Blood-Brain Barrier Breakdown in a Single Post-stroke Rodent Brain

Stroke is a major cause of global morbidity and mortality. Middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) has historically been the most common animal model of simulating ischemic stroke. The extent of neurological injury after MCAO is typically measured by cerebral edema, infarct zone, and blood-brain barrier (BBB) permeability. A significant limitation of these methods is that separate sets of brains must be used for each measurement. Here we examine an alternative method of measuring cerebral edema, infarct zone and BBB permeability following MCAO in the same set of brain samples. Ninety-six rats were randomly divided into three experimental groups. Group 1 (n = 27) was used for the evaluation of infarct zone and brain edema in rats post-MCAO (n = 17) vs. sham-operated controls (n = 10). Group 2 (n = 27) was used for the evaluation of BBB breakdown in rats post-MCAO (n = 15) vs. sham-operated controls (n = 10). In Group 3 (n = 42), all three parameters were measured in the same set of brain slices in rats post-MCAO (n = 26) vs. sham-operated controls (n = 16). The effect of Evans blue on the accuracy of measuring infarct zone by 2,3,5-triphenyltetrazolium chloride (TTC) staining was determined by measuring infarct zone with and without an applied blue filter. The effects of various concentrations of TTC (0, 0.05, 0.35, 0.5, 1, and 2%) on the accuracy of measuring BBB permeability was also assessed. There was an increase in infarct volume (p < 0.01), brain edema (p < 0.01) and BBB breakdown (p < 0.01) in rats following MCAO compared to sham-operated controls, whether measured separately or together in the same set of brain samples. Evans blue had an effect on measuring infarct volume that was minimized by the application of a blue filter on scanned brain slices. There was no difference in the Evans blue extravasation index for the brain tissue samples without TTC compared to brain tissue samples incubated in TTC. Our results demonstrate that measuring cerebral edema, infarct zone and BBB permeability following MCAO can accurately be measured in the same set of brain samples

Investigation of β + β + and β + /EC decay of 106 Cd

A low background scintillation detector with a CdWO4 crystal of 1.046 kg was used to search for β+β+ and β+/EC processes in 106Cd. For the neutrinoless mode the limits T1/2(0νβ+β+) ≥ 2.2 · 1019 y and T1/2(0νβ+/EC) ≥ 5.5 · 1019 y were obtained with 90% C.L. For the possible two neutrino decay limits of T1/2(2νβ+β+) ≥ 9.2 · 1017 y and 1/2(2νβ+/EC) ≥ 2.6 · 1017 y have been determined with 99% C.L

Solubility of Rock in Steam Atmospheres of Planets

Extensive experimental studies show that all major rock-forming elements (e.g., Si, Mg, Fe, Ca, Al, Na, K) dissolve in steam to a greater or lesser extent. We use these results to compute chemical equilibrium abundances of rocky-element-bearing gases in steam atmospheres equilibrated with silicate magma oceans. Rocky elements partition into steam atmospheres as volatile hydroxide gases (e.g., Si(OH)4, Mg(OH)2, Fe(OH)2, Ni(OH)2, Al(OH)3, Ca(OH)2, NaOH, KOH) and via reaction with HF and HCl as volatile halide gases (e.g., NaCl, KCl, CaFOH, CaClOH, FAl(OH)2) in much larger amounts than expected from their vapor pressures over volatile-free solid or molten rock at high temperatures expected for steam atmospheres on the early Earth and hot rocky exoplanets. We quantitatively compute the extent of fractional vaporization by defining gas/magma distribution coefficients and show that Earth's subsolar Si/Mg ratio may be due to loss of a primordial steam atmosphere. We conclude that hot rocky exoplanets that are undergoing or have undergone escape of steam-bearing atmospheres may experience fractional vaporization and loss of Si, Mg, Fe, Ni, Al, Ca, Na, and K. This loss can modify their bulk composition, density, heat balance, and interior structure

A Novel Method for Assessing Cerebral Edema, Infarcted Zone and Blood-Brain Barrier Breakdown in a Single Post-stroke Rodent Brain

