Brain microstructural development at near-term age in very-low-birth-weight preterm infants: An atlas-based diffusion imaging study

PubMed Central

Rose, Jessica; Vassar, Rachel; Cahill-Rowley, Katelyn; Guzman, Ximena Stecher; Stevenson, David K.; Barnea-Goraly, Naama

2014-01-01

At near-term age the brain undergoes rapid growth and development. Abnormalities identified during this period have been recognized as potential predictors of neurodevelopment in children born preterm. This study used diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) to examine white matter (WM) microstructure in very-low-birth-weight (VLBW) preterm infants to better understand regional WM developmental trajectories at near-term age. DTI scans were analyzed in a cross-sectional sample of 45 VLBW preterm infants (BW ≤ 1500 g, GA ≤ 32 weeks) within a cohort of 102 neonates admitted to the NICU and recruited to participate prior to standard-of-care MRI, from 2010 to 2011, 66/102 also had DTI. For inclusion in this analysis, 45 infants had DTI, no evidence of brain abnormality on MRI, and were scanned at PMA ≤40 weeks (34.7–38.6). White matter microstructure was analyzed in 19 subcortical regions defined by DiffeoMap neonatal brain atlas, using threshold values of trace b0.006 mm2 s−1 and FA >0.15. Regional fractional anisotropy (FA), mean diffusivity (MD), axial diffusivity (AD), and radial diffusivity (RD) were calculated and temporal–spatial trajectories of development were examined in relation to PMA and brain region location. Posterior regions within the corona radiata (CR), corpus callosum (CC), and internal capsule (IC) demonstrated significantly higher mean FA values compared to anterior regions. Posterior regions of the CR and IC demonstrated significantly lower RD values compared to anterior regions. Centrally located projection fibers demonstrated higher mean FA and lower RD values than peripheral regions including the posterior limb of the internal capsule (PLIC), cerebral peduncle, retrolenticular part of the IC, posterior thalamic radiation, and sagittal stratum. Centrally located association fibers of the external capsule had higher FA and lower RD than the more peripherally-located superior longitudinal fasciculus (SLF). A significant relationship between PMA-at-scan and FA, MD, and RD was demonstrated by a majority of regions, the strongest correlations were observed in the anterior limb of the internal capsule, a region undergoing early stages of myelination at near-term age, in which FA increased (r = .433, p = .003) and MD (r = –.545, p = .000) and RD (r = –.540, p = .000) decreased with PMA-at-scan. No correlation with PMA-at-scan was observed in the CC or SLF, regions that myelinate later in infancy. Regional patterns of higher FA and lower RD were observed at this near-term age, suggestive of more advanced microstructural development in posterior compared to anterior regions within the CR, CC, and IC and in central compared to peripheral WM structures. Evidence of region-specific rates of microstructural development was observed. Temporal–spatial patterns of WM microstructure development at near-term age have important implications for interpretation of near-term DTI and for identification of aberrations in typical developmental trajectories that may signal future impairment. PMID:24091089

Brain microstructural development at near-term age in very-low-birth-weight preterm infants: an atlas-based diffusion imaging study.

PubMed

Rose, Jessica; Vassar, Rachel; Cahill-Rowley, Katelyn; Guzman, Ximena Stecher; Stevenson, David K; Barnea-Goraly, Naama

2014-02-01

At near-term age the brain undergoes rapid growth and development. Abnormalities identified during this period have been recognized as potential predictors of neurodevelopment in children born preterm. This study used diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) to examine white matter (WM) microstructure in very-low-birth-weight (VLBW) preterm infants to better understand regional WM developmental trajectories at near-term age. DTI scans were analyzed in a cross-sectional sample of 45 VLBW preterm infants (BW≤1500g, GA≤32weeks) within a cohort of 102 neonates admitted to the NICU and recruited to participate prior to standard-of-care MRI, from 2010 to 2011, 66/102 also had DTI. For inclusion in this analysis, 45 infants had DTI, no evidence of brain abnormality on MRI, and were scanned at PMA ≤40weeks (34.7-38.6). White matter microstructure was analyzed in 19 subcortical regions defined by DiffeoMap neonatal brain atlas, using threshold values of trace <0.006mm(2)s(-1) and FA >0.15. Regional fractional anisotropy (FA), mean diffusivity (MD), axial diffusivity (AD), and radial diffusivity (RD) were calculated and temporal-spatial trajectories of development were examined in relation to PMA and brain region location. Posterior regions within the corona radiata (CR), corpus callosum (CC), and internal capsule (IC) demonstrated significantly higher mean FA values compared to anterior regions. Posterior regions of the CR and IC demonstrated significantly lower RD values compared to anterior regions. Centrally located projection fibers demonstrated higher mean FA and lower RD values than peripheral regions including the posterior limb of the internal capsule (PLIC), cerebral peduncle, retrolenticular part of the IC, posterior thalamic radiation, and sagittal stratum. Centrally located association fibers of the external capsule had higher FA and lower RD than the more peripherally-located superior longitudinal fasciculus (SLF). A significant relationship between PMA-at-scan and FA, MD, and RD was demonstrated by a majority of regions, the strongest correlations were observed in the anterior limb of the internal capsule, a region undergoing early stages of myelination at near-term age, in which FA increased (r=.433, p=.003) and MD (r=-.545, p=.000) and RD (r=-.540, p=.000) decreased with PMA-at-scan. No correlation with PMA-at-scan was observed in the CC or SLF, regions that myelinate later in infancy. Regional patterns of higher FA and lower RD were observed at this near-term age, suggestive of more advanced microstructural development in posterior compared to anterior regions within the CR, CC, and IC and in central compared to peripheral WM structures. Evidence of region-specific rates of microstructural development was observed. Temporal-spatial patterns of WM microstructure development at near-term age have important implications for interpretation of near-term DTI and for identification of aberrations in typical developmental trajectories that may signal future impairment. © 2013.

Deep brain stimulation of the ventral internal capsule/ventral striatum for obsessive-compulsive disorder: worldwide experience

PubMed Central

Greenberg, BD; Gabriels, LA; Malone, DA; Rezai, AR; Friehs, GM; Okun, MS; Shapira, NA; Foote, KD; Cosyns, PR; Kubu, CS; Malloy, PF; Salloway, SP; Giftakis, JE; Rise, MT; Machado, AG; Baker, KB; Stypulkowski, PH; Goodman, WK; Rasmussen, SA; Nuttin, BJ

2013-01-01

Psychiatric neurosurgery teams in the United States and Europe have studied deep brain stimulation (DBS) of the ventral anterior limb of the internal capsule and adjacent ventral striatum (VC/VS) for severe and highly treatment-resistant obsessive-compulsive disorder. Four groups have collaborated most closely, in small-scale studies, over the past 8 years. First to begin was Leuven/Antwerp, followed by Butler Hospital/Brown Medical School, the Cleveland Clinic and most recently the University of Florida. These centers used comparable patient selection criteria and surgical targeting. Targeting, but not selection, evolved during this period. Here, we present combined long-term results of those studies, which reveal clinically significant symptom reductions and functional improvement in about two-thirds of patients. DBS was well tolerated overall and adverse effects were overwhelmingly transient. Results generally improved for patients implanted more recently, suggesting a ‘learning curve’ both within and across centers. This is well known from the development of DBS for movement disorders. The main factor accounting for these gains appears to be the refinement of the implantation site. Initially, an anterior–posterior location based on anterior capsulotomy lesions was used. In an attempt to improve results, more posterior sites were investigated resulting in the current target, at the junction of the anterior capsule, anterior commissure and posterior ventral striatum. Clinical results suggest that neural networks relevant to therapeutic improvement might be modulated more effectively at a more posterior target. Taken together, these data show that the procedure can be successfully implemented by dedicated interdisciplinary teams, and support its therapeutic promise. PMID:18490925

Differentiation and Cell-Cell Interactions of Neural Progenitor Cells Transplanted into Intact Adult Brain.

PubMed

Sukhinich, K K; Kosykh, A V; Aleksandrova, M A

2015-11-01

We studied the behavior and cell-cell interactions of embryonic brain cell from GFP-reporter mice after their transplantation into the intact adult brain. Fragments or cell suspensions of fetal neocortical cells at different stages of development were transplanted into the neocortex and striatum of adult recipients. Even in intact brain, the processes of transplanted neurons formed extensive networks in the striatum and neocortical layers I and V-VI. Processes of transplanted cells at different stages of development attained the rostral areas of the frontal cortex and some of them reached the internal capsule. However, the cells transplanted in suspension had lower process growth potency than cells from tissue fragments. Tyrosine hydroxylase fibers penetrated from the recipient brain into grafts at both early and late stages of development. Our experiments demonstrated the formation of extensive reciprocal networks between the transplanted fetal neural cells and recipient brain neurons even in intact brain.

Optical coherence tomography and optical coherence domain reflectometry for deep brain stimulation probe guidance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jeon, Sung W.; Shure, Mark A.; Baker, Kenneth B.; Chahlavi, Ali; Hatoum, Nagi; Turbay, Massud; Rollins, Andrew M.; Rezai, Ali R.; Huang, David

2005-04-01

Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) is FDA-approved for the treatment of Parkinson's disease and essential tremor. Currently, placement of DBS leads is guided through a combination of anatomical targeting and intraoperative microelectrode recordings. The physiological mapping process requires several hours, and each pass of the microelectrode into the brain increases the risk of hemorrhage. Optical Coherence Domain Reflectometry (OCDR) in combination with current methodologies could reduce surgical time and increase accuracy and safety by providing data on structures some distance ahead of the probe. For this preliminary study, we scanned a rat brain in vitro using polarization-insensitive Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT). For accurate measurement of intensity and attenuation, polarization effects arising from tissue birefringence are removed by polarization diversity detection. A fresh rat brain was sectioned along the coronal plane and immersed in a 5 mm cuvette with saline solution. OCT images from a 1294 nm light source showed depth profiles up to 2 mm. Light intensity and attenuation rate distinguished various tissue structures such as hippocampus, cortex, external capsule, internal capsule, and optic tract. Attenuation coefficient is determined by linear fitting of the single scattering regime in averaged A-scans where Beer"s law is applicable. Histology showed very good correlation with OCT images. From the preliminary study using OCT, we conclude that OCDR is a promising approach for guiding DBS probe placement.

Positive clinical effects of gamma knife capsulotomy in a patient with deep brain stimulation-refractory Tourette Syndrome and Obsessive Compulsive Disorder.

PubMed

Richieri, Raphaëlle; Blackman, Graham; Musil, Richard; Spatola, Giorgio; Cavanna, Andrea E; Lançon, Christophe; Régis, Jean

2018-04-26

We report the first case of a patient with severe, intractable Tourette Syndrome with comorbid Obsessive Compulsive disorder, who recovered from both disorders with gamma-knife (GK) stereotactic radiosurgery following deep brain stimulation (DBS). This case highlights the possible role of the internal capsule within the neural circuitries underlying both TS and OCD, and suggests that in cases of treatment-refractory TS and comorbid OCD, bilateral anterior capsulotomy using stereotactic radiosurgery may be a viable treatment option. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Structural neuroplasticity in the sensorimotor network of professional female ballet dancers.

PubMed

Hänggi, Jürgen; Koeneke, Susan; Bezzola, Ladina; Jäncke, Lutz

2010-08-01

Evidence suggests that motor, sensory, and cognitive training modulates brain structures involved in a specific practice. Functional neuroimaging revealed key brain structures involved in dancing such as the putamen and the premotor cortex. Intensive ballet dance training was expected to modulate the structures of the sensorimotor network, for example, the putamen, premotor cortex, supplementary motor area (SMA), and the corticospinal tracts. We investigated gray (GM) and white matter (WM) volumes, fractional anisotropy (FA), and mean diffusivity (MD) using magnetic resonance-based morphometry and diffusion tensor imaging in 10 professional female ballet dancers compared with 10 nondancers. In dancers compared with nondancers, decreased GM volumes were observed in the left premotor cortex, SMA, putamen, and superior frontal gyrus, and decreased WM volumes in both corticospinal tracts, both internal capsules, corpus callosum, and left anterior cingulum. FA was lower in the WM underlying the dancers' left and right premotor cortex. There were no significant differences in MD between the groups. Age of dance commencement was negatively correlated with GM and WM volume in the right premotor cortex and internal capsule, respectively, and positively correlated with WM volume in the left precentral gyrus and corpus callosum. Results were not influenced by the significantly lower body mass index of the dancers. The present findings complement the results of functional imaging studies in experts that revealed reduced neural activity in skilled compared with nonskilled subjects. Reductions in brain activity are accompanied by local decreases in GM and WM volumes and decreased FA. 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Evaluation of neonatal brain myelination using the T1- and T2-weighted MRI ratio.

PubMed

Soun, Jennifer E; Liu, Michael Z; Cauley, Keith A; Grinband, Jack

2017-09-01

To validate the T1- and T2-weighted (T1w/T2w) MRI ratio technique in evaluating myelin in the neonatal brain. T1w and T2w MR images of 10 term neonates with normal-appearing brain parenchyma were obtained from a single 1.5 Tesla MRI and retrospectively analyzed. T1w/T2w ratio images were created with a postprocessing pipeline and qualitatively compared with standard clinical sequences (T1w, T2w, and apparent diffusion coefficient [ADC]). Quantitative assessment was also performed to assess the ratio technique in detecting areas of known myelination (e.g., posterior limb of the internal capsule) and very low myelination (e.g., optic radiations) using linear regression analysis and the Michelson Contrast equation, a measure of luminance contrast intensity. The ratio image provided qualitative improvements in the ability to visualize regional variation in myelin content of neonates. Linear regression analysis demonstrated a significant inverse relationship between the ratio intensity values and ADC values in the posterior limb of the internal capsule and the optic radiations (R 2  = 0.96 and P < 0.001). The Michelson Contrast equation showed that contrast differences between these two regions for the ratio images were 1.6 times higher than T1w, 2.6 times higher than T2w, and 1.8 times higher than ADC (all P < 0.001). Finally, the ratio improved visualization of the corticospinal tract, one of the earliest myelinated pathways. The T1w/T2w ratio accentuates contrast between myelinated and less myelinated structures and may enhance our diagnostic ability to detect myelination patterns in the neonatal brain. 2 Technical Efficacy: Stage2 J. MAGN. RESON. IMAGING 2017;46:690-696. © 2016 International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine.

Gestational Age and Neonatal Brain Microstructure in Term Born Infants: A Birth Cohort Study

PubMed Central

Broekman, Birit F. P.; Wang, Changqing; Li, Yue; Rifkin-Graboi, Anne; Saw, Seang Mei; Chong, Yap-Seng; Kwek, Kenneth; Gluckman, Peter D.; Fortier, Marielle V.; Meaney, Michael J.; Qiu, Anqi

2014-01-01

Objective Understanding healthy brain development in utero is crucial in order to detect abnormal developmental trajectories due to developmental disorders. However, in most studies neuroimaging was done after a significant postnatal period, and in those studies that performed neuroimaging on fetuses, the quality of data has been affected due to complications of scanning during pregnancy. To understand healthy brain development between 37–41 weeks of gestational age, our study assessed the in utero growth of the brain in healthy term born babies with DTI scanning soon after birth. Methods A cohort of 93 infants recruited from maternity hospitals in Singapore underwent diffusion tensor imaging between 5 to 17 days after birth. We did a cross-sectional examination of white matter microstructure of the brain among healthy term infants as a function of gestational age via voxel-based analysis on fractional anisotropy. Results Greater gestational age at birth in term infants was associated with larger fractional anisotropy values in early developing brain regions, when corrected for age at scan. Specifically, it was associated with a cluster located at the corpus callosum (corrected p<0.001), as well as another cluster spanning areas of the anterior corona radiata, anterior limb of internal capsule, and external capsule (corrected p<0.001). Conclusions Our findings show variation in brain maturation associated with gestational age amongst ‘term’ infants, with increased brain maturation when born with a relatively higher gestational age in comparison to those infants born with a relatively younger gestational age. Future studies should explore if these differences in brain maturation between 37 and 41 weeks of gestational age will persist over time due to development outside the womb. PMID:25535959

Lack of benefit of accumbens/capsular deep brain stimulation in a patient with both tics and obsessive-compulsive disorder.

PubMed

Burdick, Adam; Foote, Kelly D; Goodman, Wayne; Ward, Herbert E; Ricciuti, Nicola; Murphy, Tanya; Haq, Ihtsham; Okun, Michael S

2010-08-01

LAY SUMMARY: This case report illustrates lack of clinical efficacy of deep brain stimulation (DBS) for control of tics in a case of mild Tourette syndrome (TS) with severe comorbid obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). The brain target for stimulation was the anterior limb internal capsule (ALIC). To investigate the effect of anterior limb of internal capsule/nucleus accumbens (ALIC-NA) DBS on mild motor and vocal tics in a Tourette syndrome (TS) patient with severe OCD. The optimum target to address symptoms of TS with DBS remains unknown. Earlier lesional therapy utilized thalamic targets and also the ALIC for select cases which had been diagnosed with other psychiatric disorders. Evidence regarding the efficacy of DBS for the symptoms of TS may aid in better defining a brain target's suitability for use. We report efficacy data on ALIC-NA DBS in a patient with severe OCD and mild TS. A 33-year-old man underwent bilateral ALIC-NA DBS. One month following implantation, a post-operative CT scan was obtained to verify lead locations. Yale Global Tic Severity Scales (YGTSS) and modified Rush Videotape Rating scales (MRVRS) were obtained throughout the first 6 months, as well as careful clinical examinations by a specialized neurology and psychiatry team. The patient has been followed for 30 months. YGTSS scores worsened by 17% during the first 6 months. MRVRS scores also worsened over 30 total months of follow-up. There was a lack of clinically significant tic reduction although subjectively the patient felt tics improved mildly. DBS in the ALIC-NA failed to effectively address mild vocal and motor tics in a patient with TS and severe comorbid OCD.

White matter tractography using diffusion tensor deflection.

PubMed

Lazar, Mariana; Weinstein, David M; Tsuruda, Jay S; Hasan, Khader M; Arfanakis, Konstantinos; Meyerand, M Elizabeth; Badie, Benham; Rowley, Howard A; Haughton, Victor; Field, Aaron; Alexander, Andrew L

2003-04-01

Diffusion tensor MRI provides unique directional diffusion information that can be used to estimate the patterns of white matter connectivity in the human brain. In this study, the behavior of an algorithm for white matter tractography is examined. The algorithm, called TEND, uses the entire diffusion tensor to deflect the estimated fiber trajectory. Simulations and imaging experiments on in vivo human brains were performed to investigate the behavior of the tractography algorithm. The simulations show that the deflection term is less sensitive than the major eigenvector to image noise. In the human brain imaging experiments, estimated tracts were generated in corpus callosum, corticospinal tract, internal capsule, corona radiata, superior longitudinal fasciculus, inferior longitudinal fasciculus, fronto-occipital fasciculus, and uncinate fasciculus. This approach is promising for mapping the organizational patterns of white matter in the human brain as well as mapping the relationship between major fiber trajectories and the location and extent of brain lesions. Copyright 2003 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Anatomically related gray and white matter alterations in the brains of functional dyspepsia patients.

PubMed

Nan, J; Liu, J; Mu, J; Zhang, Y; Zhang, M; Tian, J; Liang, F; Zeng, F

2015-06-01

Previous studies summarized altered brain functional patterns in functional dyspepsia (FD) patients, but how the brain structural patterns are related to FD remains largely unclear. The objective of this study was to determine the brain structural characteristics in FD patients. Optimized voxel-based morphometry and tract-based spatial statistics were employed to investigate the changes in gray matter (GM) and white matter (WM) respectively in 34 FD patients with postprandial distress syndrome and 33 healthy controls based on T1-weighted and diffusion-weighted imaging. The Pearson's correlation evaluated the link among GM alterations, WM abnormalities, and clinical variables in FD patients. The optimal brain structural parameters for identifying FD were explored using the receiver operating characteristic curve. Compared to controls, FD patients exhibited a decrease in GM density (GMD) in the right posterior insula/temporal superior cortex (marked as pINS), right inferior frontal cortex (IFC), and left middle cingulate cortex, and an increase in fractional anisotropy (FA) in the posterior limb of the internal capsule, posterior thalamic radiation, and external capsule (EC). Interestingly, the GMD in the pINS was significantly associated with GMD in the IFC and FA in the EC. Moreover, the EC adjacent to the pINS provided the best performance for distinguishing FD patients from controls. Our results showed pINS-related structural abnormalities in FD patients, indicating that GM and WM parameters were not affected independently. These findings would lay the foundation for probing an efficient target in the brain for treating FD. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Enhanced electrical responsiveness in the cerebral cortex with oral melatonin administration after a small hemorrhage near the internal capsule in rats.

PubMed

Ueda, Yoshitomo; Masuda, Tadashi; Ishida, Akimasa; Misumi, Sachiyo; Shimizu, Yuko; Jung, Cha-Gyun; Hida, Hideki

2014-11-01

Intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) can cause direct brain injury at the insult site and indirect damage in remote brain areas. Although a protective effect of melatonin (ML) has been reported for ICH, its detailed mechanisms and effects on remote brain injury remain unclear. To clarify the mechanism of indirect neuroprotection after ICH, we first investigated whether ML improved motor function after ICH and then examined the underlying mechanisms. The ICH model rat was made by collagenase injection into the left globus pallidus, adjacent to the internal capsule. ML oral administration (15 mg/kg) for 7 days after ICH resulted in significant recovery of motor function. Retrograde labeling of the corticospinal tract by Fluoro-Gold revealed a significant increase in numbers of positive neurons in the cerebral cortex. Immunohistological analysis showed that ML treatment induced no difference in OX41-positive activated microglia/macrophage at day 1 (D1) but a significant reduction in 8-hydroxydeoxyguanosin-positive cells at D7. Neutral red assay revealed that ML significantly prevented H2 O2 -induced cell death in cultured oligodendrocytes and astrocytes but not in neurons. Electrophysiological response in the cerebral cortex area where the number of Fluoro-Gold-positive cells was increased was significantly improved in ML-treated rats. These data suggest that ML improves motor abilities after ICH by protecting oligodendrocytes and astrocytes in the vicinity of the lesion in the corticospinal tract from oxidative stress and causes enhanced electrical responsiveness in the cerebral cortex remote to the ICH pathology. Copyright © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

The Cerebellar-Cerebral Microstructure Is Disrupted at Multiple Sites in Very Preterm Infants with Cerebellar Haemorrhage.

PubMed

Neubauer, Vera; Djurdjevic, Tanja; Griesmaier, Elke; Biermayr, Marlene; Gizewski, Elke Ruth; Kiechl-Kohlendorfer, Ursula

2018-01-01

Recent advances in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) techniques have prompted reconsideration of the anatomical correlates of adverse outcomes in preterm infants. The importance of the contribution made by the cerebellum is now increasingly appreciated. The effect of cerebellar haemorrhage (CBH) on the microstructure of the cerebellar-cerebral circuit is largely unexplored. To investigate the effect of CBH on the microstructure of cerebellar-cerebral connections in preterm infants aged <32 gestational weeks. Infants underwent diffusion tensor MRI at term-equivalent age. MRI was evaluated for CBH and additional supratentorial brain injury using a validated scoring system. Region of interest-based measures of brain microstructure (fractional anisotropy [FA] and apparent diffusion coefficient) were quantified in 5 vulnerable regions (the centrum semiovale, posterior limb of the internal capsule, corpus callosum, and superior and middle cerebellar peduncles). Group differences between infants with CBH and infants without CBH were assessed. There were 267 infants included in the study. Infants with CBH (isolated and combined) had significantly lower FA values in all regions investigated. Infants with isolated CBH showed lower FA in the middle and superior cerebellar peduncles and in the posterior limb of the internal capsule. This study provides evidence that CBH causes alterations in localised and remote WM pathways in the developing brain. The disruption of the cerebellar-cerebral microstructure at multiple sites adds further support for the concept of developmental diaschisis, which is propagated as an explanation for the consequences of early cerebellar injury on cognitive and affective domains. © 2017 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Dietary Alpha-Lipoic Acid Alters Piglet Neurodevelopment.

PubMed

Mudd, Austin T; Waworuntu, Rosaline V; Berg, Brian M; Dilger, Ryan N

2016-01-01

Alpha-lipoic acid (a-LA) is an antioxidant shown to ameliorate age-associated impairments of brain and cardiovascular function. Human milk is known to have high antioxidant capacity; however, the role of antioxidants in the developing brain is largely uncharacterized. This exploratory study aimed to examine the dose-response effects of a-LA on piglet growth and neurodevelopment. Beginning at 2 days of age, 31 male pigs received 1 of 3 diets: control (CONT) (0 mg a-LA/100 g), low a-LA (LOW) (120 mg a-LA/100 g), or high a-LA (HIGH) (240 mg a-LA/100 g). From 14 to 28 days of age, pigs were subjected to spatial T-maze assessment, and macrostructural and microstructural neuroimaging procedures were performed at 31 days of age. No differences due to diet were observed for bodyweight gain or intestinal weight and length. Spatial T-maze assessment did not reveal learning differences due to diet in proportion of correct choices or latency to choice measures. Diffusion tensor imaging revealed decreased (P = 0.01) fractional anisotropy (FA) in the internal capsule of HIGH-fed pigs compared with both the CONT (P < 0.01)- and LOW (P = 0.03)-fed pigs, which were not different from one another. Analysis of axial diffusivity (AD) within the internal capsule revealed a main effect of diet (P < 0.01) in which HIGH-fed piglets exhibited smaller (P < 0.01) rates of diffusion compared with CONT piglets, but HIGH-fed piglets were not different (P = 0.12) than LOW-fed piglets. Tract-based spatial statistics, a comparison of FA values along white matter tracts, revealed 1,650 voxels where CONT piglets exhibited higher (P < 0.05) values compared with HIGH-fed piglets. The lack of differences in intestinal and bodyweight measures among piglets indicate a-LA supplementation does not impact overall growth, regardless of concentration. Additionally, no observed differences between CONT- and LOW-fed piglets in behavior and neuroimaging measures indicate a low concentration of a-LA does not affect normal brain development. Supplementation of a-LA at a high concentration appeared to alter white matter maturation in the internal capsule, which may indicate delayed neurodevelopment in these piglets.

Right lateralized white matter abnormalities in first-episode, drug-naive paranoid schizophrenia.

PubMed

Guo, Wenbin; Liu, Feng; Liu, Zhening; Gao, Keming; Xiao, Changqing; Chen, Huafu; Zhao, Jingping

2012-11-30

Numerous studies in first-episode schizophrenia suggest the involvement of white matter (WM) abnormalities in multiple regions underlying the pathogenesis of this condition. However, there has never been a neuroimaging study in patients with first-episode, drug-naive paranoid schizophrenia by using tract-based spatial statistics (TBSS) method. Here, we used diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) with TBSS method to investigate the brain WM integrity in patients with first-episode, drug-naive paranoid schizophrenia. Twenty patients with first-episode, drug-naive paranoid schizophrenia and 26 healthy subjects matched with age, gender, and education level were scanned with DTI. An automated TBSS approach was employed to analyze the data. Voxel-wise statistics revealed that patients with paranoid schizophrenia had decreased fractional anisotropy (FA) values in the right superior longitudinal fasciculus (SLF) II, the right fornix, the right internal capsule, and the right external capsule compared to healthy subjects. Patients did not have increased FA values in any brain regions compared to healthy subjects. There was no correlation between the FA values in any brain regions and patient demographics and the severity of illness. Our findings suggest right-sided alterations of WM integrity in the WM tracts of cortical and subcortical regions may play an important role in the pathogenesis of paranoid schizophrenia. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Multiple internalization pathways of polyelectrolyte multilayer capsules into mammalian cells.

PubMed

Kastl, Lena; Sasse, Daniel; Wulf, Verena; Hartmann, Raimo; Mircheski, Josif; Ranke, Christiane; Carregal-Romero, Susana; Martínez-López, José Antonio; Fernández-Chacón, Rafael; Parak, Wolfgang J; Elsasser, Hans-Peter; Rivera Gil, Pilar

2013-08-27

Polyelectrolyte multilayer (PEM) capsules are carrier vehicles with great potential for biomedical applications. With the future aim of designing biocompatible, effective therapeutic delivery systems (e.g., for cancer), the pathway of internalization (uptake and fate) of PEM capsules was investigated. In particular the following experiments were performed: (i) the study of capsule co-localization with established endocytic markers, (ii) switching-off endocytotic pathways with pharmaceutical/chemical inhibitors, and (iii) characterization and quantification of capsule uptake with confocal and electron microscopy. As result, capsules co-localized with lipid rafts and with phagolysosomes, but not with other endocytic vesicles. Chemical interference of endocytosis with chemical blockers indicated that PEM capsules enter the investigated cell lines through a mechanism slightly sensitive to electrostatic interactions, independent of clathrin and caveolae, and strongly dependent on cholesterol-rich domains and organelle acidification. Microscopic characterization of cells during capsule uptake showed the formation of phagocytic cups (vesicles) to engulf the capsules, an increased number of mitochondria, and a final localization in the perinuclear cytoplasma. Combining all these indicators we conclude that PEM capsule internalization in general occurs as a combination of different sequential mechanisms. Initially, an adsorptive mechanism due to strong electrostatic interactions governs the stabilization of the capsules at the cell surface. Membrane ruffling and filopodia extensions are responsible for capsule engulfing through the formation of a phagocytic cup. Co-localization with lipid raft domains activates the cell to initiate a lipid-raft-mediated macropinocytosis. Internalization vesicles are very acidic and co-localize only with phagolysosome markers, excluding caveolin-mediated pathways and indicating that upon phagocytosis the capsules are sorted to heterophagolysosomes.

Identifying the brain regions associated with acute spasticity in patients diagnosed with an ischemic stroke.

PubMed

Barlow, Susan J

2016-06-01

Spasticity is a common impairment found in patients that have been diagnosed with a stroke. Little is known about the pathophysiology of spasticity at the level of the brain. This retrospective study was performed to identify an association between the area of the brain affected by an ischemic stroke and the presence of acute spasticity. Physical and occupational therapy assessments from all patients (n = 441) that had suffered a stroke and were admitted into a local hospital over a 4-year period were screened for inclusion in this study. Subjects that fit the inclusion criteria were grouped according to the presence (n = 42) or absence (n = 129) of acute spasticity by the Modified Ashworth Scale score given during the hospital admission assessment. Magnetic resonance images from 20 subjects in the spasticity group and 52 from the control group were then compared using lesion density plots and voxel-based lesion-symptom mapping. An association of acute spasticity with the gray matter regions of the insula, basal ganglia, and thalamus was found in this study. White matter tracts including the pontine crossing tract, corticospinal tract, internal capsule, corona radiata, external capsule, and the superior fronto-occipital fasciculus were also found to be significantly associated with acute spasticity. This is the first study to describe an association between a region of the brain affected by an infarct and the presence of acute spasticity. Understanding the regions associated with acute spasticity will aid in understanding the pathophysiology of this musculoskeletal impairment at the level of the brain.

Diffusion tensor imaging of hemispheric asymmetries in the developing brain.

PubMed

Wilde, Elisabeth A; McCauley, Stephen R; Chu, Zili; Hunter, Jill V; Bigler, Erin D; Yallampalli, Ragini; Wang, Zhiyue J; Hanten, Gerri; Li, Xiaoqi; Ramos, Marco A; Sabir, Sharjeel H; Vasquez, Ana C; Menefee, Deleene; Levin, Harvey S

2009-02-01

Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) was performed in 39 right-handed children to examine structural hemispheric differences and the impact of age, socioeconomic status, and sex on these differences. Apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) values were smaller in the left than in the right temporal, prefrontal, anterior internal capsular and the thalamic regions, and fractional anisotropy (FA) values were larger in the left than in the right internal capsule, thalamus, and cingulate. Significant region-by-sex interactions disclosed that the relation of DTI asymmetries to performance depended on sex including the relation of temporal lobes to reading comprehension and the relation of frontal lobes to solving applied mathematical problems.

MRI findings in eastern equine encephalitis: the "parenthesis" sign.

PubMed

Nickerson, Joshua P; Kannabiran, Suma; Burbank, Heather N

2016-01-01

Two patients with eastern equine encephalitis (EEE) presented to a tertiary referral center. Both subjects' brain magnetic resonance imaging showed T2/FLAIR (fluid-attenuated inversion recovery) hyperintensities including linear areas of hyperintensity in the external and internal capsules with sparing of the lentiform nuclei. Single case reports of imaging findings in EEE exist with nonspecific patterns of abnormality. We propose that this "( ) parentheses sign" on T2 or FLAIR imaging may distinguish EEE from other processes. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Underbody Blast Models of TBI Caused by Hyper-Acceleration and Secondary Head Impact

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-02-01

or behavioral indices of brain injury . 2.0 Technical Requirements: 2 Fig. 1. Diffusion tensor imaging of water diffusion in the internal capsule...demonstrates relative differences between blast (left) and sham (right) and also the similarities between the two animals in each group. vWF Bcl - 2 Fo ld...C ha ng e -8 -6 -4 - 2 0 2 4 6 8 10 12 ** ** Figure 6. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) validation of vWF and Bcl - 2

An unusual case of random fire-setting behavior associated with lacunar stroke.

PubMed

Bosshart, Herbert; Capek, Sonia

2011-06-15

A case of a 47-year-old man with a sudden onset of a bizarre and random fire-setting behavior is reported. The man, who had been arrested on felony arson charges, complained of difficulties concentrating and of recent memory impairment. Axial T1-weighted magnetic resonance imaging showed a low intensity lacunar lesion in the genu and anterior limb of the left internal capsule. A neuropsychological test battery revealed lower than normal scores for executive functions, attention and memory, consistent with frontal lobe dysfunction. The recent onset of fire-setting behavior and the chronic nature of the lacunar lesion, together with an unremarkable performance on tests measuring executive functions two years prior, suggested a causal relationship between this organic brain lesion and the fire-setting behavior. The present case describes a rare and as yet unreported association between random impulse-driven fire-setting behavior and damage to the left internal capsule and suggests a disconnection of frontal lobe structures as a possible pathogenic mechanism. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Internalization of Red Blood Cell-Mimicking Hydrogel Capsules with pH-Triggered Shape Responses

PubMed Central

2015-01-01

We report on naturally inspired hydrogel capsules with pH-induced transitions from discoids to oblate ellipsoids and their interactions with cells. We integrate characteristics of erythrocytes such as discoidal shape, hollow structure, and elasticity with reversible pH-responsiveness of poly(methacrylic acid) (PMAA) to design a new type of drug delivery carrier to be potentially triggered by chemical stimuli in the tumor lesion. The capsules are fabricated from cross-linked PMAA multilayers using sacrificial discoid silicon templates. The degree of capsule shape transition is controlled by the pH-tuned volume change, which in turn is regulated by the capsule wall composition. The (PMAA)15 capsules undergo a dramatic 24-fold volume change, while a moderate 2.3-fold volume variation is observed for more rigid PMAA–(poly(N-vinylpyrrolidone) (PMAA–PVPON)5 capsules when solution pH is varied between 7.4 and 4. Despite that both types of capsules exhibit discoid-to-oblate ellipsoid transitions, a 3-fold greater swelling in radial dimensions is found for one-component systems due to a greater degree of the circular face bulging. We also show that (PMAA–PVPON)5 discoidal capsules interact differently with J774A.1 macrophages, HMVEC endothelial cells, and 4T1 breast cancer cells. The discoidal capsules show 60% lower internalization as compared to spherical capsules. Finally, hydrogel capsules demonstrate a 2-fold decrease in size upon internalization. These capsules represent a unique example of elastic hydrogel discoids capable of pH-induced drastic and reversible variations in aspect ratios. Considering the RBC-mimicking shape, their dimensions, and their capability to undergo pH-triggered intracellular responses, the hydrogel capsules demonstrate considerable potential as novel carriers in shape-regulated transport and cellular uptake. PMID:24848786

Gravimetric Analysis of Particulate Matter using Air Samplers Housing Internal Filtration Capsules.

PubMed

O'Connor, Sean; O'Connor, Paula Fey; Feng, H Amy; Ashley, Kevin

2014-10-01

An evaluation was carried out to investigate the suitability of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) internal capsules, housed within air sampling devices, for gravimetric analysis of airborne particles collected in workplaces. Experiments were carried out using blank PVC capsules and PVC capsules spiked with 0,1 - 4 mg of National Institute of Standards and Technology Standard Reference Material ® (NIST SRM) 1648 (Urban Particulate Matter) and Arizona Road Dust (Air Cleaner Test Dust). The capsules were housed within plastic closed-face cassette samplers (CFCs). A method detection limit (MDL) of 0,075 mg per sample was estimated. Precision S r at 0,5 - 4 mg per sample was 0,031 and the estimated bias was 0,058. Weight stability over 28 days was verified for both blanks and spiked capsules. Independent laboratory testing on blanks and field samples verified long-term weight stability as well as sampling and analysis precision and bias estimates. An overall precision estimate Ŝ rt of 0,059 was obtained. An accuracy measure of ±15,5% was found for the gravimetric method using PVC internal capsules.

Gravimetric Analysis of Particulate Matter using Air Samplers Housing Internal Filtration Capsules

PubMed Central

O'Connor, Sean; O'Connor, Paula Fey; Feng, H. Amy

2015-01-01

Summary An evaluation was carried out to investigate the suitability of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) internal capsules, housed within air sampling devices, for gravimetric analysis of airborne particles collected in workplaces. Experiments were carried out using blank PVC capsules and PVC capsules spiked with 0,1 – 4 mg of National Institute of Standards and Technology Standard Reference Material® (NIST SRM) 1648 (Urban Particulate Matter) and Arizona Road Dust (Air Cleaner Test Dust). The capsules were housed within plastic closed-face cassette samplers (CFCs). A method detection limit (MDL) of 0,075 mg per sample was estimated. Precision Sr at 0,5 - 4 mg per sample was 0,031 and the estimated bias was 0,058. Weight stability over 28 days was verified for both blanks and spiked capsules. Independent laboratory testing on blanks and field samples verified long-term weight stability as well as sampling and analysis precision and bias estimates. An overall precision estimate Ŝrt of 0,059 was obtained. An accuracy measure of ±15,5% was found for the gravimetric method using PVC internal capsules. PMID:26435581

Mapping Language Problems in the Brain

MedlinePlus

... issue Health Capsule Mapping Language Problems in the Brain En español Send us your comments We often ... more about how language is organized in the brain, an NIH-funded research team studied people with ...

Long-term hydrocephalus alters the cytoarchitecture of the adult subventricular zone

PubMed Central

Campos-Ordoñez, Tania; Herranz-Pérez, Vicente; Chaichana, Kaisorn L.; Rincon-Torroella, Jordina; Rigamonti, Daniele; García-Verdugo, Jose M.; Quiñones-Hinojosa, Alfredo; Gonzalez-Perez, Oscar

2014-01-01

Hydrocephalus can develop secondarily to a disturbance in production, flow and/or absorption of cerebrospinal fluid. Experimental models of hydrocephalus, especially subacute and chronic hydrocephalus, are few and limited, and the effects of hydrocephalus on the subventricular zone are unclear. The aim of this study was to analyze the effects of long-term obstructive hydrocephalus on the subventricular zone, which is the neurogenic niche lining the lateral ventricles. We developed a new method to induce hydrocephalus by obstructing the aqueduct of Sylvius in the mouse brain, thus simulating aqueductal stenosis in humans. In 120-day-old rodents (n = 18 per group), the degree of ventricular dilatation and cellular composition of the subventricular zone were studied by immunofluorescence and transmission electron microscopy. In adult patients (age > 18 years), the sizes of the subventricular zone, corpus callosum, and internal capsule were analyzed by magnetic resonance images obtained from patients with and without aqueductal stenosis (n=25 per group). Mice with 60-day hydrocephalus had a reduced number of Ki67+ and doublecortin+ cells on immunofluorescence, as well as decreased number of neural progenitors and neuroblasts in the subventricular zone on electron microscopy analysis as compared to non-hydrocephalic mice. Remarkably, a number of extracellular matrix structures (fractones) contacting the ventricular lumen and blood vessels were also observed around the subventricular zone in mice with hydrocephalus. In humans, the widths of the subventricular zone, corpus callosum, and internal capsule in patients with aqueductal stenosis were significantly smaller than age and gender-matched patients without aqueductal stenosis. In summary, supratentorial hydrocephalus reduces the proliferation rate of neural progenitors and modifies the cytoarchitecture and extracellular matrix compounds of the subventricular zone. In humans, this similar process reduces the subventricular niche as well as the width of corpus callosum and internal capsule. PMID:24858805

A case of neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD) with Sjögren's syndrome manifested only brain involvement by preceding parotitis.

PubMed

Furukawa, Takahiro; Matsui, Naoko; Tanaka, Keiko; Izumi, Yuishin; Kaji, Ryuji

2017-02-25

A 33 year-old woman presented with intentional incontinence, motor aphasia, supranuclear gaze palsy, and spasticity after parotitis. Brain magnetic resonance images (MRI) showed abnormal signaling in long corticospinal tract involving internal capsules and cerebral peduncles, middle cerebellar peduncle, and frontal subcortical white matter lesions. She had a long history of dry eye and mouth. Immunoserological study showed that she was positive for anti-SS-A, aquaporin 4 (AQP4), and AQP5 antibodies. She clinically showed not only Sjögren's syndrome but also neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD) without optic neuritis or myelitis. She responded to steroid followed by plasma exchange dramatically. Thereafter, the relapse of brain lesion was once detected while tapering of steroid, but her symptoms have been stable for several years after administration of immunosuppressant. This case suggested that salivary gland inflammation might be associated with the pathogenesis of NMOSD.

Adeno-associated virus vector-mediated transduction in the cat brain.

PubMed

Vite, Charles H; Passini, Marco A; Haskins, Mark E; Wolfe, John H

2003-10-01

Adeno-associated virus (AAV) vectors are capable of delivering a therapeutic gene to the mouse brain that can result in long-term and widespread protein production. However, the human infant brain is more than 1000 times larger than the mouse brain, which will make the treatment of global neurometabolic disorders in children more difficult. In this study, we evaluated the ability of three AAV serotypes (1,2, and 5) to transduce cells in the cat brain as a model of a large mammalian brain. The human lysosomal enzyme beta-glucuronidase (GUSB) was used as a reporter gene, because it can be distinguished from feline GUSB by heat stability. The vectors were injected into the cerebral cortex, caudate nucleus, thalamus, corona radiata, internal capsule, and centrum semiovale of 8-week-old cats. The brains were evaluated for gene expression using in situ hybridization and enzyme histochemistry 10 weeks after surgery. The AAV2 vector was capable of transducing cells in the gray matter, while the AAV1 vector resulted in greater transduction of the gray matter than AAV2 as well as transduction of the white matter. AAV5 did not result in detectable transduction in the cat brain.

Automated segmentation of neuroanatomical structures in multispectral MR microscopy of the mouse brain.

PubMed

Ali, Anjum A; Dale, Anders M; Badea, Alexandra; Johnson, G Allan

2005-08-15

We present the automated segmentation of magnetic resonance microscopy (MRM) images of the C57BL/6J mouse brain into 21 neuroanatomical structures, including the ventricular system, corpus callosum, hippocampus, caudate putamen, inferior colliculus, internal capsule, globus pallidus, and substantia nigra. The segmentation algorithm operates on multispectral, three-dimensional (3D) MR data acquired at 90-microm isotropic resolution. Probabilistic information used in the segmentation is extracted from training datasets of T2-weighted, proton density-weighted, and diffusion-weighted acquisitions. Spatial information is employed in the form of prior probabilities of occurrence of a structure at a location (location priors) and the pairwise probabilities between structures (contextual priors). Validation using standard morphometry indices shows good consistency between automatically segmented and manually traced data. Results achieved in the mouse brain are comparable with those achieved in human brain studies using similar techniques. The segmentation algorithm shows excellent potential for routine morphological phenotyping of mouse models.

Management of small arteriovenous malformations of the brain.

PubMed

Morgan, M K; Davidson, J; Sorby, W; Grinnell, V

1995-10-01

A consecutive series of arteriovenous malformations of the brain, no greater than 3 cm in diameter, referred to the author between January 1989 and October 1994 is reviewed. Of these 42 cases 39 underwent surgical excision of the lesion. The surgical group had mortality, 2.5% morbidity and 100% angiographic cure. Surgery in non-eloquent brain (n=21) resulted in no neurological morbidity and surgery in eloquent brain (n=18) resulted in a 5.5% neurological morbidity. The reason for not operating in three cases was elderly age in one, poor neurological condition in one, and involvement of the posterior limb of the internal capsule in one. Arteriovenous malformations with diameters no greater than 3 cm are considered by some to be suitable for treatment by focussed irradiation. However, surgery is likely to remain the more effective and safer mode of treatment for the majority of cases when factoring in the expected complications of focussed irradiation during the latency period. These risks are discussed.

Capsule independent uptake of the fungal pathogen Cryptococcus neoformans into brain microvascular endothelial cells.

PubMed

Sabiiti, Wilber; May, Robin C

2012-01-01

Cryptococcosis is a life-threatening fungal disease with a high rate of mortality among HIV/AIDS patients across the world. The ability to penetrate the blood-brain barrier (BBB) is central to the pathogenesis of cryptococcosis, but the way in which this occurs remains unclear. Here we use both mouse and human brain derived endothelial cells (bEnd3 and hCMEC/D3) to accurately quantify fungal uptake and survival within brain endothelial cells. Our data indicate that the adherence and internalisation of cryptococci by brain microvascular endothelial cells is an infrequent event involving small numbers of cryptococcal yeast cells. Interestingly, this process requires neither active signalling from the fungus nor the presence of the fungal capsule. Thus entry into brain microvascular endothelial cells is most likely a passive event that occurs following 'trapping' within capillary beds of the BBB.

Capsule Independent Uptake of the Fungal Pathogen Cryptococcus neoformans into Brain Microvascular Endothelial Cells

PubMed Central

Sabiiti, Wilber; May, Robin C.

2012-01-01

Cryptococcosis is a life-threatening fungal disease with a high rate of mortality among HIV/AIDS patients across the world. The ability to penetrate the blood-brain barrier (BBB) is central to the pathogenesis of cryptococcosis, but the way in which this occurs remains unclear. Here we use both mouse and human brain derived endothelial cells (bEnd3 and hCMEC/D3) to accurately quantify fungal uptake and survival within brain endothelial cells. Our data indicate that the adherence and internalisation of cryptococci by brain microvascular endothelial cells is an infrequent event involving small numbers of cryptococcal yeast cells. Interestingly, this process requires neither active signalling from the fungus nor the presence of the fungal capsule. Thus entry into brain microvascular endothelial cells is most likely a passive event that occurs following ‘trapping’ within capillary beds of the BBB. PMID:22530025

Disruption of the blood–brain barrier in pigs naturally infected with Taenia solium, untreated and after anthelmintic treatment

PubMed Central

Guerra-Giraldez, Cristina; Marzal, Miguel; Cangalaya, Carla; Balboa, Diana; Orrego, Miguel Ángel; Paredes, Adriana; Gonzales-Gustavson, Eloy; Arroyo, Gianfranco; García, Hector H.; González, Armando E.; Mahanty, Siddhartha; Nash, Theodore E.

2014-01-01

Neurocysticercosis is a widely prevalent disease in the tropics that causes seizures and a variety of neurological symptoms in most of the world. Experimental models are limited and do not allow assessment of the degree of inflammation around brain cysts. The vital dye Evans Blue (EB) was injected into 11 pigs naturally infected with Taenia solium cysts to visually identify the extent of disruption of the blood brain barrier. A total of 369 cysts were recovered from the 11 brains and classified according to the staining of their capsules as blue or unstained. The proportion of cysts with blue capsules was significantly higher in brains from pigs that had received anthelmintic treatment 48 and 120 h before the EB infusion, indicating a greater compromise of the blood brain barrier due to treatment. The model could be useful for understanding the pathology of treatment-induced inflammation in neurocysticercosis. PMID:23684909

1H Magnetic resonance spectroscopy of the internal capsule in human brain: a feasibility study to detect lactate following contralateral motor activity.

PubMed

Mostert, Jop P; Sijens, Paul E; Oudkerk, Matthijs; De Keyser, Jacques

2005-07-01

Animal experiments suggest that astrocytic glycogen may act as an energy source for axons especially during heightened activity. In this model astrocytic glycogen breaks down to lactate that is shuttled to axons where it is metabolized oxidatively to generate ATP. The aim of this study was to investigate whether (1)H-magnetic resonance spectroscopy could be used to detect a rise in lactate levels in human white matter during enhanced axonal activation. Six healthy volunteers (four women and two men; age range 21-38 years) participated in the study. We were unable to detect any significant MR spectral change, i.e. neither in the peak areas of inositol, choline, creatine, glutamate and N-acetylaspartate nor in the lactate level, in the contralateral posterior limb of the internal capsule during intense motor activation of the hand (four successive episodes of squeezing a soft ball for 7 min followed by 7 min rest). Possible explanations are that the technique is not sensitive enough to detect a small rise in lactate, or lactate turnover is too fast to be detected, or that another monocarboxylate different from lactate may be involved in axonal energy metabolism.

The Anterolateral Capsule of the Knee Behaves Like a Sheet of Fibrous Tissue.

PubMed

Guenther, Daniel; Rahnemai-Azar, Amir A; Bell, Kevin M; Irarrázaval, Sebastián; Fu, Freddie H; Musahl, Volker; Debski, Richard E

2017-03-01

The function of the anterolateral capsule of the knee has not been clearly defined. However, the contribution of this region of the capsule to knee stability in comparison with other anterolateral structures can be determined by the relative force that each structure carries during loading of the knee. Purpose/Hypothesis: The purpose of this study was to determine the forces in the anterolateral structures of the intact and anterior cruciate ligament (ACL)-deficient knee in response to an anterior tibial load and internal tibial torque. It was hypothesized that the anterolateral capsule would not function like a traditional ligament (ie, transmitting forces only along its longitudinal axis). Controlled laboratory study. Loads (134-N anterior tibial load and 7-N·m internal tibial torque) were applied continuously during flexion to 7 fresh-frozen cadaveric knees in the intact and ACL-deficient state using a robotic testing system. The lateral collateral ligament (LCL) and the anterolateral capsule were separated from the surrounding tissue and from each other. This was done by performing 3 vertical incisions: lateral to the LCL, medial to the LCL, and lateral to the Gerdy tubercle. Attachments of the LCL and anterolateral capsule were detached from the underlying tissue (ie, meniscus), leaving the insertions and origins intact. The force distribution in the anterolateral capsule, ACL, and LCL was then determined at 30°, 60°, and 90° of knee flexion using the principle of superposition. In the intact knee, the force in the ACL in response to an anterior tibial load was greater than that in the other structures ( P < .001). However, in response to an internal tibial torque, no significant differences were found between the ACL, LCL, and forces transmitted between each region of the anterolateral capsule after capsule separation. The anterolateral capsule experienced smaller forces (~50% less) compared with the other structures ( P = .048). For the ACL-deficient knee in response to an anterior tibial load, the force transmitted between each region of the anterolateral capsule was 434% greater than was the force in the anterolateral capsule ( P < .001) and 54% greater than the force in the LCL ( P = .036) at 30° of flexion. In response to an internal tibial torque at 30°, 60°, or 90° of knee flexion, no significant differences were found between the force transmitted between each region of the anterolateral capsule and the LCL. The force in the anterolateral capsule was significantly smaller than that in the other structures at all knee flexion angles for both loading conditions ( P = .004 for anterior tibial load and P = .04 for internal tibial torque). The anterolateral capsule carries negligible forces in the longitudinal direction, and the forces transmitted between regions of the capsule were similar to the forces carried by the other structures at the knee, suggesting that it does not function as a traditional ligament. Thus, the anterolateral capsule should be considered a sheet of tissue. Surgical repair techniques for the anterolateral capsule should restore the ability of the tissue to transmit forces between adjacent regions of the capsule rather than along its longitudinal axis.

Nanocomposite capsules with directional, pulsed nanoparticle release.

PubMed

Udoh, Christiana E; Cabral, João T; Garbin, Valeria

2017-12-01

The precise spatiotemporal delivery of nanoparticles from polymeric capsules is required for applications ranging from medicine to materials science. These capsules derive key performance aspects from their overall shape and dimensions, porosity, and internal microstructure. To this effect, microfluidics provide an exceptional platform for emulsification and subsequent capsule formation. However, facile and robust approaches for nanocomposite capsule fabrication, exhibiting triggered nanoparticle release, remain elusive because of the complex coupling of polymer-nanoparticle phase behavior, diffusion, phase inversion, and directional solidification. We investigate a model system of polyelectrolyte sodium poly(styrene sulfonate) and 22-nm colloidal silica and demonstrate a robust capsule morphology diagram, achieving a range of internal morphologies, including nucleated and bicontinuous microstructures, as well as isotropic and non-isotropic external shapes. Upon dissolution in water, we find that capsules formed with either neat polymers or neat nanoparticles dissolve rapidly and isotropically, whereas bicontinuous, hierarchical, composite capsules dissolve via directional pulses of nanoparticle clusters without disrupting the scaffold, with time scales tunable from seconds to hours. The versatility, facile assembly, and response of these nanocomposite capsules thus show great promise in precision delivery.

Neural substrates of lower extremity motor, balance, and gait function after supratentorial stroke using voxel-based lesion symptom mapping.

PubMed

Moon, Hyun Im; Pyun, Sung-Bom; Tae, Woo-Suk; Kwon, Hee Kyu

2016-07-01

Stroke impairs motor, balance, and gait function and influences activities of daily living. Understanding the relationship between brain lesions and deficits can help clinicians set goals during rehabilitation. We sought to elucidate the neural substrates of lower extremity motor, balance, and ambulation function using voxel-based lesion symptom mapping (VLSM) in supratentorial stroke patients. We retrospectively screened patients who met the following criteria: first-ever stroke, supratentorial lesion, and available brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) data. MRIs of 133 stroke patients were selected for VLSM analysis. We generated statistical maps of lesions related to lower extremity motor (lower extremity Fugl-Meyer assessment, LEFM), balance (Berg Balance Scale, BBS), and gait (Functional Ambulation Category, FAC) using VLSM. VLSM revealed that lower LEFM scores were associated with damage to the bilateral basal ganglia, insula, internal capsule, and subgyral white matter adjacent to the corona radiata. The lesions were more widely distributed in the left than in the right hemisphere, representing motor and praxis function necessary for performing tasks. However, no associations between lesion maps and balance and gait function were established. Motor impairment of the lower extremities was associated with lesions in the basal ganglia, insula, internal capsule, and white matter adjacent to the corona radiata. However, VLSM revealed no specific lesion locations with regard to balance and gait function. This might be because balance and gait are complex skills that require spatial and temporal integration of sensory input and execution of movement patterns. For more accurate prediction, factors other than lesion location need to be investigated.

Embryonic development of connections in turtle pallium.

PubMed

Cordery, P; Molnár, Z

1999-10-11

We are interested in similarities and conserved mechanisms in early development of the reptilian and mammalian thalamocortical connections. We set out to analyse connectivity in embryonic turtle brains (Pseudemys scripta elegans, between stages 17 and 25), by using carbocyanine dye tracing. From the earliest stages studied, labelling from dorsal and ventral thalamus revealed backlabelled cells among developing thalamic fibres within the lateral forebrain bundle and striatum, which had similar morphology to backlabelled internal capsule cells in embryonic rat (Molnár and Cordery, 1999). However, thalamic crystal placements did not label cells in the dorsal ventricular ridge (DVR) at any stage examined. Crystal placements into both dorsal and lateral cortex labelled cells in the DVR and, reciprocally, DVR crystal placements labelled cells in the dorsal and lateral cortices. Retrograde labelling revealed that thalamic fibres arrive in the DVR and dorsal cortex by stage 19. The DVR received projections from the nucleus rotundus and the dorsal cortex exclusively from the perirotundal complex (including lateral geniculate nucleus). Thalamic fibres show this remarkable degree of specificity from the earliest stage we could examine with selective retrograde labelling (stage 19). Our study demonstrates that axons of similar cells are among the first to reach dorsal and ventral thalamus in mammals and reptiles. Our connectional analysis in turtle suggests that some cells of the mammalian primitive internal capsule are homologous to a cell group within the reptilian lateral forebrain bundle and striatum and that diverse vertebrate brains might use a highly conserved pattern of early thalamocortical development. Copyright 1999 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

[Bilateral caudate head infarcts].

PubMed

Kuriyama, N; Yamamoto, Y; Akiguchi, I; Oiwa, K; Nakajima, K

1997-11-01

We reported a 67-year-old woman with bilateral caudate head infarcts. She developed sudden mutism followed by abulia. She was admitted to our hospital 2 months after ictus for further examination. She showed prominent abulia and was inactive, slow and apathetic. Spontaneous activity and speech, immediate response to queries, spontaneous word recall and attention and persistence to complex programs were disturbed. Apparent motor disturbance, gait disturbance, motor aphasia, apraxia and remote memory disturbance were not identified. She seemed to be depressed but not sad. Brain CT and MRI revealed bilateral caudate head hemorrhagic infarcts including bilateral anterior internal capsules, in which the left lesion was more extensive than right one and involved the part of the left putamen. These infarct locations were thought to be supplied by the area around the medial striate artery including Heubner's arteries and the A1 perforator. Digital subtraction angiography showed asymptomatic right internal carotid artery occlusion. She bad had hypertension, diabetes mellitus and atrial fibrillation and also had a left atrium with a large diameter. The infarcts were thought to be caused by cardioembolic occlusion to the distal portion of the left internal carotid artery. Although some variations of vasculature at the anterior communicating artery might contribute to bilateral medial striate artery infarcts, we could not demonstrate such abnormalities by angiography. Bilateral caudate head infarcts involving the anterior internal capsule may cause prominent abulia. The patient did not improve by drug and rehabilitation therapy and died suddenly a year after discharge.

The Posterior Limb of the Internal Capsule as the Subcortical Transitional Zone of the Anterior and Posterior Circulations: Insights from Human 7T MRI.

PubMed

Kurabe, Satoshi; Okamoto, Kouichirou; Suzuki, Kiyotaka; Matsuzawa, Hisothi; Watanabe, Masaki; Suzuki, Yuji; Nakada, Tsutomu; Fujii, Yukihiko

2016-01-01

In patients with cerebral infarction, identifying the distribution of infarction and the relevant artery is essential for ascertaining the underlying vascular pathophysiological mechanisms and preventing subsequent stroke. However, visualization of the basal perforating arteries (BPAs) has had limited success, and simultaneous viewing of background anatomical structures has only rarely been attempted in living human brains. Our study aimed at identifying the BPAs with 7T MRI and evaluating their distribution in the subcortical structures, thereby showing the clinical significance of the technique. Twenty healthy subjects and 1 patient with cerebral infarction involving the posterior limb of the internal capsule (ICpost) and thalamus underwent 3-dimensional fast spoiled gradient-echo sequence as time-of-flight magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) at 7T with a submillimeter resolution. The MRA was modified to detect inflow signals from BPAs, while preserving the background anatomical signals. BPA stems and branches in the subcortical structures and their origins were identified on images, using partial maximum intensity projection in 3 dimensions. A branch of the left posterior cerebral artery (PCA) in the patient ran through both the infarcted thalamus and ICpost and was clearly the relevant artery. In 40 intact hemispheres in healthy subjects, 571 stems and 1,421 branches of BPAs were detected in the subcortical structures. No significant differences in the numbers of stems and branches were observed between the intact hemispheres. The numbers deviated even less across subjects. The distribution analysis showed that the subcortical structures of the telencephalon, such as the caudate nucleus, anterior limb of the internal capsule, and lenticular nucleus, were predominantly supplied by BPAs from the anterior circulation. In contrast, the thalamus, belonging to the diencephalon, was mostly fed by BPAs from the posterior circulation. However, compared with other subcortical structures, the ICpost, which marks the anatomical boundary between the telencephalon and the diencephalon, was supplied by BPAs with significantly more diverse origins. These BPAs originated from the internal carotid artery (23.1%), middle cerebral artery (38.5%), PCA (17.3%), and the posterior communicating artery (21.1%). The modified MRI method allowed the detection of the relevant BPA within the infarcted area in the stroke survivor as well as the BPAs in the subcortical structures of living human brains. Based on in vivo BPA distribution analyses, the ICpost is the transitional zone of the anterior and posterior cerebral circulations. © 2016 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Severe retinopathy of prematurity predicts delayed white matter maturation and poorer neurodevelopment.

PubMed

Glass, Torin J A; Chau, Vann; Gardiner, Jane; Foong, Justin; Vinall, Jillian; Zwicker, Jill G; Grunau, Ruth E; Synnes, Anne; Poskitt, Kenneth J; Miller, Steven P

2017-11-01

To determine whether severe retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) is associated with (1) abnormal white matter maturation and (2) neurodevelopmental outcomes at 18 months' corrected age (CA) compared with neonates without severe ROP. We conducted a prospective longitudinal cohort of extremely preterm neonates born 24-28 weeks' gestational age recruited between 2006 and 2013 with brain MRIs obtained both early in life and at term-equivalent age. Severe ROP was defined as ROP treated with retinal laser photocoagulation. Using diffusion tensor imaging and tract-based spatial statistics (TBSS), white matter maturation was assessed by mean fractional anisotropy (FA) in seven predefined regions of interest. Neurodevelopmental outcomes were assessed with Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development-III (Bayley-III) composite scores at 18 months' CA. Subjects were compared using Fisher's exact, Kruskal-Wallis and generalised estimating equations. Families were recruited from the neonatal intensive care unit at BC Women's Hospital. Of 98 extremely preterm neonates (median: 26.0 weeks) assessed locally for ROP, 19 (19%) had severe ROP and 83 (85%) were assessed at 18 months' CA. Severe ROP was associated with lower FA in the posterior white matter, and with decreased measures of brain maturation in the optic radiations, posterior limb of the internal capsule (PLIC) and external capsule on TBSS. Bayley-III cognitive and motor scores were lower in infants with severe ROP. Severe ROP is associated with maturational delay in the optic radiations, PLIC, external capsule and posterior white matter, housing the primary visual and motor pathways, and is associated with poorer cognitive and motor outcomes at 18 months' CA. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2017. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

Effects of low-level sarin and cyclosarin exposure on white matter integrity in Gulf War Veterans.

PubMed

Chao, Linda L; Zhang, Yu; Buckley, Shannon

2015-05-01

We previously found evidence of reduced gray and white matter volume in Gulf War (GW) veterans with predicted low-level exposure to sarin (GB) and cyclosarin (GF). Because loss of white matter tissue integrity has been linked to both gray and white matter atrophy, the current study sought to test the hypothesis that GW veterans with predicted GB/GF exposure have evidence of disrupted white matter microstructural integrity. Measures of fractional anisotropy and directional (i.e., axial and radial) diffusivity were assessed from the 4T diffusion tensor images (DTI) of 59 GW veterans with predicted GB/GF exposure and 59 "matched" unexposed GW veterans (mean age: 48 ± 7 years). The DTI data were analyzed using regions of interest (ROI) analyses that accounted for age, sex, total brain gray and white matter volume, trauma exposure, posttraumatic stress disorder, current major depression, and chronic multisymptom illness status. There were no significant group differences in fractional anisotropy or radial diffusivity. However, there was increased axial diffusivity in GW veterans with predicted GB/GF exposure compared to matched, unexposed veterans throughout the brain, including the temporal stem, corona radiata, superior and inferior (hippocampal) cingulum, inferior and superior fronto-occipital fasciculus, internal and external capsule, and superficial cortical white matter blades. Post hoc analysis revealed significant correlations between higher fractional anisotropy and lower radial diffusivity with better neurobehavioral performance in unexposed GW veterans. In contrast, only increased axial diffusivity in posterior limb of the internal capsule was associated with better psychomotor function in GW veterans with predicted GB/GF exposure. The finding that increased axial diffusivity in a region of the brain that contains descending corticospinal fibers was associated with better psychomotor function and the lack of significant neurobehavioral deficits in veterans with predicted GB/GF exposure hint at the possibility that the widespread increases in axial diffusivity that we observed in GW veterans with predicted GB/GF exposure relative to unexposed controls may reflect white matter reorganization after brain injury (i.e., exposure to GB/GF). Published by Elsevier B.V.

Maternally inherited Leigh syndrome: an unusual cause of infantile apnea.

PubMed

Shuk-kuen Chau, Christy; Kwok, Ka-li; Ng, Daniel K; Lam, Ching-Wan; Tong, Sui-Fan; Chan, Yan-Wo; Siu, Wai-Kwan; Yuen, Yuet-Ping

2010-06-01

Leigh Syndrome is an uncommon cause of infantile apnea. We report a 5-month-old girl with sudden respiratory arrest followed by episodic hyper- and hypo-ventilation, encephalopathy, and persistent lactic acidosis. Computed tomography of the brain revealed symmetric low densities over the basal ganglia, internal capsule, thalami, and midbrain. Cardiac echocardiogram was suggestive of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. Diagnosis of Leigh syndrome due to T8993G mutation was confirmed with polymerase chain reaction and direct DNA sequencing of mitochondrial genome. To our knowledge, this is the first report of proven maternally inherited Leigh syndrome in Hong Kong.

Improved nTMS- and DTI-derived CST tractography through anatomical ROI seeding on anterior pontine level compared to internal capsule

PubMed Central

Weiss, Carolin; Tursunova, Irada; Neuschmelting, Volker; Lockau, Hannah; Nettekoven, Charlotte; Oros-Peusquens, Ana-Maria; Stoffels, Gabriele; Rehme, Anne K.; Faymonville, Andrea Maria; Shah, N. Jon; Langen, Karl Josef; Goldbrunner, Roland; Grefkes, Christian

2015-01-01

Imaging of the course of the corticospinal tract (CST) by diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) is useful for function-preserving tumour surgery. The integration of functional localizer data into tracking algorithms offers to establish a direct structure–function relationship in DTI data. However, alterations of MRI signals in and adjacent to brain tumours often lead to spurious tracking results. We here compared the impact of subcortical seed regions placed at different positions and the influences of the somatotopic location of the cortical seed and clinical co-factors on fibre tracking plausibility in brain tumour patients. The CST of 32 patients with intracranial tumours was investigated by means of deterministic DTI and neuronavigated transcranial magnetic stimulation (nTMS). The cortical seeds were defined by the nTMS hot spots of the primary motor area (M1) of the hand, the foot and the tongue representation. The CST originating from the contralesional M1 hand area was mapped as intra-individual reference. As subcortical region of interests (ROI), we used the posterior limb of the internal capsule (PLIC) and/or the anterior inferior pontine region (aiP). The plausibility of the fibre trajectories was assessed by a-priori defined anatomical criteria. The following potential co-factors were analysed: Karnofsky Performance Scale (KPS), resting motor threshold (RMT), T1-CE tumour volume, T2 oedema volume, presence of oedema within the PLIC, the fractional anisotropy threshold (FAT) to elicit a minimum amount of fibres and the minimal fibre length. The results showed a higher proportion of plausible fibre tracts for the aiP-ROI compared to the PLIC-ROI. Low FAT values and the presence of peritumoural oedema within the PLIC led to less plausible fibre tracking results. Most plausible results were obtained when the FAT ranged above a cut-off of 0.105. In addition, there was a strong effect of somatotopic location of the seed ROI; best plausibility was obtained for the contralateral hand CST (100%), followed by the ipsilesional hand CST (>95%), the ipsilesional foot (>85%) and tongue (>75%) CST. In summary, we found that the aiP-ROI yielded better tracking results compared to the IC-ROI when using deterministic CST tractography in brain tumour patients, especially when the M1 hand area was tracked. In case of FAT values lower than 0.10, the result of the respective CST tractography should be interpreted with caution with respect to spurious tracking results. Moreover, the presence of oedema within the internal capsule should be considered a negative predictor for plausible CST tracking. PMID:25685709

Differential expression of the polysialyl capsule during blood-to-brain transit of neuropathogenic Escherichia coli K1.

PubMed

Zelmer, Andrea; Bowen, Mark; Jokilammi, Anne; Finne, Jukka; Luzio, J Paul; Taylor, Peter W

2008-08-01

Escherichia coli K1 isolates synthesize a polysialic acid (polySia) capsule, are components of the adult gastrointestinal microbiota and may cause lethal bacteraemia and meningitis if acquired maternally by newborn infants. We used a neonatal rat pup K1 infection model to establish that prompt administration of a selective capsule depolymerase reverses the bacteraemic state and prevents death of almost all pups. In untreated animals, bacteria colonize the gastrointestinal tract and gain entry to the blood compartment, where they express the non-O-acetylated form of polySia. The bacteria invade the major organs of the host; histological and histochemical analysis of brain sections revealed that at least some bacteria enter the central nervous system through the blood-cerebrospinal fluid barrier at the choroid plexus prior to colonization of the meninges. Once in this location, they cease expression of polySia. The unexpected abrogation of polySia, a factor associated with the pathogenesis of meningitis and essential for transit through the blood, suggests that the neuropathogen dispenses with its protective capsule once it has colonized protected niches. Thus, systemic infections due to encapsulated pathogens may be resolved by capsule depolymerization only if the enzyme modifies the bacteria whilst they are in the blood compartment.

Administration of capsule-selective endosialidase E minimizes upregulation of organ gene expression induced by experimental systemic infection with Escherichia coli K1.

PubMed

Zelmer, Andrea; Martin, Melissa J; Gundogdu, Ozan; Birchenough, George; Lever, Rebecca; Wren, Brendan W; Luzio, J Paul; Taylor, Peter W

2010-07-01

Many neurotropic strains of Escherichia coli cause potentially lethal bacteraemia and meningitis in newborn infants by virtue of their capacity to elaborate the protective polysialic acid (polySia) K1 capsule. Recombinant capsule depolymerase, endosialidase E (endoE), selectively removes polySia from the bacterial surface; when administered intraperitoneally to infected neonatal rats, the enzyme interrupts the transit of E. coli K1 from gut to brain via the blood circulation and prevents death from systemic infection. We now show that experimental E. coli K1 infection is accompanied by extensive modulation of host gene expression in the liver, spleen and brain tissues of neonatal rats. Bacterial invasion of the brain resulted in a threefold or greater upregulation of approximately 400 genes, a large number of which were associated with the induction of inflammation and the immune and stress responses: these included genes encoding C-X-C and C-C chemokines, lipocalins, cytokines, apolipoproteins and enzymes involved in the synthesis of low-molecular-mass inflammatory mediators. Administration of a single dose of endoE, 24 h after initiation of systemic infection, markedly reduced, but did not completely abrogate, these changes in gene expression, suggesting that attenuation of E. coli K1 virulence by removal of the polySia capsule may minimize the attendant inflammatory processes that contribute to poor outcome in these severe systemic infections.

Intracerebral hemorrhage location and outcome among INTERACT2 participants.

PubMed

Delcourt, Candice; Sato, Shoichiro; Zhang, Shihong; Sandset, Else Charlotte; Zheng, Danni; Chen, Xiaoying; Hackett, Maree L; Arima, Hisatomi; Hata, Jun; Heeley, Emma; Al-Shahi Salman, Rustam; Robinson, Thompson; Davies, Leo; Lavados, Pablo M; Lindley, Richard I; Stapf, Christian; Chalmers, John; Anderson, Craig S

2017-04-11

To clarify associations between intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) location and clinical outcomes among participants of the main phase Intensive Blood Pressure Reduction in Acute Cerebral Hemorrhage Trial (INTERACT2). Associations between ICH sites and poor outcomes (death [6] or major disability [3-5] of modified Rankin Scale) and European Quality of Life Scale (EQ-5D) utility scores at 90 days were assessed in logistic regression models. Of 2,066 patients included in the analyses, associations were identified between ICH sites and poor outcomes: involvement of posterior limb of internal capsule increased risks of death or major disability (odds ratio [OR] 2.10) and disability (OR 1.81); thalamic involvement increased risks of death or major disability (OR 2.24) and death (OR 1.97). Involvement of the posterior limb of the internal capsule, thalamus, and infratentorial sites were each associated with poor EQ-5D utility score (≤0.7 [median]; OR 1.87, 2.14, and 2.81, respectively). Posterior limb of internal capsule involvement was strongly associated with low scores across all health-related quality of life domains. ICH encompassing the thalamus and posterior limb of internal capsule were associated with death or major disability, major disability, and poor EQ-5D utility score (OR 1.72, 2.26, and 1.71, respectively). Poor clinical outcomes are related to ICH affecting the posterior limb of internal capsule, thalamus, and infratentorial sites. The highest association with death or major disability and poor EQ-5D utility score was seen in ICH encompassing the thalamus and posterior limb of internal capsule. NCT00716079. Copyright © 2017 The Author(s). Published by Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. on behalf of the American Academy of Neurology.

Early gray-matter and white-matter concentration in infancy predict later language skills: a whole brain voxel-based morphometry study.

PubMed

Deniz Can, Dilara; Richards, Todd; Kuhl, Patricia K

2013-01-01

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) brain scans were obtained from 19 infants at 7 months. Expressive and receptive language performance was assessed at 12 months. Voxel-based morphometry (VBM) identified brain regions where gray-matter and white-matter concentrations at 7 months correlated significantly with children's language scores at 12 months. Early gray-matter concentration in the right cerebellum, early white-matter concentration in the right cerebellum, and early white-matter concentration in the left posterior limb of the internal capsule (PLIC)/cerebral peduncle were positively and strongly associated with infants' receptive language ability at 12 months. Early gray-matter concentration in the right hippocampus was positively and strongly correlated with infants' expressive language ability at 12 months. Our results suggest that the cerebellum, PLIC/cerebral peduncle, and the hippocampus may be associated with early language development. Potential links between these structural predictors and infants' linguistic functions are discussed. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Examination of Cognitive Fatigue in Multiple Sclerosis using Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Diffusion Tensor Imaging

PubMed Central

Genova, Helen M.; Rajagopalan, Venkateswaran; DeLuca, John; Das, Abhijit; Binder, Allison; Arjunan, Aparna; Chiaravalloti, Nancy; Wylie, Glenn

2013-01-01

The present study investigated the neural correlates of cognitive fatigue in Multiple Sclerosis (MS), looking specifically at the relationship between self-reported fatigue and objective measures of cognitive fatigue. In Experiment 1, functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) was used to examine where in the brain BOLD activity covaried with “state” fatigue, assessed during performance of a task designed to induce cognitive fatigue while in the scanner. In Experiment 2, diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) was used to examine where in the brain white matter damage correlated with increased “trait” fatigue in individuals with MS, assessed by the Fatigue Severity Scale (FSS) completed outside the scanning session. During the cognitively fatiguing task, the MS group had increased brain activity associated with fatigue in the caudate as compared with HCs. DTI findings revealed that reduced fractional anisotropy in the anterior internal capsule was associated with increased self-reported fatigue on the FSS. Results are discussed in terms of identifying a “fatigue-network” in MS. PMID:24223850

Examination of cognitive fatigue in multiple sclerosis using functional magnetic resonance imaging and diffusion tensor imaging.

PubMed

Genova, Helen M; Rajagopalan, Venkateswaran; Deluca, John; Das, Abhijit; Binder, Allison; Arjunan, Aparna; Chiaravalloti, Nancy; Wylie, Glenn

2013-01-01

The present study investigated the neural correlates of cognitive fatigue in Multiple Sclerosis (MS), looking specifically at the relationship between self-reported fatigue and objective measures of cognitive fatigue. In Experiment 1, functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) was used to examine where in the brain BOLD activity covaried with "state" fatigue, assessed during performance of a task designed to induce cognitive fatigue while in the scanner. In Experiment 2, diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) was used to examine where in the brain white matter damage correlated with increased "trait" fatigue in individuals with MS, assessed by the Fatigue Severity Scale (FSS) completed outside the scanning session. During the cognitively fatiguing task, the MS group had increased brain activity associated with fatigue in the caudate as compared with HCs. DTI findings revealed that reduced fractional anisotropy in the anterior internal capsule was associated with increased self-reported fatigue on the FSS. Results are discussed in terms of identifying a "fatigue-network" in MS.

Episodic memory following deep brain stimulation of the ventral anterior limb of the internal capsule and electroconvulsive therapy.

PubMed

Bergfeld, Isidoor O; Mantione, Mariska; Hoogendoorn, Mechteld L C; Horst, Ferdinand; Notten, Peter; Schuurman, P Richard; Denys, Damiaan

Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT) and Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) are effective treatments for patients with treatment-resistant depression (TRD). However, a common side effect of ECT is autobiographical memory loss (e.g., personal experiences), whereas the impact of DBS on autobiographical memories has never been established. Comparing autobiographical memories following DBS and ECT. In two hospitals in The Netherlands, we interviewed 25 TRD patients treated with DBS of the ventral anterior limb of the internal capsule (vALIC), 14 TRD patients treated with ECT and 22 healthy controls (HC) with the Autobiographical Memory Inventory - Short Form (AMI-SF) in a prospective, longitudinal study between March 2010 and August 2016. Patients treated with DBS were interviewed before surgery, after surgery, and twice during treatment over 122.7 (SD: ±22.2) weeks. Patients treated with ECT were tested before ECT, after six right unilateral (RUL) ECT sessions and twice following ECT over 65.1 (±9.3) weeks. Controls were tested four times over 81.5 (±15.6) weeks. Compared to HC, the AMI-SF score decreased faster in both TRD groups (P < 0.001). More specifically, AMI-SF score decreased in a comparable rate as HC after DBS surgery, but decreased more during treatment. The AMI-SF decrease in the ECT group was larger than both the DBS and HC groups. Both ECT and vALIC DBS result in a faster autobiographical memory decline compared to HC. DBS might have a negative impact on autobiographical memories, although less so than ECT. Future work should dissect whether DBS or characteristics of TRD cause this decline. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Diffusion tensor imaging with tract-based spatial statistics reveals local white matter abnormalities in preterm infants.

PubMed

Anjari, Mustafa; Srinivasan, Latha; Allsop, Joanna M; Hajnal, Joseph V; Rutherford, Mary A; Edwards, A David; Counsell, Serena J

2007-04-15

Infants born preterm have a high incidence of neurodevelopmental impairment in later childhood, often associated with poorly defined cerebral white matter abnormalities. Diffusion tensor imaging quantifies the diffusion of water within tissues and can assess microstructural abnormalities in the developing preterm brain. Tract-based spatial statistics (TBSS) is an automated observer-independent method of aligning fractional anisotropy (FA) images from multiple subjects to allow groupwise comparisons of diffusion tensor imaging data. We applied TBSS to test the hypothesis that preterm infants have reduced fractional anisotropy in specific regions of white matter compared to term-born controls. We studied 26 preterm infants with no evidence of focal lesions on conventional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) at term equivalent age and 6 healthy term-born control infants. We found that the centrum semiovale, frontal white matter and the genu of the corpus callosum showed significantly lower FA in the preterm group. Infants born at less than or equal to 28 weeks gestational age (n=11) displayed additional reductions in FA in the external capsule, the posterior aspect of the posterior limb of the internal capsule and the isthmus and middle portion of the body of the corpus callosum. This study demonstrates that TBSS provides an observer-independent method of identifying white matter abnormalities in the preterm brain at term equivalent age in the absence of focal lesions.

Long-term hydrocephalus alters the cytoarchitecture of the adult subventricular zone.

PubMed

Campos-Ordoñez, Tania; Herranz-Pérez, Vicente; Chaichana, Kaisorn L; Rincon-Torroella, Jordina; Rigamonti, Daniele; García-Verdugo, Jose M; Quiñones-Hinojosa, Alfredo; Gonzalez-Perez, Oscar

2014-11-01

Hydrocephalus can develop secondarily to a disturbance in production, flow and/or absorption of cerebrospinal fluid. Experimental models of hydrocephalus, especially subacute and chronic hydrocephalus, are few and limited, and the effects of hydrocephalus on the subventricular zone are unclear. The aim of this study was to analyze the effects of long-term obstructive hydrocephalus on the subventricular zone, which is the neurogenic niche lining the lateral ventricles. We developed a new method to induce hydrocephalus by obstructing the aqueduct of Sylvius in the mouse brain, thus simulating aqueductal stenosis in humans. In 120-day-old rodents (n=18 per group), the degree of ventricular dilatation and cellular composition of the subventricular zone were studied by immunofluorescence and transmission electron microscopy. In adult patients (age>18years), the sizes of the subventricular zone, corpus callosum, and internal capsule were analyzed by magnetic resonance images obtained from patients with and without aqueductal stenosis (n=25 per group). Mice with 60-day hydrocephalus had a reduced number of Ki67+ and doublecortin+cells on immunofluorescence, as well as decreased number of neural progenitors and neuroblasts in the subventricular zone on electron microscopy analysis as compared to non-hydrocephalic mice. Remarkably, a number of extracellular matrix structures (fractones) contacting the ventricular lumen and blood vessels were also observed around the subventricular zone in mice with hydrocephalus. In humans, the widths of the subventricular zone, corpus callosum, and internal capsule in patients with aqueductal stenosis were significantly smaller than age and gender-matched patients without aqueductal stenosis. In summary, supratentorial hydrocephalus reduces the proliferation rate of neural progenitors and modifies the cytoarchitecture and extracellular matrix compounds of the subventricular zone. In humans, this similar process reduces the subventricular niche as well as the width of corpus callosum and internal capsule. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Acid-Soluble Internal Capsules for Closed-Face Cassette Elemental Sampling and Analysis of Workplace Air

PubMed Central

Harper, Martin; Ashley, Kevin

2013-01-01

Airborne particles that are collected using closed-face filter cassettes (CFCs), which are used widely in the sampling of workplace aerosols, can deposit in places other than on the filter and thereby may not be included in the ensuing analysis. A technique for ensuring that internal non-filter deposits are included in the analysis is to collect airborne particles within an acid-soluble internal capsule that, following sampling, can be dissolved along with the filter for subsequent elemental analysis. An interlaboratory study (ILS) was carried out to evaluate the use of cellulosic CFC capsule inserts for their suitability in the determination of trace elements in airborne samples. The ILS was performed in accordance with an applicable ASTM International standard practice, ASTM E691, which describes statistical procedures for investigating interlaboratory precision. Performance evaluation materials consisted of prototype cellulose acetate capsules attached to mixed-cellulose ester filters. Batches of capsules were dosed with Pb-containing materials (standard aqueous solutions, and certified reference material soil and paint). Also, aerosol samples containing nine target analyte elements (As, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Pb, Mn, and Ni) were generated using a multiport sampler; various concentrations and sampling times were employed to yield samples fortified at desired loading levels. Triplicates of spiked capsules at three different loadings were conveyed to each volunteer laboratory; loading levels were unknown to the participants. The laboratories were asked to prepare the samples by acid dissolution and to analyze aliquots of extracted samples by atomic spectrometry in accordance with applicable ASTM International Standards. Participants were asked to report their results in units of μg of each target element per sample. For the elements investigated, interlaboratory precision and recovery estimates from the participating laboratories demonstrated the utility of the cellulosic capsule inserts for the measurement of sampled trace elements. PMID:23548078

Early life predictors of brain development at term-equivalent age in infants born across the gestational age spectrum.

