Basal Cell Carcinoma

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... Kids’ zone Video library Find a dermatologist Basal cell carcinoma Overview Basal cell carcinoma: This skin cancer ... that has received years of sun exposure. Basal cell carcinoma: Overview Basal cell carcinoma (BCC) is the ...

Fusarium basal rot in the Netherlands

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Visser, de C.L.M.; Broek, van den R.C.F.M.; Brink, van den L.

2006-01-01

Fusarium basal rot of onion, caused by Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. cepae, is a steadily increasing problem in The Netherlands. Financial losses for Dutch farmers confronted with Fusarium basal rot is substantial, due to yield reduction and high storage costs. This paper describes the development and

Jointly Amplified Basal and Pulsatile Growth Hormone (GH) Secretion and Increased Process Irregularity in Women with Anorexia Nervosa

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Støving, R K; Veldhuis, J D; Flyvbjerg, A

1999-01-01

Anorexia nervosa (AN) is associated with multiple endocrine alterations. In the majority of AN patients, basal and GHRH-stimulated serum GH levels are increased. The metabolic effects of GH are known to be related to its pulsatile secretory pattern. The present study was performed to examine GH...

Migraine attacks the Basal Ganglia

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Bigal Marcelo

2011-09-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background With time, episodes of migraine headache afflict patients with increased frequency, longer duration and more intense pain. While episodic migraine may be defined as 1-14 attacks per month, there are no clear-cut phases defined, and those patients with low frequency may progress to high frequency episodic migraine and the latter may progress into chronic daily headache (> 15 attacks per month. The pathophysiology of this progression is completely unknown. Attempting to unravel this phenomenon, we used high field (human brain imaging to compare functional responses, functional connectivity and brain morphology in patients whose migraine episodes did not progress (LF to a matched (gender, age, age of onset and type of medication group of patients whose migraine episodes progressed (HF. Results In comparison to LF patients, responses to pain in HF patients were significantly lower in the caudate, putamen and pallidum. Paradoxically, associated with these lower responses in HF patients, gray matter volume of the right and left caudate nuclei were significantly larger than in the LF patients. Functional connectivity analysis revealed additional differences between the two groups in regard to response to pain. Conclusions Supported by current understanding of basal ganglia role in pain processing, the findings suggest a significant role of the basal ganglia in the pathophysiology of the episodic migraine.

Adenoid basal hyperplasia of the uterine cervix: a lesion of reserve cell type, distinct from adenoid basal carcinoma.

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Kerdraon, Olivier; Cornélius, Aurélie; Farine, Marie-Odile; Boulanger, Loïc; Wacrenier, Agnès

2012-12-01

Adenoid basal hyperplasia is an underrecognized cervical lesion, resembling adenoid basal carcinoma, except the absence of deep invasion into the stroma. We report a series of 10 cases, all extending less than 1 mm from the basement membrane. Our results support the hypothesis that adenoid basal hyperplasia arises from reserve cells of the cervix. Lesions were found close to the squamocolumnar junction, in continuity with the nearby subcolumnar reserve cells. They shared the same morphology and immunoprofile using a panel of 4 antibodies (keratin 5/6, keratin 14, keratin 7 and p63) designed to differentiate reserve cells from mature squamous cells and endocervical columnar cells. We detected no human papillomavirus infection by in situ hybridization targeting high-risk human papillomavirus, which was concordant with the absence of immunohistochemical p16 expression. We demonstrated human papillomavirus infection in 4 (80%) of 5 adenoid basal carcinoma, which is in the same range as previous studies (88%). Thus, adenoid basal hyperplasia should be distinguished from adenoid basal carcinoma because they imply different risk of human papillomavirus infection and of subsequent association with high-grade invasive carcinoma. In our series, the most reliable morphological parameters to differentiate adenoid basal hyperplasia from adenoid basal carcinoma were the depth of the lesion and the size of the lesion nests. Furthermore, squamous differentiation was rare in adenoid basal hyperplasia and constant in adenoid basal carcinoma. Finally, any mitotic activity and/or an increase of Ki67 labeling index should raise the hypothesis of adenoid basal carcinoma. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Modern basal insulin analogs: An incomplete story

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Singh, Awadhesh Kumar; Gangopadhyay, Kalyan Kumar

2014-01-01

The currently available basal insulin does not completely mimic the endogenous insulin secretion. This has continued to promote the search for ideal basal insulin. The newer basal insulin have primarily focused on increasing the duration of action, reducing variability, and reducing the incidence of hypoglycemia, particularly nocturnal. However, the changing criteria of hypoglycemia within a short span of a few years along with the surprising introduction of major cardiac events as another ou...

Giant morphea-form basal cell carcinoma of the umbilicus: Successful debulking with vismodegib.

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Orduz Robledo, Mariana; Lebas, Eve; Reginster, Marie-Annick; Baghaie, Mahmoud; Groves, Sabine; Nikkels, Arjen F

2018-01-01

Basal cell carcinoma of the umbilicus is very rare. The nodular subtype is the main representative. Giant basal cell carcinomas represent around 1% of all basal cell carcinomas. The hedgehog pathway inhibitor vismodegib is indicated for advanced basal cell carcinoma and CD56-negative immunostaining seems indicative for successful treatment. A 54-year-old man presented a 10 cm × 14 cm large and 4.5 cm deep morphea-form basal cell carcinoma with faint immunohistochemical CD56 expression arising from the umbilicus. A sequential treatment was initiated with debulking using vismodegib 150 mg per day for 4 months, followed by reconstructive surgery. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of a giant basal cell carcinoma of the morphea-form type of the umbilicus. The sequential treatment plan reduces the duration of vismodegib inherent adverse effects and significantly reduces the tumor mass prior to surgery. Besides increasing adherence to vismodegib treatment, this approach facilitates the surgical technique and improves cosmetic outcome.

Proximal tubule-specific glutamine synthetase deletion alters basal and acidosis-stimulated ammonia metabolism

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Lee, Hyun-Wook; Osis, Gunars; Handlogten, Mary E.; Lamers, Wouter H.; Chaudhry, Farrukh A.; Verlander, Jill W.

2016-01-01

Glutamine synthetase (GS) catalyzes the recycling of NH4+ with glutamate to form glutamine. GS is highly expressed in the renal proximal tubule (PT), suggesting ammonia recycling via GS could decrease net ammoniagenesis and thereby limit ammonia available for net acid excretion. The purpose of the present study was to determine the role of PT GS in ammonia metabolism under basal conditions and during metabolic acidosis. We generated mice with PT-specific GS deletion (PT-GS-KO) using Cre-loxP techniques. Under basal conditions, PT-GS-KO increased urinary ammonia excretion significantly. Increased ammonia excretion occurred despite decreased expression of key proteins involved in renal ammonia generation. After the induction of metabolic acidosis, the ability to increase ammonia excretion was impaired significantly by PT-GS-KO. The blunted increase in ammonia excretion occurred despite greater expression of multiple components of ammonia generation, including SN1 (Slc38a3), phosphate-dependent glutaminase, phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase, and Na+-coupled electrogenic bicarbonate cotransporter. We conclude that 1) GS-mediated ammonia recycling in the PT contributes to both basal and acidosis-stimulated ammonia metabolism and 2) adaptive changes in other proteins involved in ammonia metabolism occur in response to PT-GS-KO and cause an underestimation of the role of PT GS expression. PMID:27009341

Comparison of liraglutide plus basal insulin and basal-bolus insulin therapy (BBIT) for glycemic control, body weight stability, and treatment satisfaction in patients treated using BBIT for type 2 diabetes without severe insulin deficiency: A randomized prospective pilot study.

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Yamamoto, Saki; Hayashi, Toshiyuki; Ohara, Makoto; Goto, Satoshi; Sato, Jun; Nagaike, Hiroe; Fukase, Ayako; Sato, Nobuko; Hiromura, Munenori; Tomoyasu, Masako; Nakanishi, Noriko; Lee, Soushou; Osamura, Anna; Yamamoto, Takeshi; Fukui, Tomoyasu; Hirano, Tsutomu

2018-03-26

We examined whether 0.9 mg/day liraglutide plus basal insulin (Lira-basal) is superior to basal-bolus insulin therapy (BBIT) for type 2 diabetes (T2DM) without severe insulin deficiency as determined by glucagon stimulation. Fifty patients receiving BBIT were enrolled in this 24-week, prospective, randomized, open-labeled study. After excluding subjects with fasting C-peptide immunoreactivity (CPR) basal (n = 12) or continued BBIT (n = 13). Primary endpoint was change in HbA1c. Secondary endpoints were changes in body weight (BW), 7-point self-monitored blood glucose (SMBG), and Diabetes Treatment Satisfaction Questionnaire status (DTSQs) scores. The Lira-basal group demonstrated reduced HbA1c, whereas the BBIT group showed no change. BW was reduced in the Lira-basal group but increased in the BBIT group. The Lira-basal group also exhibited significantly reduced pre-breakfast and pre-lunch SMBG. DTSQs scores improved in the Lira-basal group but not the BBIT group. Plasma lipids, liver function, and kidney function were not significantly changed in either group. Lira-basal therapy is superior to BBIT for T2DM without severe insulin deficiency. This study was registered with UMIN Clinical Trials Registry (UMIN000028313). Copyright © 2018 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Oligo-carrageenan kappa increases NADPH, ascorbate and glutathione syntheses and TRR/TRX activities enhancing photosynthesis, basal metabolism, and growth in Eucalyptus trees.

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González, Alberto; Moenne, Fabiola; Gómez, Melissa; Sáez, Claudio A; Contreras, Rodrigo A; Moenne, Alejandra

2014-01-01

In order to analyze the effect of OC kappa in redox status, photosynthesis, basal metabolism and growth in Eucalyptus globulus, trees were treated with water (control), with OC kappa at 1 mg mL(-1), or treated with inhibitors of NAD(P)H, ascorbate (ASC), and glutathione (GSH) syntheses and thioredoxin reductase (TRR) activity, CHS-828, lycorine, buthionine sulfoximine (BSO), and auranofin, respectively, and with OC kappa, and cultivated for 4 months. Treatment with OC kappa induced an increase in NADPH, ASC, and GSH syntheses, TRR and thioredoxin (TRX) activities, photosynthesis, growth and activities of basal metabolism enzymes such as rubisco, glutamine synthetase (GlnS), adenosine 5'-phosphosulfate reductase (APR), involved in C, N, and S assimilation, respectively, Krebs cycle and purine/pyrimidine synthesis enzymes. Treatment with inhibitors and OC kappa showed that increases in ASC, GSH, and TRR/TRX enhanced NADPH synthesis, increases in NADPH and TRR/TRX enhanced ASC and GSH syntheses, and only the increase in NADPH enhanced TRR/TRX activities. In addition, the increase in NADPH, ASC, GSH, and TRR/TRX enhanced photosynthesis and growth. Moreover, the increase in NADPH, ASC and TRR/TRX enhanced activities of rubisco, Krebs cycle, and purine/pyrimidine synthesis enzymes, the increase in GSH, NADPH, and TRR/TRX enhanced APR activity, and the increase in NADPH and TRR/TRX enhanced GlnS activity. Thus, OC kappa increases NADPH, ASC, and GSH syntheses leading to a more reducing redox status, the increase in NADPH, ASC, GSH syntheses, and TRR/TRX activities are cross-talking events leading to activation of photosynthesis, basal metabolism, and growth in Eucalyptus trees.

Oligo-carrageenan kappa increases NADPH, ascorbate and glutathione syntheses and TRR/TRX activities enhancing photosynthesis, basal metabolism, and growth in Eucalyptus trees

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alberto eGonzález

2014-10-01

Full Text Available In order to analyze the effect of OC kappa in redox status, photosynthesis, basal metabolism and growth in Eucalyptus globulus, trees were treated with water (control, with OC kappa at 1 mg mL-1, or treated with inhibitors of NAD(PH, ascorbate (ASC and glutathione (GSH syntheses and thioredoxin reductase (TRR activity, CHS-828, lycorine, buthionine sulfoximine (BSO and auranofin, respectively, and with OC kappa, and cultivated for 4 months. Treatment with OC kappa induced an increase in NADPH, ASC, and GSH syntheses, TRR and thioredoxin (TRX activities, photosynthesis, growth and activities of basal metabolism enzymes such as rubisco, glutamine synthetase (GlnS, adenosine 5´-phosphosulfate reductase (APR, involved in C, N and S assimilation, respectively, Krebs cycle and purine/pyrimidine synthesis enzymes. Treatment with inhibitors and OC kappa showed that increases in ASC, GSH and TRR/TRX enhanced NADPH synthesis, increases in NADPH and TRR/TRX enhanced ASC and GSH syntheses, and only the increase in NADPH enhanced TRR/TRX activities. In addition, the increase in NADPH, ASC, GSH and TRR/TRX enhanced photosynthesis and growth. Moreover, the increase in NADPH, ASC and TRR/TRX enhanced activities of rubisco, Krebs cycle and purine/pyrimidine synthesis enzymes, the increase in GSH, NADPH, and TRR/TRX enhanced APR activity, and the increase in NADPH and TRR/TRX enhanced GlnS activity. Thus, OC kappa increases NADPH, ASC and GSH syntheses leading to a more reducing redox status, the increase in NADPH, ASC, GSH syntheses and TRR/TRX activities are cross-talking events leading to activation of photosynthesis, basal metabolism and growth in Eucalyptus trees.

Computational modelling of locomotor muscle moment arms in the basal dinosaur Lesothosaurus diagnosticus: assessing convergence between birds and basal ornithischians.

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Bates, Karl T; Maidment, Susannah C R; Allen, Vivian; Barrett, Paul M

2012-03-01

ornithischians and birds. Craniad migration of the iliofemoralis group muscles in birds correlates with increased leverage and use of medial femoral rotation to counter stance phase adduction moments at the hip. In Lesothosaurus the iliofemoralis group maintains significantly higher moment arms for abduction, consistent with the hip abduction mode of lateral limb support hypothesized for basal dinosaurs. Sensitivity analysis highlights ambiguity in the role of musculature associated with the retroverted pubis (puboischiofemoralis externus group) in ornithischians. However, it seems likely that this musculature may have predominantly functioned similarly to homologous muscles in extant birds, activating during the swing phase to adduct the lower limb through lateral rotation of the femur. Overall the results suggest that locomotor muscle leverage in Lesothosaurus (and by inference basal ornithischians in general) was more similar to that of other non-avian dinosaurs than the ostrich, representing what was probably the basal dinosaur condition. This work thereby contradicts previous hypotheses of ornithischian-bird functional convergence. © 2012 The Authors. Journal of Anatomy © 2012 Anatomical Society.

Yields, market values and n use efficiency (15n) in flue-cured tobacco influenced by basal fertilization time and n fertilizer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Xie Zhijian; Tu Shuxin; Li Jinping; Chen Zhenguo; Xu Rubing; Cao Shiming; Li Jianping; Wang Xuelong; Chen Liangcun; Guo Li; Cao Xianglian; Hu Gongjun; Zhang Yunzheng

2010-01-01

A field experiment with 15 N isotope tracing micro-plots was carried out to study the effects of basal N fertilizer application time (0 d, 15 d, 30 d before the transplanting) on the yields, market values and N uptake, utilization and distribution in different organs of flue-cured tobacco (FCT) in two ecological tobacco production areas Zhaojiashan (N 31 degree 28', E 111 degree 15', 903 m above sea level) and Laowan (N 31 degree 27', E 111 degree 14', 1 130 m above sea level)] of Xiangfan city, Hubei province. The results showed that supplying N fertilizer significantly increased the yields and market values of FCT by 13%-40% and 14%-35% for the experimental site of Zhaojiashan (lower altitude ) and Laowan (higher altitude), respectively. Compared to applying basal fertilizer at 0 d before transplanting, applying basal fertilizer at 15-30 d before transplanting increased the market values by 10%-30% (P<0.05). And early application of basal N fertilizer (30 d before transplanting) increased N accumulation by 8%-26% as compared with that of applying basal N fertilizer at 0 d or 15 d before transplanting in the two ecological areas. There was no significant effects of basal N application time on N fertilizer efficiency in lower altitude site, but increasing by 3%-6% in higher altitude site. The proportion of fertilizer N to total N in FCT decreased by 8%-32% in lower altitude, but increased by 25%-32% in higher altitude when basal N fertilizer was supplied at 30d before transplanting., These results indicated that properly earlier supplication of basal N fertilizer could improve the N fertilizer efficiency, and thus increase the yields and market values of FCT, especially in higher altitude areas with less sunshine and lower temperature. (authors)

Exercise Increases Insulin Content and Basal Secretion in Pancreatic Islets in Type 1 Diabetic Mice

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Han-Hung Huang

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Exercise appears to improve glycemic control for people with type 1 diabetes (T1D. However, the mechanism responsible for this improvement is unknown. We hypothesized that exercise has a direct effect on the insulin-producing islets. Eight-week-old mice were divided into four groups: sedentary diabetic, exercised diabetic, sedentary control, and exercised control. The exercised groups participated in voluntary wheel running for 6 weeks. When compared to the control groups, the islet density, islet diameter, and β-cell proportion per islet were significantly lower in both sedentary and exercised diabetic groups and these alterations were not improved with exercise. The total insulin content and insulin secretion were significantly lower in sedentary diabetics compared to controls. Exercise significantly improved insulin content and insulin secretion in islets in basal conditions. Thus, some improvements in exercise-induced glycemic control in T1D mice may be due to enhancement of insulin content and secretion in islets.

Sunitinib significantly suppresses the proliferation, migration, apoptosis resistance, tumor angiogenesis and growth of triple-negative breast cancers but increases breast cancer stem cells.

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Chinchar, Edmund; Makey, Kristina L; Gibson, John; Chen, Fang; Cole, Shelby A; Megason, Gail C; Vijayakumar, Srinivassan; Miele, Lucio; Gu, Jian-Wei

2014-01-01

The majority of triple-negative breast cancers (TNBCs) are basal-like breast cancers. However there is no reported study on anti-tumor effects of sunitinib in xenografts of basal-like TNBC (MDA-MB-468) cells. In the present study, MDA-MB-231, MDA-MB-468, MCF-7 cells were cultured using RPMI 1640 media with 10% FBS. Vascular endothelia growth factor (VEGF) protein levels were detected using ELISA (R & D Systams). MDA-MB-468 cells were exposed to sunitinib for 18 hours for measuring proliferation (3H-thymidine incorporation), migration (BD Invasion Chamber), and apoptosis (ApopTag and ApoScreen Anuexin V Kit). The effect of sunitinib on Notch-1 expression was determined by Western blot in cultured MDA-MB-468 cells. 10(6) MDA-MB-468 cells were inoculated into the left fourth mammary gland fat pad in athymic nude-foxn1 mice. When the tumor volume reached 100 mm(3), sunitinib was given by gavage at 80 mg/kg/2 days for 4 weeks. Tumor angiogenesis was determined by CD31 immunohistochemistry. Breast cancer stem cells (CSCs) isolated from the tumors were determined by flow cytometry analysis using CD44(+)/CD24(-) or low. ELISA indicated that VEGF was much more highly expressed in MDA-MB-468 cells than MDA-MB-231 and MCF-7 cells. Sunitinib significantly inhibited the proliferation, invasion, and apoptosis resistance in cultured basal like breast cancer cells. Sunitinib significantly increased the expression of Notch-1 protein in cultured MDA-MB-468 or MDA-MB-231 cells. The xenograft models showed that oral sunitinib significantly reduced the tumor volume of TNBCs in association with the inhibition of tumor angiogeneisis, but increased breast CSCs. These findings support the hypothesis that the possibility should be considered of sunitinib increasing breast CSCs though it inhibits TNBC tumor angiogenesis and growth/progression, and that effects of sunitinib on Notch expression and hypoxia may increase breast cancer stem cells. This work provides the groundwork for an

Red Dot Basal Cell Carcinoma: Report of Cases and Review of This Unique Presentation of Basal Cell Carcinoma.

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Cohen, Philip R

2017-03-22

of the preoperative cancer was greater than 12:1, demonstrating a significant lateral spread of the tumor beyond the observed clinical margins of the neoplasm. In conclusion, in a patient with a personal history of actinic keratosis or nonmelanoma skin cancer, the appearance of a new red dot in a sun-exposed site should prompt additional evaluation of the skin lesion to exclude or establish the diagnosis of red dot basal cell carcinoma.

Nevoid basal cell carcinoma syndrome

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NBCC syndrome; Gorlin-Goltz syndrome; Basal cell nevus syndrome; BCNS; Basal cell cancer - nevoid basal cell carcinoma syndrome ... Nevoid basal cell carcinoma nevus syndrome is a rare genetic ... syndrome is known as PTCH ("patched"). The gene is passed down ...

Evaluation of basal sex hormone levels for activation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis.

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Ding, Yu; Li, Juan; Yu, Yongguo; Yang, Peirong; Li, Huaiyuan; Shen, Yongnian; Huang, Xiaodong; Liu, Shijian

2018-03-28

This study aimed to identify the predictive value of basal sex hormone levels for activation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal (HPG) axis in girls. Gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) stimulation tests were performed and evaluated in a total of 1750 girls with development of secondary sex characteristics. Correlation analyses were conducted between basal sex hormones and peak luteinizing hormone (LH) levels ≥5 IU/L during the GnRH stimulation test. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves for basal levels of LH, follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), LH/FSH, and estradiol (E2) before the GnRH stimulation test were plotted. The area under the curve (AUC) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were measured for each curve. The maximum AUC value was observed for basal LH levels (0.77, 95% CI: 0.74-0.79), followed by basal FSH levels (0.73, 95% CI: 0.70-0.75), the basal LH/FSH ratio (0.68, 95% CI: 0.65-0.71), and basal E2 levels (0.61, 95% CI: 0.59-0.64). The appropriate cutoff value of basal LH levels associated with a positive response of the GnRH stimulation test was 0.35 IU/L, with a sensitivity of 63.96% and specificity of 76.3% from the ROC curves when Youden's index showed the maximum value. When 100% of patients had peak LH levels ≥5 IU/L, basal LH values were >2.72 IU/L, but the specificity was only 5.45%. Increased basal LH levels are a significant predictor of a positive response during the GnRH stimulation test for assessing activation of the HPG axis in most girls with early pubertal signs.

Proximity Interactions among Basal Body Components in Trypanosoma brucei Identify Novel Regulators of Basal Body Biogenesis and Inheritance

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Hung Quang Dang

2017-01-01

Full Text Available The basal body shares similar architecture with centrioles in animals and is involved in nucleating flagellar axonemal microtubules in flagellated eukaryotes. The early-branching Trypanosoma brucei possesses a motile flagellum nucleated from the basal body that consists of a mature basal body and an adjacent pro-basal body. Little is known about the basal body proteome and its roles in basal body biogenesis and flagellar axoneme assembly in T. brucei. Here, we report the identification of 14 conserved centriole/basal body protein homologs and 25 trypanosome-specific basal body proteins. These proteins localize to distinct subdomains of the basal body, and several of them form a ring-like structure surrounding the basal body barrel. Functional characterization of representative basal body proteins revealed distinct roles in basal body duplication/separation and flagellar axoneme assembly. Overall, this work identified novel proteins required for basal body duplication and separation and uncovered new functions of conserved basal body proteins in basal body duplication and separation, highlighting an unusual mechanism of basal body biogenesis and inheritance in this early divergent eukaryote.

TASK Channels on Basal Forebrain Cholinergic Neurons Modulate Electrocortical Signatures of Arousal by Histamine.

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Vu, Michael T; Du, Guizhi; Bayliss, Douglas A; Horner, Richard L

2015-10-07

Basal forebrain cholinergic neurons are the main source of cortical acetylcholine, and their activation by histamine elicits cortical arousal. TWIK-like acid-sensitive K(+) (TASK) channels modulate neuronal excitability and are expressed on basal forebrain cholinergic neurons, but the role of TASK channels in the histamine-basal forebrain cholinergic arousal circuit is unknown. We first expressed TASK channel subunits and histamine Type 1 receptors in HEK cells. Application of histamine in vitro inhibited the acid-sensitive K(+) current, indicating a functionally coupled signaling mechanism. We then studied the role of TASK channels in modulating electrocortical activity in vivo using freely behaving wild-type (n = 12) and ChAT-Cre:TASK(f/f) mice (n = 12), the latter lacking TASK-1/3 channels on cholinergic neurons. TASK channel deletion on cholinergic neurons significantly altered endogenous electroencephalogram oscillations in multiple frequency bands. We then identified the effect of TASK channel deletion during microperfusion of histamine into the basal forebrain. In non-rapid eye movement sleep, TASK channel deletion on cholinergic neurons significantly attenuated the histamine-induced increase in 30-50 Hz activity, consistent with TASK channels contributing to histamine action on basal forebrain cholinergic neurons. In contrast, during active wakefulness, histamine significantly increased 30-50 Hz activity in ChAT-Cre:TASK(f/f) mice but not wild-type mice, showing that the histamine response depended upon the prevailing cortical arousal state. In summary, we identify TASK channel modulation in response to histamine receptor activation in vitro, as well as a role of TASK channels on cholinergic neurons in modulating endogenous oscillations in the electroencephalogram and the electrocortical response to histamine at the basal forebrain in vivo. Attentive states and cognitive function are associated with the generation of γ EEG activity. Basal forebrain

Metastatic basal cell carcinoma caused by carcinoma misdiagnosed as acne - case report and literature review

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Aydin, Dogu; Hölmich, Lisbet Rosenkrantz; Jakobsen, Linda Plovmand

2016-01-01

Basal cell carcinoma can be misdiagnosed as acne; thus, carcinoma should be considered in treatment-resistant acne. Although rare, neglected basal cell carcinoma increases the risk of metastasis.......Basal cell carcinoma can be misdiagnosed as acne; thus, carcinoma should be considered in treatment-resistant acne. Although rare, neglected basal cell carcinoma increases the risk of metastasis....

Axillary basal cell carcinoma in patients with Goltz-Gorlin syndrome: report of basal cell carcinoma in both axilla of a woman with basal cell nevus syndrome and literature review.

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Cohen, Philip R

2014-08-17

Basal cell carcinoma of the axilla, an area that is not usually exposed to the sun, is rare. Individuals with basal cell nevus syndrome, a disorder associated with a mutation in the patch 1 (PTCH1) gene, develop numerous basal cell carcinomas. To describe a woman with basal cell nevus syndrome who developed a pigmented basal cell carcinoma in each of her axilla and to review the features of axillary basal cell carcinoma patients with Goltz-Gorlin syndrome. Pubmed was used to search the following terms: axillary basal cell carcinoma and basal cell nevus syndrome. The papers and their citations were evaluated. Basal cell nevus syndrome patients with basal cell carcinoma of the axilla were observed in two women; this represents 2.5% (2 of 79) of the patients with axillary basal cell carcinoma. Both women had pigmented tumors that were histologically nonaggressive. The cancers did not recur after curettage or excision. Basal cell carcinoma of the axilla has only been described in 79 individuals; two of the patients were women with pigmented tumors who had basal cell nevus syndrome. Similar to other patients with axillary basal cell carcinoma, the tumors were histologically nonaggressive and did not recur following treatment. Whether PTCH1 gene mutation predisposes basal cell nevus patients to develop axillary basal cell carcinomas remains to be determined.

T2-weighted high-intensity signals in the basal ganglia as an interesting image finding in Unverricht-Lundborg disease.

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Korja, Miikka; Ferlazzo, Edoardo; Soilu-Hänninen, Merja; Magaudda, Adriana; Marttila, Reijo; Genton, Pierre; Parkkola, Riitta

2010-01-01

We conducted a search for white matter changes (WMCs) in 13 Unverricht-Lundborg disease patients and compared the prevalence of WMCs in these patients to age-matched long-term epileptics and healthy controls. ULD patients had significantly more T2-weighted high-intensity signals on MRI than control subjects, due to the increased prevalence of these signals in the basal ganglia. Interestingly, ULD patients with the basal ganglia changes were overweight. Basal ganglia T2-weighted high-intensity signals are novel findings in ULD. 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Deficiency of the DNA repair protein nibrin increases the basal but not the radiation induced mutation frequency in vivo

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wessendorf, Petra; Vijg, Jan; Nussenzweig, André; Digweed, Martin

2014-01-01

Highlights: • lacZ mutant frequencies measured in vivo in mouse models of radiosensitive Nijmegen Breakage Syndrome. • Spontaneous mutation frequencies are increased in lymphatic tissue due to Nbn mutation. • Single base transitions, not deletions, dominate the mutation spectrum. • Radiation induced mutation frequencies are not increased due to Nbn mutation. - Abstract: Nibrin (NBN) is a member of a DNA repair complex together with MRE11 and RAD50. The complex is associated particularly with the repair of DNA double strand breaks and with the regulation of cell cycle check points. Hypomorphic mutation of components of the complex leads to human disorders characterised by radiosensitivity and increased tumour occurrence, particularly of the lymphatic system. We have examined here the relationship between DNA damage, mutation frequency and mutation spectrum in vitro and in vivo in mouse models carrying NBN mutations and a lacZ reporter plasmid. We find that NBN mutation leads to increased spontaneous DNA damage in fibroblasts in vitro and high basal mutation rates in lymphatic tissue of mice in vivo. The characteristic mutation spectrum is dominated by single base transitions rather than the deletions and complex rearrangements expected after abortive repair of DNA double strand breaks. We conclude that in the absence of wild type nibrin, the repair of spontaneous errors, presumably arising during DNA replication, makes a major contribution to the basal mutation rate. This applies also to cells heterozygous for an NBN null mutation. Mutation frequencies after irradiation in vivo were not increased in mice with nibrin mutations as might have been expected considering the radiosensitivity of NBS patient cells in vitro. Evidently apoptosis is efficient, even in the absence of wild type nibrin

Deficiency of the DNA repair protein nibrin increases the basal but not the radiation induced mutation frequency in vivo

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wessendorf, Petra [Institute of Medical and Human Genetics, Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Augustenburger Platz 1, D-13353 Berlin (Germany); Vijg, Jan [Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Michael F. Price Center, 1301 Morris Park Avenue, Bronx, NY 10461 (United States); Nussenzweig, André [Laboratory of Genome Integrity, National Cancer Institute, National Institute of Health, 37 Convent Drive, Room 1106, Bethesda, MD 20892 (United States); Digweed, Martin, E-mail: martin.digweed@charite.de [Institute of Medical and Human Genetics, Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Augustenburger Platz 1, D-13353 Berlin (Germany)

2014-11-15

Highlights: • lacZ mutant frequencies measured in vivo in mouse models of radiosensitive Nijmegen Breakage Syndrome. • Spontaneous mutation frequencies are increased in lymphatic tissue due to Nbn mutation. • Single base transitions, not deletions, dominate the mutation spectrum. • Radiation induced mutation frequencies are not increased due to Nbn mutation. - Abstract: Nibrin (NBN) is a member of a DNA repair complex together with MRE11 and RAD50. The complex is associated particularly with the repair of DNA double strand breaks and with the regulation of cell cycle check points. Hypomorphic mutation of components of the complex leads to human disorders characterised by radiosensitivity and increased tumour occurrence, particularly of the lymphatic system. We have examined here the relationship between DNA damage, mutation frequency and mutation spectrum in vitro and in vivo in mouse models carrying NBN mutations and a lacZ reporter plasmid. We find that NBN mutation leads to increased spontaneous DNA damage in fibroblasts in vitro and high basal mutation rates in lymphatic tissue of mice in vivo. The characteristic mutation spectrum is dominated by single base transitions rather than the deletions and complex rearrangements expected after abortive repair of DNA double strand breaks. We conclude that in the absence of wild type nibrin, the repair of spontaneous errors, presumably arising during DNA replication, makes a major contribution to the basal mutation rate. This applies also to cells heterozygous for an NBN null mutation. Mutation frequencies after irradiation in vivo were not increased in mice with nibrin mutations as might have been expected considering the radiosensitivity of NBS patient cells in vitro. Evidently apoptosis is efficient, even in the absence of wild type nibrin.

Basal Cell Carcinoma: 10 Years of Experience

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cigna, E.; Tarallo, M.; Maruccia, M.; Sorvillo, V.; Pollastrini, A.; Scuderi, N.

2011-01-01

Introduction. Basal cell carcinoma (BCC) is a locally invasive malignant epidermal tumour. Incidence is increasing by 10% per year; incidence of metastases is minimal, but relapses are frequent (40%-50%). The complete excision of the BCC allows reduction of relapse. Materials and Methods. The study cohort consists of 1123 patients underwent surgery for basal cell carcinoma between 1999 and 2009. Patient and tumor characteristics recorded are: age; gender; localization (head and neck, trunk, and upper and lower extremities), tumor size, excisional margins adopted, and relapses. Results. The study considered a group of 1123 patients affected by basal cell carcinoma. Relapses occurred in 30 cases (2,67%), 27 out of 30 relapses occurred in noble areas, where peripheral margin was <3mm. Incompletely excised basal cell carcinoma occurred in 21 patients (1,87%) and were treated with an additional excision. Discussion. Although guidelines indicate 3mm peripheral margin of excision in BCC <2cm, in our experience, a margin of less than 5mm results in a high risk of incomplete excisions

The effect of X-rays and hypothermia on basal and stress levels of circulatory adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) in rats

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Demajo, M.; Ivanisevic-Milovanovic, O.

1995-01-01

Basal and stress values of plasma ACTH were studied in: 1. normal controls (N), 2. hypothermic controls (NH), 3. Irradiated with 9.6 Gy of X-rays in the head region (9.6 Gy) and 4. hypothermic irradiated with 9.6 Gy (9.6 GyH). A lower basal level of ACTH (p<0.05) was detected in 9.6 Gy animals compared to the other groups, between which there was no significant difference (p<0.05). The stress response of ACTH in relation to the basal level was highest in N (323.92%), the lowest in 9.6 Gy animals (67.41%). The significant increase of ACTH stress response (p<0.001) was detected in the group 9.6 GyH (118.83%) compared to 9.6 Gy. In conclusion, a single dose of X-rays significantly reduced ACTH i circulation, while hypothermia shows a significant protective effect. (author)

Deep-Brain Stimulation for Basal Ganglia Disorders.

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Wichmann, Thomas; Delong, Mahlon R

2011-07-01

The realization that medications used to treat movement disorders and psychiatric conditions of basal ganglia origin have significant shortcomings, as well as advances in the understanding of the functional organization of the brain, has led to a renaissance in functional neurosurgery, and particularly the use of deep brain stimulation (DBS). Movement disorders are now routinely being treated with DBS of 'motor' portions of the basal ganglia output nuclei, specifically the subthalamic nucleus and the internal pallidal segment. These procedures are highly effective and generally safe. Use of DBS is also being explored in the treatment of neuropsychiatric disorders, with targeting of the 'limbic' basal ganglia-thalamocortical circuitry. The results of these procedures are also encouraging, but many unanswered questions remain in this emerging field. This review summarizes the scientific rationale and practical aspects of using DBS for neurologic and neuropsychiatric disorders.

Greenland deep boreholes inform on sliding and deformation of the basal ice

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Dahl-Jensen, D.

2017-12-01

Repeated measurements of the deformation of the deep boreholes on the Greenland ice sheet informs on the basal sliding, near basal deformation and in general on the horizontal velocity through the ice. Results of the logging of the boreholes at Dye3, GRIP, NGRIP, NEEM and Camp Century through the last 40 years by the Danish Ice and Climate group will be presented and discussed. The results on the flow will be compared with the information on ice properties, impurity load and bedrock entrained material from the deep ice cores and the radio echo sounding images near the drill sites.The results show that the basal movement often happens in an impurity rich zone above the bedrock while pure basal sliding is limited even in the presence of basal water and significant basal melt.Most of the deep ice core sites are located close to ice divides where the surface velocity is limited so significant basal sliding is not expected. Exceptions are the surface velocities at Camp Century and Dye 3, both being 13 m/yr.Finally, the ongoing deep drilling at EGRIP will shortly be presented where we are drilling in the center of the North East Greenland Ice Stream (NEGIS).

Relevance of detail in basal topography for basal slipperiness inversions: a case study on Pine Island Glacier, Antarctica

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Kyrke-Smith, Teresa M.; Gudmundsson, G. Hilmar; Farrell, Patrick E.

2018-04-01

Given high-resolution satellite-derived surface elevation and velocity data, ice-sheet models generally estimate mechanical basal boundary conditions using surface-to-bed inversion methods. In this work, we address the sensitivity of results from inversion methods to the accuracy of the bed elevation data on Pine Island Glacier. We show that misfit between observations and model output is reduced when high-resolution bed topography is used in the inverse model. By looking at results with a range of detail included in the bed elevation, we consider the separation of basal drag due to the bed topography (form drag) and that due to inherent bed properties (skin drag). The mean value of basal shear stress is reduced when more detailed topography is included in the model. This suggests that without a fully resolved bed a significant amount of the basal shear stress recovered from inversion methods may be due to the unresolved bed topography. However, the spatial structure of the retrieved fields is robust as the bed accuracy is varied; the fields are instead sensitive to the degree of regularisation applied to the inversion. While the implications for the future temporal evolution of PIG are not quantified here directly, our work raises the possibility that skin drag may be overestimated in the current generation of numerical ice-sheet models of this area. These shortcomings could be overcome by inverting simultaneously for both bed topography and basal slipperiness.

Cholinergic basal forebrain structures are not essential for mediation of the arousing action of glutamate.

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Lelkes, Zoltán; Abdurakhmanova, Shamsiiat; Porkka-Heiskanen, Tarja

2017-09-18

The cholinergic basal forebrain contributes to cortical activation and receives rich innervations from the ascending activating system. It is involved in the mediation of the arousing actions of noradrenaline and histamine. Glutamatergic stimulation in the basal forebrain results in cortical acetylcholine release and suppression of sleep. However, it is not known to what extent the cholinergic versus non-cholinergic basal forebrain projection neurones contribute to the arousing action of glutamate. To clarify this question, we administered N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA), a glutamate agonist, into the basal forebrain in intact rats and after destruction of the cholinergic cells in the basal forebrain with 192 immunoglobulin (Ig)G-saporin. In eight Han-Wistar rats with implanted electroencephalogram/electromyogram (EEG/EMG) electrodes and guide cannulas for microdialysis probes, 0.23 μg 192 IgG-saporin was administered into the basal forebrain, while the eight control animals received artificial cerebrospinal fluid. Two weeks later, a microdialysis probe targeted into the basal forebrain was perfused with cerebrospinal fluid on the baseline day and for 3 h with 0.3 mmNMDA on the subsequent day. Sleep-wake activity was recorded for 24 h on both days. NMDA exhibited a robust arousing effect in both the intact and the lesioned rats. Wakefulness was increased and both non-REM and REM sleep were decreased significantly during the 3-h NMDA perfusion. Destruction of the basal forebrain cholinergic neurones did not abolish the wake-enhancing action of NMDA. Thus, the cholinergic basal forebrain structures are not essential for the mediation of the arousing action of glutamate. © 2017 European Sleep Research Society.

Functional neuroanatomy of the basal ganglia.

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Lanciego, José L; Luquin, Natasha; Obeso, José A

2012-12-01

The "basal ganglia" refers to a group of subcortical nuclei responsible primarily for motor control, as well as other roles such as motor learning, executive functions and behaviors, and emotions. Proposed more than two decades ago, the classical basal ganglia model shows how information flows through the basal ganglia back to the cortex through two pathways with opposing effects for the proper execution of movement. Although much of the model has remained, the model has been modified and amplified with the emergence of new data. Furthermore, parallel circuits subserve the other functions of the basal ganglia engaging associative and limbic territories. Disruption of the basal ganglia network forms the basis for several movement disorders. This article provides a comprehensive account of basal ganglia functional anatomy and chemistry and the major pathophysiological changes underlying disorders of movement. We try to answer three key questions related to the basal ganglia, as follows: What are the basal ganglia? What are they made of? How do they work? Some insight on the canonical basal ganglia model is provided, together with a selection of paradoxes and some views over the horizon in the field.

Effect of basal forebrain stimulation on extracellular acetylcholine release and blood flow in the olfactory bulb.

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Uchida, Sae; Kagitani, Fusako

2017-05-12

The olfactory bulb receives cholinergic basal forebrain input, as does the neocortex; however, the in vivo physiological functions regarding the release of extracellular acetylcholine and regulation of regional blood flow in the olfactory bulb are unclear. We used in vivo microdialysis to measure the extracellular acetylcholine levels in the olfactory bulb of urethane-anesthetized rats. Focal chemical stimulation by microinjection of L-glutamate into the horizontal limb of the diagonal band of Broca (HDB) in the basal forebrain, which is the main source of cholinergic input to the olfactory bulb, increased extracellular acetylcholine release in the ipsilateral olfactory bulb. When the regional cerebral blood flow was measured using laser speckle contrast imaging, the focal chemical stimulation of the HDB did not significantly alter the blood flow in the olfactory bulb, while increases were observed in the neocortex. Our results suggest a functional difference between the olfactory bulb and neocortex regarding cerebral blood flow regulation through the release of acetylcholine by cholinergic basal forebrain input.

Airway Basal Cell Heterogeneity and Lung Squamous Cell Carcinoma.

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Hynds, Robert E; Janes, Sam M

2017-09-01

Basal cells are stem/progenitor cells that maintain airway homeostasis, enact repair following epithelial injury, and are a candidate cell-of-origin for lung squamous cell carcinoma. Heterogeneity of basal cells is recognized in terms of gene expression and differentiation capacity. In this Issue, Pagano and colleagues isolate a subset of immortalized basal cells that are characterized by high motility, suggesting that they might also be heterogeneous in their biophysical properties. Motility-selected cells displayed an increased ability to colonize the lung in vivo The possible implications of these findings are discussed in terms of basal cell heterogeneity, epithelial cell migration, and modeling of metastasis that occurs early in cancer evolution. Cancer Prev Res; 10(9); 491-3. ©2017 AACR See related article by Pagano et al., p. 514 . ©2017 American Association for Cancer Research.

Changes in Body Compositions and Basal Metabolic Rates during Treatment of Graves’ Disease

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Min Joo Kim

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Objectives. Because thyroid hormone is an important determinant of body weight and basal metabolic rate, we investigated the changes in the basal metabolic rate and body composition sequentially after treatment for Graves’ disease. Methods. A prospective cohort study was performed with six women newly diagnosed with Graves’ disease. During a 52-week treatment of methimazole, body composition, resting respiratory expenditure (REE, and handgrip strength were measured consecutively. Results. After methimazole treatment, body weight was initially increased (0–8 weeks, subsequently plateaued (8–24 weeks, and gradually decreased in the later period (24–52 weeks despite the decreased food intake. The measured REE was 40% higher than the predicted REE at baseline, and it gradually decreased after treatment. REE positively correlated with thyroid hormone levels, peripheral deiodinase activity, and thyroid’s secretory capacity. Body compositional analyses showed that the fat mass increased during an earlier period (4–12 weeks, while the lean mass increased significantly during the later period (26–52 weeks. Consistent with the lean mass changes, muscle strength also significantly increased during the later period. Conclusions. Treatment of Graves’ disease increased body weight and fat mass transiently with decreased REE. However, long-term compositional changes moved in a beneficial direction increasing lean mass and reinforcing muscle strength, following decreasing fat percentages.

Basal ganglia circuits changes in Parkinson's disease patients.

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Wu, Tao; Wang, Jue; Wang, Chaodong; Hallett, Mark; Zang, Yufeng; Wu, Xiaoli; Chan, Piu

2012-08-22

Functional changes in basal ganglia circuitry are responsible for the major clinical features of Parkinson's disease (PD). Current models of basal ganglia circuitry can only partially explain the cardinal symptoms in PD. We used functional MRI to investigate the causal connectivity of basal ganglia networks from the substantia nigra pars compacta (SNc) in PD in the movement and resting state. In controls, SNc activity predicted increased activity in the supplementary motor area, the default mode network, and dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, but, in patients, activity predicted decreases in the same structures. The SNc had decreased connectivity with the striatum, globus pallidus, subthalamic nucleus, thalamus, supplementary motor area, dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, insula, default mode network, temporal lobe, cerebellum, and pons in patients compared to controls. Levodopa administration partially normalized the pattern of connectivity. Our findings show how the dopaminergic system exerts influences on widespread brain networks, including motor and cognitive networks. The pattern of basal ganglia network connectivity is abnormal in PD secondary to dopamine depletion, and is more deviant in more severe disease. Use of functional MRI with network analysis appears to be a useful method to demonstrate basal ganglia pathways in vivo in human subjects. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

The human airway epithelial basal cell transcriptome.

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Neil R Hackett

2011-05-01

Full Text Available The human airway epithelium consists of 4 major cell types: ciliated, secretory, columnar and basal cells. During natural turnover and in response to injury, the airway basal cells function as stem/progenitor cells for the other airway cell types. The objective of this study is to better understand human airway epithelial basal cell biology by defining the gene expression signature of this cell population.Bronchial brushing was used to obtain airway epithelium from healthy nonsmokers. Microarrays were used to assess the transcriptome of basal cells purified from the airway epithelium in comparison to the transcriptome of the differentiated airway epithelium. This analysis identified the "human airway basal cell signature" as 1,161 unique genes with >5-fold higher expression level in basal cells compared to differentiated epithelium. The basal cell signature was suppressed when the basal cells differentiated into a ciliated airway epithelium in vitro. The basal cell signature displayed overlap with genes expressed in basal-like cells from other human tissues and with that of murine airway basal cells. Consistent with self-modulation as well as signaling to other airway cell types, the human airway basal cell signature was characterized by genes encoding extracellular matrix components, growth factors and growth factor receptors, including genes related to the EGF and VEGF pathways. Interestingly, while the basal cell signature overlaps that of basal-like cells of other organs, the human airway basal cell signature has features not previously associated with this cell type, including a unique pattern of genes encoding extracellular matrix components, G protein-coupled receptors, neuroactive ligands and receptors, and ion channels.The human airway epithelial basal cell signature identified in the present study provides novel insights into the molecular phenotype and biology of the stem/progenitor cells of the human airway epithelium.

Increased basal and pulsatile secretion of FSH and LH in young men with 47,XXY or 46,XX karyotypes

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Aksglaede, L.; Jensen, Rikke Bodin Beck; Carlsen, E.

2008-01-01

testicular failure due to supernumerary X chromosomes. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study. METHODS: In this study, 7 untreated patients with primary gonadal insufficiency due to SRY-positive 46,XX (n=4) and 46,XXY karyotypes (n=3) aged 18.8 years and 25 age-matched healthy controls participated. Reproductive...... basal, pulsatile, and total LH and FSH secretion were associated with significantly more LH peaks per 24 h in comparison with healthy controls. Thus, our data indicate that in patients with Klinefelter syndrome and XX male karyotypes the entire hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis has undergone...

Variable Basal Melt Rates of Antarctic Peninsula Ice Shelves, 1994-2016

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Adusumilli, Susheel; Fricker, Helen Amanda; Siegfried, Matthew R.; Padman, Laurie; Paolo, Fernando S.; Ligtenberg, Stefan R. M.

2018-05-01

We have constructed 23-year (1994-2016) time series of Antarctic Peninsula (AP) ice-shelf height change using data from four satellite radar altimeters (ERS-1, ERS-2, Envisat, and CryoSat-2). Combining these time series with output from atmospheric and firn models, we partitioned the total height-change signal into contributions from varying surface mass balance, firn state, ice dynamics, and basal mass balance. On the Bellingshausen coast of the AP, ice shelves lost 84 ± 34 Gt a-1 to basal melting, compared to contributions of 50 ± 7 Gt a-1 from surface mass balance and ice dynamics. Net basal melting on the Weddell coast was 51 ± 71 Gt a-1. Recent changes in ice-shelf height include increases over major AP ice shelves driven by changes in firn state. Basal melt rates near Bawden Ice Rise, a major pinning point of Larsen C Ice Shelf, showed large increases, potentially leading to substantial loss of buttressing if sustained.

Association of basal serum androgen levels with ovarian response and ICSI cycle outcome.

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Abide Yayla, C; Ozkaya, E; Kayatas Eser, S; Sanverdi, I; Devranoglu, B; Kutlu, T

2018-05-01

The purpose of this study was to assess the predictive value of basal serum testosterone (T) and dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEAS) levels during follicular phase for ovarian response and outcome in intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) cycles of women with diminished ovarian reserve. We prospectively gathered data of basal serum androgen levels and ICSI cycle characteristics of 120 women with diminished ovarian reserve. Association of basal serum T and DHEAS levels with ovarian response was analyzed. Basal T and DHEAS levels were similar between pregnant and non-pregnant cases (P > 0.05). There were significant differences between groups with and without successful embryo implantation in terms of serum follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH), gonadotropin starting and total dose, and peak estradiol level (P stimulation due to unresponsiveness (n = 26, 21.7%), no oocyte at oocyte pickup (n = 11, 9.2%), no mature oocyte (n = 6, 5%), and failure of fertilization or embryo development (n = 15, 12.5%). Basal androgen levels were not significant predictors for any of the cycle outcome. AMH level was a significant predictor for failure of fertilization or embryo development (AUC 0.722, P = 0.01) and cancelation of stimulation (AUC 0.801, P stimulation (AUC 0.774, P basal T and DHEAS levels have no value in predicting any of the cycle outcome parameters.

Effect of an 8-week practice of externally triggered speech on basal ganglia activity of stuttering and fluent speakers.

Science.gov (United States)

Toyomura, Akira; Fujii, Tetsunoshin; Kuriki, Shinya

2015-04-01

The neural mechanisms underlying stuttering are not well understood. It is known that stuttering appears when persons who stutter speak in a self-paced manner, but speech fluency is temporarily increased when they speak in unison with external trigger such as a metronome. This phenomenon is very similar to the behavioral improvement by external pacing in patients with Parkinson's disease. Recent imaging studies have also suggested that the basal ganglia are involved in the etiology of stuttering. In addition, previous studies have shown that the basal ganglia are involved in self-paced movement. Then, the present study focused on the basal ganglia and explored whether long-term speech-practice using external triggers can induce modification of the basal ganglia activity of stuttering speakers. Our study of functional magnetic resonance imaging revealed that stuttering speakers possessed significantly lower activity in the basal ganglia than fluent speakers before practice, especially when their speech was self-paced. After an 8-week speech practice of externally triggered speech using a metronome, the significant difference in activity between the two groups disappeared. The cerebellar vermis of stuttering speakers showed significantly decreased activity during the self-paced speech in the second compared to the first experiment. The speech fluency and naturalness of the stuttering speakers were also improved. These results suggest that stuttering is associated with defective motor control during self-paced speech, and that the basal ganglia and the cerebellum are involved in an improvement of speech fluency of stuttering by the use of external trigger. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Long-term survival of women with basal-like ductal carcinoma in situ of the breast: a population-based cohort study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhou, Wenjing; Jirström, Karin; Johansson, Christine; Amini, Rose-Marie; Blomqvist, Carl; Agbaje, Olorunsola; Wärnberg, Fredrik

2010-01-01

Microarray gene-profiling of invasive breast cancer has identified different subtypes including luminal A, luminal B, HER2-overexpressing and basal-like groups. Basal-like invasive breast cancer is associated with a worse prognosis. However, the prognosis of basal-like ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) is still unknown. Our aim was to study the prognosis of basal-like DCIS in a large population-based cohort. All 458 women with a primary DCIS diagnosed between 1986 and 2004, in Uppland and Västmanland, Sweden were included. TMA blocks were constructed. To classify the DCIS tumors, we used immunohistochemical (IHC) markers (estrogen-, progesterone-, HER2, cytokeratin 5/6 and epidermal growth factor receptor) as a surrogate for the gene expression profiling. The association with prognosis was examined for basal-like DCIS and other subtypes using Kaplan-Meier survival analyses and Cox proportional hazards regression models. IHC data were complete for 392 women. Thirty-two were basal-like (8.2%), 351 were luminal or HER2-positive (89.5%) and 9 unclassified (2.3%). Seventy-six women had a local recurrence of which 34 were invasive. Another 3 women had general metastases as first event. Basal-like DCIS showed a higher risk of local recurrence and invasive recurrence 1.8 (Confidence interval (CI) 95%, 0.8-4.2) and 1.9 (0.7-5.1), respectively. However, the difference was not statistically significant. Also, no statistically significant increased risk was seen for triple-negative or high grade DCIS. Basal-like DCIS showed about a doubled, however not statistically significant risk for local recurrence and developing invasive cancer compared with the other molecular subtypes. Molecular subtyping was a better prognostic parameter than histopathological grade

Cortical stimulation evokes abnormal responses in the dopamine-depleted rat basal ganglia.

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Kita, Hitoshi; Kita, Takako

2011-07-13

The motor cortex (MC) sends massive projections to the basal ganglia. Motor disabilities in patients and animal models of Parkinson's disease (PD) may be caused by dopamine (DA)-depleted basal ganglia that abnormally process the information originating from MC. To study how DA depletion alters signal transfer in the basal ganglia, MC stimulation-induced (MC-induced) unitary responses were recorded from the basal ganglia of control and 6-hydroxydopamine-treated hemi-parkinsonian rats anesthetized with isoflurane. This report describes new findings about how DA depletion alters MC-induced responses. MC stimulation evokes an excitation in normally quiescent striatal (Str) neurons projecting to the globus pallidus external segment (GPe). After DA-depletion, the spontaneous firing of Str-GPe neurons increases, and MC stimulation evokes a shorter latency excitation followed by a long-lasting inhibition that was invisible under normal conditions. The increased firing activity and the newly exposed long inhibition generate tonic inhibition and a disfacilitation in GPe. The disfacilitation in GPe is then amplified in basal ganglia circuitry and generates a powerful long inhibition in the basal ganglia output nucleus, the globus pallidus internal segment. Intra-Str injections of a behaviorally effective dose of DA precursor l-3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine effectively reversed these changes. These newly observed mechanisms also support the generation of pauses and burst activity commonly observed in the basal ganglia of parkinsonian subjects. These results suggest that the generation of abnormal response sequences in the basal ganglia contributes to the development of motor disabilities in PD and that intra-Str DA supplements effectively suppress abnormal signal transfer.

Correlation transfer from basal ganglia to thalamus in Parkinson's disease

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Pamela, Reitsma; Brent, Doiron; Jonathan, Rubin

2011-01-01

Spike trains from neurons in the basal ganglia of parkinsonian primates show increased pairwise correlations, oscillatory activity, and burst rate compared to those from neurons recorded during normal brain activity. However, it is not known how these changes affect the behavior of downstream thalamic neurons. To understand how patterns of basal ganglia population activity may affect thalamic spike statistics, we study pairs of model thalamocortical (TC) relay neurons receiving correlated inhibitory input from the internal segment of the globus pallidus (GPi), a primary output nucleus of the basal ganglia. We observe that the strength of correlations of TC neuron spike trains increases with the GPi correlation level, and bursty firing patterns such as those seen in the parkinsonian GPi allow for stronger transfer of correlations than do firing patterns found under normal conditions. We also show that the T-current in the TC neurons does not significantly affect correlation transfer, despite its pronounced effects on spiking. Oscillatory firing patterns in GPi are shown to affect the timescale at which correlations are best transferred through the system. To explain this last result, we analytically compute the spike count correlation coefficient for oscillatory cases in a reduced point process model. Our analysis indicates that the dependence of the timescale of correlation transfer is robust to different levels of input spike and rate correlations and arises due to differences in instantaneous spike correlations, even when the long timescale rhythmic modulations of neurons are identical. Overall, these results show that parkinsonian firing patterns in GPi do affect the transfer of correlations to the thalamus. PMID:22355287

Endothelial MMP14 is required for endothelial-dependent growth support of human airway basal cells

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Ding, Bi-Sen; Gomi, Kazunori; Rafii, Shahin; Crystal, Ronald G.; Walters, Matthew S.

2015-01-01

ABSTRACT Human airway basal cells are the stem (or progenitor) population of the airway epithelium, and play a central role in anchoring the epithelium to the basement membrane. The anatomic position of basal cells allows for potential paracrine signaling between them and the underlying non-epithelial stromal cells. In support of this, we have previously demonstrated that endothelial cells support growth of basal cells during co-culture through vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGFA)-mediated signaling. Building on these findings, we found, by RNA sequencing analysis, that basal cells expressed multiple fibroblast growth factor (FGF) ligands (FGF2, FGF5, FGF11 and FGF13) and that only FGF2 and FGF5 were capable of functioning in a paracrine manner to activate classical FGF receptor (FGFR) signaling. Antibody-mediated blocking of FGFR1 during basal-cell–endothelial-cell co-culture significantly reduced the endothelial-cell-dependent basal cell growth. Stimulation of endothelial cells with basal-cell-derived growth factors induced endothelial cell expression of matrix metallopeptidase 14 (MMP14), and short hairpin RNA (shRNA)-mediated knockdown of endothelial cell MMP14 significantly reduced the endothelial-cell-dependent growth of basal cells. Overall, these data characterize a new growth-factor-mediated reciprocal ‘crosstalk’ between human airway basal cells and endothelial cells that regulates proliferation of basal cells. PMID:26116571

A new method to detect significant basal body temperature changes during a woman's menstrual cycle.

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Freundl, Günter; Frank-Herrmann, Petra; Brown, Simon; Blackwell, Leonard

2014-10-01

To compare the results of a computer programme based on the Trigg's tracking system (TTS) identification of the basal body temperature (BBT) shift day from daily records of BBT values (TTS transition day), with the BBT shift day identified from the same records using the Sensiplan(®) symptothermal method of natural family planning. A computer programme was written to display the daily BBT readings for 364 menstrual cycles from 51 women aged 24 to 35 years, obtained from the German Natural Family Planning (NFP) database. The TTS transition day so identified from each record was then compared with the BBT shift day estimated from the same record by the Sensiplan(®) method. Total agreement between the methods was obtained for 81% (294/364) of the cycles and 18% (67) cycles differed by ± 1 day. For the 364 pairs of values distributed among 51 women the medians of the differences between the TTS transition day and Sensiplan(®) initial day of the BBT rise (shift day) were not significantly different (χ(2) = 65.28, df = 50, p = 0.07205). The advantages of the tracking signal algorithm are that in many cases it was possible to identify the BBT shift day on that very day - rather than only some days later - and to estimate the probability that a transition had occurred from the different values of the tracking signal.

Body Composition and Basal Metabolic Rate in Women with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marina de Figueiredo Ferreira

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Objective. The aim of this study was to determine which of the seven selected equations used to predict basal metabolic rate most accurately estimated the measured basal metabolic rate. Methods. Twenty-eight adult women with type 2 diabetes mellitus participated in this cross-sectional study. Anthropometric and biochemical variables were measured as well as body composition (by absorptiometry dual X-ray emission and basal metabolic rate (by indirect calorimetry; basal metabolic rate was also estimated by prediction equations. Results. There was a significant difference between the measured and the estimated basal metabolic rate determined by the FAO/WHO/UNU (Pvalue<0.021 and Huang et al. (Pvalue≤0.005 equations. Conclusion. The calculations using Owen et al’s. equation were the closest to the measured basal metabolic rate.

Focal degeneration of basal cells and the resultant auto-immunoreactions: a novel mechanism for prostate tumor progression and invasion.

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Man, Yan-Gao; Gardner, William A

2008-01-01

) significantly lower p63 expression; (3) significantly higher apoptosis; and (4) significantly higher leukocyte infiltration and stromal reactions. Compared to their counterparts distant from focal disruptions or overlying non-disrupted basal cell layers, epithelial cells overlying focal basal cell layer disruptions showed the following unique features: (1) significantly higher proliferation; (2) significantly higher expression of cell cycle control-, cell growth-, and stem cell-related genes; and (3) physical continuity with adjacent invasive lesions. Together, these findings suggest that focal basal cell layer disruptions could substantially impact the molecular profile and biological presentations of the overlying epithelial cells. Based on these and other findings, we have proposed that prostate tumor invasion is triggered by a localized degeneration of aged or injured basal cells and the resultant auto-immunoreactions. Our hypothesized steps for prostate tumor invasion include the following: (1) due to inherited or environmental factors, some patients contained cell cycle control- and renewal-related defects in the basal cell population that cause elevated basal cell degenerations; (2) the degradation products of degenerated basal cells or diffusible molecules of the overlying epithelial cells attract leukocyte infiltration; (3) leukocytes discharge their digestive enzymes upon the direct physical contact, resulting in a focal disruption in the basal cell layer, which leads to several focal alterations: (a) a focal loss of tumor suppressors and paracrine inhibitory function; (b) a focal increase of the permeability for growth-required nutrients and oxygen; (c) a focal increase of growth factors; (d) direct physical contact between epithelial and stromal cells; and (e) the exposure of the overlying epithelial cells directly to the stromal tissue fluid. These alterations individually or collectively stimulate or favor a clonal proliferation and stromal invasion of tumor

A basal stem cell signature identifies aggressive prostate cancer phenotypes

Science.gov (United States)

Smith, Bryan A.; Sokolov, Artem; Uzunangelov, Vladislav; Baertsch, Robert; Newton, Yulia; Graim, Kiley; Mathis, Colleen; Cheng, Donghui; Stuart, Joshua M.; Witte, Owen N.

2015-01-01

Evidence from numerous cancers suggests that increased aggressiveness is accompanied by up-regulation of signaling pathways and acquisition of properties common to stem cells. It is unclear if different subtypes of late-stage cancer vary in stemness properties and whether or not these subtypes are transcriptionally similar to normal tissue stem cells. We report a gene signature specific for human prostate basal cells that is differentially enriched in various phenotypes of late-stage metastatic prostate cancer. We FACS-purified and transcriptionally profiled basal and luminal epithelial populations from the benign and cancerous regions of primary human prostates. High-throughput RNA sequencing showed the basal population to be defined by genes associated with stem cell signaling programs and invasiveness. Application of a 91-gene basal signature to gene expression datasets from patients with organ-confined or hormone-refractory metastatic prostate cancer revealed that metastatic small cell neuroendocrine carcinoma was molecularly more stem-like than either metastatic adenocarcinoma or organ-confined adenocarcinoma. Bioinformatic analysis of the basal cell and two human small cell gene signatures identified a set of E2F target genes common between prostate small cell neuroendocrine carcinoma and primary prostate basal cells. Taken together, our data suggest that aggressive prostate cancer shares a conserved transcriptional program with normal adult prostate basal stem cells. PMID:26460041

Effects of Basal Defoliation on Wine Aromas: A Meta-Analysis

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Yu Wang

2018-03-01

Full Text Available Basal defoliation, as one of the most common viticulture management practices to modify fruit zone microclimates, has been widely applied aiming at improving wine quality. Wine aroma contributes greatly to wine quality, yet the effects of basal defoliation on wine aromas show discrepancies according to previous studies. This study is a meta-analysis performed to dissect the factors related to the influence of basal defoliation on volatile compounds in wine. Timing of basal defoliation plays an important role in the concentration of varietal aromas in wine. Pre-veraison defoliation induces an increase in β-damascenone and linalool as well as a reduction in 3-isobutyl-2-methoxypyrazine (IBMP. The effects of basal defoliation on certain volatile compounds relative to fermentation aromas in wine (1-hexanol, β-phenylethanol, 2-phenylethyl acetate, decanoic acid, and ethyl octanoate depend on grape maturity. There are also other factors, such as cultivar and climate conditions, that might be responsible for the effect of basal defoliation on wine aromas. The concentrations of isobutanol, isoamyl alcohol, hexanoic acid, and octanoic acid as well as ethyl isobutyrate, ethyl hexanoate, ethyl isovalerate, and ethyl decanoate in wine are not markedly affected by basal defoliation. Due to limited studies included in this meta-analysis, more trials are needed to confirm the current findings.

Measurement of the Effect of Phenothiazine on the Manganese Concentration in the Basal Ganglia of Sub-Human Primates by Activation Analysis

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bird, E. D.; Grant, L. G.; Ellis, W. H. [University of Florida, Gainesville, FL (United States)

1967-10-15

In man toxicity to manganese and phenothiazine drugs is manifested as dyskinesia. Cotzias and co-workers demonstrated that the phenothiazines form a semiquinone radical with manganese suggesting a common mechanism for production of Parkinsonism. Previous measurements of manganese have been made on whole brain. The very sensitive technique of activation analysis was used in the present study to measure manganese concentration in various nuclei of the basal ganglia. Phenothiazine was given to one group of Rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta) for one month. One group served as a control. After sacrifice the basal ganglia were dissected out with plastic knives, dried, and duplicate samples exposed to thermal neutrons at a flux of 1.35 x 10{sup 12} n/cm{sup 2}s. Manganese was separated radiochemical and counts under the manganese peak were compared to a standard handled identically. The results are presented. The manganese concentration was significantly increased in the putamen of primates receiving phenothiazine. There was no significant difference in the other nuclei examined. Phenothiazine is concentrated in basal ganglia. Dopamine is found in large quantities in caudate and putamen, and following phenothiazine therapy dopamine was found to be increased slightly. The associated increase of manganese and dopamine following phenothiazine provides some evidence that this drug causes profound biochemical alterations in the basal ganglia resulting in the various dyskinesias that are seen. (author)

Implications of basal micro-earthquakes and tremor for ice stream mechanics: Stick-slip basal sliding and till erosion

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Barcheck, C. Grace; Tulaczyk, Slawek; Schwartz, Susan Y.; Walter, Jacob I.; Winberry, J. Paul

2018-03-01

The Whillans Ice Plain (WIP) is unique among Antarctic ice streams because it moves by stick-slip. The conditions allowing stick-slip and its importance in controlling ice dynamics remain uncertain. Local basal seismicity previously observed during unstable slip is a clue to the mechanism of ice stream stick-slip and a window into current basal conditions, but the spatial extent and importance of this basal seismicity are unknown. We analyze data from a 2010-2011 ice-plain-wide seismic and GPS network to show that basal micro-seismicity correlates with large-scale patterns in ice stream slip behavior: Basal seismicity is common where the ice moves the least between unstable slip events, with small discrete basal micro-earthquakes happening within 10s of km of the central stick-slip nucleation area and emergent basal tremor occurring downstream of this area. Basal seismicity is largely absent in surrounding areas, where inter-slip creep rates are high. The large seismically active area suggests that a frictional sliding law that can accommodate stick-slip may be appropriate for ice stream beds on regional scales. Variability in seismic behavior over inter-station distances of 1-10 km indicates heterogeneity in local bed conditions and frictional complexity. WIP unstable slips may nucleate when stick-slip basal earthquake patches fail over a large area. We present a conceptual model in which basal seismicity results from slip-weakening frictional failure of over-consolidated till as it is eroded and mobilized into deforming till.

Basal Glutathionylation of Na,K-ATPase α-Subunit Depends on Redox Status of Cells during the Enzyme Biosynthesis

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Vladimir A. Mitkevich

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Many viruses induce oxidative stress and cause S-glutathionylation of Cys residues of the host and viral proteins. Changes in cell functioning during viral infection may be associated with glutathionylation of a number of key proteins including Na,K-ATPase which creates a gradient of sodium and potassium ions. It was found that Na,K-ATPase α-subunit has a basal glutathionylation which is not abrogated by reducing agent. We have shown that acute hypoxia leads to increase of total glutathionylation level of Na,K-ATPase α-subunit; however, basal glutathionylation of α-subunit increases under prolonged hypoxia only. The role of basal glutathionylation in Na,K-ATPase function remains unclear. Understanding significance of basal glutathionylation is complicated by the fact that there are no X-ray structures of Na,K-ATPase with the identified glutathione molecules. We have analyzed all X-ray structures of the Na,K-ATPase α-subunit from pig kidney and found that there are a number of isolated cavities with unresolved electron density close to the relevant cysteine residues. Analysis of the structures showed that this unresolved density in the structure can be occupied by glutathione associated with cysteine residues. Here, we discuss the role of basal glutathionylation of Na,K-ATPase α-subunit and provide evidence supporting the view that this modification is cotranslational.

Basal Glutathionylation of Na,K-ATPase α-Subunit Depends on Redox Status of Cells during the Enzyme Biosynthesis.

