Low and High Field Magnetic Resonance for in Vivo Analysis of Seeds

Low field NMR has been successfully used for the evaluation of seed composition and quality, but largely only in crop species. We show here that 1.5T NMR provides a reliable means for analysing the seed lipid fraction present in a wide range of species, where both the seed size and lipid concentration differed by >10 fold. Little use of high field NMR has been made in seed research to date, even though it potentially offers many opportunities for studying seed development, metabolism and storage. Here we demonstrate how 17.5T and 20T NMR can be applied to image seed structure, and analyse lipid and metabolite distribution. We suggest that further technical developments in NMR/MRI will facilitate significant advances in our understanding of seed biology.     

On the Connection Between Affective Evaluation of Recollected Relationship Experiences and the Severity of the Psychic Impairment

This study, carried out at three different university centers contributes to validating the valence dimension of the CCRT-method. Working on the state of the CCRT-research on affective evaluation of relationship narratives, the connection between the valence dimension of the responses from others (RO), responses of the self (RS) and the severity of the psychological disorder has been analyzed with the help of a sample taken from 266 female patients. Both therapists as well as patients themselves evaluate the severity of the impairment similarly. The more the patients are impaired, the more negatively they describe both their own reactions and those of their interaction partners as shown in the relationship episodes. Die vorliegende multizentrizch Studie stellt einen Beitrag zur Vaidierungder Valenzdimension der ZBKT-Methode dar. Ausgehend vom Stand der ZBKT-Forschung bezüglich der affektiven Bewertung der Beziehungsschilderungen wurde an einer Stichprobe von 266 Patientinnen der Zusammenhang zwischen der Valenzdimension der Reaktionskomponenten und der Schwere der psychischen Störung untersucht. Für die Einschätzung der krankheitsschwere sowohldurch die therapeuten wie auch durch die patientinnen selbst Gilt: je schwerer gestört patientinnen sind, um so negativer beschreiben sie die eigenen Reaktionen und die ihrer Interaktionspartner in den Beziehungsepisoden. Cette étude menée dans trois centres universitaires contribue à la validation de la dimension positivité/négativité («valence») du CCRT. Dans notre travail sur la situation dela recherche concernant le CCRT et l'évaluation affective des épisodes relationnels, nous avons analysé, sur base d'un échantillon de 266 patientes, le lien entre ladimension «valence» des réponses de l'autre, de la réaction du sujet, et la gravité du trouble psychique. les thérapeutes et les patientes elles-mêmes arrivent à une jugement comparable de la Sévérité de l'atteinte. Plus les patientes sont atteintes, et plus le récit des réactions des autres et d'elles-mêmes dans les épisodes relationnels est négatif. Este estudio, llevado a cabo en tres centros universitarios diferentes, contribuye a validar la dimensión valencia del método CCRT. Trabajando sobre el estado actual de la investigació del CCRT en la evaluación afectiva de las narrativas relacionales, se analizó, en una muestra de 266 pacientes mujeres, la conexión entre la dimensión valencia en las respuestas de otros (Ro), las respuestas del self (RS) y la severidad del desorden psíquico.Los terapeuttas evaluaron la severidad de las perturbaciones en forma similar a las pacientes mismas. Como se ve en los episodios relacionales, cuanto màs perturbadas estàn las pacientes, mà negativamene describen sus propias reacciones y las de sus interlocutores.     

Parahydrogen‐induced polarization of carboxylic acids: a pilot study of valproic acid and related structures

Parahydrogen‐induced polarization (PHIP) is a promising new tool for medical applications of MR, including MRI. The PHIP technique can be used to transfer high non‐Boltzmann polarization, derived from parahydrogen, to isotopes with a low natural abundance or low gyromagnetic ratio (e.g. ¹³C), thus improving the signal‐to‐noise ratio by several orders of magnitude. A few molecules acting as metabolic sensors have already been hyperpolarized with PHIP, but the direct hyperpolarization of drugs used to treat neurological disorders has not been accomplished until now. Here, we report on the first successful hyperpolarization of valproate (valproic acid, VPA), an important and commonly used antiepileptic drug. Hyperpolarization was confirmed by detecting the corresponding signal patterns in the ¹H NMR spectrum. To identify the optimal experimental conditions for the conversion of an appropriate VPA precursor, structurally related molecules with different side chains were analyzed in different solvents using various catalytic systems. The presented results include hyperpolarized ¹³C NMR spectra and proton images of related systems, confirming their applicability for MR studies. PHIP‐based polarization enhancement may provide a new MR technique to monitor the spatial distribution of valproate in brain tissue and to analyze metabolic pathways after valproate administration. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Golimumab improves socio economic and health economic parameters in patients with rheumatoid arthritis,psoriatic arthritis,and ankylosing spondylitis

Abstract

Background

Golimumab (GLM) has shown its efficacy and safety in various clinical trials. We aimed to assess the effect of GLM on socio economic and health economic parameters in daily clinical practice.     

War Experiences and General Health Among People in Bosnia‐Herzegovina and Kosovo

War experiences may have an extensive impact on the health status of the exposed populations. This population‐based study aimed to examine the relationship between war experiences and self‐reported general health in representative sample surveys from Bosnia‐Herzegovina (n = 3,313) and Kosovo (n = 1,000). Data were collected with face‐to‐face interviews fielded in the winter of 2003–2004. Logistic regression analysis was used to compute unadjusted and adjusted odds ratios (ORs). The adjusted effects of the extensiveness of war experiences on poor health were positive in both countries, but they were statistically significant only for Bosnia‐Herzegovina: OR = 1.04, 95% CI [1.00, 1.08] for Bosnia‐Herzegovina and OR = 1.03, 95% CI [0.98, 1.09] for Kosovo. The strongest observed effect was found for Kosovo only: The extensiveness of war experiences was relatively strongly related to longstanding health problems, OR = 1.09, 95% CI [1.03, 1.15]. We found that war experiences may contribute to increased poorer health in the exposed populations; however, the effects 4–9 years after the war ended were modest. Hence, war experiences seemed to be more strongly related to war‐related distress and posttraumatic stress disorder than to self‐reported general health.