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Control Cases (control + case)
Selected AbstractsWidespread axonal damage in the brain of drug abusers as evidenced by accumulation of ,-amyloid precursor protein (,-APP): an immunohistochemical investigationADDICTION, Issue 9 2006Andreas Büttner ABSTRACT Background In drug abusers, white matter changes have been described by neuroimaging analyses in different brain regions. A specific pattern of involvement or a predominance of a specific brain region could not be drawn. Aims To examine alterations of the white matter as a possible morphological substrate of the neuroimaging findings. Methods Brain specimens of 30 polydrug abusers and 20 controls were obtained at autopsy. The white matter from 11 different brain regions was analysed by means of immunohistochemistry for ,-amyloid precursor protein (,-APP), a marker of axonal damage. Findings In the white matter of polydrug abusers, ,-APP-immunopositive accumulations were increased significantly compared to controls. They were more prominent in the brains of younger drug abusers than in those of the elderly. With the exception of five cases (four polydrug abusers and one control case), there were no significant white matter changes seen on myelin-stained sections, but there was a concomitant microglial activation. Conclusions Our results show a significant axonal damage in the brains of polydrug abusers, which might represent the morphological substrate of a chronic-progressive drug-induced toxic-metabolic process. It is yet to be established if the observed changes are responsible for the alterations seen in different neuroimaging analyses and which drugs of abuse might be of major pathogenetic significance. [source] H, control for discrete-time Markovian jump linear systems with partly unknown transition probabilitiesINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ROBUST AND NONLINEAR CONTROL, Issue 8 2009Lixian Zhang Abstract In this paper, the problem of H, control for a class of discrete-time Markovian jump linear system with partly unknown transition probabilities is investigated. The class of systems under consideration is more general, which covers the systems with completely known and completely unknown transition probabilities as two special cases. Moreover, in contrast to the uncertain transition probabilities studied recently, the concept of partly unknown transition probabilities proposed in this paper does not require any knowledge of the unknown elements. The H, controllers to be designed include state feedback and dynamic output feedback, since the latter covers the static one. The sufficient conditions for the existence of the desired controllers are derived within the matrix inequalities framework, and a cone complementary linearization algorithm is exploited to solve the latent equation constraints in the output-feedback control case. Two numerical examples are provided to show the validness and potential of the developed theoretical results. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Mixed ,2/,, nonlinear filteringINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ROBUST AND NONLINEAR CONTROL, Issue 4 2009M. D. S. Aliyu Abstract In this paper, we consider the mixed ,2/,, filtering problem for affine nonlinear systems. Sufficient conditions for the solvability of this problem with a finite-dimensional filter are given in terms of a pair of coupled Hamilton,Jacobi,Isaacs equations (HJIEs). For linear systems, it is shown that these conditions reduce to a pair of coupled Riccati equations similar to the ones for the control case. Both the finite-horizon and the infinite-horizon problems are discussed. Simulation results are presented to show the usefulness of the scheme, and the results are generalized to include other classes of nonlinear systems. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Robust control of multi-axis magnetic bearing systemsINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ROBUST AND NONLINEAR CONTROL, Issue 14 2001T.-J. Yeh Abstract This paper proposes robust control schemes for multi-axis magnetic bearing systems under current control and voltage control. The control schemes are based on a model which characterizes not only the electromagnetic interaction but also secondary effects such as flux leakage, fringing fluxes, and finite core permeance in the magnetic bearing. In the current control case, a sliding-mode-based robust controller, whose control parameters have to be deliberately chosen to account for the uni-directionality of magnetic forces, is proposed to provide robust performance against uncertain dynamics. In the voltage control case, a control scheme that combines the sliding methodology and the backstepping technique is used to provide robust performance under the influence of the electrical dynamics. It is demonstrated through simulations and experiments that, because the nonlinearity and the uncertainty inherently residing in the system behaviour are directly tackled, the proposed controllers achieve superior tracking performances compared to control lers based on linearization. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Genes Associated With Alcohol Abuse and Tobacco Smoking in the Human Nucleus Accumbens and Ventral Tegmental AreaALCOHOLISM, Issue 7 2010Traute Flatscher-Bader Background:, The incidence of alcohol and tobacco co-abuse is as high as 80%. The molecular mechanism underlying this comorbidity is virtually unknown, but interactions between these drugs have important implications for the development of and recovery from drug dependence. Methods:, We investigated the effects of chronic tobacco and alcohol abuse and the interaction of the 2 behaviors on global gene expression in the human nucleus accumbens using cDNA microarrays and 20 alcoholic and control cases, with and without smoking comorbidity. Changes in gene expression were established by factorial ANOVA. Unsupervised hierarchical clustering was utilized to probe the strength of the data sets. Applying real-time PCR differential expression of candidate genes was confirmed in the nucleus accumbens and explored further in a second core region of the mesolimbic system, the ventral tegmental area. Results:, Subjecting the data sets derived from microarray gene expression screening to unsupervised hierarchical clustering tied the cases into distinct groups. When considering all alcohol-responsive genes, alcoholics were separated from nonalcoholics with the exception of 1 control case. All smokers were distinguished from nonsmokers based on similarity in expression of smoking-sensitive genes. In the nucleus