Abnormal Features Research Articles

Disordered gut microbiota in postmenopausal stage amplifies intestinal tight junction damage to accelerate atherosclerosis.

The causes and characteristics of gut microbiota abnormalities and whether microbiota manipulation can prevent atherosclerosis in the postmenopausal stage remain to be determined. Aortic oestrogen receptor expression, histological changes and gut microbiota in women before and after menopause were detected. Serum oestrogen levels, systemic inflammation, intestinal oestrogen receptor expression and histological changes, atherosclerosis, and gut microbiota in low density lipoprotein deletion (LDLR-∕-) female mice before and after ovariectomy were tested. This study examined aortic oestrogen receptor expression, histological changes, and gut microbiota in women before and after menopause, and tested serum oestrogen levels, systemic inflammation, intestinal oestrogen receptor expression, histological changes, atherosclerosis, and gut microbiota in low-density lipoprotein receptor knockout (LDLR-∕-) female mice before and after ovariectomy. We demonstrated that the downregulation of oestrogen and oestrogen receptors after menopause promotes gut microbiota disturbance in both women and female mice. We found that gut microbiota disturbance amplifies the intestinal barrier damage and aggravates systemic inflammation, thereby promoting atherosclerosis in female mice. Faecal microbiota transplantation and antibiotics inhibit the proinflammatory properties of gut microbiota and prevent atherosclerosis by reducing intestinal barrier damage in postmenopausal mice. Together, our study highlights the causes of gut microbiota disturbances and the role of microbiota manipulation in preventing atherosclerosis in postmenopausal stage.

Ultrasound based radiomics model for assessment of placental function in pregnancies with preeclampsia

The goal of our research is to elucidate and better assess placental function in rats with preeclampsia through an innovative application of ultrasound-based radiomics. Using a rat model induced with L-NAME, we carefully investigated placental dysfunction via microstructural analysis and immunoprotein level assessment. Employing the Boruta feature selection method on ultrasound images facilitated the identification of crucial features, consequently enabling the development of a robust model for classifying placental dysfunction. Our study included 12 pregnant rats, and thorough placental evaluations were conducted on 160 fetal rats. Distinct alterations in placental microstructure and angiogenic factor expression were evident in rats with preeclampsia. Leveraging high-throughput mining of quantitative image features, we extracted 558 radiomic features, which were subsequently used to construct an impressive evaluation model with an area under the receiver operating curve (AUC) of 0.95. This model also exhibited a remarkable sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value of 88.7%, 91.5%, 90.2%, 90.4%, and 90.0%, respectively. Our findings highlight the ability of ultrasound-based radiomics to detect abnormal placental features, demonstrating its potential for evaluating both normative and impaired placental function with high precision and reliability.

Rethinking Fistula Preservation in Anorectal Malformation Surgery: A Histopathological Perspective.

This study aims to assess the histopathological characteristics of the fistulous tissue in males with anorectal malformation (ARM) to determine its suitability for use in constructing a neoanus. This prospective observational study included male ARM patients with recto-urethral fistula. All other types were excluded. The tissue specimens comprised 0.5-2.0 cm of the most distal part of the rectal pouch and the fistulous tissue. Hematoxylin and eosin-stained sections were prepared. Histological features viz. internal sphincter, anal grand and crypts, ganglion cells, presence of subepithelial fibrosis, thickened nerve trunks, and metaplasia were evaluated. Of 65 patients of ARM admitted, 24 met the inclusion criteria. Gross and microscopic internal sphincter was not found in any sample. The anal mucosa was visualized in all cases; however, crypts were irregular and distorted architecture was seen in 4 (16.67%) samples. Urothelial metaplasia was identified in 10 (41.67%) cases. Adequate ganglion cells were seen only in 6 (25%) samples. Significant submucosal fibrosis was seen in all samples. Thickened nerve trunks were identified in 4 (16.67%) samples. All normal anal histological features could not be found together in the fistula tissue. With the absence of normal features, such as internal anal sphincter muscles, and the presence of abnormal histopathological features, such as subepithelial fibrosis, thickened nerve trunks, and metaplasia there are high chances of abnormal bowel function like constipation if the fistulous tissue is used for neoanus construction. It may have an impact on the quality of life of patients.