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Mitkevich, Vladimir A; Petrushanko, Irina Yu; Poluektov, Yuri M; Burnysheva, Ksenia M; Lakunina, Valentina A; Anashkina, Anastasia A; Makarov, Alexander A

2016-01-01

Many viruses induce oxidative stress and cause S-glutathionylation of Cys residues of the host and viral proteins. Changes in cell functioning during viral infection may be associated with glutathionylation of a number of key proteins including Na,K-ATPase which creates a gradient of sodium and potassium ions. It was found that Na,K-ATPase α-subunit has a basal glutathionylation which is not abrogated by reducing agent. We have shown that acute hypoxia leads to increase of total glutathionylation level of Na,K-ATPase α-subunit; however, basal glutathionylation of α-subunit increases under prolonged hypoxia only. The role of basal glutathionylation in Na,K-ATPase function remains unclear. Understanding significance of basal glutathionylation is complicated by the fact that there are no X-ray structures of Na,K-ATPase with the identified glutathione molecules. We have analyzed all X-ray structures of the Na,K-ATPase α-subunit from pig kidney and found that there are a number of isolated cavities with unresolved electron density close to the relevant cysteine residues. Analysis of the structures showed that this unresolved density in the structure can be occupied by glutathione associated with cysteine residues. Here, we discuss the role of basal glutathionylation of Na,K-ATPase α-subunit and provide evidence supporting the view that this modification is cotranslational.

Gas revenue increasingly significant

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Megill, R.E.

1991-01-01

This paper briefly describes the wellhead prices of natural gas compared to crude oil over the past 70 years. Although natural gas prices have never reached price parity with crude oil, the relative value of a gas BTU has been increasing. It is one of the reasons that the total amount of money coming from natural gas wells is becoming more significant. From 1920 to 1955 the revenue at the wellhead for natural gas was only about 10% of the money received by producers. Most of the money needed for exploration, development, and production came from crude oil. At present, however, over 40% of the money from the upstream portion of the petroleum industry is from natural gas. As a result, in a few short years natural gas may become 50% of the money revenues generated from wellhead production facilities

Regulation of basal gastric acid secretion by the glycogen synthase kinase GSK3.

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Rotte, Anand; Pasham, Venkanna; Eichenmüller, Melanie; Yang, Wenting; Qadri, Syed M; Bhandaru, Madhuri; Lang, Florian

2010-10-01

According to previous observations, basal gastric acid secretion is downregulated by phosphoinositol-3-(PI3)-kinase, phosphoinositide-dependent kinase (PDK1), and protein kinase B (PKBβ/Akt2) signaling. PKB/Akt phosphorylates glycogen synthase kinase GSK3. The present study explored whether PKB/Akt-dependent GSK3-phosphorylation modifies gastric acid secretion. Utilizing 2',7'-bis-(carboxyethyl)-5(6')-carboxyfluorescein (BCECF)-fluorescence, basal gastric acid secretion was determined from Na(+)-independent pH recovery (∆pH/min) following an ammonium pulse, which reflects H(+)/K(+)-ATPase activity. Experiments were performed in gastric glands from gene-targeted mice (gsk3 ( KI )) with PKB/serum and glucocorticoid-inducible kinase (SGK)-insensitive GSKα,β, in which the serines within the PKB/SGK phosphorylation site were replaced by alanine (GSK3α(21A/21A), GSK3β(9A/9A)). The cytosolic pH in isolated gastric glands was similar in gsk3 ( KI ) and their wild-type littermates (gsk3 ( WT )). However, ∆pH/min was significantly larger in gsk3 ( KI ) than in gsk3 ( WT ) mice and ∆pH/min was virtually abolished by the H(+)/K(+)-ATPase inhibitor omeprazole (100 μM) in gastric glands from both gsk3 ( KI ) and gsk3 ( WT ). Plasma gastrin levels were lower in gsk3 ( KI ) than in gsk3 ( WT ). Both, an increase of extracellular K(+) concentration to 35 mM [replacing Na(+)/N-methyl-D: -glucamine (NMDG)] and treatment with forskolin (5 μM), significantly increased ∆pH/min to virtually the same value in both genotypes. The protein kinase A (PKA) inhibitor H89 (150 nM) and the H(2)-receptor antagonist ranitidine (100 μM) decreased ∆pH/min in gsk3 ( KI ) but not gsk3 ( WT ) and again abrogated the differences between the genotypes. The protein abundance of phosphorylated but not of total PKA was significantly larger in gsk3 ( KI ) than in gsk3 ( WT ). Basal gastric acid secretion is enhanced by the disruption of PKB/SGK-dependent phosphorylation and the

Which features of advanced head and neck basal cell carcinoma are associated with perineural invasion?

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André Bandiera de Oliveira Santos

Full Text Available Abstract Introduction Perineural invasion is a unique route for tumor dissemination. In basal cell carcinomas, the incidence is low, but increases in advanced cases. Its importance is recognized but not fully understood. Objective To compare head and neck basal cell carcinomas with and without perineural invasion. Methods A retrospective medical chart review of multidisciplinary surgeries for basal cell carcinomas that required a head and neck surgery specialist in a tertiary referral center was performed. Clinical-demographics and histopathological features were analyzed. Results Of 354 cases, perineural invasion was present in 23.1%. Larger tumors and morpheaform subtype were statistically related to perineural invasion. Nodular and superficial subtypes were less frequent in positive cases. No significant difference was found in gender, age, ulceration, location, and mixed histology. Conclusion In this series of selected patients with basal cell carcinomas submitted to major resections, perineural invasion was clearly related to morpheaform subtype and to larger tumors. Other classically associated features, such as location in high-risk mask zone of the face, male gender and mixed histology, were not so strongly linked to perineural invasion.

Future of newer basal insulin

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Madhu, S. V.; Velmurugan, M.

2013-01-01

Basal insulin have been developed over the years. In recent times newer analogues have been added to the armanentarium for diabetes therapy. This review specifically reviews the current status of different basal insulins

Yield and size of oyster mushroom grown on rice/wheat straw basal substrate supplemented with cotton seed hull.

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Wenjie; Guo, Fengling; Wan, Zhengjie

2013-10-01

Oyster mushroom (Pleurotus ostreatus) was cultivated on rice straw basal substrate, wheat straw basal substrate, cotton seed hull basal substrate, and wheat straw or rice straw supplemented with different proportions (15%, 30%, and 45% in rice straw substrate, 20%, 30%, and 40% in wheat straw substrate) of cotton seed hull to find a cost effective substrate. The effect of autoclaved sterilized and non-sterilized substrate on growth and yield of oyster mushroom was also examined. Results indicated that for both sterilized substrate and non-sterilized substrate, oyster mushroom on rice straw and wheat basal substrate have faster mycelial growth rate, comparatively poor surface mycelial density, shorter total colonization period and days from bag opening to primordia formation, lower yield and biological efficiency, lower mushroom weight, longer stipe length and smaller cap diameter than that on cotton seed hull basal substrate. The addition of cotton seed hull to rice straw and wheat straw substrate slowed spawn running, primordial development and fruit body formation. However, increasing the amount of cotton seed hull can increase the uniformity and white of mycelium, yield and biological efficiency, and increase mushroom weight, enlarge cap diameter and shorten stipe length. Compared to the sterilized substrate, the non-sterilized substrate had comparatively higher mycelial growth rate, shorter total colonization period and days from bag opening to primordia formation. However, the non-sterilized substrate did not gave significantly higher mushroom yield and biological efficiency than the sterilized substrate, but some undesirable characteristics, i.e. smaller mushroom cap diameter and relatively long stipe length.

Interaction of synchronized dynamics in cortex and basal ganglia in Parkinson's disease.

Science.gov (United States)

Ahn, Sungwoo; Zauber, S Elizabeth; Worth, Robert M; Witt, Thomas; Rubchinsky, Leonid L

2015-09-01

Parkinson's disease pathophysiology is marked by increased oscillatory and synchronous activity in the beta frequency band in cortical and basal ganglia circuits. This study explores the functional connections between synchronized dynamics of cortical areas and synchronized dynamics of subcortical areas in Parkinson's disease. We simultaneously recorded neuronal units (spikes) and local field potentials (LFP) from subthalamic nucleus (STN) and electroencephalograms (EEGs) from the scalp in parkinsonian patients, and analysed the correlation between the time courses of the spike-LFP synchronization and inter-electrode EEG synchronization. We found the (non-invasively obtained) time course of the synchrony strength between EEG electrodes and the (invasively obtained) time course of the synchrony between spiking units and LFP in STN to be weakly, but significantly, correlated with each other. This correlation is largest for the bilateral motor EEG synchronization, followed by bilateral frontal EEG synchronization. Our observations suggest that there may be multiple functional modes by which the cortical and basal ganglia circuits interact with each other in Parkinson's disease: not only may synchronization be observed between some areas in cortex and the basal ganglia, but also synchronization within cortex and within basal ganglia may be related, suggesting potentially a more global functional interaction. More coherent dynamics in one brain region may modulate or activate the dynamics of another brain region in a more powerful way, causing correlations between changes in synchrony strength in the two regions. © 2015 Federation of European Neuroscience Societies and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Basal ganglia calcification on computed tomography in systemic lupus erythematosus

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nagaoka, Shohei; Tani, Kenji; Ishigatsubo, Yoshiaki

1988-01-01

The development of basal ganglia calcification was studied in 85 patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) by computed tomography (CT). Bilateral calcification of the basal ganglia was found to occur in 5 patients (5.9 %) with SLE, but was not seen in patients with rheumatoid arthritis and progressive systemic sclerosis. All were female with a mean age of 42 years (range 29 - 49). The patients with calcification of the basal ganglia had neurological symptoms, such as psychiatric problems (3 cases), grand mal seizures (1 case), CSF abnormalities (2 cases), and EEG changes (4 cases). There were significantly higher incidences of alopecia, cutaneous vasculitis, leukopenia, and thrombocytopenia in the group with calcifications than those in the group with normal CT findings. Circulating immune complexes were detected and LE tests were positive in 2 patients. Endocrinological examination showed no abnormality in any. We suggest that basal ganglia calcification in SLE might be related to cerebral vasculitis. (author)

Basal ganglia calcification on computed tomography in systemic lupus erythematosus

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Nagaoka, Shohei; Tani, Kenji; Ishigatsubo, Yoshiaki and others

1988-09-01

The development of basal ganglia calcification was studied in 85 patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) by computed tomography (CT). Bilateral calcification of the basal ganglia was found to occur in 5 patients (5.9 %) with SLE, but was not seen in patients with rheumatoid arthritis and progressive systemic sclerosis. All were female with a mean age of 42 years (range 29 - 49). The patients with calcification of the basal ganglia had neurological symptoms, such as psychiatric problems (3 cases), grand mal seizures (1 case), CSF abnormalities (2 cases), and EEG changes (4 cases). There were significantly higher incidences of alopecia, cutaneous vasculitis, leukopenia, and thrombocytopenia in the group with calcifications than those in the group with normal CT findings. Circulating immune complexes were detected and LE tests were positive in 2 patients. Endocrinological examination showed no abnormality in any. We suggest that basal ganglia calcification in SLE might be related to cerebral vasculitis.

Aberrant functional connectivity within the basal ganglia of patients with Parkinson's disease.

Science.gov (United States)

Rolinski, Michal; Griffanti, Ludovica; Szewczyk-Krolikowski, Konrad; Menke, Ricarda A L; Wilcock, Gordon K; Filippini, Nicola; Zamboni, Giovanna; Hu, Michele T M; Mackay, Clare E

2015-01-01

Resting state functional MRI (rs-fMRI) has been previously shown to be a promising tool for the assessment of early Parkinson's disease (PD). In order to assess whether changes within the basal ganglia network (BGN) are disease specific or relate to neurodegeneration generally, BGN connectivity was assessed in 32 patients with early PD, 19 healthy controls and 31 patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD). Voxel-wise comparisons demonstrated decreased connectivity within the basal ganglia of patients with PD, when compared to patients with AD and healthy controls. No significant changes within the BGN were seen in AD, when compared to healthy controls. Moreover, measures of functional connectivity extracted from regions within the basal ganglia were significantly lower in the PD group. Consistent with previous radiotracer studies, the greatest change when compared to the healthy control group was seen in the posterior putamen of PD subjects. When combined into a single component score, this method differentiated PD from AD and healthy control subjects, with a diagnostic accuracy of 81%. Rs-fMRI can be used to demonstrate the aberrant functional connectivity within the basal ganglia of patients with early PD. These changes are likely to be representative of patho-physiological basal ganglia dysfunction and are not associated with generalised neurodegeneration seen in AD. Further studies are necessary to ascertain whether this method is sensitive enough to detect basal ganglia dysfunction in prodromal PD, and its utility as a potential diagnostic biomarker for premotor and early motoric disease.

Basal cell carcinoma-treatment with cryosurgery

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Kaur S

2003-03-01

Full Text Available Basal cell carcinoma is a common cutaneous malignancy, frequently occurring over the face in elderly individuals. Various therapeutic modalities are available to treat these tumors. We describe three patients with basal cell carcinoma successfully treated with cryosurgery and discuss the indications and the use of this treatment modality for basal cell carcinomas.

ATP-dependent calcium transport across basal plasma membranes of human placental trophoblast

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fisher, G.J.; Kelley, L.K.; Smith, C.H.

1987-01-01

As a first step in understanding the cellular basis of maternal-fetal calcium transfer, the authors examined the characteristics of calcium uptake by a highly purified preparation of the syncytiotrophoblast basal (fetal facing) plasma membrane. In the presence of nanomolar concentrations of free calcium, basal membranes demonstrated substantial ATP-dependent calcium uptake. This uptake required magnesium, was not significantly affected by Na + or K + (50 mM), or sodium azide (10 mM). Intravesicular calcium was rapidly and completely released by the calcium ionophore rapidly and completely released by the calcium ionophore A23187. Calcium transport was significantly stimulated by the calcium-dependent regulatory protein calmodulin. Placental membrane fractions enriched in endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and mitochondria also demonstrated ATP-dependent calcium uptake. In contrast to basal membrane, mitochondrial calcium uptake was completely inhibited by azide. The rate of calcium uptake was completely inhibited by azide. The rate of calcium uptake by the ER was only 20% of that of basal membranes. They conclude that the placental basal plasma membrane possesses a high-affinity calcium transport system similar to that found in plasma membranes of a variety of cell types. This transporter is situated to permit it to function in vivo in maternal-fetal calcium transfer

Does the presence of placental basal plate myometrial fibres increase the risk of subsequent morbidly adherent placenta: a case-control study.

Science.gov (United States)

Miller, E S; Linn, R L; Ernst, L M

2016-12-01

Antenatal diagnosis of morbidly adherent placenta has been shown to improve outcomes, but existing predictors lack sensitivity. Our objective was to determine whether the presence of myometrial fibres attached to the placental basal plate (BPMYO) in an antecedent pregnancy is associated with subsequent morbidly adherent placenta. A case-control study. Departments of Obstetrics and Gynecology and Pathology, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA. Women who had at least two pregnancies with placental pathological evaluation. Cases were defined as women with evidence of morbidly adherent placenta (both clinically and pathologically) in their most recent pregnancy whereas women without evidence of morbidly adherent placenta served as controls. Pathological specimens of placentas from previous pregnancies were evaluated for BPMYO. The presence of BPMYO on a previous placenta was evaluated to determine whether it could be used to improve the antenatal diagnosis of morbidly adherent placenta. Of the 25 cases of morbidly adherent placenta, 19 (76%) had BPMYO present on their previous placenta compared with 41 (41%) of controls (odds ratio 4.8, 95% CI 1.8-13.0). Adding BPMYO to a regression including other risk factors for morbidly adherent placenta (i.e. maternal age, number of previous caesarean sections, placenta praevia, previous multiple gestation, any previous curettage, and ultrasonographic suspicion of placenta accreta) significantly improved the sensitivity of antenatal diagnosis of morbidly adherent placenta (61% versus 39%, P placental pathology is associated with an increased risk of morbidly adherent placenta in a subsequent pregnancy. These findings may shed light on the pathophysiology of accreta and inform future research on predictors of accreta. Previous basal plate myometrium improves the ability to detect subsequent morbidly adherent placenta. © 2015 Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists.

Metastatic giant basal cell carcinoma: a case report.

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Bellahammou, Khadija; Lakhdissi, Asmaa; Akkar, Othman; Rais, Fadoua; Naoual, Benhmidou; Elghissassi, Ibrahim; M'rabti, Hind; Errihani, Hassan

2016-01-01

Basal cell carcinoma is the most common skin cancer, characterised by a slow growing behavior, metastasis are extremely rare, and it occurs in less than 0, 1% of all cases. Giant basal cell carcinoma is a rare form of basal cell carcinoma, more aggressive and defined as a tumor measuring more than 5 cm at its largest diameter. Only 1% of all basal cell carcinoma develops to a giant basal cell carcinoma, resulting of patient's negligence. Giant basal cell carcinoma is associated with higher potential of metastasis and even death, compared to ordinary basal cell carcinoma. We report a case of giant basal cell carcinoma metastaticin lung occurring in a 79 years old male patient, with a fatal evolution after one course of systemic chemotherapy. Giant basal cell carcinoma is a very rare entity, early detection of these tumors could prevent metastasis occurrence and improve the prognosis of this malignancy.

Basal Forebrain Gating by Somatostatin Neurons Drives Prefrontal Cortical Activity.

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Espinosa, Nelson; Alonso, Alejandra; Morales, Cristian; Espinosa, Pedro; Chávez, Andrés E; Fuentealba, Pablo

2017-11-17

The basal forebrain provides modulatory input to the cortex regulating brain states and cognitive processing. Somatostatin-expressing neurons constitute a heterogeneous GABAergic population known to functionally inhibit basal forebrain cortically projecting cells thus favoring sleep and cortical synchronization. However, it remains unclear if somatostatin cells can regulate population activity patterns in the basal forebrain and modulate cortical dynamics. Here, we demonstrate that somatostatin neurons regulate the corticopetal synaptic output of the basal forebrain impinging on cortical activity and behavior. Optogenetic inactivation of somatostatin neurons in vivo rapidly modified neural activity in the basal forebrain, with the consequent enhancement and desynchronization of activity in the prefrontal cortex, reflected in both neuronal spiking and network oscillations. Cortical activation was partially dependent on cholinergic transmission, suppressing slow waves and potentiating gamma oscillations. In addition, recruitment dynamics was cell type-specific, with interneurons showing similar temporal profiles, but stronger responses than pyramidal cells. Finally, optogenetic stimulation of quiescent animals during resting periods prompted locomotor activity, suggesting generalized cortical activation and increased arousal. Altogether, we provide physiological and behavioral evidence indicating that somatostatin neurons are pivotal in gating the synaptic output of the basal forebrain, thus indirectly controlling cortical operations via both cholinergic and non-cholinergic mechanisms. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Aumento da incidência de carcinoma basocelular em hospital universitário: 1999 a 2009 Increase in the incidence of basal cell carcinoma in a university hospital between 1999 and 2009

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Juliano Vilaverde Schmitt

2011-04-01

Full Text Available A incidência do carcinoma basocelular vem aumentando em todos os países. Realizou-se estudo ecológico de 5169 laudos de carcinoma basocelular, da FMB-Unesp, entre janeiro/1999 e dezembro/2009. O incremento médio da incidência para o período foi de 90,6%, projetando-se um diagnóstico para cada 15 pacientes encaminhados à dermatologia. Tal tendência se manteve, mesmo quando indexada pelo número de laudos histopatológicos, movimento hospitalar, atendimentos da dermatologia e população de Botucatu.The incidence of basal cell carcinoma is increasing worldwide. An ecological study was conducted using the pathology reports from 5169 cases of basal cell carcinoma diagnosed at the Botucatu School of Medicine, Universidade Estadual Paulista Julio de Mesquita Filho (UNESP between January 1999 and December 2009. The mean increase in the incidence of basal cell carcinoma over this period was 90.6%, suggesting that one case of basal cell carcinoma could be expected for every 15 patients referred to dermatology. This trend was also found when the incidence was indexed according to the absolute number of histopathology exams, the total number of hospital consultations, the total number of dermatological consultations and the population of the town of Botucatu

Variability of Basal Rate Profiles in Insulin Pump Therapy and Association with Complications in Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus.

Science.gov (United States)

Laimer, Markus; Melmer, Andreas; Mader, Julia K; Schütz-Fuhrmann, Ingrid; Engels, Heide-Rose; Götz, Gabriele; Pfeifer, Martin; Hermann, Julia M; Stettler, Christoph; Holl, Reinhard W

2016-01-01

Traditionally, basal rate profiles in continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion therapy are individually adapted to cover expected insulin requirements. However, whether this approach is indeed superior to a more constant BR profile has not been assessed so far. This study analysed the associations between variability of BR profiles and acute and chronic complications in adult type 1 diabetes mellitus. BR profiles of 3118 female and 2427 male patients from the "Diabetes-Patienten-Verlaufsdokumentation" registry from Germany and Austria were analysed. Acute and chronic complications were recorded 6 months prior and after the most recently documented basal rate. The "variability index" was calculated as variation of basal rate intervals in percent and describes the excursions of the basal rate intervals from the median basal rate. The variability Index correlated positively with severe hypoglycemia (r = .06; p1), hypoglycemic coma (r = .05; p = 0.002), and microalbuminuria (r = 0.05; p = 0.006). In addition, a higher variability index was associated with higher frequency of diabetic ketoacidosis (r = .04; p = 0.029) in male adult patients. Logistic regression analysis adjusted for age, gender, duration of disease and total basal insulin confirmed significant correlations of the variability index with severe hypoglycemia (β = 0.013; p1) and diabetic ketoacidosis (β = 0.012; p = 0.017). Basal rate profiles with higher variability are associated with an increased frequency of acute complications in adults with type 1 diabetes.

Crossed cerebellar and cerebral cortical diaschisis in basal ganglia hemorrhage

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lim, Joon Seok; Ryu, Young Hoon; Kim, Hee Joung; Kim, Byung Moon; Lee, Jong Doo; Lee, Byung Hee

1998-01-01

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the phenomenon of diaschisis in the cerebellum and cerebral cortex in patients with pure basal ganglia hemorrhage using cerebral blood flow SPECT. Twelve patients with pure basal ganglia hemorrhage were studied with Tc-99m ECD brain SPECT. Asymmetric index (AI) was calculated in the cerebellum and cerebral cortical regions as | C R -C L |/ (C R -C L ) x 200, where C R and C L are the mean reconstructed counts for the right and left ROIs, respectively. Hypoperfusion was considered to be present when AI was greater than mean + 2 SD of 20 control subjects. Mean AI of the cerebellum and cerebral cortical regions in patients with pure basal ganglia hemorrhage was significantly higher than normal controls (p<0.05): Cerebellum (18.68±8.94 vs 4.35±0.94, mean ±SD), thalamus (31.91±10.61 vs 2.57±1.45), basal ganglia (35.94±16.15 vs 4.34±2.08), parietal (18.94±10.69 vs 3.24±0.87), frontal (13.60±10.8 vs 4.02±2.04) and temporal cortex (18.92±11.95 vs 5.13±1.69). Ten of the 12 patients had significant hypoperfusion in the contralateral cerebellum. Hypoperfusion was also shown in the ipsilateral thalamus (n=12), ipsilateral parietal (n=12), frontal (n=6) and temporal cortex (n=10). Crossed cerebellar diaschisis (CCD) and cortical diaschisis may frequently occur in patients with pure basal ganglia hemorrhage, suggesting that CCD can develop without the interruption of corticopontocerebellar pathway

Photodynamic therapy for basal cell carcinoma.

Science.gov (United States)

Fargnoli, Maria Concetta; Peris, Ketty

2015-11-01

Topical photodynamic therapy is an effective and safe noninvasive treatment for low-risk basal cell carcinoma, with the advantage of an excellent cosmetic outcome. Efficacy of photodynamic therapy in basal cell carcinoma is supported by substantial research and clinical trials. In this article, we review the procedure, indications and clinical evidences for the use of photodynamic therapy in the treatment of basal cell carcinoma.

Aberrant functional connectivity within the basal ganglia of patients with Parkinson's disease

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Michal Rolinski

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Resting state functional MRI (rs-fMRI has been previously shown to be a promising tool for the assessment of early Parkinson's disease (PD. In order to assess whether changes within the basal ganglia network (BGN are disease specific or relate to neurodegeneration generally, BGN connectivity was assessed in 32 patients with early PD, 19 healthy controls and 31 patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD. Voxel-wise comparisons demonstrated decreased connectivity within the basal ganglia of patients with PD, when compared to patients with AD and healthy controls. No significant changes within the BGN were seen in AD, when compared to healthy controls. Moreover, measures of functional connectivity extracted from regions within the basal ganglia were significantly lower in the PD group. Consistent with previous radiotracer studies, the greatest change when compared to the healthy control group was seen in the posterior putamen of PD subjects. When combined into a single component score, this method differentiated PD from AD and healthy control subjects, with a diagnostic accuracy of 81%. Rs-fMRI can be used to demonstrate the aberrant functional connectivity within the basal ganglia of patients with early PD. These changes are likely to be representative of patho-physiological basal ganglia dysfunction and are not associated with generalised neurodegeneration seen in AD. Further studies are necessary to ascertain whether this method is sensitive enough to detect basal ganglia dysfunction in prodromal PD, and its utility as a potential diagnostic biomarker for premotor and early motoric disease.

Potential long-term effects of MDMA on the basal ganglia-thalamocortical circuit: a proton MR spectroscopy and diffusion-tensor imaging study.

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Liu, Hua-Shan; Chou, Ming-Chung; Chung, Hsiao-Wen; Cho, Nai-Yu; Chiang, Shih-Wei; Wang, Chao-Ying; Kao, Hung-Wen; Huang, Guo-Shu; Chen, Cheng-Yu

2011-08-01

To investigate the effects of 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA, commonly known as "ecstasy") on the alterations of brain metabolites and anatomic tissue integrity related to the function of the basal ganglia-thalamocortical circuit by using proton magnetic resonance (MR) spectroscopy and diffusion-tensor MR imaging. This study was approved by a local institutional review board, and written informed consent was obtained from all subjects. Thirty-one long-term (>1 year) MDMA users and 33 healthy subjects were enrolled. Proton MR spectroscopy from the middle frontal cortex and bilateral basal ganglia and whole-brain diffusion-tensor MR imaging were performed with a 3.0-T system. Absolute concentrations of metabolites were computed, and diffusion-tensor data were registered to the International Consortium for Brain Mapping template to facilitate voxel-based group comparison. The mean myo-inositol level in the basal ganglia of MDMA users (left: 4.55 mmol/L ± 2.01 [standard deviation], right: 4.48 mmol/L ± 1.33) was significantly higher than that in control subjects (left: 3.25 mmol/L ± 1.30, right: 3.31 mmol/L ± 1.19) (P 50 voxels). Increased myo-inositol and Cho concentrations in the basal ganglia of MDMA users are suggestive of glial response to degenerating serotonergic functions. The abnormal metabolic changes in the basal ganglia may consequently affect the inhibitory effect of the basal ganglia to the thalamus, as suggested by the increased FA in the thalamus and abnormal changes in water diffusion in the corresponding basal ganglia-thalamocortical circuit. © RSNA, 2011.

Basal cortisol levels and metabolic syndrome: A systematic review and meta-analysis of observational studies.

Science.gov (United States)

Garcez, Anderson; Leite, Heloísa Marquardt; Weiderpass, Elisabete; Paniz, Vera Maria Vieira; Watte, Guilherme; Canuto, Raquel; Olinto, Maria Teresa Anselmo

2018-05-17

To perform a qualitative synthesis (systematic review) and quantitative analysis (meta-analysis) to summarize the evidence regarding the relationship between basal cortisol levels and metabolic syndrome (MetS) in adults. A systematic search was performed in the PubMed, Embase, and PsycINFO databases for observational studies on the association between basal cortisol levels and MetS. The quality of individual studies was assessed by the Newcastle-Ottawa score. A random effects model was used to report pooled quantitative results and the I 2 statistic was used to assess heterogeneity. Egger's and Begg's tests were used to evaluate publication bias. Twenty-six studies (19 cross-sectional and seven case-control) met the inclusion criteria for the systematic review. The majority was classified as having a low risk of bias and used established criteria for the diagnosis of MetS. Twenty-one studies provided data on basal cortisol levels as continuous values and were included in the meta-analysis; they comprised 35 analyses and 11,808 subjects. Pooled results showed no significant difference in basal cortisol levels between subjects with and without MetS (standardized mean difference [SMD] = 0.02, 95% confidence interval [CI]=-0.11 to 0.14). There was high heterogeneity between the studies when all comparisons were considered (I 2  = 83.1%;p meta-analysis of studies evaluating saliva samples showed no significantly lower basal cortisol levels among subjects with MetS (SMD=-0.18, 95% CI=-0.37 to 0.01), whereas those studies that evaluated serum samples (SMD = 0.11, 95% CI=-0.02 to 0.24) and urine samples (SMD = 0.73, 95% CI=-0.40 to 1.86) showed no significantly higher basal cortisol levels among subjects with MetS. In the subgroup and meta-regression analyses, a significant difference in basal cortisol levels was observed according to study design, population base, age, gender, cortisol level assessment method, and study quality. This systematic review

Positron emission tomography and basal ganglia functions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kato, Motohiro; Otsuka, Makoto; Taniwaki, Koukyo; Hosokawa, Shinichi; Kuwabara, Yasuo; Ichiya, Yuichi

1990-01-01

With the advent of positron emission tomography (PET), studies on the human brain function and pathophysiology of brain damage have been extremely progressed. It is well-known that the basal ganglia plays an important role as one of the central nervous system involved in exercise regulation. More recently, the potential involvement of the basal ganglia in psychological processes, such as cognitive function, has been pointed out, receiving much attention. In spite of such a lot of studies, however, basal ganglia function remains unclear. This paper describes the relationships between PET findings and basal ganglia function. PET findings are discussed in relation to brain energy metabolism and striatal dopamine function. Pathophysiology of the basal ganglia are described in terms of the following diseases: Parkinson's disease, Parkinson's syndrome, progressive supranuclear palsy, Huntington's disease, and dystonia. Physiological backgrounds of the basal ganglia for PET images are also referred to. (N.K.) 75 refs

Positron emission tomography and basal ganglia functions

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kato, Motohiro; Otsuka, Makoto; Taniwaki, Koukyo; Hosokawa, Shinichi; Kuwabara, Yasuo; Ichiya, Yuichi [Kyushu Univ., Fukuoka (Japan). Faculty of Medicine

1990-05-01

With the advent of positron emission tomography (PET), studies on the human brain function and pathophysiology of brain damage have been extremely progressed. It is well-known that the basal ganglia plays an important role as one of the central nervous system involved in exercise regulation. More recently, the potential involvement of the basal ganglia in psychological processes, such as cognitive function, has been pointed out, receiving much attention. In spite of such a lot of studies, however, basal ganglia function remains unclear. This paper describes the relationships between PET findings and basal ganglia function. PET findings are discussed in relation to brain energy metabolism and striatal dopamine function. Pathophysiology of the basal ganglia are described in terms of the following diseases: Parkinson's disease, Parkinson's syndrome, progressive supranuclear palsy, Huntington's disease, and dystonia. Physiological backgrounds of the basal ganglia for PET images are also referred to. (N.K.) 75 refs.

Impact of Basal Conditions on Grounding-Line Retreat

Science.gov (United States)

Koellner, S. J.; Parizek, B. R.; Alley, R. B.; Muto, A.; Holschuh, N.; Nowicki, S.

2017-12-01

An often-made assumption included in ice-sheet models used for sea-level projections is that basal rheology is constant throughout the domain of the simulation. The justification in support of this assumption is that physical data for determining basal rheology is limited and a constant basal flow law can adequately approximate current as well as past behavior of an ice-sheet. Prior studies indicate that beneath Thwaites Glacier (TG) there is a ridge-and-valley bedrock structure which likely promotes deformation of soft tills within the troughs and sliding, more akin to creep, over the harder peaks; giving rise to a spatially variable basal flow law. Furthermore, it has been shown that the stability of an outlet glacier varies with the assumed basal rheology, so accurate projections almost certainly need to account for basal conditions. To test the impact of basal conditions on grounding-line evolution forced by ice-shelf perturbations, we modified the PSU 2-D flowline model to enable the inclusion of spatially variable basal rheology along an idealized bedrock profile akin to TG. Synthetic outlet glacier "data" were first generated under steady-state conditions assuming a constant basal flow law and a constant basal friction coefficient field on either a linear or bumpy sloping bed. In following standard procedures, a suite of models were then initialized by assuming different basal rheologies and then determining the basal friction coefficients that produce surface velocities matching those from the synthetic "data". After running each of these to steady state, the standard and full suite of models were forced by drastically reducing ice-shelf buttressing through side-shear and prescribed basal-melting perturbations. In agreement with previous findings, results suggest a more plastic basal flow law enhances stability in response to ice-shelf perturbations by flushing ice from farther upstream to sustain the grounding-zone mass balance required to prolong the

Basal-body-associated macromolecules: a continuing debate.

Science.gov (United States)

Pierre Mignot, J; Brugerolle, G; Didier, P; Bornens, M

1993-07-01

Controversy over the possibility that centrioles/basal bodies contain nucleic acids has overshadowed results demonstrating other macromolecules in the lumen of these organelles. Glycogen particles, which are known to be present within the lumen of the centriole/basal body of sperm cells, have now been found in basal bodies of protists belonging to three different groups. Here, we extend the debate on a role for RNA in basal body/centriole function and speculate on the origin and the function of centriolar glycogen.

Report Card on Basal Readers.

Science.gov (United States)

Goodman, Kenneth S.; And Others

This report examines the nature of the modern basal reader, its economics, and use. First, the report provides a history showing how the confluence of business principles, positivistic science, and behavioral psychology led to the transformation of reading textbooks into basal readers. Next, the report examines objectives and subjective factors…

Field measurement of basal forces generated by erosive debris flows

Science.gov (United States)

McCoy, S.W.; Tucker, G.E.; Kean, J.W.; Coe, J.A.

2013-01-01

It has been proposed that debris flows cut bedrock valleys in steeplands worldwide, but field measurements needed to constrain mechanistic models of this process remain sparse due to the difficulty of instrumenting natural flows. Here we present and analyze measurements made using an automated sensor network, erosion bolts, and a 15.24 cm by 15.24 cm force plate installed in the bedrock channel floor of a steep catchment. These measurements allow us to quantify the distribution of basal forces from natural debris‒flow events that incised bedrock. Over the 4 year monitoring period, 11 debris‒flow events scoured the bedrock channel floor. No clear water flows were observed. Measurements of erosion bolts at the beginning and end of the study indicated that the bedrock channel floor was lowered by 36 to 64 mm. The basal force during these erosive debris‒flow events had a large‒magnitude (up to 21 kN, which was approximately 50 times larger than the concurrent time‒averaged mean force), high‒frequency (greater than 1 Hz) fluctuating component. We interpret these fluctuations as flow particles impacting the bed. The resulting variability in force magnitude increased linearly with the time‒averaged mean basal force. Probability density functions of basal normal forces were consistent with a generalized Pareto distribution, rather than the exponential distribution that is commonly found in experimental and simulated monodispersed granular flows and which has a lower probability of large forces. When the bed sediment thickness covering the force plate was greater than ~ 20 times the median bed sediment grain size, no significant fluctuations about the time‒averaged mean force were measured, indicating that a thin layer of sediment (~ 5 cm in the monitored cases) can effectively shield the subjacent bed from erosive impacts. Coarse‒grained granular surges and water‒rich, intersurge flow had very similar basal force distributions despite

Changing basal conditions during the speed-up of Jakobshavn Isbræ, Greenland

Science.gov (United States)

Habermann, M.; Truffer, M.; Maxwell, D.

2013-11-01

Ice-sheet outlet glaciers can undergo dynamic changes such as the rapid speed-up of Jakobshavn Isbræ following the disintegration of its floating ice tongue. These changes are associated with stress changes on the boundary of the ice mass. We invert for basal conditions from surface velocity data throughout a well-observed period of rapid change and evaluate parameterizations currently used in ice-sheet models. A Tikhonov inverse method with a shallow-shelf approximation forward model is used for diagnostic inversions for the years 1985, 2000, 2005, 2006 and 2008. Our ice-softness, model norm, and regularization parameter choices are justified using the data-model misfit metric and the L curve method. The sensitivity of the inversion results to these parameter choices is explored. We find a lowering of effective basal yield stress in the first 7 km upstream from the 2008 grounding line and no significant changes higher upstream. The temporal evolution in the fast flow area is in broad agreement with a Mohr-Coulomb parameterization of basal shear stress, but with a till friction angle much lower than has been measured for till samples. The lowering of effective basal yield stress is significant within the uncertainties of the inversion, but it cannot be ruled out that there are other significant contributors to the acceleration of the glacier.

Changing basal conditions during the speed-up of Jakobshavn Isbræ, Greenland

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M. Habermann

2013-11-01

Full Text Available Ice-sheet outlet glaciers can undergo dynamic changes such as the rapid speed-up of Jakobshavn Isbræ following the disintegration of its floating ice tongue. These changes are associated with stress changes on the boundary of the ice mass. We invert for basal conditions from surface velocity data throughout a well-observed period of rapid change and evaluate parameterizations currently used in ice-sheet models. A Tikhonov inverse method with a shallow-shelf approximation forward model is used for diagnostic inversions for the years 1985, 2000, 2005, 2006 and 2008. Our ice-softness, model norm, and regularization parameter choices are justified using the data-model misfit metric and the L curve method. The sensitivity of the inversion results to these parameter choices is explored. We find a lowering of effective basal yield stress in the first 7 km upstream from the 2008 grounding line and no significant changes higher upstream. The temporal evolution in the fast flow area is in broad agreement with a Mohr–Coulomb parameterization of basal shear stress, but with a till friction angle much lower than has been measured for till samples. The lowering of effective basal yield stress is significant within the uncertainties of the inversion, but it cannot be ruled out that there are other significant contributors to the acceleration of the glacier.

MRI volume measurement of basal ganglia volumes in patients with Tourette's syndrome

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lu Jie; Li Kuncheng; Cao Yanxiang; Zhang Miao; Sui Xin; Zhang Xiaohua

2009-01-01

Objective: To evaluate MRI measurement of basal ganglia volumes in patients with Tourette's syndrome. Methods: Ten patients with Tourette's syndrome (TS) and 10 healthy volunteers were studied. Volumes of bilateral caudate, putamen and pallidum were measured, and the results were analyzed using paired t test. The basal ganglia volume was normalized according to individual brain volume. The basal ganglia volumes of TS patients were compared with normal control group using independent-sample t test. Results: In 10 healthy volunteers, volumes of the left caudate, putamen, pallidum were significantly larger compared with those of the right side (P 0.05) in TS patients. After normalized processing, the volumes of the left caudate (7.06 ± 0.48) cm 3 , putamen (8.81±1.01) cm 3 , pallidum (2.64± 0.38) cm 3 were smaller than those of control group [caudate (11.05±1.86) cm 3 , putamen (9.97± 1.11) cm 3 , pallidum (3.04±0.37) cm 3 ] (t=-6.577, -2.457, -2.376, P 3 in TS patients was significantly smaller compared with the control group (9.81±1.83) cm 3 (t=-4.258, P 0.05). Conclusion: The basal ganglia volumes were significantly decreased in patients with TS. MRI volumetric measurement was an important tool for evaluating pathologic changes of TS. (authors)

The influence of apical and basal defoliation on the canopy structure and biochemical composition of Vitis vinifera cv. Shiraz grapes and wine

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Pangzhen; Wu, Xiwen; Needs, Sonja; Liu, Di; Fuentes, Sigfredo; Howell, Kate

2017-07-01

Defoliation is a commonly used viticultural technique to balance the ratio between grapevine vegetation and fruit. Defoliation is conducted around the fruit zone to reduce the leaf photosynthetic area, and to increase sunlight exposure of grape bunches. Apical leaf removal is not commonly practiced, and therefore its influence on canopy structure and resultant wine aroma is not well studied. This study quantified the influences of apical and basal defoliation on canopy structure parameters using canopy cover photography and computer vision algorithms. The influence of canopy structure changes on the chemical compositions of grapes and wines was investigated over two vintages (2010-11 and 2015-16) in Yarra Valley, Australia. The Shiraz grapevines were subjected to five different treatments: no leaf removal (Ctrl); basal (TB) and apical (TD) leaf removal at veraison and intermediate ripeness, respectively. Basal leaf removal significantly reduced the leaf area index and foliage cover and increased canopy porosity, while apical leaf removal had limited influences on canopy parameters. However, the latter tended to result in lower alcohol level in the finished wine. Statistically significant increases in pH and decreases in TA was observed in shaded grapes, while no significant changes in the color profile and volatile compounds of the resultant wine were found. These results suggest that apical leaf removal is an effective method to reduce wine alcohol concentration with minimal influences on wine composition.

Intracochlear Position of Cochlear Implants Determined Using CT Scanning versus Fitting Levels: Higher Threshold Levels at Basal Turn.

Science.gov (United States)

van der Beek, Feddo B; Briaire, Jeroen J; van der Marel, Kim S; Verbist, Berit M; Frijns, Johan H M

2016-01-01

In this study, the effects of the intracochlear position of cochlear implants on the clinical fitting levels were analyzed. A total of 130 adult subjects who used a CII/HiRes 90K cochlear implant with a HiFocus 1/1J electrode were included in the study. The insertion angle and the distance to the modiolus of each electrode contact were determined using high-resolution CT scanning. The threshold levels (T-levels) and maximum comfort levels (M-levels) at 1 year of follow-up were determined. The degree of speech perception of the subjects was evaluated during routine clinical follow-up. The depths of insertion of all the electrode contacts were determined. The distance to the modiolus was significantly smaller at the basal and apical cochlear parts compared with that at the middle of the cochlea (p basal end of the cochlea (3.4 dB). Additionally, the M-levels, which were fitted in our clinic using a standard profile, also increased toward the basal end, although with a lower amplitude (1.3 dB). Accordingly, the dynamic range decreased toward the basal end (2.1 dB). No correlation was found between the distance to the modiolus and the T-level or the M-level. Furthermore, the correlation between the insertion depth and stimulation levels was not affected by the duration of deafness, age at implantation or the time since implantation. Additionally, the T-levels showed a significant correlation with the speech perception scores (p stimulation levels of the cochlear implants were affected by the intracochlear position of the electrode contacts, which were determined using postoperative CT scanning. Interestingly, these levels depended on the insertion depth, whereas the distance to the modiolus did not affect the stimulation levels. The T-levels increased toward the basal end of the cochlea. The level profiles were independent of the overall stimulation levels and were not affected by the biographical data of the patients, such as the duration of deafness, age at

Atrophy of the basal ganglia as the initial diagnostic sign of germinoma in the basal ganglia

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Okamoto, K.; Ishikawa, K.; Takahashi, N.; Furusawa, T.; Sakai, K. [Department of Radiology, Niigata University Faculty of Medicine (Japan); Ito, J.; Tokiguchi, S. [Department of Radiology, Niigata University Faculty of Dentistry (Japan); Morii, K. [Department of Neurosurgery, Niigata University Brain Research Institute (Japan); Yamada, M. [Department of Pathology, Niigata University Brain Research Institute (Japan)

2002-05-01

Germ-cell tumors of the central nervous system generally develop in the midline, but the tumors can also occur in the basal ganglia and/or thalamus. However, MR images have rarely been documented in the early stage of the tumor in these regions. We retrospectively reviewed MR images obtained on admission and approximately 3 years earlier in two patients with germinoma in the basal ganglia, and compared them with CT. In addition to hyperdensity on CT, both hyperintensity on T1-weighted images and a small hyperintense lesion on T2-weighted images were commonly seen in the basal ganglia. These findings may be early MRI signs of germinoma in this region, and the earliest and most characteristic diagnostic feature on MRI was atrophy of the basal ganglia, which was recognizable before development of hemiparesis. (orig.)

Metastatic Basal Cell Carcinoma Accompanying Gorlin Syndrome

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yeliz Bilir

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Gorlin-Goltz syndrome or basal cell nevus syndrome is an autosomal dominant syndrome characterized by skeletal anomalies, numerous cysts observed in the jaw, and multiple basal cell carcinoma of the skin, which may be accompanied by falx cerebri calcification. Basal cell carcinoma is the most commonly skin tumor with slow clinical course and low metastatic potential. Its concomitance with Gorlin syndrome, resulting from a mutation in a tumor suppressor gene, may substantially change morbidity and mortality. A 66-year-old male patient with a history of recurrent basal cell carcinoma was presented with exophthalmus in the left eye and the lesions localized in the left lateral orbita and left zygomatic area. His physical examination revealed hearing loss, gapped teeth, highly arched palate, and frontal prominence. Left orbital mass, cystic masses at frontal and ethmoidal sinuses, and multiple pulmonary nodules were detected at CT scans. Basal cell carcinoma was diagnosed from biopsy of ethmoid sinus. Based on the clinical and typical radiological characteristics (falx cerebri calcification, bifid costa, and odontogenic cysts, the patient was diagnosed with metastatic skin basal cell carcinoma accompanied by Gorlin syndrome. Our case is a basal cell carcinoma with aggressive course accompanying a rarely seen syndrome.

Sclerodermiform basal cell carcinoma: how much can we rely on dermatoscopy to differentiate from non-aggressive basal cell carcinomas? Analysis of 1256 cases.

Science.gov (United States)

Husein-ElAhmed, Husein

2018-03-01

The behaviour of each basal cell carcinoma is known to be different according to the histological growth pattern. Among these aggressive lesions, sclerodermiform basal cell carcinomas are the most common type. This is a challenging-to-treat lesion due to its deep tissue invasion, rapid growth, risk of metastasis and overall poor prognosis if not diagnosed in early stages. To investigate if sclerodermiform basal cell carcinomas are diagnosed later compared to non-sclerodermiform basal cell carcinoma Method: All lesions excised from 2000 to 2010 were included. A pathologist classified the lesions in two cohorts: one with specimens of non-aggressive basal cell carcinoma (superficial, nodular and pigmented), and other with sclerodermiform basal cell carcinoma. For each lesion, we collected patient's information from digital medical records regarding: gender, age when first attending the clinic and the tumor location. 1256 lesions were included, out of which 296 (23.6%) corresponded to sclerodermiform basal cell carcinoma, whereas 960 (76.4%) were non-aggressive subtypes of basal cell carcinoma. The age of diagnosis was: 72.78±12.31 years for sclerodermiform basal cell and 69.26±13.87 years for non-aggressive basal cell carcinoma (Pbasal cell carcinomas are diagnosed on average 3.52 years later than non-aggressive basal cell carcinomas. Sclerodermiform basal cell carcinomas were diagnosed 3.40 years and 2.34 years later than non-aggressive basal cell carcinomas in younger and older patients respectively (P=.002 and P=.03, respectively). retrospective design. The diagnostic accuracy and primary clinic conjecture of sclerodermiform basal cell carcinomas is quite low compared to other forms of basal cell carcinoma such as nodular, superficial and pigmented. The dermoscopic vascular patterns, which is the basis for the diagnosis of non-melanocytic nonpigmented skin tumors, may not be particularly useful in identifying sclerodermiform basal cell carcinomas in early stages

Dopamine transporter density in the basal ganglia assessed with [123I]IPT SPET in children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cheon, Keun-Ah; Kim, Young-Kee; Namkoong, Kee; Kim, Chan-Hyung; Ryu, Young Hoon; Lee, Jong Doo

2003-01-01

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a psychiatric disorder in childhood that is known to be associated with dopamine dysregulation. In this study, we investigated dopamine transporter (DAT) density in children with ADHD using iodine-123 labelled N-(3-iodopropen-2-yl)-2β-carbomethoxy-3β-(4-chlorophenyl) tropane ([ 123 I]IPT) single-photon emission tomography (SPET) and postulated that an alteration in DAT density in the basal ganglia is responsible for dopaminergic dysfunction in children with ADHD. Nine drug-naive children with ADHD and six normal children were included in the study. We performed brain SPET 2 h after the intravenous administration of [ 123 I]IPT and carried out both quantitative and qualitative analyses using the obtained SPET data, which were reconstructed for the assessment of the specific/non-specific DAT binding ratio in the basal ganglia. We then investigated the correlation between the severity scores of ADHD symptoms in children with ADHD assessed with ADHD rating scale-IV and the specific/non-specific DAT binding ratio in the basal ganglia. Drug-naive children with ADHD showed a significantly increased specific/non-specific DAT binding ratio in the basal ganglia compared with normal children. However, no significant correlation was found between the severity scores of ADHD symptoms in children with ADHD and the specific/non-specific DAT binding ratio in the basal ganglia. Our findings support the complex dysregulation of the dopaminergic neurotransmitter system in children with ADHD. (orig.)

Single-photon-emission-computed-tomography (SPECT) in basal ganglia disorders

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tatsch, K.

1997-01-01

In the past, SPECT investigations of regional cerebral blood flow have played a minor role in the diagnostic work-up of patients with basal ganglia disorders. More recently, however, interest in nuclear medicine procedures has dramatically increased since with the development of selective receptor ligands diagnostic tools have been provided which address the pathology in basal ganglia disorders more specifically than other diagnostic modalities. Evaluations of the pre- and postsynaptic aspects of the dopaminergic system, for example, deliver not only interesting data from the scientific point of view but also for the daily routine work. This paper summarizes some of the experience reported in the literature on SPECT investigations in basal ganglia disorders, such as Parkinson's disease, parkinsonian syndromes of other etiology, Wilson's and Huntington's disease, focal dystonias, and schizophrenia under treatment with neuroleptics. (orig.) [de

Increase of bcl-2 Protein Expression in Aggressive Basal Cell Carcinoma of Head and Neck

OpenAIRE

Cláudia CAZAL; Mariana Roesch ELY; Ana Paula Veras SOBRAL; Wilton Wilney Nascimento PADILHA

2006-01-01

Objective: The aim of this study was to verify the bcl-2 protein expression in 22 cutaneous basal cell carcinomas (BCC) of the head and neck, and to compare it with its aggressive behavior. Method: Tumors were histologically classified in non-aggressive (BCC 1) and aggressive (BCC 2) and then submitted to the immunohistochemistry technique with the streptavidin-biotin peroxidase method using the anti-bcl-2 antibody. Results: After proceeding to morphological analysis, sixteen tumors (72.7%) w...

A comparison of basal and eye-flush tears for the analysis of cat tear proteins.

Science.gov (United States)

Petznick, Andrea; Evans, Margaret D M; Madigan, Michele C; Markoulli, Maria; Garrett, Qian; Sweeney, Deborah F

2011-02-01

To identify a rapid and effective tear collection method providing sufficient tear volume and total protein content (TPC) for analysis of individual proteins in cats. Domestic adult short-haired cats (12-37 months; 2.7-6.6 kg) were used in the study. Basal tears without stimulation and eye-flush tears after instillation of saline (10 μl) were collected using microcapillary tubes from animal eyes either unwounded control or wounded with 9-mm central epithelial debridement giving four groups with n = 3. Tear comparisons were based on total time and rate for tear collection, TPC using micro bicinchoninic acid (BCA), tear immunoglobulin A (IgA), total matrix-metalloproteinase (MMP)-9 concentration using sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and MMP-9 activity. Eye-flush tears were collected significantly faster than basal tears in wounded eyes with higher rates for tear collection in unwounded control and wounded eyes. TPC was significantly lower in eye-flush tears compared to basal tears. The relative proportion of tear IgA normalized to TPC (% IgA of TPC) was not significantly different between basal and eye-flush tears. In unwounded control eyes, MMP-9 was slightly higher in eye-flush than in basal tears; activity of MMP-9 in both tear types was similar. In wounded eyes, eye-flush tears showed highest MMP-9 levels and activity on Day 1, which subsequently decreased to Day 7. MMP-9 activity in basal tears from wounded eyes did not display changes in expression. Eye-flush tears can be collected rapidly providing sufficient tear volume and TPC. This study also indicates that eye-flush tears may be more suitable than basal tears for the analysis of MMPs following corneal wounding. © 2011 The Authors. Acta Ophthalmologica © 2011 Acta Ophthalmologica Scandinavica Foundation.

Basal encephalocele and morning glory syndrome.

Science.gov (United States)

Caprioli, J; Lesser, R L

1983-01-01

Basal encephaloceles are often associated with other midline anomalies such as hypertelorism, broad nasal root, cleft lip, and cleft palate. Optic disc anomalies such as pallor, dysplasia, optic pit, coLoboma, and megalopapilla have been reported to occur in patients with basal encephalocele We report a case of a child with a sphenoethmoidal encephalocele and morning glory syndrome of the optic nerve. The presence of such optic nerve anomalies with facial midline anomalies should alert the clinician to the possible presence of a basal encephalocele. Images PMID:6849854

Endothelial Proliferation and Increased Blood - Brain Barrier Permeability in the Basal Ganglia in a Rat Model of 3,4-Dihydrozyphenyl-L-Alanine-Induced Dyskinesia

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Westin, Jenny E.; Lindgren, Hanna S.; Gardi, Jonathan Eyal

2006-01-01

3,4-Dihydroxyphenyl-L-alanine (L-DOPA)-induced dyskinesia is associated with molecular and synaptic plasticity in the basal ganglia, but the occurrence of structural remodeling through cell genesis has not been explored. In this study, rats with 6-hydroxydopamine lesions received injections of th...... of angiogenesis and blood-brain barrier dysfunction in an experimental model of L-DOPA-induced dyskinesia. These microvascular changes are likely to affect the kinetics of L-DOPA entry into the brain, favoring the occurrence of motor complications....... dyskinesia. The vast majority (60-80%) of the newborn cells stained positively for endothelial markers. This endothelial proliferation was associated with an upregulation of immature endothelial markers (nestin) and a downregulation of endothelial barrier antigen on blood vessel walls. In addition......, dyskinetic rats exhibited a significant increase in total blood vessel length and a visible extravasation of serum albumin in the two structures in which endothelial proliferation was most pronounced (substantia nigra pars reticulata and entopeduncular nucleus). The present study provides the first evidence...

Cellular regulation of basal and FSH-stimulated cyclic AMP production in irradiated rat testes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kangasniemi, M.; Kaipia, A.; Toppari, J.; Mali, P.; Huhtaniemi, I.; Parvinen, M.

1990-01-01

Basal and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH)-stimulated cyclic AMP (cAMP) productions by seminiferous tubular segments from irradiated adult rats were investigated at defined stages of the epithelial cycle when specific spermatogenic cells were low in number. Seven days post-irradiation, depletion of spermatogonia did not influence the basal cAMP production, but FSH response increased in stages II-VIII. Seventeen days post-irradiation when spermatocytes were low in number, there was a small increase in basal cAMP level in stages VII-VIII and FSH-stimulated cAMP production increased in stages VII-XII and XIII-I. At 38 days when pachytene spermatocytes and round spermatids (steps 1-6) were low in number, a decreased basal cAMP production was measured in stages II-VI and IX-XII. FSH-stimulated cAMP output increased in stages VII-XII but decreased in stages II-VI. At 52 days when all spermatids were low in number, basal cAMP levels decreased in all stages of the cycle, whereas FSH response was elevated only in stages VII-XII. All spermatogenic cell types seem to have an effect on cAMP production by the seminiferous tubule in a stage-specific fashion. Germ cells appear to regulate Sertoli cell FSH response in a paracrine way, and a part of cAMP may originate from spermatids stimulated by an unknown FSH-dependent Sertoli cell factor. The FSH-dependent functions may control such phenomena as spermatogonial proliferation, final maturation of spermatids, and onset of meiosis

Basal metabolic regulatory responses and rhythmic activity of ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

... Rattus sp. Low concentrations of kola nut extract stimulated the heart by increasing rate and force of contraction as well as metabolic rate. Higher concentrations reduced rate and amplitude of beat resulting, at still higher concentrations in heart failure. Keywords: Kolanut, extract, basal metabolic rate, mammalian heart ...

Subcutaneous insulin infusion: change in basal infusion rate has no immediate effect on insulin absorption rate

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hildebrandt, P.; Birch, K.; Jensen, B.M.; Kuehl, C.

1986-01-01

Eight insulin-dependent diabetic patients were simultaneously given subcutaneous infusions (1.12 IU/h each) of 125 I-labeled Actrapid insulin in each side of the abdominal wall. After 24 h of infusion, the size of the infused insulin depots was measured by external counting for 5 h. The basal infusion rate was then doubled in one side and halved in the other for the next 4 h. Finally, 1.12 IU/h of insulin was given in both sides of the abdominal wall for an additional 3 h. The changes in the size of the depots were measured, and the absorption rates for each hour were calculated. During the first 5 h of infusion, the depot size was almost constant (approximately 5 IU) with an absorption rate that equaled the infusion rate. Doubling the infusion rate led to a significant increase in depot size, but the absorption rate remained unchanged for the first 3 h, and only thereafter was a significant increase seen. When the infusion rate was reduced to the initial 1.12 IU/h, the absorption rate remained elevated during the next 3 h. Correspondingly, when the infusion rate was decreased, the depot size also decreased, but the absorption rate remained unchanged for the first 3 h. The results show that a change in the basal insulin infusion rate does not lead to any immediate change in the insulin absorption rate. This should be considered when planning an insulin-infusion program that includes alteration(s) in the basal-rate setting

The role of inhibition in generating and controlling Parkinson's disease oscillations in the basal ganglia

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Arvind eKumar

2011-10-01

Full Text Available Movement disorders in Parkinson's disease (PD are commonly associated with slow oscillations and increased synchrony of neuronal activity in the basal ganglia. The neural mechanisms underlying this dynamic network dysfunction, however, are only poorly understood. Here, we show that the strength of inhibitory inputs from striatum to globus pallidus external (GPe is a key parameter controlling oscillations in the basal ganglia. Specifically, the increase in striatal activity observed in PD is sufficient to unleash the oscillations in the basal ganglia. This finding allows us to propose a unified explanation for different phenomena: absence of oscillation in the healthy state of the basal ganglia, oscillations in dopamine-depleted state and quenching of oscillations under deep brain stimulation (DBS. These novel insights help us to better understand and optimize the function of DBS protocols. Furthermore, studying the model behaviour under transient increase of activity of the striatal neurons projecting to the indirect pathway, we are able to account for both motor impairment in PD patients and for reduced response inhibition in DBS implanted patients.

Basal cell carcinoma with halo phenomenon in a young female: Significance of dermatoscopy in early diagnosis

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Pinar Yuksel Basak

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Halo phenomenon of nevus may be observed as a circular reaction, although it is unusual around tumors. A 29-year-old woman presented with a pigmented lesion on the cheek since three years. She noted whitening of the skin around the lesion almost after a year following its appearance. Dermatologic examination revealed a pigmented nodular lesion with a hypopigmented halo on the left infraorbital region. The clinical impression was halo nevus, whereas basal cell carcinoma (BCC was considered in dermatoscopic differential diagnosis. The diagnosis was infiltrative-type BCC histopathologically. The persistence of a perilesional halo around an enlarging pigmented lesion should be carefully examined with accompanying dermatoscopic findings even in young patients for early diagnosis of tumoral lesions.

The Evaluation of Basal Respiration for Various Soil Textures in Ecologically Sensitive Area

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Huličová, P.; Kotorová, D.; Fazekašová, D.; Hynšt, J.

2017-10-01

The present contribution was focused on monitoring changes in the soil basal respiration in different textures of soil in the dry polder Beša. The research was conducted between 2012 and 2014 on soil type Fluvisol locations on three soil textures: clay - loam soil, clayey soil and clay soil in three soil depths. The basal respiration (BR) has been determine by soil CO2 production measuring from incubated soil samples in serum bottles in laboratory condition. Release Co2 has been analysed by gas chromatography. Content of clay particles were in the range 52.18 % to 81.31%, indicating the high difference between the minimum and maximum content. By using of multiple LSD-test we recorded statistically significant impact of clay on basal respiration. Results confirm the values of basal respiration with the depth of the soil profile decreased.

Patterned basal seismicity shows sub-ice stream bedforms

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Barcheck, C. G.; Tulaczyk, S. M.; Schwartz, S. Y.

2017-12-01

Patterns in seismicity emanating from the bottom of fast-moving ice streams and glaciers may indicate localized patches of higher basal resistance— sometimes called 'sticky spots', or otherwise varying basal properties. These seismogenic basal areas resist an unknown portion of the total driving stress of the Whillans Ice Plain (WIP), in West Antarctica, but may play an important role in the WIP stick-slip cycle and ice stream slowdown. To better understand the mechanism and importance of basal seismicity beneath the WIP, we analyze seismic data collected by a small aperture (micro-earthquakes in Dec 2014, and we compare the resulting map of seismicity to ice bottom depth measured by airborne radar. The number of basal earthquakes per area within the network is spatially heterogeneous, but a pattern of two 400m wide streaks of high seismicity rates is evident, with >50-500 earthquakes detected per 50x50m grid cell in 2 weeks. These seismically active streaks are elongated approximately in the ice flow direction with a spacing of 750m. Independent airborne radar measurements of ice bottom depth from Jan 2013 show a low-amplitude ( 5m) undulation in the basal topography superposed on a regional gradient in ice bottom depth. The flow-perpendicular wavelength of these low-amplitude undulations is comparable to the spacing of the high seismicity bands, and the streaks of high seismicity intersect local lows in the undulating basal topography. We interpret these seismic and radar observations as showing seismically active sub-ice stream bedforms that are low amplitude and elongated in the direction of ice flow, comparable to the morphology of mega scale glacial lineations (MSGLs), with high basal seismicity rates observed in the MSGL troughs. These results have implications for understanding the formation mechanism of MSGLS and well as understanding the interplay between basal topographic roughness, spatially varying basal till and hydrologic properties, basal

50 Hz hippocampal stimulation in refractory epilepsy: Higher level of basal glutamate predicts greater release of glutamate.

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Cavus, Idil; Widi, Gabriel A; Duckrow, Robert B; Zaveri, Hitten; Kennard, Jeremy T; Krystal, John; Spencer, Dennis D

2016-02-01

The effect of electrical stimulation on brain glutamate release in humans is unknown. Glutamate is elevated at baseline in the epileptogenic hippocampus of patients with refractory epilepsy, and increases during spontaneous seizures. We examined the effect of 50 Hz stimulation on glutamate release and its relationship to interictal levels in the hippocampus of patients with epilepsy. In addition, we measured basal and stimulated glutamate levels in a subset of these patients where stimulation elicited a seizure. Subjects (n = 10) were patients with medically refractory epilepsy who were undergoing intracranial electroencephalography (EEG) evaluation in an epilepsy monitoring unit. Electrical stimulation (50 Hz) was delivered through implanted hippocampal electrodes (n = 11), and microdialysate samples were collected every 2 min. Basal glutamate, changes in glutamate efflux with stimulation, and the relationships between peak stimulation-associated glutamate concentrations, basal zero-flow levels, and stimulated seizures were examined. Stimulation of epileptic hippocampi in patients with refractory epilepsy caused increases in glutamate efflux (p = 0.005, n = 10), and 4 of ten patients experienced brief stimulated seizures. Stimulation-induced increases in glutamate were not observed during the evoked seizures, but rather were related to the elevation in interictal basal glutamate (R(2) = 0.81, p = 0.001). The evoked-seizure group had lower basal glutamate levels than the no-seizure group (p = 0.04), with no stimulation-induced change in glutamate efflux (p = 0.47, n = 4). Conversely, increased glutamate was observed following stimulation in the no-seizure group (p = 0.005, n = 7). Subjects with an atrophic hippocampus had higher basal glutamate levels (p = 0.03, n = 7) and higher stimulation-induced glutamate efflux. Electrical stimulation of the epileptic hippocampus either increased extracellular glutamate efflux or induced seizures. The magnitude of stimulated

Nevoid Basal Cell Carcinoma Syndrome (Gorlin Syndrome).

Science.gov (United States)

Bresler, Scott C; Padwa, Bonnie L; Granter, Scott R

2016-06-01

Nevoid basal cell carcinoma syndrome, or basal cell nevus syndrome (Gorlin syndrome), is a rare autosomal dominantly inherited disorder that is characterized by development of basal cell carcinomas from a young age. Other distinguishing clinical features are seen in a majority of patients, and include keratocystic odontogenic tumors (formerly odontogenic keratocysts) as well as dyskeratotic palmar and plantar pitting. A range of skeletal and other developmental abnormalities are also often seen. The disorder is caused by defects in hedgehog signaling which result in constitutive pathway activity and tumor cell proliferation. As sporadic basal cell carcinomas also commonly harbor hedgehog pathway aberrations, therapeutic agents targeting key signaling constituents have been developed and tested against advanced sporadically occurring tumors or syndromic disease, leading in 2013 to FDA approval of the first hedgehog pathway-targeted small molecule, vismodegib. The elucidation of the molecular pathogenesis of nevoid basal cell carcinoma syndrome has resulted in further understanding of the most common human malignancy.

Neglected Giant Scalp Basal Cell Carcinoma

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Anne Kristine Larsen, MD

2014-03-01

Full Text Available Summary: Rarely, basal cell carcinoma grows to a giant size, invading the underlying deep tissue and complicating the treatment and reconstruction modalities. A giant basal cell carcinoma on the scalp is in some cases treated with a combination of surgery and radiation therapy, resulting in local control, a satisfactory long-term cosmetic and functional result. We present a case with a neglected basal cell scalp carcinoma, treated with wide excision and postoperative radiotherapy, reconstructed with a free latissimus dorsi flap. The cosmetic result is acceptable and there is no sign of recurrence 1 year postoperatively.

Basal Cell Carcinoma in Cases with or without Xeroderma Pigmentosum.

Science.gov (United States)

Ghartimagar, Dilasma; Ghosh, Arnab; Shrestha, Sushil Ram; Shrestha, Sachet; Thapa, Sushma; Narasimhan, Raghavan; Talwar, O P

2017-01-01

Basal cell carcinoma is the most common form of cancer in humans and comprises the vast majority of skin cancers. It predominantly affects fair-skinned individuals, and its incidence is rapidly increasing. The objective of the study is to identify the epidemiology, its topography and different histological subtypes of basal cell carcinoma in patients with or without Xeroderma Pigmentosum. A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted at Manipal Teaching Hospital, Pokhara from Jan 2009 to Dec 2016. Ethical approval was taken from MEMG/IRC/GA. The study included patients with a confirmed diagnosis of basal cell carcinoma irrespective of their age and sex. This study showed 77 individuals with 91 biopsies of BCC including 5 cases of Xeroderma Pigmentosum. The predominant histological subtype was nodular with 41 (53.94%) cases, followed by the 14 (18.42%) cases of pigmented and 10 (13.15%) cases baso-squamous subtype. The most frequent sites of involvement were the head and neck, with predominance in the nasal and orbital region. The mean age was 57.68 years but the basal cell carcinoma in cases of Xeroderma Pigmentosum was seen more in younger age groups. There were 43 (55.84 %) male patients and 34 (44.16 %) female patients with a male to female ratio of 1.26:1. Nodular and pigmented varieties were the most frequent subtypes with nose being the commonest site of involvement. Basal cell carcinomas in cases of Xeroderma Pigmentosum were noted in younger age group with multiple lesions.

Chronic Stress Decreases Basal Levels of Memory-Related Signaling Molecules in Area CA1 of At-Risk (Subclinical) Model of Alzheimer's Disease.

Science.gov (United States)

Alkadhi, Karim A; Tran, Trinh T

2015-08-01

An important factor that may affect the severity and time of onset of Alzheimer's disease (AD) is chronic stress. Epidemiological studies report that chronically stressed individuals are at an increased risk for developing AD. The purpose of this study was to reveal whether chronic psychosocial stress could hasten the appearance of AD symptoms including changes in basal levels of cognition-related signaling molecules in subjects who are at risk for the disease. We investigated the effect of chronic psychosocial stress on basal levels of memory-related signaling molecules in area CA1 of subclinical rat model of AD. The subclinical symptomless rat model of AD was induced by osmotic pump continuous intracerebroventricular (ICV) infusion of 160 pmol/day Aβ1-42 for 14 days. Rats were chronically stressed using the psychosocial stress intruder model. Western blot analysis of basal protein levels of important signaling molecules in hippocampal area CA1 showed no significant difference between the subclinical AD rat model and control rat. Following six weeks of psychosocial stress, molecular analysis showed that subclinical animals subjected to stress have significantly reduced basal levels of p-CaMKII and decreased p-CaMKII/t-CaMKII ratio as well as decreased basal levels of p-CREB, total CREB, and BDNF. The present results suggest that these changes in basal levels of signaling molecules may be responsible for impaired learning, memory, and LTP in this rat model, which support the proposition that chronic stress may accelerate the emergence of AD in susceptible individuals.

