The use of a subperiosteal tissue expander in rib reconstruction of an atrophic mandible

A technique is described that provides adequate coverage for rib grafts used in reconstruction of the atrophic mandible. The flaps are highly vascular and thick because of the fibrous capsule that forms around the tissue expander. A one-stage expansion technique is used that reduces the total time needed for reconstruction.     

Function and regulation of a murine macrophage-specific IgG Fc receptor, Fc gamma R-alpha

Ligand binding specificities of two cloned murine Fc gamma Rs (Fc gamma R-alpha, Fc gamma R-beta [9]) were determined by gene transfer into Fc gamma R negative cell lines. Both receptors were expressed as full-length molecules capable of IgG immune complex binding that was inhibitable by the mAb 2.4G2. The ligand binding profiles of these receptors were indistinguishable whereby both bound immune-complexed mouse IgG1, IgG2a, and IgG2b, but not IgG3. Neither receptor could bind monomeric IgG2a, indicating these receptors to be low-affinity IgG Fc receptors. Accumulation of the Fc gamma R-alpha mRNA can be induced with murine IFN-gamma at a concentration of 200 U/ml in the macrophage-like cell lines RAW 264.7 and J774a. The time course for induction indicates that the mRNA accumulation is transient but does not return to the uninduced level even after 50 h of treatment. Fc gamma R-beta mRNA was not induced by IFN-gamma, rather its expression was down modulated in mouse peritoneal macrophages. Both RAW and J774a cells lines exhibited increased receptor levels after IFN-gamma stimulation as measured by 125I-2.4G2 and ligand binding. In the absence of IFN-gamma, the RAW and J774a cell lines were minimally phagocytic, while P388D1 cells were actively phagocytic. In the presence of IFN-gamma, however, RAW 264.7 and J774a cells were induced to become actively phagocytic. Induction of Fc gamma R-alpha mRNA and protein by IFN-gamma may be part of the process by which macrophages become activated to engulf antibody-coated particles.     

Disorders in early embryonal cellular proliferative properties distort the postnatal formation of nervous, immune, and endocrine regulation systems in a newborn

Disorders in the postnatal nervous, immune, and endocrine regulation systems were revealed in the progeny of rats irradiated during the preimplantation period of embryogenesis. These disorders persist till adult age. The direction of disorders confirms the hypothesis about memorization of changed proliferative properties of embryonal cells during the development of the (pro)endocrine system of a new organism. Memorization results in distortion of postnatal nervous immunoendocrine regulation: hypertrophy of the endocrine component and coadaptive underdevelopment of the nervous and immune components. Translated fromByulleten' Eksperimental'noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 126, No. 8, pp. 164–166, August, 1998     

The significance of arterial hypertension at the onset of clinical lupus nephritis.

The prognostic importance of hypertension at the onset of clinical lupus nephritis is not well established. We studied retrospectively 44 patients with lupus nephritis in order to ascertain the prevalence of hypertension at presentation and to investigate a possible association between hypertension and renal functional impairment. A correlation was also sought between hypertension and histological class of lupus nephritis. Hypertension was graded as mild (diastolic 95-99 mmHg), moderate (100-114) or severe (> 115). Impaired renal function (creatinine > 120 mumol/l) was graded as mild (120-200 mumol/l), moderate (200-350 mumol/l), or severe (> 350 mumol/l). Histological class and the presence of hypertensive renal vascular lesions was recorded. The prevalence of hypertension was 38%. There were 17 hypertensives and 27 normotensives. The incidence of renal impairment was greater in the hypertensives, 47% vs 18.5% (p = 0.04). Mean serum creatinine was also higher higher in this group (p = 0.02). The presence of hypertensive renal vascular lesions identified a high-risk subgroup who had a higher incidence of renal functional impairment and worse renal function than the hypertensive group as a whole. Even at an early stage, hypertension and hypertensive renal vascular lesions correlated well with renal functional impairment. Aggressive treatment of hypertension is therefore essential in early lupus nephritis in order to prevent further deterioration of renal function as the disease evolves.     

Neurosarcoma of the face: MRI

Neurosarcoma is a rare tumour originating from the sheath of peripheral nerves. Facial lesions have been reported in about 20 patients. We describe the MRI appearances of neurosarcoma with histological correlation in three patients. The lesions lay in the submandibular region, the left parapharyngeal space and the right orbit. MRI showed a well-defined mass with mixed components. The lesions were moderately heterogeneous on T1-weighted images in two cases and on T2-weighted images in all cases. Gadolinium enhancement occurred in all cases to variable degrees. In two cases, small high signal foci were seen on T2-weighted sequences. MRI appearances of neurosarcoma are not specific. Received: 3 September 1996 Accepted: 26 November 1996