Three-dimensional distribution patterns of PRL,GH and ACTH cells in the house musk shrew ( Suncus murinus)

Despite a multitude of reports on the classification and distribution of anterior pituitary cells, no previous study has attempted to obtain the three-dimensional (3D) and computer-graphic distribution pattern of each cell type in the whole pituitary. Therefore, we mapped the anterior pituitary cells of the house musk shrew ( Suncus murinus) and found a distinct cellular distribution pattern. Serial horizontal sections of whole shrew pituitaries were stained immunohistochemically for prolactin (PRL), growth hormone (GH), and adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) cells. The contours of positive cells and the anterior, intermediate, and posterior lobes in each section were digitized for 3D visualization by a volume rendering method. The reconstructed images and virtual frontal and sagittal slices were examined in detail. On the 3D reconstructed images, the PRL and GH cells had similar distribution patterns, although the former were concentrated in the dorsolateral and ventrocentral portions, and the latter in the dorsocentral portions of the anterior lobe. On both sides of the pituitary stalk, there lay portions that were conspicuous by scarcity of PRL and GH cells. ACTH cells were widely scattered throughout the whole anterior lobe, but they were very few in the above portions and the dorsocentral portions where GH cells were concentrated. No sex difference in the distribution patterns of each cell type was observed. However, PRL cells in females were more numerous than in males, whereas the opposite was true for GH and ACTH cells. We discuss the relationship between the formation of the spatial distribution patterns and anterior pituitary ontogeny.     

Argyrophilic nucleolar organizer regions of breast tumors: Assessment of aspirated cytological materials

To investigate the correlation between argyrophilic nucleolar organizer regions (Ag-NORs)and the malignant potential of breast tumors, we analyzed Ag-NORs of cytological specimens obtained from 190 patients with various types of breast disease by preoperative aspiration biopsy. The average number of Ag-NORs per nucleus was defined as the Ag-NOR score. The Ag-NOR score was 5.7 +/- 1.7 in the group of women with breast carcinoma (n =70), 2.6= 0.4 in the group with fibroadenoma (n= 54) and 2.9= 0.6 in the group with mastopathy (n= 66). The level was significantly higher in breast carcinoma than in each benign disease(P < 0.001 in both cases). The score was 6.5 +/- 2.3 in the group with four or more metastatic lymph nodes (n = 21), 5.2+/- 1.2 in the group with one to three metastatic lymph node (n= 10) and 5.1+/- 1.1 in that with no metastatic lymph node (n = 39);the score was significantly (P < 0.05) higher in the groups with four or more metastatic lymph modes than in the other groups, respectively. Thus, a correlaton was observed between the Ag-NOR score and lymph node status. These data suggest that a higher Ag-NOR score reflects high-grade malignancy.     

Treatment of Lethal Midline Granuloma Type Nasal T-Cell Lymphoma

Nasal T-cell lymphoma of the LMG type (LMG-NTL) is characterized by progressive, unrelenting ulceration, and necrosis of the nasal cavity and midline facial tissues. The clinical behavior of this tumor in 16 patients is compared with that of a nasal lymphoma of non-LMG-NTL type (non-LMG-NTL) in 8 patients and a paranasal sinus lymphoma (PSL) in 6 patients. All patients had stage I or II disease. Fourteen of the 16 patients with LMG-NTL received chemotherapy before and/or after radiotherapy. Cause-specific 5-year survival rates for patients with LMG-NTL, non-LMG-NTL, and PSL were 22%, 75%, and 67%, respectively. Seven patients with LMG-NTL, had complete response, although 3 recurred, whereas it was incomplete in 9 patients. The data indicates that it is desirable to deliver 50 Gy or more to achieve in-field control of LMG-NTL.     

Prednisolone plus low-dose aspirin improves the implantation rate in women with autoimmune conditions who are undergoing in vitro fertilization

Objective: To evaluate the effect of prednisolone plus low-dose aspirin (PSL/LDA) in women with autoimmune conditions who were enrolled in an IVF-ET program.

Design: A retrospective clinical study.

Setting: In vitro fertilization unit, Niigata University Hospital, Niigata, Japan.

Patient(s): Three hundred seven women who underwent IVF-ET between January 1996 and December 1997.

Intervention(s): Prednisolone (10 mg/d) and aspirin (81 mg/d) were administered to the women with autoantibodies who chose to participate.

