Cosmic Birefringence from the Planck Data Release 4.

We search for the signature of parity-violating physics in the cosmic microwave background, called cosmic birefringence, using the Planck data release 4. We initially find a birefringence angle of ß=0.30°±0.11° (68% C.L.) for nearly full-sky data. The values of ß decrease as we enlarge the Galactic mask, which can be interpreted as the effect of polarized foreground emission. Two independent ways to model this effect are used to mitigate the systematic impact on ß for different sky fractions. We choose not to assign cosmological significance to the measured value of ß until we improve our knowledge of the foreground polarization.

Assessment of longitudinal systolic function using tissue motion annular displacement in dogs with degenerative mitral valve disease.

INTRODUCTION: Although degenerative mitral valve disease (DMVD) is essentially a disorder of the valve, the progression of the disease leads to structural myocardial changes that may compromise left ventricular systolic function. Tissue motion annular displacement (TMAD) is a surrogate for longitudinal fiber function based on speckle tracking assessment of the movement of the mitral annulus toward the apex during systole. The aim of this study was to evaluate longitudinal systolic function with TMAD in dogs with DMVD. ANIMALS: Ninety-four dogs with DMVD and 32 healthy dogs. METHODS: Prospective cross-sectional observational study. Dogs with DMVD of various American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine classification stages and healthy control dogs underwent physical examination, electrocardiography, systolic blood pressure measurement, as well as a standard and speckle tracking echocardiography. Global longitudinal strain (GLS) and TMAD were used to assess longitudinal systolic function. RESULTS: The global TMADmm and global TMAD% were higher in American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine B2 animals than in the stage CD. Global TMAD (mm/kg,mm/bodyweight3, mm/m2) were correlated with GLS and ejection fraction. Global TMAD (mm/kg,mm/m2,%) and GLS were influenced by sex. In addition, systolic blood pressure influenced GLS (P < 0.01; r = -0.23), global TMADmm/kg (P = 0.017; r = -0.21) and global TMADmm/m2 (P = 0.031; r = -0.19). Tissue motion annular displacement was fast to be performed and produced good repeatability in dogs with DMVD. CONCLUSIONS: Global TMAD (mm,%), was reduced in DMVD dogs with clinical signs of heart failure compared with stage B2. Tissue motion annular displacement was shown to be a repeatable technique for evaluation of longitudinal systolic function in dogs with DMVD.

BAYw6228 suppresses accumulation of macrophages in balloon-induced intimal thickening of rabbit carotid artery.

To determine the in vivo activity of BAYw6228 (BAYw), a newly developed 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-CoA (HMG-CoA) reductase inhibitor, we examined its effect on balloon catheterization-induced carotid arterial intimal thickening in Japanese white rabbits. In all rabbits weighing approximately 3.5 kg, a balloon catheter was inserted from a peripheral branch of the left external carotid artery to the aorta in order to denude the endothelium of the left common carotid artery. At day 12, they were divided into control and BAYw groups. The latter were subcutaneously injected with BAYw, 1 mg/kg/day, for the following 17 days. At day 15, the second balloon catheterization was performed in the same left common carotid artery in both groups. After another two weeks, the left common carotid artery was removed and stained with Elastica-Masson (EM) and anti-rabbit macrophage antibody (RAM 11). With RAM 11 staining, the number of positive cells in the intimal thickening was markedly decreased in the BAYw group compared with the control group (P < 0.01). Compared with the area ratio of the thickened intima/media layer of the control group, that of the BAYw group was significantly decreased to 45% (P < 0.05). These results indicate that BAYw prevents accumulation of macrophages and consequently contributes to the inhibition of intimal thickening induced by balloon catheterization.

Suppression of neointimal thickening by a newly developed HMG-CoA reductase inhibitor, BAYw6228, and its inhibitory effect on vascular smooth muscle cell growth.

