An imaging-based method of mapping multi-echo BOLD intracranial pulsatility.

Purpose: Cardiac-related intracranial pulsatility may relate to cerebrovascular health, and this information is contained in BOLD MRI data. There is broad interest in methods to isolate BOLD pulsatility, and the current study examines a deep learning approach.

Methods: Multi-echo BOLD images, respiratory, and cardiac recordings were measured in 55 adults.

Characterization and correction of time-varying eddy currents for diffusion MRI.

Purpose: To develop and test a method for reducing artifacts due to time-varying eddy currents in oscillating gradient spin-echo (OGSE) diffusion images.

Methods: An in-house algorithm (TVEDDY), that for the first time retrospectively models eddy current decay, was tested on pulsed gradient spin echo and OGSE brain images acquired at 7 T. Image pairs were acquired using opposite polarity diffusion gradients.

Physiological and Clinical Impact of Repeated Inhaled Oxygen Variation on Erythropoietin Levels in Patients After Surgery.

The "Normobaric Oxygen Paradox" (NOP) is a physiologic mechanism that induces an increase of endogenous erythropoietin (EPO) production by creating a state of relative hypoxia in subjects previously exposed to hyperoxia, followed by a rapid return to normoxia. Oxygen exposure duration and inspired oxygen fraction required to observe a significant increase in EPO or hemoglobin are not clearly defined. Consequently, we here study the effect of one model of relative hypoxia on EPO, reticulocytes and hemoglobin stimulation in patients after surgery.

The Number of X Chromosomes Influences Inflammatory Cytokine Production Following Toll-Like Receptor Stimulation.

Sex differences are observed in the evolution of numerous inflammatory conditions. Women exhibit better clinical courses compared to men in acute inflammatory processes, yet worse prognosis in several chronic inflammatory diseases. Inflammatory markers are significantly different between prepubertal boys and girls, whose sex steroid levels are very low, suggesting genetics play a role.

First-Trimester Combined Multimarker Prospective Study for the Detection of Pregnancies at a High Risk of Developing Preeclampsia Using the Fetal Medicine Foundation-Algorithm.

Objective: To evaluate the Fetal Medicine Foundation (FMF) algorithm prospectively at 11-13 weeks' gestation in the prediction of preeclampsia (PE).

Methods: Single-center prospective screening study for PE of singleton pregnancies at 11-13 weeks. The FMF algorithm takes into account maternal characteristics and biomarkers.

Near-Infrared Fluorescence Lymphatic Imaging to Reconsider Occlusion Pressure of Superficial Lymphatic Collectors in Upper Extremities of Healthy Volunteers.

Background: There are very little scientific data on occlusion pressure for superficial lymphatic collectors. Given its importance in determining the transport capacity of lymphatic vessels, it is crucial to know its value. The novel method of near-infrared fluorescence lymphatic imaging (NIRFLI) can be used to visualize lymphatic flow in real time.

Transfusion support of autoimmune hemolytic anemia: how could the blood group genotyping help?

Conventional pretransfusion testing based on hemagglutination assays can be challenging for patients with autoimmune hemolytic anemia (AIHA) because of the presence of auto-antibodies. It has been suggested that deoxyribonucleic acid-based methods could be more efficient in the selection of antigen-matched red blood cell units in those settings. Because of the high risk of alloimmunization of these patients and the labor-intensive nature of adsorption techniques, we decided to evaluate the feasibility of selecting antigen-matched units on the basis of RBC genotyping.

An automated chemiluminescence immunoassay may detect mostly relevant IgG anticardiolipin antibodies according to revised Sydney criteria.

Background: Detection of anticardiolipin antibodies (ACA) is an independent laboratory criterion for diagnosis of antiphospholipid syndrome (APS). Alternative methods to ELISA were recently developed such as automated chemiluminescence immunoassay (CLIA).

Patients And Methods: We compared a CLIA to an ELISA kit for the detection of IgG isotype of ACA.

The 'normobaric oxygen paradox': does it increase haemoglobin?

Background: A novel approach to increasing erythropoietin (EPO) using oxygen (O2) (the 'normobaric oxygen paradox') has been reported in healthy volunteers. We investigated whether the EPO increase is sufficient to induce erythropoiesis by comparing two protocols of O2 administration.

