We report three cases of cystic islet cell tumors, two caused by gastrinomas and the other by an islet cell carcinoma. All three patients underwent computed tomography (CT) and angiography and two also had magnetic resonance (MR) imaging. Several common radiographic findings were present as follows: thickening of the cyst wall and irregularity of the inner surface on postcontrast CT and MR images, neovascularity and a densely staining hypervascular rim on angiography, and moderately increased signal intensity of the cyst content on T1-weighted MR images, which indicated fluid containing blood and/or necrotic tissue. These findings are helpful in defining the nature of these lesions and strongly suggest that cystic islet cell tumor should be included in the differential diagnosis.

Angiography↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Left innominate vein-pulmonary artery shunt with Glenn anastomosis in a Fontan candidate with central pulmonary artery stenosis.

Heart failure developed 9 years after Fontan takedown with systemic-pulmonary artery shunt in a 12-year-old girl with pulmonary atresia, intact ventricular septum, and obstruction in the proximal pulmonary artery. Surgical scar after multiple operations complicated direct repair of the pulmonary artery, and thus she was not eligible for definitive palliation. Left innominate vein-to-left pulmonary artery shunt using an expanded polytetrafluoroethylene conduit in association with Glenn anastomosis functionally established an unobstructive superior cavopulmonary connection without direct repair of the central pulmonary artery, later facilitating one and a half ventricle repair. Use of an extraanatomical shunt may functionally relieve central pulmonary artery obstruction in candidates for Fontan-like circulation.

Arteriovenous Shunt, Surgical↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Magnetic resonance imaging in Pelizaeus-Merzbacher disease.

Cranial computed tomography of a boy with clinical characteristics of the classic form of Pelizaeus-Merzbacher disease did not reveal a notable abnormality other than enlarged ventricles. Magnetic resonance imaging, however, demonstrated diffuse changes in the white matter with sparing of scattered small areas, suggesting persistent myelin islands which are a typical neuropathologic finding in Pelizaeus-Merzbacher disease. Magnetic resonance imaging appears more useful than computed tomography in confirming the diagnosis of Pelizaeus-Merzbacher disease.

Adolescent↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Two factors of experienced deficits in schizophrenia and their relationships with positive, negative, and depressive symptoms.

Eighty inpatients and 20 outpatients with ICD-10 schizophrenia were assessed with the Manchester Scale (MS) and the scale for the assessment of Subjective Experience of Deficits in Schizophrenia (SEDS). A factor analysis on MS scores yielded a three-factor solution: negative symptoms, positive symptoms, and anxious-depressive factor. On the other hand, a factor analysis on SEDS scores provided a seven-factor solution. The first factor, "awareness of social incompetence (ASI)," positively correlated with the anxious-depressive factor. ASI may reflect a negative cognitive attitude of persons who easily become depressive. The second factor, "subjective cognitive disturbance (SCD)," positively correlated with the positive-symptoms factor. SCD might represent a subtle disturbance, which can also produce positive symptoms. We found no factor on SEDS that correlated with the negative-symptoms factor. It was noted that a selection and comparison of items and the cultural background of subjects should be considered.

Adolescent↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Adrenoceptors affect accommodation by modulating cholinergic activity.

In an attempt to clarify the functional role of adrenoceptors in accommodation, the effects of various adrenergic agents on the state of accommodation were studied. Fifty-two emmetropic, visually normal subjects (24.6 +/- 0.42 years old) participated in this study. Using an infrared optometer, the far and near points of accommodation were measured by a quasistatic method. Tonic accommodation and accommodative adaptation were also investigated. All these parameters were measured before and after topical application of various adrenergic agents. Both bunazosin hydrochloride (0.1%) and phenylephrine hydrochloride (5%) had no effect on tonic accommodation and accommodative adaptation. However, bunazosin hydrochloride increased the near point of accommodation. Timolol maleate (0.5%) and isoproterenol hydrochloride (3.0%) did not affect tonic accommodation. Isoproterenol hydrochloride evoked a hyperopic shift of the far point of accommodation by 0.23 +/- 0.42 diopters (D). Additionally, accommodative adaptation was increased by timolol maleate (0.36 +/- 0.62 D) and decreased by isoproterenol hydrochloride (0.18 +/- 0.48 D). These results indicate that both alpha and beta adrenoceptors affect accommodation. Activation of alpha adrenoceptors increased the near point of accommodation and activation of beta adrenoceptors decreased accommodative adaptation, which suggests that activation of adrenoceptors may modify parasympathetic activity; hence, affecting the state of accommodation.

Accommodation, Ocular↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Variation of cadmium accumulation among Japanese.

Human liver, renal cortex, and heart muscle from 394 autopsied Japanese who had lived in eight districts of Japan were sampled. Subjects included 200 males between 0 to 89 yr of age and 194 females between 0 to 94 yr of age. Cadmium, copper, and zinc in both liver and renal cortex, as well as cadmium in heart muscle were compared by district, sex, age, and smoking habits. Statistical results revealed that the difference of each heavy metal distribution by eight districts is significant and that cadmium and zinc levels in liver and renal cortex sampled from north-central Japan were the highest. This probably results from the larger intake of dietary cadmium and zinc via rice since this area is known as one of the better rice growing regions in Japan. Although there is a lack of precise information on smoking habit, cadmium in liver and zinc in liver and renal cortex of males smoking eight or more cigarettes per day were statistically higher than that of nonsmokers and those who smoked less than seven cigarettes per day. However, cadmium in renal cortex was not significant between the two smoking groups. Further studies should be performed to determine the health significance of an increased intake of cadmium by populations from the viewpoint of global biogeochemistry.