Correlation between thoracoscopic presentations and pathological patterns in undiagnosed pleural effusion

BackgroundPleural effusion is the most prevalent pleural disorder. One third of pleural effusions are caused by lung cancer. Thoracoscopy is regarded as the most reliable diagnostic method for the evaluation of suspected pleural malignancy.Aim and objectivesTo assess visible pleural characteristics of abnormalities and their locations for malignant and benign pathologies as well as to determine the incidence of malignancy in the apparent normal pleura.Patients and methodsThis was a descriptive, observational, and cross-sectional research that was performed on 36 cases with undiagnosed exudative pleural effusions prepared for medical thoracoscopy and on whom the cytological analysis was inconclusive, at the thoracoscopic Unit Department of Chest Diseases, Faculty of Medicine Zagazig University, from December 2023 to May 2024.ResultsThe apparent normal pleura and adhesions were significantly greater in benign effusions than in malignant effusions (p = 0.019 and p = 0.04, respectively), while nodular effusion was significantly greater in malignant effusions than in benign effusions (p = 0.003). Bleeding was significantly greater in malignant effusions than in benign effusions (p = 0.019). As regards the thoracoscopic findings, 24 (66.7%) patients showed nodular patterns, 14 (38.9%) patients showed adhesions, and two (5.6%) patients had pus, while six (16.7%) patients had apparent normal pleura. The costal pleura was the most frequently affected site (88.9%) followed by the visceral pleura (55.6%) then the diaphragmatic pleura (38.9%).ConclusionMedical thoracoscopy (MT), a minimally invasive and a generally safe treatment, enables the interventional pulmonologist to access the pleural cavity directly and obtain pleural samples under direct view helping in predicting the pathology.

Abnormal dynamic features of spontaneous brain activity and their concordance in neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder related optic neuritis: A resting-state fMRI study

ObjectiveCharacterizing the neuropathological features of neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder-related optic neuritis (NMOSD-ON) is crucial for understanding its mechanisms. Given the important role of dynamic features in the brain’s functional architecture, we aim to investigate the dynamic features of spontaneous brain activity and their concordance using resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI) in NMOSD-ON. MethodsFourteen NMOSD-ON patients and 21 healthy controls (HCs) underwent rs-fMRI and ophthalmological examinations. Five dynamic indices depicting different aspects of functional characteristics were calculated using a sliding window method based on rs-fMRI data. Kendall’s coefficient was utilized to measure concordance among these indices at each time point. The differences of dynamic features between two groups were evaluated using two-sample t-tests, with correlations explored between altered dynamics and clinical parameters. ResultsCompared to HCs, NMOSD-ON patients exhibited significant decreases in dynamic regional homogeneity (dReHo) and dynamic degree centrality (dDC) in visual regions, including bilateral cuneus, lingual gyrus, calcarine sulcus, and occipital gyrus. Conversely, increases were observed in left insula, left thalamus, and bilateral caudate. The concordance of NMOSD-ON patients was significantly lower than HCs. The dReHo of right cuneus negatively correlated with mean deviation of visual field (r = -0.591, p = 0.026) and the dReHo of left cuneus negatively correlated with disease duration (r = -0.588, p = 0.030). ConclusionThe evidence suggests that regional dynamic functional alterations involving vision, emotional processing, and cognitive control may provide a new understanding of brain changes in the progression of NMOSD-ON.

Registration of six albinism wheat sib lines for genetic aberration of photosynthetic pigments

AbstractPlant biologists have long been fascinated with the abnormal, the monstrous, and the defective. Six sib winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) lines with varying types of albinism, ShunMai GAG‐1 (Reg. no. GP‐1090, PI 704106), ShunMai GAG‐2 (Reg. no. GP‐1091, PI 704107), ShunMai GAG‐3 (Reg. no. GP‐1092, PI 704108), ShunMai GAG‐4 (Reg. no. GP‐1093, PI 704109), ShunMai GAG‐5 (Reg. no. GP‐1094, PI 704110), and ShunMai GAG‐6, (Reg. no. GP‐1095, PI 704111), were derived from a cross made in 2013 with unknown pedigree, and were developed using conventional phenotypic selections. Albinism, or stage‐specific albino, is their unique abnormal agronomic characteristics. All their leaves and tillers produced before winter are green, all their spring‐emerging leaves and tillers are albino, and all their summer‐producing leaves turn green again. Their main stems could have at least three albino leaves. In some colder springs, their after‐winter emerging leaves are reddish to pinkish. They may serve as useful experimental materials for addressing a wide range of wheat breeding problems, and for wheat field art too, and may also be important materials for functional studies and eventually lead to the gene discovery. We discuss the possible interactions between plastid genes and nuclear genes and between vernalization genes responsible for the transition from vegetative to generative growth stage and photosynthetic genes.