Dopamine transporter density in the basal ganglia assessed with [{sup 123}I]IPT SPET in children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cheon, Keun-Ah; Kim, Young-Kee; Namkoong, Kee; Kim, Chan-Hyung [Department of Psychiatry, College of Medicine, Yonsei University, Seoul (Korea); Ryu, Young Hoon; Lee, Jong Doo [Division of Nuclear Medicine, Department of Radiology, College of Medicine, Yonsei University, 146-92 Dogokdong, Gangnam-Gu, Seoul, 135-720 (Korea)

2003-02-01

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a psychiatric disorder in childhood that is known to be associated with dopamine dysregulation. In this study, we investigated dopamine transporter (DAT) density in children with ADHD using iodine-123 labelled N-(3-iodopropen-2-yl)-2β-carbomethoxy-3β-(4-chlorophenyl) tropane ([{sup 123}I]IPT) single-photon emission tomography (SPET) and postulated that an alteration in DAT density in the basal ganglia is responsible for dopaminergic dysfunction in children with ADHD. Nine drug-naive children with ADHD and six normal children were included in the study. We performed brain SPET 2 h after the intravenous administration of [{sup 123}I]IPT and carried out both quantitative and qualitative analyses using the obtained SPET data, which were reconstructed for the assessment of the specific/non-specific DAT binding ratio in the basal ganglia. We then investigated the correlation between the severity scores of ADHD symptoms in children with ADHD assessed with ADHD rating scale-IV and the specific/non-specific DAT binding ratio in the basal ganglia. Drug-naive children with ADHD showed a significantly increased specific/non-specific DAT binding ratio in the basal ganglia compared with normal children. However, no significant correlation was found between the severity scores of ADHD symptoms in children with ADHD and the specific/non-specific DAT binding ratio in the basal ganglia. Our findings support the complex dysregulation of the dopaminergic neurotransmitter system in children with ADHD. (orig.)

The future of basal insulin supplementation

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Simon, Airin C. R.; DeVries, J. Hans

2011-01-01

This review presents an overview of the candidates for an improved basal insulin in the pharmaceutical pipeline. The first new basal insulin to enter the market is most likely insulin degludec (IDeg), currently reporting in phase 3 of development, from Novo Nordisk (Bagsvaerd, Denmark). IDeg has a

Learning Reward Uncertainty in the Basal Ganglia.

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John G Mikhael

2016-09-01

Full Text Available Learning the reliability of different sources of rewards is critical for making optimal choices. However, despite the existence of detailed theory describing how the expected reward is learned in the basal ganglia, it is not known how reward uncertainty is estimated in these circuits. This paper presents a class of models that encode both the mean reward and the spread of the rewards, the former in the difference between the synaptic weights of D1 and D2 neurons, and the latter in their sum. In the models, the tendency to seek (or avoid options with variable reward can be controlled by increasing (or decreasing the tonic level of dopamine. The models are consistent with the physiology of and synaptic plasticity in the basal ganglia, they explain the effects of dopaminergic manipulations on choices involving risks, and they make multiple experimental predictions.

Comparison of side effects of pentagastrin test and calcium stimulation test in patients with increased basal calcitonin concentration: the gender-specific differences.

Science.gov (United States)

Ubl, Philipp; Gincu, Tatiana; Keilani, Mohammad; Ponhold, Lothar; Crevenna, Richard; Niederle, Bruno; Hacker, Marcus; Li, Shuren

2014-08-01

The aim of this study was to compare the side effects of the pentagastrin test and the calcium stimulation test in patients with increased basal calcitonin concentration, especially the gender-specific differences of side effects. A total of 256 patients (123 females and 133 males, mean age of 56 ± 27 years, range 21-83 years) had both pentagastrin and calcium stimulation tests. All patients filled in a questionnaire regarding the side effects within 30 min after completion of the stimulation tests. The differences of side effects between female and male patients as well as between the pentagastrin stimulation test and the calcium stimulation test were evaluated. Warmth feeling was the most frequent occurring side effect in all patients who had both pentagastrin and calcium stimulation tests, followed by nausea, altered gustatory sensation, and dizziness. The incidences of urgency to micturate (p stimulation test. Significant higher incidences of urgency to micturate (p stimulation test as compared with those by pentagastrin test in female patients. The incidences of nausea (p stimulation test than by calcium stimulation test. There is a significant gender-specific difference in side effects induced by calcium stimulation test. Female patients have fewer side effects by pentagastrin test than by calcium stimulation test. Male patients may tolerate the calcium stimulation test better than the pentagastrin test.

Computerized tomographic diagnosis of basal skull fracture

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tanaka, Tokutaro; Shimoyama, Ichiro; Endoh, Mitsutoshi; Ninchoji, Toshiaki; Uemura, Kenichi.

1984-01-01

The diagnosis of basal skull fractures used to be difficult, particularly on the basis of routine skull roentgenography alone. We have now examined the diagnostic value of conventional computerized tomography in basal skull fractures. We studied 82 cases clinically diagnosed as basal skull fractures. We examined them based on at least one of the following computerized tomographic criteria for basal skull fractures: 1) fracture line(s), 2) intracranial air, 3) fluid in the paranasal sinuses, and 4) fluid in the middle ear, including the mastoid air cells. The signs of the fracture line and of the intracranial air are definite indications of basal skull fracture, but the signs of fluid in the paranasal sinuses and/or in the middle ear are not definite. When combined, however, with such other clinical signs as black eye, Battle's sign, CSF leakage, CSF findings, and profuse nasal or ear bleeding, the diagnosis is more reliable. Seventy cases (85.4%) in this series had basal skull fractures according to our computerized tomographic criteria. Among them , 26 cases (31.7%) were diagnosed with fracture lines, 17 cases (20.7%) with intracranial air, 16 cases (19.5%) with fluid in the paranasal sinuses, 10 cases (12.2%) with fluid in the middle ear, and one case (1.2%) with fluid in both. Twelve cases (14.6%) of the 82 cases clinically diagnosed as basal skull fractures could not have been diagnosed on our computerized tomographic criteria alone. We diagnosed them because of CSF leakage, CSF findings, surgical findings, etc. (author)

Modern basal insulins: an ongoing story or the start of a new era?

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Ivan Ivanovich Dedov

2015-11-01

Full Text Available Basal insulin represents an essential tool in the treatment of both type 1 and type 2 diabetes mellitus. The development of insulin analogues has improved the possibilities of diabetes treatment. Despite significant progress in understanding the physiology, chemistry, kinetics and action of insulin, currently available basal insulin products do not optimally mimic the endogenous profile of insulin. Although basal insulin analogues have some advantages over neutral protamine Hagedorn insulin in diabetes treatment, hypoglycaemia remains the main problem in the achievement of optimal glycaemic control in most patients with diabetes. These unmet clinical needs have stimulated the development of new basal insulin analogues with improved pharmacological profiles. This article reviews the specific characteristics of new long-acting insulin analogues to try and understand their benefits and limitations in the improvement of diabetes management and their possibilities in physiologic and safe insulin replacement.

Increased serum estrone and estradiol following spironolactone administration in hypertensive men

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Miyatake, A; Noma, K; Nakao, K; Morimoto, Y; Yamamura, Y [Osaka Univ. (Japan). Faculty of Medicine

1978-12-01

This study was undertaken to evaluate long-term effects of spironolactone on basal serum estrone, estradiol, testosterone, LH and prolactin concentrations in hypertensive male patients. Serum prolactin response to TRH was also evaluated. There were two groups, (a) six males with essential hypertension given 75 - 150 mg spironolactone daily for 12 weeks, and (b) two males with idiopathic hyperaldosteronism given 300 mg daily for over 40 weeks. In the conventional-dosage group, serum estrone concentrations significantly increased (P < 0.01) at 12 weeks serum estradiol gradually increased but not statistically significantly (P < 0,2). Basal serum testosterone, LH and prolactin concentrations did not show significant changes. There was no increase in serum prolactin response to TRH. In the high-dosage group, serum estrone levels remained high, and serum estradiol increased with the development of gynaecomastia. Serum testosterone, LH and prolactin concentrations showed no marked changes. The elevations in circulating oestrogens could well explain the oestrogenic side-effects of spironolactone treatment.

Increased serum oestrone and oestradiol following spironolactone administration in hypertensive men

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Miyatake, A.; Noma, K.; Nakao, K.; Morimoto, Y.; Yamamura, Y.

1978-01-01

This study was undertaken to evaluate long-term effects of spironolactone on basal serum oestrone, oestradiol, testosterone, LH and prolactin concentrations in hypertensive male patients. Serum prolactin response to TRH was also evaluated. There were two groups, (a) six males with essential hypertension given 75 - 150 mg spironolactone daily for 12 weeks, and (b) two males with idiopathic hyperaldosteronism given 300 mg daily for over 40 weeks. In the conventional-dosage group, serum oestrone concentrations significantly increased (P < 0.01) at 12 weeks serum oestradiol gradually increased but not statistically significantly (P < 0,2). Basal serum testosterone, LH and prolactin concentrations did not show significant changes. There was no increase in serum prolactin response to TRH. In the high-dosage group, serum oestrone levels remained high, and serum oestradiol increased with the development of gynaecomastia. Serum testosterone, LH and prolactin concentrations showed no marked changes. The elevations in circulating oestrogens could well explain the oestrogenic side-effects of spironolactone treatment. (author)

Basal C-peptide Level as a Surrogate Marker of Subclinical Atherosclerosis in Type 2 Diabetic Patients

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Sung-Tae Kim

2011-02-01

Full Text Available BackgroundRecent studies have revealed that C-peptide induces smooth muscle cell proliferation and causes human atherosclerotic lesions in diabetic patients. The present study was designed to examine whether the basal C-peptide levels correlate with cardiovascular risk in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM patients.MethodsData was obtained from 467 patients with T2DM from two institutions who were followed for four years. The medical findings of all patients were reviewed, and patients with creatinine >1.4 mg/dL, any inflammation or infection, hepatitis, or type 1 DM were excluded. The relationships between basal C-peptide and other clinical values were statistically analyzed.ResultsA simple correlation was found between basal C-peptide and components of metabolic syndrome (MS. Statistically basal C-peptide levels were significantly higher than the three different MS criteria used in the present study, the Adult Treatment Panel III (ATP III of the National Cholesterol Education Program's (NCEP's, World Health Organization (WHO, and the International Diabetes Federation (IDF criteria (NCEP-ATP III, P=0.001; IDF, P<0.001; WHO, P=0.029. The multiple regression analysis between intima-media thickness (IMT and clinical values showed that basal C-peptide significantly correlated with IMT (P=0.043, while the analysis between the 10-year coronary heart disease risk by the United Kingdom Prospective Diabetes Study risk engine and clinical values showed that basal C-peptide did not correlate with IMT (P=0.226.ConclusionBasal C-peptide is related to cardiovascular predictors (IMT of T2DM, suggesting that basal C-peptide does provide a further indication of cardiovascular disease.

An autocrine ATP release mechanism regulates basal ciliary activity in airway epithelium.

Science.gov (United States)

Droguett, Karla; Rios, Mariana; Carreño, Daniela V; Navarrete, Camilo; Fuentes, Christian; Villalón, Manuel; Barrera, Nelson P

2017-07-15

Extracellular ATP, in association with [Ca 2+ ] i regulation, is required to maintain basal ciliary beat frequency. Increasing extracellular ATP levels increases ciliary beating in airway epithelial cells, maintaining a sustained response by inducing the release of additional ATP. Extracellular ATP levels in the millimolar range, previously associated with pathophysiological conditions of the airway epithelium, produce a transient arrest of ciliary activity. The regulation of ciliary beat frequency is dependent on ATP release by hemichannels (connexin/pannexin) and P2X receptor activation, the blockage of which may even stop ciliary movement. The force exerted by cilia, measured by atomic force microscopy, is reduced following extracellular ATP hydrolysis. This result complements the current understanding of the ciliary beating regulatory mechanism, with special relevance to inflammatory diseases of the airway epithelium that affect mucociliary clearance. Extracellular nucleotides, including ATP, are locally released by the airway epithelium and stimulate ciliary activity in a [Ca 2+ ] i -dependent manner after mechanical stimulation of ciliated cells. However, it is unclear whether the ATP released is involved in regulating basal ciliary activity and mediating changes in ciliary activity in response to chemical stimulation. In the present study, we evaluated ciliary beat frequency (CBF) and ciliary beating forces in primary cultures from mouse tracheal epithelium, using videomicroscopy and atomic force microscopy (AFM), respectively. Extracellular ATP levels and [Ca 2+ ] i were measured by luminometric and fluorimetric assays, respectively. Uptake of ethidium bromide was measured to evaluate hemichannel functionality. We show that hydrolysis of constitutive extracellular ATP levels with apyrase (50 U ml -1 ) reduced basal CBF by 45% and ciliary force by 67%. The apyrase effect on CBF was potentiated by carbenoxolone, a hemichannel inhibitor, and oxidized ATP, an

New basal iguanodonts from the Cedar Mountain formation of Utah and the evolution of thumb-spiked dinosaurs.

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Andrew T McDonald

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Basal iguanodontian dinosaurs were extremely successful animals, found in great abundance and diversity almost worldwide during the Early Cretaceous. In contrast to Europe and Asia, the North American record of Early Cretaceous basal iguanodonts has until recently been limited largely to skulls and skeletons of Tenontosaurus tilletti. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Herein we describe two new basal iguanodonts from the Yellow Cat Member of the Cedar Mountain Formation of eastern Utah, each known from a partial skull and skeleton. Iguanacolossus fortis gen. et sp. nov. and Hippodraco scutodens gen. et sp. nov. are each diagnosed by a single autapomorphy and a unique combination of characters. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: Iguanacolossus and Hippodraco add greatly to our knowledge of North American basal iguanodonts and prompt a new comprehensive phylogenetic analysis of basal iguanodont relationships. This analysis indicates that North American Early Cretaceous basal iguanodonts are more basal than their contemporaries in Europe and Asia.

New Basal Iguanodonts from the Cedar Mountain Formation of Utah and the Evolution of Thumb-Spiked Dinosaurs

Science.gov (United States)

McDonald, Andrew T.; Kirkland, James I.; DeBlieux, Donald D.; Madsen, Scott K.; Cavin, Jennifer; Milner, Andrew R. C.; Panzarin, Lukas

2010-01-01

Background Basal iguanodontian dinosaurs were extremely successful animals, found in great abundance and diversity almost worldwide during the Early Cretaceous. In contrast to Europe and Asia, the North American record of Early Cretaceous basal iguanodonts has until recently been limited largely to skulls and skeletons of Tenontosaurus tilletti. Methodology/Principal Findings Herein we describe two new basal iguanodonts from the Yellow Cat Member of the Cedar Mountain Formation of eastern Utah, each known from a partial skull and skeleton. Iguanacolossus fortis gen. et sp. nov. and Hippodraco scutodens gen. et sp. nov. are each diagnosed by a single autapomorphy and a unique combination of characters. Conclusions/Significance Iguanacolossus and Hippodraco add greatly to our knowledge of North American basal iguanodonts and prompt a new comprehensive phylogenetic analysis of basal iguanodont relationships. This analysis indicates that North American Early Cretaceous basal iguanodonts are more basal than their contemporaries in Europe and Asia. PMID:21124919

Basal hyperaemia is the primary abnormality of perfusion in Takotsubo cardiomyopathy

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Christensen, Thomas Emil; Ahtarovski, Kiril Aleksov; Bang, Lia Evi

2015-01-01

AIMS: Takotsubo cardiomyopathy (TTC) is characterized by acute completely reversible regional left ventricle (LV) akinesia and decreased tracer uptake in the akinetic region on semi-quantitative perfusion imaging. The latter may be due to normoperfusion of the akinetic mid/apical area and basal...... hyperperfusion. Our aim was to examine abnormalities of perfusion in TTC, and we hypothesized that basal hyperperfusion is the primary perfusion abnormality in the acute state. METHOD AND RESULTS: Twenty-five patients were diagnosed with TTC due to (i) acute onset of symptoms, (ii) typical apical ballooning......-on follow-up. Patients initially had severe heart failure, mid/apical oedema but no infarction, and a rise in cardiac biomarkers. On initial perfusion PET imaging, eight patients appeared to have normal, whereas 17 patients had impaired LV perfusion. In the latter, flow in the basal region was increased...

Potentiation by choline of basal and electrically evoked acetylcholine release, as studied using a novel device which both stimulates and perfuses rat corpus striatum

Science.gov (United States)

Farber, S. A.; Kischka, U.; Marshall, D. L.; Wurtman, R. J.

1993-01-01

We examined the release of acetylcholine (ACh) and dopamine (DA) using a novel probe through which striatal neurons could be both superfused and stimulated electrically in both anesthetized and freely moving awake animals. Optimal stimulation parameters for eliciting ACh release from cholinergic neurons differed from those required for eliciting DA release from dopaminergic terminals: at 0.6 ms pulse duration, 20 Hz and 200 microA, ACh release increased to 357 +/- 30% (P basal release rose from 117 +/- 7% to 141 +/- 5% of initial baseline levels (P basal or evoked DA release although neostigmine (10 microM) significantly elevated basal DA release (from 36.7 fmol/10 min to 71.5 fmol/10 min; P basal (from 106 +/- 7% to 154 +/- 17%; P < 0.05) and electrically evoked (from 146 +/- 13 to 262 +/- 16%; P < 0.01) ACh release.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS).

Basal Subtype of Invasive Breast Cancer Is Associated With a Higher Risk of True Recurrence After Conventional Breast-Conserving Therapy

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Hattangadi-Gluth, Jona A. [Harvard Radiation Oncology Program, Boston, Massachusetts (United States); Wo, Jennifer Y. [Department of Radiation Oncology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts (United States); Nguyen, Paul L. [Department of Radiation Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute/Brigham and Women' s Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts (United States); Abi Raad, Rita F. [Department of Radiation Oncology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts (United States); Sreedhara, Meera [Department of Radiation Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute/Brigham and Women' s Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts (United States); Niemierko, Andrzej [Department of Radiation Oncology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts (United States); Freer, Phoebe E. [Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts (United States); Georgian-Smith, Dianne [Department of Radiology, Brigham and Women' s Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts (United States); Bellon, Jennifer R.; Wong, Julia S. [Department of Radiation Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute/Brigham and Women' s Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts (United States); Smith, Barbara L. [Department of Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts (United States); Harris, Jay R. [Department of Radiation Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute/Brigham and Women' s Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts (United States); Taghian, Alphonse G., E-mail: ataghian@partners.org [Department of Radiation Oncology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts (United States)

2012-03-01

Purpose: To determine whether breast cancer subtype is associated with patterns of ipsilateral breast tumor recurrence (IBTR), either true recurrence (TR) or elsewhere local recurrence (ELR), among women with pT1-T2 invasive breast cancer (IBC) who receive breast-conserving therapy (BCT). Methods and Materials: From Jan 1998 to Dec 2003, 1,223 women with pT1-T2N0-3 IBC were treated with BCT (lumpectomy plus whole-breast radiation). Ninety percent of patients received adjuvant systemic therapy, but none received trastuzumab. Biologic cancer subtypes were approximated by determining estrogen receptor-positive (ER+), progesterone receptor-positive (PR+), and human epidermal growth factor receptor-2-positive (HER-2+) expression, classified as luminal A (ER+ or PR+ and HER-2 negative [HER-2-]), luminal B (ER+ or PR+ and HER-2+), HER-2 (ER- and PR- and HER-2+), and basal (ER- and PR- and HER-2- ) subtypes. Imaging, pathology, and operative reports were reviewed by two physicians independently, including an attending breast radiologist. Readers were blinded to subtype and outcome. TR was defined as IBTR within the same quadrant and within 3 cm of the primary tumor. All others were defined as ELR. Results: At a median follow-up of 70 months, 24 patients developed IBTR (5-year cumulative incidence of 1.6%), including 15 TR and 9 ELR patients. At 5 years, basal (4.4%) and HER-2 (9%) subtypes had a significantly higher incidence of TR than luminal B (1.2%) and luminal A (0.2%) subtypes (p < 0.0001). On multivariate analysis, basal subtype (hazard ratio [HR], 4.8, p = 0.01), younger age at diagnosis (HR, 0.97; p = 0.05), and increasing tumor size (HR, 2.1; p = 0.04) were independent predictors of TR. Only younger age (HR, 0.95; p = 0.01) significantly predicted for ELR. Conclusions: Basal and HER-2 subtypes are significantly associated with higher rates of TR among women with pT1-T2 IBC after BCT. Younger age predicts for both TR and ELR. Strategies to reduce TR in basal

Chemoprevention of Basal and Squamous Cell Carcinoma With a Single Course of Fluorouracil, 5%, Cream: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

Science.gov (United States)

Weinstock, Martin A; Thwin, Soe Soe; Siegel, Julia A; Marcolivio, Kimberly; Means, Alexander D; Leader, Nicholas F; Shaw, Fiona M; Hogan, Daniel; Eilers, David; Swetter, Susan M; Chen, Suephy C; Jacob, Sharon E; Warshaw, Erin M; Stricklin, George P; Dellavalle, Robert P; Sidhu-Malik, Navjeet; Konnikov, Nellie; Werth, Victoria P; Keri, Jonette E; Robinson-Bostom, Leslie; Ringer, Robert J; Lew, Robert A; Ferguson, Ryan; DiGiovanna, John J; Huang, Grant D

2018-02-01

% increase), nor was there a significant effect on keratinocyte carcinoma risk. However, a reduction in keratinocyte carcinomas treated with Mohs surgery was observed. A conventional course of fluorouracil to the face and ears substantially reduces surgery for squamous cell carcinoma for 1 year without significantly affecting the corresponding risk for basal cell carcinoma. clinicaltrials.gov Identifier: NCT00847912.

Adherence to Basal Insulin Therapy Among People with Type 2 Diabetes: A Retrospective Cohort Study of Costs and Patient Outcomes.

Science.gov (United States)

Perez-Nieves, Magaly; Boye, Kristina S; Kiljanski, Jacek; Cao, Dachung; Lage, Maureen J

2018-04-11

This research compares costs, resource utilization, and complications between adherent and nonadherent patients over the 3-year period post initiation on basal insulin therapy. The study utilized the US-based Truven Health MarketScan ® Research Databases from 2011 through 2015. Adults aged 18 years or older and identified with type 2 diabetes (T2D) who initiated therapy on basal insulin in 2012 were included. Patients were excluded if they were pregnant, filled their index basal insulin prescription via mail order, or were not continuously insured from 1 year before through 3 years following initiation of treatment with basal insulin. Instrumental variables were used to control for selection bias, and multivariable analyses were used to examine the associations between adherence to basal insulin therapy and costs, resource utilization, and acute complications. A total of 21,363 individuals were included in the study. Three years after initiating therapy on basal insulin, patients who were adherent over time to basal insulin treatment therapy (33.8% of patients) had significantly higher diabetes-related drug costs. However, patients' adherence was associated with significantly lower diabetes-related outpatient, acute care, and total costs. Results for all-cause costs were similar. Adherent patients also had significantly fewer all-cause and diabetes-related hospitalizations and emergency room visits and were significantly less likely to be diagnosed with an acute complication. Results of this study illustrate that despite higher drug costs, there are disease-specific and all-cause cost offsets and improved patient outcomes associated with adherence to basal insulin therapy for people with T2D. Eli Lilly and Company.

Surfactant protein d deficiency in mice is associated with hyperphagia, altered fat deposition, insulin resistance, and increased Basal endotoxemia

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Stidsen, Jacob V; Khorooshi, Reza; Rahbek, Martin K U

2012-01-01

Pulmonary surfactant protein D (SP-D) is a host defence lectin of the innate immune system that enhances clearance of pathogens and modulates inflammatory responses. Recently it has been found that systemic SP-D is associated with metabolic disturbances and that SP-D deficient mice are mildly obese....... However, the mechanism behind SP-D's role in energy metabolism is not known.Here we report that SP-D deficient mice had significantly higher ad libitum energy intake compared to wild-type mice and unchanged energy expenditure. This resulted in accumulation but also redistribution of fat tissue. Blood...... pressure was unchanged. The change in energy intake was unrelated to the basal levels of hypothalamic Pro-opiomelanocortin (POMC) and Agouti-related peptide (AgRP) gene expression. Neither short time systemic, nor intracereberoventricular SP-D treatment altered the hypothalamic signalling or body weight...

Subthalamic nucleus stimulation does not influence basal glucose metabolism or insulin sensitivity in patients with Parkinson's disease.

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Lammers, Nicolette M; Sondermeijer, Brigitte M; Twickler, Th B Marcel; de Bie, Rob M; Ackermans, Mariëtte T; Fliers, Eric; Schuurman, P Richard; La Fleur, Susanne E; Serlie, Mireille J

2014-01-01

Animal studies have shown that central dopamine signaling influences glucose metabolism. As a first step to show this association in an experimental setting in humans, we studied whether deep brain stimulation (DBS) of the subthalamic nucleus (STN), which modulates the basal ganglia circuitry, alters basal endogenous glucose production (EGP) or insulin sensitivity in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD). We studied 8 patients with PD treated with DBS STN, in the basal state and during a hyperinsulinemic euglycemic clamp using a stable glucose isotope, in the stimulated and non-stimulated condition. We measured EGP, hepatic insulin sensitivity, peripheral insulin sensitivity (Rd), resting energy expenditure (REE), glucoregulatory hormones, and Parkinson symptoms, using the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS). Basal plasma glucose and EGP did not differ between the stimulated and non-stimulated condition. Hepatic insulin sensitivity was similar in both conditions and there were no significant differences in Rd and plasma glucoregulatory hormones between DBS on and DBS off. UPDRS was significantly higher in the non-stimulated condition. DBS of the STN in patients with PD does not influence basal EGP or insulin sensitivity. These results suggest that acute modulation of the motor basal ganglia circuitry does not affect glucose metabolism in humans.

Activity of the basal ganglia in Parkinson's disease estimated by PET

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ohye, Chihiro

1995-01-01

Positron emission tomographic (PET) studies on the local cerebral blood flow, oxygen metabolic rate, glucose metabolic rate in the basal ganglia of Parkinson's disease are reviewed. PET has demonstrated that blood flow was decreased in the cerebral cortex, especially the frontal region, of Parkinson's disease and that specific change in blood flow or metabolic rate in the basal ganglia was detected only in patients with hemi-parkinsonism. In authors' study on PET using 18 FDG in patients with tremor type and rigid type Parkinson's disease, changes in blood flow and metabolic rate were minimal at the basal ganglia level in tremor type patients, but cortical blood flow was decreased and metabolic rate was more elevated in the basal ganglia in rigid type patients. These findings were correlated with depth micro-recordings obtained by stereotactic pallidotomy. PET studies have also revealed that activity in the nerve terminal was decreased with decreasing dopamine and that dopamine (mainly D 2 ) activity was remarkably increased. PET studies with specific tracers are promising in providing more accurate information about functional state of living human brain with minimal invasion to patients. (N.K.)

Synergy as a new and sensitive marker of basal ganglia dysfunction: A study of asymptomatic welders.

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Lewis, Mechelle M; Lee, Eun-Young; Jo, Hang Jin; Du, Guangwei; Park, Jaebum; Flynn, Michael R; Kong, Lan; Latash, Mark L; Huang, Xuemei

2016-09-01

Multi-digit synergies, a recently developed, theory-based method to quantify stability of motor action, are shown to reflect basal ganglia dysfunction associated with parkinsonian syndromes. In this study, we tested the hypothesis that multi-digit synergies may capture early and subclinical basal ganglia dysfunction. We chose asymptomatic welders to test the hypothesis because the basal ganglia are known to be most susceptible to neurotoxicity caused by welding-related metal accumulation (such as manganese and iron). Twenty right-handed welders and 13 matched controls were invited to perform single- and multi-finger pressing tasks using the fingers of the right or left hand. Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale and Grooved Pegboard scores were used to gauge gross and fine motor dysfunction, respectively. High-resolution (3T) T1-weighted, T2-weighted, T1 mapping, susceptibility, and diffusion tensor MRIs were obtained to reflect manganese, iron accumulation, and microstructural changes in basal ganglia. The synergy index stabilizing total force and anticipatory synergy adjustments were computed, compared between groups, and correlated with estimates of basal ganglia manganese [the pallidal index, R1 (1/T1)], iron [R2* (1/T2*)], and microstructural changes [fractional anisotropy and mean diffusivity]. There were no significant differences in Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (total or motor subscale) or Grooved Pegboard test scores between welders and controls. The synergy index during steady-state accurate force production was decreased significantly in the left hand of welders compared to controls (p=0.004) but did not reach statistical significance in the right hand (p=0.16). Anticipatory synergy adjustments, however, were not significantly different between groups. Among welders, higher synergy indices in the left hand were associated significantly with higher fractional anisotropy values in the left globus pallidus (R=0.731, psynergy metrics may serve

Learning and memory functions of the Basal Ganglia.

Science.gov (United States)

Packard, Mark G; Knowlton, Barbara J

2002-01-01

Although the mammalian basal ganglia have long been implicated in motor behavior, it is generally recognized that the behavioral functions of this subcortical group of structures are not exclusively motoric in nature. Extensive evidence now indicates a role for the basal ganglia, in particular the dorsal striatum, in learning and memory. One prominent hypothesis is that this brain region mediates a form of learning in which stimulus-response (S-R) associations or habits are incrementally acquired. Support for this hypothesis is provided by numerous neurobehavioral studies in different mammalian species, including rats, monkeys, and humans. In rats and monkeys, localized brain lesion and pharmacological approaches have been used to examine the role of the basal ganglia in S-R learning. In humans, study of patients with neurodegenerative diseases that compromise the basal ganglia, as well as research using brain neuroimaging techniques, also provide evidence of a role for the basal ganglia in habit learning. Several of these studies have dissociated the role of the basal ganglia in S-R learning from those of a cognitive or declarative medial temporal lobe memory system that includes the hippocampus as a primary component. Evidence suggests that during learning, basal ganglia and medial temporal lobe memory systems are activated simultaneously and that in some learning situations competitive interference exists between these two systems.

Dysfunctions of the basal ganglia-cerebellar-thalamo-cortical system produce motor tics in Tourette syndrome.

Science.gov (United States)

Caligiore, Daniele; Mannella, Francesco; Arbib, Michael A; Baldassarre, Gianluca

2017-03-01

Motor tics are a cardinal feature of Tourette syndrome and are traditionally associated with an excess of striatal dopamine in the basal ganglia. Recent evidence increasingly supports a more articulated view where cerebellum and cortex, working closely in concert with basal ganglia, are also involved in tic production. Building on such evidence, this article proposes a computational model of the basal ganglia-cerebellar-thalamo-cortical system to study how motor tics are generated in Tourette syndrome. In particular, the model: (i) reproduces the main results of recent experiments about the involvement of the basal ganglia-cerebellar-thalamo-cortical system in tic generation; (ii) suggests an explanation of the system-level mechanisms underlying motor tic production: in this respect, the model predicts that the interplay between dopaminergic signal and cortical activity contributes to triggering the tic event and that the recently discovered basal ganglia-cerebellar anatomical pathway may support the involvement of the cerebellum in tic production; (iii) furnishes predictions on the amount of tics generated when striatal dopamine increases and when the cortex is externally stimulated. These predictions could be important in identifying new brain target areas for future therapies. Finally, the model represents the first computational attempt to study the role of the recently discovered basal ganglia-cerebellar anatomical links. Studying this non-cortex-mediated basal ganglia-cerebellar interaction could radically change our perspective about how these areas interact with each other and with the cortex. Overall, the model also shows the utility of casting Tourette syndrome within a system-level perspective rather than viewing it as related to the dysfunction of a single brain area.

Dysfunctions of the basal ganglia-cerebellar-thalamo-cortical system produce motor tics in Tourette syndrome.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Daniele Caligiore

2017-03-01

Full Text Available Motor tics are a cardinal feature of Tourette syndrome and are traditionally associated with an excess of striatal dopamine in the basal ganglia. Recent evidence increasingly supports a more articulated view where cerebellum and cortex, working closely in concert with basal ganglia, are also involved in tic production. Building on such evidence, this article proposes a computational model of the basal ganglia-cerebellar-thalamo-cortical system to study how motor tics are generated in Tourette syndrome. In particular, the model: (i reproduces the main results of recent experiments about the involvement of the basal ganglia-cerebellar-thalamo-cortical system in tic generation; (ii suggests an explanation of the system-level mechanisms underlying motor tic production: in this respect, the model predicts that the interplay between dopaminergic signal and cortical activity contributes to triggering the tic event and that the recently discovered basal ganglia-cerebellar anatomical pathway may support the involvement of the cerebellum in tic production; (iii furnishes predictions on the amount of tics generated when striatal dopamine increases and when the cortex is externally stimulated. These predictions could be important in identifying new brain target areas for future therapies. Finally, the model represents the first computational attempt to study the role of the recently discovered basal ganglia-cerebellar anatomical links. Studying this non-cortex-mediated basal ganglia-cerebellar interaction could radically change our perspective about how these areas interact with each other and with the cortex. Overall, the model also shows the utility of casting Tourette syndrome within a system-level perspective rather than viewing it as related to the dysfunction of a single brain area.

Dynamics of action potential backpropagation in basal dendrites of prefrontal cortical pyramidal neurons.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhou, Wen-Liang; Yan, Ping; Wuskell, Joseph P; Loew, Leslie M; Antic, Srdjan D

2008-02-01

Basal dendrites of neocortical pyramidal neurons are relatively short and directly attached to the cell body. This allows electrical signals arising in basal dendrites to strongly influence the neuronal output. Likewise, somatic action potentials (APs) should readily propagate back into the basilar dendritic tree to influence synaptic plasticity. Two recent studies, however, determined that sodium APs are severely attenuated in basal dendrites of cortical pyramidal cells, so that they completely fail in distal dendritic segments. Here we used the latest improvements in the voltage-sensitive dye imaging technique (Zhou et al., 2007) to study AP backpropagation in basal dendrites of layer 5 pyramidal neurons of the rat prefrontal cortex. With a signal-to-noise ratio of > 15 and minimal temporal averaging (only four sweeps) we were able to sample AP waveforms from the very last segments of individual dendritic branches (dendritic tips). We found that in short- (< 150 microm) and medium (150-200 microm in length)-range basal dendrites APs backpropagated with modest changes in AP half-width or AP rise-time. The lack of substantial changes in AP shape and dynamics of rise is inconsistent with the AP-failure model. The lack of substantial amplitude boosting of the third AP in the high-frequency burst also suggests that in short- and medium-range basal dendrites backpropagating APs were not severely attenuated. Our results show that the AP-failure concept does not apply in all basal dendrites of the rat prefrontal cortex. The majority of synaptic contacts in the basilar dendritic tree actually received significant AP-associated electrical and calcium transients.

A morphometric CT study of Down's syndrome showing small posterior fossa and calcification of basal ganglia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ieshima, A.; Yoshino, K.; Takashima, S.; Takeshita, K.; Kisa, T.

1984-01-01

We report characteristic and morphometric changes of cranial computed tomography (CT) with increasing age in 56 patients with Down's syndrome aged from 0 month to 37 years. Patients were compared with 142 normal controls aged 0 to 59 years. Width of ventricles, Sylvian fissures, posterior fossa, pons and cisterna magna were measured on CT. The incidences of the cavum septi pellucidi, cavum vergae and cavum veli interpositi and high density in the basal ganglia were examined. There was high incidence (10.7%) of bilateral calcification of basal ganglia in Down's syndrome, although that of pineal body and choroid plexus calcification was similar in Down's syndrome and controls. Basal ganglia calcification is more frequently seen in young Down's syndrome and may be related to the premature aging characteristic of Down's syndrome. The CT in Down's syndrome showed relatively small posterior fossa, small cerebellum, small brain stem and relatively large Sylvian fissures in those under one year of age. There was a high frequency of midline cava and large cisterna magna. There were no significant atrophic changes on CT except after the fifth decade comparing with controls. (orig.)

Basal cell carcinoma of the skin (part 1): epidemiology, pathology and genetic syndromes.

Science.gov (United States)

Correia de Sá, Tiago Ribeiro; Silva, Roberto; Lopes, José Manuel

2015-11-01

Basal cell carcinoma (BCC) is the most common skin cancer worldwide with increasing incidence, but difficult to assess due to the current under registration practice. Despite the low mortality rate, BCC is a cause of great morbidity and an economic burden to health services. There are several risk factors that increase the risk of BCC and partly explain its incidence. Low-penetrance susceptibility alleles, as well as genetic alterations in signaling pathways, namely SHH pathway, also contribute to the carcinogenesis. BCC associate with several genetic syndromes, of which basal cell nevus syndrome is the most common.

Association of basal serum testosterone levels with ovarian response and in vitro fertilization outcome

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sun Mei

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background To evaluate basal testosterone (T levels during follicular phase of the menstrual cycle as a predictor for ovarian response and in vitro fertilization (IVF outcome. Method We analyzed data retrospectively from hospital-based IVF center including one thousand two hundred and sixty Chinese Han women under their first IVF cycle reached the ovum pick-up stage, without polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS or endometriosis undergoing long IVF protocol. Patients were divided into 2 groups. Group 1: patients with diminished ovarian reserve (basal FSH >10 IU/L (n = 187; Group 2: patients with normal ovarian reserve (basal FSH Results Basal T levels were markly different between pregnant and non-pregnant women in Group 1; whereas not in Group 2. A testosterone level of 47.85 ng/dl was shown to predict pregnancy outcome with a sensitivity of 52.8% and specificity of 65.3%; and the basal T was correlated with the numbers of large follicles (> 14 mm on HCG day in Group 1. Significantly negative correlations were observed between basal T, days of stimulation and total dose of gonadotropins after adjusting for confounding factors in both groups. Conclusion In women with diminished ovarian reserve, basal T level was a predictor for the number of large follicles on HCG day and pregnancy outcome; but could not in those with normal serum FSH. Basal T levels were associated with both days of stimulation and total dose of gonadotropins, indicating that lower level of T might relate with potential ovarian poor response.

Basal serum pancreatic polypeptide is dependent on age and gender in an adult population

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Brimnes Damholt, M; Rasmussen, B K; Hilsted, L

1997-01-01

This study is the first epidemiologically based study of basal levels of serum pancreatic polypeptide (s-PP). The basal level of serum PP has become a field of interest mainly due to the role of PP as an endocrine tumour marker, and as a marker of pancreatic neuroendocrine function after pancreas...... a monospecific radioimmunoassay. Fasting serum pancreatic polypeptide depended on age and gender. The results demonstrated that fasting pancreatic polypeptide levels increase exponentially with age. Fitted separately for each sex, basal serum pancreatic polypeptide was found to increase by approximately 3% per...... reports on the fasting levels of serum pancreatic polypeptide are most likely due to lack of adjustment for age and gender. Thus, variation due to age and gender should be considered in evaluating fasting levels of serum pancreatic polypeptide. Whether similar considerations are important when evaluating...

Localized basal meningeal enhancement in tuberculous meningitis

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Theron, Salomine; Andronikou, Savvas; Grobbelaar, Marie; Steyn, Freda; Mapukata, Ayanda; Plessis, Jaco du [University of Stellenbosch, Department of Radiology, Tygerberg Hospital, P.O. BOX 19063, Tygerberg (South Africa)

2006-11-15

Focal basal meningeal enhancement may produce a confusing CT picture in children with suspected tuberculous meningitis (TBM). To demonstrate the incidence, distribution and appearance of localized basal meningeal enhancement in children with TBM. CT scans of patients with definite (culture proven) and probable (CSF suggestive) TBM were retrospectively evaluated by two observers. Localized basal enhancement was documented as involving: unilateral cistern of the lateral fossa (CLF), unilateral sylvian fissure, unilateral CLF and sylvian fissure in combination, unilateral CLF and sylvian fissure with ipsi- or contralateral ambient cistern and isolated quadrigeminal plate cistern. The study included 130 patients with TBM (aged 2 months to 13 years 9 months). Focal basal enhancement was seen in 11 patients (8.5%). The sylvian fissure was involved most commonly, followed by the lateral fossa cistern. The ambient cistern was involved in three patients and the quadrigeminal plate cistern in one. Focal areas of enhancement corresponded to the areas of infarction in every patient. Focal basal meningeal enhancement is common (8.5%) in paediatric TBM. This must be kept in mind when evaluating CT scans in children presenting with focal neurological findings, seizures or meningism in communities where TBM is endemic. (orig.)

Localized basal meningeal enhancement in tuberculous meningitis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Theron, Salomine; Andronikou, Savvas; Grobbelaar, Marie; Steyn, Freda; Mapukata, Ayanda; Plessis, Jaco du

2006-01-01

Focal basal meningeal enhancement may produce a confusing CT picture in children with suspected tuberculous meningitis (TBM). To demonstrate the incidence, distribution and appearance of localized basal meningeal enhancement in children with TBM. CT scans of patients with definite (culture proven) and probable (CSF suggestive) TBM were retrospectively evaluated by two observers. Localized basal enhancement was documented as involving: unilateral cistern of the lateral fossa (CLF), unilateral sylvian fissure, unilateral CLF and sylvian fissure in combination, unilateral CLF and sylvian fissure with ipsi- or contralateral ambient cistern and isolated quadrigeminal plate cistern. The study included 130 patients with TBM (aged 2 months to 13 years 9 months). Focal basal enhancement was seen in 11 patients (8.5%). The sylvian fissure was involved most commonly, followed by the lateral fossa cistern. The ambient cistern was involved in three patients and the quadrigeminal plate cistern in one. Focal areas of enhancement corresponded to the areas of infarction in every patient. Focal basal meningeal enhancement is common (8.5%) in paediatric TBM. This must be kept in mind when evaluating CT scans in children presenting with focal neurological findings, seizures or meningism in communities where TBM is endemic. (orig.)

Attenuated frontal and sensory inputs to the basal ganglia in cannabis users.

Science.gov (United States)

Blanco-Hinojo, Laura; Pujol, Jesus; Harrison, Ben J; Macià, Dídac; Batalla, Albert; Nogué, Santiago; Torrens, Marta; Farré, Magí; Deus, Joan; Martín-Santos, Rocío

2017-07-01

Heavy cannabis use is associated with reduced motivation. The basal ganglia, central in the motivation system, have the brain's highest cannabinoid receptor density. The frontal lobe is functionally coupled to the basal ganglia via segregated frontal-subcortical circuits conveying information from internal, self-generated activity. The basal ganglia, however, receive additional influence from the sensory system to further modulate purposeful behaviors according to the context. We postulated that cannabis use would impact functional connectivity between the basal ganglia and both internal (frontal cortex) and external (sensory cortices) sources of influence. Resting-state functional connectivity was measured in 28 chronic cannabis users and 29 controls. Selected behavioral tests included reaction time, verbal fluency and exposition to affective pictures. Assessments were repeated after one month of abstinence. Cannabis exposure was associated with (1) attenuation of the positive correlation between the striatum and areas pertaining to the 'limbic' frontal-basal ganglia circuit, and (2) attenuation of the negative correlation between the striatum and the fusiform gyrus, which is critical in recognizing significant visual features. Connectivity alterations were associated with lower arousal in response to affective pictures. Functional connectivity changes had a tendency to normalize after abstinence. The results overall indicate that frontal and sensory inputs to the basal ganglia are attenuated after chronic exposure to cannabis. This effect is consistent with the common behavioral consequences of chronic cannabis use concerning diminished responsiveness to both internal and external motivation signals. Such an impairment of the fine-tuning in the motivation system notably reverts after abstinence. © 2016 Society for the Study of Addiction.

A Classic Case of Basal Cell Nevus Syndrome

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dattaprasad Dadhe

2015-01-01

Full Text Available The basal cell nevus syndrome is an autosomal dominant inherited condition characterized mainly by basal cell carcinomas, multiple keratinizing odontogenic tumors, and other systemic anomalies. As these manifestations do not alter the patient′s lifestyle, most of the cases are diagnosed through oral abnormalities. A classic case of basal cell nevus syndrome fulfilling almost all the major and minor criteria has been reported here.

[Comparison between basal insulin glargine and NPH insulin in patients with diabetes type 1 on conventional intensive insulin therapy].

Science.gov (United States)

Pesić, Milica; Zivić, Sasa; Radenković, Sasa; Velojić, Milena; Dimić, Dragan; Antić, Slobodan

2007-04-01

Insulin glargine is a long-acting insulin analog that mimics normal basal insulin secretion without pronounced peaks. The aim of this study was to compare insulin glargine with isophane insulin (NPH insulin) for basal insulin supply in patients with type 1 diabetes. A total of 48 type 1 diabetics on long term conventional intensive insulin therapy (IT) were randomized to three different regimens of basal insulin substitution: 1. continuation of NPH insulin once daily at bedtime with more intensive selfmonitoring (n = 15); 2. NPH insulin twice daily (n = 15); 3. insulin glargine once daily (n = 18). Meal time insulin aspart was continued in all groups. Fasting blood glucose (FBG) was lower in the glargine group (7.30+/-0.98 mmol/1) than in the twice daily NPH group (7.47+/-1.06 mmol/1), but without significant difference. FBG was significantly higher in the once daily NPH group (8.44+/-0.85 mmol/l; p < 0.05). HbAlc after 3 months did not change in the once daily NPH group, but decreased in the glargine group (from 7.72+/-0.86% to 6.87+/-0.50%), as well as in the twice daily NPH group (from 7.80+/-0.83% to 7.01+/-0.63%). Total daily insulin doses were similar in all groups but only in the glargine group there was an increase of basal and decrease of meal related insulin doses. The frequency of mild hypoglycemia was significantly lower in the glargine group (6.56+/-2.09) than in both NPH groups (9.0+/-1.65 in twice daily NPH group and 8.13+/-1.30 in other NPH group) (episodes/patients-month, p < 0.05). Basal insulin supplementation in type 1 diabetes mellitus with either twice daily NPH insulin or glargine can result in similar glycemic control when combined with meal time insulin aspart. However, with glargine regimen FBG, HbAlc and frequency of hypoglycemic event are lower. These facts contribute to better patients satisfaction with insulin glargine versus NPH insulin in IIT in type 1 diabetics.

Triple-negative breast cancer with brain metastases: a comparison between basal-like and non-basal-like biological subtypes

NARCIS (Netherlands)

A. Niwińska (Anna); W. Olszewski (Wojciech); M. Murawska (Magdalena); K. Pogoda (Katarzyna)

2011-01-01

textabstractThe aim of this study was to divide the group of triple-negative breast cancer patients with brain metastases into basal-like and non-basal-like biological subtypes in order to compare clinical features and survival rates in those two groups. A comprehensive analysis of 111 consecutive

Elevated YAP and its downstream targets CCN1 and CCN2 in basal cell carcinoma: impact on keratinocyte proliferation and stromal cell activation.

Science.gov (United States)

Quan, Taihao; Xu, Yiru; Qin, Zhaoping; Robichaud, Patrick; Betcher, Stephanie; Calderone, Ken; He, Tianyuan; Johnson, Timothy M; Voorhees, John J; Fisher, Gary J

2014-04-01

Yes-associated protein (YAP) is a transcriptional co-activator of hippo signaling pathway, which plays an important role in organ size control and tumorigenesis. Here we report that YAP and its downstream transcriptional targets CCN1 and CCN2 are markedly elevated in keratinocytes in human skin basal cell carcinoma tumor islands. In human keratinocytes, knockdown of YAP significantly reduced expression of CCN1 and CCN2, and repressed proliferation and survival. This inhibition of proliferation and survival was rescued by restoration of CCN1 expression, but not by CCN2 expression. In basal cell carcinoma stroma, CCN2-regulated genes type I collagen, fibronectin, and α-smooth muscle actin were highly expressed. Furthermore, atomic force microscopy revealed increased tissue stiffness in basal cell carcinoma stroma compared to normal dermis. These data provide evidence that up-regulation of YAP in basal cell carcinoma impacts both aberrant keratinocyte proliferation, via CCN1, and tumor stroma cell activation and stroma remodeling, via CCN2. Targeting YAP and/or CCN1 and CCN2 may provide clinical benefit in basal cell carcinoma. Copyright © 2014 American Society for Investigative Pathology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Growth and development, nicotine concentrations and sources of nicotine-n in flue-cured tobacco plants influenced by basal n fertilization time and n fertilizer (15N)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Xie Zhijian; Tu Shuxin; Li Jinping; Xu Rubing; Chen Zhenguo; Cao Shiming; Wang Xuelong

2010-01-01

A field experiment with 15 N isotope tracing micro-plots was carried out to study the effects of basal N fertilizer application time (15 d, 30 d before the transplanting) of flue-cured tobacco (FCT) seedlings and nitrogen fertilization (with N and without N) on growth and development, nicotine concentrations and sources of nicotine N of FCT in Laowan (N 31 degree 27', E 111 degree 14', 1 130 m above sea level), a main tobacco production area of Xiangfan city, Hubei province. The results showed that both dry matter accumulation and nicotine concentrations of different parts of FCT increased with growing of plants. The concentrations of nicotine decreased with the ascending of leaf position before topping period, but just opposite after the removal of apex. The proportion of nicotine N from fertilizer to total nicotine N decreased with growing of FCT plants and the rising of leaf position. Applying N fertilizer significantly increased dry matter accumulation of shoot and the nicotine concentrations of different poisional tobacco leaves by 2.1-2.7 fold and 0.1-0.7 fold respectively. Compared with the basal fertilization time 15 d before transplanting, applying basal fertilizer 30 d before transplanting increased the dry matter accumulation and nicotine concentrations of flue-cured tobacco by 2.2%-8.0% and 6.3%-18.5% respectively. There was no significant effects of basal N fertilization time on the proportion of nicotine-N from fertilizer in organs of FCT plants at mature stage. These results suggested that properly putting forward the basal N fertilization time before transplanting make for decrease of nicotine concentrations and improvement of quality of FCT leaves, so as to improve its industrial utilities. (authors)

Lixisenatide as add-on therapy to basal insulin

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Brown DX

2013-12-01

Full Text Available Dominique Xavier Brown, Emma Louise Butler, Marc Evans Diabetes Department, University Hospital Llandough, Cardiff, UK Abstract: Many patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus do not achieve target glycosylated hemoglobin A1c levels despite optimally titrated basal insulin and satisfactory fasting plasma glucose levels. Current evidence suggests that HbA1c levels are dictated by both basal glucose and postprandial glucose levels. This has led to a consensus that postprandial glucose excursions contribute to poor glycemic control in these patients. Lixisenatide is a once-daily, prandial glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1 receptor agonist with a four-fold affinity for the GLP-1 receptor compared with native GLP-1. Importantly, lixisenatide causes a significant delay in gastric emptying time, an important determinant of the once-daily dosing regimen. An exendin-4 mimetic with six lysine residues removed at the C-terminal, lixisenatide has pronounced postprandial glucose-lowering effects, making it a novel incretin agent for use in combination with optimally titrated basal insulin. Lixisenatide exerts profound effects on postprandial glucose through established mechanisms of glucose-dependent insulin secretion and glucagon suppression in combination with delayed gastric emptying. This review discusses the likely place that lixisenatide will occupy in clinical practice, given its profound effects on postprandial glucose and potential to reduce glycemic variability. Keywords: lixisenatide, add-on therapy, insulin, GLP-1 receptor agonist, postprandial glucose, pharmacodynamics

Heart rate responses induced by acoustic tempo and its interaction with basal heart rate.

Science.gov (United States)

Watanabe, Ken; Ooishi, Yuuki; Kashino, Makio

2017-03-07

Many studies have revealed the influences of music on the autonomic nervous system (ANS). Since previous studies focused on the effects of acoustic tempo on the ANS, and humans have their own physiological oscillations such as the heart rate (HR), the effects of acoustic tempo might depend on the HR. Here we show the relationship between HR elevation induced by acoustic tempo and individual basal HR. Since high tempo-induced HR elevation requires fast respiration, which is based on sympatho-respiratory coupling, we controlled the participants' respiration at a faster rate (20 CPM) than usual (15 CPM). We found that sound stimuli with a faster tempo than the individual basal HR increased the HR. However, the HR increased following a gradual increase in the acoustic tempo only when the extent of the gradual increase in tempo was within a specific range (around + 2%/min). The HR did not follow the increase in acoustic tempo when the rate of the increase in the acoustic tempo exceeded 3% per minute. These results suggest that the effect of the sympatho-respiratory coupling underlying the HR elevation caused by a high acoustic tempo depends on the basal HR, and the strength and the temporal dynamics of the tempo.

Basal Cell Carcinoma Arising in a Tattooed Eyebrow

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Jong-Sun; Park, Jin; Kim, Seong-Min; Kim, Han-Uk

2009-01-01

Malignant skin tumors, including squamous cell carcinoma and malignant melanoma, have occurred in tattoos. Seven documented cases of basal cell carcinoma associated with tattoos have also been reported in the medical literature. We encountered a patient with basal cell carcinoma in a tattooed eyebrow. We report on this case as the eighth reported case of a patient with basal cell carcinoma arising in a tattooed area. PMID:20523804

Identification and characterization of a gibberellin-regulated protein, which is ASR5, in the basal region of rice leaf sheaths.

Science.gov (United States)

Takasaki, Hironori; Mahmood, Tariq; Matsuoka, Makoto; Matsumoto, Hiroshi; Komatsu, Setsuko

2008-04-01

Gibberellins (GAs) regulate growth and development in higher plants. To identify GA-regulated proteins during rice leaf sheath elongation, a proteomic approach was used. Proteins from the basal region of leaf sheath in rice seedling treated with GA(3) were analyzed by fluorescence two-dimensional difference gel electrophoresis. The levels of abscisic acid-stress-ripening-inducible 5 protein (ASR5), elongation factor-1 beta, translationally controlled tumor protein, fructose-bisphosphate aldolase and a novel protein increased; whereas the level of RuBisCO subunit binding-protein decreased by GA(3) treatment. ASR5 out of these six proteins was significantly regulated by GA(3) at the protein level but not at the mRNA level in the basal region of leaf sheaths. Since this protein is regulated not only by abscisic acid but also by GA(3), these results indicate that ASR5 might be involved in plant growth in addition to stress in the basal regions of leaf sheaths.

Statistical parametric mapping and statistical probabilistic anatomical mapping analyses of basal/acetazolamide Tc-99m ECD brain SPECT for efficacy assessment of endovascular stent placement for middle cerebral artery stenosis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, Tae-Hong; Kim, Seong-Jang; Kim, In-Ju; Kim, Yong-Ki; Kim, Dong-Soo; Park, Kyung-Pil

2007-01-01

Statistical parametric mapping (SPM) and statistical probabilistic anatomical mapping (SPAM) were applied to basal/acetazolamide Tc-99m ECD brain perfusion SPECT images in patients with middle cerebral artery (MCA) stenosis to assess the efficacy of endovascular stenting of the MCA. Enrolled in the study were 11 patients (8 men and 3 women, mean age 54.2 ± 6.2 years) who had undergone endovascular stent placement for MCA stenosis. Using SPM and SPAM analyses, we compared the number of significant voxels and cerebral counts in basal and acetazolamide SPECT images before and after stenting, and assessed the perfusion changes and cerebral vascular reserve index (CVRI). The numbers of hypoperfusion voxels in SPECT images were decreased from 10,083 ± 8,326 to 4,531 ± 5,091 in basal images (P 0.0317) and from 13,398 ± 14,222 to 7,699 ± 10,199 in acetazolamide images (P = 0.0142) after MCA stenting. On SPAM analysis, the increases in cerebral counts were significant in acetazolamide images (90.9 ± 2.2 to 93.5 ± 2.3, P = 0.0098) but not in basal images (91 ± 2.7 to 92 ± 2.6, P = 0.1602). The CVRI also showed a statistically significant increase from before stenting (median 0.32; 95% CI -2.19-2.37) to after stenting (median 1.59; 95% CI -0.85-4.16; P = 0.0068). This study revealed the usefulness of voxel-based analysis of basal/acetazolamide brain perfusion SPECT after MCA stent placement. This study showed that SPM and SPAM analyses of basal/acetazolamide Tc-99m brain SPECT could be used to evaluate the short-term hemodynamic efficacy of successful MCA stent placement. (orig.)

Germinoma originating in the basal ganglia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anno, Y.; Hori, T.; Watanabe, T.; Takenobu, A.; Takigawa, H.; Kishimoto, M.; Tanaka, J.

1990-01-01

About 5-10% of primary intracranial germ cell tumors arise in basal ganglia and thalamus, where CT studies have been made. MR of the tumors in the pineal region, and to our knowledge, from one tumor in the basal ganglia were similar. In the present case, MR produced confusion in confirming diagnosis, which may require additional evidence from the clinical course, tumor markers, and CT images. (orig.)

Evidence for altered basal ganglia-brainstem connections in cervical dystonia.

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Anne J Blood

Full Text Available There has been increasing interest in the interaction of the basal ganglia with the cerebellum and the brainstem in motor control and movement disorders. In addition, it has been suggested that these subcortical connections with the basal ganglia may help to coordinate a network of regions involved in mediating posture and stabilization. While studies in animal models support a role for this circuitry in the pathophysiology of the movement disorder dystonia, thus far, there is only indirect evidence for this in humans with dystonia.In the current study we investigated probabilistic diffusion tractography in DYT1-negative patients with cervical dystonia and matched healthy control subjects, with the goal of showing that patients exhibit altered microstructure in the connectivity between the pallidum and brainstem. The brainstem regions investigated included nuclei that are known to exhibit strong connections with the cerebellum. We observed large clusters of tractography differences in patients relative to healthy controls, between the pallidum and the brainstem. Tractography was decreased in the left hemisphere and increased in the right hemisphere in patients, suggesting a potential basis for the left/right white matter asymmetry we previously observed in focal dystonia patients.These findings support the hypothesis that connections between the basal ganglia and brainstem play a role in the pathophysiology of dystonia.

Nevoid basal cell carcinoma syndrome

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Kannan Karthiga

2006-01-01

Full Text Available Binkley and Johnson first reported this syndrome in 1951. But it was in 1960, Gorlin-Goltz established the association of basal cell epithelioma, jaw cyst and bifid ribs, a combination which is now frequently known as Gorlin-Goltz syndrome as well as Nevoid Basal Cell Carcinoma Syndrome (NBCCS. NBCCS is inherited as an autosomal dominant trait with high penetrance and variable expressivity. NBCCS is characterized by variety of cutaneous, dental, osseous, opthalmic, neurologic and sexual abnormalities. One such case of Gorlin-Goltz syndrome is reported here with good illustrations.

Basal Cell Ameloblastoma: A Rare Histological Variant of an ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Ameloblastomas are an inscrutable group of oral tumors. Basal cell ameloblastoma is a rare variant of ameloblastoma with very few cases reported until date. The tumor is composed of more primitive cells and has less conspicuous peripheral palisading. It shows remarkable similarity to basal cell carcinoma, basal cell ...

Organizational changes of the daughter basal complex during the parasite replication of Toxoplasma gondii.

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Ke Hu

2008-01-01

Full Text Available The apicomplexans are a large group of parasitic protozoa, many of which are important human and animal pathogens, including Plasmodium falciparum and Toxoplasma gondii. These parasites cause disease only when they replicate, and their replication is critically dependent on the proper assembly of the parasite cytoskeletons during cell division. In addition to their importance in pathogenesis, the apicomplexan parasite cytoskeletons are spectacular structures. Therefore, understanding the cytoskeletal biogenesis of these parasites is important not only for parasitology but also of general interest to broader cell biology. Previously, we found that the basal end of T. gondii contains a novel cytoskeletal assembly, the basal complex, a cytoskeletal compartment constructed in concert with the daughter cortical cytoskeleton during cell division. This study focuses on key events during the biogenesis of the basal complex using high resolution light microscopy, and reveals that daughter basal complexes are established around the duplicated centrioles independently of the structural integrity of the daughter cortical cytoskeleton, and that they are dynamic "caps" at the growing ends of the daughters. Compartmentation and polarization of the basal complex is first revealed at a late stage of cell division upon the recruitment of an EF-hand containing calcium binding protein, TgCentrin2. This correlates with the constriction of the basal complex, a process that can be artificially induced by increasing cellular calcium concentration. The basal complex is therefore likely to be a new kind of centrin-based contractile apparatus.

Filaggrin Gene Mutations and Risk of Basal Cell Carcinoma

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kaae, Jesper Rabølle; Thyssen, J P; Johansen, J D

2013-01-01

) . Mice with knockdown of filaggrin, or lack of functional histidase, show decreased epidermal trans-UCA levels and increased UVB-induced skin damage (5) . FLG mutation carriers also have 10% increased serum vitamin D levels suggesting increased penetration of UVB (6) . We evaluated the prevalence of FLG......Basal cell carcinoma (BCC) is prevalent in lightly-pigmented Europeans. While ultraviolet (UV) radiation is an important risk factor, genetic predispositions to BCC have also been identified (1) . Atopic dermatitis (AD), a condition with a heritability that reaches 71-84%, might increase the risk...

Review of photodynamic therapy in actinic keratosis and basal cell carcinoma

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Marica B Ericson

2008-03-01

Full Text Available Marica B Ericson1,2, Ann-Marie Wennberg1, Olle Larkö11Department of Dermatology; 2Department of Physics, Göteborg University, Göteborg, SwedenAbstract: The number of non-melanoma skin cancers is increasing worldwide, and so also the demand for effective treatment modalities. Topical photodynamic therapy (PDT using aminolaevulinic acid or its methyl ester has recently become good treatment options for actinic keratosis and basal cell carcinoma; especielly when treating large areas and areas with field cancerization. The cure rates are usually good, and the cosmetic outcomes excellent. The only major side effect reported is the pain experienced by the patients during treatment. This review covers the fundamental aspects of topical PDT and its application for treatment of actinic keratosis and basal cell carcinoma. Both potentials and limitations will be reviewed, as well as some recent development within the field.Keywords: photodynamic therapy, actinic keratosis, basal cell carcinoma

Impact of basal diet on dextran sodium sulphate (DSS)-induced colitis in rats.

Science.gov (United States)

Boussenna, Ahlem; Goncalves-Mendes, Nicolas; Joubert-Zakeyh, Juliette; Pereira, Bruno; Fraisse, Didier; Vasson, Marie-Paule; Texier, Odile; Felgines, Catherine

2015-12-01

Dextran sodium sulphate (DSS)-induced colitis is a widely used model for inflammatory bowel disease. However, various factors including nutrition may affect the development of this colitis. This study aimed to compare and characterize the impact of purified and non-purified basal diets on the development of DSS-induced colitis in the rat. Wistar rats were fed a non-purified or a semi-synthetic purified diet for 21 days. Colitis was then induced in half of the rats by administration of DSS in drinking water (4% w/v) during the last 7 days of experimentation. At the end of the experimental period, colon sections were taken for histopathological examination, determination of various markers of inflammation (myeloperoxidase: MPO, cytokines) and oxidative stress (superoxide dismutase: SOD, catalase: CAT, glutathione peroxidase: GPx and glutathione reductase: GRed activities), and evaluation of the expression of various genes implicated in this disorder. DSS ingestion induced a more marked colitis in animals receiving the purified diet, as reflected by higher histological score and increased MPO activity. A significant decrease in SOD and CAT activities was also observed in rats fed the purified diet. Also, in these animals, administration of DSS induced a significant increase in interleukin (IL)-1α, IL-1β and IL-6. In addition, various genes implicated in inflammation were over-expressed after ingestion of DSS by rats fed the purified diet. These results show that a purified diet promotes the onset of a more severe induced colitis than a non-purified one, highlighting the influence of basal diet in colitis development.

House dust mite-specific immunotherapy alters the basal expression of T regulatory and FcεRI pathway genes.

Science.gov (United States)

Pevec, Branko; Radulovic Pevec, Mira; Stipic Markovic, Asja; Batista, Irena; Rijavec, Matija; Silar, Mira; Kosnik, Mitja; Korosec, Peter

2012-01-01

Regulatory T (Treg) cells and IgE-mediated signaling pathways could play important roles in the induction of allergen tolerance during house dust mite-specific subcutaneous immunotherapy (HDM-SCIT). Our aim was to compare the basal expression levels of Treg, T helper 1 (Th1) and Th2 transcription factors and components involved in IgE-mediated signaling in healthy subjects with those in HDM-allergic patients both untreated and successfully treated with HDM-SCIT. Thirty-nine HDM-allergic patients who completed a 3- to 5-year course of mite extract SCIT, 20 mite-allergic controls and 25 healthy controls participated in this study. The efficacy of SCIT was monitored using skin-prick tests (SPTs), total immunoglobulin E (tIgE), specific IgE (sIgE), sIgG(4), nasal challenge and visual analog scale (VAS) scores at several time points. The mRNA levels of forkhead box protein 3 (FOXP3), T-BET, GATA-3, FcεRI, spleen tyrosine kinase (Syk), phosphatidylinositol 3 kinase (PI3K) and SH2 domain-containing inositol phosphatase (SHIP) were quantified by real-time RT-PCR using nonstimulated whole blood samples. Decreased wheal sizes and VAS scores, negative challenges and increased sIgG(4) levels indicated that SCIT was effective in the treated patients. Basal expression levels of FOXP3 and GATA-3 decreased and T-BET levels increased in both treated patients and in healthy controls compared to untreated patients. The IgE-mediated pathway kinases Syk and PI3K exhibited reduced expression, whereas SHIP phosphatase levels were elevated in both treated patients and healthy controls relative to untreated patients. The expression levels of FcεRI were not significantly altered. Immunotherapy using HDM extracts results in a modification of the basal expression levels of several IgE-related signaling factors and induces a highly significant upregulation of Th1-response and downregulation of Th2-response transcription factors. Interestingly, this therapy also appears to reduce the basal

Degludec insulin: A novel basal insulin

OpenAIRE

Kalra, Sanjay; Unnikrishnan, Ambika Gopalakrishnan; Baruah, Manash; Kalra, Bharti

2011-01-01

This paper reviews a novel insulin analogue, degludec, which has the potential to emerge as an ideal basal insulin. It reviews the limitations of existing basal insulin and analogues, and highlights the need for a newer molecule. The paper discusses the potential advantages of degludec, while reviewing its pharmacologic and clinical studies done so far. The paper assesses the potential role of insulin degludec and degludec plus in clinical diabetes practice.

Basal ganglia, movement disorders and deep brain stimulation: advances made through non-human primate research.

Science.gov (United States)

Wichmann, Thomas; Bergman, Hagai; DeLong, Mahlon R

2018-03-01

Studies in non-human primates (NHPs) have led to major advances in our understanding of the function of the basal ganglia and of the pathophysiologic mechanisms of hypokinetic movement disorders such as Parkinson's disease and hyperkinetic disorders such as chorea and dystonia. Since the brains of NHPs are anatomically very close to those of humans, disease states and the effects of medical and surgical approaches, such as deep brain stimulation (DBS), can be more faithfully modeled in NHPs than in other species. According to the current model of the basal ganglia circuitry, which was strongly influenced by studies in NHPs, the basal ganglia are viewed as components of segregated networks that emanate from specific cortical areas, traverse the basal ganglia, and ventral thalamus, and return to the frontal cortex. Based on the presumed functional domains of the different cortical areas involved, these networks are designated as 'motor', 'oculomotor', 'associative' and 'limbic' circuits. The functions of these networks are strongly modulated by the release of dopamine in the striatum. Striatal dopamine release alters the activity of striatal projection neurons which, in turn, influences the (inhibitory) basal ganglia output. In parkinsonism, the loss of striatal dopamine results in the emergence of oscillatory burst patterns of firing of basal ganglia output neurons, increased synchrony of the discharge of neighboring basal ganglia neurons, and an overall increase in basal ganglia output. The relevance of these findings is supported by the demonstration, in NHP models of parkinsonism, of the antiparkinsonian effects of inactivation of the motor circuit at the level of the subthalamic nucleus, one of the major components of the basal ganglia. This finding also contributed strongly to the revival of the use of surgical interventions to treat patients with Parkinson's disease. While ablative procedures were first used for this purpose, they have now been largely

Centrality of striatal cholinergic transmission in basal ganglia function

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Paola eBonsi

2011-02-01

Full Text Available Work over the past two decades revealed a previously unexpected role for striatal cholinergic interneurons in the context of basal ganglia function. The recognition that these interneurons are essential in synaptic plasticity and motor learning represents a significant step ahead in deciphering how the striatum processes cortical inputs, and why pathological circumstances cause motor dysfunction.Loss of the reciprocal modulation between dopaminergic inputs and the intrinsic cholinergic innervation within the striatum appears to be the trigger for pathophysiological changes occurring in basal ganglia disorders. Accordingly, there is now compelling evidence showing profound changes in cholinergic markers in these disorders, in particular Parkinson’s disease and dystonia.Based on converging experimental and clinical evidence, we provide an overview of the role of striatal cholinergic transmission in physiological and pathological conditions, in the context of the pathogenesis of movement disorders.

