Neuroimaging, Networking and Systems Biology: The New Way to Investigate Pathologies with Neurological System Implications. The example of Tourette Syndrome as a Pilot Study

Purpose: Recently, many academic research groups have focused their attention on changes in human brain networks related to several kinds of pathologies and diseases, generating the new discipline termed “Network Medicine”. Purpose of this paper is to investigate the ability of the Network Medicine to give deeper insights in the functionality of brain activity. Material and Methods: In the proposed study of Tourette syndrome, we have investigated with the functional magnetic resonance imaging the possibility that the mechanisms associated with the monitoring and internal control of movements were compromised in individuals with Tourette syndrome; we enrolled 20 Tourette Syndrome patients in comparison with a healthy Controls group of 15 subjects matching for age and sex distribution. We proposed, for the fMRI analysis, a novel task based on the execution of switching between complex movements on demand. Results: The elementary activation model found that the effort related to the task in comparing Tourettic vs Controls mainly concerns the areas of the Gyrus of the Cingulum, the precuneus and the thalamic area of the ventral-lateral nucleus. In particular, the BA11 plays an essential role in the Tourette Patients related to the continue tentative to correct the TIC. Considering the status of the pilot study of this work, we remark the power of proposed methods to investigate the complex interaction of the brain networks. Conclusion: Alteration in brain activity for a population of Tourette Syndrome patients is evaluable by the use of complex indexes, results confirm the literature about this pathology and these medical physics methods can be applied to all neurological diseases investigation by opportune task-driven experiments or by resting state fc-MRI experiments

The Isolation and Identification of Bacteria on Feathers of Migratory Bird Species

Worldwide, bacteria are the most ubiquitous microorganisms, and it has been extensively demonstrated that migratory wild birds can increase bacterial global scale dispersion through long-distance migration and dispersal. The microbial community hosted by wild birds can be highly diverse, including pathogenic strains that can contribute to infections and disease spread. This study focused on feather and plumage bacteria within bird microbial communities. Samples were collected during ornithological activities in a bird ringing station. Bacterial identification was carried out via DNA barcoding of the partial 16S rRNA gene. Thirty-seven isolates of bacteria were identified on the chest feathers of 60 migratory birds belonging to three trans-Saharan species: Muscicapa striata, Hippolais icterina, and Sylvia borin. Our results demonstrate the possibility of bacterial transfer, including pathogens, through bird migration between very distant countries. The data from the analysis of plumage bacteria can aid in the explanation of phenomena such as migratory birds’ fitness or the development of secondary sexual traits. Moreover, these results have deep hygienic–sanitary implications, since many bird species have synanthropic behaviors during their migration that increase the probability of disease sprea

Ultrasonographic assessment of bone erosions in the different subtypes of systemic lupus erythematosus arthritis: Comparison with computed tomography

Background: The aim was to determine the accuracy of high-resolution ultrasonography (US) for detecting erosion in the metacarpophalangeal (MCP) and wrist joints of patients with different subtypes of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) arthritis, using computed tomography (CT) as the gold-standard reference method. Method: The ulnar head, radiocarpal and second to fifth MCP joints in 26 patients with SLE - 9 classified as having rhupus syndrome, 10 as having Jaccoud's arthropathy (JA) and 7 as having non-deforming non-erosive (NDNE) arthritis - were subdivided into areas and bilaterally evaluated for the presence of bone erosion by CT and US. On CT, erosion volume was scored according to the outcome measures in rheumatology-rheumatoid arthritis magnetic resonance imaging (OMERACT-RAMRIS) score. On US, erosions were semi-quantitatively scored 0-3 according to scoring by ultrasound structural erosion (ScUSSe) systems. Results: Erosions were detected by CT in 92/728 areas (12.6 %) and by US in 43/728 areas (5.9 %). Sensitivity, specificity and accuracy of US overall was 36 %, 98 % and 90 % compared with 57 %, 98 % and 93 % in the dorsal and lateral aspects of the second and fifth MCP, which were identified as areas with the best US reliability. Adding wrist joints would capture a larger number of erosions without affecting the accuracy. US detected 90.0 % of CT erosions with bone volume loss >20 % and 51.2 % of erosions with bone volume loss >10 %. Patients with rhupus had a greater number of larger erosions than those with JA or NDNE arthritis, with prevalent involvement of the MCP joints. Overall reliability of US in detecting bone erosions was moderate for rhupus syndrome (0.55) and JA (0.58), but poor for NDNE arthritis (0.10). Conclusion: US had moderate sensitivity and excellent specificity for detection and semi-quantitative assessment of bone erosions in SLE

A new system of authorship best assessment

Purpose:The standard bibliometric indexes ("m-quotient "H-," "H2-," "g-," "a-," "m-," and "r-" index) do not considered the research' position in the author list of the paper. We proposed a new methodology, System of Authorship Best Assessment (SABA), to characterize the scientific output based on authors' position. Material and Methods:Four classes S1A, S1B, S2A, and S2B include only papers where the researcher is in first, first/last, first/second/last, and first/second/second-last/last position respectively were used for the calculation of H-index and number of citations The system was tested with Noble prize winners controlled with researchers matched for H-index. The different in percentage between standard bibliometric index and S2B was calculated and compared. Results:The percentage differences in Noble prize winners between S2B-H-index versus Global H-index and number of citations is very lower comparing with control group (median 4.15% [adjusted 95% CI, 2.54-5.30] vs 9.00 [adjusted 95% CI, 7.16-11.84], p < 0.001; average difference 8.7% vs 20.3%). All different in percentage between standard bibliometric index and S2B except two (H2- and m-index) were significantly lower among Noble prize compared with control group. Conclusion:The SABA methodology better weight the research impact by showing that for excellent profiles the S2B is similar to global values whereas for other researchers there is a significant difference

