Variants of SLE--a statistical approach for discrimination of a group of SLE cases into different subgroups sharing symptomatology. A pilot study.

Symptoms of two groups of Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) (Group 1 constituted 65 patients examined from 1975 to 1981; Group 2 constituted 104 patients examined from 1980 to 1988), which were diagnosed according to the American Rheumatism Association (ARA) preliminary criteria, were statistically analyzed with the use of a package of statistical programs which included computation of a matrix of correlation and cluster analysis. In both groups similar frequency and associations of SLE symptoms were seen. Hence, there was a positive correlation between kidney involvement and hematological abnormalities with nDNA Abs what was a hallmark of a severe SLE. In contrast, the symptoms of severe SLE disease was rarely seen in cases with Raynaud's phenomenon and discoid lesions. Our cluster analysis further distinguished groups on the basis of renal involvement, skin symptomatology, and polyserositis. These results also were similar in both groups of patients. That gave further credence to our results and continued to support the concept of SLE variants being distinguished on the basis of the clinical picture.     

Lewis antigens in normal and neoplastic urothelium.

The Lewis (Lea and Leb) antigens are closely related to the A, B, H blood group antigens and have been demonstrated in several secretory epithelia, but their expression in nonsecretory cells has not been studied systematically. This report provides detailed data on the expression of Lea and Leb in normal and neoplastic urothelium. The authors have examined multiple biopsy specimens of normal bladder mucosa and transitional cell carcinomas (TCCs) from 74 patients whose red blood cells (RBCs) were also typed for A, B, H, Lea, and Leb antigens and have correlated tissue antigen detectability with the RBC phenotype and the cytologic grade of malignancy. Antisera of human and animal sources were used in a modified red cell adherence test (RCA), and multiple controls were employed for determination of the specificity of the reactions. Both fresh-frozen and paraffin-processed tissues were examined from each patient. Paraffin processing as well as treatment with ethanol significantly suppressed the tissue reactions. Ninety-four percent of normal mucosa specimens and 73% of TCCs gave positive reactions with both anti-Lea and anti-Leb sera. Abnormal patterns of Lewis reactivity were observed in 43% of Grade III or IV and in 14% of Grade I or II TCCs. Although there was no direct correlation between A, B, H reactivity and Lewis reactivity, all TCCs which had abnormally low reactivity for both the expected Le and A, B, or H antigens were of high grade and invasive.     

Comparison of antigenic targets involved in antibody-mediated membranous glomerulonephritis in the mouse and rat

Membranous glomerulonephritis in the mouse can be induced by a single injection of an antiserum against homologous, pronase-digested, renal tubular antigens (TAPron). In indirect immunofluorescence studies on normal mouse and rat kidneys it has now been found that the antiserum reacts strongly with the visceral epithelia of the mouse in a homogeneous pattern, while a faint granular staining is seen in the rat glomerulus against a homogeneous background. After injection in rats, a classic passive Heymann nephritis could be induced. By immunoprecipitation of radiolabeled rat renal brush borders (BB) it could be shown that anti-TAPron antisera contain antibodies to 330-kd and 90-kd BB proteins expressed by rat glomeruli. With the use of two monoclonal antibodies specific for the 330- and 90-kd proteins the homogeneous binding observed in rat and mouse glomeruli could be related to the 90-kd antigen, whereas the coarse irregular staining observed in rat glomeruli was only related to the 330-kd antigen. Immunoglobulins eluted from glomeruli of rats bound to rat glomeruli and reacted only with the 330-kd protein. They did not bind to mouse glomeruli. Discrete localization in coated pits, multivesicular bodies, and endoplasmic reticulum of the visceral epithelia was seen in immunoelectron-microscopy. The results presented thus demonstrate that immune deposits induced in the rat by anti-TAPron antibodies are related to antibodies specific for the 330-kd antigen, ie, the classic Heymann antigen. By contrast, immune deposits observed in the mouse are related to antibodies specific for a 90-kd protein.     

Anionic polymerization of exo-3,4,5-trithiatetracyclo[5.5.1.O2,6.O8,12]tridec-10-ene (dicyclopentadiene trisulfide)

The anionic polymerization of exo-3,4,5-trithiatetracyclo[5.5.1.O^2,6.O^8,12]tridec-10-ene ( 1 ) in bulk and/or in aromatic solvents (benzene, toluene) was studied. The polymerization was initiated with sodium benzenethiolate (sodium cation complexed with dibenzo-18-crown-6). Polymers with high-molecular weights were obtained (M _n ≈ 10⁵, osmometrically). The polymerization was found to be living and reversible; the equilibrium monomer concentration increases with the temperature. The ceilling temperature was estimated as 167°C. The thermodynamic data of the polymerization in toluene was determined and compared with those of the polymerization of exo-3,4,5-trithiatricyclo[5.2.O^2,6]decane. The standard enthalpy ΔH = ?(6,6 ± 0,6)kJ · mol ¹ and entropy ΔS = ?(29,3 ± 2,1)J · mol ¹ · K ¹ of the polymerization of 1 were evaluated from the temperature dependence of the equilibrium monomer concentration, determined dilatometrically.     