accumbens, alcohol-responsive genes were associated with transcription, lipid metabolism, and signaling. Smoking-sensitive genes were predominantly assigned to functional groups concerned with RNA processing and the endoplasmic reticulum. Both drugs influenced the expression of genes involved in matrix remodeling, proliferation, and cell morphogenesis. Additionally, a gene set encoding proteins involved in the canonical pathway "regulation of the actin cytoskeleton" was induced in response to alcohol and tobacco co-abuse and included. Alcohol abuse elevated the expression of candidate genes in this pathway in the nucleus accumbens and ventral tegmental area, while smoking comorbidity blunted this induction in the ventral tegmental area. Conclusions:, The region-specific modulation of alcohol-sensitive gene expression by smoking may have important consequences for alcohol-induced aberrations within the mesolimbic dopaminergic system. [source] Large cell calcifying Sertoli cell tumor of the testis: Comparative immunohistochemical study with Leydig cell tumorPATHOLOGY INTERNATIONAL, Issue 6 2005Katsuaki Sato Large cell calcifying Sertoli cell tumor is a rare type of testicular, tumor., Reported, herein, is, a, Japanese, patient with this tumor not associated with Carney's complex. An 11-year-old boy was admitted to hospital because of left testicular enlargement, and radical orchiectomy was performed. Macroscopically, the tumor was well circumscribed and had a maximum diameter of approximately 2 cm. The cut surface showed a yellow-white solid mass. Histologically, the tumor was composed of large neoplastic cells with abundant eosinophilic cytoplasm with a tubular, trabecular, and solid arrangement and loose myxoid stroma with irregularly shaped calcification. Immunohistochemically, the tumor cells were positive for vimentin, S-100 protein, calretinin, inhibin-,, melan-A, and CD10, and type IV collagen and laminin were observed in the extracellular matrix around the tumor cells. The distributions of melan-A, CD10, and mitochondria were characteristically patchy; in contrast, they were diffusely distributed in the cytoplasm in a control case of Leydig cell tumor. The differences in immunostaining patterns for melan-A, CD10, and mitochondria as well as positivity for S-100 protein-, might be useful diagnostic hallmarks of large cell calcifying Sertoli cell tumor for discrimination from Leydig cell tumor. [source] The influence of stratospheric potential vorticity on baroclinic instabilityTHE QUARTERLY JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL METEOROLOGICAL SOCIETY, Issue 644 2009L. A. Smy Abstract This article examines the dynamical coupling between the stratosphere and troposphere by considering the effect of direct perturbations to stratospheric potential vorticity on the evolution of midlatitude baroclinic instability in a simple extension of an Eady model. A simulation in which stratospheric potential vorticity is exactly zero is used as a control case, and both zonally symmetric and asymmetric perturbations to the stratospheric potential vorticity are then considered, the former representative of a strong polar vortex, the latter representative of the stratospheric state following a major sudden warming. Both types of stratospheric perturbation result in significant changes to the synoptic-scale evolution of surface temperature, as well as to zonally and globally averaged tropospheric quantities. In the case of a zonally symmetric perturbation, the linear growth rate of all unstable modes decreases with increasing perturbation amplitude. Initial growth rates in cases with significant asymmetric perturbations are also weaker than those of the control case, but final eddy kinetic energy values are much larger due to the growth of low zonal wavenumbers triggered by the initial stratospheric perturbation. A comparison of the zonally symmetric and asymmetric perturbations gives some insight into the possible influence of pre- or post-sudden-warming conditions on tropospheric evolution. Copyright © 2009 Royal Meteorological Society [source] Sensitivity of one-dimensional radiative biases to vertical cloud-structure assumptions: Validation with aircraft dataTHE QUARTERLY JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL METEOROLOGICAL SOCIETY, Issue 608 2005F. Di Giuseppe Abstract Three representations of an observed stratocumulus system are generated by combining aircraft observations with a simple statistical model. The realizations differ in their representation of the vertical cloud structure while the horizontal variability is identical. In the control case (A) both the adiabatic liquid-water profile and the effect of wind-shear induced vertical decorrelation are represented. The second simulation (B) removes the wind-shear effect by assuming maximum overlap between adjacent layers. The third case (C) instead removes vertical variability by averaging the in-cloud liquid water for each column. For each of these scenes Monte Carlo simulated solar fluxes are compared against observed flux measurements. Cases A and B agree with observed (horizontal) flux variations within statistical uncertainty, while case C, which neglects vertical variability, is not able to reproduce the observed fluxes. The comparison between the radiative fields produced by these three representations of the stratocumulus system, calculated using a three-dimensional radiative-transfer solution, an independent pixel approximation (IPA) and a plane-parallel (PP) approach, shows substantial differences. Not accounting for the adiabatic liquid-water profile generates a systematic increase in the optical depth, , when the effective radius is computed from mean liquid-water content and droplet-number concentration, that can be responsible for a 5% increase in the reflection for shallow boundary-layer cloud systems (,,1). A much stronger effect in the radiative properties is produced by varying the cloud-overlap rule applied. While changing from maximum to random overlap does not introduce any variation in the optical depth of the cloud scene, it does introduce an increase in the reflection that is proportional to the relative change in total cloud fraction. The magnitude of these latter biases is comparable to that produced by unresolved horizontal variability. Moreover, it is shown that, when the vertical cloud structure is properly resolved, the effect of horizontal fluctuations is also reduced. Copyright © 2005 Royal Meteorological Society [source] Affinity-enhanced protein partitioning in decyl ,- D -glucopyranoside two-phase aqueous micellar systemsBIOTECHNOLOGY & BIOENGINEERING, Issue 