An attempt to isolate and identify allergens in lanolin

One sensitizer, a sterol, has previously been reported to be present in lanolin. In this study, a related substance, a sterol, with a molecular weight of 424 has been isolated. A few sensitive subjects did not react to this substance. Lanolin probably contains several sensitizers. Sensitization to lanolin in guinea pigs seems previously to have failed. In this study, a methanol extract of a lanolin preparation containing large amounts of sterols sensitized guinea pigs.     

Three-dimensional susceptibility-weighted imaging at 7 T using fractal-based quantitative analysis to grade gliomas

Introduction

Susceptibility-weighted imaging (SWI) with high- and ultra-high-field magnetic resonance is a very helpful tool for evaluating brain gliomas and intratumoral structures, including microvasculature. Here, we test whether objective quantification of intratumoral SWI patterns by applying fractal analysis can offer reliable indexes capable of differentiating glial tumor grades.

Methods

Thirty-six patients affected by brain gliomas (grades II–IV, according to the WHO classification system) underwent MRI at 7 T using a SWI protocol. All images were collected and analyzed by applying a computer-aided fractal image analysis, which applies the fractal dimension as a measure of geometrical complexity of intratumoral SWI patterns. The results were subsequently statistically correlated to the histopathological tumor grade.

Results

The mean value of the fractal dimension of the intratumoral SWI patterns was 2.086?±?0.413. We found a trend of higher fractal dimension values in groups of higher histologic grade. The values ranged from a mean value of 1.682?±?0.278 for grade II gliomas to 2.247?±?0.358 for grade IV gliomas (p?=?0.013); there was an overall statistically significant difference between histopathological groups.

Conclusion

The present study confirms that SWI at 7 T is a useful method for detecting intratumoral vascular architecture of brain gliomas and that SWI pattern quantification by means of fractal dimension offers a potential objective morphometric image biomarker of tumor grade.     

Prediction of work rehabilitation placements using the Chinese Work Personality Profile

This study aims to evaluate the application of a situational assessment instrument, the Chinese Work Personality Profile (CWPP), to predict the work rehabilitation placements of persons with psychiatric disabilities. Using the five CWPP subscale scores as predictors, both discriminant and classification and regression tree analysis showed that the CWPP scores correctly identified more than 80% of the work rehabilitation placements of the 179 participants. Social skills, self-control, and task orientation factors of the CWPP were the most important predictors of work rehabilitation placements, and clinical implications for these results were discussed.     

Magnetic resonance elastography: a general overview of its current and future applications in brain imaging

Magnetic resonance elastography (MRE) has been developed over the last few years as a non-invasive means of evaluating the elasticity of biological tissues. The presence of the skull has always prevented semeiotic palpation of the brain, but MRE now offers the possibility of “palpating by imaging” in order to detect brain consistency under physiological and pathological conditions. The aim of this article is to review the current state-of-the-art of MRE imaging and discuss its possible future diagnostic applications in neuroscience.     

TRIP: a psycho-educational programme in Hong Kong for people with schizophrenia

'TRIP' (Transforming Relapse and Instilling Prosperity) is a ward-based illness management programme that aims to decrease treatment non-compliance and relapse rate by improving the insight and health of acute psychiatric patients with schizophrenia. Eighty-one stable male acute psychiatric patients with schizophrenia were randomized to receive the TRIP programme (n = 44) or the comparison group of traditional ward occupational therapy (WOT) programme (n = 37). Participants' insights and health were assessed by the Unawareness of Mental Disorder Scale and the Hong Kong version of the Short Form-36 (SF-36) health survey, respectively. Each group was then followed up for a 12-month period. One-way analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) showed that participants in the TRIP programme had significantly better insight and health than a comparison group during post-study measurement. Participants in the TRIP programme had significantly fewer re-admissions in the 12-month follow-up period than those who attended the WOT programme. In summary the TRIP programme, as led by an occupational therapist, was effective in improving insight, awareness of health and in having a lower re-admission rate than a traditional occupational therapy programme.