Common mistakes and pitfalls in magnetic resonance imaging of the knee

This pictorial review presents an overview of common interpretation errors and pitfalls in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the knee. Instead of being exhaustive, we will emphasize those pitfalls that are most commonly encountered by young residents or less experienced radiologists

Biomarkers of focal and diffuse traumatic brain injury

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a pathologically heterogeneous disease affecting people of all ages. The highest incidence of TBI occurs in young people and the average age is 30 to 40 years. Injury grading may range from mild with a low frequency (1 per 100) of life-threatening intracranial hematoma that needs immediate neurosurgical operation and very low mortality (1 per 1,000) to severe with a high likelihood of life-threatening intracranial hematoma (up to 1 per 3), a 40% case fatality rate and a high disability rate (2 per 3) in survivors. Estimation of the prognosis in severe TBI is currently based on demographic and clinical predictors, including age, Glasgow Coma Scale, pupillary reactions, extracranial injury (hypotension and hypoxia) and computed tomography indices (brain swelling, focal mass lesions, subarachnoid hemorrhage). Biomarkers reflecting damage to neurons and astrocytes may add important complementary information to clinical predictors of outcome and provide insight into the pathophysiology of TBI

The effect of supplementary light on the productive performmance of dorper lambs fed intensively

Thesis (M. Tech.) - Central University of Technology, Free State, 2010The objective of this research study was to quantify the differences in average daily gain (ADG), back fat thickness (BFT), eye muscle area (EMA), fat thickness (FT) on different body parts, the feed conversion ratio (FCR) and body dimensions (by means of body measurements) of Dorper lambs exposed to supplemented light. For this study 120 Dorper lambs (115 ± 10 days old) weighing (29.76 ± 5.01kg) were used. The lambs were randomly divided into three homogeneous groups (20 castrated and 20 intact males). The three groups were then exposed to different levels of supplemented light at 145 lux (16h, 24h and normal photoperiod). The animals were fed ad libitum with pellets containing 9.5 MJ ME/kg DM and 12% CP in open pens. The animals were weighed every 7 days while ultrasound scanning of the EMA and the BFT was done at the beginning and the end of the 35 day trial. The ADG, FCR and feed intake (FI) were calculated at the end of the trial. Linear body measurements including shoulder height, body length and heart girth were taken at day 1 and day 35 respectively. All the animals were slaughtered at the end of the trail. The carcasses were then weighed, graded and the FT was measured with a caliper. The final results of the study showed that no significant differences between the three treatment groups (consisting of wethers and rams) in terms of body measurements, ultrasound scanning ADG and FCR could be detected. However, a significant difference was found between the wethers and the rams in the whole trial for ADG. The ADG of the rams exposed to 16 hours of supplemented light was significantly better than the normal photoperiod and the 24 hour light supplementation group

Gold nanodome-patterned microchips for intracellular surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy

While top-down substrates for surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) offer outstanding control and reproducibility of the gold nanopatterns and their related localized surface plasmon resonance, intracellular SERS experiments heavily rely on gold nanoparticles. These nanoparticles often result in varying and uncontrollable enhancement factors. Here we demonstrate the use of top-down gold-nanostructured microchips for intracellular sensing. We develop a tunable and reproducible fabrication scheme for these microchips. Furthermore we observe the intracellular uptake of these structures, and find no immediate influence on cell viability. Finally, we perform a proof-of-concept intracellular SERS experiment by the label-free detection of extraneous molecules. By bringing top-down SERS substrates to the intracellular world, we set an important step towards time-dependent and quantitative intracellular SERS

Differential expression of prolyl hydroxylase 1 in patients with ulcerative colitis versus patients with Crohn's disease/infectious colitis and healthy controls

Background: Inhibition of prolyl hydroxylases (PHDs) leads to the induction of a transcriptional program that, in the gut, promotes intestinal epithelial cell survival. PHD inhibitors have recently been suggested as a promising alternative treatment for inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). In this study, we explored the colonic mucosal expression of the different PHD-isoforms (PHD1, 2 and 3) in order to identify the key isoform(s) involved in the pathogenesis of IBD. Methods: The mRNA expression of inflammatory cytokines (IL-8 and TNF-alpha), an apoptosis marker (caspase 3) and PHD1, 2 and 3 was analysed in biopsies of IBD patients (UC and CD), patients with infectious colitis and healthy controls using qRT-PCR. PHD protein levels were evaluated using western blot. Cellular localization of PHD 1, 2 and 3 was determined by immunohistochemistry. Results: PHD1 was significantly up-regulated in IBD patients, both at the mRNA (UC: p < 0.0001 and CD: p < 0.05) and at the protein level (UC: p < 0.05 and CD: p < 0.05), and showed a very good correlation with the expression of the inflammatory cytokines IL-8 and TNF-alpha and the apoptosis marker caspase 3. Colonic mucosal PHD2 mRNA and protein expressions were not altered in IBD. PHD3 expression was increased in inflamed biopsies from UC patients (p < 0.0001), but only at the mRNA level. PHD1 and PHD2 expression was found both in the colonic lamina propria and the epithelium while PHD3 was mainly located in the endothelium of blood vessels. Conclusions: In this exploratory expression analysis, PHD1 comes forward as the primary therapeutic target for UC and, to a lesser extent, for (colonic) CD