Improvement of basal conditions knowledge in Antarctica using data assimilation methods

Science.gov (United States)

Mosbeux, C.; Gillet-Chaulet, F.; Gagliardini, O.

2017-12-01

previous experiment, the reconstruction of both basal elevation and basal friction significantly decreases ice flux divergence anomalies when compared to classical methods where only the friction is inverted. Finally, we conduct prognostic simulations, allowing to assess the impact of the different initialisations obtained with the ensemble method.

Computed tomography of calcification of the basal ganglia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Park, Churl Min; Suh, Soo Jhi; Kim, Soon Yong

1981-01-01

Calcifications of the basal ganglia are rarely found at routine autopsies and in skull radiographs. CT is superior to the plain skull radiographs in detecting intracranial attenuation differences and may be stated to be the method of choice in the diagnosis of intracranial calcifications. Of 5985 brain CT scans performed in Kyung Hee University Hospital during past 3 years, 36 cases were found to have high attenuation lesions suggesting calcifications within basal ganglia. 1. The incidence of basal ganglia calcification on CT scan was about 0.6%. 2. Of these 36 cases, 34 cases were bilateral and the remainder was unilateral. 3. The plain skull films of 23 cases showed visible calcification of basal ganglia in 3 cases (13%). 4. No specific metabolic disease was noted in the cases

A case of basal cell epitheliomas developed on chronic radiodermatitis (so-called roentgen-skin)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kuroda, Takaya; Yasuhara, Minoru

1980-01-01

A woman 63 years old had received an unknown amount of roentgen rediation from a physician for spondylitis tuberculosa of the thoracic vertebrae fifty years ago. About five years ago two small brownish black tumors appeared on her back and gradually increased. Within the past month ulcer and bleeding in these tumors. The Patient presented a chronic radiodermatitis (so-called roentgen-skin) of the interscapular space. In addition, two tumors were present in the upper and lower parts of the roentgen-skin. The upper tumor revealed adenoid basal cell epithelioma and the lower tumor was pigmented solid basal cell epithelioma. A view on the development of basal cell epitheliomas on the roentgen-skin was assumed as follows: When epidermal and adnexal cells suffer from a certain damage by X-ray, especially soft X-ray, these cells may become modulated cells which have the same functions as adult immature pluripotential cells. From these modulated cells, basal cell epitheliomas may develop. (author)

miRNA-135b Contributes to Triple Negative Breast Cancer Molecular Heterogeneity: Different Expression Profile in Basal-like Versus non-Basal-like Phenotypes.

Science.gov (United States)

Uva, Paolo; Cossu-Rocca, Paolo; Loi, Federica; Pira, Giovanna; Murgia, Luciano; Orrù, Sandra; Floris, Matteo; Muroni, Maria Rosaria; Sanges, Francesca; Carru, Ciriaco; Angius, Andrea; De Miglio, Maria Rosaria

2018-01-01

The clinical and genetic heterogeneity of Triple Negative Breast Cancer (TNBC) and the lack of unambiguous molecular targets contribute to the inadequacy of current therapeutic options for these variants. MicroRNAs (miRNA) are a class of small highly conserved regulatory endogenous non-coding RNA, which can alter the expression of genes encoding proteins and may play a role in the dysregulation of cellular pathways. Our goal was to improve the knowledge of the molecular pathogenesis of TNBC subgroups analyzing the miRNA expression profile, and to identify new prognostic and predictive biomarkers. We conducted a human miRNome analysis by TaqMan Low Density Array comparing different TNBC subtypes, defined by immunohistochemical basal markers EGFR and CK5/6. RT-qPCR confirmed differential expression of microRNAs. To inspect the function of the selected targets we perform Gene Ontology and KEGG enrichment analysis. We identified a single miRNA signature given by miR-135b expression level, which was strictly related to TNBC with basal-like phenotype. miR-135b target analysis revealed a role in the TGF-beta, WNT and ERBB pathways. A significant positive correlation was identified between neoplastic proliferative index and miR-135b expression. These findings confirm the oncogenic roles of miR-135b in the pathogenesis of TNBC expressing basal markers. A potential negative prognostic role of miR-135b overexpression might be related to the positive correlation with high proliferative index. Our study implies potential clinical applications: miR-135b could be a potential therapeutic target in basal-like TNBCs.

Basal area or stocking percent: which works best in controlling density in natural shortleaf pine stands

Science.gov (United States)

Ivan L. Sander

1986-01-01

Results from a shortleaf pine thinning study in Missouri show that continually thinning a stand to the same basal area will eventually create an understocked stand and reduce yields. Using stocking percent to control thinning intensity allows basal area to increase as stands get older. The best yield should occur when shortleaf pine is repeatedly thinned to 60 percent...

Anthropometric measures in relation to Basal Cell Carcinoma: a longitudinal study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Pandeya Nirmala

2006-03-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The relationship between anthropometric indices and risk of basal cell carcinoma (BCC is largely unknown. We aimed to examine the association between anthropometric measures and development of BCC and to demonstrate whether adherence to World Health Organisation guidelines for body mass index, waist circumference, and waist/hip ratio was associated with risk of BCC, independent of sun exposure. Methods Study participants were participants in a community-based skin cancer prevention trial in Nambour, a town in southeast Queensland (latitude 26°S. In 1992, height, weight, and waist and hip circumferences were measured for all 1621 participants and weight was remeasured at the end of the trial in 1996. Prevalence proportion ratios were calculated using a log-binomial model to estimate the risk of BCC prior to or prevalent in 1992, while Poisson regression with robust error variances was used to estimate the relative risk of BCC during the follow-up period. Results At baseline, 94 participants had a current BCC, and 202 had a history of BCC. During the 5-year follow-up period, 179 participants developed one or more new BCCs. We found no significant association between any of the anthropometric measures or indices and risk of BCC after controlling for potential confounding factors including sun exposure. There was a suggestion that short-term weight gain may increase the risk of developing BCC for women only. Conclusion Adherence to World Health Organisation guidelines for body mass index, waist circumference and waist/hip ratio is not significantly associated with occurrence of basal cell carcinomas of the skin.

Anthropometric measures in relation to Basal Cell Carcinoma: a longitudinal study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Olsen, Catherine M; Hughes, Maria Celia; Pandeya, Nirmala; Green, Adèle C

2006-01-01

The relationship between anthropometric indices and risk of basal cell carcinoma (BCC) is largely unknown. We aimed to examine the association between anthropometric measures and development of BCC and to demonstrate whether adherence to World Health Organisation guidelines for body mass index, waist circumference, and waist/hip ratio was associated with risk of BCC, independent of sun exposure. Study participants were participants in a community-based skin cancer prevention trial in Nambour, a town in southeast Queensland (latitude 26°S). In 1992, height, weight, and waist and hip circumferences were measured for all 1621 participants and weight was remeasured at the end of the trial in 1996. Prevalence proportion ratios were calculated using a log-binomial model to estimate the risk of BCC prior to or prevalent in 1992, while Poisson regression with robust error variances was used to estimate the relative risk of BCC during the follow-up period. At baseline, 94 participants had a current BCC, and 202 had a history of BCC. During the 5-year follow-up period, 179 participants developed one or more new BCCs. We found no significant association between any of the anthropometric measures or indices and risk of BCC after controlling for potential confounding factors including sun exposure. There was a suggestion that short-term weight gain may increase the risk of developing BCC for women only. Adherence to World Health Organisation guidelines for body mass index, waist circumference and waist/hip ratio is not significantly associated with occurrence of basal cell carcinomas of the skin

Short-term pre- and post-operative stress prolongs incision-induced pain hypersensitivity without changing basal pain perception.

Science.gov (United States)

Cao, Jing; Wang, Po-Kai; Tiwari, Vinod; Liang, Lingli; Lutz, Brianna Marie; Shieh, Kun-Ruey; Zang, Wei-Dong; Kaufman, Andrew G; Bekker, Alex; Gao, Xiao-Qun; Tao, Yuan-Xiang

2015-12-02

Chronic stress has been reported to increase basal pain sensitivity and/or exacerbate existing persistent pain. However, most surgical patients have normal physiological and psychological health status such as normal pain perception before surgery although they do experience short-term stress during pre- and post-operative periods. Whether or not this short-term stress affects persistent postsurgical pain is unclear. In this study, we showed that pre- or post-surgical exposure to immobilization 6 h daily for three consecutive days did not change basal responses to mechanical, thermal, or cold stimuli or peak levels of incision-induced hypersensitivity to these stimuli; however, immobilization did prolong the duration of incision-induced hypersensitivity in both male and female rats. These phenomena were also observed in post-surgical exposure to forced swimming 25 min daily for 3 consecutive days. Short-term stress induced by immobilization was demonstrated by an elevation in the level of serum corticosterone, an increase in swim immobility, and a decrease in sucrose consumption. Blocking this short-term stress via intrathecal administration of a selective glucocorticoid receptor antagonist, RU38486, or bilateral adrenalectomy significantly attenuated the prolongation of incision-induced hypersensitivity to mechanical, thermal, and cold stimuli. Our results indicate that short-term stress during the pre- or post-operative period delays postoperative pain recovery although it does not affect basal pain perception. Prevention of short-term stress may facilitate patients' recovery from postoperative pain.

[Exenteration of the Orbit for Basal Cell Carcinoma].

Science.gov (United States)

Furdová, A; Horkovičová, K; Krčová, I; Krásnik, V

2015-08-01

Primary treatment of basal cell carcinoma of the lower eyelid and the inner corner is essentially surgical, but advanced lesions require extensive surgical interventions. In some cases it is necessary to continue with the mutilating surgery--exenteration of the orbit. In this work we evaluate the indications of radical solutions in patients with basal cell carcinoma invading the orbit and the subsequent possibility for individually made prosthesis to cover the defect of the cavity. Indications to exenteration of the orbit in patients with basal cell carcinoma findings in 2008-2013. Case report of 2 patients. In period 2008-20013 at the Dept. of Ophthalmology, Comenius University in Bratislava totally 221 patients with histologically confirmed basal cell carcinoma of the eyelids and the inner corner were treated. In 5 cases (2.7 %) with infiltration of the orbit the radical surgical procedure, exenteration was necessary. In 3 patients exenteration was indicated as the first surgical procedure in the treatment of basal cell carcinoma, since they had never visited ophthalmologist before only at in the stage of infiltration of the orbit (stage T4). In one case was indicated exenteration after previous surgical interventions and relapses. After healing the cavity patients got individually prepared epithesis. Surgical treatment of basal cell carcinoma involves the radical removal of the neoplasm entire eyelid and stage T1 or T2 can effectively cure virtually all tumors with satisfactory cosmetic and functional results. In advanced stages (T4 stage) by infiltrating the orbit by basal cell carcinoma exenteration of the orbit is necessary. This surgery is a serious situation for the patient and also for his relatives. Individually made prosthesis helps the patient to be enrolled to the social environment.

Traumatic bilateral basal ganglia hematoma: A report of two cases

OpenAIRE

Bhargava, Pranshu; Grewal, Sarvpreet Singh; Gupta, Bharat; Jain, Vikas; Sobti, Harman

2012-01-01

Traumatic Basal ganglia hemorrhage is relatively uncommon. Bilateral basal ganglia hematoma after trauma is extremely rare and is limited to case reports. We report two cases of traumatic bilateral basal ganglia hemorrhage, and review the literature in brief. Both cases were managed conservatively.

Aging is associated with an expansion of CD49fhi mammary stem cells that show a decline in function and increased transformation potential.

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Dong, Qiaoxiang; Gao, Hui; Shi, Yuanshuo; Zhang, Fuchuang; Gu, Xiang; Wu, Anqi; Wang, Danhan; Chen, Yuanhong; Bandyopadhyay, Abhik; Yeh, I-Tien; Daniel, Benjamin J; Chen, Yidong; Zou, Yi; Rebel, Vivienne L; Walter, Christi A; Lu, Jianxin; Huang, Changjiang; Sun, Lu-Zhe

2016-11-15

Breast cancer incidence increases during aging, yet the mechanism of age-associated mammary tumorigenesis is unclear. Mammary stem cells are believed to play an important role in breast tumorigenesis, but how their function changes with age is unknown. We compared mammary epithelial cells isolated from young and old mammary glands of different cohorts of C57BL6/J and BALB/c mice, and our findings revealed that old mammary glands were characterized by increased basal cell pool comprised of mostly CD49f hi cells, altered luminal-to-basal cell ratio, and irregular ductal morphology. More interestingly, basal stem cells in old mice were increased in frequency, but showed a functional decline of differentiation and increased neoplastic transformation potential. Gene signature enrichment analysis revealed a significant enrichment of a luminal cell gene expression signature in the basal stem cell-enriched population from old mice, suggesting some luminal cells were expressing basal markers. Immunofluorescence staining confirmed the presence of luminal cells with high CD49f expression in hyperplastic lesions implicating these cells as undergoing luminal to basal phenotypic changes during aging. Whole transcriptome analysis showed elevated immune and inflammatory responses in old basal stem cells and stromal cells, which may be the underlying cause for increased CD49f hi basal-like cells in aged glands.

Beneficial effect of intralesionally injected 5-fluorouracil on basal cell epithelioma associated with radiodermatitis

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Hata, Seiichiro (Osaka Univ. (Japan). Faculty of Medicine)

1984-06-01

A 81-year-old male had perioral radiodermatitis of 50 years' duration which was associated with Bowen's disease and basal cell epitheliomas since age 59 years. One of those basal cell epitheliomas treated with topical 5-FU and bleomycin ointments increased to form an ulcer of 25 x 15mm in size nearby the right side of nose, accompanying with a fistule to the oral cavity while he hesitated to visit the hospital. 5-FU was intralesionally injected into the tumor. After the injections in total dose of 6,550mg the ulcer got epithelized and the biopsy could not reveal the tumor cell. The case proves the effectiveness of intralesional injection of 5-FU for basal cell epithelioma which avoids the surgical excision.

Validação de equações de predição da taxa metabólica basal em mulheres residentes em Porto Alegre, RS, Brasil Validation of predictive equations of basal metabolic rate of women living in Southern Brazil

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Vivian Wahrlich

2001-02-01

Full Text Available OBJETIVO: Medir a taxa metabólica basal em mulheres de 20 a 40 anos, não-gestantes ou lactantes, e comparar o valor medido com os valores de taxa metabólica basal estimados por equações de predição. MÉTODOS: A taxa metabólica basal foi medida por calorimetria indireta, pela manhã, durante a fase folicular do ciclo menstrual, em 60 voluntárias residentes no município de Porto Alegre, RS, sob condições padronizadas de jejum, repouso e ambiente. RESULTADOS: A média (± desvio-padrão da taxa metabólica basal medida foi 1.185,3±148,6 kcal em 24 horas. A taxa metabólica basal, estimada por equações, foi significativamente maior (7% a 17% do que a taxa metabólica basal medida. CONCLUSÕES: Os dados evidenciaram que as equações de predição não são adequadas para estimar a taxa metabólica basal nas mulheres avaliadas. O emprego dessas equações podem superestimar os requerimentos energéticos para mulheres com características semelhantes.OBJECTIVE: To measure the basal metabolic rate of women (aged 20 to 40 years living in Porto Alegre, Brazil, and to compare it with estimated values bored on published predictive equations. METHODS: Basal metabolic rate was measured by indirect calorimetry under standard conditions in the follicular phase of the menstrual cycle of 60 volunteers. RESULTS: Mean measured basal metabolic rate (± standard deviation was 1,185.3± 148.6 kcal/24 hours. Estimated basal metabolic rates were significantly greater (7% to 17% than measured basal metabolic rate (p<0.0001. CONCLUSIONS: These results show that predictive equations are not suitable to estimate basal metabolic rate in these groups of women and that the use of estimated basal metabolic rate will lead to an overestimation of energy requirements in women with similar characteristics.

Partial denervation of sub-basal axons persists following debridement wounds to the mouse cornea.

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Pajoohesh-Ganji, Ahdeah; Pal-Ghosh, Sonali; Tadvalkar, Gauri; Kyne, Briana M; Saban, Daniel R; Stepp, Mary Ann

2015-11-01

Although sensory reinnervation occurs after injury in the peripheral nervous system, poor reinnervation in the elderly and those with diabetes often leads to pathology. Here we quantify sub-basal axon density in the central and peripheral mouse cornea over time after three different types of injury. The mouse cornea is highly innervated with a dense array of sub-basal nerves that form a spiral called the vortex at the corneal center or apex; these nerves are readily detected within flat mounted corneas. After anesthesia, corneal epithelial cells were removed using either a dulled blade or a rotating burr within an area demarcated centrally with a 1.5 mm trephine. A third wound type, superficial trephination, involved demarcating the area with the 1.5 mm trephine but not removing cells. By 7 days after superficial trephination, sub-basal axon density returns to control levels; by 28 days the vortex reforms. Although axon density is similar to control 14 days after dulled blade and rotating burr wounding, defects in axon morphology at the corneal apex remain. After 14 days, axons retract from the center leaving the sub-basal axon density reduced by 37.2 and 36.8% at 28 days after dulled blade and rotating burr wounding, respectively, compared with control. Assessment of inflammation using flow cytometry shows that persistent inflammation is not a factor in the incomplete reinnervation. Expression of mRNAs encoding 22 regeneration-associated genes involved in axon targeting assessed by QPCR reveals that netrin-1 and ephrin signaling are altered after wounding. Subpopulations of corneal epithelial basal cells at the corneal apex stop expressing ki67 as early as 7 days after injury and by 14 and 28 days after wounding, many of these basal cells undergo apoptosis and die. Although sub-basal axons are restored to their normal density and morphology after superficial trephination, sub-basal axon recovery is partial after debridement wounds. The increase in corneal

Somatic Cell Fusions Reveal Extensive Heterogeneity in Basal-like Breast Cancer

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Ying Su

2015-06-01

Full Text Available Basal-like and luminal breast tumors have distinct clinical behavior and molecular profiles, yet the underlying mechanisms are poorly defined. To interrogate processes that determine these distinct phenotypes and their inheritance pattern, we generated somatic cell fusions and performed integrated genetic and epigenetic (DNA methylation and chromatin profiling. We found that the basal-like trait is generally dominant and is largely defined by epigenetic repression of luminal transcription factors. Definition of super-enhancers highlighted a core program common in luminal cells but a high degree of heterogeneity in basal-like breast cancers that correlates with clinical outcome. We also found that protein extracts of basal-like cells are sufficient to induce a luminal-to-basal phenotypic switch, implying a trigger of basal-like autoregulatory circuits. We determined that KDM6A might be required for luminal-basal fusions, and we identified EN1, TBX18, and TCF4 as candidate transcriptional regulators of the luminal-to-basal switch. Our findings highlight the remarkable epigenetic plasticity of breast cancer cells.

Combination therapy in type 2 diabetes mellitus: adding empagliflozin to basal insulin

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Andrew Ahmann

2015-11-01

Full Text Available Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM management is complex, with few patients successfully achieving recommended glycemic targets with monotherapy, most progressing to combination therapy, and many eventually requiring insulin. Sodium glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2 inhibitors are an emerging class of antidiabetes agents with an insulin-independent mechanism of action, making them suitable for use in combination with any other class of antidiabetes agents, including insulin. This review evaluates a 78-week, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial investigating the impact of empagliflozin, an SGLT2 inhibitor, as add-on to basal insulin in patients with inadequate glycemic control on basal insulin, with or without metformin and/or a sulfonylurea. Empagliflozin added on to basal insulin resulted in significant and sustained reductions in glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c levels compared with placebo. Empagliflozin has previously been shown to induce weight loss, and was associated with sustained weight loss in this study. This combination therapy was well tolerated, with similar levels of hypoglycemic adverse events in the empagliflozin and placebo groups over the 78-week treatment period. Urinary tract infections and genital infections, side effects associated with SGLT2 inhibitors, were reported more commonly in the empagliflozin group; however, such events led to treatment discontinuation in very few patients. These findings suggest that, with their complementary mechanisms of action, empagliflozin added on to basal insulin may be a useful treatment option in patients on basal insulin who need additional glycemic control without weight gain.

Comparison between basal insulin glargine and NPH insulin in patients with diabetes type 1 on conventional intensive insulin therapy

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Pešić Milica

2007-01-01

Full Text Available Background/Aim. Insulin glargine is a long-acting insulin analog that mimics normal basal insulin secretion without pronounced peaks. The aim of this study was to compare insulin glargine with isophane insulin (NPH insulin for basal insulin supply in patients with type 1 diabetes. Methods. A total of 48 type 1 diabetics on long term conventional intensive insulin therapy (IIT were randomized to three different regimens of basal insulin substitution: 1. continuation of NPH insulin once daily at bedtime with more intensive selfmonitoring (n = 15; 2. NPH insulin twice daily (n = 15; 3. insulin glargine once daily (n = 18. Meal time insulin aspart was continued in all groups. Results. Fasting blood glucose (FBG was lower in the glargine group (7.30±0.98 mmol/l than in the twice daily NPH group (7.47±1.06 mmol/l, but without significant difference. FBG was significantly higher in the once daily NPH group (8.44±0.85 mmol/l; p < 0.05. HbA1c after 3 months did not change in the once daily NPH group, but decreased in the glargine group (from 7.72±0.86% to 6.87±0.50%, as well as in the twice daily NPH group (from 7.80±0.83% to 7.01±0.63%. Total daily insulin doses were similar in all groups but only in the glargine group there was an increase of basal and decrease of meal related insulin doses. The frequency of mild hypoglycemia was significantly lower in the glargine group (6.56±2.09 than in both NPH groups (9.0±1.65 in twice daily NPH group and 8.13±1.30 in other NPH group (episodes/patients-month, p < 0.05. Conclusion. Basal insulin supplementation in type 1 diabetes mellitus with either twice daily NPH insulin or glargine can result in similar glycemic control when combined with meal time insulin aspart. However, with glargine regimen FBG, HbA1c and frequency of hypoglycemic event are lower. These facts contribute to better patients satisfaction with insulin glargine versus NPH insulin in IIT in type 1 diabetics.

Immunohistochemical Characteristics of Triple Negative/Basal-like Breast Cancer

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Emel Ebru PALA; Ümit BAYOL; Süheyla CUMURCU; Elif KESKİN

2012-01-01

Objective: Triple-negative-breast-cancer that accounts for 10-20% of all breast carcinomas is defined by the lack of estrogen receptor, progesterone receptor, HER2 expression, and agressive clinical behavior. Triple-negative-breast-cancer is categorized into basal like and other types. The basal-like subtype is characterized by the expression of myoepithelial/basal markers.Material and Method: We studied 41 immunohistochemically triplenegative- breast-cancer patients to determine EGFR, Cytoke...

Assessment of basal and stimulated TSH in the diagnosis of overt and subclinical hyperthyroidism

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Reinhardt, M.; Schuemichen, C.; Schaechtele, S.; Zimmerlin, M.; Moser, E.

1995-01-01

A TRH test was performed in 171 consecutive patients with a TSH basal below the reference range. TSH basal , TSH stimulated and ΔTSH were determined and compared, using assays of the second and third generation. Free thyroid hormones were elevated in 48 and normal in 123 patients. The sensitivity of all evaluated parameters to assess overt hyperthyroidism was between 94 and 98% with both assays, using a defined TSH threshold (mean of patients with overt hyperthyroidism + 2 standard deviations). However, specificity was much lower, only 34 and 23%, respectively, for the TSH basal . Significant improvement followed TRH-testing: specificity rose to 63 and 57%. The superior reproducibility of TSH values in the lower range, using the third generation assays, was of little value in the differentiation between subclinical and overt hyperthyroidism. (orig.) [de

Interaction of divalent cations with basal planes and edge surfaces of phyllosilicate minerals: muscovite and talc.

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Yan, Lujie; Masliyah, Jacob H; Xu, Zhenghe

2013-08-15

Smooth basal plane and edge surfaces of two platy phyllosilicate minerals (muscovite and talc) were prepared successfully to allow accurate colloidal force measurement using an atomic force microscope (AFM), which allowed us to probe independently interactions of divalent cations with phyllosilicate basal planes and edge surfaces. The Stern potential of basal planes and edge surfaces was obtained by fitting the measured force profiles with the classical DLVO theory. The fitted Stern potential of the muscovite basal plane became less negative with increasing Ca(2+) or Mg(2+) concentration but did not reverse its sign even at Ca(2+) or Mg(2+) concentrations up to 5 mM. In contrast, the Stern potential of the muscovite edge surface reversed at Ca(2+) or Mg(2+) concentrations as low as 0.1 mM. The Stern potential of the talc basal plane became less negative with 0.1 mM Ca(2+) addition and nearly zero with 1 mM Ca(2+) addition. The Stern potential of talc edge surface became reversed with 0.1 mM Ca(2+) or 1 mM Mg(2+) addition, showing not only a different binding mechanism of talc basal planes and edge surfaces with Ca(2+) and Mg(2+), but also different binding mechanism between Ca(2+) and Mg(2+) ions with basal planes and edge surfaces. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Is the rate of metabolic ageing and survival determined by Basal metabolic rate in the zebra finch?

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Bernt Rønning

Full Text Available The relationship between energy metabolism and ageing is of great interest because aerobic metabolism is the primary source of reactive oxygen species which is believed to be of major importance in the ageing process. We conducted a longitudinal study on captive zebra finches where we tested the effect of age on basal metabolic rate (BMR, as well as the effect of BMR on the rate of metabolic ageing (decline in BMR with age and survival. Basal metabolic rate declined with age in both sexes after controlling for the effect of body mass, indicating a loss of functionality with age. This loss of functionality could be due to accumulated oxidative damage, believed to increase with increasing metabolic rate, c.f. the free radical theory of ageing. If so, we would expect the rate of metabolic ageing to increase and survival to decrease with increasing BMR. However, we found no effect of BMR on the rate of metabolic ageing. Furthermore, survival was not affected by BMR in the males. In female zebra finches there was a tendency for survival to decrease with increasing BMR, but the effect did not reach significance (P<0.1. Thus, the effect of BMR on the rate of functional deterioration with age, if any, was not strong enough to influence neither the rate of metabolic ageing nor survival in the zebra finches.

Is the rate of metabolic ageing and survival determined by Basal metabolic rate in the zebra finch?

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Rønning, Bernt; Moe, Børge; Berntsen, Henrik H; Noreen, Elin; Bech, Claus

2014-01-01

The relationship between energy metabolism and ageing is of great interest because aerobic metabolism is the primary source of reactive oxygen species which is believed to be of major importance in the ageing process. We conducted a longitudinal study on captive zebra finches where we tested the effect of age on basal metabolic rate (BMR), as well as the effect of BMR on the rate of metabolic ageing (decline in BMR with age) and survival. Basal metabolic rate declined with age in both sexes after controlling for the effect of body mass, indicating a loss of functionality with age. This loss of functionality could be due to accumulated oxidative damage, believed to increase with increasing metabolic rate, c.f. the free radical theory of ageing. If so, we would expect the rate of metabolic ageing to increase and survival to decrease with increasing BMR. However, we found no effect of BMR on the rate of metabolic ageing. Furthermore, survival was not affected by BMR in the males. In female zebra finches there was a tendency for survival to decrease with increasing BMR, but the effect did not reach significance (PBMR on the rate of functional deterioration with age, if any, was not strong enough to influence neither the rate of metabolic ageing nor survival in the zebra finches.

CT and MRI diagnosis of traumatic basal ganglia hemorrhage

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wu Shike; Zhang Yalin; Xu Derong; Zou Gaowei; Chen Dan; He Sujun; Zhou Lichao

2009-01-01

Objective: To analyze CT and MRI features of traumatic basal ganglia hemorrhage and investigate the diagnostic value. Methods: 21 cases with traumatic basal ganglia hemorrhage diagnosed by clinic, CT and MRI in our hospital were collected in this study Plain CT scan were immediately performed in 21 cases after injury, plain MR scan were performed in 1 to 3 days. 12 cases of them underwent diffusion weighted imagine (DWI). The CT and MRI findings were retrospectively summarized. Results: 8 cases were found with simple traumatic basal ganglia hemorrhage. Complexity of basal ganglia hemorrhage occurred in 13 cases, 6 cases combined with subdural hemorrhage, 3 cases with epidural hematoma, 2 cases with subarachnoid hemorrhage, 6 cases with brain contusion and laceration in other locations, 4 cases with skull fracture. 26 lesions of basal ganglia hematoma were showed in 21 cases, 14 lesions of pallidum hemorrhage in 11 cases confirmed by MR could not be distinguished from calcification at the fast CT scan. 5 more lesions of brain contusion and laceration and 4 more lesions of brain white matter laceration were found by MR. Conclusion: CT in combination with MRI can diagnose traumatic basal ganglia hemorrhage and its complications early, comprehensively and accurately, which plays an important role in the clinical therapy selection and prognosis evaluation. (authors)

Loss of Dickkopf 3 Promotes the Tumorigenesis of Basal Breast Cancer.

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Eva Lorsy

Full Text Available Dickkopf 3 (DKK3 has been associated with tumor suppression of various tumor entities including breast cancer. However, the functional impact of DKK3 on the tumorigenesis of distinct molecular breast cancer subtypes has not been considered so far. Therefore, we initiated a study analyzing the subtype-specific DKK3 expression pattern as well as its prognostic and functional impact with respect to breast cancer subtypes. Based on three independent tissue cohorts including one in silico dataset (n = 30, n = 463 and n = 791 we observed a clear down-regulation of DKK3 expression in breast cancer samples compared to healthy breast tissue controls on mRNA and protein level. Interestingly, most abundant reduction of DKK3 expression was detected in the highly aggressive basal breast cancer subtype. Analyzing a large in silico dataset comprising 3,554 cases showed that low DKK3 mRNA expression was significantly associated with reduced recurrence free survival (RFS of luminal and basal-like breast cancer cases. Functionally, DKK3 re-expression in human breast cancer cell lines led to suppression of cell growth possibly mediated by up-regulation of apoptosis in basal-like but not in luminal-like breast cancer cell lines. Moreover, ectopic DKK3 expression in mesenchymal basal breast cancer cells resulted in partial restoration of epithelial cell morphology which was molecularly supported by higher expression of epithelial markers like E-Cadherin and down-regulation of mesenchymal markers such as Snail 1. Hence, we provide evidence that down-regulation of DKK3 especially promotes tumorigenesis of the aggressive basal breast cancer subtype. Further studies decoding the underlying molecular mechanisms of DKK3-mediated effects may help to identify novel targeted therapies for this clinically highly relevant breast cancer subtype.

Phenotypic spectrum of probable and genetically-confirmed idiopathic basal ganglia calcification.

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Nicolas, Gaël; Pottier, Cyril; Charbonnier, Camille; Guyant-Maréchal, Lucie; Le Ber, Isabelle; Pariente, Jérémie; Labauge, Pierre; Ayrignac, Xavier; Defebvre, Luc; Maltête, David; Martinaud, Olivier; Lefaucheur, Romain; Guillin, Olivier; Wallon, David; Chaumette, Boris; Rondepierre, Philippe; Derache, Nathalie; Fromager, Guillaume; Schaeffer, Stéphane; Krystkowiak, Pierre; Verny, Christophe; Jurici, Snejana; Sauvée, Mathilde; Vérin, Marc; Lebouvier, Thibaud; Rouaud, Olivier; Thauvin-Robinet, Christel; Rousseau, Stéphane; Rovelet-Lecrux, Anne; Frebourg, Thierry; Campion, Dominique; Hannequin, Didier

2013-11-01

revealed that the total calcification scores correlated positively with age in controls and patients, but increased more rapidly with age in patients. The expected total calcification score was greater in SLC20A2 than PDGFRB mutation carriers, beyond the effect of the age alone. No patient with a PDGFRB mutation exhibited a cortical or a vermis calcification. The total calcification score was more severe in symptomatic versus asymptomatic individuals. We provide the first phenotypical description of a case series of patients with idiopathic basal ganglia calcification since the identification of the first causative genes. Clinical and radiological diversity is confirmed, whatever the genetic status. Quantification of calcification is correlated with the symptomatic status, but the location and the severity of the calcifications don't reflect the whole clinical diversity. Other biomarkers may be helpful in better predicting clinical expression.

Clinicopathological evaluation of radiation induced basal cell carcinoma

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Meibodi Naser

2008-01-01

Full Text Available Background: Development of skin neoplasms is one of the most important chronic complications of radiation therapy. Basal cell carcinoma (BCC is the most frequent carcinoma occurring at the region of the body to which radiotherapy was delivered. Aim: The aim of this study was to evaluate clinical and histological aspects of basal cell carcinoma in patients with a history of radiotherapy. Materials and Methods: Medical records and microscopic slides of 80 patients with basal cell carcinoma who had received radiotherapy (1996-2006 were reviewed in pathology department of Imam Reza hospital of Mashhad, Iran. Collected data were analyzed statistically using descriptive test. Results: 60 men and 20 women were included, majority of them in their sixties. Plaque was the most common clinical pattern of basal cell carcinoma. Fifty one percent of the patients had pigmented and 42.5% had multiple lesions. Scalp was the most common site of involvement. Histologically, macronodular and pigmented carcinoma were the most predominant forms of basal cell carcinoma. Discussion: Majority of patients had scalp involvement and multiple lesions. Nodular and pigmented forms were the most common histological findings. We suggest the need for close supervision in patients with a history of radio therapy in the past.

A new basal sauropodiform dinosaur from the Lower Jurassic of Yunnan Province, China

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Wang, Ya-Ming; You, Hai-Lu; Wang, Tao

2017-02-01

The Lufeng Formation in Lufeng Basin of Yunnan Province, southwestern China preserves one of the richest terrestrial Lower Jurassic vertebrate faunas globally, especially for its basal sauropodomorphs, such as Lufengosaurus and Yunnanosaurus. Here we report a new taxon, Xingxiulong chengi gen. et sp. nov. represented by three partial skeletons with overlapping elements. Xingxiulong possesses a number of autapomorphies, such as transversely expanded plate-like summit on top of the neural spine of posterior dorsal vertebrae, four sacral vertebrae, robust scapula, and elongated pubic plate approximately 40% of the total length of the pubis. Phylogenetic analysis resolves Xingxiulong as a basal member of Sauropodiformes, and together with another two Lufeng basal sauropodiforms Jingshanosaurus and Yunnanosaurus, they represent the basalmost lineages of this clade, indicating its Asian origin. Although being relatively primitive, Xingxiulong displays some derived features normally occurred in advanced sauropodiforms including sauropods, such as a four sacral-sacrum, a robust scapula, and a pubis with elongated pubic plate. The discovery of Xingxiulong increases the diversity of basal sauropodomorphs from the Lufeng Formation and indicates a more complicated scenario in the early evolution of sauropodiforms.

[Soil basal respiration and enzyme activities in the root-layer soil of tea bushes in a red soil].

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Yu, Shen; He, Zhenli; Zhang, Rongguang; Chen, Guochao; Huang, Changyong

2003-02-01

Soil basal respiration potential, metabolic quotient (qCO2), and activities of urease, invertase and acid phosphomonoesterase were investigated in the root-layer of 10-, 40-, and 90-yr-old tea bushes grown on the same type of red soil. The soil daily basal respiration potential ranged from 36.23 to 58.52 mg.kg-1.d-1, and the potentials in the root-layer of 40- or 90-yr-old were greater than that of 10-yr old tea bushes. The daily qCO2, ranging from 0.30 to 0.68, was in the reverse trend. The activities of test three enzymes changed differently with tea bushes' age. Urease activity in the root-layer of all age tea bushes ranged from 41.48 to 47.72 mg.kg-1.h-1 and slightly decreased with tea bushes' age. Invertase activity was 189.29-363.40 mg.kg-1.h-1 and decreased with tea bushes' age, but its activity in the root-layer of 10-year old tea bushes was significantly greater than that in the root-layer soil of 40- or 90-year old tea bushes. Acid phosphomonoesterase activity (444.22-828.32 mg.kg-1.h-1) increased significantly with tea bushes' age. Soil basal respiration potential, qCO2 and activities of 3 soil enzymes were closely related to soil pH, soil organic carbon, total nitrogen and C/N ratio, total soluble phenol, and microbial biomass carbon, respectively.

The Distribution of Basal Water Beneath the Greenland Ice Sheet from Radio-Echo Sounding

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Jordan, T.; Williams, C.; Schroeder, D. M.; Martos, Y. M.; Cooper, M.; Siegert, M. J.; Paden, J. D.; Huybrechts, P.; Bamber, J. L.

2017-12-01

There is widespread, but often indirect, evidence that a significant fraction of the Greenland Ice Sheet is thawed at the bed. This includes major outlet glaciers and around the NorthGRIP ice-core in the interior. However, the ice-sheet-wide distribution of basal water is poorly constrained by existing observations, and the spatial relationship between basal water and other ice-sheet and subglacial properties is therefore largely unexplored. In principle, airborne radio-echo sounding (RES) surveys provide the necessary information and spatial coverage to infer the presence of basal water at the ice-sheet scale. However, due to uncertainty and spatial variation in radar signal attenuation, the commonly used water diagnostic, bed-echo reflectivity, is highly ambiguous and prone to spatial bias. Here we introduce a new RES diagnostic for the presence of basal water which incorporates both sharp step-transitions and rapid fluctuations in bed-echo reflectivity. This has the advantage of being (near) independent of attenuation model, and enables a decade of recent Operation Ice Bride RES survey data to be combined in a single map for basal water. The ice-sheet-wide water predictions are compared with: bed topography and drainage network structure, existing knowledge of the thermal state and geothermal heat flux, and ice velocity. In addition to the fast flowing ice-sheet margins, we also demonstrate widespread water routing and storage in parts of the slow-flowing northern interior. Notably, this includes a quasi-linear `corridor' of basal water, extending from NorthGRIP to Petermann glacier, which spatially correlates with a region of locally high (magnetic-derived) geothermal heat flux. The predicted water distribution places a new constraint upon the basal thermal state of the Greenland Ice Sheet, and could be used as an input for ice-sheet model simulations.

Experience with basal area estimation by prisms in lodgepole pine.

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James M. Trappe

1957-01-01

Estimation of basal area by prisms offers intriguing possibilities for reducing time and effort in making stand inventories. Increased inventory efficiency is a particular need in stands that are relatively low in value due to small stems, predominance of low value species or heavy defect. In the Pacific Northwest, lodgepole pine characteristically forms dense low-...

Auditory brainstem activity and development evoked by apical versus basal cochlear implant electrode stimulation in children.

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Gordon, K A; Papsin, B C; Harrison, R V

2007-08-01

The role of apical versus basal cochlear implant electrode stimulation on central auditory development was examined. We hypothesized that, in children with early onset deafness, auditory development evoked by basal electrode stimulation would differ from that evoked more apically. Responses of the auditory nerve and brainstem, evoked by an apical and a basal implant electrode, were measured over the first year of cochlear implant use in 50 children with early onset severe to profound deafness who used hearing aids prior to implantation. Responses at initial stimulation were of larger amplitude and shorter latency when evoked by the apical electrode. No significant effects of residual hearing or age were found on initial response amplitudes or latencies. With implant use, responses evoked by both electrodes showed decreases in wave and interwave latencies reflecting decreased neural conduction time through the brainstem. Apical versus basal differences persisted with implant experience with one exception; eIII-eV interlatency differences decreased with implant use. Acute stimulation shows prolongation of basally versus apically evoked auditory nerve and brainstem responses in children with severe to profound deafness. Interwave latencies reflecting neural conduction along the caudal and rostral portions of the brainstem decreased over the first year of implant use. Differences in neural conduction times evoked by apical versus basal electrode stimulation persisted in the caudal but not rostral brainstem. Activity-dependent changes of the auditory brainstem occur in response to both apical and basal cochlear implant electrode stimulation.

Absorption and utilization of fertilizer-N and soil-N by rice at basal-ear stage

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhao Rongguang; Li Shuhua; Sun Weizhong; Xiao Mian

1997-01-01

The effect of basal-ear fertilizer application on uptake and utilization of fertilizer and soil N by rice was studied with 15 N tracer technique. The results showed that the basal-ear fertilizer application is an effective approach to increase numbers of effective ears, caryopsis, spikelets, seed setting percentage, seed weight and yield of rice and reduce the cost of rice production under the condition of applying equal doses of nitrogenous fertilizer

Anticipatory guidance in type 2 diabetes to improve disease management; next steps after basal insulin.

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Johnson, Eric L; Frias, Juan P; Trujillo, Jennifer M

2018-03-23

The alarming rise in the number of people living with type 2 diabetes (T2D) presents primary care physicians with increasing challenges associated with long-term chronic disease care. Studies have shown that the majority of patients are not achieving or maintaining glycemic goals, putting them at risk of a wide range of diabetes-related complications. Disease- and self-management programs have been shown to help patients improve their glycemic control, and are likely to be of particular benefit for patients with diabetes dealing with these issues. Anticipatory guidance is an individualized, proactive approach to patient education and counseling by a health-care professional to support patients in better coping with problems before they arise. It has been shown to improve disease outcomes in a variety of chronic conditions, including diabetes. While important at all stages, anticipatory guidance may be of particular importance during changes in treatment regimens, and especially during transition to, and escalation of, insulin-based regimens. The aim of this article is to provide advice to physicians on anticipatory guidance for basal-insulin dosing, focusing on appropriate basal-insulin-dose increase and prevention of potentially deleterious basal-insulin doses, so called overbasalization. It also provides an overview of new treatment options for patients with T2D who are not well controlled on basal-insulin therapy, fixed-ratio combinations of basal insulin and glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists, and advice on the type of anticipatory guidance needed to ensure safe and appropriate switching to these therapies.

MRI of the basal ganglia calcification

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Maeda, Masayuki; Murata, Tetsuhito; Kimura, Hirohiko

1992-01-01

MR imaging was performed for 11 patients (9 in Down's syndrome and 2 in idiopathic intracerebral calcification) who showed calcifications in bilateral basal ganglia on CT. High signal intensity in the basal ganglia was found only in one patient with idiopathic intracerebral calcification on T1-weighted image. The calcified areas of all patients in Down's syndrome did not show high signal intensity on T1-weighted image. The exact reasons why MRI exhibits the different signal intensities in calcified tissue on T1-weighted image are unknown. Further clinical investigations will be needed. (author)

Ablation of cdk4 and cdk6 affects proliferation of basal progenitor cells in the developing dorsal and ventral forebrain.

Science.gov (United States)

Grison, Alice; Gaiser, Carine; Bieder, Andrea; Baranek, Constanze; Atanasoski, Suzana

2018-03-23

Little is known about the molecular players driving proliferation of neural progenitor cells (NPCs) during embryonic mouse development. Here, we demonstrate that proliferation of NPCs in the developing forebrain depends on a particular combination of cell cycle regulators. We have analyzed the requirements for members of the cyclin-dependent kinase (cdk) family using cdk-deficient mice. In the absence of either cdk4 or cdk6, which are both regulators of the G1 phase of the cell cycle, we found no significant effects on the proliferation rate of cortical progenitor cells. However, concomitant loss of cdk4 and cdk6 led to a drastic decrease in the proliferation rate of NPCs, specifically the basal progenitor cells of both the dorsal and ventral forebrain at embryonic day 13.5 (E13.5). Moreover, basal progenitors in the forebrain of Cdk4;Cdk6 double mutant mice exhibited altered cell cycle characteristics. Cdk4;cdk6 deficiency led to an increase in cell cycle length and cell cycle exit of mutant basal progenitor cells in comparison to controls. In contrast, concomitant ablation of cdk2 and cdk6 had no effect on the proliferation of NCPs. Together, our data demonstrate that the expansion of the basal progenitor pool in the developing telencephalon is dependent on the presence of distinct combinations of cdk molecules. Our results provide further evidence for differences in the regulation of proliferation between apical and basal progenitors during cortical development. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Develop Neurobiol, 2018. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Amyloid in basal cell carcinoma and seborrheic keratosis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Olsen, K E; Westermark, Per

1994-01-01

The frequency of amyloid substance was studied in two different types of skin tumours: basal cell carcinoma and seborrheic keratosis. In 9 out of 49 cases of seborrheic keratosis amyloid substance was found. In the basal cell carcinomas, 194 out of 260 cases showed amyloid deposits, a rate...

The Development of the Basal Ganglia in Capuchin Monkeys (Cebus apella)

Science.gov (United States)

Phillips, Kimberley A.; Sobieski, Courtney A.; Gilbert, Valerie R.; Chiappini-Williamson, Christine; Sherwood, Chet C.; Strick, Peter L.

2010-01-01

The basal ganglia are subcortical structures involved in the planning, initiation and regulation of movement as well as a variety of non-motor, cognitive and affective functions. Capuchin monkeys share several important characteristics of development with humans, including a prolonged infancy and juvenile period, a long lifespan, and complex manipulative abilities. This makes capuchins important comparative models for understanding age-related neuroanatomical changes in these structures. Here we report developmental volumetric data on the three subdivisions of the basal ganglia, the caudate, putamen and globus pallidus in brown capuchin monkeys (Cebus apella). Based on a cross-sectional sample, we describe brain development in 28 brown capuchin monkeys (male n = 17, female n = 11; age range = 2 months – 20 years) using high-resolution structural MRI. We found that the raw volumes of the putamen and caudate varied significantly with age, decreasing in volume from birth through early adulthood. Notably, developmental changes did not differ between sexes. Because these observed developmental patterns are similar to humans, our results suggest that capuchin monkeys may be useful animal models for investigating neurodevelopmental disorders of the basal ganglia. PMID:20227397

Basal cell carcinoma treated with MTDQ and irradiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pollak, Z.; Fodor, J.; Erdelyi, V.; Bihari, O.; Eckhardt, S.

1979-01-01

Patients with basal cell carcinoma of the skin were treated with combined MTDQ (6,6'-methylene-bis-(2,2,4-trimethyl-1,2-dihydroquinoline)) adminstration and irradiation. Significantly better results were obtained with a skin exposure of 2000 R combined with MTDQ than with the same dose alone. The results were comparable to those obtained with an exposure of 4000 R. MTDQ adminstration induced disease of tissular malonaldehyde concentration and suggested the peroxide-decomposing action of the radiation sensitizer. (Auth.)

Using a hybrid neuron in physiologically inspired models of the basal ganglia

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Corey Michael Thibeault

2013-07-01

Full Text Available Our current understanding of the basal ganglia has facilitated the creation of computational models that have contributed novel theories, explored new functional anatomy and demonstrated results complementing physiological experiments. However, the utility of these models extends beyond these applications. Particularly in neuromorphic engineering, where the basal ganglia's role in computation is important for applications such as power efficient autonomous agents and model-based control strategies. The neurons used in existing computational models of the basal ganglia however, are not amenable for many low-power hardware implementations. Motivated by a need for more hardware accessible networks, we replicate four published models of the basal ganglia, spanning single neuron and small networks, replacing the more computationally expensive neuron models with an Izhikevich hybrid neuron. This begins with a network modeling action-selection, where the basal activity levels and the ability to appropriately select the most salient input is reproduced. A Parkinson's disease model is then explored under normal conditions, Parkinsonian conditions and during subthalamic nucleus deep brain stimulation. The resulting network is capable of replicating the loss of thalamic relay capabilities in the Parkinsonian state and its return under deep brain stimulation. This is also demonstrated using a network capable of action-selection. Finally, a study of correlation transfer under different patterns of Parkinsonian activity is presented. These networks successfully captured the significant results of the originals studies. This not only creates a foundation for neuromorphic hardware implementations but may also support the development of large-scale biophysical models. The former potentially providing a way of improving the efficacy of deep brain stimulation and the latter allowing for the efficient simulation of larger more comprehensive networks.

computed tomography features of basal ganglia and periventricular

African Journals Online (AJOL)

HIV is probably the most common cause of basal ganglia and periventricular calcification today. on-enhanced computed tomography (NECT) shows diffuse cerebral atrophy in 90% of cases. Bilateral, symmetrical basal ganglia calcification is seen in 30% of cases, but virtually never before 1 year of age.1. CMV (FIG.2).

Global dysrhythmia of cerebro-basal ganglia-cerebellar networks underlies motor tics following striatal disinhibition.

Science.gov (United States)

McCairn, Kevin W; Iriki, Atsushi; Isoda, Masaki

2013-01-09

Motor tics, a cardinal symptom of Tourette syndrome (TS), are hypothesized to arise from abnormalities within cerebro-basal ganglia circuits. Yet noninvasive neuroimaging of TS has previously identified robust activation in the cerebellum. To date, electrophysiological properties of cerebellar activation and its role in basal ganglia-mediated tic expression remain unknown. We performed multisite, multielectrode recordings of single-unit activity and local field potentials from the cerebellum, basal ganglia, and primary motor cortex using a pharmacologic monkey model of motor tics/TS. Following microinjections of bicuculline into the sensorimotor putamen, periodic tics occurred predominantly in the orofacial region, and a sizable number of cerebellar neurons showed phasic changes in activity associated with tic episodes. Specifically, 64% of the recorded cerebellar cortex neurons exhibited increases in activity, and 85% of the dentate nucleus neurons displayed excitatory, inhibitory, or multiphasic responses. Critically, abnormal discharges of cerebellar cortex neurons and excitatory-type dentate neurons mostly preceded behavioral tic onset, indicating their central origins. Latencies of pathological activity in the cerebellum and primary motor cortex substantially overlapped, suggesting that aberrant signals may be traveling along divergent pathways to these structures from the basal ganglia. Furthermore, the occurrence of tic movement was most closely associated with local field potential spikes in the cerebellum and primary motor cortex, implying that these structures may function as a gate to release overt tic movements. These findings indicate that tic-generating networks in basal ganglia mediated tic disorders extend beyond classical cerebro-basal ganglia circuits, leading to global network dysrhythmia including cerebellar circuits.

Chronic Stress and Adolescents' Mental Health: Modifying Effects of Basal Cortisol and Parental Psychiatric History. The TRAILS Study.

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Zandstra, Anna Roos E; Hartman, Catharina A; Nederhof, Esther; van den Heuvel, Edwin R; Dietrich, Andrea; Hoekstra, Pieter J; Ormel, Johan

2015-08-01

Large individual differences in adolescent mental health following chronic psychosocial stress suggest moderating factors. We examined two established moderators, basal cortisol and parental psychiatric history, simultaneously. We hypothesized that individuals with high basal cortisol, assumed to indicate high context sensitivity, would show relatively high problem levels following chronic stress, especially in the presence of parental psychiatric history. With Linear Mixed Models, we investigated the hypotheses in 1917 Dutch adolescents (53.2% boys), assessed at ages 11, 13.5, and 16. Low basal cortisol combined with the absence of a parental psychiatric history increased the risk of externalizing but not internalizing problems following chronic stress. Conversely, low basal cortisol combined with a substantial parental psychiatric history increased the risk of internalizing but not externalizing problems following chronic stress. Thus, parental psychiatric history moderated stress- cortisol interactions in predicting psychopathology, but in a different direction than hypothesized. We conclude that the premise that basal cortisol indicates context sensitivity may be too crude. Context sensitivity may not be a general trait but may depend on the nature of the context (e.g., type or duration of stress exposure) and on the outcome of interest (e.g., internalizing vs. externalizing problems). Although consistent across informants, our findings need replication.

PTCH1 gene haplotype association with basal cell carcinoma after transplantation.

Science.gov (United States)

Begnini, A; Tessari, G; Turco, A; Malerba, G; Naldi, L; Gotti, E; Boschiero, L; Forni, A; Rugiu, C; Piaserico, S; Fortina, A B; Brunello, A; Cascone, C; Girolomoni, G; Gomez Lira, M

2010-08-01

Basal cell carcinoma (BCC) is 10 times more frequent in organ transplant recipients (OTRs) than in the general population. Factors in OTRs conferring increased susceptibility to BCC include ultraviolet radiation exposure, immunosuppression, viral infections such as human papillomavirus, phototype and genetic predisposition. The PTCH1 gene is a negative regulator of the hedgehog pathway, that provides mitogenic signals to basal cells in skin. PTCH1 gene mutations cause naevoid BCC syndrome, and contribute to the development of sporadic BCC and other types of cancers. Associations have been reported between PTCH1 polymorphisms and BCC susceptibility in nontransplanted individuals. To search for novel common polymorphisms in the proximal 5' regulatory region upstream of PTCH1 gene exon 1B, and to investigate the possible association of PTCH1 polymorphisms and haplotypes with BCC risk after organ transplantation. Three PTCH1 single nucleotide polymorphisms (rs2297086, rs2066836 and rs357564) were analysed by restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis in 161 northern Italian OTRs (56 BCC cases and 105 controls). Two regions of the PTCH1 gene promoter were screened by heteroduplex analysis in 30 cases and 30 controls. Single locus analysis showed no significant association. Haplotype T(1686)-T(3944) appeared to confer a significantly higher risk for BCC development (odds ratio 2.98, 95% confidence interval 2.55-3.48; P = 0.001). Two novel rare polymorphisms were identified at positions 176 and 179 of the 5'UTR. Two novel alleles of the -4 (CGG)(n) microsatellite were identified. No association of this microsatellite with BCC was observed. Haplotypes containing T(1686)-T(3944) alleles were shown to be associated with an increased BCC risk in our study population. These data appear to be of great interest for further investigations in a larger group of transplant individuals. Our results do not support the hypothesis that common polymorphisms in the proximal 5

Heterogeneity of limbal basal epithelial progenitor cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Hayashida, Yasutaka; Li, Wei; Chen, Ying-Ting; He, Hua; Chen, Szu-yu; Kheirkah, Ahmad; Zhu, Ying-Tien; Matsumoto, Yukihiro; Tseng, Scheffer C G

2010-11-01

Although corneal epithelial stem cells (SCs) are located at the limbus between the cornea and the conjunctiva, not all limbal basal epithelial cells are SCs. Using 2 dispase digestions to remove different amounts of limbal basal epithelial cells for cross-sections, flat mounts, and cytospin preparations, double immunostaining to pancytokeratins (PCK) and vimentin (Vim) identified 3 p63+ epithelial progenitors such as PCK-/Vim+, PCK/Vim, and PCK-/Vim+ and 1 p63+ mesenchymal cell, PCK-/Vim+. PCK-/Vim- progenitors had the smallest cell size were 10-20 times more enriched on collagen I-coated dishes in the 5-minute rapid adherent fraction that contained the highest percentage of p63+ cells but the lowest percentage of cytokeratin12+ cells, and gave rise to high Ki67 labeling and vivid clonal growth. In contrast, PCK+/Vim+ and PCK+/Vim- progenitors were found more in the slow-adherent fraction and yielded poor clonal growth. PCK/Vim progenitors and clusters of PCK-/Vim+ mesenchymal cells, which were neither melanocytes nor Langerhans cells, were located in the limbal basal region. Therefore, differential expression of PCK and Vim helps identify small PCK-/Vim- cells as the most likely candidate for SCs among a hierarchy of heterogeneous limbal basal progenitors, and their close association with PCK-/Vim+ presumed "niche" cells.

Giant basal cell carcinoma Carcinoma basocelular gigante

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Nilton Nasser

2012-06-01

Full Text Available The basal cell carcinoma is the most common skin cancer but the giant vegetating basal cell carcinoma reaches less than 0.5 % of all basal cell carcinoma types. The Giant BCC, defined as a lesion with more than 5 cm at its largest diameter, is a rare form of BCC and commonly occurs on the trunk. This patient, male, 42 years old presents a Giant Basal Cell Carcinoma which reaches 180 cm2 on the right shoulder and was negligent in looking for treatment. Surgical treatment was performed and no signs of dissemination or local recurrence have been detected after follow up of five years.O carcinoma basocelular é o tipo mais comum de câncer de pele, mas o carcinoma basocelular gigante vegetante não atinge 0,5% de todos os tipos de carcinomas basocelulares. O Carcinoma Basocelular Gigante, definido como lesão maior que 5 cm no maior diâmetro, é uma forma rara de carcinoma basocelular e comumente ocorre no tronco. Este paciente apresenta um Carcinoma Basocelular Gigante com 180cm² no ombro direito e foi negligente em procurar tratamento. Foi realizado tratamento cirúrgico e nenhum sinal de disseminação ou recorrência local foi detectada após 5 anos.

Indoor Tanning and the MC1R Genotype: Risk Prediction for Basal Cell Carcinoma Risk in Young People

OpenAIRE

Molinaro, Annette M.; Ferrucci, Leah M.; Cartmel, Brenda; Loftfield, Erikka; Leffell, David J.; Bale, Allen E.; Mayne, Susan T.

2015-01-01

Basal cell carcinoma (BCC) incidence is increasing, particularly in young people, and can be associated with significant morbidity and treatment costs. To identify young individuals at risk of BCC, we assessed existing melanoma or overall skin cancer risk prediction models and built a novel risk prediction model, with a focus on indoor tanning and the melanocortin 1 receptor gene, MC1R. We evaluated logistic regression models among 759 non-Hispanic whites from a case-control study of patients...

Automatic evaluation of speech rhythm instability and acceleration in dysarthrias associated with basal ganglia dysfunction

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Jan eRusz

2015-07-01

Full Text Available Speech rhythm abnormalities are commonly present in patients with different neurodegenerative disorders. These alterations are hypothesized to be a consequence of disruption to the basal ganglia circuitry involving dysfunction of motor planning, programming and execution, which can be detected by a syllable repetition paradigm. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to design a robust signal processing technique that allows the automatic detection of spectrally-distinctive nuclei of syllable vocalizations and to determine speech features that represent rhythm instability and acceleration. A further aim was to elucidate specific patterns of dysrhythmia across various neurodegenerative disorders that share disruption of basal ganglia function. Speech samples based on repetition of the syllable /pa/ at a self-determined steady pace were acquired from 109 subjects, including 22 with Parkinson's disease (PD, 11 progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP, 9 multiple system atrophy (MSA, 24 ephedrone-induced parkinsonism (EP, 20 Huntington's disease (HD, and 23 healthy controls. Subsequently, an algorithm for the automatic detection of syllables as well as features representing rhythm instability and rhythm acceleration were designed. The proposed detection algorithm was able to correctly identify syllables and remove erroneous detections due to excessive inspiration and nonspeech sounds with a very high accuracy of 99.6%. Instability of vocal pace performance was observed in PSP, MSA, EP and HD groups. Significantly increased pace acceleration was observed only in the PD group. Although not significant, a tendency for pace acceleration was observed also in the PSP and MSA groups. Our findings underline the crucial role of the basal ganglia in the execution and maintenance of automatic speech motor sequences. We envisage the current approach to become the first step towards the development of acoustic technologies allowing automated assessment of rhythm

Infiltration of the basal ganglia by brain tumors is associated with the development of co-dominant language function on fMRI.

Science.gov (United States)

Shaw, Katharina; Brennan, Nicole; Woo, Kaitlin; Zhang, Zhigang; Young, Robert; Peck, Kyung K; Holodny, Andrei

2016-01-01

Studies have shown that some patients with left-hemispheric brain tumors have an increased propensity for developing right-sided language support. However, the precise trigger for establishing co-dominant language function in brain tumor patients remains unknown. We analyzed the MR scans of patients with left-hemispheric tumors and either co-dominant (n=35) or left-hemisphere dominant (n=35) language function on fMRI to investigate anatomical factors influencing hemispheric language dominance. Of eleven neuroanatomical areas evaluated for tumor involvement, the basal ganglia was significantly correlated with co-dominant language function (pdominance performed significantly better on the Boston Naming Test, a clinical measure of aphasia, compared to their left-lateralized counterparts (56.5 versus 36.5, p=0.025). While further studies are needed to elucidate the role of the basal ganglia in establishing co-dominance, our results suggest that reactive co-dominance may afford a behavioral advantage to patients with left-hemispheric tumors. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Basal and insulin-stimulated skeletal muscle sugar transport in endotoxic and bacteremic rats

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Westfall, M.V.; Sayeed, M.M.

1988-01-01

Membrane glucose transport with and without insulin was studied in soleus muscle from 5-h endotoxic rats (40 mg/kg Salmonella enteritidis lipopolysaccharide), and in soleus and epitrochlearis muscles from 12-h bacteremic (Escherichia coli, 4 X 10(10) CFU/kg) rats. Glucose transport was measured in muscles by evaluating the fractional efflux of 14 C-labeled 3-O-methylglucose ( 14 C-3-MG) after loading muscles with 14 C-3-MG. Basal 3-MG transport was elevated in soleus muscles from endotoxic as well as in soleus and epitrochlearis muscles from bacteremic rats compared with time-matched controls. Low insulin concentrations stimulated 14 C-3-MG transport more in bacteremic and endotoxic rat muscles than in controls. However, sugar transport in the presence of high insulin dose was attenuated in soleus and epitrochlearis muscles from bacteremic rats and soleus muscles from endotoxic rats compared with controls. Analysis of the dose-response relationship with ALLFIT revealed that the maximal transport response to insulin was significantly decreased in both models of septic shock. Sensitivity to insulin (EC50) was increased in endotoxic rat muscles, and a somewhat similar tendency was observed in bacteremic rat soleus muscles. Neural and humoral influences and/or changes in cellular metabolic energy may contribute to the increase in basal transport. Shifts in insulin-mediated transport may be due to alterations in insulin-receptor-effector coupling and/or the number of available glucose transporters

Cholinergic Inputs from Basal Forebrain Add an Excitatory Bias to Odor Coding in the Olfactory Bulb

Science.gov (United States)

Rothermel, Markus; Carey, Ryan M.; Puche, Adam; Shipley, Michael T.

2014-01-01

Cholinergic modulation of central circuits is associated with active sensation, attention, and learning, yet the neural circuits and temporal dynamics underlying cholinergic effects on sensory processing remain unclear. Understanding the effects of cholinergic modulation on particular circuits is complicated by the widespread projections of cholinergic neurons to telencephalic structures that themselves are highly interconnected. Here we examined how cholinergic projections from basal forebrain to the olfactory bulb (OB) modulate output from the first stage of sensory processing in the mouse olfactory system. By optogenetically activating their axons directly in the OB, we found that cholinergic projections from basal forebrain regulate OB output by increasing the spike output of presumptive mitral/tufted cells. Cholinergic stimulation increased mitral/tufted cell spiking in the absence of inhalation-driven sensory input and further increased spiking responses to inhalation of odorless air and to odorants. This modulation was rapid and transient, was dependent on local cholinergic signaling in the OB, and differed from modulation by optogenetic activation of cholinergic neurons in basal forebrain, which led to a mixture of mitral/tufted cell excitation and suppression. Finally, bulbar cholinergic enhancement of mitral/tufted cell odorant responses was robust and occurred independent of the strength or even polarity of the odorant-evoked response, indicating that cholinergic modulation adds an excitatory bias to mitral/tufted cells as opposed to increasing response gain or sharpening response spectra. These results are consistent with a role for the basal forebrain cholinergic system in dynamically regulating the sensitivity to or salience of odors during active sensing of the olfactory environment. PMID:24672011

Basal and dynamic relationships between implicit power motivation and estradiol in women.

Science.gov (United States)

Stanton, Steven J; Schultheiss, Oliver C

2007-12-01

This study investigated basal and reciprocal relationships between implicit power motivation (n Power), a preference for having impact and dominance over others, and both salivary estradiol and testosterone in women. 49 participants completed the Picture Story Exercise, a measure of n Power. During a laboratory contest, participants competed in pairs on a cognitive task and contest outcome (win vs. loss) was experimentally varied. Estradiol and testosterone levels were determined in saliva samples collected at baseline and several times post-contest, including 1 day post-contest. n Power was positively associated with basal estradiol concentrations. The positive correlation between n Power and basal estradiol was stronger in single women, women not taking oral contraceptives, or in women with low-CV estradiol samples than in the overall sample of women. Women's estradiol responses to a dominance contest were influenced by the interaction of n Power and contest outcome: estradiol increased in power-motivated winners but decreased in power-motivated losers. For power-motivated winners, elevated levels of estradiol were still present the day after the contest. Lastly, n Power and estradiol did not correlate with self-reported dominance and correlated negatively with self-reported aggression. Self-reported dominance and aggression did not predict estradiol changes as a function of contest outcome. Overall, n Power did not predict basal testosterone levels or testosterone changes as a function of dominance contest outcome.

Changes in dip and frictional properties of the basal detachment controlling orogenic wedge propagation and frontal collapse: The external central Betics case

Science.gov (United States)

Jimenez-Bonilla, A.; Torvela, T.; Balanyá, J. C.; Expósito, I.; Díaz-Azpiroz, M.

2016-12-01

Thin-skinned fold-and-thrust belts (FTBs) have been extensively studied through both field examples and modeling. The overall dynamics of FTBs are, therefore, well understood. One less understood aspect is the combined influence of across-strike changes in the detachment properties and the basement topography on the behavior of an orogenic wedge. In this paper, we use field data together with reflection seismic interpretation from the external zones of the central Betics FTB, southern Spain, to identify a significant increase in the wedge basal dip (a basement "threshold") coinciding with the pinch-out of a weak substrate. This induced both changes to the wedge geometry and to the basal friction, which in turn influenced the wedge dynamics. The changing dynamics led to a transient "stagnation" of the FTB propagation, topographic buildup, and subsequent collapse of the FTB front. This in turn fed an important Langhian depocenter made up of mass transport deposits. Coevally with the FTB propagation, extension took place both parallel and perpendicular to the orogenic trend. This case study illustrates how across-strike changes in wedge basal properties can control the detailed behavior of a developing FTB front, but questions remain regarding the time-space interaction and relative importance of the basal parameters.

Genetic analysis of partial resistance to basal stem rot (Sclerotinia sclerotiorum in sunflower

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Amouzadeh Masoumeh

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Basal stem rot, caused by Sclerotinia sclerotiorum (Lib. de Bary, is one of the major diseases of sunflower (Helianthus annuus L. in the world. Quantitative trait loci (QTLs implicated in partial resistance to basal stem rot disease were identified using 99 recombinant inbred lines (RILs from the cross between sunflower parental lines PAC2 and RHA266. The study was undertaken in a completely randomized design with three replications under controlled conditions. The RILs and their parental lines were inoculated with a moderately aggressive isolate of S. sclerotiorum (SSKH41. Resistance to disease was evaluated by measuring the percentage of necrosis area three days after inoculation. QTLs were mapped using an updated high-density SSR and SNP linkage map. ANOVA showed significant differences among sunflower lines for resistance to basal stem rot (P≤0.05. The frequency distribution of lines for susceptibility to disease showed a continuous pattern. Composite interval mapping analysis revealed 5 QTLs for percentage of necrotic area, localized on linkage groups 1, 3, 8, 10 and 17. The sign of additive effect was positive in 5 QTLs, suggesting that the additive allele for partial resistance to basal stem rot came from the paternal line (RHA266. The phenotypic variance explained by QTLs (R2 ranged from 0.5 to 3.16%. Identified genes (HUCL02246_1, GST and POD, and SSR markers (ORS338, and SSL3 encompassing the QTLs for partial resistance to basal stem rot could be good candidates for marker assisted selection.

Basal Serum Calcitonin, After Calcium Stimulation, and in the Needle Washout of Patients with Thyroid Nodules and Mild or Moderate Basal Hypercalcitoninemia.

