High power, low frequency components of cardiac, renal, splenic and vertebral sympathetic nerve activities are uniformly reduced by spinal cord transection

Others have reported that spinal cord transection non-uniformly affects the activities of the cardiac, renal and splenic nerves. We were unable to confirm this finding while recording the wide band (1-1000 Hz) discharges of these sympathetic nerves in baroreceptor-denervated, chloralose-anesthetized cats. Most of the power in nerve discharges was below 6 Hz. There was high coherence between the low frequency discharges of different nerves, and power below 15 Hz was essentially eliminated by spinal transection. Evidence is presented that the disparities between this and past studies are, in part, due to the use of a 30-Hz high-pass filter in the earlier studies.     

Urinary tract infection in the impaired host

In general, defects in phagocytosis and in humoral or cellular immunity do not appear to predispose to the acquisition of UTI but do influence the clinical manifestations and the severity, microbiology, and complications of infection once it is established. The incidence of UTI in immunosuppressed patients other than diabetics or renal transplant recipients is not higher than the incidence in nonimmunosuppressed individuals. The higher frequencies of infection seen in diabetics and in renal transplant recipients correlate best with the duration of bladder instrumentation rather than with glycosuria or immunosuppressive regimen. Neutropenia blunts the clinical manifestations of UTI and predisposes to bacteremia. Use of broad spectrum antibiotics results in alterations in indigenous flora, promotes urinary infections with resistant nosocomial pathogens, and predisposes to fungemia with hematogenous seeding of the urinary tract. Routine screening for detection of asymptomatic bacteriuria and prompt institution of antimicrobial therapy is indicated only in renal transplant recipients within 3 months of their surgery and not in any of the other diseases discussed.     

Encephalo-myelo-radiculo-ganglionitis presenting as pandysautonomia

A 68-year-old man developed pandysautonomia with severe orthostatic dysfunction, fixed heart rate, low serum levels of norepinephrine and epinephrine, absent sympathetic skin responses, and pupillary abnormalities. CSF protein was 92 mg/dl. In spite of a good recovery following corticosteroid administration, a relapse occurred, with accompanying sensory symptoms confined to both arms. Fatal sudden cardiac arrest occurred after 4 months. Autopsy revealed numerous lymphocytic infiltrates, predominantly in autonomic and sensory ganglia and, to a lesser extent, in the nerve roots, spinal cord, and brainstem without evidence for an underlying tumor. This case provides histopathologic evidence for an inflammatory etiology of panautonomic neuropathy in some patients.     

Activation of human blood monocytes by oxidized polyunsaturated fatty acids: a possible mechanism for the generation of lipid peroxides in the circulation.

The ability of native and oxidized lipids and lipoproteins to stimulate production of reactive oxygen species (ROS; superoxide and hydrogen peroxide) by human blood monocytes has been studied in vitro. Neither native human low density lipoprotein (LDL), ''altered'' LDL (oxidized either by lipoxygenase, activated human monocytes or air) nor oxidized cholesterol had any significant effect on ROS production of monocytes. However, different oxidation products of a lipid emulsion (Lipofundin; largely consisting of linoleic acid oxidized either by lipoxygenase, Fe3+ or ultraviolet irradiation) greatly enhanced ROS production of monocytes. A hypothesis that activation of circulating leucocytes by oxidized fatty acids may generate oxidized plasma LDL, was tested in rabbits. Characteristics of LDL, separated from rabbit plasma 6 h after intravenous injection of an oxidized lipid emulsion, was compared to that of LDL isolated before the lipid treatment. Post-treatment LDL-fraction of plasma had increased lipid peroxide content and compared to the pretreatment LDL, caused a threefold increase in the incorporation of cholesterol into cultured (rat aortic) endothelial cells. The observed intense and lasting stimulation of monocytes by oxidized polyunsaturated fatty acids in vitro, and the generation of ''altered'' LDL by these oxidized lipids in vivo suggests a mechanism by which atherogenic oxidized LDL could form in the circulation.     

Current treatment of thoracic empyema in adults

Experiences obtained with 400 cases of thoracal empyema are described. The fact that the rate of lethality was 18.7% until present points out to the severity of the disease. The semi-conservative therapeutical methods used by the author (drainage, drainage and pleura lavage, pleura lavage and thoracoscopy, balance drainage) are presented. With their sensibly more frequent use the rate of operation could be reduced by 8% (from 36.5% to 28.5%) and the lethality rate by 7.6% (from 18.7% to 11.1). Further improvement of the results may be expected of the increased number of early detection (basic care), concentration of empyemic patients in special institutes (departments, wards) and due to it of a more efficient special treatment of uniform contemplation.     

A selective LC/RIA for dexamethasone and its prodrug dexamethasone-21-isonicotinate in biological fluids.

A combined LC/RIA procedure is described for the selective determination of dexamethasone (DEX) and its prodrug dexamethasone-21-isonicotinate (DIN) in plasma. The low affinity of the employed dexamethasone antiserum for DIN (cross-reactivity less than 0.5%) allowed the direct determination of DEX in plasma extracts. For the determination of DIN, both substances of interest were separated by LC, the DIN containing fraction was collected, hydrolysed and the generated DEX was consequently assayed by radioimmunoassay. The assay detection limits were 0.1 ng ml-1 for DEX and 0.75 ng ml-1 for DIN. For both substances, inter- and intra-day variabilities (RSDs) were 6 and 12%, respectively.