Παρασκευή 8 Δεκεμβρίου 2017

Strain of ascending aorta on cardiac magnetic resonance in 1,027 patients: relation with age, gender, and cardiovascular disease

Publication date: Available online 8 December 2017
Source:European Journal of Radiology
Author(s): Marco Scarabello, Marina Codari, Francesco Secchi, Paola M. Cannaò, Marco Alì, Giovanni Di Leo, Francesco Sardanelli
ObjectivesTo evaluate ascending aortic strain (AAS) with cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) in a large consecutive series of patients with different type of cardiovascular disease (CVD).MethodsTwo-dimensional phase-contrast gradient-echo sequences of the ascending aorta were retrospectively reviewed in 1,027 patients (726 males, 301 females). Aortic lumen area was segmented using a semi-automatic approach to calculate AAS values. Subgroup analysis was performed for patients with normal CMR, tetralogy of Fallot (ToF), and ischemic heart disease (IHD). Multivariate and post-hoc analyses were performed to evaluate the effect of age, gender, and CVD on AAS values. Shapiro-Wilk, three- and two-way ANOVA, Mann-Whitney U, and Spearman correlation statistics were used.ResultsMultivariate analysis showed significant differences in AAS among decades of age (p<0.001), genders (p=0.006) and CVD subgroups (p<0.001) without interaction among these factors. A gender-related difference (higher AAS in females) was significant in ToF (p=0.008), while an AAS reduction during aging was observed in all CVD subgroups. Post-hoc analysis showed a significantly lower AAS in ToF and IHD patients compared to subjects with normal CMR (p<0.001).ConclusionDifferences in age, gender, and CVD independently affect AAS. The lower AAS observed in ToF fosters its assessment during follow-up in adulthood. Future studies on causes and clinical implications of a higher AAS in females affected with ToF are warranted.



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The population benefit of evidence-based radiotherapy: 5-Year local control and overall survival benefits

Radiotherapy provides significant 5-year LC and OS benefits as part of evidence-based cancer care. CRT provides modest additional benefits.

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Patient reported dry mouth: Instrument comparison and model performance for correlation with quality of life in head and neck cancer survivors

To identify a clinically meaningful cut-point for the single item dry mouth question of the MD Anderson Symptom Inventory-Head and Neck module (MDASI-HN).

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Gongylonema pulchrum infection in the human oral cavity – a case report and literature review

Gongylonema infection is a zoonotic disease occurring throughout the world and is mainly caused by consumption of contaminated water and raw food. Adult Gongylonema worms can exist as parasites in the human body for up to 10 years and cause symptoms of local irritation in the oral cavity, oesophagus, and pharynx. Herein, we report a rare case in which live Gongylonema pulchrum was detected and extracted from the oral cavity of a woman. The pathogen was confirmed as G. pulchrum on the basis of microscopic examination and morphological analysis.

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Quality and readability of internet-based information on halitosis

To evaluate quality and readability of Internet-based information on halitosis.

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„Misty mesentery“

Zusammenfassung

Hintergrund

Die sklerosierende Mesenteritis (SM) sowie die mesenteriale Pannikulitis sind seltene Prozesse des Mesenteriums, die eine große klinische und bildgebende Herausforderung darstellen. Dieser Übersichtsartikel versucht, eine systematische Nomenklatur einzuführen sowie auf typische Symptome, Bildgebung und die wichtigsten Differenzialdiagnosen einzugehen.

Ergebnisse

Die SM mit ihren Unterformen – mesenteriale Lipodystrophie, Pannikulitis und retraktile Mesenteritis – ist ein chronisch verlaufender Prozess mit einem sehr mannigfaltigen und heterogenen klinischen Erscheinungsbild. Auch die typischen radiologischen Merkmale („misty mesentery", vermehrte Lymphknoten, Pseudokapsel und „fat halo") sind wenig spezifisch. Ein Zusammenhang der SM mit malignen Erkrankungen ist zwar nicht belegt, wird jedoch kontrovers diskutiert. Deshalb sollten, falls Zweifel an der Diagnose bestehen, weitere Untersuchungen und ggf. eine Biopsie angestrebt werden.

