Neuropsychological alterations and neuroradiological findings in patients with post-traumatic concussion: Results of a pilot study. / Alteraciones neuropsicológicas y hallazgos neurorradiológicos en pacientes con conmoción cerebral postraumática. Resultados de un estudio piloto.

INTRODUCTION: Mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) has traditionally been considered to cause no significant brain damage since symptoms spontaneously remit after a few days. However, this idea is facing increasing scrutiny. The purpose of this study is to demonstrate the presence of early cognitive alterations in a series of patients with mTBI and to link these findings to different markers of brain damage. METHODS: We conducted a prospective study of a consecutive series of patients with mTBI who were evaluated over a 12-month period. Forty-one (3.7%) of the 1144 included patients had experienced a concussion. Patients underwent a routine clinical evaluation and a brain computed tomography (CT) scan, and were also administered a standardised test for post-concussion symptoms within the first 24hours of mTBI and also 1 to 2 weeks later. The second assessment also included a neuropsychological test battery. The results of these studies were compared to those of a control group of 28 healthy volunteers with similar characteristics. Twenty patients underwent an MRI scan. RESULTS: Verbal memory and learning were the cognitive functions most affected by mTBI. Seven out of the 20 patients with normal CT findings displayed structural alterations on MR images, which were compatible with diffuse axonal injury in 2 cases. CONCLUSIONS: Results from this pilot study suggest that early cognitive alterations and structural brain lesions affect a considerable percentage of patients with post-concussion syndrome following mTBI.

[Atypical ganglioglioma with BRAF V600E mutation: a case report and review of the literature]. / Ganglioglioma atipico con mutacion de BRAF V600E: caso clinico y revision de la bibliografia.

INTRODUCTION: Gangliogliomas are rare tumours that affect young patients, appear predominantly in the temporal lobe and usually begin with epileptic seizures. Histologically they have a grade I of malignancy, with an anaplastic form that is catalogued as grade III in the 2007 WHO classification. Yet, there are tumours that do not meet the criteria of either grade and which offer clear prognostic differences with respect to those of grade I. These tumours would be atypical gangliogliomas (grade II), which are not considered in this classification. From the molecular point of view, the best known alteration in gangliogliomas is the BRAF V600E mutation, which worsens the prognosis of the lesion. The possible use of treatments targeted towards this mutated protein is especially relevant in this disorder. CASE REPORT: A 21-year-old male, who had undergone surgery due to a ganglioglioma on two occasions. The neuro-pathological examination revealed histological features consistent with an intermediate grade of malignancy (grade II), with positive BRAF mutation. CONCLUSIONS: The case presented here, together with those previously reported in the literature, reopens the debate on the definition of gangliogliomas in the 2007 WHO classification, and lends support to the fact that the next classification should again include atypical gangliogliomas (grade II), together with possible genetic mutations and molecular disorders.

TITLE: Ganglioglioma atipico con mutacion de BRAF V600E: caso clinico y revision de la bibliografia.Introduccion. Los gangliogliomas son tumores raros que afectan a pacientes jovenes, aparecen predominantemente en el lobulo temporal y suelen comenzar con crisis epilepticas. Histologicamente corresponden a un grado I de malignidad, con una forma anaplasica catalogada como de grado III en la clasificacion de la Organizacion Mundial de la Salud (OMS) de 2007. Sin embargo, existen tumores que no cumplen criterios de uno u otro grado y que presentan claras diferencias pronosticas respecto a los de grado I. Estos tumores corresponderian a gangliogliomas atipicos (grado II), no contemplados en la citada clasificacion. Desde el punto de vista molecular, la alteracion mas conocida en los gangliogliomas es la mutacion de BRAF V600E, que confiere peor pronostico a la lesion. La posibilidad de utilizar tratamientos dirigidos a esta proteina mutada otorga una especial relevancia a esta alteracion. Caso clinico. Varon de 21 años, intervenido de un ganglioglioma en dos ocasiones, en el que el examen neuropatologico objetivo caracteristicas histologicas compatibles con un grado de malignidad intermedio (grado II) con mutacion positiva a BRAF. Conclusiones. El caso presentado, junto con los descritos previamente en la bibliografia, reabre las controversias sobre la definicion de los gangliogliomas en la clasificacion de la OMS de 2007, y apoya el hecho de que la proxima clasificacion de la OMS deberia volver a incluir los gangliogliomas atipicos (grado II) e integrar posibles mutaciones geneticas y alteraciones moleculares.

Neural responses to visual food cues: insights from functional magnetic resonance imaging.

The aim of this paper is to describe the patterns of functional magnetic resonance imaging activation produced by visual food stimuli in healthy participants, as well as in those with anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, binge eating disorder and obesity. We conducted a systematic review of studies published in the last decade on normal and abnormal eating. This review suggested the existence of neural differences in response to the sight of food between healthy individuals, those with an eating disorder and obese subjects. Differences were identified in two brain circuits: (i) limbic and paralimbic areas associated with salience and reward processes and (ii) prefrontal areas supporting cognitive control processes.

