Magnetoelectric coupling at metal surfaces.

Magnetoelectric coupling allows the magnetic state of a material to be changed by an applied electric field. To date, this phenomenon has mainly been observed in insulating materials such as complex multiferroic oxides. Bulk metallic systems do not exhibit magnetoelectric coupling, because applied electric fields are screened by conduction electrons. We demonstrate strong magnetoelectric coupling at the surface of thin iron films using the electric field from a scanning tunnelling microscope, and are able to write, store and read information to areas with sides of a few nanometres. Our work demonstrates that high-density, non-volatile information storage is possible in metals.

Uptake and phototoxicity of meso-tetrahydroxyphenyl chlorine are highly variable in human biliary tract cancer cell lines and correlate with markers of differentiation and proliferation.

Photodynamic therapy (PDT) using Photofrin and, recently, Foscan has gained broad acceptance for palliative treatment of non-resectable cholangiocarcinoma (CC). No information, however, is available whether the phenotype of CC tumour cells has an effect on the efficiency of the treatment. Using a well-characterised set of n = 9 biliary tract cancer cell lines this study investigated the uptake, phototoxicity, and release of meso-tetrahydroxyphenyl chlorine (mTHPC, Foscan) after incubation with 200 or 400 ng ml(-1) mTHPC. For uptake of mTHPC we found great variations between the individual cell lines (up to a factor 2), resulting in even more pronounced differences in phototoxicity. Based on statistical classification by hierarchical cluster analysis, two groups of cell lines can be distinguished which are characterised by either high or low susceptibility towards mTHPC-based photodynamic treatment. Correlation analysis with previously established immunochemical parameters showed that cells with a low cytokeratin-19 (ductal differentiation), high vimentin (mesenchymal marker), and high proliferative phenotype preferentially show higher uptake of mTHPC and subsequent phototoxicity. These results demonstrate high variability of biliary tract cancer cells when subjected to mTHPC-based photodynamic treatment and identify possible markers that could be used in the clinical setting in order to predict the efficiency of PDT and adjust the dose for complete tumour elimination.

Differential effects of rapamycin in anti-GBM glomerulonephritis.

The immunosuppressive mammalian target of rapamycin inhibitor rapamycin is widely used in solid-organ transplantation, but the effect of rapamycin on kidney disease is controversial. This study evaluated the effect of rapamycin in the autologous phase of anti-glomerular basement membrane (anti-GBM) glomerulonephritis. Disease was induced by preimmunizing the animals with rabbit IgG 5 d before administration of rabbit anti-mouse GBM antiserum. When rapamycin was started on the day of immunization (group 1), mice were protected from glomerulonephritis, suggested by a dramatic decrease in albuminuria, influx of inflammatory cells, and Th1-cytokine expression in the kidneys. Activation of T cells and production of autologous mouse anti-rabbit IgG were also significantly reduced in rapamycin-treated animals. In contrast, when rapamycin was started 14 d after immunization (group 2), mice had a significant increase in albuminuria and renal infiltration of inflammatory cells compared with vehicle-treated animals, and there were no differences in T and B cell responses. A significant decrease in vascular endothelial growth factor-A and an increase in IL-6 were detected in kidneys of these rapamycin-treated mice. In conclusion, rapamycin has the potential to significantly reduce the B and T cell responses and thereby protect from glomerulonephritis when administered early in disease. Once disease is established, however, rapamycin seems to worsen glomerulonephritis by disturbing the endothelial cell/vascular endothelial growth factor system in the kidney.

Efficacy of Farabloc as an analgesic in primary fibromyalgia.

