Autoantibodies to vascular smooth muscle are pathogenic for vasculitis

We have previously shown that microvascular smooth muscle activates CD4+ T lymphocytes in sterile co-culture, presents antigen, and produces inflammatory cytokines. Adoptive transfer of lymphocytes co-cultured with syngeneic smooth muscle cells to healthy recipient mice results in vasculitic lesions predominantly in postcapillary venules. The present study assessed the pathogenic role of immunoglobulin and B cells in a murine model of vasculitis. Here, we show that transferred B cells, including plasmablast cells, accumulated, persisted, and proliferated in lung and secondary lymphoid organs of recipient mice. The induction of vasculitis was accompanied by production of IgM and IgG2a autoantibodies specific for vascular smooth muscle intracellular antigens. Circulating immunoglobulin had a pathogenic role in this vasculitis model, because the disease could be induced by transfer of serum from vasculitic mice to untreated animals but not by transfer of serum depleted of anti-smooth muscle autoantibodies. Additionally, the pathogenic mechanisms triggered by the transfer of vasculitogenic serum were dependent on T lymphocytes because both wild-type and B cell-deficient mice developed the disease after serum transfer, whereas RAG2-deficient mice did not. Thus, immunoglobulin and cell-mediated pathways work in concert to produce vasculitis in this model.     

Yq deletion with short stature, abnormal male development, and schizoid character disorder.

A 33-year-old male with short stature, abnormal male sexual differentiation, aspermia, and schizoid character disorder is described, who had a Y chromosome with a deleted long arm. The correlation of the symptoms, including the psychotic abnormality, with the cytogenetic finding is discussed.     

Mechanisms of sinoatrial pacemaker synchronization: a new hypothesis

A model of electrically coupled sinus node cells was used to investigate pacemaker coordination and conduction. Individual cells were simulated using differential equations describing transmembrane ionic currents. Intrinsic cycle lengths (periods) were adjusted by applying constant depolarizing or hyperpolarizing bias current, and cells were coupled through ohmic resistances to form two-dimensional arrays. Activation maps of 81-225 coupled cells showed an apparent wavefront conducting from a leading pacemaker region to the rest of the matrix even though the pattern actually resulted from mutual entrainment of all spontaneously beating cells. Apparent conduction time increased with increasing intercellular resistance. Appropriate selection of pacemaker cycle lengths and intercellular resistances permitted the accurate simulation of the activation sequence seen experimentally for the rabbit sinus node. Furthermore, a simulated acetylcholine pulse applied to a randomly selected 20% of the cells in this model produced a pacemaker shift that lasted several beats. These results support the hypothesis that sinus node synchronization occurs through a "democratic" process resulting from the phase-dependent interactions of thousands of pacemakers.     

"Folie a deux hallucinatoire"--a new case of induced hallucinatory psychosis. A new entity?]

The authors in their case report show a case of induced hallucinatory psychosis induced in a wife of a patient with alcoholic hallucinosis. They deal with the nosological position of "folie a deux hallucinatoire" (induced hallucinatory psychosis) and integrate the consequences of the case to the general psychopathological theory of hallucinations.     

Silver staining of selected mitoses by physical development

A silver staining method using light-insensitive physical developer for electron microscopic study of selected mitoses is described. The G-banded mitoses are stained with silver by a physical development process that preserves the original G-banding pattern. Transferring the light microscopically selected mitoses to grids provides an examination by optional high resolution in an electron microscope. The physical developer makes the staining standardizable and reproducible, and the intensity of the staining can be controlled by varying the time of development.     

Static Compressive Loading Reduces the mRNA Expression of Type II and X Collagen in Rat Growth-Plate Chondrocytes During Postnatal Growth

The mechanisms by which chondrocytes modulate longitudinal bone growth are not well understood. This in vitro study investigated the effects of loading on the mRNA expression pattern of key molecular components of the growth-plate related to the extracellular matrix (type II and type X collagen) and the PTH-PTHrP feedback loop. Short-term static compressive loading was applied to rat proximal tibial growth-plate explants. Four age groups at specific developmental stages were investigated. The spatial variation in the mRNA expression was compared among loaded explants, their contralateral sham controls, and uncultured growth plates from normal animals. Basic cell metabolism (18S rRNA) was unaffected by load. Results indicated a narrower spatial distribution of mRNA expression of type II collagen throughout the growth plate; similarly, a narrowed distribution of expression of type X collagen was noted in the lower hypertrophic zone of the growth-plate. This suggests that mechanical compression influences chondrocytes of the hypertrophic zone to alter their expression of specific genes encoding proteins of the extracellular matrix, while PTH-PTHrP receptor mRNA, a regulatory protein, remained unaffected by loading. The effects of compression were similar at the different stages of growth, suggesting that additional factors may be involved in the clinical progression of skeletal deformities observed during growth spurts. Although this study was done in vitro and limited to static loading, it furthers our understanding of growth-plate mechanobiology as a first step toward providing a scientific rationale for treating progressive musculoskeletal deformities.     

Coexistence of folie communiquée and folie simultanée

Objective. The authors report a case during which they observed serious subtypes of induced delusional psychosis (folie communiquée and folie simultanée) without any common genetic background or premorbid psychosis in the case of the secondary patient. Method. The clinical phenomenology of the case is described. Results. Mild intellectual disability and environmental–psychological factors (social isolation and the symbiotic-like interpersonal relatedness) play an essential aetiological role in the case of the secondary recipient patient. Conclusion. The authors emphasize the importance of subclassification of induced delusional psychosis for further aetiological and clinical research.