A Flourishing Brain in the 21st Century: A Scoping Review of the Impact of Developing Good Habits for Mind, Brain, Well-Being, and Learning

Emerging scientific knowledge such as the role of epigenetics and neuroplasticity—the brain\u27s capability to constantly rewire with every action, experience, and thought—is fundamentally changing our understanding of the potential impact we can have on our brain. Our brain is formed by our habits in interaction with our body, the environment, influenced by our lifestyle, successes, failures, and traumas. Neuroplasticity proves that every student\u27s brain is a work in progress, and it is never too late to take better care of one\u27s cognitive fitness. This review presents a repertoire of good habits (GHs). Combined, we suggest that these GHs provide conditions for optimal brain health, by acting as a “Mental Vaccine” which enhances the brain\u27s resilience to brain health-degrading challenges. We argue that schools have a crucial role to play in empowering students to increase their own stress resilience, well-being, and learning by developing their own GHs profile

Проблеми побудови відкритої та гнучкої методичної системи навчання математичних методів фізики у педагогічних університетах

(uk) Розглядаються тенденції розвитку фундаментальної фізико-математичної освіти, зближення природничо-наукового та гуманітарного, що уможливлюють розв’язання проблеми побудови відкритої та гнучкої науково-обґрунтованої методичної системи навчання математичних методів фізики у педагогічних університетах.(en) The article examines progressive trends of fundamental physical and mathematical education, rapprochement of naturally scientific and humanitarian, that makes possible to solve the problem of constructing the open and flexible scientifically reasonable methodical systeme of mathematical methods of physics teaching inpedagogical universities

Corticotroph Aggressive Pituitary Tumors and Carcinomas Frequently Harbor ATRX Mutations

Context: Aggressive pituitary tumors (APTs) are characterized by unusually rapid growth and lack of response to standard treatment. About 1% to 2% develop metastases being classified as pituitary carcinomas (PCs). For unknown reasons, the corticotroph tumors are overrepresented among APTs and PCs. Mutations in the alpha thalassemia/mental retardation syndrome X-linked (ATRX) gene, regulating chromatin remodeling and telomere maintenance, have been implicated in the development of several cancer types, including neuroendocrine tumors. Objective: To study ATRX protein expression and mutational status of the ATRX gene in APTs and PCs. Design: We investigated ATRX protein expression by using immunohistochemistry in 30 APTs and 18 PCs, mostly of Pit-1 and T-Pit cell lineage. In tumors lacking ATRX immunolabeling, mutational status of the ATRX gene was explored. Results: Nine of the 48 tumors (19%) demonstrated lack of ATRX immunolabelling with a higher proportion in patients with PCs (5/18; 28%) than in those with APTs (4/30;13%). Lack of ATRX was most common in the corticotroph tumors, 7/22 (32%), versus tumors of the Pit-1 lineage, 2/24 (8%). Loss-of-function ATRX mutations were found in all 9 ATRX immunonegative cases: nonsense mutations (n = 4), frameshift deletions (n = 4), and large deletions affecting 22-28 of the 36 exons (n = 3). More than 1 ATRX gene defect was identified in 2 PCs. Conclusion: ATRX mutations occur in a subset of APTs and are more common in corticotroph tumors. The findings provide a rationale for performing ATRX immunohistochemistry to identify patients at risk of developing aggressive and potentially metastatic pituitary tumors.Peer reviewe

Atypical or typical adrenocorticotropic hormone-producing pulmonary carcinoids and the usefulness of 11C-5-hydroxytryptophan positron emission tomography : two case reports

Introduction Pulmonary carcinoids associated with ectopic adrenocorticotropic hormone secretion have a good prognosis if histological examination shows typical pulmonary carcinoid and low proliferation, whereas a poor outcome is linked to atypical pulmonary carcinoid and high proliferation. Here we describe the diagnostic challenges to find the tumor in Cushing’s syndrome secondary to ectopic adrenocorticotropic hormone secretion in two cases with an atypical and a typical pulmonary carcinoid, respectively.      Case presentation A 63-year-old Caucasian woman presented with aggressive clinical features related to Cushing’s syndrome, having very high levels of urinary cortisol and circulating adrenocorticotropic hormone and cortisol. Magnetic resonance imaging showed no pituitary tumor, and bilateral inferior petrosal sinus sampling revealed no central peripheral ratio of adrenocorticotropic hormone. Computed tomography and 111Indium-pentetreoide somatostatin receptor scintigraphy could not visualize any ectopic tumor. The patient was referred for an 11C-5-hydroxytryptophan positron emission tomography, and a small 8mm nodule in her left lung was found. The tumor was removed via a lateral thoracic incision and wedge excision. The histological examination showed an atypical carcinoid with Ki-67 index of 9 to 10%, and an additional lobectomy was performed.      The second patient, a 22-year-old Caucasian man, also presented with aggressive Cushing’s syndrome, with very high urinary cortisol levels and increased circulating cortisol as well as adrenocorticotropic hormone levels. A magnetic resonance imaging scan of the pituitary showed no tumor, whereas a 12×9×14mm tumor was detected in the right lung on the primary computed tomography scan and no further investigation was performed. The tumor was removed via a lateral thoracic incision and wedge excision. A typical carcinoid with Ki-67 index of 1 to 2% was found and no further surgery was performed.      After surgical removal, the biochemical disturbances resolved and significant clinical improvement were achieved in both patients after 24 months of follow up.      Conclusions Diagnostic evaluation time is limited due to the aggressive course in ectopic adrenocorticotropic hormone-dependent Cushing’s syndrome. We suggest that 11C-5-hydroxytryptophan positron emission tomography could be considered early as a secondary diagnostic tool when primary computed tomography and/or magnetic resonance imaging scans fail to show any tumor

