Preliminary Evaluation of the Sural Nerve Using 22-MHz Ultrasound: A New Approach for Evaluation of Diabetic Cutaneous Neuropathy

Background: The application of 22-MHz high-frequency ultrasound allows for visualization of the inner part of the sural nerve. The aim of this study was to evaluate the morphological changes of sural nerves in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus using ultrasound. Materials and Methods: The thickness/width (T/W) ratio, the cross-sectional area (CSA) of the sural nerves and the maximum thickness (MT) of the nerve fascicles were measured in 100 patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus and 50 healthy volunteers using 22-MHz ultrasound. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were plotted to determine the optimal cut-off values as well as the sensitivities and specificities. All parameters were significantly different between the subject and control groups. The ROC curves demonstrated that the MT was the most predictive of diabetic cutaneous neuropathy, with an optimal cut-off value of 0.365 mm that yielded a sensitivity of 90.3 % and a specificity of 87.7%. Conclusions: The results of this study suggest that 22-MHz ultrasound may be a valuable tool for evaluating diabeti

Location of Tb(III) ions in Na-Y zeolite determined by luminescence spectroscopy

The variation of the cation location and occupancy at different sites in TbNa-Y zeolites as a function of treatment temperature is monitored by luminescence spectroscopy. It is found that the spectral changes caused by thermal treatments can be qualitatively rationalized in terms of the site symmetry around the Tb(III) ion. The luminescence results demonstrate that most of the Tb(III) ions exchanged into supercages of the zeolite migrate first to sodalite cages at temperatures lower than 473 K and then migrate to hexagonal prisms between 473 and 523 K.X1112sciescopu

Luminescence studies on intrazeolitic migration of Tb(III) ions by thermal treatments. 1. FAU-type zeolites

It is observed from the luminescence measurements that the intrazeolitic migration of Tb(III) ions arising from thermal treatments in FAU-type zeolites is strongly dependent on the framework Si/Al ratio. For a low-silica FAU zeolite (Si/Al = 1.37) most of the Tb(III) ions exchanged into supercages begin to migrate directly to hexagonal prisms at 423 K without staying at sodalite cages; by contrast, the cations in a high-silica FAU zeolite (Si/Al = 3.40) migrate first to sodalite cages at 373 K and in turn to hexagonal prisms at temperatures higher than 373 K.119sciescopu

Luminescence studies on intrazeolitic migration of Tb(III) ions by thermal treatments. 2. LTA-type zeolites

Analysis of the luminescence spectra obtained from TbNa-LTA zeolites with different framework Si/Al ratios treated as a function of temperature reveals that the Tb(III) ions located at site S5 in supercages migrate ineversibly to site S2' in sodalite cages by heating at 373 K. In particular, the cations in LTA zeolites with Si/Al ratios higher than unity are rearranged inside the sodalite cages when treated at temperatures higher than 573 K. This can be qualitatively correlated to differences in local environment of Tb(III) ion sites in sodalite cages.114sciescopu

Phase contrast radiography of Lewy bodies in Parkinson disease

Parkinson's disease (PD), defined as a neurodegenerative disorder, is characterized by the loss of dopaminergic neurons and the presence of Lewy bodies in neurons. Morphological study of Lewy bodies is important to identify the causes and the processes of PD. Here, we investigate a possibility of phase contrast radiography using coherent synchrotron X-rays to explore the microscopic details of Lewy bodies in thick (similar to 3 mm) midbrain tissues. Autopsied midbrain tissues of a PD patient were sliced in 3 mm thickness and then examined using synchrotron X-rays from the 7B2 beamline of the Pohang Light Source. Refraction-enhanced phase contrast radiography and microtomography were adopted to identify dark core and dim edge of Lewy bodies in neurons. The morphology of Lewy bodies was clearly revealed by the phase contrast radiography in very thick (3 mm) midbrain tissues without any staining treatment. Three-dimensional volume rendered microtomography of the autopsied midbrain tissues demonstrates striking evidence that several Lewy bodies are agglomerated by dim edges in a neuron. We suggest that the phase contrast radiography could be a useful tool to morphologically investigate the causes or the processes in PD. (c) 2006 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.X1111sciescopu