[Comparison of the conventional roentgen image, cervical myelography and nuclear magnetic resonance in avulsion of the spinal nerve roots of the lower cervical spine].

MT tomography offers an excellent opportunity of indirectly proving that traumatic exairesis of a nerve root has occurred. If a nerve root pocket is "empty" as a result of the exairesis, it is filled completely with central nerve fluid CNF and is then easily visualised.

The specificity of thiourea, dimethylthiourea and dimethyl sulphoxide as scavengers of hydroxyl radicals. Their protection of alpha 1-antiproteinase against inactivation by hypochlorous acid.

Thiourea and dimethylthiourea are powerful scavengers of hydroxyl radicals (.OH), and dimethylthiourea has been used to test the involvement of .OH in several animal models of human disease.

The antioxidant action of human extracellular fluids. Effect of human serum and its protein components on the inactivation of alpha 1-antiproteinase by hypochlorous acid and by hydrogen peroxide.

The elastase-inhibitory capacity of purified human alpha 1-antiproteinase is inactivated by low concentrations of the myeloperoxidase-derived oxidant hypochlorous acid, but much higher concentrations are required to inhibit the elastase-inhibitory capacity of serum samples. The protective effect of serum appears to be largely due to albumin. High concentrations of H2O2 also inactivate the elastase-inhibitory capacity of alpha 1-antiproteinase, by a mechanism not involving formation of hydroxyl radicals.

Identification of Goodpasture target antigens in basement membranes of human glomeruli, lung, and placenta.

Collagenase-digests of human glomerular (GBM), alveolar (ABM), and placenta basement membranes (PBM) were separated by gel filtration columns and the pools rich in Goodpasture antigens (GP) were identified by an antibody inhibition-ELISA. Sodium dodecyl sulphate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) followed by immunoblotting on nitrocellulose membranes was performed with each basement membrane preparation. Sera from patients with florid GP-syndrome and antibodies to glomerular basement membrane (anti-GBM antibodies) were incubated with nitrocellulose strips of GBM, ABM, and PBM.

Bladder carcinogenesis in portacaval shunt rats.

The induction of transitional cell bladder tumors following portacaval shunt (PCA) in rats was investigated. Thirty-five (29 males; 6 females) out of 86 animals developed a carcinoma. The highest incidence of tumors (73%) was seen in control animals without a PCA but with implantation of a bladder stone.

The occurrence and localization in trypanosomes and other endo-parasites of an antigen cross-reacting with mitochondrial antibodies of primary biliary cirrhosis.

1. A mitochondrion-associated antigen to primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC) in man has been shown by solid-phase radioimmunoassay and immunoautoradiography to occur in several parasitic protozoa (Trypanosoma, Plasmodium and Eimeria spp.) and in the helminths Ascaridia galli and Nippostrongylus brasiliensis.

Effects of chronic administration of a monoclonal antibody against human renin in the marmoset.

In this study, the hypotensive efficacy of R-3-36-16, a monoclonal antibody against human kidney renin, was investigated during chronic administration to a primate. R-3-36-16 was given by continuous intraperitoneal infusion with osmotic minipumps to normotensive marmosets fed a low-sodium diet in doses of 30 or 300 micrograms/kg/day for 14 days. The lower dose had no effect on blood pressure (BP) or plasma renin activity (PRA).

Comparison of chronic inhibition of renin and converting enzyme in the marmoset.

The primate-specific renin inhibitor CGP 29287 (30 mg/kg/d, n = 5) or the converting-enzyme inhibitor CGS 14831 (30 mg/kg/d, n = 8) were administered by continuous intraperitoneal infusion via osmotic minipumps to normotensive marmosets fed a low salt diet. CGP 29287 and CGS 14831 induced a similar reduction in blood pressure after 2 days of administration (-22 +/- 6, SEM and -24 +/- 6 mmHg respectively). The hypotensive response persisted at 7 days (-20 +/- 3 and -22 +/- 8 mmHg respectively).

Cytoplasmic microvesicles in chromophobe cell renal carcinoma demonstrated by freeze fracture.

In the chromophobe cell type of renal carcinoma, cytoplasmic microvesicles (frequently with "inner vesicles") demonstrable by transmission electron microscopy are one of the most important diagnostic features. The present paper reports on these microvesicles in freeze fracture replicas. Their diameter is mainly between 140 and 300 micron, but smaller and very much larger vesicles may also occur.

Freeze-fracture features of epithelioid cells, multinucleated giant cells, and phagocytic macrophages. Investigations using the model of experimental autoimmune (anti-TBM) tubulo-interstitial nephritis.

The freeze-fracture morphology of epithelioid cells, multinucleated giant cells (Langhans' type), and phagocytic macrophages was investigated. The intensely folded and interdigitating surface membranes of epithelioid cells and multinucleated giant cells displayed no specialized areas of cell contact. The size of the intramembranous particles (IMP) and the fact that the area density of IMPs was higher in the cytoplasmic (P) faces than in the external (E) faces of the cell membranes agreed with observations in other eukaryotic cells.

Sustained reduction in blood pressure during chronic administration of a renin inhibitor to normotensive marmosets.

