Functional imaging in neurodegenerative disorders: past, present and future

The present monographic issue of the Quarterly Journal of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging is dedicated to the role of functional imaging in the broad field of neurodegenerative disorders, with a special focus on some of the most relevant topics of the last decades, of the present time and of the near future. Functional neuroimaging is close to reach the time in which it will be routinely implemented in clinical practice and in which the principles of "molecular imaging" will aid clinical diagnosis disclosing the fine extra- and intracellular deposit of protein aggregates and neuroinflammation markers. The almost simultaneous advancement in nuclear medicine techniques, i.e., PET-MRI, along with the development of new tracers and the implementation of more and more sophisticated image analysis software will assign to neuroimaging a preeminent role in the diagnostic algorithm both in neurological and psychiatric practice

Detection of doubly-deuterated methanol in the solar-type protostar IRAS16293-2422

We report the first detection of doubly-deuterated methanol (CHD2OH), as well as firm detections of the two singly-deuterated isotopomers of methanol (CH2DOH and CH3OD), towards the solar-type protostar IRAS16293-2422. From the present multifrequency observations, we derive the following abundance ratios: [CHD2OH]/[CH3OH] = 0.2 +/- 0.1, [CH2DOH]/[CH3OH] = 0.9 +/- 0.3, [CH3OD]/[CH3OH] = 0.04 +/- 0.02. The total abundance of the deuterated forms of methanol is greater than that of its normal hydrogenated counterpart in the circumstellar material of IRAS16293-2422, a circumstance not previously encountered. Formaldehyde, which is thought to be the chemical precursor of methanol, possesses a much lower fraction of deuterated isotopomers (~ 20%) with respect to the main isotopic form in IRAS16293-2422. The observed fractionation of methanol and formaldehyde provides a severe challenge to both gas-phase and grain-surface models of deuteration. Two examples of the latter model are roughly in agreement with our observations of CHD2OH and CH2DOH if the accreting gas has a large (0.2-0.3) atomic D/H ratio. However, no gas-phase model predicts such a high atomic D/H ratio, and hence some key ingredient seems to be missing.Comment: 5 pages, 3 figure

Nanofiller for the mechanical reinforcement of maltodextrins orodispersible films

One of the most critical quality attributes of orodispersible films (ODFs) is related to the development of dosage forms with tensile properties suitable for the packaging and patient's handling. Aiming to develop a strategy to reinforce the tensile properties, the current work reported the feasibility to improve the tensile strength of maltodextrins (MDX) based ODFs by adding an amorphous water insoluble nanofiller, namely polyvinylacetate (PVAc). The possible interactions between components investigated by DSC and ATR-FTIR spectroscopy revealed that MDX and PVAc were immiscible; even if, the presence of plasticizers permitted the homogeneous dispersion of PVAc in the film until the 10% w/w concentration was reached. As a consequence, PVAc nanoparticles was found to be an effective reinforcing agent only at the concentrations of 3 and 5% w/w. In this optimal range, the tensile strength increased at least 1.5 fold and the elastic modulus increased at least 4 times

Correlatos de la terapia EMDR en la neuroimagen funcional y estructural: Un resumen cr?tico de los hallazgos recientes

