PayPal in Romania

The present paper refers to the usefulness of online payment through PayPal and to the development of this payment manner in Romania. PayPal is an example of a payment intermediary service that facilitates worldwide e-commerce.Comment: 8 pages, exposed on 5th International Conference "Actualities and Perspectives on Hardware and Software" - APHS2009, Timisoara, Romani

Striatin, ein Marker glialer Vorläuferzellen im Kleinhirnkortex

Striatine sind Gerüstproteine, die durch multiple Protein-Protein Wechselwirkungen als zentrale Signalwegsmodulatoren und Regulatoren der Endozytose gelten. Alle Familienmitglieder der Striatine zeigen sowohl im peripheren als auch im zentralen Nervensystem eine Lokalisation in feinen Endfortsätzen, wo sie mutmaßlich die morphologische Dynamik der Fortsätze steuern. Eine nicht-neuronale Expression im ZNS wurde bisher nicht beschrieben. Im Rahmen dieser Arbeit konnte gezeigt werden, dass Striatin neben der Lokalisation in den cerebellären Purkinjezellen, und hier insbesondere in den dendritischen Fortsätzen, in einer Zellpopulation innerhalb der weißen Substanz in hohem Maße exprimiert wurde. Diese Expression in der weißen Substanz war nur während der ersten beiden Wochen nach der Geburt nachweisbar. Die Striatin-positiven Zellen waren zum Teil Sox10- und TCF7L2-positiv; sie waren aber MBP–negativ, und konnten weder mit den neuronalen noch mit astrozytären Markerproteinen NeuN, Map-2, Pax2 und GFAP kolokalisiert werden. Das Striatin-Immunsignal überlappte mit dem Immunsignal für Synaptotagmin und Hyaluronsäure. Lokalisationsort, zeitliches Expressionsmuster und Kolokalisation mit Proliferations- und Oligodendrozytenmarkern sprechen dafür, dass Striatin-positive Zellen zur Gruppe der NG2-positiven Zellen gehören. Mit der vorliegenden Arbeit konnte erstmals gezeigt werden, dass Striatin auch in nicht-neuronalen Zellen innerhalb des ZNS exprimiert wird. Zudem konnte gezeigt werden, dass im Kleinhirn von L7En-2-Mäusen, in denen etwa 40% der Purkinjezellen postnatal absterben, die Anzahl der Striatin-positiven Zellen um denselben Prozentsatz verringert war. Die Zahl der Striatin-positiven Zellen korreliert folglich mit dem Vorhandensein von Purkinjezellen. Dies legt nahe, dass Purkinjezellen an der Regulation des Pools von Vorläuferzellen im Kleinhirnkortex beteiligt sind, und damit für die Kapazität oder fehlende Kapazität des Kleinhirnkortex zu regenerativen Prozessen mitverantwortlich sind

Alterations in white matter network and microstructural integrity differentiate Parkinson's disease patients and healthy subjects

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative disease, neuropathologically characterized by progressive loss of neurons in distinct brain areas. We hypothesize that quantifiable network alterations are caused by neurodegeneration. The primary motivation of this study was to assess the specific network alterations in PD patients that are distinct but appear in conjunction with physiological aging. 178 subjects (130 females) stratified into PD patients, young, middle-aged and elderly healthy controls (age- and sex-matched with PD patients), were analyzed using 3D-T1 magnetization-prepared rapid gradient-echo (MPRAGE) and diffusion weighted images acquired in 3T MRI scanner. Diffusion modeling and probabilistic tractography analysis were applied for generating voxel-based connectivity index maps from each seed voxel. The obtained connectivity matrices were analyzed using graph theoretical tools for characterization of involved network. By network-based statistic (NBS) the interregional connectivity differences between the groups were assessed. Measures evaluating local diffusion properties for anisotropy and diffusivity were computed for characterization of white matter microstructural integrity. The graph theoretical analysis showed a significant decrease in distance measures – eccentricity and characteristic path length – in PD patients in comparison to healthy subjects. Both measures as well were lower in PD patients when compared to young and middle-aged healthy controls. NBS analysis demonstrated lowered structural connectivity in PD patients in comparison to young and middle-aged healthy subject groups, mainly in frontal, cingulate, olfactory, insula, thalamus, and parietal regions. These specific network differences were distinct for PD and were not observed between the healthy subject groups. Microstructural analysis revealed diffusivity alterations within the white matter tracts in PD patients, predominantly in the body, splenium and tapetum of corpus callosum, corticospinal tract, and corona radiata, which were absent in normal aging. The identified alterations of network connectivity presumably caused by neurodegeneration indicate the disruption in global network integration in PD patients. The microstructural changes identified within the white matter could endorse network reconfiguration. This study provides a clear distinction between the network changes occurring during aging and PD. This will facilitate a better understanding of PD pathophysiology and the direct link between white matter changes and their role in the restructured network topology

