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Current Journal of Neurology Jul 2020This publication reviews the steps in the path towards obtaining a complete image of the brain. Up to the 1920s, plain X-ray films could demonstrate only calcified... (Review)
Review
This publication reviews the steps in the path towards obtaining a complete image of the brain. Up to the 1920s, plain X-ray films could demonstrate only calcified tumors, shifts in midline position of a calcified pineal gland due to a mass in the cranium, or foreign metallic objects within the skull. Walter Dandy reported in 1918 that he visualized cerebral ventricles by introducing air as a contrast agent through a trocar into one of the occipital lobes or the right frontal horn of the ventricular system. Dandy localized lesions that distorted or shifted the ventricles. In 1920, Dandy placed air by lumbar puncture into the spinal subarachnoid space that could visualize the brain and entire ventricles. Antonio Egas Moniz with the assistance of his neurosurgeon colleague, Almeida Lima, obtained X-ray images of cerebral arteries of dogs and decapitated human heads from corpses after injecting strontium bromide into their carotid arteries. Satisfied by these experiments, Moniz injected strontium bromide directly into carotid arteries of five patients which failed to show intracranial vessels. In the sixth patient, intracranial arteries were outlined but that patient died of cerebral thrombosis presumably due to the hyper-osmolality of that contrast agent. Finally, on June 18, 1927, Moniz injected 22% sodium iodine into a 20-year-old man and obtained clear visualization of his carotid artery and intracerebral branches after temporarily occluding the artery with a ligature. Direct percutaneous puncture of the cervical carotid artery remained the primary technique unto the 1960s to visualize intracranial blood vessels until Seldinger's technique was introduced in 1953. Computerized axial tomography (CAT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) replaced cerebral arteriography for localizing tumors and epidural or subdural hemorrhage. However, angiography is used currently for embolization of aneurysms and removal of thrombi or emboli in patients with acute stroke.
PubMed: 38011427
DOI: 10.18502/cjn.v19i3.5426 -
Bundesgesundheitsblatt,... Dec 2020In academic and public debate, the meaning of irreversible loss of brain function as a reliable sign of death (brain death criterion) is repeatedly challenged. In the... (Review)
Review
In academic and public debate, the meaning of irreversible loss of brain function as a reliable sign of death (brain death criterion) is repeatedly challenged. In the present article, six prototypical theses against the brain death criterion are discussed: 1) the nonsuperiority of brain versus other organs, 2) the unreliability of brain death diagnostics, 3) the preserved perception of pain in brain death, 4) the (spontaneous) sexual maturation and preserved reproductive function in brain death, 5) the symmetry of brain death and embryonic stage, and 6) the equalization of an artificially respired brain-dead body and a living human being.None of these theses withstand critical analysis. In Germany, the whole-brain death criterion is applied. Brain death involves the complete loss of all sensation, consciousness, as well as facial, ocular, lingual and pharyngeal motor, voluntary motor, and sexual function (functional "decapitation"). Other organs or their basic control can be replaced artificially, but not the brain. The brain, not the remaining body, is determinant of the human individual. The equalization of an artificially respired brain-dead organism, that may be considered as a living system from a natural philosophy point of view, and the organism of the same living human being leads, through reducibility of constituting organs, to an obvious absurdity. The irreversible loss of brain function results inevitably in cardiac arrest, spontaneously within minutes, with intensive care usually within days. In the embryo/fetus, malformation of the complete brain also results in (prenatal) death. The statutory guideline of the German Medical Association for the determination of brain death has, by comparison, high diagnostic reliability; no confirmed misdiagnoses have occurred.