Science.gov (United States)

Rosario, P W; Calsolari, M R

2017-02-01

This prospective study evaluated the concentrations of basal serum calcitonin (Ctn), Ctn after stimulation with calcium, and Ctn in the needle washout (FNA-Ctn) as predictors of sporadic medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC) in patients with thyroid nodules and basal Ctn between 10 and 100 pg/ml. Forty-one patients were included in the study. MTC was diagnosed in only 6 patients (14.6%). None of the patients with basal Ctn≤24.6 pg/ml (n=26) or stimulated Ctn≤186.5 pg/ml (n=21) had MTC. All patients without MTC had basal Ctnstimulated Ctnbasal Ctn between 24.6 and 47 pg/ml (n=12), 3 (25%) had MTC. Among patients with stimulated Ctn between 186.5 and 655.2 pg/ml (n=18), 4 (22.2%) had MTC. FNA-Ctn distinguished nodules that were MTC (n=6) from those that were not (n=60), without overlapping results. In the calcium stimulation test, 19 patients (46.3%) reported some adverse effect, but none of them was severe or required specific treatment. Our results highlight that in patients without a history suspicious for MTC, mild or moderate basal hypercalcitoninemia should not establish the diagnosis of this tumor. Depending on the concentration found, basal Ctn should be sufficient to define patient management. In doubtful cases, FNA-Ctn seems to be the best diagnostic test. Calcium stimulation testing was safe, but more studies are needed to determine the Ctn cutoff after stimulation with calcium. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

Inpatient hyperglycemia management: the opportunities of a new basal insulin

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Natalino Simioni

2016-06-01

Full Text Available The management of hospitalized diabetic patients for any cause is often difficult and affected not only by the comorbidities of the patient but also by the hospital setting. It is well known that at the admission the antidiabetic drugs should be discontinued on behalf of insulin therapy with insulin analogues, as a function of a basal-bolus insulin approach according to the phenotype of the patient, type of nutrition (enteral or parenteral rather than oral, or concomitant hyperglycemic therapy (e.g., steroid. The average stay of diabetic patients hospitalized for any cause is significantly correlated with both the number of hypoglycemia and hyperglycemia. Compared to patients treated with sliding scale patients using a custom algorithm show a significant reduction in the number of hypoglycemia and hyperglycemia episodes and in the length of stay. We analyze the clinical profile of a novel basal insulin, degludec, and explore the potential clinical benefit for diabetic inpatient. The continuation of insulin therapy at home in the immediate post-hospitalization (if necessary, also correlates with a reduction in the rate of re-hospitalization, which combined with close follow-up diabetes can result in a reduction of chronic complications.

Historical harvests reduce neighboring old-growth basal area across a forest landscape.

Science.gov (United States)

Bell, David M; Spies, Thomas A; Pabst, Robert

2017-07-01

While advances in remote sensing have made stand, landscape, and regional assessments of the direct impacts of disturbance on forests quite common, the edge influence of timber harvesting on the structure of neighboring unharvested forests has not been examined extensively. In this study, we examine the impact of historical timber harvests on basal area patterns of neighboring old-growth forests to assess the magnitude and scale of harvest edge influence in a forest landscape of western Oregon, USA. We used lidar data and forest plot measurements to construct 30-m resolution live tree basal area maps in lower and middle elevation mature and old-growth forests. We assessed how edge influence on total, upper canopy, and lower canopy basal area varied across this forest landscape as a function of harvest characteristics (i.e., harvest size and age) and topographic conditions in the unharvested area. Upper canopy, lower canopy, and total basal area increased with distance from harvest edge and elevation. Forests within 75 m of harvest edges (20% of unharvested forests) had 4% to 6% less live tree basal area compared with forest interiors. An interaction between distance from harvest edge and elevation indicated that elevation altered edge influence in this landscape. We observed a positive edge influence at low elevations (800 m). Surprisingly, we found no or weak effects of harvest age (13-60 yr) and harvest area (0.2-110 ha) on surrounding unharvested forest basal area, implying that edge influence was relatively insensitive to the scale of disturbance and multi-decadal recovery processes. Our study indicates that the edge influence of past clearcutting on the structure of neighboring uncut old-growth forests is widespread and persistent. These indirect and diffuse legacies of historical timber harvests complicate forest management decision-making in old-growth forest landscapes by broadening the traditional view of stand boundaries. Furthermore, the consequences

Ketamine-induced oscillations in the motor circuit of the rat basal ganglia.

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María Jesús Nicolás

Full Text Available Oscillatory activity can be widely recorded in the cortex and basal ganglia. This activity may play a role not only in the physiology of movement, perception and cognition, but also in the pathophysiology of psychiatric and neurological diseases like schizophrenia or Parkinson's disease. Ketamine administration has been shown to cause an increase in gamma activity in cortical and subcortical structures, and an increase in 150 Hz oscillations in the nucleus accumbens in healthy rats, together with hyperlocomotion.We recorded local field potentials from motor cortex, caudate-putamen (CPU, substantia nigra pars reticulata (SNr and subthalamic nucleus (STN in 20 awake rats before and after the administration of ketamine at three different subanesthetic doses (10, 25 and 50 mg/Kg, and saline as control condition. Motor behavior was semiautomatically quantified by custom-made software specifically developed for this setting.Ketamine induced coherent oscillations in low gamma (~ 50 Hz, high gamma (~ 80 Hz and high frequency (HFO, ~ 150 Hz bands, with different behavior in the four structures studied. While oscillatory activity at these three peaks was widespread across all structures, interactions showed a different pattern for each frequency band. Imaginary coherence at 150 Hz was maximum between motor cortex and the different basal ganglia nuclei, while low gamma coherence connected motor cortex with CPU and high gamma coherence was more constrained to the basal ganglia nuclei. Power at three bands correlated with the motor activity of the animal, but only coherence values in the HFO and high gamma range correlated with movement. Interactions in the low gamma band did not show a direct relationship to movement.These results suggest that the motor effects of ketamine administration may be primarily mediated by the induction of coherent widespread high-frequency activity in the motor circuit of the basal ganglia, together with a frequency

Alterations in Neuronal Activity in Basal Ganglia-Thalamocortical Circuits in the Parkinsonian State

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Adriana eGalvan

2015-02-01

Full Text Available In patients with Parkinson’s disease and in animal models of this disorder, neurons in the basal ganglia and related regions in thalamus and cortex show changes that can be recorded by using electrophysiologic single-cell recording techniques, including altered firing rates and patterns, pathologic oscillatory activity and increased inter-neuronal synchronization. In addition, changes in synaptic potentials or in the joint spiking activities of populations of neurons can be monitored as alterations in local field potentials, electroencephalograms or electrocorticograms. Most of the mentioned electrophysiologic changes are probably related to the degeneration of diencephalic dopaminergic neurons, leading to dopamine loss in the striatum and other basal ganglia nuclei, although degeneration of non-dopaminergic cell groups may also have a role. The altered electrical activity of the basal ganglia and associated nuclei may contribute to some of the motor signs of the disease. We here review the current knowledge of the electrophysiologic changes at the single cell level, the level of local populations of neural elements, and the level of the entire basal ganglia-thalamocortical network in parkinsonism, and discuss the possible use of this information to optimize treatment approaches to Parkinson’s disease, such as deep brain stimulation therapy.

Alterations in neuronal activity in basal ganglia-thalamocortical circuits in the parkinsonian state

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Galvan, Adriana; Devergnas, Annaelle; Wichmann, Thomas

2015-01-01

In patients with Parkinson’s disease and in animal models of this disorder, neurons in the basal ganglia and related regions in thalamus and cortex show changes that can be recorded by using electrophysiologic single-cell recording techniques, including altered firing rates and patterns, pathologic oscillatory activity and increased inter-neuronal synchronization. In addition, changes in synaptic potentials or in the joint spiking activities of populations of neurons can be monitored as alterations in local field potentials (LFPs), electroencephalograms (EEGs) or electrocorticograms (ECoGs). Most of the mentioned electrophysiologic changes are probably related to the degeneration of diencephalic dopaminergic neurons, leading to dopamine loss in the striatum and other basal ganglia nuclei, although degeneration of non-dopaminergic cell groups may also have a role. The altered electrical activity of the basal ganglia and associated nuclei may contribute to some of the motor signs of the disease. We here review the current knowledge of the electrophysiologic changes at the single cell level, the level of local populations of neural elements, and the level of the entire basal ganglia-thalamocortical network in parkinsonism, and discuss the possible use of this information to optimize treatment approaches to Parkinson’s disease, such as deep brain stimulation (DBS) therapy. PMID:25698937

Effects of ascorbic acid and alpha tocopherol supplementation on basal testosterone cortisol ratio in male sprague dawley rats

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Lodhi, G.M.

2011-01-01

Background: Basal testosterone cortisol ratio is considered very important to maintain homeostasis. Increase in this ratio has various beneficial effects on body. In this study we determined the effects of ascorbic acid and alpha tocopherol supplementation on basal testosterone cortisol ratio in male Sprague Dawley rats. Methods: It was quasi experimental study carried out in department of Physiology, Army Medical College Rawalpindi in collaboration with National Institute of Health, Islamabad during October 2006 to September 2007. Forty male Sprague Dawley rats were divided into four groups with ten rats in each group and above mentioned antioxidants supplementation were given along with standard diet for one month. After this, blood samples were taken and analyzed for serum testosterone and cortisol by ELISA and malondialdehyde levels colorimetrically. Data were analysed on SPSS version 13 and p<0.05 was considered significant. Results: There was no significant rise in testosterone cortisol ratio in rats supplemented with single antioxidant; however rats supplemented with combination of ascorbic acid and alpha tocopherol revealed significant rise in testosterone cortisol ratio with a fall in malondialdehyde levels. Conclusions: Synergistic effects of ascorbic acid and alpha tocopherol resulted in a decline in reactive oxygen species induced lipid peroxidation and rise of testosterone cortisol ratio. (author)

The importance of the training-induced decrease in basal cortisol concentration in the improvement in muscular performance in humans.

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Grandys, M; Majerczak, J; Kulpa, J; Duda, K; Rychlik, U; Zoladz, J A

2016-01-01

Acute exercise-induced changes in cortisol concentration (C) and training related adaptation within hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis has been widely examined, but their influence on muscle strength performance is at best uncertain. Twenty four young healthy men were randomly assigned to an endurance training group (ET, n=12) or to a non-exercising controls (CON, n=12). ET performed supervised endurance training on cycle ergometer for 20 weeks. Endurance training program improved exercise capacity (14 % increase in power output generated at peak oxygen uptake - VO(2peak)), muscle strength performance (increase in MVC - maximal voluntary contraction - by 9 % and in TTF 50 % MVC - time to fatigue at 50 % MVC - by 21 %) and led to a decrease in basal serum C concentration (P=0.006) and an increase in basal testosterone to cortisol (T/C) and free testosterone to cortisol (fT/C) ratios (P=0.01 and P=0.02, respectively). It was found that the decrease in C concentration (deltaC) was positively correlated to the increase in local muscular endurance (deltaTTF 50 % MVC). No significant hormonal changes were seen in CON group. It is concluded that greater decrease in cortisol concentration after the endurance training is accompanied by poorer improvement in skeletal muscle performance in previously untrained subjects.

Use of basal stimulation at anesthesiology department

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MARKOVÁ, Alena

2012-01-01

The theme ?The Use of Basal Stimulation at the Anaesthesiology and Resuscitation Department? was chosen in order to map out the use of this nursing method by the nurses and the staff who I cooperate with. The theoretical part deals with the environment at the Anaesthesiology and Resuscitation Department where the basal stimulation is used and also with special characteristics of the nursing care. Further, it deals with monitoring patients, causes of consciousness defects occurrence and kinds ...

Sleep-wake sensitive mechanisms of adenosine release in the basal forebrain of rodents: an in vitro study.

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Robert Edward Sims

Full Text Available Adenosine acting in the basal forebrain is a key mediator of sleep homeostasis. Extracellular adenosine concentrations increase during wakefulness, especially during prolonged wakefulness and lead to increased sleep pressure and subsequent rebound sleep. The release of endogenous adenosine during the sleep-wake cycle has mainly been studied in vivo with microdialysis techniques. The biochemical changes that accompany sleep-wake status may be preserved in vitro. We have therefore used adenosine-sensitive biosensors in slices of the basal forebrain (BFB to study both depolarization-evoked adenosine release and the steady state adenosine tone in rats, mice and hamsters. Adenosine release was evoked by high K(+, AMPA, NMDA and mGlu receptor agonists, but not by other transmitters associated with wakefulness such as orexin, histamine or neurotensin. Evoked and basal adenosine release in the BFB in vitro exhibited three key features: the magnitude of each varied systematically with the diurnal time at which the animal was sacrificed; sleep deprivation prior to sacrifice greatly increased both evoked adenosine release and the basal tone; and the enhancement of evoked adenosine release and basal tone resulting from sleep deprivation was reversed by the inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS inhibitor, 1400 W. These data indicate that characteristics of adenosine release recorded in the BFB in vitro reflect those that have been linked in vivo to the homeostatic control of sleep. Our results provide methodologically independent support for a key role for induction of iNOS as a trigger for enhanced adenosine release following sleep deprivation and suggest that this induction may constitute a biochemical memory of this state.

Complex Dynamics in the Basal Ganglia: Health and Disease Beyond the Motor System.

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Andres, Daniela S; Darbin, Olivier

2018-01-01

The rate and oscillatory hypotheses are the two main current frameworks of basal ganglia pathophysiology. Both hypotheses have emerged from research on movement disorders sharing similar conceptualizations. These pathological conditions are classified either as hypokinetic or hyperkinetic, and the electrophysiological hallmarks of basal ganglia dysfunction are categorized as prokinetic or antikinetic. Although nonmotor symptoms, including neurobehavioral symptoms, are a key manifestation of basal ganglia dysfunction, they are uncommonly accounted for in these models. In patients with Parkinson's disease, the broad spectrum of motor symptoms and neurobehavioral symptoms challenges the concept that basal ganglia disorders can be classified into two categories. The profile of symptoms of basal ganglia dysfunction is best characterized by a breakdown of information processing, accompanied at an electrophysiological level by complex alterations of spiking activity from basal ganglia neurons. The authors argue that the dynamics of the basal ganglia circuit cannot be fully characterized by linear properties such as the firing rate or oscillatory activity. In fact, the neuronal spiking stream of the basal ganglia circuit is irregular but has temporal structure. In this context, entropy was introduced as a measure of probabilistic irregularity in the temporal organization of neuronal activity of the basal ganglia, giving place to the entropy hypothesis of basal ganglia pathology. Obtaining a quantitative characterization of irregularity of spike trains from basal ganglia neurons is key to elaborating a new framework of basal ganglia pathophysiology.

A neural mass model of basal ganglia nuclei simulates pathological beta rhythm in Parkinson's disease

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Liu, Fei; Wang, Jiang; Liu, Chen; Li, Huiyan; Deng, Bin; Fietkiewicz, Chris; Loparo, Kenneth A.

2016-12-01

An increase in beta oscillations within the basal ganglia nuclei has been shown to be associated with movement disorder, such as Parkinson's disease. The motor cortex and an excitatory-inhibitory neuronal network composed of the subthalamic nucleus (STN) and the external globus pallidus (GPe) are thought to play an important role in the generation of these oscillations. In this paper, we propose a neuron mass model of the basal ganglia on the population level that reproduces the Parkinsonian oscillations in a reciprocal excitatory-inhibitory network. Moreover, it is shown that the generation and frequency of these pathological beta oscillations are varied by the coupling strength and the intrinsic characteristics of the basal ganglia. Simulation results reveal that increase of the coupling strength induces the generation of the beta oscillation, as well as enhances the oscillation frequency. However, for the intrinsic properties of each nucleus in the excitatory-inhibitory network, the STN primarily influences the generation of the beta oscillation while the GPe mainly determines its frequency. Interestingly, describing function analysis applied on this model theoretically explains the mechanism of pathological beta oscillations.

Reliability of basal plasma vasopressin concentrations in healthy male adults.

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Quintana, Daniel S; Westlye, Lars T; Smerud, Knut T; Mahmoud, Ramy A; Djupesland, Per G; Andreassen, Ole A

2017-10-01

The neuropeptides oxytocin (OT) and arginine vasopressin (AVP) play important and interrelated roles in modulating mammalian social behaviour. While the OT system has received considerable research attention for its potential to treat psychiatric symptoms, comparatively little is known about the role of the AVP system in human social behaviour. To better understand the intraindividual stability of basal AVP, the present study assessed the reproducibility of basal plasma AVP concentrations. Basal plasma AVP was assessed at four sampling points separated by 8 days, on average, in 16 healthy adult males. Only one out of six comparisons revealed strong evidence for reproducibility of basal AVP concentrations (visit 2 vs. visit 4: r=0.8, p0.1). The concordance correlation coefficient [0.15, 95% CI (-0.55, 0.73)] also revealed poor overall reproducibility. Poor reliability of basal AVP concentrations suggests future work covarying AVP with trait markers should proceed with careful consideration of intraindividual fluctuations.

Pigmented Basal cell carcinoma of nipple and areola in a male breast - a case report with review of literature.

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Kalyani, R; Vani, B R; Srinivas, Murthy V; Veda, P

2014-03-01

Basal cell carcinoma is a common skin cancer worldwide. However basal cell carcinoma of nipple and areola complex is rare, commonly seen in males in elderly age group. The tumor has aggressive behavior with increased tendency for metastasis. We present a case in a 78 year male in the left breast.

Opponent and bidirectional control of movement velocity in the basal ganglia

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Yttri, Eric A.

2016-01-01

For goal-directed behavior it is critical that we can both select the appropriate action and learn to modify the underlying movements (e.g. the pitch of a note or velocity of a reach) to improve outcomes. The basal ganglia are a critical nexus where circuits necessary for the production of behavior, such as neocortex and thalamus, are integrated with reward signaling 1 to reinforce successful, purposive actions 2. Dorsal striatum, a major input structure of basal ganglia is composed of two opponent pathways, direct and indirect, thought to select actions that elicit positive outcomes or suppress actions that do not, respectively 3,4. Activity-dependent plasticity modulated by reward is thought to be sufficient for selecting actions in striatum 5,6. Although perturbations of basal ganglia function produce profound changes in movement 7, it remains unknown whether activity-dependent plasticity is sufficient to produce learned changes in movement kinematics, such as velocity. Here we used cell-type specific stimulation delivered in closed-loop during movement to demonstrate that activity in either the direct or indirect pathway is sufficient to produce specific and sustained increases or decreases in velocity without affecting action selection or motivation. These behavioral changes were a form of learning that accumulated over trials, persisted after the cessation of stimulation, and were abolished in the presence of dopamine antagonists. Our results reveal that the direct and indirect pathways can each bidirectionally control movement velocity, demonstrating unprecedented specificity and flexibility in the control of volition by the basal ganglia. PMID:27135927

Basal ganglia modulation of thalamocortical relay in Parkinson's disease and dystonia.

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Guo, Yixin; Park, Choongseok; Worth, Robert M; Rubchinsky, Leonid L

2013-01-01

Basal ganglia dysfunction has being implied in both Parkinson's disease and dystonia. While these disorders probably involve different cellular and circuit pathologies within and beyond basal ganglia, there may be some shared neurophysiological pathways. For example, pallidotomy and pallidal Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) are used in symptomatic treatment of both disorders. Both conditions are marked by alterations of rhythmicity of neural activity throughout basal ganglia-thalamocortical circuits. Increased synchronized oscillatory activity in beta band is characteristic of Parkinson's disease, while different frequency bands, theta and alpha, are involved in dystonia. We compare the effect of the activity of GPi, the output nuclei of the basal ganglia, on information processing in the downstream neural circuits of thalamus in Parkinson's disease and dystonia. We use a data-driven computational approach, a computational model of the thalamocortical (TC) cell modulated by experimentally recorded data, to study the differences and similarities of thalamic dynamics in dystonia and Parkinson's disease. Our analysis shows no substantial differences in TC relay between the two conditions. Our results suggest that, similar to Parkinson's disease, a disruption of thalamic processing could also be involved in dystonia. Moreover, the degree to which TC relay fidelity is impaired is approximately the same in both conditions. While Parkinson's disease and dystonia may have different pathologies and differ in the oscillatory content of neural discharge, our results suggest that the effect of patterning of pallidal discharge is similar in both conditions. Furthermore, these results suggest that the mechanisms of GPi DBS in dystonia may involve improvement of TC relay fidelity.

Comparison of Insulin Detemir and Insulin Glargine for Hospitalized Patients on a Basal-Bolus Protocol

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Sondra Davis

2017-04-01

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: The primary purpose of this study is to determine whether insulin detemir is equivalent to insulin glargine in controlling hyperglycemia for the adult hospitalized patient on a basal-bolus treatment regimen. METHODS: A retrospective study was conducted at two acute care hospitals within the same health system. Patients from both facilities who were initiated on a basal-bolus subcutaneous insulin regimen were included in the study. The basal-bolus regimen consisted of three components: basal, bolus, and corrective insulin with only the data from the first seven days analyzed. Once the basal-bolus protocol was initiated, all previous glycemic agents were discontinued. The target glycemic goal of the study was 100–180 mg/dL. RESULTS: In both groups, 50% of the patients had achieved the target glycemic control goal (100–180 mg/dL by day 2 (p = 0.3. However, on the seventh or last day of basal-bolus treatment, whichever came first, 36.36% of patients receiving insulin detemir (n = 88 achieved the blood glucose reading goal compared to 52.00% in patients receiving insulin glargine (n = 100 (p = 0.03. This corresponded to an adjusted odds ratio of 2.12 (1.08 to 4.15, p = 0.03. The adjusting variables were provider type, whether the patient was hospitalized within 30 days prior and diagnosis of stroke. The mean blood glucose readings for the insulin glargine and the insulin detemir groups while on basal-bolus therapy were 200 mg/dL and 215 mg/dL, respectively (p = 0.05. The total number of blood glucose readings less than 70 mg/dL and less than 45 mg/dL was very low and there were no differences in number of episodes with hypoglycemia between the two groups. CONCLUSION: There was not a statistical difference between the two groups at 2 days, however there was on the seventh day or the last day of basal-bolus treatment. There were nonsignificant hypoglycemia events between basal insulin groups and the results for the last or seventh day

Vulvar basal cell carcinoma, a rare location

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Cornelia Nitipir

2018-05-01

Full Text Available Basal Cell Carcinoma is the most common human malignant neoplasm. Vulvar basal cell carcinoma is rare, accounting for less than 5% of all vulvar neoplasms. Vulvar basal cell carcinomas are usually diagnosed late because they are often asymptomatic and tend to grow at slow rates. They are usually diagnosed late because they are often asymptomatic. However, these tumours may appear in areas which are normally covered with ultraviolet light. We present the case of a 60 years old woman diagnosed with invasive breast cancer for which she underwent surgery followed by chemotherapy and radiotherapy. The patient presented to our department with an ulcerated vulvar lesion. On inspection, the tumour measured 3/2 cm and was located on the left labium majus. The biopsy confirmed the diagnosis of vulvar basal cell carcinoma and a wide local excision was performed with no relapse at one year. In conclusion, early detection of BCC’s is critical to allow complete surgical cure so any abnormality on the vulva should be biopsied. A wide safety margin of 1cm should be achieved when resecting the tumour and the physician should keep in mind that the BCC’s of the vulva has a high recurrence rate. Previous chemotherapy is not associated with this type of non-melanoma skin cancer.

Altered effective connectivity network of the basal ganglia in low-grade hepatic encephalopathy: a resting-state fMRI study with Granger causality analysis.

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Rongfeng Qi

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: The basal ganglia often show abnormal metabolism and intracranial hemodynamics in cirrhotic patients with hepatic encephalopathy (HE. Little is known about how the basal ganglia affect other brain system and is affected by other brain regions in HE. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether the effective connectivity network associated with the basal ganglia is disturbed in HE patients by using resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Thirty five low-grade HE patients and thirty five age- and gender- matched healthy controls participated in the rs-fMRI scans. The effective connectivity networks associated with the globus pallidus, the primarily affected region within basal ganglia in HE, were characterized by using the Granger causality analysis and compared between HE patients and healthy controls. Pearson correlation analysis was performed between the abnormal effective connectivity and venous blood ammonia levels and neuropsychological performances of all HE patients. Compared with the healthy controls, patients with low-grade HE demonstrated mutually decreased influence between the globus pallidus and the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC, cuneus, bi-directionally increased influence between the globus pallidus and the precuneus, and either decreased or increased influence from and to the globus pallidus in many other frontal, temporal, parietal gyri, and cerebellum. Pearson correlation analyses revealed that the blood ammonia levels in HE patients negatively correlated with effective connectivity from the globus pallidus to ACC, and positively correlated with that from the globus pallidus to precuneus; and the number connectivity test scores in patients negatively correlated with the effective connectivity from the globus pallidus to ACC, and from superior frontal gyrus to globus pallidus. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: Low-grade HE patients had disrupted effective

How may the basal ganglia contribute to auditory categorization and speech perception?

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Sung-Joo eLim

2014-08-01

Full Text Available Listeners must accomplish two complementary perceptual feats in extracting a message from speech. They must discriminate linguistically-relevant acoustic variability and generalize across irrelevant variability. Said another way, they must categorize speech. Since the mapping of acoustic variability is language-specific, these categories must be learned from experience. Thus, understanding how, in general, the auditory system acquires and represents categories can inform us about the toolbox of mechanisms available to speech perception. This perspective invites consideration of findings from cognitive neuroscience literatures outside of the speech domain as a means of constraining models of speech perception. Although neurobiological models of speech perception have mainly focused on cerebral cortex, research outside the speech domain is consistent with the possibility of significant subcortical contributions in category learning. Here, we review the functional role of one such structure, the basal ganglia. We examine research from animal electrophysiology, human neuroimaging, and behavior to consider characteristics of basal ganglia processing that may be advantageous for speech category learning. We also present emerging evidence for a direct role for basal ganglia in learning auditory categories in a complex, naturalistic task intended to model the incidental manner in which speech categories are acquired. To conclude, we highlight new research questions that arise in incorporating the broader neuroscience research literature in modeling speech perception, and suggest how understanding contributions of the basal ganglia can inform attempts to optimize training protocols for learning non-native speech categories in adulthood.

Consensus Paper: Towards a Systems-Level View of Cerebellar Function: the Interplay Between Cerebellum, Basal Ganglia, and Cortex.

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Caligiore, Daniele; Pezzulo, Giovanni; Baldassarre, Gianluca; Bostan, Andreea C; Strick, Peter L; Doya, Kenji; Helmich, Rick C; Dirkx, Michiel; Houk, James; Jörntell, Henrik; Lago-Rodriguez, Angel; Galea, Joseph M; Miall, R Chris; Popa, Traian; Kishore, Asha; Verschure, Paul F M J; Zucca, Riccardo; Herreros, Ivan

2017-02-01

Despite increasing evidence suggesting the cerebellum works in concert with the cortex and basal ganglia, the nature of the reciprocal interactions between these three brain regions remains unclear. This consensus paper gathers diverse recent views on a variety of important roles played by the cerebellum within the cerebello-basal ganglia-thalamo-cortical system across a range of motor and cognitive functions. The paper includes theoretical and empirical contributions, which cover the following topics: recent evidence supporting the dynamical interplay between cerebellum, basal ganglia, and cortical areas in humans and other animals; theoretical neuroscience perspectives and empirical evidence on the reciprocal influences between cerebellum, basal ganglia, and cortex in learning and control processes; and data suggesting possible roles of the cerebellum in basal ganglia movement disorders. Although starting from different backgrounds and dealing with different topics, all the contributors agree that viewing the cerebellum, basal ganglia, and cortex as an integrated system enables us to understand the function of these areas in radically different ways. In addition, there is unanimous consensus between the authors that future experimental and computational work is needed to understand the function of cerebellar-basal ganglia circuitry in both motor and non-motor functions. The paper reports the most advanced perspectives on the role of the cerebellum within the cerebello-basal ganglia-thalamo-cortical system and illustrates other elements of consensus as well as disagreements and open questions in the field.

Determinação da taxa metabólica basal em cutias, Dasyprocta azarae, por calorimetria indireta Determination of the basal metabolic rate in agoutis, Dasyprocta azarae, by indirect calorimetry

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Harald F.V. Brito

2010-06-01

necessidade de novos estudos sobre o metabolismo de Dasyprocta azarae, sugerindo-se a realização de aferição da taxa metabólica basal e aferição simultânea da concentração sérica de testosterona, estradiol e cortisol para os três grupos.The best way to compare different organisms is the basal metabolic rate, a fundamental interrelation existent among all living beings. Direct measures of oxygen and carbon dioxide concentrations by evaluation of inspired and expired air can be used to measure metabolic rate. So, this research was done in order to measure basal and specific metabolic rates in agoutis (Dasyprocta azarae, and reexamine the scaling of basal metabolism in this species. There were used 34 adult healthy agoutis (9 non-castrated males, 9 castrated males, and 16 females, that belong to the wild animal scientific breeding facility of the Natural History Museum of the Curitiba city, State of Paraná, Brazil. After a six-hour fasting the animals were placed in special boxes under controlled temperature (22.0±1.0ºC, and submitted to measuring of the basal metabolic rate, by indirect calorimetry. It was used the Deltatrac®II metabolic monitor, usually indicated to measure carbon dioxide production (VCO2 and oxygen consumption (VO2 in human beings, by measuring variations in the concentration of VCO2 and of VO2, with a precision of 0.01%. The specific metabolic rate was calculated after determination of the basal metabolic rate and the obtained data were analyzed by inductive statistics. The hypotheses tests for comparison among samples indicated that the specific metabolic rate is higher in non-castrated males than in females and castrated males (significance of 5%, and that the specific metabolic rate of females and castrated males are equivalent (significance of 1%. In addition, analysis of the correlation of experimental points indicates that another variable beyond body size affects the metabolic rate of non-castrated males (significance of 1%, and

Thermal history regulates methylbutenol basal emission rate in Pinus ponderosa.

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Gray, Dennis W; Goldstein, Allen H; Lerdau, Manuel T

2006-07-01

Methylbutenol (MBO) is a 5-carbon alcohol that is emitted by many pines in western North America, which may have important impacts on the tropospheric chemistry of this region. In this study, we document seasonal changes in basal MBO emission rates and test several models predicting these changes based on thermal history. These models represent extensions of the ISO G93 model that add a correction factor C(basal), allowing MBO basal emission rates to change as a function of thermal history. These models also allow the calculation of a new emission parameter E(standard30), which represents the inherent capacity of a plant to produce MBO, independent of current or past environmental conditions. Most single-component models exhibited large departures in early and late season, and predicted day-to-day changes in basal emission rate with temporal offsets of up to 3 d relative to measured basal emission rates. Adding a second variable describing thermal history at a longer time scale improved early and late season model performance while retaining the day-to-day performance of the parent single-component model. Out of the models tested, the T(amb),T(max7) model exhibited the best combination of day-to-day and seasonal predictions of basal MBO emission rates.

Availability of streamflow for recharge of the basal aquifer in the Pearl Harbor area, Hawaii

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Hirashima, George Tokusuke

1971-01-01

The Pearl Harbor area is underlain by an extensive basal aquifer that contains large supplies of fresh water. Because of the presence of a cap rock composed of sedimentary material that is less permeable than the basaltic lava of the basal aquifer, seaward movement of ground water is retarded. The cap rock causes the basal water to stand at a high level; thus, the lens of fresh water that floats on sea water is thick. Discharge from the basal ground-water body, which includes pumpage from wells and shafts, averaged 250 million gallons per day during 1931-65. Because the water level in the basal aquifer did not decline progressively, recharge to the ground-water body must have been approximately equal to discharge. Although pumping for agricultural use has decreased since 1931, net ground-water discharge has increased because of a large increase in pumping for urban use. Substitution of ground water for surface water in the irrigation of sugarcane has also contributed to a net increase in ground-water discharge. The development of Mililani Town will further increase discharge. The increase in ground-water discharge may cause an increase in chloride content of the water pumped from wells near the shore of Pearl Harbor unless the increased discharge is balanced by increased recharge to the local aquifer. The aquifer is recharged by direct infiltration and deep percolation of rain, principally in the high forested area, by infiltration and percolation of irrigation water applied in excess of plant requirements, by seepage of water through streambeds, and possibly by ground-water inflow from outside the area. Recharge is greatest in the uplands, where rainfall is heavy and where much infiltration takes place before rainwater collects in the middle and lower reaches of stream channels. Once water collects in and saturates the alluvium of stream channels, additional inflow to the streams will flow out to sea, only slightly decreased by seepage. Average annual direct

Basal cell epithelioma (carcinoma) in children and teenagers

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Rahbari, H.; Mehregan, A.H.

1982-01-15

Among over 390,000 routine dermatopathologic specimens there were 85 cases diagnosed as basal cell epithelioma (carcinoma) (BCE) in persons 19 years old or younger. This number was refined to 40 cases de novo BCE in children and teenagers. Basal cell epithelioma unrelated to other conditions is rare in the young and it should be differentiated from similar fibroepithelial growths.

Mean-field modeling of the basal ganglia-thalamocortical system. II Dynamics of parkinsonian oscillations.

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van Albada, S J; Gray, R T; Drysdale, P M; Robinson, P A

2009-04-21

Neuronal correlates of Parkinson's disease (PD) include a shift to lower frequencies in the electroencephalogram (EEG) and enhanced synchronized oscillations at 3-7 and 7-30 Hz in the basal ganglia, thalamus, and cortex. This study describes the dynamics of a recent physiologically based mean-field model of the basal ganglia-thalamocortical system, and shows how it accounts for many key electrophysiological correlates of PD. Its detailed functional connectivity comprises partially segregated direct and indirect pathways through two populations of striatal neurons, a hyperdirect pathway involving a corticosubthalamic projection, thalamostriatal feedback, and local inhibition in striatum and external pallidum (GPe). In a companion paper, realistic steady-state firing rates were obtained for the healthy state, and after dopamine loss modeled by weaker direct and stronger indirect pathways, reduced intrapallidal inhibition, lower firing thresholds of the GPe and subthalamic nucleus (STN), a stronger projection from striatum to GPe, and weaker cortical interactions. Here it is shown that oscillations around 5 and 20 Hz can arise with a strong indirect pathway, which also causes increased synchronization throughout the basal ganglia. Furthermore, increased theta power with progressive nigrostriatal degeneration is correlated with reduced alpha power and peak frequency, in agreement with empirical results. Unlike the hyperdirect pathway, the indirect pathway sustains oscillations with phase relationships that coincide with those found experimentally. Alterations in the responses of basal ganglia to transient stimuli accord with experimental observations. Reduced cortical gains due to both nigrostriatal and mesocortical dopamine loss lead to slower changes in cortical activity and may be related to bradykinesia. Finally, increased EEG power found in some studies may be partly explained by a lower effective GPe firing threshold, reduced GPe-GPe inhibition, and/or weaker

MR spectroscopy-based brain metabolite profiling in propionic acidaemia: metabolic changes in the basal ganglia during acute decompensation and effect of liver transplantation

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McKiernan Patrick J

2011-05-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Propionic acidaemia (PA results from deficiency of Propionyl CoA carboxylase, the commonest form presenting in the neonatal period. Despite best current management, PA is associated with severe neurological sequelae, in particular movement disorders resulting from basal ganglia infarction, although the pathogenesis remains poorly understood. The role of liver transplantation remains controversial but may confer some neuro-protection. The present study utilises quantitative magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS to investigate brain metabolite alterations in propionic acidaemia during metabolic stability and acute encephalopathic episodes. Methods Quantitative MRS was used to evaluate brain metabolites in eight children with neonatal onset propionic acidaemia, with six elective studies acquired during metabolic stability and five studies during acute encephalopathic episodes. MRS studies were acquired concurrently with clinically indicated MR imaging studies at 1.5 Tesla. LCModel software was used to provide metabolite quantification. Comparison was made with a dataset of MRS metabolite concentrations from a cohort of children with normal appearing MR imaging. Results MRI findings confirm the vulnerability of basal ganglia to infarction during acute encephalopathy. We identified statistically significant decreases in basal ganglia glutamate+glutamine and N-Acetylaspartate, and increase in lactate, during encephalopathic episodes. In white matter lactate was significantly elevated but other metabolites not significantly altered. Metabolite data from two children who had received liver transplantation were not significantly different from the comparator group. Conclusions The metabolite alterations seen in propionic acidaemia in the basal ganglia during acute encephalopathy reflect loss of viable neurons, and a switch to anaerobic respiration. The decrease in glutamine + glutamate supports the hypothesis that they are consumed to

A basal dinosaur from the dawn of the dinosaur era in southwestern Pangaea.

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Martinez, Ricardo N; Sereno, Paul C; Alcober, Oscar A; Colombi, Carina E; Renne, Paul R; Montañez, Isabel P; Currie, Brian S

2011-01-14

Upper Triassic rocks in northwestern Argentina preserve the most complete record of dinosaurs before their rise to dominance in the Early Jurassic. Here, we describe a previously unidentified basal theropod, reassess its contemporary Eoraptor as a basal sauropodomorph, divide the faunal record of the Ischigualasto Formation with biozones, and bracket the formation with (40)Ar/(39)Ar ages. Some 230 million years ago in the Late Triassic (mid Carnian), the earliest dinosaurs were the dominant terrestrial carnivores and small herbivores in southwestern Pangaea. The extinction of nondinosaurian herbivores is sequential and is not linked to an increase in dinosaurian diversity, which weakens the predominant scenario for dinosaurian ascendancy as opportunistic replacement.

An Evaluation of Mandibular Dental and Basal Arch Dimensions in Class I and Class II Division 1 Adult Syrian Patients using Cone-beam Computed Tomography.

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Al-Hilal, Layal H; Sultan, Kinda; Hajeer, Mohammad Y; Mahmoud, Ghiath; Wanli, Abdulrahman A

2018-04-01

Aim: The aim of this study is (1) to inspect any difference in mandibular arch widths between males and females in class I and class II division 1 (class malocclusions using cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT), (2) to compare the mandibular dental and basal widths between the two groups, and (3) to investigate any possible correlation between dental and basal arch widths in both groups. Materials and methods: The CBCT images of 68 patients aged between 18 and 25 years consisted of 34 class I (17 males and 17 females) and 34 class (17 males and 17 females) who were recruited at the Department of Orthodontics, University of Damascus Dental School (Syria). Using on-demand three-dimensional (3D) on axial views, facial axis points for dental measurements and basal bone center (BBC) points for basal measurements were identified on lower canines and first molars. Dental and basal intercanine width (ICW) and intermolar width (IMW) were measured. Results: Independent t-test showed a statistically significant difference between males and females in several variables in both groups and a statistically significant difference between class I and class groups in the basal ICW for both genders and in the dental ICW for females only (p class I group, Pearson's correlation coefficients between dental and basal measurements showed a strong correlation in the IMW for both genders (r > 0.73; p class group, a moderate correlation in females' IMW (r = 0.67; p Class I patients had larger ICW than class II-1 patients in all measurements and had narrower IMW than class in most measurements for both genders. There were moderate-to-strong correlations between dental and basal dimensions. BBC points might be landmarks that accurately represent the basal bone arch. Clinical significance: CBCT-based assessments of dental and basal arch dimensions provide a great opportunity to accurately evaluate these aspects, to enhance clinicians' decisions regarding proper tooth movements, and to achieve

The Centrioles, Centrosomes, Basal Bodies, and Cilia of Drosophila melanogaster.

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Lattao, Ramona; Kovács, Levente; Glover, David M

2017-05-01

Centrioles play a key role in the development of the fly. They are needed for the correct formation of centrosomes, the organelles at the poles of the spindle that can persist as microtubule organizing centers (MTOCs) into interphase. The ability to nucleate cytoplasmic microtubules (MTs) is a property of the surrounding pericentriolar material (PCM). The centriole has a dual life, existing not only as the core of the centrosome but also as the basal body, the structure that templates the formation of cilia and flagellae. Thus the structure and functions of the centriole, the centrosome, and the basal body have an impact upon many aspects of development and physiology that can readily be modeled in Drosophila Centrosomes are essential to give organization to the rapidly increasing numbers of nuclei in the syncytial embryo and for the spatially precise execution of cell division in numerous tissues, particularly during male meiosis. Although mitotic cell cycles can take place in the absence of centrosomes, this is an error-prone process that opens up the fly to developmental defects and the potential of tumor formation. Here, we review the structure and functions of the centriole, the centrosome, and the basal body in different tissues and cultured cells of Drosophila melanogaster , highlighting their contributions to different aspects of development and cell division. Copyright © 2017 Lattao et al.

Fissura palatina reparada: fechamento velofaríngeo antes e durante o som basal Cleft palate repair: velopharyngeal closure before and during the basal tone

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Giseane Conterno

2010-04-01

Full Text Available Portadores de fissura palatina apresentam inadequado fechamento velofaríngeo (FVF, com consequente hipernasalidade vocal que pode ser diminuída com o som basal. OBJETIVO: Comparar o FVF durante a realização do som basal com a emissão em registro modal, em pacientes com fissura palatina pós-forame reparada. MATERIAIS E MÉTODOS: Estudo de Casos com quatro homens adultos, portadores de fissura palatina pós-forame reparada. Imagens do FVF por nasofaringoscopia, durante a emissão da vogal [a] em registro modal e basal. Julgamento das imagens realizado por quatro otorrinolaringologistas. RESULTADOS: Em três sujeitos, não houve mudança no tipo de FVF entre os registros analisados; as modificações que ocorreram na maioria dos sujeitos referem-se apenas ao grau de movimentação das estruturas envolvidas, pois, em registro basal, o movimento das paredes laterais da faringe se manteve, o movimento da parede posterior da faringe estabilizou, o movimento do véu palatino diminuiu discretamente, e a Prega de Passavant se evidenciou. CONCLUSÕES: O tipo de FVF se manteve em três dos quatro sujeitos analisados, quando comparado o registro modal com o basal, havendo modificações no grau da movimentação das estruturas envolvidas, evidenciando a Prega de Passavant.Patients with palatine fissure have inadequate velopharyngeal closure (VPC, with consequent vocal hypernasality which can be reduced by a basal tone. AIM: to compare VPC during a basal tone with the emission of a modal recording, in patients with repaired post-foramen palatine fissure. MATERIALS AND METHODS: case study with four adult men, all with repaired post-foramen palatine fissure. VPC images through nasal-pharyngoscopy during the emission o f the [a] vowel in a modal and basal recording. The images were studied by four ENTs. RESULTS: in three subjects there was no change in the type of VPC considering the recordings analyzed; the changes which happened to most of the subjects

[Immunohistochemical characteristics of triple negative/basal-like breast cancer].

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Pala, Emel Ebru; Bayol, Ümit; Cumurcu, Süheyla; Keskın, Elif

2012-01-01

Triple-negative-breast-cancer that accounts for 10-20% of all breast carcinomas is defined by the lack of estrogen receptor, progesterone receptor, HER2 expression, and agressive clinical behavior. Triple-negative-breast-cancer is categorized into basal like and other types. The basal-like subtype is characterized by the expression of myoepithelial/basal markers. We studied 41 immunohistochemically triplenegative- breast-cancer patients to determine EGFR, Cytokeratine 5/6, p53, Ki67, GCDFP-15 expression profiles, HER2 and Chromosome 17 centromere gene status by fluorescence-in-situ-hybridization method. Histological type was invasive ductal carcinoma in 90.2% of the tumors. p53, Ki67, GCDFP-15 mean positivity rates were 55.6%, 51.7%, and 3.2%, respectively. GCDFP-15 positivity was noted in 8 cases of which 6 were Cytokeratine 5/6 negative. The cut-off value for Cytokeratine 5/6 positivity was 5%. EGFR immunoreactivity was grouped into 0, 1+ as negative; 2+, 3+ as positive categories. Cytokeratine 5/6 was positive in 56,1%, EGFR was positive in 51.2% of the patients. The relation between Cytokeratine 5/6 and EGFR expression was statistically significant (p < 0.01). None of the cases showed HER2 amplification by fluorescence-in-situ-hybridization method. GCDFP-15 alone is not a useful marker to detect the metastasis of basaloid type breast cancers. Cytokeratine 5/6 and EGFR expressions showed correlation so these markers are reliable to diagnose basaloid type tumors with a 5% cut-off value.

TT Mutant Homozygote of Is a Key Factor for Increasing Basal Metabolic Rate and Resting Metabolic Rate in Korean Elementary School Children

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Jung Ran Choi

2013-12-01

Full Text Available We investigated the contribution of genetic variations of KLF5 to basal metabolic rate (BMR and resting metabolic rate (RMR and the inhibition of obesity in Korean children. A variation of KLF5 (rs3782933 was genotyped in 62 Korean children. Using multiple linear regression analysis, we developed a model to predict BMR in children. We divided them into several groups; normal versus overweight by body mass index (BMI and low BMR versus high BMR by BMR. There were no differences in the distributions of alleles and genotypes between each group. The genetic variation of KLF5 gene showed a significant correlation with several clinical factors, such as BMR, muscle, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and insulin. Children with the TT had significantly higher BMR than those with CC (p = 0.030. The highest muscle was observed in the children with TT compared with CC (p = 0.032. The insulin and C-peptide values were higher in children with TT than those with CC (p= 0.029 vs. p = 0.004, respectively. In linear regression analysis, BMI and muscle mass were correlated with BMR, whereas insulin and C-peptide were not associated with BMR. In the high-BMR group, we observed that higher muscle, fat mass, and C-peptide affect the increase of BMR in children with TT (p < 0.001, p < 0.001, and p = 0.018, respectively, while Rohrer's index could explain the usual decrease in BMR (adjust r2 = 1.000, p < 0.001, respectively. We identified a novel association between TT of KLF5 rs3782933 and BMR in Korean children. We could make better use of the variation within KLF5 in a future clinical intervention study of obesity.

Basal Cell Carcinoma on the Sole: An Easily Missed Cancer

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Natalie L. Hone

2016-10-01

Full Text Available Basal cell carcinoma (BCC is the most common skin cancer, and solar ultraviolet ray exposure is the most significant risk factor for its development. The plantar foot is infrequently exposed to the sun, thus the presence of BCC on the sole is rare. We report a case of BCC on the sole of the foot and its treatment in the hope to facilitate its detection.

The molecular basis of the genesis of basal tone in internal anal sphincter

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Zhang, Cheng-Hai; Wang, Pei; Liu, Dong-Hai; Chen, Cai-Ping; Zhao, Wei; Chen, Xin; Chen, Chen; He, Wei-Qi; Qiao, Yan-Ning; Tao, Tao; Sun, Jie; Peng, Ya-Jing; Lu, Ping; Zheng, Kaizhi; Craige, Siobhan M.; Lifshitz, Lawrence M.; Keaney Jr, John F.; Fogarty, Kevin E.; ZhuGe, Ronghua; Zhu, Min-Sheng

2016-01-01

Smooth muscle sphincters exhibit basal tone and control passage of contents through organs such as the gastrointestinal tract; loss of this tone leads to disorders such as faecal incontinence. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying this tone remain unknown. Here, we show that deletion of myosin light-chain kinases (MLCK) in the smooth muscle cells from internal anal sphincter (IAS-SMCs) abolishes basal tone, impairing defecation. Pharmacological regulation of ryanodine receptors (RyRs), L-type voltage-dependent Ca2+ channels (VDCCs) or TMEM16A Ca2+-activated Cl− channels significantly changes global cytosolic Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]i) and the tone. TMEM16A deletion in IAS-SMCs abolishes the effects of modulators for TMEM16A or VDCCs on a RyR-mediated rise in global [Ca2+]i and impairs the tone and defecation. Hence, MLCK activation in IAS-SMCs caused by a global rise in [Ca2+]i via a RyR-TMEM16A-VDCC signalling module sets the basal tone. Targeting this module may lead to new treatments for diseases like faecal incontinence. PMID:27101932

Vismodegib (ERIVEDGE°) In basal cell carcinoma: too many unknowns.

Science.gov (United States)

2015-01-01

Basal cell carcinomas are the most common skin cancers. They are usually localised and carry a good prognosis. There is no standard treatment for the rare patients with metastatic basal cell carcinoma or very extensive basal cell carcinoma for whom surgery or radiotherapy is inappropriate. Vismodegib, a cytotoxic drug, is claimed to prevent tumour growth by inhibiting a pathway involved in tissue repair and embryogenesis. It has been authorised in the European Union for patients with metastatic or locally advanced and extensive basal cell carcinoma. Clinical evaluation of vismodegib is based on a non-comparative clinical trial involving 104 patients, providing only weak evidence. Twenty-one months after the start of the trial, 7 patients with metastases (21%) and 6 patients with advanced basal cell carcinoma (10%) had died. Given the lack of a placebo group, there is no way of knowing whether vismodegib had any effect, positive or negative, on survival. There were no complete responses among patients with metastases, but about one-third of them had partial responses. Among the 63 patients with locally advanced basal cell carcinoma, there were 14 complete responses and 16 partial responses. The recurrence rate in patients with complete responses was not reported. Similar results were reported in two other uncontrolled trials available in mid-2014. Vismodegib has frequent and sometimes serious adverse effects, including muscle spasms, fatigue and severe hyponatraemia. Cases of severe weight loss, alopecia, ocular disorders, other cancers (including squamous cell carcinoma) and anaemia have also been reported. More data are needed on possible hepatic and cardiovascular adverse effects. A potent teratogenic effect was seen in experimental animals. As vismodegib enters semen, contraception is mandatory for both men (condoms) and women. In practice, vismodegib has frequent and varied adverse effects, some of which are serious, while its benefits are poorly documented

Impact of the basal metabolic ratio in predicting early deaths after allogeneic stem cell transplantation.

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Nishiwaki, Satoshi; Miyamura, Koichi; Seto, Aika; Watanabe, Keisuke; Yanagisawa, Mayumi; Imahashi, Nobuhiko; Shimba, Makoto; Yasuda, Takahiko; Kuwatsuka, Yachiyo; Oba, Taku; Terakura, Seitaro; Kodera, Yoshihisa

2009-09-01

Early deaths after allogeneic stem cell transplantation (allo-SCT) are of major concern. On the assumption that both decreased and increased basal metabolism might relate to early deaths, we analyzed the risk factors for overall survival to days 30 (OS30) and 60 (OS60). The Harris-Benedict equation was used to calculate basal metabolism. Comparing a patient's basal metabolism (PBM) calculated from pretransplant body weight with the standard basal metabolism (SBM) calculated from standard body weight (body mass index (BMI) = 22), we defined the basal metabolic ratio (BMR) as a parameter (BMR = PBM/SBM). We retrospectively analyzed 360 adult patients transplanted between 1997 and 2006 at a single center in Japan. A multivariate analysis of OS30 showed risk factors to be: BMR BMR; LBR) (P = 0.01), BMR > 1.05 (high BMR; HBR) (P = 0.005) and non-complete remission (non-CR) (P 5 0.001), whereas a multivariate analysis of OS60 showed those risk factors to be: LBR (P = 0.02), HBR (P = 0.04), non-CR (P = 0.002), and performance status BMR BMR; ABR) (96.8 and 90.3% for ABR, 87.1 and 76.2% for LBR, and 87.8 and 81.1% for HBR). In conclusion, BMR could prove to be a predictor of early death after allo-SCT.

Short-Term Sleep Disturbance-Induced Stress Does not Affect Basal Pain Perception, but Does Delay Postsurgical Pain Recovery.

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Wang, Po-Kai; Cao, Jing; Wang, Hongzhen; Liang, Lingli; Zhang, Jun; Lutz, Brianna Marie; Shieh, Kun-Ruey; Bekker, Alex; Tao, Yuan-Xiang

2015-11-01

Chronic sleep disturbance-induced stress is known to increase basal pain sensitivity. However, most surgical patients frequently report short-term sleep disturbance/deprivation during the pre- and postoperation periods and have normal pain perception presurgery. Whether this short-term sleep disturbance affects postsurgical pain is elusive. Here, we report that pre- or postexposure to rapid eye movement sleep disturbance (REMSD) for 6 hours daily for 3 consecutive days did not alter basal responses to mechanical, heat, and cold stimuli, but did delay recovery in incision-induced reductions in paw withdrawal threshold to mechanical stimulation and paw withdrawal latencies to heat and cold stimuli on the ipsilateral side of male or female rats. This short-term REMSD led to stress shown by an increase in swim immobility time, a decrease in sucrose consumption, and an increase in the level of corticosterone in serum. Blocking this stress via intrathecal RU38486 or bilateral adrenalectomy abolished REMSD-caused delay in recovery of incision-induced reductions in behavioral responses to mechanical, heat, and cold stimuli. Moreover, this short-term REMSD produced significant reductions in the levels of mu opioid receptor and kappa opioid receptor, but not Kv1.2, in the ipsilateral L4/5 spinal cord and dorsal root ganglia on day 9 after incision (but not after sham surgery). Our findings show that short-term sleep disturbance either pre- or postsurgery does not alter basal pain perception, but does exacerbate postsurgical pain hypersensitivity. The latter may be related to the reductions of mu and kappa opioid receptors in the spinal cord and dorsal root ganglia caused by REMSD plus incision. Prevention of short-term sleep disturbance may help recovery from postsurgical pain in patients. Copyright © 2015 American Pain Society. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Anatomia microcirúgica da substâcia perfurada anterior basal humana Microsurgical anatomy of the human basal anterior perforated substance

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Arlindo Alfredo Silveira D’Ávila

2006-06-01

Full Text Available A substância perfurada anterior constitui referencial na base do encéfalo. Localizada acima da bifurcação subaracnóidea da artéria carótida interna em sua porção basal e junto à artéria comunicante anterior na face inter-hemisférica, é transfixada por ramos perfurantes dirigidos aos núcleos telencefálicos corticais, cápsula interna e parte do tálamo. Por injeção intravascular de gelatina carminada, resina de Batson e látex, analisamos 50 hemisférios cerebrais humanos adultos de ambos os sexos, sob o microscópio cirúrgico. Objetivamos contribuir para a determinação da origem, número e topografia dos ramos destinados a essa região, seu curso, anastomoses e territórios de penetração. Propusemo-nos também a analisar a contribuição da artéria comunicante anterior à substância perfurada anterior. Foram encontradas variações anatômicas, incluindo anastomoses, envolvendo principalmente a artéria cerebral média e a artéria coróidea anterior. Estes conhecimentos são de interesse clínico-cirúrgico em razão da freqüência de patologias vasculares e tumorais a ela relacionadas.The anterior perforated substance (APS is a landmark in the basal forebrain. It has a basal face located above the carotid bifurcation in the subarachnoid space, and an interhemispheric one. It is the site of passage of the arteries to the caudate nucleus, putamen, internal capsule, adjacent areas of the globus pallidus and thalamus. Fifty hemispheres from twenty-five adult cadavers were obtained. The arteries were perfused with colored latex, Batson’s resin and gelatin colored with carmine. Using a surgical microscope we have determined the origin, local and number of origin from the parent vessel. The sites of penetration in the mediolateral and anteroposterior direction were also recorded. The anterior communicating artery contribution to the basal APS was reviewed. Significant vascular variations and anastomoses were encountered

Parallel basal ganglia circuits for decision making.

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Hikosaka, Okihide; Ghazizadeh, Ali; Griggs, Whitney; Amita, Hidetoshi

2018-03-01

The basal ganglia control body movements, mainly, based on their values. Critical for this mechanism is dopamine neurons, which sends unpredicted value signals, mainly, to the striatum. This mechanism enables animals to change their behaviors flexibly, eventually choosing a valuable behavior. However, this may not be the best behavior, because the flexible choice is focused on recent, and, therefore, limited, experiences (i.e., short-term memories). Our old and recent studies suggest that the basal ganglia contain separate circuits that process value signals in a completely different manner. They are insensitive to recent changes in value, yet gradually accumulate the value of each behavior (i.e., movement or object choice). These stable circuits eventually encode values of many behaviors and then retain the value signals for a long time (i.e., long-term memories). They are innervated by a separate group of dopamine neurons that retain value signals, even when no reward is predicted. Importantly, the stable circuits can control motor behaviors (e.g., hand or eye) quickly and precisely, which allows animals to automatically acquire valuable outcomes based on historical life experiences. These behaviors would be called 'skills', which are crucial for survival. The stable circuits are localized in the posterior part of the basal ganglia, separately from the flexible circuits located in the anterior part. To summarize, the flexible and stable circuits in the basal ganglia, working together but independently, enable animals (and humans) to reach valuable goals in various contexts.

Basal encephalocele in an adult patient presenting with minor anomalies: a case report

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2014-01-01

Introduction Basal encephalocele is rare in adults. Congenital and acquired cases have been reported with regard to the developmental mechanism, and the pathology has not been elucidated in detail. Case presentation We encountered an adult with basal encephalocele strongly suggesting congenital development because of the presence of minor anomalies: strabismus and ocular hypertelorism. The disease manifested as persistent spontaneous cerebrospinal fluid rhinorrhea and repeated meningitis in a 66-year-old Japanese man. On computed tomography, brain tissue protruded through a part of the ethmoid bone of his right anterior skull base, and it was diagnosed as transethmoidal-type basal encephalocele. Regarding his facial form, the distance between his bilateral eyeballs was large compared to his facial width, and his canthal index (defined as inner to outer inter canthal ratio × 100) was calculated as 38.5, based on which it was judged as ocular hypertelorism. In addition, his right eyeball showed strabismus. A right frontotemporal craniotomy was performed for spontaneous cerebrospinal fluid rhinorrhea, and the defective dura mater region was patched with temporal fascia. Conclusions Mild minor anomalies that require no treatment are overlooked in adults, but the presence of several anomalies increases the possibility of congenital disease. Therefore, it may be necessary to examine minor anomalies in cases of adult basal encephalocele when considering the possibility that the disease may be congenital. PMID:24468320

Orbitofacial Metastatic Basal Cell Carcinoma: Report of 10 Cases.

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Branson, Sara V; McClintic, Elysa; Ozgur, Omar; Esmaeli, Bita; Yeatts, R Patrick

To explore the clinical features, management, and prognosis of metastatic basal cell carcinoma originating in the orbitofacial region. Ten cases of orbitofacial metastatic basal cell carcinoma were identified by searching databases at 2 institutions from 1995 to 2015. A retrospective chart review was performed. Main outcome measures included patient demographics, lesion size, location of metastases, histologic subtype, recurrence rate, time between primary tumor diagnosis and metastasis, perineural invasion, treatment modalities, and survival from time of metastasis. The median tumor size at largest dimension was 3.3 cm (range, 1.9-11.5 cm), and 6 of 10 patients had at least 1 local recurrence before metastasis (range, 0-2 recurrences). The most common sites of metastasis included the ipsilateral parotid gland (n = 6) and cervical lymph nodes (n = 5). Histologic subtypes included infiltrative (n = 5), basosquamous (n = 2), nodular (n = 1), and mixed (n = 1). The median time from primary tumor diagnosis to metastasis was 7.5 years (range, 0-13). The median survival time from diagnosis of metastasis to last documented encounter or death was 5.3 years (range, 7 months-22.8 years). Treatment regimens included surgical excision, radiotherapy, and hedgehog inhibitors. Based on our findings, the following features may be markers of high risk orbitofacial basal cell carcinoma: 1) increasing tumor size, 2) local recurrence of the primary tumor, 3) aggressive histologic subtype, and 4) perineural invasion. Screening should include close observation of the primary site and tissues in the distribution of regional lymphatics, particularly the parotid gland and cervical lymph nodes.

Dopamine transporter density of the basal ganglia in children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder assessed with I-123 IPT SPECT

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Ryu, Won Gee; Kim, Tae Hoon; Ryu, Young Hoon; Yun, Mi Jin; Lee, Jong Doo; Cheon, Keun Ah; Chi, Dae Yoon; Kim, Jong Ho; Choi, Tae Hyun

2003-01-01

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) has been known as psychiatric disorder in childhood associated with dopamine dysregulation. In present study, we investigated changes in dopamine transporter (DAT) density of the basal ganglias using I-123 N-(3-iodopropen-2-yl) -2-carbomethoxy-3beta-(4-chlorphenyl) tropane (I-123 IPT) SPECT in children with ADHD before and after methylphenidate treatment. Nine drug-naive children with ADHD and seven normal children were included in the study. We performed brain SPECT two hours after the intravenous administration of I-123 IPT and made both quantitative and qualitative analyses using the obtained SPECT data, which were reconstructed for the assessment of specific/nonspecific DAT binding ratios in the basal ganglia. All children with ADHD reperformed (123I)IPT SPECT after treatment with methylphenidate (0.7mg/kg/d) during about 8 weeks. SPECT data reconstructed for the assessment of specific/nonspecific DAT binding ratio of the basal ganglia were compared between before and after treatment methyphenidate. We investigated correlation between the change of ADHD symptom severity assessed with ADHD rating scale-IV and specific/nonspecific DAT binding ratio of basal ganglia. Children with ADHD had a significantly greater specific/nonspecific DAT binding ratio of the basal ganglia comparing to normal children (Right : z = 2.057, p = 0.041 ; Left : z = 2.096, p = 0.032). Under treatment with methylphenidate in all children with ADHD, specific/nonspecific DAT binding ratio of both ganglia decreased significantly greater than before treatment with methylphenidate (Right : t = 3.239, p = 0.018 ; Left : t = 3.133, p 0.020). However, no significant correlation between the change of ADHD symptom severity scores and specific/nonspecific DAT binding ratio of the basal ganglia were found. These findings support the complex dysregulation of the dopaminergic neurotransmitter system in children with ADHD

Dopamine transporter density of the basal ganglia in children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder assessed with I-123 IPT SPECT

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ryu, Won Gee; Kim, Tae Hoon; Ryu, Young Hoon; Yun, Mi Jin; Lee, Jong Doo; Cheon, Keun Ah [College of Medicine, Yonsei Univ., Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Chi, Dae Yoon [College of Medicine, Inha Univ., Incheon (Korea, Republic of); Kim, Jong Ho; Choi, Tae Hyun [School of Medicine, Gachon Univ., Gachon (Korea, Republic of)

2003-08-01

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) has been known as psychiatric disorder in childhood associated with dopamine dysregulation. In present study, we investigated changes in dopamine transporter (DAT) density of the basal ganglias using I-123 N-(3-iodopropen-2-yl) -2-carbomethoxy-3beta-(4-chlorphenyl) tropane (I-123 IPT) SPECT in children with ADHD before and after methylphenidate treatment. Nine drug-naive children with ADHD and seven normal children were included in the study. We performed brain SPECT two hours after the intravenous administration of I-123 IPT and made both quantitative and qualitative analyses using the obtained SPECT data, which were reconstructed for the assessment of specific/nonspecific DAT binding ratios in the basal ganglia. All children with ADHD reperformed (123I)IPT SPECT after treatment with methylphenidate (0.7mg/kg/d) during about 8 weeks. SPECT data reconstructed for the assessment of specific/nonspecific DAT binding ratio of the basal ganglia were compared between before and after treatment methyphenidate. We investigated correlation between the change of ADHD symptom severity assessed with ADHD rating scale-IV and specific/nonspecific DAT binding ratio of basal ganglia. Children with ADHD had a significantly greater specific/nonspecific DAT binding ratio of the basal ganglia comparing to normal children (Right : z = 2.057, p = 0.041 ; Left : z = 2.096, p = 0.032). Under treatment with methylphenidate in all children with ADHD, specific/nonspecific DAT binding ratio of both ganglia decreased significantly greater than before treatment with methylphenidate (Right : t = 3.239, p = 0.018 ; Left : t = 3.133, p 0.020). However, no significant correlation between the change of ADHD symptom severity scores and specific/nonspecific DAT binding ratio of the basal ganglia were found. These findings support the complex dysregulation of the dopaminergic neurotransmitter system in children with ADHD.

Basal ganglia germinoma in children with associated ipsilateral cerebral and brain stem hemiatrophy

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Ozelame, Rodrigo V.; Shroff, Manohar; Wood, Bradley; Bouffet, Eric; Bartels, Ute; Drake, James M.; Hawkins, Cynthia; Blaser, Susan [Hospital for Sick Children, Department of Diagnostic Imaging, Toronto, Ontario (Canada)

2006-04-15

Germinoma is the most common and least-malignant intracranial germ cell tumor, usually found in the midline. Germinoma that arises in the basal ganglia, called ectopic germinoma, is a rare and well-documented entity representing 5% to 10% of all intracranial germinomas. The association of cerebral and/or brain stem atrophy with basal ganglia germinoma on CT and MRI is found in 33% of the cases. To review the literature and describe the CT and MRI findings of basal ganglia germinoma in children, known as ectopic germinoma, with associated ipsilateral cerebral and brain stem hemiatrophy. Three brain CT and six brain MRI studies performed in four children at two institutions were retrospectively reviewed. All patients were male (case 1, 14 years; case 2, 13 years; case 3, 9 years; case 4, 13 years), with pathologically proved germinoma arising in the basal ganglia, and associated ipsilateral cerebral and/or brain stem hemiatrophy on the first imaging study. It is important to note that three of these children presented with cognitive decline, psychosis and slowly progressive hemiparesis as their indication for imaging. Imaging results on initial scans were varied. In all patients, the initial study showed ipsilateral cerebral and/or brain stem hemiatrophy, representing Wallerian degeneration. All patients who underwent CT imaging presented with a hyperdense or calcified lesion in the basal ganglia on unenhanced scans. Only one of these lesions had a mass effect on the surrounding structures. In one of these patients a large, complex, heterogeneous mass appeared 15 months later. Initial MR showed focal or diffusely increased T2 signal in two cases and heterogeneous signal in the other two. (orig.)

Basal ganglia germinoma in children with associated ipsilateral cerebral and brain stem hemiatrophy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ozelame, Rodrigo V.; Shroff, Manohar; Wood, Bradley; Bouffet, Eric; Bartels, Ute; Drake, James M.; Hawkins, Cynthia; Blaser, Susan

2006-01-01

Germinoma is the most common and least-malignant intracranial germ cell tumor, usually found in the midline. Germinoma that arises in the basal ganglia, called ectopic germinoma, is a rare and well-documented entity representing 5% to 10% of all intracranial germinomas. The association of cerebral and/or brain stem atrophy with basal ganglia germinoma on CT and MRI is found in 33% of the cases. To review the literature and describe the CT and MRI findings of basal ganglia germinoma in children, known as ectopic germinoma, with associated ipsilateral cerebral and brain stem hemiatrophy. Three brain CT and six brain MRI studies performed in four children at two institutions were retrospectively reviewed. All patients were male (case 1, 14 years; case 2, 13 years; case 3, 9 years; case 4, 13 years), with pathologically proved germinoma arising in the basal ganglia, and associated ipsilateral cerebral and/or brain stem hemiatrophy on the first imaging study. It is important to note that three of these children presented with cognitive decline, psychosis and slowly progressive hemiparesis as their indication for imaging. Imaging results on initial scans were varied. In all patients, the initial study showed ipsilateral cerebral and/or brain stem hemiatrophy, representing Wallerian degeneration. All patients who underwent CT imaging presented with a hyperdense or calcified lesion in the basal ganglia on unenhanced scans. Only one of these lesions had a mass effect on the surrounding structures. In one of these patients a large, complex, heterogeneous mass appeared 15 months later. Initial MR showed focal or diffusely increased T2 signal in two cases and heterogeneous signal in the other two. (orig.)

Effects of short-term hormonal replacement on learning and on basal forebrain ChAT and TrkA content in ovariectomized rats.

