Nuclear lamina strain states revealed by intermolecular force biosensor.

Nuclear lamins have been considered an important structural element of the nucleus. The nuclear lamina is thought both to shield DNA from excessive mechanical forces and to transmit mechanical forces onto the DNA. However, to date there is not yet a technical approach to directly measure mechanical forces on nuclear lamins at the protein level.

Value of joint scintigraphy in the prediction of erosiveness in early rheumatoid arthritis.

The value of scintigraphy in predicting development of new erosions in small peripheral joints was studied by visual evaluation of scintigrams and by three computerised methods. In 13 patients with newly diagnosed rheumatoid arthritis a total of 387 joints were examined clinically, scintigraphically, and radiographically. The follow up period was 24 months.

Technetium-99m in the study of rheumatic joints.

The accumulation of Tc-99m in knee and finger joints was studied in 41 rheumatic patients and 25 controls. The accumulation of the radioisotope was correlated with the intensity of active inflammation. Rheumatoid joints showed a stronger Tc-99m uptake than joints with osteoarthritis.

Scintigraphy of rheumatoid peripheral joints. Reliability of visual assessment vs. computerized methods.

99mTc-methylene diphosphonate (99mTc-MDP) scintigraphy of peripheral joints was studied by visual evaluation (Visual Assessment) of the scintigrams and by a computerized region-of-interest (ROI) method without, or with a reference region (ROI method or Corrected ROI method). Sixteen rheumatoid patients and a total of 477 peripheral joints were studied and the results compared with clinical joint activity evaluated by joint palpation. The ROI method without a reference proved to be insensitive and hence unsuitable for clinical use.

A comparison of 99mTc-MDP and 99mTc-pertechnetate by computerized quantitative joint scintigraphy.

Computerized, quantitative joint scintigraphies were performed using both 99mTc-MDP and 99mTc-pertechnetate. 17 joint pairs with asymmetric active arthritis were selected for the study. The joint activity ratio was calculated by dividing the curve peak value of the inflamed joint by the curve maximum of the contralateral symptomless joint.

Radiation-induced changes in regional blood flow in human tumors.

In 43 patients the blood flow in 48 superficial metastatic tumors was measured with the 133xenon wash-out method. In all cases the blood flow was measured before the start of radiotherapy and then one week later during radiotherapy. In 36 cases the blood flow was measured after 2 weeks during radiotherapy, and in six patients the follow-up lasted 5-6 weeks.

Intervillous blood flow in normal and complicated late pregnancy measured by means of an intravenous 133Xe method.

Intervillous blood flow (IVBF) was measured intravenously with a new quantitative 133Xe method in 50 normal and 74 complicated late pregnancies between the 35th and 42nd weeks. The distribution of individual flow rates seemed to be fairly wide in both the normal and the pathological groups. The mean rate of IVBF in normal pregnancies was 140 ml/100 ml of intervillous space/min.

Erbium--169 versus triamcinolone hexacetonide in the treatment of rheumatoid finger joints.

Erbium--169 was compared with triamcinolone hexacetonide in the topical treatment of 32 patients suffering from rheumatoid arthritis. Erbium--169 was injected into 83 and triamcinolone hexacetonide into 54 proximal interphalangeal or metacarpophalangeal joints. Both treatments produced alleviation of joint pain and swelling and improvement of grip strength.

An intravenous 133Xe method for measuring regional distribution of placental blood flow.

A new method for measuring regional distribution of placental blood flow is presented. After 2-5 mCi of 133Xe saline has been injected intravenously, the counts over the placenta are registered with a scintillation camera interfaced with a digital data storage and television readout system. Using "area of interest" technique, time activity curves are obtained for different regions.

Measurement of intervillous and myometrial blood flow by an intravenous 133Xe method.

A new 'non-invasive' method for measuring intervillous and myometrial blood flow is presented. After 2 mCi of 133Xe in physiological saline was injected intravenously the patient held her breath for 20 seconds. The tracer entered the placenta as a short bolus and its removal was followed with a scintillation detector.

Regional blood flow in human tumours with special reference to the effect of radiotherapy.

Blood flow in 41 superficial tumour nodules, of which nine were lymphomas, nine anaplastic carcinomas and 23 differentiated malignomas was measured using the 133Xe-clearance method. The lymphomas showed statistically higher blood flow (38-4 ml./min/100 g) than anaplastic (11-4 ml.

Changes in tumour cell selenite (75Se) affinity due to irradiation.

The uptake of 75Se sodium selenite in the liver and tumour tissue of irradiated Wistar rats was studied by radiation measuring methods and radiochromatography. In in vitro experiments liver slices were incubated in selenite solution following irradiation of the liver. The uptake in proteins diminished by 11% as compared with the unirradiated rats.

Retention and extra-articular spread of intra-articularly injected 90Y silicate.

A study was performed on the retention and distribution of intra-articularly injected colloidal 90Y silicate in 7 patients with rheumatoid arthritis (8 knees). In 5 knees retention was complete within the limits of measuring accuracy, and in the remaining 3, 82-84% was retained. No radioactivity was detected in the liver and heart areas or in the blood samples.

Cardiopulmonary blood volumes at rest and during muscular exercise measured by 113mIn radiocardiography.

Cardiac output, stroke volume, right heart and left heart blood volume, pulmonary blood volume and pulmonary mean time were measured at rest and during muscular exercise in 14 healthy subjects in the supine position. The method used was 113mIn radiocardiography measured precordially with a single detector. The results were analyzed with a minicomputer by a modified gamma function fitting method.