Specific inhibition of macrophage adherence in animals with post-traumatic autoallergic aspermatogenesis

The macrophage adherence inhibition was studied in the peritoneal macrophages of guinea pigs with induced posttraumatic aspermatogenesis at various periods after the testis injury. Reliable peritoneal macrophages adherence inhibition was observed in the presence of the testis-specific antigen. The adherence inhibition reflected the autoimmune character of the testis affection.     

Accumulation of 14C-lidocaine in the inner ear. Preliminary clinical experience utilizing intravenous lidocaine in the treatment of severe tinnitus

Clinical experience has demonstrated that intravenously administered local anaesthetics have a mitigating effect on severe tinnitus. In an attempt to gain some insight into the mechanism of this effect, autoradiography of the inner ear of young pigmented rats was performed after intravenous injection of 14C-lidocaine. Some accumulation of lidocaine was found in the modiolus, but almost none in the stria vascularis. A large accumulation was observed in other melanincontaining tissues, such as the hair follicles and uvea. The in vitro accumulation of 14C-labelled lidocaine adsorbed on melanin granules was low (12%) as compared with that of other drugs, such as kanamycin (89%) and chloroquine (85%). These autoradiographic results indicate that lidocaine has an effect upon the inner ear, in addition to its previously demonstrated effect on the CNS.     

Low T cell reactivity to combined CD3 plus CD28 stimulation is predictive for progression to AIDS: correlation with decreased CD28 expression

In 219 HIV-1-infected men of the Amsterdam cohort we measured CD4+ T cell numbers and in vitro T cell responses to CD3 MoAbs with or without CD28 costimulation and phytohaemagglutinin (PHA). The value of these markers was estimated for disease progression within 4 years. CD28 expression on T cells has been related to T cell responses. CD28 costimulation considerably enhanced T cell reactivity (approximately 8-10-fold) with lower coefficients of variation compared with reactivity to CD3 MoAb alone (median 5 versus 20). T cell reactivity to CD3 plus CD28 MoAb was decreased during HIV-1 infection and was besides CD4+ T cell numbers the only independent predictor for progression to AIDS. Compared with the group with high CD4+ T cell numbers the relative risk (RR) for the group with intermediate levels was 2.28, with low levels 5.20. In the groups with intermediate and low CD3 plus CD28 responses the RR was 2.04 and 4.16, respectively. The combined RR for both was 4.65 and 21.63. The independence of this marker was confirmed when the group with low CD4+ T cell numbers was subdivided into groups with high, intermediate and low T cell responses. The expansion of CD8+CD28- T cells was already apparent in HIV- homosexual men, but CD8+CD28+ T cells specifically decreased in patients with AIDS. CD28 expression on T cells correlated moderately with T cell responses to CD3 plus CD28 MoAb. T cell reactivity to CD3 MoAb in the presence of CD28 MoAb is a stronger prognostic marker than T cell reactivity to CD3 MoAb alone.     

Analysis of the immunologic heterogeneity of HIV-1: I. "Arginine-glutamine trigger" in the fourth position of the central tetrapeptide of the V3 loop of gp120

This article reviews the existing knowledge base concerning the biology of spinal fusion, with the understanding that the focus is weighted toward posterolateral lumbar spinal fusion because of a relative paucity of biologic information on healing of other types of fusions. The discussion focuses first on the basic science of spinal fusion healing from the standpoint of animal modeling. Next, the discussion centers on the multitude of local factors that can affect fusion healing. Finally, the numerous systemic factors known to affect fusion healing are discussed.     

Effect of sinusoidally modulated currents on the dynamics of echoencephalographic indices in children with cerebral palsy and dysarthrias

The echo-encephalographic parameters and their changes induced by sinusoidal modulated currents applied to the external muscles of the tongue and the neck are analysed in 57 children with infantile cerebral paralysis (ICP) and dysarthrias. In these children, the indices of the cerebral and ventricular mantel were found to be increased and differing considerably from the respective indices of control children. This was considered to be an evidence of greater content of cerebrospinal fluid in the cerebral ventricles in the children with ICP. In the course of treating these children with sinusoidal modulated currents a tendency to normalization of the echo-encephalographic parameters and an improvement of the functional potentialities of the paretic muscles were noted. This is favourable for subsequent logopedic training of the children.