Loss of hypothalamic MCH decreases food intake in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is associated with impaired energy metabolism, including weight loss and decreased appetite which are negatively correlated with survival. Neural mechanisms underlying metabolic impairment in ALS remain unknown. ALS patients and presymptomatic gene carriers have early hypothalamic atrophy.

Disorganization and degeneration of liver sympathetic innervations in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease revealed by 3D imaging.

Hepatic nerves have a complex role in synchronizing liver metabolism. Here, we used three-dimensional (3D) immunoimaging to explore the integrity of the hepatic nervous system in experimental and human nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). We demonstrate parallel signs of mild degeneration and axonal sprouting of sympathetic innervations in early stages of experimental NAFLD and a collapse of sympathetic arborization in steatohepatitis.

Hypothalamic Alterations in Neurodegenerative Diseases and Their Relation to Abnormal Energy Metabolism.

Neurodegenerative diseases (NDDs) are disorders characterized by progressive deterioration of brain structure and function. Selective neuronal populations are affected leading to symptoms which are prominently motor in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) or Huntington's disease (HD), or cognitive in Alzheimer's disease (AD) and fronto-temporal dementia (FTD). Besides the common existence of neuronal loss, NDDs are also associated with metabolic changes such as weight gain, weight loss, loss of fat mass, as well as with altered feeding behavior.

Degeneration of serotonin neurons triggers spasticity in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

Objective: Spasticity occurs in a wide range of neurological diseases, including neurodegenerative diseases, after trauma, and after stroke, and is characterized by increased reflexes leading to muscle hypertonia. Spasticity is a painful symptom and can severely restrict everyday life, but might also participate in maintaining a low level of motor function in severely impaired patients. Constitutive activity of the serotonin receptors 5-HT is required for the development of spasticity after spinal cord injury and during amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).

Hypothalamic atrophy is related to body mass index and age at onset in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

Objective: Our objective was to study the hypothalamic volume in a cohort of patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) including symptomatic and presymptomatic ALS mutation carriers.

Methods: High-resolution three-dimensional T1-weighted MRI datasets from 251 patients with sporadic ALS, 19 symptomatic and 32 presymptomatic ALS mutation carriers and 112 healthy controls (HC) were retrospectivally registered for manual delineation of the hypothalamus. The volume of the hypothalamus, in total or subdivided, was normalised to the intracranial volume and adjusted to age.

Serotonin 2B receptor slows disease progression and prevents degeneration of spinal cord mononuclear phagocytes in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

Microglia are the resident mononuclear phagocytes of the central nervous system and have been implicated in the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative diseases such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). During neurodegeneration, microglial activation is accompanied by infiltration of circulating monocytes, leading to production of multiple inflammatory mediators in the spinal cord. Degenerative alterations in mononuclear phagocytes are commonly observed during neurodegenerative diseases, yet little is known concerning the mechanisms leading to their degeneration, or the consequences on disease progression.

In-line and real-time process monitoring of a freeze drying process using Raman and NIR spectroscopy as complementary process analytical technology (PAT) tools.

The aim of the present study was to examine the complementary properties of Raman and near infrared (NIR) spectroscopy as PAT tools for the fast, noninvasive, nondestructive and in-line process monitoring of a freeze drying process. Therefore, Raman and NIR probes were built in the freeze dryer chamber, allowing simultaneous process monitoring. A 5% (w/v) mannitol solution was used as model for freeze drying.

Raman spectroscopy as a process analytical technology (PAT) tool for the in-line monitoring and understanding of a powder blending process.

The aim of this study is to propose a strategy to implement a PAT system in the blending step of pharmaceutical production processes. It was examined whether Raman spectroscopy can be used as PAT tool for the in-line and real-time endpoint monitoring and understanding of a powder blending process. A screening design was used to identify and understand the significant effects of two process variables (blending speed and loading of the blender) and of a formulation variable (concentration of active pharmaceutical ingredient (API): diltiazem hydrochloride) upon the required blending time (response variable).

Continuous Intrathecal Infusion of Ziconotide for Treatment of Chronic Malignant and Nonmalignant Pain Over 12 Months: A Prospective, Open-label Study.

Objectives.  This study aims to assess the safety and efficacy of long-term intrathecal (IT) ziconotide infusion. Materials and Methods.

A survey of obstetric an aesthesia practice in Flanders.

