Mapping brain size and cortical gray matter changes in elderly depression.

BACKGROUND: In elderly depression, volumetric brain imaging findings suggest abnormalities of the frontal lobe, particularly the orbitofrontal cortex, and the hippocampus. No studies to date have mapped cortical abnormalities over the entire brain surface in major depression. Here, we conducted detailed spatial analyses of brain size and gray matter within the cortical mantle in elderly patients with major depression. METHODS: High-resolution, three-dimensional, structural magnetic resonance imaging data and cortical pattern matching methods were used in 24 depressed elderly patients and 19 group-matched controls to measure local brain size and proportions of gray matter at thousands of homologous cortical surface locations. RESULTS: Prominent brain size reductions were observed in the depressed subjects in the orbitofrontal cortex bilaterally. Cortical gray matter measurements revealed significant gray matter increases in the orbitofrontal cortex, adjacent to focal trend level significant decreases of gray matter in the same region. Depressed patients also exhibited significant gray matter increases in parietal cortices, as well as the left temporal cortex. CONCLUSIONS: Complex cortical changes may contribute to the brain size reduction of the orbitofrontal cortex and to the gray matter abnormalities detected in orbitofrontal cortex and temporoparietal cortices, thereby providing a potentially new window into the pathophysiology of elderly depression.     

Monoclonal Antibody Specific for TIRC7 Induces Donor-specific Anergy and Prevents Rejection of Cardiac Allografts in Mice

T cell immune response c-DNA (TIRC7) is up-regulated during the early stages of T-cell activation in response to alloantigens. In this study, we analyzed the effects of newly developed monoclonal antibodies (mAb) against TIRC7 in acute cardiac allograft rejection. Fully vascularized heterotopic allogeneic heart transplantation was performed in mice across a full-mismatch barrier (C57Bl/10 into CBA). Recipients received seven injections (day 0-7) of a novel anti-TIRC7 mAb or remained untreated. Graft survival, histology and ex vivo lymphocyte functions were tested. Targeting of TIRC7 with an anti-TIRC7 mAb diminishes lymphocyte infiltration into grafts resulting in delay of morphological graft damage and prolongation of allograft survival. The lymphocytes from anti-TIRC7 mAb-treated animals exhibit hypo-responsiveness without evidence of lymphocyte depletion against the donor allo-antigens. Proliferation and expression of interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) were down-regulated while interleukin-4 (IL-4) and IL-10 expression were spared. Moreover, anti-TIRC7 mAb enhanced up-regulation of CTLA-4 expression but suppressed up-regulation of CD25 on stimulated lymphocytes in vitro and in vivo. Ligation of TIRC7 has important effects on the regulation of co-stimulatory signaling pathways associated with suppressing of T-cell activation. Targeting of TIRC7 may therefore provide a novel therapeutic approach for modulating T cell immune responses during organ transplantation.     

Modeling of relationships between pharmacokinetics and blockade of agonist-induced elevation of intraurethral pressure and mean arterial pressure in conscious dogs treated with alpha(1)-adrenoceptor antagonists.

