Direct visualization of the three-dimensional shape of skyrmion strings in a noncentrosymmetric magnet.

Magnetic skyrmions are topologically stable swirling spin textures that appear as particle-like objects in two-dimensional (2D) systems. Here, utilizing scalar magnetic X-ray tomography under applied magnetic fields, we report the direct visualization of the three-dimensional (3D) shape of individual skyrmion strings in the room-temperature skyrmion-hosting non-centrosymmetric compound Mn1.4Pt0.9Pd0.1Sn. Through the tomographic reconstruction of the 3D distribution of the [001] magnetization component on the basis of transmission images taken at various angles, we identify a skyrmion string running through the entire thickness of the sample, as well as various defect structures, such as the interrupted and Y-shaped strings. The observed point defect may represent the Bloch point serving as an emergent magnetic monopole, as proposed theoretically. Our tomographic approach with a tunable magnetic field paves the way for direct visualization of the structural dynamics of individual skyrmion strings in 3D space, which will contribute to a better understanding of the creation, annihilation and transfer of these topological objects.

The relationship between the glenoid track and the range of shoulder motion: A cadaver study.

INTRODUCTION: The concept of the glenoid track has been proposed to evaluate the risk of dislocation. The glenoid track width was demonstrated to be 84% of the glenoid width in cadaveric shoulders and 83% in live shoulders. HYPOTHESIS: The glenoid track width seems to be affected by the range of motion. PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between the glenoid track and the range of shoulder motion. METHODS: Ten fresh-frozen cadaveric shoulders were used. The specimen was fixed to a shoulder-positioning device. The anterior rim of the glenoid was marked on the humeral head using a Kirschner wire with the arm in 60° of abduction. This marking was repeated with the arm in (1) horizontal flexion/extension and (2) internal/external rotations (0° to max). The distances from the Kirschner wire markings to the footprint of the rotator cuff tendon were measured. RESULTS: The greater the angle of the horizontal extension or external rotation, the smaller the glenoid track width, whereas the greater the angle of the horizontal flexion or internal rotation, the greater the glenoid track width. There was a negative relationship between them. The horizontal flexion/extension motion was demonstrated to affect the glenoid track width more than the internal/external rotation motion. CONCLUSION: The glenoid track width decreased with the increase of horizontal extension. We should consider the range of horizontal extension angle when applying the glenoid track concept in clinical practice. TYPE OF STUDY: Laboratory study.

Calculation of 10 MV x-ray spectra emitted by a medical linear accelerator using the BFGS quasi-Newton method.

To calculate photon spectra for a 10 MV x-ray beam emitted by a medical linear accelerator, we performed numerical analysis using the aluminium transmission data obtained along the central axis of the beam under the narrow beam condition corresponding to a 3x3 cm2 field at a 100 cm distance from the source. We used the BFGS quasi-Newton method based on a general nonlinear optimization technique for the numerical analysis. The attenuation coefficients, aluminium thicknesses and measured transmission data are necessary inputs for the numerical analysis. The calculated x-ray spectrum shape was smooth in the lower to higher energy regions without any angular components. The x-ray spectrum acquired by the employed method was evaluated by comparing the measurements along the central axis percentage depth dose in a water phantom and by a Monte Carlo simulation code, the electron gamma shower code. The values of the calculated percentage depth doses for a 10x10 cm2 field at a 100 cm source-to-surface distance in a water phantom were obtained using the same geometry settings as those of the water phantom measurement. The differences in the measured and calculated values were less than +/-1.0% for a broad region from the shallow part near the surface to deep parts of up to 25 cm in the water phantom.

Biosynthesis and turnover of anandamide and other N-acylethanolamines in peritoneal macrophages.

Polyunsaturated N-acylethanolamines (NAEs), including anandamide (20:4n-6 NAE), elicit a variety of biological effects through cannabinoid receptors, whereas saturated and monounsaturated NAEs are inactive. Arachidonic acid mobilization induced by treatment of intact mouse peritoneal macrophages with Ca2+ ionophore A23187 had no effect on the production of NAE or its precursor N-acylphosphatidylethanolamine (N-acyl PE). Addition of exogenous ethanolamine resulted in enhanced NAE synthesis by its N-acylation with endogenous fatty acids, but this pathway was not selective for arachidonic acid. Incorporation of (18)O from H2 (18)O-containing media into the amide carbonyls of both NAE and N-acyl PE demonstrated a rapid, constitutive turnover of both lipids.

