Cyclosporin A and the thymus. Immunopathology.

Cyclosporin A (CsA) is known to diminish the size of the thymus, especially the thymic medulla. The significance of these changes is not presently understood. This study reveals several immunopathologic changes induced in the thymic medulla by CsA (15 mg/kg/day). The weight and relative size of the thymus dramatically and rapidly involutes, with marked changes observed in 1 week. The medullary thymocytes show segregation of rat T-cell phenotypes as seen in control rats, but the number of such cells is markedly reduced in accordance with the medullary remnant. This is consistent with a maturational arrest of thymocytes. The medullary epithelium was assessed directly by irradiating the control or CsA-treated rats 2 days prior to sacrifice. The epithelium of Hassall's corpuscles was essentially absent in CsA-treated rats but prominent in control rats. The cortical epithelial cells were preserved. Stains for Ia antigen with the anti-OX4 antibody show little change in expression by cortical epithelium, but a marked reduction in the Ia+ medullary cells in the thymocyte purged rats. All of these changes were reversible in the normal rat after cessation of CsA, with near normal recovery in 3 weeks. No morphologic or immunopathologic changes were noted in the cortical thymocytes. These cells did, however, acquire CsA receptors, as detected by the binding of fluorescent dansylated CsA.     

Model of the heart and its applications to the e.c.g.

The human body with the heart as an active electrical source has been modelled by three sets of harmonic polyphase generator voltages or spinning vectors; each set being confined to one of the three standard planes, i.e. the frontal plane, the horizontal plane and the sagittal plane. The equivalent circuit for one of the standard planes, the frontal plane, has been developed and analysed. The identical method of approach for the analysis of e.c.g. voltages in the two other planes has been pointed out and a typical multidimensional case analysis of this model is given. This model has been shown to satisfy a general version of the Burger law and also a general version of the Goldberger augmented lead voltages. The modified Wilson central terminal (w.c.t.) has also been found not to be at the electrical zero of the system. it has further been observed, and confirmed by experiment, that the vector sum of harmonic currents towards the modified w.c.t. is zero, irrespective of the different values of externally connected resistors and without assuming the modified w.c.t. at the electrical zero of the system, i.e. Kirchhoff’s harmonic-current law is satisfied at the modified w.c.t. For equal values of external resistors, the vector sum of the phase voltages and augmented lead voltages also become zero. The model has further been used to study the effect of a number of standard leads placed in the frontal plane while recording the e.c.g., on the maximisation of: (a) the e.c.g. voltages between the standard leads placed over the human body; (b) the e.g.c. voltage between the modified w.c.t. and a reference point on the body; (c) the ratio of the e.c.g. Goldberger voltage to the corresponding phase voltage; and (d) the values of the e.c.g. phase voltages. The effects of the number of electrodes placed in the horizontal and sagittal planes on the respective groups of e.c.g. voltages are discussed. By controlling the number of electrodes in any one of the three standard planes, when the e.c.g. voltages are maximised, it has been shown that the signal-to-noise ratio for those e.c.g. voltages will be increased.