Science.gov (United States)

Espinosa-Raya, Judith; Plata-Cruz, Noemí; Neri-Gómez, Teresa; Camacho-Arroyo, Ignacio; Picazo, Ofir

2011-02-23

It has been proposed that sex steroid hormones improve performance in some cognitive tasks by regulating the basal forebrain cholinergic function. However, the molecular basis of such influence still remains unknown. Current study analyzed the performance of ovariectomized rats in an autoshaping learning task after a short-term treatment with 17β-estradiol (E2: 4 and 40μg/kg) and/or progesterone (P4: 4mg/kg). These results were correlated with basal forebrain choline acetyltransferase (ChAT) and TrkA protein content. The high dose of E2 enhanced both acquisition in the autoshaping task and the content of ChAT and TrkA. P4 treatment increased ChAT and TrkA content without affecting performance of rats in the autoshaping learning task. Interestingly, the continuous and simultaneous administration of E2 plus P4 did not significantly modify behavioral and biochemical evaluated parameters. These results address the influence of both E2 and P4 on cholinergic and TrkA activity and suggest that the effects of ovarian hormones on cognitive performance involve basal forebrain cholinergic neurons. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Repair of tracheal epithelium by basal cells after chlorine-induced injury

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Musah Sadiatu

2012-11-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Chlorine is a widely used toxic compound that is considered a chemical threat agent. Chlorine inhalation injures airway epithelial cells, leading to pulmonary abnormalities. Efficient repair of injured epithelium is necessary to restore normal lung structure and function. The objective of the current study was to characterize repair of the tracheal epithelium after acute chlorine injury. Methods C57BL/6 mice were exposed to chlorine and injected with 5-ethynyl-2′-deoxyuridine (EdU to label proliferating cells prior to sacrifice and collection of tracheas on days 2, 4, 7, and 10 after exposure. Airway repair and restoration of a differentiated epithelium were examined by co-localization of EdU labeling with markers for the three major tracheal epithelial cell types [keratin 5 (K5 and keratin 14 (K14 for basal cells, Clara cell secretory protein (CCSP for Clara cells, and acetylated tubulin (AcTub for ciliated cells]. Morphometric analysis was used to measure proliferation and restoration of a pseudostratified epithelium. Results Epithelial repair was fastest and most extensive in proximal trachea compared with middle and distal trachea. In unexposed mice, cell proliferation was minimal, all basal cells expressed K5, and K14-expressing basal cells were absent from most sections. Chlorine exposure resulted in the sloughing of Clara and ciliated cells from the tracheal epithelium. Two to four days after chlorine exposure, cell proliferation occurred in K5- and K14-expressing basal cells, and the number of K14 cells was dramatically increased. In the period of peak cell proliferation, few if any ciliated or Clara cells were detected in repairing trachea. Expression of ciliated and Clara cell markers was detected at later times (days 7–10, but cell proliferation was not detected in areas in which these differentiated markers were re-expressed. Fibrotic lesions were observed at days 7–10 primarily in distal trachea. Conclusion

Multipotent Basal Stem Cells, Maintained in Localized Proximal Niches, Support Directed Long-Ranging Epithelial Flows in Human Prostates

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mohammad Moad

2017-08-01

Full Text Available Sporadic mitochondrial DNA mutations serve as clonal marks providing access to the identity and lineage potential of stem cells within human tissues. By combining quantitative clonal mapping with 3D reconstruction of adult human prostates, we show that multipotent basal stem cells, confined to discrete niches in juxta-urethral ducts, generate bipotent basal progenitors in directed epithelial migration streams. Basal progenitors are then dispersed throughout the entire glandular network, dividing and differentiating to replenish the loss of apoptotic luminal cells. Rare lineage-restricted luminal stem cells, and their progeny, are confined to proximal ducts and provide only minor contribution to epithelial homeostasis. In situ cell capture from clonal maps identified delta homolog 1 (DLK1 enrichment of basal stem cells, which was validated in functional spheroid assays. This study establishes significant insights into niche organization and function of prostate stem and progenitor cells, with implications for disease.

Nevoid basal cell carcinoma syndrome; Naevoid Basalzellkarzinom-Syndrom

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Grgic, A.; Heinrich, M.; Heckmann, M.; Kramann, B. [Universitaetsklinikum des Saarlandes, Homburg/Saar (Germany). Abt. fuer Diagnostische und Interventionelle Radiologie; Aliani, S. [Universitaetsklinikum des Saarlandes, Homburg/Saar (Germany). Klinik fuer Kinder- und Jugendmedizin; Dill-Mueller, D. [Universitaetsklinikum des Saarlandes, Homburg/Saar (Germany). Hautklinik und Poliklinik; Uder, M. [Erlange-Nuernberg Univ. (Germany). Inst. fuer Diagnostische Radiologie

2005-07-01

Nevoid Basal Cell Carcinoma Syndrome (NBCCS) is an autosomal-dominant disorder characterized by multiple basal cell carcinomas, jaw cysts, palmar/plantar pits, calcification of the falx cerebri, and spine and rib anomalies. The combination of clinical, imaging, and histological findings is helpful in identifying NBCCS patients. Imaging plays a crucial role in evaluation of these patients. We present a wide variety of clinical and radiological findings characteristic of this disease. (orig.)

Bilateral basal ganglia calcifications visualised on CT scan.

OpenAIRE

Brannan, T S; Burger, A A; Chaudhary, M Y

1980-01-01

Thirty-eight cases of basal ganglia calcification imaged on computed axial tomography were reviewed. Most cases were felt to represent senescent calcification. The possibility of a vascular aetiology in this group is discussed. A less common group of patients was identified with calcification secondary to abnormalities in calcium metabolism or radiation therapy. Three cases of basal ganglia calcifications were detected in juvenile epileptic patients receiving chronic anticonvulsants. These ca...

Quantitative analysis of basal dendritic tree of layer III pyramidal neurons in different areas of adult human frontal cortex.

Science.gov (United States)

Zeba, Martina; Jovanov-Milosević, Natasa; Petanjek, Zdravko

2008-01-01

Large long projecting (cortico-cortical) layer IIIc pyramidal neurons were recently disclosed to be in the basis of cognitive processing in primates. Therefore, we quantitatively examined the basal dendritic morphology of these neurons by using rapid Golgi and Golgi Cox impregnation methods among three distinct Brodmann areas (BA) of an adult human frontal cortex: the primary motor BA4 and the associative magnopyramidal BA9 from left hemisphere and the Broca's speech BA45 from both hemispheres. There was no statistically significant difference in basal dendritic length or complexity, as dendritic spine number or their density between analyzed BA's. In addition, we analyzed each of these BA's immunocytochemically for distribution of SMI-32, a marker of largest long distance projecting neurons. Within layer IIIc, the highest density of SMI-32 immunopositive pyramidal neurons was observed in associative BA9, while in primary BA4 they were sparse. Taken together, these data suggest that an increase in the complexity of cortico-cortical network within human frontal areas of different functional order may be principally based on the increase in density of large, SMI-32 immunopositive layer IIIc neurons, rather than by further increase in complexity of their dendritic tree and synaptic network.

Endurance exercise training induces fat depot-specific differences in basal autophagic activity

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tanaka, Goki; Kato, Hisashi; Izawa, Tetsuya, E-mail: tizawa@mail.doshisha.ac.jp

2015-10-23

The purpose of this study was to uncover the effect of exercise training on the expression of autophagy marker proteins in epididymal white adipose tissue (eWAT), inguinal WAT (iWAT), and the stromal vascular fraction (SVF) collected from eWAT. Male Wistar rats aged 4–5 weeks were randomly divided into two groups, sedentary control (n = 7) and exercise-trained (n = 7). Rats in the exercise-trained group were exercised on a treadmill set at a 5° incline 5 days/week for 9 weeks. We determined that the expression levels of an autophagosome-associating form of microtubule-associated protein 1 light chain 3 (LC3)-II and of p62 were significantly higher in eWAT from exercise-trained than from control rats, while those of adipose-specific deletion of autophagy-related protein (ATG7) and lysosomal-associated membrane protein type 2A (LAMP2a) showed no difference between groups. However, in iWAT, the expression levels of LC3-II and ATG7 were significantly higher in exercise-trained than in control rats. The expression of p62 was highly correlated with that of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ (PPARγ), a master regulator of adipogenesis and lipid metabolism, in both WAT types (eWAT, r = 0.856, P < 0.05; iWAT, r = 0.762, P < 0.05), whereas LC3-II and PPARγ levels were highly correlated in eWAT (r = 0.765, P < 0.05) but not in iWAT (r = −0.306, ns). In SVF, the expression levels of LC3II, ATG7, and LAMP2a were significantly higher in exercise-trained than in control rats. These results suggest that exercise training suppresses basal autophagy activity in eWAT, but that this activity is enhanced in iWAT and SVF collected from eWAT. Thus, the adaptation of basal autophagic activity following exercise training exhibits fat depot-specific differences. - Highlights: • Autophagy has been associated with obesity and associated diseases. • We examined exercise-associated rat white adipose tissue (WAT) autophagy markers. • Exercise increased

Endurance exercise training induces fat depot-specific differences in basal autophagic activity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tanaka, Goki; Kato, Hisashi; Izawa, Tetsuya

2015-01-01

The purpose of this study was to uncover the effect of exercise training on the expression of autophagy marker proteins in epididymal white adipose tissue (eWAT), inguinal WAT (iWAT), and the stromal vascular fraction (SVF) collected from eWAT. Male Wistar rats aged 4–5 weeks were randomly divided into two groups, sedentary control (n = 7) and exercise-trained (n = 7). Rats in the exercise-trained group were exercised on a treadmill set at a 5° incline 5 days/week for 9 weeks. We determined that the expression levels of an autophagosome-associating form of microtubule-associated protein 1 light chain 3 (LC3)-II and of p62 were significantly higher in eWAT from exercise-trained than from control rats, while those of adipose-specific deletion of autophagy-related protein (ATG7) and lysosomal-associated membrane protein type 2A (LAMP2a) showed no difference between groups. However, in iWAT, the expression levels of LC3-II and ATG7 were significantly higher in exercise-trained than in control rats. The expression of p62 was highly correlated with that of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ (PPARγ), a master regulator of adipogenesis and lipid metabolism, in both WAT types (eWAT, r = 0.856, P < 0.05; iWAT, r = 0.762, P < 0.05), whereas LC3-II and PPARγ levels were highly correlated in eWAT (r = 0.765, P < 0.05) but not in iWAT (r = −0.306, ns). In SVF, the expression levels of LC3II, ATG7, and LAMP2a were significantly higher in exercise-trained than in control rats. These results suggest that exercise training suppresses basal autophagy activity in eWAT, but that this activity is enhanced in iWAT and SVF collected from eWAT. Thus, the adaptation of basal autophagic activity following exercise training exhibits fat depot-specific differences. - Highlights: • Autophagy has been associated with obesity and associated diseases. • We examined exercise-associated rat white adipose tissue (WAT) autophagy markers. • Exercise increased

Basal testosterone, leadership and dominance: A field study and meta-analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

van der Meij, Leander; Schaveling, Jaap; van Vugt, Mark

2016-10-01

This article examines the role of basal testosterone as a potential biological marker of leadership and hierarchy in the workplace. First, we report the result of a study with a sample of male employees from different corporate organizations in the Netherlands (n=125). Results showed that employees with higher basal testosterone levels reported a more authoritarian leadership style, but this relationship was absent among those who currently held a real management position (i.e., they had at least one subordinate). Furthermore, basal testosterone levels were not different between managers and non-managers, and testosterone was not associated with various indicators of status and hierarchy such as number of subordinates, income, and position in the organizational hierarchy. In our meta-analysis (second study), we showed that basal testosterone levels were not associated with leadership in men nor in women (9 studies, n=1103). Taken together, our findings show that basal testosterone is not associated with having a leadership position in the corporate world or related to leadership styles in leaders. We suggest that basal testosterone could play a role in acquiring leadership positions through dominant and authoritarian behavior. Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Giant basal cell carcinoma of the eyelid: a case history | Fetohi | Pan ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Giant basal cell carcinoma of the eyelid: a case history. ... Abstract. Basal cell carcinoma is a type of skin cancer and rare, aggressive forms of basal cell ... She died 09 months after the end of irradiation in Intensive care unit due to septic shock.

CT brain demonstration of basal ganglion calcification in adult HIV ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

brain barrier has been postulated. Calcification of the basal ganglia in encephalopathic HIV/AIDS children has been relatively well documented. Only two adult HIV cases with basal ganglion calcification (BGC) have been reported in the literature.

Nevoid Basal Cell Carcinoma Syndrome: A Case Report

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Razavi

2016-09-01

Full Text Available Nevoid basal cell carcinoma syndrome (BCNS is an autosomal dominant inherited disorder. Multiple organ systems may be affected in this syndrome including abnormalities of the skin, skeletal system, genitourinary system and central nevus system. In this report, we present a case of Nevoid basal cell carcinoma syndrome in a 26-year-old male patient. The patient had multiple odontogenic keratocyst in the posterior of mandible, syndactyly in both hand and bifid rib. After enucleation and curettage, he was followed for two years. A number of both clinical and radiological criteria are used to diagnose this syndrome. Basal cell carcinoma syndrome is diagnosed with two major criteria or one major and two minor criteria. We must suspect this disorder in young patients with multiple odontogenic keratocyst and dental abnormalities whether related or not with other clinical manifestations or familial history.

Endocannabinergic modulation of interleukin-1β in mouse hippocampus under basal conditions and after in vivo systemic lipopolysaccharide stimulation.

Science.gov (United States)

Csölle, Cecília; Sperlágh, Beáta

2011-01-01

Cannabinoids play an important role in the suppression of proinflammatory cytokine production in the periphery and brain. In this study, we explored whether endogenous activation of cannabinoid (CB) 1 receptors (CB1Rs) affects interleukin (IL)-1β levels in the mouse hippocampus under basal conditions and following stimulation with in vivo bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS, 250 μg/kg i.p.). IL-1β levels were determined in the hippocampi of wild-type (WT), CB1R-/- and P2X₇ receptor (P2X₇R)-/- mice using an ELISA kit. Basal but not LPS-induced IL-1β levels were downregulated when CB1R function was abrogated by genetic deletion, suggesting that endocannabinoids contributed to basal IL-1β content in the mouse hippocampus. AM251 (3 mg/kg i.p.), an antagonist of CB1Rs, also inhibited basal IL-1β protein in WT but not in CB1R-/- mice. In the absence of P2X₇R, LPS-induced IL-1β production was lower, while the inhibitory effect of CB1R antagonists on basal IL-1β was significantly attenuated. The LPS-induced elevation in IL-1β production was decreased in the presence of AM251 and AM281, with no significant difference between WT and P2X₇R-/- mice. CB1Rs are responsible for the modulation of basal IL-1β levels in the hippocampus, while the effects of CB1 antagonists on systemic LPS-induced IL-1β concentrations are independent of CB1Rs. Copyright © 2011 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Metabolic Effects of Cholecystectomy: Gallbladder Ablation Increases Basal Metabolic Rate through G-Protein Coupled Bile Acid Receptor Gpbar1-Dependent Mechanisms in Mice

Science.gov (United States)

Cortés, Víctor; Amigo, Ludwig; Zanlungo, Silvana; Galgani, José; Robledo, Fermín; Arrese, Marco; Bozinovic, Francisco; Nervi, Flavio

2015-01-01

Background & Aims Bile acids (BAs) regulate energy expenditure by activating G-protein Coupled Bile Acid Receptor Gpbar1/TGR5 by cAMP-dependent mechanisms. Cholecystectomy (XGB) increases BAs recirculation rates resulting in increased tissue exposure to BAs during the light phase of the diurnal cycle in mice. We aimed to determine: 1) the effects of XGB on basal metabolic rate (BMR) and 2) the roles of TGR5 on XGB-dependent changes in BMR. Methods BMR was determined by indirect calorimetry in wild type and Tgr5 deficient (Tgr5-/-) male mice. Bile flow and BAs secretion rates were measured by surgical diversion of biliary duct. Biliary BAs and cholesterol were quantified by enzymatic methods. BAs serum concentration and specific composition was determined by liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry. Gene expression was determined by qPCR analysis. Results XGB increased biliary BAs and cholesterol secretion rates, and elevated serum BAs concentration in wild type and Tgr5-/- mice during the light phase of the diurnal cycle. BMR was ~25% higher in cholecystectomized wild type mice (p <0.02), whereas no changes were detected in cholecystectomized Tgr5-/- mice compared to wild-type animals. Conclusion XGB increases BMR by TGR5-dependent mechanisms in mice. PMID:25738495

No change of dopamine transporter density in basal ganglia after risperidone treatment in drug-naive children with Tourette's disorder

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ryu, W. K.; Ryu, Y. H.; Yoon, M. J.; Chun, K. A.; Lee, J. D.; Zee, D. Y.; Choi, T. H.

2003-01-01

Tourette's disorder (TD), which is characterized by multiple waxing and waning motor tics and one or more vocal tics, is known to be associated with abnormalities in the dopaminergic system. To testify our hypothesis that risperidone would improve tic symptoms of TD patients through the change of the dopaminergic system, we measured the DAT densities between drug-naive children with TD and normal children investigated the DAT density before and after treatment with risperidone in drug-naive children with TD, using lodine-123 labelled N-(3-iodopropen-2-yl)-2beta-carbomethoxy-3beta-(4-chlorophenyl) tropane(I-123 IPT) single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT). I-123 IPT SPECT imaging and Yale Global Tic Severity Scale-Korean version (YGTSS-K) for assessing the tic symptom severity were carried out before and after treatment with risperidone for 8 weeks in eight drug-naive children with TD. Eight normal children also underwent SPECT imaging 2 hours after an intravenous administration of I-123 IPT and carried out both quantitative and qualitative analyses using the obtained SPECT data, which were reconstructed for the assessment of the specific/non-specific DAT binding ratio in the basal ganglia. The drug-naive children with TD had a significantly greater increase in the specific/nonspecific DAT binding ratio of both basal ganglia compared with the normal children. However, no significant difference in the specific/nonspecific DAT binding ratio of the basal ganglia before and after treatment with riperidone in children with TD was not found, although tic symptoms were significantly improved with risperidone. These findings suggest that DAT densities are directly associated with the pathophysiology of TD, however, that the effect of risperidone on tic symptoms in children with TD is not attributed to the change of dopaminergic system

Caffeine and REM sleep deprivation: Effect on basal levels of signaling molecules in area CA1.

Science.gov (United States)

Alkadhi, Karim A; Alhaider, Ibrahim A

2016-03-01

We have investigated the neuroprotective effect of chronic caffeine treatment on basal levels of memory-related signaling molecules in area CA1 of sleep-deprived rats. Animals in the caffeine groups were treated with caffeine in drinking water (0.3g/l) for four weeks before they were REM sleep-deprived for 24h in the Modified Multiple Platforms paradigm. Western blot analysis of basal protein levels of plasticity- and memory-related signaling molecules in hippocampal area CA1 showed significant down regulation of the basal levels of phosphorylated- and total-CaMKII, phosphorylated- and total-CREB as well as those of BDNF and CaMKIV in sleep deprived rats. All these changes were completely prevented in rats that chronically consumed caffeine. The present findings suggest an important neuroprotective property of caffeine in sleep deprivation. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The expanding universe of disorders of the basal ganglia.

Science.gov (United States)

Obeso, Jose A; Rodriguez-Oroz, Maria C; Stamelou, Maria; Bhatia, Kailash P; Burn, David J

2014-08-09

The basal ganglia were originally thought to be associated purely with motor control. However, dysfunction and pathology of different regions and circuits are now known to give rise to many clinical manifestations beyond the association of basal ganglia dysfunction with movement disorders. Moreover, disorders that were thought to be caused by dysfunction of the basal ganglia only, such as Parkinson's disease and Huntington's disease, have diverse abnormalities distributed not only in the brain but also in the peripheral and autonomic nervous systems; this knowledge poses new questions and challenges. We discuss advances and the unanswered questions, and ways in which progress might be made. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Inverting adherent cells for visualizing ECM interactions at the basal cell side

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gudzenko, Tetyana [DFG-Center for Functional Nanostructures, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Wolfgang-Gaede-Strasse 1a, 76131 Karlsruhe (Germany); Franz, Clemens M., E-mail: clemens.franz@kit.edu [DFG-Center for Functional Nanostructures, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Wolfgang-Gaede-Strasse 1a, 76131 Karlsruhe (Germany)

2013-05-15

Interactions with the extracellular matrix (ECM) govern a wide range of cellular functions, including survival, migration and invasion. However, in adherent cells these interactions occur primarily on the basal cell side, making them inaccessible to high-resolution, surface-scanning imaging techniques such as atomic force microscopy (AFM) or scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Here we describe a fast and reliable method for inverting adherent cells, exposing the basal cell membrane for direct analysis by AFM or SEM in combination with fluorescence microscopy. Cells including their matrix adhesion sites remain intact during the inversion process and are transferred together with the complete array of basally associated ECM proteins. Molecular features of ECM proteins, such as the characteristic 67 nm collagen D-periodicity, are well preserved after inversion. To demonstrate the versatility of the method, we compared basal interactions of fibroblasts with fibrillar collagen I and fibronectin matrices. While fibroblasts remodel the fibronectin layer exclusively from above, they actively invade even thin collagen layers by contacting individual collagen nanofibrils both basally and apically through a network of cellular extensions. Cell–matrix entanglement coincides with enhanced cell spreading and flattening, indicating that nanoscale ECM interactions govern macroscopic changes in cell morphology. The presented cell inversion technique can thus provide novel insight into nanoscale cell–matrix interactions at the basal cell side. - Highlights: ► We present a novel method for inverting adherent cells to expose the basal cell side. ► Basal cell sides can be imaged at high resolution by AFM and SEM. ► Cells can be inverted together with the underlying extracellular matrix. ► AFM images of inverted cells provide a nanoscale look at basal cell–ECM interactions.

Basal ganglia lesions in children and adults

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bekiesinska-Figatowska, Monika, E-mail: m.figatowska@mp.pl [Department of Diagnostic Imaging, Institute of Mother and Child, ul. Kasprzaka 17a, 01-211 Warsaw (Poland); Mierzewska, Hanna, E-mail: h.mierzewska@gmail.com [Department of Neurology of Children and Adolescents, Institute of Mother and Child, ul. Kasprzaka 17a, 01-211 Warsaw (Poland); Jurkiewicz, Elżbieta, E-mail: e-jurkiewicz@o2.pl [Department of Diagnostic Imaging, Children' s Memorial Health Institute, Al. Dzieci Polskich 20, 04-730 Warsaw (Poland)

2013-05-15

The term “basal ganglia” refers to caudate and lentiform nuclei, the latter composed of putamen and globus pallidus, substantia nigra and subthalamic nuclei and these deep gray matter structures belong to the extrapyramidal system. Many diseases may present as basal ganglia abnormalities. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and computed tomography (CT) – to a lesser degree – allow for detection of basal ganglia injury. In many cases, MRI alone does not usually allow to establish diagnosis but together with the knowledge of age and circumstances of onset and clinical course of the disease is a powerful tool of differential diagnosis. The lesions may be unilateral: in Rassmussen encephalitis, diabetes with hemichorea/hemiballism and infarction or – more frequently – bilateral in many pathologic conditions. Restricted diffusion is attributable to infarction, acute hypoxic–ischemic injury, hypoglycemia, Leigh disease, encephalitis and CJD. Contrast enhancement may be seen in cases of infarction and encephalitis. T1-hyperintensity of the lesions is uncommon and may be observed unilaterally in case of hemichorea/hemiballism and bilaterally in acute asphyxia in term newborns, in hypoglycemia, NF1, Fahr disease and manganese intoxication. Decreased signal intensity on GRE/T2*-weighted images and/or SWI indicating iron, calcium or hemosiderin depositions is observed in panthotenate kinase-associated neurodegeneration, Parkinson variant of multiple system atrophy, Fahr disease (and other calcifications) as well as with the advancing age. There are a few papers in the literature reviewing basal ganglia lesions. The authors present a more detailed review with rich iconography from the own archive.

Basal ganglia lesions in children and adults

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bekiesinska-Figatowska, Monika; Mierzewska, Hanna; Jurkiewicz, Elżbieta

2013-01-01

The term “basal ganglia” refers to caudate and lentiform nuclei, the latter composed of putamen and globus pallidus, substantia nigra and subthalamic nuclei and these deep gray matter structures belong to the extrapyramidal system. Many diseases may present as basal ganglia abnormalities. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and computed tomography (CT) – to a lesser degree – allow for detection of basal ganglia injury. In many cases, MRI alone does not usually allow to establish diagnosis but together with the knowledge of age and circumstances of onset and clinical course of the disease is a powerful tool of differential diagnosis. The lesions may be unilateral: in Rassmussen encephalitis, diabetes with hemichorea/hemiballism and infarction or – more frequently – bilateral in many pathologic conditions. Restricted diffusion is attributable to infarction, acute hypoxic–ischemic injury, hypoglycemia, Leigh disease, encephalitis and CJD. Contrast enhancement may be seen in cases of infarction and encephalitis. T1-hyperintensity of the lesions is uncommon and may be observed unilaterally in case of hemichorea/hemiballism and bilaterally in acute asphyxia in term newborns, in hypoglycemia, NF1, Fahr disease and manganese intoxication. Decreased signal intensity on GRE/T2*-weighted images and/or SWI indicating iron, calcium or hemosiderin depositions is observed in panthotenate kinase-associated neurodegeneration, Parkinson variant of multiple system atrophy, Fahr disease (and other calcifications) as well as with the advancing age. There are a few papers in the literature reviewing basal ganglia lesions. The authors present a more detailed review with rich iconography from the own archive

Balancing the Basal Ganglia Circuitry: A Possible New Role for Dopamine D2 Receptors in Health and Disease

OpenAIRE

Cazorla, Maxime; Kang, Un Jung; Kellendonk, Christoph

2015-01-01

Current therapies for treating movement disorders such as Parkinson’s disease are effective but limited by undesirable and intractable side effects. Developing more effective therapies will require better understanding of what causes basal ganglia dys-regulation and why medication-induced side effects develop. Although basal ganglia have been extensively studied in the last decades, its circuit anatomy is very complex, and significant controversy exists as to how the interplay of different ba...

Increased lung neutrophil apoptosis and inflammation resolution in nonresponding pneumonia.

Science.gov (United States)

Moret, I; Lorenzo, M J; Sarria, B; Cases, E; Morcillo, E; Perpiñá, M; Molina, J M; Menéndez, R

2011-11-01

Neutrophil activation state and its relationship with an inflammatory environment in community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) remain insufficiently elucidated. We aimed to evaluate the neutrophil apoptosis and cytokine pattern in CAP patients after 72 h of treatment, and their impact on infection resolution. Apoptosis of blood and bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) neutrophils was measured in nonresponding CAP (NCAP), in responding CAP (blood only) and in patients without infection (control). Pro-inflammatory (interleukin (IL)-6, IL-8) and anti-inflammatory (IL-10) cytokines were measured. Main outcomes were clinical stability and days of hospitalisation. Basal neutrophil apoptosis was higher in the BAL and blood of NCAP, whereas spontaneous apoptosis (after 24 h culture) was lower. Cytokines in NCAP were higher than in responding CAP and control: IL-6 was increased in BAL and blood, IL-8 in BAL and IL-10 in blood. An increased basal apoptosis (≥20%) in BAL of NCAP was associated with lower systemic IL-10 (p<0.01), earlier clinical stability (p=0.05) and shorter hospital stay (p=0.02). A significant correlation was found for systemic IL-6 and IL-10 with days to reach stability and length of stay. After 72 h of treatment, an increased basal alveolar neutrophil apoptosis might contribute to downregulation of inflammation and to faster clinical stability.

Vitamin C improves basal metabolic rate and lipid profile in alloxan ...

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

MADU

3.1 Effect of vitamin C administration on basal metabolic rate. The basal metabolic rate values in diabetic rats and control are presented in figure 1. The basal metabolic rate (BMR) in diabetic rats was 1.19 ± 0.15 ml/h/g, while the BMR in control rats was 0.76 ± 0.89 ml/h/g. The BMR value in diabetic rats treated with vitamin ...

Radiologic study of basal cell nevus syndrome

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Park, Tae Won [Dept. of Oral Radiology, College of Dentistry, Seoul National University, Seoul (Korea, Republic of)

1988-11-15

Several cases of jaw cyst-basal cell nevus-bifid rib syndrome are presented. This syndrome consists principally of multiple jaw cysts, basal cell nevi, and bifid ribs but no one component is present in all patients. The purpose of this paper is to review the multiple characteristics of this syndrome and present three cases in a family and additional 4 cases. The many malformations associated with the syndrome have variable expressively. In the cases, multiple jaw cysts, pal mar and plantar pittings, bridging of sella, temporoparietal bossing, hypertelorism, cleft palate, and dystopia canthoru m have been observed.

Radiologic study of basal cell nevus syndrome

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Park, Tae Won

1988-01-01

Several cases of jaw cyst-basal cell nevus-bifid rib syndrome are presented. This syndrome consists principally of multiple jaw cysts, basal cell nevi, and bifid ribs but no one component is present in all patients. The purpose of this paper is to review the multiple characteristics of this syndrome and present three cases in a family and additional 4 cases. The many malformations associated with the syndrome have variable expressively. In the cases, multiple jaw cysts, pal mar and plantar pittings, bridging of sella, temporoparietal bossing, hypertelorism, cleft palate, and dystopia canthoru m have been observed.

ASIP and TYR pigmentation variants associate with cutaneous melanoma and basal cell carcinoma.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Gudbjartsson, D.F.; Sulem, P.; Stacey, S.N.; Goldstein, A.M.; Rafnar, T.; Sigurgeirsson, B.; Benediktsdottir, K.R.; Thorisdottir, K.; Ragnarsson, R.; Sveinsdottir, S.G.; Magnusson, V.; Lindblom, A.; Kostulas, K.; Botella-Estrada, R.; Soriano, V.; Juberias, P.; Grasa, M.; Saez, B.; Andres, R.; Scherer, D.; Rudnai, P.; Gurzau, E; Koppova, K.; Kiemeney, L.A.L.M.; Jakobsdottir, M.; Steinberg, S.; Helgason, A.; Gretarsdottir, S.; Tucker, M.A.; Mayordomo, J.I.; Nagore, E.; Kumar, R.; Hansson, J.; Olafsson, J.H.; Gulcher, J.R.; Kong, A.; Thorsteinsdottir, U.; Stefansson, K.

2008-01-01

Fair color increases risk of cutaneous melanoma (CM) and basal cell carcinoma (BCC). Recent genome-wide association studies have identified variants affecting hair, eye and skin pigmentation in Europeans. Here, we assess the effect of these variants on risk of CM and BCC in European populations

Basal erosion: barrier to earthquake propagation? Insight from the northern chilean forearc

Science.gov (United States)

Cubas, N.

2017-12-01

Subducted topographic features have often been suspected as barriers to large earthquake propagation. These features would induce basal erosion, leading to a large network of fractures impeding large nucleation or shear localization. Looking for correlation between basal erosion and megathrust ruptures is thus critical nowadays to understand earthquake mechanics and infer rupture scenarios. In this study, we propose to seek possible location of basal erosion from the forearc morphology by applying the critical taper theory. We focus on the North Chile subduction zone that has experienced four major earthquakes during the last two decades and where basal erosion and seamount subduction have already been suspected. Basal erosion should occur when the basal friction approaches the internal friction. We thus seek what part of the forearc is at critical state and select areas for which the two frictions are almost equal. We find a large band, located at 25km depth, from the Mejillones peninsula to the Iquique region at critical state with very high basal friction. The critical areas seem to surround the Tocopilla 2007 Mw 7.7 and the Iquique 2014 Mw 8.1 ruptures. When compared with the interseismic coupling, except for the Tocopilla segment, the critical areas are located in low-coupled zones. More interestingly, the reported normal faults of the forearc do not appear above the erosional areas but rather between them. These normal faults are systematically located above locked patches and seismic asperities. These areas are actually at extensional critical state and characterized by a very low effective friction. We thus suspect the extensional features to be related to earthquakes rather than basal erosion. We then look for similar relationships along the Sumatra subduction zone to see if basal erosion is a common process. The Tocopilla and Iquique earthquakes ruptured only part of the northern Chile seismic gap although the full segment was ready for a new large

Basal cell carcinoma is associated with high TNF-alpha release but nor with TNF-alpha polymorphism at position--308

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Skov, Lone; Allen, Michael H; Bang, Bo

2003-01-01

secretion of TNF-alpha has been identified in humans. We have therefore investigated the association of the --308 polymorphism with the risk of basal cell carcinoma (BCC) in humans. The frequency of TNF G and TNF A alleles among Caucasian patients with a previous BCC (n=191) and health adults (n-107) were...... compared. For the TNF--308 polymorphism there was significant association between the genotype or allele frequencies and having BCC. To determine whether patients with a previous BCC had an increased capacity to secrete TNF-alpha, mononuclear cells were stimulated with lipopolysaccharide. Mononuclear cells...... from patients with a previous BCC (n=15) demonstrated a significantly increased release of TNF-alpha upon stimulation with lipopolysaccharide (Pcells age-matched control subjects (n=16). Further studies of other polymorphisms of the TNF-alpha gene associated...

Visual training paired with electrical stimulation of the basal forebrain improves orientation-selective visual acuity in the rat.

Science.gov (United States)

Kang, Jun Il; Groleau, Marianne; Dotigny, Florence; Giguère, Hugo; Vaucher, Elvire

2014-07-01

The cholinergic afferents from the basal forebrain to the primary visual cortex play a key role in visual attention and cortical plasticity. These afferent fibers modulate acute and long-term responses of visual neurons to specific stimuli. The present study evaluates whether this cholinergic modulation of visual neurons results in cortical activity and visual perception changes. Awake adult rats were exposed repeatedly for 2 weeks to an orientation-specific grating with or without coupling this visual stimulation to an electrical stimulation of the basal forebrain. The visual acuity, as measured using a visual water maze before and after the exposure to the orientation-specific grating, was increased in the group of trained rats with simultaneous basal forebrain/visual stimulation. The increase in visual acuity was not observed when visual training or basal forebrain stimulation was performed separately or when cholinergic fibers were selectively lesioned prior to the visual stimulation. The visual evoked potentials show a long-lasting increase in cortical reactivity of the primary visual cortex after coupled visual/cholinergic stimulation, as well as c-Fos immunoreactivity of both pyramidal and GABAergic interneuron. These findings demonstrate that when coupled with visual training, the cholinergic system improves visual performance for the trained orientation probably through enhancement of attentional processes and cortical plasticity in V1 related to the ratio of excitatory/inhibitory inputs. This study opens the possibility of establishing efficient rehabilitation strategies for facilitating visual capacity.

Crossed cerebellar and uncrossed basal ganglia and thalamic diaschisis in Alzheimer's disease

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Akiyama, H.; Harrop, R.; McGeer, P.L.; Peppard, R.; McGeer, E.G.

1989-01-01

We detected crossed cerebellar as well as uncrossed basal ganglia and thalamic diaschisis in Alzheimer's disease by positron emission tomography (PET) using 18 F-fluorodeoxyglucose. We studied a series of 26 consecutive, clinically diagnosed Alzheimer cases, including 6 proven by later autopsy, and compared them with 9 age-matched controls. We calculated asymmetry indices (AIs) of cerebral metabolic rate for matched left-right regions of interest (ROIs) and determined the extent of diaschisis by correlative analyses. For the Alzheimer group, we found cerebellar AIs correlated negatively, and thalamic AIs positively, with those of the cerebral hemisphere and frontal, temporal, parietal, and angular cortices, while basal ganglia AIs correlated positively with frontal cortical AIs. The only significant correlation of AIs for normal subjects was between the thalamus and cerebral hemisphere. These data indicate that PET is a sensitive technique for detecting diaschisis

Electro-acupuncture stimulation acts on the basal ganglia output pathway to ameliorate motor impairment in Parkinsonian model rats.

Science.gov (United States)

Jia, Jun; Li, Bo; Sun, Zuo-Li; Yu, Fen; Wang, Xuan; Wang, Xiao-Min

2010-04-01

The role of electro-acupuncture (EA) stimulation on motor symptoms in Parkinson's disease (PD) has not been well studied. In a rat hemiparkinsonian model induced by unilateral transection of the medial forebrain bundle (MFB), EA stimulation improved motor impairment in a frequency-dependent manner. Whereas EA stimulation at a low frequency (2 Hz) had no effect, EA stimulation at a high frequency (100 Hz) significantly improved motor coordination. However, neither low nor high EA stimulation could significantly enhance dopamine levels in the striatum. EA stimulation at 100 Hz normalized the MFB lesion-induced increase in midbrain GABA content, but it had no effect on GABA content in the globus pallidus. These results suggest that high-frequency EA stimulation improves motor impairment in MFB-lesioned rats by increasing GABAergic inhibition in the output structure of the basal ganglia.

A Case of Nonhealing Leg Ulcer: Basal Cell Carcinoma

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Didem Didar Balcı

2008-06-01

Full Text Available A 75-year-old woman was admitted to our outpatient clinic with a three-year history of a painless, nonhealing ulcer located on the left lower leg. She had no response to previous therapy with local wound care. Skin examination revealed an ulcer 2.7 x 3.7 cm in size, and the surrounding skin showed minimal erythema. The surface of the ulcer demonstrated shiny granulation tissue. Biopsy of the ulcer edge and base showed basal cell carcinoma. Venous Doppler ultrasonography and dermatological examination did not reveal chronic venous insufficiency. Basal cell carcinomas rarely arise from previous long-term ulcers or developing de novo. We suggest that patients who develop non-healing leg ulcers, should be examined for basal cell carcinoma.

COX-1 vs. COX-2 as a determinant of basal tone in the internal anal sphincter.

Science.gov (United States)

de Godoy, Márcio A F; Rattan, Neeru; Rattan, Satish

2009-02-01

Prostanoids, produced endogenously via cyclooxygenases (COXs), have been implicated in the sustained contraction of different smooth muscles. The two major types of COXs are COX-1 and COX-2. The COX subtype involved in the basal state of the internal anal sphincter (IAS) smooth muscle tone is not known. To identify the COX subtype, we examined the effect of COX-1- and COX-2-selective inhibitors, SC-560 and rofecoxib, respectively, on basal tone in the rat IAS. We also determined the effect of selective deletion of COX-1 and COX-2 genes (COX-1(-/-) and COX-2(-/-) mice) on basal tone in murine IAS. Our data show that SC-560 causes significantly more efficacious and potent concentration-dependent decreases in IAS tone than rofecoxib. In support of these data, significantly higher levels of COX-1 than COX-2 mRNA were found in the IAS. In addition, higher levels of COX-1 mRNA and protein were expressed in rat IAS than rectal smooth muscle. In wild-type mice, IAS tone was decreased 41.4 +/- 3.4% (mean +/- SE) by SC-560 (1 x 10(-5) M) and 5.4 +/- 2.2% by rofecoxib (P IAS from wild-type mice and significantly less (0.080 +/- 0.015 mN/mg) in the IAS from COX-1(-/-) mice (P IAS tone.

The SINS trial: A randomised controlled trial of excisional surgery versus imiquimod 5% cream for nodular and superficial basal cell carcinoma

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Armstrong Sarah J

2010-04-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Basal cell carcinoma is the commonest human cancer. Despite increasing incidence it remains poorly researched. While not life threatening it can cause significant cosmetic disfigurement. Imiquimod, a cream which enhances the body's immune response, may help deal with the number of cases that occur in low-risk sites, especially when good cosmetic results and home use without surgery are needed. This study aims 1. To compare excisional surgery with imiquimod cream for nodular or superficial basal cell carcinoma in low risk sites, with respect to 3 year clinical clearance, cost-effectiveness and cosmetic results. 2. To ascertain if certain phenotypic features and gene polymorphisms predict tumour responsiveness to treatment. Methods/Design Five hundred participants with low risk nodular or superficial basal cell carcinoma will be recruited from hospitals to this multi-centre, randomised, parallel group, controlled phase III trial. Treatment in the imiquimod group is for 6 weeks for superficial basal cell carcinoma and 12 weeks for nodular basal cell carcinoma. Both treatment groups are followed up in clinic for 3 years. Primary outcome variable: the proportion of participants with clinical evidence of success (no recurrence at 3 years. The primary outcome will be compared between the two treatment groups. Secondary outcomes include: i clinical success at 1, 2 and 5 years, ii time to first recurrence, iii cosmetic appearance of lesion site after treatment, iv level of pain, and v cost-effectiveness. Safety and tolerability data will also be reported. Discussion This study protocol describes a pragmatic randomised controlled trial which it is hoped will address the above uncertainties. Three-year results will be available towards the end of 2010. Trial registration Meta-register: NCT00066872, Eudract No. 2004-004506-24, ISRCTN48755084.

Short-term sleep disturbance-induced stress does not affect basal pain perception, but does delay postsurgical pain recovery

OpenAIRE

Wang, Po-Kai; Cao, Jing; Wang, Hongzhen; Liang, Lingli; Zhang, Jun; Lutz, Brianna Marie; Shieh, Kun-Ruey; Bekker, Alex; Tao, Yuan-Xiang

2015-01-01

Chronic sleep disturbance-induced stress is known to increase basal pain sensitivity. However, most surgical patients frequently report short-term sleep disturbance/deprivation during pre- and post-operation periods and have normal pain perception pre-surgery. Whether this short-term sleep disturbance affects postsurgical pain is elusive. We here reported that pre- or post-exposure to rapid eye movement sleep disturbance (REMSD) 6 h daily for 3 consecutive days did not alter basal responses t...

Basal Cell Carcinomas in Gorlin Syndrome: A Review of 202 Patients

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jones, E. A.; Shenton, A.; Evans, D. G.; Sajid, M. I.

2011-01-01

Gorlin syndrome (Naevoid Basal Cell Carcinoma Syndrome) is a rare autosomal dominant syndrome caused by mutations in the PTCH gene with a birth incidence of approximately 1 in 19,000. Patients develop multiple basal cell carcinomas of the skin frequently in early life and also have a predisposition to additional malignancies such as medulloblastoma. Gorlin Syndrome patients also have developmental defects such as bifid ribs and other complications such as jaw keratocysts. We studied the incidence and frequency of basal cell carcinomas in 202 Gorlin syndrome patients from 62 families and compared this to their gender and mutation type. Our data suggests that the incidence of basal cell carcinomas is equal between males and females and the mutation type cannot be used to predict disease burden

Body Composition and Basal Metabolic Rate in Women with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus

OpenAIRE

de Figueiredo Ferreira, Marina; Detrano, Filipe; Coelho, Gabriela Morgado de Oliveira; Barros, Maria Elisa; Serrão Lanzillotti, Regina; Firmino Nogueira Neto, José; Portella, Emilson Souza; Serrão Lanzillotti, Haydée; Soares, Eliane de Abreu

2014-01-01

Objective. The aim of this study was to determine which of the seven selected equations used to predict basal metabolic rate most accurately estimated the measured basal metabolic rate. Methods. Twenty-eight adult women with type 2 diabetes mellitus participated in this cross-sectional study. Anthropometric and biochemical variables were measured as well as body composition (by absorptiometry dual X-ray emission) and basal metabolic rate (by indirect calorimetry); basal metabolic rate was als...

Basal cell nevus syndrome: 2 case reports

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Jae Duk; Seo, Yo Seob; Kim, Jin Soo

2008-01-01

The basal cell nevus syndrome (BCNS) is an autosomal dominant disorder, characterized by basal cell carcinomas, odontogenic keratocysts and skeletal abnormalities. We experienced two cases that represented several characteristics of BCNS. Case 1: a thirty three year-old man visited CSU hospital. His radiographs showed four cystic lesions at both maxillary sinus and both mandibular angle, with bifid rib and ectopic calcification of falx cerebri. After marsupialization and enucleation, recurrent and newly developing tendency were found on his follow-up radiographs. Case 2: a seventeen year-old man had four large cystic lesions which were diagnosed as odontogenic keratocysts. He had craniofacial anomalies which included ectopic calcification and frontal bossing.

Patient awareness and sun protection behaviour following excision of basal cell carcinoma.

Science.gov (United States)

de Blacam, Catherine; Dermott, Clodagh Mc; Sugrue, Conor; Kilmartin, Darren; Kelly, Jack

2017-02-01

Limited information is available regarding disease awareness and sun protection behaviour in patients previously treated for non-melanoma skin cancer. Using a telephone-administered questionnaire, we investigated these characteristics in 250 patients in the west of Ireland who had undergone excision of basal cell carcinomas between January 2011 and December 2012. Only 28.8% of respondents knew that the lesion they had excised was a BCC and understood that there was a significant chance of developing another similar lesion in the next 3 years. Women and patients under age 65 were significantly better informed about their diagnosis than men (p = 0.021 and 0.000 respectively). The majority of patients (71.2%) knew that the overall effect of UV radiation on the skin was harmful and did employ some form of sun protection (avoid midday sun 72%; stay in shade 74%; wear hat 73.6%; wear sunscreen 72.8%). Females were statistically more likely to exercise better sun-protection behaviour (p = 0.002). While 76.8% of patients undertook some form of outdoor activity every day, only 22.8% wore sunscreen every day. Greater efforts should be made to communicate disease details and sun protection implications associated with basal cell carcinoma, especially to male patients. Improved population specific skin cancer awareness may lead to earlier detection and thus decrease both the patient morbidity and economic burden associated with locally advanced basal cell carcinoma. Copyright © 2015 Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh (Scottish charity number SC005317) and Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Basal HIF-1a expression levels are not predictive for radiosensitivity of human cancer cell lines

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schilling, D.; Multhoff, G.; Helmholtz Center Munich, CCG - Innate Immunity in Tumor Biology, Munich; Bayer, C.; Emmerich, K.; Molls, M.; Vaupel, P.; Huber, R.M.

2012-01-01

High levels of hypoxia inducible factor (HIF)-1a in tumors are reported to be associated with tumor progression and resistance to therapy. To examine the impact of HIF-1a on radioresistance under normoxia, the sensitivity towards irradiation was measured in human tumor cell lines that differ significantly in their basal HIF-1a levels. HIF-1a levels were quantified in lysates of H1339, EPLC-272H, A549, SAS, XF354, FaDu, BHY, and CX- tumor cell lines by ELISA. Protein levels of HIF-1a, HIF-2a, carbonic anhydrase IX (CA IX), and GAPDH were assessed by Western blot analysis. Knock-down experiments were performed using HIF-1a siRNA. Clonogenic survival after irradiation was determined by the colony forming assay. According to their basal HIF-1a status, the tumor cell lines were divided into low (SAS, XF354, FaDu, A549, CX-), intermediate (EPLC-272H, BHY), and high (H1339) HIF-1a expressors. The functionality of the high basal HIF-1a expression in H1339 cells was proven by reduced CA IX expression after knocking-down HIF-1a. Linear regression analysis revealed no correlation between basal HIF-1a levels and the survival fraction at either 2 or 4 Gy in all tumor cell lines investigated. Our data suggest that basal HIF-1a levels in human tumor cell lines do not predict their radiosensitivity under normoxia. (orig.)

Basal Ganglia Calcification with Tetanic Seizure Suggest Mitochondrial Disorder

OpenAIRE

Finsterer, Josef; Enzelsberger, Barbara; Bastowansky, Adam

2017-01-01

Patient: Female, 65 Final Diagnosis: Mitochondrial disorder Symptoms: Headache ? tetanic seizure Medication: Diazepam Clinical Procedure: Admission Specialty: Neurology Objective: Challenging differential diagnosis Background: Basal ganglia calcification (BGC) is a rare sporadic or hereditary central nervous system (CNS) abnormality, characterized by symmetric or asymmetric calcification of the basal ganglia. Case Report: We report the case of a 65-year-old Gypsy female who was admitted for a...

Is basal ultrasensitive measurement of calcitonin capable of substituting for the pentagastrin-stimulation test?

Science.gov (United States)

Pina, Géraldine; Dubois, Séverine; Murat, Arnaud; Berger, Nicole; Niccoli, Patricia; Peix, Jean-Louis; Cohen, Régis; Guillausseau, Claudine; Charrie, Anne; Chabre, Olivier; Cornu, Catherine; Borson-Chazot, Françoise; Rohmer, Vincent

2013-03-01

To evaluate a second-generation assay for basal serum calcitonin (CT) measurements compared with the pentagastrin-stimulation test for the diagnosis of inherited medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC) and the follow-up of patients with MTC after surgery. Recent American Thyroid Association recommendations suggest the use of basal CT alone to diagnose and assess follow-up of MTC as the pentagastrin (Pg) test is unavailable in many countries. Multicentric prospective study. A total of 162 patients with basal CT basal and Pg-stimulated CT measurements using a second-generation assay with 5-ng/l functional sensitivity. Ninety-five per cent of patients with basal CT ≥ 5 ng/l and 25% of patients with basal CT stimulation test (Pg CT >10 ng/l). Compared with the reference Pg test, basal CT ≥ 5 ng/l had 99% specificity, a 95%-positive predictive value but only 35% sensitivity (P basal CT instead of the previously used 10-ng/l threshold. The ultrasensitive CT assay reduces the false-negative rate of basal CT measurements when diagnosing familial MTC and in postoperative follow-up compared with previously used assays. However, its sensitivity to detect C-cell disease remains lower than that of the Pg-stimulation test. © 2012 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Availability of the basal planes of graphene oxide determines whether it is antibacterial.

Science.gov (United States)

Hui, Liwei; Piao, Ji-Gang; Auletta, Jeffrey; Hu, Kan; Zhu, Yanwu; Meyer, Tara; Liu, Haitao; Yang, Lihua

2014-08-13

There are significant controversies on the antibacterial properties of graphene oxide (GO): GO was reported to be bactericidal in saline, whereas its activity in nutrient broth was controversial. To unveil the mechanisms underlying these contradictions, we performed antibacterial assays under comparable conditions. In saline, bare GO sheets were intrinsically bactericidal, yielding a bacterial survival percentage of planes. Using bovine serum albumin and tryptophan as well-defined model adsorbates, we found that noncovalent adsorption on GO basal planes may account for the deactivation of GO's bactericidal activity. Moreover, this deactivation mechanism was shown to be extrapolatable to GO's cytotoxicity against mammalian cells. Taken together, our observations suggest that bare GO intrinsically kills both bacteria and mammalian cells and noncovalent adsorption on its basal planes may be a global deactivation mechanism for GO's cytotoxicity.

Basal Cell Carcinomas in Gorlin Syndrome: A Review of 202 Patients

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Elizabeth A. Jones

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Gorlin syndrome (Naevoid Basal Cell Carcinoma Syndrome is a rare autosomal dominant syndrome caused by mutations in the PTCH gene with a birth incidence of approximately 1 in 19,000. Patients develop multiple basal cell carcinomas of the skin frequently in early life and also have a predisposition to additional malignancies such as medulloblastoma. Gorlin Syndrome patients also have developmental defects such as bifid ribs and other complications such as jaw keratocysts. We studied the incidence and frequency of basal cell carcinomas in 202 Gorlin syndrome patients from 62 families and compared this to their gender and mutation type. Our data suggests that the incidence of basal cell carcinomas is equal between males and females and the mutation type cannot be used to predict disease burden.

Two cases of seborrheic keratosis with basal clear cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Anan, Takashi; Fukumoto, Takaya; Kimura, Tetsunori

2017-03-01

Seborrheic keratosis with basal clear cells (SKBCC) is an extremely rare histopathological variant of seborrheic keratosis that has histological similarities to melanoma in situ. We herein report two cases of SKBCC and provide the first description of the dermoscopic features of this condition, in addition to the histopathological findings. Both of the two lesions showed typical histological architectures of seborrheic keratosis with rows or focal clusters of monomorphic clear cells with abundant pale cytoplasm and small round nucleus in the basal layer. Immunohistochemical examination revealed that most clear cells were positive for high molecular weight cytokeratin (34βE12) in a peripheral pattern but were negative tor Melan-A. Dermoscopy revealed typical features of ordinary seborrheic keratosis, while unfortunately did not reflect the presence of basal clear cells. © 2016 Japanese Dermatological Association.

Computed tomography of granulomatous basal meningitis caused by pneumococcus

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sonobe, Makoto; Takahashi, Shinichiro (Mito National Hospital, Ibaraki (Japan)); Ohara, Kazuo

1983-07-01

A case of 3-month-old female with ''granulomatous basal meningitis'' caused by pneumococcus was described. She suffered from high fever, vomiting, convulsion and loss of consciousness on January 28th, 1982. On admission the protein content of the spinal fluid was 280 mg/100 ml, the glucose 4 mg/100 ml and the cell count was 1206/3(L : 845, N : 361). Her symptoms and signs were deteriorated in spite of antibiotics and anticonvulsants. CT scan on the 10th day showed the enhanced basal cistern. She died on the 11th day but autopsy was not carried out. In this case, pneumococcus was cultured in CSF. This seemed to be the first case of ''granulomatous basal meningitis'' due to purulent meningitis in Japan.

Basal ganglia impairments in autism spectrum disorder are related to abnormal signal gating to prefrontal cortex.

Science.gov (United States)

Prat, Chantel S; Stocco, Andrea; Neuhaus, Emily; Kleinhans, Natalia M

2016-10-01

Research on the biological basis of autism spectrum disorder has yielded a list of brain abnormalities that are arguably as diverse as the set of behavioral symptoms that characterize the disorder. Among these are patterns of abnormal cortical connectivity and abnormal basal ganglia development. In attempts to integrate the existing literature, the current paper tests the hypothesis that impairments in the basal ganglia's function to flexibly select and route task-relevant neural signals to the prefrontal cortex underpins patterns of abnormal synchronization between the prefrontal cortex and other cortical processing centers observed in individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). We tested this hypothesis using a Dynamic Causal Modeling analysis of neuroimaging data collected from 16 individuals with ASD (mean age=25.3 years; 6 female) and 17 age- and IQ-matched neurotypical controls (mean age=25.6, 6 female), who performed a Go/No-Go test of executive functioning. Consistent with the hypothesis tested, a random-effects Bayesian model selection procedure determined that a model of network connectivity in which basal ganglia activation modulated connectivity between the prefrontal cortex and other key cortical processing centers best fit the data of both neurotypicals and individuals with ASD. Follow-up analyses suggested that the largest group differences were observed for modulation of connectivity between prefrontal cortex and the sensory input region in the occipital lobe [t(31)=2.03, p=0.025]. Specifically, basal ganglia activation was associated with a small decrease in synchronization between the occipital region and prefrontal cortical regions in controls; however, in individuals with ASD, basal ganglia activation resulted in increased synchronization between the occipital region and the prefrontal cortex. We propose that this increased synchronization may reflect a failure in basal ganglia signal gating mechanisms, resulting in a non-selective copying

Histologic Mimics of Basal Cell Carcinoma.

Science.gov (United States)

Stanoszek, Lauren M; Wang, Grace Y; Harms, Paul W

2017-11-01

- Basal cell carcinoma (BCC) is the most common human malignant neoplasm and is a frequently encountered diagnosis in dermatopathology. Although BCC may be locally destructive, it rarely metastasizes. Many diagnostic entities display morphologic and immunophenotypic overlap with BCC, including nonneoplastic processes, such as follicular induction over dermatofibroma; benign follicular tumors, such as trichoblastoma, trichoepithelioma, or basaloid follicular hamartoma; and malignant tumors, such as sebaceous carcinoma or Merkel cell carcinoma. Thus, misdiagnosis has significant potential to result in overtreatment or undertreatment. - To review key features distinguishing BCC from histologic mimics, including current evidence regarding immunohistochemical markers useful for that distinction. - Review of pertinent literature on BCC immunohistochemistry and differential diagnosis. - In most cases, BCC can be reliably diagnosed by histopathologic features. Immunohistochemistry may provide useful ancillary data in certain cases. Awareness of potential mimics is critical to avoid misdiagnosis and resulting inappropriate management.

Uniformity in the basal metabolic rate of marsupials: its causes and consequences Uniformidad en la tasa metabólica basal de marsupiales: sus causas y consecuencias

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

BRIAN K. MACNAB

2005-06-01

Full Text Available Most of the variation (98.8 % in basal rate of metabolism (BMR in 70 species of marsupials is correlated with body mass, although lowland species have higher basal rates than highland species and burrowers have lower basal rates than non-burrowers. These factors collectively account for 99.2 % of the variation in marsupial BMR. Marsupials differ in BMR from eutherians by having no species with a high basal rate by general mammalian standards, even when consuming vertebrates or grass, food habits that are associated with very high basal rates in eutherians. The absence of high basal rates in marsupials reflects the absence of a correlation of rate of reproduction with basal rate, a correlation present in eutherians. These differences have two consequences: (1 marsupials are less tolerant of cold environments than eutherians, and (2 marsupials coexist with eutherians only when both have food habits associated with low basal rates and therefore when eutherians have reduced rates of reproduction. In Australia and South America marsupial carnivores diversified in the absence of eutherian equivalents. The importation to mainland Australia of dingos by humans appears to have been the immediate cause for the extinction of thylacines, Tasmanian devils, and eastern quolls. Carnivorous marsupials in South America were replaced by eutherians with the completion of the Panamanian land bridge. Macropods, which have lower basal rates than eutherian grazers, survive in central Australia probably because of their adjustment to xeric environments, whereas introduced domestic stock require the provision of water by humansGran parte de la variación (98,5 en la tasa metabólica basal de 70 especies de marsupiales se correlaciona con la masa corporal, aunque las especies de tierras bajas tienes tasas basales mayores que las de tierras altas, y las especies subterráneas tienes BMR’s menores que las no subterráneas. Colectivamente, estos factores dan cuenta de un

Electrophysiological Evidences of Organization of Cortical Motor Information in the Basal Ganglia

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Hirokazu Iwamuro

2011-05-01

Full Text Available During the last two decades, the many developments in the treatment of movement disorders such as Parkinson disease and dystonia have enhanced our understanding on organization of the basal ganglia, and this knowledge has led to other advances in the field. According to many electrophysiological and anatomical findings, it is considered that motor information from different cortical areas is processed through several cortico-basal ganglia loops principally in a parallel fashion and somatotopy from each cortical area is also well preserved in each loop. Moreover, recent studies suggest that not only the parallel processing but also some convergence of information occur through the basal ganglia. Information from cortical areas whose functions are close to each other tends to converge in the basal ganglia. The cortico-basal ganglia loops should be comprehended more as a network rather than as separated subdivisions. However, the functions of this convergence still remain unknown. It is important even for clinical doctors to be well informed about this kind of current knowledge because some symptoms of movement disorders may be explained by disorganization of the information network in the basal ganglia.

Investigating changes in basal conditions of Variegated Glacier prior to and during its 1982–1983 surge

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M. Jay-Allemand

2011-08-01

Full Text Available Variegated Glacier (Alaska is known to surge periodically after a sufficient amount of cumulative mass balance is reached, but this observation is difficult to link with changes in the basal conditions. Here, using a 10-yr dataset, consisting of surface topography and surface velocity observations along a flow line for 25 dates, we have reconstructed the evolution of the basal conditions prior to and during the 1982–1983 surge. The model solves the full-Stokes problem along the central flow line using the finite element method. For the 25 dates of the dataset, the basal friction parameter distribution is inferred using the inverse method proposed by Arthern and Gudmundsson (2010. This method is here slightly modified by incorporating a regularisation term in the cost function to avoid short wavelength changes in the friction parameter. Our results indicate that dramatic changes in the basal conditions occurred between 1973 to 1983. Prior to the surge, periodic changes can be observed between winter and summer, with a regular increase of the sliding from 1973 to 1982. During the surge, the basal friction decreased dramatically and an area of very low friction moved from the upper part of the glacier to its terminus. Using a more complex friction law, these changes in basal sliding are then interpreted in terms of basal water pressure. Our results support that dramatic changes took place in the subglacial drainage system of Variegated Glacier, moving from a relatively efficient drainage system prior to the surge to an inefficient one during the surge. By reconstructing the water pressure evolution at the base of the glacier it is possible to propose a scenario for the hydrological history leading to the occurrence of a surge.

In vitro study of cerebrospinal fluid dynamics in a shaken basal cistern after experimental subarachnoid hemorrhage.

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Ulrich Kertzscher

Full Text Available Cerebral arterial vasospasm leads to delayed cerebral ischemia and constitutes the major delayed complication following aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage. Cerebral vasospasm can be reduced by increased blood clearance from the subarachnoid space. Clinical pilot studies allow the hypothesis that the clearance of subarachnoid blood is facilitated by means of head shaking. A major obstacle for meaningful clinical studies is the lack of data on appropriate parameters of head shaking. Our in vitro study aims to provide these essential parameters.A model of the basal cerebral cistern was derived from human magnetic resonance imaging data. Subarachnoid hemorrhage was simulated by addition of dyed experimental blood to transparent experimental cerebrospinal fluid (CSF filling the model of the basal cerebral cistern. Effects of various head positions and head motion settings (shaking angle amplitudes and shaking frequencies on blood clearance were investigated using the quantitative dye washout method. Blood washout can be divided into two phases: Blood/CSF mixing and clearance. The major effect of shaking consists in better mixing of blood and CSF thereby increasing clearance rate. Without shaking, blood/CSF mixing and blood clearance in the basal cerebral cistern are hampered by differences in density and viscosity of blood and CSF. Blood clearance increases with decreased shaking frequency and with increased shaking angle amplitude. Head shaking facilitates clearance by varying the direction of gravitational force.From this in vitro study can be inferred that patient or head shaking with large shaking angles at low frequency is a promising therapeutic strategy to increase blood clearance from the subarachnoid space.

Long-term increase in coherence between the basal ganglia and motor cortex after asphyxial cardiac arrest and resuscitation in developing rats.

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Aravamuthan, Bhooma R; Shoykhet, Michael

2015-10-01

The basal ganglia are vulnerable to injury during cardiac arrest. Movement disorders are a common morbidity in survivors. Yet, neuronal motor network changes post-arrest remain poorly understood. We compared function of the motor network in adult rats that, during postnatal week 3, underwent 9.5 min of asphyxial cardiac arrest (n = 9) or sham intervention (n = 8). Six months after injury, we simultaneously recorded local field potentials (LFP) from the primary motor cortex (MCx) and single neuron firing and LFP from the rat entopeduncular nucleus (EPN), which corresponds to the primate globus pallidus pars interna. Data were analyzed for firing rates, power, and coherence between MCx and EPN spike and LFP activity. Cardiac arrest survivors display chronic motor deficits. EPN firing rate is lower in cardiac arrest survivors (19.5 ± 2.4 Hz) compared with controls (27.4 ± 2.7 Hz; P motor network after cardiac arrest. Increased motor network synchrony is thought to be antikinetic in primary movement disorders. Characterization of motor network synchrony after cardiac arrest may help guide management of post-hypoxic movement disorders.

Neuroanatomical correlates of intelligence in healthy young adults: the role of basal ganglia volume.

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Rhein, Cosima; Mühle, Christiane; Richter-Schmidinger, Tanja; Alexopoulos, Panagiotis; Doerfler, Arnd; Kornhuber, Johannes

2014-01-01

In neuropsychiatric diseases with basal ganglia involvement, higher cognitive functions are often impaired. In this exploratory study, we examined healthy young adults to gain detailed insight into the relationship between basal ganglia volume and cognitive abilities under non-pathological conditions. We investigated 137 healthy adults that were between the ages of 21 and 35 years with similar educational backgrounds. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was performed, and volumes of basal ganglia nuclei in both hemispheres were calculated using FreeSurfer software. The cognitive assessment consisted of verbal, numeric and figural aspects of intelligence for either the fluid or the crystallised intelligence factor using the intelligence test Intelligenz-Struktur-Test (I-S-T 2000 R). Our data revealed significant correlations of the caudate nucleus and pallidum volumes with figural and numeric aspects of intelligence, but not with verbal intelligence. Interestingly, figural intelligence associations were dependent on sex and intelligence factor; in females, the pallidum volumes were correlated with crystallised figural intelligence (r = 0.372, p = 0.01), whereas in males, the caudate volumes were correlated with fluid figural intelligence (r = 0.507, p = 0.01). Numeric intelligence was correlated with right-lateralised caudate nucleus volumes for both females and males, but only for crystallised intelligence (r = 0.306, p = 0.04 and r = 0.459, p = 0.04, respectively). The associations were not mediated by prefrontal cortical subfield volumes when controlling with partial correlation analyses. The findings of our exploratory analysis indicate that figural and numeric intelligence aspects, but not verbal aspects, are strongly associated with basal ganglia volumes. Unlike numeric intelligence, the type of figural intelligence appears to be related to distinct basal ganglia nuclei in a sex-specific manner. Subcortical brain structures thus may contribute substantially to

Glacier surge mechanism based on linked cavity configuration of the basal water conduit system

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Kamb, Barclay

1987-08-01

Based on observations of the 1982-1983 surge of Variegated Glacier, Alaska, a model of the surge mechanism is developed in terms of a transition from the normal tunnel configuration of the basal water conduit system to a linked cavity configuration that tends to restrict the flow of water, resulting in increased basal water pressures that cause rapid basal sliding. The linked cavity system consists of basal cavities formed by ice-bedrock separation (cavitation), ˜1 m high and ˜10 m in horizontal dimensions, widely scattered over the glacier bed, and hydraulically linked by narrow connections where separation is minimal (separation gap ≲ 0.1 m). The narrow connections, called orifices, control the water flow through the conduit system; by throttling the flow through the large cavities, the orifices keep the water flux transmitted by the basal water system at normal levels even though the total cavity cross-sectional area (˜200 m2) is much larger than that of a tunnel system (˜10 m2). A physical model of the linked cavity system is formulated in terms of the dimensions of the "typical" cavity and orifice and the numbers of these across the glacier width. The model concentrates on the detailed configuration of the typical orifice and its response to basal water pressure and basal sliding, which determines the water flux carried by the system under given conditions. Configurations are worked out for two idealized orifice types, step orifices that form in the lee of downglacier-facing bedrock steps, and wave orifices that form on the lee slopes of quasisinusoidal bedrock waves and are similar to transverse "N channels." The orifice configurations are obtained from the results of solutions of the basal-sliding-with-separation problem for an ice mass constituting of linear half-space of linear rheology, with nonlinearity introduced by making the viscosity stress-dependent on an intuitive basis. Modification of the orifice shapes by melting of the ice roof due to

Fixed ratio combinations of glucagon like peptide 1 receptor agonists with basal insulin: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

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Liakopoulou, Paraskevi; Liakos, Aris; Vasilakou, Despoina; Athanasiadou, Eleni; Bekiari, Eleni; Kazakos, Kyriakos; Tsapas, Apostolos

2017-06-01

Basal insulin controls primarily fasting plasma glucose but causes hypoglycaemia and weight gain, whilst glucagon like peptide 1 receptor agonists induce weight loss without increasing risk for hypoglycaemia. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials to investigate the efficacy and safety of fixed ratio combinations of basal insulin with glucagon like peptide 1 receptor agonists. We searched Medline, Embase, and the Cochrane Library as well as conference abstracts up to December 2016. We assessed change in haemoglobin A 1c , body weight, and incidence of hypoglycaemia and gastrointestinal adverse events. We included eight studies with 5732 participants in the systematic review. Switch from basal insulin to fixed ratio combinations with a glucagon like peptide 1 receptor agonist was associated with 0.72% reduction in haemoglobin A 1c [95% confidence interval -1.03 to -0.41; I 2  = 93%] and 2.35 kg reduction in body weight (95% confidence interval -3.52 to -1.19; I 2  = 93%), reducing also risk for hypoglycaemia [odds ratio 0.70; 95% confidence interval 0.57 to 0.86; I 2  = 85%] but increasing incidence of nausea (odds ratio 6.89; 95% confidence interval 3.73-12.74; I 2  = 79%). Similarly, switching patients from treatment with a glucagon like peptide 1 receptor agonist to a fixed ratio combination with basal insulin was associated with 0.94% reduction in haemoglobin A 1c (95% confidence interval -1.11 to -0.77) and an increase in body weight by 2.89 kg (95% confidence interval 2.17-3.61). Fixed ratio combinations of basal insulin with glucagon like peptide 1 receptor agonists improve glycaemic control whilst balancing out risk for hypoglycaemia and gastrointestinal side effects.

Low basal salivary flow and burning mouth syndrome: new evidence in this enigmatic pathology.

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Spadari, Francesco; Venesia, Paolo; Azzi, Lorenzo; Veronesi, Giovanni; Costantino, Dario; Croveri, Fabio; Farronato, Davide; Tagliabue, Angelo; Tettamanti, Lucia

2015-03-01

Burning mouth syndrome remains a puzzling condition. One symptom commonly associated with the burning sensation is xerostomia. The current study measured basal and stimulated salivary flow in a group of burning mouth syndrome patients. Three groups of patients were recruited: 44 burning mouth syndrome patients, 27 oral lichen planus patients and 40 healthy patients. We chose to measure basal salivary flow and stimulated salivary flow in the three groups of patients using the 'spitting' method. Thus, the patients were asked to spit every minute for 5 min. Afterwards, they were asked to repeat the procedure a second time, but a drop of citric acid was positioned on their tongue every minute to stimulate salivary secretion. After 14 days, the same procedure was repeated for 15 min. Although there was no significant difference between the burning mouth syndrome group and the other two groups regarding the stimulated volumes, an important difference was found in the basal volumes, with the burning mouth syndrome patients showing lower values. The outcomes of our research demonstrate the presence of very low basal salivary flow in burning mouth syndrome patients compared with the other two groups, but the stimulated salivary flow was equal, if not higher, in the burning mouth syndrome patients. This study contributes new topics for further investigation of a solution to the very mysterious pathology represented by burning mouth syndrome. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Luminal epithelial cells within the mammary gland can produce basal cells upon oncogenic stress.

