A Psychosociocultural Perspective, Part 2

Building on the foundation of understanding and comprehensive assessment of battered women, this article addresses service planning and intervention. Strategies are approached within the framework of a Crisis Paradigm developed from field research with battered women and their families. They include mechanisms such as support groups which link crisis service to the long-term needs of battered women, and systematic approaches to removing the obstacles which keep women victimized. An Assessment and Service Planning Guide (ASPG) is proposed for inclusion in routine health care of abused women. The article concludes with strategies for preventing violence at interpersonal and societal levels.     

Regulatory effects of biophysical strain on rat TMJ discs

Recent studies have revealed that dynamic biomechanical forces can exert antiinflammatory and antiproteolytic effects on fibrocartitage. Whether the effects of mechanical strain also involve stimulation of the insulin-like growth factor (IGF) system and, therefore, of growth and repair of fibrocartilage has yet to be determined. The objective of this in vitro study was to determine if continuous biophysical strain regulates the gene expression of IGF1, IGF2, IGF1 receptor (IGF1R), insulin receptor substrate (IRS1), and IGF-binding proteins (IGFBP) 3 and 5 in cells from the fibrocartilaginous disc of the temporomandibular joint (TMJ). Rat TMJ disc cells were subjected to continuous biophysical strain (3% and 20%) for 4 and 24 h. Subsequently, RNA was extracted and real-time PCR was performed using an iCycler iQ detection system to analyze the gene expression of the IGF system. The gene expression of IGF1, IGF2, IGF1R, IRS1, IGFBP3, and IGFBP5 was significantly (p < 0.05) inhibited when cells were subjected to continuous biophysical strain, as compared to control at both time points. High strain induced a stronger inhibition of these molecules as compared to strain of Low magnitude. In conclusion, continuous biophysical strain seems to downregulate the expression of the IGF system and may, therefore, reduce the potential of fibrocartilage for growth and repair.     

Prevalence of human T-Cell lymphotropie virus infections in Germany

The extent of human T-cell lymphotropic retorvirus HTLV-I and HTLV-II infections in the general population in central Europe has not been investigated fully. Two hundred forty-eight thousand blood donors from southern Germany were examined serologically for antibodies to the human lymphotropic retroviruses HTLV-I and HTLV-II: 0.021% were confirmed postive and 0.056% were “indeterminate”. A limited number of seropositives and “indeterminate” samples were analyzed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR): the seropositives were confirmed as positive and 43% of the “indeterminate” samples were PCR-positive. The range of 0.021% HTLV-positives in 248,000 donors, i.e. about two in 10,000 individuals, mirrors closely the published data for the United States. © 1994 Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

LDL accumulation in the grossly normal human iliac bifurcation and common iliac arteries

We had previously used an electrophoretic transfer procedure to determine the topographic distribution of low density lipoprotein (LDL) accumulation in the aortic intima of normolipemic swine. In this present study we have employed a similar procedure to assess whether LDL-rich sites consistently demonstrate increased intimal thickening at the iliac bifurcation and common iliac arteries. The topographic distribution of LDL-rich sites was determined in the aortas of six subjects ranging in age from 16 to 36 years, by transferring LDL by electrophoresis from the tissue into an agarose gel containing anti-LDL, and then staining the immunofixed LDL in the gel for lipid. LDL-rich sites were found in all but two of these cases. On the basis of control studies establishing the level of nonspecific staining, we determined that the cutoff between LDL-rich and LDL-poor zones was 37 mg apoB protein/mm2 intimal surface area. Intimal thickening was found to be threefold greater in LDL-rich than in LDL-poor regions. These results confirm and extend earlier immunohistochemical studies suggesting a preferential accumulation of LDL at sites of intimal thickening in human arteries.     

Distinguishing characteristics of a new neuroblastoma cell line

The characteristics of a new neuroblastoma cell line (MC-NB-1) established from the bone marrow of a 2-year-old male are described. Morphologically, the cells appear as flattened and epithelial-like or as small and spherical. Electron microscopy demonstrated microtubules and dense core secretory granules. The doubling time was approximately 35 hr. Isoenzyme patterns and catecholamine secretion indicated a human line of neuronal origin. The soft agar tumor colony forming system demonstrated drug resistance in vitro comparable to in vivo nonresponsiveness. The stemline karyotype of MC-NB-1 is 44,Y,del(1) (p22:), -4, -7, +del(7)(q22:), -16, +t(7;16)(16pter leads to 16q24::7q22 leads to 7q32), -17. Additionally, double-minute bodies were observed. However, no evidence of homogeneous staining regions (HSRs) were detected.     

Transforming growth factor-beta3-loaded microtextured membranes for skin regeneration in dermal wounds

Adverse effects of wound healing, such as excessive scar tissue formation, wound contraction, or nonhealing wounds represent a major clinical issue in today's healthcare. Transforming growth factor (TGF)-beta3 has specifically been implicated in wound healing. Our hypothesis was that local administration of TGF-beta3 to excisional dermal wounds would diminish wound contraction and scar formation. Microtextured wound covers, containing different concentrations of TGF-beta3, were placed onto full-thickness excisional skin wounds in guinea pigs. Tattooed reference marks were used to quantify wound contraction. Sixty-four male guinea pigs in four study groups (5 ng TGF-beta3, 50 ng TGF-beta3, no growth factor, sham wound) were followed for up to 6 weeks. We analyzed 19 different parameters of wound healing. Results showed that, in some instances, the 50-ng TGF-beta3 group gave less contraction, whereas the 5-ng TGF-beta3 group gave more contraction. These differences confirm that TGF-beta3 has an optimum working concentration, and suggest this concentration to be closer to 50 ng than to 5 ng TGF-beta3. However, only very few significant differences occurred, and thus we conclude that the clinical relevance of our findings is negligible. Earlier studies, reporting clinically improved wound healing by TGF-beta3, could therefore not be confirmed by this study.     

Disseminated infection with Nattrassia mangiferae in an immunosuppressed patient

Disseminated infection with the coelomycetous fungus Nattrassia mangiferae is a very rare disease affecting only the immunocompromised host. We report the first case of a disseminated infection with spondylodiscitis and granular skin lesions due to N. mangiferae in a renal transplant patient.