Transfer of leptophos in hen eggs and tissues of embryonic rats

This study reports the relations among normal aging, intelligence, and frontal lobe functioning. Intelligence tasks and frontal lobe functioning tasks were administered to 107 adults from two age groups (25 to 46 years and 70 to 99 years). Intelligence measures were assessed with two crystallized tests (WAIS Vocabulary and Information subtests), one fluid intelligence test (Cattell's Matrices), and one mixed, crystallized and fluid test (WAIS Similarities subtest). Frontal functioning was assessed using the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST) and two tests of verbal fluency. Significant age differences in favor of the young were found on the two intelligence tests with a fluid component and on all measures of frontal lobe functioning. Correlational analyses examining the relationship of intelligence measures to frontal variables indicated that these last measures were significantly correlated with only fluid intelligence tests in the elderly group. The implications for the relations among aging, fluid intelligence, and frontal lobe functioning are discussed.     

Assessing the roles of glutamatergic and cholinergic synaptic drive in the control of fictive swimming frequency in young Xenopus tadpoles

Nine athletes (seven football offensive linemen, one defensive lineman, and one lacrosse player) were found at arthroscopy to have posterior labral detachment from the glenoid. In our series, this lesion is specific to contact athletes who engage their opponents with arms in front of the body. All patients had pain with bench pressing and while participating in their sport, diminishing their ability to play effectively. Conservative measures were ineffective in relieving their symptoms. Examination under anesthesia revealed symmetric glenohumeral translation bilaterally, without evidence of posterior instability. Treatment consisted of glenoid rim abradement and posterior labral repair with a bioabsorbable tack. All patients returned to complete at least one full season of contact sports and weightlifting without pain (minimum follow-up, > or = 2 years). Although many injuries leading to subluxation of the glenohumeral joint occur when an unanticipated force is applied, contact athletes ready their shoulder muscles in anticipation of impact with opponents. This leads to a compressive force at the glenohumeral joint. We hypothesize that, in combination with a posteriorly directed force at impact, the resultant vector is a shearing force to the posterior labrum and articular surface. Repeated exposure leads to posterior labral detachment without capsular injury. Posterior labral reattachment provides consistently good results, allowing the athlete to return to competition.     

The role of inducible nitric oxide synthase in the host response to Coxsackievirus myocarditis

The host response to Coxsackievirus infection is complex, including T lymphocytes, B lymphocytes, natural killer cells, and macrophages. Although Coxsackievirus infection induces expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase (NOS2; EC 1.14.13.39) in macrophages, the precise role of NOS2 in the host response to Coxsackievirus myocarditis has been unclear. We show, by using mice homozygous for a disrupted NOS2 allele, that Coxsackievirus replicates to higher titers in NOS2(-/-) mice, that the host lacking NOS2 clears virus more slowly than the wild-type host, and that myocarditis is much more severe in infected NOS2(-/-) mice. These data show that NOS2 is crucial for the host response to Coxsackievirus in the mouse.     

Pretreatment with antisense oligodeoxynucleotides directed against the NMDA-R1 receptor enhances survival and behavioral recovery following traumatic brain injury in rats

Treatment with N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor antagonists limits tissue damage following CNS ischemia or trauma, supporting the hypothesis that NMDA receptors participate in the pathophysiology of such injuries. An alternative approach for evaluating this hypothesis is to examine the effects of selective inhibition of NMDA receptor synthesis, using antisense oligodeoxynucleotides. In the present studies, the effects of antisense oligodeoxynucleotides directed at NMDA-R1 receptor subunit, administered intracerebroventricularly (i.c.v.) prior to injury, were evaluated in a well-defined traumatic brain injury model in rats. Outcome measures included survival, motor recovery, and histological changes. Administration of antisense oligodeoxynucleotides (15 nmol/ml twice daily x 2 days) did not alter physiological variables or motor function prior to trauma. However, such treatment significantly decreased mortality and improved behavioral recovery at 2 weeks after trauma as compared to animals treated with the corresponding sense oligodeoxynucleotides. Although cell counts in hippocampus did not differ between treatment groups, astrocyte activation as reflected by glial fibrillary astrocytic protein (GFAP) immunocytochemistry was significantly reduced in antisense treated animals. These findings provide additional evidence that NMDA receptors contribute to secondary injury after brain trauma and may suggest an alternative treatment approach.     

