Radiation dose reduction during hysterosalpingography: an application of scanning-beam digital radiography

Hysterosalpingography was performed in 31 patients by means of a low-dose scanning-beam digital radiographic system. The technique permits adequate evaluation of gynecologic abnormalities while allowing significant reduction in radiation: 2.4-mR (6.1 X 10(-7) C/kg) exposure to the skin and 0.7-mrad (7 X 10(-6) Gy) mean dose to the ovaries per image obtained. Sixteen patients demonstrated readily recognizable and documented abnormalities, corroborated by laparoscopy, laparotomy, or other supportive evidence.     

Elevation of plasma thioredoxin levels in HIV-infected individuals

Thioredoxin (Trx), a ubiquitous protein intimately involvedin redox and protein disulfide reductions, has been shown tobe released from cells and to have cytokine-like activities.In addition, Trx has been implicated in the redox regulationof immunological responses and shown to be deficient in tissuesfrom AIDS patients. In studies presented here, plasma Trx levelswere measured by ELISA in plasma samples from HIV-infected individuals(n = 136) and HIV-negative controls (n = 47). To account forthe release of Trx into plasma due to hemolysis, the Trx measurementswere corrected according to the level of hemoglobin in the plasmasample. Data presented show that, in contrast to tissue Trxlevels, corrected plasma Trx levels are significantly higherin HIV-infected individuals than in controls (P < 0.0001).Furthermore, {small tilde}25% of the HIV-infected individualsstudied have plasma Trx levels greater than the highest levelfound in controls (37 ng/ml). Detailed multiparameter FACS analysisof peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) from the infectedindividuals demonstrates that those with higher plasma Trx levels(37 ng/ml or greater) tend to have lower overall CD4 counts.In addition, increases in plasma Trx levels correlate with decreasesin monochlorobimane staining (indicative of lower intracellularglutathione levels in PBMC) and with changes in surface antigenexpression (CD62L, CD38 and CD20) that occur in the later stagesof HIV infection. These correlations suggest that elevationof plasma Trx levels may be an important component of advancedHIV disease, perhaps related to the oxidative stress that oftenoccurs at this stage.     

F-19 MR imaging of glucose metabolism in the rabbit

Noninvasive metabolic magnetic resonance (MR) imaging reflecting glucose metabolism in the aldose-reductase-sorbitol (ARS) pathway was performed in the rabbit head; after administration of the fluorinated glucose analogue 3-fluoro-3-deoxy-D-glucose (3FD-glucose), fluorine-19 images were generated. Images of 3FD-glucose showed significant 3FD-glucose uptake by adipose tissue, indicating its buffering effects in case of excess loads of glucose. Images of 3-fluoro-3-deoxy-D-sorbitol (3FD-sorbitol) demonstrated the spatial distribution of aldose reductase activities and significant sorbitol accumulation in the lens. Images of 3-fluoro-3-deoxy-D-fructose (3FD-fructose) showed preferential uptake of fructose by muscle tissue. The extremely low toxicity of 3FD-glucose indicates promise for its clinical application in metabolic imaging.     

大鼠移植心脏组织中血小板衍生生长因子A mRNA表达及雷帕霉素的干预效应

目的:血小板衍生生长因子在平滑肌细胞的表型转化过程中起重要作用。观察大鼠移植心脏组织中血小板衍生生长因子AmRNA表达的变化及雷帕霉素的干预效应。方法:实验于2005-10/2006-01在中南大学湘雅二医院胸心外科实验室完成。将60只SD大鼠、24只Wistar大鼠按随机数字表法分为3组:①同系移植组:供、受体各12只,均为SD大鼠。②异系移植组:供体为Wistar大鼠(n=24),受体为SD大鼠(n=24),受体大鼠随机分为雷帕霉素组(n=12)和环孢霉素组(n=12),术后分别给予雷帕霉素1.25mg/(kg·d)灌胃及环孢霉素A10mg/(kg·d)皮下注射,给药60d,给药结束后留取移植心脏待检。③另12只SD大鼠直接取心脏组织作为正常对照组。指标检测:①对移植心脏组织行VanGieson染色后采用Miassystem4.1医学图像分析管理系统分析血管狭窄程度。②应用反转录-聚合酶链反应检测血小板衍生生长因子AmRNA在移植心脏组织中的表达情况。结果:36只受体SD大鼠及12只正常SD大鼠全部进入结果分析,无脱失。①同系移植组、环孢霉素组及雷帕霉素组大鼠的冠状动脉狭窄指数均显著高于正常对照组[(13.12±0.72)%,(62.45±8.12)%,(28.91±3.24)%,(0.09±0.02)%(P<0.01)],环孢霉素组及雷帕霉素组高于同系移植组(P<0.05),环孢霉素组高于雷帕霉素组(P<0.01)。②正常对照组、同系移植组、环孢霉素组及雷帕霉素组大鼠的血小板衍生生长因子AmRNA相对含量分别为0.19±0.06,0.21±0.08,1.12±0.22及0.47±0.11,环孢霉素组、雷帕霉素组显著高于同系移植组(P<0.01),环孢霉素组高于雷帕霉素组(P<0.05)。结论:血小板衍生生长因子AmRNA的高表达与移植心脏的血管硬化有关;雷帕霉素具有预防大鼠心脏移植物血管病变的作用,其作用可能与抑制心脏组织中血小板衍生生长因子AmRNA的表达有关。     

Granulomatous mastitis: a report of seven cases

The clinical history and histological features of seven cases of granulomatous mastitis are presented. The lesion occurs in young parous women as a tender extra-areolar breast lump. Histologically, non-caseating discrete granulomas are present, confined to breast lobules with, in three cases, coalescence of the granulomas and microabscess formation. Pathogenesis of the changes is discussed. It is thought that granulomatous mastitis is an entity morphologically distinct from duct ectasia/plasma cell mastitis and the commoner forms of granulomatous breast diseases.