- Publication type
- Meeting Abstract MeSH
To what extent can the mammalian visual system be shaped by visual behavior? Here we analyze the shape of the visual fields, the densities and distribution of cells in the retinal ganglion-cell layer and the organization of the visual projections in two species of facultative non-strictly subterranean rodents, Spalacopus cyanus and Ctenomys talarum, aiming to compare these traits with those of phylogenetically closely related species possessing contrasting diurnal/nocturnal visual habits. S. cyanus shows a definite zone of frontal binocular overlap and a corresponding area centralis, but a highly reduced amount of ipsilateral retinal projections. The situation in C. talarum is more extreme as it lacks of a fronto-ventral area of binocular superposition, has no recognizable area centralis and shows no ipsilateral retinal projections except to the suprachiasmatic nucleus. In both species, the extension of the monocular visual field and of the dorsal region of binocular overlap as well as the whole set of contralateral visual projections, appear well-developed. We conclude that these subterranean rodents exhibit, paradoxically, diurnal instead of nocturnal visual specializations, but at the same time suffer a specific regression of the anatomical substrate for stereopsis. We discuss these findings in light of the visual ecology of subterranean lifestyles.
- MeSH
- Superior Colliculi metabolism pathology MeSH
- Rodentia * MeSH
- Vision Disorders diagnosis etiology MeSH
- Retina metabolism pathology MeSH
- Retinal Ganglion Cells metabolism pathology MeSH
- Blindness diagnosis etiology MeSH
- Organ Size MeSH
- Vision, Binocular * MeSH
- Visual Fields MeSH
- Animals MeSH
- Check Tag
- Male MeSH
- Female MeSH
- Animals MeSH
- Publication type
- Journal Article MeSH
- Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't MeSH
18 F-FDG PET/CT imaging is useful in patients with fever of unknown origin and can detect giant cell arteritis in extracranial large arteries. However, it is usually assumed that temporal arteries cannot be visualized with a PET/CT scanner due to their small diameter. Three patients with clinical symptoms of temporal arteritis were examined using a standard whole body PET/CT protocol (skull base - mid thighs) followed by a head PET/CT scan using the brain protocol. High18F-FDG uptake in the aorta and some arterial branches were detected in all 3 patients with the whole body protocol. Using the brain protocol, head imaging led to detection of high18F-FDG uptake in temporal arteries as well as in their branches (3 patients), in occipital arteries (2 patients) and also in vertebral arteries (3 patients).
- MeSH
- Vertebral Artery diagnostic imaging metabolism MeSH
- Temporal Arteries diagnostic imaging metabolism MeSH
- Fluorodeoxyglucose F18 * pharmacokinetics MeSH
- Middle Aged MeSH
- Humans MeSH
- Giant Cell Arteritis diagnostic imaging MeSH
- Positron Emission Tomography Computed Tomography * MeSH
- Radiopharmaceuticals * pharmacokinetics MeSH
- Aged MeSH
- Check Tag
- Middle Aged MeSH
- Humans MeSH
- Male MeSH
- Aged MeSH
- Female MeSH
- Publication type
- Journal Article MeSH
- Case Reports MeSH
The aim of the study was to examine the relation between polymorphisms and serum levels of selected cytokines (IL-6, IL-13 and IL-15), production of autoantibodies and factors describing rheumatoid arthritis (RA), such as DAS28 and Total Sharp Score. A total of 156 patients with RA according to the ACR criteria, and 200 control subjects were recruited into the study. The measurements of CRP, anti-CCP, the presence of rheumatoid factors (RFs), radiographs of both hands with calculation of Total Sharp Score (TSS) and DAS28 were obtained from all patients with RA. In total, five polymorphisms in genes coding cytokines (IL-6, IL-13 and IL-15) were detected. The levels of these selected cytokines were measured in serum using ELISA method. A significant difference in allele frequencies between patients with RA and controls was observed for IL-15 -267C/T polymorphism. A higher prevalence of heterozygote variants of IL-15 polymorphisms (14035A/T and -267C/T) in the RF IgG- and RF IgA-negative subgroups was observed. Furthermore, the association of polymorphisms in gene for IL-15 with circulating level of IL-15 (14035A/T and 367G/A) and with total RF and Ig-specific RFs (-267C/T) was found. The relation of IL-15 to RFs IgA, IgM, IgG and the measure of DAS28 was proved. The frequency of the T allele of the IL-13 polymorphism -1112C/T was higher in subgroup with faster progression of the disease (TSS/month ≥ 0.1). In conclusion, we present an association of IL-15 gene polymorphisms with the RFs including subtypes (RF, IgG, IgA) underlined by the relation of increased IL-15 levels in circulation to RFs.
