, and future opportunities is rarely discussed. Accordingly, this review aims at providing information about current trends and future perspectives for 2D materials research. To achieve this, the review is organized as follows: (1) discussion of structural predictions in 2D materials using borophene as an example; (2) predictions of the electronic, optical, mechanical, and magnetic properties in various 2D materials; (3) discussion of the influence of defects on the structures and properties of 2D materials; and (4) evaluation of current progress in computational simulations and perspectives for future development.

Graphical abstract

https://ift.tt/2GworSX

Expanding the Consumer Bill of Rights for material ingredients

Publication date: Available online 27 March 2018
Source:Materials Today
Author(s): Joshua M. Pearce




https://ift.tt/2Ibep73

Metallic glass nanotubes promise novel properties

Publication date: Available online 27 March 2018
Source:Materials Today
Author(s): Cordelia Sealy




https://ift.tt/2pKSYSE

Nanodevice acts as improved DNA detector

Publication date: Available online 27 March 2018
Source:Materials Today
Author(s): Laurie Donaldson




https://ift.tt/2GcFRog

Eely simply power source

Publication date: Available online 27 March 2018
Source:Materials Today
Author(s): David Bradley




https://ift.tt/2Gde4Eh

Stretch batteries

Publication date: Available online 27 March 2018
Source:Materials Today
Author(s): David Bradley




https://ift.tt/2I8t4Qq

Study of Pre and Post Operative Videostroboscopic Evaluation of Benign Vocal Cord Lesions

Abstract

To determine pre and postoperative vocal fold vibratory changes using videostroboscopy (VS) and effect of surgery on functional, physical and emotional levels of voice using voice handicap index (VHI). To determine correlation between VHI and VS in patients with benign vocal fold pathology. This is a prospective study done at Pushpagiri Medical College. 40 patients in the age group of 14–75 years who presented with complaints of voice change were included. VS and VHI of patients done preoperatively in 40 patients. Patients were re-evaluated postoperatively at 1 month by VHI and VS. All patients underwent microlaryngoscopic excision of the benign vocal cord lesion with biopsy under GA in the conventional manner. One month postoperatively, these patients were evaluated by VS and VHI and the findings noted. There was statistically significant improvement in the stroboscopy ratings and VHI scores post operatively (p < 0.0001). The mucosal wave was diminished or absent in 100% of the studied TVC cysts and present in approximately 60% of vocal polyps. There was no significant correlation found between preoperative VHI scores and stroboscopy ratings except for mucosal waves. Whereas there was significant correlation noted between the VHI subscales and total scores with stroboscopic scores postoperatively except for symmetry. All but 6 patients in this study benefitted from surgery and 85% had a normal voice post-operatively. Pre and post operative assessment of patients with benign vocal fold lesions by stroboscopy and VHI is a useful way to determine the degree of improvement following surgery.

https://ift.tt/2I5hSUD

Sources of variance in BC mass measurements from a small marine engine: Influence of the instruments, fuels and loads

Publication date: June 2018
Source:Atmospheric Environment, Volume 182
Author(s): Yu Jiang, Jiacheng Yang, Stéphanie Gagné, Tak W. Chan, Kevin Thomson, Emmanuel Fofie, Robert A. Cary, Dan Rutherford, Bryan Comer, Jacob Swanson, Yue Lin, Paul Van Rooy, Akua Asa-Awuku, Heejung Jung, Kelley Barsanti, Georgios Karavalakis, David Cocker, Thomas D. Durbin, J. Wayne Miller, Kent C. Johnson
Knowledge of black carbon (BC) emission factors from ships is important from human health and environmental perspectives. A study of instruments measuring BC and fuels typically used in marine operation was carried out on a small marine engine. Six analytical methods measured the BC emissions in the exhaust of the marine engine operated at two load points (25% and 75%) while burning one of three fuels: a distillate marine (DMA), a low sulfur, residual marine (RMB-30) and a high-sulfur residual marine (RMG-380). The average emission factors with all instruments increased from 0.08 to 1.88 gBC/kg fuel in going from 25 to 75% load. An analysis of variance (ANOVA) tested BC emissions against instrument, load, and combined fuel properties and showed that both engine load and fuels had a statistically significant impact on BC emission factors. While BC emissions were impacted by the fuels used, none of the fuel properties investigated (sulfur content, viscosity, carbon residue and CCAI) was a primary driver for BC emissions. Of the two residual fuels, RMB-30 with the lower sulfur content, lower viscosity and lower residual carbon, had the highest BC emission factors. BC emission factors determined with the different instruments showed a good correlation with the PAS values with correlation coefficients R2 >0.95. A key finding of this research is the relative BC measured values were mostly independent of load and fuel, except for some instruments in certain fuel and load combinations.



https://ift.tt/2IW8mEq

Editorial Board

Publication date: May 2018
Source:Atmospheric Environment, Volume 181





https://ift.tt/2I5O0rh

Loss of PTEN in High Grade Advanced Stage Triple Negative Breast Ductal Cancers in African American Women

Publication date: Available online 27 March 2018
Source:Pathology - Research and Practice
Author(s): Farhan Khan, Ashwini Esnakula, Luisel J Ricks-Santi, Rabia Zafar, Yasmine Kanaan, Tammey Naab
IntroductionPTEN is a tumor suppressor gene that inhibits cell proliferation by inhibiting the phosphoinositide 3- kinase (PI3 K) signaling pathway. The significance of PTEN mutations resulting in variable PTEN expression and their impact on prognosis of breast cancer is not well established. The objective of our study was to correlate the immunohistochemical expression of PTEN in the four major subtypes of breast carcinoma (Luminal A, Luminal B, HER2 positive, and Triple Negative) in a population of 202 African-American (AA) females with other clinicopathological factors.Materials and MethodsTissue microarrays (TMAs) were constructed from FFPE tumor blocks from primary ductal breast carcinomas in 202 African-American females. Five micrometer sections were stained with a mouse monoclonal antibody against PTEN. The sections were evaluated for the intensity of cytoplasmic and nuclear reactivity. Bivariate analysis was done via χ2 analysis and survivability data was calculated via the generation of Kaplan-Meier curves (SPSS v19).ResultsLoss of PTEN expression was associated with ER negative (p = 0.021), PR negative (p = 0.024) and triple negative (p = 0.0024) breast ductal cancers. It was marginally associated with distant metastasis (p = 0.074). There was no association between PTEN loss and recurrence-free survival or overall survival.ConclusionIn our study, a statistically significant association between PTEN loss and the triple negative breast cancers (TNBC) was found in AA women. PTEN inhibits PI3 K resulting in decreased activation of downstream effector, mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR). Loss of PTEN results in cell proliferation through activation of mTOR. Targeted therapy with mTOR inhibitors might be useful in the treatment of TNBC.



https://ift.tt/2GjIaSF

Protein Phase Separation: A New Phase in Cell Biology

Publication date: Available online 27 March 2018
Source:Trends in Cell Biology
Author(s): Steven Boeynaems, Simon Alberti, Nicolas L. Fawzi, Tanja Mittag, Magdalini Polymenidou, Frederic Rousseau, Joost Schymkowitz, James Shorter, Benjamin Wolozin, Ludo Van Den Bosch, Peter Tompa, Monika Fuxreiter
Cellular compartments and organelles organize biological matter. Most well-known organelles are separated by a membrane boundary from their surrounding milieu. There are also many so-called membraneless organelles and recent studies suggest that these organelles, which are supramolecular assemblies of proteins and RNA molecules, form via protein phase separation. Recent discoveries have shed light on the molecular properties, formation, regulation, and function of membraneless organelles. A combination of techniques from cell biology, biophysics, physical chemistry, structural biology, and bioinformatics are starting to help establish the molecular principles of an emerging field, thus paving the way for exciting discoveries, including novel therapeutic approaches for the treatment of age-related disorders.



