Localized Sudeck's dystrophy and distal interphalangeal osteoarthritis of a finger: anatomicoradiologic study

After an injury to the right ring finger, a 44-year-old woman experienced pain in the distal interphalangeal joint. A subcutaneous mucoid cyst was noted near the joint. The x-ray films revealed no fracture but a narrowing of the joint space and a well-defined radiolucent area in the ulnar condyle of the middle phalanx. The biopsy specimen of this area excluded infection or tumor and revealed active osteogenic remodelling. These elements permitted a diagnosis of distal interphalangeal osteoarthritis that was associated with highly localized Sudeck's dystrophy (also called " parcellar algodystrophy"). This unusual case suggests the possibility that this dystrophy might be favored by an "osteoarthritic terrain" and might also play a role in the evolution of the osteoarthritis.     

先天性心脏病儿童白细胞介素2活性及膜表面白细胞介素2受体的研究

目的 研究先天性心脏病（先心病）患儿的免疫功能状态。方法 采用间接免疫荧光检测膜表面白细胞介素2受体（Tac）、植物血凝素刺激后的膜表面白细胞介素2受体（Tac-a),MTT比色法检测白细胞介素2活性（IL－2）。结果 与健康儿童比较,先心病患儿IL－2活性和Tac-a都显著降低（P＜0．01）;与非紫绀型先心病患儿比较,紫绀型先心病患儿IL－2活性显著降低（P＜0．01）。结论 先心病患儿免疫功能缺陷可能是其易患感染性疾病的原因之一,增强免疫治疗对预防先心病患儿感染十分必要。     

Human Peripheral Eosinophils with Receptors for IgM: Demonstration and Ultrastructural Morphology

Receptors for IgM were detected on peripheral blood human eosinophils by a rosette technique with ox red blood cells coated with the IgM fraction of the specific immunserum. Between 14 % and 43 % (mean 27 %) FcµR positive cells were found after an overnight incubation period at 37°C by using this technique. The specificity of the receptors for IgM was assessed by studying the inhibitory capacity of purified human IgM in the rosette assay. From an ultrastructural point of view, the EA^M rosette-forming cells are mature eosinophlic granulocytes characterized by a nucleus with a variable number of lobes and a certain number of «first type» granules partially or totally devoid of their content.     

A TLC screening program for 170 commonly used pesticides using the corrected Rf value (R f c value)

Summary This article reports TLC data (corrected R_f values; R _f ^c values) of 170 commonly used pesticides which are regularly encountered in toxicological analysis. Silica gel was used as the stationary phase and three binary systems were chosen as solvents.     

Prejunctional inhibition of sympathetically evoked pupillary dilation in cats by activation of histamine H3 receptors

Summary Frequency-dependent pupillary dilations were evoked by electrical stimulation of the pre- or post-ganglionic cervical sympathetic nerve (sympatho-excitation) or the hypothalamus (parasympatho-inhibition) in sympathectomized anesthetized cats. Systemic administration of the selective histamine H₃ receptor agonist (R)--methylhistamine (RMeHA) produced a dose-dependent depression of mydriasis due to direct neural sympathetic activation but had no effect on responses elicited by parasympathetic withdrawal. The histamine H₂ receptor agonist, dimaprit, was inactive. RMeHA was much more effective in depressing sympathetic responses obtained at lower frequencies when compared to higher frequencies of stimulation.Responses evoked both pre- and postganglionically were inhibited by RMeHA. This peripheral sympathoinhibitory action of RMeHA was antagonized by the histamine H₃ receptor blocker thioperamide but not by intravenous pretreatment with the histamine H₁ receptor antagonist chlorpheniramine. Histamine H₂ receptor blockers cimetidine and ranitidine were also without effect. RMeHA did not depress pupillary responses elicited by i.v. (-)-adrenaline.The results demonstrate that histamine H₃ receptors modulate sympathetic activation of the iris at a site proximal to the iris dilator muscle. The predominant mechanism of action appears to the prejunctional inhibition of noradrenaline release from postganglionic sympathetic nerve endings. However, a concomitant ganglionic inhibitory action cannot be excluded. Correspondence to M. C. Koss at the above address     

Hemodynamic differences between carvedilol and labetalol in the cutaneous circulation

The effects of labetalol and carvedilol on local cutaneous microvascular perfusion and calculated local cutaneous microvascular resistance were investigated in anesthetized rats at submaximal doses that produced equivalent reductions in blood pressure and heart rate. Labetalol decreased cutaneous perfusion (– 25% ± 3%) without significantly affecting cutaneous vascular resistance ( – 6% ± 3%). In marked contrast, carvedilol dramatically increased cutaneous perfusion ( + 64% ± 9%) and significantly reduced cutaneous vascular resistance ( – 57% ± 3%). These results suggest that carvedilol and labetalol possess differences in the mechanisms by which they produce vasodilation in vivo.     

