[Routine direct detection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis with a rapid test of polymerase chain reaction applied to a Hungarian patient population].

The results of the present study, based on 1869 examined clinical specimens of 543 patients, represent the Hungarian parameters of a PCR test. By using the final and resolved results, the clinical sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values were 83.8%, 99.

[Tuberculosis at the threshold of the 21st century].

The author summarizes the most important results of the present history of tuberculosis obtained both in Hungary and abroad. He deals with the state of the art of the tuberculosis epidemics all over the world and in Hungary, presenting also the potential genetic risks. He also discusses the risk groups with special regard to the extremely large regional differences, searching for the underlying causes, as well as to that of the relationships between the epidemic and the social factors.

[BCG vaccination].

The author expounds the fairly obscure history of BCG vaccination. Summarises the efficiency of accomplished vaccinations of different geographical areas. He accounts the diversity of results by the distinction of technical and methodical conditions and disparity in virulence of BCG strains.

[Immunomodulation therapy in chronic bronchitis (multicenter study)].

(A multicentre clinical trial) The authors treated 120 patients showing the symptoms of chronic bronchitis with BV or placebo for 6 months during the winter period of 1992-93 in a multicentre double-blind clinical trial. The status of the patients was evaluated monthly and the data were analyzed at an independent computer company. The clinical symptoms were significantly milder in the BV group as compared with the placebo group and antibiotics consumption in the BV group was almost half of that recorded in the placebo group.

The protective effect of N-acetyl-aspartyl-glutamate (NAAGA) against nasal obstruction provoked by antigen in allergic rhinitis.

Specific nasal challenge test (NCT) with pollen extracts was performed before and after a single dose pretreatment with N-acetyl-aspartyl-glutamate (NAAGA: Rhinaaxia) nasal spray in 11 grass- and ragweed-pollen-sensitive patients with allergic rhinitis in symptom-free condition to test the protective effect of this drug on allergen-induced nasal obstruction and symptoms. In 7 of 11 patients, a third NCT was performed in the same way as the second one, except that placebo spray was used for pretreatment instead of NAAGA nasal spray. Nasal airways resistance (Rnas) measurements were performed before pretreatment and 15 min after NCT.

[Value of computer tomography in the diagnosis of lung hamartomas].

Detailed radiological examinations were undertaken in six cases of hamartochondromas verified by histopathology on surgical samples. It has been shown that examination of lung hamartochondromas by computer tomography provides a good approach for separation of different tissues constructing hamartochondromas. Thus cartilage, lose and dense and mixed forms of connective tissue, and adipose tissue can be well separated.

[Electron microscopic structure of mastocytes of the airways and changes in the clinical status during steroid inhalation therapy].

The structure of epithelial mast cells obtained by bronchial biopsy from asthmatic patients reveals characteristic qualitative and quantitative features. Great amount of partly or completely depleted mast cells can be observed in active asthmatic patients, indicating the liberation of bronchoconstrictive mediators. After a two months treatment with inhalative steroid (budesonide) the process of degranulation slows down, the number of depleted mast cells decreases.

[Fatigue of the respiratory muscle and respiratory insufficiency].

Recent results on respiratory muscle function are reviewed, with special regard to the muscle fatigue theory of respiratory failure. In this respect diagnostic measures and clinical symptoms are reported. Therapy is directed to reduce the work of respiratory muscles and temporarily rest them.

[Social problems associated with chronic bronchitis].

The relationships between schooling, occupation, symptoms of chronic bronchitis and smoking habits were investigated in 5,000 people. This study was done in conjunction with a mass X-ray screening effort in a district of Budapest. The number of smokers among those with an academic education was 6-7% lower than in the group with primary school education.

Successes and failures in the treatment of bronchial asthma.

In the past decade a spectacular development could be observed in the field of antiasthmatic drugs. Though the new drugs did not produce radical change but they created a wide range of treatment possibilities. This paper is dealing with three, probably most rapidly developing fields of asthma therapy.

Presence of covalently bound energy-rich phosphates in human tracheal smooth muscle myosin.

In a preliminary report, the tracheal NaCl-myosin prepared from an old and a young subject was discussed. In the present paper, the total bound phosphate (P) content and its distribution is described in two parallel preparations of human muscle myosin. It was shown that a considerable amount of covalently bound P was present not only in NaCl, but in the fresh preparations of tracheal KCl-myosin.

Species dependent relaxation of intrapulmonary arteries (IPA) of rabbits, dogs and humans by prostacyclin.

Helically cut strips of successive IPA segments of rabbits, dogs and human patients were set up for isometric recording in vitro. High tone was produced by norepinephrine (NE, 3 microM). This tone was markedly reduced by prostacyclin (PGI2) in the secondary, tertiary and quaternary branches of human and canine pulmonary trunk.

Preparation and purification of myosin from human tracheal smooth muscle.

NaCl myosin was prepared from the annular smooth muscles of human bronchus. About 7 mg of gel filtered myosin was gained from 8 g minced tracheal muscle of the younger subject. The yield from the older (74-year old) subject was only 30% of that from the younger subject, even though the starting material was more (12 g minced tissue).