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Hein, S M; Haricharan, S; Johnston, A N; Toneff, M J; Reddy, J P; Dong, J; Bu, W; Li, Y

2016-03-17

In the normal mammary gland, the basal epithelium is known to be bipotent and can generate either basal or luminal cells, whereas the luminal epithelium has not been demonstrated to contribute to the basal compartment in an intact and normally developed mammary gland. It is not clear whether cellular heterogeneity within a breast tumor results from transformation of bipotent basal cells or from transformation and subsequent basal conversion of the more differentiated luminal cells. Here we used a retroviral vector to express an oncogene specifically in a small number of the mammary luminal epithelial cells and tested their potential to produce basal cells during tumorigenesis. This in-vivo lineage-tracing work demonstrates that luminal cells are capable of producing basal cells on activation of either polyoma middle T antigen or ErbB2 signaling. These findings reveal the plasticity of the luminal compartment during tumorigenesis and provide an explanation for cellular heterogeneity within a cancer.

Trichoepithelioma And Multiple Basal Cell Epithelioma

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Dey S.K

1996-01-01

Full Text Available A combination of multiple trichoepithelioma and basal cell epithelioma is reported. Although malignant degeneration of trichoepithelioma is debated, clinical and histopathological studies, in our case, hint at that. The case is reported for its rarity.

Idiopathic Basal Ganglia Calcification Presented with Impulse Control Disorder

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Sahin, Cem; Levent, Mustafa; Akbaba, Gulhan; Kara, Bilge; Yeniceri, Emine Nese; Inanc, Betul Battaloglu

2015-01-01

Primary familial brain calcification (PFBC), also referred to as Idiopathic Basal Ganglia Calcification (IBGC) or “Fahr’s disease,” is a clinical condition characterized by symmetric and bilateral calcification of globus pallidus and also basal ganglions, cerebellar nuclei, and other deep cortical structures. It could be accompanied by parathyroid disorder and other metabolic disturbances. The clinical features are dysfunction of the calcified anatomic localization. IBGC most commonly present...

TT Mutant Homozygote of Kruppel-like Factor 5 Is a Key Factor for Increasing Basal Metabolic Rate and Resting Metabolic Rate in Korean Elementary School Children.

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Choi, Jung Ran; Kwon, In-Su; Kwon, Dae Young; Kim, Myung-Sunny; Lee, Myoungsook

2013-12-01

We investigated the contribution of genetic variations of KLF5 to basal metabolic rate (BMR) and resting metabolic rate (RMR) and the inhibition of obesity in Korean children. A variation of KLF5 (rs3782933) was genotyped in 62 Korean children. Using multiple linear regression analysis, we developed a model to predict BMR in children. We divided them into several groups; normal versus overweight by body mass index (BMI) and low BMR versus high BMR by BMR. There were no differences in the distributions of alleles and genotypes between each group. The genetic variation of KLF5 gene showed a significant correlation with several clinical factors, such as BMR, muscle, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and insulin. Children with the TT had significantly higher BMR than those with CC (p = 0.030). The highest muscle was observed in the children with TT compared with CC (p = 0.032). The insulin and C-peptide values were higher in children with TT than those with CC (p= 0.029 vs. p = 0.004, respectively). In linear regression analysis, BMI and muscle mass were correlated with BMR, whereas insulin and C-peptide were not associated with BMR. In the high-BMR group, we observed that higher muscle, fat mass, and C-peptide affect the increase of BMR in children with TT (p BMR (adjust r(2) = 1.000, p BMR in Korean children. We could make better use of the variation within KLF5 in a future clinical intervention study of obesity.

Do basal Ganglia amplify willed action by stochastic resonance? A model.

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V Srinivasa Chakravarthy

Full Text Available Basal ganglia are usually attributed a role in facilitating willed action, which is found to be impaired in Parkinson's disease, a pathology of basal ganglia. We hypothesize that basal ganglia possess the machinery to amplify will signals, presumably weak, by stochastic resonance. Recently we proposed a computational model of Parkinsonian reaching, in which the contributions from basal ganglia aid the motor cortex in learning to reach. The model was cast in reinforcement learning framework. We now show that the above basal ganglia computational model has all the ingredients of stochastic resonance process. In the proposed computational model, we consider the problem of moving an arm from a rest position to a target position: the two positions correspond to two extrema of the value function. A single kick (a half-wave of sinusoid, of sufficiently low amplitude given to the system in resting position, succeeds in taking the system to the target position, with high probability, only at a critical noise level. But for suboptimal noise levels, the model arm's movements resemble Parkinsonian movement symptoms like akinetic rigidity (low noise and dyskinesias (high noise.

Insulin appearance of subcutaneously infused insulin: influence of the basal rate pulse interval of the infusion pump.

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Birch, K; Hildebrandt, P; Jensen, B M; Kühl, C; Brange, J

1985-05-01

To compare the metabolic control and the pharmacokinetics of infused insulin using an insulin pump (Auto-Syringe AS 6C) which provides the basal rate in pulses every 2-10 min with a pump (Medix Syringe Driver 209) providing the basal rate in pulses every 15-60 min, 6 C-peptide negative diabetic patients received, in random order, identical, but individual, insulin treatment during one 4-day period using the Auto-Syringe pump and another 4-day period using the Medix pump. On the fourth day of each period, blood glucose and plasma-free insulin were estimated every 30 min for 7 hr and every 5 min for the next hour. Plasma-free insulin was significantly higher on 3 time points out of the 26 possible when using the Medix pump, but this was not reflected in the blood glucose concentrations which were similar in the 2 periods. The results indicate that, from a metabolic and pharmacokinetic point of view, insulin pumps working with larger intervals between the basal rate pulses are just as good as the more technically advanced and hence often more expensive pumps which provide the basal rate in more and smaller pulses.

Basal Ganglia Circuits as Targets for Neuromodulation in Parkinson Disease.

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DeLong, Mahlon R; Wichmann, Thomas

2015-11-01

The revival of stereotactic surgery for Parkinson disease (PD) in the 1990s, with pallidotomy and then with high-frequency deep brain stimulation (DBS), has led to a renaissance in functional surgery for movement and other neuropsychiatric disorders. To examine the scientific foundations and rationale for the use of ablation and DBS for treatment of neurologic and psychiatric diseases, using PD as the primary example. A summary of the large body of relevant literature is presented on anatomy, physiology, pathophysiology, and functional surgery for PD and other basal ganglia disorders. The signs and symptoms of movement disorders appear to result largely from signature abnormalities in one of several parallel and largely segregated basal ganglia thalamocortical circuits (ie, the motor circuit). The available evidence suggests that the varied movement disorders resulting from dysfunction of this circuit result from propagated disruption of downstream network activity in the thalamus, cortex, and brainstem. Ablation and DBS act to free downstream networks to function more normally. The basal ganglia thalamocortical circuit may play a key role in the expression of disordered movement, and the basal ganglia-brainstem projections may play roles in akinesia and disturbances of gait. Efforts are under way to target circuit dysfunction in brain areas outside of the traditionally implicated basal ganglia thalamocortical system, in particular, the pedunculopontine nucleus, to address gait disorders that respond poorly to levodopa and conventional DBS targets. Deep brain stimulation is now the treatment of choice for many patients with advanced PD and other movement disorders. The success of DBS and other forms of neuromodulation for neuropsychiatric disorders is the result of the ability to modulate circuit activity in discrete functional domains within the basal ganglia circuitry with highly focused interventions, which spare uninvolved areas that are often disrupted with

Nevoid basal cell carcinoma syndrome—case report and genetic study

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Yu-Feng Huang

2010-09-01

Full Text Available Nevoid basal cell carcinoma syndrome (also named Gorlin-Goltz syndrome is a rare disease. Commonly seen features include multiple odontogenic keratocysts (OKCs, nevus-like basal cell carcinoma, and bifid ribs. Genetic alterations of the PTCH1 gene are associated with the disease. Herein, we report the case of a 15-year-old girl who presented with multiple OKCs, a bifid rib, ectopic calcification of the falx cer-ebri, and an arachnoid cyst of the cerebrum. No basal cell carcinoma was identified. In addition, a search for genetic alterations was performed on the patient. We identified a genetic mutation of C→T in exon 12 (c.1686 bp and a G→C mutation in intron 13 (g.91665 bp of the PTCH1 gene. Although a similar mutation in exon 12 was reported in a literature search, the mutation in intron 13 has not previously been reported. The patient has continued to be followed-up almost 3 years after the surgery with no recurrence of the OKCs or development of basal cell carcinoma.

Dynamic thiol/disulphide homeostasis in patients with basal cell carcinoma.

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Demirseren, Duriye Deniz; Cicek, Cagla; Alisik, Murat; Demirseren, Mustafa Erol; Aktaş, Akın; Erel, Ozcan

2017-09-01

The aim of this study is to measure and compare the dynamic thiol/disulphide homeostasis of patients with basal cell carcinoma and healthy subjects with a newly developed and original method. Thirty four patients attending our outpatient clinic and clinically and histopathologically diagnosed as nodular basal cell carcinoma, and age and gender matched 30 healthy individuals have been involved in the study. Thiol/disulphide homeostasis tests have been measured with a novel automatic spectrophotometric method developed and the results have been compared statistically. Serum native thiol and disulphide levels in the patient and control group show a considerable variance statistically (p = 0.028, 0.039, respectively). Total thiol levels do not reveal a considerable variation (p = 0.094). Disulphide/native thiol ratios and native thiol/total thiol ratios also show a considerable variance statistically (p = 0.012, 0.013, 0.010, respectively). Thiol disulphide homeostasis in patients with basal cell carcinoma alters in the way that disulphide gets lower and thiols get higher. Thiol/disulphide level is likely to have a role in basal cell carcinoma pathogenesis.

Bilateral symmetrical basal ganglia and thalamic lesions in children: an update (2015)

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Zuccoli, Giulio; Yannes, Michael Paul; Nardone, Raffaele; Bailey, Ariel; Goldstein, Amy

2015-01-01

In children, many inherited or acquired neurological disorders may cause bilateral symmetrical signal intensity alterations in the basal ganglia and thalami. A literature review was aimed at assisting neuroradiologists, neurologists, infectious diseases specialists, and pediatricians to provide further understanding into the clinical and neuroimaging features in pediatric patients presenting with bilateral symmetrical basal ganglia and thalamic lesions on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). We discuss hypoxic-ischemic, toxic, infectious, immune-mediated, mitochondrial, metabolic, and neurodegenerative disorders affecting the basal ganglia and thalami. Recognition and correct evaluation of basal ganglia abnormalities, together with a proper neurological examination and laboratory findings, may enable the identification of each of these clinical entities and lead to earlier diagnosis. (orig.)

Bilateral symmetrical basal ganglia and thalamic lesions in children: an update (2015)

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Zuccoli, Giulio [Children' s Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC, Section of Neuroradiology, Pittsburgh, PA (United States); Yannes, Michael Paul [University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Department of Radiology, Pittsburgh, PA (United States); Nardone, Raffaele [Paracelsus Medical University, Department of Neurology, Christian Doppler Klinik, Salzburg (Austria); Bailey, Ariel [West Virginia University, Department of Radiology, Morgantown, WV (United States); Goldstein, Amy [Children' s Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC, Department of Neurology, Section of Metabolic Disorders and Neurogenetics, Pittsburgh, PA (United States)

2015-10-15

In children, many inherited or acquired neurological disorders may cause bilateral symmetrical signal intensity alterations in the basal ganglia and thalami. A literature review was aimed at assisting neuroradiologists, neurologists, infectious diseases specialists, and pediatricians to provide further understanding into the clinical and neuroimaging features in pediatric patients presenting with bilateral symmetrical basal ganglia and thalamic lesions on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). We discuss hypoxic-ischemic, toxic, infectious, immune-mediated, mitochondrial, metabolic, and neurodegenerative disorders affecting the basal ganglia and thalami. Recognition and correct evaluation of basal ganglia abnormalities, together with a proper neurological examination and laboratory findings, may enable the identification of each of these clinical entities and lead to earlier diagnosis. (orig.)

Basally activated nonselective cation currents regulate the resting membrane potential in human and monkey colonic smooth muscle

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Dwyer, Laura; Rhee, Poong-Lyul; Lowe, Vanessa; Zheng, Haifeng; Peri, Lauren; Ro, Seungil; Sanders, Kenton M.

2011-01-01

Resting membrane potential (RMP) plays an important role in determining the basal excitability of gastrointestinal smooth muscle. The RMP in colonic muscles is significantly less negative than the equilibrium potential of K+, suggesting that it is regulated not only by K+ conductances but by inward conductances such as Na+ and/or Ca2+. We investigated the contribution of nonselective cation channels (NSCC) to the RMP in human and monkey colonic smooth muscle cells (SMC) using voltage- and current-clamp techniques. Qualitative reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction was performed to examine potential molecular candidates for these channels among the transient receptor potential (TRP) channel superfamily. Spontaneous transient inward currents and holding currents were recorded in human and monkey SMC. Replacement of extracellular Na+ with equimolar tetraethylammonium or Ca2+ with Mn2+ inhibited basally activated nonselective cation currents. Trivalent cations inhibited these channels. Under current clamp, replacement of extracellular Na+ with N-methyl-d-glucamine or addition of trivalent cations caused hyperpolarization. Three unitary conductances of NSCC were observed in human and monkey colonic SMC. Molecular candidates for basally active NSCC were TRPC1, C3, C4, C7, M2, M4, M6, M7, V1, and V2 in human and monkey SMC. Comparison of the biophysical properties of these TRP channels with basally active NSCC (bINSCC) suggests that TRPM4 and specific TRPC heteromultimer combinations may underlie the three single-channel conductances of bINSCC. In conclusion, these findings suggest that basally activated NSCC contribute to the RMP in human and monkey colonic SMC and therefore may play an important role in determining basal excitability of colonic smooth muscle. PMID:21566016

Shell bone histology indicates terrestrial palaeoecology of basal turtles

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Scheyer, Torsten; Sander, P. Martin

2009-01-01

The palaeoecology of basal turtles from the Late Triassic was classically viewed as being semi-aquatic, similar to the lifestyle of modern snapping turtles. Lately, this view was questioned based on limb bone proportions, and a terrestrial palaeoecology was suggested for the turtle stem. Here, we present independent shell bone microstructural evidence for a terrestrial habitat of the oldest and basal most well-known turtles, i.e. the Upper Triassic Proterochersis robusta and Proganochelys que...

Parental history of depression and higher basal salivary cortisol in unaffected child and adolescent offspring.

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Zhang, Jihui; Lam, Siu Ping; Li, Shirley Xin; Liu, Yaping; Chan, Joey Wing Yan; Chan, Michael Ho Ming; Ho, Chung Shun; Li, Albert Martin; Wing, Yun Kwok

2018-07-01

There are contradictory findings regarding the associations of parental depression on the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis activity of their offspring. We aimed to explore the associations of parental depression on the diurnal salivary cortisol profile in their child and adolescent offspring. A total of 189 unaffected child and adolescent offspring as determined by structured clinical interview were divided into 3 groups according to their parental history of depression, namely current parental depression (CPD, n = 27), past parental depression (PPD, n = 57), and no parental depression (NPD, n = 105). Diurnal saliva samples were collected to measure the cortisol awakening response and diurnal cortisol profile. CPD group had significantly higher basal cortisol level (mean ± SE = 11.9 ± 0.80 nmol/dl) than PPD group (mean ± SE = 9.7 ± 0.73 nmol/dl, post hoc p = .024) and NPD group (mean ± SE = 10.2 ± 0.52 nmol/dl, post hoc p = .031) and lower cortisol level at noon, but comparable cortisol levels in other time points. The cortisol awakening response reference to increase (AUCi) were significantly blunted in CPD group when compared with PPD and NPD (post hoc p < .01). Adjustment for potential confounding factors did not change major findings. Further analyses revealed that main influences were derived from current maternal depression. A single day of saliva sample. Current but not past (lifetime) parental depression is associated with higher basal salivary cortisol and blunted cortisol awakening response in their children and adolescents. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

All-Cause and Cause-Specific Mortality among Users of Basal Insulins NPH, Detemir, and Glargine.

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Arto Y Strandberg

Full Text Available Insulin therapy in type 2 diabetes may increase mortality and cancer incidence, but the impact of different types of basal insulins on these endpoints is unclear. Compared to the traditional NPH insulin, the newer, longer-acting insulin analogues detemir and glargine have shown benefits in randomized controlled trials. Whether these advantages translate into lower mortality among users in real life is unknown.To estimate the differences in all-cause and cause-specific mortality rates between new users of basal insulins in a population-based study in Finland.23 751 individuals aged ≥40 with type 2 diabetes, who initiated basal insulin therapy in 2006-2009 were identified from national registers, with comprehensive data for mortality, causes of death, and background variables. Propensity score matching was performed on characteristics. Follow-up time was up to 4 years (median 1.7 years.2078 deaths incurred. With NPH as reference, the adjusted HRs for all-cause mortality were 0.39 (95% CI, 0.30-0.50 for detemir, and 0.55 (95% CI, 0.44-0.69 for glargine. As compared to glargine, the HR was 0.71 (95% CI, 0.54-0.93 among detemir users. Compared to NPH, the mortality risk for both cardiovascular causes as well as cancer were also significantly lower for glargine, and especially for detemir in adjusted analysis. Furthermore, the results were robust in various sensitivity analyses.In real clinical practice, mortality was substantially higher among users of NPH insulin as compared to insulins detemir or glargine. Considering the large number of patients who require insulin therapy, this difference in risk may have major clinical and public health implications. Due to limitations of the observational study design, further investigation using an interventional study design is warranted.

All-Cause and Cause-Specific Mortality among Users of Basal Insulins NPH, Detemir, and Glargine.

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Strandberg, Arto Y; Hoti, Fabian J; Strandberg, Timo E; Christopher, Solomon; Haukka, Jari; Korhonen, Pasi

2016-01-01

Insulin therapy in type 2 diabetes may increase mortality and cancer incidence, but the impact of different types of basal insulins on these endpoints is unclear. Compared to the traditional NPH insulin, the newer, longer-acting insulin analogues detemir and glargine have shown benefits in randomized controlled trials. Whether these advantages translate into lower mortality among users in real life is unknown. To estimate the differences in all-cause and cause-specific mortality rates between new users of basal insulins in a population-based study in Finland. 23 751 individuals aged ≥40 with type 2 diabetes, who initiated basal insulin therapy in 2006-2009 were identified from national registers, with comprehensive data for mortality, causes of death, and background variables. Propensity score matching was performed on characteristics. Follow-up time was up to 4 years (median 1.7 years). 2078 deaths incurred. With NPH as reference, the adjusted HRs for all-cause mortality were 0.39 (95% CI, 0.30-0.50) for detemir, and 0.55 (95% CI, 0.44-0.69) for glargine. As compared to glargine, the HR was 0.71 (95% CI, 0.54-0.93) among detemir users. Compared to NPH, the mortality risk for both cardiovascular causes as well as cancer were also significantly lower for glargine, and especially for detemir in adjusted analysis. Furthermore, the results were robust in various sensitivity analyses. In real clinical practice, mortality was substantially higher among users of NPH insulin as compared to insulins detemir or glargine. Considering the large number of patients who require insulin therapy, this difference in risk may have major clinical and public health implications. Due to limitations of the observational study design, further investigation using an interventional study design is warranted.

A synthesis of the basal thermal state of the Greenland Ice Sheet

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MacGregor, Joseph A; Fahnestock, Mark A; Catania, Ginny A; Aschwanden, Andy; Clow, Gary D.; Colgan, William T.; Gogineni, Prasad S.; Morlighem, Mathieu; Nowicki, Sophie M .J.; Paden, John D; Price, Stephen F.; Seroussi, Helene

2016-01-01

The basal thermal state of an ice sheet (frozen or thawed) is an important control upon its evolution, dynamics and response to external forcings. However, this state can only be observed directly within sparse boreholes or inferred conclusively from the presence of subglacial lakes. Here we synthesize spatially extensive inferences of the basal thermal state of the Greenland Ice Sheet to better constrain this state. Existing inferences include outputs from the eight thermomechanical ice-flow models included in the SeaRISE effort. New remote-sensing inferences of the basal thermal state are derived from Holocene radiostratigraphy, modern surface velocity and MODIS imagery. Both thermomechanical modeling and remote inferences generally agree that the Northeast Greenland Ice Stream and large portions of the southwestern ice-drainage systems are thawed at the bed, whereas the bed beneath the central ice divides, particularly their west-facing slopes, is frozen. Elsewhere, there is poor agreement regarding the basal thermal state. Both models and remote inferences rarely represent the borehole-observed basal thermal state accurately near NorthGRIP and DYE-3. This synthesis identifies a large portion of the Greenland Ice Sheet (about one third by area) where additional observations would most improve knowledge of its overall basal thermal state.

A synthesis of the basal thermal state of the Greenland Ice Sheet.

Science.gov (United States)

MacGregor, Joseph A; Fahnestock, Mark A; Catania, Ginny A; Aschwanden, Andy; Clow, Gary D; Colgan, William T; Gogineni, S Prasad; Morlighem, Mathieu; Nowicki, Sophie M J; Paden, John D; Price, Stephen F; Seroussi, Hélène

2016-08-10

The basal thermal state of an ice sheet (frozen or thawed) is an important control upon its evolution, dynamics and response to external forcings. However, this state can only be observed directly within sparse boreholes or inferred conclusively from the presence of subglacial lakes. Here we synthesize spatially extensive inferences of the basal thermal state of the Greenland Ice Sheet to better constrain this state. Existing inferences include outputs from the eight thermomechanical ice-flow models included in the SeaRISE effort. New remote-sensing inferences of the basal thermal state are derived from Holocene radiostratigraphy, modern surface velocity and MODIS imagery. Both thermomechanical modeling and remote inferences generally agree that the Northeast Greenland Ice Stream and large portions of the southwestern ice-drainage systems are thawed at the bed, whereas the bed beneath the central ice divides, particularly their west-facing slopes, is frozen. Elsewhere, there is poor agreement regarding the basal thermal state. Both models and remote inferences rarely represent the borehole-observed basal thermal state accurately near NorthGRIP and DYE-3. This synthesis identifies a large portion of the Greenland Ice Sheet (about one third by area) where additional observations would most improve knowledge of its overall basal thermal state.

Hemodynamics in the cerebral cortex and basal ganglia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yamaguchi, Shinya; Fukuyama, Hidenao; Yamauchi, Hiroshi; Kimura, Jun

1991-01-01

We examined ten healthy volunteers using positron emission tomography (PET) in order to elucidate regional changes and correlations in the cerebral circulation and oxygen metabolism. We also studied eight lacunar stroke patients so as to disclose the influences of vascular risk factors and aging on the cerebral blood flow and metabolism. We can conclude from our result as follows: (1) Cerebral blood volume (CBV) was minimum in the basal ganglia and cerebral blood flow (CBF)/CBV ratio was higher than that of cerebral cortex in healthy volunteers; (2) CBF of gray matter in healthy volunteers correlated with CBV and cerebral metabolic rate of oxygen where oxygen extraction fraction inversely correlated with CBF, CBV, and CBF/CBV; and (3) the basal ganglia CBF/CBV ratio in lacunar stroke patients was lower than that of healthy volunteers. These findings suggested that the perfusion pressure in the basal ganglia was so high in the normal condition than the angionecrosis or occlusion in the perforating arteries would be induced, especially in the aged and hypertensive patients. (author)

No change of dopamine transporter density in basal ganglia after risperidone treatment in drug-naive children with Tourette's disorder

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Ryu, W. K.; Ryu, Y. H.; Yoon, M. J.; Chun, K. A.; Lee, J. D. [College of Medicine, Univ. of Yonsei, Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Zee, D. Y. [Univ. of Inhwa, Incheon (Korea, Republic of); Choi, T. H. [Korea Cancer Center Hospital, Seoul (Korea, Republic of)

2003-07-01

Tourette's disorder (TD), which is characterized by multiple waxing and waning motor tics and one or more vocal tics, is known to be associated with abnormalities in the dopaminergic system. To testify our hypothesis that risperidone would improve tic symptoms of TD patients through the change of the dopaminergic system, we measured the DAT densities between drug-naive children with TD and normal children investigated the DAT density before and after treatment with risperidone in drug-naive children with TD, using lodine-123 labelled N-(3-iodopropen-2-yl)-2beta-carbomethoxy-3beta-(4-chlorophenyl) tropane(I-123 IPT) single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT). I-123 IPT SPECT imaging and Yale Global Tic Severity Scale-Korean version (YGTSS-K) for assessing the tic symptom severity were carried out before and after treatment with risperidone for 8 weeks in eight drug-naive children with TD. Eight normal children also underwent SPECT imaging 2 hours after an intravenous administration of I-123 IPT and carried out both quantitative and qualitative analyses using the obtained SPECT data, which were reconstructed for the assessment of the specific/non-specific DAT binding ratio in the basal ganglia. The drug-naive children with TD had a significantly greater increase in the specific/nonspecific DAT binding ratio of both basal ganglia compared with the normal children. However, no significant difference in the specific/nonspecific DAT binding ratio of the basal ganglia before and after treatment with riperidone in children with TD was not found, although tic symptoms were significantly improved with risperidone. These findings suggest that DAT densities are directly associated with the pathophysiology of TD, however, that the effect of risperidone on tic symptoms in children with TD is not attributed to the change of dopaminergic system.

A whole stand basal area projection model for Appalachian hardwoods

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John R. Brooks; Lichun Jiang; Matthew Perkowski; Benktesh Sharma

2008-01-01

Two whole-stand basal area projection models were developed for Appalachian hardwood stands. The proposed equations are an algebraic difference projection form based on existing basal area and the change in age, trees per acre, and/or dominant height. Average equation error was less than 10 square feet per acre and residuals exhibited no irregular trends.

Large-scale patterns of turnover and Basal area change in Andean forests.

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Selene Báez

Full Text Available General patterns of forest dynamics and productivity in the Andes Mountains are poorly characterized. Here we present the first large-scale study of Andean forest dynamics using a set of 63 permanent forest plots assembled over the past two decades. In the North-Central Andes tree turnover (mortality and recruitment and tree growth declined with increasing elevation and decreasing temperature. In addition, basal area increased in Lower Montane Moist Forests but did not change in Higher Montane Humid Forests. However, at higher elevations the lack of net basal area change and excess of mortality over recruitment suggests negative environmental impacts. In North-Western Argentina, forest dynamics appear to be influenced by land use history in addition to environmental variation. Taken together, our results indicate that combinations of abiotic and biotic factors that vary across elevation gradients are important determinants of tree turnover and productivity in the Andes. More extensive and longer-term monitoring and analyses of forest dynamics in permanent plots will be necessary to understand how demographic processes and woody biomass are responding to changing environmental conditions along elevation gradients through this century.

Modest hypoxia significantly reduces triglyceride content and lipid droplet size in 3T3-L1 adipocytes

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Hashimoto, Takeshi, E-mail: thashimo@fc.ritsumei.ac.jp [Faculty of Sport and Health Science, Ritsumeikan University, 1-1-1 Nojihigashi, Kusatsu, Shiga 525-8577 (Japan); Yokokawa, Takumi; Endo, Yuriko [Faculty of Sport and Health Science, Ritsumeikan University, 1-1-1 Nojihigashi, Kusatsu, Shiga 525-8577 (Japan); Iwanaka, Nobumasa [Ritsumeikan Global Innovation Research Organization, Ritsumeikan University, 1-1-1 Nojihigashi, Kusatsu, Shiga 525-8577 (Japan); Higashida, Kazuhiko [Faculty of Sport and Health Science, Ritsumeikan University, 1-1-1 Nojihigashi, Kusatsu, Shiga 525-8577 (Japan); Faculty of Sport Science, Waseda University, 2-579-15 Mikajima, Tokorozawa, Saitama 359-1192 (Japan); Taguchi, Sadayoshi [Faculty of Sport and Health Science, Ritsumeikan University, 1-1-1 Nojihigashi, Kusatsu, Shiga 525-8577 (Japan)

2013-10-11

Highlights: •Long-term hypoxia decreased the size of LDs and lipid storage in 3T3-L1 adipocytes. •Long-term hypoxia increased basal lipolysis in 3T3-L1 adipocytes. •Hypoxia decreased lipid-associated proteins in 3T3-L1 adipocytes. •Hypoxia decreased basal glucose uptake and lipogenic proteins in 3T3-L1 adipocytes. •Hypoxia-mediated lipogenesis may be an attractive therapeutic target against obesity. -- Abstract: Background: A previous study has demonstrated that endurance training under hypoxia results in a greater reduction in body fat mass compared to exercise under normoxia. However, the cellular and molecular mechanisms that underlie this hypoxia-mediated reduction in fat mass remain uncertain. Here, we examine the effects of modest hypoxia on adipocyte function. Methods: Differentiated 3T3-L1 adipocytes were incubated at 5% O{sub 2} for 1 week (long-term hypoxia, HL) or one day (short-term hypoxia, HS) and compared with a normoxia control (NC). Results: HL, but not HS, resulted in a significant reduction in lipid droplet size and triglyceride content (by 50%) compared to NC (p < 0.01). As estimated by glycerol release, isoproterenol-induced lipolysis was significantly lowered by hypoxia, whereas the release of free fatty acids under the basal condition was prominently enhanced with HL compared to NC or HS (p < 0.01). Lipolysis-associated proteins, such as perilipin 1 and hormone-sensitive lipase, were unchanged, whereas adipose triglyceride lipase and its activator protein CGI-58 were decreased with HL in comparison to NC. Interestingly, such lipogenic proteins as fatty acid synthase, lipin-1, and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma were decreased. Furthermore, the uptake of glucose, the major precursor of 3-glycerol phosphate for triglyceride synthesis, was significantly reduced in HL compared to NC or HS (p < 0.01). Conclusion: We conclude that hypoxia has a direct impact on reducing the triglyceride content and lipid droplet size via

Modest hypoxia significantly reduces triglyceride content and lipid droplet size in 3T3-L1 adipocytes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hashimoto, Takeshi; Yokokawa, Takumi; Endo, Yuriko; Iwanaka, Nobumasa; Higashida, Kazuhiko; Taguchi, Sadayoshi

2013-01-01

Highlights: •Long-term hypoxia decreased the size of LDs and lipid storage in 3T3-L1 adipocytes. •Long-term hypoxia increased basal lipolysis in 3T3-L1 adipocytes. •Hypoxia decreased lipid-associated proteins in 3T3-L1 adipocytes. •Hypoxia decreased basal glucose uptake and lipogenic proteins in 3T3-L1 adipocytes. •Hypoxia-mediated lipogenesis may be an attractive therapeutic target against obesity. -- Abstract: Background: A previous study has demonstrated that endurance training under hypoxia results in a greater reduction in body fat mass compared to exercise under normoxia. However, the cellular and molecular mechanisms that underlie this hypoxia-mediated reduction in fat mass remain uncertain. Here, we examine the effects of modest hypoxia on adipocyte function. Methods: Differentiated 3T3-L1 adipocytes were incubated at 5% O 2 for 1 week (long-term hypoxia, HL) or one day (short-term hypoxia, HS) and compared with a normoxia control (NC). Results: HL, but not HS, resulted in a significant reduction in lipid droplet size and triglyceride content (by 50%) compared to NC (p < 0.01). As estimated by glycerol release, isoproterenol-induced lipolysis was significantly lowered by hypoxia, whereas the release of free fatty acids under the basal condition was prominently enhanced with HL compared to NC or HS (p < 0.01). Lipolysis-associated proteins, such as perilipin 1 and hormone-sensitive lipase, were unchanged, whereas adipose triglyceride lipase and its activator protein CGI-58 were decreased with HL in comparison to NC. Interestingly, such lipogenic proteins as fatty acid synthase, lipin-1, and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma were decreased. Furthermore, the uptake of glucose, the major precursor of 3-glycerol phosphate for triglyceride synthesis, was significantly reduced in HL compared to NC or HS (p < 0.01). Conclusion: We conclude that hypoxia has a direct impact on reducing the triglyceride content and lipid droplet size via

Pharmacologic MRI (phMRI) as a tool to differentiate Parkinson's disease-related from age-related changes in basal ganglia function.

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Andersen, Anders H; Hardy, Peter A; Forman, Eric; Gerhardt, Greg A; Gash, Don M; Grondin, Richard C; Zhang, Zhiming

2015-02-01

The prevalence of both parkinsonian signs and Parkinson's disease (PD) per se increases with age. Although the pathophysiology of PD has been studied extensively, less is known about the functional changes taking place in the basal ganglia circuitry with age. To specifically address this issue, 3 groups of rhesus macaques were studied: normal middle-aged animals (used as controls), middle-aged animals with 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP)-induced parkinsonism, and aged animals (>20 years old) with declines in motor function. All animals underwent the same behavioral and pharmacologic magnetic resonance imaging (phMRI) procedures to measure changes in basal ganglia function in response to dopaminergic drug challenges consisting of apomorphine administration followed by either a D1 (SCH23390) or a D2 (raclopride) receptor antagonist. Significant functional changes were predominantly seen in the external segment of the globus pallidus (GPe) in aged animals and in the striatum (caudate nucleus and putamen) in MPTP-lesioned animals. Despite significant differences seen in the putamen and GPe between MPTP-lesioned versus aged animals, a similar response profile to dopaminergic stimulations was found between these 2 groups in the internal segment of the GP. In contrast, the pharmacologic responses seen in the control animals were much milder compared with the other 2 groups in all the examined areas. Our phMRI findings in MPTP-lesioned parkinsonian and aged animals suggest that changes in basal ganglia function in the elderly may differ from those seen in parkinsonian patients and that phMRI could be used to distinguish PD from other age-associated functional alterations in the brain. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Effect of diet on maintenance of acid-basal balance in blood of dairy cows

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Gaál T.

2003-01-01

Full Text Available High-performance breeds of ruminants often exhibit production disorders which can be accompanied by a disturbed acid-basal balance. Most of the disorders in the acid-basal balance are closely related to digressions in the diet norms of these animals. A deficiency or surplus of energy equally cause disorders in the acid-basal status of the organism. Metabolic acidosis is the most frequent of the four types of basic disorders in the acid-basal balance in ruminants. It appears as a consequence of rumen acidosis, ketosis, or diarrhea. Acute disorders in the acid-basal balance are far more dangerous than chronic ones. Therapy of the basic diseases is generally sufficient compensation for the effects of the acid-basal disorders, but in certain cases it is necessary to perform alkalization, that is, acidification of the rumen content using the necessary preparations.

Sixteen-Day Bedrest Significantly Increases Plasma Colloid Osmotic Pressure

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Hargens, Alan R.; Hsieh, S. T.; Murthy, G.; Ballard, R. E.; Convertino, V. A.; Wade, Charles E. (Technical Monitor)

1994-01-01

Upon exposure to microgravity, astronauts lose up to 10% of their total plasma volume, which may contribute to orthostatic intolerance after space flight. Because plasma colloid osmotic pressure (COP) is a primary factor maintaining plasma volume, our objective was to measure time course changes in COP during microgravity simulated by 6 deg. head-down tilt (HDT). Seven healthy male subjects (30-55 years of age) were placed in HDT for 16 days. For the purpose of another study, three of the seven subjects were chosen to exercise on a cycle ergometer on day 16. Blood samples were drawn immediately before bedrest on day 14 of bedrest, 18-24 hours following exercise while all subjects were still in HDT and 1 hour following bedrest termination. Plasma COP was measured in all 20 microliter EDTA-treated samples using an osmometer fitted with a PM 30 membrane. Data were analyzed with paired and unpaired t-tests. Plasma COP on day 14 of bedrest (29.9 +/- 0.69 mmHg) was significantly higher (p less than 0.005) than the control, pre-bedrest value (23.1 +/- 0.76 mmHg). At one hour of upright recovery after HDT, plasma COP remained significantly elevated (exercise: 26.9 +/- 0.87 mmHg; no exercise: 26.3 +/- 0.85 mmHg). Additionally, exercise had no significant effect on plasma COP 18-24 hours following exercise (exercise: 27.8 +/- 1.09 mmHg; no exercise: 27.1 +/- 0.78 mmHg). Our results demonstrate that plasma COP increases significantly with microgravity simulated by HDT. However, preliminary results indicate exercise during HDT does not significantly affect plasma COP.

Perception of Diabetic Patients Regarding Basal Bolus Insulin Injections and Outcome of its Use

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shahid, M.; Sarfraz, A.; Mahar, S. A.; Alam, M.; Shaikh, S.; Shahid, N.

2016-01-01

Objective: To assess the perceptions regarding basal bolus insulin injections and the changes in blood glucose levels and glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) before and after 3 months of such treatment in diabetic patients. Study Design: Quasi-experimental study. Place and Duration of Study: Department of Endocrinology, Liaquat National Hospital, Karachi, from December 2014 to March 2015. Methodology: A total of 222 diabetic patients started on basal bolus insulin injection were enrolled and asked to answer 17 questions. Those with complications of diabetes were excluded. Fasting blood glucose (FBS), random blood glucose (RBS) and HbA1c levels were checked initially, and after 3 months of getting basal bolus insulin. Paired t-test and chi-square test were used for determining p-value with significance at p < 0.05. Results: Majority (n=217, 97.7 percentage) of the patients were previously taking other insulins. Before starting this treatment, the mean FBS was 260.5 ± 52.2 mg/dl, RBS was 385.5 percentage 47.61 mg/dl and HbA1c was 12.76 percentage 1.92 percentage. After 3 months of treatment, FBS improved to 117.9 ± 14.2 mg/dl, RBS was 156.7 ± 17.09 mg/dl and HbA1c was 7.72 ± 4.41 percentage (p < 0.001). Two hundred and sixteen (97.3 percentage) patients believed that basal bolus insulin was started as their diabetes worsened; 15 (70.70 percentage) thought that their blood glucose control would improve with the use of this form of insulin. One hundred and ninety four (87.4 percentage) had fear of needle injections. Perceptions regarding hypoglycemia with this form of insulin were observed in 157 (70.7 percentage). One hundred and twenty seven (84.1 percentage) of the females and 51 (71.8 percentage) of the males thought that the basal bolus insulin regimen was too expensive (p=0.032). Conclusion: There were many misconceptions in patients who were started on basal bolus insulin. Marked improvement in blood glucose levels and HbA1c were observed after the use of this

Imiquimod activates p53-dependent apoptosis in a human basal cell carcinoma cell line.

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Huang, Shi-Wei; Chang, Shu-Hao; Mu, Szu-Wei; Jiang, Hsin-Yi; Wang, Sin-Ting; Kao, Jun-Kai; Huang, Jau-Ling; Wu, Chun-Ying; Chen, Yi-Ju; Shieh, Jeng-Jer

2016-03-01

The tumor suppressor p53 controls DNA repair, cell cycle, apoptosis, autophagy and numerous other cellular processes. Imiquimod (IMQ), a synthetic toll-like receptor (TLR) 7 ligand for the treatment of superficial basal cell carcinoma (BCC), eliminates cancer cells by activating cell-mediated immunity and directly inducing apoptosis and autophagy in cancer cells. To evaluate the role of p53 in IMQ-induced cell death in skin cancer cells. The expression, phosphorylation and subcellular localization of p53 were detected by real-time PCR, luciferase reporter assay, cycloheximide chase analysis, immunoblotting and immunocytochemistry. Using BCC/KMC1 cell line as a model, the upstream signaling of p53 activation was dissected by over-expression of TLR7/8, the addition of ROS scavenger, ATM/ATR inhibitors and pan-caspase inhibitor. The role of p53 in IMQ-induced apoptosis and autophagy was assessed by genetically silencing p53 and evaluated by a DNA content assay, immunoblotting, LC3 puncta detection and acridine orange staining. IMQ induced p53 mRNA expression and protein accumulation, increased Ser15 phosphorylation, promoted nuclear translocation and up-regulated its target genes in skin cancer cells in a TLR7/8-independent manner. In BCC/KMC1 cells, the induction of p53 by IMQ was achieved through increased ROS production to stimulate the ATM/ATR-Chk1/Chk2 axis but was not mediated by inducing DNA damage. The pharmacological inhibition of ATM/ATR significantly suppressed IMQ-induced p53 activation and apoptosis. Silencing of p53 significantly decreased the IMQ-induced caspase cascade activation and apoptosis but enhanced autophagy. Mutant p53 skin cancer cell lines were more resistant to IMQ-induced apoptosis than wildtype p53 skin cancer cell lines. IMQ induced ROS production to stimulate ATM/ATR pathways and contributed to p53-dependent apoptosis in a skin basal cell carcinoma cell line BCC/KMC1. Copyright © 2015 Japanese Society for Investigative Dermatology

Basal Cell Carcinoma with Myoepithelial Differentiation: Case Report and Literature Review.

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Cohen, Philip R

2018-01-17

Basal cell carcinoma is the most common skin cancer. Myoepithelial cells are specialized epithelial cells. Basal cell carcinoma with myoepithelial differentiation is a rare tumor. A 71-year-old man with a basal cell carcinoma with myoepithelial differentiation that presented as an asymptomatic red papule of two months duration on his forehead is described. Including the reported patient, this variant of basal cell carcinoma has been described in 16 patients: 11 men and five women. The patients ranged in age at diagnosis from 43 years to 83 years; the median age at diagnosis was 66 years. All of the tumors were located on the face-most were papules or nodules of less than 10 x 10 mm. Their pathology demonstrated two components: one was that of a typical basal cell carcinoma and the other was myoepithelioma-like in which the tumor cells were plasmacytoid or signet ring in appearance and contained abundant eosinophilic cytoplasm or hyaline inclusions or both. The myoepithelial tumor cells had variable immunohistochemical expression that included not only cytokeratin but also actin, glial fibrillary acid protein, S100, and vimentin. The most common clinical impression, prior to biopsy, was a basal cell carcinoma. The pathologic differential diagnosis included cutaneous mixed sweat gland tumor of the skin, myoepithelioma, myoepithelial carcinoma, and tumors that contain a prominent signet ring cell component (such as metastatic gastrointestinal and breast carcinoma, melanoma, plasmacytoid squamous cell carcinoma, and T-cell lymphoma). Mohs micrographic surgical excision, with complete removal of the tumor, was recommended for treatment of the carcinoma.

Risk factors for basal cell carcinoma: a case-control study

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Marcus Maia

1995-02-01

Full Text Available A controlled trial was performed with the purpose of investigating which factors could be considered of significant risk for the development of basal cell carcinoma. A total of 259 cases of basal cell carcinoma diagnosed from July 1991 to July 1992 were compared with 518 controls matched for age and sex. All subjects in both groups were white. Protocol data were submitted to statistical analysis by the chi-square test and by multiple conditional logistic regression analysis and the following conclusions were reached: 1 light skin color (types I and II of the Fitzpatrick classification, odds ratio of 2.8; outdoor work under constant sunlight, odds ratio of 5.0; the presence of actinic lesions due to exposure to the sun, odds ratio of 4.9, are risk factors perse. 2 Type III skin in the Fitzpatrick classification only represents a risk factor when the patient reports a history of intense sunburns, but not in the absence of such a history. 3 Sunburns per se do not represent a risk factor althorig the point made in item 2 of these conclusions is valid. 4 Other suspected risk factors whose significance was not confirmed by multiple conditioned logistic regression analysis were: residence in rural areas, light eyes and blond hair color, extent of the awareness of the "sun x skin cancer" relationship, familial occurrence of skin cancer, excessive exposure to the sun, and freckles appearing in childhood.

Priming stimulation of basal but not lateral amygdala affects long-term potentiation in the rat dentate gyrus in vivo.

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Li, Z; Richter-Levin, G

2013-08-29

The amygdaloid complex, or amygdala, has been implicated in assigning emotional significance to sensory information and producing appropriate behavioral responses to external stimuli. The lateral and basal nuclei (lateral and basal amygdala), which are termed together as basolateral amygdala, play a critical role in emotional and motivational learning and memory. It has been established that the basolateral amygdala activation by behavioral manipulations or direct electrical stimulation can modulate hippocampal long-term potentiation (LTP), a putative cellular mechanism of memory. However, the specific functional role of each subnucleus in the modulation of hippocampal LTP has not been studied yet, even though studies have shown cytoarchitectural differences between the basal and lateral amygdala and differences in the connections of each one of them to other brain areas. In this study we have tested the effects of lateral or basal amygdala pre-stimulation on hippocampal dentate gyrus LTP, induced by theta burst stimulation of the perforant path, in anesthetized rats. We found that while priming stimulation of the lateral amygdala did not affect LTP of the dentate gyrus, priming stimulation of the basal amygdala enhanced the LTP response when the priming stimulation was relatively weak, but impaired it when it was relatively strong. These results show that the basal and lateral nuclei of the amygdala, which have been already shown to differ in their anatomy and connectivity, may also have different functional roles. These findings raise the possibility that the lateral and basal amygdala differentially modulate memory processes in the hippocampus under emotional and motivational situations. Copyright © 2013 IBRO. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The role of basal ganglia in language production: evidence from Parkinson's disease.

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Macoir, Joël; Fossard, Marion; Mérette, Chantal; Langlois, Mélanie; Chantal, Sophie; Auclair-Ouellet, Noémie

2013-01-01

According to the dominant view in the literature, basal ganglia do not play a direct role in language but are involved in cognitive control required by linguistic and non-linguistic processing. In Parkinson's disease, basal ganglia impairment leads to motor symptoms and language deficits; those affecting the production of verbs have been frequently explored. According to a controversial theory, basal ganglia play a specific role in the conjugation of regular verbs as compared to irregular verbs. We report the results of 15 patients with Parkinson's disease in experimental conjugation tasks. They performed below healthy controls but their performance did not differ for regular and irregular verbs. These results confirm that basal ganglia are involved in language processing but do not play a specific role in verb production.

Assessment of Cerebral Hemodynamic Changes in Pediatric Patients with Moyamoya Disease Using Probabilistic Maps on Analysis of Basal/Acetazolamide Stress Brain Perfusion SPECT

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Lee, Ho Young; Lee, Jae Sung; Kim, Seung Ki; Wang, Kyu Chang; Cho, Byung Kyu; Chung, June Key; Lee, Myung Chul; Lee, Dong Soo [Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul (Korea, Republic of)

2008-06-15

To evaluate the hemodynamic changes and the predictive factors of the clinical outcome in pediatric patients with moyamoya disease, we analyzed pre/post basal/acetazolamide stress brain perfusion SPECT with automated volume of interest (VOIs) method. Total fifty six (M:F=33:24, age 6.7{+-}3.2 years) pediatric patients with moyamoya disease, who underwent basal/acetazolamide stress brain perfusion SPECT within 6 before and after revascularization surgery (encephalo-duro-arterio-synangiosis (EDAS) with frontal encephalo-galeo-synangiosis (EGS) and EDAS only followed on contralateral hemisphere), and followed-up more than 6 months after post-operative SPECT, were included. A mean follow-up period after post-operative SPECT was 33{+-}21 months. Each patient's SPECT image was spatially normalized to Korean template with the SPM2. For the regional count normalization, the count of pons was used as a reference region. The basal/acetazolamide-stressed cerebral blood flow (CBF), the cerebral vascular reserve index (CVRI), and the extent of area with significantly decreased basal/acetazolamide- stressed rCBF than age-matched normal control were evaluated on both medial frontal, frontal, parietal, occipital lobes, and whole brain in each patient's images. The post-operative clinical outcome was assigned as good, poor according to the presence of transient ischemic attacks and/or fixed neurological deficits by pediatric neurosurgeon. In a paired t-test, basal/acetazolamide-stressed rCBF and the CVRI were significantly improved after revascularization (p<0.05). The significant difference in the pre-operative basal/acetazolamide-stressed rCBF and the CVRI between the hemispheres where EDAS with frontal EGS was performed and their contralateral counterparts where EDAS only was done disappeared after operation (p<0.05). In an independent student t-test, the pre-operative basal rCBF in the medial frontal gyrus, the post-operative CVRI in the frontal lobe and the parietal

Shell bone histology indicates terrestrial palaeoecology of basal turtles.

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Scheyer, Torsten M; Sander, P Martin

2007-08-07

The palaeoecology of basal turtles from the Late Triassic was classically viewed as being semi-aquatic, similar to the lifestyle of modern snapping turtles. Lately, this view was questioned based on limb bone proportions, and a terrestrial palaeoecology was suggested for the turtle stem. Here, we present independent shell bone microstructural evidence for a terrestrial habitat of the oldest and basal most well-known turtles, i.e. the Upper Triassic Proterochersis robusta and Proganochelys quenstedti. Comparison of their shell bone histology with that of extant turtles preferring either aquatic habitats or terrestrial habitats clearly reveals congruence with terrestrial turtle taxa. Similarities in the shell bones of these turtles are a diploe structure with well-developed external and internal cortices, weak vascularization of the compact bone layers and a dense nature of the interior cancellous bone with overall short trabeculae. On the other hand, 'aquatic' turtles tend to reduce cortical bone layers, while increasing overall vascularization of the bone tissue. In contrast to the study of limb bone proportions, the present study is independent from the uncommon preservation of appendicular skeletal elements in fossil turtles, enabling the palaeoecological study of a much broader range of incompletely known turtle taxa in the fossil record.

Sas-4 proteins are required during basal body duplication in Paramecium

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Gogendeau, Delphine; Hurbain, Ilse; Raposo, Graca; Cohen, Jean; Koll, France; Basto, Renata

2011-01-01

Centrioles and basal bodies are structurally related organelles composed of nine microtubule (MT) triplets. Studies performed in Caenorhabditis elegans embryos have shown that centriole duplication takes place in sequential way, in which different proteins are recruited in a specific order to assemble a procentriole. ZYG-1 initiates centriole duplication by triggering the recruitment of a complex of SAS-5 and SAS-6, which then recruits the final player, SAS-4, to allow the incorporation of MT singlets. It is thought that a similar mechanism (that also involves additional proteins) is present in other animal cells, but it remains to be investigated whether the same players and their ascribed functions are conserved during basal body duplication in cells that exclusively contain basal bodies. To investigate this question, we have used the multiciliated protist Paramecium tetraurelia. Here we show that in the absence of PtSas4, two types of defects in basal body duplication can be identified. In the majority of cases, the germinative disk and cartwheel, the first structures assembled during duplication, are not detected. In addition, if daughter basal bodies were formed, they invariably had defects in MT recruitment. Our results suggest that PtSas4 has a broader function than its animal orthologues. PMID:21289083

Basal insulin analogues in the treatment of diabetes mellitus: What progress have we made?

OpenAIRE

Kalra, Sanjay

2015-01-01

Over the past few decades, continuous progress has been made in the development of insulin therapy. Basal insulins were developed around 60 years ago. However, existing basal insulins were found to have limitations. An ideal basal insulin should have the following properties viz. longer duration of action, a flat time-action profile, low day-to-day glycaemic variability, and the potential for flexible dosing. Basal insulins have advanced over the years, from lectin and neutral protamine Haged...

Severe hypoglycemia rates and associated costs among type 2 diabetics starting basal insulin therapy in the United States.

Science.gov (United States)

Ganz, Michael L; Wintfeld, Neil S; Li, Qian; Lee, Yuan-Chi; Gatt, Elyse; Huang, Joanna C

2014-10-01

To derive current real-world data on the rates and costs of severe hypoglycemia (SH) for people with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2D) who have initiated basal insulin therapy and to examine differences in SH rates and costs stratified by history of prior SH events. We used a nation-wide electronic health records database that included encounter and laboratory data, as well as clinical notes, to estimate the rates and costs of SH events among adults with T2D who initiated basal insulin between 2008 and 2011. Unadjusted and regression-adjusted rates and quarterly costs were calculated for all patients as well as stratified by history of a SH event before starting basal insulin and history of a SH event during the basal insulin titration period. We identified 7235 incident cases of basal insulin use among patients with T2D who did not use insulin during the previous 12 months. Regression-adjusted incidence and total event rates were 10.36 and 11.21 per 100 patient-years, respectively. A history of SH events during the pre-index baseline and post-index titration periods were statistically significantly associated with both the incidence and total event rates (p history of previous SH or SH events during the titration period were not statistically significantly associated with costs. These results suggest that the real-world burden of SH is high among people with T2D who start using basal insulin and that history of previous SH events, both before starting insulin and during the insulin titration period, influences future SH. These results can also provide insights into interventions that can prevent or delay SH. These results should, however, be interpreted in light of the key limitations of our study: not all SH events may have been captured or coded in the database, data on filled prescriptions were not available, and the post-titration follow-up period could have been divided into time units other than quarters (3 month blocks) resulting in potentially different

1H MR spectroscopy of the basal ganglia in childhood: a semiquantitative analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lam, W.W.M.; Zhao, H.; Berry, G.T.; Kaplan, P.; Gibson, J.; Kaplan, B.S.

1998-01-01

Proton MR spectra of the basal ganglia were obtained from 28 patients, 24 male and 14 female, median age 16.3 months (5 weeks to 31 years). They included 17 patients with normal MRI of the basal ganglia without metabolic disturbance (control group) and 11 patients with various metabolic diseases: one case each of high serum sodium and high serum osmolarity, cobalamin C deficiency, Leigh disease, Galloway-Mowat syndrome, Pelizaeus-Merzbacher disease, hemolytic-uremic syndrome and Wilson disease and two cases of Alagille syndrome and methylmalonic acidemia with abnormal MRI of the basal ganglia or blood or urine analysis (abnormal group). The MR spectrum was measured by using STEAM. The MR-visible water content of the region of interest was obtained. Levels of myoinositol, choline, creatine and N -acetylaspartate were measured using a semiquantitative approach, with absolute reference calibration. In the control group, there was a gradual drop of water content over the first year of life; N -acetylaspartate, creatine and myoinositol levels showed no significant change with age, in contrast to the occipital, parietal and cerebellar regions. Choline showed a gradual decrease for the first 2 years of life and then remained fairly constant. In the abnormal group the water content was not significantly different. N -Acetylaspartate was decreased in patients with high serum sodium and high serum osmolarity, cobalamin C deficiency, Leigh disease and one case of methylmalonic acidemia. Decreased creatine was also found in Leigh disease, and decreased choline in Galloway-Mowat syndrome and Wilson disease. Myoinositol was elevated in the patient with abnormally high serum sodium, and decreased in the hemolytic-uremic syndrome. (orig.)

Whole body and forearm substrate metabolism in hyperthyroidism: evidence of increased basal muscle protein breakdown.

Science.gov (United States)

Riis, Anne Lene Dalkjaer; Jørgensen, Jens Otto Lunde; Gjedde, Signe; Nørrelund, Helene; Jurik, Anne Grethe; Nair, K S; Ivarsen, Per; Weeke, Jørgen; Møller, Niels

2005-06-01

Thyroid hormones have significant metabolic effects, and muscle wasting and weakness are prominent clinical features of chronic hyperthyroidism. To assess the underlying mechanisms, we examined seven hyperthyroid women with Graves' disease before (Ht) and after (Eut) medical treatment and seven control subjects (Ctr). All subjects underwent a 3-h study in the postabsorptive state. After regional catheterization, protein dynamics of the whole body and of the forearm muscles were measured by amino acid tracer dilution technique using [15N]phenylalanine and [2H4]tyrosine. Before treatment, triiodothyronine was elevated (6.6 nmol/l) and whole body protein breakdown was increased 40%. The net forearm release of phenylalanine was increased in hyperthyroidism (microg.100 ml(-1).min(-1)): -7.0 +/- 1.2 Ht vs. -3.8 +/- 0.8 Eut (P = 0.04), -4.2 +/- 0.3 Ctr (P = 0.048). Muscle protein breakdown, assessed by phenylalanine rate of appearance, was increased (microg.100 ml(-1).min(-1)): 15.5 +/- 2.0 Ht vs. 9.6 +/- 1.4 Eut (P = 0.03), 9.9 +/- 0.6 Ctr (P = 0.02). Muscle protein synthesis rate did not differ significantly. Muscle mass and muscle function were decreased 10-20% before treatment. All abnormalities were normalized after therapy. In conclusion, our results show that hyperthyroidism is associated with increased muscle amino acid release resulting from increased muscle protein breakdown. These abnormalities can explain the clinical manifestations of sarcopenia and myopathy.

Bilateral hyperintense basal ganglia on T1-weighted image

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Baik, Seung Kug; Ahn, Woo Hyun; Choi, Han Yong; Kim, Bong Gi

1994-01-01

Bilateral high signal intensity in basal ganglia on T1-weighted images is unusual, the purpose of this study is to describe the pattern of high signal intensity and underlying disease. During the last three years, 8 patients showed bilateral high signal intensity in basal ganglia on T1-weighted image, as compared with cerebral white matter. Authors analyzed the images and underlying causes retrospectively. Of 8 patients, 5 were male and 3 were female. The age ranged from 15 days to 79 years. All patient were examined by a 0.5T superconductive MRI. Images were obtained by spin echo multislice technique. Underlying causes were 4 cases of hepatopathy, 2 cases of calcium metabolism disorder, and one case each of neurofibromatosis and hypoxic brain injury. These process were bilateral in all cases and usually symmetric. In all cases the hyperintense areas were generally homogenous without mass effect or edema, although somewhat nodular appearance was seen in neurofibromatosis. Lesions were located in the globus pallidus and internal capsule in hepatopathy and neurofibromatosis, head of the caudate nucleus in disorder of calcum metabolism, and the globus pallidus in hypoxic brain injury. Although this study is limited by its patient population, bilateral hyperintense basal ganglia is associated with various disease entities. On analysis of hyperintense basal ganglia lesion, the knowledge of clinical information improved diagnostic accuracy

Case of radiation cancer associated with spinocellular carcinoma and basal cell epithelial tumor

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Oohara, K.; Ootsuka, F. (Tokyo Univ. (Japan). Faculty of Medicine); Mizoguchi, M.

1980-12-01

The patient was a 66 year-old male who had received radiotherapy for psoriasis vulgaris in frontal plane for 10 years since the age of 19. This radiotherapy was carried out once a week for 5 to 6 weeks and stopped for following 5 to 6 weeks. The source and the dose were unknown. Multiple superficial basal cell epithelial tumor occurred 32 to 33 years after that in the region over which radiation had been given. Moreover, 37 years after that, spinocellular carcinoma occurred in the same region. Spinocellular carcinoma in this case increased rapidly and reached the depth of frontal plane. Atypic of cancer cells was marked, and various findings were observed. Characteristics of these tumor cells were mixture of spindle cells and cells with vacuoles. Partially, findings common to basal cell epithelial tumor were coexisted, and senile keratosis was also discovered.

Gait variability and basal ganglia disorders: stride-to-stride variations of gait cycle timing in Parkinson's disease and Huntington's disease

Science.gov (United States)

Hausdorff, J. M.; Cudkowicz, M. E.; Firtion, R.; Wei, J. Y.; Goldberger, A. L.

1998-01-01

The basal ganglia are thought to play an important role in regulating motor programs involved in gait and in the fluidity and sequencing of movement. We postulated that the ability to maintain a steady gait, with low stride-to-stride variability of gait cycle timing and its subphases, would be diminished with both Parkinson's disease (PD) and Huntington's disease (HD). To test this hypothesis, we obtained quantitative measures of stride-to-stride variability of gait cycle timing in subjects with PD (n = 15), HD (n = 20), and disease-free controls (n = 16). All measures of gait variability were significantly increased in PD and HD. In subjects with PD and HD, gait variability measures were two and three times that observed in control subjects, respectively. The degree of gait variability correlated with disease severity. In contrast, gait speed was significantly lower in PD, but not in HD, and average gait cycle duration and the time spent in many subphases of the gait cycle were similar in control subjects, HD subjects, and PD subjects. These findings are consistent with a differential control of gait variability, speed, and average gait cycle timing that may have implications for understanding the role of the basal ganglia in locomotor control and for quantitatively assessing gait in clinical settings.

Psychological Assessment of Patients With Biotin-Thiamine-Responsive Basal Ganglia Disease.

Science.gov (United States)

Alfadhel, Majid; Al-Bluwi, Amal

2017-01-01

Biotin-thiamine-responsive basal ganglia disease is a devastating autosomal recessive inherited neurological disorder. We conducted a retrospective chart review of all patients with biotin-thiamine-responsive basal ganglia disease who underwent a formal psychological assessment. Six females and 3 males were included. Five patients (56%) had an average IQ, two patients (22%) had mild delay, and two (22%) had severe delay. A normal outcome was directly related to the time of diagnosis and initiation of treatment. Early diagnosis and immediate commencement of treatment were associated with a favorable outcome and vice versa. The most affected domain was visual motor integration, while understanding and mathematical problem-solving were the least affected. In summary, this is the first study discussing the psychological assessment of patients with biotin-thiamine-responsive basal ganglia disease. The results of this study alert clinicians to consider prompt initiation of biotin and thiamine in any patient presenting with neuroregression and a basal ganglia lesion on a brain magnetic resonance imaging.

A comparison of basal reflectivity and ice velocity in East Antarctica

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

R. W. Jacobel

2010-10-01

Full Text Available Ground-based radio echo sounding data acquired along the 1700 km US-ITASE traverse have been used to determine ice attenuation and relative basal reflectivity across the major catchments funneling ice from East Antarctica to the Ross Ice Shelf. We find that basal reflectivity varies locally by up to 40 dB which we interpret as due to changes in the phase state at the bed. Some, though not all, areas of high local reflectivity are observed to have flat-lying bed reflections indicative of sub-glacial lakes. We compare basal reflectivity to ice balance velocity and find a general association of higher flow speeds with high radar reflection strength. This set of observations from two independent remotely sensed geophysical data sets extends the range of field observations to the interior of East Antarctica and confirms the importance of basal lubrication on modulating the ice dynamics of the largest ice sheet on the planet.

Using basal area to estimate aboveground carbon stocks in forests: La Primavera Biosphere's Reserve, Mexico

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Balderas Torres, Arturo; Lovett, Jonathan Cranidge

2012-01-01

Increasing use of woody plants for greenhouse gas mitigation has led to demand for rapid, cost-effective estimation of forest carbon stocks. Bole diameter is readily measured and basal area can be correlated to biomass and carbon through application of allometric equations. We explore different

Progression of urothelial carcinoma in situ of the urinary bladder: a switch from luminal to basal phenotype and related therapeutic implications.

Science.gov (United States)

Barth, Isabella; Schneider, Ursula; Grimm, Tobias; Karl, Alexander; Horst, David; Gaisa, Nadine T; Knüchel, Ruth; Garczyk, Stefan

2018-05-01

The stratification of bladder cancer into luminal and basal tumors has recently been introduced as a novel prognostic system in patient cohorts of muscle-invasive bladder cancer or high-grade papillary carcinomas. Using a representative immunohistochemistry panel, we analyzed luminal and basal marker expression in a large case series (n = 156) of urothelial carcinoma in situ (CIS), a precancerous lesion that frequently progresses to muscle-invasive disease. The majority of CIS cases was characterized by a positivity for luminal markers (aberrant cytokeratin (CK) 20 85% (132/156), GATA3 median Remmele score (score of staining intensity (0-3) multiplied with percentage of positive cells (0-4)): 12, estrogen receptor (ER) β Remmele score > 2: 88% (138/156), human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (Her2) Dako score 3+ 32% (50/156), Her2 Dako score 2+ 33% (51/156)), and marginal expression of basal markers (CK5/6+ 2% (3/156), CK14+ 1% (2/156)). To further investigate phenotypic stability during disease progression, we compared 48 pairs of CIS and invasive tumors from the same biopsy. A highly significant loss of luminal marker expression (p < 0.001) was observed in the course of progression whereas an increase of basal marker expression (p < 0.01) was noted in the invasive compartment. Importantly, 91% of CIS cases demonstrated a positivity for at least one of the two predictive markers Her2 and ERβ, indicating that the analysis of Her2 and ERβ may help to identify CIS-patient subgroups prone to more efficient targeted treatment strategies. Larger prospective and biomarker-embedded clinical trials are needed to confirm and validate our preliminary findings.

[Modern diagnosis and treatment in children with congenital basal encephalocele].

Science.gov (United States)

Sakharov, A V; Roginskiy, V V; Kapitanov, D N; Ivanov, A L; Shelesko, E V; Gorelyshev, S K; Evteev, A A; Lemeneva, N V; Zinkevich, D N; Kochkin, Yu A; Ozerova, V I; Satanin, L A

Basal encephalocele is a rare disease that predominantly occurs in children. Its most common symptoms include nasal liquorrhea, difficulty in nasal breathing, and deformity of the naso-orbital region. The study group included 19 patients with basal encephalocele, aged 2 months to 18 years. Ten (59%) patients were operated on through a transnasal endoscopic approach; 3 (17.5%) patients were operated on through a transcranial approach; 4 (23.5%) patients were operated on using a combined approach: the patients underwent simultaneous elimination of a cranio-orbital region deformity using the basal transcranial approach as well as hernial sac resection and hernioplasty using the transnasal endoscopic approach. Two children had no surgery due to minimal symptoms and a lack of cerebrospinal fluid leak. Application of the algorithms for diagnosis and treatment of encephalocele, suggested by the authors, enabled making the timely diagnose, defining the optimal surgical tactics, and achieving good treatment results. A differentiated approach to the choice of a surgical technique for basal encephalocele, the use of auto-tissues for skull base reconstruction, intraoperative and postoperative lumbar drainage, and simultaneous elimination of deformity of the fronto-naso-orbital region enable avoiding complications and achieving good functional and aesthetic results.

Neglected giant scalp Basal cell carcinoma

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Larsen, Anne Kristine; El-Charnoubi, Waseem-Asim Ghulam; Gehl, Julie

2014-01-01

control, a satisfactory long-term cosmetic and functional result. We present a case with a neglected basal cell scalp carcinoma, treated with wide excision and postoperative radiotherapy, reconstructed with a free latissimus dorsi flap. The cosmetic result is acceptable and there is no sign of recurrence...

Nevoid basal cell carcinoma syndrome. Profile of genetic and environmental factors in oncogenesis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Howell, J.B.

1984-01-01

Nevoid basal cell carcinomas (NBCCs) are a prototype of a genetic form of basal cell carcinoma. These basal cell cancers, rather than being caused by genetic factors alone, are most likely the product of genetic and environmental factors. The NBCC syndrome provides a model for studying tumors induced by ionizing radiation and for viewing carcinogenesis as a multistage process explainable by a minimum of two steps. The interaction of genetic and environmental factors in producing tumors to which an individual is predisposed can be studied in patients with the NBCC syndrome and childhood medulloblastoma that was treated by radiation therapy. Individuals with the NBCC syndrome represent a special subgroup with a hereditary predisposition to basal cell carcinoma in whom ionizing radiation may supply the subsequent mutation necessary for tumor development. The genetically altered epidermis underlying the palm and sole pits found in patients with the syndrome represents basal cell carcinoma in situ from which basal cell carcinomas develop, albeit infrequently. The restrained biologic behavior of most of these tumors contrasts with the usual destructive behavior of the NBCCs of the head and neck in the same patient

Past, present and future of the pathophysiological model of the basal ganglia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jose A Obeso

2011-07-01

Full Text Available The current model of basal ganglia was introduced two decades ago and has settled most of our current understanding of basal ganglia function and dysfunction. Extensive research efforts have been carried out in recent years leading to further refinement and understanding of the normal and diseased basal ganglia. Several questions, however, are yet to be resolved. This short review provides a synopsis of the evolution of thought regarding the pathophysiological model of the BG and summarizes the main recent findings and additions to this field of research. We have also tried to identify major challenges that need to be addressed and resolved in the near future. Detailed accounts and state-of-the-art developments concerning research on the basal ganglia are provided in the articles that make up this Special Issue.

