Neuroimaging in Pineal Tumors

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: The authors report radiological findings in 11 tumors in the pineal region, which were histologically diagnosed as germinomas, pineocytomas pineoblastomas, ependymomas, teratomas, and astrocytomas. METHODS: Computed tomography (CT) was performed in seven patients and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was performed in all patients. RESULTS: CT showed a solid or solid/cystic mass with variable contrast enhancement. MRI showed a heterogeneous mass, with hypointense signal on T1 and iso/hyperintense signal on T2-weighted images (WI) and gadolinium enhancement. Extension to adjacent structures occurred in five patients and spread through the cerebral spinal fluid (CSF) in two. CONCLUSIONS: Pineal region tumors have no pathognomonic imaging pattern. MRI and CT are complementary in diagnosis and are important to determine localization, extension, and meningeal spread.     

Doppler in non-immune hydrops fetalis.

Fetal ultrasound studies were performed on 24 fetuses with non-immune hydrops to evaluate echocardiographic and cardiovascular Doppler parameters that may be useful in assessing hemodynamics and in predicting outcome. Of all cardiovascular parameters analyzed, only the presence of abnormal pulsations in the umbilical vein (p < 0.001) was found to be significantly different between the 11 survivors and 13 non-survivors. In a smaller subset of 12 fetuses, in whom inferior vena caval waveforms were recorded, survivors (n = 6) had a significantly lower percentage of retrograde flow in the inferior vena cava (p < 0.001) and higher inferior vena caval E/V velocity ratio (p < 0.001) than non-survivors (n = 6). Sixteen of the 24 cases examined had abnormal umbilical venous pulsations; 12 of the 16 (75%) died including all fetuses with hydrops due to twin-to-twin transfusion or congenital heart disease. When fetuses with pulsatile flow in the umbilical vein were compared with fetuses with normal umbilical venous flow, the following significant differences were found: lower right and left ventricular output velocities, larger inferior vena caval diameter, decreased shortening fractions of the right and left ventricles, and lower peak velocities at the aortic and pulmonary valves and in the ductus arteriosus.     

T-lymphocyte subsets in the human lacrimal gland

This study examines the microscopical appearance, location, distribution, subdivision and density of T-lymphocytes in the human lacrimal gland. Fourteen glands, 7 from either sex, were removed and frozen shortly after the donors' death, and processed for immunoperoxidase staining, utilizing a biotinavidin system and one of the following monoclonal antibodies: Anti-Leu-1 and -Leu-4, which recognize T-lymphocytes, anti-Leu-2a, which binds to suppressor/cytotoxic T-cells, and anti-Leu-3a + 3b, which recognizes helper/inducer cells. The T-lymphocytes in the human lacrimal gland were small to medium sized, mainly located in the interacinar tissue, often adjacent to an acinus or close to a collecting duct. The median number of each T-cell subset per defined field (0.086 mm2) at x 500 magnification was as follows: Males: Leu-1: 3.1, Leu-2a: 4.9, Leu-3a + 3b: 2.8, Leu-4: 4.5. Females: Leu-1: 4.3, Leu-2a: 5.0, Leu-3a + 3b: 3.7 and Leu-4:5.8. The sex difference was not statistically significant. The helper/suppressor cell ratio in the human lacrimal gland was 0.57 for males and 0.74 for females.     

Skin deposits in hereditary cystatin C amyloidosis

Summary Clinically normal skin from 47 individuals aged 9–70 years was investigated. Cystatin C amyloid deposits were found in various locations of the skin by light and/or electron microscopy, in all 12 patients with a clinical history of hereditary cystatin C amyloidosis (HCCA). Six asymptomatic individuals, who had the Alu 1 restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) marker reported to cosegregate with the disease, also had cystatin C amyloid deposits in the skin. Three asymptomatic individuals (age 17–46) belonging to the HCCA families were without amyloid in the skin but had Alu 1 RFLP marker. Skin from 12 individuals who served as controls and skin from 14 close relatives of the patients was negative for amyloid. Punch biopsy of the skin is a simple procedure which is of value for the diagnosis of HCCA, even before the appearance of clinical symptoms. This method might also be of use in following progression of the disease.     

Expression and characterization of Gag protein of HIV-1（CN） in Pichia pastoris

To express the core protein of HIV-1 of Chinese prevalent strain （HIV-1 （CN）） in Pichia pastoris, the fulllength gag gene was inserted into the secretory expression vector pHILS1. Linearized recombinant plasmid pHILGAG by Sail was electrotransformed into the yeast strain GS115, and the yeast transformants were identified by PCR. To induce the interest protein to be expressed, the PCR positive transformants were inoculated in the medium of BMGY and BMMY, mRNA of the strain was detected by RT-PCR, and the expressed protein was analyzed by SDS-PAGE, Western blotting and thin layer scanning. mRNA （1.3 kb） was amplified by RT-PCR. SDS-PAGE and Western blotting analysis showed that the molecular mass of the expressed protein was 55 kD, which was similar to the expected value, and the expressed protein could react with McAb to HIV-1 p24. Thin layer scanning analysis demonstrated that the whole amount of the expressed protein was approximately 13 % of the soluble protein in the supernatant. The recombinant yeast had good genetic stability. The optimal expression conditions of the engineering yeast were as follows： BMMY medium, 80-90% of dissolved oxygen, 1% methanol, and 3-day-cultivation course. Gag proteins were expressed under the optimal expression condition and purified via gel filtration chromatography. The purity of the interest protein was up to 85 %. After the purified proteins were inoculated into BALB/c mice, the anti-HIV-1 antibodies in the immunized mice could be detected by Western blotting.     

Left ventricular early diastolic inflow velocity and atrial ventricular plane downward velocity: useful parameters to test diastolic function in clinical practice? Diastolic parameters tested in a clinical setting.

AIMS: To study the clinical value of the colour-M-mode slope of the early diastolic left ventricular filling phase (Vp) and the early diastolic downward M-mode slope of the left atrioventricular plane displacement (EDS), compared with diastolic function assessed by traditional Doppler evaluation. METHODS AND RESULTS: In 65 consecutive patients EDS and Vp were compared with a four-degree traditional diastolic function classification, based on pulsed Doppler assessment of the early to atrial transmitral flow ratio (E/A), the E-wave deceleration time (Edt), and the systolic to diastolic (S/D) pulmonary venous inflow ratio. Vp (P=0.006) and EDS (P=0.045) were related to traditional diastolic function (Kruskal--Wallis analysis). EDS showed a trend brake between the moderate and severe diastolic dysfunction groups by traditional Doppler evaluation. Vp and EDS correlated weakly in simple linear regression analysis (r=0.33). Vp and EDS discriminated poorly between normal and highly abnormal diastolic function. CONCLUSIONS: Vp and EDS were significantly related to diastolic function by traditional Doppler evaluation. They were, however, not useful as single parameters of left ventricular diastolic function due to a small difference between normal and highly abnormal values, allowing for little between-measurement variability. Consequently, these methods for the evaluation of left ventricular diastolic function do not add significantly to traditional Doppler evaluation.