Brain macrophages synthesize interleukin-1 and interleukin-1 mRNAs in vitro

Amoeboid microglial cells (brain macrophages) were purified from early post-natal mouse brain cultures. The percentage of cells stained with an anti-Mac-1 antibody was greater than 95%. Stimulation of these brain macrophages by lipopolysaccharides induced the synthesis of interleukin-1 (IL-1), which, in part, remained associated with the cell surface and, in part, was released into the culture medium. In contrast, pure primary astrocyte cultures and cell lines of transformed or immortalised astrocytes did not synthesise significant amounts of IL-1, demonstrating that amoeboid microglia and not astrocytes synthesise IL-1 in vitro. These physiological data were confirmed by RNA hybridisation studies showing that, on LPS treatment, brain macrophages synthesise significant amounts of IL-1 alpha and IL-1 beta mRNAs.     

Increased tissue-type plasminogen activator activity in orthotopic but not heterotopic liver transplantation: the role of the anhepatic period.

The major cause of the increased tissue-type plasminogen activator activity during orthotopic liver transplantation is still unclear. Both the lack of hepatic clearance of tissue-type plasminogen activator in the anhepatic period and increased endothelial release from the graft on reperfusion have been proposed as the major causes. Heterotopic liver transplantation avoids the resection of the host liver and is a useful model to help differentiate between these two possibilities. In this study the fibrinolytic system was evaluated in 10 orthotopic liver transplantations, 18 heterotopic liver transplantations and a control group of 10 partial hepatic resections. A marked increment in tissue-type plasminogen activator activity, from 0.2 to 5.2 IU/ml (p less than 0.02), was observed during the anhepatic period of orthotopic liver transplantation, which rapidly normalized after reperfusion. In contrast, tissue-type plasminogen activator activity levels remained normal in heterotopic liver transplantation and partial hepatic resections. In orthotopic liver transplantation and in heterotopic liver transplantation no increase occurred in tissue-type plasminogen activator activity after reperfusion. The first venous hepatic outflow after reperfusion did not contain elevated tissue-type plasminogen activator activity levels. Plasma degradation products of fibrin and fibrinogen increased during the anhepatic period of orthotopic liver transplantation (from 2.60 to 8.80 micrograms/ml [p less than 0.008] and from 0.40 to 1.60 micrograms/ml [p less than 0.04], respectively) and remained elevated thereafter. In heterotopic liver transplantation and partial hepatic resections these levels remained low. In conclusion, the lack of hepatic clearance during the anhepatic period is probably the most important factor in the evolution of increased tissue-type plasminogen activator activity during orthotopic liver transplantation.     

Comparison between postoperative astigmatism after classic extracapsular lens extraction and after phacoemulsification with implantation of a Pearce tripod or Pearce vaulted Y-loop intraocular lens

We compared the surgically induced astigmatism after standard extracapsular cataract extraction (ECCE) with the astigmatism following cataract extraction by phacoemulsification. The surgically induced corneal astigmatism was assessed on several occasions, ranging from one day to one year postoperatively. After phacoemulsification, this astigmatism was considerably slighter than after ECCE on day 1 postoperatively and after two and six weeks. However, one year postoperatively, this difference was less clear. We then measured slight against-the-rule astigmatism for both surgical techniques.     

The specificity of nephritogenic antibodies. V. Glomerular localization of anti-GP 330 and anti-GP 90 antibodies present in passive Heymann serum

Administration in the rat of rabbit antibodies directed against rat tubular brushborder antigens (FXIA) leads to membranous glomerulopathy (HICN) associated with glomerular immune complexes (ICXS). These anti-FXIA antibodies (Abs) contain two major specificities, anti-GP 330 and anti-GP 90. The contribution of each specificity to the localization of anti-FXIA Abs was studied by direct immunofluorescence. Perfusion studies, under conditions which avoid ischaemia, confirmed that in this system glomerular localization of anti-FXIA Abs depends only on anti-GP 90 Abs, and the failure of anti-GP 330 Abs to localize after perfusion could not be attributed to ischaemia. In contrast, intravenous (i.v.) injection of anti-GP 330 Abs results in granular deposits of rabbit IgG, similar to those observed using anti-FXIA Abs. Injection i.v. of anti-GP 90 Abs results only in (faint) linear deposits. Using alternating and combined perfusion studies with these Abs, it is shown that anti-GP 90 Abs do not influence localization of anti-GP 330 Abs. In addition, systemic administration of anti-GP 90 Abs combined with perfusion of anti-GP 330 Abs does not facilitate localization of anti-GP 330 Abs. Although directly after i.v. injection of anti-FXIA Abs some anti-GP 90 Abs probably localize in the glomerular capillary wall, our results exclude a dominant or ancillary role for anti-GP 90 Abs in the formation of glomerular Icxs in HICN.     

