Mixed field agglutination is an important, but rare phenomenon of ABO blood grouping. Contrary to adults, neonatal red blood cells are immature and they present a weak ABO expression, and sometimes this result in a mixed field agglutination pattern. We report here on a case of a neonate who presented with mixed field agglutination on the ABO blood grouping during serologic testing and the neonate had a normal ABO genotype.
Adult ; Agglutination ; Blood Grouping and Crossmatching ; Erythrocytes ; Genotype ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Serologic Tests

OBJECTICE: To compare the use of conventional, real-time compound, and pulse-inversion harmonic imaging in the evaluation of breast nodules. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Fifty-two breast nodules were included in this study, conducted between May and December 2000, in which conventional, real-time compound, and pulse-inversion harmonic images were obtained in the same plane. Three radiologists, each blinded to the interpretations of the other two, evaluated the findings, characterizing the lesions and ranking the three techniques from grade 1, the worst, to grade 3, the best. Lesion conspicuity was assessed, and lesions were also characterized in terms of their margin, clarity of internal echotexture, and clarity of posterior echo pattern. The three techniques were compared using Friedman's test, and interobserver agreement in image interpretation was assessed by means of the intraclass correlation coefficient. RESULTS: With regard to lesion conspicuity, margin, and internal echotexture of the nodules, real-time compound imaging was the best technique (p < 0.05); in terms of posterior echo pattern, the best was pulse-inversion harmonic imaging (p < 0.05). Real-time compound and pulse inversion harmonic imaging were better than conventional sonography in all evaluative aspects. Interobserver agreement was greater than moderate. CONCLUSION: Real-time compound and pulse-inversion harmonic imaging procedures are superior to conventional sonography in terms of both lesion conspicuity and the further characterization of breast nodules. Real-time compound imaging is the best technique for evaluation of the margin and internal echotexture of nodules, while pulse-inversion harmonic imaging is very effective for the evaluation of the posterior echo patterns.
Breast Neoplasms/*ultrasonography ; Comparative Study ; Female ; Fibrocystic Disease of Breast/*ultrasonography ; Human ; Middle Age ; Ultrasonography, Mammary/*methods

Choanal atresia is a rare congenital anomaly involving unilateral or bilateral posterior nasal choanal obstruction. Multiple associated anomalies have been described. We describe the case of a 1-month-old boy with bilateral choanal atresia, misdiagnosed after CT as a midline meningocele because the floor of the midline anterior cranial fossa was not ossified and secretion had accumulated in the obstructed posterior nasal choana.
Choanal Atresia* ; Cranial Fossa, Anterior ; Diagnosis* ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Male ; Meningocele

PURPOSE: To evaluate normal human gastric wall layers in vitro using magnetic resonance*(MR) imaging, to correlate the results with the histologic findings, and to determine the optimal technique for evaluation of the gastric wall. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Forty-one normal resected gastric specimens obtained from 25 patients were dissected and placed in a polyethylene tube filled with normal saline. MR imaging with four MR sequences, T1-weighted FLASH*(T1FLASH), fat-saturated T1-weighted FLASH, T2-weighted TSE*(T2TSE), and True-FISP, was performed. The number of gastric wall layers and signal intensity of each layer were determined, and after correlating MR images with the histologic findings, the conspicuity of each layer*(mucosa, submucosa, and muscle), the distinction between each layer, and overall image quality were assessed. RESULTS: The gastric wall was shown by TIFLASH to have two (n=6, 14-6%), three (n=31, 75.6%) and four layers (n=4, 9.8%); by fat-saturated TIFLASH to have two (n=6, 14.6%) and three (n=35, 85.4%) ; by T2TSE to have three (n=24, 58.5%), four (n=11, 26.8%), and five (n=6, 14.6%); and by True-FISP to have one (n=2, 4.9%), two (n=8, 19.5%), three (n=23, 56%), four (n=4, 9.8%), and five (n=4, 9.8%) . The signal intensity of each layer at T1FLASH and fat-saturated T1FLASH was high-intermediate from the lumen in two-layer cases, high-low-high/intermediate in three-layer cases, and high-low-high-intermediate in four-layer cases. The signal intensity of each layer at T2TSE was intermediate/high-low-intermediate in three-layer cases, intermediate low-high-intermediate/low in four-layer cases, and low-high-low-high-low in five-layer cases. Three-layered gastric wall corresponded mostly to mucosa, submucosa, and muscle from the inner to outer layers, respectively. T1FLASH, fat-saturated T1FLASH, and T2TSE were superior to True-FISP in evaluating the gastric wall. T1FLASH and fat-saturated T1FLASH were the best sequences for demonstrating mucosa (p<0.05), and T2TSE was the best for submucosa and the distinction between this and muscle (p<0.05). Both T1FLASH and T2TSE provided the best overall image quality (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: In-vitro MR imaging is an excellent technique for the evaluation of layers of normal gastric wall. T2TSE is the sequence which best demonstrates the conspicuity of submucosa, the distinction between submucosa and muscle, and overall image quality.
Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging* ; Mucous Membrane ; Polyethylene

PURPOSE: To determine the MR imaging findings of spinal cord decompression sickness. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We retrospectively analysed the spinal MR images of eight patients (M : 6, F : 2) with decompression sickness affecting the cervical spine (n=1) or thoracic spine (n=7). The observed extent, location, continuity, signal intensity and contrast enhancement pattern of spinal cord lesions were analysed. RESULTS: The chief MR finding was continuous (n=2) or non-continuous (n=3) high signal intensity on T2-weighted images in the posterior paramedian spinal cord. In three cases, additional T2 signal abnormality in the ventral horn of the gray matter was observed. There was no signal intensity abnormality on T1- weighted images or abnormal enhancement on post-Gadolinium T1-weighted images. In one case, cord swelling in addition to T2 signal abnormality was observed. CONCLUSION: MR imaging is useful for evaluating spinal cord lesions in patients with decompression sickness.
Animals ; Decompression Sickness* ; Decompression* ; Horns ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Retrospective Studies ; Spinal Cord* ; Spine