Atypical or typical adrenocorticotropic hormone-producing pulmonary carcinoids and the usefulness of 11C-5-hydroxytryptophan positron emission tomography : two case reports

Introduction Pulmonary carcinoids associated with ectopic adrenocorticotropic hormone secretion have a good prognosis if histological examination shows typical pulmonary carcinoid and low proliferation, whereas a poor outcome is linked to atypical pulmonary carcinoid and high proliferation. Here we describe the diagnostic challenges to find the tumor in Cushing’s syndrome secondary to ectopic adrenocorticotropic hormone secretion in two cases with an atypical and a typical pulmonary carcinoid, respectively.      Case presentation A 63-year-old Caucasian woman presented with aggressive clinical features related to Cushing’s syndrome, having very high levels of urinary cortisol and circulating adrenocorticotropic hormone and cortisol. Magnetic resonance imaging showed no pituitary tumor, and bilateral inferior petrosal sinus sampling revealed no central peripheral ratio of adrenocorticotropic hormone. Computed tomography and 111Indium-pentetreoide somatostatin receptor scintigraphy could not visualize any ectopic tumor. The patient was referred for an 11C-5-hydroxytryptophan positron emission tomography, and a small 8mm nodule in her left lung was found. The tumor was removed via a lateral thoracic incision and wedge excision. The histological examination showed an atypical carcinoid with Ki-67 index of 9 to 10%, and an additional lobectomy was performed.      The second patient, a 22-year-old Caucasian man, also presented with aggressive Cushing’s syndrome, with very high urinary cortisol levels and increased circulating cortisol as well as adrenocorticotropic hormone levels. A magnetic resonance imaging scan of the pituitary showed no tumor, whereas a 12×9×14mm tumor was detected in the right lung on the primary computed tomography scan and no further investigation was performed. The tumor was removed via a lateral thoracic incision and wedge excision. A typical carcinoid with Ki-67 index of 1 to 2% was found and no further surgery was performed.      After surgical removal, the biochemical disturbances resolved and significant clinical improvement were achieved in both patients after 24 months of follow up.      Conclusions Diagnostic evaluation time is limited due to the aggressive course in ectopic adrenocorticotropic hormone-dependent Cushing’s syndrome. We suggest that 11C-5-hydroxytryptophan positron emission tomography could be considered early as a secondary diagnostic tool when primary computed tomography and/or magnetic resonance imaging scans fail to show any tumor

Most Women with Previous Gestational Diabetes Mellitus Have Impaired Glucose Metabolism after a Decade

Of 1324 women diagnosed with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) in Sweden, 25% reported amp;gt;10 years after the delivery that they had developed diabetes mellitus. We assessed the long-term risk of all glucose metabolic abnormalities in a subgroup of these women. Women (n = 51) previously diagnosed with GDM by capillary blood glucose amp;gt;= 9.0 mmol/L (approximate to plasma glucose amp;gt;= 10.0 mmol/L) after a 2 h 75 g oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) were included. All underwent a clinical and biochemical evaluation, including a second 2 h 75 g OGTT. Individuals with known type 1 diabetes were excluded. At the follow-up, 12/51 (24%) reported previously diagnosed type 2 diabetes. Another four cases were diagnosed after the second OGTT, increasing the prevalence to 16/51 cases (31%). Impaired fasting plasma glucose (IFG) was diagnosed in 13/51 women and impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) in 10/51 women, leaving only 12 women (24%) with normal glucose tolerance. In addition, 2/51 women had high levels of glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD) antibodies; of these, one woman classified as type 2 diabetes was reclassified as type 1 diabetes, and the second GAD-positive woman was diagnosed with IGT. Of the women diagnosed with GDM by a 2 h 75 g OGTT, a large proportion had impaired glucose metabolism a decade later, including type 1 and type 2 diabetes.Funding Agencies|Medical Research Council of Southeast Sweden [5759, 9042]</p

