Changes in hippocampal volume and shape across time distinguish dementia of the Alzheimer type from healthy aging

Rates of hippocampal volume loss have been shown to distinguish subjects with dementia of the Alzheimer type (DAT) from nondemented controls. In this study, we obtained magnetic resonance scans in 18 subjects with very mild DAT (CDR 0.5) and 26 age-matched nondemented controls (CDR 0) 2 years apart. Large-deformation high-dimensional brain mapping was used to quantify and compare changes in hippocampal shape as well as volume in the two groups of subjects. Hippocampal volume loss over time was significantly greater in the CDR 0.5 subjects (left = 8.3%, right = 10.2%) than in the CDR 0 subjects (left = 4.0%, right = 5.5%) (ANOVA, F = 7.81, P = 0.0078). We used singular-value decomposition and logistic regression models to quantify hippocampal shape change across time within individuals, and this shape change in the CDR 0.5 and CDR 0 subjects was found to be significantly different (Wilks's lambda, P = 0.014). Further, at baseline, CDR 0.5 subjects, in comparison to CDR 0 subjects, showed inward deformation over 38% of the hippocampal surface; after 2 years this difference grew to 47%. Also, within the CDR 0 subjects, shape change between baseline and follow-up was largely confined to the head of the hippocampus and subiculum, while in the CDR 0.5 subjects, shape change involved the lateral body of the hippocampus as well as the head region and subiculum. These results suggest that different patterns of hippocampal shape change in time as well as different rates of hippocampal volume loss distinguish very mild DAT from healthy aging.     

Pathologic findings of follow-up surgical excision for lobular neoplasia on breast core biopsy performed for calcification

This study aimed to ascertain pathologic findings of surgical follow-up excision (FUE) on patients who had radiologic finding of calcifications and lobular neoplasia (LN) on core biopsy. Breast core biopsy specimens from 2006-2011 with a diagnosis of pure classic-type LN (lobular carcinoma in situ [LCIS] and atypical lobular hyperplasia [ALH]) with no history of invasive carcinoma (IC) or ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) were studied. Two hundred thirty-seven patients with the diagnosis of calcium on radiologic studies had FUE and were included in the study. Cases were divided into group 1 (pure ALH, n = 163) and group 2 (pure LCIS, n = 74). The interval between the core biopsy and FUE ranged from 0.2 to 7 months (mean, 1.5 ± 1.1 months). The risk of upstaging on FUE (DCIS or IC) is as follows: LCIS, 8.1% (6/74) and ALH, 3.1% (5/163). The data indicate that there is a low risk of upstaging to DCIS/IC from a core biopsy diagnosis of lobular neoplasia.     

Diversity of auxin-producing bacteria associated to Pseudomonas savastanoi -induced olive knots

Forty three strains were isolated from knots induced by Pseudomonas savastanoi in different olive cultivars. All the selected bacteria were shown to produce variable amounts of the plant growth hormone indole-3-acetic acid (IAA). Amplification of the intergenic transcribed spacers (ITS) between 16S and 23S rDNA genes, allowed the clustering of the isolates into seven distinct groups. All isolates from ITS group 1 were positive to the Pseudomonas savastanoi pv. savastanoi specific iaa L gene as shown by PCR. Partial sequencing of 16S rDNA gene confirmed the identity of these isolates to Pseudomonas savastanoi strains and allowed to tentatively assign the other isolates from the remaining ITS groups to Pantoea oleae/agglomerans, Burkholderia cepacia, Pseudomonas putida, Stenotrophomonas maltophilia and Hafnia alvei. Identification of endophytic knot-derived isolates revealed association of various saprophytic and putative human pathogenic bacteria with P. savastanoi pv. savastanoi in knot environment of olive infected trees.     

Evaluating regional blood spinal cord barrier dysfunction following spinal cord injury using longitudinal dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI

Background  

In vivo preclinical imaging of spinal cord injury (SCI) in rodent models provides clinically relevant information in translational research. This paper uses multimodal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to investigate neurovascular pathology and changes in blood spinal cord barrier (BSCB) permeability following SCI in a mouse model of SCI.     

Isoflavone Genistein Induces Fluid Secretion and Morphological Changes in the Uteri of Post-Pubertal Rats

A reported increase in the incidence of infertility following high genistein intake could be related to alteration in the normal fluid volume and morphology of the uterus in adult female. In view of this, we investigated the effect of this compound on fluid secretion, fluid volume and morphology of the uterus in post-pubertal rats. Methods: Ovariectomised SD rats were treated with 17-β oestradiol (E) (0.8 X 10^-4 mg/kg/day) and genistein (0.5, 5, 10, 25, 50 and 100 mg/kg/day) for three days. Following drug treatment, in-vivo uterine perfusion was performed and the rate of fluid secretion and the volume of fluid in the uterus were determined via changes in weight (μl/min) and F-dextran concentration of the perfusate respectively. The animals were then sacrificed and the uteri were removed for weight determination, morphological analyses and proliferative cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) expression analyses by Western blotting. Results: Subcutaneous genistein treatment resulted in a dose-dependent increase in fluid secretion rate, fluid volume and uterine wet weight. Treatment with 100 mg/kg/day genistein resulted in a remarkable increase in the rate of uterine fluid secretion, the volume of the uterine luminal fluid as well as the circumference of the uterine and uterine glandular lumen suggesting an excessive fluid accumulation. Meanwhile, there were evidence of glandular hyperplasia and an increase in the expression of PCNA following treatment with 50 and 100 mg/kg/day genistein. Conclusion: High genistein intake could potentially cause adverse effects on the uterus by inducing excessive fluid secretion and accumulation as well as hyperplasia.     

Metformin associated acute pancreatitis

Metformin poisoning is not common and is usually associated with lactic acidosis and acute hepatitis. A case of metformin-poisoning associated with acute pancreatitis is reported here for the first time.     

High-dimensional mapping of the hippocampus in depression

OBJECTIVE: Abnormalities of the hippocampus may play a role in the pathophysiology of depression, but efforts to identify a structural abnormality in this brain structure among depressed patients have produced mixed results. Previous research may have been limited by exclusive reliance on measures of hippocampal volume. High-dimensional brain mapping is a new analytic method that quantitatively characterizes the shape as well as volume of a brain structure. In this study, high-dimensional brain mapping was used to evaluate hippocampal shape and volume in patients with major depressive disorder and healthy comparison subjects. METHOD: By using magnetic resonance imaging, brain scans were obtained from 27 patients with major depressive disorder and 42 healthy comparison subjects. High-dimensional brain mapping generated a series of 10 variables (components) that represented hippocampal shape, and hippocampal volumes were also computed. Analysis of variance techniques were used to compare depressed patients and comparison subjects on hippocampal shape and volume. RESULTS: While the depressed patients and comparison subjects did not differ in hippocampal volume, there were highly significant group differences in hippocampal shape. The two groups did not overlap on a discriminant function computed from a model comprising the 10 components. The pattern of hippocampal surface deformation in the depressed patients suggested specific involvement of the subiculum. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with major depression may have structural abnormalities of the hippocampus that can be detected by analysis of hippocampal shape but not volume. A specific defect in the subiculum could have widespread effects throughout neurocircuits that appear to be abnormal in depression.