In this study, the hypotensive efficacy of a renin inhibitor was investigated during chronic administration. The renin inhibitor CGP 29,287 was administered by continuous intraperitoneal infusion with osmotic mini-pumps to normotensive marmosets fed a low-sodium diet. Marmosets received a dose of 0.

Discrimination between M2 and M4 antimitochondrial antibodies in primary biliary cirrhosis.

10 sera were studied from patients with primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC), that were anomalous in their reactivity against mitochondrial antigens as detected by Western blotting. They had low reactivity against the major, M2 reactive antigen (Mr for beef heart mitochondria, 74 Kd) but reacted against an antigen of Mr 52 Kd (species independent) which was apparently inaccessible in submitochondrial particles (SMP) on ELISA and which was not present in chloroform-released ATPase preparations. In all respects this differed from the characteristics of the M2 antigens and it is concluded that these sera are detecting predominantly the M4-reactive antigen.

Evaluation of low dose anaphylatoxic peptides in the pathogenesis of the adult respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). Monitoring of early C5a effects in a guinea-pig in vivo model after i.v. application.

A guinea-pig in vivo model is presented that allows the infusion of purified C5a via a central vein catheter and the monitoring of its effects on granulocytes and platelets, the most important cells in the pathogenesis of several lung disorders, e.g. shock lung.

Haemosiderin-like properties of free-radical-modified ferritin.

Conjugated-Schiff's-base-type fluorescence was measured in iron-depleted samples and chloroform extracts of human spleen haemosiderin. Incubation of ferritin with liposomes and ascorbate led to the formation of compounds with similar fluorescence properties. Analysis of protein subunits by SDS/polyacrylamide-gel electrophoresis confirmed that ferritin was damaged in incubations with ascorbate.

Tissue-specific and constitutive alpha-tubulin genes of Drosophila melanogaster code for structurally distinct proteins.

We have determined the nucleotide sequences of all four Drosophila alpha-tubulin genes (alpha 1, alpha 2, alpha 3, and alpha 4). Two of the genes, alpha 1 and alpha 3, are constitutively expressed and code for proteins that are very similar to previously sequenced alpha-tubulins. They differ from each other by only two amino acid substitutions.

Demonstration of plasma-membrane adenosine diphosphatase activity in rat lung.

The adenosine diphosphatase (ADPase) activity of rat lung has been investigated. Subcellular fractionation of lung tissue homogenates by sucrose density gradient centrifugation has shown the ADPase activity to be associated with the plasma membrane. ADPase was solubilised from the membranes and fractionated by ammonium sulphate precipitation to separate a specific, low-Km ADPase from non-specific alkaline phosphatase activity.

Formation of hydroxyl radicals in the presence of ferritin and haemosiderin. Is haemosiderin formation a biological protective mechanism?

Horse spleen and human spleen ferritins increase the formation of hydroxyl radicals (OH) at both pH 4.5 and pH 7.4 in reaction mixtures containing ascorbic acid and H2O2.

Carpal tunnel syndrome and acromegaly.

50 patients with acromegaly and carpal tunnel syndrome have been examined electrophysiologically before and after transnasal operation of the pituitary adenoma. 32 of the 50 patients (64%) had symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome. 13 of them had neurological deficits.

Employment in individuals with multiple sclerosis.

The major objectives of this research were to examine unemployment in the MS population on a national level, and to identify factors which might influence an MS individual's employment status. Data used were from the National Multiple Sclerosis Survey conducted by the National Institute of Neurological and Communicative Disorders and Stroke. Data analysis was restricted to a subset of the sample who had worked at some time in their lives.

Higher than expected prevalence of multiple sclerosis in northern Colorado: dependence on methodologic issues.

A population-based study of multiple sclerosis (MS) was conducted in 2 northern Colorado counties in 1982 to determine MS prevalence, to compare the rates with recent North American surveys and to compare the methods used in these studies. Provisional cases were identified from: the patient rolls of MS service organizations, chart reviews in 2 neurology practices, a survey of physicians and a review of hospital discharge diagnoses. Crude-point prevalence for the 2-county region was 84 per 100,000.

Mitochondrial antibodies in primary biliary cirrhosis: species and nonspecies specific determinants of M2 antigen.

Sera from patients with primary biliary cirrhosis reacted with four major bands in beef heart mitochondria and ATPase extract when analyzed by immunoblot after sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. These four immunologically reactive bands corresponded to protein bands with molecular weights of about (a) 80,000; (b) 63,000; (c) 56,000; and (d) 43,000 to 46,000. An additional immunoreactive band was found with some high-titered primary biliary cirrhosis sera at 36,000.

Chemiosmotic coupling in cytochrome oxidase. Possible protonmotive O loop and O cycle mechanisms.

Using the principle of specific vectorial ligand conduction, we outline directly coupled protonmotive O loop and O cycle mechanisms of cytochrome oxidase action that are analogous to protonmotive Q loop and Q cycle mechanisms of QH2 dehydrogenase action. We discuss these directly coupled mechanisms in the light of available experimental knowledge, and suggest that they may stimulate useful new research initiatives designed to elucidate the osmochemistry of protonmotive oxygen reduction in cytochrome oxidase.