scholarly journals Electrical Bioimpedance Spectroscopy on Acute Unilateral Stroke Patients: Initial Observations regarding Differences between Sides

2015 ◽  
Vol 2015 ◽  
pp. 1-12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fernando Seoane ◽  
Seyed Reza Atefi ◽  
Jens Tomner ◽  
Konstantinos Kostulas ◽  
Kaj Lindecrantz
Keyword(s):  
Brain Damage ◽  
Animal Experiments ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Electrical Bioimpedance ◽  
Healthy Control ◽  
Electrode Method ◽  
Brain Stroke ◽  
Left And Right ◽  
Cerebral Monitoring ◽  
First Time

Purpose. Electrical Bioimpedance Cerebral Monitoring is assessment in real time of health of brain tissue through study of passive dielectric properties of brain. During the last two decades theory and technology have been developed in parallel with animal experiments aiming to confirm feasibility of using bioimpedance-based technology for prompt detection of brain damage. Here, for the first time, we show that electrical bioimpedance measurements for left and right hemispheres are significantly different in acute cases of unilateral stroke within 24 hours from onset.Methods. Electrical BIS measurements have been taken in healthy volunteers and patients suffering from acute stroke within 24 hours of onset. BIS measurements have been obtained using SFB7 bioimpedance spectrometer manufactured by Impedimed ltd. and 4-electrode method. Measurement electrodes, current, and voltage have been placed according to 10–20 EEG system obtaining mutual BIS measurements from 4 different channels situated in pairs symmetrically from the midsagittal line. Obtained BIS data has been analyzed, assessing for symmetries and differences regarding healthy control data.Results. 7 out of 10 patients for Side-2-Side comparisons and 8 out 10 for central/lateral comparison presented values outside the range defined by healthy control group. When combined only 1 of 10 patients exhibited values within the healthy range.Conclusions. If these initial observations are confirmed with more patients, we can foresee emerging of noninvasive monitoring technology for brain damage with the potential to lead to paradigm shift in treatment of brain stroke and traumatic brain damage.

Salivary Procalcitonin and Periodontitis in Diabetes

2008 ◽  
Vol 87 (7) ◽  
pp. 630-634 ◽  
Author(s):  
C.W. Bassim ◽  
R.S. Redman ◽  
D.J. DeNucci ◽  
K.L. Becker ◽  
E.S. Nylen
Keyword(s):  
Type 2 Diabetes ◽  
Serum Levels ◽  
Serum Marker ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Diabetes Group ◽  
Severe Periodontitis ◽  
Healthy Control ◽  
First Time ◽  
Morbid Conditions

Periodontitis and type 2 diabetes are co-morbid conditions, both characterized by infectious susceptibility. We investigated procalcitonin (ProCT) levels in the serum and saliva of persons with periodontitis and type 2 diabetes (n = 20), to determine if these levels are altered by periodontitis activity or by hyperglycemia. Persons with severe periodontitis showed higher levels of salivary-ProCT than did those with moderate periodontitis (241 ± 71 vs. 77 ± 516 pg/mL, p = 0.02) and higher levels than did healthy control individuals (118 ± 26 pg/mL, p = 0.05). Salivary-ProCT levels were correlated with bleeding-on-probing (r = 0.45, p = 0.05), as well as with HgbA1c (r = 0.49, p = 0.03). Salivary levels of ProCT were higher than serum levels for the periodontitis/diabetes group (152 ± 37 vs. 78 ± 17 pg/mL, p = 0.02) and the control group (118 ± 146 vs. 48 ± 17 pg/mL, p = 0.01). Persons with periodontitis and type 2 diabetes have salivary-ProCT levels that reflect their degree of periodontitis activity and hyperglycemia. This study demonstrates, for the first time, the presence of procalcitonin (ProCT), an established serum marker of infection, in saliva.

scholarly journals Intertemporal Decision Making After Brain Injury: Amount-Dependent Steeper Discounting after Frontal Cortex Damage

2017 ◽  
Vol 48 (4) ◽  
pp. 456-463 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wojciech Białaszek ◽  
Bartłomiej Swebodziński ◽  
Paweł Ostaszewski
Keyword(s):  
Brain Damage ◽  
Delay Discounting ◽  
Brain Injuries ◽  
Frontal Lobes ◽  
Structured Interview ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Magnitude Effect ◽  
Individual Level ◽  
Healthy Control ◽  
Future Outcomes

