Positive reinforcement training as enrichment for singly housed rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta)

Positive reinforcement training is one component of behavioural management employed to improve psychological well-being. There has been regulatory promotion to compensate for restricted social housing in part by providing human interaction to singly caged primates, implying an efficacy standard for evaluating human interaction. The effect of positive reinforcement training on the behaviour of 61 singly housed laboratory rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta) was evaluated at two large primate facilities. Training involved body part presentation and basic control behaviours. Baseline data were compared to two treatment phases presented in varying order across individuals, six minutes per week of positive reinforcement training and six minutes per week of unstructured human interaction. While a MANOVA involving behavioural categories and study conditions across study subjects was significant, univariate ANOVAs found no effect of phase within any behavioural category. Categorising subjects according to rearing, housing facility, or baseline levels of abnormal behaviour did not reveal changes in behaviour with positive reinforcement training or human interaction. This study failed to detect, to any degree, the types of behavioural changes documented in the scientific literature to result from pairing singly housed monkeys. Implementing short durations of positive reinforcement training across large numbers of singly housed animals may not be the most effective manner for incorporating positive reinforcement training in the behavioural management of laboratory macaques. Rather, directing efforts toward individuals with specific behavioural, management, clinical, research or therapeutic needs may represent a more fruitful approach to improving psychological well-being with this technique.

Contrast enhanced MR angiography with parallel imaging in the early period after renal transplantation

PURPOSE

To evaluate renal allograft vessels in the early period after kidney transplantation with three-dimensional (3D) contrast-enhanced MR angiography (3D CE MRA) using a parallel imaging technique.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Sixty-three consecutive patients were examined with 3D CE MRA and integrated SENSE technique (Sensitivity Encoding) 2 to 21 days after renal transplantation. MR angiography studies were analyzed for the presence of arterial stenosis. The degree of renal transplant artery stenosis was graded qualitatively as <50% = mild, 50-70% = moderate, 70-99% = severe, and occlusion. Four patients (6.3%) with moderate (n = 1) or severe (n = 3) arterial stenoses on CE MRA underwent selective intra-arterial digital subtraction angiography. In two patients, selective intravenous digital subtraction angiography (DSA) was performed.

RESULTS

Twenty-seven (42.9%) of the 63 patients had normal CE MR angiograms, 29 (46%) showed mild, 3 patients (4.8%) moderate, and 4 patients (6.3%) severe stenoses of the donor artery. In three patients, the severe stenosis of the graft artery was confirmed by surgery or intra-arterial DSA. One patient with suspicion of severe arterial stenosis on MRA had moderate vessel narrowing on DSA. Twelve months after kidney transplantation, serum creatinine levels were not significantly different in patients with mild and moderate stenoses from those without (P > 0.19) but significantly different from those with severe stenoses (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

The incidence of mild and moderate vessel narrowing at the arterial anastomosis is unexpectedly high in the early period after kidney transplantation and is most likely due to surgery-related tissue edema.

Tumor M2-pyruvate kinase in the follow-up of inoperable lung cancer patients: a pilot study

Tumor markers were used for disease monitoring in lung cancer patients. The goal of this pilot study was to determine the diagnostic efficiency of a new tumor metabolic marker, Tumor M2-pyruvate kinase (Tumor M2-PK) for the detection of tumor growth in inoperable lung cancer patients.Fifty-seven consecutive and primary inoperable lung cancer patients were included in this prospective study. Changes in plasma levels of Tumor M2-PK were compared to the clinical course of the disease. Clinical monitoring was evaluated according to the standard criteria of the WHO. Of the 57 patients, 19 were in remission, 18 showed signs of stable disease and there were 20 tumor progressions under therapy. In the further follow-up after treatment, tumor relapse occurred in 30 patients. Tumor M2-PK was measured in plasma before and after treatment as well as at time of relapse. During tumor remission Tumor M2-PK levels decreased significantly under treatment (P=0.0004). As might be expected, pre- and post-treatment marker concentrations did not differ significantly in patients with stable disease. In progressive lung cancer patients a significant increase in Tumor M2-PK was detectable (P=0.0094). Overall, a decrease of Tumor M2-PK was seen in 17 (89%) of all responders, while an increase could be detected in 16 (80%) of the patients experiencing tumor progression. After treatment tumor relapse occurred in 30 patients. Tumor M2-PK increased significantly (P=0.0201) at time of relapse in 17 patients with non-small cell lung cancers and exceeded the cut-off in 11 of the 17 (65%). In conclusion, Tumor M2-PK proved useful as a diagnostic aid for therapy control in lung cancer patients. This marker can also be used to detect tumor relapse after treatment. Tumor M2-PK could be well suited to complete the present diagnostic panel for monitoring of inoperable lung cancer patients.

