An Integrated EPLOS Database as a Tool Supporting TSL Companies

The paper presents the conceptual design of a database for the European Portal of Logistics Services (EPLOS) and its application. The database contains the data on logistics companies, the infrastructure for road, railway, inland, and air transport, as well as the data on the nodal elements of logistics infrastructure (warehouse facilities, seaports, transhipment terminals). Complete and verified information is the fundamental condition for rational decisions about the realization of logistics processes on a meso- and macroeconomic scale. Authors present the relations in the making of the EPLOS database, its assumed scope, and the potential benefits for the TSL market from accessing the EPLOS database

Cerebrospinal Fluid Tau, p-Tau 181 and Amyloid-beta(38/40/42) in Frontotemporal Dementias and Primary Progressive Aphasias

Background/Aims: We determined cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) concentrations of amyloid-beta(A beta)(1-38), A beta(1-40), A beta(1-42), total tau and phospho-tau (p-tau) in order to study their differential expression in frontotemporal dementia (FTD, n = 25) and primary progressive aphasia (PPA, n = 12) as compared to Alzheimer's dementia (AD, n = 25) and nondemented controls (n = 20). Methods: Commercially available ELISA and electrochemiluminescence methods were applied. Results: High CSF p-tau and low ratios of A beta(1-42)/A beta(1-40) and A beta(1-42)/A beta(1-38), respectively, were specific for AD. CSF A beta(1-38) was reduced in FTD as compared to each of the other diagnostic groups, including PPA. CSF tau and p-tau levels were elevated in PPA as compared to FTD. Conclusion: This is the first detailed report on biomarker patterns in PPA, indicating distinct CSF biomarker patterns in FTD and PPA as major subgroups of frontotemporal lobar degeneration. The diagnostic and pathophysiological implications of our results warrant further studies on larger and neuropathologically diagnosed patient populations. Copyright (C) 2010 S. Karger AG, Base

Assessment of the intima-media thickness and pulse-wave velocity in peripheral arteries in patients with angiographically confirmed coronary artery disease

Background: Non-invasive methods of assessment of the vascular wall have become of significant interest in recent years. They allow better prediction of cardiovascular lesions when combined with evaluation of established cardiovascular risk factors. The aim of the study was to evaluate whether the combination of ultrasonographic assessment of intima-media thickness (IMT) and pulse-wave velocity (PWV) measurement in peripheral arteries results in an increased predictive value for the presence of atherosclerotic coronary lesions. In addition, selected established risk factors for atherosclerosis were analysed for their association with IMT and PWV. Methods: Fifty patients with angiographically confirmed coronary artery disease were included in the study. In all patients ultrasonographic assessment of IMT was performed in the common carotid artery (CCA), the carotid artery bulb (CB) and the common femoral artery (CFA). Simultaneously PWV was recorded between CCA and the brachial and femoral arteries. Results: A higher IMT was noted both in CB and CFA as compared to CCA. Carotid-brachial PWV was higher compared to carotid-femoral PWV. Carotid-femoral PWV correlated with IMT (p = 0.015) and the presence of atherosclerotic plaques (p = 0.04) in CB. No similar relation was found for carotid-brachial PWV. IMT in CCA, CB, and CFA was significantly higher in subjects with triple-vessel disease compared to patients with single-vessel or doublevessel disease. We also found a trend for higher PWV values in patients with multivessel disease but these differences did not reach statistical significance. Conclusions: Combining ultrasonographic assessment of IMT and PWV measurements in peripheral arteries results in an increased predictive value for the presence of atherosclerotic coronary lesions. Isolated PWV measurements are less useful for non-invasive coronary risk assessment than IMT measurements

Cerebrospinal fluid Aβ42/40 corresponds better than Aβ42 to amyloid PET in Alzheimer’s disease