Neuroimaging investigations of the effects of psychotherapies treating posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), including eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR), have reported findings consistent with modifications in cerebral blood flow (CBF; single photon emission computed tomography [SPECT]), in neuronal volume and density (magnetic resonance imaging [MRI]), and more recently in brain electric signal (electroencephalography [EEG]). Additionally in the recent past, EMDR- related neurobiological changes were monitored by EEG during therapy itself and showed a shift of the maximal activation from emotional limbic to cortical cognitive brain regions. This was the first time in which neurobiological changes occurring during any psychotherapy session have been reported, making EMDR the first psychotherapy with a proven neurobiological effect. The purpose of this article was to review the results of functional and structural changes taking place at PTSD treatment and presented during the period of 1999-2012 by various research groups. The reported pathophysiological changes are presented by neuropsychological technique and implemented methodology and critically analyzed.Las investigaciones con neuroimagen sobre los efectos de las psicoterapias que tratan el trastorno de estr?s postraum?tico (TEPT), incluyendo la terapia de desensibilizaci?n y reprocesamiento por movimientos oculares (EMDR), han mostrado hallazgos conformes con modificaciones en el flujo sangu?neo cerebral (FSC; tomograf?a computerizada de emisi?n monofot?nica [SPECT]), en el volumen y la densidad neuronal (im?genes por resonancia magn?tica [MRI]) y, m?s recientemente, en las se?ales el?ctricas del cerebro (electroencefalograf?a [EEG]). Adem?s, en el pasado reciente, se han monitorizado, por medio de EEG, cambios neurobiol?gicos relacionados con EMDR durante la misma terapia y han mostrado un cambio en la activaci?n m?xima desde las regiones l?mbicas emocionales a las regiones cognitivas corticales del cerebro. Esta ha sido la primera vez que se han se?alado los cambios neurobiol?gicos que tienen lugar durante una sesi?n de psicoterapia, lo que ha hecho que EMDR sea la primera psicoterapia con un efecto neurobiol?gico probado. El prop?sito de este art?culo ha sido analizar los resultados de los cambios funcionales y estructurales que han tenido lugar durante el tratamiento del TEPT y que han sido presentados por diversos grupos de investigaci?n durante el per?odo entre 1999 y 2012. Los cambios fisiopatol?gicos referidos se presentan en funci?n de las t?cnicas neuropsicol?gicas y la metodolog?a implementadas y son analizados de manera cr?tica

Refined theories based on non-polynomial kinematics for the thermoelastic analysis of functionally graded plates

This article presents an analytical solution for the thermoelastic analysis of simply supported functionally graded sandwich plates using the Carrera unified formulation, which allows the automatic implementation of various structural theories. The governing equations for plates under thermal loads are obtained using the principal of virtual displacement and solved using the Navier method. Linear and nonlinear temperature fields through the thickness are taken into account. Particular attention is focused on plate theories with nonpolynomial refined kinematics. The results of the present displacement fields are compared with the classical polynomial ones, proposed by Carrera, for several orders of expansion

EMDR and CBT for Cancer Patients: Comparative Study of Effects on PTSD, Anxiety, and Depression

This pilot study examined the efficacy of eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) treatment compared with cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) in treating posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in oncology patients in the follow-up phase of the disease. The secondary aim of this study was to assess whether EMDR treatment has a different impact on PTSD in the active treatment or during the followup stages of disease. Twenty-one patients in follow-up care were randomly assigned to EMDR or CBT groups, and 10 patients in the active treatment phase were assigned to EMDR group. The Impact of Event Scale-Revised (IES-R) and Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale (CAPS) were used to assess PTSD at pretreatment and 1 month posttreatment. Anxiety, depression, and psychophysiological symptoms were also evaluated. For cancer patients in the follow-up stage, the absence of PTSD after the treatment was associated with a significantly higher likelihood of receiving EMDR rather than CBT. EMDR was significantly more effective than CBT in reducing scores on the IES-R and the CAPS intrusive symptom subscale, whereas anxiety and depression improved equally in both treatment groups. Furthermore, EMDR showed the same efficacy both in the active cancer treatment and during the follow-up of the disease

Accurate evaluation of failure indices of composite layered structures via various FE models

The objective of the current work is to perform a failure evaluation of fiber composite structures based on failure indices computed using the Hashin 3D failure criterion. The analysis employs 1D and 3D finite elements. 1D elements use higher-order structural theories from the Carrera Unified Formulation based on Lagrange expansions of the displacement field. The 3D model analysis exploits ABAQUS. Attention is paid to the free-edge effects, the mode of failure initiation - matrix or fiber tension, delamination -, and the loads at which first ply failure occurs. The results underline the paramount importance of out-of-plane stress components for accurate prediction and the computational efficiency of refined 1D models. In fact, 1D models lead from one to twofold reductions of the CPU time if compared to 3D models