An Anterior Cruciate Ligament Rupture Increases Levels of Urine N-terminal Cross-linked Telopeptide of Type I Collagen, Urine C-terminal Cross-linked Telopeptide of Type II Collagen, Serum Aggrecan ARGS Neoepitope, and Serum Tumor Necrosis Factor-α.

Background: An anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) rupture results in an increased risk of developing knee osteoarthritis (OA) at an early age. Before clinical signs become apparent, the OA process has already been initiated. Therefore, it is important to look at the cascade of changes, such as the activity of cytokines and proteases, which might be associated with the later development of OA.

High Intravascular Signal Arterial Transit Time Artifacts Have Negligible Effects on Cerebral Blood Flow and Cerebrovascular Reserve Capacity Measurement Using Single Postlabel Delay Arterial Spin-Labeling in Patients with Moyamoya Disease.

Background And Purpose: Arterial spin-labeling-derived CBF values may be affected by arterial transit time artefacts. Thus, our aim was to assess to what extent arterial spin-labeling-derived CBF and cerebrovascular reserve capacity values in major vascular regions are overestimated due to the arterial transit time artifacts in patients with Moyamoya disease.

Materials And Methods: Eight patients with Moyamoya disease were included before or after revascularization surgery.

Aqueductal CSF Stroke Volume Is Increased in Patients with Idiopathic Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus and Decreases after Shunt Surgery.

Background And Purpose: Increased CSF stroke volume through the cerebral aqueduct has been proposed as a possible indicator of positive surgical outcome in patients with idiopathic normal pressure hydrocephalus; however, consensus is lacking. In this prospective study, we aimed to compare CSF flow parameters in patients with idiopathic normal pressure hydrocephalus with those in healthy controls and change after shunt surgery and to investigate whether any parameter could predict surgical outcome.

Materials And Methods: Twenty-one patients with idiopathic normal pressure hydrocephalus and 21 age- and sex-matched healthy controls were prospectively included and examined clinically and with MR imaging of the brain.

Synthesizing a Contrast-Enhancement Map in Patients with High-Grade Gliomas Based on a Postcontrast MR Imaging Quantification Only.

Background And Purpose: Administration of a gadolinium-based contrast agent is an important diagnostic biomarker for blood-brain barrier damage. In clinical use, detection is based on subjective comparison of native and postgadolinium-based contrast agent T1-weighted images. Quantitative MR imaging studies have suggested a relation between the longitudinal relaxation rate and proton-density in the brain parenchyma, which is disturbed by gadolinium-based contrast agents.

Critical knowledge gaps and research needs related to the environmental dimensions of antibiotic resistance.

There is growing understanding that the environment plays an important role both in the transmission of antibiotic resistant pathogens and in their evolution. Accordingly, researchers and stakeholders world-wide seek to further explore the mechanisms and drivers involved, quantify risks and identify suitable interventions. There is a clear value in establishing research needs and coordinating efforts within and across nations in order to best tackle this global challenge.

Cerebral Microbleeds: Imaging and Clinical Significance.

Cerebral microbleeds (CMBs), also referred to as microhemorrhages, appear on magnetic resonance (MR) images as hypointense foci notably at T2*-weighted or susceptibility-weighted (SW) imaging. CMBs are detected with increasing frequency because of the more widespread use of high magnetic field strength and of newer dedicated MR imaging techniques such as three-dimensional gradient-echo T2*-weighted and SW imaging. The imaging appearance of CMBs is mainly because of changes in local magnetic susceptibility and reflects the pathologic iron accumulation, most often in perivascular macrophages, because of vasculopathy.

Arterial Spin-Labeling Perfusion MR Imaging Demonstrates Regional CBF Decrease in Idiopathic Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus.

Background And Purpose: Regional cerebral blood flow has previously been studied in patients with idiopathic normal pressure hydrocephalus with imaging methods that require an intravenous contrast agent or expose the patient to ionizing radiation. The purpose of this study was to assess regional CBF in patients with idiopathic normal pressure hydrocephalus compared with healthy controls using the noninvasive quantitative arterial spin-labeling MR imaging technique. A secondary aim was to compare the correlation between symptom severity and CBF.

