Immunohistochemical and in situ analysis of amyloid precursor-like protein-1 and amyloid precursor-like protein-2 expression in Alzheimer disease and aged control brains

Amyloid precursor protein (APP) is a ubiquitously expressed membrane spanning glycoprotein which is endoproteolytically processed to Aβ, a 39–43 amino acid peptide that is the main component of senile plaques in Alzheimer Disease (AD). APP is a member of a highly conserved gene family, including Amyloid Precursor-Like Proteins (APLPs) APLP1 and APLP2. We now characterize APLP1 and APLP2 mRNA and protein expression in AD and aged control brains. Using in situ hybridization in hippocampal tissue from control and AD brain, we show that APLP1 and APLP2 mRNA are expressed primarily in the granule cells of the dentate gyrus, in areas CA1–CA3, and subiculum. Immunohistochemistry reveals staining for both APLP1 and APLP2 in neurons and blood vessels in AD and control cases. In addition, in AD brain, large dystrophic neurites in a subset of senile plaques are conspicuously labeled with APLP1 and APLP2 antibodies. The aged control brains have significantly fewer immunoreactive plaques and dystrophic neurites. The regional, cellular, and subcellular distribution of APLP1 and APLP2 overlap with each other and with APP. These observations support the hypothesis that the members of this family of proteins may perform similar functions.     

Second occurrence of spinal epidural metastases

We reviewed records of 79 men with spinal epidural metastases diagnosed from July 1984 to July 1989, imaged by myelography or MRI, and treated with radiation therapy. Thirteen men (16%) had second epidural metastases. The mean time between lesions that developed within two vertebral bodies of a prior lesion was 2.8 months, compared with 15.2 months for lesions that were three or more vertebral bodies from a prior lesion. Some secondary spinal metastases occurring soon after the initial metastasis may represent regrowth of tumor at the border of the radiation port, suggesting that larger radiation ports be constructed for patients with lengthy expected survival times.     

Response to comment on: Exp Brain Res. 2011 May 5th. Transcranial magnetic stimulation of macaque frontal eye fields decreases saccadic reaction time. Pierre Pouget PhD,Nicolas Wattiez MSc and Antoni Valero-Cabre MDPhD

Abstract  

(not available)     

Attention and organization of behavior in high-risk infants

Preterm infants at 7 months, corrected age, and 7-month-old full-term infants were videotaped while they played with a series of novel objects for a minute apiece. Each infant's videotape was scored for duration of examining (focused visual inspection), duration of mouthing, and duration of slapping or banging the objects. Full-term infants examined the objects significantly more than the preterms; the two groups showed equivalent levels of mouthing and banging. Each minute was then divided into 15-second segments. Only examining showed a decline over time, and then only for the full-terms. When the three behaviors were compared on the latency to the first episode of the behavior in each trial, it was found that the behavior of the full-terms was clearly differentiated in terms of sequence with examining having the shortest latency, mouthing the next shortest, and banging the longest. For the preterms, however, there were no differences among the mean latencies. The major difference between the two groups was in the latency to examine, which was significantly longer in the preterms. In general, the results for the preterms were not related to developmental level, but appeared to be due to deficits in both reactivity to stimulation and ability to sustain attention.     

Early intervention in the context of foster care

There may be a number of specific foster care models that would facilitate infant development. The important point is that the emphasis should shift from foster care as maintenance to foster care as active intervention. Several other recent developments in public policy and public opinion suggest that the time is ripe for such a change; the federal government has mandated provision of early intervention services for young children at risk, and there is renewed interest in breaking the cycle of disadvantage. At this point, we must deal with the reality of the large number of infants and young children who enter the foster-care system and who stay for substantial periods of time. This situation represents an opportunity for professionals and foster parents alike to play a crucial role in changing the potentially adverse course of development for many children. It is an opportunity too important to be lost.     

Magnetic resonance microimaging for noninvasive quantification of myocardial function and mass in the mouse

The purpose of this work was to develop high-resolution cardiac magnetic resonance imaging techniques for the in vivo mouse model for quantification of myocardial function and mass. Eight male mice were investigated on a 7-Tesla MRI scanner. High-quality images in multiple short axis slices (in-plane resolution 117 μm², slice thickness 1 mm) were acquired with an ECG-gated cine sequence. Left ventricular end-diastolic and end-systolic volumes and mass were calculated from segmented slice volumes. There was precise agreement of left ventricular mass determined ex vivo and by MRI. lntraobserver (5%) and interobserver (5%) variability of in vivo MR measurements were low.     

Are the subjective complaints of traumatically brain injured patients reliable?

The present study was designed to compare the subjective complaints of 50 traumatically brain injured TBI patients with the observations of their significant others. The complaints of the TBI patients and their significant others were contrasted according to the severity of the TBI and the type of complaint physical, cognitive behavioural and emotional . While no differences were found in physical com plaints, the cognitive behavioural and emotional complaints of TBI patients, regardless of the severity of the initial TBI, were significantly under reported in comparison to the observations of their significant others. The data suggests that while this finding was most likely due to the TBI patients poor awareness, it was unlikely to be the result of psychological denial since all of these individuals were evaluated in the context of being a plaintiff in personal injury litigation or a claimant in a Workers Compensation claim. The data suggests that the cerebral trauma these patients sustained played a major role in their ability to recognize their cognitive, behavioural and emotional symptoms. Finally, the data suggests that clinicians should obtain information about the TBI patients cognitive behavioural and emotional functioning from their significant others, rather than rely entirely on the TBI patients subjective assessment of these problems.