Grafted human chorionic stem cells restore motor function and preclude cerebellar neurodegeneration in rat model of cerebellar ataxia

Metabolic Brain Disease - Cerebellar ataxia (CA) is a form of ataxia that adversely affects the cerebellum. Cell replacement therapy (CRT) has been considered as a potential treatment for...     

Evaluation of Bone Mineral Status in Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis

Background

Several reports have suggested low bone mineral density (BMD) in patients with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS). We determined bone mineral status in patients with AIS to evaluate the effect of brace treatment on BMD.

Methods

BMD was measured in 46 patients (mean age, 17.8 ± 4.9 years) with AIS (17 with brace and 29 without brace) by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry scan and compared the results to an age-matched (mean age, 16.6 ± 3.9 years) control group (n = 54).

Results

The AIS group had significantly lower bone mass at the lumbar spine (Z-score, -1.500 vs. -0.832) and hip (Z-score, -1.221 vs. -0.754) except at the femoral neck. No difference in BMD was found between patients with AIS who used a brace and those who did not.

Conclusions

The results confirmed that BMD was low in AIS patients and it was not affected by brace treatment.     

The potential role of pretransplant MIBG diagnostic scintigraphy in targeted administration of 131I‐MIBG accompanied by ASCT for high‐risk and relapsed neuroblastoma: A pilot study

MIBG is an effective component in treatment of neuroblastoma. Furthermore, MIBG scintigraphy is an imaging modality in primary assessments. None of the previous studies have evaluated the role of pretransplant MIBG scintigraphy in decision making for neuroblastoma treatment. We selected therapeutic regimen based on pretransplant ¹³¹I‐MIBG scintigraphy. Twenty high‐risk patients were enrolled. On day ?30, patients underwent diagnostic MIBG scintigraphy. Patients were then subdivided into two groups (10 cases in each arm). MIBG‐avid subgroup received MIBG (12 mCi/kg), etoposide (1200 mg/m²), carboplatin (1500 mg/m²), and melphalan (210 mg/m²). Non‐MIBG‐avid subgroup received etoposide (600 mg/m²), carboplatin (1200 mg/m²), and melphalan (150 mg/m²). Patients received CRA after ASCT. Mean age at diagnosis was 42.5 months (range, 17–65) in MIBG‐avid and 38.9 months (range, 18–65) in non‐MIBG‐avid patients. Mean age at diagnosis and transplantation did not reveal significant difference between two subgroups. In MIBG‐avid patients, the three‐yr OS was 66 ± 21%. In MIBG‐non‐avid subgroup, the three‐yr OS was 53 ± 20%. In MIBG‐avid and non‐MIBG‐avid subgroups, the three‐yr EFS were 66 ± 21% and 47 ± 19%, respectively. These findings may suggest an effective role in selecting the therapeutic strategy for pre‐ASCT MIBG scintigraphy in high‐risk neuroblastoma. MIBG‐avid subset may benefit from the combination of therapeutic MIBG and high dose of chemotherapy.     

Prenatal screening and diagnosis of congenital toxoplasmosis: a review of safety issues and psychological consequences for women who undergo screening

As part of the EUROTOXO initiative, this review focuses on the potential risks associated with prenatal testing for congenital toxoplasmosis. We first review the evidence on the risks of adverse events associated with amniocentesis, which is required for definitive diagnosis of toxoplasmosis infection in the fetus, and for which the most important risk is fetal loss. To date, there has been only one randomized trial to document risks associated with amniocentesis. This trial, which was conducted in 1986, reported a procedure-related rate of fetal loss of 1.0% (95% CI, 0.3-1.5). However, evidence from available controlled studies suggests that the pregnancy loss associated with mid-trimester amniocentesis may be lower.Potential psychological consequences of prenatal testing for congenital toxoplasmosis include parental anxiety due to false positive results and uncertainties related to prognosis of children with a prenatal diagnosis of congenital toxoplasmosis. Parental anxiety may be particularly important in screening strategies that include more frequent screenings, which may in turn entail substantial, and at times unnecessary, anxiety or other negative consequences for women and their families. These negative psychological outcomes should be balanced against the benefits of testing, which can allow women to make an informed choice regarding the pregnancy.     

