Characterisation of passively transferred antigen arthritis induced by methylated bovine serum albumin in the rat: effect of FK 506 on arthritis development.

The conditions necessary for the passive transfer of antigen arthritis induced by methylated bovine serum albumin (mBSA) in the rat have been studied. Spleen cells from immunised rats were not capable of transferring disease unless they were first activated in culture with mBSA or concanavalin A. Cells from sham-immunised animals could not be activated to transfer the arthritis. The immunosuppressant drug FK 506 could inhibit the development of the arthritis when present during the activation period in culture or when dosed to the recipients of activated cells.     

Providing psychological support for patients after critical illness.

The majority of patients have little or no memory of their stay in ICU or remember only pain, suctioning or lack of sleep. Dreams and nightmares while in the intensive care unit (ICU) and after discharge home have also been reported. The few studies investigating the longer-term psychological problems of critical illness point to a picture of social isolation with patients avoiding company and showing less affection to their partners. Our own experience, running a special outpatient clinic and following up patients by post, showed a picture of depression, anxiety, irritability and social isolation. This led to the setting up of an ICU staff-led support group for patients recovering from critical illness. This article outlines the possible problems and pitfalls of setting up and running a support group for patients recovering from critical illness. The type of patients suitable to attend such a group is examined. Two case histories give an illustration of the type of problems ICU patients experience during their recovery and how an informal support group can help. In addition to possible benefits to the patients, support groups can also give ICU staff a chance to understand the process of recovery from critical illness and to examine the effects on patients of their own practice. However, they must also have enough insight to know when a patient needs professional help; for example, a patient displaying symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder should be referred, with their agreement, to a clinical psychologist.     

Testicular descent. III. The neonatal mouse gubernaculum shows rhythmic contraction in organ culture in response to calcitonin gene-related peptide.

The effects of calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) and CGRP 8-37 on the neonatal mouse gubernaculum were examined in organ culture, with the aim of seeing whether CGRP has a direct effect on the gubernaculum. A total of 440 gubernacula were studied. Two hundred and fifty gubernacula were treated with CGRP in concentrations ranging from 0-714 nM/liter. With increasing doses of CGRP the percentage of gubernacula showing vigorous contraction increased from 18-50%. The total percentage of gubernacula showing any form of contraction increased from 76-96%. One hundred and fifty gubernacula were exposed to the CGRP analog CGRP 8-37. Increasing concentrations of CGRP 8-37 from 179-714 nM/liter decreased the rate of vigorous contraction from 18-4%. The percentage of gubernacula showing any degree of contraction decreased from 76-14%. Forty gubernacula removed from testicular feminization (TFM) mice were exposed to varying concentrations of CGRP. In the absence of exogenous CGRP no contractility was observed. By contrast, in the presence of CGRP the gubernacula showed vigorous contractility increasing from 38-90%. The total number of gubernacula showing contraction increased from 75-100%. These studies demonstrated that the neonatal mouse gubernaculum exhibits a high level of endogenous contractility, which can be enhanced in a dose responsive manner with exogenous CGRP. CGRP 8-37 caused a dose responsive inhibition. The androgen-insensitive gubernaculum from the TFM mouse showed no endogenous contraction, but on exposure to CGRP showed an enhanced rate of contractility. These results are consistent with the hypothesis that androgens may control gubernacular migration indirectly via release of CGRP from the genitofemoral nerve in the inguinoscrotal region. The failure of gubernacular motility in vitro and migration in vivo in the TFM mouse may indicate lack of CGRP release from the genitofemoral nerve.     

Exocrine pancreatic function in mediastinal teratomata: an aid to preoperative diagnosis?

The diagnosis of teratoma may be made by demonstration of high amylase content in fluid aspirated from anterior mediastinal lesions. In 2 cases of mediastinal teratoma proteolytic enzyme activity was evident at the time of operation. A diagnosis of mediastinal teratoma was aided in 2 subsequent cases by demonstration of elevated amylase activity in the aspirated fluid before definitive operation.     

A controlled evaluation of hypnobehavioural treatment for bulimia nervosa: Immediate pre-post treatment effects

The study reports the pre-post findings from a controlled comparative evaluation of treatments for bulimia nervosa. These pre-post results allow comparison of the hypnobehavioural and cognitive behavioural treatments with a waiting list control group and a comparison of the immediate effects of the two modalities. One hundred and thirty subjects were screened to enter the study. Seventy-eight subjects entered the investigation after being randomly allocated to either a waiting list control group, or to hypnobehavioural or cognitive behavioural groups. The treatments were delivered individually and matched in duration (8 weeks) and the number of sessions. Pre to posttreatment outcome indicated significant differences between the control group and the two treatments in reductions in bulimic behaviours and related eating pathology. The immediate effects of both treatments were equal. There were no differences at posttreatment between the treatments in abstinence from either bingeing or purging. The treatment effects were also similar to the immediate effects obtained by longer therapeutic approaches.