4 2005Henry Lam Abstract Liquid,liquid extraction in two-phase aqueous complex-fluid systems has been proposed as a scalable, versatile, and cost-effective purification method for the downstream processing of biotechnological products. In the case of two-phase aqueous micellar systems, careful choices of the phase-forming surfactants or surfactant mixtures allow these systems to separate biomolecules based on size, hydrophobicity, charge, or specific affinity. In this article, we investigate the affinity-enhanced partitioning of a model affinity-tagged protein,green fluorescent protein fused to a family 9 carbohydrate-binding module (CBM9-GFP),in a two-phase aqueous micellar system generated from the nonionic surfactant n -decyl ,- D -glucopyranoside (C10G1), which acts simultaneously as the phase-former and the affinity ligand. In this simple system, CBM9-GFP was extracted preferentially into the micelle-rich phase, despite the opposing tendency of the steric, excluded-volume interactions operating between the protein and the micelles. We obtained more than a sixfold increase (from 0.47 to 3.1) in the protein partition coefficient (Kp), as compared to a control case where the affinity interactions were "turned off" by the addition of a competitive inhibitor (glucose). It was demonstrated conclusively that the observed increase in Kp can be attributed to the specific affinity between the CBM9 domain and the affinity surfactant C10G1, suggesting that the method can be generally applied to any CBM9-tagged protein. To rationalize the observed phenomenon of affinity-enhanced partitioning in two-phase aqueous micellar systems, we formulated a theoretical framework to model the protein partition coefficient. The modeling approach accounts for both the excluded-volume interactions and the affinity interactions between the protein and the surfactants, and considers the contributions from the monomeric and the micellar surfactants separately. The model was shown to be consistent with the experimental data, as well as with our current understanding of the CBM9 domain. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. [source] EFFECTIVENESS OF DRUG TREATMENT COURTS: EVIDENCE FROM A RANDOMIZED TRIAL,CRIMINOLOGY AND PUBLIC POLICY, Issue 2 2003DENISE C. GOTTFREDSON Research Summary: Study randomly assigned 235 offenders to drug treatment court (DTC) or "treatment as usual." Analyses of official records collected over a two-year follow-up period show that DTC is reducing crime in a population of drug-addicted offenders. DTC subjects who participated in treatment were significantly less likely to recidivate than were both untreated drug court subjects and control subjects. Policy Implications: Continued enthusiasm for DTCs is warranted. Both sanctions and treatment are important elements of the DTC model. However, DTCs will not necessarily result in cost reductions because DTC and control cases are incarcerated for approximately equal numbers of days. Implementation fidelity is important, and DTCs can be strengthened if they engage a higher percentage of their clients in drug treatment. [source] Endometrial glandular and stromal breakdown, part 1: Cytomorphological appearanceDIAGNOSTIC CYTOPATHOLOGY, Issue 9 2006C.M.I.A.C., Keiko Shimizu C.T. Abstract Endometrial carcinoma is the most common invasive neoplasm of the female reproductive tract. Early detection and accurate diagnosis of these lesions and its precursor by endometrial cytology is now accepted in Japan and regarded as an effective primary method of evaluating endometrial pathology (atypical hyperplasia or carcinoma). Careful cytomorphologic evaluation of the abnormal endometrial lesions has made possible an accurate and reproducible microscopic assessment. The current study was conducted to determine the significance of endometrial cytology on disordered endometrium associated with anovulation when compared with endometrial hyperplasia. From January 1998 through April 2004, 144 cases on which histopathological diagnoses were obtained by endometrial curettage after taken direct endometrial sample by Endocyte. The materials comprise 49 cases of normal proliferative endometrium, and 63 cases of endometrial hyperplasia without atypia were prepared as control cases. The cytomorphology was examined involving so-called endometrial glandular and stromal breakdown (EGBD). EGBD cases evidenced significant numbers of stromal cells condensed and formed compact nests with hyperchromatic nuclei and little or no cytoplasm. They were often associated with fragmented clusters of endometrial glands with condensed cluster of stromal cells. Both the fragmented cluster of endometrial glands and condensed cluster of stromal cells are a characteristic cytologic feature of EGBD endometrium on the cyto-architectural diagnosis. The combination of these cellular patterns is highly specific to this abnormal pathological condition in EGBD endometrium. To improve the accuracy of the cytodiagnosis, it is important that the cytology of the EGBD endometrium should be diagnosed negative; as a result, we can achieve successful endometrial cytology with cyto-architectural criteria for the endometrial pathology. Diagn. Cytopathol. 2006;34:609,613. © 2006 Wiley,Liss, Inc. [source] Distal esophagitis in patients with mustard-gas induced chronic coughDISEASES OF THE ESOPHAGUS, Issue 4 2006M. Ghanei SUMMARY., Although confounded by some factors such as medications or surgical complications, the relationship between esophageal pathology and pulmonary disorders has been the subject of many studies. The present study sought to investigate the said relationship in patients inflicted by respiratory disorders induced by mustard gas (MG). A case group of patients complaining of respiratory complications and chronic coughs following MG exposure, and a control group of patients with chronic coughs but without a history of MG exposure were studied. All the case and control subjects had symptoms of gastro-esophageal reflux disease. Chest high resolution tomography (HRCT) was performed to evaluate the existence of pulmonary disorders. Endoscopy and histological studies were carried out to determine the severity of esophagitis in both groups presenting with gastroesophageal reflux. Ninety male patients, who had met our criteria, along with 40 male control cases underwent the diagnostic procedures. The frequency of endoscopic esophagitis findings in the chemically exposed group was significantly higher than that in the control group (70.0%vs. 42.5%). A pathological evaluation revealed that the frequency of esophagitis in the cases was more than that in the controls (32.3%vs. 