Gadolinium-enhanced breath-hold three-dimensional time-of-flight MR angiography of the abdominal and pelvic vessels: The value of ultrafast MP-RAGE sequences

MR angiography (MRA) was performed in 50 consecutive subjects (mean age, 59 years), who had been referred for abdominal MRA, on a 1.5-T superconductive unit that used a body phased-array coil. Three breath-hold three-dimensional sequences were evaluated both in phantom and clinical studies: (a) standard fast three-dimensional gradient-echo sequence (TR = 15, TE = 6; imaging time, 32 seconds), (b) ultrafast three-dimensional gradient-echo sequence (TR = 8.2, TE = 3; imaging time, 18 seconds), and (c) ultrafast magnetization-prepared (MP) rapid acquisition gradient echo (RAGE) (TR = 5.8, TE = 2.9, inversion time [TI] = 20; imaging time, 15 seconds). The initial 30 patients were randomized into three groups by three separate sequences. For the remaining 20 patients, ultrafast-gradient-echo and ultrafast MP-RAGE sequences were performed. Conventional angiography was performed on 36 patients. Signal measurements of the phantom and clinical images of the aorta, visceral branches of the aorta, iliac arteries, inferior vena cavae, and portal veins were performed. The overall image quality and background fatty tissue contrast of the vessels were rated subjectively. Comparison of images between MRA and conventional angiography also was performed. The contrast between the vessels and background fatty tissue was significantly higher in the ultrafast MP-RAGE sequence in both quantitative and qualitative analysis, and image-quality ultrafast MP-RAGE was superior to the other two sequences (P < .01). The aorta and iliac arteries could be visualized in all pulse sequences, and abnormalities of these vessels were diagnosed correctly. The renal artery was visualized more clearly with the two ultrafast sequences.     

Adverse events in phase one studies: a study in 430 healthy volunteers

Summary All the clinical, laboratory and electrocardiographic adverse events detected during 24 Phase I studies in the same unit over a 5 y period are reported here. 430 healthy male volunteers were involved, corresponding to 5488 days of follow-up.The overall incidence of adverse events was 13.5%, with a significant difference between active drug (15.3%) and placebo (7.4%) treatments. There were 69 distinct types of adverse events. Headache was the most frequent symptom (2%). There were severe adverse events in 20 cases (0.36%), with an incidence of 20/430 per subject (4.6%). There were no deaths or life-threatening events.Although the main objective of Phase I studies is to determine the maximum dose tolerated, cause-effect relationships with adverse events are hard to establish, because of the frequency of adverse events with placebo, and because of the limited number of subjects included such studies.     

Neue Entwicklungen in der systemischen Psoriasistherapie

The current standard systemic therapeutic modalities for psoriasis have many potential side effects. Progress made in the understanding of the pathophysiology of psoriasis as a T‐cell‐mediated dermatosis provide options for new more precise therapeutic approaches. These immunological therapeutic strategies involve the inhibition/depletion of activated T‐lymphocytes, the inhibition of antigen presentation and thus the regulation of T‐cell activation, the inhibition of adhesion of inflammatory cells, the inhibition of effects of proinflammatory mediators and the administration of antiinflammatory cytokines. This article summarizes these new systemic therapeutic approaches. Clinical results in the early studies have been mixed. In the next years further results of phase II‐ and phase III‐studies may be expected, which should allow better assessment of the potential of those particular approaches. Some of these approaches could lead to the approval of new drugs to treat psoriasis and to enhance or replace already existing therapeutic options. Furthermore results of therapeutic experiments should contribute to a better understanding of the disease. As we learn which mechanisms are more or less important for the disease, we will be better able to plan intervention strategies.     

Body fat in identical twins reared apart: Roles for genes and environment

We report analyses of data on body fat from a cohort of 34 separated monozygotic twin pairs (MZA) and a matched sample of 38 pairs of monozygotic twins reared together (MZT) originally studied by James Shields. The correlation for MZA pairs was. 61 and the correlation for MZT pairs was. 75. These correlations did not differ significantly, nor did correlations differ between MZA pairs subclassified as having been raised in relatively more or less similar environments. Our results suggest important roles for both genes and environment in the accumulation of body fat and support other adoption studies in suggesting that adult environments rather than rearing environments are the most important nongenetic determinants of levels of body fat in adults.Supported by National Institute of Mental Health Grant MH43409 to R.A.P. and a Grant in Aid from the Dight Institute of Human Genetics to I.I.G.     

Infantile hypopituitarism: etiological variability evidenced by MRI

In this study, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was performed to document potentially present morphostructural abnormalities of the hypothalamopituitary region in seven infants (age 0–21 months) who presented very early in life with clinical and biochemical evidence of hypopituitarism. Four infants had associated congenital cerebro-facial malformations.The following anatomical abnormalities were identified in variable combinations: ectopic neurohypophysis absence of the pituitary stalk, extreme elongation of the pituitary stalk, aplasia of the anterior pituitary lobe and no identification of the hypothalamopituitary complex.MRI proved to be very sensitive in the identification of structural malformations of the hypothalamopituitary region in infants with or without cerebro-facial malformations. AllhwuLll the magnetic resonance image does not appear to be a good predictor of endocrine dysfunction, it provides us more insight into the precise aetiology of this disorder and may be therefore of diagnostic, prognostic and therapeutic importance.     