https://ift.tt/2IZLOD4

Subacute Combined Degeneration from Recreational Nitrous Oxide Inhalation

Publication date: Available online 27 March 2018
Source:The Journal of Emergency Medicine
Author(s): Michael U. Antonucci




https://ift.tt/2GwgMUR

Neurosyphilis as a Cause of Transverse Myelitis in a Teenage Girl

Publication date: Available online 27 March 2018
Source:The Journal of Emergency Medicine
Author(s): Karen Kim Jo Yaphockun, Shannon Wai
BackgroundSyphilis is a sexually transmitted infection that was nearly eradicated in 2001 but is now making a resurgence. It has a wide range of clinical manifestations depending on disease stage. Neurosyphilis is an infrequently seen infectious disease with central nervous system involvement that can occur in either early- or late-stage syphilis. The diagnosis of neurosyphilis is challenging, primarily because Treponema pallidum, the infecting organism, cannot be cultured in vitro. This article describes a patient with neurosyphilis and reviews the epidemiology and clinical manifestations, diagnostics, and treatment of neurosyphilis.Case ReportIn compliance with the request of the Privacy Board of our institution, the numerical age of this patient has been omitted. A sexually active teenage girl who was treated for primary syphilis 2 years earlier presented to a tertiary children's hospital with paresthesia and weakness of her right leg, left arm, and neck. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed cervical intramedullary cord edema consistent with transverse myelitis. Serum studies showed positive syphilis enzyme immunoassay, T. pallidum particle agglutination assay, and fluorescent treponemal antibody absorption. A serum rapid plasma reagin test was negative. A lumbar puncture was performed with normal cell count and protein. A cerebrospinal fluid Venereal Disease Research Laboratory test was negative. She was diagnosed with neurosyphilis and treated with intravenous steroids and penicillin G, with near complete resolution of symptoms.Why should an Emergency Physician Be Aware of This?The Centers for Disease Control and prevention has noted a steady rise of the incidence of syphilis since 2002. Emergency physicians should be familiar with the spectrum of the clinical manifestations of syphilis, challenges in diagnostics, and appropriate treatment course.



https://ift.tt/2pMV9Ff

Abdominal Cutaneous Nerve Entrapment Syndrome: The Cause of Localized Abdominal Pain in a Young Pregnant Woman

Publication date: Available online 27 March 2018
Source:The Journal of Emergency Medicine
Author(s): Sody A. Naimer
BackgroundDespite the broad differential diagnosis in any patient referring with symptoms involving the chest or abdomen, a small number of conditions overshadow the rest by their probability. Chest and abdominal wall pain continues to constitute a common and expensive overlooked source of pain of unknown cause. In particular, cutaneous nerve entrapment syndrome is commonly encountered but not easily diagnosed unless its specific symptoms are sought and the precise physical examination undertaken.Case ReportA primigravida woman with unbearable abdominal pain was referred repeatedly seeking a solution for her suffering. Numerous laboratory and imaging studies were employed in order to elucidate the cause of her condition. After numerous visits and unnecessary delay, the diagnosis was finally made by a physician fully versed in the field of torso wall pain. The focused physical examination disclosed abdominal cutaneous nerve entrapment syndrome as the diagnosis, and anesthetic infiltration led to immediate alleviation of her pain.Why Should an Emergency Physician Be Aware of This?Cutaneous nerve entrapment is a common cause of abdominal pain that is reached on the basis of thorough history and physical examination alone. Knowledge dissemination of the various torso wall syndromes is imperative for prompt delivery of suitable care. All emergency physicians should be fully aware of this entity because the diagnosis is based solely on physical examination, and immediate relief can be provided in the framework of the first visit. Wider recognition of this syndrome will promise that such mishaps are not repeated in the future.



https://ift.tt/2GwYUsW

Qualitative and quantitative analysis of human nails to find correlation between nutrients and vitamin D deficiency using LIBS and ICP-AES

Publication date: 1 August 2018
Source:Talanta, Volume 185
Author(s): M.A. Almessiere, R. Altuwiriqi, M.A. Gondal, R.K. AlDakheel, H.F. Alotaibi
In this work, we analysed human fingernails of people who suffer from vitamin D deficiency using the laser–induced breakdown spectroscopy(LIBS) and inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy (ICP-AES)techniques. The measurements have been conducted on 71 nail samples collected randomly from volunteers of different genders and ages ranged between 20 and 50 years. The main aim of this study is to find the correlation between vitamin D deficiency and the intensity of some dominated lines in the LIBS spectra. A LIBS spectrum consists of dominant lines of fifteen elements including calcium, magnesium, sodium, potassium, titanium, iron, chloride, sulphur, copper, chromium, zinc, nitrogen, phosphor, and oxygen. By recording the spectrum in specific ranges and focusing on calcium, magnesium, sodium, and potassium, we found a correlation between the intensity of the potassium (K) lines at (766.5 and 769.9 nm)and vitamin D level in both age groups (20 and 25 years old), with weak correlation for the calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg), and sodium (Na) lines. To verify the validity of the LIBS results, we analysed the nail samples with ICP, a standard analytical technique. The elements detected with our LIBS technique are in a good agreement with those identified by ICP-AES. From the health and physiological perspectives, the LIBS system, which is used for spectral analysis in this work, is appropriate for diagnostic purposes such as to find the correlation between vitamin D deficiency and potassium content, especially for hypertensive patients who simultaneously take potassium-based medication and vitamin D supplement.

Graphical abstract

https://ift.tt/2pM4CMX

Simultaneous determination of quercetin and its metabolites in rat plasma by using ultra-high performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry

Publication date: 1 August 2018
Source:Talanta, Volume 185
Author(s): Veronika Pilařová, Kateřina Plachká, Lucia Chrenková, Iveta Najmanová, Přemysl Mladěnka, František Švec, Ondřej Novák, Lucie Nováková
Fast, selective, and sensitive ultra-high performance liquid chromatography method with tandem mass spectrometry detection for the determination of quercetin and its metabolites with various physico-chemical properties such as molecular weight, lipophilicity, and acid-base properties has been developed. These compounds included small hydrophilic phenolic acids and more lipophilic metabolites with preserved flavonoid structure in small amount of rat plasma. The developed method enables selective separation of phenolic acids and a pair of isomers tamarixetin and isorhamnetin with satisfactory peak shapes and a high sensitivity using mass spectrometry detection. In addition, two sample preparation procedures including protein precipitation and microextraction in packed sorbent (MEPS) were optimized. The sample acidification included in protein precipitation as well as optimizing of MEPS sorbents and elution solvents improved isolation of quercetin and related compounds from rat plasma. Finally, both methods developed for sample preparation were fully validated to demonstrate sufficient accuracy and precision and acceptable matrix effects. Both sample preparation approaches combined with mass spectrometry-based quantification allowed the simultaneous determination of quercetin and its metabolites from a small amount of biological samples of only 50 μL. Due to the fast and non-selective parallel sample preparation, the protein precipitation was eventually applied to plasma samples derived from pharmacokinetic studies.

Graphical abstract

https://ift.tt/2Ggrxvi

Development of electrochemically controlled packed-in-tube solid phase microextraction method for sensitive analysis of acidic drugs in biological samples

Publication date: 1 August 2018
Source:Talanta, Volume 185
Author(s): Hamid Asiabi, Yadollah Yamini, Maryam Shamsayei
In the present research, for the first time, a novel "packed-in-tube" configuration has been applied to electrochemically controlled in-tube solid phase microextraction, followed by high performance liquid chromatography. In order to prepare a mini packed column, small beads of stainless steel were first placed into the stainless steel column. Then, a nanostructured polypyrrole film was prepared on the internal surface of a stainless steel tube and the surface of stainless steel particles through a facile in-situ electrodeposition method. Filling the column with tiny particles of stainless steel effectively reduces the dead volume of the extraction tube and increases the extraction phase volume. The column was used for separation and preconcentration of diclofenac and mefenamic acid as model analytes from biological samples. Several important factors affecting extraction efficiency, such as extraction and desorption times, flow rates of the sample solution and eluent, and extraction and desorption voltages were investigated and optimized. This method showed good linearity for the drugs in the range of 0.3–200.0 μg L⁻¹, 1.1–200.0 μg L⁻¹, and 1.8–200.0 μg L⁻¹ with coefficients of determination better than 0.9986, 0.9973, and 0.9973 in water, urine, and plasma samples, respectively. Intra- and inter-assay precisions (RSD%, n = 3) were in the range of 2.6–4.8% and 2.9–5.1, respectively, at three concentration levels of 10, 25, and 75 µg L⁻¹. In addition, the limits of detection were in the range of 0.02–0.04 μg L⁻¹. The validated method was successfully applied to the analysis of diclofenac and mefenamic acid in some biological samples. Finally, it is concluded that this method can be a general and reliable alternative to the analysis of ionic compounds in biological matrices.

Graphical abstract

https://ift.tt/2pLwb9u

Protein separation using a novel silica-based RPLC/IEC mixed-mode stationary phase modified with N-methylimidazolium ionic liquid

Publication date: 1 August 2018
Source:Talanta, Volume 185
Author(s): Quan Bai, Yanna Liu, Yixin Wang, Kailou Zhao, Fan Yang, Jiawei Liu, Jiwei Shen, Qingyang Zhao
Ionic liquids (ILs) immobilized on silica as a novel high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) stationary phase have attracted considerable attentions. However, it has not been applied to protein separation. In this paper, N-methylimidazolium IL-modified silica-based stationary phase (SilprMim) was prepared and investigated as a novel multi-interaction stationary phase with positive charges for protein separation. The results indicate that all of the basic proteins tested cannot be adsorbed on this novel stationary phase, whereas all of the acidic proteins tested can be retained, and the baseline separation of eight kinds of acidic protein standards can be achieved when being performed under reversed phase/ion-exchange chromatography (RPLC/IEC) mode. Compared with commonly used commercial C4 column, the novel stationary phase can show good selectivity and resolution to acidic proteins. The effects of acetonitrile and salt concentration, pH as well as the ligand structure on protein separation were investigated in detail. In addition, the mix-mode retention mechanism of proteins on the SilprMim column was also discussed using stoichiometric displacement theory for retention in LC (SDT-R). The result shows that the protein retention can be controlled mainly by the electrostatic and hydrophobic interactions between the proteins and the stationary phase. As a result, with such characteristics of multi-interaction mechanism and multi-modal separation, not only the selectivity to the acidic proteins can be enhanced, but also a better resolution can be achieved. The result demonstrates that the SilprMim mixed-mode chromatography (MMC) column has a promising application in the separation and analysis of acidic proteins from the complex samples.

