Intratemporal vascular tumors: detection with CT and MR imaging

The diagnostic contributions of computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance (MR) imaging were compared in 12 patients with benign intratemporal vascular tumors (hemangioma or vascular malformation). The tumors included six in the internal acoustic canal and six in the geniculate ganglion region. Clinical and histologic correlations were made. Two of the six patients with tumors in the internal acoustic canal underwent CT, and both required gas cisternography to show the tumor. Five patients in that group underwent MR imaging, and all five studies showed the tumor. All six patients with geniculate ganglion tumors underwent CT. Results in one study were questionable, and five showed the tumor. Five patients in this group underwent MR imaging, but the MR findings were positive in only two cases. MR imaging should therefore be performed before CT in the evaluation of facial nerve dysfunction, as it demonstrated all tumors in the internal acoustic canal and some in the geniculate ganglion region. If MR findings are negative, CT should then be performed to rule out a possible geniculate ganglion lesion.     

Structural white matter abnormalities in patients with idiopathic dystonia

We investigated whether structural white matter abnormalities, in the form of disruption of axonal coherence and integrity as measured with diffusion tensor imaging (DTI), constitute an underlying pathological mechanism of idiopathic dystonia (ID), independent of genotype status. We studied seven subjects with ID: all had cervical dystonia as their main symptom (one patient also had spasmodic dysphonia and two patients had concurrent generalized dystonia, both DYT1‐negative). We compared DTI MR images of patients with 10 controls, evaluating differences in mean diffusivity (MD) and fractional anisotropy (FA). ID was associated with increased FA values in the thalamus and adjacent white matter, and in the white matter underlying the middle frontal gyrus. ID was also associated with increase in MD in adjacent white matter to the pallidum and putamen bilaterally, left caudate, and in subcortical hemispheric regions, including the postcentral gyrus. Abnormal FA and MD in patients with ID indicate that abnormal axonal coherence and integrity contribute to the pathophysiology of dystonia. These findings suggest that ID is not only a functional disorder, but also associated with structural brain changes. Impaired connectivity and disrupted flow of information may contribute to the impairment of motor planning and regulation in dystonia. © 2006 Movement Disorder Society     

Ca2+ dependence of the amphetamine, nomifensine, and Lu 19-005 effect on in vivo dopamine transmission

The present in vivo microdialysis study examined the role of vesicular- and carrier-mediated mechanisms underlying dopamine (DA) release, uptake and metabolism in halothane-anaesthetized rats. Omission of calcium (Ca2+) from the dialysis perfusing medium, thereby reducing the concentration of Ca2+ in the striatal microenvironment necessary for vesicular DA release, attenuated the elevation of DA normally induced by the potent DA uptake inhibitors, nomifensine and Lu 19-005. Consistent with the results of in vitro studies, amphetamine release DA in a Ca2+-independent manner. The release of DA induced by amphetamine could be effectively blocked by nomifensine and Lu 19-005, demonstrating that the in vivo movement of amines occurred via a transport carried-mediated mechanism. Additionally, the inhibition of DA metabolism produced by amphetamine could be reversed or blocked by prior or delayed treatment with DA uptake inhibitors. The results support a bidirectional in vivo capability of the amine transport carrier.     

Imaging of shifted stimulated echoes and multiple spin echoes

It is shown that a repetitive pulse sequence consisting of two 90° pulses and gradients in a 1:2 ratio around the second 90° pulse generates interscan shifted stimulated echoes (SSTEs) and intrascan multiple spin echoes (MSEs). Separation of these two types of signals is accomplished using specific gradient crusher schemes. The intensity of the SSTEs is an order of magnitude larger than that of the MSEs and determines the signal contrast if both effects are selected simultaneously. The SSTE sequence generates improved contrast between gray and white matter, even at high field, which is explained in terms of increased inverse T₁-weighting for the interscan echo. The MSE image has low signal to noise and no detectable contrast. The effect of interscan diffusion weighting is also discussed.     

Temporal relationship of hepatocellular dysfunction and ischemia in sepsis

To determine whether hepatic dysfunction in sepsis results from hypoperfusion or direct cellular injury, Sprague-Dawley rats underwent either cecal ligation and puncture or sham operation. After either two or six hours, effective hepatic blood flow was measured using the galactose clearance method. Hepatocytes were isolated and intracellular sodium and potassium and glucose production were measured. Hepatic blood flow in septic rats decreased as early as two hours after sepsis when compared with sham-operated rats (3.8 +/- 1.4 vs 8.7 +/- 3.1 mL/min/100 g body weight). Intracellular sodium and potassium levels and glucose production in septic rats were not significantly different when compared with controls at two hours. After six hours, hepatic blood flow remained depressed and intracellular sodium level was increased compared with sham-operated rats (41.7 +/- 10.4 vs 31.4 +/- 5.9 mmol/L [41.7 +/- 10.4 vs 31.4 +/- 5.9 mEq/L]) and potassium decreased compared with controls (90.7 +/- 7.9 vs 111.5 +/- 6.7 mmol/L [90.7 +/- 7.9 vs 111.5 +/- 6.7 mEq/L]). Glucose production was decreased in septic rats after six hours when compared with controls (4.7 +/- 1.5 vs 15.4 +/- 6.4 mumol/g hepatocytes). These data suggest that hepatic blood flow is decreased before alterations in intracellular sodium and potassium as well as glucose production.     

