Computed tomography of rectal and perirectal disease in AIDS patients

Twenty-eight homosexual men with Kaposi sarcoma as part of the acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS-related KS) and 2 homosexual men without AIDS were examined with abdominal and pelvic computed tomography (CT). Abnormalities of the rectum and perirectal areas were seen in 8 of the 30 patients on CT examination. Endoscopy and biopsy of the colon in these 8 cases revealed inflammatory changes in 6 patients and KS in 2. The CT abnormalities were not specific for inflammatory disease or tumor, and endoscopy with biopsy was necessary to establish an accurate diagnosis.     

An Improved Method of Assessing Esophageal Emptying Using the Timed Barium Study Following Surgical Myotomy for Achalasia

Introduction  The timed barium study (TBS) is used to assess esophageal emptying in patients with achalasia. Improvement in emptying correlates with outcome after endoscopic therapy, but the results of the TBS have been variable after myotomy. Our aim was to evaluate a new method for assessing improvement in emptying after myotomy. Methods  A TBS was performed before and 3–6 months after myotomy in 30 patients. Emptying was assessed by measuring the percent difference in area of the barium column on films obtained 1 and 5 min after ingesting 150 ml of barium. Initial esophageal clearance was also assessed by comparing the area of the barium column on 1-min images obtained before and after therapy. Both measures were compared to clinical outcome. Results  After myotomy, 21 patients (70%) had no symptoms, four (13%) had mild, and five (17%) had moderate/severe symptoms. Using the standard method, esophageal emptying before and after surgery were not significantly different (25% vs. 37%; p = 0.22) and did not correlate with clinical outcome. In contrast, initial esophageal clearance improved significantly (median 81%) and correlated with clinical outcome. Conclusion  Esophageal emptying measured by the standard method is not useful to assess outcome after myotomy. However, initial esophageal clearance correlates well with clinical outcome. Previous presentations: 49th SSAT Annual Meeting at Digestive Disease Week, San Diego, 2008 and 23rd Annual SSAT Residents and Fellows Research Conference, San Diego, 2008     

Functional near infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS): an emerging neuroimaging technology with important applications for the study of brain disorders

Functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) is an emerging functional neuroimaging technology offering a relatively non-invasive, safe, portable, and low-cost method of indirect and direct monitoring of brain activity. Most exciting is its potential to allow more ecologically valid investigations that can translate laboratory work into more realistic everyday settings and clinical environments. Our aim is to acquaint clinicians and researchers with the unique and beneficial characteristics of fNIRS by reviewing its relative merits and limitations vis-à-vis other brain-imaging technologies such as functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). We review cross-validation work between fMRI and fNIRS, and discuss possible reservations about its deployment in clinical research and practice. Finally, because there is no comprehensive review of applications of fNIRS to brain disorders, we also review findings from the few studies utilizing fNIRS to investigate neurocognitive processes associated with neurological (Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, epilepsy, traumatic brain injury) and psychiatric disorders (schizophrenia, mood disorders, anxiety disorders).     

Radiography of successful bone marrow transplantation for osteopetrosis

Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) is the only curative therapy for autosomal recessive infantile malignant osteopetrosis, an otherwise fatal disease. HSCT has also been utilized in patients with the less severe autosomal recessive intermediate form in an attempt to correct hematologic abnormalities and halt cranial nerve deficits caused by progressive cranial foraminal stenosis. Successful engraftment is accompanied by rapid normalization of radiographic signs of osteopetrosis.     

A comprehensive view on the quercetin impact on bladder cancer: Focusing on oxidative stress,cellular, and molecular mechanisms

Bladder cancer (BC) is known as a prevalent genitourinary malignancy and has a significant mortality rate worldwide. Despite recent therapeutic approaches, the recurrence rate is high, highlighting the need for a new strategy to reduce the BC cell progression. Quercetin, a flavonoid compound, demonstrated promising anticancer properties and could be used in the management of various malignancies such as BC. This comprehensive review summarized quercetin's cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying anticancer activities. The study's findings indicated that quercetin prevents the proliferation of the human BC cell line, promotes apoptosis of BIU-87 cells, reduces the expression of p-P70S6K, and induces apoptosis by p-AMPK. Moreover, quercetin restricts tumor growth through the AMPK/mTOR cascade and prevents colony formation of human BC cells by triggering DNA damage. Studying this review article will help researchers better understand quercetin's functional role in the prevention and treatment of BC.     

Effect of blood pressure on cognitive functions in elderly persons

BACKGROUND: Little is known about what specific cognitive functions are affected by elevated blood pressure (BP) and how orthostatic BP change is related to cognitive impairment. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of BP and its postural change on cognitive functions in otherwise healthy elders. METHODS: In 70 healthy persons (mean age, 72 +/- 4 years), supine systolic BP (SBP) was assessed 3 times using a sphygmomanometer, and the average values were obtained for the analysis. After 1, 3, and 5 minutes of standing, 3 BP measurements were obtained and the orthostatic SBP changes were determined by subtracting these values from the supine average. Neuropsychological tests were administered to assess short-term and long-term verbal and visual memory, visuospatial skills, and frontal-executive functions. Participants were considered impaired in the specific cognitive performance if their scores fell below the 25th percentile of the study population. Multiple logistic regression models were used to evaluate the relation of SBP and the magnitude of orthostatic SBP decline to risk for impairment in each of the cognitive tests. RESULTS: Controlling for potential confounders, each 10 mmHg increase in supine SBP was associated with a 2.31-fold increase (95% confidence interval, 1.14 to 4.66) in risk for impairment in psychomotor speed and set shifting as measured using the Trailmaking Part-B test. There was no significant association between cognitive functions and orthostatic SBP decline at 1, 3, and 5 minutes of standing. CONCLUSION: Elevation of BP is associated with a selective impairment in executive function in otherwise healthy community-dwelling elders.