Neurology Commons^™

In-Gel Purified Ditags Direct Synthesis Of Highly Efficient Sage Libraries, Saroj P. Mathupala, Andrew E. Sloan

Wayne State University Associated BioMed Central Scholarship

Abstract

Background

SAGE (serial analysis of gene expression) is a recently developed technique for systematic analysis of eukaryotic transcriptomes. The most critical step in the SAGE method is large scale amplification of ditags which are then are concatemerized for the construction of representative SAGE libraries. Here, we report a protocol for purifying these ditags via an 'in situ' PAGE purification method. This generates ditags free of linker contaminations, making library construction simpler and more efficient.

Results

Ditags used to generate SAGE libraries were demarcated 'in situ' on preparative polyacrylamide gels using XC and BPB dyes, which precisely straddle the ditag …

Bilateral Cervical Radiculopathy As A Presentation Of Spinal Tuberculosis: Report Of Two Cases, G R. Sharma, Rashid Jooma

Section of Neurosurgery

No abstract provided.

Giant Hypothalamic Hamartoma And Associated Seizure Types, M K. Chishti, Ashfaq A. Razzaq

Section of Neurosurgery

No abstract provided.

Neoplastic Growth Of Cerebral Cavernous Malformation Presenting With Impending Cerebral Herniation: A Case Report And Review Of The Literature On De Novo Growth Of Cavernomas, Arshad A. Siddiqui, Rashid Jooma

Section of Neurosurgery

Background: Cerebral cavernomas are rare vascular anomalies and their expansile growth has been considered to be mainly due to recurrent hemorrhages. They are not generally reported to show aggressive behavior.
Case description: A 27-year-old male presented with headache, visual disturbances, and a 17-year history of seizures. He was known to have a temporal lobe lesion on CT scan, consistent with a diagnosis of cavernous malformation but with no relevant family history. Serial clinical and radiological follow-up revealed a progressive increase in the size of the lesion with formation of a growing cyst of 7 cm in diameter, which produced mass …

Prediction Of Long-Term Intellectual And Neuropsychological Effects Of Closed Head Injury In Infants And Children, Tamara Sue Brenner

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

The ability to predict long-term intellectual and neuropsychological outcome (1-7 years post-injury) in children (ages 1 week - 14 years at injury) with a history of closed head injury were investigated. Clinical indicators of injury severity including EEG reading and age at injury as well as ’H-MRS variables of NAA/Ch, Ch/Cr, and lactate presence accurately classified 100% of children as functioning either within or above the average range or below the average range for most outcome measures. Combined clinical and H-MRS variables accounted for approximately 50% of the variance in outcome confirming the validity of their predictive use and also …

Histological Pattern Of Central Nervous System Neoplasms, Z. Ahmed, S. Muzaffar, Naila Kayani, Shahid Pervez, A. S. Husainy, S. H. Hasan

Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine

Objective:

To see in a large series of patients the histological pattern of CNS neoplasms and to provide a comprehensive data about the frequency of CNS neoplasms in Pakistani patients and to give a clearer idea about their prevalence.

Method:

Retrospective study of all consecutive cases of CNS neoplasms diagnosed at The Aga Khan University Hospital (AKUH) between 1st January 1994 and 31st December, 1999.

Setting:

The section of Histopathology, AKUH, Karachi.

Observation:

Our series included a large number of cases i.e., 1110 . There are very few local studies on CNS tumours and none so large . Our data …

Estrogen Protects Against The Synergistic Toxicity By Hiv Proteins, Methamphetamine And Cocaine, Jadwiga Turchan, Caroline Anderson, Kurt F. Hauser, Qinmiao Sun, Jiayou Zhang, Ying Liu, Phyllis M. Wise, Inna Kruman, William Maragos, Mark P. Mattson, Rosemarie Booze, Avindra Nath

Neurology Faculty Publications

BACKGROUND: Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection continues to increase at alarming rates in drug abusers, especially in women. Drugs of abuse can cause long-lasting damage to the brain and HIV infection frequently leads to a dementing illness. To determine how these drugs interact with HIV to cause CNS damage, we used an in vitro human neuronal culture characterized for the presence of dopaminergic receptors, transporters and estrogen receptors. We determined the combined effects of dopaminergic drugs, methamphetamine, or cocaine with neurotoxic HIV proteins, gp120 and Tat.

