Quantitative SPECT leads to improved performance in discrimination tasks related to prodromal Alzheimer's disease.

We investigated the impact of the quantitation and reconstruction protocol on clinical tasks. The performance of standard clinical reconstruction procedures in discrimination tasks related to the diagnosis of prodromal Alzheimer's disease (AD) was compared with the performance of a quantitative approach incorporating improved corrections for scatter, attenuation, intrinsic spatial resolution, and distance-dependent spatial resolution. METHODS: Seventeen normal controls (normal group), 56 subjects who did not have dementia, who did have memory problems, but who did not develop AD within 5 y of follow-up (questionable group), and 27 subjects who did not have dementia, who did have memory problems, and who did develop AD over the follow-up period (converter group) were considered in this study. (99m)Tc-hexamethylpropyleneamine oxime SPECT and MRI studies were performed for each subject at baseline. The standard quantitation protocol (STD), routinely used in our clinic, consisted of Compton window scatter correction followed by filtered backprojection with attenuation correction using a uniform attenuation map. In the improved quantitative approach (QUAN), projections were corrected for scatter by use of a general spectral method and reconstructed by use of ordered-subset(s) expectation maximization, incorporating corrections for collimator response and attenuation using both a uniform attenuation map (QUANunif) and a nonuniform attenuation map (QUANnonunif). Mean SPECT activity concentration and MRI volume were estimated for 7 structures: rostral anterior cingulate gyrus, caudal anterior cingulate gyrus, posterior cingulate gyrus, hippocampus, basal forebrain, amygdala, and the banks of the superior temporal sulcus. Data were analyzed by pairwise discriminant analysis, and performance in binary group discrimination was measured by correlated receiver-operating-characteristic analysis. RESULTS: The use of QUANnonunif yielded a small but systematic improvement in discrimination accuracy for normal versus converter groups (accuracy or area under the receiver-operating-characteristic curve [Az], 0.965), normal versus questionable groups (Az, 0.973), and questionable versus converter groups (Az, 0.881) compared with the results obtained with QUANunif (Az, 0.955, 0.962, and 0.866, respectively). Discrimination performance was significantly lower (P < 0.05) with STD than with QUAN in all 3 tasks (Az with STD, 0.906, 0.878, and 0.768, respectively). MRI volume estimation led to a lower overall performance in all 3 tasks than did QUANnonunif (Az with MRI, 0.947, 0.917, and 0.872, respectively). CONCLUSION: Improved quantitative image reconstruction with accurate compensation for scatter, attenuation, and variable collimator response led to significantly better performance in discrimination tasks related to the diagnosis of prodromal AD than did standard clinical reconstruction procedures. The use of a nonuniform brain attenuation map yields a small improvement in discrimination accuracy.     

结肠回肠反流与回肠黏膜结肠化相关性的实验研究

目的探讨结肠回肠反流后回肠末端黏膜结肠化的机制.方法取SD大鼠60只,均为雄性,体重25¨3∞g,随机分为实验组和对照组,分别进行末端回肠-盲肠侧侧吻合术或回肠末端手术缝线,2个月后处死动物并取组织进行观察.结果实验组术后一般状况良好.大体形态学观察:实验组回肠末端黏膜表现为绒毛萎缩、间距增宽、沟变浅、光滑性增强.病理组织学:实验组表现为黏膜绒毛萎缩、间距增宽、沟变浅、上皮细胞变短、杯状细胞增多.电镜观察:实验组可见绒毛变小、变短或脱落;微绒毛变短、分布不均匀;杯状细胞数目在非坏死区增多.结论结肠-回肠反流后可导致回肠末端黏膜结肠化的变化,它可能是慢性末端回肠炎的发病基础或前期表现.     