Adolescent↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Combination of surface anatomy MRI and MR venography to demonstrate cerebral cortex and cortical veins on one image.

We assessed in 12 patients the value of MR images in which a surface anatomy scanning (SAS) image and an MR venogram are added. We obtained SAS images using the half-Fourier technique and MR venograms with the 2D phase-contrast technique. The added images provided sufficient information concerning brain surface as well as cortical veins. Their findings correlated with those at surgery in six patients who underwent scalp incision marking. This technique provides valuable anatomical information preoperatively.

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Cerebral perfusion MRI with arterial spin labeling technique at 0.5 Tesla.

PURPOSE: Our aim was to evaluate the feasibility of cerebral perfusion MRI using an arterial spin labeling technique at 0.5 T. METHOD: We performed perfusion imaging with a flow-sensitive alternating inversion recovery (FAIR) sequence in a total of 37 patients with cerebral infarction. RESULTS: FAIR perfusion images demonstrated areas of pathological perfusion corresponding (13 patients) or not corresponding (15 patients) to the infarcted area on MR images. Among 19 patients in whom comparison between FAIR perfusion imaging and regional cerebral blood flow single photon emission CT was available, the two studies correlated well in 15 patients. CONCLUSION: Our results indicate that the FAIR technique allows reliable cerebral perfusion imaging at 0.5 T.

Adolescent↗

PubMedDate not supplied

MRI of influenza encephalopathy in children: value of diffusion-weighted imaging.

PURPOSE: Our purpose was to describe the MR findings of influenza encephalopathy and assess the value of diffusion-weighted imaging for its diagnosis. METHOD: We examined a total of five patients diagnosed as having influenza encephalopathy or encephalitis by MRI, including diffusion-weighted imaging. We analyzed the conventional images and compared them with diffusion-weighted images. RESULTS: Abnormally hyperintense lesions of varying extent and location were noted on T2-weighted and fluid-attenuated inversion recovery images in the cortex and adjacent white matter in every case. They showed no contrast enhancement. Diffusion-weighted imaging demonstrated the lesions as areas of restricted proton diffusion more clearly than conventional imaging. CONCLUSION: Influenza encephalopathy is depicted as areas of T2 elongation having a rather nonspecific distribution. Diffusion-weighted imaging can demonstrate the lesions sensitively and serve as a valuable adjunct to conventional MRI.

Acute Disease↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Acetabular remodelling in Perthes' disease after primary healing.

We conducted a study to assess the remodelling potential of the acetabulum of 29 children with Perthes' disease. In all but four, the acetabular head index (AHI) increased in the time between primary healing of the femoral head and follow-up at skeletal maturity. We classified 13 cases (44.8%) in which the increase in AHI was more than 10% as group I. In this group, the outcome at follow-up was predictable when subluxation during the active phase of the disease decreased until primary healing. Our observations suggest that the position of the femoral head, rather than sphericity, is the most important factor in acetabular growth and remodelling.

Acetabulum↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Coordinate interaction between ATP-sensitive K+ channel and Na+, K+-ATPase modulates ischemic preconditioning.

BACKGROUND: We reported that digoxin abolishes the infarct size (IS)-limiting effect of ischemic preconditioning (IPC). Because ATP-sensitive K+ (KATP) channels are involved in IPC, we studied whether Na+,K+-ATPase and KATP channels functionally interact, thereby modulating IPC. METHODS AND RESULTS: Rabbits received 30 minutes of coronary artery occlusion followed by 3 hours of reperfusion. IPC was elicited by 5 minutes of occlusion followed by 10 minutes of reperfusion. The IS, expressed as a percentage of the area at risk, was 40.2+/-2.8% in control and 39.8+/-5.0% in digoxin pretreatment rabbits. Both IPC and pretreatment with cromakalim, a KATP channel opener, reduced IS to 11.8+/-1.8% and 13.4+/-2.6% (P<0. 05 versus control). Digoxin abolished the reduction in IS induced by IPC (33.5+/-3.3%), whereas it did not change that induced by cromakalim (18.8+/-3.0%). In patch-clamp experiments, digoxin was found to inhibit the opening of KATP channels in single ventricular myocytes in which ATP depletion had been induced by metabolic stress. In contrast, digoxin had little effect on the channel opening induced by cromakalim. Moreover, the inhibitory action of digoxin on channel activities was dependent on subsarcolemmal ATP concentration. CONCLUSIONS: The IS-limiting effect of IPC is modulated by an interaction between KATP channels and Na+,K+-ATPase through subsarcolemmal ATP.

Animals↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Comprehensive assessment of occupational and environmental health problems: an overview--a proposal of macro approach: industrial ecological sciences.

Explore the source record for details and available documents.

Computer Simulation↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Hypopituitarism associated with Cogan's syndrome; high-dose glucocorticoid therapy reverses pituitary swelling.

A 70-year-old woman with Cogan's syndrome first presented with central diabetes insipidus and then developed secondary hypothyroidism. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed a diffuse pituitary swelling without evidence of tumor. High-dose glucocorticoid therapy administered to treat Cogan's syndrome was very effective in suppressing the inflammatory process, and resulted in the reversal of the pituitary swelling and partial recovery of thyroid stimulating hormone secretion. This is the first case of hypopituitarism associated with Cogan's syndrome, a form of autoimmune vasculitis. The glucocorticoid-responsive pituitary lesion is best explained by autoimmune hypophysitis which shows pituitary swelling and is known to often associate with other autoimmune phenomena.

Aged↗