Wave form difference in visual evoked responses between normal and reading disabled children

Wave form differences were found in visual evoked response between normal and reading disabled children. These differences were maximally seen over the left parietal area but were minimal at the vertex and over the occipital area.     

Expression of cyclooxygenase-2 mRNA in peripheral blood of head and neck cancer patients and in healthy controls. A pilot study

CONCLUSIONS: Cyclooxygenase-2 mRNA (COX2) levels are higher in head and neck cancer (HNC) patients than in controls and this correlates with tumor size and outcome. These findings suggest the use of this parameter as a future tumor marker. OBJECTIVE: We analyzed the expression of COX2 mRNA in peripheral blood cells in HNC patients and in healthy controls and its relationship with outcome and progression-free survival. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Blood samples were obtained from 41 consecutive HNC patients and 16 healthy controls and analyzed for COX2 mRNA with quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction and compared with beta-actin as a house-keeping gene. RESULTS: Treatment consisted of surgery only (4 patients), chemoradiotherapy (18), chemotherapy followed by curative surgery (4) or palliative chemotherapy (15). COX2 mRNA levels were higher in patients with unfavorable outcome (mean 6.8, median 2.06) than those with favorable outcome (mean 1.2, median 1.31) (p=0.062). Both were higher than for healthy controls (mean 0.74, median 0.72; p<0.001). In bulky tumors, the percentage of level over 6 in unfavorable outcome cases was higher than in the favorable outcome cases (p=0.005). In chemotherapy patients with level 1 (n=19) (p=0.0138).     

3-Hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-coenzyme A (HMG-CoA) lyase deficiency in Saudi Arabia

Summary Deficiency of 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-CoA lyase has been studied in 11 Saudi infants. The diagnosis was established by the measurement of enzyme activity in lymphocytes, in fibroblasts and, in seven patients, by the gas chromatography/mass spectrometer pattern of excreted organic acids in the urine. In seven infants the disease caused a devastating acidotic attack within the first day of life, while in two the crisis occurred by the third day of life. In two infants from one family the disease appeared later in infancy. The clinical presentation of an acidotic attack is lethargy, hyperpnoea, tachypnoea and seizures, either at birth (two infants), following first feeding (in five infants), or following vomiting or refusal of food in later infancy. The acidotic attacks recurred later in life following minor illness or refusal to eat. The acidosis of this enzyme deficiency progresses rapidly, leading to cardiopulmonary arrest and death within hours of onset unless treated promptly. In four surviving infants diagnosed and treated early, development is normal. Magnetic resonance and computerized tomography brain scans in these infants, however, show white matter lesions and mild atrophy.     

Lymphokine abnormalities in aplastic anemia: implications for the mechanism of action of antithymocyte globulin

Anti-thymocyte globulin (ATG) provides effective therapy for many patients with aplastic anemia, and its mechanism of action has been presumed to be secondary to lymphocytotoxicity. However, our studies of lymphocyte function in aplastic anemia show marked abnormalities of lymphokine production, which ATG may modulate. In 12 of 17 patients with aplastic anemia, interleukin 2 (IL2) production was markedly elevated in vitro (P less than .01 by paired statistical analysis). Expression of the IL2 receptor, or Tac antigen, on peripheral lymphocytes assessed by flow microfluorometry was also increased above the normal range in 11 of 15 cases. Studies of ATG suggested that it might act to stimulate lymphocyte function. In vitro, ATG is a mitogen, as measured by incorporation of 3H-thymidine into blood mononuclear cells; the response of cells to ATG from patients with aplastic anemia was exaggerated in comparison with normals. Cell proliferation was accompanied by production of IL2 to levels that were, in some cases, similar to those obtained with lectin stimulation. Finally, supernatants from lymphocytes cultured in the presence of ATG were able to replace adherent cells in providing growth factors for the support of nonadherent cells in methylcellulose hematopoietic colony assays. These results provide a mechanism for an "immunostimulatory" action of ATG in effecting hematopoietic response in some patients with aplastic anemia.     

In vitro stimulatory effect of substance P on hematopoiesis

The neuropeptide Substance P (SP) is widely distributed in the peripheral nervous system. Its biologic effects have been extensively studied in the immune system. However, even though the bone marrow (BM) is innervated with SP-immunoreactive fibers and some of its cells not only express SP receptors (T and B cells, endothelial cells, and macrophages) but also produce SP (macrophages, eosinophils, and endothelial cells), the effects of SP on hematopoiesis are scanty. Furthermore, SP induces the production of hematopoietic growth factors (HGFs) (interleukin-1 [IL-1], IL-6, and tumor necrosis factor alpha) from human monocytes. In this study, we have found a potent in vitro stimulatory effect of SP (10(-8) to 10(-12) mol/L) on hematopoiesis for both erythroid and granulocytic progenitors in short-term methyl- cellulose BM cultures. SP alone, in the absence of exogenous HGFs, is able to sustain hematopoiesis in vitro. This stimulatory effect of SP is: (1) mostly mediated by the adherent cells; (2) completely abrogated by two SP receptor (SP-R) antagonists; and (3) partially reduced by anti-IL-1, IL-3, IL-6, and granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF). Furthermore, it appears that the stimulatory effect of SP may be mediated by IL-3 and GM-CSF because we have also found that SP induces the release of these two cytokines from BM mononuclear cells. Considering that the SP effect occurs at concentrations as low as 10(-11) mol/L, and via a specific receptor, it appears that SP may play a physiologic role in regulating hematopoiesis, at least partially through the adherent BM cells and the release of HGFs, and may place SP, a neuropeptide, in a new category of hematopoietic regulators.     

Pharmacokinetics and tissue distribution of human urinary tumor necrosis factor binding protein in mice.

Iodinated natural human urinary tumor necrosis factor binding protein I (125I-uTBP) was iv injected into BALB/c mice, and its pharmacokinetics and tissue distribution were assessed during a short-term (0-1 hr) and for a long-term (0-24 hr) period. The blood 125I-uTBP concentration displayed a biphasic pattern that was adequately described by a biexponential function with estimated half-lives of 0.1 and 3.8 hr. The apparent volume of distribution (Vc) of the central compartment was 3 ml, which approximated the mouse blood volume. The clearance (CL) derived either from a model-dependent or a model-independent method of analysis was 2.5 and 2.9 ml/hr, respectively. One hr after the iv administration of 125I-uTBP, the radioactivity accumulated in the major organs and tissues. The highest concentrations in terms of pg per organ were seen in the skin and in the liver. When expressed as pg 125I-uTBP per mg organ, the distribution was the highest in the gallbladder, bladder, kidneys, and lungs. At 24 hr, the distribution of 125I-uTBP represented about 10% of the amount measured at 1 hr. The rank order of accumulation of the radiolabeled uTBP in the major organs, expressed as pg per organ at 24 hr was skin greater than liver greater than kidneys greater than lungs greater than gut greater than spleen greater than gallbladder.