A randomised dose escalation study of subcutaneous interleukin 2 with and without levamisole in patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma or malignant melanoma

We have examined the efficacy, toxicity and host immunological response of two different dose schedules of interleukin 2 (IL-2) given subcutaneously, daily for 3 months in patients with renal cell carcinoma (RCC) or metastatic melanoma (MM). We also examined the effect of adding the immune modulator levamisole to the two different schedules of IL-2. Thirty-nine patients were entered into two sequential phase I/II studies. Eighteen patients entered study 1 and were randomised to receive IL-2, 3 x 10(6) IU m-2 day-1, subcutaneously for 3 months with or without levamisole 50 mg t.d.s. p.o. on days 1-3 on alternate weeks. Twenty-one patients entered study 2 and were randomised to receive 5.4 x 10(6) IU m-2 day-1 subcutaneously for 3 months with or without levamisole 50 mg t.d.s. p.o. on days 1-3 on alternate weeks. Blood was taken for peripheral blood lymphocyte (PBL) phenotype analysis, and measurement of IL-2, soluble IL-2 receptor (sIL-2R) and neopterin concentration. Two patients with metastatic melanoma, one in each study, responded (11.8%); both received IL-2 alone. Observations of immunological parameters showed that treatment with subcutaneous IL-2 resulted in a significant rise in the percentage of PBLs bearing CD25, CD3/HLA-DR, CD56 and levels of IL-2 receptor and neopterin. The total white blood cell count (WBC) and total lymphocyte count rose significantly on day 18 compared with pretreatment levels. The addition of levamisole to either IL-2 schedule resulted in no significant changes in any immunological parameters. This study illustrates that prolonged subcutaneous IL-2 can be given safely in the outpatient setting. There was no evidence that levamisole acts as an immunomodulator in this study.     

Utility of lentil lectin affinity of alpha-fetoprotein in the diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma

AIMS/METHODS: Frozen sera obtained from 70 patients (35 with hepatocellular carcinoma and 35 with benign chronic liver disease) with serum alpha-fetoprotein > 20 ng/ml were studied to evaluate the diagnostic indices of lentil lectin affinity of alpha-fetoprotein in detecting hepatocellular carcinoma. RESULTS: The proportion of alpha-fetoprotein-L3 was significantly higher in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma than in those with benign chronic liver disease (41.0 +/- 33.6% vs. 16.4 +/- 15.3%, p < 0.001). This difference led to a sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value and accuracy of 57, 89, 83, 67 and 73%, respectively, in detecting hepatocellular carcinoma using the proportion of alpha-fetoprotein-L3 > 35% as a parameter. Within a 1-year period, 1500 high-risk persons were collaborating, leading to 22 cases with serum total alpha-fetoprotein > 20 ng/ml. These 22 cases included six pregnant women. The parameter, alpha-fetoprotein-L3 > 35% was used along with sonography to detect hepatocellular carcinoma for the remaining 16 cases. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value and accuracy were 75, 83, 60, 91 and 81%, respectively, by the proportion of alpha-fetoprotein-L3 > 35%; and 100, 92, 80, 100 and 94%, respectively, by sonography. CONCLUSIONS: Lentil lectin affinity of alpha-fetoprotein provides a moderately high sensitivity and a high specificity in the detection of hepatocellular carcinoma for persons with high alpha-fetoprotein levels. It may be a useful adjuvant tool of sonography and total alpha-fetoprotein level in a mass survey of hepatocellular carcinoma for a high-risk population.     

Clinical experience with early enteral feeding in very-low-birth-weight infants

We investigated dorsal shift and anteroposterior spinal cord diameter after expansive open-door laminoplasty, comparing pre- and postoperative computed tomographic myelographic images to clarify the relationships between surgical outcome and these changes. Dorsal shift occurred at the midcervical spine in cervical spondylotic myelopathy (CSM) but was less extensive in ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament (OPLL). Spinal cord anteroposterior diameter expanded for OPLL but did not for CSM. Correlation of outcome and dorsal shift was not significant for OPLL or CSM. Correlation of outcome and expansion was significant for OPLL, but not for CSM.     

Intrapartum fetal oxygen saturation monitoring in congenital fetal heart block

Precutaneous Kirschner wire fixation of displaced Gartlands types II and III supracondylar fractures with image guidance remains a preferred procedure for most orthopaedic units. Various K-wire configurations have been in use, but recent objective evaluation of pin stability has favoured two techniques; the 2 crossed pins placed from the medial and lateral epicondyles, and 2 parallel lateral pins when the former technique is impracticable because of swelling. We reviewed patients who had K-wire fixation precutaneously over a 2-year period (Feb 1996 to Feb 1998). There were 44 children, 30 males, 14 females, ages between 1-15 years. 19 patients had (medial and lateral pins) 15, (2 parallel lateral) and 10 patients (2 lateral crossed) precutaneous pin placement respectively. Their postoperative course indicated that maximum stability was obtained with two opposite crossed pins, followed by the 2 paralleled pin method. These observation determined the choice of technique by the surgeons who operated on these patients.