Cellular characterization of actin gene concerned with contact‐dependent mechanisms in Naegleria fowleri

Free‐living amoeba, Naegleria fowleri, destroys target cells through contact‐dependent mechanisms, such as phagocytosis and/or trogocytosis. A previous experiment showed that the nf‐actin gene consisted of 1.2 kbp, produced a 50.1 kDa recombinant protein (Nf‐actin), and was localized on the cytoskeleton, pseudopodia and amoebastome. In this study, cellular characterization of the nf‐actin gene concerned with contact‐dependent mechanisms in N fowleri was performed. The nf‐actin gene was amplified from a gene‐cloned vector, pEXQP5‐T7/NT TOPO. The nf‐actin gene was introduced into the Ubi‐pEGFP‐C2 vector, and Ubi‐pEGFP‐C2/nf‐actin was transfected into N fowleri trophozoites. Strong GFP fluorescence was detected in N fowleri trophozoites transfected with Ubi‐pEGFP‐C2/nf‐actin. Expression of EGFP‐Nf‐actin protein was detected by Western blot analysis. The nf‐actin‐overexpressing N fowleri showed significantly increased adhesion activity against extracellular matrix components, fibronectin, collagen I and fibrinogen, compared with wild‐type N fowleri. Moreover, nf‐actin‐overexpressing N fowleri showed increased phagocytic activity and cytotoxicity in comparison with wild‐type N fowleri. In summary, the overexpressed nf‐actin gene has an important function in ability to increase cell adhesion, cytotoxicity and phagocytosis by N fowleri.     

Reliability and validity of the cognitive impairment diagnosing instrument (CIDI) in the elderly.

The reliability and validity of the Cognitive Impairment Diagnosing Instrument (CIDI) were studied in 67 nursing home elderly subjects and 251 elderly psychiatric patients. Its possible highest score is 77 and covers 10 subscales: short-term memory, long-term memory, concentration/calculation, abstract thinking, judgement, memory registration, higher cortical functions, orientation in time, orientation in place and object naming. Test-retest correlations were between 0.827 and 0.990 for the subscale scores and 0.984 for the total score. Inter-tester kappas for each item ranged from 0.200 to 1.000 with a mean of 0.698. Concordance rates were between 50.0 and 100.0% with a mean of 87.2%. Cronbach''s alphas for the items of the individual subscales ranged from 0.702 to 0.915. Inter-subscale and subscale-total correlations ranged from 0.503 to 0.820 with a mean of 0.684 and from 0.721 to 0.883, respectively. Cronbach''s alpha of the subscales was 0.934. Sensitivity and specificity were 93.3% and 93.8% at the cut-off point of 57.0/57.5 for dementia. Subscale and total scores were significantly different between the demented and non-demented. The total CIDI score was significantly correlated with scores of the Blessed Dementia Rating Scale and the Korean version of the Mini-Mental State Examination.     

Three‐Dimensional Study of the Facial Canal Using Microcomputed Tomography for Improved Anatomical Comprehension

The aims of this study were to determine the various dimensions of the normal facial canal and to identify the spatial relationships between the facial canal and its adjacent structures using microcomputed tomography (micro‐CT) imaging and three‐dimensional (3D) reconstruction. The petrous parts of 54 temporal bones were scanned using micro‐CT with a slice thickness of 35 μm. The serial micro‐CT images were used to reconstruct 3D volumes of the facial canal and the bony labyrinth with the aid of computer software. These volumes were used to measure 31 dimensions of the facial canal and its spatial relationships with adjacent structures. The length of the meatal segment, the tympanic segment, and the mastoid segment were significantly larger in males than in females (p < 0.05). The narrowest portions of the facial canal were immediately lateral to the meatal foramen in the labyrinthine segment and the midpoint of the tympanic segment. The distance between the origin of the canal for the chorda tympani nerve and midpoint of the stylomastoid foramen was 35.3% of the length of the mastoid segment, and the angle between the tympanic segment and the lateral semicircular canal was 16.3°. The angle between the mastoid segment and the canal for the chorda tympani nerve could be classified into two groups: <180° and >180°. These findings represent supplemental data for improving the detailed understanding of the facial canal anatomy. Anat Rec, 297:1808–1816, 2014. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Pregnancy Outcomes in Women with Moyamoya Disease: Experiences at a Single Center in Korea

Purpose

Moyamoya disease (MMD) occurs predominantly in Korean and Japanese women. The aim of this study was to investigate clinical features and pregnancy outcomes in women with MMD.

Materials and Methods

We conducted a retrospective chart review of women with MMD who visited our Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology between January 2005 and October 2013. For all study subjects, clinical features, demographic characteristics, and perinatal outcomes were recorded.

Results

We identified 28 pregnancies in 22 patients who had been diagnosed with MMD. The mean maternal age at delivery was 31.9±3.5 years old. The mean gestational age at delivery was 38.0±0.9 weeks. Among the 28 pregnancies, 25 (92.5%) underwent cesarean section; 19 (76.0%) of them were performed under regional anesthesia and six (24.0%) under general anesthesia. The mean newborn weight was 3233.7±348.2 g. The 5-minute Apgar score in 85% of the newborns was higher than 8, with no other apparent complications. During the puerperal period, transient ischemic attack symptom or seizure occurred in 4 cases, although patients recovered within a few days.

Conclusion

For pregnant women with MMD, it is important to control blood pressure and prevent hyperventilation during the intrapartum period, and the best methods of delivery and anesthesia should be considered to avoid unfavorable sequelae. Additionally, a multidisciplinary approach (i.e., neurosurgery) is necessary to constantly manage underlying diseases.