Graphical abstract

https://ift.tt/2pMipUE

Rapid separation of zirconium using microvolume anion-exchange cartridge for 93Zr determination with isotope dilution ICP-MS

Publication date: 1 August 2018
Source:Talanta, Volume 185
Author(s): Shiho Asai, Yukiko Hanzawa, Miki Konda, Daisuke Suzuki, Masaaki Magara, Takaumi Kimura, Ryo Ishihara, Kyoichi Saito, Shinsuke Yamada, Hideyuki Hirota
Estimating the risks associated with radiation from long-lived fission products (LLFP) in radioactive waste is essential to ensure the long-term safety of potential disposal sites. In this study, the amount of ⁹³Zr, a LLFP, was determined by ICP-MS after separating Zr from a spent nuclear fuel solution using a microvolume anion-exchange cartridge (TEDA cartridge). Zirconium in 9.4 M HCl was stably retained on the TEDA cartridge and readily eluted with 0.75 mL of a mixed solution of 9.4 M HCl and 0.01 M HF. The time taken to complete the Zr separation was 1.2 min. Almost all the other elements initially present in the spent nuclear fuel sample were removed, leading to accurate measurement of all six Zr isotopes (⁹⁰Zr, ⁹¹Zr, ⁹²Zr, ⁹³Zr, ⁹⁴Zr, and ⁹⁶Zr). This demonstrated that the TEDA cartridge allowed highly selective separation of Zr regardless of its small bed volume of 0.08 cm³. The concentrations of these isotopes were determined by an isotope-dilution method using a natural Zr standard that has a different isotopic composition from that of the spent nuclear fuel sample. The amount of ⁹³Zr in an initial spent nuclear fuel pellet was 1081 ± 79 ng per mg of ²³⁸U. The measured concentrations of all Zr isotopes, as well as the isotopic composition, were consistent with values predicted using a burnup calculation code.

Graphical abstract

https://ift.tt/2IY5Oph

Gold nanoparticle aggregation: Colorimetric detection of the interactions between avidin and biotin

Publication date: 1 August 2018
Source:Talanta, Volume 185
Author(s): Dongmin Shi, Feifan Sheng, Xiaojun Zhang, Guangfeng Wang
This paper reported a novel colorimetric assay strategy for avidin and biotin interactions based on terminal protection of the biotinylated single-stranded DNA and the surface plasmon resonance adsorption of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs). In this assay, it was firstly found that biotin-ssDNA specifically bound to the target protein avidin with strong affinity could be protected from hydrolysis by exonuclease I (Exo I). Furthermore, a colorimetric strategy was designed for the detection of avidin and biotin interactions. In the process, in the presence of avidin, the interaction of avidin and biotin protected the digestion of Exo I towards the biotin-ssDNA. The biotin-ssDNA with negatively charged would attach to the surface of AuNPs with positively charge in high salt solution through electrostatic interactions, which prevented AuNPs to aggregate. With the increased addition of avidin, the absorbance of AuNPs in 520 nm increased gradually and the color showed gradually wine red. By taking advantage of terminal protection, the developed strategy could offer high sensitivity for detecting small molecule-protein interactions. The results revealed that the developed strategy was highly sensitive for detecting avidin in the concentration ranging from 0.01 to 0.2 μg/mL with the detection limit of 4 × 10⁻³ μg/mL.The developed assay also showed highly specific, cost-efficient and convenient. Moreover, this strategy only required labeling the small molecule on a single-stranded DNA, circumventing protein modifications that might be harmful for activity. In view of these advantages, this new colorimetric method could have potential to become a universal, sensitive, and selective platform for detection of small molecule−protein interactions.

Graphical abstract

https://ift.tt/2pMV58t

Carbon nanosphere-based fluorescence aptasensor for targeted detection of breast cancer cell MCF-7

Publication date: 1 August 2018
Source:Talanta, Volume 185
Author(s): Dandan Yang, Mei Liu, Jing Xu, Chao Yang, Xiaoxiao Wang, Yongbing Lou, Nongyue He, Zhifei Wang
In this work, carbon nanosphere (CNS)-based fluorescence "turn off/on" aptasensor was developed for targeted detection of breast cancer cell MCF-7 by conjugation with FAM (a dye)-labeled mucin1 (MUC1) aptamer P0 (P0-FAM), which can recognize MUC1 protein overexpressed on the surface of MCF-7. Different from other carbon based fluorescence quenching materials, CNSs prepared by the carbonization of glucose not only have the high fluorescence quenching efficiency (98.8%), but also possess negligible cytotoxicity (in the concentration range of 0–1 mg/mL, which is 10 times higher than that of traditional carbon nanotubes or graphene oxide (0–100 µg/mL)). As for the detection of the mimic of the tumor antigen MUC1, the resulting fluorescence intensity increases nearly linearly in the range of 0–6 μM with the limit of detection (LOD) of 25 nM.

Graphical abstract

https://ift.tt/2Gd9xBQ

Study of Pre and Post Operative Videostroboscopic Evaluation of Benign Vocal Cord Lesions

Abstract

To determine pre and postoperative vocal fold vibratory changes using videostroboscopy (VS) and effect of surgery on functional, physical and emotional levels of voice using voice handicap index (VHI). To determine correlation between VHI and VS in patients with benign vocal fold pathology. This is a prospective study done at Pushpagiri Medical College. 40 patients in the age group of 14–75 years who presented with complaints of voice change were included. VS and VHI of patients done preoperatively in 40 patients. Patients were re-evaluated postoperatively at 1 month by VHI and VS. All patients underwent microlaryngoscopic excision of the benign vocal cord lesion with biopsy under GA in the conventional manner. One month postoperatively, these patients were evaluated by VS and VHI and the findings noted. There was statistically significant improvement in the stroboscopy ratings and VHI scores post operatively (p < 0.0001). The mucosal wave was diminished or absent in 100% of the studied TVC cysts and present in approximately 60% of vocal polyps. There was no significant correlation found between preoperative VHI scores and stroboscopy ratings except for mucosal waves. Whereas there was significant correlation noted between the VHI subscales and total scores with stroboscopic scores postoperatively except for symmetry. All but 6 patients in this study benefitted from surgery and 85% had a normal voice post-operatively. Pre and post operative assessment of patients with benign vocal fold lesions by stroboscopy and VHI is a useful way to determine the degree of improvement following surgery.

https://ift.tt/2I5hSUD

Liking Goes With Liking: An Intuitive Congruence Between Preference and Prominence.

Author: Morvinski, Coby; Amir, On

DOI: 10.1037/xlm0000471

Publication Date: POST AUTHOR CORRECTIONS, 26 March 2018

https://ift.tt/2I8fgFA

Part-List Cuing Can Impair, Improve, or Not Influence Recall Performance: The Critical Roles of Encoding and Access to Study Context at Test.

Author: Lehmer, Eva-Maria; Bauml, Karl-Heinz T.

DOI: 10.1037/xlm0000517

Publication Date: POST AUTHOR CORRECTIONS, 26 March 2018

https://ift.tt/2Gzr9Hf

Intrathecal gadolinium-enhanced MR cisternography in patients with otorhinorrhea: 10-year experience of a tertiary referral center.

Related Articles

Intrathecal gadolinium-enhanced MR cisternography in patients with otorhinorrhea: 10-year experience of a tertiary referral center.

