Functional Neurosonology Reveals Impaired Cerebrovascular Reactivity in Multiple Sclerosis.

Background And Purpose: Vascular aspects like global cerebral hypoperfusion are frequently reported in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS). Although mechanistic question remains unanswered, this hemodynamic impairment may be caused by a widespread endothelial dysfunction. Furthermore, impaired cerebrovascular reactivity (CVR) has been described in patients with MS by means of hypercapnic perfusion magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).

Coordination of cluster ensembles via exact methods.

We present a novel optimization-based method for the combination of cluster ensembles for the class of problems with intracluster criteria, such as Minimum-Sum-of-Squares-Clustering (MSSC). We propose a simple and efficient algorithm-called EXAMCE-for this class of problems that is inspired from a Set-Partitioning formulation of the original clustering problem. We prove some theoretical properties of the solutions produced by our algorithm, and in particular that, under general assumptions, though the algorithm recombines solution fragments so as to find the solution of a Set-Covering relaxation of the original formulation, it is guaranteed to find better solutions than the ones in the ensemble.

Multiple lung abscesses due to acinetobacter infection: a case report.

Acinetobacter species are well-known causes of nosocomial infections. Recent increasing evidence emphasize on the role of these pathogens in community-acquired infections.We report a case of a 16-yr-old female with fever, sore throat, productive cough, malaise and the presence of lung consolidation with multiple abscesses on radiographic examination.

Intravenous tissue plasminogen activator and flow improvement in acute ischemic stroke patients with internal carotid artery occlusion.

Background And Purpose: It has been suggested that intravenous tissue plasminogen activator (TPA) would not lyse the large thrombus associated with internal carotid artery (ICA) occlusion and, therefore, would be ineffective in this setting. Vascular imaging, safety, and outcome of TPA therapy for ICA occlusion is not well described. Our goal was to determine the site of occlusion, early recanalization after TPA infusion, and its relationship to outcome.

Screening for intracranial stenosis with transcranial Doppler: the accuracy of mean flow velocity thresholds.

Background: Patients with 50% intracranial arterial stenosis may require more intensive therapies for stroke prevention. Transcranial Doppler (TCD) is a convenient noninvasive screen for intracranial stenosis. The accuracy of different mean flow velocity (MFV) thresholds for determining the degree of stenosis remains uncertain.

Clinical and sonographic patterns of tandem internal carotid artery/middle cerebral artery occlusion in tissue plasminogen activator-treated patients.

Background And Purpose: The National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) is predictive of thrombus presence but has limited ability to identify occlusion location in the anterior circulation. We describe clinical and sonographic patterns that are associated with tandem internal carotid artery (ICA) and middle cerebral artery (MCA) occlusions.

Methods: Consecutive acute ischemic stroke patients receiving intravenous tissue plasminogen activator (TPA) were studied.