Imaging of basal cell carcinoma by high-definition optical coherence tomography

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Boone, M A L M; Norrenberg, S; Jemec, G B E

2012-01-01

With the continued development of noninvasive therapies for basal cell carcinoma (BCC) such as photodynamic therapy and immune therapies, noninvasive diagnosis and monitoring become increasingly relevant. High-definition optical coherence tomography (HD-OCT) is a high-resolution imaging tool, wit......, with micrometre resolution in both transversal and axial directions, enabling visualization of individual cells up to a depth of around 570 μm, and filling the imaging gap between conventional optical coherence tomography (OCT) and reflectance confocal microscopy (RCM)....

Basal Cell Carcinoma Arising in a Breast Augmentation Scar.

Science.gov (United States)

Edwards, Lisa R; Cresce, Nicole D; Russell, Mark A

2017-04-01

We report a case of a 46-year-old female who presented with a persistent lesion on the inferior right breast. The lesion was located within the scar from a breast augmentation procedure 12 years ago. The lesion had been treated as several conditions with no improvement. Biopsy revealed a superficial and nodular basal cell carcinoma, and the lesion was successfully removed with Mohs micrographic surgery. Basal cell carcinoma arising in a surgical scar is exceedingly rare with only 13 reported cases to date. This is the first reported case of basal cell carcinoma arising in a breast augmentation scar. We emphasize the importance of biopsy for suspicious lesions or those refractory to treatment, particularly those lesions that form within a scar. Level of Evidence V This journal requires that authors assign a level of evidence to each article. For a full description of these Evidence-Based Medicine ratings, please refer to the Table of Contents or the online Instructions to Authors www.springer.com/00266 .

Basal cell carcinoma of the nipple - an unusual location in a male patient.

Science.gov (United States)

Avci, Oktay; Pabuççuoğlu, Uğur; Koçdor, M Ali; Unlü, Mehtat; Akin, Ciler; Soyal, Cüneyt; Canda, Tülay

2008-02-01

Although basal cell carcinoma is extremely common, it only rarely occurs on the nipple. Men are affected more often than women. Basal cell carcinoma of the nipple-areola complex may be more aggressive as metastases to regional lymph nodes have been reported. We report a basal cell carcinoma of the nipple with features of a fibroepithelioma of Pinkus in a man and review the literature.

Proteomic Comparison of Basal Endosperm in Maize miniature1 Mutant and its Wild-type Mn1

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Cecilia eSilva-Sanchez

2013-06-01

Full Text Available Developing endosperm in maize seed is a major site for biosynthesis and storage of starch and proteins, and of immense economic importance for its role in food, feed and biofuel production. The basal part of endosperm performs a major role in solute, water and nutrition acquisition from mother plant to sustain these functions. The miniature1 (mn1 mutation is a loss-of-function mutation of the Mn1-encoded cell wall invertase that is entirely expressed in the basal endosperm and is essential for many of the metabolic and signaling functions associated with metabolically released hexose sugars in developing endosperm. Here we report a comparative proteomic study between Mn1 and mn1 basal endosperm to better understand basis of pleiotropic effects on many diverse traits in the mutant. Specifically, we used iTRAQ based quantitative proteomics combined with Gene Ontology and bioinformatics to understand functional basis of the proteomic information. A total of 2518 proteins were identified from soluble and cell wall associated protein fractions; of these 131 proteins were observed to be differentially expressed in the two genotypes. The main functional groups of proteins that were significantly different were those involved in the carbohydrate metabolic and catabolic process, and cell homeostasis. The study constitutes the first proteomic analysis of basal endosperm cell layers in relation to endosperm growth and development in maize.

Basal cell carcinoma of the skin with areas of squamous cell carcinoma: a basosquamous cell carcinoma?

OpenAIRE

de Faria, J

1985-01-01

The diagnosis of basosquamous cell carcinoma is controversial. A review of cases of basal cell carcinoma showed 23 cases that had conspicuous areas of squamous cell carcinoma. This was distinguished from squamous differentiation and keratotic basal cell carcinoma by a comparative study of 40 cases of compact lobular and 40 cases of keratotic basal cell carcinoma. Areas of intermediate tumour differentiation between basal cell and squamous cell carcinoma were found. Basal cell carcinomas with ...

Does basal metabolic rate drive eating rate?

Science.gov (United States)

Henry, Christiani Jeyakumar; Ponnalagu, Shalini; Bi, Xinyan; Forde, Ciaran

2018-05-15

There have been recent advances in our understanding of the drivers of energy intake (EI). However, the biological drivers of differences in eating rate (ER) remain less clear. Studies have reported that the fat-free mass (FFM) and basal metabolic rate (BMR) are both major components that contribute to daily energy expenditure (EE) and drive EI. More recently, a number of observations report that higher ER can lead to greater EI. The current study proposed that adults with a higher BMR and higher energy requirements would also exhibit higher ERs. Data on BMR, FFM, and ER were collected from 272 Chinese adults (91 males and 181 females) in a cross-sectional study. Analysis showed significant positive associations between BMR and ER (r s  = 0.405, p BMR explained about 15% of the variation in ER which was taken to be metabolically significant. This association provides metabolic explanation that the differences in an individual's BMR (hence energy requirements) may be correlated with ERs. This merits further research. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Androgen receptor status is a prognostic marker in non-basal triple negative breast cancers and determines novel therapeutic options.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Pierluigi Gasparini

Full Text Available Triple negative breast cancers are a heterogeneous group of tumors characterized by poor patient survival and lack of targeted therapeutics. Androgen receptor has been associated with triple negative breast cancer pathogenesis, but its role in the different subtypes has not been clearly defined. We examined androgen receptor protein expression by immunohistochemical analysis in 678 breast cancers, including 396 triple negative cancers. Fifty matched lymph node metastases were also examined. Association of expression status with clinical (race, survival and pathological (basal, non-basal subtype, stage, grade features was also evaluated. In 160 triple negative breast cancers, mRNA microarray expression profiling was performed, and differences according to androgen receptor status were analyzed. In triple negative cancers the percentage of androgen receptor positive cases was lower (24.8% vs 81.6% of non-triple negative cases, especially in African American women (16.7% vs 25.5% of cancers of white women. No significant difference in androgen receptor expression was observed in primary tumors vs matched metastatic lesions. Positive androgen receptor immunoreactivity was inversely correlated with tumor grade (p<0.01 and associated with better overall patient survival (p = 0.032 in the non-basal triple negative cancer group. In the microarray study, expression of three genes (HER4, TNFSF10, CDK6 showed significant deregulation in association with androgen receptor status; eg CDK6, a novel therapeutic target in triple negative cancers, showed significantly higher expression level in androgen receptor negative cases (p<0.01. These findings confirm the prognostic impact of androgen receptor expression in non-basal triple negative breast cancers, and suggest targeting of new androgen receptor-related molecular pathways in patients with these cancers.

Immunosuppressive Environment in Basal Cell Carcinoma

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Omland, Silje Haukali; Nielsen, Patricia S; Gjerdrum, Lise M R

2016-01-01

Interaction between tumour survival tactics and anti-tumour immune response is a major determinant for cancer growth. Regulatory T cells (T-regs) contribute to tumour immune escape, but their role in basal cell carcinoma (BCC) is not understood. The fraction of T-regs among T cells was analysed b...

Apico-basal polarity complex and cancer

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Loss of cell polarity is a hallmark for carcinoma, and its underlying molecular mechanism is beginning to emerge from studies on model organisms and cancer cell lines. Moreover, deregulated expression of apico-basal polarity complex components has been reported in human tumours. In this review, we provide an ...

Nevoid Basal Cell Carcinoma Syndrome : A Case Report

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

K Rajanikanth

2004-01-01

Full Text Available The nevoid basal cell carcinoma syndrome (NBCCS or Gorlin - Goltz syndrome is an autosomal disorder principally characterized by cutaneous basal cell carcinomas, multiple keratocysts, and skeletal anomalies. The major organ systems involved are skin, bones, central nervous system, eyes, gonads and endocrine. This particular syndrome is extensively described in the literature under different names. However, there are only few cases reported in the Indian literature. An unusual case of a 33-year old male with large odontogenic keratocyst involving impacted canine in the mandible, along with multiple cysts and impacted teeth in the maxilla; bifid rib and vertebral anomalies has been described.

Gastric intestinal metaplasia with basal gland atypia: a morphological and biologic evaluation in a large Chinese cohort.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Yuan; Chang, Xiaoyan; Zhou, Weixun; Xiao, Yu; Nakatsuka, Laura N; Chen, Jie; Lauwers, Gregory Y

2013-04-01

Gastric intestinal metaplasia can display cytoarchitectural atypia that falls short of qualifying for dysplasia but can be classified as indefinite for dysplasia. Yet few studies have evaluated the prevalence, the morphologic, and biologic characteristics of this variant. Out of a cohort of 554 biopsies with chronic atrophic gastritis and/or dysplasia, we categorized the cases as either (1) simple intestinal metaplasia; (2) intestinal metaplasia with hyperplasia; (3) intestinal metaplasia with basal gland atypia; and (4) gastric dysplasia. The relationship between the subtypes and various clinicopathologic features, mucin immunophenotypes, and biologic characteristics was evaluated. The final cohort consisted of 424 cases of simple intestinal metaplasia, 93 intestinal metaplasia with hyperplasia, 16 intestinal metaplasia with basal gland atypia, and 21 gastric dysplasia. Intestinal metaplasia with basal gland atypia had a prevalence of 2.8% and similar to gastric dysplasia, 3.7%. Both of these lesions were similar in body/fundus distribution (12.5%) and paucity of goblet cells (68.8%). Intestinal metaplasia with basal gland atypia and gastric dysplasia seem to share some biologic similarities but with a lower frequency of alpha-methylacyl-CoA racemase expression (25% versus 62%), p53 expression (6.3% versus 47.6%), and increased Ki-67 index on surface/pit and isthmus in intestinal metaplasia with basal gland atypia. Alternatively, simple intestinal metaplasia and intestinal metaplasia with hyperplasia did not differ statistically with regard to the various characteristics evaluated. We concluded that gastric intestinal metaplasia can be divided into 2 broad categories that are readily defined by cytoarchitectural and biologic characteristics. Based on the characteristics of intestinal metaplasia with basal gland atypia and in keeping with others, we confirm that this subtype could represent a preneoplastic lesion that needs further evaluation. Copyright © 2013

Basal body temperature as a biomarker of healthy aging.

Science.gov (United States)

Simonsick, Eleanor M; Meier, Helen C S; Shaffer, Nancy Chiles; Studenski, Stephanie A; Ferrucci, Luigi

2016-12-01

Scattered evidence indicates that a lower basal body temperature may be associated with prolonged health span, yet few studies have directly evaluated this relationship. We examined cross-sectional and longitudinal associations between early morning oral temperature (95.0-98.6 °F) and usual gait speed, endurance walk performance, fatigability, and grip strength in 762 non-frail men (52 %) and women aged 65-89 years participating in the Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging. Since excessive adiposity (body mass index ≥35 kg/m 2 or waist-to-height ratio ≥0.62) may alter temperature set point, associations were also examined within adiposity strata. Overall, controlling for age, race, sex, height, exercise, and adiposity, lower temperature was associated with faster gait speed, less time to walk 400 m quickly, and lower perceived exertion following 5-min of walking at 0.67 m/s (all p ≤ 0.02). In the non-adipose (N = 662), these associations were more robust (all p ≤ 0.006). Direction of association was reversed in the adipose (N = 100), but none attained significance (all p > 0.22). Over 2.2 years, basal temperature was not associated with functional change in the overall population or non-adipose. Among the adipose, lower baseline temperature was associated with greater decline in endurance walking performance (p = 0.006). In longitudinal analyses predicting future functional performance, low temperature in the non-adipose was associated with faster gait speed (p = 0.021) and less time to walk 400 m quickly (p = 0.003), whereas in the adipose, lower temperature was associated with slower gait speed (p = 0.05) and more time to walk 400 m (p = 0.008). In older adults, lower basal body temperature appears to be associated with healthy aging in the absence of excessive adiposity.

Basal encephalocele associated with morning glory syndrome: case report Encefalocele basal associada a síndrome "morning glory": relato de caso

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ivanete Minotto

2007-12-01

Full Text Available The basal encephaloceles refer to rare entities and they correspond to herniation of brain tissue through defects of skull along the cribiform plate or the sphenoid bone. A rare morning glory syndrome, with characteristic retinal defect has been reported in association with basal encephaloceles. Hypophysis hormonal deficiencies may occur. We accounted for a pituitary dwarfism with delayed diagnosed transsphenoidal encephalocele associated with morning glory syndrome, showing the alterations found in retinography, computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging.As encefaloceles basais são entidades raras e correspondem a herniações do tecido cerebral através de um defeito do crânio, ao longo da lâmina crivosa etmoidal ou do osso esfenoidal. A rara síndrome morning glory, com alterações de fundo de olho características pode apresentar-se associada à encefalocele basal. Deficiências hormonais hipofisárias podem ocorrer. Relatamos caso de nanismo hipofisário com encefalocele transesfenoidal de diagnóstico tardio associada à síndrome de morning glory, mostrando as alterações na retinografia, tomografia computadorizada e ressonância magnética.

Significance in the increase of women psychiatrists in Korea.

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Kim, Ha Kyoung; Kim, Soo In

2008-01-01

The number of female doctors has increased in Korea; 18.9% (13,083) of the total medical doctors registered (69,097) were women in 2006, compared to 13.6% (2,216) in 1975. The proportion of female doctors will jump up by 2010 considering that nearly 40% of the medical students are women as of today. This trend has had strong influence on the field of psychiatry; the percentage of women psychiatrists rose from 1.6 (6)% to 18% (453), from 1975 to 2006 and now women residents comprise 39% (206) of all. This is not only a reflection of a social phenomenon of the increase in professional women but also attributed to some specific characteristics of the psychiatry. Psychiatric practice may come more natural to women. While clinical activities of women psychiatrists are expanding, there are few women leaders and much less women are involving in academic activities in this field as yet. Though there is less sexual discrimination in the field of psychiatry, women psychiatrists are still having a lot of difficulties in balancing work and family matters. Many women psychiatrists also report they've ever felt an implied discrimination in their careers. In this study, we are to identify the characteristics of women psychiatrists and to explore the significance of the increase in women psychiatrists in Korea and the situation in which they are.

Lesions of the basal forebrain cholinergic system in mice disrupt idiothetic navigation.

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Adam S Hamlin

Full Text Available Loss of integrity of the basal forebrain cholinergic neurons is a consistent feature of Alzheimer's disease, and measurement of basal forebrain degeneration by magnetic resonance imaging is emerging as a sensitive diagnostic marker for prodromal disease. It is also known that Alzheimer's disease patients perform poorly on both real space and computerized cued (allothetic or uncued (idiothetic recall navigation tasks. Although the hippocampus is required for allothetic navigation, lesions of this region only mildly affect idiothetic navigation. Here we tested the hypothesis that the cholinergic medial septo-hippocampal circuit is important for idiothetic navigation. Basal forebrain cholinergic neurons were selectively lesioned in mice using the toxin saporin conjugated to a basal forebrain cholinergic neuronal marker, the p75 neurotrophin receptor. Control animals were able to learn and remember spatial information when tested on a modified version of the passive place avoidance test where all extramaze cues were removed, and animals had to rely on idiothetic signals. However, the exploratory behaviour of mice with cholinergic basal forebrain lesions was highly disorganized during this test. By contrast, the lesioned animals performed no differently from controls in tasks involving contextual fear conditioning and spatial working memory (Y maze, and displayed no deficits in potentially confounding behaviours such as motor performance, anxiety, or disturbed sleep/wake cycles. These data suggest that the basal forebrain cholinergic system plays a specific role in idiothetic navigation, a modality that is impaired early in Alzheimer's disease.

Arctic Sea Ice Basal Melt Onset Variability and Associated Ocean Surface Heating

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Merrick, R. A.; Hutchings, J. K.

2015-12-01

The interannual and regional variability in Arctic sea ice melt has previously been characterized only in terms of surface melting. A focus on the variability in the onset of basal melt is additionally required to understand Arctic melt patterns. Monitoring basal melt provides a glimpse into the importance of ocean heating to sea ice melt. This warming is predominantly through seawater exposure due to lead opening and the associated solar warming at the ocean's surface. We present the temporal variability in basal melt onset observed by ice mass balance buoys throughout the Arctic Ocean since 2003, providing a different perspective than the satellite microwave data used to measure the onset of surface melt. We found that melt onset varies greatly, even for buoys deployed within 100km of each other. Therefore large volumes of data are necessary to accurately estimate the variability of basal melt onset. Once the variability of basal melt onset has been identified, we can investigate how this range has been changing as a response to atmospheric and oceanic warming, changes in ice morphology as well as the intensification of the ice albedo feedback.

Cerebral blood flow and metabolism in patients with aphasia due to basal ganglionic lesion

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Kitamura, Shin; Kato, Toshiaki; Ujike, Takashi; Kuroki, Soemu; Terashi, Akiro

1987-03-01

Cerebral blood flow and metabolism in right handed eight patients with subcortical lesion and aphasia were measured to investigate the correlation between aphasia and functional changes in cerebral blood flow (CBF) and cerebral oxygen consumption (CMRO/sub 2/) in the cortex and the basal ganglionic region. All patients had no lesion in the cortex, but in the basal ganglionic region (putamen, caudate nucleus, internal capsule, and periventricular white matter) on CT images. Patients with bilateral lesion were excluded in this study. Six patients with cerebral infarction in the left basal ganglionic region and two patients with the left putammal hemorrhage were examined. Five patients had non fluent Broca's type speech, two patients had poor comprehension, fluent Wernicke-type speech and one patient was globally aphasic. CBF, CMRO/sub 2/, and oxygen extraction fraction were measured by the positron emission tomography using /sup 15/O/sub 2/, C/sup 15/O/sub 2/ inhalation technique. In addition to reduction of CBF and CMRO/sub 2/ in the basal ganglionic region, CBF and CMRO/sub 2/ decreased in the left frontal cortex especially posterior part in four patients with Broca's aphasia. In two patients with Wernicke type aphasia, CBF and CMRO/sub 2/ decreased in the basal ganglionic region and the left temporal cortex. In a globally aphasic patient, marked reduction of CBF and CMRO/sub 2/ was observed in the left frontal and temporal cortex, in addition to the basal ganglionic region. These results suggest that dysfunction of cortex as well as that of basal ganglionic region might be related to the occurence of aphasia. However, in one patient with Broca's ahasia, CBF and CMRO/sub 2/ were preserved in the cortex and metabolic reduction was observed in only basal ganglia. This case indicates the relation between basal ganglionic lesion and the occurrence of aphasia.

Basal metabolic rate and body composition of elite Japanese male athletes.

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Koshimizu, Takako; Matsushima, Yoshiko; Yokota, Yukari; Yanagisawa, Kae; Nagai, Satsuki; Okamura, Koji; Komatsu, Yutaka; Kawahara, Takashi

2012-01-01

The estimated energy requirement is important for adequate nutritional management in athletes. The energy requirement can be estimated from the basal metabolic rate (BMR). However, there is little data regarding the BMR of Japanese athletes. This study measured the BMR and body composition of 81 elite Japanese male athletes in different sports categories: endurance (E), strength, power and sprint (S) and ball game (B). The factors influencing the BMR were also investigated. The BMR and body composition were measured by indirect calorimetry and an air-displacement plentysmograph device (the BOD POD), respectively. The BMR per lean body mass (LBM) differed significantly among the three groups. The BMR was significantly correlated with the body weight (BW) and LBM in all groups. A multiple-regression analysis showed that the LBM was the most powerful predictor in the E and S groups, whereas the BW was the most powerful predictor in the B group. The BW appears to become an important predictor as the BW of athletes increases. Additionally, height was the second explanatory variable in the S and B groups, thus suggesting that height needs to be considered for the BMR in these groups. Therefore, the BMR in elite athletes needs to be estimated according to their body composition.

Basal cell carcinomas of the areola-nipple complex: case reports and review of the literature.

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Betti, Roberto; Martino, Patrizia; Moneghini, Laura; Vergani, Raffaelle; Tolomio, Elena; Crosti, Carlo

2003-11-01

Two white men 57 and 39 years old, and a 47-year-old white woman were seen with slowly developing papulo-nodular lesions of the areola-nipple complex. None of the patients presented with regional lymphadenopathy, history of trauma, or relevant sun-exposure. After excison of the mass, the histologic diagnosis of basal cell carcinoma was made. At two years of follow-up, no recurrence was evident. The low incidence of basal cell carcinoma in this particular site allows us to consider the areola-nipple complex location as unusual. Moreover, literature reports do not suggest that these BCCs have an increased potential for malignancy. The treatment options depend on the extension of the tumor and on the possible involvement of the areola-nipple complex and mammary tissue.

Electrocorticography reveals beta desynchronization in the basal ganglia-cortical loop during rest tremor in Parkinson's disease.

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Qasim, Salman E; de Hemptinne, Coralie; Swann, Nicole C; Miocinovic, Svjetlana; Ostrem, Jill L; Starr, Philip A

2016-02-01

The pathophysiology of rest tremor in Parkinson's disease (PD) is not well understood, and its severity does not correlate with the severity of other cardinal signs of PD. We hypothesized that tremor-related oscillatory activity in the basal-ganglia-thalamocortical loop might serve as a compensatory mechanism for the excessive beta band synchronization associated with the parkinsonian state. We recorded electrocorticography (ECoG) from the sensorimotor cortex and local field potentials (LFP) from the subthalamic nucleus (STN) in patients undergoing lead implantation for deep brain stimulation (DBS). We analyzed differences in measures of network synchronization during epochs of spontaneous rest tremor, versus epochs without rest tremor, occurring in the same subjects. The presence of tremor was associated with reduced beta power in the cortex and STN. Cortico-cortical coherence and phase-amplitude coupling (PAC) decreased during rest tremor, as did basal ganglia-cortical coherence in the same frequency band. Cortical broadband gamma power was not increased by tremor onset, in contrast to the movement-related gamma increase typically observed at the onset of voluntary movement. These findings suggest that the cortical representation of rest tremor is distinct from that of voluntary movement, and support a model in which tremor acts to decrease beta band synchronization within the basal ganglia-cortical loop. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

980nm laser for difficult-to-treat basal cell carcinoma

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Derjabo, A. D.; Cema, I.; Lihacova, I.; Derjabo, L.

2013-06-01

Begin basal cell carcinoma (BCC) is most common skin cancer over the world. There are around 20 modalities for BCC treatment. Laser surgery is uncommon option. We demonstrate our long term follow up results. Aim: To evaluate long term efficacy of a 980nm diode laser for the difficult-to-treat basal cell carcinoma. Materials and Methods: 167 patients with 173 basal cell carcinoma on the nose were treated with a 980 nm diode laser from May 1999 till May 2005 at Latvian Oncology center. All tumors were morphologically confirmed. 156 patients were followed for more than 5 years. Results: The lowest recurrence rate was observed in cases of superficial BCC, diameterConclusions: 980 nm diode laser is useful tool in dermatology with high long term efficacy, good acceptance by the patients and good cosmetics results.

Effects of aging on basal fat oxidation in obese humans

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Solomon, Thomas; Marchetti, Christine M; Krishnan, Raj K

2008-01-01

)max) were measured in 10 older (age, 60 +/- 4 years; mean +/- SEM) and 10 younger (age, 35 +/- 4 years) body mass index-matched, obese, normal glucose-tolerant individuals. Fasting blood samples were also collected. Older subjects had slightly elevated fat mass (32.2 +/- 7.1 vs 36.5 +/- 6.7 kg, P......Basal fat oxidation decreases with age. In obesity, it is not known whether this age-related process occurs independently of changes in body composition and insulin sensitivity. Therefore, body composition, resting energy expenditure, basal substrate oxidation, and maximal oxygen consumption (VO(2...... is responsible for reduced basal fat oxidation and maximal oxidative capacity in older obese individuals, independent of changes in insulin resistance, body mass, and abdominal fat. This indicates that age, in addition to obesity, is an independent risk factor for weight gain and for the metabolic complications...

Time representation in reinforcement learning models of the basal ganglia

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Samuel Joseph Gershman

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Reinforcement learning models have been influential in understanding many aspects of basal ganglia function, from reward prediction to action selection. Time plays an important role in these models, but there is still no theoretical consensus about what kind of time representation is used by the basal ganglia. We review several theoretical accounts and their supporting evidence. We then discuss the relationship between reinforcement learning models and the timing mechanisms that have been attributed to the basal ganglia. We hypothesize that a single computational system may underlie both reinforcement learning and interval timing—the perception of duration in the range of seconds to hours. This hypothesis, which extends earlier models by incorporating a time-sensitive action selection mechanism, may have important implications for understanding disorders like Parkinson's disease in which both decision making and timing are impaired.

Primary Cutaneous Carcinosarcoma of the Basal Cell Subtype Should Be Treated as a High-Risk Basal Cell Carcinoma.

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Bourgeault, Emilie; Alain, Jimmy; Gagné, Eric

2015-01-01

Cutaneous carcinosarcoma is a rare primary tumor of the skin, characterized by biphasic epithelial and mesenchymal differentiation. Due to the limited number of cases reported, there is no consensus regarding treatment and prognosis. Some authors suggest that cutaneous carcinosarcomas should be viewed as aggressive tumors, with ancillary imaging used to evaluate potential metastatic disease. Other reports demonstrate an indolent disease course, especially with epidermal-type cutaneous carcinosarcomas. We report a case of cutaneous carcinosarcoma, which we treated with electrodessication and curettage following a shave biopsy. The tumor had an epithelial component resembling a basal cell carcinoma and a fibrosarcomatous stroma. At 1-year follow-up, our patient did not show evidence of recurrence or metastasis. Our case suggests that a cutaneous carcinosarcoma with an epithelial component composed of basal cell carcinoma can be regarded as a high-risk nonmelanoma skin cancer. © The Author(s) 2015.

Significance of the S100A4 protein in psoriasis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Zibert, John R; Skov, Lone; Thyssen, Jacob P

2010-01-01

the expression and significance of S100A4 in psoriasis. We found significant upregulation of S100A4 in the dermis of psoriatic skin compared with normal skin. This pattern of S100A4 expression differs considerably from that of other S100 proteins, S100A7 and S100A8/9, with predominant expression in the epidermis...... of psoriasis. Furthermore, we revealed a massive release of the biologically active forms of S100A4 from psoriatic skin. Interestingly, we found stabilization (increase) of p53 in the basal layer of epidermis in close proximity to cells expressing S100A4. To examine the possible implication of S100A4...... in the pathogenesis of psoriasis, we analyzed the effect of S100A4 blocking antibodies in a human psoriasis xenograft SCID mouse model and observed a significant reduction of the epidermal thickness and impairment in cell proliferation and dermal vascularization. In conclusion, we showed strong upregulation...

Pre-Treatment Deep Curettage Can Significantly Reduce Tumour Thickness in Thick Basal Cell Carcinoma While Maintaining a Favourable Cosmetic Outcome When Used in Combination with Topical Photodynamic Therapy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Christensen, E.; Mork, C.; Foss, O. A.

2011-01-01

Topical photodynamic therapy (PDT) has limitations in the treatment of thick skin tumours. The aim of the study was to evaluate the effect of pre-PDT deep curettage on tumour thickness in thick (≥2 mm) basal cell carcinoma (BCC). Additionally, 3-month treatment outcome and change of tumour thickness from diagnosis to treatment were investigated. At diagnosis, mean tumour thickness was 2.3 mm (range 2.0-4.0). Pre- and post-curettage biopsies were taken from each tumour prior to PDT. Of 32 verified BCCs, tumour thickness was reduced by 50% after deep curettage (ρ≤0.001) . Mean tumour thickness was also reduced from diagnosis to treatment. At 3-month followup, complete tumour response was found in 93% and the cosmetic outcome was rated excellent or good in 100% of cases. In conclusion, deep curettage significantly reduces BCC thickness and may with topical PDT provide a favourable clinical and cosmetic short-term outcome.

Neglected basal cell carcinoma on scalp

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Sudip Sarkar

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Giant basal cell carcinoma (BCC is a very rare entity. Usually, they occur due to the negligence of the patient. Local or distant metastasis is present in most cases. Here, we present a case of giant BCC that clinically resembled squamous cell carcinoma and demonstrated no metastasis at presentation.

Treatment of basal cell epithelioma with high energy electron beam

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ogawa, Y. (Hyogo-ken Cancer Center, Kobe (Japan)); Kumano, M.; Kumano, K.

1981-11-01

Thirty patients with basal cell epithelioma received high energy electron beam therapy. They were irradiated with a dose ranging from 4,800 rad (24 fractions, 35 days) to 12,000 rad (40 fractions, 57 days). Tumors disappeared in all cases. These were no disease-related deaths; in one patient there was recurrence after 2 years. We conclude that radiotherapy with high energy electron beam is very effective in the treatment of basal cell epithelioma.

Clinical classification of supressed and low normal basal serum TSH concentrations in euthyroidism

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Seidel, C.; Ziegelitz, D.; Correns, H.J.

1981-01-01

By use of highly sensitive and accurate TSH radioimmunoassay it can be shown up that beginnung with suppressed TSH-levels in serum during increasing TSH-levels TSH response after TRH injection increases concomitantly, i.e. there is positive correlation between basal TSH and TSH response after TRH. TRH mediated TSH-increase shows positive correlation to thyroidal suppressibility with thyroid hormones. The results demonstrate the importance of a highly sensitive and accurate TSH radioimmunoassay for clinical work especially for exclusion of hyperthyroidism or thyroidal autonomy for therapeutics of goiter, prevention of reoccurring goiter and control of thyroidal suppression. (orig.) [de

Clinical classification of suppressed and low normal basal serum TSH concentrations in euthyroidism

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Seidel, C.; Ziegelitz, D.; Correns, H.J.

1981-02-01

By use of highly sensitive and accurate TSH radioimmunoassay it can be shown that beginning with suppressed TSH-levels in serum during increasing TSH-levels TSH response after TRH injection increases concomitantly, i.e. there is positive correlation between basal TSH and TSH response after TRH. TRH mediated TSH-increase shows positive correlation to thyroidal suppressibility with thyroid hormones. The results demonstrate the importance of a highly sensitive and accurate TSH radioimmunoassay for clinical work especially for exclusion of hyperthyroidism or thyroidal autonomy for therapeutics of goiter, prevention of reoccurring goiter and control of thyroidal suppression.

Probing the Surface Charge on the Basal Planes of Kaolinite Particles with High-Resolution Atomic Force Microscopy.

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Kumar, N; Andersson, M P; van den Ende, D; Mugele, F; Siretanu, I

2017-12-19

High-resolution atomic force microscopy is used to map the surface charge on the basal planes of kaolinite nanoparticles in an ambient solution of variable pH and NaCl or CaCl 2 concentration. Using DLVO theory with charge regulation, we determine from the measured force-distance curves the surface charge distribution on both the silica-like and the gibbsite-like basal plane of the kaolinite particles. We observe that both basal planes do carry charge that varies with pH and salt concentration. The silica facet was found to be negatively charged at pH 4 and above, whereas the gibbsite facet is positively charged at pH below 7 and negatively charged at pH above 7. Investigations in CaCl 2 at pH 6 show that the surface charge on the gibbsite facet increases for concentration up to 10 mM CaCl 2 and starts to decrease upon further increasing the salt concentration to 50 mM. The increase of surface charge at low concentration is explained by Ca 2+ ion adsorption, while Cl - adsorption at higher CaCl 2 concentrations partially neutralizes the surface charge. Atomic resolution imaging and density functional theory calculations corroborate these observations. They show that hydrated Ca 2+ ions can spontaneously adsorb on the gibbsite facet of the kaolinite particle and form ordered surface structures, while at higher concentrations Cl - ions will co-adsorb, thereby changing the observed ordered surface structure.

Extrahepatic portal vein obstruction with parkinsonism and symmetric hyperintense basal ganglia on T1 weighted MRI

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Jayalakshmi Sita

2006-01-01

Full Text Available Abnormal high signal in the globus pallidus on T1 weighted magnetic resonance imaging (MRI of the brain has been well described in patients with chronic liver disease. It may be related to liver dysfunction or portal-systemic shunting. We report a case of extra hepatic portal vein obstruction with portal hypertension and esophageal varices that presented with extra pyramidal features. T1 weighted MRI brain scans showed increased symmetrical signal intensities in the basal ganglia. Normal hepatic function in this patient emphasizes the role of portal- systemic communications in the development of these hyperintensities, which may be due to deposition of paramagnetic substances like manganese in the basal ganglia.

Switching to multiple daily injection therapy with glulisine improves glycaemic control, vascular damage and treatment satisfaction in basal insulin glargine-injected diabetic patients.

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Yanagisawa, Katsuyuki; Ashihara, Junya; Obara, Shinji; Wada, Norio; Takeuchi, Masayoshi; Nishino, Yuri; Maeda, Sayaka; Ishibashi, Yuji; Yamagishi, Sho-ichi

2014-11-01

Basal and bolus insulin therapy is required for strict blood control in diabetic patients, which could lead to prevention of vascular complications in diabetes. However, the optimal combination regimen is not well established. Fifty-nine diabetic patients (49 type 1 and 10 type 2; 52.9 ± 13.3 years old) whose blood glucose levels were uncontrolled (HbA1c  > 6.2%) by combination treatment of basal insulin glargine with multiple daily pre-meal injections of bolus short-acting insulin [aspart (n = 19), lispro (n = 37) and regular human insulin (n = 3)] for at least 8 weeks were enrolled in this study. We examined whether glycaemic control and vascular injury were improved by replacement of short-acting insulin with glulisine. Patient satisfaction was assessed with Diabetes Treatment Satisfaction Questionnaire. Although bolus and basal insulin doses were almost unchanged before and after replacement therapy, switching to glulisine insulin for 24 weeks significantly decreased level of HbA1c , advanced glycation end products (AGEs), soluble receptor for AGEs (sRAGE), monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) and urinary albumin excretion. In multiple stepwise regression analysis, change in MCP-1 values from baseline (ΔMCP-1) was a sole determinant of log urinary albumin excretion. ΔAGEs and ΔsRAGE were independently correlated with each other. The relationship between ΔMCP-1 and ΔsRAGE was marginally significant (p = 0.05). Replacement of short-acting insulin by glulisine significantly increased Diabetes Treatment Satisfaction Questionnaire scores. Our present study suggests that combination therapy of glargine with multiple daily pre-meal injections of glulisine might show superior efficacy in controlling blood glucose, preventing vascular damage and improving treatment satisfaction in diabetic patients. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

A novel method of basal crevasse height estimation and subsequent rifting

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Logan, L.; Catania, G. A.; Lavier, L. L.; Choi, E.

2012-12-01

Basal crevasses may play an important precursory role in the location and propagation of rifts and in ice shelf disintegration. Here we develop a novel method for estimating the locations and heights of basal crevasses formed at the grounding line of ice shelves and ice streams. We assume a thin-elastic beam formulation (TEB) with a tensional plastic yielding criterion to capture the physics of a tidally flexed grounding line. Observations of basal crevasses in the Siple Coast area match well with predictions produced by this method. Areas with large misfit can be delineated by examining the strain rate field; indeed, in our estimations those crevasses which deviate most from the TEB prediction lie directly in a shear margin. We test the method against other areas in the Larsen Ice Shelf, and find again a good match. Thus we suggest the TEB as an alternative to other crevasse estimation methods, as it produces a good fit in predominantly tensile regions, requires no tuning or prior information, and is computationally free to implement into large scale ice models which aim at physically simulating calving and fracture processes. We pursue modeling basal crevasses as they evolve with a thermomechanical finite-difference 3-dimensional model called SNAC. Viscoelastoplastic ice follows Mohr-Coulomb tension failure with Glen's flow law. We examine the conditions necessary for a basal crevasse formed on the downstream side of an ice rise to propagate the full thickness of the ice, developing into a rift.

Relationship of Basal laminar deposit and membranous debris to the clinical presentation of early age-related macular degeneration.

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Sarks, Shirley; Cherepanoff, Svetlana; Killingsworth, Murray; Sarks, John

2007-03-01

To correlate basal laminar deposit (BLamD) and membranous debris, including basal linear deposit (BLinD), with the evolution of early age-related macular degeneration (AMD). A clinicopathologic collection of 132 eyes with a continuous layer of BLamD was reviewed. The thickness and type of BLamD and the sites of membranous debris deposition were correlated with the clinical progression of the disease. Two types of BLamD, termed early and late, were identified based on light microscopic appearance by using the picro-Mallory stain. The progressive accumulation of late type BLamD correlated well with increasing BLamD thickness, advancing RPE degeneration, poorer vision, increasing age, and clinically evident pigment changes. Membranous debris initially accumulated diffusely as BLinD, most eyes with BLinD and early BLamD remaining funduscopically normal. However, membranous debris also formed focal collections as basal mounds internal to the RPE basement membrane and as soft drusen external to the basement membrane. Eyes in which membranous debris remained confined to basal mounds belonged to older patients with poorer vision, whereas patients with soft drusen were younger and had better vision. The presence of BLinD and early BLamD define threshold AMD, which manifests clinically as a normal fundus. Although late BLamD correlates most closely with clinical pigment abnormalities, it is the quantity and sites of membranous debris accumulation that appear to determine whether the disease develops pigment changes only or follows the alternative pathway of soft drusen formation with its attendant greater risk of choroidal neovascularization (CNV).

Linagliptin improves glycemic control after 1 year as add-on therapy to basal insulin in Asian patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.

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Sheu, Wayne H-H; Park, Sung Woo; Gong, Yan; Pinnetti, Sabine; Bhattacharya, Sudipta; Patel, Sanjay; Seck, Thomas; Woerle, Hans-Juergen

2015-03-01

To evaluate the efficacy and long-term safety of linagliptin added to basal insulin in Asian patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) inadequately controlled by basal insulin with/without oral agents. This was a post hoc analysis of Asian patients from a global ≥52 week study in which patients on basal insulin were randomized (1:1) to double-blind treatment with linagliptin 5 mg once daily or placebo (NCT00954447). Basal insulin dose remained stable for 24 weeks, after which adjustments could be made according to the investigator's discretion to improve glycemic control. The primary endpoint was the mean change in glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) from baseline to 24 weeks. Data were available for 154 Asian patients (80 linagliptin, 74 placebo). Baseline HbA1c (standard deviation [SD]) was 8.6 (0.9)% (70 [10] mmol/mol). The placebo-corrected mean change (standard error [SE]) in HbA1c from baseline was -0.9 (0.1)% (-10 [1] mmol/mol) (95% confidence interval [CI]: -1.2, -0.7; p1) at Week 24 and -0.9 (0.1)% (-10 [1] mmol/mol) (95% CI: -1.1, -0.6; p1) at Week 52. The frequency of adverse events (linagliptin 81.3%, placebo 91.9%) and hypoglycemia (Week 24: linagliptin 25.0%, placebo 25.7%; treatment end: linagliptin 28.8%, placebo 35.1%) was similar between groups. By Week 52, changes (SE) in mean body weight were similar in both groups (linagliptin -0.67 [0.26] kg, placebo -0.38 [0.25] kg). This study was limited by the post hoc nature of the analysis and the small number of patients in the subgroup. However, the results suggest that linagliptin significantly improves glycemic control in Asian patients with T2DM inadequately controlled by basal insulin, without increasing the risk for hypoglycemia or weight gain. ClinicalTrials identifier: NCT00954447.

Association mapping in sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) reveals independent control of apical vs. basal branching.

Science.gov (United States)

Nambeesan, Savithri U; Mandel, Jennifer R; Bowers, John E; Marek, Laura F; Ebert, Daniel; Corbi, Jonathan; Rieseberg, Loren H; Knapp, Steven J; Burke, John M

2015-03-11

Shoot branching is an important determinant of plant architecture and influences various aspects of growth and development. Selection on branching has also played an important role in the domestication of crop plants, including sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.). Here, we describe an investigation of the genetic basis of variation in branching in sunflower via association mapping in a diverse collection of cultivated sunflower lines. Detailed phenotypic analyses revealed extensive variation in the extent and type of branching within the focal population. After correcting for population structure and kinship, association analyses were performed using a genome-wide collection of SNPs to identify genomic regions that influence a variety of branching-related traits. This work resulted in the identification of multiple previously unidentified genomic regions that contribute to variation in branching. Genomic regions that were associated with apical and mid-apical branching were generally distinct from those associated with basal and mid-basal branching. Homologs of known branching genes from other study systems (i.e., Arabidopsis, rice, pea, and petunia) were also identified from the draft assembly of the sunflower genome and their map positions were compared to those of associations identified herein. Numerous candidate branching genes were found to map in close proximity to significant branching associations. In sunflower, variation in branching is genetically complex and overall branching patterns (i.e., apical vs. basal) were found to be influenced by distinct genomic regions. Moreover, numerous candidate branching genes mapped in close proximity to significant branching associations. Although the sunflower genome exhibits localized islands of elevated linkage disequilibrium (LD), these non-random associations are known to decay rapidly elsewhere. The subset of candidate genes that co-localized with significant associations in regions of low LD represents the most

Red Dot Basal Cell Carcinoma: An Unusual Variant of a Common Malignancy.

Science.gov (United States)

Loh, Tiffany Y; Cohen, Philip R

2016-05-01

Red dot basal cell carcinoma is a distinct but rare subtype of basal cell carcinoma (BCC). It presents as a red macule or papule; therefore, in most cases, it may easily be mistaken for a benign vascular lesion, such as a telangiectasia or angioma. A red dot BCC in an older woman is described. Clinical and histological differences between red dot BCCs and telangiectasias are described. A 72-year-old woman initially presented with a painless red macule on her nose. Biopsy of the lesion established the diagnosis of a red dot BCC. Pubmed was searched for the following terms: angioma, basal cell carcinoma, dermoscope, diascopy, red dot, non-melanoma skin cancer, telangiectasia, and vascular. The papers were reviewed for cases of red dot basal cell carcinoma. Clinical and histological characteristics of red dot basal cell carcinoma and telangiectasias were compared. Red dot BCC is an extremely rare variant of BCC that may be confused with benign vascular lesions. Although BCCs rarely metastasize and are associated with low mortality, they have the potential to become locally invasive and destructive if left untreated. Thus, a high index of suspicion for red dot BCC is necessary. J Drugs Dermatol. 2016;15(5):645-647.

Basal-topographic control of stationary ponds on a continuously moving landslide

Science.gov (United States)

Coe, J.A.; McKenna, J.P.; Godt, J.W.; Baum, R.L.

2009-01-01

The Slumgullion landslide in the San Juan Mountains of southwestern Colorado has been moving for at least the last few hundred years and has multiple ponds on its surface. We have studied eight ponds during 30 trips to the landslide between July 1998 and July 2007. During each trip, we have made observations on the variability in pond locations and water levels, taken ground-based photographs to document pond water with respect to moving landslide material and vegetation, conducted Global Positioning System surveys of the elevations of water levels and mapped pond sediments on the landslide surface. Additionally, we have used stereo aerial photographs taken in October 1939, October 1940 and July 2000 to measure topographic profiles of the eight pond locations, as well as a longitudinal profile along the approximate centerline of the landslide, to examine topographic changes over a 60- to 61-year period of time. Results from field observations, analyses of photographs, mapping and measurements indicate that all pond locations have remained spatially stationary for 60-300 years while landslide material moves through these locations. Water levels during the observation period were sensitive to changes in the local, spring-fed, stream network, and to periodic filling of pond locations by sediment from floods, hyperconcentrated flows, mud flows and debris flows. For pond locations to remain stationary, the locations must mimic depressions along the basal surface of the landslide. The existence of such depressions indicates that the topography of the basal landslide surface is irregular. These results suggest that, for translational landslides that have moved distances larger than the dimensions of the largest basal topographic irregularities (about 200 m at Slumgullion), landslide surface morphology can be used as a guide to the morphology of the basal slip surface. Because basal slip surface morphology can affect landslide stability, kinematic models and stability

Basal levels and diurnal variations of some hormones and metabolites in blood of dairy cows treated daily with rbSTin early and late lactation

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Jurgen Blum

2010-01-01

Full Text Available The variations of basal value (before morning feeding at 3-4 days interval and daily pattern (on 4and 18day of treat-  ment with 8 blood collections within 24h of hormones and metabolites were studied in four dairy cows; 2 in early and  2 in late lactation, which were alternatively injected daily for a period of 21 days with 26.3 mg rbST or saline.  The rbST  injection significantly increased the basal and daily levels of GH, IGF-I in both stages of lactation. Daily levels of NEFA  were significantly increased by rbST in both stages of lactation and their variations, due to the effect of meals, were coun-  teracted by the rbST; the higher level of NEFA allowed a greater sparing of glucose, the blood level of which resulted  higher (P  blood urea level (P  ticular the high availability of glucose, determined a significantly higher blood level of insulin and T3, and lower level of  glucagon. Despite the similar GH, IGF-I and NEFA increases observed in the cows treated in early and late lactation, other  metabolic and endocrine consequences resulted more evident in late lactation. Furthermore, some of these variations  were affected by the forage meals. It can be concluded, therefore, that the changes occurring in the blood subsequent  to a rbST treatment are not equal to those which occur at the start of lactation; moreover, they are affected by the daily  feeding pattern and perhaps by the stage of  lactation. 

Cost-effectiveness of once daily GLP-1 receptor agonist lixisenatide compared to bolus insulin both in combination with basal insulin for the treatment of patients with type 2 diabetes in Norway.

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Huetson, Pernilla; Palmer, James L; Levorsen, Andrée; Fournier, Marie; Germe, Maeva; McLeod, Euan

2015-01-01

Lixisenatide is a potent, selective and short-acting once daily prandial glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist which lowers glycohemoglobin and body weight by clinically significant amounts in patients with type 2 diabetes treated with basal insulin, with limited risk of hypoglycemia. To assess the cost-effectiveness of lixisenatide versus bolus insulin, both in combination with basal insulin, in patients with type 2 diabetes in Norway. The IMS CORE Diabetes Model, a non-product-specific and validated simulation model, was used to make clinical and cost projections. Transition probabilities, risk adjustments and the progression of complication risk factors were derived from the UK Prospective Diabetes Study, supplemented with Norwegian data. Patients were assumed to receive combination treatment with basal insulin, lixisenatide or bolus insulin therapy for 3 years, followed by intensification of a basal-bolus insulin regimen for their remaining lifetime. Simulated healthcare costs, taken from the public payer perspective, were derived from microcosting and diagnosis related groups, discounted at 4% per annum and reported in Norwegian krone (NOK). Productivity costs were also captured based on extractions from the Norwegian Labor and Welfare Administration. Health state utilities were derived from a systematic literature review. Sensitivity and scenario analyses were performed. Lixisenatide in combination with basal insulin was associated with increased quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) and reduced lifetime healthcare costs compared to bolus insulin in combination with basal insulin in patients with Type 2 diabetes, and can be considered dominant. The net monetary benefit of lixisenatide versus bolus insulin was NOK 39,369 per patient. Results were sensitive to discounting, the application of excess body weight associated disutility and uncertainty surrounding the changes in HbA1c. Lixisenatide may be considered an economically efficient therapy in combination

Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay characterization of basal variation and heritability of systemic microfibrillar-associated protein 4.

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Susanne Gjørup Sækmose

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Microfibrillar-associated protein 4 (MFAP4 is a systemic biomarker that is significantly elevated in samples from patients suffering from hepatic cirrhosis. The protein is generally localized to elastic fibers and other connective tissue fibers in the extracellular matrix (ECM, and variation in systemic MFAP4 (sMFAP4 has the potential to reflect diverse diseases with increased ECM turnover. Here, we aimed to validate an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA for the measurement of sMFAP4 with an emphasis on the robustness of the assay. Moreover, we aimed to determine confounders influencing the basal sMFAP4 variability and the genetic contribution to the basal variation. METHODS: The sandwich ELISA was based on two monoclonal anti-MFAP4 antibodies and was optimized and calibrated with a standard of recombinant MFAP4. The importance of pre-analytical sample handling was evaluated regarding sample tube type, time, and temperature conditions. The mean value structure and variance structure was determined in a twin cohort including 1,417 Danish twins (age 18-67 years by mixed-effect linear regression modeling. RESULTS: The practical working range of the sandwich ELISA was estimated to be 4-75 U/ml. The maximum intra- and inter-assay variation was estimated to be 8.7% and 6.6%, respectively. Sample handling and processing appeared to influence MFAP4 measurements only marginally. The average concentration of sMFAP4 in the serum was 18.9 ± 8.4 (SD U/ml in the twin cohort (95% CI: 18.5-19.4, median sMFAP4 17.3 U/ml. The mean structure model was demonstrated to include waist-hip ratio, age, and cigarette smoking status in interactions with gender. A relatively low heritability of h(2 = 0.24 was found after applying a model including additive genetic factors and shared and non-shared environmental factors. CONCLUSIONS: The described ELISA provides robust measures of the liver fibrosis marker sMFAP4. The low heritability and the relatively

Structural differences in basal ganglia of elite running versus martial arts athletes: a diffusion tensor imaging study.

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Chang, Yu-Kai; Tsai, Jack Han-Chao; Wang, Chun-Chih; Chang, Erik Chihhung

2015-07-01

The aim of this study was to use diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) to characterize and compare microscopic differences in white matter integrity in the basal ganglia between elite professional athletes specializing in running and martial arts. Thirty-three young adults with sport-related skills as elite professional runners (n = 11) or elite professional martial artists (n = 11) were recruited and compared with non-athletic and healthy controls (n = 11). All participants underwent health- and skill-related physical fitness assessments. Fractional anisotropy (FA) and mean diffusivity (MD), the primary indices derived from DTI, were computed for five regions of interest in the bilateral basal ganglia, including the caudate nucleus, putamen, globus pallidus internal segment (GPi), globus pallidus external segment (GPe), and subthalamic nucleus. Results revealed that both athletic groups demonstrated better physical fitness indices compared with their control counterparts, with the running group exhibiting the highest cardiovascular fitness and the martial arts group exhibiting the highest muscular endurance and flexibility. With respect to the basal ganglia, both athletic groups showed significantly lower FA and marginally higher MD values in the GPi compared with the healthy control group. These findings suggest that professional sport or motor skill training is associated with changes in white matter integrity in specific regions of the basal ganglia, although these positive changes did not appear to depend on the type of sport-related motor skill being practiced.

Hypoattenuation of the basal nuclei as a sign of propionic acidemia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Asenjo, M.; Moron, A.; Marti, M.; Dominguez, F.

1999-01-01

The hypoattenuation of the basal ganglia is an uncommon radiological finding that suggests a metabolic or hypoxic disorder. We report a case of propionic acidemia in a five-year-old boy, presenting as a symmetric hypoattenuation of the basal neclei. We discuss this and other causes of this radiological finding, as well as the possible mechanism and underlying pathology. (Author) 17 refs

MOLECULAR BASIS OF EPIDERMAL GROWTH FACTOR RECEPTOR AND CYCLIN E EXPRESSION INTERDEPENDENCE IN BASAL-LIKE SUBTYPE OF INVASIVE BREAST CARCINOMA.

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Mariamidze, A; Gogiashvili, L; Khardzeishvili, O; Javakhishvili, T; Makaridze, D

2018-03-01

Aim of the study was the simultaneous assessment of EGFR and Cyclin E in "basal-like" carcinoma group, in order to establish their interactivity in the aspect of the age and grade of the tumor, taking into account the common parallel HER2+ samples. The study involved postoperative and/or biopsy material (paraffin blocks) of 237 patients from archived data, who were operated due to breast cancer (National Cancer Center of Tbilisi, 2008-2012 years). In TNBC group and "basal-like" tumor subgroup expression of ESFR, Cyclin E and Cytokeratins 5/6 and 17 were shown advanced activity of processes and high dependence to patients age. Taking into account all above mentioned, the immunohistochemical profile of "basal-like" type of breast cancer is defined mostly by sensitivity to cytokeratins CK5,6/17 and EGFR. In addition, the defected synthesis and activity of the latter, which is actually observed in "basal-like" carcinoma, leads to increased malignancy grade and mitotic activity, which creates the phenotypic and group characteristics for this type of carcinomas overall.

Oscillatory activity in the basal ganglia and deep brain stimulation.

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Guridi, Jorge; Alegre, Manuel

2017-01-01

Over the past 10 years, research into the neurophysiology of the basal ganglia has provided new insights into the pathophysiology of movement disorders. The presence of pathological oscillations at specific frequencies has been linked to different signs and symptoms in PD and dystonia, suggesting a new model to explain basal ganglia dysfunction. These advances occurred in parallel with improvements in imaging and neurosurgical techniques, both of which having facilitated the more widespread use of DBS to modulate dysfunctional circuits. High-frequency stimulation is thought to disrupt pathological activity in the motor cortex/basal ganglia network; however, it is not easy to explain all of its effects based only on changes in network oscillations. In this viewpoint, we suggest that a return to classic anatomical concepts might help to understand some apparently paradoxical findings. © 2016 International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society. © 2016 International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society.

Sulcal and gyral anatomy of the basal occipital-temporal lobe.

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Chau, Anthony Minh Tien; Stewart, Fiona; Gragnaniello, Cristian

2014-12-01

The sulcal and gyral anatomy of the basal occipital-temporal lobe is highly variable and detailed descriptions of this region are limited and often inconsistent. The aim of this study was to describe the salient features of the sulcal and gyral anatomy of the basal occipital-temporal lobe. We studied the sulcal and gyral patterns of 30 formalin-fixed cerebral hemispheres. The major landmarks are the collateral sulcus (separated into the rhinal, proper, and caudal segments) and occipitotemporal sulcus (often interrupted), which were always present in this study. The bifurcation of the caudal collateral sulcus is a useful landmark. In relation to these sulci, we have described the surface anatomy and nominated landmarks of the medial (parahippocampal and lingual) and lateral (fusiform) occipitotemporal gyri. Understanding of the sulcal and gyral patterns of the basal occipital-temporal lobe may provide valuable information in its radiological and intraoperative interpretation.

Multiple jaw cysts not associated with basal cell nevus syndrome

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yoon, Suk Ja; Kang, Byung Cheol

2003-01-01

We present two cases of multiple jaw cysts not associated with basal cell nevus syndrome. Case 1 : a nine year-old boy visited CNU Hospital for orthodontic treatment and his radiographs showed cystic lesions surrounding the crowns of teeth 13 and 17 respectively, which were diagnosed as dentigerous cysts. Subsequently, two more cysts were found on his follow-up radiographs in 12 and 15 months. The two cysts were determined to be odontogenic keratocysts. The boy had no skeletal abnormalities and no skin lesions associated with basal cell nevus syndrome. Case 2: a fifty-eight year old man had three impacted third molars with pericoronal radiolucencies, which were diagnosed as dentigerous cysts. He had no additional abnormalities associated with basal cell nevus syndrome. Multiple jaw cysts can occur at any age, and periodic radiographic surveillance may be needed for any cases of impacted tooth.

Multiple jaw cysts not associated with basal cell nevus syndrome

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yoon, Suk Ja; Kang, Byung Cheol [Chonnam National University College of Medicine, Kwangju (Korea, Republic of)

2003-09-15

We present two cases of multiple jaw cysts not associated with basal cell nevus syndrome. Case 1 : a nine year-old boy visited CNU Hospital for orthodontic treatment and his radiographs showed cystic lesions surrounding the crowns of teeth 13 and 17 respectively, which were diagnosed as dentigerous cysts. Subsequently, two more cysts were found on his follow-up radiographs in 12 and 15 months. The two cysts were determined to be odontogenic keratocysts. The boy had no skeletal abnormalities and no skin lesions associated with basal cell nevus syndrome. Case 2: a fifty-eight year old man had three impacted third molars with pericoronal radiolucencies, which were diagnosed as dentigerous cysts. He had no additional abnormalities associated with basal cell nevus syndrome. Multiple jaw cysts can occur at any age, and periodic radiographic surveillance may be needed for any cases of impacted tooth.

Nevoid basal cell carcinoma syndrome with medulloblastoma and meningioma. Case report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fukushima, Yutaka; Oka, Hidehiro; Utsuki, Satoshi; Iwamoto, Kazuhisa; Fujii, Kiyotaka

2004-01-01

A 35-year-old man presented with a rare case of nevoid basal cell carcinoma syndrome, or Gorlin's syndrome, associated with both medulloblastoma and meningioma, manifesting as visual field constriction due to multiple parasellar tumors. He had undergone resection of a medulloblastoma at the age of 1 year 9 months, followed by adjunctive irradiation with a total dose of 40 Gy. He presented with multiple subcutaneous nodules on his face and neck. Histological examination of biopsy specimens established the diagnosis of nevoid basal cell carcinoma syndrome. Tuberculum sellae meningioma was removed through a craniotomy, and his symptoms improved. Meningioma is known to occur in the field of therapeutic irradiation, so chemotherapy may be a better option for medulloblastoma associated with nevoid basal cell carcinoma syndrome. (author)

Basal follicle stimulating hormone and leptin on the day of hCG administration predict successful fertilization in in vitro fertilization

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Andon Hestiantoro

2016-04-01

Full Text Available Background: Successful pregnancy in in vitro fertilization (IVF program depends on multiple factors. This study aimed to determine whether age, body mass index (BMI, basal follicle stimulating hormone (FSH, estradiol, and leptin on the day of trigger ovulation with human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG might be used as predictor for successful oocyte fertilization in in vitro fertilization (IVF program.Methods: This is a cross sectional study conducted in Yasmin Fertility Clinic, Cipto Mangunkusumo Hospital, Jakarta, Indonesia. Forty participating patients underwent IVF program, excluding smokers, patients with diabetic, morbid obesity, and severe oligospermia or azoospermia. Age, BMI, basal FSH, estradiol, leptin on the day of hCG administration, oocyte count on oocyte retrieval, the number of mature oocyte, and fertility rate were analyzed using bivariate and multivariate analysis to determine which eligible factors play role in predicting the successful of fertilization.Results: Significant correlation was found between basal FSH level and serum leptin/oocyte ratio on the day of hCG administration with successful fertilization. We found probability formula as follows: 1/(1+exp –(6.2 - 0.4(leptin serum/oocyte ratio - 0.8(basal FSH, with 77.8% sensitivity, 77.8% specificity, and AUC levels of 85.6% indicating strong predictability. Probability of successful fertilization related to basal FSH level of 5.90 mIU/mL and leptin serum/oocyte ratio of 3.98.Conclusion: The formula consisting of basal FSH and leptin serum/oocyte ratio on the day of trigger ovulation was capable in predicting the probability of successful fertilization in IVF procedure.

Imaging insights into basal ganglia function, Parkinson's disease, and dystonia.

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Stoessl, A Jon; Lehericy, Stephane; Strafella, Antonio P

2014-08-09

Recent advances in structural and functional imaging have greatly improved our ability to assess normal functions of the basal ganglia, diagnose parkinsonian syndromes, understand the pathophysiology of parkinsonism and other movement disorders, and detect and monitor disease progression. Radionuclide imaging is the best way to detect and monitor dopamine deficiency, and will probably continue to be the best biomarker for assessment of the effects of disease-modifying therapies. However, advances in magnetic resonance enable the separation of patients with Parkinson's disease from healthy controls, and show great promise for differentiation between Parkinson's disease and other akinetic-rigid syndromes. Radionuclide imaging is useful to show the dopaminergic basis for both motor and behavioural complications of Parkinson's disease and its treatment, and alterations in non-dopaminergic systems. Both PET and MRI can be used to study patterns of functional connectivity in the brain, which is disrupted in Parkinson's disease and in association with its complications, and in other basal-ganglia disorders such as dystonia, in which an anatomical substrate is not otherwise apparent. Functional imaging is increasingly used to assess underlying pathological processes such as neuroinflammation and abnormal protein deposition. This imaging is another promising approach to assess the effects of treatments designed to slow disease progression. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Vascular Risk Factors and Diseases Modulate Deficits of Reward-Based Reversal Learning in Acute Basal Ganglia Stroke.

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Ulla K Seidel

Full Text Available Besides motor function, the basal ganglia have been implicated in feedback learning. In patients with chronic basal ganglia infarcts, deficits in reward-based reversal learning have previously been described.We re-examined the acquisition and reversal of stimulus-stimulus-reward associations and acquired equivalence in eleven patients with acute basal ganglia stroke (8 men, 3 women; 57.8±13.3 years, whose performance was compared eleven healthy subjects of comparable age, sex distribution and education, who were recruited outside the hospital. Eleven hospitalized patients with a similar vascular risk profile as the stroke patients but without stroke history served as clinical control group.In a neuropsychological assessment 7±3 days post-stroke, verbal and spatial short-term and working memory and inhibition control did not differ between groups. Compared with healthy subjects, control patients with vascular risk factors exhibited significantly reduced performance in the reversal phase (F[2,30] = 3.47; p = 0.044; post-hoc comparison between risk factor controls and healthy controls: p = 0.030, but not the acquisition phase (F[2,30] = 1.01; p = 0.376 and the acquired equivalence (F[2,30] = 1.04; p = 0.367 tasks. In all tasks, the performance of vascular risk factor patients closely resembled that of basal ganglia stroke patients. Correlation studies revealed a significant association of the number of vascular risk factors with reversal learning (r = -0.33, p = 0.012, but not acquisition learning (r = -0.20, p = 0.121 or acquired equivalence (r = -0.22, p = 0.096.The previously reported impairment of reward-based learning may be attributed to vascular risk factors and associated diseases, which are enriched in stroke patients. This study emphasizes the necessity of appropriate control subjects in cognition studies.

Mechanism of melting in submonolayer films of nitrogen molecules adsorbed on the basal planes of graphite

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hansen, Flemming Yssing; Bruch, Ludwig Walter; Taub, H.

1995-01-01

The melting mechanism in submonolayer films of N-2 molecules adsorbed on the basal planes of graphite is studied using molecular-dynamics simulations. The melting is strongly correlated with the formation of vacancies in the films. As the temperature increases, the edges of the submonolayer patch...

Induced resistance: an enhancement of basal resistance?

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Vos, M. de; Robben, C.; Pelt, J.A. van; Loon, L.C. van; Pieterse, C.M.J.

2002-01-01

Upon primary pathogen attack, plants activate resistance mechanisms at the site of infection. Besides this so-called basal resistance, plants have also the ability to enhance their defensive capacity against future pathogen attack. There are at least two types of biologically induced resistance.

The association between nonadherence and glycated hemoglobin among type 2 diabetes patients using basal insulin analogs

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DiBonaventura M

2014-06-01

Full Text Available Marco DiBonaventura,1 Neil Wintfeld,2 Joanna Huang,2 Amir Goren1 1Health Outcomes Practice, Kantar Health, New York, NY, 2Health Economics and Outcomes Research, Novo Nordisk, Princeton, NJ, USA Background: The main objective of this study was to investigate the relationship between adherence and both clinical (ie, glycated hemoglobin [HbA1c] and nonclinical (ie, health status, work impairment, and health care-resource use health outcomes among type 2 diabetes (T2D patients using basal insulin. Materials and methods: The 2012 US National Health and Wellness Survey dataset was used for this study (n=71,141. A total of 1,198 respondents who reported a diagnosis of T2D, were currently using basal insulin, and reported both their HbA1c and level of nonadherence were included in the analyses. Classical test theory and item response theory (IRT analyses were used to provide evidence for the Morisky Medication Adherence Scale (MMAS in this population. Adherence was then used as a predictor of HbA1c and nonclinical outcomes using regression modeling, controlling for demographics and health history. Results: A total of 61.44% of respondents were male, and the mean age was 60.65 (standard deviation 10.74 years. Internal consistency of the eight-item MMAS (MMAS-8 was adequate (Cronbach's α=0.68, and one factor was retained (eigenvalue =1.80. IRT analyses suggested that the MMAS-8 was most precise for those with high levels of nonadherence. A significant relationship between variables emerged, whereby each point increase in the level of nonadherence was associated with a 0.21 increase in HbA1c (B=0.212, P<0.05. A modest quadratic trend was also observed (B=0.026, P<0.05, indicating that the benefit to HbA1c may taper off at high adherence. Each point of nonadherence was associated with a 4.6%, 20.4%, and 20.9% increase in the number of physician visits, emergency room visits, and hospitalizations, respectively. Discussion: This study provides evidence that

OCD candidate gene SLC1A1/EAAT3 impacts basal ganglia-mediated activity and stereotypic behavior.

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Zike, Isaac D; Chohan, Muhammad O; Kopelman, Jared M; Krasnow, Emily N; Flicker, Daniel; Nautiyal, Katherine M; Bubser, Michael; Kellendonk, Christoph; Jones, Carrie K; Stanwood, Gregg; Tanaka, Kenji Fransis; Moore, Holly; Ahmari, Susanne E; Veenstra-VanderWeele, Jeremy

2017-05-30

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a chronic, disabling condition with inadequate treatment options that leave most patients with substantial residual symptoms. Structural, neurochemical, and behavioral findings point to a significant role for basal ganglia circuits and for the glutamate system in OCD. Genetic linkage and association studies in OCD point to SLC1A1 , which encodes the neuronal glutamate/aspartate/cysteine transporter excitatory amino acid transporter 3 (EAAT3)/excitatory amino acid transporter 1 (EAAC1). However, no previous studies have investigated EAAT3 in basal ganglia circuits or in relation to OCD-related behavior. Here, we report a model of Slc1a1 loss based on an excisable STOP cassette that yields successful ablation of EAAT3 expression and function. Using amphetamine as a probe, we found that EAAT3 loss prevents expected increases in ( i ) locomotor activity, ( ii ) stereotypy, and ( iii ) immediate early gene induction in the dorsal striatum following amphetamine administration. Further, Slc1a1 -STOP mice showed diminished grooming in an SKF-38393 challenge experiment, a pharmacologic model of OCD-like grooming behavior. This reduced grooming is accompanied by reduced dopamine D 1 receptor binding in the dorsal striatum of Slc1a1 -STOP mice. Slc1a1 -STOP mice also exhibit reduced extracellular dopamine concentrations in the dorsal striatum both at baseline and following amphetamine challenge. Viral-mediated restoration of Slc1a1 /EAAT3 expression in the midbrain but not in the striatum results in partial rescue of amphetamine-induced locomotion and stereotypy in Slc1a1 -STOP mice, consistent with an impact of EAAT3 loss on presynaptic dopaminergic function. Collectively, these findings indicate that the most consistently associated OCD candidate gene impacts basal ganglia-dependent repetitive behaviors.

Cerebral blood flow and metabolism in patients with aphasia due to basal ganglionic lesion

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kitamura, Shin; Kato, Toshiaki; Ujike, Takashi; Kuroki, Soemu; Terashi, Akiro

1987-01-01

Cerebral blood flow and metabolism in right handed eight patients with subcortical lesion and aphasia were measured to investigate the correlation between aphasia and functional changes in cerebral blood flow (CBF) and cerebral oxygen consumption (CMRO 2 ) in the cortex and the basal ganglionic region. All patients had no lesion in the cortex, but in the basal ganglionic region (putamen, caudate nucleus, internal capsule, and periventricular white matter) on CT images. Patients with bilateral lesion were excluded in this study. Six patients with cerebral infarction in the left basal ganglionic region and two patients with the left putammal hemorrhage were examined. Five patients had non fluent Broca's type speech, two patients had poor comprehension, fluent Wernicke-type speech and one patient was globally aphasic. CBF, CMRO 2 , and oxygen extraction fraction were measured by the positron emission tomography using 15 O 2 , C 15 O 2 inhalation technique. In addition to reduction of CBF and CMRO 2 in the basal ganglionic region, CBF and CMRO 2 decreased in the left frontal cortex especially posterior part in four patients with Broca's aphasia. In two patients with Wernicke type aphasia, CBF and CMRO 2 decreased in the basal ganglionic region and the left temporal cortex. In a globally aphasic patient, marked reduction of CBF and CMRO 2 was observed in the left frontal and temporal cortex, in addition to the basal ganglionic region. These results suggest that dysfunction of cortex as well as that of basal ganglionic region might be related to the occurence of aphasia. However, in one patient with Broca's ahasia, CBF and CMRO 2 were preserved in the cortex and metabolic reduction was observed in only basal ganglia. This case indicates the relation between basal ganglionic lesion and the occurrence of aphasia. These results suggest that measurements of cerebral blood flow and metabolism were necessary to study the responsible lesion for aphasia. (author)

THE SMALL BUT SIGNIFICANT AND NONTRANSITORY INCREASE IN PRICES (SSNIP TEST

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