PET imaging of human gliomas with ligands for the peripheral benzodiazepine binding site.

Human gliomas were imaged in vivo using ligands for the peripheral-type benzodiazepine binding site (or omega 3 binding site) and positron emission tomography (PET). Although gliomas have a high density of the peripheral-type benzodiazepine binding site, PET scans with a selective ligand for this site, [11C] Ro5-4864, failed to demonstrate higher radioactivity levels in human gliomas than in brain. In vitro studies of surgically removed specimens of human glioma demonstrated little binding of Ro5-4864 but high levels of binding of another selective ligand, PK 11195.

Preventable deaths in a self-designated trauma system.

Organized paramedic care was established in 1974 in Hillsborough County, Florida, with subsequent development of a hospital self-designation system for trauma in 1980. To evaluate the level of trauma care in the county, a review of trauma deaths in 1984 was performed. A total of 452 trauma deaths was identified.

Treatment of bone weakness in patients with femoral neck fracture by fluoride, calcium and vitamin D.

Twenty-three of 46 patients, aged 56 to 95 years, with fracture of the femoral neck (FNF) completed the first trial of 10 months treatment with oral sodium fluoride 60 mg and calcium 1800 mg on alternate days and 1 micrograms of vitamin D1 daily. Pre-treatment and post-treatment biopsy specimens and microradiographs of the iliac crest and metacarpal and spinal radiographs were evaluated together with biopsy material from seven untreated age-matched controls with FNF. In 17 patients the treatment improved the amount and quality of trabecular bone.

Heterozygosity and localisation of normal allelic fragments for an alpha 1-antitrypsin homologous sequence.

Approximately 10 kb downstream of the alpha 1-antitrypsin (AAT) gene is a homologous sequence. Two polymorphisms detected with the restriction enzymes BglII and EcoRI have been reported previously. We describe two additional polymorphisms with the restriction endonucleases TaqI and HindIII and, for all four restriction enzymes, we have mapped the fragments corresponding to the normal alleles in a cosmid clone.

Incentive plans: has the time come?

This article provides an overview of work incentive plans and how they can affect a health care organization. The author was selected to serve on a committee responsible for developing a management incentive plan at Morton Plant Hospital in Clearwater, Florida. In doing the research associated with designing a plan, he felt that all radiology managers should become familiar with incentive systems and how they can affect their departments.

QA ... in a new vein.

This article describes a quality assurance program for monitoring and decreasing venipuncture complications after contrast media injection. The authors share the experience at their facility, where the program was created and used successfully.

Multiphase extraction: rapid phase-transfer of [18F]fluoride ion for nucleophilic radiolabeling reactions.

In multiphase extraction [18F]fluoride ion for radiolabeling is recovered from target water by passage through a small column of microporous polymer impregnated with a lipophilic cryptand or quaternary ammonium salt. The 18O enriched water can be recovered for reuse. The [18F]fluoride ion-pair is eluted from the column by a small volume of acetonitrile or other organic solvent.

A captive solvent method for rapid N-[11C]methylation of secondary amides: application to the benzodiazepine, 4'-chlorodiazepam (RO5-4864).

[11C]4'-Chlorodiazepam (RO5-4864), for PET studies of peripheral benzodiazepine receptors, was synthesized by alkylation of 1-desmethyl-4'-chlorodiazepam, in a small volume of acetone adsorbed on acrylic yarn, with [11C]methyl iodide in the injection loop of a liquid chromatograph. The reaction mixture was introduced directly onto a small, disposable alumina chromatographic column. Elution with pentane:ethanol gave a product of high chemical and radiochemical purity.

Episternal ossicles.

Eight hundred computed tomographic (CT) scans of the chest were reviewed, and 12 cases of episternal ossicles were found. Eight persons had paired ossicles, and four had unilateral ossicles. The overall frequency in the study population was 1.

Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) polymorphism of the alpha 1-antitrypsin gene in chronic lung disease.

Specific gene probes were used to study restriction fragment length polymorphisms of the human alpha 1-antitrypsin gene. A polymorphism due to loss of a recognition site for the restriction enzyme Taq I was identified in eight of 42 patients with bronchiectasis and nine of 49 patients with pulmonary emphysema, none of whom had alpha 1-antitrypsin deficiency. Among a control group without lung disease the polymorphism was significantly less frequent, being found in only five of 101 apparently healthy blood donors.

Chromatographic separation of thioridazine sulphoxide and N-oxide diastereoisomers: identification as metabolites in the rat.

(+/-)-Thioridazine and (+/-)-desmethylthioridazine have been oxidized to produce a number of chiral sulphoxide and amine oxide compounds. Diastereoisomeric isomers were separated by thin-layer and high performance liquid chromatography. Thioridazine-5-sulphoxide, N-desmethylthioridazine-5-sulphoxide and thioridazine-N-oxide diastereoisomers were found to be thioridazine metabolites following dosing in rats or after in-vitro incubation with rat liver homogenate.

Birth injury as the cause of mental retardation.

Mental retardation, on initial impression, may appear to be caused by the birth process, but may be disproved by later clinical or autopsy examination. However, information often is lacking as to the basic pathology that may have been responsible for attributing the cause of the mental retardation to traumatic birth. From a 39-year period (1944 to 1983) 1146 records were evaluated at a state hospital for mentally retarded persons to determine how the intake impression compared with the final clinical and autopsy diagnoses of perinatal damage.

Chemical effects of large impacts on the Earth's primitive atmosphere.

Intense bombardment of the moon and terrestrial planets approximately 3.9-4.0 x 10(9) years ago could have caused the chemical reprocessing of the Earth's primitive atmosphere.