Serum Factors Causing Impaired Macrophage Function in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus

Leukocytes from patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and healthy controls were cultured for 4 days in either SLE serum or control serum The remaining monolayer of monocyte-derived macrophages was allowed to ingest yeast cells. Macrophages (from SLE patients or controls) incubated in SLE sera presented impaired phagocytic activity and glass adherence compared with cells grown in control sera SLE sera contain one or more factors that impair macrophage function; IgG-containing immune complexes may be one such factor.     

Effect of a new inhibitor of lipid peroxidation on kidney function after ischaemia-reperfusion. A study on rat and rabbit kidneys

Lipid peroxidation of mitochondrial and cell membrane structures is the final step in the oxygen radical-induced damage observed at reperfusion of kidneys after ischaemia. We compared the ability of an indeno-indol compound (code name H290/51) with that of α-tocopherol to inhibit lipid peroxidation in reoxygenated isolated rat renal tissue in vitro measured as production of TBARS (thiobarbituric acid reactive substances). H290/51 was 100 times more efficient than α-tocopherol. Treatment of rats in vivo with H290/51 in a dosage giving a plasma concentration of 500 nmol L^-1 inhibited TBARS production measured in vitro by 80%. Treatment of rabbits with H290/51 almost completely inhibited radical production at reperfusion after 60 min of ischaemia measured with spin trap technique using OXANOH (2-ethyl-3-hydroxy-2,4,4-trimethyloxazolidine) as a spin trap. Furthermore, such pretreatment significantly improved kidney function and survival of rabbits subjected to 60 min of ischaemia to the left kidney and contralateral nephrectomy. These studies stress the importance of inhibiting lipid peroxidation to prevent the ischaemia-reperfusion damage and furthermore suggest a role for treatment with antioxidants like H290/51 in clinical practice, e.g. at reconstructive renal surgery and transplantation.     

Growth resistance-sized arteries in response to bladder hypertrophy in the rat: time-course,DNA-synthesis and LDH-isoform pattern

Bladder growth was induced by partial urethral obstruction. Bladder hypertrophy was evident at 53 h after obstruction and continued over a 6 weeks period. Small bladder arteries were taken from fixed anatomical locations of the bladder circulation, mounted in a small vessel myograph and the optimal diameter for maximal isometric force development was determined (L_max, K⁺=125 mm stimulation). Bladder hypertrophy was associated with an enlarged L_max from 53 h onward (compared with sham-operated controls) and L_max continued to increase until 10 days after urethral obstruction. Between 10 days and 6 weeks no further increase of the diameter was observed. Increased diameters in vitro were accompanied by a transiently increased [³H]Thymidine uptake in the small arteries which peaked at 53 h after obstruction but was still above background at 10 days. At this time point, small arterial growth was associated with a significant relative increase in the M isoform of LDH as determined with agarose electrophoresis on tissue homogenates. Thus organ growth induced small vessel growth in the rat is characterized by a rapid onset, increased but transient DNA-turnover and LDH-isoform changes. The latter mimic changes seen in other types of smooth muscle growth.     

Eosinophils, secretory responsiveness and glucocorticoid-induced effects on the nasal mucosa during a weak pollen season

This study examined the seasonal effects on eosinophils and secretory responsiveness of the nasal mucosa in 22 patients with allergic rhinitis due to birch pollen (11 patients received placebo and 11 budesonide, 200 micrograms once daily in each nostril). The pollen counts during the study season were too low to produce a significant symptomatology. Hence, our findings demonstrate threshold alterations of the airway mucosa in allergic rhinitis and their inhibition by anti-inflammatory drug intervention. The patients were monitored for 8 weeks with daily recordings of pollen counts and symptom scores. Once every week a series of laboratory tests was carried out: the local eosinophil influx was determined using a Rhinobrush technique; the levels of eosinophil cationic protein (ECP) were analysed in nasal lavage fluids; and the secretory response to intranasal methacholine was measured. Treatments started after a 2-week run-in period. The proportion of eosinophils increased markedly in the placebo group and was elevated also during the last two study weeks when the pollen counts were practically nil. The secretory responsiveness to methacholine increased during the pollen season and returned to baseline towards the end of the study period. The topical glucocorticoid treatment reduced the proportion of eosinophils, the ECP levels, and the secretory response to methacholine compared to placebo. We conclude that the increased traffic and activity of eosinophils and less conspicuously the increased secretory responsiveness are expressions of the mucosal inflammation that precede the development of symptoms in seasonal allergic rhinitis.     

Radionuclide Angiocardiography in Post-myocardial Infarction Patients

ABSTRACT One hundred and one representative post-myocardial infarction (MI) patients were investigated with radionuclide angiocardiography (RNA) and exercise test within 1 month of the MI and after 6 and 12 months. From the RNA were calculated the left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) and a quantified phase image, the phase standard deviation (phase-SD), representing the timing of the left ventricular contraction. The mean phase-SD was significantly higher among these patients (18°, 19° and 18°, respectively, at the three investigations) compared to phase-SD in normals (6°), indicating an impaired timing of the left ventricular (LV) contraction. At all three investigations a significant correlation was found between the phase-SD and the LVEF (r=0.58, r=-0.74 and r=-0.75, respectively) and the corrected QT interval (r=0.27, r=0.44 and r=0.39, respectively). Maximal serum ASAT in patients with their first MI correlated significantly to phase-SD. Low exercise capacity or unfavourable NYHA classification was associated with high phase-SD. Phase-SD higher than mean was also associated with significantly increased mortality during the follow-up year (P=0.0057). In conclusion, phase-SD, reflecting the timing of the LV contraction wave, is easily accessible and clinically relevant. It merits further investigation as a prognostic factor after an MI.     

Studies on Several Genetic Hematologic Characteristics of the Mexican Population: IV. The Finding of a Fast Hemoglobin Component (Hemoglobin Mexico) in an Indian Family

The clinical, genetic and electrophoretic characteristics of what is verylikely a new hemoglobin variant, hemoglobin Mexico, are presented. It isclinically silent, transmitted by an autosomal co-dominant gene, and inalkaline pH moves faster than hemoglobin A.

Submitted on January 9, 1963 Accepted on April 21, 1963     

Intra-cortical excitability in healthy human subjects after tongue training

Summary  Training of specific muscles causes plastic changes in corticomotor pathways which may underlie the effect of various clinical rehabilitation procedures. The paired pulse transcranial magnetic stimulation (ppTMS) technique can be used to assess short interval intra-cortical inhibitory (SICI) and intra-cortical facilitatory (ICF) networks. This study examined changes in SICI and ICF in tongue motor cortex after tongue training in 11 healthy volunteers using ppTMS. Paired pulse TMS was applied to the 'hot-spot' for the tongue motor cortex and motor-evoked potentials (MEPs) were recorded from tongue muscles. In tongue motor cortex, bilateral SICI ( P  < 0·019) and ICF ( P  < 0·001) was detected before and after training. There were no significant effects of training on single MEPs or SICI/ICF ( P  > 0·063). The success rate improved during training ( P  < 0·001) and changes in success were correlated to changes in single MEP amplitude ( P  < 0·006) but not to SICI/ICF ( P  > 0·113). This first study of SICI/ICF after tongue training showed no training-related changes in intra-cortical inhibitory or facilitatory networks. However, there was an association between task performance and changes in corticomotor excitability. Further studies are required to determine the clinical utility of muscle specific training for oral rehabilitation purposes.