PubMed

Thompson, Deanne K; Kelly, Claire E; Chen, Jian; Beare, Richard; Alexander, Bonnie; Seal, Marc L; Lee, Katherine; Matthews, Lillian G; Anderson, Peter J; Doyle, Lex W; Spittle, Alicia J; Cheong, Jeanie L Y

2018-04-13

It is well established that preterm infants have altered brain development compared with full-term (FT; ≥37 weeks' gestational age [GA]) infants, however the perinatal factors associated with brain development in preterm infants have not been fully elucidated. In particular, perinatal predictors of brain development may differ between very preterm infants (VP; <32 weeks' GA) and infants born moderate (MP; 32-33 weeks' GA) and late (LP; 34-36 weeks' GA) preterm, but this has not been studied. This study aimed to investigate the effects of early life predictors on brain volume and microstructure at term-equivalent age (TEA; 38-44 weeks), and whether these effects differ for GA groups (VP, MP, LP or FT). Structural images from 328 infants (91 VP, 63 MP, 104 LP and 70 FT) were segmented into white matter, cortical grey matter, cerebrospinal fluid, subcortical grey matter, brainstem and cerebellum. Cortical grey matter and white matter images were analysed using voxel-based morphometry. Fractional anisotropy (FA), mean diffusivity (MD), axial diffusivity (AD) and radial diffusivity (RD) images from 361 infants (92 VP, 69 MP, 120 LP and 80 FT) were analysed using Tract-Based Spatial Statistics. Relationships between early life predictors (birthweight standard deviation score [BWSDS], multiple birth, sex, postnatal growth and social risk) and global brain volumes were analysed using linear regressions. Relationships between early life predictors and regional brain volumes and diffusion measures were analysed using voxelwise non-parametric permutation testing. Male sex was associated with higher global volumes of all tissues and higher regional volumes throughout much of the cortical grey matter and white matter, particularly in the FT group. Male sex was also associated with lower FA and higher AD, RD and MD in the optic radiation, external and internal capsules and corona radiata, and these associations were generally similar between GA groups. Higher BWSDS was associated with higher global volumes of all tissues and higher regional volumes in much of the cortical grey matter and white matter in all GA groups, as well as higher FA and lower RD and MD in many major tracts (corpus callosum, optic radiation, internal and external capsules and corona radiata), particularly in the MP and LP groups. Multiple birth and social risk also showed associations with global and regional volumes and regional diffusion values which varied by GA group, but these associations were not independent of the other early life predictors. Postnatal growth was not associated with brain volumes or diffusion values. Early life predictors of brain volumes and microstructure at TEA include sex, BWSDS, multiple birth and social risk, which have different effects based on GA group at birth. This study improves knowledge of the perinatal factors associated with brain abnormalities in infants born across the prematurity spectrum. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Statistical tools and control of internal lubricant content of inhalation grade HPMC capsules during manufacture.

PubMed

Ayala, Guillermo; Díez, Fernando; Gassó, María T; Jones, Brian E; Martín-Portugués, Rafael; Ramiro-Aparicio, Juan

2016-04-30

The internal lubricant content (ILC) of inhalation grade HPMC capsules is a key factor to ensure good powder release when the patient inhales a medicine from a dry powder inhaler (DPI). Powder release from capsules has been shown to be influenced by the ILC. The characteristics used to measure this are the emitted dose, fine particle fraction and mass median aerodynamic diameter. In addition the ILC level is critical for capsule shell manufacture because it is an essential part of the process that cannot work without it. An experiment has been applied to the manufacture of inhalation capsules with the required ILC. A full factorial model was used to identify the controlling factors and from this a linear model has been proposed to improve control of the process. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

[Awake craniotomy: analysis of complicated cases].

PubMed

Kulikov, A S; Kobyakov, G L; Gavrilov, A G; Lubnin, A Yu

2015-01-01

Awake craniotomy is recognized as method that can decrease the frequency of neurological complications after surgery for gliomas located near eloquent brain regions. Unfortunately good neurological outcome can't be ensured even by using of this technique. This paper discusses reasons and possible ways of prevention of such complications. 162 awake craniotomies were performed in our clinic. 152 of patients were discharged from the clinic with good outcome. In 10 (6%) cases sustained severe neurological deficit was noted. These complications were associated with anatomic or ischemic injury of subcortical pathways and internal capsule. Awake craniotomy is effective instrument of brain language mapping and prevention of neurological deterioration. Severe neurological complications of awake craniotomy are associated with underestimate neurosurgical risks, especially in terms of blood vessel injury and depth of resection. The main way of prevention of such complications is meticulous planning of operation and adequate using of mapping facilities.

Brain lesions associated with clostridium perfringens type D epsilon toxin in a Holstein heifer calf.

PubMed

Mete, A; Garcia, J; Ortega, J; Lane, M; Scholes, S; Uzal, F A

2013-09-01

A 6-month-old dairy heifer calf with no premonitory signs was acutely down after the morning feeding and could not rise. On presentation, the heifer was in right lateral recumbency and moribund with opisthotonus and left hind limb paddling. Following euthanasia, gross examination of the brain revealed multifocal loss of gray-white matter distinction and extensive petechiae throughout the brainstem. On histopathological examination, there was striking white matter edema and marked perivascular proteinaceous edema surrounding many arterioles and venules (microangiopathy), mainly in the white matter of the internal capsule, thalamus, midbrain, cerebellum, and cerebellar peduncles. The perivascular neuropil was strongly positive for Alzheimer precursor protein A4. Clostridium perfringens epsilon toxin was detected in the intestinal contents. This is the first report of microangiopathy in postneonatal cattle associated with the detection of epsilon toxin in the intestinal contents.

Effects of Shuang Wuzhen Tong Capsule on acute toxicity of mice caused by swelling and auricular dimethylbenzene

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hao, Shaojun; Sun, Youshu; Guo, Junyi; Chen, Weiliang; Wang, Hongyu; Sun, Jianhua; Guan, Zhijiang; Zhang, Zhengchen; Wang, Fang

2018-04-01

To observe the effect of Shuang Wuzhen Tong Capsule on acute toxicity of mice caused by swelling and auricular dimethylbenzene. 40 rats, weighing 18 ˜ 22G, half male and half female. Shuang Wuzhen Tong Capsule maximum concentration maximum volume to mice for 1 days by gavage for 1 times, for 7 consecutive days, to observe the situation of animal death, the maximum tolerance; the other 50 mice, were divided into 5 groups, were fed with Shuang Wuzhen Tong capsule suspension, Jingfukang granule suspension and the same volume 0.5%CMC. No death in 7 days. After death animal autopsy, heart, liver, spleen, lung, kidney, brain, stomach, intestine and no important organ obvious bleeding, hyperemia and edema, exudation, ulcer, perforation, pleural, peritoneal, pericardial cavity without effusion. Shuang Wuzhen Tong Capsule group and Jingfukang granule group could obviously reduce the xylene induced swelling of mouse ear, ear swelling degree decreased significantly (P<0.01). Shuang Wuzhen Tong Capsule has no obvious acute toxicity, anti-inflammatory effects.

Unusual Internal Astigmatism Due to Severe Capsule Contraction Syndrome.

PubMed

Zéboulon, Pierre; Gatinel, Damien

2018-01-01

To describe a case of severe capsule contraction syndrome causing significant astigmatism due to intraocular lens (IOL) folding. Case report. Capsule fibrosis and contraction resulted in bending of the hydrophilic IOL along its long axis. Anterior Nd:YAG capsulotomy resolved the situation and restored the patient's visual acuity. Hydrophilic IOLs are more susceptible to capsule contraction due to the increased flexibility of highly hydrated materials. They should be avoided in patients at risk of capsule contraction to prevent ocular complications. [J Refract Surg. 2018;34(1):65-67.]. Copyright 2018, SLACK Incorporated.

Exploratory analysis of diffusion tensor imaging in children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder: evidence of abnormal white matter structure.

PubMed

Pastura, Giuseppe; Doering, Thomas; Gasparetto, Emerson Leandro; Mattos, Paulo; Araújo, Alexandra Prüfer

2016-06-01

Abnormalities in the white matter microstructure of the attentional system have been implicated in the aetiology of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) is a promising magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) technology that has increasingly been used in studies of white matter microstructure in the brain. The main objective of this work was to perform an exploratory analysis of white matter tracts in a sample of children with ADHD versus typically developing children (TDC). For this purpose, 13 drug-naive children with ADHD of both genders underwent MRI using DTI acquisition methodology and tract-based spatial statistics. The results were compared to those of a sample of 14 age- and gender-matched TDC. Lower fractional anisotropy was observed in the splenium of the corpus callosum, right superior longitudinal fasciculus, bilateral retrolenticular part of the internal capsule, bilateral inferior fronto-occipital fasciculus, left external capsule and posterior thalamic radiation (including right optic radiation). We conclude that white matter tracts in attentional and motor control systems exhibited signs of abnormal microstructure in this sample of drug-naive children with ADHD.

[Exploring the clinical characters of Shugan Jieyu capsule through text mining].

PubMed

Pu, Zheng-Ping; Xia, Jiang-Ming; Xie, Wei; He, Jin-Cai

2017-09-01

The study was main to explore the clinical characters of Shugan Jieyu capsule through text mining. The data sets of Shugan Jieyu capsule were downloaded from CMCC database by the method of literature retrieved from May 2009 to Jan 2016. Rules of Chinese medical patterns, diseases, symptoms and combination treatment were mined out by data slicing algorithm, and they were demonstrated in frequency tables and two dimension based network. Then totally 190 literature were recruited. The outcomess suggested that SC was most frequently correlated with liver Qi stagnation. Primary depression, depression due to brain disease, concomitant depression followed by physical diseases, concomitant depression followed by schizophrenia and functional dyspepsia were main diseases treated by Shugan Jieyu capsule. Symptoms like low mood, psychic anxiety, somatic anxiety and dysfunction of automatic nerve were mainy relieved bv Shugan Jieyu capsule.For combination treatment. Shugan Jieyu capsule was most commonly used with paroxetine, sertraline and fluoxetine. The research suggested that syndrome types and mining results of Shugan Jieyu capsule were almost the same as its instructions. Syndrome of malnutrition of heart spirit was the potential Chinese medical pattern of Shugan Jieyu capsule. Primary comorbid anxiety and depression, concomitant comorbid anxiety and depression followed by physical diseases, and postpartum depression were potential diseases treated by Shugan Jieyu capsule.For combination treatment, Shugan Jieyu capsule was most commonly used with paroxetine, sertraline and fluoxetine. Copyright© by the Chinese Pharmaceutical Association.

Generic delivery of payload of nanoparticles intracellularly via hybrid polymer capsules for bioimaging applications.

PubMed

Sami, Haider; Maparu, Auhin K; Kumar, Ashok; Sivakumar, Sri

2012-01-01

Towards the goal of development of a generic nanomaterial delivery system and delivery of the 'as prepared' nanoparticles without 'further surface modification' in a generic way, we have fabricated a hybrid polymer capsule as a delivery vehicle in which nanoparticles are loaded within their cavity. To this end, a generic approach to prepare nanomaterials-loaded polyelectrolyte multilayered (PEM) capsules has been reported, where polystyrene sulfonate (PSS)/polyallylamine hydrochloride (PAH) polymer capsules were employed as nano/microreactors to synthesize variety of nanomaterials (metal nanoparticles; lanthanide doped inorganic nanoparticles; gadolinium based nanoparticles, cadmium based nanoparticles; different shapes of nanoparticles; co-loading of two types of nanoparticles) in their hollow cavity. These nanoparticles-loaded capsules were employed to demonstrate generic delivery of payload of nanoparticles intracellularly (HeLa cells), without the need of individual nanoparticle surface modification. Validation of intracellular internalization of nanoparticles-loaded capsules by HeLa cells was ascertained by confocal laser scanning microscopy. The green emission from Tb(3+) was observed after internalization of LaF(3):Tb(3+)(5%) nanoparticles-loaded capsules by HeLa cells, which suggests that nanoparticles in hybrid capsules retain their functionality within the cells. In vitro cytotoxicity studies of these nanoparticles-loaded capsules showed less/no cytotoxicity in comparison to blank capsules or untreated cells, thus offering a way of evading direct contact of nanoparticles with cells because of the presence of biocompatible polymeric shell of capsules. The proposed hybrid delivery system can be potentially developed to avoid a series of biological barriers and deliver multiple cargoes (both simultaneous and individual delivery) without the need of individual cargo design/modification.

Generic Delivery of Payload of Nanoparticles Intracellularly via Hybrid Polymer Capsules for Bioimaging Applications

PubMed Central

Sami, Haider; Maparu, Auhin K.; Kumar, Ashok; Sivakumar, Sri

2012-01-01

Towards the goal of development of a generic nanomaterial delivery system and delivery of the ‘as prepared’ nanoparticles without ‘further surface modification’ in a generic way, we have fabricated a hybrid polymer capsule as a delivery vehicle in which nanoparticles are loaded within their cavity. To this end, a generic approach to prepare nanomaterials-loaded polyelectrolyte multilayered (PEM) capsules has been reported, where polystyrene sulfonate (PSS)/polyallylamine hydrochloride (PAH) polymer capsules were employed as nano/microreactors to synthesize variety of nanomaterials (metal nanoparticles; lanthanide doped inorganic nanoparticles; gadolinium based nanoparticles, cadmium based nanoparticles; different shapes of nanoparticles; co-loading of two types of nanoparticles) in their hollow cavity. These nanoparticles-loaded capsules were employed to demonstrate generic delivery of payload of nanoparticles intracellularly (HeLa cells), without the need of individual nanoparticle surface modification. Validation of intracellular internalization of nanoparticles-loaded capsules by HeLa cells was ascertained by confocal laser scanning microscopy. The green emission from Tb3+ was observed after internalization of LaF3:Tb3+(5%) nanoparticles-loaded capsules by HeLa cells, which suggests that nanoparticles in hybrid capsules retain their functionality within the cells. In vitro cytotoxicity studies of these nanoparticles-loaded capsules showed less/no cytotoxicity in comparison to blank capsules or untreated cells, thus offering a way of evading direct contact of nanoparticles with cells because of the presence of biocompatible polymeric shell of capsules. The proposed hybrid delivery system can be potentially developed to avoid a series of biological barriers and deliver multiple cargoes (both simultaneous and individual delivery) without the need of individual cargo design/modification. PMID:22649489

Device for determining carbon activity through pressure

DOEpatents

Roche, Michael F.

1976-01-01

A hollow iron capsule of annular shape having an interior layer of Fe.sub.0.947 0 and a near absolute internal vacuum is submersed within a molten metal with the inner chamber of the capsule connected to a pressure sensor. Carbon present in the molten metal diffuses through the capsule wall and reacts with the Fe.sub.0.947 0 layer to generate a CO.sub.2 --CO gas mixture within the internal chamber. The total absolute pressure of the gas measured by the pressure sensor is directly proportional to the carbon activity of the molten metal.

Maternal Dietary Choline Status Influences Brain Gray and White Matter Development in Young Pigs

PubMed Central

Mudd, Austin T; Getty, Caitlyn M; Dilger, Ryan N

2018-01-01

Abstract Background Choline is an essential nutrient that is pivotal to proper brain development. Research in animal models suggests that perinatal choline deficiency influences neuron development in the hippocampus and cortex, yet these observations require invasive techniques. Objective This study aimed to characterize the effects of perinatal choline deficiency on gray and white matter development with the use of noninvasive neuroimaging techniques in young pigs. Methods During the last 64 d of the 114-d gestation period Yorkshire sows were provided with a choline-sufficient (CS) or choline-deficient (CD) diet, analyzed to contain 1214 mg or 483 mg total choline/kg diet, respectively. Upon farrowing, pigs (Sus scrofa domesticus) were allowed colostrum consumption for ≤48 h, were further stratified into postnatal treatment groups, and were provided either CS or CD milk replacers, analyzed to contain 1591 or 518 mg total choline/kg diet, respectively, for 28 d. At 30 d of age, pigs were subjected to MRI procedures to assess brain development. Gray and white matter development was assessed through voxel-based morphometry (VBM) and tract-based spatial statistics (TBSS) to assess the effects of prenatal and postnatal dietary choline status. Results VBM analysis indicated that prenatally CS pigs exhibited increased (P < 0.01) gray matter in the left and right cortex compared with prenatally CD pigs. Analysis of white matter indicated that prenatally CS pigs exhibited increased (P < 0.01) white matter in the internal capsule, putamen–globus pallidus, and right cortex compared with prenatally CD pigs. No postnatal effects (P > 0.05) of choline status were noted for VBM analyses of gray and white matter. TBSS also showed no significant effects (P > 0.05) of prenatal or postnatal choline status for diffusion values along white matter tracts. Conclusions Observations from this study suggest that prenatal choline deficiency results in altered cortical gray matter and reduced white matter in the internal capsule and putamen of young pigs. With the use of noninvasive neuroimaging techniques, results from our study indicate that prenatal choline deficiency greatly alters gray and white matter development in pigs, thereby providing a translational assessment that may be used in clinical populations.

Assessing the direct effects of deep brain stimulation using embedded axon models

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sotiropoulos, Stamatios N.; Steinmetz, Peter N.

2007-06-01

To better understand the spatial extent of the direct effects of deep brain stimulation (DBS) on neurons, we implemented a geometrically realistic finite element electrical model incorporating anisotropic and inhomogenous conductivities. The model included the subthalamic nucleus (STN), substantia nigra (SN), zona incerta (ZI), fields of Forel H2 (FF), internal capsule (IC) and Medtronic 3387/3389 electrode. To quantify the effects of stimulation, we extended previous studies by using multi-compartment axon models with geometry and orientation consistent with anatomical features of the brain regions of interest. Simulation of axonal firing produced a map of relative changes in axonal activation. Voltage-controlled stimulation, with clinically typical parameters at the dorso-lateral STN, caused axon activation up to 4 mm from the target. This activation occurred within the FF, IC, SN and ZI with current intensities close to the average injected during DBS (3 mA). A sensitivity analysis of model parameters (fiber size, fiber orientation, degree of inhomogeneity, degree of anisotropy, electrode configuration) revealed that the FF and IC were consistently activated. Direct activation of axons outside the STN suggests that other brain regions may be involved in the beneficial effects of DBS when treating Parkinsonian symptoms.

White matter integrity in major depressive disorder: Implications of childhood trauma, 5-HTTLPR and BDNF polymorphisms.

PubMed

Tatham, Erica L; Ramasubbu, Rajamannar; Gaxiola-Valdez, Ismael; Cortese, Filomeno; Clark, Darren; Goodyear, Bradley; Foster, Jane; Hall, Geoffrey B

2016-07-30

This study examined the impact of childhood neglect, serotonin transporter (5-HTTLPR) and brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) polymorphisms on white matter (WM) integrity in major depressive disorder (MDD) using diffusion tensor imaging (DTI). Fifty-five medication-free MDD patients and 18 controls underwent diffusion tensor imaging scanning, genotyping and completed the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire. Tract based spatial statistics (TBSS) findings revealed reduced fractional anisotropy (FA) in the MDD group in the anterior internal capsule. 5-HTTLPR-S'L' heterozygotes in the MDD group exhibited reduced FA in the internal capsule relative to S'S' and reduced FA in corona radiata compared to L'L'. Probabilistic tractography revealed higher FA in the uncinate fasciculus (UF) for BDNF val/val genotype relative to met-carriers, particularly in individuals with high depression severity. High depression severity and experiences of childhood physical or emotional neglect predicted higher FA in the UF and superior longitudinal fasciculus. Reductions in FA were identified for subgroups of MDD patients who were 5-HTTLPR heterozygotes and BDNF-met carriers. An association between emotional/physical neglect and FA was observed in subjects with high depressive symptoms. Our findings suggest that WM connectivity within frontal and limbic regions are affected by depression and influenced by experiences of neglect and genetic risk factors. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Neuroanatomical basis of paroxysmal sympathetic hyperactivity: A diffusion tensor imaging analysis

PubMed Central

Hinson, Holly E.; Puybasset, Louis; Weiss, Nicolas; Perlbarg, Vincent; Benali, Habib; Galanaud, Damien; Lasarev, Mike; Stevens, Robert D.

2015-01-01

Primary objective Paroxysmal sympathetic hyperactivity (PSH) is observed in a sub-set of patients with moderate-to-severe traumatic brain injury (TBI). The neuroanatomical basis of PSH is poorly understood. It is hypothesized that PSH is linked to changes in connectivity within the central autonomic network. Research design Retrospective analysis in a sub-set of patients from a multi-centre, prospective cohort study Methods and procedures Adult patients who were <3 weeks after severe TBI were enrolled and screened for PSH using a standard definition. Patients underwent multimodal MRI, which included quantitative diffusion tensor imaging. Main outcomes and results Principal component analysis (PCA) was used to resolve the set of tracts into components. Ability to predict PSH was evaluated via area under the receiver operating characteristic (AUROC) and tree-based classification analyses. Among 102 enrolled patients, 16 met criteria for PSH. The first principle component was significantly associated (p = 0.024, AUROC = 0.867) with PSH status even after controlling for age and admission GCS. In a classification tree analysis, age, GCS and decreased FA in the splenium of the corpus callosum and in the right posterior limb of the internal capsule discriminated PSH vs no PSH with an AUROC of 0.933. Conclusions Disconnection involving the posterior corpus callosum and of the posterior limb of the internal capsule may play a role in the pathogenesis or expression of PSH. PMID:25565392

Small intestinal model for electrically propelled capsule endoscopy

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

The aim of this research is to propose a small intestine model for electrically propelled capsule endoscopy. The electrical stimulus can cause contraction of the small intestine and propel the capsule along the lumen. The proposed model considered the drag and friction from the small intestine using a thin walled model and Stokes' drag equation. Further, contraction force from the small intestine was modeled by using regression analysis. From the proposed model, the acceleration and velocity of various exterior shapes of capsule were calculated, and two exterior shapes of capsules were proposed based on the internal volume of the capsules. The proposed capsules were fabricated and animal experiments were conducted. One of the proposed capsules showed an average (SD) velocity in forward direction of 2.91 ± 0.99 mm/s and 2.23 ± 0.78 mm/s in the backward direction, which was 5.2 times faster than that obtained in previous research. The proposed model can predict locomotion of the capsule based on various exterior shapes of the capsule. PMID:22177218

Influence of internal composition on physicochemical properties of alginate aqueous-core capsules.

PubMed

Ben Messaoud, Ghazi; Sánchez-González, Laura; Probst, Laurent; Desobry, Stéphane

2016-05-01

To enhance physicochemical properties of alginate aqueous-core capsules, conventional strategies were focused in literature on designing composite and coated capsules. In the present study, own effect of liquid-core composition on mechanical and release properties was investigated. Capsules were prepared by dripping a CaCl2 solution into an alginate gelling solution. Viscosity of CaCl2 solution was adjusted by adding cationic, anionic and non-ionic naturally derived polymers, respectively chitosan, xanthan gum and guar gum. In parallel, uniform alginate hydrogels were prepared by different methods (pouring, in situ forming and mixing). Mechanical stability of capsules and plane hydrogels were respectively evaluated by compression experiments and small amplitude oscillatory shear rheology and then correlated. Capsules permeability was evaluated by monitoring diffusion of encapsulated cochineal dye, riboflavin and BSA. The core-shell interactions were investigated by ATR-FTIR. Results showed that inner polymer had an impact on membrane stability and could act as an internal coating or provide mechanical reinforcement. Mechanical properties of alginate capsules were in a good agreement with rheological behavior of plane hydrogels. Release behavior of the entrapped molecules changed considerably. This study demonstrated the importance of aqueous-core composition, and gave new insights for possible adjusting of microcapsules physicochemical properties by modulating core-shell interactions. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

An optimized methodology to analyze biopolymer capsules by environmental scanning electron microscopy.

PubMed

Conforto, Egle; Joguet, Nicolas; Buisson, Pierre; Vendeville, Jean-Eudes; Chaigneau, Carine; Maugard, Thierry

2015-02-01

The aim of this paper is to describe an optimized methodology to study the surface characteristics and internal structure of biopolymer capsules using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) in environmental mode. The main advantage of this methodology is that no preparation is required and, significantly, no metallic coverage is deposited on the surface of the specimen, thus preserving the original capsule shape and its surface morphology. This avoids introducing preparation artefacts which could modify the capsule surface and mask information concerning important feature like porosities or roughness. Using this method gelatin and mainly fatty coatings, difficult to be analyzed by standard SEM technique, unambiguously show fine details of their surface morphology without damage. Furthermore, chemical contrast is preserved in backscattered electron images of unprepared samples, allowing visualizing the internal organization of the capsule, the quality of the envelope, etc... This study provides pointers on how to obtain optimal conditions for the analysis of biological or sensitive material, as this is not always studied using appropriate techniques. A reliable evaluation of the parameters used in capsule elaboration for research and industrial applications, as well as that of capsule functionality is provided by this methodology, which is essential for the technological progress in this domain. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Structural modifications of the brain in acclimatization to high-altitude.

PubMed

Zhang, Jiaxing; Yan, Xiaodan; Shi, Jinfu; Gong, Qiyong; Weng, Xuchu; Liu, Yijun

2010-07-06

Adaptive changes in respiratory and cardiovascular responses at high altitude (HA) have been well clarified. However, the central mechanisms underlying HA acclimatization remain unclear. Using voxel-based morphometry (VBM) and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) with fractional anisotropy (FA) calculation, we investigated 28 Han immigrant residents (17-22 yr) born and raised at HA of 2616-4200 m in Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau for at least 17 years and who currently attended college at sea-level (SL). Their family migrated from SL to HA 2-3 generations ago and has resided at HA ever since. Control subjects were matched SL residents. HA residents (vs. SL) showed decreased grey matter volume in the bilateral anterior insula, right anterior cingulate cortex, bilateral prefrontal cortex, left precentral cortex, and right lingual cortex. HA residents (vs. SL) had significantly higher FA mainly in the bilateral anterior limb of internal capsule, bilateral superior and inferior longitudinal fasciculus, corpus callosum, bilateral superior corona radiata, bilateral anterior external capsule, right posterior cingulum, and right corticospinal tract. Higher FA values in those regions were associated with decreased or unchanged radial diffusivity coinciding with no change of longitudinal diffusivity in HA vs. SL group. Conversely, HA residents had lower FA in the left optic radiation and left superior longitudinal fasciculus. Our data demonstrates that HA acclimatization is associated with brain structural modifications, including the loss of regional cortical grey matter accompanied by changes in the white matter, which may underlie the physiological adaptation of residents at HA.

Engineering fluorescent poly(dopamine) capsules.

PubMed

Chen, Xi; Yan, Yan; Müllner, Markus; van Koeverden, Martin P; Noi, Ka Fung; Zhu, Wei; Caruso, Frank

2014-03-18

The recent development of poly(dopamine) (PDA) capsules provides new opportunities for their application in biology and medicine. To advance the biomedical application of PDA capsules, strategies that enable the preparation of fluorescently labeled PDA (F-PDA) capsules are required, as this will allow evaluation of their cellular interactions using a range of fluorescence-based techniques. Herein, we report a facile approach for the fabrication of F-PDA capsules via the polymerization of dopamine (DA) on sacrificial templates in the presence of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2). F-PDA capsules with well-defined sizes are prepared by templating different organic and inorganic particles. The resulting F-PDA capsules show negligible cytotoxicity in HeLa cells after incubation for 48 h. We also demonstrate visualization of the F-PDA capsules following internalization by HeLa cells using conventional fluorescence microscopy, en route toward detailed investigations on their biological interactions.

Neonatal Microstructural Development of the Internal Capsule on Diffusion Tensor Imaging Correlates with Severity of Gait and Motor Deficits

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rose, Jessica; Mirmiran, Majid; Butler, Erin E.; Lin, Cindy Y.; Barnes, Patrick D.; Kermoian, Rosanne; Stevenson, David K.

2007-01-01

Neonatal microstructural development in the posterior limbs of the internal capsule (PLIC) was assessed using diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) fractional anisotropy (FA) in 24 very-low-birthweight preterm infants at 37 weeks' gestational age and compared with the children's gait and motor deficits at 4 years of age. There were 14 participants with…

Simulation and evaluation of rupturable coated capsules by finite element method.

PubMed

Yang, Yan; Fang, Jie; Shen, Lian; Shan, Weiguang

2017-03-15

The objective of this study was to simulate and evaluate the burst behavior of rupturable coated capsules by finite element method (FEM). Film and coated capsules were prepared by dip-coating method and their dimensions were determined by stereomicroscope. Mechanical properties of the film were measured by tensile test and used as material properties of FEM models. Swelling pressure was determined by restrained expansion method and applied to the internal surface of FEM models. Water uptake of coated capsules was determined to study the formation of internal pressure. Burst test and in vitro dissolution was used to verify the FEM models, which were used to study and predict the coating burst behavior. Simulated results of coating burst behavior were well agreed with the experiment results. Swelling pressure, material properties and dimensions of coating had influence on the maximum stress. Burst pressure and critical L-HPC content were calculated for burst prediction and formulation optimization. FEM simulation was a feasible way to simulate and evaluate the burst behavior of coated capsules. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Wireless Insufflation of the Gastrointestinal Tract

PubMed Central

Battaglia, Santina; Smith, Byron F.; Ciuti, Gastone; Gerding, Jason; Menciassi, Arianna; Obstein, Keith L.; Valdastri, Pietro; Webster, Robert J.

2013-01-01

Despite clear patient experience advantages, low specificity rates have thus far prevented swallowable capsule endoscopes from replacing traditional endoscopy for diagnosis of colon disease. One explanation for this is that capsule endoscopes lack the ability to provide insufflation, which traditional endoscopes use to distend the intestine for a clear view of the internal wall. To provide a means of insufflation from a wireless capsule platform, in this paper we use biocompatible effervescent chemical reactions to convert liquids and powders carried onboard a capsule into gas. We experimentally evaluate the quantity of gas needed to enhance capsule visualization and locomotion, and determine how much gas can be generated from a given volume of reactants. These experiments motivate the design of a wireless insufflation capsule, which is evaluated in ex vivo experiments. These experiments illustrate the feasibility of enhancing visualization and locomotion of endoscopic capsules through wireless insufflation. PMID:23212312

A locomotion mechanism with external magnetic guidance for active capsule endoscope.

PubMed

Wang, Xiaona; Meng, Max Q H; Chen, Xijun

2010-01-01

Gastrointestinal (GI) disorder is one of the most common diseases in human body. The swallowable wireless capsule endoscopy has been proved to be a convenient, painless and effective way to examine the whole GI tract. However, lack of motion control makes the movement of the capsule substantially random, resulting in missing diagnosis. In this paper, a locomotion mechanism is developed for the next-generation active capsule endoscope. An internal actuator integrated on-board the capsule is designed to provide driving force and improve the dexterity. A small permanent magnet enclosed inside the capsule interacts with an external magnetic field to control the capsule's orientation and offer extra driving force. This mechanism avoids sophisticated and bulky control system and reduces power consumption inside the capsule. Ex-vivo experimental results showed that it can make a controllable movement inside the porcine large intestine. The mechanism also has the potential to be a platform for further development, such as devices of operations, spraying medicine, biopsy etc.

Dynamics of myelin content decrease in the rat stroke model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kisel, A.; Khodanovich, M.; Atochin, D.; Mustafina, L.; Yarnykh, V.

2017-08-01

The majority of studies were usually focused on neuronal death after brain ischemia; however, stroke affects all cell types including oligodendrocytes that form myelin sheath in the CNS. Our study is focused on the changes of myelin content in the ischemic core and neighbor structures in early terms (1, 3 and 10 days) after stroke. Stroke was modeled with middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAo) in 15 male rats that were divided into three groups by time points after operation. Brain sections were histologically stained with Luxol Fast Blue (LFB) for myelin quantification. The significant demyelination was found in the ischemic core, corpus callosum, anterior commissure, whereas myelin content was increased in caudoputamen, internal capsule and piriform cortex compared with the contralateral hemisphere. The motor cortex showed a significant increase of myelin content on the 1st day and a significant decrease on the 3rd and 10th days after MCAo. These results suggest that stroke influences myelination not only in the ischemic core but also in distant structures.

Early deprivation, atypical brain development, and internalizing symptoms in late childhood

PubMed Central

Bick, Johanna; Fox, Nathan; Zeanah, Charles; Nelson, Charles A.

2015-01-01

Children exposed to extreme early life neglect such as in institutional rearing are at heightened risk for developing depression and anxiety disorders, and internalizing problems more broadly. These outcomes are believed to be due to alterations in the development of neural circuitry that supports emotion regulation. The specific neurodevelopmental changes that contribute to these difficulties are largely unknown. This study examined whether microstructural alterations in white matter pathways predicted long term risk for internalizing problems in institutionally reared children. Data from 69 children were drawn from the Bucharest Early Intervention Project, a randomized clinical trial of foster care for institutionally reared children. White matter was assessed using Diffusion Tensor Imaging (DTI) when children were between 8 and 10 years of age. Internalizing symptoms were assessed at the time of the MRI scan, and once children reached 12 to 14 years of age. Results indicated that neglect-associated alterations in the external capsule and corpus callosum partially explained links between institutional rearing status and internalizing symptoms in middle childhood and early adolescence. Findings shed light on neural mechanisms contributing to increased risk for emotional difficulties among children reared in adverse conditions and have implications for prevention and intervention. PMID:26384960

Cryptococcus neoformans responds to mannitol by increasing capsule size in vitro and in vivo

PubMed Central

Guimarães, Allan Jefferson; Frases, Susana; Cordero, Radamés J. B.; Nimrichter, Leonardo; Casadevall, Arturo; Nosanchuk, Joshua D.

2010-01-01

The polysaccharide capsule of the fungus Cryptococcus neoformans is its main virulence factor. In this study, we determined the effects of mannitol and glucose on the capsule and exopolysaccharide production. Growth in mannitol significantly increased capsular volume compared to cultivation in glucose. However, cells grown in glucose concentrations higher than 62.5mM produced more exopolysaccharide than cells grown in mannitol. The fiber lengths and glycosyl composition of capsular polysaccharide from yeast grown in mannitol was structurally different from that of yeast grown in glucose. Furthermore, mannitol treatment of mice infected intratracheally with C. neoformans resulted in fungal cells with significantly larger capsules and the mice had reduced fungal dissemination to the brain. Our results demonstrate the capacity of carbohydrate source and concentration to modify the expression of a major virulence factor of C. neoformans. These findings may impact the clinical management of cryptococcosis. PMID:20070311

MR Analysis of Regional Brain Volume in Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis: Neurological Manifestation of a Systemic Disease

PubMed Central

Liu, Tianming; Chu, Winnie C.W.; Young, Geoffrey; Li, Kaiming; Yeung, Benson H.Y.; Guo, Lei; Man, Gene C.W.; Lam, Wynnie W.M.; Wong, Stephen T.C.; Cheng, Jack C.Y.

2008-01-01

Purpose To investigate whether regional brain volumes in adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) patients differ from matched control subjects as AIS subjects are reported to have poor performance on combined visual and proprioceptive testing and impaired postural balance in previous studies. Materials and Methods Twenty AIS female patients with typical right-convex thoracic curve (age range,11−18 years; mean, 14.1 years) and 26 female controls (mean age, 14.8 years) underwent three-dimensional magnetization prepared rapid acquisition gradient echo (3D-MPRAGE) MR imaging. Volumes of 99 preselected neuroanatomical regions were compared by statistical parametric mapping and atlas-based hybrid warping. Results Analysis of variance statistics revealed significant mean volumetric differences in 22 brain regions between AIS and controls. Ten regions were larger in AIS including the left frontal gyri and white matter in left frontal, parietal, and temporal regions, corpus callosum and brainstem. Twelve regions were smaller in AIS, including right-sided descending white matter tracts (anterior and posterior limbs of the right internal capsule and the cerebral peduncle) and deep nucleus (caudate), bilateral perirhinal cortices, left hippocampus and amygdala, bilateral precuneus gyri, and left middle and inferior occipital gyri. Conclusion Regional brain volume difference in AIS subjects may help to explain neurological abnormalities in this group. PMID:18302230

Symmetrical Location Characteristics of Corticospinal Tract Associated With Hand Movement in the Human Brain: A Probabilistic Diffusion Tensor Tractography.

PubMed

Lee, Dong-Hoon; Lee, Do-Wan; Han, Bong-Soo

2016-04-01

The purpose of this study is to elucidate the symmetrical characteristics of corticospinal tract (CST) related with hand movement in bilateral hemispheres using probabilistic fiber tracking method. Seventeen subjects were participated in this study. Fiber tracking was performed with 2 regions of interest, hand activated functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) results and pontomedullary junction in each cerebral hemisphere. Each subject's extracted fiber tract was normalized with a brain template. To measure the symmetrical distributions of the CST related with hand movement, the laterality and anteriority indices were defined in upper corona radiata (CR), lower CR, and posterior limb of internal capsule. The measured laterality and anteriority indices between the hemispheres in each different brain location showed no significant differences with P < 0.05. There were significant differences in the measured indices among 3 different brain locations in each cerebral hemisphere with P < 0.001. Our results clearly showed that the hand CST had symmetric structures in bilateral hemispheres. The probabilistic fiber tracking with fMRI approach demonstrated that the hand CST can be successfully extracted regardless of crossing fiber problem. Our analytical approaches and results seem to be helpful for providing the database of CST somatotopy to neurologists and clinical researches.

Anatomical Location of LPA1 Activation and LPA Phospholipid Precursors in Rodent and Human Brain

PubMed Central

González de San Román, E; Manuel, I; Giralt, MT; Chun, J; Estivill-Torrús, G; Rodriguez de Fonseca, F; Santín, LJ; Ferrer, I; Rodriguez-Puertas, R

2016-01-01

Lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) is a signaling molecule that binds to six known G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs): LPA1–LPA6. LPA evokes several responses in the CNS including cortical development and folding, growth of the axonal cone and its retraction process. Those cell processes involve survival, migration, adhesion proliferation, differentiation and myelination. The anatomical localization of LPA1 is incompletely understood, particularly with regard to LPA binding. Therefore, we have used functional [35S]GTPγS autoradiography to verify the anatomical distribution of LPA1 binding sites in adult rodent and human brain. The greatest activity was observed in myelinated areas of the white matter such as corpus callosum, internal capsule and cerebellum. MaLPA1-null mice (a variant of LPA1-null) lack [35S]GTPγS basal binding in white matter areas, where the LPA1 receptor is expressed at high levels, suggesting a relevant role of the activity of this receptor in the most myelinated brain areas. In addition, phospholipid precursors of LPA were localized by MALDI-IMS in both rodent and human brain slices identifying numerous species of phosphatides (PA) and phosphatidylcholines (PC). Both PA and PC species represent potential LPA precursors. The anatomical distribution of these precursors in rodent and human brain may indicate a metabolic relationship between LPA and LPA1 receptors. PMID:25857358

Extract-filter-shoot liquid chromatography with mass spectrometry for the analysis of vitamin D2 in a powdered supplement capsule and standard reference material 3280.

PubMed

Byrdwell, William Craig

2014-08-01

An "extract-filter-shoot" method for the analysis of vitamin D2, ergocalciferol, in a dry powdered dietary supplement capsule containing rice flour excipient and in a National Institute of Standards and Technology standard reference material 3280 is reported. Quantification of vitamin D2 was done by atmospheric pressure chemical ionization mass spectrometry using selected ion monitoring, two transitions of selected reaction monitoring, and extracted ion chromatograms from full scans. UV detection was used for the quantification of Vitamin D2 in the dry powder capsule, whereas interfering species rendered UV detection unreliable for standard reference material 3280. Average values for standard reference material 3280 ranged from 8.27 ± 0.58 to 8.33 ± 0.57 μg/g using internal standard calibration and response factor approaches, compared to the previous National Institute of Standards and Technology internal value for vitamin D2 of 8.78 ± 0.11 μg/g, and the recently updated reference value of 8.6 ± 2.6 μg/g. The powdered supplement capsule was found to contain 28.19 ± 0.35 to 28.67 ± 0.90 μg/capsule for a capsule labeled to contain 25.00 μg. The triacylglycerol composition of the rice flour excipient in the powdered supplement capsule determined by atmospheric pressure chemical ionization mass spectrometry is also reported. © 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Leukoencephalopathy with brainstem and spinal cord involvement and lactate elevation (LBSL): assessment of the involved white matter tracts by MRI.

PubMed

Kassem, Hassan; Wafaie, Ahmed; Abdelfattah, Sherif; Farid, Tarek

2014-01-01

Leukoencephalopathy with brain stem and spinal cord involvement and lactate elevation (LBSL) is a recently identified autosomal recessive disorder with early onset of symptoms and slowly progressive pyramidal, cerebellar and dorsal column dysfunction. LBSL is characterized by distinct white matter abnormalities and selective involvement of brainstem and spinal cord tracts. The purpose of this study is to assess the imaging features of the involved white matter tracts in cases of LBSL by MRI. We retrospectively reviewed the imaging features of the selectively involved white matter tracts in sixteen genetically proven cases of leukoencephalopathy with brainstem and spinal cord involvement and elevated brain lactate (LBSL). All patients presented with slowly progressive cerebellar sensory ataxia with spasticity and dorsal column dysfunction. MRI of the brain and spine using 1.5 T machine and proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H MRS) on the abnormal white matter were done to all patients. The MRI and MRS data sets were analyzed according to lesion location, extent, distribution and signal pattern as well as metabolite values and ratios in MRS. Laboratory examinations ruled out classic leukodystrophies. In all cases, MRI showed high signal intensity in T2-weighted and FLAIR images within the cerebral subcortical, periventricular and deep white matter, posterior limbs of internal capsules, centrum semiovale, medulla oblongata, intraparenchymal trajectory of trigeminal nerves and deep cerebellar white matter. In the spine, the signal intensity of the dorsal column and lateral cortico-spinal tracts were altered in all patients. The subcortical U fibers, globi pallidi, thalami, midbrain and transverse pontine fibers were spared in all cases. In 11 cases (68.8%), the signal changes were inhomogeneous and confluent whereas in 5 patients (31.2%), the signal abnormalities were spotty. MRI also showed variable signal abnormalities in the sensory and pyramidal tracts in addition to the brainstem and cerebellar connections. Proton MRS showed consistent elevation of the lactate within the abnormal white matter. Distinct MRI findings in the form of selective affection of subcortical and deep white matter tracts of the brain (involving the posterior limb of internal capsules and sparing the subcortical U fibers), dorsal column and lateral cortico-spinal tracts of the spinal cord should lead to the diagnosis of LBSL supported by the presence of lactate peak in 1H MRS. The disease can be confirmed by the analysis of the disease gene DARS2.

relationship between diffusion tensor imaging findings and cognitive outcomes following adult traumatic brain injury: A meta-analysis.

PubMed

Wallace, E J; Mathias, J L; Ward, L

2018-05-24

Cognitive impairments are common following a traumatic brain injury (TBI) and frequently result from white matter (WM) damage. This damage can be quantified using diffusion tensor imaging (DTI), which measures the directionality (fractional anisotropy: FA) and amount (mean diffusivity/apparent diffusion coefficient: MD/ADC) of water diffusion in WM, with high FA and low MD/ADC thought to indicate greater WM integrity. However, the relationship between DTI and cognitive outcomes is currently unclear. The data from 20 studies that examined the relationship between WM integrity (measured using DTI) and cognition (categorised into seven domains) following mild-severe adult TBI were meta-analysed. Overall, high FA and low MD/ADC in most brain regions was associated with better cognitive performance, with memory and attention most strongly related to DTI findings. Specifically, memory and/or attention were very strongly related to DTI findings in the corpus callosum, fornix, internal capsule, arcuate and uncinate fasciculi. However, most findings were based on single studies and therefore await replication. Larger-scale, longitudinal studies are now needed to determine the predictive utility of DTI. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Correlation Between Fractional Anisotropy and Motor Outcomes in One-Year-Old Infants with Periventricular Brain Injury

PubMed Central

Madhavan, Sangeetha; Campbell, Suzann K.; Campise-Luther, Rose; Gaebler-Spira, Deborah; Zawacki, Laura; Clark, April; Boynewicz, Kara; Kale, Dipti; Bulanda, Michelle; Yu, Jinsheng; Sui, Yi; Zhou, Xiaohong Joe

2014-01-01

Purpose To determine whether motor outcomes of an exercise intervention beginning at 2 months corrected age (CA) in children with periventricular brain injury (PBI) are correlated with fractional anisotropy (FA) measures derived from diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) at 12 months CA. Materials and Methods DTI was performed in eight infants with PBI who were randomly assigned to kicking and treadmill stepping exercise or a no-training condition. Development was assessed using the Alberta Infant Motor Scale (AIMS) and the Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS). FA values were derived from regions of interest (ROI) in the middle third of the posterior limb of the internal capsule (PLIC) and the posterior thalamic radiation (PTR). Results Significant correlations were observed between motor development and FA measures. For PLIC, the correlation coefficients were 0.82 between FA and AIMS, and -0.92 between FA and GMFCS, while for PTR the corresponding correlation coefficients were 0.73 and -0.80, respectively. Conclusion Results of this study suggest that quantitative evaluation of white matter tracts using DTI at 12 months CA may be useful for assessment of brain plasticity in children. PMID:24136687

Correlation between fractional anisotropy and motor outcomes in one-year-old infants with periventricular brain injury.

PubMed

Madhavan, Sangeetha; Campbell, Suzann K; Campise-Luther, Rose; Gaebler-Spira, Deborah; Zawacki, Laura; Clark, April; Boynewicz, Kara; Kale, Dipti; Bulanda, Michelle; Yu, Jinsheng; Sui, Yi; Zhou, Xiaohong Joe

2014-04-01

To determine whether motor outcomes of an exercise intervention beginning at 2 months corrected age (CA) in children with periventricular brain injury (PBI) are correlated with fractional anisotropy (FA) measures derived from diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) at 12 months CA. DTI was performed in eight infants with PBI who were randomly assigned to kicking and treadmill stepping exercise or a no-training condition. Development was assessed using the Alberta Infant Motor Scale (AIMS) and the Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS). FA values were derived from regions of interest (ROIs) in the middle third of the posterior limb of the internal capsule (PLIC) and the posterior thalamic radiation (PTR). Significant correlations were observed between motor development and FA measures. For PLIC, the correlation coefficients were 0.82 between FA and AIMS, and -0.92 between FA and GMFCS, while for PTR the corresponding correlation coefficients were 0.73 and -0.80, respectively. Results of this study suggest that quantitative evaluation of white matter tracts using DTI at 12 months CA may be useful for assessment of brain plasticity in children. Copyright © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Effect of unilateral versus bilateral electrostimulation in subthalamic nucleus on speech in Parkinsons disease

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Emily; Verhagen Metman, Leo; Bakay, Roy; Arzbaecher, Jean; Bernard, Bryan

2004-05-01

Previously, it was found that 16 right-handed patients with idiopathic Parkinsons disease who underwent unilateral implantation of deep brain stimulator in subthalamic nucleus (STN) showed significant improvement in their nonspeech motor functions. Eight of the 16 patients had stimulator in the left STN and eight in the right STN. In contrast, their speech function showed very mild improvement that was limited to the respiratory/phonotory subsystems. Further, there seemed a trend that the patients with right STN stimulation did better than those with left STN stimulation. It was speculated that the difference might be due to a micro lesion caused by the surgical procedure to the corticobulbar fibers run in the left internal capsule. This paper reports speech changes associated with bilateral DBS in STN in four of the 16 subjects who elected to have deep brain stimulator implanted in STN on the opposite side of the brain at a later time. Results show negative changes in speech after bilateral DBS in STN. The changes were not limited to the micro lesion effect due to the surgery itself, but also related to the active stimulation on the dominant hemisphere for speech processing. [Work supported by NIH.

Microstructural white matter tract alteration in Prader-Willi syndrome: A diffusion tensor imaging study.

PubMed

Rice, Lauren J; Lagopoulos, Jim; Brammer, Michael; Einfeld, Stewart L

2017-09-01

Prader-Willi Syndrome (PWS) is a genetic disorder characterized by infantile hypotonia, hyperphagia, hypogonadism, growth hormone deficiency, intellectual disability, and severe emotional and behavioral problems. The brain mechanisms that underpin these disturbances are unknown. Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) enables in vivo investigation of the microstructural integrity of white matter pathways. To date, only one study has used DTI to examine white matter alterations in PWS. However, that study used selected regions of interest, rather than a whole brain analysis. In the present study, we used diffusion tensor and magnetic resonance (T 1-weighted) imaging to examine microstructural white matter changes in 15 individuals with PWS (17-30 years) and 15 age-and-gender-matched controls. Whole-brain voxel-wise statistical analysis of FA was carried out using tract-based spatial statistics (TBSS). Significantly decreased fractional anisotropy was found localized to the left hemisphere in individuals with PWS within the splenium of the corpus callosum, the internal capsule including the posterior thalamic radiation and the inferior frontal occipital fasciculus (IFOF). Reduced integrity of these white matter pathways in individuals with PWS may relate to orientating attention, emotion recognition, semantic processing, and sensorimotor dysfunction. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Microstructure abnormalities in adolescents with internet addiction disorder.

PubMed

Yuan, Kai; Qin, Wei; Wang, Guihong; Zeng, Fang; Zhao, Liyan; Yang, Xuejuan; Liu, Peng; Liu, Jixin; Sun, Jinbo; von Deneen, Karen M; Gong, Qiyong; Liu, Yijun; Tian, Jie

2011-01-01

Recent studies suggest that internet addiction disorder (IAD) is associated with structural abnormalities in brain gray matter. However, few studies have investigated the effects of internet addiction on the microstructural integrity of major neuronal fiber pathways, and almost no studies have assessed the microstructural changes with the duration of internet addiction. We investigated the morphology of the brain in adolescents with IAD (N = 18) using an optimized voxel-based morphometry (VBM) technique, and studied the white matter fractional anisotropy (FA) changes using the diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) method, linking these brain structural measures to the duration of IAD. We provided evidences demonstrating the multiple structural changes of the brain in IAD subjects. VBM results indicated the decreased gray matter volume in the bilateral dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC), the supplementary motor area (SMA), the orbitofrontal cortex (OFC), the cerebellum and the left rostral ACC (rACC). DTI analysis revealed the enhanced FA value of the left posterior limb of the internal capsule (PLIC) and reduced FA value in the white matter within the right parahippocampal gyrus (PHG). Gray matter volumes of the DLPFC, rACC, SMA, and white matter FA changes of the PLIC were significantly correlated with the duration of internet addiction in the adolescents with IAD. Our results suggested that long-term internet addiction would result in brain structural alterations, which probably contributed to chronic dysfunction in subjects with IAD. The current study may shed further light on the potential brain effects of IAD.

Effects of sinker shapes on dissolution profiles.

PubMed

Soltero, R A; Hoover, J M; Jones, T F; Standish, M

1989-01-01

In dissolution testing, according to the U.S. Pharmacopeia, a nonreactive stainless steel wire helix is typically used to sink dosage forms that would otherwise float. The objective of this investigation was to determine if other sinker shapes will influence the rate, extent, or variability of dissolution. Criteria for the optimal sinker were defined. Various new sinker designs were fabricated, tested, and classified. Four classes of sinker shapes were defined: longitudinal, lateral, screen enclosures, and internal weights. Longitudinal sinkers contact the dosage forms on the long axis. Lateral sinkers either wrap around or contact capsule dosage forms in the middle, such as the line where the top and bottom halves of a capsule shell come together. Screen enclosures are of two types: either a wire cage, which holds the entire capsule, or a circular piece of wire screen placed on top of the capsule. Internal weights consist of two steel ball bearings, one inserted into each end of the capsule. The investigation consisted of four studies: (1) visual observation of the dissolution performance using 12 different sinkers; (2) the effect on drug release from nine classified sinkers on two different capsule formulations; (3) side-by-side comparison between the selected optimal longitudinal U clip and the wire helix lateral type sinkers; and (4) hydrodynamic effects caused by the use of the longitudinal U clip and the wire helix lateral type sinkers in the absence of capsule shells. We concluded that capsules sunk with either of the two longitudinal sinkers, the U clip or the paper clip, have faster, more complete dissolution and less variable results than did lateral type sinkers.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Interferon-γ promotes phagocytosis of Cryptococcus neoformans but not Cryptococcus gattii by murine macrophages.

PubMed

Ikeda-Dantsuji, Yurika; Ohno, Hideaki; Tanabe, Koichi; Umeyama, Takashi; Ueno, Keigo; Nagi, Minoru; Yamagoe, Satoshi; Kinjo, Yuki; Miyazaki, Yoshitsugu

2015-12-01

Among invasive fungal infections, cryptococcosis caused by inhalation of Cryptococcus neoformans or Cryptococcus gattii is particularly dangerous because it can disseminate to the central nervous system and cause life-threatening meningitis or meningoencephalitis. Previous reports described significant differences in the histopathological features of C. neoformans and C. gattii infection, such as greater pathogen proliferation and a limited macrophage response in mouse lung infected by C. gattii. To elucidate the difference in pathogenicity of these two Cryptococcus species, we investigated the interaction of C. neoformans and C. gattii with murine macrophages, the first line of host defense, by confocal laser microscopy. Only thin-capsulated, and not thick-capsulated C. neoformans and C. gattii were phagocytosed by macrophages. Preactivation with interferon-γ increased the phagocytic rate of thin-capsulated C. neoformans up to two-fold, but did not promote phagocytosis of thin-capsulated C. gattii. Lipopolysaccharide preactivation or Aspergillus fumigatus conidia co-incubation had no effect on internalization of thin-capsulated C. neoformans or C. gattii by macrophages. Phagocytosis of live thin-capsulated C. neoformans, but not that of live thin-capsulated C. gattii, induced interleukin-12 release from macrophages. However, phagocytosis of heat-killed or paraformaldehyde-fixed thin-capsulated C. neoformans did not increase IL-12 release, showing that the internalization of live yeast is important for initiating the immune response during C. neoformans-macrophage interactions. Our data suggest that macrophage response to C. gattii is limited compared with that to C. neoformans and that these results may partially explain the limited immune response and the greater pathogenicity of C. gattii. Copyright © 2015 Japanese Society of Chemotherapy and The Japanese Association for Infectious Diseases. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Regional white matter abnormalities in drug-naive, first-episode schizophrenia patients and their healthy unaffected siblings.

PubMed

Lyu, Hailong; Hu, Maorong; Eyler, Lisa T; Jin, Hua; Wang, Juan; Ou, Jianjun; Guo, Xiaofeng; He, Zhong; Liu, Fang; Zhao, Jingping; Guo, Wenbin

2015-03-01

Shared neuropathological features between schizophrenia patients and their siblings may represent intermediate phenotypes of schizophrenia and can be used to investigate genetic susceptibility to the illness. This study aimed to discover regional white matter abnormalities in first-episode schizophrenia (FES) patients and their unaffected siblings compared to healthy subjects in the Chinese Han population using optimized Voxel-Based Morphometry (VBM). A total of 51 drug-naive, FES patients, 45 of their unaffected siblings and 59 healthy comparisons were studied with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). FES patients exhibited significant regional white matter deficits in the left inferior frontal gyrus and left joint of external capsule and internal capsule compared with healthy subjects (corrected FDR, p<0.005). The sibling group also showed significant white matter deficits in these two regions compared with the healthy comparison group (uncorrected, p<0.001). White matter deficits with a less stringent threshold for significance in the left cerebellum anterior lobe, left middle frontal gyrus, left hippocampus, right anterior cingulate and right internal capsule were observed in patients compared to their siblings. Our findings extend those from previous VBM analyses showing that FES patients and their unaffected siblings may share white matter deficits in the left inferior frontal gyrus and the left joint of external capsule and internal capsule. These regional white matter deficits may be related to genetic factors related to schizophrenia susceptibility. © The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists 2014.

A review on functional and structural brain connectivity in numerical cognition

PubMed Central

Moeller, Korbinian; Willmes, Klaus; Klein, Elise

2015-01-01

Only recently has the complex anatomo-functional system underlying numerical cognition become accessible to evaluation in the living brain. We identified 27 studies investigating brain connectivity in numerical cognition. Despite considerable heterogeneity regarding methodological approaches, populations investigated, and assessment procedures implemented, the results provided largely converging evidence regarding the underlying brain connectivity involved in numerical cognition. Analyses of both functional/effective as well as structural connectivity have consistently corroborated the assumption that numerical cognition is subserved by a fronto-parietal network including (intra)parietal as well as (pre)frontal cortex sites. Evaluation of structural connectivity has indicated the involvement of fronto-parietal association fibers encompassing the superior longitudinal fasciculus dorsally and the external capsule/extreme capsule system ventrally. Additionally, commissural fibers seem to connect the bilateral intraparietal sulci when number magnitude information is processed. Finally, the identification of projection fibers such as the superior corona radiata indicates connections between cortex and basal ganglia as well as the thalamus in numerical cognition. Studies on functional/effective connectivity further indicated a specific role of the hippocampus. These specifications of brain connectivity augment the triple-code model of number processing and calculation with respect to how gray matter areas associated with specific number-related representations may work together. PMID:26029075

Acute and chronic changes in brain activity with deep brain stimulation for refractory depression.

PubMed

Conen, Silke; Matthews, Julian C; Patel, Nikunj K; Anton-Rodriguez, José; Talbot, Peter S

2018-04-01

Deep brain stimulation is a potential option for patients with treatment-refractory depression. Deep brain stimulation benefits have been reported when targeting either the subgenual cingulate or ventral anterior capsule/nucleus accumbens. However, not all patients respond and optimum stimulation-site is uncertain. We compared deep brain stimulation of the subgenual cingulate and ventral anterior capsule/nucleus accumbens separately and combined in the same seven treatment-refractory depression patients, and investigated regional cerebral blood flow changes associated with acute and chronic deep brain stimulation. Deep brain stimulation-response was defined as reduction in Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale score from baseline of ≥50%, and remission as a Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale score ≤8. Changes in regional cerebral blood flow were assessed using [ 15 O]water positron emission tomography. Remitters had higher relative regional cerebral blood flow in the prefrontal cortex at baseline and all subsequent time-points compared to non-remitters and non-responders, with prefrontal cortex regional cerebral blood flow generally increasing with chronic deep brain stimulation. These effects were consistent regardless of stimulation-site. Overall, no significant regional cerebral blood flow changes were apparent when deep brain stimulation was acutely interrupted. Deep brain stimulation improved treatment-refractory depression severity in the majority of patients, with consistent changes in local and distant brain regions regardless of target stimulation. Remission of depression was reached in patients with higher baseline prefrontal regional cerebral blood flow. Because of the small sample size these results are preliminary and further evaluation is necessary to determine whether prefrontal cortex regional cerebral blood flow could be a predictive biomarker of treatment response.

Halogenation of microcapsule walls

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Davis, T. R.; Schaab, C. K.; Scott, J. C.

1972-01-01

Procedure for halogenation of confining walls of both gelatin and gelatin-phenolic resin capsules is similar to that used for microencapsulation. Ten percent halogen content renders capsule wall nonburning; any higher content enhances flame-retardant properties of selected internal phase material. Halogenation decreases permeability of wall material to encapsulated materials.

Phenotypic variation in a significant spore character in Kudoa (Myxosporea: Multivalvulida) species infecting brain tissue.

PubMed

Burger, Mieke A A; Adlard, Robert D

2010-10-01

Some Kudoa species display variations in the number of polar capsules in spores within an individual pseudocyst. Nonetheless, there is usually a dominant morphotype which forms a significant element of diagnosis. In 2007, a Kudoa isolate from whiting (spores with 5 (dominant) or 6 (minor) polar capsules) was characterized by Burger et al. (2007) as being 100% identical in SSU rDNA to Kudoa yasunagai (spores with 7 polar capsules) from a halibut, despite its obvious morphological differences. The authors hypothesized that either SSU rDNA had reached its level of resolution or that the genetic identity revealed conspecificity. To further investigate these hypotheses, SSU and LSU rDNA sequence data were coupled with principal components, correlation, and regression analyses of morphometric data from different kudoid isolates that infect brain tissue to determine the relationships between spore morphotypes and different kudoid isolates. The trends in morphometrics between the spores of particular isolates were so similar that it was concluded that the molecular results did indicate conspecificity rather than SSU reaching its level of resolution. This phenotypic influence on a significant diagnostic character within the Kudoidae has a major impact on the diagnosis of this, and potentially other, pathogenic species.

Gender and age effects in structural brain asymmetry as measured by MRI texture analysis.

PubMed

Kovalev, Vassili A; Kruggel, Frithjof; von Cramon, D Yves

2003-07-01

Effects of gender and age on structural brain asymmetry were studied by 3D texture analysis in 380 adults. Asymmetry is detected by comparing the complex 3D gray-scale image patterns in the left and right cerebral hemispheres as revealed by anatomical T1-weighted MRI datasets. The Talairach and Tournoux parcellation system was applied to study the asymmetry on five levels: the whole cerebrum, nine coronal sections, 12 axial sections, boxes resulting from both coronal and axial subdivisions, and by a sliding spherical window of 9 mm diameter. The analysis revealed that the brain asymmetry increases in the anterior-posterior direction starting from the central region onward. Male brains were found to be more asymmetric than female. This gender-related effect is noticeable in all brain areas but is most significant in the superior temporal gyrus, Heschl's gyrus, the adjacent white matter regions in the temporal stem and the knee of the optic radiation, the thalamus, and the posterior cingulate. The brain asymmetry increases significantly with age in the inferior frontal gyrus, anterior insula, anterior cingulate, parahippocampal gyrus, retrosplenial cortex, coronal radiata, and knee region of the internal capsule. Asymmetry decreases with age in the optic radiation, precentral gyrus, and angular gyrus. The texture-based method reported here is based on extended multisort cooccurrence matrices that employ intensity, gradient, and anisotropy features in a uniform way. It is sensitive, simple to reproduce, robust, and unbiased in the sense that segmentation of brain compartments and spatial transformations are not necessary. Thus, it should be considered as another tool for digital morphometry in neuroscience.

Classic infantile Pompe patients approaching adulthood: a cohort study on consequences for the brain.

PubMed

Ebbink, Berendine J; Poelman, Esther; Aarsen, Femke K; Plug, Iris; Régal, Luc; Muentjes, Carsten; van der Beek, Nadine A M E; Lequin, Maarten H; van der Ploeg, Ans T; van den Hout, Johanna M P

2018-06-01

To examine the long-term consequences of glycogen storage in the central nervous system (CNS) for classic infantile Pompe disease using enzyme replacement therapy. Using neuropsychological tests and brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), we prospectively assessed a cohort of 11 classic infantile Pompe patients aged up to 17 years. From approximately age 2 years onwards, brain MRI showed involvement of the periventricular white matter and centrum semiovale. After 8 years of age, additional white-matter abnormalities occurred in the corpus callosum, internal and external capsule, and subcortical areas. From 11 years of age, white-matter abnormalities were also found in the brainstem. Although there seemed to be a characteristic pattern of involvement over time, there were considerable variations between patients, reflected by variations in neuropsychological development. Cognitive development ranged from stable and normal to declines that lead to intellectual disabilities. As treatment enables patients with classic infantile Pompe disease to reach adulthood, white-matter abnormalities are becoming increasingly evident, affecting the neuropsychological development. Therefore, we advise follow-up programs are expanded to capture CNS involvement in larger, international patient cohorts, to incorporate our findings in the counselling of parents before the start of treatment, and to include the brain as an additional target in the development of next-generation therapeutic strategies for classic infantile Pompe disease. In our long-term survivors treated intravenously with enzyme replacement therapy, we found slowly progressive symmetric white-matter abnormalities. Cognitive development varied from stable and normal to declines towards intellectual disabilities. © 2018 The Authors. Developmental Medicine & Child Neurology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Mac Keith Press.

Anatomical location of LPA1 activation and LPA phospholipid precursors in rodent and human brain.

PubMed

González de San Román, Estibaliz; Manuel, Iván; Giralt, María Teresa; Chun, Jerold; Estivill-Torrús, Guillermo; Rodríguez de Fonseca, Fernando; Santín, Luis Javier; Ferrer, Isidro; Rodríguez-Puertas, Rafael

2015-08-01

Lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) is a signaling molecule that binds to six known G protein-coupled receptors: LPA1 -LPA6 . LPA evokes several responses in the CNS, including cortical development and folding, growth of the axonal cone and its retraction process. Those cell processes involve survival, migration, adhesion proliferation, differentiation, and myelination. The anatomical localization of LPA1 is incompletely understood, particularly with regard to LPA binding. Therefore, we have used functional [(35) S]GTPγS autoradiography to verify the anatomical distribution of LPA1 binding sites in adult rodent and human brain. The greatest activity was observed in myelinated areas of the white matter such as corpus callosum, internal capsule and cerebellum. MaLPA1 -null mice (a variant of LPA1 -null) lack [(35) S]GTPγS basal binding in white matter areas, where the LPA1 receptor is expressed at high levels, suggesting a relevant role of the activity of this receptor in the most myelinated brain areas. In addition, phospholipid precursors of LPA were localized by MALDI-IMS in both rodent and human brain slices identifying numerous species of phosphatides and phosphatidylcholines. Both phosphatides and phosphatidylcholines species represent potential LPA precursors. The anatomical distribution of these precursors in rodent and human brain may indicate a metabolic relationship between LPA and LPA1 receptors. Lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) is a signaling molecule that binds to six known G protein-coupled receptors (GPCR), LPA1 to LPA6 . LPA evokes several responses in the central nervous system (CNS), including cortical development and folding, growth of the axonal cone and its retraction process. We used functional [(35) S]GTPγS autoradiography to verify the anatomical distribution of LPA1 -binding sites in adult rodent and human brain. The distribution of LPA1 receptors in rat, mouse and human brains show the highest activity in white matter myelinated areas. The basal and LPA-evoked activities are abolished in MaLPA1 -null mice. The phospholipid precursors of LPA are localized by MALDI-IMS. The anatomical distribution of LPA precursors in rodent and human brain suggests a relationship with functional LPA1 receptors. © 2015 International Society for Neurochemistry.

Validity of semi-quantitative scale for brain MRI in unilateral cerebral palsy due to periventricular white matter lesions: Relationship with hand sensorimotor function and structural connectivity.

PubMed

Fiori, Simona; Guzzetta, Andrea; Pannek, Kerstin; Ware, Robert S; Rossi, Giuseppe; Klingels, Katrijn; Feys, Hilde; Coulthard, Alan; Cioni, Giovanni; Rose, Stephen; Boyd, Roslyn N

2015-01-01

To provide first evidence of construct validity of a semi-quantitative scale for brain structural MRI (sqMRI scale) in children with unilateral cerebral palsy (UCP) secondary to periventricular white matter (PWM) lesions, by examining the relationship with hand sensorimotor function and whole brain structural connectivity. Cross-sectional study of 50 children with UCP due to PWM lesions using 3 T (MRI), diffusion MRI and assessment of hand sensorimotor function. We explored the relationship of lobar, hemispheric and global scores on the sqMRI scale, with fractional anisotropy (FA), as a measure of brain white matter microstructure, and with hand sensorimotor measures (Assisting Hand Assessment, AHA; Jebsen-Taylor Test for Hand Function, JTTHF; Melbourne Assessment of Unilateral Upper Limb Function, MUUL; stereognosis; 2-point discrimination). Lobar and hemispheric scores on the sqMRI scale contralateral to the clinical side of hemiplegia correlated with sensorimotor paretic hand function measures and FA of a number of brain structural connections, including connections of brain areas involved in motor control (postcentral, precentral and paracentral gyri in the parietal lobe). More severe lesions correlated with lower sensorimotor performance, with the posterior limb of internal capsule score being the strongest contributor to impaired hand function. The sqMRI scale demonstrates first evidence of construct validity against impaired motor and sensory function measures and brain structural connectivity in a cohort of children with UCP due to PWM lesions. More severe lesions correlated with poorer paretic hand sensorimotor function and impaired structural connectivity in the hemisphere contralateral to the clinical side of hemiplegia. The quantitative structural MRI scoring may be a useful clinical tool for studying brain structure-function relationships but requires further validation in other populations of CP.

Lesion location associated with balance recovery and gait velocity change after rehabilitation in stroke patients.

PubMed

Moon, Hyun Im; Lee, Hyo Jeong; Yoon, Seo Yeon

2017-06-01

Impaired gait function after stroke contributes strongly to overall patient disability. However, the response to rehabilitation varies between individuals. The aims of this study were to identify predictors of gait velocity change and to elucidate lesion location associated with change of balance and gait function. We reviewed 102 stroke patients. The patients were divided into two groups according to gait ability post-rehabilitation, and we analyzed differences in their characteristics, such as demographic information, lesion factors, and initial balance function. Multivariate regression analyses were performed to examine the predictors of rehabilitation response. Lesion location and volume were measured on brain magnetic resonance images. We generated statistical maps of the lesions related to functional gains in gait and balance using voxel-based lesion symptom mapping (VLSM). The group of patients who regained independent ambulation function showed a smaller lesion size, a shorter duration from stroke onset, and higher initial balance function. In the regression model, gait velocity changes were predicted with the initial Berg balance scale (BBS) and duration post-onset. Absolute BBS changes were also correlated with the duration post-onset and initial BBS, and relative BBS changes were predicted by the baseline BBS. Using VLSM, lesion locations associated with gait velocity changes and balance adjusting for other factors were the insula, internal capsule, and adjacent white matter. Initial balance function as well as the interval between stroke onset and the initiation of therapy might influence balance recovery and gait velocity changes. Damage to the insula and internal capsule also affected gait velocity change after rehabilitation.

Maturation of neuronal form and function in a mouse thalamo-cortical circuit.

PubMed

Warren, R A; Jones, E G

1997-01-01

Postnatal development of physiological properties underlying slow intrathalamic oscillations was studied by whole-cell recording from synaptically coupled neurons of the reticular nucleus (RTN) and ventral posterior nucleus (VPN) of mouse brain slices in vitro and compared with the morphological development of dye-injected cells. Between postnatal days 3 and 11 (P3-P11), progressive changes in RTN and VPN neurons included shortening of the membrane time constant, decreasing input resistance, and lowering of the resting membrane potential (RMP). Low-threshold Ca2+ spikes (LTS) were present from P3, but their capacity to sustain multispike bursts was limited before P11. Synaptic responses were evoked in RTN and VPN neurons by electrical stimulation of the internal capsule from P3. Younger RTN neurons responded with a single spike, but their capacity to fire bursts gradually improved as the RMP reached levels below the LTS activation potential. Concomitantly, as the reversal potential of the inhibitory postsynaptic potential in VPN neurons became more negative, its capacity to deinactivate the LTS increased, and rebound bursts that could maintain oscillations were produced; sustained oscillations became the typical response to internal capsule stimulation at P12. The functional maturation of the intrathalamic circuitry, particularly between P10 and P14, occurs in parallel with the morphological maturation (size, dendritic growth, and dendritic field structure) of individual RTN and VPN neurons, as studied by confocal microscopy. Maturation of RTN cells led that of VPN cells by 2-3 d. The appearance of intrathalamic oscillations is probably correlated with the appearance of slow-wave sleep in postnatal animals.

Mechanical characterization of capsule properties using abrupt-step channels

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Salsac, Anne-Virginie; Le Goff, Anne; Kaoui, Badr; Barthè-Biesel, Dominique; Biomechanics; Bioengineering Lab Team

2017-11-01

Capsules consisting of a liquid droplet enclosed by a thin polymerized membrane are commonly encountered in nature (cells) or in industrial process (pharmaceutical, cosmetic or food products). The mechanical properties of the capsule wall are essential to guarantee the particle integrity and release of the internal contents when and where necessary. The difficulty is to assess the mechanical properties of the thin membrane. We will show how abrupt-step channels can be used to identify the membrane viscoelastic properties and point of rupture. This can be achieved by using a channel presenting a step change in cross-section and inverting the direction of the flow of the capsule suspension within the tube. To deduce information on the viscoelasticity, we will exploit the relaxation of the capsules as they flow through the expansion. To study membrane rupture, we will instead invert the channel, block the capsules at the neck of the constriction and determine the pressure difference needed for breakup. All the experiments will be conducted on initially spherical capsules with a thin cross-linked protein membrane for a proof of concept.

Therapeutic effects of the mitochondrial ROS-redox modulator KH176 in a mammalian model of Leigh Disease.

PubMed

de Haas, Ria; Das, Devashish; Garanto, Alejandro; Renkema, Herma G; Greupink, Rick; van den Broek, Petra; Pertijs, Jeanne; Collin, Rob W J; Willems, Peter; Beyrath, Julien; Heerschap, Arend; Russel, Frans G; Smeitink, Jan A

2017-09-15

Leigh Disease is a progressive neurometabolic disorder for which a clinical effective treatment is currently still lacking. Here, we report on the therapeutic efficacy of KH176, a new chemical entity derivative of Trolox, in Ndufs4 -/- mice, a mammalian model for Leigh Disease. Using in vivo brain diffusion tensor imaging, we show a loss of brain microstructural coherence in Ndufs4 -/- mice in the cerebral cortex, external capsule and cerebral peduncle. These findings are in line with the white matter diffusivity changes described in mitochondrial disease patients. Long-term KH176 treatment retained brain microstructural coherence in the external capsule in Ndufs4 -/- mice and normalized the increased lipid peroxidation in this area and the cerebral cortex. Furthermore, KH176 treatment was able to significantly improve rotarod and gait performance and reduced the degeneration of retinal ganglion cells in Ndufs4 -/- mice. These in vivo findings show that further development of KH176 as a potential treatment for mitochondrial disorders is worthwhile to pursue. Clinical trial studies to explore the potency, safety and efficacy of KH176 are ongoing.

Asymmetric-shell ignition capsule design to tune the low-mode asymmetry during the peak drive

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gu, Jianfa; Dai, Zhensheng; Song, Peng; Zou, Shiyang; Ye, Wenhua; Zheng, Wudi; Gu, Peijun; Wang, Jianguo; Zhu, Shaoping

2016-08-01

The low-mode radiation flux asymmetry in the hohlraum is a main source of performance degradation in the National Ignition Facility (NIF) implosion experiments. To counteract the deleterious effects of the large positive P2 flux asymmetry during the peak drive, this paper develops a new tuning method called asymmetric-shell ignition capsule design which adopts the intentionally asymmetric CH ablator layer or deuterium-tritium (DT) ice layer. A series of two-dimensional implosion simulations have been performed, and the results show that the intentionally asymmetric DT ice layer can significantly improve the fuel ρR symmetry, hot spot shape, hot spot internal energy, and the final neutron yield compared to the spherical capsule. This indicates that the DT asymmetric-shell capsule design is an effective tuning method, while the CH ablator asymmetric-shell capsule could not correct the fuel ρR asymmetry, and it is not as effective as the DT asymmetric-shell capsule design.

Asymmetric-shell ignition capsule design to tune the low-mode asymmetry during the peak drive

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Gu, Jianfa, E-mail: gu-jianfa@iapcm.ac.cn; Dai, Zhensheng, E-mail: dai-zhensheng@iapcm.ac.cn; Song, Peng

2016-08-15

The low-mode radiation flux asymmetry in the hohlraum is a main source of performance degradation in the National Ignition Facility (NIF) implosion experiments. To counteract the deleterious effects of the large positive P2 flux asymmetry during the peak drive, this paper develops a new tuning method called asymmetric-shell ignition capsule design which adopts the intentionally asymmetric CH ablator layer or deuterium-tritium (DT) ice layer. A series of two-dimensional implosion simulations have been performed, and the results show that the intentionally asymmetric DT ice layer can significantly improve the fuel ρR symmetry, hot spot shape, hot spot internal energy, and themore » final neutron yield compared to the spherical capsule. This indicates that the DT asymmetric-shell capsule design is an effective tuning method, while the CH ablator asymmetric-shell capsule could not correct the fuel ρR asymmetry, and it is not as effective as the DT asymmetric-shell capsule design.« less

The metastatic infiltration at the metastasis/brain parenchyma-interface is very heterogeneous and has a significant impact on survival in a prospective study

PubMed Central

Siam, Laila; Bleckmann, Annalen; Chaung, Han-Ning; Mohr, Alexander; Klemm, Florian; Barrantes-Freer, Alonso; Blazquez, Raquel; Wolff, Hendrik A.; Lüke, Florian; Rohde, Veit; Stadelmann, Christine; Pukrop, Tobias

2015-01-01

The current approach to brain metastases resection is macroscopic removal of metastasis until reaching the glial pseudo-capsule (gross total resection (GTR)). However, autopsy studies demonstrated infiltrating metastatic cells into the parenchyma at the metastasis/brain parenchyma (M/BP)-interface. Aims/Methods: To analyze the astrocyte reaction and metastatic infiltration pattern at the M/BP-interface with an organotypic brain slice coculture system. Secondly, to evaluate the significance of infiltrating metastatic tumor cells in a prospective biopsy study. Therefore, after GTR, biopsies were obtained from the brain parenchyma beyond the glial pseudo-capsule and analyzed histomorphologically. Results: The coculture revealed three types of cancer cell infiltration. Interestingly, the astrocyte reaction was significantly different in the coculture with a benign, neuroectodermal-derived cell line. In the prospective biopsy study 58/167 (34.7%) samples revealed infiltrating metastatic cells. Altogether, 25/39 patients (64.1%) had proven to exhibit infiltration in at least one biopsy specimen with significant impact on survival (OS) (3.4 HR; p = 0.009; 2-year OS was 6.6% versus 43.5%). Exceptionally, in the non-infiltrating cohort three patients were long-term survivors. Conclusions: Metastatic infiltration has a significant impact on prognosis. Secondly, the astrocyte reaction at the M/BP-interface is heterogeneous and supports our previous concept of the organ-specific defense against metastatic (organ-foreign) cells. PMID:26299612

White matter integrity in Asperger syndrome: a preliminary diffusion tensor magnetic resonance imaging study in adults.

PubMed

Bloemen, Oswald J N; Deeley, Quinton; Sundram, Fred; Daly, Eileen M; Barker, Gareth J; Jones, Derek K; van Amelsvoort, Therese A M J; Schmitz, Nicole; Robertson, Dene; Murphy, Kieran C; Murphy, Declan G M

2010-10-01

Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD), including Asperger syndrome and autism, is a highly genetic neurodevelopmental disorder. There is a consensus that ASD has a biological basis, and it has been proposed that it is a "connectivity" disorder. Diffusion Tensor Magnetic Resonance Imaging (DT-MRI) allows measurement of the microstructural integrity of white matter (a proxy measure of "connectivity"). However, nobody has investigated the microstructural integrity of whole brain white matter in people with Asperger syndrome. We measured the fractional anisotropy (FA), mean diffusivity (MD) and radial diffusivity (RD) of white matter, using DT-MRI, in 13 adults with Asperger syndrome and 13 controls. The groups did not differ significantly in overall intelligence and age. FA, MD and RD were assessed using whole brain voxel-based techniques. Adults with Asperger syndrome had a significantly lower FA than controls in 13 clusters. These were largely bilateral and included white matter in the internal capsule, frontal, temporal, parietal and occipital lobes, cingulum and corpus callosum. Adults with Asperger syndrome have widespread significant differences from controls in white matter microstructural integrity.

Diffusion-weighted MRI measures suggest increased white-matter integrity in Internet gaming disorder: Evidence from the comparison with recreational Internet game users.