RESULTS: Acute exposure to these substances resulted in synergistic neurotoxic responses as measured by …

Vestibular Schwannomas: Clinical Presentation, Management And Outcome, M S. Awan, H U. Qureshi, A A. Sheikh, M M. Ali

Section of Neurosurgery

Objective: To review the demographic trends clinical spectrum, diagnosis, management and outcome of patients with vestibular Schwannoma and to identify areas where improvements are needed.
Methods: All patients with vestibular schwannoma admitted to the Aga Khan University Hospital over the past 11 years were reviewed retrospectively.
Results: The age range of majority of 22 patients analyzed, was 41-50 years (23%). Hearing loss was the most common presenting symptom (96%). Other clinical features included cranial nerve palsies (59%) and headache (55%). Fifty percent had signs of raised intracranial pressure. Neuroimaging revealed "Stage IV b" (tumor distorting the brainstem and compressing the …

Functions Of The Rat's Temporal Association Cortex In Higher Perceptual Functions, Summer L. Maki

The Corinthian

The role of the rodent temporal cortex in relational perception was investigated. Eighteen Long Evans rats were separated into three surgical groups (sham, partial striate, and Te2/3) and trained on a preoperative and postoperative discrimination task. The rats were then presented a series of relational judgement trials consisting of both between category judgments and within category judgments. It was hypothesized that the rats with Te2/3 lesions would perform as well as controls on the preoperative and postoperative discrimination task, but show a considerable behavioral dysfunction on the tests of visual relational perception. The results showed no differences across groups in …

The Concentration Of Three Anti-Seizure Medications In Hair: The Effects Of Hair Color, Controlling For Dose And Age, Tom Mieczkowski, Aristidis M. Tsatsakis, Michael Kruger, Thanasis Psillakis

Wayne State University Associated BioMed Central Scholarship

Abstract

Background

This paper assess the relationship between the quantity of three anti-seizure medications in hair and the color of the analyzed hair, while controlling for the effects of dose, dose duration, and patient age for 140 clinical patients undergoing anti-seizure therapy. Three drugs are assessed: carbamazepine (40 patients), valproic acid (40 patients), and phenytoin (60 patients). The relationship between hair assay results, hair color, dose, dose duration, and age is modeled using an analysis of covariance. The covariance model posits the hair assay results as the dependent variable, the hair color as the qualitative categorical independent variable, and dose, …

Foreign Body Granuloma After Craniotomy For Tumor: A Diagnostic Dilemma, Ashfaq A. Razzaq, M. K. N. Chishti

Section of Neurosurgery

No abstract provided.

Gram Negative Meningitis Resulting From Rupture Of A Spinal Epidural Abscess Into The Subarachnoid Space, S Lodhi, T Mozaffar, A R. Sarwari

Section of Neurology

No abstract provided.

The Long Road Called Goodbye (Excerpt), Charlotte A. Akin

Biography

Part clinical case study, part family journal, The Long Road Called Goodbye is a powerful and moving account of one family's thirteen-year struggle with Alzheimer's. This engaging informative book is a closely documented clinical study that reads like a novel, filled with all the feelings, crises, and conflicts experienced by patient and family. It is a story of love, loyalty, perseverance, strength, and dignity. The Long Road Called Goodbye makes a major contribution to the care of AD patients and their families. The book will be of interest to professionals who work with Alzheimer's patients, including physicians, staff at care-giving …

Cerebellopontine Angle Medulloblastoma, Naim-Ur-Rahman, A Jamjoom, M Al-Rayess, Z A. Jamjoom

Section of Neurosurgery

No abstract provided.

Central Nervous System Lymphomas: A Histologic And Immunophenotypic Analysis, Suhail Muzaffar, M. Shahid Siddiqui, Irshad Nabi Soomro, Shahid Pervez, Naila Kayani Naila Kayani, Sheema H. Hasan Sheema H. Hasan Sheema H. Hasan, Lmran Siddiqui Lmran Siddiqui

Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine

Objective: To observe the spectrum of non-Hodkin’s lymphomas involving the central nervous system including morphological subtypes and immunophenotypic status.

Setting: Retrospective analysis of eleven years (1986 to 1996) data from surgical pathology files of Department of Pathology.

Results: orty-three cases of non-Hodgkin’s lymphomas were diagnosed during the period of eleven years (from 1986 to 1996), all of which were diffuse types. A total of 1177 Central Nervous CNS biopsies were examined, out of which 937 cases were diagnosed as CNS neoplasms, the remaining were non-neoplastic in nature. Among 937 CNS neoplasms, 43 cases (4.6%) were reported as non-Hodgkin’s lymphomas. As …

Remote Episodic Memory Deficits In Patients With Unilateral Temporal Lobe Epilepsy And Excisions, Indre Viskontas, M. P. Mcandrews, M. Moscovitch

Psychology

The nature of remote memory impairment in patients with medial temporal lobe damage is the subject of some debate. While some investigators have found that retrograde amnesia in such patients is temporally graded, with relative sparing of remote memories (Squire and Alvarez, 1995), others contend that impairment is of very long duration and that remote memories are not necessarily spared (Sanders and Warrington, 1971; Nadel and Moscovitch, 1997). In this study, remote memory was assessed in 25 patients with unilateral temporal lobe epilepsy and 22 non-neurologically impaired controls using the Autobiographical Memory Interview (Kopelman et al., 1989). Results indicate that …

Ethical Issues In Dementia, Peter J. Whitehouse

Faculty Scholarship

The growing number of individuals affected by dementia will intensify the ethical issues that emerge in clinical practice and research, issues early in disease relate to genetic testing, use of medications in mildly affected persons, and diagnostic disclosure. Research issues relate to appropriate informed consent processes, conflict of interests, and research design issues, such as the use of placebos and the use of biological tissues. In the later stages of disease concern about appropriate therapeutic goals and end-of-life care is appropriate.

