Selective DNAM-1 expression on small peritoneal macrophages contributes to CD4 T cell costimulation.

Mouse peritoneal macrophages consist of two subsets: large peritoneal macrophages (LPMs) and small peritoneal macrophages (SPMs), defined as CD11bF4/80 and CD11bF4/80 cells, respectively. We reveal that SPMs, but not LPMs, have the ability to present antigens to naïve CD4 T cells. Coculture of SPMs with naïve ovalbumin (OVA) specific CD4 T cells (OT-II) in the presence of OVA peptide effectively induced CD4 T cells priming.

The advantage of iron-containing fiducial markers placed with a thin needle for radiotherapy of liver cancer in terms of visualization on MRI: an initial experience of Gold Anchor.

Radiotherapy for liver malignancy is increasing due to advances in radiotherapy technique. Visualization of the tumor as well as fiducial markers is essential. To see if improved visibility exists on computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), we evaluated an iron-containing fiducial marker.

Expression of DNAM-1 (CD226) on inflammatory monocytes.

DNAM-1 is an activating receptor expressed on NK cells and T cells and plays an important role in cytotoxicity of these cells against target cells. Although the role of DNAM-1 in the function of T cells and NK cells has been well studied, the expression and function of DNAM-1 on myeloid cells have been incompletely understood. In this study, we investigated expression of DNAM-1 on monocyte subsets in mouse peripheral blood and found that only inflammatory monocytes (iMos), but not patrolling monocytes (pMos), expressed high levels of DNAM-1.

Critical role of DNAX accessory molecule-1 (DNAM-1) in the development of acute graft-versus-host disease in mice.

Acute graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) is a life-threatening complication following bone marrow transplantation; however, no effective molecular-targeting therapy has been determined. Here, we show that mice that received allogeneic splenocytes deficient in DNAX accessory molecule-1 (DNAM-1) had significantly milder GVHD and lower mortality than those that received allogeneic WT splenocytes. Donor CD8(+) T cells deficient in DNAM-1 showed significantly less proliferation and infiltration of the liver and intestines of recipient mice and produced less IFN-γ after coculture with allogeneic splenocytes than WT CD8(+) T cells.

X-ray polarimeter with a transmission multilayer.

We fabricated a novel x-ray polarimeter with a transmission multilayer and measured its performance with synchrotron radiation. A self standing multilayer with seven Mo/Si bilayers was installed with an incident angle of 45 degrees in front of a back-illuminated CCD. The multilayer can be rotated around the normal direction of the CCD keeping an incident angle of 45 degrees.

Efficacy of emulsion containing Gd-DTPA and lipiodol in hepatic transcatheter arterial embolization.

We evaluated the clinical efficacy of an embolizing emulsion produced by mixing lipiodol and Gd-DTPA, in transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TAE). Subjects were 10 patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The emulsion used was produced by mixing 3 ml of lipiodol and anticancer agents (mitomycin-C 10 mg and adriamycin 20 mg) dissolved in Gd-DTPA.

MR imaging of pleural and peritoneal effusion.

The purpose of this study was to assess the efficacy of MR imaging in predicting the quality of ascites and pleural effusion. MR examinations of 20 patients with different benign or malignant diseases accompanied with ascites or pleural effusion were retrospectively studied. Results were compared with histopathological findings.

Embolization with steel coils using a saline flush technique.

A method using saline flush to push Gianturco steel coils through catheters is described, and has been successfully used in 45 patients. The saline flush technique requires no precise matching of coils and catheters, solves problems associated with the conventional method and simplifies the coil embolization procedure.

Wire-directed detachable balloon. Work in progress.

A new silicone detachable balloon has two self-sealing valves. The proximal valve grips the catheter tip, and the distal valve allows a guide wire to pass through. The balloon is advanced over the guide wire.

Relocatable Gianturco expandable metallic stents.

The authors modified Gianturco expandable metallic stents to make them relocatable. Two tandem designs were made. The first design had long struts and, thus, more evenly distributed expansive force; the second had short struts and more flexibility and was better suited for use in curved strictures.

Hepatic inferior vena cava obstruction: treatment of two types with Gianturco expandable metallic stents.