MRI of the Swallow Tail Sign: A Useful Marker in the Diagnosis of Lewy Body Dementia?

Background And Purpose: There are, to date, no MR imaging diagnostic markers for Lewy body dementia. Nigrosome 1, containing dopaminergic cells, in the substantia nigra pars compacta is hyperintense on SWI and has been called the swallow tail sign, disappearing with Parkinson disease. We aimed to study the swallow tail sign and its clinical applicability in Lewy body dementia and hypothesized that the sign would be likewise applicable in Lewy body dementia.

Quantitative MRI for Rapid and User-Independent Monitoring of Intracranial CSF Volume in Hydrocephalus.

Background And Purpose: Quantitative MR imaging allows segmentation of different tissue types and automatic calculation of intracranial volume, CSF volume, and brain parenchymal fraction. Brain parenchymal fraction is calculated as (intracranial volume - CSF volume) / intracranial volume. The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether the automatic calculation of intracranial CSF volume or brain parenchymal fraction could be used as an objective method to monitor volume changes in the ventricles.

Quantitative MRI for Analysis of Active Multiple Sclerosis Lesions without Gadolinium-Based Contrast Agent.

Background And Purpose: Contrast-enhancing MS lesions are important markers of active inflammation in the diagnostic work-up of MS and in disease monitoring with MR imaging. Because intravenous contrast agents involve an expense and a potential risk of adverse events, it would be desirable to identify active lesions without using a contrast agent. The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether pre-contrast injection tissue-relaxation rates and proton density of MS lesions, by using a new quantitative MR imaging sequence, can identify active lesions.

Sex-Specific Effects of Adiponectin on Carotid Intima-Media Thickness and Incident Cardiovascular Disease.

Background: Plasma adiponectin levels have previously been inversely associated with carotid intima-media thickness (IMT), a marker of subclinical atherosclerosis. In this study, we used a sex-stratified Mendelian randomization approach to investigate whether adiponectin has a causal protective influence on IMT.

Methods And Results: Baseline plasma adiponectin concentration was tested for association with baseline IMT, IMT progression over 30 months, and occurrence of cardiovascular events within 3 years in 3430 participants (women, n=1777; men, n=1653) with high cardiovascular risk but no prevalent disease.

Plasma parathyroid hormone is associated with vascular dementia and cerebral hyperintensities in two community-based cohorts.

Context: In diseases with increased PTH such as hyperparathyroidism and chronic renal failure, dementia is common. Little is known of PTH and dementia in the community.

Objective: We sought to investigate relations between PTH, clinical dementia and cerebral micro-vascular disease.

Preoperative prognostic value of MRI findings in 108 patients with idiopathic normal pressure hydrocephalus.

Background And Purpose: MR imaging is used in the diagnostic evaluation of patients with idiopathic normal pressure hydrocephalus. The aim of this study was to describe the prevalence of several imaging features and their prognostic use in the selection of shunt candidates with idiopathic normal pressure hydrocephalus.

Materials And Methods: Preoperative MR imaging scans of the brain were retrospectively evaluated in 108 patients with idiopathic normal pressure hydrocephalus who had undergone a standardized, clinical evaluation before and 12 months after shunt surgery.

Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentration in subclinical carotid atherosclerosis.

Objective: Vitamin D deficiency has been implicated in cardiovascular disease and is associated with multiple cardiovascular risk factors. We investigated the serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) concentration in relation to latitude, baseline carotid intima-media thickness (IMT), and IMT progression, the carotid IMT measures being surrogate markers of subclinical atherosclerosis and cardiovascular disease risk.

Approach And Results: Serum 25(OH)D concentration was related to high-resolution carotid IMT measures in 3430 middle-aged and elderly subjects with high cardiovascular risk but no prevalent disease, who were recruited at 7 centers in Finland, Sweden, The Netherlands, France, and Italy.

