Can radiological technologists serve as primary screeners of low-dose computed tomography for the diagnosis of lung cancer?

BACKGROUND: The Accreditation Council for Lung Cancer CT Screening of Japan established guidelines for the certification of Radiological Technologists in 2009. OBJECTIVE: To analyze the trends in examination pass rates of the Radiological Technologists and discuss the reasons. METHODS: The cohort comprised 1593 Radiological Technologists (as examinees) based on 10-year of data (with a total of 17 examination runs). First, the examinees' written test results were analyzed. Second, an abnormal finding detection test was conducted using >100 client PCs connected to a dedicated server containing low-dose lung cancer CT screening images of 60 cases. The passing scores were correct answer rate >60% and sensitivity (TP) of >90%, respectively. RESULTS: Overall, 1243 examinees passed with an overall rate of 78%. The average pass rate for the written test was 91%, whereas that for the abnormal findings detection test was 85%. There was a moderate correlation between the test pass rate and average years of clinical experience of the examinees for the abnormal findings detection test (R = 0.558), whereas no such correlation existed for the written test (R = 0.105). CONCLUSIONS: In order for accredited Radiological Technologists to serve as primary screeners of low-dose computed tomography, it is important to revise the educational system according to current standard practices.

Amyloid-producing Odontoameloblastoma in a Black-tailed Prairie Dog (Cynomys ludovicianus).

A 6-year-old female black-tailed prairie dog (Cynomys ludovicianus) was presented with a space-occupying lesion in the left submandibular region. On computed tomography, a low attenuating, poorly circumscribed mass infiltrated the left mandibular bone, with osteolytic change. Microscopically, the lesion was composed of odontogenic epithelium proliferating in nests and embedded in abundant dental papilla-like ectomesenchyme, including dentine and enamel. Multifocal amyloid deposition was observed. Immunohistochemically, the neoplastic epithelial cells were positive for cytokeratin (CK) AE1/AE3, CK14 and p63. Some epithelial cells were positive for amelogenin and some adjacent to the amyloid deposits co-expressed S100. The ectomesenchymal cells expressed vimentin and strong S100 immunoreactivity was observed in odontoblast-like cells. The amyloid was immunolabelled with amelogenin. The tumour was diagnosed as amyloid-producing odontoameloblastoma.

Aberrant expression of microRNAs and the miR-1/MET pathway in canine hepatocellular carcinoma.

Canine hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most common primary hepatic tumour in dogs. MicroRNA (miRNA) dysregulation has been reported in human HCC and shown to have diagnostic and prognostic value; however, there are no data on miRNA expression in canine HCC. The aim of the present study was to investigate differentially expressed miRNAs in canine HCC. Analysis of miRNA expression in canine HCC tissues and cell lines by quantitative reverse transcription PCR showed that miR-1, miR-122, let-7a, and let-7g were downregulated, whereas miR-10b and miR-21 were upregulated in canine HCC. MET is one of the target genes of miR-1. MET was upregulated in canine HCC at the gene and protein levels, and a significant correlation between the concomitant downregulation of miR-1 and upregulation of MET was observed. Fast/intermediate-proliferating canine HCC cell lines had higher MET gene and protein expression levels than the slow-proliferating cell line. These findings suggest that miRNAs are differentially expressed in canine HCC, and that the miR-1/MET pathway may be associated with canine HCC cell proliferation.

Histopathological and Immunohistochemical Study of Trichoblastoma in the Rabbit.

Trichoblastoma is the most common skin tumour in the rabbit. The aim of the present study was to characterize the histological and immunohistochemical features of trichoblastoma in 27 rabbits. Common sites of tumour occurrence were the neck (6/30, 20%), head (5/30, 16.7%), flank (4/30, 13.3%) and hindlimb (4/30, 13.3%). Histologically, rabbit trichoblastoma was categorized into ribbon (10/30, 33.3%), trabecular (8/30, 26.7%) and mixed types (12/30, 40%). The tumour tissue showed close interaction with the surrounding stroma where prominent fibroblastic aggregation, known as papillary mesenchymal bodies, was frequently observed (24/30; 80%). Peritumoural stroma of all cases was stained by Alcian blue (at pH 2.5 with weaker staining at pH 1.0). Immunohistochemically, the peripheral palisading basal-type cells of the tumour were positive for cytokeratin (CK) 14 while the inner cells were typically positive for CK17, differing from the immunohistochemical profile of the rabbit epidermis and hair follicle. The present study suggests that uncontrolled embryonic trichogenesis is involved in the development of trichoblastoma in the rabbit.

Deposition, Clearance, and Reinduction of Amyloid A Amyloid in Interleukin 1 Receptor Antagonist Knockout Mice.