Neuroradiology. 2018 Mar 23;:

Authors: Nacar Dogan S, Kizilkilic O, Kocak B, Isler C, Islak C, Kocer N

Abstract
PURPOSE: Despite a considerable amount of literature that has been published about the use of intrathecal gadolinium-enhanced MR cisternography (IGE-MRC), there is still relatively lack of evidence as to its long-term effects. Our purpose in this study was twofold: firstly, to assess the long-term safety of the IGE-MRC; secondly, to evaluate the diagnostic performance of IGE-MRC for detecting cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leak in otorhinorrhea patients.
METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed our imaging and clinical database for the patients admitted to our department for the evaluation of their otorhinorrhea between 2008 and 2017. Two radiologists evaluated the imaging studies independently. Consensus data was used in the analysis. Medical record review and phone call were used for the long-term follow-up.
RESULTS: The retrospective review yielded 166 patients. Rhinorrhea was present in 150 (90.4%) patients and otorrhea in 16 (9.6%) patients. Overall, 67 patients (40.5% of all patients) underwent operation for repair of the CSF leak site. Beta-transferrin test was available and positive in 57 (34.3%) patients. Overall sensitivity of IGE-MRC and paranasal high-resolution CT (HRCT) was 89.3 and 72%, respectively. Within the first 24 h after the procedure, none of the patients experienced a significant complication or adverse reaction. Ninety-nine patients (59.6%) had medical record and telephone follow-up. The mean follow-up duration with call was 37.1 months. Three (3%) patients complained about severe headache 3-4 weeks after the procedure.
CONCLUSIONS: IGE-MRC is a minimally invasive and highly sensitive imaging technique. No adverse side effect during our long-term follow-up might strengthen and support the safety of IGE-MRC.

PMID: 29572604 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

https://ift.tt/2pE3ZW0

Establishing Individual Differences in Perceptual Capacity.

Author: Eayrs, Joshua; Lavie, Nilli

DOI: 10.1037/xhp0000530

Publication Date: POST AUTHOR CORRECTIONS, 26 March 2018

https://ift.tt/2J0vstK

The purinergic P2X7 ion channel receptor—a ‘repair’ receptor in bone

Niklas Rye Jørgensen

https://ift.tt/2GckyTO

Can MRI diffusion-weighted imaging identify postoperative residual/recurrent soft-tissue sarcomas?

Mai Maher ElDaly, Amr Farouk Ibrahim Moustafa, Suzan Mohamed Samy Abdel-Meguid, Ahmed Mohamed Shokry, Nagui Abd El Wahab

Indian Journal of Radiology and Imaging 2018 28(1):70-77

Purpose: The aim of this study was to evaluate contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (CE-MRI) and quantitative diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) with apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) mapping in the detection of recurrent/residual postoperative soft tissue sarcomas. Materials and Methods: This study included 36 patients; 27 patients had postoperative recurrent/residual soft tissue sarcomas and 9 patients had postoperative and treatment-related changes (inflammation/fibrosis). The DWI was obtained with 3 b values including 0, 400, and 800 s/mm2. Calculation of the ADC value of the lesion was done via placing the region of interest (ROI) to include the largest area of the lesion. ADC values were compared to histopathology. Results: Our results showed that including CE-MRI improved the diagnostic accuracy and sensitivity in recurrence detection compared to conventional non-enhanced sequences. However, it showed low specificity (55.56%) with a high false-positive rate that may lead to an unnecessary biopsy of a mass such as region of postoperative scar tissue. Conclusion: The joint use of gadolinium-enhanced MRI and quantitative DWI with ADC mapping offer added value in the detection of recurrent/residual postoperative soft tissue sarcoma. This combined use increased both the diagnostic sensitivity and specificity with a cut-off average ADC value for detecting nonmyxoid recurrent/residual lesions ≤1.3 × 10−3 mm2/s (100% specificity and 90.48% sensitivity). Our results showed limited value of DWI with ADC mapping in assessing myxoid sarcomatous tumor recurrences.

https://ift.tt/2pPWUSn

Presidential address

K Mohanan

Indian Journal of Radiology and Imaging 2018 28(1):3-5



https://ift.tt/2GyxeUk

Transient global amnesia: Diffusion MRI findings

Tarun P Jain, Ronak Patel, Yash Gawarikar

Indian Journal of Radiology and Imaging 2018 28(1):6-9

Introduction: Aim of this study is to identify and describe the MRI findings in patients with Transient Global Amnesia (TGA), specifically on Diffusion Weighted Imaging (DWI) sequence. Methods: MRI findings in 12 patients with clinical diagnosis of TGA were retrospectively analysed. MRI brain was performed with a 3T scanner on 11 patients and 1.5T scanner on 1 patient. DWI were acquired at B value of 1000 s/mm2 in 4 patients, 2000 s/mm2 in 2 patients and both 1000 and 2000 s/mm2 in 6 patients. Results: There were 7 female and 5 male patients. The mean age was 65.67 years (range 61-74 years). The median time interval between the onset of symptom and MRI scan was 47.5 hours, range 25-114 hours. 11 of the 12 patients showed punctate foci of restricted diffusion in hippocampus (mean size 3.7 mm (range 2-6.5 mm). 10 patients showed foci in left hippocampus. Nine patients showed a single focus, 1 patient showed three foci and 1 patient showed four foci. In 6 patients who had DWI MRI at both B values, scans at B value of 1000 s/mm2 revealed abnormality in 4 patients, while higher B value imaging improved sensitivity in one patient and one patient had a negative scan at both B values. Conclusion: We have highlighted the MRI finding of typical punctate foci of bright signal in hippocampus seen on DWI in patients diagnosed with TGA. Detection on a routine stroke MRI protocol can avoid need for dedicated TGA protocols or repeat scan, improving the workflow.

https://ift.tt/2GcYRTI

t-PA power-pulse spray with rheolytic mechanical thrombectomy using cross-sectional image-guided portal vein access for single setting treatment of subacute superior mesenteric vein thrombosis

Mubin I Syed, Ryan M Gallagher, Rukan S Ahmed, Azim Shaikh, Edward Roberto, Sumeet Patel

Indian Journal of Radiology and Imaging 2018 28(1):93-98

Background: Isolated superior mesenteric vein (SMV) thrombosis is a rare but potentially fatal condition if untreated. Current treatments include transjugular or transhepatic approaches for rheolytic mechanical thrombectomy and subsequent infusions of thrombolytics. Tissue plasminogen activator (t-PA) power-pulse spray can provide benefit in a single setting without thrombolytic infusions. Computed tomography (CT) guidance for portal vein access is underutilized in this setting. Materials and Methods: Case 1 discusses acute SMV thrombosis treated with rheolytic mechanical thrombectomy alone using ultrasound guidance for portal vein access. Case 2 discusses subacute SMV thrombosis treated with the addition of t-PA power-pulse spray to the rheolytic mechanical thrombectomy, using CT guidance for portal vein access. Results: With rheolytic mechanical thrombectomy alone, the patient in Case 1 had significant improvement in abdominal pain. Follow-up CT demonstrated no residual SMV thrombosis and the patient continued to do well in long-term follow-up. With the addition of t-PA power-pulse spray to rheolytic mechanical thrombectomy, the patient in Case 2 with subacute SMV thrombosis dramatically improved postprocedure with resolution of abdominal pain. Follow-up imaging demonstrated patency to the SMV and partial resolution of thrombus. The patient continued to do well at 2-year follow-up. Conclusions: Adding t-PA power-pulse spray to rheolytic mechanical thrombectomy can provide benefit in a single setting versus mechanical thrombectomy alone and prevent the need for subsequent infusions of thrombolytic therapy. CT guidance is a useful alternative of localization for portal vein access via the transhepatic route that is nonoperator-dependent and helpful in the case of obese patients.

https://ift.tt/2pPXiAj

Turf wars in radiology research: “Are the honoraries ready to come out and defend their territory?”

Chander Mohan

Indian Journal of Radiology and Imaging 2018 28(1):1-2



https://ift.tt/2pPWIT9

Hemiagenesis of thyroid with dual thyroid ectopia: A rare case report

Pankaj S Jha, Varsha Rote-Kaginalkar, Prashant Titare, Manoj B Jadhav

Indian Journal of Radiology and Imaging 2018 28(1):14-17

Developmental defects of the thyroid gland are very rare. The common developmental abnormalities are ectopic thyroid, hemiagenesis and agenesis of thyroid gland. These developmental defects may or may not be associated with deranged thyroid function tests. Ultrasonography (USG) is the initial modality of choice for thyroid hemiagenesis but further evaluation by computed tomography (CT) scan or nuclear scan should be done to look for ectopic thyroid tissue rest. Here, we report a rare case of a 9-year-old female having hemiagenesis of the right thyroid lobe and isthmus along with dual ectopic thyroid tissue at prehyoid and infrahyoid regions of the neck presenting as a midline neck swelling and subclinical hypothyroidism.

https://ift.tt/2Gyx6UQ

Analysis of the time course of changes in imaging findings of small arteries embolized with the N-Butyl cyanoacrylate-lipiodol mixture

