Multispectral analysis of magnetic resonance images

Magnetic resonance (MR) imaging systems produce spatial distribution estimates of proton density, relaxation time, and flow, in a two dimensional matrix form that is analogous to that of the image data obtained from multispectral imaging satellites. Advanced NASA satellite image processing offers sophisticated multispectral analysis of MR images. Spin echo and inversion recovery pulse sequence images were entered in a digital format compatible with satellite images and accurately registered pixel by pixel. Signatures of each tissue class were automatically determined using both supervised and unsupervised classification. Overall tissue classification was obtained in the form of a theme map. In MR images of the brain, for example, the classes included CSF, gray matter, white matter, subcutaneous fat, muscle, and bone. These methods provide an efficient means of identifying subtle relationships in a multi-image MR study.     

Fetal Erythrocyte Lifespan

Harrison, K. L. (1979) Aust. Paediatr. J. , 15, 96–97. Fetal erythrocyte lifespan. The demonstration of fetal erythrocytes in the maternal circulation by the Kleihauer technique after feto-maternal macrotransfusion provides a means of measuring the lifespan of those cells produced at the time of the haemorrhage. Two cases of massive feto-maternal haemorrhage at 40 weeks gestation and one at 36 weeks gestation are used, together with a published case at 34 weeks gestation. to show that erythrocyte lifespan is quite short in fetal life and increases during the third trimester to be 80 to 90 days in a full term infant.     

ANEMIA AND INFECTION IN SCHOOL-AGED EGYPTIAN CHILDREN

Iron-deficiency anemia and infection are deterrents to optimal child health in many developing countries. We investigated the prevalence of anemia and elevated erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), which reflects chronic background infection, recent illness, and diet for 190 children aged 10 to 13 years in 1995 in a Nile Delta village. The children exhibited a high prevalence of anemia (61.6%) and elevated ESR (54.9%). One-third of the children reported a minor illness within the past week, and more than 75 per cent had one or more parasites evident in stool or urine samples. There was no relationship of socioeconomic or dietary indicators to anemia or elevated ESR. Mothers’ evaluation of the child’s health status had no relationship to anemia or elevated ESR, with 43.6 per cent of mothers reporting their child’s health status as excellent or good. Maternal report of the child’s health as poor was related to recent illness. We speculate that where anemia and chronic infection are hyperendemic, both children and mothers may become habituated to the associated symptoms and consider them normal.     

The absence of the heterophile reaction in the spinal fluid in infectious mononucleosis

The spinal fluid was studied in twenty cases of infectious mononucleosis provedby clinical picture, blood studies and serological examination. It may be concluded that in acute cases of infectious mononucleosis, the heterophile antibodydoes not pass into the spinal fluid, but that there may be an increase in cell count,particularly lymphocytes, and in protein content, which is not necessarily proportional to the cell count elevation. These findings have no correlation withcentral nervous system signs or symptoms.

     

The Psychostimulant Check‐Up: A pilot study of a brief intervention to reduce illicit stimulant use

Introduction and Aims. This study is to test the acceptability of a single‐session ‘check‐up’ intervention for psychostimulant users and document participants' subsequent progress in reducing psychostimulant use and related harms. Design and Methods. The design was pre‐experimental single‐group repeated measures. Eighty participants received the Psychostimulant Check‐Up, with 62% completing a 3 month follow up. Results. Participants were predominantly young adult methamphetamine users. The majority indicated that the Check‐Up answered their questions, increased their awareness of services, and they would recommend it to their friends. At follow up, there was a significant reduction in self‐reported methamphetamine use, the number of self‐reported psychostimulant‐related negative consequences experienced in the previous month and rates of injecting: 62% self‐reported at least a 1 g reduction in methamphetamine use. Discussion and Conclusions. The intervention was well accepted and the majority of those who received it subsequently made meaningful reductions in psychostimulant use and related harm. The intervention offers sufficient promise to warrant a randomised trial to establish whether improvements were specific to the intervention.[Smout MF, Longo M, Harrison S, Minniti R, Cahill S, Wickes W, White JM. The Psychostimulant Check‐Up: A pilot study of a brief intervention to reduce illicit stimulant use. Drug Alcohol Rev 2009]     

SENSITIVITY OF ANTHROPOMETRIC TECHNIQUES FOR CLINICAL TRIALS IN ANKYLOSING SPONDYLITIS

To determine whether anthropometric techniques widely used forassessment of ankylosing spondylitis (AS) would be useful outcomemeasures in long-term clinical trials, 52 AS patients at theRoyal National Hospital for Rheumatic Diseases were studied.All patients had well documented AS with a mean age of 38.1years, and had been diagnosed for an average of 7.6 years. Measurementswere taken before (B) and after (A) 3-week intensive inpatientphysical therapy (PT). Short-term therapeutic effects (over3 weeks) were significant (adjusted p<0.000l) for all fivemeasures tested (chest expansion, finger-to-floor distance,height, lumbar flexion, and cervical rotation). Height (adjustedp<0.0001), finger-to-floor distance (adjusted p=0.047) andcervical rotation (adjusted p=0.0l2) diminished over the courseof follow-up. Therefore, 3 weeks of hospitalization with intensivephysical therapy produces measurable short-term change; minutebut measurable change with treatment occurs even in long-standingAS; and detectable changes in physical measurements occur overa 5-year period even in long-standing AS. Anthropometric measurementsare useful outcome variables for long-term clinical trials inAS, but the potential for improvement in clinical measurementsin long-standing AS is predictably small. KEY WORDS: Measurement, Spine, Physiotherapy, Spondarthropathy, Outcome ^*Current address, Medical College of Virginia. Richmond, VA,USA.     

Acid phosphatase activity in mononuclear phagocytes and the U937 cell line: monocyte-derived macrophages express tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase

Tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase (TRAcP) is used as a marker for osteoclasts, which are believed to be derived from phagocytic cells or phagocyte stem cell precursors. To further investigate the relationship between monocytic phagocytes and osteoclasts, acid phosphatase (AcP) activity was measured by three different techniques in human peripheral blood monocytes, monocyte-derived macrophages, and the U937 cell line. We found that cytochemistry and gel electrophoresis led to similar results, but that the colorimetric assay was inconsistent. Normal human peripheral monocytes expressed both tartrate-sensitive and -resistant AcP. In culture these cells formed polykaryons and expressed TRAcP activity that was further identified as an isoenzyme associated with bone tissue. In contrast, the U937 cells did not express TRAcP activity as measured by gel electrophoresis. Both U937 cells and monocytes possess material that interferes with interpretation of the colorimetric assay of AcP. The presence of TRAcP in monocyte-derived macrophages further supports the relationship between phagocytic cells and bone osteoclasts.