PubMed

Dong, Guangheng; Wu, Lingdan; Wang, Ziliang; Wang, Yifan; Du, Xiaoxia; Potenza, Marc N

2018-06-01

Several studies have suggested that Internet gaming disorder (IGD) is related to altered brain white matter integrity. However, seeming inconsistencies exist and may reflect comparison groups not matched well for certain gaming characteristics. In order to address this possible concern, we recruited in the present study individuals with recreational Internet game use (RGU) comprised of individuals who spend similar amounts of time as IGD subjects playing online games without developing IGD. Diffusion tensor imaging data were collected from 42 IGD and 44 RGU subjects. Whole-brain comparisons showed that IGD subjects demonstrated increased fractional anisotropy (FA) in the bilateral anterior thalamic radiation, anterior limb of the internal capsule, bilateral corticospinal tract, bilateral inferior fronto-occipital fasciculus, corpus callosum, and bilateral inferior longitudinal fasciculus. In addition, Internet-addiction severity was positively correlated with FA values. Taken together, we conclude that IGD is associated with measures of increased white-matter integrity in tracts linking reward circuitry and sensory and motor control systems. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Agile patency system eliminates risk of capsule retention in patients with known intestinal strictures who undergo capsule endoscopy.

PubMed

Herrerias, Juan M; Leighton, Jonathan A; Costamagna, Guido; Infantolino, Anthony; Eliakim, Rami; Fischer, Doron; Rubin, David T; Manten, Howard D; Scapa, Eitan; Morgan, Douglas R; Bergwerk, Ari J; Koslowsky, Binyamin; Adler, Samuel N

2008-05-01

Capsule endoscopy (CE) of the small bowel has become a standard diagnostic tool, but there have been concerns regarding the risk of capsule retention in certain high-risk groups. The Agile patency system, an ingestible and dissolvable capsule with an external scanner, was developed to allow physicians to perform CE with greater confidence that the capsule will be safely excreted in patients at risk for capsule retention. Our purpose was to assess the ability of the device to help physicians identify which patients with known strictures may safely undergo CE. Patients with known strictures ingested the new patency capsule and underwent periodic scanning until it was excreted. The intestinal tract was considered to be sufficiently patent if the capsule was excreted intact or if the capsule was not detected by the scanner at 30 hours after ingestion. If patency was established, then standard CE was performed. International multicenter study. A total of 106 patients with known strictures. Agile patency system. Performance and safety of Agile patency system. A total of 106 patients ingested the patency capsule. Fifty-nine (56%) excreted it intact and subsequently underwent CE. There were no cases of capsule retention. Significant findings on CE were found in 24 (41%). There were 3 severe adverse events. These results suggest that the Agile patency system is a useful tool for physicians to use before CE in patients with strictures to avoid retention. This group of patients may have a high yield of clinically significant findings at CE. This capsule may determine whether patients who have a contraindication to CE may safely undergo CE and obtain useful diagnostic information.

Populations of subplate and interstitial neurons in fetal and adult human telencephalon.

PubMed

Judaš, Miloš; Sedmak, Goran; Pletikos, Mihovil; Jovanov-Milošević, Nataša

2010-10-01

In the adult human telencephalon, subcortical (gyral) white matter contains a special population of interstitial neurons considered to be surviving descendants of fetal subplate neurons [Kostovic & Rakic (1980) Cytology and the time of origin of interstitial neurons in the white matter in infant and adult human and monkey telencephalon. J Neurocytol9, 219]. We designate this population of cells as superficial (gyral) interstitial neurons and describe their morphology and distribution in the postnatal and adult human cerebrum. Human fetal subplate neurons cannot be regarded as interstitial, because the subplate zone is an essential part of the fetal cortex, the major site of synaptogenesis and the 'waiting' compartment for growing cortical afferents, and contains both projection neurons and interneurons with distinct input-output connectivity. However, although the subplate zone is a transient fetal structure, many subplate neurons survive postnatally as superficial (gyral) interstitial neurons. The fetal white matter is represented by the intermediate zone and well-defined deep periventricular tracts of growing axons, such as the corpus callosum, anterior commissure, internal and external capsule, and the fountainhead of the corona radiata. These tracts gradually occupy the territory of transient fetal subventricular and ventricular zones.The human fetal white matter also contains distinct populations of deep fetal interstitial neurons, which, by virtue of their location, morphology, molecular phenotypes and advanced level of dendritic maturation, remain distinct from subplate neurons and neurons in adjacent structures (e.g. basal ganglia, basal forebrain). We describe the morphological, histochemical (nicotinamide-adenine dinucleotide phosphate-diaphorase) and immunocytochemical (neuron-specific nuclear protein, microtubule-associated protein-2, calbindin, calretinin, neuropeptide Y) features of both deep fetal interstitial neurons and deep (periventricular) interstitial neurons in the postnatal and adult deep cerebral white matter (i.e. corpus callosum, anterior commissure, internal and external capsule and the corona radiata/centrum semiovale). Although these deep interstitial neurons are poorly developed or absent in the brains of rodents, they represent a prominent feature of the significantly enlarged white matter of human and non-human primate brains. © 2010 The Authors. Journal of Anatomy © 2010 Anatomical Society of Great Britain and Ireland.

Prognostic Value of the Apparent Diffusion Coefficient in Newborns with Hypoxic-Ischaemic Encephalopathy Treated with Therapeutic Hypothermia.

PubMed

Heursen, Eva-Marie; Zuazo Ojeda, Amaya; Benavente Fernández, Isabel; Jimenez Gómez, Gema; Campuzano Fernández-Colima, Rosalía; Paz-Expósito, José; Lubián López, Simón Pedro

2017-01-01

Apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) quantification has been proven to be of prognostic value in term newborns with hypoxic-ischaemic encephalopathy (HIE) who were treated under normothermia. To evaluate the prognostic value of ADC in standardized brain regions in neonates with HIE who were treated with therapeutic hypothermia (TH). This prospective cohort study included 54 term newborns who were admitted with HIE and treated with TH. All magnetic resonance imaging examinations were performed between days 4 and 6 of life, and ADC values were measured in 13 standardized regions of the brain. At 2 years of age we explored whether ADC values were related to composite outcomes (death or survival with abnormal neurodevelopment). The severity of HIE is inversely related to ADC values in different brain regions. We found that lower ADC values in the posterior limb of the internal capsule (PLIC), the thalami, the semioval centre, and frontal and parietal white matter were related to adverse outcomes. ADC values in the PLIC and thalami are good predictors of adverse outcomes (AUC 0.86 and 0.76). Low ADC values in the PLIC, thalamus, semioval centre, and frontal and parietal white matter in full-term infants with HIE treated with TH were associated with a poor outcome. © 2017 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Can musical training influence brain connectivity? Evidence from diffusion tensor MRI.

PubMed

Moore, Emma; Schaefer, Rebecca S; Bastin, Mark E; Roberts, Neil; Overy, Katie

2014-06-10

In recent years, musicians have been increasingly recruited to investigate grey and white matter neuroplasticity induced by skill acquisition. The development of Diffusion Tensor Magnetic Resonance Imaging (DT-MRI) has allowed more detailed investigation of white matter connections within the brain, addressing questions about the effect of musical training on connectivity between specific brain regions. Here, current DT-MRI analysis techniques are discussed and the available evidence from DT-MRI studies into differences in white matter architecture between musicians and non-musicians is reviewed. Collectively, the existing literature tends to support the hypothesis that musical training can induce changes in cross-hemispheric connections, with significant differences frequently reported in various regions of the corpus callosum of musicians compared with non-musicians. However, differences found in intra-hemispheric fibres have not always been replicated, while findings regarding the internal capsule and corticospinal tracts appear to be contradictory. There is also recent evidence to suggest that variances in white matter structure in non-musicians may correlate with their ability to learn musical skills, offering an alternative explanation for the structural differences observed between musicians and non-musicians. Considering the inconsistencies in the current literature, possible reasons for conflicting results are offered, along with suggestions for future research in this area.

Speech and oromotor outcome in adolescents born preterm: relationship to motor tract integrity.

PubMed

Northam, Gemma B; Liégeois, Frédérique; Chong, Wui K; Baker, Kate; Tournier, Jacques-Donald; Wyatt, John S; Baldeweg, Torsten; Morgan, Angela

2012-03-01

To assess speech abilities in adolescents born preterm and investigate whether there is an association between specific speech deficits and brain abnormalities. Fifty adolescents born prematurely (<33 weeks' gestation) with a spectrum of brain injuries were recruited (mean age, 16 years). Speech examination included tests of speech-sound processing and production and speech and oromotor control. Conventional magnetic resonance imaging and diffusion-weighted imaging was acquired in all adolescents born preterm and 30 term-born control subjects. Radiological ratings of brain injury were recorded and the integrity of the primary motor projections was measured (corticospinal tract and speech-motor corticobulbar tract [CST/CBT]). There were no clinical diagnoses of developmental dysarthria, dyspraxia, or a speech-sound disorder, but difficulties in speech and oromotor control were common. A regression analysis revealed that presence of a neurologic impairment, and diffusion-weighted imaging abnormalities in the left CST/CBT were significant independent predictors of poor speech and oromotor outcome. These left-lateralized abnormalities were most evident at the level of the posterior limb of the internal capsule. Difficulties in speech and oromotor control are common in adolescents born preterm, and adolescents with injury to the CST/CBT pathways in the left-hemisphere may be most at risk. Copyright © 2012 Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

Description and Nomenclature of Neisseria meningitidis Capsule Locus

PubMed Central

Claus, Heike; Jiang, Ying; Bennett, Julia S.; Bratcher, Holly B.; Jolley, Keith A.; Corton, Craig; Care, Rory; Poolman, Jan T.; Zollinger, Wendell D.; Frasch, Carl E.; Stephens, David S.; Feavers, Ian; Frosch, Matthias; Parkhill, Julian; Vogel, Ulrich; Quail, Michael A.; Bentley, Stephen D.; Maiden, Martin C.J.

2013-01-01

Pathogenic Neisseria meningitidis isolates contain a polysaccharide capsule that is the main virulence determinant for this bacterium. Thirteen capsular polysaccharides have been described, and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy has enabled determination of the structure of capsular polysaccharides responsible for serogroup specificity. Molecular mechanisms involved in N. meningitidis capsule biosynthesis have also been identified, and genes involved in this process and in cell surface translocation are clustered at a single chromosomal locus termed cps. The use of multiple names for some of the genes involved in capsule synthesis, combined with the need for rapid diagnosis of serogroups commonly associated with invasive meningococcal disease, prompted a requirement for a consistent approach to the nomenclature of capsule genes. In this report, a comprehensive description of all N. meningitidis serogroups is provided, along with a proposed nomenclature, which was presented at the 2012 XVIIIth International Pathogenic Neisseria Conference. PMID:23628376

Brain Training with Video Games in Covert Hepatic Encephalopathy.

PubMed

Bajaj, Jasmohan S; Ahluwalia, Vishwadeep; Thacker, Leroy R; Fagan, Andrew; Gavis, Edith A; Lennon, Michael; Heuman, Douglas M; Fuchs, Michael; Wade, James B

2017-02-01

Despite the associated adverse outcomes, pharmacologic intervention for covert hepatic encephalopathy (CHE) is not the standard of care. We hypothesized that a video game-based rehabilitation program would improve white matter integrity and brain connectivity in the visuospatial network on brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), resulting in improved cognitive function in CHE subjects on measures consistent with the cognitive skill set emphasized by the two video games (e.g., IQ Boost-visual working memory, and Aim and Fire Challenge-psychomotor speed), but also generalize to thinking skills beyond the focus of the cognitive training (Hopkins verbal learning test (HVLT)-verbal learning/memory) and improve their health-related quality of life (HRQOL). The trial included three phases over 8 weeks; during the learning phase (cognitive tests administered twice over 2 weeks without intervening intervention), training phase (daily video game training for 4 weeks), and post-training phase (testing 2 weeks after the video game training ended). Thirty CHE patients completed all visits with significant daily achievement on the video games. In a subset of 13 subjects that underwent brain MRI, there was a significant decrease in fractional anisotropy, and increased radial diffusivity (suggesting axonal sprouting or increased cross-fiber formation) involving similar brain regions (i.e., corpus callosum, internal capsule, and sections of the corticospinal tract) and improvement in the visuospatial resting-state connectivity corresponding to the video game training domains. No significant corresponding improvement in HRQOL or HVLT performance was noted, but cognitive performance did transiently improve on cognitive tests similar to the video games during training. Although multimodal brain imaging changes suggest reductions in tract edema and improved neural network connectivity, this trial of video game brain training did not improve the HRQOL or produce lasting improvement in cognitive function in patients with CHE.

Fluorescein sodium-guided surgery of a brain abscess: A case report

PubMed Central

Höhne, Julius; Brawanski, Alexander; Schebesch, Karl-Michael

2016-01-01

Background: Up to now, the feasibility and benefit of using fluorescein sodium under a dedicated surgical microscope filter (YE560, YELLOW 560 nm filter, Carl Zeiss Meditec, Germany) has never been clinically evaluated in infectious disorders of the brain. Case Description: Here, we report the case of a male patient with a brain abscess in the right parietal lobe that was removed under fluorescence-guidance (intravenous administration of fluorescein sodium 10%, 5 mg/kg bodyweight). The abscess capsule showed intensive yellow fluorescent staining, while − under white light − the cortex appeared normal. Conclusion: This technique may improve the identification and surgical removal of brain abscesses. PMID:28031990

Supercooling Water in Cylindrical Capsules

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guzman, J. J. Milón; Braga, S. L.

2005-11-01

An experimental apparatus was developed to investigate the supercooling phenomenon of water inside cylindrical capsules used for a cold storage process. The coolant is a water-alcohol mixture controlled by a constant temperature bath (CTB). Temperatures varying with time are measured inside and outside the capsule. Cylinders with an internal diameter and thickness of 45 and 1.5 mm, respectively, were made from four different materials: acrylic, PVC, brass, and aluminum. The supercooling period of the water and the nucleation temperature were investigated for different coolant temperatures. The supercooling and nucleation probabilities are shown as a function of the coolant temperature for the four different materials.

Effect of bending on the dynamics and wrinkle formation for a capsule in shear flow

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Salsac, Anne-Virginie; Dupont, Claire; Barthes-Biesel, Dominique; Vidrascu, Marina; Le Tallec, Patrick

2014-11-01

When microcapsules are subjected to an external flow, the droplets enclosed within a thin hyperelastic wall undergo large deformations, which often lead to buckling of the thin capsule wall. The objective is to study numerically an initially spherical capsule in shear flow and analyze the influence of the membrane bending rigidity on the capsule dynamics and wrinkle formation. The 3D fluid-structure interactions are modeled coupling a boundary integral method to solve for the internal and external Stokes flows with a thin shell finite element method to solve for the wall deformation. Hyperelastic constitutive laws are implemented to model the deformation of the capsule mid-surface and the generalized Hooke's law for the bending effects. We show that the capsule global motion and deformation are mainly governed by in-plane membrane tensions and are marginally influenced by the bending stiffness Ks. The bending stiffness, however, plays a role locally in regions of compressive tensions. The wrinkle wavelength depends on Ks following a power law, which provides an experimental technique to determine the value of Ks through inverse analysis.

Planetary protection on international waters: An onboard protocol for capsule retrieval and biosafety control in sample return mission

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Takano, Yoshinori; Yano, Hajime; Sekine, Yasuhito; Funase, Ryu; Takai, Ken

2014-04-01

Planetary protection has been recognized as one of the most important issues in sample return missions that may host certain living forms and biotic signatures in a returned sample. This paper proposes an initiative of sample capsule retrieval and onboard biosafety protocol in international waters for future biological and organic constituent missions to bring samples from possible habitable bodies in the solar system. We suggest the advantages of international waters being outside of national jurisdiction and active regions of human and traffic affairs on the condition that we accept the Outer Space Treaty. The scheme of onboard biological quarantine definitely reduces the potential risk of back-contamination of extraterrestrial materials to the Earth.

Polyelectrolyte capsules as carriers for growth factor inhibitor delivery to hepatocellular carcinoma.

PubMed

Baldassarre, Francesca; Vergaro, Viviana; Scarlino, Flavia; De Santis, Flavia; Lucarelli, Giovanna; Torre, Antonio Della; Ciccarella, Giuseppe; Rinaldi, Ross; Giannelli, Gianluigi; Leporatti, Stefano

2012-05-01

The efficient internalization of TGF-beta inhibitor-loaded polyelectrolyte capsules and particles is studied in two HCC cell lines. Two polyelectrolyte pairs (biocompatible but not degradable and biodegradable crosslinked with gluteraldehyde) are employed for coating. The capsules are characterized by SEM. LY is successfully loaded inside the core and embedded between polymer layers. MS is used to quantify the loading efficiency by comparing post-loading and core-loading methods, since both coated templates and hollow shells are used as carriers. CLSM confirms dissolution of the pre-formed multilayer upon enzymatic degradation as the method of release, and migration assays demonstrate a higher inhibition efficiency of TGF-beta in tailored biodegradable capsules compared to free LY administration. Copyright © 2012 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

[Assessment of motor and sensory pathways of the brain using diffusion-tensor tractography in children with cerebral palsy].

PubMed

Memedyarov, A M; Namazova-Baranova, L S; Ermolina, Y V; Anikin, A V; Maslova, O I; Karkashadze, M Z; Klochkova, O A

2014-01-01

Diffusion tensor tractography--a new method of magnetic resonance imaging, that allows to visualize the pathways of the brain and to study their structural-functional state. The authors investigated the changes in motor and sensory pathways of brain in children with cerebral palsy using routine magnetic resonance imaging and diffusion-tensor tractography. The main group consisted of 26 patients with various forms of cerebral palsy and the comparison group was 25 people with normal psychomotor development (aged 2 to 6 years) and MR-picture of the brain. Magnetic resonance imaging was performed on the scanner with the induction of a magnetic field of 1,5 Tesla. Coefficients of fractional anisotropy and average diffusion coefficient estimated in regions of the brain containing the motor and sensory pathways: precentral gyrus, posterior limb of the internal capsule, thalamus, posterior thalamic radiation and corpus callosum. Statistically significant differences (p < 0.05) values of fractional anisotropy and average diffusion coefficient in patients with cerebral palsy in relation to the comparison group. All investigated regions, the coefficients of fractional anisotropy in children with cerebral palsy were significantly lower, and the average diffusion coefficient, respectively, higher. These changes indicate a lower degree of ordering of the white matter tracts associated with damage and subsequent development of gliosis of varying severity in children with cerebral palsy. It is shown that microstructural damage localized in both motor and sensory tracts that plays a leading role in the development of the clinical picture of cerebral palsy.

Prediction of cognitive and motor development in preterm children using exhaustive feature selection and cross-validation of near-term white matter microstructure.

PubMed

Schadl, Kornél; Vassar, Rachel; Cahill-Rowley, Katelyn; Yeom, Kristin W; Stevenson, David K; Rose, Jessica

2018-01-01

Advanced neuroimaging and computational methods offer opportunities for more accurate prognosis. We hypothesized that near-term regional white matter (WM) microstructure, assessed on diffusion tensor imaging (DTI), using exhaustive feature selection with cross-validation would predict neurodevelopment in preterm children. Near-term MRI and DTI obtained at 36.6 ± 1.8 weeks postmenstrual age in 66 very-low-birth-weight preterm neonates were assessed. 60/66 had follow-up neurodevelopmental evaluation with Bayley Scales of Infant-Toddler Development, 3rd-edition (BSID-III) at 18-22 months. Linear models with exhaustive feature selection and leave-one-out cross-validation computed based on DTI identified sets of three brain regions most predictive of cognitive and motor function; logistic regression models were computed to classify high-risk infants scoring one standard deviation below mean. Cognitive impairment was predicted (100% sensitivity, 100% specificity; AUC = 1) by near-term right middle-temporal gyrus MD, right cingulate-cingulum MD, left caudate MD. Motor impairment was predicted (90% sensitivity, 86% specificity; AUC = 0.912) by left precuneus FA, right superior occipital gyrus MD, right hippocampus FA. Cognitive score variance was explained (29.6%, cross-validated Rˆ2 = 0.296) by left posterior-limb-of-internal-capsule MD, Genu RD, right fusiform gyrus AD. Motor score variance was explained (31.7%, cross-validated Rˆ2 = 0.317) by left posterior-limb-of-internal-capsule MD, right parahippocampal gyrus AD, right middle-temporal gyrus AD. Search in large DTI feature space more accurately identified neonatal neuroimaging correlates of neurodevelopment.

White matter microstructural abnormalities in girls with chromosome 22q11.2 deletion syndrome, Fragile X or Turner syndrome as evidenced by diffusion tensor imaging

PubMed Central

Villalon, Julio; Jahanshad, Neda; Beaton, Elliott; Toga, Arthur W.; Thompson, Paul M.; Simon, Tony J.

2014-01-01

Children with chromosome 22q11.2 Deletion Syndrome (22q11.2DS), Fragile X Syndrome (FXS), or Turner Syndrome (TS) are considered to belong to distinct genetic groups, as each disorder is caused by separate genetic alterations. Even so, they have similar cognitive and behavioral dysfunctions, particularly in visuospatial and numerical abilities. To assess evidence for common underlying neural microstructural alterations, we set out to determine whether these groups have partially overlapping white matter abnormalities, relative to typically developing controls. We scanned 101 female children between 7 and 14 years old: 25 with 22q11.2DS, 18 with FXS, 17 with TS, and 41 aged-matched controls using diffusion tensor imaging (DTI). Anisotropy and diffusivity measures were calculated and all brain scans were nonlinearly aligned to population and site-specific templates. We performed voxel-based statistical comparisons of the DTI-derived metrics between each disease group and the controls, while adjusting for age. Girls with 22q11.2DS showed lower fractional anisotropy (FA) than controls in the association fibers of the superior and inferior longitudinal fasciculi, the splenium of the corpus callosum, and the corticospinal tract. FA was abnormally lower in girls with FXS in the posterior limbs of the internal capsule, posterior thalami, and precentral gyrus. Girls with TS had lower FA in the inferior longitudinal fasciculus, right internal capsule and left cerebellar peduncle. Partially overlapping neurodevelopmental anomalies were detected in all three neurogenetic disorders. Altered white matter integrity in the superior and inferior longitudinal fasciculi and thalamic to frontal tracts may contribute to the behavioral characteristics of all of these disorders. PMID:23602925

The presence and influence of posterior capsule tightness on different shoulder problems.

PubMed

Duzgun, Irem; Turgut, Elif; Çinar-Medeni, Özge; Kafa, Nihan; Tuna, Zeynep; Elbasan, Bulent; Oskay, Deran

2017-01-01

In the literature it has been shown that posterior capsule flexibility is a precursor to shoulder problems. However, no study thus far has shown the influence of the flexibility of posterior capsule in different shoulder pathologies. This study set about to compare the role of posterior capsule tightness in different shoulder problems. One-hundred-twenty-five patients diagnosed with shoulder subacromial impingement syndrome (n= 52), partial rotator cuff tear (n= 31) or frozen shoulder (n= 42) and 30 asymptomatic peers participated in the study. Horizontal adduction was assessed in side-lying position for posterior capsule tightness. Pain was measured via the visual analogue scale and shoulder range of motion and active total elevation was assessed with goniometer. Hand behind the back (HBB) test was assessed the active internal rotation by measuring the distance between T5 and the thumb. It was found that the affected side of the posterior capsules of the patients with subacromial impingement syndrome (p< 0.001), partial rotator cuff tear (p< 0.001) and frozen shoulder (p< 0.001) was stiffer than their healthy side. There were significant differences among groups in the level of tightness in the posterior capsule between the affected and the healthy sides (p< 0.001). All range of motion of the shoulder including HBB test and the posterior capsule tightness of the affected side are found to be correlated (p< 0.05). This study emphasized that the posterior capsule's susceptibility to tightness is most evident in frozen shoulder among different shoulder problems.

Capsules with highly active pores and interiors: versatile platforms at the nanoscale.

PubMed

Müller, Achim; Gouzerh, Pierre

2014-04-22

Spherical porous capsules offer new exciting approaches in chemistry, materials sciences, and in context of physical and biological phenomena. The underlying concepts are reported with particular emphasis on metal oxide based capsules of the {M132 } Keplerate type which display-due to their exceptional structural features and easy variation/derivatization as well as exchange of building units-an unmatched range of properties and offer unique opportunities for investigating a variety of basic aspects of nanoscience, including the discovery of some new phenomena, especially those related to hydrophobicity issues that are of significance for everyday life. This relies in particular on the existence of a large number of flexible crown ether type pores/channels and the possibility of changing the interior from completely hydrophilic to completely hydrophobic due to the presence of numerous easily exchangeable internal ligands/functionalities; the capsules can even be constructed so that they enclose a large number of highly active Lewis and Brønsted acid sites. The manifold of possible applications/uses are outlined as subtitles with reference to results as well as possible future studies. There are, among many others, options to control passing cations under different internal frames allowing also their separations, to conduct studies about hydrophobic recognitions and clustering of biological interest in water, controlled internal ion transport, nanoscale dewetting, and to carry out basic as well as new types of reactions under confined conditions. © 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Revealing pathologies in the liquid crystalline structures of the brain by polarimetric studies (Presentation Recording)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bakhshetyan, Karen; Melkonyan, Gurgen G.; Galstian, Tigran V.; Saghatelyan, Armen

2015-10-01

Natural or "self" alignment of molecular complexes in living tissue represents many similarities with liquid crystals (LC), which are anisotropic liquids. The orientational characteristics of those complexes may be related to many important functional parameters and their study may reveal important pathologies. The know-how, accumulated thanks to the study of LC materials, may thus be used to this end. One of the traditionally used methods, to characterize those materials, is the polarized light imaging (PLI) that allows for label-free analysis of anisotropic structures in the brain tissue and can be used, for example, for the analysis of myelinated fiber bundles. In the current work, we first attempted to apply the PLI on the mouse histological brain sections to create a map of anisotropic structures using cross-polarizer transmission light. Then we implemented the PLI for comparative study of histological sections of human postmortem brain samples under normal and pathological conditions, such as Parkinson's disease (PD). Imaging the coronal, sagittal and horizontal sections of mouse brain allowed us to create a false color-coded fiber orientation map under polarized light. In human brain datasets for both control and PD groups we measured the pixel intensities in myelin-rich subregions of internal capsule and normalized these to non-myelinated background signal from putamen and caudate nucleus. Quantification of intensities revealed a statistically significant reduction of fiber intensity of PD compared to control subjects (2.801 +/- 0.303 and 3.724 +/- 0.07 respectively; *p < 0.05). Our study confirms the validity of PLI method for visualizing myelinated axonal fibers. This relatively simple technique can become a promising tool for study of neurodegenerative diseases where labeling-free imaging is an important benefit.

Predicting Outcome after Pediatric Traumatic Brain Injury by Early Magnetic Resonance Imaging Lesion Location and Volume

PubMed Central

Smitherman, Emily; Hernandez, Ana; Stavinoha, Peter L.; Huang, Rong; Kernie, Steven G.; Diaz-Arrastia, Ramon

2016-01-01

Abstract Brain lesions after traumatic brain injury (TBI) are heterogeneous, rendering outcome prognostication difficult. The aim of this study is to investigate whether early magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of lesion location and lesion volume within discrete brain anatomical zones can accurately predict long-term neurological outcome in children post-TBI. Fluid-attenuated inversion recovery (FLAIR) MRI hyperintense lesions in 63 children obtained 6.2±5.6 days postinjury were correlated with the Glasgow Outcome Scale Extended-Pediatrics (GOS-E Peds) score at 13.5±8.6 months. FLAIR lesion volume was expressed as hyperintensity lesion volume index (HLVI)=(hyperintensity lesion volume / whole brain volume)×100 measured within three brain zones: zone A (cortical structures); zone B (basal ganglia, corpus callosum, internal capsule, and thalamus); and zone C (brainstem). HLVI-total and HLVI-zone C predicted good and poor outcome groups (p<0.05). GOS-E Peds correlated with HLVI-total (r=0.39; p=0.002) and HLVI in all three zones: zone A (r=0.31; p<0.02); zone B (r=0.35; p=0.004); and zone C (r=0.37; p=0.003). In adolescents ages 13–17 years, HLVI-total correlated best with outcome (r=0.5; p=0.007), whereas in younger children under the age of 13, HLVI-zone B correlated best (r=0.52; p=0.001). Compared to patients with lesions in zone A alone or in zones A and B, patients with lesions in all three zones had a significantly higher odds ratio (4.38; 95% confidence interval, 1.19–16.0) for developing an unfavorable outcome. PMID:25808802

Quantification of ante-mortem hypoxic ischemic brain injury by post-mortem cerebral magnetic resonance imaging in neonatal encephalopathy.

PubMed

Montaldo, Paolo; Chaban, Badr; Lally, Peter J; Sebire, Neil J; Taylor, Andrew M; Thayyil, Sudhin

2015-11-01

Post-mortem (PM) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is increasingly used as an alternative to conventional autopsy in babies dying from neonatal encephalopathy. However, the confounding effect of post-mortem changes on the detection of ante-mortem ischemic injury is unclear. We examined whether quantitative MR measurements can accurately distinguish ante-mortem ischemic brain injury from artifacts using post-mortem MRI. We compared PM brain MRI (1.5 T Siemens, Avanto) in 7 infants who died with neonatal encephalopathy (NE) of presumed hypoxic-ischemic origin with 7 newborn infants who had sudden unexplained neonatal death (SUND controls) without evidence of hypoxic-ischemic brain injury at autopsy. We measured apparent diffusion coefficients (ADCs), T1-weighted signal intensity ratios (SIRs) compared to vitreous humor and T2 relaxation times from 19 predefined brain areas typically involved in neonatal encephalopathy. There were no differences in mean ADC values, SIRs on T1-weighted images or T2 relaxation times in any of the 19 predefined brain areas between NE and SUND infants. All MRI images showed loss of cortical gray/white matter differentiation, loss of the normal high signal intensity (SI) in the posterior limb of the internal capsule on T1-weighted images, and high white matter SI on T2-weighted images. Normal post-mortem changes may be easily mistaken for ante-mortem ischemic injury, and current PM MRI quantitative assessment cannot reliably distinguish these. These findings may have important implications for appropriate interpretation of PM imaging findings, especially in medico-legal practice. Copyright © 2015 European Paediatric Neurology Society. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Age exacerbates HIV-associated white matter abnormalities.

PubMed

Seider, Talia R; Gongvatana, Assawin; Woods, Adam J; Chen, Huaihou; Porges, Eric C; Cummings, Tiffany; Correia, Stephen; Tashima, Karen; Cohen, Ronald A

2016-04-01

Both HIV disease and advanced age have been associated with alterations to cerebral white matter, as measured with white matter hyperintensities (WMH) on fluid-attenuated inversion recovery (FLAIR) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and more recently with diffusion tensor imaging (DTI). This study investigates the combined effects of age and HIV serostatus on WMH and DTI measures, as well as the relationships between these white matter measures, in 88 HIV seropositive (HIV+) and 49 seronegative (HIV-) individuals aged 23-79 years. A whole-brain volumetric measure of WMH was quantified from FLAIR images using a semi-automated process, while fractional anisotropy (FA) was calculated for 15 regions of a whole-brain white matter skeleton generated using tract-based spatial statistics (TBSS). An age by HIV interaction was found indicating a significant association between WMH and older age in HIV+ participants only. Similarly, significant age by HIV interactions were found indicating stronger associations between older age and decreased FA in the posterior limbs of the internal capsules, cerebral peduncles, and anterior corona radiata in HIV+ vs. HIV- participants. The interactive effects of HIV and age were stronger with respect to whole-brain WMH than for any of the FA measures. Among HIV+ participants, greater WMH and lower anterior corona radiata FA were associated with active hepatitis C virus infection, a history of AIDS, and higher current CD4 cell count. Results indicate that age exacerbates HIV-associated abnormalities of whole-brain WMH and fronto-subcortical white matter integrity.

A Whole-Brain Investigation of White Matter Microstructure in Adolescents with Conduct Disorder.

PubMed

Sarkar, Sagari; Dell'Acqua, Flavio; Froudist Walsh, Seán; Blackwood, Nigel; Scott, Stephen; Craig, Michael C; Deeley, Quinton; Murphy, Declan G M

2016-01-01

The biological basis of severe antisocial behaviour in adolescents is poorly understood. We recently reported that adolescents with conduct disorder (CD) have significantly increased fractional anisotropy (FA) of the uncinate fasciculus (a white matter (WM) tract that connects the amygdala to the frontal lobe) compared to their non-CD peers. However, the extent of WM abnormality in other brain regions is currently unclear. We used tract-based spatial statistics to investigate whole brain WM microstructural organisation in 27 adolescent males with CD, and 21 non-CD controls. We also examined relationships between FA and behavioural measures. Groups did not differ significantly in age, ethnicity, or substance use history. The CD group, compared to controls, had clusters of significantly greater FA in 7 brain regions corresponding to: 1) the bilateral inferior and superior cerebellar peduncles, corticopontocerebellar tract, posterior limb of internal capsule, and corticospinal tract; 2) right superior longitudinal fasciculus; and 3) left cerebellar WM. Severity of antisocial behavior and callous-unemotional symptoms were significantly correlated with FA in several of these regions across the total sample, but not in the CD or control groups alone. Adolescents with CD have significantly greater FA than controls in WM regions corresponding predominantly to the fronto-cerebellar circuit. There is preliminary evidence that variation in WM microstructure may be dimensionally related to behaviour problems in youngsters. These findings are consistent with the hypothesis that antisocial behaviour in some young people is associated with abnormalities in WM 'connectivity'.

Deficits in Docosahexaenoic Acid Accrual during Adolescence Reduce Rat Forebrain White Matter Microstructural Integrity: An in vivo Diffusion Tensor Imaging Study.

PubMed

McNamara, Robert K; Schurdak, Jennifer D; Asch, Ruth H; Peters, Bart D; Lindquist, Diana M

2018-01-01

Neuropsychiatric disorders that frequently initially emerge during adolescence are associated with deficits in the omega-3 (n-3) fatty acid docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), elevated proinflammatory signaling, and regional reductions in white matter integrity (WMI). This study determined the effects of altering brain DHA accrual during adolescence on WMI in the rat brain by diffusion tensor imaging (DTI), and investigated the potential mediating role of proinflammatory signaling. During periadolescent development, male rats were fed a diet deficient in n-3 fatty acids (DEF, n = 20), a fish oil-fortified diet containing preformed DHA (FO, n = 20), or a control diet (CON, n = 20). In adulthood, DTI scans were performed and brain WMI was determined using voxelwise tract-based spatial statistics (TBSS). Postmortem fatty acid composition, peripheral (plasma IL-1β, IL-6, and C-reactive protein [CRP]) and central (IL-1β and CD11b mRNA) proinflammatory markers, and myelin basic protein (MBP) mRNA expression were determined. Compared with CON rats, forebrain DHA levels were lower in DEF rats and higher in FO rats. Compared with CON rats, DEF rats exhibited greater radial diffusivity (RD) and mean diffusivity in the right external capsule, and greater axial diffusivity in the corpus callosum genu and left external capsule. DEF rats also exhibited greater RD than FO rats in the right external capsule. Forebrain MBP expression did not differ between groups. Compared with CON rats, central (IL-1β and CD11b) and peripheral (IL-1β and IL-6) proinflammatory markers were not different in DEF rats, and DEF rats exhibited lower CRP levels. These findings demonstrate that deficits in adolescent DHA accrual negatively impact forebrain WMI, independently of elevated proinflammatory signaling. © 2017 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Forthergillian Lecture. Imaging human brain function.

PubMed

Frackowiak, R S

The non-invasive brain scanning techniques introduced a quarter of a century ago have become crucial for diagnosis in clinical neurology. They have also been used to investigate brain function and have provided information about normal activity and pathogenesis. They have been used to investigate functional specialization in the brain and how specialized areas communicate to generate complex integrated functions such as speech, memory, the emotions and so on. The phenomenon of brain plasticity is poorly understood and yet clinical neurologists are aware, from everyday observations, that spontaneous recovery from brain lesions is common. An improved understanding of the mechanisms of recovery may generate new therapeutic strategies and indicate ways of modulating mechanisms that promote plastic compensation for loss of function. The main methods used to investigate these issues are positron emission tomography and magnetic resonance imaging (M.R.I.). M.R.I. is also used to map brain structure. The techniques of functional brain mapping and computational morphometrics depend on high performance scanners and a validated set of analytic statistical procedures that generate reproducible data and meaningful inferences from brain scanning data. The motor system presents a good paradigm to illustrate advances made by scanning towards an understanding of plasticity at the level of brain areas. The normal motor system is organized in a nested hierarchy. Recovery from paralysis caused by internal capsule strokes involves functional reorganization manifesting itself as changed patterns of activity in the component brain areas of the normal motor system. The pattern of plastic modification depends in part on patterns of residual or disturbed connectivity after brain injury. Therapeutic manipulations in patients with Parkinson's disease using deep brain stimulation, dopaminergic agents or fetal mesencephalic transplantation provide a means to examine mechanisms underpinning plastic change. Other models of plastic change, such as normal visuospatial learning or re-establishing speech comprehension after cochlear implantation in the deaf illustrate how patterns of brain function adapt over time. Limitations of the scanning techniques and prospects for the future are discussed in relation to new developments in the neuroimaging field.

Surfactant-Induced Ordering and Wetting Transitions of Droplets of Thermotropic Liquid Crystals “Caged” Inside Partially Filled Polymeric Capsules

PubMed Central

2015-01-01

We report a study of the wetting and ordering of thermotropic liquid crystal (LC) droplets that are trapped (or “caged”) within micrometer-sized cationic polymeric microcapsules dispersed in aqueous solutions of surfactants. When they were initially dispersed in water, we observed caged, nearly spherical droplets of E7, a nematic LC mixture, to occupy ∼40% of the interior volume of the polymeric capsules [diameter of 6.7 ± 0.3 μm, formed via covalent layer-by-layer assembly of branched polyethylenimine and poly(2-vinyl-4,4-dimethylazlactone)] and to contact the interior surface of the capsule wall at an angle of ∼157 ± 11°. The internal ordering of LC within the droplets corresponded to the so-called bipolar configuration (distorted by contact with the capsule walls). While the effects of dodecyltrimethylammonium bromide (DTAB) and sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) on the internal ordering of “free” LC droplets are similar, we observed the two surfactants to trigger strikingly different wetting and configurational transitions when LC droplets were caged within polymeric capsules. Specifically, upon addition of SDS to the aqueous phase, we observed the contact angles (θ) of caged LC on the interior surface of the capsule to decrease, resulting in a progression of complex droplet shapes, including lenses (θ ≈ 130 ± 10°), hemispheres (θ ≈ 89 ± 5°), and concave hemispheres (θ < 85°). The wetting transitions induced by SDS also resulted in changes in the internal ordering of the LC to yield states topologically equivalent to axial and radial configurations. Although topologically equivalent to free droplets, the contributions that surface anchoring, LC elasticity, and topological defects make to the free energy of caged LC droplets differ from those of free droplets. Overall, these results and others reported herein lead us to conclude that caged LC droplets offer a platform for new designs of LC-droplet-based responsive soft matter that cannot be realized in dispersions of free droplets. PMID:24911044

Microsurgical and Tractographic Anatomy of the Supplementary Motor Area Complex in Humans.

PubMed

Bozkurt, Baran; Yagmurlu, Kaan; Middlebrooks, Erik H; Karadag, Ali; Ovalioglu, Talat Cem; Jagadeesan, Bharathi; Sandhu, Gauravjot; Tanriover, Necmettin; Grande, Andrew W

2016-11-01

To evaluate the microsurgical anatomy of the fiber tract connections of the supplementary motor area (SMA) and pre-SMA, and examine its potential functional role with reference to clinical trials in the literature. Ten postmortem formalin-fixed human brains (20 sides) and 1 cadaveric head were prepared following Klingler's method. The fiber dissection was performed in a stepwise fashion, from lateral to medial and also from medial to lateral, under an operating microscope, with 3D images captured at each stage. Our findings were supported by in vivo magnetic resonance imaging tractography in 2 healthy subjects. The connections of the SMA complex, composed of the pre-SMA and the SMA proper, are composed of short "U" association fibers and the superior longitudinal fasciculus I, cingulum, claustrocortical fibers, callosal fibers, corticospinal tract, frontal aslant tract, and frontostriatal tract. The claustrocortical fibers may play an important role in the integration of motor, language, and limbic functions of the SMA complex. The frontostriatal tract connects the pre-SMA to the putamen and caudate nucleus, and also forms parts of both the internal capsule and the dorsal external capsule. The SMA complex has numerous connections throughout the cerebrum. An understanding of these connections is important for presurgical planning for lesions in the frontal lobe and helps explain symptoms related to SMA injury. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Therapeutic applications of radioactive (131)iodine: Procedures and incidents with capsules.

PubMed

Al Aamri, Marwa; Ravichandran, Ramamoorthy; Binukumar, John Pichy; Al Balushi, Naima

2016-01-01

Treatments for thyrotoxicosis and carcinoma thyroid are carried out by oral administration of radioactive iodine ((131)I) in the form of liquid or capsules. The liquid form of (131)I has higher risk factors such as vapourization, spillage and need for management of higher activity wastes. Use of (131)I in capsule form simplify procedures of handling compared to liquid form of (131)I. The guidelines of safe handling and quality assurance aspects for therapeutic use (131)I are well outlined by International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) reports. A few unusual incidents with I-131 capsules encountered in the past need to be highlighted from health physics point of view. In Royal Hospital, Oman, I-131 is imported in capsules, and the total activity handled/year steadily increased over 10 years. Discrete activities range from 185 MBq (5 mCi) up to 7.4 GBq (200 mCi). In four incidents deviations in standard operational procedures were recorded. Nature of incidents is described as follows: (1) After assay of activity, the capsule was directly put in the lead container with missing of inner cap. (2) Patient poured water in the Perspex tube, when the capsule was handed over to her, making an emergency situation. (3) In 3 high activity capsules (2 nos 2.96 GBq, 1 no. 4.26 GBq), observed sticky behavior in capsule holder on the 2(nd) day post receipt, which were in order on the 1(st) day. (4) A capsule could not be swallowed by a patient, which was taken back from the mouth. Monitoring of patient later did not show residual ingested activity. The report documents some of the unusual incidents for information to other centers engaged in such radioactive administrations.

Airborne Observation of the Hayabusa Sample Return Capsule Re-Entry

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Grinstead, Jay H.; Jenniskens, Peter; Cassell, Alan M.; Albers, James; Winter, Michael W.

2011-01-01

NASA Ames Research Center and the SETI Institute collaborated on an effort to observe the Earth re-entry of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency's Hayabusa sample return capsule. Hayabusa was an asteroid exploration mission that retrieved a sample from the near-Earth asteroid Itokawa. Its sample return capsule re-entered over the Woomera Prohibited Area in southern Australia on June 13, 2010. Being only the third sample return mission following NASA's Genesis and Stardust missions, Hayabusa's return was a rare opportunity to collect aerothermal data from an atmospheric entry capsule returning at superorbital speeds. NASA deployed its DC-8 airborne laboratory and a team of international researchers to Australia for the re-entry. For approximately 70 seconds, spectroscopic and radiometric imaging instruments acquired images and spectra of the capsule, its wake, and destructive re-entry of the spacecraft bus. Once calibrated, spectra of the capsule will be interpreted to yield data for comparison with and validation of high fidelity and engineering simulation tools used for design and development of future atmospheric entry system technologies. A brief summary of the Hayabusa mission, the preflight preparations and observation mission planning, mission execution, and preliminary spectral data are documented.

Image-guided preoperative prediction of pyramidal tract side effect in deep brain stimulation: proof of concept and application to the pyramidal tract side effect induced by pallidal stimulation.

PubMed

Baumgarten, Clement; Zhao, Yulong; Sauleau, Paul; Malrain, Cecile; Jannin, Pierre; Haegelen, Claire

2016-04-01

Deep brain stimulation of the medial globus pallidus (GPm) is a surgical procedure for treating patients suffering from Parkinson's disease. Its therapeutic effect may be limited by the presence of pyramidal tract side effect (PTSE). PTSE is a contraction time-locked to the stimulation when the current spreading reaches the motor fibers of the pyramidal tract within the internal capsule. The objective of the study was to propose a preoperative predictive model of PTSE. A machine learning-based method called PyMAN (PTSE model based on artificial neural network) accounting for the current used in stimulation, the three-dimensional electrode coordinates and the angle of the trajectory, was designed to predict the occurrence of PTSE. Ten patients implanted in the GPm have been tested by a clinician to create a labeled dataset of the stimulation parameters that trigger PTSE. The kappa index value between the data predicted by PyMAN and the labeled data was 0.78. Further evaluation studies are desirable to confirm whether PyMAN could be a reliable tool for assisting the surgeon to prevent PTSE during the preoperative planning.

Chemosensors and biosensors based on polyelectrolyte microcapsules containing fluorescent dyes and enzymes.

PubMed

Kazakova, Lyubov I; Shabarchina, Lyudmila I; Anastasova, Salzitsa; Pavlov, Anton M; Vadgama, Pankaj; Skirtach, Andre G; Sukhorukov, Gleb B

2013-02-01

The concept of enzyme-assisted substrate sensing based on use of fluorescent markers to detect the products of enzymatic reaction has been investigated by fabrication of micron-scale polyelectrolyte capsules containing enzymes and dyes in one entity. Microcapsules approximately 5 μm in size entrap glucose oxidase or lactate oxidase, with peroxidase, together with the corresponding markers Tris(4,7-diphenyl-1,10-phenanthroline)ruthenium(II) dichloride (Ru(dpp)) complex and dihydrorhodamine 123 (DHR123), which are sensitive to oxygen and hydrogen peroxide, respectively. These capsules are produced by co-precipitation of calcium carbonate particles with the enzyme followed by layer-by-layer assembly of polyelectrolytes over the surface of the particles and incorporation of the dye in the capsule interior or in the multilayer shell. After dissolution of the calcium carbonate the enzymes and dyes remain in the multilayer capsules. In this study we produced enzyme-containing microcapsules sensitive to glucose and lactate. Calibration curves based on fluorescence intensity of Ru(dpp) and DHR123 were linearly dependent on substrate concentration, enabling reliable sensing in the millimolar range. The main advantages of using these capsules with optical recording is the possibility of building single capsule-based sensors. The response from individual capsules was observed by confocal microscopy as increasing fluorescence intensity of the capsule on addition of lactate at millimolar concentrations. Because internalization of the micron-sized multi-component capsules was feasible, they could be further optimized for in-situ intracellular sensing and metabolite monitoring on the basis of fluorescence reporting.

Phenotypic Heterogeneity in Expression of the K1 Polysaccharide Capsule of Uropathogenic Escherichia coli and Downregulation of the Capsule Genes during Growth in Urine.

PubMed

King, Jane E; Aal Owaif, Hasan A; Jia, Jia; Roberts, Ian S

2015-07-01

Uropathogenic Escherichia coli (UPEC) is the major causative agent of uncomplicated urinary tract infections (UTI). The K1 capsule on the surface of UPEC strains is a key virulence factor, and its expression may be important in the onset and progression of UTI. In order to understand capsule expression in more detail, we analyzed its expression in the UPEC strain UTI89 during growth in rich medium (LB medium) and urine and during infection of a bladder epithelial cell line. Comparison of capsule gene transcription using a chromosomal gfp reporter fusion showed a significant reduction in transcription during growth in urine compared to that during growth in LB medium. When examined at the single-cell level, following growth in both media, capsule gene expression appears to be heterogeneous, with two distinct green fluorescent protein (GFP)-expressing populations. Using anti-K1 antibody, we showed that this heterogeneity in gene expression results in two populations of encapsulated and unencapsulated cells. We demonstrated that the capsule hinders attachment to and invasion of epithelial cells and that the unencapsulated cells within the population preferentially adhere to and invade bladder epithelial cells. We found that once internalized, UTI89 starts to produce capsule to aid in its intracellular survival and spread. We propose that this observed phenotypic diversity in capsule expression is a fitness strategy used by the bacterium to deal with the constantly changing environment of the urinary tract. Copyright © 2015 King et al.

Validity of semi-quantitative scale for brain MRI in unilateral cerebral palsy due to periventricular white matter lesions: Relationship with hand sensorimotor function and structural connectivity

PubMed Central

Fiori, Simona; Guzzetta, Andrea; Pannek, Kerstin; Ware, Robert S.; Rossi, Giuseppe; Klingels, Katrijn; Feys, Hilde; Coulthard, Alan; Cioni, Giovanni; Rose, Stephen; Boyd, Roslyn N.

2015-01-01

Aim To provide first evidence of construct validity of a semi-quantitative scale for brain structural MRI (sqMRI scale) in children with unilateral cerebral palsy (UCP) secondary to periventricular white matter (PWM) lesions, by examining the relationship with hand sensorimotor function and whole brain structural connectivity. Methods Cross-sectional study of 50 children with UCP due to PWM lesions using 3 T (MRI), diffusion MRI and assessment of hand sensorimotor function. We explored the relationship of lobar, hemispheric and global scores on the sqMRI scale, with fractional anisotropy (FA), as a measure of brain white matter microstructure, and with hand sensorimotor measures (Assisting Hand Assessment, AHA; Jebsen–Taylor Test for Hand Function, JTTHF; Melbourne Assessment of Unilateral Upper Limb Function, MUUL; stereognosis; 2-point discrimination). Results Lobar and hemispheric scores on the sqMRI scale contralateral to the clinical side of hemiplegia correlated with sensorimotor paretic hand function measures and FA of a number of brain structural connections, including connections of brain areas involved in motor control (postcentral, precentral and paracentral gyri in the parietal lobe). More severe lesions correlated with lower sensorimotor performance, with the posterior limb of internal capsule score being the strongest contributor to impaired hand function. Conclusion The sqMRI scale demonstrates first evidence of construct validity against impaired motor and sensory function measures and brain structural connectivity in a cohort of children with UCP due to PWM lesions. More severe lesions correlated with poorer paretic hand sensorimotor function and impaired structural connectivity in the hemisphere contralateral to the clinical side of hemiplegia. The quantitative structural MRI scoring may be a useful clinical tool for studying brain structure–function relationships but requires further validation in other populations of CP. PMID:26106533

Diffusion Tensor Imaging Parameters in Mild Traumatic Brain Injury and Its Correlation with Early Neuropsychological Impairment: A Longitudinal Study.

PubMed

Veeramuthu, Vigneswaran; Narayanan, Vairavan; Kuo, Tan Li; Delano-Wood, Lisa; Chinna, Karuthan; Bondi, Mark William; Waran, Vicknes; Ganesan, Dharmendra; Ramli, Norlisah

2015-10-01

We explored the prognostic value of diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) parameters of selected white matter (WM) tracts in predicting neuropsychological outcome, both at baseline and 6 months later, among well-characterized patients diagnosed with mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI). Sixty-one patients with mTBI (mean age=27.08; standard deviation [SD], 8.55) underwent scanning at an average of 10 h (SD, 4.26) post-trauma along with assessment of their neuropsychological performance at an average of 4.35 h (SD, 7.08) upon full Glasgow Coma Scale recovery. Results were then compared to 19 healthy control participants (mean age=29.05; SD, 5.84), both in the acute stage and 6 months post-trauma. DTI and neuropsychological measures between acute and chronic phases were compared, and significant differences emerged. Specifically, chronic-phase fractional anisotropy and radial diffusivity values showed significant group differences in the corona radiata, anterior limb of internal capsule, cingulum, superior longitudinal fasciculus, optic radiation, and genu of corpus callosum. Findings also demonstrated associations between DTI indices and neuropsychological outcome across two time points. Our results provide new evidence for the use of DTI as an imaging biomarker and indicator of WM damage occurring in the context of mTBI, and they underscore the dynamic nature of brain injury and possible biological basis of chronic neurocognitive alterations.

Brain morphological alterations and cellular metabolic changes in patients with generalized anxiety disorder: A combined DARTEL-based VBM and (1)H-MRS study.

PubMed

Moon, Chung-Man; Jeong, Gwang-Woo

2016-05-01

Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) is characterized by emotional dysregulation and cognitive deficit in conjunction with brain morphometric and metabolic alterations. This study assessed the combined neural morphological deficits and metabolic abnormality in patients with GAD. Thirteen patients with GAD and 13 healthy controls matched for age, sex, and education level underwent high-resolution T1-weighted MRI and proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy ((1)H-MRS) at 3Tesla. In this study, the combination of voxel-based morphometry (VBM) and (1)H-MRS was used to assess the brain morphometric and metabolic alterations in GAD. The patients showed significantly reduced white matter (WM) volumes in the midbrain (MB), precentral gyrus (PrG), dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) and anterior limb of the internal capsule (ALIC) compared to the controls. In MRS study, the choline/creatine (Cho/Cr) and choline/N-acetylaspartate (Cho/NAA) ratios in the DLPFC were significantly lower in the patients. Particularly, the WM volume variation of the DLPFC was positively correlated with both of the Cho/Cr and Cho/NAA ratios in patients with GAD. This study provides an evidence for the association between the morphometric deficit and metabolic changes in GAD. This finding would be helpful to understand the neural dysfunction and pathogenesis in connection with cognitive impairments in GAD. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

DTI-MRI biomarkers in the search for normal pressure hydrocephalus aetiology: a review.

PubMed

Hoza, David; Vlasák, Aleš; Hořínek, Daniel; Sameš, Martin; Alfieri, Alex

2015-04-01

Normal pressure hydrocephalus (NPH) is a clinical syndrome characterized by gait disturbances, urinary incontinence and dementia. Clinical presentation overlaps with Alzheimer disease (AD). Early recognition thus early intervention (shunting) is important for successful treatment, but lack of a diagnostic test with sufficient sensitivity and specificity complicates the diagnosis. We performed literature search and composed a structured review of imaging biomarkers of NPH. Morphometric studies are not sufficient to diagnose NPH. Hydrocephalus is a common finding in elderly people due to the symmetric brain atrophy and is even more pronounced in patients with AD. The key MRI biomarker seems to be diffusion tensor imaging (DTI). According to recent studies, the DTI analysis of the splenium corporis callosi, posterior limb of internal capsule, hippocampus and fornix combined with measurement of Evans index is a promising MRI biomarker of NPH and could be used for NPH diagnostics and in the differential diagnosis from AD and other dementias.

siRNA capsulated brain-targeted nanoparticles specifically knock down OATP2B1 in mice: a mechanism for acute morphine tolerance suppression.

PubMed

Yang, Zi-Zhao; Li, Li; Wang, Lu; Xu, Ming-Cheng; An, Sai; Jiang, Chen; Gu, Jing-Kai; Wang, Zai-Jie Jim; Yu, Lu-Shan; Zeng, Su

2016-09-15

Regulating main brain-uptake transporter of morphine may restrict its tolerance generation, then modify its antinociception. In this study, more than 2 fold higher intracellular uptake concentrations for morphine and morphine-6-glucuronide (M6G) were observed in stable expression cells, HEK293-hOATP2B1 than HEK293-MOCK. Specifically, the Km value of morphine to OATP2B1 (57.58 ± 8.90 μM) is 1.4-time more than that of M6G (80.31 ± 21.75 μM); Cyclosporine A (CsA), an inhibitor of OATP2B1, can inhibit their intracellular accumulations with IC50 = 3.90 ± 0.50 μM for morphine and IC50 = 6.04 ± 0.86 μM for M6G, respectively. To further investigate the role of OATP2B1 in morphine brain transport and tolerance, the novel nanoparticles of DGL-PEG/dermorphin capsulated siRNA (OATP2B1) were applied to deliver siRNA into mouse brain. Along with OATP2B1 depressed, a main reduction was found for each of morphine or M6G in cerebrums or epencephalons of acute morphine tolerance mice. Furthermore, calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase IIα (CaMKIIα) in mouse prefrontal cortex (mPFC) underwent dephosphorylation at Thr286. In conclusion, OATP2B1 downregulation in mouse brain can suppress tolerance via blocking morphine and M6G brain transport. These findings might help to improve the pharmacological effects of morphine.

siRNA capsulated brain-targeted nanoparticles specifically knock down OATP2B1 in mice: a mechanism for acute morphine tolerance suppression

PubMed Central

Yang, Zi-Zhao; Li, Li; Wang, Lu; Xu, Ming-Cheng; An, Sai; Jiang, Chen; Gu, Jing-Kai; Wang, Zai-Jie Jim; Yu, Lu-Shan; Zeng, Su

2016-01-01

Regulating main brain-uptake transporter of morphine may restrict its tolerance generation, then modify its antinociception. In this study, more than 2 fold higher intracellular uptake concentrations for morphine and morphine-6-glucuronide (M6G) were observed in stable expression cells, HEK293-hOATP2B1 than HEK293-MOCK. Specifically, the Km value of morphine to OATP2B1 (57.58 ± 8.90 μM) is 1.4-time more than that of M6G (80.31 ± 21.75 μM); Cyclosporine A (CsA), an inhibitor of OATP2B1, can inhibit their intracellular accumulations with IC50 = 3.90 ± 0.50 μM for morphine and IC50 = 6.04 ± 0.86 μM for M6G, respectively. To further investigate the role of OATP2B1 in morphine brain transport and tolerance, the novel nanoparticles of DGL-PEG/dermorphin capsulated siRNA (OATP2B1) were applied to deliver siRNA into mouse brain. Along with OATP2B1 depressed, a main reduction was found for each of morphine or M6G in cerebrums or epencephalons of acute morphine tolerance mice. Furthermore, calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase IIα (CaMKIIα) in mouse prefrontal cortex (mPFC) underwent dephosphorylation at Thr286. In conclusion, OATP2B1 downregulation in mouse brain can suppress tolerance via blocking morphine and M6G brain transport. These findings might help to improve the pharmacological effects of morphine. PMID:27629937

Cryptococcus neoformans capsule protects cell from oxygen reactive species generated by antimicrobial photodynamic inactivation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Prates, Renato Araujo; Hamblin, Michael R.; Kato, Ilka T.; Fuchs, Beth; Mylonakis, Eleytherios; Simões Ribeiro, Martha; Tegos, George

2011-03-01

Antimicrobial photodynamic inactivation (APDI) is based on the utilization of substances that can photosensitize biological tissues and are capable of being activated in the presence of light. Cryptococcus neoformans is an yeast surrounded by a capsule composed primarily of glucoronoxylomannan that plays an important role in its virulence. This yeast causes infection on skin, lungs and brain that can be associated with neurological sequelae and neurosurgical interventions, and its conventional treatment requires prolonged antifungal therapy, which presents important adverse effects. The aim of this study was to evaluate the protective effect of Cryptococcus neoformans capsule against reactive oxygen species generated by APDI. Cryptococcus neoformans KN99α, which is a strain able to produce capsule, and CAP59 that does not present capsule production were submitted to APDI using methylene blue (MB), rose bengal (RB), and pL-ce6 as photosensitizers (PS). Then microbial inactivation was evaluated by counting colony form units following APDI and confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) illustrated localization as well as the preferential accumulation of PS into the fungal cells. C. neoformans KN99α was more resistant to APDI than CAP59 for all PSs tested. CLSM showed incorporation of MB and RB into the cytoplasm and a preferential uptake in mitochondria. A nuclear accumulation of MB was also observed. Contrarily, pL-ce6 appears accumulated in cell wall and cell membrane and minimal florescence was observed inside the fungal cells. In conclusion, the ability of C. neoformans to form capsule enhances survival following APDI.

Measurement of inflight shell areal density perturbations in NIF capsule implosions near peak velocity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hammel, B. A.; Pickworth, L.; Smalyuk, V.; Macphee, A.; Scott, H. A.; Robey, H.; Barrios, M.; Regan, S. P.

2015-11-01

Quantitative measurements of shell-RhoR perturbations in capsules near peak implosion velocity (PV) are challenging. An external backlighter samples both sides of the shell, unless a re-entrant cone is used (potentially perturbing implosion). Emission from the hot core, after shock-stagnation and prior to PV, has been used as a self-backlighter, providing a means to sample one side of the capsule. Adding high-Z gas (~ 1% Ar) to the capsule fill in Symcaps (4He), has produced a continuum backlighter with significant increase in emission at photon energies ~ 8 keV over nominal fills. From images of the transmitted self-emission, above and below the K-edge of an internally doped Cu layer, we infer the growth at PV of imposed perturbations (100 nm amplitude, mode 40). Prepared by LLNL under Contract DE-AC52-07NA27344.

[Efficacy and safety of Saw Palmetto Extract Capsules in the treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia].

PubMed

Ju, Xiao-bing; Gu, Xiao-jian; Zhang, Zheng-yu; Wei, Zhong-qing; Xu, Zhuo-qun; Miao, Hui-dong; Zhou, Wei-min; Xu, Ren-fang; Cheng, Bin; Ma, Jian-guo; Niu, Tian-li; Qu, Ping; Xue, Bo-xin; Zhang, Wei

2015-12-01

To assess the efficacy and safety of Saw Palmetto Extract Capsules in the treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). We conducted a multi-centered open clinical study on 165 BPH patients treated with Saw Palmetto Extract Capsules at a dose of 160 mg qd for 12 weeks. At the baseline and after 6 and 12 weeks of medication, we compared the International Prostate Symptom Scores (IPSS), prostate volume, postvoid residual urine volume, urinary flow rate, quality of life scores (QOL), and adverse events between the two groups of patients. Compared with the baseline, both IPSS and QOL were improved after 6 weeks of medication, and at 12 weeks, significant improvement was found in IPSS, QOL, urinary flow rate, and postvoid residual urine. Mild stomachache occurred in 1 case, which necessitated no treatment. Saw Palmetto Extract Capsules were safe and effective for the treatment of BPH.

Assessment of the quality of simvastatin capsules from compounding pharmacies.

PubMed

Markman, Blanca Elena Ortega; Rosa, Paulo César Pires; Koschtschak, Maria Regina Walter

2010-12-01

To validate a method for determining the simvastatin content of compounded capsules, using high performance liquid chromatography. Eighteen samples of simvastatin 40 mg capsules from compounding pharmacies in the cities of São Paulo, Guarulhos, São Bernardo do Campo and Campinas, Southeastern Brazil, prescribed for fictitious patients were assessed. The analyses were based on the Brazilian Pharmacopoeia and on the high performance liquid chromatography method, optimized and validated in accordance with national and international standards for identification and quantification tests on compounded capsules. The mean weight of the capsules ranged from 70 mg to 316 mg; four samples presented weight variation outside of the specification. The simvastatin content in the capsules was within the specification in 11 samples. In six, the content ranged from 4% to 87% of the declared quantity, thereby not complying with the content requirements for the active agent. For one sample, no content or uniformity determinations were performed. In the content uniformity test, 15 samples presented indices of less than 85%, with relative standard deviations greater than 6%. Three pharmacies had met the specification in this test. In the dissolution test, eight samples presented unsatisfactory results in the first stage of the test, while the remainder presented inconclusive results. The method used was shown to be suitable for application to quality control, and it revealed the poor quality of the simvastatin capsules produced by some compounding pharmacies.

The Use of Semitranslucent Rubber Pledgets During Microsurgical Dissection of Cerebellopontine Angle Tumors: Technical Note.

PubMed

Mazur, Marcus D; Gurgel, Richard; MacDonald, Joel D

2018-01-01

Dissection of cerebellopontine angle (CPA) tumors that abut or adhere to the brainstem or cranial nerves can be a challenging surgical endeavor. We describe the use of semitranslucent latex rubber pledgets in the tumor-brain interface as a method to improve visualization and protection of vital tissue during microsurgical dissection of CPA masses. The rubber pledgets are fashioned by cutting circular discs out of the cuff portion of talc-free, partially opaque latex gloves. These pledgets provide a semitranslucent, nonadherent membrane that can be placed between vital neural tissues and a tumor capsule to minimize trauma during dissection. The semitranslucent latex enables visualization of the underlying anatomical structures while also providing a protective surface onto which a suction device can be rested to facilitate clearance of the surgical field. A 56-yr-old woman with left ear tinnitus presented with a 3-cm CPA meningioma. During microsurgical dissection, rubber pledgets were used to preserve the interface between the brain stem, cranial nerves, and tumor capsule. The use of the rubber pledgets appeared to secure the interface between to tumor and the brain while at the same time protecting the cranial nerves, brainstem, and cerebellum. Semitranslucent rubber pledgets may facilitate microsurgical dissection of CPA tumors. Copyright © 2017 by the Congress of Neurological Surgeons

White matter alterations in narcolepsy patients with cataplexy: tract-based spatial statistics.

PubMed

Park, Yun K; Kwon, Oh-Hun; Joo, Eun Yeon; Kim, Jae-Hun; Lee, Jong M; Kim, Sung T; Hong, Seung B

2016-04-01

Functional imaging studies and voxel-based morphometry analysis of brain magnetic resonance imaging showed abnormalities in the hypothalamus-thalamus-orbitofrontal pathway, demonstrating altered hypocretin pathway in narcolepsy. Those distinct morphometric changes account for problems in wake-sleep control, attention and memory. It also raised the necessity to evaluate white matter changes. To investigate brain white matter alterations in drug-naïve narcolepsy patients with cataplexy and to explore relationships between white matter changes and patient clinical characteristics, drug-naïve narcolepsy patients with cataplexy (n = 22) and healthy age- and gender-matched controls (n = 26) were studied. Fractional anisotropy and mean diffusivity images were obtained from whole-brain diffusion tensor imaging, and tract-based spatial statistics were used to localize white matter abnormalities. Compared with controls, patients showed significant decreases in fractional anisotropy of white matter of the bilateral anterior cingulate, fronto-orbital area, frontal lobe, anterior limb of the internal capsule and corpus callosum, as well as the left anterior and medial thalamus. Patients and controls showed no differences in mean diffusivity. Among patients, mean diffusivity values of white matter in the bilateral superior frontal gyri, bilateral fronto-orbital gyri and right superior parietal gyrus were positively correlated with depressive mood. This tract-based spatial statistics study demonstrated that drug-naïve patients with narcolepsy had reduced fractional anisotropy of white matter in multiple brain areas and significant relationship between increased mean diffusivity of white matter in frontal/cingulate and depression. It suggests the widespread disruption of white matter integrity and prevalent brain degeneration of frontal lobes according to a depressive symptom in narcolepsy. © 2015 European Sleep Research Society.

Application of Awake Craniotomy and Intraoperative Brain Mapping for Surgical Resection of Insular Gliomas of the Dominant Hemisphere.

PubMed

Alimohamadi, Maysam; Shirani, Mohammad; Shariat Moharari, Reza; Pour-Rashidi, Ahmad; Ketabchi, Mehdi; Khajavi, Mohammadreza; Arami, Mohamadali; Amirjamshidi, Abbas

2016-08-01

Radical resection of dominant insular gliomas is difficult because of their close vicinity with internal capsule, basal ganglia, and speech centers. Brain mapping techniques can be used to maximize the extent of tumor removal and to minimize postoperative morbidities by precise localization of eloquent cortical and subcortical areas. Patients with newly diagnosed gliomas of dominant insula were enrolled. The exclusion criteria were severe cognitive disturbances, communication difficulty, age greater than 75 years, severe obesity, difficult airways for intubation and severe cardiopulmonary diseases. All were evaluated preoperatively with contrast-enhanced brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), functional brain MRI, and diffusion tensor tractography of language and motor systems. All underwent awake craniotomy with the same anesthesiology protocol. Intraoperative monitoring included continuous motor-evoked potential, electromyography, electrocorticography, direct electrical stimulation of cortex, and subcortical tracts. The patients were followed with serial neurologic examination and imaging. Ten patients were enrolled (4 men, 6 women) with a mean age of 43.6 years. Seven patients suffered from low-grade glioma, and 3 patients had high-grade glioma. The most common clinical presentation was seizure followed by speech disturbance, hemiparesis, and memory loss. Extent of tumor resection ranged from 73% to 100%. No mortality or new major postoperative neurologic deficit was encountered. Seizure control improved in three fourths of patients with medical refractory epilepsy. In one patient with speech disorder at presentation, the speech problem became worse after surgery. Brain mapping during awake craniotomy helps to maximize extent of tumor resection while preserving neurologic function in patients with dominant insular lobe glioma. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Effect of thyroxine on brain microstructure in extremely premature babies: magnetic resonance imaging findings in the TIPIT study.

PubMed

Ng, Sze May; Turner, Mark A; Gamble, Carrol; Didi, Mohammed; Victor, Suresh; Atkinson, Jessica; Sluming, Vanessa; Parkes, Laura M; Tietze, Anna; Abernethy, Laurence J; Weindling, Alan Michael

2014-08-01

In order to assess relationships between thyroid hormone status and findings on brain MRI, a subset of babies was recruited to a multi-centre randomised, placebo-controlled trial of levothyroxine (LT4) supplementation for babies born before 28 weeks' gestation (known as the TIPIT study, for Thyroxine supplementation In Preterm InfanTs). These infants were imaged at term-equivalence. Forty-five TIPIT participants had brain MRI using diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) to estimate white matter development by apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC), fractional anisotropy (FA) and tractography metrics of number and length of streamlines. We made comparisons between babies with the lowest and highest plasma FT4 concentrations during the initial 4 weeks after birth. There were no differences in DTI metrics between babies who had received LT4 supplementation and those who had received a placebo. Among recipients of a placebo, babies in the lowest quartile of plasma-free thyroxine (FT4) concentrations had significantly higher apparent diffusion coefficient measurements in the posterior corpus callosum and streamlines that were shorter and less numerous in the right internal capsule. Among LT4-supplemented babies, those who had plasma FT4 concentrations in the highest quartile had significantly lower apparent diffusion coefficient values in the left occipital lobe, higher fractional anisotropy in the anterior corpus callosum and longer and more numerous streamlines in the anterior corpus callosum. DTI variables were not associated with allocation of placebo or thyroid supplementation. Markers of poorly organised brain microstructure were associated with low plasma FT4 concentrations after birth. The findings suggest that plasma FT4 concentrations affect brain development in very immature infants and that the effect of LT4 supplementation for immature babies with low FT4 plasma concentrations warrants further study.

Visualizing density perturbations in the capsule shell in NIF implosions near peak velocity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pickworth, L. A.; Hammel, B. A.; Smalyuk, V. A.; Macphee, A.; Scott, H. A.; Robey, H. F.; Field, J.; Barrios, M.; Regan, S. P.

2016-10-01

Engineering features on the capsule (surface roughness, support structures, etc.) can introduce outer surface perturbations that are ultimately detrimental to the performance of the capsule. Recent experiments have assessed minimal support structures and alternate pulse shapes using a re-entrant cone and back lighter that is perturbing to the implosion below radii of 500 μ m. Emission from the hot core, after shock-stagnation and prior to peak velocity (PV), has been used as a self-backlighter, providing a means to sample one side of the capsule at smaller radii. Adding high-Z gas ( 1 % Ar) to the capsule fill in Symcaps (4He), has produced a continuum backlighter with significant increase in emission at hv 8 keV over nominal fills. High-resolution imaging diagnostics with photon energy selectivity form 2D images of the transmitted self-emission, above and below the K-edge of an internally doped Cu layer. We can infer from these images the growth at PV of outer surface perturbations. Prepared by LLNL under Contract DE-AC52-07NA27344. LLNL-ABS-697620.

Use of Synchrotron X-ray Fluorescence to Measure Trace Metal Distribution in the Brain

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Linkous, D.; Flinn, J. M.; Lanzirotti, A.; Frederickson, C.; Jones, B. F.; Bertsch, P. M.

2002-12-01

X26A, National Synchrotron Light Source, was used to quantitatively evaluate the spatial distribution of trace metals, such as Zn and Cu, in brain tissue. X-ray microprobe techniques offer distinct advantages over other analytical methods by allowing analyses to be done in-situ with little or no chemical pretreatment and low detection limits (about 1 ppm). In the context of neuroscience, SXRF can provide non-destructive measurements of specific metal concentrations and distribution within nerve (brain) tissue. Neuronal tissue from organisms having undergone different normal or experimental conditions may be compared, with analytical capacities not limited by binding states of the metal (i.e., vesicular or enzymatic), as is the case with staining techniques.. Whole regions of tissue may be scanned for detectable trace metals at spatial resolutions of 10um or less using focused monochromatic x-ray beams. Here special attention has been given to zinc because it is the most common trace metal in the brain, and levels have been increasing in the environment. In this investigation, zinc concentrations present within the hilus of a rat hippocampus, and to a lesser extent in the cortex, have been shown to increase following long-term ingestion of zinc-enhanced drinking water that was associated with deficits in spatial memory. Concomitantly, copper concentrations in the internal capsule were comparatively lower. Other first order transition metals, Cr, V, Mn, and Co were not detected. In contrast, elevated levels of Zn, Cu, and Fe have been seen in amyloid plaques associated with Alzheimer's disease.

More insights into early brain development through statistical analyses of eigen-structural elements of diffusion tensor imaging using multivariate adaptive regression splines

PubMed Central

Chen, Yasheng; Zhu, Hongtu; An, Hongyu; Armao, Diane; Shen, Dinggang; Gilmore, John H.; Lin, Weili

2013-01-01

The aim of this study was to characterize the maturational changes of the three eigenvalues (λ1 ≥ λ2 ≥ λ3) of diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) during early postnatal life for more insights into early brain development. In order to overcome the limitations of using presumed growth trajectories for regression analysis, we employed Multivariate Adaptive Regression Splines (MARS) to derive data-driven growth trajectories for the three eigenvalues. We further employed Generalized Estimating Equations (GEE) to carry out statistical inferences on the growth trajectories obtained with MARS. With a total of 71 longitudinal datasets acquired from 29 healthy, full-term pediatric subjects, we found that the growth velocities of the three eigenvalues were highly correlated, but significantly different from each other. This paradox suggested the existence of mechanisms coordinating the maturations of the three eigenvalues even though different physiological origins may be responsible for their temporal evolutions. Furthermore, our results revealed the limitations of using the average of λ2 and λ3 as the radial diffusivity in interpreting DTI findings during early brain development because these two eigenvalues had significantly different growth velocities even in central white matter. In addition, based upon the three eigenvalues, we have documented the growth trajectory differences between central and peripheral white matter, between anterior and posterior limbs of internal capsule, and between inferior and superior longitudinal fasciculus. Taken together, we have demonstrated that more insights into early brain maturation can be gained through analyzing eigen-structural elements of DTI. PMID:23455648

[Stereotactic biopsy in the accurate diagnosis of lesions in the brain stem and deep brain].

PubMed

Qin, F; Huang, Z C; Cai, M Q; Xu, X F; Lu, T T; Dong, Q; Wu, A M; Lu, Z Z; Zhao, C; Guo, Y

2018-06-12

Objective: To investigate the value of stereotactic biopsy in the accurate diagnosis of lesions in the brain stem and deep brain. Methods: A total of 29 consecutive patients who underwent stereotactic biopsy of brainstem and deep brain lesions between May 2012 and January 2018 were retrospectively reviewed. The Cosman-Roberts-Wells (CRW) stereotactic frame was installed under local anesthesia. Thin-layer CT and MRI scanning were performed. Target coordinates were calculated by inputting CT-MRI data into the radionics surgical planning system. The individualized puncture path was designed according to the location of the lesions and the characteristics of the image. Target distributions were as follows: 12 cases of midbrain or pons, 2 cases of internal capsule, 3 cases of thalamus, 12 cases of basal ganglia. The biopsy samples were used for further pathological and/or genetic diagnosis. Results: Twenty-eight of the 29 cases (96.6%) were diagnosed accurately by histopathology and genomic examination following stereotactic biopsy. Pathological results were as follows: 8 cases of lymphoma, 7 cases of glioma, 4 cases of demyelination, 2 cases of germ cell tumor, 2 cases of metastatic tumor, 1 cases of cerebral sparganosis, 1 case of tuberculous granuloma, 1 case of hereditary prion disease, 1 case of glial hyperplasia, 1 case of leukemia. The accurate diagnosis of one case required a combination of histopathology and genomic examination. Undefined diagnosis was still made in 1 cases (3.45%) after biopsy. After biopsy, there were 2 cases (6.9%) with symptomatic slight hemorrhage, 1 case (3.45%) with symptomatic severe hemorrhage, and 1 cass (3.45%) with permanent neurological dysfunction. No one died because of surgery or surgical complications. Conclusions: Stereotactic biopsy is fast, safe and minimally invasive. It is an ideal strategy for accurate diagnosis of lesions in brain stem and deep brain.

[The contribution of the clinical examination, electroencephalogram, and brain MRI in assessing the prognosis in term newborns with neonatal encephalopathy. A cohort of 30 newborns before the introduction of treatment with hypothermia].

PubMed

Jadas, V; Brasseur-Daudruy, M; Chollat, C; Pellerin, L; Devaux, A M; Marret, S

2014-02-01

Perinatal asphyxia complicated by hypoxic ischemic brain injury remains a source of neurological lesions. A major aim of neonatologists is to evaluate the severity of neonatal encephalopathy (NE) and to evaluate prognosis. The purpose of this study was to determine the contribution of brain MRI compared to electroencephalogram (EEG) and clinical data in assessing patients' prognosis. Thirty newborns from the pediatric resuscitation unit at Rouen university hospital were enrolled in a retrospective study between January 2006 and December 2008, prior to introduction of hypothermia treatment. All 30 newborns had at least two anamnestic criteria of perinatal asphyxia, one brain MRI in the first 5 days of life and another after 7 days of life as well as an early EEG in the first 2 days of life. Then, the infants were seen in consultation to assess neurodevelopment. This study showed a relation between NE stage and prognosis. During stage 1, prognosis was good, whereas stage 3 was associated with poor neurodevelopment outcome. Normal clinical examination before the 8th day of life was a good prognostic factor in this study. There was a relationship between severity of EEG after the 5th day of life and poor outcome. During stage 2, EEG patterns varied in severity, and brain MRI provided a better prognosis. Lesions of the basal ganglia and a decreased or absent signal of the posterior limb of the internal capsule were poor prognostic factors during brain MRI. These lesions were underestimated during standard MRI in the first days of life but were visible with diffusion sequences. Cognitive impairment affected 40% of surviving children, justifying extended pediatric follow-up. This study confirms the usefulness of brain MRI as a diagnostic tool in hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy in association with clinical data and EEG tracings. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

[effectiveness of open reduction and internal fixation without opening joint capsule on tibial plateau fracture].

PubMed

Chen, Qi; Xu, Xiaofeng; Huang, Yonghui; Cao, Xingbing; Meng, Chen; Cao, Xueshu; Wei, Changbao

2014-12-01

To introduce the surgery method to reset and fix tibial plateau fracture without opening joint capsule, and evaluate the safety and effectiveness of this method. Between July 2011 and July 2013, 51 patients with tibial plateau fracture accorded with the inclusion criteria were included. All of 51 patients, 17 cases underwent open reduction and internal fixation without opening joint capsule in trial group, and 34 cases underwent traditional surgery method in control group. There was no significant difference in gender, age, cause of injury, time from injury to admission, side of injury, and types of fracture between 2 groups (P > 0.05). The operation time, intraoperative blood loss, incision length, incision healing, and fracture healing were compared between 2 groups. The tibial-femoral angle and collapse of joint surface were measured on X-ray film. At last follow-up, joint function was evaluated with Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS) knee function scale. The intraoperative blood loss in trial group was significantly less than that in control group (P < 0.05). The incision length in trial group was significantly shorter than that in control group (P < 0.05). Difference was not significant in operation time and the rate of incision healing between 2 groups (P > 0.05). The patients were followed up 12-30 months (mean, 20.4 months) in trial group and 12-31 months (mean, 18.2 months) in control group. X-ray films indicated that all cases in 2 groups obtained fracture healing; there was no significant difference in the fracture healing time between 2 groups (t=1.382, P=0.173). On X-ray films, difference was not significant in tibial-femoral angle and collapse of joint surface between 2 groups (P > 0.05). HSS score of the knee in trial group was significantly higher than that of control group (t=3.161, P=0.003). It can reduce the intraoperative blood loss and shorten the incision length to use open reduction and internal fixation without opening joint capsule for tibial plateau fracture. Traction of joint capsule is helpful in the reduction and good recovery of joint surface collapse. In addition, the surgery without opening joint capsule can avoid joint stiffness and obtain better joint function.

Hyperthyroidism is a Risk Factor for Developing Adhesive Capsulitis of the Shoulder: A Nationwide Longitudinal Population-Based Study

PubMed Central

Huang, Shih-Wei; Lin, Jia-Wei; Wang, Wei-Te; Wu, Chin-Wen; Liou, Tsan-Hon; Lin, Hui-Wen

2014-01-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate the prevalence and risk of adhesive capsulitis among hyperthyroidism patients. The data were obtained from the Longitudinal Health Insurance Database 2005 (LHID 2005) in Taiwan, using 1 million participants and a prospective population-based 7-year cohort study of survival analysis. The ambulatory-care claim records of patients diagnosed according to the International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification (ICD-9-CM) codes relating to hyperthyroidism between January 1, 2004 and December 31, 2007, were obtained. The prevalence and the adjusted hazard ratio (HR) of adhesive capsulitis among hyperthyroid patients and the control group were estimated. Of 4472 hyperthyroid patients, 162 (671/100 000 person-years) experienced adhesive capsulitis during the 24 122 person-year follow-up period. The crude HR of stroke was 1.26 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.06 to 1.49), which was larger than that of the control group. The adjusted HR of developing adhesive capsulitis was 1.22 (95% CI, 1.03 to 1.45) for hyperthyroid patients during the 7-year follow-up period, which achieved statistical significance. The results of our large-scale longitudinal population-based study indicated that hyperthyroidism is an independent risk factor of developing adhesive capsulitis. PMID:24567049

Hyperthyroidism is a risk factor for developing adhesive capsulitis of the shoulder: a nationwide longitudinal population-based study.