Topics: Brain Death; Critical Care; Death; Germany; Humans; Reproducibility of Results; Tissue and Organ Procurement
PubMed: 33180159
DOI: 10.1007/s00103-020-03245-1 -
Basic & Clinical Pharmacology &... Aug 2017The impact of euthanasia methods on endocrine and metabolic parameters in rodent tissues and biological fluids is highly relevant for the accuracy and reliability of the... (Comparative Study)
Comparative Study
The impact of euthanasia methods on endocrine and metabolic parameters in rodent tissues and biological fluids is highly relevant for the accuracy and reliability of the data collected. However, few studies concerning this issue are found in the literature. We compared the effects of three euthanasia methods currently used in animal experimentation (i.e. decapitation, CO inhalation and pentobarbital injection) on the serum levels of corticosterone, insulin, glucose, triglycerides, cholesterol and a range of free fatty acids in rats. The corticosterone and insulin levels were not significantly affected by the euthanasia protocol used. However, euthanasia by an overdose of pentobarbital (120 mg/kg intraperitoneal injection) increased the serum levels of glucose, and decreased cholesterol, stearic and arachidonic acids levels compared with euthanasia by CO inhalation and decapitation. CO inhalation appears to increase the serum levels of triglycerides, while euthanasia by decapitation induced no individual discrepant biomarker level. We conclude that choice of the euthanasia methods is critical for the reliability of serum biomarkers and indicate the importance of selecting adequate euthanasia methods for metabolic analysis in rodents. Decapitation without anaesthesia may be the most adequate method of euthanasia when taking both animal welfare and data quality in consideration.
Topics: Animals; Animals, Laboratory; Asphyxia; Biomarkers; Biomedical Research; Carbon Dioxide; Decapitation; Euthanasia, Animal; Female; Hypnotics and Sedatives; Pentobarbital; Rats, Wistar; Reproducibility of Results; Serum
PubMed: 28244216
DOI: 10.1111/bcpt.12774 -
Journal of Agricultural and Food... Oct 2016A common technological practice in Brussels sprouts (Brassica oleracea L. var. gemmifera) production is the removal of apical plant section a few weeks before harvest in...
A common technological practice in Brussels sprouts (Brassica oleracea L. var. gemmifera) production is the removal of apical plant section a few weeks before harvest in order to promote the development of auxiliary buds (sprouts) and ensure higher yields. It is well-known that this measure positively influences the size of the sprouts, but until now no study has focused on the effect of decapitation on the content of primary and secondary metabolites in Brussels sprouts. Plants were decapitated one month before harvest, and sprouts were sampled from three sections along the stem (basal, middle, top) of each plant. The sprouts were harvested, weighed, and chemically analyzed. The content of individual sugars was assessed by HPLC and the content of individual phenolics and glucosinolates by HPLC-MS. Significant interactions between the decapitation and different stem sections were detected in the weight of the sprouts, as well as in their sugar levels. The highest sugar content was determined in basal sprouts collected from decapitated plants. Conversely, basal sprouts from nondecapitated plants were characterized by the lowest sugar content. No interaction between the decapitation and stem sections was detected in the level of phenolics or glucosinolates. Decapitation promoted the accumulation of all glucosinolates and hydroxycinnamic acids. Moreover, the content of glucosinolates and flavonoids was always highest in the sprouts from the top stem section.
Topics: Agriculture; Brassica; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; Food Quality; Glucosinolates; Monosaccharides; Phenols; Plant Stems
PubMed: 27626626
DOI: 10.1021/acs.jafc.6b03486 -
Veterinary Sciences Jan 2023MSG is the most ubiquitous food additive in the food industry. The aim of this report was to investigate the effects of in ovo MSG administration on embryonic chicken...
MSG is the most ubiquitous food additive in the food industry. The aim of this report was to investigate the effects of in ovo MSG administration on embryonic chicken eye development using histological and histometric methods. A total of 410 fertilized eggs obtained from Babcock Brown laying hens (Gallus gallus domesticus) were used and divided into 5 groups: I (untreated control), II (vehicle control), III (0.12 mg/g egg MSG), IV (0.6 mg/g egg MSG), and V (1.2 mg/g egg MSG), and injections were performed via the egg yolk. At incubation day 15, 18, and 21, 6 embryos from each group were sacrificed by decapitation and pieces of eye tissue were obtained. In all MSG groups, it was determined that both corneal epithelium thickness and total corneal thickness decreased at incubation time points 15, 18, and 21 days compared with the controls ( < 0.05). The total retinal thickness, thickness of the outer nuclear layer (ONL), inner nuclear layer (INL), ganglion cell layer (GL), and nerve fibre layers (NFL), as well as the number of ganglion cells decreased significantly at incubation days 15, 18, and 21 ( < 0.05), and degenerative changes such as vacuolar degeneration and retinal pigment epithelial detachment were also observed. In conclusion, MSG in ovo administration can affect the cornea and distinct layers of retinal cells.
