Techniques in facial identification: Computer-aided facial reconstruction using a laser scanner and video superimposition

A facial image was reconstructed from the skull, part of a complete skeleton found in woodland, of a male person who had hanged himself from a tree. In addition, video superimposition was carried out with antemortem photographs of a person suspected of being the victim, and a good match was obtained. In a further case, a cheaper video-transparency superimposition was carried out, with identity later being confirmed on the basis of dental records. The techniques and the problems encountered are discussed. According to our experience, 3D computer reconstruction and video superimposition have a useful role in the process of identification, particularly in the early stages of an investigation and when other more definitive methods may not be available.     

Fast Three Dimensional Magnetic Resonance Imaging

To reduce the scan time in three-dimensional (3D) imaging, the authors consider alternative trajectories for traversing k-space. They differ from traditional 3D trajectories, such as 3DFT, in that they employ time-varying gradients allowing longer readouts and in turn a reduced scan time. Some of these trajectories reduce by an order of magnitude the number of excitations compared with 3DFT and provide flexibility for trading off signal-to-noise ratio for scan time. Other concerns are the minimum echo time and flow/motion properties. As examples, the authors show two applications: A 3D data set of the head (field of view of 30 x 30 x 7.5 cm and resolution of 1.5 x 1.5 x 1.5 mm) acquired in 56 s using a stack of spirals in 3D k-space; and a 3D movie of the heart (20 x 20 x 20 cm field of view, 2 x 2 x 2 mm resolution, and 16 time frames per cardiac cycle) acquired in 11 min using a cones trajectory.     

Prostaglandin D2 measurement in nasal secretions is not a reliable marker for mast cell activation in atopic patients

Background Prosia gland in D2 (PGD2) is a very important mast cell product during the early-phase nasal allergic reaction. However, the quantification of PGD2 in nasal secretions has not yet been well established. Objective Quantitative determination of PGD2 in nasal secretions of atopic patients (n=17) after nasal allergen challenge (NAC) and in non-allergic healthy volunteers (n=10). Methods The nasal microsuction sampling technique was used to obtain the nasal secretions with an exactly known and minimally diluted volume. A sensitive and specific enzyme immunoassay was chosen to measure the more stable 11-methoxime derivative of PGD2. which was obtained after extraction in acelone/ethanol and conversion using methoxamine-HCl. The concentrations of PGD2 in nasal secretions obtained from 10 non-allergic healthy volunteers were used as reference values. Results There was no significant difference in the concentrations of PGD2 between men (median: 569pg/mL) and women (median: 407pg/mL), nor between the baseline concentrations from atopic patients (median: 410pg/mL) and non-allergic controls (median: 477 pg/mL). In the atopic patient group, PGD2 did not significantly increase during the entire sampling period after NAC. The absence of PGD2 response contrasted with the nasal symptoms manifested by sneezing, increased nasal airway resistance, and the significant increases of the concentrations of histamine, tryptase, and leukotriene C4 (LTC4) 5min after NAC. Conclusion This observation suggests that the measurement of PGD2 alone in the nasal secretions does not give reliable information on mast cell activation during a nasal allergic reaction.     

Effects of chemical mediators of anaphylaxis on ciliary function

We assessed the effects of selected chemical mediators of anaphylaxis on CBF in vitro. Ciliated epithelial cells were obtained from the trachea of conscious sheep with a cytology brush and suspended in a perfusion chamber containing KH. Ciliary activity was viewed microscopically and recorded on videotape for subsequent slow-motion analysis of CBF. Prostaglandin E1 (10(-8) M to 10(-6) M), prostaglandin E2 (10(-10) M to 10(-6) M), and leukotriene-C4 (10(-8) M) increased CBF between 7% and 33%. Histamine caused ciliostimulation only at the relatively high concentrations above 10(-5) M (7% increase in CBF), whereas prostaglandin F2 alpha (10(-10) M and 10(-6) M) was without effect. In no preparation was ciliary discoordination observed. These findings indicate that several chemical mediators of anaphylaxis stimulate CBF and that the previously described impairment of mucociliary transport in stable allergic asthma or antigen-induced bronchoconstriction is probably not caused by a primary alteration of ciliary function.     

Cytogenetic analysis in human breast tumors

Cytogenetic analysis using C-, G-, and Ag-nucleolus organizer region (NOR) staining techniques, performed on established cell lines as well as directly processed breast tumor effusions, revealed that: 1) chromosome No. 1 is involved in translocation; 2) based on 1q translocation chromosome, breast tumors could be classified into two groups; and 3) double minutes and homogeneously staining regions may be present in breast tumor cells in vivo as well as in vitro, and that homogeneously staining regions may exhibit some heterogeneity in staining.     

