In vivo detection of monoaminergic degeneration in early Parkinson disease by (18)F-9-fluoropropyl-(+)-dihydrotetrabenzazine PET.

UNLABELLED: PET with (18)F-9-fluoropropyl-(+)-dihydrotetrabenzazine ((18)F-DTBZ), a novel radiotracer targeting vesicular monoamine transporter type 2 (VMAT2), has been proven as a useful imaging marker to measure dopaminergic integrity. METHODS: The aim of this study was to evaluate the capability of (18)F-DTBZ PET in detecting the monoaminergic degeneration in early Parkinson disease (PD) in vivo. Seventeen age-matched healthy subjects and 30 PD patients at early stage of disease (duration of disease ≤ 5 y) with mild and unilateral motor symptoms underwent (18)F-DTBZ PET scans. The severity of disease, including Unified Parkinson Disease Rating Scale and modified Hoehn and Yahr Stage (mHY), were recorded at off-medication states. The standardized volumes of interest were applied to the spatial normalized image for quantification analysis. The specific uptake ratios (SURs) were calculated according to the formula (specific volumes-of-interest counts/occipital cortex counts) - 1. SUR measurements were summarized for each brain region. RESULTS: The mean duration of disease in the PD group was 3.2 ± 2.1 y (range, 0.5-5 y). The mean mHY was 1.0 ± 0.1 (range, 1-1.5). The SURs of bilateral caudate, anterior putamen, posterior putamen, substantia nigra, and nucleus accumbens were significantly lower in PD patients than those of healthy subjects. The reduction of SURs was most severe in the contralateral (the brain regions that are located opposite to the symptomatic side) posterior putamen (-81%), followed by the ipsilateral posterior putamen (-67%). Receiver-operating-characteristic curve analysis showed that the SURs of the bilateral posterior putamen and contralateral anterior putamen had a sensitivity of 100% and specificity of 100% in differentiating PD patients from healthy subjects. CONCLUSION: (18)F-DTBZ PET was as an excellent tool for the early diagnosis of PD. The obvious decline of (18)F-DTBZ uptake in the ipsilateral (asymptomatic) striatum suggested that (18)F-DTBZ PET might serve as an in vivo biomarker to detect the monoaminergic degeneration in the premotor phase of PD.

Skeletal and dental variables related to the stability of orthognathic surgery in skeletal Class III malocclusion with a surgery-first approach.

PURPOSE: The objectives of the study were to identify the parameters related to skeletal stability after orthognathic surgery in skeletal Class III malocclusion using a surgery-first approach and to analyze the factors correlated with surgical relapse. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Forty-five consecutive patients were included. Serial cephalometric radiographs were traced and superimposed to investigate surgical stability at the initial examination, 1 week postoperatively, and after orthodontic debonding (12.22 mo after surgery). Patient grouping was based on the amount of horizontal relapse at the innermost point of the contour of the mandible between the incisor tooth and the bony chin, the B point (less stable group, n = 15; highly stable group, n = 18). Parameters, such as presurgical skeletal and dental variables, the amount of surgical setback, and total treatment duration, were compared between groups and analyzed for correlations with surgical stability. RESULTS: The mean setback at the innermost point of the contour of the mandible between the incisor tooth and the bony chin was 11.19 mm, and the mean relapse rate was 12.46%. The amount of surgical setback, overbite (positive values), overjet, depth of the curve of Spee, and lower anterior facial height showed statistically significant differences between groups. The amount of surgical setback, overbite (positive values), overjet, and depth of the curve of Spee showed statistically significant correlations with the amount of relapse. Skeletal relapse of the mandible increased significantly as the overbite increased. CONCLUSION: The factors for instability in the surgery-first approach include a larger overbite, a deeper curve of Spee, a greater negative overjet, and a greater mandibular setback. The initial overbite may be an indicator to predict possible skeletal relapse of mandibular setback.

Effect of glutamate on the electrical properties of cationic solid lipid nanoparticles containing stearylamine and dioctadecyldimethyl ammonium bromide.

Electrical properties, including electrophoretic mobility, zeta potential, total surface charge density, and surface charge density resulting from primary amino groups, of cationic solid lipid nanoparticles (CSLNs) were investigated in the present study. Cationic lipids including stearylamine (SA) and dioctadecyldimethyl ammonium bromide (DODAB) were covered on the external cores of CSLNs. The influences of glutamate concentration in the medium, composition of cationic lipids, and surfactant species were especially analyzed. The results indicated that an increase in the mole ratio of SA in the cationic lipid caused an increase in the average diameter of CSLNs. Also, the average diameter of Span 20-stabilized CSLNs was larger than that of Tween 80-stabilized CSLNs. The electrostatic traits of CSLNs were reduced as the mole ratio of SA increased, and the electricity of Span 20-stabilized CSLNs was weaker than that of Tween 80-stabilized CSLNs. An increase in the glutamate concentration in the medium led to a decrease in electrophoretic mobility, zeta potential, and total surface charge density of CSLNs. As the glutamate concentration increased, surface charge density resulting from primary amino groups increased, and that from quaternary amino groups decreased as a result of the adsorption of negatively charged glutamate on CSLN surfaces. Ohshima's soft particle theory was adopted to describe the electrical behavior of CSLNs, and the deviations of zeta potential predicted by the Smoluchowski, Happel, and Kuwabara models were normally greater than 10%.