HOME AND LABORATORY DREAMS COLLECTED UNDER UNIFORM SAMPLING CONDITIONS

Twelve young-adult males spent two nonconsecutive nights at the laboratory (L) and two at home (H), six in the order LHHL and six in the order HLLH. Dreams were collected under uniform sampling conditions in both settings: S was awakened by an alarm clock at 6:30 a.m. and reported any dreams he could remember into a tape recorder. Twenty dream reports were collected in the laboratory, and 18 at home. Dream reports were rated by two judges on the six dimensions isolated by Hauri et al.'s factor analysis of dream ratings. Results showed no significant differences between home and laboratory in percentage of recall, median dream word counts, and dream ratings for Vivid Fantasy, Unpleasantness, Active Participation, and Sex. Home dreams were judged to contain more Verbal Aggression (p < .02) and Physical Aggression (p < .08). It was concluded that, although impulse-related content may be more likely to occur in home dreams than in laboratory dreams, the basic dream processes of imagination, distortion, dramatization, etc., are the same in both settings.     

支气管肺炎患儿治疗前后血清SIL-2R和白三烯测定的临床意义

目的：探讨了血清可溶性白细胞介素-2受体（SIL-2R）和半胱氨酰白三烯（LTS）水平在支气管肺炎患儿治疗前后的变化及意义。方法：应用ELISA对35例支气管肺炎患儿进行了血清SIL-2R和LTS测定，并与30例正常儿作比较。结果：支气管肺炎患儿在治疗前血清SIL-2R和LTS水平非常显著地高于正常儿组（P〈0.01）。治疗后2周后血清SIL-2R和LTS水平与正常儿比较无显著性差异（P〉0．05）。结论：检测支气管肺炎患儿血清中SIL-2R和LTS水平可作为病情预后判断的重要指标。     

通痹灵对于IL-2及其受体α链影响的体内外研究

从体内体外两个方面 ,研究通痹灵对于CIA大鼠关节滑膜原代细胞分泌IL 2 ,以及通痹灵总碱对于IL 2受体α链CD2 5表达的影响。体内实验采用CIA大鼠动物模型。容积法测量足肿胀度 ,原代滑膜细胞培养、放免法检测培养液上清 ,观察通痹灵对滑膜内IL 2的影响 ;体外实验 ,分离大鼠淋巴细胞 ,佛波醇酯 (PDB )或刀豆蛋白 (ConA )体外刺激 ,双色免疫荧光标记 ,流式细胞仪检测 ,观察通痹灵总碱对CD3+CD2 5 +表达的影响。结果是体内实验 ,通痹灵高剂量可明显减轻CIA大鼠的足肿胀度 ,与MTX比较无显著性差异 (P >0 0 5 ) ,通痹灵高、低剂量可明显抑制CIA大鼠滑膜内IL 2的合成 (P <0 0 1) ;体外实验 ,通痹灵总碱显著抑制ConA刺激下的CD3+CD2 5 +的表达 ,而对PDB加ionomycin没有明显作用。提示通痹灵可以通过抑制IL 2合成及ConA激活的IL 2受体α链CD2 5信号转导通路 ,减轻局部关节的炎症 ,为其用于类风湿性关节炎的治疗提供了实验依据     

Peak Identification in Visual Evoked Potentials

Waveform patterns evoked by 4 intensities of flash in normal subjects were studied in relation to intersubject variability. Time-frequency distribution curves of all peaks occurring between 11 and 280 msec after flash onset and meeting minimal criteria were obtained from 46 males. These distributions closely corresponded to similar data reported by others for single intensity stimulation. An algorithm was developed which identified in 67 to 100% of instances a single “peak event’ within the time ranges of each of 6 peak distributions. Many peak events appeared and disappeared within the 4 intensity sets of individuals. Latencies were obtained for these peak events. Application of the algorithm to a replicate sample of 29 Ss, which included 8 females, indicated generalizability. Test-retest data on 15 Ss showed its reliability. The data suggest that methodology significantly contributes to the variability of peak identification among subjects. This may be reduced by employing multiple intensities of stimulation.     

Unusual reactions following insect stings. Clinical features and immunologic analysis.

Fifteen patients were studied who had unusual reactions following insect stings. These included serum sickness, neurologic disease, renal disease, and delayed hypersensitivity-type reactions. The clinical features are briefly outlined. Measurements were made of serum venom-specific IgE and IgG antibodies. These antibodies were present in some patients and in these instances suggested an immunologic pathogenesis for the reactions. Alternative etiologies for the unusual reactions are also discussed.     

