Retinal Vascular Features in Ocular Blunt Trauma by Optical Coherence Tomography Angiography

In this prospective study, we analysed the changes in retinal vessel density (VD) using optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) in patients with commotio retinae up to 6 months after blunt ocular trauma. We analysed the VD in the superficial capillary plexus (SCP), deep capillary plexus (DCP), radial peripapillary capillary (RPC) and the foveal avascular zone (FAZ) area at 48 h, and 1, 3 and 6 months after the trauma and compared results with those of healthy fellow eyes. We also evaluated the best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) and the structural, spectral domain (SD)-OCT parameters: ganglion cell complex (GCC) and retinal nerve fibre layer (RNFL). A total of 18 eyes of 18 patients (8 males, 10 females, mean age 49.61 ± 9.2 years) and 18 healthy control eyes were evaluated. GCC and RNFL thicknesses showed a significant trend towards progressively lower values from 1 month and 3 months after the trauma, respectively, compared to healthy eyes (p < 0.005). The reduction in SD-OCT parameters reached a plateau at 6 months. Similar behaviour was found in the VD of the SCP and RPC that significantly decreased, starting from 1 and 3 months after the trauma, respectively (p < 0.001). At 6 months, the VD values were stable. The DCP presented an initial decrease of VD (p < 0.001), and after 1 month, the values statistically increased until the sixth month, reaching values similar to those of the control group. The FAZ area and BCVA did not show statistically significant changes during the follow-up. OCTA provided a detailed and quantitative analysis of early retinal vascular perfusion alterations after commotio retinae, demonstrating that the impairment of the retinal microvasculature and its progressive changes over time occurred even in the absence of compromised visual acuity

Lack of kinase-independent activity of PI3Kγ in locus coeruleus induces ADHD symptoms through increased CREB signaling.

Although PI3Kγ has been extensively investigated in inflammatory and cardiovascular diseases, the exploration of its functions in the brain is just at dawning. It is known that PI3Kγ is present in neurons and that the lack of PI3Kγ in mice leads to impaired synaptic plasticity, suggestive of a role in behavioral flexibility. Several neuropsychiatric disorders, such as attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), involve an impairment of behavioral flexibility. Here, we found a previously unreported expression of PI3Kγ throughout the noradrenergic neurons of the locus coeruleus (LC) in the brainstem, serving as a mechanism that regulates its activity of control on attention, locomotion and sociality. In particular, we show an unprecedented phenotype of PI3Kγ KO mice resembling ADHD symptoms. PI3Kγ KO mice exhibit deficits in the attentive and mnemonic domains, typical hyperactivity, as well as social dysfunctions. Moreover, we demonstrate that the ADHD phenotype depends on a dysregulation of CREB signaling exerted by a kinase-independent PI3Kγ-PDE4D interaction in the noradrenergic neurons of the locus coeruleus, thus uncovering new tools for mechanistic and therapeutic research in ADHD

optical coherence tomography angiography in optic nerve sheath meningioma

This study describes Spectral Domain-Optical Coherence Tomography (SD-OCT) and Optical Coherence Tomography Angiography (OCTA) features of Optic Nerve Sheath Meningioma (ONSM).A 22-year-old woman, diagnosed with meningioma encircling the right optic nerve inside the intraorbital segment optic canal at the magnetic resonance imaging, showed a normal fundus examination.Instead, SD-OCT and OCTA revealed alterations in the neurostructure and microvascular network of the optic nerve.Despite fundoscopy and fluorescein angiography, SD-OCT and OCTA represent valid, non-invasive and reliable methods to evaluate neurostructural and vascular irregularities in this benign tumor of the optic nerve. Keywords: Optic nerve sheath meningioma, OCT angiography, SD-OC

Time-resolved photoluminescence spectroscopy and imaging: New approaches to the analysis of cultural heritage and its degradation

