Reliability of odontometric parameters in stature analysis.

BACKGROUND: To emphasize the role of odontometric parameters which may be used as a reliable forensic tool especially in cases with partial remains of the individual. AIM: To assess the reliability of odontometric parameters in stature analysis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study was conducted on 100 patients (50 male and 50 Female). Mesiodistal width of anterior teeth, inter-canine width, Inter-premolar width and maxillary arch length were the parameters included. The results were tabulated with a linear regression formula obtained for each parameter. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS: The data collected was statistically analysed using SPSS version 20 and a linear regression formula was obtained thereafter. RESULTS: Mesio-distal widths of individual maxillary canines, total mesiodistal width of maxillary anteriors and arch length showed a significant co-relation with stature. The combined linear regression formula was obtained for all parameters. CONCLUSION: Odontometric parameters of mesio - distal widths of individual maxillary canines, total mesiodistal width of maxillary anteriors and arch length can be used as reliable parameters for stature analysis.

Sentinel node biopsy in the staging of breast cancer.

BACKGROUND: The role of axillary lymph node dissection (ALND) in breast cancer is currently being reevaluated. Sentinel node biopsy (SNB) holds promise for replacing full dissection in a large number of patients with breast cancer. MATERIALS: We evaluated SNB utilizing an intraoperative gamma probe localization technique following injection of technetium sulfur colloid in 80 patients with primary breast cancer and clinically negative axillae. Forty-eight patients were evaluated at Baptist Medical Center, Montgomery, Alabama, and 32 at Rush-Presbyterian-St. Luke's Medical Center in Chicago, Illinois. RESULTS: At least one sentinel node was found in 70 of the 80 patients (88%). One patient had a sentinel node in both the axilla and internal mammary chain. The remainder had axillary sentinel nodes only. The sentinel nodes accurately predicted the status of the axilla in 69 of the 70 patients (99%). One of 14 node-positive patients would have been missed with sentinel node biopsy alone, for a false negative rate of 7%. Four node-positive patients would have been missed with routine ALND without serial sectioning (SS) and immunohistochemical staining (IH) of the sentinel node. CONCLUSIONS: Sentinel node biopsy with SS and IH more precisely predicted the status of the axilla than routine ALND in this group of patients. SNB will likely replace full axillary dissection in the majority of patients with breast cancer.

Serial sectioning of sentinel nodes in patients with breast cancer: a pilot study.

BACKGROUND: Recent reports indicate that the sentinel node, defined as the first regional lymph node to receive lymphatic fluid from the breast, accurately represents the metastatic status of the primary breast cancer. However, routine single section examination of the regional nodes, including the sentinel node, underestimates the true incidence of metastases. The goal of this study is to determine whether multiple sectioning of sentinel nodes will detect occult metastases in operable breast cancer. METHODS: Nineteen patients with invasive breast cancers were injected with technetium-99m sulfur colloid solution around the tumor or at the biopsy site before lumpectomy and axillary lymph node dissection (ALND) or mastectomy. The labeled sentinel lymph nodes (SLND) were bivalved, and a central section was taken for hematoxylin and eosin (H & E) examination. The sentinel nodes of 13 patients, which were reported to be negative for metastases, were serially sectioned at 0.5-mm intervals and stained with H & E and a cytokeratin stain, CAM 5.2. RESULTS: In the 13 node-negative patients, occult metastases were found in the sentinel nodes of 3 patients (23%). Two were seen on H & E and one by cytokeratin stain. The mean numbers of SLND and ALND in this series were 2.6 and 12.5, respectively, and the average number of sections for the two groups was 14 and 1, respectively. CONCLUSION: Multiple sectioning of the sentinel node or nodes detects occult metastases and changes the staging of breast cancer.

Inactivation of Kupffer cells after prolonged donor fasting improves viability of transplanted hepatic allografts.

Data from recent studies suggest that donor fasting imparts a beneficial effect on the viability of transplanted hepatic allografts. Because starvation may temporarily inactivate Kupffer cells, and because these cells are the likely mediators of liver injury after prolonged preservation-reperfusion, the purpose of this study is to establish a link between improved organ viability and Kupffer cell inactivation caused by donor allograft fasting. In an in vivo rat liver transplant model, 48 hours of donor fasting (1) improved allograft viability, (2) significantly decreased Kupffer cell phagocytosis, and (3) significantly decreased cytokine (tumor necrosis factor [TNF]) production postrevascularization. These data validate work from previous studies demonstrating that donor fasting improves allograft viability and furthermore support our previous research implicating activation of Kupffer cells as a causative agent of cold ischemia-preservation injury.

Production of radionuclides for medicine.

Naturally occurring, nuclear reactor-produced, cyclotron-produced, and generator-produced radionuclides are reviewed with special reference to nuclear medical and biological use. General methods of labeling, and 99mTc, 131I, 125I, 123I, 11C, 13N, 15O, 3H, and 14C labeling methods are described.

Dual energy computerized tomography: a simplified approach.

Attenuation numbers of various organic liquids were measured in a phantom at the low and high X-ray beam settings of the Mark I and CT 1010. The readings were translated into absolute units and ratios computed. There is a nonlinear relationship between this ratio and the effective atomic number of the compounds tested. A ratio of one defines a substance with energy dependence like water. Ratios below one definite anhydrous substances composed of elements with low atomic numbers. Ratios greater than one defined substances containing elements with high atomic numbers.

Differential effects of two doses of aspirin on platelets-vessel wall introduction in vivo.