PubMed: 36851403
DOI: 10.3390/vetsci10020099 -
Journal of Experimental Botany Apr 2022Tiller formation is a key agronomic determinant for grain yield in cereal crops. The modulation of this trait is controlled by transcriptional regulators and plant...
Tiller formation is a key agronomic determinant for grain yield in cereal crops. The modulation of this trait is controlled by transcriptional regulators and plant hormones, tightly regulated by external environmental conditions. While endogenous (genetic) and exogenous (environmental factors) triggers for tiller formation have mostly been investigated separately, it has remained elusive how they are integrated into the developmental program of this trait. The transcription factor gene INTERMEDIUM-C (INT-C), which is the barley ortholog of the maize domestication gene TEOSINTE BRANCHED1 (TB1), has a prominent role in regulating tiller bud outgrowth. Here we show that INT-C is expressed in tiller buds, required for bud growth arrest in response to shade. In contrast to wild-type plants, int-c mutant plants are impaired in their shade response and do not stop tiller production after shading. Gene expression levels of INT-C are up-regulated under light-limiting growth conditions, and down-regulated after decapitation. Transcriptome analysis of wild-type and int-c buds under control and shading conditions identified target genes of INT-C that belong to auxin and gibberellin biosynthesis and signaling pathways. Our study identifies INT-C as an integrator of the shade response into tiller formation, which is prerequisite for implementing shading responses in the breeding of cereal crops.
Topics: Gene Expression Regulation, Plant; Genes, Plant; Hordeum; Plant Breeding; Plant Growth Regulators; Plant Proteins
PubMed: 34894212
DOI: 10.1093/jxb/erab542 -
Cellular and Molecular Biology... Feb 2018Stevia (Stevia rebaudiana B.) has auxiliary buds that often remain dormant for a long time and sometimes remain dormant until the plants change at the reproductive...
Stevia (Stevia rebaudiana B.) has auxiliary buds that often remain dormant for a long time and sometimes remain dormant until the plants change at the reproductive stage. This study was designed out to investigate whether decapitation and exogenous application of plant growth regulators enhance the productivity of stevia through breaking the apical dominance and increasing physiological characteristics. Experiment was carried out as a factorial in randomized complete block design with three replications. Factors were consisted two agricultural practices (Decapitation and No-decapitation) and eight foliar spray including without spray as control, water spray, GA3 (300, 600 and 900 µm) and CK (100, 200 and 400 µm). The results of the present investigation indicated a positive response on number of branches and leaves, leaves and stem fresh weight and total dry weight, in both harvests not only from the decapitation of apical buds but also from foliar application of CK (400 µM). Thus, it can be concluded that the decapitation practices in conjunction with foliar application of CK (400 µM) could be used to increase the dry-leaf yield of stevia. However, further studies are required to standardize the dose of CK (400 µM) to improve the yield and quality of stevia.