Soluble intercellular adhesion molecule 1 (ICAM-1) antigen in sera of bronchial asthmatics.

Previous studies have suggested that intercellular adhesion molecule 1 (ICAM-1, CD54) may be involved in the pathogenesis of asthma. In addition, a soluble form of ICAM-1 (sICAM-1) has been detected in increased concentrations in the sera of patients with certain inflammatory conditions. To determine whether bronchial asthma is associated with increased levels of sICAM-1 in serum and to assess the effects of therapy on these levels, the concentrations of sICAM-1 were measured in sera of healthy donors and asthmatic patients. The mean (+/- SD) level of serum sICAM-1 for 60 asthmatic patients (304.0 +/- 82.5 ng/mL) was significantly higher than that for 39 healthy volunteers (260.9 +/- 67.2 ng/mL; p = 0.004). Twenty-two patients considered to have atopic asthma and 24 patients with nonatopic asthma did not differ in their levels of sICAM-1. In 14 patients, serum concentrations of sICAM-1 were higher during asthma attacks than in the same patients during remission (p = 0.035). Serum sICAM-1 levels were lower in nine patients during treatment with oral prednisolone (2.5 to 40 mg/d) than during periods without systemic corticosteroid therapy (p = 0.002). Thus, active bronchial asthma is associated with the presence of increased levels of sICAM-1 in serum, and these levels may be modulated by corticosteroid therapy.

Induction of upmodulation of homing receptors in cloned hemopoietic progenitors by growth factors.

Recognition and selective seeding of hemopoietic cells to the marrow after intravenous transplantation is a function of membrane protein known as homing receptor (HR), which is a lectin with galactosyl and mannosyl specificities. We have previously shown that ex vivo incubation of marrow cells with IL-3 or GM-CSF enhances the seeding efficiency and that this enhancement may be the result of upmodulation of homing receptors. In the present work, we have shown that incubation of two cloned progenitor cell lines, FDCP-1 and FDCP-mix, with IL-3 or GM-CSF resulted in a dose-dependent increase in the number of HR per cell. Interferon-gamma did not have such an effect. The upmodulation of receptors was the result of enhanced de novo synthesis and transport of the protein as it was ablated by cyclohexamide, monensin or NH4Cl. On the other hand, degradation of the protein was not affected by the growth factors. The possible mechanisms whereby a brief exposure to growth factor ex vivo could lead to enhancement of homing efficiency are discussed. Induction of upmodulation of HR by ex vivo incubation of donor cells with certain hemopoietic growth factors, could be a useful strategy for enhancing marrow reconstitution after bone marrow transplantation. This could reduce the cost and prevent the side effects of in vivo growth factor therapy.

Acute eosinophilic pneumonia following cigarette smoking.

Two cases of acute eosinophilic pneumonia following cigarette smoking are analyzed for characteristic features. The first patient noted dyspnea 14 days after initiation of smoking. The second patient noted dyspnea 12 days after beginning to smoke. Both cases had characteristic features including occurrence at an age younger than 30 years; less than 1 month duration of cigarette smoking before onset of disease; and no identifiable cause of acute eosinophilic pneumonia apart from smoking. We believe that acute eosinophilic pneumonia following cigarette smoking, which has characteristic features as described above, should be considered as a distinct subtype of AEP.

Churg-Strauss syndrome associated with pregnancy.

Churg-Strauss syndrome, an uncommon condition, occurs even more rarely in association with pregnancy. One month postpartum, a 25-year-old Japanese woman was hospitalized for dyspnea, fever, diarrhea, and complaints of dysesthesia in the right lower limb and right lumbar and abdominal region. Marked eosinophilia was present. Symptoms of bronchial asthma had developed early in the pregnancy, which concluded with delivery of a healthy baby at 39 weeks of gestation. Churg-Strauss syndrome was diagnosed and prednisolone was administered with a good response leading to remission. Three years after the first pregnancy, low-dose steroid therapy was continued through another pregnancy. The patient delivered another healthy baby at 39 weeks of gestation, this time with no exacerbation of symptoms.

Adult respiratory distress syndrome induced by a Chinese medicine, Kamisyoyo-san.