Applications of time-resolved photoluminescence spectroscopy (TRPL) and fluorescence lifetime imaging (FLIM) to the analysis of cultural heritage are presented. Examples range from historic wall paintings and stone sculptures to 20th century iconic design objects. A detailed description of the instrumentation developed and employed for analysis in the laboratory or in situ is given. Both instruments rely on a pulsed laser source coupled to a gated detection system, but differ in the type of information they provide. Applications of FLIM to the analysis of model samples and for the in-situ monitoring of works of art range from the analysis of organic materials and pigments in wall paintings, the detection of trace organic substances on stone sculptures, to the mapping of luminescence in late 19th century paintings. TRPL and FLIM are employed as sensors for the detection of the degradation of design objects made in plastic. Applications and avenues for future research are suggested

Nodal-dependent Cripto signaling promotes cardiomyogenesis and redirects the neural fate of embryonic stem cells

The molecular mechanisms controlling inductive events leading to the specification and terminal differentiation of cardiomyocytes are still largely unknown. We have investigated the role of Cripto, an EGF-CFC factor, in the earliest stages of cardiomyogenesis. We find that both the timing of initiation and the duration of Cripto signaling are crucial for priming differentiation of embryonic stem (ES) cells into cardiomyocytes, indicating that Cripto acts early to determine the cardiac fate. Furthermore, we show that failure to activate Cripto signaling in this early window of time results in a direct conversion of ES cells into a neural fate. Moreover, the induction of Cripto activates the Smad2 pathway, and overexpression of activated forms of type I receptor ActRIB compensates for the lack of Cripto signaling in promoting cardiomyogenesis. Finally, we show that Nodal antagonists inhibit Cripto-regulated cardiomyocyte induction and differentiation in ES cells. All together our findings provide evidence for a novel role of the Nodal/Cripto/Alk4 pathway in this process

Neonatal invariant Va24+ NKT lymphocytes are activated memory cells.

NKT cells are a small subset of T lymphocytes which express an invariant V(alpha24JalphaQ TCR and recognize glycolipids presented by CD1d. In adults, NKT cells have a memory phenotype, frequently associated with oligoclonal expansion, express NK cell markers, and produce TO cytokines upon primary stimulation. Because of these features, NKT cells are regarded as lymphocytes of innate immunity. We investigated NKT cells from cord blood to see how these cells appear in the absence of exogenous stimuli. We found that NKT cells are present at comparable frequencies in cord blood and adult peripheral blood mononuclear cells and in both cases display a memory (CD45RO+CD62L-) phenotype. However, neonatal NKT cells differ from their adult counterparts by the following characteristics: (1) they express markers of activation, such as CD25; (2) they are polyclonal; (3) they do not produce cytokines in response to primary stimulation. Together, our data show that human NKT cells arise in the newborn with an activated memory phenotype, probably due to recognition of an endogenous ligand(s). The absence of oligoclonal expansion and primary effector functions also suggest that neonatal NKT cells, despite their activated memory phenotype, require a further priming/differentiation event to behave as fully functional cells of innate immunity

Cripto promotes A–P axis specification independently of its stimulatory effect on Nodal autoinduction

The EGF-CFC gene cripto governs anterior–posterior (A–P) axis specification in the vertebrate embryo. Existing models suggest that Cripto facilitates binding of Nodal to an ActRII–activin-like kinase (ALK) 4 receptor complex. Cripto also has a crucial function in cellular transformation that is independent of Nodal and ALK4. However, how ALK4-independent Cripto pathways function in vivo has remained unclear. We have generated cripto mutants carrying the amino acid substitution F78A, which blocks the Nodal–ALK4–Smad2 signaling both in embryonic stem cells and cell-based assays. In criptoF78A/F78A mouse embryos, Nodal fails to expand its own expression domain and that of cripto, indicating that F78 is essential in vivo to stimulate Smad-dependent Nodal autoinduction. In sharp contrast to cripto-null mutants, criptoF78A/F78A embryos establish an A–P axis and initiate gastrulation movements. Our findings provide in vivo evidence that Cripto is required in the Nodal–Smad2 pathway to activate an autoinductive feedback loop, whereas it can promote A–P axis formation and initiate gastrulation movements independently of its stimulatory effect on the canonical Nodal–ALK4–Smad2 signaling pathway