- MeSH
- Alleles MeSH
- Autoantibodies blood MeSH
- Adult MeSH
- Genetic Association Studies MeSH
- Haplotypes MeSH
- Immunoglobulin A blood immunology MeSH
- Immunoglobulin G blood immunology MeSH
- Immunoglobulin M blood immunology MeSH
- Interleukin-13 genetics MeSH
- Interleukin-15 genetics MeSH
- Interleukin-6 genetics MeSH
- Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide MeSH
- Middle Aged MeSH
- Humans MeSH
- Polymorphism, Genetic * MeSH
- Disease Progression MeSH
- Arthritis, Rheumatoid blood genetics MeSH
- Rheumatoid Factor blood MeSH
- Aged MeSH
- Case-Control Studies MeSH
- Check Tag
- Adult MeSH
- Middle Aged MeSH
- Humans MeSH
- Male MeSH
- Aged MeSH
- Female MeSH
- Publication type
- Journal Article MeSH
- Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't MeSH
The dorsolateral area of the hippocampal formation of birds is commonly assumed to play a central role in processing information needed for geographical positioning and homing. Previous work has interpreted odour-induced activity in this region as evidence for an 'olfactory map'. Here, we show, using c-Fos expression as a marker, that neuronal activation in the dorsolateral area of the hippocampal formation of pigeons is primarily a response to odour novelty, not to the spatial distribution of odour sources that would be necessary for an olfactory map. Pigeons exposed to odours had significantly more neurons activated in this area of the brain than pigeons exposed to filtered air with odours removed. This increased activity was observed only in response to unfamiliar odours. No change in activity was observed when pigeons were exposed to home odours. These findings are consistent with non-home odours activating non-olfactory components of the pigeon's navigation system. The pattern of neuronal activation in the triangular and dorsomedial areas of the hippocampal formation was, by contrast, consistent with the possibility that odours play a role in providing spatial information.
- MeSH
- Olfactory Perception * MeSH
- Columbidae physiology MeSH
- Genetic Markers MeSH
- Hippocampus physiology MeSH
- Odorants * MeSH
- Spatial Navigation MeSH
- Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-fos genetics metabolism MeSH
- Avian Proteins genetics metabolism MeSH
- Animals MeSH
- Check Tag
- Animals MeSH
- Publication type
- Journal Article MeSH
- Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't MeSH
Multiple myeloma (MM) is an incurable malignant disease of the terminal developmental stage of B-lymphocytes. While genetic heterogeneity of MM is widely described, little is known about its genetic basis as well as primary damage during plasma cells (PC) development. In this study, we focused on genome-wide screening of DNA copy number changes using oligonucleotide-based array-CGH together with I-FISH of the IgH locus rearrangements in pair samples of bone marrow B-cells (CD19+) and CD138+ PC from newly diagnosed MM patients. The IgH disruption was found in 8.9% (4/45) of CD19+ samples and in 57.8% (26/45) of CD138+ samples. The genomic profiling using array-CGH identified copy number alterations (CNAs) in 10% (2/20) of CD19+ samples in regions known to be important for MM pathogenesis. In contrast, we found CNAs in 100% (16/16) of CD138+ samples. Most common chromosomal abnormalities were trisomies of odd-numbered chromosomes (3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 15, 19 and 21), gain 1q, gain Xq and monosomy of chromosome 13. We did not find any correlation between incidence of CNAs in CD19+ and CD138+ cells. In conclusion, effective utilization of FISH and array-CGH can identify genetic lesions in premalignant stages leading to better understanding and characterization of MM.
- MeSH
- Antigens, CD19 analysis MeSH
- Cell Lineage * MeSH
- Chromosome Aberrations * MeSH
- Gene Dosage * MeSH
- Gene Rearrangement MeSH
- In Situ Hybridization, Fluorescence * methods MeSH
- Middle Aged MeSH
- Humans MeSH
- Multiple Myeloma * genetics immunology MeSH
- Lymphocyte Subsets * immunology MeSH
- Aged, 80 and over MeSH
- Aged MeSH
- Comparative Genomic Hybridization * MeSH
- Syndecan-1 analysis MeSH
- Immunoglobulin Heavy Chains genetics MeSH
- Check Tag
- Middle Aged MeSH
- Humans MeSH
- Male MeSH
- Aged, 80 and over MeSH
- Aged MeSH
- Female MeSH
- Publication type
- Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't MeSH