We report the first case of Kamisyoyo-san-induced adult respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). A 59-year-old female was given Kamisyoyo-san for treatment of seborrheic dermatitis. She then presented with a respiratory illness having clinical, radiologic and functional characteristics of ARDS. Bronchoalveolar lavage fluid showed an increased number of lymphocytes, neutrophils and eosinophils. The lymphocyte stimulation test with Kamisyoyo-san was positive.

Serum interleukin-5 levels in a case with allergic granulomatous angiitis.

A 50-year-old woman with allergic granulomatous angiitis (AGA) presented with an elevated serum interleukin-5 (IL-5) level upon admission to a hospital. Administration of prednisolone showed marked improvement of asthmatic symptoms, reduced eosinophil counts of peripheral blood, and normalized serum IL-5 levels. This is the first report describing an elevated serum level of IL-5 in AGA. The present findings suggest that IL-5 is involved in the pathogenesis of AGA.

Benign asbestos pleural effusion associated with pulmonary aspergilloma.

A rare case of benign asbestos pleural effusion associated with aspergilloma is reported. A chest radiograph of a 75-year-old Japanese man who was admitted with right chest pain showed a right pleural effusion and nodular shadows in the right apex and left middle lung field. Thoracocentesis revealed an exudate with atypical mesothelial cells. An open lung biopsy showed aspergilloma in the right S2 area and no evidence of malignancy. Many reactive mesothelial cells were found in the pleura. A quantitative asbestos digestion study of the lung tissue biopsy showed high-grade asbestos exposure.

Two familial mesothelioma cases with high concentrations of soluble cytokeratin 19 fragment in pleural fluid.

We report two cases of diffuse malignant pleural mesothelioma occurring almost simultaneously in one family. Patient 1 was a 42-year-old Japanese man who had worked as an electrical engineer for 25 years. Patient 2, his mother, was 69 years old. She lived for 10 years with patient 1 after he started his work, and also worked at a shipyard herself for 6 years. The concentrations of cytokeratin subunit 19 fragment (CYFRA 21-1) in pleural fluid of the two patients were 1,500 ng/ml, and 1,200 ng/ml, respectively. Measurement of CYFRA 21-1 concentration in the pleural fluid may be a useful tool for a diagnosis of malignant mesothelioma.

A case of intralobar pulmonary sequestration with high serum CA19-9 levels.

A 38-year-old female presented with cough and fever. A chest X-ray examination revealed an abnormal shadow in the posteroinferior portion of the left hemithorax, and a laboratory examination showed that the serum carbohydrate antigen 19-9 (CA19-9) level was markedly high (1000 U/ml). A left thoracotomy showed an intralobar pulmonary sequestration of the left lower lobe, and after a left lower lobe lobectomy, the serum level of CA19-9 decreased to normal. Increased CA19-9 activity was detected by immunohistochemistry in the epithelia of bronchioles in the pulmonary sequestration. This communication is the first to report a case of increased activity of CA19-9 in pulmonary sequestration.

Factors influencing response to treatment of pulmonary tuberculosis.

We analyzed 150 patients with pulmonary tuberculosis from 1990 to 1996 (i) to evaluate the frequency of drug resistance, (ii) to elucidate factors influencing the response to chemotherapy, and (iii) to attempt to improve the therapeutic approach. Multidrug-resistant tuberculosis strains were not found. By univariate analysis, there were 8 factors associated with an increased sputum conversion time: male gender, prior treatment, complications, progressive chest radiographic findings, a high Ziehl-Neelsen stain score, lymphocytopenia, a high erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), and hypoproteinemia. Complications, prior treatment, a high Ziehl-Neelsen stain score, and a high ESR were independent predictive factors in a Cox proportional hazard model. Recursive partitioning and amalgamation (RPA) defined 3 subgroups that responded to treatment. In order to reduce the time to sputum conversion, poor responders according to the RPA should be treated with a 4-drug regimen containing pyrazinamide.

Classification of asthma based on clinical symptoms: asthma type in relation to patient age and age at onset of disease.

Seventy-one cases of bronchial asthma were classified into three types: bronchospasm, bronchospasm-hypersecretion and bronchiolar obstruction types. The characteristics of each type were studied in relation to patient age and age at onset of the disease. In the 71 subjects studied, the most frequent type was the bronchospasm type followed by the bronchospasm-hypersecretion type and bronchiolar obstruction type. Intractable asthma was most frequently observed in the bronchiolar obstruction type and least in the bronchospasm type. Most of the patients under 50 years of age showed the bronchospasm type. The bronchospasm-hypersecretion type was characteristically accompanied by blood eosinophilia when the patient age was under 50 years. In the bronchospasm-hypersecretion type, the incidence of intractable asthma was high in patients under 50 years of age, but not remarkable in those over 50. A large proportion of the patients over 50 years of age were of the bronchiolar obstruction type. There was no difference in the incidence of intractable asthma between the two groups classified by age at onset.

