Acute Bilateral Ophthalmoplegias

Bilateral ophthalmoplegia is that condition of weakness or paralysis involving one or more ocular muscles in each eye. Its sudden appearance due to an acute ocular myopathy is indeed unusual. Swash reported a single patient with acute necrotizing orbital myositis and carcinomatosis neuromyopathy. The more common bilateral ocular muscle diseases, such as dysthyroid exophthalmopathy, orbital myositis, and progressive external ophthalmoplegia, develop insidiously and are restricted to the orbit

The Neuroprotective Role Of Vitamin D On Neurons In A Central Nervous System Autoimmune Disease

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an autoimmune inflammatory disease of the central nervous system (CNS). Childhood vitamin D insufficiency is a known risk factor of MS. However, it remains unclear how vitamin D levels before adolescence affect the susceptibility to disease. We hypothesize that vitamin D increases IL-34 production, which directs microglia into an anti-inflammatory phenotype, preventing neurodegeneration in a developing CNS. We observed an increased expression of IL-34 mRNA in primary neurons and neurons derived from a mouse Neuroblastoma (N2a) cell line after treating with calcitriol, the biologically active form of vitamin D. Additionally, immortalized murine microglia (BV-2) and primary microglia treated with IL-34 showed a decrease in pro-inflammatory cytokines and an increase in anti-inflammatory molecules compared to untreated controls upon lipopolysaccharide (LPS) stimulation. These findings indicate that microglia can be directed to an anti-inflammatory phenotype by IL-34, which is produced by vitamin D-treated neurons. To study how vitamin D signaling in childhood influences the risk of developing disease in vivo, we generated a transgenic mouse model using single-neuron labeling with inducible Cre-mediated knockout (SLICK) mice. This allows manipulation of VDR levels on neurons during different ages of life. We found that SLICK f/+ mice have decreased VDR expression when evaluated by immunohistochemistry. These mice showed that low levels of vitamin D during development caused increased disease severity through inducing experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE). By understanding the mechanism by which vitamin D levels influence multiple sclerosis susceptibility, vitamin supplements could be administered to prevent high risk populations from developing this incurable disease.No embargoAcademic Major: Biomedical Scienc

Analysis Of Kepler-71 Activity Through Planetary Transit

An exoplanet transiting in front of the disk of its parent star may hide a dark starspot causing a detectable change in the light curve, that allows to infer physical characteristics of the spot such as size and intensity. We have analysed the Kepler Space Telescope observations of the star Kepler-71 in order to search for variabilities in 28 transit light curves. Kepler-71 is a star with 0.923Ms and 0.816Rs orbited by the hot Jupiter planet Kepler-71b with radius of 1.0452RJ. The physical parameters of the starspots are determined by fitting the data with a model that simulates planetary transits and enables the inclusion of spots on the stellar surface with different sizes, intensities, and positions. The results show that Kepler-71 is a very active star, with several spot detections, with a mean value of 6 spots per transit with size 0.6Rp and 0.5 Ic, as a function of stellar intensity at disk center (maximum value).Comment: 3 page, 2 figures, IAUS 328: Living around active star

Uncommon Disorders of the Lower Spinal Region A Report on Eleven Patients

Prompt diagnosis of lower spinal diseases is essential for successful treatment. Appropriate medical therapy or surgical decompression arrests progression and reverses existing neurologic deficit. Delayed or improper diagnosis seriously jeopardizes the patient’s ultimate neurologic status. Too often early symptoms are disregarded or passed over as insignificant

The Solar Radius in the EUV during the Cycle XXIII

Aims. To determine the solar transition region and coronal radius at EUV wavelengths and its time evolution during Solar Cycle XXIII. Methods. We use daily 30.4 and 17.1 nm images obtained by the Extreme Ultraviolet Imager (EIT) aboard the SoHO satellite and derive the solar radius by fitting a circle to the limb brightness ring. Results. The weighted mean of the temporal series gives (967''.56 +/- 0''.04) and (969''.54 +/- 0''.02) at 30.4 and 17.1 nm respectively. No significant correlation was found with the solar cycle at any of the two wavelengths. Conclusions. Since the temperature formation of the 30.4 nm line is between (60 - 80) 10^3 K (Transition Region), the obtained result is bigger than that derived from present atmospheric models. On the contrary this height is compatible with radio models.Comment: accepted for publication in Astronomy & Astrophysics minor changes introduced during review proces