14.2%). Chest HRCT evaluation demonstrated that half the case group had more than 25% air trapping in expiratory films, mostly compatible with bronchiolitis obliterans (BO). In addition, they were suffering from asthma, chronic bronchitis and bronchiectasis. Bronchiolitis obliterans, along with other lung disorders, can be considered as contributors in the pathogenesis of esophagitis in MG exposed patients. [source] Evaluation of Subendocardial and Subepicardial Left Ventricular Functions Using Tissue Doppler Imaging after Complete RevascularizationECHOCARDIOGRAPHY, Issue 2 2009Hüseyin Sürücü M.D. Objective: We aim to evaluate subepicardial and subendocardial left ventricular (LV) functions in patient single coronary artery lesion at early stage after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Additionally, a comparison of LV functions between patients and control cases was aimed. Method: Patients with culprit left anterior descending (LAD) lesion (n = 25) and subjects with normal coronary angiography (n = 25) were evaluated. Patients underwent PCI and at least one coronary stent was placed. After PCI, the pulsed-wave tissue Doppler imaging (pw-TDI) parameters taken from subepicardial and subepicardial layers were compared among the patients. Results: Left atrium (P = 0.050), LV end-diastolic (P = 0.049), and end-systolic (P = 0.006) diameters were larger compared to the control group. LV inflow velocities were not different between the patient and the control group. But, the myocardial performance index was different (P = 0.049). The systolic and diastolic pw-TDI parameters were apparently different between the patient and the control group. While the systolic pw-TDI parameters did not change, the diastolic pw-TDI parameters taken from both subepicardial (circumferential contraction) and subendocardial layers (longitudinal contraction) improved after PCI. After PCI, it was shown that while Ea velocity (P = 0.012) taken from the subendocardial layer increased, IVRa velocity (P < 0.001) taken from the subepicardial layer decreased. Conclusion: In our study, it could be said that LV, left atrium, and aortic valve diameter increase in patients with coronary artery disease. The systolic and diastolic functions were impaired at subendocardial and subepicardial layers. These dysfunctions can be easily presented with pw-TDI. Although systolic dysfunction persists, diastolic dysfunction improves at early stage after PCI. [source] Constitutive expression of the FK506 binding protein 51 (FKBP51) in bone marrow cells and megakaryocytes derived from idiopathic myelofibrosis and non-neoplastic haematopoiesisEUROPEAN JOURNAL OF HAEMATOLOGY, Issue 4 2004Oliver Bock Abstract: Objectives:, Overexpression of FK506 binding protein 51 (FKBP51) in megakaryocytic progenitor cells generated from purified CD34+ cells in patients with idiopathic myelofibrosis (IMF) has been demonstrated. It has been suggested that FKBP51 is involved in the dysregulation of the apoptotic programme with consecutive prolongation of cell survival. The knowledge of FKBP51 and its expression in bone marrow cells and mature megakaryocytes in non-neoplastic haematopoiesis and IMF is sparse. Methods:, To evaluate a potential overexpression of FKBP51 in patients with IMF (n = 37) compared with non-neoplastic haematopoiesis (n = 31), total bone marrow cells as well as single megakaryocytes, isolated by laser microdissection, were quantitatively analysed by real-time reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). By applying immunohistochemistry, FKBP51 gene expression was correlated with staining pattern and cellular localisation of the corresponding FKBP51 protein. Results:, We demonstrated that FKBP51 is constitutively expressed in non-neoplastic haematopoiesis. FKBP51 gene expression by total bone marrow cells as well as megakaryocytes was not significantly different in IMF. FKBP51 protein expression could be localised to myeloid progenitor cells as well as megakaryocytes. In particular, megakaryocytes were stained almost exclusively nuclear for FKBP51. No differences in expression patterns between both IMF and control cases could be demonstrated. Conclusions:, For the first time, FKBP51 expression, in particular gene expression and subcellular localization was described in bone marrow cells of non-neoplastic and neoplastic haematopoiesis grown in vivo. We conclude that FKBP51 could be temporarily overexpressed in megakaryocytic progenitors rather than contribute to the accumulation of mature megakaryocytes in IMF. [source] Neuronal disinhibition in the trigeminal nucleus caudalis in a model of chronic neuropathic painEUROPEAN JOURNAL OF NEUROSCIENCE, Issue 3 2010Yasmina B. Martin Abstract The mechanisms underlying neuropathic facial pain syndromes are incompletely understood. We used a unilateral chronic constriction injury of the rat infraorbital nerve (CCI-IoN) as a facial neuropathic model. Pain-related behavior of the CCI-IoN animals was tested at 8, 15 and 26 days after surgery (dps). The response threshold to mechanical stimulation with von Frey hairs on the injured side was reduced at 15 and 26 dps, indicating the presence of allodynia. We performed unitary recordings in the caudalis division of the spinal trigeminal nucleus (Sp5C) at 8 or 26 dps, and examined spontaneous activity and responses to mechanical and thermal stimulation of the vibrissal pad. Neurons were identified as wide dynamic range (WDR) or low-threshold mechanoreceptive (LTM) according to their response to tactile and/or noxious stimulation. Following CCI-IoN, WDR neurons, but not LTM neurons, increased their spontaneous activity at 8 and 26 dps, and both types of Sp5C neurons increased their responses to tactile stimuli. In addition, the on,off tactile response in neurons recorded after CCI-IoN was followed by afterdischarges that were not observed in control cases. Compared with controls, the response inhibition observed during paired-pulse stimulation was reduced after CCI-IoN. Immunohistochemical studies showed an overall decrease in GAD65 immunoreactivity in Sp5C at 26 dps, most marked in laminae I and II, suggesting that following CCI-IoN the inhibitory circuits in the sensory trigeminal nuclei are depressed. Consequently, our results strongly suggest that disinhibition of Sp5C neurons plays a relevant role in the appearance of allodynia after CCI-IoN. [source] Minimum shear wind strength required for dynamic soaring of albatrossesIBIS, Issue 1 2005GOTTFRIED SACHS The transfer of energy from the moving air in the shear wind above the sea surface to a bird is considered as an energy source for dynamic soaring, with