The usefulness of CYFRA 21-1 in diagnosing and monitoring malignant pleural mesothelioma.

Five patients with malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) were studied to determine whether CYFRA 21-1 is useful for diagnosis of this disease. In pleural effusions, the median concentration of CYFRA 21-1 from 4 patients with MPM was significantly higher than for 34 patients with benign diseases. The sensitivity of serum CYFRA 21-1 for diagnosis of MPM was 40% and its concentration changed in proportion to disease activity in all cases. Immunohistochemically, anticytokeratin 19 antibody revealed strong staining in both epithelial and sarcomatous MPM tissues. Based on these results, we conclude that measurement of CYFRA 21-1 in pleural effusions and serum may be useful for diagnosing and monitoring MPM.

[A case of chondrosarcoma of the low grade malignancy originated in rib].

A case with chondrosarcoma of rib, which is relatively uncommon in Japan, in a 61-year-old man is reported. Chest X-ray examination revealed an abnormal shadow in the right of the chest wall. Chest CT scan and MRI disclosed the tumor to have been arosen from the right 5th rib protruding into the thoracic cavity. Surgical resections of the tumor with parts of the 4th and 5th ribs and parietal pleura were performed. The defect of the chest wall was repaired with muscle. The tumor measured 3.0 x 3.0 x 3.5 cm in size and was a chondrosarcoma of the low grade malignancy, histologically. Post operative course was uneventful with no adjuvant therapy.

[A case of benign cystic teratoma growing in the thoracic cavity].

A case with benign cystic teratoma growing in the thoracic cavity, which is rare in Japan, in a 49-year-old woman is reported. She complained a chest pain suddenly. Chest X-ray examination revealed an abnormal shadow and pleural effusion in the right lung field. Chest CT scan and MRI disclosed a capsulated tumor in the thoracic cavity. During surgery the tumor had adhered to the part of the parietal pleura with no continuity with anterior mediastinum. The tumor measured 11.0 x 9.5 cm in size and was a mature cystic teratoma with pancreatic tissue, histologically. The fluid levels of amylase extracted from the tumor was highly elevated. Rupture due to autodigestion by pancreatic amylase of the tumor was supposed to be a cause of chest pain.

[Serum levels of soluble CD25 (soluble interleukin 2 receptor) in asthmatic patients].

Serum sCD25 levels were measured in 64 asthmatic patients and 22 healthy subjects by enzyme-liked immunosorbent assay. Serum sCD25 levels in the asthmatic patients were significantly higher than those in the healthy subjects (p < 0.02). Serum sCD25 levels in the asthmatic patients during attack were slightly higher than in those in remission, but there was no significant difference between the two groups. We studied changes of serum sCD25 level in 13 asthmatic patients in remission and during attack and found that serum sCD25 levels were significantly higher during attack than in remission (p < 0.02). Serum sCD25 levels in the asthmatic patients undergoing steroid therapy were significantly lower than in those who were not (p < 0.05). The significance of serum sCD25 in bronchial asthma still remains unclear, but these results suggest that T cells play an important role in bronchial asthma.

[Serum levels of soluble ICAM-1 in asthmatic patients].

Serum soluble intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (sICAM-1) levels were measured in 54 asthmatic patients and 32 healthy subjects by sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Serum sICAM-1 levels in the asthmatic patients not undergoing steroid therapy were significantly higher than those in the healthy subjects and those in the asthmatic patients undergoing steroid therapy (p < 0.01 and p < 0.001, respectively). Serum sICAM-1 levels in the asthmatic patients during attack were not significantly different from those in the patients in remission. We studied changes in serum ICAM-1 levels in 13 asthmatic patients in remission and during attack and found that serum ICAM-1 levels during attack were significantly higher than those in remission (p < 0.05). The origin of serum soluble ICAM-1 in asthmatic patients still remains unclear, but the up-regulated expression of ICAM-1 on the endothelium of the respiratory tract may contribute to the recruitment of eosinophils, neutrophils and lymphocytes to the airway in bronchial asthma.