No impact of attenuation and scatter correction on the interpretation of dopamine transporter SPECT in patients with clinically uncertain parkinsonian syndrome.

Purpose: The benefit from attenuation and scatter correction (ASC) of dopamine transporter (DAT)-SPECT for the detection of nigrostriatal degeneration in clinical routine is still a matter of debate. The current study evaluated the impact of ASC on visual interpretation and semi-quantitative analysis of DAT-SPECT in a large patient sample.

Methods: One thousand seven hundred forty consecutive DAT-SPECT with I-FP-CIT from clinical routine were included retrospectively.

Stereotactical normalization with multiple templates representative of normal and Parkinson-typical reduction of striatal uptake improves the discriminative power of automatic semi-quantitative analysis in dopamine transporter SPECT.

Background: The specific binding ratio (SBR) of I-FP-CIT in the putamen is widely used to support the interpretation of dopamine transporter (DAT) SPECT. Automatic methods for computation of the putamen SBR often include stereotactical normalization of the individual DAT-SPECT image to an anatomical standard space. This study compared using a single I-FP-CIT template image as target for stereotactical normalization versus multiple templates representative of normal and different levels of Parkinson-typical reduction of striatal I-FP-CIT uptake.

Quantitative distribution of AChE-positive neurons in the hippocampus of young and aged rats.

Acetylcholinesterase (AChE)-positive neurons were counted in the different layers of the rostral (septal) third, the middle third and the caudal (temporal) third of the hippocampus from 3 month (young) and 27 month old rats (aged) using AChE stained cryostat sections. The rats were treated with 3 and 2.5 mg of diisopropylphosphofluoridate/kg body weight, respectively 3 h before sacrifice.

Cytochrome oxidase histochemistry in the rat hippocampus. A quantitative methodological study.

The diaminobenzidine (DAB) method was adapted for the microphotometric determination of cytochrome c oxidase (cyt ox) in the rat hippocampus. The qualitative and quantitative investigations at the light microscopic level showed that acetone and cytochrome c pretreatment of cryostat sections resulted in a significant increase of demonstrable cyt ox activities. The final incubation medium consisted of 7.

Sex-related differences in the handling of fluorescent ovalbumin by the proximal tubule of the rat kidney.

Sex-dependent protein handling in the rat renal tubular system was studied both qualitatively and quantitatively using the method of direct fluorescent protein tracing. The protein tracer, fluorescent ovalbumin, was synthesized by conjugating hen ovalbumin with fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC), and the fluorescence characteristics of fluoresceinthiocarbamyl (FTC)-ovalbumin conjugates with different degrees of labelling were studied. Heavily labelled tracer was intravenously injected into male and female rats, and both kidneys were perfused; the right kidney was then homogenized and used for quantitative fluorometric measurements, while the left kidney was perfusion fixed and prepared for fluorescence microscopy.

Quantitative histochemistry of the angiotensinase A (APA) in the renal glomeruli of rats after stimulation of the renin-angiotensin system.

Quantitative histochemical measurements of aminopeptidase A (APA, angiotensinase A) were done kinetically in the kidney glomeruli of rats after short-term experiments (treatment with furosemide as well as captopril for 2, 4, and 6 h). The APA activities increased after treatment with furosemide or captopril. Highest activities were determined after 4 h using furosemide and 6 h using captopril.

[Sex differentiated protein pattern in the urine of the rat following castration].

Protein excretion and protein fractions according to their molecular weight (SDS polyacrylamide-gelectrophoresis) were studied in the urine of male and female rats before and after castration. The polyacrylamide-gels were investigated qualitatively as well as quantitatively by densitometry. Male rats excrete considerably more protein in the urine than female rats.

Development of the capillary system in the neurohypophysis of the rat.

The development of the vascular system in the neurohypophysis of the rat shows three periods of structural differentiation. The first period lasts until the 17th fetal day. During this period the superficial and the border plexuses are formed, and rapid vascularization of the neural lobe anlage takes place.