PubMed

Huang, Shih-Wei; Lin, Jia-Wei; Wang, Wei-Te; Wu, Chin-Wen; Liou, Tsan-Hon; Lin, Hui-Wen

2014-02-25

The purpose of this study was to investigate the prevalence and risk of adhesive capsulitis among hyperthyroidism patients. The data were obtained from the Longitudinal Health Insurance Database 2005 (LHID 2005) in Taiwan, using 1 million participants and a prospective population-based 7-year cohort study of survival analysis. The ambulatory-care claim records of patients diagnosed according to the International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification (ICD-9-CM) codes relating to hyperthyroidism between January 1, 2004 and December 31, 2007, were obtained. The prevalence and the adjusted hazard ratio (HR) of adhesive capsulitis among hyperthyroid patients and the control group were estimated. Of 4472 hyperthyroid patients, 162 (671/100,000 person-years) experienced adhesive capsulitis during the 24,122 person-year follow-up period. The crude HR of stroke was 1.26 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.06 to 1.49), which was larger than that of the control group. The adjusted HR of developing adhesive capsulitis was 1.22 (95% CI, 1.03 to 1.45) for hyperthyroid patients during the 7-year follow-up period, which achieved statistical significance. The results of our large-scale longitudinal population-based study indicated that hyperthyroidism is an independent risk factor of developing adhesive capsulitis.

Effect of analgesic nerve block electrical stimulation in a patient with adhesive capsulitis.

PubMed

Gulick, Dawn T; Borger, Amy; McNamee, Lauren

2007-01-01

Although the pathophysiology of adhesive capsulitis is poorly understood, the primary goal of therapeutic intervention is to restore pain-free, functional range of motion (ROM) of the shoulder. Pain and muscle guarding, particularly of the subscapularis muscle, are common impairments that occur with adhesive capsulitis. The purpose of this case report is to describe a novel approach to help the pain-muscle guarding-pain cycle associated with pain and limited shoulder motion in a patient with a medical diagnosis of adhesive capsulitis. The patient was a 64-year-old female with adhesive capsulitis. Outcome variables were the Shoulder Pain and Disability Index (SPADI), internal rotation (IR) and external rotation (ER) ROM, and rotational lack. Twelve treatments of moist heat, analgesic nerve block electrical stimulation, contract/relax exercises for shoulder IR/ER, and Pendulum/Codman exercises were administered. After both 2 and 4 weeks of treatment, the patient demonstrated marked improvements in all areas. Overall, there was a 78-106% increase in ROM (IR and ER) and a 50-83% improvement in functional mobility (rotational lack & SPADI). It appears that analgesic electrical stimulation may have helped decrease the pain-muscle guarding cycle associated with adhesive capsulitis to enhance functional outcomes in a timely manner.

Sex-Specific Alterations of White Matter Developmental Trajectories in Infants With Prenatal Exposure to Methamphetamine and Tobacco.

PubMed

Chang, Linda; Oishi, Kenichi; Skranes, Jon; Buchthal, Steven; Cunningham, Eric; Yamakawa, Robyn; Hayama, Sara; Jiang, Caroline S; Alicata, Daniel; Hernandez, Antonette; Cloak, Christine; Wright, Tricia; Ernst, Thomas

2016-12-01

Methamphetamine is a common illicit drug used worldwide. Methamphetamine and/or tobacco use by pregnant women remains prevalent. However, little is known about the effect of comorbid methamphetamine and tobacco use on human fetal brain development. To investigate whether microstructural brain abnormalities reported in children with prenatal methamphetamine and/or tobacco exposure are present at birth before childhood environmental influences. A prospective, longitudinal study was conducted between September 17, 2008, and February 28, 2015, at an ambulatory academic medical center. A total of 752 infant-mother dyads were screened and 139 of 195 qualified neonates were evaluated (36 methamphetamine/tobacco exposed, 32 tobacco exposed, and 71 unexposed controls). They were recruited consecutively from the community. Prenatal methamphetamine and/or tobacco exposure. Quantitative neurologic examination and diffusion tensor imaging performed 1 to 3 times through age 4 months; diffusivities and fractional anisotropy (FA) assessed in 7 white matter tracts and 4 subcortical brain regions using an automated atlas-based method. Of the 139 infants evaluated, 72 were female (51.8%); the mean (SE) postmenstrual age at baseline was 41.5 (0.27) weeks. Methamphetamine/tobacco-exposed infants showed delayed developmental trajectories on active muscle tone (group × age, P < .001) and total neurologic scores (group × age, P = .01) that normalized by ages 3 to 4 months. Only methamphetamine/tobacco-exposed boys had lower FA (group × age, P = .02) and higher diffusivities in superior (SCR) and posterior corona radiatae (PCR) (group × age × sex, P = .002; group × age × sex, P = .01) at baseline that normalized by age 3 months. Only methamphetamine/tobacco- and tobacco-exposed girls showed persistently lower FA in anterior corona radiata (ACR) (group, P = .04; group × age × sex, P = .01). Tobacco-exposed infants showed persistently lower axial diffusion in the thalamus and internal capsule across groups (P = .02). Prenatal methamphetamine/tobacco exposure may lead to delays in motor development, with less coherent fibers and less myelination in SCR and PCR only in male infants, but these abnormalities may normalize by ages 3 to 4 months after cessation of stimulant exposure. In contrast, persistently less coherent ACR fibers were observed in methamphetamine/tobacco- and tobacco-exposed girls, possibly from increased dendritic branching or spine density due to epigenetic influences. Persistently lower diffusivity in the thalamus and internal capsule of all tobacco-exposed infants suggests aberrant axonal development. Collectively, prenatal methamphetamine and/or tobacco exposure may lead to delayed motor development and white matter maturation in sex- and regional-specific manners.

Pain management of hemiplegic shoulder pain post stroke in patients from Nanjing, China

PubMed Central

Zhu, Yi; Su, Bin; Li, Ning; Jin, Hongzhu

2013-01-01

We selected 106 hemiplegic patients with shoulder pain hospitalized after stroke from three hospitals in Nanjing, China between February 2007 and January 2012. All patients had complete clinical data sets and accounted for 45.5% of the inpatients because of stroke. Results showed that the number of patients with hemiplegic shoulder pain post stroke increased yearly, attacking mainly males 50–69 years of age. Of 106 patients, there were 60 cases (56.6%) of adhesive capsulitis, 19 (17.9%) of shoulder subluxation, 14 (13.2%) of complex regional pain syndrome, and 13 (12.6%) of central pain. The main symptoms were shoulder pain (100%), limit of shoulder mobility (98.1%), and adhesion of the scapula (56.6%). MRI of the shoulder showed tendon and ligament lesions (57.1%) and rotator cuff tear (38.1%). 53.8% of central pain was related to the thalamus, in addition to the basal ganglia, brain stem, and cerebellopontine angle. Shoulder pain, upper limb motor function, and function independence were significantly improved after comprehensive rehabilitation. In particular, electroacupuncture based on basic physical therapy exhibited efficacy on shoulder tion and complex regional pain syndrome. Multiple linear regression results showed a negative relationship of efficacy of pain management with the attack period of shoulder pain, involvement of the posterior limb of the internal capsule, and duration between onset and rehabilitation treatment, but a positive correlation with pain-related education, pain regression period, and pain diagnosis. PMID:25206549

Design fluency and neuroanatomical correlates in 54 neurosurgical patients with lesions to the right hemisphere.

PubMed

Marin, Dario; Madotto, Eleonora; Fabbro, Franco; Skrap, Miran; Tomasino, Barbara

2017-10-01

We addressed the neuroanatomical correlates of 54 right-brain-damaged neurosurgical patients on visuo-spatial design fluency, which is a measure of the ability to generate/plan a series of new abstract combinations in a flexible way. 22.2% of the patients were impaired. They failed the task because they did not use strategic behavior, in particular they used rotational strategy to a significantly lower extent and produced a significantly higher rate of perseverative errors. Overall performance did not correlate with neuropsychological tests, suggesting that proficient performance was independent of other cognitive domains. Performance significantly correlated with use of rotational strategy. Tasks related to executive functions such as psychomotor speed and capacity to shift were positively correlated to the number of strategies used to solve the task. Lesion analysis showed that the maximum density of the patients' lesions-obtained by subtracting the overlap of lesions of spared patients from the overlap of lesions of impaired patients-overlaps with the precentral gyrus, rolandic operculum/insula, superior/middle temporal gyrus/hippocampus and, at subcortical level, with part of the superior longitudinal fasciculus, external capsule, retrolenticular part of the internal capsule and sagittal stratum (inferior longitudinal fasciculus and inferior fronto-occipital fasciculus). These areas are part of the fronto-parietal-temporal network known to be involved in top-down control of visuo-spatial attention, suggesting that the mechanisms and the strategies needed for proficient performance are essentially visuo-spatial in nature.

Posterior capsular fibrosis in professional baseball pitchers: case series of MR arthrographic findings in six patients with glenohumeral internal rotational deficit.

PubMed

Tehranzadeh, Arash D; Fronek, Jan; Resnick, Donald

2007-01-01

In the high-performance athlete, acquired thickening of the posterior joint capsule is a proposed etiology for glenohumeral internal rotational deficit (GIRD). The purpose of this study was to present our MR arthrographic imaging observations of posterior capsular thickening in professional baseball players who present with reduced throwing velocity related to pain and clinical findings of internal rotational deficit of the glenohumeral joint. Our observations of MR imaging features in patients with clinical and arthroscopic manifestations of GIRD lesions include articular surface partial thickness tears of the supraspinatus and infraspinatus tendons, superoposterior subluxation of the humeral head and SLAP tears of the labrum. Although no empiric standard currently exists for the axial dimension thickness of the shoulder capsule, we have observed a thickened appearance of the posterior band of the inferior glenohumeral ligament in these patients.

KSC-2012-5574

NASA Image and Video Library

2012-09-20

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - NASA's Johnson Space Center Aerospace Engineer Jeff Hagen, left, and engineering intern Emmanuel Nyangweso attach rotors to the top of a model capsule ahead of tests inside the Vehicle Assembly Building at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The design would give a capsule the stability and control of a helicopter, but would not be powered. Instead, the wind passing over the rotors as the capsule descends would make the blades turn, a process called auto-rotation. The intent is to give real spacecraft a soft landing with enough control that they could touch down anywhere in the world, whether it be a runway or parking lot. In other words, wherever a helicopter could land, a spacecraft could land, too. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

Imaging Predictors of Improvement From a Motor Learning-Based Intervention for Children With Unilateral Cerebral Palsy.

PubMed

Schertz, Mitchell; Shiran, Shelly I; Myers, Vicki; Weinstein, Maya; Fattal-Valevski, Aviva; Artzi, Moran; Ben Bashat, Dafna; Gordon, Andrew M; Green, Dido

2016-08-01

Background Motor-learning interventions may improve hand function in children with unilateral cerebral palsy (UCP) but with inconsistent outcomes across participants. Objective To examine if pre-intervention brain imaging predicts benefit from bimanual intervention. Method Twenty children with UCP with Manual Ability Classification System levels I to III, aged 7-16 years, participated in an intensive bimanual intervention. Assessments included the Assisting Hand Assessment (AHA), Jebsen Taylor Test of Hand Function (JTTHF) and Children's Hand Experience Questionnaire (CHEQ) at baseline (T1), completion (T2) and 8-10 weeks post-intervention (T3). Imaging at baseline included conventional structural (radiological score), functional (fMRI) and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI). Results Improvements were seen across assessments; AHA (P = 0.04), JTTHF (P < .001) and CHEQ (P < 0.001). Radiological score significantly correlated with improvement at T2; AHA (r = .475) and CHEQ (r = .632), but negatively with improvement on unimanual measures at T3 (JTTFH r = -.514). fMRI showed negative correlations between contralesional brain activation when moving the affected hand and AHA improvements (T2: r = -.562, T3: r = -0.479). Fractional Anisotropy in the affected posterior limb of the internal capsule correlated negatively with increased bimanual use on CHEQ at T2 (r = -547) and AHA at T3 (r = -.656). Conclusions Children with greater structural, functional and connective brain damage showed enhanced responses to bimanual intervention. Baseline imaging may identify parameters predicting response to intervention in children with UCP. © The Author(s) 2015.

Spatial patterns of whole brain grey and white matter injury in patients with occult spastic diplegic cerebral palsy.

PubMed

Mu, Xuetao; Nie, Binbin; Wang, Hong; Duan, Shaofeng; Zhang, Zan; Dai, Guanghui; Ma, Qiaozhi; Shan, Baoci; Ma, Lin

2014-01-01

Spastic diplegic cerebral palsy (SDCP) is a common type of cerebral palsy (CP), which presents as a group of motor-impairment syndromes. Previous conventional MRI studies have reported abnormal structural changes in SDCP, such as periventricular leucomalacia. However, there are roughly 27.8% SDCP patients presenting normal appearance in conventional MRI, which were considered as occult SDCP. In this study, sixteen patients with occult SDCP and 16 age- and sex-matched healthy control subjects were collected and the data were acquired on a 3T MR system. We applied voxel-based morphometry (VBM) and tract-based spatial statistics (TBSS) analysis to investigate whole brain grey and white matter injury in occult SDCP. By using VBM method, the grey matter volume reduction was revealed in the bilateral basal ganglia regions, thalamus, insula, and left cerebral peduncle, whereas the white matter atrophy was found to be located in the posterior part of corpus callosum and right posterior corona radiata in the occult SDCP patients. By using TBSS, reduced fractional anisotropy (FA) values were detected in multiple white matter regions, including bilateral white matter tracts in prefrontal lobe, temporal lobe, internal and external capsule, corpus callosum, cingulum, thalamus, brainstem and cerebellum. Additionally, several regions of white matter tracts injury were found to be significantly correlated with motor dysfunction. These results collectively revealed the spatial patterns of whole brain grey and white matter injury in occult SDCP.

Zonal Rate Model for Axial and Radial Flow Membrane Chromatography. Part I: Knowledge Transfer Across Operating Conditions and Scales

PubMed Central

Ghosh, Pranay; Vahedipour, Kaveh; Lin, Min; Vogel, Jens H; Haynes, Charles A; von Lieres, Eric

2013-01-01

The zonal rate model (ZRM) has previously been applied for analyzing the performance of axial flow membrane chromatography capsules by independently determining the impacts of flow and binding related non-idealities on measured breakthrough curves. In the present study, the ZRM is extended to radial flow configurations, which are commonly used at larger scales. The axial flow XT5 capsule and the radial flow XT140 capsule from Pall are rigorously analyzed under binding and non-binding conditions with bovine serum albumin (BSA) as test molecule. The binding data of this molecule is much better reproduced by the spreading model, which hypothesizes different binding orientations, than by the well-known Langmuir model. Moreover, a revised cleaning protocol with NaCl instead of NaOH and minimizing the storage time has been identified as most critical for quantitatively reproducing the measured breakthrough curves. The internal geometry of both capsules is visualized by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). The flow in the external hold-up volumes of the XT140 capsule was found to be more homogeneous as in the previously studied XT5 capsule. An attempt for model-based scale-up was apparently impeded by irregular pleat structures in the used XT140 capsule, which might lead to local variations in the linear velocity through the membrane stack. However, the presented approach is universal and can be applied to different capsules. The ZRM is shown to potentially help save valuable material and time, as the experiments required for model calibration are much cheaper than the predicted large-scale experiment at binding conditions. Biotechnol. Bioeng. 2013; 110: 1129–1141. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. PMID:23097218

Capsule endoscopy: Current practice and future directions

PubMed Central

Hale, Melissa F; Sidhu, Reena; McAlindon, Mark E

2014-01-01

Capsule endoscopy (CE) has transformed investigation of the small bowel providing a non-invasive, well tolerated means of accurately visualising the distal duodenum, jejunum and ileum. Since the introduction of small bowel CE thirteen years ago a high volume of literature on indications, diagnostic yields and safety profile has been presented. Inclusion in national and international guidelines has placed small bowel capsule endoscopy at the forefront of investigation into suspected diseases of the small bowel. Most commonly, small bowel CE is used in patients with suspected bleeding or to identify evidence of active Crohn’s disease (CD) (in patients with or without a prior history of CD). Typically, CE is undertaken after upper and lower gastrointestinal flexible endoscopy has failed to identify a diagnosis. Small bowel radiology or a patency capsule test should be considered prior to CE in those at high risk of strictures (such as patients known to have CD or presenting with obstructive symptoms) to reduce the risk of capsule retention. CE also has a role in patients with coeliac disease, suspected small bowel tumours and other small bowel disorders. Since the advent of small bowel CE, dedicated oesophageal and colon capsule endoscopes have expanded the fields of application to include the investigation of upper and lower gastrointestinal disorders. Oesophageal CE may be used to diagnose oesophagitis, Barrett’s oesophagus and varices but reliability in identifying gastroduodenal pathology is unknown and it does not have biopsy capability. Colon CE provides an alternative to conventional colonoscopy for symptomatic patients, while a possible role in colorectal cancer screening is a fascinating prospect. Current research is already addressing the possibility of controlling capsule movement and developing capsules which allow tissue sampling and the administration of therapy. PMID:24976712

Asymptomatic Carriage of Group A Streptococcus Is Associated with Elimination of Capsule Production

PubMed Central

Jewell, Brittany E.; Olsen, Randall J.; Shelburne, Samuel A.; Fittipaldi, Nahuel; Beres, Stephen B.; Musser, James M.

2014-01-01

Humans commonly carry pathogenic bacteria asymptomatically, but despite decades of study, the underlying molecular contributors remain poorly understood. Here, we show that a group A streptococcus carriage strain contains a frameshift mutation in the hasA gene resulting in loss of hyaluronic acid capsule biosynthesis. This mutation was repaired by allelic replacement, resulting in restoration of capsule production in the isogenic derivative strain. The “repaired” isogenic strain was significantly more virulent than the carriage strain in a mouse model of necrotizing fasciitis and had enhanced growth ex vivo in human blood. Importantly, the repaired isogenic strain colonized the mouse oropharynx with significantly greater bacterial burden and had significantly reduced ability to internalize into cultured epithelial cells than the acapsular carriage strain. We conducted full-genome sequencing of 81 strains cultured serially from 19 epidemiologically unrelated human subjects and discovered the common theme that mutations negatively affecting capsule biosynthesis arise in vivo in the has operon. The significantly decreased capsule production is a key factor contributing to the molecular détente between pathogen and host. Our discoveries suggest a general model for bacterial pathogens in which mutations that downregulate or ablate virulence factor production contribute to carriage. PMID:25024363

Image-guided preoperative prediction of pyramidal tract side effect in deep brain stimulation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Baumgarten, C.; Zhao, Y.; Sauleau, P.; Malrain, C.; Jannin, P.; Haegelen, C.

2016-03-01

Deep brain stimulation of the medial globus pallidus is a surgical procedure for treating patients suffering from Parkinson's disease. Its therapeutic effect may be limited by the presence of pyramidal tract side effect (PTSE). PTSE is a contraction time-locked to the stimulation when the current spreading reaches the motor fibers of the pyramidal tract within the internal capsule. The lack of side-effect predictive model leads the neurologist to secure an optimal electrode placement by iterating clinical testing on an awake patient during the surgical procedure. The objective of the study was to propose a preoperative predictive model of PTSE. A machine learning based method called PyMAN (for Pyramidal tract side effect Model based on Artificial Neural network) that accounted for the current of the stimulation, the 3D electrode coordinates and the angle of the trajectory, was designed to predict the occurrence of PTSE. Ten patients implanted in the medial globus pallidus have been tested by a clinician to create a labeled dataset of the stimulation parameters that trigger PTSE. The kappa index value between the data predicted by PyMAN and the labeled data was .78. Further evaluation studies are desirable to confirm whether PyMAN could be a reliable tool for assisting the surgeon to prevent PTSE during the preoperative planning.

Deep brain stimulation of the dorsal anterior cingulate cortex for the treatment of chronic neuropathic pain.

PubMed

Russo, Jennifer F; Sheth, Sameer A

2015-06-01

Chronic neuropathic pain is estimated to affect 3%-4.5% of the worldwide population. It is associated with significant loss of productive time, withdrawal from the workforce, development of mood disorders such as depression and anxiety, and disruption of family and social life. Current medical therapeutics often fail to adequately treat chronic neuropathic pain. Deep brain stimulation (DBS) targeting subcortical structures such as the periaqueductal gray, the ventral posterior lateral and medial thalamic nuclei, and the internal capsule has been investigated for the relief of refractory neuropathic pain over the past 3 decades. Recent work has identified the dorsal anterior cingulate cortex (dACC) as a new potential neuromodulation target given its central role in cognitive and affective processing. In this review, the authors briefly discuss the history of DBS for chronic neuropathic pain in the United States and present evidence supporting dACC DBS for this indication. They review existent literature on dACC DBS and summarize important findings from imaging and neurophysiological studies supporting a central role for the dACC in the processing of chronic neuropathic pain. The available neurophysiological and empirical clinical evidence suggests that dACC DBS is a viable therapeutic option for the treatment of chronic neuropathic pain and warrants further investigation.

Neural targets for relieving parkinsonian rigidity and bradykinesia with pallidal deep brain stimulation

PubMed Central

Zhang, Jianyu; Ghosh, Debabrata; McIntyre, Cameron C.; Vitek, Jerrold L.

2012-01-01

Clinical evidence has suggested that subtle changes in deep brain stimulation (DBS) settings can have differential effects on bradykinesia and rigidity in patients with Parkinson's disease. In this study, we first investigated the degree of improvement in bradykinesia and rigidity during targeted globus pallidus DBS in three 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP)-treated rhesus macaques. Behavioral outcomes of DBS were then coupled with detailed, subject-specific computational models of neurons in the globus pallidus internus (GPi), globus pallidus externus (GPe), and internal capsule (IC) to determine which neuronal pathways when modulated with high-frequency electrical stimulation best correlate with improvement in motor symptoms. The modeling results support the hypothesis that multiple neuronal pathways can underlie the therapeutic effect of DBS on parkinsonian bradykinesia and rigidity. Across all three subjects, improvements in rigidity correlated most strongly with spread of neuronal activation into IC, driving a small percentage of fibers within this tract (<10% on average). The most robust effect on bradykinesia resulted from stimulating a combination of sensorimotor axonal projections within the GP, specifically at the site of the medial medullary lamina. Thus the beneficial effects of pallidal DBS for parkinsonian symptoms may occur from multiple targets within and near the target nucleus. PMID:22514292

Modulation of the Foreign Body Reaction for Implants in the Subcutaneous Space: Microdialysis Probes as Localized Drug Delivery/Sampling Devices

PubMed Central

Mou, Xiaodun; Lennartz, Michelle R; Loegering, Daniel J; Stenken, Julie A

2011-01-01

Modulation of the foreign body reaction is considered to be an important step toward creation of implanted sensors with reliable long-term performance. In this work, microdialysis probes were implanted into the subcutaneous space of Sprague-Dawley rats. The probe performance was evaluated by comparing collected endogenous glucose concentrations with internal standard calibration (2-deoxyglucose, antipyrine, and vitamin B12). Probes were tested until failure, which for this work was defined as loss of fluid flow. In order to determine the effect of fibrous capsule formation on probe function, monocyte chemoattractant protein-1/CC chemokine ligand 2 (MCP-1/CCL2) was delivered locally via the probe to increase capsule thickness and dexamethasone 21-phosphate was delivered to reduce capsule thickness. Probes delivering MCP-1 had a capsule that was twice the thickness (500–600 μm) of control probes (200–225 μm) and typically failed 2 days earlier than control probes. Probes delivering dexamethasone 21-phosphate had more fragile capsules and the probes typically failed 2 days later than controls. Unexpectedly, extraction efficiency and collected glucose concentrations exhibited minor differences between groups. This is an interesting result in that the foreign body capsule formation was related to the duration of probe function but did not consistently relate to probe calibration. PMID:21722577

Microdialysis combined with RRLC-MS/MS for the pharmacokinetics of two major alkaloids of Bi qi capsule and the potential roles of P-gp and BCRP on their penetration.

PubMed

Ren, Tiankun; Li, Menglin; Zheng, Hao; Liu, Wenwei; Zhang, Jinlan

2018-05-31

Bi qi capsule (BQC) is a traditional Chinese medicine prescription that is clinically used for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis. Strychnine and brucine, as two typical kinds of alkaloids, are the primary active and neurotoxic constituents of BQC. In this study, a sensitive and reliable rapid resolution liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (RRLC-MS/MS) quantitative method was used to determine the concentrations of brucine and strychnine in rat brain and blood dialysates. The blood-brain barrier (BBB) penetration of free brucine and strychnine and their pharmacokinetic characteristics were investigated by the validated RRLC-MS/MS method coupled with in vivo microdialysis for the first time. The dialysate brain-blood AUC ratios of brucine were 0.098, 0.44 and 0.40 respectively at 0.4, 0.8 and 1.6 g kg -1 doses of BQC, and the dialysate brain-blood AUC ratios of strychnine were 0.20, 1.25 and 2.06 respectively at 0.4, 0.8 and 1.6 g kg -1 doses of BQC. The high brain-blood AUC ratios of brucine and strychnine were observed in medium and high dose groups of BQC. In addition, the effects of P-glycoprotein (P-gp) and breast cancer resistance protein (BCRP) on brucine and strychnine across BBB were also studied using the above method as well as molecular docking. The results prompted that brucine was the substrate of P-gp, and strychnine might be the inhibitor of P-gp. Brucine and strychnine showed high brain penetration, so it is very important to well control the clinic dosage of BQC and manufactory quality for avoiding the side effects and obtaining good therapeutic efficacy. Our study could be further used in investigating BBB penetration for other drugs caused neurotoxicity. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Effect of C-G (Hithiol capsule) on radiotoxemia (in Japanese)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Huruta, A.; Nakada, J.

1973-03-01

C-G capsule was administered to the patients treated with a large quantity of remote cobalt irradiation, and its effect on symptoms of radiotoxemia was examined. One capsule of C-G containing 80 mg of cysteine and 120 mg of glucose within one capsule were administered three times a day and one capsule out of three was administered between meals. Symptoms of radiotoxemia such as total fatigue, nausea and vomiting, and anorexia were observed. Blood examination was carried out before irradiation, and after irradiation it was carried out once a week. The reported cases consist of 10 cases of breast cancer andmore » its metastasis, four of brain neoplasms, three of penis neoplasms, two of uterus cancer (cervical uterus), two of larynx cancer, and one case each of maxilla cancer, tonsil cancer, parotid gland cancer, lung cancer, ovarian tumor, malignant lympadenoma, and chondrosarcoma. Six control subjects were used. Out of 28 cases, a dramatic response of the patients was recognized in five cases, an effective response in 19 cases, and an ineffective response in four cases. Two cases out of five that were treated with other preventives against radiotoxemia showed an ineffective response, and three cases showed effects thought to be potentiation. Especially, decrease of leukocytes was mild with prompt recovery. In the case of the chest and abdomen irradiation, four control subjects showed strong general radiotoxemia and marked decrease of leukocytes, and in the group administered C-G, one case discontinued irradiation. Moreover, symptoms, radiotherapy, radiotoxemia, and blood findings of the group administered C-G were also explained. (JA)« less

PROGRESS IN CLINICAL ENCAPSULATED ISLET XENOTRANSPLANTATION

PubMed Central

Cooper, David K.C.; Matsumoto, Shinichi; Abalovich, Adrian; Itoh, Takeshi; Mourad, Nizar I.; Gianello, Pierre R; Wolf, Eckhard; Cozzi, Emanuele

2016-01-01

At the 2015 combined congress of the CTS, IPITA, and IXA, a symposium was held to discuss recent progress in pig islet xenotransplantation. The presentations focused on 5 major topics – (i) the results of 2 recent clinical trials of encapsulated pig islet transplantation, (ii) the inflammatory response to encapsulated pig islets, (iii) methods to improve the secretion of insulin by pig islets, (iv) genetic modifications to the islet-source pigs aimed to protect the islets from the primate immune and/or inflammatory responses, and (v) regulatory aspects of clinical pig islet xenotransplantation. Trials of microencapsulated porcine islet transplantation to treat unstable type 1 diabetic patients have been associated with encouraging preliminary results. Further advances to improve efficacy may include (i) transplantation into a site other than the peritoneal cavity, which might result in better access to blood, oxygen, and nutrients; (ii) the development of a more biocompatible capsule and/or the minimization of a foreign body reaction; (iii) pig genetic modification to induce a greater secretion of insulin by the islets, and/or to reduce the immune response to islets released from damaged capsules; and (iv) reduction of the inflammatory response to the capsules/islets by improvements in the structure of the capsules and/or in genetic-engineering of the pigs and/or in some form of drug therapy. Ethical and regulatory frameworks for islet xenotransplantation are already available in several countries, and there is now a wider international perception of the importance of developing an internationally-harmonized ethical and regulatory framework. PMID:27482959

Brain Structural Changes in Obstructive Sleep Apnea

PubMed Central

Macey, Paul M.; Kumar, Rajesh; Woo, Mary A.; Valladares, Edwin M.; Yan-Go, Frisca L.; Harper, Ronald M.

2008-01-01

Study Objectives: Determine whether obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) subjects show indications of axonal injury. Design: We assessed fiber integrity in OSA and control subjects with diffusion tensor imaging (DTI). We acquired four whole-brain DTI series from each subject. The four series were realigned, and the diffusion tensor calculated at each voxel. Fractional anisotropy (FA), a measure of fiber integrity, was derived from the diffusion tensor, resulting in a whole brain FA “map.” The FA maps were spatially normalized, smoothed, and compared using voxel-based statistics to determine differences between OSA and control groups, with age as a covariate (P < 0.05, corrected for multiple comparisons). Setting: University medical center. Subjects: We studied 41 patients with untreated OSA (mean age ± SD: 46.3 ± 8.9 years; female/male: 7/34) with apnea-hypopnea index 15 to 101 (mean ± SD: 35.7 ± 18.1 events/hour), and 69 control subjects (mean age ± SD: 47.5 ± 8.79 years; female/male: 25/44). Measurements and Results: Multiple regions of lower FA appeared within white matter in the OSA group, and included fibers of the anterior corpus callosum, anterior and posterior cingulate cortex and cingulum bundle, right column of the fornix, portions of the frontal, ventral prefrontal, parietal and insular cortices, bilateral internal capsule, left cerebral peduncle, middle cerebellar peduncle and corticospinal tract, and deep cerebellar nuclei. Conclusions: White matter is extensively affected in OSA patients; the alterations include axons linking major structures within the limbic system, pons, frontal, temporal and parietal cortices, and projections to and from the cerebellum. Citation: Macey PM; Kumar R; Woo MA; Valladares EM; Yan-Go FL; Harper RM. Brain structural changes in obstructive sleep apnea. SLEEP 2008;31(7):967-977. PMID:18652092

Lifetime methamphetamine dependence is associated with cerebral microgliosis in HIV-1-infected adults.

PubMed

Soontornniyomkij, Virawudh; Umlauf, Anya; Soontornniyomkij, Benchawanna; Batki, Isabella B; Moore, David J; Masliah, Eliezer; Achim, Cristian L

2016-10-01

Methamphetamine (Meth) use is common among HIV-infected persons. It remains unclear whether Meth dependence is associated with long-lasting degenerative changes in the brain parenchyma and microvasculature of HIV-infected individuals. We examined the postmortem brains of 78 HIV-infected adults, twenty of whom were diagnosed with lifetime Meth dependence (18 past and two current at the final follow-up visit). Using logistic regression models, we analyzed associations of Meth with cerebral gliosis (immunohistochemistry for ionized calcium-binding adapter molecule-1 (Iba1) and glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) in frontal, temporo-parietal, and putamen-internal capsule regions), synaptodendritic loss (confocal microscopy for synaptophysin (SYP) and microtubule-associated protein-2 (MAP2) in frontal cortex), β-amyloid plaque deposition (immunohistochemistry in frontal and temporo-parietal cortex and putamen), and arteriolosclerosis (histopathology in forebrain white matter). We found that Meth was associated with marked Iba1 gliosis in the temporo-parietal region (odds ratio, 4.42 (95 % confidence interval, 1.36, 14.39), p = 0.014, n = 62), which remained statistically significant after adjusting for HIV encephalitis, white matter lesions, and opportunistic diseases (n = 61); hepatitis C virus seropositivity (n = 54); and lifetime dependence on alcohol, opiates, and cannabis (n = 62). There was no significant association of Meth with GFAP gliosis, SYP or MAP2 loss, β-amyloid plaque deposition, or arteriolosclerosis. In conclusion, we found lifetime Meth dependence to be associated with focal cerebral microgliosis among HIV-infected adults, but not with other brain degenerative changes examined. Some of the changes in select brain regions might be reversible following extended Meth abstinence or, alternatively, might have not been induced by Meth initially.

White matter microstructure changes induced by motor skill learning utilizing a body machine interface.

PubMed

Wang, Xue; Casadio, Maura; Weber, Kenneth A; Mussa-Ivaldi, Ferdinando A; Parrish, Todd B

2014-03-01

The purpose of this study is to identify white matter microstructure changes following bilateral upper extremity motor skill training to increase our understanding of learning-induced structural plasticity and enhance clinical strategies in physical rehabilitation. Eleven healthy subjects performed two visuo-spatial motor training tasks over 9 sessions (2-3 sessions per week). Subjects controlled a cursor with bilateral simultaneous movements of the shoulders and upper arms using a body machine interface. Before the start and within 2days of the completion of training, whole brain diffusion tensor MR imaging data were acquired. Motor training increased fractional anisotropy (FA) values in the posterior and anterior limbs of the internal capsule, the corona radiata, and the body of the corpus callosum by 4.19% on average indicating white matter microstructure changes induced by activity-dependent modulation of axon number, axon diameter, or myelin thickness. These changes may underlie the functional reorganization associated with motor skill learning. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Acute hypervitaminosis A in a young lady.

PubMed

Khasru, M R; Yasmin, R; Salek, A K; Khan, K H; Nath, S D; Selim, S

2010-04-01

Acute vitamin A toxicity from a large dose has been reported to cause pseudotumour cerebri. Usually it is common in children. Herein we present the case of a young lady of 18 years old with the complaints of headache, vomiting, back pain and diplopia after ingestion of high dose (about 10 million international units) vitamin A capsule intentionally at a time due to some family problems. She gave no history of fever, convulsion, unconsciousness, pain in eyes, difficulties in walking and jaundice or any urinary problem during this illness. On query she gave no history of taking any other drugs including oral contraceptive and tetracycline & steroids. She also gave no history of sleep disorder. There was bilateral papilloedema, pupils were a bit dilated symmetrically but reacting to light, visual acuity 6/60 on left eye and 6/18 on right eye and bilateral 6th cranial nerve palsy more marked on left side. MRI of brain and orbits showed normal study. Patient improved after giving acetazolamide.

JC Virus Leuko-Encephalopathy in Reduced Intensity Conditioning Cord Blood Transplant Recipient with a Review of the Literature.

PubMed

El-Cheikh, Jean; Fürst, Sabine; Casalonga, Francois; Crocchiolo, Roberto; Castagna, Luca; Granata, Angela; Oudin, Claire; Faucher, Catherine; Berger, Pierre; Sarran, Anthony; Blaise, Didier

2012-01-01

We report here the case of progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML) related to human polyomavirus JC (JCV) infection after an allogeneic transplantation with umbilical cord blood cells in 59-year-old woman with follicular Non Hodgkin lymphoma. She presented with dysphagia and weakness; magnetic resonance imaging demonstrated marked signal abnormality in the sub-cortical white matter of the left frontal lobe and in the posterior limb of the right internal capsule. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analysis of the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) was positive for John Cunningham (JC) virus. JC viral DNA in the CSF was positive, establishing the diagnosis of PML. Brain biopsy was not done. Extensive investigations for other viral infections seen in immuno-compromised patients were negative. The patient's neurologic deficits rapidly increased throughout her hospital stay, and she died one month after the diagnosis. These findings could have practical implications and demonstrate that in patients presenting neurological symptoms and radiological signs after UCBT, the JCV encephalitis must be early suspected.

JC Virus Leuko-Encephalopathy in Reduced Intensity Conditioning Cord Blood Transplant Recipient with a Review of the Literature

PubMed Central

El-Cheikh, Jean; Fürst, Sabine; Casalonga, Francois; Crocchiolo, Roberto; Castagna, Luca; Granata, Angela; Oudin, Claire; Faucher, Catherine; Berger, Pierre; Sarran, Anthony; Blaise, Didier

2012-01-01

We report here the case of progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML) related to human polyomavirus JC (JCV) infection after an allogeneic transplantation with umbilical cord blood cells in 59-year-old woman with follicular Non Hodgkin lymphoma. She presented with dysphagia and weakness; magnetic resonance imaging demonstrated marked signal abnormality in the sub-cortical white matter of the left frontal lobe and in the posterior limb of the right internal capsule. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analysis of the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) was positive for John Cunningham (JC) virus. JC viral DNA in the CSF was positive, establishing the diagnosis of PML. Brain biopsy was not done. Extensive investigations for other viral infections seen in immuno-compromised patients were negative. The patient’s neurologic deficits rapidly increased throughout her hospital stay, and she died one month after the diagnosis. These findings could have practical implications and demonstrate that in patients presenting neurological symptoms and radiological signs after UCBT, the JCV encephalitis must be early suspected. PMID:22811792

Common variation in the autism risk gene CNTNAP2, brain structural connectivity and multisensory speech integration.

PubMed

Ross, Lars A; Del Bene, Victor A; Molholm, Sophie; Jae Woo, Young; Andrade, Gizely N; Abrahams, Brett S; Foxe, John J

2017-11-01

Three lines of evidence motivated this study. 1) CNTNAP2 variation is associated with autism risk and speech-language development. 2) CNTNAP2 variations are associated with differences in white matter (WM) tracts comprising the speech-language circuitry. 3) Children with autism show impairment in multisensory speech perception. Here, we asked whether an autism risk-associated CNTNAP2 single nucleotide polymorphism in neurotypical adults was associated with multisensory speech perception performance, and whether such a genotype-phenotype association was mediated through white matter tract integrity in speech-language circuitry. Risk genotype at rs7794745 was associated with decreased benefit from visual speech and lower fractional anisotropy (FA) in several WM tracts (right precentral gyrus, left anterior corona radiata, right retrolenticular internal capsule). These structural connectivity differences were found to mediate the effect of genotype on audiovisual speech perception, shedding light on possible pathogenic pathways in autism and biological sources of inter-individual variation in audiovisual speech processing in neurotypicals. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The mechanism of ipsilateral ataxia in lacunar hemiparesis: SPECT perfusion imaging.

PubMed

Yamamoto, Ryoo; Johkura, Ken; Nakae, Yoshiharu; Tanaka, Fumiaki

2015-01-01

Although ataxic hemiparesis is a common lacunar syndrome, the precise mechanism underlying hemiataxia is not clear. We attempted to identify ataxia-related, cerebral blood flow changes in patients presenting with ataxic hemiparesis after acute capsular infarct. We used 99mTc-ECD brain perfusion single-photon emission computed tomography to evaluate regional cerebral blood flow in 12 patients with ataxic hemiparesis caused by capsular infarct, and we compared the regional blood flow of these patients with that of 11 patients with pure motor hemiparesis caused by similar lesions. The ipsilateral red nucleus blood flow was significantly decreased in the ataxic hemiparesis patients, whereas the ipsilateral red nucleus blood flow was increased in the pure motor hemiparesis patients. Crossed cerebellar diaschisis (decreased contralateral cerebellar blood flow) was seen in ataxic hemiparesis patients; similarly, it was seen in pure motor hemiparesis patients. Our findings suggest that ataxia in hemiparetic patients with capsular infarct can be caused by ipsilateral red nucleus dysfunction secondary to cortico-rubral pathway disruption at the internal capsule.

Kinetic Energy Transfer Process in a Double Shell Leading to Robust Burn

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Montgomery, D. S.; Daughton, W. S.; Albright, B. J.; Wilson, D. C.; Loomis, E. N.; Merritt, E. C.; Dodd, E. S.; Kirkpatrick, R. C.; Watt, R. G.; Rosen, M. D.

2017-10-01

A goal of double shell capsule implosions is to impart sufficient internal energy to the D-T fuel at stagnation in order to obtain robust α-heating and burn with low hot spot convergence, C.R. < 10. A simple description of the kinetic energy transfer from the outer shell to the inner shell is found using shock physics and adiabatic compression, and compares well with 1D modeling. An isobaric model for the stagnation phase of the inner shell is used to determine the ideal partition of internal energy in the D-T fuel. Robust burn of the fuel requires, at minimum, that α-heating exceeds the rate of cooling by expansion of the hot spot so that the yield occurs before the hot spot disassembles, which is then used to define a minimum requirement for robust burn. One potential advantage of a double shell capsule compared to single shell capsules is the use of a heavy metal pusher, which may lead to a longer hot spot disassembly time. We present these analytic results and compare them to 1D and 2D radiation-hydrodynamic simulations. Work performed under the auspices of DOE by LANL under contract DE-AC52-06NA25396.

Use of Containers to Carry Bulk and Break Bulk Commodities and Their Impact on Gulf Region Ports and International Trade : Research Project Capsule

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2012-09-01

Since their introduction in the 1950s, the use of containers now represents roughly 90% of : world trade. Their acceptance as the common denominator in international shipping has had : profound impacts throughout the shipping industry. More recently,...

International Space Station (ISS)

NASA Image and Video Library

2003-05-03

Expedition Seven photographed the Soyez TMA-1 Capsule through a window of the International Space Station (ISS) as it departed for Earth. Aboard were Expedition Six crew members, astronauts Kerneth D. Bowersox and Donald R. Pettit, and cosmonaut Nikolai M. Budarin. Expedition Six served a 5 and 1/2 month stay aboard the ISS, the longest stay to date.

Experimental evidence of a dual endocrine control of biosynthesis in the main nidamental glands of Sepia officinalis L. by factors from the central nervous system and the ovary.

PubMed

Henry, J; Boucaud-Camou, E

1993-12-01

1. A rapid, reliable and quantitative in vitro bioassay was developed to study the endocrine control of the biosynthesis of the egg capsule: incorporation of 14C-labelled D-glucose in polysaccharides and glycoproteins increased in dispersed-cell suspensions of main nidamental glands from maturing females. 2. Brain, optic lobes (OL) and ovary extracts from mature and maturing females stimulated the incorporation of 14C-labelled D-glucose in polysaccharidic and glycoproteic fractions of a nidamental cell suspension, whereas optic gland (OG) had no effect. 3. These results bring the first experimental evidence that one of the spawning events (egg-capsule edification) is controlled by the central nervous system and the ovary in a cephalopod.

Saturn Apollo Program

NASA Image and Video Library

1973-01-01

This illustration depicts a configuration of the Soyuz spacecraft for the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project (ASTP). The ASTP was the first international docking of the U.S.'s Apollo spacecraft and the U.S.S.R.'s Soyuz spacecraft in space. For this project, the Soviets built another in their continuing series of Soyuz space capsules. The U.S. used the Saturn IB Apollo capsule. A joint engineering team from the two countries met to develop a docking system that permitted the two spacecraft to link in space and allowed the crews to travel from one spacecraft to the other.

Gray matter and white matter abnormalities in online game addiction.

PubMed

Weng, Chuan-Bo; Qian, Ruo-Bing; Fu, Xian-Ming; Lin, Bin; Han, Xiao-Peng; Niu, Chao-Shi; Wang, Ye-Han

2013-08-01

Online game addiction (OGA) has attracted greater attention as a serious public mental health issue. However, there are only a few brain magnetic resonance imaging studies on brain structure about OGA. In the current study, we used voxel-based morphometry (VBM) analysis and tract-based spatial statistics (TBSS) to investigate the microstructural changes in OGA and assessed the relationship between these morphology changes and the Young's Internet Addiction Scale (YIAS) scores within the OGA group. Compared with healthy subjects, OGA individuals showed significant gray matter atrophy in the right orbitofrontal cortex, bilateral insula, and right supplementary motor area. According to TBSS analysis, OGA subjects had significantly reduced FA in the right genu of corpus callosum, bilateral frontal lobe white matter, and right external capsule. Gray matter volumes (GMV) of the right orbitofrontal cortex, bilateral insula and FA values of the right external capsule were significantly positively correlated with the YIAS scores in the OGA subjects. Our findings suggested that microstructure abnormalities of gray and white matter were present in OGA subjects. This finding may provide more insights into the understanding of the underlying neural mechanisms of OGA. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

A wideband spiral antenna for ingestible capsule endoscope systems: experimental results in a human phantom and a pig.

PubMed

Lee, Sang Heun; Lee, Jaebok; Yoon, Young Joong; Park, Sangbok; Cheon, Changyul; Kim, Kihyun; Nam, Sangwook

2011-06-01

This paper presents the design of a wideband spiral antenna for ingestible capsule endoscope systems and a comparison between the experimental results in a human phantom and a pig under general anesthesia. As wireless capsule endoscope systems transmit real-time internal biological image data at a high resolution to external receivers and because they operate in the human body, a small wideband antenna is required. To incorporate these properties, a thick-arm spiral structure is applied to the designed antenna. To make practical and efficient use of antennas inside the human body, which is composed of a high dielectric and lossy material, the resonance characteristics and radiation patterns were evaluated through a measurement setup using a liquid human phantom. The total height of the designed antenna is 5 mm and the diameter is 10 mm. The fractional bandwidth of the fabricated antenna is about 21% with a voltage standing-wave ratio of less than 2, and it has an isotropic radiation pattern. These characteristics are suitable for wideband capsule endoscope systems. Moreover, the received power level was measured using the proposed antenna, a circular polarized receiver antenna, and a pig under general anesthesia. Finally, endoscopic capsule images in the stomach and large intestine were captured using an on-off keying transceiver system.

Impacts of Implosion Asymmetry And Hot Spot Shape On Ignition Capsules

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cheng, Baolian; Kwan, Thomas J. T.; Wang, Yi-Ming; Yi, S. Austin; Batha, Steve

2017-10-01

Implosion symmetry plays a critical role in achieving high areal density and internal energy at stagnation during hot spot formation in ICF capsules. Asymmetry causes hot spot irregularity and stagnation de-synchronization that results in lower temperatures and areal densities of the hot fuel. These degradations significantly affect the alpha heating process in the DT fuel as well as on the thermonuclear performance of the capsules. In this work, we explore the physical factors determining the shape of the hot spot late in the implosion and the effects of shape on Î+/-particle transport. We extend our ignition theory [1-4] to include the hot spot shape and quantify the effects of the implosion asymmetry on both the ignition criterion and capsule performance. We validate our theory with the NIF existing experimental data Our theory shows that the ignition criterion becomes more restrictive with the deformation of the hot spot. Through comparison with the NIF data, we demonstrate that the shape effects on the capsules' performance become more explicit as the self-heating and yield of the capsules increases. The degradation of the thermonuclear burn by the hot spot shape for high yield shots to date can be as high as 20%. Our theory is in good agreement with the NIF data. This work was performed under the auspices of the U.S. Department of Energy by the Los Alamos National Laboratory under Contract No. W-7405-ENG-36.

The Superior Frontal Transsulcal Approach to the Anterior Ventricular System: Exploring the Sulcal and Subcortical Anatomy Using Anatomic Dissections and Diffusion Tensor Imaging Tractography.

PubMed

Koutsarnakis, Christos; Liakos, Faidon; Kalyvas, Aristotelis V; Skandalakis, Georgios P; Komaitis, Spyros; Christidi, Fotini; Karavasilis, Efstratios; Liouta, Evangelia; Stranjalis, George

2017-10-01

To explore the superior frontal sulcus (SFS) morphology, trajectory of the applied surgical corridor, and white matter bundles that are traversed during the superior frontal transsulcal transventricular approach. Twenty normal, adult, formalin-fixed cerebral hemispheres and 2 cadaveric heads were included in the study. The topography, morphology, and dimensions of the SFS were recorded in all specimens. Fourteen hemispheres were investigated through the fiber dissection technique whereas the remaining 6 were explored using coronal cuts. The cadaveric heads were used to perform the superior frontal transsulcal transventricular approach. In addition, 2 healthy volunteers underwent diffusion tensor imaging and tractography reconstruction studies. The SFS was interrupted in 40% of the specimens studied and was always parallel to the interhemispheric fissure. The proximal 5 cm of the SFS (starting from the SFS precentral sulcus meeting point) were found to overlie the anterior ventricular system in all hemispheres. Five discrete white matter layers were identified en route to the anterior ventricular system (i.e., the arcuate fibers, the frontal aslant tract, the external capsule, internal capsule, and the callosal radiations). Diffusion tensor imaging studies confirmed the fiber tract architecture. When feasible, the superior frontal transsulcal transventricular approach offers a safe and effective corridor to the anterior part of the lateral ventricle because it minimizes brain retraction and transgression and offers a wide and straightforward working corridor. Meticulous preoperative planning coupled with a sound microneurosurgical technique are prerequisites to perform the approach successfully. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Lessons learned from the recovered heatshield of the USERS REV capsule

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yamada, Tetsuya; Matsuda, Seiji; Okuyama, Keiichi; Ishii, Nobuaki

2008-01-01

The USERS Reentry Vehicle (REV) capsule carried out reentry flight from the low earth orbit and was successfully recovered on the sea in May, 2003. This paper presents the post-flight analysis of the recovered heatshield of REV capsule and summarizes the lessons learned. REV capsule, totally about 670 kg, has the combined shape of the nose hemisphere and the rear cone part, and its size is about 1.5 m in diameter and 1.9 m in length. REV is thermally protected against the aerodynamic heating by the carbon phenolic ablator heatshield. The recovered REV heatshield was scrutinized based on the outside aspect and the cross-sections. In general, the temperature profiles of the heatshield have been compared between the flight data and the prediction. The origin of the surface shallow cracks and slight delamination observed in the heatshield have been investigated based on the flight data and taking account of the ablator internal pyrolysis gas pressure, the thermal stress, and the allowable stress. The heatshield has proven to satisfy thermal protection requirements, and the validity of the designing has been confirmed.

Cryptococcus neoformans Is Internalized by Receptor-Mediated or ‘Triggered’ Phagocytosis, Dependent on Actin Recruitment

PubMed Central

Guerra, Caroline Rezende; Seabra, Sergio Henrique; de Souza, Wanderley; Rozental, Sonia

2014-01-01

Cryptococcosis by the encapsulated yeast Cryptococcus neoformans affects mostly immunocompromised individuals and is a frequent neurological complication in AIDS patients. Recent studies support the idea that intracellular survival of Cryptococcus yeast cells is important for the pathogenesis of cryptococcosis. However, the initial steps of Cryptococcus internalization by host cells remain poorly understood. Here, we investigate the mechanism of Cryptococcus neoformans phagocytosis by peritoneal macrophages using confocal and electron microscopy techniques, as well as flow cytometry quantification, evaluating the importance of fungal capsule production and of host cell cytoskeletal elements for fungal phagocytosis. Electron microscopy analyses revealed that capsular and acapsular strains of C. neoformans are internalized by macrophages via both ‘zipper’ (receptor-mediated) and ‘trigger’ (membrane ruffle-dependent) phagocytosis mechanisms. Actin filaments surrounded phagosomes of capsular and acapsular yeasts, and the actin depolymerizing drugs cytochalasin D and latrunculin B inhibited yeast internalization and actin recruitment to the phagosome area. In contrast, nocodazole and paclitaxel, inhibitors of microtubule dynamics decreased internalization but did not prevent actin recruitment to the site of phagocytosis. Our results show that different uptake mechanisms, dependent on both actin and tubulin dynamics occur during yeast internalization by macrophages, and that capsule production does not affect the mode of Cryptococcus uptake by host cells. PMID:24586631

Cryptococcus neoformans is internalized by receptor-mediated or 'triggered' phagocytosis, dependent on actin recruitment.

PubMed

Guerra, Caroline Rezende; Seabra, Sergio Henrique; de Souza, Wanderley; Rozental, Sonia

2014-01-01

Cryptococcosis by the encapsulated yeast Cryptococcus neoformans affects mostly immunocompromised individuals and is a frequent neurological complication in AIDS patients. Recent studies support the idea that intracellular survival of Cryptococcus yeast cells is important for the pathogenesis of cryptococcosis. However, the initial steps of Cryptococcus internalization by host cells remain poorly understood. Here, we investigate the mechanism of Cryptococcus neoformans phagocytosis by peritoneal macrophages using confocal and electron microscopy techniques, as well as flow cytometry quantification, evaluating the importance of fungal capsule production and of host cell cytoskeletal elements for fungal phagocytosis. Electron microscopy analyses revealed that capsular and acapsular strains of C. neoformans are internalized by macrophages via both 'zipper' (receptor-mediated) and 'trigger' (membrane ruffle-dependent) phagocytosis mechanisms. Actin filaments surrounded phagosomes of capsular and acapsular yeasts, and the actin depolymerizing drugs cytochalasin D and latrunculin B inhibited yeast internalization and actin recruitment to the phagosome area. In contrast, nocodazole and paclitaxel, inhibitors of microtubule dynamics decreased internalization but did not prevent actin recruitment to the site of phagocytosis. Our results show that different uptake mechanisms, dependent on both actin and tubulin dynamics occur during yeast internalization by macrophages, and that capsule production does not affect the mode of Cryptococcus uptake by host cells.

Brain region-specific enhancement of remyelination and prevention of demyelination by the CSF1R kinase inhibitor BLZ945.

PubMed

Beckmann, Nicolau; Giorgetti, Elisa; Neuhaus, Anna; Zurbruegg, Stefan; Accart, Nathalie; Smith, Paul; Perdoux, Julien; Perrot, Ludovic; Nash, Mark; Desrayaud, Sandrine; Wipfli, Peter; Frieauff, Wilfried; Shimshek, Derya R

2018-02-15

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic inflammatory disease affecting the central nervous system (CNS). While multiple effective immunomodulatory therapies for MS exist today, they lack the scope of promoting CNS repair, in particular remyelination. Microglia play a pivotal role in regulating myelination processes, and the colony-stimulating factor 1 (CSF-1) pathway is a key regulator for microglia differentiation and survival. Here, we investigated the effects of the CSF-1 receptor kinase inhibitor, BLZ945, on central myelination processes in the 5-week murine cuprizone model by non-invasive and longitudinal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and histology. Therapeutic 2-week BLZ945 treatment caused a brain region-specific enhancement of remyelination in the striatum/cortex, which was absent in the corpus callosum/external capsule. This beneficial effect correlated positively with microglia reduction, increased oligodendrocytes and astrogliosis. Prophylactic BLZ945 treatment prevented excessive demyelination in the corpus callosum by reducing microglia and increasing oligondendrocytes. In the external capsule oligodendrocytes were depleted but not microglia and a buildup of myelin debris and axonal damage was observed. A similar microglial dysfunction in the external capsule with an increase of myelin debris was obvious in triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells 2 (TREM2) knock-out mice treated with cuprizone. Finally, therapeutic BLZ945 treatment did not change the disease course in experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis mice, a peripherally driven neuroinflammation model. Taken together, our data suggest that a short-term therapeutic inhibition of the CSF-1 receptor pathway by BLZ945 in the murine cuprizone model enhances central remyelination by modulating neuroinflammation. Thus, microglia-modulating therapies could be considered clinically for promoting myelination in combination with standard-of-care treatments in MS patients.

Damage to ventral and dorsal language pathways in acute aphasia

PubMed Central

Hartwigsen, Gesa; Kellmeyer, Philipp; Glauche, Volkmar; Mader, Irina; Klöppel, Stefan; Suchan, Julia; Karnath, Hans-Otto; Weiller, Cornelius; Saur, Dorothee

2013-01-01

Converging evidence from neuroimaging studies and computational modelling suggests an organization of language in a dual dorsal–ventral brain network: a dorsal stream connects temporoparietal with frontal premotor regions through the superior longitudinal and arcuate fasciculus and integrates sensorimotor processing, e.g. in repetition of speech. A ventral stream connects temporal and prefrontal regions via the extreme capsule and mediates meaning, e.g. in auditory comprehension. The aim of our study was to test, in a large sample of 100 aphasic stroke patients, how well acute impairments of repetition and comprehension correlate with lesions of either the dorsal or ventral stream. We combined voxelwise lesion-behaviour mapping with the dorsal and ventral white matter fibre tracts determined by probabilistic fibre tracking in our previous study in healthy subjects. We found that repetition impairments were mainly associated with lesions located in the posterior temporoparietal region with a statistical lesion maximum in the periventricular white matter in projection of the dorsal superior longitudinal and arcuate fasciculus. In contrast, lesions associated with comprehension deficits were found more ventral-anterior in the temporoprefrontal region with a statistical lesion maximum between the insular cortex and the putamen in projection of the ventral extreme capsule. Individual lesion overlap with the dorsal fibre tract showed a significant negative correlation with repetition performance, whereas lesion overlap with the ventral fibre tract revealed a significant negative correlation with comprehension performance. To summarize, our results from patients with acute stroke lesions support the claim that language is organized along two segregated dorsal–ventral streams. Particularly, this is the first lesion study demonstrating that task performance on auditory comprehension measures requires an interaction between temporal and prefrontal brain regions via the ventral extreme capsule pathway. PMID:23378217

Semipermeable Elastic Microcapsules for Gas Capture and Sensing.

PubMed

Nabavi, Seyed Ali; Vladisavljević, Goran T; Gu, Sai; Manović, Vasilije

2016-09-27

Monodispersed microcapsules for gas capture and sensing were developed consisting of elastic semipermeable polymer shells of tunable size and thickness and pH-sensitive, gas selective liquid cores. The microcapsules were produced using glass capillary microfluidics and continuous on-the-fly photopolymerization. The inner fluid was 5-30 wt % K2CO3 solution with m-cresol purple, the middle fluid was a UV-curable liquid silicon rubber containing 0-2 wt % Dow Corning 749 fluid, and the outer fluid was aqueous solution containing 60-70 wt % glycerol and 0.5-2 wt % stabilizer (poly(vinyl alcohol), Tween 20, or Pluronic F-127). An analytical model was developed and validated for prediction of the morphology of the capsules under osmotic stress based on the shell properties and the osmolarity of the storage and core solutions. The minimum energy density and UV light irradiance needed to achieve complete shell polymerization were 2 J·cm(-2) and 13.8 mW·cm(-2), respectively. After UV exposure, the curing time for capsules containing 0.5 wt % Dow Corning 749 fluid in the middle phase was 30-40 min. The CO2 capture capacity of 30 wt % K2CO3 capsules was 1.6-2 mmol/g depending on the capsule size and shell thickness. A cavitation bubble was observed in the core when the internal water was abruptly removed by capillary suction, whereas a gradual evaporation of internal water led to buckling of the shell. The shell was characterized using TGA, DSC, and FTIR. The shell degradation temperature was 450-460 °C.

SpaceX Dragon Air Circulation System

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hernandez, Brenda; Piatrovich, Siarhei; Prina, Mauro

2011-01-01

The Dragon capsule is a reusable vehicle being developed by Space Exploration Technologies (SpaceX) that will provide commercial cargo transportation to the International Space Station (ISS). Dragon is designed to be a habitable module while it is berthed to ISS. As such, the Dragon Environmental Control System (ECS) consists of pressure control and pressure equalization, air sampling, fire detection, illumination, and an air circulation system. The air circulation system prevents pockets of stagnant air in Dragon that can be hazardous to the ISS crew. In addition, through the inter-module duct, the air circulation system provides fresh air from ISS into Dragon. To utilize the maximum volume of Dragon for cargo packaging, the Dragon ECS air circulation system is designed around cargo rack optimization. At the same time, the air circulation system is designed to meet the National Aeronautics Space Administration (NASA) inter-module and intra-module ventilation requirements and acoustic requirements. A flight like configuration of the Dragon capsule including the air circulation system was recently assembled for testing to assess the design for inter-module and intra-module ventilation and acoustics. The testing included the Dragon capsule, and flight configuration in the pressure section with cargo racks, lockers, all of the air circulation components, and acoustic treatment. The air circulation test was also used to verify the Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) model of the Dragon capsule. The CFD model included the same Dragon internal geometry that was assembled for the test. This paper will describe the Dragon air circulation system design which has been verified by testing the system and with CFD analysis.

Neonatal brain microstructure correlates of neurodevelopment and gait in preterm children 18-22 mo of age: an MRI and DTI study.

PubMed

Rose, Jessica; Cahill-Rowley, Katelyn; Vassar, Rachel; Yeom, Kristen W; Stecher, Ximena; Stevenson, David K; Hintz, Susan R; Barnea-Goraly, Naama

2015-12-01

Near-term brain structure was examined in preterm infants in relation to neurodevelopment. We hypothesized that near-term macrostructural brain abnormalities identified using conventional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and white matter (WM) microstructure detected using diffusion tensor imaging (DTI), would correlate with lower cognitive and motor development and slower, less-stable gait at 18-22 mo of age. One hundred and two very-low-birth-weight preterm infants (≤1,500 g birth weight; ≤32 wk gestational age) were recruited prior to routine near-term brain MRI at 36.6 ± 1.8 wk postmenstrual age. Cerebellar and WM macrostructure was assessed on conventional structural MRI. DTI was obtained in 66 out of 102 and WM microstructure was assessed using fractional anisotropy and mean diffusivity (MD) in six subcortical brain regions defined by DiffeoMap neonatal atlas. Neurodevelopment was assessed with Bayley-Scales-of-Infant-Toddler-Development, 3rd-Edition (BSID-III); gait was assessed using an instrumented mat. Neonates with cerebellar abnormalities identified using MRI demonstrated lower mean BSID-III cognitive composite scores (89.0 ± 10.1 vs. 97.8 ± 12.4; P = 0.002) at 18-22 mo. Neonates with higher DTI-derived left posterior limb of internal capsule (PLIC) MD demonstrated lower cognitive and motor composite scores (r = -0.368; P = 0.004; r = -0.354; P = 0.006) at 18-22 mo; neonates with higher genu MD demonstrated slower gait velocity (r = -0.374; P = 0.007). Multivariate linear regression significantly predicted cognitive (adjusted r(2) = 0.247; P = 0.002) and motor score (adjusted r(2) = 0.131; P = 0.017). Near-term cerebellar macrostructure and PLIC and genu microstructure were predictive of early neurodevelopment and gait.

Region-specific DNA synthesis in brains of F344 rats following a six-day bromodeoxyuridine infusion.

PubMed

Bolon, B; Dunn, C; Goldsworthy, T L

1996-09-01

Prolonged exposure to certain alkylating chemicals induces glial and meningeal tumours in rats, probably resulting from DNA damage to dividing neural cells. The present work evaluated DNA synthesis in the brains of untreated, young adult male F344 rats in order to define a BrdUrd infusion protocol to more adequately assess proliferation in slowly dividing neural cell populations. BrdUrd (2.5 to 160 mg/ml) was administered for 6 days via subcutaneous osmotic pumps. Clinical toxicity was not observed at any dose. The labelling index (LI; % of cells per brain area that incorporated BrdUrd) and unit length labelling index (ULLI; % of cells per meningeal length that incorporated BrdUrd) were calculated for selected regions by counting labelled neural cells in defined areas of the right hemisphere in coronal brain sections. Intensely stained cells were numerous in the cerebral subependymal layer (LI = 35.8%); scattered in cerebral white matter tracts (e.g. corpus callosum and internal capsule; LI = 6.2%) as well as cerebral (ULLI = 4.2%) and cerebellar (ULLI = 3.6%) meninges; and rare in the hippocampus (LI > 0.1%). Mildy stained cells were dispersed in the pons (LI = 2.1%), deep cerebral (LI = 1.8%) and cerebellar (LI = 1.0%) grey matter, and thalamus (LI = 0.3%). Phenotypically, BrdUrd-positive cells in neuropil were glial cell precursors and their progeny, while those associated with meninges were usually located in the superficial subarachnoid space and appeared to be fibrocytes. Using BrdUrd infusion, LI for glial precursors at these sites ranged from two- to 10-fold higher than those reported previously after a brief parenteral pulse dose. These data indicate that continuous BrdUrd infusion for 6 days by subcutaneous osmotic pump is an efficient means of labelling neural cells throughout the brain.

Evans Blue Staining Reveals Vascular Leakage Associated with Focal Areas of Host-Parasite Interaction in Brains of Pigs Infected with Taenia solium

PubMed Central

Paredes, Adriana; Cangalaya, Carla; Rivera, Andrea; Gonzalez, Armando E.; Mahanty, Siddhartha; Garcia, Hector H.; Nash, Theodore E.

2014-01-01

Cysticidal drug treatment of viable Taenia solium brain parenchymal cysts leads to an acute pericystic host inflammatory response and blood brain barrier breakdown (BBB), commonly resulting in seizures. Naturally infected pigs, untreated or treated one time with praziquantel were sacrificed at 48 hr and 120 hr following the injection of Evans blue (EB) to assess the effect of treatment on larval parasites and surrounding tissue. Examination of harvested non encapsulated muscle cysts unexpectedly revealed one or more small, focal round region(s) of Evans blue dye infiltration (REBI) on the surface of otherwise non dye-stained muscle cysts. Histopathological analysis of REBI revealed focal areas of eosinophil-rich inflammatory infiltrates that migrated from the capsule into the tegument and internal structures of the parasite. In addition some encapsulated brain cysts, in which the presence of REBI could not be directly assessed, showed histopathology identical to that of the REBI. Muscle cysts with REBI were more frequent in pigs that had received praziquantel (6.6% of 3736 cysts; n = 6 pigs) than in those that were untreated (0.2% of 3172 cysts; n = 2 pigs). Similar results were found in the brain, where 20.7% of 29 cysts showed histopathology identical to muscle REBI cysts in praziquantel-treated pigs compared to the 4.3% of 47 cysts in untreated pigs. Closer examination of REBI infiltrates showed that EB was taken up only by eosinophils, a major component of the cellular infiltrates, which likely explains persistence of EB in the REBI. REBI likely represent early damaging host responses to T. solium cysts and highlight the focal nature of this initial host response and the importance of eosinophils at sites of host-parasite interaction. These findings suggest new avenues for immunomodulation to reduce inflammatory side effects of anthelmintic therapy. PMID:24915533

Current steering to activate targeted neural pathways during deep brain stimulation of the subthalamic region

PubMed Central

Chaturvedi, Ashutosh; Foutz, Thomas J.; McIntyre, Cameron C.

2012-01-01

Deep brain stimulation (DBS) has steadily evolved into an established surgical therapy for numerous neurological disorders, most notably Parkinson’s disease (PD). Traditional DBS technology relies on voltage-controlled stimulation with a single source; however, recent engineering advances are providing current-controlled devices with multiple independent sources. These new stimulators deliver constant current to the brain tissue, irrespective of impedance changes that occur around the electrode, and enable more specific steering of current towards targeted regions of interest. In this study, we examined the impact of current steering between multiple electrode contacts to directly activate three distinct neural populations in the subthalamic region commonly stimulated for the treatment of PD: projection neurons of the subthalamic nucleus (STN), globus pallidus internus (GPi) fibers of the lenticular fasiculus, and internal capsule (IC) fibers of passage. We used three-dimensional finite element electric field models, along with detailed multi-compartment cable models of the three neural populations to determine their activations using a wide range of stimulation parameter settings. Our results indicate that selective activation of neural populations largely depends on the location of the active electrode(s). Greater activation of the GPi and STN populations (without activating any side-effect related IC fibers) was achieved by current steering with multiple independent sources, compared to a single current source. Despite this potential advantage, it remains to be seen if these theoretical predictions result in a measurable clinical effect that outweighs the added complexity of the expanded stimulation parameter search space generated by the more flexible technology. PMID:22277548

Association of obesity with cognitive function and brain structure in patients with major depressive disorder.

PubMed

Hidese, Shinsuke; Ota, Miho; Matsuo, Junko; Ishida, Ikki; Hiraishi, Moeko; Yoshida, Sumiko; Noda, Takamasa; Sato, Noriko; Teraishi, Toshiya; Hattori, Kotaro; Kunugi, Hiroshi

2018-01-01

Obesity has been implicated in the pathophysiology of major depressive disorder (MDD), which prompted us to examine the possible association of obesity with cognitive function and brain structure in patients with MDD. Three hundred and seven patients with MDD and 294 healthy participants, matched for age, sex, ethnicity (Japanese), and handedness (right) were recruited for the study. Cognitive function was assessed using the Brief Assessment of Cognition in Schizophrenia (BACS). Gray and white matter structures were analyzed using voxel-based morphometry and diffusion tensor imaging in a subsample of patients (n = 114) whose magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) data were obtained using a 1.5 T MRI system. Verbal memory, working memory, motor speed, attention, executive function, and BACS composite scores were lower for the MDD patients than for the healthy participants (p < 0.05). Among the patient group, working memory, motor speed, executive function, and BACS composite scores were lower in obese patients (body mass index ≥ 30, n = 17) than in non-obese patients (n = 290, p < 0.05, corrected). MRI determined frontal, temporal, thalamic, and hippocampal volumes, and white matter fractional anisotropy values in the internal capsule and left optic radiation were reduced in obese patients (n = 7) compared with non-obese patients (n = 107, p < 0.05, corrected). Sample size for obese population was not very large. Obesity is associated with decreased cognitive function, reduced gray matter volume, and impaired white matter integrity in cognition-related brain areas in patients with MDD. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Shared genetic variance between obesity and white matter integrity in Mexican Americans.

PubMed

Spieker, Elena A; Kochunov, Peter; Rowland, Laura M; Sprooten, Emma; Winkler, Anderson M; Olvera, Rene L; Almasy, Laura; Duggirala, Ravi; Fox, Peter T; Blangero, John; Glahn, David C; Curran, Joanne E

2015-01-01

Obesity is a chronic metabolic disorder that may also lead to reduced white matter integrity, potentially due to shared genetic risk factors. Genetic correlation analyses were conducted in a large cohort of Mexican American families in San Antonio (N = 761, 58% females, ages 18-81 years; 41.3 ± 14.5) from the Genetics of Brain Structure and Function Study. Shared genetic variance was calculated between measures of adiposity [(body mass index (BMI; kg/m(2)) and waist circumference (WC; in)] and whole-brain and regional measurements of cerebral white matter integrity (fractional anisotropy). Whole-brain average and regional fractional anisotropy values for 10 major white matter tracts were calculated from high angular resolution diffusion tensor imaging data (DTI; 1.7 × 1.7 × 3 mm; 55 directions). Additive genetic factors explained intersubject variance in BMI (heritability, h (2) = 0.58), WC (h (2) = 0.57), and FA (h (2) = 0.49). FA shared significant portions of genetic variance with BMI in the genu (ρG = -0.25), body (ρG = -0.30), and splenium (ρG = -0.26) of the corpus callosum, internal capsule (ρG = -0.29), and thalamic radiation (ρG = -0.31) (all p's = 0.043). The strongest evidence of shared variance was between BMI/WC and FA in the superior fronto-occipital fasciculus (ρG = -0.39, p = 0.020; ρG = -0.39, p = 0.030), which highlights region-specific variation in neural correlates of obesity. This may suggest that increase in obesity and reduced white matter integrity share common genetic risk factors.

What’s special about task in dystonia? A voxel-based morphometry and diffusion weighted imaging study

PubMed Central

Ramdhani, Ritesh A.; Kumar, Veena; Velickovic, Miodrag; Frucht, Steven J.; Tagliati, Michele; Simonyan, Kristina

2014-01-01

Background Numerous brain imaging studies have demonstrated structural changes in the basal ganglia, thalamus, sensorimotor cortex and cerebellum across different forms of primary dystonia. However, our understanding of brain abnormalities contributing to the clinically well-described phenomenon of task-specificity in dystonia remained limited. Methods We used high-resolution MRI with voxel-based morphometry and diffusion tensor imaging with tract-based spatial statistics of fractional anisotropy to examine gray and white matter organization in two task-specific dystonia forms, writer’s cramp and laryngeal dystonia, and two non-task-specific dystonia forms, cervical dystonia and blepharospasm. Results A direct comparison between the both dystonia forms revealed that characteristic gray matter volumetric changes in task-specific dystonia involve the brain regions responsible for sensorimotor control during writing and speaking, such as primary somatosensory cortex, middle frontal gyrus, superior/inferior temporal gyrus, middle/posterior cingulate cortex, occipital cortex as well as the striatum and cerebellum (lobules VI-VIIa). These gray matter changes were accompanied by white matter abnormalities in the premotor cortex, middle/inferior frontal gyrus, genu of the corpus callosum, anterior limb/genu of the internal capsule, and putamen. Conversely, gray matter volumetric changes in non-task-specific group were limited to the left cerebellum (lobule VIIa) only, while white matter alterations were found to underlie the primary sensorimotor cortex, inferior parietal lobule and middle cingulate gyrus. Conclusion Distinct microstructural patterns in task-specific and non-task-specific dystonias may represent neuroimaging markers and provide evidence that these two dystonia subclasses likely follow divergent pathophysiological mechanisms precipitated by different triggers. PMID:24925463

GENETICS OF WHITE MATTER DEVELOPMENT: A DTI STUDY OF 705 TWINS AND THEIR SIBLINGS AGED 12 TO 29

PubMed Central

Chiang, Ming-Chang; McMahon, Katie L.; de Zubicaray, Greig I.; Martin, Nicholas G.; Hickie, Ian; Toga, Arthur W.; Wright, Margaret J.; Thompson, Paul M.

2011-01-01

White matter microstructure is under strong genetic control, yet it is largely unknown how genetic influences change from childhood into adulthood. In one of the largest brain mapping studies ever performed, we determined whether the genetic control over white matter architecture depends on age, sex, socioeconomic status (SES), and intelligence quotient (IQ). We assessed white matter integrity voxelwise using diffusion tensor imaging at high magnetic field (4-Tesla), in 705 twins and their siblings (age range 12–29; 290 M/415 F). White matter integrity was quantified using a widely accepted measure, fractional anisotropy (FA). We fitted gene-environment interaction models pointwise, to visualize brain regions where age, sex, SES and IQ modulate heritability of fiber integrity. We hypothesized that environmental factors would start to outweigh genetic factors during late childhood and adolescence. Genetic influences were greater in adolescence versus adulthood, and greater in males than in females. Socioeconomic status significantly interacted with genes that affect fiber integrity: heritability was higher in those with higher SES. In people with above-average IQ, genetic factors explained over 800% of the observed FA variability in the thalamus, genu, posterior internal capsule, and superior corona radiata. In those with below-average IQ, however, only around 40% FA variability in the same regions was attributable to genetic factors. Genes affect fiber integrity, but their effects vary with age, sex, SES and IQ. Gene-environment interactions are vital to consider in the search for specific genetic polymorphisms that affect brain integrity and connectivity. PMID:20950689

Immediate remote ischemic postconditioning after hypoxia ischemia in piglets protects cerebral white matter but not grey matter.

PubMed

Ezzati, Mojgan; Bainbridge, Alan; Broad, Kevin D; Kawano, Go; Oliver-Taylor, Aaron; Rocha-Ferreira, Eridan; Alonso-Alconada, Daniel; Fierens, Igor; Rostami, Jamshid; Jane Hassell, K; Tachtsidis, Ilias; Gressens, Pierre; Hristova, Mariya; Bennett, Kate; Lebon, Sophie; Fleiss, Bobbi; Yellon, Derek; Hausenloy, Derek J; Golay, Xavier; Robertson, Nicola J

2016-08-01

Remote ischemic postconditioning (RIPostC) is a promising therapeutic intervention whereby brief episodes of ischemia/reperfusion of one organ (limb) mitigate damage in another organ (brain) that has experienced severe hypoxia-ischemia. Our aim was to assess whether RIPostC is protective following cerebral hypoxia-ischemia in a piglet model of neonatal encephalopathy (NE) using magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) biomarkers and immunohistochemistry. After hypoxia-ischemia (HI), 16 Large White female newborn piglets were randomized to: (i) no intervention (n = 8); (ii) RIPostC - with four, 10-min cycles of bilateral lower limb ischemia/reperfusion immediately after HI (n = 8). RIPostC reduced the hypoxic-ischemic-induced increase in white matter proton MRS lactate/N acetyl aspartate (p = 0.005) and increased whole brain phosphorus-31 MRS ATP (p = 0.039) over the 48 h after HI. Cell death was reduced with RIPostC in the periventricular white matter (p = 0.03), internal capsule (p = 0.002) and corpus callosum (p = 0.021); there was reduced microglial activation in corpus callosum (p = 0.001) and more surviving oligodendrocytes in corpus callosum (p = 0.029) and periventricular white matter (p = 0.001). Changes in gene expression were detected in the white matter at 48 h, including KATP channel and endothelin A receptor. Immediate RIPostC is a potentially safe and promising brain protective therapy for babies with NE with protection in white but not grey matter. © The Author(s) 2015.

Twin-singleton developmental study of brain white matter anatomy.

PubMed

Sadeghi, Neda; Gilmore, John H; Gerig, Guido

2017-02-01

Twin studies provide valuable insights into the analysis of genetic and environmental factors influencing human brain development. However, these findings may not generalize to singletons due to differences in pre- and postnatal environments. One would expect the effect of these differences to be greater during the early years of life. To address this concern, we compare longitudinal diffusion data of white matter regions for 26 singletons and 76 twins (monozygotic and dizygotic) from birth to 2 years of age. We use nonlinear mixed effect modeling where the temporal changes in the diffusion parameters are described by the Gompertz function. The Gompertz function describes growth trajectory in terms of intuitive parameters: asymptote, delay, and speed. We analyzed fractional anisotropy (FA), axial diffusivity (AD), and radial diffusivity (RD) for 21 regions of interest (ROIs). These ROIs included areas in the association, projection, and commissural fiber tracts. We did not find any differences in the diffusion parameters between monozygotic and dizygotic twins. In addition, FA and RD showed no developmental differences between singletons and twins for the regions analyzed. However, the delay parameter of the Gompertz function of AD for the anterior limb of the internal capsule and anterior corona radiata was significantly different between singletons and twins. Further analysis indicated that the differences are small, and twins "catch up" by the first few months of life. These results suggest that the effects of differences of pre- and postnatal environments between twins and singletons are minimal on white matter development and disappear early in life. Hum Brain Mapp 38:1009-1024, 2017. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Voxel-based lesion-symptom mapping of stroke lesions underlying somatosensory deficits

PubMed Central

Meyer, Sarah; Kessner, Simon S.; Cheng, Bastian; Bönstrup, Marlene; Schulz, Robert; Hummel, Friedhelm C.; De Bruyn, Nele; Peeters, Andre; Van Pesch, Vincent; Duprez, Thierry; Sunaert, Stefan; Schrooten, Maarten; Feys, Hilde; Gerloff, Christian; Thomalla, Götz; Thijs, Vincent; Verheyden, Geert

2015-01-01

The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between stroke lesion location and the resulting somatosensory deficit. We studied exteroceptive and proprioceptive somatosensory symptoms and stroke lesions in 38 patients with first-ever acute stroke. The Erasmus modified Nottingham Sensory Assessment was used to clinically evaluate somatosensory functioning in the arm and hand within the first week after stroke onset. Additionally, more objective measures such as the perceptual threshold of touch and somatosensory evoked potentials were recorded. Non-parametric voxel-based lesion-symptom mapping was performed to investigate lesion contribution to different somatosensory deficits in the upper limb. Additionally, structural connectivity of brain areas that demonstrated the strongest association with somatosensory symptoms was determined, using probabilistic fiber tracking based on diffusion tensor imaging data from a healthy age-matched sample. Voxels with a significant association to somatosensory deficits were clustered in two core brain regions: the central parietal white matter, also referred to as the sensory component of the superior thalamic radiation, and the parietal operculum close to the insular cortex, representing the secondary somatosensory cortex. Our objective recordings confirmed findings from clinical assessments. Probabilistic tracking connected the first region to thalamus, internal capsule, brain stem, postcentral gyrus, cerebellum, and frontal pathways, while the second region demonstrated structural connections to thalamus, insular and primary somatosensory cortex. This study reveals that stroke lesions in the sensory fibers of the superior thalamocortical radiation and the parietal operculum are significantly associated with multiple exteroceptive and proprioceptive deficits in the arm and hand. PMID:26900565

The Global Neurological Burden of Tuberculosis.

