Does the Intensity of IGG4 Immunostaining Have a Correlation with the Clinical Presentation of Riedel's Thyroiditis?

Riedel's thyroiditis (RT) represents one type of IgG4-related thyroid disease (IgG4RTD) and the diagnosis involves quantitative immunohistochemistry showing dense lymphoplasmacellular inflammatory infiltrate consisting of IgG4-positive plasma cells with storiform fibrosis and obliterative phlebitis. We report a case of RT with progressive enlargement of the anterior neck, severe dysphagia, odynophagia, and dyspnea. The patient underwent surgical decompression of the airway, protection tracheotomy, and gastrostomy for nutritional intake 6 months after first symptoms. Complete resolution occurred after surgical treatment combined with prednisolone. Immunostaining revealed IgG4-positive plasma cells 12/HPF (high-power field) and the IgG4/IgG ratio 25%, values that were disproportionate to the intensity of the patient's symptoms. As to this case and the few cases described and analyzed in the literature, our impression is that there is no relation between the intensity of symptoms in RT with the total number of IgG4-positive plasma cells and the IgG4/IgG ratio, but more studies are needed.

Correlation between concomitant theta waves in nucleus reticularis pontis oralis and in hippocampus, thalamus and neocortex during dreaming in rats.

Theta waves, which are the main electrophysiological expression of dreaming activity in many brain structures of rats, often undergo specific changes in voltage and frequency according to the oniric patterns. Much is known about their mechanisms but little is known regarding their origin, which has been ascribed to a specific activation of either the reticular formation or the septal nuclei or nucleus reticularis pontis oralis. In the present study, rats were prepared for chronic recording of the electro-oscillograms of cortical areas 10, 3 and 17, of hippocampal CA1 and CA3 fields, of nucleus reticularis thalami, nucleus reticularis pontis oralis and occasionally of nucleus reticularis caudalis. Head, rostrum, eye and forelimb movements were also recorded, so that the oniric behaviors could be precisely identified. The scatter diagrams and the corresponding correlation coefficients (r) of the voltage of concomitant waves were determined for each possible pair of leads. The potentials were analyzed at a frequency of 256 Hz over a period of 1 to 3 sec. A very high degree of correlation was observed between theta waves in nucleus reticularis pontis oralis, hippocampal fields and nucleus reticularis pontis caudalis; sometimes r approached unity. Although these data cannot be taken as proof of nucleus reticularis pontis oralis being the source of theta waves, they are at least compatible with this hypothesis.

Correlation between concomitant theta waves in nucleus reticularis pontis oralis and in hippocampus, thalamus and neocortex during dreaming in rats

Theta waves, which are the main electrophysiological expression of dreaming activity in many brain structures of rats, often undergo specific changes in voltage and frequency according to the oniric patterns. Much is known about their mechanisms but little is known regarding their origin, which has been ascribed to a specific activation of either the reticular formation or the septal nuclei or nucleus reticularis pontis oralis. In the present study, rats were prepared for chronic recording of the electro-oscillograms of cortical areas 10, 3 and 17, of hippocampal CA1 and CA3 fields, of nucleus reticularis thalami, nucleus reticularis pontis oralis and occasionally of nucleus reticularis caudalis. Head, rostrum, eye and forelimb movements were also recorded, so that the oniric behaviors could be precisely identified. The scatter diagrams and the corresponding correlation coefficients (r) of the voltage of concomitant waves were determined for each possible pair of leads. The potentials were analyzed at a frequency of 256 Hz over a period of 1 to 3 sec. A very high degree of correlation was observed between theta waves in nucleus reticularis pontis oralis, hippocampal fields and nucleus reticularis pontis caudalis; sometimes r approached unity. Although these data cannot be taken as proof of nucleus reticularis pontis oralis being the source of theta waves, they are at least compatible with this hypothesis.