Endogenous nitric oxide(NO) plays an important role in the regulation of blood pressure. It has been known that the evoked NO-dependent dilator system may be impaired in various hypertensive models. The effects of NG-nitro-L-arginine(L-NNA), lipopolysaccharide(LPS) and tempol on mean arterial pressure(MAP) and the effects of L-NNA on isolated aorta tone were studied in order to elucidate potential alterations in resting vasodilator tone of NO in two-kidney, one clip(2K1C) hypertension. Plasma nitrite/nitrate levels were measured by colorimetric assay, and the expression of endothelial and inducible NO synthases(eNOS, iNOS) was determined by Western blot analysis. L-NNA caused an increase of MAP, while LPS produced a hypotensive effect in both 2K1C and control rats. The magnitude of the pressor or depressor response to L-NNA and LPS was comparable in the two groups. Tempol induced a sustained decrease in MAP in 2K1C rats, while it had no effects on MAP in control rats. Plasma concentrations of NO metabolites were significantly increased following the LPS-treatment in both 2K1C and control rats, while they were not affected by tempol-treatment. In endothelium-intact aortic rings precontracted with 25 mM KCl, L-NNA caused a dose-dependent contraction. The magnitude of the maximal contraction was attenuated in 2K1C rats as compared with control. An inhibition of contractile responses to L-NNA in the hypertensive group was also shown in rubbed rings, although the magnitude of contractions was markedly reduced. The vascular expression of both eNOS and iNOS was significantly decreased in 2K1C rats as compared with control. These results indicate that 2K1C hypertension is associated with a reduced basal vasodilator tone of NO and a decrease in the vascular expression of NOS isozymes.
Animals ; Aorta ; Blood Pressure ; Blotting, Western ; Hypertension ; Isoenzymes ; Nitric Oxide* ; Plasma ; Rats*

No abstract available.
Prostatectomy* ; Prostatic Intraepithelial Neoplasia*

No abstract available.
Prostatectomy* ; Prostatic Intraepithelial Neoplasia*

Many reports suggest that neurotensin (NT) in the gastrointestinal tract may play a possible role as a neurotransmitter, a circulating hormone, or a modulator of motor activity. NT exerts various actions in the intestine; it produces contractile and relaxant responses in intestinal smooth muscle. This study was designed to investigate the effect of NT on motility of antral circular muscle strips in guinea-pig stomach. To assess the role of Ca2+ influx in underlying mechanism, slow waves were simultaneously recorded with spontaneous contractions using conventional intracellular mircoelectrode technique. At the concentration of 10-7 M, where NT showed maximum response, NT enhanced the magnitude (863 +/- 198%, mean +/- SEM, n = 13) and the frequency (154 +/- 10.3%, n = 11) of spontaneous contractions. NT evoked a slight hyperpolarization of membrane potential, tall and steep slow waves with abortive spikes (278 +/- 50%, n = 4). These effects were not affected by atropine (2 micrometer), guanethidine (2 micrometer) and tetrodotoxin (0.2 micrometer). NT-induced contractile responses were abolished in Ca2+-free solution and reduced greatly to near abolition by 10 micrometer of verapamil or 0.2 mM of CdCl2. Verapamil attenuated the effects of NT on frequency and amplitude of the slow waves. Taken together, these results indicate that NT enhances contractility in guinea-pig gastric antral circular muscle and Ca2+ influx through the voltage-operated Ca2+ channel appears to play an important role in the NT-induced contractile mechanism.
Atropine ; Cadmium Chloride ; Gastrointestinal Tract ; Guanethidine ; Intestines ; Membrane Potentials ; Motor Activity ; Muscle, Smooth ; Neurotensin* ; Neurotransmitter Agents ; Stomach ; Tetrodotoxin ; Verapamil

The spontaneous contractions of gastric smooth muscles are regulated by slow waves, which are modulated by both nervous system and humoral agents. This study was designed to examine the effects of Prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) on the contractile and electrical activities of antral smooth muscles in guinea-pig stomach, using an intracellular recording technique. To elucidate the underlying mechanism for its effect on contractility, ionic currents were also measured using a whole-cell patch clamp method. The basal tone by PGE2 was variable, whereas the magnitude of phasic contractions was reduced (19.0 +/- 2.1%, n=19). The resting membrane potentials were hyperpolarized (-4.4+/-0.5 mV, n=10), and plateau potentials were lowered (-2.9+/-0.5 mV, n=10). In most cases, however, the initial peak potentials of slow waves were depolarized more by PGE2 than those of control. The frequency of the slows wave was increased from 5.7+/-0.2 cycles/min to 6.5+/-0.2 (n-22). Voltage-operated Ca2+ currents were decreased by PGE2 (n=5). Voltage-operated K+ currents, both Ca-dependent and Ca-independent, were increased (n-5). These results suggest that PGE2 plays an important role in the modulation of gastric smooth muscle activities, and its inhibitory effects on the contractility and activities of slow waves are resulted from both decrease of Ca2+ currents and increase of K+ currents.
Dinoprostone* ; Membrane Potentials ; Muscle, Smooth ; Nervous System ; Stomach*