MRI Predicts Residual Disease and Outcomes in Watch-and-Wait Patients with Rectal Cancer.

Background MRI plays a crucial role in restaging locally advanced rectal cancer treated with total neoadjuvant therapy (TNT); however, prospective studies have not evaluated its ability to accurately select patients for nonoperative management. Purpose To evaluate the ability of restaging MRI to predict oncologic outcomes and identify imaging features associated with residual disease (RD) after TNT. Materials and Methods This was a secondary analysis of the Organ Preservation in Rectal Adenocarcinoma (OPRA) trial, which randomized participants from April 2014 to March 2020 with stages II or III rectal adenocarcinoma to undergo either induction or consolidation TNT. Participants enrolled in the OPRA trial who underwent restaging MRI were eligible for inclusion in the present study. Radiologists classified participants as having clinical complete response (cCR), near-complete clinical response (nCR), or incomplete clinical response (iCR) based on restaging MRI at a mean of 8 weeks ± 4 (SD) after treatment. Oncologic outcomes according to MRI response category were assessed using Kaplan-Meier curves. Logistic regression analysis was performed to identify imaging characteristics associated with RD. Results A total of 277 participants (median age, 58 years [IQR, 17 years]; 179 male) who were randomized in the OPRA trial had restaging MRI forms completed. The median follow-up duration was 4.1 years. Participants with cCR had higher rates of organ preservation compared with those with nCR (65.3% vs 41.6%, log-rank P < .001). Five-year disease-free survival for participants with cCR, nCR, and iCR was 81.8%, 67.6%, and 49.6%, respectively (log-rank P < .001). The MRI response category also predicted overall survival (log-rank P < .001), distant recurrence-free survival (log-rank P = .005), and local regrowth (log-rank P = .02). Among the 266 participants with at least 2 years of follow-up, 129 (48.5%) had RD. At multivariable analysis, the presence of restricted diffusion (odds ratio, 2.50; 95% CI: 1.22, 5.24) and abnormal nodal morphologic features (odds ratio, 5.04; 95% CI: 1.43, 23.9) remained independently associated with RD. Conclusion The MRI response category was predictive of organ preservation and survival. Restricted diffusion and abnormal nodal morphologic features on restaging MRI scans were associated with increased likelihood of residual tumor. ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT02008656 © RSNA, 2024 Supplemental material is available for this article. See also the editorial by Milot in this issue.

Unusual renal displacement due to massive splenomegaly: a rare case report and review of literature

Here, the case of a female patient in her late 60s, who presented to hospital for a scheduled health check relating to a history of myelofibrosis for the previous 9 years, is described. She recently experienced weight loss and abdominal distention. Physical examination revealed no abnormality or tenderness. Laboratory examination showed decreased blood cells, platelets and haemoglobin, and normal renal function. Ultrasound and computed tomography scans revealed a massively enlarged spleen and displaced and compressed left kidney with abnormal features, but normal right kidney. The patient declined surgery and her myelofibrosis was treated with ruxolitinib, with a recommendation of annual follow-up observation. Despite many recorded cases of left renal displacement caused by splenomegaly, it is very rare for the left kidney to be pushed across the midline to the right side by an enlarged spleen. This article explores the causes and management of this uncommon condition and provides a review of previous literature reports with the aim of enhancing the understanding of unusual renal displacement due to massive splenomegaly, and its potential treatment options.

Neuritin Controls Axonal Branching in Serotonin Neurons: A Possible Mediator Involved in the Regulation of Depressive and Anxiety Behaviors via FGF Signaling.