Platelet cyclooxygenase appears to be more sensitive to aspirin than the arterial endothelial cell cyclooxygenase. To investigate the dose-related effects of aspirin on platelet-vessel wall interaction in acute vascular injury, male New Zealand White rabbits were treated with either (a) aspirin (150 mg/kg body wt; n = 6), (b) aspirin (30 mg/kg; n = 6), or (c) vehicle (n = 10). After treatment, autologous 111In-platelets were injected and deendothelialization of a 10-cm long segment of abdominal aorta was induced by a balloon catheter. Rabbits were killed 3 h after injury and radioactive counts and percentages of injected radioactivity per gram dry weight of tissue or blood were determined. The 30 mg aspirin group had a significantly lower radioactive count (62.13 +/- SD 6.07 x 10(3) cpm) and percentage of injected radioactivity (0.024 +/- 0.003%) per gram dry weight of damaged aortic tissue than the control (1,167.82 +/- 212.31 x 10(3) cpm/g tissue and 0.435 +/- 0.079%, respectively). By contrast, the 150-mg aspirin group had an elevation of radioactive counts (4,343.12 +/- 556.98 cpm) and percentage (1.632 +/- 0.246%) per gram dry weight of damaged tissue. Infusion of exogenous PGI2 was associated with reduction of lesion radioactivity. These findings were supported by ultrastructural findings. Examined under transmission electron microscopy, the injured aortic wall of 30-mg group was covered throughout the segment by a single layer of platelets without detectable platelet aggregates, while that of the 150-mg group was diffusely packed with multiple layers of platelets. The findings demonstrate that aspirin (30 mg/kg) prevents platelet aggregate formation at the injured arterial wall, whereas 150 mg/kg promotes platelet thrombus formation.

In vivo stability and distribution of [131I]iodomethyl trimethylammonium chloride: concise communication.

[131I]iodomethyl trimethylammonium chloride (I-131 TMA) was prepared by the isotope-exchange reaction of diiodomethane with Na131I, followed by reaction with trimethylamine. A specific activity of 20 microCi/mg was obtained. Tissue distributions following intravenous injection of I-131 TMA in mice showed that between 10 min and 2 hr, the highest accumulations of radioactivity were in the urine, kidney, and heart. The uptake of this compound in the heart was very rapid, and the levels of radioactivity remained fairly high up to 2 hr. At 10, 30, 60, and 120 min the heart-to-blood ratios were, respectively, 10.2, 7.7, 8.3, and 9.6. Thyroid uptake of this compound in the rats and analysis of urine samples of the mouse indicated no extensive deiodination of the compound in vivo. These results show that this compound does have potential for use in myocardial imaging. In addition, its stability in vivo makes it very useful for the radiolabeling of compounds containing quaternary ammonium moieties.

Manganese-52m, a new short-lived, generator-produced radionuclide: a potential tracer for positron tomography.

A new generator system has been developed using the Fe-52 leads to Mn-52m parent-daughter pair. Fe-52, half-life 8.3 hr, is isolated on an anion-exchange column, and Mn-52m is eluted in hydrochloric acid. Breakthrough is less than 0.01% and the yield is 75%. The 21.1-min half life of Mn-52m is ideal for use in sequential studies, but is long enough to permit radiochemical manipulations to control biodistribution. Animal studies indicate that Mn-52m is an ideal nuclide for myocardial imaging, combining rapid blood clearance and high concentration in the myocardium. An added advantage is that Mn-52m decays 98% by positron emission and is useful for positron computer tomography.

Myocardial imaging with 134mCesium. Comparison of scintigraphic and cineradiographic results.

Thirty-four patients had noninvasive myocardial perfusion imaging at rest using 134mCs. The results were compared with the results of coronary cineangiography and left ventriculography. All 21 patients who had abnormal left ventriculograms had corresponding myocardial imaging defects. This group included 14 patients with electrocardiographic evidence of either an old inferior, anteroseptal, anterior, or anterolateral myocardial infarction. Thirteen patients had normal left ventriculograms: this group included 6 patients with 75% or greater obstruction of one or more coronary arteries and 7 patients with normal or insignificantly diseased vessels. Only 2 of these patients had abnormal myocardial images: both had severe obstruction of the proximal left anterior descending artery without collateral filling of this vessel. In the resting patient who has 134mCs myocardial imaging, we concluded that we primarily are visualizing varying degrees of scarred myocardium rather than reversibly ischemic myocardium.

Rectal perchlorate for unconscious patients prior to brain scintigraphy with pertechnetate: concise communication.

Patients undergoing brain scintigraphy with pertechnetate are frequently premedicated with oral perchlorate. However, the oral route is difficult to employ in unconscious or uncooperative patients or when oral intake is restricted. In such situations, rectal administration of sodium perchlorate dissolved in water is an effective alternative to oral administration.

Characterization and growth-depressing activity for chickens of several natural phenolic materials.

Several natural phenolic materials were analyzed for gallic acid and were further characterized for dialyzability and flavonoid content. These materials were added to a diet and fed to broiler strain chicks for 4 weeks. The depression in growth caused by these phenolic materials was compared with that of tannic acid on a gallic acid equivalency basis. The activities relative to tannic acid (congruent to 100) were as follows: methyl gallate, 195; valonia, 117; wattle, 114; allepo tannic acid, 107; eucalyptus, 105, myrobalan, 98; tara crystals, 76; mangrove, 72; quebracho, 39; gallic acid, and ellagic acid, O. It was impossible to clearly relate the growth depressing activity of the materials to hydrolyzability or relative content of smaller phenols.