Signaling Mechanisms For Muscarinic Receptor-Mediated Coronary Vasoconstriction In Isolated Rat Hearts, Yi Zhang

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The signaling mechanisms for muscarinic receptor-mediated vasoconstriction in coronary resistance arteries were studied in KCl-arrested isolated rat hearts perfused at a constant flow rate. The cholinergic agonists acetylcholine and bethanechol were given by bolus injection or constant infusion. The coronary vascular resistance was monitored by measuring the changes in perfusion pressure. The selective muscarinic agonist bethanechol caused a similar vasoconstrictor response as ACh, but with less potency and efficacy. Bolus injection of bethanechol evoked a phasic vasoconstriction in a dose-dependent manner, while infusion of bethanechol evoked a tonic vasoconstriction without producing tachyphylaxis. Coronary vascular responses to bethanechol were further examined …

Global Cns Gene Transfer For A Childhood Neurogenetic Enzyme Deficiency: Canavan Disease., Paola Leone, Christopher G Janson, Scott J Mcphee, Matthew J During

Department of Neurosurgery Faculty Papers

The neurogenetic prototypic disease on which we chose to test our gene therapy strategy is Canavan disease (CD). CD is an autosomal recessive leukodystrophy associated with spongiform degeneration of the brain. At present the disease is uniformly fatal in affected probands. CD is characterized by mutations in the aspartoacylase (ASPA) gene, resulting in loss of enzyme activity. In this review, recent evidence is summarized on the etiology and possible treatments for CD. In particular, we discuss two gene delivery systems representing recent advances in both viral and liposome technology: a novel cationic liposome-polymer-DNA (LPD) complex, DCChol/DOPE-protamine, as well as recombinant …

Clinical Trials In Alzheimer Disease: Debate On The Use Of Placebo Controls, Peter J. Whitehouse

Faculty Scholarship

During the past 10 years, there has been a rapidly growing number of pharmaceutical industry-sponsored drug trials for treatment of Alzheimer disease (AD) and other neurodegenerative diseases. As public awareness and concerns about AD have grown, so has interest in developing drug therapies for retarding symptom progression, delaying onset, and ultimately curing the disease. Ethical debate on the use of placebo control trials in AD research has come of age in the United States with the availability of treatments approved by the Food and Drug Administration. The experts and the public agree that more effective therapies are necessary, and new …

Carotid Doppler Ultrasonography In Young Stroke Patients, A A. Razzaq, B A. Khan, C K. Jadoon, S M. Baig

Section of Neurology

Background: The present study focuses on the role of carotid doppler ultrasonography (CDUS) in the diagnosis and management of carotid stenosis in young stroke patients.

Methods: The findings of carotid doppler in 45 ischemic stroke patients between 15-45 years of age were reviewed retrospectively. The variables of interest for this study included risk factors for atherosclerotic disease, primary abnormality detected on carotid doppler ultrasonography (ulceration vs. stenosis), degree of stenosis and the type of plaque (soft vs. calcified).

Results: The prevalence of hypertension and diabetes was 50% and 35% respectively. The rate of carotid stenosis in the …

Ct And Mr Imaging In Young Stroke Patients, A A. Razzaq, B A. Khan, S Baig

Section of Neurology

Background: This study investigates the role of CT and MR imaging in the diagnosis and management of young stroke patients.

Methods: CT scan findings of 108 patients and MR findings of 30 patients between 15-45 years of age were reviewed retrospectively. The variables included the territory of infarct on CT and MR imaging, the cortical distribution and size of infarct.

Results: About 80% of the patients had infarcts of the carotid territory and 20% the vertebro-basilar distribution. More than half of the infarcts were cortical (56%). The yield of MR imaging was much higher for deeper structures such …

Moyamoya Disease Presenting With Intracranial Haemorrhage, Ali Akbar, Aftab Qureshi, Rashid Jooma

Section of Neurosurgery

No abstract provided.