The goal of our study was to determine the efficacy of Farabloc, an electromagnetic shielding fabric compared to placebo fabric when worn as a nightgown, as an analgesic in patients hospitalized with fibromyalgia. In a rheumatologic and rehabilitation hospital, we performed a phase 1, single-blind study of patients using Farabloc (F) or placebo (P) gowns for 8 h per night during the 20-day hospitalization and a phase 2, single-blind crossover study of patients using both F and P gowns randomly and alternatively switching after 10 of 21 days hospitalization (phase 1: 42 F, mean age 49.02 years, 35 female, 7 male; 84 P, mean age 48.08 years, 72 female, 12 males; phase 2: 25 F/P, P/F, or P/P, mean age 44.0 years, 24 female, 1 male). The study involved randomly selected and blinded use of hospital gown 8 h per night of either F or P fabric. The main outcome measures were changes from admission or midpoint to discharge in quantity of pain (QN), quality of pain (QL), and paracetamol use (PU). In phase 1, all three variables significantly favored F over P when using paired t test, two sample t test, Mann-Whitney, and analysis of covariance tests. QN was reduced (F = -2.03 -/+ 0.99*, P = 0.59 -/+ 0.71). QL was reduced (F = -10.64 -/+ 5.69*, P = -2.54 -/+ 3.40). PU was reduced (F = 10.69 -/+ 6.68*, P = 26.12 -/+ 9.37). In phase 2, comparing midpoint to discharge levels in the three variables again favored P/F over F/P and P/P (>0.001): QN (P/F +16.00 -/+ 8.35* F/P -13.27 -/+ 11.40), QL (P/F +8.71 -/+ 4.75* F/P -6.55 -/+ 5.59), and PU (F -9.29 -/+ 4.39* P -18.00 -/+ 5.27) (*p = <0.001). Patients with fibromyalgia had less pain after sleeping in a gown made of Farabloc than with a placebo fabric. This suggests that Farabloc, an electromagnetic shielding fabric, has analgesic properties in fibromyalgia. Reduced pain observation is consistent with previous studies in phantom limb pain and delayed onset muscle pain. Limitations of this study include single blind design, small sample size, and in phase 2, a lack of washout period and a F/F group.

Comparison of transrectal sonography and double-contrast MR imaging when staging rectal cancer.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was the prospective comparison of the diagnostic yield of transrectal sonography and double-contrast MR imaging for preoperative staging of rectal cancer. SUBJECTS AND METHODS. Thirty-nine rectal cancer patients (20 men, 19 women) underwent transrectal sonography performed with a 10-MHz endoanal probe and MR imaging (1.0 T or 1.5 T) using a whole-body coil. After rectal application of a superparamagnetic iron oxide MR contrast agent, T1- and T2-weighted images and gadolinium-enhanced double-contrast images were obtained. The results of examinations were compared with the histology of resected specimens. RESULTS: Histopathology showed four stage T1, 11 stage T2, 18 stage T3, and six stage T4 tumors using the TNM staging system. Nodal metastases were seen in 16 patients. Transrectal sonography could not be performed in 11 patients because of the high location of the tumor. In the remaining 28 patients, the accuracy of transrectal sonography for T stage was 64% overall (patients not receiving radiation, 69%; patients receiving radiation, 60%) and 70% for N stage. In 39 patients, double-contrast MR imaging correctly identified the T stage with an accuracy of 64% overall (patients not receiving radiation, 75%; patients receiving radiation, 53%) and the N stage with an accuracy of 62%. The assessment of rectal wall penetration (Dukes' classification A versus B) revealed a sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of 93%, 71%, and 82%, respectively, for transrectal sonography and 100%, 60%, and 85% for MR imaging. CONCLUSION: If it is technically feasible, transrectal sonography is an accurate method for staging rectal cancer. In proximal or stenotic tumors, double-contrast MR imaging is the method of choice. Diagnostic accuracy of transrectal sonography and MR imaging is high for predicting bowel wall penetration.

Neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis: late infantile or Jansky Bielschowsky type--re-revisited.

Among the now eight genetic types of neuronal ceroid-lipofuscinoses (NCL), CLN1 to CLN8, CLN2 is considered classic late-infantile NCL. It was originally described by Jansky in a family of eight children with four of them affected [Jansky J (1908) Sborn Lék 13:165-196] and, subsequently, by Bielschowsky in a family of three children each of whom was affected, and, hence, termed Jansky-Bielschowsky type of NCL. Earlier, archival studies of Bielschowsky's original post-mortem tissue blocks had documented accumulation of autofluorescent lipopigments with a curvilinear ultrastructure. In a subsequent study, described here, immunohistochemical absence of the CLN2-related lysosomal enzyme tripeptidyl peptidase-I and two heterozygous mutations in the CLN2 gene could be demonstrated in these archival tissues, further corroborating the identity of Bielschowsky's familial disorder and CLN2 described by M. Bielschowsky at the beginning of the last century. Furthermore, these immunohistochemical and mutational investigations underscore the value of archival tissue studies.