PubMed

Thakur, Kiran; Das, Mitashee; Dooley, Kelly E; Gupta, Amita

2018-04-01

Central nervous system (CNS) involvement of tuberculosis (TB) is the most severe manifestation of TB and accounts for approximately 5 to 10% of all extrapulmonary TB (EPTB) cases and approximately 1% of all TB cases. TB meningitis (TBM) is the most common form of CNS TB, though other forms occur, often in conjunction with TBM, including intracranial tuberculomas, tuberculous brain abscesses, and spinal tubercular arachnoiditis. CNS TB often presents with nonspecific clinical features that mimic symptoms of other neurological conditions, often making diagnosis difficult. Defining neuroimaging characteristics of TBM include thick basal meningeal enhancement, hydrocephalus, and parenchymal infarctions most commonly involving the basal ganglia and internal capsule. Traditional cerebrospinal fluid sample analysis frequently requires lengthy times-to-result and have low sensitivity. Given the pitfalls of conventional CNS TB diagnostic methods, various molecular-based methods, including immunoassays and polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based assays have emerged as alternative diagnostic tools due to their rapidity, sensitivity, and specificity. Expert panels on TBM have recently emphasized the need for standard research procedures with updated case definitions and standardized study methods, which will hopefully pave the way for more robust multicenter international studies. In this article, we review the epidemiology, diagnosis, molecular factors associated with disease presentation and outcome, and treatment of CNS TB. Thieme Medical Publishers 333 Seventh Avenue, New York, NY 10001, USA.

[Evaluation of the radicalness of the removal of craniopharyngioma of the 3d ventricle in children and the possible sources of their continued growth and recurrence].

PubMed

Konovalov, A N; Vikhert, T M; Korshunov, A G; Gorelyshev, S K

1988-01-01

The authors compared the evaluation of the extent of radicalism of removal of craniopharyngiomas of the third ventricle during the operation and in postmortem examination in 17 cases. They found that the transcallosal approach provides greater possibility for radical removal and correct appraisal of the volume of the removed tumor. Growth of connective-tissue fibres of the capsule of the craniopharyngioma into the walls of the third ventricle hinders total removal of the tumor. Other possible sources of recurrences may be microscopie areas of the glial capsule whose fibres grow into the brain matter together with craniopharyngioma epithelial cell complexes, as well as microcraniopharyngiomas growing independently in the depths of the hypophysis which are not related to the removed tumor.

KSC-2012-3710

NASA Image and Video Library

2012-04-29

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - The SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket arrives at Space Launch Complex-40 on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. Liftoff with the SpaceX Dragon capsule aboard is set for 4:55 a.m. EDT on May 19. The launch will be the company's second demonstration test flight for NASA's Commercial Orbital Transportation Services Program, or COTS. During the flight, the capsule will conduct a series of check-out procedures to test and prove its systems, including rendezvous and berthing with the International Space Station. If the capsule performs as planned, the cargo and experiments it is carrying will be transferred to the station. The cargo includes food, water and provisions for the station’s Expedition crews, such as clothing, batteries and computer equipment. Under COTS, NASA has partnered with two aerospace companies to deliver cargo to the station. For more information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/spacex Photo credit: NASA/Jim Grossmann

KSC-2012-2520

NASA Image and Video Library

2012-04-04

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – In a processing hangar at Space Launch Complex-40 on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida, Space Exploration Technologies technicians close the hatch of the Dragon capsule. The hatch was open for cargo to be stowed in the capsule in preparation for its scheduled April 30 liftoff aboard a Falcon 9 rocket. Known as SpaceX, the launch will be the company's second demonstration test flight for NASA's Commercial Orbital Transportation Services program, or COTS. During the flight, the capsule will conduct a series of checkout procedures to test and prove its systems, including rendezvous and berthing with the International Space Station. The cargo includes food and provisions for the station’s Expedition crews, such as clothing, batteries, and computer equipment. Under COTS, NASA has partnered with two private companies to launch cargo safely to the station. For more information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/spacex. Photo credit: NASA/Jim Grossmann

KSC-2012-3713

NASA Image and Video Library

2012-04-29

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – The 227-foot-tall 69.2 meter) SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket arrives at Space Launch Complex-40 on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. Liftoff with the SpaceX Dragon capsule aboard is set for 4:55 a.m. EDT on May 19. The launch will be the company's second demonstration test flight for NASA's Commercial Orbital Transportation Services Program, or COTS. During the flight, the capsule will conduct a series of check-out procedures to test and prove its systems, including rendezvous and berthing with the International Space Station. If the capsule performs as planned, the cargo and experiments it is carrying will be transferred to the station. The cargo includes food, water and provisions for the station’s Expedition crews, such as clothing, batteries and computer equipment. Under COTS, NASA has partnered with two aerospace companies to deliver cargo to the station. For more information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/spacex Photo credit: NASA/Jim Grossmann

KSC-2012-3715

NASA Image and Video Library

2012-04-29

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – The SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket stands at Space Launch Complex-40 on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. Liftoff with the SpaceX Dragon capsule aboard is set for 4:55 a.m. EDT on May 19. The launch will be the company's second demonstration test flight for NASA's Commercial Orbital Transportation Services Program, or COTS. During the flight, the capsule will conduct a series of check-out procedures to test and prove its systems, including rendezvous and berthing with the International Space Station. If the capsule performs as planned, the cargo and experiments it is carrying will be transferred to the station. The cargo includes food, water and provisions for the station’s Expedition crews, such as clothing, batteries and computer equipment. Under COTS, NASA has partnered with two aerospace companies to deliver cargo to the station. For more information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/spacex Photo credit: NASA/Jim Grossmann

KSC-2012-3720

NASA Image and Video Library

2012-04-29

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – The SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket stands at Space Launch Complex-40 on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. Liftoff with the SpaceX Dragon capsule aboard is set for 4:55 a.m. EDT on May 19. The launch will be the company's second demonstration test flight for NASA's Commercial Orbital Transportation Services Program, or COTS. During the flight, the capsule will conduct a series of check-out procedures to test and prove its systems, including rendezvous and berthing with the International Space Station. If the capsule performs as planned, the cargo and experiments it is carrying will be transferred to the station. The cargo includes food, water and provisions for the station’s Expedition crews, such as clothing, batteries and computer equipment. Under COTS, NASA has partnered with two aerospace companies to deliver cargo to the station. For more information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/spacex Photo credit: NASA/Jim Grossmann

KSC-2012-2850

NASA Image and Video Library

2012-05-17

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – The SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket makes its way to the pad at Space Launch Complex-40 on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. Liftoff with the SpaceX Dragon capsule aboard is set for 4:55 a.m. EDT on May 19. The launch will be the company's second demonstration test flight for NASA's Commercial Orbital Transportation Services Program, or COTS. During the flight, the capsule will conduct a series of check-out procedures to test and prove its systems, including rendezvous and berthing with the International Space Station. If the capsule performs as planned, the cargo and experiments it is carrying will be transferred to the station. The cargo includes food, water and provisions for the station’s Expedition crews, such as clothing, batteries and computer equipment. Under COTS, NASA has partnered with two aerospace companies to deliver cargo to the station. For more information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/spacex. Photo credit: NASA/Jim Grossmann

KSC-2012-3714

NASA Image and Video Library

2012-04-29

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – Under the watchful eye of technicians, the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket arrives at Space Launch Complex-40 on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. Liftoff with the SpaceX Dragon capsule aboard is set for 4:55 a.m. EDT on May 19. The launch will be the company's second demonstration test flight for NASA's Commercial Orbital Transportation Services Program, or COTS. During the flight, the capsule will conduct a series of check-out procedures to test and prove its systems, including rendezvous and berthing with the International Space Station. If the capsule performs as planned, the cargo and experiments it is carrying will be transferred to the station. The cargo includes food, water and provisions for the station’s Expedition crews, such as clothing, batteries and computer equipment. Under COTS, NASA has partnered with two aerospace companies to deliver cargo to the station. For more information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/spacex Photo credit: NASA/Jim Grossmann

KSC-2012-2519

NASA Image and Video Library

2012-04-04

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – In a processing hangar at Space Launch Complex-40 on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida, Space Exploration Technologies technicians prepare to close the hatch of the Dragon capsule. The hatch was open for cargo to be stowed in the capsule in preparation for its scheduled April 30 liftoff aboard a Falcon 9 rocket. Known as SpaceX, the launch will be the company's second demonstration test flight for NASA's Commercial Orbital Transportation Services program, or COTS. During the flight, the capsule will conduct a series of checkout procedures to test and prove its systems, including rendezvous and berthing with the International Space Station. The cargo includes food and provisions for the station’s Expedition crews, such as clothing, batteries, and computer equipment. Under COTS, NASA has partnered with two private companies to launch cargo safely to the station. For more information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/spacex. Photo credit: NASA/Jim Grossmann

KSC-2012-3722

NASA Image and Video Library

2012-04-29

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – The SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket stands at Space Launch Complex-40 on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. Liftoff with the SpaceX Dragon capsule aboard is set for 4:55 a.m. EDT on May 19. The launch will be the company's second demonstration test flight for NASA's Commercial Orbital Transportation Services Program, or COTS. During the flight, the capsule will conduct a series of check-out procedures to test and prove its systems, including rendezvous and berthing with the International Space Station. If the capsule performs as planned, the cargo and experiments it is carrying will be transferred to the station. The cargo includes food, water and provisions for the station’s Expedition crews, such as clothing, batteries and computer equipment. Under COTS, NASA has partnered with two aerospace companies to deliver cargo to the station. For more information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/spacex Photo credit: NASA/Jim Grossmann

KSC-2012-3721

NASA Image and Video Library

2012-04-29

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – The 227-foot-tall 69.2 meter) SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket stands at Space Launch Complex-40 on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. Liftoff with the SpaceX Dragon capsule aboard is set for 4:55 a.m. EDT on May 19. The launch will be the company's second demonstration test flight for NASA's Commercial Orbital Transportation Services Program, or COTS. During the flight, the capsule will conduct a series of check-out procedures to test and prove its systems, including rendezvous and berthing with the International Space Station. If the capsule performs as planned, the cargo and experiments it is carrying will be transferred to the station. The cargo includes food, water and provisions for the station’s Expedition crews, such as clothing, batteries and computer equipment. Under COTS, NASA has partnered with two aerospace companies to deliver cargo to the station. For more information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/spacex Photo credit: NASA/Jim Grossmann

KSC-2012-3711

NASA Image and Video Library

2012-04-29

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – In this nose-on view, the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket arrives at Space Launch Complex-40 on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. Liftoff with the SpaceX Dragon capsule aboard is set for 4:55 a.m. EDT on May 19. The launch will be the company's second demonstration test flight for NASA's Commercial Orbital Transportation Services Program, or COTS. During the flight, the capsule will conduct a series of check-out procedures to test and prove its systems, including rendezvous and berthing with the International Space Station. If the capsule performs as planned, the cargo and experiments it is carrying will be transferred to the station. The cargo includes food, water and provisions for the station’s Expedition crews, such as clothing, batteries and computer equipment. Under COTS, NASA has partnered with two aerospace companies to deliver cargo to the station. For more information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/spacex Photo credit: NASA/Jim Grossmann

Specification for strontium-90 500-watt(e) radioisotopic thermoelectric generator

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hammel, T.; Himes, J.; Lieberman, A.; McGrew, J. W.; Owings, D.; Schumann, F.

1983-04-01

A conceptual design for a demonstration 500-watt(e) radioisotopic thermoelectric generator (RTG) was created. The design effort was divided into two tasks, viz., create a design specification for a capsule strenth member that utilizes a standard Strontium 90 fluoride filled WESF inner liner, and create a conceptual design for a 500-watt(e) RTG. The strength member specification was designed to survive an external pressure of 24,500 psi and meet the requirements of special form radioisotope heat sources. Therefore the capsule is if desired, licensed for domestic and international transport. The design for the RTG features a radioisotopic heat source, an array of nine capsules in a tungsten biological shield, four current technology series connected thermoelectric conversion modules, low conductivity thermal insulation, and a passive finned housing radiator for waste heat dissipation. The preliminary RTG specification formulated previous to contract award was met or exceeded.

[Inclusion of proteins into polyelectrolyte microcapsules by coprecipitation and adsorption].

PubMed

Kochetkova, O Iu; Kazakova, L I; Moshkov, D A; Vinokurov, M G; Shabarchina, L I

2013-01-01

In present study microcapsules composed of synthetic (PSS and PAA) and biodegradable (DS and PAr) polyelectrolytes on calcium carbonate microparticles were obtained. The ultrastructural organization of biodegradable microcapsules was studied using transmission electron microscopy. The envelope of such capsules consisting of six polyelectrolyte layers is already well-formed, having the average thickness of 44 ± 3.0 nm, and their internal polyelectrolyte matrix is sparser compared to the synthetic microcapsules. Spectroscopy was employed to evaluate the efficiency of incorporation of FITC-labeled BSA into synthetic microcapsules by adsorption, depending on the number of polyelectrolyte layers. It was shown that the maximal amount of protein incorporated into the capsules with 6 or 7 polyelectrolyte layers (4 and 2 pg/capsule, correspondingly). As a result we conclude that, in comparison with co-precipitation, the use of adsorption allows to completely avoid the loss of protein upon encapsulation.

Temperature Capsule

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1992-01-01

An ingestible mini-thermometer capable of measuring and relaying internal body temperatures is marketed by Human Technologies, Inc. The CorTemp system, developed by Goddard Space Flight Center and Applied Physics Lab, incorporates space technologies, among them telemetry and microminiaturized circuit, sensor and battery technologies. The capsule is ingested and continually monitors temperature with a vibrating quartz crystal sensor, which telemeters signals to a recorder, where data is displayed and stored. The system is very accurate, and because it does not require wires, allows patients to be monitored in everyday situations. The industrial variant (CSC-100) has wide utility in commercial applications.

Surgical management of brain-stem cavernous malformations: report of 137 cases.

PubMed

Wang, Chung-cheng; Liu, Ali; Zhang, Jun-ting; Sun, Bo; Zhao, Yuan-li

2003-06-01

With the improvement in neuroimaging and microsurgical techniques, brain stem cavernous malformations are no longer considered inoperable. Surgical indications for brainstem cavernoma are evolving, with better understanding of its natural history and decreasing surgical complications. During 1986 through 1998, a series of 137 patients (4 patients each with two brain stem lesions, total number of lesions, 141) with brain stem cavernous malformations were treated microsurgically at Beijing Neurosurgery Institute. The age distribution, lesion location, and clinical presentations were analyzed. The bleeding rate, surgical indications and microsurgical techniques were also discussed. In our series, 92 of 137 cases (67.2%) suffered more than one hemorrhage. Female patients had a higher risk of recurrent hemorrhage than that of male patients. Unlike cavernomas malformations from other locations, repeated hemorrhages from brain stem malformations are much more common and usually lead to new neurologic deficits. Among all 137 surgically treated patients, there was no operative mortality. Ninety-nine patients (72.3%) either improved or remained clinically stable postoperatively. The size of the cavernoma/hematoma does not necessarily correlate with the surgical result. While the acute hematoma can facilitate the surgical dissection, longer clinical history with multiple hemorrhages often makes total surgical resection difficult, partially because of the firmer capsule that may not shrink or collapse after hematoma is released. Pathologically those capsules were associated with more hyaline degeneration, fibrous proliferation and even calcifications. During the follow-up period between 0.5 to 11 years in 129 cases, 115 patients (89.2%) have been working, studying, or doing house work. Three patients (2.3%) suffered recurrent hemorrhages. Surgical indications of brain stem cavernoma include (1) progressive neurologic deficits; (2) overt acute or subacute hemorrhage on MRI either inside or outside cavernous malformations with mass effect; (3) cavernoma/hematoma reaching brainstem surface (<2 mm brain tissue between cavernoma /hematoma and pial surface). Grave clinical presentations like coma, respiratory, or cardiac instability are not surgical contraindications. Emergent surgical evacuation may lead to satisfactory outcome. Repeated hemorrhages will worsen the pre-existing neurologic deficits and possibly make the surgical dissections more difficult. Patients with minimum, stable neurologic deficits and lesion/hematoma that has not reached the brain stem surface should be followed conservatively.

Quality of compounded hydrocortisone capsules used in the treatment of children.

PubMed

Neumann, Uta; Burau, Daniela; Spielmann, Sarah; Whitaker, Martin J; Ross, Richard J; Kloft, Charlotte; Blankenstein, Oliver

2017-08-01

Due to the lack of paediatric-licensed formulations, children are often treated with individualized pharmacy-compounded adult medication. An international web-based survey about the types of medication in children with adrenal insufficiency (AI) revealed that the majority of paediatric physicians are using pharmacy-compounded medication to treat children with AI. Observations of loss of therapy control in children with congenital adrenal hyperplasia with compounded hydrocortisone capsules and regained control after prescribing a new hydrocortisone batch led to this 'real world' evaluation of pharmacy-compounded paediatric hydrocortisone capsules. Capsule samples were collected randomly from volunteering parents of treated children suffering from congenital adrenal hyperplasia from all over Germany. Analysis of net mass and hydrocortisone content by high-performance liquid chromatography with ultraviolet (HPLC-UV) detection method was performed based on the European Pharmacopeia. In a total of 61 batches that were sent, 5 batches could not be analysed because of missing dose information, insufficient number of capsules or were not possible to be evaluated. Fifty-six batches containing 1125 capsules were evaluated. 21.4% of the batches revealed insufficiency in uniformity of net mass or drug content and additional 3.6% failed because they did not contain the labelled drug. Compounded medication is a possible cause of variation of steroid doses in children with adrenal insufficiency or congenital adrenal hyperplasia, putting these vulnerable patients at risk of poor disease control and adrenal crisis. These data may apply to other individualized compounded oral medication as well, emphasizing the need for development of licensed paediatric formulations approved by regulatory authorities. © 2017 European Society of Endocrinology.

Recent-onset schizophrenia and adolescent cannabis use: MRI evidence for structural hyperconnectivity?

PubMed

Peters, Bart D; de Haan, Lieuwe; Vlieger, Erik-Jan; Majoie, Charles B; den Heeten, Gerard J; Linszen, Don H

2009-01-01

There is growing evidence that brain white matter abnormalities are implicated in the pathophysiology of schizophrenia. Cannabis use is an independent risk factor for schizophrenia.We tested the hypothesis that cannabis use during early adolescence is associated with white matter abnormalities in schizophrenia patients. Thirtyfive male recent-onset schizophrenia patients, with and without a history of cannabis use before age 17, and twenty-one matched healthy comparison men without illicit drug use were assessed with diffusion tensor imaging (DTI).White matter regions of interest were examined in co-registered DTI images. Compared to controls, patients with cannabis use before age 17 showed increased directional coherence in the bilateral uncinate fasciculus, anterior internal capsule and frontal white matter. These abnormalities were absent in patients without cannabis use before age 17. The abnormalities were not related to lifetime doses of cannabis or other illicit drugs.We could not exclude confounding effects of other illicit drugs. Recent-onset schizophrenia patients with start of cannabis use during early adolescence use may represent a subgroup of schizophrenia patients with increased white matter directional coherence, which may reflect structural hyperconnectivity. This is in contrast with most DTI studies in schizophrenia, which have produced evidence for hypoconnectivity. Further studies are necessary to assess the effect of adolescent cannabis and other illicit drug use on brain white matter in schizophrenia.

Dragon paves the way for new spaceflight era

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gwynne, Peter

2012-07-01

The success of the first private mission to the International Space Station (ISS) has opened up a new era in commercial spaceflight after SpaceX's Dragon capsule splashed down safely in the Pacific Ocean on 31 May.

Tziminema unachi n. gen., n. sp. (Nematoda: Strongylidae: Strongylinae) parasite of Baird's tapir Tapirus bairdii from Mexico.

PubMed

Güiris-Andrade, D M; Oceguera-Figueroa, A; Osorio-Sarabia, D; Pérez-Escobar, M E; Nieto-López, M G; Rojas-Hernández, N M; García-Prieto, L

2017-11-20

A new genus and species of nematode, Tziminema unachi n. gen., n. sp. is described from the caecum and colon of Baird's tapir Tapirus bairdii (Gill, 1865), found dead in the Reserva de la Biósfera El Triunfo, Chiapas State, in the Neotropical realm of Mexico. Tziminema n. gen. differs from the other nine genera included in the Strongylinae by two main characteristics: having 7-9 posteriorly directed tooth-like structures at the anterior end of the buccal capsule, and the external surface of the buccal capsule being heavily striated. Phylogenetic analyses of the DNA sequences of the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase and nuclear DNA, including a partial sequence of the internal transcribed spacer 1, 5.8S and a partial sequence of the internal transcribed spacer 2 of the new taxon, confirmed its inclusion in Strongylinae and its rank as a new genus.

A new method for synthesizing fluid inclusions in fused silica capillaries containing organic and inorganic material

USGS Publications Warehouse

Chou, I.-Ming; Song, Y.; Burruss, R.C.

2008-01-01

Considerable advances in our understanding of physicochemical properties of geological fluids and their roles in many geological processes have been achieved by the use of synthetic fluid inclusions. We have developed a new method to synthesize fluid inclusions containing organic and inorganic material in fused silica capillary tubing. We have used both round (0.3 mm OD and 0.05 or 0.1 mm ID) and square cross-section tubing (0.3 ?? 0.3 mm with 0.05 ?? 0.05 mm or 0.1 ?? 0.1 mm cavities). For microthermometric measurements in a USGS-type heating-cooling stage, sample capsules must be less than 25 mm in length. The square-sectioned capsules have the advantage of providing images without optical distortion. However, the maximum internal pressure (P; about 100 MPa at 22 ??C) and temperature (T; about 500 ??C) maintained by the square-sectioned capsules are less than those held by the round-sectioned capsules (about 300 MPa at room T, and T up to 650 ??C). The fused silica capsules can be applied to a wide range of problems of interest in fluid inclusion and hydrothermal research, such as creating standards for the calibration of thermocouples in heating-cooling stages and frequency shifts in Raman spectrometers. The fused silica capsules can also be used as containers for hydrothermal reactions, especially for organic samples, including individual hydrocarbons, crude oils, and gases, such as cracking of C18H38 between 350 and 400 ??C, isotopic exchanges between C18H38 and D2O and between C19D40 and H2O at similar temperatures. Results of these types of studies provide information on the kinetics of oil cracking and the changes of oil composition under thermal stress. When compared with synthesis of fluid inclusions formed by healing fractures in quartz or other minerals or by overgrowth of quartz at elevated P-T conditions, the new fused-silica method has the following advantages: (1) it is simple; (2) fluid inclusions without the presence of water can be formed; (3) synthesized inclusions are large and uniform, and they are able to tolerate high internal P; (4) it is suitable for the study of organic material; and (5) redox control is possible due to high permeability of the fused silica to hydrogen.

AGR-5/6/7 Irradiation Test Predictions using PARFUME

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Skerjanc, William F.

PARFUME, (PARticle FUel ModEl) a fuel performance modeling code used for high temperature gas-cooled reactors (HTGRs), was used to model the Advanced Gas Reactor (AGR)-5/6/7 irradiation test using predicted physics and thermal hydraulics data. The AGR-5/6/7 test consists of the combined fifth, sixth, and seventh planned irradiations of the AGR Fuel Development and Qualification Program. The AGR-5/6/7 test train is a multi-capsule, instrumented experiment that is designed for irradiation in the 133.4-mm diameter north east flux trap (NEFT) position of Advanced Test Reactor (ATR). Each capsule contains compacts filled with uranium oxycarbide (UCO) unaltered fuel particles. This report documents themore » calculations performed to predict the failure probability of tristructural isotropic (TRISO)-coated fuel particles during the AGR-5/6/7 experiment. In addition, this report documents the calculated source term from the driver fuel. The calculations include modeling of the AGR-5/6/7 irradiation that is scheduled to occur from October 2017 to April 2021 over a total of 13 ATR cycles, including nine normal cycles and four Power Axial Locator Mechanism (PALM) cycle for a total between 500 – 550 effective full power days (EFPD). The irradiation conditions and material properties of the AGR-5/6/7 test predicted zero fuel particle failures in Capsules 1, 2, and 4. Fuel particle failures were predicted in Capsule 3 due to internal particle pressure. These failures were predicted in the highest temperature compacts. Capsule 5 fuel particle failures were due to inner pyrolytic carbon (IPyC) cracking causing localized stresses concentrations in the SiC layer. This capsule predicted the highest particle failures due to the lower irradiation temperature. In addition, shrinkage of the buffer and IPyC layer during irradiation resulted in formation of a buffer-IPyC gap. The two capsules at the two ends of the test train, Capsules 1 and 5 experienced the smallest buffer-IPyC gap formation due to the lower irradiation fluences and temperatures. Capsule 3 experienced the largest buffer-IPyC gap formation of just under 24 µm. The release fraction of fission products Ag, Cs, and Sr silver (Ag), cesium (Cs), and strontium (Sr) vary depending on capsule location and irradiation temperature. The maximum release fraction of Ag occurs in Capsule 3, reaching up to 84.8% for the TRISO fuel particles. The release fraction of the other two fission products, Cs and Sr are much smaller and, in most cases, less than 1%. The notable exception is again in Capsule 3, where the release fraction for Cs and Sr reach up to 9.7% and 19.1%, respectively.« less

Jellyfish stinging is driven by the moving front of the nematocyst's tubule

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shavit, Uri; Park, Sinwook; Piriatinskiy, Gadi; Yossifon, Gilad; Lotan, Tamar

2017-11-01

Nematocysts are ultra-fast stinging organelles that are utilized by the Cnidaria phylum for prey capture, defense and locomotion. They consist of a capsule and a tubule and exert high pressure and acceleration to penetrate the target organism. Previous studies report that the ejection and elongation of the tubule are driven by a buildup of osmotic potential in the capsule. We question this explanation using a microfluidic system that controls the osmotic potential by directing the tubule through oil, where no osmotic potential can develop, while keeping the capsule in water. It was found that the time needed for elongation through oil is orders of magnitude larger than through water. Our mathematical model shows that the p γGlu concentration in the tubule is higher than in the capsule and the internal pressure that develops there serves as the elongation driving force. These findings imply that modifications of the environment along the tubule route have the potential to slow down the process and reduce its impact. This may shed light on prey defense strategies, human protection against jellyfish stinging, the use of nematocysts for drug delivery and exploration of osmotic based methods for nanotubes production and elongation.

Factor structure of the Shoulder Pain and Disability Index in patients with adhesive capsulitis.

PubMed

Tveitå, Einar Kristian; Sandvik, Leiv; Ekeberg, Ole Marius; Juel, Niels Gunnar; Bautz-Holter, Erik

2008-07-17

The Shoulder Pain and Disability Index (SPADI) is a self-administered questionnaire that aims to measure pain and disability associated with shoulder disease. It consists of a pain section and a disability section with 13 items being responded to on visual analogue scales. Few researchers have investigated SPADI validity in specified diagnostic groups, although the selection of an evaluative instrument should be based on evidence of validity in the target patient group. The aim of the present study was to investigate factor structure of the SPADI in a study population of patients with adhesive capsulitis. The questionnaire was administered to 191 patients with adhesive capsulitis. Descriptive statistics for items and a comparison of scores for the two subscales were produced. Internal consistency was analyzed by use of the Cronbach alpha and a principal components analysis with varimax rotation was conducted. Study design was cross-sectional. Two factors were extracted, but the factor structure failed to support the original division of items into separate pain and disability sections. We found minimal evidence to justify the use of separate subscales for pain and disability. It is our impression that the SPADI should be viewed as essentially unidimensional in patients with adhesive capsulitis.

Microfluidic solvent extraction of poly(vinyl alcohol) droplets: effect of polymer structure on particle and capsule formation.

PubMed

Sharratt, W N; Brooker, A; Robles, E S J; Cabral, J T

2018-04-26

We investigate the formation of poly(vinyl alcohol) microparticles by the selective extraction of aqueous polymer solution droplets, templated by microfluidics and subsequently immersed in a non-solvent bath. The role of polymer molecular mass (18-105 kg mol-1), degree of hydrolysis (88-99%) and thus solubility, and initial solution concentration (0.01-10% w/w) are quantified. Monodisperse droplets with radii ranging from 50 to 500 μm were produced at a flow-focusing junction with carrier phase hexadecane and extracted into ethyl acetate. Solvent exchange and extraction result in droplet shrinkage, demixing, coarsening and phase-inversion, yielding polymer microparticles with well-defined dimensions and internal microstructure. Polymer concentration, varied from below the overlap concentration c* to above the concentrated crossover c**, as estimated by viscosity measurements, was found to have the largest impact on the final particle size and extraction timescale, while polymer mass and hydrolysis played a secondary role. These results are consistent with the observation that the average polymer concentration upon solidification greatly exceeds c**, and that the internal microparticle porosity is largely unchanged. However, reducing the initial polymer concentration to well below c* (approximately 100×) and increasing droplet size yields thin-walled (100's of nm) capsules which controllably crumple upon extraction. The symmetry of the process can be readily broken by imposing extraction conditions at an impermeable surface, yielding large, buckled, cavity morphologies. Based on these results, we establish robust design criteria for polymer capsules and particles, demonstrated here for poly(vinyl alcohol), with well-defined shape, dimensions and internal microstructure.

Treatment of Bartholin gland cyst with CO2 laser

PubMed Central

Speck, Neila Maria de Góis; Boechat, Karol Pereira Ruela; dos Santos, Georgia Mouzinho Lima; Ribalta, Julisa Chamorro Lascasas

2016-01-01

ABSTRACT Objective To describe the results of treatment with CO2 laser for Bartholin gland cysts. Methods Thirty-one women with Bartholin gland cysts were treated with CO2 laser at an outpatient´s setting. Skin incision was performed with focused laser beam, the capsule was opened to drain mucoid content, followed by internal vaporization of impaired capsule. Results There were no complications. Five patients had recurrence of the cyst and were submitted to a second and successful session. Conclusion CO2 laser surgery was effective to treat Bartholin gland cysts with minimal or no complications, and can be performed at an outpatient´s setting. PMID:27074230

Expedition 31 Landing

NASA Image and Video Library

2012-07-01

Expedition 31 Flight Engineer Don Pettit of NASA is helped out of a Russian Search and Rescue helicopter after it carried him from the Soyuz TMA-03M capsule landing site in a remote area near the town of Zhezkazgan to Karaganda on Sunday, July 1, 2012 in Kazakhstan. Expedition 31 Commander Oleg Kononenko of Russia and Flight Engineers Pettit and Andre Kuipers of the European Space Agency landed in their Soyuz TMA-03M capsule in a remote area near the town of Zhezkazgan, Kazakhstan after serving more than six months onboard the International Space Station as members of the Expedition 30 and 31 crews. Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)

Clinical and molecular analysis of GM2 gangliosidosis in two apparent littermate kittens of the Japanese domestic cat.

PubMed

Hasegawa, Daisuke; Yamato, Osamu; Kobayashi, Masanori; Fujita, Michio; Nakamura, Shinichiro; Takahashi, Kimimasa; Satoh, Hiroyuki; Shoda, Toru; Hayashi, Daisuke; Yamasaki, Masahiro; Maede, Yoshimitsu; Arai, Toshiro; Orima, Hiromitsu

2007-06-01

This case report documents clinical and molecular findings in two littermate kittens of the Japanese domestic cat with GM2 gangliosidosis variant 0. Analysis included detailed physical, magnetic resonance imaging, biochemical, pathological and genetic examinations. At first, these littermate kittens showed typical cerebellar signs at approximately 2 months of age. About 2 months later, they progressively showed other neurological signs and subsequently died at about 7 months of age. Magnetic resonance imaging just before the death showed an enlarged ventricular system, T1 hyperintensity in the internal capsule, and T2 hyperintensity in the white matter of the whole brain. Histological findings suggested a type of lysosomal storage disease. Biochemical studies demonstrated that the kittens were affected with GM2 gangliosidosis variant 0, and a DNA assay finally demonstrated that these animals were homozygous for the mutation, which the authors had identified in a different family of the Japanese domestic cat. The findings in the present cases provide useful information about GM2 gangliosidosis variant 0 in Japanese domestic cats.

From the inside out: a new species of armoured catfish Corydoras with the description of poorly-explored character sources (Teleostei, Siluriformes, Callichthyidae).

PubMed

Espíndola, V C; Tencatt, L F C; Pupo, F M; Villa-Verde, L; Britto, M R

2018-05-01

A new species of the armoured catfish genus Corydoras is described from the Xingu-Tapajos ecoregion, Brazilian Amazon. The new species can be distinguished from its congeners by having the following combination of features: short mesethmoid, with anterior tip poorly developed, smaller than 50% of bone length; posterior margin of pectoral spine with serrations directed towards spine tip or perpendicularly oriented; infraorbital 2 only in contact with sphenotic; ventral laminar expansion of infraorbital 1 poorly or moderately developed; flank midline covered by small dark brown or black saddles with similar size to remaining markings on body; relatively larger, scarcer and more sparsely distributed dark brown or black spots on body; absence of stripe on flank midline; caudal fin with conspicuous dark brown or black spots along its entire surface; slender body; and strongly narrow frontals. A more comprehensive description of poorly-explored internal character sources, such as the gross morphology of the brain, Weberian apparatus and swimbladder capsule elements is presented. © 2018 The Fisheries Society of the British Isles.

White Matter Injury and General Movements in High-Risk Preterm Infants.

PubMed

Peyton, C; Yang, E; Msall, M E; Adde, L; Støen, R; Fjørtoft, T; Bos, A F; Einspieler, C; Zhou, Y; Schreiber, M D; Marks, J D; Drobyshevsky, A

2017-01-01

Very preterm infants (birth weight, <1500 g) are at increased risk of cognitive and motor impairment, including cerebral palsy. These adverse neurodevelopmental outcomes are associated with white matter abnormalities on MR imaging at term-equivalent age. Cerebral palsy has been predicted by analysis of spontaneous movements in the infant termed "General Movement Assessment." The goal of this study was to determine the utility of General Movement Assessment in predicting adverse cognitive, language, and motor outcomes in very preterm infants and to identify brain imaging markers associated with both adverse outcomes and aberrant general movements. In this prospective study of 47 preterm infants of 24-30 weeks' gestation, brain MR imaging was performed at term-equivalent age. Infants underwent T1- and T2-weighted imaging for volumetric analysis and DTI. General movements were assessed at 10-15 weeks' postterm age, and neurodevelopmental outcomes were evaluated at 2 years by using the Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development III. Nine infants had aberrant general movements and were more likely to have adverse neurodevelopmental outcomes, compared with infants with normal movements. In infants with aberrant movements, Tract-Based Spatial Statistics analysis identified significantly lower fractional anisotropy in widespread white matter tracts, including the corpus callosum, inferior longitudinal and fronto-occipital fasciculi, internal capsule, and optic radiation. The subset of infants having both aberrant movements and abnormal neurodevelopmental outcomes in cognitive, language, and motor skills had significantly lower fractional anisotropy in specific brain regions. Aberrant general movements at 10-15 weeks' postterm are associated with adverse neurodevelopmental outcomes and specific white matter microstructure abnormalities for cognitive, language, and motor delays. © 2017 by American Journal of Neuroradiology.

Shared genetic variance between obesity and white matter integrity in Mexican Americans

PubMed Central

Spieker, Elena A.; Kochunov, Peter; Rowland, Laura M.; Sprooten, Emma; Winkler, Anderson M.; Olvera, Rene L.; Almasy, Laura; Duggirala, Ravi; Fox, Peter T.; Blangero, John; Glahn, David C.; Curran, Joanne E.

2015-01-01

Obesity is a chronic metabolic disorder that may also lead to reduced white matter integrity, potentially due to shared genetic risk factors. Genetic correlation analyses were conducted in a large cohort of Mexican American families in San Antonio (N = 761, 58% females, ages 18–81 years; 41.3 ± 14.5) from the Genetics of Brain Structure and Function Study. Shared genetic variance was calculated between measures of adiposity [(body mass index (BMI; kg/m2) and waist circumference (WC; in)] and whole-brain and regional measurements of cerebral white matter integrity (fractional anisotropy). Whole-brain average and regional fractional anisotropy values for 10 major white matter tracts were calculated from high angular resolution diffusion tensor imaging data (DTI; 1.7 × 1.7 × 3 mm; 55 directions). Additive genetic factors explained intersubject variance in BMI (heritability, h2 = 0.58), WC (h2 = 0.57), and FA (h2 = 0.49). FA shared significant portions of genetic variance with BMI in the genu (ρG = −0.25), body (ρG = −0.30), and splenium (ρG = −0.26) of the corpus callosum, internal capsule (ρG = −0.29), and thalamic radiation (ρG = −0.31) (all p's = 0.043). The strongest evidence of shared variance was between BMI/WC and FA in the superior fronto-occipital fasciculus (ρG = −0.39, p = 0.020; ρG = −0.39, p = 0.030), which highlights region-specific variation in neural correlates of obesity. This may suggest that increase in obesity and reduced white matter integrity share common genetic risk factors. PMID:25763009

A multiparametric evaluation of regional brain damage in patients with primary progressive multiple sclerosis.

PubMed

Ceccarelli, Antonia; Rocca, Maria A; Valsasina, Paola; Rodegher, Mariaemma; Pagani, Elisabetta; Falini, Andrea; Comi, Giancarlo; Filippi, Massimo

2009-09-01

The purpose of this study is to define the topographical distribution of gray matter (GM) and white matter (WM) damage in patients with primary progressive multiple sclerosis (PPMS), using a multiparametric MR-based approach. Using a 3 Tesla scanner, dual-echo, 3D fast-field echo (FFE), and diffusion tensor (DT) MRI scans were acquired from 18 PPMS patients and 17 matched healthy volunteers. An optimized voxel-based (VB) analysis was used to investigate the patterns of regional GM density changes and to quantify GM and WM diffusivity alterations of the entire brain. In PPMS patients, GM atrophy was found in the thalami and the right insula, while mean diffusivity (MD) changes involved several cortical-subcortical structures in all cerebral lobes and the cerebellum. An overlap between decreased WM fractional anisotropy (FA) and increased WM MD was found in the corpus callosum, the cingulate gyrus, the left short temporal fibers, the right short frontal fibers, the optic radiations, and the middle cerebellar peduncles. Selective MD increase, not associated with FA decrease, was found in the internal capsules, the corticospinal tracts, the superior longitudinal fasciculi, the fronto-occipital fasciculi, and the right cerebral peduncle. A discrepancy was found between regional WM diffusivity changes and focal lesions because several areas had DT MRI abnormalities but did not harbor T2-visible lesions. Our study allowed to detect tissue damage in brain areas associated with motor and cognitive functions, which are known to be impaired in PPMS patients. Combining regional measures derived from different MR modalities may be a valuable tool to improve our understanding of PPMS pathophysiology. 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Neonatal Magnetic Resonance Imaging Pattern of Brain Injury as a Biomarker of Childhood Outcomes following a Trial of Hypothermia for Neonatal Hypoxic-Ischemic Encephalopathy.

PubMed

Shankaran, Seetha; McDonald, Scott A; Laptook, Abbot R; Hintz, Susan R; Barnes, Patrick D; Das, Abhik; Pappas, Athina; Higgins, Rosemary D

2015-11-01

To examine the ability of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) patterns of neonatal brain injury defined by the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Neonatal Research Network to predict death or IQ at 6-7 years of age following hypothermia for neonatal encephalopathy. Out of 208 participants, 124 had MRI and primary outcome (death or IQ <70) data. The relationship between injury pattern and outcome was assessed. Death or IQ <70 occurred in 4 of 50 (8%) of children with pattern 0 (normal MRI), 1 of 6 (17%) with 1A (minimal cerebral lesions), 1 of 4 (25%) with 1B (extensive cerebral lesions), 3 of 8 (38%) with 2A (basal ganglia thalamic, anterior or posterior limb of internal capsule, or watershed infarction), 32 of 49 (65%) with 2B (2A with cerebral lesions), and 7 of 7 (100%) with pattern 3 (hemispheric devastation), P < .001; this association was also seen within hypothermia and control subgroups. IQ was 90 ± 13 among the 46 children with a normal MRI and 69 ± 25 among the 50 children with an abnormal MRI. In childhood, for a normal outcome, a normal neonatal MRI had a sensitivity of 61%, specificity of 92%, a positive predictive value of 92%, and a negative predictive value of 59%; for death or IQ <70, the 2B and 3 pattern combined had a sensitivity of 81%, specificity of 78%, positive predictive value of 70%, and a negative predictive value of 87%. The Neonatal Research Network MRI pattern of neonatal brain injury is a biomarker of neurodevelopmental outcome at 6-7 years of age. ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT00005772. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier Inc.

The permeability of EUDRAGIT RL and HEMA-MMA microcapsules to glucose and inulin.

PubMed

Douglas, J A; Sefton, M V

1990-10-05

Measurement of the rate of glucose diffusion from EUDGRAGIT RL and HEMA-MMA microcapsules coupled with a Thiele modulus/Biot number analysis of the glucose utilization rate suggests that pancreatic islets and CHO (Chinese hamster ovary) cells (at moderate to high cell densities) should not be adversely affected by the diffusion restrictions associated with these capsule membranes. The mass transfer coefficients for glucose at 20 degrees C were of the same order of magnitude for both capsules, based on release measurements: approximately 5 x 10(-6) cm/s for EUDRAGIT RL and approximately 2 x 10(-6) for HEMA-MMA. Inulin release from EUDRAGIT RL was slower than for glucose (mass transfer coefficient 14 +/- 4 x 10(-8) cm/s). The Thiele moduli were much less than 1, either for a single islet at the center of a capsule or CHO cells uniformly distributed throughout a capsule at 10(-6) cells/ mL, so that diffusion restrictions within the cells in EUDRAGIT RL or 800 microm HEMA-MMA capsules should be negligible. The ratio of external to internal diffusion resistance (Biot number) was less than 1, so that at most, only a small diffusion effect on glucose utilization should be expected (i.e., the overall effectiveness factors were greater than 0.8). These calculations were consistent with experimental observation of encapsulated islet behavior but not fully with CHO cell behavior. Permeability restricted cell viability and growth is potentially a major limitation of encapsulated cells; further analysis is warranted.

Reduced Integrity of Right Lateralized White Matter in Patients with Primary Insomnia: A Diffusion-Tensor Imaging Study.

PubMed

Li, Shumei; Tian, Junzhang; Bauer, Andreas; Huang, Ruiwang; Wen, Hua; Li, Meng; Wang, Tianyue; Xia, Likun; Jiang, Guihua

2016-08-01

Purpose To analyze the integrity of white matter (WM) tracts in primary insomnia patients and provide better characterization of abnormal WM integrity and its relationship with disease duration and clinical features of primary insomnia. Materials and Methods This prospective study was approved by the ethics committee of the Guangdong No. 2 Provincial People's Hospital. Tract-based spatial statistics were used to compare changes in diffusion parameters of WM tracts from 23 primary insomnia patients and 30 healthy control (HC) participants, and the accuracy of these changes in distinguishing insomnia patients from HC participants was evaluated. Voxel-wise statistics across subjects was performed by using a 5000-permutation set with family-wise error correction (family-wise error, P < .05). Multiple regressions were used to analyze the associations between the abnormal fractional anisotropy (FA) in WM with disease duration, Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, insomnia severity index, self-rating anxiety scale, and the self-rating depression scale in primary insomnia. Characteristics for abnormal WM were also investigated in tract-level analyses. Results Primary insomnia patients had lower FA values mainly in the right anterior limb of the internal capsule, right posterior limb of the internal capsule, right anterior corona radiata, right superior corona radiata, right superior longitudinal fasciculus, body of the corpus callosum, and right thalamus (P < .05, family-wise error correction). The receiver operating characteristic areas for the seven regions were acceptable (range, 0.60-0.74; 60%-74%). Multiple regression models showed abnormal FA values in the thalamus and body corpus callosum were associated with the disease duration, self-rating depression scale, and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index scores. Tract-level analysis suggested that the reduced FA values might be related to greater radial diffusivity. Conclusion This study showed that WM tracts related to regulation of sleep and wakefulness, and limbic cognitive and sensorimotor regions, are disrupted in the right brain in patients with primary insomnia. The reduced integrity of these WM tracts may be because of loss of myelination. (©) RSNA, 2016.

White matter correlates of anxiety sensitivity in panic disorder.

PubMed

Kim, Min-Kyoung; Kim, Borah; Kiu Choi, Tai; Lee, Sang-Hyuk

2017-01-01

Anxiety sensitivity (AS) refers to a fear of anxiety-related sensations and is a dispositional variable especially elevated in patients with panic disorder (PD). Although several functional imaging studies of AS in patients with PD have suggested the presence of altered neural activity in paralimbic areas such as the insula, no study has investigated white matter (WM) alterations in patients with PD in relation to AS. The objective of this study was to investigate the WM correlates of AS in patients with PD. One-hundred and twelve right-handed patients with PD and 48 healthy control (HC) subjects were enrolled in this study. The Anxiety Sensitivity Inventory-Revised (ASI-R), the Panic Disorder Severity Scale (PDSS), the Albany Panic and Phobia Questionnaire (APPQ), the Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI), and the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) were administered. Tract-based spatial statistics were used for diffusion tensor magnetic resonance imaging analysis. Among the patients with PD, the ASI-R total scores were significantly correlated with the fractional anisotropy values of the WM regions near the insula, the splenium of the corpus callosum, the tapetum, the fornix/stria terminalis, the posterior limb of the internal capsule, the retrolenticular part of the internal capsule, the posterior thalamic radiation, the sagittal striatum, and the posterior corona radiata located in temporo-parieto-limbic regions and are involved in interoceptive processing (p<0.01; threshold-free cluster enhancement [TFCE]-corrected). These WM regions were also significantly correlated with the APPQ interoceptive avoidance subscale and BDI scores in patients with PD (p<0.01, TFCE-corrected). Correlation analysis among the HC subjects revealed no significant findings. There has been no comparative study on the structural neural correlates of AS in PD. The current study suggests that the WM correlates of AS in patients with PD may be associated with the insula and the adjacent temporo-parieto-limbic WM regions, which may play important roles in interoceptive processing in the brain and in depression in PD. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Neonatal brain structure on MRI and diffusion tensor imaging, sex, and neurodevelopment in very-low-birthweight preterm children.

PubMed

Rose, Jessica; Butler, Erin E; Lamont, Lauren E; Barnes, Patrick D; Atlas, Scott W; Stevenson, David K

2009-07-01

The neurological basis of an increased incidence of cerebral palsy (CP) in preterm males is unknown. This study examined neonatal brain structure on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) at term-equivalent age, sex, and neurodevelopment at 1 year 6 months on the basis of the Amiel-Tison neurological examination, Gross Motor Function Classification System, and Bayley Scales of Infant Development in 78 very-low-birthweight preterm children (41 males, 37 females; mean gestational age 27.6 wks, SD 2.5; mean birthweight 1021 g, SD 339). Brain abnormalities on MRI and DTI were not different between males and females except in the splenium of the corpus callosum, where males had lower DTI fractional anisotropy (p=0.025) and a higher apparent diffusion coefficient (p=0.013), indicating delayed splenium development. In the 26 infants who were at higher risk on the basis of DTI, males had more abnormalities on MRI (p=0.034) and had lower fractional anisotropy and a higher apparent diffusion coefficient in the splenium (p=0.049; p=0.025) and right posterior limb of the internal capsule (PLIC; p=0.003; p=0.033). Abnormal neurodevelopment was more common in males (n=9) than in females (n=2; p=0.036). Children with abnormal neurodevelopment had more abnormalities on MRI (p=0.014) and reduced splenium and right PLIC fractional anisotropy (p=0.001; p=0.035). In children with abnormal neurodevelopment, right PLIC fractional anisotropy was lower than left (p=0.035), whereas in those with normal neurodevelopment right PLIC fractional anisotropy was higher than left (p=0.001). Right PLIC fractional anisotropy correlated to neurodevelopment (rho=0.371, p=0.002). Logistic regression predicted neurodevelopment with 94% accuracy; only right PLIC fractional anisotropy was a significant logistic coefficient. Results indicate that the higher incidence of abnormal neurodevelopment in preterm males relates to greater incidence and severity of brain abnormalities, including reduced PLIC and splenium development.

Disease-Related Microstructural Differences in the Brain in Women With Provoked Vestibulodynia.

PubMed

Gupta, Arpana; Woodworth, Davis C; Ellingson, Benjamin M; Rapkin, Andrea J; Naliboff, Bruce; Kilpatrick, Lisa A; Stains, Jean; Masghati, Salome; Tillisch, Kirsten; Mayer, Emeran A; Labus, Jennifer S

2018-05-01

Provoked vestibulodynia (PVD) is a chronic pelvic pain disorder affecting 16% of the female population. Neuroimaging studies have highlighted central abnormalities in PVD, similar to other chronic pelvic pain disorders, including brain regions involved in sensory processing and modulation of pain. The aim of the study was to determine alterations in the subvoxel, microstructural organization within tissues in PVD compared with healthy control participants (HCs) and a disease control group (irritable bowel syndrome [IBS]). Diffusion tensor imaging magnetic resonance imaging was conducted in 87 age-matched premenopausal women (29 PVD, 29 HCs, 29 IBS). Statistical parameter mapping of fractional anisotropy (FA) and mean diffusivity (MD) maps were used to identify microstructural difference in the brain specific to PVD or shared with IBS. PVD alterations in microstructural organization of the brain were predominantly observed in fibers associated with sensorimotor integration and pain processing that relay information between the thalamus, basal ganglia, sensorimotor, and insular cortex. PVD, compared with HCs, showed extensive increases in the FA of somatosensory and basal ganglia regions. In contrast, PVD and IBS subjects did not show any FA-related group differences. PVD subjects showed greater MD in the basal ganglia compared with HCs (higher MD in the internal capsule and pallidum) and IBS (higher MD in the putamen and pallidum). Increases in MD were associated with increased vaginal muscle tenderness and vulvar pain. The current findings highlight possible shared mechanisms between 2 different pelvic pain disorders, but also highlight the widespread alterations observed specifically in PVD compared with HCs. Alterations in microstructure in PVD were observed in fibers associated with sensorimotor integration and pain processing, which were also associated with increased vaginal muscle tenderness and vulvar pain. These alterations may be contributing to increased pain sensitivity and tenderness, highlighting the need for new therapies targeting the central nervous system. Copyright © 2018 The American Pain Society. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Neural effects of methylphenidate and nicotine during smooth pursuit eye movements.

PubMed

Kasparbauer, Anna-Maria; Meyhöfer, Inga; Steffens, Maria; Weber, Bernd; Aydin, Merve; Kumari, Veena; Hurlemann, Rene; Ettinger, Ulrich

2016-11-01

Nicotine and methylphenidate are putative cognitive enhancers in healthy and patient populations. Although they stimulate different neurotransmitter systems, they have been shown to enhance performance on overlapping measures of attention. So far, there has been no direct comparison of the effects of these two stimulants on behavioural performance or brain function in healthy humans. Here, we directly compare the two compounds using a well-established oculomotor biomarker in order to explore common and distinct behavioural and neural effects. Eighty-two healthy male non-smokers performed a smooth pursuit eye movement task while lying in an fMRI scanner. In a between-subjects, double-blind design, subjects either received placebo (placebo patch and capsule), nicotine (7mg nicotine patch and placebo capsule), or methylphenidate (placebo patch and 40mg methylphenidate capsule). There were no significant drug effects on behavioural measures. At the neural level, methylphenidate elicited higher activation in left frontal eye field compared to nicotine, with an intermediate response under placebo. The reduced activation of task-related regions under nicotine could be associated with more efficient neural processing, while increased hemodynamic response under methylphenidate is interpretable as enhanced processing of task-relevant networks. Together, these findings suggest dissociable neural effects of these putative cognitive enhancers. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Expedition 6 Landing

NASA Image and Video Library

2003-05-03

One of three local Kazakh girls who were on hand at the International Airport Astana to welcome the Expedition 6 crew with roses after the crew landed on the Kazakh steppe in their Soyuz capsule, Tuesday, May 4, 2003 in Astana, Kazakhstan. Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)

The energy of a prolate spheroidal shell in a uniform magnetic field

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Koksharov, Yu. A.

2017-04-01

The problem of the energy of a spheroidal magnetic shell, solved by methods of classical electrodynamics, arises, in particular, upon the study of thin-wall biocompatible microcapsules in connection with a pressing issue of targeted drug delivery. The drug inside a microcapsule should be released from the shell at a required instant of time by destroying the capsule's shell. The placement inside a shell of magnetic nanoparticles sensitive to an external magnetic field theoretically makes it possible to solve both problems: to transport a capsule to the required place and to destroy its shell. In particular, the shell can be destroyed under the action of internal stress when the shape of a capsule is changed. In this paper, the analysis of the model of a magnetic microcapsule in the form of a prolate spheroidal shell is performed and formulas for the magnetostatic and magnetic free energy when the magnetic field is directed along the major axis of the spheroid are derived.

Optical Property Measurements on the Stardust Sample Return Capsule

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Finckenor, Miria

2007-01-01

The Advanced Materials for Exploration (AME) task Materials Analysis of Returned Hardware from Stardust received funding to perform non-destructive analyses of the non-primary science hardware components of the Stardust sample return capsule. These components were (a) the blunt body reentry heatshield, encased in Phenolic Impregnated Carbon Ablator (PICA); (b) the backshell of Super Lightweight Ablator 561 (SLA-561) material handpacked into phenolic Flexcore and coated with CV-1100 silicone; (c) the rope seal used in between the heatshield and backshell; (d) the internal multi-layer insulation (MLI) blankets; and (e) parts of the Kevlar straps left attached to the backshell. These components were analyzed to determine the materials' durability in the space environment. The goals of the task were (a) to determine how the various materials from which the components were built weathered the extreme temperatures and harsh space environment during the capsule's nearly 7-year voyage to and from its rendezvous with Comet Wild 2 and (b) to provide lessons-learned data for designers of future missions.

Water repellency in hydrophobic nanocapsules--molecular view on dewetting.

PubMed

Müller, Achim; Garai, Somenath; Schäffer, Christian; Merca, Alice; Bögge, Hartmut; Al-Karawi, Ahmed Jasim M; Prasad, Thazhe Kootteri

2014-05-26

The hydrophobic effect plays a major role in a variety of important phenomena in chemistry, materials science and biology, for instance in protein folding and protein-ligand interactions. Studies--performed within cavities of the unique metal oxide based porous capsules of the type {(pentagon)12(linker)30}≡{(W)W5}12{Mo2(ligand)}30 with different acetate/water ligand ratios--have provided unprecedented results revealing segregation/repellency of the encapsulated "water" from the internal hydrophobic ligand walls of the capsules, while the disordered water molecules, interacting strongly with each other via hydrogen bonding, form in all investigated cases the same type of spherical shell. The present results can be (formally) compared--but only regarding the repellency effect--with the amazing "action" of the (super)hydrophobic Lotus (Nelumbo) leaves, which are self-cleaning based on water repellency resulting in the formation of water droplets picking up dirt. The present results were obtained by constructing deliberately suitable hydrophobic interiors within the mentioned capsules. © 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

KSC-2012-2854

NASA Image and Video Library

2012-05-17

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – Umbilical lines connect the strongback to the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket which has just arrived on the pad at Space Launch Complex-40 on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. Liftoff with the SpaceX Dragon capsule aboard is set for 4:55 a.m. EDT on May 19. The launch will be the company's second demonstration test flight for NASA's Commercial Orbital Transportation Services Program, or COTS. During the flight, the capsule will conduct a series of check-out procedures to test and prove its systems, including rendezvous and berthing with the International Space Station. If the capsule performs as planned, the cargo and experiments it is carrying will be transferred to the station. The cargo includes food, water and provisions for the station’s Expedition crews, such as clothing, batteries and computer equipment. Under COTS, NASA has partnered with two aerospace companies to deliver cargo to the station. For more information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/spacex. Photo credit: NASA/Jim Grossmann

KSC-2012-2852

NASA Image and Video Library

2012-05-17

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – A strongback lifts the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket into a vertical position on the pad at Space Launch Complex-40 on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. Liftoff with the SpaceX Dragon capsule aboard is set for 4:55 a.m. EDT on May 19. The launch will be the company's second demonstration test flight for NASA's Commercial Orbital Transportation Services Program, or COTS. During the flight, the capsule will conduct a series of check-out procedures to test and prove its systems, including rendezvous and berthing with the International Space Station. If the capsule performs as planned, the cargo and experiments it is carrying will be transferred to the station. The cargo includes food, water and provisions for the station’s Expedition crews, such as clothing, batteries and computer equipment. Under COTS, NASA has partnered with two aerospace companies to deliver cargo to the station. For more information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/spacex. Photo credit: NASA/Jim Grossmann

KSC-2012-2847

NASA Image and Video Library

2012-05-17

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – Preparations are under way to roll the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket out of the processing facility to the pad at Space Launch Complex-40 on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. Liftoff with the SpaceX Dragon capsule aboard is set for 4:55 a.m. EDT on May 19. The launch will be the company's second demonstration test flight for NASA's Commercial Orbital Transportation Services Program, or COTS. During the flight, the capsule will conduct a series of check-out procedures to test and prove its systems, including rendezvous and berthing with the International Space Station. If the capsule performs as planned, the cargo and experiments it is carrying will be transferred to the station. The cargo includes food, water and provisions for the station’s Expedition crews, such as clothing, batteries and computer equipment. Under COTS, NASA has partnered with two aerospace companies to deliver cargo to the station. For more information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/spacex. Photo credit: NASA/Jim Grossmann

KSC-2012-3718

NASA Image and Video Library

2012-04-29

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – Partially hidden behind a flame and exhaust deflector, the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket stands at Space Launch Complex-40 on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. Liftoff with the SpaceX Dragon capsule aboard is set for 4:55 a.m. EDT on May 19. The launch will be the company's second demonstration test flight for NASA's Commercial Orbital Transportation Services Program, or COTS. During the flight, the capsule will conduct a series of check-out procedures to test and prove its systems, including rendezvous and berthing with the International Space Station. If the capsule performs as planned, the cargo and experiments it is carrying will be transferred to the station. The cargo includes food, water and provisions for the station’s Expedition crews, such as clothing, batteries and computer equipment. Under COTS, NASA has partnered with two aerospace companies to deliver cargo to the station. For more information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/spacex Photo credit: NASA/Jim Grossmann

KSC-2012-2862

NASA Image and Video Library

2012-05-18

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – A photographer sets up his remote camera at Space Launch Complex-40 on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. In the background, final preparations are under way to launch the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. Liftoff with the Dragon capsule on top is set for 4:55 a.m. EDT on May 19. The launch will be the company's second demonstration test flight for NASA's Commercial Orbital Transportation Services Program, or COTS. During the flight, the capsule will conduct a series of check-out procedures to test and prove its systems, including rendezvous and berthing with the International Space Station. If the capsule performs as planned, the cargo and experiments it is carrying will be transferred to the station. The cargo includes food, water and provisions for the station’s Expedition crews, such as clothing, batteries and computer equipment. Under COTS, NASA has partnered with two aerospace companies to deliver cargo to the station. For more information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/spacex. Photo credit: NASA/Ken Thornsley

KSC-2012-2849

NASA Image and Video Library

2012-05-17

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – The SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket rolls between the lightning protection system towers surrounding the pad at Space Launch Complex-40 on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. Liftoff with the SpaceX Dragon capsule aboard is set for 4:55 a.m. EDT on May 19. The launch will be the company's second demonstration test flight for NASA's Commercial Orbital Transportation Services Program, or COTS. During the flight, the capsule will conduct a series of check-out procedures to test and prove its systems, including rendezvous and berthing with the International Space Station. If the capsule performs as planned, the cargo and experiments it is carrying will be transferred to the station. The cargo includes food, water and provisions for the station’s Expedition crews, such as clothing, batteries and computer equipment. Under COTS, NASA has partnered with two aerospace companies to deliver cargo to the station. For more information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/spacex. Photo credit: NASA/Jim Grossmann

KSC-2012-2861

NASA Image and Video Library

2012-05-18

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – A strongback provides connections to the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket as final preparations for launch are completed at Space Launch Complex-40 on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. Liftoff with the Dragon capsule on top is set for 4:55 a.m. EDT on May 19. The launch will be the company's second demonstration test flight for NASA's Commercial Orbital Transportation Services Program, or COTS. During the flight, the capsule will conduct a series of check-out procedures to test and prove its systems, including rendezvous and berthing with the International Space Station. If the capsule performs as planned, the cargo and experiments it is carrying will be transferred to the station. The cargo includes food, water and provisions for the station’s Expedition crews, such as clothing, batteries and computer equipment. Under COTS, NASA has partnered with two aerospace companies to deliver cargo to the station. For more information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/spacex. Photo credit: NASA/Ken Thornsley

Comparison of a wipe method with and without a rinse to recover wall losses in closed face 37-mm cassettes used for sampling lead dust particulates

PubMed Central

Ceballos, Diana; King, Bradley; Beaucham, Catherine; Brueck, Scott E.

2015-01-01

Closed-face 37-millimeter (mm) polystyrene cassettes are often used for exposure monitoring of metal particulates. Several methods have been proposed to account for the wall loss in air sampling cassettes, including rinsing, wiping, within-cassette dissolution, and an internal capsule fused to the filter that could be digested with the filter. Until internal capsules replace filters, other methods for assessing wall losses may be considered. To determine if rinsing and wiping or wiping alone is adequate to determine wall losses on cassettes, we collected 54 full-shift area air samples at a battery recycling facility. We collected six replicate samples at three locations within the facility for 3 consecutive days. The wall losses of three replicate cassettes from each day-location were analyzed following a rinse and two consecutive wipes. The wall losses of the other three replicates from each day-location were analyzed following two consecutive wipes only. Mixed-cellulose ester membrane filter, rinse, and wipes were analyzed separately following NIOSH Method 7303. We found an average of 29% (range: 8%–54%) recovered lead from the cassette walls for all samples. We also found that rinsing prior to wiping the interior cassette walls did not substantially improve recovery of wall losses compared to wiping alone. A rinse plus one wipe recovered on average 23% (range: 13%–33%) of the lead, while one wipe alone recovered on average 21% (range: 16%–22%). Similarly we determined that a second wipe did not provide substantial additional recovery of lead (average: 4%, range: 0.4%–19%) compared to the first wipe disregarding the rinse (average: 18%, range: 4%–39%). We concluded that when an internal capsule is not used, wall losses of lead dust in air sampling cassettes can be adequately recovered by wiping the internal wall surfaces of the cassette with a single wipe. PMID:26125330

Post-treatment Vascular Leakage and Inflammatory Responses around Brain Cysts in Porcine Neurocysticercosis

PubMed Central

Mahanty, Siddhartha; Orrego, Miguel Angel; Mayta, Holger; Marzal, Miguel; Cangalaya, Carla; Paredes, Adriana; Gonzales-Gustavson, Eloy; Arroyo, Gianfranco; Gonzalez, Armando E.; Guerra-Giraldez, Cristina; García, Hector H.; Nash, Theodore E.

2015-01-01

Cysticidal treatment of neurocysticercosis, an infection of humans and pig brains with Taenia solium, results in an early inflammatory response directed to cysts causing seizures and focal neurological manifestations. Treatment-induced pericystic inflammation and its association with blood brain barrier (BBB) dysfunction, as determined by Evans blue (EB) extravasation, was studied in infected untreated and anthelmintic-treated pigs. We compared the magnitude and extent of the pericystic inflammation, presence of EB-stained capsules, the level of damage to the parasite, expression of genes for proinflammatory and regulatory cytokines, chemokines, and tissue remodeling by quantitative PCR assays between treated and untreated infected pigs and between EB-stained (blue) and non stained (clear) cysts. Inflammatory scores were higher in pericystic tissues from EB-stained cysts compared to clear cysts from untreated pigs and also from anthelmintic-treated pigs 48 hr and 120 hr after treatment. The degree of inflammation correlated with the severity of cyst wall damage and both increased significantly at 120 hours. Expression levels of the proinflammatory genes for IL-6, IFN-γ, TNF-α were higher in EB-stained cysts compared to clear cysts and unaffected brain tissues, and were generally highest at 120 hr. Additionally, expression of some markers of immunoregulatory activity (IL-10, IL-2Rα) were decreased in EB-stained capsules. An increase in other markers for regulatory T cells (CTLA4, FoxP3) was found, as well as significant increases in expression of two metalloproteases, MMP1 and MMP2 at 48 hr and 120 hr post-treatment. We conclude that the increase in severity of the inflammation caused by treatment is accompanied by both a proinflammatory and a complex regulatory response, largely limited to pericystic tissues with compromised vascular integrity. Because treatment induced inflammation occurs in porcine NCC similar to that in human cases, this model can be used to investigate mechanisms involved in host damaging inflammatory responses and agents or modalities that may control damaging post treatment inflammation. PMID:25774662

Preservation of the articular capsule and short lateral rotator in direct anterior approach to total hip arthroplasty.

PubMed

Kanda, Akio; Kaneko, Kazuo; Obayashi, Osamu; Mogami, Atsuhiko; Morohashi, Itaru

2018-03-09

In total hip arthroplasty via a direct anterior approach, the femur must be elevated at the time of femoral implant placement. For adequate elevation, division of the posterior soft tissues is necessary. However, if we damage and separate the posterior muscle tissue, we lose the benefits of the intermuscular approach. Furthermore, damage to the posterior soft tissue can result in posterior dislocation. We investigate that protecting the posterior soft tissue increases the joint stability in the early postoperative period and results in a lower dislocation rate. We evaluated muscle strength recovery by measuring the maximum width of the internal obturator muscle on CT images (GE-Healthcare Discovery CT 750HD). We compared the maximum width of the muscle belly preoperatively versus 10 days and 6 months postoperatively. As clinical evaluations, we also investigated the range of motion of the hip joint, hip joint function based on the Japanese Orthopaedic Association hip score (JOA score), and the dislocation rate 6 months after surgery. The width of the internal obturator muscle increased significantly from 15.1 ± 3.1 mm before surgery to 16.4 ± 2.8 mm 6 months after surgery. The JOA score improved significantly from 50.8 ± 15.1 points to 95.6 ± 7.6 points. No dislocations occurred in this study. We cut only the posterosuperior articular capsule and protected the internal obturator muscle to preserve muscle strength. We repaired the entire posterosuperior and anterior articular capsule. These treatments increase joint stability in the early postoperative period, thus reducing the dislocation rate. Therapeutic, Level IV.

Reproducibility, interrater agreement, and age-related changes of fractional anisotropy measures at 3T in healthy subjects: effect of the applied b-value.

PubMed

Bisdas, S; Bohning, D E; Besenski, N; Nicholas, J S; Rumboldt, Z

2008-06-01

There is no reproducibility study of fractional anisotropy (FA) measurements at 3T using regions of interest (ROIs). Our purpose was to establish the extent and statistical significance of the interrater variability, the variability observed with 2 different b-values, and in 2 separate scanning sessions. Twelve healthy volunteers underwent MR imaging twice. MR imaging was performed on a 3T unit, and FA maps were analyzed independently by 2 observers using ROIs positioned in the corpus callosum, internal capsules, corticospinal tracts, and right thalamus. Changes in FA values (x10(3)) measured with 2 b-values (700 and 1000 s/mm(2)), age-related differences, interobserver agreement, and measurement reproducibility were assessed. In the right internal capsule genu (FA = 702/728; b = 1000/700 s/mm(2)) and the left anterior limb of the internal capsule (AIC; FA = 617/745; b = 1000/700 s/mm(2)), the FA values were significantly different between the 2 b-values (P = .02 and .05, respectively). Significant age-related differences in FA were observed in the genu of the corpus callosum and in the left AIC. Interrater measurements showed fair-to-moderate agreement for most anatomic structures. The lowest significant change for a single subject regarding any FA values between the 2 sessions was in the corpus callosum (4%), whereas the highest one was in the corticospinal tracts (27%). The Bland-Altman plot analysis showed that the 1000-s/mm(2) b-value gave satisfactorily reproducible measurements equally good or better than the 700-s/mm(2) b-value. The reproducibility of FA estimates using ROIs was satisfactory. Measurements with a b-value at 1000 s/mm(2) showed superior reproducibility in most anatomic locations.

Field evoked potentials in the globus pallidus of non-human primates.

PubMed

Prescott, Ian A; Marino, Robert A; Levy, Ron

2017-07-01

Stimulation-induced field evoked potentials (fEPs) have been described in the basal ganglia output nuclei of patients with Parkinson's disease and dystonia. The aim of this study was to ascertain whether fEPs were inducible in the external (GPe) and internal (GPi) segments of the globus pallidus in normal non-human primates (NHPs). Microelectrode recording and stimulation was performed in the GPe and GPi of 2 healthy NHPs. Stimulus response curves of the fEP response to changing pulse width and amplitude examined strength-duration relationships and allowed for calculation of fEP chronaxie in the GPe and GPi. Traditional localization techniques were also used, including comparison of neuronal firing rates, optic tract activation, and internal capsule activation. Notable differences were seen in the fEPs found in GPe compared to the fEPs found in GPi. The GPe fEP had a smaller chronaxie time and larger positive deflection amplitude compared to GPi. In addition, an earlier negative deflection was identified in both nuclei and a late negative deflection was observed in the GPe in contrast to reported fEPs in patients with movement disorders. fEPs proved valuable as an ancillary method in localizing the GPe and GPi in NHPs and may be useful in the operating room during human GPi deep brain stimulation or pallidotomy procedures. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ireland Ltd and Japan Neuroscience Society. All rights reserved.

Experimental investigation into biomechanical and biotribological properties of a real intestine and their significance for design of a spiral-type robotic capsule.

PubMed

Zhou, Hao; Alici, Gursel; Than, Trung D; Li, Weihua

2014-03-01

This article reports on the results and implications of our experimental investigation into the biomechanical and biotribological properties of a real intestine for the optimal design of a spiral-type robotic capsule. Dynamic shear experiments were conducted to evaluate how the storage and loss moduli and damping factor of the small intestine change with the speed or the angular frequency. The sliding friction between differently shaped test pieces, with a topology similar to that of the spirals, and the intestine sample was experimentally determined. Our findings demonstrate that the intestine's biomechanical and biotribological properties are coupled, suggesting that the sliding friction is strongly related to the internal friction of the intestinal tissue. The significant implication of this finding is that one can predict the reaction force between the capsule with a spiral-type traction topology and the intestine directly from the intestine's biomechanical measurements rather than employing complicated three-dimensional finite element analysis or an inaccurate analytical model. Sliding friction experiments were also conducted with bar-shaped solid samples to determine the sliding friction between the samples and the small intestine. This sliding friction data will be useful in determining spiral material for an optimally designed robotic capsule.

Effect of early institutionalization and foster care on long-term white matter development: a randomized clinical trial.

PubMed

Bick, Johanna; Zhu, Tong; Stamoulis, Catherine; Fox, Nathan A; Zeanah, Charles; Nelson, Charles A

2015-03-01

Severe neglect in early life is associated with compromises in brain development and associated behavioral functioning. Although early intervention has been shown to support more normative trajectories of brain development, specific improvements in the white matter pathways that underlie emotional and cognitive development are unknown. To examine associations among neglect in early life, early intervention, and the microstructural integrity of white matter pathways in middle childhood. The Bucharest Early Intervention Project is a randomized clinical trial of high-quality foster care as an intervention for institutionally reared children in Bucharest, Romania, from 2000 through the present. During infancy, children were randomly selected to remain in an institution or to be placed in foster care. Those who remained in institutions experienced neglect, including social, emotional, linguistic, and cognitive impoverishment. Developmental trajectories of these children were compared with a group of sociodemographically matched children reared in biological families at baseline and several points throughout development. At approximately 8 years of age, 69 of the original 136 children underwent structural magnetic resonance imaging scans. Four estimates of white matter integrity (fractional anisotropy [FA] and mean [MD], radial [RD], and axial [AD] diffusivity) for 48 white matter tracts throughout the brain were obtained through diffusion tensor imaging. Significant associations emerged between neglect in early life and microstructural integrity of the body of the corpus callosum (FA, β = 0.01 [P = .01]; RD, β = -0.02 [P = .005]; MD, β = -0.01 [P = .02]) and tracts involved in limbic circuitry (fornix crus [AD, β = 0.02 (P = .046)] and cingulum [RD, β = -0.01 (P = .02); MD, β = -0.01 (P = .049)]), frontostriatal circuitry (anterior [AD, β = -0.01 (P = .02)] and superior [AD, β = -0.02 (P = .02); MD, β = -0.01 (P = .03)] corona radiata and external capsule [right FA, β = 0.01 (P = .03); left FA, β = 0.01 (P = .03); RD, β = -0.01 (P = .01); MD, β = -0.01 (P = .03)]), and sensory processing (medial lemniscus [AD, β = -0.02 (P = .045); MD, β = -0.01 (P = .04)] and retrolenticular internal capsule [FA, β = -0.01 (P = .002); RD, β = 0.01 (P = .003); MD, β = 0.01 (P = .04)]). Follow-up analyses revealed that early intervention promoted more normative white matter development among previously neglected children who entered foster care. Results suggest that removal from conditions of neglect in early life and entry into a high-quality family environment can support more normative trajectories of white matter growth. Our findings have implications for public health and policy efforts designed to promote normative brain development among vulnerable children. clinicaltrials.gov Identifier: NCT00747396.

Evaluation of Portland Cement Concrete with Internal Curing Capabilities : Research Project Capsule

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2012-09-01

Proper curing is the key to durable and sustainable concrete structures. When a concrete mixture : is designed, delivered, poured, and consolidated, curing is the last and the most critical part for : a fi nal product of great quality. Insuffi cient ...

The effects of Thalamic Deep Brain Stimulation on speech dynamics in patients with Essential Tremor: An articulographic study.

PubMed

Mücke, Doris; Hermes, Anne; Roettger, Timo B; Becker, Johannes; Niemann, Henrik; Dembek, Till A; Timmermann, Lars; Visser-Vandewalle, Veerle; Fink, Gereon R; Grice, Martine; Barbe, Michael T

2018-01-01

Acoustic studies have revealed that patients with Essential Tremor treated with thalamic Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) may suffer from speech deterioration in terms of imprecise oral articulation and reduced voicing control. Based on the acoustic signal one cannot infer, however, whether this deterioration is due to a general slowing down of the speech motor system (e.g., a target undershoot of a desired articulatory goal resulting from being too slow) or disturbed coordination (e.g., a target undershoot caused by problems with the relative phasing of articulatory movements). To elucidate this issue further, we here investigated both acoustics and articulatory patterns of the labial and lingual system using Electromagnetic Articulography (EMA) in twelve Essential Tremor patients treated with thalamic DBS and twelve age- and sex-matched controls. By comparing patients with activated (DBS-ON) and inactivated stimulation (DBS-OFF) with control speakers, we show that critical changes in speech dynamics occur on two levels: With inactivated stimulation (DBS-OFF), patients showed coordination problems of the labial and lingual system in terms of articulatory imprecision and slowness. These effects of articulatory discoordination worsened under activated stimulation, accompanied by an additional overall slowing down of the speech motor system. This leads to a poor performance of syllables on the acoustic surface, reflecting an aggravation either of pre-existing cerebellar deficits and/or the affection of the upper motor fibers of the internal capsule.

Magnetic resonance imaging characteristics in four dogs with central nervous system neosporosis.

PubMed

Parzefall, Birgit; Driver, Colin J; Benigni, Livia; Davies, Emma

2014-01-01

Neosporosis is a polysystemic disease that can affect dogs of any age and can cause inflammation of the central nervous system. Antemortem diagnosis can be challenging, as clinical and conventional laboratory test findings are often nonspecific. A previous report described cerebellar lesions in brain MRI studies of seven dogs and proposed that these may be characteristic for central nervous system Neosporosis. The purpose of this retrospective study was to describe MRI characteristics in another group of dogs with confirmed central nervous system neosporosis and compare them with the previous report. The hospital's database was searched for dogs with confirmed central nervous system neosporosis and four observers recorded findings from each dog's MRI studies. A total of four dogs met inclusion criteria. Neurologic examination was indicative of a forebrain and cerebellar lesion in dog 2 and multifocal central nervous system disease in dogs 1, 3, and 4. Magnetic resonance imaging showed mild bilateral and symmetrical cerebellar atrophy in three of four dogs (dogs 2, 3, 4), intramedullary spinal cord changes in two dogs (dogs 3, 4) and a mesencephalic and metencephalic lesion in one dog (dog 2). Multifocal brain lesions were recognized in two dogs (dogs 1, 4) and were present in the thalamus, lentiform nucleus, centrum semiovale, internal capsule, brainstem and cortical gray matter of the frontal, parietal or temporal lobe. Findings indicated that central nervous system neosporosis may be characterized by multifocal MRI lesions as well as cerebellar involvement in dogs. © 2014 American College of Veterinary Radiology.

Targeting of the Subthalamic Nucleus for Deep Brain Stimulation: A Survey Among Parkinson Disease Specialists.

PubMed

Hamel, Wolfgang; Köppen, Johannes A; Alesch, François; Antonini, Angelo; Barcia, Juan A; Bergman, Hagai; Chabardes, Stephan; Contarino, Maria Fiorella; Cornu, Philippe; Demmel, Walter; Deuschl, Günther; Fasano, Alfonso; Kühn, Andrea A; Limousin, Patricia; McIntyre, Cameron C; Mehdorn, H Maximilian; Pilleri, Manuela; Pollak, Pierre; Rodríguez-Oroz, Maria C; Rumià, Jordi; Samuel, Michael; Timmermann, Lars; Valldeoriola, Francesc; Vesper, Jan; Visser-Vandewalle, Veerle; Volkmann, Jens; Lozano, Andres M

2017-03-01

Deep brain stimulation within or adjacent to the subthalamic nucleus (STN) represents the most common stereotactic procedure performed for Parkinson disease. Better STN imaging is often regarded as a requirement for improving stereotactic targeting. However, it is unclear whether there is consensus about the optimal target. To obtain an expert opinion on the site regarded optimal for "STN stimulation," movement disorder specialists were asked to indicate their preferred position for an active contact on hard copies of the Schaltenbrand and Wahren atlas depicting the STN in all 3 planes. This represented an idealized setting, and it mimicked optimal imaging for direct target definition in a perfectly delineated STN. The suggested targets were heterogeneous, although some clustering was observed in the dorsolateral STN and subthalamic area. In particular, in the anteroposterior direction, the intended targets differed to a great extent. Most of the indicated targets are thought to also result in concomitant stimulation of structures adjacent to the STN, including the zona incerta, fields of Forel, and internal capsule. This survey illustrates that most sites regarded as optimal for STN stimulation are close to each other, but there appears to be no uniform perception of the optimal anatomic target, possibly influencing surgical results. The anatomic sweet zone for STN stimulation needs further specification, as this information is likely to make magnetic resonance imaging-based target definition less variable when applied to individual patients. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Proteinaceous Resin and Hydrophilic Encapsulation: A Self-Healing-Related Study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zheng, Ting

Inspired by living organisms, self-healing materials have been designed as smart materials. Their automatic healing nature is achieved through the use of capsule in which the healing agent is encapsulated. The occurrence of cracks leads to ripping of the capsule, along with crack propagation and release of the healing agent that wets the crack surface to eventually heal (bond) the crack. Such automatic repair of the crack significantly extends the service life of the material. A vast majority of existing self-healing systems have been designed for the epoxy matrix - the most common commercially used thermoset - that possesses low crack resistance. Currently, self-healing systems have not yet been introduced for fully protein-based materials, despite their great potential to replace currently used synthesis precursors for the latter and the eco-friendly nature of self-healing materials. This has been probably due to two major obstacles: poor mechanical properties of the protein-based matrix, and extreme difficulty associated with the encapsulation of hydrophilic healing agents suitable for the protein-based matrix. This study provides possible solutions towards addressing both these obstacles. To improve the inherent mechanical properties of protein-based resin, soy protein isolate (SPI) was chosen as the model in this study. Dialdehyde carboxymethyl cellulose (DCMC) was synthesized and used as the crosslinking agent to modify the SPI film. As-synthesized DCMC - a fully bio-based material - exhibited high mechanical strength, excellent thermal stability, and reduced moisture sensitivity. Good compatibility and effective crosslinking were believed to be the key reasons for such property enhancements. However, these were accompanied by poor crack resistance, where self-healing is a pertinent solution. A novel healing system for the protein matrix was designed in this work via the use of formaldehyde as a healing agent. Subsequently, the well-acknowledged challenge, e.g. hydrophilic agent encapsulation, was addressed through the development of novel polyurethane-Poly(melamine-formaldehyde) (PU-PMF) dual-component capsules. Remarkably, the external PU insulation layer was fabricated through interfacial polymerization based on a water-in-oil-in-oil (W/O/O) emulsion template. Surface tension was identified as the main driving factor for the formation of the external oil phase. The internal PMF layer was observed to strongly influence the internal morphology of the capsule. A protocol was developed, and a typical capsule with dense and neat shell morphology with a shell/capsule diameter (around 3 %) was fabricated. This study provides solutions for the two aforementioned obstacles related to the development of the healing system for the protein-based materials.

Tests of shielding effectiveness of Kevlar and Nextel onboard the International Space Station and the Foton-M3 capsule.

