Ability of recombinant interferon gamma in vitro to restore the defective polymorphonuclear-cell- but not lymphocyte-mediated cytotoxic activities in patients with myelodysplastic syndromes.

In this study we analysed the in vitro effect of recombinant interferon gamma on cytotoxic activities mediated by both lymphoid and polymorphonuclear cells from 16 patients with myelodysplastic syndromes. Our results indicate the inability of interferon to restore the defective natural killer activity, natural killer cells and lectin-induced cytotoxicity. On the contrary we detected a boosting effect on the depressed polymorphonuclear cell cytotoxic activities.

A long-term toxicological investigation on the effect of tris(maltolate)aluminum(III) in rabbits.

The toxicity of i.v. injected hydrophilic aluminum complex tris(maltolate)aluminum(III) was studied in New Zealand white rabbits for a period of time ranging from 5 to 63 wk.

High amounts of beta-endorphin in peripheral blood mononuclear cells from HANE patients.

We measured peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) beta-endorphin (BE) in patients suffering from hereditary angioneurotic edema (HANE), a disease attributed to C1-esterase inhibitor (C1INH) deficiency inherited as an autosomal dominant trait. Two orders of considerations prompted us to undertake the study reported herein: the presence of elevated plasma BE concentrations in HANE and the demonstration of BE-immunoreactivity in human unstimulated peripheral blood leukocytes obtained from healthy volunteers. Our results show that patients suffering from HANE have a very high BE presence in uncultured, unstimulated PBMC and in unstimulated PBMC cultured for 48 h.

[Toxicity of 4-chloro-2-nitroaniline and 2-chloro-4-nitroaniline to isolated rat hepatocytes].

The toxicity of 4-chloro-2-nitroaniline (4C2NA) and 2-chloro-4-nitroaniline (2C4NA) was investigated on isolated rat hepatocytes following 1-3 hours of exposure to 0.2 and/or 2 mM of these xenobiotics. The higher of the two concentrations appeared to induce a statistically significant loss of cellular viability (p less than 0.

Ultrastructural investigation demonstrating reduced cell adhesion on heparin-surface-modified intraocular lenses.

A major attention is focused at present to the surface characteristics of intraocular lenses (IOLs), which determine the biological response to the prostheses. There is now an overwhelming information on the fact that some cell types adhere to a lesser extent onto heparin-surface-modified (HSM) polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) IOLs, either in vitro and in vivo. The present work aimed at sheding new insights by applying ultrastructural techniques of analysis.

"Working for Patients": the National Health Service in the 1990s.

The National Health Service in England is on the verge of sweeping changes that would apply free-market methods to the state-financed health care system. The government proposal, WORKING FOR PATIENTS, would bring about the most far-reaching changes in the NHS since it was founded following World War II. This paper examines a number of important issues and questions raised by the White Paper on the NHS.

Complement, complement activation and anaphylatoxins in human ovarian follicular fluid.

Functionally active complement was sought and detected in human follicular fluids obtained during the pre-ovulatory period. All the functional complement activities tested, including total haemolytic complement, classical pathway activity and alternative pathway activity were present in nine fluids from four different donors with values within the normal serum range. The immunochemical analysis demonstrated the presence of complement factors from C1 to C9, of B and of C1 INH, H, I.

[Thymopentin as adjuvant therapy in the hepatitis B vaccination of non- or hyporesponsive subjects].

The efficacy of thymopentin as adjuvant therapy was assessed in 13 people who did not respond to standard anti-hepatitis B vaccination with Pasteur HEVAC or Merck HV-VAX. Thymopentin (Sindtomodulina, Italfarmaco)--was given in doses of 50 mg 3 times a week for 3 consecutive weeks, a booster dose of the vaccine (40 mcg HB VAX injected into the deltoid muscle, or 10 mcg HEVAC subcutaneous) being given at the start of the second week. In 69.

Defective antibody-dependent and lectin-induced polymorphonuclear cytotoxicity in patients with myelodysplastic syndromes.

A short-term 51Cr-release assay was employed to investigate polymorphonuclear leukocyte (PMN) antibody-dependent (ADCC) and phytohemaglutinin-induced (PHA-ICC) cytotoxicity against chicken erythrocytes in 28 patients with myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS). MDS patients PMN-mediated ADCC and PHA-ICC were significantly reduced when compared to normal donors. When the patients were subdivided according to the revised FAB classification, a reduction in PHA-ICC from the RAEB group and a progressive impairment of ADCC from RA to RAEB-t patients was observed.

Mortality from specific causes among silicotic subjects: a historical prospective study.

A historical mortality study was conducted among 520 silicotic subjects diagnosed at the Department of Occupational Health of the San Martino Hospital, Genoa, Italy, between 1961 and 1980. Vital status was ascertained as of 1 January 1982. Age-, sex- and calendar-year-adjusted standardized mortality ratios (SMRs) for specific causes were computed using Italian as well as Genoa County male population death rates.

Complement activation is associated with the presence of specific human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-anti-HIV immune complexes in patients with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome-related complex or lymphoadenopathy syndrome.

