Altered thalamic gray matter volume in firefighters with heavy alcohol use.

BACKGROUND: Alcohol, a known addictive substance, affects the structural properties of the brain. In this study, we explored associations between alcohol use and gray matter properties among firefighters, who are often exposed to significant occupational stress. METHODS: Gray matter volume (GMV) was evaluated using voxel-based morphometry in 287 male firefighters (mean age: 48.8 ± 7.7 years). Firefighters were classified into 32 never-drinkers, 162 non-heavy alcohol users, and 93 heavy alcohol users according to their alcohol consumption. GMV was compared between groups, and the correlations between GMV and alcohol use were investigated. A voxel-wise height threshold of p < 0.001 (uncorrected) was used, with small volume correction applied on cluster level. RESULTS: Heavy alcohol users had lower GMV in the bilateral thalamus than non-heavy alcohol users or never-drinkers. Heavy alcohol users also showed lower GMV in the left insula, compared to other groups. The higher the alcohol consumption among firefighters, the lower the GMV of the right thalamus. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study show that heavy alcohol use has an association with lower GMV in several core regions, including the thalamus. When considering the impact of these brain regions on cognitive and behavioral control, our findings suggest a need for concern about heavy alcohol use among firefighters.

Gadolinium deposition in the brain: association with various GBCAs using a generalized additive model.

OBJECTIVES: To determine the relationship between the number of administrations of various gadolinium-based contrast agents (GBCAs) and increased T1 signal intensity in the globus pallidus (GP) and dentate nucleus (DN). METHODS: This retrospective study included 122 patients who underwent double-dose GBCA-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging. Two radiologists calculated GP-to-thalamus (TH) signal intensity ratio, DN-to-pons signal intensity ratio and relative change (Rchange) between the baseline and final examinations. Interobserver agreement was evaluated. The relationships between Rchange and several factors, including number of each GBCA administrations, were analysed using a generalized additive model. RESULTS: Six patients (4.9%) received linear GBCAs (mean 20.8 number of administration; range 15-30), 44 patients (36.1%) received macrocyclic GBCAs (mean 26.1; range 14-51) and 72 patients (59.0%) received both types of GBCAs (mean 31.5; range 12-65). Interobserver agreement was almost perfect (0.99; 95% CI: 0.99-0.99). Rchange (DN:pons) was associated with gadodiamide (p = 0.006) and gadopentetate dimeglumine (p < 0.001), but not with other GBCAs. Rchange (GP:TH) was not associated with GBCA administration. CONCLUSIONS: Previous administration of linear agents gadoiamide and gadopentetate dimeglumine is associated with increased T1 signal intensity in the DN, whereas macrocyclic GBCAs do not show an association. KEY POINTS: • Certain linear GBCAs are associated with T1 signal change in the dentate nucleus. • The signal change is related to the administration number of certain linear GBCAs. • Difference in signal change may reflect differences in stability of agents.

Role of precursors on greening in crushed garlic (Allium sativum) bulbs, and its control with freeze-dried onion powder.

BACKGROUND: Lachrymatory factor (LF) synthase in onion bulbs reacts with S-1-propenyl-L-cysteine sulfoxide (1-PeCSO), a key compound in garlic greening. In this study, freeze-dried onion powder containing LF synthase was used in treatments to control garlic greening. Prior to the use of freeze-dried onion powder to treat greening garlic bulbs, model reactions were conducted to confirm the reactivity of 1-PeCSO in onion bulbs to garlic greening. RESULTS: While pink pigments were generated from 1-PeCSO, green pigments were produced from the combination of 1-PeCSO and S-2-propenyl-L-cysteine sulfoxide (2-PeCSO). However, pigments were formed in the systems containing 1-PeCSO, amino acid and alliinase. Even non-greening garlic bulbs stored at 20 °C turned green with the reaction of 200 g L(-1) 1-PeCSO; therefore 1-PeCSO isolated from onion bulbs had the same role as 1-PeCSO in garlic bulbs in terms of greening. Onion bulbs turned green after the addition of 600 g L(-1) 2-PeCSO. The addition of freeze-dried onion powder inhibited garlic greening, and treatment with 15 g kg(-1) onion powder gave the best storage stability of crushed garlic bulbs. CONCLUSION: The addition of freeze-dried onion powder inhibited the greening in crushed garlic bulbs, and treatment with 15 g kg(-1) onion powder gave the best storage stability of crushed garlic bulbs.

Cloning and expression of γ-glutamyl transpeptidase and its relationship to greening in crushed garlic (Allium sativum) cloves.