Fuzzy logic-based tumor marker profiles including a new marker tumor M2-PK improved sensitivity to the detection of progression in lung cancer patients

In lung cancer patients tumor markers are used for disease monitoring. The goal of this study was to improve diagnostic efficiency in the detection of tumor progression in lung cancer patients by using fuzzy logic modeling in combination with a tumor marker panel (Tumor M2-PK, CYFRA 21-1, CEA, NSE and SCC). Thirty-three small cell lung cancers (SCLC) and 69 consecutive inoperable patients (40 squamous and 29 adenocarcinomas) were included in a prospective study. The changes of blood levels of tumor markers as well as their analysis by fuzzy logic modelling were compared to the clinical evaluation of response vs. non-response to therapy. Clinical monitoring was evaluated according to the standard criteria of the WHO. Tumor M2-PK was measured in plasma with an ELISA (ScheBo Biotech, Germany) and all other markers in sera (Roche, Germany). At a 90% specificity, the respective best single marker found the following fraction of all patients who had tumor progression clinically detected: in SCLC with NSE 52%, in adenocarcinoma with CYFRA 21-1 89% and in squamous carcinoma with SCC 65%. A fuzzy logic rule-based system employing a tumor marker panel increased the sensitivity in small cell carcinomas to 73% with the marker combination NSE/CEA and to 63% with the marker combination NSE/Tumor M2-PK, respectively. In squamous carcinomas an improvement of sensitivity is also observed using the marker combination of SCC/Tumor M2-PK (Sensitivity: 81%) or SCC/CEA (Sensitivity: 71%). By using the fuzzy logic method and the marker combination CYFRA 21-1/CEA as well as CYFRA 21-1/Tumor M2-PK, the detection of lung cancer progression was possible in all adenocarcinomas. With the fuzzy logic method and a tumor marker panel (including the new marker Tumor M2-PK), a useful diagnostic tool for the detection of progression in lung cancer patients is available.

Tumor M2-pyruvate kinase in lung cancer patients: immunohistochemical detection and disease monitoring

BACKGROUND

Lung cancer is one of the main causes for cancer death. A reliable diagnosis and follow-up of patients is important support for a successful therapy. The diagnostic efficiency of a new marker Tumor M2-pyruvate kinase (Tumor M2-PK) is evaluated.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

In this report immunohistochemical detection of pyruvate kinase M2 in tissue sections of lung cancer specimens is presented. Furthermore Tumor M2-PK was quantified in EDTA plasma of lung cancer patients in order to monitor the disease, especially under chemotherapy.

RESULTS

Immunohistochemical detection of pyruvate kinase M2 in tissue sections of lung cancer specimens showed selective staining of tumor cells, independent of the histological classification of the tumor. In EDTA plasma of lung cancer patients, the marker concentrations correlated well with the tumor load during follow-up, showing significantly increasing concentrations with progressive tumor stages and decreased concentrations during tumor remission. Again, this effect was independent of the histological tumor type.

CONCLUSION

The present data indicate that Tumor M2-PK in EDTA-plasma could be a valuable tumor marker for monitoring lung cancer.

Comparison of the tumor markers tumor M2-PK, CEA, CYFRA 21-1, NSE and SCC in the diagnosis of lung cancer

The study presents data comparing the new tumor marker Tumor M2-PK with CEA, CYFRA 21-1, NSE and SCC in the diagnosis of lung cancer. Tumor M2-PK is quantitatively detectable in EDTA-plasma with a sensitive ELISA. The results of the tumor marker test were compared with respect to the different histological tumor types and with the tumor staging. So far 144 newly diagnosed lung cancer patients were included. Significantly elevated tumor marker concentrations were found with progressive tumor stages. The best correlation with the tumor stage was observed for Tumor M2-PK and CYFRA 21-1. Comparison of the sensitivities in the detection of lung cancer indicated that the Tumor M2-PK-test (sensitivity: 58%) is more efficient than the CEA-Test (sensitivity: 39%) or CYFRA 21-1 (sensitivity: 48%). Generally higher sensitivity for non-small cell lung cancer only was shown for Tumor M2-PK (sensitivity: 65%), CEA (sensitivity: 42%) and CYFRA 21-1 (sensitivity: 58%). For small-cell lung cancer the marker NSE was more sensitive than all other markers. Initial follow-up studies indicate that Tumor M2-PK and CYFRA 21-1 can be used to monitor disease with tumor progression or regression during chemotherapy. The present data indicated that Tumor M2-PK could be a valuable tumor marker for the detection of lung cancer.

[The pseudoluxation of the acromio-clavicular joint - a special type of epiphyseolysis (author's transl)]

The difficulty in diagnosis of pseudoluxation of the acromio-clavicular joint is illustrated with the case of a ten year old boy. A similar radiological picture may be obtained in luxation of the acromio-clavicular joint with rupture of the ligaments (Tossy III) and also pseudoluxation following degeneration of the distal end of the clavicle with peri-ostial tear. The history of peri-ostial injury must be considered in the dynamic aspects in relation to the skeletal development when making this diagnosis. In the group of paediatric injuries close to joints the pseudoluxation of the acromio-clavicular joint is a modification of the architecture and variation of epiphysiolysis.

[The serum level of ionized calcium, total calcium, and magnesium in neonates (author's transl)]

In the first three days of life ionized and total calcium and magnesium were determined in the serum and compared with perinatal parameters in a heterogenous groups of newborn infants (n equals 33). The findings allow the following conclusions: 1. There is a relative good correlation between ionized and total calcium. 2. There is no statisticly proven correlation between magnesium and ionized or total calcium. 3. There is a close relation between APGAR-score and the levels of calcium in the first hours of life. But apparently there is no relation between the gestational age or the weight of birth and magnesium, between the gestational age or the weight of birth and ionized or total calcium there is no close correlation.