Brain microvascular smooth muscle and endothelial cells produce granulocyte macrophage colony-stimulating factor and support colony formation of granulocyte-macrophage-like cells.

Granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) is a potent stimulator of macrophages and neutrophils and plays a role in inflammatory diseases. In this article, we report that mouse brain-derived microvascular smooth muscle cells (SM) and endothelial cells (En) in coculture with splenocytes support the colony proliferation of immature granulocyte-macrophage-like (GM) cells. Unstimulated SM and En cells release GM-CSF as shown by ELISA assay and SM expresses mRNA for GM-CSF by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Stimulation of SM and En by a nonspecific activator (lipopolysaccharide) results in upregulation of GM-CSF production. GM colonies cannot be grown on cultured astrocytes or on extracellular matrix alone prepared from smooth muscle or endothelium. However, colonies form on the extracellular matrix and on astrocytes, either in the presence of SM- or En-conditioned medium or after the addition of recombinant GM-CSF. The GM cells are positive for nonspecific esterase, peroxidase, and MAC-1 markers but are negative for FC gamma receptors and for Thy 1.2, CD8, CD4, MHC class II, and Asialo GM1 markers. These observations emphasize the possibility for active participation of brain microvasculature SM and En in acute inflammatory reactions of the central nervous system.     

Cognitive characteristics of adolescent suicide attempters

The present study examined the relationship among psychiatric diagnosis, depression, attributional style, and hopelessness among 69 adolescent suicide attempters and 40 psychiatrically hospitalized adolescent controls. Contrary to predictions, the suicide attempters were more likely than the nonsuicidal group to attribute good events to global causes. No differences in attributional style were found across the depressed versus nondepressed subjects. However, there was a modest relationship between depression and attributional style. Results suggest that maladaptive cognitive characteristics are present in adolescent clinical samples but may be less specific to suicide attempters than is often suggested.     

Complications in correlation studies between serum, free serum and saliva concentrations of nitrazepam

The relation between free serum and saliva concentrations of nitrazepam in healthy male volunteers has been studied. It was found that the average value of free serum concentrations from all volunteers was twice the average value of corresponding saliva concentrations. Sometimes mean values of serum, free serum and saliva concentrations are used in correlation studies. However, the data from individual volunteers showed that there was no correlation between them. Statistics can easily introduce false pictures for correlations between free serum and saliva concentrations of nitrazepam, whereas no correlation could be found on the basis of results from individuals. In response studies such as the effects of drugs on driving performance, the free serum and saliva concentrations of a drug from individual volunteers should therefore be considered. This will complicate the use of saliva in epidemiological studies on drugs and driving.     

Stimulation or inhibition of the respiratory burst in cultured macrophages in a mycobacterium model: initial stimulation is followed by inhibition after phagocytosis.

Microorganisms cause varying degrees of stimulation of superoxide (O2-) production (respiratory burst [RB]) in macrophages but in some cases apparently inhibit the RB induced in the same monolayers by a conventional stimulator. We have explored these differences. A mycobacterium model, the slowly multiplying mouse pathogen Mycobacterium microti, induced a modest RB in resident macrophage monolayers, compared with the substantial RB induced by opsonized zymosan (Zy). However, if the 1-h M. microti pulse immediately preceded the Zy assay (instead of being concurrent), the RB was consistently less than that elicited by the Zy alone. Cytochalasin (an inhibitor of phagocytosis) enhanced Zy-induced RB, supporting the view that the burst is cell surface mediated, but this agent apparently eliminated the inhibition of the Zy-induced RB caused by prior M. microti exposure, suggesting that this inhibition may have an intracellular origin. The inhibition described extended not only to another mycobacterium (Mycobacterium bovis BCG) but also to a previous application of Zy itself. The general implications for macrophage functions of these observations on timing and sites of initiation are briefly discussed.     

肾移植受者血清巨细胞病毒IgE和IgA抗体检测

采用间接ＥＬＩＳＡ检测２３名肾移植受者血清巨细胞病毒（ＣＭＶ）抗体，共检出１８名（７８％）活动性ＣＭＶ感染，其中１０名（４４％）为原发性感染。结果证实ＣＭＶ－ＩｇＥ和－ＩｇＡ具有较好的血清学诊断价值，优于ＣＭＶ－ＩｇＭ。     

Strengthening the public health workforce: three CDC programs that prepare managers and leaders for the challenges of the 21st century.

To address the need for management development in public health, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) established three independent workforce development initiatives aimed primarily at strengthening management and leadership capacity: the Sustainable Management Development Program, the Management Academy for Public Health, and the CDC Leadership and Management Institute. Though independently designed and implemented, the programs share similar guiding principles in their approach to management development: interactive (adult) learning, management tools that reinforce evidence-based decision making, individual feedback, continuous improvement of the learning process, posttraining support for networking and life-long learning, and teamwork. This article will discuss important lessons learned regarding best practices in management and leadership development.     

Anticoagulant effects of sulphonated polyurethanes.

Sulphonated polyurethanes have been shown to have excellent blood contacting properties. In this paper, similar polyurethanes which are water soluble have been investigated to determine their influence on thrombus formation. These polymers were shown to delay clotting times in the following ways: by direct complex formation between the polymer and thrombin; by interference with fibrin polymerization; and by complex interactions between polymer, thrombin, plasma antiproteases and fibrinogen in plasma.     

Overcoming complications of breast implants.

Having nice breasts is important to many women and their self-images. For those women who have had congenital deformities, were not blessed naturally with the shape they wanted, have had experiences that have adversely affected breast tissue, or have had a mastectomy as a result of breast cancer, breast implants can provide a boost in self-confidence. This article provides an overview of breast implant issues and treatments, and reviews breast implant complications, their potential causes and treatments.     

Differences between beige and bg/+ mice in the disruption of plasma proteinase regulation in the tumor-bearing state or following Corynebacterium parvum treatment. Evidence for the involvement of polymorphonuclear leukocyte proteinases

Mice bearing the B16 melanoma or treated with Corynebacterium parvum develop elevated levels of plasma neutral proteinase activity. Similar experiments carried out with C57BL/6-bg/bg (beige) mice, which are genetically deficient in polymorphonuclear neutrophil (PMN) proteinases, revealed that such mice develop significantly diminished elevation in plasma proteinase activity compared to C57BL/6-bg/+ mice. Lysates of C. parvum elicited PMN from beige mice contained approximately 80% less neutral proteinase activity as did lysates of PMN from bg/+ mice. These results indicate that host cells, such as PMN, may become activated during the tumor progression, or following C. parvum treatment, causing degranulation and a subsequent elevation in plasma proteinase levels. If such an interpretation is correct, then this phenomenon may be the murine corollary to what has been observed in patients with certain inflammatory diseases or tumors.