人源化抗体构建过程中假链的产生及应对策略

目的在人源化抗体构建过程中，采用方便、快捷的分子克隆手段。消除SP2／0内源性畸形轻链转录本以获得正确的轻链cDNA。方法在mRNA抽提时，不用常规的TRIZOL法抽提总RNA，而采用经腹腔培养。生长状态良好的杂交瘤细胞。用QIAGEN公司Oligotex Direct mRNA Purification Kit，将polyA^＋的mRNA富集。可有效减少畸变转录本的含量，提高功能型mRNA的丰度。利用polyA^＋RNA。采用RT-PCR，我们成功地克隆到了轻链可变区序列，序列分析证实读码框完全正确，属于轻链可变区基因。结果NCBI数据库BLAST显示。克隆的基因序列符合小鼠lg可变区特征，具有正确的CDR和FR功能区及VJ连接区。结论采用polyA^＋ mRNA富集技术，成功克隆获得阻断型抗人CD154 mAb（4F1）单克隆抗体的轻链、重链可变区基因，成功地消除了SP2／0内源性畸形转录本对免疫球蛋白功能性轻链基因的影响。     

Pituitary volume in pediatric obsessive-compulsive disorder.

BACKGROUND: Abnormalities in the limbic-hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (LHPA) axis have been implicated in the pathogenesis of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). To our knowledge, however, no prior study has measured pituitary gland volume in OCD. METHODS: Volumetric magnetic resonance imaging studies were conducted in 31 psychotropic drug-na?ve children (10 boys, 21 girls) aged 8-17 years and 31 case-matched healthy comparison subjects. RESULTS: Pituitary volume was significantly smaller in patients with OCD as compared with healthy control subjects (11% smaller). Smaller pituitary volume in patients with OCD was associated with increased compulsive but not obsessive symptom severity. Boys with OCD had smaller pituitary gland volumes compared with control boys (20% smaller). No significant differences in pituitary volume were observed between girls with OCD and control girls. Boys with OCD had significantly smaller pituitary volumes than girls with OCD (31% smaller), whereas control boys also had smaller pituitary gland volumes compared with control girls (21% smaller). CONCLUSIONS: These findings provide new evidence of reduced pituitary volume in pediatric OCD that seems to be more prominent in male patients. The observed alterations in pituitary volume are consistent with neuroendocrine studies that have reported abnormalities in the LHPA axis in OCD.     

麻痹性痴呆12例临床分析

目的探讨麻痹性痴呆(GPI)患者的临床表现,实验室检查、影像学、脑电图特征以及诊断、治疗及预后。方法回顾性分析经临床和实验室确诊的12例GPI患者的相关资料。结果GPI患者临床以智能障碍、精神异常、癫痫最常见。12例患者血清甲苯胺红凝集试验(TRUST)和梅毒螺旋体明胶凝集试验(TPPA)均( ),脑脊液TPPA均( ),而TRUST( )9例。头颅MRI检查结果示大脑皮质萎缩。3例以肢体抽搐为表现者脑电图可见广泛中高幅尖慢波,余脑电图为弥漫性慢波。经抗梅毒治疗,痊愈4例,显效5例,好转3例。结论GPI现已是我国神经梅毒分型中极常见类型,多见于中年男性,临床表现多变,早期误诊率高,早期发现、及时正规治疗预后好。     

吻合指固有神经背侧支的邻指皮瓣修复手指远端掌侧软组织缺损

目的探讨采用吻合指固有神经背侧支的邻指皮瓣修复手指远端掌侧软组织缺损的疗效. 方法 1996年10月～2004年6月,25例(32指)伴肌腱或骨组织外露的手指远端掌侧软组织缺损患者,其中男18例,女7例,年龄13～45岁.切割伤6例,冲压伤8例,机器绞伤11例.损伤部位:拇指2例,食指8例,中指5例,环指3例,小指2例,食、中指2例,中、环指2例,食、中、环、小指1例.缺损范围:1.5 cm×1.0 cm～4.0 cm×2.1 cm.损伤至就诊时间30 min～48 h.急诊行清创,采用带蒂邻指皮瓣修复,术中同时将指固有神经的背侧支与指神经残端吻合重建皮瓣感觉,术后3周断蒂.供区中厚皮片游离植皮. 结果术后皮瓣及供区均成活,创面Ⅰ期愈合.获随访6～26个月,手指指腹饱满,色泽正常,感觉恢复,两点辨别觉为5～8 mm,均无功能障碍. 结论采用吻合指固有神经背侧支邻指皮瓣修复手指远端掌侧软组织缺损不仅能修复缺损皮肤,且能重建皮瓣感觉,术式操作简便.     