IgM detection by ELISA in the diagnosis of cytomegalovirus infections in homosexual and heterosexual immunosuppressed patients

A new commercially developed cytomegalovirus (CMV)-IgM ELISA was found to be sensitive and specific when compared with sucrose gradient fractionation of Ig classes in CMV antibody-positive and negative sera. The presence of CMV IgM in patients' sera correlated with positive virus isolation from circulating mononuclear blood cells and urine. Serial examinations of patients with primary or recent CMV infection revealed a typical sequence of IgM and IgG development. The frequency of CMV isolation declined as the concentration of IgM decreased and the IgG levels increased. Since the isolation of CMV from clinical specimens is a cumbersome procedure, we suggest that the IgM ELISA could provide rapid and valuable information on the presence of an active or reactivated CMV infection.     

Gains of 13q are correlated with a poor prognosis in liposarcoma.

Liposarcomas are a phenotypical heterogeneous group of tumors divided into four main subtypes: well-differentiated, dedifferentiated, myxoid/round cell, and pleomorphic. The aim of this study was to compare DNA sequence copy number changes of these subtypes as investigated by comparative genomic hybridization in 36 patients. Comparative genomic hybridization revealed genomic imbalances in tumors of 27 patients (mean 5.6 imbalances per tumor). The most frequent gains were within single regions of 1q, 12q, and 13q. We found a significant correlation of poor overall survival and gain of 13q21 (P=0.0221), 13q22 (P=0.0341), 13q31 (P=0.0410), and 13q32 (P=0.0074). The univariate Cox regression analysis revealed an increased risk of tumor-related death for patients whose liposarcomas possess with gains of 13q21 and 13q32 simultaneously (P=0.010; RR=7.1; 95% CI 1.6-31.7). Furthermore, 12 high-level amplifications were found in tumors of seven patients. In four cases 12q14-q15 and in two cases 13q32-q33 were amplified. We identified in different liposarcoma subtypes characteristic genomic changes: Gains and high-level amplifications of 12q occurred in all 11 investigated well-differentiated liposarcomas, and these changes were often present simultaneously with gains of 1q (mean 5.5 changes). In the two dedifferentiated liposarcomas, gains of 1q in both liposarcomas, and a high-level amplification of 13q were striking. Only eight of the 17 patients with myxoid/round cell liposarcomas showed changes in DNA copy number (mean 3.4 imbalances). In four of these eight cases gains of 13q occurred. The six pleomorphic liposarcomas possessed the most frequent genomic imbalances (mean number 16.3) of all liposarcoma subtypes investigated. These imbalances were in almost all chromosomal regions detected predominantly as over-representations of chromosomes 1, 5p, 13q, and 22q. Summarizing, all subtypes but well-differentiated liposarcomas showed gains of 13q, which were associated with a poor prognosis.     

The soluble tumor necrosis factor receptor I is an early predictor of local infective complications after colorectal surgery

The clinical implications of increased cytokine levels after major surgery remain unclear. In this study, systemic concentration of a spectrum of cytokines, including interleukins IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, IL-1ra, and soluble tumor necrosis factor receptor-I (sTNF-RI) was examined in patients with and without postoperative septic complications following colorectal surgery. Although there were no significant changes in IL-1, TNF-, and IL-8 serum levels during the observation period, there was a significant rise in IL-6, IL-1ra, and sTNF-RI concentrations in the entire group of patients between postoperative day 1 and 14. There were no differences between the group without and with local complications when IL-6, IL-1ra, and IL-10 were examined. The serum levels of sTNF-RI, IL-1ra, and IL-6 were found to be sensitive indicators of the pro- and anti-inflammatory response to the surgical trauma, but only sTNF-RI turned out to be a sensitive early marker of local septic postoperative complications in patients with colorectal carcinoma.     

Severe dilated cardiomyopathy as a consequence of Ecstasy intake

Dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) is one of the most common causes of heart failure with a prevalence of 1:2500. There are several primary and secondary etiologic factors, including gene mutations, infection agents, particularly viruses, toxins, autoimmune, and systemic disorders, and pheochromocytoma, neuromuscular, metabolic, mitochondrial, and nutritional disorders. However, a precise diagnosis can be reached only in no more than 50% of all cases. Herein, we report a rare case of hepatic damage and severe DCM as a consequence of relatively popular socially used narcotic-Ecstasy (3,4-methylenedioxy-N-methylamphetamine [MDMA]).