Background: Decreased concentrations of amyloid-β 1-42 (Aβ(42)) in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and increased retention of Aβ tracers in the brain on positron emission tomography (PET) are considered the earliest biomarkers of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). However, a proportion of cases show discrepancies between the results of the two biomarker modalities which may reflect inter-individual differences in Aβ metabolism. The CSF Aβ(42/40) ratio seems to be a more accurate biomarker of clinical AD than CSF Aβ(42) alone. Objective: We tested whether CSF Aβ(42) alone or the Aβ(42/40) ratio corresponds better with amyloid PET status and analyzed the distribution of cases with discordant CSF-PET results. Methods: CSF obtained from a mixed cohort (n = 200) of cognitively normal and abnormal research participants who had undergone amyloid PET within 12 months (n = 150 PET-negative, n = 50 PET-positive according to a previously published cut-off) was assayed for Aβ(42) and Aβ(40) using two recently developed immunoassays. Optimal CSF cut-offs for amyloid positivity were calculated, and concordance was tested by comparison of the areas under receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves (AUC) and McNemar’s test for paired proportions. Results: CSF Aβ(42/40) corresponded better than Aβ(42) with PET results, with a larger proportion of concordant cases (89.4% versus 74.9%, respectively, p < 0.0001) and a larger AUC (0.936 versus 0.814, respectively, p < 0.0001) associated with the ratio. For both CSF biomarkers, the percentage of CSF-abnormal/PET-normal cases was larger than that of CSF-normal/PET-abnormal cases. Conclusion: The CSF Aβ(42/40) ratio is superior to Aβ(42) alone as a marker of amyloid-positivity by PET. We hypothesize that this increase in performance reflects the ratio compensating for general between-individual variations in CSF total Aβ

Excessive daytime sleepiness in a patient with coexisting myotonic dystrophy type 1, myasthenia gravis and Graves’ disease

A 41-year-old female with history of Graves’ disease, bilateral cataract, paroxysmal atrial fibrillation was admitted because of muscle weakness, daytime sleepiness, fatigability, drowsiness, bilateral eyelid ptosis, descending of head and lower jaw. On neurological examination the patient was presented with muscle weakness, muscle atrophy (in face and sternocleidomastoid muscles), features of myotonia and apocamnosis (orbicular muscles). Electromyography revealed myopathic changes, myotonic and pseudomyotonic discharges, positive repetitive nerve stimulation test in proximal muscles. Myotonic dystrophy (MD) diagnosis was confirmed by genetic testing and myasthenia gravis (MG) by a positive titer of cholinergic receptor autoantibodies. In the CSF concentration of hypocretin was significantly decreased

Route Planning with Dynamic Information from the EPLOS System

The paper presents the problem of distribution route planning with dynamic information about sudden customers\u27 needs. Particular attention was paid to dynamic vehicle route planning and its influence on the distance covered by a distribution vehicle. In the article, authors assume that the quick information about customers’ sudden needs is transferred from the EPLOS tool data base. Authors analyze the available literature on transport route optimization and propose a solution to the problem of distribution among customers with sudden needs. In order to present the impact of quick information influence on the distribution route minimization, a simulation model of the vehicle routing problem was generated in the FlexSim environment

Wzrokowy nietypowy wariant choroby Alzheimera (posterior cortical atrophy)

Choroba Alzheimera (AD, Alzheimer’s disease) jest najbardziej powszechnym schorzeniem neurozwyrodnieniowym mózgu. Jej osiowym objawem są postępujące zaburzenia pamięci. Należy brać pod uwagę także inne warianty tej choroby, takie jak: wariant wzrokowy (PCA, posterior cortical atrophy), czołowy, językowy i wariant z ciałami Lewy’ego, różniące się między sobą obrazem klinicznym i w których nie dominują deficyty pamięci. W artykule przedstawiono wzrokowy wariant AD, który jest zespołem objawów klinicznych z dominującymi dysfunkcjami wzrokowo-przestrzennymi, ze stosunkowo dobrze zachowanymi procesami mnestycznymi. Zaprezentowano także schemat diagnostyczny, cechy kliniczne i przebieg atypowej postaci AD. Podłożem PCA w większości przypadków jest patologia alzheimerowska. Dla ustalenia rozpoznania i wyboru odpowiedniej strategii terapeutycznej kluczowe znaczenie mają ocena neuropsychologiczna oraz badanie biomarkerów procesu neurozwyrodnieniowego w płynie mózgowo-rdzeniowym

Perfusion Imaging with SPECT in the Era of Pathophysiology-Based Biomarkers for Alzheimer's Disease

SPECT allows registration of regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) which is altered in a characteristic temporoparietal pattern in Alzheimer's Dementia. Numerous studies have shown the diagnostic value of reduced cerebral blood flow and metabolic changes using perfusion SPECT and FDG-PEPT in AD diagnosis as well as in differential diagnosis against frontotemporal dementia, dementia with Lewy bodies and vascular disease. Recently more pathophysiology-based biomarkers in CSF and Amyloid-PET tracers have been developed that probably have a higher diagnostic accuracy than the more indirect rCBF changes seen in perfusion SPECT. In the paper review, we describe recent advances in AD biomarkers as well as improvements in the SPECT technique