Topics: Carotenoids; Chlorophyll; Cytokinins; Gibberellins; Plant Growth Regulators; Plant Leaves; Plant Stems; Stevia; Water
PubMed: 29433629
DOI: 10.14715/cmb/2018.64.2.10 -
Diagnostics (Basel, Switzerland) Jun 2022Dismemberment is characterized by the fragmentation of the body into anatomical sections. It can occur because of a murder, suicide, or accident. In the literature,... (Review)
Review
Dismemberment is characterized by the fragmentation of the body into anatomical sections. It can occur because of a murder, suicide, or accident. In the literature, there are no cases of patricide perpetrated by a daughter in which the offender performed the dismemberment. However, in this paper, we reported a case of patricide by a schizophrenic daughter that was not treated with antipsychotic therapy. Post-mortem Computed Tomography (PMCT), autopsy, and histological examinations were performed. The soft tissues were removed through maceration techniques and chemical treatment. An analysis was performed to study the bone margins and clarify the weapon and manner of death. This investigation, which used radiological and histological studies, helped to assess the vitality of the injuries. The purpose of the study is to discover the weapon used, the cause, and the manner of death, with particular interest in this case due to the dismemberment. Moreover, we emphasize the correlation between patricide, dismemberment, and a lack of antipsychotic treatment in patients with schizophrenia.
PubMed: 35885483
DOI: 10.3390/diagnostics12071577 -
Current Opinion in Plant Biology Jun 2015In the classical theory of apical dominance, auxin depletion from the stem releases bud dormancy. Recent studies have revealed a poor correlation between the initial bud... (Review)
Review
In the classical theory of apical dominance, auxin depletion from the stem releases bud dormancy. Recent studies have revealed a poor correlation between the initial bud release and auxin depletion from the stem after decapitation. Sucrose mobility in plants and its accumulation in buds correlates well with the onset of bud release and is able to trigger bud outgrowth. The diversion of sugars away from axillary buds decreases bud release even where hormones are at levels generally considered conducive to bud release. This impact of sugars on bud outgrowth may be mediated by specific sugar and hormonal signalling pathways.
Topics: Carbohydrate Metabolism; Gene Expression Regulation, Plant; Indoleacetic Acids; Plant Development; Plant Growth Regulators; Plant Physiological Phenomena; Plant Shoots; Plant Stems; Plants; Signal Transduction; Sucrose
PubMed: 25938609
DOI: 10.1016/j.pbi.2015.04.004 -
Iranian Journal of Basic Medical... Feb 2023Studying the effect of melatonin pretreatment and ischemic preconditioning on renal ischemia-reperfusion injury (IRI).
OBJECTIVES
Studying the effect of melatonin pretreatment and ischemic preconditioning on renal ischemia-reperfusion injury (IRI).
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Forty-eight Wistar rats were randomized into six groups: control, sham operation, IRI (IRI in left kidney + right nephrectomy), IRI+ischemic preconditioning, IRI+Melatonin, and IRI+ischemic preconditioning+Melatonin groups. Melatonin (10 mg/kg) was intraperitoneally injected for 4 weeks before renal IRI. Ischemic preconditioning was performed by three cycles of 2 min-ischemia followed by 5 min-reperfusion period. A right nephrectomy was initially done and the left renal artery was clamped for 45 min. After 24 hr of ischemia-reperfusion, rats were decapitated. Kidney tissue samples were taken for histopathological assessment and the determination of kidney proinflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokines, apoptotic protein caspase-3, oxidative stress markers, and activities of antioxidant enzymes. Serum creatinine and blood urea nitrogen (BUN) concentrations were measured for evaluation of renal function.
RESULTS
Renal IRI animals showed increased levels of creatinine, BUN, tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), caspase-3, total nitrite/nitrate, and malondialdehyde (MDA), and decreased levels of interleukin-13 (IL-13), and activities of glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and superoxide dismutase (SOD). Melatonin pretreatment or ischemic preconditioning resulted in decreased creatinine, BUN, TNF-α, caspase-3, nitrite/nitrate, and MDA, and increased IL-13, GPx, and SOD, with improved histopathological changes. Combined melatonin and ischemic preconditioning showed more effective improvement in renal IRI changes rather than melatonin or ischemic preconditioning alone.
CONCLUSION
Combined melatonin and ischemic preconditioning have better beneficial effects on renal IRI than applying each one alone.
PubMed: 36742133
DOI: 10.22038/IJBMS.2022.67127.14722