Brain energy metabolism: conserved functions of glycolytic glial cells

The discovery in mammals that axons are metabolically supported by myelinating glial cells explains why neurons can extend meters in length. In this issue, Volkenhoff et al. (2015) show that, in Drosophila, the transfer of lactate from the glial to the neuronal compartment is conserved in evolution, independent of body size

Is post orthognathic maxillary sinusitis related to sino-nasal anatomical alterations?

Le Fort I osteotomies have been used for more than five decades, but their impact on nasal and paranasal cavities physiology, has not been studied deeply. In this paper we want to analyse the possible correlation between post-orthognathic findings and prevalence of sinusitis which require surgical treatment. A retrospective cohort study was designed in 2017; the study was designed and carried out in the Verona University maxillo-facial department, a referral centre for orthognathic surgery. The study population is made of 64 patients that underwent orthognathic surgery (To treat class II or III malocclusion) between 2010 and 2015. Inclusion criteria were the availability of a Cone Beam Computed Tomography (CBCT) before surgery and one between 12 and 24 months after orthognathic surgery. Exclusion criteria were smoking habit and previous orthognathic procedures. During follow-up time prevalence of sinusitis was 18.5% and some patients required a secondary surgery to treat sinusitis. Surgery induced anatomic alterations were frequent in patients with sinusitis, sings and symptoms of sinusitis show positive correlation with anatomic alterations

Marine Dynamics and Biological Records: the Adamussium colbecki Multi-Proxy.

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Clinical Management of Acinic Cell Carcinoma of the Lacrimal Gland

To report a case of acinic cell carcinoma occurred in the lacrimal gland. A 59-year-old man was admitted because of sudden blurring of vision, progressive proptosis of the left eye, and mild double vision in left and down directions of the gaze (Hess-Lancaster test). His medical history detailed controlled bilateral keratoconus and open angle glaucoma. On examination, the best corrected visual acuity decreased from 8/20 till 1/50 in one week. There was a swelling of the left upper eyelid. A hard and tender mass was palpated in the superior temporal left orbit. Ultrasound scan showed an extraconal solid mass, situated in the superior lateral corner of the orbit. Computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) revealed a mass of two centimeters in diameter, with round well-defined outline, within the lacrimal gland. We per-formed an enucleoresection of the mass, via a coronal approach and a lateral orbitotomy by a piezosurgical device. The lesion appeared nodular, brownish, measuring about 2 7 1.5 cm. Histopathological findings were consistent with acinic cell carcinoma with a microcystic, focally papillary-cystic growth of pattern. Follow-up MRI outcomes led to removal of the residual lacrimal gland for suspicion of recurrence. No tumor recurrences where detected at 7-year follow-up

Jacob’s Disease: Case Series, Extensive Literature Review and Classification Proposal

Jacob’s disease is a rare entity consisting of the formation of a pseudojoint between an abnormal coronoid process of the mandible and the inner surface of the zygomatic bone. First described by Jacob in 1899, its diagnosis and definition have never been entirely univocal. In this paper, we present three emblematic cases and an extensive review of the literature on Jacob’s disease. Given the variability observed in the presentation of the disease, we have developed a proposal for the classification, here reported

A role of oligodendrocytes in information processing

Myelinating oligodendrocytes enable fast propagation of action potentials along the ensheathed axons. In addition, oligodendrocytes play diverse non-canonical roles including axonal metabolic support and activity-dependent myelination. An open question remains whether myelination also contributes to information processing in addition to speeding up conduction velocity. Here, we analyze the role of myelin in auditory information processing using paradigms that are also good predictors of speech understanding in humans. We compare mice with different degrees of dysmyelination using acute multiunit recordings in the auditory cortex, in combination with behavioral readouts. We find complex alterations of neuronal responses that reflect fatigue and temporal acuity deficits. We observe partially discriminable but similar deficits in well myelinated mice in which glial cells cannot fully support axons metabolically. We suggest a model in which myelination contributes to sus- tained stimulus perception in temporally complex paradigms, with a role of metabolically active oligodendrocytes in cortical information processing

The use of sensory action potential to evaluate inferior alveolar nerve damage after orthognathic surgery.

To assess and monitor the common event of neurosensory disturbance to the inferior alveolar nerve (IAN) after bilateral sagittal split osteotomy, we used clinical sensory tests and neurophysiologic test sensory action potentials. The diagnostic value of these tests was evaluated by comparing them with the degree of nerve damage reported by patients. Fourteen patients undergoing bilateral sagittal split osteotomy were analyzed preoperatively and 2 years postoperatively. Patients were evaluated bilaterally for positive and negative symptoms: light touch sensation, paraesthesia, hyperesthesia, and dysaesthesia; a "sensation score" was then calculated for each patient. Patients were also asked if they would be willing to repeat the procedure knowing the sensation loss they had now. Next, the right and left IAN were evaluated using sensory action potential and correlated with the other results. Before surgery, the medium latency difference between left and right was lower compared with postsurgery, with all patients having some deficit. The reduction in medium amplitude of 67% after the intervention was statistically significant. The frequency of abnormal findings in the electrophysiologic tests indicating IAN injury correlated with subjective sensory alteration. All patients said that they would repeat the surgery. Electrophysiologic testing is recommended for the evaluation of nerve dysfunction and seems a sensitive method for accurately assessing postsurgical nerve conduction

Pixel segmented ionization chamber for therapeutical beams of photons and hadrons

Abstract A fast and precise detector to monitor on-line the dose delivered by an active scanning therapeutical beam has been built and tested

Intracellular ATP levels in mouse cortical excitatory neurons varies with sleep–wake states.

Whilst the brain is assumed to exert homeostatic functions to keep the cellular energy status constant under physiological conditions, this has not been experimentally proven. Here, we conducted in vivo optical recordings of intracellular concentration of adenosine 5’-triphosphate (ATP), the major cellular energy metabolite, using a genetically encoded sensor in the mouse brain. We demonstrate that intracellular ATP levels in cortical excitatory neurons fluctuate in a cortex-wide manner depending on the sleep-wake states, correlating with arousal. Interestingly, ATP levels profoundly decreased during rapid eye movement sleep, suggesting a negative energy balance in neurons despite a simultaneous increase in cerebral hemodynamics for energy supply. The reduction in intracellular ATP was also observed in response to local electrical stimulation for neuronal activation, whereas the hemodynamics were simultaneously enhanced. These observations indicate that cerebral energy metabolism may not always meet neuronal energy demands, consequently resulting in physiological fluctuations of intracellular ATP levels in neurons