The immunomodulating action of cyclosporin A in vitro and in vivo on the lymphocytes of patients with alveolitis

The effect of various concentrations of ofloxacin, ciprofloxacin and lomefloxacin on the morphokinetic parameters of the cellular elements of the lung tissue of intact animals (mice, guinea pigs and dogs) was studied under the conditions of the tissue culture. It was shown that in a concentration of 100 micrograms/ml and the exposure time of 24 hours the drugs had no effect on the mobility and structure of the lung tissue cellular elements. When the drugs were used in a concentration of 100 micrograms/ml the mobility rate of the lymphocytes and macrophages proved to by markedly retarded by the end of the 24th hour. In a concentration of 1000 micrograms/ml the drugs killed the cell culture. There were detected no specific differences in the effect of the fluoroquinolones on the cellular elements of the lung tissue of the intact animals.     

Prostaglandin F2 alpha inhibits epidermal growth factor binding to cellular receptors on adipocyte precursors in primary culture

Prostaglandin F2 alpha (PGF2 alpha) and epidermal growth factor (EGF) are potent differentiation inhibitors of adipocyte precursors in primary culture. We show here that PGF2 alpha specifically inhibited EGF binding to adipocyte precursors in a dose dependent fashion. Scatchard analysis indicates that PGF2 alpha causes a 50% decrease in the number of available EGF cell surface receptors without change in receptor affinity. Comparison of EGF binding at different temperatures and on fixed cells indicates that PGF2 alpha increases internalization of EGF-receptor complexes in adipocyte precursors. Phorbol myristate acetate (PMA) also inhibited EGF binding in adipocyte precursors. PGF2 alpha effect was abolished in cells exposed to prolonged treatment with PMA indicating that PGF2 alpha effect on EGF binding is mediated by protein kinase C. These results would suggest that in adipocyte precursors PGF2 alpha may be the physiological mediator of phorbol ester effect on EGF receptor properties.     

Evaluation of acupuncture and occlusal splint therapy in the treatment of temporomandibular joint disorders

One hundred patients showed signs and symptoms of temporomandibular joint disorder, were participated in a one year follow up study. The patients were randomly divided into four groups: Acuhealth treatment (group A), occlusal splint therapy (group B), Acuhealth and occlusal splint therapy (group C), and control (group D). Each group comprised 25 patients. The patients were examined before and 3, 6, and 12 months after treatment. At the three month evaluation, the patients who were not satisfied with the treatment outcome were offered additional treatment. The result showed that 87% of the patients treated by Acuhealth unit, 77.3% of the patients treated with occlusal splint therapy, and 91.3% of the patients received Acuhealth and occlusal splint therapy were improved subjectively and clinically after 3 months follow-up. The patients who responded well to treatment initially also responded well in the long run. The study showed that the Acuhealth unit proved to be an ideal early therapy for TMD, and complemented later with occlusal splint.     

Developmental toxicity of 1,2-dichloropropane (PDC) in rats and rabbits following oral gavage

The ST-16 antigenic specificity of the HLA-B locus is defined as a B39 variant of Mexican-Americans. Nucleotide sequencing of cDNA shows the ST-16 allele (B*3905) differs from B*39011 by a single substitution that substitutes tyrosine for aspartic acid at position 74 of the mature class I heavy chain. The complete coding region sequence for the common caucasoid allele encoding the B38 antigen has been determined. This B*3801 allele differs from B*3802 at two nucleotide substitutions within the Bw4 sequence motif. B*3801 and B*3802 may have been derived independently from B*39011 by conversion events with B alleles donating distinctive Bw4 motifs. A novel allele B*39022 derived from a Colombian Indian differs from the B*39021 allele of Japanese origin at two widely separated silent substitutions. Comparison of sequences for the known B16 alleles suggest that B*39021 and B*39022 were independently derived by recombination from B*39013 and B*39011 respectively.     

Carcinoembryonic antigen in diagnosis and monitoring of colorectal cancer]

Female SJL mice are more susceptible than male mice to experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) induced by myelin basic protein (MBP)-specific T lymphocytes. In the present study, we examined mechanisms involved in this gender-related difference in disease susceptibility. MBP-specific T lymphocytes derived from spleens of males during the effector phase of adoptive EAE produced significantly higher levels of IL-10, an anti-inflammatory cytokine in EAE. A protective effect of testosterone was then shown. Females implanted with dihydrotestosterone pellets demonstrated a significantly less severe course of EAE as compared with females implanted with placebo pellets. Finally, MBP-specific T lymphocytes derived from dihydrotestosterone-implanted females produced significantly higher levels of IL-10 than those from placebo. Together these data indicate that testosterone exerts a protective effect in EAE that is mediated at least in part by enhanced production of IL-10 by autoantigen-specific T lymphocytes.     

