Anti-inflammatory activity of hamamelis distillate applied topically to the skin

Summary The anti-inflammatory activity of hamamelis distillate has been evaluated with respect to drug concentration (0.64 mg/2.56 mg hamamelis ketone/100 g) and the effect of the vehicle (O/W emulsion with/without phosphatidylcholine (PC) in an experimental study. The effects were compared with those of chamomile cream, hydrocortisone 1% cream and 4 base preparations. Erythema was induced by UV irradiation and cellophane tape stripping of the horny layer in 24 healthy subjects per test. Skin blanching was quantified by visual scoring and chromametry. Drug effects were compared with one another and with an untreated control area, as well as with any action due to the vehicle.UV-induced erythema at 24 h was suppressed by low dose hamamelis PC-cream and hydrocortisone cream. Hydrocortisone appeared superior to both hamamelis vehicles, hamamelis cream (without PC) and chamomile cream. The latter preparation was also less potent than hamamelis PC-cream. Erythema 4 to 8 h after the stripping of the horny layer was suppressed by hydrocortisone (P0.05). Inflammation was also less pronounced following low dose hamamelis PC-cream and chamomile cream. Hamamelis PC-cream, however, appeared less potent than hydrocortisone. In general, visual scoring was more discriminatory than chromametry.The results have demonstrated an anti-inflammatory activity of hamamelis distillate in a PC-containing vehicle. A fourfold increase of drug concentration, however, did not produce an increase in activity.     

Detection of a novel “cryptic” plasmid of about 7.8 MDal in a non-penicillinase-producing Neisseria gonorrhoeae isolate from Munich

A novel plasmid of about 7.8 megadaltons (MDal) could be detected in a non-penicillinase-producing Neisseria gonorrhoeae strain isolated in Munich in 1987. As the strain showed no resistance against commonly used chemotherapeutic agents, at present the plasmid must be described as phenotypically cryptic.Corresponding author.     

Morphogenetische Studien über den Einfluß von Vitamin D2 auf das Benzpyren-Carcinom der Maus

Zusammenfassung Ausgehend von der klinischen Fragestellung, ob der massiven Vitamin D₂-Verabfolgung eine syncarcinogenetische Wirksamkeit zukommt, wurde die Morphogenese des Benzpyrencarcinoms der weißen Maus unter dem Einfluß von Vitamin D₂ serienmäßig histologisch untersucht. Hierbei ergab sich eindeutig, daß das Vitamin D₂ unter den gegebenen Versuchsbedingungen die Carcinogenese nicht fördert. Eher ist eine geringe, aber verhältnismäßig spät einsetzende wachstumshemmende Reaktion bei der Benzpyrenkrebs-Entwicklung durch das Vitamin D₂ festzustellen.Mit 9 Textabbildungen.Herrn Prof. Dr. Paul Linser zum 80. Geburtstag am 5. 9. 1951.     

Posterior spinal cord block: a dosimetric study

To determine the optimal width of a midline posterior spinal block (MPSB) (to avoid delivering too great a dose to the cord and too small a dose to adjacent tissue), the authors determined with magnetic resonance (MR) imaging normal ranges of cord depth and width and correlated them with film dosimetric data. In 59 randomly selected patients there was a wide range for both depth and width. The average depths of the anterior and posterior surfaces of the cord were 6.7 cm +/- 1.4 and 5.4 cm +/- 1.3, respectively. The average cord width was 1.6 cm +/- 0.4. Optimal cord block width as a function of cord width was determined for a 6-MV photon beam. The optimal cord block width at the surface (half-value layer [HVL] thickness = 6) varied from 1.5 to 3.0 cm for cord widths of 0.8-2.4 cm, which correspond to two standard deviations from the average. There was no significant dependence on depth of the cord. For optimal treatment outcome, the MPSB width may have to be determined for each patient individually.     

