Experimental and numerical assessment of MRI‐induced temperature change and SAR distributions in phantoms and in vivo

It is important to accurately characterize the heating of tissues due to the radiofrequency energy applied during MRI. This has led to an increase in the use of numerical methods to predict specific energy absorption rate distributions for safety assurance in MRI. To ensure these methods are accurate for actual MRI coils, however, it is necessary to compare to experimental results. Here, we report results of some recent efforts to experimentally map temperature change and specific energy absorption rate in a phantom and in vivo where the only source of heat is the radiofrequency fields produced by the imaging coil. Results in a phantom match numerical simulation well, and preliminary results in vivo show measurable temperature increase. With further development, similar methods may be useful for verifying numerical methods for predicting specific energy absorption rate distributions and in some cases for directly measuring temperature changes and specific energy absorption rate induced by the radiofrequency fields in MRI experiments. Magn Reson Med, 2009. © 2009 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.     

Increased expression of intercellular adhesion molecule 1 on bile ducts in primary biliary cirrhosis and primary sclerosing cholangitis.

It has been suggested that immunological mechanisms involving lymphocyte-mediated damage are important in the characteristic bile-duct damage that occurs in primary biliary cirrhosis and primary sclerosing cholangitis. Because adhesion is necessary for the interaction of lymphocytes with their target structures, we have studied the expression of intercellular adhesion molecule 1, a ligand for the leukocyte adhesion receptor lymphocyte function-associated antigen 1 in the liver of patients with primary biliary cirrhosis and primary sclerosing cholangitis. Strong expression of intercellular adhesion molecule 1 was seen on interlobular bile ducts and proliferating bile ductules in both conditions. In primary biliary cirrhosis, medium-sized ducts, which are spared by the disease, were negative. Minimal bile-duct staining was seen in conditions in which bile-duct damage is not a major feature, such as nonbiliary cirrhosis and acute liver diseases. In patients with cirrhosis from any cause, strong expression of intercellular adhesion molecule 1 was detected on the periseptal hepatocytes adjacent to new connective tissue. The intensity of immunohistochemical staining was recorded using a semiquantitative visual scoring system that was subsequently validated quantitatively by confocal laser scanning microscopy. The expression/induction of intercellular adhesion molecule 1 on bile ducts may be important in the pathogenesis of bile-duct damage in primary biliary cirrhosis and primary sclerosing cholangitis and is further evidence to support an immune pathogenesis in these two conditions. Furthermore, the induction of intercellular adhesion molecule 1 on hepatocytes may be an important factor in the liver-cell damage and fibrosis that occur during the development of cirrhosis.     

Magnetic resonance angiography

Pulse sequences that permit selective detection of moving spins in a magnetic resonance image have been developed. Experiments were performed by the authors to produce projected angiographic data without the use of contrast agents, with the intensity of each image pixel determined by the macroscopic velocity of the detected spins. With this method, suppression of nonmoving spins is essentially complete, yielding a high dynamic range in signal intensity for detected vessels. Selective detection of moving spins is not dependent on pulsatile flow. Consequently, not only arterial structures, but also venous structures can easily be visualized. High-resolution angiographic images can be obtained by combining the flow experiment with surface coil techniques.     

Über die Morphologie,das Vorkommen und die Bedeutung der Lymphocyten und uninucleären Leukocyten im gonorrhoischen Urethralsekret nebst Bemerkungen über die sog. Kugelkerne

Ohne ZusammenfassungHierzu Taf. IX.     

Critical review: nicotine for the fetus, the infant and the adolescent?

The recent expansion of Nicotine Replacement Therapy to pregnant women and children ignores the fact that nicotine impairs, disrupts, duplicates and/or interacts with essential physiological functions and is involved in tobacco-related carcinogenesis. The main concerns in the present context are its fetotoxicity and neuroteratogenicity that can cause cognitive, affective and behavioral disorders in children born to mothers exposed to nicotine during pregnancy, and the detrimental effects of nicotine on the growing organism. Hence, the use of nicotine, whose efficacy in treating nicotine addiction is controversial even in adults, must be strictly avoided in pregnancy, breastfeeding, childhood and adolescence.     

Effect of priming polymorphonuclear leukocytes with cytokines (granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor [GM-CSF] and G-CSF) on the host resistance to Streptococcus pneumoniae in chinchillas infected with influenza A virus

Patients infected with influenza A virus (IAV) are at increased risk for bacterial superinfections, and this occurs in association with depressed polymorphonuclear leukocyte (PMNL) function. Recently, we reported that in vitro exposure of human PMNL to granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) reverses IAV-induced cell dysfunction. The present study used an established animal model of IAV infection to examine whether G-CSF and/or GM-CSF can overcome IAV- induced PMNL dysfunction and thereby prevent secondary infections. Preliminary studies determined a dosing schedule of these cytokines that caused significant priming of chinchilla PMNL. In subsequent studies, animals were inoculated intranasally with IAV (day 1) followed 3 days later by Streptococcus pneumoniae, and administered daily intraperitoneal injections with a cytokine or placebo on days 3 through 9. Animals had blood obtained on multiple occasions for PMNL studies, and were followed-up for evidence of pneumococcal disease. Both cytokines caused significant priming of the PMNL chemiluminescence response and this was associated with reversal of the IAV-induced PMNL dysfunction. However, neither cytokine decreased the incidence of pneumococcal disease.     