Noise correlation in dual-collector magnetotransistors

Experimental results of low frequency (1/f) noise in magnetic-field-sensitive dual-collector bipolar transistors are presented that show a strong positive correlation between the noise voltages (converted from corresponding fluctuations in the currents) of the collectors. Hence, operating the magnetotransistor in a differential mode yields very favorable signal-to-noise ratios, even for low magnetic sensitivity. Calculations performed for a magnetotransistor with a sensitivity of only 0.06/T yields a field resolution of 25 nT/√Hz at 1 kHz, in contrast to 14 μT/√Hz in single-ended operation     

Assessing neuromuscular block at the larynx: the effect of change in resting cuff pressure and a comparison with video imaging in anesthetized humans

Neuromuscular block (NMB) at the larynx has been assessed by measuring the cuff pressure (CP) in an endotracheal tube (ETT) placed between the vocal cords. In this study, we evaluated the decrease in resting cuff pressure (RCP) after the administration of rocuronium and the effect of this decrease on the assessment of NMB, and we compared CP measurement with an alternative technique, video imaging (VI). In 20 patients, NMB was determined at the hand by mechanomyography and at the larynx initially by CP and subsequently by VI, recording images using a fiberoptic bronchoscope via a laryngeal mask. Train-of-four stimuli were applied at both sites. After baseline measurements, the ETT was replaced, and rocuronium was infused to achieve a steady-state 50% (n = 10) or 75% (n = 10) block at the hand. CP measurements were recorded before and after restoration of RCP to prerocuronium pressure, followed by further VI measurements. The mean RCP decreased from 21 +/- 4 to 12 +/- 5 mm Hg after rocuronium. At 50% block at the hand, the CP estimate of block at the larynx with reduced RCP was 62% +/- 18%, and that after restoring RCP was 29% +/- 13%; VI estimated 27% +/- 14% block. At 75% block at the hand, CP and VI estimated 52% +/- 11% and 46% +/- 9% block, respectively (RCP maintained). We conclude that RCP decreases after the administration of rocuronium, that restoring RCP significantly alters CP estimates of NMB, and that VI is in agreement with CP measurement if RCP is maintained at prerelaxant values. Implications: In this study, we show that a muscle relaxant-induced decrease in resting tension at the larynx may confound the assessment of neuromuscular block by cuff pressure measurement. The preliminary data suggest that video imaging may provide a suitable alternative to cuff pressure measurement to assess neuromuscular block at the larynx.     

Identification of 130 kDa cell surface LDL-binding protein from smooth muscle cells as a partially processed T-cadherin precursor

Atypical cell surface lipoprotein-binding proteins of 105 kDa and 130 kDa are present in membranes of vascular smooth muscle cells. We recently identified the 105 kDa protein from human aortic media as T-cadherin, an unusual glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI)-anchored member of the cadherin family of cell adhesion proteins. The goal of the present study was to determine the identity of 130 kDa lipoprotein-binding protein of smooth muscle cells. We applied different approaches that included protein sequencing of purified protein from human aortic media, the use of human T-cadherin peptide-specific antisera, and enzymatic treatment of cultured cells with trypsin and GPI-specific phospholipase C. Our results indicate that the 130 kDa protein is a partially processed form of T-cadherin which is attached to the membrane surface of smooth muscle cells via a GPI anchor and contains uncleaved N-terminal propeptide sequence. Our data disclose that, in contrast to classical cadherins, T-cadherin is expressed on the cell surface in both its precursor (130 kDa) and mature (105 kDa) forms.     

Rat insulinoma-derived pancreatic beta-cells express a functional leptin receptor that mediates a proliferative response

In addition to its interaction at hypothalamic sites to affect feeding and energy expenditure, leptin has been shown to exhibit a proliferative response in erythropoietic cells. The functional leptin receptor is also present in pancreatic islets and we now demonstrate that a commonly used clonal insulin secreting beta-cell line, RINm5F, expresses high levels of the Ob-Rb mRNA. Leptin causes an increase in tyrosine phosphorylation of a number of intracellular proteins and a dose related (10 nM-200 nM) increase in expression of the immediate-early gene, c-fos. This precedes a leptin induced proliferative response in serum-deprived RINm5F cells, which suggests that leptin might be involved in the complex regulation of proliferation of the pancreatic beta-cell.