The ‘prostaglandin deficiency’ hypothesis MI-503 postulates that defective enzyme systems converting essential fatty acids to prostaglandins lead to diminished levels of prostaglandins, which in turn affect synaptic transmission.
Methods: Here we sought to determine the lipidomic profiles associated with schizophrenia
in twin pairs discordant for schizophrenia as well as unaffected twin pairs. The study included serum samples from 19 twin pairs discordant for schizophrenia (mean age 51 +/- 10 years; 7 monozygotic pairs; 13 female pairs) and 34 age and gender matched healthy twins as controls. Neurocognitive assessment data and gray matter density measurements taken from high-resolution magnetic resonance images were also obtained. A lipidomics platform using ultra performance liquid chromatography coupled to time-of-flight mass spectrometry was applied for the analysis of serum samples.
Results: In comparison to their healthy co-twins, selleck chemicals llc the patients had elevated triglycerides and were more insulin resistant. They had diminished lysophosphatidylcholine levels, which associated with decreased cognitive speed.
Conclusions: Our findings may be of pathophysiological relevance since lysophosphatidylcholines,
byproducts of phospholipase A2-catalyzed phospholipid hydrolysis, are preferred carriers of polyunsaturated fatty acids across the blood-brain barrier. Furthermore, diminishment of lysophosphatidylcholines suggests that subjects at risk of schizophrenia may be more susceptible to infections. Their association with cognitive speed supports the view that altered neurotransmission in schizophrenia may be in part mediated by reactive lipids such as prostaglandins.”
“Objectives: To evaluate whether non-contrast computed tomography (NCCT) images are as reliable as contrast-enhanced computed
tomography (CECT) images for the measurement of aortic volume (AV).
Materials and Methods: A total of 316 pairs of AVs were retrospectively measured from 316 consecutive patients, who underwent endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR). A standardised multidetector computed tomography protocol was used to obtain precontrast, arterial and delay-phase images. A single blinded, experienced observer measured the AV from the VX-661 in vivo lowest renal artery to the aortic bifurcation by means of the disc-summation method, using the precontrast and arterial-phase images. A second blinded observer measured the AV again in 16, randomly chosen cases.
Results: Both NCCT and CECT yielded similar AVs that were highly correlated (r(2) = 0.99; P < 0.0001). Bland and Altman analysis revealed a small bias (mean +/- 2 standard deviations: -0.9 +/- 8 ml). The intraclass correlation coefficients (all >0.99; P < 0.0001) and low repeatability coefficients indicated that the AVs were reproducible with both methods.
Conclusions: The AVs measured from NCCT images were accurate and highly reproducible compared with those from CECT images.