Functional characteristics of intraepithelial lymphocytes from mouse small intestine. III. Inability of intraepithelial lymphocytes to induce a systemic graft-versus-host reaction is because of failure to migrate in vivo.

In this study we have investigated whether addition of bone marrow accessory cells or concurrent administration of recombinant IL-2 would allow intraepithelial lymphocytes (IEL) to induce a systemic, lethal GvHR in irradiated hosts. In addition we have studied the ability of IEL to migrate into lymphoid tissues after intravenous injection and compared this with their locomotor capacity in vitro.     

Wisconsin Card Sorting Test performance in schizophrenia: remediation of a stubborn deficit.

OBJECTIVE: Schizophrenic patients typically perform poorly on the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test, which is a putative index of prefrontal functioning. The authors attempted to remediate the deficits of schizophrenic patients on this measure by giving detailed instructions and monetary reinforcement. METHOD: Forty-six inpatients with chronic schizophrenia and 20 control subjects with other psychiatric illnesses were given the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test under four conditions that varied in monetary reinforcement and level of instructions. The schizophrenic patients were given the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS) and three information processing measures (the Continuous Performance Test, Span of Apprehension, and Pin Test). RESULTS: Schizophrenic patients performed worse than psychiatric control subjects across most conditions. Monetary reinforcement had little effect on performance, but detailed instructions significantly improved the scores for both groups. When instructions were withdrawn and monetary reinforcement was maintained, both groups continued to show improved performance over baseline. Symptoms were not significantly associated with Wisconsin Card Sorting Test performance. One measure (the Pin Test) correlated significantly with performance on the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test. CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest the importance of combining motivational with instructional factors for training psychiatric patients in problem solving.     

Thromboembolieprophylaxe bei minimal-invasiven Eingriffen und kurzstationärer Behandlung Ergebnisse einer multicentrischen, prospektiven, randomisierten, kontrollierten Studie mit einem niedermolekularen Heparin

Zusammenfassung. Mit dem Ziel, die Incidenz tiefer Venenthrombosen bei selektierten Patienten nach laparoskopischer Cholecystektomie und anderen minimal-invasiven chirurgischen Eingriffen zu bestimmen, sowie die Sicherheit und Wirksamkeit eines niedermolekularen Heparinpr?parats (NMH) in der postoperativen Thromboseprophylaxe zu belegen, wurde eine prospektive, randomisierte, kontrollierte klinische Studie durchgeführt. Dabei wurden 718 Patienten nach Randomplan einer von 2 Prüfgruppen zugeordnet: Eine Gruppe erhielt physikalische Ma?nahmen zur Thromboseprophylaxe, wie Kompressionsstrümpfe mit graduiertem Andruck (n = 359), die 2. Gruppe erhielt ebenfalls physikalische Ma?nahmen und zus?tzlich ein NMH (Reviparin-Natrium, Clivarin) s. c. einmal t?glich (n = 359). Aus Sicherheitsgründen mit Hinblick auf die medikament?s unbehandelte Kontrollgruppe wurden Patienten mit 3 oder mehr Risikofaktoren für eine ven?se Thromboembolie nicht in die Studie aufgenommen. Die Diagnostik tiefer Beinvenenthrombosen erfolgte mittels Duplexscan. In dieser, eher künstlichen Niedrigrisikoselektion war die Gesamtincidenz thromboembolischer Ereignisse überraschend gering: 5 Verdachtsf?lle einer Lungenembolie, von denen nur 1 Lungenembolie szintigraphisch verifiziert werden konnte, sowie eine phlebographisch best?tigte Unterschenkelthrombose. Die Anwendung von Reviparin zur Prophylaxe ven?ser Thromboembolien war sicher und anwenderfreundlich – die Incidenz postoperativer Blutungskomplikationen betrug nur 2,3 % in der NMH-Gruppe und war somit sogar geringfügig niedriger als in der Kontrollgruppe (3,2 %). Die tats?chliche Incidenz tiefer Venenthrombosen bei Patienten nach laparoskopischer Cholecystektomie bleibt jedoch nach wie vor unklar. Weitere klinische Studien müssen in einem unselektierten Patientengut durchgeführt werden.      

Changes in liver and L-cell plasma membranes during infection with Coxiella burnetii.