Somatostatin receptor scintigraphy with indium-111-DTPA-D-Phe-1-octreotide in man: metabolism, dosimetry and comparison with iodine-123-Tyr-3-octreotide.

Scintigraphy with 123I-Tyr-3-octreotide has several major drawbacks as regards its metabolic behavior, its cumbersome preparation and the short physical half-life of the radionuclide. The use of another radiolabeled analog of somatostatin, 111In-DTPA-D-Phe-1-octreotide, has consequently been proposed. DTPA-D-Phe-1-octreotide can be radiolabeled with 111In in an easy single-step procedure. DTPA-D-Phe-1-octreotide is cleared predominantly via the kidneys. Fecal excretion of radioactivity amounts to only a few percent of the administered radioactivity. For the radiation dose to normal tissues, the most important organs are the kidneys, the spleen, the urinary bladder, the liver and the remainder of the body. The calculated effective dose equivalent is 0.08 mSv/MBq. Optimal 111In-DTPA-D-Phe-1-octreotide scintigraphic imaging of various somatostatin receptor-positive tumors was obtained 24 hr after injection. In the six patients studied, tumor localization with 123I-Tyr-3-octreotide and with 111In-DTPA-D-Phe-1-octreotide were found to be similar. However, the normal pituitary is more frequently visualized with the latter radiopharmaceutical. In conclusion, 111In-DTPA-D-Phe-1-octreotide appears to be a sensitive somatostatin receptor-positive tissue-seeking radiopharmaceutical with some remarkable advantages: easy preparation, general availability, appropriate half-life and absence of major interference in the upper abdominal region, because of its renal clearance. Therefore, 111In-DTPA-D-Phe-1-octreotide may be suitable for use in SPECT of the abdomen, which is important in the localization of small endocrine gastroenteropancreatic tumors.     

The Utrecht ophthalmic hospital and the development of tonometry in the 19th century

During the second half of the 19th century Donders, Snellen and co-workers of the Utrecht Eye Clinic played an important role in the development of clinical tonometry. These indefatigable researchers designed and built a number of tonometers of which most have been saved and which are now on display in a permanent exhibition in the Royal Netherlands Ophthalmic Hospital at Utrecht.     

The use of etidronate and calcium versus calcium alone in the treatment of postmenopausal osteopenia: Results of three years of treatment

The purpose of this open, prospective, controlled, randomized trial was to study the effect of intermittent, cyclic etidronate on the bone mass of osteoporotic postmenopausal women with or without fractures. Eligible subjects were asymptomatic women less than 75 years old who had been amenorrhoeic for at least 1 year. Those with secondary osteoporosis were excluded. Subjects also had to be ambulant with a bone mineral density (BMD) of the lumbar spine >1 SD below that of age matched controls (Z-score < –1 SD). Eighty patients were enrolled, of whom 65 were recruited through a screening programme conducted in the practices of two general practitioners. The remaining patients were from other referrals. The subjects were randomized to two groups of 40 women. Treatment regimens were as follows. The etidronate group was treated with etidronate 400 mg once daily for 14 days followed by 76 days of 500 mg of elementary calcium once daily; this cycle was repeated every 3 months. The calcium group took 500 mg of elementary calcium once daily. The groups were not different in age, height, weight, time since menopause, BMD at baseline and prevalent vertebral fractures. In 50 patients (28 in the etidronate group and 22 in the calcium group) no vertebral fractures were present (67%). Sixty-four patients (35 in the etidronate group and 29 in the calcium group) completed the 3 years of the study. In the etidronate group the mean BMD of the lumbar spine, femoral neck, trochanter and Ward's triangle increased by 5.7%, 1.4%, 7.1% and 10.9% from baseline values respectively (p<0.05 at all sites except for the femoral neck). In the calcium group no significant changes from baseline were found at any time point at any site after 3 years, except for the femoral neck, where BMD at 156 weeks decreased significantly by 3% (p<0.003). In 3 patients, all in the calcium group, six new fractures were found. There were no serious adverse effects. We conclude that intermittent, cyclic treatment with etidronate causes a significant increase in the BMD of the lumbar spine and the proximal femur in osteopenic postmenopausal women, and that treatment is safe and has no serious adverse effects.     

视网膜母细胞瘤的CT表现及临床价值

目的 探讨视网膜母细胞瘤的CT表现在其诊断、鉴别诊断中的价值。方法 回顾分析27例经病理或临床证实的视网膜母细胞瘤的CT表现。结果 视网膜母细胞瘤CT表现：27例均以眼球后部软组织肿块为特征，其中24例(25只眼)肿块内伴钙化；3例肿块无钙化，可见斑点状、斑片状低密度坏死及囊变。结论 CT可以显示肿瘤的形态、大小、内部特征及累及范围，有助于诊断和鉴别诊断。