1. The aim of this study was to determine whether BAYw6228 (BAYw), a newly developed 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-CoA (HMG-CoA) reductase inhibitor, could suppress an atherogenic process such as intimal thickening by a mechanism other than lowering the level of serum cholesterol. 2. First, we evaluated the in vitro effect of BAYw on the proliferation of vascular smooth muscle cells (SMC) from various species: Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats. New Zealand (NZ) white rabbits, intimal cells from Watanabe hereditary hyperlipidemic (WHHL) rabbit and SMC from the new-born human aorta. The increasing rate of total protein content of these cells was inhibited by the addition of BAYw in a dose-dependent fashion. In the presence of 2% foetal calf serum (FCS), the value of IC50 was 1.0 microM in SD rats, 2.1 microM in NZ white rabbits, and 0.3 microM in WHHL rabbits. With human SMC, the value was 0.02 microM in the presence of 10% FCS and 0.2 microM with a mixture of growth factors. 3. Based on these above in vitro findings, we next examined the in vivo effect of the agent to determine whether it could suppress rabbit intimal thickening induced by balloon catheterization. A balloon catheter was inserted from a peripheral branch of the left external carotid artery to the aorta to denude the endothelium of the left common carotid artery in Japanese white rabbits. After 12 days they were divided into control and BAYw groups. The former were subcutaneously injected with saline and the latter with BAYw 1 mg kg-1 day-1. Two days after the beginning of treatment, a second balloon injury was performed to the previously injured left common carotid artery in both groups. After another two weeks, the left common carotid artery was removed and variously stained. Although the total serum cholesterol in the BAYw group was significantly lower than in the control (P < 0.05), the difference was not enough to affect intimal thickening. In addition, the BAYw group had a smaller intima/media ratio than the control group, decreasing to 45% of control (P < 0.05). By anti-alpha smooth muscle actin antibody staining, these intimal thickening areas were entirely occupied by SMCs, and their amount was attenuated by BAYw. By anti-rabbit macrophage antibody (RAM 11) staining, the number of positive cells in the intimal thickening was markedly decreased in the BAYw group compared to control (P < 0.01). 4. These results indicate that BAYw has an inhibitory effect on intimal thickening by attenuating intimal SMC proliferation and infiltration of macrophages, suggesting that BAYw could be effective in the prevention of the progression of atherosclerotic plaque-like restenosis after angioplasty.

Intersubject variability in cardiac output-O2 uptake relation of men during exercise.

Intersubject variability in the relation between cardiac output (Q) and O2 uptake (VO2) was examined during supine cycling up to the maximum level in 40 normal untrained men age 27 +/- 4 (SD) yr. In individual subjects, Q increased linearly against VO2 in the submaximum exercise range. The SD of Q on VO2 was so small (0.47 +/- 0.25 l/min) that Q could be given by a linear function of VO2 as Q = K(VO2 - VO2 r) + Qr, where K, VO2 r, and Qr are the slope of the regression line, the resting VO2, and resting Q, respectively. K varied widely among the subjects studied, ranging from 5.5 to 10.3 and was independent of both physical characteristics and Qr, which ranged from 3.7 to 8.3 l/min. However, K correlated significantly with changes in heart rate, stroke volume, mean arterial pressure, and systemic vascular conductance. From these results, we concluded that the intersubject variability in the Q-VO2 relation was caused independently by individual variations in resting hemodynamics and in cardiovascular response to exercise.

Infectious mononucleosis with pulmonary consolidation.

Infectious mononucleosis occurs most commonly among adolescents and young adults. Moreover, intrathoracic involvement by infectious mononucleosis, especially pulmonary consolidation, is uncommon. Thoracic computed tomography (CT) showed a massive pulmonary consolidation in the right lower lobe, multiple mediastinal lymphadenopathy, and pleural effusion in a 41-year-old man with infectious mononucleosis. Histopathology confirmed that lymphocytes and plasma cells had infiltrated the peribronchial areas and alveolar septa, and showed alveolar exudates composed of amorphous fibrinous debris, lymphocytes, and macrophages.

Abscess of the mediastinum: a case report.

In this report a rare case of mediastinal abscess secondary to purulent tonsilitis is reported. Generally this condition is consequent to systemic, cervical, thoracic, or abdominal infections.

[Cholangiography via laparoscopy in the differential diagnosis of neonatal hepatitis and bile duct atresia]. / Colangiografia for laparoscopia no diagnóstico differencial entre hepatite neonatal e atresia das vias biliares.

Twenty-three infants with neonatal cholestasis were examined laparoscopically. The differential diagnosis between biliary atresia and neonatal hepatitis was not established by-clinical and laboratory investigations. In 10 out of 23 cases the transcutaneous-transhepatic-cholangiography, performed with laparoscopy demonstrated the permeability of the biliary tree in children that are not suffering from the atresia. The hepatic biopsy by laparoscopic view allowed to complete the investigation in these cases, avoiding unnecessary laparotomy. In infants suffering from biliary atresia the surgery indication was early and exact.

[Immunoelectron microscopic studies on the localization of creatine kinase M in normal and ischemic myocardial cells].