Deciphering the network effects of deep brain stimulation in Parkinson's disease

Introduction Deep brain stimulation of the subthalamic nucleus (STN-DBS) is an established therapy for Parkinson's disease (PD). However, a more detailed characterization of the targeted network and its grey matter (GM) terminals that drive the clinical outcome is needed. In this direction, the use of MRI after DBS surgery is now possible due to recent advances in hardware, opening a window for the clarification of the association between the affected tissue, including white matter fiber pathways and modulated GM regions, and the DBS-related clinical outcome. Therefore, we present a computational framework for reconstruction of targeted networks on postoperative MRI. Methods We used a combination of preoperative whole-brain T1-weighted (T1w) and diffusion-weighted MRI data for morphometric integrity assessment and postoperative T1w MRI for electrode reconstruction and network reconstruction in 15 idiopathic PD patients. Within this framework, we made use of DBS lead artifact intensity profiles on postoperative MRI to determine DBS locations used as seeds for probabilistic tractography to cortical and subcortical targets within the motor circuitry. Lastly, we evaluated the relationship between brain microstructural characteristics of DBS-targeted brain network terminals and postoperative clinical outcomes. Results The proposed framework showed robust performance for identifying the DBS electrode positions. Connectivity profiles between the primary motor cortex (M1), supplementary motor area (SMA), and DBS locations were strongly associated with the stimulation intensity needed for the optimal clinical outcome. Local diffusion properties of the modulated pathways were related to DBS outcomes. STN-DBS motor symptom improvement was highly associated with cortical thickness in the middle frontal and superior frontal cortices, but not with subcortical volumetry. Conclusion These data suggest that STN-DBS outcomes largely rely on the modulatory interference from cortical areas, particularly M1 and SMA, to DBS locations

Prognostic Factors for Functional Outcome of Patients with Optic Nerve Sheath Meningiomas Treated with Stereotactic Radiotherapy–Evaluation of Own and Meta-Analysis of Published Data

Objective: To evaluate prognostic factors for a favorable outcome (improvement of the visual acuity or visual fields) after fractionated stereotactic radiotherapy (fSRT) of optic nerve sheath meningioma (ONSM). Methods: We performed a database search for ONSM treatments during the period from April 2008 to September 2019 in the prospective database for stereotactic radiosurgery/radiotherapy (SRS/SRT) of the Robert Janker Clinic Bonn (Department of Radiotherapy) and performed a literature review and meta-analysis of published data on ONSM between 2010 and 2019. Ophthalmic status before and after treatment was evaluated and the collective was dichotomized into two groups: functional improvement (FI; improvement of either visual acuity or visual fields) and non functional improvement (NFI; with stable or deteriorating visual acuity or visual fields). The two groups were compared regarding different variables: pretreatment visual acuity, age, gender, gross tumor volume (GTV), follow up (FU) time, tumor localization, and maximal retina dose. Results: Overall, 13 stereotactic radiotherapies were performed for ONSM (12 × fSRT, 1 × SRS). Mean follow up was 3 years (range: 1–5 years). The total dose was 50.4 Gy (5 × 1.8 Gy/week) in 12 patients treated with fSRT and 1 × 14 Gy in one SRS case. Mean GTV was 1.13 ccm (range: 0.44–2.20 ccm). During follow up, all tumors were stable or showed shrinkage of tumor volume (100% tumor control), no adverse events were observed, 53% of the patients achieved either better visual acuity or visual fields. Pretreatment visual acuity was significantly different between the FI and the NFI group (0.17 vs. 0.63, p = 0.03) in our series and in the meta analysis (p < 0.01). Moreover, shorter FU time and lower retinal dose were significantly linked (p < 0.05 and p < 0.01, respectively) with a better outcome in the meta-analysis but not in our patient cohort. Intracranial tumor localization, gender, and age were not significantly different between the two outcome groups. Conclusion: FSRT for ONSM achieves in over 50% of cases an improvement of the ophthalmic status with low morbidity and excellent tumor control in our series and the meta analysis. Patients with a favorable outcome had in all analysis a significantly higher visual acuity before treatment start. Therefore, we advocate using fSRT as early as possible before vision deterioration occurs

Prognostic Factors for Functional Outcome of Patients with Optic Nerve Sheath Meningiomas Treated with Stereotactic Radiotherapy–Evaluation of Own and Meta-Analysis of Published Data

Objective: To evaluate prognostic factors for a favorable outcome (improvement of the visual acuity or visual fields) after fractionated stereotactic radiotherapy (fSRT) of optic nerve sheath meningioma (ONSM). Methods: We performed a database search for ONSM treatments during the period from April 2008 to September 2019 in the prospective database for stereotactic radiosurgery/radiotherapy (SRS/SRT) of the Robert Janker Clinic Bonn (Department of Radiotherapy) and performed a literature review and meta-analysis of published data on ONSM between 2010 and 2019. Ophthalmic status before and after treatment was evaluated and the collective was dichotomized into two groups: functional improvement (FI; improvement of either visual acuity or visual fields) and non functional improvement (NFI; with stable or deteriorating visual acuity or visual fields). The two groups were compared regarding different variables: pretreatment visual acuity, age, gender, gross tumor volume (GTV), follow up (FU) time, tumor localization, and maximal retina dose. Results: Overall, 13 stereotactic radiotherapies were performed for ONSM (12 × fSRT, 1 × SRS). Mean follow up was 3 years (range: 1–5 years). The total dose was 50.4 Gy (5 × 1.8 Gy/week) in 12 patients treated with fSRT and 1 × 14 Gy in one SRS case. Mean GTV was 1.13 ccm (range: 0.44–2.20 ccm). During follow up, all tumors were stable or showed shrinkage of tumor volume (100% tumor control), no adverse events were observed, 53% of the patients achieved either better visual acuity or visual fields. Pretreatment visual acuity was significantly different between the FI and the NFI group (0.17 vs. 0.63, p = 0.03) in our series and in the meta analysis (p p p < 0.01, respectively) with a better outcome in the meta-analysis but not in our patient cohort. Intracranial tumor localization, gender, and age were not significantly different between the two outcome groups. Conclusion: FSRT for ONSM achieves in over 50% of cases an improvement of the ophthalmic status with low morbidity and excellent tumor control in our series and the meta analysis. Patients with a favorable outcome had in all analysis a significantly higher visual acuity before treatment start. Therefore, we advocate using fSRT as early as possible before vision deterioration occurs