Creative achievement and psychopathology: comparison among professions.

This study was designed to determine (1) whether members of the 8 "creative arts" professions (i.e., architects, artists, musicians, composers, actors/directors, essayists, fiction writers, and poets) display greater rates of psychopathology than members of other professions, and (2) whether a significant relationship exists between creative achievement and mental disturbance. The final study sample (n = 1,005), constituting 18 separate professions, consisted of all appropriate individuals whose biographies were reviewed in the New York Times Book Review over a 30-year period (1960 to 1990). The results, in their entirety, suggest (a) that different patterns of psychopathology, if any, tend to be associated with different professions and at different periods in individuals' lives, (b) that different professions are associated with different levels of creative achievement, and (c) that certain types of psychopathology are associated with creative achievement across all professions.     

The gene slyA of Salmonella typhimurium is required for destruction of M cells and intracellular survival but not for invasion or colonization of the murine small intestine.

Recent studies have shown that Salmonella typhimurium invades the M cells of Peyer's patches (PP) of the murine ileum. The slyA gene of S. typhimurium has also recently been reported to affect virulence of this pathogen in mice and survival in macrophages. We therefore compared the effect on PP tissue of four strains of S. typhimurium: a wild-type strain, two slyA insertion mutants, and a recombinant S. typhimurium derivative carrying multiple copies of slyA. Invasion assays performed 2 and 7 days after orogastric infection revealed significantly lower numbers of bacteria of the slyA mutants and of the SlyA-overproducing strain in PP than of the wild type. However, similar numbers of bacteria of all strains were still present in the lumen of the small intestine after these times. Invasion assays of PP tissue after 90-min ileal loop infection yielded comparable numbers of bacteria of all strains in PP. Transmission and scanning electron microscopy of PP tissue after ileal loop infection demonstrated that the two slyA mutants and the SlyA-overproducing strain were able to attach to, induce membrane ruffling of, and invade M cells in a way morphologically and quantitatively similar to that of the wild type. In contrast to the wild type, both slyA mutants and, to a lesser extent, the SlyA-overproducing strain were significantly impaired in their ability to destroy M cells and adjacent enterocytes. Taken together, these data suggest that slyA is involved in intracellular survival and M-cell cytotoxicity but not in the invasion process and that the amount of SlyA needs to be precisely balanced for virulence.     

Borna disease (BD), a slow virus infection biological properties of the virus

Borna disease, a typical slow virus infection, was investigated in different animal species. Infectious virus in the brain and complement-fixing and precipitating antibodies in the circulation could be detected simultaneously several months p.i. The infectious agent was propagated in rabbit brain tissue cultures, which were cocultivated with green monkey kidney cells. Infectious virus and virus-specific antigens were demonstrable in the cell cultures during several subpassages. The infectivity was assayed by inoculation of rabbits; specific antigens in the cell cultures were tested with complement fixation, immunodiffusion and immunofluo-rescence. The increase of antigens with the prolongation of the incubation period proves that virus replication has taken place in the cultured cells.     

The Role of Cathepsin D in the Pathogenesis of Tuberculosis: A Histochemical Study Employing Unlabeled Antibodies and the Peroxidase-Antiperoxidase Complex

Cathepsin D was visualized in free pulmonary alveolar macrophages (AM), in oil-induced peritoneal macrophages (MN) and in rabbit pulmonary and dermal BCG lesions with unlabeled antibodies and the peroxidase-antiperoxidase (PAP) complex. Large amounts of cathepsin D were present in AM and lower amounts in MN. In the lung this enzyme was richest in the alveolar macrophages that accumulated around the BCG lesions. In the dermal lesions, cathepsin D was in highest concentration in macrophages at the border of the necrotic (liquefying) centers. It was also found in high concentration in keratinizing cells of the dermal epithelium and hair follicles. It did not, however, increase appreciably in many of the activated macrophages that stained intensely for the lysosomal enzyme β-galactosidase. In fact, many epithelioid cells with high β-galactosidase activity contained no visible cathepsin D. This proteinase does not, therefore, seem to be primarily involved in the lymphocyte-mediated macrophage activation associated with acquired cellular resistance to tubercle bacilli. It is probably more involved with cell autolysis, with the digestion of ingested necrotic debris and, in all likelihood, with the process of liquefaction, the most adverse event in the pathogenesis of tuberculosis in man.     