The complement system was examined in a group of eight patients (six with lymphoadenopathy syndrome (LAS); two with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS)-related complex (ARC], who were found to be human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-positive, for the presence of specific HIV-anti-HIV complexes. A significant impairment of the classical and/or alternative pathway was found associated with the presence of cleavage fragments of C3 and/or B and a significant reduction in the complement factors studied. Ultracentrifugation fractions of serum samples obtained from one of the patients were assessed for the detection of specific HIV-anti-HIV (GP41-anti-GP41) complexes and were incubated with normal human serum to determine their complement activation capacity.

Increased plasma beta-endorphin levels in hereditary angioedema.

We measured beta-endorphin (BE) and beta-lipotropin (BLPH) plasma concentrations (by means of an HPLC-RIA coupled method) during attacks as well as during symptom-free periods in a group of 28 patients with immunochemical (21) or functional (7) Cl inhibitor deficiency. Thirteen patients suffering from chronic urticaria served as controls. Three orders of considerations prompted us to initiate the present study: the clinical relationship between stress and the onset of acute episodes, the possible effects of repeated stressful situations, as are the attacks themselves, on the patients' neuroendocrine system and the well-known existence of close links between the immune system and endogenous opioids.

Evaluation of human serum based tumor marker control.

A human serum based tumor marker control containing 13 antigen associated with tumors or cancer cell proliferation has been developed for use in quality control of various cancer diagnostic test methodologies. The menu is comprehensive including several new antigens: the Carbohydrate Antigens 125 and 19-9, Tissue Polypeptide Antigen (TPA), Beta-2-microglobulin, as well as some traditional markers; CEA, AFP and PAP. The control is bilevel; Level I representing low values and Level II showing elevated or clinically significant values, designed to control the linear range of the assays.

Hereditary angioneurotic edema: clinical and laboratory findings in 58 subjects.

An in-depth analysis of clinical and laboratory findings in 58 patients affected by hereditary angioneurotic edema (HANE) is reported with special focus on problems related to the diagnosis of the disorder. The functional C1 inhibitor (C1INH) assay is the method of choice in the diagnosis of HANE, as it is capable of revealing the disorder with 100% accuracy. The immunochemical assay of C1INH detected HANE in 84.

[A case of recent atrial flutter treated with intravenous propafenone].

A recently observed case triggers an examination of Propafenone (P.) treatment of atrial flutter (AF). A review of the literature reveals that the question has not so far been sufficiently investigated.

Deficiency of lymphocyte lectin-dependent cytotoxicity in myelodysplastic syndromes.

We studied a group of patients with myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) for surface markers and cytotoxic activities of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMNC). The results indicate a significant increase in the total count of CD11b+, Leu7+ and CD16+ with a percent reduction in CD4+. A reduction in PHA-induced cellular cytotoxicity (PHA-ICC) and NK activity were found.

Health planning and the closure of a community hospital.

The overall purpose of the research reported in this article is two-fold: firstly, to describe the efforts of a regional health planning agency in the United States to reduce the size of acute care facilities in its planning area; and, secondly, to frame these events into a general theory of structural problems of state interventions in the American health care sector. Specifically, a case study is presented that documents--over time--the process of decision making, in seeking to close a community hospital against strong, and vocal, local interests. This analysis supports the view that, in the real world of health planning, power is exercised through a process of bargaining between health care providers and government, and between health care providers.

Natural killer activity from normal peripheral blood lymphocytes against a human T lymphotropic retrovirus type III (HTLV-III)-infected cell line.

An H9-HTLV-III-infected cell line was used as a target in a short-term (3-hr) Cr release assay to assess its sensitivity to lysis by peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL) from normal donors. The single cell cytotoxicity assay (SCCA) on poly-L-lysine-coated coverslips was used to investigate further the mechanism of binding and killing. Uninfected H9 and K562 cell lines were studied as controls.

Evidence for activation of complement in patients with AIDS related complex (ARC) and/or lymphoadenopathy syndrome (LAS).

The complement system was examined in 16 patients with AIDS-related complex (ARC) (n = 5) and/or lymphoadenopathy syndrome (LAS) (n = 11). Of these patients 62.5% showed an impairment of classical and/or alternative pathway activity associated with the presence of cleavage fragments of C3 and/or B and a significant reduction of many complement factors.

A double-blind placebo controlled evaluation of the safety and efficacy of vinpocetine in the treatment of patients with chronic vascular senile cerebral dysfunction.

In a double-blind clinical trial, vinpocetine, a synthetic ethyl ester of apovincamine, was shown to effect significant improvement in elderly patients with chronic cerebral dysfunction. Forty-two patients received 10 mg vinpocetine three times a day (tid) for 30 days, then 5 mg tid for 60 days. Matching placebo tablets were given to another 42 patients for the 90 day trial period.

Modulation of human concanavalin A-induced lymphocyte proliferative response by physiological concentrations of beta-endorphin.

The effects of physiological concentrations of beta-endorphin on the proliferative response to concanavalin A of human peripheral blood mononuclear cells from a large series of healthy donors are reported. These effects are also compared with those obtained employing beta-endorphin and phytohemagglutinin under the same experimental conditions. The donors (32), aged between 20 and 48 years, chosen among military personnel of the Italian Air Force, underwent clinical and laboratory investigations to exclude any detectable disturbance in their psychophysical fitness.

Implementation of mobile decentralized pharmaceutical services in a community teaching hospital.

Administrative strategies that were used to justify mobile decentralized pharmaceutical services in a community teaching hospital are discussed. The report describes the problems prompting the pharmacy's review of its centralized unit dose drug distribution and i.v.