Lactic dehydrogenase virus (LDV) impairs the antigen-presenting capacity of macrophages yet fails to affect their phagocytic activity

The effect of acute infection of mice with lactic dehydrogenase virus (LDV) on two major functions of peritoneal macrophages was tested. Using a macrophage-dependent T cell proliferative assay to test the antigen-presenting capacity of LDV-infected macrophages we found that LDV impairs the capacity of antigen-presenting cells to trigger memory T lymphocytes. Endocytosis of antigen by LDV-infected macrophages was similar to that of uninfected cells. In addition, the proportion of intracellular antigen versus membrane-bound antigen in LDV-infected cells were similar to that observed in uninfected mice. It appears therefore, that the impaired immunogenic effect of LDV-infected macrophages results from reduced immunogenicity of the membrane-bound antigen.Testing the phagocytic activity of peritoneal macrophages we found that the uptake of radiolabeled antibody-coated sheep erythrocytes or bacteria (E. coli) by infected cells was similar to that by uninfected macrophages. In addition, LDV failed to affect the ability of peritoneal macrophages in a nitroblue tetrazolium reduction reaction which serves as an alternative parameter for measuring phagocytic activity. Our results support the assumption that LDV, which probably propagates in the cells of the reticuloendothelial system, impairs some of the immunogenic functions of macrophages and thereby affects macrophage-dependent immune responses.     

PSYCHOPHYSIOLOGY AND MEDICINE

Psychophysiology is just as closely related to internal medicine as it is to psychiatry. “Psychological variable” has two distinct meanings: a) an external sensory stimulus, or b) an organismic state described in psychological language. “Psychological” and “Physical” are names of two different languages. There is no such thing as a non-physical illness. Asking whether emotions cause diseases, or diseases cause emotions, leads to many difficulties and is unprofitable. It is far more useful to ask about stimulus-response relationships. There are more kinds of specificity relations in psychophysiology and psychosomatic medicine than are usually recognized, and the usual specificity statements in psychosomatic medicine are not concerned with I-R or S-R specificity. There are many problems in medicine which psychophysiology could help to solve.     

Allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis: Reactivity of IgE and IgG antibodies with antigenic components of Aspergillus fumigatus (IgE/IgG antigen complexes)

Sera of patients with ABPA were tested by XRIE tests incorporating their own serum (self-XRIE) to detect the presence of IgG/IgE antigen complexes to a “reference” Aspergillus fumigatus preparation. Of the 32 sera studied, 29 (90%) had visible precipitin (IgG) peaks, and 27 of these 29 as well as the three apparently precipitin-negative sera, i.e., 30 (94%), showed binding of specific IgE by autoradiography. The two precipitin-positive sera that did not show IgE binding were also skin test negative and RAST negative to this A. fumigatus antigen. Specific IgG as determined in ELISA correlated well with the grading of the XIE precipitin peaks (p < 0.05). There was also a highly significant correlation between specific IgE by RAST and grading the radioactive uptake seen in the autoradiograph (p < 0.001) indicating, for each serum, the presence of IgG antibodies to most of the components to which there was specific IgE. In the self-XRIE tests there was considerable variation of reactivity from serum to serum, in numbers of antigen/antibody peaks observed, in relative peak heights, and in the intensity of the respective staining. By comparing each test to a “reference” pattern developed with the use of an ABPA serum pool, the antigenic components of A. fumigatus were found to be of two main types: (1) antigens that appeared to be poorly precipitating (possibly low-molecular-weight components) but showed strong IgE binding (these were apparently major allergenic components and with one exception proved to be the faster migrating components) and (2) antigens that produced the strongest precipitin reactions with only weak binding of specific IgE and therefore minor allergenic components.     

Structural change in dopamine D2 receptor gene in a patient with neuroleptic malignant syndrome

Dysfunction of the dopaminergic system has been suggested as a pathogenic mechanism in neuroleptic malignant syndrome. Therefore, we examined the complete coding sequences of the dopamine D₂ receptor (DRD₂) gene for structural abnormalities in 12 patients with a history of NMS, including two cases of familial NMS. Mutational analysis was performed by denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE), a highly sensitive technique for detecting sequence differences. We found in one patient with a history of NMS a nucleotide substitution at codon 310 (CCG→TCG) of exon 7 of the DRD₂ gene which predicts the replacement of proline to serine in the third cytoplasmic loop of the receptor, a part of the receptor that interacts with G-proteins. A larger series of patients with NMS needs to be investigated to establish whether this allele is associated with an increased susceptibility to NMS. © 1995 Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

用细胞酶联免疫吸附法筛选分泌抗人B细胞分化抗原单抗的杂交瘤

用活化的人Ｂ细胞株３Ｄ５细胞免疫ＢＡＬＢ／Ｃ小鼠，取小鼠脾脏细胞与ＳＰ２／０细胞融合，融合后细胞置甲基纤维素半固体培养基生长。以０．５％甲醛处理的３Ｄ５细胞和ＣＥＭ细胞包被酶细胞反应阳性而与ＣＥＭ细胞反应阴性的克隆。再经间接免疫荧光染色后，用流式细胞仪复测以上所得３３个阳性克隆，结果３Ｄ５阳性ＣＥＭ阴性者２７例，占８１．８２％，表明ＣＥＬＩＳＡ法是一个粗筛抗人Ｂ细胞分化抗原的简便有效方法。