TRPM4 inhibition by meclofenamate suppresses Ca2+-dependent triggered arrhythmias.

Aims: Cardiac arrhythmias are a major factor in the occurrence of morbidity and sudden death in patients with cardiovascular disease. Disturbances of Ca2+ homeostasis in the heart contribute to the initiation and maintenance of cardiac arrhythmias. Extrasystolic increases in intracellular Ca2+ lead to delayed afterdepolarizations and triggered activity, which can result in heart rhythm abnormalities.

A Novel Tau Antibody Detecting the First Amino-Terminal Insert Reveals Conformational Differences Among Tau Isoforms.

As human Tau undergoes pathologically relevant post-translational modifications when expressed in yeast, the use of humanized yeast models for the generation of novel Tau monoclonal antibodies has previously been proven to be successful. In this study, human Tau2N4R-ΔK280 purified from yeast was used for the immunization of mice and subsequent selection of high affinity Tau-specific monoclonal antibodies. The characterization of four novel antibodies in different Tau model systems yielded a phosphorylation-dependent antibody (15A10), an antibody directed to the first microtubule-binding repeat domain (16B12), a carboxy-terminal antibody (20G10) and an antibody targeting an epitope on the hinge of the first and second amino-terminal insert (18F12).

The elusive tau molecular structures: can we translate the recent breakthroughs into new targets for intervention?

Insights into tau molecular structures have advanced significantly in recent years. This field has been the subject of recent breakthroughs, including the first cryo-electron microscopy structures of tau filaments from Alzheimer's and Pick's disease inclusions, as well as the structure of the repeat regions of tau bound to microtubules. Tau structure covers various species as the tau protein itself takes many forms.

Recent Insights on Alzheimer's Disease Originating from Yeast Models.

In this review article, yeast model-based research advances regarding the role of Amyloid-β (Aβ), Tau and frameshift Ubiquitin UBB in Alzheimer’s disease (AD) are discussed. Despite having limitations with regard to intercellular and cognitive AD aspects, these models have clearly shown their added value as complementary models for the study of the molecular aspects of these proteins, including their interplay with AD-related cellular processes such as mitochondrial dysfunction and altered proteostasis. Moreover, these yeast models have also shown their importance in translational research, e.

Variability of the administered radioiodine doses for the treatment of hyperthyroidism in Belgium.

Objective: When using radioiodine for hyperthyroidism there is no consensus regarding the administration of fixed or calculated doses. Guidelines do not specify the preferable approach or the parameters to use to calculate the dose. Therefore, the dose might be quite different with regard to the chosen procedure.

Inter-observer reproducibility of relative 99Tcm-DMSA uptake.

99Tcm-DMSA planar images of 49 randomly selected patients (10 adults, 39 children) were sent to 15 physicians at various centres in Belgium. They were asked to calculate, using their own routine program, the relative uptake (expressed as a percentage) of each kidney. The data were sent on disks formatted so that they could be read by all participants, using their own computer systems.

A multicenter trial on interobserver reproducibility in reporting on 99mTc-DMSA planar scintigraphy: a Belgian survey.

Unlabelled: Conflicting opinions have been expressed regarding reproducibility in 99mTc-dimercaptosuccinic acid (DMSA) planar renal image interpretation. The purpose of this investigation was to determine the level of interobserver variability among a large group of Belgian nuclear medicine physicians who evaluated a randomly selected series of DMSA planar scintigraphic examinations performed on children and adults.

Methods: All Belgian nuclear medicine centers (n = 82) were invited to participate in a reproducibility study on 99mTc-DMSA scintigraphy.

[Use of 131 iodine for the treatment of hyperthyroidism in adults].

The authors report on their experience with the treatment of hyperthyroidism using radioiodine (RI) over a period of 15 years in 516 patients. RI dosimetry was calculated from thyroid 24 hr uptake and weight, using linearly increasing RI doses (from 40 to 100 microCi/g) with increasing thyroid weight (between 10 and 100 g) for both diffuse (D) and multinodular (MN) toxic goiters. For solitary toxic (ST) nodules, a fixed dose of 250 microCi/g was used.

Radionuclide imaging in primary permanent congenital hypothyroidism.

Thyroid scintigraphy was performed in 69 consecutive infants with permanent primary congenital hypothyroidism (CH) detected by systematic neonatal thyroid screening using a rectilinear scanner or a gamma camera 15 minutes after the intravenous injection of 250 microCi Tc-99m sodium pertechnetate, immediately after the infants were fed. Immobilization of the infant in a supine position with the neck in hyperextension was achieved by a vacuum cushion without any sedation. Thyroid scintigraphy showed thyroid ectopia in 43 of the 69 CH infants, thyroid agenesis in 19, and goiter in the last 7 infants, respectively.

[Isotopic method in the demonstration of diaphragmatic defects in a case of pleural effusion associated with cirrhosis: apropos of a case].

A 62-year-old woman presented with massive right-sided hydrothorax associated with cirrhosis of the liver. Chest scintigraphy after intraperitoneal injection of labelled tracer showed movement of the tracer from the peritoneal to the pleural cavity. Medical therapy and thoracocentesis were successful in this case.

Radioiodine therapy in voluminous multinodular non-toxic goitre.

Large doses of radioiodine were administered since 1969 to 15 euthyroid patients with compressive voluminous goitres. A decrease in goitre size was observed in all patients (between 15 and 63%, average 39%). Maximal effect on goitre size was attained rapidly, partially already after less than one year and was almost maximal after 24 to 30 months.

Cold thyroid nodules in childhood: is surgery always necessary?

In children who present with a cold thyroid nodule the current recommendation is that surgery immediately be performed in view of the high probability of thyroid cancer. Because the incidence of thyroid cancer in children may be decreasing and because extensive experience has been gained in adults with thyroid echography and fine-needle aspiration cytology, we evaluated three consecutive children with cold thyroid nodules by means of these non-surgical techniques. The diagnoses were: thyroid cancer in one patient, thyroid abscess in one and haemorrhagic cyst of the thyroid in one.

Abnormalities of esophageal transit in patients with sporadic nontoxic goitre.

Esophageal transit (E.T.) was investigated in 122 consecutive euthyroid patients with scintigraphically proven goitre, and compared to 26 control subjects.

Quantitation of esophageal transit by means of 81mKr.

A method for quantifying esophageal transit by means of 81mKr is described. The principal advantage of 81mKr compared with 99mTc is its ultra-short half-life with its consequences on radiation dose and counting statistics. Factors which may influence the esophageal transit time such as body posture, volume of the tracer, and the nature of the tracer were studied.

[Fine-needle aspiration (F.N.A.) of thyroid cold nodules (author's transl)].

In a retrospective study of 100 patients operated on between 1974 and 1979 in our institution for thyroid cold nodules, an 8% incidence of thyroid cancer was found at surgery. Since 1979, F.N.