Schlussfolgerung

Bei der Verdachtsdiagnose SM sollte auf „red flags", d. h. für die SM untypische Merkmale in der Bildgebung, geachtet werden. Bei nicht eindeutiger Bildgebung sollten differenzialdiagnostisch auch maligne Erkrankungen in Betracht gezogen und ausgeschlossen werden.



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Secondary hyperparathyroidism causing increased jaw bone density and mandibular pain: A case report

Publication date: Available online 7 December 2017
Source:Oral Surgery, Oral Medicine, Oral Pathology and Oral Radiology
Author(s): Thomas Aerden, Koenraad Grisar, Margaux Nys, Constantinus Politis
We present the case of a 32-year-old male patient complaining of recurrent mandibular pain for 3.5 years. Panoramic radiography showed increased cortical density of the mandibular lower border. Scintigraphy and SPECT-CT revealed metabolic hyperactivity in that region without pathological lymph nodes. A bone biopsy of the mandibular lower border did not show inflammation or cytological atypia. Endocrinologic investigation confirmed secondary hyperparathyroidism due to hypovitaminosis D. Several weeks after starting therapy with oral vitamin D supplements, the symptoms completely disappeared. Increased cortical density is a rare manifestation of secondary hyperparathyroidism, which normally causes the lamina dura to vanish and a ground-glass appearance due to blurring of the trabecular bone pattern. As focal hyperostosis can have multiple benign or malignant causes, radiological examination of the jaw bones is indispensable for evaluating orofacial pain. Increased cortical density may be caused by metabolic diseases, requiring further investigations, including biopsy and blood analysis.



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Extranodal lymphoma arising within the maxillary alveolus: a systematic review

Abstract

Objectives

Extranodal lymphomas affecting the head and neck infrequently arise within the jaw bones. Although clinical examination and conventional radiography may initially suffice for such lesions arising within the mandible, those arising within the maxillary alveolus generally require cross-sectional imaging because of the complex anatomy of this region. This study was performed to determine the prevalence, demographic characteristics, and clinical presentations of these lesions and the imaging modalities used for their diagnosis.

Study design

A systematic review (SR) on case series and another SR on case reports were performed to investigate the demographic, clinical, and radiological features of extranodal lymphomas arising within the maxillary alveolus.

Results

Most case series were derived from just four nations, whereas the case reports were derived from a wider range of ethnicities. The more detailed case reports significantly reported at least one imaging modality. Most patients were aware of their lesions for nearly 2 months before presentation. The most frequent symptom was swelling. Most case reports included a provisional diagnosis, the most frequent of which was dental infection followed by squamous cell carcinoma.

Discussion

Extranodal lymphomas arising within the maxillary alveolus were sufficiently frequent in four communities to be reported in two or more case series, and the occasional single case report indicated that such lesions are more widespread globally. Although the SR on case series revealed differences in the relative period prevalence and maxillary/mandibular ratio, the SR on case reports revealed details of the clinical presentation and imaging modalities used.



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Status of soil-transmitted helminth infections in schoolchildren in Laguna Province, the Philippines: determined by parasitological and molecular diagnostic techniques

Soil-transmitted helminths (STH) are the most common parasitic infections in impoverished communities, particularly among children. Current STH control is through school-based mass drug administration (MDA), which in the Philippines is done twice annually. As expected, MDA has decreased the intensity and prevalence of STH over time. As a result, the common Kato Katz (KK) thick smear method of detecting STH is less effective because it lacks sensitivity in low intensity infections, making it difficult to measure the impact of deworming programs.; A cross-sectional study was carried out over a four-week period from October 27, 2014 until November 20, 2014 in Laguna province, the Philippines. Stool samples were collected from 263 schoolchildren, to determine the prevalence of STH and compare diagnostic accuracy of multiplex quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) with the KK. A large discrepancy in the prevalence between the two techniques was noted for the detection of at least one type of STH infection (33.8% by KK vs. 78.3% by qPCR), Ascaris lumbricoides (20.5% by KK vs. 60.8% by qPCR) and Trichuris trichiura (23.6% by KK vs. 38.8% by qPCR). Considering the combined results of both methods, the prevalence of at least one type of helminth infection, A. lumbricoides, and T. trichiura were 83.3%, 67.7%, and 53.6%, respectively. Sensitivity of the qPCR for detecting at least one type of STH infection, A. lumbricoides, and T. trichiura were 94.1%, 89.9%, and 72.3% respectively; whereas KK sensitivity was 40.6%, 30.3%, and 44.0%, respectively. The qPCR method also detected infections with Ancylostoma spp. (4.6%), Necator americanus (2.3%), and Strongyloides stercoralis (0.8%) that were missed by KK.; qPCR may provide new and important diagnostic information to improve assessment of the effectiveness and impact of integrated control strategies particularly in areas where large-scale STH control has led to low prevalence and/or intensity of infection.