Hiroyuki Tokue, Azusa Tokue, Yoshito Tsushima

Indian Journal of Radiology and Imaging 2018 28(1):81-84

Background: There are no reports analyzing imaging findings of arteries embolized with N-butyl cyanoacrylate (NBCA)-Lipiodol. To evaluate the time course of changes in the imaging findings of small arteries embolized with NBCA-Lipiodol. Materials and Methods: Selective transcatheter arterial embolization procedures via the inferior phrenic artery (right IPA, n = 25; left IPA, n = 5) were performed in 30 patients (25 males, 5 females; mean age 63 years, range: 45–78) at our institution. The NBCA-Lipiodol mixture was used as an embolic agent. The ratio of NBCA to Lipiodol was 1:4 (Group-A, n = 16) or 1:8 (Group-B, n = 14).We retrospectively reviewed the computed tomography (CT) findings and outcomes of small arteries embolized with the NBCA-Lipiodol mixture. The residual lipiodol was compared between Group-A and Group-B. The Student's t-test and Chi-square test were used for statistical analyses. In addition, the residual lipiodol rate was calculated using the Kaplan–Meier method and compared using the log-rank test. Results: The mean observation period was 264 ± 84 days (range: 104–425). Lipiodol completely disappeared in 20 arteries (66%) during follow-up. Recanalization of arterial flow was not seen in CT images, even when Lipiodol disappeared. Group-B showed a shorter period of progression to disappearance of Lipiodol than Group-A (P < 0.05). On follow up, the rate of residual Lipiodol in Group-A was higher than that in Group-B (P < 0.05). Conclusion: Residual Lipiodol was expected to gradually disappear. Lipiodol disappeared early when the density of NBCA was low in the NBCA-Lipiodol mixture. Further evaluations of various arteries and ratios of NBCA to Lipiodol are needed.

https://ift.tt/2Ges4tr

Clinicoradiological aspects of pontine tegmental cap dysplasia: Case report of a rare hindbrain malformation

Aanchal Bhayana, Sunil K Bajaj, Ritu N Misra, S Senthil Kumaran

Indian Journal of Radiology and Imaging 2018 28(1):18-21

Malformations involving the brainstem are very rare and present with a varied spectrum of clinical symptoms due to multiple cranial nerve palsies and pyramidal tract involvement. Of these, pontine tegmental cap dysplasia is a very unusual malformation, characterized by ventral pons hypoplasia and an ectopic dorsal band of tissue, projecting into the fourth ventricle, from dorsal pontine tegmentum. A 4-year-old male child, presenting with left facial nerve palsy, revealed hypoplastic ventral pons and an ectopic structure on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). The ectopic structure was isointense to pons, arose from the left side of dorsal pontine tegmentum, at pontomedullary junction and protruded into the fourth ventricle, impinging upon the left seventh and eighth cranial nerves. Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) depicted abnormal white matter tracts in ectopic tissue with absent transverse pontine fibres and abnormal middle and superior cerebellar peduncles. The typical MRI appearance, coupled with DTI, helped us reach an accurate diagnosis of pontine tegmental cap dysplasia, in a setting of neurological dysfunction.

https://ift.tt/2GcYQiC

Brown fat necrosis with calcifications in the newborn: Risk factors, radiographic findings, and clinical course

Eleza T Golden, Paula Dickson, Stephen Simoneaux

Indian Journal of Radiology and Imaging 2018 28(1):107-110

Objective: To describe the radiographic appearance of subclinical calcified brown fat necrosis and the associated clinical and laboratory findings. Materials and Methods: Picture Archiving and Communications Sytem (PACS) was searched using keywords "soft tissue calcification" and "chest." The clinical record was searched for prior cardiac surgery, bypass, Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygentation (ECMO) and prostaglandin use. Age when calcifications were first detected, location, resolution, and associated laboratory abnormalities were recorded. Results: Nine patients were identified. None had skin lesions. All patients had congenital heart disease and had experienced cardiac/respiratory arrest and/or severe hypotension 1–6 weeks before soft tissue calcifications occurred. Calcifications resolved by 9 weeks to 5 months in 3 patients. The remaining were either deceased or lacked follow-up imaging. Renal ultrasound was performed in all but 1 patient. Nephrocalcinosis was only seen in 1 patient. Conclusion: Brown fat necrosis is subclinical, diagnosed on plain film, and likely self-limited. It occurs in term and preterm infants who have undergone significant systemic stress and carries a poor prognosis.

https://ift.tt/2pPWCuL

Spontaneous pneumomediastinum, pneumothorax, pneumorrhachis, pneumoretroperitoneum, surgical emphysemaAdult cervical lung herniation: Importance of valsalva manoeuvre in imaging

Bogala Shilpa, Rashmi Sudhir, M V T Krishna Mohan, Veeraiah Koppula

Indian Journal of Radiology and Imaging 2018 28(1):132-133



https://ift.tt/2GkpVg0

Comparison of MDCT, MRI and MRI with diffusion-weighted imaging in evaluation of focal renal lesions: The defender, challenger, and winner!

Ankur Goyal, Raju Sharma, Ashu S Bhalla, Shivanand Gamanagatti, Amlesh Seth

Indian Journal of Radiology and Imaging 2018 28(1):27-36

Purpose: To compare the diagnostic performance of multidetector computed tomography (MDCT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and MRI with diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) in the characterization of focal renal lesions. We also compared MDCT and MRI in the staging of renal cell carcinoma (RCC). Materials and Methods: One hundred and twenty adult patients underwent MDCT (40-row and 128-row scanners), MRI (at 1.5 T), and DWI (at b-values of 0 and 500 s/mm2) for characterization of 225 renal lesions. There were 65 malignant neoplasms (44 RCCs), 25 benign neoplasms, 25 abscesses, 45 pseudotumors, 15 hemorrhagic cysts, and 50 benign cysts. A composite gold standard including histology, typical imaging criteria, and follow-up imaging was employed. To determine the diagnostic performance of imaging modalities, area-under-curve (AUC) was calculated by receiver-operating-characteristic analysis and compared. Fisher's exact test was used to compare the diagnostic accuracies and confidence levels with MDCT, MRI, and MRI + DWI. Cross-tabulation was used to assess the precision of MDCT and MRI in RCC staging. Results: AUC for MDCT (0.834) and MRI (0.841) in the classification of benign and malignant lesions were within corresponding 95% confidence interval (CI) (P = 0.88) whereas MRI + DWI had significantly better performance (AUC 0.968, P = 0.0002 and 0.0004, respectively). Both CT and MRI had low specificity (66.9% and 68.8%, respectively), which increased substantially with DWI (93.8%) owing to correct diagnosis of pseudotumors. MRI was superior to CT in diagnosing necrotic RCC and hemorrhagic cysts. MRI + DWI had the highest accuracy (94.2%) in assigning the definitive diagnosis and 97.6% lesions were diagnosed with very high confidence, significantly better than CT and MRI. Both CT and MRI had the same accuracy (86.1%) in RCC staging and evaluation of intravascular thrombi. Conclusions: Characterization of renal lesions was most accurate with MRI + DWI. The latter is also the most suitable modality in diagnosing pseudotumors and evaluating patients with renal dysfunction. CT and MRI were equivalent in RCC staging.

https://ift.tt/2Gd5XYh

Primary presentation of Jeune's syndrome as gastric motility disorder in an infant: A case report

Amit Katyan, Shabnam Bhandari Grover, Heena Rajani, Deepak Bagga, Neha Antil

Indian Journal of Radiology and Imaging 2018 28(1):65-69

We report a case of a 4-week-old female neonate with Jeune's asphyxiating thoracic dystrophy (JATD) and coexistent situs anomaly, primarily presenting as gastric motility disorder. The child presented with abdominal distension and nonbilious vomiting since birth with failure to thrive. However, skeletal survey revealed JATD. Upper gastrointestinal contrast study showed situs inversus with delayed gastric emptying. Pyloric biopsy and intraoperative antro-duodenal manometry confirmed association of gastric motility disorder. Awareness of the unusual possibility of primary presentation of Jeune syndrome as gastric motility disorder will improve the management approach in such infants.

https://ift.tt/2GizBHJ

Different etiologies of an unusual disease: Colouterine fistula – Report of two cases

Rohit Aggarwal, Venkatraman Indiran, Prabakaran Maduraimuthu

Indian Journal of Radiology and Imaging 2018 28(1):37-40

Colouterine fistula is an extremely rare condition, as the uterus is a thick, muscular organ. Here, we present two different etiologies for this rare condition—diverticulitis and malignancy. A 77-year-old female with colouterine fistula due to diverticulitis presented with complaints of lower abdominal pain localized particularly in the left iliac fossa and fever. Another case was of 73-year-old female with colouterine fistula due to malignancy who presented with abdominal pain, blood in stools, and whitish discharge from vagina. Both cases were evaluated with contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CECT). The presence of air and fluid within the uterus on ultrasound or CT scan, prompts the possibility of colouterine fistula with CECT providing accurate preoperative assessment.

