Vorwort

Ohne Zusammenfassung     

Evidence that tissue mast cells derive from mononuclear phagocytes

A new method has been developed that allows in vitro differentiation of rat mast cells from precursor cells in the absence of feeder layers. In the present investigation, the precursor cells are further characterized as to their nature, state of activation and distribution in different organs of the rat. The data support our previously published evidence, based on morphology and enzyme-cytochemical reaction patterns that the precursor cells are mononuclear phagocytes. Peritoneal macrophages elicited by mineral oil, thioglycollate or proteose-peptone have lost the ability to differentiate into mast cells. Single cell suspensions of spleen and bone marrow contain mast cell precursors, while cells from mesenteric lymph nodes and thymus or purified lymphocytes never yield mast cells in this culture system.     

Monosomy 7p in meningiomas: a rare constituent of tumor progression

We present karyotypes of 15 meningiomas with structural aberrations of chromosome 7, which were taken from a consecutive series of 400 cytogenetically characterized meningiomas. Twelve of these tumors (80%) displayed partial or complete monosomy 7p with a consensus deleted region of 7p12 approximately pter, in 6 of 15 cases arising from an unbalanced whole-arm t(1;7)(q11;p11), and in 4 of 15 cases from a whole-arm translocation involving other chromosomes. Other types of partial aneusomy 7 (3/15 cases) or balanced aberrations of chromosome 7 (2/15 cases) were relatively rare. In most cases (11/15), the centromeric region of chromosome 7 was involved in the rearrangements. We conclude that in meningiomas, the near-centromeric region of chromosome 7 is particularly prone to structural rearrangements most frequently resulting in monosomy 7p. The investigation of the histopathologic features of this rare cytogenetic subgroup of meningiomas showed no clear genotype/phenotype correlation. As 7 of 11 of the meningiomas with monosomy 7p belonged to World Health Organization grades II or III, which usually comprise less than 20% of all meningiomas, partial loss of 7p appears to be involved in tumor progression in meningiomas. Because monosomy 7p is typically associated with the strongly progression-associated monosomy 1p, however, monosomy 7p represents a cofactor more than a stand-alone feature of meningioma progression.     

A Direct Comparison of the Skin Conductance and Skin Resistance Methods

The purpose of the present study was a direct comparison between simultaneous recordings of skin conductance and skin resistance. Sixty male students received a series of 30 white noise stimuli, while measures were taken continuously from four sites on the palmar surfaces of the fingers. Evaluations were made for response amplitudes, recovery, and for an approximate area measure. Magnitude of reactions and reliabilities were compared using ANOVA procedures. Behavioral concordances were estimated as correlations with the subjects' ratings of stimulus intensities. Conductance and resistance measures do not differ in amplitude, in area, or in strength of their reliabilities and behavioral concordances. No differences in any respect are found between sites. Skin conductance yields significantly (p < .01) shorter recovery times than skin resistance, which is discussed in terms of membrane permeability change.     

Die pH-Aktivitätsspektren der sauren proteolytischen Enzymaktivitäten von Harn und Serum

Zusammenfassung 1. Die p_H-Abhängigkeit der sauren proteolytischen Enzymaktivitäten von Harn und Serum wurde mit Hämoglobin und Casein als Substraten mittels zweier unabhängiger analytischer Methoden im Bereich von p_H 0,9–4,4 untersucht. Die p_H-Aktivitätskurven von Harn und Serum wiesen hinsichtlich der Form, der Lage und der Ausprägung von Aktivitäts-Maxima deutliche Unterschiede auf. Die mittlere Aktivität der Seren betrug etwa ein Drittel der mittleren proteolytischen Aktivität der Harne.2. Die saure proteolytische Enzymaktivität des Harnes wurde durch Zusatz einer Heparin-Präparation gehemmt. Das Maximum der Hemmung lag zwischen p_H 2,2 und 3,0.3. Die saure proteolytische Enzymaktivität des Harnes zeigte sich bei p_h 3,50 alkalistabiler als diejenige bei p_H 2,15.4. Die Befunde werden im Hinblick auf die Theorie einer exogen-endogenen Partition der Enzyme des Gastrointestinaltraktes und die Heterogenität der sauren gastrointestinalen Proteasen diskutiert. Es wird geschlossen, daß die Bestimmung einer renalen Protease-Clearance wegen fehlender Zuordnungsmöglichkeit der proteolytischen Enzymaktivitäten von Harn und Serum zu bestimmten Enzymen bzw. Proenzymen noch nicht möglich ist.     