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Development of amplicon deep sequencing markers and data analysis pipeline for genotyping multi-clonal malaria infections

Amplicon deep sequencing permits sensitive detection of minority clones and improves discriminatory power for genotyping multi-clone Plasmodium falciparum infections. New amplicon sequencing and data analysis protocols are needed for genotyping in epidemiological studies and drug efficacy trials of P. falciparum.; Targeted sequencing of molecular marker csp and novel marker cpmp was conducted in duplicate on mixtures of parasite culture strains and 37 field samples. A protocol allowing to multiplex up to 384 samples in a single sequencing run was applied. Software "HaplotypR" was developed for data analysis.; Cpmp was highly diverse (He = 0.96) in contrast to csp (He = 0.57). Minority clones were robustly detected if their frequency was >1%. False haplotype calls owing to sequencing errors were observed below that threshold.; To reliably detect haplotypes at very low frequencies, experiments are best performed in duplicate and should aim for coverage of >10'000 reads/amplicon. When compared to length polymorphic marker msp2, highly multiplexed amplicon sequencing displayed greater sensitivity in detecting minority clones.

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Genes, Vol. 8, Pages 377: Mitochondria and α-Synuclein: Friends or Foes in the Pathogenesis of Parkinson’s Disease?

Genes, Vol. 8, Pages 377: Mitochondria and α-Synuclein: Friends or Foes in the Pathogenesis of Parkinson’s Disease?

Genes doi: 10.3390/genes8120377

Authors: Gaia Faustini Federica Bono Alessandra Valerio Marina Pizzi PierFranco Spano Arianna Bellucci

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a movement disorder characterized by dopaminergic nigrostriatal neuron degeneration and the formation of Lewy bodies (LB), pathological inclusions containing fibrils that are mainly composed of α-synuclein. Dopaminergic neurons, for their intrinsic characteristics, have a high energy demand that relies on the efficiency of the mitochondria respiratory chain. Dysregulations of mitochondria, deriving from alterations of complex I protein or oxidative DNA damage, change the trafficking, size and morphology of these organelles. Of note, these mitochondrial bioenergetics defects have been related to PD. A series of experimental evidence supports that α-synuclein physiological action is relevant for mitochondrial homeostasis, while its pathological aggregation can negatively impinge on mitochondrial function. It thus appears that imbalances in the equilibrium between the reciprocal modulatory action of mitochondria and α-synuclein can contribute to PD onset by inducing neuronal impairment. This review will try to highlight the role of physiological and pathological α-synuclein in the modulation of mitochondrial functions.



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Genes, Vol. 8, Pages 373: Genetic Analysis of the Major Capsid Protein of the Archaeal Fusellovirus SSV1: Mutational Flexibility and Conformational Change

Genes, Vol. 8, Pages 373: Genetic Analysis of the Major Capsid Protein of the Archaeal Fusellovirus SSV1: Mutational Flexibility and Conformational Change

Genes doi: 10.3390/genes8120373

Authors: Eric Iverson David Goodman Madeline Gorchels Kenneth Stedman

Viruses with spindle or lemon-shaped virions are rare in the world of viruses, but are common in viruses of archaeal extremophiles, possibly due to the extreme conditions in which they thrive. However, the structural and genetic basis for the unique spindle shape is unknown. The best-studied spindle-shaped virus, Sulfolobus Spindle-shaped Virus 1 (SSV1), is composed mostly of the major capsid protein VP1. Similar to many other viruses, proteolytic cleavage of VP1 is thought to be critical for virion formation. Unlike half of the genes in SSV1, including the minor capsid protein gene VP3, the VP1 gene does not tolerate deletion or transposon insertion. To determine the role of the VP1 gene and its proteolysis for virus function, we developed techniques for site-directed mutagenesis of the SSV1 genome and complemented deletion mutants with VP1 genes from other SSVs. By analyzing these mutants, we demonstrate that the N-terminus of the VP1 protein is required, but the N-terminus, or entire SSV1 VP1 protein, can be exchanged with VP1s from other SSVs. However, the conserved glutamate at the cleavage site is not essential for infectivity. Interestingly, viruses containing point mutations at this position generate mostly abnormal virions.