Abnormal neuronal morphological features, such as dendrite branching, axonal branching, and spine density, are thought to contribute to the symptoms of depression and anxiety. However, the role and molecular mechanisms of aberrant neuronal morphology in the regulation of mood disorders remain poorly characterized. Here, we show that neuritin, an activity-dependent protein, regulates the axonal morphology of serotonin neurons. Male neuritin knock-out (KO) mice harbored impaired axonal branches of serotonin neurons in the medial prefrontal cortex and basolateral region of the amygdala (BLA), and male neuritin KO mice exhibited depressive and anxiety-like behaviors. We also observed that the expression of neuritin was decreased by unpredictable chronic stress in the male mouse brain and that decreased expression of neuritin was associated with reduced axonal branching of serotonin neurons in the brain and with depressive and anxiety behaviors in mice. Furthermore, the stress-mediated impairments in axonal branching and depressive behaviors were reversed by the overexpression of neuritin in the BLA. The ability of neuritin to increase axonal branching in serotonin neurons involves fibroblast growth factor (FGF) signaling, and neuritin contributes to FGF-2-mediated axonal branching regulation in vitro. Finally, the oral administration of an FGF inhibitor reduced the axonal branching of serotonin neurons in the brain and caused depressive and anxiety behaviors in male mice. Our results support the involvement of neuritin in models of stress-induced depression and suggest that neuronal morphological plasticity may play a role in controlling animal behavior.

Anatomical Variations of the Jugular Bulb: A Critical and Comprehensive Review.

Background and Objectives: The jugular bulb (JB) is the uppermost part of the internal jugular vein receiving the sigmoid sinus. The aim of the present research is to aid the comprehension of the JB, its abnormalities, and surrounding structures for improving both academic and surgical awareness. Materials and Methods: Various studies on this topic were critically reviewed. Cone-beam CT scans and CT and MR angiograms were used to demonstrate each type of the discussed variations. Results: Variations in the JB anatomy were thoroughly documented: high JB, dehiscent JB, hypoplasia and hyperplasia, and diverticula of the JB, as they have significant clinical implications, particularly in the context of otological and neuro-otological surgery, skull base pathology, and diagnostic imaging. Definitions and critical arguments were also specified to clarify existing literature. Additionally, we present a case report illustrating a high and dehiscent JB, an anatomical variation of clinical interest due to its potential for misdiagnosis as a glomus tumor. Another case describes a dehiscent JB with a hypotympanic air cell protruding into it, further highlighting the variability of this condition. Conclusions: It is necessary to proceed with caution when observing abnormal morphological characteristics of the JB. Preoperative assessment of each case is essential for optimal outcomes.

The PDIA3-STAT3 protein complex regulates IBS formation and development via CTSS/MHC-II pathway-mediated intestinal inflammation

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a persistent functional gastrointestinal disorder characterised by abdominal pain and altered patterns of defecation. This study aims to clarify an increase in the expression and interaction of protein disulfide-isomerase A3 (PDIA3) and Signal Transducer and Activator of Transcription 3 (STAT3) within the membrane of dendritic cells (DCs) from individuals with IBS. Mechanistically, the heightened interaction between PDIA3 and STAT3 at the DC membrane results in reduced translocation of phosphorylated STAT3 (p-STAT3) into the nucleus. The reduction of p-STAT3 to nuclear transport subsequently increased the levels of cathepsin S (CTSS) and major histocompatibility complex class II (MHC-II). Consequently, activated DCs promote CD4+ T cell proliferation and cytokine secretion, including interleukin-4 (IL-4), interleukin-6 (IL-6), interleukin-9 (IL-9), and tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), thereby contributing to the development of IBS. Importantly, the downregulation of PDIA3 and the administration of punicalagin (Pun), a crucial active compound found in pomegranate peel, alleviate IBS symptoms in rats, such as increased visceral hypersensitivity and abnormal stool characteristics. Collectively, these findings highlight the involvement of the PDIA3-STAT3 protein complex in IBS, providing a novel perspective on the modulation of immune and inflammatory responses. Additionally, this research advances our understanding of the role and mechanisms of PDIA3 inhibitors, presenting new therapeutic possibilities for managing IBS.

