Treatment of brain tumors in children is associated with abnormal MRS ratios in brain tissue remote from the tumor site.

PURPOSE: Children who have brain tumors are at risk for a variety of treatment-related sequelae, including neuropsychological and cognitive impairment, neurologic deficits, and neuroendocrinologic disturbances. We sought to determine the value of proton MR spectroscopy in assessing brain tissue remote from the tumor site to ascertain the effects of chemotherapy and radiation treatment in these patients. METHODS: Single-voxel proton MR spectra from 70 patients (111 spectra) and 11 healthy volunteers (11 spectra) were analyzed. NAA/Cr, NAA/Cho, and Cho/Cr ratios based on peak areas were obtained from nonneoplastic regions of the frontal lobe. The relationship between MR spectroscopic ratios and treatment was determined. RESULTS: NAA-containing ratios were decreased in patients as compared with control subjects. The presence of gadolinium-based contrast material did not cause significant changes in the ratios as compared with precontrast data. When chemotherapy was a component of a child’s treatment protocol, we found a significant decline in NAA/Cr ratios. Patients who underwent both chemotherapy and radiation therapy showed a trend toward lower NAAcontaining ratios if the chemotherapy was administered before the radiation therapy. Patients receiving whole-brain radiation had a trend toward lower NAA-containing ratios than did those who had only focal tumor treatment. CONCLUSION: In children with brain tumors, MR spectroscopy of brain tissue remote from the tumor reveals treatment-related biochemical changes

Rapid dissemination of Francisella tularensis and the effect of route of infection

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p><it>Francisella tularensis </it>subsp. <it>tularensis </it>is classified as a Category A bioweapon that is capable of establishing a lethal infection in humans upon inhalation of very few organisms. However, the virulence mechanisms of this organism are not well characterized. <it>Francisella tularensis </it>subsp. <it>novicida</it>, which is an equally virulent subspecies in mice, was used in concert with a microPET scanner to better understand its temporal dissemination in vivo upon intranasal infection and how such dissemination compares with other routes of infection. Adult mice were inoculated intranasally with <it>F. tularensis </it>subsp. <it>novicida </it>radiolabeled with ⁶⁴Cu and imaged by microPET at 0.25, 2 and 20 hours post-infection.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>⁶⁴Cu labeled <it>F. tularensis </it>subsp. <it>novicida </it>administered intranasally or intratracheally were visualized in the respiratory tract and stomach at 0.25 hours post infection. By 20 hours, there was significant tropism to the lung compared with other tissues. In contrast, the images of radiolabeled <it>F. tularensis </it>subsp. <it>novicida </it>when administered intragastrically, intradermally, intraperitoneally and intravenouslly were more generally limited to the gastrointestinal system, site of inoculation, liver and spleen respectively. MicroPET images correlated with the biodistribution of isotope and bacterial burdens in analyzed tissues.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Our findings suggest that Francisella has a differential tissue tropism depending on the route of entry and that the virulence of Francisella by the pulmonary route is associated with a rapid bacteremia and an early preferential tropism to the lung. In addition, the use of the microPET device allowed us to identify the cecum as a novel site of colonization of <it>Francisella tularensis </it>subsp. <it>novicida </it>in mice.</p

Attenuated Response of Aged Mice to Respiratory Francisella novicida Is Characterized by Reduced Cell Death and Absence of Subsequent Hypercytokinemia

Pneumonia and pulmonary infections are major causes of mortality among the growing elderly population. Age associated attenuations of various immune parameters, involved with both innate and adaptive responses are collectively known as immune senescence. These changes are likely to be involved with differences in host susceptibility to disease between young and aged individuals.The objective of this study was to assess potential age related differences in the pulmonary host response in mice to the Gram-negative respiratory pathogen, Francisella novicida. We intranasally infected mice with F. novicida and compared various immune and pathological parameters of the pulmonary host response in both young and aged mice.We observed that 20% of aged mice were able to survive an intranasal challenge with F. novicida while all of their younger cohorts died consistently within 4 to 6 days post infection. Further experiments revealed that all of the aged mice tested were initially able to control bacterial replication in the lungs as well as at distal sites of replication compared with young mice. In addition, the small cohort of aged survivors did not progress to a severe sepsis syndrome with hypercytokinemia, as did all of the young adult mice. Finally, a lack of widespread cell death in potential aged survivors coupled with a difference in cell types recruited to sites of infection within the lung confirmed an altered host response to Francisella in aged mice

