Mirror trends of plasticity and stability indicators in primate prefrontal cortex

Research on plasticity markers in the cerebral cortex has largely focused on their timing of expression and role in shaping circuits during critical and normal periods. By contrast, little attention has been focused on the spatial dimension of plasticity–stability across cortical areas. The rationale for this analysis is based on the systematic variation in cortical structure that parallels functional specialization and raises the possibility of varying levels of plasticity. Here, we investigated in adult rhesus monkeys the expression of markers related to synaptic plasticity or stability in prefrontal limbic and eulaminate areas that vary in laminar structure. Our findings revealed that limbic areas are impoverished in three markers of stability: intracortical myelin, the lectin Wisteria floribunda agglutinin, which labels perineuronal nets, and parvalbumin, which is expressed in a class of strong inhibitory neurons. By contrast, prefrontal limbic areas were enriched in the enzyme calcium/calmodulin‐dependent protein kinase II (CaMKII), known to enhance plasticity. Eulaminate areas have more elaborate laminar architecture than limbic areas and showed the opposite trend: they were enriched in markers of stability and had lower expression of the plasticity‐related marker CaMKII. The expression of glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), a marker of activated astrocytes, was also higher in limbic areas, suggesting that cellular stress correlates with the rate of circuit reshaping. Elevated markers of plasticity may endow limbic areas with flexibility necessary for learning and memory within an affective context, but may also render them vulnerable to abnormal structural changes, as seen in neurologic and psychiatric diseases.     

Isolation and identification of steroidogenic peptides from calf spleen

Since women with climacteric syndrome have significantly lower serum levels of estradiol and other related hormones, hormone replacement therapies (HRT) such as estrogen are needed to lessen symptoms. However, HRT can often cause severe adverse effects that include many cancers and stroke. Therefore, new and novel approaches to relieve climacteric syndrome still need to be developed. The aim of this study was to identify biologically active peptides from calf spleen that are responsible for stimulating biosynthesis of steroid hormone and to explore the potential of isolated peptides as therapeutic agents for menopausal syndrome. The reverse phase HPLC system was used to isolate active compounds from calf spleen extract, a cell culture system was used to screen the activity of stimulating hormone secretion, and Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption/Ionization (MALDI) mass spectrometry was used for molecular weight determination. In the present study, two calf steroidogenic peptides, CSP-1 (MW; 4.655 kDa) and CSP-2 (MW; 8.331 kDa), were isolated and identified from calf spleen and may be putative climacteric syndrome therapeutic agents.     

Microbiological assessment in strawberry production and recommendations to establish a good agricultural practice system

This study conducted microbiological assessment in tunnel style strawberry greenhouses and packaging centers and suggested recommendations to establish a good agricultural practice for strawberry production. The samples from irrigation water, workers' gloves, harvest bins, soil, strawberry leaves and strawberries in greenhouses, packers' gloves, conveyor belts, packaging tables, and door knobs of entrances in packaging centers were collected. Bacterial cell counts of aerobic plate counts, coliforms, Escherichia coli, E. coli O157:H7, Salmonella, Staphylococcus aureus, and Bacillus cereus were then enumerated on appropriate selective media. In general, bacterial populations were similar (p ≥ 0.05) among strawberry greenhouses but not among packaging houses. E. coli and E. coli O157:H7 were negative in all samples, and low levels of Salmonella and B. cereus were detected. However, high bacterial cell counts of aerobic plate counts, coliforms, and S. aureus were found in most samples. These results suggest that food safety practice in strawberry greenhouses and packaging centers should be improved, and the results may be useful in the establishment of a good agricultural practice system for strawberry production.     

Retrograde Parotidectomy and facial nerve outcomes: A case series of 44 patients

Purpose

The most common surgical method to remove benign parotid tumors remains the prograde approach. We examined if a retrograde surgical technique offers better outcomes than historical prograde controls.