PubMed

Pugliese, M; Bengin, V; Casolino, M; Roca, V; Zanini, A; Durante, M

2010-08-01

Radiation assessment and protection in space is the first step in planning future missions to the Moon and Mars, where mission and number of space travelers will increase and the protection of the geomagnetic shielding against the cosmic radiation will be absent. In this framework, the shielding effectiveness of two flexible materials, Kevlar and Nextel, were tested, which are largely used in the construction of spacecrafts. Accelerator-based tests clearly demonstrated that Kevlar is an excellent shield for heavy ions, close to polyethylene, whereas Nextel shows poor shielding characteristics. Measurements on flight performed onboard of the International Space Station and of the Foton-M3 capsule have been carried out with special attention to the neutron component; shielded and unshielded detectors (thermoluminescence dosemeters, bubble detectors) were exposed to a real radiation environment to test the shielding properties of the materials under study. The results indicate no significant effects of shielding, suggesting that thin shields in low-Earth Orbit have little effect on absorbed dose.

The Effects of Bushen Capsule on Episodic Memory in Amnestic Mild Cognitive Impairment Patients: A Pilot Placebo Controlled fMRI Study.

PubMed

Zhang, Junying; Xu, Kai; Wei, Dongfeng; Guo, Rongjuan; Li, He; Wang, Yongyan; Zhang, Zhanjun

2015-01-01

Observing the effects of a drug on episodic memory and the underlying brain function has extreme significance in evaluating its therapeutic value in treating amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI). To observe the effects of Bushen capsule (BSC), a Chinese herbal medicine, on episodic memory in aMCI and further explore the underlying mechanism. 44 aMCI patients from hospitals and local communities in Beijing were randomly divided into the BSC treatment group (22 patients orally treated with BSC) and the placebo group (22 patients treated with placebo). The duration of intervention lasted for 3 months. Before and after the 3 months treatment, neuropsychological tests and fMRI examinations were carried out to assess cognitive ability and brain activation changes, respectively. Compared to the placebo group, the BSC group presented a significant increase in the AVLT(N5) (p = 0.003) and Stroop (C-B) time (p = 0.002). fMRI results showed a reduction of brain negative activation in the right middle temporal gyrus and a positive activation enhancement in the right putamen among the BSC group after treatment. Meanwhile, the variation in activation values in the right middle temporal gyrus was significantly correlated with the improvement in test values of AVLT(N5), and the variation in deactivation values in the right putamen was significantly correlated with the improvement in test values of Stroop (C-B) time. BSC can improve the behavioral performances of episodic memory in aMCI; this effect may be related to its modulation on the activations of the temporal lobe and the putamen under episodic memory encoding task.

Administration of Caffeine in Alternate Forms.

PubMed

Wickham, Kate A; Spriet, Lawrence L

2018-03-01

There has been recent interest in the ergogenic effects of caffeine delivered in low doses (~ 200 mg or ~ 3 mg/kg body mass) and administered in forms other than capsules, coffee and sports drinks, including chewing gum, bars, gels, mouth rinses, energy drinks and aerosols. Caffeinated chewing gum is absorbed quicker through the buccal mucosa compared with capsule delivery and absorption in the gut, although total caffeine absorption over time is not different. Rapid absorption may be important in many sporting situations. Caffeinated chewing gum improved endurance cycling performance, and there is limited evidence that repeated sprint cycling and power production may also be improved. Mouth rinsing with caffeine may stimulate nerves with direct links to the brain, in addition to caffeine absorption in the mouth. However, caffeine mouth rinsing has not been shown to have significant effects on cognitive performance. Delivering caffeine with mouth rinsing improved short-duration, high-intensity, repeated sprinting in normal and depleted glycogen states, while the majority of the literature indicates no ergogenic effect on aerobic exercise performance, and resistance exercise has not been adequately studied. Studies with caffeinated energy drinks have generally not examined the individual effects of caffeine on performance, making conclusions about this form of caffeine delivery impossible. Caffeinated aerosol mouth and nasal sprays may stimulate nerves with direct brain connections and enter the blood via mucosal and pulmonary absorption, although little support exists for caffeine delivered in this manner. Overall, more research is needed examining alternate forms of caffeine delivery including direct measures of brain activation and entry of caffeine into the blood, as well as more studies examining trained athletes and female subjects.

KSC-2011-7523

NASA Image and Video Library

2011-10-23

A truck carries the latest Space Exploration Technologies Corp. (SpaceX) Dragon capsule to Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida on Oct. 23 so it can be processed and attached to the top of a Falcon 9 rocket on Space Launch Complex-40 for the company's next demonstration test flight for NASA's Commercial Orbital Transportation Services (COTS) program. SpaceX is one of two companies under contract with NASA to take cargo to the International Space Station. NASA is working with SpaceX to combine its last two demonstration flights, and if approved, the Falcon 9 rocket would launch the Dragon capsule to the orbiting laboratory for a docking within the next several months. Photo credit: NASA/ Charisse Nahser

KSC-2011-7526

NASA Image and Video Library

2011-10-23

Workers lift the transportation canister from the latest Space Exploration Technologies Corp. (SpaceX) Dragon capsule to Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida on Oct. 23 so it can be processed and attached to the top of a Falcon 9 rocket on Space Launch Complex-40 for the company's next demonstration test flight for NASA's Commercial Orbital Transportation Services (COTS) program. SpaceX is one of two companies under contract with NASA to take cargo to the International Space Station. NASA is working with SpaceX to combine its last two demonstration flights, and if approved, the Falcon 9 rocket would launch the Dragon capsule to the orbiting laboratory for a docking within the next several months. Photo credit: NASA/ Charisse Nahser

KSC-2012-1567

NASA Image and Video Library

2012-03-01

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – The Space Exploration Technologies Corp. SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket with Dragon capsule attached on top sits fully fueled on Space Launch Complex-40 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida during a launch dress rehearsal for the company’s next demonstration test flight for NASA’s Commercial Orbital Transportation Services-2 COTS-2) program. SpaceX is one of two companies under contract with NASA to take cargo to the International Space Station. NASA is working with SpaceX to combine its last two demonstration flights, and if approved, the Falcon 9 would launch the Dragon capsule to the orbiting laboratory for a docking within the next several months. Photo credit: NASA/Gianni Woods

KSC-2011-7527

NASA Image and Video Library

2011-10-23

Workers lower the latest Space Exploration Technologies Corp. (SpaceX) Dragon capsule at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida on Oct. 23 so it can be processed and attached to the top of a Falcon 9 rocket on Space Launch Complex-40 for the company's next demonstration test flight for NASA's Commercial Orbital Transportation Services (COTS) program. SpaceX is one of two companies under contract with NASA to take cargo to the International Space Station. NASA is working with SpaceX to combine its last two demonstration flights, and if approved, the Falcon 9 rocket would launch the Dragon capsule to the orbiting laboratory for a docking within the next several months. Photo credit: NASA/ Charisse Nahser

KSC-2012-1569

NASA Image and Video Library

2012-03-01

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – The Space Exploration Technologies Corp. SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket with Dragon capsule attached on top sits fully fueled on Space Launch Complex-40 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida during a launch dress rehearsal for the company’s next demonstration test flight for NASA’s Commercial Orbital Transportation Services-2 COTS-2) program. SpaceX is one of two companies under contract with NASA to take cargo to the International Space Station. NASA is working with SpaceX to combine its last two demonstration flights, and if approved, the Falcon 9 would launch the Dragon capsule to the orbiting laboratory for a docking within the next several months. Photo credit: NASA/Gianni Woods

KSC-2011-7521

NASA Image and Video Library

2011-10-23

A truck brings the latest Space Exploration Technologies Corp. (SpaceX) Dragon capsule to Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida on Oct. 23 so it can be processed and attached to the top of a Falcon 9 rocket on Space Launch Complex-40 for the company's next demonstration test flight for NASA's Commercial Orbital Transportation Services (COTS) program. SpaceX is one of two companies under contract with NASA to take cargo to the International Space Station. NASA is working with SpaceX to combine its last two demonstration flights, and if approved, the Falcon 9 rocket would launch the Dragon capsule to the orbiting laboratory for a docking within the next several months. Photo credit: NASA/ Charisse Nahser

KSC-2012-1565

NASA Image and Video Library

2012-03-01

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – The Space Exploration Technologies Corp. SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket with Dragon capsule attached on top sits fully fueled on Space Launch Complex-40 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida during a launch dress rehearsal for the company’s next demonstration test flight for NASA’s Commercial Orbital Transportation Services-2 COTS-2) program. SpaceX is one of two companies under contract with NASA to take cargo to the International Space Station. NASA is working with SpaceX to combine its last two demonstration flights, and if approved, the Falcon 9 would launch the Dragon capsule to the orbiting laboratory for a docking within the next several months. Photo credit: NASA/Gianni Woods

KSC-2011-7529

NASA Image and Video Library

2011-10-23

Workers unwrap the latest Space Exploration Technologies Corp. (SpaceX) Dragon capsule inside a building at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida on Oct. 23 so it can be processed and attached to the top of a Falcon 9 rocket on Space Launch Complex-40 for the company's next demonstration test flight for NASA's Commercial Orbital Transportation Services (COTS) program. SpaceX is one of two companies under contract with NASA to take cargo to the International Space Station. NASA is working with SpaceX to combine its last two demonstration flights, and if approved, the Falcon 9 rocket would launch the Dragon capsule to the orbiting laboratory for a docking within the next several months. Photo credit: NASA/ Charisse Nahser

KSC-2012-1568

NASA Image and Video Library

2012-03-01

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – The Space Exploration Technologies Corp. SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket with Dragon capsule attached on top sits fully fueled on Space Launch Complex-40 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida during a launch dress rehearsal for the company’s next demonstration test flight for NASA’s Commercial Orbital Transportation Services-2 COTS-2) program. SpaceX is one of two companies under contract with NASA to take cargo to the International Space Station. NASA is working with SpaceX to combine its last two demonstration flights, and if approved, the Falcon 9 would launch the Dragon capsule to the orbiting laboratory for a docking within the next several months. Photo credit: NASA/Gianni Woods

KSC-2011-7524

NASA Image and Video Library

2011-10-23

A truck carries the latest Space Exploration Technologies Corp. (SpaceX) Dragon capsule to Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida on Oct. 23 so it can be processed and attached to the top of a Falcon 9 rocket on Space Launch Complex-40 for the company's next demonstration test flight for NASA's Commercial Orbital Transportation Services (COTS) program. SpaceX is one of two companies under contract with NASA to take cargo to the International Space Station. NASA is working with SpaceX to combine its last two demonstration flights, and if approved, the Falcon 9 rocket would launch the Dragon capsule to the orbiting laboratory for a docking within the next several months. Photo credit: NASA/ Charisse Nahser

KSC-2011-7522

NASA Image and Video Library

2011-10-23

A truck carries the latest Space Exploration Technologies Corp. (SpaceX) Dragon capsule to Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida on Oct. 23 so it can be processed and attached to the top of a Falcon 9 rocket on Space Launch Complex-40 for the company's next demonstration test flight for NASA's Commercial Orbital Transportation Services (COTS) program. SpaceX is one of two companies under contract with NASA to take cargo to the International Space Station. NASA is working with SpaceX to combine its last two demonstration flights, and if approved, the Falcon 9 rocket would launch the Dragon capsule to the orbiting laboratory for a docking within the next several months. Photo credit: NASA/ Charisse Nahser

KSC-2011-7528

NASA Image and Video Library

2011-10-23

Workers unwrap the latest Space Exploration Technologies Corp. (SpaceX) Dragon capsule inside a building at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida on Oct. 23 so it can be processed and attached to the top of a Falcon 9 rocket on Space Launch Complex-40 for the company's next demonstration test flight for NASA's Commercial Orbital Transportation Services (COTS) program. SpaceX is one of two companies under contract with NASA to take cargo to the International Space Station. NASA is working with SpaceX to combine its last two demonstration flights, and if approved, the Falcon 9 rocket would launch the Dragon capsule to the orbiting laboratory for a docking within the next several months. Photo credit: NASA/ Charisse Nahser

KSC-2011-7525

NASA Image and Video Library

2011-10-23

Workers lift the transportation canister away from the latest Space Exploration Technologies Corp. (SpaceX) Dragon capsule to Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida on Oct. 23 so it can be processed and attached to the top of a Falcon 9 rocket on Space Launch Complex-40 for the company's next demonstration test flight for NASA's Commercial Orbital Transportation Services (COTS) program. SpaceX is one of two companies under contract with NASA to take cargo to the International Space Station. NASA is working with SpaceX to combine its last two demonstration flights, and if approved, the Falcon 9 rocket would launch the Dragon capsule to the orbiting laboratory for a docking within the next several months. Photo credit: NASA/ Charisse Nahser

Early Detection of Ventilation-Induced Brain Injury Using Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy and Diffusion Tensor Imaging: An In Vivo Study in Preterm Lambs

PubMed Central

Skiöld, Béatrice; Wu, Qizhu; Hooper, Stuart B.; Davis, Peter G.; McIntyre, Richard; Tolcos, Mary; Pearson, James; Vreys, Ruth; Egan, Gary F.; Barton, Samantha K.; Cheong, Jeanie L. Y.; Polglase, Graeme R.

2014-01-01

Background and Aim High tidal volume (VT) ventilation during resuscitation of preterm lambs results in brain injury evident histologically within hours after birth. We aimed to investigate whether magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) and/or diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) can be used for early in vivo detection of ventilation-induced brain injury in preterm lambs. Methods Newborn lambs (0.85 gestation) were stabilized with a “protective ventilation” strategy (PROT, n = 7: prophylactic Curosurf, sustained inflation, VT 7 mL/kg, positive end expiratory pressure (PEEP) 5 cmH2O) or an initial 15 minutes of “injurious ventilation” (INJ, n = 10: VT 12 mL/kg, no PEEP, late Curosurf) followed by PROT ventilation for the remainder of the experiment. At 1 hour, lambs underwent structural magnetic resonance imaging (Siemens, 3 Tesla). For measures of mean/axial/radial diffusivity (MD, AD, RD) and fractional anisotropy (FA), 30 direction DTI was performed. Regions of interests encompassed the thalamus, internal capsule, periventricular white matter and the cerebellar vermis. MRS was performed using a localized single-voxel (15×15×20 mm3, echo time 270 ms) encompassing suptratentorial deep nuclear grey matter and central white matter. Peak-area ratios for lactate (Lac) relative to N-acetylaspartate (NAA), choline (Cho) and creatine (Cr) were calculated. Groups were compared using 2-way RM-ANOVA, Mann-Whitney U-test and Spearman's correlations. Results No cerebral injury was seen on structural MR images. Lambs in the INJ group had higher mean FA and lower mean RD in the thalamus compared to PROT lambs, but not in the other regions of interest. Peak-area lactate ratios >1.0 was only seen in INJ lambs. A trend of higher mean peak-area ratios for Lac/Cr and Lac/Cho was seen, which correlated with lower pH in both groups. Conclusion Acute changes in brain diffusion measures and metabolite peak-area ratios were observed after injurious ventilation. Early MRS/DTI is able to detect the initiation of ventilation-induced brain injury. PMID:24759765

Smile and laughter induction and intraoperative predictors of response to deep brain stimulation for obsessive-compulsive disorder.

PubMed

Haq, Ihtsham U; Foote, Kelly D; Goodman, Wayne G; Wu, Samuel S; Sudhyadhom, Atchar; Ricciuti, Nicola; Siddiqui, Mustafa S; Bowers, Dawn; Jacobson, Charles E; Ward, Herbert; Okun, Michael S

2011-01-01

We recently treated six patients for OCD utilizing deep brain stimulation (DBS) of the anterior limb of the internal capsule and the nucleus accumbens region (ALIC-NA). We individually tested leads via a scripted intraoperative protocol designed to determine DBS-induced side effects and mood changes. We previously published qualitative data regarding our observations of induced emotional behaviors in our first five subjects. We have now studied these same behaviors in the full cohort of six patients over 2 years of follow-up and have examined the relationship of these behaviors to intraoperative mood changes and postoperative clinical outcomes. Five patients experienced at least one smile response during testing. At higher voltages of stimulation, some of these smiles progressed to natural laughter. Smiles and laughter were associated with mood elevation. At stimulation locations at which smiles were observed, voltage and mood were significantly correlated (p=0.0004 for right brain and p<0.0001 for left brain). In contrast, at contacts where smiles were not observed, mood was negatively correlated with voltage (p=0.0591 for right brain and p=0.0086 for left). Smile and laughter-inducing sites were located relatively medial, posterior, and deep in the ALIC-NA. The presence of stimulation induced laughter predicted improvement in OCD symptoms at 2 years. The higher the percentage of laugh conditions experienced in an individual patient, the greater the reduction in YBOCS (24 months, p=0.034). Other correlations between clinical outcomes and percent of smile/laugh conditions were not significant. These stimulation-induced behaviors were less frequently observed with 1 and 2-month postoperative test stimulation and were not observed at subsequent test stimulation sessions. Intraoperative stimulation-induced laughter may predict long-term OCD response to DBS. Identifying other potential response predictors for OCD will become increasingly important as more patients are implanted with DBS devices. A larger study is needed to better delineate the relationship between induced intraoperative and postoperative emotional behavior and clinical outcome in patients treated with DBS therapy. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Smile and Laughter Induction and Intraoperative Predictors of Response to Deep Brain Stimulation for Obsessive Compulsive Disorder

PubMed Central

Haq, Ihtsham U; Foote, Kelly D; Goodman, Wayne G; Wu, Samuel S; Sudhyadhom, Atchar; Ricciutti, Nicola; Siddiqui, Mustafa S.; Bowers, Dawn; Jacobson, Charles E; Ward, Herbert; Okun, Michael S

2010-01-01

We recently treated six patients for OCD utilizing deep brain stimulation (DBS) of the anterior limb of the internal capsule and the nucleus accumbens region (ALIC-NA). We individually tested leads via a scripted intraoperative protocol designed to determine DBS-induced side effects and mood changes. We previously published qualitative data regarding our observations of induced emotional behaviors in our first five subjects. We have now studied these same behaviors in the full cohort of six patients over two years of follow-up and have examined the relationship of these behaviors to intraoperative mood changes and postoperative clinical outcomes. Five patients experienced at least one smile response during testing. At higher voltages of stimulation some of these smiles progressed to natural laughter. Smiles and laughter were associated with mood elevation. At stimulation locations at which smiles were observed, voltage and mood were significantly correlated (p=0.0004 for right brain and p<0.0001 for left brain). In contrast, at contacts where smiles were not observed, mood was negatively correlated with voltage (p=0.0591 for right brain and p=0.0086 for left). Smile and laughter-inducing sites were located relatively medial, posterior, and deep in the ALIC-NA. The presence of stimulation induced laughter predicted improvement in OCD symptoms at two years. The higher the percentage of laugh conditions experienced in an individual patient, the greater the reduction in YBOCS (24 months, p=0.034). Other correlations between clinical outcomes and percent of smile/laugh conditions were not significant. These stimulation-induced behaviors were less frequently observed with one and two-month postoperative test stimulation and were not observed at subsequent test stimulation sessions. Intraoperative stimulation-induced laughter may predict long-term OCD response to DBS. Identifying other potential response predictors for OCD will become increasingly important as more patients are implanted with DBS devices. A larger study is needed to better delineate the relationship between induced intraoperative and postoperative emotional behavior and clinical outcome in patients treated with DBS therapy. PMID:20226259

Brain cell death is reduced with cooling by 3.5°C to 5°C but increased with cooling by 8.5°C in a piglet asphyxia model.

PubMed

Alonso-Alconada, Daniel; Broad, Kevin D; Bainbridge, Alan; Chandrasekaran, Manigandan; Faulkner, Stuart D; Kerenyi, Áron; Hassell, Jane; Rocha-Ferreira, Eridan; Hristova, Mariya; Fleiss, Bobbi; Bennett, Kate; Kelen, Dorottya; Cady, Ernest; Gressens, Pierre; Golay, Xavier; Robertson, Nicola J

2015-01-01

In infants with moderate to severe neonatal encephalopathy, whole-body cooling at 33°C to 34°C for 72 hours is standard care with a number needed to treat to prevent a adverse outcome of 6 to 7. The precise brain temperature providing optimal neuroprotection is unknown. After a quantified global cerebral hypoxic-ischemic insult, 28 piglets aged <24 hours were randomized (each group, n=7) to (1) normothermia (38.5°C throughout) or whole-body cooling 2 to 26 hours after insult to (2) 35°C, (3) 33.5°C, or (4) 30°C. At 48 hours after hypoxia-ischemia, delayed cell death (terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase deoxyuridine triphosphate nick end labeling and cleaved caspase 3) and microglial ramification (ionized calcium-binding adapter molecule 1) were evaluated. At 48 hours after hypoxia-ischemia, substantial cerebral injury was found in the normothermia and 30°C hypothermia groups. However, with 35°C and 33.5°C cooling, a clear reduction in delayed cell death and microglial activation was observed in most brain regions (P<0.05), with no differences between 35°C and 33.5°C cooling groups. A protective pattern was observed, with U-shaped temperature dependence in delayed cell death in periventricular white matter, caudate nucleus, putamen, hippocampus, and thalamus. A microglial activation pattern was also seen, with inverted U-shaped temperature dependence in periventricular white matter, caudate nucleus, internal capsule, and hippocampus (all P<0.05). Cooling to 35°C (an absolute drop of 3.5°C as in therapeutic hypothermia protocols) or to 33.5°C provided protection in most brain regions after a cerebral hypoxic-ischemic insult in the newborn piglet. Although the relatively wide therapeutic range of a 3.5°C to 5°C drop in temperature reassured, overcooling (an 8.5°C drop) was clearly detrimental in some brain regions. © 2014 American Heart Association, Inc.

Renita Fincke at Russian Mission Control Center

NASA Image and Video Library

2004-04-20

Renita Fincke, wife of Expedition 9 Flight Engineer and NASA International Space Station Science Officer Michael Fincke, smiles with their two-year old son Chandra at the Russian Mission Control Center outside Moscow, Wednesday, April 21, 2004, following the successful docking of the Russian Soyuz capsule carrying Fincke, Expedition 9 Commander Gennady Padalka and European Space Agency astronaut Andre Kuipers of the Netherlands to the International Space Station. Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)

Using Numerical Modeling to Simulate Space Capsule Ground Landings

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Heymsfield, Ernie; Fasanella, Edwin L.

2009-01-01

Experimental work is being conducted at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration s (NASA) Langley Research Center (LaRC) to investigate ground landing capabilities of the Orion crew exploration vehicle (CEV). The Orion capsule is NASA s replacement for the Space Shuttle. The Orion capsule will service the International Space Station and be used for future space missions to the Moon and to Mars. To evaluate the feasibility of Orion ground landings, a series of capsule impact tests are being performed at the NASA Langley Landing and Impact Research Facility (LandIR). The experimental results derived at LandIR provide means to validate and calibrate nonlinear dynamic finite element models, which are also being developed during this study. Because of the high cost and time involvement intrinsic to full-scale testing, numerical simulations are favored over experimental work. Subsequent to a numerical model validated by actual test responses, impact simulations will be conducted to study multiple impact scenarios not practical to test. Twenty-one swing tests using the LandIR gantry were conducted during the June 07 through October 07 time period to evaluate the Orion s impact response. Results for two capsule initial pitch angles, 0deg and -15deg , along with their computer simulations using LS-DYNA are presented in this article. A soil-vehicle friction coefficient of 0.45 was determined by comparing the test stopping distance with computer simulations. In addition, soil modeling accuracy is presented by comparing vertical penetrometer impact tests with computer simulations for the soil model used during the swing tests.

Near Space Lab-Rat Experimentation using Stratospheric Balloon

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Buduru, Suneel Kumar; Reddy Vizapur, Anmi; Rao Tanneeru, Venkateswara; Trivedi, Dharmesh; Devarajan, Anand; Pandit Manikrao Kulkarni, MR..; Ojha, Devendra; Korra, Sakram; Neerudu, Nagendra; Seng, Lim; Godi, Stalin Peter

2016-07-01

First ever balloon borne lab-rat experiment up to near space stratospheric altitude levels carried out at TIFR Balloon Facility, Hydeabad using zero pressure balloons for the purpose of validating the life support system. A series of two balloon experiments conducted under joint collaboration with IN.Genius, Singapore in the year 2015. In these experiments, three lab-rats sent to stratosphere in a pressurized capsule designed to reach an altitude of 30 km by keeping constant pressure, temperature and maintained at a precise rate of oxygen supply inside the capsule. The first experiment conducted on 1 ^{st} February, 2015 with a total suspended weight of 225 kg. During the balloon ascent stage at 18 km altitude, sensors inside the capsule reported drastic drop in internal pressure while oxygen and temperatures maintained at correct levels resulted in premature fligt termination at 20.1 km. All the three lab-rats recovered without life due to the collapse of their lungs caused by the depressurization inside the capsule. The second experiment conducted on 14th March, 2015 using a newly developed capsule with rectification of depressurization fault by using improved sealing gaskets and hermitically sealed connectors for sending lab-rats again to stratosphere comprising a total suspended load of 122.3 kg. The balloon flight was terminated after reaching 29.5 km in 110 minutes and succesfully recovered all the three lab-rats alive. This paper focuses on lessons learnt of the development of the life support system as an integral pressurized vessel, flight control instrumentation, flight simulation tests using thermo-vaccum chamber with pre-flight operations.

Effect of a nutrient mixture on the localization of extracellular matrix proteins in HeLa human cervical cancer xenografts in female nude mice.

PubMed

Roomi, M Waheed; Cha, John; Kalinovsky, Tatiana; Roomi, Nusrath; Niedzwiecki, Aleksandra; Rath, Matthias

2015-09-01

Cervical cancer is one of the most commonly diagnosed cancers and a significant cause of mortality in women worldwide. Although cervical cancer is fully treatable in the early stages, once it has metastasized, patient outcome is poor. The objective of the present study was to investigate the effect of dietary supplementation with a nutrient mixture (NM) containing lysine, ascorbic acid, proline, green tea extract and other micronutrients on the expression of extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins in HeLa cell xenografts in nude female mice. After housing for 1 week, female athymic nude mice between 5 and 6 weeks of age (n=12) were inoculated subcutaneously with 3×10 6 HeLa cells in phosphate-buffered saline and Matrigel and randomly divided into two groups. These were the control group, in which the mice were fed with regular mouse chow, and the NM group, in which the mice were fed with the regular diet supplemented with 0.5% NM (w/w). After 4 weeks, the tumors were excised and processed for histology. Tumor growth was evaluated and the tumors were stained for the ECM proteins collagen I, collagen IV, fibronectin, laminin, periodic acid-Schiff (PAS) and elastin. NM strongly inhibited (by 59%, P=0.001) the growth of HeLa xenografts in nude mice. Tumors from control mice exhibited little to no collagen I expression either internally or in the fibrous capsule, while tumors from the NM group expressed collagen I in the fibrous capsule and within the tumor. Tumors from the control group showed diffuse cytoplasmic and capsular collagen IV with abundant nucleated cells. NM treatment substantially increased collagen IV production and induced a dense fibrous network of collagen IV with chambers that surrounded live nucleated cells and large amounts of necrotic cell debris. Tumors from the mice fed with the NM exhibited a well-defined border of fibronectin in the capsule and intense areas of staining internally whereas control group tumors showed less overall fibronectin with sporadic internal staining and little in the fibrous capsule. Although laminin appeared abundantly in control and NM-treated tumors, the NM group tumors exhibited a chamber-like network of laminin internally. Tumors from the control group exhibited internal areas of intense PAS staining, whereas tumors from the NM-treated group exhibited a more uniform diffuse pattern of PAS staining. In conclusion, NM supplementation of HeLa xenograft-bearing female nude mice demonstrated a potent inhibition of tumor growth and enhancement of ECM proteins, suggesting the therapeutic value of this specific nutrient complex in the treatment of cervical cancer.

Calcified basal ganglionic mass 12 years after radiation therapy for medulloblastoma

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lichtor, T.; Wollmann, R.L.; Brown, F.D.

1984-04-01

A patient treated 12 years previously with an operation and radiation therapy for a medulloblastoma developed weakness of the left hand and perivascular calcification involving the right internal capsule and caudate nucleus. These findings are considered possible long-term complications of the radiation therapy.

ed12-0346-18

NASA Image and Video Library

2012-10-30

SpaceX’s Dragon capsule is seen shortly after arriving at a port near Los Angeles, Calif on Tuesday, Oct. 30, 2012. Dragon had just completed its first commercial resupply mission to the International Space Station and returned 1,673 pounds of science and supplies back to Earth. Photo credit: NASA

Temozolomide stability in extemporaneously compounded oral suspensions.

PubMed

Trissel, Lawrence A; Zhang, Yanping; Koontz, Susannah E

2006-01-01

Temozolomide, commercially available in capsules, is an oral alkylating agent used to treat brain tumors. The purpose of this study was to determine the pharmaceutical acceptability and chemical stability of temozolomide in two extemporaneously compounded suspension formulations prepared from the capsules. The temozolomide oral suspensions were prepared from 100-mg commercial capsules yielding a nominal temozolomide concentration of 10 mg/mL. The suspension vehicles selected for testing were an equal parts mixture of Ora-Plus and Ora-Sweet and an equal parts mixture of Ora-Plus and Ora-Sweet SF. The suspensions were packaged in amber plastic screw-cap prescription bottles, which were stored at 23 deg C for 21 days or 4 deg C for 60 days. Stability-indicating high-performance liquid chromatographic analysis revealed that the temozolomide concentration in both suspension vehicle combinations exhibited little or no loss for 60 days at 4 deg C. At 23 deg C, temozolomide losses were somewhat greater. In the Ora-Sweet formulation, the loss was 6% at 7 days; in the Ora-Sweet SF formulation, losses were about 8% at 14 days and 10% to 11% at 21 days. Temozolomide extemporaneously prepared as oral suspensions from capsules in equal parts mixtures of Ora-Plus suspension vehicle with Ora-Sweet and with ora-Sweet SF syrups with added povidine k-30 and acidified with citric acid were pharmaceutically acceptable and chemically stable for at least 60 days at 4 deg C. Refrigerated storage is recommended. The suspensions should not be stored at room temperature longer than 1 week if Ora-Sweet is used or longer than 2 weeks if Ora-Sweet SF is used.

The Drop Tower Bremen -Experiment Operation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Könemann, Thorben; von Kampen, Peter; Rath, Hans J.

The idea behind the drop tower facility of the Center of Applied Space Technology and Micro-gravity (ZARM) in Bremen is to provide an inimitable technical opportunity of a daily access to short-term weightlessness on earth. In this way ZARM`s european unique ground-based microgravity laboratory displays an excellent economic alternative for research in space-related conditions at low costs comparable to orbital platforms. Many national and international ex-perimentalists motivated by these prospects decide to benefit from the high-quality and easy accessible microgravity environment only provided by the Drop Tower Bremen. Corresponding experiments in reduced gravity could open new perspectives of investigation methods and give scientists an impressive potential for a future technology and multidisciplinary applications on different research fields like Fundamental Physics, Astrophysics, Fluid Dynamics, Combus-tion, Material Science, Chemistry and Biology. Generally, realizing microgravity experiments at ZARM`s drop tower facility meet new requirements of the experimental hardware and may lead to some technical constraints in the setups. In any case the ZARM Drop Tower Operation and Service Company (ZARM FAB mbH) maintaining the drop tower facility is prepared to as-sist experimentalists by offering own air-conditioned laboratories, clean rooms, workshops and consulting engineers, as well as scientific personal. Furthermore, ZARM`s on-site apartment can be used for accommodations during the experiment campaigns. In terms of approaching drop tower experimenting, consulting of experimentalists is mandatory to successfully accomplish the pursued drop or catapult capsule experiment. For this purpose there will be a lot of expertise and help given by ZARM FAB mbH in strong cooperation to-gether with the experimentalists. However, in comparison to standard laboratory setups the drop or catapult capsule setup seems to be completely different at first view. While defining a microgravity project at the Drop Tower Bremen, interesting experimentalists should keep in mind generally reducing dimensions and masses of their common laboratory setups to meet the capsule constraints: overall payload height 980mm/1730mm (short/long drop capsule) and 950mm (catapult capsule); area of each capsule platform 0,359sqm; maximum payload mass 274kg/234kg (short/long drop capsule) and 163,8kg (catapult capsule). The base equipments of each capsule are the Capsule Control System (CCS) to remote control the experiment and the rechargeable battery pack (24V/40A) for the experiment operation. Moreover, the exper-iment components must be able to withstand maximum decelerations of 50g while the short capsule impact of about 200ms, and maximum accelerations of 30g while catapult launch with a duration of about 300ms. In our second talk concerning ZARM`s drop tower facility we will go on with detailed infor-mations about the technical base setups of the drop and the catapult capsule structure to completely handle a freely falling experiment. Furthermore, we will summarize interesting current drop tower projects as an outlook to present you the range of opportunities at the ground-based short-term microgravity laboratory of ZARM.

Quantitative analysis of active compounds in pharmaceutical preparations by use of attenuated total-reflection Fourier transform mid-infrared spectrophotometry and the internal standard method.

PubMed

Sastre Toraño, J; van Hattum, S H

2001-10-01

A new method is presented for the quantitative analysis of compounds in pharmaceutical preparations Fourier transform (FT) mid-infrared (MIR) spectroscopy with an attenuated total reflection (ATR) module. Reduction of the quantity of overlapping absorption bands, by interaction of the compound of interest with an appropriate solvent, and the employment of an internal standard (IS), makes MIR suitable for quantitative analysis. Vigabatrin, as active compound in vigabatrin 100-mg capsules, was used as a model compound for the development of the method. Vigabatrin was extracted from the capsule content with water after addition of a sodium thiosulfate IS solution. The extract was concentrated by volume reduction and applied to the FTMIR-ATR module. Concentrations of unknown samples were calculated from the ratio of the vigabatrin band area (1321-1610 cm(-1)) and the IS band area (883-1215 cm(-1)) using a calibration standard. The ratio of the area of the vigabatrin peak to that of the IS was linear with the concentration in the range of interest (90-110 mg, in twofold; n=2). The accuracy of the method in this range was 99.7-100.5% (n=5) with a variability of 0.4-1.3% (n=5). The comparison of the presented method with an HPLC assay showed similar results; the analysis of five vigabatrin 100-mg capsules resulted in a mean concentration of 102 mg with a variation of 2% with both methods.

Development of departmental standard for traceability of measured activity for I-131 therapy capsules used in nuclear medicine.

PubMed

Ravichandran, Ramamoorthy; Binukumar, Jp

2011-01-01

International Basic Safety Standards (International Atomic Energy Agency, IAEA) provide guidance levels for diagnostic procedures in nuclear medicine indicating the maximum usual activity for various diagnostic tests in terms of activities of injected radioactive formulations. An accuracy of ± 10% in the activities of administered radio-pharmaceuticals is being recommended, for expected outcome in diagnostic and therapeutic nuclear medicine procedures. It is recommended that the long-term stability of isotope calibrators used in nuclear medicine is to be checked periodically for their performance using a long-lived check source, such as Cs-137, of suitable activity. In view of the un-availability of such a radioactive source, we tried to develop methods to maintain traceability of these instruments, for certifying measured activities for human use. Two re-entrant chambers [(HDR 1000 and Selectron Source Dosimetry System (SSDS)] with I-125 and Ir-192 calibration factors in the Department of Radiotherapy were used to measure Iodine-131 (I-131) therapy capsules to establish traceability to Mark V isotope calibrator of the Department of Nuclear Medicine. Special nylon jigs were fabricated to keep I-131 capsule holder in position. Measured activities in all the chambers showed good agreement. The accuracy of SSDS chamber in measuring Ir-192 activities in the last 5 years was within 0.5%, validating its role as departmental standard for measuring activity. The above method is adopted because mean energies of I-131 and Ir-192 are comparable.

Microcapsules functionalized with neuraminidase can enter vascular endothelial cells in vitro

PubMed Central

Liu, Weizhi; Wang, Xiaocong; Bai, Ke; Lin, Miao; Sukhorukov, Gleb; Wang, Wen

2014-01-01

Microcapsules made of polyelectrolyte multilayers exhibit no or low toxicity, appropriate mechanical stability, variable controllable degradation and can incorporate remote release mechanisms triggered by various stimuli, making them well suited for targeted drug delivery to live cells. This study investigates interactions between microcapsules made of synthetic (i.e. polystyrenesulfonate sodium salt/polyallylamine hydrochloride) or natural (i.e. dextran sulfate/poly-l-arginine) polyelectrolyte and human umbilical vein endothelial cells with particular focus on the effect of the glycocalyx layer on the intake of microcapsules by endothelial cells. Neuraminidase cleaves N-acetyl neuraminic acid residues of glycoproteins and targets the sialic acid component of the glycocalyx on the cell membrane. Three-dimensional confocal images reveal that microcapsules, functionalized with neuraminidase, can be internalized by endothelial cells. Capsules without neuraminidase are blocked by the glycocalyx layer. Uptake of the microcapsules is most significant in the first 2 h. Following their internalization by endothelial cells, biodegradable DS/PArg capsules rupture by day 5; however, there is no obvious change in the shape and integrity of PSS/PAH capsules within the period of observation. Results from the study support our hypothesis that the glycocalyx functions as an endothelial barrier to cross-membrane movement of microcapsules. Neuraminidase-loaded microcapsules can enter endothelial cells by localized cleavage of glycocalyx components with minimum disruption of the glycocalyx layer and therefore have high potential to act as drug delivery vehicles to reach tissues beyond the endothelial barrier of blood vessels. PMID:25339691

Time-dependent radiation dose estimations during interplanetary space flights

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dobynde, M. I.; Shprits, Y.; Drozdov, A.

2015-12-01

Time-dependent radiation dose estimations during interplanetary space flights 1,2Dobynde M.I., 2,3Drozdov A.Y., 2,4Shprits Y.Y.1Skolkovo institute of science and technology, Moscow, Russia 2University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, USA 3Lomonosov Moscow State University Skobeltsyn Institute of Nuclear Physics, Moscow, Russia4Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, USASpace radiation is the main restriction for long-term interplanetary space missions. It induces degradation of external components and propagates inside providing damage to internal environment. Space radiation particles and induced secondary particle showers can lead to variety of damage to astronauts in short- and long- term perspective. Contribution of two main sources of space radiation- Sun and out-of-heliosphere space varies in time in opposite phase due to the solar activity state. Currently the only habituated mission is the international interplanetary station that flights on the low Earth orbit. Besides station shell astronauts are protected with the Earth magnetosphere- a natural shield that prevents significant damage for all humanity. Current progress in space exploration tends to lead humanity out of magnetosphere bounds. With the current study we make estimations of spacecraft parameters and astronauts damage for long-term interplanetary flights. Applying time dependent model of GCR spectra and data on SEP spectra we show the time dependence of the radiation in a human phantom inside the shielding capsule. We pay attention to the shielding capsule design, looking for an optimal geometry parameters and materials. Different types of particles affect differently on the human providing more or less harm to the tissues. Incident particles provide a large amount of secondary particles while propagating through the shielding capsule. We make an attempt to find an optimal combination of shielding capsule parameters, namely material and thickness, that will effectively decrease the incident particle energy, at the same time minimizing flow of secondary induced particles and minimizing most harmful particle types flows.

Designing Synthetic Microcapsules That Undergo Biomimetic Communication and Autonomous Motion.

PubMed

Yashin, Victor V; Kolmakov, German V; Shum, Henry; Balazs, Anna C

2015-11-10

Inspired by the collective behavior of slime molds and amoebas, we designed synthetic cell-like objects that move and self-organize in response to self-generated chemical gradients, thereby exhibiting autochemotaxis. Using computational modeling, we specifically focused on microcapsules that encompass a permeable shell and are localized on an adhesive surface in solution. Lacking any internal machinery, these spherical, fluid-filled shells might resemble the earliest protocells. Our microcapsules do, however, encase particles that can diffuse through the outer shell and into the surrounding fluid. The released particles play two important, physically realizable roles: (1) they affect the permeability of neighboring capsules and (2) they generate adhesion gradients on the underlying surface. Due to feedback mechanisms provided by the released particles, the self-generated adhesion gradients, and hydrodynamic interactions, the capsules undergo collective, self-sustained motion and even exhibit antlike tracking behavior. With the introduction of a chemically patterned stripe on the surface, a triad of capsules can be driven to pick up four-capsule cargo, transport this cargo, and drop off this payload at a designated site. We also modeled a system where the released particles give rise to a particular cycle of negative feedback loops (mimicking the "repressilator" network), which regulates the production of chemicals within the capsules and hence their release into the solution. By altering the system parameters, three capsules could be controllably driven to self-organize into a stable, close-packed triad that would either translate as a group or remain stationary. Moreover, the stationary triads could be made to switch off after assembly and thus produce minimal quantities of chemicals. Taken together, our models allow us to design a rich variety of self-propelled structures that achieve complex, cooperative behavior through fundamental physicochemical phenomena. The studies can also shed light on factors that enable individual protocells to communicate and self-assemble into larger communities.

Measuring water contents in animal organ tissues using terahertz spectroscopic imaging.

PubMed

Lee, Kyumin; Jeoung, Kiyong; Kim, Sang Hoon; Ji, Young-Bin; Son, Hyeyoung; Choi, Yuna; Huh, Young-Min; Suh, Jin-Suck; Oh, Seung Jae

2018-04-01

We investigated the water contents in several organ tissues such as the liver, spleen, kidney, and brain tissue of rats using the terahertz spectroscopic imaging technique. The water contents of the tissues were determined by using a simple equation containing the absorption coefficients of fresh and lyophilized tissues and water. We compared the measured water contents with the difference in mass of tissues before and after lyophilization. All results showed a good match except for the kidney, which has several Bowman's capsules.

The brain commission of the international association of academies: the first international society of neurosciences.

PubMed

Richter, J

2000-08-01

International associations of scientists, set up to organize cooperative scientific investigations in an international scope and to lay down global binding standards of research, are of great and still growing importance for the advancement of science. This was also recognized at the beginning of the 20th century by the community of researchers in basic and clinical neurological sciences, who created their first international organization following the trend initiated by scholars in astronomy and geophysics. Thus, the so-called "Brain Commission" of the International Association of Academies was founded in 1903 and was active until the outbreak of the First World War. The Brain Commission had no successor for nearly half a century, until the "International Brain Research Organization" (IBRO) was founded in 1961. Although the Brain Commission could exert an impact on neurosciences only for one decade, this international scientific association inspired and promoted the foundation of a series of Brain Research Institutes, which in part still exist in Europe, and long-lasting innovations in the neurosciences.

Bidirectional iterative parcellation of diffusion weighted imaging data: Separating cortical regions connected by the arcuate fasciculus and extreme capsule

PubMed Central

Patterson, Dianne K.; Van Petten, Cyma; Beeson, Pélagie M.; Rapcsak, Steven Z.; Plante, Elena

2014-01-01

This paper introduces a Bidirectional Iterative Parcellation (BIP) procedure designed to identify the location and size of connected cortical regions (parcellations) at both ends of a white matter tract in diffusion weighted images. The procedure applies the FSL option “probabilistic tracking with classification targets” in a bidirectional and iterative manner. To assess the utility of BIP, we applied the procedure to the problem of parcellating a limited set of well-established gray matter seed regions associated with the dorsal (arcuate fasciculus/superior longitudinal fasciculus) and ventral (extreme capsule fiber system) white matter tracts in the language networks of 97 participants. These left hemisphere seed regions and the two white matter tracts, along with their right hemisphere homologues, provided an excellent test case for BIP because the resulting parcellations overlap and their connectivity via the arcuate fasciculi and extreme capsule fiber systems are well studied. The procedure yielded both confirmatory and novel findings. Specifically, BIP confirmed that each tract connects within the seed regions in unique, but expected ways. Novel findings included increasingly left-lateralized parcellations associated with the arcuate fasciculus/superior longitudinal fasciculus as a function of age and education. These results demonstrate that BIP is an easily implemented technique that successfully confirmed cortical connectivity patterns predicted in the literature, and has the potential to provide new insights regarding the architecture of the brain. PMID:25173414

Fluconazole Alters the Polysaccharide Capsule of Cryptococcus gattii and Leads to Distinct Behaviors in Murine Cryptococcosis

PubMed Central

Santos, Julliana Ribeiro Alves; Holanda, Rodrigo Assunção; Frases, Susana; Bravim, Mayara; Araujo, Glauber de S.; Santos, Patrícia Campi; Costa, Marliete Carvalho; Ribeiro, Maira Juliana Andrade; Ferreira, Gabriella Freitas; Baltazar, Ludmila Matos; Miranda, Aline Silva; Oliveira, Danilo Bretas; Santos, Carolina Maria Araújo; Fontes, Alide Caroline Lima; Gouveia, Ludmila Ferreira; Resende-Stoianoff, Maria Aparecida; Abrahão, Jonatas Santos; Teixeira, Antônio Lúcio; Paixão, Tatiane Alves; Souza, Danielle G.; Santos, Daniel Assis

2014-01-01

Cryptococcus gattii is an emergent human pathogen. Fluconazole is commonly used for treatment of cryptococcosis, but the emergence of less susceptible strains to this azole is a global problem and also the data regarding fluconazole-resistant cryptococcosis are scarce. We evaluate the influence of fluconazole on murine cryptococcosis and whether this azole alters the polysaccharide (PS) from cryptococcal cells. L27/01 strain of C. gattii was cultivated in high fluconazole concentrations and developed decreased drug susceptibility. This phenotype was named L27/01F, that was less virulent than L27/01 in mice. The physical, structural and electrophoretic properties of the PS capsule of L27/01F were altered by fluconazole. L27/01F presented lower antiphagocytic properties and reduced survival inside macrophages. The L27/01F did not affect the central nervous system, while the effect in brain caused by L27/01 strain began after only 12 hours. Mice infected with L27/01F presented lower production of the pro-inflammatory cytokines, with increased cellular recruitment in the lungs and severe pulmonary disease. The behavioral alterations were affected by L27/01, but no effects were detected after infection with L27/01F. Our results suggest that stress to fluconazole alters the capsule of C. gattii and influences the clinical manifestations of cryptococcosis. PMID:25392951

White matter anisotropy in the ventral language pathway predicts sound-to-word learning success

PubMed Central

Wong, Francis C. K.; Chandrasekaran, Bharath; Garibaldi, Kyla; Wong, Patrick C. M.

2011-01-01

According to the dual stream model of auditory language processing, the dorsal stream is responsible for mapping sound to articulation while the ventral stream plays the role of mapping sound to meaning. Most researchers agree that the arcuate fasciculus (AF) is the neuroanatomical correlate of the dorsal steam, however, less is known about what constitutes the ventral one. Nevertheless two hypotheses exist, one suggests that the segment of the AF that terminates in middle temporal gyrus corresponds to the ventral stream and the other suggests that it is the extreme capsule that underlies this sound to meaning pathway. The goal of this study is to evaluate these two competing hypotheses. We trained participants with a sound-to-word learning paradigm in which they learned to use a foreign phonetic contrast for signaling word meaning. Using diffusion tensor imaging (DTI), a brain imaging tool to investigate white matter connectivity in humans, we found that fractional anisotropy in the left parietal-temporal region positively correlated with the performance in sound-to-word learning. In addition, fiber tracking revealed a ventral pathway, composed of the extreme capsule and the inferior longitudinal fasciculus, that mediated auditory comprehension. Our findings provide converging evidence supporting the importance of the ventral steam, an extreme capsule system, in the frontal-temporal language network. Implications for current models of speech processing will also be discussed. PMID:21677162

Prefabricated foldable lunar base modular systems for habitats, offices, and laboratories

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hijazi, Yousef

1992-01-01

The first habitat and work station on the lunar surface undoubtedly has to be prefabricated, self-erecting, and self-contained. The building structure should be folded and compacted to the minimum size and made of materials of minimum weight. It must also be designed to provide maximum possible habitable and usable space on the Moon. For this purpose the concept of multistory, foldable structures was further developed. The idea is to contain foldable structural units in a cylinder or in a capsule adapted for launching. Upon landing on the lunar surface, the cylinder of the first proposal in this paper will open in two hinge-connected halves while the capsule of the second proposal will expand horizontally and vertically in all directions. In both proposals, the foldable structural units will self-erect providing a multistory building with several room enclosures. The solar radiation protection is maintained through regolith-filled pneumatic structures as in the first proposal, or two regolith-filled expandable capsule shells as in the second one, which provide the shielding while being supported by the erected internal skeletal structure.

Analytical Method Development and Validation for the Quantification of Acetone and Isopropyl Alcohol in the Tartaric Acid Base Pellets of Dipyridamole Modified Release Capsules by Using Headspace Gas Chromatographic Technique

PubMed Central

2018-01-01

A simple, sensitive, accurate, robust headspace gas chromatographic method was developed for the quantitative determination of acetone and isopropyl alcohol in tartaric acid-based pellets of dipyridamole modified release capsules. The residual solvents acetone and isopropyl alcohol were used in the manufacturing process of the tartaric acid-based pellets of dipyridamole modified release capsules by considering the solubility of the dipyridamole and excipients in the different manufacturing stages. The method was developed and optimized by using fused silica DB-624 (30 m × 0.32 mm × 1.8 µm) column with the flame ionization detector. The method validation was carried out with regard to the guidelines for validation of analytical procedures Q2 demanded by the International Council for Harmonisation of Technical Requirements for Pharmaceuticals for Human Use (ICH). All the validation characteristics were meeting the acceptance criteria. Hence, the developed and validated method can be applied for the intended routine analysis. PMID:29686931

Analytical Method Development and Validation for the Quantification of Acetone and Isopropyl Alcohol in the Tartaric Acid Base Pellets of Dipyridamole Modified Release Capsules by Using Headspace Gas Chromatographic Technique.

PubMed

Valavala, Sriram; Seelam, Nareshvarma; Tondepu, Subbaiah; Jagarlapudi, V Shanmukha Kumar; Sundarmurthy, Vivekanandan

2018-01-01

A simple, sensitive, accurate, robust headspace gas chromatographic method was developed for the quantitative determination of acetone and isopropyl alcohol in tartaric acid-based pellets of dipyridamole modified release capsules. The residual solvents acetone and isopropyl alcohol were used in the manufacturing process of the tartaric acid-based pellets of dipyridamole modified release capsules by considering the solubility of the dipyridamole and excipients in the different manufacturing stages. The method was developed and optimized by using fused silica DB-624 (30 m × 0.32 mm × 1.8  µ m) column with the flame ionization detector. The method validation was carried out with regard to the guidelines for validation of analytical procedures Q2 demanded by the International Council for Harmonisation of Technical Requirements for Pharmaceuticals for Human Use (ICH). All the validation characteristics were meeting the acceptance criteria. Hence, the developed and validated method can be applied for the intended routine analysis.

Nanoparticle/Polymer assembled microcapsules with pH sensing property.

PubMed

Zhang, Pan; Song, Xiaoxue; Tong, Weijun; Gao, Changyou

2014-10-01

The dual-labeled microcapsules via nanoparticle/polymer assembly based on polyamine-salt aggregates can be fabricated for the ratiometric intracellular pH sensing. After deposition of SiO2 nanoparticles on the poly(allylamine hydrochloride)/multivalent anionic salt aggregates followed by silicic acid treatment, the generated microcapsules are stable in a wide pH range (3.0 ∼ 8.0). pH sensitive dye and pH insensitive dye are simultaneously labeled on the capsules, which enable the ratiometric pH sensing. Due to the rough and positively charged surface, the microcapsules can be internalized by several kinds of cells naturally. Real-time measurement of intracellular pH in several living cells shows that the capsules are all located in acidic organelles after being taken up. Furthermore, the negatively charged DNA and dyes can be easily encapsulated into the capsules via charge interaction. The microcapsules with combination of localized pH sensing and drug loading abilities have many advantages, such as following the real-time transportation and processing of the carriers in cells. © 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Stimuli-responsive protamine-based biodegradable nanocapsules for enhanced bioavailability and intracellular delivery of anticancer agents

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Radhakrishnan, Krishna; Thomas, Midhun B.; Pulakkat, Sreeranjini; Gnanadhas, Divya P.; Chakravortty, Dipshikha; Raichur, Ashok M.

2015-08-01

Enzyme- and pH-responsive polyelectrolyte nanocapsules having diameters in the range of 200 ± 20 nm were fabricated by means of Layer-by-Layer assembly of biopolymers, protamine, and heparin, and then loaded with anticancer drug doxorubicin. The incorporation of the FDA-approved peptide drug protamine as a wall component rendered the capsules responsive to enzyme stimuli. The stimuli-responsive drug release from these nanocapsules was evaluated, and further modulation of capsule permeability to avoid premature release was demonstrated by crosslinking the wall components. The interaction of the nanocapsules with cancer cells was studied using MCF-7 breast cancer cells. These capsules were readily internalized and disintegrated inside the cells, culminating in the release of the loaded doxorubicin and subsequent cell death as observed by confocal microscopy and MTT Assay. The bioavailability studies performed using BALB/c mice revealed that the encapsulated doxorubicin exhibited enhanced bioavailability compared to free doxorubicin. Our results indicate that this stimuli-responsive system fabricated from clinically used FDA-approved molecules and exhibiting minimal premature release has great potential for drug-delivery applications.

KSC-2011-7853

NASA Image and Video Library

2011-11-16

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- The Space Exploration Technologies Corp. (SpaceX) Dragon capsule is placed atop its cargo ring inside a processing hangar at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida on Nov. 16. Later, the combination will be attached to the top of a Falcon 9 rocket on Space Launch Complex-40 for the company's next demonstration test flight for NASA's Commercial Orbital Transportation Services (COTS) program. SpaceX is one of two companies under contract with NASA to take cargo to the International Space Station. NASA is working with SpaceX to combine its last two demonstration flights, and if approved, the Falcon 9 rocket would launch the Dragon capsule to the orbiting laboratory for a docking within the next several months. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

KSC-2011-8275

NASA Image and Video Library

2011-11-16

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- The Space Exploration Technologies Corp. (SpaceX) Dragon capsule is placed atop its cargo ring inside a processing hangar at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida on Nov. 16. Later, the combination will be attached to the top of a Falcon 9 rocket on Space Launch Complex-40 for the company's next demonstration test flight for NASA's Commercial Orbital Transportation Services (COTS) program. SpaceX is one of two companies under contract with NASA to take cargo to the International Space Station. NASA is working with SpaceX to combine its last two demonstration flights, and if approved, the Falcon 9 rocket would launch the Dragon capsule to the orbiting laboratory for a docking within the next several months. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

KSC-2011-7854

NASA Image and Video Library

2011-11-16

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- The Space Exploration Technologies Corp. (SpaceX) Dragon capsule is placed atop its cargo ring inside a processing hangar at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida on Nov. 16. Later, the combination will be attached to the top of a Falcon 9 rocket on Space Launch Complex-40 for the company's next demonstration test flight for NASA's Commercial Orbital Transportation Services (COTS) program. SpaceX is one of two companies under contract with NASA to take cargo to the International Space Station. NASA is working with SpaceX to combine its last two demonstration flights, and if approved, the Falcon 9 rocket would launch the Dragon capsule to the orbiting laboratory for a docking within the next several months. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

KSC-2011-7852

NASA Image and Video Library

2011-11-16

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- The Space Exploration Technologies Corp. (SpaceX) Dragon capsule is readied for lifting and placement to its cargo ring inside a processing hangar at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida on Nov. 16. Later, the combination will be attached to the top of a Falcon 9 rocket on Space Launch Complex-40 for the company's next demonstration test flight for NASA's Commercial Orbital Transportation Services (COTS) program. SpaceX is one of two companies under contract with NASA to take cargo to the International Space Station. NASA is working with SpaceX to combine its last two demonstration flights, and if approved, the Falcon 9 rocket would launch the Dragon capsule to the orbiting laboratory for a docking within the next several months. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

Material Science

NASA Image and Video Library

2004-07-12

This soldering iron has an evacuated copper capsule at the tip that contains a pellet of Bulk Metallic Glass (BMG) aboard the International Space Station (ISS). Prior to flight, researchers sealed a pellet of bulk metallic glass mixed with microscopic gas-generating particles into the copper ampoule under vacuum. Once heated in space, such as in this photograph, the particles generated gas and the BMG becomes a viscous liquid. The released gas made the sample foam within the capsule where each microscopic particle formed a gas-filled pore within the foam. The inset image shows the oxidation of the sample after several minutes of applying heat. Although hidden within the brass sleeve, the sample retained the foam shape when cooled, because the viscosity increased during cooling until it was solid.

Influence of capsule shell composition on the performance indicators of hypromellose capsule in comparison to hard gelatin capsules.

PubMed

Al-Tabakha, Moawia M; Arida, Adi Issam; Fahelelbom, Khairi M S; Sadek, Bassem; Saeed, Dima Ahmed; Abu Jarad, Rami A; Jawadi, Jeevani

2015-01-01

The purpose of this study was to assess the in vitro performances of "vegetable" capsules in comparison to hard gelatin capsules in terms of shell weight variation, reaction to different humidity conditions, resistance to stress in the absence of moisture, powder leakage, disintegration and dissolution. Two types of capsules made of HPMC produced with (Capsule 2) or without (Capsule 3) a gelling agent and hard gelatin capsules (Capsule 1) were assessed. Shell weight variability was relatively low for all tested capsules shells. Although Capsule 1 had the highest moisture content under different humidity conditions, all capsule types were unable to protect the encapsulated hygroscopic polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) powder from surrounding humidity. The initial disintegration for all Capsule 1 occurred within 3 min, but for other types of capsules within 6 min (n = 18). Dissolution of acetaminophen was better when the deionized water (DIW) temperature increased from 32 to 42 °C in case of Capsule 1, but the effect of temperature was not significant for the other types of capsules. Acetaminphen dissolution from Capsule 1 was the fastest (i.e. >90% in 10 min) and independent of the media pH or contents unlike Capsule 2 which was influenced by the pH and dissolution medium contents. It is feasible to use hypromellose capsules shells with or without gelling agent for new lines of pharmaceutical products, however, there is a window for capsule shells manufacturing companies to improve the dissolution of their hypromellose capsules to match the conventional gelatin capsule shells and eventually replace them.

Dengue encephalitis with predominant cerebellar involvement: report of eight cases with MR and CT imaging features.

PubMed

Hegde, Vinay; Aziz, Zarina; Kumar, Sharath; Bhat, Maya; Prasad, Chandrajit; Gupta, A K; Netravathi, M; Saini, Jitender

2015-03-01

CNS dengue infection is a rare condition and the pattern of brain involvement has not been well described. We report the MR imaging (MRI) features in eight cases of dengue encephalitis. We retrospectively searched cases of dengue encephalitis in which imaging was performed. Eight cases (three men, five women; age range: 8-42 years) diagnosed with dengue encephalitis were included in the study. MR studies were performed on 3-T and 1.5-T MR clinical systems. Two neuroradiologists retrospectively reviewed the MR images and analysed the type of lesions, as well as their distribution and imaging features. All eight cases exhibited MRI abnormalities and the cerebellum was involved in all cases. In addition, MRI signal changes were also noted in the brainstem, thalamus, basal ganglia, internal capsule, insula, mesial temporal lobe, and cortical and cerebral white matter. Areas of susceptibility, diffusion restriction, and patchy post-contrast enhancement were the salient imaging features in our cohort of cases. A pattern of symmetrical cerebellar involvement and presence of microbleeds/haemorrhage may serve as a useful imaging marker and may help in the diagnosis of dengue encephalitis.

Spontaneous brain activity in the sensorimotor cortex in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis can be negatively regulated by corticospinal fiber integrity.

PubMed

Sako, Wataru; Abe, Takashi; Izumi, Yuishin; Yamazaki, Hiroki; Matsui, Naoko; Harada, Masafumi; Kaji, Ryuji

2017-05-01

Previous studies failed to detect reduced value of the amplitude of low frequency fluctuation (ALFF) derived from resting state functional magnetic resonance imaging in the primary motor cortex in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) though primary motor cortex was mainly affected with ALS. We aimed to investigate the cause of masking the abnormality in the primary motor cortex in ALS and usefulness of ALFF for differential diagnosis among diseases showing muscle weakness. We enrolled ten patients with ALS and eleven disease controls showing muscle weakness. Voxel-wise analysis revealed that significant reduction of ALFF value was present in the right sensorimotor cortex in ALS. There was a significant negative correlation between ALFF value in the right sensorimotor cortex and fractional anisotropy (FA) value in the posterior limbs of the internal capsule (PLIC). For a diagnostic tool, the area under receiver operating characteristic curve improved if the ALS patients with disease duration >1 year were excluded. The present findings raised the possibility of usefulness of ALFF value in the sensorimotor cortex for differential diagnosis of ALS, and supported the notion that adjustment for FA value in the PLIC could improve accuracy.

Alterations in white matter volume and its correlation with neuropsychological scales in patients with Alzheimer's disease: a DARTEL-based voxel-based morphometry study.

PubMed

Moon, Chung-Man; Shin, Il-Seon; Jeong, Gwang-Woo

2017-02-01

Background Non-invasive imaging markers can be used to diagnose Alzheimer's disease (AD) in its early stages, but an optimized quantification analysis to measure the brain integrity has been less studied. Purpose To evaluate white matter volume change and its correlation with neuropsychological scales in patients with AD using a diffeomorphic anatomical registration through exponentiated lie algebra (DARTEL)-based voxel-based morphometry (VBM). Material and Methods The 21 participants comprised 11 patients with AD and 10 age-matched healthy controls. High-resolution magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) data were processed by VBM analysis based on DARTEL algorithm. Results The patients showed significant white matter volume reductions in the posterior limb of the internal capsule, cerebral peduncle of the midbrain, and parahippocampal gyrus compared to healthy controls. In correlation analysis, the parahippocampal volume was positively correlated with the Korean-mini mental state examination score in AD. Conclusion This study provides an evidence for localized white matter volume deficits in conjunction with cognitive dysfunction in AD. These findings would be helpful to understand the neuroanatomical mechanisms in AD and to robust the diagnostic accuracy for AD.

Structural white matter changes in adolescents and young adults with maple syrup urine disease.

PubMed

Klee, D; Thimm, E; Wittsack, H J; Schubert, D; Primke, R; Pentang, G; Schaper, J; Mödder, U; Antoch, A; Wendel, U; Cohnen, M

2013-11-01

To get insight into the nature of magnetic resonance (MR) white matter abnormalities of patients with classic maple syrup urine disease (MSUD) under diet control. Ten patients with classic MSUD and one with a severe MSUD variant (mean age 21.5 ± 5.1 years) on diet and 11 age and sex-matched healthy subjects were enrolled. Apart from standard MR sequences, diffusion weighted images (DWI), diffusion tensor images (DTI), and magnetization transfer images (MT) were obtained and comparatively analyzed for apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC), tensor fractional anisotropy (FA) and MT maps in 11 regions of interest (ROI) within the white matter. In MSUD patients DWI, DTI and FA showed distinct signal changes in the cerebral hemispheres, the dorsal limb of internal capsule, the brain stem and the central cerebellum. Signal intensity was increased in DWI with a reduced ADC and decreased values for FA. MT did not reveal differences between patients and control subjects. Signal abnormalities in the white matter of adolescents and young adults under diet control may be interpreted as consequence of structural alterations like dysmyelination. The reduced ADC and FA in the white matter with preserved MT indicate a reduction in fiber tracks.

Russian Mission Control Center

NASA Image and Video Library

2004-04-20

Helen Conijn, fiancée of European Space Agency astronaut Andre Kuipers of the Netherlands, far right, joins Renita Fincke, second from right, wife of Expedition 9 Flight Engineer and NASA International Space Station Science Officer Michael Fincke, along with family members at the Russian Mission Control Center outside Moscow, Wednesday, April 21, 2004 to view the docking of the Soyuz capsule to the International Space Station that brought Kuipers, Fincke and Expedition 9 Commander Gennady Padalka to the complex following their launch Monday from Kazakhstan. Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)

Artist's Concept of the X-38 Crew Return

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2004-01-01

This is an artist's concept of the X-38 Crew Return Vehicle (CRV). The X-38 will take place of the Russian Soyuz capsule and is well underway on development for the International Space Station. The Soyuz can only stay on orbit for six months as opposed to three years for the CRV.

KSC-03pd1529

NASA Image and Video Library

2003-05-04

ASTANA, KAZAKHSTAN - One of three local Kazakh girls who were on hand at the Astana airport to welcome the Expedition Six crew with roses after the crew landed on the Kazakh Steppe in their Soyuz capsule. The Expedition Six crew spent 161 days in space, 159 manning the International Space Station. Photo Credit: NASA/Bill Ingalls

A new species of myxozoan (Myxosporea) from the brain and spinal cord of rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) from Idaho.

PubMed

Hogge, Carla I; Campbell, Matthew R; Johnson, Keith A

2008-02-01

A new species of Myxosporea, Myxobolus neurotropus n. sp., is described from the brain and spinal cord of rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) from Duncan Creek, Owyhee County, Idaho. Spores are oval, have 2 pyriform polar capsules, and possess a thick spore wall (sutural rim) with a short intracapsular offshoot. The mean spore dimensions are length 11.8 microm, width 10.8 microm, and thickness 8.8 microm. This myxozoan is compared to other described Myxobolus species found in cranial tissues of salmonids in terms of spore morphology and phylogenetic analysis. Because it is found in brain and spinal cord, it is encountered while performing screening tests for Myxobolus cerebralis, the causative agent of salmonid whirling disease. Where chronic inflammation and granulomatous lesions are associated with M. cerebralis, histological examination shows no host response to M. neurotropus n. sp. A diagnostic polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test is included as an aid in properly identifying the species.

Impulsivity and decision-making in obsessive-compulsive disorder after effective deep brain stimulation or treatment as usual.

PubMed

Grassi, Giacomo; Figee, Martijn; Ooms, Pieter; Righi, Lorenzo; Nakamae, Takashi; Pallanti, Stefano; Schuurman, Rick; Denys, Damiaan

2018-06-04

Impulsivity and impaired decision-making have been proposed as obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) endophenotypes, running in OCD and their healthy relatives independently of symptom severity and medication status. Deep brain stimulation (DBS) targeting the ventral limb of the internal capsule (vALIC) and the nucleus accumbens (Nacc) is an effective treatment strategy for treatment-refractory OCD. The effectiveness of vALIC-DBS for OCD has been linked to its effects on a frontostriatal network that is also implicated in reward, impulse control, and decision-making. While vALIC-DBS has been shown to restore reward dysfunction in OCD patients, little is known about the effects of vALIC-DBS on impulsivity and decision-making. The aim of the study was to compare cognitive impulsivity and decision-making between OCD patients undergoing effective vALIC-DBS or treatment as usual (TAU), and healthy controls. We used decision-making performances under ambiguity on the Iowa Gambling Task and reflection impulsivity on the Beads Task to compare 20 OCD patients effectively treated with vALIC-DBS, 40 matched OCD patients undergoing effective TAU (medication and/or cognitive behavioural therapy), and 40 healthy subjects. Effective treatment was defined as at least 35% improvement of OCD symptoms. OCD patients, irrespective of treatment modality (DBS or TAU), showed increased reflection impulsivity and impaired decision-making compared to healthy controls. No differences were observed between OCD patients treated with DBS or TAU. OCD patients effectively treated with vALIC-DBS or TAU display increased reflection impulsivity and impaired decision-making independent of the type of treatment.

Chronic Ketamine Exposure Causes White Matter Microstructural Abnormalities in Adolescent Cynomolgus Monkeys.

PubMed

Li, Qi; Shi, Lin; Lu, Gang; Yu, Hong-Luan; Yeung, Fu-Ki; Wong, Nai-Kei; Sun, Lin; Liu, Kai; Yew, David; Pan, Fang; Wang, De-Feng; Sham, Pak C

2017-01-01

Acute and repeated exposures to ketamine mimic aspects of positive, negative, and cognitive symptoms of schizophrenia in humans. Recent studies by our group and others have shown that chronicity of ketamine use may be a key element for establishing a more valid model of cognitive symptoms of schizophrenia. However, current understanding on the long-term consequences of ketamine exposure on brain circuits has remained incomplete, particularly with regard to microstructural changes of white matter tracts that underpin the neuropathology of schizophrenia. Thus, the present study aimed to expand on previous investigations by examining causal effects of repeated ketamine exposure on white matter integrity in a non-human primate model. Ketamine or saline (control) was administered intravenously for 3 months to male adolescent cynomolgus monkeys ( n = 5/group). Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) experiments were performed and tract-based spatial statistics (TBSS) was used for data analysis. Fractional anisotropy (FA) was quantified across the whole brain. Profoundly reduced FA on the right side of sagittal striatum, posterior thalamic radiation (PTR), retrolenticular limb of the internal capsule (RLIC) and superior longitudinal fasciculus (SLF), and on the left side of PTR, middle temporal gyrus and inferior frontal gyrus were observed in the ketamine group compared to controls. Diminished white matter integrity found in either fronto-thalamo-temporal or striato-thalamic connections with tracts including the SLF, PTR, and RLIC lends support to similar findings from DTI studies on schizophrenia in humans. This study suggests that chronic ketamine exposure is a useful pharmacological paradigm that might provide translational insights into the pathophysiology and treatment of schizophrenia.

Exponential yield sensitivity to long-wavelength asymmetries in three-dimensional simulations of inertial confinement fusion capsule implosions

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Haines, Brian M., E-mail: bmhaines@lanl.gov

2015-08-15

In this paper, we perform a series of high-resolution 3D simulations of an OMEGA-type inertial confinement fusion (ICF) capsule implosion with varying levels of initial long-wavelength asymmetries in order to establish the physical energy loss mechanism for observed yield degradation due to long-wavelength asymmetries in symcap (gas-filled capsule) implosions. These simulations demonstrate that, as the magnitude of the initial asymmetries is increased, shell kinetic energy is increasingly retained in the shell instead of being converted to fuel internal energy. This is caused by the displacement of fuel mass away from and shell material into the center of the implosion duemore » to complex vortical flows seeded by the long-wavelength asymmetries. These flows are not fully turbulent, but demonstrate mode coupling through non-linear instability development during shell stagnation and late-time shock interactions with the shell interface. We quantify this effect by defining a separation lengthscale between the fuel mass and internal energy and show that this is correlated with yield degradation. The yield degradation shows an exponential sensitivity to the RMS magnitude of the long-wavelength asymmetries. This strong dependence may explain the lack of repeatability frequently observed in OMEGA ICF experiments. In contrast to previously reported mechanisms for yield degradation due to turbulent instability growth, yield degradation is not correlated with mixing between shell and fuel material. Indeed, an integrated measure of mixing decreases with increasing initial asymmetry magnitude due to delayed shock interactions caused by growth of the long-wavelength asymmetries without a corresponding delay in disassembly.« less

Programmed Protection of Foreign DNA from Restriction Allows Pathogenicity Island Exchange during Pneumococcal Transformation

PubMed Central

Johnston, Calum; Martin, Bernard; Granadel, Chantal; Polard, Patrice; Claverys, Jean-Pierre

2013-01-01

In bacteria, transformation and restriction-modification (R-M) systems play potentially antagonistic roles. While the former, proposed as a form of sexuality, relies on internalized foreign DNA to create genetic diversity, the latter degrade foreign DNA to protect from bacteriophage attack. The human pathogen Streptococcus pneumoniae is transformable and possesses either of two R-M systems, DpnI and DpnII, which respectively restrict methylated or unmethylated double-stranded (ds) DNA. S. pneumoniae DpnII strains possess DpnM, which methylates dsDNA to protect it from DpnII restriction, and a second methylase, DpnA, which is induced during competence for genetic transformation and is unusual in that it methylates single-stranded (ss) DNA. DpnA was tentatively ascribed the role of protecting internalized plasmids from DpnII restriction, but this seems unlikely in light of recent results establishing that pneumococcal transformation was not evolved to favor plasmid exchange. Here we validate an alternative hypothesis, showing that DpnA plays a crucial role in the protection of internalized foreign DNA, enabling exchange of pathogenicity islands and more generally of variable regions between pneumococcal isolates. We show that transformation of a 21.7 kb heterologous region is reduced by more than 4 logs in dpnA mutant cells and provide evidence that the specific induction of dpnA during competence is critical for full protection. We suggest that the integration of a restrictase/ssDNA-methylase couplet into the competence regulon maintains protection from bacteriophage attack whilst simultaneously enabling exchange of pathogenicicy islands. This protective role of DpnA is likely to be of particular importance for pneumococcal virulence by allowing free variation of capsule serotype in DpnII strains via integration of DpnI capsule loci, contributing to the documented escape of pneumococci from capsule-based vaccines. Generally, this finding is the first evidence for a mechanism that actively promotes genetic diversity of S. pneumoniae through programmed protection and incorporation of foreign DNA. PMID:23459610

Critical processes and parameters in the development of accident tolerant fuels drop-in capsule irradiation tests

DOE PAGES

Barrett, K. E.; Ellis, K. D.; Glass, C. R.; ...

2015-12-01

The goal of the Accident Tolerant Fuel (ATF) program is to develop the next generation of Light Water Reactor (LWR) fuels with improved performance, reliability, and safety characteristics during normal operations and accident conditions and with reduced waste generation. An irradiation test series has been defined to assess the performance of proposed ATF concepts under normal LWR operating conditions. The Phase I ATF irradiation test series is planned to be performed as a series of drop-in capsule tests to be irradiated in the Advanced Test Reactor (ATR) operated by the Idaho National Laboratory (INL). Design, analysis, and fabrication processes formore » ATR drop-in capsule experiment preparation are presented in this paper to demonstrate the importance of special design considerations, parameter sensitivity analysis, and precise fabrication and inspection techniques for figure innovative materials used in ATF experiment assemblies. A Taylor Series Method sensitivity analysis approach was used to identify the most critical variables in cladding and rodlet stress, temperature, and pressure calculations for design analyses. The results showed that internal rodlet pressure calculations are most sensitive to the fission gas release rate uncertainty while temperature calculations are most sensitive to cladding I.D. and O.D. dimensional uncertainty. The analysis showed that stress calculations are most sensitive to rodlet internal pressure uncertainties, however the results also indicated that the inside radius, outside radius, and internal pressure were all magnified as they propagate through the stress equation. This study demonstrates the importance for ATF concept development teams to provide the fabricators as much information as possible about the material properties and behavior observed in prototype testing, mock-up fabrication and assembly, and chemical and mechanical testing of the materials that may have been performed in the concept development phase. Special handling, machining, welding, and inspection of materials, if known, should also be communicated to the experiment fabrication and inspection team.« less

Diffusion tensor imaging with direct cytopathological validation: characterisation of decorin treatment in experimental juvenile communicating hydrocephalus.

PubMed

Aojula, Anuriti; Botfield, Hannah; McAllister, James Patterson; Gonzalez, Ana Maria; Abdullah, Osama; Logan, Ann; Sinclair, Alexandra

2016-05-31

In an effort to develop novel treatments for communicating hydrocephalus, we have shown previously that the transforming growth factor-β antagonist, decorin, inhibits subarachnoid fibrosis mediated ventriculomegaly; however decorin's ability to prevent cerebral cytopathology in communicating hydrocephalus has not been fully examined. Furthermore, the capacity for diffusion tensor imaging to act as a proxy measure of cerebral pathology in multiple sclerosis and spinal cord injury has recently been demonstrated. However, the use of diffusion tensor imaging to investigate cytopathological changes in communicating hydrocephalus is yet to occur. Hence, this study aimed to determine whether decorin treatment influences alterations in diffusion tensor imaging parameters and cytopathology in experimental communicating hydrocephalus. Moreover, the study also explored whether diffusion tensor imaging parameters correlate with cellular pathology in communicating hydrocephalus. Accordingly, communicating hydrocephalus was induced by injecting kaolin into the basal cisterns in 3-week old rats followed immediately by 14 days of continuous intraventricular delivery of either human recombinant decorin (n = 5) or vehicle (n = 6). Four rats remained as intact controls and a further four rats served as kaolin only controls. At 14-days post-kaolin, just prior to sacrifice, routine magnetic resonance imaging and magnetic resonance diffusion tensor imaging was conducted and the mean diffusivity, fractional anisotropy, radial and axial diffusivity of seven cerebral regions were assessed by voxel-based analysis in the corpus callosum, periventricular white matter, caudal internal capsule, CA1 hippocampus, and outer and inner parietal cortex. Myelin integrity, gliosis and aquaporin-4 levels were evaluated by post-mortem immunohistochemistry in the CA3 hippocampus and in the caudal brain of the same cerebral structures analysed by diffusion tensor imaging. Decorin significantly decreased myelin damage in the caudal internal capsule and prevented caudal periventricular white matter oedema and astrogliosis. Furthermore, decorin treatment prevented the increase in caudal periventricular white matter mean diffusivity (p = 0.032) as well as caudal corpus callosum axial diffusivity (p = 0.004) and radial diffusivity (p = 0.034). Furthermore, diffusion tensor imaging parameters correlated primarily with periventricular white matter astrocyte and aquaporin-4 levels. Overall, these findings suggest that decorin has the therapeutic potential to reduce white matter cytopathology in hydrocephalus. Moreover, diffusion tensor imaging is a useful tool to provide surrogate measures of periventricular white matter pathology in communicating hydrocephalus.

Biocompatible Capsules and Methods of Making

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Loftus, David J. (Inventor)

2017-01-01

Embodiments of the invention include capsules for containing medical implants and delivery systems for release of active biological substances into a host body. Delivery systems comprise a capsule comprising an interior enclosed by walls, and a source of active biological substances enclosed within the capsule interior, wherein the active biological substances are free to diffuse across the capsule walls. The capsule walls comprise a continuous mesh of biocompatible fibers and a seal region where two capsule walls overlap. The interior of the capsule is substantially isolated from the medium surrounding the capsule, except for diffusion of at least one species of molecule between the capsule interior and the ambient medium, and prevents cell migration into or out of the capsule. Methods for preparing and using the capsules and delivery systems are provided.

Foamed Bulk Metallic Glass (Foam) Investigation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2004-01-01

This soldering iron has an evacuated copper capsule at the tip that contains a pellet of Bulk Metallic Glass (BMG) aboard the International Space Station (ISS). Prior to flight, researchers sealed a pellet of bulk metallic glass mixed with microscopic gas-generating particles into the copper ampoule under vacuum. Once heated in space, such as in this photograph, the particles generated gas and the BMG becomes a viscous liquid. The released gas made the sample foam within the capsule where each microscopic particle formed a gas-filled pore within the foam. The inset image shows the oxidation of the sample after several minutes of applying heat. Although hidden within the brass sleeve, the sample retained the foam shape when cooled, because the viscosity increased during cooling until it was solid.

M2 macrophages coexist with a Th1-driven profile in periapical cysts.

PubMed

Ribeiro, C M; de Carli, M L; Nonogaki, S; Nogueira, D A; Pereira, A A C; Sperandio, F F; Hanemann, J A C

2018-02-01

To evaluate the participation of both Th1 and Th2 responses in periapical cysts by assessing the presence of M2 macrophages, as well as acute IL-1 β, TNF-α and IL-6 cytokines. Twenty-four cases of periapical cysts were selected. Immuno-expressions of IL-1 β, IL-6, TNF-α and CD163 were analysed in the cystic capsules in both superficial and deeper regions. Data were analysed with paired Wilcoxon test and Spearman correlation coefficient (P ≤ 0.05). There was a higher expression of IL-1β, IL-6, TNF-α and M2 macrophages in the superficial region (P < 0.001) of cystic capsules. All acute cytokines had significant positive correlations amongst them regardless of the cystic capsule region. Regarding CD163, positive correlations occurred only with TNF-α (P = 0.007; r = 0.537) and IL-6 (P = 0.018; r = 0.478) in the superficial regions of the cystic capsule. M2 macrophages participated actively in the inflammatory response of periapical cysts and correlated with the expression of certain acute Th1-related cytokines. This illustrates the coexistence of an acute and chronic Th2-driven immune response in these lesions. Although M2 macrophages favour the healing process, their presence is not sufficient for periapical cyst regression, once an acute active response has occurred due to an infectious stimuli. © 2017 International Endodontic Journal. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Double-balloon endoscopy as the primary method for small-bowel video capsule endoscope retrieval.

PubMed

Van Weyenberg, Stijn J B; Van Turenhout, Sietze T; Bouma, Gerd; Van Waesberghe, Jan Hein T M; Van der Peet, Donald L; Mulder, Chris J J; Jacobs, Maarten A J M

2010-03-01

Capsule retention in the small bowel is a known complication of small-bowel video capsule endoscopy. Surgery is the most frequently used method of capsule retrieval. To determine the incidence and causes of capsule retention and to describe double-balloon endoscopy (DBE) as the primary technique used for capsule retrieval. Retrospective analysis of all video capsule studies was performed at our center, and evaluation of the outcome of DBE was the first method used to retrieve entrapped video capsules. Tertiary referral center. A total of 904 patients who underwent small-bowel video capsule endoscopy. Capsule retrieval by DBE. The number of patients in whom capsule retention occurred and the number of patients in whom an entrapped capsule could be retrieved by using DBE. Capsule retention occurred in 8 patients (incidence 0.88%; 95% CI, 0.41%-1.80%) and caused acute small-bowel obstruction in 6 patients. All retained capsules were successfully removed during DBE. Five patients underwent elective surgery to treat the underlying cause of capsule retention. One patient required emergency surgery because of multiple small-bowel perforations. Retrospective design. In our series, the incidence of capsule retention was low. DBE is a reliable method for removing retained capsules and might prevent unnecessary surgery. If surgery is required, preoperative capsule retrieval allows preoperative diagnosis, adequate staging in case of malignancy, and optimal surgical planning. 2010 American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy. Published by Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

Design and synthesis of organic-inorganic hybrid capsules for biotechnological applications.