Fiduxosin is a new alpha(1)-adrenoceptor antagonist targeted for the treatment of symptomatic benign prostatic hyperplasia. The purpose of this study was to determine and compare the potencies of the alpha(1)-adrenoceptor antagonists terazosin, doxazosin, tamsulosin, and fiduxosin, based on relationships between plasma drug concentrations and blockade of phenylephrine (PE)-induced intraurethral (IUP) and mean arterial pressure (MAP) responses after single oral dosing in conscious male beagle dogs. Magnitude of blockade and plasma concentrations were evaluated at selected time points over 24 h. All drugs produced dose-dependent antagonism of PE-induced IUP and MAP responses. When IUP and MAP blockade effects were plotted against drug plasma concentrations, direct relationships were observed that were well described by the sigmoidal maximal effect model. IUP IC(50) values for terazosin, doxazosin, tamsulosin, and fiduxosin were 48.6, 48.7, 0.42, and 261 ng/ml, respectively. MAP IC(50) values were 12.2, 13.8, 1.07, and 1904 ng/ml, respectively. Uroselectivity index values, defined as MAP IC(50)/IUP IC(50), were 0.25, 0.28, 2.6, and 7.3, respectively. These results extend previous observations with terazosin in this model, showing that doxazosin exhibits a uroselectivity index comparable to terazosin, consistent with the lack of alpha(1)-adrenoceptor subtype selectivity or uroselectivity of these drugs. Tamsulosin, an alpha(1a)-/alpha(1d)-subtype selective agent, had an index value approximately 10-fold greater than the nonselective drugs. Based on its pharmacokinetic profile and a relative uroselectivity 29-fold greater than the nonselective drugs, fiduxosin is expected to exhibit greater selectivity for urethral compared with vascular alpha(1)-adrenoceptors in human and should be a novel, long-acting, uroselective alpha(1)-adrenoceptor antagonist.     

Staphylococcus aureus nasal carriage in patients with rhinosinusitis

Toxic shock syndrome has been associated with rhinologic surgery and medical devices, and it has been linked to a circulating exotoxin of a toxogenic strain of Staphylococcus aureus. One hundred forty patients with rhinosinusitis were studied. Nasal cultures were obtained. The microbiological characteristics are described. The carrier rate for Staphylococcus aureus was 35%. Thirty percent of patients selected for surgery were Staphylococcus aureus carriers. Toxin-capable isolates were identified in 40% of those tested. Users of cocaine, topical decongestants, and steroid sprays had a statistically higher rate of Staphylococcus aureus carriage compared to non-users. It is hoped that by identifying the population at risk and defining the factors associated with the development of toxic shock syndrome, a cogent policy of prevention can be established.     

Mammalian response to subdermal implantation of textured microimplants

The development of small, textured implant particles suspended in a hydrogel has allowed for subdermal injection therapy to fill tissue defects. The microimplant particles were placed subdermally into the ears of white New Zealand rabbits in order to characterize the foreign body response and the permanence of the implant. Serial micrometer readings were performed on the implant sites to determine any change in thickness of the augmentation following baseline measurement. An initial increase in the thickness was noted approximately 20–30 days postimplantation, as expected. A stable thickness was noted for the remainder of the experiment. Serial histological sections were performed at irregular intervals from one week to one year. Histology demonstrated a mild foreign body response with collagen surrounding each individual microimplant particle. The response was stable after 30–40 days and has remained stable for over one year. It was determined that the histology demonstrated a Boros IA type, or nonimmunogenic, low-turnover foreign body reaction.     

Pretransplant Exposure to Donor HLA-DR Antigen in Random Transfusion Units and the Development of Donor Antigen-Specific Hyporeactivity

Our previous studies have shown that the in vitro assay of donor antigen-specific hyporeactivity is a useful marker for identifying solid organ transplant recipients (kidney, lung and heart) at low risk for immunologic complications (i.e., late acute rejection episodes and chronic rejection). Donor antigen-specific hyporeactivity is defined as a significantly decreased post- vs. pretransplant proliferative response to donor antigens while response to third-party controls remains unchanged. We analyzed whether exposure to the same HLA-DR antigen pretransplant via random blood transfusion and posttransplant via the transplanted organ influenced the development of hyporeactivity. Thirty previously nontransfused recipients, each receiving two 150 ml pretransplant random blood transfusions, were assessed for hyporeactivity at 1 year posttransplant. Of the 12 recipients with pretransplant exposure to kidney HLA-DR via transfusions, 6 (50%) developed hyporesponsiveness; in contrast, of the 18 recipients who were not preexposed, only 3 (15%) exhibited this form of immunomodulation. Of interest, 2 of the 3 hyporesponsive recipients who were not preexposed, received units containing HLA-DR antigens previously shown to share crossreactive epitopes with the kidney HLA-DR. In conclusion, these results suggest a increased incidence in the development of hyporeactivity in patients receiving pretransplant transfusions which share an HLA-DR antigen with the transplanted kidney.     

