Time-of-flight MR angiography with Gd-DTPA hexamethylene diamine co-polymer blood pool contrast agent: comparison of enhanced MRA and conventional angiography for arterial stenosis induced in rabbits

Vascular stenoses were induced in the external iliac arteries of New Zealand white rabbits by a combination of hypercholesterolemic diet and repeat balloon injury. Two-dimensional (2D) and three-dimensional (3D) time-of-flight (TOF) magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) was performed with a specifically designed phased array coil in a 1.5 T system. Enhancement with gadolinium-diethylene triamine pentaacetic acid (Gd-DTPA) hexamethylene diamine co-polymer (Nycomed: NC 22181), a blood pool MR contrast agent, was measured after contrast administration and compared with pre-contrast images at the same levels. Vessel diameter measurements were obtained at multiple levels and compared with comparable levels on conventional angiograms of the same animals. Stable enhancement, averaging 227% above baseline, was observed with the 3D TOF MRA over the 40 minutes of this study. Enhancement was not observed with the 2D TOF technique. Measurement of the smallest vessels in this study with 3D TOF MRA was slightly improved following contrast enhancement, although both pre- and post-contrast diameter measurements tended to underestimate the assumed true vessel diameter. Thus, Gd-DTPA hexamethylene diamine co-polymer (Nycomed: NC 22181), a blood pool MR contrast agent, produces significant, stable enhancement with the 3D TOF technique and may improve MRA measurement of small vessels.

Case report: adult Class I, constricted arches, crowding and impacted cuspid

The patient presented with constriction of both arches, moderate crowding and an unerupted and impacted maxillary cuspid. The Crozat appliance therapy efficiently developed the arches, reduced skeletal asymmetry on the sagittal plane, and distalized the upper left posteriors although this was aided by the removal of the second molar. Alignment and the development of a good functional occlusion was accomplished efficiently with the straight wire appliance. Facial balance and good lip support was maintained. No stripping was present and the periodontal health remains excellent. A significant improvement was made in the patient's smile. The teeth have been stabler during the two-year period following the initial placement of retainers. And the patient is very pleased with the treatment results.

Efficacy of limited CT for nonvisualized lower cervical spine in patients with blunt trauma

Records of 100 patients with blunt injury and nonvisualization of C7 and T1 on cross-table lateral and swimmer's views were reviewed to evaluate the usefulness of limited computed tomographic (CT) scans in "clearing" the lower cervical vertebrae of injury. CT was deemed necessary and performed in all of these cases because the lower cervical spine could not be evaluated clinically or with plain radiographs. Ninety-seven of these 100 patients had normal findings on CT and only three patients showed cervical spine fractures. All three had isolated and stable fractures. Two of these patients had "clay-shoveler" fractures at C6 and C7, respectively, and one had a single laminar fracture at C7. All three patients were conservatively treated. This study emphasizes the value of clinical correlation in the evaluation of cervical spine trauma. When deemed necessary in symptomatic patients, CT is useful to exclude skeletal injury in the lower cervical spine thus avoiding delay in the patient's workup and unnecessary hospitalization, and expediting patient discharge. Lack of pain and neurological findings in nonintoxicated, conscious, and alert patients is generally not associated with significant soft tissue or skeletal injury.

Case report. Adult Class II malocclusion with constricted arches, excessive vertical overlap and malposed teeth

The patient presented with constriction of both arches, moderate crowding, posterior crossbite, severe deep bite, TMJ symptoms and facial pain. The Crozat appliance therapy effectively uprighted the posterior segments and developed the arches. Alignment, leveling and development of a good functional occlusion was accomplished efficiently with the straight-wire appliance. Facial balance and good lip support was maintained. No stripping was present and the periodontal health remains excellent. An improvement was made in the patient's smile and TMJ health. The teeth have been stable during the three year period following the initial placement of retainers. And the patient is very pleased with the treatment results.

Mammalian mitochondrial endonuclease activities specific for ultraviolet-irradiated DNA

Mitochondrial forms of uracil DNA glycosylase and UV endonuclease have been purified and characterized from the mouse plasmacytoma cell line, MPC-11. As in other cell types, the mitochondrial uracil DNA glycosylase has properties very similar to those of the nuclear enzyme, although in this case the mitochondrial activity was also distinguishable by extreme sensitivity to dilution. Three mitochondrial UV endonuclease activities are also similar to nuclear enzymes; however, the relative amounts of these enzyme activities in the mitochondria is significantly different from that in the nucleus. In particular, mitochondria contain a much higher proportion of an activity analogous to UV endonuclease III. Nuclear UV endonuclease III activity is absent from XP group D fibroblasts and XP group D lymphoblasts have reduced, but detectable levels of the mitochondrial form of this enzyme. This residual activity differs in its properties from the normal mitochondrial form of UV endonuclease III, however. The presence of these enzyme activities which function in base excision repair suggests that such DNA repair occurs in mitochondria. Alternatively, these enzymes might act to mark damaged mitochondrial genomes for subsequent degradation.

Mitochondrial endonuclease activities specific for apurinic/apyrimidinic sites in DNA from mouse cells

Endonuclease activity which specifically cleaves baseless (apurinic/apyrimidinic (AP] sites in supercoiled DNA has been purified from mitochondria of the mouse plasmacytoma cell line, MPC-11. Two variant forms separate upon purification; these have small but reproducible differences in catalytic and chromatographic properties, but similar physical properties. Both have a sedimentation coefficient of 4.0, corresponding to a molecular weight of 61,000 (assuming a globular configuration) and a peptide molecular weight of about 65,000 as determined by immunoblot analysis with antiserum raised against the major AP endonuclease from HeLa cells. Thus mitochondrial AP endonuclease appears to be a monomer of about 65 kDa, making it distinguishable from the major AP endonuclease of MPC-11 cells which, like those of other mammalian cells, appears to be a monomer of about 41 kDa. A possible 82-kDa precursor form was also detected by immunoblot analysis of a crude mitochondrial fraction. Mitochondrial AP endonuclease activity is greatly stimulated by divalent cations, has a pH optimum between 6.5 and 8.5, and cleaves the AP site by a class II mechanism to generate a 3'-OH nucleotide residue. These properties resemble those of the major mammalian AP endonucleases but, unlike those enzymes, mitochondrial AP endonuclease activity is neither inhibited by adenine or NAD+ nor stimulated by Triton X-100. Since the mitochondrial activity generates active primer termini for DNA synthesis, it could function in base excision DNA repair; alternatively, it might have a role in eliminating damaged mitochondrial genomes from the gene pool.