PubMed

Shi, Jiafu; Jiang, Yanjun; Wang, Xiaoli; Wu, Hong; Yang, Dong; Pan, Fusheng; Su, Yanlei; Jiang, Zhongyi

2014-08-07

Organic-inorganic hybrid capsules, which typically possess a hollow lumen and a hybrid wall, have emerged as a novel and promising class of hybrid materials and have attracted enormous attention. In comparison to polymeric capsules or inorganic capsules, the hybrid capsules combine the intrinsic physical/chemical properties of the organic and inorganic moieties, acquire more degrees of freedom to manipulate multiple interactions, create hierarchical structures and integrate multiple functionalities. Thus, the hybrid capsules exhibit superior mechanical strength (vs. polymeric capsules) and diverse functionalities (vs. inorganic capsules), which may give new opportunities to produce high-performance materials. Much effort has been devoted to exploring innovative and effective methods for the synthesis of hybrid capsules that exhibit desirable performance in target applications. This tutorial review firstly presents a brief description of the capsular structure and hybrid materials in nature, then classifies the hybrid capsules into molecule-hybrid capsules and nano-hybrid capsules based upon the size of the organic and inorganic moieties in the capsule wall, followed by a detailed discussion of the design and synthesis of the hybrid capsules. For each kind of hybrid capsule, the state-of-the-art synthesis methods are described in detail and a critical comment is embedded. The applications of these hybrid capsules in biotechnological areas (biocatalysis, drug delivery, etc.) have also been summarized. Hopefully, this review will offer a perspective and guidelines for the future research and development of hybrid capsules.

Plasma soluble CD163 is associated with postmortem brain pathology in human immunodeficiency virus infection.

PubMed

Bryant, Alex K; Moore, David J; Burdo, Tricia H; Lakritz, Jessica R; Gouaux, Ben; Soontornniyomkij, Virawudh; Achim, Cristian L; Masliah, Eliezer; Grant, Igor; Levine, Andrew J; Ellis, Ronald J

2017-04-24

Higher plasma soluble cluster of differentiation (CD)163 (sCD163), shed by monocytes and macrophages, correlates with neurocognitive impairment in HIV infection. We hypothesized that higher antemortem plasma or cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) sCD163 would be associated with greater postmortem neurodegeneration and/or microgliosis. Retrospective, postmortem observational study. We measured sCD163 levels in antemortem plasma (n = 54) and CSF (n = 32) samples from 74 HIV-seropositive participants (median 5 months before death) who donated their brains to research at autopsy. Postmortem, we quantified markers of synaptodendritic damage (microtubule-associated protein 2, synaptophysin), microgliosis [human leukocyte antigen DR (HLA-DR), ionized calcium-binding adaptor molecule 1], astrocytosis (glial fibrillary acidic protein), and impaired protein clearance (β-amyloid) in frontal cortex, hippocampus, putamen, and internal capsule. Multivariable least-squares regression was used to evaluate the association between plasma or CSF sCD163 and histological measures, correcting for multiple comparisons. Higher plasma sCD163 was associated with lower microtubule-associated protein 2 in frontal cortex [B = -0.23, 95% confidence interval (CI) -0.41 to -0.06, P = 0.04], putamen (B = 0.32, 95% CI -0.52 to -0.12, P = 0.02), and hippocampus (B = -0.23, 95% CI -0.35 to -0.10, P = 0.01), and with lower synaptophysin in hippocampus (B = -0.25, 95% CI -0.42 to -0.03, P = 0.02) but not putamen or frontal cortex (P > 0.05). Higher plasma sCD163 was associated with higher HLA-DR in putamen (B = 0.17, 95% CI 0.08 to 0.26, P = 0.008). CSF sCD163 was not associated with any histological measure (P > 0.05). Higher plasma sCD163 in life is associated with greater synaptodendritic damage and microglial activation in cortical and subcortical brain regions.

Longitudinal in-vivo diffusion tensor imaging for assessing brain developmental changes in BALB/cJ mice, a model of reduced sociability relevant to autism.

PubMed

Kumar, Manoj; Kim, Sungheon; Pickup, Stephen; Chen, Rong; Fairless, Andrew H; Ittyerah, Ranjit; Abel, Ted; Brodkin, Edward S; Poptani, Harish

2012-05-21

Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) is highly sensitive in detecting brain structure and connectivity phenotypes in autism spectrum disorders (ASD). Since one of the core symptoms of ASD is reduced sociability (reduced tendency to seek social interaction), we hypothesized that DTI will be sensitive in detecting neural phenotypes that correlate with decreased sociability in mouse models. Relative to C57BL/6J (B6) mice, juvenile BALB/cJ mice show reduced sociability. We performed social approach test in a three-chambered apparatus and in-vivo longitudinal DTI at post-natal days 30, 50 and 70 days-of-age in BALB/cJ (n=32) and B6 (n=15) mice to assess the correlation between DTI and sociability and to evaluate differences in DTI parameters between these two strains. Fractional anisotropy (FA) and mean diffusivity (MD) values from in-vivo DTI data were analyzed from white matter (corpus callosum, internal and external capsule) and gray matter (cerebral cortex, frontal motor cortex, hippocampus, thalamus and amygdaloid) regions based on their relevance to ASD. A moderate but significant (p<0.05) negative correlation between sociability and FA in hippocampus and frontal motor cortex was noted for BALB/cJ mice at 30 days-of-age. Significant differences in FA and MD values between BALB/cJ and B6 mice were observed in most white and gray matter areas at all three time points. Significant differences in developmental trajectories of FA and MD values from thalamus and frontal motor cortex were also observed between BALB/cJ and B6, indicating relative under-connectivity in BALB/cJ mice. These results indicate that DTI may be used as an in-vivo, non-invasive imaging method to assess developmental trajectories of brain connectivity in mouse models of neurodevelopmental and behavioral disorders. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Longitudinal in-vivo diffusion tensor imaging for assessing brain developmental changes in BALB/cJ mice, a model of reduced sociability relevant to autism

PubMed Central

Kumar, Manoj; Kim, Sungheon; Pickup, Stephen; Chen, Rong; Fairless, Andrew H.; Ittyerah, Ranjit; Abel, Ted; Brodkin, Edward S.; Poptani, Harish

2012-01-01

Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) is highly sensitive in detecting brain structure and connectivity phenotypes in autism spectrum disorders (ASD). Since one of the core symptoms of ASD is reduced sociability (reduced tendency to seek social interaction), we hypothesized that DTI will be sensitive in detecting neural phenotypes that correlate with decreased sociability in mouse models. Relative to C57BL/6J (B6) mice, juvenile BALB/cJ mice show reduced sociability. We performed social approach test in a three-chambered apparatus and in-vivo longitudinal DTI at post-natal days 30, 50 and 70 days-of-age in BALB/cJ (n=32) and B6 (n=15) mice to assess the correlation between DTI and sociability and to evaluate differences in DTI parameters between these two strains. Fractional anisotropy (FA) and mean diffusivity (MD) values from in-vivo DTI data were analyzed from white matter (corpus callosum, internal and external capsule) and gray matter (cerebral cortex, frontal motor cortex, hippocampus, thalamus and amygdaloid) regions based on their relevance to ASD. A moderate but significant (p<0.05) negative correlation between sociability and FA in hippocampus and frontal motor cortex was noted for BALB/cJ mice at 30 days-of-age. Significant differences in FA and MD values between BALB/cJ and B6 mice were observed in most white and gray matter areas at all three time points. Significant differences in developmental trajectories of FA and MD values from thalamus and frontal motor cortex were also observed between BALB/cJ and B6, indicating relative under-connectivity in BALB/cJ mice. These results indicate that DTI may be used as an in-vivo, non-invasive imaging method to assess developmental trajectories of brain connectivity in mouse models of neurodevelopmental and behavioral disorders. PMID:22513103

Prominent periventricular fiber system related to ganglionic eminence and striatum in the human fetal cerebrum.

PubMed

Vasung, L; Jovanov-Milošević, N; Pletikos, M; Mori, S; Judaš, M; Kostović, Ivica

2011-01-01

Periventricular pathway (PVP) system of the developing human cerebrum is situated medial to the intermediate zone in the close proximity to proliferative cell compartments. In order to elucidate chemical properties and developing trajectories of the PVP we used DTI in combination with acetylcholinesterase histochemistry, SNAP-25 immunocytochemistry and axonal cytoskeletal markers (SMI312, MAP1b) immunocytochemistry on postmortem paraformaldehyde-fixed brains of 30 human fetuses ranging in age from 10 to 38 postconceptional weeks (PCW), 2 infants (age 1-3 months) and 1 adult brain. The PVP appears in the early fetal period (10-13 PCW) as two defined fibre bundles: the corpus callosum (CC) and the fetal fronto-occipital fascicle (FOF). In the midfetal period (15-18 PCW), all four components of the PVP can be identified: (1) the CC, which at rostral levels forms a voluminous callosal plate; (2) the FOF, with SNAP-25-positive fibers; (3) the fronto-pontine pathway (FPP) which for a short distance runs within the PVP; and (4) the subcallosal fascicle of Muratoff (SFM) which contains cortico-caudate projections. The PVPs are situated medial to the internal capsule at the level of the cortico-striatal junction; they remain prominent during the late fetal and early preterm period (19-28 PCW) and represent a portion of the wider periventricular crossroad of growing associative, callosal and projection pathways. In the perinatal period, the PVPs change their topographical relationships, decrease in size and the FOF looses its SNAP-25-reactivity. In conclusion, the hitherto undescribed PVP of the human fetal cerebrum contains forerunners of adult associative and projection pathways. Its transient chemical properties and relative exuberance suggest that the PVP may exert influence on the development of cortical connectivity (intermediate targeting) and other neurogenetic events such as neuronal proliferation. The PVP's topographical position also indicates that it is a major site of vulnerability in hypoxic-ischaemic perinatal brain injury. © Springer-Verlag 2010

Modular "plug-and-play" capsules for multi-capsule environment in the gastrointestinal tract.

PubMed

Phee, S J; Ting, E K; Lin, L; Huynh, V A; Kencana, A P; Wong, K J; Tan, S L

2009-01-01

The invention of wireless capsule endoscopy has opened new ways of diagnosing and treating diseases in the gastrointestinal tract. Current wireless capsules can perform simple operations such as imaging and data collection (like temperature, pressure, and pH) in the gastrointestinal tract. Researchers are now focusing on adding more sophisticated functions such as drug delivery, surgical clips/tags deployment, and tissue samples collection. The finite on-board power on these capsules is one of the factors that limits the functionalities of these wireless capsules. Thus multiple application-specific capsules would be needed to complete an endoscopic operation. This would give rise to a multi-capsule environment. Having a modular "plug-and-play" capsule design would facilitate doctors in configuring multiple application-specific capsules, e.g. tagging capsule, for use in the gastrointestinal tract. This multi-capsule environment also has the advantage of reducing power consumption through asymmetric multi-hop communication.

A comparative study on liquid core formulation on the diameter on the alginate capsules

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ong, Hui-Yen; Lee, Boon-Beng; Radzi, AkmalHadi Ma'; Zakaria, Zarina; Chan, Eng-Seng

2015-08-01

Liquid core capsule has vast application in biotechnology related industries such as pharmaceutical, medical, agriculture and food. Formulation of different types of capsule was important to determine the performance of the capsule. Generally, the liquid core capsule with different formulations generated different size of capsule.Therefore, the aim of this project is to investigate the effect of different liquid core solution formulations on the diameter of capsule. The capsule produced by extruding liquid core solutions into sodium alginate solution. Three types of liquid core solutions (chitosan, xanthan gum, polyethylene glycol (PEG)) were investigated. The results showed that there is significant change in capsule diameter despite in different types of liquid core solution were used and a series of capsule range in diameter of 3.1 mm to 4.5 mm were produced. Alginate capsule with chitosan formulation appeared to be the largest capsule among all.

Anatomic and Histological Investigation of the Anterolateral Capsular Complex in the Fetal Knee.

PubMed

Sabzevari, Soheil; Rahnemai-Azar, Amir Ata; Albers, Marcio; Linde, Monica; Smolinski, Patrick; Fu, Freddie H

2017-05-01

There is currently disagreement with regard to the presence of a distinct ligament in the anterolateral capsular complex of the knee and its role in the pivot-shift mechanism and rotatory laxity of the knee. To investigate the anatomic and histological properties of the anterolateral capsular complex of the fetal knee to determine whether there exists a distinct ligamentous structure running from the lateral femoral epicondyle inserting into the anterolateral tibia. Descriptive laboratory study. Twenty-one unpaired, fresh fetal lower limbs, gestational age 18 to 22 weeks, were used for anatomic investigation. Two experienced orthopaedic surgeons performed the anatomic dissection using loupes (magnification ×3.5). Attention was focused on the anterolateral and lateral structures of the knee. After the skin and superficial fascia were removed, the iliotibial band was carefully separated from underlying structures. The anterolateral capsule was then examined under internal and external rotation and varus-valgus manual loading and at different knee flexion angles for the presence of any ligamentous structures. Eight additional unpaired, fetal lower limbs, gestational age 11 to 23 weeks, were used for histological analysis. This study was not able to prove the presence of a distinct capsular or extracapsular ligamentous structure in the anterolateral capsular complex area. The presence of the fibular collateral ligament, a distal attachment of the biceps femoris, the entire lateral capsule, the iliotibial band, and the popliteus tendon in the anterolateral and lateral area of the knee was confirmed in all the samples. Histological analysis of the anterolateral capsule revealed a loose, hypocellular connective tissue with less organized collagen fibers compared with ligament and tendinous structures. The main finding of this study was that the presence of a distinct ligamentous structure in the anterolateral complex is not supported from a developmental point of view, while all other anatomic structures were present. The inability to prove the existence of a distinct ligamentous structure, called the anterolateral ligament, in the anterolateral knee capsule may indicate that the other components of the anterolateral complex, such as the lateral capsule, the iliotibial band, and its capsule-osseous layer, are more important for knee rotatory stability.

Remote magnetic manipulation of a wireless capsule endoscope in the esophagus and stomach of humans (with videos).

PubMed

Swain, Paul; Toor, Arifa; Volke, Frank; Keller, Jutta; Gerber, Jeremy; Rabinovitz, Elisha; Rothstein, Richard I

2010-06-01

Remote manipulation of wireless capsule endoscopes might improve diagnostic accuracy and facilitate therapy. To test a new capsule-manipulation system. University hospital. A first-in-human study tested a new magnetic maneuverable wireless capsule in a volunteer. A wireless capsule endoscope was modified to include neodymium-iron-boron magnets. The capsule's magnetic switch was replaced with a thermal one and turned on by placing it in hot water. One imager was removed from the PillCam colon-based capsule, and the available space was used to house the magnets. A handheld external magnet was used to manipulate this capsule in the esophagus and stomach. The capsule was initiated by placing it in a microg of hot water. The capsule was swallowed and observed in the esophagus and stomach by using a gastroscope. Capsule images were viewed on a real-time viewer. The capsule was manipulated in the esophagus for 10 minutes. It was easy to make the capsule turn somersaults and to angulate at the cardioesophageal junction. In the stomach, it was easy to move the capsule back from the pylorus to the cardioesophageal junction and hold/spin the capsule at any position in the stomach. The capsule in the esophagus and stomach did not cause discomfort. Magnetic force varies with the fourth power of distance. This study suggests that remote manipulation of a capsule in the esophagus and stomach of a human is feasible and might enhance diagnostic endoscopy as well as enable therapeutic wireless capsule endoscopy. Copyright 2010 American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy. Published by Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

Testosterone affects language areas of the adult human brain.

PubMed

Hahn, Andreas; Kranz, Georg S; Sladky, Ronald; Kaufmann, Ulrike; Ganger, Sebastian; Hummer, Allan; Seiger, Rene; Spies, Marie; Vanicek, Thomas; Winkler, Dietmar; Kasper, Siegfried; Windischberger, Christian; Swaab, Dick F; Lanzenberger, Rupert

2016-05-01

Although the sex steroid hormone testosterone is integrally involved in the development of language processing, ethical considerations mostly limit investigations to single hormone administrations. To circumvent this issue we assessed the influence of continuous high-dose hormone application in adult female-to-male transsexuals. Subjects underwent magnetic resonance imaging before and after 4 weeks of testosterone treatment, with each scan including structural, diffusion weighted and functional imaging. Voxel-based morphometry analysis showed decreased gray matter volume with increasing levels of bioavailable testosterone exclusively in Broca's and Wernicke's areas. Particularly, this may link known sex differences in language performance to the influence of testosterone on relevant brain regions. Using probabilistic tractography, we further observed that longitudinal changes in testosterone negatively predicted changes in mean diffusivity of the corresponding structural connection passing through the extreme capsule. Considering a related increase in myelin staining in rodents, this potentially reflects a strengthening of the fiber tract particularly involved in language comprehension. Finally, functional images at resting-state were evaluated, showing increased functional connectivity between the two brain regions with increasing testosterone levels. These findings suggest testosterone-dependent neuroplastic adaptations in adulthood within language-specific brain regions and connections. Importantly, deteriorations in gray matter volume seem to be compensated by enhancement of corresponding structural and functional connectivity. Hum Brain Mapp 37:1738-1748, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2016 The Authors Human Brain Mapping Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

The Relieving Effects of BrainPower Advanced, a Dietary Supplement, in Older Adults with Subjective Memory Complaints: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Trial.

PubMed

Zhu, Jingfen; Shi, Rong; Chen, Su; Dai, Lihua; Shen, Tian; Feng, Yi; Gu, Pingping; Shariff, Mina; Nguyen, Tuong; Ye, Yeats; Rao, Jianyu; Xing, Guoqiang

2016-01-01

Subjective memory complaints (SMCs) are common in older adults that can often predict further cognitive impairment. No proven effective agents are available for SMCs. The effect of BrainPower Advanced, a dietary supplement consisting of herbal extracts, nutrients, and vitamins, was evaluated in 98 volunteers with SMCs, averaging 67 years of age (47-88), in a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Subjective hypomnesis/memory loss (SML) and attention/concentration deficits (SAD) were evaluated before and after 12-week supplementation of BrainPower Advanced capsules (n = 47) or placebo (n = 51), using a 5-point memory questionnaire (1 = no/slight, 5 = severe). Objective memory function was evaluated using 3 subtests of visual/audio memory, abstraction, and memory recall that gave a combined total score. The BrainPower Advanced group had more cases of severe SML (severity ⩾ 3) (44/47) and severe SAD (43/47) than the placebo group (39/51 and 37/51, < 0.05, < 0.05, resp.) before the treatment. BrainPower Advanced intervention, however, improved a greater proportion of the severe SML (29.5%)(13/44) (P < 0.01) and SAD (34.9%)(15/43)(P < 0.01) than placebo (5.1% (2/39) and 13.5% (5/37), resp.). Thus, 3-month BrainPower Advanced supplementation appears to be beneficial to older adults with SMCs.

The impact of an international initiative on exposures to liquid laundry detergent capsules reported to the United Kingdom National Poisons Information Service between 2008 and 2015.

PubMed

Day, Rachael; Eddleston, Michael; Thomas, Simon H L; Thompson, John P; Vale, J Allister

2017-03-01

Although the majority of those exposed to liquid laundry detergent capsules remain asymptomatic or suffer only minor clinical features after exposure, a small proportion develop central nervous system depression, stridor, pulmonary aspiration and/or airway burns following ingestion or conjunctivitis and corneal ulceration following eye exposure. As a consequence, the International Association for Soaps, Detergents and Maintenance Products (AISE) established a Product Stewardship Programme in Europe, requiring that safety measures be implemented to reduce the visibility of, and restrict access to, these detergent capsules by small children. Implementation occurred in the United Kingdom over several months during the first half of 2013. This study investigated whether the AISE Programme had an impact on the number and severity of exposures reported to the United Kingdom National Poisons Information Service. Telephone enquiries to the National Poisons Information Service relating to liquid laundry detergent capsules were analysed for the period January 2008 to December 2015. While there was a significant difference (p = 0.0002) between the mean number of annual exposures (469.4) reported between 2008 and 2012 and the mean number reported between 2014 and 2015 (403.5), the number of exposures was decreasing steadily prior to implementation of the Programme in 2013, which did not impact this fall from 2013 onwards. In addition, the number of exposures per million units sold was not impacted by the Programme. There was no significant difference (p = 0.68) between the mean number of exposures (11.8) with PSS ≥2 reported between 2008 and 2012 and the mean number (13.0) reported between 2014 and 2015. Although there was a 28.7% decrease between 2010-2012 and 2014-2015 in the number of exposures with PSS ≥2 per million units sold, this decrease was not statistically significant (p = 0.18). There is no evidence that the Product Stewardship Programme had a beneficial impact on the number of exposures reported to the National Poisons Information Service or their severity.

Capsule Endoscope Aspiration after Repeated Attempts for Ingesting a Patency Capsule

PubMed Central

Mannami, Tomohiko; Ikeda, Genyo; Seno, Satoru; Sonobe, Hiroshi; Fujiwara, Nobukiyo; Komoda, Minori; Edahiro, Satoru; Ohtawa, Yasuyuki; Fujimoto, Yoshimi; Sato, Naohiro; Kambara, Takeshi; Waku, Toshihiko

2015-01-01

Capsule endoscope aspiration into the respiratory tract is a rare complication of capsule endoscopy. Despite the potential seriousness of this complication, no accepted methods exist to accurately predict and therefore prevent it. We describe the case of an 85-year-old male who presented for evaluation of iron deficiency anemia. He complained of dysphagia while ingesting a patency capsule, with several attempts over a period of 5 min before he was successful. Five days later, he underwent capsule endoscopy, where he experienced similar symptoms in swallowing the capsule. The rest of the examination proceeded uneventfully. On reviewing the captured images, the capsule endoscope was revealed to be aspirated, remaining in the respiratory tract for approximately 220 s before images of the esophagus and stomach appeared. To our knowledge, this is the first documented case of a patient who experienced capsule endoscope aspiration after ingestion of a patency capsule. This case suggests that repeated attempts required for ingesting the patency capsule can predict capsule endoscope aspiration. We presume that paying sufficient attention to the symptoms of a patient who ingests a patency capsule could help us prevent serious complications such as aspiration of the capsule endoscope. In addition, this experience implies the potential risk for ingesting the patency capsule. We must be aware that the patency capsule could also be aspirated and there may be more unrecognized aspiration cases. PMID:26600772

Capsule Endoscope Aspiration after Repeated Attempts for Ingesting a Patency Capsule.

PubMed

Mannami, Tomohiko; Ikeda, Genyo; Seno, Satoru; Sonobe, Hiroshi; Fujiwara, Nobukiyo; Komoda, Minori; Edahiro, Satoru; Ohtawa, Yasuyuki; Fujimoto, Yoshimi; Sato, Naohiro; Kambara, Takeshi; Waku, Toshihiko

2015-01-01

Capsule endoscope aspiration into the respiratory tract is a rare complication of capsule endoscopy. Despite the potential seriousness of this complication, no accepted methods exist to accurately predict and therefore prevent it. We describe the case of an 85-year-old male who presented for evaluation of iron deficiency anemia. He complained of dysphagia while ingesting a patency capsule, with several attempts over a period of 5 min before he was successful. Five days later, he underwent capsule endoscopy, where he experienced similar symptoms in swallowing the capsule. The rest of the examination proceeded uneventfully. On reviewing the captured images, the capsule endoscope was revealed to be aspirated, remaining in the respiratory tract for approximately 220 s before images of the esophagus and stomach appeared. To our knowledge, this is the first documented case of a patient who experienced capsule endoscope aspiration after ingestion of a patency capsule. This case suggests that repeated attempts required for ingesting the patency capsule can predict capsule endoscope aspiration. We presume that paying sufficient attention to the symptoms of a patient who ingests a patency capsule could help us prevent serious complications such as aspiration of the capsule endoscope. In addition, this experience implies the potential risk for ingesting the patency capsule. We must be aware that the patency capsule could also be aspirated and there may be more unrecognized aspiration cases.

Central Nervous System Fibrosis Is Associated with Fibrocyte-Like Infiltrates

PubMed Central

Aldrich, Amy; Kielian, Tammy

2011-01-01

Fibrotic wall formation is essential for limiting pathogen dissemination during brain abscess development. However, little is known about the regulation of fibrotic processes in the central nervous system (CNS). Most CNS injury responses are associated with hypertrophy of resident astrocytes, a process termed reactive gliosis. Studies of fibrosis outside the CNS have identified two bone marrow–derived cell types, fibrocytes and alternatively activated M2 macrophages, as key mediators of fibrosis. The current study used bone marrow chimeras generated from green fluorescent protein transgenic mice to evaluate the appearance of these cell types and whether bone marrow–derived cells were capable of acquiring fibrotic characteristics during brain abscess development. Immunofluorescence staining revealed partial overlap between green fluorescent protein, α-smooth muscle actin, and procollagen, suggesting that a population of cells forming the brain abscess capsule originate from a bone marrow precursor. In addition, the influx of fibrocyte-like cells into brain abscesses immediately preceded the onset of fibrotic encapsulation. Fibrotic wall formation was also associated with increased numbers of alternatively activated M2 microglia and macrophages. To our knowledge, this is the first study demonstrating that bone marrow–derived infiltrates are capable of expressing fibrotic molecules during CNS inflammation. PMID:22015460

Neuroanatomical prerequisites for language functions in the maturing brain.

PubMed

Brauer, Jens; Anwander, Alfred; Friederici, Angela D

2011-02-01

The 2 major language-relevant cortical regions in the human brain, Broca's area and Wernicke's area, are connected via the fibers of the arcuate fasciculus/superior longitudinal fasciculus (AF/SLF). Here, we compared this pathway in adults and children and its relation to language processing during development. Comparison of fiber properties demonstrated lower anisotropy in children's AF/SLF, arguing for an immature status of this particular pathway with conceivably a lower degree of myelination. Combined diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) data and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data indicated that in adults the termination of the AF/SLF fiber projection is compatible with functional activation in Broca's area, that is pars opercularis. In children, activation in Broca's area extended from the pars opercularis into the pars triangularis revealing an alternative connection to the temporal lobe (Wernicke's area) via the ventrally projecting extreme capsule fiber system. fMRI and DTI data converge to indicate that adults make use of a more confined language network than children based on ongoing maturation of the structural network. Our data suggest relations between language development and brain maturation and, moreover, indicate the brain's plasticity to adjust its function to available structural prerequisites.

Roles of the µ-opioid receptor and its related signaling pathways in the pathogenesis of premenstrual syndrome liver-qi stagnation

PubMed Central

Song, Chunhong; Xue, Ling

2017-01-01

The present study aimed to investigate the roles of the µ-opioid receptor (MOR) and its related signaling pathways in the pathogenesis of premenstrual syndrome (PMS) liver-qi stagnation, along with the therapeutic effects of the Shu-Yu capsule in treating the condition. A PMS liver-qi stagnation rat model was established using a chronic restraint stress method. The protein expression level of MOR within rat hippocampal tissue was detected via western blot analysis and cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) levels within the supernatant of a rat hippocampal cell culture were determined by ELISA. The western blot analysis indicated that the hippocampal expression level of MOR was significantly elevated in the PMS liver-qi stagnation model group. However, subsequent treatment with a Shu-Yu capsule was found to significantly decrease the level of MOR expression. In addition, in vitro experiments were performed, whereby primary hippocampal neurons were treated with model rat serum. It was observed that the level of MOR expression was significantly elevated, while brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and cAMP levels in the culture supernatant were significantly decreased. These effects were reversed by treatment with serum from the Shu-Yu capsule-treated rats. Furthermore, when treated with the MOR activator DAMGO, the following were significantly decreased in the primary neurons: Phosphorylation levels of cAMP response element binding protein and extracellular signal-regulated protein kinases (ERK); BDNF expression; and cAMP content in the culture supernatant. These effects were reversed in primary neurons treated with DAMGO and Shu-Yu-containing rat serum. Collectively, the data suggest that increased MOR expression and activation of the cAMP/ERK signaling pathway in the hippocampus may be involved in the pathogenesis of PMS liver-qi stagnation. Furthermore, the efficacy of the Shu-Yu capsule in treating the condition may be via its regulation of MOR receptor signaling. PMID:28587388

Capsule endoscopy

MedlinePlus

Capsule enteroscopy; Wireless capsule endoscopy; Video capsule endoscopy (VCE); Small bowel capsule endoscopy (SBCE) ... a computer and software turns them into a video. Your provider watches the video to look for ...

Effects of food on a gastrically degraded drug: azithromycin fast-dissolving gelatin capsules and HPMC capsules.

PubMed

Curatolo, William; Liu, Ping; Johnson, Barbara A; Hausberger, Angela; Quan, Ernest; Vendola, Thomas; Vatsaraj, Neha; Foulds, George; Vincent, John; Chandra, Richa

2011-07-01

Commercial azithromycin gelatin capsules (Zithromax®) are known to be bioequivalent to commercial azithromycin tablets (Zithromax®) when dosed in the fasted state. These capsules exhibit a reduced bioavailability when dosed in the fed state, while tablets do not. This gelatin capsule negative food effect was previously proposed to be due to slow and/or delayed capsule disintegration in the fed stomach, resulting in extended exposure of the drug to gastric acid, leading to degradation to des-cladinose-azithromycin (DCA). Azithromycin gelatin capsules were formulated with "superdisintegrants" to provide fast-dissolving capsules, and HPMC capsule shells were substituted for gelatin capsule shells, in an effort to eliminate the food effect. Healthy volunteers were dosed with these dosage forms under fasted and fed conditions; pharmacokinetics were evaluated. DCA pharmacokinetics were also evaluated for the HPMC capsule subjects. In vitro disintegration of azithromycin HPMC capsules in media containing food was evaluated and compared with commercial tablets and commercial gelatin capsules. When the two fast-dissolving capsule formulations were dosed to fed subjects, the azithromycin AUC was 38.9% and 52.1% lower than after fasted-state dosing. When HPMC capsules were dosed to fed subjects, the azithromycin AUC was 65.5% lower than after fasted-state dosing. For HPMC capsules, the absolute fasting-state to fed-state decrease in azithromycin AUC (on a molar basis) was similar to the increase in DCA AUC. In vitro capsule disintegration studies revealed extended disintegration times for commercial azithromycin gelatin capsules and HPMC capsules in media containing the liquid foods milk and Ensure®. Interaction of azithromycin gelatin and HPMC capsules with food results in slowed disintegration in vitro and decreased bioavailability in vivo. Concurrent measurement of serum azithromycin and the acid-degradation product DCA demonstrates that the loss of azithromycin bioavailability in the fed state is largely (and probably entirely) due to gastric degradation to DCA. Capsules can provide a useful and elegant dosage form for almost all drugs, but may result in a negative food effect for drugs as acid-labile as azithromycin.

Associations Between Egg Capsule Morphology and Predation Among Populations of the Marine Gastropod, Nucella emarginata.

PubMed

Rawlings, T A

1990-12-01

Intraspecific variation in the morphology of egg capsules is ideal for assessing the costs and benefits of encapsulation, yet little is known about the extent of such variation among populations of a single species. In the present study, I compared capsule morphology among three populations of the intertidal gastropod, Nucella emarginata. Significant differences were found both in capsule wall thickness and capsule strength. Mean capsule wall thickness varied as much as 25% among populations, with the dry weight of capsular cases differing accordingly. Capsule strength, measured as resistance to puncturing and squeezing forces, also varied among populations, but did not directly reflect differences in capsule wall thickness. Despite extensive variation in capsule morphology within this species, the number and size of eggs contained within capsules of equal volume did not differ significantly among populations. I also compared the type of capsule-eating predators that were present at each site. Shore crabs, Hemigrapsus spp., were abundant at all three sites; however, the predatory isopods Idotea wosnesenskii were only present at sites containing relatively thick-walled capsules. Although Hemigrapsus and Idotea were able to chew through both thick- and thin-walled capsules, laboratory experiments revealed that Idotea preferentially opened thin-walled capsules. These results suggest that variation in capsule morphology among populations of N. emarginata may, at least in part, reflect selection for the protection of embryos against predation.

White matter microstructural alterations in children with prenatal methamphetamine/polydrug exposure

PubMed Central

Colby, John B.; Smith, Lynne; O’Connor, Mary J.; Bookheimer, Susan Y.; Van Horn, John D.; Sowell, Elizabeth R.

2013-01-01

Little is known about the effects of prenatal methamphetamine exposure on white matter microstructure, and the impact of concomitant alcohol exposure. Diffusion tensor imaging and neurocognitive testing were performed on 21 children with prenatal methamphetamine exposure (age 9.8±1.8 years; 17 also exposed to alcohol), 19 children with prenatal alcohol but not methamphetamine exposure (age 10.8±2.3 years), and 27 typically-developing children (age 10.3±3.3 years). Whole-brain maps of fractional anisotropy (FA) were evaluated using tract-based spatial statistics. Relative to unexposed controls, children with prenatal methamphetamine exposure demonstrated higher FA mainly in left-sided regions, including the left anterior corona radiata (LCR) and corticospinal tract (P<0.05, corrected). Post-hoc analyses of these FA differences showed they likely result more from lower radial diffusivity (RD) than higher axial diffusivity (AD). Relative to the methamphetamine-exposed group, children with prenatal alcohol exposure showed lower FA in frontotemporal regions – particularly the right external capsule (P<0.05, corrected). We failed to find any group-performance interaction (on tests of executive functioning and visuomotor integration) in predicting FA; however, FA in the right external capsule was significantly associated with performance on a test of visuomotor integration across groups (P<0.05). This report demonstrates unique diffusion abnormalities in children with prenatal methamphetamine/polydrug exposure that are distinct from those associated with alcohol exposure alone, and illustrates that these abnormalities in brain microstructure are persistent into childhood and adolescence – long after the polydrug exposure in utero. PMID:23149028

Loss of white matter connections after severe traumatic brain injury (TBI) and its relationship to social cognition.

PubMed

McDonald, Skye; Dalton, Katie I; Rushby, Jacqueline A; Landin-Romero, Ramon

2018-06-14

Adults with severe traumatic brain injury (TBI) often suffer poor social cognition. Social cognition is complex, requiring verbal, non-verbal, auditory, visual and affective input and integration. While damage to focal temporal and frontal areas has been implicated in disorders of social cognition after TBI, the role of white matter pathology has not been examined. In this study 17 adults with chronic, severe TBI and 17 control participants underwent structural MRI scans and Diffusion Tensor Imaging. The Awareness of Social Inference Test (TASIT) was used to assess their ability to understand emotional states, thoughts, intentions and conversational meaning in everyday exchanges. Track-based spatial statistics were used to perform voxelwise analysis of Fractional Anisotropy (FA) and Mean Diffusivity (MD) of white matter tracts associated with poor social cognitive performance. FA suggested a wide range of tracts were implicated in poor TASIT performance including tracts known to mediate, auditory localisation (planum temporale) communication between nonverbal and verbal processes in general (corpus callosum) and in memory in particular (fornix) as well as tracts and structures associated with semantics and verbal recall (left temporal lobe and hippocampus), multimodal processing and integration (thalamus, external capsule, cerebellum) and with social cognition (orbitofrontal cortex, frontopolar cortex, right temporal lobe). Even when controlling for non-social cognition, the corpus callosum, fornix, bilateral thalamus, right external capsule and right temporal lobe remained significant contributors to social cognitive performance. This study highlights the importance of loss of white matter connectivity in producing complex social information processing deficits after TBI.

Double-blind, placebo-controlled, clinical, psychometric and neurophysiological investigations with oxiracetam in the organic brain syndrome of late life.

PubMed

Saletu, B; Linzmayer, L; Grünberger, J; Pietschmann, H

1985-01-01

The therapeutic efficacy and safety of oxiracetam (ISF 2522), a new nootropic cyclic GABA derivative, were investigated in a double-blind, placebo-controlled study in 40 patients with organic brain syndrome in late life. The psychopathology was characterized by memory deficits, intellectual dysfunction, lack of drive, and disturbance of affectivity. Patients were randomly assigned to a 4-week treatment with either 2 X 400 mg oxiracetam capsules t.i.d. or identical placebo capsules in the same dosing schedule. Evaluation of the psychopathology and side effects was carried out at weeks 0, 1 and 4; laboratory tests (hematology, blood chemistry and urinalysis), a battery of psychometric tests and quantitative EEG investigations were done at weeks 0 and 4. In the oxiracetam group a slight but significant improvement in global symptomatology was observed within 1 week, with further improvement after 4 weeks. In the placebo group, an improvement was seen only in the 4th week. Evaluation of the detailed psychopathology by means of the Sandoz clinical assessment geriatric scale (SCAG) showed in the oxiracetam group significant improvements in loss of appetite and vertigo after 1 week and in short-term memory, anxiety, emotional lability, fatigue, loss of appetite and vertigo after 4 weeks. In contrast, not a single item improved significantly during placebo treatment. Although the differences in SCAG scores between the two groups failed to reach statistical significance, the overall trend towards improvement was significantly better in the oxiracetam group. The tolerability of the drug was good.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

A new species of Myxozoa, Henneguya rondoni n. sp. (Myxozoa), from the peripheral nervous system of the Amazonian fish, Gymnorhamphichthys rondoni (Teleostei).

PubMed

Azevedo, Carlos; Casal, Graça; Matos, Patricia; Matos, Edilson

2008-01-01

Henneguya rondoni n. sp. found in the peripheral lateral nerves located below the two lateral lines of the fish Gymnorhamphichthys rondoni (Teleostei, Rhamphichthyidae) from the Amazon river is described using light and electron microscopy. Spherical to ellipsoid cysts measuring up to 110 microm in length contained only immature and mature spores located in close contact with the myelin sheaths of the nervous fibres. Ellipsoidal spores measured 17.7 (16.9-18.1)-microm long, 3.6 (3.0-3.9)-microm wide, and 2.5 (2.2-2.8)-microm (n=25) thick. The spore body measuring 7.0 (6.8-7.3)-microm long was formed by two equal symmetric valves, each with an equal tapering tail 10.7 (10.3-11.0) microm in length. The tails were composed of an internal dense material surrounded by an external homogeneous sheath of hyaline substance. The valves surrounded two equal pyriform polar capsules measuring 2.5 (2.2-2.8)-microm long and 0.85 (0.79-0.88)-microm (n=25) wide and a binucleated sporoplasm cell containing globular sporoplasmosomes 0.38 (0.33-0.42) microm (n=25) in diam. with an internal eccentric dense structure with half-crescent section. Each polar capsule contains an anisofilar polar filament with 6-7 turns obliquely to the long axis. The matrix of the polar capsule was dense and the wall filled with a hyaline substance. The spores differed from those of previously described species. Based on the ultrastructural morphology of the spore and specificity to the host species, we propose a new species name H. rondoni n. sp.

Evaluation of anterior lenticonus in alport syndrome using tracey wavefront aberrometry and transmission electron microscopy.

PubMed

Kim, Kwan Soo; Kim, Mo Sae; Kim, Joon Mo; Choi, Chul Young

2010-01-01

To evaluate the efficacy of Tracey wavefront aberrometry (Tracey Technologies, Houston, TX) and transmission electron microscopy for the detection of anterior lenticonus in Alport syndrome. Tracey wavefront aberrometry was used to treat a patient with bilateral anterior lenticonus who had a history of Alport syndrome. For transmission electron microscopic examination, anterior lens capsules were obtained during clear lens phacoemulsification and intraocular lens implantation. Spherical aberrations were the predominant higher-order aberrations in the internal optics of both eyes. The Tracey wavefront aberrometer showed that most of the irregular astigmatism originated from the lenticular portion. Transmission electron microscopy of the specimens showed anterior lens capsules with decreased thickness and multiple dehiscences. Tracey wavefront aberrometry and transmission electron microscopy are effective tools for evaluation of anterior lenticonus in Alport syndrome. Copyright 2010, SLACK Incorporated.

KSC-2012-2511

NASA Image and Video Library

2012-04-04

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – In a processing hangar at Space Launch Complex-40 on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida, Space Exploration Technologies technicians load cargo into the Dragon capsule in preparation for its scheduled April 30 liftoff aboard a Falcon 9 rocket. Known as SpaceX, the launch will be the company's second demonstration test flight for NASA's Commercial Orbital Transportation Services program, or COTS. During the flight, the capsule will conduct a series of checkout procedures to test and prove its systems, including rendezvous and berthing with the International Space Station. The cargo includes food and provisions for the station’s Expedition crews, such as clothing, batteries, and computer equipment. Under COTS, NASA has partnered with two private companies to launch cargo safely to the station. For more information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/spacex. Photo credit: NASA/Jim Grossmann

KSC-2012-2513

NASA Image and Video Library

2012-04-04

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – In a processing hangar at Space Launch Complex-40 on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida, Space Exploration Technologies technicians load cargo into the Dragon capsule in preparation for its scheduled April 30 liftoff aboard a Falcon 9 rocket. Known as SpaceX, the launch will be the company's second demonstration test flight for NASA's Commercial Orbital Transportation Services program, or COTS. During the flight, the capsule will conduct a series of checkout procedures to test and prove its systems, including rendezvous and berthing with the International Space Station. The cargo includes food and provisions for the station’s Expedition crews, such as clothing, batteries, and computer equipment. Under COTS, NASA has partnered with two private companies to launch cargo safely to the station. For more information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/spacex. Photo credit: NASA/Jim Grossmann

KSC-2012-2512

NASA Image and Video Library

2012-04-04

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – In a processing hangar at Space Launch Complex-40 on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida, Space Exploration Technologies technicians load cargo into the Dragon capsule in preparation for its scheduled April 30 liftoff aboard a Falcon 9 rocket. Known as SpaceX, the launch will be the company's second demonstration test flight for NASA's Commercial Orbital Transportation Services program, or COTS. During the flight, the capsule will conduct a series of checkout procedures to test and prove its systems, including rendezvous and berthing with the International Space Station. The cargo includes food and provisions for the station’s Expedition crews, such as clothing, batteries, and computer equipment. Under COTS, NASA has partnered with two private companies to launch cargo safely to the station. For more information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/spacex. Photo credit: NASA/Jim Grossmann

KSC-2012-2510

NASA Image and Video Library

2012-04-04

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – In a processing hangar at Space Launch Complex-40 on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida, preparations are under way to load cargo into the Space Exploration Technologies Dragon capsule in preparation for its scheduled April 30 liftoff aboard a Falcon 9 rocket. Known as SpaceX, the launch will be the company's second demonstration test flight for NASA's Commercial Orbital Transportation Services program, or COTS. During the flight, the capsule will conduct a series of checkout procedures to test and prove its systems, including rendezvous and berthing with the International Space Station. The cargo includes food and provisions for the station’s Expedition crews, such as clothing, batteries, and computer equipment. Under COTS, NASA has partnered with two private companies to launch cargo safely to the station. For more information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/spacex. Photo credit: NASA/Jim Grossmann

KSC-2012-2514

NASA Image and Video Library

2012-04-04

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – In a processing hangar at Space Launch Complex-40 on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida, Space Exploration Technologies technicians stow cargo in the Dragon capsule in preparation for its scheduled April 30 liftoff aboard a Falcon 9 rocket. Known as SpaceX, the launch will be the company's second demonstration test flight for NASA's Commercial Orbital Transportation Services program, or COTS. During the flight, the capsule will conduct a series of checkout procedures to test and prove its systems, including rendezvous and berthing with the International Space Station. The cargo includes food and provisions for the station’s Expedition crews, such as clothing, batteries, and computer equipment. Under COTS, NASA has partnered with two private companies to launch cargo safely to the station. For more information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/spacex. Photo credit: NASA/Jim Grossmann

A unique fluoride nanocontainer: porous molecular capsules can accommodate an unusually high number of "rather labile" fluoride anions.

PubMed

Garai, Somenath; Rubčić, Mirta; Bögge, Hartmut; Haupt, Erhard T K; Gouzerh, Pierre; Müller, Achim

2015-05-11

The present work refers to the challenging issue of fluoride anion recognition/binding in water by taking advantage of the unique possibilities offered by the porous molecular nanocontainers of the {Mo132} Keplerate type allowing the study of a variety of new phenomena. Reaction of the highly reactive carbonate-type capsule with aqueous HF results in the release of carbon dioxide and integration of an unprecedentedly large number of fluoride anions--partly as coordinated ligands at both the pentagonal units and the linkers, partly as a disordered water/fluoride assembly inside the cavity. The internal assembly and some of the fluoride ligands are easily released, which provides interesting options for future studies regarding coordination chemistry and catalysis under confined conditions. © 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

KSC-2012-2516

NASA Image and Video Library

2012-04-04

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – In a processing hangar at Space Launch Complex-40 on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida, a cargo bag slides through the docking ring into the Space Exploration Technologies Dragon capsule for stowage for its scheduled April 30 liftoff aboard a Falcon 9 rocket. Known as SpaceX, the launch will be the company's second demonstration test flight for NASA's Commercial Orbital Transportation Services program, or COTS. During the flight, the capsule will conduct a series of checkout procedures to test and prove its systems, including rendezvous and berthing with the International Space Station. The cargo includes food and provisions for the station’s Expedition crews, such as clothing, batteries, and computer equipment. Under COTS, NASA has partnered with two private companies to launch cargo safely to the station. For more information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/spacex. Photo credit: NASA/Jim Grossmann

Boeing CST-100 Starliner/ULA Atlas V Wind Tunnel Demonstration

NASA Image and Video Library

2016-10-13

An engineer works with a model of a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket with a Boeing CST-100 Starliner capsule inside a wind tunnel at NASA's Ames Research Center in California. The Starliner/Atlas V system is under development by Boeing and ULA in partnership with NASA's Commercial Crew Program to launch astronauts to the International Space Station.

DTI and VBM reveal white matter changes without associated gray matter changes in patients with idiopathic restless legs syndrome

PubMed Central

Belke, Marcus; Heverhagen, Johannes T; Keil, Boris; Rosenow, Felix; Oertel, Wolfgang H; Stiasny-Kolster, Karin; Knake, Susanne; Menzler, Katja

2015-01-01

Background and Purpose We evaluated cerebral white and gray matter changes in patients with iRLS in order to shed light on the pathophysiology of this disease. Methods Twelve patients with iRLS were compared to 12 age- and sex-matched controls using whole-head diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) and voxel-based morphometry (VBM) techniques. Evaluation of the DTI scans included the voxelwise analysis of the fractional anisotropy (FA), radial diffusivity (RD), and axial diffusivity (AD). Results Diffusion tensor imaging revealed areas of altered FA in subcortical white matter bilaterally, mainly in temporal regions as well as in the right internal capsule, the pons, and the right cerebellum. These changes overlapped with changes in RD. Voxel-based morphometry did not reveal any gray matter alterations. Conclusions We showed altered diffusion properties in several white matter regions in patients with iRLS. White matter changes could mainly be attributed to changes in RD, a parameter thought to reflect altered myelination. Areas with altered white matter microstructure included areas in the internal capsule which include the corticospinal tract to the lower limbs, thereby supporting studies that suggest changes in sensorimotor pathways associated with RLS. PMID:26442748

Evidence-Based Practice for the Use of Internal Strategies as a Memory Compensation Technique After Brain Injury: A Systematic Review.

PubMed

OʼNeil-Pirozzi, Therese M; Kennedy, Mary R T; Sohlberg, McKay M

2016-01-01

To complete a systematic review of internal memory strategy use with people who have brain injury and provide practitioners with information that will impact their clinical work. A systematic literature search to identify published intervention studies that evaluated an internal memory strategy or technique to improve memory function of individuals with brain injury. Relevant data from reviewed articles were coded using 4 clinical questions targeting participants, interventions, research methods, and outcomes. A comprehensive search identified 130 study citations and abstracts. Forty-six met inclusion/exclusion criteria and were systematically reviewed. Visual imagery was most frequently studied, in isolation or in combination with other internal strategies. Despite significant variability in research methods and outcomes across studies, the evidence provides impetus for use of internal memory strategies with individuals following brain injury. Individuals with traumatic brain injury may benefit from internal memory strategy use, and clinicians should consider internal memory strategy instruction as part of intervention plans. Further research needs to better delineate influences on intervention candidacy and outcomes.

The brain in myotonic dystrophy 1 and 2: evidence for a predominant white matter disease

PubMed Central

Weber, Bernd; Schoene-Bake, Jan-Christoph; Roeske, Sandra; Mirbach, Sandra; Anspach, Christian; Schneider-Gold, Christiane; Betz, Regina C.; Helmstaedter, Christoph; Tittgemeyer, Marc; Klockgether, Thomas; Kornblum, Cornelia

2011-01-01

Myotonic dystrophy types 1 and 2 are progressive multisystemic disorders with potential brain involvement. We compared 22 myotonic dystrophy type 1 and 22 myotonic dystrophy type 2 clinically and neuropsychologically well-characterized patients and a corresponding healthy control group using structural brain magnetic resonance imaging at 3 T (T1/T2/diffusion-weighted). Voxel-based morphometry and diffusion tensor imaging with tract-based spatial statistics were applied for voxel-wise analysis of cerebral grey and white matter affection (Pcorrected < 0.05). We further examined the association of structural brain changes with clinical and neuropsychological data. White matter lesions rated visually were more prevalent and severe in myotonic dystrophy type 1 compared with controls, with frontal white matter most prominently affected in both disorders, and temporal lesions restricted to myotonic dystrophy type 1. Voxel-based morphometry analyses demonstrated extensive white matter involvement in all cerebral lobes, brainstem and corpus callosum in myotonic dystrophy types 1 and 2, while grey matter decrease (cortical areas, thalamus, putamen) was restricted to myotonic dystrophy type 1. Accordingly, we found more prominent white matter affection in myotonic dystrophy type 1 than myotonic dystrophy type 2 by diffusion tensor imaging. Association fibres throughout the whole brain, limbic system fibre tracts, the callosal body and projection fibres (e.g. internal/external capsules) were affected in myotonic dystrophy types 1 and 2. Central motor pathways were exclusively impaired in myotonic dystrophy type 1. We found mild executive and attentional deficits in our patients when neuropsychological tests were corrected for manual motor dysfunctioning. Regression analyses revealed associations of white matter affection with several clinical parameters in both disease entities, but not with neuropsychological performance. We showed that depressed mood and fatigue were more prominent in patients with myotonic dystrophy type 1 with less white matter affection (early disease stages), contrary to patients with myotonic dystrophy type 2. Thus, depression in myotonic dystrophies might be a reactive adjustment disorder rather than a direct consequence of structural brain damage. Associations of white matter affection with age/disease duration as well as patterns of cerebral water diffusion parameters pointed towards an ongoing process of myelin destruction and/or axonal loss in our cross-sectional study design. Our data suggest that both myotonic dystrophy types 1 and 2 are serious white matter diseases with prominent callosal body and limbic system affection. White matter changes dominated the extent of grey matter changes, which might argue against Wallerian degeneration as the major cause of white matter affection in myotonic dystrophies. PMID:22131273

Rapid high resolution T1 mapping as a marker of brain development: Normative ranges in key regions of interest.

PubMed

Eminian, Sylvain; Hajdu, Steven David; Meuli, Reto Antoine; Maeder, Philippe; Hagmann, Patric

2018-01-01

We studied in a clinical setting the age dependent T1 relaxation time as a marker of normal late brain maturation and compared it to conventional techniques, namely the apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC). Forty-two healthy subjects ranging from ages 1 year to 20 years were included in our study. T1 brain maps in which the intensity of each pixel corresponded to T1 relaxation times were generated based on MR imaging data acquired using a MP2RAGE sequence. During the same session, diffusion tensor imaging data was collected. T1 relaxation times and ADC in white matter and grey matter were measured in seven clinically relevant regions of interest and were correlated to subjects' age. In the basal ganglia, there was a small, yet significant, decrease in T1 relaxation time (-0.45 ≤R≤-0.59, p<10-2) and ADC (-0.60≤R≤-0.65, p<10-4) as a function of age. In the frontal and parietal white matter, there was a significant decrease in T1 relaxation time (-0.62≤R≤-0.68, p<10-4) and ADC (-0.81≤R≤-0.85, p<10-4) as a function of age. T1 relaxation time changes in the corpus callosum and internal capsule were less relevant for this age range. There was no significant difference between the correlation of T1 relaxation time and ADC with respect to age (p-value = 0.39). The correlation between T1 relaxation and ADC is strong in the white matter but only moderate in basal ganglia over this age period. T1 relaxation time is a marker of brain maturation or myelination during late brain development. Between the age of 1 and 20 years, T1 relaxation time decreases as a function of age in the white matter and basal ganglia. The greatest changes occur in frontal and parietal white matter. These regions are known to mature in the final stage of development and are mainly composed of association circuits. Age-correlation is not significantly different between T1 relaxation time and ADC. Therefore, T1 relaxation time does not appear to be a superior marker of brain maturation than ADC but may be considered as complementary owing the intrinsic differences in bio-physical sensitivity. This work may serve as normative ranges in clinical imaging routines.

Retention of the capsule endoscope: a single-center experience of 1000 capsule endoscopy procedures.

PubMed

Li, Feng; Gurudu, Suryakanth R; De Petris, Giovanni; Sharma, Virender K; Shiff, Arthur D; Heigh, Russell I; Fleischer, David E; Post, Janice; Erickson, Paula; Leighton, Jonathan A

2008-07-01

Retention of the video capsule is the most significant complication associated with capsule endoscopy (CE). There are limited data on incidence, risk factors, and outcomes of capsule retention. We aimed to determine the incidence of capsule retention and to investigate the causes and clinical outcomes of capsule retention. Single tertiary referral medical center. All patients who underwent CE for suspected small bowel disease from June 2002 to March 2006. Retrospective case series. Capsule retention occurred in 1.4% of our patients (14/1000). Eleven patients failed to pass the capsule because of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) enteropathy (diaphragm disease). One patient had capsule retention from an obstructing carcinoid tumor. Metastatic ovarian cancer with invasion of the ileum was the cause of retention in another patient. One patient who did not have surgical removal of the capsule because of loss of follow-up had retention caused by a small-bowel tumor suspicious for carcinoid tumor on CT enterography. All patients remained "asymptomatic" from the retained capsules. Thirteen patients underwent elective partial small-bowel resection and capsule removal. No deaths were associated with these surgeries. Eleven patients recovered promptly, whereas 2 patients had mild postoperative ileus. Retrospective study. Retention of the capsule endoscope appears to be infrequent. The most common cause is diaphragm disease resulting from NSAIDs in this study population. In most cases, capsule retention is asymptomatic, and it usually leads to surgical removal, which appears safe and also identifies and treats the underlying small-bowel condition.

Suture marker lesion detection in the colon by self-stabilizing and unmodified capsule endoscopes: pilot study in acute canine models.

PubMed

Filip, Dobromir; Yadid-Pecht, Orly; Muench, Gregory; Mintchev, Martin P; Andrews, Christopher N

2013-02-01

Capsule endoscopy is a noninvasive method for examining the small intestine. Recently, this method has been used to visualize the colon. However, the capsule often tumbles in the wider colon lumen, resulting in potentially missed pathology. In addition, the capsule does not have the ability to distend collapsed segments of the organ. Self-stabilizing capsule endoscopy is a new method of visualizing the colon without tumbling and with the ability to passively distend colon walls. To quantitatively compare the detection rate of intraluminal suture marker lesions for colonoscopy by using a custom-modified, self-stabilizing capsule endoscope (SCE); an unmodified capsule endoscope (CE) of the same brand; and a standard colonoscope. Four mongrel dogs underwent laparotomy and the implantation of 5 to 8 suture markers to approximate colon lesions. Each dog had both capsule endoscopy and self-stabilizing capsule endoscopy, administered consecutively in random order. In each case, the capsule was inserted endoscopically into the proximal lumen of the colon followed by pharmacologically induced colon peristalsis to propel it distally through the colon. Blinded standard colonoscopy was performed by an experienced gastroenterologist after the capsule endoscopies. Experimental study in a live canine model. Four dogs. Laparotomy, capsule endoscopy, colonoscopy. Comparison of the marker detection rate of the SCE to that of the unmodified MiroCam CE and a colonoscope. The average percentages of the marker detection rate for unmodified capsule endoscopy, self-stabilizing capsule endoscopy, and colonoscopy, respectively, were 31.1%, 86%, and 100% (P < .01), with both self-stabilizing capsule endoscopy and colonoscopy performing significantly better than the unmodified capsule endoscopy. Acute canine model, suture markings poorly representative of epithelial polyps, limited number of animals. The proposed self-stabilizing capsule endoscope delivered a significant improvement in detection rates of colon suture markings when compared with the unmodified capsule endoscope. Copyright © 2013 American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy. Published by Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

Densitometric thin-layer chromatographic determination of aescin in a herbal medicinal product containing Aesculus and Vitis dry extracts.

PubMed

Apers, Sandra; Naessens, Tania; Pieters, Luc; Vlietinck, Arnold

2006-04-21

A thin-layer chromatographic (TLC) method is developed to analyze the total saponin content, also referred to as the aescin content, in a herbal medicinal product (HMP) containing two dry extracts in capsules. The capsules contain 250 mg of Aesculus hippocastanum dry extract, 120 mg of Vitis vinifera dry extract and 50mg of excipients. After a purification step using C(18) solid phase extraction (SPE) cartridges, the samples are analyzed on a silica-gel HPTLC plate with the upper layer of a mixture of acetic acid/water/butanol (10/40/50 v/v/v) as the mobile phase. Spots are visualized by spraying with anisaldehyde reagent and heating the plate for 5-10 min (100-105 degrees C) and measured at a wavelength of 535 nm. This method, applicable for the quality control and stability investigation of both the Aesculus dry extract and HMP capsules thereof containing Vitis dry extract in combination with the Aesculus dry extract, is validated according to the International Conference on Harmonization (ICH) guidelines. The proposed assay method is specific for aescin in the presence of Vitis dry extract and formulation excipients. Analysis of stressed samples in forced degradation tests proves the method to be applicable for stability evaluation. The standard aescin curve is linear (r > 0.99) over a concentration range of 0.16-0.80 microg/spot. Recovery from the HMP capsules is statistically equal to 100%. The precision of the method with respect to time and concentration is acceptable, with relative standard deviation (RSD) values of 1.28 and 1.49%, respectively.

International core curriculum for capsule endoscopy training courses.

PubMed

Fernandez-Urien, Ignacio; Panter, Simon; Carretero, Cristina; Davison, Carolyn; Dray, Xavier; Fedorov, Evgeny; Makins, Richard; Mascarenhas, Miguel; McAlindon, Mark; McNamara, Deirdre; Palmer, Hansa; Rey, Jean Francoise; Saurin, Jean Christophe; Seitz, Uwe; Spada, Cristiano; Toth, Ervin; Wiedbrauck, Felix; Keuchel, Martin

2017-06-01

Capsule endoscopy (CE) has become a first-line noninvasive tool for visualisation of the small bowel (SB) and is being increasingly used for investigation of the colon. The European Society of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (ESGE) guidelines have specified requirements for the clinical applications of CE. However, there are no standardized recommendations yet for CE training courses in Europe. The following suggestions in this curriculum are based on the experience of European CE training courses directors. It is suggested that 12 hours be dedicated for either a small bowel capsule endoscopy (SBCE) or a colon capsule endoscopy (CCE) course with 4 hours for an introductory CCE course delivered in conjunction with SBCE courses. SBCE courses should include state-of-the-art lectures on indications, contraindications, complications, patient management and hardware and software use. Procedural issues require approximately 2 hours. For CCE courses 2.5 hours for theoretical lessons and 3.5 hours for procedural issued are considered appropriate. Hands-on training on reading and interpretation of CE cases using a personal computer (PC) for 1 or 2 delegates is recommended for both SBCE and CCE courses. A total of 6 hours hands-on session- time should be allocated. Cases in a SBCE course should cover SB bleeding, inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD), tumors and variants of normal and cases with various types of polyps covered in CCE courses. Standardization of the description of findings and generation of high-quality reports should be essential parts of the training. Courses should be followed by an assessment of trainees' skills in order to certify readers' competency.

International core curriculum for capsule endoscopy training courses

PubMed Central

Fernandez-Urien, Ignacio; Panter, Simon; Carretero, Cristina; Davison, Carolyn; Dray, Xavier; Fedorov, Evgeny; Makins, Richard; Mascarenhas, Miguel; McAlindon, Mark; McNamara, Deirdre; Palmer, Hansa; Rey, Jean Francoise; Saurin, Jean Christophe; Seitz, Uwe; Spada, Cristiano; Toth, Ervin; Wiedbrauck, Felix; Keuchel, Martin

2017-01-01

Capsule endoscopy (CE) has become a first-line noninvasive tool for visualisation of the small bowel (SB) and is being increasingly used for investigation of the colon. The European Society of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (ESGE) guidelines have specified requirements for the clinical applications of CE. However, there are no standardized recommendations yet for CE training courses in Europe. The following suggestions in this curriculum are based on the experience of European CE training courses directors. It is suggested that 12 hours be dedicated for either a small bowel capsule endoscopy (SBCE) or a colon capsule endoscopy (CCE) course with 4 hours for an introductory CCE course delivered in conjunction with SBCE courses. SBCE courses should include state-of-the-art lectures on indications, contraindications, complications, patient management and hardware and software use. Procedural issues require approximately 2 hours. For CCE courses 2.5 hours for theoretical lessons and 3.5 hours for procedural issued are considered appropriate. Hands-on training on reading and interpretation of CE cases using a personal computer (PC) for 1 or 2 delegates is recommended for both SBCE and CCE courses. A total of 6 hours hands-on session- time should be allocated. Cases in a SBCE course should cover SB bleeding, inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD), tumors and variants of normal and cases with various types of polyps covered in CCE courses. Standardization of the description of findings and generation of high-quality reports should be essential parts of the training. Courses should be followed by an assessment of traineesʼ skills in order to certify readers’ competency. PMID:28596986

Matrix-mini-tablets of lornoxicam for targeting early morning peak symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis

PubMed Central

Mohd, Abdul Hadi; Raghavendra Rao, Nidagurthi Guggilla; Avanapu, Srinivasa Rao

2014-01-01

Objective(s): The aim of present research was to develop matrix-mini-tablets of lornoxicam filled in capsule for targeting early morning peak symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis. Materials and Methods: Matrix-mini-tablets of lornoxicam were prepared by direct compression method using microsomal enzyme dependent and pH-sensitive polymers which were further filled into an empty HPMC capsule. To assess the compatibility, FT-IR and DSC studies for pure drug, polymers and their physical mixture were performed. The formulated batches were subjected to physicochemical studies, estimation of drug content, in vitro drug release, drug release kinetics, and stability studies. Results: When FTIR and DSC studies were performed it was found that there was no interaction between lornoxicam and polymers which used. All the physicochemical properties of prepared matrix-mini-tablets were found to be in normal limits. The percentage of drug content was found to be 99.60±0.07%. Our optimized matrix mini-tablets-filled-capsule formulation F30 released lornoxicam after a lag time of 5.02±0.92 hr, 95.48±0.65 % at the end of 8 hr and 99.90±0.83 % at the end of 12 hr. Stability was also found for this formulation as per the guidelines of International Conference on Harmonisation of Technical Requirements of Pharmaceuticals for Human Use. Conclusion: A novel colon targeted delivery system of lornoxicam was successfully developed by filling matrix-mini-tablets into an empty HPMC capsule shell for targeting early morning peak symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis. PMID:24967065

Capsule endoscopy: no longer limited to the small bowel.

PubMed

Niv, Yaron

2010-03-01

Capsule endoscopy is the latest evolution in gastrointestinal endoscopy and the first to enable complete investigation of the small bowel. Recent new developments in the field of capsule endoscopy include the esophageal capsule (Pilcam ESO) and the colonic capsule (PillCam Colon). esophageal and colonic capsules have two heads with two lenses and cameras. The new capsules have the capability of taking more frames from both sides. The indications for the esophageal capsule examination are diagnosis and follow-up of Barrett's esophagus and esophageal varices. The colonic capsule can be used for colorectal cancer screening and for incomplete colonoscopy. Regarding other new technologies, continuous quality control is needed for the performance, appropriateness of the indications, diagnostic yield, procedure-specific outcome assessment, and cost-effectiveness.

Residual mercury content and leaching of mercury and silver from used amalgam capsules.

PubMed

Stone, M E; Pederson, E D; Cohen, M E; Ragain, J C; Karaway, R S; Auxer, R A; Saluta, A R

2002-06-01

The objective of this investigation was to carry out residual mercury (Hg) determinations and toxicity characteristic leaching procedure (TCLP) analysis of used amalgam capsules. For residual Hg analysis, 25 capsules (20 capsules for one brand) from each of 10 different brands of amalgam were analyzed. Total residual Hg levels per capsule were determined using United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) Method 7471. For TCLP analysis, 25 amalgam capsules for each of 10 brands were extracted using a modification of USEPA Method 1311. Hg analysis of the TCLP extracts was done with USEPA Method 7470A. Analysis of silver (Ag) concentrations in the TCLP extract was done with USEPA Method 6010B. Analysis of the residual Hg data resulted in the segregation of brands into three groups: Dispersalloy capsules, Group A, retained the most Hg (1.225 mg/capsule). These capsules were the only ones to include a pestle. Group B capsules, Valliant PhD, Optaloy II, Megalloy and Valliant Snap Set, retained the next highest amount of Hg (0.534-0.770 mg/capsule), and were characterized by a groove in the inside of the capsule. Group C, Tytin regular set double-spill, Tytin FC, Contour, Sybraloy regular set, and Tytin regular set single-spill retained the least amount of Hg (0.125-0.266 mg/capsule). TCLP analysis of the triturated capsules showed Sybraloy and Contour leached Hg at greater than the 0.2 mg/l Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) limit. This study demonstrated that residual mercury may be related to capsule design features and that TCLP extracts from these capsules could, in some brands, exceed RCRA Hg limits, making their disposal problematic. At current RCRA limits, the leaching of Ag is not a problem.

Development of a novel ex vivo insect model for studying virulence determinants of Escherichia coli K1.

PubMed

Mokri-Moayyed, Behzad; Goldsworthy, Graham John; Khan, Naveed Ahmed

2008-01-01

A key step in Escherichia coli K1 meningitis is the crossing of the blood-brain barrier by the bacteria in order to gain entry into the central nervous system (CNS). In this study, a novel ex vivo model to study E. coli K1 invasion of the CNS is described that uses the African migratory locust, Locusta migratoria. By injecting bacteria into isolated locust head capsules, it was demonstrated that E. coli K1 invade the locust brain within 2 h in numbers depending on the concentration of bacteria injected. Using several mutants derived from K1, it was shown that outer-membrane protein A is a critical bacterial determinant required for the E. coli K1 invasion. The isogenic gene-deletion mutants, DeltafimH, Deltacnf1, DeltaneuDB and a rough LPS mutant showed significantly reduced invasion of locust brain. This novel model for the study of E. coli K1 pathogenesis offers several advantages over existing mammalian models in relation to its relative ease of use, cost-effectiveness and ethical acceptability.

Night sleep influences white matter microstructure in bipolar depression.

PubMed

Benedetti, Francesco; Melloni, Elisa M T; Dallaspezia, Sara; Bollettini, Irene; Locatelli, Clara; Poletti, Sara; Colombo, Cristina

2017-08-15

Alteration of circadian rhythms and sleep disruption are prominent trait-like features of bipolar disorder (BD). Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) measures suggest a widespread alteration of white matter (WM) microstructure in patients with BD. Sleep promotes myelination and oligodendrocyte precursor cells proliferation. We hypothesized a possible association between DTI measures of WM microstructure and sleep quantity measures in BD. We studied 69 inpatients affected by a depressive episode in course of type I BD. We used whole brain tract-based spatial statistics on DTI measures of WM microstructure: axial, radial, and mean diffusivity (AD, RD, MD), and fractional anisotropy (FA). Self-assessed measures of time asleep (TA) and total sleep time (TST) were extracted from the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). Actigraphic recordings were performed on a subsample of 23 patients. We observed a positive correlation of DTI measures of FA with actigraphic measures of TA and TST, and with PSQI measure of TA. DTI measures of RD inversely associated with actigraphic measure of TA, and with PSQI measures of TA and TST. Several WM tracts were involved, including corpus callosum, cyngulate gyrus, uncinate fasciculus, left superior and inferior longitudinal and fronto-occipital fasciculi, thalamic radiation, corona radiata, retrolenticular part of internal capsule and corticospinal tract. The study is correlational in nature, and no conclusion about a causal connection can be drawn. Reduced FA with increased RD and MD indicate higher water diffusivity associated with less organized myelin and/or axonal structures. Our findings suggest an association between sleep disruption and these measures of brain microstructure in specific tracts contributing to the functional connectivity in BD. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Cerebral grey, white matter and csf in never-medicated, first-episode schizophrenia.

PubMed

Chua, Siew E; Cheung, Charlton; Cheung, Vinci; Tsang, Jack T K; Chen, Eric Y H; Wong, Jason C H; Cheung, Jason P Y; Yip, Lawrance; Tai, Kin-Shing; Suckling, John; McAlonan, Gráinne M

2007-01-01

We report the first voxel-based morphometric (VBM) study to examine cerebral grey and white matter and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) using computational morphometry in never-medicated, first-episode psychosis (FEP). Region-of-interest (ROI) analysis was also performed blind to group membership. 26 never-medicated individuals with FEP (23 with DSM-IV schizophrenia) and 38 healthy controls had MRI brain scans. Groups were balanced for age, sex, handedness, ethnicity, paternal socio-economic status, and height. Healthy controls were recruited from the local community by advertisement. Grey matter, white matter, and CSF: global brain volume ratios were significantly smaller in patients. Patients had significantly less grey matter volume in L and R caudate nuclei, cingulate gyri, parahippocampal gyri, superior temporal gyri, cerebellum and R thalamus, prefrontal cortex. They also had significantly less white matter volume in the R anterior limb of the internal capsule fronto-occipital fasciculus and L and R fornices, and significantly greater CSF volume especially in the R lateral ventricle. Excluding the 3 subjects with brief psychotic disorder did not alter our results. Our data suggest that fronto-temporal and subcortical-limbic circuits are morphologically abnormal in never-medicated, schizophrenia. ROI analysis comparing the schizophrenia group (n=23) with the healthy controls (n=38) confirmed caudate volumes were significantly smaller bilaterally by 11%, and lateral ventricular volume was significantly larger on the right by 26% in the patients. Caudate nuclei and lateral ventricular volume measurements were uncorrelated (Pearson correlation coefficient 0.30, p=0.10), ruling out the possibility of segmentation artefact. Ratio of lateral ventricle to caudate volume was bilaterally significantly increased (p<0.005, 2-tailed), which could represent an early biomarker in first-episode, never-medicated schizophrenia.

White matter correlates of sensory processing in autism spectrum disorders

PubMed Central

Pryweller, Jennifer R.; Schauder, Kimberly B.; Anderson, Adam W.; Heacock, Jessica L.; Foss-Feig, Jennifer H.; Newsom, Cassandra R.; Loring, Whitney A.; Cascio, Carissa J.

2014-01-01

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) has been characterized by atypical socio-communicative behavior, sensorimotor impairment and abnormal neurodevelopmental trajectories. DTI has been used to determine the presence and nature of abnormality in white matter integrity that may contribute to the behavioral phenomena that characterize ASD. Although atypical patterns of sensory responding in ASD are well documented in the behavioral literature, much less is known about the neural networks associated with aberrant sensory processing. To address the roles of basic sensory, sensory association and early attentional processes in sensory responsiveness in ASD, our investigation focused on five white matter fiber tracts known to be involved in these various stages of sensory processing: superior corona radiata, centrum semiovale, inferior longitudinal fasciculus, posterior limb of the internal capsule, and splenium. We acquired high angular resolution diffusion images from 32 children with ASD and 26 typically developing children between the ages of 5 and 8. We also administered sensory assessments to examine brain-behavior relationships between white matter integrity and sensory variables. Our findings suggest a modulatory role of the inferior longitudinal fasciculus and splenium in atypical sensorimotor and early attention processes in ASD. Increased tactile defensiveness was found to be related to reduced fractional anisotropy in the inferior longitudinal fasciculus, which may reflect an aberrant connection between limbic structures in the temporal lobe and the inferior parietal cortex. Our findings also corroborate the modulatory role of the splenium in attentional orienting, but suggest the possibility of a more diffuse or separable network for social orienting in ASD. Future investigation should consider the use of whole brain analyses for a more robust assessment of white matter microstructure. PMID:25379451

Effect of patient sex on white matter alterations in unilateral medial temporal lobe epilepsy with hippocampal sclerosis assessed by diffusion tensor imaging.

PubMed

Oguz, K K; Tezer, I; Sanverdi, E; Has, A C; Bilginer, B; Dolgun, A; Saygi, S

2013-05-01

Studies shows ictal behavior and symptoms are affected by patient sex in temporal lobe epilepsy. The purpose of our study was to determine whether alterations in the WM as assessed by DTI display different patterns in male and female patients with unilateral HS. Patients with unilateral HS were categorized as women with right HS (n=12), men with right HS (n=10), women with left HS (n=12), and men with left HS (n=10). DTI of the brain along 64 noncollinear directions was obtained from 44 patients and 37 sex-matched control participants. We used TBSS to analyze whole-brain WM. Regions with significant changes of FA and MD, and their mean FA, MD, total number of significant voxels, and asymmetry indices were determined for each group. All groups showed bilateral and extensive reductions of FA and elevated MD in the WM, more prominent ipsilateral to the affected hippocampus. The total number of voxels with decreased FA in patients compared with that of control participants was higher in women with right HS (24,727 vs 5,459) and in men with left HS (27,332 vs 14,013) than in their counterparts. Changes in MD associated with right HS were more extensive in both men and women (right vs left HS, women: 16,926 vs 5,458; men: 5,389 vs 4,764) than in those with left HS. In patients with right HS, the ipsilateral cingulum, uncinate fasciculus, internal and external capsules, and right acoustic radiation were involved extensively in women. Women and men showed different patterns in extent of WM alterations associated with HS.

Brain morphological and microstructural features in cryptogenic late-onset temporal lobe epilepsy: a structural and diffusion MRI study.

PubMed

Sone, Daichi; Sato, Noriko; Kimura, Yukio; Watanabe, Yutaka; Okazaki, Mitsutoshi; Matsuda, Hiroshi

2018-06-01

Although epilepsy in the elderly has attracted attention recently, there are few systematic studies of neuroimaging in such patients. In this study, we used structural MRI and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) to investigate the morphological and microstructural features of the brain in late-onset temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE). We recruited patients with TLE and an age of onset > 50 years (late-TLE group) and age- and sex-matched healthy volunteers (control group). 3-Tesla MRI scans, including 3D T1-weighted images and 15-direction DTI, showed normal findings on visual assessment in both groups. We used Statistical Parametric Mapping 12 (SPM12) for gray and white matter structural normalization and comparison and used Tract-Based Spatial Statistics (TBSS) for fractional anisotropy and mean diffusivity comparisons of DTI. In both methods, p < 0.05 (family-wise error) was considered statistically significant. In total, 30 patients with late-onset TLE (mean ± SD age, 66.8 ± 8.4; mean ± SD age of onset, 63.0 ± 7.6 years) and 40 healthy controls (mean ± SD age, 66.6 ± 8.5 years) were enrolled. The late-onset TLE group showed significant gray matter volume increases in the bilateral amygdala and anterior hippocampus and significantly reduced mean diffusivity in the left temporofrontal lobe, internal capsule, and brainstem. No significant changes were evident in white matter volume or fractional anisotropy. Our findings may reflect some characteristics or mechanisms of cryptogenic TLE in the elderly, such as inflammatory processes.

Sex differences in white matter alterations following repetitive subconcussive head impacts in collegiate ice hockey players.

PubMed

Sollmann, Nico; Echlin, Paul S; Schultz, Vivian; Viher, Petra V; Lyall, Amanda E; Tripodis, Yorghos; Kaufmann, David; Hartl, Elisabeth; Kinzel, Philipp; Forwell, Lorie A; Johnson, Andrew M; Skopelja, Elaine N; Lepage, Christian; Bouix, Sylvain; Pasternak, Ofer; Lin, Alexander P; Shenton, Martha E; Koerte, Inga K

2018-01-01

Repetitive subconcussive head impacts (RSHI) may lead to structural, functional, and metabolic alterations of the brain. While differences between males and females have already been suggested following a concussion, whether there are sex differences following exposure to RSHI remains unknown. The aim of this study was to identify and to characterize sex differences following exposure to RSHI. Twenty-five collegiate ice hockey players (14 males and 11 females, 20.6 ± 2.0 years), all part of the Hockey Concussion Education Project (HCEP), underwent diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (dMRI) before and after the Canadian Interuniversity Sports (CIS) ice hockey season 2011-2012 and did not experience a concussion during the season. Whole-brain tract-based spatial statistics (TBSS) were used to compare pre- and postseason imaging in both sexes for fractional anisotropy (FA), mean diffusivity (MD), axial diffusivity (AD), and radial diffusivity (RD). Pre- and postseason neurocognitive performance were assessed by the Immediate Post-Concussion Assessment and Cognitive Test (ImPACT). Significant differences between the sexes were primarily located within the superior longitudinal fasciculus (SLF), the internal capsule (IC), and the corona radiata (CR) of the right hemisphere (RH). In significant voxel clusters (p < 0.05), decreases in FA (absolute difference pre- vs. postseason: 0.0268) and increases in MD (0.0002), AD (0.00008), and RD (0.00005) were observed in females whereas males showed no significant changes. There was no significant correlation between the change in diffusion scalar measures over the course of the season and neurocognitive performance as evidenced from postseason ImPACT scores. The results of this study suggest sex differences in structural alterations following exposure to RSHI. Future studies need to investigate further the underlying mechanisms and association with exposure and clinical outcomes.

The Change of Intra-cerebral CST Location during Childhood and Adolescence; Diffusion Tensor Tractography Study.

PubMed

Kwon, Yong M; Kwon, Hyeok G; Rose, Jessica; Son, Su M

2016-01-01

Objectives: Corticospinal tract (CST) is the most important tract in motor control. However, there was no study about the change of CST location with aging. In this study, using diffusion tensor tractography (DTT), we attempted to investigate the change of CST location at cortex, corona radiata (CR) and posterior limb of internal capsule (IC) level with aging in typically developing children. Methods: We recruited 76 healthy pediatric subjects (range; 0-19 years). According to the result of DTT, the location of CST at cortex level was classified as follows; prefrontal cortex (PFC), PFC with Premotor cortex (PMC), PMC, PMC with primary motor cortex (M1), M1, M1 with Primary sensory cortex (S1). Anterior-posterior location (%) of CSTs at CR and IC level was also assessed. Results: DTT results about CSTs of 152 hemispheres from 76 subjects were obtained. The most common location of CST projection was M1 area (58.6%) including PMC with M1 (25.7%), M1 (17.8%), and M1 with S1 (15.1%). The mean age of the projection of CST showed considerably younger at anterior cortex than posterior; (PFC; 4.12 years, PFC with PMC; 6.41 years, PMC; 6.72 years, PMC with M1; 9.75 years, M1; 9.85 years, M1 with S1; 12.99 years, S1; 13.75 years). Spearman correlation showed positive correlation between age and the location of CST from anterior to posterior brain cortex ( r = 0.368). Conclusion: We demonstrated that the location of CST projection is different with aging. The result of this study can provide the scientific insight to the maturation study in human brain.

A space exploration strategy that promotes international and commercial participation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Arney, Dale C.; Wilhite, Alan W.; Chai, Patrick R.; Jones, Christopher A.

2014-01-01

NASA has created a plan to implement the Flexible Path strategy, which utilizes a heavy lift launch vehicle to deliver crew and cargo to orbit. In this plan, NASA would develop much of the transportation architecture (launch vehicle, crew capsule, and in-space propulsion), leaving the other in-space elements open to commercial and international partnerships. This paper presents a space exploration strategy that reverses that philosophy, where commercial and international launch vehicles provide launch services. Utilizing a propellant depot to aggregate propellant on orbit, smaller launch vehicles are capable of delivering all of the mass necessary for space exploration. This strategy has benefits to the architecture in terms of cost, schedule, and reliability.

Stroke in tuberculous meningitis.