[Endothelial cells in the blood vessels of mature human placental villi].

In the microcirculatory system of mature human placental villi (small arteries, arterioles and venules respectively, pre- and postcapillaries, capillaries, and postcapillary venules) two endothelial cell types do exist. Numerous micropinocytotic vesicles are common to both types. In addition type I cells are distinguished by bundles of filaments which are probably contractile.

Histochemical, autoradiographic and electron microscopic investigations of the renal proximal tubule of male and female rats after castration.

After castration of 90-day-old male and female rats, changes appear in the renal proximal tubule. A distinction can be made between early changes (up to 10th postoperative day) and later changes (20th-30th postoperative day). Between the 3rd and 5th day after castration the kidney of the females shows an increase in free estrogen receptors (biochemical studies) which are localized in the pars contorta of the proximal tubule (autoradiographic studies), while the male kidney shows a marked increase in urinary protein excretion up to the 10th day after castration.

Steroid hormone binding receptors in the rat kidney.

The studies were done on 93 Wistar rats of both sexes. Binding capacity and affinity for 3H-estradiol were determined biochemically in the cytosol fraction of renal homogenates. Free cytoplasmic estrogen binding sites were demonstrated in a portion of the females (Kd 5.

Prenatal and early postnatal development of the glial cells in the median eminence of the rat.

The development of the glial cells of the rat median eminence (ME), including the supraependymal cells, was investigated from embryonic day (ED) 14 through postnatal day (PD) 7, and pituicyte development from ED 12 through ED 17. The anlage of the ME and neurohypophysis shows a neuroepithelial-like structure at ED 12. From ED 13 to 15, the cells of both regions start to differentiate.

[Postnatal development of the median eminence in the rat].

The postnatal development of the zonation and the glial cells of the median eminence (EM) was investigated in male rats. On the 1st day of life, the ME is mostly undifferentiated. In contrast to adult animals, only the ependymal, subependymal and palisade layer can be observed.

The effect of sex hormones on the proximal tubules in the rat kidney.

The three segments (S1, S2, S3) of the proximal tubule of the rat kidney were investigated, with special reference to lysosomes, after castration, estradiol application, and at the end of pregnancy. Especially in S1 and S2 castration induces an increase of cellular autophagy. The nuclei become smaller; endoplasmic reticulum (ER), ribosomes, and Golgi apparatus are reduced; catabolism predominates.

[Glia of median eminence. Electron microscopic studies of normal, adrenalectomized and castrated rats ].

The glia is investigated in an oral and middle region of the median eminence (EM). Both zones have in common that they can be subdivided in the ependyma and subependyma (with ependymal cells, tanycytes and some oligodendroglial cells, astrocytes and glia which cannot be further classified), internal zone (with astrocytes, oligodendroglia and microglia) and external zone (with astrocytic tanycytes, microglia and a few astrocytes). Quantitative differences exist between the oral and middle part of the EM since the area which is occupied by the glia decreases per section in the caudal direction.

[Uptake of peroxidase by activated nerve cells of the hypothalamus (author's transl)].

After thirst or adrenalectomy followed by dehydration electron microscopy reveals an activation and an increased uptake of peroxidase in the nerve cells of the supraoptic, paraventricular, ventromedial and praemamillar nuclei. The amount of peroxidase which is taken up runs parallel with the activation of the corresponding nerve cells. After rehydratation the activity of the nerve cells and the uptake of peroxidase decrease.

Light and electron microscopic observations of the autonomic innervation of the mouse gallbladder mucosa. A histochemical, cytochemical, and secretory study.

The autonomic innervation of the mouse gallbladder mucosa was studied using histo- and cytochemical methods. In a light microscopic investigation the distribution of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity and formaldehyde-induced fluorescence was studied histochemically. Nerve fibres and small varicosities showed concentrations of AChE activity very close to the epithelium in the subepithelial connective tissue.