Schedule dependent potentiation of antitumor drug effects by α-difluoromethylornithine in human gastric carcinoma cells in vitro

A clone of human gastric cancer cells (AGS-6) and the parental line (AGS-P) from which it was isolated were used in cell survival studies to determine whether pretreatment for 24, 48 or 72h with -difluoromethylornithine (DFMO, 5mM) would increase the cell's sensitivity to 5-Fluorouracil (5FU), Adriamycin (Adria), 1-(2-chloroethyl)-3-(4-methyl cyclohexyl)-1-nitrosourea (MeCCNU), or Bleomycin (Bleo). Generally, the AGS parental cells were most sensitive to the anticancer agents after exposures to DFMO. However, there was no way to predict in advance from DFMO-induced changes in ornithine decarboxylase (ODC), polyamine or cell kinetics values, how long an exposure to DFMO was required before sensitization to an anticancer agent occurred. The degree of potentiation for a single drug was variable from time to time during exposure to DFMO, and broad differences in the sensitizations were demonstrated among the four anticancer drugs. The AGS-6 clone exhibited little or no increased sensitivity as a result of pretreatment with DFMO, even though the DFMO-induced reductions in ODC and polyamine values in these cells were similar to those produced in the more sensitive parental line.     

常年性变应性鼻炎sIL-2R的表达

目的探讨常年性变应性鼻炎(PAR)患者中可溶性白介素-2受体(sIL-2R)的表达水平.方法选择确诊为PAR者47例为PAR组,正常体检者36例为对照组.应用单抗、多抗双抗体夹心法检测sIL-2R的表达水平.结果PAR组患者的血清sIL-2R水平呈高表达,较正常人群组显著性升高(P＜0.001),且无男女性W别差异.结论血清sIL-2R在PAR的免疫病理过程中有重要的作用.     

Iodine-123-labelled fatty acids for myocardial single-photon emission tomography: current status and future perspectives

Renewed interest in the clinical use of iodine-123-labelled fatty acids is currently primarily focused on the use of iodine-123-labelled 15-(p-iodophenyl)pentadecanoic acid (IPPA) and modified fatty acid analogues such as 15-(p-iodophenyl)-3-R,S-methylpentadecanoic acid (BMIPP) which show delayed myocardial clearance, thus permitting single-photon emission tomographic imaging. Interest in the use of BMIPP and similar agents results from the differences which have often been observed in various types of heart disease between regional myocardial uptake patterns of [¹²³I]BMIPP and flow tracer distribution. Although the physiological basis is not completely understood, differences between regional fatty acid and flow tracer distribution may reflect alterations in important parameters of metabolism which can be useful for patient management or therapy planning. These tracers may also represent unique metabolic probes for correlation of energy substrate metabolism with regional myocardial viability. The two agents currently most widely used clinically are¹²³I-labelled IPPA and BMIPP. While [¹²³I]IPPA is commercially available as a radiopharmaceutical in Europe (Cygne) and Canada (Nordion), multicenter trials are in progress in the United States as a prelude to approval for broad use. [¹²³I]BMIPP was recently introduced as Cardiodine for commercial distribution in Japan (Nihon Medi-Physics, Inc.). [¹²³I]BMIPP is also being used in clinical studies on an institutional approval basis at several institutions in Europe and the United States. In this review, the development of a variety of radioiodinated fatty acids is discussed. The results of clinical trials with [¹²³I]IPPA and [¹²³I]BMIPP are discussed in detail, as are the future prospects for fatty acid imaging.     

Cerebrospinal fluid as a tool in the diagnosis of neurometabolic diseases: amino acid analysis before and after acid hydrolysis

We perform systematically amino acid analysis of the CSF before and after strong acid hydrolysis in children with unexplained neurological disease. By comparing the amino acid pattern before and after hydrolysis, defects can be traced in the metabolism not only of amino acids but also of purines, peptides, N-acetylated amino acids and peptides, and probably other compounds. This method has yielded important information such as the identification of two new diseases, GABA transaminase deficiency and adenylosuccinase deficiency, and the discovery of a peculiar, acid-labile double peak in the CSF of patients with the transient neonatal hyperammonaemia syndrome and with urea cycle defects. This substance was subsequently identified by others as -glutamylglutamine. As a consequence, we strongly recommend incorporating of this approach in the investigation of all children with unclear neurological disease.