Monoclonal antibody against Klebsiella capsular polysaccharide reduces severity and hematogenic spread of experimental Klebsiella pneumoniae pneumonia.

Klebsiella pneumoniae is an important nosocomial pathogen causing severe pulmonary infections. The majority of clinical Klebsiella isolates produce a high-molecular-weight capsular polysaccharide (CPS) which is one of the dominant virulence factors. In the present study, we examined the potency of a murine immunoglobulin M monoclonal antibody (MAb) with specificity to Klebsiella type 2 CPS to protect rats against experimental Klebsiella pneumonia. The MAb did not prevent the invasion of virulent bacteria into the interalveolar space. However, the resolution of infection was accelerated in MAb-treated animals. This was demonstrated by (i) less severe weight loss and (ii) markedly reduced inflammatory reactions in the lung. The elimination of bacteria was significantly increased not only in the lungs but also in the livers of antibody-treated rats. This was reflected by reduced levels of circulating, soluble CPS and MAb-bound CPS. A mixture of human MAbs with specificity to CPS of clinically important Klebsiella serotypes may prove to be a useful tool for the prevention or supportive treatment of Klebsiella pneumonia.     

Self-monitoring in patients with schizophrenia

BACKGROUND: The present study investigated whether a failure of self-monitoring contributes to core syndromes of schizophrenia. METHOD: Three groups of patients with a DSM-IV diagnosis of schizophrenia (n = 27), with either prominent paranoid hallucinatory or disorganization syndrome, or without these symptoms, and a matched healthy control group (n = 23) drew circles on a writing pad connected to a PC monitor. Subjects were instructed to continuously monitor the relationship between their hand movements and their visual consequences. They were asked to detect gain changes in the mapping. Self-monitoring ability and the ability to automatically correct movements were assessed. RESULTS: Patients with either paranoid-hallucinatory syndrome or formal thought disorder were selectively impaired in their ability to detect a mismatch between a self-generated movement and its consequences, but not impaired in their ability to automatically compensate for the gain change. CONCLUSIONS: These results support the claim that a failure of self-monitoring may underlie the core symptoms of schizophrenia.     

Differential roles of CCL2 and CCR2 in host defense to coronavirus infection

The CC chemokine ligand 2 (CCL2, monocyte chemoattractant protein-1) is important in coordinating the immune response following microbial infection by regulating T cell polarization as well as leukocyte migration and accumulation within infected tissues. The present study examines the consequences of mouse hepatitis virus (MHV) infection in mice lacking CCL2 (CCL2(-/-)) in order to determine if signaling by this chemokine is relevant in host defense. Intracerebral infection of CCL2(-/-) mice with MHV did not result in increased morbidity or mortality as compared to either wild type or CCR2(-/-) mice and CCL2(-/-) mice cleared replicating virus from the brain. In contrast, CCR2(-/-) mice displayed an impaired ability to clear virus from the brain that was accompanied by a reduction in the numbers of antigen-specific T cells as compared to both CCL2(-/-) and wild-type mice. The paucity in T cell accumulation within the central nervous system (CNS) of MHV-infected CCR2(-/-) mice was not the result of either a deficiency in antigen-presenting cell (APC) accumulation within draining cervical lymph nodes (CLN) or the generation of virus-specific T cells within this compartment. A similar reduction in macrophage infiltration into the CNS was observed in both CCL2(-/-) and CCR2(-/-) mice when compared to wild-type mice, indicating that both CCL2 and CC chemokine receptor 2 (CCR2) contribute to macrophage migration and accumulation within the CNS following MHV infection. Together, these data demonstrate that CCR2, but not CCL2, is important in host defense following viral infection of the CNS, and CCR2 ligand(s), other than CCL2, participates in generating a protective response.     

A comparative study of the somato-axonal flow of protein in the feline hypoglossal and vagus nerves

Summary After ³H-lysine was applied to the X^th and XII^th cranial nuclei, radioactive protein synthesized in the nerve cell bodies of the hypoglossal and vagus nerves moved down the axons of these fibers at maximal rates of 6.3±1.2 and 16±3 mm per day, respectively. The distribution of radiolabeled protein at various periods indicated that other proteinaceous components moved at slower velocities.     

