A new technological approach in diagnostic pathology: mass spectrometry imaging-based metabolomics for biomarker detection in urachal cancer.

Urachal adenocarcinomas (UrC) are rare but aggressive. Despite being of profound therapeutic relevance, UrC cannot be differentiated by histomorphology alone from other adenocarcinomas of differential diagnostic importance. As no reliable tissue-based diagnostic biomarkers are available, we aimed to detect such by integrating mass-spectrometry imaging-based metabolomics and digital pathology, thus allowing for a multimodal approach on the basis of spatial information.

Evolution of oxytocin pathways in the brain of vertebrates.

The central oxytocin system transformed tremendously during the evolution, thereby adapting to the expanding properties of species. In more basal vertebrates (paraphyletic taxon Anamnia, which includes agnathans, fish and amphibians), magnocellular neurosecretory neurons producing homologs of oxytocin reside in the wall of the third ventricle of the hypothalamus composing a single hypothalamic structure, the preoptic nucleus. This nucleus further diverged in advanced vertebrates (monophyletic taxon Amniota, which includes reptiles, birds, and mammals) into the paraventricular and supraoptic nuclei with accessory nuclei (AN) between them.

Evoked axonal oxytocin release in the central amygdala attenuates fear response.

The hypothalamic neuropeptide oxytocin (OT), which controls childbirth and lactation, receives increasing attention for its effects on social behaviors, but how it reaches central brain regions is still unclear. Here we gained by recombinant viruses selective genetic access to hypothalamic OT neurons to study their connectivity and control their activity by optogenetic means. We found axons of hypothalamic OT neurons in the majority of forebrain regions, including the central amygdala (CeA), a structure critically involved in OT-mediated fear suppression.

Stress induces parallel changes in corticotrophin-releasing hormone (CRH) Transcription and nuclear translocation of transducer of regulated cAMP response element-binding activity 2 in hypothalamic CRH neurones.

Recent studies in vitro have shown that the cAMP response element-binding (CREB) co-activator, transducer of regulated CREB activity (TORC), is required for transcriptional activation of the corticotrophin-releasing hormone (CRH) gene. To determine the physiological importance of TORC2 regulating CRH transcription during stress, we examined the localisation of TORC2 in CRH neurones, as well as the relationship between changes in CRH heterogeneous nuclear (hn)RNA, nuclear translocation of TORC2 and binding of TORC2 to the CRH promoter. Immunohistochemistry revealed TORC2 immunoreactivity (irTORC2) in the dorsolateral (magnocellular) and dorsomedial (parvocellular) regions of the hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus (PVN).

Exhaled breath condensate: lessons learned from veterinary medicine.

Exhaled breath condensate (EBC) describes any sample collected by cooling exhaled breath. Because the method of condensate collection is simple, non-invasive, repeatable and does not necessarily require patient cooperation, EBC is not only an interesting, but also challenging, biological sample. Despite a period of EBC research lasting for more than 15 years, there are still many open questions with respect to EBC collection and analysis, and many biomarkers are still awaiting careful validation.

Evaluation of a combination of SIFT-MS and multivariate data analysis for the diagnosis of Mycobacterium bovis in wild badgers.

The currently accepted 'gold standard' tuberculosis (TB) detection method for veterinary applications is that of culturing from a tissue sample post mortem. The test is accurate, but growing Mycobacterium bovis is difficult and the process can take up to 12 weeks to return a diagnosis. In this paper we evaluate a much faster screening approach based on serum headspace analysis using selected ion flow tube mass spectrometry (SIFT-MS).

Evaluation of H2O2 and pH in exhaled breath condensate samples: methodical and physiological aspects.

This veterinary study is aimed at further standardization of H(2)O(2) and pH measurements in exhaled breath condensate (EBC). Data obtained in the study provide valuable information for many mammalian species including humans, and may help to avoid general pitfalls in interpretation of EBC data. EBC was sampled via the 'ECoScreen' in healthy calves (body weight 63-98 kg).

Rapid testing leads to the underestimation of the scrapie prevalence in an affected sheep and goat flock.

To obtain a more detailed understanding of the prevalence of classical scrapie infections in a heavily affected German sheep flock (composed of 603 sheep and 6 goats), we analysed 169 sheep and 6 goats that carried the genotypes susceptible to the disease and that were therefore culled following discovery of the index case. The initial tests were performed using the Biorad TeSeE ELISA and reactive results were verified by official confirmatory methods (OIE-immunoblot and/or immunohistochemistry (IHC)) to demonstrate the deposition of scrapie-associated PrP(Sc) in the brain stem (obex). This approach led to the discovery of 40 additional subclinically scrapie-infected sheep.

Considerations in evaluating changes in outcome for infants weighing less than 1,501 grams.

Neonatal mortality for 285 infants and developmental outcome for 158 infants with birth weights of 751 to 1,500 gm, born in the Capital Regional Perinatal Center between July 1975 and December 1979, were compared with the findings in 1952, in 1965 to 1967, and in 1968 to 1970. In the 1,001- to 1,500-gm group, mortality decreased and there was an 18% incidence of major neuropsychiatric disability compared to the 48% found in 1952 when the same examination techniques and diagnostic criteria were used. More 751- to 1,000-gm infants survive now also, but 40% have a major handicap.

The validity of parental reporting of infant development.

A developmental questionnaire, encompassing the ages from 4 weeks to 36 months, has been devised that, when completed by parents, can be used to screen children as being developmentally normal, questionable, or abnormal. A total of 526 infants were screened by this questionnaire at 28 weeks of age and then examined at 40 weeks of age by a full Gesell Developmental and Neurologic Examination. Underscreening of those with major abnormalities was 2.

Some etiologic and prognostic factors in early infantile autism and psychosis.

Fifty infants and young preschool children seen in a pediatric developmental service and diagnosed as having "autism" all had evidence of organic disease of the brain and three fourths had mental deficiency of varying degrees. They did not differ in any respect from a comparison group of patients with central nervous system dysfunction unassociated with the symptom complex of autism. Both groups of patients had a high incidence of low birthweight, complications of pregnancy and the neonatal period, seizure disorders, and a variety of specific disease entities associated with developmental defects.