Abstract Traumatic brain injuries to the frontal lobes are associated with many maladaptive forms of behavior. We investigated the association between brain damage and impulsivity, as measured by the rate of delay discounting (i.e., the extent to which future outcomes are devalued in time). The main aim of this study was to test the hypothesis of steeper discounting of different amounts in a group of patients with frontal lobe damage. We used a delay discounting task in the form of a structured interview. A total of 117 participants were divided into five groups: three neurological groups and two groups without brain damage. Our analyses showed that patients with focal damage to the frontal lobes demonstrated steeper delay discounting than other participants. Other clinical groups demonstrated similar discounting rates. The data pattern related to the magnitude effect on the group level suggested that the magnitude effect is absent in the group of patients with damage to the frontal lobes; however, results were less consistent on an individual level. Amount-dependent discounting was observed in only two groups, the healthy control group and the neurological group with other cortical areas damaged.

scholarly journals Alterations in PACAP-38-like immunoreactivity in the plasma during ictal and interictal periods of migraine patients

Cephalalgia ◽  
2013 ◽  
Vol 33 (13) ◽  
pp. 1085-1095 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bernadett Tuka ◽  
Zsuzsanna Helyes ◽  
Adrienn Markovics ◽  
Teréz Bagoly ◽  
János Szolcsányi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Adenylate Cyclase ◽  
Healthy Subjects ◽  
Disease Duration ◽  
Animal Experiments ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Trigeminovascular System ◽  
Blood Samples ◽  
Calcitonin Gene ◽  
Pituitary Adenylate Cyclase ◽  
Healthy Control

Background Recent studies on migraineurs and our own animal experiments have revealed that pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating polypeptide-38 (PACAP-38) has an important role in activation of the trigeminovascular system. The aim of this study was to determine the PACAP-38-like immunoreactivity (LI) in the plasma of healthy subjects, and parallel with the calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP)-LI in migraine patients in the ictal and interictal periods. Methods A total of 87 migraineurs and 40 healthy control volunteers were enrolled in the examination. Blood samples were collected from the cubital veins in both periods in 21 patients, and in either the ictal or the interictal period in the remaining 66 patients, and were analysed by radioimmunoassay. Results A significantly lower PACAP-38-LI was measured in the interictal plasma of the migraineurs as compared with the healthy control group ( p < 0.011). In contrast, elevated peptide levels were detected in the ictal period relative to the attack-free period in the 21 migraineurs ( pPACAP-38 < 0.001; pCGRP < 0.035) and PACAP-38-LI in the overall population of migraineurs ( p < 0.009). A negative correlation was observed between the interictal PACAP-38-LI and the disease duration. Conclusion This is the first study that has provided evidence of a clear association between migraine phases (ictal and interictal) and plasma PACAP-38-LI alterations.

scholarly journals Levels Orexigenic and Anorexigenic Hormones in Adolescents with Obesity

2019 ◽  
Vol 4 (4) ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Insulin Resistance ◽  
Insulin Level ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Hypothalamic Dysfunction ◽  
Obese Adolescents ◽  
Healthy Control ◽  
Relationship Of ◽  
High Degree ◽  
Serum Ghrelin ◽  
First Time