Neuronal ceroid-lipofuscinosis--late-infantile or Jansky-Bielschowsky type--revisited.

The tissues from three patients with late-infantile NCL originally described by Max Bielschowsky became available to apply modern techniques such as fluorescence microscopy, electron microscopy and immunohistochemistry. While regular tinctorial preparations of the tissues documented a neuronal storage disorder in all three patients' tissues, the accumulated material proved to be autofluorescent, showed the ultrastructure of curvilinear lipopigments, and reacted strongly with an antibody against the subunit-C of mitochondrial ATP synthase, a major component of lipopigments in NCL and also with an antibody against sphingolipid activator proteins. Thus, these modern morphological techniques demonstrated that the originally described three siblings with late-infantile "amaurotic familial idiocy" really had neuronal ceroid-lipofuscinosis of the late-infantile or Jansky-Bielschowsky type, according to current diagnostic criteria. This type of archival study may also contribute to the mosaic of medical history.

The expression of nerve growth factor receptor on Schwann cells and the effect of these cells on the regeneration of axons in traumatically injured human spinal cord.

To investigate the effects of Schwann cells and nerve growth factor receptor (NGFR) on the regeneration of axons, autopsy specimens of spinal cord from 21 patients with a survival time of 2 h to 54 years after spinal cord trauma were studied using immunohistochemistry and electron microscopy. Regenerating sprouts of axons could be observed as early as 4 days after trauma. At 4.5 months after trauma, many regenerating nests of axons appeared in the injured spinal cord. The regeneration nests contained directionally arranged axons and Schwann cells. Some axons were myelinated. In injured levels of the spinal cord, the Schwann cells exhibited an increased expression of NGFR within spinal roots. These results show that an active regeneration process occurs in traumatically injured human spinal cord. The NGFR expressed on Schwann cells could mediate NGF to support and induce the axon regeneration in the central nervous system.

[Optical and tactile hallucinosis as clinical onset of Creutzfeld-Jakob disease]. / Optische und taktile Halluzinose als klinischer Beginn einer Creutzfeld-Jakob-Erkrankung.

A patient suffering from Creutzfeld-Jakob disease (CJD) complained of optical hallucinations, followed by feelings of persecution. Clinical, encephalographic and neuropathological findings pointed towards a focalized beginning of the disease process in the right frontal and temporal lobe. The hypothesized further spread of the infectious agent, as indicated by electroencephalographic and neuropathological findings, was accompanied by periacute manifestation of dementia and an irreversible disturbance of vigilance. The diagnosis of CJE can be especially difficult in the early stages of the disease, with dementia, myocloni and typical electroencephalographic findings still absent.

Reexpression of nerve growth factor receptor in human traumatic injured spinal cord.

In this study, the reexpression of nerve growth factor receptor (NGFR) on paraffin sections of the human spinal cord was examined with immunohistochemical method in 18 cases with survival periods of 2 hours to 28 months after trauma. The results were as follow: the reexpression of NGFR in motoneurons of the ventral horn began on the fourth day after trauma and decreased within 30 days after trauma. However, it could still be observed in patients who survived up to 28 months. The axons in funiculus dorsalis reexpressed NGFR 7 hours to 9 weeks after injury, which may be interpreted as axoplasmic transport effect of NGFR in the spinal ganglion cells. NGFR labelled intraspinal microvessels were present in the injured spinal cord. Reexpression of NGFR in motoneurons after injury reflects an increased demand of neurotrophic factors, and an increased access exerting the physiological effects of trophic factors mediated by NGFR.

Intravascular lymphomatosis of the CNS: clinicopathologic study and search for expression of oncoproteins and Epstein-Barr virus.

Five cases of intravascular lymphomatosis (IVL) are reported. Diffuse or focal cerebral signs suggestive of vascular disease occurred in four cases, but case 5 presented with symptoms similar to Creutzfeld-Jakob disease. Clinical course ranged from two to eight months and diagnosis was made in all cases by autopsy. Neoplastic lymphoid cells mainly lodged in lumina of small vessels in many organs, but infarction was confined to the CNS. Some extravascular tumor cells were regularly seen. All cases corresponded to high-grade Non-Hodgkin lymphomas of B-cell type and displayed high proliferation indices. Different from findings in primary cerebral and nodal lymphomas, neither p53 nor bcl-2 oncoproteins were detectable. Absence of EBV genome and EBV latent membrane protein from IVL was demonstrated for the first time.

