AMPA-Selective glutamate receptor subtype immunoreactivity in the hippocampal dentate gyrus of patients with Alzheimer disease

Immunocytochemical techniques were employed in order to examine the distribution and relative intensity of immunolabeling of the α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoaxolepropionate (AMPA) receptor subunits GluR1 and GluR2/3 within the hippocampal formation of patients with Alzheimer disease (AD). Within sectors of the hippocampus that are particularly vulnerable to AD pathology (i.e., CA1, subiculum), we observed a variable loss of GluR1 and GluR2/3 immunolabeling correlating with the extent of cell loss and neurofibrillary pathology. In contrast, in less vulnerable sectors of the hippocampus (i.e., CA2/3, dentate gyrus), the intensity of immunolabeling was markedly increased in AD cases, particularly in the molecular and polymorphic layear of the dentate gyrus. Importantly, these latter regions correspond to termination zones of glutamatergic perforant pathway axons and mossy fiber collaterals, respectively. The increase in immunolabeling within these projection fields is hypothesized to occur in response to the deafferentation of selected glutamatergic pathways, and suggests a critical role for AMPA receptor subunits in hippocampal plasticity.     

Scintigraphic and radiographic patterns of skeletal metastases in breast cancer: value of sequential imaging in predicting outcome

Objective To determine whether temporal changes in scintigraphic and bone radiographic findings have prognostic significance in patients with skeletal metastases from breast cancer.Design Clinical information and films were retrospecitvely reviewed in 101 randomly selected patients with skeletal metastases. Images from sequential bone scans and bone radiographs were correlated with survival after detection of the metastases.Results Time to detection of skeletal metastases and the length of time for which patients were classified as radiologically stable after development of skeletal metastases correlated with survival (r=0.843; r=0.821, respectively). Failure to develop a radiographically and scintigraphically stable pattern after treatment was associated with significantly decreased survival compared with the rest of the patients (mean survival 2.1±1.3 years vs 4.3±2.3 years; p<0.001). Scintigraphic regression of metastases was associated with significant survival benefit and longer stabilization of disease compared to all other patterns (mean survival 5.0±2.7 years for regressive disease vs 3.7±1.9 years for stable disease and 2.2±1.3 years for progressive disease; p<0.001).Conclusions Sequential scintigraphic and radiographic imaging is useful in breast cancer patients not only for detection of metastases and monitoring of treatment effect, but also because these studies provide valuable prognostic information.     

Component position following total hip arthroplasty through a miniinvasive posterolateral approach

Implant malposition and poor fixation are potential risks of compromising long-term results after total hip arthroplasty performed with a minimally invasive technique. Between September 2000 and February 2002, 120 cemented primary total hip arthroplasties were performed at the authors' institutions in patients with primary osteoarthritis of the hip and with BMI lower than 35. In 60 of these cases selected at random, a posterolateral incision no longer than 10 cm was used. The other 60 THA's were performed through a standard posterolateral approach. The inclination and anteversion of the cup and the position of the femoral stem were assessed on radiographs and statistically evaluated. In the miniinvasive group, the average inclination angle of the cup was 42.3 degrees (range: 36 to 52 degrees) and the anteversion angle 13.6 degrees (range: 6 to 29 degrees). The coronal alignment of the femoral component was within 3 degrees of neutral in 54 cases (90.0%). Following conventional implantation in the other group, the average cup inclination angle was 42.4 degrees (range: 35 to 50 degrees) and the anteversion angle 13.6 degrees (range: 8 to 24 degrees. A total of 53 stems (88.3 %) were implanted optimally. Statistical analysis found no significant difference between the two groups regarding components position. These findings suggest that using a smaller posterolateral incision as was done in this study does not introduce a potential risk of compromising long-term results.     

Czechoslovak Symposium on Child Neurology

The 3rd International Symposium on Child Neurology (Prague, 18–20 June 1975) was organised by the Czechoslovak Medical Society and the Czechoslovak Society of Neurology. The main topics discussed were hypotonia in early childhood and raised intracranial pressure of non-tumorous origin.     

Modular transcutaneous functional electrical stimulation system

A new multipurpose programmable transcutaneous electric stimulator, Compex Motion, was developed to allow users to design various custom-made neuroprostheses, neurological assessment devices, muscle exercise systems, and experimental setups for physiological studies. Compex Motion can generate any arbitrary stimulation sequence, which can be controlled or regulated in real-time using any external sensor or laboratory equipment. Compex Motion originated from the existing Compex 2 electric stimulator, manufactured by a Swiss based company, Compex SA. The Compex Motion stimulator represents a further evolution and expansion of the ETHZ-ParaCare functional electrical stimulation system. This stimulator provides all the advanced functional electrical stimulation (FES) application and control features and can be easily incorporated into any standard rehabilitation program. Compex Motion has successfully been applied as a neuroprosthesis for walking, reaching and grasping in more than 100 stroke and spinal cord injured patients. This system has also been used to strengthen muscles and to investigate muscle properties in able-bodied subjects. Compex Motion is a multipurpose FES system specially designed to promote sharing and exchanging of stimulation protocols, sensors, and user interfaces. To the best of our knowledge an FES system that has similar capabilities does not exist yet.     

Apolipoprotein D is a component of compact but not diffuse amyloid-beta plaques in Alzheimer's disease temporal cortex

Apolipoprotein D (apoD) is elevated in Alzheimer's disease (AD) cortex, localizing to cells, blood vessels, and neuropil deposits (plaques). The role of apoD in AD pathology and the extent of its co-distribution with diffuse (amorphous) and compact (dense fibrillar) amyloid-beta (Abeta) plaques are currently unclear. To address this issue, we combined apoD and Abeta immunohistochemistry with ThioS/X-34 staining of the beta-pleated sheet protein conformation in temporal cortex from 36 AD patients and 12 non-demented controls. ApoD-immunoreactive, Abeta-immunoreactive, and ThioS/X-34-stained plaques were detected exclusively in AD tissue. Dual-immunolabeling showed that 63% of Abeta plaques co-localized apoD. All apoD plaques contained Abeta protein and ThioS/X-34 fluorescence. Compared to controls, AD cases showed elevated vascular and intracellular apoD immunostaining which localized primarily to cells clustered within plaques and around large blood vessels. ApoD-immunoreactive cells within plaques morphologically matched MHC-II- and CD-68-immunoreactive microglia, and did not contain the astrocytic marker GFAP, which labeled a subset of apoD-immunoreactive cells surrounding plaques. These data suggest that neuropil deposits of apoD localize only to a subset of Abeta plaques, which contain compact aggregates of fibrillar Abeta. Elevated apoD in AD brain may influence Abeta aggregation, or facilitate phagocytosis and transport of Abeta fibrils from plaques to cerebral vasculature.     

Sleep disturbances in patients treated for panic disorder

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Disturbed night sleep is a common complaint of patients with panic disorder. The aim of the present study was to demonstrate whether the sleep disturbances can be successively influenced by the standard therapy for treating panic disorder. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Psychiatric examinations of 20 outpatients with panic disorder were supplemented with a study of sleep quality using standardised interviews, sleep logs and polysomnographic recordings. RESULTS: A statistical comparison of data showed that reduced anxiety after successful treatment of panic disorder was not necessarily followed by improved sleep parameters. CONCLUSION: The results suggest that the conventional therapy applied to these patients is not sufficient to treat the co-existing insomnia. Consequently, it seems to be of importance to supplement the treatment of panic disorders with specific treatment of the sleep disturbance.