ABSTRACT
PURPOSE@#To compare image qualities of 80 kVp CT venography (CTV) and 120 kVp CTV by model-based iterative reconstruction (MBIR) at the same radiation dose.@*MATERIALS AND METHODS@#Sixty-nine patients that underwent CTV using 80 kVp (36 patients, group 1) or 120 kVp (33 patients, group 2) with MBIR at the same radiation dose were enrolled, and objective and subjective image qualities were assessed independently by two radiologists.@*RESULTS@#Mean vascular enhancement and contrast-to-noise ratio were significantly higher in group 1 than in group 2 for inferior vena cavas, femoral veins, and popliteal veins (p < 0.001), and there was significantly lower objective image noise in group 1 (p < 0.001). Subjective analysis revealed image quality was significantly higher in group 1 and image noise was significantly higher in group 2 (p < 0.001). Mean dose-length products was not significantly lower in group 1 (356.1 ± 153.7 mGy cm) than in group 2 (370.1 ± 77.1 mGy cm) (p = 0.635).@*CONCLUSION@#CTV at 80 kVp with MBIR is a better protocol than CTV at 120 kVp with MBIR at the same radiation dose.
ABSTRACT
PURPOSE: We observed excessive renal excretion of salt and water, without underlying renal diseases or definite causes, accompanied with severe hypotension in critically ill patients. This study investigates the clinical courses and characteristics of these patients. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed 13 patients with polyuria of unknown origin, which persited equal to or longer than 3 days, among hypotensive patients, who were admitted to intensive care unit. RESULTS: The causes of hypotension included sepsis in 11 patients and adrenal insufficiceny in one patient. The cause of hyptension was unknown in one patient. Vassopressors were used in all patients, and hypotension persisted for 13.2+/-8.6 days. Polyuria persisted for 10.6+/-8.2 days, and the duration of polyuria was strongly correlated with that of hypotension (R=0.919, p<0.001). Low dose steroid was used in 8 patients for the treatment of hypotension, and hypotension improved in 3 patients within 2 days after steroid administration. Four patients died during the hosptialization, and the duration of hypotension in non-survivors was greater than that in survivors (21.2+/-9.7 days and 9.6+/-5.2 days respectively, p=0.020). CONCLUSION: In critically ill patients with severe hypotension, we observed 13 cases of inappropriate natriuresis and polyuria. These results suggest that the persistence of poyluria and hypotension might affect the prognosis of these patients, and adrenal insufficicieny might be associated with this appearance in some patients. Further studies are needed to establish causes and treatments for this appearance.
Subject(s)
Humans , Adrenal Insufficiency , Critical Illness , Hypotension , Intensive Care Units , Natriuresis , Polyuria , Prognosis , Retrospective Studies , Sepsis , SurvivorsABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: The heat shock proteins (HSPs) play an important role in cellular protection mechanisms against physical or chemical stresses. In this study scFv antibodies specific for human HSP70.1 were isolated from a semi-synthetic human scFv library with the ultimate goal of developing anti-HSP70.1 intracellular antibody (intrabody) that may offer an attractive alternative to gene targeting to study the function of the protein in cells. METHODS: A semi-synthetic human scFv display library (5 X 10(8) size) was constructed using pCANTAB-5E vector and the selection of the library against bacterially expressed recombinant human HSP70.1 was attempted by panning. RESULTS: Three positive clones specific for recombinant HSP70.1 were identified. All three clones used V(H) subgroup III. On the other hand, V(L) of two clones belonged to the kappa light chain subgroup I, but the other utilized V(k) subgroup IV Interestingly, these scFv molecules specifically reacted to the recombinant HSP70.1, yet failed to recognize native HSP70 induced in U937 human monocytic cells by heat treatment. CONCLUSION: Our results indicated that affinity selection of an scFv phage display library using recombinant antigens produced in E. coli might not guarantee the isolation of scFv antibody molecules specific for a native form of the antigen. Therefore, the source of target antigens needs to be chosen carefully in order to isolate biofunctional antibody molecules.