Case report: A patient with primary biliary cirrhosis and autoimmune haemolytic anaemia

Diseases of an autoimmune nature are well recognized in association with primary biliary cirrhosis. Although autoimmune thyroiditis and many rheumatological conditions are well described in primary biliary cirrhosis, autoimmune haematological diseases have been less well reported. We report on a 66 year old North American Indian man with coincident primary biliary cirrhosis and warm antibody haemolytic anaemia. This case report supports the suggestion of an association between autoimmune haemolytic anaemia and primary biliary cirrhosis.     

Characterization of a Precocious New Lesion Distal to a Stent Site by Atherectomy

A 58-year-old woman presented with a new rapidly progressive lesion distal to a stent. This lesion was treated with atherectomy through the stem in order to characterize it pathologically. The aggressive proliferative response discovered suggested that this unusually distal lesion was produced by the trauma of her previous angioplasty .     

The crime of passion and the changing cultural construction of jealousy

Killings motivated by jealousy are, on occasion, glorified by the term ‘crime of passion’. The response to such crimes depends on the prevailing attitudes to jealousy and the legal practices current at the time. The cultural construction of jealousy has undergone radical changes in emphasis over the history of Western society, and legal systems have altered in response to changing cultural and social contexts. It is argued that the generosity accorded to the jealous killer has survived these changes. In our current emotionology jealousy is increasingly regarded as psychopathological and as such ceases to be the responsibility of the jealous individual. Although pathological jealousies do exist, the vast majority of jealous reactions are not usefully regarded as pathological. If jealousy is to be translated from a vengeful cry of rage into a disappointed hope, it is essential to recognise that most jealous reactions fall within the scope of normal human experience. When violence emerges from such jealousy, appeals by mental health professionals to psychopathology to explain and mitigate are misguided.     

Impact of childhood cancer on religious life of Korean families

This paper reports on the social and personal relevance of religious faith entering into the situation of family stress due to the illness of a child with cancer. The expectations of religious faith may include, objectively, the actual physical healing of the child or the determination of the child's fate; it may include, subjectively, the hope for emotional support, the provision of moral guidance in time of difficulty, or an overarching life-view. There were major religious changes in 20% of the families. While all the major religious faiths in South Korea were represented in the study, 61% of the sample identified Christianity as their primary religious response.     

Automatic Atrial and Junctional Tachycardias in the Pediatric Patient: Strategies for Diagnosis and Management

Unlike supraventricular arrhythmias secondary to reentry, automatic rhylhm disturbances in children are rare and more resislant to standard pharmacological therapy. This article reviews strategies for the diagnosis and managemenl of two of the more common pediatric auto-matic rhylhm disliirbances, that is, atrial ectopic tachycardia, and junlional ectopic tachycardia. The place of nevver nonpharmacological therapy, such as catheter ablation, in the treatment of these entities is beginning to be explored, yet has not been fully delineated. Despite these iimitalions, there is enough experience ivith these difficult tachycardias in the pediatric age group to formulate some strategies for optimal diagnosis and management.     

Shades of gray matter: Noninvasive optical images of human brain reponses during visual stimulation

Recent theories about human brain function emphasize the need for imaging methods that allow the study of dynamic interactions among different structures. In this paper, we report on a new technique, based on the measurement of parameters of migration of near-infrared photons, that yields functional images of the human occipital cortex, combining a spatial resolution of 0.5 cm and a temporal resolution of 50 ms. This technique appears to be suitable for studying the dynamics of cortical activation.     

PLATELET-ACTIVATING FACTOR IN THE CNS

Platelet-activating factor (PAF) is a phospholipid synthesized in a variety of cells throughout the body. Platelet-activating factor has been identified in the CNS and has a number of diverse physiological and pathological functions. It has been shown to be a modulator of many CNS processes, ranging from long-term potentiation (LTP) to neuronal differentiation. Excessive levels of PAF appear to play an important role in neuronal cell injury, such as that resulting from ischaemia, inflammation, human immunodeficiency syndrome (HIV) and meningitis. The beneficial effects of PAF receptor antagonists are many and give rise to possible therapeutic strategies for neurotrauma. Copyright © 1996 Elsevier Science Ltd.     

Action of Mitomycin C on Testicular Steroidogenesis and its Probable Mode of Action in Albino Rats

Einfluß von Mitomycin C auf die Steroidgenese im Hoden und ihr möglicher Modus bei Albino-Ratten
Mit Hilfe des Radioimmunassays (Testosteron im Serum) und dem histochemischen Nachweis von dem Schlüsselenzym Δ⁵ 3β hydroxysteroid-dehydrogenase in den Leydig'schen Zwischenzellen nach einer Behandlung mit Mitomycin C wurde die Steroidgenese im Hoden untersucht. Die in vivo Experimente belegen, daß Mitomycin C einen bemerkenswerten Abfall der Serum-Testosteronwerte verursacht im Zusammenhang mit eine signifikanten Reduzierung des Hodengewichtes und des Gewichtes des akzessorischen Geschlechtsdrüsen. In vitro Studien zeigen eine Verminderung der Aktivität von Δ⁵ 3β hydroxysteroiddehydrogenase und der Glukose-6-phosphatdehydrogenase im Hoden nach Zugabe von Mitomycin C in das Inkubationsmedium. Diese Befunde führen zu der Überlegung, daß Mitomycin C die Steroidgenese des Hodens negativ beeinflußt.     

Peptides containing dipropylglycine

Methods for the incorporation of the hindered amino acid 2-amino-2-propyl-pentanoic acid (dipropylglycine, Dpg) into peptides have been investigated. Limitations on the preparation of protected derivatives of Dpg are discussed, and common methods of coupling examined. These methods are not subject to problems when used to link protein amino acids to the amino group of Dpg, but steric hindrance severely limits efficient peptide bond formation by the carboxyl group of Dpg. Only two reagents proved useful in this respect. N-Benzyloxycar-bonyl (Z) Dpg can be coupled through its derivative with 3-hydroxy-4-oxo-3,4-dihydrobenzotriazine; other methods of activation of Z-Dpg tend to lead to formation of 2-benzyloxy-4,4-dipropyloxazolin-5(4H)-one, which resists attack by nucleophiles. 2-Trifluoromethyl-4,4-dipropyloxazolin-5(4H)-one, however, which is readily prepared from N-trifluoroacetyl-Dpg and thionyl chloride, couples cleanly with other amino acids, making it the reagent of choice for introduction of a Dpg residue.