The Behavioural Assessment of the Dysexecutive Syndrome (BADS) in schizophrenia and its relation to functional outcomes.

The purpose of this study was to establish further the validity of the Behavioural Assessment of the Dysexecutive Syndrome (BADS) in a population with schizophrenia. Specific objectives were: to examine the construct validity and sensitivity of the BADS in differentiating between adult inpatients during an acute episode of illness, adult outpatients in the chronic stages of illness, and healthy controls; and to examine the predictive validity of the BADS regarding functional outcomes within the chronic group. Participants were 30 inpatients during an acute episode of their illness; 31 outpatients in the chronic stage; and 93 healthy controls.

Cardiac contractility modulation with the impulse dynamics signal: studies in dogs with chronic heart failure.

The intravenous use of positive inotropic agents, such as sympathomimetics and phosphodiesterase inhibitors, in heart failure is limited by pro-arrhythmic and positive chronotropic effects. Chronic use of these agents, while eliciting an improvement in the quality of life of patients with advanced heart failure, has been abandoned because of marked increase in mortality when compared to placebo. Nevertheless, patients with advanced heart failure can benefit from long-term positive inotropic support if the therapy can be delivered 'on demand' and in a manner that is both safe and effective.

Short peptide-based tolerogens without self-antigenic or pathogenic activity reverse autoimmune disease.

An immunodominant epitope of myelin basic protein (MBP), VHFFKNIVTPRTP (p87-99), is a major target of T cells in brain lesions of multiple sclerosis (MS), and this peptide can trigger experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE). We designed truncated peptides based on this pathogenic 13-mer that are not antigenic. These short peptides reduced production of IFN-gamma and TNF-alpha in vivo.

Fas (CD95/Apo-1)-mediated damage to ventricular myocytes induced by cytotoxic T lymphocytes from perforin-deficient mice: a major role for inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate.

Cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs) that infiltrate the heart are important immune effectors implicated in heart transplant rejection, myocarditis, and other cardiomyopathies. To investigate the mechanism(s) underlying CTL damage to the myocardium through activation of the Fas receptor (Fas/CD95/Apo-1) by the Fas ligand, we explored the interaction between peritoneal exudate CTLs (PELs), derived from perforin gene-knockout (P-/-) mice, and murine ventricular myocytes. Fas expression on isolated ventricular myocytes was demonstrated immunohistochemically.