Compensation for spin-lock artifacts using an off-resonance rotary echo in T1rhooff-weighted imaging.

The origin of image artifacts in an off-resonance spin-locking experiment is shown to be imperfections in the excitation flip angle. A pulse sequence for off-resonance spin locking is implemented that compensates for imperfections in the excitation flip angle through an off-resonance rotary echo. The off-resonance rotary echo alternates the frequency offset and phase of the RF transmitter during two spin-locking pulses of equal duration. The underlying theory is detailed, and MR images demonstrate the effectiveness of the technique in agarose gel phantoms and in in vivo human brain at 3T.     

Differences in CMV-Specific T-Cell Levels and Long-Term Susceptibility to CMV Infection after Kidney, Heart and Lung Transplantation

Patients after kidney, heart and lung transplantation differ in their immunosuppressive drug regimens and in susceptibility to infectious complications with cytomegalovirus (CMV). In this study, CMV-specific T-cell responses were characterized in long-term transplant recipients and associated with the frequency of infectious complications. CMV-reactive CD4 T cells from 50 healthy controls, 68 renal, 14 heart and 24 lung transplant recipients were flow cytometrically quantified by the induction of cytokines after specific stimulation. Moreover, the immunosuppressive effect of calcineurin inhibitors on specific T-cell reactivity was quantified in vitro and compared with responses in vivo. Median CMV-specific T-cell frequencies in long-term renal (1.48%; range 0.06-17.26%) and heart transplant recipients (0.90%; 0.13-12.49%) did not differ from controls (1.82%; 0.26-21.00%). In contrast, CMV-specific T-cell levels were significantly lower in lung transplant recipients (0.50%; <0.05-4.98%) and showed a significant correlation with the frequency of infectious episodes (r =-0.57, p = 0.005). The differences within the groups were associated with increasing dosages of immunosuppressive drugs, as exemplified for calcineurin inhibitors that dose dependently reduced specific T-cell reactivity in vitro. In conclusion, monitoring CMV-specific CD4 T cells may serve as a measure for long-term disease susceptibility and may contribute to an improved management of CMV complications after lung transplantation.     

Long-term survival after removal of a malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumor originating in the anterior mediastinum

Malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumors (MPNSTs; malignant schwannomas) rarely occur in the anterior mediastinum, and their prognosis is poor. A 75-year-old man was referred to our hospital for examination of an anterior mediastinal tumor. A computed tomography-guided percutaneous needle biopsy revealed only fibrosis. The tumor was completely excised via a median sternotomy with partial resection of the pericardium and right upper lobe of the lung. Thereafter, the tumor was diagnosed as a storiform-pleomorphic type of malignant fibrous histiocytoma. At 1 year after the surgery, a distant metastasis was found in the interlobular space between the right middle and lower lobes. The tumor was completely excised via a right posterolateral thoracotomy. Reexamination of the primary and secondary tumors revealed an MPNST. No recurrence was found up to 5 years after the second surgery without adjuvant chemotherapy or radiation therapy. However, he died from multiple lung metastases after 6 years.     

Malignant Peripheral Nerve Sheath Tumor: An Unusual Cause of Intussusception

Malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumors (MPNST) are defined as any tumor arising from a peripheral nerve or showing nerve sheath differentiation. The majority of these tumors arise on the trunk, extremities, or head and neck region. The literature to date has fewer than 14 cases of MPNST arising in the gastrointestinal tract, and only two cases were ever reported in the small intestine, one of which was a recurrent disease. In this paper, we report the first US case of an MPNST arising in the small intestine and presenting as intussusception.     

