The magnetic resonance phase-contrast technique for the measurement of flow velocity and volume in true and false lumens was studied in six patients with chronic dissecting aneurysms. Phase-contrast images were obtained at a level perpendicular to the dissecting aneurysms of the descending aorta. As the maximum diameter of aneurysms increased, the ratio of the cross-sectional area of the false to the true lumen increased and the peak average velocity in the true lumen during systole was decreased. This technique proved invaluable for determining prognosis and operability for this condition.

Aged↗

PubMedDate not supplied

The hair-organ relationship in mercury concentration in contemporary Japanese.

The hair-organ relationship of mercury concentration was investigated in 46 autopsy samples in Tokyo, Japan. Hair mercury levels were highly significantly correlated with organ Hg levels in the cerebrum, cerebellum, heart, spleen, liver, kidney cortex, and kidney medulla, when the total mercury or methyl mercury value in the organ was compared with the hair total mercury or organic mercury, respectively. When the inorganic mercury value was tested, significant correlations remained, with weaker coefficients in all the organs but the spleen. Stepwise multiple regression analysis evidenced that the hair organic mercury value was the major explanatory variable for the organ total mercury or organ methyl mercury value in all the organs. To explain the organ inorganic mercury value, the hair organic mercury value was the major variable for the cerebrum and kidney (both cortex and medulla), the hair inorganic mercury value was the major variable for the cerebellum and heart, and the hair phosphorous and hair organic mercury were the major variables for the liver; no explanatory variable existed for the spleen. Auxiliary explanatory variables accounted for the organ total mercury and inorganic mercury levels, among which the hair selenium value was conspicuous with negative regression coefficients.

Adolescent↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Immunomagnetic isolation of primordial germ cells and the establishment of embryonic germ cell lines in the mouse.

The stage-specific embryonic antigen 1 (SSEA-1) is a cell marker of primordial germ cells (PGCs). In the present study, it is shown that isolation and purification of PGCs from 8.5-11.5 days post coitum (dpc) embryos can be achieved by a immunomagnetic cell sorting method using SSEA-1 antibody-conjugated magnetic beads, and then the sorted PGCs can be used for long-term culture under strict culture conditions to derive embryonic germ (EG) cell lines. Five independent EG cell lines with male karyotypes have been established. They show both a strong alkaline phosphatase activity and expression of the SSEA-1 antigen, and are karyotypically stable with a modal number of chromosomes in more than 80% of the cells. One of the EG cell lines from 8.5-dpc embryos produced chimeras after injections of the cells into 8-cell host embryos. These procedures could provide a useful and simple method for isolation of undifferentiated cells from a heterogeneous cell population and for establishment of embryo-derived stem cell lines.

Animals↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Involvement of mitochondrial phospholipid hydroperoxide glutathione peroxidase as an antiapoptotic factor.

Although reactive oxygen species (ROS) such as superoxide and hydroperoxide are known to induce apoptotic cell death, little is known as to the apoptotic death signaling of mitochondrial ROS. Recent evidence has suggested that antioxidant enzymes in mitochondria may be responsible for the regulation of cytochrome c release and apoptotic cell death. This paper examines the current state of knowledge regarding the role of mitochondrial antioxidant enzymes, especially phospholipid hydroperoxide glutathione peroxidase. A model for the release of cytochrome c by lipid hydroperoxide has also been proposed.

Antioxidants↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Müllerian carcinofibroma of the uterus. A case report.

BACKGROUND: Müllerian carcinofibroma is composed of malignant epithelial tumor (cancer) and benign mesenchymal tumors. It is the least frequent among mixed müllerian tumors. There are eight reported cases of carcinofibroma or cases showing similar histology, with only two of these cases recurrent. CASE: A case of müllerian carcinofibroma arose in the uterine body. The patient was an 83-year-old, postmenopausal female whose endometrial cytology revealed cell clusters of adenocarcinoma and scattered nonepithelial cells with enlarged nuclei without nuclear atypism or mitosis. Histology of the resected uterus showed a mixture of well to poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma, and fibromatous and leiomyomatous nonepithelial tumors without a transition between them. There was no sign of recurrence nine months after hysterectomy. CONCLUSION: Müllerian carcinofibroma seems to have a better prognosis than malignant mixed müllerian tumor. When both cancer cells and an abundance of nonepithelial cells are seen on gynecologic cytology, it may be important to consider mixed müllerian tumor and to differentiate müllerian carcinofibroma from malignant mixed Müllerian tumor by careful observation of the nuclear size, nucleoli, nuclear atypism and mitosis of the nonepithelial cells.

Aged↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Microangioarchitecture of rat parietal cortex with special reference to vascular "sphincters". Scanning electron microscopic and dark field microscopic study.

Microangioarchitecture of the rat parietal cortex was studied by means of scanning electron microscopy and dark field microscopy. The richest supply of blood vessels in the parietal cortex was found in layer III + IV and layer V, where 2 isolated plexuses of microvessels were prominent. The appearance of the plexuses was quite different between motor and sensory areas. In the motor area the capillary plexuses were narrow and compact, while in sensory area the plexuses were wide and diffuse. Characteristic ring formations, called ring-shaped-compressions in the present study, were frequently observed at branching sites of arterioles. The ring-shaped-compression probably corresponds to the precapillary sphincter. A similar structure was also seen in capillaries and venules and, therefore, it is likely that not only arterioles, but also capillaries and even venules, can actively change diameter to control cerebral blood flow.

Animals↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Determination of vertebral bone mineral density with new dual energy X-ray absorptiometry using multiple detectors: fundamental studies.

Fundamental studies on the ability of a newly developed 90-detector dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) system with a fan beam, the DCS-3000, to determine bone mineral density (BMD) were performed. This new system not only measured BMD precisely, resulting in a fast scan mode in CV of 0.89% and 1.63% for in vitro and in vivo studies, respectively, but also performed data acquisition in a greatly reduced examination time (24 sec). Furthermore, when a rod phantom was used, the linear regression equation obtained between BMD quantified with the QDR-1000 (x) and that quantified with the DCS-3000 (y) was y = 1.250x-0.242. In both healthy subjects and osteoporotic patients, significant positive correlations were obtained between radial BMD and vertebral BMD measured with the QDR-1000 and with the DCS-3000. The correlation for radial BMD was r = 0.533 (p less than 0.001, N = 76), and that for vertebral BMD was r = 0.985 (p less than 0.001, N = 56). Therefore, in addition to safety of operation, the performance of the DCS-3000 was considered to be equal to that of commercially available DEXA systems, indicating that it should be useful in the detection of vertebral bone loss.

Absorptiometry, Photon↗