Treatment of progressive systemic sclerosis using factor XIII.

A double-blind, randomized crossover trial was carried out in 25 patients with progressive systemic sclerosis to compare the effectiveness and tolerability of treatment with Factor XIII with that of placebo. Patients received twice daily intravenous injections of either Factor XIII or placebo for 3 weeks and, after a wash-out period of 6 weeks, were crossed over to the alternative medication for a further 3 weeks. Assessments made by the physician and patients at the end of each treatment period indicated that Factor XIII was significantly better than placebo in improving the cutaneous manifestations of the disease and these opinions were supported by the significant improvement in the function index which was used to assess the degree of motor disability.

Manganese-containing superoxide-dismutase deficiency in polymorphonuclear leukocytes of adults with rheumatoid arthritis.

Superoxide dismutase (SOD) is known to regulate the level of superoxide radicals inside cells. The purpose of this work was to investigate the role of SOD activity in tissue damage produced by superoxide radicals. SOD was measured in polymorphonuclear cells of patients with rheumatoid arthritis and controls.

[Antinuclear antibodies: analysis of images and classification of immunofluorescence aspects on nuclei isolated from rat hepatocytes].

Image analysis and Fourier transformation of the various nuclear immunofluorescence patterns observed while detecting antinuclear antibodies allow an objective and quantitative definition of the fluorescence. They also point out various IF types hidden by the main pattern, without having to dilute the test serum. They make obvious the difference between speckled and reticular patterns, and reveal the existence of intermediate states.

[Effect of imidazole on the trabecular bone volume of rats with calcium deficiency].

Low-calcium diet induces bone rarefaction in young rats by decreasing trabecular bone volume without any mineralization's defect. Given alone, calcium or imidazol increases, significantly but incompletely, trabecular bone volume. Given together, calcium and imidazol increase trabecular bone volume as well as normal diet does.