Changes in plasma membrane proteins of guinea pig liver and L-929 cells were studied during infection with Coxiella burnetii. Polypeptide species resolved by disc polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis with sodium dodecyl sulfate showed quantitative but no qualitative differences between uninfected and infected samples. When the O'Farrell technique of isoelectric focusing, followed by sodium dodecyl sulfate-slab gel polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, was employed, additional polypeptides were resolved. Livers and L cells were labeled with [3H]-glucosamine. Infected livers incorporated less [3H]glucosamine in the membrane proteins than uninfected material, presumably indicating lower glycoprotein levels. Infected L-cell membranes incorporated greater amounts of [3H]glucosamine, and also were labeled to a greater extent than uninfected membranes, employing the [125I]lactoperoxidase technique. Uninfected L cells showed a greater agglutinability with concanavalin A than did infected cells. Infected livers had much greater levels of cyclic adenosine 3',5'-monophosphate. The data indicate changes in plasma membranes as a result of infection. Possible physiological consequences of membrane changes are discussed.     

Lysosomal response of a murine macrophage-like cell line persistently infected with Coxiella burnetii.

The lysosomal response of a murine macrophage-like tumor cell line (J774) during persistent infection with Coxiella burnettii was examined. By using acid phosphatase as a lysosomal marker, it was shown that phagosome-lysosome fusion occurred in J774 cells persistently infected with C. burnetii. This observation was verified using thorium dioxide, an electron-dense compound that is sequestered in secondary lysosomes. The phagolysosomes contained viable replicating rickettsiae. Spectrofluorometric analysis indicated that the phagolysosomal pH of persistently infected cells was acidic. In attempts to correlate rickettsial survival with lysosome function, the activities of several lysosomal enzymes were assayed in both infected and uninfected cells. Activities of acid phosphatase and beta-acetylglucosaminidase were not significantly altered during infection. However, infected cells appeared to display slightly higher intracellular lysozyme, beta-glucuronidase, and beta-galactosidase activities.     

Familial pericentric inversion of chromosome 8

Eight children from seven presumably unrelated families were identified independently as having an unbalanced recombinant chromosome resulting in the presence of extra material on the short arm of a chromosome 8. Parental chromosomes were analyzed, and one member of each couple (four fathers and three mothers) was found to carry a pericentric inversion of a chromosome 8 [inv(8)(p23q22)]. The propositi had an unbalanced recombinant chromosome [rec(8),dup q,inv(8)(p23q22)]. The affected infants all had developmental delay, congenital heart disease, and unusual appearance. A common origin of the pericentric inversion was suggested because of geographic location and Mexican--American ancestry of the seven families.     

Induction of follicular growth and production of a normal hormonal milieu in spite of using a constant low dose of luteinizing hormone in women with hypogonadotrophic hypogonadism

This study was designed to examine ovarian performance, i.e.follicular growth, normal steroidogenesis and luteal phase function,following the administration of multiple increasing doses ofhuman follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) with a constant lowdose of luteinizing hormone (LH) in women with isolated hypogonadotrophichypogonadism. Human meno–pausal gonadotrophin (HMG) wasused in the first treatment cycle, starting with 150 IU of LHand 150 IU of FSH per day, for 7 days. The dose was increaseddaily with 75 IU of LH and 75 IU of FSH for another 7 days ifno response was detected by serial ultrasound measurements andserumoestradiol determinations. In the second treatment cycle,a constant dose of 75 IU of LH (using HMG) was administeredper day and up to 150 IU of FSH (using urofollitrophin) wassupplemented. If no response was detected after 7 days of treatment,the dose of FSH was increased. For the final stage of ovulationinduction, human chorionic gonadotrophin (HCG) was administeredin the presence of at least one follicle >17 mm in diameterbut with no more than three follicles >16mm in diameter.To verify the adequacy of the luteal phase, a pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamicstudy of -HCG, oestradiol and progesterone was performed followingthe second treatment cycle only. Ovarian stimulation using aconstant dose of 75 IU of LH and increasing doses of FSH upto 225 IU, resulted in normal follicular growth and hormonalmilieu. Both women showed normal luteal phase oestradiol andprogesterone production and both women conceived following thesecond treatment cycle