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Genes, Vol. 8, Pages 371: Mesenchymal Stem Cell-Conditioned Medium Modulates Apoptotic and Stress-Related Gene Expression, Ameliorates Maturation and Allows for the Development of Immature Human Oocytes after Artificial Activation

Genes, Vol. 8, Pages 371: Mesenchymal Stem Cell-Conditioned Medium Modulates Apoptotic and Stress-Related Gene Expression, Ameliorates Maturation and Allows for the Development of Immature Human Oocytes after Artificial Activation

Genes doi: 10.3390/genes8120371

Authors: Hakimeh Akbari Seyed Eftekhar Vaghefi Abbas Shahedi Victoria Habibzadeh Tooraj Mirshekari Aboozar Ganjizadegan Hamidreza Mollaei Meysam Ahmadi Seyed Nematollahi-Mahani

The aim of the present study was to determine whether mesenchymal stem cell-conditioned medium (MSC-CM) modulates apoptotic and stress-related gene expression, and ameliorates maturation and developmental potential of immature human oocytes after artificial activation. A total of 247 surplus immature germinal vesicle (GV) oocytes obtained from infertile women were allocated into two in vitro maturation (IVM) groups: 1: GV oocytes (n = 116) matured in vitro (fIVM), and 2: GV oocytes (n = 131) that were vitrified, then in vitro matured (vIVM). Also, two maturation media were used: Alpha-minimum essential medium (α-MEM) and human umbilical cord-derived MSCs (hUCM). After 36 h of incubation, the IVM oocytes were examined for nuclear maturation. In IVM-matured oocytes, cytoplasmic maturation was evaluated after artificial activation through Ionomycin. Moreover, the quantitative expressions of B-cell CLL/lymphoma 2 (BCL2), BCL2-associated X protein (BAX), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and Heat shock proteins (HSP70) in matured oocytes were assessed by quantitative Real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) and compared with fresh and vitrified in vivo matured oocytes, which were used as fIVM and vIVM controls, respectively. The highest maturation rate was found in hUCM in fIVM, and the lowest maturation rate was found using α-MEM in vIVM (85.18% and 71.42%, respectively). The cleavage rate in fIVM was higher than that in vIVM (83.4% vs. 72.0%). In addition, the cleavage rate in α-MEM was lower than that in the hUCM (66.0% vs. 89.4%). Furthermore, the difference between parthenote embryo arrested in 4–8 cells (p &lt; 0.04) and the quality of embryo arrested in 8-cell (p &lt; 0.007) were significant. The developmental stages of parthenote embryos in hUCM versus α-MEM were as follows: 2–4 cell (89.45% vs. 66.00%, respectively), 4–8 cell (44.31% vs. 29.11%, respectively), morula (12.27% vs. 2.63%, respectively), and blastocysts (2.5% vs. 0%, respectively). The messenger RNA (mRNA) expression levels of BCL2, BAX and SOD were significantly different (p &lt; 0.05) between the matured IVM oocytes. Overall, hUCM showed potential efficacy in terms of ameliorating oocyte maturation and in promoting the development and mRNA expression of BAX, BCL2, and SOD.



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Genes, Vol. 8, Pages 372: Tissue-Specific Transcriptome Analysis Reveals Multiple Responses to Salt Stress in Populus euphratica Seedlings

Genes, Vol. 8, Pages 372: Tissue-Specific Transcriptome Analysis Reveals Multiple Responses to Salt Stress in Populus euphratica Seedlings

Genes doi: 10.3390/genes8120372

Authors: Le Yu Jianchao Ma Zhimin Niu Xiaotao Bai Wenli Lei Xuemin Shao Ningning Chen Fangfang Zhou Dongshi Wan