the goal to determine the minimum shear wind strength required for the dynamic soaring of albatrosses. Focus is on energy-neutral trajectories, implying that the energy gain from the moving air is just sufficient to compensate for the energy loss due to drag for a dynamic soaring cycle. A mathematical optimization method is used for computing minimum shear wind energy-neutral trajectories, using a realistic flight mechanics model for the soaring of albatrosses. Thus, the minimum shear wind strength required for dynamic soaring is determined. The minimum shear wind strength is of a magnitude that often exists or is exceeded in areas in which albatrosses are found. This result holds for two control cases dealt with, one of which shows a freely selectable and the other a constant lift coefficient characteristic. The mechanism of energy transfer from the shear flow to the bird is considered, and it is shown that there is a significant energy gain in the upper curve and a loss in the lower curve. As a result, the upper curve can be qualified as the characteristic flight phase of dynamic soaring to achieve an energy gain. [source] Kerion and dermatophytic granuloma.INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF DERMATOLOGY, Issue 3 2006Mycological, histopathological findings in 19 children with inflammatory tinea capitis of the scalp Background, Inflammatory tinea capitis or kerion is the result of a hypersensitivity reaction to a dermatophytic infection. Majocchi's granuloma, in contrast, usually begins as a suppurative folliculitis and culminates in a granulomatous reaction. Objectives, To present clinical, mycological and histopathological findings for 19 cases of kerion of the scalp in children. Methods, Nineteen children were investigated (14 boys and five girls) with a mean age of 6.5 years. A potassium hydroxide (KOH) exam and culture in Sabouraud dextrose agar were performed, followed by a biopsy with hematoxylin and eosin, periodic acid-schiff (PAS) and Gomori-Grocott stains. The same investigations were carried out in four control cases of noninflammatory tinea capitis. Results, Clinical history varied from 2 to 16 weeks (mean 6.6 weeks). Diagnosis was confirmed by a positive KOH exam: all cases except one had a positive culture. The following dermatophytes were isolated: Microsporum canis (32%), Trichophyton mentagrophytes (27%), Trichophyton tonsurans (21%), Trichophyton rubrum (10%) and Microsporum gypseum (5%). The histopathological findings were: suppurative folliculitis (SF) 11%, SF plus suppurative dermatitis 37%, suppurative and granulomatous dermatitis (SGD) 26% and SGD plus fibrosing dermatitis 26%. Fungi were observed in 63% of the histopathological sections. Perifollicular infiltrates (PF) around the parasitized hair follicles were identified in the four noninflammatory control cases due to M. canis. Conclusions, Kerion Celsi is an inflammatory or suppurative type of tinea capitis caused by zoophylic dermatophytes (M. canis and T. mentagrophytes), but also by antrophophylic (T. tonsurans and T. rubrum) and geophylic (M. gypseum) dermatophytes. Histopathological findings showed a spectrum from mild suppurative folliculitis to dense granulomatous infiltrates without a clear relationship with the clinical features. [source] High incidence of demodicidosis in eyelid basal cell carcinomasINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF DERMATOLOGY, Issue 7 2003Zülal Erbagci MD Background Although UV radiation is the major cause of basal cell carcinoma (BCC), local factors, such as chronic trauma, irritation, or inflammation, may also have some role in its etiopathogenesis. The pilosebaceous follicle mites, Demodex folliculorum and D. brevis, inhabit most commonly and densely certain facial skin areas, including the nose and periorbital regions, where BCC also develops most frequently. Aim To investigate, in a retrospective histopathologic study, whether a possible etiopathogenetic relationship exists between demodicidosis and eyelid BCCs. Methods We examined 32 eyelid BCC specimens that contained at least five eyelashes or five hair follicles with respect to the presence and density of Demodex mites. As controls, we evaluated 34 matched specimens consisting of benign eyelid skin lesions. Results Twenty-one of 32 BCC cases (65.6%) and eight of 34 control cases (23.33%) had demodicidosis. Mean mite counts were 1.31 ± 1.57 and 0.47 ± 0.99 in BCC cases and controls, respectively. The differences were significant for both prevalence (P < 0.001) and density (P = 0.0052). Although there was a significant positive correlation between increasing mite number and patient age in the control group (r = 0.47, P < 0.05), no significant correlation was found between these two factors in BCC cases (r = ,0.102, P > 0.05). Conclusions Demodicidosis may be one of the triggering factors of carcinogenesis in eyelid BCCs in otherwise predisposed people due to its traumatic/irritating effect or chronic inflammation. [source] Fractal Analysis of Radiographic Trabecular Bone Texture and Bone Mineral Density: Two Complementary Parameters Related to Osteoporotic FracturesJOURNAL OF BONE AND MINERAL RESEARCH, Issue 4 2001C. L. Benhamou Abstract Trabecular bone microarchitecture and bone mineral density (BMD) are two main factors related to osteoporotic fractures. Currently, however, microarchitecture is not evaluated. We have developed and validated a trabecular bone texture analysis from radiographic images. The objective was to determine if the fractal analysis of texture was able to distinguish osteoporotic fracture groups from control groups, either in vertebrae, hip, or wrist fractures, and to determine if this indicator and BMD were independent and complementary. In this cross-sectional unicenter case-control population study in postmenopausal women, 107 fracture cases were enrolled and age-matched with 197 control cases. This population comprised 40 vertebral fractures (with 70 controls), 30 hip fractures (55 controls), and 37 wrist fractures (62 controls). Hip and lumbar spine BMD were measured by double-energy X-ray absorptiometry. Fractal analysis of texture was performed on calcaneus radiographs and the result was expressed as the H parameter (H = 2-fractal dimension). The H parameter showed a lower value (0.679 ± 0.053 SD) in fracture cases versus control cases (0.696 ± 0.030; p = 0.007), the statistical significance persisting after adjustment for age and for lumbar spine (LS) or hip BMD. This result was confirmed in vertebral fractures (p = 0.0001) and hip fractures (p = 0.003) but not wrist fractures (p = 0.07). We determined the threshold between high