https://ift.tt/2GCyOF7

Emphysematous osteomyelitis: Report of two cases and review of literature

Sachin Khanduri, Meenu Singh, Aakshit Goyal, Simran Singh

Indian Journal of Radiology and Imaging 2018 28(1):78-80

Emphysematous osteomyelitis is a rare condition characterized by the presence of intraosseous gas. A prompt diagnosis is required for this disease to expedite management as it is a potentially fatal condition. Many comorbidities, such as malignancy, diabetes mellitus, alcohol abuse, Crohn's disease, and other etiologies causing immunosuppression, predispose to this condition. The causative organisms are generally anaerobes or members of Enterobacteriaceae family; however, the infection can be mono or polymicrobial. We report two cases affected with emphysematous osteomyelitis due to varied underlying comorbidities. The purpose of this study is to (a) emphasize the importance of computed tomography in diagnosing emphysematous osteomyelitis and (b) to highlight an unusual location of this rare pathology.

https://ift.tt/2GkEsYI

Hernia uteri inguinalis in ovotesticular disorder of sexual differentiation: A rare complication and role of imaging

Janardhana Ponnatapura

Indian Journal of Radiology and Imaging 2018 28(1):41-44

Neonate with ambiguous genitalia can cause great apprehension for the family as well as for healthcare providers. We report a rare complication of delayed diagnosis of hernia uteri inguinalis in ovotesticular disorder of sexual differentiation (DSD) in 20-year-old male patient who presented with pain and swelling in left inguinal region since 1 month. He had a past surgical history of repair of hypospadias 10 years back. On imaging, the left inguinal hernia sac contained nonfunctioning uterus and one ovary in the left scrotal sac and one testis in the right scrotal sac. Further investigation confirmed genotypically female (46XX) with negative sex determining region-Y gene on fluorescence in situ hybridization. The patient was given psychiatric counseling and wished to remain as male. The left inguinal hernia was repaired with excision of nonfunctioning uterus, ovary, and fallopian tube. Hernia uteri inguinalis is rare complication seen in DSD with only three cases being reported worldwide thus far, including our case.

https://ift.tt/2GckiEk

Ultrasound-guided peripheral nerve interventions for common pain disorders

BP Krishna Prasad, Binu Joy, Vijayakumar A Raghavendra, Ajith Toms, Danny George, Brijesh Ray

Indian Journal of Radiology and Imaging 2018 28(1):85-92

There are a number of common pain disorders that can be managed effectively by injections around or ablation of peripheral nerves. Ultrasound is a universally available imaging tool, is safe, cost-effective, and is excellent in imaging many peripheral nerves and guiding needles to the site of the nerves. This article aims to present an overview of indications and techniques of such procedures that can be effectively performed by a radiologist.

https://ift.tt/2pLhjrC

Utility of ureteric jet: A simple yet useful tool for the evaluation of complex urogenital anomaly

Pranav K Santhalia, Disha Mittal, Arun K Gupta, Manisha Jana

Indian Journal of Radiology and Imaging 2018 28(1):45-48

In infants and young children with suspicion of genitourinary tract anomalies, ultrasonography (USG) is usually the first imaging modality. Advantages of USG are well described. In the evaluation of complex congenital urogenital anomalies, ultrasound examination needs to be tailored according to the clinical suspicion and to yield maximum information. Primary megaureter is a congenital anomaly, which is associated with dilatation of ureter above an adynamic segment at the vesicoureteric junction (VUJ). Two different types are described in the literature: refluxing and obstructive. Absence of ureteric jet on USG in conjunction with vesicoureteric reflux (VUR) on voiding cystourethrogram (VCUG) prompts to the diagnosis of refluxing type of obstructed megaureter. Here we describe a case of duplex moiety with refluxing type of obstructed megaureter, where gray-scale USG and real-time color Doppler evaluation of the ureteric jet established the diagnosis. The aperistaltic segment of lower ureter near the VUJ with an absence of ureteric jet for the same moiety suggested the possibility of an obstructed megaureter. VUR was demonstrated on VCUG; thus, pointing toward a diagnosis of obstructed refluxing megaureter.

https://ift.tt/2Gz5U8M

Characterization of CDOM absorption of reservoirs with its linkage of regions and ages across China

Abstract

The absorption of chromophoric dissolved organic matter (CDOM) is an important part of light absorptions in aquatic systems. The increasing eutrophication of reservoirs and regional characteristics would affect the CDOM properties sensitively which would be important for the application of remote sensing monitoring. The highest (4.07 ± 2.31 m⁻¹) and lowest (0.79 ± 0.67 m⁻¹) CDOM concentrations of reservoirs were observed in the northeastern lake region (NER) and Tibetan Plateau lake region (TPR), respectively. The differences between S_275–295 among the five lake regions were significant (p < 0.05) in which the steepest S_275–295 (0.0173 ± 0.0026 nm⁻¹) was observed in TPR and the shallowest (0.0326 ± 0.0152 nm⁻¹) in Yungui Plateau lake region (YGR). The strong relationships between a_CDOM(355) and DOC appeared in the NER (R² = 0.43), eastern lake region (EAR) (R² = 0.69), Mengxin lake region (MXR) (R² = 0.61), and YGR (R² = 0.79) which would be a good proxy for DOC in regional reservoirs. Most of all, the correlation between reservoir's establishing time and CDOM absorption under oligotrophic states was relatively strong in the EAR and MXR regions. It indicated that the establishing time of reservoirs affected the CDOM absorption to some extent under the oligotrophic states without much human disturbance. Our results indicate CDOM absorption varies with regions, and the relationships between CDOM and DOC are variable for different regions. Therefore, DOC estimation in reservoirs through CDOM absorption needs to be considered according to lake regions and trophic states.

https://ift.tt/2uqxjol

Anosmia and nasal obstruction

Publication date: Available online 26 March 2018
Source:European Annals of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Diseases
Author(s): J.J. Braun, S. Riehm




https://ift.tt/2pKUDIV

Element uptake and physiological responses of Lactuca sativa upon co-exposures to tourmaline and dissolved humic acids

Abstract

Element migration and physiological response in Lactuca sativa upon co-exposure to tourmaline (T) and dissolved humic acids (DHAs) were investigated. Different fractions of DHA₁ and DHA₄ and three different doses of T were introduced into Hoagland's solution. The results indicated that T enhanced the contents of elements such as N and C, Si and Al in the roots and shoots. The correlation between TF values of Si and Al (R² = 0.7387) was higher than that of Si and Mn (R² = 0.4961) without the presence of DHAs. However, both DHA₁ and DHA₄ increased the correlation between Si and Mn, but decreased the one between Si and Al. CAT activities in T treatments were positively correlated to the contents of N and Al in the shoots, whose R² was 0.9994 and 0.9897, respectively. In the co-exposure of DHAs and tourmaline, DHA₄ exhibited more impacts on element uptake, CAT activities, as well as ABA contents in comparison with the presence of DHA₁, regardless of the T exposure doses. These results suggested that DHAs have effects on mineral element behaviors and physiological response in Lactuca sativa upon exposure to tourmaline for the first time, which had great use in guiding soil remediation.

https://ift.tt/2GBvp9y

Hyaluronic acid coated albumin nanoparticles for targeted peptide delivery in the treatment of retinal ischaemia

Publication date: June 2018
Source:Biomaterials, Volume 168
Author(s): Di Huang, Ying-Shan Chen, Colin R. Green, Ilva D. Rupenthal
Recent studies have shown that Connexin43 mimetic peptide (Cx43 MP) can prevent secondary damage following retinal ischaemic and inflammatory disorders by blocking uncontrolled Cx43 hemichannel opening. However, limitations in peptide stability and the presence of various intraocular barriers limit efficient retinal delivery in the clinical setting. The present study aimed to achieve targeted and sustained peptide delivery to the retina by encapsulating Cx43 MP into hyaluronic acid (HA) coated albumin nanoparticles (NPs). Intraocular biodistribution, particle retention, retinal targeting, and therapeutic efficacy of intravitreally injected NPs encapsulating Cx43 MP were evaluated in a rat model of retinal ischaemia-reperfusion injury. NPs rapidly diffused through the vitreous and specifically targeted CD44-expressing retinal cells. NPs remained at the target site for extended periods enabling sustained peptide release and thus prolonged therapeutic action. Compared to free Cx43 MP, Cx43 MP loaded NPs enabled enhanced therapeutic efficacy preventing thinning of retinal layers and disruption of retinal blood vessels. Immunohistochemical results confirm that Cx43 MP loaded NPs efficiently reduced Cx43 expression, thereby suppressing ongoing inflammation and preventing the loss of retinal ganglion cells. Overall, HA coated NPs could have great potential as a peptide delivery platform in the treatment of chronic retinal degenerative and inflammatory disorders.