Social problem solving as a moderating variable between negative life stress and depressive symptoms

The present study sought to investigate the moderating function that social problem-solving effectiveness serves in relation to negative stressful life events and depressive symptomatology. It was also hypothesized that knowledge of problem solving would improve upon the prediction of level of depressive symptoms beyond the assessment of stressful events. Results involving 462 undergraduate students provide support for both predictions. Specifically, findings from a multiple regression analysis indicated that (1) differences in reported depressive mood between subjects under high and low stress levels were minimal for individuals characterized as effective problem-solvers, relative to those persons with problem-solving scores reflective of ineffective problem solving; and (2) assessment of problem-solving scores and their interaction with stress level provided for an additional three times the amount of explained variance in predicting depression scores beyond life stress scores. Additionally, a cross-validation of the regression analysis was conducted and found to result in a minimal amount of shrinkage that could be due to samplespecific characteristics.We would like to extend our appreciation to two anonymous reviewers for their helpful comments on an earlier draft of this article. The study was supported in part by a grant funded by Fairleigh Dickinson University to the first author.     

Immune response to immunostimulatory complexes (ISCOMs) prepared from human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) or the HIV-1 external envelope glycoprotein (gp120)

In mice, immunostimulatory complexes (ISCOMs) prepared from HIV-1 B external envelope glycoprotein (gp120) induced 10-fold higher antibody titres than gp120 emulsified in depot adjuvant, as measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Rhesus monkeys immunized with gp120 ISCOMs produced precipitating and virus neutralizing antibody titres equivalent to those seen in HIV-infected chimpanzees and humans. After multiple immunizations with HIV-1 B gp120 ISCOMs, a rhesus monkey developed a neutralizing response to the HIV-1 isolates RF and MN, but not to the CC isolate. Antisera from ISCOM-immunized rhesus monkeys recognized gp120 on the membranes of HIV-1 B-infected H9 cells, indicating the preservation of epitope structure in the ISCOMs matrix.     

Improved Late Graft Survival and Half-Lives in Pediatric Kidney Transplantation: A Single Center Experience

We evaluated variables associated with improved late graft survival in 290 children transplanted between 11/1/1984 and 12/31/1997, and who had > 1 year graft survival. We studied the following variables: age, gender, race, primary disease (diseases prone to recurrence, i.e. hemolytic uremic syndrome, focal segmental glomerulosclerosis or oxalosis vs. others), primary vs. retransplant; donor source, acute tubular necrosis, acute rejection episodes in the first year, transplant era and discharge serum creatinine. Graft half-life was defined as the time taken for 1/2 of the grafts functioning at 1 year to fail. There were 205 living donor and 85 cadaveric transplant. The cumulative graft survival at 5 and 10 years was 88% and 75% for living donor, and 72% and 46% for cadaveric, respectively. Multivariate analyses showed a higher late graft survival to be associated with: no acute rejection episodes (risk ratio 0.16, p = 0.0001), age 2-5 years (risk ratio 0.24, p = 0.0007), living donor (risk ratio 0.46, p = 0.017), primary nonrecurrent disease (risk ratio 0.29, p = 0.001), Caucasian race (risk ratio 0.40, p = 0.006). A high half-life was seen with living donor transplant (21.3 years) and the age group 2-5 years (27.5 years). Further, living donor patients with no acute rejection episodes had the best half-life of 37.6 years, while children with hemolytic uremic syndrome, focal segmental glomerulosclerosis or oxalosis had the lowest overall half-life of 5.6 years. This study finds that living donor, no acute rejection episodes, age 2-5 years, Caucasian race and having a disease not prone to recurrence are strong predictors of late graft survival. Hence, preferential use of living donor and prevention of acute rejection episodes in the first year are key variables that can improve long-term renal graft survival in children.