BACKGROUND: Garlic greening occurs when garlic cloves are stored at low temperature, increasing 1-propenyl cysteine sulfoxide, which is induced by γ-glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT) activity. Although the metabolism of the γ-glutamyl peptide is important for the biosynthesis of green pigments in crushed garlic cloves, garlic GGT is poorly characterised. RESULTS: For the analysis of GGT at the gene level, the garlic GGT sequence was partially cloned using an onion GGT sequence. The relationship between garlic greening and related gene expressions, depending on storage condition, was investigated using reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction for garlic GGT and alliinase. Three storage conditions were set: A, storage at a constant temperature of 20 °C; B, storage at 20 °C for 3 months and then transfer to 0 °C for an additional 3 months; C, storage at 0 °C for 3 months and then transfer to 20 °C for an additional 3 months. GGT expression increased under storage condition B and decreased under storage condition C. However, alliinase expression was not affected by storage condition. CONCLUSION: Greening in crushed garlic cloves increases with increasing GGT expression at low temperature, while alliinase expression is not affected.

Identification of candidate amino acids involved in the formation of blue pigments in crushed garlic cloves (Allium sativum L.).

The color-forming ability of amino acids with thiosulfinate in crushed garlic was investigated. We developed reaction systems for generating pure blue pigments using extracted thiosulfinate from crushed garlic and onion and all 22 amino acids. Each amino acid was reacted with thiosulfinate solution and was then incubated at 60 degrees C for 3 h to generate pigments. Unknown blue pigments, responsible for discoloration in crushed garlic cloves (Allium sativum L.), were separated and tentatively characterized using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and a diode array detector ranging between 200 and 700 nm. Blue pigment solutions exhibited 2 maximal absorbance peaks at 440 nm and 580 nm, corresponding to yellow and blue, respectively, with different retention times. Our findings indicated that green discoloration is created by the combination of yellow and blue pigments. Eight naturally occurring blue pigments were separated from discolored garlic extracts using HPLC at 580 nm. This suggests that garlic discoloration is not caused by only 1 blue pigment, as reported earlier, but by as many as 8 pigments. Overall, free amino acids that formed blue pigment when reacted with thiosulfinate were glycine, arginine, lysine, serine, alanine, aspartic acid, asparagine, glutamic acid, and tyrosine. Arginine, asparagine, and glutamine had spectra that were more similar to naturally greened garlic extract.

Newly observed thalamic involvement and mutations of the HEXA gene in a Korean patient with juvenile GM2 gangliosidosis.

Neuroimaging studies of patients with GM2 gangliosidosis are rare. The thalamus and basal ganglia are principally involved in patients affected by the infantile form of GM2 gangliosidosis. Unlike in the infantile form, in juvenile or adult type GM2 gangliosidosis, progressive cortical and cerebellar atrophy is the main abnormality seen on conventional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI); no basal ganglial or thalamic impairment were observed. This report is of a Korean girl with subacute onset, severe deficiency of hexosaminidase A activity and mutations (Arg137Term, Ala246Thr) of the HEXA gene. A 3.5-year-old girl who was previously in good health was evaluated for hypotonia and ataxia 3 months ago and showed progressive developmental deterioration, including cognitive decline. Serial brain MRI showed progressive overall volume decrease of the entire brain and thalamic atrophy. Fluorine-18 FDG PET scan showed severe decreased uptake in bilateral thalamus and diffuse cerebral cortex. We suggest, through our experience, that the thalamic involvement in MR imaging and FDG-PET can be observed in the juvenile form of GM2 gangliosidosis, and we suspect the association of mutations in the HEXA gene.

The usefulness of fractional anisotropy maps in localization of lacunar infarctions in striatum, internal capsule and thalamus.

We aimed in this study to assess the clinical usefulness of fractional anisotropy (FA) maps in the evaluation of lacunar infarctions in striatum, internal capsule and thalamus. We retrospectively reviewed 28 patients (18 men, 10 women; mean age 63 years) who had acute lacunar infarction in striatum, internal capsule and thalamus on diffusion weighted MR imaging (DWI). Fractional anisotropy (FA) maps were generated in addition to conventional T2 weighted images (T2WI) and trace maps of DWI. Two radiologists reviewed the location of infarcts in combination with and without FA maps. Exact location of infarction was determined by FA maps, i.e. on the white band of internal capsule or outside the internal capsule. Accuracy and inter-observer agreement on determination of the location of infarction was evaluated. Accuracy of infarct localization by T2WI-DWI only was varied from 72 to 91% according to the observers. Inter-observer agreement value was moderate (Kappa=0.446), when images were interpreted by T2WI-DWI only. Clinical manifestation of each lesions were varied, but sensory motor stroke was mainly observed in thalamic lesion (50%), while pure motor hemiparesis was predominant in the case of infarct involving internal capsule, corona radiata (91%) and basal ganglia (83%). The FA map is useful in the evaluation of lacunar lesions in striatum, internal capsule and thalamus. Clinical presentation varies according to the exact location of lacunar infarctions, and more accurate diagnosis can be made by FA maps as well as conventional T2-weighted image and DWI.