Most Women with Previous Gestational Diabetes Mellitus Have Impaired Glucose Metabolism after a Decade

Of 1324 women diagnosed with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) in Sweden, 25% reported &gt;10 years after the delivery that they had developed diabetes mellitus. We assessed the long-term risk of all glucose metabolic abnormalities in a subgroup of these women. Women (n = 51) previously diagnosed with GDM by capillary blood glucose &#8805;9.0 mmol/L (&#8776;plasma glucose &#8805;10.0 mmol/L) after a 2 h 75 g oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) were included. All underwent a clinical and biochemical evaluation, including a second 2 h 75 g OGTT. Individuals with known type 1 diabetes were excluded. At the follow-up, 12/51 (24%) reported previously diagnosed type 2 diabetes. Another four cases were diagnosed after the second OGTT, increasing the prevalence to 16/51 cases (31%). Impaired fasting plasma glucose (IFG) was diagnosed in 13/51 women and impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) in 10/51 women, leaving only 12 women (24%) with normal glucose tolerance. In addition, 2/51 women had high levels of glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD) antibodies; of these, one woman classified as type 2 diabetes was reclassified as type 1 diabetes, and the second GAD-positive woman was diagnosed with IGT. Of the women diagnosed with GDM by a 2 h 75 g OGTT, a large proportion had impaired glucose metabolism a decade later, including type 1 and type 2 diabetes

Altered immunoglobulin G glycosylation in patients with isolated hyperprolactinaemia

Prolactin is a peptide hormone produced in the anterior pituitary, which increase in several physiological and pathological situations. It is unclear if hyperprolactinaemia may affect glycosylation of immunoglobulin G (IgG). Twenty-five patients with hyperprolactinemia and 22 healthy control subjects were included in the study. The groups had similar age and gender distribution. A panel of hormonal and haematological analyses, creatinine, glucose, liver enzymes and immunoglobulins were measured by routine clinical methods. IgG was purified from serum by Protein G Sepharose. Sialic acid was released from IgG by use of neuraminidase followed by quantification on high performance anion-exchange chromatography with pulsed amperometric detection. Tryptic glycopeptides of IgG was analysed by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry. Hormone and immunoglobulin levels were similar in the two groups, except for IgA and prolactin. Significantly higher IgG1 and IgG2/3 galactosylation was found in the patient group with hyperprolactinaemia compared to controls. (A significant correlation between prolactin and IgG2/3 galactosylation (Rs 0.61, p&lt;0.001) was found for samples with prolactin values below 2000 mIU/L. The relative amount of sialylated and bisecting glycans on IgG did not differ between patients and controls. The four macroprolactinaemic patients showed decreased relative amount of bisecting IgG2/3 glycans. Hyperprolactinaemia was found to be associated with increased galactosylation of IgG1and IgG2/3. This may have impact on IgG interactions with Fc-receptors, complement and lectins, and consequently lead to an altered immune response

Comparison of Venous and Capillary Sampling in Oral Glucose Testing for the Diagnosis of Gestational Diabetes Mellitus: A Diagnostic Accuracy Cross-Sectional Study Using Accu-Chek Inform II

Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is a common complication with negative impacts on mother and child. The primary aim of this study was to examine whether plasma glucose cutoffs for GDM diagnosis based on venous sampling can be replaced by cutoffs based on capillary sampling. A prospective cross-sectional study was performed at an antenatal care clinic including 175 pregnant women undergoing an oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT). Duplicate samples were collected by capillary and venous puncture while fasting and 1 h and 2 h after an OGTT. Both samples were analyzed on Accu-Chek Inform II. The cutoffs for a GDM diagnosis using capillary samples were corrected from 5.1 to 5.3 mmol/L for the fasting sample, from 10.0 to 11.1 mmol/L for the 1 h sample, and from 8.5 to 9.4 mmol/L for the 2-h sample using half of the dataset. Applying these cutoffs to the remaining dataset resulted in a sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of 85.0%, 95.0%, and 90.3%, respectively, with a positive predictive value (PPV) of 83%, an negative predictive value (NPV) of 96%, and a positive negative likelihood ratio (LHR) of 16.4 using capillary sampling for the GDM diagnosis at fasting and 2-h after. Corrected cutoffs and capillary samples can be used for the diagnosis of GDM with maintained diagnostic accuracy using Accu-Chek Inform II.Funding Agencies|ALF grants Region Ostergotland, Sweden [LIO-531111]</p