and low H values and then the odds ratios (OR) of fracture for low H for BMD , ,2.5 SD in T score and for the combinations of both parameters. The OR of fracture for low H was 1.6 (95% CI, 1.1,2.6). For LS BMD , ,2.5 SD the OR of 6.1 (3.4,10.8) shifted to 9.0 (4.0,20.4) when we added low H and for hip BMD it shifted from 5.6 (3.3,9.4) to 8.1 (4.0,16.8). In vertebral, hip, and wrist fracture cases the results were also significant. These data have shown that the fractal analysis of texture on calcaneus radiographs can distinguish osteoporotic fracture groups from control groups. This analysis and BMD provide independent and complementary information. These data suggest that we can improve the fracture risk evaluation by adding information related to microarchitecture, derived from analysis of conventional radiographic images. [source] Granuloma annulare , a manifestation of infection with Borrelia?JOURNAL OF CUTANEOUS PATHOLOGY, Issue 11 2008Mirjana Ziemer Background:, Among the theories of origin of granuloma annulare (GA) are those of infection. Reports gave raise to the assumption that there is evidence for Borrelia as the causing agent. Methods:, To assess the evidence for infection with Borrelia in GA, tissue sections were stained with a polyclonal Borrelia antibody. With focus-floating microscopy (FFM), slides were scanned at a 200- to 400-fold magnification. Part of the material was also investigated with a Borrelia-specific polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Results:, A total of 157 biopsies of GA have been investigated. Using FFM, Borrelia were detected in 127 cases of GA (80.9%). Borrelia were more prominent in localized (85.2%) than in diffuse GA (62.1%). In 27 cases of GA analysed by PCR, Borrelia-specific DNA could be detected in only one case (3.7%), but was positive in 21 cases by FFM (77.8%). About 93.3% of 15 control cases of borreliosis were positive with FFM and 46.7% with PCR, while all controls other than borreliosis remained negative for spirochetes. Conclusion:, FFM is a reliable method to show Borrelia in tissue sections of GA, which is more sensitive than PCR. This underlines the possibility that Borrelia are involved specifically in the aetiology and pathogenesis of GA. [source] Can Renal Acute Tubular Necrosis Be Differentiated from Autolysis at Autopsy?,JOURNAL OF FORENSIC SCIENCES, Issue 2 2009Linda Kocovski B.Sc. Abstract:, We investigate the morphological characteristics that may differentiate between ischemic acute tubular necrosis (ATN) and autolysis in postmortem samples. Renal tissue from 57 postmortem cases with an antemortem diagnosis of ATN and 57 age-/sex-matched control cases were examined for 10 morphological characteristics: epithelial proliferation (Ki-67 immunoperoxidase positivity), fibrin thrombi, tubular epithelial whorls, mitoses, casts, autolysis, tubulorrhexis, epithelial flattening, interstitial inflammation, and interstitial expansion. Tubular epithelial whorls were found in 16 ATN cases and were absent in controls. These findings suggest that specific morphological criteria may distinguish ischemic ATN from autolysis. Diagnoses of ATN may be confirmed using these combined criteria as contributing to cause of death and/or to ascertain previously undiagnosed cases of ATN postmortem. [source] Activation of MKK6, an upstream activator of p38, in Alzheimer's diseaseJOURNAL OF NEUROCHEMISTRY, Issue 2 2001Xiongwei Zhu Mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) p38 has been implicated in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease, but the upstream cascade leading to p38 activation has not been elucidated in the disease. In the present study, we focused on mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase 6 (MKK6), one of the upstream activators of p38 MAPK. We found that MKK6 was not only increased but also specifically associated with granular structures in the susceptible neurons in the hippocampus and cortex of Alzheimer's disease patients, but was only weakly diffuse in the cytoplasm in neurons in control cases. Immunoblot analysis demonstrated a significant increase of MKK6 level in Alzheimer's disease compared with age-matched controls. In this regard, in hippocampal and cortical regions of individuals with Alzheimer's disease, the activated phospho-MKK6 was localized exclusively in association with pathological alterations including neurofibrillary tangles, senile plaques, neuropil threads and granular structures, overlapping with activated p38 MAPK suggesting both a functional and mechanic link. By immunoblot analysis, phospho-MKK6 is also significantly increased in AD compared with control cases. Together, these findings lend further credence to the notion that the p38 MAPK pathway is dysregulated in Alzheimer's disease and also indicates an active role for this pathway in disease pathogenesis. [source] Genes Associated With Alcohol Abuse and Tobacco Smoking in the Human Nucleus Accumbens and Ventral Tegmental AreaALCOHOLISM, Issue 7 2010Traute Flatscher-Bader Background:, The incidence of alcohol and tobacco co-abuse is as high as 80%. The molecular mechanism underlying this comorbidity is virtually unknown, but interactions between these drugs have important implications for the development of and recovery from drug dependence. Methods:, We investigated the effects of chronic tobacco and alcohol abuse and the interaction of the 2 behaviors on global gene expression in the human nucleus accumbens using cDNA microarrays and 20 alcoholic and control cases, with and without smoking comorbidity. Changes in gene expression were established by factorial ANOVA. Unsupervised hierarchical clustering was utilized to probe the strength of the data sets. Applying real-time PCR differential expression of candidate genes was confirmed in the nucleus accumbens and explored further in a second core region of the mesolimbic system, the ventral tegmental area. Results:, Subjecting the data sets derived from microarray gene expression screening to unsupervised hierarchical clustering tied the cases into distinct groups. When considering all alcohol-responsive genes, alcoholics were separated from nonalcoholics with the exception of 1 control case. All smokers were distinguished from nonsmokers based on similarity in expression of smoking-sensitive genes. In the nucleus accumbens, alcohol-responsive genes were associated with transcription, lipid metabolism, and signaling. Smoking-sensitive genes were predominantly assigned to functional groups concerned with RNA processing and the endoplasmic reticulum. Both drugs influenced the expression of genes involved in matrix