Gianturco expandable metallic stents were used for treating six patients with inferior vena cava (IVC) obstruction due to compression by large hepatic tumors and three patients with idiopathic obstruction of the hepatic IVC and Budd-Chiari syndrome who showed reocclusion or stenosis 3-21 months after previously performed percutaneous transluminal angioplasty (PTA). In all six patients with compression by hepatic tumors, stents dilated the IVC and debilitating edema of the lower body disappeared. In the three patients with idiopathic obstruction, stents were placed after repeat dilation of the lesions and Budd-Chiari syndrome did not recur during a follow-up period of 7-10 months.

[A case of lung torsion; migration of the atelectatic right upper lobe].

A 67-year-old man with right upper lobe atelectasis due to squamous cell carcinoma showed positional change of the atelectatic lobe on plain chest radiograph, CT, and fluoroscopic observation. It was considered as lung torsion.

[Subdural hematoma from ruptured arteriovenous malformation; demonstration by MR imaging].

We studied MRI of 15 cases of arteriovenous malformation (AVM) with special reference on the coexistence of the subdural hematoma. All ruptured cases (6 cases) were associated with intracerebral hematoma, and half (3 cases) of them were coexisted with subdural hematoma. In one of them, the presence of the subdural hematoma promoted us to perform angiography which revealed the AVM.

[MR findings of metastatic brain tumors].

Fifteen cases with metastatic brain tumor(s) were examined on a 1.5T MR system and the results were evaluated along with images of contrast-enhanced CT. Gd-DTPA-enhanced T1-weighted imaging (T1WI) showed the best detectability of lesions and was followed by contrast-enhanced CT, T2WI, and non-enhanced T1WI in that order.

Hepatic epithelioid hemangioendothelioma: report of five cases.

Results of computed tomography (CT), ultrasonography (US), angiography, and radionuclide imaging were analyzed in five cases of histologically proved hepatic epithelioid hemangioendothelioma (EHE), a rare vascular tumor of adults that has a variable but often long clinical course. All patients received palliative treatment. CT and US were performed repeatedly over a period of up to 53 months.

MR imaging vs CT in subacute sclerosing panencephalitis.

The MR findings in three patients with subacute sclerosing panencephalitis were reviewed and compared with CT findings in the same patients. Long-T2 lesions were demonstrated in each case, although their distribution varied with the clinical stage of the disease. MR, especially T2-weighted imaging, appears to be of great utility in the assessment of subacute sclerosing panencephalitis.

Hepatic inferior vena cava obstructions: clinical results of treatment with percutaneous transluminal laser-assisted angioplasty.

Three cases of hepatic inferior vena cava (IVC) obstruction (two segmental and one membranous) associated with Budd-Chiari syndrome were successfully treated with percutaneous transluminal angioplasty (PTA) with use of an Nd-YAG (neodymium-yttrium, aluminum, garnet) laser. The occluded portions were canalized by advancing a ceramic-capped delivery system and delivering intermittent laser emissions. The canal was widened by simultaneous inflation of three or four Gruentzig balloon catheters.

Synchrotron radiation at the Photon Factory for non-invasive coronary angiography: experimental studies.

Synchrotron radiation available at the Photon Factory, National Laboratory for High Energy Physics, provides a new X-ray source which is highly suitable for K-edge subtraction. This is due to its high intensity, its parallelism and its monochromaticity, available in a monochromator system. Experiments were performed using wiggler synchrotron radiation.

Single photon emission computed tomography of brain tumors with 201TIC1.

Single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) with 201TIC1 was performed in 27 patients with brain tumors. Findings on SPECT were compared with those on planar images, computed tomography (CT) and, in 4 cases, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). At SPECT the tumors were shown as areas with higher accumulation of the tracers than the surrounding brain tissue in 24 cases and a better discrimination was obtained than in planar images.

An image processing method for feature extraction of space-occupying lesions.

Space-occupying lesions (SOL) and irregular intensity distribution are usually observed in the radioisotope images of human liver diseases, hepatic cancer, etc. This paper describes a new image processing method for evaluating such SOL by using a computer. This method analyzes quantitatively the convex and the concave structure of the contour line.