Blood donation behavior of Hispanics in the lower Rio Grande Valley

This study was designed to determine the blood donation behavior and attitudes of Hispanic residents of the Lower Rio Grande Valley for the purpose of developing promotional and educational approaches to enhance levels of donor participation. Personal interviews of 545 respondents were conducted in English and Spanish using quota sampling and standard intercept techniques at lower- and middle-income supermarkets in five cities during a payday weekend. A number of research hypotheses were established to test for demographic, behavioral, and attitudinal differences that were observed in donors and nondonors using chi-square analysis and multiple discriminant analysis. After analyzing the difference between Hispanics and non-Hispanics for blood donation rates, all non-Hispanics were eliminated from analysis, and the remaining 419 Hispanics were evaluated on the basis of their donor behavior. Donation among Hispanics was most likely to be by better- educated, English-speaking, higher-job-status individuals who had participated in a blood donation drive. Donors tend to have parent(s) who were donors, and they were also more likely to carry an organ donor card. Donors were found to vary in their behaviors as well as their attitudes and beliefs. Perceptions of a lack of safety in donating, the risk of contracting acquired immune deficiency syndrome, and the financial motivation of donors were most pronounced among Hispanics, which indicated a need for improved education on these issues.     

A comparison of the relative risk of vessel injury with conical versus pyramidal laparoscopic trocars in a rabbit model

OBJECTIVE: Our purpose was to compare the relative risk of vessel injury after use of a 5 mm conical-tipped trocar, a 5 mm pyramidal-tipped trocar, and a 10 mm pyramidal-tipped trocar in a rabbit vessel model.STUDY DESIGN: Plastic templates were placed in front of and behind 108 mesenteric vessels in 11 anesthetized New Zealand White rabbits. Laparoscopic trocars were inserted through the templates and mesentery. The incidence of vessel injury was determined at distances from the vessels ranging from 0 to 5 mm.RESULTS: The 5 mm conical trocar resulted in a vessel injury rate of 88% at 0 mm from the vessel but 0% at 1 or 2 mm. The 5 mm pyramidal trocar resulted in 100%, 88%, and 62% injury rates of 0, 1, and 2 mm from the vessels, respectively. The 10 mm pyramidal trocar resulted in a 100% injury rate at 0, 1, 2, or 3 mm from the vessels and 80% and 40% at 4 mm and 5mm, respectively.CONCLUSION: The relative risk of vessel injury is significantly increased by the use of pyramidal-tipped trocars when compared with conical-tipped trocars, especially if larger diameter trocars are used.     

Isolation and phenogenetics of a novel circadian rhythm mutant in zebrafish

Widespread use of zebrafish (Danio rerio) in genetic analysis of embryonic development has led to rapid advances in the technology required to generate, map and clone mutated genes. To identify genes involved in the generation and regulation of vertebrate circadian rhythmicity, we screened for dominant mutations that affect the circadian periodicity of larval zebrafish locomotor behavior. In a screen of 6,500 genomes, we recovered 8 homozygous viable, semi-dominant mutants, and describe one of them here. The circadian period of the lager and lime (lag(dg2)) mutant is shortened by 0.7 h in heterozygotes,and 1.3 h in homozygotes. This mutation also shortens the period of the melatonin production rhythm measured from cultured pineal glands, indicating that the mutant gene product affects circadian rhythmicity at the tissue level, as well as at the behavioral level. This mutation also alters the sensitivity of pineal circadian period to temperature, but does not affect phase shifting responses to light. Linkage mapping with microsatellite markers indicates that the lag mutation is on chromosome 7. A zebrafish homolog of period1(per1) is the only known clock gene homolog that maps near the lag locus. However, all sequence variants found in per1 cDNA from lag(dg2) mutants are also present in wild type lines, and we were unable to detect any defect in per1 mRNA splicing, so this mutation may identify a novel clock gene.     

Human leukocyte antigen matching and fetal loss: results of a 10 year prospective study

The role that maternal and fetal human leukocyte antigen (HLA) genes play in pregnancy is unknown, but it has been suggested that fetuses whose HLA alleles do not differ from maternal alleles (i.e. histocompatible fetuses) are more likely to be aborted than fetuses with HLA alleles that differ from maternal alleles (i.e. histoincompatible fetuses). To elucidate the role of HLA compatibility in pregnancy, we tested the hypothesis that couples who match for HLA alleles or haplotypes would have reduced fertility because only these couples could produce histocompatible fetuses. We conducted a 10 year prospective study of HLA matching and pregnancy outcome in 111 Hutterite couples, providing information on 251 pregnancies. A logistic regression analysis was performed to determine the effects of HLA matching at HLA regions and loci on pregnancy outcome (fetal loss versus delivery). Significantly increased fetal loss rates were observed among couples matching for the entire 16-locus haplotype (P = 0.002). Among the individual loci, loss rates were increased among couples matching for HLA-B (P = 0.019), HLA-C (P = 0.033) and the complement component, C4 (P = 0.043). We interpret these results as evidence that matching for the entire 16-locus haplotype and/or alleles at an HLA-B-linked locus confers significant risk for fetal loss.