New method of sentinel node identification with ultrasonography using albumin as contrast agent: a study in pigs

The purpose of our study was to verify in animals the possibility of using albumin-enhanced ultrasonography as a modality for sentinel node detection. The nine pigs were injected subcutaneously in the neck with albumin, five with 5% solution and four with 25% solution, and then the regional lymph nodes were observed over time. It was found that, where the 5% solution had been injected, the lymph nodes showed no change, but where the 25% solution had been used, a high echo 1 to 5 mm in size was seen at the hilus of the nearest lymph node. Examination of the excised pathologic specimens of lymph nodes demonstrated that this echo was due to albumin accumulated in the efferent lymphatics. This finding suggested that this technique of ultrasonography using albumin as a contrast agent was an effective new method of identifying sentinel nodes.     

Improved Orange and Red Ca2+ Indicators and Photophysical Considerations for Optogenetic Applications

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Distinct differences in lipid composition between epidermis and dermis from footpad and dorsal skin of guinea pigs

All lipids, including neutral lipids, phospholipids and glycolipids, in the dermis and epidermis from footpad and dorsal skin of guinea pigs were quantitatively determined, and distinct and characteristic differences in lipid composition were observed in both regions. Ceramides, cerebrosides and cholesterol sulfate were abundant in the epidermis, the amounts being 8.8-12.0, 2.8-4.0 and 6.0-6.5 times higher than those in the dermis, respectively, whereas sulfatide was predominantly found in the dermis. Four and six bands of ceramides, and three and four bands of cerebrosides were detected for the lipids from both the epidermis and dermis on TLC, respectively, two of the ceramides and one of the cerebrosides being found to be esterified. Cerebrosides in the epidermis were predominantly glucocerebrosides, whereas those in the dermis comprised a mixture of gluco- and galactocerebrosides. In addition, an esterified cerebroside, glucosyl N-(O-linoleoyl-omega-hydroxylignoceroyl) sphingosine, was present in the epidermis as a tissue-characteristic compound and this finding seems to be common for several animal species. The marked differences in lipid components between the epidermis and dermis should be quite useful for discriminating these functionally as well as histologically different regions on a biochemical basis.     

Doppler tissue analysis of atrial electromechanical coupling in paroxysmal atrial fibrillation.

The aim of this study was to: (1) evaluate atrial electromechanical coupling using M-mode Doppler tissue; and (2) test its clinical impact for detecting atrial abnormalities in paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (AF). Using Doppler tissue, the time intervals from the onset of P wave until the backward motions of the right and left atrioventricular rings in the apical 4-chamber view corresponding to the atrial contractions were measured. In paroxysmal AF group, these intervals were significantly longer than in the control group. Using the criteria that an abnormal time interval from the onset of P wave until the backward motion of the left atrioventricular ring is longer than 112 milliseconds, the sensitivity, the specificity, and the positive predictive values for paroxysmal AF are 73%, 93%, and 93%, respectively. This parameter is affected in patients with paroxysmal AF and should be useful for detecting atrial impairment related to paroxysmal AF.     

Detection of anti-human T-lymphotropic virus type I antibody in whole blood by a novel counting immunoassay

BACKGROUND: Assays to screen for and confirm the presence of the antibody for human T-lymphotropic virus type I (HTLV-I) are currently performed with serum or plasma. We developed and evaluated a new counting immunoassay (CIA) for the detection of HTLV-I antibody in whole blood, using recombinant and synthetic peptide antigens. METHODS: We assessed the CIA for detection of HTLV-I antibody in whole blood and plasma. The CIA is an immunity-measuring method that combines latex agglutination with particle-counting technology. The numbers of agglutinated latex particles, single latex particles, and blood cells in a sample are measured based on differences in particle size between latex particles and blood cells. RESULTS: The CIA and ELISA methods were in agreement for all 24 plasma samples tested, including those from 6 patients with HTLV-I-associated diseases, 6 HTLV-I carriers, and 12 HTLV-I antibody-negative individuals. The concordance between the ELISA (plasma) and the CIA (whole blood) for samples from 24 patients was 100%. The concordance between a particle agglutination method (plasma) and the CIA (plasma or whole blood) for 1065 patients was 99.5%. The concordance between results obtained for 1065 pairs of plasma and whole blood samples with the CIA method was 100%. HTLV-I antibody in whole blood was stable for 3 days after blood collection. With this CIA method, results were available within 15 min. CONCLUSIONS: The CIA method can be used in screening for HTLV-I. The use of whole blood rather than serum or plasma reduces the sample volume and number of blood collections required, as well as assay time.