PubMed

Misra, Usha Kant; Kalita, Jayantee; Maurya, Pradeep Kumar

2011-04-15

Stroke in tuberculous meningitis (TBM) occurs in 15-57% of patients especially in advance stage and severe illness. The majority of strokes may be asymptomatic because of being in a silent area, deep coma or associated pathology such as spinal arachnoiditis or tuberculoma. Methods of evaluation also influence the frequency of stroke. MRI is more sensitive in detecting acute (DWI) and chronic (T2, FLAIR) stroke. Most of the strokes in TBM are multiple, bilateral and located in the basal ganglia especially the 'tubercular zone' which comprises of the caudate, anterior thalamus, anterior limb and genu of the internal capsule. These are attributed to the involvement of medial striate, thalamotuberal and thalamostriate arteries which are embedded in exudates and likely to be stretched by a coexistent hydrocephalus. Cortical stroke can also occur due to the involvement of proximal portion of the middle, anterior and posterior cerebral arteries as well as the supraclinoid portion of the internal carotid and basilar arteries which are documented in MRI, angiography and autopsy studies. Arteritis is more common than infarction in autopsy study. The role of cytokines especially tumor necrosis factor (TNFα), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and matrix metaloproteineases (MMPs) in damaging the blood brain barrier, attracting leucocytes and release of vasoactive autocoids have been suggested. The prothrombotic state may also contribute to stroke in TBM. Corticosteroids with antitubercular therapy were thought to reduce mortality and morbidity but their role in reducing strokes has not been proven. Aspirin also reduces mortality and its role in reducing stroke in TBM needs further studies. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Protective Role of the Capsule and Impact of Serotype 4 Switching on Streptococcus mitis

PubMed Central

Rukke, Håkon V.; Kalluru, Raja Sab; Repnik, Urska; Gerlini, Alice; José, Ricardo J.; Periselneris, Jimstan; Marshall, Helina; Griffiths, Gareth; Oggioni, Marco Rinaldo; Brown, Jeremy S.

2014-01-01

The polysaccharide capsule surrounding Streptococcus pneumoniae is essential for virulence. Recently, Streptococcus mitis, a human commensal and a close relative of S. pneumoniae, was also shown to have a capsule. In this study, the S. mitis type strain switched capsule by acquisition of the serotype 4 capsule locus of S. pneumoniae TIGR4, following induction of competence for natural transformation. Comparison of the wild type with the capsule-switching mutant and with a capsule deletion mutant showed that the capsule protected S. mitis against phagocytosis by RAW 264.7 macrophages. This effect was enhanced in the S. mitis strain expressing the S. pneumoniae capsule, which showed, in addition, increased resistance against early clearance in a mouse model of lung infection. Expression of both capsules also favored survival in human blood, and the effect was again more pronounced for the capsule-switching mutant. S. mitis survival in horse blood or in a mouse model of bacteremia was not significantly different between the wild type and the mutant strains. In all models, S. pneumoniae TIGR4 showed higher rates of survival than the S. mitis type strain or the capsule-switching mutant, except in the lung model, in which significant differences between S. pneumoniae TIGR4 and the capsule-switching mutant were not observed. Thus, we identified conditions that showed a protective function for the capsule in S. mitis. Under such conditions, S. mitis resistance to clearance could be enhanced by capsule switching to serotype 4, but it was enhanced to levels lower than those for the virulent strain S. pneumoniae TIGR4. PMID:24958712

Asymptomatic bronchial aspiration and prolonged retention of a capsule endoscope: a case report.

PubMed

Pezzoli, Alessandro; Fusetti, Nadia; Carella, Alessandra; Gullini, Sergio

2011-08-02

Capsule endoscopy has, over the last few years, become a first-line test to visualize the mucosa of the small intestine. This technique is generally considered safe and does not cause discomfort for patients. However, although patients may have difficulty in swallowing the capsule, bronchial aspiration of a capsule endoscope is a very rare complication. We report the case of an 82-year-old man who experienced prolonged bronchial aspiration of a capsule endoscope without relevant symptoms, followed by a spontaneous return of the capsule to the gastrointestinal tract. An 82-year-old Caucasian man was referred to our unit from another local hospital to undergo capsule endoscopy. He swallowed the capsule without any apparent difficulties and did not show any overt symptoms. The following day, when we reviewed the capsule endoscopy images, we realized that the capsule was in the bronchial system and remained there for the duration of the study. An urgent X-ray of the chest confirmed the presence of the capsule in the left side of the bronchopulmonary tree. Two days later a repeat chest X-ray showed the capsule in the right bronchus. After two days the capsule was retrieved in the feces. Our patient remained asymptomatic during the entire admission period. Aspiration of a capsule endoscope is a rare complication; to the best of our knowledge this is the first reported case in which a capsule endoscope remained for six days in the bronchial system of a patient without causing airway compromise or pneumonitis and spontaneously returned to the gastrointestinal tract.

Oxygen Fugacity in Large Metal Capsules

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Faul, U.; Cline, C. J., II; Jackson, I.; Berry, A.

2016-12-01

During experiments with iron bearing silicates, equilibration between metal capsules and sample interior depends on diffusion of Fe if the capsule composition is not initially in equilibrium with the sample composition. For example, placing Pt or Ni capsules in contact with Fe-bearing olivine leads to Fe-loss from the olivine. In a fully equilibrated system the Fe contents of coexisting metal capsule and olivine reflect the oxygen fugacity (fO2) of the system. Experiments were conducted with olivine encapsulated or wrapped in four different metals (Fe, Ni70Fe30, Ni and Pt) to determine the fO2 in the cm-sized samples used for deformation and seismic property experiments. Small Pt particles mixed with olivine powder were used as fO2 sensors in the interior of the capsules. The results show an ordering of the fO2 in the interior that is consistent with the enclosing metals, i.e. the fO2 is lowest in a Fe capsule and highest in a Pt capsule. However, fO2 values in the more oxidizing metal capsules are substantially below their respective metal-oxide buffers. For example, solgel olivine encapsulated in Ni has an oxygen fugacity that is more than three orders of magnitude below Ni-NiO at 1200C and 0.3 GPa. The fO2 in a capsule interior is therefore to some extent self-buffering and only moderately influenced by the composition of the capsule. While the Pt particles in the interior are equilibrated, Fe gradients from the interior up to the Pt and Ni sample-capsule interfaces show that Fe loss into the capsules is diffusion limited. The fO2 at the interface also has implications for the water retention in unbuffered capsules. We infer that relatively high fO2 and hence fH2O observed adjacent to Pt capsules enables retention of water in these capsules, but the fO2 adjacent to Ni capsules is too low and water is lost.

Motion of an elastic capsule in a square microfluidic channel.

PubMed

Kuriakose, S; Dimitrakopoulos, P

2011-07-01

In the present study we investigate computationally the steady-state motion of an elastic capsule along the centerline of a square microfluidic channel and compare it with that in a cylindrical tube. In particular, we consider a slightly over-inflated elastic capsule made of a strain-hardening membrane with comparable shearing and area-dilatation resistance. Under the conditions studied in this paper (i.e., small, moderate, and large capsules at low and moderate flow rates), the capsule motion in a square channel is similar to and thus governed by the same scaling laws with the capsule motion in a cylindrical tube, even though in the channel the cross section in the upstream portion of large capsules is nonaxisymmetric (i.e., square-like with rounded corners). When the hydrodynamic forces on the membrane increase, the capsule develops a pointed downstream edge and a flattened rear (possibly with a negative curvature) so that the restoring tension forces are increased as also happens with droplets. Membrane tensions increase significantly with the capsule size while the area near the downstream tip is the most probable to rupture when a capsule flows in a microchannel. Because the membrane tensions increase with the interfacial deformation, a suitable Landau-Levich-Derjaguin-Bretherton analysis reveals that the lubrication film thickness h for large capsules depends on both the capillary number Ca and the capsule size a; our computations determine the latter dependence to be (in dimensionless form) h ~ a(-2) for the large capsules studied in this work. For small and moderate capsule sizes a, the capsule velocity Ux and additional pressure drop ΔP+ are governed by the same scaling laws as for high-viscosity droplets. The velocity and additional pressure drop of large thick capsules also follow the dynamics of high-viscosity droplets, and are affected by the lubrication film thickness. The motion of our large thick capsules is characterized by a Ux-U ~ h ~ a(-2) approach to the undisturbed average duct velocity and an additional pressure drop ΔP+ ~a(3)/h ~ a(5). By combining basic physical principles and geometric properties, we develop a theoretical analysis that explains the power laws we found for large capsules.

The efficacy and safety of extended-release methylphenidate following traumatic brain injury: a randomised controlled pilot study.

PubMed

Dymowski, Alicia R; Ponsford, Jennie L; Owens, Jacqueline A; Olver, John H; Ponsford, Michael; Willmott, Catherine

2017-06-01

To investigate the feasibility, safety and efficacy of extended-release methylphenidate in enhancing processing speed, complex attentional functioning and everyday attentional behaviour after traumatic brain injury. Seven week randomised, placebo-controlled, double-blind, parallel pilot study. Inpatient and outpatient Acquired Brain Injury Rehabilitation Program. Eleven individuals with reduced processing speed and/or attention deficits following complicated mild to severe traumatic brain injury. Participants were allocated using a blocked randomisation schedule to receive daily extended-release methylphenidate (Ritalin ® LA at a dose of 0.6 mg/kg) or placebo (lactose) in identical capsules. Tests of processing speed and complex attention, and ratings of everyday attentional behaviour were completed at baseline, week 7 (on-drug), week 8 (off-drug) and 9 months follow-up. Vital signs and side effects were monitored from baseline to week 8. Three percent ( n = 11) of individuals screened participated (mean post-traumatic amnesia duration = 63.80 days, SD = 45.15). Results were analysed for six and four individuals on methylphenidate and placebo, respectively. Groups did not differ on attentional test performance or relative/therapist ratings of everyday attentional behaviour. One methylphenidate participant withdrew due to difficulty sleeping. Methylphenidate was associated with trends towards increased blood pressure and reported anxiety. Methylphenidate was not associated with enhanced processing speed, attentional functioning or everyday attentional behaviour after traumatic brain injury. Alternative treatments for attention deficits after traumatic brain injury should be explored given the limited feasibility of methylphenidate in this population.

Brain white matter changes in CPAP-treated obstructive sleep apnea patients with residual sleepiness.

PubMed

Xiong, Ying; Zhou, Xiaohong Joe; Nisi, Robyn A; Martin, Kelly R; Karaman, M Muge; Cai, Kejia; Weaver, Terri E

2017-05-01

To investigate white matter (WM) structural alterations using diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) in obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) patients, with or without residual sleepiness, following adherent continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) treatment. Possible quantitative relationships were explored between the DTI metrics and two clinical assessments of somnolence. Twenty-nine male patients (30-55 years old) with a confirmed diagnosis of OSA were recruited. The patients were treated with CPAP therapy only. The Psychomotor Vigilance Task (PVT) and Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS) were performed after CPAP treatment and additionally administered at the time of the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan. Based on the PVT results, the patients were divided into a nonsleepy group (lapses ≤5) and a sleepy group (lapses >5). DTI was performed at 3T, followed by an analysis using tract-based spatial statistics (TBSS) to investigate the differences in fractional anisotropy (FA), mean diffusivity (MD), axial diffusivity (λ 1 ), and radial diffusivity (λ 23 ) between the two groups. A higher MD (P < 0.05) was observed in the sleepy group than the nonsleepy group in the whole-brain TBSS analysis in the WM. The increased MD (17.8% of the fiber tracts; P < 0.05) was caused primarily by an elevated λ 23 . Axial diffusivity (λ 1 ) exhibited no significant difference (P > 0.17). The alterations in FA or MD of individual fiber tracts occurred mainly in the internal/external capsule, corona radiata, corpus callosum, and sagittal stratum regions. The FA and MD values correlated with the PVT and ESS assessments from all patients (R ≥ 0.517, P < 0.05). Global and regional WM alterations, as revealed by DTI, can be a possible mechanism to explain why OSA patients with high levels of CPAP use can have differing responses to treatment. Compromised myelin sheath, indicated by increased radial diffusivity, can be involved in the underlying WM changes. Evidence level: 1 J. MAGN. RESON. IMAGING 2017;45:1371-1378. © 2016 International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine.

Launch Pad Activities

NASA Image and Video Library

1959-09-08

Big Joe Capsule Launch Pad Activities: This film covers both the Big Joe and a Little Joe Project Mercury flight test with a research and development version of the Mercury capsule. Big Joe was an Atlas missile that successfully launched a boilerplate model of the Mercury capsule on September 9, 1959. The lower half of the capsule was created at NASA Lewis. The scenes include coverage of the assembly and erection of the boosters, delivery of the capsules, mating of the capsules to the boosters, prelaunch views of the capsule and boosters on launchers, mission control, the launches, and recovery.

Testosterone affects language areas of the adult human brain

PubMed Central

Hahn, Andreas; Kranz, Georg S.; Sladky, Ronald; Kaufmann, Ulrike; Ganger, Sebastian; Hummer, Allan; Seiger, Rene; Spies, Marie; Vanicek, Thomas; Winkler, Dietmar; Kasper, Siegfried; Windischberger, Christian; Swaab, Dick F.

2016-01-01

Abstract Although the sex steroid hormone testosterone is integrally involved in the development of language processing, ethical considerations mostly limit investigations to single hormone administrations. To circumvent this issue we assessed the influence of continuous high‐dose hormone application in adult female‐to‐male transsexuals. Subjects underwent magnetic resonance imaging before and after 4 weeks of testosterone treatment, with each scan including structural, diffusion weighted and functional imaging. Voxel‐based morphometry analysis showed decreased gray matter volume with increasing levels of bioavailable testosterone exclusively in Broca's and Wernicke's areas. Particularly, this may link known sex differences in language performance to the influence of testosterone on relevant brain regions. Using probabilistic tractography, we further observed that longitudinal changes in testosterone negatively predicted changes in mean diffusivity of the corresponding structural connection passing through the extreme capsule. Considering a related increase in myelin staining in rodents, this potentially reflects a strengthening of the fiber tract particularly involved in language comprehension. Finally, functional images at resting‐state were evaluated, showing increased functional connectivity between the two brain regions with increasing testosterone levels. These findings suggest testosterone‐dependent neuroplastic adaptations in adulthood within language‐specific brain regions and connections. Importantly, deteriorations in gray matter volume seem to be compensated by enhancement of corresponding structural and functional connectivity. Hum Brain Mapp 37:1738–1748, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. PMID:26876303

Cortical grey matter and subcortical white matter brain microstructural changes in schizophrenia are localised and age independent: a case-control diffusion tensor imaging study.

PubMed

Chiapponi, Chiara; Piras, Fabrizio; Piras, Federica; Fagioli, Sabrina; Caltagirone, Carlo; Spalletta, Gianfranco

2013-01-01

It is still unknown whether the structural brain impairments that characterize schizophrenia (SZ) worsen during the lifetime. Here, we aimed to describe age-related microstructural brain changes in cortical grey matter and subcortical white matter of patients affected by SZ. In this diffusion tensor imaging study, we included 69 patients diagnosed with SZ and 69 healthy control (HC) subjects, age and gender matched. We carried out analyses of covariance, with diagnosis as fixed factor and brain diffusion-related parameters as dependent variables, and controlled for the effect of education. White matter fractional anisotropy decreased in the entire age range spanned (18-65 years) in both SZ and HC and was significantly lower in younger patients with SZ, with no interaction (age by diagnosis) effect in fiber tracts including corpus callosum, corona radiata, thalamic radiations and external capsule. Also, grey matter mean diffusivity increased in the entire age range in both SZ and HC and was significantly higher in younger patients, with no age by diagnosis interaction in the left frontal operculum cortex, left insula and left planum polare and in the right temporal pole and right intracalcarine cortex. In individuals with SZ we found that localized brain cortical and white matter subcortical microstructural impairments appear early in life but do not worsen in the 18-65 year age range.

iss042e288167

NASA Image and Video Library

2015-02-25

ISS042E288167 (02/25?2015) --- Expedition 42 astronauts Terry Virts and Barry “Butch” Wilmore worked outside the International Space Station installing cables and equipment Feb. 25, 2015 for the second of three spacewalks to help ready the laboratory complex for dockings by commercial crew capsules. Virts reported a small amount of water in his space helmet, but NASA officials said he was never in any danger

NASA Vision

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fenton, Mary (Editor); Wood, Jennifer (Editor)

2003-01-01

This newsletter contains several articles, primarily on International Space Station (ISS) crewmembers and their activities, as well as the activities of NASA administrators. Other subjects covered in the articles include the investigation of the Space Shuttle Columbia accident, activities at NASA centers, Mars exploration, a collision avoidance test on a unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). The ISS articles cover landing in a Soyuz capsule, photography from the ISS, and the Expedition Seven crew.

21 CFR 520.1660b - Oxytetracycline hydrochloride capsules.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 6 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Oxytetracycline hydrochloride capsules. 520.1660b... Oxytetracycline hydrochloride capsules. (a) Specifications. The drug is in capsule form with each capsule containing 125 or 250 milligrams of oxytetracycline hydrochloride. Oxytetracycline is the antibiotic...

Multidetector computed tomography analysis of benign and malignant nodules in patients with chronic lymphocytic thyroiditis.

PubMed

Zhu, Caisong; Liu, Wei; Yang, Jun; Yang, Jing; Shao, Kangwei; Yuan, Lixin; Chen, Hairong; Lu, Wei; Zhu, Ying

2016-07-01

The aim of the present study was to compare the multidetector computed tomography (MDCT) features of benign and malignant nodules in patients with chronic lymphocytic thyroiditis (CLT). MDCT findings, including the size, solid percentage, calcification, margin, capsule, anteroposterior-transverse diameter ratio as well as the mode and the degree of enhancement of 137 thyroid nodules in 127 CLT cases were retrospectively analyzed. Furthermore, the correlation between MDCT findings and pathological results combined with the CT perfusion imaging was analyzed for the differences between benign and malignant nodules. A total of 77.5% (31/40) of malignant nodules were completely solid, and 33% (32/97) of benign nodules were predominantly cystic. Compared with the benign nodules, micro-calcification and internal calcification were more frequently observed in the malignant nodules (P<0.05). MDCT features such as ill-defined margin, absence of capsule or incomplete capsule or homogeneous enhancement were more likely to be present in the malignant nodules (P<0.05). Nevertheless, no significant difference was observed in the enhancement degree at arterial or venous phase between benign and malignant nodules (P>0.05). MDCT features are useful in differentiating the benign and malignant nodules in CLT patients, and it may be essential for a radiologist to review the MDCT characteristics of nodules in the clinical practice.

KSC-2012-2528

NASA Image and Video Library

2012-04-20

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – The van transporting the cargo bag packed with NanoRacks-CubeLabs Module-9 experiments, arrives at Space Launch Complex-40 on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida for cold stowage. The bag will be loaded into the Space Exploration Technologies Dragon capsule in preparation for its scheduled April 30 liftoff aboard a Falcon 9 rocket. NanoRacks-CubeLabs Module-9 uses a two-cube unit box for student competition investigations using 15 liquid mixing tube assemblies that function similar to commercial glow sticks. The investigations range from microbial growth to water purification in microgravity. Known as SpaceX, the launch will be the company's second demonstration test flight for NASA's Commercial Orbital Transportation Services program, or COTS. During the flight, the capsule will conduct a series of check-out procedures to test and prove its systems, including rendezvous and berthing with the International Space Station. If the capsule performs as planned, the module and other cargo will be transferred to the station. The cargo includes food, water and provisions for the station’s Expedition crews, such as clothing, batteries and computer equipment. Under COTS, NASA has partnered with two private companies to launch cargo safely to the station. For more information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/spacex. Photo credit: NASA/Jim Grossmann

Suspensions as a Valuable Alternative to Extemporaneously Compounded Capsules.

PubMed

Dijkers, Eli; Nanhekhan, Valerie; Thorissen, Astrid; Polonini, Hudson

2017-01-01

The objective of this study was to determine the variation in content of 74 different active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) and compare it with what is known in the literature for the content uniformity of extemporaneous prepared capsules. Active pharmaceutical ingredients quantification was performed by high-performance liquid chromatography, via a stability-indicating method. Samples for all active pharmaceutical ingredients were taken throughout a 90-day period and the content was determined. In total, 5,190 different samples were analyzed for 74 different active pharmaceutical ingredients at room (15°C to 25°C) or controlled refrigerated temperature (2°C to 8°C). Each of these datasets was analyzed according to the United States Pharmacopeia Content Uniformity monograph, corrected for the sample number. The mean acceptance values were well within specifications. In addition, all suspensions complied with the criteria defined by the British Pharmacopoeia monograph for Content Uniformity of Liquid Dispersions for both room and controlled refrigerated temperature. In previous studies, it was found that a routine weight variation check is often not sufficient for quality assurance of extemporaneous prepared capsules. Compounded oral liquids show little variation in content for 74 different active pharmaceutical ingredients; therefore, compounded oral liquids are a suitable alternative when compounding individualized medications for patients. Copyright© by International Journal of Pharmaceutical Compounding, Inc.

KSC-2012-2506

NASA Image and Video Library

2012-04-19

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – In the Space Station Processing Facility at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, refrigerated NanoRacks-CubeLabs Module-9 experiments are being prepared for transport to Space Launch Complex-40 on nearby Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. There, the bags will be loaded into the Space Exploration Technologies Dragon capsule in preparation for its scheduled April 30 liftoff aboard a Falcon 9 rocket. NanoRacks-CubeLabs Module-9 uses a two-cube unit box for student competition investigations using 15 liquid mixing tube assemblies that function similar to commercial glow sticks. The investigations range from microbial growth to water purification in microgravity. Known as SpaceX, the launch will be the company's second demonstration test flight for NASA's Commercial Orbital Transportation Services program, or COTS. During the flight, the capsule will conduct a series of check-out procedures to test and prove its systems, including rendezvous and berthing with the International Space Station. If the capsule performs as planned, the module and other cargo will be transferred to the station. The cargo includes food, water and provisions for the station’s Expedition crews, such as clothing, batteries and computer equipment. Under COTS, NASA has partnered with two private companies to launch cargo safely to the station. For more information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/spacex. Photo credit: NASA/Jim Grossmann

A probabilistic method for determining the volume fraction of pre-embedded capsules in self-healing materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lv, Zhong; Chen, Huisu

2014-10-01

Autonomous healing of cracks using pre-embedded capsules containing healing agent is becoming a promising approach to restore the strength of damaged structures. In addition to the material properties, the size and volume fraction of capsules influence crack healing in the matrix. Understanding the crack and capsule interaction is critical in the development and design of structures made of self-healing materials. Assuming that the pre-embedded capsules are randomly dispersed we theoretically model flat ellipsoidal crack interaction with capsules and determine the probability of a crack intersecting the pre-embedded capsules i.e. the self-healing probability. We also develop a probabilistic model of a crack simultaneously meeting with capsules and catalyst carriers in two-component self-healing system matrix. Using a risk-based healing approach, we determine the volume fraction and size of the pre-embedded capsules that are required to achieve a certain self-healing probability. To understand the effect of the shape of the capsules on self-healing we theoretically modeled crack interaction with spherical and cylindrical capsules. We compared the results of our theoretical model with Monte-Carlo simulations of crack interaction with capsules. The formulae presented in this paper will provide guidelines for engineers working with self-healing structures in material selection and sustenance.

KSC-2012-2938

NASA Image and Video Library

2012-05-22

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – Frost and ice breaks away from the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket following ignition of its nine Merlin engines at 3:44 a.m. EDT at Space Launch Complex-40 on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. The launch is the company's second demonstration test flight for NASA's Commercial Orbital Transportation Services, or COTS, Program. During the flight, the Dragon capsule will conduct a series of check-out procedures to test and prove its systems, including rendezvous and berthing with the International Space Station. If the capsule performs as planned, the cargo and experiments it is carrying will be transferred to the station. The cargo includes food, water and provisions for the station’s Expedition crews, such as clothing, batteries and computer equipment. Under COTS, NASA has partnered with two aerospace companies to deliver cargo to the station. For more information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/spacex. Photo credit: NASA/Rick Wetherington, Tim Powers and Tim Terry

KSC-2012-2919

NASA Image and Video Library

2012-05-22

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – An exhaust cloud begins to form around the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket as it lifts off Space Launch Complex-40 on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida at 3:44 a.m. EDT. The launch is the company's second demonstration test flight for NASA's Commercial Orbital Transportation Services, or COTS, Program. During the flight, the Dragon capsule will conduct a series of check-out procedures to test and prove its systems, including rendezvous and berthing with the International Space Station. If the capsule performs as planned, the cargo and experiments it is carrying will be transferred to the station. The cargo includes food, water and provisions for the station’s Expedition crews, such as clothing, batteries and computer equipment. Under COTS, NASA has partnered with two aerospace companies to deliver cargo to the station. For more information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/spacex. Photo credit: NASA/Rick Wetherington, Tim Powers and Tim Terry

KSC-2011-5104

NASA Image and Video Library

2011-07-06

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Space Exploration Technologies Corp., or SpaceX, displays a mock-up of its Dragon capsule during a media tour at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, or CCAFS, in Florida. In December 2010, SpaceX launched its Falcon 9 rocket and Dragon spacecraft from CCAFS's Launch Complex 40. The Dragon capsule went through several maneuvers before it re-entered the atmosphere and splashed down in the Pacific Ocean about 500 miles west of the coast of Mexico. That was the first demonstration flight for NASA's Commercial Orbital Transportation Services (COTS) program, which will provide cargo flights to the International Space Station in the future. The company is preparing for another launch in late 2011, in which the Dragon spacecraft and trunk will fly close to the space station so the station’s robotic arm can grab the spacecraft and bring it in for a docking. Photo credit: NASA/Frankie Martin

KSC-2011-5107

NASA Image and Video Library

2011-07-06

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Space Exploration Technologies Corp., or SpaceX, displays a mock-up of its Dragon capsule during a media tour at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, or CCAFS, in Florida. In December 2010, SpaceX launched its Falcon 9 rocket and Dragon spacecraft from CCAFS's Launch Complex 40. The Dragon capsule went through several maneuvers before it re-entered the atmosphere and splashed down in the Pacific Ocean about 500 miles west of the coast of Mexico. That was the first demonstration flight for NASA's Commercial Orbital Transportation Services (COTS) program, which will provide cargo flights to the International Space Station in the future. The company is preparing for another launch in late 2011, in which the Dragon spacecraft and trunk will fly close to the space station so the station’s robotic arm can grab the spacecraft and bring it in for a docking. Photo credit: NASA/Frankie Martin

KSC-2011-5106

NASA Image and Video Library

2011-07-06

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Space Exploration Technologies Corp., or SpaceX, displays a mock-up of its Dragon capsule during a media tour at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, or CCAFS, in Florida. In December 2010, SpaceX launched its Falcon 9 rocket and Dragon spacecraft from CCAFS's Launch Complex 40. The Dragon capsule went through several maneuvers before it re-entered the atmosphere and splashed down in the Pacific Ocean about 500 miles west of the coast of Mexico. That was the first demonstration flight for NASA's Commercial Orbital Transportation Services (COTS) program, which will provide cargo flights to the International Space Station in the future. The company is preparing for another launch in late 2011, in which the Dragon spacecraft and trunk will fly close to the space station so the station’s robotic arm can grab the spacecraft and bring it in for a docking. Photo credit: NASA/Frankie Martin

KSC-2011-5108

NASA Image and Video Library

2011-07-06

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Space Exploration Technologies Corp., or SpaceX, displays a mock-up of its Dragon capsule during a media tour at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, or CCAFS, in Florida. In December 2010, SpaceX launched its Falcon 9 rocket and Dragon spacecraft from CCAFS's Launch Complex 40. The Dragon capsule went through several maneuvers before it re-entered the atmosphere and splashed down in the Pacific Ocean about 500 miles west of the coast of Mexico. That was the first demonstration flight for NASA's Commercial Orbital Transportation Services (COTS) program, which will provide cargo flights to the International Space Station in the future. The company is preparing for another launch in late 2011, in which the Dragon spacecraft and trunk will fly close to the space station so the station’s robotic arm can grab the spacecraft and bring it in for a docking. Photo credit: NASA/Frankie Martin

KSC-2012-2928

NASA Image and Video Library

2012-05-22

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – Frost and ice breaks away from the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket following ignition of its nine Merlin engines at 3:44 a.m. EDT at Space Launch Complex-40 on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. The launch is the company's second demonstration test flight for NASA's Commercial Orbital Transportation Services, or COTS, Program. During the flight, the Dragon capsule will conduct a series of check-out procedures to test and prove its systems, including rendezvous and berthing with the International Space Station. If the capsule performs as planned, the cargo and experiments it is carrying will be transferred to the station. The cargo includes food, water and provisions for the station’s Expedition crews, such as clothing, batteries and computer equipment. Under COTS, NASA has partnered with two aerospace companies to deliver cargo to the station. For more information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/spacex. Photo credit: NASA/Rick Wetherington, Tim Powers and Tim Terry

KSC-2012-2914

NASA Image and Video Library

2012-05-22

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – Powered by nine Merlin engines, the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket roars into space at 3:44 a.m. EDT from Space Launch Complex-40 on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. The launch is the company's second demonstration test flight for NASA's Commercial Orbital Transportation Services, or COTS, program. During the flight, the Dragon capsule will conduct a series of check-out procedures to test and prove its systems, including rendezvous and berthing with the International Space Station. If the capsule performs as planned, the cargo and experiments it is carrying will be transferred to the station. The cargo includes food, water and provisions for the station’s Expedition crews, such as clothing, batteries and computer equipment. Under COTS, NASA has partnered with two aerospace companies to deliver cargo to the station. For more information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/spacex. Photo credit: NASA/Rick Wetherington, Tim Powers and Tim Terry

KSC-2012-2924

NASA Image and Video Library

2012-05-22

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – Frost and ice breaks away from the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket following ignition of its nine Merlin engines at 3:44 a.m. EDT at Space Launch Complex-40 on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. The launch is the company's second demonstration test flight for NASA's Commercial Orbital Transportation Services, or COTS, Program. During the flight, the Dragon capsule will conduct a series of check-out procedures to test and prove its systems, including rendezvous and berthing with the International Space Station. If the capsule performs as planned, the cargo and experiments it is carrying will be transferred to the station. The cargo includes food, water and provisions for the station’s Expedition crews, such as clothing, batteries and computer equipment. Under COTS, NASA has partnered with two aerospace companies to deliver cargo to the station. For more information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/spacex. Photo credit: NASA/Rusty Backer

KSC-2012-2923

NASA Image and Video Library

2012-05-22

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – The nine Merlin engines beneath the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket roar to life at 3:44 a.m. EDT at Space Launch Complex-40 on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. The launch is the company's second demonstration test flight for NASA's Commercial Orbital Transportation Services, or COTS, Program. During the flight, the Dragon capsule will conduct a series of check-out procedures to test and prove its systems, including rendezvous and berthing with the International Space Station. If the capsule performs as planned, the cargo and experiments it is carrying will be transferred to the station. The cargo includes food, water and provisions for the station’s Expedition crews, such as clothing, batteries and computer equipment. Under COTS, NASA has partnered with two aerospace companies to deliver cargo to the station. For more information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/spacex. Photo credit: NASA/Rusty Backer

KSC-2012-2904

NASA Image and Video Library

2012-05-22

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – Powered by nine Merlin engines, the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket lifts off Space Launch Complex-40 on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida at 3:44 a.m. EDT, carrying the Dragon capsule to orbit. The launch is the company's second demonstration test flight for NASA's Commercial Orbital Transportation Services, or COTS, Program. During the flight, the Dragon will conduct a series of check-out procedures to test and prove its systems, including rendezvous and berthing with the International Space Station. If the capsule performs as planned, the cargo and experiments it is carrying will be transferred to the station. The cargo includes food, water and provisions for the station’s Expedition crews, such as clothing, batteries and computer equipment. Under COTS, NASA has partnered with two aerospace companies to deliver cargo to the station. For more information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/spacex. Photo credit: NASA/Jim Grossmann

ksc-2012-2897

NASA Image and Video Library

2012-05-22

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – The SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket soars into space from Space Launch Complex-40 on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida at 3:44 a.m. EDT, carrying the Dragon capsule to orbit. The launch is the company's second demonstration test flight for NASA's Commercial Orbital Transportation Services, or COTS, Program. During the flight, the Dragon will conduct a series of check-out procedures to test and prove its systems, including rendezvous and berthing with the International Space Station. If the capsule performs as planned, the cargo and experiments it is carrying will be transferred to the station. The cargo includes food, water and provisions for the station’s Expedition crews, such as clothing, batteries and computer equipment. Under COTS, NASA has partnered with two aerospace companies to deliver cargo to the station. For more information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/spacex. Photo credit: NASA/Alan Ault

KSC-2012-2927

NASA Image and Video Library

2012-05-22

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – Frost and ice breaks away from the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket following ignition of its nine Merlin engines at 3:44 a.m. EDT at Space Launch Complex-40 on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. The launch is the company's second demonstration test flight for NASA's Commercial Orbital Transportation Services, or COTS, Program. During the flight, the Dragon capsule will conduct a series of check-out procedures to test and prove its systems, including rendezvous and berthing with the International Space Station. If the capsule performs as planned, the cargo and experiments it is carrying will be transferred to the station. The cargo includes food, water and provisions for the station’s Expedition crews, such as clothing, batteries and computer equipment. Under COTS, NASA has partnered with two aerospace companies to deliver cargo to the station. For more information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/spacex. Photo credit: NASA/Rick Wetherington, Tim Powers and Tim Terry

KSC-2012-2930

NASA Image and Video Library

2012-05-22

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – On Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida, Space Launch Complex-40 is ablaze as the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket begins its ascent after liftoff at 3:44 a.m. EDT. The launch is the company's second demonstration test flight for NASA's Commercial Orbital Transportation Services, or COTS, Program. During the flight, the Dragon capsule will conduct a series of check-out procedures to test and prove its systems, including rendezvous and berthing with the International Space Station. If the capsule performs as planned, the cargo and experiments it is carrying will be transferred to the station. The cargo includes food, water and provisions for the station’s Expedition crews, such as clothing, batteries and computer equipment. Under COTS, NASA has partnered with two aerospace companies to deliver cargo to the station. For more information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/spacex. Photo credit: NASA/Rick Wetherington, Tim Powers and Tim Terry

ksc-2012-2914

NASA Image and Video Library

2012-05-22

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – Powered by nine Merlin engines, the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket roars into space at 3:44 a.m. EDT from Space Launch Complex-40 on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. The launch is the company's second demonstration test flight for NASA's Commercial Orbital Transportation Services, or COTS, program. During the flight, the Dragon capsule will conduct a series of check-out procedures to test and prove its systems, including rendezvous and berthing with the International Space Station. If the capsule performs as planned, the cargo and experiments it is carrying will be transferred to the station. The cargo includes food, water and provisions for the station’s Expedition crews, such as clothing, batteries and computer equipment. Under COTS, NASA has partnered with two aerospace companies to deliver cargo to the station. For more information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/spacex. Photo credit: NASA/Rick Wetherington, Tim Powers and Tim Terry

KSC-2012-2942

NASA Image and Video Library

2012-05-22

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – Nine Merlin engines ignite under the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket at 3:44 a.m. EDT at Space Launch Complex-40 on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. The launch is the company's second demonstration test flight for NASA's Commercial Orbital Transportation Services, or COTS, Program. During the flight, the Dragon capsule will conduct a series of check-out procedures to test and prove its systems, including rendezvous and berthing with the International Space Station. If the capsule performs as planned, the cargo and experiments it is carrying will be transferred to the station. The cargo includes food, water and provisions for the station’s Expedition crews, such as clothing, batteries and computer equipment. Under COTS, NASA has partnered with two aerospace companies to deliver cargo to the station. For more information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/spacex. Photo credit: NASA/Rick Wetherington, Tim Powers and Tim Terry

KSC-2012-2905

NASA Image and Video Library

2012-05-22

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – The SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket soars off Space Launch Complex-40 on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida at 3:44 a.m. EDT, delivering the Dragon capsule to orbit. The launch is the company's second demonstration test flight for NASA's Commercial Orbital Transportation Services, or COTS, Program. During the flight, the Dragon will conduct a series of check-out procedures to test and prove its systems, including rendezvous and berthing with the International Space Station. If the capsule performs as planned, the cargo and experiments it is carrying will be transferred to the station. The cargo includes food, water and provisions for the station’s Expedition crews, such as clothing, batteries and computer equipment. Under COTS, NASA has partnered with two aerospace companies to deliver cargo to the station. For more information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/spacex. Photo credit: NASA/Jim Grossmann

KSC-2012-2913

NASA Image and Video Library

2012-05-22

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – On Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida, Space Launch Complex-40 is ablaze as the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket lifts off at 3:44 a.m. EDT. The launch is the company's second demonstration test flight for NASA's Commercial Orbital Transportation Services, or COTS, program. During the flight, the Dragon capsule will conduct a series of check-out procedures to test and prove its systems, including rendezvous and berthing with the International Space Station. If the capsule performs as planned, the cargo and experiments it is carrying will be transferred to the station. The cargo includes food, water and provisions for the station’s Expedition crews, such as clothing, batteries and computer equipment. Under COTS, NASA has partnered with two aerospace companies to deliver cargo to the station. For more information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/spacex. Photo credit: NASA/Rick Wetherington, Tim Powers and Tim Terry

KSC-2012-2920

NASA Image and Video Library

2012-05-22

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – The SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket begins to lift off from Space Launch Complex-40 on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida at 3:44 a.m. EDT. The launch is the company's second demonstration test flight for NASA's Commercial Orbital Transportation Services, or COTS, Program. During the flight, the Dragon capsule will conduct a series of check-out procedures to test and prove its systems, including rendezvous and berthing with the International Space Station. If the capsule performs as planned, the cargo and experiments it is carrying will be transferred to the station. The cargo includes food, water and provisions for the station’s Expedition crews, such as clothing, batteries and computer equipment. Under COTS, NASA has partnered with two aerospace companies to deliver cargo to the station. For more information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/spacex. Photo credit: NASA/Rick Wetherington, Tim Powers and Tim Terry

KSC-2012-2897

NASA Image and Video Library

2012-05-22

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – The SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket soars into space from Space Launch Complex-40 on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida at 3:44 a.m. EDT, carrying the Dragon capsule to orbit. The launch is the company's second demonstration test flight for NASA's Commercial Orbital Transportation Services, or COTS, Program. During the flight, the Dragon will conduct a series of check-out procedures to test and prove its systems, including rendezvous and berthing with the International Space Station. If the capsule performs as planned, the cargo and experiments it is carrying will be transferred to the station. The cargo includes food, water and provisions for the station’s Expedition crews, such as clothing, batteries and computer equipment. Under COTS, NASA has partnered with two aerospace companies to deliver cargo to the station. For more information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/spacex. Photo credit: NASA/Alan Ault

KSC-2012-2911

NASA Image and Video Library

2012-05-22

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – Nine Merlin engines ignite under the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket at 3:44 a.m. EDT at Space Launch Complex-40 on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. The launch is the company's second demonstration test flight for NASA's Commercial Orbital Transportation Services, or COTS, program. During the flight, the Dragon capsule will conduct a series of check-out procedures to test and prove its systems, including rendezvous and berthing with the International Space Station. If the capsule performs as planned, the cargo and experiments it is carrying will be transferred to the station. The cargo includes food, water and provisions for the station’s Expedition crews, such as clothing, batteries and computer equipment. Under COTS, NASA has partnered with two aerospace companies to deliver cargo to the station. For more information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/spacex. Photo credit: NASA/Rick Wetherington, Tim Powers and Tim Terry

KSC-2012-2943

NASA Image and Video Library

2012-05-22

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – Nine Merlin engines ignite under the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket at 3:44 a.m. EDT at Space Launch Complex-40 on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. The launch is the company's second demonstration test flight for NASA's Commercial Orbital Transportation Services, or COTS, Program. During the flight, the Dragon capsule will conduct a series of check-out procedures to test and prove its systems, including rendezvous and berthing with the International Space Station. If the capsule performs as planned, the cargo and experiments it is carrying will be transferred to the station. The cargo includes food, water and provisions for the station’s Expedition crews, such as clothing, batteries and computer equipment. Under COTS, NASA has partnered with two aerospace companies to deliver cargo to the station. For more information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/spacex. Photo credit: NASA/Rick Wetherington, Tim Powers and Tim Terry

KSC-2012-2521

NASA Image and Video Library

2012-04-04

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – In a processing hangar at Space Launch Complex-40 on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida, the hatch of the Space Exploration Technologies Dragon capsule has been closed following stowage of cargo in preparation for its scheduled April 30 liftoff aboard a Falcon 9 rocket. Known as SpaceX, the launch will be the company's second demonstration test flight for NASA's Commercial Orbital Transportation Services program, or COTS. During the flight, the capsule will conduct a series of checkout procedures to test and prove its systems, including rendezvous and berthing with the International Space Station. The cargo includes food and provisions for the station’s Expedition crews, such as clothing, batteries, and computer equipment. Under COTS, NASA has partnered with two private companies to launch cargo safely to the station. For more information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/spacex. Photo credit: NASA/Jim Grossmann

ksc-2012-2896

NASA Image and Video Library

2012-05-22

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – The SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket lifts off Space Launch Complex-40 on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida at 3:44 a.m. EDT, carrying the Dragon capsule to orbit. The launch is the company's second demonstration test flight for NASA's Commercial Orbital Transportation Services, or COTS, Program. During the flight, the Dragon will conduct a series of check-out procedures to test and prove its systems, including rendezvous and berthing with the International Space Station. If the capsule performs as planned, the cargo and experiments it is carrying will be transferred to the station. The cargo includes food, water and provisions for the station’s Expedition crews, such as clothing, batteries and computer equipment. Under COTS, NASA has partnered with two aerospace companies to deliver cargo to the station. For more information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/spacex. Photo credit: NASA/Alan Ault

In-line ATR-UV and Raman Spectroscopy for Monitoring API Dissolution Process During Liquid-Filled Soft-Gelatin Capsule Manufacturing.

PubMed

Wan, Boyong; Zordan, Christopher A; Lu, Xujin; McGeorge, Gary

2016-10-01

Complete dissolution of the active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) is critical in the manufacturing of liquid-filled soft-gelatin capsules (SGC). Attenuated total reflectance UV spectroscopy (ATR-UV) and Raman spectroscopy have been investigated for in-line monitoring of API dissolution during manufacturing of an SGC product. Calibration models have been developed with both techniques for in-line determination of API potency. Performance of both techniques was evaluated and compared. The ATR-UV methodology was found to be able to monitor the dissolution process and determine the endpoint, but was sensitive to temperature variations. The Raman technique was also capable of effectively monitoring the process and was more robust to the temperature variation and process perturbations by using an excipient peak for internal correction. Different data preprocessing methodologies were explored in an attempt to improve method performance.

KSC-2012-2517

NASA Image and Video Library

2012-04-04

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – In a processing hangar at Space Launch Complex-40 on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida, a Space Exploration Technologies technician attaches a cargo bag to the crane that will lift it toward the Dragon capsule where it will be stowed in preparation for its scheduled April 30 liftoff aboard a Falcon 9 rocket. Known as SpaceX, the launch will be the company's second demonstration test flight for NASA's Commercial Orbital Transportation Services program, or COTS. During the flight, the capsule will conduct a series of checkout procedures to test and prove its systems, including rendezvous and berthing with the International Space Station. The cargo includes food and provisions for the station’s Expedition crews, such as clothing, batteries, and computer equipment. Under COTS, NASA has partnered with two private companies to launch cargo safely to the station. For more information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/spacex. Photo credit: NASA/Jim Grossmann

KSC-2012-2515

NASA Image and Video Library

2012-04-04

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – In a processing hangar at Space Launch Complex-40 on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida, a cargo bag is lowered into the hands of a Space Exploration Technologies technician who will load it into the Dragon capsule in preparation for its scheduled April 30 liftoff aboard a Falcon 9 rocket. Known as SpaceX, the launch will be the company's second demonstration test flight for NASA's Commercial Orbital Transportation Services program, or COTS. During the flight, the capsule will conduct a series of checkout procedures to test and prove its systems, including rendezvous and berthing with the International Space Station. The cargo includes food and provisions for the station’s Expedition crews, such as clothing, batteries, and computer equipment. Under COTS, NASA has partnered with two private companies to launch cargo safely to the station. For more information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/spacex. Photo credit: NASA/Jim Grossmann

Diagnosing and controlling mix in National Ignition Facility implosion experiments a)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hammel, B. A.; Scott, H. A.; Regan, S. P.; Cerjan, C.; Clark, D. S.; Edwards, M. J.; Epstein, R.; Glenzer, S. H.; Haan, S. W.; Izumi, N.; Koch, J. A.; Kyrala, G. A.; Landen, O. L.; Langer, S. H.; Peterson, K.; Smalyuk, V. A.; Suter, L. J.; Wilson, D. C.

2011-05-01

High mode number instability growth of "isolated defects" on the surfaces of National Ignition Facility [Moses et al., Phys. Plasmas 16, 041006 (2009)] capsules can be large enough for the perturbation to penetrate the imploding shell, and produce a jet of ablator material that enters the hot-spot. Since internal regions of the CH ablator are doped with Ge, mixing of this material into the hot-spot results in a clear signature of Ge K-shell emission. Evidence of jets entering the hot-spot has been recorded in x-ray images and spectra, consistent with simulation predictions [Hammel et al., High Energy Density Phys. 6, 171 (2010)]. Ignition targets have been designed to minimize instability growth, and capsule fabrication improvements are underway to reduce "isolated defects." An experimental strategy has been developed where the final requirements for ignition targets can be adjusted through direct measurements of mix and experimental tuning.

21 CFR 343.90 - Dissolution and drug release testing.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

...) Aspirin capsules. Aspirin capsules must meet the dissolution standard for aspirin capsules as contained in the United States Pharmacopeia (USP) 23 at page 132. (c) Aspirin delayed-release capsules and aspirin delayed-release tablets. Aspirin delayed-release capsules and aspirin delayed-release tablets must meet...

21 CFR 343.90 - Dissolution and drug release testing.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

...) Aspirin capsules. Aspirin capsules must meet the dissolution standard for aspirin capsules as contained in the United States Pharmacopeia (USP) 23 at page 132. (c) Aspirin delayed-release capsules and aspirin delayed-release tablets. Aspirin delayed-release capsules and aspirin delayed-release tablets must meet...

21 CFR 343.90 - Dissolution and drug release testing.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

...) Aspirin capsules. Aspirin capsules must meet the dissolution standard for aspirin capsules as contained in the United States Pharmacopeia (USP) 23 at page 132. (c) Aspirin delayed-release capsules and aspirin delayed-release tablets. Aspirin delayed-release capsules and aspirin delayed-release tablets must meet...

21 CFR 343.90 - Dissolution and drug release testing.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

...) Aspirin capsules. Aspirin capsules must meet the dissolution standard for aspirin capsules as contained in the United States Pharmacopeia (USP) 23 at page 132. (c) Aspirin delayed-release capsules and aspirin delayed-release tablets. Aspirin delayed-release capsules and aspirin delayed-release tablets must meet...

21 CFR 343.90 - Dissolution and drug release testing.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

...) Aspirin capsules. Aspirin capsules must meet the dissolution standard for aspirin capsules as contained in the United States Pharmacopeia (USP) 23 at page 132. (c) Aspirin delayed-release capsules and aspirin delayed-release tablets. Aspirin delayed-release capsules and aspirin delayed-release tablets must meet...

Determination of diffusion coefficients of hydrogen in fused silica between 296 and 523 K by Raman spectroscopy and application of fused silica capillaries in studying redox reactions

USGS Publications Warehouse

Shang, L.; Chou, I-Ming; Lu, W.; Burruss, Robert; Zhang, Y.

2009-01-01

Diffusion coefficients (D) of hydrogen in fused silica capillaries (FSC) were determined between 296 and 523 K by Raman spectroscopy using CO2 as an internal standard. FSC capsules (3.25 × 10−4 m OD, 9.9 × 10−5 m ID, and ∼0.01 m long) containing CO2 and H2were prepared and the initial relative concentrations of hydrogen in these capsules were derived from the Raman peak-height ratios between H2 (near 587 cm−1) and CO2 (near 1387 cm−1). The sample capsules were then heated at a fixed temperature (T) at one atmosphere to let H2 diffuse out of the capsule, and the changes of hydrogen concentration were monitored by Raman spectroscopy after quench. This process was repeated using different heating durations at 296 (room T), 323, 375, 430, 473, and 523 K; the same sample capsule was used repeatedly at each temperature. The values of D (in m2 s−1) in FSC were obtained by fitting the observed changes of hydrogen concentration in the FSC capsule to an equation based on Fick’s law. Our D values are in good agreement with the more recent of the two previously reported experimental data sets, and both can be represented by:lnD=-(16.471±0.035)-44589±139RT(R2=0.99991)">lnD=-(16.471±0.035)-44589±139RT(R2=0.99991)where R is the gas constant (8.3145 J/mol K), T in Kelvin, and errors at 1σ level. The slope corresponds to an activation energy of 44.59 ± 0.14 kJ/mol.The D in FSC determined at 296 K is about an order of magnitude higher than that in platinum at 723 K, indicating that FSC is a suitable membrane for hydrogen at temperature between 673 K and room temperature, and has a great potential for studying redox reactions at these temperatures, especially for systems containing organic material and/or sulphur.

The effect of glicerol and sorbitol plasticizers toward disintegration time of phyto-capsules

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pudjiastuti, Pratiwi; Hendradi, Esti; Wafiroh, Siti; Harsini, Muji; Darmokoesoemo, Handoko

2016-03-01

The aim of research is determining the effect of glycerol and sorbitol toward the disintegration time of phyto-capsules, originated capsules from plant polysaccharides. Phyto-capsules were made from polysaccharides and 0.5% (v/v) of glycerol and sorbitol of each. The seven capsules of each were determined the disintegration time using Erweka disintegrator. The mean of disintegration time of phyto-capsules without plasticizers, with glycerol and sorbitol were 25'30"; 45'15" and 35'30" respectively. The color and colorless gelatin capsules showed the mean of disintegration time 7'30" and 2'35" respectively.

Analytical model for effects of capsule shape on the healing efficiency in self-healing materials

PubMed Central

Li, Songpeng; Chen, Huisu

2017-01-01

The fundamental requirement for the autonomous capsule-based self-healing process to work is that cracks need to reach the capsules and break them such that the healing agent can be released. Ignoring all other aspects, the amount of healing agents released into the crack is essential to obtain a good healing. Meanwhile, from the perspective of the capsule shapes, spherical or elongated capsules (hollow tubes/fibres) are the main morphologies used in capsule-based self-healing materials. The focus of this contribution is the description of the effects of capsule shape on the efficiency of healing agent released in capsule-based self-healing material within the framework of the theory of geometrical probability and integral geometry. Analytical models are developed to characterize the amount of healing agent released per crack area from capsules for an arbitrary crack intersecting with capsules of various shapes in a virtual capsule-based self-healing material. The average crack opening distance is chosen to be a key parameter in defining the healing potential of individual cracks in the models. Furthermore, the accuracy of the developed models was verified by comparison to the data from a published numerical simulation study. PMID:29095862

The incidence of posterior capsule disruption during phacoemulsification and associated postoperative complication rates in dogs: 244 eyes (1995-2002).

PubMed

Johnstone, Nancy; Ward, Daniel A

2005-01-01

The objective of this retrospective study was to report the incidence of posterior capsule disruption during routine phacoemulsification and to document the postoperative outcomes and complications in eyes with posterior capsule disruption compared with eyes with intact posterior capsules. Records of 143 dogs (244 eyes) were reviewed. Data collected included whether the posterior capsule was disrupted, whether the disruption was planned or accidental, whether an intraocular lens was implanted, and visual outcome. Records were reviewed for postoperative complications. Intraocular lens implantation rates, complication rates, and visual outcomes were compared between intact and disrupted posterior capsule groups using Chi-square analyses. The posterior capsule was disrupted in 33/244 eyes (14%). Planned capsulotomies accounted for 36% of the disruptions. Intraocular lenses were implanted in 76% of eyes without a disruption of the posterior capsule and in 31% of eyes with a posterior capsule disruption. Intraocular lenses were more likely to be implanted in eyes with a planned disruption of the posterior capsule (7/12; 58%) than in eyes with an accidental disruption (3/20; 15%). There were no significant differences in postoperative complications or visual outcome between eyes with posterior capsule disruption and those without. The most significant complication of posterior capsule disruption during phacoemulsification is the inability to implant an intraocular lens. Intraocular lenses are more likely to be placed in eyes with intentional disruptions of the posterior capsule than those with accidental ruptures.

The influence of encapsulated embryos on the timing of hatching in the brooding gastropod Crepipatella dilatata

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Andrade-Villagrán, P. V.; Baria, K. S.; Montory, J. A.; Pechenik, J. A.; Chaparro, O. R.

2018-01-01

Encapsulated embryos are generally thought to play an active role in escaping from egg capsules or egg masses. However, for species that brood their egg capsules, the factors controlling the timing of hatching are largely unclear, particularly the degree to which hatching is controlled by the embryos rather than by the mother, and the degree to which the hatching of one egg capsule influences the hatching of sister egg capsules within the same egg mass. We studied aspects of hatching using the direct-developing gastropod Crepipatella dilatata, which includes nurse eggs in its egg capsules and broods clusters of egg capsules for at least several weeks before metamorphosed juveniles are released. Isolated egg capsules were able to hatch successfully, in the absence of the mother. Moreover, the hatching of one capsule did not cause adjacent sister capsules to hatch. Hatched and un-hatched sister egg capsules from the same egg mass differed significantly in the number of metamorphosed juveniles, average shell size, offspring biomass (juveniles + veliger larvae), and the number of nurse eggs remaining per egg capsule. Differences in when egg capsules hatched within a single egg mass were not explained by differences in egg capsule age. Hatching occurred only after most nurse eggs had been ingested, most offspring had metamorphosed into juveniles, and juveniles had reached a mean shell length > 1.36 mm. Whether the mother has any role to play in coordinating the hatching process or juvenile release remains to be determined.

Kudoa prunusi n. sp. (Myxozoa: Multivalvulida) from the brain of Pacific bluefin tuna Thunnus orientalis (Temminck & Schlegel, 1844) cultured in Japan.

PubMed

Meng, F; Yokoyama, H; Shirakashi, S; Grabner, D; Ogawa, K; Ishimaru, K; Sawada, Y; Murata, O

2011-01-01

Kudoa prunusi n. sp. (Myxozoa; Multivalvulida) is described from the brain of Pacific bluefin tuna Thunnus orientalis cultured in Japan. Numerous white cysts, up to 0.5mm in size, were found on and in the brain. Spores having typically five spore valves and five polar capsules resembled a five-petal cherry blossom in apical view and were conical shape with a round bottom in side view. Average spore size was 9.63 (8.5-10.3) μm in width and 7.50 (6.7-8.6) μm in length. The spore dimensions of K. prunusi overlapped with those of Kudoa yasunagai ex Sillago ciliata having five to six spore valves, but they were clearly distinct in spore shape, 18S rDNA and 28S rDNA sequences (0.3% and 1.7% differences, respectively). Phylogenetic analysis of 18S rDNA revealed that K. prunusi grouped with the brain-infecting multivalvulid species, K. yasunagai, K. chaetodoni, K. lethrini and K. neurophila, rather than five-valved Kudoa spp. Combined with morphological, molecular and biological differences, K. prunusi was proven to be a new species. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Lake Tengiz from space

NASA Image and Video Library

2017-12-08

In orbit above the semi-desert grasslands in Kazakhstan, an astronaut aboard the International Space Station spotted one of the few features that stand out. Lake Tengiz is the only large lake (1590 square kilometers, 615 square miles) in northern Kazakhstan. Through white wisps of cloud, the crew member photographed the 50 kilometer-long eastern shore of the lake, with its thin, winding islands and white beaches. The islands and intervening waterways make a rich habitat for birds in this part of Asia. At least 318 species of birds have been identified at the lake; 22 of them are endangered. It is the northernmost habitat of the pink flamingo. The lake system is Kazakhstan’s first UNESCO World Heritage Site, and it has been declared a RAMSAR wetland site of international importance. Part of the richness of area is its complex hydrology. Fresh water enters the system via the Kulanutpes River, so there are small lakes (lower right) full of fresh water. But in this closed basin, the water in the main lake (top) slowly evaporates, becoming salty. Winds stir up bigger waves on the main lake, dispersing sediment and salt and making the water a cloudier and lighter blue-green. (Another astronaut photograph shows the entire lake system, while this story provides more information.) The strange shape of the islands is not easy to interpret. They may be drowned remnants of delta distributaries of the Kulanutpes River. Westerly winds probably have had a smoothing effect on the shorelines, especially in a shallow lake like Tengiz, which is only about 6 meters (20 feet) deep. The lake has an exciting history for people who follow space exploration. In 1976, a Soyuz spacecraft landed in the lake near the north shore (top right). The capsule crashed through the ice and sank during an October snowstorm when temperatures were -22°C (-8°F). Because of low power, the capsule was unheated and the crew was feared lost. It was many hours before the airtight capsule was located and divers could attach flotation tanks to get the capsule to the surface. It was then dragged ashore across the ice by helicopter. The rescue effort took nine hours before the crew was able to safely exit the capsule. Credit: NASA Earth Observatory NASA image use policy. NASA Goddard Space Flight Center enables NASA’s mission through four scientific endeavors: Earth Science, Heliophysics, Solar System Exploration, and Astrophysics. Goddard plays a leading role in NASA’s accomplishments by contributing compelling scientific knowledge to advance the Agency’s mission. Follow us on Twitter Like us on Facebook Find us on Instagram

Motion of an elastic capsule in a square microfluidic channel

PubMed Central

Kuriakose, S.; Dimitrakopoulos, P.

2013-01-01

In the present study we investigate computationally the steady-state motion of an elastic capsule along the centerline of a square microfluidic channel and compare it with that in a cylindrical tube. In particular, we consider a slightly over-inflated elastic capsule made of a strain-hardening membrane with comparable shearing and area-dilatation resistance. Under the conditions studied in this paper (i.e. small, moderate and large capsules at low and moderate flow rates), the capsule motion in a square channel is similar to, and thus governed by the same scaling laws with the capsule motion in a cylindrical tube, even though in the channel the cross-section in the upstream portion of large capsules is non-axisymmetric (i.e. square-like with rounded corners). When the hydrodynamic forces on the membrane increase, the capsule develops a pointed downstream edge and a flattened rear (possibly with a negative curvature) so that the restoring tension forces are increased as also happens with droplets. Membrane tensions increase significantly with the capsule size while the area near the downstream tip is the most probable to rupture when a capsule flows in a microchannel. Because the membrane tensions increase with the interfacial deformation, a suitable Landau-Levich-Derjaguin-Bretherton analysis reveals that the lubrication film thickness h for large capsules depends on both the capillary number Ca and the capsule size a; our computations determine the latter dependence to be (in dimensionless form) h ~ a−2 for the large capsules studied in this work. For small and moderate capsule sizes a, the capsule velocity Ux and additional pressure drop ΔP+ are governed by the same scaling laws as for high-viscosity droplets. The velocity and additional pressure drop of large thick capsules also follow the dynamics of high-viscosity droplets, and are affected by the lubrication film thickness. The motion of our large thick capsules is characterized by a Ux−u~h~a−2 approach to the undisturbed average duct velocity and an additional pressure drop ΔP+ ~ a3/h ~ a5. By combining basic physical principles and geometric properties, we develop a theoretical analysis that explains the power laws we found for large capsules. PMID:21867212

Spheroidal and conical shapes of ferrofluid-filled capsules in magnetic fields

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wischnewski, Christian; Kierfeld, Jan

2018-04-01

We investigate the deformation of soft spherical elastic capsules filled with a ferrofluid in external uniform magnetic fields at fixed volume by a combination of numerical and analytical approaches. We develop a numerical iterative solution strategy based on nonlinear elastic shape equations to calculate the stretched capsule shape numerically and a coupled finite element and boundary element method to solve the corresponding magnetostatic problem and employ analytical linear response theory, approximative energy minimization, and slender-body theory. The observed deformation behavior is qualitatively similar to the deformation of ferrofluid droplets in uniform magnetic fields. Homogeneous magnetic fields elongate the capsule and a discontinuous shape transition from a spheroidal shape to a conical shape takes place at a critical field strength. We investigate how capsule elasticity modifies this hysteretic shape transition. We show that conical capsule shapes are possible but involve diverging stretch factors at the tips, which gives rise to rupture for real capsule materials. In a slender-body approximation we find that the critical susceptibility above which conical shapes occur for ferrofluid capsules is the same as for droplets. At small fields capsules remain spheroidal and we characterize the deformation of spheroidal capsules both analytically and numerically. Finally, we determine whether wrinkling of a spheroidal capsule occurs during elongation in a magnetic field and how it modifies the stretching behavior. We find the nontrivial dependence between the extent of the wrinkled region and capsule elongation. Our results can be helpful in quantitatively determining capsule or ferrofluid material properties from magnetic deformation experiments. All results also apply to elastic capsules filled with a dielectric liquid in an external uniform electric field.

Nifedipine capsules may provide a viable alternative to oral powders for paediatric patients.

PubMed

Helin-Tanninen, M; Naaranlahti, T; Kontra, K; Savolainen, K

2007-02-01

To compare content uniformities between different sizes of extemporaneously compounded nifedipine oral powders and capsules, in order to find out if capsules could be used instead of oral powders as paediatric medications. Actual content and content uniformity of extemporaneously compounded 1-mg nifedipine oral powders and capsules were evaluated by a high performance liquid chromatographic assay. Capsules and powders were prepared by triturating 10-mg nifedipine tablets with different amounts of lactose or microcrystalline cellulose with a mortar and pestle using a standard geometric dilution technique. Oral powders were weighed individually and capsules were filled by a hand-operated capsule-filling machine. Four different sizes of powders (500, 300, 100 and 50 mg) and three different sizes of capsules (numbers 1, 3 and 4) were prepared. Ten oral powders and 10 capsules from each batch were randomly selected and individually assayed for nifedipine amount. The extemporaneously prepared nifedipine oral powders and capsules were within acceptable limits for content uniformity, as defined by the European Pharmacopoeia, but the results indicate that the loss of nifedipine during the preparation process may be considerable for both preparations. The concentration on nifedipine decreased while the total mass of the oral powder decreased. These results demonstrate that nifedipine oral powders can be replaced by capsules, whose contents are emptied for use, in paediatric medications. Compounding small capsules, such as size number 3 or 4, is acceptable when considering the average drug content. The total weight of the oral powder should be at least 300 mg. The preparation of nifedipine in all studied capsule sizes was safe with either lactose monohydrate or microcrystalline cellulose as excipients. Thus, emptied capsules seem to be a good choice for delivering a paediatric medication. The loss of nifedipine was considerable in oral powders with low total weight.

Prevalence of goitre and urinary iodine status of primary-school children in Lesotho.

PubMed Central

Sebotsa, Masekonyela Linono Damane; Dannhauser, Andre; Jooste, Pieter L.; Joubert, Gina

2003-01-01

OBJECTIVE: To estimate the prevalence of goitre, urinary iodine status, coverage of supplementation of iodized oil capsules, and current use of iodized salt in children in Lesotho. METHODS: Cross-sectional study of children from 50 primary schools in Lesotho. Thyroid glands of children aged 8-12 years were measured by palpation and graded according to the WHO, UNICEF, and the International Council for the Control of Iodine Deficiency's (ICCIDD) joint criteria. The use of iodized oil capsules was determined by a structured questionnaire and verified with the children's health booklets. Iodine content of household salt samples was analysed. Casual urine samples were analysed for urinary iodine. FINDINGS: Median urinary iodine concentrations of 26.3 microg/l (range 22.3-47.9 microg/l) indicated moderate iodine deficiency. More children in the mountains than in the lowlands were severely iodine deficient (17.7% vs 1.9%). Adjusted prevalence of goitre (4.9%) increased with age, was higher in girls than boys, and ranged from 2.2% to 8.8% in the different districts; this indicated no public health problem. Overall, 94.4% of salt samples were iodized, and coverage of supplementation with iodized oil capsules was 55.1%. CONCLUSION: Mild-to-moderate iodine deficiency exists in Lesotho. Iodine deficiency was more severe in the mountains than the lowlands and is still a concern for public health. Use of iodized salt coupled with iodized oil supplementation effectively controls iodine deficiency disorders. Effective monitoring programmes would ensure the use of adequately iodized salt throughout Lesotho and serve to evaluate progress towards optimal iodine nutrition. Iodized oil capsule supplementation should continue in the mountains. PMID:12640473

Managing a Female Patient with Left Low Back Pain and Sacroiliac Joint Pain with Therapeutic Exercise: A Case Report

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

ABSTRACT Purpose: The purpose of this case study is to describe the management of a female patient with chronic left low back pain and sacroiliac joint pain (LBP/SIJP) using unique unilateral exercises developed by the Postural Restoration Institute (PRI) to address pelvic asymmetry and left hip capsule restriction, which is consistent with a Right Handed and Left Anterior Interior Chain pattern of postural asymmetry. Client Description: The client was 65-year-old woman with a 10-month history of constant left LBP/SIJP and leg pain. Intervention: The patient was seen six times to correct pelvic position/posture and left hip posterior capsule restriction via (1) muscle activation (left hamstrings, adductor magnus, and anterior gluteus medius) and (2) left hip adduction to lengthen the left posterior capsule/ischiofemoral ligament. Stabilization exercises included bilateral hamstrings, gluteus maximus, adductors, and abdominals to maintain pelvic position/posture. Measures and Outcome: Left Ober's test (initially positive) was negative at discharge. Pain as measured on the Numeric Pain Rating Scale (initially 1/10 at best and 8/10 at worst) was 0/10–0/10 at discharge. Oswestry Disability Index score (initially 20%) was 0% at discharge. The patient no longer had numbness in her left leg, and sexual intercourse had become pain free. Implications: Interventions to restore and maintain the optimal position of pelvis and hip (femoral head in the acetabulum) may be beneficial for treating patients with chronic LBP/SIJP. The patient's pain was eliminated 13 days after she first performed three exercises to reposition the pelvis and restore left posterior hip capsule extensibility and internal rotation. PMID:22379254

Experimental measurement on movement of spiral-type capsule endoscope

PubMed Central

Yang, Wanan; Dai, Houde; He, Yong; Qin, Fengqing

2016-01-01

Wireless capsule endoscope achieved great success, however, the maneuvering of wireless capsule endoscope is challenging at present. A magnetic driving instrument, including two bar magnets, a stepper motor, a motor driver, a motor controller, and a power supplier, was developed to generate rotational magnetic fields. Permanent magnet ring, magnetized as S and N poles radially and mounted spiral structure on the surface, acted as a capsule. The maximum torque passing to the capsule, rotational synchronization of capsule and motor, and the translational speed of capsule, were measured in ex vivo porcine large intestine. The experimental results illustrate that the rotational movement of the spiral-type capsule in the intestine is feasible and the cost of the magnetic driving equipment is low. As a result, the solution is promising in the future controllability. PMID:26848279

Experimental measurement on movement of spiral-type capsule endoscope.

PubMed

Yang, Wanan; Dai, Houde; He, Yong; Qin, Fengqing

2016-01-01

Wireless capsule endoscope achieved great success, however, the maneuvering of wireless capsule endoscope is challenging at present. A magnetic driving instrument, including two bar magnets, a stepper motor, a motor driver, a motor controller, and a power supplier, was developed to generate rotational magnetic fields. Permanent magnet ring, magnetized as S and N poles radially and mounted spiral structure on the surface, acted as a capsule. The maximum torque passing to the capsule, rotational synchronization of capsule and motor, and the translational speed of capsule, were measured in ex vivo porcine large intestine. The experimental results illustrate that the rotational movement of the spiral-type capsule in the intestine is feasible and the cost of the magnetic driving equipment is low. As a result, the solution is promising in the future controllability.

Contraception with subdermal ST-1435 capsules: side-effects, endocrine profiles and liver function related to different lengths of capsules.

PubMed

Kurunmäki, H; Toivonen, J; Lähteenmäki, P; Luukkainen, T

1985-03-01

One Silastic capsule of 15 mm, 20 mm or 30 mm length was inserted subcutaneously into the ventral aspect of the left forearm or upper arm of 28 healthy women during menstrual bleeding or not later than on the seventh day of the menstrual cycle. A new capsule of the same length was inserted after six months and both capsules were removed twelve months after the first insertion. Side-effects, including changes in body weight, blood pressure, menstrual bleeding and liver function test results, were registered. Blood samples were taken from selected subjects twice a week during the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 6th, 7th and 12th month of use. Plasma concentrations of ST-1435 were measured by radioimmunoassay and the effects of treatment on pituitary and ovarian function were determined by assaying plasma concentrations of LH, FSH, estradiol and progesterone. There were no differences in hormonal side-effects between subjects who had a 30 mm capsule or subjects who had 20 mm or 15 mm capsules, but subjects who had 20 or 15 mm capsules had significantly longer bleeding or spotting periods in comparison with subjects who had a 30 mm capsule. There were no changes in blood pressure, body weight or liver function test results in comparison with pre-insertion values. The plasma level of ST-1435 was not significantly higher during the use of 30 mm capsules than during the use of 20 or 15 mm capsules. During the use of the shorter ST-1435 capsules, plasma estradiol elevation and slightly suppressed FSH were seen, while the use of longer capsules resulted in a slight suppression of LH. Progesterone concentrations during monitored cycles indicated anovulation. No pregnancies occurred during the study period of one year. The continuation rate at one year was 71% in the 30 mm capsule group and 57% in the 20 and 15 mm capsule groups taken together.

Safety of capsule endoscopy using human body communication in patients with cardiac devices.

PubMed

Chung, Joo Won; Hwang, Hye Jin; Chung, Moon Jae; Park, Jeong Youp; Pak, Hui-Nam; Song, Si Young

2012-06-01

The MiroCam (IntroMedic, Ltd., Seoul, Korea) is a small-bowel capsule endoscope that uses human body communication to transmit data. The potential interactions between cardiac devices and the capsule endoscope are causes for concern, but no data are available for this matter. This clinical study was designed to evaluate the potential influence of the MiroCam capsules on cardiac devices. Patients with cardiac pacemakers or implantable cardiac defibrillators referred for evaluation of small bowel disease were prospectively enrolled in this study. Before capsule endoscopy, a cardiologist checked baseline electrocardiograms and functions of the cardiac devices. Cardiac rhythms were continuously monitored by 24-h telemetry during capsule endoscopy in the hospital. After completion of procedures, functions of the cardiac devices were checked again for interference. Images from the capsule endoscopy were reviewed and analyzed for technical problems. Six patients, three with pacemakers and three with implantable cardiac defibrillators, were included in the study. We identified no disturbances in the cardiac devices and no arrhythmias detected on telemetry monitoring during capsule endoscopy. No significant changes in the programmed parameters of the cardiac devices were noted after capsule endoscopy. There were no imaging disturbances from the cardiac devices on capsule endoscopy. Capsule endoscopy using human body communication to transmit data was safely performed in patients with cardiac pacemakers or implantable cardiac defibrillators. Images from the capsule endoscopy were not affected by cardiac devices. A further large-scale study is required to confirm the safety of capsule endoscopy with various types of cardiac devices.

Capsule endoscopy: impact on clinical decision making in patients with suspected small bowel bleeding.

PubMed

Gubler, C; Fox, M; Hengstler, P; Abraham, D; Eigenmann, F; Bauerfeind, P

2007-12-01

Capsule endoscopy is widely used for diagnosis of small-bowel disease; however, the impact of capsule endoscopy on clinical management remains uncertain. We conducted a prospective study of the impact capsule endoscopy on clinical management decisions in 128 patients with suspected small-bowel pathology. Prior to performing each procedure the gastroenterologist predicted the findings of capsule endoscopy and further management based on the clinical history and previous investigations. This prediction was compared with the actual results of capsule endoscopy and the following investigative and therapeutic management. The actual findings of capsule endoscopy and the further management were consistent with clinical prediction in 93/128 patients (73 %) and, irrespective of capsule endoscopy findings, no further procedures were required in 80 % of these patients. In 13 patients (10 %), gastric or colonic pathology was discovered that had not been detected on prior gastroscopy or colonoscopy. Thus, capsule endoscopy findings in the small bowel changed clinical management in 22 patients (17 %). In 4 patients, positive findings on capsule endoscopy that had not been predicted by the examiner prompted referral for abdominal surgery. Conversely, planned surgery was canceled in four other patients. In this series of patients referred for capsule endoscopy, small-bowel findings and appropriate clinical management were predicted on clinical grounds alone in approximately three-quarters of patients. Repetition of standard upper and lower endoscopy may be useful in many patients prior to small-bowel imaging. Referral for capsule endoscopy should take into account whether the findings will impact on clinical management; however, capsule endoscopy is mandatory in patients in whom surgery for small-bowel bleeding is intended.

Polyelectrolyte capsules preloaded with interconnected alginate matrix: An effective capsule system for encapsulation and release of macromolecules.

PubMed

Sundaramurthy, Anandhakumar; Sundramoorthy, Ashok K

2018-02-01

In recent years, the design of stimuli-responsive hollow polymeric capsules is of tremendous interest for the scientific community because of the broad application of these capsules in the biomedical field. The use of weak polyelectrolytes as layer components for capsule fabrication is especially interesting as it results in hollow capsules that show unique release characteristics under physiological conditions. In this work, a methodology to prepare sub-micron sized alginate doped calcium carbonate (CaCO 3 ) particles through controlled precipitation in the presence of alginate is reported. Hollow capsules obtained by Layer-by-Layer (LbL) assembly of poly(allylamine hydrochloride) (PAH) and poly(methacrylic acid) (PMA) are showing an interconnected alginate matrix in the interior of the capsules. Investigations showed that the presence of alginate matrix enhances the encapsulation of cationic molecules (e.g. doxorubicin hydrochloride) manifold by charge controlled attraction mechanism. Capsule permeability investigated by confocal laser scanning microscopy revealed that the transformation from an open state to closed state is accompanied by an intermediate state where capsules are neither open nor closed. Furthermore, time dependent study indicated that the encapsulation process is linear as a function of time. The cell viability experiments demonstrated excellent biocompatibility of hollow capsules with mouse embryonic fibroblast cells. Anticancer investigations showed that DOX loaded capsules have significant anti-proliferative characteristics against HeLa cells. Such capsules have high potential for use as drug carrier for cationic drugs in cancer therapy. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Basic ammonothermal GaN growth in molybdenum capsules

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pimputkar, S.; Speck, J. S.; Nakamura, S.

2016-12-01

Single crystal, bulk gallium nitride (GaN) crystals were grown using the basic ammonothermal method in a high purity growth environment created using a non-hermetically sealed molybdenum (Mo) capsule and compared to growths performed in a similarly designed silver (Ag) capsule and capsule-free René 41 autoclave. Secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) analysis revealed transition metal free (<1×1017 cm-3) GaN crystals. Anomalously low oxygen concentrations ((2-6)×1018 cm-3) were measured in a {0001} seeded crystal boule grown using a Mo capsule, despite higher source material oxygen concentrations ((1-5)×1019 cm-3) suggesting that molybdenum (or molybdenum nitrides) may act to getter oxygen under certain conditions. Total system pressure profiles from growth runs in a Mo capsule system were comparable to those without a capsule, with pressures peaking within 2 days and slowly decaying due to hydrogen diffusional losses. Measured Mo capsule GaN growth rates were comparable to un-optimized growth rates in capsule-free systems and appreciably slower than in Ag-capsule systems. Crystal quality replicated that of the GaN seed crystals for all capsule conditions, with high quality growth occurring on the (0001) Ga-face. Optical absorption and impurity concentration characterization suggests reduced concentrations of hydrogenated gallium vacancies (VGa-Hx).

Gettering capsule for removing oxygen from liquid lithium systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tower, L. K.; Breitwieser, R.

1973-01-01

Capsule consisting of tantalum shell lined with tantalum screen and partially filled with lithium and pieces of yttrium is immersed in hot lithium stream. Oxygen is removed from stream by being absorbed by gettering capsule. Oxygen passes through capsule wall and into lithium inside capsule where it reacts with yttrium to form Y2O3.

77 FR 40367 - Wyeth Pharmaceuticals, Inc.; Withdrawal of Approval of a New Drug Application for DURACT Capsules

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-07-09

... withdrawing approval of a new drug application (NDA) for DURACT (bromfenac sodium) Capsules, held by Wyeth... voluntarily withdrew DURACT (bromfenac sodium) Capsules from the market. DURACT (bromfenac sodium) Capsules, a... sodium) Capsules, under Sec. 314.150(d) (21 CFR 314.150(d)). In that letter, Wyeth also waived its...

Capsule Shimming Developments for National Ignition Facility (NIF) Hohlraum Asymmetry Experiments

DOE PAGES

Rice, Neal G.; Vu, M.; Kong, C.; ...

2017-12-20

Capsule drive in National Ignition Facility (NIF) indirect drive implosions is generated by x-ray illumination from cylindrical hohlraums. The cylindrical hohlraum geometry is axially symmetric but not spherically symmetric causing capsule-fuel drive asymmetries. We hypothesize that fabricating capsules asymmetric in wall thickness (shimmed) may compensate for drive asymmetries and improve implosion symmetry. Simulations suggest that for high compression implosions Legendre mode P 4 hohlraum flux asymmetries are the most detrimental to implosion performance. General Atomics has developed a diamond turning method to form a GDP capsule outer surface to a Legendre mode P 4 profile. The P 4 shape requiresmore » full capsule surface coverage. Thus, in order to avoid tool-lathe interference flipping the capsule part way through the machining process is required. This flipping process risks misalignment of the capsule causing a vertical step feature on the capsule surface. Recent trials have proven this step feature height can be minimized to ~0.25 µm.« less

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Jubin, Robert Thomas; Bruffey, Stephanie H.

Legacy samples composed of 85Kr encapsulated in solid zeolite 5A material and five small metal tubes containing a mixture of the zeolite combined with a glass matrix resulting from hot isostatic pressing have been preserved. The samples were a result of krypton R&D encapsulation efforts in the late 1970s performed at the Idaho Chemical Processing Plant. These samples were shipped to Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) in mid-FY 2014. Upon receipt the outer shipping package was opened, and the inner package, removed and placed in a radiological hood. The individual capsules were double bagged as they were removed from themore » inner shipping pig and placed into individual glass sample bottles for further analysis. The five capsules were then x-ray imaged. Capsules 1 and 4 appear intact and to contain an amorphous mass within the capsules. Capsule 2 clearly shows the saw marks on the capsule and a quantity of loose pellet or bead-like material remaining in the capsule. Capsule 3 shows similar bead-like material within the intact capsule. Capsule 5 had been opened at an undetermined time in the past. The end of this capsule appears to have been cut off, and there are additional saw marks on the side of the capsule. X-ray tomography allowed the capsules to be viewed along the three axes. Of most interest was determining whether there was any residual material in the closed end of Capsule 5. The images confirmed the presence of residual material within this capsule. The material appears to be compacted but still retains some of the bead-like morphology. Based on the nondestructive analysis (NDA) results, a proposed path forward was formulated to advance this effort toward the original goals of understanding the effects of extended storage on the waste form and package. Based on the initial NDA and the fact that there are at least two breached samples, it was proposed that exploratory tests be conducted with the breached specimens before opening the three intact capsules. Portions of these would be analyzed to determine the fraction of krypton/xenon remaining in the matrix and the amount of rubidium remaining in the matrix. The inner surface of the breached capsules would be examined for corrosion. The materials contained in Capsules 2 and 5 have been examined. There appears to be a relatively uniform distribution of Kr and Rb throughout the pellets examined. The chemical composition of the pellets appears to be consistent with 5A molecular sieves. The material contained within Capsule 5 showed ~1 at. % lead. The origin of the Pb is currently indeterminate. X-ray diffraction analysis shows a significant shift from the 5A structure, most likely due to the Kr encapsulation / sintering process that occurred when the samples were made. The capsule walls were also examined and showed extensive corrosion throughout. Elemental mapping of the capsule material appeared consistent with carbon steel, while the weld material appeared consistent with a stainless steel. The interior surface of the capsule appeared to have a layer of material containing Al, Si, and Ca similar to the 5A molecular sieve. Analysis for Rb within the corrosion sites was inconclusive.« less

Walker and Wheelock in MRM-1

NASA Image and Video Library

2010-11-19

ISS025-E-017111 (22 Nov. 2010)--- NASA astronauts Shannon Walker, Expedition 25 flight engineer, and Doug Wheelock, Expedition 25 commander; have donned their Sokol (Russian word for 'Falcon') pressure suits and are pictured in the Russian MRM-1 module aboard the Earth-orbiting International Space Station. They, along with Russian cosmonaut Fyodor Yurchikhin, flight engineer, ingressed the docked Soyuz capsule to conduct pressurization and leak checks on their suits.

Walker,Wheelock and Yurchikhin in MRM-1

NASA Image and Video Library

2010-11-19

ISS025-E-017118 (22 Nov. 2010)--- From left, NASA astronaut Shannon Walker, Expedition 25 flight engineer; NASA astronaut Doug Wheelock, Expedition 25 commander; and Russian cosmonaut Fyodor Yurchikhin, flight engineer, are all suited up in their Sokol (Russian word for 'Falcon') pressure suits in the Russian MRM-1 module aboard the Earth-orbiting International Space Station. They ingressed the docked Soyuz capsule to conduct pressurization and leak checks on their suits.

Expedition 9 Soyuz Assembly

NASA Image and Video Library

2004-04-15

As engineers at the Baikonur Cosmodrome prepare to mate the Soyuz TMA-4 capsule with its booster rocket in preparation for a launch on April 19 of the Expedition 9 crew and a European astronaut to the International Space Station, a worker sits next to the book where technicians sign off after each step is completed of the Soyuz mating procedure, Friday, April 16, 2004 in Baikonur, Kazakhstan. Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)