Methods: We compared the effect of daily versus alternate days 100% O2, breathed for 30 minutes, on haemoglobin concentrations during a 12-day period.

Hypophosphatemia related to paraneoplastic Cushing syndrome in prostate cancer: cure after bilateral adrenalectomy.

We report the case of a 71-year-old man with progressive metastatic prostate cancer in whom simultaneous occurrence of paraneoplastic Cushing syndrome (CS) and tumor-induced osteomalacia (TIO) initially was suspected. However, the evolution of biochemical markers of phosphate metabolism during disease course and after bilateral adrenalectomy argued against the diagnosis of TIO. Despite the persistence of progressive prostate cancer, CS and hypophosphatemia resolved in parallel after bilateral adrenalectomy.

Do 'sleepy' and 'tired' go together? Rasch analysis of the relationships between sleepiness, fatigue and nonrestorative sleep complaints in a nonclinical population sample.

Objective: The lack of distinction in the clinical use of terms like fatigue and sleepiness is an important issue. While both fatigue and sleepiness can potentially be associated with nonrestorative sleep (NRS) complaints, their relationships are still poorly described. We propose to use Rasch analysis-based methods to study the interrelations of fatigue, sleepiness and NRS.

Longitudinal study of bone metabolism after ethanol withdrawal in alcoholic patients.

The pathogenesis of osteopenia in chronic alcoholism remains unclear, and many ethanol-related abnormalities have been advocated to explain bone loss. A direct inhibitory effect of ethanol on osteoblast function was suggested by in vivo and in vitro studies. We measured biochemical markers of bone turnover in 12 alcoholic men before and during a 2 week period of alcohol withdrawal, and we compared the results with those obtained in 15 nonalcoholic men.

Comparative study of the changes in insulin-like growth factor-I, procollagen-III N-terminal extension peptide, bone Gla-protein, and bone mineral content in children with Turner's syndrome treated with recombinant growth hormone.

Six girls (7-13 yr old) with Turner's syndrome and short stature were treated for 1 yr with recombinant human GH (0.15 U/kg.day, sc) and had sequential determinations of serum insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I), osteocalcin, and procollagen-III.

Inhibition of puerperal lactation by means of a single injection of bromocriptine retard.

The efficacy, tolerance and acceptability of a single i.m. injection of 50 mg bromocriptine retard (in polylactic acid microspheres), given within 12 h after delivery for suppression of lactation, were investigated in 47 mothers not willing to breast-feed.

Relative contribution of various expressions of cAMP excretion to other indices of parathyroid function, as tested by discriminant multivariate linear regression analysis.

We evaluated the relative contribution to the diagnosis of hyperparathyroid disease from current laboratory indices of parathyroid function--plasma calcium (I), phosphate (II), carboxy-terminal (III) and predominantly amino-terminal (IV) radioimmunoassays of parathyrin, the urinary excretion ratios of cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) to creatinine (V) or to glomerular filtrate (VI), and the ratio of the nephrogenous fraction of cAMP to glomerular filtrate (VII)--in 224 subjects: 40 with surgically proven hyperparathyroid disease, the others normoparathyroid. The decreasing order of sensitivity was I greater than VI greater than VII greater than V greater than III greater than IV greater than II; all these indices differed significantly between normoparathyroid and hyperparathyroid patients. The decreasing order of specificity was VII, III greater than I greater than IV greater than V, II greater than VI.

Plasma beta 2 microglobulin as a means of predicting gentamicin serum concentrations.

A novel and accurate method for predicting gentamicin peak serum concentration is described. The method considers body weight and renal function as determined by the concentration of beta 2 microglobulin in plasma. In 32 subjects whose renal function ranged from normal to severely impaired, the peak serum concentration of gentamicin was more closely correlated with beta 2 microglobulin (r = 0.

[beta2-Microglobulin in renal transplanted patients (author's transl)].

Plasma beta2m has been measured frequently during long term follow-up of kidney transplanted outpatients. The ratio of beta2m/log creatinine was abnormally high in 15 patients of this series bearing a symptomatic hepatitis independently of any modification of immunodepressive drug administration schedule (azathioprine and corticoids). The true effect of azathioprine could not be isolated whereas corticotherapy modified clearly the beta2m/creatinine ratio : increase of dosage for rejection resulted in a fall of the ratio whereas fast reduction increased the ratio acting essentially on circulating beta2m level (12 cases).