Serotonin transporter binding in Tourette Syndrome

Recent studies provided evidence for an involvement of the dopaminergic system in the pathophysiology of Tourette Syndrome (TS). However, little is known about possible impairment of other neurotransmitter systems. In obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), a common comorbidity in TS, it is suggested that the serotonergic system plays a major role in the pathogenesis. We, therefore, used [I-123]2[beta]-carbomethoxy-3[beta]-(4-iodophenyl)tropane ([123I]beta-CIT) and single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) to investigate serotonin transporter (SERT) binding capacity in 12 patients with TS with various degrees of associated obsessive compulsive behaviour (OCB) and 16 age-matched healthy controls. Binding ratios in TS patients not receiving serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI) (n=8) were significantly reduced compared to age-adjusted ratios from normal controls (2.8 versus 3.2, p=0.003). Treatment with SSRI resulted in a significant reduction of SERT availability. Performing linear regression analysis for this small group, SSRI-free patients indicated trends for a negative correlation between [123I]beta-CIT binding on SERT and OCB (r=-0.78, p=0.023) as well as complex motor tics (r=-0.68, p=0.064). In healthy controls, but not in the TS group, we found an age-related decline in SERT binding capacity (0.28% decrease per year, p=0.038). Our data are in agreement with previous results suggesting an impairment of the serotonergic system in TS. It can be speculated that the reduction in SERT binding capacity is associated with the degree of comorbid OCB.     

Cloning of murine IL-22 receptor alpha 2 and comparison with its human counterpart

We have identified the mouse and rat homologs of human interleukin-22 receptor alpha 2 (IL-22R alpha 2) and compared the localization, structure, and expression of the encoding murine and human genes. The mouse IL-22R alpha 2-encoding gene is located on chromosome 10A3 between, like in human, the genes for interferon-gamma R1 and IL-20R1. It spans a region of approximately 10 kb therefore being three times shorter than the human gene. Although the overall gene structure in both species is similar, the mouse gene lacks a counterpart to the third coding exon of the human gene known to be alternatively spliced. Like in human, mouse and rat IL-22R alpha 2 exist only as soluble receptors as deduced from the lack of transmembrane and intracellular domains encoding sequences. Quantitative expression analyses showed, analogically to the human system, a limited tissue distribution of mouse IL-22R alpha 2 mRNA. Differential modulation of IL-22R alpha 2 mRNA expression was observed upon systemic inflammation in mice in spleen, thymus, and lymph node.     

OH Radical-induced chemical reactions of polynucleotide complexes

Poly(A + U), the 1:1 complex of poly(riboadenylic acid), poly A, and poly(ribouridylic acid), poly U, at pH 8 and self-complexed poly A at pH 4 exist as double helices in dilute aqueous solution. These complexes exhibit a similar behavior as native calf thymus DNA upon irradiation with 16 MeV electron pulses. Thus time resolved Rayleight light scattering measurements showed that crosslinking and double strand breakage can be clearly separated, the former proceeding faster than the latter. The extent to which the two processes occur depends on the ionic strength of the solution. At ionic strenghts exceeding 10 ^?1 mol/l crosslinking is the dominant process indicating that h_crit, the critical length between two single strand breaks for the accomplishment of double strand breaks, is strongly reduced. The investigation of complexes of poly A and Mg²⁺ ions revealed that the destruction of salt bridges is the rate determining process for the decrease of the light scattering intensity due to mainchain scission. This implies that life-times of salt bridges can be determined.     

Ornithine decarboxylase in motoneurons during regeneration

The activity of ornithine decarboxylase, the rate-limiting enzyme in polyamine synthesis, was assayed in the isolated facial nucleus of the rat at various times after axotomy of the facial nerve. In addition, it was measured 24 h after the second of a series of two lesions (conditioning lesion design) with various times between the first and second operations. Ornithine decarboxylase activity was found to increase 8 h after nerve transection and was maximum after 24 h (300% of control). Thereafter the activity declined to subnormal levels where it remained for several weeks. Ornithine decarboxylase activity did not increase again when a second axotomy was made 2 weeks after the first lesion. However, ornithine decarboxylase did respond to the second axotomy if it was carried out 3 weeks after the first lesion. Histochemical localization of ornithine decarboxylase demonstrated that the increase in enzyme activity was mainly confined to the perikarya of the motoneurons. These data suggest that this enzyme is somehow involved in triggering the "regeneration program" and clearly indicate that at least some aspects of the neuronal response to axotomy are not further stimulated by a conditioning lesion.     

Beeinflußt das geschlecht die zuweisung zur stationären psychiatrischen behandlung?

Zusammenfassung In Mannheim wurde im Jahre 1968 mit dem schrittweisen Aufbau eines gemeindenahen psychiatrischen Versorgungssystems begonnen. Bestandteil dieses Versorgungskonzepts sind Absprachen zwischen den beteiligten stationären Einrichtungen, die die Zuweisung der Patienten zur stationären Behandlung regeln. Eine modellgestützte, multivariate Analyse von Inanspruchnahmedaten einer Kohorte von 126 schizophrenen Patienten weist nach, daß die Ungleichverteilung der Geschlechter auf die Institutionen das Ergebnis dieser Absprache ist; dabei sind Krankheitsdauer und die Art der Zuweisung von entscheidender Bedeutung.Die vorliegende Arbeit entstand im Rahmen eines von der Deutschen Forschungsgemeinschaft geförderten Projekts im Sonderforschungsbereich 116 Psychiatrische Epidemiologie der Universität Heidelberg (Sprecher: Prof. Dr. Dr. M. Schmidt)