The relationship between imaging-based body composition abnormalities and long-term mortality in patients with liver cirrhosis

BackgroundEmerging evidence on cirrhosis suggests a close correlation between abnormality in body composition characteristics and poor prognosis. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of dynamic changes in body composition on the prognostic outcomes in patients with cirrhosis. MethodsThis retrospective analysis included 158 patients diagnosed as cirrhosis from January 2018 to August 2023. Skeletal muscle mass, muscle quality, visceral and subcutaneous adiposity were evaluated using computed tomography (CT) imaging at the third lumbar vertebra level. Competing risk model was performed four different body composition status (i.e., normal, only sarcopenia, only myosteatosis, and combined status) for liver-related mortality. We also explored the relationship between the dynamic change in body composition and long-term prognosis by applying Gray’s test. ResultsOf the 158 cirrhotic patients (mean [SD] age, 57.1 [12.6] years), sarcopenia was present in 85 (60.1 %) patients, while 22 (13.9 %) patients had sarcopenic obesity and 68 (43.0 %) had myosteatosis. Patients solely diagnosed with sarcopenia exhibited a higher mortality rate compared to those with normal body composition (Gray’s test, P=0.006), while patients solely diagnosed with myosteatosis or with a combination of sarcopenia and myosteatosis did not reach statistical significance (Gray’s test, P=0.076; P=0.140). Multivariable analysis also revealed that VSR (HR=1.10 [1.01∼1.20]; P=0.028), sarcopenia (HR=2.73 [1.20∼6.22], P=0.017) and myosteatosis (HR=2.39 [1.10∼5.18], P=0.028) were significant independent predictors of liver-related deaths. Otherwise, patients exhibiting aggravating body composition during follow-up period were associated with a significantly higher mortality risk compared to those with normal or remission body composition status (HR=7.63 [1.12∼51.14]; P=0.036). ConclusionProgressive alterations in body composition status appears to be associated with liver-related mortality in individuals with liver cirrhosis. Focusing on the management of skeletal muscle, along with visceral and subcutaneous adiposity, may contribute to improving the prognosis of cirrhotic patients.

Learning a multi-cluster memory prototype for unsupervised video anomaly detection

In recent years, there has been rapid development in video anomaly detection (VAD). The previous methods ignored the differences between normal videos and only emphasized learning the commonalities of normal videos. In order to improve the performance of anomaly detection, we delve into the spatial distribution of normal video features and utilize their differences for clustering, leading to more minor reconstruction errors for normal videos and more significant reconstruction errors for abnormal videos. To achieve this goal, we introduce a Multi-Cluster Memory Prototype framework (MCMP) for VAD, which explores the coarse-grained and fine-grained information from video snippet features simultaneously to learn a memory prototype, thereby significantly improving the ability to discriminate abnormal events in complex scenes. First, a video feature clustering method that employs contrastive learning is introduced to group samples sharing similar fine-grained features. Second, the memory mechanism is used to capture the feature distribution of normal samples. Lastly, the Gaussian filter feature transformation method is introduced to make normal and abnormal features more distinguishable. The frame level AUC of MCMP on ShanghaiTech and UCF-Crime benchmark datasets has increased by 1.26% and 0.45% compared to state-of-the-art methods. Our code is publicly available athttps://github.com/WuIkun5658/MCMP.

Neuroimaging changes in the pregeniculate visual pathway and chiasmal enlargement in Leber hereditary optic neuropathy

PurposeTo describe the pattern of MRI changes in the pregeniculate visual pathway in Leber hereditary optic neuropathy (LHON).MethodThis retrospective observational study enrolled 60 patients with LHON between January 2015 and...

Quantification of abnormal characteristics and flow-patterns identification in pumped storage system

Quantification of abnormal characteristics and flow-patterns identification in pumped storage system

Key features of choroidal abnormalities in neurofibromatosis type 1, a commentary on "Histologic correlates of "choroidal abnormalities" in neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1)".

Key features of choroidal abnormalities in neurofibromatosis type 1, a commentary on "Histologic correlates of "choroidal abnormalities" in neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1)".

Colposcopic features of HPV associated adenocarcinoma usual type

Adenocarcinoma in situ of cervix is less frequently detected, especially when not associated with squamous intraepithelial premalignant lesion. The relative incidence of in-situ or invasive adenocarcinoma is likely to rise with propensity for younger population. Incidence of recurrence is also higher when histopathology is adenocarcinoma in comparison to the squamous histopathology, This necessitates establishment of different risk factors that would guide the modality of treatment to be taken up in adenocarcinoma histopathology.(Yuksel) Diagnosis of glandular lesions on colposcopy is difficult owing to distinct and less common features, difficulty to approach and fewer cases therefore lesser experience with colposcopy plus the coincidence of squamous lesions along with glandular lesions being more common, adds to the conundrum. In the current image-based case study, colposcopy features of glandular abnormalities in adenocarcinoma of cervix have been described.

