HaNDL syndrome: a reversible cerebral vasoconstriction triggered by an infection? A case report and a case-based review

The syndrome of transient Headache and Neurological Deficits with cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) Lymphocytosis (HaNDL) is classified among secondary headaches attributed to "non-infectious, inflammatory intracranial disease". Despite its classification among secondary headaches, the current definition of HaNDL does not contemplate a causal agent. Thus, the aetiology, as well as the pathogenesis of both the headache and the transient focal deficits, remains unknown

EDUCAÇÃO INFANTIL EM TEMPOS DE PANDEMIA: O PAPEL DA FORMAÇÃO CONTINUADA DOS PROFESSORES PARA GARANTIR O PERCURSO EDUCATIVO

As incertezas provocadas pela Covid-19 afetaram as relações na escola da infância, esse relato de experiência apresenta um fragmento dos caminhos trilhados na formação continuada dos professores da Rede Municipal de Ensino de Curitiba, em um dos Centros Municipais de Educação Infantil, o qual buscou refletir como a educação pode fazer sentido nesse novo formato virtual e como as possibilidades de desenvolver aprendizagens com foco na formação dos docentes; promovendo o uso das tecnologias de informação e comunicação, dando continuidade ao processo de ensino e aprendizagem. Foram criadas estratégias formativas, em contexto, aprofundando os saberes sobre os processos de aprendizagem das crianças, a importância do brincar, a documentação pedagógica, na qual as mini-histórias revelaram os processos de aprendizagem das práticas pedagógicas cotidiana

Isoenzyme Pattern in Selected Taxa of the Primulaceae

Primula leucophylla Pax is endemic to the Romanian Carpathians and has a very controversial taxonomical status, with no molecular research on its populations genetic structure and taxon identification. Based on morphological traits, many authors considered this entity as a new taxon as well as a subspecies of Primula elatior (L.) Hill. In the present study the isoenzyme pattern of four enzymes: esterase Est, 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase 6-PGDH, shikimate dehydrogenase SKDH and superoxide dismutase SOD was investigated to show whether these isozymes can be useful as discriminatory taxonomic markers between P. leucophylla and the closely related species P. elatior. No genetic intra- and inter-specific variability was detected, in spite of all the morphological variations distinguished between these two taxa. The failure in the present study to detect polymorphic loci which could be applied in a possible identification and delimitation of P. leucophylla from P. elatior, does not rule out the possibility of an existing polymorphism in other isoenzymes

Thalamocortical Connectivity in Experimentally-Induced Migraine Attacks: A Pilot Study

In this study we used nitroglycerin (NTG)-induced migraine attacks as a translational human disease model. Static and dynamic functional connectivity (FC) analyses were applied to study the associated functional brain changes. A spontaneous migraine-like attack was induced in five episodic migraine (EM) patients using a NTG challenge. Four task-free functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) scans were acquired over the study: baseline, prodromal, full-blown, and recovery. Seed-based correlation analysis (SCA) was applied to fMRI data to assess static FC changes between the thalamus and the rest of the brain. Wavelet coherence analysis (WCA) was applied to test time-varying phase-coherence changes between the thalamus and salience networks (SNs). SCA results showed significantly FC changes between the right thalamus and areas involved in the pain circuits (insula, pons, cerebellum) during the prodromal phase, reaching its maximal alteration during the full-blown phase. WCA showed instead a loss of synchronisation between thalami and SN, mainly occurring during the prodrome and full-blown phases. These findings further support the idea that a temporal change in thalamic function occurs over the experimentally induced phases of NTG-induced headache in migraine patients. Correlation of FC changes with true clinical phases in spontaneous migraine would validate the utility of this model

Brain MR findings in patients treated with particle therapy for skull base tumors

