A broad tuneable birdcage coil for mouse 1H/19F MR applications.

In this paper, we present the design and implementation of a 1H/19F volume coil for mouse body magnetic resonance (MR) imaging and spectroscopy using a high magnetic field (4.7 T). By changing the geometry of the coil rungs to include both nuclei for MR experiments, this innovative coil can be tuned over an extremely wide range of frequency. The coil, 45 mm in diameter and 55 mm in length, consists of a 12-rung birdcage-like structure. Using two types of tuning, the coil can generate a sufficiently homogeneous B1+ electromagnetic field within a working volume optimized for laboratory mouse. The first tuning involves changing the resonance frequency over a large frequency range. The electrical capacitance between the wires can be adjusted to reflect changes in the length of the coil. The second tuning comprises a habitual tuning transformer for precise detection in a narrow band. In contrast to widely used multinuclear coils, the coil presented here features only one resonance peak and can be manipulated according to the Larmor frequencies given for 1H and 19F. The coil was successfully tested using full-wave simulations of magnetic and electric field distributions under in vivo MR conditions.

The role of cetuximab in the treatment of metastatic colorectal cancer.

Targeted biological therapy is becoming a standard in personalized medicine for patients with advanced stages of cancer. Treatment with cetuximab, an anti-epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) antibody, represents an example of personalized anticancer therapy for patients with metastatic colorectal cancer and wild (non-mutated) type of the Kirsten rat sarcoma viral oncogene (KRAS). Here the role of cetuximab in treating metastatic colorectal cancer is discussed with a focus on the treatment of hepatic metastases.

Morphology and mechanical properties of the subrenal aorta in normotensive and hypertensive rats.

AIMS: This work focuses on the morphological and mechanical changes in the wall of the subrenal aorta in rats suffering from arterial hypertension and chronic renal failure induced by subtotal nephrectomy (NX). METHODS: The quantitative structural parameters were assessed using stereological methods. The mechanical properties were determined using uniaxial tensile tests. RESULTS: Morphological results showed no significant differences in the wall structure of NX rats ten days following the subtotal nephrectomy in comparison with the control animals. Pronounced structural changes appeared ten weeks after the nephrectomy. The area of the profile of the arterial lumen, the volume fraction of elastin, and the elastin lamellar number in the tunica media were significantly higher in the NX rats than in the control animals. The values of the volume fraction of the smooth muscle cells in the tunica media and the lamellar unit thickness were significantly lower for the NX animals. Mechanical results showed that both kinds of tissues were characterized by a non-linear response when subjected to the tensile test. The moduli of elasticity of subrenal aortas in control and NX animals were different only for large deformations: NX samples had higher stiffness. The cyclic loading resulted in a time-dependent response for both tissue types. CONCLUSIONS: The results obtained from the NX rats ten days as well as ten weeks after operation suggested an outward hypertrophy of the aorta. The subrenal aortas of the NX animals had less strength and were less extensible than those of the control animals.

Regulated nuclear translocation of the Mig1 glucose repressor.

Glucose represses the transcription of many genes in bakers yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae). Mig1 is a Cys2-His2 zinc finger protein that mediates glucose repression of several genes by binding to their promoters and recruiting the general repression complex Ssn6-Tup1. We have found that the subcellular localization of Mig1 is regulated by glucose. Mig1 is imported into the nucleus within minutes after the addition of glucose and is just as rapidly transported back to the cytoplasm when glucose is removed. This regulated nuclear localization requires components of the glucose repression signal transduction pathway. An internal region of the protein separate from the DNA binding and repression domains is necessary and sufficient for glucose-regulated nuclear import and export. Changes in the phosphorylation status of Mig1 are coincident with the changes in its localization, suggesting a possible regulatory role for phosphorylation. Our results suggest that a glucose-regulated nuclear import and/or export mechanism controls the activity of Mig1.

The study of exposure to cadmium in the general population. II. Morbidity studies.

An epidemiological study was performed to assess whether environmental pollution by cadmium as found in cadmium polluted areas of CSFR (Pribram and Frýdek-Mistek) is associated with changes in biological indicators of renal dysfunction in non-occupationally exposed population groups. Polluted areas were chosen on the basis of existing sources of Cd emission. The city of Prague was selected as a control area. Environmental monitoring (Cd in air, dust fall and soil) did not confirm significant contamination of selected areas. It was found that Cd levels in urine (Cd-U) of inhabitants living in areas chosen as Cd-contaminated were significantly higher than in the control area. Differences in concentrations of Cd in blood (Cd-B) levels between individual areas were not significant. No significant differences between the study populations were noted in the urinary excretion of low molecular weight proteins (beta 2-microglobulin, retinol binding protein) and albuminuria. However, total proteinuria and aminoaciduria in persons living in Pribram area was significantly higher. This area suffers from combined contamination by cadmium and lead. In smokers of both sexes the Cd-B levels were significantly higher in all areas, no significant differences were found in Cd-U levels. However, it was found that in smokers there is higher percentage of persons excreting more than 0.9 micrograms Cd.g-1 creatinine in urine. Consumption of home-grown vegetable and fruit in Cd-polluted areas led to significantly higher levels of Cd-B and Cd-U and total proteinuria. The results of the study show that smoking and food seem to be the most important sources of Cd intake in non-occupationally exposed populations. In spite of the fact that environmental monitoring does not reveal a significant contamination of selected areas by Cd, Cd-U levels confirmed that population living in these areas is really exposed to Cd.

[Evaluation of the effect of cadmium exposure in a worker in Ni-Cd storage battery production by biological tests in vivo and the cadmium content of tissues postmortem]. / Auswertung des Einflusses der Exposition gegenüber Cadmium bei einem Werktätigen in der Ni-Cd-Akkumulatoren-Produktion anhand biologischer Tests in vivo und des Cadmiumgehalts in den Geweben post mortem.

The paper deals with the case of a 49 years old man having been exposed to cadmium in the production of alkaline Ni-Cd accumulators for a long period. It presents and compares the results of some years lasting biological monitoring of the exposition in vivo (beta 2 microglobulin in urine and serum, Cd in urine, blood, serum and hair, Zn in urine, serum and hair, Ni in urine and hair, alpha 1 antitrypsin in serum, dehydratase activity of delta-aminolevulinic acid in blood, cholinesterase activity in blood, etc., with the Cd concentrations found out in the tissues post mortem (nail 12 micrograms/g, cerebrum 0.4 microgram/g, lungs 19 micrograms/g, liver 165 micrograms/g, kidneys 245 micrograms/g). The Cd contents in the tissue were significantly increased compared with the non-exposed population and in fact, they confirmed the data and conclusions from the biological monitoring in vivo signalling the light tubular renal impairment as the most significant symptom of the exposition.

Ultracytochemical localization of Ca2(+)-ATPase activity in the middle ear mucosa of the guinea pig.

Ca2(+)-ATPase activity was studied ultra-cytochemically in the middle ear mucosa of the guinea pig. On electron microscopic examination, the most intense reaction was found on the microvilli. Reaction products were also observed on the cilia and around and between the secretory granules on the apical side of the cells in their secretory phase. The basolateral membranes contained few reaction products, while very little or no activity was found on the basal membrane.