Parcellation of the human prefrontal cortex using MRI

NMR spectroscopy and NMR imaging with magnetic field gradients make strange bedfellows, the requirements for one seemingly ruling out the other for human applications. Nevertheless, their stories are intertwined; the advent of high field imaging systems arose because of the desire for human spectroscopy. Localized spectroscopy is possible because of NMR imaging. Both have links to physics at Nottingham, at least in the personalized account that follows. Today, virtually all NMR spectroscopy experiments can be conceived with a localized in vivo spectroscopy counterpart.     

Dopplerographic assessment of the autoregulation of the blood supply to the brain in neurosurgical pathology

The development of an informative, noninvasive technique for evaluating the reserve of the cerebral circulatory system is a topical task of clinical angioneurology. The authors developed methods of Doppler evaluation of an autoregulatory response from hyperemic changes after short-term regional hypotension caused by digital compression of the cervical carotid. They calculated the indices acceptable in routine clinical practice, defined the range of their values in health and in typical variants of cerebral circulatory insufficiency in patients with disseminated neurosurgical pathology. The carotid compression test by recording linear blood flow velocity in the cerebral arteries is a safe, valid, and reproducible method of semiquantitative assessment of the autoregulation reserve which may be used to determine the tension of resistive vessels in the middle cerebral arterial bed as an important index of the functional status of the cerebral circulatory system.     

Chemotherapy with methotrexate, vinblastine, epirubicin and carboplatin (Carbo-MVE) in transitional cell urothelial cancer. A Hellenic Co-Operative Oncology Group study

OBJECTIVES: We conducted a phase II study in order to assess the efficacy and toxicity of Carbo-MVE (carboplatin 250 mg/m2 i.v. day 1, methotrexate 25 mg/m2 i.v. days 1, 15 and 22, vinblastine 2.5 mg/m2 i.v. days 1, 15 and 22 and epirubicin 25 mg/m2 day 1). The regimen ws to be repeated every 28 days. METHODS: Forty-six patients with transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder entered the study. Patients with metastatic disease were treated for 6 cycles, while patients with locally advanced or locoregional disease had 4 cycles of induction chemotherapy followed by cystectomy or radiotherapy. RESULTS: Toxicity was generally mild and treatment well tolerated. The overall response rate was 54.4%, with 26% complete and 28.3% partial response rates. The median survival was 17.5 months with the complete responders to live significantly longer (64.82 months) than those who had a partial response (20.5 months), stable disease (15 months) or progressive disease (8.5 months). Survival was also significantly longer in patients with good performance status as well as in patients with locally advanced or locoregional disease. Finally, patients who had cystectomy as definitive treatment survived significantly longer (32 months) than those who had been irradiated (16 months). CONCLUSIONS: The Carbo-MVE regimen appears to be an effective and well-tolerated treatment in patients with transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder.     

The role of Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilm in the attachment of Acanthamoeba to four types of hydrogel contact lens materials

PURPOSE: The effect of the previous coating of a contact lens surface with Pseudomonas biofilm on adsorption of Acanthamoeba onto four types of hydrogel materials was investigated. METHODS: Hydrogel contact lens quarters from each of the four FDA groups of hydrogel materials were incubated for at least 12 h in a suspension of 10(7)/ml of Pseudomonas aeruginosa (ATCC 27853) to coat their surfaces with biofilm. After rinsing, the lenses were incubated for 90 min in 5 x 10(5)/ml of Acanthamoeba castellanii trophozoites. New, uncoated lens quarters were incubated in the Acanthamoeba suspension as controls. After rinsing, all adsorbed trophozoites on one surface of each lens quarter were counted by direct light microscopy. Adsorption was expressed as numbers of amoebae per square centimeter of lens surface, and nonparametric data analysis was performed. RESULTS: Acanthamoeba adsorption to new, uncoated lenses was greater for ionic materials (groups 3 and 4) than for the nonionic materials (groups 1 and 2). Pseudomonas biofilm increased adsorption on all four lens types. CONCLUSION: Pseudomonas biofilm enhanced adsorption of Acanthamoeba on all lens types studied, but the adsorption to nonionic materials was significantly less. This suggests that all lens wearers may be at increased risk for Acanthamoeba infection if lenses are previously contaminated with bacterial biofilm, but this risk may be reduced by the use of certain lens types (low water content, nonionic materials).     

