Diurnal patterns of serotonin, 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid, tryptophan and fibrinolytic activity in blood of depressive patients and healthy volunteers.

Diurnal changes of serotonin-related factors in whole blood and fibrinolytic activity were determined in depressed patients and healthy controls. Whole blood serotonin concentration of depressed patients showed marked changes throughout daytime, with maximum values in the evening and lowest values in the morning, whereas its metabolite 5-HIAA followed a contrary pattern. The circadian rhythm of 5-HT and 5-HIAA in the control group was quite different from depressed patients. Plasma levels of tPA decreased from 12:30 to 16:30. Concentrations of free plasminogen activator inhibitor (PAI-1) and complex of tPA-PAI-1 decreased from 8:30 to 16:30. Plasma levels of total PAI-1 decreased from 8:30 to 16:30. Plasma levels of the fibrinolytic parameters may be lower in depressive patients than in normal controls. These results support the changes in the circadian rhythm of serotonin and its related substances in the blood of depressive patients.     

Investigation of basic imaging properties in digital radiography. 8. Detection of simulated low-contrast objects in digital subtraction angiographic images

We investigated the effects of imaging and display conditions on the detectability of low-contrast objects in digital subtraction angiographic (DSA) images. The test images were produced by superimposition of low-contrast objects on a uniform noisy background obtained with a DSA system. We employed 18-alternative forced-choice (18-AFC) experiments and predictions based on statistical decision theory to study the dependence of the threshold contrasts of the test objects on the object size, incident x-ray exposure, display window width, and display medium. The results indicated that the threshold contrast decreased with increasing object size, and that the detectability of an object of a given size increased with increasing incident x-ray exposure and decreasing width of the display window. We found that the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) obtained from the perceived statistical decision theory model, which includes the observer's internal noise, can accurately predict the detectability of low-contrast objects in DSA images. The threshold SNR corresponding to 50% correct detection in the 18-AFC experiments had a constant value of 3.8, in agreement with results reported previously for screen-film systems. The theoretical model will be useful for prediction of the performance of a DSA system based on its physical characteristics, and for evaluation of the tradeoff between patient exposure and diagnostic accuracy for a given DSA unit.     

Four primary malignant tumors, including malignant melanoma and malignant lymphoma, in the same adult patient

We report an 80-year-old Japanese male with four primary malignant tumors: malignant melanoma, prostatic cancer, malignant lymphoma, and renal cell carcinoma, which occurred in that respective order. The combination of malignant melanoma and malignant lymphoma is rare. The patient was treated with BCG after an operation for malignant melanoma. He was also treated with cobalt 60 irradiation after an operation for prostatic cancer. We also discuss other reports of multiple malignant tumors and suggest some possible causes of this patient's primary malignant tumors.     

Hepatic Disposition Characteristics of Electrically Charged Macromolecules in Rat in Vivo and in the Perfused Liver

The effect of electric charge on the hepatic disposition of macromolecules was studied in the rat. Charged derivatives of dextran (T-70) and bovine serum albumin (BSA), mitomycin C–dextran conjugates (MMC-D), and lactosaminated BSA (Lac-BSA) were employed as model macromolecules. After intravenous injection, cationic macromolecules were rapidly eliminated from plasma because of their extensive hepatic uptake, while anionic and neutral macromolecules were slowly eliminated. Cationic macromolecules were recovered from parenchymal and nonparenchymal hepatic cells at a cellular uptake (per unit cell number) ratio of 1.4–3.2, while that of Lac-BSA was 14. During liver perfusion using a single-pass constant infusion mode, cationic macromolecules were continuously extracted by the liver, with extraction ratios at steady-state (E _ss) ranging between 0.03 and 0.54, whereas anionic and neutral macromolecules were almost completely recovered in the outflow at steady state. The E _ss for cationized BSA (Cat-BSA) and cationic MMC-Dcat were concentration dependent and decreased at low temperatures and in the presence of colchicine and cytochalasin B. The possible participation of the internalization process in the uptake of cationic macromolecules by hepatocytes was suggested.