Salt stress is one of the most crucial factors impacting plant growth, development and reproduction. However, information regarding differences in tissue-specific gene expression patterns, which may improve a plant’s tolerance to salt stress, is limited. Here, we investigated the gene expression patterns in tissues of Populus euphratica Oliv. seedlings using RNA sequencing (RNA-Seq) technology. A total of 109.3 million, 125bp paired-end clean reads were generated, and 6428, 4797, 2335 and 3358 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified in leaf, phloem, xylem and root tissues, respectively. While the tissue-specific DEGs under salt stress had diverse functions, “membrane transporter activity” was the most significant leaf function, whereas “oxidation–reduction process” was the most significant function in root tissue. Further analysis of the tissue-specific DEGs showed that the expression patterns or functions of gene families, such as SOS, NHX, GolS, GPX, APX, RBOHF and CBL, were diverse, suggesting that calcium signaling, reactive oxygen species (ROS) and salt overly sensitive (SOS) pathways are all involved in ionic homeostasis in tissues from P. euphratica seedlings. The DEGs, for example the up-regulated antioxidant genes, contribute to ROS-scavenging induced by salt stress but result in decreased Na+ concentrations in root vasculature cells and in xylem sap, while the down-regulated rbohF leads to the reverse results. These results suggest that the divergence of DEGs expression patterns contribute to maintenance of ionic and ROS homeostasis in tissues and improve plant salinity tolerance. We comprehensively analyzed the response of P. euphratica seedlings to salt stress and provide helpful genetic resources for studying plant-abiotic stress interactions.



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Genes, Vol. 8, Pages 376: Context-Dependent Role of IKKβ in Cancer

Genes, Vol. 8, Pages 376: Context-Dependent Role of IKKβ in Cancer

Genes doi: 10.3390/genes8120376

Authors: Angustias Page Manuel Navarro Cristian Suárez-Cabrera Ana Bravo Angel Ramirez

Inhibitor of nuclear factor kappa-B kinase subunit beta (IKKβ) is a kinase principally known as a positive regulator of the ubiquitous transcription factor family Nuclear Factor-kappa B (NF-κB). In addition, IKKβ also phosphorylates a number of other proteins that regulate many cellular processes, from cell cycle to metabolism and differentiation. As a consequence, IKKβ affects cell physiology in a variety of ways and may promote or hamper tumoral transformation depending on hitherto unknown circumstances. In this article, we give an overview of the NF-κB-dependent and -independent functions of IKKβ. We also summarize the current knowledge about the relationship of IKKβ with cellular transformation and cancer, obtained mainly through the study of animal models with cell type-specific modifications in IKKβ expression or activity. Finally, we describe the most relevant data about IKKβ implication in cancer obtained from the analysis of the human tumoral samples gathered in The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and the Catalogue of Somatic Mutations in Cancer (COSMIC).



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Evidence of Osteoclastic Activity in the Human Temporal Bone

Bone remodeling within the otic capsule has been reported to be inhibited especially at or near the cochlea, except under some pathological conditions such as otosclerosis, Paget's disease, or mastoiditis, when bone remodeling can occur. Microcavitations found in periosteal and endosteal layers of human temporal bone specimens without otosclerosis, Paget's disease, or inflammation as reported in the current study are consistent with osteoclastic bone resorption. Thirty-three temporal bones from 33 patients were prepared for light microscopy and classified into 4 groups: histologically proven dehiscence of the superior semicircular canal (SSCD) (n = 3, group 1), age 20 years or younger (n = 10, group 2), age 90 years or older and with otosclerosis (n = 10, group 3), and age 90 years or older without otosclerosis (n = 10, group 4). Microcavitation was seen at 7 anatomic locations in the temporal bone in all 4 groups, but not in the cochlea or vestibule. Microcavitation within the temporal bone is likely due to osteoclastic activity, and it is seen in both young and old patients, patients with and without otosclerosis, and in cases with SSCD.
Audiol Neurotol 2017;22:218-225

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Different shell, same shock

In both war and illness, we tell stories to frame our suffering. We create cultural narratives of national ideology or neurophysiology to cope with adversity. And those stories are not always...
recent?d=yIl2AUoC8zA recent?d=dnMXMwOfBR0 recent?i=ktGnNdyn_x8:-If9Ksb57Aw:V_sGLiP recent?d=qj6IDK7rITs recent?i=ktGnNdyn_x8:-If9Ksb57Aw:gIN9vFw recent?d=l6gmwiTKsz0 recent?d=7Q72WNTAKBA recent?i=ktGnNdyn_x8:-If9Ksb57Aw:F7zBnMy recent?i=ktGnNdyn_x8:-If9Ksb57Aw:-BTjWOF