Spinal Cord Compression: Histologic Spectrum Of Lesions, I. N. Soomro, N.Kayani N.Kayani, Shahid Pervez, A. S. Hussainy, R. Ahmed, S. Muzaffar, S. A. Aziz, S. H. Hasan

Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine

Histologic diagnosis ultimately determines the prognosis and treatment of lesions causing spinal cord compression. Modem imaging techniques have revolutionized the procedure of localizing lesions pre¬senting with signs and symptoms of spinal cord compression. As a result, these lesions are more accessible for fine needle aspiration and biopsy. A quick diagnosis is possible if cytologic preparation is made. Similarly, intraoperative frozen section facility not only provides rapid diagnosis, but also offers oppor tunity of appropriate management decision there and then. Histology in many cases needs help of special stains and immunocytochemistry. This study looks at the histologic spectrum of these lesions, …

Mouse Embryo Development In The Presence Of Capsaicin, Carlos Santiago Villar-Gosalvez

Theses and Dissertations in Biomedical Sciences

Capsaicin is the pungent agent found in hot peppers of the Capsicum genus. It is a potent neurotoxin that stimulates the degranulation and degeneration of C-afferent neurons. Capsaicin is widely used as a food condiment and medicine. Human exposure of capsaicin can exceed levels shown to be neurotoxic in laboratory animals. Additionally, capsaicin can cross the blood/placenta barrier and affect an embryo in utero. In order to assay the potential for toxicity to human embryos, mouse embryos were exposed to capsaicin and the effect of the capsaicin on embryo development was measured. Embryos were co-cultured in Krebs medium with 1% …

Quantal Mechanisms Underlying Stimulation-Induced Augmentation And Potentiation, Hong Cheng

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Repetitive stimulation of motor nerves causes an increase in the number of packets of transmitter ("quanta") that can be released in the ensuing period. This represents a type of conditioning, in which synaptic transmission may be enhanced by prior activity. Despite many studies of this phenomenon, there have been no investigations of the quantal mechanisms underlying these events, due to the rapid changes in transmitter output and the short time periods involved. To examine this problem, a method was developed in which estimates of the quantal release parameters could be obtained over very brief periods (3 s). Conventional microelectrode techniques …

Primary Spinal T-Cell Rich B-Cell Lymphoma: A Case Report, Suhail Muzaffar Suhail Muzaffar, Irshad Nabi Soomro, Naila Kayani, Shahid Siddiqui, Yousuf A. Husein, Rashid Jooma

Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine

No abstract provided.

Mitochondrial Myopathy With Atypical Subacute Presentation, Oren Cohen, Israel Steiner, Zohar Argov, Avi Ashkenazi, Judith Diment, Ann Saada, Yaron River

Department of Neurology Faculty Papers

Mitochondrial myopathies usually have a chronic course of progressive limb weakness, exercise induced myalgia without muscle tenderness, and normal or only mildly raised serum creatine kinase. Acute or subacute presentation or exacerbation of nervous system signs is common in Leber's hereditary optic neuropathy (LHON) and in mitochondrial encephalopathy, lactic acidosis, and stroke-like episodes (MELAS), but has not been reported for muscle in mitochondrial diseases. We describe a patient who presented with rapidly progressive, subacute muscle weakness due to a mitochondrial disorder.

A Comparison Of Rectal Diazepam Gel And Placebo For Acute Repetitive Seizures, Fritz E. Dreifuss , M.D., N. Paul Rosman , M.D., James C. Cloyd , Pharm.D., John M. Pellock , M.D., Ruben I. Kuzniecky , M.D., Warren D. Lo , M.D., Fumisuke Matsuo , M.D., Gregory B. Sharp , M.D., Joan A. Conry , M.D., Donna C. Bergen , M.D., Walter E. Bell , Ph.D

Neurology Publications

ABSTRACT

Background Acute repetitive seizures are readily recognizable episodes involving increased seizure frequency. Urgent treatment is often required. Rectal diazepam gel is a promising therapy.

Methods We conducted a randomized, doubleblind, parallel-group, placebo-controlled study of home-based treatment for acute repetitive seizures. Patients were randomly assigned to receive either rectal diazepam gel, at doses ranging from 0.2 to 0.5 mg per kilogram of body weight on the basis of age, or placebo. Children received one dose at the onset of acute repetitive seizures and a second dose four hours later. Adults received three doses — one dose at onset, and two …

Characterization Of The Fast Axonally Transported Proteins In The Rat Optic Pathway, Surafel Mulugeta

Theses and Dissertations in Biomedical Sciences

The fast axonally transported proteins represent a subset of neuronal proteins that are conveyed anterogradely as secretory vesicle constituents from the perikarya. Although fast transport displays properties consistent with the general secretory pathway, neuronal structure presents special problems which may require modifications of the general pathway. The elucidation of these special modifications is essential for a more complete understanding of neuronal function both in normal and pathological conditions. In order to characterize the fast transported (FT) proteins and to better understand fast transport trafficking, the FT of radiolabeled retinal ganglion cell (RGC) proteins in the adult rat optic pathway was …