Main Outcome Measure(s): Pregnancy and implantation rates with IVF-ET.

Result(s): Women undergoing IVF who had positive antinuclear antibodies, with or without antiphospholipid antibodies, had significantly lower pregnancy and implantation rates than did women without autoantibodies (14.8% versus 21.7% and 6.8% versus 10.4%, respectively). The administration of PSL/LDA to women with antinuclear antibodies significantly improved the outcome of IVF-ET (40.6% pregnancy rate and 20.3% implantation rate).

Conclusion(s): A high proportion of women who are undergoing IVF-ET have autoantibodies, which are associated with poor IVF outcomes. The administration of PSL/LDA to these women may improve their implantation rate.     

A surgical treatment for frank rupture of acute type a small intramural hematoma

A 71‐year‐old woman was admitted to the hospital due to cardiac tamponade. Computed tomography revealed that the diameter and wall thickness of the ascending aorta were 36 and 9 mm, respectively. An emergent ascending aortic replacement was performed uneventfully. The pathological findings indicated frank rupture of intramural hematoma.     

Advantages of Using Both Voxel- and Surface-based Morphometry in Cortical Morphology Analysis: A Review of Various Applications

Surface-based morphometry (SBM) is extremely useful for estimating the indices of cortical morphology, such as volume, thickness, area, and gyrification, whereas voxel-based morphometry (VBM) is a typical method of gray matter (GM) volumetry that includes cortex measurement. In cases where SBM is used to estimate cortical morphology, it remains controversial as to whether VBM should be used in addition to estimate GM volume. Therefore, this review has two main goals. First, we summarize the differences between the two methods regarding preprocessing, statistical analysis, and reliability. Second, we review studies that estimate cortical morphological changes using VBM and/or SBM and discuss whether using VBM in conjunction with SBM produces additional values. We found cases in which detection of morphological change in either VBM or SBM was superior, and others that showed equivalent performance between the two methods. Therefore, we concluded that using VBM and SBM together can help researchers and clinicians obtain a better understanding of normal neurobiological processes of the brain. Moreover, the use of both methods may improve the accuracy of the detection of morphological changes when comparing the data of patients and controls.In addition, we introduce two other recent methods as future directions for estimating cortical morphological changes: a multi-modal parcellation method using structural and functional images, and a synthetic segmentation method using multi-contrast images (such as T1- and proton density-weighted images).     

Malignant Inferior Vena Cava Syndrome and Congestive Hepatic Failure Treated by Venous Stent Placement

A 65-year-old woman with liver metastases from colon cancer and tumor thrombus extending from the right hepatic vein (HV) to the right atrium (RA) presented with marked lower-extremity edema and massive ascites. Computed tomography showed tumor thrombus completely occluding the inferior vena cava (IVC) and HV ostia. Recanalization of the IVC and HVs was performed. Metallic stents were placed in tandem from the superior vena cava to the IVC through the RA, and additional metallic stents were placed in the left HV. The patient's symptoms were relieved, and there was no recurrence of these symptoms for 19.5 months until death.     

Computer-aided detection in computed tomography colonography: current status and problems with detection of early colorectal cancer

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to evaluate the usefulness of computer-aided detection (CAD) in diagnosing early colorectal cancer using computed tomography colonography (CTC). MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 30 CTC data sets for 30 early colorectal cancers in 30 patients were retrospectively reviewed by three radiologists. After primary evaluation, a second reading was performed using CAD findings. The readers evaluated each colorectal segment for the presence or absence of colorectal cancer using five confidence rating levels. To compare the assessment results, the sensitivity and specificity with and without CAD were calculated on the basis of the confidence rating, and differences in these variables were analyzed by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis. RESULTS: The average sensitivities for the detection without and with CAD for the three readers were 81.6% and 75.6%, respectively. Among the three readers, only one reader improved sensitivity with CAD compared to that without. CAD decreased specificity in all three readers. CAD detected 100% of protruding lesions but only 69.2% of flat lesions. On ROC analysis, the diagnostic performance of all three readers was decreased by use of CAD. CONCLUSION: Currently available CAD with CTC does not improve diagnostic performance for detecting early colorectal cancer. An improved CAD algorithm is required for detecting flat lesions and reducing the false-positive rate.