Morphological MRI investigations of the hypothalamus in 232 individuals with Parkinson's disease.

BACKGROUND: The pathophysiology of the hypothalamic involvement in Parkinson's disease (PD) is not well understood. The objective of this study was the quantification of hypothalamic volumes in vivo in PD. METHODS: High-resolution T1 -weighted magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) data from 232 individuals with PD and 130 healthy non-PD individuals were used for quantification of the hypothalamic volumes. RESULTS: The hypothalamus in PD was not atrophied, as indicated by volumetric analyses in the prospectively collected subcohort (30 PD, V = 921 ± 78 mm3 vs 30 non-PD, V = 917 ± 67 mm3 ; P = 0.850) and validated in a large cohort (202 PD, V = 925 ± 88 mm3 vs 100 non-PD, V = 932 ± 114 mm3 ; P = 0.602). CONCLUSIONS: Hypothalamic involvement in PD as shown by a large body of histopathological evidence does not appear to be detectable by MRI-based volumetric quantification. © 2019 The Authors. Movement Disorders published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society.

Growth of Thermoresistant Streptococci and Deposition of Milk Constituents on Plates of Heat Exchangers During Long Operating Times.

Adhesion of the thermoresistant bacterium Streptococcus thermophilus to the surface of a heat exchanger and deposition of milk constituents during long operating times were investigated. Experiments were carried out on a pilot plant pasteurizer with raw whole and preheated skim milk. Adsorption of calcium, phosphorus and proteins was studied using chemical analysis, scanning electron microscopy and X-ray microanalysis. With increasing operating times the amount of deposits increased gradually on the raw milk side of the regenerative section and in the heating section, whereas on the pasteurized side of the regenerative section no detectable deposits were formed. The bacteria adhering to the plates of the heat exchanger were sampled with a swab technique. The bacteria adhered mainly to the plates in the pasteurized section. Electron micrographs of sample plates showed that the bacteria seemed to adhere directly to the metal surface, without calcium phosphate acting as an intermediary.

Molecular Mass Distribution Immunological Properties Nutritive Value of Whey Protein Hydrolysates.

Whey protein concentrate was hydrolyzed using the technical food-grade enzyme Corolase 7092 in order to abolish the allergenicity of whey proteins. The immunological properties of the hydrolysates were tested in vitro with a human-immunoglobulin E (human-IgE) enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) using sera obtained from children allergic to milk proteins and in vivo with a mouse-rat heterologous passive cutaneous anaphylactic test and an anaphylactic shock test in mice. The protein efficiency ratio, determined in young growing rats, was compared to that of casein. Ultrafiltration of the hydrolysates appeared to be necessary to obtain a hypo-allergenic product. The minimal molecular mass to elicit immunogenicity and allergenicity of whey protein hydrolysates appeared to be between 3,000 and 5,000 Da, so the molecular weight cut-off value of the filters required must be in this range. Although there was no evidence that extensively hydrolyzed whey protein is nutritionally inferior to casein, the slightly bitter taste might reduce food intake.