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Big Science for patient centred care

Advancing the problematic situation of patients requires clinicians and patients to draw from their experience, expertise, and evidence. Working together, they should be able to identify a way...
recent?d=yIl2AUoC8zA recent?d=dnMXMwOfBR0 recent?i=qrFNR6cakA4:Bbpif1dwO3I:V_sGLiP recent?d=qj6IDK7rITs recent?i=qrFNR6cakA4:Bbpif1dwO3I:gIN9vFw recent?d=l6gmwiTKsz0 recent?d=7Q72WNTAKBA recent?i=qrFNR6cakA4:Bbpif1dwO3I:F7zBnMy recent?i=qrFNR6cakA4:Bbpif1dwO3I:-BTjWOF


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The bright spark who lit up Glasgow

Pressure on doctors to keep up with technology can be a pain, but it’s nothing new. For John Macintyre, it was not just a pleasure but an all consuming passion.Macintyre had an astonishingly...
recent?d=yIl2AUoC8zA recent?d=dnMXMwOfBR0 recent?i=HRwTb5xdWAo:Q2nEl1TICKo:V_sGLiP recent?d=qj6IDK7rITs recent?i=HRwTb5xdWAo:Q2nEl1TICKo:gIN9vFw recent?d=l6gmwiTKsz0 recent?d=7Q72WNTAKBA recent?i=HRwTb5xdWAo:Q2nEl1TICKo:F7zBnMy recent?i=HRwTb5xdWAo:Q2nEl1TICKo:-BTjWOF


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Motor complications in Parkinson's disease: Striatal molecular and electrophysiological mechanisms of dyskinesias

ABSTRACT

Long-term levodopa (l-dopa) treatment in patients with Parkinson´s disease (PD) is associated with the development of motor complications (ie, motor fluctuations and dyskinesias). The principal etiopathogenic factors are the degree of nigro-striatal dopaminergic loss and the duration and dose of l-dopa treatment. In this review article we concentrate on analysis of the mechanisms underlying l-dopa–induced dyskinesias, a phenomenon that causes disability in a proportion of patients and that has not benefited from major therapeutic advances. Thus, we discuss the main neurotransmitters, receptors, and pathways that have been thought to play a role in l-dopa–induced dyskinesias from the perspective of basic neuroscience studies. Some important advances in deciphering the molecular pathways involved in these abnormal movements have occurred in recent years to reveal potential targets that could be used for therapeutic purposes. However, it has not been an easy road because there have been a plethora of components involved in the generation of these undesired movements, even bypassing the traditional and well-accepted dopamine receptor activation, as recently revealed by optogenetics. Here, we attempt to unify the available data with the hope of guiding and fostering future research in the field of striatal activation and abnormal movement generation. © 2017 International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society



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The iron-deficient rat as a model of restless legs syndrome: Was anything lost in translation?



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Impact of 68 Ga-DOTA-Peptide PET/CT on the Management of Gastrointestinal Neuroendocrine Tumour (GI-NET): Malaysian National Referral Centre Experience

Abstract

Purpose

The National Cancer Institute is the only referral centre in Malaysia that provides 68Ga-DOTA-peptide imaging. The purpose of this study is to determine the impact of 68Ga-DOTA-peptide PET/CT on the management of gastrointestinal neuroendocrine tumours (GI-NET).

Materials and Methods

A cross-sectional study was performed to review the impact of 68Ga-DOTA-peptide (68Ga-DOTATATE or 68Ga-DOTATOC) PET/CT on patients with biopsy-proven GI-NET between January 2011 and December 2015. Suspected NET was excluded. Demographic data, tumoral characteristics, change of disease stage, pre-PET intended management and post-PET management were evaluated.