Epicardial fat volume assessed with cardiac magnetic resonance imaging in patients with Takotsubo cardiomyopathy

Purpose: The aims of our study were to investigate with cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) the role of Epicardial Fat Volume (EFV) and distribution in patients with Takotsubo cardiomyopathy (TTC). Moreover, we explored EFV in patients with TTC and related this to comorbidities, cardiac biomarkers, and cardiac function. Methods: This retrospective study performed CMR scans in 30 consecutive TTC patients and 20 healthy controls. The absolute amount of EFV was quantified in consecutive short-axis cine stacks through the modified Simpson's rule. In addition, the left atrio-ventricular groove (LV) and right ventricle (RV) Epicardial Fat Thickness (EFT) were measured as well. Besides epicardial fat, LV myocardial strain parameters and T2 mapping measurements were obtained. Results: TTC patients and controls were of comparable age, sex, and body mass index. Compared to healthy controls, patients with TTC demonstrated a significantly increased EFV, epicardial fat mass, and EFV indexed for body 7surface area (p = 0.005; p = 0.003; p = 0.008; respectively). In a multiple regression model including age, sex, BMI, atrial fibrillation, and dyslipidemia, TTC remained an independent association with EFV (p = 0.008). Global T2 mapping and Global longitudinal strain in patients with TTC were correlated with EFV (r = 0.63, p = 0.001, and r = 0.44, p = 0.02, respectively). Conclusion: Patients with TTC have increased EFV compared to healthy controls, despite a similar body mass index. The amount of epicardial fat was associated with CMR markers of myocardial inflammation and subclinical contractile dysfunction

Oxidative Imbalance in HIV-1 Infected Patients Treated with Antiretroviral Therapy

It is generally accepted that oxidative stress is involved in HIV infection. However, the role in oxidative balance of Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy (HAART) is still debated. In our study we assessed serum oxidant and antioxidant levels in an HIV-1-infected population treated with HAART, and compared them with those of untreated HIV-1 patients and HIV-1-negative subjects. The study included 116 HIV-1-infected patients (86 HAART-treated and 30 untreated), and 46 HIV-negative controls. Serum oxidant levels were significantly higher in the HIV-1 treated group as compared to untreated and control groups. In addition, a decrease of serum total antioxidant status was observed in the HIV-1 treated group. To be noted is that patients who rigorously follow antiretroviral therapy (optimal HAART adherence) have significantly higher oxidative status than those who do not closely follow the therapy (poor HAART adherence). Analysis of variance revealed no significant further increase in oxidative status in HIV-1-infected patients taking antiretroviral and other drugs with the exception of psychiatric drugs (e.g. anxiolytics or antidepressants). Taken together, our results indicate that HAART may affect oxidative stress in HIV-1-infected patients and suggest that antiretroviral therapy plays an important role in the synergy of HIV infection and oxidative stress

Review of imaging biomarkers for the vulnerable carotid plaque

Identification of carotid artery atherosclerosis is conventionally based on measurements of luminal stenosis. However, histopathologic studies demonstrate considerable differences between plaques with identical degrees of stenosis and indicate that certain plaque features are associated with increased risk for ischemic events. As a result of the rapid technological evolution in medical imaging, several important steps have been taken in the field of carotid plaque imaging allowing us to visualize the carotid atherosclerotic plaque and its composition in great detail. For computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, positron emission tomography, and ultrasound scan, evidence has accumulated on novel imaging-based markers that confer information on carotid plaque vulnerability, such as intraplaque hemorrhage and lipid-rich necrotic cores. In terms of the imaging-based identification of individuals at high risk of stroke, routine assessments of such imaging markers are the way forward for improving current clinical practice. The current review highlights the main characteristics of the vulnerable plaque indicating their role in the etiology of ischemic stroke as identified by intensive plaque imaging

Clinical neuroimaging markers of response to treatment in mood disorders.

Mood disorders (MD) are important and frequent psychiatric illness. The management of patients affected by these conditions represents an important factor of disability as well as a significant social and economic burden. The "in-vivo" studies can help researchers to understand the first developmental events of the pathology and to identify the molecular and non-molecular targets of therapies. However, they have strong limitations due to the fact that human brain circuitry can not be reproduced in animal models. In addition, these neural pathways are difficult to be selectively studied with the modern imaging (such as Magnetic Resonance and Positron Emitted Tomography/Computed Tomography) and non-imaging (such as electroencephalography, magnetoencephalography, transcranial magnetic stimulation and evoked potentials) methods. In comparison with other methods, the "in-vivo" imaging investigations have higher temporal and spatial resolution compared to the "in-vivo" non-imaging techniques. All these factors make difficult to fully understand the aetiology and pathophysiology of these disorders, and consequently hinder the analysis of the effects of pharmacological and non-pharmacological therapies, which have been demonstrated effective in clinical settings. In this review, we will focus our attention on the current state of the art of imaging in the assessment of treatment efficacy in MD. We will analyse briefly the actual classification of MD; then we will focus on the "in vivo" imaging methods used in research and clinical activity, the current knowledge about the neural models at the base of MD. Finally the last part of the review will focus on the analysis of the main markers of response to treatment