The role of ultrasound in the diagnosis of a large, rapidly growing, thyroid mass.

The value of ultrasound in the diagnosis of a large rapidly growing thyroid mass was assessed in a study of 42 patients with a large (> 3 cm) rapidly growing (< two months) solitary mass. Haemorrhage into a thyroid nodule was present in 31 patients and thyroid malignancy in 11. Ultrasound of haemorrhage into a thyroid nodule revealed a large cystic mass in all 31 patients containing internal debris (22), septations (three), or a combination of both (six). The malignant causes of a large rapidly growing mass were lymphoma (two), anaplastic carcinoma (four) and metastasis (five). Ultrasound of these thyroid malignancies revealed a mass with a smooth, well-defined margin and strikingly low homogeneous echogenicity in all cases. Patients with thyroid metastases had evidence of widespread metastatic disease elsewhere. Lymphoma was differentiated from anaplastic carcinoma on fine-needle aspiration cytology or surgical biopsy. Ultrasound was of value in differentiating between a benign haemorrhagic nodule and a malignant tumour. The various malignant tumours had similar appearances, however, and could not be distinguished on ultrasound.     

Cortical and subcortical T2 shortening in multiple sclerosis.

Low signal intensity on long-repetition-time MR sequences has been observed in deep gray matter structures in patients with multiple sclerosis. This T2 shortening most likely represents a nonspecific degenerative process. We recently observed T2 shortening in the pericentral cortical gray matter and subcortical white matter in a patient with severe multiple sclerosis and we postulate that this represents an additional manifestation of neural degeneration.     

X-Ray Study of the Cat Hindlimb During Treadmill Locomotion

With pulsed X-ray cinematography we have analysed the angular excursions of the distal hindlimb joints (proximal interphalangeal, PIP; metatarsophalangeal, MTP; ankle) in cats walking on a treadmill. These distal joints transmit the body weight and the dynamic forces onto the ground. We have included the knee and hip joints in the analysis to relate the angular excursions of the proximal and distal joints and to verify the data previously obtained with external markers on the kinematics of the proximal joints. At the beginning of the stance phase the PIP joints flexed rapidly, the MTP joints extended slowly and the ankle and knee yielded under body weight. Whereas the PIP joints maintained a rather constant angular position of −75° throughout the stance phase, extension continued in the MTP joints from −230° at touch-down to −270° at the end of the stance phase. Around 50 ms before lift-off the MTP joints flexed rapidly. Early (−30 ms) after lift-off this flexion changed into a slow extension. The PIP joints extended swiftly at the stance-swing transition and moderately at the end of the swing phase. During the middle part of the swing phase they flexed slowly. Small rotatory movements around the long axis of the foot took place in the last 100 ms of the swing phase. The results of this study on the distal joints are discussed in relation to the placing of the paw, to the translation of forward propulsion into a MTP movement and to the lifting of the paw (conventionally described as toe curling). They show a differentiated mechanical interaction between the different distal limb joints during these different phases, which must be known in detail to interpret the corresponding electromyographic data and to understand how the hip is moved forward over the MTP joints which serve as the final pivot during stance.     

Combined anti-bradycardia/anti-tachycardia pacemaker-cardioverter-defibrillator systems in patients with recurrent ventricular tachyarrhythmias]

In 41 patients with recurrent sustained ventricular tachycardia and/or ventricular fibrillation an integrated pacemaker-defibrillator-system (PCD, Medtronic, model 7216 A or 7217 B) was implanted. In 21 out of 24 (88%) patients a new transvenous implantation technique in combination with a subcutaneous patch electrode was used. The implanted devices comprise antibradycardiac pacemaker functions, two different forms of antitachycardiac pacemaker functions (ramp and burst pacing), and internal cardioversion or defibrillation capabilities. During a mean follow-up of 8 months 147 episodes of ventricular tachycardia were detected, 131 of them were terminated successfully by antitachycardiac pacing; in 13 episodes internal cardioversion was applied to revert ventricular tachycardia. Twenty-seven episodes of ventricular fibrillation or rapid ventricular tachycardia (greater than 200/min) were detected and successfully terminated by internal defibrillation. In six patients with intermittent rapid atrial fibrillation, change of antiarrhythmic therapy was required to avoid activation of the device. The new integrated pacemaker-defibrillator systems improve therapy in patients with life-threatening tachyarrhythmias by reducing the number of internal cardioversions/defibrillations; the non-thoracotomy approach reduces the post operative risk.     

Specific and nonspecific effects of ethanol vapor on plasma corticosterone in mice.