Amyloid A (AA) amyloidosis is characterized by the extracellular deposition of AA amyloid and results in the irreversible dysfunction of parenchymal organs. In experimental models, AA amyloid deposits are cleared following a decrease in circulating serum amyloid A (SAA) concentrations. Additional inflammatory stimuli during this recovery process may induce more severe amyloid redeposition. In the present study, we confirmed the deposition, clearance, and reinduction of AA amyloid deposits in interleukin 1 receptor antagonist knockout mice (IL-1raKO) and studied the SAA levels and amyloid-enhancing factor activity based on the time-dependent changes of amyloid deposition. Histopathologically, following initial (day 0) injection of amyloid-enhancing factor in combination with an inflammatory stimulus (silver nitrate [AgNO3]), amyloid deposition peaked by day 20, and its deposition gradually decreased after day 35. SAA concentrations in serum were precipitously elevated on day 1 but returned to normal levels by day 10, whereas the SAA dimer was detected in serum after day 45. An additional AgNO3 injection was administered to mice with amyloidosis on day 5, 10, 35, or 50, and all mice developed large amyloid deposits. Amyloid deposition was most severe in mice treated with AgNO3 on day 35. The inoculation of sera from mice with AA amyloidosis, combined with AgNO3, induced AA amyloidosis. Serum samples collected on days 35 and 50, which contained high concentrations of the SAA dimer, induced amyloidosis in a high proportion (83%) of mice. Therefore, increased SAA and/or its dimer in serum during the recovery process may markedly exacerbate the development of AA amyloidosis.

Experimental transmission of AA amyloidosis by injecting the AA amyloid protein into interleukin-1 receptor antagonist knockout (IL-1raKO) mice.

The incidence of AA amyloidosis is high in humans with rheumatoid arthritis and several animal species, including cats and cattle with prolonged inflammation. AA amyloidosis can be experimentally induced in mice using severe inflammatory stimuli and a coinjection of AA amyloid; however, difficulties have been associated with transmitting AA amyloidosis to a different animal species, and this has been attributed to the "species barrier." The interleukin-1 receptor antagonist knockout (IL-1raKO) mouse, a rodent model of human rheumatoid arthritis, has been used in the transmission of AA amyloid. When IL-1raKO and BALB/c mice were intraperitoneally injected with mouse AA amyloid together with a subcutaneous pretreatment of 2% AgNO3, all mice from both strains that were injected with crude or purified murine AA amyloid developed AA amyloidosis. However, the amyloid index, which was determined by the intensity of AA amyloid deposition, was significantly higher in IL-1raKO mice than in BALB/c mice. When IL-1raKO and BALB/c mice were injected with crude or purified bovine AA amyloid together with the pretreatment, 83% (5/6 cases) and 38% (3/8 cases) of IL-1raKO mice and 17% (1/6 cases) and 0% (0/6 cases) of BALB/c mice, respectively, developed AA amyloidosis. Similarly, when IL-1raKO and BALB/c mice were injected with crude or purified feline AA amyloid, 33% (2/6 cases) and 88% (7/8 cases) of IL-1raKO mice and 0% (0/6 cases) and 29% (2/6 cases) of BALB/c mice, respectively, developed AA amyloidosis. These results indicated that IL-1raKO mice are a useful animal model for investigating AA amyloidogenesis.

Cloning of human, mouse and fission yeast recombination genes homologous to RAD51 and recA.

Rad51, of Saccharomyces cerevisiae, is a homologue of recA of Escherichia coli and plays crucial roles in both mitotic and meiotic recombination and in repair of double-strand breaks of DNA. We have cloned genes from human, mouse and fission yeast that are homologous to rad51. The 339 amino acid proteins predicted for the two mammalian genes are almost identical and are highly homologous (83%) with the yeast proteins. The mouse gene is transcribed at a high level in thymus, spleen, testis and ovary and at a lower level in brain and other tissues. The rad51 homologues fail to complement the DNA repair defect of rad51 mutants of S. cerevisiae. The mouse gene is located in the F1 region of chromosome 2 and the human gene maps to chromosome 15.

Orthostatic postural activity disorders recorded by statokinesimeter in post-concussional syndromes: oculomoter aspect.

The purpose of this paper is to emphasize the influence of the mesencephalic oculomotor system regulation on orthostatic postural regulation. The body at rest is never immobile but it swings continuosly. The amplitudes and the frequencies of body sway give an indication of the function of the different sensorimotor loops which are involved in body balance. An apparatus, the statokinesimeter, allows us to record these motions by means of displacement of the body's centre of gravity with respect to the centre of the basis. In the case of head or cervical injuries, the brain stem is often implicated giving a partial nuclear unilateral lesion of the III nucleus; double vision of a few degrees with picture separation of never more than 4 degrees occurs. A compensory deviation of the head follows. A conflict between afferents from the III, IV, VI, VII, XI and supraspinal nuclei occurs. The amplitude and the frequency of the body sway change. A form of treatment is proposed for the 'pseudo-vertigo' of post-concussional syndrome.