Operative treatment and prognosis of syringomyelia.

Twenty-two patients suffering from syringomyelia were treated operatively. Different shunt procedures were performed. Most often syringo-subarachnoid shunt (seven cases) and syringopleural shunt (eight cases) were used. Operative findings and complications were discussed. Postoperative improvement was observed in five patients, twelve were stable-unchanged, four showed further deterioration and one died. Operative treatment should be performed before gross neurological deficit is established.

A Golgi study on the red nucleus in man.

The different cell types comprising the human red nucleus (RN) from eight patients without neuronal diseases were investigated using the Golgi-Braitenberg method for long-stored autopsy material. No giant cells were found due to regression of the magnicellular part of the human RN. We found larger (40-50 microns) and smaller (30 microns perikaryon size) medium-sized multipolar neurons with long dendrites, mushroom spines and typical distal dendritic tufts. The larger medium-sized RN neurons had some brush-shaped dendritic end portions which could not be observed in the Golgi studies on various other mammals described in the literature. We additionally found small neurons with a perikaryon size of 15 microns. These cells were thought to be intrinsic neurons similar to those in animal investigations. The neuronal types found in the normal human RN corresponded to those in the parvicellular part of the mammalian RN. Dendritic end brushes, however, are typical only for the human RN.

A Golgi study of human locus coeruleus in normal brains and in Parkinson's disease.

The locus coeruleus (LC) of eight adults without neurodegenerative disease and eight patients with Parkinson's disease was investigated by means of the Golgi-Braitenberg method for formalin-fixed human autopsy material. As with Golgi studies in the rat and cat, two main neuronal classes could be demonstrated in the human LC: (i) medium-sized fusiform and multipolar LC neurons known to contain neuromelanin and (ii) smaller neurons of widely varying somatic shape and dendritic arborization which are considered to be intermingled neurons of adjacent brain stem nuclei not containing neuromelanin. In Parkinson's disease, the Golgi-impregnated medium-sized LC neurons were reduced in number. They showed marked reduction of dendritic length, severe loss of spines, dendritic varicosities and swollen perikarya. The last two findings could be due in part to Lewy-body inclusions. The smaller non-noradrenergic neurons did not show severe pathological changes by the Golgi impregnation technique, which is in line with the fact that only neuromelanin-containing LC neurons are affected in the pathological process of Parkinson's disease.

The Incidence of Listeria in Processed Meats in South Africa.

Three types of processed meats, vienna sausages, ham, and cervelat, were purchased from 17 supermarkets on three occasions in the Pretoria area (South Africa) during spring 1990. The 134 samples were monitored for Listeria , with total plate counts also being determined. Listeria occurred in 11 (8.2%) of all the samples, with the highest incidence in ham (14.0% of all ham samples). Except for one vienna sausage sample, all the samples containing Listeria had total plate counts of between 105 and 107 organisms per g sample.

Brain-restricted amyloidoma of immunoglobulin lambda-light chain origin clinically resembling multiple sclerosis.

Cerebral amyloid deposits restricted to the white matter and associated with intracerebral lymphoma were biochemically identified. The patient died at 58 years of age after 37 years of illness with progressive neurological symptoms clinically indicative of multiple sclerosis. Pathomorphologically, spongiform alteration and demyelinization of the white matter in the vicinity of the amyloid deposits was detected and systemic amyloidosis excluded. Immunohistochemically, the amyloid was found to be of immunoglobulin lambda-light chain origin. To establish the nature of this amyloid, its fibrils were extracted and the amyloid fibril proteins isolated by size exclusion chromatography. Immunochemically, the purified amyloid fibril proteins were shown to be of immunoglobulin lambda-light chain origin. This finding was substantiated chemically. Since the N-terminal amino acid was blocked, tryptic peptides were isolated by reversed phase HPLC. The amino-acid sequence of two major peptides revealed homology with the variable region of the immunoglobulin lambda-light chain. This report defines a novel local A lambda-amyloid disease restricted to the white matter of the brain.