CD3 antigen-mediated calcium signals and protein kinase C activation are higher in CD45R0+ than in CD45RA+ human T lymphocyte subsets

T lymphocytes may be separated into subsets according to their expression of CD45 isoforms. The CD45R0⁺ T cell subset has been reported to proliferate in response to recall antigen and to mitogenic mAb to a much greater extent than the CD45RA⁺ subset. This difference could be due to more efficient coupling of the T cell antigen receptor complex to mitogenic signaling pathways. To investigate this possibility, CD3 antigen-induced calcium signals, diacylglycerol (DAG) production and protein kinase C (PKC) activation levels were compared in CD45RA⁺ and CD45R0⁺ human T lymphocyte subsets derived from peripheral blood. The mean CD3-induced rise in intracellular calcium was 80% greater in CD45R0⁺ than in CD45RA⁺ cells. Basal DAG levels in CD45R0⁺ cells were found to be, on average, 60% higher than in CD45RA⁺ cells (p = 0.002), but the CD3-induced production of DAG over background was not different in the two subsets (p = 0.4). Basal PKC activity, and CD3-induced PKC activation levels over background, were found to be 50% and 140% higher, respectively, in CD45R0⁺ cells than in CD45RA⁺ cells (p = 0.015 and 0.023). The CD45R0⁺ subset contained a higher proportion of cells expressing activation markers, such as CD25, CD71 and major histocompatibility complex class II, when compared to the CD45RA⁺ subset. Our results suggest that the elevated basal DAG levels observed in the CD45R0⁺ subset may reflect the recent activation of these cells. Both the higher basal DAG and CD3-induced elevation in intracellular calcium observed in the CD45R0⁺ cells may contribute to the greater PKC activation signals triggered by CD3 mAb in this subset. These findings elucidate the greater response of CD45R0⁺ T cells to mitogenic stimuli compared to CD45RA⁺ cells.     

A comparison of the bronchodilator activity of Sch 1000 and salbutamol.

The effects of the beta 2-adrenergic agonist, salbutamol, 200 mug, and the cholinergic antagonist, Sch 1000, 40 mug, have been compared in 25 asthmatic patients using a single dose, double-blind, crossover trial design. Salbutamol aerosol produces a greater degree of bronchodilatation than Sch 1000 aerosol during the initial three hours following drug administration. There is no significant difference in the bronchodilator effects of the two drugs in the interval four to eight hours after drug administration. Nonatopic patients showed less difference in bronchodilator response to each of the two drugs than atopic patients. Neither drug showed any significant adverse effect on blood pressure, pulse rate, or electrocardiogram. In six asthmatic patients the effect of the combination of salbutamol, 200 mug, and Sch 1000, 40 mug, was evaluated. The combination produced a longer duration of bronchodilatation than either drug alone when compared to placebo.     

Endogenous brain angiotensin II disrupts passive avoidance behavior in rats

The presence of angiotensinogen, the precursor of angiotensin II (ANG II), in brain tissue and in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) allows stimulation of endogenous brain ANG II by renin. Passive avoidance tests were performed in female Wistar rats. The animals received an electrical shock after entering a black box on the first experimental day. Avoidance was tested every 24 h for 5 consecutive days. Renin in doses of 0.01 and 0.1 units was injected once into the lateral brain ventricles 2 min before the first test. CSF ANG II increased from 40 to 4547 and 5152 fmol per ml (means), respectively. A dose-dependent disruption of avoidance learning was observed, the frequency to enter the black box increasing from 11% (control) to 29% and 46%, and the latency decreasing from 165 (control) to 143 and 116 sec, respectively. These effects were statistically significant (P less than 0.001) for more than 24 h and returned to control levels after 48 to 120 h. Administration of the converting-enzyme inhibitor SQ 14225 i.v.t. prior to renin injections abolished the renin effects. Injections of renin given 22 h after learning were without effect.     

Efficacy response of inhaled beclomethasone dipropionate in asthma is proportional to dose and is improved by formulation with a new propellant

BACKGROUND: This study tested the hypothesis that there would be improved asthma control with increasing doses of beclomethasone dipropionate (BDP) formulated in hydrofluoroalkane-134a (HFA-BDP) and the standard chlorofluorocarbon propellants (CFC-BDP). Because HFA-BDP has improved lung deposition compared with CFC-BDP, this study also tested the hypothesis that HFA-BDP would provide more effective control of asthma than CFC-BDP. METHODS: In this multicenter, randomized, parallel-group blinded study, asthmatic subjects who had deterioration in asthma control after discontinuation of inhaled corticosteroids were randomized to receive one of 6 possible treatments: 100 microg/d, 400 microg/d, or 800 microg/d of HFA-BDP or 100 microg/d, 400 microg/d, or 800 microg/d of CFC-BDP for 6 weeks. Changes in spirometry, daytime asthma symptom and nighttime asthma-related sleep disturbance scores, morning and evening peak expiratory flows, and daily use of inhaled beta-agonist for symptom control on diary cards were assessed over 6 weeks of treatment. RESULTS: Three hundred twenty-three patients were randomized to the 6 treatment groups, which had similar demographics and baseline lung function. There were significantly larger changes from baseline at week 6 in FEV(1) percent predicted with increasing doses of both HFA-BDP and CFC-BDP. The FEV(1) percent predicted dose-response curve for HFA-BDP was shifted to the left compared with the dose-response curve for CFC-BDP. By using the Finney bioassay method, it was calculated that 2.6 times as much CFC-BDP would be required to achieve the same improvement in FEV(1) percent predicted as HFA-BDP (95% confidence interval, 1.1-11.6). All treatment groups except the 100 microg/d CFC-BDP group tolerated study drug well. Ten (17%) of 59 patients in this group reported an acute asthma episode, increased asthma symptoms (6 of the 8 reports of increased asthma symptoms were classified as severe), or both, and 8 patients withdrew from the study (3 for adverse events related to asthma). CONCLUSIONS: Increasing doses of inhaled corticosteroids lead to improved lung function and asthma control. Moreover, the reformulation of BDP in HFA enables effective asthma control at much lower doses than CFC-BDP.