The Ursinus Weekly, November 14, 1960

Focus on fraternities • Sixteen men accept bids on Nov. 7 to join four of U.C.\u27s local frats • WAA, Woodruff discuss possible ski weekend • Constitution is changed by Curtain Club members • U.C. groups hear Dr. Adams of Yale • Historical article by Dr. Armstrong printed in Church History • Whitians hold tea in Paisley for 50 women • Dr. Zucker to discuss disarming at International Relations Club • Frosh MSGA reps to prepare report on 1960 customs • Y introduces the Aetheneum Society • Juniors present The Bowery November 19 in T-G gym • ICG plans meeting for Nov. 4 in Bomberger chapel at 7 p.m. • Senior Ball set for December 2 • Pre-medders go to AED conference • Young Democrats got out vote, now drive for new membership • Newman Club schedules trip to Greek Catholic church • Bosniak, Dassler are selected 1962 Ruby editors • Harry Sprogall addresses forum • Shaw\u27s Androcles and the Lion subject of English Club meeting • French Club to be shown slides; Field trip discussion planned • Editorial: Forbearance • Letters to the editor • Review of the student concert • Novembers ago • Book review: We the living • Parting political shots: Meeting of minds; Not quite Lincoln and Douglas • Intramural corner • Soccer team drops three close games • Mariners best Bears; U.C. clobbers Fords • Lassies shut out Drexel, Beaver • French film to be shown at Franklin Institutehttps://digitalcommons.ursinus.edu/weekly/1326/thumbnail.jp

Evaluation of community-level interventions to increase early initiation of antenatal care in pregnancy: protocol for the Community REACH study, a cluster randomised controlled trial with integrated process and economic evaluations

BACKGROUND: The provision of high-quality maternity services is a priority for reducing inequalities in health outcomes for mothers and infants. Best practice includes women having their initial antenatal appointment within the first trimester of pregnancy in order to provide screening and support for healthy lifestyles, well-being and self-care in pregnancy. Previous research has identified inequalities in access to antenatal care, yet there is little evidence on interventions to improve early initiation of antenatal care. The Community REACH trial will assess the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of engaging communities in the co-production and delivery of an intervention that addresses this issue. METHODS/DESIGN: The study design is a matched cluster randomised controlled trial with integrated process and economic evaluations. The unit of randomisation is electoral ward. The intervention will be delivered in 10 wards; 10 comparator wards will have normal practice. The primary outcome is the proportion of pregnant women attending their antenatal booking appointment by the 12th completed week of pregnancy. This and a number of secondary outcomes will be assessed for cohorts of women (n = approximately 1450 per arm) who give birth 2-7 and 8-13 months after intervention delivery completion in the included wards, using routinely collected maternity data. Eight hospitals commissioned to provide maternity services in six NHS trusts in north and east London and Essex have been recruited to the study. These trusts will provide anonymised routine data for randomisation and outcomes analysis. The process evaluation will examine intervention implementation, acceptability, reach and possible causal pathways. The economic evaluation will use a cost-consequences analysis and decision model to evaluate the intervention. Targeted community engagement in the research process was a priority. DISCUSSION: Community REACH aims to increase early initiation of antenatal care using an intervention that is co-produced and delivered by local communities. This pragmatic cluster randomised controlled trial, with integrated process and economic evaluation, aims to rigorously assess the effectiveness of this public health intervention, which is particularly complex due to the required combination of standardisation with local flexibility. It will also answer questions about scalability and generalisability. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ISRCTN registry: registration number 63066975 . Registered on 18 August 2015

Prediction of depression in European general practice attendees: the PREDICT study