Benzimidazole -Resistance in Haemonchus contortus: New PCR-RFLP Method for the Detection of Point Mutation at Codon 167 of Isotype 1 β-Tubulin Gene

Background

Due to the lack of a suitable and economic test for the analysis of the polymorphism at codon 167, we developed a new PCR-RFLP technique, based on a modified forward primer (UT-HC167 MF-primer), to identify simultaneously the SNPs at codons 167 and 200 of isotype 1 β-tubulin gene of Haemonchus contortus.

Methods

There already are several safe and easy methods for identification of point mutations at codons 198 and 200. Due to the lack of a reliable and easy method for the detection of the single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) at codon 167, we developed an innovative PCR-RFLP technique based on a modified forward primer (UT-HC167 MF-primer), in which the nucleotide T at the position 443 was substituted through a nucleotide A creating a restriction site for restriction endonuclease SnaB I in the nucleotide sequences including codon 167. A total of 138 adult male H. contortus were collected from three different geo-climatic areas of Iran. The isolated genomic DNA of each single worm was amplified by PCR using primers flanking codon 167. The PCR product (527 bp) was then amplified by semi-nested PCR using the UT-HC167 MF-primer and the reverse primer achieving a PCR product of 451 bp in length. This PCR product was subsequently digested with the restriction endonucleases SnaB I and TaaI for analysis of the mutations at codons 167 and 200, respectively.

Results

All worms had two alleles encoding for phenylalanine (BZ^ss homozygote) for both codons.

Conclusion

Using the UT-HC167 MF-primer and a suitable reverse primer designed upstream from codon 200, it is possible to amplify a PCR product which can be used for analysis of the SNPs at all three mentioned codons using RFLP.     

Cell markers in hairy cell leukemia studied in cells from 51 patients

To determine the maturation arrest of the neoplastic cells of hairy- cell leukemia (HCL) and the spectrum of the surface markers on these cells, a series of 51 patients with this disease was studied. The cells of all but two of the patients showed monoclonal surface Ig with respect to light chains. In about one-third of the cases, only gamma heavy chain determinants were present on the cells; the majority carried multiple heavy chain determinants as documented by the application of different fluorochromes. Two patients each showed two different clones of cells, both of the same light chain type. In one of these two patients, two paraproteins were present in the serum. Intracytoplasmic Ig was found in only 4 of 39 cases, in all instances being IgM. All cases studied concerned cells with FclgG receptors; however, the density of this receptor varied. FcIgM receptors also showed a spectrum of density, with some cases showing very few FcIgM- positive cells. Receptors C3 were not observed on the hairy cells. Serum immunoglobulin levels were normal or increased. Paraproteins were found in the sera of 4 of 38 patients. These data suggest that HCL is a neoplasm of B lymphocytes. The neoplastic cells are probably arrested at a more mature stage than the cells of chronic lymphocytic leukemia. The multiple isotypes on the cells indicate a block at the "switch" phase from the small micro-carrying lymphocyte to the larger Ig- producing lymphocyte or plasma cell.     

Interaction of platelet plasma membranes with thrombin-activated platelets

This study described the binding of platelet plasma membranes to either control or thrombin-activated platelets. Glycoproteins in plasma membranes isolated from human platelets were labeled by oxidation with periodate followed by reduction with [3H]NaBH4. Labeled membranes were incubated with either control or thrombin-activated platelets. The amount of membranes bound was measured by separating platelets with bound membranes from solution by rapid centrifugation through 27% sucrose and determining the amount of radioactivity associated with platelets. Five- to sevenfold more membranes bound to thrombin- activated platelets than to control platelets. This enhanced binding of labeled membranes was completely inhibited by an excess of unlabeled platelet membranes. Human erythrocyte membranes had little affinity for either washed or thrombin-activated platelets and therefore did not compete for platelet-membrane binding. Binding of platelet membranes to thrombin-treated platelets was inhibited by prior incubation of the platelets with PGI2 suggesting that the enhanced binding of membranes was to activated platelets. This study demonstrates that the purified platelet membranes have functional sites that can mediate membrane binding to platelets and that quantitation of membrane binding appears to reflect the increased aggregation capability of activated platelets.