成纤维细胞的力学生物学(下)

一、肌腱内成纤维细胞的力学生物学反应 肌腱内的成纤维细胞可以合成胶原蛋白及其他一些大分子。成纤维细胞可以将这些分子排列成组织性较高的单元，并使纤维的方向与张力方向平行。无论是培养的肌腱还是独立的成纤维细胞都可以对力做出相应的反应。     

Molecular evidence for the existence of disseminated zoster as a distinct entity in an immunosuppressed renal transplant patient

Immunosuppressed renal transplant recipients are at substantially increased risk for the developement of varicella zoster virus infections. They are also more prone than immunocompetent patients to develop atypical zoster and to experience a protracted course, and among them there is a higher frequency of generalized infections with possible fatal outcome. While establishing the diagnosis is essential to provide adequate therapy, conventional laboratory methods frequently fail to confirm the suspected infection. We report on a 47-year-old renal transplant recipient who developed multiple necrotic cutaneous ulcers under immunosuppressive treatment. While electron-microscopic analysis (negative staining) revealed no viral structures, varicella zoster virus specific DNA was detected by polymerase chain re-action in material obtained by a swab from these ulcers. Atypical herpetic infection should also be considered as a cause of disseminated ulcerative or necrotic skin lesions in immunosuppressed patients. Assays based on polymerase chain reaction are useful for the rapid confirmation or rejection of the suspected diagnosis of atypical herpetic infection.Abbreviations PCR Polymerase chain reaction - VZV Varicella zoster virus - HSV Herpes simplex virus     

包膜活性炭吸附血液灌流清除人血浆中毒鼠强的实验

目的:观察包膜活性炭对血浆中毒鼠强的清除率及吸附规律。方法:实验于2004-05/2006-04在军事医学科学院毒物药物研究所国家重点实验室完成。采用包膜活性炭灌流器对毒鼠强血浆样进行血液灌流吸附,在灌流的1,2,3h分别取样,经乙酸乙酯萃取后,用气相色谱氮磷检测器法(GC/NPD)测定其含量并计算清除率。结果:活性炭对毒鼠强的吸附作用在血液灌流1h最高,灌流2h后毒鼠强质量浓度无明显变化。400,200μg/L毒鼠强血液灌流1h清除率分别为(57.83±1.85)%,(48.18±1.81)%。结论:用包膜活性炭吸附剂进行血浆的灌流吸附,能清除大部分毒物,迅速降低血浆中毒鼠强的质量浓度。     

Neutralizing antibodies to interferon-α and circulating interferon in patients with chronic hepatitis C non-responding to pegylated interferon plus ribavirin re-treated by pegylated interferon-α-2a and ribavirin (ANRS HC16 GAMMATRI substudy)

A lack of antiviral response in patients with chronic hepatitis C treated with pegylated (PEG)‐interferon (IFN)‐α‐2a + ribavirin (RIBA) may be explained by neutralizing antibodies to IFN‐α‐2a. The aim of this study was to assess neutralizing antibodies to IFN‐α‐2a and IFN levels in non‐responder patients who were re‐treated by PEG IFN‐α‐2a and RIBA for 12 weeks. Non‐responders to a first‐line treatment of PEG IFN‐α‐2a + RIBA were included for treatment with PEG IFN‐α‐2a (180 µg/week) + RIBA (1,000 mg/day if <75 kg, 1,200 mg otherwise) for 48 weeks. HCV RNA was measured at week 12. IFN levels and neutralizing antibodies to IFN‐α‐2a were measured retrospectively on stored sera at baseline and weeks 4 and 12, using a quantitative sandwich ELISA for neutralizing antibodies to IFN‐α‐2a. Twenty‐three patients were non‐responders and 19 patients were responders at week 12 of the initial phase of the second‐line treatment. Non‐responders and responders did not differ statistically: baseline age (median age 47 vs. 50 years), HCV RNA (median 6.8 vs. 6.4 log₁₀ copies/ml), gender (70% vs. 73% males), genotype (genotype 1: 91% vs. 80%). The median IFN‐α‐2a levels (pg/ml) at weeks 0, 4, and 12 (interquartile range) did not differ between the 19 responders to initial phase of second‐line treatment and the 23 non‐responders: <3.3 (<3.3–371.4), 1457.3 (106.8–3284.8), and 1,652 (90.8–5,000); 84.5 (3.3–277.4), 1407.4 (120.2–2443.4), and 1620.1 (120.2–2287.1), respectively. Among non‐selected consecutive non‐responder patients, re‐treatment with PEG IFN‐α‐2a + RIBA is associated with virological response regardless of the presence of antibody‐mediated resistance to conventional IFN treatment. J. Med. Virol. 82:2027–2031, 2010. © 2010 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.     