Glycoprotein B of bovine herpesvirus type 4: Its phylogenetic relationship to gB equivalents of the herpesviruses

In order to estimate the phylogenetic relationship of BHV-4 among the herpesviruses, we have cloned and sequenced its glycoprotein B (gB). The 2.6 kb open reading frame codes for a 874 amino acid long protein. The comparison of its deduced amino acid sequence with those of its counterparts in 19 distinct herpesviruses groups BHV-4 into the -herpesvirinae. The calculation of an evolutionary tree emphasized that BHV-4 is more closely related to herpesvirus saimiri (HVS) than to Epstein-Barr virus (EBV). However, in contrast to EBV and HVS, the gB of BHV-4 contains a putative protease cleavage site and 20 potential N-glycosylation sites. The alignment of the amino acid sequences revealed that 10 cysteine and 7 proline residues, as well as the motifs SPF and GQLG, were completely conserved among the 20 investigated gBs.     

Evaluation of BBL crystal MRSA ID system.

The BBL Crystal system (Becton Dickinson Microbiology Systems, Cockeysville, Md.) was evaluated for its accuracy in identifying oxacillin resistance in Staphylococcus aureus by testing of mec-specific-gene-positive and -negative isolates. Although the manufacturer makes no claim for use of the product for testing of staphylococci other than S. aureus, the product's potential utility in detecting oxacillin resistance in isolates of mec gene-positive and -negative Staphylococcus epidermidis was also explored. All mec gene-negative staphylococci yielded a negative MRSA ID test reaction. There was a close correlation between mec gene positivity and a positive reaction in the methicillin-resistant S. aureus identification system with 63 of 69 (91%) stock isolates of S. aureus yielding a positive result in 4 h, 66 of 69 (95%) yielding a positive result in 5 h, and 68 of 69 (99%) yielding a positive result in 6 h. The corresponding percentage agreements at 4, 5, and 6 h for mec gene-positive stock isolates of S. epidermidis were 87, 91, and 96%, respectively.     

Early detection and successful therapy of fulminant chlamydia pneumoniae myocarditis

We report a case involving a young female patient with Chlamydia pneumoniae myocarditis who required assist device therapy for acute heart failure. Early diagnosis was provided by endomyocardial biopsy, and tailored antibiotic therapy facilitated quick recovery of myocardial function. This is the first case to report detecting C pneumoniae as the pathogen responsible for fulminant myocarditis while the patient was still alive and to report long-term follow-up data.     

Significant hybridization differences in comparative genomic hybridization due to nucleotides used for DNA labelling and to DNA chosen for cohybridization.

OBJECTIVE: Comparative genomic hybridization (CGH) has been established as an informative technique in genetic analysis. However, differences in the ratio of hybridization intensities were reported for particular chromosomes, which may affect CGH results. The aim of this study was to define these differences in more detail. For this purpose, CGH results of 70 samples of bone marrow cells (BMC) with normal karyotype in conventional cytogenetics (CC) were evaluated using seven different reference DNAs and two different DNA labeling systems. METHODS AND RESULTS: CGH using fluorochrome-conjugated nucleotides for DNA labeling indicated signal deviations in 21/70 BMC samples. Deviations affected chromosomes 1 (n = 21), 2 (n = 11), 4 (n = 11), 5 (n = 9), 6 (n = 7), 7 (n = 2), 8 (n = 2), 12 (n = 5), 13 (n = 15), 14 (n = 1), 16 (n = 17), 17 (n = 11), 19 (n = 21), 20 (n = 12), and/or 22 (n = 17). None of the imbalances were confirmed by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH). Using digoxigenin and biotin-conjugated nucleotides in exemplary cases (n = 5) led to the disappearance of the signal deviations. Repeated CGH experiments using seven different reference DNAs showed remarkable variations in the signal deviations. CONCLUSION: Hybridization differences depend not only on the hapten or fluorochrome-labeled nucleotides used for DNA labeling, but also on the reference DNA chosen. Therefore, close control of CGH experiments is mandatory, and additional techniques such as FISH should be performed to confirm the results obtained by CGH.     