remodeling, proliferation, and cell morphogenesis. Additionally, a gene set encoding proteins involved in the canonical pathway "regulation of the actin cytoskeleton" was induced in response to alcohol and tobacco co-abuse and included. Alcohol abuse elevated the expression of candidate genes in this pathway in the nucleus accumbens and ventral tegmental area, while smoking comorbidity blunted this induction in the ventral tegmental area. Conclusions:, The region-specific modulation of alcohol-sensitive gene expression by smoking may have important consequences for alcohol-induced aberrations within the mesolimbic dopaminergic system. [source] Cellular stress and injury responses in the brains of adult Vietnamese patients with fatal Plasmodium falciparum malariaNEUROPATHOLOGY & APPLIED NEUROBIOLOGY, Issue 6 2001I. M. Medana Immunohistochemical techniques have been used to investigate specific patterns of potentially reversible cellular injury, DNA damage, and apoptosis in the brainstems of Vietnamese patients who died of severe Plasmodium falciparum malaria. The degree and pattern of neuronal and glial stress responses were compared between patients with cerebral and non-cerebral malaria (CM), and appropriate non-malaria infected controls. The following markers were examined: (i) heat shock protein 70 (HSP70), for reversible injury; (ii) heme oxygenase-1, for oxidative stress; (iii & iv) two DNA-repair proteins, poly(ADP) ribose polymerase (PARP) and DNA-dependent protein kinase catalytic subunit; (v) poly(ADP) ribose, an end-product of PARP activity; and (vi) caspase-3-active, for apoptosis. Stress responses were found in a range of cell types as reflected by the widespread expression of HSP70. Oxidative stress predominated in the vicinity of vessels and haemorrhages. Some degree of DNA damage was found in the majority of malaria patients, but the distribution and frequency of the damage was much less than that observed in controls with irreversible neuronal injury. Similarly, caspase-3-active expression, as a measure of apoptosis, was no higher in the majority of malaria patients than the negative control cases, although 40% of CM cases expressed caspase-3-active in a small number of neurones of the pontine nuclei or within swollen axons of the pontocerebellar and corticospinal tracts. In conclusion, cells within the brainstem of all patients who died from severe malaria showed staining patterns indicative of considerable stress response and reversible neuronal injury. There was no evidence for a specific pattern of widespread irreversible cell damage in those patients with cerebral malaria. [source] Fulminant hepatic failure in the elderly: A clinicopathological study of autopsy cases aged over 65 yearsPATHOLOGY INTERNATIONAL, Issue 2 2000Motoji Sawabe The pathology of fulminant hepatic failure (FHF) in the elderly is little known because of its very low frequency. Thirteen autopsy cases, all above 65 years of age (mean ± SD, 72 ± 6 years), and 10 younger control cases, all below 40 years of age (30 ± 7 years), were analyzed. The elderly group comprised 10 cases with subacute FHF and three cases with acute FHF, while the younger group comprised seven cases with subacute FHF and three cases with acute FHF. The most predominant pathological type in the elderly group was submassive hepatic necrosis (10 cases), followed by acute hepatitis with bridging hepatic necrosis (AH-BHN; two cases) and massive hepatic necrosis (one case). In two cases of submassive hepatic necrosis, hepatic regeneration seemed to be insufficient for the suggested history. The underlying diseases and terminal complications were significantly more frequent in the elderly group than in the younger group. In conclusion, the immune response in the elderly group is found to be strong enough to cause massive or submassive hepatic necrosis. However, impaired hepatic regeneration is occasionally observed in the elderly cases and AH-BHN is often lethal because of frequent underlying diseases and severe complications. [source] CGH in the detection of confined placental mosaicism (CPM) in placentas of abnormal pregnanciesPRENATAL DIAGNOSIS, Issue 9 2002A. Amiel Abstract Comparative genomic hybridization (CGH) was applied to samples taken from various sites of placentas originating from complicated pregnancies: 24 with intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR), one with multiple fetal malformation, one with toxemia, one with hydrocephalus and two with undetectable maternal serum alpha-fetoprotein (MSAFP). One of the most common aberrations in the IUGR cases was the addition of a whole or part of the X chromosome. Other aberrations such as additional Y chromosome or of 13(q22) or loss of chromosome 17 also appeared in different cases. In one IUGR case trisomy 8 (in one site) and 47,XXY (in all sites) were detected. In the two cases with undetectable MSAFP monosomy 16 was found. Some of the results were also confirmed by the FISH technique. In all the control cases (six normal and five with aneuploidy) CGH concurred with the known karyotype. Our results demonstrate the usefulness of the CGH technique in the genetic evaluation of fresh and paraffin embedded placentas in problematic pregnancies even when morphology is normal. However, it is very important to take multiple samples from different sites of the placenta. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Proteomic analysis reveals protein changes within layer 2 of the insular cortex in schizophreniaPROTEINS: STRUCTURE, FUNCTION AND BIOINFORMATICS, Issue 23-24 2008Kyla Pennington Abstract Abnormalities in the size and activity of the insular cortex (IC), a brain region involved in auditory hallucinations and language, have been previously found in brain imaging studies in schizophrenia. In addition, cortical layer 2 has been shown to be abnormal in many brain regions in schizophrenia. In this study, 2-D DIGE was used to quantitatively analyse protein expression in schizophrenia and control cases (n,=,15/group) in microdissected layer 2 IC tissue. Proteomic analyses revealed 57 significantly differentially expressed (p<0.05) protein spots in schizophrenia. Validation of differential expression of two of the proteins differentially expressed was subsequently confirmed using Western blotting. This work provides evidence of abnormal protein expression in layer 2 of the IC in schizophrenia, supporting previous work of reduced neuronal size in this cortical layer in the IC. Over half of proteins abnormally expressed in this study have not been reported previously in proteomic studies investigating schizophrenia or neurodegenerative disorders. Proteins