The localization of creatine kinase M (CK-M) in both normal and acute ischemic canine myocardial cells was studied by immunoelectron microscopy using the anti-CK-M Fab'-horseradish peroxidase conjugate. Myocardial ischemia was induced by occlusion of the left anterior descending coronary artery for 15, 60, or 180 minutes. In the normal myocardial cells, CK-M was localized mostly in the A-band and some in the Z-line, M-line, sarcolemmal membrane, and membrane of sarcoplasmic reticulum. Most CK-M in the A-band appeared to associate with thick fibers. This finding strongly suggests that the CK associated with thick fibers may be the enzyme to rephosphorylate ADP produced by myosin ATPase. In 15 minutes of myocardial ischemia, CK-M showed only minimal changes in its location, i.e., almost similar to normal, indicating that the CK in the A-band still has the ability to couple with myosin ATPase. However, in 60 and 180 minutes of ischemia, the A-band CK dissociated markedly from thick fibers, diffused to the I-band and leaked out to the intercellular spaces. These results suggest that the dissociation and disappearance of the A-band CK from thick fibers induced by progress of myocardial ischemia disrupt the myocardial energy transport system via CK reaction, and lead to the irreversible injury of myocardial cells.

[Imaging and clinical significance of hepatic portal venous gas seen in adult patients].

In 10 adult patients with hepatic portal venous gas (HPVG), the clinical significance of HPVG and the efficacy of X-ray computed tomography (CT) were evaluated. HPVG was associated with ischemic bowel disease (n = 3), trauma (n = 4), liver abscess (n = 1), sepsis (n = 1), and unknown etiology (n = 1). The diagnostic ability of CT for the detection of HPVG was far superior to that of plain abdominal radiograph. Of 9 patients who underwent CT, HPVG located in the left hepatic lobe in all patients, and also in right hepatic lobe in 7 patients. Gas could be recognized in the left lobe and the anterior segment of the right lobe more clearly than in the posterior segment of the right lobe because of its larger amount of intravenous collection. The mortality rate of our cases was 100%. Gas was demonstrated simultaneously in the portal vein radicles and hepatic veins on CT in 4 patients with no clinical evidence of sepsis, which suggested the possibility of intraparenchymal shift of gas from the portal vein into the hepatic vein. In a single case with sepsis, gas was noted in various vessels, including arteries, in addition to the portal venous system. The authors conclude that HPVG is still a grave sign in Japan and prompt appropriate treatment is required. CT may be of great value in the early detection of HPVG and may indicate its etiology.

Effect of local cardiac sympathectomy on regional myocardial contraction.

To investigate the response of locally sympathectomized myocardium to sympathetic stimulation, 90% phenol solution was painted on the left ventricular anterior wall surface in 13 open chest anesthetized dogs. Two pairs of ultrasonic crystals were implanted into the mid-myocardium and the left ansa subclavia was stimulated (LSS) at a frequency of 4 Hz. Heart rate, left ventricular systolic pressure and peak dP/dt increased following LSS before and after phenol application. After phenol application, the increase in peak dP/dt was significantly lower than before phenol application (p less than 0.01) despite similar increases in both heart rate and left ventricular systolic pressure. Before phenol application, norepinephrine (NE) overflow was observed following LSS (1.60 ng/ml) but after phenol application NE overflow decreased to 0.45 ng/ml, indicating that phenol interrupted sympathetic nerve conduction. During LSS, in both anterior and posterior walls, %shortening (%dL) increased from 13 +/- 1 (mean +/- SE) to 22 +/- 3% and 12 +/- 1 to 20 +/- 2%, respectively. After phenol application, LSS caused an increase of %dL in the posterior wall from 10 +/- 1 to 17 +/- 2%, while in the anterior wall it decreased from 15 +/- 2 to 8 +/- 3%. At the end of the experiment, when NE was infused to maintain the left ventricular systolic pressure similar to that obtained during LSS, %dL increased from 15 +/- 2 to 21 +/- 3% in the anterior wall. Pressure-length loop during LSS showed an early systolic expansion in the phenol treated anterior wall which disappeared during NE infusion.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

MRI of cervical masses of thymic origin.

OBJECTIVE: Thymic diseases can arise from remnants of thymic tissues along the path of fetal descent and may simulate thyroid tumors or lymphadenopathy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We present two patients with a cervical mass arising from the cervical thymus that was caused by incomplete descent of the thymus into the mediastinum. RESULTS: In one patient a cervical mass was surgically confirmed to be a cervical thymoma, which simulated a thyroid cancer on CT and 201Tl-scintigraphy. In another patient, cervical thymic hyperplasia arising from an incompletely descended thymus was surgically confirmed. The isointensity between the cervical mass and an enlarged mediastinal thymus was recognized on MRI. CONCLUSION: If a cervical mass is located in the region of the lower pole of the thyroid or if there is a connection or the same intensity between the cervical mass and the mediastinal thymus on MRI, a diagnosis of a cervical mass of thymic origin should be considered.