Background: About 20 thousands of new cases of obesity (Ob) are first registered in children and adolescents in Ukraine annually (morbidity 2.72/1000, prevalence 13.50/1000 of the corresponding population on 01.01.2016). Adolescent Ob shows catastrophic rise (prevalence 8.9/ 1000 in 2001 vs 28.3/1000 in 2015). Completely unclear the role of Ghr in the etiopathogenesis of obesity in adolescents with HD. Material and Methods: A total of 39 obese children with HD (14 boys, 15, 1 ± 1, 4 y) and 14 healthy control (mean age 14, 6 ± 1, 2 y) were included into the study. Among patients with HD- 16 patients (41, 03 %) had visceral abdominal obesity (VAOb), 23 patients (58, 97 %) had gluteofemoral obesity (GFOb). Serum Ghrelin, Insulin level, HOMA-IR were studied. Such studies are conducted in Ukraine for the first time. Results: Overweightt was revealed in 15 (38, 5 %) patients with HD, ObI – in 8 (20, 5 %) people, ObII – in 10 (25, 6 %) persons, ObIII – in 6 people (15, 4 %). The signs of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR > 2, 77; IRI > 20 μIU/mL) were noted in 60 % patients. Serum Ghr level was found significantly lower in obese adolescents compared to that of control group and was dependent on the degree of Ob. The level of Ghr was the lowest (582, 58 ± 59, 37 ng/mL) in patients with ObIII. The level of Ghr was significantly lower (p <0.05) in patients with VAOb than with GFOb (656, 63 ± 113, 16 vs 1212, 13 ± 114, 6 ng/ml, respectively). The levels of hyperinsulinemia and insulin resistance were increased with an increase in the degree of obesity. Conclusion: Hypothalamic dysfunction, associated with obesity in adolescents, is accompanied by a low serum Ghr level. A high degree of obesity is accompanied by a greater decrease in the Ghr level. A significantly lower Ghr level was registered in abdominal Ob comparing to gluteofemoral type of obesity. Further studies the relationship of Ghr level, insulin resistance and hyperinsulinemia in obese adolescents with hypothalamic dysfunction are required.

De Metaforentaak als Test voor Woordbegrip

1998 ◽  
Vol 60 ◽  
pp. 53-64
Author(s):  
Anita van Loon-Vervoorn ◽  
Ivette Heesbeen ◽  
Christa Straus
Keyword(s):  
Brain Damage ◽  
Healthy Control Group ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Scale Analysis ◽  
Dutch Version ◽  
Word Comprehension ◽  
Optimal Subset ◽  
Language Problems ◽  
Homogeneous Set ◽  
Healthy Control

In this study, a Dutch version of the metaphor task (Heesbeen e.a., 1990) is' standardized and normed within a group of adults with acquired brain damage, as well as within a comparable healthy control group. The aim is to construct a test for measuring problems in word comprehension and for eventually evaluating the recovery from these problems in patients with mild aphasie or non-aphasic language problems. It appears that, according to Mokken's scale analysis the Metaphor task consists of a homogeneous set of items (Hi—.35). This homogeneity can be maximized to Hi—.45 within an optimal subset of 19 items. Moreover, the original task can be subdivided in two subsets, each consisting of 19 comparable items, without loss of homogeneity. Both the original task and the two comparable subdivisions appears to be able to reflect problems in word comprehension as well as aspects of their recovery. Therefore, in this study percentile norms for the three subject groups mentioned were computed.

scholarly journals Amide Proton Transfer-Weighted MRI Might Help Distinguish Amnestic Mild Cognitive Impairment From a Normal Elderly Population

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zixuan Guo ◽  
Yanchun Jiang ◽  
Xiaoyan Qin ◽  
Ronghua Mu ◽  
Zhuoni Meng ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Elderly Population ◽  
Amide Proton ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Control Groups ◽  
Left Hippocampus ◽  
Amci Group ◽  
Healthy Control ◽  
Left And Right ◽  
The Difference ◽  
And Control

Objectives: To evaluate whether 3D amide proton transfer weighted (APTw) imaging based on magnetization transfer analysis can be used as a novel imaging marker to distinguish amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI) patients from the normal elderly population by measuring changes in APTw signal intensity in the hippocampus and amygdala.Materials and Methods: Seventy patients with aMCI and 74 age- and sex-matched healthy volunteers were recruited for routine MRI and APT imaging examinations. Magnetic transfer ratio asymmetry (MTRasym) of the amide protons (at 3.5 ppm), or APTw values, were measured in the bilateral hippocampus and amygdala on three consecutive cross-sectional APT images and were compared between the aMCI and control groups. The independent sample t-test was used to evaluate the difference in APTw values of the bilateral hippocampus and amygdala between the aMCI and control groups. Receiver operator characteristic analysis was used to assess the diagnostic performance of the APTw. The paired t-test was used to assess the difference in APTw values between the left and right hippocampus and amygdala, in both the aMCI and control groups.Results: The APTw values of the bilateral hippocampus and amygdala in the aMCI group were significantly higher than those in the control group (left hippocampus 1.01 vs. 0.77% p &lt; 0.001; right hippocampus 1.02 vs. 0.74%, p &lt; 0.001; left amygdala 0.98 vs. 0.70% p &lt; 0.001; right amygdala 0.94 vs. 0.71%, p &lt; 0.001). The APTw values of the left amygdala had the largest AUC (0.875) at diagnosis of aMCI. There was no significant difference in APTw values between the left and right hippocampus and amygdala, in either group. (aMCI group left hippocampus 1.01 vs. right hippocampus 1.02%, p = 0.652; healthy control group left hippocampus 0.77 vs. right hippocampus 0.74%, p = 0.314; aMCI group left amygdala 0.98 vs. right amygdala 0.94%, p = 0.171; healthy control group left amygdala 0.70 vs. right amygdala 0.71%, p = 0.726).Conclusion: APTw can be used as a new imaging marker to distinguish aMCI patients from the normal elderly population by indirectly reflecting the changes in protein content in the hippocampus and amygdala.