Hirndurchblutung und cerebraler Stoffwechsel bei Kranken mit chronischer Niereninsuffizienz

Zusammenfassung 1. Bei 24 Kranken mit chronischer Niereninsuffizienz und Urämie wurden die Hirndurchblutungsgröße quantitativ mit der Stickoxydulmethode und der cerebrale Stoffwechsel mit enzymatischen Methoden untersucht.2. Bei einem Harnstoff-N von 142 mg-% und einem arteriellen pH von 7,31 lag die Hirndurchblutungsgröße mit 63,0 ml/100 g · min gering über der Norm. Der cerebrale O₂-Verbrauch (2,77 ml/100 g · min) und der cerebrale Glucoseverbrauch (3,75 mg/100 g · min) waren stark vermindert. Der Glucose-Oxydationsquotient war mit 1,13 gering reduziert. Die cerebrale Lactat- und Pyruvatabgabe unterschieden sich nicht sicher von der Norm. Der respiratorische Quotient lag mit 0,89 tiefer als normal.3. Die Aufschlüsselung des Materials in acidotische (pH<7,35) und nichtacidotische (pH>7,35) Urämien ergab unterschiedliche Resultate:a) Bei 15 acidotischen Urämien war die Hirndurchblutungsgröße mit 69,0 ml/100 g · min erhöht. Die Korrelationsberechnung zeigt, daß eine gesicherte negative Beziehung zwischen pH und Hirndurchblutungsgröße besteht: Je stärker die Acidose, desto höher die Durchblutung.Die cerebrale O₂-Aufnahme war mit 2,62 ml/100 g · min und die Glucoseaufnahme mit 3,33 mg/100 g · min signifikant vermindert. Der Glucose-Oxydationsquotient war mit 0,98 sehr stark reduziert.b) Bei 9 nichtacidotischen Urämien lag die Hirndurchblutung mit 52,9 ml/100 g · min im Normbereich, während der O₂-Verbrauch mit 2,96 ml/100 g · min und der Glucoseverbrauch mit 4,52 mg/100 g · min reduziert waren. Der Glucoseverbrauch war deutlich weniger vermindert als bei den acidotischen Urämien. Daher unterscheidet sich in dieser Gruppe der Glucose-Oxydationsquotient nicht signifikant von der Norm.4. Es besteht eine statistisch gesicherte positive Korrelation von pH und O₂- bzw. Glucoseverbrauch, d.h. je stärker die Acidose, desto niedriger sind O₂- und Glucoseaufnahme. Zur Höhe des Harnstoff-N besteht keine Korrelation.5. Unter der Therapie mit Abfall des Harnstoff-N und Anstieg des pH besserten sich cerebrale O₂- und Glucoseaufnahme und normalisierte sich der Glucose-Oxydationsquotient.6. Es besteht eine Beziehung von cerebraler Funktion (Sensorium klar, getrübt, Praecoma, Coma) zu den cerebralen O₂- und Glucoseutilisationswerten, nicht hingegen zur Durchblutungsgröße.7. Die urämische Encephalopathie ist Folge einer acidotisch-toxischen Stoffwechseldepression und geht nicht mit einer cerebralen Zirkulationsstörung einher.Meinen akademischen Lehrern Prof. Dr. Dr. G. Bodechtel und Prof. Dr. A. Bernsmeier zu ihren Geburtstagen im März 1972.     

Dermatoglyphics in Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia (CAH)

Dermatoglyphic findings were compared in 42 patients (32 females, 10 males) with Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia (CAH) and 110 normal controls (70 females, 40 males). In CAH males, an excess of whorls (p less than 0.001), an increased total finger ridge count (p less than 0.05), and an increased frequency of patterns in the fourth interdigital area (p less than 0.025) was found. A main line A terminating high in the hypothenar area (p less than 0.05), and a missing c-triradius or an abortive main line C (p less than 0.05) was observed in CAH females. Both sexes displayed an increase in the frequency of small radially directed hypothenar patterns (p less than 0.05) and sydney lines (p less than 0.01).