Pharmaceuticals and personal care products in the environment: what are the big questions?

Background: Over the past 10-15 years, a substantial amount of work has been done by the scientific, regulatory, and business communities to elucidate the effects and risks of pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) in the environment.

Objective: This review was undertaken to identify key outstanding issues regarding the effects of PPCPs on human and ecological health in order to ensure that future resources will be focused on the most important areas.

Data Sources: To better understand and manage the risks of PPCPs in the environment, we used the "key question" approach to identify the principle issues that need to be addressed.

No effect of growth hormone administration on substrate oxidation during exercise in young, lean men.

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of increased fat availability induced by growth hormone (GH) administration on the oxidative metabolism during exercise. Seven well-trained males (age 25 +/- 2 years (mean +/- S.E.

Development of hepatic CYP1A and blood vitellogenin in eel (Anguilla anguilla) for use as biomarkers in the Thames Estuary, UK.

The potential of eel (Anguilla anguilla) as a monitoring species for the Thames Estuary, UK, was examined. Hepatic cytochrome P4501A [7-ethoxyresorufin O-deethylase (EROD) activity] and blood vitellogenin (Western analysis) were investigated as biomarkers of exposure to, respectively, organic contaminants and to contaminants showing estrogenic activity. Hepatic microsomal EROD activities in A.

Cholecystokinin affects gastric emptying and stomach motility in the rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss.

In this study, we describe new methods for recording gastric emptying and in vivo measurements of intragastric pressure in fish. Using these methods, we investigated the effects of the sulphated octapeptide of cholecystokinin (CCK8) on gastric emptying and on stomach motility in vivo and in vitro. Gastric emptying of 99Tcm-labelled food was measured in swimming fish by using a gamma camera, counting consecutive 2.

The 'Green Keyhole' nutritional campaign in Sweden: do women with more knowledge have better dietary practices?

Introduction: In 1989 the National Food Administration in Sweden introduced a food-marking symbol called the 'Green Keyhole'. The aim of the campaign is to help consumers make lowfat, high-fibre food choices.

Objective: To describe the knowledge of the Green Keyhole symbol in a general female population, and to examine whether knowledge is associated with reported intake of dietary fat and fibre.

Effect of postoperative insulin-like growth factor I supplementation on protein metabolism in humans.

Insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I) has been shown experimentally to exert a nitrogen-sparing effect in both animals and humans. Its effects on protein metabolism during the first 5 days after radical large bowel resection were investigated. Nineteen patients were randomly allocated to receive either human recombinant IGF-I (2 x 80 micrograms/kg body weight subcutaneously, n = 10) or placebo (n = 9) starting on the morning of the first day after operation.

Nitrogen requirements in severely injured patients.

The study was designed to evaluate nitrogen needs in severely injured patients during the first week after trauma. Thirty-nine patients aged from 18 to 65 years with a burn or fractures of more than two long bones were studied. Energy requirements were given parenterally as fat and glucose in isocaloric amounts.

Reciprocal inhibition during the tonic stretch reflex in the decerebrate cat.

1. The aim of this study was to investigate post-synaptic reciprocal Ia inhibition during the stretch reflex; particularly the extent to which an increased Ia excitation of the Ia inhibitory interneurones will be counteracted by recurrent inhibition from motor axon collaterals. For this purpose we investigated depression of monosynaptic test reflexes antagonist flexors (reciprocal inhibition) during static stretch of quadriceps or triceps surae in unanaesthetized decerebrate cats.

Antral gastrin cells and serum gastrin in achlorhydria.

Forty-five patients with achlorhydria due to severe atrophic corpus gastritis or gastric atrophy were studied by determination of serum gastrin, histological examination of multiple biopsy from the antrum, and quantitation of gastrin cells revealed by an indirect immunofluorescence technique. In a reference group of 12 persons with normal gastric secretion and without atrophic antral gastritis the mean number of gastrin cells per field of vision was 52 +/- 6.5 (S.