Risk factors for plasma cell endometritis among women with cervical Neisseria gonorrhoeae, cervical Chlamydia trachomatis, or bacterial vaginosis

OBJECTIVE: We sought to determine potential risk factors for upper genital tract inflammation in women with cervical Neisseria gonorrhoeae, Chlamydia trachomatis, or bacterial vaginosis. STUDY DESIGN: In a case-controlled study we compared 111 women with cervical Neisseria gonorrhoeae, Chlamydia trachomatis, or bacterial vaginosis (the study group) with 24 women who had negative tests for each of these infections (the control group). We evaluated potential risk factors for upper genital tract inflammation by use of bivariate and then logistic regression analysis. RESULTS: We found plasma cell endometritis in 53 of 111 women in the study group and 3 of 24 controls (odds ratio = 6.4, 95% confidence interval 1.7 to 35.0). On logistic regression, the study group women who were in the proliferative phase had increased likelihood of plasma cell endometritis (odds ratio = 4.5, 95% confidence interval 1.6 to 12.4). CONCLUSION: The proliferative phase of the menstrual cycle seems to be the primary risk factor for ascending infection by organisms associated with pelvic inflammatory disease. This may be due to a hormonal effect or to the loss of the cervical barrier during menstruation.     

Antigenic composition of protein fractions of the human cerebral cortex extracted by chromatography on DEAE-cellulose

In fractionating a phosphate protein extract from the human brain cortex on DEAE-cellulose 10 fractions of the basic acid proteins were received. Analyses of these fractions were conducted by the method of disc electrophoresis in polyacridamide gel with dodecylsulphate Na and a subsequent separate staining of the desitograms of proteins and glycoproteins, precipitation in agar gel, immunoelectrophoresis and autoimmunography with the use of labeled I125 antibodies to rabbit gamma-globulin. In the first 2 basic fractions there were brain specific antigens with electrophoretic mobility of the beta2--gamma globulin. In the first acid fraction--2 antigens: alpha1-globulin and alpha2-globulin of a glycoprotein nature. In subsequent acid fractions--one antigen with a mobility of alpha1-globulin. A study of the antigen activity of these fractions in a complement fixation test on cold with the serum of schizophrenic patients and disseminated sclerosis depicted differences in the activity of the basic and acid fractions.     

Ouabain amplifies contractile responses to phenylephrine in rat tail arteries in hypertension

Ouabain, a cardiac glycoside, binds to the alpha-subunits of Na+, K(+)-ATPase and inhibits Na+ pump activity. It has been proposed that endogenous ouabain, by inhibiting vascular Na+, K(+)-ATPase, can increase vascular resistance and thus may contribute to hypertension. One of the consequences of inhibition of the membrane Na+ pump is enhanced responsiveness of vascular smooth muscle to vasopressor substances. The purpose of the present study was to determine whether ouabain can enhance the responsiveness of the vasculature in hypertension. In the present study 100 microM ouabain enhanced the contractile response elicited by phenylephrine in isolated, perfused tail arteries from spontaneously hypertensive (SHR) and normotensive Wistar Kyoto (WKY) rats. The enhanced contractile response was more pronounced in the arteries of the SHR. We demonstrated that this concentration of ouabain inhibits the Na+ pump activity, measured as ouabain-sensitive 86Rb uptake, by about 65%, in isolated tail arteries. We conclude that ouabain can sensitize the vascular smooth muscle to the effects of vasopressor substances and this effect is more pronounced in genetically hypertensive rats. Endogenous ouabain may contribute to the pathophysiology of hypertension by enhancing vascular tone.     

Is beta-carotene an antioxidant?

The clinical efficacy of s.c. erythropoietin (EPO) injected subcutaneously once weekly was compared in patients (median age of 63 years) on peritoneal dialysis (PD, n = 19) and in haemodialysis (HD, n = 13). The blood haemoglobin prior to start of EPO was not significantly different between the groups. The mean (+/- SD) dose of EPO given to achieve a blood haemoglobin level of 100 g/l was not significantly different between the PD and the HD-responders (85 +/- 45 units/kg body weight and week, versus 112 +/- 33, respectively). Significantly more patients using PD than in HD achieved a haemoglobin level > or = 95 g/l (p = 0.02). The HD group had significantly higher ferritin values. Serum iron and intact PTH were not different between the groups. In conclusion, s.c. EPO injections once, or occasionally twice, weekly increased blood haemoglobin levels in a greater proportion of patients on PD than in those on HD.