Short-term respiratory effects of cleaning exposures in female domestic cleaners.

Symptoms of obstructive lung disease in domestic cleaners have been related to the use of bleach and other irritant cleaning products. The short-term effects of cleaning exposures on respiratory symptoms and peak expiratory flow (PEF) were investigated in domestic cleaners with respiratory disorders. In a panel study, 43 female domestic cleaners with a recent history of asthma and/or chronic bronchitis completed a 2-week diary, collecting information on respiratory symptoms, PEF and cleaning exposures. Mixed regression models were used to assess daily changes in symptoms and PEF associated with specific cleaning exposures. The probability of having work-related asthma was individually assessed by a computerised diagnostic system and an occupational asthma expert. Lower respiratory tract symptoms were more common on working days and were predominantly associated with exposure to diluted bleach, degreasing sprays/atomisers and air fresheners. Associations with upper respiratory tract symptoms and PEF were less apparent. Eleven (30%) subjects scored positively for work-related asthma. It is concluded that exposure to certain irritant cleaning products aggravates lower respiratory tract symptoms in female domestic cleaners with asthma or chronic bronchitis.     

Histologic Findings One Year After Positive Crossmatch or ABO Blood Group Incompatible Living Donor Kidney Transplantation

Recent protocols have allowed successful positive crossmatch (+XM) and ABO incompatible (ABOI) kidney transplantation, although their long-term outcome is not clear. To begin to assess this issue we compared protocol biopsies performed 12 months posttransplant in 37 +XM, 24 ABOI and 198 conventional allografts. Although the majority in all three groups had only minimal histologic changes, transplant glomerulopathy (TG) was significantly increased in +XM (22% vs. 13% ABOI vs. 8% conventional, p = 0.015), and correlated with prior humoral rejection (HR) by multivariate analysis (odds ratio 17.5, p < or = 0.0001). Patients with a prior history of HR also had a significant increase in interstitial fibrosis (No HR 54% vs. HR 86%, p = 0.045). In the absence of HR no difference in histologic changes was seen between groups, although all three groups had a demonstrable mild increase in interstitial fibrosis from biopsies performed at the time of transplant. Thus, although HR is associated with an increase in TG, in its absence allograft histology is similar in +XM, ABOI and conventional allografts 1 year posttransplant.     

Bilateral striopallidodentate calcinosis: cerebrospinal fluid, imaging, and electrophysiological studies.

We report the genetic, clinical, electrophysiological, and imaging studies in a family with bilateral striopallidodentate calcinosis (Fahr's disease). The intracerebral calcium deposits occurred before onset of the symptoms in the third decade of life. Progressive neurological deterioration occurred in the fifth decade of life in the proband. Cerebrospinal fluid homocarnosine, a central nervous system-specific peptide, was increased twofold in patients with autosomal dominant bilateral stripallidodentate calcinosis; in sporadic cases, there was no detectable homocarnosine and a decreased level of histidine. With advancing age, the amount of calcification increases, but it has not been determined if a critical amount must be reached before symptoms occur. Computerized tomography is superior to magnetic resonance imaging for radiological diagnosis. Despite diffuse striatal calcification, striatal 6-[18F]fluoro-L-dopa uptake did not reveal any difference between patients and control subjects, from which we infer persisting integrity of the nigrostriatal dopaminergic pathway.