Talbot-Lau interferometry-based x-ray imaging system with retractable and rotatable gratings for nondestructive testing.

We develop an x-ray imaging system based on Talbot-Lau interferometry equipped with a mechanical structure for retracting and rotating gratings from the optical axis, which enables not only x-ray phase contrast imaging but also conventional x-ray imaging with high-magnification such as microcomputed tomography (µCT). We investigate the characterization of carbon fiber reinforced plastic (CFRP) laminates using this apparatus. Microcracks and fiber orientations are visualized in the dark-field images. Compared with the obtained µCT images, the relationship between the CFRP microstructures and the contrasts in the dark-field images are recognizable.

[A case of elderly patient with pulmonary tuberculosis considered to be caused by exogenous reinfection].

A 84-year-old woman presented with chronic febrile illness and anorexia from June 1998. She was diagnosed as pulmonary tuberculosis and was admitted to our hospital in August 1998. Her sputum smear was Gaffky 2, and the type of chest radiograph was b III 3. By family contact examination in August 1998, chest radiological examinations of her husband, a 86-year-old man, showed consolidation in middle lobe, right pleural effusion and two calcified mediastinal lymphnodes. He was diagnosed as pulmonary tuberculosis complicated with pleurisy. He had poor controlled diabetes mellitus. Tubercle bacilli isolated from their sputa showed the same pattern in restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis. Pulmonary tuberculosis of the husband was considered to be caused by exogenous reinfection.

[Serum soluble interleukin-2 receptor in patients with pulmonary mycobacterial diseases].

Serum soluble interleukin-2 receptor (sIL-2R) levels were measured in patients with untreated pulmonary tuberculosis (24 cases), patients with multidrug-resistant intractable pulmonary tuberculosis (7 cases) and patients with pulmonary non-tuberculous mycobacteriosis (27 cases). Serum sIL-2R levels were elevated in patients with pulmonary mycobacterial diseases and were elevated in untreated pulmonary tuberculosis patients than in other patients. In patients with new tuberculosis, serum sIL-2R levels were higher in patients with extensive lesions. Serum sIL-2R level showed significant positive correlation with serum C-reactive protein level and erythrocyte sedimentation rate, and significant negative correlation with serum albumin level. In patients with intractable tuberculosis and patients with non-tuberculous mycobacteriosis, serum sIL-2R levels were lower than in patients with new tuberculosis. Even in patients with extensive lesions, serum sIL-2R levels were not elevated. Lower levels of serum sIL-2R, marker of immunocompetent cell activity, suggested that immunocompetent cell activity was suppressed in intractable tuberculosis and in non-tuberculous mycobacteriosis.