Renal insufficiency is independently associated with a distal distribution pattern of symptomatic lower-limb atherosclerosis

Objectives The purpose of this study was to assess the impact of renal insufficiency (RI) on the distribution pattern of peripheral arterial disease (PAD). We hypothesised that RI is associated with a distally accentuated involvement of the peripheral arterial tree. Design This is a retrospective analysis. Materials and Methods Analysis was based on a consecutive series of 2709 patients with chronic PAD of atherosclerotic origin undergoing primary endovascular treatment of lower-extremity arteries. Atherosclerotic pattern was grouped into femoropopliteal (n = 2085) and infragenicular (n = 892) disease according to target lesions treated while using iliac disease (n = 1133) as reference. Univariable and multivariable multinomial regression analyses were performed to assess relation with RI. Results are shown as relative risk ratio (RRRs) with 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs). A p < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. RI was defined as glomerular filtration rate (GFR) < 60 ml min−1 1.73 m−2. Results Presence of RI was an independent risk factor for a centrifugal lesion pattern (RRR 1.48, 95% CI: 1.17–1.86, p = 0.001). Moreover, a decrease in GFR by 10 ml min−1 1.73 m−2 was associated with an RRR of 1.08 for below-the-knee arterial disease (95% CI: 1.03–1.13, p = 0.003). Conclusion Presence and severity of RI are independent predictors of a distal obstructive pattern in patients with symptomatic PAD.

Distribution pattern of 68Ga-DOTATATE in disease-free patients

68Ga-DOTA-DPhe1,Tyr3-octreotate (68Ga-DOTATATE) is a somatostatin analogue that shows high affinity for somatostatin receptor subtype 2 (sst2) and has been used for imaging neuroendocrine tumours. However, normal uptake patterns and potential pitfalls have not been described with this high-sensitivity radiotracer. The aim of this study was therefore to outline the normal distribution pattern of 68Ga-DOTATATE in disease-free patients, to provide standardized uptake values (SUVs) of various organs and to compare our results with the current knowledge on sst2 receptor expression in vitro.

3D bloodstain pattern analysis: ballistic reconstruction of the trajectories of blood drops and determination of the centres of origin of the bloodstains

For crime scene investigation in cases of homicide, the pattern of bloodstains at the incident site is of critical importance. The morphology of the bloodstain pattern serves to determine the approximate blood source locations, the minimum number of blows and the positioning of the victim. In the present work, the benefits of the three-dimensional bloodstain pattern analysis, including the ballistic approximation of the trajectories of the blood drops, will be demonstrated using two illustrative cases. The crime scenes were documented in 3D, using the non-contact methods digital photogrammetry, tachymetry and laser scanning. Accurate, true-to-scale 3D models of the crime scenes, including the bloodstain pattern and the traces, were created. For the determination of the areas of origin of the bloodstain pattern, the trajectories of up to 200 well-defined bloodstains were analysed in CAD and photogrammetry software. The ballistic determination of the trajectories was performed using ballistics software. The advantages of this method are the short preparation time on site, the non-contact measurement of the bloodstains and the high accuracy of the bloodstain analysis. It should be expected that this method delivers accurate results regarding the number and position of the areas of origin of bloodstains, in particular the vertical component is determined more precisely than using conventional methods. In both cases relevant forensic conclusions regarding the course of events were enabled by the ballistic bloodstain pattern analysis.

Effect of selective dorsal rhizotomy on gait in children with bilateral spastic paresis: kinematic and EMG-pattern changes

Selective dorsal rhizotomy (SDR) is an effective treatment for reducing spasticity and improving gait in children with spastic cerebral palsy. Data concerning muscle activity changes after SDR treatment are limited.

Incidence, aetiology and pattern of mandibular fractures in central Switzerland

The two major causative factors for mandibular fractures, as stated in the literature, are either interpersonal violence or motor vehicle accidents. The purpose of this study was to describe epidemiological trends of mandibular fractures in Switzerland. A special emphasis was directed towards the potential impact of socio-economic standards on the mechanism and pattern of mandible fractures.

Gender is an independent risk factor for distribution pattern and lesion morphology in chronic critical limb ischemia

The aim of this study was to determine gender differences in atherosclerotic lesion morphology and distribution pattern of patients with critical limb ischemia (CLI).

The Trypanosoma brucei MitoCarta and its regulation and splicing pattern during development

It has long been known that trypanosomes regulate mitochondrial biogenesis during the life cycle of the parasite; however, the mitochondrial protein inventory (MitoCarta) and its regulation remain unknown. We present a novel computational method for genome-wide prediction of mitochondrial proteins using a support vector machine-based classifier with approximately 90% prediction accuracy. Using this method, we predicted the mitochondrial localization of 468 proteins with high confidence and have experimentally verified the localization of a subset of these proteins. We then applied a recently developed parallel sequencing technology to determine the expression profiles and the splicing patterns of a total of 1065 predicted MitoCarta transcripts during the development of the parasite, and showed that 435 of the transcripts significantly changed their expressions while 630 remain unchanged in any of the three life stages analyzed. Furthermore, we identified 298 alternatively splicing events, a small subset of which could lead to dual localization of the corresponding proteins.

Expression and localization pattern of ABCA1 in diverse human placental primary cells and tissues

The ATP-binding cassette transporter A1 (ABCA1) mediates the transport of cholesterol, phospholipids, and other lipophilic molecules across cellular membranes. Recent data provide evidence that ABCA1 plays an important role in placental function but the exact cellular sites of ABCA1 action in the placenta remain controversial. To clarify this issue, we analyzed the cellular and subcellular localization of ABCA1 with immunocytochemistry, immunofluorescence and subsequent confocal or immunofluorescence microscopy in different types of isolated primary placenta cells: cytotrophoblast cells, amnion epithelial cells, villous macrophages (Hofbauer cells), and mesenchymal cells isolated from chorionic membrane and placental villi. After 12 h of cultivation, primary cytotrophoblast cells showed intensive membrane and cytoplasmic staining for ABCA1. After 24 h, with progressive syncytium formation, ABCA1 staining intensity was markedly reduced and ABCA1 was dispersed in the cytoplasm of the forming syncytial layer. In amnion epithelial cells, placental macrophages and mesenchymal cells, ABCA1 was predominantly localized at the cell membrane and cytoplasmic compartments partially corresponding to the endoplasmic reticulum. In these cell types, the ABCA1 staining intensity was not dependent on the cultivation time. In conclusion, ABCA1 shows marked expression levels in diverse placental cell types. The multitopic localization of ABCA1 in diverse human placental cells not all directly involved in materno-fetal exchange suggests that this protein may not only participate in transplacental lipid transport but could have additional regulatory functions.