After axotomy, substance P and vasoactive intestinal peptide expression occurs in pilomotor neurons in the rat superior cervical ganglion

Autonomic sympathetic postganglionic neurons normally express distinct combinations of neuropeptides which are often highly correlated with the projection of the neurons. When sympathetic postganglionic neurons are axotomized, they can express quite different neuropeptides, notably substance P, vasoactive intestinal peptide or galanin. In this study, we have examined rat sympathetic postganglionic neurons in the superior cervical ganglion that project to the skin, the vasculature of the skeletal muscle or to the submandibular salivary gland, and assessed whether the neuropeptides that they express after axotomy depend on which target tissue they previously innervated. In all three populations, around half of the postganglionic neurons expressed galanin after axotomy. In contrast, only skin-projecting neurons showed a significant increase in the number of neurons that expressed substance P (22%) and vasoactive intestinal peptide (17%) following axotomy. Within the skin-projecting neurons, as judged on the basis of cell body size, substance P and vasoactive intestinal peptide were expressed predominantly in pilomotor neurons, but only rarely were the two neuropeptides present in the same nerve cell body.In conclusion, we have demonstrated that three different neuropeptides, which can be induced by axotomy in postganglionic neurons, follow quite different patterns of expression when they are viewed in relation to the function of the postganglionic neurons in the superior cervical ganglion.     

Alzheimer''s disease. Beta-amyloid precursor protein expression in the nucleus basalis of Meynert.

The nucleus basalis of Meynert (nbM) was examined using immunocytochemistry for beta-amyloid precursor protein (beta APP) expression in Alzheimer's disease (AD). In mild AD cases, light labeling of the cell body and proximal processes was observed, and small intracellular structures were labeled rarely. In the more severe cases, intense cytoplasmic beta APP labeling was seen, often along with small beta APP-positive structures. Double-labeling experiments demonstrated that in the more severe cases these small structures were also decorated by a neurofibrillary tangle (NFT) antiserum. Other neurons in the severe cases showed incorporation of beta APP into large inclusions, which were also labeled with the NFT antiserum. However, some large inclusions in the severe cases were labeled by the NFT antiserum but contained no beta APP. Extraneuronal NFTs did not show beta APP labeling and did not react with an antibody to the beta-amyloid peptide. These results suggest that increased expression of beta APP coincides with intracellular NFT formation in the nbM, but that the formation of extraneuronal NFTs results in a loss of beta APP immunoreactivity.     

The Benzodiazepine Withdrawal Symptom Questionnaire

A self-report questionnaire is described which records the main symptoms experienced during withdrawal from benzodiazepines in pharmacologically dependent patients. The questionnaire consists of 20 items; evidence is given that these are reasonably independent and are sensitive in detecting withdrawal symptoms from a study of 68 patients undergoing slow withdrawal from benzodiazepines.     

Natural materno-fetal transfer of antibodies to PspA and to PsaA

PspA and PsaA are Streptococcus pneumoniae surface proteins and potential pneumococcal vaccine antigens. The aim of this study was to characterize the transplacental transfer of antibodies to PspA and to PsaA. Paired mother and cord blood sera were obtained at delivery from 28 women. Concentrations of antibodies against PspA, PsaA, tetanus toxoid (vaccine-induced antibodies) and P6-outer membrane protein (OMP) of nontypeable Haemophilus influenzae were determined by ELISA. Antibodies to PspA of the IgG, IgG1 and IgG2 antibodies were also determined. The geometric mean percentage (GM%) of the paired infant:mother antibody were calculated. Results: The GM% of the infant:mother antibody concentrations against PspA, PsaA and P6-OMP antibodies were 64.7% (3.3 micro g/ml in infants vs. 5.1 micro g/ml in mothers), 50.4% (6.8 micro g/ml vs. 13.5 micro g/ml) and 66.7% (5.6 micro g/ml vs. 8.4 micro g/ml), respectively; the GM% of antibodies against tetanus toxoid was 104.5% (4.6 micro g/ml vs. 4.4 micro g/ml). Transplacental transfer of IgG1 was more efficient than that of IgG2 (approximately 120%vs. 65%). A transplacental transfer of antibodies to PspA and to PsaA exist. Moreover, these data suggest an active placental transfer of IgG1 antibodies to PspA since the concentration of these antibodies were consistently higher in cord sera than in the mother's sera.     

