EEG evaluation of patients undergoing extracorporeal circulation under analgesic and electrohypoalgesia with auricular acupuncture

Electroencephalograms recorded 12 hours before and 12 hours after heart surgery in ECC and moderate hypothermia (30 degrees) are evaluated. Two groups of patients were studied: - the first group was composed of those undergoing analgesic anaesthesia; - the second group of those undergoing electroencephalograms by means of auricular acupuncture. In the first group the postoperative EEG was dominated by long "theta" and "delta" waves characteristic of the deep sedation of analgesic anaesthesia. In the second the EEG displayed a "theta" rhythm interspersed with trains of "alpha" waves, similar to that of a tired, but alert person. The pathological traces with signs of diffused, hemispheric or cerebral distress, do not bear any relationship to the type of anaesthesia, but to the type of disease, which had increased the probability of thrombo-embolic, and/or ischaemic risk.     

Foreign-body abscesses presenting as soft-tissue tumours: two case reports

Green function analysis of the Fokker-Planck equation was used to describe protein conformational motion for approximate variational derivation of typical rate constant of protein relaxation from excited nonequilibrium state to the equilibrium. This approach was illustrated on a simple one-dimensional conformational potential.     

Adrenal insufficiency in a man with non-classical 21-hydroxylase deficiency: consequence or coincidence?

Deficiency of the adrenal enzyme 21-hydroxylase, which is required for cortisol synthesis, appears in two forms: a rare classical variant with severe enzyme deficiency, usually presenting in neonates with ambiguous genitalia (from androgen overproduction) or adrenal crisis (from glucocorticoid and mineralocorticoid underproduction), and a common (1% of the general population) non-classical variant with mild enzyme deficiency, usually presenting in young adults with findings of androgen excess but without clinical evidence of decreased steroid hormone production. We describe a 22-year-old man who had clinical and biochemical findings consistent with adrenal insufficiency, including a favorable response to hydrocortisone replacement, in whom elevated serum levels of the cortisol precursor 17-hydroxyprogesterone were diagnostic of non-classical 21-hydroxylase deficiency and in whom no other cause of adrenal insufficiency could be identified. These findings raise the possibility that non-classical 21-hydroxylase deficiency, an extremely frequent disorder which is generally thought to be without significant morbidity, might cause or contribute to adrenal insufficiency in adults.     

Lupus susceptibility loci in New Zealand mice

Susceptibility to systemic lupus erythematosus has been unequivocally established to be an inherited trait, but the exact genes and how they confer susceptibility remain largely unknown. In this study of (NZB x NZW)F2 intercross mice, we used linkage analysis of markers covering > 90% of the autosomal genome and identified eight susceptibility loci (Lbw1 to -8, chromosomes 17, 4-7, 18, 1, 11, respectively) associated with antichromatin autoantibody production, glomerulonephritis, and/or mortality. Only one locus, the major histocompatibility complex, was linked to all three traits. Two other loci were associated with both glomerulonephritis and mortality, whereas the remaining loci were linked to one of the above traits. Two additional loci (Sbw1 and -2) that contributed to splenomegaly were also identified. The Sbw2 locus mapped to the identical region as Lbw2, a locus on chromosome 4 linked to glomerulonephritis and mortality, suggesting a single locus with pleiotropic effects. The results indicate that the immunopathologic features of lupus are affected by distinct, but additive, genetic contributions. Studies to determine the nature of the genes associated with these loci should help define the genetic mechanisms involved in this systemic autoimmune disease.     

The comparative metabolism of diisopropyl methylphosphonate in mink and rats

This study reports the metabolism of carbon-14labeled diisopropyl methylphosphonate (DIMP) in mink and rats, undertaken to better understand the dose-related mortality reported for mink in a previous study. In both male and female mink and rats, DIMP was rapidly absorbed after oral administration; it was metabolized by a saturable pathway to a single metabolite, isopropyl methylphosphonate (IMPA), which was rapidly excreted, primarily in the urine (90%). Fecal radioactivity, also identified as IMPA, was 1.7-3.1% of the administered dose. Female rats had a slower rate of conversion of DIMP to IMPA and less total excretion of IMPA than male rats. Metabolism of DIMP administered intravenously was not very different from that given orally in both species. These data indicate that mink absorb, metabolize, and excrete DIMP (as IMPA) in a manner very similar to mice, rats, and dogs.     

