Effects of vigabatrin on brain GABA+/Cr signals in focus-distant and focus-near brain regions monitored by 1H-NMR spectroscopy

The new antiepileptic drug vigabatrin (VGB) increases gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) in the brain. We compared GABA+/Cr signals measured focus-near and focus-distant and correlated it with the degree of response to VGB. Brain GABA+/Cr signals were measured in 17 epileptic patients in structurally normal appearing tissue by nuclear proton magnetic resonance (1H-NMR) spectroscopy using a special editing sequence for GABA. In 11 patients the measurements were done in brain areas distant to focus and in six near to focus. Full-responders (seizure reduction of >or=50% at the end of the treatment phase) and partial-responders (seizure reduction of >or=50% at the end of the first month of treatment but 相似文献   

Interleukin-2-induced chemotaxis of human T-lymphocytes

Interleukin-2 (IL-2), a growth factor for T-lymphocytes, has been postulated to cause the accumulation of T-lymphocytes at sites of inflammation by inducing proliferation of these cells. We hypothesized that IL-2 might also serve to attract T-lymphocytes to inflammatory sites. To test this hypothesis, human T-lymphocytes were purified from the peripheral blood of normal volunteers by rosetting with neuraminidase-treated sheep red blood cells and tested for chemotactic activity by using a blind-well chamber technique. Purified IL-2 caused a greater than 20-fold attraction of T-lymphocytes compared with medium alone (P less than 0.001). This attraction was shown to be chemotactic rather than chemokinetic by checkerboard analysis. The T-lymphocyte chemotaxis could be completely inhibited by adsorption of the IL-2 with an IL-2-dependent cell line, and could be neutralized by monoclonal anti-IL-2 antibody. Further specificity of IL-2-directed chemotaxis was demonstrated by using species-specific IL-2. Mouse IL-2 was ineffective at promoting human T-lymphocyte chemotaxis. These data suggest that IL-2 may be responsible for the localized accumulation of T-lymphocytes both by causing attraction of these cells and by modulating their proliferation.     

Cytological Localization of Dengue-2 Antigens: an Immunological Study with Ultrastructural Correlation

Immunofluorescence and electron microscopy were used to study the development and cytological distribution of dengue-2 virion and nonvirion antigens in monkey kidney cells. The type and combination of fixatives were found to affect the intensity of fluorescence. Paraformaldehyde fixation alone resulted in a low level of fluorescence, but an additional fixation step with ethanol or acetone resulted in maximum staining. No fluorescence was obtained after fixation with glutaraldehyde alone or in combination with other solvents. Methanol caused selective ablation of fluorescence by antibody to purified virions. Dengue-specific fluorescence that was most intense in the perinuclear area radiated in a granular pattern of decreasing intensity into the cytoplasm. The perinuclear fluorescence was associated with nonvirion antigens and the cytoplasmic fluorescence was associated with virion antigens. Electron micrographs of infected cells revealed vesicular bodies with reticular electron-dense centers, clusters of structurally complete virions deep within the endoplasmic reticulum, and single virus particles in vacuoles near the periphery of the cell.     

Neuromonitoring during surgery for metastatic tumors to the spine: intraoperative interpretation and management strategies

Resection of metastatic tumors of the spine poses great technical challenges, with the potential of creating severe neurologic deficits. Several modalities of electrophysiologic monitoring, including SSEPs and MEPs, have evolved to aid in resection of these tumors. This review has presented additional techniques-such as mapping of the dorsal columns with antidromic-elicited SSEPs to plan the myelotomy and direct intra-medullary stimulation-that help to identify the extent of the tumor margin at its interface with functional tracts. Neuromonitoring can potentially minimize the sensory and motor damage that can occur during resection of metastatic tumors of the spine. Further experience with these techniques should allow improved results follow-ing surgical procedures in functionally eloquent are as of the spinal cord during the surgical management of metastatic tumors.