The intent of this study was to determine whether chronic ethanol (EtOH) vapor inhalation, with or without adjunct pyrazole (PYR) administration, was stressful in mice, as defined by increases in plasma corticosterone (CORT) concentration. Mice were randomly assigned to groups differentiated both on the basis of EtOH vapor exposure and the presence or absence of PYR administration. Blood samples for blood EtOH concentration (BEC) and plasma CORT concentration were obtained from mice after 72-96 hours of treatment. Mice were sacrificed after 96 hours of treatment and body and adrenal weight determined. BEC was significantly higher in PYR-treated animals and animals treated with the higher EtOH vapor concentration. Plasma CORT was elevated in proportion to BEC; however, other nonspecific stresses, in particular that of PYR administration, also elevated plasma CORT. Nonspecific stresses associated with this protocol may reduce the generality of these observations. Nevertheless, the high correlation between BEC and plasma CORT concentration in the PYR groups indicates that, with suitable control groups, the PYR-EtOH vapor inhalation approach is viable for studies concerned with EtOH effects on hypothalamic-anterior pituitary-adrenocortical function.     

Formation of mitochondrial phospholipid adducts by nephrotoxic cysteine conjugate metabolites.

Nephrotoxic cysteine conjugates derived from a variety of halogenated alkenes are enzymatically activated via the beta-lyase pathway to yield reactive sulfur-containing metabolites which bind covalently to cellular macromolecules. Mitochondria contain beta-lyase enzymes and are primary targets for binding and toxicity. Previously, mitochondrial protein and/or DNA have been considered as molecular targets for cysteine conjugate metabolite binding. We now report that metabolites of nephrotoxic cysteine conjugates form covalent adducts with rat kidney mitochondrial phospholipids. Rat kidney mitochondria were incubated with the 35S-labeled conjugates S-(1,1,2,2-tetrafluoroethyl)-L-cysteine (TFEC), S-(2-chloro-1,1,2-trifluoroethyl)-L-cysteine (CTFC), S-(1,2-dichlorovinyl)-L-cysteine, and S-(1,2,3,4,4-pentachlorobutadienyl)-L-cysteine. Quantitation of metabolite binding to whole mitochondria and to mitochondrial protein and lipid fractions revealed that as much as 42% of the 35S-label associated with the mitochondria was found in the lipid fraction. Total lipids were also extracted from 35S-treated mitochondria and separated by thin-layer chromatography. 35S-Containing metabolites were found in the lipid fractions from mitochondria treated with each of the conjugates. Lipids from both [35S]CTFC- and [35S]-TFEC-treated mitochondria contained major 35S-labeled lipid adducts which had similar mobility by thin-layer chromatography. Fatty acid analysis, 19F and 31P NMR spectroscopy, and mass spectrometric analyses confirmed that the major TFEC and CTFC adducts are thioamides of phosphatidylethanolamine.     

Does the Extent of Surgery Make a Difference in High Grade Malignant Astrocytoma?

This paper examines the effect of patient age, tumour grade and extent of surgery on the outcome of treatment of 278 patients with high grade malignant gliomas referred to the Queensland Radium Institute between 1980 and 1987. The aim was to determine whether the extent of surgical resection alters survival rates. The extent of surgery had no effect on survival except for those patients with grade 3 tumours in whom a total excision was possible. Those in whom only a biopsy was done did not have a worse prognosis. Grading was found to be of importance, as patients with grade 3 tumours had a better survival than those with grade 4 tumours. In grade 4 tumours, those under 30 years of age had a better survival than those over 30 years, whereas with grade 3 tumours there was a gradation of age effect (under 40 years best, then 40–49 years, and those 50 years and over doing worst).     

A novel two-step method for the formation of tissue-engineered cartilage by mature bovine chondrocytes: the alginate-recovered-chondrocyte (ARC) method.

Most attempts to tissue-engineer cartilage have involved seeding of cultured cells into a biological or synthetic scaffold. We have developed a novel two-step culture approach that makes possible the in vitro formation of cartilaginous-like tissue by mature adult bovine chondrocytes without the aid of a synthetic matrix. The first step consists of culturing chondrocytes under conditions that maintain their rounded shape and their molecular phenotype as assessed by type II collagen and aggrecan production. This step was accomplished by culturing the isolated chondrocytes in alginate beads until the cells have reestablished a proteoglycan-rich cell-associated matrix (CM). The second step consists of culturing the cells with their CM, after recovery from the beads, on a tissue culture insert with a porous membrane. In this study, young adult bovine articular chondrocytes were cultured in alginate beads in the presence of 10% or 20% fetal bovine serum (FBS). After 7 days of culture, the alginate beads were dissolved by incubating the beads for 20 min in sodium citrate buffer, a calcium chelator. Following a brief centrifugation, the cells with their CM were recovered, resuspended in medium containing 10% or 20% FBS and seeded onto a tissue culture insert. After 1 week of culture on the insert, the individual cells with their CM progressively became incorporated into a mass of cartilaginous tissue. Culture with 20% FBS resulted in the best formation of tissues. These tissues, easily recovered from the insert, were then subjected to biochemical and histological analyses. The biochemical results showed that the chondrocytes remain phenotypically stable in the tissues. The de novo tissue has a relatively high ratio of PG/collagen. Histological examination of the tissue revealed it contained a cartilage-like matrix strongly stained with toluidine blue. This scaffold-free system appears ideal to study, in vitro, the development of transplantable cartilaginous tissue.