Objective: To evaluate the application of laplacian-regularized mean apparent propagator (MAPL)-MRI to brain glioma-induced corticospinal tract (CST) injury. Materials and Methods: This study included 20 patients with glioma adjacent to the CST pathway who had undergone structural and diffusion MRI. The entire CSTs of the affected and healthy sides were reconstructed, and the peritumoral CSTs were manually segmented. The morphological characteristics of the CST (track number, average length, volume, displacement of the affected CST) were examined and the diffusion parameter values, including fractional anisotropy (FA), mean diffusivity (MD), axial diffusivity (AD), radial diffusivity (RD), mean squared displacement (MSD), q-space inverse variance (QIV), returnto-origin probability (RTOP), return-to-axis probabilities (RTAP), and return-to-plane probabilities (RTPP) along the entire and peritumoral CSTs, were calculated. The entire and peritumoral CST characteristics of the affected and healthy sides as well as those relative CST characteristics of the patients with motor weakness and normal motor function were compared. Results: The track number, volume, MD, RD, MSD, QIV, RTAP, RTOP, and RTPP of the entire and peritumoral CSTs changed significantly for the affected side, whereas the AD and FA changed significantly only in the peritumoral CST (p < 0.05). In patients with motor weakness, the relative MSD of the entire CST, QIV of the entire and peritumoral CSTs, and the AD, MD, RD of the peritumoral CST were significantly higher, whereas the RTPP of the entire and peritumoral CSTs and the RTOP of the peritumoral CST were significantly lower than those in patients with normal motor function (p < 0.05 for all). In contrast, no significant changes were found in the CST morphological characteristics, FA, or RTAP (p > 0.05 for all). Conclusion MAPL-MRI is an effective approach for evaluating microstructural changes after CST injury. Its sensitivity may improve when using the peritumoral CST features.

Objective: To evaluate the application of laplacian-regularized mean apparent propagator (MAPL)-MRI to brain glioma-induced corticospinal tract (CST) injury. Materials and Methods: This study included 20 patients with glioma adjacent to the CST pathway who had undergone structural and diffusion MRI. The entire CSTs of the affected and healthy sides were reconstructed, and the peritumoral CSTs were manually segmented. The morphological characteristics of the CST (track number, average length, volume, displacement of the affected CST) were examined and the diffusion parameter values, including fractional anisotropy (FA), mean diffusivity (MD), axial diffusivity (AD), radial diffusivity (RD), mean squared displacement (MSD), q-space inverse variance (QIV), returnto-origin probability (RTOP), return-to-axis probabilities (RTAP), and return-to-plane probabilities (RTPP) along the entire and peritumoral CSTs, were calculated. The entire and peritumoral CST characteristics of the affected and healthy sides as well as those relative CST characteristics of the patients with motor weakness and normal motor function were compared. Results: The track number, volume, MD, RD, MSD, QIV, RTAP, RTOP, and RTPP of the entire and peritumoral CSTs changed significantly for the affected side, whereas the AD and FA changed significantly only in the peritumoral CST (p < 0.05). In patients with motor weakness, the relative MSD of the entire CST, QIV of the entire and peritumoral CSTs, and the AD, MD, RD of the peritumoral CST were significantly higher, whereas the RTPP of the entire and peritumoral CSTs and the RTOP of the peritumoral CST were significantly lower than those in patients with normal motor function (p < 0.05 for all). In contrast, no significant changes were found in the CST morphological characteristics, FA, or RTAP (p > 0.05 for all). Conclusion MAPL-MRI is an effective approach for evaluating microstructural changes after CST injury. Its sensitivity may improve when using the peritumoral CST features.

OBJECTIVETo identify genotype of eight strains of Orientia tsutsugamushi (O. tsutsugamushi) isolated from Nan Peng Lie Islands in China and establish tsutsugamushi disease nature foci for this region.

METHODSThe nested polymerase chain reaction and restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) were used. Three primers were selected from the DNA sequence of the gene encoding type-specific 56-kDa protein of the Karp strain. The positive products were digested by Hine II and Pst I, meanwhile profiles specific to each strain were analyzed.

RESULTSThree genotypes of O. tsutsugamushi including Karp, Kato and a new strain existed on Nan Peng Lie Islands.

CONCLUSIONNan Peng Lie Islands is tsutsugamushi disease nature foci.

Animals ; China ; DNA, Bacterial ; analysis ; Genotype ; Mice ; Orientia tsutsugamushi ; genetics ; Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length ; Rats

OBJECTIVETo investigate natural foci of tsutsugamushi disease whose incidence has increased in the Nan Peng Lie Islands in China, an area where this disease has not been previously recorded.

METHODSWe recorded the natural foci and isolated Orientia tsutsugamushi (O. tsutsugamushi) organism. We also studied prevention measures.

RESULTSThese islands had the natural foci of a south subtropical zone. The main host and vector were Rattus norvegicus and Leptotrombidium deliens (L. deliens), respectively. The seasonal quantity trends of Rattus norvegicus and Leptotrombidium deliens were consistent with the incidence of human infection. Thirty-five strains of O. tsutsugamushi were isolated from Rattus norvegicus and L. deliense. The identification of 7 strains showed that most strains were Karp. Seroepidemiology showed a high prevalence of antibody against O. tsatsugamushi among local people. After prevention measures were used, the incidence was decreased.

CONCLUSIONThis was the first successful confirmation that the Nan Peng Lie Islands were natural foci of tsutsugamushi disease.

Animals ; Antibodies, Bacterial ; blood ; Cattle ; China ; epidemiology ; DNA, Bacterial ; genetics ; Geography ; Humans ; Incidence ; Orientia tsutsugamushi ; genetics ; growth & development ; isolation & purification ; Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length ; Rats ; Scrub Typhus ; epidemiology ; microbiology ; Seasons ; Sheep ; Species Specificity ; Tropical Climate