Nowadays, hadrontherapy is increasingly used for the treatment of various tumors, in particular of those resistant to conventional radiotherapy. Proton and carbon ions are characterized by physical and biological features that allow a high radiation dose to tumors, minimizing irradiation to adjacent normal tissues. For this reason, radioresistant tumors and tumors located near highly radiosensitive critical organs, such as skull base tumors, represent the best target for this kind of therapy. However, also hadrontherapy can be associated with radiation adverse effects, generally referred as acute, early-delayed and late-delayed. Among late-delayed effects, the most severe form of injury is radiation necrosis. There are various underlying mechanisms involved in the development of radiation necrosis, as well as different clinical presentations requiring specific treatments. In most cases, radiation necrosis presents as a single focal lesion, but it can be multifocal and involve a single or multiple lobes simulating brain metastasis, or it can also involve both cerebral hemispheres. In every case, radiation necrosis results always related to the extension of radiation delivery field. Multiple MRI techniques, including diffusion, perfusion imaging, and spectroscopy, are important tools for the radiologist to formulate the correct diagnosis. The aim of this paper is to illustrate the possible different radiologic patterns of radiation necrosis that can be observed in different MRI techniques in patients treated with hadrontherapy for tumors involving the skull base. The images of exemplary cases of radiation necrosis are also presented

Analysis of therapy monitoring in the International Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia Registry

Objective: Congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH) requires exogenous steroid replacement. Treatment is commonly monitored by measuring 17-OH progesterone (17OHP) and androstenedione (D4). Design: Retrospective cohort study using real-world data to evaluate 17OHP and D4 in relation to hydrocortisone (HC) dose in CAH patients treated in 14 countries. Patients: Pseudonymized data from children with 21-hydroxylase deficiency (21OHD) recorded in the International CAH Registry. Measurements: Assessments between January 2000 and October 2020 in patients prescribed HC were reviewed to summarise biomarkers 17OHP and D4 and HC dose. Longitudinal assessment of measures was carried out using linear mixed-effects models (LMEM). Results: Cohort of 345 patients, 52.2% female, median age 4.3 years (interquartile range: 3.1–9.2) were taking a median 11.3 mg/m2/day (8.6–14.4) of HC. Median 17OHP was 35.7 nmol/l (3.0–104.0). Median D4 under 12 years was 0 nmol/L (0–2.0) and above 12 years was 10.5 nmol/L (3.9–21.0). There were significant differences in biomarker values between centres (p 0.05). Multivariate LMEM showed HC dose decreasing by 1.0 mg/m2/day for every 1 point increase in weight standard deviation score. Discussion: Registry data show large variability in 17OHP and D4 between centres. 17OHP correlates with D4 well when accounting for age. Prescribed HC dose per body surface area decreased with weight gain

Analysis of therapy monitoring in the International Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia Registry.

Funder: European Society for Paediatric Endocrinology Research UnitOBJECTIVE: Congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH) requires exogenous steroid replacement. Treatment is commonly monitored by measuring 17-OH progesterone (17OHP) and androstenedione (D4). DESIGN: Retrospective cohort study using real-world data to evaluate 17OHP and D4 in relation to hydrocortisone (HC) dose in CAH patients treated in 14 countries. PATIENTS: Pseudonymized data from children with 21-hydroxylase deficiency (21OHD) recorded in the International CAH Registry. MEASUREMENTS: Assessments between January 2000 and October 2020 in patients prescribed HC were reviewed to summarise biomarkers 17OHP and D4 and HC dose. Longitudinal assessment of measures was carried out using linear mixed-effects models (LMEM). RESULTS: Cohort of 345 patients, 52.2% female, median age 4.3 years (interquartile range: 3.1-9.2) were taking a median 11.3 mg/m2 /day (8.6-14.4) of HC. Median 17OHP was 35.7 nmol/l (3.0-104.0). Median D4 under 12 years was 0 nmol/L (0-2.0) and above 12 years was 10.5 nmol/L (3.9-21.0). There were significant differences in biomarker values between centres (p  0.05). Multivariate LMEM showed HC dose decreasing by 1.0 mg/m2 /day for every 1 point increase in weight standard deviation score. DISCUSSION: Registry data show large variability in 17OHP and D4 between centres. 17OHP correlates with D4 well when accounting for age. Prescribed HC dose per body surface area decreased with weight gain