Differences in T cell subsets between men and women with idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura

Idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP) is an autoimmune disorder, occurring predominantly in women. We studied by flow cytofluorimetry the T cell subsets in men and women with ITP and compared them with healthy sex-matched volunteers. In healthy controls, women were found to have higher proportions of T helper/inducer (Th/i) and lower T suppressor/cytotoxic (Ts/c) lymphocytes and consequently higher Th/i:Ts/c ratios than men. Accordingly, in clinical surveys, patients and controls should be matched for sex for proper comparisons. In patients with ITP in its active phase, an imbalance in T cell subsets was found in both sexes. The perturbation was more severe in women who had a marked decrease in number and proportion of Th/i lymphocytes and an increase in the proportion of Ts/c lymphocytes, whereas in men only, the proportion of Th/i lymphocytes was decreased. When patients with active disease were compared to those with ITP in remission, the decrease in Th/i subsets still persisted in both sexes but the Ts/c subset in women had returned to normal proportions. Therefore, the immune imbalance in ITP is more marked in women than men; imbalances in both Th/i and Ts/c are present in women while Ts/c appears not to be involved in men.     

Modellversuche zur Atmung unter Sand

Zusammenfassung Ausgehend von der Untersuchung mehrerer Tötungsdelikte mit Verschluß der Atemöffnung der Opfer durch Sand wurden Modellversuche zur Atmung durch verschieden dicke Sandschichten (bis 90 cm) mit Kontrolle der Atemgase und des Druckes sowie zur Frage des Umfanges der Sandaspiration in solchen Fällen durchgeführt. Es kommt auch schon bei dünner Sandschicht (15 cm) zur Totraumventilation mit der in der Sandschicht in unmittelbarer Nähe der Atemöffnungen befindlichen Luft mit Anstieg der CO₂- und Abfall der O₂-Konzentration. Auch bei 90 cm dicker Schicht sind noch Atemvolumina von bis zu 31 möglich. Das Ausmaß einer Sandaspiration hängt in erster Linie von der Feuchtigkeit des Sandes ab: schon bei einem Wassergehalt von rund 5% kann sie fast völlig ausbleiben.