Graphical abstract

https://ift.tt/2I3Tym7

Sleep Duration and Risk-Taking in Adolescents: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Risk-taking is associated with increased morbidity and mortality among adolescents, with insufficient sleep a potential factor contributing to heightened risk-taking propensity in this age group. A systematic review of the evidence examining the relationship between sleep duration and risk-taking in adolescents was conducted using PsycINFO, PubMed, Medline, Scopus, and CINAHL databases. These searches identified 26 studies including 579,380 participants, 24 of which were appropriate for meta-analysis.

https://ift.tt/2I8SzBf

Correlation between body mass index and obstructive sleep apnea severity indexes — A retrospective study

To evaluate if Body Mass Index (BMI) is correlated to Apnea-Hypopnea Index (AHI), mean arterial oxygen saturation (SaO2) and Nadir SaO2, which are all indexes defining the severity of the respiratory stress associated with Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA).

https://ift.tt/2GfetlA

Phenotypic presentation of adolescents with overt primary hypothyroidism

Journal Name: Journal of Pediatric Endocrinology and Metabolism
Issue: Ahead of print


https://ift.tt/2ur9g90

Metabolic and genetic markers’ associations with elevated levels of alanine aminotransferase in adolescents

Journal Name: Journal of Pediatric Endocrinology and Metabolism
Issue: Ahead of print


https://ift.tt/2IWze7z

Cross-Species Neuromodulation from High-Intensity Transcranial Electrical Stimulation

Publication date: Available online 27 March 2018
Source:Trends in Cognitive Sciences
Author(s): Alik S. Widge
Transcranial electrical stimulation (TES) is a proposed tool for noninvasively modulating human brain circuits, but its ability to affect cortical physiology remains unclear. A recent study merged TES with live animal and human cadaveric recordings to verify intracranial electrical effects, then used these findings to develop a novel neuromodulation protocol.



https://ift.tt/2I8QyEU

Dilemmas for the pathologist in the oncologic assessment of pancreatoduodenectomy specimens

Abstract

A pancreatoduodenectomy specimen is complex, and there is much debate on how it is best approached by the pathologist. In this review, we provide an overview of topics relevant for current clinical practice in terms of gross dissection, and macro- and microscopic assessment of the pancreatoduodenectomy specimen with a suspicion of suspected pancreatic cancer. Tumor origin, tumor size, degree of differentiation, lymph node status, and resection margin status are universally accepted as prognostic for survival. However, different guidelines diverge on important issues, such as the diagnostic criteria for evaluating the completeness of resection. The macroscopic assessment of the site of origin in periampullary tumors and cystic lesions is influenced by the grossing method. Bi-sectioning of the head of the pancreas may offer an advantage in this respect, as this method allows for optimal visualization of the periampullary area. However, a head-to-head comparison of the assessment of clinically relevant parameters, using axial slicing versus bi-sectioning, is not available yet and the gold standard to compare both techniques prospectively might be subject of debate. Further studies are required to validate the various dissection protocols used for pancreatoduodenectomy specimens and their specific value in the assessment of pathological parameters relevant for prognosis.

https://ift.tt/2pNoaRd

The forgotten aspects of the quality of life of significant others of patients with a peripheral facial palsy

A peripheral facial palsy (PFP) has a significant impact on the health related quality of life (HRQoL), psychosocial distress, communication and social interaction. Even after several treatment modalities the HRQoL increases, but comes nowhere near the pre-disease levels. 1 It is hypothesized and studied that there might be differences between cosmetic appreciation of patients with a left and right PFP, and that this might lead to altered social interactions between patients and their significant others (including partners, family members and close friends) (SO's).

https://ift.tt/2I5mavh

Subungual Atypical Lentiginous Melanocytic Proliferations in Children and Adolescents: A Clinicopathologic Study

Most subungual melanocytic lesions in children are benign, but some are difficult to classify due to prominent lentiginous growth and high-grade cytologic atypia.

https://ift.tt/2IUwLu5

Malignant melanoma associated with chronic once daily aspirin exposure in males: a large, single-center, urban, U.S. patient population cohort study from the Research on Adverse Drug events And Reports (RADAR) project

https://ift.tt/2GfXy29

A healthy diet in women is associated with less facial wrinkles in a large Dutch population-based cohort

Little is known about the impact of nutrition on youthful appearance., Adherence to a recommended healthy diet associates with less wrinkling in women whereas an unhealthy population driven dietary pattern is associated with more facial wrinkling., Dietary recommendations for skin aging preventing strategies could additionally help improve overall health.

https://ift.tt/2IUsk2B

Wound care for Stevens-Johnson Syndrome and toxic epidermal necrolysis; A Systematic Review

https://ift.tt/2pHWopg

An ex-vivo evaluation of cytotoxicity and melanocyte viability after A-101 hydrogen peroxide topical solution 40% or cryosurgery treatment in Seborrheic Keratosis lesions

https://ift.tt/2IUs1ot

Dual Transforming Growth Factor-β and Programmed Death-1 Blockade: A Strategy for Immune-Excluded Tumors?

Publication date: Available online 26 March 2018
Source:Trends in Immunology
Author(s): Claire Vanpouille-Box, Silvia C. Formenti
Tumors that elude infiltration by CD8⁺ T lymphocytes are particularly resistant to multiple forms of treatment, including immune checkpoint blockade. Stromal transforming growth factor (TGF)-β appears to play a key role in this process, potentially constituting a target for novel combinatorial regimens tackling immune-excluded neoplasms.



https://ift.tt/2I5leaf

Angiogenesis inhibitor; +41 new citations

41 new pubmed citations were retrieved for your search. Click on the search hyperlink below to display the complete search results:

Angiogenesis inhibitor

These pubmed results were generated on 2018/03/27

PubMed comprises more than millions of citations for biomedical literature from MEDLINE, life science journals, and online books. Citations may include links to full-text content from PubMed Central and publisher web sites.

https://ift.tt/2pLQQu1

Treatment of municipal sludge by Fenton oxidation combined vacuum preloading

Abstract

Municipal sludge, composed of numerous types of organic matter with a gel structure, has high water content, low permeability coefficient, and poor mechanical properties. Fenton oxidation-assisted vacuum preloading method for municipal sludge treatment was proposed. First, the municipal sludge was oxidized and treated with Fenton's reagent; then, drainage consolidation was performed on the sludge with the vacuum preloading method. The optimal dosage of Fenton's reagent for municipal sludge was determined. Comparative experiments of the one-dimensional consolidation of municipal sludge treated with Fenton's reagent and the drainage consolidation by Fenton oxidation-assisted vacuum preloading were conducted. The results reveal that the specific resistance of municipal sludge decreases upon Fenton oxidation by approximately 98.6% at the optimal dosage of 22%, sludge water content decreases from 82.14 to 66.67%, volume reduces by ~ 40%, and unconfined compressive strength increases to 55 kPa.

https://ift.tt/Bjxx4Y

Hypoxia, Oxidative Stress and Inflammation

Publication date: Available online 27 March 2018
Source:Free Radical Biology and Medicine
Author(s): Trudy McGarry, Monika Biniecka, Douglas Veale, Ursula Fearon
Inflammatory Arthritis is characterized by synovial proliferation, neovascularization and leukocyte extravasation leading to joint destruction and functional disability. Efficiency of oxygen supply to the synovium is poor due to the highly dysregulated synovial microvasculature. This along with the increased energy demands of activated infiltrating immune cells and inflamed resident cells leads to an hypoxic microenvironment and mitochondrial dysfunction. This favors an increase of reactive oxygen species, leading to oxidative damage which further promotes inflammation. In this adverse microenvironment synovial cells adapt to generate energy and switch their cell metabolism from a resting regulatory state to a highly metabolically active state which allows them to produce essential building blocks to support their proliferation. This metabolic shift results in the accumulation of metabolic intermediates which act as signaling molecules that further dictate the inflammatory response. Understanding the complex interplay between hypoxia-induced signaling pathways, oxidative stress and mitochondrial function will provide better insight into the underlying mechanisms of disease pathogenesis.