scholarly journals Decreased Vitamin B12 Levels in Children with Nocturnal Enuresis

ISRN Urology ◽  
2012 ◽  
Vol 2012 ◽  
pp. 1-4 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bülent Altunoluk ◽  
Mehmet Davutoglu ◽  
Mesut Garipardic ◽  
Vedat Bakan
Keyword(s):  
Nocturnal Enuresis ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Vitamin B ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Healthy Control ◽  
The Mean ◽  
Complete Blood Counts ◽  
And Control ◽  
First Time

Objectives. Nocturnal enuresis is a common pediatric problem, the etiology of which is unclear. In the present study, vitamin B12 and folate levels were measured in children with nocturnal enuresis and compared with those in healthy control group children to investigate whether there was any relation with enuresis and neurogenic maturation as a first time in the literature. Methods. In this cross-sectional study, we included thirty children (16 girls, 14 boys) who had presented with primary nocturnal enuresis (PNE) complaints in the study group and 31 children (13 girls, 18 boys) in the control group. Body weight and height measurements were obtained and complete blood counts and vitamin B12 and folate levels were measured in all children. Results. No difference was found in age, height, and weight between study and control groups. Also the mean levels of the hemoglobin, hematocrit, and mean corpuscular volume (MCV) were not different between the two groups. Significantly lower mean vitamin B12 and folate levels were found in the enuresis group compared with the control group. Conclusions. Further studies are needed to clarify B12 and folate deficiency in larger series so that these tests can be included in routine investigations of enuretic children.

scholarly journals Question Use in Adults With Right-Hemisphere Brain Damage

2020 ◽  
Vol 63 (3) ◽  
pp. 738-748
Author(s):  
Jamila Minga ◽  
Davida Fromm ◽  
ClarLynda Williams-DeVane ◽  
Brian MacWhinney
Keyword(s):  
Brain Damage ◽  
Right Hemisphere ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Cognitive Resources ◽  
Question Types ◽  
Cognitive Limitations ◽  
Healthy Control ◽  
Communication Differences ◽  
Right Hemisphere Brain Damage ◽  
Pragmatic Aspects

Purpose Right-hemisphere brain damage (RHD) can affect pragmatic aspects of communication that may contribute to an impaired ability to gather information. Questions are an explicit means of gathering information. Question types vary in terms of the demands they place on cognitive resources. The purpose of this exploratory descriptive study is to test the hypothesis that adults with RHD differ from neurologically healthy adults in the types of questions asked during a structured task. Method Adults who sustained a single right-hemisphere stroke and neurologically healthy controls from the RHDBank Database completed the Unfamiliar Object Task of the RHDBank Discourse Protocol (Minga et al., 2016). Each task was video-recorded. Questions were transcribed using the Codes for the Human Analysis of Transcripts format. Coding and analysis of each response were conducted using Computerized Language Analysis (MacWhinney, 2000) programs. Results The types of questions used differed significantly across groups, with the RHD group using significantly more content questions and significantly fewer polar questions than the neurologically healthy control group. In their content question use, adults with RHD used significantly more “what” questions than other question subtypes. Conclusion Question-asking is an important aspect of pragmatic communication. Differences in the relative usage of question types, such as the reduced use of polar questions or increased use of content questions, may reflect cognitive limitations arising from RHD. Further investigations examining question use in this population are encouraged to replicate the current findings and to expand on the study tasks and measures. Supplemental Material https://doi.org/10.23641/asha.11936295

