A relaxometric method for the assessment of intestinal permeability based on the oral administration of gadolinium-based MRI contrast agents.

Herein, a new relaxometric method for the assessment of intestinal permeability based on the oral administration of clinically approved gadolinium (Gd)-based MRI contrast agents (CAs) is proposed. The fast, easily performed and cheap measurement of the longitudinal water proton relaxation rate (R1) in urine reports the amount of paramagnetic probe that has escaped the gastrointestinal tract. The proposed method appears to be a compelling alternative to the available methods for the assessment of intestinal permeability. The method was tested on the murine model of dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced colitis in comparison with healthy mice. Three CAs were tested, namely ProHance®, MultiHance® and Magnevist®. Urine was collected for 24 h after the oral ingestion of the Gd-containing CA at day 3-4 (severe damage stage) and day 8-9 (recovery stage) after treatment with DSS. The Gd content in urine measured by (1)H relaxometry was confirmed by inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). The extent of urinary excretion was given as a percentage of excreted Gd over the total ingested dose. The method was validated by comparing the results obtained with the established methodology based on the lactulose/mannitol and sucralose tests. For ProHance and Magnevist, the excreted amounts in the severe stage of damage were 2.5-3 times higher than in control mice. At the recovery stage, no significant differences were observed with respect to healthy mice. Overall, a very good correlation with the lactulose/mannitol and sucralose results was obtained. In the case of MultiHance, the percentage of excreted Gd complex was not significantly different from that of control mice in either the severe or recovery stages. The difference from ProHance and Magnevist was explained on the basis of the (known) partial biliary excretion of MultiHance in mice.

The dimensional assessment of personality in pathologic and social gamblers: the role of novelty seeking and self-transcendence.

OBJECTIVE: A few personality traits are characteristic of pathologic gamblers (PGs), but it is not clear if and how their personality profile differs from that of non-pathologic gamblers (non-PGs). METHODS: Sixty-five non-clinical subjects, differentiated into non-PGs and PGs with the means of the South Oak Gambling Screen (SOGS) and Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders-Fourth Edition-Text Revision (DSM-IV-TR) criteria, were administered with the Temperament and Character Inventory; their values were compared with those of control subjects (CS). RESULTS: Novelty seeking (NS) and self-transcendence (ST) values were higher whereas self-directedness and cooperativeness values were lower in PGs with respect to both non-PGs and CS. A positive correlation was noted between SOGS score and NS (r = 0.40) and ST (r = 0.50) values, as well as a significant positive dependence between SOGS score and a family history of gambling (t = 2.816; P = .007). The subsamples of PGs reporting a parental involvement in gambling showed higher NS than the remaining PGs. CONCLUSIONS: Specific temperamental and character dimensions, especially NS and ST, differentiated PGs from both non-PGs and CS; the identification of a personality profile at risk for problem gambling may represent an important predictor of outcome and constitute a possible target for specific treatment approaches.