Sonographic findings of an ovarian serous surface papillary borderline tumor

Sonographic findings of a serous surface papillary borderline tumor of the ovary have rarely been reported in the English literature. Here, we describe a case of serous surface papillary borderline tumor, which was depicted on gray-scale and Doppler ultrasonography as smoothly lobulated and polypoid heterogeneous echoic bilateral adnexal masses encased or surrounded by what was presumed to be normal-appearing ovarian follicles with increased vascular flow.     

Can the sentinel lymph node technique affect decisions to offer internal mammary chain irradiation?

Purpose  Identification of the sentinel lymph node (SLN) for small mammary tumours (cT1N0) sometimes leads to detection of internal mammary chain (IMC) drainage. This information is often ignored by physicians. The present study sought to determine the frequency with which an internal mammary SLN was identified by peritumoral injection of radioactive tracer, and then to determine the patients in whom identification of an internal mammary SLN could have an impact on the radiation treatment plan. Materials  Between March 2002 and March 2008, 622 SLN biopsies performed in a cohort of 608 patients were analysed. Technetium-labelled nanocolloids were administered via three peritumoral injections, completed by a deep prepectoral injection, with the entire procedure performed under echographic guidance. Results  The SLN was identified in 607 of the 622 patients, including 174 (28.7%) in the IMC. A total of 161 successful internal mammary biopsies were performed. Of the 622 patients, 18 showed SLN involvement in the IMC. In 7 of these patients, only the internal mammary SLN was affected. Prophylactic irradiation of the IMC was indicated in 376 patients, but only in 18 (4.8%) of these patients was there effectively IMC involvement; internal mammary SLN biopsy failed in 7 patients (1.9%). Conclusion  SLN detection by peritumoral injection, combined with the systematic removal of the internal mammary SLN, enabled the involvement of this region to be found in a nonnegligible number of patients. Such information should make it possible to personalize treatment for patients with stage cT1 mammary cancer and thereby avoid needless internal mammary radiation therapy in a large number of patients (93.4% in our study).     

Impact of regional anesthesia on outcomes of geriatric patients undergoing lower extremity revascularization: A propensity score-matched cohort study

Lower extremity revascularization (LER) for peripheral artery disease in elderly patients is associated with a high risk of perioperative morbidity and mortality. This study aimed to a conduct retrospective review and propensity score matching analysis to determine whether the use of regional anesthesia (RA) instead of general anesthesia (GA) in geriatric patients undergoing LER for peripheral artery disease results in improved short-term mortality and health outcomes. We reviewed medical records of 1271 patients aged >65 years who underwent LER at our center between May 1998 and February 2016. According to the anesthesia method, patients were grouped in the GA and RA groups. The primary outcome was short-term mortality (7-day and 30-day). The secondary outcomes were 5-year survival rate, intraoperative events, postoperative morbidity, and postoperative length of stay. A propensity score-matched cohort design was used to control for potentially confounding factors including patient demographics, comorbidities, American Society of Anesthesiologists physical status, and preoperative medications. After propensity score matching, 722 patients that received LER under GA (n = 269) or RA (n = 453) were identified. Patients from the GA group showed significantly higher 7-day mortality than those from the RA group (5.6% vs 2.7% P = .048); however, there was no significant difference in 30-day mortality between the groups (GA vs RA: 6.3% vs 3.6%, P = .083). The 5-year survival rate and incidence of arterial and central venous catheter placement or intraoperative dopamine and epinephrine use were significantly higher in the GA group than in the RA group (P < .05). In addition, the frequency of immediate postoperative oxygen therapy or mechanical ventilation support was higher in the GA group (P < .05). However, there was no difference in the postoperative cardiopulmonary and cerebral complications between the 2 groups. These results suggest that RA can reduce intraoperative hemodynamic support and provide immediate postoperative respiratory intensive care. In addition, the use of RA may be associated with better short-term and 5-year survival rates in geriatric patients undergoing LER.