A human friendly reporting and database system for brain PET analysis

We have developed a human friendly reporting and database system for clinical brain PET (Positron Emission Tomography) scans, which enables statistical data analysis on qualitative information obtained from image interpretation. Our system consists of a Brain PET Data (Input) Tool and Report Writing Tool. In the Brain PET Data Tool, findings and interpretations are input by selecting menu icons in a window panel instead of writing a free text. This method of input enables on-line data entry into and update of the database by means of pre-defined consistent words, which facilitates statistical data analysis. The Report Writing Tool generates a one page report of natural English sentences semi-automatically by using the above input information and the patient information obtained from our PET center’s main database. It also has a keyword selection function from the report text so that we can save a set of keywords on the database for further analysis. By means of this system, we can store the data related to patient information and visual interpretation of the PET examination while writing clinical reports in daily work. The database files in our system can be accessed by means of commercially available databases. We have used the 4th Dimension database that runs on a Macintosh computer and analyzed 95 cases of^I8F-FDG brain PET studies. The results showed high specificity of parietal hypometabolism for Alzheimer’s patients.     

Analysis of Responsive Cells in Tolerance by the Oral Administration of Ovalbumin

The induction of immune tolerance is the most common consequence of protein feeding, i.e., “oral tolerance”. In this study we investigated the genetic basis of oral tolerance using various kinds of recombinant and congenic mice, and the cells involved in the development of this phenomenon in mice. The footpad swelling response to ovalbumin (OVA) was inhibited in mice that were orally fed OVA 7 days before sensitization. No effect of strain of mouse was seen in this inhibition. This inhibition could be transferred by Peyer's patch cells. The CD4^-8⁺ T cells were responsible for the inhibition of footpad swelling. The number of CD4⁺ cells from OVA-fed tolerant mice decreased significantly, but CD8⁺ cells did not.

The number of CD4^-8⁺ T cells was increased in Peyer's patches of OVA-fed tolerant mice, and were involved in the development of oral tolerance.     

Ultrastructure of primary squamous cell carcinoma of the submandibular gland

Primary squamous cell carcinoma of the submandibular gland is a rare tumor. In this report, the histological and ultrastructural features of a case of primary squamous cell carcinoma arising in the left submandibular gland is presented. Light microscopically, the tumor consisted of well differentiated keratinizing squamous cell nests. Ultrastructurally, the tumor cells were oval or spindle-shaped, and several tumor cells had intracytoplasmic desmosome-like structures, resembling intercellular desmosomes. The majority of the tumor cells contained a large number of intermediate filaments (tonofilaments). Intercellular desmosomes were well developed. No secretory granules were found. These ultrastructural features may enable us to distinguish primary squamous cell carcinoma from mucoepidermoid carcinoma which is often misdiagnosed as squamous cell carcinoma.     

Tracheal dilatation by halothane and enflurane in man

The effect of halothane and enflurane on tracheal tone were studied in 21 patients during the induction of anesthesia. Endotracheal tube cuff pressure was used to measure tracheal tone. Anesthesia, maintained by nitrous oxide 70% in oxygen, was supplimented with succinylcholine drip infusion to immobilize the patient. Ventilation was controlled by a Volume-preset ventilator. In the halothane group, the initial cuff pressure was 14.8 ± 1.3 (mean ± SE) cmH₂O but 10min after 0.15mg/kg of pancuronium injection, it increased to 21.7 ± 2.3cmH₂O (control). Ten min after inhalation of 0.75% of halothane, cuff pressure decreased to 14.7 ± 2.3cmH₂O (34 ± 11% decrease from the control value). In the enflurane group, the initial cuff pressure was 17.6 ± 1.8cmH₂O and it increased to 21.0 ± 1.7cmH₂O (control) 10min after pancuronium injection. Ten min after 1.7% of enflurane inhalation, cuff pressure decreased to 17.1 ± 2.3cmH₂O (23.9 ± 6% decrease from the control value). Halothane and enflurane produced similar tracheal dilatation in healthy individuals.(Yasuda I, Irimada M, Hirano T et al.: Tracheal dilatation by halothane and enflurane in man. J Anesth 2: 46–49, 1988)     

Correlation between vibration-induced white finger and symptoms of upper and lower extremities in vibration syndrome

Summary The correlation was investigated between the frequency of attacks of vibration-induced white finger (VWF) and numbness or coldness of the fingers and legs in patients with vibration syndrome. Some 1687 patients with vibration syndrome were examined and of these 342 chain-saw operators and 277 rock-drill operators had no disease other than vibration snydrome. Then subjects were matched by age and period of treatment within three years. In the last analysis, 20 in the VWF almost everyday group or in the never group, and 40 in the occasionally group were selected from the chain-saw operators, and from the rock-drill operators 32 in the VWF everyday or the never group and 64 in the occasionally group. The present study showed that, with the frequency of VWF attacks, patients had a higher prevalence of coldness not only in the fingers but also in the legs. These findings suggest a correlation between the severity of circulatory disturbances of the upper extremities and that of the lower ones in patients with vibration syndrome. Further studies on circulatory disturbances in the leg are required.     