Ultrabroadband photodetection based on graphene ink.

We report photodetection in a very large spectral bandwidth, which encompasses ultraviolet, visible and near infrared, using graphene inks or graphene inks functionalized with either gold or silver nanoparticles, or gold nanoparticles further encapsulated with bovine serum albumin deposited on interdigitated electrodes fabricated on a silicon dioxide/silicon substrate. In contrast to gold-functionalized graphene inks, which have responsivities better than 1 mA W(-1) at a 0.1 V bias over the huge bandwidth extending from 215 to 2500 nm, Ag-functionalized inks show at least a four-fold increased responsivity, with a record value of 13.7 mA W(-1) in near infrared.

Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) based on superparamagnetic nanoparticles for aflatoxin M1 detection.

Five different clones of antibodies developed against the aflatoxin M(1) were investigated by using the classical indirect and direct competitive Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) formats, and also the direct competitive ELISA based on the use of the superparamagnetic nanoparticles. The purpose of this study was to assess if not so friendly time classical ELISA procedures can be further improved, by reducing the coating, blocking and competition time. Here we showed that a complete dc-ELISA (coating, blocking and competition step) based on the use of superparamagnetic nanoparticles can be performed in basically 40 min, if coating step (20 min) should be taken into account. Moreover, the standard analytical characteristics of the proposed method fulfil the requirements for detecting AFM(1) in milk, in a wide linear working range (4-250 ng/L). The IC(50) value is 15 ng/L. The matrix effect and the recovery rate were assessed, using the European Reference Material (BD282, zero level of AFM(1)), showing an excellent percentage of recovery, close to 100%.

NADH screen-printed electrodes modified with zirconium phosphate, Meldola blue, and Reinecke salt. Application to the detection of glycerol by FIA.

Bulk screen-printed electrodes (bSPEs) modified with zirconium phosphate (ZrP) and Meldola blue (MB) and by electrochemical deposition of a Reineckate film (bMBZrPRs-SPEs) have been constructed and used as NADH sensors. Cyclic voltammetric investigation of these bulk electrochemically modified screen-printed electrodes revealed stable catalytic activity in oxidation of the reduced form of the coenzyme nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NADH). Flow-injection analysis (FIA) coupled with amperometric detection confirmed the improved stability of the bMBZrPRs-SPEs (10(-4) mol L(-1) NADH, %RSD = 4.2, n = 90, pH 7.0). Other conditions, for example applied working potential (+50 mV relative to Ag|AgCl), flow rate (0.30 mL min(-1)) and pH-dependence (range 4.0-10.0) were evaluated and optimized. A glycerol biosensor, prepared by immobilizing glycerol dehydrogenase (GDH) on the working electrode area of a bMBZrPRs-SPE, was also assembled. The biosensor was most stable at pH 8.5 (%RSD = 5.6, n = 70, 0.25 mmol L(-1) glycerol). The detection and quantification limits were 2.8 x 10(-6) and 9.4 x 10(-6) mol L(-1), respectively, and the linear working range was between 1.0 x 10(-5) and 1.0 x 10(-4) mol L(-1). To assess the effect of interferences, and recovery by the probe we analyzed samples taken during fermentation of chemically defined grape juice medium and compared the results with those obtained by HPLC.

Disposable immunosensor for the determination of domoic acid in shellfish.

The construction of an electrochemical immunosensor coupled to differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) for the detection of domoic acid (DA), a neurotoxic aminoacid responsible for the human syndrome known as "Amnesic Shellfish Poisoning" (ASP), is proposed here. The method involves the use of disposable screen-printed electrodes (SPEs) for the immunosensor development based on a "competitive indirect test". Domoic acid conjugated to bovine serum albumin (BSA-DA) was coated onto the working electrode of the SPE, followed by incubation with sample (or standard toxin) and anti-DA antibody. An anti-goat IgG-alkaline phosphatase (AP) conjugate was used for signal generation. A spectrophotometric enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used in a preliminary phase of development, prior to transferring the assay to the SPEs. Results showed a detection limit equal to 5 ng/ml of toxin. The electrochemical system is simple and cost-effective due to the disposable nature of the SPEs, and the analysis time is 150 min, shorter than that for the spectrophotometric method. The suitability of the assay for DA quantification in mussels was also evaluated. Samples were spiked with DA before and after the sample treatment to study the extraction efficiency and the matrix effect, respectively. After treatment, samples were analysed using a 1:250 v/v dilution in PBS-M (phosphate saline buffer pH 7.4 + CH3OH 10%) to minimise the matrix effect and allow for the detection of 20 microg/g of DA in mussel tissue. This represents the maximum acceptable limit defined by the Food and Drug Administration [Compliance Programme 7303.842. Guidance Levels, Table 3, p. 248, http://www.fda.org]. The optimised ELISA systems were then used, in parallel with a conventional HPLC method, to detect and confirm DA in shellfish extract in order to verify the performance of the electrochemical system. Very good recoveries were obtained, demonstrating the suitability of the proposed assay for accurate determination of the DA concentration in mussel samples.