Background Prevention of depression must address multiple risk factors. Estimating overall risk across a range of putative risk factors is fundamental to prevention of depression. However, we lack reliable and valid methods of risk estimation. This protocol paper introduces PREDICT, an international research study to address this risk estimation. Methods/design This is a prospective study in which consecutive general practice attendees in six European countries are recruited and followed up after six and 12 months. Prevalence of depression is assessed at baseline and each follow-up point. Consecutive attendees between April 2003 and September 2004 who were aged 18 to 75 were asked to take part. The possibility of a depressive episode was assessed using the Depression Section of the Composite International Diagnostic Interview. A selection of presumed risk factors was based on our previous work and a systematic review of the literature. It was necessary to evaluate the test-retest reliability of a number of risk factor questions that were developed specifically, or adapted, for the PREDICT study. In a separate reliability study conducted between January and November 2003, consecutive general practice attendees in the six participating European countries completed the risk factor items on two occasions, two weeks apart. The overall response rate at entry to the study was 69%. We exceeded our expected recruitment rate, achieving a total of 10,048 people in all. Reliability coefficients were generally good to excellent. Discussion Response rate to follow-up in all countries was uniformly high, which suggests that prediction will be based on almost a full cohort. The results of our reliability analysis are encouraging and suggest that data collected during the course of PREDICT will have a satisfactory level of stability. The development of a multi-factor risk score for depression will lay the foundation for future research on risk reduction in primary care. Our data will also provide the necessary evidence base on which to develop and evaluate interventions to reduce the prevalence of depression

Dose-Response of Aerobic Exercise on Cognition: A Community-Based, Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial

Epidemiological studies suggest a dose-response relationship exists between physical activity and cognitive outcomes. However, no direct data from randomized trials exists to support these indirect observations. The purpose of this study was to explore the possible relationship of aerobic exercise dose on cognition. Underactive or sedentary participants without cognitive impairment were randomized to one of four groups: no-change control, 75, 150, and 225 minutes per week of moderate-intensity semi-supervised aerobic exercise for 26-weeks in a community setting. Cognitive outcomes were latent residual scores derived from a battery of 16 cognitive tests: Verbal Memory, Visuospatial Processing, Simple Attention, Set Maintenance and Shifting, and Reasoning. Other outcome measures were cardiorespiratory fitness (peak oxygen consumption) and measures of function functional health. In intent-to-treat (ITT) analyses (n = 101), cardiorespiratory fitness increased and perceived disability decreased in a dose-dependent manner across the 4 groups. No other exercise-related effects were observed in ITT analyses. Analyses restricted to individuals who exercised per-protocol (n = 77) demonstrated that Simple Attention improved equivalently across all exercise groups compared to controls and a dose-response relationship was present for Visuospatial Processing. A clear dose-response relationship exists between exercise and cardiorespiratory fitness. Cognitive benefits were apparent at low doses with possible increased benefits in visuospatial function at higher doses but only in those who adhered to the exercise protocol. An individual’s cardiorespiratory fitness response was a better predictor of cognitive gains than exercise dose (i.e., duration) and thus maximizing an individual’s cardiorespiratory fitness may be an important therapeutic target for achieving cognitive benefits

A WFC3 Grism Emission Line Redshift Catalog in the GOODS-South Field

We combine HST/WFC3 imaging and G141 grism observations from the CANDELS and 3D-HST surveys to produce a catalog of grism spectroscopic redshifts for galaxies in the CANDELS/GOODS-South field. The WFC3/G141 grism spectra cover a wavelength range of 1.1<lambda<1.7 microns with a resolving power of R~130 for point sources, thus providing rest-frame optical spectra for galaxies out to z~3.5. The catalog is selected in the H-band (F160W) and includes both galaxies with and without previously published spectroscopic redshifts. Grism spectra are extracted for all H-band detected galaxies with H<24 and a CANDELS photometric redshift z_phot > 0.6. The resulting spectra are visually inspected to identify emission lines and redshifts are determined using cross-correlation with empirical spectral templates. To establish the accuracy of our redshifts, we compare our results against high-quality spectroscopic redshifts from the literature. Using a sample of 411 control galaxies, this analysis yields a precision of sigma_NMAD=0.0028 for the grism-derived redshifts, which is consistent with the accuracy reported by the 3D-HST team. Our final catalog covers an area of 153 square arcmin and contains 1019 redshifts for galaxies in GOODS-S. Roughly 60% (608/1019) of these redshifts are for galaxies with no previously published spectroscopic redshift. These new redshifts span a range of 0.677 < z < 3.456 and have a median redshift of z=1.282. The catalog contains a total of 234 new redshifts for galaxies at z>1.5. In addition, we present 20 galaxy pair candidates identified for the first time using the grism redshifts in our catalog, including four new galaxy pairs at z~2, nearly doubling the number of such pairs previously identified.Comment: 25 Pages, 9 Figures, submitted to A