Demonstration of microglial cells in and around senile (neuritic) plaques in the Alzheimer brain

Summary A monoclonal antibody, termed AD11/8, reactive to microglial cells, was produced by immunization of mice with partially purified amyloid fibrils of senile (neuritic) plaques. With immunoperoxidase staining on human tissues, AD11/8 also recognized macrophages in the red pulp of the spleen, Kupffer cells in the liver, and macrophages in the bone marrow. The results show that AD11/8 recognizes the antigens associated with mononuclear phagocytes lineage. In normal brains a few resting microglial cells were stained in gray matter, and less frequently in white matter. In senile dementia of the Alzheimer type numerous microglial cells were stained intensively and they often formed clusters in gray matter. By double immunostaining with AD11/8 and a polyclonal antibody against synthetic amyloid -protein, clustered microglial cells were observed in and around senile plaques with amyloid deposits. Some amyloid plaque cores were surrounded by microglial cell processes. These results indicate that microglial cells may play an important role in senile plaque formation.Supported in part by the Grant-in Aid for Scientific Research from the Ministry of Education, Science and Culture, the grants for Research of Dementia and for Primary Amyloidosis from the Ministry of Health and Welfare, Japan     

Renal and hormonal effects of alpha1-adrenoceptor blockade by bunazosin in essential hypertension

Summary The renal and hormonal effects of the ₁-adrenoceptor blocker bunazosin were examined in 6 patients with essential hypertension. Oral bunazosin for 4 to 12 weeks significantly decreased mean blood pressure by 10%, increased effective renal blood flow and creatinine clearance by 34% and 37%, respectively, the plasma norepinephrine concentration was elevated by 60%, and the plasma atrial natriuretic peptide level was lowered by 22%. The plasma renin activity and aldosterone concentration were unchanged. Thus, a moderate reduction in blood pressure was produced by bunazosin treatment while maintaining renal perfusion.     

Basic and clinical evaluation of an immunoradiometric competitive inhibition assay for 2----6 sialyl Lewis a antigen--1. Evaluation of assay conditions and normal values

We describe an immunoradiometric competitive inhibition assay of the serum levels of the 2----6 sialyl Lewisa antigen, using "SLA 2-6 Otsuka" kits. The assay required only duplicate 50-microliters samples, and the concentration of 2----6 sialyl Lewisa antigen in serum was determined by reference to a standard curve ranging from 0 to 160 arbitrary U/ml. The intra- and inter-assays reproducibilities were good and analytical recovery of antigen were excellent. The serum levels of the antigen were highly dependent on the Lewis blood types of the tested individuals; i.e., the levels of the antigen in the sera of the Lewisa-b- individuals were significantly lower than those of the antigen obtained with the Lewisa+b- and Lewisa-b+ individuals. The cut-off value (42 U/ml) was obtained as mean + 2SD, which was carefully calculated from the antigen levels in sera of the non-Lewisa-b- individuals.     

Macrophage response to peripheral nerve injury: the quantitative contribution of resident and hematogenous macrophages

Whereas local microglial cells of the CNS rapidly respond to injury, little is known about the functional role of resident macrophages of the peripheral nervous system in nerve pathology. Using bone marrow chimeric rats, we recently identified individual resident endoneurial macrophages that rapidly became activated after nerve injury. However, the extent of local macrophage activation and its quantitative contribution to the total macrophage response is unknown. We now have created chimeric mice by transplanting bone marrow from green fluorescent protein (GFP)-transgenic mice into irradiated wild-type mice, allowing easy differentiation and quantification of hematogenous and resident endoneurial macrophages. After sciatic nerve crush injury, both GFP(-) and GFP(+) resident macrophages, the latter having undergone physiological turnover from the blood before injury, rapidly underwent morphological alterations and increased in number. Proliferating GFP(-) and GFP(+) resident macrophages were abundant and peaked 3 days after injury. A major lesion-induced influx of hematogenous macrophages with a disproportionate increase of GFP(+) macrophages was not observed until Day 4. Throughout all time points examined, GFP(-) resident macrophages were strikingly frequent, reaching maximum numbers 9.5-fold above baseline. There was also a notable proportion of GFP(-) resident endoneurial macrophages phagocytosing myelin and expressing major histocompatibility complex class II. Our results demonstrate for the first time that the rapid response of resident endoneurial macrophages to nerve injury is quantitatively important and that local macrophages contribute significantly to the total endoneurial macrophage pool during Wallerian degeneration.     

Deletion of Mycobacterium tuberculosis sigma factor E results in delayed time to death with bacterial persistence in the lungs of aerosol-infected mice

The stress-induced extracytoplasmic sigma factor E (SigE) of Mycobacterium tuberculosis shows increased expression after heat shock, sodium dodecyl sulfate treatment, and oxidative stress, as well as after phagocytosis in macrophages. We report that deletion of sigE results in delayed lethality in mice without a significant reduction of bacterial numbers in lungs.