Results

Over a 5-year period, 82 studies of 68Ga-DOTA-peptide PET/CT were performed on 44 GI-NET patients. The most common primary site was the rectum (50.0%) followed by the small bowel, stomach and colon. Using WHO 2010 grading, 40.9% of patients had low-grade (G1) tumour, 22.7% intermediate (G2) and 4.5% high (G3). Of ten patients scheduled for pre-operative staging, 68Ga-DOTA-peptide PET/CT only led to therapeutic change in three patients. Furthermore, false-negative results of 68Ga-DOTA-peptide PET/CT were reported in one patient after surgical confirmation. However, therapeutic changes were seen in 20/36 patients (55.6%) scheduled for post-surgical restaging or assessment of somatostatin analogue (SSA) eligibility. When 68Ga-DOTA-peptide PET/CT was used for monitoring disease progress during systemic treatment (sandostatin, chemotherapy, everolimus and PRRT) in metastatic disease, impact on management modification was seen in 19/36 patients (52.8%), of which 84.2% had inter-modality change (switch to everolimus, chemotherapy or PRRT) and 15.8% had intra-modality change (increased SSA dosage).

Conclusions

68Ga-DOTA-peptide PET/CT has a significant impact on management decisions in GI-NET patients as it can provide additional information on occult metastasis/equivocal lesions and supply the clinician an opportunity to select patients for targeted therapy.



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Objektive Audiometrie und klinische Anwendung

Zusammenfassung

Zur Diagnostik mannigfaltiger Hörstörungen werden neben den subjektiven Hörprüfungen v. a. objektive Testverfahren eingesetzt. Zu den objektiven Hörprüfungen gehören die Impedanzmessung mit Tympanometrie und Stapediusreflexmessung, die otoakustischen Emissionen (OAE) sowie die akustisch evozierten Potenziale (AEP). Durch die Einführung von „auditory steady-state responses“ (ASSR) und in Verbindung mit statistischen Nachweismethoden kommen objektive Hörverfahren auch beim Neugeborenen-Hörscreening und bei der automatisierten Hörschwellenbestimmung zum Einsatz. Durch die Anwendung der genannten Methoden kann zwischen den verschiedenen Hörstörungen differenziert und der Grad einer Hörminderung bestimmt werden. Bei sorgfältiger Interpretation der Messergebnisse lässt sich mithilfe dieser Verfahren auch eine auditorische Synapto‑/Neuropathie von einer klassischen sensorineuralen Schwerhörigkeit unterscheiden.



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Postinflammatory Hyperpigmentation: Epidemiology, Clinical Presentation, Pathogenesis and Treatment

Abstract

Postinflammatory hyperpigmentation (PIH) is a reactive hypermelanosis that develops following cutaneous inflammation. Common causes of PIH include intrinsic skin conditions (e.g., acne and eczema) as well as external insults to the skin, such as burn injuries and dermatologic procedures. PIH more commonly occurs in individuals with darker skin, for whom it is often a source of significant psychological distress. Several therapeutic modalities are available for the treatment of PIH, including topical agents, chemical peels, and energy-based devices. We review the epidemiology, clinical presentation, pathogenesis, and treatment of PIH.



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This blog by @Richard56 is a succinct explanation of the evidence of community bias against research from low incom… https://t.co/0qOBzfkwyX

This blog by @Richard56 is a succinct explanation of the evidence of community bias against research from low incom… https://t.co/0qOBzfkwyX

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RT @Prof_Nick_James : @oncology_bg @ecancer @VinayPrasad82 @ajumathew_ @lucadf @EnriqueSoto8 @barttels2 @DrSusanLove @SusannahStanwa1 Agree.…

RT @Prof_Nick_James : @oncology_bg @ecancer @VinayPrasad82 @ajumathew_ @lucadf @EnriqueSoto8 @barttels2 @DrSusanLove @SusannahStanwa1 Agree.…

from #AlexandrosSfakianakis via Alexandros G.Sfakianakis on Inoreader http://twitter.com/ecancer/status/939068084467445760
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“Everyone thinks it’s someone else’s responsibility”: training for sexual health doctors

Local authorities in England have been commissioning sexual health services since 2013. Now, an ongoing funding squeeze is fuelling fears that specialty training and workforce development in sexual...
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from #AlexandrosSfakianakis via Alexandros G.Sfakianakis on Inoreader http://ift.tt/2A3iZAG
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An Anglo-American medical lexicon

As a dual US-EU citizen who grew up in America but underwent foundation and core medical training in London, I learnt to prescribe paracetamol instead of acetaminophen and was brilliant at directing...
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