Graphical abstract

https://ift.tt/2upHtWn

upper respiratory tract infection; +67 new citations

67 new pubmed citations were retrieved for your search. Click on the search hyperlink below to display the complete search results:

upper respiratory tract infection

These pubmed results were generated on 2018/03/27

PubMed comprises more than millions of citations for biomedical literature from MEDLINE, life science journals, and online books. Citations may include links to full-text content from PubMed Central and publisher web sites.

https://ift.tt/2GxsDSx

SIGNIFICANCE OF THE MITOCHONDRIAL THIOREDOXIN REDUCTASE IN CANCER CELLS: AN UPDATE ON ROLE, TARGETS AND INHIBITORS

Publication date: Available online 27 March 2018
Source:Free Radical Biology and Medicine
Author(s): Valeria Scalcon, Alberto Bindoli, Maria Pia Rigobello
Thioredoxin reductase 2 (TrxR2) is a key component of the mitochondrial thioredoxin system able to transfer electrons to peroxiredoxin 3 (Prx3) in a reaction mediated by thioredoxin 2 (Trx2). In this way, both the level of hydrogen peroxide and thiol redox state are modulated. TrxR2 is often overexpressed in cancer cells conferring apoptosis resistance. Due to their exposed flexible arm containing selenocysteine, both cytosolic and mitochondrial TrxRs are inhibited by a large number of molecules. The various classes of inhibitors are listed and the molecules acting specifically on TrxR2 are extensively described. Particular emphasis is given to gold(I/III) complexes with phosphine, carbene or other ligands and to tamoxifen-like metallocifens. Also chemically unrelated organic molecules, including natural compounds and their derivatives, are taken into account. An important feature of many TrxR2 inhibitors is provided by their nature of delocalized lipophilic cations that allows their accumulation in mitochondria exploiting the organelle membrane potential. The consequences of TrxR2 inhibition are presented focusing especially on the impact on mitochondrial pathophysiology. Inhibition of TrxR2, by hindering the activity of Trx2 and Prx3, increases the mitochondrial concentration of reactive oxygen species and shifts the thiol redox state toward a more oxidized condition. This is reflected by alterations of specific targets involved in the release of pro-apoptotic factors such as cyclophilin D which acts as a regulator of the mitochondrial permeability transition pore. Therefore, the selective inhibition of TrxR2 could be utilized to induce cancer cell apoptosis.

Graphical abstract

https://ift.tt/2IZ3BtY

Calculated Cell-Specific Intracellular Hydrogen Peroxide Concentration: Relevance in Cancer Cell Susceptibility during Ascorbate Therapy

Publication date: Available online 27 March 2018
Source:Free Radical Biology and Medicine
Author(s): Dieanira Erudaitius, Jacqueline Mantooth, Andrew Huang, Jesse Soliman, Claire Doskey, Garry R. Buettner, Victor G.J. Rodgers
The high extracellular hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) concentrations generated during pharmacological ascorbate (P-AscH^-) therapy has been shown to exhibit a high flux into susceptible cancer cells leading to a decrease in clonogenic survival. It is hypothesized that the intracellular H2O2 concentration for susceptibility is independent of cell type and that the variation observed in dosing is associated with differences in the cell-specific overall steady-state intracellular H2O2 concentration values. The steady-state variation in intracellular H2O2 concentration is coupled to a number of cellular specific transport and reaction factors including catalase activity and membrane permeability. Here a lumped-parameter mathematical modeling approach, assuming a catalase-dominant peroxide removal mechanism, is used to calculate intracellular H2O2 concentration for several cell lines. Experimental measurements of critical parameters pertaining to the model are obtained. The cell lines investigated are normal pancreatic cells (H6c7), the pancreatic cancer cell line, MIA PaCa-2 and the glioblastoma cell lines, LN-229, T98G, and U-87; all which vary in susceptibility. The intracellular H2O2 concentration estimates are correlated with the clonogenic surviving fraction for each cell line, in-vitro. The results showed that, despite the fact that the experimental parameters including catalase concentration and plasma membrane permeability demonstrated significant variability across cell lines, the calculated steady-state intracellular to extracellular H2O2 concentration ratio did not vary significantly across cell lines. Thus, the calculated intracellular H2O2 concentration is not unique in characterizing susceptibility. These results imply that, although intracellular H2O2 concentration plays a key role in cellular susceptibility to P-AscH^- adjuvant therapy, its overall contribution in a unifying mechanism across cell types is complex.

Graphical abstract

https://ift.tt/2up8w4a

Longitudinal Associations of Metabolic Syndrome Severity Between Childhood and Young Adulthood: The Bogalusa Heart Study

Metabolic Syndrome and Related Disorders, Ahead of Print.


https://ift.tt/2pPbl9g

Anthropometrics and Allometry: Beyond Body Mass Index

Metabolic Syndrome and Related Disorders, Ahead of Print.


https://ift.tt/2GcndNj

Quantitative microstructural cerebral changes in neurofibromatosis type 1

Publication date: May 2018
Source:Brain and Development, Volume 40, Issue 5
Author(s): Eva Bültmann, Loukia M. Spineli, Hans Hartmann, Annette Sander, Heinrich Lanfermann
ObjectivesTo evaluate microstructural cerebral changes in children with neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) based on T2 relaxation time measurements at 3Tesla.MethodsFrom our dataset of pediatric MRI examinations at 3T 19 pediatric NF1 patients (1.9–14.3 years of age, 9 girls, 10 boys) were retrospectively selected and compared with the previously published group of 44 healthy children (0–16 years of age). MRI examination included a triple echo TSE sequence as basis for T2 maps. T2 relaxation times were measured in 37 brain regions.ResultsCompared with healthy controls, T2 relaxation times had the tendency to be increased by 1.01% (GM) to 11.85% (dentate nucleus) for NF1 patients. Only in posterior limb of the internal capsule and parietooccipital white matter values were reduced. No differences were observed between both hemispheres. Overall, no strong evidence supporting a difference between NF1 patients with and without optic glioma or with normal and impaired neuropsychological development was observed.ConclusionsUsing T2 relaxation times it was possible to describe measurable microstructural differences in multiple brain regions between NF1 patients and healthy children regardless of whether signal abnormalities were visible on conventional images.



https://ift.tt/2GC10bb

EPO improved neurologic outcome in rat pups late after traumatic brain injury

Publication date: May 2018
Source:Brain and Development, Volume 40, Issue 5
Author(s): Michelle E. Schober, Daniela F. Requena, Christopher K. Rodesch
In adult rats, erythropoietin improved outcomes early and late after traumatic brain injury, associated with increased levels of Brain Derived Neurotrophic Factor. Using our model of pediatric traumatic brain injury, controlled cortical impact in 17-day old rats, we previously showed that erythropoietin increased hippocampal neuronal fraction in the first two days after injury. Erythropoietin also decreased activation of caspase3, an apoptotic enzyme modulated by Brain Derived Neurotrophic Factor, and improved Novel Object Recognition testing 14 days after injury. Data on long-term effects of erythropoietin on Brain Derived Neurotrophic Factor expression, histology and cognitive function after developmental traumatic brain injury are lacking. We hypothesized that erythropoietin would increase Brain Derived Neurotrophic Factor and improve long-term object recognition in rat pups after controlled cortical impact, associated with increased neuronal fraction in the hippocampus.MethodsRats pups received erythropoietin or vehicle at 1, 24, and 48 h and 7 days after injury or sham surgery followed by histology at 35 days, Novel Object Recognition testing at adulthood, and Brain Derived Neurotrophic Factor measurements early and late after injury.ResultsErythropoietin improved Novel Object Recognition performance and preserved hippocampal volume, but not neuronal fraction, late after injury.ConclusionsImproved object recognition in erythropoietin treated rats was associated with preserved hippocampal volume late after traumatic brain injury. Erythropoietin is approved to treat various pediatric conditions. Coupled with exciting experimental and clinical studies suggesting it is beneficial after neonatal hypoxic ischemic brain injury, our preliminary findings support further study of erythropoietin use after developmental traumatic brain injury.



https://ift.tt/2GeG4Dn

Diagnostic challenge for the rare lysosomal storage disease: Late infantile GM1 gangliosidosis

Publication date: May 2018
Source:Brain and Development, Volume 40, Issue 5
Author(s): Jin Sook Lee, Jong-Moon Choi, Moses Lee, Soo Yeon Kim, Sangmoon Lee, Byung Chan Lim, Jung-Eun Cheon, In-One Kim, Ki Joong Kim, Murim Choi, Moon-Woo Seong, Jong-Hee Chae
BackgroundGM1 gangliosidosis is a rare lysosomal storage disorder caused by GLB1 mutations. Because of its extreme rarity and symptoms that overlap with other neurodegenerative diseases, its diagnosis is sometimes challenging, especially in the late infantile form with less severe phenotype. We aim to expand the clinical and genetic spectrum of late infantile GM1 gangliosidosis.MethodsWe confirmed a diagnosis of GM1 gangliosidosis based on GLB1 mutations and/or the deficiency of β-galactosidase activity. We identified the first two cases by whole-exome sequencing, and then the other six cases by direct sequencing of GLB1 with enzyme analysis.ResultsAll eight patients presented with developmental delay or regression during late infancy and later developed epilepsy, mostly intractable generalized tonic seizures. No clinical signs of storage disorders were noted except for skeletal abnormalities. Interestingly, we found aspartate transaminase (AST) elevations alone with normal alanine transaminase (ALT) levels in all patients. The recurrent mutation, p.D448V in GLB1, accounted for 50.0% of total alleles in our cohort.ConclusionsWith a high index of clinical suspicion, skeletal survey and AST level would be important for early diagnosis of GM1 gangliosidosis. In addition, we would highlight the clinical usefulness of whole-exome sequencing in the diagnosis of non-classical presentation of ultra-rare neurodegenerative disease in children.



https://ift.tt/2pK0Wvg