大学生篮球运动员集训期间部分淋巴细胞亚群和Th1/Th2细胞因子mRNA表达变化分析

目的:探讨大负荷体能训练对大学生篮球运动员细胞免疫功能的影响。方法:14名男子大学生篮球运动员进行为期16周的集训,在训练期间分次对运动员外周血淋巴细胞亚群(CD3+、CD4+/CD8+淋巴细胞比值、NK细胞比例)和Th1/Th2细胞因子 mRNA表达进行检测。结果:在两次分别持续了6周的训练期后,运动员外周血CD3+淋巴细胞数于增加后出现显著下降,从第7周的峰值(59.74±7.18)下降至第16周的最低值(52.02±7.92)(P<0.001);CD8+细胞数第16周(31.15±6.25)与第3周(37.98±7.05)相比显著下降(P<0.05);NK细胞数从第7周的最高值(19.62±5.21)下降至第14周的最低值(14.41±7.93)(P<0.05);IL-4 mRNA表达训练后与基础值(6.56±0.71)相比显著增加,从第7周的7.04±0.35和第14周的7.30±0.25,直至第16周达到最大值7.36±0.45(P<0.05),其他指标的变化不具有统计学意义。结果提示,大负荷训练使运动员细胞免疫功能削弱,Th1/Th2平衡向Th2方向漂移。     

肠道T细胞淋巴瘤临床分析

本文总结报告了3例肠道T细胞淋巴瘤(intestinal T-cell lymphoma，ITCL)的诊治资料，并结合文献复习，发现IT—CL多见于中年男性，以腹痛、血便、发热、体质量下降为主要症状，治疗效果差，预后不良。病理改变以肠道溃疡形成为特点，溃疡形态呈多形性、多灶性、不规则，镜下瘤细胞明显异型、弥漫性浸润，中至大细胞多见。肿瘤细胞呈T细胞表型。ITCL临床少见，缺乏特异性临床表现，极易误诊。故临床医师应重视对ITCL临床病理特征、免疫表型和基因型的研究，注意识别，促其早期诊治。     

Influence of impaired T- and B-cell compartments on efficacy of IVIg in dysimmune neuropathies

Autoimmune mechanisms are postulated to play a role in the development and progression of dysimmune neuropathies (DN). We investigated the relation between lymphocyte number and marker expression, and disease activity in 20 patients with DN under intravenous immunoglobulins (IVIg) treatment. B- and T-lymphocyte markers were studied by flow cytometry of the expression of CD5, CD25, CD23 and CD38 markers on B cells and of CD3, CD4 and CD8 markers, respectively. These parameters were compared with those obtained from matched healthy volunteers. The proportions of CD38+ B cells were higher in patients compared with those of controls. Proportions of activated CD4+ and CD8+ T cells were comparable in peripheral blood mononuclear cells of patients and controls, but a significant reduction of the absolute numbers of CD3+, CD4+ and CD8+ cells were observed in DN patients. The percentages of CD25+ memory T cells were instead significantly increased in DN patients. Lastly, T-cell reduction and the CD19/CD38 ratio over total B (CD19+) cells directly correlated with a poor response to IVIg therapy. In DN, whereas T-cell number is reduced, activated T and B cells are increased, thus suggesting an intrinsic defect of the immune response.     

Differential generation of class I H-2D- versus H-2K-restricted cytotoxicity against a demyelinating virus following central nervous system infection

Despite the fact that both H-2K and D molecules are up-regulated in the central nervous system (CNS) following Theiler's murine encephalomyelitis virus (TMEV) infection, resistance in this virus model of multiple sclerosis maps exclusively to D. To address this paradox, we examined the ability of the K and D molecules to present viral antigens to cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL). Whereas no virus-specific CTL were detected in the CNS of susceptible B10.Q and B10.S mice 7 days post-infection, D-restricted CTL were identified readily in the CNS of resistant B10 animals. There was no evidence of K-restricted CTL in the CNS of B10 mice at day 7 post-infection. The presence of both K- and D-restricted virus-specific CTL in the spleen of immunized B10 mice demonstrates that the exclusive use of D molecules by CTL in the CNS of mice 7 days post-infection is not due to the inability of the K molecules to present viral peptides to lymphocytes. We conclude that the prominent role of the D locus in determining resistance or susceptibility to TMEV-induced demyelination is determined by factors governing the regulation of the immune response, and not by the presence or absence of CTL precursors capable of recognizing viral peptides presented by the K and D antigen-presenting molecules, or by differences in the ability of the K and D molecules to present viral peptides.