The role of parkinsonism and antiparkinsonian therapy in the subsequent development of tardive dyskinesia

Tardive dyskinesia (TD) is a side effect of prolonged neuroleptic treatment presenting as abnormal involuntary movements. This troublesome disorder occurs in only 15-30% of patients taking neuroleptics, suggesting that these individuals may be physiologically distinct so as to be predisposed. This study analyzed possible factors contributing to TD development. Fifty patients on depot neuroleptics for more than 7.1 years were prospectively examined for TD and drug-induced parkinsonism (DIP) using the Smith-Trims rating scale for an average of 5 years. The patients were assessed for the severity of the movement and if the movement increased or decreased with respect to neuroleptic dosage, anticholinergic dosage, parkinsonism, and other related factors. Both TD and DIP increased over time. In the patients whose dose of neuroleptic decreased, the increase in TD ratings was not significant. Using a forward stepwise regression DIP was found to increase as TD worsened but did not appear to predict subsequent TD development. Anticholinergic treatment showed a less significant correlation with the change in TD. These results have implications for the management of combined TD and DIP presentation.     

Core fucosylation of high-mannose-type oligosaccharides in GlcNAc transferase I-deficient (Lec1) CHO cells

During studies on the fucosylation of endogenous proteins in parental (Pro5) and N-acetyl-D-glucosamine (GlcNAc) transferase I-deficient (Lec1) Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells, we observed that Lec1 cells incorporate approximately 10-fold less [3H]fucose into macromolecules than Pro5 cells. Interestingly, most of the labelled oligosaccharides from both cell types could be released from the macromolecules by digestion with peptide N-glycosidase F (PNGase F). This was unexpected for Lec1 cells because they do not synthesize complex- or hybrid-type N-glycans. Structural analyses of the fucosylated oligosaccharides from Lec1 cells showed the fucose to be in an alpha 1,6 linkage to the core GlcNAc of relatively small oligomannose N-glycans (Man4GlcNAc2 and Man5GlcNAc2, where Man is D-mannose). Comparing the sizes of oligomannose N-glycans from Pro5 and Lec1 cells demonstrated a much higher proportion of the small (Man4GlcNAc2 and Man5GlcNAc2) oligomannose species in Lec1 cells. These results suggest that the core alpha 1,6 fucosyltransferase will fucosylate small (Man4-Man5GlcNAc2), but not large (Man8-Man9GlcNAc2) oligomannose N-glycans.     

Polyethylene glycol versus low-ionic-strength solution in pretransfusion testing: a blinded comparison study

BACKGROUND: Polyethylene glycol (PEG) has been shown to potentiate antigen-antibody reactions. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: To investigate the utility of PEG in pretransfusion testing, a blinded comparison study of PEG and a low-ionic-strength additive solution (LISS) was conducted. A total of 500 patient samples were tested in parallel with reagent antibody-detection cells using blind-coded PEG and LISS potentiators. RESULTS: In 34 (34%) of 100 samples with known antibodies in the Rh, Kell, Duffy, Kidd, and MNS systems, PEG antiglobulin reactions were stronger (total score, 382) than LISS antiglobulin reactions (total score, 216), and in 66 cases (66%), they were equal to those of LISS. Of 400 samples without detectable antibodies, 384 were negative with PEG and LISS, and 16 were positive in PEG tests and negative in LISS. Seven of the 16 were clinically important antibodies (D, 1; E, 3; Fya, 1; Jka; 1; Jkb, 1), and four were clinically benign antibodies (Le(a), 2; McCc, 1; Sda, 1). Five of the 16 demonstrated inconclusive PEG reactions, for a false-positive rate of 5 in 400 (1.3%). Of the 500 samples, none was negative in PEG tests and positive in LISS (0% false-negative rate). CONCLUSION: Although PEG demonstrates a relatively high false-positive rate, PEG is more sensitive than LISS in detecting clinically significant antibodies.     

Neuropsychological dysfunction in depression: the relationship to regional cerebral blood flow

The relationship between neuropsychological test performance and regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) was examined in 29 patients meeting Research Diagnostic Criteria (RDC) for major depression. Following a comprehensive neuropsychological assessment two subsets of tests, comprising tests that discriminated between patients and controls or between patients with varying degrees of global cognitive impairment, were selected. These subtests were entered into a principal components analysis (PCA) which generated a two-factor solution, accounting for 50% of the overall variance in test scores. Individual patient loadings on each of these factors were subsequently correlated with regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF), as measured by positron emission tomography (PET). Both factors demonstrated significant correlations with rCBF in the medial prefrontal cortex and frontal polar cortex while for each factor there were also unique patterns of correlations with posterior brain regions. The findings provide additional evidence that neuropsychological deficits in depression are associated with abnormalities in regional brain function and in particular with the function of the medial prefrontal cortex.