Fast video anomaly detection via context-aware shortcut exploration and abnormal feature distance learning

Surveillance systems are essential in computer vision, with video anomaly detection (VAD) critical for real-world security. Conventional approaches anticipate abnormal frames using normal patterns learned with normal training data and determine anomalies by comparing the output and input. However, they often incur high computational costs due to pre-trained networks and complex modules. Also, they suffer from the tendency to overlook anomalies due to strong generalizing ability. To address these, we propose two innovations: Anomaly Distance Learning (ADL) and Context-Aware Skip Connection (CONASkip), maximizing the distinction between normal and abnormal samples. ADL increases the feature gap by learning to separate normal and abnormal features, while CONASkip selectively connects layers to preserve normal information and differentiate output quality. These methods operate on self-supervised signals, replacing complex and costly modules. Additionally, ADL is excluded during testing, enabling fast inference. Our model achieves 130 frames per second and superior performance on three benchmarks, addressing real-world efficiency challenges.

Genetic analysis of a child with mos 46,X,psu idic(X)(q21.3)[40]/45,X[3]

To explore the correlation between structural chromosomal abnormality and clinical characteristics of a child featuring gonadal dysplasia. A 13-year-old child who was admitted to Lianyungang Maternal and Child Health Care Hospital on February 7, 2023 for primary amenorrhoea and occasional abdominal pain was selected as the study subject. Clinical data of the child was collected, and peripheral blood samples of the child and her parents were collected. G-banding chromosomal karyotyping and copy number variation sequencing (CNV-seq) were carried out. "Pseudodual centromere isochromosome X" and "psu idic(X)" were used as keywords to search the CNKI, Wanfang and PubMed databases, and the search period was set as from January 1, 2002 to June 1, 2023. Relevant literature on the structural abnormality of X chromosome was searched and analyzed retrospectively. The child has a height of 153 cm and weighed 45 kg. She has no obvious facial dysmorphism. Laboratory tests showed that she had higher FSH and luteinizing hormone, and lower E2. Ultrasonography showed that she had small ovaries and rudimentary uterus. She was found to have a karyotype of 46,X,psu idic(X)(q21.3)[40]/mos 45,X[3], whilst both of her parents had a normal karyotype. CNV-seq showed that she had a 63.27 Mb deletion in Xq21.32q28 and a 91.59 Mb duplication in Xp22.33q21.32 (mosaicism rate = 74%). A total of 11 relevant literature were retrieved. Clinical phenotypes of patients with similar structural chromosomal abnormalities were diverse, which was closely related to the mosaicism rate of the 45,X karyotype and the location of the breaking point. 46,X,psu idic(X)(q21.3)/45,X probably underlay the dysplasia of uterus and ovary and sex hormone abnormalities in this child, while her height was spared. Deletion of Xq21.32q28 is a key factor leading to Turner syndrome-like phenotype such as rudimentary uterus and ovarian dysplasia.

Dysfluency in primary progressive aphasia: Temporal speech parameters

ABSTRACT Analysing spontaneous speech in individuals experiencing fluency difficulties holds potential for diagnosing speech and language disorders, including Primary Progressive Aphasia (PPA). Dysfluency in the spontaneous speech of patients with PPA has mostly been described in terms of abnormal pausing behaviour, but the temporal features related to speech have drawn little attention. This study compares speech-related fluency parameters in the three main variants of PPA and in typical speech. Forty-three adults participated in this research, thirteen with the logopenic variant of PPA (lvPPA), ten with the non-fluent variant (nfvPPA), nine with the semantic variant (svPPA), and eleven who were healthy age-matched adults. Participants’ fluency was assessed through a picture description task from which 42 parameters were computed including syllable duration, speaking pace, the duration of speech chunks (i.e. interpausal units, IPU), and the number of linguistic units per IPU and per second. The results showed that each PPA variant exhibited abnormal speech characteristics reflecting various underlying factors, from motor speech deficits to higher-level issues. Out of the 42 parameters considered, 37 proved useful for characterising dysfluency in the three main PPA variants and 35 in distinguishing among them. Therefore, taking into account not only pausing behaviour but also temporal speech parameters can provide a fuller understanding of dysfluency in PPA. However, no single parameter by itself sufficed to distinguish one PPA group from the other two, further evidence that dysfluency is not dichotomous but rather multidimensional, and that complementary multiparametric analyses are needed.