Worldwide prevalence of microbial agents’ coinfection among COVID‐19 patients: A comprehensive updated systematic review and meta‐analysis

BackgroundTo provide information about pathogens’ coinfection prevalence with SARS‐CoV‐2 could be a real help to save patients’ lives. This study aims to evaluate the pathogens’ coinfection prevalence among COVID‐19 patients.MethodIn order to find all of the relevant articles, we used systematic search approach. Research‐based databases including PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, and Scopus, without language restrictions, were searched to identify the relevant bacterial, fungal, and viral coinfections among COVID‐19 cases from December 1, 2019, to August 23, 2021. In order to dig deeper, other scientific repositories such as Medrxiv were probed.ResultsA total of 13,023 studies were found through systematic search. After thorough analysis, only 64 studies with 61,547 patients were included in the study. The most common causative agents of coinfection among COVID‐19 patients were bacteria (pooled prevalence: 20.97%; 95% CI: 15.95–26.46; I ²: 99.9%) and less frequent were virus coinfections (pooled prevalence: 12.58%; 95% CI: 7.31–18.96; I ²: 98.7%). The pooled prevalence of fungal coinfections was also 12.60% (95% CI: 7.84–17.36; I ²: 98.3%). Meta‐regression analysis showed that the age sample size and WHO geographic region did not influenced heterogeneity.ConclusionWe identified a high prevalence of pathogenic microorganism coinfection among COVID‐19 patients. Because of this rate of coinfection empirical use of antibacterial, antifungal, and antiviral treatment are advisable specifically at the early stage of COVID‐19 infection. We also suggest running simultaneously diagnostic tests to identify other microbiological agents’ coinfection with SARS‐CoV‐2.     

Beyond the Scholl reaction – one-step planarization and edge chlorination of nanographenes by mechanochemistry

The edge chlorination of the benchmark nanographenes triphenylene and hexa-peri-hexabenzocoronene is conducted mechanochemically. This approach overcomes solubility limitations and eliminates the need for elaborate chlorination conditions. Additionally, the planarization of oligophenylenes and their edge-chlorination can be combined in a one-pot approach requiring as little as 60 minutes.

The edge chlorination of the benchmark nanographenes triphenylene and hexa-peri-hexabenzocoronene is conducted mechanochemically. Planarization and edge chlorination are combined which allows the preparation of chlorinated nanographenes in one step.     

Understanding liquid–liquid equilibria in binary mixtures of hydrocarbons with a thermally robust perarylphosphonium-based ionic liquid

Binary mixtures of hydrocarbons and a thermally robust ionic liquid (IL) incorporating a perarylphosphonium-based cation are investigated experimentally and computationally. Experimentally, it is seen that excess toluene added to the IL forms two distinct liquid phases, an “ion-rich” phase of fixed composition and a phase that is nearly pure toluene. Conversely, n-heptane is observed to be essentially immiscible in the neat IL. Molecular dynamics simulations capture both of these behaviours. Furthermore, the simulated composition of the toluene-rich IL phase is within 10% of the experimentally determined composition. Additional simulations are performed on the binary mixtures of the IL and ten other small hydrocarbons having mixed aromatic/aliphatic character. It is found that hydrocarbons with a predominant aliphatic character are largely immiscible with the IL, while those with a predominant aromatic character readily mix with the IL. A detailed analysis of the structure and energetic changes that occur on mixing reveals the nature of the ion-rich phase. The simulations show a bicontinuous phase with hydrocarbon uptake akin to absorption and swelling by a porous absorbent. Aromatic hydrocarbons are driven into the neat IL via dispersion forces with the IL cations and, to a lesser extent, the IL anions. The ion–ion network expands to accommodate the hydrocarbons, yet maintains a core connective structure. At a certain loading, this network becomes stretched to its limit. The energetic penalty associated with breaking the core connective network outweighs the gain from new hydrocarbon–IL interactions, leaving additional hydrocarbons in the neat phase. The spatially alternating charge of the expanded IL network is shown to interact favourably with the stacked aromatic subphase, something not possible for aliphatic hydrocarbons.

Binary mixtures of hydrocarbons and a thermally robust ionic liquid (IL) incorporating a perarylphosphonium-based cation are investigated experimentally and computationally.