Vitamin D Treatment in Patients with Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis may Decrease the Development of Hypothyroidism

2016 ◽  
Vol 86 (1-2) ◽  
pp. 9-17 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bekir Ucan ◽  
Mustafa Sahin ◽  
Muyesser Sayki Arslan ◽  
Nujen Colak Bozkurt ◽  
Muhammed Kizilgul ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Vitamin D ◽  
Vitamin D Deficiency ◽  
Hashimoto’S Thyroiditis ◽  
Healthy Control Group ◽  
Hashimoto's Thyroiditis ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Endocrine Society ◽  
Thyroid Autoantibody ◽  
Healthy Control ◽  
The Mean

Abstract.The relationship between Hashimoto’s thyroiditis and vitamin D has been demonstrated in several studies. The aim of the present study was to evaluate vitamin D concentrations in patients with Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, the effect of vitamin D therapy on the course of disease, and to determine changes in thyroid autoantibody status and cardiovascular risk after vitamin D therapy. We included 75 patients with Hashimoto’s thyroiditis and 43 healthy individuals. Vitamin D deficiency is defined as a 25-hydroxy vitamin D (25(OH)D3) concentration less than 20ng/mL. Vitamin D deficient patients were given 50.000 units of 25(OH)D3 weekly for eight weeks in accordance with the Endocrine Society guidelines. All evaluations were repeated after 2 months of treatment. Patients with Hashimoto’s thyroiditis had significantly lower vitamin D concentrations compared with the controls (9.37±0.69 ng/mL vs 11.95±1.01 ng/mL, p < 0.05, respectively). Thyroid autoantibodies were significantly decreased by vitamin D replacement treatment in patients with euthyroid Hashimoto’s thyroiditis. Also, HDL cholesterol concentrations improved in the euthyroid Hashimoto group after treatment. The mean free thyroxine (fT4) concentrations were 0.89±0.02 ng/dL in patients with Hashimoto’s thyroiditis and 1.07±0.03 ng/dL in the healthy control group (p < 0.001). The mean thyroid volumes were 7.71±0.44 mL in patients with Hashimoto’s thyroiditis and 5.46±0.63 mL in the healthy control group (p < 0.01). Vitamin D deficiency is frequent in Hashimoto’s thyroiditis and treatment of patients with this condition with Vitamin D may slow down the course of development of hypothyroidism and also decrease cardiovascular risks in these patients. Vitamin D measurement and replacement may be critical in these patients.

The Embittered Mind

2016 ◽  
Vol 37 (4) ◽  
pp. 213-222 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hansjörg Znoj ◽  
Sandra Abegglen ◽  
Ulrike Buchkremer ◽  
Michael Linden
Keyword(s):  
Emotional Reaction ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Systematic Research ◽  
Roc Curve Analysis ◽  
Confirmatory Factor Analyses ◽  
Receiver Operating Characteristic Curves ◽  
Confirmatory Factor ◽  
Different Dimensions ◽  
First Time ◽  
Common Understanding

Abstract. There is a growing interest in embitterment as psychological concept. However, little systematic research has been conducted to characterize this emotional reaction. Still, there is an ongoing debate about the distinctiveness of embitterment and its dimensions. Additionally, a categorical and a dimensional perspective on embitterment have been developed independently over the last decade. The present study investigates the dimensions of embitterment by bringing these two different approaches together, for the first time. The Bern Embitterment Inventory (BEI) was given to 49 patients diagnosed with “Posttraumatic Embitterment Disorder (PTED)” and a matched control group of 49 patients with psychological disorders with other dominant emotional dysregulations. The ability to discriminate between the two groups was assessed by t-tests and Receiver Operating Characteristic Curves (ROC curve analysis). PTED patients scored significantly higher on the BEI than the patients of the control group. ROC analyses indicated diagnostic accuracy of the inventory. Further, we conducted Confirmatory Factor Analyses (CFA) to examine the different dimensions of embitterment and their relations. As a result, we found four characteristic dimensions of embitterment, namely disappointment, lack of acknowledge, pessimism, and misanthropy. In general, our findings showed a common understanding of embitterment as a unique but multidimensional emotional reaction to distressful life-events.

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