Use of superparamagnetic contrast media to suppress signal from flowing spins: Preliminary experience

The authors describe their preliminary experience with the use of superparamagnetic magnetic resonance (MR) imaging contrast media for suppression of signal from flowing blood. The goal of this work was to determine if a superparamagnetic contrast agent could successfully eliminate blood signal during cardiac-gated MR imaging, thereby eliminating or reducing flow artifacts associated with the complex and variable hemodynamics within the heart chambers. Imaging and data analysis were performed in 17 dogs subjected to experimental myocardial infarction as part of a parallel project. Six doses (0.2, 1, 2, 3.5, 4, 5, and 10 mg/kg) of AMI-25, an experimental contrast agent, were used in the study. Spin-echo imaging was performed immediately before and every 5 minutes (for an average of 25 minutes) after bolus injection of the contrast agent. Variations in the image signal-to-noise ratio relative to a baseline (before injection of contrast agent) image were assessed as a function of dose and time. Preliminary results suggest that a considerable reduction in blood flow artifacts and, hence, increases in image signal-tonoise ratio can be achieved at doses greater than or equal to 3.5 mg/kg, for approximately 20 minutes after injection. Doses equal to or less than 2 mg/kg and images obtained more than 20 minutes after injection (regardless of dose) did not reliably show hemodynamic artifact suppression.     

Effect of different questionnaire formats on reporting of occupational exposures

During an exposure monitoring study, 78 saw maintenance tradesmen were randomly assigned to be interviewed about their exposures using one of two questionnaire formats: open-ended and partly prompted questions about five categories of materials; and detailed prompting about 75 agents. The more open-ended questionnaire elicited fewer exposure responses overall, but more responses about agents not included on the detailed questionnaire. Composite materials and trade name products were more frequently cited as exposures than individual metals or compounds. Validity of responses was ascertained using air measurements (individual metals) or observations of the employees (composite materials). Sums of sensitivities and specificities were very low (near 1.0) for most of the metals for both types of questionnaire. For composite materials, validity improved substantially. Sensitivities with the partly prompted format (0.44–0.85) were always lower than with detailed prompting (0.80–1.00). Specificities were usually, but not always, higher with partial prompting (0.66–0.92) than with detailed prompting (0.18–0.86). Selection of questionnaire format for an epidemiologic study would depend on the likely prevalence of exposure in controls and the effects of trade-offs in sensitivity and specificity.     

肝癌及癌旁组织中P~(53)基因第七外显子转录水平的表达差异及临床意义

目的 :研究启东区肝癌中 P53基因第七外显子转录水平的表达及其与患者临床病理特征间的关系。方法 :通过 RT- PCR确定 P53基因第七外显子在 47对肝癌标本中的表达 ,并分析其与肝癌患者临床病理特征间的关系。结果 :P53基因第七外显子在肝癌及其癌旁组织中均显示差异表达 ,其中 1 7例为上调表达 ,30例为下调表达 ,上下调表达之间差异显著 ;女性、年龄≥ 45岁、AFP( + )、HBs Ag( + )、癌栓 ( + )、肝硬化、病理 Edmondson's 级的病例中 P53基因第七外显子均呈显著下调表达 ;Edmondson's I级病例肝癌组织中 P53基因的 EI显著高于 Edmondson's 级病例。结论 :启东肝癌中 P53基因第七外显子转录水平上存在表达差异 ,且其异常表达与肝癌的临床病理特征有关     

两种靶控方法输注异丙酚和瑞芬太尼的安全性和有效性比较

目的 比较靶控血浆浓度和效应室浓度输注异丙酚和瑞芬太尼的安全性及有效性。方法 选择44例腹腔镜胆囊切除的病人,年龄18～65岁,ASA Ⅰ～Ⅱ级,随机分为靶控血浆浓度组(P组)和效应室浓度组(E组)。设定异丙酚和瑞芬太尼的靶浓度分别为4 μg/ml和2 ng/ml。观察给药后意识消失时间、血液动力学变化以及听觉诱发电位指数(AAIs)的变化。术中调整两药靶浓度保持AAIS低于20。记录术毕停药后自主呼吸恢复和睁眼时间和AAIs的恢复。结果 E组意识消失的时间[(0.45±0.10)min]明显短于P组;此时两药的用量也明显高于P组。两组均能引起明显的低血压,但降低程度相似,且均未见严重的心血管副作用。AAIs在意识消失时P组为41±22;E组49±16:但插管时均在20以下。术中血液动力学保持较低水平(P<0.01)。两组的插管评分、麻醉质量评分相似。术后自主呼吸恢复时间和睁眼时间两组均无统计学差异。Aldrate评分及手术结束时疼痛评分差异均无显著性。结论靶控血浆和效应室浓度输注均可达到满意的麻醉效果,但靶控效应室诱导时间更短,且无明显心血管副作用。