Osteonecrosis in HIV: a case-control study

BACKGROUND: Osteonecrosis (avascular necrosis) has been infrequently reported in HIV-infected patients. It is not known whether HIV itself is an independent risk factor for osteonecrosis. METHODS: We identified 25 patients with osteonecrosis from 1984 to 1999 from a large county teaching hospital and two large practices in Dallas County that specialize in HIV-disease related therapy. A retrospective chart review was performed to evaluate potential risk factors for osteonecrosis. Each case was matched with two controls for HIV positive status and date of osteonecrosis diagnosis. RESULTS: In the study, 22 of 25 (88%) case patients had at least one osteonecrosis risk factor compared with 24 of 50 (48%) controls, p =.003. The most common osteonecrosis risk factors were hyperlipidemia (32%), alcoholism (28%), pancreatitis (16%), corticosteroids (12%), and hypercoaguability (12%). Of the cases, 12% were idiopathic. Multiple joints were involved in 72% of cases. Four of the case patients compared with none of the controls received megesterol acetate before the diagnosis of osteonecrosis, p =.01. No significant differences were found between cases and controls with respect to liver function tests, testosterone levels, triglyceride levels, cholesterol levels, or CD4 cell counts. Saquinavir was independently associated with osteonecrosis, p <.05. However, no differences in overall use of protease inhibitors among cases and controls were noted: 79% versus 76%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The increased incidence of osteonecrosis in HIV/AIDS may be due to an increased frequency of risk factors previously associated with osteonecrosis such as hyperlipidemia, corticosteroid use, alcohol abuse, and hypercoaguability. Use of protease inhibitors was not independently associated with osteonecrosis.     

Lassa virus hepatitis. Observations on a fatal case from the 1972 Sierra Leone epidemic.

During a recent outbreak of Lassa fever in Sierre Leone, a 20-year-old woman developed an acute febrile disease with tonsillar exudates and hemorrhagic manifestations. Lassa virus was isolated in cell cultures from pharyngeal secretions and pleural fluid and was identified by complement fixation. Typical arenavirus particles were observed in these infected cell cultures. In a liver biopsy specimen, diffuse hepatocellular damage and focal necroses were evident, with a spectrum of liver cell change, ranging from slight vacuolizaiton to frank lysis. Virus was frequently observed in nearby extracellular spaces and was clearly associated with hepatocytes rather than sinusoidal cells. The demonstration for the first time of Lassa virus particules in human tissue provides direct evidence that the virus is responsible for the observed pathologic changes.     

Electron microscopic and antigenic studies of uncharacterized viruses. III. Evidence suggesting the placement of viruses in the familyReoviridae

Summary This is the last of three papers describing the use of electron microscopy and antigenic tests intended to characterize and place in taxa more than 60 previously unclassified viruses. The first paper describes the viruses we classified as members of the familiesArenaviridae, Paramyxoviridae, orPoxviridae. The second paper describes those classified as members of the virus familyBunyaviridae. Another paper, published separately, discusses viruses classified as members of the familyRhabdoviridae. In this paper we report that electron microscopy provided sufficient evidence to provisionally place 14 viruses in the familyReoviridae. By using serologic methods, we placed Minnal virus in the Umatilla serogroup and established new antigenic groups for seven other viruses (Ieri, Picola, Arkonam, Tembe, Fomede, Wongorr, and Gomoka). No antigenic relationships were determined for six other viruses (Andasibe, Itupiranga, Kammavanpettai, Lake Clarendon, Matucare, and Ndelle) provisionally placed in the familyReoviridae.     

High incidence of the Cys 282 Tyr mutation in the HFE gene in the Irish population -implications for haemochromatosis

Abstract: A simple PCR-SSOP approach based on a single PCR product has been developed to screen the HFE gene for the haemochromatosis-associated mutations Cys 282 Tyr and His 63 Asp. Using this approach the prevalence of these mutations in a cohort (30) of haemochromatosis patients and normal controls (404) was determined. Ninety percent of the haemochromatosis patients were homozygous for the Cys 282 Tyr mutation. In the normal population we found an increased incidence of the Cys 282 Tyr mutation (17.3%; 95% confidence limits 0.136–0.209) which was also reflected in the higher frequency of Cys 282 Tyr homozygotes (1.24%; 95% confidence limits 0.0015–0.0232). Linkage disequilbrium analysis confirmed the association between A*03 and Cys 282 Tyr. However, strong linkage disequilibrium occurred with the HLA-A*03-associated allele HLA-B*14 but not the HLA-A*03-associated allele HLA-B*07. The His 63 Asp was found to be in linkage disquilibrium with HLA-A*29.