The use of locoregional anaesthesia in obstetrics in Flanders was assessed by a postal questionnaire sent to the directors of the anaesthesia departments of the 72 hospitals with an obstetric unit. 59 (82%) answers were returned. In the group of parturients who had a vaginal delivery a neuraxial technique was requested by 65% of the patients and consisted of epidural analgesia in 84%, and combined spinal epidural analgesia in 16%.

A Prospective, Open-label Study of Long-term Intrathecal Ziconotide for Chronic Nonmalignant Back Pain: A Case Report.

Ziconotide is an N-type calcium channel (NCC) blocking conopeptide, acting primarily at the NCC-rich dorsal horn. Reported here is an early experience with intrathecal ziconotide in a 55-year-old man with chronic pain resulting from failed back surgery. All conservative and surgical treatments, in addition to IT morphine, failed prior to enrollment in a short-term, placebo-controlled trial testing ziconotide efficacy and safety.

Driving and intrathecal morphine administration.

Since Belgian law recently set a limit to morphine concentration detectable in blood and urine while driving a vehicle, questions arose about the implications for the medical use of opiates. We determined morphine concentrations in whole blood and urine by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry in 15 patients on continuous intrathecal morphine administration. Effects on blood and urine concentration after water intake and the correlation with the intrathecal morphine daily dose were also evaluated.

RT-PCR using redundant primers to detect the three viruses associated with carrot motley dwarf disease.

A method was developed for detecting and distinguishing the viruses associated with carrot motley dwarf (CMD) disease, i.e. Carrot mottle umbravirus (CMoV), Carrot red leaf virus (CRLV) and the virus known as carrot red leaf virus-associated RNA (CRLVaRNA).

Microsurgical reversal of female mechanical sterilization techniques.

This study presents the patient characteristics, the reason for requesting a reversal operation, the surgical technique and pregnancy rates after a microsurgical reanastomosis following a mechanical (ring or clip) method of sterilization in 55 women. A corrected intrauterine pregnancy rate of 90% was obtained. Ectopic pregnancy occurred in 7% of the patients.

Pain treatment in metastatic prostatic carcinoma by radiofrequency thermolesion on the pituitary gland. Preliminary report.

Radiofrequency thermolesion on the pituitary gland is a simple and safe procedure to reduce pain in metastatic prostatic carcinoma. The method is indicated in patients with multiple and bilateral painful areas due to bone metastases, which are resistant to hormonal therapy and Estracyt. A good pain relief is achieved in over 60% of patients.

Exotic snakebite, an unusual emergency. A case report and therapeutic considerations.

Envenomation by exotic poisonous snakes constitutes a rare emergency in Western Europe, but which in the future may be seen more frequently due to the increasing number of captive specimens in private collections. A case report of moderate envenomation by a viper is described. Diagnostic problems and therapeutic management are discussed for viper envenomation.

Gallamine and pancuronium inhibit pre- and postjunctional muscarine receptors in canine saphenous veins.

The influence of gallamine, pancuronium, suxamethonium and d-tubocurarine on adrenergic neurotransmission was studied in the isolated saphenous vein of the dog. Pancuronium but not the other muscle relaxants increased significantly the response to sympathetic stimulation and to exogenous norepipephrine; these increases were abolished after blockade of neuronal uptake by cocaine. Pancuronium and gallamine inhibited both the relaxation produced by lower doses of acetylcholine added during sympathetic stimulation (prejunctional effect) and the direct contractions evoked by high doses of the amine (postjunctional effect).

Influence of gallamine, pancuronium, d-tubocurarine and succinylcholine on adrenergic neurotransmission.

The influence of gallamine, pancuronium, d-tubocurarine and succinylcholine on adrenergic neurotransmission was studied in the isolated saphenous vein of the dog. Pancuronium increased the response of vascular smooth muscle to adrenergic nerve stimulation and to exogenous norepinephrine; gallamine, d-tubocurarine and succinylcholine had no effect. The relaxation caused by small doses of acetylcholine added during sympathetic nerve stimulation (prejunctional effect), was inhibited by pancuronium and by gallamine.

Clinical use of etomidate, influence on blood pressure and heart rate. Comparison with thiopentone and methohexital.

This study deals with blood pressure and heart rate measurements during the use of etomidate after premedication; the injection of etomidate is always preceded by 0.10 mg of fentanyl. Etomidate is compared with thiopentone and methohexitone.