found to be abnormally expressed appear to collectively impact on neuronal plasticity through roles in neurite outgrowth, cellular morphogenesis and synaptic function. [source] Cyclooxygenase-2 expression on urothelial and inflammatory cells of cystoscopic biopsies and urine cytology as a possible predictive marker for bladder carcinomaAPMIS, Issue 1 2009MONA MOUSSA Cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) is a key inducible enzyme involved in the production of prostaglandins. It contributes to human carcinogenesis by various mechanisms. The aim of the current study was to elucidate the possible involvement of COX-2 in human bladder carcinoma by examining its expression on both urothelial and inflammatory cells in tissue biopsies and urine cytology samples of different urinary bladder lesions. A total of 65 patients were included in the study and were selected from cases admitted to Urology Department, Theodor Bilharz Research Institute (TBRI), Giza, Egypt. They represented seven control cases with almost normal-looking bladder tissue; pure chronic cystitis (n=12); premalignant lesions (18) in the form of squamous metaplasia (n=8) or urothelial dysplasia (n=10) as well as transitional cell carcinoma (TCC) (n=18), and squamous cell carcinoma (SqCC) (n=10). Immunohistochemistry of formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissue sections and urine cytology samples was performed for all cases using COX-2 (H-62): sc-7951, a rabbit polyclonal antibody. The study revealed positive COX-2 expression on the urothelial and inflammatory cells of cystoscopic biopsies from all cases of pure chronic cystitis, squamous metaplasia and SqCC compared with 42.8% and 71.4% of normal controls, respectively. The score of urothelial COX-2 expression was sequentially up-regulated from normal to chronic cystitis (either pure or associated with premalignant changes) (p<0.05) to malignant changes (p<0.05). However, the inflammatory cellular expression was down-regulated with malignant transformation compared with chronic cystitis (p<0.05). In TCC, COX-2 was over-expressed on both urothelial and inflammatory cells in advanced tumors. Urine cytology samples were positive for COX-2 in a comparable manner to that observed in cystoscopic biopsies. Accordingly, the results of the current study have provided new information in two aspects: First, is the possibility of using the differential COX-2 expression on both inflammatory and urothelial cells as markers for premalignant or malignant transformation; second, besides cystoscopy, urine cytology was found to have a high sensitivity for COX-2 expression and hence proved to be valuable in malignancy as a non-invasive substitute for cystoscopy. [source] Infection and fetal loss in the mid-second trimester of pregnancyAUSTRALIAN AND NEW ZEALAND JOURNAL OF OBSTETRICS AND GYNAECOLOGY, Issue 3 2010Ben ALLANSON Introduction:, Chorioamnionitis is a common cause of second trimester pregnancy loss, usually due to ascending infection. This study investigates the prevalence and bacteriology of chorioamnionitis in cases of spontaneous pregnancy loss in previable gestations (16,22 weeks). Methods:, Fetal losses between 16- and 22-week gestation were identified from the institutional database over a three-year period. Cases with an autopsy were identified, pathology reports reviewed, and maternal features noted (clinical symptoms, blood count and vaginal culture results). Second trimester medical termination for fetal abnormality during the same time period served as controls for the confounding influence of labour. Results:, A total of 101 cases of spontaneous non-anomalous non-macerated fetal losses and 103 control cases of induced loss for fetal anomaly were identified. Median gestation of cases was 19 weeks (interquartile range (IQR) 17, 21) and of controls was 20 weeks (IQR 19, 21). Maternal white cell count was higher in cases (median 13.6 IQR 10.8, 16.6) than in controls (9.9 IQR 7.6, 11.5) (P < 0.01). Seventy-eight (77.2%) of 101 cases and no controls had histological chorioamnionitis. A fetal reaction was identified in 48.7% of cases with chorioamnionitis, and the frequency of fetal reaction increased as gestation advanced (5.3% at 16-week gestation vs 33.3% at 22-week gestation). In cases with chorioamnionitis 36/76 (47.4%) were culture positive, whereas 4/25 (16%) without chorioamnionitis were culture positive. Conclusion:, In otherwise normal fetuses, chorioamnionitis is a common finding in mid-trimester pregnancy loss. Routine culture methods have a low sensitivity for isolation of the causative micro-organisms. This inflammatory process seems to predate the onset of labour and appears a primary mechanism in the aetiology of such losses. [source] Decreased GABAA receptors and benzodiazepine binding sites in the anterior cingulate cortex in autismAUTISM RESEARCH, Issue 4 2009A. Oblak Abstract The anterior cingulate cortex (ACC; BA 24) via its extensive limbic and high order association cortical connectivity to prefrontal cortex is a key part of an important circuitry participating in executive function, affect, and socio-emotional behavior. Multiple lines of evidence, including genetic and imaging studies, suggest that the ACC and gamma-amino-butyric acid (GABA) system may be affected in autism. The benzodiazepine binding site on the GABAA receptor complex is an important target for pharmacotherapy and has important clinical implications. The present multiple-concentration ligand-binding study utilized 3H-muscimol and 3H-flunitrazepam to determine the number (Bmax), binding affinity (Kd), and distribution of GABAA receptors and benzodiazepine binding sites, respectively, in the ACC in adult autistic and control cases. Compared to controls, the autistic group had significant decreases in the mean density of GABAA receptors in the supragranular (46.8%) and infragranular (20.2%) layers of the ACC and in the density of benzodiazepine binding sites in the supragranular (28.9%) and infragranular (16.4%) lamina. In addition, a trend for a decrease in for the density of benzodiazepine sites was found in the infragranular layers (17.1%) in the autism group. These findings suggest that in the autistic group this downregulation of both benzodiazepine sites and GABAA receptors in the ACC may be the result of increased GABA innervation and/or release disturbing the delicate excitation/inhibition balance of principal neurons as well as their output to key limbic cortical targets. Such disturbances likely underlie the core alterations in socio-emotional behaviors in autism. [source] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||