123 research outputs found
Plasma and cerebrospinal fluid tau and neurofilament concentrations in rapidly progressive neurological syndromes: a neuropathology-based cohort
Background and purpose:
Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) tau and neurofilament light chain (NFâL) proteins have proved to be reliable biomarkers for neuronal damage; however, there is a strong need for bloodâbased tests.
Methods:
The present study included 132 autopsy cases with rapidly progressive neurological syndromes, including Alzheimer disease (AD) (21), sporadic (65) and genetic (21) CreutzfeldtâJakob disease (CJD), 25 cases with vascular, neoplastic and inflammatory alterations, and additionally 18 healthy control individuals. CSF tau and NFâL concentrations were measured by enzymeâlinked immunosorbent assay. Plasma tau and NFâL concentrations were measured using ultraâsensitive single molecule array technology.
Results:
Plasma and CSF tau (R = 0.59, P < 0.001) and NFâL (R = 0.69, P < 0.001) levels correlated significantly (Spearman test). Plasma tau and NFâL levels were significantly higher in all disease groups compared to healthy controls (P < 0.001). Receiver operating characteristic curves were used and area under the curve values for comparisons with controls were 0.82 (AD), 0.94 (sporadic CJD), 0.92 (genetic CJD) and 0.83 (other neurological disorders) for plasma tau and 0.99, 0.99, 1.00 and 0.96 for plasma NFâL, respectively. Molecular subtyping of sporadic CJD showed a strong effect (linear logistic regression) on plasma tau (P < 0.001) but not NFâL levels (P = 0.19).
Conclusion:
Plasma tau and NFâL concentrations are strongly increased in CJD and show similar diagnostic performance to the corresponding CSF measure. Molecular subtypes of sporadic CJD show different levels of plasma tau. Although not diseaseâspecific, these findings support the use of plasma tau and NFâL as tools to identify, or to rule out, neurodegeneratio
Regional actorness and interregional relations:ASEAN, the EU and Mercosur
The European Union (EU) has a long tradition of interregional dialogue mechanisms with other regional organisations and is using these relations to project its own model of institutionalised actorness. This is partly motivated by the emerging actorness of the EU itself, which benefits from fostering capable regional counterparts in other parts of the world. This article advances the argument that actorness, which we conceptualise in terms of institutions, recognition and identity, is a relational concept, dependent on context and perception. Taking the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the Common Market of the South (Mercosur) and their relations with the EU as case studies, this article demonstrates that the actorness capabilities of all three organisations have been enhanced as result of ASEAN-EU and Mercosur-EU relations. However, there are clear limits to the development of the three components of regional actorness and to the interregional relations themselves. These limits stem both from the type of interregionalism at play and from the different regional models the actors incorporate. While there is evidence of institutional enhancement in ASEAN and Mercosur, these formal changes have been grafted on top of firmly entrenched normative underpinnings. Within the regional organisations, interactions with the EU generate centrifugal forces concerning the model to pursue, thus limiting their institutional cohesion and capacity. In addition, group-to-group relations have reinforced ASEAN and Mercosur identities in contrast to the EU. The formation of such differences has narrowed the scope of EU interregionalism despite the initial success of improved regional actorness
Nasal IL-13 production identifies patients with late phase allergic responses
BACKGROUND: There is limited knowledge on how local cytokine secretion patterns after nasal allergen challenge correlate with clinical symptoms especially with regards to the "late allergic response" (LAR) which occurs in approximately 40-50% of allergic patients. OBJECTIVE: In this study we aimed to characterise the immunological and clinical nasal responses to birch pollen allergen challenge with a special focus on the LAR. METHODS: In this randomised double-blinded placebo-control trial, birch pollen allergic participants were challenged with pollen extract (n=20) or placebo (n=10) on three consecutive days. On days one and three nasal secretions were collected at selected time points over a 24h time course for the measurement of 33 inflammatory mediators. Clinical responses were determined through subjective symptom scores and objective nasal airflow measurements. RESULTS: Provoked participants had significantly greater clinical responses and showed significant increases in tryptase and sST2 within minutes compared to placebo. Eight out of 20 provoked participants displayed high IL-13 levels 2-8 hours after allergen provocation. This group also showed significant changes in clinical parameters, with a secondary drop in nasal airflow measured by peak nasal inspiratory flow and increased symptoms of nasal obstruction which significantly differed from IL-13 non responders at 6 hours. CONCLUSION: IL-13 response status correlates with cytokine and clinical responses in the late phase after allergen provocation
Occipital nerve block is effective in craniofacial neuralgias but not in idiopathic persistent facial pain
Occipital nerve block (ONB) has been used in several primary headache syndromes with good results. Information on its effects in facial pain is sparse. In this chart review, the efficacy of ONB using lidocaine and dexamethasone was evaluated in 20 patients with craniofacial pain syndromes comprising 8 patients with trigeminal neuralgia, 6 with trigeminal neuropathic pain, 5 with persistent idiopathic facial pain and 1 with occipital neuralgia. Response was defined as an at least 50% reduction of original pain. Mean response rate was 55% with greatest efficacy in trigeminal (75%) and occipital neuralgia (100%) and less efficacy in trigeminal neuropathic pain (50%) and persistent idiopathic facial pain (20%). The effects lasted for an average of 27Â days with sustained benefits for 69, 77 and 107Â days in three patients. Side effects were reported in 50%, albeit transient and mild in nature. ONBs are effective in trigeminal pain involving the second and third branch and seem to be most effective in craniofacial neuralgias. They should be considered in facial pain before more invasive approaches, such as thermocoagulation or vascular decompression, are performed, given that side effects are mild and the procedure is minimally invasive
Microsurgical training model with nonliving swine head. Alternative for neurosurgical education
Mice lacking the conserved transcription factor Grainyhead-like 3 (Grhl3) display increased apposition of the frontal and parietal bones during embryonic development
Enzymatic oligomerization and polymerization of arylamines: state of the art and perspectives
The literature concerning the oxidative oligomerization and polymerization of various arylamines, e.g., aniline, substituted anilines, aminonaphthalene and its derivatives, catalyzed by oxidoreductases, such as laccases and peroxidases, in aqueous, organic, and mixed aqueous organic monophasic or biphasic media, is reviewed. An overview of template-free as well as template-assisted enzymatic syntheses of oligomers and polymers of arylamines is given. Special attention is paid to mechanistic aspects of these biocatalytic processes. Because of the nontoxicity of oxidoreductases and their high catalytic efficiency, as well as high selectivity of enzymatic oligomerizations/polymerizations under mild conditions-using mainly water as a solvent and often resulting in minimal byproduct formation-enzymatic oligomerizations and polymerizations of arylamines are environmentally friendly and significantly contribute to a "green'' chemistry of conducting and redox-active oligomers and polymers. Current and potential future applications of enzymatic polymerization processes and enzymatically synthesized oligo/polyarylamines are discussed
Chirurgische Resektion von intra- und extramedullÀren Tumoren unter Verwendung des intraoperativen Ultraschalls
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