Apparent superiority of H2-receptor stimulation and simultaneousβ-blockade over conventional treatment withβ-sympathomimetic drugs in post-acute myocardial infarction: Cardiac effects of impromidine — a new specific H2-receptor agonist — in the surviving catecholamine-insensitive myocardium

Left ventricular infarction (AMI) was produced in experimental animals and the contractile response to -adrenergic and H₂-histaminergic stimulation by isoproterenol and impromidine tested in the isolated perfused heart preparation. Adenylate cyclase activity as well as binding characteristics of [³H]-dihydroalprenolol ([³H]-DHA), [³H]-methyl-tiotidine ([³H]-TIOT) and [³H]-quinuclidinyl benzilate ([³H]-QNB) to cardiac ₁-, H₂- and cholinergic muscarinic receptors were determined in sarcolemmal membrane preparations of the right ventricle of the same hearts. In addition, an attempt was made to elucidate the therapeutic value of post-AMI treatment with impromidine in the presence and absence of-sympathomimetic, in contrast to administration of prenalterol and the conventional therapy with -sympathomimetic drugs, e.g. dobutamine. Three days post-AMI the dose-response curve for isoproterenol of right ventriculardP/dt _max was significantly depressed, while the inotropic effect of impromidine was not impaired. Stimulation of adenylate cyclase activity by isoproterenol was reduced by 80% whereas impromidine and NaF stimulation rates were unaltered. Receptor-binding studies indicated a 90% loss and 10-times lowered affinity (K _D) of the remaining -receptors while specific [³H]-TIOT- and [³H]-QNB-binding was unchanged.Administration of dobutamine increased mortality rates and extension of infarct size, led to a further decrease in contractile response to isoproterenol, induced complete insensitivity of adenylate cyclase to isoproterenol stimulation and caused pronounced additional reduction of number and affinity of [³H]-DHA-binding sites. In contrast, all above alterations were prevented by treatment with either prenalterol or combined administration of impromidine plus metoprolol. It is concluded, that these alterations in the non-ischemic, uninvolved myocardium post-AMI are the result of catecholamine-induced specific damage of sarcolemmal -receptors. Furthermore, treatment with H₂-agonists in combination with -blocking agents may have beneficial effects, whereas conventional therapy with -sympathomimetic drugs tends to worsen the already depressed function of the -adrenergic stimulation mechanism.Supported by grants Ba 666/1 and Ba 666/2-2 from the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG).Data presented in this paper are part of a doctoral thesis by Dr S.B. Felix.     

Persistent centrilobular necroses in hepatic allografts

A biopsy study of 60 allografts from 53 patients after orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT) revealed prominent centrilobular necrosis (CN) in 18% of the grafts that were suitable for analysis. The lesions often had a "punched-out" appearance, sometimes with unusual features such as giant cell formation. Persistent CN developed 4 weeks to 6 months after OLT, and persisted in two cases for 2 years and longer. In some instances, CN disappeared or healed by scarring. We found no association between CN and rejection arteritis or arteriopathy. Ductopenic (chronic) rejection subsequently occurred in six of eight livers with CN. Overall, patients with persistent CN had a worse prognosis than control patients. A comparison of cases with matched controls failed to reveal significant differences with respect to perioperative factors such as ischemia time, immunologic test results such as lymphocyte crossmatches, drug administration--in particular, of azathioprine, frequency of cellular (acute) rejection or infection episodes, or frequency of complications affecting major hepatic vessels or bile ducts. Morphologic evidence suggests that in some instances, rejection-induced endotheliitis/phlebitis of hepatic vein branches may lead to sinusoidal outflow blockage, sinusoidal dilatation, and dropout of hepatic cell plates. Although potentially reversible conditions such as ischemia or adverse drug reactions are among the possible causes of CN, severe rejection leading to ductopenia appears to be the most important underlying condition. Thus, presence of CN in repeated biopsy specimens from allografts should be considered a warning sign of irreversible rejection.