Citations

Background and purpose A subset of patients with Alzheimer's disease ( AD ) present with early and prominent language impairment (aphasic AD ). Our previous study demonstrated an association between global β‐amyloid burden measured on [ 11 C] Pittsburgh compound B (PiB) positron emission tomography and general cognitive impairment, but not with aphasia, in such subjects. As a follow‐up, whether there is any association between regional β‐amyloid burden, atrophy on magnetic resonance imaging ( MRI ) and global cognitive impairment, aphasia or other cognitive and functional impairment in aphasic AD is assessed. Methods Forty‐four aphasic AD subjects who underwent PiB scanning and volumetric MRI and were determined to be positive for β‐amyloid deposition were analyzed. All had completed detailed neurological, neuropsychological and language batteries. Spearman's rank‐order correlation was utilized to assess for associations. Results Greater visuospatial impairment was associated with increased β‐amyloid burden in the primary visual cortex ( P = 0.001). Although there were many trends for associations between neurocognitive and language deficits and regional β‐amyloid burden, there were no strong associations that survived correction for multiple comparisons. However, neurocognitive and language impairment in these subjects strongly correlated with the degree of left lateral temporal and inferior parietal atrophy ( P < 0.004). Conclusions The findings from this study suggest a close relation between the severity of regional atrophy and cognitive and language impairment, but argue against a strong association between regional β‐amyloid burden and such deficits in aphasic AD subjects. Hence, other pathological factors may be driving the previously identified association between global β‐amyloid deposition and general cognitive impairment in aphasic AD .

AbstractBackgroundThe incidence of melanoma has been rising in the United States, with conflicting evidence regarding trends in children.MethodsWe identified patients 0 to 17 years old with a diagnosis of melanoma from January 1, 1970, through December 31, 2010, in Olmsted County, Minnesota. Information on survival and demographic characteristics was abstracted, and estimates of true incidence were calculated.ResultsThe estimated true incidence of melanoma in children from 1970 to 2010 was found to be 0.62 per 100,000 girls and 0.45 per 100,000 boys. The incidence of melanoma in this population did not increase with time after adjusting for age and sex. Only one case of metastatic disease (lymph node) was identified. Girls were more commonly affected and the mean age of disease onset was 14 years. Five of the seven melanomas in this population arose in association with a nevus, and none involved the trunk. Overall and disease‐specific survival rates were not calculated because all patients studied were alive at the last follow‐up.ConclusionThe estimated true incidence rates of pediatric melanoma from our population‐based study in Olmsted County, Minnesota, appear stable. This finding is in contrast to our prior research showing rapidly increasing incidence rates of melanoma in young and middle‐aged adults from the same population.

Calcilytics reduce airway hyperresponsiveness and inflammation and may represent effective asthma therapeutics.

AbstractIn this review, we summarize the recent literature and use case examples to reach diagnostic criteria for the diagnosis of immunoglobulin G4 (IgG4)‐related diseases that may be of relevance to the practicing dermatologist.

AbstractBackgroundInexpensive, non‐invasive tools for assessing Alzheimer‐type pathophysiologies are needed. Computerized cognitive assessments are prime candidates.MethodsCognitively normal participants, aged 51–71, with magnetic resonance imaging, fluorodeoxyglucose‐positron emission tomography (FDG‐PET), amyloid PET, CogState computerized cognitive assessment, and standard neuropsychological tests were included. We first examined the association between the CogState battery and neuroimaging measures. We then compared that association to the one between standard neuropsychological z‐scores and neuroimaging.ResultsSlower reaction times for CogState Identification and One Back, and lower memory and attention z‐scores, were associated (P < .05) with FDG‐PET hypometabolism. Slower time on the Groton Maze Learning Task and worse One Card Learning accuracy were associated (P < .05) with smaller hippocampal volumes. There were no associations with amyloid PET. Associations of CogState and neuropsychological Z‐scores with neuroimaging were small and of a similar magnitude.ConclusionsCogState subtests were cross‐sectionally comparable to standard neuropsychological tests in their relatively weak associations with neurodegeneration imaging markers.