Stroke is a major cause of global morbidity and mortality. Middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) has historically been the most common animal model of simulating ischemic stroke. The extent of neurological injury after MCAO is typically measured by cerebral edema, infarct zone, and blood-brain barrier (BBB) permeability. A significant limitation of these methods is that separate sets of brains must be used for each measurement. Here we examine an alternative method of measuring cerebral edema, infarct zone and BBB permeability following MCAO in the same set of brain samples. Ninety-six rats were randomly divided into three experimental groups. Group 1 (n = 27) was used for the evaluation of infarct zone and brain edema in rats post-MCAO (n = 17) vs. sham-operated controls (n = 10). Group 2 (n = 27) was used for the evaluation of BBB breakdown in rats post-MCAO (n = 15) vs. sham-operated controls (n = 10). In Group 3 (n = 42), all three parameters were measured in the same set of brain slices in rats post-MCAO (n = 26) vs. sham-operated controls (n = 16). The effect of Evans blue on the accuracy of measuring infarct zone by 2,3,5-triphenyltetrazolium chloride (TTC) staining was determined by measuring infarct zone with and without an applied blue filter. The effects of various concentrations of TTC (0, 0.05, 0.35, 0.5, 1, and 2%) on the accuracy of measuring BBB permeability was also assessed. There was an increase in infarct volume (p < 0.01), brain edema (p < 0.01) and BBB breakdown (p < 0.01) in rats following MCAO compared to sham-operated controls, whether measured separately or together in the same set of brain samples. Evans blue had an effect on measuring infarct volume that was minimized by the application of a blue filter on scanned brain slices. There was no difference in the Evans blue extravasation index for the brain tissue samples without TTC compared to brain tissue samples incubated in TTC. Our results demonstrate that measuring cerebral edema, infarct zone and BBB permeability following MCAO can accurately be measured in the same set of brain samples

Высокотехнологичные методы в диагностике рака гортани: клинический случай

Summary. The article observes the possibilities of high-technologic radiologic methods for diagnostics of laryngeal malignancy. Despite of large amount of publications, dedicated to the question of different radiologic imaging modalities application for laryngeal tumors the aspects of complex radiological examination and highly differentiated laryngeal tumors detection are not well described.Materials and methods. In our article there is the case of diagnostic process in 56-years old male patient complained on voice changes with the right vocal fold neoplasm detected in laryngeal videoendoscopy, which had ambiguous pattern in autofluorescence. The results of laryngeal videoendoscopy included differently colored zones from white ones, which corresponded to benign tissue, to blue and violet ones, which corresponded to malignancy. The patient was examined with contrast-enhanced computed tomography, contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging with diffusion-weighted protocol and combined positron-emission and computed tomography with 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose.Results. Computed tomography data showed the right vocal fold thickening without contrast agent uptake, on magnetic resonance images there was detected the irregular thickening of the same fold, also without contrast medium agent uptake. In positron-emission and computed tomography with 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose a focal radiotracer hypermetabolism with highly increased standard uptake value was detected, which indicated malignancy. In addition distant metastases in thoracic lymph nodes were found. Pathomorphologic diagnosis of high-differentiated laryngeal cancer was established.Discussion. Highly differentiated laryngeal malignant tumors can imitate benign process on computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging because of peculiar cell composition, but they are characterized with 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose hyperfixation conditioned by glycolytical activity of malignant cells. Negative computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging data in combination with positive positron-emission and computed tomography results may correspond to highly differentiated laryngeal tumor.Введение. В статье рассматривается возможность использования высокотехнологичных методов лучевой диагностики при наличии онкологического процесса в гортани. Несмотря на большое количество работ в данной области по использованию отдельных лучевых методов исследования, применение комплексной лучевой диагностики и проблема выявления высокодифференцированных опухолей в современной литературе не освещены.Материалы и методы. Ниже приводится клинический случай диагностического поиска у 56-летнего мужчины, предъявлявшего жалобы на изменение голоса, у которого при видеоэндоскопии гортани было выявлено образование правой голосовой складки со «спорной» аутофлюоресценцией: от белых участков, говорящих о доброкачественности процесса, до зон сине-фиолетового цвета, свидетельствующих о злокачественности. Пациенту было проведено комплексное лучевое обследование, включавшее компьютерную томографию с внутривенным контрастным усилением, магнитно-резонансную томографию с протоколом диффузионного взвешивания и совмещенную позитронно-эмиссионную и компьютерную томографию с 18F-фтордезоксиглюкозой.Результаты. При компьютерной томографии отмечалось утолщение правой голосовой связки без накопления контрастного вещества. При магнитно-резонансной томографии также отмечалось неравномерное утолщение правой голосовой складки без накопления контрастного вещества в ней и без признаков ограничения диффузии на диффузионно-взвешенных изображениях. При выполнении совмещенной позитронно-эмиссионной и компьютерной томографии с 18F -фтордезоксиглюкозой в образовании отмечался участок гиперметаболизма радиоафармпрепарата со значительно повышенным значением стандартизованного уровня захвата, свидетельствовавшим о злокачественности процесса. Кроме того, были выявлены отдаленные метастазы во внутригрудные лимфатические узлы. При гистологической верификации был установлен диагноз высокодифференцированного рака гортани.Обсуждение. Высокодифференцированные злокачественные опухоли гортани вследствие особенностей клеточного строения могут имитировать доброкачественный процесс при компьютерной и магнитно-резонансной томографии, однако характеризуются высоким уровнем фиксации 18F-фтордезоксиглюкозы вследствие наличия гликолитической активности злокачественных клеток. Сочетание отрицательных результатов компьютерной и магнитно-резонансной томографии и положительных — совмещенной позитронно-эмиссионной и компьютерной томографии с 18F-фтордезоксиглюко-зой указывает на наличие высокодифференцированной опухоли гортани.</p