Neurologic disease in Sj?gren's syndrome: mononuclear inflammatory vasculopathy affecting central/peripheral nervous system and muscle. A clinical review and update of immunopathogenesis

There is a growing appreciation that a subset of patients with primary Sj?gren's syndrome (SS) also may develop a spectrum of central nervous system (CNS) complications. This article defines SS and its significance; discusses CNS, peripheral nervous system, and muscular complications of SS; identifies those areas in general or internal medicine in which SS patients with potential neurologic complications may present; describes those neurologic disorders that SS may mimic; places into perspective the controversy regarding the frequency and significance of CNS-SS; and extends our observations on the immunopathogenesis of neurologic complications in SS.     

Oral and booklet presentation of MMPI-2

The MMPI-2 was administered twice to college students under two formats: standard booklet administration and oral presentation, with the examiner reading the items to the students and recording their answers. The two types of administration were compared in a series of mixed-factor analyses of variance. No significant differences were found when comparing oral and booklet presentation for either men or women.     

Antagonistic activity of Lactobacillus plantarum C11: two new two-peptide bacteriocins, plantaricins EF and JK, and the induction factor plantaricin A

Six bacteriocinlike peptides (plantaricin A [PlnA], PlnE, PlnF, PlnJ, PlnK, and PlnN) produced by Lactobacillus plantarum C11 were detected by amino acid sequencing and mass spectrometry. Since purification to homogeneity was problematic, all six peptides were obtained by solid-phase peptide synthesis and were tested for bacteriocin activity. It was found that L. plantarum C11 produces two two-peptide bacteriocins (PlnEF and PlnJK); a strain-specific antagonistic activity was detected at nanomolar concentrations when PlnE and PlnF were combined and when PlnJ and PlnK were combined. Complementary peptides were at least 10(3) times more active when they were combined than when they were present individually, and optimal activity was obtained when the complementary peptides were present in approximately equal amounts. The interaction between complementary peptides was specific, since neither PlnE nor PlnF could complement PlnJ or PlnK, and none of these peptides could complement the peptides constituting the two-peptide bacteriocin lactococcin G. Interestingly, PlnA, which acts as an extracellular signal (pheromone) that triggers bacteriocin production, also possessed a strain-specific antagonistic activity. No bacteriocin activity could be detected for PlnN.     

Diagnostic scalene node biopsy in the preoperative evaluation of the surgical cancer patient: Five-year experience with 108 cases and literature review

Records were reviewed of 108 consecutive patients with a variety of surgically approachable malignancies undergoing scalene node biopsy as part of a preoperative staging evaluation. Metastases to the scalene nodes were detected in 12 patients (11.1%). In six patients the scalene nodes were clinically suspicious before biopsy, but in six with nonpalpable nodes the scalene metastases were occult clinically. Four of the patients with clinically benign, but pathologically positive, scalene biopsies were found among the group of 62 patients with epidermoid carcinoma of the cervix. It was concluded that routine scalene biopsies are justified in the properative evaluation of cancer patients only if the nodes are clinically suspicious, except for in patients with advanced pelvic cancers, in whom the incidence of completely occult scalene metastases is 6% or more.     

An instrument with digital readout for indirect determination of kVp

An electronic instrument with digital readout has been designed and constructed for indirect determination of the kVp applied to diagnostic x-ray tubes. The signals from two detectors exposed simultaneously to a differentially filtered x-ray beam are processed by analog computing circuitry to yield an output signal directly proportional to the applied peak kilovoltage. Theory and preliminary results are presented and discussed.