SPECT (Single Photon Emission Computed Tomography) in 31 children and adolescents with autism and autistic-like conditions

SPECT with Tc-99m-HM-PAO was used in examining 31 patients with autism and autistic-like conditions. Sixteen of these had autistic disorder/autistic-like conditions with associated epilepsy. The autistic disorder group without epilepsy was relatively high functioning. All 31 patients showed reduction of regional cerebral blood flow in the temporal lobes. There was no clear difference between the groups with and without epilepsy, suggesting that seizure disorder per se could not account for the findings.

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Zusammenfassung 31 Patienten mit Autismus und autismusählichen Störungen wurden mit dem PET untersucht. 16 dieser Patienten hatten zusätzlich Epilepsie. Die Gruppe ohne Epilepsie befand sich auf einem relativ hohen kognitiven Niveau. Alle 31 Patienten zeigten eine Minderdurchblutung in den Temporallappen. Es gab keine eindeutigen Unterschiede zwischen den Gruppe mit und ohne Epilepsie, so daß offensichtlich das Anfallsleiden allein diese Auffälligkeiten nicht erklären kann.

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Résumé Le Spect-can a été utilisé pour examiner 31 patients avec autisme et des états de type autistique. 16 d'entre eux avaient un trouble autistique ou de type autistique associé à une épilepsie. Le groupe autistique, sans épilepsie, avait une relativement bonne qualité de fonctionnement. Les 31 patients ont montré une réduction du flux sanguin dans les lobes temporaux du cerveau. Il n'y avait pas de différence nette entre les groupes avec ou sans épilepsie, suggérant que le trouble épileptique en lui-même n'aurait pas d'incidence sur les faits.

     

Oxytocin course over pregnancy and postpartum period and the association with postpartum depressive symptoms

During the postpartum period, women are at higher risk of developing a mental disorder such as postpartum depression (PPD), a disorder that associates with mother–infant bonding and child development. Oxytocin is considered to play a key role in mother–infant bonding and social interactions and altered oxytocin plasma concentrations were found to be associated with PPD. In the present study, we evaluated oxytocin plasma levels and depressive symptoms during pregnancy and the postpartum period in healthy women. We evaluated 100 women twice during pregnancy (weeks 35 and 38) and three times in the postpartum period (within 2 days and 7 weeks and 6 months after delivery) by measuring oxytocin plasma levels with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and assessing depressive symptoms with the Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale. Oxytocin plasma levels significantly increased from the 35th week of gestation to 6 months postpartum in all women. However, levels decreased from the 38th week of gestation to 2 days after delivery in participants with postpartum depressive symptoms, whereas they continuously increased in the group without postpartum depressive symptoms; the difference between the course of oxytocin levels in the two groups was significant (Δt2–t3: t?=?2.14; p?=?0.036*). Previous depressive episodes and breastfeeding problems predicted postpartum depressive symptoms. Our results indicate that alterations in the oxytocin system during pregnancy might be specific for women who develop postpartum depressive symptoms. Future studies should investigate whether oxytocin plasma levels might have predictive value in women at high risk for PPD.     

Effect of loading on bone regenerated at implant dehiscence sites in humans

Few investigations have studied the long‐term fate of bone formed following the technique of guided tissue regeneration. The aim of the present study was to evaluate bone fill around implant fixtures with dehiscence defects and to study its response to loading. Ten patients were treated with overdentures supported by 2 fixtures ad modum Brånemark. A third 7 mm x 3.75 mm diameter fixture was placed for the purposes of the study in the most anterior part of the mandible with a dehiscence defect of 4 to 5 mm on the buccal aspect (and 3 to 4 threads exposed) which was covered with a Gore‐Tex membrane and buried beneath the mucosa. Fixtures were exposed after 5 months (stage 2), ball abutments connected and loaded through an overdenture for 1 year. Nine fixtures were functioning well after 1 year of loading, 6 of which were retrieved with a trephine for histological examination and compared with 6 unloaded fixtures retrieved in our previously reported study. The bone area filling the thread profiles (BA%) and the bone to metal contact (BMC%) were measured in the 3 most apical and 3 most coronal thread profiles on the buccal and lingual surfaces. Statistically significant higher BMC% ( P <0.01) were observed in loaded fixtures in the apical regions (buccal: loaded 51%. unloaded 25%; lingual: loaded 49%, unloaded 24%). Differences approached significance for the regeneration site (loaded 22%, unloaded 6%) but were no different for the coronal lingual region (loaded 28%, unloaded 20%). There were no differences for BA%. This study confirms that there is an increase in bone to metal contact with time and following fixture loading and that this may also occur with bone regenerated under Gore‐Tex membranes.     

Macrophages contribute to the cellular uptake of von Willebrand factor and factor VIII in vivo

Von Willebrand factor (VWF) and factor VIII (FVIII) circulate in a tight noncovalent complex. At present, the cells that contribute to the removal of FVIII and VWF are of unknown identity. Here, we analyzed spleen and liver tissue sections of VWF-deficient mice infused with recombinant VWF or recombinant FVIII. This analysis revealed that both proteins were targeted to cells of macrophage origin. When applied as a complex, both proteins were codirected to the same macrophages. Chemical inactivation of macrophages using gadolinium chloride resulted in doubling of endogenous FVIII levels in VWF-null mice, and of VWF levels in wild-type mice. Moreover, the survival of infused VWF was prolonged almost 2-fold in VWF-deficient mice after gadolinium chloride treatment. VWF and FVIII also bound to primary human macrophages in in vitro tests. In addition, radiolabeled VWF bound to human THP1 macrophages in a dose-dependent, specific, and saturable manner (half-maximal binding at 0.014 mg/mL). Binding to macrophages was followed by a rapid uptake and subsequent degradation of the internalized protein. This process was also visualized using a VWF-green fluorescent protein fusion protein. In conclusion, our data strongly indicate that macrophages play a prominent role in the clearance of the VWF/FVIII complex.     

Clinical pharmacists’ interventions across German hospitals: results from a repetitive cross-sectional study

International Journal of Clinical Pharmacy - Background Pharmacists’ interventions (PI) are suitable to improve medication safety and optimise patient outcome. However, in Germany, clinical...     

Q waves in ischemic cardiomyopathy

The International Journal of Cardiovascular Imaging - Q waves may be observed in the absence of non-viable tissue. However, their scintigraphic translation in patients with ischemic cardiomyopathy...     

Adenosine and NMDA Receptors Modulate Neuroprotection-Induced NMDA Preconditioning in Mice

Journal of Molecular Neuroscience - The severity score of quinolinic acid (QA)-induced seizures was investigated after N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) preconditioning associated with adenosine...     

Environmental enrichment as a promising strategy for aiding multiple sclerosis treatment

Multiple sclerosis(MS)is a complex chronic disease of the central nervous system(CNS)which includes three main anatomopathological characteristics:inflammation,demyelination,neurodegeneration.This pathology induces many clinical symptoms,depending on the site of the lesions,such as motor,sensitive,visual,urinary and cognitive manifestations.In addition,MS is a very heterogeneous disease that displays different clinical courses or phenotypes(relapsing/remitting MS,primary progressive MS(PPMS)and secondary progressive MS(SPMS).Both neurodegeneration and inflammation are present along the natural history of the disease.However,the balance of both phenomena varies according to the course of the disease.In relapsing/remitting MS form,the acute inflammation,mainly adaptive immunity,predominates over the neurodegeneration,being the main cause of the relapses.In SPMS and PPMS,the neurodegeneration predominates over the inflammation,which appears as chronic inflammation,being innate immunity(microglia and astroglia)the main feature in the neurodegenerative process.