Characterization of the functional properties of the neuroectoderm in mouse Cripto -/-

During development of the mammalian embryo, there is a complex relation between formation of the mesoderm and the neuroectoderm. In mouse, for example, the role of the node and its mesendoderm derivatives in anterior neural specification is still debated. Mouse Cripto(-/-) embryos could potentially help settle this debate because they lack almost all embryonic endoderm and mesoderm, including the node and its derivatives. In the present paper, we show that Cripto(-/-) embryos can still form functional neural stem cells that are able to differentiate and maintain a neural phenotype both in vivo and in vitro. These data suggest that signals emanating from the mesoderm and endoderm might not be essential for the formation and differentiation of neural stem cells. However, we use grafting experiments to show that the Cripto(-/-) isthmus (the secondary organizer located at the midbrain-hindbrain boundary) loses its inductive ability. We further show that the Cripto(-/-)isthmus expresses lower amounts of the isthmic signalling molecule, Fgf8. Since nearby tissues remain competent to respond to exogenously added Fgf8, this reduction in Fgf8 levels in the Cripto(-/-) isthmus is the potential cause of the loss of patterning ability in graft experiments. Overall, we interpret our data to suggest that the mammalian node and primitive streak are essential for the development of the regional identities that control the specification and formation of the secondary organizers within the developing brain.2.161 JCR (2009) Q4, 27/36 Developmental biolog

Implementation of psychology counseling sufistic for diabetes genetic client in millenial age

Everyone through the millennial age. The researcher assessed that when in the millennial age, the age of approximately 24–35 if a person can successfully lead a career, economic, religious, health, family life, then in his age after millennial, she/he just reaped the success of his/her business at the next millennial age. Method: selected clients have genetic diabetics at the age of 50 years, but one of the health lives that is lived at millennial age is not well regulated, so at the age above the age of age he has genetic diabetics, especially most families also have diabetes and die on average 40 years average. Undergoing the Quran treatment that tells the story of the previous prophet‘s life in the prophet and sufistic counseling psychology is predicted to prepare the client to accept destiny as a person with genetic diabetes and prepå clients to face death. Result: Thus the success of undergoing millennial age in all predicted increases happiness in the age after millennial age. the toughness of someone living life even in severe pain is something that needs to be prepared in the treatment of Sufi counseling psychology. Sufistic counseling formula is someone trying to pray until the maximum problem results are up to God PET = R

Narrative review of multiparametric ultrasound in parotid gland evaluation

Disorders affecting parotid gland represent a heterogeneous group comprising congenital, inflammatory and neoplastic diseases which show a focal or diffuse pattern of appearance. The differentiation of neoplastic from non-neoplastic conditions of parotid glands is pivotal for the diagnostic imaging. Frequently there is evidence of overlapping between the clinical and the imaging appearance of the various pathologies. The parotid gland is also often object of study with the combination of different techniques [ultrasound-computed tomography-magnetic resonance imaging (US-CT-MRI), ex.]. Compared to other dominant methods of medical imaging, US has several advantages providing images in real-time at lower cost, and without harmful use of ionizing radiation and of contrast enhancement. B-mode US, and the microvascular pattern color Doppler are usually used as first step evaluation of parotid lesions. Elastography and contrast-enhanced US (CEUS) has opened further possible perspectives to improve the differentiation between benign and malignant parotid lesions. The characterization of the parotid tumors plays a crucial role for their treatment planning and for the prediction of possible surgical complications. We present, here an updated review of the most recurrent pathologies of parotid gland focusing on the diagnostic power of multiparametric US including CEUS and ultrasound elastography (USE); limitations, advantages and the main key-points will be presented