Primary cerebral anaplastic T-cell-lymphoma (type Ki-1): review and case report.

We describe the clinical course of a 20-year-old man who suffered generalized convulsive seizures with postictal aphasia and hemiparesis of the right side. Computed tomography (CT) displayed a left postcentral lesion with prominent perifocal edema and only a little contrast medium enhancement. The completely removed tumor proved to be a primary cerebral non-Hodgkin lymphoma consisting of T-cells. Only ten days after the operation the patient once more presented a clinical deterioration. A nuclear magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) displayed an annular structure in the area previously operated upon, suspected to be an abscess. The second operation disclosed a large recurrence of the primary T-cell lymphoma extending diffusely into the white matter. On account of the rapid recurrence, a whole brain irradiation was started twelve days after the second operation. Four cycles of chemotherapy followed. Immunohistochemical studies of the anaplastic large lymphoma cells showed staining with the pan T-cell markers (UCHL1, CD3) and with the CD30 (Ki-1) antibody. The B-cell markers (L26, LN1) were negative. The EMA (epithelial membrane antigen) was only partially expressed. Further investigation excluded the presence of systemic lymphoma manifestation. 24 months after the last operation the patient remained free of symptoms. The last MRI displayed no evidence for the recurrence of a lymphoma. In reference to this unusual clinical course the few previously reported cases of the extremely rare primary cerebral T-cell lymphoma are reviewed.

Clinical and cerebral blood flow studies in patients with intracranial hemorrhage and amyloid angiopathy typical of Alzheimer's disease.

Spontaneous intracerebral hemorrhages can occur in patients with severe amyloid angiopathy and other morphological signs of Alzheimer's disease (AD). We observed 15 patients in whom histological examination of brain tissue specimens obtained at surgery revealed characteristic congophilic amyloid deposits in subcortical arteries and/or nerve cells. Clinical follow-up examinations were carried out up to 9 years after diagnosis. In addition, three survivors from the operated group were investigated by neuropsychological testing and single photon emission computer tomography (SPECT) using Tc-99m-HMPAO for determination of regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF). SPECT could not differentiate between the "typical Alzheimer disease pattern" of bilateral temporo-parietal rCBF reduction and flow deficits resulting from previous hemorrhage. Intellectual functioning was found to be impaired to various degrees ranging from normal function to severe dementia (MMS test scores varied between 15 and 26 points); again, it was difficult to differentiate clinically between the nosologic entities mentioned above. On the basis of our present experience we cannot distinguish between brain dysfunction due to Alzheimer's disease and intracranial hemorrhage from amyloid angiopathy. This supports the idea that intracranial hemorrhage may only be one clinical manifestation of amyloid deposits, another one being "Alzheimer's disease" with varying preponderance.

Pathological changes in dendrites of substantia nigra neurons in Parkinson's disease: a Golgi study.

Neurons of the substantia nigra show severe morphological changes in Parkinson's disease. Pathological alterations of cell bodies have been described, whereas those of neuronal processes have hardly been investigated. Golgi impregnation has been the chosen method for demonstrating neuronal processes and dendritic and somatic spines. We therefore used the Golgi-Braitenberg method to qualitatively and semi-quantitatively study the substantia nigra of eight patients with Parkinson's disease compared with eight control cases. Golgi impregnation of substantia nigra neurons was good in all control cases. In full agreement with the analysis of Braak and Braak (1986) three neuronal types within the substantia nigra were found. In cases of Parkinson's disease, severe pathological changes such as decrease of dendritic length, loss of dendritic spines and several types of dendritic varicosities were found only in the melanin-containing pars compacta neurons. Pars reticulata nerve cells were intact. These findings support the predominant role played by the dopaminergic efferent pathway in the degenerative process. The afferent pathway was not affected. This suggests that the substantia nigra lesion is primary in Parkinson's disease. Loss of neurons found in H & E sections corresponded to a lesser amount of impregnated pars compacta neurons in cases with Parkinson's disease when compared to controls. Evidences exist that the duration of the disease may be related to the extent of pathologically altered Golgi-impregnated pars compacta cells. The amount of Lewy bodies in H & E sections corresponded to the quantity of round varicosities in impregnated pars compacta neurons. These round dendritic varicosities were considered to be Lewy body inclusions.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)