Study of IgM aggregation in serum of patients with macroglobulinemia.

The effect of solvent conditions on the aggregation of IgM in serum specimens from patients with macroglobulinemia was studied by a turbidimetric procedure. Aggregation of IgM varied considerably among the samples and was affected by a number of experimental parameters. In general, IgM aggregation was more pronounced under acidic conditions and in solvents with low ionic strength. The presence of water-miscible organic solvents also promoted aggregation. Based on these studies, it was concluded that the major force involved in the formation of immunoglobulin aggregates in the serum of patients with macroglobulinemia was electrostatic, rather than hydrophobic, interactions. A number of additives known to prevent protein aggregation were evaluated for their effectiveness in inhibiting IgM aggregation. The only additives that were shown to inhibit or reduce IgM aggregation were charged molecules, such as arginine, sodium chloride, ethylenediamintetraacetic acid and quaternary ammonium beta-cyclodextrin. Some of these charged additives were also effective in dissociating the IgM aggregates once they were formed, even in the presence of detergent.     

Reliability of grip strength, walking time and button test performed according to a standard protocol

Excellent interobserver and intraobserver reliability (reproducibility) was seen for the grip strength, walking time and button test measures in 40 patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), when measurement was performed according to a standard protocol. Evidence of reliability, coupled with the observation that baseline measures predict longterm morbidity and mortality in individual patients, suggests that these measures might be more widely used in general rheumatologic care.     

Intracanalicular arachnoid cyst mimicking acoustic neuroma: CT and MRI.

A patient with a surgically proven intracanalicular arachnoid cyst was studied using computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, and air CT cisternography. The lesion had a similar radiographic appearance to acoustic neuroma and therefore, although rare, must be considered in the differential diagnosis of intracanalicular mass lesions. We report a case in which examination was performed, in evaluating the lesion, utilizing high-resolution air CT cisternography and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).     

Opioid binding in DYT1 primary torsion dystonia: an 11C-diprenorphine PET study.

The opioid transmitters enkephalin and dynorphin are known to regulate pallidal output and consequently cortical excitability. Indeed, abnormal basal ganglia opioid transmission has been reported in several involuntary movement disorders, including levodopa-induced dyskinesias in Parkinson's disease (PD), tardive dyskinesias/dystonia, Huntington's disease, and Tourette's syndrome. Moreover, a previous 11C-diprenorphine PET study investigating levodopa-induced dyskinesias found reduced opioid receptor availability in PD with but not without dyskinesias. We wished to investigate if a similar alteration in basal ganglia opioid binding was present in DYT1 primary torsion dystonia (PTD). Regional cerebral 11C-diprenorphine binding was investigated in 7 manifesting carriers of the DYT1 gene and 15 age-matched normal controls using a region-of-interest (ROI) approach and statistical parametric mapping (SPM). No difference in regional mean 11C-diprenorphine binding was found between DYT1-PTD and controls, and no correlation between the severity of dystonia and opioid binding was seen. We conclude that aberrant opioid transmission is unlikely to be present in DYT1-PTD and altered opioid transmission is not a common mechanism underlying all disorders of involuntary movement.     

Selachyl alcohol as an oral antihypertensive agent: a preliminary note

Selachyl alcohol (SA) is a mono-oleyl glyceryl ether. It has certain biologic activities similar to those of the antihypertensive neutral renomedullary lipid (ANRL) derived from the renal papilla and its renomedullary interstitial cells (RIC). These include a vaso-depressor effect following bolus injection and a requirement for hepatic activation for the development of biological activity. In view of this similarity to ANRL, it appeared worthwhile to test the antihypertensive action of SA when given via the GI tract. Accordingly, pure SA was given either by gavage or by tube into the stomach or duodenum of one-kidney, one-clip hypertensive rats (5-10 mg per dose). The role of hepatic activation was demonstrated by comparing the BP response to bolus injection of SA and ANRL with and without the presence of an intact circulation to the liver. Administration of SA via the GI tract resulted in a significant decline in BP without tachycardia or weight loss. In the absence of a circulation to the liver, neither SA nor ANRL was active. SA appears to be an effective antihypertensive agent when given via the GI tract.     

Survival of corneal endothelium in McCarey-Kaufman (M-K) medium subjected to agitation

Studies were made comparing the corneal endothelium of bisected human corneas; one half of each was mechanically agitated in McCarey-Kaufman (M-K) medium, while the other half remained static in M-K medium for an equal period of time. Scanning electron microscopic (SEM) analysis of the corneal endothelium suggested that the endothelium of the corneas undergoing agitation does not show deterioration in morphology when compared with the non-agitated group. This finding is significant as donor corneas are now being transported in greater numbers.     

Placental p,p''-dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene and cord blood immune markers

Placental p,p'-dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene (p,p'-DDE) concentration and cord blood atopic markers were determined in 19 neonates. Increased placental p,p'-DDE was associated with a statistically significant increase in cord plasma interleukin (IL)-13. Furthermore, both cord plasma IL-4/interferon (IFN)-gamma and IL-13/IFN-gamma ratios were significantly positively associated with placental p,p'-DDE concentration.     

Endometrial ablation in women with abnormal uterine bleeding aged fifty and over.

Endometrial ablation, rapidly becoming a standard operation for the management of abnormal uterine bleeding, is usually performed for patients between ages 35 and 45. This study reports on the results of resectoscopic endometrial ablation for 26 patients aged 50 and older, followed from 7 to 43 months (average follow-up period, 21 months). Seventeen of the patients were menopausal at the time of the procedure or became menopausal during the follow-up period, with 13 on combined estrogen and progestin therapy and 4 on unopposed estrogen (because of progestin intolerance). Twenty-three of the 26 patients (88%) are amenorrheic, one premenopausal patient has normal periods and none have failed. The fear of hiding glandular tissue that subsequently becomes malignant is discussed and believed to be highly unlikely to occur.