Clinical profiling of recombinant follicle stimulating hormone (rFSH; Puregon): relationship between serum FSH and efficacy

Single-dose and multiple-rising dose studies of recombinantfollicle stimulating hormone (rFSH) in hypogonadotrophic maleand female volunteers demonstrated that the rate of FSH absorptionafter i.m. injection is higher in men than in women. In theabsence of endogenous FSH, a correlation between serum FSH andbody weight became apparent. The elimination half-life of rFSHwas not different between the sexes and was comparable withurinary FSH. However, the in-vitro bio:immuno ratio of serumFSH was significantly higher after the administration of rFSHthan after urinary FSH. When rFSH was administered daily witha fixed dose, steady state levels were reached within 3-5 days.Serum FSH concentrations increased in a dose-dependent mannerwhen the daily dose was increased weekly over 3 weeks from 75to 225 IU. In hypogonadotrophic women, rFSH induced normal folliculargrowth whereas oestrogen synthesis was impaired. In women pituitarysuppressed by a high-dose oral contraceptive, the daily administrationof 150 IU rFSH for 1 week induced more and larger antral folliclesthan the same regimen with urinary FSH, whereas the serum immunoactiveFSH concentrations measured 24 h after each dosing were similar.It is concluded that even though equal or lower serum immunoactiveFSH concentrations were obtained following the administrationof rFSH compared with urinary FSH, circulating bioactivity FSHconcentrations were higher. Therefore, the conventional ideathat serum immunoreactive FSH correlates positively with themagnitude of the ovarian response should be reconsidered.     

Toll-like receptors as key mediators in innate antifungal immunity.

The Toll protein of Drosophila is a transmembrane receptor involved in dorsoventral polarization during embryonic development and recognition of infection. In mammals, Toll-like receptors (TLRs) constitute a novel protein family involved in innate immunity and respond to a wide spectrum of microorganisms, including fungi, bacteria, viruses, and protozoa. Specific agonists for nine of the ten members of the human TLR family have been described to date. TLRs as well as the TLR-associated adaptor molecule MyD88 have been implicated in the recognition of the fungal pathogens Candida albicans, Aspergillus fumigatus, Cryptococcus neoformans and Pneumocystis carinii. Moreover, several pathogen associated molecular patterns (PAMPs) located in the cell wall or cell surface of fungi have been identified as potential ligands. Yeast zymosan activates TLR2/ TLR6 heterodimers, whereas Saccharomyces cerevisiae- and C. albicans-derived mannan seems to be detected by TLR4. Phospholipomannan, present in the cell surface of C. albicans has been shown to be recognized by TLR2, while TLR4 mainly interacts with glucuronoxylomannan, the major capsular polysaccharide of C. neoformans. MyD88 has been implicated in TLR signalling of linear (1 --> 3)-beta-D-glucan, and of beta-glucan from P. carinii. These data point towards the ability of the innate immune system to utilize TLRs that are specific to different types and components of pathogenic fungi. Recent evidence further suggests that TLRs cooperate with other immune receptors involved in fungal recognition and that the selective induction of adaptor proteins finally leads to distinct signalling events upon fungal challenge.